And now I feel like doing first person…ok, what the heck? Imma do it.
*}*Ariana*}*
I sighed in relief when Emiko accepted my apology, but I still needed to talk to Aisling and Puck. My heart hurt just thinking about it, and I needed to make it go away. My curse has made the option of a normal life impossible.
A girl walked into the room and introduced herself as Mari, and she was clearly older than she looked. Two young shamans walked in after her. One had shades propped up on messy midnight blue hair, eyes that were such a dark blue they appeared black, and didn’t look happy. “I’m Nino,” he said tonelessly to Rina.
“Matsu,” the other shaman said politely. His tanned skin contrasted against his pure white hair and yellow eyes, with a tattoo that seemed to cut his face in half.
Fine. Ignore Christian and me, why don’t you? A bang jolted me out of my seat and I would’ve landed face first if Christian hadn’t caught me.
“Something happened Christian,” I whispered rapidly, “this isn’t demonic, but something’s really, really wrong.” I had never experienced this in my life and the fright grew restless inside me. Christian gave me a gentle squeeze to reassure me that he would always be there.
When Ryuu opened the door I gasped in surprise. The sky was colored a strange shade that I hadn’t seen before, the houses, the trees, they were all gone. We were in a barren No Man’s Land—we were in another dimension!
I pulled out a protection charm and started whispering a chant. Everyone needed to be protected until we could figure out a way to get back to our world.
Speaking of, I had a feeling that I was going to be late to the shrine.
“Things have certainly gotten more interesting,” Christian commented with a laugh, watching Ryuu, Puck, and another Tarot Spirit fight a…fallen angel?
I glanced at the fallen angel, a good-looking young man with crimson hair and ebony eyes. I kept feeling this strange connection between him and Emiko…
“I’m Kuro,” the fallen angel said.
Nino was holding his spirit gun like he wanted to shoot him. “Ok, so what are you?”
“Well, can’t I know everyone else’s names first? It’s only common courtesy, if that’s still used anymore.”
Hmm, a fallen angel with a sense of humor. Christian was right, things have gotten more interesting.
“I’m Ryuu, this is Mari, Kaki—” hold on, when did that guy get here? “—Puck, Brant, Rina, Nino, Matsu, and Emiko.”
Oi! What am I, chopped demon? (Sorry Christian.)
“…asking me questions,” Kuro was saying. “By all means, ask away, I really have nothing to hide.”
“So what are you?” Aisling asked.
“I’m a fallen angel.”
Rina went next, “How are you a fallen angel?”
“I had my wings ripped out because I did something you’re not supposed to do.”
“Kuro,” my demon butler spoke, drawing all attention to him. “Forgive me, but you, along with Nino, Matsu, and Miss Mari, haven’t been introduced to everyone yet.” Nino and Matsu’s eyes widened. “I’m Christian Everleigh, butler to Ariana Roseanne, priestess in training.” He gestured to me I smiled at Kuro.
Why people seemed angry with him I didn’t understand. As a priestess, you needed to be open-minded to various species. If only the same was true for others. Of course, he did (indirectly) send us to another dimension…
Nino was out of his seat and had his spirit gun aimed directly at Christian. Christian, my butler, my protector…darkness passed over my eyes like a sheet for an instant. Christian was the one thing going through my mind. I had to not succumb to my curse so soon; I had to protect Christian.
I stood up, summoned my staff, and swung it in front of my butler, cutting Nino off from him. I looked right at the shaman and glared. “He’s with me.”
Nino’s eyes darted from me to Christian to back again. He looked at Matsu, and the two of them seemed to be having a silent conversation. He still hadn’t lowered his gun.
“Nino,” Matsu said gently, “now’s not the time. And it doesn’t look like he’s going to hurt her.”
Nino gave a minute nod, glared at Christian, and sat down again. I noticed he didn’t put his gun away, but I had to settle for what I got.
I sat back down and looked at Kuro. “If you don’t mind me asking Kuro, what did you do to get your wings ripped out?”
“I tried to become an Arch angel without consent, so they ripped them out,” he said conversationally, as if we were talking about the weather.
Christian and I exchanged a look. We both knew from experience that angels weren’t always angelic. I glanced at Aisling. Her grandmother, Áine, was an Arch angel, right?
“I have a question,” Aisling (speak of the devil) said.
“Go ahead,” Kuro said invitingly, awaiting her question.
I looked at Aisling as she opened her mouth to speak. Would she ask who ripped out his wings? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It can go either way whether or not she did, quite frankly. It’s my last day of summer (NOO!) So I won’t be able to go on as much, but I’ll try as much as I can!
