Jade's World

Chapter I - Jade

Jade was not an average norn, that knew her breeder, Bianca, since she was born. Jade was different. Why was she a green PMN, not brown like her parents Lilien and Kasimir? No, Jade was green. So she had gotten her name. And she was, unbeknownst, the favourite norn ever of Bianca. There was no smarter norn than Jade. Jade was the most intelligent norn in Terra Nornia. And also the most thoughtful.

Like the most of the norns in Terra Nornia, she  was raised by herself. There were only a few with a real family that stood together. No, most norns had their own life to live.

Jade lived alone most of the time. She had no boyfriend, unlike most of her friends, who always whispered and giggled when the boys passed by. „I have better to do“ so Jade said when her older half-sister Olivia, a brown-white banana norn, asked her to check out the parties in the Great Hall. Maybe she was whispered as egoistic, but her friends respected her wanting for individuality. „Jade is Jade.“

Jade’s hobby was walking. Walking and watching Terra Nornia, which seemed like it changed every minute! She made exciting experiments with snow, grass, flowers, water, even with nuggets of stone from the Terra Nornia caves. Hand often brought her books about science and biology. The best gift she ever got was a microscope. Once Olivia watched when she looked through it at one shape of a crayfish. „Shee... dear sister, you only THINK TOO MUCH!“

„You don’t even know how interesting this is. Want to look through the microscope? I found so exciting things...“

„No, thank you. Why do you do these things? It makes no sense.“

„Maybe in your eyes not. I want to discover the world, and learn things. I want to KNOW the world.“

„Why don’t you enjoy your life prefer? With parties, and kissing and dancing and friendship and such?“ „I easily can’t enjoy a life in a world I don’t know. That’s nuts.“ „Why are we so different? We are sisters.“

„Half-sisters“ Jade corrected. „We have only the same father. My mother is Lilien. She is as curious as me.“

„My mother’s Akelei. She want to enjoy the life, and nothing more.“

„How dumb“

„I don’t know who’s dumber here. Good Shee, do what you want, who cares.“

Jade shook her head. Why nobody understood her?

Chapter II – The answer

Another day Jade sat in the kitchen, watching the fire in the oven. „It’s really confusing...from what how on Terra is this fire?“ she thought. Just then, Hand flew toward her. „Heyho, Jade! Here I’ve something for you! A book about philosophy.“ „Shee bless you! Thanks!“ Hand was really the only friend who understood her thirst for knowledge. „Apropos, may I ask you something?“

„Asking questions is your job in TN, isn’t it?“ said Hand and laughed its unrecognizable laugh.

„What are you?“

Silence.

„Err... Jade...“ stuttered hand, like it was searching for words. Jade changed her face puzzled.

„Jade..... oh yeah! Haven’t you heard of the Great Shee? When they realized that they couldn’t control the entire TN, they brought me here. Satisfied?

No. This norn was never satisfied. „But WHAT are you? Where did you come from? Will you leave Terra Nornia sometime?“

„Girl, I see I must dig really deep. I could ask you, What are you?’ You are a norn, and better, you’re Jade. I’m a Hand, nothing more. I will protect you norns, and never leave Terra Nornia.“

Jade stood still, like being in thoughts. Bianca looked at her, satisfied. „Jade!“ she thought. „My best norn I ever had. Luckily norns are satisfied with this ‚Shee’ story. What would come if they knew the reality? If they would know that I’m...“ Suddenly she stopped, staring at the monitor, staring at what she had done. She had typed all the thoughts into the speech bubble! In front of Jade! Mentally she smacked herself. It was a real terrible sort of habit, typing all her thoughts down to the norns, though they didn’t understand even the half. But Jade... stood there, staring through the monitor directly at her, as Hand. „WHAT?“ she shouted, and ran off.

Chapter III – What the hell’s reality?

Jade ran, her head into the hand, not looking where she was running. Then she stood at the point, fell down on her knees and wept. „It’s all a lie! I knew it! Hand tells us lies!“ But suddenly, she stopped. When Jade would cry, she would not be Jade. Jade was a discoverer. And she would discover the reality! She would break the lies, and free all norns of TN!

Slowly she turned her standing into a meditating position. Meditating was really good for thinking.

„One of my best norns“ Hand had said. So the norns were just the possession of Hand? No, that wasn’t possible. Hand couldn’t control norns... It could protect norns, OK. But it had to follow the laws of the Shee. It was exactly the same a work of the Shee, made for Terra Nornia, wasn’t it?

So she was told.

But the norns who told her this only gave forward what they had learned. Nobody could even doubt the tale of the Shee.

Nobody?

But she had heard it. „Fortunately the norns are satisfied with this ‚Shee’-Story-what would come if they would know the reality? If they would know that I’m...

And then Hand had stopped. That was the proof that It tells her and her friends lies. What the hell was the reality?

