I chose... Rapture. [Faith/ Dream]

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Welcome to Rapture. A city where the artist can roam freely, the scientist can create with the sky as the limit, and the power is with the people. Such a place could never exist on land therefore it was literally built on the bottom of the ocean, as far away from the governing powers as possible. Out of every jurisdiction. The extreme of extremes. It is a massive place with buildings that tower over head and long walkways that link different areas of the city together.
Everything you could ever want you can find in Rapture. There are stores, restaurants, hotels, spas, housing units, art galleries, markets, sports centers and for those who enjoy a little bit of nighttime excitement there are bars and love-houses. Everyone is welcome in Rapture! There are no minorities. Everyone is equal. Everyone gets a fair share.
All of this is thanks to to the hard work and dedication of our founder Andrew Ryan!

At least..that's how things used to be. Before the revolution. On New Year's Eve, at 12:00 on the dot, just as the clocks were ticking down and the champagne bottles were about to be popped, explosions rang through the entire city. The whole foundation of Rapture was shaken to its very core. Those explosions marked the beginning of what would be a long battle throughout the streets between those who supported Andrew Ryan and those who supported a man named Frank Fontaine. Soon blood coated every wall on every corner of the city. The year 1959 was off to a great start.

Hundreds died and those that didn't die..were left to slowly go insane. Driven only further to insanity by their addiction to Adam; the genetical stimulant that once kept the wheels of Rapture turning.
The side-effect of this drug was both an overwhelming addiction to it and a range of horrible disfigurations due to the way the drug affected the human body. Those addicted where named Splicers and those Splicers are all that are left in this city. They do whatever they can to get their hands on Adam..even if it means killing each other. Many have banded together in order to overpower those who are weak, making them even more dangerous.

The revolution was two years ago. There are now those who are merely trying to get by and those who are trying to escape. But to escape means going through hell and back again...straight through the center of the city. Can you make it out?
Let's see, shall we?

There was something just so wonderful about the kisses I shared with Mira whenever one of us felt the urge to put in the very little effort required. They were always soft, gentle, and filled with emotion. Whether the kiss went on for just a split second or a half a minute the sensations were always intense for the both of us, at least I hoped they were as intense for her as they were for me.
The kisses we shared were nothing like the ones I had read about in my old romance novels. Nothing like them at all! Our kisses were ten thousand times better than the descriptions. I remembered back when I used to read those books I always fantasized about what it would be like to feel the strong arms of my handsome hero, of course usually it was a dark stranger who came out of the blue to sweep me off my feet, wrapped around me as he kissed me.
However those fantasies were long gone and that dark stranger was replaced with Mira. Never again was I going to dream or even think about kissing anyone other than her. In my mind she had become the perfect partner. The person all the books were written about. The character there to sweep the reader up and take them far away to spend their lives together.
I almost giggled at the thought.

It was more or less at this point that Mira poked her head out of the supply room door and told me she had found the light. My mind had been so lost in its thought process I all but forgot that she went into the room without me, leaving me out in the hallway. I blinked, taking a second to process the words she spoke to me, but then I quickly nodded my head.
"Alright, I'm coming." I replied to her with a warm smile before heading towards the door, glancing in as I stepped into the relatively small room. There really wasn't much to it beyond the shelves and work bench but the real treasures were going to be found in the small tool cases, locked boxes, and crates that were stacked on the shelves.

"I'm pretty sure we'll find something we need in here. If not, there's always the stores that line the street outside." I said while approaching one of the boxes on the shelf, reaching out to take it with my hands. It didn't seem to have much weight to it but I decided I might as well check what was inside.
After a little bit of fiddling, part of which involved me putting down my helmet so I could better use my hands, I got the box open only to find that there were nothing but tools in it. Nothing usable as a weapon either. Just some small wrenches, a hammer, and some screws.
I shook my head and set the box down, moving on to the next one.

Three boxes later I was beginning to think that there was nothing to be found in the supply room or at the very least that Mira was having better luck with her searching. It seemed as if the only reason they had kept the door locked was because they didn't want the subjects getting at tools they could use to escape.
When I picked up my fifth box I found that it was easily three times as heavy as the previous four I had gone through.
"Ooh this seems promising." I murmured as I set the box down on the shelf that was more or less level with me. Once again a little bit of fiddling was all the box needed to open and I found myself looking down at an object carefully wrapped in cloth and a pouch that was carefully packed alongside the object.

I pulled the wrapped object and carefully pulled the wrap off it, finding my eyes widened by what was held within the fabric. With a few swift motions the fabric fell to the ground and I was left grinning.
"Psst, look what I found!"" I said excitedly while holding up the item I had found.
It was a very carefully crafted and beautifully engraved Revolver with a white hilt. It was a pretty menacing looking weapon with its long barrel and custom carved muzzle break. Perfect for the streets of Rapture where something menacing could mean scaring away an enemy.
"What'd you find?" I asked her as I set the gun down and looked in the pouch, finding a few cases of ammunition for the weapon.

By the time she walked into the room I was already on my hands and knees, looking in some of the lower shelves of one of the racks. There wasn’t a lot down here, a few boxes that looked as if they carried ammunition at one point. Now they were here to store simple things that didn’t seem to have any meaning. I found a lot of small stuffed animals, hypodermic needles, and a box of matches which I shove into my bra for a moment to hold it.

I continued on, looking over all the things in the shelf. There wasn’t really much. Yes, there were some provisions that I sat on the workbench and a few simple things like toilet paper and empty boxes. I continue on to look at the next shelf when my foot comes in contact with something that’s beneath the counter. I grunt, leaning my head back in an attempt to keep from cursing. I closed my eyes, taking in a slow deep breath. It hurt more simply because I hadn’t been expecting it.

I look down to see what exactly I had hit. It couldn’t have been something too important if they had left it in the floor. In the darkness of the corner I couldn’t very well see what it was. I have to kneel, getting up close to see that the box I hit was actually a safe. It was very cheap, and the lock seemed to be very cheaply made. It would keep most Splicers and little curious girls out of whatever it was thought. That was probably the point. I take in a slow breath, watching it a moment before pulling my pack off my back.

I lean down quietly, just about to start looking at the lock when I hear Echo’s excited voice behind me. I pull myself up, cracking my head on the counter that was above me. I grunt, but do nothing more to show that there’s a thick throb pulling through my skull. I pull myself out of the little hole, looking to see what Echo was so excited about. I look at the weapon that she holds, my head tilting in curiosity.

“It looks..very nice” I smile, nodding my gratitude. If we could find nothing else, such a weapon would work against Splicers. It looked like a custom weapon with all the fine detail work that was done on it. What I could see of it made me excited and I nodded my head, a giggle escaping my lips. I hoped I could find something just as important in the safe.She asks me what I’ve found and I shake my head, pointing quietly to the workbench that is a few feet away.

“Right now all I’ve found is food.” I look down into my bag, searching the bottom for a few bobby pins that I used to wear in my hair. They would work just fine for what I needed them for, if I could keep from breaking them. “But I found a safe…Hopefully there’s something in it, but it’s kinda cheap so don’t get your hopes up” I smile at her, setting my bag down beside me and rubbing my head a moment. It didn’t hurt as bad as it had a few moments ago, now it was just a dull reminder of my own stupidity.

I turn back around, letting myself lay on my stomach as I look at the lock. It was dark in the hole, but I could see it well enough to be able to do what I needed to for now. It would be very easy to get into such a safe. I pull one of the bobby pins up to my mouth, bending it apart with my teeth until it was shaped like an ‘L’.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a light, would you?” I turn back slightly, looking under my arm at her. It would be easier with a light, but I could work without one if she couldn’t find one.


(I'm so sorry about today. I've had so many little kids come over that I'm not sure I remember most of them.)

As I sat there crouched on the ground waiting for Mira to look up and see the pistol I had found, I watched as she looked up much too quickly without making sure her head was clear of the bench. There was a sharp thump and I winced, jumping a little bit at the sound her head made when it came in contact with the wooden construct. I wanted to apologize for having made her look but she was quick to recover and she praised me on the find.
I felt a smile come to my lips although it was partially apologetic for the pain I had caused her. Really the lighting in this room was quite poor so it made bumping into things very easy.

I set the pistol back into the box and closed it, setting it aside as my companion explained that she had only really found a few useful things along with a small safe she had yet to add to open. I nodded my head in recognition of her words. At least she had found some things as opposed to the nothing I found in comparison. Of course there was the gun but other than that there was nothing else.
If they've got it in a safe, I wouldn't be surprised if there was something valuable in there. Cheap safe or not, someone didn't want anyone other than themselves getting into the thing." I said in agreement with her though I did take my usual positive side of things.

For a moment I turned my attention back towards the remainder of the boxes and crates that lined the shelves. Many of them were the same kinds of objects I had come across before. Things that were only really useful for keeping a facility running not for a journey to the surface.
At one point I opened a box and found what looked to be a long coil of rope. I pulled the coil out and looked it over, examining the threading to see how strong the rope was. It looked to be relatively strong though I doubted it would hold up to my weight with all of my armor on. On the other hand it looked as though it would probably hold Mira's weight so I dropped it on the ground next to the gun box I found a couple minutes ago.

