I've Been Torn

Enelya wished she could pat him on the hand, or something to let him know that she was thankful for him staying with her. Instead of having to be so verbal about it. “I… I can’t thank you enough.”She blushed, and looked up at the moon. It was full tonight, and was as radiant as ever. The grass was green, and it was a cool night. What better time to be paralyzed than tonight?

"Do you know if there's a building where they all are? They're 'evil lab', I suppose you could say?"

Enelya smirked, and shook her head. “I have just recently remembered who they are, and why they would be following me. For the majority of my life, they were just people I needed to stay away from… Far away from.” She sighed, frustrated with her memory. For the longest time she wondered if she had been another person, or if she had forgotten her parents… Only to be disappointed that she was just an experiment. But what was her true purpose?

As the columns released completely from the seed, Enelya’s lungs instantly filled with life. Though her body was still useless, she had her powers back – somewhat. Just the brink of death was much, much farther away now. She nodded a thank you, and closed her eyes again – exhausted.

At Allen’s question, Enelya shook her head from side, to side, with great effort. “I’m not sure. I’ve only been that close to them one other time. All of the other times I’ve managed to get away from them… With the help of some deer and blue birds.” She kept her eyes closed, for they weren’t really seeing anything at the moment. Just blobs of green and blue, and grays.

Enelya was glad that Allen was enjoying the night as well. Perhaps there was hope for him to appreciate the Earth’s wonders that he had been previously blind to. Enelya had hope for him… He was already breaking out of his Tin suit… And she’d only been around him for a couple hours! Imagine what a couple days would do… She smiled at the thought.

Allen listed off the things that he’d done for her and Enelya chuckled slightly. She would have laughed more, but it was painful. “That’s all, huh?” She smirked, and opened her eyes, catching an image of his face in her mind – for she could not really see him. “Maybe I should start keeping tabs.”

His job, hmm… That was an interesting thing to say. His job as a friend, she figured. Though it was nice to know that he felt it was important to protect her. That she was worth protecting. It was a nice feeling indeed. Her vision returned to her just in time to see Allen smile. It was a small satisfaction of hers to make people smile. Enelya grinned wide, and breathed out a little laugh. “It’s good to see you smile, Allen. Looks like your breaking away from your Tin Manish qualities.” She smirked, “but don’t think your getting away from your nickname so easily.”

Enelya listened to Allen plotting against her creators, and shook her head slightly in amusement. She wondered where the laboratory would be… Surely somewhere very far away. She didn’t really want Allen to leave for a silly reason like that. He might not return. “Don’t leave… Please?” She asked him. She didn’t want him to disappear like Kotah did…

True, she didn’t think Allen would do such a thing… But her broken heart prevented her from thinking logically. Logic wasn’t exactly her strong suit in the first place. She thrived off of gut instincts, and intuition. Call it a fault or a feat, she didn’t know. But she was still standing… without too many mistakes in her life. Granted they were there… but she wasn’t a reckless youth as some seemed to be.

He smirked. "Oh boy, a scoreboard!" Allen exclaimed. "Goody! I can't wait to see what that will bring," he laughed, shaking his head.

Enelya busted into laughter, which turned into a cough, and then spat up blood. She grabbed her neck and chest, and turned her head so she didn’t get her fluids on herself. She spat out the blood and still with a smile on her face, despite her discomfort. Though the pain was clearly in her eyes. “Wherever did my Tin Man go?!”

It wasn’t until this moment, that Enelya found herself truly happy. Until she felt like she had truly made an impact on Allen’s life. Small flowers grew around the two of them. Enelya blushed a cherry red, and she giggled a little. “Sorry…” she whispered. It was a habit she had whenever she was truly at peace, and perfect euphoria.

She could feel him hesitating, but he was trying, and frankly, he wasn’t bad at it. As he wrapped his arms around her, she wished she could do the same, so he knew he was doing it right.

It was her true purpose. To show kindness to the ones who thought it no longer existed.

“It’s my job.” She responded with a smile. Her face was soft, and relaxed, no longer pained, or in discomfort, but relaxed in the arms of Allen. As he reassured her his vigor and willingness to protect her, Enelya simply nodded, and leaned her head on his chest. Of course there wasn’t much leaning, it just happened to be where her head fell. She was happy that the ocean had convinced her to become friends with such an admirable Tin Man.

Enelya giggled, and noticed that the sky was lightening slightly. The sun still could not be seen over the horizon, but the dark night sky was beginning fading away. “The sun will be up soon,” she whispered; excitment and hope in her voice. And soon she would stop being so helpless.

"Well, I wouldn't leave unless you came with me, of course," Allen said. "But if I did have to leave without you, I'd come back. But... why don't you want me to, anyway?"

Enelya bit on her lip for a second, and sighed. It was a tough subject for her – that was for sure. Was she ready to tell him? Or should she just give a little tid bit? She would come with him? She smiled at that, and it comforted her, that he was willing to bring her along; instead of abandoning her.

She looked down at the dirt before responding. “I’m afraid you won’t come back...And disappear.” She then bit her lip, and looked up at him, seeing into his eyes… Eyes that she found truth, and honesty in… Though she was still scared. “Disappointment problems, remember?” Her voice was soft, with an embarrassed laugh at the end.

