What Goes Around, Comes Around

Character sheet · by **Lenz** on March 11th, 2014, 7:05 pm

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20th of Spring, 514 AV
Slag Heap Party

Prowling among the very people she never wished to become a part of, a woman was. Her red hair matched the shimmering essense of the heat the fire gave off. It radiated in thick fumes of smoke, almost twinkling like the stars of the night.

She walked quickly over to a group of people, venturing from her bubble of comfort. She caught sight of a man, her heart racing as she watched him with wary eyes.

She went forward, her tongue licking her chapped lips. She could hear thunder, or was that just her imagination? It could have been both, the pounding in her head causing it hard to separate the two ideas from one another.

She walked, and walked until it felt like she had walked forever. Finally she was face to face with a monster.

The monster looked down at her, his teeth shimmering with sharp interest. He was intrigued with her, looking down at her as if she were a specimen under a microscope.

"Hello."

His voice was metallic, but Lenz ushered on. She was here to do one thing and one thing only. And it meant life or death.

Adventurous would be the appropriate word used to describe the feelings that were succumbing to envelope the woman with fiery red hair. Her heart was set on venturing out and daring herself to try new things. One of these things included attending one of the slag heap parties.

She wouldn’t consider herself antisocial, but she would rather be alone than with the company of others. She found herself often ending up making many enemies at the end of the night without a notion as to why.

Today, however, was a chance to right her wrongs and push her limits. She didn’t know what she was going to do or how the night was going to go, but she had ideas rotting in the back of her mind, dust settling on top of any opinions or suggestions. She could feel the decomposition starting already, deteriorating from the inside, out.

Her mind reeled with possibilities. She knew for certain that she wouldn’t bring along Ipisol, for she was far too young to be out so late with the risk of having numerous terrible outcomes. She didn’t know what was going to happen to herself, let alone a child.

She feared being yelled out, complaints striking her from all angles. However, when she had brought up the idea in the ways of latent gestures, she was merely frowned upon.

“Why can’t I go again?” the girl had asked, her head cocked to one side, a slight pout forming creases in between her brows.

“I fear for you,” Lenz had replied as stoic as she could.

“Why should you fear for me?” Ipisol countered, leaning in as if to try to trap the woman in with all her opposing thoughts. She had felt claustrophobic, as if she was being interrogated for being in the midst of a horrendous crime.

“I fear for your safety.”

“I don’t get it,” the little girl said, curiosity sliding onto her face to replace the mask of frustration and confusion.

“Have I not mentioned to you what happens in this city?” Lenz erupted, finally releasing the blistering effects of her bottled up emotions. She was through trying to explain herself to someone younger than her. She knew what she was doing and had rational reasons as to why she was doing them.

Ipisol pulled back as if two malevolent hands had gripped her shoulders and restrained her by chains. He rust from those chains chipped off as tears dared to form in her eyes.

Lenz wasn’t in the mood for apologetically responding, nor explanations or comforting gestures. She was going to be a woman tonight and nothing was going to stop her.

With adrenaline pumping through her veins, fear quickly fled in, replacing all other feeling. What if when she left, Ipisol ran away out of depression and anger toward her guardian?

“I’m sorry,” she finally said, giving in to the temptation of pity and remorse. “But I just can’t bear to lose you. I don’t want anything to happen to you and you should know this by now, alright?”

Auburn hair, the amber hues of honey and radiant waves of blond all rushed together as the child nodded her head frantically. She understood and didn’t dare question anything else anymore.

“Good.” And with that, Lenz turned to stand up. She bent down and grabbed her coat, for it was still chilly out given the beginning of spring had taken the place of winter. Nights were soon to warm up, but not as early as the woman would have liked.

She made sure to bring her gloves and lastly, she slipped out the door, zipping it up behind her and started to trot toward the slag heap. She could have sworn she already felt he embers kissing her face and biting her nose. She could also faintly see the glowing flames already as she walked.

She just hoped that the night would turn out as she thought it would.

