Castle Hydra: Next Generation

[frostmourne]

"I doubt he wants to talk to me now." Aza muttered, looking like she would burst in to tears any moment. There was a pounding sound at the door that sounded more like someone was trying to ram it down rather than knocking. After a moment of silence, a lithe black mountain lion walked right through the door. Aza rose and stormed over with a sardonic smile plastered on her face. "I know, I know. I'm going to regret I ever opened my mouth. I already do, but I thought you would want to stop Jared before he decides to-" The shadow broke off and collapsed, panting heavily. "Too late..." it coughed out in a sing-song voice. It dragged itself outside, Aza trailing behind it. She didn't even look to see if Kenan was following. She stared numbly before picking up the white and red flower and twirling it between her fingers. The mountain cat gently nudged her into another black hole before it flickered and faded.

Aza looked horrified at the macabre scene before her. The pure white landscape had been splattered with enough to blood to look like a massacre took place. In the middle of the mess was a neatly bandaged figure and Jared with a rather frustrated expression. He turned around and seemed surprised to see Aza there. "Aza? Calm down, it isn't blood. It's Hydnellum peckii, bleeding tooth fungus." "Then what happened to Adrian?" Aza asked, looking slightly more relaxed. "He had the bright idea of tripping and falling on a sharp tree branch. The blood-like substance is a natural antibacterial, but you need to actually drink it...I think he faked injury just to get you to come here to stop me. Are you going to?" I'm not so sure it was only that... "Of course not. It looks disgusting, so make him drink it." She noticed his wrist still had a cast on it.

Her eyes were so full of sadness, or was it happiness? The tears that welled in them suggested pain, but her smile suggested joy. "Does it still hurt?" She asked. "It doesn't matter." he replied simply, refusing to meet her gaze. Her glazed eyes were locked on him. "It does matter Jared. What happens to you matters to me." she replied. "Aza, you're overreacting. It's just a broken wrist." "I can't stand to see you in pain. Always because of me, you always bleed for me!" she murmured. Adrian lifted his head slightly, but the look Jared shot him made him play dead again. "There is only one of you in this world, and if it costs me my life to keep you alive and happy, than so be it." "It's costing more than your life and it's making you miserable." she muttered. "What would you have me do then? Should I leave?" His voice was gentle, but there was a slight edge to his words. "No! You're like family except less..." "Mentally unstable?" She smiled weakly and nodded. "I'll stay." "Why?" "A friend is someone who is there for you when he'd rather be anywhere else. Love is blind, literally in this case, but friendship closes its eyes." "Look, it's wonderful you guys are getting along, but can we go home now? I'd rather drink Aza's blood than that stuff oozing out of whatever mushroom that is." Adrian said impatiently. He grabbed both of them and frog-marched them to a portal despite just having a hole punched in his lower right lung.

 

((Bleeding tooth fungus is also called 'devil's tooth' and 'strawberries in cream' but looks more like chewing gum that's oozing blood in my opinion.))

Edited January 2, 2012 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan didn't follow, the moment Aza left his whole body tensing and he clutched his chest. It hurt so much... more than anything he'd ever felt before, and he had felt a lot.

 

"I'm still here, Master. Please go see someone! If the burden is this heavy there must be something wrong! I realize the personal guilt is magnifying things, but... you can't just... just..." Adele looked like she might cry.

 

"Go watch Aza! You mention my condition and there will be consequences." he demanded. Adele looked frightened and obeyed. Kenan slumped on the throne, coughing and trying to relax before he had to act fine.

[lycrawaterz14]

As some of the reapers grew restless Kenan tried to stand, to call back Adele, but couldn't. He suddenly felt a wave of dizzying sickness, and fell to his knees. The guards by the throne caught him, teleporting him to his room. "Rest, please." They asked. Kenan obeyed, sitting up on his pillows, still clutching his chest.

 

"Wormwood." One murmured. Kenan turned his head to the guard. "Your father made it when his burden was heavy. It seemed to help." It said a bit louder, courage returning. "T-thank you... will you fetch some for me?" He asked, desperate. The guard nodded. "He had it in his tea."

