02-01-2018, 02:32 PM
Sparing a short glance at Summer, Ebony reached out her arms and wrapped them around Morene as tightly as she could. The tips of her fingers clasped at the air before barely reaching each other around the large armour. Kinks in the metal dug into her skin, leaving little dents, but she didn't care. Pins and needles were a problem for her future self. Right now, she just wanted a hug. Her body was as cold as bones, lacking its usual unnatural heat, devoid of all energy. "I want to go home." She pressed her ear against Morene, leaning into her shoulder. A frigid gauntlet wrapped around her, comforting her somewhat as her eyes drifted over the storm spirit's sleeping form.
Tears dripped down her face, pooling up around her eyes before trailing down, like small gushes of rain. A faint pitter-patter echoed as some droplets bounced off Morene's armour. Ebony only hugged tighter, shivering from a mix of the cold and her sobbing. Before her metal-clad friend could offer any verbal comfort, she continued, blurting out words and slurring them together through her stutters. "It's not f-fair. And it's a-all m-my fault he's hurt. W-why?" She stretched her neck, forcing her chin up onto Morene's spaulder and pushing the side of her head against the woman's. With a slight grunt, Ebony continued, determined to get it all out. "Why? Why? Why are you helping me?" A weak hand patted down against the metal on Morene's back, rebounding off. "F-first you. T-then Summer and Sonny. And then y-ouuu. And now he's hurt again and it's all my fau-ult."
"I can't even open a stupid book one of my friends getting hurt. It's - it's - it's not fair." She slumped, chin sliding off and her arms retreating from the hug. Bunching herself up, she curled up on Morene's lap, pulling her legs in and pressing her knees against her chest while leaning on the women. "I'm selfish," she mumbled, before picking up her voice. "B-b-because even t-though you all get hurt - I want you to staaa-ay. I d-don't want to l-lose my only f-friends. B-but I don't want you to leave meee... P-please stay, Morene. I'm sorry. It'll happen again because I'm so... stupid. And weak. And h-helpless. Y-you might get hurt again and there's n-nothing I can do about it." Ebony latched onto Morene's arm. "But." She bit her lip for a moment, grabbing her cloak and using it to wipe the tears from her eyes before staring straight up at Morene - her vibrant green locking with the older woman's blue. "I-I'm not letting you go," she asserted. "You're - you're all I have. You and Summer and Sonny."
Silence. Only small sniffles travelled throughout the room as Ebony tried to suppress her tears. She jumped, almost yelping as Morene began to rub her back with her free arm - it was a rough motion, not made any better by the gauntlet, but it was the thought that matter. The gesture itself. "You can release me now, child."
Ebony's eyes widened a little as if having expected Morene to be disgusted or force herself away. She was a leech. She didn't deserve friends - but she still wanted them, selfishly. For herself. "Y-you won't go?"
"I wouldn't dream of it," the knight smiled serenely, eyes showing her sincerity. Gently, she wiggled her trapped arm free from the magic, engulfing the cloaked girl with both arms. Ebony fidgeted a little bit, trying to get comfortable, but failing. She raised her hood with her magic and used her cloak as a provisional cushion from the harsh armour. Her arms and legs ached from the tight hug before.
"P-promise?" her voice was a whisper, tentative. Yet, strangely, it sounded like that of a child asking for extra cake, despite the quiet tone. Like she thought she was trying to get more than she deserved.
"Promise." Plain, simple, truthful.
Snuggling close from inside her little den, her face still poked out the top. "Thank you." She hummed faintly, still shifting occasionally. A moment later, she froze still, as if realising something. "I-I'm not a child! I'm an adult. I told you. I'm almost nineteen." She puffed out her cheeks, cloaked head resting under Morene's chin.
