The Cosmic Princess

Free Falling

"Alem, I'm getting so tired of you leading me into forests where I have no idea where I'm going." I hissed ducking under a stray branch while Alem simply fluttered in between the leaves.

"Yeah, where are we going?" Mist asked behind us.

After Ike and I had told Alem what we think my trigger was, he seemed satisfied yet curious. He had said we would test out our inference the very next day, and now here we were.

Luckily, he had said my friends could accompany me and for that I was glad for. Although Alem wasn't even as big as my hand, he still intimidated me. Don't confuse my intimidation with fear though. It was just that Alem was very mysterious. He was a quiet power, the one who you knew was stronger than they appeared, yet you didn't know how strong. The type of quiet power that didn't even have to boast because it just exuded off of them. That unknown fact could lead to intimidation all by itself.

"I see it's not only you who is very curious." Alem spoke, still leading the pack and once again easily fluttering in between the purple leaves like it was his own little obstacle course that he had perfected long along. He easily maneuvered through the woods, while my friends and I were constantly batting branches and hopping over trees.

"Well, yeah we're curious." Kaiya's voice sounded with a scoff. "We want to make sure you're not leading us to our death."

That's the same thing I had said to Alem the first time! Did great minds think alike or what?

Alem chuckled, but did not reply.

We walked in silence for the rest of the journey, each trying to just manage the tangle woods of purple.

Following Alem, I pushed back a few branches and came face to face with the beautiful cliff side I had visited a few days ago. Even early in the morning, the view still took my breath away. The sunny sky and flowing pink landscape beyond the cliff collided creating a beautiful horizon of warm colors.

Feeling my heart flutter at the sight, I turned my head wanting to absorb this moment with Ike, but the excitement was quickly extinguished when I noticed the scene behind me.

Disinterest, yet alert eyes on Alem, Ike stood a few feet away from me with his arms crossed. He stood in a shirt a few women from the village had made for the boys. The shirt was tight on his fit physique clearly showing the sharp, defined planes of his body. Secretly, I wondered if the sewers had made the shirt tight on purpose. I mean if I was them, and I had the chance to perv on the enigma that was Ike, I surely would. Arms crossed, his muscles bulged slightly. The sight of his cool yet seemingly in control stature would have made me drool, if it wouldn't have been for Teelah.

Dressed in a simple, purple loose fitting dress, she stood close to Ike. Hands gently clasped in front of her and head on his shoulder.

I would have let the scene slide, I really would've. After all I've seen girls get cosy with their platonic guy friends before, and she was only laying her head on his shoulders right? But I knew her feelings weren't platonic and the more and more I saw her latch onto Ike, while Ike was completely oblivious to it, the more I got angry.

Ike was an ignorant idiot.

And Teelah was testing my patience.

Her touchiness wasn't new either. She did something every day. If Ike allowed it, she would do it. Every time I saw it, my control seemed to break away chip by chip. Lately, I have been acting very passive aggressive towards this Teelah girl. That wasn't usually my style, and I was starting to realize why. When you stayed passive aggressive, you worked against yourself by letting things build and build until you finally exploded. That was exactly how I felt.