[frostmourne]

"Finally. Did you even stop to think that Kenan might not be as healthy as he pretends?" Addian grumbled. Aza stiffened and vanished in a shadowy blur, sheer panic obvious on her face. "Couldn't she wait for us for once in her life? This is the exact same way we nearly got murdered when she ran away the last time." Jared shook his head at Adrian and dissolved into a small plant that snaked underground. "Hurry up. If she is panicked enough, she's going to...just hurry." "Great. Now I'm all alone. And talking to myself."

Aza didn't materialize in the room Kenan was in, but remained a shadow on the wall. Her arms were crossed and if her face were visible it would be plain she had practically driven herself crazy with worry in the span of a trip that took but a few seconds. She walked over to the head of the bed. "You're fine? Now I know why Jared never believes me when I say I'm fine." she murmured. "What's wrong? Can I help?" Aza shuddered but refused to back away from the bed as she accidentally brushed against the bright glow of a candle. A faint scent of singed hair drifted in the air for a moment. A delicate net of dark green leaves dimmed the candle's glow. The plant's roots wrapped around the base and the stem curled around it, ending with a leafy canopy that surrounded the flame. "You could have just put the candle out." "I know, but what would be the challenge in that? I have to fetch Adrian." The plant fell silent, and became much less animated. Aza turned away from the candle and returned to staring anxiously at Kenan.

[lycrawaterz14]

"Everyone has their crosses to bear. Mine is just... the worst one." he tried to chuckle. "Aza, I'm just hurting... it's not like I can die. You shouldn't worry about me..." he reached over and gently brushed her arm. "What happened?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

 

(Saw this pic and thouht of Jared. )

Edited January 8, 2012 by lycrawaterz14

[frostmourne]

((I can see why. Especially with the bloody lily.))

"Nothing important." Aza murmured, looking distracted. Adrian chose that moment to practically skip in with a ridiculously huge fruit basket. He went over to Aza's wall and dropped it beside Kenan's head. "Don't worry, it isn't poisonous. I found them." Adrian said cheerfully. "That worries me. The last time you gave anyone a fruit basket, it burned them alive. What's in there? A poison dart frog? Box jellyfish?" Aza asked, arms crossed. "Brazilian wandering spider in the bananas." the plant around the candle piped up. "Sorry, he insisted on bringing something. A fruit basket seemed less dangerous than an acid spitting balloon." Adrian seemed puzzled and grabbed the bunch of bananas and shook them. A hairy brown spider fell out and was quickly caught by a pitcher plant. Aza stepped out of the wall, becoming solid, and glared at Adrian. "I really didn't know! I just plucked the first bunch I saw from the tree." Adrian said. "Jared?" "He's telling the truth. He went to South America to get them, but I wouldn't try eating any of the fruit." Aza pushed aside the fruit basket and resumed her worrying, not seeming to have quite believed what Kenan had said about not dying.

"This is way too dramatic to be considered a normal, healthy relationship..." Adrian muttered. "And how many people do you know with 'normal' relationships?" Jared asked, hint of sarcasm in his tone.

Edited January 8, 2012 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

"If it were up to me I would have asked for us to be two humans and for me to have sight. That's the definition of normal. But we didn't, so there's no way this could ever be normal." Kenan grumbled, yawning. Adele was in the room now, and had for a while as she had been watching Aza. "My queen and company, Master needs to rest now... sleep will help I believe." Adele murmured. A guard appeared with the tea and Kenan snatched it up, gulping it down quickly. The guard blinked as if unsure how to act, and then disappeared. Kenan coughed and made a face, rubbing his tongue against his teeth. "Ouch. Hot." he mumbled, a bit more concerned with that and didn't hear what Adele had said.

 

 

[frostmourne]

Aza grimaced when she heard the word 'queen' and flickered a little bit, as if trying to decide whether to leave and let Kenan sleep or stay. Adrian chuckled at her reaction. "You just hate the idea of being queen, don't you?" "Of course I do. I'm not going to survive the first day." Aza muttered. Adrian smirked and said teasingly, "What's wrong? You'll have me to protect you." Aza rolled her eyes and became fully solid again. "Like I'm really going to trust the person who nearly killed me last week." She started to push him out of the room. "It was an accident!" he protested. Adrian tripped when Aza pushed him backwards. She closed the door before he hit the ground. "That was cold...and vey much expected." Adrian said to himself, easily catching himself before he fell. "Adele is right. You should get some sleep."

