Xian Xi

I need to know if she's real. She just stands there, dressed like an out of sorts Princess with a sword hanging crookedly at her side.

The same fierce eyes that always seems to look through my soul - maybe because it does.

It's her. It has to be.

I scramble to my feet, nearly slipping. She's still there when I glance up.

I start walking towards her, slow at first, but then my pace picks up.

Before I know it, she stands a breath away from me.

Her eyes are slightly wide with confusion - but it doesn't deter me.

I scoop her into my arms. The weight of the loss never sunk in as much as in this very moment.

I bury my face in her hair. She smells like trees and fresh air and something uniquely hers.

Her arms snake about my waist, holding on to my with a need that matches mine.

"I missed my friend." I murmur into her hair.

I catch the breath that slips at my admission.

"Me too."

My arms tighten. Her being alive is my only comfort after everything that just happened.

The sound of Dove coughing tears through the flowery silence that had engulfed us.

The birds seem to sing a sweet melody, grounding the moment even further.

She pulls away slowly.

I turn around, my chest tightening at the thought of Dove's agony.

Arya approaches her warily.

Dove's eyes are now open, I notice.

Arya crouches down beside her.

"I knew it was you."

Silence follows the quiet admission, like the one that follows a big reveal in a theatre performance.

"I was an inch away from smashing you with my feet."

For a beat, I wonder if Arya might hurt her - afterall, they never really liked each other.

A small smile curves Arya's lips.

"You wouldn't have."

Dove tries to scoff, but it comes off as a strangled sound. Blood trickles down the side of her face.

Arya wipes it away with the pad of her thumb - like a mother with gentle hands.

Dove's jaw hardens, but surprisingly, she yields under Arya's ministrations.

The guys watch, each forgetting their own pain and problems.

Arya caresses the rose vines growing around Dove.

"If you wanted to, you would have. What's more, you wouldn't be here in the first place. You'd be with Fang, running her errands."

Dove's hands clench at her sides.

"Only because she left me behind! She went to look for you because she was under some deillusioned theory that you were in trouble."

Arya's shoulder's firm.

"Don't act as if I begged for any of this. I would rather stick a knife down my own throat than need her help."

Dove claws at the ground in a failed attemot to rise up. Arya doesn't even attempt to assist her.

"If you stopped begging for attention with your constant..." Cough. "Your constant pathetic weakness, maybe I might have become her new favourite." She continues.

Rames and I exchange brief glances.

"You are clearly mistaken. And believe me, you don't want to be Fang's favourite."

"We don't have the same priorities, then."

Arya leans closer. "Why haven't you killed the humans yet?"

Dove attempts to chuckle. "What's a few more humans after the battalion that just got wiped out? I'd rather focus on getting rid of you - especially as your demon aura is not as strong." Dove says, flashing blood stained teeth.

Her words send a shiver down my spine, my hands tingling.

Arya turns to us, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"What is she talking about? Which battalion got wiped out?"

The others slowly start stepping away, movin behind me like shadows dispersing under the brilliance of the sun.

It's just me.

Her eyes fall on mine, lips trembling.

"Is it true?"

I glance back at the others, unable to conjure a single response.

"It is."

Her breath catches loudly.

"How did they die?"

"We tried to escape the Blink, but we were stripped of her weapons and ambushed. The people gave up hope, so I heard."

She blinks furiously.

"Why? Didn't they want to go home?"

"There wasn't any home for them, neither is there any for us."

She runs a hand through her hair.

"And what about her?" She points at Dove. "How did she end up as a loyal member of your party?"

I shrug. "The answer to that baffles me as well. She's bounded to me and I somehow became her master."

Arya stares at me with wide, unbelieving eyes - like a man seeing a Lion dancing on it's two feet.

"Xian Xi? We should get moving." Choi calls out.

I ignore him.

"Did Fang send them?"

Dove's lips quirk into a sly grin.

"Is there any other Demon Queen?"

My stomach sinks.

"So you knew?" I ask, stepping forward.

