Rising Shards

It was humiliating being left alone after that fight. I at least beat P.D., but I still lost to Caeda and Chickadee. I was starting to be able to move again, at least.

What the hell happened to Aira and Syval? I wondered. The dose I took was stupid enough, but whatever they took seemed to really mess them up. Were they alright? Did Amara manage to help them?

And what about Marmalade?

The instant I had that thought, something dropped down right on my chest and gut.

"Oops, sorry!" Marmalade said. "Oh my god, I thought I'd never get down!"

It was Marmalade? Was I hallucinating? She didn't have anything wrong with her, other than looking a bit roughed up. If she had a wound from getting stabbed by Chickadee's horns, it...cleared up already? Was that even possible?

Marmalade realized she was basically straddling me and got down. I wouldn't have minded her staying longer, but more importantly...

"You're OK? How?" I asked.

"I can't understand you," Marmalade said. "But I'm guessing you were asking what happened to me? Caeda put me in one of her elevator things, then you went all cool monster screaming about something. I've just been up above watching. It took me a sec to figure out how to use my powers from up there, but it only worked for a second when Caeda was distracted."

So Marmalade getting impaled was just a Chickadee illusion? And she was fine, just above us that whole time?

"Damn it, Aira's gone, can't just zap back to camp," I said.

"Your voice sounds so cool when you're growling," Marmalade said. "And oh my god, you were so awesome back there! Are you feeling alright? Grunt once for yes, twice for no maybe?"

I grunted once. I was sore and beat, but I wasn't seriously injured. I got back to my feet.

"Now what?" I asked. "Should we just go back home?"

"I think camp is this way," Marmalade said.

Marmalade lead me out of the city, which had a barrier of energy around it like a soapy bubble. Maybe that kept the noise in from the battle?

"There's like a forcefield, you think it's gonna obliterate us if we go through it?" Marmalade asked. She threw a couple pebbles to test it, but they were fine. I still went first just in case, and nothing happened.

Past the barrier, the rain stopped, as though it was only on the inside. The lake wasn't far from there, but we'd still have to go around the whole thing to get back to camp. It must have been around midnight. Hearing the waves crashing as I stepped to the shoreline, I finally felt like I could relax.

"I'm so glad you're alright," I said.

"Yeah, it was just a magic elevator thing—hey, I understood that!" Marms said, turning around. "You're back to—uh!"

Marmalade yelped and turned on her heel, away from me.

"Did I just get super scary or something?" I asked.

"No, you're back to you," Marmalade said. "You're just, um…"

I looked down and saw that I was buck naked.

"What the hell! That didn't happen last time..." I said. That explained the breezy feeling.

"I didn't see anything," Marmalade said, covering her eyes with both hands.

"Relax, it's all good Marms," I said.

I wasn't wearing my void gear or my uniform, so going all big beast must have ripped my clothes up.

"Damn, I loved that shirt," I said.

"Sorry..."

Marms barely able to look at me was pretty funny.

"Girlie, it's not your fault," I said.

"Want me to go run back and grab clothes for you?" Marmalade asked.

"That's pretty far to run all the way there and back," I said.

"I could give you my shirt..." Marmalade said.

"Don't do that, here," I stepped into the water. It was freezing, but at least Marms wouldn't have to worry much about seeing me. "How about that? Marms, you can look now!"

Marmalade unclamped her hands from her eyes and slowly turned to face me. She stared at me with an open mouth, "Oh, that works. So you want me to just walk by and you swim? Won't that wear you out?"

"I'm beat, but that devil gunk makes my stamina way better I think," I said. "And it isn't too deep here so I can do the ol' swim walk if I get tired of the strokes."

"Gotcha, gotcha," Marmalade said. "Say, do you want me to join you? In a solidarity type thing,"

"What?" I laughed. "Girlie, don't do that."

"I mean, I'm willing to," Marmalade rocked on her heels a bit, blushing. "When else are we ever gonna get a chance to skinny dip?"

"I guess I already am…" I said.

"And? How is it?"

"Cold as hell," I said. "But…kind of exciting, too."

"So you're making me want to join you," Marmalade said. "Kay, um, would you mind turning around?"

"You're seriously doing this?" I asked. "You just gonna leave your clothes?"

"Eh, who needs em?" Marmalade said. "Well, I guess you might, though. We could trade places. I'll swim and you walk."

"Nah, like you said, solidarity type thing," I said. "We're in this together now."

"Yeah," Marmalade said. "Kalei, turn around already."

"Oh, sorry," I said.

I guess this is really happening. I stared at the water, waiting until I heard Marmalade's footsteps sloshing in, and a slight splash when she submerged herself.

"Oh my god is this cold," Marmalade said.

"I warned you!" I laughed. "You can always jump out, it's not too late."

Marms' clothes were in a pile in the sand. We were really skinny dipping. 

"No, I made it this far, I just…brrrr!" She shivered.

"Maybe once we start moving that'll make it easier," I said. "You can swim, right?"

"Why would I do this if I couldn't?" Marmalade said.

We started swimming, just casually and slowly moving through the water.

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