I turned to look at him. “That has to be the most ridiculous reason I have ever heard.”
He grinned. “Ridiculous but true. I like complicated things. They’re interesting.”
I snorted. “So now I’m a thing?”
“Eira…” he growled. “Don’t twist my words.”
“I will if I want to,” I replied childishly.
“That’s it,” he said as he grabbed my sides.
I bit my lip and twitched. “Oh, don’t do that.”
He chuckled and grabbed my skin multiple times in an attempt to tickle me some more as he sat on me. Unable to control my twitching or hold in my laugher any longer, I squirmed and laughed uncontrollably.
“Raikidan, stop!” I begged. “Please!”
“Not until I see tears.”
“But I… I can’t produce… tears…” I managed.
“Everyone can produce tears. You can too,” he stated.
I shook my head and continued laughing. My abs hurt and his tickling was relentless. My laughter became contagious as Raikidan began laughing as well.
I gasped for air. “I… I can’t… please… stop. I… I can’t… breathe!”
Raikidan stopped as I asked and tried to get his laughter under control. “Feel better?”
Freeing my legs from him, I pushed him away with my feet. “You’re an ass.”
He chuckled and pushed my feet away. “Do you feel better?”
I smiled. “Yes, no thanks to you.”
He chuckled and slid off my bed. “Good. Now remember this. Your life is controlled by no one but you. What your propose is, is determined by you. Now go to bed.”
I smiled when his back was turned and curled up. Thank you, Raikidan.
Chapter 17
Alight breeze filled the living room as it flowed through the open window. I stretched my shoulders and then went back to relaxing on the couch as my Library book read to me. Ryoko relaxed next to me, and Raikidan did the same on my other side, although I could tell he was tempted to read along with me. Rylan and Argus sat at the far end of the couch, closest to the kitchen, working over some schematics, while Zane read a newspaper in the kitchen.
My attention snapped up from my book when a door slammed and we heard feminine feet stomping down the hall. I watched Seda storm through the living room and into the kitchen. She was muttering to herself, and slammed closed every drawer she opened.
“What are you looking for, Seda?” I asked.
“A knife,” she muttered.
“Why do you need a knife?” Ryoko asked.
“So I can legally kill a certain dick hole on the other side of the house. He won’t shut up, no matter how many times I tell him to.”
Ryoko and I looked at each other. This was definitely not like her. Not only was she speaking like a normal person, but she was swearing, and not hiding the fact she wanted to kill Blaze for some reason or another.
“Seda,” I said.
Seda looked up and realized everyone was looking at her. She closed another drawer and sighed. Zane stood up and patted the stool for her to sit down on. Seda complied without a fuss.
Seda was quiet for a long time. “Well? Is anyone going to ask or not?”
“I didn’t think a question was needed, but fine,” I stated. “What the hell is up with you?”
In all honestly, I knew the answer to my question, due to my closeness with her, but I also knew everyone needed to hear the answer.
“Not the most tactful way of stating it,” Rylan muttered.
“Or the nicest,” Argus agreed.
“Hey, no comments from the peanut gallery over there,” I warned.
The two shut up and waited.
“Clarify your question, please,” Seda stated.
“Why are you acting so normal now?” I rephrased. “Why aren’t you speaking as if you have no emotions?”
Seda sighed. “Because I have to force myself to speak like that.”
“Why?” Ryoko inquired.
Seda crossed her arms on the bar and rested her chin on her arms. “Because it’s part of the oath.”
“What oath?” Rylan asked.
“Psychics are supposed to remain detached from everything,” Seda explained. “We’re supposed to portray ourselves in a way where others won’t want to get too close. We’re forced to take an oath that states we’ll do this. In my case I make myself appear emotionless.”
“That’s stupid,” I remarked.
“Excuse me?”
“You’re human,” I said. “What’s the point of being detached? It’s not like it’s going to kill someone if you act normal.”
“We see everything,” Seda explained. “We see thoughts, wishes, and dreams. We can see the future and look into the past. If we’re close to anyone, it’s feared we’ll give away something vital and disrupt the balance.”
I snorted. “It’s still stupid. You have a right, just like every other human, to feel and act as though you do have them. Besides, your brother doesn’t listen to that oath.”
Seda snorted. “Battle Psychics never listen. They do as they please.”
“Then maybe you should do the same,” I advised.
“What?”
Putting my book down on the couch, I stood up and made my way over to her. “You’re going to do what you want, and not care how some psychic council, or whatever they are, tells you how to live. Now let’s start with changing up your look and cutting your hair.”
Seda grabbed onto her hair protectively. “I–I don’t know… I’ve always had my hair long.”
“All the more reason to do it,” I said as I dragged her out of the kitchen. “It’s not like it won’t grow back if you don’t like it.”
Ryoko jumped to her feet. “You’ll need my help!”
I nodded and dragged Seda into the bathroom and sat her down on the sink counter. Ryoko came in, scissors in hand, and shut the door behind her.
“I don’t know if I can do this…” Seda admitted quietly. “It doesn’t feel right.”
“The Battle Psychics do it, so why not you?” Ryoko said.
