Unicorn Killer

[Pinkie Pie]

A small buzz in her pocket altered Jenovette to a coming message. She waited until her teacher at the front turned his back before getting out her phone, a rather new discovery. She smiled a little to herself and sat up as straight as she could in her cramped wooden desk, ripping a piece of of the light pink paper in the notebook in front of her and tossed it at the head of the sender. His neck length black hair, which was so sleek and well styled, was barely disturbed by the paper ball with her response. He grabbed it before it fell to the floor and straightened it. When he read her message, he caught her attention and pretended to drink. She smiled again and nodded a little. The date was set.

Jenovette turned back to her teacher, who was starting to hand out thick packets. “We’re going to start discussing the founding of civilization that we know of today. Can anyone tell me who the Mermaid Goddess appointed king of…” He stopped to think. “Machinae was?” She kept her hand down when everyone else’s shot up. Machinae was a terrible place with a dictator that tightly controlled his people. She shuddered a little and slipped her hand into the front pocket on her black dress, feeling around for the piece of metal inside. According to mother, it was a piece of a crown the last king of Dix wore. She shuddered but found that piece, holding it for a few seconds then putting it back where it was. The other pieces of the crown were distributed all over the world, never to be whole again. She never really understood why.

When she saw her classmates standing up, she followed suit after putting the things on her desk into her bag. She walked over to the boy from earlier, maneuvering through desks.

When she was close, she stood behind him and fixed the collar of the black shirt he wore. “Sup Jen?” She shrugged and hugged him from behind, the back of his head pressing into her chest. He rubbed the back of his head. “If you’re going to wear that locket, at least have it in plain sight. “ He stood up, pulling his shirt down a little and propping his foot up on his desk to tie his shoe. “The bell is taking too long. Let’s blow this popsicle stand.” He grabbed his bag and took her hand, leading her towards the exit. “Blair! Where do you think you’re going?”: Dom’s cheeks flushed bright red. He didn’t allow anyone to refer to him by his first name, not even his teachers. “The bell is late and Jenovette and I have places to be.” He opened the door but Jenovette stopped short. “We should stay until the bell rings, Dom.” He shrugged and leaned against a desk.After a few minutes of quietly entertaining themselves with newly rediscovered technology, the bell rang and the class soon emptied, Dom and Jenovette leading the way.

The skirt of her dress was lined with white lace and ribbon, the top mostly black. It was common dress for a girl of Jenovette’s age in Dix. Boys also wore rather dark colors, but it was mandatory wear at school for it to be a black dress with white, blue or pink lace and ribbon edging or trim, with white stockings and black feminine shoes for girls and black button down collared shirts with matching dark pants and dress shoes for boys. It read in the dress code pamphlet that it was to preserve the dress culture of old Dix, the Dix before the war that merged it with its much lighter counterpart. Jenovette shuddered a little. She’d read and heard terrible things about that war, and it was all things that her country had done. But now instead of a king, they had a chancellor, which turned out to be essentially the same thing. The ways of the government confused her endlessly, but the textbooks she was given proclaimed that having a chancellor was the best way to be ruled, because he often allowed commoners to come see him privately if there were big concerns. That had to be good, right?

Dom shook her shoulders. “We have places to be, Jen.” He took her hand and they left, going down a few long hallways crowded with students in their dark attire and staff, most also wearing dark attire. When they made it out, they waved at everyone who spoke to them and walked across the street. The streets were dark, but the sun was shining so right now they seemed more a dark grey. At night, they would be lit with a light blue light that edged the curbs, just one of the many wonders the post apocalyptic world was able to do with the old technology left behind that was being rediscovered every day. When they were walking along the line of tree that bordered the park, there was a loud whinnying that caught Jenovette’s attention right away. She tugged Dom forward and started to run towards the sound, stopping short when she saw what made the sound.

