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170: Pleasures Of The Flesh, Violations Of The Mind     171: (2)syl Gets Kissed Again
172: The Witching Of (2)syl     173: The Coven Is Completed     174: The Third Sister

Post: 03.09.2010
Date: 11.28.2196
Time: Morning

Pleasures Of The Flesh, Violations Of The Mind

JACK's hairstalks are stiff, her face set, her eyes shut, fists clenched, after her opening statement. She opens her mouth several times, but stops herself, sighing in frustration.

“Kill me?” I ask.

"In their minds, you’ve broken Covenant Zero.”

“That doesn’t make any sense."

JACK doesn't respond.

“I haven’t broken our agreement, and you know it.”

JACK shakes her head. “It’s difficult to explain. They believe you’re not allowed to break any of the coven rules. In their minds, if you break the rules, you’ve broken Covenant Zero, and…you’re fair game.”

“Glitch that,” I spit. “I haven’t done anything against the coven.”

JACK sighs, so loudly that I know she’s holding back something from me, and it’s frustrating her to keep it in check for so long. “You really don’t understand what you’ve done here.”

“Then help me understand.”

JACK steps closer, puts her hand on my shoulder. “You’ve done something you weren’t supposed to do. Something I knew you were going to do. Something I let happen, because…well, I didn’t think I could stop you anyway. But mostly because you are my friend.”

“W-What do you mean?”

Now her face is hard. She’s getting angry. “Don’t play with me, syl. It’s not nice. We’re friends.” She leans in. “I know you had sex with 2-85.”

No, 2-85 wouldn'tt have told her, and I haven’t had a chance to say anything. Was going to break the news when the time was right. Not like this. “How…”

Okay, now she is angry. Her voice resonates with harsh frequencies when she growls, “You really have no glitched clue what you did, do you?”

“Stop saying that! I d-don’t know what you mean!” Her eyes are so accusatory, so full of pain. I want to reach out to her, hug her to me, but I’m also afraid of her right now.

JACK’s eyes are angry swirls, fluid disturbances changing directions so quickly that it’s difficult to focus on her. “Oh, don’t you know, syl? When you were—” and here she uses a word I really don’t like, “—foo (kuk) with my warlock, you were broadcasting the entire glitched thing to me and the rest of the coven!”

“What?”

“Don’t worry, 2-85 didn’t tell me a thing. He didn’t have to! I don’t know how you did it, syl—you’re always coming up with something new for us to deal with—but you opened up some sort of communication link between you and the coven. Imagine being plugged into cyberspace. Now imagine somebody datajacking your connection so that you can only see what they see, only feel what they feel, only experience what they experience. Well, that’s pretty glitched close to what you did to PIIX, 7-07, and me. We felt everything. Every glitched detail.

“I don’t—”

JACK pushes away, turning her body from mine so she’s in profile, hairstalks agitated. “Don’t. Just don’t, syl. You don’t get to talk right now. Not after what happened last night.” She paces back and forth. She continues to pace as she continues to rant, “You know, if it were just you and 2-85 putting on a show, I could have dealt with that. I mean, I figured you and 2-85 were already…uh—” and here she uses a word that I don’t recognize, not sure what language it was in. “So I wasn’t going to be too upset about that. Though I didn’t think that PIIX and 7-07 would take it so hard. Still, it was inevitable. You were pretty glitched transparent about your feelings even though you thought you were hiding them really well. You know, next time you fall in love with somebody, try not avoiding them so much. Also, try not denying it so much. Things like that are big glowing clues as to your real feelings. So I knew that it would happen eventually. I think your friend knew it too. She gave you some sort of pill to keep you from getting pregnant, didn’t she? Glitch her then too. Anyway, maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad to just be sent a stream of what you and 2-85 were doing. I think we could’ve handled it, each in our own way. Who knows, I might even have been able to laugh about it. PIIX might even have enjoyed it.” JACK shudders then, blinking.

Turning back to me, JACK’s nose on mine, her hands like sand on my cheeks and my neck. My hair’s in my face. Looking at her through a curtain of blue. “But no, it wasn’t just a stream of what you were doing, syl. You weren’t content with any sort of passive feed. Instead, you had to make us active participants!”

“What?!? That’s not—?”

“Possible?” JACK almost screams in my face. “Don’t glitch around with me! Don’t try to tell me what’s possible and what isn’t! I know what happened last night! I was there! I know what you made us do!”

“What did I do?” It comes out as a whisper. Images of eoas mating flood my mind.

JACK blinks furiously, like she’s trying to hold off the memory. “The rest of your followers were lucky that PIIX, 7-07 and I weren’t anywhere close to where they stopped. They would have had quite the show, assuming any of them would have lived through the experience.” JACK holds her eyes closed, obviously consumed by thoughts of last night. “The connection between you and the coven was so strong, we couldn’t help ourselves when you opened yourself to us. Your passion flowed through us. It was overwhelming. It caught us by surprise—there was no way for us to resist, and we…”

“Oh, no,” I gasp, my hand covering my mouth.

JACK nods her head, quieter now. “Yes. I’m afraid so. All three of us.”

