Ignorance is Painless (Twilight Pool)

[Miss Fifi]

The cool, night air was such a relief. Nothing had ever chilled Axel to the bone, made his nerves go numb, and his heart twist and wrench with every word like what had just passed. This world was becoming one overwhelming madhouse, and the exit seemed nonexistent. Where to turn now? Nothing was hidden. Nothing was safe. Everything became vulnerable under the touch of Kalos. Kalos would destroy everything, everyone, One by one, burning the towns, the cities, the people...
No, he thought. He mustn't think about this. He mustn't let this drive him to insanity.

The cool water of the Twilight Pool washed over his skin, soaked his hair, and cleansed him of his worries. The frigid lake was a shock to his body, but such a pleasant one that he had not a single complaint in the world. He hadn't felt at peace in so long. So, very long...
His paranoia began to get the best of him, forcing him to look over his shoulder at the shore of the lake every moment or two. His trousers lay on the shore, for there were no creatures within the clear, reflective, icy blue water. Only another piece of evidence that things were simply screwed up. The lake rippled every time he dipped his shaking hands in it to bring up on his face. His chest burned. It burned like he hadn't felt in a long time. Can someone possibly die of heartache? Perhaps he would be the first. Anything to end this messed up world, he thought solemnly.

He submerged himself entirely in the motionless lake, the feeling of icy bliss overtaking his senses. It was such a painless feeling; he never wanted to emerge to the harsh atmosphere above him. He only grudgingly emerged when it felt like his lungs were going to shrivel up and fall off. His head whipped up from beneath the surface with a huge, desperate gasp. He rubbed his eyes, their blood-red hue dimmed in the moonlight. Something about this place gave him a feeling of completion. He didn't want to ever have to face the harsh reality that was bombarding his mind with sadistic thoughts. He wished for ignorance. He wished he could have stayed the farm boy from a small town, his family barely getting by from day to day. He wished he could have his old friend back.

It had been a long time since his mind had ever traveled back that far. Apollo. He wondered where he was, what he was doing with his life. His heart was heavy with nostalgia. He stretched out his muscular arms, yawning shakily as he did. Where to go from here? What would he have to face, far beyond this little clearing? He didn't want to think about it, nonetheless attempt to face it. He plopped back into the lake, his wings making a small splash.

[kaylen]

Kaylen's small delicate feet had brought her back to teardrop river. The air about her was growing cold, for winter was descending on them. Her blue eyes were flashing as her lips hummed a tune.

What a beautiful day to be alive, how bright the sun, how gentle the wind. Yet as she grew closer to the river her heart couldn't help but feel the loss of life. Just the waters sad babbling filled the air. No chirping of birds, no splashes of fish. A sigh passed her lips as her eyes dropped to the ground. When would things come aright? Her feet carried her onward toward the banks of the lake. When suddenly she came upon a discarded pair of trousers. Her feet stopped as her face grew pale. Her blue gaze drifted slowly from the ground to the figure in the water. Axel.

Color rushed to her face as she stared at him. Her mouth opened to cry out, but nothing came out. Instead she just closed it as her eyes grew as wide as saucers. Yet she could not move, it was as if her feet were stuck in the ground.

[Miss Fifi]

Axel began to blow little bubbles on the surface of the lake. He felt like he needed some childish motivation to calm down his speeding thoughts. He waded in the water, allowing his wings to propel him around in a small circle. He whistled freely, the tune carrying in the wind and filling the silent atmosphere with his simple melody. It wasn't out of happiness that he whistled, but it was the same reasons that cats purred as much as they did. It gave him a sense of peace; it calmed his frayed nerves. It took away the feeling of panic and fear. It was something else to focus on so he didn't drown in his own worries.

Suddenly, he felt eyes burning on his back. He lazily swiveled around, trying to suppress a laugh at the blatantly embarrassed face of a petite girl. He stood up, just enough that his whole torso was exposed. He waded over to the bank of the lake then put his elbows on the muddy land. He continued to just stare at her shocked expression. "...Something wrong?" he asked, teasing her. He tried to act as natural as possible, but it was becoming more difficult not to crack a smile. It really was amusing, how innocent she looked.

Something about her reminded him of Miriel. Perhaps it was the way her emotions came out purely, untouched, untainted. Just as he thought of that, another thought popped into his head that embarrassed even him. Right about now, he was wishing it was Miriel standing there instead of this little girl. He could just imagine the possibilities, all of them very appealing.

[kaylen]

Kaylen just stared at him when her rose up to reveal his bare torso. Red covered her face as her mind was racing. Should she turn away, or stay here. Oh what to do.. It seemed as though her face matched her hair as she raised her hand to her mouth.

