Lady Reiki/Metamorphosis Part 1
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
((Summary and other intro notes here. But, for now: Back story for Lady Reiki. All abuse and misuse of the English language and all spelling errors are my own. If you wish to correct something, post what you think needs correcting, and why, in the Discussion section. Feedback of other kinds are also welcome and can be left in the Discussion section, as well. Thank you! ^_^ ))
Metamorphosis, Part 1: Muladhara
A hand gives a tiny push. The shell is broken. The egg is open. Removed from its protection, a strange little larva begins a new stage of its life in an inhospitable environment.
Sunlight was trying to force its way between her eyelids. It was met by tears seeping out. Why was she crying? The threads of the dream were drifting away, already, leaving behind a sensation of emptiness, a melody she almost knew, and the feeling that she was forgetting something important. She squeezed her eyes against the light and desperately fought to recapture the dream.
“Ki-na-na! Wake up!”
A weight was suddenly bouncing on her bed and the covers were pulled back. Giving up on the dream, Kina opened her eyes and blinked against the morning light. Sitting on the side of her bed was an angel, wreathed in a golden glow. Kina sat up, only to be knocked back down as the golden figure pounced and enfolded her in an enthusiastic bearhug.
“Garh! Sarah, you’re crushing me!”
“Silly, yer taller th’n me- I can’t ‘crush’ ya! Besides, Kina-beena, I wouldn’t ever hurt ya, ‘specially on yer birthday!”
Kina glanced over at the wall-calendar hanging across from her bed. Blarg, it was Monday, already. April 22nd, huh? So, it was indeed her birthday.
She looked over at Sarah, who had pulled back enough so that Kina could sit up. Her petite cousin had long blond hair, perfect pale skin, and warm brown eyes that were currently sparkling with excitement. In comparison, Kina always felt like an awkward giant, even though her cousin said she was always wishing that she had Kina’s long legs.
“Happy birthday, Prima-Kina!”
Kina was jolted from her thoughts as Sarah, grinning widely, thrust a brightly wrapped package towards her.
“For me?”
“I don’t see any oth’r birthday girls in here. Ya sure yer awake?”
Kina closed her eyes and pretended to snore, then dissolved into giggles as Sarah grabbed a pillow and hit her with it.
“Open it!”
Unable to resist any longer, Kina tore open the present eagerly. She laughed in delight as she pulled out the purple fabric.
It was a bandanna, designed to be worn over the hair. They were the current rage amongst teenagers in their small southern California town. Like so many of these fads, there were ‘rules’ (unspoken, but acknowledged by all, as these things often are) regarding these accessories. The bandanna had to be a gift- no buying one for yourself- and it had to be customized in some manner. The local schools were currently awash in a sea of unique and colorful headcovers.
Kina held the cloth up to admire it and several small, shining purple butterflies appeared, as if by magic. Looking closer, she could see butterfly-shaped patches of beads sewn into the fabric- her talented cousin’s handiwork, she knew immediately. Kina gave Sarah a hug.
“This is awesome! You’re the best, Sar-rah-rah!”
Sarah laughed, “Hey, giving nicknames is my job! Anyways, put it on!”
Kina quickly tied it on, then looked to Sarah for her opinion. Her cousin surveyed her for a moment, the pronounced “It looks good on ya! I still think ya oughta grow yer hair out, but that color really suits ya.”
“Nyah, short hair is more practical. And you know I’d wear purple even if it didn’t look good on me.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know its yer favorite color. That’s why I looked in, like, a hundred stores just to find a purple one.”
Kina grinned. “Thanks! I totally love it! I know it must have taken you forever to sew those beads on.”
Sarah returned the smile. “That’s what math class is for. Anyways, you only turn 13 once!”
“Girls? Are you up? Breakfast is ready.”
“Coming, Mom.” “Yes, Aunt.”
