Don't Fear the Reaper: Part 3
When the young mare awoke, she saw nothing but white. Not like a bright light, just a very clean and sterile white, all over everything. Trisha lifted her head off of the pillow and looked around; she didn't remember falling asleep here...this was odd...
She sat up and rubbed her head, she had a slight headache. She looked around, her room was pure white, and even the furniture was pure white! She stood up and felt different, not a bad different, just a kind of different...she felt rested, she felt free...she felt like she had just slept after not sleeping in years! She felt alive...
She smiled, overwhelmed by this ever-growing sense of freedom! She spun around on her heels in the middle of her room, bringing her circled arms up in a pirouette over her head. She had learned ballet when she was just a foal, and she hadn't practiced in ages, Marty thought it was a pathetic act and punished her every time he caught her doing it. Eventually she stopped, but it had almost become a habit for her to dance when she was in the right mood and things were looking up. So she danced, she bounced gracefully on the tips of her toes, twirling, jumping, bending, she looked like an angel in motion...
"Meravigliosa mia bella!" a familiar deep voice came from the far corner of the room. Trisha jumped slightly and turned around! There stood Scarecrow, clapping at the performance. "Encore Madonna!"
"You know, it's the height of rudeness to enter a lady's chambers without her knowing," she said and smiled, putting her arms by her sides. Scarecrow chuckled lightly. "How'd you get in here anyway?"
"Now you see me?" he put his arms out, presenting himself, and then he reached up and slapped a button under his coat. He shimmered for a second then vanished! "Now you don't! I could be here...I could be there...I could be anywhere! I'm a ghost! A spirit! I am all places and I am nowhere..."
As he rambled on, Trisha yawned and walked into the stark white bathroom. She looked around; there were the usual toiletries on the sink, soap, towels, etc. It was a pretty average bathroom! Scarecrow finally realized that she was no longer listening to his rant, and he walked up to the bathroom door and leaned against the frame. Trisha got toothpaste and ripped the plastic from a fresh toothbrush. She brushed her teeth, a luxury she'd had to beg for when she was with Marty. Trisha turned around and looked at Scarecrow, the toothbrush hanging from the corner of her lips. He looked back at her, motionless.
"Do you mind?" she asked, annoyed. Scarecrow looked at her confused.
"No, not at all. Why would I care if you brush your teeth?" he chuckled. Her brow furrowed and she raised an eyebrow.
"Are you serious?" she asked. Scarecrow looked at her and cocked his head, one of the crosshairs in his eye-panels spinning for a moment then stopping. "I would like my privacy, is what I'm trying to say..."
"Oh! Of course! I'll uh...I'll be here when you get out, I guess," he mumbled and stepped back from the door. Trisha closed it and walked back to the mirror.
Trisha pondered as well. "Was he serious? He must have been just being a dick, there's no way he could be that out of touch..."
Outside, Scarecrow sat down on the bed. He pondered.
"Is there something I'm missing with this situation?" he thought to himself. "Was it wise bringing her here? Well...what could be the harm? Oh well, save this conversation for another day, another time..."
He finished as she walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her otherwise naked body.
"How do you turn on the shower?" she asked before he could even stand.
"Oh! Here, I'll show you," he said and stood up, walking past her into the bathroom. He slipped past her smoothly, walked into the bathroom and pulled back the shower curtain. In the shower there was a small metal panel on the wall where the two hot and cold nozzles should have been. He put his finger on the center of the panel, and two symbols illuminated: a red H and a blue C. Then the nozzle began spraying water. Trisha was impressed.
"Bravo, now if you don't mind?" She said and looked over at him. She was very tall for a horse of her age, almost as tall as Scarecrow! A small bit shorter, but still tall nonetheless. Scarecrow was used to people having to look up at him, even his superiors! This was a new experience for him, being able to look someone in the eyes without having to strain his neck looking down on them.
"Didn't you already brush your teeth?" Scarecrow asked, looking at her. Her eyes widened.
"You've got to be kidding me...do you have any idea what privacy is?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.
"Privacy: The state of being free from intrusion or disturbance in one's private life or affairs," Scarecrow said quickly. "What's your point darlin'?
Trisha laughed wholeheartedly at the literally textbook definition. When she finished, she looked up to Scarecrow who was obviously completely befuddled by this reaction.
"What? You really don't know?" she asked. Scarecrow remained befuddled. Trisha chuckled again and thought to herself. "Wow...he's like a child! He really doesn't know how to act around other people at all!"
"Have I done something funny?" Scarecrow asked monotonously. Trisha stopped smiling immediately, not wishing to irritate him.
