A huge flapping sound was heard as a man with six white and gold wings landed, looking like an extra graceful bird or an exceptionally beautiful butterfly.
The man was big and muscular, somehow like Sky, but much bigger, the man walked closer and seemed confused then asked,"Sky, who is this?"
"You know it's Skylar and Aeric, this is Portia, my new girlfriend, she's going to be staying with us for a while and Portia, this is Aeric, my older brother."Sky said.
Aeric laughed in a charming way then shook Portia's hand firmly but ironically gently as he said,"Don't love my brother too much, you could have cupids for babies."
Sky frowned but Portia actually thought it was funny.
Sky then asked,"Where is father? I wish to speak with him."
Aeric motioned towards the door then checked Portia as she walked with Sky, she was a beauty.
Portia then asked,"But, why did you tell your brother I was your girlfriend?"
"Wait, you aren't?"He asked.
"Well, you never asked."
He smiled as his wings came out then he went on one knee as one of his huge, pink wings pushed her slightly closer to him and his other crossed his chest as he asked,"Portia, I know I haven't been fair to you by leaving you to go through all your troubles on your own but...will you make me happier than I have ever been before and be my girlfriend?"
She smiled then said,"On one condition."
He stood up as his wings went back into his back then said,"Anything."
"No secrets."
"Of course."
"So first off, why do you hope for your wings to get stronger? Isn't that a normal thing?"She asked.
He sighed then said,"Actually, no, it all depends on the strength of your bond with your angel, the stronger it is, the stronger you can get."
"And how strong is yours?"
"No one knows, you could only pray that your wings will grow like the greats... including my brother, and mother."He said.
"How old is your brother by the way?"
"Three hundred and forty six."
She widened her eyes then said,"Herh! He's young oo!"
"I know right! He's...my father's pride and joy, unlocked his fourth wing by the age of ninety and here I am, eighty three without being any closer to getting my third."
"One thing I wish I had always known, don't let the achievements of others dictate the way you live, they are their own people and you are your own person, just live your life at your own pace."She said.
He smiled then lifted her head by the chin and asked,"How did I ever get someone like you?"
She smiled then said,"Sometimes, your life goes differently from others."
He drew nearer and so did she, untill someone cleared their throat and ruined the moment.
It was a man who didn't look much older than Aeric, he walked forward then asked,"Son, why do you treat me so?"
Sky smiled at Portia then went on one knee as the man approached them then analyzed her, he looked at her gem then said,"I've see this before...but anyway, to whom do I owe the pleasure?"
Sky stood up again then said,"Uncle Cloud, this is Portia, my new girlfriend."
The man smiled then said,"Good evening Portia but, may I ask why you two aren't in school, showing each other off?"
Aeric nudged his uncle's shoulder encouragingly while Portia was lost for words, what was she going to say?
Sky jumped in then said,"There was an accident, another fight, so we were dismissed for our own safety."
"Ugh, those schools and their no interference policies, come to think of it, what is your symbiote?"Uncle Cloud asked.
Portia stuttered,"Um...I..."
"She doesn't like to talk about it, she'd rather show you."Sky said, again.
Portia glared at him while his uncle asked,"Really?!"
Sky nodded then his uncle said,"Okay, to the training ground with you."
As they were on their way, Portia whispered a yell at Sky,"What the heck are you doing?! I have no control over my abilities!"
"Yes, you do, all symbiotes are at the mercy of their hosts, you got this, I believe in you, do you believe in you?"
She was silent for a second before nodding as he smiled then kissed her on the cheek and said,"Just in case."
She smiled, her spirit lifted, as she walked through the door, into the arena...
***
She looked around, to see several people, some with wings, and others with other abilities and symbiotes, Sky had a big family and when did they have the chance to call them?
She got inside then heard a deep growl from the other side.
From it came a large hoove, then the body came out, showing, a Grootslang.
She was surprised as to how they got it because all had been killed, well not actually killed, rather, divided.
They had the head and sometimes legs of an elephant and a long, serpent like body.
They were believed to have been a mistake made by the gods, who divided all of them to create serpents and elephants alike, with only one remaining and it was in front of her.
It kept slithering out if the hole for several minutes till it occupied half the colosseum sized arena.
She looked at it as it trumpeted, ready to attack.
She wasn't ready for this, she had never used her abilities to fight a monster before...she had never used them at all!
Why didn't Sky warn her?!
The creature darted forward at her, then time froze...
***
Flashes went before her eyes, the Grootslang had a mate, a colony, when they were all torn apart before its very eyes.
It saw the lowlife creatures that were made from the corpses of its dead brethren and vowed to destroy them all but it was captured by some creatures it had never seen before and made to sit down in an inescapable prison, for decades on end, watching as other creatures got slaughtered for those small creatures' delight, it just waited for its turn.
Just then, she saw into its thoughts, it was sorrowful, scared, angry and fed up, it just wanted to die like the other lucky creatures.
Portia stretched her arm and it came to a stop, shocking the entire crowd, but the part that made them more surprised was what she did next, she climbed on it.
She whispered something into its ear then it calmed down and lay down, as she placed her arm on it, then it vanished, leaving everyone shocked.