Tainted Hearts

[Scion]

obsessed: Hahaha, gotta love the taste of drama.

Bubbles!: Yep, you know me and my twists! I have decided on the pairings, so expect more twistiness to come. Eep, I'm so mean! Sorry! But seriously, I love how you pick up on all the little hints I drop. Yaayy.

Emily: Ohh, me like those words you spoke/typed. HAHA. More drama to come. And yesss, creating characters is the best part of writing! Though female characters are slightly less exciting hehe.

DogLover: Oh, yay! *happy dance* Drama is a bit of an obsession of mine, so...

Part Six:

Six Years Ago:

^*^*^

When Arion got home from school, the first thing he did was start putting away the food his mom had packed for him. He had to do it before his dad got home or else--

“Arion, sweetie, what are you doing?”

Apple halfway back to the bowl, he froze. His mom stood with hands on hips, eyebrows arched in question. “Um…um…”

Then she sighed and massaged her brow. “This explains a lot, doesn’t it?” With a bitter laugh, she added, “I should have known.” She strode over, closed her hands over Arion’s, which still held the apple, and said, “Eat.”

He shook his head. “I can’t. Dad will know. He always knows.”

Sadness drew her mouth down at the corners. “That’s my problem. Now hurry and eat before you pass out.”

She didn’t get it, he realized. She didn’t get it at all. He’d much rather have his dad take out his temper on him than on his mom. Then again, she probably felt the same way.

Arion bit into the apple. When his dad got home, he’d confess. His mom knew the consequences of packing Arion lunches, and yet she risked it anyway. It was his turn to take some responsibility.

- - -

Present Day:

^*^*^

“Hey, you. Wake up. Wake up.”

Mercury poked the Taint’s shoulder with her shoe, not wanting to actually touch him. He’d been unconscious for a long time and he needed to wake up because she was scared and alone and it was really dark and--

His eyes opened.

ARION glanced around the small cell, taking inventory. Toilet, sink, a single wire-framed bed. And Mercury Gosstall.

This wasn’t good. He had to get her out of here. Plan, plan, plan. Even though he felt like his brains were going to start oozing out his ears, he needed a plan.

“You have to get us out of here,” Mercury said. She sat on the bed and folded her knees to her chest, her eyes red from crying. “I just want to go home.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I know.” If only his head would stop spinning for five seconds, he could wrestle with a strategy.

There were ways to break out of Tilderum--and there was no doubt that’s where they were. Across the way, he could see more cells housing more prisoners, all of whom looked starving and beaten down.

Tilderum was reserved for the worst sorts, and traitors were one of the worst sorts. He was one of the worst sorts.

Leaning back against the cold wall, he tried to release some of the tension building up inside him. If he didn’t calm down, he’d never be able to think. Feeling the telltale tickle, he wondered if there was a chance sneezing would somehow ease his headache.

Cushioning his face in his elbow, he attempted to sneeze as quietly and inconspicuously as possible without actually stifling. “HAH’izshh-OO! Uh’mmk-SHUU!” He waited a few seconds, sniffed softly, then dragged both hands over his face.

He expected Mercury to be gaping at him in horror and disgust, but instead she had an oddly gentle expression on her face, her heart-shaped mouth open a little as if in wonder or confusion. Extending an arm down toward him, she let the tips of her fingers skate across his cheek.

Something was very wrong with this picture.

- - -

“Where is he?” Shem rounded on Lunar--he felt like a bastard rounding on a girl like this, but come on! She obviously knew something she wasn’t telling and considering she was the only Taint around the answers had to come from her. If Arion had run off to do something idiotic like turn himself in, Shem would--well, he’d…

Do something. He just hadn’t decided what yet.

Lunar sat calmly at the kitchen table, sipping tea. There wasn’t a trace of fear on her face as she said quietly, “I don’t know where he is. All I know is he left.”

“Why didn’t you go with him?”

“I’m not entirely sure.” She nibbled her lower lip, tapped her chest, right over her heart. “But this is where I’m supposed to be. I can feel it.”

“You can…feel it,” Shem said, exchanging a narrow-eyed glance with Charm.

“Is this some type of Taint voodoo?” Cloyd asked.

Lunar smiled. “In a manner of speaking. To be honest, I don’t really understand it either. I know you have no reason to trust me, but if you could find it in your heart to at least let me stay with you a while longer--”

“Stay?” Shem shook his head, anxious to do something. “I have to find Arion.”

“I know,” she replied. “And we will.”

“HOW CAN YOU BE SO CALM!?” Charm yelled, pounding both fists on the table.

The cup of tea rattled, but Lunar didn’t seem to notice. “I…just have to tell myself that things will come when they come, and getting worked up won’t make them come any faster. It’s not that I’m not anxious. Believe me, I am. But I know I’m doing the right thing.” Her hand spanned across her heart. “If I didn’t know that, I’d be completely lost.”

“Since you have all the answers, can you tell us what Arion’s thinking?” Charm demanded. “Is he okay? Where is he? Or do you just plan on sitting there sipping tea for the rest of your infinite life?”

“Chill, sis,” Cloyd offered mildly, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“I need to sleep,” Lunar said.

Charm’s face turned boiled-lobster red. “Excuse me?”

