Snow – The Tales of Laguna and Charlotte. (Part Three.)

February 28, 2012 01:50AM

CharlotteCarrendar: – A dream. An ocean of black, that rocked and rolled, but she was not wet, she was in another place altogether, the snowy treetops had vanished, but instead she found herself almost floating, but brilliant sparkles all around her. Last thing she remembered was the warm chest of Laguna, and the tweaking of his nipple somewhat playfully. And then she was enveloped in darkness. A lucid dream? No. It was no longer cold, no chilly winds biting at her flesh, she was calm, there was no sound, but that of her own heart beating. Am I dead? No, Where am I? Questions….Questions….went on and on, as she floated, till suddenly she felt the touch of grasses and hay. Her fingers pushed through the tufts, and then she finally came around, and what met her gaze was the interior to a cave. “I fell asleep” -she uttered, as she tried to prop herself up. Looking slightly groggy, the effects of the kinetic nipple’s energy. The cave was out of the wintery winds, and Charlotte had at least that to be thankful for.She quickly gained focus and sat up, then drew her legs under her, as she scratched the side of her cheek. The femme fatale was replaced by a creature who was not so ready to jump him for her meal at this point in time. She had completely lost her bearings, and now, she had to rely on him, to help her find her way back. “Can you tell me….who was firing the arrows?” – Charlotte asked. “Does one hunt even you, Laguna?”

February 28, 2012 04:44AM

HiEmpLagunaDakarai: – He watched the twilight forest as his ears twitched and flickered to the sounds of wildlife, the wind, and the trees. Everything. Nothing escaped him, everything was seen and heard. Feeled. He heard her stir behind him, rising up to a sit. He remained where he was, arms folded, over watching the entrance to this little safe haven. It was quite a nice spot and he had previously fought for it to obtain its rights. Now he guarded another. Or did he? One might not have been sure around this time. He heard her slight utterance regardless of whether it was intended to be heard or not. He narrowed his eyes at the distance as he continued to watch whilst answering her. “Yes. You were knocked out due to a neurotic reaction to the psionic energy that is contained within me. With conditioning, one can train their mind to cope with such reactions; however your mind at the point of impact was solely open and disengaged from the rest of you. Hence the reason it had the effect it did”. Quite the explanation, and for those that knew him better, a common occurrence. Laguna was extremely knowledgeable about anything he turned his mind to, and he quite often explained things in an encyclopaedic manner. He didn’t turn to observe an answer, almost assuming it would be met with confusion. He waited until the next statement, at which point he lowered his head a little and silently sighing. This one usually almost always came up. “An army. You do not need to know more than this. It will danger you if you do.”, he quipped as he now turned to face her, a solemn expression on his face, before answering her final query “They are not hunting. To hunt something is the act of pursuing a living thing for the purpose of food or trade. Or merely for fun. They do not hunt me. They are trying to recruit me…”-

February 28, 2012 07:17AM

CharlotteCarrendar: – Strange man he was. Standing at the entrance, observing all his surroundings, without looking back at her, he explained just what she had experienced. Course, she wasn’t to pleased, that her harmless teasing would wind up with her being zapped with ki by his nipple. “Well, first for everything, I suppose.”- she placed both hands upon the grassy knell and then pushed herself up into standing, a quick flick of her wrists, her hands smoothing down her clothing, brushing off any straggly pieces of grass or hay. He was so…straight forward, diplomatic, blunt. She had not come across a man who seemed to lack, emotions. Perhaps he buried them deep inside. She began a slow walk towards him, only to have him turn back to face her finally. The answer to her question of the foe with the arrows that gave chase turned out to be a recruitment force of some nature. “So, they shoot at you, to wound you and thus, capture you to serve in their ranks?” She thought for a moment, and then asked. “Are these the kind of people that seek Gladiators for tournaments, or slave racketeers? *she glanced up at him, showing genuine concern. She was now appearing less of a temptress, speaking from her heart, as opposed to her more demonic nature.HiEmpLagunaDakarai: – Inquisitive one she was. Although he would have accepted no thanks for saving her skin a few hours earlier, he did find it a little strange that she would focus on such a thing. Why would it matter to her? As to his emotions, Laguna was always were slow to warm to others. There was various reasons for this that few managed to find out. He watched her dust herself down, his eye flicker slowing down to a lesser rate as he looked her over. Nothing surprised him, he had seen much. His eyes lowered once more as the subject was still in hand. In the motion of slightly looking down, many locks of his sleek black hair would fall forward, cascading onto his fringe messily. He would in turn correct them by pinning them behind his ears as he would have done a thousand times before. He answered. “That would seem to be the strategy, yes” he finished as he took a step towards her now, sideways on to her. He answered once more “They are type of creatures that seek equipment for their own selfish gain. I hate to disappoint them but I will continue to……” he tailed off as he turned from looking deep into the forest to face her, looking into her scarlet eyes before slightly smiling to himself, finishing in a slightly charming and sarcastic way “ respectfully decline” -

