[Wingardia] No. 028

[torrinne]

"Hmm..." Rille thought back, remembering that the girl never had told her why she was looking for Shino. "It was your job, then," she told the quietly. "Now...things are different. It's not your fault, you were who they made you. If you had lied to me about it...any of it...I wouldn't have been able to forgive you, but you were honest." She looked at them gently, smiling slightly. "I admire that. There's nothing for me to forgive." She folded the dress neatly into the chest, and closed the lid firmly. Then, walking to a corner of the room, she picked up her bag. "Okay, I think I'm ready. Unless there was anything else you two wanted to tell me before we go?"  

[toriable2016]

Nioki smiled big at what Rille had said.She almost started to cry hearing her say this,it made her so happy.Nioki's eyes started to water as she said in shy quiet voice."Thank........y-you so much.Y-you d-ont know how.......much that means to me."A small tear fell down her cheek,as she quickly wiped it away.Nioki took off her glasses to wipe the tears off them on her shirt.She cleaned them and quickly put them back on.

Mioki was just happy as she could be,and tears also came down her cheeks.Ive felt alone for so long......and doubted what my sister spoke was true....now I know it is.She gave Rille a big smile and wiped the tears on her sleve.Just as her sister had done she cleaned her glasses with her shirt.As she put them back on she whispered something under her breath."Thank....you."She pushed her glasses up to her face and gave a small peaceful smile."Well lets go to the mall then!"

((Next post at the forest lake mall?))  

[torrinne]

Good grief. I didn't mean to make them cry! Gosh, now I feel horrid. Rille grabbed a jacket out of the closet, and stuffed her wallet into the pocket as she headed for the door. "You're...welcome, I guess. First time I ever got thanked for making someone cry, though." She shrugged. "Oh well. To the mall!" She closed the door carefully behind her. Hmm...maybe I ought to leave a note for Ananda? Oh, too late, they're leaving without me. I'll try to remember to go looking for her when we get back.
((Okay, see you there!))  

[torrinne]

Rille supported Ananda the whole way back to their room. Byt the time they finally reached it, she was almost carrying her cousin. She opened the door, and propelled Ananda towards her bed. "Sit, before you fall down. What on earth did you do?"
Ananda groaned, laying back on her bed. "I was an idiot. I overused my power training, then used it to get away from my dad at the gates. I'm abolut as weak as a dead fish." She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, then sat back up. "So, what'd your dad send you? C'mon, let's see."
Rille carried the chest over and set it in Ananda's lap. "Go ahead and look. The key goes to the lock that was on the chest, I think." She handed Ananda the broken lock as well.
Ananda examined the things closely. Looking at the key and lock, she shook her head. "No, the key's too big. It'd never fit in that tiny lock. It must go to something else." She grinned suddenly. "Did you try the dress on?"
Rille shook her head. "No. I don't think it'd fit me right."
"Aw, c'mon. At least try it?"
"Okay. But don't you dare laugh." Rille picked up the dress, and shut herself in the closet to change.  

[torrinne]

A few minutes later, Rille came out of the closet. The dress was sleeveless, clinging tightly to her chest and then billowing out at the waist to fall to her knees. The silver-white fabric shimmered as she walked hesitantly.
Ananda's jaw dropped, and she burst into applause. "Rille, you turned into a babe when I wasn't looking! Turn, let's see the whole effect."
Rille spun, causing the skirt of the dress to fly out around her. "It really looks good?" She grinned in delight, spinning faster, then fell to her bed with a sigh of delight.
"Duh. It looks amazing. Now all we need to do is find you a guy to wear that dress for." Ananda grinned wolfishly.
Rille turned a bright red. "We? I...don't think I want help, thanks."
Ananda gave her a sharp look. "And since when do you have a backbone? You'd never have stood up to me before. Rille, you're growing up."
Rille shrugged. "I guess so. Um...what was that look you gave me for, back at the hospital?"
"Backbone again." Ananda laughed. "You startled me, is all."
"Oh."  

[torrinne]

Rille and Ananda talked late into the night about school, boys...well, mostly about boys. They finally fell asleep somewhere around midnight, still dressed and sitting on Ananda's bed.

