Unearthing a Sister

There was a familiar feeling again.

One, not of full warmth, but of flowing vitality. A long missed feeling. Something must have happened during the night…there was this strange dream that had been placed in the waking Kyuketsuki’s brain. Lucid, yet not entirely. It was as if she had been looking at a completely black screen, but knew that her eyes weren’t truly open. That wasn’t befitting of regular lucid dreaming though, for this had really been felt in the past. In a true one, the dreamer can physically control what they do or what’s taking place. But with this; there was just a feeling, primal, raw emotion of being trapped.

She didn’t know why or how, but upon being awoken, a few things were immediately taken notice of. The first was the surroundings. As Ayuna’s eyes snapped open, much to her dismay…the white haired kunoichi was…actually trapped? Buried underneath the soil. Not a graveyard though, the dirt wasn’t quite as loose. Something more along the lines of a garden or within that same general line of thinking at least. It was all sort of packed together but done so that way there was enough room for something to grow or the ground could still be shoveled away. The latter would just require a bit of extra work.

As for the next few pieces, those were all relatively tied together in ideology. Now being fully awakened by the smells of two different beings, a pang had reached the Crimson Seer’s stomach. That was odd, it had felt like half a century or even more since she last ate?? When did she last…Oh no. A growing hunger. Biting. Munching in both size and shape; ever ravenous and insatiable. For one thing. The sweet, sweet taste of blood. Going back to what she smelled, would determine what she’d be feasting on. There was a smaller presence, more animalistic in nature. Miniscule compared to that of the other which smelled…familiar to say the least. Could it be one of her kin?

If that was the case, it would be the smaller target that would end up being prey.

Limply, and lifelessly because that’s as much energy as she could exert, the left hand would claw it’s way upwards until it would break through. Laying motionless. Waiting for something. The prey to take the bait. Then. It would occur. From 15 meters to the south, the opposite direction of where this larger heartbeat was detected, a rabbit would dart through the bushes. As it would run right past the hand, it would be snatched up and in quick succession pulled through the ground. Ayuna would feed until her heart’s content and her strength had been regathered. It was all a matter of getting herself up now…

After a brief moment of nothing happening above the surface, the ground would begin to crumble as the person that was once underneath of it slowly dug themselves out, like a corpse being reanimated by a necromancer. With her torso now fully emerged, not really checking to see who else was around Ayuna would say in a cold and bitter manner, ”Who in the name of Jashin decided to play this stupid little prank?” Then her biting eyes would loom over to where the other person was, and they’d come to the realization…

”Remika??”

WC: 556

There was a feeling and general look of being out of breath, combined with that of the otherwise shocked expression on the Sanguine Seer’s pale visage made for an conflagration of different feelings and signals. Although the actual sound of the breathing was usual; normal in both volume, and rhythm, there was still the rapid rising and falling of the chest which would, under other circumstances indicate one being out of breath. Seeing as the lass was buried, one might also think that would be quite normal due to the general lack of oxygen when trapped beneath the earth’s crust. However, what was off was the fact that this was still rather unusual for the Kyuketsuki. While they required air to breath, even under most distressing and dire circumstances they could hold their breaths for a longer than normal period of time.

Next were the eyes; the look about them was just a bit…off putting. As if the woman who had them was kind of shocked to be alive. An oddly quizzical blend of mania and dismay, they would loom over her sister for but a mere moment as Remika began to speak, before reaching back down through the earth with a crimson stained hand, it’s fingers splaying through the dark brown dirt. From which, from who knows where, a vial would be produced. Empty for the most part, save for what appeared to be a single drop of a purple substance. Topped with an ornate silver snake head, the vial itself was crystalline looking. Clear in color, and transparent for the most part. Nodding in a response to her family member’s mentioned sympathies in question, Ayuna would tell her ”That damnable witch must have given me a sleeping potion. Put me in a death-like torpor almost. The last thing in which I recall was the servants of our house attempting to rebel against us.”

However, the lady of the night, couldn’t help but feel the almost overwhelming sense of sorrow radiating from the child of the duchess. Too much for it to have been just being gone for a few years. There would be a quick scan up and down, to try and gauge the body language of Remika, and there was definitely something…off about the scenario. Not necessarily in the bad way, but the glance given was almost as if seeing a ghost or some other creature of uncanny nature. Typical, come to think of it, but not from that of the same blood. Before this could be touched upon however, the slight rapping of wings would go flap…flap…flap…would be heard descending towards the duo. To her right, there would be an albino vampire bat. ”Is this your familiar, Remika? Have them take this vial to one of the healer’s and find out what kind of poison or concoction this vial thing was, if you don’t mind.” Should she have accepted, the fortune teller would hand over the vial, and proceed to haul herself up and out of the ground as it would fly off into the distance.

