Ariana burst into tears as she doubled over and started laughing hysterically. "What the hell happened to you?" She asked in between her laughter. "I was informed that I have been cursed... some sort of hazing ritual." He replied with an arrogant manner but Ariana started laughing even harder. "That's some sort of curse! You sound like chipmunk, high on helium and it's mating season!" She howled into the air.
Gregory knitted his brows together as he stared at Ariana. "I do not know what this 'helium' is but from the rest of the sentence I can assume it's another form of insult." He tried to say darkly but the cutesy, high pitched voice failed to do any harm to her.
"Enough! Please! Anymore then this and I will die from laughter! Please.... huff.... fuuu... just one second let me breathe.... one more second... fuuuu ... okay... oka-y... yup okay so, helium is a substance from my old home. It's a type of gas that people put inside balloons, wait... I don't think I've seen balloons here... NO! Don't talk!" She shouted as she raised a finger in protest. She had caught sight of Gregory's eyebrow twitching and his mouth crack open.
He quickly clenched his jaw shut and stared daggers at Ariana. "Balloons are balls that are made of a stretchy material and when inflated with helium they float into the air. We have to tie them to string so they don't float away." She said before flashing Gregory a big, shaky grin.
"The only problem is when you inhale the helium from the balloon it causes a sort of fun reaction... the helium has the ability to make your voice go a few octaves higher then normal but the effects are only temporary." She explained with a giant grin.
Gregory scoffed at Ariana remark and crossed his arms over his chest. "I was cursed yesterday, I can guarantee you that this is not a temporary thing." Gregory said bitterly. Ariana tried to hold in her laughter but Gregory's stern face did not match his voice making it ten times harder to do.
Breeze came running back in with a small glass beaker filled with red liquid, it had blobs of green and purple bubbles floating ominously inside it. "I got the antidote." He proudly said as he extended his arm into the air. "Give it here!" Gregory shouted as he snatched the beaker.
Breeze's lips started to tremble as his eyes watered. He looked at Ariana and she was in the same predicament. Gregory put the beaker against his lips and tossed back the liquid. His eyes opened wide as a rancid taste filled his mouth.
Gregory's body started to tremble causing Ariana and Breeze to take a cautious step back. "You have to drink the very last drop or it won't work!" Breeze shouted and Gregory tightened his grip around the beaker.
After what felt like a life time, Gregory removed the beaker from his lips and swallowed the contents in one giant gulp. His face turned green, looking like he was ready to throw up the liquid he just painstakingly drank. "You have to hold on! It will take ten minutes for the antidote to work." Breeze explained.
Gregory shot Breeze a dirty look and Breeze just shrugged. "Ms. Hadley has a wicked sense of humour." Ariana looked up at Breeze. "Why would Ms. Hadley join in the hazing? I got the sense that she was someone with a stubborn sense of justice. So her making a antidote that causes more punishment before the curse is removed is so unlike her..." She said with doubtful eyes.
Breeze paled as he looked at Gregory then Ariana. "You don't know her very well! She plays her fair share of pranks too! She's also quite fragile! Did you know your lecture caused her to break down into tears!"
"We came back from our mission and Master wanted to report his return to Ms. Hadley, to our surprise she was stuffing her face with jam pastries in her kitchen, in the dark! Master flicked the switch and saw big tears roll down her face! Something about you telling her she was a good for nothing daughter and that everyone would be happier if she wasn't around."
Ariana's jaw dropped to the floor. She stood upright and looked at Breeze with disdain. "I did no such thing! Also why would you doubt me! I would never say that last part!" She shouted with rage blazing from her eyes.
"I told her she needs to realize that there are people around her who love her and she shouldn't be so guarded! She's unintentionally hurting people by jumping to conclusions!" Ariana explained loudly.
Breeze started nodded his head in agreement. "I figured it was nothing like what she said but Master flew into a rage.... I'm sorry I tried to kill you." Breeze said remorsefully but Ariana was already contemplating things.
"I need to leave!" Ariana yelled and tried to rush out of the room. Gregory grabbed Ariana's wrist and started to shake his head. "Why did you want to see me?" He asked, his voice was no longer high pitched but it turned into a crackling, pubescent teenage voice. It was like nails on a chalkboard to Ariana and she cringed.
"Right... I need to stay here a few days out of the month because of you know... my feminine thing." She said sheepishly. Gregory looked at her then Breeze. "Alright." He readily agreed with a nod then released her wrist.
"Okay..." She said awkwardly then rushed to the door. "Wait! Where do you think you're going?!" Breeze asked as he placed a hand on top of the door, blocking her escape. Ariana looked back and narrowed her gaze. "I'm going to beat some sense into your master." She replied coldly.
"You're insane!" He shouted and Ariana pushed him back. "You're free from you master's emotions and can do anything you want. So why are you trying to stop me? I have the right to fix a wrong, especially if that wrong is maligning me." She said with conviction.
Breeze looked worried and turned to Gregory. "You're temper is getting the better of you." He sighed causing Ariana to turn and face him.
"So what? I'm a teenager, I'm allowed to let me emotions get the better of me but you're right... I need to calm down and think of a plan of attack." She said as the top half her face became dark.