Character sheet · by **Lenz** on March 11th, 2014, 7:32 pm

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20th of Spring, 514 AV
Slag Heap Party

The sound of her shoes on the pathways she followed grated at her nerves. She didn’t know why, but a subtle throbbing started to manifest near her temples. It soon slid down and remained hovering right above her eyes.

“Forget it,” she said, trying to distract herself from the minor pain. It soon subsided as the bonfire became more noticeable. She was closing in on the party, the first party she will have ever attended.

She brushed stray curls of her crimson hair back with a finger. She blinked rapidly, the heat from the flames already blurring her vision with tears. Music started to fill her ears with their melodical tune. Before she knew it, she was face to face with the blistering flare of nighttime sunlight, merging with the rest of the crowd.

She immediately felt like she belonged. A few people to her right were playing musical instruments. A man with messy and matted hair held a flute delicately to his lips. To his right a woman with stunning green eyes and short hair that framed her face awkwardly was playing a drum of sorts.

There were many locals nearby the fire, dancing around it, holding hands as if they didn’t have a care in the world. Instantly, Lenz felt envious of that thought. She had too much to worry about all the time and would give anything to not have a care in the world like these people did.

“Stop,” she whispered to herself, moving closer to the fire as she willed herself to become one with the blistering embers. “This is your night of freedom.”

And it was true, at least to her, and at least for the time being. She held out her hands and let the flames barely lick the palms of her hands. Her eyes were like adhesive, glued to the orange glare that mesmerized her.

Suddenly someone pushed her from behind, propelling her a couple feet into the fire. Luckily, she was still a decent distance from the burning coals to remain alive. However, her left leg was not so lucky.

It would have only taken a spark from flint and steel, but with an actual fire raging in front of her, her pant leg soon joined the inferno. She frantically leant down and swatted at the flames until they died, no more.

A stinging sensation radiated up her leg. She was tentative at first, but finally worked up enough courage to observe the damage. Upon closer inspection she found a small burn mark marring her flesh. It was tender and red, bubbling at the edges. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, lowering her pant leg and straightening her spine.

She braced herself by putting both her hands on top of her head. She took a few deep breaths before she felt safer, more stable and then proceeded to glare at her accidental assailant.

“I’m so sorry,” they said. It was a woman not much older than her, perhaps even younger. She had chocolate brown eyes and dirty blond hair that looked like it hadn’t been washed in millions of years. Although, Lenz probably didn’t look much better.

“Thanks,” Lenz replied. She surly wasn’t going to say ‘it’s alright’ because it wasn’t. She was going to have a burn there most likely for the rest of her life and the pain was tearing at her eyes, threatening to force tears to cascade down her heated cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” the woman said again and slowly she started to back away, her hands up as if afraid Lenz were to start beating her.

Lenz whirled around and desperately searched around for anything to calm her nerves. She was off set, her equilibrium no longer balanced. She felt like she was about to topple over any second now.

“You don’t look to go there, lass,” a male voice spoke from behind.

“I don’t,” Lenz replied, turning to meet his eyes with her green and brown ones. His were so dark they almost looked like coals. It was like looking up at a starless night and wondering what secrets were held captive up in the heavens. She was determined to pry into whatever was hiding behind his pupils, but knew better. They didn’t know each other and the woman preferred it kept that way.

“My buddies and I, lass, we have some ale over here. Would’ja care for some?” The man had a strong accent, though she know not from where. The ends of his words were tainted with higher notes as if he was trying to figure out whether he wanted to be a man or a woman.

Lenz obligingly nodded her head saying, “I’d love some.” It was her night to do whatever she pleased right?

Character sheet · by **Lenz** on March 11th, 2014, 7:46 pm

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20th of Spring, 514 AV
Slag Heap Party

“What’s your name lassy?”

“Belsa,” she lied instinctively. She had never lied about her name before, for she had never felt the urge to. This man, though, he didn’t make her feel right. He made her feel vulnerable, dirty and insecure and refrained from speaking any true things to him for fear that bad things would happen to her.

