The days were quiet, cold and wet, but it seemed as this didn't bother the young girl as she roamed around the buildings that were firmly set in ice and rock. She sat at the rooftop of the highest building, softly humming to herself as the snow swirled around her and the sea roared beneath. Sometimes one of the sailors passing by to bring equipment and rations would get a glimpse of her. Or one of the research platform's personal would spot her high up there, but who would believe them? Who would believe that a kid with skin as white as the snowstorm, barely dressed in a bed sheet would sit up there watching them? And so she became a myth of the secretive research platform 'Keloma'.The girl with bright curious yellow eyes soon noticed that she bothered those that spotted her. She tried to stay out of sight, using the various spacious vents to move around. She didn't bother that dust and spider webs collected in her tousled hair or that her hands and feet were bare. She didn't know where she came from, how she came to be. She didn't care either. She just woke up one day in the very center of the platform, a room she knew very well by now. A small closet. By now it was filled with blankets and pillows she collected. Little trinkets no one would miss hanging from the ceiling, the walls and scattered around the floor. The key, long lost, but none of the platform's personal would bother to break into a small closet, known to be empty anyway.She watched from the vents, from the roofs, from the dark corners in the hallway. Her eyes curious twinkling as the researchers experimented on various devices, strange plants and animals. From time to time weird creatures not quite animal not quite human would come into the facility as well. She didn't follow them. Too scared. Too scared of the screams, the blood and the pain echoing from them.
She fled in those moments, up to the surface, drown out the sounds with the crashing waves, watching the sailors as they fought against the snow storm to bring food, machinery and new people to the docks.Sometimes she would steal a few packages of food, even tho she didn't seem to need to eat. The rests she would bring by at the laboratories to share with the lab rats. She liked the company that the small rodents gave her, such as the company the spiders and various bugs provided her on her way through the vents.One day the platform was busier than usual. Keloma was on her usual perch to overlook the transporter ships arrive. She had seen plenty of strange equipment and machines being brought inside, but this massive machine they unloaded onto the decks made her skin crawl. She followed the machine inside, hiding in the shadows and using the vents. In the deepest part of the platform the circular device, with arms poking off like a exotic plant ready to devour a human, got connected to various cables and pipes. A soft green light was emitted from the very tips of those arms before small bolts snaked around them to the base.
The little girl couldn't take her eyes of the green light emitting from the machine. There was something ominous about it, something that hinted at the dangerous power the machine possesses.
Her instincts told her to hurry back, hide and and seek shelter in her little room, but her curiosity got the better of her.
Suddenly a bolt of power shot right at her, hitting the vent and the power fizzling out at the metal protection.
Scared, the kid pressed herself to the back of the vent, wide eyes staring down at the machine, heart racing. She knew something was wrong, that something would happen if they activated this machine. She couldn't just sit there and wait. She slipped into the shadows, determined to find out what they want to achieve with this machine.She heard the voices, some exhilarated, some filled with doubt, some mumbling in indifference. She sneaked nearer, now not at the ceiling but under the floor, green flashes of light illuminating the water drainage.
She saw the platform personal walk, carrying more cables. Right beside her a group of three people in lab coats, each bearing a black ID card around their neck. The highest clearance. One, young, black short hair and a small build, was in anger, almost shouting and gesturing wildly. Another, a grey unkempt beard and round thick glasses, looking stern and firmly answering to the younger, crossing his arms. The third trying to mediate, trying to calm down the young professor, but as he touched his shoulder the man ran off. He looked at the older professor, a sigh and the old man gestured to proceed.
The little girl didn't understand the words they used, never learned to speak, but she knew what to do. Find the man. He knew something was wrong and she would make him explain to her in one way or the other.She crawled out of the drainage and stood in an empty hallway, she knew in what direction the man stormed off to so she headed that way. She came past the personal quarters, just drips of water and distant foot steps breaking the quiet. The girl was sure he went this way as suddenly a loud bang made her freeze, then shouting. The man! She hurried, following the noise, the sounds of anger and frustration, the banging against walls and the throwing of furniture. She stopped. The writing on the door looked different to what she usually saw, more like small pictures made out of sticks than the rounded forms on the other doors. Carefully she looked through the opening, now silence engulfing the spare little place. The doctor was kneeling on the floor, his hands bruised, breathing heavy.
