A/N: Sorry about taking forever, but I was staring at my plot, thinking, "What the hell is this trash?" So yeah, I spent quite some time trying to strengthen my plot, when BAM! It hit me. Plot wolves came cascading out from the song He Mele No Lilo which is performed by Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu. That song (with my thinking) connected with spirits, which connected with the Otherworld, which connected to the elements, which connected to...well, a lot of other things. Hang on to your ass, it's going to be a bumpy flight. XD I was also majorly inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender. The original show, not the new movie. As such, I'll try to pull ideas from all places, not just Japan and China.
–
Rayana clenched her hand into a fist, frowning as the bandage limited her movements. Now how was she suppose to take care of her horse or spar with Damien? Then again, it was her fault she got hurt. She had been the one to push herself way past her limits. But what was she suppose to do? Let Damien walk away victorious?
"No way in hell," she thought stubbornly as she stood from the bed. A quick nod of thanks to the nurse and she left. She glanced down the way she had told the new kid to go, briefly wondering if he made it to the High-Priestess's office before she decided she didn't care. There were hundreds of kids at this school, what were the chances she would ever see the little weirdo ever again? Okay, maybe little wasn't the right word.
"He's smaller than Damien, but taller. Barely," she decided, turning right, down the hall that led her to two elaborately designed doors which opened to reveal a colorful quad. Gray flat stones trailed their way around large bushes, trees, and statues like gray streams. Each path led to a different place, but they all came together to form a circle around a brightly lit statue of Nyx.
Glancing at the various people sitting on the oak benches surrounding the mystical statue, Rayana followed the path that would eventually take her around the main building, through an above-ground tunnel system, and back out to the stables. There wasn't really much she could do with only one hand, but just being near the stables made her feel better. There was something about the earthy scent of hay and dirt that calmed her spirit. Not only that, but it also brought a victorious smirk to her lips.
This was something she was better at, no matter how hard Damien tried. For some reason, being near the stables made the boy twitchy and paranoid, and since the horses were kept in the stables, he's never been able to ride one. Yes, it wasn't equal or fair, but that didn't matter. She was better at riding horses, and he can put that in his juice box and suck it!
Wiping the bemused smile from her face, Rayana marched up to the short, curvy woman instructing the class and met her copper gaze with her own steely green one. The teen's eyes didn't even flicker to the cloud-like heart adorning the woman's face and waited. The instructor, Professor Hart, nodded her head in understanding and waved her hand towards the wooden benches in near the stable doors. Without speaking, Rayana went and sat down at the appropriate spot and pulled out her I-pod.
"For a vampyre, Professor Hart is kind of chubby," she couldn't help but think as she securely placed an ear-bud into each ear.
She only had twenty minutes to waste until the day was over and she'd be able to go back to her room. Or better yet, find Damien and kick his butt at drums. Of course, they'd probably have to go to the music room and get permission to do such a thing. Rayana crinkled her nose in disdain. Too much work just for a simple contest, even if she did want to go and play the drums.
Sighing through her nose, Rayana relaxed against the stable wall, thinking of what to do. "A race? No, that's stupid. He's taller than me with longer legs, so he'd have a good chance at winning." Not that she'd ever admit that to him. Rayana tapped her finger to the beat of the song she was listening to, thinking of a way to fight off boredom. "Wait, didn't the High-Priestess say something about Damien playing tour guide? Ha, sucks to be him," she thought with a smirk. She played with the vision of seeing the slightly intimidating teen towering over a sniveling third former. Man, she'd give her left arm to see that.
"Maybe I can catch up with him at lunch," she contemplated, silently going over her schedule. Yeah, she should have a pretty decent grade in all her classes so she wouldn't have to go in at lunch. Meaning, she'd be able to attacked Damien with her own brand of teasing. But then again, with a newbie shadowing him, it might be a little awkward, considering she wasn't too big on being around people she didn't trust. Hmm, that could be problematic. How was she going to rub the fact she was better in Damien's face if he was too busy playing tour-guide Barbie? She bit back a growl of frustration. It's not like it was his fault he got stuck with a newbie, right? He didn't volunteered, did he?
"No, he didn't," she concluded. "Either the High-Priestess asked him or Professor Dimitri is hanging the promise of extra-credit over his head. Probably the second one."
Why her rival doesn't just quit drama class, she'll never know. "Maybe he will, one of these days," she wondered, tucking a strand of hair behind her hair as an annoying breeze tossed it into her face. She crinkled her nose in disgust for just a moment, before a sound from the stables caught her attention.