Mira's voice drew me away from my searching to look at her, glancing down at what she was trying to do. With the dim lighting in the room it seemed impossible for her to pick the lock without a huge amount of difficulty. I tried to think of something that could give off light, seeing as my Eve was drained and I had left the one or two Eve hypos that I still had in the room with most of the rest of my stuff.
"Hang on.. " I murmured while pulling myself back along the shelf towards the tool box I had searched earlier.
I pulled the red box open to search through the tools for anything that could give off light. In the end I found more or less what I was looking for. A small line of cheap matches and a utility knife with a broken blade.
I headed towards the two items I found and crouched down, cutting off about 3 inches of rope with the knife.

I walked over to where Mira was laid and I joined her on the floor, crouching down next to her. With the matches I lit the end of the rope and blew on it gently until the rope was slowly burning like a wick, the small amount of wax coating the rope helping it to burn slowly even though that wasn't its actual purpose.
I held the burning piece of rope over the box, hoping it would provide at least a little bit more light than what she had.
It wasn't anything close to the incinerate plasmid I usually had at hand but it was better than nothing.
"Does this work?"

(That's alright.)

She thinks and moves quickly with my request. I wasn’t sure if she would be able to find anything in this room that would help us. I knew that she hadn’t had much luck finding things before. I had full faith that she would find something though. She was very good at thinking on her feet.

While she looked around I tried to start picking the lock. I pushed the bent bobby pin into the top part of the lock, fiddling slowly with it. It would take both of my hands to get this confounded thing open. I’ve barely got the second pin pushed into the lower section of the lock when she comes over with some sort of rope. It was giving off a good bit of light, enough that I could see what I was doing.

“Thanks” I give her a quick smile before leaning in and continuing my work. Out of all the kids in Pauper’s drop, I had the reputation of probably being the best thief. I could pick a lock, pickpocket, and I could steal anything that the kids needed. I didn’t do any of it to make a profit, dear lord no. I stole food for those who were starving, took money so we could buy medical supplies. I was the one who put her butt on the line for those kids; I had to be good at what I did.

It only takes me about two minutes to get the lock open. In reality, that was a very long time to be picking a lock, but I didn’t want to risk breaking the only pin I had. If I broke the pin then there would be no way for us to get in. It was a lot of trial and error really. You moved the top pin around until you thought you got it in the right position and you turned the bottom pin to see if it would unlock. If you met resistance, you backed off and started again. It wasn’t very complicated, but it was something that took practice and a delicate touch.

Soon, the quiet screeching sound of metal on metal could be heard and the lock gave way. I smiled, letting out a breath that I must have been holding in all my concentration. I look over to Echo a moment, the smile widening on my lips. It was good to know that I still had the little tricks that I grew up with. It was something easily forgotten if you weren’t careful.

“Cross your fingers” I mutter the quiet words as I turn the small handle, unlatching the door the rest of the way. The door comes open with ease and I sigh, looking inside. There didn’t seem to be much that we could really use. I start grabbing things to pull out into the dull light of the room. I don’t look too hard, but I see a few necklaces, a few eve hypos, and some Adam while I’m pulling things. The necklaces were probably taken off the children and the men when they got here. They were thought to be valuable so they were in the safe. Of course, they weren’t of much use to us now. What was of use to us was the Adam that I pulled out. The vial was about twice the size of the one that I had before. This one, however, was filled to the brim.

It takes me a moment before I wiggle myself out of the space. I don’t want to lift up until I’ve made sure to get clear of the counter. As I pull myself out I lean forward, giving Echo a hard kiss on the lips. It was good not having to stand up tall to reach her soft lips for once.

“Looks like we got a few good things” I smile to her, rolling on my backside so I can take a better look at the loot with her.

With the light being given off by the slowly burning rope I got to watch with a large amount of admiration, and a bit of confusion, the act of her picking a safe lock. It was a bit of a strange thing to behold yet at the same time I could not bring my eyes away from the very careful movements she was carrying out with an incredible amount of precision. I had never seen such a thing before.
Although I wanted to ask where she had learned such a skill I knew better than to do so while she was working. I felt as if even by breathing I was disturbing her as she focused intently on the small hole in front of her and the bobby pin she was using to get at the internal latches of the lock.

There was something so..attractive about watching her work. It didn't have to do with the fact that when she was laid down on her stomach the way she was, her body looked very appealing. Though that did draw my gaze away from her work once or twice, an action that caused my cheeks to flush a little bit out of embarrassment for the thoughts that crossed my mind.
But rather it was attractive to see her focus on something as hard as she was now. She displayed such careful precision and care that I knew I was never going to be able to replicate no matter how hard I tried.
I was a Big Sister and supposedly I could do anything and everything.. but this was something that she had reign over me with. A skill I did not nor would I ever have.
When the lock clicked I breathed out a sigh of relief.

The door opened and she peered into the darkness to find out what goodies lay within the safe. Her timing was perfect as well as the rope had just begun to singe the very tips of my fingers and although it wasn't painful, it wasn't exactly the most comfortable feeling in the world either.
So as she rifled through the objects I blew out the rope and threw away the remaining inch or so. When my focus came back to what Mira was doing I found that she had set out some of the items that were of actual use unlike the necklaces (though some of those necklaces were quite fancy looking).
The most useful things were the Eve Hypos of course but then I caught sight of the Adam and I almost froze in place.
Adam...what were the chances of us finding Adam? What were we going to do with the stuff?

I almost parted my lips to ask her but she was moving out from under the table so instead I moved to give her a little bit more space. However before I could do so, she turned and pressed a firm kiss to my lips that caught me off guard. I was surprised at first but very quickly I returned the kiss taking note of the new sensations that came with such a powerful kiss.
"I'm glad we did." I said with a smile as I leaned back to watch my companion go through her findings more closely.
"Are you.. going to use that Adam?" I asked quietly as I looked over at the vial. I didn't mind so much as I wondered whether the stuff was safe or not. You never knew when it came to Adam.
For all we knew the stuff could be filled with horrible memories or happy ones.

I had surprised her with the kiss almost as much as I had surprised myself. It wasn’t something I had been planning on doing just a simple reaction that I carried out a little too heart-heavily. Of course, I hoped that she didn’t mind m little endeavor to kiss her a little bit more than the light kisses that we had been exchanging. If she minded she didn’t seem to act like it. Once the kiss ended she just brushed it off her shoulder and began looking at the items that sat in front of us on the floor. I did the same, a small smile on my lips as I did so.

My fingers danced around in the pile of necklaces, wondering what kind of memories these small things could hold. Some of them were lockets while others were just charm necklaces or gold chain necklaces for a man. I didn’t want to open the lockets; I didn’t want to see what was inside. What if it was like my locket, with a black and white photo of a mother or a father? I shook my head, opting to put down the necklace I was holding in my hand; that was something that I didn’t want to mess with.

Before I get to look any further, Echo lets quiet words fall from her lips. I tilt my head slightly toward her, trying to completely process the question. I picked up the vial blindly off the floor, watching her. I wasn’t sure what she was getting at by her question. Did she want it? Or was she just worried about how ‘dirty’ it could be for me? I turn my head, looking down to the vial that rolled around in my hand.

“I-I just had Adam a few days ago…” I trail off, looking down at the glowing red liquid. It was very tempting to just take it all, but that’s what put me apart from the rest of these splicers. I didn’t take as much as I could whenever I wanted. That’s why I wasn’t mad like they were.

“If you want it you can have it. I mean, you probably need it more than I do” I speak simply, setting the Adam back down on the floor. I had to control myself better and I wasn't going to get into a fight with anyone over Adam. Yes, I could say that I would fight a random stranger for it, but I would not let it come between us. If I had to, I would quit it altogether and go mad before that happened. Besides, I had already taken more than I had planned the few days before when I took some. I would have to back off on the Adam; it wasn’t safe.

I went back to looking at the necklaces a moment before picking one up and standing. It was nothing more than a string of beautiful white pearls. Whoever had these must have been fairly wealthy since the necklace was one that you doubled up around your neck.

I walked around her, placing a hand on her shoulder before she had a chance to get up. Of course, what I was doing wasn’t practical at all, I felt like we could both use something to get our minds off the Adam. So, I took the pearls, stringing them slowly and quietly around her oxygen tank once, and then again twice so they would stay. I sigh, looking at the very much out of place jewelry.

“We should keep looking” I smile, pulling myself back around in front of her. I hold out a hand for her to take, my eyes wandering quietly around the room to see what else we could loot.

The question of Adam seemed to slow everything down for the both of us. Mira looked at me for a few long seconds with the glowing red vial in her hand. She appeared to be somewhat hesitant in her answer. Torn between taking the whole thing for herself and giving it to me which my question implied to her.
In reality I was much more worried about her consuming the memories of someone she didn't want to. Especially the memories of someone who was either a victim of the facility or a worker who carried out some of the terrible things that were done in within these walls.
Those were memories I wished upon no-one no matter how evil or insane they were.

