Arrival (Pennywise x OC)

Chapter 13

She looked around the room for the fairy with the pink hair that had triggered the whole thing, and when she found her, she wasn't surprised to see that she looked as distraught as Ana felt right then. Ana looked at her for a few seconds, giving her a slight nod to reassure her that everything was alright.

"I want to be in the company of my father, and Newlyn, and no one else," Ana said, authority coming back to her tone like it had never been gone. The fae around her started to disperse instantly, and Ana reached out for pink-haired Newlyn, giving her oldest friend a tight embrace, feeling the wings that were folded behind her back. When they pulled apart, Ana gave her a warm smile.

"Newlyn, you were amazing," she said. "You earned your wings when I was gone, I'm so proud of you."

"I'm a full-fledged seer!" the fairy replied, returning her smile. "The council wanted someone with more experience to heal your mind, but your father would hear none of it!"

Ana turned to her father then, walking to the place where he stood, taking the time to bow before she stepped forward to hug him. She tried her best to smile at him as genuinely as she had for Newlyn.

"My Raanana, how good it is to finally have you home," he said, his low voice carrying through the almost-empty temple. "We've been searching for you for so long. We searched every planet in this galaxy, and then the galaxies surrounding us. I wouldn't have believed if someone had told me right away that you were in another universe."

"No, I wouldn't have either, Father," she said quietly. "What Asmod was able to do was rather astonishing."

"Asmod?" her father asked. "You learned of its name?"

"Unfortunately."

"You had interactions with it?"

Ana quickly debated on how much she wanted the Temple Master to know right then. If there was one thing that her people took seriously, it was corruption of the soul by exposure to evil influences. "Unwanted interactions, Father. But he's gone."

"Gone? By what means?"

She was silent for a few moments, hoping she could redirect her pious father's worries before she revealed too much to him. "He's dead, Father, I assure you. But I'm very, very tired, and - "

"Of course, what I am thinking, asking all these questions, my precious Raanana. Have Newlyn escort you to your room. We have a big celebration of your return tomorrow!"

Ana bit back the groan that was rising in her throat. She had hated all of the pompous festivities even before she had been human, and now she was looking forward to constant attention even less. All she wanted right then was to be alone.

She and the Temple Master lived in the apartments above the giant room where they currently were, having to keep watch over the cherished statues one of the many responsibilities her father was charged with. Newlyn accompanied her to the staircase that led them their private rooms, holding her hand the entire way. Had her friend not been so childlike and thrilled to have Ana back, she might have told her to fuck off. But she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Newlyn shrieked when a tall figure revealed itself from behind a pillar near the staircase. It was the scarlet haired fairy that Ana had taken an instant dislike to, and he was staring at them intently now.

"Raanana, I couldn't help but notice that you didn't request my presence," he said, his hands folded behind his back as he spoke.

"Valdis," Ana replied, trying her very best not to sound as pissed off as she felt that he had been waiting for them, "If I had wanted you here, I would have said so. Now leave." The two girls started up the stairs, and Valdis stayed at the bottom as he spoke, not daring to cross the threshold without blatant permission from her father.