The door squeaked when she squeezed through the small opening and the professor's head snapped around to see who entered. Silence. Eyes widening. Mouth opened in disbelief. He turned, slowly backing away while the little girl, unsure what to do now that she got here, just stood there watching.
"You. You are real?"[To be continued]
Colonisation
[This plays after the platform was discovered and when the platform got famous]France cold fingers brushed against Kelomas cheek. The young adult winced at the touch. She could hear the muffled screams behind her. France softly chuckled and completed her circle around the chair she was bound on. Her slender hands brushing over the withered wood, carefully manicured fingers glistening in the dim light. "Now. Now. No need to get so feisty Mon Cheri" Murder glared at France, two man holding her down on her knees, hands shackled and bruised.France went onto one knee in front of her with an elegant motion cupping Murder's chin in her hand. "Well it's really fascinating...", France slowly turned Murder's head to the left. "that you look exactly like her, just older. I wonder what will happen once she breaks down and accepts to be my colony" Murders head snapped forward, the gag coming undone. She snarled at the woman coldy smiling down to her as she stood up. The next moment the organisation's face smashed against the concrete floor. The guards hand pressing down hard.France retreated to Keloma. The poor girl was shock frozen and stared blankly onto the floor in front of her. When the fine red high heels came to stop in the exact spot she was staring at she startled. "You know... I could hurt her way worse. You can put an end to this. Just send her away. She has to listen to you doesn't she?", France spoke right beside Kelomas ear while locking eyes with Murder behind her. Murder's eyes widened and she struggled against the two men holding her, the gag in its place again.Keloma slowly lifted her head to look at France, tears in her eyes, her voice small. "You won't hurt her if she leaves?" "Of course darling, I won't bother her as long as she doesn't bother me." France said as she took a step and leaned on the chair while looking down on Murder. "All you have to do is tell her and then agree to becoming my colony."Thousand thoughts ran through Murders mind. She doesn't know what that means! Leave her alone! How can I stop this?! ... What if, what if... What if I loose her?
Keloma's head slowly turned to look up to France. She couldn't see that the twisted woman was reveling in every aspect of Murder's agony. When France turned to face Keloma the smirk was hidden, her eyes full of sympathy, while her hand softly caressed the bright stripes on Keloma's face. "Just a few words and this is over" One of the guards twisted Murder's finger around until a fine crack was audible. Murder tried her best to keep the screams in, hold the tears back, fine blood seeping into the gag as she bit her lip. When the wave of pain had washed over her and she regained her senses she saw Keloma's face. The shock, the hurt, the confusion and the sorrow. It broke Murder's heart, as she breathed heavily.
France's hands laying casually yet assertive on the teenagers shoulders were another stab. The manipulative narcissist enjoying every bit of this theatre. "Go on dear. We don't want to cause her more pain do we? She won't give up unless you tell her." Keloma's head snapped to look up at France, like she was pulled out of trance then back to Murder. Her lips quivering. "Murd... Murder..." The words so quiet they barely made it to the organisation. "Louder. She has to hear you." One of the guards stepped on her back, barely missing the broken finger. Murder winced an involuntary reaction and immediately regretted it. Her eyes full of fear glued onto Keloma. "I...i want you to go." First soft then as France duck her nails into her shoulders louder, Keloma spoke her last words to Murder. "Murder.. I.. I want you to go, leave! I will be France's colony and you will be safe, you will be okey! I Will be okey. Don't look for me. Don't annoy France... It will be..."
Keloma choked on her own words as a burning sensation crept up her throat and across her face. "Yes exactly like this!" France turned the chair around, leaning on both arms, her eyes purely focussed on Keloma's face. The young teenager was gasping for air, her hands opening and closing as inhuman noises escaped her throat.
