Aramis Aldin
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Mage
Beneath the trees my heart belongs...
Posts: 541
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Post by Aramis Aldin on Nov 19, 2009 18:49:19 GMT -5
Aramis stood looking out a window, his ears open for the sound of a teacher's footsteps. He couldn't sleep; for all the grousing Kemekin did about his own snoring, the kid sure made a lot of noise when asleep. He crossed his arms on the sill, sighing softly. At least all the bruises and marks were gone now. Aramis looked at his wrists. No sign remained of the red marks that had been there for some time.
Taking a deep breath, he leaned his forehead against the cool glass, reaching the point that he didn't care who found him standing in the hall, some distance from the dorms. He couldn't sleep, and couldn't stand just pacing in his room where he might wake Kemekin.
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Nov 19, 2009 19:05:59 GMT -5
Evelyn came softly down the hallway, her borrowed eyes darting left and right. This was an area of the castle she had never been in by herself before, though that could be said for a lot of the castle. It felt good to be out and about again, even if she had to borrow Liam's body to get the chance. Maybe this time she would find Jonathan again.
Someone was standing by a window several feet away... he looked more like Liam than like Jonathan. Curious, Eve tiptoed closer, seeing that she recognized him by sight. It was the boy who had helped Ian after he had been beaten up, and who had healed those two other boys who had tried to kill themselves. What was his name again?
She came closer, standing right beside him; he didn't seem to notice. For a while she stood staring out of the window, looking down at the dark courtyard far below. The moon was almost new tonight, looking like a crooked smile.
"Nice night," she spoke up casually, and immediately caught herself. This wasn't Jonathan; no one else had heard her voice coming from her brother's mouth. Then again, if this boy never turned to see her, he would never know the difference.
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Aramis Aldin
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Mage
Beneath the trees my heart belongs...
Posts: 541
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Post by Aramis Aldin on Nov 19, 2009 19:11:21 GMT -5
Aramis ignored the person who stood beside him until they spoke. He shrugged, his eyes closed. "If you think so. What are you doing out? Shouldn't you be asleep or something? Whatever it is normal people do?"
He no longer considered himself that. Not with all that he'd needed to do, or how he'd been feeling recently.
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Nov 20, 2009 0:28:39 GMT -5
Evelyn frowned a little. "'Normal people'? You don't consider yourself one?" Not that I can really talk. She leaned on the windowsill beside the boy, looking at him curiously. "What's your name?"
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Aramis Aldin
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Mage
Beneath the trees my heart belongs...
Posts: 541
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Post by Aramis Aldin on Nov 20, 2009 0:31:36 GMT -5
"Not anymore..." he said softly. He sighed softly, his forehead still pressed against the glass. "Aramis..."
He wasn't going to tell her his full name. It was too embarrassing. His parents had read too many old fictions when thinking of his name... Why couldn't they have looked in a normal baby name book or something, and not take hints from Dumas and Tolkien?
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Nov 20, 2009 0:43:06 GMT -5
Evelyn smiled. "It's nice meeting you. I'm Evelyn. You know my brother Liam... at least, I know you've met him."
Normally she would have been a little put off by the fact that Aramis wasn't looking at her when he was talking to her, but now she thought herself lucky that he hadn't looked up and seen her much-misplaced feminine voice coming from a masculine body. She continued gazing out the window, trying not to think about how awkward this was... much more awkward than she had expected.
"You're the one who was healing everyone while Miss Ellie was gone, right?" she spoke up quietly after a pause. "I bet it was frustrating... everyone coming to you with their pains and problems, and hardly anyone giving a thought to how it was all affecting you. How did you deal with it all?"
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Aramis Aldin
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Mage
Beneath the trees my heart belongs...
Posts: 541
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Post by Aramis Aldin on Nov 20, 2009 0:51:20 GMT -5
"Like this," Aramis said softly. "I avoid everyone when I can and not feel guilty about it... It's not like I've been able to sleep since..."
His voice trailed off. Since Zephyros slit his wrists...
He sighed again and just pressed his forehead harder against the glass. "And I guess everyone just thought I was like Miss Ellie... But I'm not. I'm only now barely starting to get trained how to heal... if I can heal properly and not just... absorb the injuries in a way..." He winced in memory of what it had taken to heal him from that. Another reason to be avoiding his roommate... It had hurt Kemekin to heal him, and it just felt... awkward. Well, it had been awkward the entire time Kemekin's aunt had been missing too. Interesting that both of the students with healing ability had been roomed together.
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Nov 20, 2009 19:51:15 GMT -5
Evelyn looked at Aramis in pity. "That must have been hard for you... and it wasn't like you could complain about it or anything either. Nobody would want to listen to it. People looked up to you as someone who could help them with any problem -- well, physical ones -- and they couldn't see your side of the story. You were taking all their pain onto yourself, and you had no one to go to who could make you stop hurting."
