[Terminé] Shhhhhhhhhh......[Libre]

When she looked at Anhydre, she saw nothing more.

*Was it that useless ?!*

But then, something happened. Sand moved. Tiny by tiny, sand moved, moved to form words. She could also hea Anhydre thought, her panic, the way everything was in a lack or organized thoughts. It was like an agression to her, but she was forgiving this: the girl was in a very urgent stade.
OK. So the water, that was forbidden, but that she asked, was the cause of the problem. And she was now missing her little finger. Aëlia groaned. She had no other option.
She went on the deck, and yelled at two sailors.

You ! Go get me the sand that is stocked in the cold. And you ! Go get me our Son of Fire ! Now !

The two men exchanged puzzled looks, but did not obey.

Oh for the Kings’ sake do it ! You don’t stare at Alban when he is giving you orders !
Go, and do what she says.

Aëlia blenched and jumped back, while the two men where going, to see her brother.

I felt your panic before hearing you yelling at this two poor guys. They listen to me because I’m their captain and you’re not. Now, what’s happening ?

She hesitated, but, under his look, she told everything.

Gosh, I told you to let go !! Why don’t you ever listen to me ?! I’m YOUR captain as wall, for God’s Sake !
She’s alive, Alban ! ALIVE ! And she’s not a threat ! If she was not made in sand, would you have let a young girl die on your ship ? I don’t think so, so stop yelling at me, and act as a captain: help !
But she’s a clandestine, Aëlia !
An alive clandestine ! She’s gonna die if we don’t try anything !

He grumbled, but she knew he knew she was right. They had had so much clandestines, before, and he never let anyone die. At this moment, the first sailor went back with a second one, a red haired with scars, and a look like if he wanted to fight. Aëlia was not impressed: he was always like that.

OK, I need you, now.

Alban and her explain the situation to him, while the other sailor was getting Aëlia the cold sand back.

To put it in a nutshell: I want you to heat up the room enough to get the water and moisture out of her body, but without cooking her, or burning anything, ok ?
… Aëlia ? Don’t you think it’s a little bit dangerous ? Wouldn’t you first try with the Son of Water putting out the water of the girl ?

There was a light silence. She sighed.

Yes. Yes you’re right. Go get him real quick, please, or she’ll have an heart attack.

The she looked at Alban.

He’s smarter than he looks this one ! Birds of a feather flock together !

She smiled at him, avoiding the cuff, and then the Childrens were back. The Son of water already knew his mission, and they get in the room. They were out less than 3 minutes (the boat was not that big, and Alban used of his Telepath capacities to get the men quicker).
And the work started. Aëlia looked at him, fascinated, asking herself if he was going to succeed, if she was going to be alright, while she was putting the cold sand above the muddy Anhydre on her bed.

Waiting… ?
In the darkness, Anhydre felt nothing but only numbness and chorus whirling in her “heart” side.
Muscles in limbs now were as solid as stone but thanks to numbness, it had brought her weightless illusion. The fact was: both of saying “she could NOT feel them now” and “she thought they stayed the same as usual” were right.

BUT,
There, it supposed to be her head, inside her head, she guessed, was getting heavy and pressured, as if all nerves were bundled together tightly and breathlessly. It must be the effect of water soaking ! There, head, was only a place where she got feeling in her whole body…
Heaviness of head weight couldn’t flip a sip of thought or seam a crack of life sign… the waving of pressure that she was eager to go against, instead, had drained her energy off.
Hurt and struggle... hardly could she show them on her face. No way to explode her difficulties should have been torture; nevertheless, numbness had anesthetized her.
What a contradictory !

What’s worst, the power over her little finger was LOSING too and she was waiting for the finger picker’s carrying but nothing happened. The flowing of eagerness had died down since the feeling of numbness like plague swept up...

BLANK. CHAOS. CHAOS. CHAOS. CHAOS. CHAOS. CHAOS. CHAOS.
BLANK. BLANK. BLANK.   CHAOS. CHAOS.  CHAOS. CHAOS. CHAOS.
BLANK. BLANK. BLANK. CHAOS…
BLANK.