“Trust me.” Lunar stood, her long purple hair swishing lightly past her waist. “Just a few hours--and then I’ll have your answers.”

- - -

Mercury had it all figured out. At this point in time, Arion had no use for her, didn’t even like her and never had--so why should he care about her fate? On the other hand, if she was someone more important to him, then he’d want to help her, he’d have to help her. As much as she loathed the idea of touching him, she knew it was her only hope.

Tracing her fingers across his cheek, she expected to feel cold skin, like that of a robot or vampire--but instead he felt warm and a little sweaty, and although that should of disgusted her, it actually relieved her a bit.

“Wh--what are you doing?” he managed to splutter, backing away from her like she’d just tried to bite him. “Hhh!” After an urgent inhale, he squeezed his nose between thumb and forefinger, shaking his head a little as his lips parted in anticipation. “Hxgt-ntt!-uh!--hh’tchff-shh! uhh.” Keeping his hand in place, he dipped his head, allowing his chest to jump slightly with his uneven breaths before suppressing another “Gxt!-nuhh…”

He sighed afterward, and slumped back against the barren wall with his eyes closed, cheeks flushed, and nose colored a shade of rosy pink.

Mercury felt a weird twinge then, of what she had no clue, but it seriously unnerved her. Curls of heat unwound inside her, accompanied by a flirty, fluttery feeling. She wasn’t even sure that made sense, but that’s what it felt like.

Wait…was she actually…attracted to him? To a Taint? And to Arion no less, the boy she’d spent so long despising? What. The. Hell. Was. Wrong with her!?!?!?

“Are you…okay?” he asked uncertainly. Through sleepy, heavy-lidded eyes, he watched her, seemingly as indifferent as ever, but somehow now more human--which of course was absurd--how could be becoming a Taint make someone more human?

She saw his nostrils flare slightly, saw his eyebrows inch closer together, and knew she was going to bear witness to his humanity once more, though she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. It was all too confusing.

He brought his hand up in preparation, and she noticed that it was almost imperceptibly trembling. “Ih’Chxngt-uu!” A visible shudder wracked him.

Mercury had the sudden ridiculous urge to put her arms around him, to warm him. You idiot! He’s the enemy! A monster! Her mom had always said--

Just then he tensed and cocked his head as if listening for something. Putting a hand to his mouth to silence her, he mouthed, “Someone’s coming. Don’t say anything. Got that?”

She scowled, but nodded. If she wanted to say something she’d say it. Besides, she couldn’t hear anything, other than the occasional moan. And she’d thought he was human!

Not long later, footsteps entered her range of hearing. A woman in a Taint uniform appeared outside the cell, and she didn’t look happy.

Mercury cringed, unconsciously moving closer to Arion.

“Arion,” the intimidating woman said, her lips not even moving.

Arion stood. “Mother.”

M--mother? But…

Another uniformed man who looked just as unfriendly came to stand by her side. The way he looked at the female Taint made Mercury wonder if he was delusional enough to think she’d ever go for him--the lady was practically a robot.

“Evers, I want you to question this traitor, find out everything he knows. He’s spent a significant amount of time in enemy territory. Use whatever means necessary. Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir!” The man nodded obediently.

Wait…what!? Mercury turned her gaze to Arion in confusion. Had his mother just ordered him to be…tortured…for information?

He shook his head minutely, reminding her not to speak. Screw that!

“What the--?”

Arion spoke over her, “YOU CAN DO WHATEVER you want to me. But if you think I’ll ever help you after this, you’re mistaken, Captain.”

As Arion was taken away, all Mercury could do was stay pressed against the cell wall, watching in horror. He’d left her alone, and she didn’t know if he was coming back, or what condition he’d be in if he did.

Throwing herself onto the thin mattress, she buried her face in her hands and wept.

- - -

[DogLover]

Dun dun dun...

Fantastic as always. Have I mentioned I love your writing? I have? Too bad

[Emily]

aha! you have captured me with your mastery in the arts of cliffhanging

yet again, I might add.

and flows smoother than a baby's buttcheek

reading this makes me feel like writing this weekend and continuing the 3497589749 stories I've left hanging ^^;

[Quite Contrary]

I am so confused! And yet I like it... Your story is intriguing as always!

[VividBubbles!]

Ahhahahahah!!! I knew it! Yes, I got one pairing right! Yay! Mercury and Arion.... nice. Except, this is probably just a trick! You want us to think the pairing is Mercury and Arion but you're gonna twist it in your twisty way of yours and surprise us all, aren't you?! Or maybe I'm wrong and it actually will be Mercury and Arion. Ugh, you're so unpredictably predictable! Anyway, I'm just gonna sit here on the edge of my seat and wait for more. Please hurry, the edge of this seat is very uncomfortable.

BYE!

[Ciuty80]

THIS is sooooo GOOD!!

arion, i like him and his sneezes ......... :drool:

please more!

[obsessed]

scion you are one fantastic lady.

[Scion]

DogLover: Hehe, hearing that you like my writing never gets old. Thank you so much!

Emily: I don't even plan the cliffhangers. They just happen. Really! Ohh, writing. Yes. Writing is good. I too have at least 384732847302843 unfinished stories to work on!

