A/n okay, new story, YAY! This is kind of a remake of one I started a long time ago, but this time the character isn't Bella, it's a girl I made up. Actually, both of the main characters are made up. I just don't like relying on Stephanie's characters; they're kind of… preset. I like giving them my own personality. Anyway, I hope you like this! Review PLEASE!!! I'll love you forever! I'll give you a cookie!
Chapter One: Moving Out
I stood in my room, looking into my wide floor length mirror. I ran over what I was going to say to Aro while adjusting my appearance for the day. I left my coffee colored hair its usual length, down to the bottom of my shoulder blades, but twisted it into so many perfect ringlets. I turned up the corners of my eyes in my favorite cat-like slant and shuffled through colors in my mind. I watched rainbows flow across my irises before settling on vibrant emerald green, because it matched my forest-y lace and silk tank top.
This was perhaps my favorite of my collected powers, that to change my appearance at will. I could sit for hours just toying with it. Just not today. Today I had to talk to Aro about just what had been on my mind for quite a while now. I sighed and set down the brush I'd been holding. There would be no putting off my talk with Aro. No time like the present, as they say.
I strode out of my bathroom, my room, into the hallway. I made the trip towards Aro's office out of memory, my mind on what was about to happen. Far too soon I arrived at the grand oak double doors marking Aro's main haunt. I tapped lightly on the door and opened it a crack, poking my head in. "Aro?" I asked hesitantly. "I wanted to talk to you, is this a good time?"
"Devi, darling, of course, come in." Aro said, beaming. He always enjoyed my visits. Too bad this one wouldn't please him quite so much.
"Thank you, Aro." I cracked a small smile at him and sat in my usual black leather armchair. "I've actually been meaning to have this talk with you for a while, but you know how I procrastinate." He nodded knowingly and waved for me to go on. "See, I've been thinking about our… diet. I know you have acquaintances" — I knew better than to call the Cullens and the Denali friends— "who find it possible to live on animals. Lately I've been finding it rather hard to enjoy a meal… Humans just seem to remind me of the past, people I'd known, and it makes me feel guilty. I also know that Carlisle Cullen has tried in the past to convince you to change the Volturi diet, so I know better than to try that. Therefore… I think it would be best if I were to leave."
Aro, who had been inspecting his fingers, poking at imaginary bits of dirt caught under his rather long fingernails, snapped his head up to look at me in surprise on the last sentence. "Leave? No! That won't do. Are you sure Devi? You know you don't have to do anything you find unsatisfying here, you can change your diet if you like." I could see how much he wanted me to stay. I was his protégée, his favorite, his prize jewel. He'd told me that himself.
"I'm sorry Aro. But I'm afraid that influences from the others would rather go against my goal. I assure you I wouldn't consider leaving you unless I thought it was best for me." I hated how formal I turned whenever I spoke to any of the ancients, as I liked to call Aro, Caius, and Marcus. "Perhaps I'll come and visit someday."
"Yes, perhaps," Aro said sadly into his folded hands. "Very well, Devi. I won't force you to stay any more than I did Eleazar." Ah, I remembered that day well. Eleazar had been a good friend of mine. Perhaps I would seek him out.
"Thank you, Aro. We'll meet again someday," I said with a tiny half smile, and backed out of the office. I sighed in relief as soon as I was out of Aro's hearing range. That had gone unexpectedly well. I made my way back towards my room to get my already packed suitcases.
I should have known Tama would be waiting for me. She was my best friend, and she could see things in her future, mostly bad things. Of course, me moving away would be a bad thing that would happen to her, I guess.
"I can't believe you're leaving me!" She shrieked. Her dirty blonde hair flung out behind her in a perfect sheet as she tackle hugged me. "Just you wait until I tell Terra!" Terra was our other best friend, with the power of mind control. Over the years I'd built up a rather good defense against it, so she couldn't convince me to stay. "I wish I could absorb powers like you," Tama pouted. "I bet you couldn't stand up to a double mind control."
Yes, you heard her right. If you hadn't figured it out before from the "collected powers" bit, I can take powers from other vampires. But it doesn't take it away from them, just duplicates it I guess you can say. However, I only get the power if I want it, and if I have adequate time to absorb it (about ten minutes). The irritating part is the side effects if I don't take the power. If I hang around someone too often without taking their power, I get like half of it. I have a little bit of mind control from Terra, and sometimes I get little snippets of who I'm assuming is my future self (because of Tama). I can't always tell, since I constantly change.
As if on queue, Terra ran down an adjacent hallway and tackle hugged me from the other direction, successfully putting me in the middle of a vampire sandwich. "Why didn't you tell us?!" She wailed. "I implore you to reconsider!" I laughed. She was quoting our favorite movie, Kung Pow.
