Sunday, December 28, 2008

Know Thy History: Part 2

Devi smiled “what are you discussing?” She turned to lookat Dante as she spoke to Devi “Educating my dear brother on history and other common things..” Dante nodded slowly, his eyes flickering towards Devi a moment before returning to her own. His eyes danced between her and the bookas he reached forward and slide the book back to himself treating it with more respect and care then the prior few. Already seeing the cover flipped for him his finger drops slowly to the first word of the first paragraph and traced along the words, slower than before.. observing it’s meanings, lessons, and methods. His eyes grew and shifted between small darker hazes to larger glows from the desk lamps occassional twitch of presence.

Devi raised an eyebrow “interesting.. you deem the Book of Five Rings to be history?” she frowned slightly “it still breathes.” She listened to her sisters words as she watched him read “The dance, the strategy, the dual, its all covered, and he relates it to nature as you read, the ground, the water, the fire, the wind..” she broke off and turned to Devi.. ” We have already discussed the Civil war, World War 1, World War 2, the Kennedy Assassination and the Alamo.” Devi sighed and shook her head “Did you touch on poetry, music, the renissance, art, literature, my sister? Or did you focus on these topics of strife and warfare alone?”

Dante looked back up to her and to Devi a moment a slick devilish grin hidden behind his mask but easily read upon his eyes. Looking around the library he casually lowered his left hand below the table, creating a small void of swirling shadows as his right hand shuffled the book across the table and tilted it off the edge to fall into the shadows for safe keeping. “I’m sure they won’t notice one bookmissing for awhile?” She turned to Devi and raised an eyebrow “its what I have you for?” she coughed lightly and then looked back to Dante smiling quoting from the book”Strategy is the craft of the warrior. Commanders must enact the craft, and troopers should know this way. There is no warrior i the world today who really understands the way of strategy.” She suddenly frowned as she watched the book disappear into the void , almost wanting to go after it..but she sat back and remained silent form there. Dante snapped his thumb and index finger under the table suddenly closing the void and placed his hands across his lap in a proper manner and winked to her, “it’s a good one, I’ll be taking my time on it.”

Devi grinned as she raised a finger to wave a book gently off a shelf. It descended to the table with a small almost silent thump, “you would probably enjoy Shakespeare’s plays. They also still breath…. Still I am coming from a place of ignorance, why do you wish to know so much about this?” She continued to watch Dante as she nodded to him before looking to Devi wondering what exactly she was going to conjure up “I hope, that tonight has helped you.. you know that there is so much more that you could learn.” Devi continued to ramble on “The taming of the shrew is quite amusing.. and it has timeless quality to it” She couldn’t help but interject and tell Devi..”Just remember dear sister, life can not be danced by the music of poetry and plays.”

Dante silently nodded towards her as his head still swirled within, shadows faintly seen playing around his shoulders whispering quotations and phrases just read within the text. He then changes his glance as he rolls his head to his left shoulder to peer at Devi “I do enjoy the beauty of literature and all of its teachings. This…language.. and all that comes with it. It’s many forms of artistic expression is very new to me. Given my current situation within such a dark place, I do find it necessary and valuable to learn of ways to help the survival of my family and be more insightful of tactics and strategies.” He waved his hand softly across the top of the table to display the volumes he just went through “and these have proved to be rather useful. Given the fact they show and teach old attempts and mindsets of the mortal predecessors.” Devi shrugged “To quote the Great Bard my dear sister.. “All The worlds’ a stage and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts..”

She sighed as she sank into her chair looking across the table to Dante “and here you learn the difference of the nightfire sisters.. the lover” she nodded towards Devi “and the fighter..” she let her arm come to a rest on the side of the chair as she ran her fingers softly under her chin. Devi stared intently at Dante for a moment sensing depths she not only choose not to look into but dared not to, her soul still being mostly of the light, although conflicted as often as not, and tainted by the past and sins she had committed in the name of revenge and family.. “its always wise to learn from the past, but it is also important to study what a society values, its joys and treasures to better understand it’s motivations..and yeah I’m the delicate flower..she is the thorn.” Dante held out one hand “yin” then his other “yang” then placed them together as shadows began to glow brightly at his elapsed hands “you do not need both to maintain existence” he nodded towards the two sisters “you two being opposites as an example.” Devi murmured “I sometimes wonder if our soul split as well as our body to form two wholes.. it’s weird but not in a bad way, this twin thing..”

She smiled as she looked over to her sister “Can I try something?” she turned and looked back to Dante with a wicked glint in her eye before returning to Devi “I want to see how you react when I do.. ” she coughed lightly to cover her word ” I mean..act a certain way.” Devi sighed but stated “go ahead.” Dante had dropped his hands back to the chair’s rest and watched over the sisters falling back into silence. It was at that time they were approached by one of the librarians who asked calmly.. “Is everything ok?” Devi and turned smiling to the lady “Just fine, were discussing history, love, family and Shakespeare.. how are you?” She paid no attention to the librarian or anyone else at that point as she closed her eyes and started to whisper “you can thank my dear brother for teaching me this, but as I have not seen you in so long and we are discussing the separation of souls… ” she raised her hand as her eyes slowly opened shadows flooding over them as they grew darker, in the palm of her hand a small ball of shadows started to form, she maintained the shadows as she looked over to Dante and blew them softly across to him “Dante is not the only one that has learned things” she finally turned her head to look towards her sister noticing the librarian. The librarian inclined her head finally answering Devi’s question ”I am well..”

Devi’s eyes grew wider as she watched the small ball of shadowy substance, her fingers moved in a small pattern forming a protective ward that flared briefly before she turned her attention back to librarian. “uhm, that’s great, can we help you? or something?” Dante’s head fell slightly as he watched her growing shadow play with a comfortable grin hidden behind his mask and his eyes watching completely, he watched it slowly drift across the table as he turned his wrist to face his palm up once more, welcoming the small sphere into his grasp and into his being. His eyes growing darker but maintaining their subtle glow, the close and then open softly was a small nod back across the table towards her. The librarian shook her head “I apologize…” she remained calm as she continued ” Just please respect the rules of the library…”

She relaxed in the chair as she returned to normal, her eyes fading back to heralmost regular purple shade, however still dark as she watches her sisters reaction, she catches a bookout of the corner of her eye and reaches behind her pulling it from the shelf and setting it on the table.. “We are discussing art correct?” she flipped the book open studying the pages before leaving it open and sliding it across the table towards Dante to show a prominent picture of the Mona Lisa.. “what does that tell you?” Devi finally addressed her “what was that.. and why?” her face now set in severe lines. She couldn’t help but smile to Devi “A shadow dear sister.” A confused Devi glared across the table at Dante “Did you just snack on my sister?” Dante keeping his posture and current stature about him to where only his eyes shifted to look down at the picture within the pages.. he murmuredbehind his mask “Logic and mysterious methods can be hidden behind a supposed natural piece of parchment accompanied by drawing utensils?” Devi shook her head as she started to appear shaken and confused “He snacks on her in a library, you aren’t even supposed to eat in here.. and then wants to chat about the Mona Lisa…”

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