Warning for arranged marriages

Seven - A Blue Fire

You have to die.

The words had been said so plainly, and right to her face and without any pity. Aya couldn't have told them to Fuuka without being sick all over her and seeing the hope in that face turn to fear. She didn't want that.

Not that she wanted to die either. And that couldn't be all of it. That would be way too easy and way too broken. If she just had to die for the phoenix to live on, then they wouldn't be rebirth. That was what her dads had said when she had told them. Because she couldn't lie to them. They were her dads. THey were strong. They could do a lot more than she could, or Fu-chan, or her friends. That was what adults were for, no matter how many ten-year-olds took down Team Rocket, like Blue's boyfriend.

And they had looked calm. They had even felt calm, no matter how tightly Father gripped her shoulder and her dad's voice had grown louder from the phone speaker. So Aya had gone to sleep easy, well as easily as she could considering what had happened when she had dozed off at her homework. She was still tired when she woke up that morning, forcing Jericho to burn her feet to get her out of bed and out the door. She was still skipping every other step as she made it to the crossroads by the theater.

Surprisingly enough, Fuuka was also still outside. She was pacing back and forth, bag bouncing against her back. Someone stood at the pillar to the side of her, arms crossed, expression flat. Their blue and purple hair swung lightly in the wind, barely held up by the mountain of bands holding it steady. A dratini was settled around their shoulders, likely snoring.

Immediately all thoughts of Ho-oh and her possible impending demise left her head and Aya had to struggle to keep the scowl off of her face. Instead she called out,

"Fu-chan! Morning!"

The girl at once and waved, rushing up to greet her. The boy didn't even react barring closing his eyes. Aya fought the muscles in her cheeks to keep up the smile as Fuuka tackled her into a hug. As she pulled away the other girl chattered by her ear.

"Rua promised to help us figure this out!" she said with a beaming grin, tugging her closer. "I told him and the others are on time today, so we can tell them after class!"

Aya let herself be pulled along. "I see…" She didn't want to deter her, but maybe finding out the ceremony herself would cause Fuuka to go in another direction instead.

As they approached, the other boy dipped his head. "Good morning Ayame."

Aya nodded, uncurling her hands. "'ello Rua. What brings you to Ecruteak?" Her face remained impassive.

She watched his eye twitch and suppressed a grin as he replied. "Father wishes for me to oversee Ho-oh's arrival. The League is going at full swing. He might have a few challengers and someone needs to represent Blackthorn. So they sent me off here a couple days ago. I just got in an hour ago."

"And you're the most qualified?"

Fuuka made a face at both of them, watching Rua's mouth. "Auntie is, but she declined."

"As I'm sure you wish you could."

"Verity's too young." Rua pushed off from the pillar he'd been using as a resting stop. "She'd be bored and cry through the whole thing. I'd spend the time being jealous."

"I'm sure it's a travesty to watch other people deal with the difficulties of everyday life."

"Ayachi!" Fuuka started.

Rua laughed and waved his hand. "Don't worry, Fuuka-chan. This is just how Aya shows she likes me."

"I like you unconscious," Aya muttered and Jericho hissed from her shoulder. "Not making creepy comments like your gross grandpa."

Rua's nostrils flared and he pinched his nose, taking a step back. "You're going to apologize for that."

Aya glared up at him. "Break my legs and make me."

Fuuka tugged at her arm. "Aya-chi!"

"It's fine Fu-chan." Aya gently moved to take her hand. "Don't worry, we're fine. The others are on their way here. You oughta explain everything you know to them. Nothing new's come up anyway."

Fuuka stared at her, into her soul almost. "You promise you won't fight."

"I promise not to break his arms and legs and throw him to Mt Mortar ferals."

Fuuka squinted and turned to Rua. Rua raised his hands in defense. "She started it."

Fuuka continued to squint at him now. "And you love making fun of her! Promise!"

Rua let out a long suffering sigh. "I promise not to be too rude."

She looked at them for a long couple minutes more. Then the girl stalked off, stomping with all the might in her nearly ten year old body.

"She's actually kind of scary like that," Rua mused, reaching up to scratch his dratini on the head. She cooed.

Aya gave him a look. "You think of breaking her heart and I'm breaking yours."

Rua clicked his tongue. "Why do you always threaten me? I did nothing wrong!"

"You literally pulled Su-chan's braids when we met you." Aya said with an unimpressed look.

"I did nothing wrong to you," he corrected.

Aya actually laughed at that. "If you actually think that, you're even more of a jerk than I thought." She sobered. But that doesn't matter anyway. You're not marrying me. You're marrying Fu-chan. And you are going to make her happy or I'm going to make your life and death hell, no matter what happens."

Rua let out a sound of displeasure. "Sounds ominous."

"It might be."

He paused mid-head scratch. "Really?"

Aya hesitated a moment. Rua was Champion Lance's son. His oldest pride and joy, stuck here only out of sacred obligations so the dragons of Blackthorn didn't burn them all at the stake. He didn't want to be here, or even to marry Fuuka someday. He wanted whatever it was dragon people wanted, and he was an absolute jerk all the time. Still, he was obligated to be here and be involved and Fuuka had probably told him everything anyway. (Aya was never trusting her with secrets again!)

Then she nodded. "it might be."

"For her or for you?"

"Wouldn't I have told her if it was a problem for her?" Aya shook her head. "it's a problem for me, and you can tell what kind of person she is when it comes to other people's problems."

Rua's green eyes flickered onto her, and Aya met them without hesitation. "You'll look after her! You'll be a good partner. Cause right now you're just another jerk and I don't need those near my friends."

Rua didn't step back, but he did square his thin shoulders. "Your friends aren't toys for you to own."

Aya laughed. "No but they're my people to love. And I love them. Do you?"

She turned on her heel and flounced off to her friends, wrapping her arms around Su-chan in a hug. As always, Suzuko didn't question anything. She hugged her back. And the others pulled themselves into it for a good five seconds.

And in those five seconds, Aya remembered. And as they broke apart, her chest filled with determination.

She wasn't going to die that easily. As soon as she got home, she was calling her mother.