When In Doubt, Go With Blue

New Beginnings With Old Shadows

Weeks passed with you on your own. Time was linear again. You knew the day and every date was different. It was bittersweet and while you had missed it, you missed them more.

You dreamed about them every night. It was a blessed relief, but it did nothing to ease your guilt or heartache. The only time you forgot... everything that hurt you was when you were tracking or fighting monsters.

Not all monsters were once peculiar. Many of the monsters you fought were human criminals. But the priority was still Hollows. One particularly sneaky, stupid beast had you tracking it over the static line and back, twice. You'd acquired a gun and a machete through your unorthodox channels. Of course, you kept a small pocket knife on you at all times. Your sentimental first car couldn't help you track it now, though, and it left you navigating the woods, on foot.

The sun was beginning its descent and you were losing the advantage. You were forced to retreat for the evening when the shadows began to bleed together. Your flashlight was deemed unacceptable and you were suddenly desperate for Olive and her gift. A loud resounding thud startled you into inaction and you paused, listening. Someone in the forest shouted in uncontrolled terror.

You took off to locate the person, but foreign fear, cautious but they weren't unused to the emotion, dripped along your veins. You mostly relied on the - woman's, you were guessing - psychic trail to find the Hollow.

The beasts thought too primitively to be picked up with your new ability.

The ground level changed, suddenly dropping a good 20 feet and disturbing the plant growth. A woman stood on the bottom of the valley, turning in place. She limped a bit and you knew she was looking for your monster .You also knew he'd already found her.

The shadows bled together, cast long by the far sun. You moved your flashlight over every bit of ground. Wide eyes moved up to find the source and she was definitely used to battle. You were pretty sure she wasn't expecting you or expecting you to be capable.

Your eyes caught on a stray shadow and they lit up, unknowingly, in your excitement. Also unbeknownst to you, the woman in the field smiled faintly. She was shocked, in awe, intrigued, and worried all tied together. Two unknown fairies untrained and unaware, in the First World. You were a fair bit older than the other, but you were plainly ignorant or your eyes wouldn't have flashed. You'd have used them to find the invisible creature.

Swift and heavy footsteps in the stranger's direction were halted when you hopped down. You swept the flashlight widely again and found the paused creature trying to make a decision. You pulled out your machete and, armed, you were the bigger threat. Now the target, you grimaced and dropped your flashlight. You ran to meet it halfway and dropped to your knees. You cut at what would have been his ankle.

The splatter of black blood and a screech confirmed the blow and you rose to your feet, watching a moving shadow which may or may not have been the leaves' shadows, you swung blindly. No dice.

A large shadow cast from the Hollow passing the front of the flashlight had you impulsively throwing your weapon. It was swallowed by the night and you waited for a sound, pulling out your gun. You could hear the stumbling akin to the loop's daily assassination and could imagine the shadow bound to the chalk outline. You stepped back toward the woman, one hand behind you as if to keep her back there. A large thud and you sensed the stillness. You lowered the gun, hesitantly, then the arm you'd raised. You turned to face your surprise guest. "You have to... watch their shadow." She nodded jerkily and you feared she'd gone into shock. "Are you okay?" You wanted to touch her to see for yourself, but you were scared to hurt her.

The woman managed an acceptable response of mental fortitude: a solid nod.

You frowned and nodded yourself. "Good." Carefully and slowly, you finally did raise your hands and gently cup her cheeks. You looked her over thoroughly, perhaps too well, and let her go. You knelt, being just as slow and gentle with her calves all the way down to her ankles. The left had a slight sprain and you told her so. The telling point at the front of her ankle made her hiss and you looked up in concern. She was trying to fight back the pain from her face. You hoped it wasn't just because you were looking. The minimum light shone by the flashlight cast more shadows than light and it toned her cheeks and neck. Her eyes had a fire of their own. You fought a fire in your chest at the vision before standing. You stepped away before inspecting the surrounding foliage. You were trying to remember the direction of your car.