Fragmented Afterthoughts
Chapter 13:
Silence
Chapter Thirteen:
Silence
"She's still asleep."
"Every right to be..."
"Look at her! Is she normally that pale?"
"Ugh, and what a face... ugly!"
"Shush! At least she's stopped bleeding..."
Magick's eyebrows faintly twitched as they were brung together, and she squinted
violently in the bright light. She was propped up against a wall, small children holding
on to her
arms, an old man standing before her. Instinctively, she hissed, swatting out. The
children
scrambled for cover behind the old man, who scowled at her, eyes closed.
"Don't frighten the children," he wheezed, one eye cracking open to reveal a
murky, light-
blue substance covering the pupil. "They were only helping." He shuffled for a
moment, the
children peering out from behind him, and moved to the side of wherever-it-was to sit down
on a
long, wooden bench and take out a pipe.
"She's alive," a sarcastic voice oozed from one of the children. She sneered at
her from
an opposite wooden bench, nearly Magick's age, long black hair, incredibly and remarkably
similar to Magick's own, trailing down her back. Her arms were tightly crossed over her
chest,
and as she stood, Magick noticed that the she was truly a he, only more beautiful than a
man
ought to be.
"And she's damn ungrateful," Magick retorted nastily, then held a hand to her
forehead as
she winced in pain. Her forehead exploded into crimson, and she shook her head lightly to
clear
it, eyes closing in that same pain.
The boy scoffed, then looked to the children, who now stood on either side of him. With
a glance down, then back to her, a casual smirk, he managed another sneer. "Tough
luck, chick,
you're stuck here until you're well." He came over and patted her on the head, making
her head
pound even moreso. "And that looks like a long time."
Magick was on her feet in no time, holding the boy up by his throat against the wall.
"I'm... not... in the mood, y'see... tell me where I am. NOW."
The boy's feet dangled as his face slowly turned pale, then red as blood rushed to it. He
gagged, a choking sound low at his throat as Magick pressed even harder on his adam's
apple.
She let go, and he dropped, landing neatly on his feet and rubbing his throat with a smart
smile.
"Touchy, aren't you?"
"As a matter of fact... I am."
The boy scoffed. "Like I said, tough." He snickered, giving her an appraising
look as he
inspected her. "Not much of a face, but your body..." Another snicker.
"Don't be a pain in the ass."
"Ooo... getting to the point quickly, aren't we?"
Magick smacked her forehead with a palm, then rubbed her temples vigorously with both
hands. "Look, before I'm forced to blow you into itty, chewable chunks, how about you
tell me
exactly where I am?"
The old man looked over, his eyes shining with amusement, though it was now becoming
apparent thathe was blind. He shook his head, then lit his pipe, puffing on it a moment.
Magick
was beginning to see the scheme of things; this was a long hallway, but they were at the
very
end. It looked like the inside of a castle, and the only thing she could see in the
distance was the
end of the passage and large, double set of doors. "Suri," the old man said,
"tell her."
Suri, the boy who had been so insulting, stood up tall next to Magick, puffing out his
chest. "You're with your family, dimwit, and that's in Castle-o'-Hell." He
smiled, then spread his
arms wide. "Welcome TO Hell."
"Family? Castle?" Magick looked dimly at him, eyes narrowing as she shrugged,
then felt
immense pain shoot through her shoulders as she did so. The children, now estimated at
three,
giggled and smiled at her.
"Family. Related." Suri looked impatient. "You're a creation; we're
creations. Though
some of us were lucky enough to age properly." He indicated the elder man, and the
children.
"You're lucky. You got to go out into the world." He sneered. "Daddy never
liked US that much."
Magick's eyes widened, and a pit of dread sunk into her stomach. "Daddy?"
"Ryuzoku, you dipwad."
Magick was feeling herself winding up, and her fist curled. "Call me another name. Go
ahead, you son of a- "
"Children."