Sarah scampered back to her room while Kina scrambled to get dressed. Black jeans, a purple top, and tiny purple butterfly earrings were rapidly tossed on. She turned a critical eye to the image in the mirror. Staring back was a girl who didn’t seem at all related to the ‘golden angel’ who had just left the room. Her skin was a deep tan, her ear-length hair was practically blacker then a moonless night, and her eyes. . . “too blue,” her aunt had remarked once, “like a sky that would swallow you.” Kina always felt that they just didn’t match the rest of her. She would have given up on the paler skin (not that she could do much about it) or the lighter hair (oddly, none of her secretive attempts at bleaching it had yet to work) if her eyes didn’t stick out so much. Kina sighed and grabbed a pair of tinted glasses from her collection (purple-rimmed, today) and headed into the hall.
She could hear several voices coming from downstairs. Ah, Aunt Stuck-up and Cousin Snoberella were having breakfast with them today. Kina smiled slightly. After four years, she was picking up a number of Sarah’s habits, including a fondness for nicknames. Not that she would speak these particular names out loud. It sounded like Sarah was already down there, too- better hurry up.
Kina ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. “Ladies do not run in the hou… what are you wearing?” That was her greeting from Aunt Stuck-up. Sarah rolled her eyes behind their aunt and spoke up.
“It’s the birthday gift I gave her this morning, Aunt Jane. See? I did the beadwork on it. B‘sides, ya didn’t say anything ‘bout my bandanna, so ya really can’t pick on her, Aunty.”
“Sarah!” Her mom warned her quietly. Sarah shrugged but didn’t say anymore.
“Well, I think it’s a silly fad.” This was Cousin Snoberella, picking up where her mother left off.
“Bah, yer jist jealous, Anna-banana, ‘cause nobody’s given you one.”
“Am not!” “Are too!” “GIRLS!” Both aunts spoke up before the argument could go any further. Kina quietly ate her breakfast as the morning squabble unfolded and regarded her family, such as it was.
Sarah was sitting next to Kina. She was wearing a pretty light blue sundress that matched the blue bandanna tied over her hair. Kina had given her cousin that bandanna a few months earlier, when Sarah had turned 13. Gold stars, made with sparkle paint, glittered as Sarah turned her head to and fro while she chattered on. No, it wasn’t just the stars that sparkled; Sarah really tended to sparkle as a whole- such was her personality. Even Aunt Stuck-up could never stay mad at her for very long. And, though her mom doted on her, Sarah never acted spoiled. Unlike their cousin…
Two years older than Kina and Sarah, Anna could have easily passes as Sarah’s sister- same blond hair, fair skin, and brown eyes. Personality-wise though, they were like day and night. Anna was quarrelsome, materialistic, and more than a bit on the snobby side. The green jacket and skirt set she wore this morning was, undoubtedly, part of some overpriced designer collection. Yes, Anna was certainly her mother’s daughter.
Aunt Jane was the oldest of three sisters and had that bossy nature that elder siblings often develop. Ambitious and acutely aware of things like social status, she had married for money. Her husband was a lawyer for some tech industry on the East Coast and he spent much of his time away on business. (Kina figured he probably did it to avoid his family. She didn't blame him in the least for that.) That didn’t seem to bother Aunt Jane all that much, as she was pretty much free to rule the roost back in California. She owned the duplex that they all lived in and often came over from her half of the building with her daughter for meals. Aunt Jane seemed to spend most of her time chiding Kina for her lack of “lady-like” behavior and disapproving of the girl’s existence in general. As much as Kina despised her Aunt Stuck-up, though, she definitely preferred her open hostility to the attitude of Jane’s younger sister.
Aunt Emily’s biggest concern seemed to be presenting an image of saintliness to the world. In public, she was always dropping remarks about her latest good deeds- volunteer work, fundraising, etc. If Kina were with her, she would fawn over her almost as much as she did her own daughter. Her actions proclaimed to her audience “Look at what a good person I am, taking in and raising my niece,” and her audience swallowed the act. Kina was always being told how lucky she was and how grateful she should be to have someone like her Aunt Emily. An act was all it was, though. Kina figured that was the reason the reason behind her aunt’s divorce so long ago- a false life did not make for a very warm home. In private, Aunt Image was no fonder of Kina than Aunt Stuck-up was. They both acted as though she was somehow to blame for her mother’s absence.
