Cleaning House (OPEN to all)

[Gar]

(The following post is a collaborative of GM Mike and Ni)

Ni was stirred from her sleep by sounds that seemed to be coming from the bathing berth. She rolled over and checked the time on her data pad, discovering that it was much too early in the morning for anyone to be waking for meditation. Then she glanced across the room and noticed that Zay was not in her bed. 

The Zeltron immediately felt a sinking, uncertain feeling. Her exhaustion was quickly replaced by worry as she rolled from her bunk and slowly made her way to the bathing berth. She found the door closed with a slit of light peeking out under it. Strange noises emanated from within, not the noises of someone washing. Ni knocked and said tentatively, "Uh...hello? Are you in there, Zay?" 

Then Ni realized, as she tried the door, that it was not locked. "Hey, Im coming in...?" she called out at the door, waiting a moment for any word of objection before entering the bathroom. 

She saw Zay frantically cleaning the floor. Much of the berth already appeared cleaner than it ever had been. Zay glanced up with tears in her eyes, “He will be home soon!” she said then turned back to scrubbing the floor with a large brush. Her clothes were torn from the all-night cleaning. She repeated as she scrubbed, “he will be home soon and this place has to be clean."

Ni could only stare in shock for a moment as she beheld the bizarre scene. A mixture of pity, anger, and despair flooded her senses. She dropped down in front of Zay and gently took the scrub brush from her friend's hands, telling her with restrained ferocity, "Damn him, Zay! And Damn his demands." She threw the brush away, causing it to sail out of the bathroom and ricochet loudly down the corridor.

Ni gathered Zay's hands into her own. "He can't touch you, Zay," she said fervently, staring into her friend's eyes intently, "He wouldn't dare. I'd drop him faster than he could raise a finger."

[Akirapryde]

(OOC: For Continuity of the Game. This Thread takes place during the trip from Avalon to Coruscant.)

"No" she said shaking her head. "You will see, he will always come home." She looked up with fear in her eyes. Zay's hair was in disarray as she looked in to Ni's eyes. Her eyes were red with tears, "No matter how many times I prayed, he always came home."

She crawled across the floor and grabbed a towel and dumped it in the soapy water, "Help me" she begged. "He will be so mad if this place isn't cleaned."

She took the towel and started to scrubbed the metal floor with all her might. "We have to clean up this place....."

[Gar]

Ni was at a loss, she felt completely helpless. How could she reach her? How would she understand? Even if she could bring Zay the corpse of Merrick himself, she doubted that it would make any difference. But then she had an idea.

"He put me in charge of cleaning tonight, remember?" Ni insisted, crawling forward to gently peel the towel away from Zay's hands and cast it aside. "You won't be at fault. I'll have everything spotless by morning. But you need to get some rest."

(Bluff 33)

[Akirapryde]

Zag was lost in her fear induced delusion. "He left you in charge?!" She half questioned and half stated. Her eyes grew big as she realized who was talking. "Rella?" Said in such sadness. She coiled her arms around Ni's neck, "I have missed you so much. Once more Ni felt moisture from tears down her back. "It's been so long and I have tried so hard," she started to sob, "I tried so hard to be good." Her body went limp as she sob holding on to Ni like she was the only thing between life and death.

[Gar]

"You've always been good," Ni answered softly, embracing Zay tightly and protectively, "but people like Merrick are blind to such things. They wouldn't know Good even if it hit them upside the head."

The Zeltron sat back and pulled Zay into her lap to cradle her tenderly, rocking her back and forth. "I know you've tried hard, but you don't have to try anymore," Ni whispered in her friend's ear, "I'll take care of everything..." Ni began to hum Zay's lullaby as she continued to rock her friend in her lap.

[Akirapryde]

Zag allowed her self to be moved, "Rella, I really tried. I did everything." She said softly as her delusional state started to subside, "I missed you so much..."

[Gar]

Ni continued to cradle Zay closely as she rocked her, humming the melody that Zay had shared before. She rested her cheek lightly on the clone's head and her eyelids drifted shut. Taking Zay under her wing was by far the most difficult, most very-not-fun thing that Ni had ever done, and it only got worse as time passed. She tried to remind herself to be patient but she was not a patient person. She was gradually losing hope in her ability to help Zay, especially during times like this. Even if it was hopeless though, she couldnt stop trying. She was terrified of letting her down.

[Akirapryde]

With the wave of panic induced delusion past, Zay calmed down and realized where she was. She felt that familiar discomfort of being touched. But there was something else, she felt safe in these arms. "Thank you," she utter then added "Ni"

After a moment of silence she continued, "I had a dream that I opened the ramp and he had come home," Her voice trembled as she spoke. "You are so strong. I don't know why I fear him so much. I know you will protect me, but I still fear him. He haunts my dreams and I can still feel his touch. There are times when it feels like if I dare to look over my shoulder he would be standing there."

She looked up to Ni, "I want to be strong like you."

[Gar]

Ni breathed a sigh of relief when it was apparent that Zay's disoriented state had passed. When her friend called her by her name for the first time, without using titles, she felt the same unidentified feeling push into her chest. Ni didn't know how to answer Zay, all she could do for the moment was gently wipe Zay's tears from her face and smooth down her disheveled hair with one hand.

'I'm not strong,' Ni wanted to confide in her, 'he haunts me, too. I think I am over what happened, but then it all comes back again, uninvited. I understand a little of what you are feeling...' But she knew she couldn't be honest about that. That would only cause more distress.

There was a long period of pensive silence before the Zeltron found her voice again. "You are already strong, Zay. Just look at all you have survived," she said softly, returning Zay's gaze, "And you will only become stronger. Right now you just need to focus on yourself and your own needs. The rest can wait."

[Jaden_Starchaser]

Jaden was not awoken from his slumber by the loud clanging of the brush, but by the most powerful thing in the galaxy: a full bladder needing to be emptied. He got out of his bunk and shuffled to it only to find Ni cradling Zay and speaking to her. "Umm..."