"Um no! No, I just find it funny that you've never learned the whole privacy thing! It's a pretty common thing where I come from," Trisha explained. Scarecrow cocked his head the other direction.
"I didn't think Marty had manners..." Scarecrow muttered to himself. Trisha laughed.
"He doesn't, believe me...but..." she started. She was going to try and experiment with something really quick... "What would you do if I did...this...?"
She said and released the towel around her body, letting it fall to the floor. Her nipples perked up at the cool air across her body and a small shiver skirted through her shoulders as goosebumps made their way across her skin. Scarecrow's crosshairs widened and he leapt to grab the towel from the floor. He slung it around her shoulders and tried his best to cover her up!
"Now...why did you do that?" she asked.
"Because you were naked," Scarecrow responded with an obvious "duh" in his gravelly voice.
"But why did that matter to you?" she asked again, wrapping the towel around herself to please Scarecrow. "If you don't fully understand privacy, then why would it matter to you if I was naked?"
"Isn't that what you wanted me to do?" he asked. Trisha was completely taken aback. He had only done that because she had expected him to?
"Ok...ok ok ok, ready? Here's another experiment," she said. "React only how YOU want to, I'm expecting any reaction you give."
She dropped the towel again. This time Scarecrow did the same thing, catching it as it fell and wrapping it around her.
"Now...why did you do THAT?" she asked. Scarecrow's crosshairs spun irregularly.
"I...didn't want you to be cold again," he said, remembering how she shivered and got goosebumps the last time she revealed herself.
"Wha...really?" Trisha asked. "You just didn't want me to be cold again?"
Scarecrow nodded once.
"Aww! That's one of the cutest things I've ever heard!" Trisha said and hugged him tightly. Scarecrow made a noise that even he was surprised he made! It was a quiet grunt, but much softer then his usual tone...much gentler. As soon as Trisha stopped hugging him, she said: "Well then, since you don't mind, I'd like to take my shower now?"
"Right..." Scarecrow said and walked out, going over to the bed and sitting on it. He was completely lost...
How could he have reacted to that? Did he do it right? Was that a success? Or a failure? He never failed...not one mission...does this mean he is losing his touch? What does he do in this situation? Why is he referring to himself in the third person?
"Hello?" when he snapped out of his trance, Trisha was standing over him snapping her fingers in his face. He looked over at the clock, he had been thinking for an hour straight! Trisha had decided to take an extra long shower to help her calm down, and Scarecrow had thought straight through it! "Are you ok big guy?"
"Peachy! How was your privacy?" Scarecrow asked. Trisha rolled her eyes.
"Very funny smartass," she said and turned around towards her dresser. "So I take it have a whole new wardrobe to work with now?"
She opened the drawer and saw a whole new array of pure white garments. They weren't especially normal either! They were rather unique, consisting of multiple garments that could be used with others for customization. Sashes, belts, shirts, bras, panties, thongs, stockings, pants, scarves, hand-gloves, arm-gloves, etc. Everything Trisha needed or ever would need in the future!
"So...did I fail?" Scarecrow asked from the bed. Trisha turned around and faced him.
"What do you mean? Fail where?" she asked.
"In the bathroom. Your tests, did I fail them?" he asked. Trisha walked closer to the bed.
"There was no success or failure in those tests," she smiled. "But if I was grading, you would have gotten an A-plus!"
"That's good?" Scarecrow stood up and walked towards the door.
"That's very good!" Trisha said and smiled. "Hey, Scarecrow? I was thinking in the shower...could I ask you a question?"
"Sure?" Scarecrow said and turned around, but as he did, he was met by the desk lamp from the dresser crashing into his face! He immediately spun with the momentum of the strike and swung his leg underneath Trisha's, sweeping her legs from under her. She fell to the ground and Scarecrow lunged downwards, a long blade sliding forth from his sleeve and rushing towards Trisha's throat!
"SCARECROW!" Trisha screamed and she felt the cold metal against her neck. I've gone too far, she thought...I'm dead...
Scarecrow was looking at her, trying to decipher what her motives were and whether or not he should kill her. Then Trisha smiled...
"Teach me to fight like you do..." she asked. Scarecrow cocked his head.
"You hit me with a lamp to ask if I could teach you to fight?" he asked, humor lacing his voice. Trisha nodded and smiled. "I don't teach for free. What do I get for my time?"
She leaned up and pressed her lips against the mask's skeletal mouth. Her warm, soft tongue slid over his cheeks and she moaned ever so softly.
"I'll teach you how to respond to that..." she said as her tongue returned to her. Scarecrow was absolutely flabbergasted....
"Deal."