The Others

Sano sat atop a small cliff outside above the ground staring at the stars, his father's sword in hand. Tears started to weld up in his eyes, but he brushed them away, "If he could do it, so can I."

Sano jumped down and started to run at a tree. He swong his sword, but it only made a slash mark in the tree. "Why can't I do it too? What am I missing?" He sighed and tried again.

*Pie the city we're in is underground, so we have no stars to stare at.

(Right sory, hold on, I'll revise it.)

Before Geomana went to bed, she set her alarm for extra early. She forced herself to sleep so she wouldn't be tired when she got to Sanos in the morning. perhaps she could take him to the bar today, he always looked so miserable, he should have some fun.

Her alarm went off and Geomana turned it off franticly. Not wanting to disturb Kresko. She got around soundlessly and wrote him a note explaining where she had gone but she wouldn't appreciate a visit from him again. Plus, she wouldn't be staying there long, she would go visit him and then drag him into a neighboring town.

She wished she had warned Sano she would be dropping by before the sun rose, but it was the only way to without her brother realizing she had left until she was already there.

"Sano!" she whispered loudly, not wanting to break the beautiful silence. "Sano." she said in her usual tone, and he shot awake, going for his sword.

She squeeled and jumpped back as he got focus. "Geomana?"

She nodded, her blood racing, maybe waking him wasn't the best idea. But he looked relaxed now, relieved that it was her. "Sorry I woke you."

He waved off her apology, "I'm just glad I didn't kill you."

She smiled, "so am I."

Sano sighed and stood up. "What are you doing here so early?"

"It was the only way I could come here without Kresko knowing brfore I left."

"I see, well, what are we doing today?"

"We're going to hacve fun!"

Sano scratched his while Geomana gave him a wery smile.

"You're tired aren't you?"

"Very," she sighed, "We're going to go get coffee. Maybe on the surface!" Her eagerness was enough to mask how tired she really was.

"The surface? Isn't that a bit dangerous?"

Geomana shrugged, "as long as we behave ourselves I doubt it'd be a big problem. Plus, I miss the sky," she said with extream longing in her tone.

Reikolistened carefully as a guard passed by the door. This was a plan he was trying to push into the back of his mind, try sokmething less painful, but this was his only option.

He waited a little apprehenisvly as hte guard looked into his cell, making sure he was still secure, then moved on.

As soon as Reiko knew he was out of earshot, he took a deep breath and broke his own finger.

swearing and hissing in pain, he bent the broken finger back under the shackle, freeing his hand. Then, resisting the urge to suck his wounded finger, he shakily called for the guard again.

"What do you want?" the Herskon growled, coming back.

Reiko held the shakle behind his back, clutching it with the fingers he had left. "My hand is sore," he complained. It was the truth; he didn't have to worry about the guard snuffing out lies. who knows what other abilities these frekas had? "Please--could you tell me whether it's worth asking doctor or something?"

The guard's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Show me your hand," he said.

Reiko cursed him silently, shoving his sore hand back into the cuff. Trembling withthe effort, he raised his hand from behind his back.

The guard squinted at it in interest. "It does look like it's in a wrong angle..."

"Could you look at it, just to be sure?"

The guard, deciding that his prisoner was telling the truth, opened the door and walked in.

It was difficult to keep his voice steady with excitement, but Reiko somehow managed it. "It hurts too much to bring it up again," he said weakly.
"Don't worry about it. I'll look at it from here," he answered. He bent over to get a closer look at it, and Reiko clubbed him with his fist. it took the man a while to go out. he definately knew he had been tricked before he was unconcious, but he woasn't able to raise the alarm, and that was all Reiko needed. Cursing the guard again, Reiko pulled his hand back under the manacle and slipped into the prison halway, then out the door before anyone knew he was gone.

(I have writers block and i don't know what to post.)

(alrighty then, I'll save you!)

Sano and Geomana walked through town to get to the opening. They stopped in the middle of the street when they saw a human running along with his hand tight in his hand.

Geomana couldn't stop herself, she walked up to him calmly and said, "Are you injured?"

He looked at her, clearly deciding what to say.

In a flash Geomana took his injured hand in both of hers and looked at it, "Oh my." She met his gaze, "this is going to hurt." He started to pull away but she only held on tighter, she snapped the finger back into place. "It will heal properly now." She dropped his hand and looked at him, "why are you here?"

Reiko gazed at her suspiciously, clutching his hand. "I...I live here. My...Father did too, but he was killed some days ago."

"I'm sorry," the girl said sympathetically. "How did he...?"

anyone else asking the question would've made it sound prying and unfeeling, but she said it with so innocence that he had to answer her.

"He was killed by police," he said queitly, trying to avoid her gaze, as if in greif. "He was trying to help some Herskon, and he got in the way."

"I'm sorry," she said again.

"But... you don't seem like the type to live in this town. I don't mean to be rude or anything but you told the bartender you were Herkeson didn't you?"

He nodded.

"Why?"

Reiko thought fast. "See...ah...well, the bartender knew my father, and he knew me, so I told him I was Herskon. He knew I wasn't though, so It wasn't really lying." he rubbed his finger absently, wincing in pain.

Geomana tilted her head to the side examining him, "would you like to go to the surface with us? I've been deprived by sunlight far too long."

Her face was sincere, and it would seem rude for him to say no.

"We'll make sure you make it back safely," she prompted.

"Well...okay...why not."

They started walking again, and Sano whispered in Geomanas ear, "I don't trust him, he's lying."

Reiko pursed his lips. He was in no better position than he was in prison. "Well, ah, I have things to do down here."

The girl looked hurt, and Reiko fwould've felt guilty if it weren't for the venomous glares the man behind her was giving him.

"you said it would be okay to come with us," she said.

"I, well," Reiko was stuttering for words under the young man's cold, studying glare. "i forgot about it. I'll see you around."

The young man grabbd his arm. "No, why don't you come with us?' he said smoothly. "They can wait, can't they? it won't take even an hour of your time."

Reiko gazed back at him, face slicked in sweat, almost panicking.