Flashback Curiosity (Almost) Killed the Cat

[Alyra]

27th of Summer, 508 AV

"Alyra." The woman twirled her feet in the darkening water. It had been two days since she had fallen. It had been two nights, and she wasn't even close to nearing clarity. She hoped that repeating her new name, a reminder of her celestial time, would bring something into the light.

"Alyra." Nothing. As the beauty Syna graced her with fell away, Alyra felt the cloud over her memories thicken. The last of the sun's rays dipped beneath the water, stealing the last of Alyra's comforts.

Alyra raised her feet above the water, and she stared down at them. The fragile skin of humanity stretched over her tiny feet now, staring her down from the surface of the still water. Emotions welled up inside the woman; anger, sadness, loneliness, and confusion peaked in her. Before her was her own body mocking her, laughing at her as it sat on the surface of calmness. It knew what it was. It was human. It was thin, weak, and simple. Her skin did not wonder why it was sent back into this world; her bones didn't reach for a reality that was no longer there. They just sat there, playing in the cool waters of Sunberth and never doubting that that was exactly what they were meant to do.

They didn't deserve it. If she was in pain, so should her body. If Alyra ached for what was, then her body should feel that emptiness as well. Everything should. Everything, and everyone, needed to feel this way, too. Alyra commanded her body into action, thrusting her into battle against the calm of the universe. Her hands anchored her to the land while her tiny feet pounded at the water. Alyra grunted and groaned and flailed. She wanted to punch a hole in the water and send Sunberth through it. She wanted them to understand. She wanted them to care.

[Alyra]

After a few chimes of all-out war, Alyra found she was too weak to combat the universe; she was too frail to change her fate. Too tired to continue, Alyra laid onto her back. Tears began to slowly glaze her cheeks, and she looked around for some sort of distraction.

To her left, a woman sat on a bench. She was alone, but there were three people near her. Alyra thought that, because of the distance between them, the woman and the group were separate. Alyra watched as the trio talked and laughed, and as the woman opened a letter. The group playfully jabbed at each other, and the woman sunk into herself. Alyra couldn't see all that well, but she assumed that the woman was crying.

Alyra wasn't a cruel person, but seeing someone else at a point as low as her . . . it brought her a small amount of happiness. It made her feel connected to the people around her that seemed so wary of her.

In that moment, the two groups converged. There, in the lawless city of paranoia, three strangers surrounded a woman in need. One knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his own. The two others sat on either side of the woman. Just like that, the trio had formed a barricade around the lady, shielding her from the world.

This only angered Alyra more. She wasn't jealous . . . but had they not seen here there in her existential crisis?! Did they choose to play around while she needed desperate help ripping the seam of the world? Alyra gritted her teeth and glared at the group. Was this what Syna wanted her to see? Did she want Alyra to become a bitter, friendless, and hopeless creature?

Initially, Alyra thought the answer was yes. After all, what kind of goddess sends their devoted followers back to a world without warning? What divine being would snatch up the perfect existence from someone who loved them and throw them into a world that so readily tore itself to pieces? It was the cruelest thing someone could do.

As she watched the quartet, though, she came to realize that she was wrong. Syna wanted Alyra to see humanity at its worst. Why else would she send the Eth to Sunberth? Everything from the suspicious eyes watching from the corners to the schemes waiting on every tongue, from the bloody hands to the hard-working hearts...it was all a lesson for Alyra.

This woman on the bench was the closing statement. Alyra watched as the strangers proved Alyra to be a fool. They showed her how connected humanity is. No matter where you are, small voices will become louder, whispers in the distance will become cheers of encouragement, and inklings of sadness scrawled into paper will become soothing words of love in your ears.

Tears ran steadily down the woman's face. She felt selfish and foolish. Alyra thought this had been some sort of vendetta or punishment when it was really a lesson. A cruel lesson, yes, but one that was well taught: though these could be cruel people, they were still in need of help. Syna was the goddess of sunlight and the day, but she was also the goddess of joy. How could she help all of the Mizaharians from the stars, and all by herself? If Alyra was as devote as she liked to think she was, then she had to learn to look past her situation and help Syna spread joy.

[Alyra]

Alyra wasn't sure why, but she always felt extraordinarily tired after crying. It was like the price for sadness was exhaustion, and the cashier was eager to collect the payment. Alyra's eyes were aching for sleep, but her eyelids felt too light to be shut.