Curiosity piqued, she turned her Ipod off and returned it to it's rightful place inside her pocket. Cautiously, she entered the barn-like structure, alert eyes scanning the room for the source of the strange noise. With each step she took, her heartbeat grew more and more frantic. It fluttered in her chest at the speed of light and her breaths came in short, anxious puffs. But why was she so afraid? She knew where she was, and what was at the end of the stables.
That was where Patches was lodged, and he was just a horse. Albeit, an old horse, but a very sturdy, trustworthy horse. She had no reason to be nervous! But that sound. That awful, pained strangled cry that she had barely heard, thanks to her raging music. She reached the last stall, and without even opening the door, she knew what had happened. She could smell themusty, iron scent of it. Nonetheless, shaky hands fumbled with the latch and she opened the door.
She screamed.
The High-Priestess, Pandora, resisted the urge to slam her head against the wall for several reasons. Reason one would be the fact she'd probably destroy said wall. Reason two would be she's the High-Priestess, and that would be improper. Her students looked up to her, saw her not only as a vampyre, but as a mystical being. Something...unreal. Reason number three: No matter how stupid she had been, throwing a tantrum wouldn't fix it. She needed to get her head on straight and fix this mess, not make it worse. But still, how could she not make the connection earlier? Those eyes were practically his! At first she thought it was just a coincidence, but once the child's guardians told her the history of his parents...
"What shall I do?" she thought, double checking the records on her desk. The proof was right in front of her, literally. But how could she ever believe something so horrible? How could he be the offspring of that monster?
She angrily slammed the folder shut, feeling the need to hit something. "No," she thought, taking a calming breath. "He doesn't deserve my anger. He's dead, I'm not. Focus on the present. What am I suppose to do with this child? Does he know? If he doesn't, then I'll have to tell him, and warn him. Not now, though, nor tomorrow. Friday it is, then. Tomorrow that Senator's son is coming. I will have to find him a suitable guide and–"
She didn't quite bury her head in her hands, but she did groan in disbelief. How could she forget to gather the paperwork! How on earth did she manage to forget to find him a mentor? She growled in frustrated anger. So many new students were coming in, it was ridiculous! So many, in fact, she was becoming overwhelmed with paperwork and raging parents and frightened Fledglings and–
"Crash!"
Pandora blinked at the shattered vase, startled. Her eyes narrowed at the scattered shards of purple porcelain, trying to set on fire with a glare. It wasn't working; she didn't have the affinity for fire. She was blessed with the unique strand of spirit that affected luck, or technically speaking, probability. Currently, she was wondering what the probability of the vase instantaneously reassembling would be. A sharp knock on the door interrupted her pondering; her eyes shifted to the door. With a wave of her hand, pink bolts hit a black end table and scooted it on top of the shards. No need to let whoever was coming in to know how stressed she really was, after all.
She quietly cleared her throat and said, "You may come in now."
Immediately the door swung opened and a flustered Professor Hart waltzed in. Pandora could practically see the anger and fear rolling off her in waves. Something bad must have happened, something that has frightened the curved teacher. The anger was probably from the fact that the equestrian teacher had to actually come and see her about whatever it was. Pandora was fully aware that the shorter woman didn't like her, that she thought she was too young to be of any real use. Pandora planned to prove her wrong. She stood up and said in a calm, steady voice, "What has happened, Professor Hart?"
The stout woman lifted an eyebrow, as if to say she was better than her, before replying, "One of my horses was discovered today –by a student, mind you– in it's stall, absolutely torn to shreds."
Pandora's face scrunched up in confusion. "What do you want me to do about it?"
The last time the High-Priestess had seen Professor Hart's face turn that shade of red, the school had been set on fire by a bunch of idiots. The older woman's frame shook with fury, her knuckles turning white. Even knowing it was coming, Pandora still cringed when the woman exploded. "What do you think I want you to do about! One of my horses is dead! I want you to find who ever is responsible and bring me their head on a pike! Is that really so hard to figure out, you young, inexperienced brat!"
Pandora wrestled down the urge to zap her with a probability changing bolt. Barely. With strained patience she gritted out, "I understand you are upset, Professor Hart, but there is no need for name calling." She continued on as the other woman opened her mouth to speak. "I'll do everything in my power to find out what has happened to your horse. Now, will you please lead me to the...crime scene?"
