Chapter 12
Clancy POV
I was going to go insane. The pure white walls, the small door at the front, the window in said door with white bars, it was all the same. If I wanted to see color I had to look at my own skin or hair. My skin… it was dirty, when was the last time I washed it? And my hair... dirty blonde with actual dirt and fraying ends that curl around my chin. With a sigh, I run a hand through my hair. When was the last time I saw a red… or even a wisp of blue? The sky in the Land of Canvases didn't count, it was a washed out blue that was almost white.
I could now see why Monochrome wanted to rid of color. A deep aching in my chest tightened and squeezed every time I saw the desert dunes out my window. Gone were the golds, replaced with a blank white. Canvases indeed, the joke brings only misery. With another sigh, I sit up from my 'bed', really just a mat, and look to the door. I couldn't just feel sorry for myself could I? Wait for a rescue that wasn't going to happen? Especially not after what you did to Merle, you let her… Another aggravated sigh escapes my lips.
If I wanted to escape I needed a plan. First part would be leaving when no one was down here. Tessur and Anneis rarely came down here, but Etihvv came down at weird intervals. If they discovered me in the middle of the act or already gone then I'd fail. It was like they had nothing better to do than sit at my door, not even guarding or anything, just sitting there looking at the opposite wall.
I'd have to find my Pigment as well. It wasn't corrupted, at least not yet. I could still feel the energy it gave thrum beneath my skin. Maybe that's why I hadn't gone crazy yet, the small hope that I could get it back kept me focused. I frown and tug at a loose string of my shirt. But, where could my Pigment be? Etihvv didn't have it on them, but they did brag that they had it. If I frowned anymore, my face would get stuck that way. I rub at my eyes and sigh. Why couldn't I have just believed in my partner?
"Of course mother," I adjust the phone against my cheek. "I'm fine here."
"Are you sure? I can get you out of there Merle." Grainy interference pops besides her frantic voice. "I heard the annual art festival got canceled due to mass fainting, I don't want you in any kind of danger." If only you knew, I smirk to myself.
"I'm fine here. Plus, you're across the world…" I don't finish the sentence. I had to stay here, my duty as a Pretty Cure required me to be here. Who would fight Monochrome if I left? Plus, I was beginning to make… friends? I shake my head to clear those thoughts.
"That doesn't mean anything." My mother sounds sad. "Are you sure you want to keep living there at Blackwell? Perseverance is a virtue, but it does no good if you get hurt." I nod my head, remember she can't see me and voice a quiet 'yes'. The phone call grows grainer, the static popping in my ear. I felt tired, drained.
"Do you want to talk to your father? Maybe he'll convince you to leave." Before I can voice a protest, the phone is being handled to someone else.
"You're going to school with ghosts?" My father's voice sounds over the phone.
"No?" My nose scrunches up at the very thought. How much did he not know?
"I have no idea what is going on so keep doing what you're doing Merle. Stay in school and don't do drugs." I force a laugh and stare at the opposite wall. "If that's all, we've got work to do, bye." With that, the phone call ends. My mouth opens, but no words come out. Of course, they were too busy. My father had two jobs that kept him overseas for extended periods of time. I look to the clock and see its nearing 5:30 am. It was probably night time where they were.
"Merle, what are you doing up this early?" Grif stretches at the edge of the bed. Their beak opens in a yawn, and then snaps shut. I shrug and put the phone in my pocket. Rising from the bed, I move towards the mirror.
"School." I fix my white collared shirt. Brushing long, curly locks out of my face, I straighten the collar.
"That was your mother on the phone, right?" Grif jumps from the bed. They glide towards my desk. Talons outstretched, they gently land facing me. I nod and rub the sleep from my eyes. Maybe I'll work on some designs for a new project. Something to get my mind off things. "It's good that she's checking in on you, even if she's far away." Grif purrs. I nod again. My mother liked for me to check in at least once a week. Sometimes I forgot, sometimes I did it twice a week.
"Leaving now." I grab my notebook and a pen. With a wave of their paw, Grif wishes me a good day. I wave back and then shut the door. I was up earlier than usual and could really feel the toll. My feet thud in the empty hallway, but I don't care. I slide down the staircase railing (it wasn't like anyone was going to see me) and slip off at the end. With barely a check of the hallways, I exit the glass doors.