"I just want to sleeeeep . . ." The woman groaned. Her eyes still seemed hesitant. Alyra groaned again as she pulled her legs out of the water. She curled into a ball, with her knees pushed into her chest and her arms wrapping around her legs tightly.

"Let me sleep." Alyra whispered as she forced her eyes shut. She had had a terrible day, and it was time for her to rest. Even the woman on the bench, after reading the earth-shattering news inside her letter, had gone home to sleep. The consoling trio, despite having what seemed like the best time of their lives, went back to their beds. If those four were sleeping, then Alyra felt that she should be sleeping too.

Alyra was no closer to falling asleep when something crawled onto her. Tiny claws grabbed at her clothes as the thing worked its way between her knees and chest. Alyra's eyes flew open, and she sat up abruptly. Unfortunately, she put too much force into the motion, sending the small creature into the water.

"No! I'm sorry!" Alyra screeched at the flailing animal. "You can't swim?" There was no response from the sinking creature. I can't swim. Alyra remembered when she fell, and how she nearly drowned. She would have died if it weren't for Kevers fishing her out of the water.

Deciding that her first concrete action in this world was not going to be drowning a helpless creature, Alyra slid into the water. One hand held onto the edge with so much force that her knuckles turned white. The other hand reached towards the little animal.

"Here--Come--" Every time tried to speak, water rushed into her mouth. Alyra began kicking furiously, which raised her mouth far enough above the water for her to talk. "Grab onto me!"

Alyra pushed herself as far out as she could. By the time the animal latched onto her hand, Alyra was only holding onto land by her fingertips. She cooed at the wet animal as she frantically pulled them both to the water's edge. She gently placed the creature onto solid ground before lifting herself up.

Alyra laid on her stomach, and shut her eyes. This time around, her eyes welcomed sleep. It hadn't been a lot of exercise, but it was enough to convince her body that it was time to nap.

[Alyra]

"You're a idiot, Alyra." Alyra's eyes slid open. By the room's swaying and the smell of fish, Alyra could tell that she was back on the Katerine. Kevers must've seen her laying by the docks and dragged her back here.

"What were you doin?" Kevers stood at the edge of her bed, arms crossed. Alyra sat up, and smiled. "No, no! Don't you smile at me like you didn't do something wrong!"

"I'm sorry. I was just really tired."

"Oh, I see. So you just decided to take a little nap in the dark docks of a lawless town all by your lonesome? I get it now, yeah, thanks for explainin that one." Kevers rolled his eyes, then sat down at the table across the room. Alyra never thought someone could sit angrily, but this man had achieved just that. Alyra frowned.

"There was this little animal--"

"Yeah, that kitten? It's been getting into everything."

"Cat, yeah. Well, he was drowning." Alyra shrugged. "I mean, I made him drown, but then I saved him. Then I was too tired to move, so I just slept." Kevers looked at Alyra through squinted eyes. He stood, patting a box on the table.

"You almost killed him, and he sticks around. Either it's the dumbest cat alive, or it'll be the smartest dead cat." The man crossed the room and exited, closing the cabin door behind him.

Alyra stood and hurried over to the box, ripping to top open. Inside, a tiny cat squirmed around. His fur was, for the most part, grey. There were some patches that looked like there was sawdust stuck to his fur. He had big green eyes, and they were staring up at her.

The Eth picked the kitten up. It happily snuggled into her arms, purring relentlessly. Alyra smiled. It seemed that Syna had sent down a partner for her, something that understood. It understood being alone, it understood nearly drowning, and it understood undying dedication. This cat--Nash, she decided to call it--was her reward. Or, perhaps, it was an apology. Either way, Alyra happily accepted it.

"Thank you, Syna, and I understand."

[Caela Dorin]

Grade Awarded Alyra Experience Skill XP Earned Intelligence 1 Observation 2 Philosophy 1 Swimming 1 Lores • Lore Earned • Everyone Should Feel How I Feel • Questioning the Decisions of Syna • Going Out on a Limb to Save a Cat • Nash: A Sign From Syna? Items Aquired : +1 Cuddly cat companion. Nash seems to have developed a strong attachment to Alyra despite her almost murdering it. Maybe the near death experience did something to its brain? Additional Comments I loved this thread. Alyra was being such a crybaby but she's very innocent and childish in these early days so I suppose that's all right. Such a way to get a cat though. It really wasn't necessary to fling it into the water and all that. You could have just kidnapped it! Look forward to more amusing threads from you. Please edit or delete your grade request and PM me if you have any questions or concerns about your grade. x