Star Child

Chapter X: Blood Princess

A mind of fog and a heart like a snare drum, Selena awoke just minutes after getting out of the sapphire. That would be a really weird sentence out of context. Anyway, she jolted up and looked around dazed, her glasses crooked on her dark face. 

When she swung around to check her surroundings, the sudden apparition of Nicolas appeared, and to her dazed mind, this did not help her in her recovery. Gasping, her mouth was open and her eyes were drooped, a sudden wave of apathy washing over her in order to try and drown out the sorrow. But demons can swim. The hollowness Selena attempted to keep hollow was to boil over eventually, but not now. 

In any case, Selena awoke and pulled off her long black cardigan, laying it over top of the sleeping boy. She hadn't even learned his name, but he seemed to be a friend of Nicolas', so she figured it was best that they help each other; besides, he seemed to know more about this place than she did. It was cold down here, but she could manage with just the cosmic dress and the black socks and boots. 

Through her glasses, Selena could barely see; the light was very dim, but it was likely just because of her unadjusted eyes. On a hook in the corner was the satchel that she had seen the boy wearing when Nicolas and the boy had attempted a rescue. Before they were captured. Before Nicolas was executed. 

Selena clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, blocking the thought out of her head. She clutched her head with her fingers and long black nails, sliding slowly onto the floor. The floodgate of apathy was almost devoured by the demons, but it eventually subsided. 

Sighing deeply, she arose as the boy began to stir awake. The mask hanging on the back of his head functioned as a pillow, it seemed, and his curly hair was dusty from the floor. Blinking his brown eyes like quickly flickering adobe, the boy seemed just as dazed and confused as Selena was. 

"Where are we?" he whispered in a groggy voice. 

"I have no idea," mumbled Selena back slowly.

Something seemed to startle the boy at this point, and he quickly shot up and surveyed the area. Selena guessed that he had also seen the Nicolas apparition also, his bloodshot eyes still recovering from the rapid eye movement. He sat back down on the floor and caressed his muscular arms; his wearing a sleeveless shirt and rolled-up tan pants didn't necessarily help, though his striped socks seemed pretty warm.

But they were pretty fashionable prisoners, and that's all that matters. 

"Have you seen my bag?" Asked the boy after a few minutes of silence, and Selena quickly pointed to it on the wall. Leaping up quickly, the boy ran to it and dug his hand unrealistically deep into the bag. Confused, Selena joined him and watched as he pulled out a large wool poncho from his bag. 

Putting it on, the boy retrieved the long coat from the floor, and handed it to Selena, who put her coat on as well. Searching his pockets, the boy suddenly remembered something and sat back down on the ground. 

Damn, choose a place and stick with it you guys!

"They took my key," mumbled the boy bluntly. Selena bit the inside of her cheek and dusted her long cardigan off, searching her left pocket; there was just a cell phone, as well as a pack of grape-lemon bubblegum. She took two pieces out and offered one to the boy, who graciously took it. In the other was a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. 

She lit one and puffed. 

"Fuck this." 

***

Princess Celine Du Ciel couldn't shake the feeling that the Star Child was watching her, or at least had watched her. Or was there in general. She knew she had seen him in the cell of the two murderers. She knew he existed.