A picture hung on the kitchen wall. It featured three sisters from a number of years ago. All were brown-eyed, golden-haired beauties. The eldest was standing straight and tall, the middle one was flashing a false smile such as a pageant contestant might show a judge, and the youngest was giving the camera an impish grin. That was Rachael, Jane’s and Emily’s beloved younger sister and the mother Kina had no memory of. From what she could gather, her mom was very similar to her cousin Sarah- cheerful, fun loving, and warm, with a slight mischievous streak. Kina stared at that picture every morning, hoping for some spark of memory of the life she had before her currant one and of the family that had surely loved her. Every time, though, her mind hit an impassible stone wall. Four years back was as far as her memory could reach and even the earliest of those memories were suspect.
She had been sick, that much she knew. Stricken by an unknown illness, her nightmares, fever-dreams, and snippets of waking moments had fused into a terrifying jumble inside her head. Her mind apparently had no choice but to block the past to preserve her sanity. When she was fully aware, the frightened 9 year old found herself in the care of two strangers, who were supposably relatives, and certain only of the fact that her name was Kina Nivens. It was disconcerting, to say the least, to be told that the strange faces were family she should know, especially when none of the faces looked like her own. “You’ve got your father’s looks,” Aunt Jane had snapped once in response to her questions and Kina had been too timid to pursue the subject any further.
Her recovery was slow. The strange illness had left her weak and extremely prone to exhaustion. Her lack of memories and the strangeness of her surroundings left her without a solid foundation and grasp of ‘self’ and she was quite reserved and cautious in her behavior. Four years later, she still had trouble maintaining her energy and could become worn out easily. She had seen a number of doctors, but none of them were able to come up with a diagnosis. Kina vaguely remembered some doctors from some kind of odd-sounding organization when she first woke up, but for some reason Aunt Image had made them leave- they must have sparked the wrong kind of attention from the neighbors.
Though her physical recovery was slow, her spirits had improved dramatically. This was pretty much all the result of her cousin. Sarah had been entranced by her seemingly exotic cousin (and tempted by the prospect of a new ally against Anna) and set out to bring Kina out of her shell. Though Kina still had no close friends besides Sarah, she could laugh and tease with her classmates and she was becoming more comfortable with speaking her mind to her peers.
Sarah was able to pump her mother and aunt for some information about Kina and her parents (though they were pretty tight-lipped). That was how Kina learned that her dad, Kyle Nivens, was some kind of researcher (doing what, no one would say) and that her parents eloped soon after meeting. They had moved north, presumably where Kina was born and raised. This led to a rift in the family. Sarah and Anna never met their Aunt and Uncle Nivens; in fact Sarah was unaware of Kina’s existence until one day when Aunt Jane got a call and the next thing, there was Kina. Her aunts remained mum on whether her dad had any family and, if so, whether they knew of her existence.
And that was that. Except, lately, memories were trying to come through cracks in that stone wall. Like the dream this morning. Unconsciously, Kina began humming the fragment of the melody left to her from the dream.
“It is rude to sing while you are eating,” Aunt Stuck-up broke in.
“Your singing is painfully weird to listen to, anyways,” her daughter chimed in.
“Well, I like it,” Sarah said, ready to pick another fight.
“Girls, please,” Aunt Emily admonished. “Better hurry up, the bus will be here soon.” She turned to Kina. “Would you like to go to dinner for your birthday?” Kina blinked- this was certainly a surprise. Her birthday seldom warranted a response from any family member other than Sarah.
“There’s that new Italian restaurant. You know, the one that the minister’s son just opened.” So that was it. Aunt Image was using Kina’s birthday to show off her saintliness. Kina mentally shrugged- at least she was getting a birthday dinner. Maybe free dessert- Aunt Image was likely to mention the occasion.