Quite Contrary: Haha, thank you. I'm sure you're not the only one confused. I can't write without being ambiguous, apparently.

Bubbles!: Hahahahaha, I love you. Seriously. You know me better than I know myself! Muahaha. I so look forward to your comments, and I'm excited for your reactions when the final couples are revealed. :D I promise I will try to be quick.

Ciuty80: Aww, yay. Thank you so, so much! Very happy about you liking Arion, too. It really means the world to me.

obsessed: Oh, how you spoil me. Thank you, lovely.

Part Seven:

When Lunar woke up, she knew exactly what she had to do. Opening the bedroom door, she found all three Mortals gathered together with anxious expressions.

“Well?” demanded the pretty blonde--Charm, she recalled.

Lunar watched Shem curiously. Sensing his worry in a manner she’d never experienced before, she couldn’t help wondering who exactly he was. He wasn’t like the other Mortals--not that she herself claimed to be an expert on the subject. She’d been a Taint since the very day she was born.

“I know where he is,” Lunar stated.

Shem sagged in relief. “Where? Where is he?”

Lunar debated what to say--she didn’t want to concern him further, but he’d find out eventually, so… “He’s…in a Taint prison. Tilderum.”

All the color evaporated from Shem’s face. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“I really, truly wish I were,” Lunar said. “Now let’s go get him out.”

- - -

When they brought him back, Mercury had a hard time reconciling the fragile, cracked figure with the strong, stoic Arion she knew.

There wasn’t a visible scratch on him, and yet when he was tossed into the cell like a broken doll, he simply lay still on floor. Tentatively, she knelt beside him and let her fingers graze his shoulder, so he’d know she was there. Although it was wrong, she felt glad he’d returned, because it was better than being alone.

“Are you okay?” she asked, shaking slightly from fear and exhaustion.

His lips barely moved when the he whispered in a gravelly voice, “I’m…fine.”

But, oh, was he lying. And Mercury was at a loss as to what to do. She’d never been good at these things, at helping other people. She’d never had much interest in the feelings of others, never bothered herself with trivial thoughts like that, but…she wanted to help him--only because he was her only hope of escape! Not because she felt anything other than hatred and disgust for him.

Of course not.

But then…why had she started stroking his hair? Aghast, she yanked her hand away and stared at it like it’d betrayed her in the worst way.

“Hh uhh…”

Arion’s pale face gained some much-needed color as his nose fought its own personal battle--and lost. He looked to be in a deal of pain as he sneezed, curling in on himself with a gasp as the second sneeze hit. “Uhg’tchssshh-oo! Huh! Nxgt-usshhh!-hahh.”

This is the part where she was supposed to grimace and move as far away from him as possible. Instead, she found herself moving closer, found her hand once again caressing his silky cornflower blue hair, liking the way it felt against her chilled fingers.

He didn’t seem to notice, mumbling something under his breath over and over. “Left, left, left, left, left, left…” and on and on and on, like he couldn’t stop himself.

“Shh,” she said, using her other hand to rub his back. “Arion. Arion?”

“I think,” he began, then paused to clear his throat. “I think that’s the first time you’ve used my name.”

Mercury frowned, but realized with surprise that he was right. She couldn’t remember ever using his name before. What did that say about her? Well, anyway, she wasn’t about to apologize. She’d had her reasons.

“What…did they do to you?” And do I really want to know?

“I’m…gonna get you out of here.” With the heel of his hand, he massaged between his brows, releasing a tightly-leashed sigh. “As soon as I can think straight.”

“Is there anything I can do?” she asked, then decided the question stemmed from more than just habit; she actually wanted to know.

His hands were shaking as he drew them down his face and let them rest over his nose and mouth, his breathing ragged. “Huhh…”

Oh lord, it was happening again. Mercury felt the heat of embarrassment climbing up her neck, but she couldn’t look away. He’s human, she thought. He’s…vulnerable.

“Hmgt’tsshh!-hh.”

Beneath her hand, his chest expanded, rising with an abrupt inhale before he shook with a mercilessly stifled “Huh’mmphh! Hhh…h’xzshht!” Sniffling, he rubbed under his nose and slowly sat up, canting back against the wall.

Mercury studied him, took in the haunted eyes shadowed with dark half-moons, the white, clammy complexion, the reddened nose and chapped lips--and asked something she never thought she’d say to a Taint: “Are you sick?”

“No,” he said, lying through his teeth. “I’m fine. Just need to rest awhile. Then we can…we can get out of here.”

She experienced a spike of guilt, something she wasn’t used to--and this was Arion of all people. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

He closed his eyes, droplets of sweat beading on his forehead. “I…don’t know.” Then he winced. “I’m…”

Inching slightly closer to him, she whispered, “What?”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he tilted his head back, lips drawing apart with a hitch of his breath. “Ihshhnxg!”

Again, Mercury felt the urge to reach out to him. She couldn’t take her eyes off his face, wanted to lay her hand across his brow and feel the heat of his life.

She was totally losing it. Nuts. She was nuts.

Heat of his life? What the hell was that?

Standing, she pressed herself against the cell bars. She had to get out of here before she did something she’d regret.

“Hh’uhnnk!-ah.”

Dammit, dammit, dammit!

