Arinia/StarSound [IC]

[QVor]

OOC: I'm adapting this char from another one from the old times (the name was Zarahi). I got the image from google, but I lost the author names (actually, I used three different images and put them together with an editor). 

I will use this topic to add new entries from my char activities and stories.

Sorry my English. It is not my mother language.

 

IC:

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Sail on silver girl

Sail on by

Your time has come to shine

All your dreams are on their way

-Paul Simon

 

 

Name: Arinia Zahari/ StarSound

Gender: Female / Male

Age: 34 / unknown

Height: 2.00m / unknown

Hair color: red / none

Eye color: between blue and white / none

Hero status: Active.

 

Status

Citizenship: Brazilian / none

Place of Birth: Sao Paulo - Brazil / unknown

Ethnicity: daughter of a portuguese mother and finnish father/ unknown

 

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Backpropagation

 

Chapter I - Months Ago

 

Arinia was on the top of a building roof in São Paulo.

 

-One thing you were right. -Said, Arinia.

 

-And what was it? -Asked, StarSound, the guest in her body.

 

-You're not alone.

 

There was a minute of silence. The guest was embarrassed by his actions that day. Furious at the way the people were treating her, at her home city. A long time ago, it would be a honor to have someone from his race as a guest. But on this planet, they didn't know about his existance. He was affraid of what Arinia might be thinking of him. So far, since the union, he sought to portray as a wise guest with an unimaginable experience. The merge would bring only benefits and fantastic surprises. But he was thinking that he could have put everything to lose. So StarSound said, with a tone of embarrassment:

 

-You could have stopped me.

 

-I Could.

 

-Why didn’t you stopped me?

 

-Because you have the right to express yourself. You are inside me and, consequently, you need to express throw me. If I prevent you, I would be going against everything I believe. IWould be going against the free will and freedom of expression.

 

The guest nodded with respect. And Zahari added:

-You should only ...

 

-I Should only?

 

-You should be more careful with the consequences. I mean, careful not to put the body of your host at risk unnecessarily. Be careful to remember that, despite the freedom, what you say will be associated with my image, too. They were affraid. This, what I am now, It's not normal here.

 

A few seconds of silence, and he reflected:

-I think that I scared you in recent days. I have tried to be careful in a way our union occurs in a fluid manner and good environment. But the images I have shared with you ... the way I acted today ... I would not be surprised if you choose the separation. Arinia, do you want to undo the fusion? Do you regret that?

 

Arinia's eyes filled with tears. Conflicting emotions of two different minds, flooding her body so ruthless. She took a deep breath and replied:

-Star ... I must say ... I ...

 

 

Chapter II - millennia ago

 

The sky was blue-green, between emerald and aquamarine. The flowers in the field were almost all blue with yellow pollen. Thousands occupying the entire space, side by side, covering the ground, forming the illusion of a sea undulating with the wind.

 

The planet was entirely covered by living colors of forests whose wealth of diversity was rarely seen. And carefully installed on artificial islands mounted on the ocean, there were buildings made of bright material, partially transparent.

 

The most beautiful of all worlds.

The most prosperous of the worlds.

 

The form of the hosts, whose origin was the planet itself, was not human. But despite the difference, the beauty was indescribable. Given the advantages of the merging, over time, all natives of that planet chose to union with the guests. There was no native without a guest. And their lives were extended, their knowledge was extensive, their cultures carved.

 

They evolved as a civilization without war, without the dark ages, directed only to the well-being, the cult of life, harmony, to the families. Love was an easy feeling, without barriers. They had different concepts so that comparisons with human dogmas only denigrate the concept of perfection that they had.

 

The sense of exploration was different, too. While the desire to unravel the mysteries of nature, the universe, were present, a paradise had been built there. And there were few who ventured to travel through space. They evolved to this point, dominated the interstellar travel technology, but it simply was not a priority. Only when they learned they could sow havens on planets with little life is that the best interests arose. The earthforming. Planets seeded with life, diversity. With new floating cities and colonies.

 

And tens of years have passed since such technology was dominated. They called it as "the creation of paradises".

 

But, when the centenary of the creation of paradises was close, without understand the reason, they lost contact with one of their havens. And another and another. Gradually, dozens of earthformed planets stopped responding. Research groups have been sent. But did not return. And the paradise of green and blue sky felt threatened. In 37 trips, only one of them managed to send a statement of emergency before being destroyed:

Eaters of life.

 

From the prediction about the attacks, they knew that this world would be attacked soon. So they did an evacuation plan. They would settle on another planet, far away in another system, in another galaxy. They would create Silos-planets, whose goal would be to save the culture, technology and diversity to sow other planets in case of been discovered by the new enemy.

 

No, not new. An old enemy.

