Changeling

In a few days, I'm guessing

Cool. Will keep an eye out for it. XXX

Everything made sense after that. The way Sky had reacted when she'd first met me, that anger and defensiveness I'd sensed when my previous attitude towards Atari had first shown. I was ashamed of myself now. I must have been reminding her, yet again, of her parents' murderers.

Because of this, I avoided her for a few days, locking myself within my room, claiming to be focusing on practicing my skills. I was afraid that if she saw me, she'd be able to sense that I knew. I'd promised to Daniel that I wouldn't let her know I knew, and I intended to keep that. Somehow. So I was staying within the confines of these 4 walls, hiding, and trying to practice. Consequently, it rained a lot.

I sighed, glancing out of the tiny rain-splattered window. I still didn't know whether this skill was water or weather. Every time I attempted to use it, it resulted in the same downpour. I could control its heaviness, but that was all. Of course, I could have asked Sky had I not been trying to evade her, but even then I wasn't sure if she'd tell me, or claim I needed to work it out alone.

"Ariana? You in there?"

I started at the words and at the heavy knock upon the door.

"Stupid question, I guess, with all this rain......"

"Yeah, sorry about that," I whispered, feeling guilty. I did know there was a possibility this could attract attention, but I couldn't just let it go. "I try to tone it down, but it's always rain....."

"Have you asked Sky about it?"

No. Because I'm avoiding her. But I could hardly answer so to Laurel.

"Look, can I come in?"

Of course. Mentally denouncing myself as an idiot, I rose from the bed and opened the door for the woman.

"Ariana.....is everything alright?" she asked hesitantly, looking around instead of facing me.

"Of course it is," I blinked. "Why not?"

"Because you locked yourself in here, like last time....." she tailed off, slightly awkwardly. It was only then that I realised that my behaviour must resemble how I'd been when I'd first arrived here. I hastened to reassure her otherwise, but then I hesitated, trying to think of another explanation except the truth.

But I couldn't. At last, I had to admit.

"I....found out....about Sky, about her past....and now I'm really trying to evade her, in case she realises....."

Now it was me who was looking away.

"You don't need to avoid her over that," Laurel whispered. "She knows we all know, she told me and Daniel and Nick herself. She just doesn't like speaking about it afterwards."

"She's worried about you," she added."She thinks she might have somehow offended you."

"I.....she hasn't....."

Laurel laughed.

"Might want to go tell her that, then."

I nodded, and exited the room, her following me out. Neither of us noticed.

I would well avoid her, too! and when I saw her, I'd be like... "Ummmmmm..."

It must suck to be Sky.

Great chapter tho. Really enjoyed it.

Thanks. And yeah . Acting like that only reminds her, really, though

brb, x

As excellent as always Lowri.

Poor Sky though. Aint no silver lining in her cloudy skies is there? :'( XX Lol.

Thanks.

And I know It isn't going to be as tragic and depressing as Forbidden though

is this one guna b abit more cheery then? XX

U dnt hav 2 say if u wud prefer 2 make it a surprise. XX

I think it will be. Might change my mind though

K, im off to rite abit more of BL, i bout half way thro the chapter so shud hopefully b done over the wkend.

Keep up the gud work with both ur storys, i wil await the next chapters with baited breath.

XXXX Nite + sweetdreams. XX

Course you'll change your mind, Low. Since when has there been a happy ending?

It is amazing, tho!

this one could. Or at least a mixed ending

Next part up either today or in the next few days

MIXED! oh my god!!!! There's HOPE!!!

And yay!

Am I really that much of a permanent angster?

Only one person in the house did notice. Only one could. Therefore, when I next saw her a few minutes later, Sky had a sly, secretive smile on her face. She brushed it off when I asked what was causing it.

"Nothing," she answered, though her smile said otherwise. I rolled my eyes. I was expecting her to ask me why I'd been so obviously avoiding her, why I'd been locking myself up in my room like that. I'd even tried to prepare an answer which somehow skimmed around the painful topic connected to it.

