Just Checking Up! Part Forty-Eight: The Land Remembers!

Rip:

Shifting around uncomfortably, a new dragon and phoenix threw me off. Missing Bookworth, a gentle voice snapped me from my mental downward spiral. Glancing down at my new book friend, her one eye met mine. What wise thing was she going to say?

“The Earth remembers what we forget, Master. Every footfall leaves a mark.” She bestowed upon me serenely, her pages fluttering subtly. “Never did I think I would witness another phoenix and a dragon. What a treat! In fact, Miss Kiba and I flew about quite a bit.” Mulling over the new information, Kiba held an important place among the older players. Silks emerged from the shadows with Dade, both of them looking a bit less stressed. Kiba zoomed onto her shoulders, the two of them snuggling into each other’s cheeks. Happy to see her being taken care of once more, a shadow of her genuine smile graced her lips. Scooping up Lap, her laughter twinkled in the air. Placing the cute bunny on her back, Harebell skidded up to her side. Bouncing around her, pure bliss illuminated Silks’ features. Settling down on her left side, her bells jingled to a stop. Raw fury burned in her eyes, her sludge hammer bouncing off of her palms.

Taking off, Silks bounded after her. Nuit and I sprinted after her, Glacia practically slithering next to us. Dade leapt over our head, Mary-Allen zooming past us. Wonderful, I thought bitterly to myself. A race to get to them began, Linz barking wildly. Skidding around corners, a horrific sight greeted me. Harebell lay limply in Silks’ arms, inky tears streaming down her cheeks. The corner of her lips quivered into a snarl, Harebell’s body decaying to ash. Cracking her neck, a wall of orange fire lilies separated us. Hitting the wall with all we had, a tortured wail burst from her lips. The daily sleepovers had been her salvation, her laughter returning. Blood splashed through the petals, screeches announcing an endless slaughter. One by one the petals drifted into a blizzard, a broken Silks sobbing into the pile of ash. Digging her claws into the floor, violent orange flames seared her hands. Struggling to her feet, a flurry of orange fire lilies whisked us back into our A-frame. Lap, Linz and Kipa rolled to our feet, the door into Hell locking. Cursing under my breath, her state of mind wasn’t stable in the slightest. Banging rattled the other side, the other Sins pleading with us to open the door.

“She locked it!” I panicked audibly, an eerie silence washing over everyone. “Sit tight and let me do my shit, ‘kay!” Ripping the carpet back, she couldn’t stop me from seeking her out the old fashioned way. Cutting my palm on the corner of a table, a pool of inky blood glimmered to life. Dipping the tip of my finger into it, my fingertip danced away. Drawing three circles ought to do the trick, a slam of my palms had the symbols glowing to life. Crumbling underneath me, Hell swallowed us whole.

Landing roughly in a pile of snow, her stunning eye whipped over to mine. Praying to find Silks, the hole closing up behind me didn’t bode well for me. Wiping my palm in the snow, haunting sobs had me spinning on my heels. Sniffing the air, this place wasn’t Hell. Shit, this place was purgatory. Broken souls wandered aimlessly, Harebell’s soul smashing into my body. Fighting my own wave of grief, her translucent hands clung to my arms.

“I’ll be fine. Don’t cry for me.” She wept desperately, the hole in her chest giving away her death. “Accepting a final blow will always be worth it to me. My job is to get you out of here, Rip. Nothing more, nothing less.” Wiping away her own tears, her ears jingled a rather crestfallen tune.

“Don’t be so dismayed. This lucky soul is in charge of good old Purgatory. I made a deal with the last guy to get out. God knows where he is now?” She chirped brightly, between sniffles. “Besides, I knew death was going to befall me today. The date was set a long time ago. Words I told her were merely spoken to give her hope. I see what I did wrong. The old me decided to hide to not hurt anyone’s feelings.” A couple of clacks sent chills up our spines, a busted Silks bowed her head in regret before I could lose my cool on Harebell. Such an act was cruel. The sheer amount of dried blood coating her was alarming, the mixed emotions in her eyes causing Harebell to shrink back.

“Sorry you couldn’t trust me enough to divulge any of this!” She barked in the most hurt tone, her claws digging into her neck. “Look, all you had to do was explain your situation instead of giving me false hope of a happy life at home. Not that I am not. Shit, I have family and friends. Do you know how many girls’ nights I was looking forward to? Whatever, I’m out! Give me time to chill the fuck out!” Spinning on her heels to leave, Harebell smashing caused her to stiffen up. Trust was something a bit foreign to Silks, two apologetic smiles meeting each other.

“Truth be told, I was too. Maybe you could sneak one of those televisions down here and bring something comedic.” Harebell joked pathetically, Silks sighing into one of her genuine smiles. “There’s the smile I cherish. Our friendship can still thrive but you have to visit me. Many apologies on my end. Worry not about telling my brother. A key to purgatory is already in his possession. On with getting you guys out of here.” Floating ahead, the two of them chatted pleasantly to an obvious edge. Tapping an invisible wall, Harebell’s fangs chewed on her bottom lip.