"Of course you are. My mistake," the knight hushed, speaking in her natural motherly tone. Ebony felt a bit like she was being teased, but couldn't spot any audio cues. She let it go, nestling in Morene's hug, thinking. Knowing her friend would be there for her had made her feel better, but guilt still ate up inside her. This was all her fault. Not Summer's. Not Sonny's. Not Morene's. She gritted her teeth a little bit, trying to work up the determination to prevent it from happening again. The next time she saw a skeleton, or monster, she was going to smash it. Her friends were not getting hurt again. Never again. That, she was... uncertain on.
She didn't mean to let the skeletons hit Summer or grab her - but they had. Why did it matter what she thought? She was just going to fail again. All she could do now was make sure her friend was okay. But she couldn't heal him. She didn't know how.
Through her small peak-hole, her eyes were trained on Summer, waiting for her friend to awake. He was still breathing - she could see his chest rise and fall - but long harsh scars ran up his arms. Or what remained of them. She couldn't see the stump from the way he was facing, but she could tell one hand was missing. She knew little of the Omniverse, but their injuries were supposed to heal, right?
...but what if it didn't? What if Summer's arms were crippled forever? Every passing second that he rested was a second for worries to build. "H-he'll wake up soon, right?" He only fixed his hand when he was awake before, and Ebony had heard stories of people who took great injuries and simply never woke up, sleeping themselves to death. If he died, she didn't know what she'd do.
Yet, as if luck was finally on her side, a long, dull, painful groan erupted from the man's lips, echoing throughout the room. He looked like he was about to try to move, or sit up, but a grunt followed instead. With his back facing towards Ebony, she couldn't see his face, but she guessed he looked like he was in pain.
Clumsily, Ebony pried herself out of Morene's grip, trying to stand up between the chair and the bed. She shivered as the cool air hit her, holding one hand to her chest while Morene gripped her other arm, keeping her steady. Still wobbling, she climbed onto the bed. "S-Summer?" she spoke tentatively, hoping he didn't hate her after what had happened. But, she had something else to say first. "Thank you - for saving me."
Her voice was initially only met with a groan. Ripples ran through the spirit's body in the following moments, glowing very faintly. His arms weren't faring much better, but on the surface, most of his wounds had healed. Shakily, kneeling on the bed behind him, Ebony touched his shoulder. Her fingers recoiled. It was cold, like stone. Like he usually was.
He still hadn't replied. Was he ignoring her? Was he angry? Was he still in too much pain?
Ebony glanced back at the motherly figure, silently asking for advice.
"Perhaps, my dear, we should allow him-" Morene cut off, Summer speaking over her with a croaky voice.
"You're... welcome." He shuddered, seeming to relax a little bit. "Anytime."
Snapping her head back towards him fast enough to make her neck hurt, Ebony crouched down, crawling on the bed next to him. "I'm s-sor-"
"I don't want to hear it, Eb," he forced his rough voice over hers, speaking bluntly.
Ebony flinched. Recoiling. So he was mad at her. Her lips quivered and she sat down, pulling her cloak tightly around herself while almost falling back off the bed. In the background, Morene remained poised, ready to catch the young mage, should she fall - yet watched silently, like a big, hulking, shadow.
"That wasn't your fault," he continued, speaking evenly yet his tone was still a little bit strained. "It was the skeletons, not you. You couldn't have known. The blame lies with me for letting it get that far."
"T-that's not true!" she asserted back, shuffling forward again and speaking to his back. "If I was s-stronger. Or n-not useless. Or... or..." She fell to the side, landing behind Summer and wrapping both of her arms around his chest, hugging him gently from behind. Burying her face into his back, she sniffled, talking quickly so he didn't try to take the guilt away from her. "Or not s-such a fake." Her heart felt like it was burning. As if someone had ripped it out of her chest and dropped it in a vat of acid. "I'm... I'm... I'm not cool," she whispered directly into his ear. "C-cool people don't let their friends get hurt - like you."
