Another Side

[Lord_Shadow]

((AnArchy continued from Domina Sanguinis))

She had finished patching herself up a short while ago. The pain was so intense and the cold so great that it hurt just to breathe. But she was still alive. So she had that.

AnArchy forever. She smiled weakly.

"Well," it hurt to speak too. Wonderful. "What will I do now? Darling, how did it get like this?"

She slumped back against a tree. Her arm was surely useless now. So what if she didn't bleed out? She was down her dominant arm, and she wasn't proficient enough with the other to use her blade effectively.

She was stuck. Plain and simple.

Stalled really.

Stuck.

Heh, good old Ocean's. That was a fun movie.

"Gonna sleep now. BRB fans."

She closed her eyes. Sleep seemed good now.

Maybe forever.

[Lord_Shadow]

"Ethical hedonism. Do you understand what this is?"

"Basically the belief that personal happiness is the most valuable and important thing for everyone in the world. The pursuit of said happiness being more important than everything else. Even, in some cases, minimization of suffering." She smiled and beamed at her brother.

"A good answer. But the word you were looking for," he patted her head "was 'label'. Because in the end everything that can describe my worldview is just that. A label. And while you can define a philosophy with these labels, at the core of things these philosophies can only be exemplified through action. Understand, little sister?"

"Yeah." She nodded "And I'm gonna be just like you and work with you to make your dream come true!"

"Maybe when you grow up. But don't forget, kid, to make your own dream come true."

She hugged him tight. He was always so supportive of her and she was happy to help in whatever way she could.

---

She shuffled position in her sleep.

---

"Why?" She had her arms crossed and she was glaring at him. "I just want to know why."

"Does it matter?"

"You wouldn't talk to anyone else. You asked specifically for me. And now you won't tell me why you did it? What the hell were you trying to do? And why call for me if you won't talk to me?" She spoke with her normal tone, but it was clear that she was furious.

"Anastasia, do you remember what I told you about labels?"

"What the hell does that have to do with this, Simon? You tried to kill yourself dammit!"

He chuckled. "Suicide is a label too. Have you not figured it out yet."

"No. Please enlighten me."

"If I wanted to die, I'd be dead. Plain and simple. I know of plenty of ways to kill someone, many just as applicable to myself. This action was a symbol I'd hoped you would understand."

She sighed, burying her face in her palm. "What symbol? Simon, what the fuck are you trying to tell me?"

"You forgot to pursue your dream. I was getting rid of your self-imposed obligation to my ideals."

"You could have just said so!"

"You wouldn't have understood how grave the situation was. Let that ideal go, before it consumes you. I know you haven't believed in it lately as strong as you used to. So, I'm telling you to let it go."

"No. And before you ask, this cold does bother me. I made a promise. I was eight years old but dammit I promised I would make your dream come true. And that is my dream. To make yours real." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "So fuck your symbol. I'm AnArchy Arcadia, the embodiment of change and will. Ain't nothing gonna stop me. Word."

"Always loved how quickly you change gears. One second you're mad at me for endangering my life for a symbol. Next you tell me my fears are ungrounded and you recommit yourself to following ideals that are at odds with your internal worldview."

"Well I'm leading girl, and the lies I weave are oh so intricate. If I can convince everyone I'm super peppy and cheerful all the time, I can convince myself I don't completely despise everyone's lying selfish guts."

"And I'm the only one who knows you feel that way. That's a burden to carry, little sis."

"Judge me by my size, do you?"

He smiled. "No. But I don't want to see you crack under the pressure. If you won't give up that promise right now, then at least tell me you won't let it drag you down to the grave."

"I won't."

"Won't let it or won't promise me you won't let it?"

She kissed his forehead, brushing his hair aside.

"Mu."

---

She shivered in the cold. She slowly awoke, sighing. "Moo."

[Serpico]

((Corin Albanesi: from Conturbātiō))

He so was tired that he couldn’t help but make heavy foot falls, flinching once when he snapped the occasional stick beneath his shoes and the noise made its way to his ears, the ever present fear of someone in the dark with him was still in his mind. That was the reason that he was stumbling in the dark with only the illumination of the moon and stars to guide him, the reason he didn’t dare turn on his flashlight. Now the cold was biting in and the unremitting chill numbed his fingers. He recalled in this moment of quiet a time where he was watching television with his father, and once hearing that someone had died sleeping on the snowy ground, the cold earth was worse than the chill that the wind itself could bring. It was a useless fact that stuck itself in his head at the time but now he guessed he should be grateful that it turned out to be useful after all.

