//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Who are you // Story: Banished // by Sixpence //------------------------------// The nights on the plains were my favourite, when the sky was bare with not a cloud marring the giant canvas of bright spots and swirling galaxies. When there was no sound but the wind rushing through the long grass, I felt at peace. Without any lights polluting the air it felt like I could float up into the abyss without regret, no worries, no fears. Just the stars and I. The sky here is different. It was one of the first signs I noticed that I was no longer on earth. No big dipper, no Orion or Virgo. I was never a big fan of the night before I came here, the lights in the city made it almost impossible to see the stars, and I have vague memories of it always being cold. So, since I didn’t know any constellation names, I started making up my own. The Hunter, it looked a bit like a bow and arrow. I remember having one, a bow I mean, one of the old fashioned ones, nothing but wood and string. I don’t think I hunted, or ever tried making one myself. The one I tried to make did do well for a fishing pole though. I followed it, every night I would see the tip of the arrow rise above the horizon, and know that it was my direction. The Twin Fishmongers. Two wheels, an almost straight line and some stars made something that could be vaguely construed to be a cart with two fish. At least if I squinted and sort of looked away a bit. I used to be a fan of fish, I think. I haven’t felt the need for food or drink since I dug myself out. It’s strange, but I didn’t get thinner. Did build some muscle as well, I admit that it confused me at the time. I guess walking is good for you. I think mom made great fish dishes. I don’t remember her. Or dad. I think I had a dad, everyone does. The Stranger. It looked kind of like a crudely drawn stickman with a beard. Kinda like me, but I’m a bit more fleshy. After all I’m a stranger here. I tried talking to the stars once. Some times I could swear they winked in response. There were others. Like The Dragon, The Spire and The Four Horsemen. When it rained, it was cold. Cold and wet, and often there was no shelter to be found. Still, I never truly froze. Even when icicles formed on my ragged shirt and beard, I never shivered or felt truly miserable. Still pretty damned cold though. --- She eventually tired herself out and fell asleep with her head still in my lap. I didn’t stop petting her mane until I fell asleep myself. We both awoke at the sound of thunder. It couldn’t be any later than noon, but it was dark as night outside, and water was already running in small rivers down the slight slope. The cave turned home was in the middle of a short hill, with a short outcropping of rock above the wall. It was perfect, as perfect as a cave could be. Water never ran inside, and it warmed up rather quickly once I stoked the fire and put a few more dry logs on it. “So.” I started hesitantly. The creature had been silent ever since we woke up, and was staring melancholy into the fire. “What’s your name?” I found that calling her ‘the creature’ in my head felt a bit rude, even more rude than calling her ‘it’. “Huh?” She grunted as she tore her eyes from the fire. “Your name.” I smiled a bit wistfully at her. “I can’t just think of you as ‘the creature’” I wiggled my hands as air quotes “It feels rude.” She looked a bit torn for a moment, almost as if she considered lying to me. “My name...” “Yeah. You know, the thing people usually call each other in polite company.” I grinned, and I’m pretty sure I saw her lips twitch. Whether it was irritation or amusement I didn’t know, but it was something other than crying at least. “People?” She said, and I saw a twinkle of interest in her eyes. “People, folks, friends. You know, I’m people, you’re people. I think most sentient beings are people.” She looked a bit confused as I gestured towards her and me. “Friends?” She rolled her eyes disdainfully. “Hardly.” My smile fell a little and I turned back to the fire. “Well. I’m pretty sure we’re not enemies at least...” I felt a pang in my heart at her words. I had hoped that I might have found a friend at last. “Now why would I be friends with the likes of you? I don’t even know what you are! For all I know, you could suddenly decide that I would look better hanging over that fire!” She said loudly. I grit my teeth and grabbed my staff. In less than a second I had it pressed against her throat with a scowl on my face. “Now you listen here you little twerp!” I roared. “I just saved your god damned life. So the least you could do is show a little gratitude.” I felt the anger coarse through my veins like fire, and the defiant scowl on the creature’s face made it flare. Then she smiled, and her features softened as I pressed the staff into the nape of her neck. “That’s more like it.” She said. “I think we might become friends after all.” “What?” I yanked the staff away from her and looked down at her with an expression of mixed anger and confusion. She stayed silent, with only that infuriating little smile on her face. “Just what the hell do you mean by that?” I asked, the anger fading in the face of my growing confusion. “I show you mercy. Take you into my home, fix your damned wounds... But when I threaten you?” I pointed the staff back at her. “Just what is your problem lady?” The weird part? Her eyes were glowing more strongly, and her carapace darkened even more as I felt the anger fade. Then she closed her eyes and sighed contently. “No