Post by Azonthus on Mar 10, 2005 14:22:51 GMT -5
Croco512
Aerial Protector of Dinotopia
and Protector of All Saurians
Posts: 153
(7/15/04 11:46 pm)
My Last Breath (songfic)
________________________________________
Rusty's played around with the idea of writing a story based around the lyrics of a popular song, so I've decided to take a crack at this myself. I hope you enjoy!
(“My Last Breath is © of Evanescence - Lyrics: Amy Lee)
“Hold on to me now
You know I can't stay long
All I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid...”<br>
He came into the hospital, hoping for the best but expecting the worst. In his twelve years of riding Skybaxes, Croco Hallaway had seen numerous close calls and many riders fall. Most of them were from being thrown by carnivores while doing flyovers in the Basin and stunt accidents; the carnivores were forgiving and didn’t attack the pilots, but all of the stunt fliers that fell met their end. After leaving Speedwing with a pair of specially trained Skybax handlers, Croco made the trip down three flights of stairs to the front desk of the hospital. At a still-young thirty-six summers, the Dolphinback had quickly mastered the art of Skybax riding and was rising up the list of successors to Oolu. At the ripe age of one-hundred forty-three, Oolu was contemplating retirement from his duties as Head Skybax Instructor in Canyon City.
When Croco came into the hospital with his shipment, a wide smile was on his face as he greeted the receptionist, an Ornithomimus named Renatha
“Breathe deep, Renatha. . .” said Croco. The ostrisaur chirped a greeting back, extending her left hand according to custom before he set the supplies on the desk, “That is the shipment from Prosperine that was supposed to be here yesterday, but Otto and Highglide couldn’t make it out because Highglide’s wing was bothering him.” Renatha nodded as a human came into the room and exchanged pleasantries with the Dolphinback.
“Fly high, Croco. . .”<br> “Seek peace. . .I just delivered the elixrs and other medicines to Renatha. I am sorry for the delay, Harriet.”<br> “It’s okay. . .at least Otto did not end up like the pilot we have right now.” Croco stepped back and folded his arms, helmet hanging from his right hand as a frown formed over his face.
“I’m sure it’ll work out,” he said, ever optimistic, “Speaking of which, I need to head back to Canyon City. I want to visit Luthien if she’s. . .” The mention of the name caused both Harriet and Renatha to freeze and give Croco a gaze that was colder than any wind the Forbidden Mountains could whip up. Surprised, Croco balked and moved back a few more steps. “Is something the matter?” Neither said a word; they motioned him toward the rooms where the patients rested while Croco thought about what could possibly be wrong. Renatha threw open the door and led the flier in.
There was nothing upon first sight that made Croco uneasy. . .just another Skybax Rider recovering after an accident, he thought. But as soon as he approached the bed, he started to feel his stomach knot as he looked at the person in the bed. She was a young woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties. . .about his age, and hair black as midnight. Upon seeing her face, Croco dropped to his knees as it was indeed the one he wanted to seek out in Canyon City.
“Luthien!!!” he cried. Harriet turned to scold him for being loud but then the three saw that she had opened her eyes, blue as the wind-stirred sea in a typhoon. She smiled when she saw the scarred face of Croco and held her arms out for him. The response was swift as he fell into her, trying not to break into tears. “You’re going to be okay, I know it!”<br> “Croco. . .” mumbled the fallen rider, “you’re. . .here.”<br> “Yes, but I have to be back in Canyon City. . .” Just then, Renatha stepped in and uttered several barking squawks in the direction of the two fliers, to which Harriet told him that he could stay and speak his mind to her. “I just wanted to tell you that because of you, I have grown stronger in both body, mind and spirit. For that, I will forever hold you in my highest gratitude.” Even in her weakened, crippled state, Luthien scoffed at him, though remained silent.
“Can you hear me?
Can you feel me in your arms?”<br>
Taking this as an insult, Croco held Luthien even tighter as tears started to flow down his face.
“Don’t you get it?” choked Croco, “I don’t think I would be where I am as one of the most respected of the Apprentice Riders. . .I’ve gotten in trouble with Oolu and the other Blues for helping you and your wing out!” Renatha poked her snout in and nudged the man as a warning that he might do more harm to her but that didn’t seem to matter to him. He felt as much in pain as the woman that lied in the bed as he let go briefly to wipe a tear from his eye. “There was even a time in my. . .no, more than one time in my life where I wanted to join you in cumspiritik and I even took you up on that challenge to find you.” A soft moan came from Luthien’s lips as Croco lifted up briefly to let her speak.