Murder didn't see what exactly was happening but France touched Kelomas face and a strange light illuminated her face as the countryhuman started screaming. A scared, broken and confused scream.Murder's struggles died down as she was pulled out of the room. She failed. She failed and France looked satisfied at her ashamed and broken expression, before giving her full attention back to the struggling countryhuman in front of her.But Murder wasn't simply let go as France said. Hours later when the screams had died down that echoed through the complex and tortured Murder she visited the organisation.The twisted woman simply stood there, looking down at Murder. Murder which has undergone the same transformation as Keloma. Her face bearing a new flag, a twisted and french version by the design of this lunatic. Murder had bashed in the furniture in the cell, had clawed at her own face, had broken her knuckles by trying to break down the door.
And now. Now this monster just stood there, holding the door open for her to leave. She couldn't disobey. She could just go.
But even if she was allowed to punish this monster. She didn't think she would have the strength for it. More the will. She failed. She had lost her everything.
In a daze she was accompanied in front of the complex and in a daze she wandered aimlessly.
Murder x France
[A arcane inspired side story focusing on Murder - its recommended to read "Colonisation" first]Murder just came back from an expedition in the lower levels. Her lab coat is torn, but the scratches and cuts are already healing. Carefully she washes poison out of one wound while cleaning one of the last parts she was searching for. A project by the research platform before her creation. Something she doesn't understand. Something that woke her curiousity. Maybe she could use it against France... She works through the blueprints in her mind while absent mindedly getting a new lab coat. She strokes the fire cat that was napping on one of the tables and the room gets tinted in a calm orange glow.Calmly Murder pieces the part together with the already restored pieces. She steps back and looks at the finished device. At least she thinks it is finished? She walk to the laptop and looks at the scan of the washed out blueprint. She mumbles to herself as her finger wanders across the screen. Engery source... Conductor... Frame... The use of the device was not clear to her so she assembled it at the most far point of the main facilities of the platform. Even if something would explode down here it wouldn't destabilize or harm Keloma.Unlike France. Murder really hopes this strange device would be a weapon with that she could get rid of the countryhuman that once tortured her little Keloma and held her captive for way too long as her colony.Her hands carefully wander across the strange device. It almost looks like a gun but more round and well... Broken looking. She picks it up, flips a few switches and shoos the fire cat outside before turning a blue crystal into a socket.Strange forms and patterns dance before Murder. A noise is numbing her senses while she curious like a child touches one of the strange alien flowers in front of her. She sees faces, moments, memories inside them. Images flash in her mind as the form shifts at her finger's touch. Memories... But different. Changed.Suddenly one of the forms engulfs her and she stands back in the deep sea lab, the device... Gone?A hand lays itself on her shoulder and she swirls around. Bewildered she stares at France and freezes. What? How? Thoughts rush into her head and she feels for any weapon nearby. But the look on France face... Worry? The slender hand moves carefully to Murder's face, wiping away a drop of sweat. "Are you okey Murder? Is it too much being here?" Irritated at the soft worried voice Murder shakes her head. For a second she relaxes when France retracts her hand and takes a step back. "You look pale... I mean more pale than already..." Murder's thoughts are still racing, but she decides it would be best to act along. Something happened with the device, her surroundings changed. She shakes her head softly again and let her head hang, confused, contemplating, as suddenly she feels arm wrap around her. "I knew this was too early. Come let us head back up and get you some tea."
Without much resistance Murder lets France take her hand and she follows this strangely nice version of her.
At the surface the platform seems also different. Darker... More grey and sad? Murder looks around wondering. If this is a parallel universe... What happened here for everything to be so different? France squeezes her hand softly and pulls her towards a smaller building. Where did the green houses in that corner go? Where? Where is Keloma?
Visibly distressed Murder looks around. "It's okey Murder... We can go visit her later, you need to calm down for now." France seems to have a calming aura on Murder as she sits down in the small kitchen area and grasps the cup of tea tightly. Murder watches France prepare cookies on a plate and straighten a picture frame on a shelf when walking back. It shows Keloma, France and Murder in front of the building they sit in right now. They seem happy... And the flags. It's just Keloma's flag. No french version, just Keloma...