The question didn't come. Instead, Sky seemed to focus, closing her eyes briefly as she concentrated. Shortly afterwards, she opened them, frowning slightly.

"Seems it doesn't work like that," she muttered. I didn't know whether or not I was meant to hear that.

"What doesn't work?" I asked. She didn't answer. It wasn't clear if she heard me or not. I pushed the issue aside, pursuing one which seemed more important.

"Can you tell what my first skill is, now? Because when I first developed it, you said it could be either weather or water, and every time I've tried doing something different with it, it comes up with the same old rain....."

She shook her head.

"No, sorry, that's something you have to work out yourself."

Seeing my frown, she elaborated.

"One day, you'll just find another use of it. Something new. And that'll clear it up."

I nodded, having to just take her word for it. Yet again, she had that secretive smile on her face. It was getting infuriating.

"What are you smiling for?" I asked again. The answer was another smile.

"You do know that's getting annoying...."

She laughed.

"Yeah, I know......think of something."

"Think of something?"

She nodded.

"Anything. And try to push it to me."

I frowned, not understanding why. But I did as asked, casting my mind around for anything, and finally settling on an image of my childhood home. I focused on it, and then pushed the memory towards her.

"Nice house."

"What? Did you see that? How?"

"You pushed the image into my mind. You can talk to other Atari telepathically - it's one of your skills."

I broke into a smile at that, vastly relieved to have finally discovered another skill. She nodded, smiling too.

"I heard you, earlier. You pushed another thought, explaining why you'd been avoiding me."

Silence fell. Both of us trying to avoid even thinking of the issue.

"So I'm telepathic?" I asked at last. Sky nodded.

"In a way. Only with other Atari though, not humans. And you can't hear thoughts, just speak to others."

"What were you testing earlier?"

"Trying to see if you could receive as well as send."

"And I can't?" I didn't need an answer. But I wasn't complaining about that, sending messages seemed impressive enough without. Then a thought struck me.

"Sky? You seemed surprised, before.....but shouldn't you have sensed it anyway?"

Very gud Lowri. As always. XXX

XXXX

Thanks

Very good, Lowri!!!

Thanks Pip. Like her skill?

She frowned, thinking hard.

"Yeah, I should have.....unless....."

She hesitated.

"Unless what?"

"I've had an idea for what could be another skill of yours. I'll try to test it out."

She grinned, slightly twistedly, her face lighting up.

"Don't freak out," she laughed, winking. I didn't get a chance to even ask her what I'd possibly be freaking out over, before the air began to swirl violently and throw itself against me. Seeing this, I hastily stepped back.

And wasn't touched.

"What happened?!" I asked, shocked. "Did you drop that before it touched me?"

She shook her head.

"What was it, then?"

"You."

I was about to ask her what she meant, but the intense concentration on her face prevented me. She was testing again. She pushed at me again with air, less vigorously this time, just a touch. But again it didn't contact. Neither did the metals she created and sent towards me. Nothing did.

"I think you have Immunity."

"What's that? Another skill?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "You basically block all other Skills, like a shield. It seems to be subconscious, but maybe you can lower it."

I asked if I should try undoing it and she nodded. I tried. However, strain as I might to let her affect me, nothing came through.

"Or maybe it's permanent. That must be why I couldn't sense any from you before, and why the healing didn't work. I just assumed the change couldn't be healed."

"So no skills can affect me?"

She nodded. I smiled, glad of this new skill of mine. I still hadn't fully shaken off my paranoia about the Atari and our unnatural deeds. So I thought this was purely a good thing, thinking only of its protective values. I didn't see the underside.

Oooh cant wait 2 see wot the bad side is. Very gud agen Lowri. XX

Flickerflame wrote:Thanks Pip. Like her skill?

Yeah, loads.

(Missed that. )


What's the bad side?????