Chapter Nine

Say hello to a new b***h and... more stuff. Cause I'm just adding a random description.

"What in the hell is this?!"

My head shot up as I heard this raged outburst; Sapphire and I were just walking through the front entrance of the academy with Harmony. Only four people were present in the lobby. The three of us, and another girl... who looked very pissed off, actually.

Sapphire rolled her eyes as we walked towards the girl, who was standing in the center of the room. "Oh shut your mouth, Lizzy." she snapped, sneering a bit on the last word. I stared at the girl out of the corner of my eye as we walked past her... Jesus, who pissed in her cereal?

"It's Elizabeth, you filthy w***e."

I froze in place, and without thinking, I found my fist pummeling towards the girl's face.

"Roxanna!" Sapphire exclaimed, grabbing my arm just before it made contact with the chick. I gasped a little, and shrunk back from Elizabeth. "Don't waste your energy, she's not worth it... trust me," the lightera added, glaring at the girl. I turned my head away, but got a good look at this Elizabeth girl from the corner of my eye.

She was blonde, bleached blonde. Her hair was wavy and cut to her shoulders, with bangs cut just at her eyebrows. A deep sea blue filled her irises, and her cheeks had a pink-ish tone that seemed kinda... permanent. She was also a few inches taller than the two of us, although Sapphire was only about an inch taller than myself. She also wore white. All white. White skimpy shirt (but of course that was what everything looked like here.), white skimpy skirt, white... heels? ...Okay, I understand having a favorite color, but... what the f**k?

"This is most likely a dumb question... but any reason for calling Sapphire a w***e?" I growled the question through gritted teeth; my pulse began to race hotly.

Sapphire's grip tightened around my wrist. "Roxanna, I'm serious. Don't get worked up over her it's no big deal..."

"Oh no, let the little fire breather's blood boil. I'd love to watch as she loses that awful, fiery temper of hers..."

My body had grown tense. I had my fists balled up tightly, and my teeth were clenched so much it had begun to hurt. 

This nasty b***h...

First Sapphire, but now she was bringing that into this?!

I swear I am going to beat her scrawny little...

"That won't be necessary."

A hand grasped my other wrist as this was said... a different voice.

Oh who in their right mind is trying to stop me now?!

As I whipped my head in their direction, both hands quickly released my arms with a harsh "D****t!"

The other person was Sam. He was holding his hand with wide eyes, staring at his palm in confusion. It had turned a bright, strawberry color. Sapphire was doing exactly the same. Elizabeth snickered.

I glanced at each of them, eyes narrowed. "What?"

"...Your arm just got really hot..." Sapphire murmured, her voice shaking slightly. Sam nodded.

"Guess her blood does boil after all..." Elizabeth commented. There was a smug smile across her face.

"Elizabeth, shut it." Sam snapped. "It's not going to help anything."

"Aww but Sammy..." the blonde whined, inching closer to the aquara with those damned puppy dog eyes.

"When did I give you permission to call me that?"

Elizabeth didn't answer. She just clung to his arm. Like a bug. Sapphire cursed under her breath, and grabbed both mine and Harmony's hands quickly.

"We're going now." She growled harshly, and dragged us up the stairs without another word. I glanced back as we reached the classroom entrance, and for that split second, I could've sworn I saw a saddened glint in Sam's eyes.

--

"Kaitlyn!" Sapphire exclaimed, the irritation still obvious in her tone.

There was no response. 

We were standing at the door of the wizard's office. Harmony clung to both of our hands; she had been silent the entire time. Sapphire waited a few more seconds, grunted impatiently, and burst into the room.

"Kaitlyn! It's important!"

I stumbled through the entrance awkwardly as we were dragged through, and I scanned the small office.

There was no sign of the headmaster.

Sapphire let out a loud sigh. "That damned, old, crazy..."

"Calm down, will you?" another voice called from the back.

I turned my head towards the chair behind the desk as I heard this. 

It didn't sound familiar... and it also sounded a little odd. Different. I couldn't even think of how to describe it.

"Where is he?" The lightera questioned the voice.

As she spoke, a small, black cat climbed on top of the wooden desk. It stared at the three of us with it's keen, green eyes, until it opened it's mouth and... "He's busy with other business at the moment."

I stared, dumbfounded.

The cat spoke.

It said f*****g English.

I think I've officially lost it.

Sapphire's eyes narrowed, as she flipped her bangs out of her eyes. "Well, tell him there's some other business! Important business."

The feline shook it's small head, the gold bell jingling on the red collar. Sapphire sighed in frustration. "Just be patient, what do you need?" it meowed, it's voice kind of high and feminine. I guessed it was female... or a very girly male.

