Post by dragonfire13 on Jan 15, 2006 19:54:01 GMT -5
Epilogue: Dawn
“That was the longest night of my life.”
Kellen proclaimed this quite calmly given what he had just been through. They were back at Lao Shi’s; the young boy was propped against the window sill, gazing out at the sky, which had returned to its normal gentle blue hue. It was now deep purple, twilight, that time between the darkness and the dawn, when night ended and day began. “I can’t wait to see the sun rise,” he murmured. Fu padded to his side, paper under one arm.
“Rough night, kid?”
“You have no idea…”
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Jake wasn’t all that surprised when, after reporting to Lao Shi, he came back to find Rose gone. He had left her on the sofa, more or less because she was still exhausted, but he knew her well enough to know that she wouldn’t stay in one place to long after what she had been through. So when he came back to find the sofa empty, he just sighed.
“Girl, I swear, one day you’re gonna be the death of me,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. Shaking his head, but smiling, he left to track down the restless woman-child.
In the back of Jake’s mind, Kage snorted. Kya had always done the same thing.
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Rose at balanced on the edge of the roof, legs pulled up to her chest, her chin resting on her knees. Her mask had been removed, and lay neatly folded beside her. After a heartbeat, she took off her right glove, and then, feeling nervous, tugged off her left glove.
The mark that had haunted her almost from the start was gone. She narrowed her eyes, studying her hand, and sighed softly with relief. After a moment her mind wandered to her death and revival.
She had died. She knew she had. She had felt the pain as Darkfire struck, had felt the life drain out of her limbs, just as before, when she had been Kya. And even though she had learned for years that death was supposed to be the ultimate reward (for all good little boys and girls go to heaven, as I am told), she had just felt… empty. Like her heart had been ripped out of her chest.
Jake had succeeded in what Kage had not. Because of him, she was alive again. And when she had opened her eyes and seen his face, the emptiness had disappeared.
“Guess I wasn’t lying when I said I missed him…”
The sound of footsteps made her stiffen, but when Jake slid in to sit next to her she relaxed, and when he gently tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear she closed her eyes.
“I never thought I’d see you again.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
“I never thought I’d see you again,” she countered softly, her eyes opening to meet his.
“You would have seen me… eventually.”
“That would have taken to long.”
“Not the patient type, are you?”
Rose smirked at him. “I’m a hunter, Jake. Hunters are born patient.”
“Correction, you were a hunter.”
“I’m still a hunter by blood. Once a hunter, always a hunter. Even if I’m not hunting anymore.”
“No more hunting?”
“Nope.”
“Why?”
Instead of answering, Rose opted for the more physical approach; she hooked her arm around Jake’s neck, bringing his lips to hers. The next few minutes passed blissfully uninterrupted as Rose let Jake know why she wasn’t hunting anymore. When she released his neck and pulled away, she sat there for a few minutes, utterly dazed caught somewhere between Earth and Cloud Nine. Jake sat next to her, a silly little grin plastered to his face. After a moment, Rose giggled.
“I’ve caught my prey. Why do I need to continue hunting?” she teased. Jake blinked a couple times, considering this, then pulled her in for another kiss that assured her of not only had he been caught, but he was perfectly happy to remain caught.
“My, Mr. Long, what a great kisser you are.”
“The better to please you with, my dear.”
These silly exchanges went on for a few minutes longer, until Rose rested her head on Jake’s shoulder and he casually snaked one arm around her waist, the two settling into a comfortable silence. After a few minutes Kellen emerged and sat on Rose’s other side. “Hey, guys,” he greeted.
“Hey, Kellen.” Jake sounded positively star-struck. Rose giggled again, and Kellen rolled his eyes, smiling.
“Trust me, buddy, I don’t want to know.”
Jake laughed, leaning across Rose to punch Kellen lightly in the arm. Kellen yelped, and Rose gave him a quick hug.
Together, the three friends watched as the sun peeked over the horizon, spilling golden rays across the city, the shadows fading away as night retreated and a new day dawned.