“Sure, that’d be great. Thank you, Aunt.”
"But what I would really like would be the truth about my family and my past," Kina thought.
There was a gasp and the room was suddenly silent. Aunt Emily had gone pale, Aunt Jane’s knuckles were white as she clenched her fork, and Sarah’s and Anna’s eyes were wide. With a sinking feeling, Kina realized she had spoken that last thought out loud. Everyone remained frozen as those words hung in the air. The grandfather clock in the hall chimed the quarter hour, breaking the spell as several voices attempted to speak at once. Sarah jumped up, grabbed Kina’s hand and tugged her out of the room saying “We’re gonna miss th bus.”
“Ladies should not run!” Aunt Jane’s automatic response rang after them.
Sarah pulled Kina down the driveway to the narrow lane their house was on and the girls ran towards the main road where the bus would meet them.
The arrived at the bus stop with time to spare. Kina sat on the sidewalk to catch her breath.
“You ok?” She looked up to see Sarah’s concerned face peering down at her. Kina had to gulp a few breaths before replying, “I’m good. Just not part-cheetah like some people are.”
Sarah stuck out her tongue then sat on the curb next to her cousin. They sat in silence for a moment before Sarah began to giggle. Kina turned to her, quizzically.
“Never seen Mom and Aunty so flustered. And, for once in her life, Anna was speechless.”
That last comment made Kina smile and soon Sarah’s giggles infected her. The earlier tension melted with each laugh. They were still laughing when Anna (who had moved at a more ‘lady-like’ pace) reached the bus stop.
“What are you laughing at?”
“Not a thing, Anna-rama.”
The older girl rolled her eyes then made the mistake of continuing her earlier squabble.
“You’re not really gonna wear those things, are you?”
“Of course we are,” Sarah retorted.
“You really are jealous. Anna-no-bandanna,” Kina joined in.
“Anna-no-bandanna, Anna-no-bandanna,” Sarah chanted with a laugh, as the bus finally pulled up. Anna bristled and swept into the bus where she joined the other high schoolers in the back. Sarah and Kina sat up front with the other 8th-graders. Because her illness caused her to miss a lot of school, Kina was only in the 7th grade, but Sarah’s friends readily accepted her.
Anna’s supposed distaste for the current fad did not seem to be shared by others on the bus. Most of the girls were wearing them and Kina’s addition drew squeals and compliments. Everyone chattered happily as the bus made its way to the school. The girls got off at the Junior High entrance (kindergarten through high school were housed in the same giant complex) and headed in. They promised to sit together at lunch (both 7th and 8th graders shared the same lunch and recess) and then went their separate ways.
“Morning!” Kina called brightly to a cluster of girls in her homeroom.
“Hey, Kina- ahh, she’s got a ‘danna!” Girls gathered around to examine Kina’s new accessory. “Where’d ya get it?” “Oh, look at the butterflies…cute!” “Purple, what a surprise.”
“It’s a birthday gift, isn’t it?” This was Liz. She, Crissy, and Megan were probably the closest that Kina had come to real friends outside of Sarah. The three girls examined Kina’s gift and pronounced their satisfaction with it.
“And matching purple rims, today. Nice.” Megan chimed in.
Her glasses collection had become a source of interest among her classmates. Kina imagined the entire class would go into shock if she didn’t wear a pair of shades to school one day. At least it was her accessories and not her looks that were getting attention now. Her first weeks at school had been uncomfortable as her looks, age, and mysterious background drew a lot of attention from her classmates. She had adapted, though, and now enjoyed coming to school.
“Thirteen, huh?” Mike said. “That’s an unlucky number; and, on a Monday- that’s gotta be double unlucky!”
“I don’t believe in superstitions. Luck is just what you make of a situation.”