"So plan." Gregory said as he looked at the girl in front of him, a smile slowly crept across her face. "I will! On my way there." She said as she turned and rushed out of the room. Breeze facepalmed himself and chased after Ariana while Gregory decided to start tidying up the room.
"Ariana seriously think about what you're planning to do." Breeze said as he stepped beside her. "I am. I'm seriously thinking I need to slap your master with some common sense." She said as she picked up her pace.
Breeze started to panic and stopped walking, he looked around and tried to find help, there was no one in sight. "Ariana what about Cayden? I think he can give you some advice about you should do." Breeze shouted as he raced beside her again.
Ariana's aura became deadly cold, she turned to face Breeze, her eyes were blazing and hair was flying violently. "That dumba** can go to hell!" She hissed causing Breeze to shrink back.
She turned and started to run towards the main gate. She still wasn't a hundred percent sure where she was but if she found the gate she could find her way back. "Hey!" She heard someone yell out towards her but she couldn't be bothered, she kept moving towards her goal.
"Xander! Thank heavens Xander! This child is trying to get expelled!" Breeze shouted as he ran to Xander for help. Xander asked Breeze to fill him in and he quickly ran beside Ariana's side.
"There is a short cut to your dorms, it's this way." He said as he pointed towards the quad she had passed by earlier with Cayden. Ariana raised her eyebrow in suspicion but followed his instructions anyways. "Xander what are you doing?!" Breeze shouted as he started to pull on his hair.
"Going to sort this out." He answered matter-of-factly. Breeze started to stomp his feet. "You don't have to get involved Breeze. You're free to do what you want but if this doesn't get sorted out it'll affect my life and grades at school and this is not acceptable." Ariana said bluntly.
Breeze calmed down and dropped his gaze. He didn't know what to do, Ariana's and Xander's footsteps were starting to get further away. "Fine! Let's get this over with then!" Breeze said as a gust of wind started to rustle around him. He started to run towards the two. He effortlessly picked them up and started to run through the area.
After a few moments they arrived at the female dorms. Ariana was ready to storm in but was stopped by Xander's firm hand landing on top of her head. "Ms. Drake, before you go in I must inform you that your friend, Ms. Abela is safe and sound. She was only slightly shocked and is eating lunch now at the mess hall." Ariana froze, she did her best to turn around but the grasp Xander had on her made it futile.
"Thank you Xander... may I request that you keep her company until I finish things here?" She asked hoping he would comply. "I'm sorry but Ms. Abela has already requested that I stay by your side until you can meet her at the mess hall... besides another is guarding her at the moment and she will be kept safe." He replied bluntly. Ariana closed her eyes and thanked her friend from the bottom of her heart then placed her own hands on top of Xander's.
"Alright, since she has put in the request I might as well drag you in with me." She said as she successfully removed his hand and started to drag him inside. "Wait! Wait! Pease young Miss this is completely inappropriate!" Xander tried to protest but his words fell on deaf ears. Not only was Ariana able to drag him along, Breeze was giving her a hand and poor Xander was involuntarily inserted into the female dorms.
"Now, where's Ms. Hadley's room?" Ariana asked Breeze while Xander tried his best to keep his eyes from wondering. Inside the giant building was a lobby, carpeted with a deep burgundy rug. It had golden Lotus flowers blooming throughout the carpet with delicate leaves dancing in between each flower. the walls where done with half oak wainscoting and half light grey wallpaper.
The wallpaper had white, ornamental leaves embossed from the paper. It had a high, Cathedral like ceiling with glittering crystals delicately hanging from the ceiling. They acted like prisms and lit up the lobby in white light and small mini rainbows.
There was a double staircase that lead to the second and third floors while the rooms were safely guarded by bronze coloured doors, each with a golden number in the center. "It's this way." Breeze answered with a heavy heart. He dragged his feet as he acted as their guide. "Xander come on!" Ariana said as she grabbed Xander's sleeve and dragged him along.
"You guys... It's going to get really ugly, really fast and what you're about to see and hear need to stay confidential. Not a word to anyone outside of this dorm.... mind you I'll report what happened to Edlyn that's a given fact but other then her no one else is allowed to know what happens here. Got it." She said causing Breeze to crack a smile.
"Are you starting to regret coming here gorgeous?" Ariana gave him a sympathetic look. "No but you will." Ariana replied dumbstrucking her companions.
"...."
"...."
"...."
"We're here." Breeze said as he stopped in front of a bronze door, decorated with white vines and leaves. It was clearly marked with a golden number 5 on it. Breeze stepped aside and Ariana walked up to it. She brought up her fist and politely knocked. After a few moments, Ariana started to knock even harder. Still no one answer, she was starting to lose her patience. She started to knock on the door harder and continuously until they could hear footsteps.
She let a sigh and waited the door was slowly opened. A very pale and tear streaked face emerged from within the shadows. "Move aside please." Ariana said with a smile that chilled the air around her. "What are you doing here?" Ms. Hadley said with a hoarse voice.