She sighed. "I'm sorry... I'm probably not making this any better for you to deal with, just speaking all your pain back at you when you're trying to avoid it. I'll shut up now, if you want. I shouldn't really be out here anyway, like you said. I can leave you alone if you like... I spend all my time alone anyway. I don't really have friends here; I barely know anyone. Except for Liam, but that's different. He's my brother, my twin. We're inseparable." Literally.
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Aramis Aldin
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Mage
Beneath the trees my heart belongs...
Posts: 541
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Post by Aramis Aldin on Nov 21, 2009 1:58:18 GMT -5
Aramis smiled a little, "No, it's okay. I'm not here to escape the pain... Miss Ellie took care of the physical things... It's just... I can't sleep."
He rubbed his temples, still keeping his head pressed against the glass to ease the pain in his forehead. Well, maybe he should go back to Miss Ellie. He couldn't sleep... He closed his eyes tightly, pressing his fingers tighter into his temples in an attempt to ease it.
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Nov 21, 2009 2:13:49 GMT -5
Evelyn's smile grew a little awkward. "Well, I can't really help you with that, sorry. I don't mean to talk so much either... but I hardly ever get to talk to people here besides Liam, and I get lonely, you know?"
She sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you this; it's not like we know each other well... Why should you care about some girl you don't even know, right? You've got your own things to worry about, your own life to live." Lucky you... I wish I had one of those.
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Aramis Aldin
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Mage
Beneath the trees my heart belongs...
Posts: 541
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Post by Aramis Aldin on Nov 21, 2009 2:21:04 GMT -5
"I'm usually very shy, so... I get pretty lonely too. And I won't get to know you if you just leave," he said softly. "Sometimes it helps to just ta-"
He opened to his eyes to look at the person he'd been talking to for some time and he scrambled back into the far wall, panicking. "Oh my god, yo-... but you're Liam! But you're not Liam, your voice is...? What the hell!"
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Nov 21, 2009 2:34:16 GMT -5
Evelyn stayed where she was, shrinking back, her expression hurt. "Please don't go... you're the first other person I've actually met here besides Jonathan. I'll explain if you promise not to freak out on me... more. It's a really weird story, so bear with me, okay?"
She drew a breath, looking Aramis in his wide eyes, and suddenly seeing that they were a rather nice shade of purple. She fidgeted a little as she spoke again.
"I'm Liam's twin sister... you knew that already... I was killed two years ago, and my soul somehow ended up in Liam's mind instead of passing on. I see everything he sees, hear what he hears, feel what he feels, but I can't do anything except watch and listen and feel. Except when he's asleep -- that's when I can borrow his body and use it like it's my own. I don't do it very often; this is only the fourth time. He doesn't know I can do it."
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Aramis Aldin
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Mage
Beneath the trees my heart belongs...
Posts: 541
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Post by Aramis Aldin on Nov 21, 2009 2:55:03 GMT -5
Aramis listened... mostly because he knew he hadn't been speaking to Liam, and yet... here was Liam. "Um... I'd call you crazy except... Well, you aren't the one who tried to kill yourself for reasons I can't understand... and I know what it's like to watch and not be able to be involved... It was my own personality that locked me away, but that doesn't make it any less lonely..."
He licked his lips a little, thoughtfully. Like with Ian, he felt better not actually looking at the person he was talking to... and yet not, because he was talking to a person who was dead and living in the head of someone he knew. "Do you think maybe you should tell him though...? I... I mean, it's not like he could stop you, but... I mean, it is his body and that's about as personal as personal property gets..."
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Nov 21, 2009 3:32:28 GMT -5
Evelyn laughed hollowly. "Trust me, Aramis, you have no idea what it's like being me. You have a life, you have friends you can talk to, places to go and things to do. I don't even have a body of my own. I'm like Voldemort living on the back of Quirrell's head, part of him and yet not. He wanted a body too. I want it for a better reason than world domination, obviously, but you know what I'm getting at, right?" She stepped toward Aramis, meeting his eyes, wanting him to understand.
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Aramis Aldin
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Mage
Beneath the trees my heart belongs...
Posts: 541
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Post by Aramis Aldin on Nov 21, 2009 4:05:33 GMT -5
Aramis tilted his head to the side, "Honestly... I can imagine, but that doesn't mean I entirely understand. But you already knew that. You want your own life... and I am not saying that you don't deserve it. But... Oh, I don't know. I can't even heal properly," he laughed dryly, closing his eyes again.
"And I'm no psychologist. I should be seeing one probably, but... well... ...Eve, I'm sorry. I want to help, I do but... I... I can't even help myself. All I can do is listen... And sympathize, but I can't even promise I'll understand. I didn't even really know much about magic until I came here... Everything I did was instinctive, and most of what I was doing while Miss Ellie was gone was guesswork and..."
And nearly knocked me on my back when it was done.
