★Music of the day - Mansae (Seventeen)★
Y'all give a round of applause for Seventeen's newest MV. Let's just say all the ones with blue-coloured hair are my biases.
***
"If you love two people at the same time, choose the second one. Because if you really loved the first one, why did you fall in love with the second?" - Johnny Depp
Chapter TWENTY-THREE;
We left the Inn the next day, saying 'goodbye' to Stella. We all boarded our horses and left in full gallop.
We were already delayed because Leo had broken my ankle, so we didn't have any time to lose.
Leo rode Dian - it was strange looking really, a boy riding a leopard, he looked wild.
The sound of Dian's padded paws as it hit the ground was surprisingly comforting - yet it was overlapped with the thundering hooves of our horses.
All of us rode in silence - not wanting to talk that morning. A few months ago, I wouldn't believe I would be able to ride a horse - I was always so afraid of them ever since one bit my finger when I tried to feed one. Faye and Tay laughed at me so hard.
But here I was, riding Gina with ease. She was doing quite well, considering that I was overworking her.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Veronica yawning widely - it must've been such a nuisance to them, if we never crash-landed onto them, they wouldn't be dragged into all this.
I saw Roy trying to catch everyone's eye - he was probably bored and wanting to speak with someone, but no one wanted to look at him.
'Hey,' I mind-linked him.
His gaze snapped to mine, 'Jackson! This is really scary! Everyone's dead silent.'
'Really?'
'Whenever I mind-link them, they block me out!' He whined.
'I admit, everyone's been feeling a little tired and confused - I mean, what're we even doing.'
'We're going back to the Castle, right?' Roy asked, 'Considering that Alois and his men will attack us on the third day of the Blue Moon festival.'
'It's two days away and the journey to the Castle will take about a day, we're cutting it a bit close.'
'Yeah, and-' Roy's thoughts were suddenly cut off, his horse stumbled a little, "Whoa!" He exclaimed,
Vector veered his horse around, "What's wrong?"
"She just stumbled a little, I think she's fine." Roy stroked his Pegasus' neck.
Vector nodded, "Let's keep going."
'That was close wasn't it?' Roy mind-linked me again,
I nodded quietly and I realized what everyone must be feeling - they wanted to just be quiet for a while, to think in peace, 'Sorry, Roy, let's talk later, okay?'
Roy gave me a skeptical gaze, 'Not you too.'
I looked at him apologetically and even a little sheepishly and began to think. It had been so long since I'd seen my mother and my sisters. I was getting a little homesick.
How do I even get home anyways? Do I go back to that volcano thing?
I shook my head to myself, you can't go home yet, Jackson, you have to help them with the upcoming war.
But... Did I really want to partake in this war?
I pondered about it for a long time, until we finally reached the Kingdom.
"Let's speed up." Vector ordered, "Yah!" He kicked the horse's belly lightly and the horse went into full gallop.
We all followed - the people stared at us as we thundered through the streets.
"Make way!" Vector yelled at the Guards - who immediately raised the drawbridge when they saw us approaching.
The Guards jumped out of the way, scarcely missing Gina's hooves by a centimeter.
Vector jumped off his horse - his galloping horse, and did a barrel-roll to cushion his landing.
All of us watched in amazement as we slowed our horses to a halt and we jumped off.
"Did you really have to jump off like that?" I asked him, mildly confused, he stood up and brushed the dirt off himself.
"I felt like doing it, let's go." He walked with long strides and went straight into the Castle, when we were outside the Throne Room, he spun around to face us, "Stay out here."
We all obeyed and paused. We all watch him burst through the doors and watched the doors close again.
Karry groaned and sat on the Quartz marble floor, "What now?"
Leo rolled his eyes slightly and folded his arms, he didn't choose to respond.
"I just want to sleep." Kath complained.
"It's still Mid-Afternoon." I reminded.
"I'm sleepy though~"
"How dare he tell me to wait outside!" Angela fumed quietly, "My mother and father is in there!"
"Maybe he has things to discuss that we shouldn't hear." I tried to calm her.
She huffed and looked away.
"Hey... Considering we might have a war in four days, do you guys actually want to fight?" I asked them casually.
Everyone was a bit hesitant, I heard everyone collectively say, 'Uh...'
"If it comes to it, I guess." Nina said,
Chloe nodded, "I agree, even though I'm not a good fighter, I guess I can do something."