Dawn hasn't even started; the gray smoky skies of winter overhead. Clouds are thick with rain, ready to break at a moment's notice. Should of brought an umbrella, I frown and quicken my pace. With a rolling crack of thunder, light rain begins to drizzle. My disheveled vest clings to my skin while my wrinkled skirt bounces above my knees as I begin to run. Shit. I turn at the nearest tree and begin to high tail it back to the dorms. Not even out a moment and my luck is bad. Today is gonna be bad.
"Umm… no offense, but why are you slightly wet?" Meena points to my vest. I narrow my eyes and continue to sketch new designs in my notebook. If I didn't look at her, then she'd ignore me right back. "Did you get caught in the rain this morning?" She pushes her face into my field of vision. Blinking rapidly, I scoot back.
"Hey Stonewall, I know ignoring reality is your thing, but come on. We're friends now!" Meena grins widely. I pull back and open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Friends? We were friends already? With no life threatening monster to bring us together? I almost smile at my own joke. "So what's up?" Meena sits opposite way in her chair. She leans on my desk, eyes appraising my sketches. "You drawin' more robots?"
"Yes." I flip the notebook around. If she was actually interested, though I don't see why, she could see. "I'm thinking of building another model."
"Ah cool! You in the robotics club?" She picks up the thick notebook and begins to flip through it. Most of it is just nonsense and math. Robot designs and lists of materials litter the pages. I shake my head and try to quell my insides. A little prick of fear worms its way inside. Even if she was showing interest, she thought it was weird as well, right? "Good, good. Movie Club meets on those days too y'know and since you're our newest member it'd be cool if you're there." What?
"Newest… member…?" I frown. When did I say I was joining their club, I was just there for one day. Meena looks up from the notebook, a look of confusion on her face. She scrunches her tan nose up and stares.
"Yea, newest member." She closes the notebook and leans forward on her hand.
"But, when did I join?" I try to remember back to that time, it seemed so long ago. That's when I got the Bit Buster?
"Sylvia said you were just there to work the projector till Kai came back, but I thought since you love us because we're your friends you'd join full time!" She takes in a large gulp of air. "Wow that was a lot of words." She laughs.
"Oh," I squirm in my seat. "Maybe." It wasn't like I had anything better to do than watch crappy movies. Maybe do my Pretty Cure duty… Yes, I will have to skip today's movie because aliens are attacking. Sorry. I snort and open my notebook back up. It wasn't like I could plan for them.
"Cool, so Friday were going to the movies. Meet us at the gate after school." Meena flips around in her chair to face the right way. The bell rings overhead, a flood of students rush in at the last second. The math teacher whirls and begins to shout.
"You're late! Go get a tardy slip! You're not allowed in unless you have one!" I sigh and lean on my palm. Today's second start was beginning to look bad as well.
"Meena say's you're a part of the club now, although I don't know whether to believe her or not." Sylvia sits next to me at lunch. She pulls off her red scarf and lays it gently on the table. "When she gets here I'll ask." She pulls out a lunch next. I shift feeling awkward in my chair. Why are you sitting next to me? There's a whole free table. I poke at my nachos, the fake cheese making me feel nauseous.
"I might be. Not sure yet." I opt for my salad. Even if the lettuce was dry and tomatoes gooey, maybe even rotten, it was still better than school nachos. I stare at the salad, still debating whether or not I was going to go Friday or not. It'd be fun, but then that'd mean I was a part of their club. That meant commitment, and what if I missed a lot of meetings due to Dead-Color attacks? They'd hate me and hate the fact I was once a part of their club. Shaking my head of the thoughts, I try to catch what Sylvia is saying.
"-bully you in. She means well, but can be a little overbearing." Sylvia digs through her lunch. "It's your choice if you want to come Friday too, but just so you know." She stops and turns to me with a smile. "We're seeing that new robot movie." The smile turns to a smirk. I frown and cross my arms. Did she think she could lure me in with the mentions of robots?
"The one that's been in all the previews." Sylvia waggles her thin eyebrows. Her blue eyes are playful. My gaze drops and I force a smile.
"Knowing your club… it's going to be bad." I take a large bite of salad, mostly lettuce, and hear her gasp. A guffaw breaks right by the table. I jump in my seat almost spilling my plate. Meena drapes herself across the other side of the wooden table, clutching her sides as she howls. Sylvia lets out a sigh and rubs at her temples.
"Nice one Stonewall, wow…" Meena wipes an imaginary tear from her eyes. "Sylvia's fragile heart can't take a burn like that so be careful." She lets out a breath and slaps the table. The last of her laughter dies off leaving the table drowned in the buzz from the other students.
"I am not fragile." Sylvia huffs. "If I remember correctly, a certain someone cried like a baby in club two weeks ago."