“Yes, and I am glad,” she said, “but you. . .you and I. . .were not meant to be joined. If it were, then. . .then I would be honored. . .still, that doesn’t mean I don’t care.” Luthien struggled to reach up so she could wrap her arms around his broad shoulders, but she did and pulled him closer. “I love you, Croco. . .you’re a good friend. . .but very few things go according to plan. This. . .” She paused and coughed blood up from her throat, spitting it onto her blanket before speaking again. “. . .this is one of those things. . .that was meant to be.”<br>
“Holding my last breath
Safe inside myself
Are all my thoughts of you?
Sweet raptured light, it ends here tonight...”<br>
Harriet sighed when she saw the blood stain the blanket and Luthien’s face. “I am sorry, Croco. . .but I doubt she will live much longer. The man who brought her in said that she looked like she had been thrown into a tree.” she told him. Croco backed away and started to pace around the room, looking for a reason. . .an excuse, anything. . .to bring back his dear friend. Just as he was about to speak and further dig himself into the pit of despair that had formed around him, a soft voice rose in the room.
“Don’t pity me. . .for I am now at peace with myself. . .” It was Luthien. Renatha was at her side, cooing softly and trying to ease her pain while Croco and Harriet went off into a corner to talk.
“She spoke of her demise,” Croco told her, “as if it was meant to be. . .as if it were written in stone. If that’s so, then why. . .” Harriet put a hand up to silence him; at one-hundred-sixteen summers, her wisdom was strong and particularly so as a healer. She knew that this was a place where death and pain loomed and was adept in comforting the grief-stricken as she put an arm around the Skybax Rider.
“Even if she predicted her own death, you still weep because she is close to your heart,” she said in a soft tone. “It is natural. . .you cannot fight it. It is what makes us higher beings. . .we weep for those we hold dear to us, human or saurian.” The young man nodded and went back over to the bed to check on Luthien, who had relaxed and fallen asleep for the time.
“I'll miss the winter
A world of fragile things
Look for me in the white forest
Hiding in a hollow tree... (Come find me)”<br>
Ignoring his current duties, Croco held vigil at the foot of Luthien’s bed as afternoon started to turn to evening. He perked up when he noticed movements from the bed just as Renatha came in to check in on her. She stroked her face as she changed the blanket, which was covered in the blood she had coughed up, as well as giving her some medicine that would help to ease the pain. The Arrii leader had sustained a tremendous amount of trauma after being thrown from Dekama, her loyal Skybax who remained outside her window through the whole ordeal.
As Croco was about to get up to attend to Speedwing, he heard her voice again and walked over to her bed.
“What is it?” asked Croco.
“Remember the time. . .when we saw each other in Thermala?” she said. “You told me. . .about your homeland. . .how it would turn white from the snow each year. . .I had a dream.” Croco sat down next to Luthien and listened. “I was. . .walking through the streets. . .when I saw a Skybax fly over me. It looked like Dekama. . .but something told me that it wasn’t. It circled above me. . .and when it landed. . .I saw that it was a pure white color, white as the clouds we fly through. She lowered her back and we flew off before it ended. . .” A chill ran up Croco’s spine as she told of her dream, knowing the symbolism this had in the Outside World as it was his turn to play the role of storyteller.
“I loved the snow, Luthien. . .I couldn’t wait for it to come every year in New York, although we got more than our fair share. My family and I would go into the mountains and camp out in a small cabin we have and just have a blast. The snow and the mountains were the source of our tranquility. . .which is why the time I spent at the Tentpole was such a relief for me. But still. . .” Luthien fixed her gaze into his eyes, trying to figure out what he was thinking, even in her weakened state.
“Croco. . .” mumbled Luthien, “. . .that is not relevant. When I set the challenge the first time. . .I purposely hid out in the open. . .in Treetown. . .a place that you knew so well.” A soft gasp came from the man as he buried his head in his hands, not believing that he could be so feeble. “I wanted you. . .I kept asking Norah when you would come. . .but I didn’t tell her to send for you. About a month later, I left. . .only to hear from her that you arrived the day after.”<br>
Aerial Protector of Dinotopia
and Protector of All Saurians
Posts: 153
(7/15/04 11:46 pm)
My Last Breath (songfic)
________________________________________
Rusty's played around with the idea of writing a story based around the lyrics of a popular song, so I've decided to take a crack at this myself. I hope you enjoy!
