Izumi finished out that day neither avoiding nor approaching Kalego. He seemed to have a lot on his mind though it didn't stop his snide comments to the class. The next morning she was skulking around the halls not really wanting to go to class after yesterday's uncomfortable conversation with the teacher when the new board caught her eye. It was a story from just a few days ago, the flying race. Izumi's eyes widened as she saw a picture of herself riding the Guardian of Kanikiri Valley. She reached out her bandaged hands, which had not yet healed from the demon bird's beak and ripped the paper down. "How are these journalists getting these?" she asked, perplexed. She had not seen anyone outside her class at the race.
She read the paper and the absurdity of it all was almost amusing, almost. It wove an intricate tale of her mercilessly subduing the guardian and taking one of the Heirs of house Sobnock as her newest conquest.
"Is this…Is this how the school sees me?" She was startled. What if her mates read this trash? Would they think it crazy or… Izumi shook her head. Her mates knew what happened.
She froze, realizing she hadn't actually spoken much of the events to her mates, the entire thing glossed over by the fact that her teacher had tried to cut off her arm after she got a mana eating ring. Only Sabro knew the whole story. A cold sweat went down her neck at the thought of her mates thinking of her as some dictator who crushed all others underfoot while having men throw themselves at her feet like this paper described her.
"Lady Izu!" Alice cried quickly catching up with her. "My lady, you were amazing today." He gushed as he looked down at the paper in her hands. He frowned at it, but before she could tell him that it was just garbage, he lit it on fire. "Utterly ridiculous. I can't believe our teacher ranked you Aleph. And this garbage reported it like it was deserved." Alice growled at the paper crumbling to ash.
"You read the paper?" Izumi asked him, taking note that Clara was suspiciously missing but not commenting on it. Yet.
"Of course, I've bought all the papers you've been featured in, my lady." The pinkette bosted. "The photographer was excellent and captured as much of your majesty as a camera can." He looks down at her his clawed hand reaching out slightly, and gently takes her hand.
Izumi looked at his hand softly wrapping around hers, she clasped it, liking how warm it was. A soft look entered her eye and her heart clenched again.
The heir of the house of lust watched his mate's soft look. "Might I ask you to lend me some of your time, my lady?" Alice asked. "Just for me?" He was putting the first of his plans into action. It was nothing wowing but he'd never stand out in her mates if he didn't have one on one time. Her big blue eyes looked up at him. He knew that she worried for her mates, liked keeping them together and accounted for. "Clara is currently with Sobnock." He informed her, keeping her hand in his.
The woman debated. She supposed that her mates would want to spend time with each other and not always with her so she didn't find it odd for Clara to want to get to know Sabro. What she was unaware of was the sneaky little slip Alice had given them. After all, all was fair in love. And right now Alice had his lady's pretty blue eyes looking at only him for this moment. "You said you wanted to do something?" The woman asked her mate.
"Yes, I had plans of picking up some things on Magical Street." He told her, sliding onto a single knee as he held his hand up to her. "Might I ask to be your escort there?"
The startled look and ever so slight stroke of color that graced his lady's olive skin made a swell of pride curled around his heart and hunger to see more rear its ugly head. She dipped her head slightly as if to hide her blush and slowly put her hand within his. She wasn't sure what her words should be. She'd never had someone want her to come with them. It was another tight feeling in her chest, one she had experienced on more than one occasion in the demon world. It wasn't a bad one. Just tight, like she was feeling more than her chest could hold.
"I've…I've never been to Magical Street." she admitted looking up at him through her lashes hoping not to appear like a shut in for that comment. She knew that her lack of knowledge of the demon world could make her seem like she was a shelter child at best…at worse she could be considered weak and weird. She preferred not to be the latter.
However the demon's face brightened significantly at her hand in his own. "Do not worry Lady Izu." I am quite familiar with the town and would be more than happy to show you around." The pinkette smiled at her, extremely enthused to be able to have this moment with her. "It will be quicker if we fly." He was excited to get her there before those other two got in his way. However his words made the woman't chest clench for a far different reason than before. She could not fly…and Alice didn't know that.
