How do I even title. Sorry. I think it sounds cool maybe but idek no it doesn't omg sorry
Griffin
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So I'm super sorry for how long it's taken to get the plot rolling. Life is a soul-sucking butt. BUT LOOK A DECENTLY-LONG POST THAT PRETTY MUCH DOES NOTHING oh my goodness, I'm sorry. I hope you... mildly enjoy it at least. Love you guys.
★☽★☾★☽★☾★☽★☾★☽★☾★
Dawn had yet to break when we boarded the plane after two hours of waiting. Most of the club members dozed off in the terminal, using one another as convenient—though not very comfortable—pillows. I sat alone on the other side for at least three-fourths of the time, flipping through the notebook I always carried—and always kept hidden—before Akira took the seat beside me. We chatted a bit, but it was too early for anything serious.
When we boarded, I instinctively took the seat beside her. She did not seem to mind. And after no more than half an hour, she had fallen asleep. I took the opportunity to once more peruse my notebook.
Its purpose varied. I had had the object for as long as I could remember, and its original use had been as a journal. The words had faded and their script was nearly illegible, but there was a sort of raw emotion that still radiated from the short entries.
Since I joined the Mythological Creatures Club, it had a very different use, one that I would never share. In it, I documented the relations, real and imagined, between each member. It was what some would call a “guilty pleasure,” and I certainly felt shame for partaking in it.
According to “Tumblr”—which did not involve any gymnastics, much to my surprise—my hobby was called “shipping” despite the lack of transportation involved. Internet terms still greatly confused me. Even so, my graphs were neat and my connections clear. In my opinion, each “ship” was perfect. If only the others could see how I did.
But that really was not important at the moment. Surely I could convince them at a later time.
Across the aisle, Karin caught my eye. Much to my digression, I realized I had not said a word to her since our boarding.
“How are you, Griffin?” she asked, polite as usual. Though it may have just been me, she seemed a bit paler than normal. “I guess you’re not uncomfortable with flying, huh?”
Crushed between my body and the seat, my wings shifted under my long coat. “No, flying is fine.”
Under her breath, she said, “You’re lucky,” as she turned her face away.
“What is wrong, Karin?”
Startled, her eyes flickered to me, pupils dilated. “What?”
Leaning slightly over the armrest, I murmured. “You seem very nervous—more so than normal.”
She laughed, the sound sharp and forced. “You noticed?”
“You are not hiding it.” With a sudden frown, she made it clear that she had, in fact, been trying to hide. “Or you are not hiding it well enough.”
Nodding, she sighed. “I can’t help but remember what happened... what, over a year ago? I—” She choked on her words. “I still have nightmares. Sometimes.”
I laid a hand over hers, stretching across the feet of empty space between us to do so. “Do not worry, Karin. This flight will be fine. It will be over soon. Besides, we know more about XL than we had ever dreamt. If they decide to attack again, they will be the fools, not us.”
An appreciative smile graced her lips. “ Yeah. Yeah, you’re right. Thanks, Griffin.”
“It is my pleasure.”
With a sleepy smile, she drew her hand from under mine, and within a few minutes, she had fallen asleep. I felt inclined to do the same, but at the same time, I was too alert to even dream of sleeping. My mind ran rampant.
What if this was a trap? Was this “Charlie” even Akira’s brother, or was that some implanted memory courtesy of XL? Were they going to ambush us again?
I could not sleep. Not like this. Not even my sleepless nights of late could induce me to taking a nap.
Instead, I took to watching the clouds as the plane’s wing sliced cleanly through them. The sky was tinged with a reddish-pink hue as the sun began its ascent, and with a yawn, I admired its magnificence. It was a simple pleasure.
Who are you becoming, a poet like the Mandrake?
I ignored that.
The hours passed like snails. I found myself daydreaming about Cyrus at one point, but when exactly I was unsure.
The day was dark. I do not know why I knew it was daytime, but even though there were lights in the sky, the moon was nowhere to be found. The sun was absent also, and it left an unfathomable emptiness in me.
I sat upon a beach with dark blue sand that coated my hands and feet. From behind me, someone cleared his throat.
“Griffin, swim away. Swim away while you still can.”
“But I can fly, brother,” I said without turning around. I had become a statue. “Why swim when my wings can take me anywhere I wish to go?”
There came footsteps in the sand, crunching down on each individual grain. A small form settled itself beside me. From the corner of my eye, I could distinguish Cyrus’ body, thin and fragile, as if he were still a boy. “Because, brother of mine, the ocean is vast and unknown. The sky has been explored to its extent.”
I frowned. “My wings, brother. I can soar to new heights. I can touch the clouds. I can dance with the stars. These wings cannot help me under the waves.”
He crawled so he sat before me and took my face in his callused hands. “Then hold your breath and pray for hope, Griffin, because where you’re going, you’ll need all the hope you can get.”