"You seem out of it today Murder. Did you take your medication?" Murder notices the shift from the worried to the scolding voice. "You shouldn't have gone down there... The accident was years ago but you clearly haven't worked through the related trauma... You barely can stand seeing..." France stops as she sees Murders concerned and confused look. She sits down and grasps Murder's hands. "Drink up... Then we go visit Keloma."Lots of thoughts go through Murder's head as she drinks the tea. She notices that she isn't able to taste the subtle hint of honey she is used to when Keloma made tea for her. What happened here?
She sits down the cup on the simple paper coaster and looks up to France. The countryhuman looks different. More mellow, kinder... But also for some reason sad and guilty. The France she knew never looked guilty, no. She relished in the pain she caused Keloma and her.
Silently Murder follows France as they ascend the stairs at the site of a impromptu lighthouse it seems. The paint is flaky, the wind is cold and wet and the first signs of rain are in the air while the platform lays still in between the waves. It's all so different to the colourful and always filled with laughter and bee buzzing platform Murder is used to.They enter the top of the lighthouse and before them lays a shrine? Murder blinks at the colourful structure in the middle of the room, the lighthouse light turning it's rounds just a bit above it. Flowers and bee plushies are layered around a picture of Keloma... A younger one than hers. The flag colours aren't even fully formed... Murder freezes as she takes in the scene and the meaning. France squeezes her arm softly and bids her to go into the room as she closes the door."Keloma... She is dead?"France stares at her bewildered, chuckles painful and shakes her head. "Are you kidding me?" She turns her back to Murder and kneels down before the shrine, lighting a candle and the soft smell of honey wafts into the room."How?" The pain and cluelessness in Murder's voice makes France shiver. France looks at Murder concerned and maybe even a hint angry but the earnest discomfort and confusion on the organisation's face softens her expressions immediately.
She guides Murder down beside her as she gives her a flower to arrange around the picture.
"I don't know why you ask this now... Maybe your brain forgot to protect yourself. It's not been too long you started talking again... There can only be complications if the country of an organisation like you dies so shortly after your own creation... " France sighs and softly squeezes Murder's hand. "The place I found you this morning was where it happened. I was as a visitor on the platform for a science collaboration. The explosion shook it quite a bit and I was already on my way to evacuate when I noticed the strange energy flowing. I don't know how the accident happened but you were holding this child. She was weak and something was wrong but I couldn't tell what. I took you both to the upper decks, but the platform was already adrift the ocean. I convinced you to agree that Keloma would be one of my provinces to aid her recovery but... You refused... A few months later when the platform halted near my coast Keloma died..."Murder stared at her hands, disbelief and sorrow written on her face. "I couldn't protect her in this world? I failed?"France looked at her a bit confused but just took her in her arms. "It's not your fault... I never saw something like this happen. To be honest I never saw a countryhuman born before the actual country was established either... Maybe her being a province of me wouldn't have helped either..."Murder didn't even register what France said further.
This wasn't her world. This wasn't her Keloma. This... This could have been her Keloma... Murder stared at her hands. Anger, determination and sadness all washing over her. I need to get back to my Keloma."... I'm just glad I was able to save you." France sadly smiled at Murder and guided her to stand up.
Now Murder was even more confused but it became very clear once she entered her quarters and unveiled the mirror after France left. She stared at her own Face. A weird scramble of Kelomas colours, streaks of France's flag on her cheek and fine scar marks across her face. It reminded her of how she looked after France had made Keloma her colony. Apparently a different process of making one a province... Back then she had scratched her face constantly until she bled to get rid of the flag... Now France's colours look like a bandaid. Comforting and they feel warm.
Softly Murder's finger tips run across Keloma's colours. Cold. They feel cold and devoid of energy... Her eyes get stuck on a cut on her wrist. Carefully she looks at the fine cut under the sink light. Shouldn't this heal almost instant? She looks at the scars. They seem old, yet barely fainted. When she scratched of France's colours she would be healed latest in a day and the scars most of the time disappeared by the second.