The thought of Adam coming into our relationship had never really crossed my mind until the moment she pulled the vial from within the safe. Now that I thought about it, I realized what a problem it could potentially become. What if one day, somehow, only one of us had Adam and the other wanted it.. what would happen then? Would one of us lose it and hurt the other for such a simple substance? As much as I wanted to say that it wasn't going to happen..I couldn't promise it to myself which is what made the thought even more frightening.
As I stared at the vial I couldn't bring myself to even think about what might happen. If Mira ever needed Adam I was going to give her all that I had down to the very last drop.

Her answer to my question brought me out of my thoughts and I looked at her, quickly shaking my head when she offered the substance to me.
"I've already got some and I can always find more if I truly need it. " I replied quickly while turning my gaze towards the ground. Of course the vial was very inviting, as it had been weeks since my last time drinking the stuff, but I was not going to let myself slip. Not while I was with her.
Not when there was a chance that I would see the memories of my past inside the walls of this facility. Those memories would not be things that I could bear.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and I glanced up to see that my companion had moved from her place on the ground. There was something in her hand that I only got a glimpse of before she started doing something behind my back. I assumed she was wrapping what looked like a chain of pearls around my new oxygen tank.
When she was done I couldn't help but smile up at her gratefully. All thoughts of Adam lost to the feeling of happiness that came over me right then. There was something so warming about the gesture she just carried out.
"Thank you..I bet my armor looks a hundred times better now." I said with a soft little laugh as I took her hand to help myself up.

Once stood up I glanced around the room at the remaining boxes we had yet to search through. Really there wasn't all that much left. We had gone through most of the important things and the rest seemed to be regular cleaning supplies that were once used to keep this place at least somewhat clean and smelling like a doctor's office. That chlorine smell that could make a person sick in the stomach if they breathed it in for long enough.
I stooped down just briefly to pick up the rope and gun box from the ground, tucking both under my arm, before I turned towards my companion.
"I'm not sure how much else there is. I've gone through most of the stuff on the shelf here and those boxes are labeled as cleaning supplies." I noted while trying to see if there was anything I had missed on the very top shelves.


(So last night I had one of the saddest dreams I've had in a very long time based on this roleplay xD It wasn't the most pleasant of things but it was quite a good source of inspiration!)

“Keep it and if I need it then I’ll ask for it. I mean, unless you don’t have the room for it.” I wasn’t sure she was testing me or something. Really, I didn’t think it would be like her to test me. If I took the Adam, would I be a bad person? I didn’t think I would be, but at the same time that did not help me. If I was going to try and get off Adam when I got to the surface, then maybe this was the first step? I would have to wean myself off of it slowly, taking smaller and smaller doses until they were small enough that it barely affected me; it only kept me from going insane.

Now though, we were both laughing quietly at the string of pearls. Of course we both knew that it did nothing for the appearance of her oxygen take, and even if it did there was no one around to appreciate the small gesture besides the two of us. I take in a slow breath, watching her back a moment. It had done exactly what I intended on it happening. It had gotten us off the subject of Adam and changed the mood in the air. That’s what I hopped for the two of us, especially since I didn’t want to think about what could happen once we got on the surface and we ran out of Adam. Maybe we should take the chance to stock up as much as we could so we didn’t go insane.

I shake my head, pulling my thoughts far away from the idea. It didn’t matter right now. It mattered when we got closer to our destination. Right now, I was more worried about getting what I could out of this room and not leaving it until then. Of course, I hadn’t really seen much left to scavenge. Yes, there was food here and there, but other than that what else would we need. Then it hits me and I can’t help hitting my forehead with my palm. I shake my head, turning and walking towards the exit of the room.

“There was a glow in here when I cam in; it was dark. I think there might be some Eve and maybe a few health hypos in here” As I speak I reach the doorway. A giggle quietly, pulling myself towards the wall. I reach out into the hallway, pulling the door closed so there wouldn’t be any outer light interfering. “I hope you’re not afraid of the dark, Dollface” I smirk, reaching to the small button on the wall and pushing it. In a matter of seconds, we are plunged into darkness. It’s not complete darkness, for the dim glow on the opposite side of the room give off a little bit of light.

“There, do you see it?” I giggle quietly, stumbling through the dim light. I end up kicking something on the floor that is metal. I can hear it bouncing ahead of me on the floor. As I walk past what I think is Echo, I lean up, pulling my hands up to feel for a face. Of course I could see where her face was, but I was hoping to lighten the mood further still. I pull myself up on my toes, giving her a light peck on the chin before turning and starting to the glow.

With the subject of the conversation going towards the pearls she draped around my oxygen tank the thoughts of Adam were all but forgotten. For the better as well. It didn't seem to do either of us any good when we tried to think about what might happen in the future if we were to run out of Adam or if something were to happen between us that had to do with Adam.
At the time there had been no words but it was pretty clear that was what we were both trying to figure out. What did the future truly hold for us with the addiction we both suffered from as a result of living in this screwed up city at the bottom of the ocean? There was no way of knowing at this point.

While glancing around the room in an attempt to find boxes or crates or even safes that were hidden away, I frowned a little bit. I had expected to find a lot more than we did. Not to say that I wasn't happy with the final result of our searching through the room.
A gun with plenty of ammunition, a long strong rope, Adam, a couple Eve Hypos, and a whole bunch of miscellaneous supplies. It was much more than what one would expect from a room that was looted once or twice before.
Then Mira's voice drew my attention away from searching and towards her figure, watching her with interest as she headed towards the light switch.

"Go for it." I urged her on with a slight amount of excitement in my voice at the possibility of finding more valuable supplies that could help us quite a bit on the rest of our journey. Eve and Health kits were always welcome things on such an arduous quest.
When the lights turned off I found that I had to blink a few times before my eyes got used to the sudden darkness. It wasn't full darkness but it was much darker than I was used to. Once my eyes had adjusted though I could see most everything clearly. Big Sisters were designed to see abnormally well in the dark. After all, Little Sister's knew nothing of being afraid of the black and unknown. They could walk right into a tunnel with no lights and not so much as hesitate.

As Mira passed me in the dark I felt her warm touch come to rest on my cheek before I felt what I thought was her lips brush against my chin just for a second. I couldn't help but smile as she moved on towards the dully shining lights off to one side of the room.
"I see it.. " I replied quietly to her voice.
After a split second of thought, or rather not giving myself a chance to think over my actions brought on by impulse, I took a step or two to catch up with Mira before reaching out to place my hand on her waist.
I gently pulled her towards me, leaned down just slightly, and pressed my lips to hers with the same loving intensity that she had kissed me with earlier only I enveloped her in my arms gently. In the darkness of the room I wanted to let her know how much I cared, worried, and loved her.

After a few seconds I pulled away from the kiss, breathlessly smiling down at my companion in the semi-darkness, letting my hands fall weakly to her waist so that she could pull away to continue on her way towards the glowing shapes.
"Well? What are they?" I asked her in a playfully teasing voice as if I expected her to know already despite the fact that I was the one keeping her from finding out just that.
Who was I know to I wasn't going to be able to help myself when it came to her being so close to me? I wondered this with an idle smile.

I had assumed that the light kiss on her chin would be all that I would get. Really, it had been an impulse of simple excitement of the dark. There was something about being in this room like we were that was attractive. I wasn’t particularly sure what was attractive about it. Maybe it was the loss of sight that was so attractive; I was really just shooting in the dark. Either way, I didn’t get away from her without feeling an arm pull around my waist, pulling me back to her. I can’t stifle the giggle that escapes my lips as she turns me around. I don’t expect the kiss that I get. Yes, I could have been expecting a light one, but this was different. This kiss was filled with so much emotion that it was unreal. It seemed that everything she felt was pushed into one kiss and passed onto me.

The few seconds that we are together feels like hours. The darkness seemed to only add on to the feeling that was making my head light. As she pulled away I couldn’t help but giggle in some strange, lightheaded way. Maybe this is what it was like to have your breath taken away? I didn’t know, but soon enough I feel her arm loosen itself around me in the hint that I should be going to find what I had turned the lights off in the first place to find

So, with a little hesitation I turned quietly, pulling myself away from her loose grasp. I wanted to stay in her arms and kiss her again, but the longer we took in here, the longer we would be out in the cool. I walked quietly to the wall. She had questioned me as I pulled away as to what it was and all I could really do was chuckle quietly as I walked.

“Looks promising.” The words fall quietly from my lips as I come to a stop in front of the rack. It held a lot of useless looking things in the dim light, but one crate glowed through the cracks in the wood. I wrap my hands around the box, giving one hard yank to pull it off the shelf. I stumble back slightly, but I regain my balance, kneeling to set the box on the ground.

“Just some Eve and med supplies…and another necklace and a book—no—it’s a journal.” That was really all I could see in the darkness of the room. I pulled out two Eves looking quietly at them a moment. I set them quietly beside me before pulling out the other things. The necklace wasn’t a necklace at all. It was a small chain with a key on the end. I hummed quietly, looking it over a moment. Then, I looked down to the leather bound journal that sat in the crate. It was very obvious that no one was intended to look in the journal. Even if that was the case, I felt like taking it. I didn’t know what drew e to the conclusion, but I felt that I needed to.