An enemy of the same race as the guests. But separated thousands of years ago, when they discovered that they could live without a host. However, to do that, life should be taken. At expense of any life form, they could live without a host and the sensation of unity, the power, was enormous.

Thousands of years ago, the ones who choose to continue merging fought with the others and a war begun. And, then, the old enemy returned more powerful.

 

The plan was initiated. Several ships were created and released in the universe. The evacuation of the planet had begun. But the forecasts were optimistic. And the day has arrived. The enemy stroke hard.

 

The fear they felt since receiving the alert message until the final day of the enemy arrival was not even close to the horrific scenes. Nothing matched the reality. There were no screams, sounds, nothing. Life was drained throughout the planetary sphere.

 

And death approached the floating city. The vegetation became cemetery. And people ran to the ships to escape. But the bodies were slow compared with the advance of death. There were many trying to escape and a long distance to run.

 

-We will not make it. We are too far away. -Said the hostess to StarGeyser, by thought.

 

-Do not think, run. –Said StarGeyser.

 

-Geyser, we will not reach the ship in time. My body is not agile. Even with the powers you gave me. Get out of my body. You alone can reach the ship.

 

-Don 't you dare to think about it. We are one. I will not leave you!

 

-You have to! Or we will die both here!

 

-I can try something ... I think if I go out of your body, I can carry you with more speed in my pure form. It will drain my energy fast. I do not know if I can ... but we can try.

 

-Geyser, listen. Our loves are 600 micls away from us in the research building. They are ahead us, but will not succeed, anyway. We will all die. You need to get out of me. If you do, in pure form, you will be able to take them with you. They are too weak yet to try what you proposed.

 

-I will not be able to take you and them.

 

-I didn’t say you to take me. Save them.

-How dare you suggest that! You're part of me as I am of you! I will not let you!

 

-Geyser-... do not let them die.

 

-I will not let you die! And if you expel me out of you, I will merge back!

 

-So you do not let me any choices.

 

The hostess picked up an object and inserted into her hearts, falling to the ground. The form of energy jumped out the body and cried out in agony, pain, despair, grief.

 

Like her, others had the same idea and several guests left the bodies trying to carry the hosts. Some succeding, some not. While her pure energy shape burst in horror, she gone to the research building in high speed, searching for her loves. And 650 micls away she found them. They were running toward the ship, shouting the name of the hostess/Geyser. And they felt an impulse behind their back. Geyser was driving them toward the ship.

 

-Geyser? Is that you? Where is ... where ... what did you do? You left her? You could have brought her, instead of us! Why did you do that? No!

 

-Nih/StarSound, listen! She sacrificed herself so that I could save you both. I could not do anything. She killed herself to force me to jump out the body!

 

Once they entered the ship, they left the planet that died quickly.

The long trip did not allow Geiser to find a new host in time. Her brightness faded gradually until nothing remains, except darkness.

 

(To be continued)

 

 

[QVor]

Chapter III: Two Years Ago

 

The arrival

 

It was near one o'clock in São Paulo, Brazil.

Arinia had arrived at the airport, where she had just returned from Namibia. It was a year since she was abroad. On the next weekend she would visit her entire family. She made the schedule, mentally: her parents first, then the closest brother; after that, her older brother. But before everything, she would go to a toy store to buy something for her nephew.

 

-Heavens, he is 13 years old! No toys. A ball. That. I can't miss it if I give a ball. -She said to herself.

 

Arinia didn't know, however, it was she who would be visited this night.

 

She walked through her house opening the windows. Although she had a maid to keep the house while she was away, apparently the maid had forgotten to let the house ventilate. Her home was clean, but the air was still. At least, the maid had not forgotten to supply the kitchen.

 

Arinia went to her bathroom and opened the shower. Returning to the room, she saw two frames in the dresser, of her ex-husband. She put her finger on the edge of the Picture, sighed, turned back and went to bathe.

 

Fifteen minutes later, she closed the window again, turned on the air conditioner and went to sleep.

 

In few minutes, her breathing was barely perceptible below the sound of the conditioner. Her face relaxed, leaving a serene face. Because of her 2 meters tall, her body, under the blanket, could barely fit the mattress, even lying diagonally. Her feet were out. So she had no bed, just the mattress on the floor, surrounded by pillows.

 

She looked calm, unlike other nights. For months, she awoke in the night because of the same nightmare. But that night, for hours, she managed to sleep relaxed. Probably the comfort of home and the adaptations because of her height, that she was privated during the time abroad.

 

Without knowing, she wasn't alone.

 

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The Visitor

 

That form was difficult to keep. How to allow not to shine? How cannot externalize his own essence? His other half had died, he was in a strange world, full of dirt, evil thoughts, beings impossible to understand, and he was unable to leave it. There were no more pods to keep him alive and his time was running out.

