Rest and Recreation: An Eternal Flame Short

Series: Eternal Flame
Sanchez Residence
August 2011
3:21 AM

After a long night, everyone was asleep.

Almost.

Gaby Rebollos and Beatriz Marasigan were asleep in the double bed, Beatriz snoring loudly while Gaby hogged the sheets. Even in sleep, the energetic twosome kept at it – Gaby would take the sheets, Beatriz would (sleepily) snatch them back and the cycle would go on. It had finally came to a point wherein the four others  had to slide a long pillow in the middle just to get them to stop.

Megara Ronquillo and Teresa Valdez took the two single beds. Megara was perfectly still while asleep, lying on her back and snoozing peacefully. Her way of sleeping reflected her usual demeanour; in contrast to Beatriz and Gaby’s rowdiness each day, Megara displayed tranquility and balanced them out. She slept quietly, tucked in nicely with a rose-colored sleeping mask obstructing her vision.

Teresa, on the other hand, was the firmness the group needed. In her sleep she was on her side, often moving around and mumbling under her breath. Teresa was constantly moving, her mind going miles and miles an hour with the duties she had, both inside schol and out. One would think that sleep would grant her the rest she deserved, but even in slumber she was bustling about.

Two single beds, one double and one queen-sized. The last went to Elisa Lagdameo and Arizona Sanchez, who were under the blankets and giggling as they used their respective laptops. Arizona was eagerly typing up something for her writings while Elisa calmly edited something on a photo software.

“Are they asleep?” Arizona whispered. Elisa nodded.

“Yeah. Finally,” the girl rolled her eyes and Arizona nudged her side playfully. “They take such a long time to fall asleep. Especially Megara.”

“At least Gab and Bea are resting up,” Arizona mused. Elisa nodded slowly at that and glanced at the screen, frowning a little and using the eraser tool to quickly remove a color gone astray. “Elisa,” the other whined, dragging out the last syllable of the other’s name, “How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Your art.”

“You just…draw?” Elisa blinked slowly as she looked from her own sky blue laptop to Arizona’s mint green one, “You just draw, scan and then color it on Photoshop.” She smirked, however, at the crestfallen look on the other’s face. “But you can’t. Since you can’t draw.”

“Bully,” Arizona complained. She gave Elisa’s cheek a pinch and the other made a face, drawing away. “Bully, bully, bully.”

“It’s not bullying if you’re stating facts.”

The other huffed. “You sound like Teresa.” The twosome dissolved into giggles at that point, nudging each other and making faces until it died down. Eventually, the clock struck 4AM.

Elisa closed the program and shut down her laptop, glancing tiredly at the girl next to her. To her surprise, Arizona had fallen asleep in front of the screen, her face on the keyboard and typing nonsense on the file. Elisa snorted.

Slowly, she took the laptop away and turned it off, storing it away with her own laptop. Finally, Elisa poked Arizona’s cheek. “Oi. Zone.” Arizona refused to wake and Elisa sighed, rising from under the blankets and gently tugging Arizona to a normal sleeping position.

Laptops tucked away and with 5 out of 6 asleep, Elisa closed her eyes and let sleep take over.

* * * * *

Otherworld

Thousands of miles and a fabric of reality away, Black Rock Shooter wakes to the sound of laughter.

Feet away, Strength and Black Matagi combat. Matagi’s gunblade connects with Strength’s Ogre Arms, Strength grinning wildly as she prevents it from making contact with her chest. Matagi merely remains stoic-faced, managing to pull the gunblade away and leaping back, landing neatly on the ground. Strength makes a face and charges.

Shooter watches as Strength lifts an arm, aiming to punch Matagi. Matagi moves at the last minute, using her gunblade to block the attack.

The sound of metal against metal resonates everywhere; Shooter covers her ears. As seconds pass, Strength and Matagi remain in the very same position, gold eyes meeting violet.

Finally, Matagi pulls away and Strength bursts into laughter.

“You got me there! You really did!” Matagi manages a smile and Strength hooks an arm around the other, still laughing. This makes Shooter raise a brow. “You and your gunblade almost pinning me down, I almost punching you towards where Devil and the others are staying – I told you that holding back wouldn’t do you any good!” Strength babbled excitedly. Matagi merely listened patiently, patting the other on the back.

“Did she really almost launch you to the other side?” Shooter asked, approaching both of them. Strength gave a cheerful wave.

“Yup – and it’s nice to see you awake for once.” Shooter made a face.

“Where are the others?”

“White, Devil and Saw are busy in the other side. They said something like improving the breaches,” Matagi explained, pulling away from Strength’s hold on her. “Strength and I chose to stay here for combat. You took a well-deserved rest. I don’t think I’ve seen Devil that forceful,” Matagi added, chuckling.

Shooter briefly remembered the spectacled Black Devil Girl pushing her down and ordering her to rest. A weary smile appeared on the blue-eyed girl’s face.

“Do you want me to call them?” Strength asked. She fiddled lightly with her Ogre Arms, “I can get there in no time.”

Shooter nodded. “Get them back here. I want all of us to practice our combat skills.” Strength whooped and Matagi nodded.

Turning away, Black Rock Shooter gazed up at the light grey sky, willing for that gut feeling she had to bring something good.

* * * * *

Sanchez Residence

9:21AM

“Alright, Lagdameo?”

Elisa looked up from her green History book. Gaby was looking at her, her headphones draped around her shoulders. She had just been practicing her Algebra I lessons. Elisa nodded.

“I’m doing okay. Why?”

“You just looked a little disoriented there,” Gaby noted. Her eyes fell back onto the thick book and she sighed loudly. “Can’t we have a break?”

“That’s what you get for sleeping late,” Teresa replied smoothly, Bea falling back on the bed with a groan. “When we’re supposed to be studying for the exams.”

“You of all people should be okay,” Bea grumbled. From the other side of the room, Arizona and Megara looked up from their assigned readings. “Come on. Thirty minutes of games and then we can continue. We’ve been going at it for two hours, Valdez. Two goddamn hours.”

Teresa looked apprehensive. Megara and Arizona exchanged looks.

Surprisingly, it was Elisa who spoke up.

“Thirty minutes of brain break and then we can start with Science. Is that okay?” from the other bed, Megara flashed a smile. Gaby reached to high five Bea and Arizona chuckled at Teresa’s slightly crestfallen expression.

“We’ll ace this, Valdez. Don’t worry.”

“We better not,” the long-haired girl grumbled, dog-earing the book and shutting it. Bea hopped off and immediately hogged the game console. Gaby raced for the bags of chips. Megara stood up to stretch.

Arizona watched them from the bed, a quiet smile on her face. Megara had just started her stretching, Gaby was juggling snacks and Bea was already starting to curse at the screen. Teresa stayed by the loudmouth’s side while Elisa looked up from her book.

Elisa’s eyes met hers.

No words were needed. Arizona merely smiled, left the bed, and took her position next to Elisa, listening as the sound of laughter filled the attic.