Rising of the Curtain (Ammy/Open)

[brandon007]

T'was a gloomy, cloudy day. Birds chirping, forest animals, as a cool breeze swept through their forest, bringing with it a wet weather system that had rain in its forecast.

In the middle of a newly made clearing, was a crater where a boy was unconscious. How this boy actually got there was a mystery, but the incoming rain splattered on his face. His eyes lids twitched as he slowly opened his black eyes, gazing up at the sky.

His head throbbed in a massive headache as he slowly sat up and started to look around him. He couldnt see too much from the crater that he was sitting in, unaware that it was he that had made the impact. Surely the sound of such an impact would of grabbed someones attention, but who?

Unable to see where he was, Brandon soon stumbled to his feet. His migraine made it hard for him to focus, but the pain would soon start to wane on him. "Where am I?" He asked himself, as he tried to find a part of the forest that he knew, but to no luck.

[ammy]

Things had been quiet around the school lately. Or maybe that was just Amaranth's restless attitude. She'd been there for five months now, more time than she's even really spent in one place. It had definitely been the longest she spent on Earth. And keeping a low profile wasn't helping. She hardly left the school anymore, and it was definitely making her more irritable. She had snapped a lot at the students lately, spending more time wandering around or training by herself rather than relaxing. The weather was of course, not helping. The sky had been overcast for almost more than a week now. Rain had pelted them off and on many times and the sky still crackled with energy, ready to strike down any person who dared fly to close.

Even today the sky seemed especially volatile, holding it's breath in anticipation for something. Or maybe that was just her. Either way, she had to get out of there. So it was no surprise to anyone when she grabbed her jacket and practically stalked out of the school and into the forest without a word an hour ago. and no one would be surprised if she returned until late. But where the forest, so beautiful and serene, usually calmed her, it wasn't working today. Instead, Amaranth slipped off her well worn path to one that she hadn't traveled for a while.

The sky opened up soon after, bringing with it a soft rain that trickled it's way into the forest. Amaranth continued to walk, her hands shoved into the pockets of her jacket, her lips set into a small frown. She had changed a lot in the five years that she'd been mostly away. Her hair, once long enough to reach the top of her thighs, now came only to her mid-back and hung in soft curls rather than the wilder look. Her eyes that had once been a brilliant and intense shade of blue had obtained a ring of bright silver around the iris. She had filled out more too, her shape more womanly than warrior now. Years of more sitting behind a desk rather than constant fighting had done that. Her style had changed too. Gone were the short shorts and halter tops. Instead she wore a fitted pair of blue jeans with brown boots that came over them and up to her knees. A fitted, light brown t-shirt covered her upper half, her olive green, foux leather jacket on top.

Sighing, she moved through a dense path of trees and out into a clearing that had not been there the day before. Nor had the crater or the boy in it. sliding out her handgun, she clicked off the safety and made her way out into the open. These days, trusting strangers wasn't wise. A fact that Amaranth was very used to, but wasn't as casual about anymore. She made her way closer, studying the boy.

It was obvious that he had made the mysterious crater, though how she didn't know. He had longish, dark hair that blocked his eyes from view. He wore all black too, as if he was trying to go for that ever popular "dark and mysterious" look. Amaranth continued forward, ready to raise her gun and shoot if necessary. The rain was a bit more persistent here, but not too much. A slight annoyance if anything.

"Who are you?" she asked, stopped about ten feet away.

[brandon007]

Brandon was about to check if anything was broken, luckily nothing was as he felt like someone was watching him. He constantly had that feeling throughout his whole life, but now it seemed to be at a height he had never experienced before. "Who are you?" He heard, as he turned his head slightly, and saw a beautiful, but armed woman behind him, aiming a fire arm at him.

"I was going to ask you the same thing. Where am I?" Brandon asked, as he slowly turned towards her, keeping his head a bit low, hiding his eyes from her view as he crackled his right hand, as he got ready to defend himself if need be. Grated he wasnt experienced enough to dodge bullets, but he could block a shot or two if luck would allow it.

"I dont remember getting here..." He said, as he looked around at his surroundings again. It was then he felt it. A Strange tug on him, like a magnet was barely in range. The tugging sensation seemed to be coming from this woman. How strange, and peculiar. "Perhaps there is more to the girl then meets the eye..."

[ammy]

He turned toward her more, but continued to keep his face mostly hidden with his hair. That was curious though. how did he not know where he was? Well, she supposed that if she landed in a crater that she may not know exactly where that was either. Though, not knowing how he got here was another story. She stepped closer, gun at her side, but ready. Many here have tried to tell her over and over that bullets don't do a lot of good, but not everyone could dodge every bullet. Her eyes darted to his hand and without warning, she fired, putting a bullet into the ground only inches from that very hand.

"Don't even think about trying anything. I'm in no mood," she advised, steel in her words. She stopped about four feet, gun still by her side.

"You're in the forest at Yanzabit Heights, near the Crane School. As for how you got here, I'd like to know that as well. It's not every day a boy creates his very own crater," she remarked, raising a brow. There was definitely more to the boy than what was on the surface. It was close enough to the school that however he got here could have nearly hit them, and she had no idea what kind of being he was or what power he could be hiding. If there was one thing she had learned almost the hard way was the people here were not what they seemed.