The loudspeaker snapped me out of my waking dream, and I was glad for the interruption. “Ladies and gentlemen, we're now approaching Munich where the local time is 09:00. Please remain in your seat with your seatbelt firmly fastened. We will be landing within the next half hour.”
So it began.
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After muffins, a brief discussion, and a bumpy landing, the club gathered in the airport like a cluster of disoriented fledglings, ones whose eyes were half-closed and shadowed.
Akira had received a call from her brother indicating his inconvenient situation. Only once the bitter comments had subsided was the decision made to relax. It seemed to be a foreign concept, but everyone seemed to be in favor.
Our hotel was grand, but it made me, dare I say it, homesick. Grandeur was one thing, but the faulty “comfortable” atmosphere the staff tried too hard to attain was enough to drive one mad. It was a good thing we did not stay there long. However, that in itself brought another challenge: “clubbing.”
‘Sugar’ was the name of the facility. Fluorescent lights poured out from the windows and onto the street, and loud, bass-filled music followed. I did not find it to be sweet, and I hardly believed it would taste as much.
There was a windy line for admission, and those of us who had opted to go experience the night club life begrudgingly took our places.
Violett was one of the few, but she did not share the excitement that radiated from the others. I tapped her on the shoulder. “Are you alright, Violett?”
Shrugging, she offered a glaringly-fake smile. “Sure, Griffin. I’m great. Super-de-dooper. Fantabulous. Why you asking?”
I blinked. “Because you are acting strange.”
“No, I’m not.”
Lifting an eyebrow, I nodded sternly, taking a hold of her trembling shoulder. Her entire body was wracked with minor tremors. “Yes, you are.”
Defeated, she bowed her head and sighed. “Fine. Look, Griffy, don’t tell anyone, but...” She paused, beckoning me with her finger. I leaned down, nearly doubling over, so she could whisper into my ear. “I’m not legally able to go clubbing. I... I thought I could get away with it. But I don’t think I’m ready. I mean, I’m totally cool with dancing and loud music, but lying on this scale? I think I should wait until I’m older.”
“How old are you, Violett?”
She straightened, puffing out her chest. “Fifteen and five-sixths.”
I quickly glanced around to be sure no one was paying attention. No one was. “Stick with me. I will get you in.”
“You’d do that? For me?” Her brows furrowed. “Wait, Griffin, you’ve never been to a club.”
I placed a finger over her lips. “Hush now. Stay close. Griffin will take care of you.”
I believe I effectively disturbed her, for she obliged only after shooting me a look of utter confusion and fear. When we neared the front of the line, I draped an arm over her bared shoulders, earning a slanted stare from Akira. I mouthed the words, “Just go with it,” before stepping up to the bouncer, the other two right by my sides.
His eyes immediately slid to Violett. Jerking his thumb in her direction, he asked me in a voice too deep for any normal man, “How old is she?”
“She is sixteen, which, according to your sign, is old enough to enter.”
“I’m going to need to see your proof of age. All three of you,” he grunted, holding out an open palm.
I flipped my ID from my front pocket. Though it had taken extra effort to attain an authentic American identification, the information was, if not entirely, mostly accurate. He passed it back to me without batting an eye. Akira received the same results.
When it came to Violett, his lips settled into a frown, and he flashed the card back at her. “This is a library card. An expired library card.”
Violett shrugged, offering a charming smile. “I’m afraid that’s all I have on me at the moment, fine sir. I left my purse in the limousine. You see, we were riding from my mansion in Paris, and the ride is so dreadfully long, I decided to take a nap. Naturally, you can understand my carelessness. Right now, the limo is on its way back to London where my very wealthy aunt is partaking in her weekly tea with the queen, so I—” She drifted off once she noticed the deadpan look on the bouncer’s face.
“Does that bullsh*t work on anyone else?”
“I’ve never tried it before, but I figured I’d give it a go,” she said in response, blushing.
“Look, if you’re underage, you’re going to have to leave.”
“No, she is not.” Stepping forth, I stared down at the immense man. “Would you like to discuss this more thoroughly? I have all night.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Listen, punk, I’ve dealt with guys bigger than you who had worse attitudes.”
“I highly doubt that,” I said dejectedly. “You, good sir, should give up before you are in too deep.”
“Stop trying to be a scholar. Look, just take your little friend home, and you can come in. I’m trying to be reasonable.”
A crude idea arrived in my head, and though I typically strayed from drastic measures, I was too full of adrenaline to deny it. “‘Little friend’? Sir, you are mistaken.” With a move I liked to believe was smooth, I swept Violett off her feet and into my arms. Her eyes were wide. I spun her, dipping my face within a few inches of hers, and to the outsider, I hoped it would look like, well... I would rather not say. Either way, her hair flipped up to envelop the two of us, so I assumed one could infer the event, regardless of it actually being... nothing.
