Nari woke with a warm fuzziness in her belly. She smiled as she remembered the events of yesterday. Chenn loved her back. She wasn’t alone. He cared. It still amazed her, but it was a good sort of amazement.
She got up in a daze. Then she shook it off. She had to get investigating. She’d already found out for sure that Amory did have the whole Book of Spells, the Wand of Winds, and the Scepter of Seas. It was all turning out with a full deck stacked all in Amory’s favor. For a moment, she almost despaired.
Being in love with Chenn was already blinding her to her true purposes.
She sighed and walked over to the bathroom. Vanessa stood in front of the mirror applying heavy Goth makeup. Nari gave her a skeptical look.
“Don’t you think a slightly more muted look would be better?”
Vanessa turned to look at her. One eye was painted with mascara and dark, bold eye shadow. Her lips were a deep black, and she had eyeliner half drawn around one eye.
Nari stifled a laugh. Vanessa looked so ridiculous it was hard even to manage a straight face.
“No, I don’t!” Vanessa hissed.
“Whatever,” Nari responded. “Hurry up, please. I want the bathroom to shower.”
“Buzz off! I’m using this bathroom. If you want to use the bathroom, go find someone else’s barrack, and ask to borrow theirs!”
“Umm… I think I’ll just wait.”
“You’ll be waiting a long time then. I’m going to take my sweet old time!”
“You know, you are one of the most stuck-up, prissy girls I know.” Nari was fed up with this; she had no idea why Vanessa wanted to pick fights with her all the time, but she was done with it. If Vanessa wanted a fight, she was going to get one.
Vanessa whirled on her. The eyeliner pen that had been against her eyelid streaked across her face with the force. “You! Get out of the bathroom right now, and leave me alone!”
Nari just stood there, refusing to budge. “You didn’t ask nicely.”
“What am I? A two year old? I don’t have to ask nicely!” She turned away from Nari, ignoring her as she tried to get rid of the line of eyeliner running down her cheek.
“You’re such a jerk, Vanessa! You wonder why no one likes you.” Nari finally snapped, and her voice rose as she struggled to rein in her temper.
Vanessa whirled around punching Nari in the face. Nari wasn’t prepared for the blow, so it struck full force to the side of her head. It hurt badly, and Nari yelped, staggering backwards.
“That’ll teach you to call me a jerk!” Vanessa’s eyes blazed.
Nari was about to try to remark when Chenn walked in. He took one look at Vanessa’s face, and then he saw Nari’s face. It was all red and puffy.
“How dare you?” He hissed out.
Vanessa glared at him. “She was calling me names!”
“So you hit her?”
“Yes, and it’s none of your business.” She pouted.
“She’s my friend; you hurt her. It’s my business.” Chenn remarked, walking over to Nari.
“You have no right to use that acidic, snippety tone with me, Chenn Covalenti.” Vanessa attempted to slap him.
Chenn caught her wrist and glared at her. “And I suppose you had the right to hit Nari?”
“Yes! I told you…” She snarled, yanking her wrist from his grasp.
“Shut up, Vanessa.” Chenn snapped, his hands clenching into fists. "Get out now."
She gave an irritated grunt, and then she left the bathroom, makeup still streaked across her face.
Nari stood stock still, hand to her stinging ear and head. Her ears were ringing a bit.
“Nari?” Chenn gently pulled her hand away from her face so he could look.
It was starting to bruise already. Vanessa had hit her hard and solid.
“Sit down.” Carefully, he pushed her onto the closed seat of the toilet.
She didn’t protest, but sat there, dazed and uncertain.
Chenn pulled out a washcloth, and he soaked it with freezing water from the sink. He squeezed it out, and put it up against Nari’s head. She didn’t move to take it, so he held it there.
“Nari?” he whispered.
She gazed at him, confused.
“Nari, how hard did she hit you?”
“Hard.” Nari whispered.
“Do you think you're badly injured? A concussion?” He stared at her, trying to assess just how much damage Vanessa had done.
“No. Just a bit dazed, and my ears are ringing.”
Chenn sighed. “Not a good signl.”
She gave him a confused look again.
He shook his head in exasperation. “If she’s injured you in any significant way, I swear! I will…”
“No, Chenn. Don’t… Don’t hurt her.” Nari grasped his arm as he held the washcloth to her head.
“She deserves to get a taste of her own medicine.” Chenn answered, a frown forming on his face.
“Chenn, doing that would make you no better than she is. Is that what you want?” Nari felt her head spinning away from her as she tried to make connections that would convince Chenn not to hurt anyone. It was becoming increasingly difficult to think logically at the moment.
He shook his head again.
“I didn’t think so.” She whispered.
He picked her up in his strong arms. “You need to see East Base’s doctor right now.”
“Come on, Chenn, I don’t think it’s that bad.” She tried to push out of his arms to stand up and walk on her own, but he wasn't having any of it.
He held her closer to keep her from slipping out of his grasp. “You can hardly think, and you look dazed. You need to see the doctor. I don’t care if you like it or not. You’re seeing her.”
Nari didn’t protest again. She was too tired to bother. Instead, she laid her head down on his broad chest.
“Nari, listen to me. You cannot go to sleep. You must stay awake. Understand?”
“Yes.” She mumbled into his shoulder, wishing that her eyes didn't feel like lead weights.
If she wasn't so exhausted, it would be easier to obey Chenn. It was a struggle to keep her eyes open, but she kept working at it.
Chenn walked out of the bathroom. Ali looked at him with worry in his eyes. Kallie flitted over to look at Nari.
“What did that witch do to you?” Ali’s expression was hard.
Vanessa wasn’t anywhere to be seen. It was probably a good thing. If Chenn had seen her, he couldn’t have vouched for what he might have said or done.
“She hit Nari in the face.” Chenn answered for Nari. “I’m afraid she might have a concussion, so I’m taking her to see the doctor.”
Ali’s face darkened. “When I get a hold of her, I’ll make sure that Amory knows to get rid of her.”
Chenn smiled. “That’s what I was going to do, but Nari pointed out that getting back isn't always best. I'll let it go this time for her sake, but...” He trailed off, letting the obvious go unstated.
Ali nodded, his expression doubtful, a frown forming.
Kallie took Nari’s hand.
“Let me come too, Chenn.” She begged, eyes filling with tears to see Nari hurt.
Kallie and Nari had become good friends since Nari had joined them. When Nari wasn’t with Chenn, she was with Kallie and Ali.
“Let her come,” Nari tried to say, but her jaw was swollen now, and the pain brought tears to her eyes.
Chenn understood though. “Alright, you can come, Kallie. Ali, if you want to come as well, you can.”
Ali nodded. “I’ll come.”
Chenn walked out the door, the other two following. All of them hoped desperately that Nari wasn’t hurt too badly. Vanessa had gone too far this time. If she continued to do this, she would have to be locked up for everyone’s safety.