Hand had asked a good question: „What am I?“ Jade thought. „Was I born with coincidence, or was it a part of a great plan? The plan with the world? Yes, what is the world? Is it a great stage for norns? Why was the world made? For a good life of us norns, or for a greater, much greater target?“ With that, Jade looked above to the grey-blue sky. „Mystery“ she thought. „It’s only a big mystery. But I will find it out.“ Then, she stood up and wandered to the place where always were find norns: The Great Hall.

Chapter III – Doubts (?)

Meanwhile Jade wandered to the Great Hall, she looked at all closely. The caves, the lift, the tree, the floor of the hall, the sky, the clouds.

„It could all be illusion.“ She thought. „The whole world could be. Even we could be illusion, or at least all norns around me. Maybe I’m just dreaming, and I wake up sooner or later. Or another norn’s dreaming, and when he wakes up, it’s the end of all...“

„Hey Jadie!“ a norn shouted. It was Olivia. „Want to join? We make music. You could manage the guitar...“

„More important things, Olivia.“ Then she shouted through the entire Great Hall: „Norns of TN! I have to meet you all in the white cave near the pond! It’s important!“

Whisperings were heard. „What has she got NOW again?“ „Remember, we’re talking about JADE.“ „Crazy.“ all such things could be heard. „Believe about me what you want!“ Jade interrupted. „But please just COME.“

And they came. With looks on their faces that said. „Well, I’m waiting what comes. Well, I’m really excited.“ Jade could see ironic faces, too. „Maybe I’m insane,“ she thought. „but I have to do it now.“ and began her speech.

The result was discouraging.

„So you think Hand is just playing with us?“ asked Ephraim. „Ha, dumb!“ interrupted Deborah and combed her long blond hair. „It’s just following It’s regulation!“

„But the Hand has also emotions! Cunning, anger, dangerous...“

„Listen to this!“ shouted Laila, a young PM, really clever for her age. „Hand, our protector, who helped us through our evolution, who cares for us, who is always there, is a DANGER for us!“ The entire folk roared with laughter. „And, second, Hand is so a great thing, who knows everything...it don’t need emotions. It knows what’s right and what’s wrong. It always knew it. Admit it, Jade!“ With that, the norns left, leaving her alone. Tears flowed through her face. „They all believe this lie! They’re too lazy to think against their rules!“ But now, it was time to rest. Jade laid down near the pond and fell asleep.

***

„How I could be SUCH an idiot?“ asked Bianca herself, shouting and smacking. „I have told the reality! OK, not. But now Jade is finding it out! How will that end? It will be the end of the world, when...“

But then, she thought again reasonably and had to laugh. „Jade is like Sofie. Yes, like Sofie!“ Sofie Amundsen was the heroine of her favourite book, SOFIE´S WORLD. Bianca was very interested in philosophy, even many of her friends told her she thought too much when she doubted at all of the world. And why not Jade could think the same way? Philosophy was the great thing in world, though. So, why not for norns?

„Let’s wait.“ she murmured „about what will come.“ Then, she turned her attention to Terra Nornia again, clicking the „Quit“ button. „Time to sleep, dear norns.“ she grinned.

***

Chapter IV – A dream comes true

This sleep, Jade had a dream. She was imprisoned in a... golly, whatever it was. It was nothing. Darkness, She walked through this nothing, and left and right were her friends, standing still, with empty looks. Jade walked, watching all this, but suddenly, in front of her, was something she had never ever seen. It grinned terribly, then transformed into a huge hand. The hand catched her...

„LET ME!“ she shouted. But there wasn’t a hand anymore. Luckily she had woken up. With lot’s of sweat in her white hair. It had been a nightmare.

Sighing happily, she stood up and started walking.

It was the same look like everyday. Suddenly, a thought came through her: She had never ever seen the world while the others were sleeping! She didn’t even knew if she and the others were sleeping, they only knew when it was time to rest together, and some hours later they all woke up again, on the place they had chosen.

But what happened between this? The experiment was worth a shot. Jade could just hope that Hand couldn’t read others thoughts.

So she had a day like each other, and when the others said: „Come, Jade, time to sleep.“ „No, I will stay awake. I want to know what happens while sleeping.“

So she stayed. The others slept already, but then a feeling came over her, a feeling not to describe. It was... like shut off. Hand turned into a sandclock...

„I will get you“ Jade whispered weakly. „Whatever you are. I want to be free...“ and then all was darkness.

Chapter 5: About computers

"Goodbye Dad! 'Bye Mum!" Bianca shouted, then sat down in front of the computer. Time to loose some norns ;)

***

Jade woke up with a shock. She was at the same place, the banks of the pond. But she had woken up with a different feeling. She had a clue to reality.

She didn't want to tell the others. Who would believe her? See.

Anyway, now she knew it: Somebody was watching the world. Who, or, golly, what it was, she didn't know. She only knew that she was a victim of... something.

For crying out loud! The only thing she knew was that she knew just NOTHING.