“I’m so sorry. I…I didn’t know that…I mean, I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“It’s really not how I wanted to have my first experience—you know, caught up in somebody’s else’s lust. We were on patrol one second, and the next minute we were tearing each other’s clothes off. In an instant, we were without inhibitions. At first I thought I could fight it. Even though PIIX and 7-07 were lost from the very first second, I managed to fend for myself for a few minutes, keep them occupied with each other. All I could do was lay there, only a few feet away, watching them copulate, thinking the entire time how good it would be to join them. Glitch, syl, I couldn’t fight it! I was…I was…glitch it, you made me touch myself! That’s how much it was in control of me. I was fighting the urge to give in and participate, and that was the only way I could keep myself from being overcome. I was thinking that if I had to do something, I’d rather it be by my own hand than the hand of an unwilling participant. Glitch it all, it wasn’t supposed to be that way for my first time! And anyway, it wasn’t enough. After they were done with each other the first time, it just got worse. Then they turned toward me. I could see it in their eyes—my leadership of the coven wouldn’t save me.” JACK is crying when she says, “I couldn’t hold 7-07 off, not entirely at least. But it wasn’t just him. It was PIIX too. There was no command I could give them that would hold them back. They were caught up in it, even deeper than I was. You should have seen PIIX’s eyes, so angry at what was happening to her, yet trapped in the pleasure. That’s what made it so bad, syl. It felt so glitched good! Every touch. Every kiss. I fought them as much as I could, even though my body was screaming at me, wanting them to do everything they could do to me. I was able to keep 7-07 from taking my virginity. It was close though, very close. I can’t tell you how much my body ached for him to do it. So yeah, I kept him from doing that at least, but that’s about it. With PIIX, it was different. Since I wasn’t worried about her penetrating me in…that way, I couldn’t hold her off as well. You ever been kissed by a girl like that? Like you are her lifeline, and that your kisses are actually keeping her alive? I mean, I only like men, but last night…it didn’t really matter. I stuck my tongue down her throat, and I liked it. I kissed them both. I touched them both. There was only desire and fulfillment in a repeating loop. In the end, the only way to keep my virginity intact was to make sure that I was in control—that I was the one doing the pleasuring. Do you understand what I’m telling you? Because you and 2-85 were exploring each other all glitched night, I had to do the same sorts of things to PIIX and 7-07! I can’t even remember how many times I brought them. I used my hands. I used my mouth. Oh, and of course we wirewitches do know how to put our hairstalks to creative use. Don’t we?!? Glitch.”

I know exactly what she’s talking about.

“Yeah, I got quite the education last night. Some of what we did I didn’t even know was possible before! I’m sorry if I’m making you uncomfortable, syl, but since I can’t get the image of PIIX’s head between my legs out of my mind or the taste of 7-07 out of my mouth, I’m a little upset. I want you to know exactly what I did, because it was all without my permission. I want you to know that I feel like I’ve been raped! Only it’s the worst kind of rape because I liked it! And that doesn’t make any glitched sense because how the glitch can it be rape when I basically orgasmed my way through last night!”

I can’t stop myself from dropping to my knees. The thought of my actions causing JACK so much pain sap my strength. I come down hard, knees complaining. I deserve the pain. “I can’t say anything that will make up for what I’ve done, JACK. If I had known something like that could happen, I would never have…let myself get carried away with 2-85. Please believe me. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

JACK drops beside me, her voice quieter now. “I know. I just had to let you know what happened.”

“There’s no way I wanted your first time to be like that,” I say. “It’s supposed to be your choice. It’s not supposed to be forced upon you. It’s supposed to be special.”

“Was it special? For you, I mean.”

I nod. “It was very special.” And now it’s been tainted.

“I’m glad,” JACK says. “But did you really have to share the love? I mean you could have just come back with a big ridiculous smile on your face, and let me figure out the rest for myself. I really didn’t need a night-long demonstration of positions and interesting ways to pleasure another woman.”

“I thought it was just us and the eoas.”

“Eoas?” JACK murmurs.

“Can you forgive me?” I ask. “You’ve given me so much, and I’ve taken so much from you. I’m supposed to be your friend, and I’ve hurt you. I don’t want you to hate me or resent me. Please forgive me.”

JACK puts her arms around me, though right now I don’t feel worthy of a hug from her. “I forgive you, syl. You are my friend. Nothing is going to change that. Besides, if we want to get technical, I’m still a virgin. I’m just a virgin with some experience.”

My knees are hurting. I bring my legs around so I can sit. JACK sits beside me.

“I don’t know what’s happening to me,” I say. Eoas. Wirewitches. What’s next? Oh yeah, I’m dying.

“We’re connected somehow,” JACK says. “More than we’ve ever been before. I don’t know why. I just know that it’s stronger than ever.”

“Too strong,” I say.

“Yeah, maybe. Strong is fine, strong is good. Uncontrolled isn’t. If you ever want to have sex with my warlock again, you’re going to have to be able to control the connection, prevent it from broadcasting.”

Again…

Can barely fathom that. First times were beyond amazing. But at what cost? Innocence lost. I can still remember seeing JACK that first time, crouching in the corner, unbalanced without the soothing caress of cyberspace.

“So, outside of what happened last night, what 2-85 and I have between us is…okay?”