”Shall we, then. And indeed, quite a bit to catch up on with another it would seem.” This first sentence was to echo the reverbs of agreeance, with a slight motion of lead the way being given to her friend. Once they would start a few paces, the once croaky, haggard tone that hung in Ayuna’s throat would be completely vanished; it returning to it’s normal, ephemeral like nature. ”Back there…well I’ll be honest Rem, you seemed quite surprised to have seen me, so. Tell me, how long has it been since the revolts? What have I missed? The last thing I can recall was helping the villagers escape to the docks, and when I got back to my shop to gather some things to see what other help I could lend to you all, I noticed an elderly woman standing outside. I didn’t recognize her though, but, she had offered me that vial. Claiming it would grant the peace that I sought…” But then the voice trailed off…A cruel twist in words. How could she have not seen it along.

WC: 691
TWC: 1247

There were feelings of experiences from a time that was, apparently quite a bit in the past now. Walking was one of them. Talking to someone else. Getting to live in general. Being within the confines of that death-like torpor had almost erased that. Not the memory of it, for it could still be vividly seen if chosen to. But, just the sense of it. The joy and wonder it could bring. Or it’s moments of sorrow and feeling run down. Ayuna, had really missed these things of all. But, at the end of the day, she’d look on ahead at the newly risen sun and say

”My dear, Remika. I thank you for your condolences, but do not feel sad or angry for it. While I may have been lost for a time, destiny saw to it to make sure we were never truly separated. Anyone else could have come across my body while digging through the ground, and who knows what could have happened then. But, it didn’t. The past, is in the past. There’s nothing we can do about it, except use it to focus on the present, and prepare for the future. Good things lie ahead for us, just judging from the state of things.” And it was with those same, soft spoken words, that could be heard also offering a different tune. One of both fear of the unknown, yet hope to be able to get through it all. It was also, to be said, that the Kyuketsuki sister still had a sense for her more empathic responses.

Now locked arm in arm, the two would set out with one another, away from a small bit of farmland. Some houses could be seen speckled throughout the distant greenery of the gables as they would pass by, catching within the peripherals of those walking. It was a spectacular view, and one that was enjoyed only more by the belated conversation in which was being talked about between Remika and Ayuna. The latter would listen as the former simply explained the true length to which she was away for. Which now thinking about it, helped put into perspective about why the emotions of the situation were still lingering. Not only that, but to hear of the older generation now being eradicated…her own parents included…it put a bit of a frown on the pale face of the Sanguine Seer. But, when the conversation flowed towards the subject of the servants and their revolt, the weary look would wash away. And while anger wasn’t displayed, nor was it entirely the emotion used to describe what was running through Ayuna’s mind right now. There was still that of discomfort and wanting slight revenge. This though, was something to plan and prepare for, there were other things to be done in the here and now.

As the scenery would fully change to that of a small village, the notion that the clan still remained a secret was given a slight eyeroll to. While keeping the tone to a hushedness, that even a hawk would have a hard time hearing, the Jashinist would say ”Oh, you know how I’ve always felt about us living a life in secret. For it is through humans, that we get to experience what life is like. We are no different from them, we just were blessed with life everlasting amongst other gifts from our Lord.” The kunoichi would look up from the sister, and meet the eyes of a vendor on the left hand side of the road; the one in which Ayuna was closer to. And in the brief interaction, the lass was able to catch the glimpse of one of human’s greatest emotions; love. In just a matter of seconds, the aura of him being head over heels for someone he hasn’t even talked to would exude through just the look, all within a second. A gesture would be offered from him, handing over a shiny, red apple. Giggling, the white haired pureblood would reach back and kindly take it from him, still keeping the forward motion to make sure her sister didn’t get held up in this.

”See? That man…” The apple would be gently tossed in the air before being caught in the same hand. ”Was feeling overjoyed and in love. And I must say, that if it weren’t for them being able to feel this. How would we be able to?” She’d look back to Remi, their gaze potentially catching each other’s within that moment depending as to how the other reacted to this, and take a bite out of the apple. After doing so, chomping away with voracious teeth munching (politely), it would be offered to the Countess. ”You must try this, it is SO delicious.” And a few moments after, whether or not the apple was taken, they’d eventually reach another shop, where they’d come to their first stop of the day.

Smiling at the shopkeeper, she’d nod in response to the introduction brought forth by Remika, giving a little curtsy with it out of politeness. ”It is a pleasure to meet you. I had, received a letter not to long ago about the village’s reemergence, and felt the need to come back. And, might I add, Remika here has told me great things about you, so. Any friend of hers is a friend of mine. What can we do to assist you on this fine, fine day?”

WC: 909
TWC: 2156