Murder picked at the scap of the cut and it started bleeding. Something about the faint pain and the droplet of blood running down her arm was strange.
She sighed and washed it off. Murder's thoughts were immediately filled with how to get back, she would have to find the device again. Piece by piece. But... What about this Keloma? What about the platform... Could she do something here?The next morning Murder hauled a bag of planting earth in front of her quarters and filled the two concrete pots in front of it. She went to the side the original dandelions in her world were found and started searching. France watched her from the buildings, wondering what got into the organisationhuman that was so confused, hurt and devoid of energy just a day ago.It was already noon when Murder gave up for now and set in the shadow of one of the buildings. She looked out on the Ocean wishing she could just be home already. She wouldn't admit it openly but she already started missing the persistent requests by Keloma, the annoying intruders into her lab and the snacks that would always be waiting for her as soon as she took her eyes off a project. Keloma would quietly sneak in and leave a platter of cookies or similar for her. She sighs and closes her eyes, feeling the breeze on her face and the warm sunrays.
A shadow takes the warm feeling and she scowls before opening her eyes and being face to face with France. Murder startles but there is nowhere to go as France lifts up a plate with a sandwich in front of her nose. "You were out all morning, you have to eat!" France voice is scolding but also cheerful. It reminded her so much of Keloma... Murder softly shakes her head and takes France hand reached out to help her up. As she dusts herself off France says , looking out onto the Ocean: "You know I rarely saw you smile since then" Had she smiled? Did she let her guard down like that? "Its nice to see. I missed it" Murder feels herself blush as the countryhuman smiles at her, no malicious smile, no smirk, just a genuine smile that warms one's heart like a sunray. Murder blinks, unsure about what she just thought, then she follows France, still holding her hand as they head to the kitchen.After they ate Murder continues searching. There don't seem to be any plants on the island beside the occasional weed and grass coming through the concrete. But this flower. This specific dandelion. She knew it had survived. And then as France tries to call her to dinner, as the sun sets and a cold wind blows over the platform, Murder hears something. A buzz! A soft and relaxing buzzing sound. She was all over the platform and finally on the dangerously narrow path behind the main buildings and the ocean, there it was. A bee. A small yellow black striped insect fuzzing about a just as yellow flower! She found it!
She startled and nearly fell when France called out to her in horror, but she found it! She... Carefully Murder knelt down and touched the dandelion, the sweet smell wafting around her. She gulped down her sorrow as she carefully collected some of the dandelion puffs on the edge.Dirty, exhausted and bashful Murder let France clean her face and bandage the many scratches she collected over the day. She blushed as she felt the countryhuman's breath on her skin and smelled her perfume. She hated France. But... Not this one? What is this feeling in her chest?They ate and they watched a tv series. Murder didn't mind how close France sat to her. It was comforting and the fingertips softly wandering over her hand and arm were warm and felt nice. She hardly concentrated on the series, but instead was thinking of finding the device's parts. If she was able to find a dandelion from her world she would also be able to find the parts. She would have to convince France to let her roam around alone in the underground levels... She had the feeling she wouldn't let her out of sight after what happened today.
As France nodded off, Murder laid her down slowly. But as she was already almost out if the door she went back and put a blanket over her as well.
Slowly she ascended the stairs to the light house, the wind was strong and her braid unraveled. She just braided it this morning to remind herself of Keloma. She couldn't get complacent with this world. In the light house Murder only glanced at the shrine, closing her hand to a fist. She couldn't change this, but she could still make this place a little better. She walked up to the engine that was spitting out a thin stream of smoke outside and knelt down, pulling bits and pieces out of her jacket. Yeah she wasn't wearing a lab coat, it felt a bit strange, but Murder relaxed as she began to tinker with the engine turning the big light.
Murder didn't know when she fell asleep but now the first sunrays woke her up. She sat straight and wiped at her eyes. She had finished the job. The engine no longer exhausted smog but purred softly on a environment friendly invention she came up with back in her dimension. Carefully she picked up a part and held it against the light. The first part for the device to bring her back.