“You’re my friend, syl. I can’t deny you this. It goes against coven rules, but those rules don’t hold the sway they once did. I mean, my coven is incomplete and it has two warlocks in it. Now, 7-07 and PIIX are the newest wirewitches, so they don’t understand. Also, they haven’t been around you as much as 2-85 and I have. They’re not as affected. They’re more likely to let wirewitch instinct control them. That’s why after last night’s…fun was done, they went a little berserk. They wanted to go after you right then. I sent them away, really far away with very explicit instructions on what they were and were not to do. I’ll call them back soon, but not until you and I are done talking.”

“I have a couple other things I need to talk to you about as well.”

“Do they have anything to do with either the list of things you can do to make up for the fact that you made me participate in unprotected group sex with my coven or with how to prevent certain impulsive coven members from exacting revenge on you for the previously mentioned group sex thing?”

“No.” Just my ability to control the eoas, oh, and this other minor thing, about how the wirewitch blood isn’t working anymore to block the Nanzag poison and how that means we might need to pick up the pace toward Black Vale Six and then move even more quickly toward the Wastelands to find my daughter and save the world, you know, since it turns out that I’m probably dying sooner rather than later.

“Then it’s not important right now,” JACK says. “First off, let’s deal with the relationship thing. I’m happy for you, I really am, but our number one priority is making sure that a repeat of last night never ever happens again.”

Feel like apologizing again, but saying it more often doesn’t make the apology more effective, just redundant.

JACK continues. “I’m not quite sure how we’re going to train you to close down whatever that connection is. I guess we need to let you practice. Maybe we can do that with something a little less intense. Maybe just some kissing. I suspect part of it has to do with a general loss of control during intimacy. Last night was pretty intense for you, but really, it was your first time, so maybe it was a lot more powerful than it will be the next time.” JACK shivers.

“Unless of course, it gets worse,” I say. “Last night I didn’t know what I was doing. I mean…I think I did okay, but I’m sure I have a lot to learn. What happens if I get better?”

“Yeah, that could be really bad. We definitely need you to understand what’s going on so you can shut that link down.”

“I have a question. Was what I did anything like how you communicate with the rest of the coven. I mean, are you communicating constantly, or can you shut the others out?”

JACK cocks her head, considering it. “Somewhat. I guess it did feel like that now that I think about it. At least, part of it was similar. When wirewitches talk to each other, we can actually hear words. What you did was far more visual, far more emotional, far more…tactile. It was very much like a hijacked cyberspace connection. I don’t remember you saying anything. Then again, it could be that the rest of what you were sending was so overwhelming that anything you might have been saying just got lost. I do remember a lot of what you sent, but there were times where I was so occupied with fighting PIIX and 7-07 off that I wasn’t able to pay attention. A lot of the time, even the images you were sending got obliterated by the raw physical demands you pushed into us.

“As for blocking the others out, yes, we can do that, but it’s definitely a learned control. Youngling wirewitches can’t control their thoughts. They broadcast constantly until they can learn how to shut it off. During these times, individual coven members can filter out the younglings thoughts if they choose to.”

“Do you think you could learn to block what I can do?”

“I’m not sure, though I was wondering the same thing. A little warning would have been nice. You caught us totally unprepared. It’s possible that if we had already been shielding we might have been able to resist. Not sure; what you were sending was a tidal wave, it was the strongest signal I’ve ever received. It might have broken through anyway.”

“Okay, I’ll practice.”

JACK smiles. “Good, now let’s deal with my plan to keep PIIX and 7-07 from harming you. I really don’t want to have to kill members of my own coven, but if either of them touches you, 2-85 and I will have no choice but to rip them apart.”

Her voice is cheerful. From her tone, you wouldn’t know that she’s talking about killing what is basically her family. I’m unsettled, because I know that she’s deadly serious.

“What’s your plan?” I ask. My stomach grumbles. Time for breakfast.

“It’s simple really. Since I can’t convince them that you haven’t broken Covenant Zero, we have to take a different approach.”

I can see her face, and I really don’t like the smile I see there. “I’m not going to like this am I?”

“Probably not.”

“Is this some roundabout way of revenge for last night?”

“No. I told you, syl, I’ve forgiven you for that. You’re the one to blame, but it wasn’t your fault.”

“Okay, glitch, just tell me.”

“The problem is that my coven looks at you like you’re an outsider. You can’t break Covenant Zero from the inside. If you were a part of the coven, they’d willingly drop their claim.”

Glitch me. Sideways and upside-down.

Post: 03.09.2010
Date: 11.28.2196
Time: Morning

(2)syl Gets Kissed Again

JACK laughs at the face I’m making. Throws her head back and laughs at the sky. Happy to see that she’s in such a good mood. Guess that’s a good thing considering what happened last night. She’d have every right to terminate our friendship. Instead, here she is, sitting next to me, laughing at me, hairstalk brushing my leg.

Me, I’m still struggling to deal with the irreparable harm I’ve done to her, with the irreparable harm that’s being done inside me right now as the Nanzag poison seeps through my body, with my undiminished desire for 2-85, with lingering thoughts of the Skreamer in my backpack and with everything it might mean to me.

“You make me laugh, syl,” she says, trying to catch her breath. “Your face.”

“What you said isn’t funny. You know how I feel about that.” It’s true, it’s not funny. Then again, when you’re living under a death sentence like I am, maybe it doesn’t matter. Holding tight to my beliefs doesn’t seem noble right now. Just sort of pointless.