I picked up the Eve and health kits off the floor, pulling myself quietly to my feet. I couldn’t see it as well as I wanted to in the darkness. I wanted to get a better look at it. I turned quietly, walking back towards Echo, only looking up when I saw her right ahead of me.

“It’s interesting” I muttered, starting to pull my backpack off my back to put the Eve inside.

(I’m sorry about not replying to your Ooc this morning. I read it, and then completely forgot to post what I thought. T_T I have kind of been sucking these past few days. I’m not exactly sure whether or not I should be happy about your dream. Even mildly depressing things can cause me to tear up haha. I’m interested what it will add to the Roleplay in the future though! This thing must be really on your mind for you to dream about it.)

The intensity of my kiss seemed to surprise Mira just as much as it surprised me only a lot more so. It most certainly wasn't a bad surprise by the way she giggled when she felt my hand on her waist and the soft little half-hearted giggle that passed her lips when I drew away. Perhaps half-hearted isn't the right word but it's hard to describe a giggle that's soft because the person laughing is breathless.
I was almost glad to see, or hear rather, that she enjoyed the kiss as much as I did despite the suddenness and intensity with which I pushed my lips to hers.
I smiled quietly in the darkness at my own folly. Perhaps that was the way I needed to act a bit more often.. more spontaneous and out of the blue with my signs of affection so long as the moment was appropriate.

She moved out of my arms and continued on her way towards the dull glow that was emanating from within the covered wood of a crate we had not yet gone through. I watched her dark shape move around as she lifted the thing from the shelf and set it down, crouching beside it so she could figure out what was giving off the glow.
"Doesn't it?" I replied to her comment as I took a few steps closer so I could peer over what I thought was her shoulder but I couldn't quite make out what part of her was blocking my view.

There was more movement accompanied by the sound of rustling that came with her removing certain objects from the crate. I could make out one or two Eve Hypos but the rest was much less illuminated so those objects remained a mystery for the most part. Then movement stopped then and I stepped away, expecting she was going to get up so we could get on our way back towards the room.
However she remained on the ground for at least a minute more without really moving all that much.
I frowned curiously as I tried to make out what she was looking at but it was impossible. Then, as if she had been lost in thought, she stood up while collecting together the objects.

She listed the supplies she had found as she stood and walked towards me, coming to stop a couple steps away. I nodded my head and glanced back around the room just to make sure that no other crates were glowing like the one we had just discovered. There was nothing to be seen though so I turned my focus back towards my companion.
"That's a good find, good job!" I exclaimed with a grin though I knew she wouldn't be able to see it through the darkness.

Seeing as I had all of the supplies I found, I headed towards the door once I was sure she had everything packed away in her back pack. Without bothering to turn the light back on, as we were leaving, I pushed the door into the hallway open effortlessly and stepped outside into the cool draft, holding the door open for my companion so she too could exit the room.
"I'm pretty sure the others will have more supplies if we feel like we really need them. Focus would be more than happy to share with us knowing her good nature." I said while holding my hand out to take hers before we began our walk through the hallways back towards the lobby.
The way back was always the shorter of the walks. It felt longer coming because we paused here and there to examine things but this time there was no reason to. Not even at the broken down door of my examination room.

(My dreams are often sporadic and based on things I think a lot about. So I've actually been waiting for a dream about this roleplay to come along. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy what it may or may not add depending on what happens in the near-future. )

It takes me a moment to realize that I’m lost in my thoughts. I’ve stopped with my bag halfway off my shoulder. I was looking at the journal again, so curious as what it might hold inside its pages. I want to read it, but I know I have to wait until we get back into the room. It’s only when I hear Echo next to me that I look up, a flush coming to my cheeks. I knew she couldn’t see it, but I couldn’t keep myself from feeling almost embarrassed by the way I was acting. It was just a silly book! Why did it matter so much to me? Even I couldn’t answer that question and for that reason, it annoyed me.

I continue to pull the pack off, hurrying to loosen the strings. I know that it won’t take me long to cram the rest of the items that’ll fit into my bag. I don’t slow down any though. I push everything into the bag that will fit. The journal makes it where the bag bulges and I know that it can’t stay in there for long. I didn’t want to over pack anything, so I would probably end up discarding the thing soon.

I pull the chain around my neck as I start to walk forward. It made dull clicking noises as it hit the purple rose locket that hung loyally around my neck. I smiled quietly, pulling myself toward the door that was now being held open for me.

“I just hope that we have enough supplies for the trip. I know we don’t have very much farther, but I don’t want to get stuck without food or Eve” I thought that my worries were legitimate. I wasn’t sure if she thought the same. As I step out into the dim lighting o the hallway I blink a few times, just trying to get used to the light a little faster. It didn’t take long and soon we were on our way back towards the opposite end of the facility.

We walked no faster getting to where we were headed, but it seemed to take less time. I didn’t have to worry so much about whether or not Echo was going to have some sort of breakdown. I did not doubt her mental stability at all, but memories could hurt far more than it seemed at first. We didn’t stop near as much as we had the first time. I would stop and have to catch up and when we passed the examination room that Echo said she had escaped out of we both stopped. It wasn’t much more than that that slowed down our journey. This time, we didn’t stop and wait for anything; we just walked, quietly, hand in hand. It was nice being able to hold her hand this time around. I liked letting her know that I was there for her if she ever needed me.

(Well, I have to go to bed now. I have school starting back tomorrow and I’ve got to get up early! Now I’m curious to find out what’s going to happen! Haha)

In response to my words about getting supplies from the other Sisters she expressed her worry about running out of food or Eve during the last stretch of our journey. I slowly nodded my head, trying to think of a good way of responding with a plan that could prevent that very situation from arising. There was nothing that could guarantee our making it to the escape bathyspheres without running out of either crucial supply.
"So long as we're careful and we don't run in guns blazing, we should be able to make it with food and ammunition to spare." I replied after a moment or two with a quiet giggle at the thought of Mira and I bursting into the middle of a Splicer group just firing away into the air like a scene from a moving picture.

Now that Mira mentioned it; she was right. We truly didn't have all that much left to go in our journey before we got to Fontaine Futuristics where I hoped to find some unused escape pods or something we could use to get to the surface. Of all the places in Rapture to go to get to that kind of technology, that was the place. It also happened to be the part of Rapture that had the highest Splicer concentration in the whole city as it was the home of Frank Fontaine. The one man who dared to stand up against the power of Rapture's Founder, Andrew Ryan.
The remainder of the journey was going to be short but it was also going to be the most difficult part of the whole thing as we would be pushing our way through territory untraveled by either of us. At least I could not remember, no matter how hard I tried, the way in and out of that place.

I pushed those thoughts to the very back of my mind however as I tried to put my focus on the walking we were doing now. Neither of us said anything but that was just fine. We didn't need to speak to enjoy one another's company. That was just the way we were as a couple and it fit the streets of Rapture just fine.
I was more than happy to walk alongside her, glancing over at her every now and again just to admire the softness of her features and smile, my hand gently grasping hers and squeezing it whenever I felt like reminding her that I was there with her in an affectionate manner, with nothing but silence between us.
I could love her with every ounce of my being without needing to speak to her or needing her to speak to me constantly. Her presence was enough for me to be perfectly happy.

When we passed through the lobby I glanced around only to make sure that the door was still bolted shut, which it was, before continuing on through the next door into the living quarter hallways where we first began our short little trek to get new armor for me and supplies for the both of us.
After a few minutes of walking through these empty hallways I let my hand slip away from hers only to wrap around her waist, drawing her close to me so we could walk together the way we often did.
I glanced down at her with a warm smile and then leaned over to kiss the top of her head before I turned my gaze forward again, spotting our room just head.

Once we reached the room I came to a stop and turned towards Mira with a motion towards the door with my hand.
"I'm going into the common room to talk with the others and maybe have a word with Focus about what she happened to see earlier.. " I trailed off for a moment as my cheeks flushed lightly at the memory of what had happened. With all of the moving around we had done I had all but forgotten about that incident until just now when I was reminded of it by the angle we were stood at. The exact same place where Focus stood when she saw us.
"You can stay here and rest under the covers if you want to. I'll be back in just a little bit." I said with a smile as my eyes came to focus on the new necklace around her neck, this one with a key on the end.
I almost asked her what the key was for but I decided that was a question for another time.

(Well, have a good day at school tomorrow! I've got class too but I'll be done long before you get back home.
And I hope you're curious about what might happen, I'd hate for you to get bored..)

The supply of food and ammunition was always going to be a problem. Even though we had very little ground left to cover, I knew that if we didn’t watch ourselves, we could come up someplace without anything to survive off of. That would have probably been the worst thing that could have happened. And what happened when we got up to the surface? I remembered having to take a long boat ride just to get out to the bathysphere that took us down to Rapture. It was a long voyage and I got sick a few times. That’s probably the only reason I could remember the sun as well as it could. The sunburns weren’t something a small child forgot easily.