The woman hesitantly took a mug of ale from the stranger and continued to stare into the fire. More peope had joined in to dance and more people had accompanied the few musical instrument players. There were two children chasing each other off in the distance with two men watching them with wary eyes.

Lenz sipped from the drink she had been offered.

“Oi, you have to do better than that,” the stranger told her, using his hand to push the bottom of the cup upwards. Liquid forcibly poured down her throat, some sneaking out of the mug and crawling down her neck.

She couldn’t breathe for a few seconds until he was through. She was about to scream at him for what he did, but couldn’t help but laugh. Something was definitely wrong with her, but she couldn’t be drunk yet, could she? She had only just drunk one drink and not even that could corrupt someone.

“Another, lass?”

Lenz nodded, her scarlet hair bobbing.

“You’re a beauty, you know that?”

The woman blushed. She never thought she was pretty, let alone beautiful. The simple compliment caused her cheeks to redden, flush dramatically. He wasn’t even that handsome, yet she was flustered by his words. They were so enchanting.

The man then handed her another mug, turning to wink at his friends. Lenz unfortunately wasn’t able to see it. She was too busy taking the cup and downing all the alcohol inside.

Something grabbed ahold of her consciousness then, her conscious faltering to protect her from evil and deliver her to good. She felt immune and with that adventurous feeling causing adrenaline to flow through her arteries, she was amped up on anything and everything.

But mostly alcohol, she was sure.

Suddenly she felt daring and exploded into a frenzy, her soul increasing in immoral ways. She checked her surroundings and proceeded to play a game with the stranger who was being so unnaturally kind to her.

“I like you,” she whispered, leaning into him. Her smile was enticing, vibrant with glossy white teeth and glistening eyes. She wasn’t wearing any revealing clothing at the time, but just batting her eyelashes was enough.

“Is that so girly?”

Lenz mumbled something reassuring, acknowledging his response. Half of her screamed in disgust at the thought of what she was going to do next, but the other half encouraged her. She would be filthy in the end, yet brimming with pleasure.

She stuck out her tongue slowly and drew the tip across his upper neck, trailing down to his exposed collarbone.

“Do you like this?” she asked, watching the men from out of the corner of her eyes.

The man merely muttered something incoherent in reply.

“I know you do,” Lenz breathed.

But he won’t when she’s through with him, that was for sure.

Character sheet · by **Lenz** on March 11th, 2014, 8:01 pm

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20th of Spring, 514 AV
Slag Heap Party

With her tongue still extended, she traced the man’s jawline. She moaned slightly, and as if by contagious disease, the man became infected by it and moaned as well.

Before she knew it, the two were on the ground next to the fire. Lenz was on top, her tongue no longer outstretched. She had pulled it back in and instead had started to kiss the man’s neck, down to his upper chest. She pulled at his over shirt, unbuttoning it so that his abdomen was exposed.

The woman was surprised, bewilder even. He had a wonderful body. It was toned and tanned like she would have expected a handsome man would have. He was muscular, yet not too bulky as to cause distaste for certain women.

“Keep going,” he groaned.

She didn’t even know she had stopped until she found her head hovering over his lips. She dropped down and kissed the top of his nose. She ran her fingers through his greasy curls of brunette.

“You surprise me, lassy,” he muttered, enjoying what was being given to him for free. Or was it free of charge?

“Shhh,” she whispered, quieting him into remission. He instantly lowered his voice until only a mere hum escaped out from between his lips.

Finally, with her stomach already churning and threatening to spill whatever contents were being kept inside, she started to rummage around inside the man’s coat. She felt for pockets, eventually coming across a large one. She inconspicuously withdrew what appeared to be a wallet.

Her mouth started to taste like acid, her head pounding in disagreement to what she was doing. Both her legs were straddling the man’s torso. His head was thrown back, his mouth open to form a crooked smile. Lenz stared down at him, her eyes like daggers before she jumped up.