“I know. I’m sorry I said it like that. It is true though.” She turns to me, takes my hands in hers. “I want you to be the fifth. I want my coven completed. And I want you to complete it.”

“How is that possible? I’m not a wirewitch, and even if I didn’t find becoming a wirewitch completely repulsive and worse than death, I’ve so far proven immune to the witchkiss. Plus, trying to turn me into a wirewitch would without question break Covenant Zero. No confusion about coven rules on that one. None of your coven is allowed to initiate the witchkiss with me. I don’t see how this is going to work.”

“You need to understand that this is primarily to show PIIX and 7-07 that you aren’t an outsider. Being an outsider is what allows them to apply the coven rules to Covenant Zero. If you’re a part of the coven, then Covenant Zero no longer applies and they won’t be able to claim that you violated it.”

“I need Covenant Zero though. It’s the only thing that prevents the coven from infecting others.”

“The coven will be complete. We’ll have no need to witchkiss anybody else.”

“Things are changing.”

“Not that much. The coven will obey me.”

“What if you lose a member of the coven? Would you replace them?”

JACK considers that. “If you didn’t want me to, then…I would not.”

“Are you sure you can control them?”

“I lead the coven. They will obey.”

“I trust you, JACK, and I trust 2-85, but I don’t trust the others. They are newer, wilder. You can control them most of the time, but the more time they spend in proximity to me, the less I trust your control over them. If I join the coven—whatever the glitch that means—then they’ll be around me even more. Things could get worse.”

“Or better. You have that effect on us too, you know. In fact, outside of the danger that seems to follow you around like it’s your own shadow, and outside of last night’s…activities, the effect you’ve had on us has been pretty positive. We’ve regained some of what we forgot when we became wirewitches. Glitch, the very fact that I can even think or talk about life before I was a wirewitch is new. You know how I was when you first met me. I’ve changed a lot, and I like it. I don’t regret what I am now, but I also like remembering my life before. We’re more human than ever before, and as far as I can tell, we owe that to you.”

Brushing hair out of eyes, I squint at the sun. “I don’t know about that. I haven’t done anything on purpose.”

“That’s irrelevant. What matters is what is. I’m confident that without you, none of this would have happened to us. We’d still be just wirewitches like all the others, instead of what we are now: something more. Something better.”

“Maybe.”

“Definitely,” JACK says, flashing circuit-etched teeth at me. “Anyway, you distracted me with your self-deprecation. We need to focus on what’s important. And what’s important is that I control my coven and they will do what I say. Trust me. Even though we won’t have any sort of formal covenant, what we’ll have is better: friendship. I am your friend, (2)syl, and I promise you that I will not witchkiss anybody unless you release me from my promise. Do you believe me?”

Looking into those blue, swirling spheres of hers, all I see is a friend that I shouldn’t have, but do. One I couldn’t hope for, but want more than anything. That’s makes it the best sort of friendship ever. “I believe you.”

“The same goes for the rest of my coven,” JACK says. “They will not initiate the witchkiss with anybody until I’m released from my promise.”

Feel like I should make some sort of promise in return, even the scales a little. Instead, I just say, “Okay. Now, how exactly do I join the coven without becoming a wirewitch? Is that even possible?”

JACK stands, pulls me with her. “Well, syl, that’s where I need you to trust me.”

“Wait—”

“Do you trust me?” JACK asks evenly.

“Yes,” I say, surprised I didn’t hesitate more. Must mean it’s true.

JACK grabs my hand, squeezes it, then puts an arm around me, along with one of her hairstalks, gives me a one-armed hug. “Then come with me. I’ll call the others.”

* * *

Disconcerting, standing in the middle of a coven of wirewitches. All around me, one on each side, then back and front. JACK’s in front of me, 2-85 behind. JACK didn’t tell me anything else. Just told me to trust her. And I do trust her, I think.

Yes. I do.

Mostly.

Doesn’t stop me from being scared.

We’re several miles away from the Scorp. It’s still early morning. Nobody is happy we’re out here. nin(9) expressed her displeasure with me when I returned briefly to reassure everybody that I was still alive. In the end, all I told them was that I’d be back. In the meantime, they were to continue on. The coven and I would catch up. That was two hours ago.

One hour ago, PIIX and 7-07 returned. I assumed that JACK had been in communication with them, because they didn’t try to kill me on sight. PIIX did walk right up to me though, her teeth bared. “Did you enjoy copulating with the warlock?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Good. So did I. Of course, I didn’t have a choice about it like you did. I was just along for your ride. Maybe next time, we should switch places. You had better hope that link doesn’t go both ways, little one. You just might find yourself working your way through every human in the camp.”

“Ignore PIIX,” JACK said then. “Don’t worry, she’ll behave herself.”

More disturbed by 7-07’s one word comment to me. He said, “Thanks.”

Now, encircled by deadly wirewitches, all of that far from me, mind racing, heart likewise. Agreed to this because I’m not sure I have a choice. She’s my friend, and she says this is the only way to smooth things over between myself and the coven.

My cloak and my sever-whip are outside the circle, in a pile on the ground over there. I didn’t have time to change my clothes, so my cov (rin) still has spots of eoa blood on it. Did manage to put a couple clips in my hair so at least it’s not hanging down in my face.