"That was a sad movie; you can't blame me for crying." Meena grumbles right back. She pokes through her own lunch. "Plus I wasn't the only who cried. Kai did as well." The two begin to talk back and forth, both trying to one up the other. I push my lunch away, tuning it out. Friday… what was I going to do Friday? Nothing likely, Pretty Cure business if it came up.
"Hello? Stonewall?" Meena waves a hand in front of my face. I push away from the table, my thoughts interrupted. "I called your name like a million times. You going Friday or not?"
"Sure..." I turn to throw my lunch away. I'm tired.
"Ugh!" Tessur throws his papers across the table. Leaning his head in his hands, he lets out an aggravated sigh.
"What's wrong this time?" I pick a paper out of the pile. The first thing I see is a math equation. I put the paper back down.
"Does everything count as an answer?"
"Aw, come on drama queen, it can't be that bad." I laugh and lean back against the chair. Crossing my arms I wait for the glare. Right on cue, his brown eyes narrow at mine. I grin. With another sigh he slams his head against the wood table.
"The Pigment fragments are being lost," he grumbles. His long ponytail slips down his shoulder and joins the mess of papers. "At this rate we'll lose them by next month." His eyes meet mine, but it feels like he's not actually looking at me.
"We could slow down on the attacks?"
"What, so Aero can gain another power? Great suggestion Anneis." Tessur sneers. He sits back up, moving his ponytail to its right position with the back of his hand. My chair clatters to floor as I stand. Anger burns beneath my skin making the room feel warmer than it actually is.
"What was that Tessur?" I growl the words. "Mocking my suggestion?"
"Mocking? That's new vocabulary, congratulations Anneis!" Tessur gives a bout of mock clapping. I can barely hear it over the roaring of blood. Before I know it, my hand is arcing through the air. I barely have time to register Tessur's shocked face before I hit the table. It creaks and trembles with the force, a fracture spreading along my fist.
"Give me a shard; I'll end this right here."
"…It's best to not make promises you can't keep." Tessur holds out a single green shard.
The last bell of the day hadn't even died and I was being rushed to the gates. Flurries of 'we're gonna miss the showing! Hurry' buzzes in my ear. My back aches from the pushing from the smaller girl. Did I even have Meena in this many classes before? I can't remember. All of my classmates kind of blur together when I'm in class, none of them really standing out to me.
I'm thrown into the crowd of students from behind. Like a slowly moving river, they inch their way to the dorms. I'm almost half a foot taller than most in front, easily able to see over their heads. At the glass doors the students stagnant. Meena lets out a growl and stands on her tiptoes. Even on them, she's still not as tall as I. "Weave through 'em Stonewall." She barks the order. Her tan arm points to a break in the crowd. With a curt nod, I start forth.
Meena truly was a very energetic girl. I suppose to others it'd be infectious, but not I. After every extended conversation with her, I felt like crawling into bed. As we weave through the crowds of red uniforms, I spy another person. Even if she was shorter than most kids, her bright blonde hair stuck out. Sylvia makes her way towards the door, a look of determination on her face. Before either of us can get to the glass doors, we meet. I slightly bump into her. Drawing back, I almost hit Meena with an elbow.
"Oh hey Sylvia!" Meena grins. If she noticed I almost hit her, she doesn't mention it.
"Meena," Sylvia inclines her head. "Don't worry; we'll make it on time."
"I'm not worried!" Meena pouts. As we pass through the doors, it's a whole other story. Meena grabs my hand and tugs. "But, I want to get there early!" With a cackle she shoots off yanking me along with her. I can barely hear Sylvia's shouts as we run.
"Did… we have… to run… to the gate…" I almost collapse to the green grass, lungs heaving for any relief. It wasn't like I was Cure Aero, able to run miles in minutes. I can feel the eyes from other students as they pass by, the pity making my skin crawl. Kai gives a laugh from outside the gate.
"She does that to all new members, don't worry about it Merle." He runs a hand through his black, messy hair. I glare in his general direction, chest still heaving for breaths. Jayme stands next to him with a smile. The two have made up, that was a good thing. My terrible advice somehow helped her to get the courage to tell Kai how she felt. "I remember collapsing against the ground." Kai grins and nudges Jayme with his elbow. "And Jayme died."
"Don't be ridiculous." Jayme scowls. She stands straighter, eyes flitting every direction. "Where is Sylvia?" I drag my gaze from the grass to the school. Students rush to clubs or back to the dorms, the small blonde among them. She jogs towards us, a huge bag bouncing on her shoulder.
