Re: Meeting Ryan (Welcome to the Dark Side)

[Argent/Angel]

(Seeing as how he winds up in a river, I figured this was the best place to post this.)

When they found the boy, he was on the verge of death. Water had clogged his lungs, his body was battered, bruised, and bloodied from its rough trip downriver, and he was running a high fever. Angel hadn’t thought twice about jumping into the water to save him. Hadn’t thought twice as she half swam, half dragged his unconscious form to shore. Her silver-white hair was soaking wet and plastered to her black and gold mask by the time she had succeeded in yanking him out of the river and onto the bank. Her dress’s black ruffles sagged flat and her hair decorations had fallen out, flowing downstream to never return. She didn’t even notice.

She pressed her head to the soggy boy’s chest and listened for a sign of life. As she did his eyelids flickered open and his form spasmed. “…w…who--….agh!!!” As he struggled to speak he suddenly gasped in pain and began coughing up water, painted red with blood. She helped him sit up; supporting his form against hers she massaged his back gently and draped her black cloak over his soaked body. It had been left on shore when she leapt in, and was warm and dry. She hushed him softly, “Shhhhhhhhhh” she murmured soothingly, “Its okay…I’m your friend….” Her crimson eyes were soft with compassion “Everything will be better soon….I promise.” Kissing his forehead gently as his eyes sagged shut, she carefully laid him on his side so that he wouldn’t choke, his head resting on her black-tight covered legs. Her fingertips brushed through his brunette hair with an unexpected kindness.

She glanced up at her cohort, her eyes had changed. Now they shone blood-red with evil intent. “Doctor,” she commanded him, “Please carry our new friend back to the road…No…” she thought suddenly, “Lend me your Mismagius…” The ‘Doctor’ was revealed to be an older boy, or rather a young man: he looked somewhere between the ages of eighteen and nineteen. His hair was long and blue and pulled back with a leather cord. His eyes, hidden behind a sapphire and silver mask, were a glistening gold. “As you wish…m’ Lady” he answered, pulling out a poke’ball.

Without looking up from the comatose boy’s face she gave the order: “Mismagius, use teleport. Take us home. Then return your master to headquarters….Doctor,” she added “You are in charge until I return. Everything must continue as planned; I trust you to handle matters. That is all.”

The three figures disappeared in a flash of red light.

[Raina]

"Come back! Ryan!" A blonde haired girl with blue eyes called. They were watering and trailing behind her.'I can't.' Thought the boy as he closed his eyes. 'Im so sorry sis...Raina.' Ryan opened his eyes and saw an old bridge. He started to cross it. The wood made creeky old sounds that made him gulp but keep running.

He looked back and saw Raina calling to him. The river below him drowned out her words and as he turned to continue, the wood below him cracked and as he hung onto the rope, he could see Raina's face full of worry and fright. "Stay there." He said more to himself than to her. He didn't want her hurt. He knew that if he kept hanging, she would come out and rescue him. He was right. she started on the bridge. 'Im sorry. he smiled at her and dropped from the bridge below.

* * *

Ryan flew up from his sleep only to lay back down. His body making him paralized. He could not move now or it would hurt. His vision was blury, but it soon sharpened and he saw a girl he seamed to remember pulling him out of the river. "Wha-...what-" He couldnt make since of any words. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pain.

[Argent/Angel]

Angel had been sitting next to Ryan’s bed; her wary red eyes were large, watching his face for any sign of life. It had been three months since she had saved him from the river. He’d only been awake for a few minutes before lapsing into unconsciousness; in the entire time she’d been caring for him, he had been completely comatose. Now as he lunged forward with his eyes snapping open, she gasped with surprise and almost fell back. She watched hesitantly as he laid down again, his face contorted with pain. She waited as his vision focused, smiling slightly when he stared at her, his eyes finally seeing her for the first time in too long before they closed for a moment.

