Cole was slightly concerned to see a drop of red on Matilda's finger, not to mention she looked pale and sick. He got off the log and walked to her with Phillip. "Matilda, are you sure you're OK? You don't look good."
She glared at them, and hissed. She actually hissed. The boys stopped and stared. The woman was baring her white teeth at them and hissing like a cornered cat.
"Hhsst...Leave me alone, you blathering idiots!" Cole was disconcerted to see hot tears streaming down her cheeks, and to see that her eyes had turned to a shiny, misty green. He stepped toward her uncertainly, one hand outstretched.
"Matilda? You're--you're bleeding. Did a needle prick your finger?"
Swaying, she inspected her finger with a glazed expression. "Venomari venom..." She murmured.
"What?" Phillip looked at her with wariness and concern.
There was a strange pause. Matilda gazed misty-eyed at her finger, her defensive snarl turning into a dull, drifting expression. Blinking, she looked at Cole and stared intently at him. He didn't like how she was looking at him...It was very creepy, the way her green eyes gazed sightlessly at him.
"Guys? What's going on?" Liana asked quietly from the bench.
Matilda suddenly stumbled toward Cole and grabbed his shirt. A glazed, crooked grin crept over her face, which was wet with tears. Cole froze, wondering what in all of Ninjago was happening.
Slowly, softly, the witch stroked his cheek as if he was her own infant. Her thin, cold finger traced his face tenderly, affectionately. There was a long, awkward moment of silence. "You look just like your mother." She murmured ever so softly.
Cole's jaw dropped. Matilda stumbled away from him, then tripped over a root and fell over. He stared slack-jawed at the witch while she sat up on the forest floor and began muttering to herself. She stared sightlessly past the boys, tensing up and clutching a clump of ferns. "Chickens....So many chickens..." She murmured. "...They have rainbows."
Cole couldn't decide whether he should freak out or laugh out loud, and Phillip, with his bulging eyes and biting his lip, looked like he felt the same. The two boys glanced warily at each other as Matilda began to mutter rapidly, staring at something that wasn't there.
"...So many chickens...Clucky has the power of rainbows...They want war...war..." She clawed the ground. "...War...against the potatoes."
Cole felt like he was watching a horror movie version of "Ninjago's Funniest Home Videos".
"They're coming...The potato gremlins are coming...They are angry little potatoes...They don't like chickens."
Liana sat stock-still by the mossy log, listening to the spectacle.
Matilda fell into a strange silence, breathing heavily. She knelt on the moist dirt, soiling her green dress. Phillip finally dared to gingerly lay a hand on her shoulder. She flinched.
"...Matilda?" He croaked. "Can you hear me?"
The green-eyed witch suddenly stood up and grabbed a stick, and cocked it as if she was aiming with her wand. "Esmereldo..." She rasped. "Esmereldo...He's after them. All the Endermen are. He wants vengeance...He wants..." She shuddered. "...Liam...His son...So many chickens..."
Cole finally tore his gaze away from her. "What the brick is wrong with her?!"
Liana stood up and looked sightlessly in their general direction. "She said something about Venomari, didn't she?"
"What's Venomari?"
"Liam, you have a difficult path..." The witch moaned. "...Take care of your friend..."
"Its source has been told to be from a tribe of snake-people--"
"Snake people--?!"
"Kebo...A Dragonhearted....His path is unclear..."
"Whether the legends are true or not," Liana ignored Matilda's insane muttering. "The venom of the Venomari has been known to distort one's eyesight, thereby making them prey to the snakes." She bit her lip. "The trouble is...The venom has only been known to be sprayed in the victim's eyes...Never injected into their body!"
"Are you telling me that Matilda's been poisoned?!"
Liana nodded.
Phillip glanced warily at the witch, who was now sobbing and clutching her head, muttering. "...I shouldn't have left them...Steve...Alex...Calvin, help them....So many creepers...They're about to explode!"
"Uh..." Phillip licked his lips. "Is it lethal?"
"No, it was always temporary."