"Don't forget to bring your money!" She shouts raising a wallet in the air.
The walk to the movies is uneventful. Meena fills us (me) in on what the movie is about, and how the ratings said it was a must see. The small girl is vibrating with excitement. I quirk an eyebrow, never seen someone so excited about going to the movies. Unless I counted little kids. The smell of buttery popcorn drifts on the cold winter winds. The small theater is wedged between two larger buildings, but this only amplifies the crowds forming. We get in the line, and luckily it seems to be going quickly.
"What movie will you all be seeing?" The sweet voice draws my gaze from the ground. The woman from before smiles at us. Her bright, sharp almond eyes meet mine. The smile almost drops, but it shines full force in my direction. I feel like I'm being blinded.
"We'll be seeing…" Jayme starts. I stare at the woman. Even dressed in the theater uniform, she stands tall and graceful. Her hair is black waves cascading down her back.
"Enjoy your movie!" The mystery woman turns to the next guests. Before I know it, we're being ushered into the theater. A jumbo popcorn is stuffed in my arms, the salt and butter making my mouth water, but I don't exactly remember getting it. As we sit in the chairs, the lights to the sides dim. Previews play on the screen, but I don't pay attention.
"I STORMED OUT AGAIN!" I scream towards the sky. Bystanders stare at me, but who cares! Damn Tessur! Always riling me up so I do something stupid. I stomp my way down the sidewalk, eyes dart every direction for something powerful to turn into a Dead-Color. I would show Tessur and even Lord Monochrome I wasn't a failure. I could be the best soldier; I would be the best soldier. Tessur could do his dumb experiments, but my job was in the field.
Nothing powerful jumps into sight. I got a little excited last time and merged the Pigment shard with the first thing I saw, but not this time. Tessur better thank me later for thinking so much, I stomp towards a crowd of people. They eye me warily and I glare right back. I was even draped in colors, though it felt disgusting, so why were they looking?
"Come. On. Something. Powerful. Show. Up." I spit the words out through grit teeth. Bright abstract art posters line a crumbling brick wall. Not good enough. Band posters circle a dull lamp post. Not what I'm looking for. "Uuugh," I yank at my dull hair. Curse you Tessur.
The movie was good. The designs for the robots were cute, the holographic details were amazing, and the A.I. character was funny. I caught myself smiling a lot. The theater itself wasn't as crowded as it was outside, only a few other patrons spread among the small room. The biggest, and by far the loudest, group was ours. The movie was a slight comedy and when a corny joke was told, three of the club broke out into laughter. Only Jayme and I stayed quiet, and for that I was thankful.
"I'm going to go get another popcorn." I whisper to Sylvia. Among five teenagers, the thing didn't last long. That wasn't the only reason I was leaving, it was also to go see the mysterious girl. Something about her, reminded me of Clancy. I couldn't place my finger on it, but if I talked to her long enough I should be able to.
Exiting into the light and squinting my eyes as I make my way towards the stand. Luckily, the girl was there. She stands at empty stand, a small smile on her face. Her eyes meet mine and the smile stretches. "What can I do for you?" She brushes some of her black hair behind her shoulder.
"Popcorn refill." I produce the bag from earlier.
"Of course." She says. "…Did everything go alright with your friend?"
"…You remember that?" I tug at my Pigment, my face feels hot.
"Of course!" She turns back with the filled up popcorn. "I hope that it went well." Her eyes trail down towards my Pigment. The smile on her face falters, a look of sadness flashing in her almond eyes. The next moment it's gone, the popcorn being shoved in my face. "Here's your popcorn." Her voice seems strangled.
I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. She was definitely from the Land of Canvases. Thinking back, it's obvious. Why she sought me out from the crowd, why she kept looking my way. My heart twists at the realization. "Are you the green Cure?" Thick curls obscure my gaze; I don't want to see her now. I look to the flood.
"…you figured it out so easily." I'm pretty smart. I bite back the remark. "I'm Olive or Cure Myrtle." Olive introduces herself.
"Merle… Cure Aero." I drag my gaze upward. The sad smile is prominent on Olive's face.
"Well Merle, I think your friends are waiting for you. We can finish this later." With a slight nod of her head, Olive turns. As she reaches for a popcorn scooper, a wave of gray crashes over my senses. I stumble against the stand, the air getting kicked from my lungs. It's completely different. The wave of gray blinds my sight, roars in my ears, I can even taste something unpleasant.