I heard myself sigh as we walked, trying to push the idea out of my head so I could just enjoy the silence around me. Every while I could feel the light squeeze of her hand as she walked beside me and soon that’s not enough for either of us. I flush as she hand pulls around my side. It’s a good flushing though. It was that feeling I got knowing that I wasn’t the only one that wanted to be as close as humanly possible to this girl. I lean my head onto her armor. It wasn’t very comfortable, but right now I wasn’t looking for the comfort of her soft skin or her warmth…I shake my ehad, barely suppressing a giggle. Of course I wanted the comfort of her skin and the smile that seemed to always be on her face now. I was just trying to deny myself that it seemed.

The warm kiss on my forehead is enough to make me grin as we make the last few feet to the room. I hadn’t realized how fast we made it down the hall this time. I looked around as she turned to me, smiling up at her tall form. I nodded slowly at her words, a giggle escaping my lips at the flush and the memory we now both shared between us. She waited a moment before giving me the offer to stay here. I hum quietly, turning to look over the room a moment.

“I’ll stay. Don’t rush though okay? I’ll be here when you get back.” I pull myself up to pull my hands as far around her as I can. With all the armor on and the oxygen tank, she has thickened up a little bit. I giggle, standing on my tip toes so I can easily kiss her, a slow kiss. I stand there for awhile before pulling away, my cheeks a rosy color, my eyes opening. “See you.”

It wasn’t that I was too lazy to accompany her to the common room again. I knew that this was something she needed to deal with along. Focus and the others were her friends, not mine, and I knew very well that it wasn’t my place to step in on their relationships as friends. Really, it would probably just turn out being completely awkward if I was there. She might be able to explain things better if she knew that I wasn’t listening to what she had to say.

I couldn’t deny that I had some other reasons for wanting to stay. I smile once more before setting myself down on the flats of my feet again. I turn, quietly making it to one of the beds. I pull off my pack, setting it at the end of the first bed, pulling the covers down further. It takes me a moment to get my shoes and socks off, but eventually I manage the task. I’m quick to pull myself under the blankets, for the chill had slowly begun to creep up my arms. I was most curious about the journal though. It was quite large and I was very interested to see who could have owned it before me.

So, once my feet have gotten warm in the blankets I pull my bag closer to me. I pull the strings on the pack open, reaching in the grab the large brown book that was inside. I hum quietly to myself, pulling the chain over my head. It was all very curious; I loved the book itself. It had so much personality! I take in a slow breath before pulling the key down to the journal, and slipping it inside the lock.

(I don't think I could ever get bored of this thing! Don't sell yourself short. You are one of the best roleplayers I've roleplayed with in a very very long time!)

When we reached the door and I proposed her staying behind to rest, I was almost glad when she agreed. For a number of reasons none of which had to do with my being embarrassed about what happened. It was more the fact that out of the two of us she was the one who was injured most and needed longer to recuperate than I did. Another reason was that although the dress I brought her was beautiful, it was not the most warm of clothing so I felt as though the longer she stayed out of bed the more chance there was of her catching a cold or something like that.
The final reason was because I knew that if she came with me, I'd have to fight the urge to kiss or hold her hand. Perhaps not the worst of things but when I was supposed to be having a serious conversation with the others, I doubted they were going to want to watch me pause in mid-sentence so I could fulfill my own selfish urges.
I almost giggled at the thought but my attention was drawn back towards the woman standing in front of me when she told me not to rush back.
"I'll try not to so long as you try to get some rest okay?" I replied with a smile.

I was just about ready to turn when she wrapped her arms around my armored body as best she could which, with the new addition of the oxygen tank and the added bulkiness of the metal plating, was not fully. It was the gesture that warmed my heart though and when she brought herself up on her tip-toes I leaned down a bit myself to ease the strain on her, meeting her kiss with my eyes already closed.
This kiss was much different from the others we had shared. It was soft, caring, loving, but most of all it was a very slow sensual kiss. Filled with the emotions we both clearly felt for one another.
Seconds felt like minutes until she finally pulled away and when she did I found my cheeks were easily a mirror of her own; a rosy pink color.
"Yeah, see you.." I whispered breathlessly as I watched her walk towards the beds.

I knew if I wanted to get back soon I was going to need to leave so I tore my eyes away from her sublime figure and forced myself to continue on down the hallway while trying my very best to get the color to leave my cheeks.
It was moments like that. Moments with nothing but sheer.. love between us that made me realize that what I was feeling was much more than just the conditioning that had been programmed into my mind all those years ago.
Sure I felt the urge to protect her with my life but there was so much more than just that urge. So much more than just a chemical bond. When a Big Sister and a Little Sister bonded for the short time they were together, there was never any love between the two.
This was so much different.

I pushed the thoughts out of my head as I approached the common room and entered it to find the other Sisters spread out all around the room. Mel was off in the corner looking through a box for something, Focus was also looking through a box but it seemed like she was putting things into the box as opposed to taking them out, and Sam looked to be quietly resting on one of the beds they had pushed together in the room. I remembered that she had been in the worst state, aside from me though I didn't feel like I counted, after the battle.
Focus was the first one to notice me and the moment she saw me a big smile spread across her face.
"Echo! I'm glad to see you're up and moving." She greeted me cheerfully as the others turned their heads in my direction. Mel came to join us at the table while Sam slowly pulled herself out of bed. I was going to protest her moving but she walked with only the slightest of lips which was a lot better than I expected to be honest.
"It looks like you guys have been busy." I noted while glancing around at the many supply boxes that were open.

"We were looking for supplies.." Mel began but she trailed off while glancing towards Focus as if she thought she had said something wrong. I found myself a little confused by the silent conversation the two seemed to be having.
Before either could say anything the angelic voice of Sam chimed in to finish what her fellow Sister had been saying.
"We figured that seeing as you and Mira are going to be heading out soon, we'd give you what supplies we could spare for your journey as well as something else." She spoke with a soft smile on her lips.
Focus reached into her carrying pouch and pulled out a key that she then held out for me to take.
"This should make your journey to Fontaine Futuristics much easier."
I parted my lips to say something but nothing came out as my eyes started to brim with tears of happiness as well as sadness. I suppose the reality of leaving my friends behind began to settle in with the knowledge that they too knew what was going to happen.

"No, No. No tears right now, we'll save those for when you leave. Now take your box of goodies and get them packed up. Just be sure to pass by before you guys walk out the door." Mel chided me playfully as she handed me the box to take with me back to my room.
Focus approached me and placed a hand on my shoulder, looking up at me with a bit of a mischevious smile on her lips.
"I'll make sure no-one happens to come by until then." She almost whispered to me with a wink that made my cheeks burn a deep crimson red color.
Before I could return with my own comment she was pushing me towards the hallway.

So with the box in my hands and the blush still on my cheeks I headed back towards the room smiling like a fool. I suppose things were truly turning in our favor for now. At least in my eyes everything was going well. I could not have been any happier than I was in this moment. How could I not be happy?
I had food, supplies, a bed to sleep in, and the most amazing woman in the world to love.
I sighed quietly as I approached the door and slipped into the room quietly.
"Guess what I brought." I said with a smile as I approached the edge of the beds pushed together, setting the box down on the side Mira wasn't laid on.
Within the box were a number of things; four Eve Hypo's, three rolls of bandages, a number of Pep Bars and Chocolate Bars, two bags of chips, two cola's, some canned meat, a pair of thick wool blankets, and the card-key which sat on top of everything.

(Haha that's quite a flattering compliment considering how long you've been roleplaying for.. Thank you. I hope to keep this roleplay going for as long as the story allows )

June 17th, 1950

The sun is hot as midsummer in Louisiana! I never would have guessed that you could get burned so easily on the deck. It’s very easy to work on that golden brown tan that I’ve wanted. Back home there were only certain times of the year you could step out and sunbathe on the patio without it being much too cold. We’re lucky that it’s warm and not cool like it was back in New York. It seems like out here on the sea, it could always be summer.

The ship isn’t as grand as mother promised, but it’s something more than some of the boats most of these people have seen. I’m so excited to start a new life out here. This is my chance to become the big star that I’ve always known I could be! It’ll help bring in more money for Momma and little Suzan. She’s only two now, and Mommas having a hard time keeping her in her sights. She wants to just get up and run all over the deck! She is a ball full of spirits, that’s for sure. It won’t be long until she’s playing with all the little boys and girls that are on the decks, soaking up the summer sun.

Every time I step on the deck I see the same children looking around, playing, and just having a blast. The girls sit around, playing with each other’s hair and acting like they’re high class beauties. When they see me walk by they stop in their tracks, watching at the prettiest young girl walks past. Sometimes I wished I could play like that, but I’m far too old. I’ll be turning thirteen in a few months, but I hope that by the time we make it to this place it won’t be that time yet. I’ve overheard the captain talking to one of the other crew members. He says that we’ll be at the lighthouse in less than a month; I just hope that he’s right.

Until then I’ll just do what I’ve been doing. Sometimes the maids will let me help them clean the rooms for whatever tip the passengers have left behind. They say that they all tip well on account that they’re all starting a new life. The small money pays for my lunch most days, which is another expense that Momma doesn’t have to pay. Papa promised that he would be coming on the next boat out, so if we are lucky, he’s just right behind us somewhere! He had to stay in New York to finish up some business, but I know he’ll come!