"Well, how long until this stuff wears off?" Cole ran a hand through his hair. "It's starting to get--"
"Ah, if the professors could see me now! No idea what type of magic I've learned...No idea..."
"...Annoying." He finished.
Matilda stopped sobbing, and was now cackling like a maniac. "Everybody's got a water buffalo, yours is fast, but mine is slow..."
Liana tried to hide a grin. "Again, I don't know how long it will last, because the venom has not been known to be injected into someody's body, only sprayed in their eyes. It's meant only to confuse the victim, but perhaps..." She paused. "Perhaps because the liquid is in her bloodstream, it's not only giving her confusing images and messing with her mind, but it could also show her the things she fears."
Cole and Phillip glanced at each other.
She shrugged. "I studied into this a few months ago. Fascinating subject, actually."
"The masters of fire and water still survive...The lion and the phoenix live..."
Phillip knelt down beside Matilda, who stared blearily with misty green eyes. "Can you hear me, Matilda?"
"Ha ha, you look like Tintin!"
He rolled his eyes. "I guess not."
The cloudy-eyed witch stumbled to her feet and began to walk away unsteadily. "The cheese...It speaks to me. Come on, Snowy! Vamanos, soy Dora!"
"Get back here!" Phillip and Cole grabbed the hood of her cloak and pulled her back. She chuckled and sang. "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts..."
Phillip growled. "You're right, this is getting obnoxious. We need to make her shut up before I lose my mind or smash laughing."
"Are you telling me that Matilda's been poisoned?!"
Liana nodded.
Phillip glanced warily at the witch, who was now sobbing and clutching her head, muttering. "...I shouldn't have left them...Steve...Alex...Calvin, help them....So many creepers...They're about to explode!"
"Uh..." Phillip licked his lips. "Is it lethal?"
"No, it was always temporary."
"Well, how long until this stuff wears off?" Cole ran a hand through his hair. "It's starting to get--"
"Ah, if the professors could see me now! No idea what type of magic I've learned...No idea..."
"...Annoying." He finished.
Matilda stopped sobbing, and was now cackling like a maniac. "Everybody's got a water buffalo, yours is fast, but mine is slow..."
Liana tried to hide a grin. "Again, I don't know how long it will last, because the venom has not been known to be injected into someody's body, only sprayed in their eyes. It's meant only to confuse the victim, but perhaps..." She paused. "Perhaps because the liquid is in her bloodstream, it's not only giving her confusing images and messing with her mind, but it could also show her the things she fears."
Cole and Phillip glanced at each other.
She shrugged. "I studied into this a few months ago. Fascinating subject, actually."
"The masters of fire and water still survive...The lion and the phoenix live..."
Phillip knelt down beside Matilda, who stared blearily with misty green eyes. "Can you hear me, Matilda?"
"Ha ha, you look like Tintin!"
He rolled his eyes. "I guess not."
The cloudy-eyed witch stumbled to her feet and began to walk away unsteadily. "The cheese...It speaks to me. Come on, Snowy! Vamanos, soy Dora!"
"Get back here!" Phillip and Cole grabbed the hood of her cloak and pulled her back. She chuckled and sang. "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts..."
Phillip growled. "You're right, this is getting obnoxious. We need to make her shut up before I lose my mind or smash laughing."
Just moderated this part and found it most interesting and entertaining. So many references.
"Are you telling me that Matilda's been poisoned?!"
Liana nodded.
Phillip glanced warily at the witch, who was now sobbing and clutching her head, muttering. "...I shouldn't have left them...Steve...Alex...Calvin, help them....So many creepers...They're about to explode!"
"Uh..." Phillip licked his lips. "Is it lethal?"
"No, it was always temporary."
"Well, how long until this stuff wears off?" Cole ran a hand through his hair. "It's starting to get--"
"Ah, if the professors could see me now! No idea what type of magic I've learned...No idea..."
"...Annoying." He finished.
Matilda stopped sobbing, and was now cackling like a maniac. "Everybody's got a water buffalo, yours is fast, but mine is slow..."