Magick stopped. "Fu--... I... " Growling, then flipping him off, she whirled,
starting to
pace down the corridor.
"DON'T!"
Suri's shriek echoed after her, and she slowly turned to look at him. "Excuse
me?"
Suri had his hand held out, but quickly retracted it, looking down and fumbling with his
fingers. "Well, that's the way you go and get killed. If you stay here, you get leave
every so often.
I truthfully wouldn't go down that way, either."
Magick strode back, now realizing she was clad in very little, her boots nothing more
than leather anklets, her shirt in shreds, her shorts the only thing practically intact,
for their size.
She blushed. "Gimme a sec, will you?" She shuffled a moment, then sat down.
"Explanation
time. I'm in the mood for a story."
Suri chuckled, then looked back to the old man. "Great, Grimoire, you brought us a
funny
one."
Grimoire tilted his head, still smoking. A pleasant aroma wafted out from the pipe, and
he sneered. "Eh. Funny. I just saw her go down."
Suri shrugged, and followed Magick's lead of sitting. Smiling broadly at her, he sighed,
then began in a friendlier voice.
"You know Ryuzoku, right? That fellow created all of us. We're morphs, like you, but
Daddy never gave us the attention he gave you. Musta seen something special in you."
He
yawned. "Special or not, he died pretty early on. Leavng me, and these four others,
unfinished."
He held up a glove, strapped on, and took it off. He had an incredibly pale hand
underneath,
furred and clawed. "We're just part of the animals we were designed to be,
still."
Magick cursed under her breath, and the children came nearer. "Don't worry," one
said,
patting her shoulder. His face was formed slightly in the shape of a V, and his head
sprouted two
attenae, golden and lithe, that twitched as he spoke. "Ryuzoku liked us, too. He just
gave us
different aides."
"So.. what are you?" Magick timidly asked, diffidence showing.
"Me?" The child chuckled. "Human, Venomoth, Dragonite, and Pichu." He
displayed a
tail that related to all the names he had mentioned (save for human), and smiled as he
patted her
cheek softly, then came closer and whispered in her ear.
"Grimoire saved you from what would have been your death. He looks old, but he's
really
only as old as you; as I am. But still. We're in who you call Thanos's castle, and he
treats us like
garbage. We haven't ventured out for a long time." There was a hesitant pause.
"We can get you
out. You need to warn your friends."
He backed away, then took hands with the other two children and went over to Grimoire,
who snorted at them and continued to puff on his pipe. Suri looked afer them, and smiled
sadly.
"You and I were the lucky ones who got to age like we should. Otherwise, we would
have turned up like those kids over there. Sixteen, and looking about six. How's that for
fun?" He
looked back to her, then patted her knee, to which she blinked at him and then stared.
"Look, I
know I hate you, and you hate me-"
"I don't hate you. I hardly know you. I could get to know you. THEN I could hate
you."
Suri laughed. "Okay, so you COULD hate me. I still hate you. But nonetheless,
siblings
shouldn't fight. Though we do. So I'm asking you to kindly deliver a message for me to
your
friends. Maybe after that you could get us out of here."
He shifted his weight, then stood with a grunt of effort, and stretched lithely, looking
at
her. "Come on, then, up you go, and off to get your friends to help."
Magick blinked, shook her head, and blinked again. "Whoa. Too fast. First off. You
and I
are brother and sister?"
"Not really. Sounds better that way. But no. No mother. No actual father. So no.
You're
just one of the people who's made a..." he made a snicking sound in his cheek,
"real difference
for me."
Magick looked severely at him. "Sarcasm aside."
"You're a clone, that's the only way you and I are related." He shrugged in his
coat, and
adjusted it, looking down. "Now would you go already? I've really got to get some new
clothing.
These reek."
Magick raised a single brow, then continued. "Secondly. Thanos?"