Humans were odd.
Returning her to her feet, I briefly met Akira’s expression of disbelief. I winked. It did not help.
Behind me, Ela smacked my shoulder, and into my ear, she hissed, “What the h*ll are you doing, Spike? That’s f*cked up, even for you.”
Through my teeth, I whispered, “Do not fret. I did not do anything, not really.”
Ela was not the only one complaining. I could hear Locke’s furious shouts amidst the meaningless blathering of other patrons.
Apparently, the bouncer either caught my bluff or simply did not care. He smirked. “Guy, if you expect that to convince me of anything, you’re nuts. You’ll have to do more than kiss her if you want admission.” My cheeks flared. It did not help my case.
Then Akira sauntered forward. I had never seen her so empowered. She placed a hand on the man’s burly arm and stared up into his eyes, batting her eyelashes. “You’ve probably dealt with a lot as a big, strong bouncer—”
“Lady, look—”
She placed two fingers on his mouth. To my surprise, he stopped speaking. I thought men of this profession were to be trained against the power of deception. Or... whatever this was.
“—but I can assure you, you’ve never been up against anything like us.” As she spoke, she drew closer to the man until they were but a few centimeters apart.
A fire surged through me, and it wasn’t until Violett let out a strangled, “Ow!” that I realized I’d been gripping her hand. Jealousy did not suit me, I supposed.
The bouncer began to sweat, beads of saline water sliding down his beet red face. “Ma’am, I-I’m not s-supposed to—”
“Shhh,” she whispered, her lips just nanometers from his flushed skin. “Break the rules. A little bit of fun won’t hurt.” With her free hand, she directed us to the entrance. She was a distraction.
And a d*mn good one at that.
“Let us go,” I murmured to Violett, dragging her in. The bouncer did not notice. Soon we were all enveloped by the upbeat tune of a popular German band. People floated around the dance floor, sweating profusely and swaying to the beat.
The instant we entered, the group evaporated, everyone going their separate ways. Violett clung to me, eyes wide.
“You may dance now,” I said, raising my voice above the music. She stared up at me.
“But these people are scary a-and...” in a hushed voice, she added, “Germany. I’ve never met a German before.”
“I am sure you have. I believe there are Germans in our club.”
Her expression went blank. “My life is a lie.”
“You’re welcome, Griffin.” Akira had joined the fray.
“You did not have to be so—” I started as I spun around, but a sharp smack to my cheek cut me off.
Akira looked furious. “What game are you playing? Kissing a minor? What’s wrong with you, Griffin?”
Cupping my cheek and avoiding Violett’s giggling face, I stared at Akira. “I did not actually kiss her. I was trying to get her in. But you, Akira, you were shameless. I have never seen you act that way.” I paused, dropping my hand. “You have never acted like that toward me.”
Eyebrows furrowed, she stepped toward me. “What? Griffin, I—”
At that moment, Violett grew violent and thrust my hand down. “Oh, no, they are not trying to grind up on my man.” I followed her gaze to where Nodin cowered into a wall. There were two girls dancing near him. He seemed bored, Nothing more. Even so, Violett stormed off, leaving Akira and I alone.
She opened her mouth to speak, but I help up a hand. “Tonight is a night of fun and freedom. Let us not ruin it with bickering.”
Nodding, she grinned, taking my hand in hers. “I agree. How about we dance, handsome?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
Together, we waded through the throng of sweaty dancers and drinkers until we were right in the middle of the tide. The music washed over us, and for a minute or two, we just stood there, staring at each other.
The truth dawned on me, something my impulsiveness had refused to allow me to acknowledge.
I did not know how to dance.
Akira seemed to notice this, and taking both of my hands in hers, she led me in a frenzy of flailing motions. Within a few minutes, we were both laughing. At the end of the next song, I forced her to stop.
“Shall we get a beverage?” I offered, shouting.
“Sure,” she agreed, bobbing her head wildly. The gathering of people seemed to have gotten thicker, but we pushed through anyway. The bar was not nearly as crowded as I would have thought, so we slid into two open bar stools and waved over the bartender.
“Yes?” He had a very curly mustache. I almost envied it.
I turned to Akira. “I will have a Pina Colada, sir. And she will have...”
“The same,” she finished, smiling broadly.
“Coming right up,” said the bartender as he finished cleaning out a glass.
Legs crossed, Akira sat her elbows upon her knees and rested her chin in her hands. “Thanks for coming out, Griffin.”
“I am glad to have accompanied you. This is a new experience. I hope I am acceptable.”
“You’re fine as always, dork. Though you could work on your dancing skills.”
I flushed. “Dancing has never been a part of my culture.”
“The Ancient Greeks would beg to differ, I’m sure.”