Liana tried to hide a grin. "Again, I don't know how long it will last, because the venom has not been known to be injected into someody's body, only sprayed in their eyes. It's meant only to confuse the victim, but perhaps..." She paused. "Perhaps because the liquid is in her bloodstream, it's not only giving her confusing images and messing with her mind, but it could also show her the things she fears."
Cole and Phillip glanced at each other.
She shrugged. "I studied into this a few months ago. Fascinating subject, actually."
"The masters of fire and water still survive...The lion and the phoenix live..."
Phillip knelt down beside Matilda, who stared blearily with misty green eyes. "Can you hear me, Matilda?"
"Ha ha, you look like Tintin!"
He rolled his eyes. "I guess not."
The cloudy-eyed witch stumbled to her feet and began to walk away unsteadily. "The cheese...It speaks to me. Come on, Snowy! Vamanos, soy Dora!"
"Get back here!" Phillip and Cole grabbed the hood of her cloak and pulled her back. She chuckled and sang. "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts..."
Phillip growled. "You're right, this is getting obnoxious. We need to make her shut up before I lose my mind or smash laughing."
Just moderated this part and found it most interesting and entertaining. So many references.
I can't find anything to say to this. Except maybe "brick it". . . xP xD
"Just let her sit down somewhere and let her ramble!" Liana protested. "She's not doing any harm."
"Yeah, right. No harm except for my ears." Phillip muttered.
"My little pony, my little pony..." Matilda sang.
"OK, THAT'S IT!" To put it quite simply, Cole knocked her out. She groaned and fell into a thick clump of ferns. The boys then picked up her listless body and laid her down on a blanket. Then they sat down and proceeded to finish their bland breakfast of trail mix while the witch slept.
An hour passed by. Then another. And another. The teenagers spent this tedious time waiting by chatting amongst themselves. Phillip and Liana talked about their life in Ninjago City, and Cole talked about his life with his dad. They took the saddles and bits off their horses, seeing that it didn't look like they would be getting anywhere anytime soon. Phillip helped Cole with unbuckling and tying up stirrups and whatnot, seeing that he kept getting the bridle stuck on Shauntel's ears and making the horse snort angrily.
They eventually got to the subject of Liana's blindness. Cole felt a bit awkward about it, but Liana seemed perfectly fine with talking about how she became blind. Long story short, when she was a mere toddler, she had wandered from a family picnic and ran into a wolf, who had attacked her. Her father arrived in time to save his daughter, but the predator had succeeded in permanently blinding the girl.
"So...What's it like, being blind?" Cole saw Phillip quirk his eyebrow at the question, but he really couldn't think of a better way to ask it.
"What's it like being able to see?" She retorted.
He paused. "Normal, I guess."
"Same for me." She gave a soft smile as she ran her hand through Aquilla's ratty mane. "People act like I'm different and weak just because I can't see. They are the blind ones; they can't see that I can thrive just as well as other girls. I can hear quite clearly, and I can sense the presence of certain people or objects."
"Just let her sit down somewhere and let her ramble!" Liana protested. "She's not doing any harm."
"Yeah, right. No harm except for my ears." Phillip muttered.
"My little pony, my little pony..." Matilda sang.
"OK, THAT'S IT!" To put it quite simply, Cole knocked her out. She groaned and fell into a thick clump of ferns. The boys then picked up her listless body and laid her down on a blanket. Then they sat down and proceeded to finish their bland breakfast of trail mix while the witch slept.
An hour passed by. Then another. And another. The teenagers spent this tedious time waiting by chatting amongst themselves. Phillip and Liana talked about their life in Ninjago City, and Cole talked about his life with his dad. They took the saddles and bits off their horses, seeing that it didn't look like they would be getting anywhere anytime soon. Phillip helped Cole with unbuckling and tying up stirrups and whatnot, seeing that he kept getting the bridle stuck on Shauntel's ears and making the horse snort angrily.
They eventually got to the subject of Liana's blindness. Cole felt a bit awkward about it, but Liana seemed perfectly fine with talking about how she became blind. Long story short, when she was a mere toddler, she had wandered from a family picnic and ran into a wolf, who had attacked her. Her father arrived in time to save his daughter, but the predator had succeeded in permanently blinding the girl.
