This Shouldn't Be Happening! [Fish]

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/malicewright/skyviper1.png);][atrb=width, 507][atrb=height, 313][atrb=style,border:0 black none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(244),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:61px;margin-left:256px;color:#e4d2da;)]The sudden shout of her middle name was enough to snap Skye back into the world, and as she found herself staring at Fang, all she could do was slowly nod. A weak but present restitution set itself in her, and slowly she forced herself up and started to move. She had to get Fang out of there! If Fang was hurt... "Out the back then," she nodded with a determined look before suddenly fishing a pokeball from her pocket. "We can fly Flint out," she stated as they moved then to the back door. Waiting for a brief moment to make sure that no one was there, Skye then pressed the door open only to find a man jumping out and aiming a gun at her. Pupils shook as the man let lose a few bullets. Move! she mentally willed herself before suddenly releasing Flint. The roar that screamed out of the Flygon was something worse than hell. He had been in his pokeball the entire time, but Flint had seen everything. A blood lust shook in his pupils and even as the man shot bullets at him, the Flygon breathed inwards and released a violent Dragon Breath causing the man to be singed to a crisp. Looking back, he stared at Skye and then nodded his head. Skye didn't waste a second to seize Fang's hand and all but drag her as she climbed onto Flit. With that, the Flygon took off and made to fly out without any order. [/scrolly]

[KARP KARP!]

Fang nodded, then the next few moments happened just like the rest of the evening had; faster than the girl's head could spin. Finding herself dragged onto the Flygon, she clung tightly to Skye with her one good arm, maybe even tighter than she intended, and she pressed her entire body against her, resting her head on the other girl's shoulder; something she'd never exactly done before. She told herself it was because only one arm could hold on, and it was for stability. But as she snuggled into her from behind, tears streaming down her face....maybe there was more to the sudden clinging than that.

"Skye..." she said softly, her voice cracking. "I...I killed Penny. When Norman stabbed me...I dropped my gun, and it went off...it's all my fault..." she took a deep breath, still crying. "During the wedding....Michael and Copperhead were looking suspicious, and I knew something...I didn't know what but something funny was going on...I should have done something right then. Before it got this bad...It's my fault they're all dead...Coral...Adder...even the Doc. If....if I'd had another bullet back there....in the church....I would have shot myself...What kind of friend am I? I know I talk a big game but....that's all it is. Talk. I'm worthless...."

Francesca buried her face in Skye's shoulder, crying like she'd never cried before.

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/malicewright/skyviper1.png);][atrb=width, 507][atrb=height, 313][atrb=style,border:0 black none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(244),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:61px;margin-left:256px;color:#e4d2da;)]The speed at which Flint was going was pulling them quickly farther and farther away from their floating platform home, and Skye's entire body was locked around her Flygon doing the best to stay on and keep herself under control. She had to get Fang away. She had to keep Fang safe. She had to. As Fang's grip tightened on her, Skye could feel the tears sliding down her back, and if she hadn't been focusing on looking forwards through the crazed sand, she would have looked back quickly. As Fang started speaking, Skye shut her eyes, whether form the stinging of the sand because she had forgotten her sand goggles or whether from emotion only Skyler would know."Don't talk like that, Fang. Don't you dare," Skye's voice rose and cracked suddenly causing her to break off again. She didn't know what else to say. She just wanted to steal Fang away...just get away from that blood and...those newly formed shock memories. [/scrolly]

[KARP KARP!]

Fang buried her face in her cousin's back. "I can't help but feel that I failed...Everyone we ever cared about is dead. We haven't a home anymore. Everything we knew is over. And I can't help but think I could have done something...anything..."

For the remainder of the ride, Fang remained silent. The woman was nothing but a shell of her former self, and she was now technically one-armed. What good could possibly come of this?

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/malicewright/skyviper1.png);][atrb=width, 507][atrb=height, 313][atrb=style,border:0 black none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(244),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:61px;margin-left:256px;color:#e4d2da;)]A weakness fell into Skye, and she found herself unable to say any of the things she wanted to about their predicament. It scared her to see Fang this weak, and all of Fang's words cut harder than she probably intended for them to. Her father....her brother... her mother... Skye had no one left in her immediate family, and a sickening feeling sat itself in her gut. "Flint....just...take us to the capital..." Skye mumbled remembering that the doctor had said there was a hospital or something there.. As Fang fell into silence, Skye did as well. [/scrolly]

[KARP KARP!]