So, everyone was prepared to fight.
***
Two days later, it was the day of the Blue Moon festival, the Kingdom bustled with excitement and buzzed with hushed whispers.
The night had already fallen and I looked up to admire the night sky,
"After this, there'll be no more daylight." Leo said suddenly, appearing by my side.
We were standing on the balcony looking over the town.
I jumped when he arrived, "Leo! You scared me."
Leo raised a brow at me and it made me feel inferior to him, "You're weird..." He mumbled and leaned against the balcony rail.
I relaxed my muscles and watched the town prepare for the festival with him. The others were preparing as well, despite the possibility of a war, they were still excited for the festival. "Why aren't you helping them prepare?" I asked him curiously.
He seemed to look threatened, "Why aren't you?" He asked defensively.
I frowned, "I asked you first."
We both squared up to each other - looking at each other aggressively in the eye.
"You guys really are like each other." Nina said, appearing at the doorframe.
We both jumped and glanced at her, "Nina! Why are you here." I asked her.
She heaved a crate towards us. She seemed like she was struggling so I took it off her, "Thanks." She said to me, "We're going to signal the start to the Blue Moon Festival,"
"With what?" I asked curiously - Leo reverted back to his quiet, gloomy state - I guess when it comes down to it, Leo is actually really shy when it comes to people he isn't used to.
She removed the top of the crate to reveal- "Fireworks!" She said cheerfully, "We're going to launch fireworks."
"It'd be too dangerous to fire them here, hand them to me." Leo mumbled, taking the crate from us.
"Where are we going, then?" I asked.
Our eyes met and then he jumped on the balcony rails,
"Th-That's dangerous!" I stuttered,
Nina nodded rapidly, "You might fall! And that crate is so heavy too!"
Then Leo shrugged, "It's no big deal to me." He threw the crate onto the roof. "Let's go." Then he jumped and climbed onto the roof.
Nina and I watched with our jaws dropped.
Then Leo stuck his head down, "You guys coming or what?"
I stepped onto the balcony railing and heaved myself up shakily - it was even higher than before and I wasn't so good with heights.
I stretched out my hand to Nina and she grabbed it. I pulled her up and soon, all three of us were sitting on the roof.
"The roof has much more space." Leo explained - innocently taking a firework out of the crate.
I took a firework too, "How are we supposed to work these things?"
Nina took it from me, "I think we set it down here..." She put it down on the roof, "We light it up." She lit a fire, then she sat there for a while, "Then what?"
We all watched the fire burn the string.
Suddenly, Leo jumped up and grabbed both our wrists, "Then we run!"
We ran on the roof - running far away from the firework. "Eh, why?" I asked.
Then Leo stopped abruptly and pulled us down, making us sit - his eyes were alight with excitement; "Watch."
Nina and I exchanged glances but we watched carefully.
The firework went off, making a large whistling sound, then it burst into beautiful sparkles. The sound was even more deafening since we were up close but it looked beautiful.
"Uwah~" Nina glanced at it, "Success!"
"Let's light more!" I glanced at the two of them, they both nodded at me like two kids.
We lit some more and ran off, watching it explode from afar.
Nina and Leo were the last people I would think I would spend my most memorable time with. Since the two of them didn't really get along with me that much.
But that night, I realized, that they - too - were only kids.
As we lit the last firework and waited for it to set off, Leo's face darkened.
"Um... I actually have something to tell you guys." He told us, "I tried saying it to Chloe but-" He shook his head.
"What is it?" I asked.
Nina smiled, "You can tell us."
"Um... You know." He started, looking at his feet, the firework went off and we could hear the faint whistling sound, "I actually work for-"
Boom, the fireworks exploded, it sparkled prettily,
"Wow! That one was the prettiest!" Nina said,
I wasn't looking at the firework, I was looking at Leo - his mouth was moving yet I couldn't hear his words because of the sound of the fireworks.
Then after what Leo said, he looked a little guilty.
"What?" I shouted over the noise, "I couldn't hear you, Leo!"
"Me neither!" Nina shouted as well.
Leo looked at us sadly, then forcing a smile as he waited for the fireworks to end, he said it one more time;
"I said, I really like fireworks."
***
I wonder what Leo said?
Aha, anyways, I'm really excited to say that I have started both 'Last Choice' and 'Stereotypes', I can't wait to update on them too!