Now it was time for breakfast. She wandered to the cave, where she found a carrot vendor. She pushed it....

CRAAAAASH!!

"My head...what was this? Where am I?" Jade stood up, to find out she wasn't in TN anymore. Carefully she looked around. A table, some chairs, MANY things she had never seen before...

And a computer.

Curious Jade took a step forward.

No. That was just impossible. She was insane. She couldn't believe was she saw on the monitor. OK, she wasn't drunk or blind, but that was easily crazy...She took another step forward. It was really real.

There was her world, and in it, her friends! Small, but present. Olivia was drinking hooch (Hey, she had swearn that she never drunk hooch, ha!) Deborah was walking in the garden, Laila played with a ball, Sascha pushed the piano over and over... Jade waved with the mouse a little, when suddenly a Hand appeared-THAT was Hand? Stop, a computer attachment couldn't have a soul. There must be someone... something to control it. She had read enough about computers to know that.

So this was reality. They all were data in a computer game, imprisoned in a world which wasn't real. Dreadful.. simply dreadful. And why? W H Y? For crying out loud, she again didn't knew.

All of a sudden, the door flew open. Standing in it was a creature she hadn't seen ever before. Or maybe??...It was tall, pale, and a little bigger than herself. OK; there were similar things; Arms, legs, and a head, with a blond mane, small blue eyes, and a grin, which disappeared while looking at the norn. It (ok, so it was a she) shouted: "WHAT...HOW...WHO...WHA..WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!!" The creature ran towards her, and said, in a calming voice: "Jade...Jade, are you real?" "I think." Really crazy, this thing knew her name. "How did you come here?" "I don't know. I pushed a carrot vendor and..." "The black hole bug...I never believe that you norns could ever come here..." Stop, she was talking to a stranger! "Who are you?" Jade asked. "I'm Bianca, a human." Human..Jade had heard this word before. When? "A..Are you Hand?" "Yes, little, I'm Hand." "And what is this?" The norn pointed to the monitor. "That's your world. Your life." "So we are nothing more than data on a computer program?" "Jade, oh no! You norns are more. You have a great soul. "And why did you... humans.. make us?" "Just for curiosity. How you little norns would live. But you have your own life, that's good, isn't it? "On the control of you humans! Just for fun! It's.." Jade fought with tears. "You and your world are so full of peace.. a great thing for us humans." "I always doubted the Shee." "You have found it out. There's no thing like the shee. You're the most thoughtful norn I ever had. You were always my favorite." "And the others thought I'm crazy... can I bring them here, Bianca? They should see I'm not." "OK, come here to the monitor and type."

And Jade typed as Hand: "Norns, come to the carrot vendor in the pond cave. You will soon find out the reality!" The norns were confused, but did so. And when they pushed the carrot vendor, a black hole appeared in Bianca's room, and the norns came.

"Where are we?" they said. "You're on earth, the real world." Jade grinned. "See, I'm not insane!! Tell them please, Bianca. No more lies." Bianca grinned and told.

"So Bianca was always playing with us." Ephraim murmured. "Unbelievable.." Deborah said. "Hand, who protected us..." stuttered Laila. All the norns' eyes were pointed to Bianca. "The lies are over. But I will protect you like I always did. Because you're norns, and I'm Hand." she smiled. "You can choose. You can live in a peaceful world, a world made for you. Not real, but your peaceful world. Or you can live in a world, fleeing of hateful humans, imprisoned in cages for experiments."

All norns chosed the peaceful way and got back through the black hole. Only not Jade. "I want to stay. Terra Nornia isn't a home anymore, Bianca. Only you understood me and my wanting for knowledge..." "And I understand it now, too. You will stay if you want, and discover earth, like Toby Simpson wanted, surely."

***

Jade sat in front of the computer, talking to Joshua as Hand-Joshua, Laila's youngest baby son. Many generations had grown up since the "day of truth" and Jade was now very old, two earth years. She had shrunk, and pieces of white fur were all over her.

But it was good. She, the crazy norn, who wanted to know the world, had broken the lies. She was a heroine. But she didn't wanted to be a heroine, no. She only was a doubter. She wanted to find out the reality. And now it was good at all. Almost.

"It could all be illusion" Jade murmured, grinning. "Bibble?" Joshua asked. Dumb, she had typed it out. "Joshua push food" she typed.

It could all be illusion...

END

Comments: Wow. That was a trip. I still don't know how ALL that could get in a head with SUCH a miserable English. Well, I think I wanted to write a story about my favourite norns Deborah, Ephraim, Sascha, Laila, and my absolute favourite JADE. I also wanted to write a story about the great thing philosophy. Last, but not least, I wanted to write a story about myself and my opinion to the world. In this story, truly, I AM Jade. I always doubted the worlds rules, you know. I never really believe what people tell me about the world. So I write a second Creatures Fanfic, and I'm really proud of it. Anyway, feel like always free to e-mail and comment: BiancaTangermann@web.de