(“My Last Breath is © of Evanescence - Lyrics: Amy Lee)
“Hold on to me now
You know I can't stay long
All I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid...”<br>
He came into the hospital, hoping for the best but expecting the worst. In his twelve years of riding Skybaxes, Croco Hallaway had seen numerous close calls and many riders fall. Most of them were from being thrown by carnivores while doing flyovers in the Basin and stunt accidents; the carnivores were forgiving and didn’t attack the pilots, but all of the stunt fliers that fell met their end. After leaving Speedwing with a pair of specially trained Skybax handlers, Croco made the trip down three flights of stairs to the front desk of the hospital. At a still-young thirty-six summers, the Dolphinback had quickly mastered the art of Skybax riding and was rising up the list of successors to Oolu. At the ripe age of one-hundred forty-three, Oolu was contemplating retirement from his duties as Head Skybax Instructor in Canyon City.
When Croco came into the hospital with his shipment, a wide smile was on his face as he greeted the receptionist, an Ornithomimus named Renatha
“Breathe deep, Renatha. . .” said Croco. The ostrisaur chirped a greeting back, extending her left hand according to custom before he set the supplies on the desk, “That is the shipment from Prosperine that was supposed to be here yesterday, but Otto and Highglide couldn’t make it out because Highglide’s wing was bothering him.” Renatha nodded as a human came into the room and exchanged pleasantries with the Dolphinback.
“Fly high, Croco. . .”<br> “Seek peace. . .I just delivered the elixrs and other medicines to Renatha. I am sorry for the delay, Harriet.”<br> “It’s okay. . .at least Otto did not end up like the pilot we have right now.” Croco stepped back and folded his arms, helmet hanging from his right hand as a frown formed over his face.
“I’m sure it’ll work out,” he said, ever optimistic, “Speaking of which, I need to head back to Canyon City. I want to visit Luthien if she’s. . .” The mention of the name caused both Harriet and Renatha to freeze and give Croco a gaze that was colder than any wind the Forbidden Mountains could whip up. Surprised, Croco balked and moved back a few more steps. “Is something the matter?” Neither said a word; they motioned him toward the rooms where the patients rested while Croco thought about what could possibly be wrong. Renatha threw open the door and led the flier in.
There was nothing upon first sight that made Croco uneasy. . .just another Skybax Rider recovering after an accident, he thought. But as soon as he approached the bed, he started to feel his stomach knot as he looked at the person in the bed. She was a young woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties. . .about his age, and hair black as midnight. Upon seeing her face, Croco dropped to his knees as it was indeed the one he wanted to seek out in Canyon City.
“Luthien!!!” he cried. Harriet turned to scold him for being loud but then the three saw that she had opened her eyes, blue as the wind-stirred sea in a typhoon. She smiled when she saw the scarred face of Croco and held her arms out for him. The response was swift as he fell into her, trying not to break into tears. “You’re going to be okay, I know it!”<br> “Croco. . .” mumbled the fallen rider, “you’re. . .here.”<br> “Yes, but I have to be back in Canyon City. . .” Just then, Renatha stepped in and uttered several barking squawks in the direction of the two fliers, to which Harriet told him that he could stay and speak his mind to her. “I just wanted to tell you that because of you, I have grown stronger in both body, mind and spirit. For that, I will forever hold you in my highest gratitude.” Even in her weakened, crippled state, Luthien scoffed at him, though remained silent.
“Can you hear me?
Can you feel me in your arms?”<br>
Taking this as an insult, Croco held Luthien even tighter as tears started to flow down his face.
“Don’t you get it?” choked Croco, “I don’t think I would be where I am as one of the most respected of the Apprentice Riders. . .I’ve gotten in trouble with Oolu and the other Blues for helping you and your wing out!” Renatha poked her snout in and nudged the man as a warning that he might do more harm to her but that didn’t seem to matter to him. He felt as much in pain as the woman that lied in the bed as he let go briefly to wipe a tear from his eye. “There was even a time in my. . .no, more than one time in my life where I wanted to join you in cumspiritik and I even took you up on that challenge to find you.” A soft moan came from Luthien’s lips as Croco lifted up briefly to let her speak.