- - -

“Who are we meeting?” Shem asked. They’d stopped outside Tieran’s Floating Coffee House, all four of them packed into Shem’s hovercar. He’d spent the entire drive there guilt-tripping over Arion’s disappearance. He had no clue where Mercury and her mom had run off to, but he was kind of relieved--the last thing he needed now was Mercury climbing all over him--okay, so he never really needed that, but still…

“A friend,” was all Lunar said.

“How specific,” Charm grumbled from the back.

“Can we go in and get something?” Cloyd asked, fidgeting. “I’m starving.”

“You had an entire frozen pizza right before we left!” Charm groaned and put her head in her hands. “We really suck as heroes. You know that?”

“Agreed,” Shem said. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Seeing Arion again after so long apart had been…strange. He couldn’t decide how he felt about the guy.

Lunar stiffened next to Shem. “He’s here.”

“Oh,” Shem said when he saw who it was. “Him.”

- - -

[Emily]

UGWAAAAAAAHH I LOVE LOVE LOOOOVE THIS

did I mention that sickie in denial is another weakness of mine?

oh well I guess I did

T w T I'm feeling really guilty about not finishing anything

time to get my half-assed ass back in business

[VividBubbles!]

Mercury studied him, took in the haunted eyes shadowed with dark half-moons, the white, clammy complexion, the reddened nose and chapped lips--and asked something she never thought she’d say to a Taint: “Are you sick?” “No,” he said, lying through his teeth. “I’m fine. Just need to rest awhile. Then we can…we can get out of here.”

Liar! Liar liar liar! Totally pants on fire! Of course, denying that he's sick just makes him adorabler... more adorable? Ah, there it is. Anyway, continue with your denial, Arion. I will be here to take care of you when you crash ('cuz you're totally going to) and possibly obliterate Mercury because, really, that girl just needs to give in to the Arion lovin'! Stop resting girl!

So anyway, really, really great Scion. Keep up the awesome work! Oh, and I'm so happy I got a pairing right! I shall now wait for your next clue. Also, I'm sorta confused. At first I thought it'd be Lunar and Cloyd as a pairing but now I'm thinking more Shem and Lunar but that would leave Cloyd and Charm and they're siblings so you'd have to introduce two more characters for their pairings or they wouldn't have a pairing but I know that you'd never do that Scion because it would drive you and everyone else who reads your stories crazy and... UGH! You know what, I just gonna do what I said earlier and wait for the next clue. Update soon!

BYE!

P.S. I just finished the 3rd book of the Beautiful Creatures series, Beautiful Chaos. Scion, I know you tried to read the first book and didn't like it all that much but I think you really should try the series again. Even if you hate the first and the second books the third will totally make up for them both. That's how good it was, though it did end in a cliffhanger. Sound familiar?

BYE! Again.

edited: because I am a horrible proof reader

[EmeraldThread]

I love your stories so much!! I've been following them since I started creeping on the forum sometime...over a year ago before I joined the other day. But yours were some of the first I started reading and actually checking up on almost every day. Ever since then, I've been hoping you'll update whatever story you're working on every day (though even as the suspense kills me, I don't want the story to go by too fast), and I pretty much stop whatever I'm doing to read the newest part. Your spellings are soooo awesome, too, I always end up going back and rereading them after I've read the whole part through.

Oftentimes when I read original stories, I find myself losing interest here and there for whatever reason. In fact, when I first read your earlier stories, I wondered what fandom they were from, before I read your notes that the characters were all yours. The way you write them just makes them so interesting, and the flashbacks give such great insight! Really, I love reading these things you post, and I'm looking forward to the next part!

[Scion]

Emily: Ahaha! Yes! Another one of your weakness that I shall surely exploit in future. Wrrrriiiitttteee. You'll feel better if you do! (Or so I assume). Do it, do it, do it! Peer pressure!

Bubbles!: Bahahaha. You're so hilarious. Reading your comments is the highlight of my day. Thank you so freakin' much. Also, you should always trust in your initial gut instincts. And that's all I have to say about that. But, don't worry. I'll try my hardest to create an ending you'll enjoy. And as for Beautiful Creatures...I can't make any promises, but it may potentially happen, if you're so in love with it. It's been SO LONG since I've read anything good, so I'm getting desperate!

ElementsofGray: Wow, biggest compliment ever. I'm seriously honored. Thank you so much! Knowing you enjoy my stories so much is seriously the best thing in the world! And sneeze spellings, hahaha. I spend about ten minutes trying to figure out each one, so I'm glad it works out for the best. And ohhhhh my characters are interesting!?!?! I feel like a proud mom...LOL. THANK YOU about a million times. Oh, and I'm glad you decided to join, finally!

Part Eight:

Shem couldn’t believe how easy it was. Lorn simply approached the guards and politely asked them to let the five of them enter. When Lorn spoke, they obeyed. It was actually kind of creepy.

“Okay, they’re in Bronze Block--that’s the lowest level.” Lorn looked distinctly unhappy as he guided them through the prison. They took the elevator, an uninviting metal box, down to the basement level.

Any time someone appeared suspicious, Lorn simply said a few words and got them off the hook as if the hook never even existed.

“This is that voodoo stuff again, isn’t it?” Cloyd said in a loud whisper.