Face still red, Professor art nodded curtly and waltzed out the office, a frustrated High-Priestess at her heels.
"The students know something's wrong," Pandora noted as she walked through the commons area. Grim curiosity adorned each stony face they passed, a heavy silence resting on the shoulders of each and everyone of them. "They know something's amiss, but they do not know what, exactly," she realized. She'll have to gather them all for an assembly once this mess is sorted out. Hopefully they will be able to keep people from talking. Wait...
"You said a student discovered the body," she whispered low enough for her fellow vampyre to hear. She couldn't help but grin when she saw some students lean in, trying to listen in on their conversation. Didn't they know? Vampyres have much better hearing than Fledglings.
"Wipe that grin off your face, Pandora. This is not a laughing matter," Professor Hart growled under her breath. Pandora's smile slipped from her face only to be replaced with an agitated frown. Professor Hart ignored it. "But yes, a student did indeed discover the body. A girl named Rayana?" Her voice was purely calculating, testing to see if Pandora knew her school.
"Rayana, no last name. Seventeen year-old fourth former. Long hair that is so blonde it shines white, green eyes. About five feet and seven inches, last recorded weighing in about one-hundred and twenty-five pounds. No known affinity, as of yet," the High-Priestess said, smirking in triumph. Professor Hart
'hmphed' in disdain and led the woman into the stables.
The smell hit her like a wall. The strong, musty scent of drying blood made her nose tingle, and the gunky smog of rotted flesh made her gag. Definitely not the same as the ambrosial tang that human blood possessed or even the savory taste of a super-rare steak. Some animal bloods just tasted better than others, but none of them compared to that of a human. Pandora quickly realized that horse blood was on the list of bloods that weren't pleasant. Especially if it was dried. Wait a second...
"Why is it dried?" the High-Priestess wondered aloud, frowning suspiciously at Professor Hart.
Crossing her arms, Professor Hart huffed indignantly, "It took a while before Rayana was able to get to me. Her hand was injured from over exerting herself in a sparring match, so she had to sit out this class period. She told me that she heard a noise, went to see what it was, and found poor Patches here like this. Unfortunately, I was quite far from the stables, teaching the students how to safely cross streams."
"The nearest stream is nearly four and a half miles from here," Pandora reasoned. Adding that with what she knew of bodily fluids, she deemed the Professor's stories plausible. Nodding her head to let the teacher know she believed her, she stepped closer to the shredded body.
"It died quickly," she realized. "A bite clean bite to the perinium, and it bled out. Another on the neck, which could very well be broken." Green eyes trailed the length of the horse's body as she shared her findings with Professor Hart, who seemed relieved to hear her horse hadn't suffered much.
Pandora's eyes narrowed when she saw how the side was ripped opened, but she couldn't clearly see inside. Without thinking, she reached over jello-like gobs of flesh and fat and grabbed the flab of skin that was blocking her view. Quickly, exerting a bit of her vampyre strength, she tore the flesh out of her way. A wave of nausea hit her as trapped air was able to flow out of the body. She shivered at the sight before her and she thought she heard Professor Hart gag.
"The heart was the first to go,"she concluded. Not a trace of it was left behind. "The liver, lungs, and stomach lining was next. I'm not quite sure of the exact order, but they definitely came after the heart. See how the remains are scratched up here? Whatever did this was aiming for the heart first."
Professor Hart nodded, her hands covering her mouth in a mix of horror and an attempt to block out the rancid smell. Rearranging more lumps of flesh and organs, Pandora stopped when she found her proof. "See the scratches in the fat and muscle here around the kidneys and spleen? These were eaten only after they were exposed. I highly doubt that if this piece of flesh here hadn't been accidentally sliced opened while trying to get to the stomach, the kidneys and spleen wouldn't have been touched," she explained to a pale Professor Hart. She couldn't blame her, this was gruesome.
"What could have done this?" Professor Hart whispered hoarsely. For a moment, Pandora felt a stab of pity for the older woman.
She answered in a gentle voice, "I have a few ideas, but I can't be entirely sure without any hard proof. But I do believe that whatever did this, didn't act alone. I estimate that there had to have been four, maybe less."
Although there were several things that weren't adding up, like the fact that this had happened in a single stall. Yes, the horses were spoiled rotten by Professor Hart and had fairly large stalls, but this kind of an attack required more space. "Come, my friend. I'll have the men deal with this and we will pray for him at the next Full Moon Ritual, yes?" The older vampyre didn't protest when Pandora wrapped her clean arm around her shoulders. In fact, she seemed too shaken to even notice they were leaving. All the grieving teacher did was nod in agreement.