Ariana narrowed her eyes and tilted her chin upwards as she stared down Ms. Hadley. "Move aside." She said a little firmer. Ms. Hadley moved to the side and Ariana let herself in. She looked around the further she went in. The room looked more like a small apartment. There was small kitchen to the right, two doors to her left that she assumed were her bedroom and bathroom and a spacious living room.
When she spotted Rain, he slowly stood up and locked eyes with her. The tension in the room rose and Ariana quickly closed the gap between them. With a bittersweet smile she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him with everything she had. Tears started to spill out as her body started to tremble. "Thank goodness you're okay." She softly said as she tightened her grip one more time.
Rain was thrown off guard, he didn't know what to do or say and looked at Ms. Hadley for guidance. To his horror the woman's face paled even further and her eyes started to water. As he was about to try and separate himself from Ariana, she let him go and gave him a soothing smile that brought peace to his mind.
Suddenly her fist came flying and he had no time to react. He was sent to the ground. Ariana went to his body and squatted beside him. She placed her elbow on her leg, gently placed her cheek into the palm of her hand and looked at Rain with a disgusted glare.
"You're a moron blinded by love." She said coolly never letting her smile falter. Rain looked up, his cheek was already swelling and a metallic taste invaded his mouth. "Did you know Breeze almost killed me? If it wasn't for.... well I guess that doesn't matter to you right? I mean you protected me from the Grand Council, even sacrificed yourself to let me get away and for what exactly? So you could have your familiar kill me instead? You should have left me to the Grand Council, they could have used my body to decorate that fancy door."
Rain's eyes grew wide, he opened his mouth to protest but blood started to spill out. He quickly placed a hand over his mouth to catch the blood. He didn't want a single drop to stain Ms. Hadley's home. Ariana rolled her eyes as she stood up. She walked over to the small kitchen and grabbed a cloth.
She damped the cloth under some running water and walked over to Rain. She extended it out towards him and he quickly grabbed the cloth. He got up and ran into the kitchen to clean up, while the group of three didn't move a budge from the hallway, silently watching the show.
"Do you want to know what I specifically told Ms. Hadley?" She said as she took a few steps towards the kitchen while Rain continued to rinse out his mouth. "She is a sorry excuse of person. She twists things in her head to make herself into a cold person, building walls to keep people out." Ariana stated matter-of-factly.
Rain turned, leaving the faucet running, he grabbed the front of Ariana's dress and dragged her upwards. Though there was a small height difference between the two, there was still some effect in the action.
Ariana kept calm and continued to talk. "Even though there are people around her trying to show her that they love her, regardless of what she does. No communication, no words of thanks, not a single smile and yet she thinks nothing will change around her. I told her to take the first steps with her father, rebuild that relationship before it's too late." Ariana explained nonchalantly.
Rain pulled her closer, until her face was just an inch away from his. "So that's why she should kill herself because she's oblivious?" He spat. Ariana started to laugh. "Who says? Ms. Hadley? Well I would assume that's her own pessimistic thoughts. Besides if that how she feels then I suggest she does it." She said then turned her head to Ms. Hadley.
"It would suit you, a cowardly act for a cowardly person." Ariana said with a mocking smile. Rain's anger boiled and he couldn't control his temper. He slammed Ariana's back against the refrigerator. The wind was knocked out of her causing her to cough and gasp for air.
"You're a little sh*t!" He spat and Ariana responded with a smile. "So what?" She said as she took some deep breaths in. "I would rather be a little sh*t then a coward." Ariana replied with a hoarse laugh. Rain's eyes started to turn red, he raised his free hand as it started to glow a mint green.
"Master stop!" Breeze shouted as Xander stepped in front of Ariana and acted as a shield but to everyone's surprise Ms. Hadley stepped behind Rain and wrapped her arms around his body. She was a good seven inches taller then him and looked more like a mother consoling her angry child. "Rain... please stop." She said weakly as she placed her head onto his shoulder. Rain froze as he broke out into an awkward sweat.
"P-P-P-Paola!" He stuttered as he released his grip on Ariana. "What she said was true." She said as new tears started to run down her cheeks. "No it's not!" Rain shouted as he reached for her hand and grasped it with all his might. "You're not cowardly! You're a warm hearted person who doesn't judge others based on outer appearances!" A flash of memory passed through his mind and he saw the first smile he ever received after he stepped into society.
"You're a wonderful human being! Your colleagues are proud of you, your students adore you and I... and I... I absolutely am in love with you... so I know that those words are not true!" rain admitted as his face burned a bright red and bitter tears started to pool in his eyes.
Ms. Hadley released him from her embrace. Ariana stepped forward and gave Ms. Hadley a huge grin. "I told you that there were people who loved you regardless of what you do. It's called unconditional love." She said then grabbed Xander's sleeve and started to pull him towards the door.
"No hard feelings between us okay Rain, I did what I promised so you better not screw up and not get a response to your confession." She shouted as she collected Breeze and pushed the boys out the door.
"Take your time sorting out things. Oh and Ms. Hadley don't forget to write a letter to your father, if you don't know what to write tell him about the confession you just received or possibly your first kiss." She giggled as she closed the door behind her. Leaving a blushing pair behind.