[brandon007]

Brandon suddenly froze as the girl had fired a warning shot near his hand. "H-Hey! Watch what your doing!" He said, as he jumped back a bit. Oh he sure wasn't prepared for that. He turned his head upwards, getting a better view of her as she could now see his eyes. pure black, like the depths of space itself.

"Put the safety for crying out loud!" He said, as he started to slowly walk towards her, stumbling a bit as his head still hurt from his impact. When she said he was in Yanzabit Heights, near the Crane School, he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Wait, this is still Earth we are talking about right?" He asked, as he seemed confused, and out of place. Though his 'alien' feature certainly put him out of place already. "Well, Information for Information. The names Brandon. Whats yours?"

[ammy]

His eyes were pure black. No whites, no distinguishable pupil. Just blackness. Almost like they had been torn out. but there were no shadows, no depth. Just blackness. She had never seen anything like it, but she wasn't going to let that distract her. He stood up and started to walk toward her, hands up. She raised her gun, barrel pointed right between his eyes.

"Not another step," she warned. Amaranth raised a brow, curious. Did he not even know this was Earth? Where exactly was this boy from and how did he get here if he didn't even know what planet he was on.

"Of course this is Earth. My name is Amaranth," she replied. She fired off another shot, this one to the side of his head before she repositioned it between his eyes once more.

"And if you don't stop right there and explain yourself, the next one is going in your head," she said again, ice coating her words. Amaranth hadn't been very pleasant lately, even more so around people she didn't know. Her words seem pushed by the rumbling of thunder overhead, and the distant crack of lightning in the distance. Her eyes were narrowed, a dangerous, almost feral look to her eyes. She was not a woman to be trifled with.

[brandon007]

"Ah!" Brandon shouted as he jumped a bit when Amaranth shot in his general direction again. He had stopped walking towards her as she aimed the fire arm at his head. "Well then Chill out Amaranth! I cant tell you anything if you shoot me!" He replied, as he started to take a few steps backwards.

"Have I been unconscious long enough for the Women of Earth to change into such hostile beauties?" He said as he had put some distance between the two. He shook his head, as he tried to calm himself down. He was visibly scared, but then again, who wouldnt be? This woman had him in her sights, literally. He took a deep breath as he asked her "I come from a Place called North City. I dont know if you heard of it or not. I came to a forest to get away from my strict parents... But this isnt it...And When I woke up here, I found myself in this crater... with a headsplitting headache."

He wanted to look into her eyes, but his eyes were locked onto her fire arm. "Will you please put that thing away already? If I was gonna try and hurt you, I would of said so already."

[ammy]

Her blond, wolfen tail snapped behind her at his comment. There was no way she was from Earth. Not with that. There were other ways to tell just how alien she was, but there was no way in any heaven or hell she was going to let him touch her. She did lower the gun though, clicking off the safety. Slipping it back into the holster, she walked a couple steps closer to him.

"Who says I'm from Earth," she started, "As for your 'North City,' I haven't heard of it."

She continued to go closer, eyes narrowed. His scent was....strange. Curiously so. She continued to move forward, circling him now. This boy was quite the strange one. And his story didn't seem to add up at all. She's never heard of any place called North City unless it was a fairly new settlement. She had flown and traveled through every town from here to Satin City and Central City in the past few years. And coming to the forest to escape his strict parents sounded like something he made up on the spot. She didn't trust this story one bit.

But the questions she was contemplating were not to be asked here. For the sky had opened up and a harsh rain made it's way down to the two. Lightning crackled and thunder soon followed. A soft Noran curse slipped past her lips before she started heading back to the forest. It was at the tree line that she half-turned back to him.

"Unless you want to get completely drenched, I suggest you follow me. I'm not through with you yet," she called back over the rain. Turning back, she made her way into the forest once more.

[brandon007]

"Dont need to tell me twice." He said, as he climbed up the Craters slope, following her into the woods where the trees somewhat shielded them from the rain.

Brandon looked to trees beside them that had been pushed over, most likely by the force of the impact that he had made earlier. "How strange..." He said. He was thinking about not only the trees, but the strange pull he was feeling that made him want to walk right beside her, even maybe hold her hand. He shook the thought off as he followed her into the forest.

"So tell me, Why are you in the forest? Im sure a girl like you doesnt normally come here." He said, as the flashes of lighting lit up the area around him, but no light seemed to light up his eyes. But of course, he shielded his eyes with each flash, as they were especially bright to him. "Damn this lighting... Too damn bright... I just cant wait to get back home in my basement." He mumbled to himself, almost enough for her to hear him.

[ammy]

She walked with careful, but deliberate steps. Even with the slippery ground and the forest made dark by the storm she knew just where to go. This forest had become her home in the five months that she had been here. It was the perfect place to escape, a reminder at home. Even better was that it was so big, it was rare for anyone who couldn't sense her power level to find her. So she surged ahead, pushing through the dense trees and bush.