Murder sat in front of the shrine when France frantically opened the door to the lighthouse top. "Puh... here you are! When did you get up?" She glanced with a concerned look at Murder then at the engine. "Did you repair that old thing? You are dirty all over!" Murder shrugged as France helped her up. "Do you want to take a dip in the ocean? After yesterday's bad weather it's rly nice today. Even though the Ocean still will be freezing" Murder thought, was about to shake her head but then nodded slowly. Why not? Maybe she would even find another part while diving under the platform.She nearly drowned.
France pulled her up as her legs started cramping from the freezing cold water, now she sat shivering, wrapped into a blanket at the edge of the platform and stared down into the abyss. France came back with cups of tea and handed her one."It will sound stupid... But there is something important down there." Murder said quietly, hesitating a bit after she sipped from the dandelion tea with honey. It faintly hurt to think this was made by France and not Keloma.
"What makes you think that? We dove here a lot in the past." France's voice sounded melancholic.
Murder looked at her, an intensity building in her eyes. "I just know. I have this feeling."
France nodded, carefully put her cup down and stood. "Then at least tell me what we are looking for." Murder looked at her surprised, still not used to this amount of trust by anyone but Keloma.
She explained. Not all. But she explained the device, how it looks, where she thinks parts are and France dove.
Many times France went down and up, every time Murder set up expectantly but France just shrugged up at her, breathed in and dove. Murder counted. One, two, three... Thirty. And France emerges from the waves. France emerges from the waves? Thirty-One. Thirty-Two... Thirty-Five... Murder stands up and looks over the edge into the dark water. She couldn't see anything, just bubbles slowly raising to the surface.
Fuck. She jumped in without second thought, following the air bubbles into the depth, ignoring her cramping legs. She had to find her. She was only down here for Murder! She couldn't let her... Die... Murders eyes widened as she saw the petite countryhuman. She was struggling, pulling frantically at something that was entangled in a net on one of the pillars of the platform. Murder rushed to her, feeling her own air depleting rapidly. When Murder reached France, she was already unconscious. Murder tried to pull at the net that had entangled France's leg to no avail, then quickly found her hidden knife in her hair and started cutting. She gasped as her body screamed and strained for air, but not yet. She couldn't let France die. She wouldn't leave the Murder of this world with nothing! She knew how that felt.
Then finally the net snapped, untangled and Murder grabbed France rushing to the surface. People were waiting, they saw what happened and rushed to get both out of the water. Murder fainted from relief, just as France started coughing up water.The organisationhuman blinked at the bright light shining into her right eye. "She is waking up, pupillary response normal." The doctor's voice seemed muffled, water still in her ears. She stirred and tried to sit up, but a man's hand held her down gently. "You should rest some more Ma'am"
She slumped, no energy in her muscles left.
The next time she woke was in a big, soft bed and she starred up at a nightsky painted ceiling, with little glowing plastic stars glued on it. She made a noise of sudden sadness, thinking of how much she missed her Keloma. But no time to mope as she got tackled by someone right as she made a sound. Smothered into a soft blouse, a strong rose scent overwhelming her nose, France hugged her desperately. Slowly Murder lifted her arms and hugged the countryhuman that was sobbing into her hospital gown. "You stupid stupid stupid! How can you risk yourself like that?!" "I'm sorry..." in the smallest voice Murder apologised. "I'm a country! I can't die from that but you?! You are an organisation without... without your country! You don't heal as fast, you aren't immortal anymore! You stupid, stubborn workaholic!" The countryhuman in Murder's arms shook from anger, screaming into the space between her shoulder and neck, but somehow Murder had to smile. And then she laughed as France had calmed down. She looked dumbfounded at the organisation. "I'm sorry! Okey!? I was just so worried when you didn't come up! And now I'm the one that was actually in danger. It hilarious!" France rubbed her nose and chuckled. "You have a weird sense of humour" "I learned that from you." Silence. "I mean... Not so important" Murder had thought of her France, not this one, blushed and turned away.
France came closer and before Murder could protest she gave her a warm kiss on the top of her head. "You rest now. I will go make some food."
