A Peaceful Dream (Short Story)

[Leanne Starlight]

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-A Dark Warning-

 

Leanne stood in a middle of a dark room. Her eyes strained, trying to determine her whereabouts. Her pink ears flatten as she scanned her surroundings as best as she could, but found nothing. Only darkness.

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A path appeared before her. An eerie presence lingered in the cold damp air. Leanne shivered slightly, goosebumps forming on her pale skin. Her ears twitched nervously as she slowly made her way across the path. The fur on her tail raised as she approached a pair of large metal doors. Leanne held her breathe as she examined the strange markings embedded on the large doors.

 

Leanne traced her fingers gently across the markings. She felt a cold chill run down her spine. Her stomach churned as the uneasiness she felt intensified. She sighed heavily, a failed attempt at calming down. She noticed a faint glow emanate from the closed doors. She swallowed hard, a nervous ball forming in her throat. She gently placed both her palms onto the cold metal doors. She took a deep breathe and pushed open the doors.

 

A rush of cold wind whipped out through the opening. She winced and shut her eyes tightly. There was a putrid stench flowing from the unknown room. Leanne trembled as she slowly opened her eyes. The smell was familiar yet disturbing. Her knees weakened, her stomach churned as her eyes adjusted to the strange lighting.

 

That's when she saw it...

Death...[/align]

 

[align=left]-Just Another Day-

 

Leanne rolled around in bed restlessly as the morning light greeted her face. Her ears twitched as the door to her bedroom creaked open. She rolled onto her back and mumbled in her sleep. She grunted loudly as the sudden weight of her small Elezen sister crushed her rib cage. Her sister laughed softly and jumped off the bed having completed her mission, she smirked proudly.

 

"Leanne! It's time for breakfast! Get up!"

Leanne sighed and slowly sat up rubbing her sleepy eyes. She gave her sister a look of pure annoyance, who replied with a high pitched giggle and quickly ran down the hall to the kitchen. Leanne sighed, a soft smile on her face.

 

-All We Can Do-

 

Rayne smiled to herself as she listened to her daughters. She slowly put the plates on the table, her ears twitching at the sound of the Elezen giggling. The Elezen child entered the kitchen happily. Rayne smiled at her as she took a seat at the table.

"I hope you didn't bother your sister too much, Laira." she said softly before taking a seat. Laira giggled happily, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Leanne's such a sleepy head!" she smiled brightly. Leanne slowly walked into the kitchen yawning loudly. She sat down at the table her ears twitching happily. The small family bowed their heads quietly giving thanks to the Twelve for the food on the table. All the hard work they put in to cultivate vegetables in their small plot of land helps them make it through each day. They were half way done eating before Laira spoke up.

"Hey mother...why do you never talk to us about father?" she glanced at her mother hopefully. Rayne's ears flattened, her eyes darkening sadly. Leanne stood up, her ears perked up angrily.

"Laira! You know how mother gets upset when we mention father! How can you be so inconsiderate to her feelings?!" Laira puffed out her cheeks, upset. She stood up with tears in her eyes.

"You guys never care about my feelings, do you?!" she yelled angrily before sprinting out the door into the South Shroud.

"Laira! Wait!" Leanne reached her hand out towards her sister, but it was already too late. Rayne put a hand on Leanne shoulder, weeping silently.

"Please go after you sister, Leanne...it's too dangerous for her to be alone out there..." Leanne nodded.

"Don't worry, mother. I'll get her back home safe before you know it." she smiled gently before rushing out the door after her little sister.

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[align=left]-Sister's Bond-

 

Leanne ran through the South Shroud frantically searching for Laira while avoiding any dangerous creatures. Her ears perked up to the sound of various threats and her body moved instinctively away, avoiding them perfectly. Leanne arrived near a big rock, panting heavily. She heard soft weeping coming from inside. She knelt beside a small opening covered with branches and leaves. She pushed the branches away and slowly crawled inside.

She glanced around the dark, her eyes landing on her Elezen sister curled up in the far end. Leanne crawled up to Laira and sat beside her, gently pulling her in for a hug. Laira rested her head on Leanne's chest and continued to cry.

"I don't even know...what father looks like...why couldn't I have been born a Miqo'te like you sister...everyone gives me weird looks whenever I'm with you and mother...that's why we moved here..." she held onto Leanne tightly. Leanne sighed sadly and gently stroked her sister's hair. She smiled sadly.

"Father was an Elezen like you...you have his eyes...and mother's hair...I have father's hair and mother's eyes...you can say...both of us have a piece of father inside of us...he's always here...smiling..." she nuzzled Laira lovingly.

"I miss him, Leanne..." Laira sighed softly. Leanne squeezed her sister tightly.

"I miss him too, Laira...but we have to be strong...for mother..."

They stayed cuddled together quietly for a few more minuted before crawling out of the rock. Leanne smiled at her sister. 

"Come. Mother is waiting for us." she held Laira's hand softly. Laira giggled.

"I love you, Leanne." she smiled brightly. One of the brightest smiles Leanne has ever seen.

 

None of them knew of the horror's to come, as the sisters headed back home.[/align]

 

~A Peaceful Dream~ end