March 02, 2012 06:15AM

CharlotteCarrendar: – Charlotte frowned slightly, hearing of how these creatures sought Laguna for their own evil ends, to harness him as though he were a beast of burden, and use his talents to no end. But Laguna spoke with a refined air, charming, yet there was that level of sarcasm in his voice, when he ended his explanation to dissapointing his would be slavers. He was to respectfully decline, and continue to do so, even as they spirited up into the tree, to get away from the volley of arrows fired at them. Laguna stepped closer to Charlotte, to drive him, in a direct fashion, watching her and not the forest, as he opened up on his situation. The manner in which he tried to pin back wayward locks, that fell like a veil over his eyes, it looked so casual, perhaps he had done this a thousand times before, when his hair got so long. She found a new admiration for the man known as Laguna, the way he held himself in the light of coming under attack, and he saved her too. He didn’t have to do such, and for what it was worth, she may not have deserved help.”I guess I should really thank you, for saving my ass back there”- she said, a hint of a smile of her lips. Truth was, she was not used at all to being swept up into a man’s arms, and taken up high into a tree and to safety. “So…thank you, Laguna.”-

March 03, 2012 05:32AM

- He watched her reaction, one of concern and curiosity as he stood facing her, arms folded nearly behind his back. His very posture did seem to warrant that of a guard of protector, and it was what he was tailored to do. He had guarded many during his time in the army, and even after his ‘release’, had sought out to help others before deeming himself more than a person who looks after others. He had spent the last few years looking after himself, turning his eyes to see things he had never before. In his mind, not many would understand the concept of having a talent or ability that he never asked for, to be viewed as a danger when all he really wanted to be, was be normal. The very reason he had saved her is because, as usual, his instincts took over, the instinct to protect, to fight, and to serve. It was something that he did not have the compassion to change. Upon hearing her gratitude, he lightly smiled his unique dimpled smile, which had a hint of embarrassment to it, as well as non-belief. “You need not thank me my lady. I do not crave gratitude from others and I certainly do not wish for payment. The concept of money does not mean anything to me and I do not wish to start now. I did not save you. You had the ability to save yourself, I merely….” He paused as he lightly exhaled through his nose to convey amusement “Moved you along at a pace that was quicker than you were used to. A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer. I just do what I can. Because I can”-

March 03, 2012 06:25AM

-No need to thank? But surely that was the done thing, when a woman is swept off her feet. His explanation that he just, helped her move along at a faster pace than she would have been able, certainly brought a chuckle from her. “Oh…I am pretty nimble you know. Normally I am used to eight legs, instead of the..*she would slap her shapely thigh*…legs of a mortal. Have to be convincing sometimes to catch my pray. I mean, I can hardly walk into a tavern, let alone fit in the door, in my normal…*she cut off what she was about to say, having almost gave away what she was*….pair of pants.”- she made the lie right at the end, and even rolled her eyes at her own fail of words. He would probably pick up on this gaffe,and she was quick to continue, to try and throw him off. “Heroes are no braver than an ordinary man you say?” -she tapped her chin with a long claw. “Thats a new one. You’re modest too. You know, I have heard all sorts of bravado from the male mortals, yes…beating their chests, and saying how damn terrific they are…unstoppable…insatiable. Oh, but usually when they get what they want, they are soon on their merry way.” -She gestured with her hand, rolling it at the wrist, almost dismissively as she spoke, to express the way she viewed mortal men. “See, thats where it gets interesting. I don’t normally let them go. HA!” -she joked, losing herself in the moment. Charlotte peeked her head out of the cave, bobbing her head, as she couldn’t see any of the offending archers, that were after them earlier on. “Well, seems that the coast is clear. So, I guess I should be on my way. Busy busy Spider.” -she then marched out of the cave into the open.-