“But they’re braver than us Seers,” Seda said. “No one can control them.”
I chuckled. “Then follow their lead. Don’t push away your courage. You have it… in everything else but this. You can do it. Trust me.”
She smiled. “I’ve told you some of my deepest secrets. I trust you.”
I nodded and then went about discussing with Ryoko the haircut we would choose. Unfortunately we were struggling to find something that would work with her veil.
“Well, I do have a different one,” Seda said in a quiet voice.
“Yeah? Ryoko said. “You sound a bit nervous to admit that.”
Seda wrung her hands together and smiled meekly. “Psychic training comes in 3 levels, and once I made it to level two, I went from this veil to another one. I went back to this one when I joined the rebellion because it fit the look I was using.”
“What does it look like?” Ryoko asked.
Seda projected an image of a leather blindfold with a golden hexagram painted in the center and four leather straps that, I assumed, connected at the back of her head.
Ryoko gasped. “That’s so nice! I know exactly what we can do if you wear that one!”
My brow rose. “Really? Just goes to show I’m only good at cutting hair for guys.”
She giggled. “Yeah, let me go get some paper so I can draw it out.”
Ryoko dashed out of the room and closed the door behind her. As the minutes passed, I noticed a change in Seda.
“I sense you’re a lot calmer now,” I said.
Seda nodded. “I’m getting used to the idea of you giving me a make
over. I think it’s Ryoko’s enthusiasm that’s winning me over.”
I chuckled. “She’s got that effect. You do understand this means you have to remove your veil while she’s cutting your hair.”
She nodded. “I know. I’m working up the courage to deal with that.”
The door opened and Ryoko strolled in with some paper rolled up in one of her hands and a pencil in the other. Seda scooted over on the sink to give Ryoko room, and our little Brute-class friend began sketching. When she was done, she proudly showed it to us. I bit my lip so I wouldn’t laugh, but Seda wasn’t able to keep herself from giggling as we looked at the crude drawing.
“Don’t laugh!” Ryoko whined. “I’m not good at drawing.”
“I’m sorry,” Seda said. “I’m just not sure if that’s supposed to be a nose or a mouth.”
“I think it’s an ear,” I said.
The two of us cracked up, and Ryoko sighed. “Okay, my drawing skills really suck, but that doesn’t matter. I got the hair right and that’s all that matters.”
I shook my head and stole a piece of paper and the pencil from her. “I got a rough idea, but we need more to go with to understand exactly what you’re going for.”
I began sketching and Ryoko gave me some advice when I didn’t get a certain part correct. I stood up and showed them both the drawing when I had finished.
Ryoko crossed her arms and huffed. “Sure, show me up with your artsy-fartsy skills.”
I snickered. “Well you can do hair, whereas I can’t really, so you definitely have that over me.”
Ryoko nodded “Fine, I’ll take it. But you’re still too gifted when it comes to all that.”
“I’ve had a lot of time to practice.”
“Whatever. What do you think Seda? Laz’s drawing is pretty close to what I’ll want to do.”
Seda smiled. “I think it’ll work. And if it doesn’t, like Laz said, it’ll grow back.”
“That’s the spirit!” Ryoko beamed.
“I should get you some new clothes to wear,” I said. “Might as well not be idle while Ryoko give you the haircut, and you can’t go around wearing spandex like you have been ever since I’ve known you. Even I know that’s not a great fashion choice. I don’t even know how you come up with so many clothing choices with just spandex.”
Seda laughed. “You’d be surprised what you can do when you’re desperate to keep your distance. I do have some normal clothes tucked away, but not much. You can go through them to see if they’ll work or not. Genesis also knows where I store my other veil.
I nodded and headed for the door, but stopped when Ryoko asked Seda to remove her veil so her hair could be cut. Seda bit her lip and hesitated.
“Seda, it’s going to be okay,” I encouraged.
Ryoko looked at us with confusion, but stayed quiet as Seda worked out her internal conflict. Finally, Seda reached up and untied her veil.
Her long hair covered the front of her face as she looked down in her lap, until she found the courage to look up. Her face looked normal until you hit her eyes. They were a bright blue, and her pupils weren’t circular. Instead, they were the shape of a parabolic spiral. Around the corners of her eyes were heavily defined veins that shot out to the sides of her face.
She looked at me and then at Ryoko apprehensively. Ryoko’s eyes widened, causing Seda’s fear to seep out in waves. I understood her fear, but I knew Ryoko well enough to know the fear wasn’t going to be needed in this situation.
Ryoko moved closer to Seda. “May I?”
Seda nodded. Ryoko lifted her fingers to Seda’s face and lightly traced the veins by her eyes. Seda relaxed when she realized Ryoko was simply curious, rather than afraid or disgusted.
“This is really neat,” Ryoko breathed.
“Told you so,” I muttered to Seda.
Ryoko stopped touching Seda’s face and looked at me. “You knew about this?”
I nodded. “She showed me a long time ago.”
Ryoko looked back at Seda. “Could you explain this all to me?”