"I don't understand your position... but I do understand what it's like when no one else seems to understand..." he said softly, looking at her (him? That was making his head hurt) with an understanding look. "And Kemekin usually sleeps like a rock, so it wouldn't even be that hard to get me if you need an ear and don't feel you can go to Liam... or find Jonathan. All I know about him is he is skilled at disappearing... And while I can really sneak up on anyone, it doesn't mean I know how to disappear. If you need someone to listen... while you can really only get out while Liam's asleep... that's still time to make friends. Of the nightowls who don't care about getting in trouble, true, but not all of us are trouble-makers."
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Nov 21, 2009 13:51:48 GMT -5
Evelyn nodded slowly, smiling a little. "Thanks... I might have to take you up on that offer sometime. If Liam lets me out at night in his body after I tell him, that is." She had no idea how Liam was going to react to that.
"It's nice having other people to talk to besides my brother. A lot of the people here seem really nice, but it's not like I can easily get to know them, or let them get to know me. Even if they know I exist at all." She fidgeted again, looking at Aramis nervously. "Sorry I'm being so awkward... it's been awhile since I've been able to really talk to anyone. Not to mention that just the sight of me is freaking you out."
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Aramis Aldin
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Mage
Beneath the trees my heart belongs...
Posts: 541
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Post by Aramis Aldin on Nov 21, 2009 13:57:01 GMT -5
"Well... I mean... yeah, it is since you sound like you should be a lovely girl and I'm looking at Liam... But I've seen things that freaked me out more. One of them is why I can't sleep..."
He covered his mouth. He hadn't meant to mention that. Now she was going to ask what was keeping him up.
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Nov 21, 2009 14:15:31 GMT -5
Evelyn saw the shock and pain in Aramis' eyes as he covered his mouth, and tactfully decided not to ask what it was that was keeping him up. "I'm probably not helping you by being here. You came out here to be alone, and I went and buggered that up. I shouldn't even be out here... I should get back to bed before someone sees me and gives Liam shite in the morning."
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Aramis Aldin
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Mage
Beneath the trees my heart belongs...
Posts: 541
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Post by Aramis Aldin on Nov 21, 2009 14:21:00 GMT -5
"I'm not exactly supposed to be out here either, but no one is coming. You can hear teachers long before they can see you," Aramis said, shrugging. "I actually came out here to keep from waking my roommate with my pacing, or the moonlight as I looked out the window. I guess I'd forgotten what phase it is in, and I'm not ready to try to sleep again..."
I'm not ready for that nightmare. "Does your wanderings make his body still tired? I mean, sleep generally is for the body as much as the mind. Or is that why you tend not to do this very often?"
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Nov 21, 2009 14:50:12 GMT -5
Evelyn nodded. "Yeah. This is only the third time I've actually gone walking in his body... the first time I found out I could move his body was when he fell asleep in class once and I wrote some of his notes for him. Somehow he never seemed to notice the difference in our writing." She grinned. "I never called his attention to it, though."
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Aramis Aldin
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Mage
Beneath the trees my heart belongs...
Posts: 541
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Post by Aramis Aldin on Nov 21, 2009 14:54:48 GMT -5
"Well... you were using his hand, maybe it still matched his writing enough to look the same?" he suggested, running a hand though his hair. "And if he was tired enough to fall asleep in class, his handwriting probably looked different from usual anyway."
Aramis stifled a yawn, putting a hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry Eve, but I'm getting tired and I really should try to get some sleep before class. And I have a lesson with Miss Ellie tomorrow which always make me really tired. If you ever need to talk, I'm in dorm 105. Just knock softly and call my name. I'll wake right up. It's become something of a habit to be easily awoken by hearing my name."
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Nov 21, 2009 15:03:15 GMT -5
Evelyn smiled. "I should get back to bed too, just in case I'm making Liam's body more tired than I think I am. It was nice to meet you; I hope we can talk again soon. Sleep well."
She turned and left, her mind abuzz with curiosity. Both of the two people she had met so far had seemed to accept her situation without too much confusion, despite how it obviously scared them. Had the people at this school seen something like her before? Or had they simply grown so used to strangeness that they took everything in stride by now?
Evelyn quickened her pace as she neared Liam's dorm, doubly assured that she would tell him about this in the morning. Maybe if he permitted her, she could find someone of authority and ask if there was any way she could be helped. It was a shot in the dark, but it was worth it, right?
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Aramis Aldin
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Mage
Beneath the trees my heart belongs...
Posts: 541
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Post by Aramis Aldin on Nov 21, 2009 15:53:30 GMT -5
Aramis watched her (him?) leave and sighed softly. It seemed like he'd helped Eve... that was good. He liked helping people. Stretching, he walked toward his own dorm, yawning again. If Eve was going to be waking him up when she needed to talk, he was going to need to actually get some sleep.
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