“Be careful out there. This isn’t exactly the best part of Earth. Silks, the Earth remembers what we forget. Every footfall you have taken has affected us all. Please stop by again soon, my dear.” She begged with a broken soul, Silks burying her in a bear hug. “Fuck, these were the best things ever.” Silks stepped back with her hands on her hips, a downtrodden grin struggling to stay on her lips.

“We really have the A-team now. I am in charge of Hell, you have purgatory and God likes me enough to help me out.” She chirped with a false brightness, her cracks beginning to show. “Give Purgatory hell for me. Consider your request granted. I love you like a sister and your big sis is going to pull though. See you later.” Crossing over before she lost composure again, my own had begun its slipping pattern.

“Thank you for being there. Count on me coming back as well.” I assured her strongly, her features glittering with newfound hope. “This guy will bring my favorite video games. Prepare to lose.” Jumping into the other side, sand crunched underneath my boots. Silks emerged from the crashing waves, her tired smirk not convincing me that she was okay. Chanting stole her attention, a blast of her flames drying her off. A low grow rumbled in her throat, cloaked figures seeming to be marching into a cave system. Grimacing in their direction, a quick check of her reflection revealed that she had cleaned off all of the blood and guts. Pressing the back of her hand to her nose, ribbons of inky blackness cascaded over her fingers.

“Screw this, I may or may not be nearly tapped out.” She grumbled under her breath, fresh hurt mixing into the blood dribbling off of her chin. “Can my day get any worse? First I lose my Flamios and now the closest Sin to my heart. God must be royally pissed at me. Fucking asshole!” Lightning narrowly struck her, her free middle finger waving at the sky.

“You’re the one burning me every fucking few seconds, you d-” She began, my hand covering her mouth as I lowered her hand. Shooting her a stern look, dark emotions were driving her. Jingling captured our attention, a scarlet bell shining in her opening palm with a note attached to it. Reading the words don’t be dumb, scarlet flushed her cheeks. Huffing in response, a clothing pin style hook had her jamming it halfway through her left ear. Dropping it, the busted version of her smile returned as it chimed into place. Ignoring the blood pouring down the crevices of her ears, her trembling hand clutching the bell desperately.

“Thank you for a piece of our friendship.” She whispered sweetly, her wet eyes meeting mine. “I vow to make the afterlife of your dreams, Miss Harebell. Onto the problem at hand, we need to stop the ceremony before we are stuck with statues. If only I could stop the bleeding.” Pleas fell on deaf ears at me ripping the bottom of my shirt. Rolling it up, a couple of shoves up her nostrils slowed the bleeding. Lifting up her chin with my thumb, an exhausted grin tortured my soul. Feeling a few more cracks spread across our souls, hurt found our address once more.

“My Queen, my heart belongs to you and only you. Should strife find you, my ears are open.” I comforted her with my usual smirk, a bit of light returning to her eyes. Grains of sand floated up, Silks bounding towards the chaos. Summoning her flaming scythes, her ankles wiggled a bit. Catching up to her, Frice ordered me to stop. Flipping open to another one of her complicated spells, my less than expression sent a puff of smoke into my face.

“Enough of the attitude, Master. She will die if you don’t do this!” She hissed sharply, a force knocking the corner of her into my palm. “Get to drawing the spell, damn it!” Sinking to my knees, six circles and dragon symbols was a bit much. Working blindly, a slam of my palms released a wave of ice tipped flames. Orange fire lilies cast cloaked figures out, a child skidding up to me. Orange fire lilies curled around the ankles of the cloaked figures, a bruised Silks limping out. Knocking them out with some sort of gas, Cal’s name blinked on her phone. Her bell jingled on the way over, the three year old girl smashing into her legs. Donning ruby demon eyes, jet black curls hovered around her chin. An eager smile lit up her midnight black lips, Silks crouching down to her level. Checking her over for any wounds, fire lilies placed materialized handcuffs on their wrists. Adjusting the snow white night gown flowing over her tiny body, her genuine smile curled across her lips.

“Do we have a name, my dear?” She inquired in a motherly tone, her nose leaking fiercely. “Please know that you are safe with us.” Snuggling deeper into her embrace, the little demon girl played with her bell. Pushing through an immense wave of loss, her lips parted several times. A tiny voice answering provided her the relief she required to survive long enough to keep her composure alive.

“Rosia Flowers.” She choked out through a wall of tears, her tiny fingers clinging to her arms. “They killed my parents!” Collapsing into her chest, grief brought him to her. Well, us. Hoisting her onto her hips, a burned leg gave rise to guilt on my end. Limping towards a white van, extreme exhaustion swept me away.

Groaning awake, ruffling files and two big eyes had me rolling off my bed. A frazzled Silks flipped through newly discovered files, her finger tapping the files incessantly. Rosia played on the floor with Avery, the twins rolling around next to them. Fresh blood drops stained my band t-shirts, her fingers playing with her pigtails. Hoisting myself back onto the bed, fresh scratches exposed how stressed she truthfully was. Blackness oozed from fresh wounds, red eyes spoke of endless tears.