"On the contrary, I'm here quite often. I live at the school and this is the only solitude I get," she replied. Or at least, it was. While most may have not heard his words over the howling wind and the rumble of thunder, Amaranth was not most girls. She did remain quiet though, filing this tid bit of information into her "Weird things about this boy" category.

In hardly any time at all, she led him to a tiny clearing with a cave set into a high cliff. She went in with no hesitation, glad to be out of the rain. Brushing her wet bangs from her face, Amaranth stripped off her soaked jacket and set it on the cave floor, sitting on it with a sigh. She motioned for him to have a seat as well.

"Well, no matter what you wish, you wont be going anywhere with this storm. At least, not out of the woods," she said, staring out into the storm outside, running her fingers through her wet hair.

[brandon007]

Brandon followed her into the seemingly vacant cave. He didnt have anything to keep him warm, but strangely, he was already warm as he took his t-shirt off, leaving his upper half of him naked, as he wrung out his shirt, as some water dripped from it. The boy was well built. Almost too well built, like he was combat ready already.

A Few moments later, He put his semi-wet shirt back on and looked over to her. It seemed easier to see her in the shadow of the cave, but whenever there was a flash of lighting, he squinted a bit. "Thanks. Its good to be out of the rain... And the light." He said, as he tried to comb his hair with his fingers, getting most of it out of his eyes, which seemed to blend right in with the cave depths. "Atleast my headache seems to be going... Still dont remember how I got in that crater... Was there any meteor showers lately?"

[ammy]

Shirtless men were something that Amaranth saw quite often. If it wasn't the solders and warriors training back home, it was the students at the Crane School. So when he removed his shirt, she barely glanced at him. She had seen many male body types in her day and it was rare she ever got flustered anymore. Instead she leaned against the wall of the cave. She was soaked through and through and might have been shivering quite severely if her normal body temperature was so much lower than normal humans.

"No. And that crater wasn't there yesterday," she said, almost absent mindedly. She turned her gaze back on him, eyes locked with the endless blackness of his own. She was quiet for a moment, her wet tail moving back and forth over the ground lazily.

"Where are you from? And don't say Earth. I know you aren't human. At least, not fully," she said, taking the direct approach. not that Amaranth was even one for subtly. She reached back, pulling her wet hair over her shoulder as she slowly worked her fingers through it, removing the tangles caused by the wind and the rain.

[brandon007]

"I dont know where I was originally from. I was adopted when I was a baby. Both my adopted parents were Human..." He said, as he stared into her eyes for a moment, before he added "Its my eyes isnt it? Parents and doctors cant figure it out. I think its more of a birth defect." He said as he temporarily broke the stare, and gazed outside to the storm that was raging outside, with seemingly no end in sight yet.

"I know that I have some...talents that other people dont have." He said, as he leaned forward towards a wet boulder on the otherside of the cavern, as he placed a finger on it. For a few seconds, nothing happened, but then the sound of something crackling could be heard, as she could see ice actually growing from the tip of his finger, as it covered up the rock in a thin layer of ice.

"Some talents...are very 'cool'." He said, smirking at his own bad pun that he had just made. "How about you? Where you from? I never seen anyone like you before. And I know ALOT of the races in the galaxy."

[ammy]

"I knew you weren't human before I even saw your eyes," she said. It was true. His scent was so deceptively Not Human, but yet was at the same time. He was a hybrid, that much was easy to tell. But a hybrid what though she did not know. She watched him freeze the rock quietly, adding no comment to it. It was a curious ability, one that she had not seen before. How useful it could be in combat though was yet to be determined. And his body had already showed he was combat ready. You didn't get that kind of body from working out alone, or even manual labor. No, that was caused by fighting over and over and over again.

"I'm not surprised. There aren't anymore of my kind here, or anywhere close. I am from the planets Nor and Writhos. I am a hybrid of the races," she explained. It was one she was used to, for she had heard that question many many times. Not many of her people traveled, and all pure-blood Norans looked like humans. So did hybrids and Writhonians if the tail was hidden.

Amaranth stopped running her fingers through her hair, drawing one knee up to her chest instead. She could easily leave and go back to the school. It wasn't far from here and even if it was, she was fast.

[brandon007]

Brandon listened to her as she mentioned new planets and species. "Strange, I never heard of Nor or Writhos. " He said, as he ran through a list of races and planets he knew after highschool. He drew a blank, as Nor and Writhos werent on his list. "Well, Heh, if you dont mind me saying, I say your the best of both races." He said, as a tinge of red was present in his cheeks.

Then it hit, a sharp pain in his head. He reeled over a bit, holding his head, as he was squinting hard. "Argh...My head... I must of been hit hard..." He said, as some blood trickled from his nose. It didnt smell human, but reeked of something that shouldnt exist in this galaxy. It almost smelled like... Liquid chaos, if such a thing could have a smell.

The head pain subsided a few moments later, as he leaned back against the wall, and rubbed some of the blood off of his nose. "Wonderful, I must have a concussion." He said, as he took the sleeve of his shirt, and cleaned himself up.