"Ebony." Summer took a deep breath, painfully shifting a little bit in her grip. "You're the coolest person I know. You're strong. You're smart. You're funny. You're friendly, nice, and kind. Your magic is amazing, and you own the coolest cloak I've ever seen. But, most importantly, you're you, and you're my friend. Nothing can ever change that - Ebonywood Hellscythe." She couldn't see it, but he smiled.
"B-but-"
"No buts. You are cool. And," Summer yawned, "that is not up for debate."
A pause followed. A long, dull, pause. Everyone was being so nice. Why? She didn't understand it. Summer's comments made her heart feel fuzzy and warm; the few escaping tears swiftly dried as a familiar heat filled her shivering body. "Okay..." she accepted verbally, rubbing her face into his back. "What about Sonny? W-what does he think?"
"That came from the both of us." One of his arms pressed itself against hers, holding her into the hug. "But... he did suggest something to make you even cooler..." Summer's voice lingered, as if he was a little bit opposed to the idea. Reluctance. But he spoke it anyway, knowing it was something that had to be done.
"What? W-what... was it?" she muttered, voice muffled by his back and her cloak. Slowly but surely, the air began to warm. She shuddered a little bit, feeling a phantom pain in her chest. There wasn't a wound that she could feel. No blood. So she ignored it, listening intently to what Summer, or Sonny, had to say. She owed it to them.
"Training. Every morning, or evening, we're going to practice. Next time, you'll be strong enough to beat all the skeletons all by yourself - with magic, your scythe, or both." Summer groaned a moment later. "...but, right now, I need to rest."
"O-oh... Okay..." Ebony paused, thinking for a moment. "But I'm staying with you." Blushing, she squeezed a little bit, then shuffled trying to rest her head on the pillow. "What if you wake up and need help?" she asserted.
"I..." Summer took a short breath, starting off sharp before evening off. "O-okay. If you insist," he said, speaking tensely yet stuttering at the start. Still notably in pain.
Stretching her jaw, Ebony sighed, kicking out her legs and snuggling closer. She hummed a little bit while using her magic to take off her belts and boots, making herself more comfortable. An invisible warm bubble of heat surrounded the two, mostly a product of Ebony, but partially from Summer being a warmer than usual. Engulfed by heat, her eyes drifted shut, hugging Summer as if he'd disappear at any moment.
Tears dripped down her face, pooling up around her eyes before trailing down, like small gushes of rain. A faint pitter-patter echoed as some droplets bounced off Morene's armour. Ebony only hugged tighter, shivering from a mix of the cold and her sobbing. Before her metal-clad friend could offer any verbal comfort, she continued, blurting out words and slurring them together through her stutters. "It's not f-fair. And it's a-all m-my fault he's hurt. W-why?" She stretched her neck, forcing her chin up onto Morene's spaulder and pushing the side of her head against the woman's. With a slight grunt, Ebony continued, determined to get it all out. "Why? Why? Why are you helping me?" A weak hand patted down against the metal on Morene's back, rebounding off. "F-first you. T-then Summer and Sonny. And then y-ouuu. And now he's hurt again and it's all my fau-ult."
"I can't even open a stupid book one of my friends getting hurt. It's - it's - it's not fair." She slumped, chin sliding off and her arms retreating from the hug. Bunching herself up, she curled up on Morene's lap, pulling her legs in and pressing her knees against her chest while leaning on the women. "I'm selfish," she mumbled, before picking up her voice. "B-b-because even t-though you all get hurt - I want you to staaa-ay. I d-don't want to l-lose my only f-friends. B-but I don't want you to leave meee... P-please stay, Morene. I'm sorry. It'll happen again because I'm so... stupid. And weak. And h-helpless. Y-you might get hurt again and there's n-nothing I can do about it." Ebony latched onto Morene's arm. "But." She bit her lip for a moment, grabbing her cloak and using it to wipe the tears from her eyes before staring straight up at Morene - her vibrant green locking with the older woman's blue. "I-I'm not letting you go," she asserted. "You're - you're all I have. You and Summer and Sonny."
