Vixen slowly opens the letter. And was surprised to see that it was from the higher rank, Winter.
Nhairon gave it to her earlier, and thought it was from Alice. She was relieved it wasn't from their ruler but also...confused. Of all people...Winter, the guy that can kill you with looks alone...would be the one to write her a letter?
'Hmmm...this is kinda...kinda unexpected.' Vixen thought. After all, why would he even write her something like this?
Vixen gave a deep breath. She also noticed that her name wasn't printed. And was written in a messy way. Almost as if it was rushed or written in the last second.
But everyting else...everything else was computerized.
She began reading, and automatically blushed after the first paragraph of the letter.
Just what did Winter ate? Was this even from him? Or for her?
She touched her mouth to stop herself from smiling. But also, she was still utterly puzzled and beat red from all of its content.
The blonde reaper, approached the trembling Vixen, who was almost...almost near to falling, unable to sustain herself from what she had just read.
QIDA: Are...you okay?
The orange haired woman, looked at her then nodded. Hiding the paper and envelope on her back. Qida rose one of her brow then smiled michievously.
QIDA: What are you hiding?~
VIXEN: Nothing. It's just a private letter from Madamme.
QIDA: From Madamme?
Her brown eyes focused on Vixen's raw expression. She may not have been an expert at these, but even a man with glasses could tell that Vixen's red.
QIDA: You're blushing aren't you?
VIXEN: No, I'm not. This is not a blush.
Vixen tried to act as normal as possible, denying her accusations but Qida just won't let her be.
QIDA: You're blushing. Stop denying it.
VIXEN: I'm not. Just...just go.
Prisha(Rank 64) gray reaper approaches them after being too concerned for the continuing noise between them.
Her hair was a light golden brown, her full bangs covering most of her forehead, up to her brows, while her eyes succeeded to compliment them, as they were a steel blue. She has a pale complexion and almost everyone who sees her assumes she's always either sad, or...well, very very sad. But she was just shy and only a few knows her name.
PRISHA: I...what are you doing Qida? The other reapers are looking.
Vixen immediately stuffs Winter's letter on her body bag, the moment Qida's focus turned to Prisha.
QIDA: Vixen got a love letter! I think?
VIXEN: Shut up. It's not like that.
PRISHA: Really? That must have been very romantic.
Prisha smiles and it felt weird since her eyes still look gloomy. As if she's faking it.
VIXEN: Since when have you been here?
PRISHA: Well...my senior Coby(Rank 60, Gray Reaper) told me to fetch you two up. We're told to share our flares to the group of chosen warriors told to fight whoever the fairy was.
QIDA: Ah, okay, we'll be going then. Tell them we'd be there quickly.
Prisha nervously plays with the brown ruffles on her skirt, and looks at her again.
PRISHA: You actually should come with me. It's urgent.
VIXEN: Urgent? Why?
PRISHA: Humility was very strict. And none of the warriors managed to hit him, even when they've almost drained themselves. I guess this 'fairy' is really...a very big deal. I'm kind of scared and relieved I wasn't picked.
Vixen and Qida looks at each other knowingly, then headed to the training grounds with urgency.
-
-
-
The current white reaper fighting Humility was panting profusely. His knees were almost giving up on him. He wipes the sweat falling on his forehead, and fixes the bits of his black hair, that blocks his view.
He then huffs with great effort, trying to stay awake even though he was terribly tired.
HUMILITY: Come on. Look at me. Use your whip again, this time faster. Think. Think of a technique.
But the reaper couldn't hear all of what Humility has to say. He was too tired.
His eyes were closing shut on their own and he felt his head spinning. He wobbled, but with pure will, he still managed to stand up.
He holds his whip tightly and with his last bit of effort tried to swing it to damage Humility. But it was too slow and he managed to dodge it wayyy too easily.
Humility sighed.
The reaper made a mistake of attacking him in the first minutes without thinking. He was too reckless. And so were the others. The fairy they're against might be more powerful than him, so they need to be alert. He might attack them by group, or alone. They need to be ready all the time.
The man falls, and was defeated by exhaustion and fatigue.
Humility walks forward and gives him some of his flare, to which the reaper gently mouthed a soft, 'thank you,' before he closes his eyes, while Humility kept replenishing him.
Without looking at the crowd, he told them:
HUMILITY: The other reapers will provide you with other flare soon, next we'll assest your cooperation skills. Pick a partner, the closest to you, to work with. I expect no less from you.
Nhairon comes forward, he was also done with the red and yellow reapers. When he saw the exhausted students of Humility, he smiles and pats his back.
