xxx

She couldn’t breathe.

The green liquid was all around her, flooding her nose and mouth as she tried desperately to gasp for air, thrashing and struggling.

The binds around her didn’t waver.

Drowning, she was drowning.

She could feel the smooth glass against her skin.

A woman laughed manically.

She tried to scream, but only bubbles gushed forth from her lips. Her life was flashing past her eyes, her mind bombarded with images of-

Shadowy figures, exhaustion, a giant red wolf.

She wrenched her hands, trying to break the binds around her wrists.

Blood, dripping from her arms and splattering against stone, cold laughter.

She was being dragged lower and lower, further and further away from the light and the air she desperately craved.

Screaming, crying, fear and desperation.

The glass cage was so delicate, yet so unbreakable, and she slammed against its walls in a futile attempt to break free.

Freedom was just beyond the glass, but she couldn’t see it. She couldn’t see anything but the swirling green.

Something grabbed her arm, yanking her under and deeper into the darkness.

“Let go of me!”

The bubbles that escaped her throat danced tauntingly in the liquid, laughing mockingly at her frantic pleas.

They were laughing at her; they were all laughing at her as they watched her die with an air of morbid amusement.

The fingers around her arm tightened, and she could feel the fingernails bite into her flesh.

A voice calling in the distance, distorted by the water in her ears.

“Fate-chan!”

“Let go of me!”

Fate Testarossa screamed, lashing out as she bolted upright, sending covers flying even as a wave of electricity erupted from her and burned the air.

The grip around her arm loosened as Nanoha was blown backward into the wall.

Fated panted noisily, gasping heavily for air as panicked burgundy darted around the room. Her fists were clenched, and the veins in her neck were visible even in the darkness.

“Let go of me…” she whispered to no one, afraid and confused and completely lost.

Everything was all too real.

The sudden movement in the corner made Fate freeze, and suddenly she was plunged into the images again, greenness and suffocation and fear.

An almost-familiar voice snapped her out of her nightmare.

“Fate-chan?” Nanoha whispered, half-afraid. Burgundy eyes were dilated, so much that they appeared more black than red.

“Fate-chan, please,” Nanoha pleaded, eyes shining with unshed tears. “Wake up…”

Nanoha.

The greenness was dissolving, slowly fading as her eyes focused on slate-blue.

Nanoha.

Somewhere in the back of her head, Fate remembered the brunette. The fear in those wide eyes caused something deep inside Fate’s chest to twist painfully.

“Nano…ha?” Her voice was hoarse and rough.

The brunette made her way uncertainly to the bed.

One hand reached out hesitantly to touch a shoulder, and Fate flinched involuntarily, jerking away.

Undaunted, Nanoha tried again, placing a hand over Fate’s, fingers tightening when Fate tried to pull away.

A tear slid down Nanoha’s cheek when she realized that Fate’s hand was cold and clammy with sweat. She could almost feel the frantic pulsing under her wrist, and it killed her to know that her friend was suffering.

“It’s okay, Fate-chan, it’s just a nightmare. It’s okay,” Nanoha repeated reassuringly, over and over, trying to calm Fate down. “It’s over now. I’m here, it’s okay.”

Fate clenched her teeth and tried to still her rampant heartbeat, focusing on thinking of nothing.

She was pulled into a warm embrace, and finally, the cold tendrils of her nightmare released their hold on her and retreated back into the depths of her mind.

And suddenly she was crying. And she hated it, for she never cried.

She swiped at her tears angrily, but more fell to replace those lost.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, over and over, ashamed and embarrassed.

Everything just seemed so real.

Nanoha shushed her, murmuring quiet words of comfort, one hand running through damp blonde hair.

They lay like this, for what was left of the night, until Fate finally calmed down and slipped into a light doze. Slate-blue, however, remained stubbornly alert, on the lookout for anything that could possibly cause the slightest disturbance.

Nanoha’s arms never left Fate, as she watched over the exhausted blonde the entire night. But it was okay, for they were friends.

Friends.

There was an uncharacteristically serious look in Nanoha’s eyes as she gazed at the sleeping girl in her lap.

They were friends.

Somehow, Nanoha couldn’t shake off the feeling that not exactly everything was alright.

xxx

Excerpt from part 1 of “Torn“, written by Enraptured.

xxx

When I first read this fic, I was so affected by how Fate’s feelings were described. It was very clear in my head of how the scenes could have looked and I needed to sketch them for my own piece of mind. So here they are.
To En, you’re really a great writer. Keep up the wonderful work.
[edit:]
header image added.

Personally speaking, I think waking up beside the person you love most is - so far - one of the greatest things you can experience. I don’t know the reasoning behind it… perhaps its being able to share a vulnerable act, such as sleeping, with someone you trust so much. And of course, there’s no better way to start the day than by seeing your love first thing in the morning!

Hmm, I believe bacon for breakfast also helps the cause.

Made to please me and whoever else knows about Chokoban. :P

Lehaiah owned by me.

Minako Aino owned by Naoko Takeuchi / Toei.

Duo Maxwell owned by Sunrise / Bandai.

OH HEY! It’s been a reeeeaaally long while since I last drew a bishounen. I’m glad to note I haven’t lost my touch. Haha.

This is a rough sketch of my original character, Percie. He is in love with Nikita Marjolaine, who has a tendency to be somewhat insane. She’s quite abusive of his devotion, but maybe deep down she cares for him too.

The surnames are coincidental, I swear!

Hey, at least it’s not a Starlight Breaker sneak attack.

On a note related to Fate, I’ve pre-ordered her new figurine recently released by Alter. God help me, its so fucking expensive. And here I was, planning to start saving money again… Well, my dear Fate… YOU BLEW THE CHANCES OF THAT HAPPENING! And I also need to find her a suitable display case! She won’t fit in the one I have now because she’s so huge! *sigh*

Good thing it won’t be available until September. I will have some time to get the cash… I’m even praying that the shipment will get delayed in time for December so I can label it as a Christmas gift to myself. LOL.

I recently began an informal project with writer Arigatou Sheitarou, where I will illustrate scene/s from her stories. This is technically not the first though, as I have drawn a scene from her other story way back . The difference this time is, she knows about it.

Admittedly, this is one is quite late. Initially, I didn’t find anything particularly interesting with the way I was drawing it but I did end up enjoying making the shoujo-style glowy things. LOL.

Do read the whole story here. Enjoy.

My (lowbie) Blood Elf hunter and her worg companion. I had fun coloring this one but as usual, I can’t draw bg’s to save my life. LOL.

God. WoW is so addicting. @_@

My drawing of the week for last week… which is a day late. @_@

Featuring Ruz and Geki! I needed a dose of fluff.

This is my first time trying out textures - something I should have done long ago. And I’m quite pleased of the outcome too. I will attempt more of this next time, hopefully by next week. I’ve placed a not-so strict quota on myself. One finished drawing per week shouldn’t be too hard… right?
Fate is love.

Textures from Princess-of-Shadows.

Aiah’s incarnation in World of Warcraft. Drawn at around October last year, I left it for a while thinking I would probably work on it again. But I didn’t and don’t have any plans on fixing it up anytime soon.