JACK is smiling, trying to keep me reassured. I can’t look at 2-85 much because he has a look that can only be interpreted as wanting to take me back out into the desert and do a little more of what got us in trouble. How can that be, after all we did last night and this morning? Isn’t he tired? Isn’t he sore like I am? Glitch, what have I got myself into?

“syl, you have come here today to join with us, to become one of us. This act has no precedent. No human has ever joined a coven without first becoming wirewitch.  There is no ritual, but there is gravity to what we are doing here.”

JACK takes a step toward me. No, check that, they all take a step closer. Each of them could reach out and touch me. I fight a twinge of claustrophobia.

“PIIX and 7-07 believe that you have broken Covenant Zero,” JACK says. “While I do not believe this is true, as leader of the coven, I have to address it. You have been a true friend to the coven. However, you have broken coven rules. Though coven rules only apply within the coven, because you have entered into Covenant Zero with us, some feel that you should be held accountable for your actions. I do agree. That said, you are my best friend in this whole glitched world, and I will not allow my best friend to be hurt by anybody. Because of this, I invite you to join us. Will you become our fifth member? Will you make our coven complete?”

“Yes,” I say, though I may have just made a mistake.

“Thank you,” JACK says, taking one more step toward me, the others doing the same again.

2-85 is against my back, his hands on my shoulders. PIIX and 7-07 each take a hand, holding firm. JACK takes one more half-step and that’s close enough because she’s pressing softly up against me. She whispers, so low that I can barely hear her say, “Trust me.”

Then my best friend in the whole world leans her head to one side and shoves her lips to mine.

Post: 03.09.2010
Date: 11.28.2196
Time: Morning

Eyes open in disbelief. This is

     not

     happening. I can see it all, there in her eyes and myself in the reflection, but I can’t seem to make my body move. It’s…enjoying this? It’s unwilling, but there’s a craving, can’t stop that, don’t want to, can’t. Skin contact is not unpleasant, but it’s something else that’s flashing alarms at me, a fire back in some part of my brain.

Just like before.

Just like before.

Just like always glitch it!

Glitch JACK, I’m going to kill her for this. She could have at least given me some warning. Her lips are rough on mine, her mouth open, forcing mine open with it. I jerk under her assault, 2-85 supporting me at my back, the others steadying my arms. Her hands come up to my cheeks, as she pulls my head tighter against hers. It almost hurts, being witchkissed like this, being devoured like this. Should be scared, but I’m not, only surprised, maybe a little angry. Since there’s no danger, and I trust her, I’m going to let her do what she thinks she has to do. Even if that requires her to witchkiss me while squishing her whole body up against mine. There’s nothing sensual, nothing arousing about this kiss—it’s too much about need and demand. Sure, there’s an intimacy to it, the wet of her mouth, soft comfort of her body, and the curl of her hairstalk. Part of me wants to fight back, turn that intimacy around and use it against her, kiss her back, claw her to me, show her that she can’t glitch around with me like this. She should have warned me. I think she’s getting her revenge right now, in her own perverse—yet safe—way. Either that or she thought I wouldn’t go through with this if I knew ahead of time what she was planning.

Technosites. Wonder if they’re flowing into me now, or if the wirewitches have more control than that. Is this is real witchkiss, or is it just pretend? Need to ask 2-85 sometime how exactly it is that they control the technosites. Or if they can at all. If they can’t control them, then what 2-85 and I did last night was only possible because I can’t be wirewitched.

Finally decide that I deserve far worse for what I’ve done to JACK, I opt for standing their passively while JACK performs the witchkiss on me. Near the end, the other wirewitches have backed off, as if they expect me to change. 2-85 knows that’s not possible, but the others haven’t see anybody resist the witchkiss.

And the realization hits me: that’s exactly why JACK is doing this. PIIX and 7-07 need to see it for themselves that I can’t be turned. Glitch, JACK lied to me. There is no way for a human to join a coven. That is, unless that person gets the witchkiss. But since I’m immune to it, JACK thinks they’ll accept me after I’ve been kissed. We’re just going through the motions here.

Glitch it, JACK could have had 2-85 do this. Would’ve been a lot more fun.

Then again, she’s getting a little bit of revenge—I can see that in her eyes now. Also, maybe me kissing 2-85 isn’t such a good idea considering we don’t know level of arousal on my part it’ll take for everybody to drop to the ground and start another orgy session. I really don’t need to find out either.

Control…

When she pulls away, we’re both a little breathless. I wipe at my mouth, JACK eyes are gleaming as she does the same.

“She’s not turning,” PIIX says, stating the blazingly obvious. She’s disappointed.

“No, of course not,” JACK says. “She’s immune, just like I told you.”

“I was hoping you were mistaken.”

“Careful, PIIX, this is my best friend you’re talking about. She doesn’t ever want to be a wirewitch, and I’d never allow that to happen to her if she didn’t want it. No coven member is permitted to witchkiss anybody or anything from this point on. My promise to syl is your promise to her as well. She received the witchkiss. The fact that she is immune to the technosites makes no difference. She is one of us now. We have two warlocks. She is the third witch. There are five of us now. We are complete.”

Then she embraces me. “Welcome to the coven.”

“Thanks,” I say. “At least I think you deserve thanks.”

“Oh, I do. Now, there’s just one more matter to discuss.”

Uh oh. “And what is that?”

Post: 03.09.2010
Date: 11.28.2196
Time: Morning

“I like NELA,” JACK says.