"Please, Edna, I need you to tell me where I can find Rayana. She may be able to help me find whatever did this," the black-haired woman reasoned, hoping that using the woman's real name would get her attention.
It worked. Dull brown eyes met electric green. Her voice thick with emotions, Edna Hart answered, "She w-was a little upset, so I told her t-to go to her r-room. Until she c-calmed down. Oh Goddess, whatever attacked my horse isn't human!"
Pandora tightened her arm around the brunette's shoulders, wishing for a towel so she could clean her other hand. Hugs kind of lost their comfort factor when you spread blood on the other person...
"Shhh, it's okay Edna. Go to the staff housing unit and make yourself a nice cup of tea. I have a special blend that I keep hidden from the other teachers in my room, okay? It's in the Roman vase on my desk, the one near the window? Get yourself in bed, with plenty of blankets, and I'll see about getting Ilara to cook up some of her special sugar dumplings, okay?" Pandora suggested. Seeing the shorter woman nod, Pandora gave her a one-armed hug before letting the woman go.
She watched with sympathetic eyes as Professor Hart shuffled towards the faculty house before she ducked into the kitchen and washed her hands. True, the older woman didn't like her because she was too young and inexperienced, but that didn't mean Pandora returned those feelings. Yes, she thought the brown-haired vampyre was annoying at times, but she never felt any contempt towards her. Besides, even Professor Hart couldn't deny that while she was young and inexperienced, she was the best at deciphering things. Particularly, dead bodies. Whenever there was a death on campus (and occasionally off), Pandora was always called in to figure the how, the why, and more importantly, the who. She was quite good at finding the smallest detail, increasing the probability of solving the crime.
"Today was both different, and the same," she thought as she strode towards the students dormitories.
Yes, she had seen the tiniest details that helped her piece together important facts, but this time the facts weren't making sense. No animal could tear a horse to pieces like that in such a confined space without leaving marks on the wall. But there had been nothing there. It was as if the horse had just spontaneously been ripped apart by an invisible force. The gears in her head were already turning. She knew of a few things that could do such a thing, but it couldn't be that. Several other theories bounced around in her head, taunting her with the fact that the answer was at her fingertips, yet was just barely evading her.
"Merry meet, High-Priestess!"
"Merry meet," she mimicked to several students that had passed her. Lifting her head up high and straightening her shoulders, Pandora switched from amateur detective to High-Priestess as she entered the student lounge. Several girls stared at her in awe, startled by the fact that the High-Priestess was in their lounge. Weird.
She nodded in acknowledgment to the students before proceeding upstairs without another word. She knew who lived in each room, on account she had assigned these rooms to the students. Stopping at the third door from the end of the hall, Pandora knocked three times on the wooden surface. She waited a full minute before the dark door cracked opened, revealing a sliver of a pale face. Green eyes widened in recognition (and a little fear) and the door swung open to reveal a tall girl in skinny jeans and a white tank top. Her long hair was swept up into an elegant ponytail, suggesting she had pulled it back before laying down.
"M-merry meet, High-Priestess!" she stumbled, trying her best to sound professional. A nervous smile played on her lips.
Pandora smiled warmly in a reassuring manner before replying, "Merry meet, Rayana. I'm here to talk to you about this evening." The small, nervous smile slipped from the girl's face the second the words were spoke. A haunted look encased her eyes in an emotionless icy coffin, her voice becoming deep and monotonous.
"Of course, High-Priestess, whatever you need to know. Please, come in." Rayana stepped back to allow Pandora access to the room.
Average size, two beds, one messy where as one was neatly made. Posters tacked randomly on one side, calendars and schedules posted professionally on the other. Both sides were occupied by wooden desks, both of which held different colored laptops. The theme of one side messy, the other side organized continued everywhere Pandora looked. She raised one perfectly plucked eyebrow as Rayana shoved books and folders off a chair and positioned it in front of her bed, where a spot had already been cleared. The blonde plopped herself down on her bed in the same moment Pandora gracefully accepted the cleared chair.
"She's scared, but she'd trying to cover it up," Pandora thought, taking in the girl's carefully done make-up and neat clothes. Her guise would have worked, but the way her eyes shifted at every dark corner, and how any abrupt sound made her flinch. And the trembling hands...
