Post by Nathan Saniti on Dec 11, 2016 10:16:14 GMT -5
The Seeds of Life - Chapter 09
(Author's note: Kelli Starr is used with permission.)
Kelli strode into her suite high above the now former pharmaceutical company turned candy factory. Within her penthouse, she had a feeling of home, only outmatched by being with Nathan in Balance. Lately, even that has felt a bit off. She knew he was hiding a secret from her, a notion that both saddened and infuriated her. To make matters even more vexing, N. had also had a bad case of the clam-ups. Just thinking about it made her blood...
"Dafuq?"
As she entered her boudoir, she noticed something placed neatly in the center of her bed. Her head involuntarily tilted in curiosity as she approached. The object of her intent became a clearer as she got closer; it was a paper rose. She couldn't help but smile just a little in her wonder as she picked it up to give it a good look.
The object seemed to come alive with her touch. The rose appeared to sway and tilt, as if being blown by an invisible, gentle wind. The bud blossomed to its fullest, finally turning itself to full display at Kelli's face. She cooed in awe, marveling at the thing.
Slowly, the petals began to unfold on their own, a sight both intriguing and disheartening to its host. Within a minute, the rose had all but morphed into the flat piece of paper from which it had been fashioned. Upon it were only the words, "You're Invited," and a small gothic design with a cute characterization of Nathan sipping tea in a seated position at the corner. She barely had time to be amused when green smoke began to engulf her.
She felt herself being transported, a sensation she had become accustomed to recognizing when she did it for herself. She felt the space empty around her as if reality were only the cloud of smoke she rode on as it dissipated from her penthouse. The trip lasted mere seconds, but she knew time could be tricky on the excursions. So could space.
The ground solidified beneath her feet once more, the scenery transformed from the high rise of a modern city to the inner walls of a well kept, albeit homey and familiar shack within the borders of Balance. As her eyes began to regain their focus, she saw both N. and Nathan staring at her, Nathan with his unhinged grin and N. with a scowl almost as trademarked. Her rage disallowed the pleasantries she knew were about to come from her beau.
"God*BLEEP*it, Nathan! You know how I *BLEEP*ing hate it when you do that!"
Nathan's smile faded into guilt and shame, something N. took no shortage of satisfaction in, inwardly. He began to speak, but the words froze within his throat, nearly cutting off his oxygen. He turned away, coughing and gagging to relieve his condition. With each airy heave, icy letters vomited themselves on the floor as if he'd just upchucked a whole can of frozen alphabet soup.
"Whilst he has his vowel movement," snarked N., "We should head into the parlor. We have much to talk about." He patted Nathan on the back. "Once you've regained your composure, feel free to join us." N. lead Kelli to the living room, seating her on one end of a beautiful Victorian couch with ornately carved wooden accents of cherubs at play. The dark black velvet cushions gave it a bit of a macabre and sinister air, despite the joy carved into the faces of the cherubs.
In spite of her unease at the menacing decor, Kelli felt a pang of satisfaction, believing her spell of truth readying itself to come true. The choking in the adjoining room finally quieted, Nathan strolling in, making every attempt to disavow(el) what he had just gone through with his usual gentlemanly charm. N. sat in his red velvet Victorian high backed chair like a king with the weight of the world atop his shoulders, his scowl creasing his brow deeper with severity.
"It's good to see you, my dearest," crackled Nathan's voice from the previous strain. He cleared his throat to shake loose the remains of the fit.
"Dispense with the civilities, Nathan," scorned N., unmoving in his throne. "Our beloved is obviously not in the mood, and she's perfectly aware that you didn't call her here to discuss my match with Alexa..."
"Our match," corrected Nathan.
"MY MATCH," growled N. "While you are out collecting trinkets, it is I who have had to deal with that demonic heathen, not you!"
"That's true. Perhaps we should discuss how we are to dismantle the Darkness and remove their power from their leader."
"Guys?" Kelli attempted to intervene.
"We can start by me taking that North American Championship from her." N. grumbled, "Take away her influence in the upper echelon of PCW. That will be a start."
"That belt hardly gives her any true power," argued Nathan.
"Guys?"
"It gives her influence," retorted N with a snarl. "Capture THAT trinket and remove that influence, and she shall go back to being a forgotten curtain-jerker. Then, we will be able to dismantle her without the world taking notice."
"GUYS! SHUT THE *BLEEP* UP!"
Nathan and N. both had a mixture of shock and hurt on their silent faces. Kelli ping-ponged her frustrated glower back and forth, making sure they were reminded of her presence. "I have my own big match to worry about against Grimm. Nathan has to worry about keeping the world from ending. We all have our *BLEEP*ing stresses. Knock. It. Off." She paused to make sure the point was driven home. She huffed, straightening herself out confidently. "Now... What is THIS all about?"
N. and Nathan looked at each other once more, Nathan's face cowering away from his love's gaze. "Things between N. and I aren't as they seem, my dear." He slowly returned his eyes to hers. "I don't know if you're ready to accept the truth about me. About us. About he and I."
"Oh, stop beating around the bush, you emotional twit," spat N. venomously. He stood from his chair and gently grabbed Kelli by the shoulders to stare her directly in the eyes. "Kelli, I never existed."
A comical mixture of confusion and disbelief overcame her face. N. stepped back to give Kelli some space as he searched for the words to help her understand. Finally, they materialized in front of him. Nodding as he swatted them away with gratitude, he spoke again. "I believe it would be best to start at the beginning." He curled his lip at Nathan. "Feel free to join the conversation."
Nodding in agreement, Nathan took a deep breath. "Kelli, what he means by 'he never existed' is..." Nathan swallowed before continuing. "He's my unborn twin brother."
Nathan allowed this fresh fact to sink in before elaborating further. "Fate had assigned him a soul, but my body absorbed his in the womb. I was a single entity born with two souls. Until Naomi and I were made members of the Infiniti Council, no one knew, including myself."
"Not entirely true, brother," interjected N. "That seer in Pompeii? The one who predicted the very event that caused us all to alter our destinies? She saw in you, even as a boy, just why you would get out of control at times. It was my soul attempting to free itself."
"Since then," added Nathan, "Every time I've allowed him freedom, I've had to trap him back inside my body. Every time I've allowed him to take over my body, horrible things happened in history."
"The French Revolution?" realized Kelli with dumbstruck awe.
"Yes," agreed N.
"Indeed," concurred Nathan.
The look on Nathan's eyes proved he still had something to hide. Kelli could see into his soul and tell. "What's the REST of it? Nathan, did you cause the French Revolution? What are you not telling me?"
N. spoke up before Nathan could twist the truth. "Yes. We caused the French Revolution. Intentionally. But rather than get his own hands dirty to steer history in the proper direction, he gave ME control of the body so that his conscious could remain clean. I am the way I am because he has repeatedly used me as a tool to do his dirty work, just like he is now against the Darkness, just as he did against the Black Hand."
Somewhere in the next room, Sarah McLaughlin began to play in the background. The song registered just enough to be oddly apropos to Kelli. Nathan reached for her, but she shrank from his touch, still in disbelief of these revelations.
"When I told you I never existed, it's because I never had a corporeal body of my own. That is, until you and Nathan created Balance. Now, I have a body of my own that can be broken. Now, I have blood of my own that can be spilt. Still, he sends me into the heat of battle against the foes HE generates to prevent his own agony."
Kelli slowly turned to Nathan, her mouth agape in shock. The rejection in her face was more than he could bear. A tear rolled down Nathan's pale cheek. "Please, my dearest. Please say that you think no less of me."
His fears came to a monstrous reality with her next four words. "I need some space."