Rille woke up early the next morning, and was startled to find herself sharing the bed with her cousin. "Just like old days," she whispered. Knowing Ananda wouldn't be up until much later, she threw a denim jacket on over her ma's dress and began hunting around the room for a pair of shoes to match it. She finally gave up on shoes, deciding to go barefoot. "It's not like I'm going anywhere special," she murmured. "Just to the dining hall." She left the room, closing the door quietly behind her, and padded softly down the hallway.  

[torrinne]

Ananda woke up with a groan. "Obviously I need to start drinking," she muttered, wincing at the bright sunlight, "if I'm going to keep waking up feeling like I've got a hangover." She shook her head, hunting through her bag for some Advil. She finally found the tiny bottle, and swallowed a few dry. Then, she got out of bed, throwing some fresh jeans and a baggy t-shirt on. She looked around, but didn't see Rille anywhere, and figured she must've left earlier. "Damned early bird," she said crossly. Grabbing her knives off the floor, she slipped their sheath onto her belt and set off for the training hall. Her stiff muscles needed the warm-up before she tried to do anything today.  

[Cruel_But_Caring]

why is no one ever around>?????  

[torrinne]

Ananda walked quickly to her room, groaning when she saw how much Rille had cleaned up. "I'll never be able to find anything! I'll have to talk to her about that." She began to rummage through the closet, throwing clothes out onto the bed and floor. Finally, she found what she was looking for with a cry of delight. "Perfect!" She stripped quickly out of her loose clothes, and pulled on a simple black t-shirt that fit tightly to her body, and a pair of loose black shorts. Then, she pulled out each of her knives in turn, inspecting them for rust and flaws. She found nothing, and streched thoroughly before heading to the door. "Alright, Kenzi, let's see what you're made of."  

[torrinne]

Ananda deposited Rille on her bed as soon as she appeared in the room. "Poor exhausted kid," she said softly, writing down the instructions for the medicines on a page of Rille's notebook and leaving it with the medicine on her bookshelf. She took a quick shower, then changed into a pair of faded jeans, flip-flops, and a pale yellow blouse. For some reason, she was in a good mood, and she decided to head down to the student lounge to see if anyone she knew was around. She slipped out the door, closing it quietly to avoid waking her cousin.  

[torrinne]

Rille woke up with a jolt. "Wha...where am I? Oh!" She sat up, and immediately regretted it. The room swirled dizzyingly around her, and she gripped the edge of the bed, moaning, until it stopped. Looking around cautiously, she spotted a note from Ananda, along with some pill bottles. She read the note quickly: it was a set of instructions for taking the pills. There was a glass of water next to them, and Rille used it to take the handful of pills. She decided almost immediately that it would be a really good idea to go eat something, since her stomach had woken up when she put water in it, and was now complaining that it needed food, right now. She grabbed her messenger bag with her flute and music in it, and slung it over one shoulder on her way out the door. Maybe I'll go practice later, I haven't in ages.  

[torrinne]

Ananda carried Keiko down the hall to her dorm room. "Well," she said as she opened the door, "here we are. Home sweet home...er, dorm room." She plucked the cat off her head, and deposited her on the floor of the room, then looked around. "Huh. Figured Rille would be here by now, but I guess not. That's a litte weird." She shrugged, and sat down on her bed. "Oh well. She'll get here eventually. Oh, Rille's my cousin, if you didn't know." She flopped back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.  

[Shouting Whispers]

Keiko mewed a reply. "Thats cool. I like this room, this is nice." She turned into a tree frog and jumped onto a desk. She went cat again and curled up. "Can you wake me up when something cool happens?" Keiko asked as she began to doze. She meowed a kitty yawn.  

[torrinne]

Ananda yawned. "If I'm awake to see anything cool happen myself," she said softly. She thought for a moment about waiting up for Rille...she was a little worried that her brother might have found her...but changed her mind almost immediately. Rille can take care of herself, without me worrying over her. If she's not here in the morning, I'll go look for her. With that decided, she turned over onto her side, so she was facing the wall, and said softly "G'night, Keiko." Then, she closed her eyes, and was asleep almost immediately.