"You call 'im that, not me. I just call him The Annoying Obstacle Of Never-Ending
Painless Amusement Who Keeps Us Here For No Apparent Reason. You can see why Thanos
has become popular."
"Third. Why am I helping you? The last thing I can remember is blackness..." she
trailed
off, thinking about it once more. Water. Wet Water. Shudder. "Being in the water is
bad."
"That's where Grim found ya. Suicide attempt, m'dear? Not smart. NOT smart."
"Thanksohsomuch." Magick shot a false smile at him, sneering in the end.
"Anyway, yes. You were found on the rocks." He put a hand to his head, and
mocked
falling. "Oh so dramatically nearly dead." He straightened, and grinned.
"Damn heroines."
Magick puffed out her chest. "Screw you," she laughed. "So where am I
supposed to get
out of here from?"
Grim pointed down the hall. "There."
"And you people are staying here.. why?" Magick queried.
All turned to look at her slowly, and she flattened her ears. "Eh.."
"Pain and suffering," one of the young-looking ones said, her eyes wide.
"Much of it, if
we try."
"And I'm so different why?"
"Because you came in through the cracks."
"Through the cracks?"
Suri sighed, then pointed to the wall which she had originally been leaning on.
"Cracks.
You came in through a crack. That's how we get some air, now and again... get it?"
Magick shook her head. "This is happening way too fast for it's own good."
"It should have taken less time, if you would STOP dawdling and get your rear in
gear!
Go find your friends!" Suri brandished a peice of paper, wrapped snugly in a
half-envelope.
"Take this, and explain who we are, and we'll be happy. You never have to talk to us
again... just
go get your friends."
Magick took the envelope and stuffed it down her front, then gave a kanbe to Suri.
"Shut
up."
Suri's face turned bright red as he recognized the gesture, then turned from her and
crossed his arms. "Just make sure you don't get caught, stupid."
Grimoire snickered a moment, then stood and pointed towards the wall. There was
indeed a crack, and it was dark outside, the ocean's sounds eminent. "You're a mew
hybrid. You
should be able to find your way home."
Magick stepped over cautiously, glaring all the while, then chanced a look back. The
children, or rather her peers, looked back at her. It was disturbing to know that behind
the child-
like faces were true sixteen-year-olds. That, or older. She shuddered, and glided between
the two
pieces of stone, her ribs catching momentarily on one stone, but in a moment she was free.
Her
lungs burned with the effort of sucking in her breath unconciously, and she frowned and
winced.
"You'll be better once you get there."
Grimoire stood at the crack, and Suri's eyes peered out from over him. Grimoire smiled,
and pointed. "Go east, then head north. You'll find your way out of this dungeon in
no time. And
for anybody's sake, don't fly. Someone will see you."
"I can't... " Magick snorted. "Fly."
"Sure you can. Just shut up, better if you don't know how to. Get going. If you get
caught,
then we're all in for it. So try and remain inconspicuous, huh?" Grimoire offered one
more smile,
then the crack slightly closed, leaving only Suri's eyes peering out at her. She glared
back, and he
chuckled behind the wall, now muffled, and she heard a faint sound.
"Good luck."
She shivered despite herself, untouched by the cold, though reeling in her mind, she
fought off distant coldness and indifference. She didn't have to help these people. She
would
most likely get out of here more easily should they not be on her mind. But then again,
they had
saved her. That counted for quite a bit.
They were the hybrids, just like her. These were the people from her past. If she could
help them... this was the way. She thought a moment, then went back to the crack, rapping
at it,
then prying it apart with her fingers. It did nothing, so she used strength, which opened
the wall.
The others stared at the now dissected wall. Magick crossed her arms, still holding the
half-envelope neatly, and queried gently, "So if you all know about this crack, why
am I the one
who has to go out and do this? Can't you guys just leave?"
Suri shrugged, then put a hand outside. His hand burst into flame, and he recoiled it
slowly, looking at Magick intensely. "That's why. Now would you please close the,
erm, wall?"
