Zakura Inc.

Chapter 3: In the Messy Room

Balzac was right, by the end of the day the egg had hatched. But I never knew he meant it so literally. It had hatched at exactly midnight, which I think is quite extraordinary because it was new years. What came out of the egg was a black cat with white paws and a white muzzle …and two black demon wings sprouting from it’s back.

The flying was cute, that and it was so immature, making jokes all the time about stupid things. The creature—which I named Solomon—and I could speak through telepathy, and he could speak out anytime he wanted. But I had told him not to because of Keith and my dad, Solomon understood.

That night, I slept with Solomon, cuddled up tight within the sheets he had laid upon me and tucked me in, only to ruffle them up when he crawled under them. I giggled lightly when this happened, and he just snorted and did it again. This itself continued for 5 minuets, then he gave up and went to sleep with me. It felt wonderful to sleep, not that I needed it or anything.

In the morning, I finished up the report on the Acelin house and whole family, then sent it to Angélique, followed by replying to a few other emails in my inbox, none of them from Nerio, unfortunately. When suddenly, the phone rang. And I found this odd since it was six in the morning, and anyone calling now must be from Zakura Inc., but the name on the caller ID read MIMI & NANDA. “Strange,” I mumbled as I picked up the phone. Should I answer it?

“Riri! Pick up the phone!” Keith called from his room, right across the hall from mine. I sighed and pressed TALK.

“Hello, Dougan residence, how my I help you?”

“Is Raina there?” asked a cold male voice. I arched an eyebrow. Who was this guy? Was he one of Kira’s friends trying to prank call me? They could’ve easily gotten my phone number in the white pages, right? But then there was the name on the ID, “Mimi & Nanda.”

“Speaking.” There was a long pause before someone spoke.

“I’d like to arrange a meeting with you in private, Miss Dougan. Will you comply?" I stood there, mulling over the words and the meaning of them. A meeting with a stranger who somehow knew my phone number. “I can come pick you up if you’d like.” And apparently he knows where I live. The word stalker came to mind, then, and I shook my head to clear from the dirty thoughts.

“Sure. But may I ask who I am speaking with?” I rolled my eyes and fell back on my bed. Why didn’t I ask who he was then comply?

“My name’s Nanda. I’ll be by at nine o’clock to pick you up,” he said then hung up without any other word. I stood there for a moment, then pressed TALK. Am I going to be killed? I knew in my gut that I had to tell someone about this meeting, and Kira came to mind. But I flushed him out as soon as he had come in, quickly being replaced with Angélique.

I quickly dialed Angélique’s number and waited for her to pick up. “Hello?” a light voice asked.

“Hello? Is Angélique there?”

“Speaking?”

“It’s Rai-chi! And oh my god, Keda-chi! This random person called just now and I stupidly arranged a meeting with him! He’s going to pick me up at nine! That’s like… three hours! Help!”

“Riri! Please be quiet!”

“Hori, Unuly!”

Angélique thought for a moment, then spoke. “Hide.”

“Where?!” I whispered loudly.

“What do you mean ‘where’? In the Acelin house.”

I rushed to my feet. “Why there?!”

“Was the name on your caller ID MIMI & NANDA?” I hesitated.

“Hori…”

“Get to the Acelin family as fast as you can.”

“Why?!”

“The two people ‘Mimi & Nanda’ are two highly skilled assassins. They’re going to kill you if you comply.”

I grew frantic and panicked for a moment, waving my free hand in the air freely. “Kill me?! Why the hell would they want to kill me?!”

“Riri! Shut up!”

“Yes, Uncle Keith!”

“I don’t know. But it must be something important.”

“Alright. Thanks for the help, Keda-chi!”

“Just be safe,” she whispered then hung up. I pressed TALK and started getting changed.

‘Hi! Heard what happened. I must agree with Keda-chi, but then a question comes to mind, Kan,’ Solomon said in my mind. I turned to him, midway through taking off my nightgown.