Seda sighed and looked down at her lap. “The human body can’t handle the power psychics have very well. Because of this, it distorts our eyes because our power is concentrated in the brain.”
“All right, I get that,” Ryoko said. “But why do you hide it?”
“It’s another requirement, but for good reason,” Seda explained. “Most people don’t react the way Laz or you reacted. Most become frightened or disgusted, so it was agreed by all to hide our eyes. It made it easier for us to live and fit in, because, even though we stick out with our eye covers, we don’t stick out in a bad way like we would if we didn’t wear them.”
“So you were hesitant to show me because you thought I’d judge you?” Ryoko inquired.
“Yes… and no.” Seda licked her lips. “I’ve always been afraid of being judged poorly for it, and it’s hard to guess how one person will react over another. I know you’re not judgmental, except there was still a chance you’d freak out. But there’s also a bigger meaning behind removing our eye covers, one that we all adapted over time that I hold very close. We don’t take our eye coverings off unless we really trust someone, see them as family, or want to be intimate with them.”
“Well, I’m sorry to have to say this, Seda, but even though I’m attracted to women too, I don’t feel anything for you, so I’m going to have to remain friends,” Ryoko joked.
Seda laughed and placed her hand on her chest. “You’re breaking my heart, Ryoko.”
The three of us laughed. I was glad Seda was okay with this now. She needed to be allowed to have a normal life for once.
“And I thought psychics wore eye coverings because they were blind,” Ryoko mused. “I was way off.”
“No, I can definitely see, but most people think that, so don’t worry. We just use our power to see past our chosen eye covers to see everything. That’s why you’ve never seen me walk into anything.”
“That’s cool. So do you mind if I ask you something?” Ryoko asked.
“Sure, what is it?”
“Please don’t be offended by what I’m about to ask.” Ryoko scratched her head. “I know you’re speaking normally and all, but your voice is still really hollow, and, now that I think of it, I’ve never met any other psychic with a hollow voice. What’s up with that?”
Seda laughed. “That’s just how my voice is. No further explanation than that.”
Ryoko hugged her. “All right. Thanks for not being upset over that. Now let’s get your hair chopped and looking great.”
I left the room and went about searching for clothes for her. Genesis helped me track down all the clothes Seda owned, along with the blindfold, and I was impressed by what Seda did have in the terms of “normal” clothes. Even with my limited fashion skills, I managed to pull out a dark-blue sleeveless shirt with an extremely low cowl neck and hood, a white tube top to wear underneath in case the low cowl was too low, blue denim pants, knee-high black boots, a black choker with a D-ring around her neck, and cotton arm sleeves styled similarly to the black ones she normally wore. In my eyes, the rest of the clothes in her closet could also be used; she’d just need to go shopping for more since I could only see enough for a few days.
Clothes and blindfold in hand, I entered the bathroom just as Ryoko was finishing up. I waited patiently, and when Ryoko was officially done, she stepped back and let me have a look. Seda’s blonde hair was now just above her shoulders in the front and the back had been trimmed short enough she could gel it up to vary up the look from time to time. To the right side of her face, she had a small long section of hair to help frame her face while bangs swept over the other side.
I nodded with approval and handed Seda her new outfit. She changed and then clutched her clenched her amethyst pendant tightly
before turning around to take in the new her.
“I look…” She trailed off.
“Nice?” I finished.
“Amazing?” Ryoko corrected.
Seda turned and looked at us with a smile. “Yes. Thank you, both of you. I feel… like I can be a real person now.”
Ryoko smiled. “I’m glad. Can I ask, what’s the meaning of the hexagram symbol? You had it on your old veil, this new one, and it’s on your necklace.”
“The hexagram is a symbol of protection.” Ryoko looked at me curiously as I spoke. “The star represents the elements and spirit of Lumaraeon, and the circle around it encases them protectively.”
“Wow, that’s really neat. So the shamans and psychics see it the same way, then.”
I nodded. “We see each point as an element, and in the center you find spirit. All elements are connected and protected within the same circle. The illusion of differences is just that. An illusion.”
Ryoko looked at me with wonder, though I didn’t see what had been so special about my words. Seda cleared her throat and Ryoko snapped back to reality. “We need to show everyone your new look!”
“Wait, wha—”
Ryoko didn’t let her finish. The bathroom door was thrown opened and Seda was being dragged out before I could realize what was going on. I followed the pair into the living room.
“Ta-da!” Ryoko exclaimed as she pushed Seda closer to the boys.
Seda nearly fell on her face from the force. The four men in the room stared. The longer they stared, the more nervous Seda became.
“Well, someone say something!” Ryoko said.
“I’m trying to think of something to say,” Argus admitted. “You… you look great, Seda. You really do.”
The small rose tint that flashed across Seda’s cheeks didn’t escape Ryoko’s or my eyes. Bingo. That just cleared up a lot of speculation I had, and now that I knew, I would be more than willing to help Ryoko push someone in the right direction.
“I think Argus summed it up for all of us,” Zane said.
Ryoko clapped her hands together suddenly, and everyone looked at her. “I just thought of something! I’ll be right back.”
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