In response to the cat's question, the brunette pointed to the aerora between us. Leaning forward, the feline examined Harmony, twitching it's whiskers, then glanced back at Sapphire.

"She was living in the town, Roxie found her." The lightera answered cooly.

"So you brought her back?"

"Well what else were we supposed to do!"

The cat's large eyes glared, and her tail lashed once. "Don't snap so easily, this has never happened before. I want to make sure we're on the same page."

I turned to Sapphire, head tilted. "This is the first time?"

Both the lightera and feline nodded and answered, "We rarely go to the town." Before I could ask why, the cat added, "there's no reason to. It's dangerous for young gaias." 

Her tail swished gently as she sauntered to the other side of the desk, sitting down once again. "Okay, I guess you can tell me how this all happened?"

Harmony and Sapphire both looked at me, and the brunette nudged my arm, urging me to start it off.

I glanced at both of them, sighing. "Well me and Sapphire went to get clothes..."

--

The door clicked shut as I entered my room. Sapphire went to the mess hall, Harmony was staying with the talking cat until Kaitlyn returned... I was alone. 

I sighed deeply, and stepped over to the open window, sitting down on the small black chair in front of it. 

I COULD have gone to dinner with Sapphire... but I just didn't feel up to it. So much s**t happened today.

I rest my arms against the windowpane, and laid my head on them, letting my thoughts race through my head.

All I could think about was Harmony, that Elizabeth b***h, Sapphire and Sam... It wasn't long before I realized I was drifting off. 

Ugh, I didn't think I was this tired.

I closed my eyes and gave in to my exhaustion. Pfft, who needs beds... And once more I let my thoughts swirl aimlessly as I began to doze off.

Until there was a knock at the door.

I flinched, eyes opening resentfully. Who the f**k... whatever. Just go back to sleep. My eyes shut again, and I buried my head in my arms, with all my hair falling over my face.

Another f*****g knock.

I ignored it this time,trying to block it out. Just pretend you're not here and they'll go away. They'll leave... Go away... GTFO...

And then the god damn door was opened. 

What the hell.

Ugh. I don't even care anymore. I'm going to sleep they can f**k off.

I tried to block everything out and try to drift to sleep already... AGAIN.

Then I felt a finger tap my shoulder.

...Whatever.

I ignored whoever was creeping for the hundredth time. I just want to SLEEP.

"Roxie." a voice murmured softly by my ear.

...Roxie? No one calls me Rox-

As I turned my head and opened my eyes slowly, I could make out the blurred figure through my bangs.

Soft chestnut hair.

...Of course.

"Sora?" I said drowsily, lifting my head a little. My bangs still covered my eyes, but I could see his silhouette.

The aerora lifted his hand, and brushed my bangs out of my eyes. I could see a gentle smile painted on his face, his silver gaze rested on me.

"You're sleeping early." he commented, his voice soft like velvet.

I only nodded slightly in response, and my hair fell in my face again.

"You know... you probably shouldn't skip dinner anymore..." Sora brushed my hair back again, and tucked it behind my ear as he said this. "...It could become a habit."

"...Neh... Too tired... Long day... Harmony... Don't feel like it..." I muttered something incoherent, and straightened up a little. Sora laughed softly as I rubbed my eyes and sat up.

"...What?"

"If you're that tired, go back to sleep."

I shook my head. It may be because I'm sleep drunk, but I wanted to stay awake.

"Oh so... you wanna go somewhere?"

"...We're going somewhere?"

"That's why I came here."

"...And where would that be?"

He didn't respond. Sora just held out his hand to me. I stared blankly.

...What did he want me to do with that.

After a few seconds of... nothing... the brunette sighed, took my hand, and pulled me up into a standing position. That soft smile never left his face. I deadpanned.

...How does this kid stay so happy?

"...No really... where are we going."

There was a pause.

"...You'll see."

--

The moonlight spilled over the grass and cobblestone of the campus, giving them a slight hint of blue. It was a full moon, so the whole area was illuminated. No clouds, either.

Sora led me out the door in silence, heading towards the right side of the building. Only the sound of our footsteps on the cobblestone path were head. Each 'click' was like another stab in my brain; I was staring at my hand uneasily.

He was still holding it.

And yet, the aerora still didn't seem to realize my awkward-ness in all it's glory.

...He was more oblivious than I thought.

"We're here." Sora stated, as he stopped in front of the tower that stood at the corner of the academy. I only stared.

"...It's a random tower." I pointed out blankly.

"Yes...?"

"So what... are we gonna kick it or something?"

Sora didn't respond. He just blinked his silver eyes at me.

Guess we're not vandalizing today.

"Don't you know what's in these towers?" he asked.

"There's actually some use in these things?" I kicked the side of the tower lightly.