He had little idea about what he could achieve in the place that he started, other than dredge up memories and regrets. But the idea of being somewhere familiar was more a consolation than being somewhere he didn’t know. He wiped his nose on his sleeve, it had started to run because of the weather and he knew it meant that he needed to find shelter soon. He sniffed, tilting his head to the side before spitting onto the ground and making some small amount of gross noise as he did so.

He had no clue that he was nearing the only other person in the Orchard as he trudged along.

[Lord_Shadow]

Some noise brought itself to her attention. "Who goes there?"

She tried to shift positions slowly, trying to spot the source of the noise, but a jolt of pain in her arm did away with that notion. She cried out and fell over onto her side. Another yelp of pain escaped her lips.

"Ow. Owww."

So much for being on top of things.

[Serpico]

He jolted when he’d heard a feminine voice speak up, and squinted into the darkness to where he thought the noise originated. For a moment he thought about turning around and leaving, a voice of pragmatism in his head told him to do as much. And for a moment, he was about to turn on his heels and set toward the opposite direction.

That was until he heard the yelping and stopped in his tracks, to him the noise sounded as genuine as it could be. He had little experience with this, but he wondered if it was unlike the noise that a wounded animal would make, because his mind was drawing the comparison in his head. He wanted to know, it was part morbid curiosity and part of his own conscience telling him to take just a look.

“Corin.” He responded, creeping closer and hoisting his rifle up.

Soon he could spot a form crumpled on the ground, he stopped out of her reach to survey the sight in front of him. She didn’t seem familiar to him, though it was difficult to distinguish her exact features from that distance in the dark. He could feel his hold on the rifle lowering it aside.

“Is there anyone else here with you?” He asked wearily.

He looked onto the girl with pity.

[Lord_Shadow]

"Does it matter?" She said, trying to right herself. Another jolt of pain and a whimper stopped her attempt. "No. I'm alone. My empire crumbled a long time ago." At least it didn't hurt as much to talk anymore.

She looked up at the figure before her from her position on the ground. "Anarchy, by the way." She smiled, trying to ignore the pain.

"So, am I dead now or what?"

[Serpico]

He looked around a moment, as if trying to spot something in or around the trees. After a while he guessed that he believed her, that she was alone in this place. He approached a bit further, hoping to see a little more of the person that he was talking to. She seemed to be pretty helpless to him, and as he thought it over he bit the inside of his cheek.

“No, not unless you want to be,” He responded.

He studied her to see how she would react. Though his mind thought it was set, it could be swayed by what she did next.

“And if you want to be, I can leave you here.”

The pitying expression didn’t leave his features, not a bit.

“I’m kind of alone too, though.”

[Lord_Shadow]

"I ain't averse to company right now. Pull up a seat." She smiled again. "So, you from the school that pretty much ruined my dream, tore up my arm, and nearly killed me? Or are you from my school, which assaulted a friend, drove me mad, and left me all alone?"

She chuckled.

Some dried blood was still on her lips, faded but still slightly visible. She must've looked truly insane, even broken and beaten as she was.

"Either way, I don't expect this day to get any worse."

[Serpico]

He couldn’t find it in him to smile or laugh in kind; he felt discomfort and little else. Still, it was not enough for him to take off in the other direction – her company was better than being alone, anything that wasn’t overly threatening to him was after all.

He inhaled sharply and trailed off with an awkward ahhh noise before responding, “I might be from the former, sorry.”

Of this he was feeling certain, because he still did not recognise her one bit. He shifted uncomfortably in his spot, a little hesitant to propose anything to this stranger. He felt far from relaxed, the cold wind and the dry tired feeling of his eyes nagged him to get moving from his position in the open winter night.

“But uh, that’s, well.” A hand rested on the back of his head as he started forming words.

“I mean, would you prefer a seat indoors?” His suggestion sounded unsure as it left his lips.