“Shh!” Charm hissed. “Let’s just get this over with. I don’t want to think about any of this right now, or I won’t be able to do anything useful.”

“Agreed,” Shem said.

- - -

Arion didn’t understand the sudden change in Mercury’s demeanor. She’d gone from vengeful harpy to concerned flower--granted, a thorny rose, but a flower all the same.

Shut up already, he told himself, tired of his own mind. Just leave me alone.

If he’d felt adrift before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now. He could still hear the thoughts of the soldiers in his head.

Do you know what it feels like to burn alive?

Your flesh will melt and merge with your bones.

You’ll want to scream but your throat will collapse.

You’ll pray for it to end, but the pain will keep coming.

One of the Taint soldiers had taken hold of his mind, then, and to Arion, it had felt like that fire was real. It went on and on and when he’d finally blacked out, he’d been relieved--until it had started all over again.

Tell us what you know, traitor!

Are the Morts planning an attack?

What kind of weaponry do they have?

“Um. Arion?”

“Huh?” He glanced up to find Mercury staring at him, her brow wrinkled in naked anxiety and confusion. “Oh. Sorry.”

“No.” She shook her head, looking like a frightened little girl. “But you said we were going to get us out of here, right? You promised? So…when?”

He’d said that? When? “Yeah,” he told her, making a valiant effort to sort out the mess in his mind. “Yeah. Soon.”

- - -

They were doomed. Mercury wanted to burst into tears, but she was all cried out. Arion looked half-dead, and he was clearly full of it. Get out of there? As if! It would be a miracle if he could even walk a straight line at the moment.

“Hh’xgssht!-uhh.”

Arion hung his head, scratching the side of his nose as his nostrils flared and his eyebrows began to crinkle with the impending sneeze. Fixated, she watched him smother the outburst against his wrist. “Gxk!-chhh!” He tipped his head back, tussling with another sneeze, then jerked forward with a “Mmpg!-tchuh!”

“Are you sure you’re not sick?” she asked to disguise her embarrassed interest.

He slid a glare her way and muttered a low, “I’m sure.” Out of nowhere, he sprung to his feet. “Someone’s…coming--” And then, in awe, “I think, I think it’s…Shem.”

“What!?” Mercury joined him, curling her hands around the cool metal of the cell bars as she squinted into the distance, desperately praying that, by some miracle, Arion was right, and Shem really had come to save them.

- - -

“They’re right up ahead,” Lorn said, glancing around nervously and gnawing on his thumb nail. “But we need to be quick. My trick won’t work on everyone.”

“Trick?” Charm whispered. “Is that what they’re calling mind control these days? How very quaint.”

A blush darkened Lorn’s cheeks, but he made no move to defend himself.

Arion, Shem thought. I’m on my way.

And then he’d stopped being on his way because, holy hell, he was there--he could actually see Arion, but merely seeing him, Shem discovered, was not enough. He needed to feel Arion’s heart beating under his palm; he couldn’t lose his friend again.

Not again.

“Arion!” Shem threw himself at the bars to Arion’s cell, the cat-calls Lunar and Charm were receiving barely on his radar. “Arion!” Reaching through the bars, he gripped Arion’s shoulder and squeezed, closing his eyes in sweet relief. “Arion.” Jeez, was that all he could say? He sounded like a friggin’ idiot. Arion, Arion, Arion.

“Shem.” Arion leaned his forehead on the bars, the very image of enervation: foggy eyes, waxen skin, fever-flushed cheekbones. “What are you doing here?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” When Shem attempted to bring his hand back, he suffered a major fail. How had he managed to squeeze his damn arm in there in the first place?

“You’re stuck, aren’t you?” Arion said a bit ruefully.

“Yes,” Shem admitted. “Yes I am.”

That’s when he noticed her, standing on Arion’s left and looking so unlike her usual not-a-hair-out-of-place self: Mercury. Shem’s heart took a flying leap up his esophagus.

“Mercury?” he said, voice reaching a pitch higher than he thought acceptable. “What--? I mean…how…? That is…I had no idea you were…”

“HihSHNK!-chhuuh!”

Shem turned in time to see Arion arc forward, bracing his hands on the cell bars for support, as he determinedly squelched another sneeze. “ChhSSHnxg!”

- - -

While the others were busy with their reunion, Lorn went to work on the keypad outside the cell door; he was good at getting people to do what he wanted, and electronics were no different. If he wanted the thing to open Arion’s cell for him, it would.

He typed in a number at random, then stood back to witness the results.

- - -

“Ow, ow, ow!” Shem bit back a howl of pain as the cell door suddenly slid open, retracting into the wall--and bringing his arm with it. Something definitely cracked, which actually ended up being a good thing, because the break allowed him to maneuver his limp hand free. Of course, the process required a high threshold for pain, but that was something he could deal with--Arion’s death was another matter.

“Here, let me--” Lunar began, but was cut off by Lorn.

“We don’t have time for that. It’ll have to wait until we’re out of here, okay? Please?”

And they nearly made it, too. They were actually out of the prison, nearly home-free, when it happened.

“STOP! TRAITORS!”

“NO-WAIT!”

Followed by the sound of blastfire.

