When In Doubt, Go With Blue

Fitting In As Is

"The students always have a party on the first day." She surrendered to your orbit and leaned in, claiming your lips as and with hers.

You held her shoulders to pull away just enough to look into her soulful eyes. "The one in the East Wing?" you asked; she nodded briskly, pressing back against you. "I already know, I've been invited a few times." You shook your head, going back in. "How long can you stay?" 

Farah leaned back. You paused, not knowing what to do with the reaction. "You were invited?" she asked, showing basic confusion even as a subtle anger hardening her features. Farah's brown eyes darkened to near-black. 

You nodded, still confused then flicked your fingers inward, trying to bring her back. 

Farah may  as well have been stone, she was so stiff. "You were asked on a date?" she asked, for clarification. 

You froze, then slowly retracted. "No," you answered, now confused. 

There must've been something wrong on your face because her anger retreated and her face softened. "I think you should go. But no dates." She held your face kindly. 

You laughed. "I believe I asked the same question  between all of yours."

Farah smiled then checked her watch. "No longer," she admitted with a sigh. 

You pulled back, falling against the back of the couch,.. You let out your sigh, feeling as though your time had been wasted by her jealousy, despite how hot it was. 

Farah was at the door by the time you got up to meet her. She smiled apologetically as she pulled her coat back on. "I have a meeting until about sundown, then Saul, Ben, and I have our own celebration tradition." She paused, taking your hands. "I'd invite you, but-"

You nodded. "Professional," you mumbled. Your eyes looked everywhere except Farah, your hands limp in hers. 

Farah awaited the eye contact which never came. She suddenly dropped your hands to hold your face. She kissed you hard and sudden, pulling away only to open the door. "Don't be too drunk tonight. I'll be back once Ben, Saul, and I are done." She smiled then slipped out, leaving your face flushed and your heart aflutter. 

You looked through your closet a thousand times and concluded you had nothing to wear and you had to stay in your room like the Grinch. Then, after bullying yourself repeatedly to become a civilized member of society, you scrounged up your least abominable outfit, a simple tank with skull designs and a pair of leggings. The heeled boots made your legs look fantastic and the loose coat ghosted the floor thanks to your new height. 

Arriving in the East Wing was a torrid and short affair. You were blasted by the teenage 'fun time' hormones and suddenly remembered why you were a homebody. You lingered by Stella when you first arrived, you even indulged in small-talk. 

"Is it always like this?" you asked the princess, extending an olive branch. 

The blonde smiled back cordially. "On fire?" she asked. 

"Overbearing," you clarified in a mild grimace. 

Stella laughed. "Yes, but it's fun. For most." 

You inclined your head slightly. "You'll come to find out in our personal tutoring, I'm not most." You felt a lecherous boy head straight for you and Stella. As a princess, you imagined she was used to such interaction, but you ducked any attraction in your direction. You wandered the grounds before finding the greenhouse. You paused outside, looked inside, then snuck in. 

There were shelves and tables filled with herbs and liquids and the makings of evil science projects in here so you didn't dare interfere with anything, but it was calm and quiet and your headache was fading so it would do. Vines climbed the wall, attached to who knew who and capable of you weren't sure. You hovered a hand over the plants as you passed them, trying to identify them or a use, or just staring at how pretty. 

"What're you doing in here?" someone asked abruptly.

You ducked down as if that would make your discoverer forget you. You turned to the man, recognizing the voice. "Avoiding the masses," you admitted. 

"In the greenhouse?" Paladium tilted his head, stepping into the glass enclosure. 

You shrugged, looking up at the moon through the ceiling. "It's better than being in the thick of it."

He regarded you for a long moment, brown eyes piercing you deeply. He didn't need magic, but his elven existence. "It brings you solace. Why?" He tilted his head again, a bit like a puppy. 

You didn't speak, moving to sit where you usually did in this room. "I've always liked nature's weird persisting patterns. And, back where I come from, there's this girl who can manipulate them. Just like Terra. I could sit and watch the both of them do their thing for hours. It's just nice, I guess."

Paladium smiled. "You find peace in what creates itself. That's rare to find."

You shrugged. 

Paladium offered you a bottle of alcohol. 

*

You'd sufficiently ransacked the greenhouse for that which you sought and found

You laughed, twirling your cup. You ducked your head. "Your name's Troy?" you guffawed. "You're terrible."

Professor Palladium laughed too. "Don't blame me! I didn't name me."

"But it's such a douche name!" You rocked back.

The elf winced. "It's... some First World, Greek town."

You cleared your throat, recognizing. The battle of Troy, fought over the beautiful Helen. "Yes... it is. That too." You smiled, nodding. "I like Palladium better."

The man smirked. "Most do."

You held out your arms. "I wonder why!" You rocked back slightly in your seat and the man reached forward, pinching your shirt to keep you on your seat. He laughed, slumping against the table. You laughed at his limp form before nudging him. "You should get to your bed if you are going to pass out." 

Troy raised an indignant finger, mumbling unintelligibly. 

You almost kicked his chair, just for the hell of jolting him awake and into obedience, but you felt something else. Ever since Farah found you, or you found her, you'd grown used to strange feelings on the outermost edges of your mind. You were accustomed to the whispers, occasionally about you, which came from others. However, when all amusement drained from you in an instant, you felt a cold chill all over your skin. A name was whispered on the wind. 

"Bloom."

You slowly stood, ensuring your balance, then draped your long coat over Paladium's snoring form. You stepped out into the unprotected night air. It bit wonderfully and you set after the voice. 

Good thing you did too. Glowing red eyes was the only indicator of another being besides two teenagers stumbling around. One was armed and the other was prepped for magic. The being jumped from where it hid among the trees and surged after the armed boy. He was losing his strength, his ground, his footing. And fast. 

You hated your abilities. That's what Alma called your curses. Reading minds, your devil mist, they were all useless in moments precisely like this one. You could neither summon nor control your more volatile magic and you had no idea how Mind magic could take down a monster like this. You almost wished it were a Hollow. 

Alma. You'd damaged her on accident. Could you inflict pain on purpose? You stood in the shadows for what felt like hours. Other little girls showed up, the princess. Their combined powers knocked the monster down, but you could feel the life energy still in it, dormant on the ground. You were unfamiliar with forcing this power and you were in anything but the state you had been in that night. But this was life or death. The Power snuck up on you, but it obeyed. It exploded, it raged, it burned the charred beast more than the extra crispy it already was. 

The Burned One fried, filled with the silver mist. The young fairies gaped at your surprising abilities. Then Farah was standing on a rock.