“I unlocked the door and no one showed up.” She wept openly, her shaking fingers fussing with the pile of papers. “Did I piss them off? I tried to keep Harebell alive. I really fucking tried, damn it.” Cal came in with a cup of Orchid’s tea, the others coming in. Bells in their sins’ colors rolling around their palms, the kids glancing up from their little game. Avery offered to get a coloring book with Rosia, a painful silence hung in the air. Silks’ eyes refused to meet their equally red eyes, Wolfsbane approaching her first.

“Harebell explained everything to me a long time ago.” He uttered brokenly, loss swirling around his aura. “We all caught up in purgatory and saw the damage Rip caused to the beach. Repairs were done and the kid seems okay under your care. Do you want to raise her or do you want one of us to take h-” Rosia crashed through them all, her body flying into Silks’ opening arms. Shaking her head in defiance, it was clear where she wanted to be.

“Silks is my mommy.” She declared strongly, a big grin contradicting the sadness in her glittering eyes. “She will always be mine! A lady named Harebell said that she would be a good mommy!” Silks kissed the top of her head, her palm rubbing her back. Staring numbly ahead, yesterday’s events had stung her soul as much as mine. Burying her in a bear hug, her chin rested on her head.

“Can I have a minute alone with Rip?” She requested politely, Cal gathering the new files for her. “I will meet you guys in the living room. I promise. Sorry for locking you out. My immediate reaction to losing her abruptly was incorrect. Hopefully, you can find it within yourself to forgive me.” Tucking her hair behind her ear, everyone smiled sorrowfully at the bell jingling away on her left ear. Wolfsbane plucked Rosia from Silks’ arms, his goofy grin winning her over.

“Mommy needs a minute. How about we play a quick game of wolf and sheep? Avery, do you want to play?” He offered with a wink, Avery grinning ear to ear. “See you in a second, little sis.” Waving to them as they left, any joy dissipated from her eyes. Crawling onto my lap, her burnt leg taunted me. A dull reminder of what I did remained, a frown planting itself on my lips.

“Stop worrying about that. I leapt up as soon as I could. The ice stopped the damage. You sealed off the powers that caused the statues.” She confessed lovingly, guilt eating at us both. “Rosia is a sweetheart, right? How can I defy Harebell’s final wishes? Besides, I adore Rosy. Sorry for falling in love with her right away.” Pressing our foreheads together, the twins babbling became a welcome background noise as our breaths became one.

“Rosy is always welcome in our family. The way she clung to you and picked you says that you are the one.” I laughed jovially, a bit of hope returning to her eyes. “Judging by her show, no one else will do it for her cute little heart. We are one step closer to that big family.” Kissing my lips affectionately, time slowed down. Getting lost in each other, a toy clattering across the floor ripped us from the needed trance.

A fit of laughter exploded from her lips, her bare feet hitting the carpet. Tickling the twins, such joy came from her smile growing more real by the second. Laying down next to them, tiny hands curled around her thumbs. Pecking their thumbs feverishly, their giggles twinkled like bells. Pausing to catch her breath, my breath hitched at the natural bliss in her wet eyes.

“I suppose you are correct, my dear King.” She giggled freely, her body curling around theirs. “Harebell isn’t dead at least. Girls’ night will be happening once a week when this crap is over. She can’t get rid of me that easily.” Blowing into their cute bat pajamas, their laughter nearly woke up my heart. Flipping off the bed, her hand reached for mine.

“Speaking of bullshit, we need to get on solving it. Help a queen up?” She chirped brightly, one yank bringing her to her feet. Tugging on a pair of my black sweatpants, a couple of scoops had the twins in her arms. Walking towards the door frame, the abrupt pause woke a new fear.

“Come down when you are ready.” She suggested tenderly, her fingers sliding down the wall as she made her way downstairs. Hovering in the empty room, a black bell twinkled to life in my palm with a note. Crashing back onto the bed, my brow cocked at the message.

“Don’t be such a concerned nut, love Harebell!” I read out loud, a fit of wicked laughter bursting off of my tongue. “Count on it, my dear friend.” Rising to my feet, a clip onto my belt provided me the comfort I needed in the moment. Changing into one of my band t-shirts and ripped jeans, something felt so cozy about it. Sliding my feet into a pair of worn sneakers, a tug of my belt brought me back the joy of having a reminder of Harebell by my side. Swinging out my bedroom door, a glide down the railing tossed me gracefully into the living room. The twins babbled next to Orchid, everyone sipping a cup of steaming tea. Toiling away over the files, Rosy clung onto Silks' back, Avery clinging to her arm. Wolfsbane nodded his head in my direction, a warmth heating up my soul. Praying slash apologizing to the big man upstairs. Please grant us the good luck required and take care of my dear friend Harebell in Purgatory.