“No,” I say, reminds me too much of my daughter. ela…oh how I wish you were here with me, in my arms, snuggled to my neck. I’d hug you and squeeze you and never let you go. Please let me find you. Please be safe. Please be living. “Just add an S, make it SSYL. That way you don't have to pronounce my name differently.”

“I like it,” 2-85 says. “It’s simple. So unlike her.” I glare at him. He grins back.

“SSYL,” JACK pronounces, dragging the initial sound out. “I like it too.”

“It doesn’t offend me,” I say. Anxious to catch up with the others, I ask, “Are we done?”

JACK nods. “The coven is complete. Finally.”

She’s happy. I’m happy-ish. One big happy fami—coven. Glitch I’m in trouble. Perhaps more than ever before.

Your lif (pah) winds tighter and tighter with these wirewitches…

ikki(5)’s words come back to taunt me. It’s so true, never was there anything truer. I’m bound to them now. Only death can sever the bond I’ve created. And glitch it all to eiech, if 2-85 is correct, that’s precisely what is going to happen. Hopefully we can figure something out. I don’t feel sick. I don’t feel like I’m dying yet. That’s a good sign, right?

     (Tighter and tighter, angel…)

Moving toward my cloak and my sever-whip—feel semi-exposed without them—but 2-85 blocks me.

“Hi,” I say, putting my arms around his waist, pulling him with me as I retrieve my belongings from the ground.

Whispered in my ear: “You will tell JACK about your condition soon?”

“Yes, but haven’t had a chance yet. Had to deal with the important things first. Let me tell her.”

“Tell her today. When it comes to thoughts of you, I can’t always keep things from her.”

“I will. Same with what I can do with the eoas. I need to talk with the other Driftlings first though on that one. I hope one of them has some information that can help.”

“What you can do is a great gift.”

I hadn’t considered that. I’d been too preoccupied with 2-85 at the time to think extensively about the ramifications of being able to control the eoas. “I’m not sure it’s a gift. Until I know exactly how I can do this—not to mention how to control it—it could be more of a curse. Just like this connection I have with you and the rest of the coven. Without control, I’m just dangerous. Instead of causing my friends to pleasure each other—when it comes to the eoas, I could end up getting them all killed.”

“Yes. I agree. You need to learn control, but that is no different than the other skills you have. For example, your sever-whip. In the hands of the untrained, it would be deadly to the person who dared to activate it. But in your hands, it is a formidable offensive weapon. What you can do with the eoas is no different.”

“A weapon…”

“Yes, think of the power of the eoas. If you can learn to control what you can do with them, they would be a terrible weapon on our journey. In great numbers, they could match the might of the Nanzag.”

The thought of using the eoas to fight for us does have a certain attraction, though it also brings with it no small amount of trepidation. It’s so dangerous to play around with them, play around with my ability to command and control them, to bend their will to mine, to wield them. To command them to kill. I failed miserably with the wirewitches, unleashing my passion through them like a child with a gun. Now, it’s true that I didn’t even know I had the ability to communicate with the wirewitches until afterward. With the eoas, it didn’t seem too difficult to get them to do what I wanted them to do. Just thought about what they should do, talked to them just like I would anybody else. I thought; they listened. Quiet and easy.

But…

Maybe it’s not that simple. Maybe I was lucky the first time. Maybe it’s more complicated than that. Maybe that only works for a limited amount of time, and then I’d lose control of them and they’d turn on me, furious at having their will overridden. They’d rampage and kill everybody. Yeah, maybe things are complicated. And complicated might mean deadly. Not sure I have the time to learn all the intricacies of what I can do. Time is short, oh so short…

I need more time.

More time with 2-85.

More time with JACK.

With my…glitch, my coven.

More time with shea(3)va.

More time with the Driftlings.

More time with my daughter.

I just need glitched more of everything.

     (not gonna get it angel quit being a keetcha about it grow up)

“Let’s pick up the pace,” JACK says.

“Don’t outrun me,” I say. “Just because I’m your fifth doesn’t mean I suddenly have wirewitch speed.”

“2-85, if you will please,” JACK says, out loud only for my benefit.

The next second I’m giving off a squeak of surprise as 2-85 picks me up, holding me in his arms. Then we’re off, stirring up trails of dust across the desert as the coven runs. The wind in my face is cold, edges of my cloak flapping loudly.

“Watch your hands,” I say.

“No promises,” he says. “Would you rather be on my back?”

“Yeah.”

2-85 flips me to his back, and it’s all I can do to hold on then, my arms around his neck, my cheek to his ear. The wind whistles at my ears, brings tears to my eyes. Hairstalk streams out beside me, my hair whipping against it. I can’t help but smile.

“Forever,” I mouth into his ear.

“Forever,” he replies.

His muscles are a wonder beneath my hands. Can feel him take even, measured breaths. Even moving at this speed, he’s expending little effort. I survey the rest of the coven. Moving like this, swiftly, and as one, they’re beautiful, each and every one of them. They weave through the landscape with ease and grace. For the most part, it’s a smooth ride; I don’t get jostled or bumped.

This is how things should be with them. They should be free. And perhaps out here they are. In the cities, they are feared, even hunted. Out here, they roam and run unhindered. It’s enchanting.