"Merle? Are you okay?" Olive sounds winded. I give a strained nod and reach for my Pigment.
"Precure Primer and Gloss!" With a flash of blue and a lighter feeling of waves crashing along my skin, my clothes wash away and are replaced with the Pretty Cure uniform. "The Color of the Unforgiving Earth! Cure Aero!"
"Oh wow!" Olive's eyes almost shine. She leans across the stand.
"You look cute Aero!"
"Wh-What!" My face heats up. This wasn't the time for this! "Stay here." I give the quick warning before running off towards the theaters. Who was it this time? Anneis attacked last time, so most likely Tessur. Would Monochrome be here too? A shiver runs down my spine at the thought. I cut across the small, dark hall. Everything is tinted a slight green again. With a frown, I stop running. The air is still and heavy, waiting for the action to start.
With quiet steps, I peek into a theater. The movie is silent and gray, but still going on. The actors continue to spill their lines unaware their audience is nothing more than a shell. One of Monochrome's lackeys isn't there. Stepping out I sweep my gaze for something, but all I see is the slightly green (mostly gray) hallway.
"There." My voice is barely above a whisper. A slight buzzing fills the air. I turn my head down the hall, a frown on my lips. Last theater on the right, that's where the movie club is. Knowing my luck, it's where the Dead-Color is as well. My intuition is right, just as I reach the doorway, Anneis storms out. Her gray face is set in stone.
"Cure Aero. I'm not playing around this time." She shoves her hands on her hips, the broken bracelets on her wrists bangling in the buzzing. My gaze travels from behind her large form to the movie screen, unlike the others its stop playing. Another movie Dead-Color? I slightly bend my knees, ready to jump at a moment's notice. There! Anneis slings a fist forward. I leap back. Landing lightly on the carpet, the buzzing grows louder. Not buzzing, an engine?
The engine growls overhead, a large metallic Dead-Color leaping over my body. I crouch down and cut across the hall. The robot from the movie! The robotic Dead-Color whirrs its treads, slowing to a stop beside Anneis. She was a huge woman, taller than and I and built like an amazon, but she looked tiny compared to the Dead-Color. Anneis grins, and crosses her arms.
"Get her Dead-Color; I want Pretty Cure blood in those treads!" Anneis jabs a finger in my direction. At her orders, the Dead-Color jolts forward. I leap back again, barely missing its claw like arms. Barely hitting the carpet, it comes in for another run. I duck right, the treads of the robot barely missing my head. I drop into a roll, the ground trembling with every movement of the Dead-Color.
Jumping to unsteady feet, the engine rumbles overhead again. The hallway's too small, I grit my teeth. Turning on my heel, I run. Plaster from the ceiling drops down in huge chunks. I dodge every piece, my gloves covering my mouth. Dust fills the hallway, obscuring my gaze. Doesn't matter, the Dead-Color was loud; I could hear it coming a mile away. A large piece of plaster drops before my eyes. I jump to the side, dodging the debris.
Almost outside, I make it to the stand, Olive in no sight, and can see the doors to outside. Sunlight streams in in heavy lines within the smoke. I give a slight cough and run towards it. Even with my gloved hands blocking the dust, it was hard to breathe.
Something hard cracks against my side. A scream is ripped from my throat as I'm launched to the side. I slam into the glass doors, feeling it tear into my other side. The concrete cracks against my body as I bounce across the street. Pain blares in sharp flares all over my body. Small cuts and scratches burn across my arms and sides. I struggle to stand, my arms wobbling as I push myself up from the street.
Out of the dust and glass shards come the Dead-Color's other arm. With a burst of energy, I push back. The arm arcs through the air, slamming where I once lay. The concrete cracks spread from the force. I slam onto my heels as I land, pain shooting up from my legs. The robot swivels its top portion towards me, glass eyes meeting mine. Now.
I run forward, dodge the incoming claw, and leap up. Pulling my fist back, I throw a punch. My fist connects with the glass eye. The metal surrounding it cracks with the force, the eye itself shattering. Glass cuts my knuckles and I let out a yelp.
The Dead-Color lets out a flurry of loud beeps. Hitting the ground, I dodge a wildly thrown arm. My short boots clack against the concrete with every step back. Both of its arms fly towards me, claws outstretched to catch anything. I leap back, my feet barely missing the claws. The ground where I stand concaves, spider web like cracks spread across the street.
"You were cuter on screen." I frown. Even if it was a hard hitter, if it couldn't see me that meant nothing. Another long string of angry beeps meet my ears. I grin and call forth the giant pencil. "The Pigment that tran-" I don't get to finish. The Dead-Color rushes forward. The engine sounds rumble all around. I leap back, but I'm not fast enough.