Leaning against a tree was a tall, snow white horse-like form. Its lion tail beat hard against the trunk and it kicked an all who came near with its cloven hooves.that shone violently in the afternoon sun. It took Jenovette a few minutes to realize that its hooves were made of clear crystal, and that its head was bleeding profusely. It turned and lunged at Dom, aiming to kick his skull in. He jumped out of the way quickly and backed away. “Get away from that thing! It’s going to hurt you!” Jenovette shook her head. “It’s not lunging at me. It needs my help.” She turned to it and extended her hands, allowing it to smell her and slowly put her hand on its quivering, bloody nose, gently stroking it. She tried hard not to be scared. Unicorns were exceptionally rare, especially in this area. If they still lived, it would have been in a place faraway, in a forest protected by the Mermaid Goddess herself. The unicorn grunted tossed its head, blood spewing all over the place. The sight of its blood frightened it even more and it reared, those crystal cloven hooves beating at the air. When it lowered, it nosed her hand hard. After a closer look, she saw that it had a hole in between its eyes, right below the horn. “Someone tried to kill you. But who?” It grunted again and tossed its head at the sight of her black lacquer locket, which only held a mirror and a note from an old friend, the chain dangling from its mouth while it ate it.

She didn’t know how to react. In the last few minutes, she not only saw a unicorn, pet a unicorn, and had actual unicorn splashed on her by a unicorn, she also had a unicorn eat one of her most prized possessions. While it chewed on it, the bleeding hole on its forehead slowly closed. It nosed her hand again and lowered its head, allowing Jenovette to touch the crystal spiraled horn. “Thank you for healing me.”

She turned and looked around. “Who said that?”

Edited September 22, 2012 by Emotional Outlet

[† Anras Rune]

that was fricking awesome....strange but awesome....^.^

so i suppose that means jenovette is a *ahem* virgin considering she can pet the unicorn....lol

[Pinkie Pie]

She might be~ Or maybe the unicorn just didn't like Dom very much XD

[† RazorDan]

lol rune, it would be you who said that

[Nero D. Ace]

Sweet, it'd be interesting to see how this plays out.

[† Ferocia Coutura]

Wait, Im confused. What did the unicorn eat? *fails*

[Pinkie Pie]

It ate her locket XD

[† Ferocia Coutura]

Ooooh! Okay!

[DuLake]

I love it! I like the feel of it. It has a nice rhythm and tone. The characters seem well-rounded and you have some nice little details nestled in there. The exact setting confused me a little (I'm assuming it's in Dix?), so a little more info on the setting might be nice, and the rhythm snagged in a couple places toward the end (if you don't already I'd recommend reading it out loud after your first draft), but still probably my favorite piece of this new literature revival so far. Keep up the good work! I really can't wait to see where this goes ^.^

P.S. Darn all of you clever writers, you're making me want to post something of my own.

[† Ferocia Coutura]

Go ahead!! We are trying to revive the lit section, so feel free to post your own works!

[Pinkie Pie]

I love it! I like the feel of it. It has a nice rhythm and tone. The characters seem well-rounded and you have some nice little details nestled in there. The exact setting confused me a little (I'm assuming it's in Dix?), so a little more info on the setting might be nice, and the rhythm snagged in a couple places toward the end (if you don't already I'd recommend reading it out loud after your first draft), but still probably my favorite piece of this new literature revival so far. Keep up the good work! I really can't wait to see where this goes ^.^

P.S. Darn all of you clever writers, you're making me want to post something of my own.

Yes, it takes place in Dix. You'll find this out later, but it takes place in the capital city which is Barabei. I kind of want to do a prologue that makes it clear that the setting is Earth as we know it, only five thousand years after the apocalypse and reorganized. Oh and with concrete proof that the people are the descendants of mermaids who are descended from an immortal mermaid that they consider a goddess. I have this world planned out down to the last detail, including the ways they celebrate the sea [ not eating fish, being kind to women, since their god is female, and other little things like that]

[DuLake]

Yes' date=' it takes place in Dix. You'll find this out later, but it takes place in the capital city which is Barabei. I kind of want to do a prologue that makes it clear that the setting is Earth as we know it, only five thousand years after the apocalypse and reorganized. Oh and with concrete proof that the people are the descendants of mermaids who are descended from an immortal mermaid that they consider a goddess. I have this world planned out down to the last detail, including the ways they celebrate the sea [ not eating fish, being kind to women, since their god is female, and other little things like that']

Cool! I could tell you put a lot of thought into it in the story, and I imagine part of my not getting it was just the length of the chapter (you're wise to not throw it all into the first couple paragraphs). I'm also excited to hear that this story has some feminist themes coming up, too few stories do. Darn it! I'm even more intrigued now! I demand a second chapter soon! lol

Go ahead!! We are trying to revive the lit section, so feel free to post your own works!