matter.” She said with a smile, her regrown fangs catching the firelight. I felt confusion and frustration at the creature before me. What had I gotten myself into... The staff clattered to the ground and I turned back to the fire once more. Women, no matter where you go they’re impossible to read. “Chrysalis.” She murmured behind my back, and I turned my head. “What?” “My name, you may call me Chrysalis.” She was smiling smugly at me, almost as if she had won some argument, or a prize. I rolled my eyes and returned my attention to the fire. “Makes sense.” I murmured to myself. “And just what is that supposed to mean?” Chrysalis said, laughter in her voice. This lady, this strange creature, had gone from crying miserably into my chest just hours before, to this arrogant... Well, whatever she was. I turned and glared at her. “Not much. It’s fitting I suppose. You being what you are.” She arched an eyebrow at me. “And what, may I ask, is that?” She sounded truly curious, but the smirk in her voice never left. “Oh you know.” I smirked right back. “An insect.” The cot creaked as she shot up on her one leg, only to lose her balance and crash back down onto the bed. “What!” She yelled. “Why I never!” She sounded furious, and I could only feel my grin grow wider as I looked at her squirming form on the bed. “Yep. The carapace gave it away. Definitely an insect.” I was grinning from ear to ear by then. She managed to prop herself up on her intact leg as she scowled furiously at me. “I’ll have you know that I am a Changeling! Not!” She spluttered. “Not some petty insect!” I just shrugged and kept my gaze on her eyes. “You don’t look much like a changeling to me.” “And what, pray tell, is a changeling supposed to look like?” She asked me indignantly. “A changeling is a small demon or fey creature that steals children and replaces it with their own spawn.” I shrugged again. “Looks nothing like you I reckon.” “What? We haven’t done that for yea...” She clamped her mouth shut, and a look of embarrassment, of all things, passed over her features It was my turn to arch an eyebrow at her. “Really now. Maybe you are a changeling after all.” My grin was still stretched over my face. “No! I mean yes!” Her face flushed a bit red. How in the world that even worked was beyond me. “Fine!” She finally said. “And what is your name then? Fleshbag? Beardy?” Her smirk returned as my grin turned sour. “I don’t have one.” I said softly and poked the fire with my hand. It didn’t burn. “I’m sorry? I didn’t hear that.” She said and when I turned to glare at her, the smug look was back. “I don’t have a name. Can’t remember if I ever had one.” I said and turned away. My mood had fallen severely. “Fantastic! That means I get to name you!” I could hear the shit-eating grin through her voice, even if I didn’t look at her. “Hell no you don’t!” I yelled at her and turned back once more. “Oh come now. I can’t just call you... whatever are you anyway? I have never seen anything quite like you before.” She asked curiously. Mood swings, if anything defined this lady, it was mood swings. Me on the other hand, had to think for a moment before I answered. “Human, I suppose.” “You suppose?” She laughed. “You’re not sure of your own species.” I shrugged. “Last time I checked, humans die when crushed beneath a rockslide. Or when impaled on a branch. I didn’t” I expected her to wince, instead she was silent and I turned to her. To my surprise she looked shocked, her eyes wide. “What?” I spat. “Never seen an immortal before?” “It can’t be...” She whispered, and a grin formed on her face. “What?” I repeated, curiosity and confusion growing. Chrysalis’ grin widened, and out of nowhere she started laughing loudly. Great guffaws wracked her body and she almost doubled over in mirth. “What are you laughing at?” Once more my face tightened when the only sounds from her was half choked gasping laughs, almost indistinguishable from the sobs from earlier. “Fine! Be that way!” I picked the staff back up and stalked out of the cave and into the pouring rain, slamming the ‘door’ behind me as I went. I sat atop the rocky overhang of the cave, staring wistfully into the raging storm, almost grateful that only my pants were getting wet. I had no shirts left, they lay in rags on the floor inside. “Human!” I heard someone yell from the doorway. “Now where did he go...” I peered down from the edge of the overhang, and saw the changeling standing wobbly by the door, scanning the rain for any sign of me before hobbling outside into the rain as well. For a moment I considered just letting her go. It would make my life easier, not having to deal with the snarky creature anymore. Surely the storm would get her. If not, surely some of the large cats stalking the desolate landscape would find use for her. Instead I sighed and jumped down behind her. The impact made her squeal in surprise, and I rolled my eyes when she almost fell. “What do you want? You shouldn’t be outside...” Chrysalis tried to blow away some of her now sopping wet mane. Much to her dismay, and my amusement, even more of her ragged mane fell into her eyes. She grimaced and looked up at me through the hair. “Listen. I’m sorry I laughed. That was rude of me.” An apology? From her? What was she getting at. “Can we get back inside? It’s cold out here...” To emphasize her point, she shivered involuntarily. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, before letting her lean against me as we went back inside. At least some company is better than being alone. ---