It all happened so incredibly, freakishly fast.

Two people: a no-face Taint soldier, and Ellem Zole. The no-face fired first at Arion, then zeroed in on Lunar, and would have fired again, too--but before he could, two things happened.

One, Ellem Zole, her mouth open in a silent scream, launched herself at Arion, tackling him to the ground just as the blast hit, slamming through her with enough power to knock the two of them a good four feet across the pavement.

Two, Cloyd Alvis went bat-shit crazy on the no-face, taking him down in one rabid pounce. The blaster went flying as Cloyd pummeled the guy into the ground.

Shem stood there, paralyzed. He was so overwhelmed he couldn’t begin to figure out what he was meant to do first; he just wanted to collapse and sleep for the next eternity.

Then, he heard it, a hollow, lifeless “Mom?”

- - -

Cloyd had always been different--different in a way that made others uncomfortable. So, one day he’d decided it’d be easier if he were someone else. From Clive Boyd, Cloyd had been born. Cloyd. A boy with no obvious strengths or talents, a boy who usually went unnoticed.

No one had to know about his photographic memory or about his abnormal strength. All anyone saw when they looked at him was an idiot. He’d begun to wonder if even his own sister had forgotten the real him--if the real him ever really existed.

But the way Lunar smiled at him--it was like she knew, like she could see right through his stupid act and into the dark, fucked-up person he was inside.

And so that’s why, when that one fucker of a guard pointed his blaster at her like he meant to snuff out her beautiful, vibrant life right then and there, Clive Boyd Alvis grabbed Cloyd by the throat and ripped him to shreds.

No one was going to fuck with Lunar on his watch.

- - -

“Mom?”

Arion, with his mother’s head in his lap, tried to recall what he was supposed to be feeling at a time like this. Grief? Anger? Disbelief?

But all he got was a pointless left left left.

She was dying. He could see it, see a lot more of her insides than he’d ever cared to, see the consciousness fading from her eyes.

“Baby,” she said, her voice wet and clogged with blood. With desperation, she stared into his eyes even as she quaked with pain. “I’m…s…sorry. L…love you.”

He should say it back, shouldn’t he? Those three words. He should tell her he forgave her, that it was all okay now and…

“I…”

She gasped, her hand going limp in his, her eyes emptying…everything…gone.

Left…

- - -

Shem was at a loss. Arion had just seen his mother die before his eyes, and yet he wasn’t crying. He was showing no type of reaction at all. Shem’d asked Charm to drive, because he wasn’t comfortable leaving Arion’s side. Cloyd, or whoever that guy really was, had gone with Lunar (after she'd healed his hand) in Lorn’s hover. Mercury, who was up front next to Charm, hadn’t spoken a word since their escape.

Nothing made sense anymore.

Was Arion’s stoicism because of his tainted blood, or was there a less terrible explanation? Was it simply that he was too worn out to break down?

Sitting with hunched shoulders and a bowed head, Arion was the very picture of exhaustion. His eyes, however, were dry, and he was silent save for the occasional throat-clearing.

Shem wanted to help him, but he didn’t know how. He didn’t know Arion anymore, didn’t recognize the boy that sat beside him, couldn’t believe he was the kind, gentle Arion he’d known all his life.

Maybe he really has changed for the worse. Maybe becoming a Taint had made him into someone Shem didn’t care to know. But then, why had Arion taken a blast for him?

Why, why, why. There were so many questions floating around in his head it was making him crazy. He wanted to get out of the car and just breathe in the fresh air--but he wouldn’t leave Arion alone.

A weight landed on his shoulder, and he jumped slightly in surprise. Arion had slumped against him, using him as a makeshift headrest. Without thinking, Shem wrapped an arm around Arion’s shoulders and pulled him closer, letting him know that Shem was there if he needed him.

Even the threat of an upcoming sneeze didn’t faze him. “Huhh…hh…”

“Bless you,” Mercury said from out of freaking nowhere.

“Hih’nktssshh!”

For no reason he could fathom, Shem found himself wanting to slap a piece of duct tape over Mercury’s big mouth. Then, of course, he felt like a bastard. She’d done nothing wrong, and here he was acting like a complete psycho.

“You gonna be okay?” Shem asked Arion.

“Sure,” he said hoarsely, then yawned broadly as his eyelids drooped.

Shem felt a pang in his chest. “Take a nap. I’ll wake you when we’re home.”

“Home?” Arion’s voice was dull, void of any inflection, but he did allow his eyes to close; soon, his breathing evened out as sleep folded over him.

- - -

[Emily]

haha, I think I will. I've been owing people stories for sometime now and I feel guilty lurking about the forum without finishing them

by the way, is that a love triangle I smell?

[obsessed]

Oh the angst. <3

[EmeraldThread]

You're welcome! Yet again, I'm amazed by how quickly each part of the story goes by when I read it. I actually try not to scroll down too far, and just do it little by little so the end doesn't creep up on me too fast, haha. Yeah, the time you spend on spellings is definitely well worth it. Yes! Your characters are awesome, and their names! That's one thing I forgot to mention - I love their names and how we get to see each of them with their own story in some way. But I think out of everything that's going on, I want to know the meaning of "left" most. XD

[DogLover]

Ugh, I missed a part because the forum kept going offline Oh well, more awesomeness now Arion is such a great sickie! And do I see a love triangle forming...?