"Actually…" Izumi began, heart pounding in her ears as the anxiety took over. Could she tell him? She could, right? She could tell him she was human. He would accept her right? The thoughts spun in her head but a deep dark voice in her head told her he would not. "I…" she didn't want to lie to her soulmate. She wanted to be honest but that niggling voice drove into her head and heart. She'd finally gotten people who cared for her, a family and friends. Could she…could she be selfish enough to want them to accept all of her flaws? "I'm not so good at flying." The words came unbidden from her mouth.
Izumi bit her lip. While she knew it was not a lie per say, it still tasted like ash in her mouth all the same. She let her head tip down just enough for her hair to hide her guilty expression that she was sure she had. The lie had slipped from her mouth so swiftly she wondered why it had been so easy for her to lie.
Alice however, watched her as this was the first time she had any admission of failure on her part. He had not meant to press upon a sensitive topic. Especially today of all days. "Oh, well.." He said beginning to backpedal. "I…I could always fly us or we could walk." He tried to give her some kind of option. For him, this trip had to go well for him to have any hope to stand out. He had to be her favored mate. He had to.
Her hand tightened around his making him look at her. "Wouldn't that be a bit difficult? To carry me I mean." She asked, most flying creatures had a limit on how much they could carry. It wasn't about strength but about weight. She knew that she was at least three fourths of his weight if not more.
He beamed as she had given him the perfect opportunity to boast of his prowess to her, a time tested way of wooing demonesses. "Of course not. I am more than capable of carrying you such a short distance. After all, I did carry idiot Clara through the whole flying race." The blue haired woman had not realized that Alice had done that for Clara.
"Oh…" she breathed, it was kind of impressive especially considering Clara's propensity of moving suddenly even just sitting at the table. "Then…I guess that I am in your care. Alice."
The demon moved closer and took a knee in front of her like a knight would in front of his lady. He held her bandaged hand gently in his own while his other hand was placed over his heart. The heir of the house of lust touched his forehead to the soft cloth around her small hand and his soft pink hair fell over her hand brushing some of the skin that was exposed in a feather light caress. It was a formal request. "If you will allow me, I will use my wings to escort you down to Magical Street, My Lady Izumi." He only had to wait a moment before her bashful nod was received. The young woman was far outside her comfort zone as Alice slipped his arms under her knees and around her waist. He was so very careful to keep his hands in respectful positions where his hands would not touch her tail or wings without permission.
The demon gave a strong kick off the ground launching himself and his lady into the air. Black wings seem to materialize out of nothing and spread wide catching the air under him and sending him gliding along the air currents.
Izumi had instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, a small squeak leaving her lips as the air swished around them. The last time she had gone flying like this was in the beak of a demon bird and on the back of the guardian. This was nothing like that. There weren't the jerking movements or the strong winds that froze her. This was smooth, the wind warm as he almost drifted along the breeze.
They soared over the misty spikes and twisting path that lead up to the school as Izumi looked over and down. She was amazed as the reaching branches of trees and dark forests looked like intricate pieces to a gothic puzzle. The fog and mists added an air of mystery through the land as she saw more of the world. It was breathtaking. She could see why demons flew everywhere. To see the world this way. Her eyes sparkled with the bit as her hair was pulled from her face by the wind letting Alice see her expression perfectly.
The pink haired demon wished he could keep her like this forever. The subtle little smile that tipped her light pink lips. The flush of pink to her cheeks and that look of sheer amazement in her eyes. IF he could only see her with this expression always then he would happily work his claws to the bone. "Lady Izumi." He whispered her name. "We should go on flights like this often."
She looked up at him with that gentle look she got when she was content. "I agree." she told him about feeling the freedom of flying and the urge to laugh out loud.
Though their presence was not unnoticed. The dog demon tapped a clawed finger on his desk eyeing the door after roll call. A twitch to his mouth as the woman he was waiting for seemed to elude his sight. The class felt the intense energy around their teacher and most were wisely keeping their head down. Most being everyone but Clara and Sabro who were beside themselves.
"Tricked?!" Clara exclaimed as she realized that the pink haired demon had stolen her Izukin from her. "Az-Az has become the conniving wife." she told Sabro with distress.
The yellow haired demon's barbed tail lashed back and forth. "So it would seem." Sabro's fist clenched on the table. "It would seem that Asmodeus had set down the challenge for our small mate. I will not leave it unanswered." His voice boomed ominously through the room. "This means war." A chuckle ripping from his mouth, his fangs more exposed than necessary.