“Now there’s an interesting philosophy. Perhaps we should postpone today’s test to discuss this?” Kids scrambled to get to their seats as Mr. Michaels, the English-lit teacher, entered the room. Students turned hopeful faces to their teacher and Tommy called out, “You could make that Kina’s birthday gift!”
“Ahh, but in the long run, a poor education would make for a rather poor gift. This discussion will have to wait for another day. Let’s get this done”
“See? Unlucky,” Mike said.
“Only if you forgot to study,” Kina shot back with a grin, then settled in to take her test.
She really didn’t like her English-lit classes all that much. Too many stories about people who were supposedly full of ‘tragic flaws’ which, Kina had decided, meant that they were all stupid. Really, not a single one of these characters seemed capable of basic reasoning skills. Worse, were the ones who were ‘dealt a bad fate’ and didn’t do a single productive thing to change it. At least Mr. Michaels made the class interesting and his tests weren’t that bad (as long as you studied).
English was followed by science, which Kina enjoyed. Facts and logic- things you could sense and know. She found a comfort in the concrete things of the world and looked forward to Mr. Conner’s class every day. Ms. Tanner’s math class came next. Kina struggled with it, but she still liked it well enough.
Lunch finally rolled around. Kina, Liz, Crissy, and Megan met with Sarah and some of her fellow 8th-graders. Megan had made cupcakes for Kina’s birthday and the ever-popular Sarah managed to rouse the entire lunchroom into singing “Happy Birthday” to Kina. The rest of the afternoon flew by and the next thing she knew, they were headed home. Kina wondered what was going to happen at home after her comments at breakfast.
Sarah seemed to know what was on her mind and said, “Act like nothing happened, ‘cause that’s what they’ll be doing.” Kina thought it over and realized that was probably true; her aunts really didn’t like talking about anything that might be connected to her past. No since in pressing the issue today, especially when there was a free meal out possibly at stake.
“We’re home.”
“We have reservations in an hour so we’ll be leaving in 45 minutes. Why don’t you girls go work on your homework until then?”
Sarah and Kina went up to Sarah’s room and set to work. Neither had much work to do, though, and they finished well before they had to leave.
“That song this morning- what was that?”
“Nothing. Just something I made up.”
“It was pretty. Ya really should join the choir.”
“Oh no. My voice is all weird. I wouldn’t sound good at all. And I’m still not comfortable with speaking in public- singing would be a billion times worse.”
“Yer voice is fine. Really. I know our choir director would say the same if she heard ya.”
Kina just shook her head and Sarah decided to change the subject.
“Want to go to the overlook tonight? Mom will probably go over to Aunty’s and won’t notice if we’re gone for a bit.”
“Yeah, that’d be nice.”
Dinner ended up being fairly nice. Since they were out under the public eye, Aunt Image and Aunt Stuck-up were mostly pleasant to Kina. There was even a cake. Not too shabby, Kina thought. They returned home after dinner and Aunt Emily did indeed head over to Jane's side for coffee (and probably some Kina-bashing). Sarah and Kina waited a few minutes, then quietly headed out the back door.
The overlook was a small rocky cliff that was a short walk from their house. It had a gentle slope that was easy to climb before it fell away sharply to ground about 20 feet below. It faced away from the lights of town and was a great place for stargazing. Kina and Sarah sat in silence as they watched the vast sky.
“You’re gonna be in trouble. You’re not supposed to be here.” Startled, the girls turned to face the voice.
“Well, neither are you, Anna.” Sarah responded. “So, either leave and be a tattletale, or stay and shut-up.” Anna scowled, but sat herself down next to them. The stars twinkled in the dome above them. One ‘star’ went shooting across the sky.
"Ki-na-na, quick, make a wish!"
"A wish?"
"Yeah, like for money, or a pony, or happily ever after."
"Mama said Kina's never gonna have a happy life."
"Shut up, Anna! Kina can have whatever life she wants."
"You shut up, Sarah!"
