Haibane Doom 3 Remix Chapter 2

This is chapter 2 (The third post) of the Featherwing Love vs. Doom 3 vs. Haibane Renmei Remix by Terry Wilson.
The Opening Song is located at http://featherwinglove.blogspot.com/2009/05/visions-precious-child.html
Chapter 1 is located at: http://featherwinglove.blogspot.com/2009/05/featherwing-vs-haibane-vs-doom-3-remix.html
Next Chapter, "Hogosho": http://featherwinglove.blogspot.com/2009/05/remix-hogosho.html

DISCLAIMER: References to features of religions or faith beliefs do not necessarily mean that the authors, Terry Wilson, Matthew Costello, and Yoshitoshi ABe (or anyone else for that matter), take them seriously. All characters featured are new; none appear in either FWL, Doom 3, or Haibane Renmei. Also, don't forget that this is a work of fiction, not prophecy.

This story was written by Terry Wilson, who makes no copyright claims against the concepts of the other authors. This work will never be commercially published without the permission of the copyright holders for all three worlds.

She stirs. My wings? she thinks. She props herself up on her arms. They hurt. She moans.

"Tatakai?" Kurai starts to ask.

"Remembering," she says, "that I'm a Haibane now, not what I was before. What does your name mean?"

"Gloomy," her host says, "I was in a forest at night in my dream, crying. I don't remember what I was crying over." She turns to her, "Tatakai, you are one weird Haibane. No Haibane has ever slept exactly eight hours, to the second on her first night. And ... you snore like a sawmill. How would you hide from your enemies with a racket like that?"

"I don't remember if I ever slept in my enemy's presence," she sighs, "I guess they told you about me, huh?"

"Of course," Menmo says.

"You didn't sleep?" Tatakai asks.

"How could we," says Shinomi, "through all that racket? I didn't think a Haibane could be that loud on purpose."

Kurai chuckles, "You are one strange Haibane, Tatakai."

"Really?" she says, sitting up and looking around.

"Really!", Kurai says, "For starters, your wings are pure white, which is the first time ever. Haibane means ash feather, our wings have alway been gray, always. And, they've never been so big. Your first task will have to be to make your own wing covers, we don't have any that fit you. Anyway, down to business."

Kurai opens the smoking mould with Tatakai's new halo. She places it over her head with tongs. "Feather Tatakai," she says warmly, "To be a guide to your future as a Haibane, I give you this halo."

Tatakai says, "are you sure about this?"

"Of course," Kurai says, letting go of the halo. It falls like any ordinary object right on Tatakai's head.

"Ow!" she cries, throwing it away with her fingers, which she then sucks on because of the burn.

Other things drop. Kurai's lower jaw, her arms, and her tongs, in that order. The halo on the floor still glows. "Another first," she gasps, "Halos fall from the the heads of new Haibane often, but around, at the least ... I've never seen one not even try."

"Let it cool, then we try again," says Tatakai. "Any other firsts?"

Menmo says, "Until you, cocoons never hatched in winter," waving her hands for emphasis, "not even once, and also ... you hatched on a Saturday, Tatakai. That is the first time such things have ever happened. [1]"

"What? Oh, no," Tatakai gasps, "That's never supposed to happen, is it?"

Shimoni answers, "Well, I'm not sure about supposed to, only that it has never happened before."

"Tell me, where am I? You said town of Glie when we first met in the North Wing?" Tatakai begs.

"Yes," answers Menmo, "Haibane are not allowed to leave the town, or even approach its walls, only the Toga are free to come and go, and while in town, they never speak or show their faces. Only the Communicator is allowed to talk to them, and usually they sign in a secret language with their hands."

"Walls? Not allowed to leave?" Tatakai gasps, "is this a prison camp?"

Kurai answers this time. "No," she sighs. "It may seem so at times, but really it is a haven," there is evil outside the walls," she explains, "even to touch the walls could mean death, only herbs from the Haibane Temple can cure the resulting sickness."

"Sickness?" Tatakai asks, "what kind of sickness."

Shimoni explains, "Nobody knows. You'd feel cold, numb, unable to feel your wings, toes or fingers. You feel fine otherwise, but freezing cold to someone who touches or comes near you ... then you run a high fever you die from without treatment."

Tatakai gasps, "Delta radiation? Oh no!"

Kurai scoffs, "Radiation! Never heard of it."

"Tell me, Menmo," Tatakai asks, "Who rules Glie?"

Menmo looks at the other two, all three Haibane just shrug, "We answer to the Communicator in the temple."

Tatakai, increasingly distraught begs, "Is there a man ... a man with holes in his hands and in his feet, white hair, fiery eyes, a voice that sounds like a waterfall, a glowing face, words that cut like a dagger, feet that glow like bronze? Is there anyone like that, anywhere?"

Again, the Haibane Remnei shrug.

"Such flights of fancy," Kurai mutters, "You remember that much from before your past?"

Tatakai cries, "I read about him in a sacred text [2], he's supposed to be here. He saved the world! Savior!" she wails, "Why are you taking so long? [3]"

Menmo says, "You can't remember his name, can you?"

Tatakai shakes her head, "But ... I knew him, where did he go? Savior!" she puts her head in her hands and cries. "Glie is all that's left, isn't it? The rest of the world is a wasteland because the battle I died in before coming here was lost."

She notices what she's wearing, the plain white robe that she emerged from the cocoon in. "I know now," she sighs, "I just have to be patient, don't I? [4]"

At those words Kurai again picks up the fallen halo with the tongs and places it over Tatakai's head. When she lets go, it stays there.

"How many Haibane are there?" she asks.

Menmo answers, "Well, there are more in the Abandoned Factory, but here, there is just us four Elder Feathers plus ... what is it, thirteen?" she turns to Shimoni.

"Fourteen Young Feathers," Shimoni answers.

"A total of 18 Haibane in Old Home?" Tatakai asks.

They nod.

"Good!" Tatakai nearly cheers, "We can tear down that North Wing and use its pieces to build houses that will actually last and be comfortable."

Next Chapter: http://featherwinglove.blogspot.com/2009/05/remix-hogosho.html

Author's Notes:

[1] Matthew 24:20
[2] Revelation 1:9-16
[3] Revelation 6:10
[4] Revelation 6:11

[7 June: Fixed misspellings of "Menmo"]