Perplexed she left the organisation behind. After a minute of confusion where her heart beat wildly, she took the room in. It was definitely Keloma's room but not? It looked like Murder had lived here for a period of time, but now the shelves were dusty, the tools lay around disorganised. "I thought my room was...", she muttered to herself as her eyes caught the glimpse of a metal reflection. She went over to the pile of cloth thrown onto a makedo workbench. Murder pulls back the cloth and there it is... The accursed device that brought her here, incomplete but it's there, just laying in the dust and clutter, the solution. Murder clutches her chest, a sudden pang of hurt. She can go back, but, but why doesn't she want to?
Murder hears the door open and quickly hides the device, turning and involuntarily smiling at France. She smiles back, a tablet with sandwiches and steaming tea in her hands.The next few days she tries to not think of the device. But every time she goes to bed, it mocks her. Why doesn't she want to go back? Her Keloma is there, alive... The world is better.
She turns the part of the device that France pulled out of the water in her hands. France risked her life for this. She puts it down on the workbench as Murders comes to call her for dinner. "What is this device? You've been brooding over the parts for days now." Murder looks at her a bit pained. She had found her old notes scattered across the room. This world's Murder believed she could bring Keloma back with this. "It might make it possible for me to see Keloma again..." Not a lie, but also not the truth. France slowly approaches Murder and hugs her. "She is gone..." Murder slowly nods, embracing the country and inhaling the sweet rose scent.They both go to eat dinner, but Murders looks back at the hidden device and the parts she collected. She just had to repair it now. She could go back to her world. Her Keloma, her France...Murder stayed up through the night, quietly tinkering on the device, relying on her memory of the blueprints. She didn't notice the eyes watching her from the slightly ajar door. The next morning she woke up sleeping on her workbench, a blanket laying across her shoulders, the scent of roses a bittersweet reminder what she will leave behind.
One day.
Just today.
The last day with the France she could... love.It was a beautiful day... They had breakfast, they swam together, cooked together, planted flowers and now while France was distracted with visitors arriving... Murder snuck away and picked up the device, heading to the top of the lighthouse. She would have to borrow the energy of the generator for this.
She didn't notice that France silently stared at her from the docks.In the lighthouse things were disturbingly easy for the organisationhuman. She didn't want it to be this easy, her hands working on their own, the smell of flowers having an unwelcomed calming effect. She didn't want to leave. But she couldn't take this from the Murder she replaced either. She couldn't leave her world unattended. What if... What if her world's France was plotting something... She paused, her hand on the machine, as a gusto of air ruffled her hair.Murder turned and starred at France, droplets of fluid falling on her knees, she was crying.
France quickly came towards her but Murder took up the device and moved backwards.
"Murder what are you doing? You can't bring her back! It's wrong!" Another step by France, another back by Murder.
"No I can't. I know. But I can't stay here. I don't belong here"
France reached out her hand, but Murder stepped backwards again, crushing a rose under her heel.
Both paused.
"I am not your Murder. I don't deserve your love. I don't belong in this world. I have my own. I have to take care of it again!"
Murder shook her head violently and pressed the device to her chest, tears still streaming down her cheeks.
"I don't understand..." France's voice was weak. She touched Murder's arm. Murder froze. "I'm sorry" Murder leaned close to France's face, kissed her lips ever so slightly, before she jumped back and pushed the button combination she remembered. Light engulfed the device. "Take care of your Murder. She hasn't healed yet. But I believe you two can work it out."
The light emitting from the machine grew and covered her, then she saw the memories again, or rather... snippets of realities. She closed her eyes, hoped and then crashed into her old laboratory. The machine crumbled in her arms to dust and debris. Stunned she sat there, tears drying on her cheeks, then the door opened.Murder hugged Keloma tight, the country not comprehending why she had cried, why the lab was in ruins, why the organisationhuman seemed softer than an hour ago. The scent of roses lingering in the air.And in another world Murder got hugged by France, the organisation not comprehending why she was crying, why the lighthouse reeked of smoke and debris and why the countryhuman in her arms felt like she had lost something she could never name.Two worlds.
One gained her back.
One lost her forever.