Silence. Only small sniffles travelled throughout the room as Ebony tried to suppress her tears. She jumped, almost yelping as Morene began to rub her back with her free arm - it was a rough motion, not made any better by the gauntlet, but it was the thought that matter. The gesture itself. "You can release me now, child."
Ebony's eyes widened a little as if having expected Morene to be disgusted or force herself away. She was a leech. She didn't deserve friends - but she still wanted them, selfishly. For herself. "Y-you won't go?"
"I wouldn't dream of it," the knight smiled serenely, eyes showing her sincerity. Gently, she wiggled her trapped arm free from the magic, engulfing the cloaked girl with both arms. Ebony fidgeted a little bit, trying to get comfortable, but failing. She raised her hood with her magic and used her cloak as a provisional cushion from the harsh armour. Her arms and legs ached from the tight hug before.
"P-promise?" her voice was a whisper, tentative. Yet, strangely, it sounded like that of a child asking for extra cake, despite the quiet tone. Like she thought she was trying to get more than she deserved.
"Promise." Plain, simple, truthful.
Snuggling close from inside her little den, her face still poked out the top. "Thank you." She hummed faintly, still shifting occasionally. A moment later, she froze still, as if realising something. "I-I'm not a child! I'm an adult. I told you. I'm almost nineteen." She puffed out her cheeks, cloaked head resting under Morene's chin.
"Of course you are. My mistake," the knight hushed, speaking in her natural motherly tone. Ebony felt a bit like she was being teased, but couldn't spot any audio cues. She let it go, nestling in Morene's hug, thinking. Knowing her friend would be there for her had made her feel better, but guilt still ate up inside her. This was all her fault. Not Summer's. Not Sonny's. Not Morene's. She gritted her teeth a little bit, trying to work up the determination to prevent it from happening again. The next time she saw a skeleton, or monster, she was going to smash it. Her friends were not getting hurt again. Never again. That, she was... uncertain on.
She didn't mean to let the skeletons hit Summer or grab her - but they had. Why did it matter what she thought? She was just going to fail again. All she could do now was make sure her friend was okay. But she couldn't heal him. She didn't know how.
Through her small peak-hole, her eyes were trained on Summer, waiting for her friend to awake. He was still breathing - she could see his chest rise and fall - but long harsh scars ran up his arms. Or what remained of them. She couldn't see the stump from the way he was facing, but she could tell one hand was missing. She knew little of the Omniverse, but their injuries were supposed to heal, right?
...but what if it didn't? What if Summer's arms were crippled forever? Every passing second that he rested was a second for worries to build. "H-he'll wake up soon, right?" He only fixed his hand when he was awake before, and Ebony had heard stories of people who took great injuries and simply never woke up, sleeping themselves to death. If he died, she didn't know what she'd do.
Yet, as if luck was finally on her side, a long, dull, painful groan erupted from the man's lips, echoing throughout the room. He looked like he was about to try to move, or sit up, but a grunt followed instead. With his back facing towards Ebony, she couldn't see his face, but she guessed he looked like he was in pain.
Clumsily, Ebony pried herself out of Morene's grip, trying to stand up between the chair and the bed. She shivered as the cool air hit her, holding one hand to her chest while Morene gripped her other arm, keeping her steady. Still wobbling, she climbed onto the bed. "S-Summer?" she spoke tentatively, hoping he didn't hate her after what had happened. But, she had something else to say first. "Thank you - for saving me."
Her voice was initially only met with a groan. Ripples ran through the spirit's body in the following moments, glowing very faintly. His arms weren't faring much better, but on the surface, most of his wounds had healed. Shakily, kneeling on the bed behind him, Ebony touched his shoulder. Her fingers recoiled. It was cold, like stone. Like he usually was.