Now, even the whirling of living will had been cut off from her sense. She felt nothing. Nothing more. Her little finger unformed into a tiny pile of sand.
Sadly, without hurt, she had no idea of how to struggle… If the condition went on like this, it would be her who forgot to live, to survive first, before water fully conquered her body.


Inside a “peaceful” sense of world…
SUDDENLY.... ! ... not knowing exactly when it came into...
RATHER ssssssssssssssss-- VIIIIIIBRATION… burst out from her sole…
for a numb body, in such HUGE shake…less than three seconds, the feeling from blank to like being twisted STRAIGHTLY deep into bones…

A crushed HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURT….
Without finding a word… her mind was pretty like computer reset… keeping running garbled message FORCEFULLY…

GARBLED MESSAGE to whoever could read her mind.
UNCONSCIOUSLY.
CHAOTICALLY.

Aëlia was holding her brother’s arm, so stressed. The other hand, the was finger crossed. She was doing her best not to enter too much in Anhydre’s mind, because she did not want to feel all those things, but she could not help perceiving the messages she was sending, while her brother was reassuring her by lind connexion. The trusted the Son, more than she did. He was also proud of his little sister, always ready to save people, even if it made her so annoying. She, for her part, was just so stressed it would not work, and kill Anhydre, which would have been a shame.
The Son of Water was so concentrated he did not seem to perceive the two Merirosvos with him. His eyes were closed, and his face was an impassive mask. There was only an effort wrinkle on his forehead. He had stretched out his hands in Anhydre’s direction, but was not touching her. Aëlia was perceiving there was something different in the romom, but could not describe what. Suddenly, the air around the girl seemed to shiver, and then, a very strange thing happened. HUndreds, no thousands, of water drops went out of the sand girl’s body. Slowly, they reassembled as one big water ball the Son of Water took back to him. Then, he sighed, and opened his eyes. Aëlia noticed his face was shining from a thin sweat. He smiled at her.

Alright. The water is out. I hope … it’s ok, and she’ll be alright.

He put the water into a wineskin he was carrying with him everywhere. From the look on his face, it was clearly something he was not attempting to do again. He walked out of the room, and Aëlia went to the bed where was the girl.

Anhydre ? Are you alright ? Can you hear me ?

Nooooooooooo…..
Something was pitching her sand body. There was kind of power invading. With instinct, her body went against that huge force and the feeling was as torturing as someone ripping your flesh and bones. Nevertheless, it was all useless to go fight with it.
Its power was strong enough to even make her “heart-wheeling” stop, which was out of her expectation. She thought she was going to die since her last defense to the water particle had been destroyed.
Yes, there was a moment… water flew so “rudely and impolitely” fast in her body….  However, somehow, that “unknown” power held it up, which paralyzed her consciousness of sense. They were at their even match- Anhydre’s breath was hanging in their tag-of-war. Too weak to choose which side she was on.

BLANK.

To her much surprise, after uncounted seconds and minutes, she found her foot were lighter than she were before… and gradually, also her calves, thigh, waist and hands. Was she striding to the gate of heaven or hell? Did her soul float out her body? Did she have soul? Was she dreaming now? The idea of death was so unexpected peaceful to her. WHAT???
Finger-picker? She knew her but… who was she exactly. That figure was so blurred. Panther-man and that fire ball… gosh, she just ran into someone’s house! After walking out from that bathroom, her little finger? Where did she drop it? And she talked to that girl without opening her mouth? Why? Don’t be panic… I don’t wanna hurt you… On the ship? RUN, HURRY !

What broke into her sight after hurry was a ceiling…?
BLINK.
Then, she tried to move her body. Tapping her fingers...yes, they moved.
So suddenly, her memories to the last minute of drinking water came. Aȅlia? Quickly, she turned to her or to be concise, she was finding her. The moment when their sight meet, she nearly jumped up and sat up by leaning against the wall. Since the feeling of dragging her body still stayed in her head, she pushed herself up in a rather strong force; however, a harsh hit returned to her back. Thankfully, the wall didn’t break. Her energy had recovered quite fully.