“What?”

‘How did she know that Mimi and Nanda were assassins?’ I paused for a moment. How did she know? Wasn’t she just as secluded from LoC as me? How could she have known? Did Kira tell her? Did Kira warn her about Mimi and Nanda, fearing for her? Only for them to target me instead …and of course Angélique loves me so she told me …yes, that must be it.

“You hear my thoughts, Solomon? This is the way I think.” I pulled on my undergarments and opened my closet… to only see dresses, dress covers, corsets, and more undergarments. I started to panic more because these dresses were rather… lolita styled and not suited for everyday wear. “Solomon! Where are my normal clothes?!” I cried and started shuffling through the pile of dirty clothes at the bottom of my closet.

‘I did the laundry for you this morning before you woke up! I was actually hoping to be completely done before you woke… but as I was going to go put them in the dryer you woke up, so I stayed as not to arouse suspicion.’

“But, but, but… Solomon!”

“I’m sorry,” he said aloud. “I am, honest!” I closed my eyes and fell back on my bed, the memory of two nights ago coming back. ‘I didn’t mean to, honest!’ he had said…

Solomon flew over from the computer desk to my head. “You’re thinking about Kira, right now… how cute!” I rolled from him onto the multiple pillows and plushies of my bed.

“Am not!” I retorted and chucked a pillow. Solomon grabbed a plushie and threw it at me. “Hey! You came from one of those, pay a little respect!”

“No, I didn’t! I came from your soul!” he shouted and chucked another plushie. I stopped and let it hit my face.

“You came from my soul?” I had never thought of where the egg had come from, my mind seemed to be settled and satisfied with the fact that Solomon came from a plush animal that I had since I was “born,” err, came down to Earth. But… my soul?

Solomon flew to land on my bare stomach, his fur tickling me gently. “Yeppers! And I’m proud of it! I might have been quite late coming to you, Kan, but our bond is just as strong and you can control me just as well …since I am already aware that we are the same thing; share the same mind, soul… and sometimes body whenever I need to know something important or I need to hide.”

I smiled. I felt really happy to know that Solomon came from me, actually. Felt like offspring. “Well, Solomon, I can’t be satisfied with the fact that we’re not in sync, since all my normal clothes are wet and this killer guy is going to pick me up in at least 2 and a half hours,” I said and patted his head.

“We can’t be sync when one of us is unconscious, you know. And don’t worry, just wear a dress and let’s leave to the Acelin home.”

“Ugh!” I got up and took to my closet, looking for the best thing at the time.

“I think that red dress looks nice,” Solomon said and flew to point to a tartan red dress with black lace edges, a double skirt, a back bow, and multiple ruffles. I glared at Solomon.

“You are aware we’re going to the Acelin family, right?”

“Yeah, what about it? You’re in love with Kira, no biggy.”

“I am not, so shut up, Solomon!” I grabbed the dress and slipped I on effortlessly.

“You fit in dresses perfectly, you know, Kan?” I rolled my eyes as I slipped on black nylons and my black flats. I left my room and knocked gently on Keith’s door.

“I’m going out with some friends now, don’t know when I’ll be back, but most likely by three! Tell Dori!” I turned and ran down the stairs, then out the back door. I hesitated a bit before taking off down the yard and jumping the fence. I looked over at the Acelin house to see the uncle standing at the back smoking a cigarette.

I grimaced and headed his direction, regretting it the whole time. I stood in front of the Acelin back gate nervously, shyly. Then called to the uncle, “Um… hello?! May I come in?”

His face turned from grumpy to amused. “Alright,” he said with a hue of black malice and a catch in his voice. “Come over the fence; don’t let it get caught.”

I forced a smile. “Thank you!” I shouted to him then scaled the fence with ease. I walked slowly to the back of the house, trying not to make a face at him. Why was he acting so weird? I don’t remember doing anything bad to him other than knowing he exists. He stared out at the mountains as I neared. Does he think he’s better than me? Does he not approve of the rest of his family treating me nicely, or something? Is there major discrimination against Fallen?