Yeah, I'm doing some polish on a story I wrote some time ago that never did much. I like it, it just wasn't high enough quality for me to send anywhere (I've been trying to get my freelance career off the ground, really need to get a bit more disciplined with that). Meh, now I feel like I'm high-jacking somebody's thread. Must start my own. . . >.> <.<

[Pinkie Pie]

I can't help but say that it's refreshing to have someone pick a part my work in search of themes XD There's going to be more tomorrow, I promise.

[DuLake]

I can't help but say that it's refreshing to have someone pick a part my work in search of themes XD There's going to be more tomorrow' date=' I promise.[/quote']

lol I know what you mean. My goal in life is to write something that lasts long enough for a college student to write a paper about it.

[Pinkie Pie]

Chapter 2 is here~

The unicorn neighed softly and bumped her hand up. “I did. Come on my back, fair human. I want to take you somewhere.” She let go of its horn in shock and it kneeled, making its back accessible “I’m not going anywhere with you. This is just too much.” She back away from it and it stood up, following her. “I am indebted to you, fair human. Wherever you shall go, I shall follow.” To prove that he meant business, he followed her to where she stood. “How can we still speak? I’m not holding your horn.” The unicorn tossed its head up. “You are covered in my blood, which is powerful enough to support this telekinetic communication. Now fair human please, come on to my back so that I may take you to what I wish to show you.”

She climbed on to its back, gripping its unusually soft mane. It grunted and started to move, making her cling hard to its neck. She touched its horn again only for it to laugh at her. “Silly human, I would not have allowed you to treat me like a common beast of burden if I was going to harm you?”

“Sorry. So what’s your name? Are you a boy or what?” After some adjusting, she found it quite easy to sit on his back. She turned her head and watched the flower gardens go by, their colors one kaleidoscope , the people in them only pinpricks in the prisms.

“I have no name. And do I look like a mare?” Jenovette laughed a little. “No you don’t. I should give you a name, something beautiful and strong like you. I can’t think of one right now though. I’ll name you when the time is right.” The unicorn grunted. “Have anymore cheese you would like to add, fair human?” She tugged at his mane a little in retaliation and to retaliate further, he sped up to a full gallop, jumping over a hedge in the process. Jenovette screamed and clung to his neck hard until he slowed down. After a few minutes, they were at the place he wanted to take her, which was a clear pond surrounded by weeping willows, some of whose branches barely skimmed the water. He walked over to one of the trees closest to the pond and went under the drooping branches, getting to his knees to allow Jenovette to get off safely. He nudged her bag and neighed softly, lifting his head to strip a close by branch of its leaves. Jenovette sat beside where he laid on his knees, stroking his soft neck. “You need a name, gentle sir.” She got into her bag and found her notebook with the pink paper and a pen. “How about Sebastien?” She wrote it down in her rather flouncy handwriting then rested the pen against her chin. “Or Lucien. Lucien is a pretty name, isn’t it?” The unicorn grunted a little and continued eating. “Name me whatever you wish, fair human.” She shrugged. “Jerômé is nice.” She wrote it down. “It looks good in writing too.” She turned to the eating unicorn and stroked his nose. “Jerômé. Yes I think I’ll name you Jerômé.”

“My name is now Jerômé then, I suppose. What does this name mean?” The unicorn nosed her notebook gently. “It means ‘sacred name’ in a very long forgotten language. “ Jenovette sighed a little and stroked Jerômé’s nose. “What do you call yourself, fair human? Surely you must have a name as well and I tire of calling you by your species.” She pet his nose again. “My name is Jenovette Marillda Gateau. Just Jenovette would work.”