Seeing the finger-picker, she tried to speak… it was so awkward to open her mouth. Did her voice come back too? Holding her throat and said:

“Finger-picker?”

Gosh ! she was quite shocked by her cracked voice.
Her voice !

She screamed beside her ear this time in a rather loud voice:
“FINGER-PICKER !!! CAN YOU HEAR ME? hahaha.”

Also, she looked at her hands and hold them open to her…
“And look, it’s back.”
Moving her little finger to her:
“It is saying HI to you too.”

Then, she jumped off the bed and hopped up and down to smooth her body sand.
By touching her eyes, nose, mouth and looking around to made sure there were no opposite body parts, she then bent down and watched Aëlia through her two legs... and asked:
"I thought nose is up and mouth is down but why yours are not?"
She tried and kept herself a straight face...

“And how did you save me? Did I bore you?”
Could not hold back her naughty smile, looking at Aëlia, she listened.

OK. Anhydre was now healthy. She missed breaking her wall, and shouted into her ear, which caused Aëlia a smirk, and she slightly went away. Nevertheless, she smiled, relieved. The girl was safe, now, and clearly full of energy. She was  like, boiling with energy, bouncing everywhere. Aêlia opened her eyes widely, surprised by this change of attitude, and laughed when Anhydre looked at her upside down, saying than that the pirate was made in a strange way. Her laughed was clear, strong, a real laugh of amusement, au laugh of liberation. The girl was safe, there would not be any dead on the boat this time. She looked at her brother, with a victory smile: the girl was like any human, with a little bit more sandy ! He rolled his eyes, but smiled at her. There was a visible complicity between them.
When she asked, with a naughty smile if she bored her, Aëlia laughed.

Bored ? Noooo, never, what an idea !

She winked.

In fact, saving you was an whole experiment, and I’m glad it succeded. I asked to the Son of Water, just here, to get the water inside your body … out of you.

She smiled.

I think that’s the first time he does that, and he is not willing to do it again very soon, I’m quite sure about that haha ! So we did it at three: the two boys here, my brother and your savior, and myself !

She approached Anhydre.

I’m glad to see you’re safe and sane. But please remember we’re on a boat, so on water ! So I think you should not get out too much, and we will stop soon in a harbor of a continent to let you go on firm land. Are you ok with that ?

Anhydre listened… A son of Water ? Never heard of this kind of creature though but she would really like to meet him one day if she could. Her happiness of rebirth had made her forget how torturing she was just few minutes ago.

Smelling all over her body… it was her smell ! That smelly water scent had gone away !
As Aëlia said there were “three” , question marks bubbled in her head. And her sight followed the direction Aëlia pointed at ! That moment, she nearly let out a scream ! GOSH ! A MAN !

Brother? So he was standing here in her rescuing process ?! Also, he was exactly the one getting down to the cannon room and helping finger-picker move her lost sand. Ok. A good man, probably. However, those stupid movements she did… uh….

“Uh well…. Than...thank you… Ca...captain!”
As soon as her last word dropped, her sight had moved on to the finger-picker quickly as if he were made of water.

Nevertheless, what Aëlia told her the next was the least thing she wanted to hear…. It was time to say goodbye? She was just ready to have an adventure on the boat, to play with this pirate…. But…
Her eyes showed flowing silence.

Once hearing about going on firm land, she broke a smile. Knowing there was a brand new world waiting for her, uncomfortable feeling- we called sadness- got stripped away immediately.

Then, she turned to the man, words ran faster than her thought… without thinking too much, she said in a smile:
“Captain..uh...may we.. show yourself out?”
She didn’t really know what was the meaning of in and out, for her, it was all the same since she could go any where she wanted. This saying- show yourself out- was what the panther-man once spoke to her… something for giving him a way to go, she guessed. No idea of whether it’s harsh or not, she thought now, in this condition those words could work out.

Looking back toward the finger-picker, she said:
“It will be wonderful to get back to the land but I would really love to repay your saving… So here.”
She pulled her short hair, and cut “a string of sand hair” in her palm… whispered:
“Here, to you, finger-picker. If you had any problems or difficulties, just sprinkle it into the sea, I will come to you at once! And this will be our secret, shhhhhhhhhhh... !”