I stepped up the back stairs and walked to stand next to him. I looked up and thought of asking him the questions that went through my head when he spoke. “There’s no Acelin's home other than me and Kira. But feel free to treat it like your own house.” Now that I was closer, I could hear a type of laugh in his voice, as if he was mocking me. And I wanted to know what.

So I smiled at him and nodded my head. “Thank you… erm, what’s your name?”

He looked down at me as if surprised. “I thought you already knew it.” I shook my head. He laughed and gazed in the distance again. “You and your group are very bad spies for the Acelin family… my name’s Megane.”

“Eh… thank you, Megane. My name is—”

“Raina Dougan. Yeah, I know. Our whole family knows you. I know everyone met with you yesterday and told you everything. I personally think it’s disgraceful for us to meddle with a Fallen. But anyway, go ahead inside.” I stood there for a moment, then shook my head and went inside.

‘What a douche bag,’ Solomon said. I stifled a laugh and closed the glass patio door behind me. What was I going to do now?

“Raina!” I perked up and raised my attention to the stairs, then cocked my head. Was that Kira who had just called my name? “Raina!” Someone came down the stairs in a hurry.

“Who’s Raina?” another voice asked. I saw Kira blast down from the stairs and down the hall to me. Another boy came down the stairs with sleek black hair with a chunk dyed yellow, and red eyes. “Oh! This is Raina!” he said cheerily. Kira grabbed my elbow then started to drag me down the hall towards the stairs.

“Hey! What’s going on?!”

“We’re sorry, Raina, but this is what we have to do in order to keep you safe! Gee, and a day before Kira’s birthday, too…” he trailed off and went after us as we started going up the stairs at a breakneck speed.

Kira took me down to the end of another hall, then to the left door across from us. Once inside, he let go and I flung to the floor in a pile of… stuff. “What the hell was that for?! Kira!” I turned onto my back to see the boy come in, closing the door after him. Kira raised his hand to put it to his head, as if to think. “Wha…?”

The boy smiled at me and bent down. “Hi, Raina! My name is Celso Booker; I’m Kira’s friend. I came down here yesterday because it’s Kira’s birthday tomorrow! He’s turning 16! Ugh, we’re getting to old for this, buddy.” He smiled a pathetic smile at Kira, who still looked stressed.

“What’s all this need for urgency?”

Kira looked down at me, then sank down in the nearest pile of stuff. Celso looked from him, then to me, smiling. “Don’t worry, Raina. You’re going to stay safe.” What does he mean? Am I still in danger?

“Are you referring to Nanda?” I asked, curious. Celso’s gleeful expression faltered for a moment but came back full force.

“Yes, we are. You might have to stay here a day or two; Mimi and Nanda are stressful and stubborn little devils …hah, reminds me of Kira.”

“Shut up, Celso, I have to think.”

“Fine, I’ll just take ol’ Raina here to LoC to see a unicorn.” Kira perked up and lashed at Celso with his eyes. Unicorn? They exist?

“No.” Celso crossed his arms and sank to the ground, crossing his legs. He moved to sit across from me.

“Want to play human games?” he asked, suddenly excited, like a little child.

“Uh.. alright, which games?”

“Let’s start with Patty Cake!” he said and got himself ready.

“Uhh, that’s not a game. It’s a fun rhyme.”

“Oh, whatever. Let’s play.” So we played Patty Cake for 10 minuets, over and over again. And it was actually quite fun to play with this… teenager.

“Want to watch TV?” Celso suddenly suggested and pointed to a TV in the room shrouded in stuff.

“Oh, my. I didn’t even notice it under all that. Kira should really clean up,” I said. Celso laughed and Kira’s face turned angry.

“You don’t know how many times I’ve told him to pick up after himself, it just get’s messy again within the hour. I’ve seen it happen,” Celso remarked as he stood and walked over to the TV. “What do you want to watch?”

