Lorien Loves Stohn

Who The Hell Is Lara?

John tenses for a punch, maybe a hard kick, but instead I cup my hands on his cheeks and kiss him.

John's lips are soft and his breath tastes of peppermint. I close my eyes and press myself against him. He is still tensed, expecting a punch, and his brain doesn't know how to process this.

I don't care. John could swat me away at any moment, so I need to savor this kiss. I focus on the way his lips feel. Velvety and smooth. They could be compared to a rose petal. The peppermint taste on his breath seems like a candy cane. I run my hands down John's neck and place them on his chest. Reluctantly, I pull away.

"I care, okay?" I whisper before running off into my room. Running. Somehow I'm always running. I'm never able to face my problems head on. Well, I guess I just faced that one. I cannot believe I just did that. I just fucking kissed John. Admittedly, I probably just fucked everything else up, but damn that was worth it. I collapse on my bed after locking my door and sigh. I just kissed John.

A new thought occurs to me. Am I gay? I can't be... Right? I don't think I am. I still think that girls are hot. Look where Maddy got me. But then what is this relationship with John? Not that there is a relationship. I THINK we're friends... Maybe... And now I kissed him. Goddammit I shouldn't have done that.

But deep down I know that I wouldn't trade that moment for anything.

Suddenly, I'm very cold. So, I curl up under my covers and fall asleep. Anything that has to do with me and John can be sorted out when I wake up.

***

I open my eyes to see late afternoon sun filtering in through my blinds. Must've slept a couple hours at least. I trudge into my bathroom and wash off my face. I have the urge to brush my hair, which I never do, but decide against that. I don't want to look desperate.

What am I saying?! John and I aren't going on a date or anything. Best case scenario, he's like whatever and we move on. Worst case, well. I'll probably have my ass handed to for what I just did. It's fine though. I have an odd giddiness coursing through me. Like little bubbles... Little purple bubbles... Wait a minute.

I look in the mirror and gasp before stumbling backwards and tripping over the toilet. Holy. Fuck.

I pick myself up and look back in the mirror. Nope, I wasn't imagining things. My reflection is purple. Or, spots of me are. One arm, a couple patches of my face, a few streaks of my hair, and several other places are literally purple. I look down at my skin and ensure it's not a trick of the light. Lo and behold, purple splotches. Not only that, but now they're turning lavender. What the hell is going on?!

"JOHN?! BK?! HELP!!" I call, terrified at this new development. Am I sick? Could this have something to do with kissing John? Will the healing stone help?

John barges through the door a few seconds later, probably using telekinesis to open the door, or just breaking the lock altogether,  BK right on his tail. "What?! What's wrong?!" John asks, panicked.

"Friggin look at me!"

"What?!"

"I'm lavender! Can't you see-?" I look back into my reflection, and look into my eyes. I realize what this is. "A new Legacy."

"Wait, what? What do you mean?" John stares at me, examining me, looking for a hint of lavender somewhere on my body. But he won't find it. Because only I can see it with whatever new Legacy this is.

"I don't know, John. But it looks like the arsenal just got a bit more loaded."

Explain what you're seeing. Perhaps I can help. Bernie Kosar puts in.

"Uh, it's like me, but if someone put translucent lavender paint on me. But um, only in certain spots. My face, my arm..."

Yes, I think I know what this is. Back on Lorien it was called Sensium. You can see emotions.

"Woah." John mutters. "Cool." He stares at me in awe.

"Cool?" I scrunch up my nose. "How's it supposed to help me fight?"

You'll be able to see when an enemy to is bluffing. You'll be able to tell which ally needs the most help, and who is fine with the fight they've been presented with. You'll be able to know your friends better... And your enemies as well.

"Okay, nice I guess." I shrug. This seems like a Legacy more suited for someone with a quiet personality, or I guess just not someone who is me.

I'm not finished. BK insists. You will also be able to manipulate others emotions.

"Ohhh now I see why it's useful. Make everyone cower in fear and bow down before me. Nice."

"Ugh, Nine." John groans.

I laugh to myself. "Manipulate emotions, huh?" My eyes slide to John as I imagine the new possibilities with Sensium. Looks like maybe I have a chance with John after all. "So uh, why can't I see what you guys are feeling?"

"It probably works like my Lumen."

"Well gee, thanks Johnny. We all know that I'm the expert on Lumen and know all about how it works. I really appreciate you clearing up that whole mess over there."

"Don't be an ass. What I mean is that it won't come to you all at once. With my Lumen, at first it was just my hands and the lights. As in, I couldn't light myself on fire. And that would have been a bad idea too, since nothing else was fireproof."

Yes I recall. Bernie Kosar ponders. Henri used one of the rocks from your chest to help you spread the fireproof. Unfortunately, I only knew things about certain Legacies. Like Sensium. Everyone on Lara's side had it..

I'm so confused. "Who the hell is Lara? And why did she take MY Legacy? Bitch."

"Nine! That's my mom."

"Oh," I mutter. I may not know much of anything about my parents, or what life was like on Lorien, but I know that no matter what planet, what galaxy, or even what dimension, it's not cool to call someone's mom a bitch. Especially if they're dead. "I didn't know. Sorry."

"I- well, I guess it's fine. I don't know." John whispers. I can tell I've struck a nerve. "For all I know, she could've been the biggest bully ever. So you could be right. I'll never know..."

Regardless, BK communicates, breaking the tension, I'd lived with Lara since she was a toddler. Us Chimærae live even a bit longer than the Loric. John is right about the Sensium then. It will come to you just like Lumen came to J-

"Wait." I interrupt. "How does John know all this stuff about his parents? From what I've gotten out of you, Johnny, it seemed to me like Henri didn't tell you much about life on Lorien."

"We can have this discussion another time. Let's get whatever Loric crystal helps you develop your Sensium and move on. War and all that, remember?"

I nod. John leaves the room, followed by a reluctant BK. I lick the front of my teeth, thinking. Maybe my ignorance overstepped a boundary... or maybe John suddenly remembered our kiss. Not that he would have forgotten, but the excitement of the moment could have overpowered the memory. Whatever. I need to get control of this Sensium quickly if I ever want things with John to even have a chance of playing out to my likings.