I’m going to go soak up some sun, it’s a nice enough day!

Marie Beauchene

---

July 5th, 1950

Yesterday is what would have been independence day in New York. Each year the city shoots off hundreds of fireworks. They all glow brilliant colors of blue, green, reds, and any other color you could imagine. Momma says that they got them from the China men in the street markets, but she’s just joking!

Around here, no one acted like it was any kind of holiday. The adults didn’t drink or party like they did in New York. Here, they act as if they belong to no country. Of course, I have to say that most of the people on this ship don’t speak English. There are Germans, Russians, Swedish, American, and even some Chinese. So I guess really, we wouldn’t have to celebrate an American Independence day when most of the people here aren’t even American.

In the past month a lot more has gone on than I could write about. Every night the captain pulls all of the people together in the largest room on board. Even that’s not big enough for the amount of people that we have. He has people that can speak different languages helping him tell all the different folk what’s going on. Lately, he’s been talking about communications with Mr. Andrew Ryan himself! He reads off a great long list of rules that all seem to be scripted. He reads them off paper and I can only assume they’re Mr. Ryan’s words. The one that’s really gotten Momma upset is the one where you can’t bring anything religious in. She holds her Bible every night and prays that Papa gets to the city as safely as we are. She cries; Papa gave her that Bible, white with silver. When I’ve had a bad dream she reads it to me quietly, and it helps me. I guess its cause I know that God is watchin’ over me and Momma and I feel safe. I don’t know what’s going to happen when we get down into this…Rapture place. If we throw away God’s books, then how is he gonna watch over us?

There’s yelling out on the deck! I can hear it from inside the room. It’s excited yelling; it’s screaming! They say they can see the lighthouse just now. I have to go see this for myself! I’ll write once we get to our new home.

Marie Beauchene

---

The sounds of a voice draw me out of my intense reading. I’m scared a little bit by the sound of Echo’s voice and I jump, snapping the book closed as if I’m reading something I shouldn’t be reading. Really, I shouldn’t be reading it. It wasn’t mine to read, but at the same time… That poor girl had no idea what was going to happen. I wanted to read on; I wanted to know what was going on next. It was like an intense novel that you just didn’t want to put down. I set the book in my lap as I look up to the figure. She carries a crate, setting it down beside me.

“I thought you were just going to talk?” I speak quietly, looking up to her with curiosity in my eyes. Wasn’t she going to explain things to Focus? Instead, she brought a box of useful items back. They were useful, I had to admit that, but still…Had she done what she had set out to do in the first place? She hadn’t been gone for very long…or had she? I wasn’t particularly sure. I had been so enveloped in my reading. I wasn’t exactly keeping a close eye on the clock. I pulled my arms up above my head; feeling and hearing my back pop happily. I pull myself out from under the covers, trying to get a better look at what was in the box.

I peer inside quietly, trying hard to keep from putting my knees in the book that was now somewhere in the blankets. I nodded quietly as I looked over the items. They would definitely be useful on our journey. I pull out the mall card on the top, looking at it a moment before setting it back down on the blankets.

“What’s that for?” I question her as I pretty much stick my head in the box to look at the things under the blanket. I can’t help but give a quiet shriek at the simplest thing that catches my eye. I reach in, yanking out one of the chocolate bars. I hum quietly, pulling myself up to lean forward and peck her lips.

“I’m sorry, but I have to indulge. Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” My words are spun together in my excitement and I lean back, beginning to rip the package. “I haven’t had candy in years”


(Sorry it took me so long. I went all out with the fonts for some reason :S)

Mira seemed to jump when I came into the room to join her again and when she saw me she frowned a little bit as if she wasn't all that excited to see that I had brought a box of stuff back with me. She asked me more or less whether I had talked things out with Focus the way I had set out to and I found myself a bit confused by that question. Did she not realize that I had been gone for what was probably about half an hour or more?
"I've been gone for half an hour or so.. I spoke with everyone and they gave me this box" I replied with a bit of hesitation in my voice as I watched her climb out from beneath the folds of the covers to examine the box that now sat on the bed next to her.

When I first came in I noticed she was reading some kind of book but I assumed it was simply one of the ones that had been thrown around the room when we first arrived and Focus burst into the room thinking we were Splicers. So I paid very little notice to it.
Yet now that I sat on the edge of the bed looking at my companion I wondered whether she was trying to keep something from me. But what?
I frowned a little bit at the thought of her hiding something. Sure she had her secrets and I had mine but I still felt as though there was something more going on.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of her voice and I blinked, looking at the key in her hand. A small smile quickly spread across my lips as I reached out to pick the key up from where she had laid it down to continue her examining of the box.
The key was one of the most important things and not only that but it was also the most valuable of all of the items in the box. I was excited to give her the news. I knew she was probably going to be overjoyed when she found out.
I parted my lips to tell her but I was cut off by the sound of her joyous shriek.

I could barely blink before she had taken something out of the box, leaned across it to kiss me quickly, thanked me for whatever the heck it was, and began unwrapping the object in her hand. By the time my mind was able to process what she had said, she was already eating the chocolate bar in her hand.
I didn't mind one bit of course but I thought it was quite a funny thing to become so excited about. Of course. what did I know? I had never really known the taste of candy.. perhaps it really was as delicious as she made it seem.
I reached in to take the other one out, looking down at the wrapper with curiosity. It sure seemed harmless enough.
"No problem.." I murmured before giggling at the energy with which she ate the chocolate bar.

The untouched bar came to be set back in the box as I once again pulled the card into my lap so I could tell her exactly what it was. Hopefully it would be like dinner and a show for her.
"This card is an entrance card into a tram system that was abandoned by the public years before the revolution even started. An old tram that connected all of the sections of Rapture together and used to be the only way to get around until bathyspheres came into use by all. After the tram became obsolete, we started using it to get from place to place without running into too much trouble. I doubt the fighting would have damaged the line and even if it has, we only need to go one stop.. " I trailed off with a grin.

(That's alright, fancy stuff! xD )

I didn’t want to seem like I was rushing to get back to what I was doing. At the same time that I wasn’t, I was. I wanted to read on in the book, but I wasn’t sure how Echo would feel about me reading through someone’s past, especially since I didn’t know them. The book had brought back enough of my own memories that I felt like I was already connected to this girl even though I never knew her. The problem with all of it was that I had apparently been reading for longer than I thought. She informed me that she had been gone for over half an hour and I sigh, shaking my head. A quiet apology passes my lips as I try to keep the frown off my face. I wanted to tell her why I had been out of mind, but I didn’t feel like it was the right time yet.

For now, I simply sit on my feet, starting to unwrap the brown bit of heaven. It takes me a moment before I unwrap the bar enough that I could get a bite out of it. They were wrapped good which meant they were hopefully fresh. I giggle at the childhood delight, beginning to take bites out of the chocolate bar that I held in my hands. With the first bite it explodes in my mouth. I close my eyes, tilting my head back, and moaning quietly. I hadn’t had candy since my birthday probably four or five years ago. It was something that wasn’t affordable so I just didn’t get such things. Now though, I could enjoy the simple pleasure with glee, not having to talk or do anything while Echo spoke. It wasn’t that I would have ignored the conversation if I had to talk; I could have been quite sociable, but right now, I wanted to feel the sensation as it melted between my tongue and the roof of my mouth while I listened. This was making everything a whole lot better.

My face lightens up further with her words. For a moment I couldn’t believe it. I had to think over what she was saying to realize what possibilities this opened up for us. I watch her a moment as everything locks into place and I can’t help but hang on what she says. That little key card seemed to be our future and a promise of safety. If we could just get a little bit farther on it without having to walk I would consider that a blessing. Each minute that we weren’t faced with the chance of a splicer attack was just adding up to having odds in our favor; each foot we traveled counted. I wasn’t sure why, but I giggled louder this time, swallowing the bit of chocolate that I had melted in my mouth. I watched her a moment before leaning forward to kiss her again; this time harder it was harder and I lean into it, closing my eyes for a moment just to tell her how gracious I was for all she brought . She had brightened my spirits a million times more than they had been. There was no way I could repay her and the others for all of this. As I pull away, I break off a little bit of the bar, looking it over for only a second. She had been eyeing one, but for some reason she had decided to put it back. I quietly wave it in front of her, trying to entice her with the smell and the sight of the bit in my hand.

“Try it” I giggle quietly, leaning forward a little bit. “Promise you’ll like it” I give her a big cheesy grin as I hold the bit of candy closer to her face. “It’s a time for celebration apparently” I giggle quietly, scooting myself closer to her. With my movements, the book gets kicked out of the bed and lands on the floor with a hard, dull ‘thud’ sort of noise. I flinch quietly, trying to keep it from being noticed. I wasn’t trying to hide the book from her; I just didn’t want her to think down on me for reading it.