Kina spoke up, “Wishes are stupid. It’s like believing in magic. The time that a person spends thinking up wishes or hoping for some spell to just make things better could be spent actually doing something productive. I don’t plan on wasting my life on wishes.”
“Mmm, but what if ya had done everything you could and had nothing left but a wish? Ya’d have nothing to lose by making that wish. Would ya make a wish then?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.” Kina yawned. The day’s events had worn her out and she was looking forward to a good night’s rest.
“Let’s get home before they notice we’re gone,” Sarah said.
The girls stood up and brushed the dirt off their clothes. Then it happened. Sarah’s bandanna catching on a bush. The wind grabbing the bandanna and tossing it in the air. Sarah lunging for the fabric. Sarah losing her footing. Sarah disappearing over the cliff. Screaming. Anna running back for help. Kina sliding her way down the cliff. Holding a broken angel’s body. That night, those moments, they etched themselves deep in Kina’s memory. The next several days felt like she was walking through a nightmare. Only, this one refused to end.
The room was finally silent; everyone who had come for the memorial service had left. Kina, Anna, Jane, and Emily sat in that heavy silence, unable to do anything. Aunt Emily began to sob again and Kina went over to hug her, to try to offer her some comfort, though she felt none herself. Aunt Emily went rigid then pulled away from her.
“It’s your fault she’s gone!! Yours, yours, yours! Oh why couldn’t it have been you at the bottom of that cliff?!” Emily shrieked and raged against her niece and Kina stepped back.
Jane pulled her sister close and turned a cold eye to Kina. “You want to know the truth?” she snapped. “The truth is you Nivens are a cursed bunch! Your lives are a waste and you are destined to bring sorrow to everyone around you. You should have disappeared with your father long ago!”
Anna said nothing, but joined her mother and aunt in turning an icy glare at Kina. She stared back at them, numb, then turned and ran from the room. Out the door and down the road, she didn’t know where she was going; didn’t care, as long as it was ‘away’. Eventually, though, her legs gave out. She was gasping for breath and had a horrible cramp in her side. She dropped where she was and began to sob the tears she couldn’t cry earlier. She cried until every last tear had been purged from her body then rolled over on her back and stared at the sky.
The stars still twinkled, uncaring of the events that transpired beneath them. One shot across the night sky, flaring brilliantly before disappearing.
“Make a wish Ki-na-na.” A sweet voice echoed in her ear.
Kina screamed at that voice and the sky, “What good are your wishes now?!” The sky didn’t answer. Sarah didn’t answer. Would never answer again. “You Nivens are a cursed bunch. . . destined to bring sorrow to everyone around you.”
I never asked to be a Nivens, she said silently. And why should my name or lineage seal my fate? What point was there to living if unhappiness was her only guarantee? Something was pressing against her hip. She reached into her pocket and felt a wadded-up piece of fabric, which she pulled out. Purple butterflies danced in the starlight. How did that get there?
“Kina can have whatever life she wants.” Right, she wasn’t some doomed heroine who would spend her life wringing her hands and crying ‘woe is me’. Kina looked at the bandanna for another moment then stuffed it back into her pocket, stood, and headed back to the duplex.
The larva grows and sheds its skin. Hard armor and protruding spikes emerge with the new skin. Nothing would be so foolish to try and get close. Thus protected, it ventures from the noxious plant it had been inhabiting and seeks...
It was a warm summer day when the bus pulled into town. The country was just beginning to recover from the Rikti invasion in May of that year. But life was returning to normal. This university town in northern California was filling up with students- some continuing the student life they had started in previous semesters, and others just beginning their college days.
The bus stopped at a corner. A tall girl with long dark braided hair, tanned skin, and dark glasses stepped off the bus. She lugged with her a couple of suitcases and an overstuffed backpack. No one was there to meet her, but that didn’t matter; no one had seen her off at the start of her trip, either. She surveyed her surroundings.
“Look out college- Ki-na-na’s here.”
She picked up her bags and headed forward to meet the new life she had chosen.
Continued in Interlude I.