Tears of relief welled up in the corners of her eyes as she rose to sit at his bedside. Reaching out hesitantly she pressed a cold washcloth to his forehead, it was sticky and hot with sweat. “Welcome back to the land of the living….Ryan.” she murmured kindly, wiping his face before placing the towel in a bowl of clean icy water. “I was afraid you weren’t going to make it.” Without her mask on, Angel’s face looked open and innocent. Even though she was already sixteen years old she appeared several years younger than her real age. It was a convenient feature.

She saw him grimace from the pain, and immediately stood up. Walking across the room she reached up and pulled a brown bottle and round mug from a shelf. Returning to his side she helped him sit up. “Here…” she offered “Drink this; it’ll numb the pain.” When he didn’t reply she poured some of the bottle’s contents into the mug and pressed it to his lips. He was hesitant to swallow, she would be too. The medicine tasted horrible, but it was made specifically to heal effectively.

[Raina]

Ryan groaned with pain but relaxed as the girl placed a damp, cold wash cloth on his fore head. He took a deep breath and sighed as he opened his eyes again. This girl helping him...her aura didnt feel like a girl. More like a younger woman. He coulnt tell exactly how old she was, because every time he settled on a number, it would feel wrong. He knew though she looked close to his age, she was a bit older.

Allthis made his head hurt so he quit on it and sighed again. She called him Ryan. 'That's right.' he remembered his dream. 'Someone was calling me Ryan. Was it her? No. It was someone else...'

The women took a mug of some kind of liquid and told him to drink it. It smelled horrible and when she placed the cup by his lips, the taste was just worse. He tried to swallow a little bit of it but eneded up caughing, which made his whole body hurt.

[Argent/Angel]

Angel watched, her face pained as Ryan coughed hard then struggled to breathe again. She could see the strain it took for him to move. Her face darkened with guilt. For the past few months she had been doing everything in her power to help him heal; it wasn't enough. His wounds were still severe in several locations, and she knew his broken ribs hadn't recovered completely. That only made his situation worse.

"I'm so sorry…" she whispered. She was worried about him; she should have been able to help him more. What was the point in saving his life if she was causing him so much pain. Placing the mug on the bedside table she leaned forward and took his face in her small hands, her palms pressed against his clammy cheeks. Tears dotting her cheeks she kissed his forehead gently, and then touched it to hers, resting her head against his. She was so small that it was more like an act of childish affection than an apology.

Her face was dark with turmoil of emotions. Tenderness clashed with darker intents. She was becoming more confused by the second. But one thing was clear: Ryan was her priority. Pulling away she hopped off the bed. She turned and began pulling containers out of the drawer in the table. Adding them to the mug of medicine she stirred it with a spoon and sat back down. "Try it now" she stated, taking his hand in hers she helped him hold it as she supported his back. The initial flavor had been masked and it now tasted slightly of mint and cocoa. A strange combination, but far better than what it had tasted like originally.

[Raina]

Ryan hesitated for a moment, then let the cup press to his lips. The warm liquid made it's way into his mouth and down his throat. It tasted so much better now. It accualy made him warm inside. Yet he wasnt sure if that warmth was becasue of the drink, or becasue of the compation of this girl, taking him in and treating him so good. It made him blush slightly and smile as the cup was taken away so he could swallow.

"Thank you." He said, his blue eyes sparkling. "I can tell you've done so much for me. You brought me here from the river, wrapped me up, and healed me when you could have saved yourself all the trouble and had just left me...but why did you help me. We don't know each other...do we?" He felt bad for asking that last part. He couldn't remember much exept when he had fallen from the bridge and seeing Raina with tears in her eyes as he fell into the painfully cold water below.

He could now feel himself growing warmer than before and some color came back to his face. He tried to sit up again so he could drink himself. It hurt, but he didn't want the woman to worry, so he lied with a smile and was able to sit up. As he moved, he felt something around his neck as it softly tapped his chest after it swung. He grabbed the small metal object that was a necklace and looked it over.

It was a gold ring. It had three stones on it. One was green, another clear, and the other was purple. around the area that didn't have the small stones was some words engraved saying "It takes one to bring three". It was a strange saying. Ryan wondered what it meant. He was so deep in thought he had almost forgotten the woman.