Watching her eat that chocolate bar was quite the sight to behold. She treated the dark substance like it was the food of the gods, slowly unwrapping it so she could take a large bite from the bar. When she finally did sink her teeth into the chocolate she let out a noise that I imagined was the sound a person made when they felt like they were momentarily in heaven. A kind of mixture of joyful pleasure that would have been considered quite questionable by anyone who happened to be listening in on us.
I couldn't help but watch every move she made and actually started to consider picking up the bar I had set back into the box just so I could get a try of the stuff.

Before I could settle my mind on the matter she started to move which drew my attention away from my thoughts on the chocolate. Which was good too because I would not have seen her leaning towards me for a kiss. I noticed and leaned in to meet her, finding that I was forced back with the intensity of her kiss as she leaned into me gently. It was a kiss of thanks for bringing supplies back with me despite the way she had reacted to my coming back with them, which still baffled me slightly but I chose not to think any more on the matter.
What good would it do? If she was going to hide something from me then what right did I have to ask her about it? None.

Once she pulled away I found my moment of happy blissfulness interrupted, not quite a bad thing really as I had the feeling the hazy look on my face would have been quite noticeable, by her hand holding up a piece of her chocolate bar right in front of me. I blinked a few times before looking at her. A smile came to my lips as I listened to her attempts at getting me to take the bite from her fingers.
I let out a quiet sigh, shook my head, and then leaned forward to take the little bite from where she was holding it out to me. Before leaning back I gave her fingers a quick lick with my tongue to get the little bit of chocolate left behind where it had melted from the heat of her body.
The flavor that now filled my mouth was certainly much different from the things I was used to in Rapture. Much sweeter that's for sure. It reminded me of Cola in terms of sweetness but it was so much better than that.
I found myself giggling along with her happily.
That is until a thud filled the room and I turned to look over my shoulder towards the noise finding that something had fallen to the ground from the bed. Without really thinking I leaned down to take it with my hand knowing Mira couldn't do it with her side.

"Hmm? What's this? ...Isn't one of my books." I murmured the last comment more to myself than her as I held the book up to get a better look at the front of it. It was a strange looking little book with a handmade leather cover and a strap with a lock on it only the lock was open.
I frowned a little bit as I tried to figure out what the thing was.
My gaze turned towards my companion as I set the book down on the bed between us, looking up at her curiously.
"Is this what you were reading while I was gone?" I asked her after a moment of hesitation. I didn't mind her reading the book, whatever the heck it was, but I wondered why it seemed like she was trying to hide the fact that she was reading it from me.

She doesn’t object to the bit of food in my hand. She just leans forward, taking the brown deliciousness from my fingers. She even takes care of the melted chocolate that has made its place. I smile quietly, watching her a moment as she licks the last bit of my fingers before pulling away. I can’t keep the smile off my lips, watching her in silence. I could tell by the look on her fact that she was enjoying it. She giggles and I shift to get better adjusted. I don’t notice the book until it’s on the ground and she’s already picking it up. I don’t stop her really. There was no way to hide what I was ready; I knew that at some point it would come out that I had been reading someone’s journal.

After a moment’s pause she looks to me, questioning me quietly. I sighed, but not a sad one. It was a simple gesture to let my thoughts flow quietly. I couldn’t deny that I had been enchanted by the book. I couldn’t keep myself from smiling lightly and nodding. I didn’t mind her seeing it; I was just afraid what she would say.

“Yes.” The word is simple before I reach out to trace my finger across the binding. “I found it in the supply room and I was reading it...I--I know I shouldn’t have gotten into anyone’s personal things, but I was interested. I found it in the crate with the Eve…” I trail off, leaning backwards some so I could put the rest of the chocolate bar onto the bedside table with the rest of the food. I probably wouldn’t finish it now, but it was good while it lasted.

“I won’t read any more of it if you don’t want me to…I—I was afraid that you might be angry, and I’m sorry, but it’s interesting…I’m sorry” I sighed, letting my head drop. I was probably getting a little ahead of myself. I wasn’t even sure how exactly she was reacting yet. She had asked a simple question and I was assuming that she was angry. I didn’t look up for a while. I just traced the design of the bed with my eyes. I didn’t know what else to do.

(I’m sorry it’s short, but I’ve got to go to bed.)

Mira's reaction to my finding the book that she had been reading was somewhat puzzling to me. I truly did not understand why she was putting so much focus on my not finding out that she was reading it. Or at least that seemed to be the case by the way she hid the book when I first walked in with the box in my arms.
Perhaps I was just thinking into things too deeply but I felt just a little bit hurt. Was a book really worth all of this trouble and feigned secrecy? I sure didn't think so. Especially considering how far we had come with the trust between us in the time since we first met.

When I questioned her about it she let out a sigh before beginning to answer my question explaining, with a bit of stuttering and uncertainty, that she had found the book in one of the boxes in the storage room. I nodded my head quietly as I listened to the rest of what she had to say still as confused as I was at the very beginning.
She paused in her explanation only to lean back and put the remainder of her chocolate down on the bedside table to finish later on. Then she leaned back to finish by telling me that she would stop reading the thing if I didn't want her to. This caused me to furrow my brow in worry.
What kind of things were in the book for her to think that I was going to be angry at her for reading it? Her head fell before I could get any more out of her beyond a quiet apology.

Mira seemed to make a habit of doing these kinds of things. She'd apologize repeatedly for something that I didn't quite understand why she was apologizing for it. Whether it was an action or words that she spoke, more often than not they were neither offensive nor did they have any reason to be apologized for.
Perhaps this habit had roots in her childhood but now it was becoming a much too frequent occurrence for my liking. More because I didn't like her apologizing when she had done nothing wrong! It made me feel like perhaps either I was missing something or I was not the kind of person that she wanted me to be. Like I did not get offended enough.

I reached out to gently place to fingers beneath her chin, pulling her head up slowly as I leaned in to press my lips against hers. The kiss was light as a feather at first but I leaned in more until I almost right about pushed her onto her back. It was a kiss that was meant to silence her thoughts and bring her out of whatever frame of mind she was in that made her think that she had done wrong.
When I pulled away I couldn't keep a small smile from finding its way onto my lips in reaction to the warm tingling sensation her lips left on mine.

"I'm really not sure what you're so sorry about.. It's just a book after all, isn't it?" I said and then looked at it for a few seconds, leaning in to see if I could find a title of some kind. When I didn't see one I narrowed my eyes as I looked up at her again, frowning just a little bit.
"It's not a dirty book is it?" I asked her suddenly with conviction that clearly showed my lack of understanding behind what the book actually was while my cheeks turned a light shade of pink.
For all I knew she was embarrassed by having been caught with the book because the content wasn't very appropriate. Of course that was just a thought that crossed my mind. One of the few that made much sense and could explain her behavior.

"I-I mean there's nothing wrong with that but you shouldn't need to..Not with me here..I.." I trailed off slowly as my cheeks darkened in color and I just kept my eyes focused on hers, hoping she would understand where I was going with my words.
Either that or she was going to help straighten things out so I didn't go about getting the wrong idea about what she was reading.

I guessed it was my nature to apologize for everything. Really, that’s how I was raised. When dad was drunk, it was very obvious that the only way he might forgive you for whatever you did was to start apologizing before he caught on that anything happened. It only worked a few times, but when it did worked it would calm him down enough that I could get out the house. I remembered mother not being so lucky. It never worked for her. He just screamed that she wasn’t sorry and started to beat on her. She couldn’t run, where was there to go in Rapture? I could have, but I didn’t…for Mamma.

I took in a deep breath as I felt her lifting my chin up. I watched her but soon my eyes fall closed. She plants her lips on mine lightly, but soon she’s almost got me on my back. My eyes are closed and my hand is running through her hair. I wasn’t sure how she was able to move around so easily with all the armor on.

She pulls away and I open my eyes to meet another grand smile of hers. I watched her quietly, feeling the flush rush across my cheeks. What she had done had certainly done its job. I didn’t think at all about the worries I had. I knew she wouldn’t hurt me like father had. I knew that she wouldn’t lay a hand on me like father had. What would she think if she knew what I had been through?

She looks over the book as she speaks. Yes, there was nothing wrong with the books, but wouldn’t she think it was an invasion of privacy? Wouldn’t she think I was strange for wanting to read through the thoughts of a young girl? I wasn’t sure what she would think; I still didn’t know what she was thinking.
What she says though catches me off guard. I can’t keep a deep crimson flush from spreading across my face and curling beneath my chin onto my neck.

She thought I was into reading those naughty little erotica novels? I stammer out a few syllables, trying to figure out what I needed to say. She thought I was being a…I let out a steam of breath.

“No-No! It’s just a j-journal but…” I trail off as she speaks again. She said there was nothing wrong with it and that I wouldn’t’ need a naughty book. I can’t keep the cough from my lips. I was probably more red than a pomegranate. I watch her a moment before pulling myself forward and wrapping my arms around her, kissing her hard. She was so innocent. It was so attractive. The offer was nice, but she was still young…Did I want to open her up to such things?

“It’s just a journal, toots. You don’t have to go puttin’ yourself out there” I wink at her, still flustered and red. I pull the book open to the first introduction. I wasn’t sure why it started in the middle the way it did, but I assumed that she didn’t write in it that often since her journal entries were spaced out by months. I point to the first once, titled June 17th. I look at it a moment, the handwriting so neat and simple.