"I'm sorry Terra. You guys wanna come to the airport with me? I don't have enough hands to carry all my bags."
"Where are you going?" Tama asked, jabbing me in the ribs to get my attention.
"Ahmureeka" I said, purposely pronouncing America wrong to confuse them.
"Whatta whaa?" Terra said with a skeptical expression.
"You know, like the United States?" I clarified.
Tama smacked her forehead. "You mean America?" She was using her you're-such-an-idiot voice.
I laughed at her. "Yeah, that. You guys coming or what?" I opened my door, leading the way over to the four suitcases I had piled in the middle of the floor, packed full to bursting.
"Man, you have way too much stuff," Tama muttered as she picked up one of the suitcases that would have been probably backbreaking for any normal human.
"Shut it Tama," Terra defended. "You couldn't fit the contents of your entire room into four suitcases and you know it."
I chuckled and picked up two of the suitcases, leaving the other one for Terra and heading for the door, only to find that my way was blocked by the hulking figure of Felix.
"Devi! Is it true you're leaving?" He asked, putting on his puppy dog face. I guess it's not surprising how good he is at that face, since he's gay. Didn't you know that? He's also where I got my power for control of fire. Another new tidbit.
"Yep. Damn, news travels fast here." I put my arms out to the side so he could give me a hug, but was unable to hug him back due to my suitcases (which I really had no desire to drop. Breakables and such).
He hugged me tightly and eyed my suitcases. "Are you really bringing your stuff with? Are you planning on moving in somewhere? I would've thought you'd just travel."
"And go without my entire wardrobe? It's like you don't know me at all, Felix!"
My three friends laughed and Felix relieved me of one of my suitcases as I led the way towards the lobby and the exit. I stopped at the coatroom just inside the entryway, grabbing my black cloak. It was nighttime now, so I wouldn't need it, but it might be handy in the future. I draped it over my shoulder and continued towards the door.
"What are your plans, Devi? Where are you going? What will you do?" Felix inquired.
I considered. "Maybe find Eleazar. Maybe go to school. Maybe start a coven of my own. The possibilities are endless, really, when you have all eternity."
Terra looked shocked. "How will you go to school? You'll massacre the place!"
I looked at her with my isn't-it-obvious? Look. "Don't you remember the power I took from Adam before Caius accused him of breaking the law?"
Terra had an 'Ooooohhhhh' face on. Adam was impervious to human blood. Aro had used him to go amongst humans when he needed information and such. Of course, since at the time I had already been planning my escape from Volterra, I took my chance to share his power before his murder.
Our walk to the airport continued in much the same manner, going over possibilities for my future. Terra suggested I become like a queen bee. "You could have a bunch of drones," She insisted with a giggle. "And use them as you want."
I rolled my eyes and laughed with her. I imagined such things would be more fitting of Felix than me, and I said as much.
Felix pretended to be offended, but I could tell he was seriously considering the suggestion. I hid a shiver. Despite being one of my best friends, Felix could be a total pervert.
At last we reached the airport. They walked with me to where I got my ticket and gave them my baggage, going on about how much they were going to miss me. At last I turned to them with a sad smile. "Well, I guess this is it. However, you didn't really think I'd leave you without something to remember me by, did you?"
Tama's jaw dropped. "Devi!" She protested. "You can't give us anything! I won't allow it!"
"Oh? So you don't want my earrings?" I asked, dangling my favorite elegant hoops in front of her face. She'd constantly borrowed them from me.
She looked at them like a child might look at chocolate cake covered in candy bits. "I… I can't! I can't just take your earrings, Dev!"
"Oh, don't even Tama. You know you want them." And with that I threw them at her, knowing she wouldn't dare let them drop. "You're welcome. And for the Terra, I have…" I pulled out of my pocket my sheer silk scarf, the one she had never said anything about, but I could tell how much she admired it.
"Oh, Devi!" She breathed, and I knew if she were human there would be tears welling in her eyes. Unlike Tama, she didn't protest, simply because she knew I would ignore it. "Thank you!"
"And Felix…" I unbuckled my watch from my wrist. It was perfect for him, not teeny like most girls watches, but just feminine enough for his tastes.
Felix just smiled gratefully as he took it and pulled me into a hug. He knew me so well. For me, no words were so much better than a speech.
"We'll miss you, Dev. You better visit us, or I might have to get Demetri to help me out." Felix said, winking meaningfully.
"I will eventually, I promise," I said, my voice thick with emotion, as I pulled Felix into another hug, then Terra, then Tama. "I gotta go… my plane is about to leave. I love you guys!" And, refusing to let myself look back, I boarded the plane.