Update soon!

BYE!

(Yes, I stole Bubbles!'s BYE! It felt appropriate...)

[Ciuty80]

oh nooo they killed arions mom

shem is such a GOOD friend!!!

i hope everything´s going to be alright!

can´t wait for the next part, please more!

[VividBubbles!]

Wow. Wow wow wow wow wow wow wow. Just, just wow. I am in shock here. This is just, just wow.

So, Cloyd (or should I say Clive) and Lunar huh? Interesting, they will be a great couple. I'm now very confused about the rest of the people but here are my new guesses.

Cloyd/Clive - Lunar

Mercury - Arion

or

Shem - Arion

Charm - Lorn

Oh, and by the way, who the heck is Lorn?! Did I miss something here or is he just a new character?!

I can't wait for your next update!

BYE!

P.S. @ElementsofGray

Hey! Welcome to the forum! You joined on my birthday! You are officially awesome.

BYE! Again.

[Scion]

Ahh, sorry guys. I've had zero time.

So, I promise I will reply to each of you individually next time (if there is one? undecided?) but THANK YOU all so much for your awesome comments. Each and every one of you is totally amazing. Anyyyway. I actually wrote this a couple days ago but had not one second to post it, so I'm doing it now at 2:15 AM even though I have to get up at 7 AM. Haha. Personal Pity Party.

OH, and Bubbles!: Yes, Lorn is the guy from the beginning, the one who worked on Arion's team and was sent to kill him but instead helped him?

Reference: AHRBON is basically just a neutral district that also serves as a peace refuge type thingy.

Part Nine:

Arion was meant to be meeting up with his “supposed” friends, but he couldn’t imagine anything he wanted less than to have to see Mercury Gosstall. Charm and Cloyd weren’t much better. It’s not that he didn’t like them; he just didn’t know how to deal with them.

Whenever he was around them, he felt tense and anxious, like everything that came out of his mouth was stupid and useless. It took way too much energy.

It was probably weird that he cared about that kinda stuff, but he couldn’t exactly turn off his own mind. He had no mental-control whatsoever.

When he got the message on his holoscreen from his mom, telling him to come home immediately, it was almost a relief. Idling his hover at a fork in the street, he took a moment to consider.

It would be so easy to do what his mom said. Orders made sense and didn’t require much thought. But actually making the conscious decision to disobey his mother simply to spend time agonizing over his awkwardness amongst his faux-friends…he couldn’t do it.

So Arion turned right and headed for home.

And to a mother who’d lost her mind.

To a mother who’d already gone Taint.

And to his own future as a Taint himself.

- - -

“Left. Left. Left!”

“Hey--Air. Air, wake up.” Shem shook his friend’s arm, wondering if he should be upset or relieved at Arion’s frantic tone.

“Uhmf…huh?” Arion lifted his head from Shem’s shoulder, blinking sleepily.

“You okay?” Shem asked skeptically.

Running his hands up his face and back through his hair, Arion managed to give himself an extreme case of bed-head. “Sure,” he said, knuckling his nose. “Hhh…”

Shem felt the muscles in Arion’s frame tense up, and had the sudden urge to look away and pretend nothing unusual was happening--but he didn’t…couldn’t, technically.

Propping his hands on his knees, Arion angled forward and somehow managed to stifle a sneeze without any external aid. “MBGXTss!-uhh…hh.”

“Ble--”

“Bless you!” Shem said with waaaay too much enthusiasm, cutting Mercury off mid-word. “I mean…you know…bless you…”

It was a testament to how out of it Arion was that he didn’t bother to look at Shem like Shem was a freaking weirdo, despite all evidence to support the claim.

Mercury, however, did manage to turn a fiery Hell-glare on him with eyes that said I will eat you alive, you pathetic human.

“So, what exactly are we going to do?” Charm said, breaking the awkward silence. “I mean, we have three Taints with us, not to mention the fact that we just broke into a high-security Taint prison and busted out with two prisoners. Am I the only one who realizes how bad this is? Because you all seem really calm and I--”

“My mom!” Mercury suddenly burst out, voice choked. “I don’t know where she is! What if they got her? What if…”

They killed her? Shem thought, flicking a glance at Arion, who didn’t even seem to be following the conversation.

Shem took a few moments to weigh the consequences of letting his friends in on his little secret--then laughed inwardly. As if, at this point, he had any other choice?

“My parents,” he said. “They’re, um, waiting for me…in Ahrbon.”

Silence.

Then, from Charm: “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me! What the heck is wrong with you!? Don’t you think that’s something you should mention to your so-called friends!?! Or do you even consider us your friends at all?”

“Oh, shut up!” Mercury snapped.

Shem groaned. This was going about as well as he’d expected. “Look--it was only a couple weeks ago, okay? I was going to join them, but I…I stayed to finish off my training at Brooks. I thought that’s what I wanted, to fight.”

“And now?” This from Arion, who’d laid his head on Shem’s shoulder again.

“Fighting is the last thing I want to do,” Shem admitted. The memory of killing that Taint, Glev, ate at him constantly, and now this, with Arion’s mom… “My parents were right. There shouldn’t be any fighting in the first place.”