[Lord_Shadow]

"You know a good place around these parts? Because most of them are filled with dead people." She chuckled.

She looked the boy up and down. He seemed unsure of whether or not she was trustworthy. Certainly she wasn't, but she was too weak to try anything now.

"You pick a spot and I'll go. Though you may have to help me up. I seem to be unable to push myself up from this spot. Damn arm is busted, see." She smiled at him. He seemed like a good enough guy. She wondered what his blood would taste like.

How would be the best way to go about getting that?

"Don't be afraid. I don't bite."

[Serpico]

He responded in a voice lined with heavy cynicism “That’s what someone who would bite would say.”

He was cautious in the way he approached; he looked like he could bound off and run at the drop of a hat. The part of his mind that was cautiousness made its final objections, about reaching out to a stranger out of pity when he had known better candidates. He felt like this was desperation, no doubt.

“I was just in the restaurants and I couldn’t find anyone lurking around. But it’s indoors and there are buildings without dead people.”

He offered his free hand; it was shaking as he finally placed it in reach.

“Bite me now and I swear to God, I will kick your ass into the sun.” He laughed edgily.

It sounded like he was joking for a moment, but he wasn’t. He told himself that this was only a temporary arrangement, anything else was impossible.

[Lord_Shadow]

Her hand met his. He knew as well as she that this was for the sake of convenience. They'd part ways soon enough. But for now, they were... friends? Strangers. Yeah. Strangers who are friendly. Friendly strangers. Frangers. Striends. Whatever.

"Then I would have to rain down fiery retribution upon you." She laughed. The blade at her side, kept in place by a loop of cloth on her dress, mewled for more blood.

Soon little one.

"But let's not do that. Let's just go inside and enjoy each other's company. Won't that be fun?" She smiled that same smile she always did. But gone was the warmth. Now only intense searing heat radiated from that smile. Everyone it cast itself upon was marked.

And those marked would soon shed blood.

She got up fully, let go of the boy's hand, and dusted herself off. "Well, lead the way."

[Serpico]

You should have left her to die, a small voice in the back of his mind chimed up as their hands separated.  He noted how cold her hands felt to his, compared to her he realised he was probably doing much better. Her laughing passed through the silence, he wasn’t laughing with her. He took it as a warning much like his, the meaning he pieced together from her response.

“Yeah, let’s not do that.” He coldly responded, while stepping away from her.

He took a moment now that she was standing to evaluate her properly, for now they were working in tandem. But as he started to lead the way he couldn’t help but glance back at her from over his shoulder. He didn’t know if he was okay with this after all.

But he had been wondering if anything was okay for some time.

((Corin Albanesi continued: Listening to Ghosts))

[Lord_Shadow]

She followed close, but kept enough distance to seem nonthreatening. Somehow she doubted it was working. But that didn't matter. Soon, very soon, her bloddlust would awaken again. She felt that fiery fervor slowly returning to her body.

The cold was fading away, and with it her weakness. Burn. Everyone and everything was going to burn in her wrath.

---

She couldn't help. She hadn't been there. If she had, what would she have said? No words could have prevented it, could they?

She felt sick to her stomach. But she had to remain strong. That was what she promised him. How long ago was that? She couldn't remember. All she could remember was telling her brother she would see him soon. Soon.

He committed suicide the day after they spoke.

She didn't understand. Why had he done this? What was he going through that led to this? Why, why couldn't he have just waited to talk to her?

She remained locked away in her room, pondering the answers to her questions. Her phone rang, probably Shawn, but she couldn't talk to him now. Tomorrow, she'd talk to him tomorrow.

Right now, she played a scenario in her head where she did speak to her brother. What was he trying to say? How would she respond? She played that scenario over and over again in her head.

---

The very next day she was placed in the game. But she had her answer. It came to her in a dream. And she carried out that dream until her darling died. So she gave up.

And then she had that dream again. Right before waking up to find this boy. A sign, surely. But her id ignored it. Her ego didn't.

I understand, bro. I just have to wait for the right time.

Heh. Return of the Jedi. Nice.

She followed, step by step, her mind having so many plans not even she was aware of the plots working for and against herself.

((AnArchy continued in Listening to Ghosts.))