Fang stayed quiet, closing her eyes, gathering her senses again. Maybe it was a good thing that no one spoke a word; it gave the young woman time to calm down.

"Hey, Skye?" she finally said, her voice quiet, but steady. "Can...can we land for a minute? I...there's something I want--No. There's something I need to do. And, I'm going to need your help. Just....trust me on this, mkay?" She nuzzled into Skye's shoulder, both for comfort and affection; it was something she only ever did to Skye, and even then it was a rare occurrence. Fang just knew she had to do this.

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/malicewright/skyviper1.png);][atrb=width, 507][atrb=height, 313][atrb=style,border:0 black none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(244),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:61px;margin-left:256px;color:#e4d2da;)]They'd flown quickly through the sand, but Era was large, and time passed slowly. Skye felt herself sick inside, and the images of death were clouding her thoughts. What was she going to do? Where was she going to go? It felt like her entire world had just ended, and she had no idea what to do. Fang's words cut into these thoughts, and previously glazed eyes blinked and slid backwards. The feeling of Fang close brought a surprising comfort, yet the other young woman's tone worried her. "Flint... set us somewhere stable..." Skye ordered. The Sand Dragon hissed a little but agreed. He wanted to keep going and get his trainer away, but he would listen to Skye above all. Thus, he landed. Hesitating, Skye slowly slid down from her dragon's shoulder and then looked back at Fang with a bit of worry. "What did you need help with?" [/scrolly]

[KARP KARP!]

Fang breathed slowly as they landed, her good hand reaching into the pants of her now blood-stained tux and pulling out a dagger with an elaborately designed serpent-pattern handle. She climbed off, looking back at Skye. The dagger's pattern looked almost like snakeskin, but there were two snakes carved into it with a matching pattern on the sheath. Unable to remove it herself, she held it to her younger cousin.

"First, I want you to take this and prick my finger. Or hold it while I do it myself. Then, I want you to hold your right arm out to me." Fang's eyes had gone from frantic, worried, and dark to suddenly very solemn. What Fang was about to do was a highly revered Sand Viper custom, and something she'd never done before herself.

"I always promised I would protect you; be there for you. Well...after what happened....I figure I should do this right." Fang hoped that Skye had gathered what Fang was talking about now. The Viper's Blood Oath, something not to be taken lightly, was a literal swear on one's own life.

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/malicewright/skyviper1.png);][atrb=width, 507][atrb=height, 313][atrb=style,border:0 black none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(244),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:61px;margin-left:256px;color:#e4d2da;)]As Fang pulled out the dagger, Skyler stared wondering if she had been the only one not carrying weapons back at the wedding. Well, the sudden quick action of everyone within the church confirmed this well enough. A sudden sick feeling set on the girl's features. She would never be caught without weapons ever again. Her thoughts were quickly pulled away as Fang started talking. She... she wanted her to... The look that flickered across Skye's face was something beyond worried. That.. that was.... "Fang...." she started but stopped. Slowly taking the dagger from Fang, Skye held it for a few seconds in front of her. "The poison of a viper that destroys the blood of the human body is the seal of our contract. The bond made by such a pact must never be broken least the fluid of our contract seep into the body of the one who broke it and kill him thereafter," she began, knowing the words only because she had seen Bret do it in the past. It oddly came out readily, as though her previous doubt had slid away even if in her mind it hadn't. "Fang....Francesca Viper.... " Skye started but stopped upon feeling her body physically shaking. "This oath... this vow you make...." Skye stopped again as she felt her knees buckle a little. Flinching, she looked at Fang weakly. "Your contract has been made," she said barely audible now. "Your blood is now mine..." Slowly she unsheathed the dagger and held the end out to Fang. As much as she didn't want to shed her cousin's blood, even if Fang pricked her own finger, something in Skye had locked her into doing this. Whether it was faith or fear or a combination of the two, Skye didn't know. [/scrolly]

[KARP KARP!]

Fang bowed her head as Skye spoke, and the atmosphere became more dark yet solemn. When Skye had finished speaking, Fang reached out with her index finger pricking it on the knife and drawing a good amount of blood. Then, taking her cousin's right arm, she began to speak, drawing the appropriate symbols on it as she did so.