“Anything’s fine.” As he changed the channels, I noticed that I was unfamiliar with all of them. “Is there… your TV…”

Celso laughed. “It takes channels from LoC. Special TV. Cool, eh?” Him using ‘cool, eh?’ at the end of a sentence made me think of Clementine.

“Yeah… cool… where’s everyone else?”

“They went to LoC to clear up a few issues that had been brought up with our contact with you,” Kira said.

“Yeah, that and Kira wanted to say and wait for you,” Celso interjected. Kira eyed him then looked at me.

“I don’t trust my uncle with you in his hands…” I smiled and nodded thanks.

“Yeah, he’s pretty creepy. And he’s… against Fallen?” I asked.

“Yeah. He loathes them.” Now that would explain a great deal of things. Then I thought of how much trouble my visit yesterday would have caused for the Acelin’s; all that conflict in the house. And even now, they’re up in LoC dealing with troubles I caused. I felt bad.

“Ah… I’m sorry.” Celso turned from the TV and Kira cocked his head and looked at me with a curious expression.

“Sorry? For what?” Celso wondered.

“What is there to be sorry for?” Kira asked.

“I’m sorry for causing trouble…” Kira laughed and Celso turned back to the TV.

“It’s no trouble at all,” Kira said.

“A bit stupid to think you’re causing trouble,” Celso said with a light of malice. Kira eyed him.

“I guess… I just…” I stopped trying to talk and sighed.

“What did you have for breakfast?” Kira suddenly asked me.

“Eh? Why would you want to know?”

“You’re not thinking straight, are you?”

“Well… eh…”

“I’ll be right back; I’ll get us something to eat.”

“Oh! Me too!” Celso shouted and raised his hand in the air. Kira nodded and left. Once the door closed Celso pounced on me and I felt my face slowly turn scarlet as he stared at me.

“C-Celso?” What was he doing? What was he thinking? He obviously couldn’t like me that way, so why this sudden action? What would happen if Kira suddenly came in? His face had changed from a happy-go-lucky teen to a now dark evil-person.

“What do you think Kira would do if he saw us like this?” My thinking stopped for a moment.

“I don’t know.”

“What would you do if he saw us like this?”

“I don’t know.” Celso lowered himself more to me and I could feel his pressure. I could always feel him… come to think of it, I could always sense his presence. It obviously wasn’t strong enough for me to take real notice to, but enough for me to know. Was he trying to get a message across? Something about him? Some fact? Or was he just doing this to make me feel uncomfortable?

“What do you feel?” he whispered.

I swallowed before answering. “Is there something you’re trying to tell me? About you?” I asked, hoping it to be right.

He smiled and his lightness came back. He got off just as the door opened, but he paid no attention. “Yes, you got it right.” He turned to Kira’s upset and slightly angry expression, then to me. “Now time to guess what.”

“What were you two doing?” Kira looked at me and his face became more upset. I guess there were still remnants of red on my face. I turned away, embarrassed, as Kira handed me a bowl of fruit.

Celso smiled. “Nothing, really. Now give me my blood.” I looked up immediately to see Kira hand Celso a small package with a deep red liquid inside. My eyes widened as I saw him open the package, and drink from it.

“Vampire! That’s it! You’re a vampire!” I shouted, then blushed at my sudden outburst. “I’m sorry!”

The two males laughed. “It’s alright, I should’ve told you sooner,” Kira said.

“So, I’m guessing you’re a Mayer class vampire?” Celso raised an eyebrow and Kira looked impressed.

“Smart cookie,” Celso said then laughed with Kira. I laughed, too, lightly.

The next following hour or so was full of talking, TV, and random outbursts. A few times Kira had tried to ask me something, but stopped because of Celso. I bonded tightly with Celso and by the time nine came we could jump on one another freely and not think it suggestive at all …although, I thought about it later.