“Yes, and I am glad,” she said, “but you. . .you and I. . .were not meant to be joined. If it were, then. . .then I would be honored. . .still, that doesn’t mean I don’t care.” Luthien struggled to reach up so she could wrap her arms around his broad shoulders, but she did and pulled him closer. “I love you, Croco. . .you’re a good friend. . .but very few things go according to plan. This. . .” She paused and coughed blood up from her throat, spitting it onto her blanket before speaking again. “. . .this is one of those things. . .that was meant to be.”<br>
“Holding my last breath
Safe inside myself
Are all my thoughts of you?
Sweet raptured light, it ends here tonight...”<br>
Harriet sighed when she saw the blood stain the blanket and Luthien’s face. “I am sorry, Croco. . .but I doubt she will live much longer. The man who brought her in said that she looked like she had been thrown into a tree.” she told him. Croco backed away and started to pace around the room, looking for a reason. . .an excuse, anything. . .to bring back his dear friend. Just as he was about to speak and further dig himself into the pit of despair that had formed around him, a soft voice rose in the room.
“Don’t pity me. . .for I am now at peace with myself. . .” It was Luthien. Renatha was at her side, cooing softly and trying to ease her pain while Croco and Harriet went off into a corner to talk.
“She spoke of her demise,” Croco told her, “as if it was meant to be. . .as if it were written in stone. If that’s so, then why. . .” Harriet put a hand up to silence him; at one-hundred-sixteen summers, her wisdom was strong and particularly so as a healer. She knew that this was a place where death and pain loomed and was adept in comforting the grief-stricken as she put an arm around the Skybax Rider.
“Even if she predicted her own death, you still weep because she is close to your heart,” she said in a soft tone. “It is natural. . .you cannot fight it. It is what makes us higher beings. . .we weep for those we hold dear to us, human or saurian.” The young man nodded and went back over to the bed to check on Luthien, who had relaxed and fallen asleep for the time.
“I'll miss the winter
A world of fragile things
Look for me in the white forest
Hiding in a hollow tree... (Come find me)”<br>
Ignoring his current duties, Croco held vigil at the foot of Luthien’s bed as afternoon started to turn to evening. He perked up when he noticed movements from the bed just as Renatha came in to check in on her. She stroked her face as she changed the blanket, which was covered in the blood she had coughed up, as well as giving her some medicine that would help to ease the pain. The Arrii leader had sustained a tremendous amount of trauma after being thrown from Dekama, her loyal Skybax who remained outside her window through the whole ordeal.
As Croco was about to get up to attend to Speedwing, he heard her voice again and walked over to her bed.
“What is it?” asked Croco.
“Remember the time. . .when we saw each other in Thermala?” she said. “You told me. . .about your homeland. . .how it would turn white from the snow each year. . .I had a dream.” Croco sat down next to Luthien and listened. “I was. . .walking through the streets. . .when I saw a Skybax fly over me. It looked like Dekama. . .but something told me that it wasn’t. It circled above me. . .and when it landed. . .I saw that it was a pure white color, white as the clouds we fly through. She lowered her back and we flew off before it ended. . .” A chill ran up Croco’s spine as she told of her dream, knowing the symbolism this had in the Outside World as it was his turn to play the role of storyteller.
“I loved the snow, Luthien. . .I couldn’t wait for it to come every year in New York, although we got more than our fair share. My family and I would go into the mountains and camp out in a small cabin we have and just have a blast. The snow and the mountains were the source of our tranquility. . .which is why the time I spent at the Tentpole was such a relief for me. But still. . .” Luthien fixed her gaze into his eyes, trying to figure out what he was thinking, even in her weakened state.
“Croco. . .” mumbled Luthien, “. . .that is not relevant. When I set the challenge the first time. . .I purposely hid out in the open. . .in Treetown. . .a place that you knew so well.” A soft gasp came from the man as he buried his head in his hands, not believing that he could be so feeble. “I wanted you. . .I kept asking Norah when you would come. . .but I didn’t tell her to send for you. About a month later, I left. . .only to hear from her that you arrived the day after.”<br>