Gritting my teeth, I looked away. “That is not what I meant.”
She took my chin in one hand and forced me to look her in the eye. “I’ll teach you, Griffin. I may not be the best dancer, but...” Chuckling she dropped her hands. “If I get a few drinks in me, maybe I’ll be the best d*mn dancer you’ve ever seen.”
The bartender cleared his throat. “Here are your drinks. That’ll be twelve euros.”
Akira waved her hand before taking the tall glass. “Just start a tab.” As he walked away, shaking his head, we both gently tapped our glasses together. “Cheers.”
A few drinks later
Twirling her hair, Akira hiccuped as she swirled the remnants of her fifth-or-so drink. My vision had grown fuzzy, and I could have sworn everything was in 3D.
Or was it always that way?
I could no longer tell.
Slamming her glass down—unintentionally I assumed—Akira waved for the bartender, teasing her credit card from her trousers. “Garcon, check please.”
Once the bill was taken care of, Akira took my hand and slid off her stool, wobbling a bit. “Come on, Griffy-poo. Let’s dance like wild animals.”
“Do animals dance often?” I managed to ask, stumbling after her. I had had a few drinks, as well.
She did not answer, but she did not need to. We were in the center of the dance floor. From where we were, I could see Alice and Kateri working their way to where the DJ was stationed, exchanging dance partners ever few seconds. A few other members dotted the crowd, but they were too far away for me to make out.
A new song began. It was fast, and the beat sped up my already-racing heartbeat. I giggled—unabashedly so—and met Akira’s lidded gaze. “Come on, Griffy,” she whispered, pulling me against her. I could feel my cheeks burning. “Let’s dance.”
There was a stereotypical saying always tossed about, something about letting the music be your guide. Since I did not know anything else, I supposed I did just that.
At first, we were completely out of sync, but eventually we found a rhythm, and our bodies moved as one. I found myself... enjoying this dancing. We were laughing. There was nothing overtly sexual about it—not that I could tell. It was just fun.
Then something changed. Akira took my hands and wrapped them around herself. With a smirk, she spun around, making sure that my hands were still around her, and she started to move her body against mine.
I was confused. Even in my... tipsy state, I found myself too stunned to react.
Dare I say I enjoyed it?
Nay. I would not.
Though there was a fiber in me that disagreed, I removed my hands from around Akira, and she immediately straightened, turning to face me.
“I am sorry, but I cannot accept this behavior when you are so intoxicated,” I said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Do not take any offense, please.”
She stared at me. With the lights flashing in every color imaginable, her eyes reflected a rainbow, and that only made her seem more disgruntled. Perhaps that was just me.
Blinking, she shook her head. “No, I’m sorry, Griffin.” She held her head. “I... I don’t know what got into me.”
Before I could reassure her, a form in a cropped top slipped between us. She flipped her hip-length locks in my direction and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Hey, dragon man. Nice face paint, but it isn’t Halloween. But if you want, we could come back to my place and play dress up.”
I was speechless. Luckily, Akira took the opportunity to drag the random, possibly-drunk woman off of me. Her palm struck the stranger’s face, sending her stumbling. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there next to my boyfriend. Must have slipped.”
“You little bi—” she started, but I shook my head.
“No, no. There is no need for that.” Tossing a look over my shoulder, I added, “There is also no need for violence.” Returning to the woman, I said, “Go try to seduce another hopeless young male, would you?”
Shocked, she turned away in a huff, presumably to do as I instructed—or to find someone to beat up the two of us.
“I did not take you to be the jealous type,” I said with a smirk, turning around one final time. By the time I was facing her, she had leapt into my arms, wrapping her arms around my neck where the strange woman had had them, and pressed his lips against mine—hard. I barely managed to wrap my arms around her to prevent her from falling.
“You thought wrong, Wyvern,” she sighed, dropping from my hold. Prodding my chest, she glared up at me. “So don’t be trying to find another woman.”
“I would not dream of it.”
For the remainder of the night, we simply talked and laughed, mingling with others of the club and even meeting a new, odd fellow whose name I quickly forgot. I believed it began with an ‘E’.
It was a new experience, one I was glad to have experienced with Akira and the rest of my friends—no, my family.
By the time we got back to the hotel, I could scarcely feel my feet, and my mind had become a stew of random trains of thought. But it was worth it.
Even though I still could not dance.
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SO THAT'S ALL. I KNOW IT... KINDA... SUCKED... BUT IT'S SOMETHING
Sorry that it isn't my best work. I've been absent from my writing duties—from most writing—for far too long, but I'm hoping to fix that (even though I'll be without my laptop for like six fricking days omg).
Comments and hate mail are appreciated ;) I love you guys, and I really hope we get a lot of posts soon! THE MCC IS NOT DEAD.
Peace and love. <3