"So...What's it like, being blind?" Cole saw Phillip quirk his eyebrow at the question, but he really couldn't think of a better way to ask it.
"What's it like being able to see?" She retorted.
He paused. "Normal, I guess."
"Same for me." She gave a soft smile as she ran her hand through Aquilla's ratty mane. "People act like I'm different and weak just because I can't see. They are the blind ones; they can't see that I can thrive just as well as other girls. I can hear quite clearly, and I can sense the presence of certain people or objects."
1. Pffft--- xD This chapter is amazing! 2. ...Looks like we're going wolf hunting, boys and girls. 3. You tell them, girl! >:0 Liana is officially my fav.
"Just let her sit down somewhere and let her ramble!" Liana protested. "She's not doing any harm."
"Yeah, right. No harm except for my ears." Phillip muttered.
"My little pony, my little pony..." Matilda sang.
"OK, THAT'S IT!" To put it quite simply, Cole knocked her out. She groaned and fell into a thick clump of ferns. The boys then picked up her listless body and laid her down on a blanket. Then they sat down and proceeded to finish their bland breakfast of trail mix while the witch slept.
An hour passed by. Then another. And another. The teenagers spent this tedious time waiting by chatting amongst themselves. Phillip and Liana talked about their life in Ninjago City, and Cole talked about his life with his dad. They took the saddles and bits off their horses, seeing that it didn't look like they would be getting anywhere anytime soon. Phillip helped Cole with unbuckling and tying up stirrups and whatnot, seeing that he kept getting the bridle stuck on Shauntel's ears and making the horse snort angrily.
They eventually got to the subject of Liana's blindness. Cole felt a bit awkward about it, but Liana seemed perfectly fine with talking about how she became blind. Long story short, when she was a mere toddler, she had wandered from a family picnic and ran into a wolf, who had attacked her. Her father arrived in time to save his daughter, but the predator had succeeded in permanently blinding the girl.
"So...What's it like, being blind?" Cole saw Phillip quirk his eyebrow at the question, but he really couldn't think of a better way to ask it.
"What's it like being able to see?" She retorted.
He paused. "Normal, I guess."
"Same for me." She gave a soft smile as she ran her hand through Aquilla's ratty mane. "People act like I'm different and weak just because I can't see. They are the blind ones; they can't see that I can thrive just as well as other girls. I can hear quite clearly, and I can sense the presence of certain people or objects."
1. Pffft--- xD This chapter is amazing! 2. ...Looks like we're going wolf hunting, boys and girls. 3. You tell them, girl! >:0 Liana is officially my fav.
1. I know. I'm sorry. 2. :0 3. She's slightly cuter in this story, isn't she?
"The fact that I can't see is not my hinderence. On the contrary. It is my strength. It keeps me fighting." She rested her head on Aquilla's sloping neck. "One of the reasons I love animals is they don't care if I can't see anything. They love me for who I am inside."
Liana stroked the black and white horse's velvet-pink nose. "Aquilla is my best friend. We ride as one, we play together, sometimes we swim together. When I ride her, I let her take the lead, because she always knows where to go." She then smiled. "Phillip is a good friend, too...When he's not being obnoxious."
Phillip snorted good-naturedly and winked at Cole. "Yeah, we're buddies. I don't let anybody pick on her...And she tells me which girl at school thinks I'm cute."
Cole chuckled and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Most siblings I've met do nothing but fight and act like they want the other one to get hit by a bus."
Liana grinned. "Who says I wouldn't mind Phillip getting hit by a bus?"
"Hey!" He exclaimed in mock indignation.
She swung her sightless eyes to Cole's general direction and asked. "Do you have any siblings? Or friends that feel like siblings, at least?"
"Nah." He slouched against a moss-covered tree. "I've never really had many friends." He shrugged. "Sure, there were some guys at school I would hang out with and joke about lame stuff with, but there was never really anybody I could really call my friend." His gaze drifted off into space, lost in thought.