“What?”

She had already taken off before the man noticed that his wallet had been stolen. She didn’t even turn around. Her mind was tumbling and tossing from side to side as she ran like some gelatinous treat her mother would have made.

Her feet connected to the ground as one foot stepped in front of the other. They didn’t even have time to make friends with the grass and gravel underneath before they were picked up and placed another few feet in front again.

Get out of here. Lenz said to herself. Get out of here now.

Why had she done it? Why had she just stolen from that man? Why had she put it upon herself to seduce him into losing all awareness of what was going around? It was as if her body was taking its turn at being in charge. Her mind was thrust to the back of the class room, taunts echoing down the hall.

Watch and learn, bastard.

And that is exactly what had happened.

Lenz found herself rounding a corner, instantly becoming lost. Where was she and where was she planning to go? If she was indeed being followed, she couldn’t go back to the campsite. That would lead potential fatal danger to Ipisol and she couldn’t do that. She made a promise to never let harm come her way and she was going to keep that promise until the day she left this earth.

Heavy footsteps sounded from behind her. She knew she was in deep and dark trouble, but what was there to do?

Keep running. she told herself, picking up the pace until it felt and probably looked like she was flying.

Hovering off the ground posed no help to her, however, for a large silhouetted figure stepped out from amidst the shadows with hands of steel. She was immediately thrown off balance. Her face almost made contact with the ground before a hand stretched out to rescue her.

The arms, burly and muscular, turned her over. She might have squirmed and cried out in protest, but knuckles made sure to silence her.

Blood started to well up inside the woman’s mouth. Try as she may, she still continued to struggle and fight for her freedom. She remained restrained by whoever was above her, however.

“My, my, lass,” said a dark and taunting voice from the right. “I thought you were better than that. I really, honestly did.”

Feeling defeated and depleted of all hope, Lenz stopped wriggling. She remained still as she said her final words for the night, “You were wrong you mother petcher.”

Character sheet · by **Lenz** on March 11th, 2014, 11:00 pm

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20th of Spring, 514 AV
Slag Heap Party

“Is that what I am?”

Lenz remained silent. She had said the last words she ever dared speak for that night. She was willing to fight back at any moment, but right now, her arms and legs were too fatigue to try. She was, however, going to get herself out of this situation alive, no matter what stakes were at hand.

“I said, is that what I am?” the man shouted, his voice causing the ground to vibrate where he stood.

Lenz didn’t even nod her head.

The man started to roll up his sleeves. He hadn’t even bothered to button his shirt back up before taking off after her thieving arse.

“Keep her still, boys,” he said before musing to himself about what he was going to do first.

Tears slid out of the woman’s eyes and dropped to the ground she lay on. She still held his wallet in her hands before he ripped it from her trembling grasp with frightening speed. Currently, this situation was being dictated on emotion. No logic was present and this cause Lenz’s innards to grow frigid like rime had smothered over her bones and veins.

With her mouth still bleeding slightly from when she had been punched in the mouth by a fist made of iron, the man hovered over her, his fist raised so that it was level with his head.

The woman accepted her defeat and closed her eyes, anticipating the next few blows. The first one struck her and made her lose all grasp of reality. She couldn’t breathe, the air from her lungs having been ripped away from her.

However, she did not plead for mercy. She was stronger than this, had suffered worse torment than what was being given to her right then and there.

A few more punches connected with her face. One collided with her forehead, her left eye puffing up in response. Her lip was now split in two and her nose felt unstable. Suddenly the man struck her again, his knuckles puncturing her lip. A grotesque snapping sound filled her ears. Her crying stopped as panic and rage swarmed in and enveloped her with their dark hands.

He had broken her nose! The crack reverberated through the stagnant air, the pungent smell of blood like rust lingering in her nostrils. She gasped for breath, suffering through one last nail in the face before the man got up, dismissing her from her punishment as if she were a child having been caught stealing a cookie from the high shelf.