The End
Well, there you have it. The end of "The Broken Prophecy", started thanks to IronHand's request. Hope you guys all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
“That was the longest night of my life.”
Kellen proclaimed this quite calmly given what he had just been through. They were back at Lao Shi’s; the young boy was propped against the window sill, gazing out at the sky, which had returned to its normal gentle blue hue. It was now deep purple, twilight, that time between the darkness and the dawn, when night ended and day began. “I can’t wait to see the sun rise,” he murmured. Fu padded to his side, paper under one arm.
“Rough night, kid?”
“You have no idea…”
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Jake wasn’t all that surprised when, after reporting to Lao Shi, he came back to find Rose gone. He had left her on the sofa, more or less because she was still exhausted, but he knew her well enough to know that she wouldn’t stay in one place to long after what she had been through. So when he came back to find the sofa empty, he just sighed.
“Girl, I swear, one day you’re gonna be the death of me,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. Shaking his head, but smiling, he left to track down the restless woman-child.
In the back of Jake’s mind, Kage snorted. Kya had always done the same thing.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Rose at balanced on the edge of the roof, legs pulled up to her chest, her chin resting on her knees. Her mask had been removed, and lay neatly folded beside her. After a heartbeat, she took off her right glove, and then, feeling nervous, tugged off her left glove.
The mark that had haunted her almost from the start was gone. She narrowed her eyes, studying her hand, and sighed softly with relief. After a moment her mind wandered to her death and revival.
She had died. She knew she had. She had felt the pain as Darkfire struck, had felt the life drain out of her limbs, just as before, when she had been Kya. And even though she had learned for years that death was supposed to be the ultimate reward (for all good little boys and girls go to heaven, as I am told), she had just felt… empty. Like her heart had been ripped out of her chest.
Jake had succeeded in what Kage had not. Because of him, she was alive again. And when she had opened her eyes and seen his face, the emptiness had disappeared.
“Guess I wasn’t lying when I said I missed him…”
The sound of footsteps made her stiffen, but when Jake slid in to sit next to her she relaxed, and when he gently tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear she closed her eyes.
“I never thought I’d see you again.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
“I never thought I’d see you again,” she countered softly, her eyes opening to meet his.
“You would have seen me… eventually.”
“That would have taken to long.”
“Not the patient type, are you?”
Rose smirked at him. “I’m a hunter, Jake. Hunters are born patient.”
“Correction, you were a hunter.”
“I’m still a hunter by blood. Once a hunter, always a hunter. Even if I’m not hunting anymore.”
“No more hunting?”
“Nope.”
“Why?”
Instead of answering, Rose opted for the more physical approach; she hooked her arm around Jake’s neck, bringing his lips to hers. The next few minutes passed blissfully uninterrupted as Rose let Jake know why she wasn’t hunting anymore. When she released his neck and pulled away, she sat there for a few minutes, utterly dazed caught somewhere between Earth and Cloud Nine. Jake sat next to her, a silly little grin plastered to his face. After a moment, Rose giggled.
“I’ve caught my prey. Why do I need to continue hunting?” she teased. Jake blinked a couple times, considering this, then pulled her in for another kiss that assured her of not only had he been caught, but he was perfectly happy to remain caught.
“My, Mr. Long, what a great kisser you are.”
“The better to please you with, my dear.”
These silly exchanges went on for a few minutes longer, until Rose rested her head on Jake’s shoulder and he casually snaked one arm around her waist, the two settling into a comfortable silence. After a few minutes Kellen emerged and sat on Rose’s other side. “Hey, guys,” he greeted.
“Hey, Kellen.” Jake sounded positively star-struck. Rose giggled again, and Kellen rolled his eyes, smiling.
“Trust me, buddy, I don’t want to know.”
Jake laughed, leaning across Rose to punch Kellen lightly in the arm. Kellen yelped, and Rose gave him a quick hug.
Together, the three friends watched as the sun peeked over the horizon, spilling golden rays across the city, the shadows fading away as night retreated and a new day dawned.
The End
Well, there you have it. The end of "The Broken Prophecy", started thanks to IronHand's request. Hope you guys all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!