The plant curled around the candle snuffed out the flame and sank back into the ground. The room dimmed to a comfortable darkness when Aza turned around. She blended seamlessly into the shadows in the room, deciding to compromise between leaving and staying. "Good night." a quiet voice murmured from somewhere near the ceiling.

[lycrawaterz14]

"Don't go..." Kenan whimpered, but when the candle was snuffed his eyes began to droop. "Good night..." he mumbled. Adele moved his head onto the pillow, took the teacup away, and pulled the blanket up above his shoulders. After she stopped being motherly she left the room, not even being heard as she shadowstepped out.

 

(You're alive!)

[frostmourne]

((Sorry, I had a really busy week.))

Aza flitted around the room, her movements silent and impossible to see. She settled down on a chair beside the bed, eyes gleaming in the dark. A gentle touch on her shoulder made her jump. "Call if you need me." Jared said softly. A slight rustle of leaves was the only noticeable change that Jared had left. Aza blinked once and half closed her eyes. Her head was bowed and she almost looked asleep. She suddenly jerked her head up and looked around the room eyes wide and frightened. An invisible hand toyed with a lock of her hair.

Adrian absentmindedly wandered around until he practically walked through a window. He kept walking on air for a while, like a cartoon character before they realized they had run off a cliff, and stopped. He slowly drifted down and continued walking. An unwelcome memory made the near constant smirk on his face disappear. The moment the host entered the room, all noise died out. No one as much as dared glance at him. Only the girl perched on the piano bench at the back of the room shot him a pitying look. He sighed quietly and gestured for the actors to continue the play. It was a comedy they were performing, but the guests weren't amused. The guests almost ran out of the castle as soon as politely possible. Adrian sat down on the piano bench. "I don't know why I even bother. My family is almost as terrified of me as they are of your father." he muttered. "You bother because you aren't nearly as selfish or heartless as you pretend to be." she teased, grabbing his hand. "Aza? We have to go now." Adrian shook his head and muttered goodbye. Aza looked back at the disappointed figure hunched over the piano. She had lost track of how many times Adrian had tried to piece his family together.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan murmured something and turned over, a small grunt escaping his lips. The plant closest him began to wither and die, and the iron, bitter claws of death pawed at Aza, trying to find purchase on her and finding her weakness appealing. He didn't mean it, as his sleep let him relax he lost all control over his newfound responsibility as well. He murmured something now, his voice impossibly smooth and soothing instead of the scratchy tombstone sound as she was exposed to death. Adele seemed on edge in his throne room, busying herself with cleaning.

[frostmourne]

Aza winced and forced herself not to scream. She melded with the shadows in the room and held perfectly still. When she couldn't stand it anymore, she moved away from the corner she backed into and curled up against Kenan even though she was intangible at the moment. The plant that had been dying suddenly burst into glorious full bloom. "Aza, please get out of the room. You'll get hurt and Kenan will never forgive himself if he does that to you." it whispered. She shook her head stubbornly and moved the plant away. She closed her eyes and waited for something to happen. The plant remained alive for a few more seconds before it withered again. The quiet murmur seemed to comfort Aza to some degree and she stopped shaking.

Adrian ambled along without purpose for a long while. "Adrian, could you help me get Aza out of the room please? I tried to get her to come out but she won't leave." Adrian shrugged offhandedly. "It's her choice. Stop trying to make decisions for her." Adrian said, walking past him. Jared frowned and ran back to the castle. A plant snaked under the door and tired to grab Aza's wrist. The vine went right through her hands. She seemed to have fallen asleep.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan was facing her now and smiled a bit. He could smell her, just barely, and he murmured her name. The claws seemed to find a grip and there was a pulling no stronger than a black hole. He frowned in his sleep, and mumbled something again.

[frostmourne]

Aza's eyes shot open as she blindly struggled, not seeming to realize she couldn't hold on to anything in her current form. In her state of panic, her mind the only thing it could to protect itself and shut down. She paused and suddenly started to laugh quietly. A strange, secretive smile spread over her face. The answer to her problem became blindingly obvious as soon as the terrified thoughts were cleared away. She slipped into a pocket of darkness and vanished. She honestly hated having to come back here to seek refuge. The lonely whispering started as soon as she arrived in the empty darkness. She held her hands over her ears to try to shut it out. Someone pulled her to her feet. "I figured you'd be here if things were really bad." Adrian said cheerfully.