She smiled for the first time having a secret with someone !

Aëlia smiled seing Anhydre’s reaction facing her brother that she didn’t see before. She was uneasy, it was easy to tell because it was easy so see. She felt touched by her next reaction, but did not have any time to analyze it and reassure her (she would always be welcome there), that already she was saying to Alban to show himself out. Aëlia cracked out laughing: it was SO unexpected, and no one had ever talked like this to her brother (except enemies and herself when she was angry) in her memory. She watched Alban’s reaction puffing.
He was surprised too, and it was easy to tell too, but did not know how to react. The toen was not aggressive, and as a Telepathe, he could tell that the girl did not want to sound rude or aggressive, she just wanted to be alone with Aëlia. He stayed torn for a while, then, he mumbled something and went out.

But no jokes, uh ?!

And he closed the door.
Then Anhydre gave Aëlia a sand hair, saying to her that if she ever needed her, she would come. The pirate smiled to her, her eyes shining in a odd way.

Thanks …

She looked again at the girl, and she held out her hand to her, more specifically her little finger extended.

Wrap yours around mine. It’s a sign of sharing a secret, and swearing no one will ever know about it.

She winked at her.

You know, you’ll always be welcome aboard. And you can easily find me in harbors, all around Elysion. Ask for Merirosvo’s, you’ll have us !

Next moment, Anhydre seeing the finger-picker extend her own little finger to her,  her heart gave a leap. The first thought was- did she find mine in somewhere else again? Thankfully, words were not so killing disaster.
Wrap a finger to keep secret? Never heard such saying but to both of them, yes, little finger would be a symbol of this saving, of the secret and of their friendship. Therefore, she also gave out the one which missed in the bathtub. As she said, Anhydre wrap around, not too close, not tight. It was a weird gesture to her and made her burst into laugh.

“Hahaha, a finger tie. And no one can cut it off !”

Anhnydre nodded to the finger-picker, showing a look of surprise. Getting around the harbor, she could find her ! Even though she always kept harbor million miles away, still, it was a good new to know hell had a land of “oasis”.

“Yagooooooo, great ! Merirovso,  Merirovso, Merirovso. I will hold my breath to the harbor and come here just for harassing.”

Meanwhile, a sound of engine halt. Speed down like someone passed out. A nervous and bad thought crushed on her…

“Damn, Fiiiiiner-picker, are we near the land?…. Land could you show up later...”
She whispered in worries while rushing to the window, hiding herself behind the curtain, oh no, a solid land was getting bigger and clear.

“Water for you, land for me, world appears to be seen.
   Finger-picker and Sando, cross the world to be oooooop..s.”

Words bubbling out, Anhydre looked back at the finger-picker with a bright smile.

In front, there was a brand-new world waiting for her them.

Anhydre’s reaction, even if not that unexpected, made Aëlia smile. If, at first, she seemed surprised y the proposition, she wraped her finger around the pirate’s one, with a smile. The sensation of the sand skin against her flesh was a little bit odd, but she didn’t say anything. She winked at the girl, and laughed when she spoked about the harbour. The sailors would be very surprised seeing a sand girl, not breezing, asking (very loudly, she could imagine), for Merirosvos ! The pirate would have loved to see that scene, to hide behind the harbour’s barrels and laugh under cover seeing their surprise in front of this very obstinate creature !
But then the boat became to go slower, and, on the boat deck’s, there was more and more agitation. The land was near ! Aëlia jumped on her feet, ready to go to help (docking was not a problem anymore for anyone on L’Envolée since a long time, but a little help was never too much), but the she saw Anhydre’s face.

Hey don’t be sad, girl ! And don’t be scared neither !

She smiled, with another wink.

Pretty song ! We’ll meet again, I’m sure about that. Don’t be sad. I think you had enough water adventures for now, so just stay here. You know what it makes you if you’re wet !

And, with a last smiled, she left.
On the deck, everyone was moving, and she took her place, and very quickly, they docked. Once solidly tied down, she went back to the cabin.

Alwright, here we are ! Ready to go, miss ?

She smiled.