"This day, Fransesca Allyson Viper, swears on her own blood to Skyler Marie Viper. Should I break this oath, may my blood stain the ground as it does your flesh now. I vow on my very being, my life, soul, and blood, to protect you to my dying breath. No harm shall come to you as long as I have life in my body, and I will never leave your side. I will be with you always, your safety I will hold in higher regard in my own. Your life is in my care, and should I fail to uphold my duties, may I meet a slow and painful demise. This oath is binding, and as my blood is now bound to yours, so is my soul, my duties, and my honor."

When she got through, she gave a nod. "I always promised to protect and be there for you. Now no matter what, I have to."

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/malicewright/skyviper1.png);][atrb=width, 507][atrb=height, 313][atrb=style,border:0 black none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(244),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:61px;margin-left:256px;color:#e4d2da;)]The words were somber enough and controlled enough to resemble the promises she had seen happen, yet there was so much more emotion with this one, and she felt her entire body go numb. When Fang had stopped and explained her reasoning, Skye looked at her for a brief moment before stepping forwards and seizing her into a tight hug. "Fang... you... are not allowed to die," was all the white haired young woman said continuing to hold her cousin as close as she could. "I swear to God if you die any time before we're both eighty, I'm going to be so angry at you." A weak laugh followed, but Skye remained where she was clinging to her cousin up until she remembered what they were doing and where they were headed. They had to get Fang's arm fixed and -damn it she spilled Fang's blood. Even if it was for a contract, she never wanted to see it again.... "Come on.. let's keep heading north..." she urged quietly. [/scrolly]

[KARP KARP!]

Fang held Skye tight with her one good arm, nuzzling against her cheek. "I'm not gunna die, Skyler," she whispered before kissing her cheek. "You know I'm too stubborn for that. You're stuck with me for life~"

Fang pulled back at the suggestion to keep going north. "Yeah...go get my arm fixed, buy clothes, cuz I'm sick of this suit..." Then, an idea hit her. "Hey, Skye? After we do all that....I wanna get a tattoo." She looked at her cousin in a manner similar to that of a child asking her mother for a cookie.

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/malicewright/skyviper1.png);][atrb=width, 507][atrb=height, 313][atrb=style,border:0 black none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(244),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:61px;margin-left:256px;color:#e4d2da;)]The kiss on the cheek was met with a surprised blush, yet a quiet smile came to Skye's face as Fang said that she was stuck with her. The list that came caused a serious expression to come to Skye's features again. Nodding slowly, she slowly looked back at Flint who was waiting for his trainer to get back on. After a moment, Skye turned again and carefully picked up Fang before setting her on Flint's back. "Why would you want more of 'em?" she asked quietly before climbing on again. Once everyone was secure again, Flint started flying again. [/scrolly]

[KARP KARP!]

"Just one. It's something I feel I have to do," Fang explained. "I...After we get this business taken care of, I wanna go back to the village...pay our proper respects to the dead and give them a proper burial...The dunes is no safe place for a memorial, so...I'm going to get the names of Bret, Austin, Doc and Penny tattooed on my back, in loving memory...." Her voice cracked a little, a tear rolling down her cheek.

She was surprised when Skye picked her up and put her on Flint, and the young woman wrapped her arm around her cousin again, snuggling into her neck. She just....she loved the closeness. The contact. It almost made her feel....safe.

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/malicewright/skyviper1.png);][atrb=width, 507][atrb=height, 313][atrb=style,border:0 black none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(244),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:61px;margin-left:256px;color:#e4d2da;)]Fang's words cut Skye a little, and a part of her flinched. However, after a moment, a quiet smile came to her face. That was Fang for you. She just... "I....see....well...looks like we'll get matching ones then..." she said quietly after that. Flint simply kept flying. [/scrolly]

[KARP KARP!]

Fang didn't know her words had cut Skye; honestly Fang never once realized they did that from time to time. That was just Fang. She called it like it was, and didn't really think about how she said it. She snuggled into her cousin more from behind, nuzzling against her and kissing her cheek again.

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s395/malicewright/skyviper1.png);][atrb=width, 507][atrb=height, 313][atrb=style,border:0 black none,b,Table][scrolly:h(240),w(244),sy,as(padding:4px 0px 5px;margin-top:61px;margin-left:256px;color:#e4d2da;)]Skye's thoughts roamed elsewhere, and her face fell slightly. She wasn't sure what was going to happen now, and that was the part that made her the most afraid. Fang was there, and they could do this together but the task before them both was daunting. As the sight of the capital finally came into sight, she sighed a little. Time to find a doctor. [/scrolly]