Jared cautiously poked his head through the doorway, looking more nervous than usual. He could tell Aza was gone, and he didn't really want to stay in the room either. He had best get Adele and ask her what to do. He was almost out of the room when he tripped on something on the ground. Jared quickly got up again, and glanced around. He hoped that the claws wouldn't mark him as their next target. He thought about waking Kenan up, wondering if that would help.

[lycrawaterz14]

It was to late, and the claws ripped out but the force still kept sucking. Kenan flinched as she disappeared, but quickly returned to normal. Jared's short exposure wasn't enough to harm him, but just enough that it knew his scent. When he fell it noticed him, but he wasn't weak enough to go after. It followed Aza, pulling still, although more faint.

 

Adele appeared in front of Jared. "Are you alright?" She asked, not a hint of accusation in her voice.

[lycrawaterz14]

(Frostmournnnnne... D:)

[frostmourne]

((Sorry!))

"I'm fine. Is that going to happen all the time?" Jared asked, looking more curious than afraid now. Adrian tapped his shoulder and beamed. "I've managed to lose three matches within fifteen minutes, so if you want to try playing chess against Aza, feel free." he chirped. "Did she get bored that quickly?" "Not quite, she just wants a distraction from the horrible tugging feeling she insists is bothering her." Adrian said brightly. "So is sleeping beauty still snoozing? By the way, does he snore?" "The general population really should just stay away from you. Stupidity is contagious." Jared muttered. "Hey! I'm going to give you a piece of my mind!" Adrian snapped. "Don't, your puny brain is overworked as is." "What did you say?!?" "That you really ought to get your hearing checked." "Boys, either stop bickering or I will ground you for a month." Aza said sternly. "That's Jared's line." Adrian joked.

A smile flickered across Jared's face. "Do you want me to play chess with you still?" he asked softly. "Depends if I suddenly drop dead." she said lightly.

Edited January 20, 2012 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

"You were in his room? I thought you had left! It's extremely dangerous to be in his room while he's still a newborn like this! You're lucky if he can recall the effects now! I'll go wake him and see if he can get that stench of death off of you! It may just make it worse!" Adele scolded, it sounded odd coming from a girl the size of an eight year old. She slammed the door of Kenan's room and then entered. "Sorry to disturb you, Master. It seems Aza's dying..."

 

"WHAT?! I go to sleep for less than fifteen minutes and she's- OW!" There was a sound like he had ran into something. "Master, you're the one causing it! You becoming upset only makes it worse!" Adele sighed. Sure enough the claws had collapsed around her again, feeling as if someone had clamped her ribs together. "How do I make it stop?!" He demanded, still stumbling to the door. "Calm down. I guess..." Adele shrugged. Kenan made it out and held onto the doorframe. "Aza?" He asked.

[frostmourne]

"Hmm?" She looked up and smiled, not betraying a hint of what she felt. Adrian had a rather fixed grimace and Jared had his eyes glued to her even as he knocked her king over for the second time. She looked perfectly fine if a bit dissatisfied about the chess match. Adrian closed his eyes and edged away from Aza slightly. She looked Kenan up and down and stifled a giggle. "So, have you decided whether I'm going to die yet? You really better start coming up with an explanation for my father. On the other hand, you could just kill him too..." she mused. "The sad thing abou this is that she wouldn't mind if he really did want to kill her." Adrian muttered. Adrian suddenly ran out, paler than usual. Jared's calm facade was starting to become slightly strained. Aza smiled again and elbowed Jared. "Why are looking so tense?" "Aza..." She laughed, something oddly off with her voice. "Aza, calm down." She whipped her head around, insane smile plastered on her face. "I am calm." she said. "Aza...please." The smile slipped off her face, and she just seemed tired instead.

Edited January 20, 2012 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan felt sick. "I don't want to kill you." He said like he might cry. Adele nodded. Kenan tried to restrain the pulling on Aza, and was successful. He coughed a bit, and it was gone. Completely. "Will she be okay?" He murmured, wobbly standing up to his full height. He brushed seven feet, extraordinarily tall like his father. "Ask her. It's unique to every person."