You will find a kindred spirit in lightning. That was one of the things Matilda read from the dragon knucklebones. He remembered from a book he had to read in school called Aang of Green Fusuma, where the main character used the term "a kindred spirit" a lot, and Cole guessed it meant something like "BFF". (He didn't read very much of the book, and failed his book report.)
A kindred spirit in lightning. Perhaps lightning was a person?
"The fact that I can't see is not my hinderence. On the contrary. It is my strength. It keeps me fighting." She rested her head on Aquilla's sloping neck. "One of the reasons I love animals is they don't care if I can't see anything. They love me for who I am inside."
Liana stroked the black and white horse's velvet-pink nose. "Aquilla is my best friend. We ride as one, we play together, sometimes we swim together. When I ride her, I let her take the lead, because she always knows where to go." She then smiled. "Phillip is a good friend, too...When he's not being obnoxious."
Phillip snorted good-naturedly and winked at Cole. "Yeah, we're buddies. I don't let anybody pick on her...And she tells me which girl at school thinks I'm cute."
Cole chuckled and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Most siblings I've met do nothing but fight and act like they want the other one to get hit by a bus."
Liana grinned. "Who says I wouldn't mind Phillip getting hit by a bus?"
"Hey!" He exclaimed in mock indignation.
She swung her sightless eyes to Cole's general direction and asked. "Do you have any siblings? Or friends that feel like siblings, at least?"
"Nah." He slouched against a moss-covered tree. "I've never really had many friends." He shrugged. "Sure, there were some guys at school I would hang out with and joke about lame stuff with, but there was never really anybody I could really call my friend." His gaze drifted off into space, lost in thought.
You will find a kindred spirit in lightning. That was one of the things Matilda read from the dragon knucklebones. He remembered from a book he had to read in school called Aang of Green Fusuma, where the main character used the term "a kindred spirit" a lot, and Cole guessed it meant something like "BFF". (He didn't read very much of the book, and failed his book report.)
A kindred spirit in lightning. Perhaps lightning was a person?
Cole's school sounds like what my public-school experience was like.
Do you have anything more on Aang of Green Fusuma?
"Wise words by wise men write wise deeds in wise pen." —Lollimon the Wise
"The fact that I can't see is not my hinderence. On the contrary. It is my strength. It keeps me fighting." She rested her head on Aquilla's sloping neck. "One of the reasons I love animals is they don't care if I can't see anything. They love me for who I am inside."
Liana stroked the black and white horse's velvet-pink nose. "Aquilla is my best friend. We ride as one, we play together, sometimes we swim together. When I ride her, I let her take the lead, because she always knows where to go." She then smiled. "Phillip is a good friend, too...When he's not being obnoxious."
Phillip snorted good-naturedly and winked at Cole. "Yeah, we're buddies. I don't let anybody pick on her...And she tells me which girl at school thinks I'm cute."
Cole chuckled and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Most siblings I've met do nothing but fight and act like they want the other one to get hit by a bus."
Liana grinned. "Who says I wouldn't mind Phillip getting hit by a bus?"
"Hey!" He exclaimed in mock indignation.
She swung her sightless eyes to Cole's general direction and asked. "Do you have any siblings? Or friends that feel like siblings, at least?"
"Nah." He slouched against a moss-covered tree. "I've never really had many friends." He shrugged. "Sure, there were some guys at school I would hang out with and joke about lame stuff with, but there was never really anybody I could really call my friend." His gaze drifted off into space, lost in thought.
You will find a kindred spirit in lightning. That was one of the things Matilda read from the dragon knucklebones. He remembered from a book he had to read in school called Aang of Green Fusuma, where the main character used the term "a kindred spirit" a lot, and Cole guessed it meant something like "BFF". (He didn't read very much of the book, and failed his book report.)
A kindred spirit in lightning. Perhaps lightning was a person?
Cole's school sounds like what my public-school experience was like.
Do you have anything more on Aang of Green Fusuma?
![[derp]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/YqNTPqyQUocVMYXZgUAI.png)