“So what’s the plan, Kira?” Celso asked. The three of us sat in a tiny circle in the middle of Kira’s messy room.

He turned to me. “Even though Nanda said he’s going to meet you in private, he won’t. Mimi will either be in the back seat or the trunk, armed. Nanda should be armed, as well. They can use some magic, but not as much as we can because we’ve adapted… Sorry Celso, you’ll have some troubles.”

“Nah, I’ll be fine.” Kira nodded.

“If my thoughts are correct, then they’ll come here either from the front or back, asking for Raina. We’ll reply that we don’t know. If they intrude on us… we’ll attack them.” I fidgeted as I sat there listening to Kira seal our fate and plan within his mind. I didn’t like the fact that these two were going to protect me from Mimi and Nanda.

Five minuets after nine, the front door rang. I froze and my breath dulled. “Calm down, Raina. Ease yourself so you don’t expel energy for them to pick up on,” Celso said after Kira had left for the door.

“But what if something happens?” What if Megane or Kira were to get hurt downstairs? I know Megane doesn’t like me, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t care about him in the least. And then what if Nanda or Mimi were to come up here? Then Celso would have to get hurt, as well! Ugh! Why did I turn down Sunny’s invitation to join her onto New York? Ugh!

“Raina!” I heard someone call my name, and I knew it was Nanda. “I’ve talked with Kira! Come down here!” I hesitated before standing up, Celso right there with me. We walked out of the room and met Nanda and Kira at the top of the stairs, coming up.

“Wha….t?” I mumbled.

“Raina, Nanda said he actually does have to talk to you. He said he won’t harm you. He’s requested the talk to be private, so I’m letting you two to be in my room alone.”

My eyes bulged. “What?!” Kira’s face turned firm and sure, like this was the only way and best thing to do.

“Trust me, Raina. Celso and I will be right outside the door. And we won’t listen,” he said and rested a hand on my shoulder. I shook it off and went into Kira’s room, Nanda tailing me. Celso closed the door and I sat on the floor among the stuff.

“What do you wish to talk to me about, Nanda?” I asked. I tried to keep a tense, yet light air in the room. But with his stance, it made it unsure and tense.

“It’s a warning.” I looked up at him with curiosity in my eyes.

“What? A warning?”

“Yes. Mimi and I have been hired to kill you, Kira, Angélique, and a few more of your friends.”

“But why would you warn me?”

“I’ve watched you; Mimi, too. We believe you have potential to be a fine Gracie.”

“Gracie? What’s that?”

“We’ve done some research on you, Raina. And I’m pretty sure the Acelin’s have, as well. Your family is ‘Gracie.’ Your real parents moved to the Kingdom of Altore after giving birth to you in Eleanor. They’re still alive now, but barely. They’ve contracted a severe disease while traveling through Morox to Altore and are currently dying.” The thought of who my real parents were never came to mind until now. These two people who I’ve never met, are supposed to be my parents. Then the thought of why Mimi and Nanda would want to keep me alive just because I’m a Gracie.

“What’s so important about being a Gracie?”

“They’re related to the current royal family of LoC by a distant lineage and a secret and illegal marriage to a commoner woman. When the prince became king, the first thing he did was make his wife’s family of noble blood. Then, he officially married her, two months later. But after some bad blood relations, their secret got out and both were beheaded, their little child taken care of later on by a maid. The brother of the beheaded king took the throne.” I looked up at him, a blank expression on my face. I waited for more words, but nothing.

“So… what does this history lesson have to do with me?”

He sighed. “God, you really are secluded. Right now, there are only two living heirs of LoC that are known, Liara and Lyra. Originally, Lyra was supposed to be the soul queen, since she’s older. But because of something she’s done to Liara, she’s now second. Now, Liara is quite frail and brittle because of Lyra, so she would be able to overrule her. The only thing standing in her way is another heir. A close relationship would have to be made between this third heir and Liara.”