Magick blinked, looking at his hand, then shrugged, shifting her weight and using
strength once again to close the wall. She heard a scream from behind it, Suri's voice,
of, "MY
FOOT!" Nervously, she re-opened it slightly, and found him smiling insanely.
"Gotcha."
She slammed it shut this time on him, and the building rumbled as she did so, threatening
to collapse with the structure's old age and dilapidation. She shrugged once more, then
seethed
silently. What a pain in the ass that boy was.
***
She started to walk, then crouched as she ran, looking from side to side nervously and
trying to keep her head down. She followed along a gate that disconnected her from the
rest of
the castle, and looked through the black iron rods to see a huge portion of old building,
crumbling, but most definitely the main structure of the castle. It was enourmous, it's
turrets
reaching up to the sky, once-bright flags now missing or ripped and dull with age. The
main
doors were two large double-doors, but there was no moat to be seen, no drawbridge to be
crossed. Magick smirked.
S'funny, I thought all castles had a moat.
She continued to creep silently, seeing the end of the gate nearby. Rejoicing internally,
she gave a happy little squeak of pleasure and dashed towards it. It had been a while
since she
had left the little compound where the others were, and her fingers and toes were numb
from the
cold. The ocean was still heard, and the breeze that was always with it was picking up as
the
night got even darker, the heavy curtain of blue falling into place.
She scampered over to the locked portion of the gate, looking at the huge metal lock and
trying to decide whether she should try to yank it off or burn it off. Ripping off a loose
piece of
one of her garters, she took it and stuffed it into the lock, then set it on fire. She
would have to
work carefully to not get burned, though her own mechanical resistance would probably be
enough to resist any pain. The lead started to melt from the inside out, and she moved her
fet to
avoid any contact with the dripping substance. She may be fine against it, but those
leather boots
didn't pay for themselves.
Magick gave another squeak as the lead lock finally dripped off of the gate, and she
extended her fingernails to claw at the iron and free it from the rest of the gooey, now
hardening,
lead.
Suddenly, she slammed into the gate. She was pressed hard aganst it, face ramming into
the bars unpleasantly, causing her further wounds to cry out in pain. She winced, feeling
the
presure stop, and dropped to the ground. She heard a voice behind her, heaving with the
paroxysm of anger;
"Doshite, zehi, kuroi mew-chan desu..."
Magick turned fully to look at her attacker, scrunching up on the ground as she saw
Thanos looming before her in a macabre sense of glory. His long grey cape swirled around
him,
and his head lowered. His skeleton companion, whom Magick had not heard of, stood behind
him, his lower jaw missing, giving him the appearance of one who was fully dead, and
shouldn't
be walking the earth.
Magick choked back fear. The man was huge, ranging well over seven feet tall, and he
loomed over her impressively. His red eyes, echoed by his skeleton minion, peered down in
interest, soullessly, however possible that was. He tilted his head to a side, his only
expressions
reflected by what little Magick could see of him; those coal eyes.
"Ah..."
The only noise her feared lips could make.
"Nani desu ka, chibi kochira ka?"
She swallowed as he stood his ground, then shrieked in fear as he came closer.
What did Joey say abut times like this? About times where I shouldn't fear the enemy?
What was it? Oh please... let me remember!
Thanos drew nearer.
Oh! I remember! Look into their eyes, and if you see anything of human nature, they
must have a weakness... and you can attack them at that point!
Magick stood up defiantly, one hand clutching the envelope, the other balled into a fist,
and looked up at him. Her eyes never wavered, nor did his as he bent over and smiled at
her
menacingly, fangs seen under his cloak as they glistened with saliva, or the semblance
thereof.
"Siyonara."
She looked desperately into his eyes, trying to find a sign of remorse, glee, shame,
guilt,
trying to pinpoint a weakness and take advantage of it. Remorse... shame... guilt...
And, looking into his eyes, Magick saw none.