 

Buildings, pavement and pollution. Semi-conscious beings who perceived themselves on a limited way and that poorly perceived the world around. The spontaneous life was so rare in the universe! And that planet was beginning to lose the natural balance because of the only "conscious" beings. What a paradox. And they barelly knew of the danger. Little did they know that this "bubble" was not an isolated system.

 

People, humans, slept overnight smoothly without knowledge of the universe, without knowing anything about the Life Eaters. He sought to shake the thoughts and continued to probe into that strange place, Arinia's house.

 

A wooden stand with several items on the top, and a two-dimensional image of another human being. He left the bedroom to the living room and searched the local. Some primitive electronics, some vertical supports of wood with records made of celluloid material. The set of symbols was completely unknown. Repetitive pattern of about 26 symbols arranged in different order, making up words in a sentence. Several sentences could be part of a single block. If they had computers, so why to use celluloid material to keep their records?

 

He turned his attention to a device with a screen, also bidimensional. He noticed that all records were bidimensional. The sound recordings were more advanced than the visuals. And humans did not have records for other senses, which was unusual.

 

He went to the place where food was kept. There were several metal cans on wooden cabinets attached to the wall. A refrigerator with various liquids and foods of different origins.

So far, he did not see any food made of human beings, what was a relief. Humans did not feed on humans. At least not directly. By the chaotic and unbalanced system, he could figure that indirectly, human life were lost in the process of making another people eating.

 

He walked to the "hygiene room". He watched several other humans so far. He tried to figure the use of the devices, but couldn't understand all of them.

 

He returned to the room and approached Arinia. She was certainly different from most humans. Starting with the physical height.

 

She was silent. Possibly to fulfill her "one-third of planetary rotation" resting. But he realized that at this period, humans did not rest entirelly. At times, her brain activity was higher than when she was awake. It was standard in humans. Possibly, this was a moment of absorption or indexing experience.

 

A third of planetary rotation seemed exaggerated to him.

 

Then, she transited to na agitated moment of sleep. It was the right time. The first contact.

 

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The Dream

 

It was night. Arinia was in a place that did not exist in real life, but it looked familiar. It was a house like she was used to go in her childhood. Heavy drapes and cloth screens, wooden chairs with upholstered thick printed with flowers. Little natural light.

 

It was day and the lights were on. The smell of coffee in the kitchen, hardwood floors. The garden with plants of several species grown in mixtures, without a pattern. It was like an abandoned backyard.

 

She walked through the house, but there was nobody. She was waiting for the arrival of her family, but nobody came. The phone, an old model, with the dial made of a disc as in the old days, worked with noises.

 

Arinia called to her mother on the phone. Her mother said that their relatives left a few hours ago from her house and that they should arrive at any time. But the hours passed and nothing.

 

The sun was setting down. The room got darker and darker. The rain increased. She could not leave the house because of the water outside. She could not turn on the television because it was off. She could not listen the music because the radio just went to the commercials. She could not read books because they were too old, too dusty, and all already readed.

 

A desire began to emerge. As the silence of the place was keeping a noisy sound that would get unbearable at any time. The sound of silence. As if the pressure on her head would increase and take away her forced calmness. As if she knew that a hatred in the environment itself could be thrown on her. Like if the fury of the environment, hidden in the silence, could hit her.

 

The cold and humidity increased. There was nobody. She was sitting in the chair with a blanket, hoping that the door would open, but no one was going through.

 

Then the door swung open. A fright anticipation of waiting for their arrival, but it was just the wind; the rain, the cold and the wind were her only guests.

 

She began to turn into a state of despair, as already happened over and over again. The anxiety was almost to the point of her fading.

 

And then, something different happened. The wind stopped, the rain stopped, the cold was gone. And it was day. She went to see what was going on. Instead of messy shrubs in the garden, there was a field of blue flowers, arranged like a carpet that stretched to the horizon. The sky was blue-green. When she looked inside, again, the house was no longer the same. It was her home, comfortable, as she had made it from her imagination. Shiny.

 

She left to the field and walked for some time, feeling the sun and cool breeze. As the feeling of someone who just cried, she felt relieved. She looked around and felt like she was in company. But there was nobody. It was as if she were so peaceful with herself that she felt whole again. There was no loneliness.

 

After so many nightmares through the years, that was the first time it changed in a good way.

 

At that time, Arinia awoke. It was day.

She got up, calmly, and stretched. She felt happy, relieved.

 

But within minutes, the happiness was gone again. She got up, showered herself, made and ate the breakfast, brushed her teeth and left in a hurry.

Starsound, invisible, followed her to a Hospital.

 

(to be continued)