TANALYA GREENEWOD: World 10

Twelve

Sleep

It felt suddenly more precious to her than any other thing at that point.

Yet, it was the one thing her body wasn't doing.

"I thought you said you were about to pass out," Jokx stated with a smirk and she groaned, sitting up.

"I am! I swear, I am, I'm too tired to sleep right now," Jokx laughed.

"Is that even a thing?" She pouted and patted her lap, and Bish climbed on her lying down on her lap.

"Jokx, I have questions," She stated and he sighed in a knowing way.

"Okay... well I have questions too," He stated, "But I'm ready. I'll answer what I can,"

"Okay, for starters... who is the Neon lady?" She asked stroking Bish repeatedly, and cocking her head, "And meetings? What does that mean...?" Jokx tensed then sighed.

"Neon is the head in charge of this town's SPL base," Tanalya furrowed her brows at the reply.

"Wait, there are other bases?" Jokx chuckled, amused.

"Did you really think there'd be only one?" He asked and she pouted at her stupidity, "There are over a thousand bases, though three of them stand at the top... they are the first SPL bases ever created. Ours is one, and Neon is a descendant of the founder," Tanalya sucked on her lip.

"That makes sense... I mean considering you can't ship a Special from the other side of the world to the base... and honestly, I don't think they'd fit," Jokx chuckled.

"Yeah, it would be kind of cramped," She smiled small, and sighed

"What about the meetings," She mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"Oh... the whole point of doing all these training is to get contact with the Wrier, even if it's just once," Tanalya's eyes widened and then held Bish tighter, her hands beginning to shake.

"And when that's happened?" She mumbled and Jokx raised a brow.

"Well, then things would get really serious... At that point you would be under lock and key. You'll also probably be made to work twice as hard as ever. You become more valuable and we'll probably be separated from each other," He paused, "Also... there'd be a lot of important people that would like to meet you,"

"That sounds... tight," She sighed, "I don't... I don't think I want all this to get more intense. I'll rather go back to when I was barely valuable to you all and we were just random friends," She smiled, "That felt better." Jokx stared at her for a moment and then bit his lip.

"And you? I have questions too," Tanalya raised a brow and laughed.

"There isn't much to learn about me, though but... okay?"

"Why'd you run away," She froze and then ran a hand through her hair then laid back on her bed staring into space

"That's a lot of reasons,"

"Well we got till you fall asleep," Jokx lay down beside her and the two looked at each other, "So?" She let out an exasperated sigh as Bish climbed into the spot between them.

"My mother was quite a strain on me." Tanalya sucked on her lip, "After my dad died, money became her next best thing. It was like her way of coping. My whole life I thought if I loved her nonetheless, it would be alright. I thought eventually she would notice me," Tanalya put her hands over her eyes, "And she did... only like as potential money making machine," She rubbed her eyes, "Of course, I thought I was helping by quietly listening to everything she asked me to do, but I got sick of it." She laughed, "Could you believe I've never tasted pizza till I ran away," Jokx blinked.

"It was that bad?"

"Yes. She kept me slim and dainty, and she over pampered me, trying to make sure my 'looks' don't go to waste," Tanalya shuddered, "At certain points my days were covered with nothing but hair appointments and skincare operations. Heck, as I grew older, she wanted me to get surgery," Jokx burst out laughing and she raised a brow while he tried to stop laughing. She smiled nonetheless. The aura she'd felt from him was easing up. His danger levels were diminishing. She liked him like this. She felt it was only with her he was this comfortable. It was like a secret and sacred treasure she had to protect.

"S—sorry," He smiled, "Your mother is quite something,"

"Yeah, everyone told me how great she was and I was like 'you don't know anything but okay'. Damn it was tiring. Girls my age treated me weird and lots of people I would have gotten along with thought I was a bully," She sweat dropped, "They were the worst moments of my life. But I had friends... even though they weren't real friends, ha-ha," She smiled sadly, "Anyway, I ran off once with a boy who'd I started dating when I was thirteen and that was the biggest mistake ever. Mum homeschooled me and didn't let me have any friends after... until college though," Jokx tried to contain his amusement but then burst out laughing again, "It was torture in my house," Jokx went quiet and looked at her sad green eyes. With her hair scattered across the bed she seemed a bit more relieved than he'd ever seen her, "I got sick and cried a lot. When I was old enough to run, I took my chance," She sucked on her lip, "Sometimes I wonder what I am to mother though," She sighed and closed her eyes. Jokx sat up to study her face better and then picked Bish up

"I had a mother too," Jokx mumbled, and she opened her eyes, confused, "She would hit me all the time though. I took after my dad in so many ways and it simply irked her," He wasn't sure why he was saying this but, he was, "She's dead now... and I still love her... I still miss her," Tanalya's eyes widened and Jokx laughed, "Yeah, sounds crazy, but..." He gave her the peace sign, "If I have someone I wouldn't be lonely, now would i?" She blinked, "You should be glad that you have someone out there. Most of us don't anymore," He chuckled, "When you lose someone you cared about... someone you were getting used to... that feeling is like... emptiness," She sat up, "You wouldn't get it though... considering you are still alright,"

"Something is wrong right?" She asked and he shrugged.

"It is mum's death day today," She felt a chill run down her spine. She wasn't sure what he was feeling, but there was relief around him and a smile on his face. He was cheerful compared to the other days they spent together. She had no idea what was running through his mind. But he seemed okay. She bit her lip feeling bad about making him remember that, "Don't blame yourself though, Tal,"

"Tal?" He shrugged.

"Don't you think it's a more appropriate nickname? Your initials don't really add up nicely,"

"Yeah, but somehow 'Jokx' does," He chuckled.

"That's true, you haven't ever said my name... do you still not know it," Her face went red.

"Hey, I'm not so dumb," Jokx cocked his head while she stared at her hands, "Jeremiah," For the 9th time that evening, Jokx burst out laughing.

"Why are you all red?" She covered her face.

"No, I'm not!"

"Looks like you are though..."

"I'm not!" Jokx gestured for her to lie down.

"You have to rest up for that party tomorrow," Her eyes twitched,

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I'm not going!"

"You said you would so you are,"

"That was only to get you out of killer mode!"

"And it worked, thank you," He folded his arms and Bish looked at her in a way that said she was saying the same thing, "Now sleep,"

"Fine, mom," She eye rolled and lied back on her bed, closing her eyes and gesturing for Bish to jump into her arms for comfort.

"Tal," She peeked an eye open and he leaned in close to her, before pausing and retracting himself, "Night," She cocked her head and then dragged him down to the bed, forcing his arm around her.

"Yeah, if I'm sleeping, you are too," She stated and intertwined their fingers, "Damn, it's quite..." She yawned and trailed off, "Cold,"

The two lay there in the cold of the night, ignoring the blanket beside them. Jokx smiled at his friend's stubbornness before patting her head. He breathed in sharply as his eyes sparkled in realization.

They were friends.