Seeing JACK running beside us, she looks over and grins. The love I feel for her wells up inside me. She’s been through so much for me, suffered so much pain, sacrificed so much. Yet, she remains my friend.

It saddens me how much I don’t deserve her.

I feel like I need to balance the scales somehow. I take and take, and she gives and gives. That’s not how friendship is supposed to be. I want to give her something, and I want it to be special. Want to show her how much her friendship means to me. Want to show her that I don’t know what I’d do without her. That I’d be lost without her friendship. Even my bond with shea(3)va isn’t as strong as it is with JACK. It should be, but it’s not. That’s what memory loss will do to a girl.

It hits me then. I know what to do for her, to let her know how I feel about her, to show her how much I love her. It’s not much, but it is meaningful.

Tighter and tighter…

Yeah, tighter, and that’s a good thing.

Time is short. Best not to delay. Tonight. We can do it tonight.

* * *

Date: 11.28.2196
Time: Night

“Okay, syl, what’s going on?” she asks, her voice rougher than usual.

I regard nin(9) evenly. JACK and shea(3)va are with me as well. I called them all away from the others. The Scorp is far away, a black shadow against the moonlit night. There’s no fire tonight, so everybody is wearing cloaks with the hoods up. Can’t see details on nin(9)’s face in the low light, and I’m pretty thankful for that. Hard to think with that beautiful face bringing all its power to bear on me.

“I wanted to talk to JACK specifically here, but I wanted you here, nin, and sheava as well because the air between us isn’t as clear as it could be—isn’t as clear as it should be. I can’t fix that here tonight, but I’m going to get things started.”

“What the glitch is that supposed to mean?” nin(9) says.

I force myself to be calm, not let her get to me. In many ways, it’s my fault she’s like this. “I’m sorry, nin, I’ll get to the point. The reason I called you here is because each of you is important in my life. nin, your dedication to blod (eth) demands that you protect me. sheava, you are my blod (sis). And JACK, you are my friend. I could have done this with just JACK and myself, but I want the two of you to be here. It’s important that you know about this.”

Post: 03.09.2010
Date: 11.28.2196
Time: Night

The Third Sister

JACK’s mouth drops open. Good, I surprised her.

shea(3)va’s mouth is doing something similar

nin(9) just utters a swear word.

“Wow,” JACK says.

“I can understand why you wanted me here,” shea(3)va says, "but why is nin here?”

“I haven’t been a very good blod (sis) in many ways. I’ve kept one thing from you because I didn’t think it was my place to tell you. And it still may not be, but like I said, I want clearer air between us all. nin, it’s time, don’t you think?”

She looks away, unanswering for long, pregnant seconds. Then: “You’re right. It’s time. No reason for it to be a secret anymore. syl is my blod (sis).”

shea(3)va’s jaw drops a little further. She peers at me, searching my face for confirmation. “I’m…not sure that makes a whole lot of sense considering the friction between you two, but it’s obviously true.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, shea,” I say.

“You had your reasons. I can see why you’d be conflicted about whether to tell me or not. I don’t understand it, but if you say it’s true, then it’s true. It’s gonna take me awhile to wrap my mind around why you’d do that with nin.”

“Not to mention why you want to do it with me,” JACK says.

“You do know, syl, that you’re only supposed to have one blod (sis), right?” shea(3)va asks.

“She knows,” nin(9) says. “But the rules never apply to Athara-Meeatora, do they?”

I ignore nin(9). Everybody already knows I’m a rule-breaker. I don’t really mean to be; it just happens. Some of them need breaking.

“The rules are already broken,” I say. “You helped me break them, nin, and you know glitched well why we broke that one together, so don’t chastise me for breaking the rules about blod (sis). I have two blod (sis), and I want another. JACK is my friend. Her friendship means so much to me that I want to share what I have with sheava and what I…wish I had with you again, nin. Is that so wrong?”

She doesn’t respond.

“It’s not wrong, syl,” shea(3)va says. “And it doesn’t diminish what we have between us. I know that you don’t remember us before, and that means that your friendship with JACK is in many ways stronger than the one you and I have now. It’s only natural that you’d want to have a blod (sis) relationship to JACK. You aren’t asking my permission to do this, and you don’t have to have it, but if this is what you want, then I support it. As your blod (sis), I cannot and do not want to deny you this.”

I look over at nin(9), who has turned back to us. She shrugs. “Like sheava said, you’re not asking my permission. If you want another blod (sis), then you can have one.”

That’s as close to a blessing as I’m going to get from her.

“JACK, it’s up to you,” I say. “There are no untruths between true blod (sis). It’s our word for the closest relationship two women can have. That’s the type of relationship I want with you. You are my best friend, and I love you. As you can see, I haven’t always been the best blod (sis). I am committed to being better, to fulfilling the requirements of a true blod (sis) to all of you. So, JACK, will you be my blod (sis)?”

JACK throws her arms around me, crushing me to her, encircling me with her hairstalks. “Yes. I’d like that.”

“Nobody but us four will know about this,” I say. “Atharan custom does not allow for multiple blod (sis) relationships for a person. My only formal blod (sis) relationship is with sheava. I became blod (sis) with nin in secret. This is no different. Since this is a secret, I cannot involve any of the Sphek members travelling with us. nin and shea, will you two, as my sisters, witness the ceremony?”

“Yes,” shea(3)va says.

nin(9)’s hood bobs up and down as she nods.