"I'm...I'm..soo..sorry.." Kaylen stuttered before her pace of words picked up into babbling. "I didn't know you were here..well.." She gestured to his pants. "I mean..I was just .." She motioned to the woods.." if I had known...I...oh dear.." She blushed a deeper red as she looked at him. Totally bewildered.

Her finger twirled a red curl as she gazed at him, not knowing what to do. Fidgeting with her hands for a moment she looked down, trying to regain composure. "You're Axel right?"

[Miss Fifi]

Axel raised an eyebrow and smirked knowingly at her meaningless babble. As her words grew more and more incoherent and her expression more and more embarrassed, the smirk developed into a crooked grin. He chuffawed at her, as much as a laugh as he would allow to escape. She was such an easy target. He casually pushed his hair back with one strong hand, making it stay that way because of its dampness. As to her question, he simply answered, "Mmmhm." It wasn't the most interesting of questions, so it deserved a boring answer.

A chilly breeze blew over the lake, making his teeth chatter and his ears go numb. He figured it was time to emerge, no matter how much he regretted it. He was just about to clamber out of the water, when suddenly he remembered the stuttering girl that was standing there just looking at him. He cleared his throat uncomfortably as he reached out to grab his trousers. "I would suggest turning around if you don't want to see anything further..." he advised her, his utter amusement showing clearly through his words. He wondered what would have happened if he hadn't said anything. It would have made for an interesting show. He wondered how loud her scream would have been if he had allowed things to go in that direction. It would have been funny to watch, but he wasn't going to be that cruel to a complete stranger.

[kaylen]

Kaylen's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head when it looked like he was about to get out. Whirling around at his suggestion she closed her her eyes so tightly they it felt like they would never open. The world was dark now and her hands were shaking slightly. Oh this was going to be the last time she came here..She knew this probably wouldn't be true, for she loved this place. Though it would probably be a while.

She waited a while with her eyes still shut and her mouth drawn in a hard line. Oh how would she be able to face him ever.. every time she would see him she would think of this. The color arose to her cheeks once again just thinking of it.

[mairead]

Mairead had been waltzing along the river when she stumbled upon the scene of a couple by the lake. It seemed that the girl was terribly embaressed at seeing a man in the water. "What is she so embaressed about? It's just a guy with his shirt off, gosh. It's not like anything..." Then she saw the trousers laying on the ground."bad...." Her mind drifted off slightly as she realized that the man must have been skinny dipping.

An idea came to her. Not just any one, a brillant one. An evil smile crept across her white face as her light blue eyes sparkled with mischief. Rushing forward when the man was about to come out she grabbed his trousers and danced away a couple of steps. “Oh, the horror!” She said in a mockingly shocked way. “How could to do such a thing to a poor innocent girl!” She gestured to Kaylen. Then the acting disappeared and all that was left on her face was a simple smile.

[Miss Fifi]

Just as Axel almost had his pants grasped between his fingers, they were suddenly whisked away by a little brat. His fist clenched thin air, and he could feel his heat rise. Deciding to embrace the old saying, "you'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar," he took a deep breath and forced himself not to scowl. "Hey, girl, I sort of... need those..." It was as nice as he was going to get. The girl seemed like the type that enjoyed messing with people, so things might have to get a little tough. For the time being, he slouched back into the water more to hide anything considered private before he got his pants back out of her grimy little hands. He never planned on having children of his own. He'd probably end up strangling them to death. Accidentally, of course.

[kaylen]

Kaylen felt releif that this embaressing situation would be over, until a white blur snatching to pants from Axel. Her face still blazing red turned to the girl and stuttered. "Just..give him..the pants..." She looked at the girl with large blue eyes, meeting the girls light blue ones. She wasn't sure if the liked the mischief that played in them. It made her nervous, quite nervous actually.

"Please..." Her eyes were pleading. So quite, and she usually didn't ask anything of anyone. Perhaps just answers to questions, but other than that, nothing. Usually she gave or helped others out, without question and without hint. She just sensed need and fulfilled it. After all she wanted to make this word the best place she could. People should enjoy their life, especially when there was such beauty and grace with every breath they breathed and with everything their eyes saw.

[mairead]

Mairead looked at the man and smiled innocently at his question then listened to the girls pleading. "Oh, you want these?" She looked at him with big innocent eyes as she held them out to him. "Oh wel..." She studied them quickly, "They are quite nice.. sure out of style and all.. but.." That evil smile came back. "I probably would rather keep them, after all.. I'm sure someone else needs them more than you.