"Can you tell me what happened?" Pandora asked quietly. The High-Priestess was startled when green eyes widened and porcelain skin paled.
"It wasn't me! I had nothing to do with Patches dying!" she shouted, standing in front of the woman. "I swear, I didn't do anything! I wouldn't– couldn't! I'd never do something like that! Everyone loved Patches an-and it wasn't me–"
"Rayana." Pandora's voice cut through panic like a knife. She stood and grabbed the frightened teen's hand, hoping to reassure the Fledgling. "It's okay, Rayana. I know you didn't do it. I'm here to listen to what you heard, so I can find out what did do this. I know this isn't your fault, you're not in any trouble. I just want to talk," she consoled, easing them both back into their seats.
Rayana nodded, more so to calm herself down, and said, "I was sitting out on Equestrian Studies today since I hurt my hand and I wouldn't be able to control my horse through the stream without both hands. Anyways, I was sitting on a bench near the stable, you know the one, right?" Seeing the High-Priestess nod, she continued. "I was listening to music, but I still heard it. It was...horrible. It sounded like an animal that tried crying out in pain, but the air was stolen from its throat. I-I got curious and..." She swallowed heavily, finishing in a whisper. "I checked the stalls and found Patches just...torn apart."
Pandora didn't notice the girl shiver; she was too busy trying to pull her facts together. It all made sense, except it didn't. She knew the creatures that could do such a thing, but they would never do something like this unless...
"It is difficult to control teenagers," Pandora reasoned. Turning her attention back on the scared teenager, she placed her hand on the lithe shoulder and smiled gently.
"Thank you for your help, Rayana, it's really appreciated. If you wish, you may skip classes tomorrow to get your nerves settled. You don't have to, but I think that everyone will understand if you do," she offered.
Rayana's face was blank with shock before scrunching up in concentration. After a few moments, she decided, "I think I'm okay to go to class." She gave a small smile before quickly finishing," but thanks for the offer, High-Priestess Pandora!"
Pandora stood with a smile and nodded her goodbye. She quickly left, her head swirling with questions, facts, and answers. Her smile curved down into a frown once she realized she wouldn't be able to do anything but think until Friday, after she talked to that kid about his father. Saturday was the Full-Moon Ritual and she'd have to get the Poet Laureate to come up with calming poem to reassure everyone not to panic. Tomorrow –Thursday– she had to deal with that Senator's kid. At least he was expected to be here around two in the morning, and not while the sun was still up. She hated when they came while the sun was up; it was annoying. Taking a deep breath, Pandora calmed herself before walking into her room. Time to see how Professor Hart was holding up, and maybe get a good cup of tea.
–
Rayana stared dumbly at her door, pillow clutched to her chest. Only minutes ago had the High-Priestess left, leaving a shaken Rayana to her thoughts. Well, at least she's not in trouble. But that wasn't what scared her. No, what had frightened her wasn't the gory sight of Patches's dead body, but that fact that there was something on campus, and the adult vampyres didn't know what it was? That sent chills down her spine. She knew that Pandora was trying to be discreet about it, but she could still see the worry in her tired eyes. That was what made Rayana decide not to tell anyone about what she knew. Well, unless they were adult vamps, of course.
"Maybe I could tell Damien, too?" she wondered, but she quickly discarded that thought. Damien had a newbie following him around, and they might overhear something. "Argh! I hate this! I wish he wasn't stuck playing babysitter for some loser!"
"You know what? Screw it! I'm going to go hang out with him whether I like it or not! I'm bored!" she announced to herself.
So, first things first. Hunt down Damien and his shadow. Hell, maybe while she was at it, she'd find Nin. It's been awhile since she seen her cat, after all. Next was to ground Damien's ego into the ground by beating him at a contest or something. She didn't quite know what they were suppose to do, but she'd cross that bridge when she got to it. She stepped out into the hall and leaned against her closed door, thinking.
"If I were him, I'd be near the rec hall by now..."
A/N: Anyways, this was to show that Pandora isn't really a good High-Priestess. She's not horrible, but she's not that great either. She's actually a mediocre High-Priestess, due to her affinity being so uncontrollable. Not evil, just a mediocre High-Priestess, who isn't loved by everyone.
A bit of fore-shadowing, and I touched a bit more on Rayana.
...I've been paying too much attention in Spanish. I kept wanting to write Professora Hart. XD
Could still use a few more characters. Mostly teachers. Lots and lots of teachers.