He still hadn't replied. Was he ignoring her? Was he angry? Was he still in too much pain?
Ebony glanced back at the motherly figure, silently asking for advice.
"Perhaps, my dear, we should allow him-" Morene cut off, Summer speaking over her with a croaky voice.
"You're... welcome." He shuddered, seeming to relax a little bit. "Anytime."
Snapping her head back towards him fast enough to make her neck hurt, Ebony crouched down, crawling on the bed next to him. "I'm s-sor-"
"I don't want to hear it, Eb," he forced his rough voice over hers, speaking bluntly.
Ebony flinched. Recoiling. So he was mad at her. Her lips quivered and she sat down, pulling her cloak tightly around herself while almost falling back off the bed. In the background, Morene remained poised, ready to catch the young mage, should she fall - yet watched silently, like a big, hulking, shadow.
"That wasn't your fault," he continued, speaking evenly yet his tone was still a little bit strained. "It was the skeletons, not you. You couldn't have known. The blame lies with me for letting it get that far."
"T-that's not true!" she asserted back, shuffling forward again and speaking to his back. "If I was s-stronger. Or n-not useless. Or... or..." She fell to the side, landing behind Summer and wrapping both of her arms around his chest, hugging him gently from behind. Burying her face into his back, she sniffled, talking quickly so he didn't try to take the guilt away from her. "Or not s-such a fake." Her heart felt like it was burning. As if someone had ripped it out of her chest and dropped it in a vat of acid. "I'm... I'm... I'm not cool," she whispered directly into his ear. "C-cool people don't let their friends get hurt - like you."
"Ebony." Summer took a deep breath, painfully shifting a little bit in her grip. "You're the coolest person I know. You're strong. You're smart. You're funny. You're friendly, nice, and kind. Your magic is amazing, and you own the coolest cloak I've ever seen. But, most importantly, you're you, and you're my friend. Nothing can ever change that - Ebonywood Hellscythe." She couldn't see it, but he smiled.
"B-but-"
"No buts. You are cool. And," Summer yawned, "that is not up for debate."
A pause followed. A long, dull, pause. Everyone was being so nice. Why? She didn't understand it. Summer's comments made her heart feel fuzzy and warm; the few escaping tears swiftly dried as a familiar heat filled her shivering body. "Okay..." she accepted verbally, rubbing her face into his back. "What about Sonny? W-what does he think?"
"That came from the both of us." One of his arms pressed itself against hers, holding her into the hug. "But... he did suggest something to make you even cooler..." Summer's voice lingered, as if he was a little bit opposed to the idea. Reluctance. But he spoke it anyway, knowing it was something that had to be done.
"What? W-what... was it?" she muttered, voice muffled by his back and her cloak. Slowly but surely, the air began to warm. She shuddered a little bit, feeling a phantom pain in her chest. There wasn't a wound that she could feel. No blood. So she ignored it, listening intently to what Summer, or Sonny, had to say. She owed it to them.
"Training. Every morning, or evening, we're going to practice. Next time, you'll be strong enough to beat all the skeletons all by yourself - with magic, your scythe, or both." Summer groaned a moment later. "...but, right now, I need to rest."
"O-oh... Okay..." Ebony paused, thinking for a moment. "But I'm staying with you." Blushing, she squeezed a little bit, then shuffled trying to rest her head on the pillow. "What if you wake up and need help?" she asserted.
"I..." Summer took a short breath, starting off sharp before evening off. "O-okay. If you insist," he said, speaking tensely yet stuttering at the start. Still notably in pain.
Stretching her jaw, Ebony sighed, kicking out her legs and snuggling closer. She hummed a little bit while using her magic to take off her belts and boots, making herself more comfortable. An invisible warm bubble of heat surrounded the two, mostly a product of Ebony, but partially from Summer being a warmer than usual. Engulfed by heat, her eyes drifted shut, hugging Summer as if he'd disappear at any moment.