She shifted her gaze to the girl, those eyes so innocent, so pleading. For a moment she almost felt bad. But that never happened, lucky for her. She did enjoy seeing the horror on the girls face as she tried to get out of the embarrassing situation she had stumbled on.

Twirling the pants on her finger for a moment she looked at the man. "But... since you asked nicely.. I guess you can have them..." With a flick of her finger they landed in the water beside him. A little laugh escaped her mouth.

[Miss Fifi]

Axel tried to save his poor pants before they hit the water, but his reach had been about a foot too short. His fist remained outstretched, clenching and unclenching with irritation. He snatched them angrily, shot the girl a dark look, then proceeded to wrap them around everything necessary to be covered before stalking out of the lake and swiveling behind a tree. He squeezed as much moisture out as he could, muttering angrily loud enough that the girls could both hear his occassional profanities. When they were finally on, as uncomfortable as it may have been, he came back out from behind the tree and continued to glower at the little girl who had succeeded in giving him the worst wedgie in his life. He would be so glad when he could be alone again. He could prance around naked as much as he wanted and no one would be around to care. Personally, he had no problem with it, unless it involved seeing Raphael naked. That would be just plain scary.

He happened to find both of these girls annoying in their own way. The one for being embarrassed by anything, so innocent and sweet. Revolting. The other was quite obvious. He already had a strong dislike for children, and she was not improving his opinion. What kind of messed up kid steals a guy's pants?

[kaylen]

Kaylen's eyes shot to Mairead as Axel started to come out of the water. Rushing over she clamped her hands over the girls eyes. If only she had more hands, then she could have covered her ears also. But alas nature hadn't given her four hands.

(Mairead because I gtg and don't have time to do other posts)
Mairead struggled under the tight grasp of the girl. "Get your grubby hands offa me!" She struggled and finally escaped about the time Axel was coming from around the tree. Her blue eyes glared at Kaylen before she shifted it back to Axel. "Well I hope you enjoy your clean pants." With a last wicked smile she waltzed off away from the lake. She figured she better leave now before he actually did something to her. To bad he hadn't left his weapon out.. she would love to play with the well known scythe.

Kaylen watched the girl leave before turning to Axel. The red had left her face and had resumed her cheerful look. "Well that one's a handful..." She nodded farewell to Axel and mentioned quietly. "Hopefully next time we will meet on different circumstances.." With that she walked off in the opposite direction of Mairead.

[Miss Fifi]

Axel's eyes drifted downward as she scurried off, leaving him alone in this place once again. He breathed deeply, refreshingly. "Perhaps... Perhaps we will," he muttered to himself long after she had departed. He hooked his thumbs in the waist of his still soaking wet pants, too afraid to make a sound. Something planted his feet here, held him to the point of fear. His mouth twisted wryly as he felt his body began to quiver. There was only ever one instance where this feeling ever emerged: a demon.

His eyes panically swiped over the entire visible area, not even daring to turn his head an inch. Suddenly, the sound of crunching leaves touched his ears. Within an instant his scythe was in his hands and he started towards a retreating shadow. "Hey! STOP!" he bellowed, but to no effect. They had broken out into a full-on chase, the mysterious figure ceasing to dash across the falling leaves. Each one crunched underfoot, giving Axel an easy lead. His wings trailed behind, the chains clinking against each other as he refused to slow, running his hardest. The only sound that filled his ears was that of his own heavy breathing. Their pursuit led them directly out of the water territories completely, but the runaway didn't stop there.

Axel, by this point, was thoroughly fed up by these antics. "You don't want to stop your running? Fine, then! I'll stop your heart!" he shouted breathlessly. A deep rumbling sound echoed from within him, his amulet glowing fiercely. Out of nowhere, a cloud of black smoke erupted in the form of an outstretched hand and struck out at the now stumbling figure. Almost surely it would have killed him, but within a second, he had disappeared completely. Axel skidded to an abrupt halt. His chest rising up and down prominently, he scanned the treetops and the ground directly before him. A sound of rustling above made his head shoot up. There the silhouette was, jumping from branch to branch. Grunting, Axel flapped his clanging wings once, and instantly he took off.

Instantly it knew it was on the verge of being captured. It leaped from the treetops with inhuman grace, and Axel's heart wrenched. He had a feeling this creature exceeded any prejudgements he had made. He concluded to take a different approach, remaining in the sky and drifting over his prey, like a hawk who has just spotted a defenseless mouse. His attention honed on this figure and refused to be diverted, no matter where it took him.