“Well, there is,” Charm said. “And ignoring the problem won’t solve it.”

“This is going to sound really selfish,” Shem said, “but I don’t care. I mean, I care, but…the thing is, I’m not into the whole ‘greater good’ thing. If I had to kill my best friend to save the world, I wouldn’t be able to do it. I’m not saying that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s a fact that I can’t change and honestly don’t want to.”

“But…my mom,” Mercury whispered. “I can’t just…leave her…forget about her.”

“Um…maybe she’s at your house? Or back at mine?” Charm offered, though her tone made it clear she didn’t put much stock in her own suggestions.

Arion said, “Lunar. She might be able to help you out.”

“Do we really have time for her to take a nap right now?” Charm blurted, then mumbled, “Sorry, but…”

Mercury made a hissing noise, like she wanted to attack Charm with her demon claws--not that she actually had demon claws, Shem had to remind himself. “And what about you and Cloyd, huh? Your parents are Mort soldiers. D’you think they’d ever agree to live in Ahrbon?”

“In case you hadn’t realized,” Charm replied tightly, “neither I nor Cloyd have spoken to our parents in over a year. Do you really think we’re bound by them?”

“We don’t need ah--all the answers right nhh…now,” Arion said, pinch his nose. “We can figure all this out once we’re in Ahrbon.”

“If they even let us in,” Charm grumbled.

“They--hg’NXT!-uh--they let everyone in.” Arion sniffed. “As long as we don’t have any weapons and aren’t completely insane.”

“Well, then that rules out Shem’s getting in,” Charm joked.

No one laughed.

“What about Lunar and Lorn?” Shem asked, forcibly guiding Arion’s head back to his shoulder. “Will they be okay with this?”

“They don’t really have any other choice. Lunar’s an orphan, and Lorn’s parents…are better left unmentioned.” Arion gasped a little, wincing and kneading his brow.

“Headache?” Shem asked, worried that the Taint side-effects were showing themselves.

Arion shook his head even as his face paled to the color of freshly-fallen snow. “Left,” he said under his breath. Then, more loudly, “LEFT!” Clamping a hand over his mouth, he attempted to dam the flow of laughter.

“Is he…okay?” Mercury wondered.

“Um,” Shem said. “Not sure how to answer that one.”

“Shem!” Arion said breathlessly, trying not to laugh. “I finally figured it out. I’m…I’m an utter moron. It’s so…obvious…ihb’tchksshh! Huh…hh!” His breath continued to hitch for another few seconds before he caught a “uptssh-mff!” in his shoulder.

“Bless you,” Shem told him. “Now, what are you talking about?”

“It’s…it’s just I finally realized what my subconscious was trying to tell me…or something like that. Back when I became a Taint. It was…the wrong decision. I guess I always knew that but I never knew why. Now I do.”

“I think that was the most you’ve ever said at one time,” Charm commented in a gentle ribbing. “Careful you don’t lose your voice.”

“It’s not my voice I’m in danger of losing,” he countered, in turn giving Shem another dose of troubled anxiety.

“What the heck does that mean?”

“It’s…nothing to worry about--as long as Lunar sticks around.”

And now there was another wave of…something smacking Shem in the face. Jealousy? What, did he have a thing for Lunar, or…oh. Ohhh.

Crap.

“And, uh,” Shem began, feeling like his head was going to explode, “that reason why…what is it, exactly?”

Arion inclined his head, the corner of his mouth quirking up in the faintest echo of a smile long since deceased. “I’ll have to get back to you on that.”

- - -

[VividBubbles!]

Yes!!! Shem and Arion! I can dig it. Oh, and I officially like Mercury. She sorta reminds me of myself, especially with the Hell-glare and the eating pathetic people who try to steal her man. Well, except Shem. I'd never eat Shem. He's too awesome. Update soon! BYE!

[Ciuty80]

sweet couple shem and arion!!! soooo cute!!!

jealous shem...

this is getting even better with every new part!!!!

please moarrrr!

[Emily]

I had something amazing to say like an hour ago when I was about to reply. and then I started folding laundry and time flies when you have fun, a-yup. I guess since I haven't anything interesting to say, I'll just continue trying to figure out what Arion was gonna say :'D

[LeadaAlexys52]

First of all OH MY GOD this is an EPIC story! Need more!!! I am so jealous of your talent!

Second I feel so out of the loop I only found this forum a few months ago and I obviously need to do some stocking down of your other stories the way people are raving about them. Have to say I'm a little excited considering my brain kept telling me to go to sleep and I told it to "shut up, I'm reading something amazing here!"

Can't wait for an update!

[EmeraldThread]

I leave for the weekend and come back to find that you've updated your magnificent story! I can't even tell you how excited I was when I pulled up the forum and here's "Tainted Hearts" staring me in the face. I read it immediately, even though I don't think I was awake enough to actually process a whole lot of it. XD

Seriously, though, I love Arion and Shem more and more with every update, can't wait to find out what Arion figured out, and I love this story! Please update again soon~!

[Candy]

*flails at another Scion story* Why are you so awesome? I never even used to like angst that much but now I am a total addict convert! Moremorepleasemoremoremore?