In the distance, Jenovette heard her name being called. She put her notebook away and jumped up. “I’m sorry but I have to go now. I was supposed to meet a friend . I hope to see you again, Sir Jerômé.” She curtsied to him and turned to leave. “Dame Jenovette, I have but one thing to say in parting to you. I've seen men like him before. I don't trust them and I am sure that it would be in your best interest not to trust him as well.” She turned around and crossed her arms. “Dom adores me, okay? He wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. If he did, he would have done so already.” Jerômé snorted, “He already is, fair Jenovette. Leave now, I will be sure to see you again soon, but before you go, please take some of my tail with you so that I will not lose my telekinetic contact with you. ” In one swift moment, she pulled out a small handful of his tail and quickly braided it into a bracelet. “There. Now we won’t lose contact.” She hugged him and left, running towards Dom’s voice.

“Oh there you are. Where did that unicorn go?” Jenovette shrugged. “Let’s go.” She took his hand and together they walked out of the park, passing through intensely colored flower gardens and taking a bridge over a small waterfall formed by a difference in level of the streambed. “Your opera lessons are going to start up again soon, aren’t they? How do you feel about training to be a warrior?” Jenovette shrugged. “I just don’t’ want to sing the damaging songs. I don’t want to fight anyone. I just want to sing.” Dom shrugged and put an arm around her when they crossed the dark grey street to the café they were going to.

Inside the entrance was a very large tank of seawater that Dom and Jenovette dipped their hands into. She dabbed some onto the tops of her bosom before following the server to their table.This was the most ancient of Seacist customs, with the dabbing of seawater on the bosoms of females most important, because they were of the form of the Mermaid Goddess and gave life just as equally, in the eyes of Seacists. Seacism was a religion formed by the Mermaid Goddess’ first land children, who repopulated the land of earth thousands of years after the apocalypse. She made them wait to repopulate the surface, giving the land the time it needed to erase the scars formed by the first humans.. In essence, these “humans” weren’t humans at all. They were what the mermaids of the seas called land merms and adopted the name to emulate true human life

Seacism was literally the only religion of the revived earth, because the Mermaid Goddess’ existence was proven beyond a doubt when she left her seas to live in a temple made for her comfort on the land. Sea water flowed freely between the rooms, allowing her to go to every room of the temple, and there were large pools of sea water reflected the the lives of her subjects. In the central room of this place, was a pool of seawater that was open for offerings. The accepted offerings were not money or food, it was sea water and was used to keep the water in the temple free flowing and clean. Jenovette did her best to follow the guideliens set by the Mermaid Goddess, such as not eating fish and being kind to the earth that she allowed them to repopulate.

After they performed the seawater ritual, they were woven through sleek wooden tables and lead to a window table. “Do you have enough plank for a place like this?” Jenovette quietly asked, accepting a menu from the server. She sighed and shook her head, getting out her purse and pulling out three bank note sized planks of ivory, rosewood and mahogany. “I’ll cover us if need be.” Ivory planks were worth five rosewood, and rosewood was worth three mahogany. There were many more types of plank used as currency, but ivory and rosewood was used most commonly by the students of Dix. It would be nigh impossible for them to find coral planks, which were worth a thousand mahogany, or even one amber plank, which would be worth so much that all of the coral planks in the world would mean nothing compared to its value. The currency system wasn’t perfect, but so far it had worked better than the old Dix system of crowns and crown notes.

Dom shrugged and flashed a charming smile at her. “It’ll be fine. Trust me.”

[† Anras Rune]

interesting explanation of the currency systems. and....muwah...XP

well looking forward to more! ^.^

[DuLake]

Ooooh, it looks like things are really starting to take shape. I think I smell the seeds of an abusive relationship. Damned men! They should all die! Wait. Something's wrong about that. lol

I feel like it must be said, I'm completely intrigued by this goddess locked in the temple thing. Maybe I'm just looking for commentary in all the strangest of places, but I totally hope you follow up with more on that. Very interesting idea.

[Pinkie Pie]

It might look that way but you'll see soon enough. Just know that Dom definitely might be shady maybe.

Well, the Mermaid Goddess might have a part later on as t hings progress. We'll just have to wait and see though :>

[Nero D. Ace]

getting better and better, jen. any idea how many chaps you gonna do yet?

[Pinkie Pie]

As many as it takes to finish the story, man.