Broken Things
| Title: | Broken Things | |
|---|---|---|
| Author: | firefly_1824 | |
| Date Written: | February 2010 | |
| Continuity | SSEU Earth 1337-A | |
| Time Placement | February 2010 | |
| Synopsis | Miara is suddenly summoned home to find her best friend is in grave danger. | |
| Rating | PG-13 | |
| Additional Notes | ||
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You’re bringing me home? What’s wrong? Monna. You’re going with Oria,’’ he said, and she made it to the alley. A gate opened, and she rushed through it, heart tight and breath shallow for a moment. Something was dreadfully wrong if Trax was doing it and sending Oria. She—she must… It was dark when she came out beside Oria. They were just outside the forest near Monna and Trint’s pack. There were two clusters of people, one around a young girl, and one with Trint and Mona. Oria rushed off to the girl, and Miara ran for her best friends, quickly taking in the situation.
“Are you alright, Kensei?” the Captain asked, putting his hand on the younger man's shoulder. “Yes, I just needed some fresh air.” “Alright. However, if this becomes too serious, I want you to go off duty for the rest of the night.” "Yes, sir." It was hard not to worry, or try to reach for the silent spot in his head where she usually was. When had it become so constant, so comfortable? He didn’t feel quite himself, but did manage to get some work done before going home. What was taking so long? Why didn’t anyone contact him? Didn’t they think it was important? But then, if they didn’t send for him, there might not be any reason to, or anything he could do. Or maybe it just wasn’t actually big deal, although Miara may have thought so at first.
“I guess—this is it,” Monna said when a full three or four minutes had elapsed. “Oria will come,” Trint said, afraid of anything else. “I don’t—think she’ll—make it.” “You must hold on,” Miara said, “just a little longer.” ‘’We’re loosing her! She sent to Oria. I’m going as fast as I can! The child is…’’ “Miara, I’m so glad—you could—make it,” Monna was saying, trying not to cry. “It’d be so much harder...” “Oria’s coming,” she said loudly, and others cleared a path as the Healer came running. Miara have her her spot, and joined Trint on the other side. “Power,” Oria said, and Miara put up as large an orb as she could. “I—I can’t—move!” Monna said brokenly. “It’s too far—I can’t—I—” “Hush,” Oria said, flooding Monna’s body with her power, as much as she could. But it was too late. “I’m sorry,” she whispered after two failed attempts to flush the poison form Monna’s body. “I’m so sorry. The little girl took too long.” “Did she…” “She’ll make it.” Then Oria retreated to where other pack members were waiting, and Trint leaned over to hold her in his arms and send his last desperate thoughts for her. He grabbed Miara’s hand, and Monna pressed in her collected feelings for each of them, the memories and emotions of their deep friendship. ‘’I love you! Like sisters! Please, please, take care of him,’’ she said, in her untrained way, and then Oria dragged Miara back, away from the couple and the bond that was about to be ripped apart. Not that anything could keep her from feeling it in her astral, and the great chasm that sprang up from him and the anguish in his soul. It happened quickly, and Miara caught her breath as the spark of life and astral signature simply stopped. Her best friend was dead and the bond broken, and the nearly full awareness she had of both left her horrified as Trint let out a long, howling scream of pain and aloneness. What had she done to Taki??? There was nothing but overwhelming grief for a while, and then Oria prodded her. “The rites, Miara.” She wiped her face, although she couldn’t make the tears really stop. Soon they joined Trint over Monna’s body, which didn’t feel at all like her any more. It was just an empty shell. Trint huddled against Miara, temporarily exhausted, and she could feel his half of the bond reaching and reaching for the other. Miara took a deep breath, steeling herself not to feel it so much. “Who do you want to do it?” she asked him. “Can—can you? I can’t—” She nodded, swallowed back her tears, and began. But it wasn't long until her voice strained and she faltered. Oria picked up and continued, speaking the last few lines softly, and soon Monna's body pooled into power, fading away until there was just rumpled grass.
‘’Go home, Oria.’’ Then she turned her attention entirely to Trint and the pain.
