Snippet #2129009

BGM: Screen

Poke. Poke.

I gave a quiet, unintelligible mumble and shifted slightly, shutting my eyes tightly to keep the sun from breaking between my eyelids. The light hurt. Since when had it gotten so bright? This was exactly why I usually stayed in my tower. The outside was so uncomfortable... Speaking of which, I felt stiff as a board, and cold as ice. I shivered slightly, pulling the mysterious blanket-like object that had been placed over me more tightly around myself, trying in vain to somehow warm myself up. Shifting where I lay against the railing of the crow's nest, I groaned quietly. It was no use. There was nothing comfortable to lie down on, just rough, hard wood.

"Cleo... are you alive? Are you okay?" That voice came from above me. I recognized it, but couldn't place it, my tired thoughts still trying to piece themselves together. But at that moment, I felt a very warm, soft object placed against my shoulder, and instantly, I realized that whatever that was, it was the solution to my current dilemma. If I could just get a bit closer to that warmth, maybe its source would be big enough for me to nestle up against? It would make a good cushion as well as a perfect heater, two things which I desired above all else at the moment. I disregarded the voice, my sleepy mind deeming it unimportant to the current situation and dictating my next course of action.

Slowly, weakly, I rose to a seated position, then flopped forward against something dark that blocked out the rays of the sun. I didn't open my eyes, but I knew instinctively that it was my new pillow. Curling myself up into a small ball, I snuggled up closely to the warm, soft surface before me, pillowing my head against its center whilst wrapping both it and the blanket-thing I had found draped over me when I awakened around myself. Quickly, I found the warmth returning to my body, and I couldn't help but observe how perfectly comfortable the position I was in was. My new bed was very yielding, and shaped so as to be the perfect thing to nestle up against. The wind through the branches above, the waves against the beach, and the cries of the seagulls made for a soothing lullaby, and the rays of the newly risen sun, as well as my new blanket, bathed me in warmth. For a moment, I was perfectly at peace, and was just about to drift off once more into blissful sleep when I thought of something. Wasn't it strange...? It was almost like I was sitting in someone's lap... And... that voice from earlier... Where had it come from? It had been from somewhere right in front of me. Right about where... my... new... cushion was....

BGM: Hane

With a quiet squeak of surprise, I shot backward, my eyes suddenly wide open as I quickly seated myself as far away from the "cushion" as possible. The warmth and color had abruptly returned to my pale cheeks, bringing them to a heat and color that was quite possibly more uncomfortable than their former chill. I raised my hands in an almost placating manner, waving them about frantically as though I was either hailing a passing taxi or trying to ward off each individual light particle that might reflect off of my face and reveal to my "pillow" exactly how embarrassed I was. "Ah! I'm s-sorry! Er, that is, what, ah, I didn't mean to... gah.... uu....!" All at once, I tried to cry out ten different apologies, stammering and babbling quite incoherently with embarrassment and confusion, my face only growing redder with each passing second as my voice trailed off into a wordless, shrill mumble. As I quickly gazed at the person I'd unwittingly sleep-glomped, I gave a quiet gasp of surprise. It was... Eden?! That wasn't possible!

"Eden?! What are you doing here?" I exclaimed, my mind only catching up to the present after I spoke. That was right! I'd gone down to the old ship yesterday, and been taken along with three of my old friends to a new and strange world. Eden was here, too, so there was no point in being surprised. But, I realized with trepidation and embarrassment, that reaction might tip him off to the fact that I actually already knew him. Quick, Cleo, cover your tracks, you fool!

"I thought you were sick!" I added hastily. "A-and... the wood's really rotten in some places! I-it's probably really dangerous for more than one person to be up here!" I squeaked, quickly trying to divert the subject from both my humiliating actions the moment before, and from my rather suspicious comment immediately afterwards. Augh, I was such an idiot! What was I thinking, acting so shamelessly? Not to mention being so totally clueless... I mean, I never said I was a morning person in the least, but still! Even half-asleep, this was a whole new low for me! I'm so stupidstupidstupid!