“Why does everyone want Liara to be queen so badly?”

“Ugh! You’re so… unthinking! Let’s just set it this way: Liara is good, Lyra is bad. Lyra plans to overrule Liara somehow, she’s been thinking of all these plots and done family history back centuries! This is how she came to you, a third heir, the only person that would be in her way of being queen and taking over LoC. If that happens, LoC, this galaxy, and Earth are done for. She will bring the apocalypse upon us, and, amazingly, many people support her. Wouldn’t be surprised if that Megane guy downstairs is her supporter, too.

“Over the past five-ten years or so, LoC has been in a death struggle between Liara and Lyra. Thantos appeared last year, and we believe either Hypnos or Nyx will come this year.” Thantos, Hypnos, Nyx…

“Greek personification?”

“Yes. They’re these giant masses that come down and do what they’re meant to do. Some of Thantos still lives among humans, unknown… And currently lives in Morox.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s a mass of… viruses, to say. We get rid of them with the help of Scholars and Magic Experts like that Kira guy outside.” A virus? Thantos. It means Death.

“A death virus? This seems… quite astonishing.”

“Yeah? The viruses mix when they’re on earth to make your people’s diseases and sickness and illnesses… etcetera.”

“Okay, well, thank you for coming and warning me about what’s happening, Nanda. It helps, it really does.”

He smiles and leaves without saying anything. Kira comes in and I guess that Celso is walking Nanda to the door. “So what was that about?” What should I tell him? I can’t possibly tell him everything Nanda just told me, it might be too much. It might make them feel like I’m not in need of teaching anymore… I want to stay for a reason I do not know or am fond of.

“He just… updated me with the latest LoC news.” Then the thought came to me of leaving. Should I just leave and leave them to their business? “What would your family do if I ran away?” The suddenness of my words caught him off guard and he spun on a piece of paper on the ground and fell in a heap. I laughed and Celso came in.

“What’s going on here? I miss something?”

Kira got up on his knees and stared at me coldly. “Don’t say something like that. You’re not causing us any trouble. We are supposed to look after you.”

“Technically, if her parents didn’t want her back, she would’ve been your sister, you know?” Celso said in a cheery voice and turned the TV back on. Kira seemed unsettled by that thought and I looked away from his gaze.

“Hey, Raina?” His voice was soft and velvet again and I couldn’t help but look at him, but beyond doubt regretted it once I did. His eyes were true and facial expression was hopeful. His body showed yearning, and everything clicked in my head.

“Y-yes?” I mentally hit myself in my head and pushed hard against the iron door I had put up in my head between Solomon and me for the past three or so hours.

“Did you know that there are mythical creatures in LoC?” His voice suddenly turned curious and playful, yet still held that velvet tone.

“Oh? I had heard Celso speak before about it… unicorns?” The iron door burst open and Solomon was suddenly in my head, trying to make a physical shape.

‘Let me out! He’s obviously going to ask you out! I don’t want to be in your head when he does!’ he wailed and I held back a laugh but couldn’t help the blush that slowly crept to my face.

“Yeah, unicorns… Would you like to see one sometime?”

My mind panicked and I just blurted out my first response. “Yeah, sure. I’d absolutely love to!” But once again, regret crept into me as I thought about Zakura Inc. and Angélique and her say in this. What would happen if Kira and I started a relationship?

Kira’s eyes lightened and he smiled at me, and I smiled back. “When would you like to go?”

“I don’t know. Sometime before school starts up again, I guess.” He frowned.

“My family will be taking you to LoC on the sixth.”

“What?!” The sixth? That’s less than a week from now! And how was I going to leave? Just disappear some day and never come back? Tell my dad and uncle I’m leaving? How am I going to handle this?

“I’m sorry. This was decided by my father.” I stood up in a rush. What was I intending to do? I couldn’t think straight and Solomon came out of me like a purple, orange, and gold mist from my head, then solidified into… himself.