Her eyes move to mine and her cocky smile fades.

"I didn't say that. The answer was obvious then as it is now - the Demon Queen sent the horde."

I rise up and follow her. This isn't as easy as I thought it would be. Angela tries to hold on to my hand, but I slip my wrist out of her grasp.

"Later." I whisper.

That's when Val notices that there are other people in the room.

Her eyes flick over my vomit- stained uniform, to Morrow disheveled state, to the broken glass on the floor.

"What in the seven seas happened here?"

Her voice is shrill and sharp.

She steps into the room.

Angela climbs to her feet awkwardly. Furuno remains exactly where he is, staring at her expressionless.

Mrs. Val crouches beside the broken glass on the floor and fishes the label out.

Ace and I exchange glances.

"Where did you get this?" She turns on us, her face scrinched up in a tight frown.

Beneath the facade, I can see the glimmer of excitement in her eyes as she stares at Ace.

She's problem looking for all the reasons in the book to have him expelled.

Ace winks at her. She shudders in response.

Her attention turns to Furuno.

"Young man, wherever was this gotten from?"

He regards her blankly - as if he can't comprehend her voice.

"I believe I'm not talking to myself." She says, clearing her throat.

Angela shifts towards me.

The old hawk catches the slight movement.

"It's you, isn't it?"

Angela twists her fingers nervously.

Ace leans against the doorjamb, watching the proceedings with a sly grin.

"On your feet, young man!" She commands Furuno.

He pulls himself up, towering over her effortlessly.

She gives him a thorough once-over.

"Are you a student here? Because if you are, you'd be dressed. Do you think the General Assembly is some casual thing you can miss whenever you like?"

He runs a hand through his hair, but still doesn't utter a word.

I fold my arms across my chest and watch the proceedings.

Mrs. Val's lips purse in anger.

"If you don't want to be here, then follow me. It's enough that we work here, we don't have to put off with your tantrums."

Ace and Angela exchange glances.

"Mrs. Val." Ace calls, smirking.

She ignores him.

"Turn around."

She mutters something profane-sounding under her breath and pulls out a notepad to scribble something.

"What's your name?" She asks Furuno.

When she looks up, her eyes widen.

"Where is he? He was just here." She murmurs to herself.

I follow the direction of her gaze. Furuno is still standing in front of her.

She waves her hand, slightly missing him by a hair's breath.

Angela giggles slightly.

Val turns around, her face red with fury.

"Who is there! Whatever game you're playing Skylard - it's not in your favour."

Angela parts her lips to say something. Ace quickly covers her mouth.

I glance at the furious old woman waving her arms about in an attempt to find us.

"I know you're here."

Furuno chuckles lightly, his face reddening with the effort of holding back laughter.

I, on the other hand, keep smiling sheepishly. This is just like the time at the seminar. Invisible bees, now invisible people.

She pauses to wipe a sweat off her wrinkled brow.

"This isn't funny."

"Enough, Ace. You've had your fun." I lean in to tell him.

"Fun sponge." He says under his breath.

Angela's shoulder's slump, also reluctant to end the torture.

Val stops, her eyes widening like that of a madman as she sees us.

"You." She points a wrinkled finger at Ace.

Ace shoves Angela in front of her.

Angela laughs slightly.

"We'll see who will have the last laugh. All of you, to me office!" She squeezes past us and precedes us to the office of doom.

"What the hell did I do?" Furuno asks.

Ace pats his shoulder.

"Wrong question. What you should ask is if someone has an extra pen."

The joke catches immediately.

All three of them burst out laughing. It becomes too contagious for me to remain aloof.

Angela bends, clutching her stomach as she keeps laughing.

"Good one." I tell him. "I didn't think you had it in you."

He beams. "We barely know each other."

True. But it feels like I've known them for an entire lifetime.

Angela grabs my arm.

"I don't have an official signature yet. This moment has to be special."

Furuno scoffs. "How are you all so sure that you're getting expelled?"

Ace winks at him.