The room was dark, save a few weak candles spluttering in the corner. Wax dripped down the purple candles slowly, drying on the bench. A pale hand picked gently at the wax lining the wooden table. A young woman looking around eighteen kneeled in front of the candles. She smiled, her blue eyes closing, 'I can feel it,' she murmured. Someone cleared their throat from the corner,
'See….what?' The older girl turned slowly to the much younger, rather frightened looking girl, 'Patience, Dani, patience…if you are pure, you will see them too…' The brunette fumbled with her skirt belt, 'Ahm…b-but….I-I don't know….if I-I'm ready….' She began. The other girl shook her head, tending to the candles, which had almost gone out. She replaced them tenderly, 'Dani, I trust you, you'll be fine,' the weak light of the candles barely revealed Dani was blushing, "I-if you say s-so…' The girl smiled, running a hand through her short blond hair and sighing happily, 'Just think….' She said to Dani, 'If they accept you….I'll have my own apprentice….' Dani nodded hesitantly, 'S-sure thing Mirabelle….' She murmured. She moved forward slowly as Mirabelle beckoned with a hand. She kneeled beside Mirabelle, who placed a hand gently on her shoulder, 'Remember…respect,' she whispered. Mirabelle clapped her hands together, murmuring something in a language Dani didn't understand. Suddenly, a mass of purple clouds enveloped her. Dani panicked, shutting her eyes tight, 'My child….' A voice purred. Dani sucked in a deep breath, her heart pounding against her ribs, 'Y-yes…?' she murmured weakly. There was a soft, tinkling laugh, like sleigh bells. Something gentle passed by Dani's ear, 'Don't be afraid, child….' Dani swallowed hard, opening her eyes. She screamed and fell backward. There was more tinkling laughter, 'The reaction gets better over the years,' Dani stared,
'B-but you CAN'T be…' The figure in front of her was wreathed in smoke, but the figure was unmistakably someone Dani knew very well, "S-silvvy!?' Dani gasped, a hand to her chest. Silvvy jumped down to Dani's level, 'I was waiting for Mirabelle to try you child…' Dani's eyes narrowed,
'Don't call me 'child' Silvvy,' she snapped, more at ease with someone she knew. Silvvy glared, her figure doubling in size, 'This is a different world. Here, you must treat me with respect,' Dani desperately suppressed a snort of contempt. She was so used to pushing Silvvy around, the notion of showing her respect was almost ridiculous, "O-okay….Silvvy,'
"And another thing….now you must address me properly….' Dani gulped,
'P-properly…?' Silvvy nodded,
'Yes….you should address me properly…as Master….' Dani's eyes almost popped out her head, 'W-what!' she gasped, 'B-but you're just a…p-pipsqueak!' she said incredulously, 'I-I mean….you're a psychotic little panda with no self control! How can I possibly….'
"ENOUGH!' Silvvy boomed, 'I was planning to accept you, after seeing all that hard work you did with Mirabelle….but….I don't think you possess the respect to be a spirit medium….' Dani glared,
'SILVVY!' she shouted, 'You can't do this! You're part of ME! So I CAN tell you what to do!' Silvvy raised an eyebrow, grinning sadistically,
'You underestimate me….' Silvvy hissed, 'Now you must pay the penalty….you and your friends will pay for this….' Dani's eyes widened as she realized what she'd just done.
The purple world dematerialized and she found herself kneeling at the table, Mirabelle smiling at her hopefully, 'How did it go?' she asked. Dani stared at her for a moment, hands trembling. Suddenly she buried her hands in her face and sobbed. Mirabelle gasped in surprise, putting an arm around Dani's shoulder, 'Dani!' Mirabelle said, 'What's wrong? What happened?' Dani took her face from her hands, staring at Mirabelle with red eyes, 'Oh Mirabelle!' she spluttered, sniffing, 'I-I ruined everything!' Mirabelle looked confused,
'How? What went wrong?' Dani sniffled,
'I-It was S-silvvy….' she muttered, 'I-I was s-so used to her being a silly panda….' Mirabelle's eyes widened, 'You didn't….did you!?' Mirabelle asked, shaking Dani by the shoulders, 'You didn't treat her like…normal!?' Dani stared at her hands. Mirabelle groaned, 'Oh no….this is terrible…..'
'Indeed, Mirabelle,' the tinkling voice came, 'She was….at the very least, incompetent.' Dani gasped, looking around at the empty room,
'I'm s-so sorry!' she sobbed, 'I-I didn't think….e-everything Mirabelle had t-taught me just went….s-straight out my h-head!'
'Don't be telling me this, tell that to Silvvy,' the tinkling voice replied. Dani wiped the tears away with her sleeve, 'S-silvvy won't listen….' Dani muttered, wringing her hands, 'I know her that well….she's going to be impossible to convince!' Dani cried hopelessly. Mirabelle looked completely calm now, 'I see now…this was destiny….' Dani glared, almost completely out of her mind with despair, 'Destiny!? DESTINY!?' she screamed shrilly, 'SCREW DESTINY! EVERYONE'S IN DANGER BECAUSE OF ME!' Mirabelle looked taken aback,
'Dani, it was not your fault….'
'HOW WASN'T IT MY FAULT! I WAS DISRESPECTFUL! I TREATED HER LIKE A….LIKE A….RAT! HOW IS IT NOT MY FAULT!?' Mirabelle reached out a gentle hand laying it on Dani's shoulder, 'Dani, please try to calm down….' She whispered. A greenish light emanated from her hand. Dani shuddered, 'C-calm….' She whimpered, 'O-okay….' She took a deep breath, 'S-sorry for yelling at you Mirabelle….' Dani whispered. Mirabelle dipped her head,
'It's fine Dani, I understand the pressure that is on you now….' Mirabelle stood up,
'I suggest you stay her a while,' she said, 'Maybe Silvvy will appear.' Dani looked about apprehensively. Mirabelle smiled comfortingly, 'I doubt she will harm you, you are a part of her,' Dani shivered,
'R-right….c-can't you stay with me….?' Dani pleaded, 'I-I don't want to be alone here….' Mirabelle looked saddened. She knelt down to Dani's level,
'I don't want to leave you either….' She said solemnly, 'But I'm afraid you must stay tonight….try to get some sleep,' she said, standing up. Mirabelle made her way over to the candles, which were spluttering weakly again. She waved her hands over them and they snuffed out, leaving the room in darkness, before flaring up again the next minute, 'There,' Mirabelle declared, stepping back, 'They won't go out now,' Dani nodded, watching Mirabelle turn her back and begin to stride away. Dani had the almost overwhelming urge to chase after her. Anything not to be alone in this room. Dani shivered again, looking around, 'Oh please let this night be over quickly….' Dani murmured, curling up in a ball under the table.