“Solomon!” I scolded and he turned around to face me with pouty eyes and lips.

“Kan, LoC right now is the best thing for you. I know I’m not allowed to disobey you, but I must tell you. Go to LoC as soon as possible.”

“Raina, is this your battle familiar?” Kira asked and walked over to Solomon, who turned around and faced him. He held out his hand and Solomon flew right onto his head.

“He’s so cute!” Celso shouted and sprang to his feet then bolted over to Solomon, lifting him off Kira’s head and cuddling with him in his arms.

I laughed. “Thank you, he’s my little precious.” The two males laughed and Solomon mewed cutely in Celso’s arms.

“So you named him Solomon? Why?” Kira asked and walked over to me. Solomon flew on top of Celso’s head, licked his forehead, then flew right into Kira. I laughed and so did Celso as Solomon started licking Kira’s face.

“I don’t know,” I replied, “it just seemed to fit this cute little guy.”

“A king’s name for this tiny comrade, how perfect,” Celso said and walked up with us. I looked at my watch to see it was 9:43; I’ve been here for over 3 hours so far.

“Hey, guys. Maybe I should be going now …I’m not sure if my uncle or dad know where I am.”

Kira looked at me. “You didn’t tell anyone?” Celso turned concerned.

“That’s not it …I told my uncle, but that was when he was half asleep and through his door. And I didn’t hear his response to what I said before I had left.” Solomon flew from Kira’s shoulder to land on my head then mewed cutely, again. I smiled. “I’ll see you guys later, then?”

Kira came up to me and I backed, but he grabbed my arm. “I’ll come by at noon today so we can go see the unicorn, alright?” he whispered then let go. I took a step back and regained my breathing—I wasn’t even aware I had stopped.

“Y-yes, alright.” I moved farther away, then walked quickly out of the room and down the stairs towards the front door.

“What’s the rush?” I spun around to see Megane walking down the hall, he now wore his glasses.

“No rush, Kau. I just think it’s time for me to go home, is all…” I trailed off as his eyes weaved to Solomon on my head, and noticed he wasn’t paying any attention to me. “Kau?”

“Yeah… you’re a warrior type? What’s your sub?” Why was he interested?

“Uh… ‘Magical Study,’ Balzac had said.”

“Ah… bye, then,” he said then started shooing me away and out the door. I stared at the closed door behind me, a bit offended by his reaction to my type and subtype, but walked down the stairs without word.

‘You should talk to Kira about Megane’s reactions towards you. Maybe Nanda was right and that he’s a supporter of Lyra.’ Solomon had gone back inside my head and laying on the couch he’d thought up. ‘He could be an evil man.’

I sighed as I turned the corner. “Please, Solomon. I know Megane might be a total creep towards me, but he’s Kira’s uncle and I want to treat him fairly.”

Solomon played a sly smile. ‘That, or you like the young lad.’ I laughed out loud.

“Megane? Hah! As if, plus he’s how many years older than me?” Solomon sighed.

‘Not Megane, Kira! You like Kira! I hear your thoughts and even your private thoughts when you’re not guarding them carefully enough. You think he’s handsome, you think he’s cute, and you think his voice is soft velvet.’

“Ugh! Shut up, now, Solomon!” I shouted and shut him away into a corner of my mind to be alone. I focused on what I was going to tell Angélique. Do I tell her all of it? Do I tell an edited version? Or do I just tell her the highlighted parts?

By the time I got home, I’d chosen to tell her an edited version. I typed it out in under an hour, with Solomon sleeping on my bed. I could see in his dreams; they were of chasing Kira and threatening to hurt him. It was cute to see him so boisterous at someone like Kira, if you look at their sizes. My dad had woken up and was off to work while Keith was still asleep in his bed, by the time I had gotten home. And it seems that my dad thought I was still asleep since there was no real evidence that I had gone out. He even left a note for me in the kitchen.