 

Kenan stumbled clumsily over to her and Jared, managing not to run into the table. "Y-you okay?" He asked, touching Jared's hand breifly before finding Aza's and holding it.

Edited January 21, 2012 by lycrawaterz14

[frostmourne]

Aza was shaking like a leaf, but eventually her tremors stopped. She tipped her head to the side and seemed lost in thought for a moment. "I'm hungry." she declared, tugging on Kenan's hand. Jared handed her a spiky green fruit. She eyed it suspiciously, like she was holding a bomb. "Is that going to blow up?" "It's a cherimoya. It's suppose to taste like a cross between a banana and a pineapple." Jared said quietly, seeming to fade into the background as he backed away. Adrian suddenly snatched the fruit out of her hands and laughed. "He should have given you this. Matches your personality." he snickered, tossing the fruit to her. A vine snaked over and caught it. "It's called a tangelo, or ugli fruit. Unappealing on the outside, the flesh is very juicy and tends towards the sweet side of the tangerine rather than the bitter side of its grapefruit lineage, with a fragrant skin." "You ruin every insult. I went all the way to Jamaica to find the most horrible fruit I could find. Apparently I forgot to look under the surface."

[lycrawaterz14]

"And that's why you don't have a girl who likes you." Knan grumbled to Adrian, pretending it didn't bother him not knowing what they were talking about. It sucked being unable to see. He had no idea what Aza looked like, a vague idea from the occasional brush against her cheek, but no idea what her eye color was... no idea what colors were... hair color... anything.

 

"Are you still pained?" Adele asked suddenly. Kenan jumped and looked beside him. "No. Just thinking..." he murmured, still a bit depressed.

[frostmourne]

"On the contrary, he does, but despises them all. Anyone who approaches him invariably faces complete utter public humiliation." Jared muttered under his breath. Adrian didn't retaliate, oddly, but was looking at Kenan with perhaps a trace of compassion. Aza smiled and wrapped her arms around Kenan. The understanding look soured up and Adrian looked slightly annoyed. "Well? Two of the world's weirdest fruits isn't going to do it, so what would you like to have?" "Some tea would be nice." "Not again..." Adrian groaned, but handed her a mug of tea anyway. She saw him slip something into it. "Relax, it was just honey." She cautiously sipped it, as if making sure she wasn't being poisoned. She made a face and swallowed. "I said tea, not salt water." Adrian shrugged, obviously suggesting her to blame someone else.

Aza pushed the mug away and sat down on a divan in the hallway. "Thinking about what?" she asked, seeming quite lively already. Her question reminded her of a short converstion she had wih Adrian when he disturbed her reading once. "What are you reading?" "Words." "Yes, could you be be a little more specific?" "Words on page 197."

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan put one arm around her waist and pulled her a bit closer. "Sight again." he mumbled, brushing his cheek against her. "Remember when you described stars to me?" he smiled a bit, feeling like he hadn't done it in a long time.

[frostmourne]

"Yes." she murmured, eyes drifting shut. A matching smile danced across her lips. Adrian rolled his eyes an pretended to gag. He left the hall with a secretive smile on his face. "Tell me when it's over." he called over his shoulder. "You would think he was a five year old." Aza muttered under her breath. She had opened her eyes to glare at Adrian's retreating figure. Jared had opened a book a walked out a while ago. Adrian had been merciful enough to subtly give him a warning to get out of the room.

Aza wrapped her arms around Kenan's neck and moved closer. She kept her face mere inches away from his. "I fell asleep almost right after." She didn't want to think about what she had also done that day. What she had done that made her want to never face Jared again. Her eyes closed again and she hummed a quiet tune.

Jared wandered around mindlessly, searching for something subconsciously. He stopped short when he felt someone grab him. "So Jared, Aza hasn't been treating you as well as you hoped." Skulni said tauntingly. "Are you angry wih her?" "Never." he hissed venomously, glaring at him. "Oh fine. If you change your mind..." he murmured, disappearing. Jared ran back towards Aza. He wanted to warn her, but as soon as he saw Kenan and Aza, he turned and ran away. He couldn't utter a squeak.

Edited January 22, 2012 by frostmourne