Not too much shaken by the docking ? We are not very soft persons, I’m afraid.

Again, she smiled. And, giving her hand to Anhydre, she opened the door in the same movement. It smelled salt, fish, but also wood, sweat, and, a little bit, dirt. You could also smell food, and maybe something metallic, a little bit of alcohol too. There was a lot of noises: the laughs of the sailors, the chats of the crowd in the harbours, the screams of the sellers who were trying to get the attention of possible customers, some music too, which was certainly played by an itinerant musician who wanted to earn some money.

And, under you amazed eyes, Eaque’s harbour young lady !

With a big gesture, she showed Anhydre the harbour under them.

What brought her here? A request of saving on the roof. Once she thought she was going to die. Once she feared to lose herself. Once she tried to hide from everyone on this boat. Once she was disappointed at herself hurtfully. Once she lose her memory and voice.
She wouldn’t forget how anxious and helpless when she found she had no idea at herself. Scream without sound. On the edge of depressed abyss, just then… a voice came with no wind, no sound but there, she heard- stop panicking, stop freaking out. I don’t want you any bad. Trust me.

Anhydre scrawled in the corner of the finger-picker’s room with her foot folded after she told her to wait here for some minutes. Those memories and memories seem to be a miracle… and she was like licking scars after a war of death now.
The leaving of goodbye, she wasn’t prepared. To be precised, she didn’t know how to make a farewell. Last time, she missed it out with the panther-man. Of course, she couldn’t let it go with the finger-picker.

Just then, the finger-picker came in. Anhydre jumped up quickly, seeing around if there were something forget to bring… she nodded and “hehehe” to that lovely call- miss.
Running to hold the finger-picker’s one finger, Anhydre pinched her noses with another hand. After opening the door, gosh, that smelly sea asshole… Covering her nose and mouth with upper arm tightly.…

She nodded to the finger-picker’s welcome new land. She made a smile under her arm and smiling eyes curved into lines.

The harbour looked so beautifully horror. Not to get too far from the finger-picker, she peeped around, just bit by bit as if the sight to sea could kill her. Those moisture in the air made her shiver and itchy due to her “brand-new-dry” sand body.
Looking at the finger-picker with a smile, she didn’t know how to start the “bye”.

“Finger-picker, there, far far far there, phobos desert was where I from. See?”
She pointed at her back and open mouth as small as the voice could be hear.

Just when the finger-picker turned around... she said in her mind to her:
Thank you, finger-picker. I will miss you, forgive my fade, since…I don’t know if I had that courage to say goodbye in front of you... wind steps will bring me to you again like this time ! I won’t forget you !

While letting out those mind speaking, she had gone in the air. No longer to be seen.

However, on the finger-picker’s arms, she wrote,
Anhydre on left arm while Aelia on right one and “&” in between…

Swinging in the air, she clustered into a cloud of sand… beside the flag of “L’envolee”.

Right to her side, she felt Anhydre humming the air, and beware of the sea side air. She smiled, as the girl seemed to find the odour awful, and laughed when she smiled under breath, under arms. Then, she showed her the Desert Phobos, in the unseen, far away. Aëlia knew it was in that direction, even though she never went there (for a pirate, it was not the best place, boats having some difficulties in the sand). She nodded, noted, and thought to herself that she would like to go there, one day. The voice was so, so small, and then it disappeared to be just into her head. It was oa goodbye, then, and when she turned her head, there was no more Anhydre anymore, just some sand cloud that went higher and higher, and stabilised beside the flag, before disappearing. Aëlia winked and waved,a nd then looked at her arms. There was their two names, one on each arm, linked by a “&” in the middle. Strangely, her eyes started to sting, and her nose to scratch. She had a strange laugh and nodded. She was not really ready to admit that this strange girl had touched her so much, and that they had bond so much in quite a short time, but it was the case. She could not deny it, now. In some way, she was impatient to see her again (and in another one, she feared it, and the disaster that could go with it).

-Lëlie, come on ! Help us, don’t stay here all day, you lazy !

She shook herself, and went to help the sailors to get the marchandise off the boat. It was a new day starting, and there was a harbour to empty from its rhum.