HUMILITY: What?
NHAIRON: You developed my way of teaching, huh? I thought you'd go easy on them. I never thought a gentle person like you would-
HUMILITY: They need this, or they'll be erased from existence, forever.
Nhairon nods his head then scratches his dark blue hair. He then noticed they had grown longer.
The reaper chuckles.
NHAIRON: I need to braid this or the fairy might make fun of me.
Humility looks at him, and the rank 1 was busily braiding his hair.
Humility then felt self-concious and touches his own. They had grown a bit as well.
They were always just by his neck and now they reaches his shoulder. Maybe he needs to cut it or stylize it like what Nhairon does. But either way he was surprised he didn't notice.
Man, was he busy.
...
(Days after Gabby's visit to the Divine Realm)
It was a Sunday. A boring one at that. Winter was too...way too quiet for a companion. And Gabby felt awkward...and lonely. It's as if she only has a cat and a dog in the house. Although she was living alone before, she'a not used to it now.
She calls Tiwari first, but Tiwari said she was busy finding Finn a publisher. She sounds terribly sorry too, saying that they talked about it before and that Sunday was scheduled for it.
GABBY: Ah, it's okay, it's okay.
Then she ended the call.
Gabby bit her lip and looked at her other contacts.
That was when Murasaki saw her active notification and called her.
MURASAKI: Yo! You craving for some pizza?
GABBY: Wait...you're not busy? I thought-
MURASAKI: My editors will handle it, it's fine. I finished what I had to finish.
GABBY: Ah, okay. Are you sure you're not supposed to do something? I feel bad always asking you for stuff.
MURASAKI: Nah, besides...it's lonely in my apartment. I needed companionship too.
Gabby then agreed and Murasaki soon came after.
They watched movies until Murasaki noticed Gabby's phone kept ringing. It seems like Jerico was chatting her.
Gabby then puts on her glove, then began checking her phone.
Murasaki felt a bit confused as to why she needs them.
He also felt jealous.
He walks to her kitchen to get some drinks on the fridge when he noticed her blender and microwave on the trashcan, along with a phone.
Murasaki heads back, cold milk in hand, as he looks at Gabby with the most confused look.
GABBY: Want to tell something?
MURASAKI: I...actually want to ask a few things.
GABBY: That's...uh, kinda scary. What is it?
MURASAKI: I have three questions.
GABBY: Go on.
MURASAKI: First. Since when is Jerico messaging you. Second. Why do you wear gloves even when messaging on your phone? And third, why the hell...are there electronics dumped on the trash can?
GABBY: Oh...well...
MURASAKI: Well?
GABBY: What question should I answer first?
MURASAKI: *sighs* Maybe the second and third one.
GABBY: Ah...so, I don't know but...when I touch electronics things they suddenly break and stuff. So...yeah. And even my plants died.
MURASAKI: Have you gone to the doctor? Do your hands sweat a lot?
GABBY: No, they don't.
MURASAKI: The hell...okay, okay...and the first one.
GABBY: Can't remember much. But don't worry, he's just messaging me as what my others friends would. No romantic stuff involved. I guess he just wanted to talk to me.
MURASAKI: Okay...great.
GABBY: Wait...you're more concerned about Jerico than why my hands keep destroying things?
MURASAKI: I'm pretty sure Humility can fix that.
GABBY: Nah, I kinda feel embarrassed to ask him about it. They're very busy. And I asked way too many favors. I don't want to look like a baby.
MURASAKI: Okay, then...you'd keep on doing that then?
GABBY: Yeah. I wished I thought about putting on gloves sooner. Man, those appliances cost a lot.
MURASAKI: Yeah, maybe you should have. I'll check online and tomorrow they'd arrive here.
GABBY: What? No! Don't do that!
Gabby quickly tries to snatch his phone away, making them closer than usual. Murasaki was lowkey enjoying, as he knew he was always wayyy taller. It was cute seeing her struggle to reach it from him.
MURASAKI: Oops, I already clicked it.
GABBY: Hey! Stop buying stuffs for me!
MURASAKI: Pff, my money, my choice.
Winter hissed at them again.
WINTER: If you want to flirt, keep it down. You're giving me headaches.
They did kept a bit quiet but Gabby was still a bit annoyed she was always treated like a baby.
She sighed and wished that she got powers instead, rather than a hand sucking out her phone's battery in swift seconds.
Maybe if she was strong, they won't always look down on her like something that always needs to be provided of.
If she wasn't normal, she wished she was somehow more useful than seeing the paranormal.
...