“I’m done with you, lass. You’re not waste anymore of my time. Be gone with you and if I see you snooping around me or my boys again, you’re live won’t be spared like I have so kindly done today.”

He stood up and brushed the debris off his pants before turning to leave. He snapped his fingers, his henchmen following him like pet dogs on leashes.

For a few moments Lenz just stayed still, looking up at the moon that shone down on her with avid glowing streaks. She closed her eyes, well the eye that wasn’t swollen shut and took in a few deep breaths.

She had been taken by surprise. There was no way she could have escaped the brutal and cruel beatings she received. Both her arms were held down by men on either side of her. Her legs were restrained by the man that hovered above.

“Petch you!” she screamed after they had left. Her head buzzed with alcohol, fear and the need for vengeance corrupting her sense of common knowledge. She made no attempt to move, other than by allowing herself to sit up and spit the blood out from her mouth.

She checked her teeth, thanking the gods that all were still intact. There were no chips or teeth missing from what she could feel. As for her nose, she knew that it would be painful for a while. She didn’t want to put any bandages on it, for she didn’t know how to heal such a wound. Aside from cleaning it, she felt that she was just going to have to let it heal by itself, and let it run its course.

Her eye throbbed and pulsed in rhythm with her heart. When she touched it, her hand shot back from the spark of pain that raced through her forehead. She cocked her neck to the side, a large crack and pop sound responding to her movements.

After she had done this, she stretched out her knuckles and cracked and popped them as well. Then, she willed herself to her knees and then tried her best to gain the balance she could muster before thrusting herself to her feet.

Wobbly and woozy, from both injury and inebriation, she hobbled through the alleyway, passing old and destroyed houses and brick walls. She snuck around a slag heap party, avoiding eye contact with everyone before she found herself all alone.

She was all alone with her thoughts, her serrated heart and her dissevered soul. How much fun could that be?

Character sheet · by **Lenz** on March 12th, 2014, 12:02 am

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20th of Spring, 514 AV
Slag Heap Party

Bluntly said, it wasn’t much fun. It was incredibly difficult for her to remain a good hold on those last few strands of consciousness. Her breathing was shallow, the sobs she heaved adding no help to her issue. Her eyes grew heavy and she wished she could just lie down and rest.

Or die, either would suffice.

She couldn’t believe how dark and morbid her thoughts were becoming. As rampant as they were, they were still coherent and easy to conceive. There was reasoning behind what she thought and as doubtful as she was with herself, they were still lingering in the air like a foul smell as an alternative option to anything else proposed.

Suddenly Lenz stumbled, falling face first into a pit of mud, melted snow causing the run off to collect there. Frightened, because she couldn’t see, she began to imagine a bag covering her face. She squirmed until she was facing belly up.

“No,” she cried, her nose disturbingly pulsing as if there was a vein in there ready to burst with clots of blood raining down on her clothes.

She put a hand to her face, covering up the injury and proceeded to walk. She wasn’t planning on going home. She wasn’t going to scare Ipisol with what she looked like, not when she didn’t even know what she looked like herself.

But what was she going to do?

The first thing that popped into her mind reminded her of a freshly sprouting daisy. She had remembered hearing about a local washing location called the Aquillar Springs, yet she was quickly dejected at the recollection of having no money on her person.

She rolled her eyes, glaring inwardly as she continued to trek through town. She had made it to Tent City, her campsite in her line of sight, but she made no attempt to walk toward it. Instead, she walked right by it, as quickly as she could so that she wouldn’t be seen.

Trying to remember back to the time she was out practicing her reimancy and had ended up meeting a wolf, images of a small stream flashed on and off. Was it a dream? A wish? Or had she really seen it?

There was only one way to tell for sure, and that was to go out and venture. She saw no risk in going out in the forest by herself, for she had already survived torture of sorts. What else could pose challenge to her now?