“Elie āan, Miara! This time you've gone too far. I can't keep fixing you up, I just can't!” “You don't need to,” she ground out, “Just clean it up, please??” “Miara...” Tor wisely stayed out of the conversation, assisting Oria quietly and efficiently, not forgetting to give Miara a bone to bite on as Oria poured soapy water over her back and into the open flash. “You're back's going to look like a scratching post.” “I know. That wouldn't be so bad, would it?” “It's an awfully large one to carry.” Please come talk some sense into her, she said, to the immortals in general. “Turn left.” Miara rolled to her left side, and the excess water ran off. “Down.” Next, Oria shook on mindāl powder, and Miara was grateful when the pain started to dull a bit. “What...oh, Miara,” Moon said, coming in with a breath of warmer outside air. Pulling a stool to the head of the table, she sat and took Miara's hands. “You are a brave and loyal friend, Miara.” ‘’But?’’ “But Oria is right. You should not have allowed him to mark you so recklessly.” ‘’You mean I shouldn't be so abandoned?’’ She nodded, taking the bone from Miara's mouth. “You could easily have kept him from lacerating you. We know you feel things deeply, and so does he, but sometimes you need to protect yourself.” “You can't decide for me.” “I know. But sometimes you scare me...us. You have no fear of things, but that's not always good.” “And you can't keep putting your body through this kind of stuff,” Oria said crossly. “We've been through this. When are you going to stop?” Miara just looked at her, holding her tongue because she knew they did not always agree. Then she looked back at Moon, knowing that when she really needed a Speaker, she's be an entire lifetime and galaxy away. “It's going to be horrible when I go back.” “I'm afraid so. But you will get through it.” “I...does Taki know?” “I don't think so...Do you want us to tell him?” “No, please don't. He'll be all over me when I get home and...” “Sit up,” Oria interrupted, and she slowly did so, with many grimaces as her movement pulled skin and wounds. There were bruises and claw marks in many other areas, a large bruise spreading across one thigh already deeply colored. Oria took some salve, watered it down, and poured it into a spray bottle. This she sprayed on every inch of Miara's back, after which she bound her torso and applied patch bandages across her shoulders until everything was covered. Then she set a small jar of herbs in front of her. “I know you'll take it anyway.” “Oria...” “Be more careful with your body,” she said, and went back into the residential rooms. Moon sighed. “Come, let's go see your parents.” “Thank you!” Miara called in, despite Oria's mood. Then Moon guided her out, putting Miara's arm through hers, and they made their way over to the immortals' apartments. Her father was waiting for her, and took her from Moon over to one of the couches, which had been cleared of clutter. Moon went next door, with the admonition to see her before leaving. “How are you feeling?” “Crappy.” He moved to give her room, but she grabbed his hand, and he leaned over to kiss her forehead, then sat on the low table between couches to hold her hand. “The death of a friend is always difficult,” he said. And they would know, having already lost all the friends of their mortal lives. She nodded. “I know that when it's done, it'll be okay, but...it was the bond, dia.” “You feel so much,” he said, warming her hand with his. “It is indeed hard to bear. But you must remember that it is the nature of such things, and that both of them entered in full knowledge. And while it may not calm the soul, it eases the mind, and can be realized in the heart.” She stared at him a minute, and he knew he had said something profound—at least to her. “Do you think I'm foolish?” she asked, changing the subject. “How you handle helping a friend in trouble is your decision. He trusts you, and your trust in him has not been misplaced, I think.” “That's not what Moon or Oria said.” “You know we'll all find a different piece to say. And as I'm sure your mother will say, it's mostly just flesh wounds, right?” “Yeah...where is she?” “Went off a bit ago, she didn't say where.” “It was just the kitchens,” Zaira said, coming in with a bowl of freshly cut fruit tossed with skref and citrus dressing. It was comforting to sit with her parents and take a light meal, even if they didn't talk much. Trax came in later, and Miara got up and hugged him. “Thank you.” “It was important,” he said, and when she stepped back he took her right hand and looked at it. “Tell me again what she did?” “Locked us in the raptor pit. It's fine now, though.” “I'm glad. Tell her she is not to do it again. None of us could survive that on our own, that compound is a fortress. She knows what will happen if she disobeys me.” “Yes, Leader.” “And it's probably about time you should be getting back.” “I guess so.” He took out the key, opening the gate for her, and she thought of a place where she could isolate herself to go though each thing one at a time, and yet not be alone. Grief first, then the memory packet, and finally, the bond. One breath and she stepped through, finding it was night again when she came out in the house.
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