“I was reading her journals…She was on one of the boats coming to Rapture” I mutter quietly, still trying to get the thoughts that had clouded my mind out. I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about how she looked. Of course, her suit would have to come off, but… I grit my teeth, feeling my hand come forward to come in contact with my forehead again. “Stop it” I whisper the words quietly to myself, closing my eyes and forcing such crude thoughts away.

What else was I supposed to think she was reading by the way she acted towards my finding the book? She hadn't given me any kind of indication nor had she given me any kind of hints towards what the book actually had written inside it. All she gave me was the fact that she was embarrassed about having been discovered with it, by the way she apologized, and she offered to stop reading the thing if I didn't want her to.
Wasn't it logical for me to assume that she was reading a book as taboo as that? Whether it was logical or not though I was about as wrong as could be.

At the mention of what I thought she was reading, I watched the deepest blush I had ever seen on a person spread across not only her face but her neck as well. I could have sworn she almost turned a whole new shade of red from any of those that were in the color spectrum. Her reaction was..comical if not the epitome of flustered. At first she could get nothing more out than stuttered syllables before she finally managed to tell me just how wrong I was.
It turned out she had been reading a person's journal. Which really, was just like listening to audio diaries only in written form. Both of which had become common-place in Rapture since the fall of the city.

Upon learning the truth it was my turn to blush a crimson red color out of embarrassment for two reasons; firstly I had made the complete wrong assumption and thereby made a fool of myself by doing so, and secondly I had practically thrown a very suggestive offer out to her that, although I would have been more than willing to follow through with, was not the kind of thing I was used to doing.
"O-Oh.. Oh! I..uhm..Sorry, I had no idea.." I stammered while lowering my gaze quickly towards my hands that had ended up in my lap, fiddling the way they did whenever a sudden wave of shyness came over me.

She continued to playfully reprimand me for my assumption before she also added a comment about my 'throwing myself out there' which only made me lower my head even more out of embarrassment but also out of something else. Shame perhaps? But also a little bit of disappointment I suppose.
Now I would be the very first person to admit that I wasn't the most attractive woman in the world. In fact I would have been very quick to say that I wasn't very pretty at all in fact. I was just..normal in a way. Albeit somewhat strangely formed in my body due to my past.
I suppose the way she reacted to my words made me realize that perhaps the love she felt for me was completely platonic in part due to the way I looked.

The flush faded away from my cheeks and my lips slowly turned into something that was a mixture of a sad smile and a disappointed pout. My eyes focused on the bed between us as I tried to get the self-conscious thoughts out of my head. I suppose the thought had never really crossed my mind up until now.
I brought a hand to run through my hair, brushing it away from my face where it had fallen while a quiet sigh passed my lips.
"I'm sorry. It was stupid for me to assume you felt that way. I-I'm probably not even your type anyway.. " I said in a quiet voice with a small half-hearted laugh at my last comment.

Gradually, with a bit of uncertainty, I let myself slide back towards the edge of the bed. I pulled myself out of it and leaned down to pick up my helmet from where I had set it down on the ground, gripping the metal a little tightly with my fingers.
I wasn't sure what the emotions were that were flowing through me but I didn't like them very much. Up until now I had never felt the need to..be attractive. Nor had I ever taken the time to look at other women and what beauty was considered to be.
I had only ever been surrounded by girls like myself so now that I knew..I knew I didn't fit the description.
"I-I think I'll go for a walk.." I murmured

I was starting to wonder if I had gone a little too far with my joking. In the moment of my flustered speaking, I let anything that came to my lips flow as normal. Now that I was watching her face fall the smile gone, I could tell that she had gotten the wrong idea of what I was trying to say. Oh, if she knew what kind of thoughts rolled through my mind just moments before then she would have probably been a deeper red than I was. It was crazy for her to assume that I wasn’t her type. Frankly, I didn’t even know what my type was.

I watch her another moment, sitting quietly on the bed as she gets up. I want to grab her, but I refrain. I don’t know what it is she’s doing yet. I just watch, wondering if I’ve upset her this much. She picks up her helmet, looking at it a moment before letting her arm fall to her side. I could see how white her flesh was; I knew that I had made a big mistake.

She says that she’s going to go for a walk and my stomach drops. Was I really that horrible? Had I really put off that much of a vibe that she didn’t want to stay in the same room. Maybe it was the simple fact that she wanted to be alone with her thoughts. My stomach curls again and I press my eyes closed a moment. I can’t stop myself as she grips her helmet tightly starting towards the door.

“No—I don’t think you will” My words are very assertive and I feel myself sliding out of the bed. It sounded as if I was angry, but I wasn’t. I could be classified as upset, but I wasn’t angry. My feet hit the ground hard and I meet her before she can get to the door. I feel my teeth clenched lightly as I walk to her. I wanted to toy with her a little bit. If she was so naïve to think that I cared what she thought she looked like. She was very beautiful to me. Everything about her was attractive. From the way she walked, to the way she spoke quiet as a mouse when she was embarrassed; they all made me want her so much.

“You aren’t going for a walk” I can hear my voice echo down the hall as I meet her. I reach out, grabbing the helmet in her hands and yanking it away before she has time to retract. I have to fight hard to keep my lips from curling up into a mischievous smile.

“You-“I push my finger into the breast plate, pushing her back just a little bit. “You-“I say it again, backing her quietly into the door frame. Now the dark smile comes through. “You silly little girl” The words are simple and I step forward and pressing my lips to hers one good time. I don’t pull away. Instead I thread my fingers through hers, pressing her hands to the wall. I only pull away once I’ve got her pressed against the wall. I smile up at her. It’s very easy to see that she could pull away if she wanted to. If she wanted to push me down onto the ground and run off, then that’s just what was going to happen.

“I don’t want you to ever say that you’re not my type. Do you feel this, Echo?” I lean up again, pushing my lips forcefully on hers a moment before pulling away. “This is you being too much of my type for your own good”

Where was I going to go? I had no idea. I wasn't even sure if I really wanted to go anywhere but at the same time I felt a little bit too turned down to stay either. A bit like I had been turned down for something that, while not being particularly serious, I had almost wanted to be accepted for with open arms.
I guess, for once, I wanted to feel like I wasn't just a child lost in a world of madness. My whole life I had always been looked down at like I was just a child with no real experiences. Splicers had their own words for me that were not exactly the kind of thing you'd repeat but from the very moment she met me, Mira had called me the kind of playful names you'd call a child. 'Dollface' and whatnot.
Was it wrong that I wanted to feel like a woman? Beautiful, graceful, attractive..perhaps even desired to a certain extent.

Apparently those sensations were not for a girl like me though. My experiences in life had not worn on me the way they had on her. I did not have scars to show all of the battles I had been through. The Adam in my body not only made me age somewhat slower but I also did not physically mature as much as a normal person would. It was a bit like I was plagued with a young naive appearance to the point where I truly believed I was that kind of person.
A quiet sigh passes my lips as I head towards the door with uncertainty clouding my mind. It's only when I hear her voice that I turn to look at her, only to find that she's coming towards me at a surprising pace.

Mira's voice sounded almost angry as she approached me and with one swift movement tore the helmet from my hand before I could get a better grip on the metal sphere. My eyes widened in something that was a mix of surprise and uncertainty as she started to push me back with sharp jabs of her finger against my breast plate. After the second time I felt my body come to bump against the wall and I knew there was nowhere left for me to move to.
I was not quite sure to expect from her at this point. In fact I almost expected her to lash out at me for whatever it was I had done wrong.

Then her tone changed and a smile appeared on her face. Before I could truly process the change though I found her lips pressed against mine with an intensity the likes of which I had never thought I would feel. Her hands found mine, her fingers threading through my own, and she brought them up to pin them against the wall at my sides.
When she pulled away I found I could do nothing but look down at her questioningly as my breath had been taken away by her kiss. The words that followed made both a light blush appear on my cheeks but also made a smile spread across my lips, widened only when she leaned in to kiss me yet again with another embrace that took my breath away and made my heart race in my chest.

I curled my fingers down between hers so I could squeeze her hand as I looked down into her eyes silently, looking for nothing but the pure and simple feeling of staring down into the beautiful eyes of the woman I loved. I drew in a slow breath only to sigh dreamily. All doubts that had come into my mind disappeared in all but an instant.
"Maybe one day then huh.. when we're up on the surface perhaps." I whispered to her softly before leaning in to press my forehead to hers, closing my eyes so I could just revel in the warmth of her body.

After a moment or two the three words came to my lips that were constantly moving through my mind whenever I was with my companion. The three words that drove entire books, moving pictures, and magazines.
"I..l-love you, Mira." I murmured as my lips brushed against the tip of her nose.
There was something so wrong yet so right about those words passing my lips. Wrong because I was a Big Sister and Big Sisters were not meant to feel anything but right because I did feel something. I beat all the odds. I was able to fall in love and become loved in a way that no other Big Sister had ever been able to experience.