"Sorry," he said quietly. "Is there anything I can do to make it better?"

Enelya shook her head to the best of her ability. She hated not being able to use her hands when she spoke! “Don’t you know? Laughing cures everything…” She thought for a moment, as to what he could do to make it better… “Just stay with me until sunrise…” she requested. He was obliged, but she was certain with the acts before, that he would comply.

"He's just being a softie right now. Leave a message and he'll be back in a while."

Enelya grinned, and tilted her head back on his chest, so that she could see his face. “I like his softie side too. Almost as much as the Tin Man side.” Enelya felt like some of the years were wearing away for Allen… That the bitterness was slowly being cracked; and erupting a new, more “living” Allen. She just hoped that nothing would happen to him that would make him regret it.

Red cheeks, and staring down at the dirt, an embarrassed Enelya simply bit her lip, and nodded. She always became so whenever she let go of her powers, and involuntarily grew flowers. But she couldn’t help it… she was just so happy.

As Allen’s arms remained around her, she closed her eyes again. She was still awake, only awaiting the sun to rise. It was barely over the horizon now, and she could already feel the tip of the healing powers it held for her. Soon she would be her old self again – good as new. It was definitely exciting for her, and she was sure for Allen too! No longer would he have to look after her like a helpless baby.

Soon she would have to tell her story. Soon Allen would know as much as she did.

The sun rose, and colors were painted on the floating clouds above. Feeling its warmth, a big grin was spreading across Enelya’s face, and her blush finally went away. She could feel her body regenerating as the sun’s rays washed over the new friends. She started to mover her fingers slightly, and she gained full control of her head.

She looked at Allen with a soft hurt in her eyes. Not from what he said, but what she had been through. Sure, he promised… But so did Kotah. They were just words to get her to shut up so they could leave her. She wasn’t sure if he should go by himself… Little things triggered Enelya’s memory, and if she found the laboratory, then something might trigger where they were supposed to go, and where the scientists were…. Or something. “He promised too…” She mumbled. Whether Allen could hear it she didn’t know, but she wasn’t exactly telling it to him.

She was glad he was going to stay with her until sunrise, and until she gained back her strength. Although the plants could probably take her up into the trees until she was fully well, she would rather spend her time with this immortal. The plants would just nag her about not paying attention, and get angry at the ocean for making Enelya stop being cautious. But what fun was life when all you did was constantly watch your back?

"Well that's surprising," the man said. "Most people would prefer softie-Allen to Tin-Man-Allen."

Enelya shrugged, getting back the control of her shoulders. Then, she slowly regained the ability to sit up for herself, she turned to where she was facing Allen, and lifted her arm a little, until it dropped back down. She sighed, and looked up at Allen. “When you meet people, you have to learn to love their good sides and their bad sides. If you don’t you don’t really love them at all. At least, that’s what real friends do.” Really… What kind of person would only like some of a person, and not the whole person? Well, at least accept them for who they are, and love them for who they are. It was a simple concept to Enelya.

The sun rose higher, and Enelya could feel the chloroplast in her blood absorbing it through her skin, and refueling her muscles. She could now raise her arms, and legs, and could feel her torso cooperating with her. She scooted away from Allen slightly, and tried to stand. She fell over a bit, and blushed. “Umm… Could you help me stand, please?”

Enelya laughed, almost like she was fully recovered, though a hint of fatigue was still in her voice. “Are you sure it’s pretty? Or are you just saying that because you know that’s what I want to hear?” She nudged him lightly, and looked up at the painted sky herself, admiring it. It was as if the sun’s rays woke up before the sun did to paint on the canvas of the sky for the world’s enjoyment.

"Pardon?"

Enelya’s eyes went wide, and she blushed. What was she going to do? Tell him? Or hide it from him? She thought she was ready to at least shed a little light to Allen. “He promised too.” She said, sighing, “and then he never came back. And when he did finally come back... He disappeared again.” Was all she managed to say. Though this time it was in a stronger voice… a distant voice. As if she was recalling what had happened to someone else. Like it wasn’t really her, who that had happened to.

"And if there's something about them you don't like, then you can't love them completely. So, in a way, I think your belief might be flawed."

Enelya bit her lip. How was she going to explain this one? Acceptance; that was the word she was looking for. “Err… Maybe ‘love’ was the wrong word. Acceptance. That’s a better one, I think.” She thought for a moment and smiled. “Flawed or not, I’m only a humanoid plant. You can’t really expect perfection from this.” She pointed to herself and laughed. “But isn’t that what makes us unique? Are our own little flaws and quirks? I don’t think we’d be very interesting if we were perfect.” She raised an eyebrow, and smirked. She didn’t always have the answer, but it was nice to justify her little “reality” as the scientists had called it.

As she stood, she held onto Allen for support. Her legs were wobbly, like a newborn foul, but she was finally standing. She held his arm, and tried to regain her balance. Still holding onto him with one hand, she took her other hand, and wove a hammock in between two trees.

Enelya wobbled over to it, and relaxed into its weave. She offered Allen a place too, and decided she would start explaining to him her situation. “I suppose it’s now time for me to let you in on what I know about myself. Though, I have to warn you, I’m still very uncertain of a lot of my history.” She remembered her randomly occurring nightmares that at times fed her little tid bits of what happened to her.