March 05, 2012 05:51AM

- Laguna felt allured to her, she was a little different to most of the creatures he came across. He just felt something in him that didn’t allow him to become close. To become more than a stranger who one would pass every now and then. A thorn in his side. The reason was simple. He was….treasured. Sought after. Anyone who became even remotely close to him would be in danger. This was clearly evident in the case of the other, and came a lot sooner than it did to anyone else he had met. For this he was sorry. For this reason, he would never accept thanks. It was his fault. He lightly smiled as he heard her speak, adding “I am sure that is the case. I have no doubt of that. But escapism is less to do with skill and muscles than it does of the skill of the mind”. He acknowledged the gaff but deliberately brought no attention towards it. Of course he knew, but in all honesty, did it matter? No, not when he compared his own species towards the other. One of rarity and folklore. “Modesty has nothing to do with it. It is my error that you were placed in such a situation in the first place. The fact that I took you out of harm’s way does not cancel out my fault in this. For this I apologise” he quipped, his eyes falling to the floor momentarily. He was clearly a troubled creature at times, at a loss to explain to others what exactly he was or where to even begin to help them comprehend. He continued “A Narcissist believes himself as that of a God, heartless and vacant of love for others, emotion-less and indifferent. They are a plague, and a waste of life. They enjoy being feared as hate is a complement of fear. They are intoxicated by it. I feel sorry for them.” He finished as he she inevitably made her way towards the exit. He smiled a knowing smile that this would obviously come. He wished to make her stay but truly did not believe in one reason as to why she would. “As you wish” he said as he moved to the lip of the cave with her. “Judging by the direction you was travelling in when I met you, west would most likely be best…..” he said tailing off as he made his way back inside-

March 09, 2012 04:52AM

-The apology did not go by unnoticed, Charlotte, looked back, caught sight of his downward gaze, and with his final directive to her, that West was the way to go, she looked out to the horizon. Home, this journey thus far had been eventful, the near miss of the arrows, the playful banter between the two, that could have been viewed as harmless flirting, even though they both were from the other sides of righteousness and evil. Charlotte gathered her thoughts, her head still swimming with the last few phrases, especially “A Narcissist believes himself as that of a God, heartless and vacant of love for others, emotion-less and indifferent. They are a plague, and a waste of life. They enjoy being feared as hate is a complement of fear. They are intoxicated by it.” Did she enjoy being feared? She certainly didn’t like being hated, but who in this world does. The narcissist obviously. As she scaled her way down the rocky cliff face, she could not help but see Laguna’s face in her mind. No, no..she was not like that. He saved her and allowed her to continue on her way, and for this she should accept this selfless act for what it was. A small spider crawled out of her hair and perched on her shoulder, chittering away softly. “Men..”- sigh

March 09, 2012 06:51AM

- He turned his head slightly to the right to watch her leave the lip of the cave, taking his advice and moving onwards. He looked forward again staring blankly at one of the dull call waves, the occasional drawing etched into its stone, possibly by Laguna himself. He didn’t enjoy being feared. He didn’t enjoy being valued. The very concept of being hunted for abilities he didn’t even ask for had tormented him for almost his entire life, ever since he was about 8 years old. He longed to be rid of it, longed to just be normal and lead a normal life. Stupid man….It will never happen. And so he continued to stare at the wall, thinking to himself. “Let her go. You did your bit and helped. Don’t involve her in the circus of your warped existence Laguna….” And so he moved further into the cave, sitting himself down, placing his elbows on his knees, his hands placed as if in prayer, albeit with just his index fingers pointing towards the sky, the other fingers closed like a fist. The ‘point’ of his thumbs placing themselves under his chin as he briefly leant on them idly. He lingered here for the moment, beginning to stare at the floor at the prospect of another night hiding in his cave. He heard the other as she made her way down the sheer cliff and gently exhaled through his nose sharply, as if the comment amused him. “Men….” He uttered to himself before looking out towards the cave. “ If only…”-

March 09, 2012 07:49AM