Character sheet · by **Lenz** on March 12th, 2014, 12:28 am

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20th of Spring, 514 AV
Slag Heap Party

Seeming overwhelmed with either ignorance, arrogance or both, Lenz stepped past where the imagined borderline would be separating the Tent City from the wilderness.

She took a deep breath of icy air, her lungs retracting from the chilling sensation that caressed them. She lifted her head up, her eye still swollen shut, but parting little by little. She didn’t know if the night’s cold air was soothing the wounded eye or if it was just healing rather quicker than she had initially thought it would.

Either way, she was faced with many trees. She used them for support, her hand guiding her way until the slight sound of rushing water caused her heart to flip. It started to beat increasingly fast. Joy overcame her and embraced her with its illuminating and welcoming arms.

She embraced it in return, rushing towards the noise. She was never good with direction. Where someone would say they were heading west, she would say she was following the way the moss faced or the way the sun was setting. She was a girl who followed directions using landmarks rather than navigational instructions and was perfectly fine with that.

Knowledge aside, and her feet aching, Lenz’s incredulous expression relaxed as water came into view. She could barely hold herself back from sprawling out and onto the stream of liquid.

Once she was close enough, she bent down on her hands and knees and cupped her hands so that they formed the shape of a bowl. She dipped her hands in the water and scooped up enough water so that her palms were covered in it. She then raised it to her head and splashed her face with the frigid substance.

It sent shivers down her back, but it made her feel wonderful and almost renewed. She continued to wash herself, debating whether or not she would just jump in. She decided against it, remembering specific ways you could get a cold.

She also remembered back to what she had done in order to claim that stranger’s wallet. She had licked him, kissed him, caressed his neck and shoulders with her tongue. She almost gagged and instead of holding it in, she used her index finger and stuck it down her throat.

Gagging more so now than before, bile expelled out of her mouth and onto the ground beside her. The stench was horrendous, but she managed to maintain her composure. She wasn’t going to break down right now. Where would that leave her?

She took a few swigs of the water to clear her dry and hurting throat so that it no longer tasted like acid. After she had done all she felt she needed to do, she pushed herself up onto her feet and retraced her steps.

It was growing darker by the chime, as the woman hastened her pace. She started to run, fear chasing her like a black fog. Her mind pounded in rhythm with the stomping of her footsteps until she caught sight of the Tent City and more specifically, her campsite.

“Thank you so much,” she said to no one in particular.

Finally she had emerged from the depth of the woods, the trees, still barren, were left behind her. They were pushed out of her mind. No more shadows were coming to condemn her heart and soul to eternal darkness. She was free from her chains and untied from the rope that encircled her throat. She wasn’t going to die tonight. She wasn’t going to frighten anyone. She was going to be just fine and would wake up early in the morning to try to dress any and all wounds that still remained.

Things were going to work out. They had to. Lenz had someone to take care of. She had someone that needed her help at all times. She had a minor that needed comfort, safety and food and she was the only one willing to give those to her. She needed love, more importantly and the woman would give her exactly that for however long she needed it.

“Finally,” she breathed, unzipping the tent’s door quietly.

She peered inside and saw that the child was fast asleep, the winter blanket she always used night after night was pulled up to her chin. Her eyes were closed tightly and her mouth was open, drool trickling down her chin.

Lenz smiled. She was so happy to see such a sight. Most would think is disgusting, but her motherly instinct found it adorable.

“I’m back,” she whispered to the girl, squeezing her shoulder lightly. Lenz started to shuffle over to her side of the tent after zipping the tent closed again.

What a night, she thought. What a night indeed.

The woman sat down, a blanket already manifested onto her legs somehow. She took off her shoes and unbuttoned her coat before setting both articles of clothing to the side. She pulled the blanket up so that it shrouded her face before setting her head on the top of the bedroll.

She hadn’t even gotten comfortable, let alone set her head completely on the bedroll before blackness erupted in her vision. She could not see, she could not feel, she could not think, for she had passed out.

The blackness of unconsciousness enveloped her in its grace.