As soon as I had stepped in I went straight to finish the laundry, Solomon had gone upstairs to sleep. By the time it was quarter after ten, the laundry was done and I could wear normal person clothes. I got changed in a beige t-shirt and a cream colored sweater on top. For pants I wore plain white jeans with white and red striped socks. It had started snowing when it was 10:05. I was so excited I ran outside with only my slippers and played in the snow for a bit. But a glance at the Acelin family stopped me; Megane and Celso were out back smoking, and staring at me. Celso’s expression, it seemed, wasn’t kindhearted like I had seen before. It was eviler, and more deathly. Being under the two’s gaze made me uncomfortable, so I went back inside.

I turned on the news when it was eleven to see that the Victorian mansion was on it. There were no clues on who burnt it down, whether it was an accident or arson. No leads, clues, or witnesses. They didn’t even know about it until sunrise when people could see the mansion still aflame—although dying out—and the giant cloud of smoke that rose into the air like a growing tower or a winding snake.

I listened carefully to the news, hoping what Angélique and Kira did was enough to settle everything over. We had left no clues. The jackets, sleeves, and “project hoodies” that we had left in there were either burnt to no more, or were thought to always be in the house since they were Victorian styled. I made lunch for when Keith woke up at half past eleven; it was pasta with pesto sauce and boiled hotdogs on the side. I made a plate then wrapped it up in plastic wrap and placed it on the kitchen counter near the microwave.

I looked up at the clock to see it was almost twelve and realize Kira would be here soon, so I turned off the TV and ran up the stairs. I chose from a layout of jackets and coats, sleeves, shoes, and accessories.

“If you’re not psyched about going, why are you making a big deal out of what you’re going to be wearing?” Solomon asked.

I pouted at him. “Do you have to be so unkind? This will be my first trip in LoC, so I plan on entering it very nicely. That includes being well dressed, well mannered, and with—”

“A handsome, cute, charming young man?” I glared at him as he laughed.

“No. I was going to say ‘with proper posture, and will,’ but you completely strayed me away and cut me off. I thought familiars aren’t supposed to misbehave and always follow their master’s will? That certainly wasn’t with my will at all.”

Solomon smiled. “I’m a special familiar, because you’re a special person! A Fallen!”

“So does that make you a Fallen familiar, or something?” I put on a red scarf with snowflake patters on it, then slipped on white boots.

“Sort of?” The doorbell rang …and my uncle’s door opened. I rushed out and down the stairs, leaving Solomon alone in my room.

“It’s okay, uncle! I have it! You can go back to sleep!” I opened the front door to see Kira standing there with a smile on his face. He wore dark brown pants, a light brown sweater, a dark brown overcoat, and an orange long scarf.

“You’ll get cold if you just wear that. Put some more things on; it’s cold so high above.” I blushed and complied.

“Just wait here… or you can come inside if you like, it’s still snowing.”

He nodded. “Thank you.” He stepped inside just as Keith was coming down the stairs. Awkwardness came over me and I ran up the stairs.

“I just read your mind and feel sorry for you, Kan,” Solomon said with a sympathetic voice then disappeared inside of me. I put on white fluffy earmuffs, white cotton gloves and a beige jacket as fast and best I could. Before I started down the stairs I took a deep breath and calmed myself down the most I could in the shortest period of time. This outing meant nothing at all. All we were doing was going to see a unicorn in LoC… Now that I think about it, it seems more like a date than just an outing.

I came down the stairs and heard the conversation between Kira and Keith ensued by my absence, and stopped. “…two going?” Keith asked in a sleepy, yet worried voice.

“A park nearby. We’re going to meet a few friends there; my friend Celso and her friends Angélique and Miyuki.”

“Ah… okay, then. You two have a nice time.” I continued down the stairs and greeted Kira with a nod.

“Ready to leave,” I said.

“Ah, yes, that seems much warmer than before. Let’s go.” He opened the door and we left, I closed the door behind me.

It felt like I was going behind enemy lines and going in deep.