Chapter Four: Arrival

Angel felt herself whisked away, colours swirling around her as she entered the vortex. Like a vacuum, she was shot forward with immense speed that she had to close her eyes and unfurl her wings. Faster and faster she went before the hectic ride suddenly stopped. She felt herself falling, falling, falling. She welcomed the darkness that came afterwards.

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When she woke up, the first thing she saw was blue skies and white clouds. The air was pungent with grass and flowers.

She slowly sat up, feeling sore all over from her ride. She groaned softly. She really had to stop landing on her head.

Angel got up shakily on her feet, almost stumbling on her dress. The Goddess was a foot away from her, already on her feet and dusting herself off. She looked up and quickly went to help her.

"Are you all right?" the Goddess asked, looking a little concerned.

"Yea, I'm just fine." Angel looked at her, glad to have her support. "Just still a bit shaky."

The Goddess nodded with understanding. "I see. You will be fine in a few moments."

"So, which realm are we in.?" Angel asked, peering around her.

"This is the centre realm, the Realm of Fantasy." She spread her arms wide to the beauty of it. "This is the realm you are to rule now."

"So this is the realm I'm supposed to rule." She looked at her surroundings speculatively.

"Yes."

"Great." She took in a deep breath. "And I'm gonna rule here for the rest of my life. Whoopeededoop." She sighed, none too enthusiastic.

"Yes you are child." She smiled warmly at her. "But I must leave you now so I may continue my duties in watching over the Galaxy. Farewell." And with that, she started to fade away. "Call me when you need my help. I'll always be with you."

"Hey!" Angel shouted after her. "I don't even know my way around here! What if I got lost or something?"

"Do not worry," the woman answered as she disappeared. "Jade will help you." Than, she was gone.

'Who's Jade?' Angel wondered. 'Oh well, might as well explore my kingdom.' She sighed wearily at the thought.

A sparrow flitted close than darted away. Angel grinned and held out her hand. The sparrow came back and landed on her palm, walking up her arm to perch on her shoulder. It twittered at her.

"Hey little fella." Angel cooed softly. "I hope you don't mind me asking. Do you happen to know where the palace is? I mean, I assume there might be a palace but I'm not sure…" Her voice faded away into a thoughtful silence. "Great. Now I'm reduced to talking to animals." She sighed.

"But of course, Mistress Angel," the sparrow answered merrily. "I'll get some of my other friends to lead the way." She chirped out into the forest. Three more sparrows came out, riding on a white speckled fawn and its mother.

Angel blinked with astonishment. "You can talk?" she asked her sparrow friend.

"Of course we do silly." The sparrow shook her tiny head. "All animals talk. You humans just don't open you minds enough to understand us." She flew over to her friends. The sparrows piped into song.

Angel smiled and shook her head. "This place is filled with surprises," she mumbled under her breath, chuckling.

The doe went up to Angel, her baby close behind. "Hello your Majesty," she said bowing her head. "My name is Diamond and this is my young buck, Mischief."

"Hi, hi, hi, hi!" the fawn sang out, prancing around her. "How ya doing?"

"Mischief!" Diamond scolded. "Your manners please."

"Sorry mama," the buck mumbled sheepishly, hanging his head.

Angel bent down to Mischief. "It's okay Mischief. You can behave however you like around me."

Mischief's eyes glowed with happiness. "Really?" He turned to his mother. "Angel says I can behave however I like!" He laughed and ran to his mother.

Diamond nuzzled him than smiled at Angel. "If you will follow me your Majesty, the palace is this way." Lifting her dainty feet, she started walking. Angel followed closely behind.

"So, what's your name?" Angel asked the sparrow perched on her shoulder.

"My name is Aoiri," the female sparrow said. "And these are my sisters Blossom, Sakura and Mieko." Each of the birds nodded at her as their name was said.

"Here we are." Diamond stopped abruptly making Angel almost ploughed into her. She stepped just in time and gaped.

The Fantasy palace had many towers. It looked very majestic in the setting sun, rays of light bursting in the background. Angel had to look up to see the whole thing. Flying pennants flapped in the breeze. A symbol of a roaring dragon circling a jewel was on each flag. Angel fingered the Shinjuku Jewel around her neck. It looked exactly like the symbol on the flags.

The landscape behind it was picturesque: a forest surrounding it with a lake visible through the trees, looming mountains in the distance.

"Oh, Mistress Angel!" a voice called from a tower. "You've finally arrived! Guards, open the gates!"

The gates opened and Angel stepped inside. Her animal friends, however, stayed outside. Angel turned to them and smiled.

"Thanks for your help," Angel told them. "I hope I see you guys soon."

"It was our pleasure, your Highness." With a flick of her tail, Diamond led her fawn away, the sparrows chirping above them.

Angel took a deep breath and walked into the courtyard and up the palace steps to the doors. The doors burst open and a girl about sixteen ran out, her blue robes flapping in the breeze.

She stopped breathlessly in front of her. "Mistress Angel!" she exclaimed happily. "How long I have awaited for your arrival! Please come this way." And with that, she took Angel's arm and dragged her in.

"Um… who are you exactly?" Angel asked, not looking very happy about being dragged in.

"My name is Jade Himoya. I'm your royal advisor. Very pleased to finally meet you." She kept on walking without taking a breath.

Angel started to look annoyed. Angrily, she snatched her arm away from Jade and stepped back, hands on her hips. Jade looked back at her in surprise.

"Excuse me, Jade, but I can still walk, you know, without you dragging me like a sack or something." She pointed to her own legs. "I have two legs and I can walk perfectly with them. Got that?" she stomped up to the door.

"I'm sorry, Mistress Angel," the poor girl cried, looking tearful. "I never meant to offend you."

Angel sighed. "It's okay Jade. I know your trying really hard to help. And stop calling me 'Mistress.' It makes me feel older than you are."

"Very well than… Angel," Jade stammered out. "If that really pleases you."

"Yes, that does please me." Angel rolled her eyes in frustration. "Can we go now?"

"But of course Mis… I mean… Angel." She signalled to the guards standing by the doors and they rushed over to open the heavy doors on the threshold. The doors swung wide and Angel stepped through them and into her new home.

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Thanks to everyone who reviewed! So very sorry that I hadn't updated for so long. This was a very hectic week. So much homework! Ugh! Well I hope you guys will review quickly unlike my tendency to not update fast enough. LOL! Anyway, I hope you don't get mad at me or something. Review please!