The blod (sis) ritual isn’t complicated or long. I still remember it from when em(0) taught me about it. I stand a few feet in front of JACK. I let my cloak drop to the ground and pool at my feet.

“You are my sister,” I begin. “Not by blood, but by your actions, and by your heart. Against all odds, you are my friend. You have proven your friendship time and time again. You have fought by my side, bled for me, and for that I am unworthy to even ask what I have of you. But I ask anyway, because a friend as close as you deserves honor. I have little honor to give you other than my own friendship in return except for this one thing: I want you as my blod (sis). There is no closer relationship between two women than this. This is what I want.”

“I want that too,” JACK says. “I’ve never had a friend like you before.”

“Then we are agreed. We will enter into the bonds of blod (sis) together. We are our own, but we are each other’s as well. Death is the only release from this bond. No disagreement can change that we are bound to each other. The bond hold no matter the physical distance between us. This is permanent.”

I lean forward to rest my cheek against hers, then do the same thing to the opposite side. There’s wetness. She’s crying. I wipe at her cheek, fingers coming away wet. Grabbing her hands, I bring them each in turn to my lips, planting kisses on the back of her hands, then her palms. She does the same to me, then I step back.

Turning to nin(9), I ask, “Would you please help me with this part?”

She doesn’t answer, but her hands move beneath her cloak. Something metal glints in the moonlight then, near her waist. I knew she’d have a bladed weapon.

shea(3)va is at my side then, her hands moving in my hair, gathering strands between her fingers till she has enough. Can’t see her, but she’s separating the small bundle from the rest of my hair. The strands are from the front. nin(9)’s blade is fully visible now, held casually in one hand. I hear JACK’s feet shift on the ground, but I squeeze her hand to let her know it’s okay. Don’t even hear it when nin(9)’s blade slices through those strands of hair, cutting them from my head. They’re from the front, so people might notice. Well, that’s okay. They may suspect something if they’re Atharan, but they’ll never ask.

“Thank you, nin,” I say. The blade in her hand is gone, disappeared under her cloak just as silently as when she’d brought it out. I take the bundle of hair from shea(3)va. The hairs are long enough I can tie two knots in it, one at either end. Have to be careful not to drop everything in the low light, but I manage to tie both knots, and then a third in the middle, without botching anything.

“I already wear your hair on my wrist,” I say, holding up my hand. The single strand of wirewitch hair she gave me still dangles on my wrist, almost invisible there, picking up just enough moonlight to glint quietly. Handing the small bundle of my hair to JACK, I say, “I give you these strands of my own hair, as a symbol of our bond. If you keep this with you, then you will always have a piece of me, just as I carry you with me. I will wear this until I’m dead.”

JACK grips my hair tight in her fist. “Thank you, syl.”

Hugging her, crushing her, saying, “Love you” because it’s true. And she says it right back.

Glitch, I love wirewitches. One of them is my best friend. Another is my lover.

My life refuses to be constrained by conventions, norms, or rules.

Glitch, and I can’t deny that it feels good.

No, better than that, it feels right.

When JACK and I step away from each other, I give shea(3)va a hug. She runs a hand through my hair, whispering, “Three, sis? You’re getting greedy.”

     (yes)

          (yes you ARE)

Not really sure why I do it—maybe I’m in a good mood, maybe I’m feeling sorry for her, maybe I’m stupid—but after releasing shea(3)va, I move to nin(9) and hug her too. She stiffens, her arms rock solid at her sides, takes a step back. Moving with her.

“Don’t,” she rasps.

“I just needed one more I think,” I say, and it’s true. Realizing then, that it’s stupid, but I don’t want things to be bad between us any longer. If we were ever friends, then I want that back. We’re sisters. The divide between us is painful—as it should be. I haven’t let it really hurt me before, but now, out here, with my sisters surrounding me, there’s a hollow ache there.

“Everybody needs a hug sometime,” shea(3)va says.

nin(9) shrugs out of my grasp. “Not from her I don’t.”

I don’t move, staring at her, searching for her eyes within the shadow of her hood. “Yes. Yes you do. And you know why.” Because I’m your sister, glitch it. Sisters should hug each other. I stare into the darkness, daring her to back away further, wishing she could read my thoughts right now. Are you really happy that other people are closer to your sister than you are? Is that the way it’s supposed to be? Is that how you really want things?

“We’re done here, right?” nin(9) says.

“Yeah,” I say. “The ceremony is over.” Meaning the ceremony is over, but you and I aren’t done, not by a long shot.

She’s walking back to the others without another word.

“I’m sorry, syl,” shea(3)va says, “that things aren’t better between you and her. Are you sure you want to be friends with her?”

“Not entirely,” I say. “Some part of me does. Other parts of me want to punch her in the face.” Having regrets without the memories to back them up is uncomfortable. Feel so helpless to make amends for what people say I did to them before I lost their parts of my life.

JACK and shea(3)va throw their arms around me—they must’ve seen my face, or maybe they’re just in tune with my mood—and we share a three-way hug. It feels really good, and I’d stand there forever, but there no rest for the wicked. Have other things to talk with them about now that the blod (sis) ceremony is done.

I look at shea(3)va, then JACK, doing my best to smile as I ask, “So, what would you two do if I told you that I can control eoas with my mind now?”

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