"Yeahhh... I guess Sapphire didn't tell you. Huh. Thought she would." Sora said, then there was a pause.

"...Well..."

"Well...?"

"WELL, what's in these things?"

"...Oh. Right." the brunette smiled sheepishly. "In each tower, the faeries live in the top."

I looked to the top of the tower we stood at. "All of the faeries?"

Sora shook his head. "Only the aerora, aquara, earthera, and lightera fae... You know... the fiera and darkera are in the highlands..." he explained awkwardly, his sentence trailing off at the end.

"Oh. Alright then. Who's in this one?"

Sora looked at me for a second or two, then turned away and replied, "Azure. The air faerie." Without another word, he started to lead me again... right towards the wall. And before I could say anything, we walked right through the stone space as if it were water. And he still didn't stop walking.

Sora continued to climb up the spiraling stairs through the white corridors.. dragging me along.

"So.. uh... why are we seeing Azure?" I asked, wanting to get the answers out before we made it to the top. There was a strange churning in my stomach that grew worse as we got closer to where the air faerie lay.

It took a few seconds for the aerora to respond. "When a new student is enrolled here, there's a special ceremony. All of the gaias of the new student's element come to watch, and their faerie leads the entire thing."

I had to think that over for a moment. "...So why am I going?!"

Sora took a few more steps, then stopped in front of a white door, turning to me. "You didn't have the opportunity to have a ceremony for yourself... Kaitlyn and Azure both agreed that you should at least be able to experience one at least once."

And with that, he turned again to the door, and we both entered.

The room was small, with all lights shut off. The moonlight dancing on the white stone floor was the only source of light. White vines crawled along the floor and furniture, with small white flowers blooming.

The group of aerora, apparently every one in the academy, crowded in the back where we stood. Might I mention, the group was not fairly large. But in the front of the room, standing as a silhouette in front of the moonlit window, was a different woman. And I would have guessed she was another aerora... if I didn't notice the white wings stretching out at her sides. This was obviously Azure.

Her hair was long and straight, a milky light brown, falling just past her chest. Bangs long and angled, framing her thin face perfectly. The faerie's wings were white and wispy, like clouds, and she wore a small white dress that was slightly torn at the bottom. ...Did I mention how young she looked?!

And then there was Harmony. Standing before the air faerie, in a new dress similar to the one Azure was wearing.

Then I thought of something, something that should have come to mind long before.

"Sora!" I whispered, tugging his shirt sleeve. "Won't the other aerora get, you know... pissed? Cause I am here?!" 

The brunette turned his head, whispering back, "They were already informed, but it's not like they can do anything about it. Don't worry."

I stared back in response, until he flashed a smile and looked forward. Then I noticed Azure had began to speak.

"Hello aerora, I'm happy to see you all here." The faerie's voice was bright and musical, pouring through the small room; it sounded unreal. She stepped down from the low platform she stood on and walked forward, her white heels clicking the stone floor until she stopped in front of Harmony.

The small blonde looked up at Azure, her silver eyes showing some light, compared to the dull color they were before.

"Harmony, there's no need to be afraid any longer. You are safe now." Azure smiled softly, leaned down, and kissed the top of Harmony's head. The group of aerora then crowded around the small blonde... excluding me. 

Sora had stepped forward also, but he turned back to me. I stood against the wall, and smiled uneasily. It would be out of line to join; I'm not one of them.

The brunette held out his hand to me and nodded, as if to say 'it's okay.'

I looked at his hand, as a real smile spread across my face. I placed my hand in his and joined the aerora, who were all smiling and welcoming Harmony.

The ceremony was so short, and so simple. But they were all so happy.

And it was a little saddening to realize... how important little things like this were to all of us.

Author's Note

I had this chapter pretty much written out back in June. I was just too lazy to type it all out. & Today I planned out the whole first book so I FINALLY KNOW WHAT DIRECTION I'LL ALWAYS BE HEADED TOWARDS HAHAHA YES.

Reviews

[Gretchen Clarke]

Aw, why isn't chapter ten posted yet? :(
Awesome book btw! XD LOL
This book pulled me in from the start, just like the other two - can't WAIT to read tenth chapter! :D
Keep the awesomeness up!

[Rayne~Drop.]

YOU POSTED! YAY! ...imma read it now. :3

I love Roxie's temper. So much. And Lizzy's a b***h. Just sayin'. "So what? Are we gonna kick it or something?" "Guess we're not vandilizing today." I love Roxie more if possible. XD

Okay...I love the idea of a ceremony thing. It seems nice. And it's simple, but meaningful. And it was just adorable, so, yeah.

For some reason, I imagine the cat purple. And I don't know why. :3

...That's it, I think so...Yeah.

ADORABLENEESSSSSS!