The robot's arm slams into my side. I hit the ground with a loud crack again. The air rushes from my lungs. Pain flares all around my body. Tires squeal in the distance. I roll to my side, eyes barely staying open. They slightly close, my eyelids feel so heavy. My body feels so weak.
"This movie had a lot of passion put into it. All those actors' feelings, all the audiences' feelings," Anneis' voice booms from the broken theater doors. "That makes for a strong Dead-Color."
"Spoiler alert. Cure Aero dies at the end." The words are whispered above my ear. I struggle to stand. Come on, come on. Blood trickles from the little cuts on my forearms. My side feels bruised; with every little movement pain beats beneath the skin. You still have to rescue Clancy, you can't end here. Something hard presses into my back. Gravel meets my cheek, my chest presses into the cracked ground. Anneis' foot presses me down. Her eyes meet mine, unusually dark and serious. Her mouth is a thin line.
"No." I grit the words out. My arm lashes out. Grasping Anneis by the ankle, I twist my body and throw. She lets out a yelp as she soars through the air. Pain burns through my body, the motion causing my sides to move.
I struggle sit up. The Dead-Color rumbles near, its one good eye on me. I call forth my oversized pencil. "The Pigment that tranquilizes the heart." The tip turns a bright blue. Numbers spring forth from the pencil, forming a long line of code. "Aero Recode!" I shove the pencil forward, the code springing forth. The robotic Dead-Color struggles to stop. Its treads burn against the concrete as it tries to turn and run. It's pointless, the code wraps around its body.
With a series of cooing beeps, the Dead-Color bursts. Blue static streams from its body. Cool energy washes across the cracked street, everything beginning to be repaired. I let out a sigh and collapse backwards. I was too weak to even stand at the end. My transformation pings off. Energy floods into my body, the pain becoming dull, but I still don't feel like standing.
"Merle?" Someone calls my name. My muscles protest at the movements, but I sit up. My sides ache, almost making me want to throw up. Olive collapses to her knees by my side. Tears well in her eyes as a tentative hand is outstretched.
"Are you okay? That was…" Her breathing hitches. Her hand gently touches my face.
"I'm fine. I need to get back to… my friends." The words hurt to get out. Olive stands and offers a hand out. I take it and am helped to my feet. I stumble forward, but catch myself.
"Are you sure you're okay? Do you need to rest somewhere? You're not going to pass out, right?" A flurry of questions escapes her mouth. I cringe and look at my feet.
"We need to get the shard." I turn and scan the area for the green Pigment shard. Something glitters on the ground catching my eye. I stumble towards it, and bend down to get it. My muscles scream as I pick up the shard. Grif better thank me later.
"Congratulations Anneis." Tessur gives another bout of mock clapping. Etihvv pauses, a look of confusion on their face before proceeding to do the same, although theirs is more sincere.
"Congrats! What did you do?" They tilt their head, gray eyes flickering between Tessur and me.
"She had another great failure." Tessur sneers. "What happened to solving all our problems?"
Etihvv stops clapping, their expression souring. Anger boils beneath my skin. I suck in a large breath and press my fists into my thighs. I couldn't just punch either of them, could I? Neither could I break another piece of furniture. My skin feels hot, the action of 'calming' doing nothing. Etihvv runs a hand through their white, short hair. Their bangs settle back over their left eye.
"You can't even beat Aero? Even though she's so weak?" A mocking smile stretches across Etihvv's face. "I guess that makes you both weak." I take a step forward, my fist in the air. Tessur takes a step back, almost bumping into the table I cracked earlier. Etihvv lifts their head, the mocking smile stretching wider. Anger boils over. I can't think clearly, but who needs to?
"Say something like that to me again and I will punch you." I swing my fist to the side. It connects with the wall. It's like I'm punching nothing. The wall crumbles producing a large hole where I punched. At least I didn't punch the kid. I bitterly think the words.
*fanfare* It's a Christmas miracle! I posted the next chapter! *throws confetti* You guys have no idea how hard it was to write this chapter. I had half of it written, and my computer's hard drive crashed. I cried for like three days then got my old, old, old, old laptop that barely runs to write. Then I didn't write for two weeks due to lack of energy.
Anyways the point is that I'm going to write more often now and try to get the next chapter out within the month.
Please leave a comment, constructive criticism, or review. I'd really appreciate it! Thanks and Happy Holidays!
