by SunnyJustice » Tue Feb 07, 2017 3:01 pm
Mountain Path
Cadence let out a rather inhuman-sounding snarl when the boy approached them, uninvited. Mayne at 5'9" was the tallest of the Windwoods native men, meaning he was a little taller than Cadence. Which meant Cadence couldn't glare him down, and keep her eyes on Gwen at the same time, since Gwen was down in her arms.
The feral look in her eyes only grew as he changed her clothes with his power. "You better be careful," Cadence snapped, a small breeze beginning to blow around her in warning. She barely restrained herself from kicking him off the edge of the mountain when he grabbed her hand.
"What do you think you are doing?" Cadence roared. "You overstepped your boundaries long ago, boy! Give me a good reason why you are touching my daughter, if you want to live!"
---
Parliament Building
Cyprian didn't even know she was being sarcastic. He wasn't very good at this. Fortunately he wasn't as bad as that dimwit Solara, of course he wasn't that bad. You had to flunk kindergarten with a negative mark to be that stupid. Cyprian could at least feel smug about being superior to the previous Queen.
"Good," Cyprian said and patted Jaai on the shoulder awkwardly. He walked backwards out the door, not taking his eyes off her. He didn't trust this place. What if there were traps everywhere, or Solara had cursed it?
---
Clock Tower
Ivana wasn't one of those overly egotistical warrior-women from Windwoods. She had an ego, but she showed it in her own way. Cadence or someone would have raged at someone trying to play knight. Ivana on the other hand took it to her own advantage. She toned down the ridiculous amount of electricity sparking from her though, and waited for Amelia's response. How dare this infiltrator hesitate... Ivana would give her ten seconds, and then there would be only two girls left in this room. She had zero tolerance for this kind of disrespect.
---
Celestial Tower
Clove was not going to fall asleep. This was important, and she was determined to pay attention, no matter how distracting Jonah was. Not that she minded of course. If she had a problem with someone, she always roundhouse kicked them in the head. There was no way in the Underworld she would sugarcoat anything, even if General Ada ordered her.
She didn't care that Jonah was hugging her very tightly, in fact she would probably have lunged at Juniper otherwise. "If you think this is a joke, I will rip you in half with my bare hands," Clotilda threatened viciously.
"I would never joke about this," Juniper murmured. "Sunny, could you stay awhile?"
Solara nodded silently, remaining beside her father, almost seeming to guard him. Clove knew this was her protective instinct from thousands of years of Agatha mistreating Juniper. If that Agatha idiot showed her face anywhere near Clotilda, she would slice it into meatloaf!
"I am a phoenix made, not born. Agatha is not truly one with our kind. As the firstborn, true phoenix," Juniper explained, "Sunny's revivals are more powerful than any other. That is why I never allowed people into her room at a revival. Being surrounded by her light would bring you back with her."
"You could have avoided a lot of trouble and just brought our entire family back!" Clove snapped, straining to get at him. "You disgrace, you could have saved so many people-"
Juniper shook his head. "Only her child or her father, and their person most beloved. I did not want to waste it on myself. I am holding out hope that Sunny will help Hesenia win this war, and then you two may return."
"Then why didn't you allow the others back?" Clotilda demanded.
"They would go to the Underworld instead of Hesenia," Juniper explained. "And the only way out of the Underworld is by asking the General's favor. She is... not very lenient."
"I swear, the Underworld will look like a nice cozy place when I'm done with you," Clove seethed.
"... Clotilda." Solara finally spoke.
"What do you want?"
"... I must go now... I love you."
"Whatever," Clove muttered. "Bye."
She didn't even look as Juniper escorted his daughter back to the room. There was a bright flash of light, and Juniper returned to the hallway.
"And why can't you send us back right now?" Clotilda said critically.
"She is not yet ready," Juniper said, calm as ever. The soft smile never left his gentle features. "She must restore the sky, as well as her own garden- which is all of Hesenia."
"Fixing the whole world? That's going to take forever! Look what Agatha did!"
"Sunny will not be alone. With everyone's combined power, it will take sooner than you realize. Good will triumph over evil. That is why I was created."
"Agatha killed you!" Clove was not giving up this argument.
"No," Juniper shook his head, still with that calm (now somehow disturbing) smile, "The history books altered the facts so you would not be confused. Sunny killed me so Agatha's evil wouldn't."
Now Clotilda was silent, having no idea what to say.
"She sent me here to watch over all of Hesenia. I am content here, but I sense you are not."
"Don't assume," Clove muttered.
"I do not assume. I know," Juniper told her. "When I close my eyes- even when I blink- I can see every emotion radiating from you. Clover, you take after your father."
"I'm nothing like my dad," Clotilda grumbled, walking backwards so she was pressed even tighter against Jonah. She was not in the mood to agree with this guy. "Loony is stupid and always giggling about something."
"He has many emotions- so many that you can see them, if you know him well enough," Juniper explained. "That is why Cilan is drawn towards the Sanctuary by his father and not Cedar."
"I wish I didn't have emotions!" Clove shouted at him.
A pause. Juniper raised an eyebrow.
"Do you?"
Clotilda felt the sudden need to look behind her- but she didn't. She knew exactly why. Jonah was right there.
"... No," She muttered even more angrily, ticked off that she had to admit she was wrong. "I guess... I'm lucky I'm not my mother. I can't really imagine not having emotions, honestly."
Juniper nodded. "Good. Sunny is that way because of her role- protector of Hesenia. She must let nothing get in her way. You two have a different role. Your passion will drive you to study. In time, you will return to educate the youngest Hesenians- so nothing like this ever happens again. You have a purpose."
Clove leaned her head backwards until she was looking up at Jonah. "Thanks. But I already have one."
