The egg began to crack, but she then realized it wasn't hatching, just going through the first phase of its development as the crack formed overlapping scale like shapes on it, it looked like a giant and extra colourful snake fruit or raffia palm fruit.
She looked at the three people behind her as they apologized, including the girl Illusa.
She said it would be fine, with a smile, a real one as she knew he was coming back for her.
She took the egg to his family, most of whom blamed her, but Uncle Cloud defended her, it wasn't her fault.
He took the egg and promised to take very good care of it, but Portia saw Aeric storm off.
She followed him then said,"Aeric, I'm really sorry for what happened but..."
"He said he'd stay until I got married... he~disappointed chuckle~promised he would never leave me, but who can really keep a promise anyway?"
He turned back to her and she shared his tears then he walked slowly to her and placed her in his warm embrace, telling her it was okay, just as Skylar used to.
She continued crying in his arms as she heard him whisper,"Don't worry Portia, I'll make this right..."
***
At school, basically everyone had something to say to Portia about how much of a wonderful guy Skylar was and how much they'd miss him, but this obviously only made the case worse, hearing all his achievements and seeing the lines of people he helped, surprisingly only made her cry.
The girls' room was occupied, so she entered some random closet and cried to herself, gently humming one of the many songs he wrote for her.
She heard a clicking sound but didn't lift her head, then heard someone say,"Soaking wet and on the floor, we really have to stop meeting this way."
"Kofi, please go away."She said without looking.
He sat besides her then said,"I know I've not been the world's no one best bereaved persons' consoler but I know one thing, and that is that until he comes back, memories of him are all you have and that's why they're so precious."
She looked at him then he clarified,"My dad told me that."
"When?"
"Last week."
Y- you visited him?"
"Are visiting him, actually, I go everyday and you were right, people can change and sometimes, it's worth the wait."
She smiled at him as he placed her head gently on his shoulder then said,"Okay, somebody get the wambulance, we got a crier, we may need to go to the scoffspital, the Wee R specifically."
She giggled then asked,"How long did you take for you to think that up?"
"Well, naturally I'll be the cool guy and say five seconds, but knowing that you could just read my memories and find the truth, I'll say, three days."
She burst out laughing then he asked,"Are your tears dried up?"
She nodded then he brought out a bottle of water then said,"Okay, time for a refill because you're supposed to be crying."
She laughed as she resisted his ' one little drop ' s then the closet was opened, showing Mr Baa do, a nickname the student body brought up for the janitor.
He walked inside, exchanged his supplies then walked out, without realizing they were in the room, in the fourth dimension.
They laughed with each other then came back and Portia was about to go to class when Kofi held her hand and said,"Come on, I want to show you something."
"But don't we need permission?"She asked.
"Have you ever asked?"He asked.
"Good point."She said.
He took her out to the compound, to where it was mildly drizzling, then he took to the skies and she followed suit and Ms TT looked at them from the teachers' lounge with a smile...
He took her high into the sky, then said she should look at the sun and she was mesmerized when she saw it.
There were all sorts of sun phenomena around it, sun dogs, halos, rainbows and more.
She looked at Kofi as he explained,"I can use the charges in the atmosphere to tell what is going on and where, even with light."
She smiled and hugged him and he tensed, but hugged her back.
They flew down and over the city, playing games of tag, hide and go seek and having races, all while still airborne, when Portia came back to terra firma, she wasn't happy and made Kofi promise to take her out again and he gladly did.
***
Skylar slowly opened his eyes on a bed, in a snow white room.
He looked around then saw a man with features which could only be described as... heavenly, standing besides him.
The man smiled and said,"Wake up sleepy head."
"Where am I?"
"Wherever you want to be, you could be home, in your bed, or on a date, with your beloved Portia, or even on a bed with your beloved Portia in a date."He said with a teasing smile.
Skylar began to remember everything then said,"I have to go."
"I'm sorry but you cannot leave."
"I have to get back to Portia!"
"I don't think you know how death works young man, you don't go back."
Skylar looked at him, then at the several women who were anxiously waiting for him, then said,"This isn't real... it's a trick, this isn't heaven, is it?"
The man grinned as he said,"Get me out of here."
"As you wish, Master Skylar."
He snapped his fingers then the bed vanished and Skylar felt like he was falling but his wings didn't unfurl...they were gone.
He landed hard, on his back and heard screams of agony from all over and saw a terrible sight of people being burned alive and those women, turned to disgusting creatures who still looked at him with lust, but not in the good way.
Skylar yelled as barbed chains began to wrap around his wrists and ankles, then squeezed, piercing into his flesh.
The man came over him then said,"I'm sure you're wondering why you aren't in heaven, it's simple, you're part Seraph, part Tedaph, all fallen angel, I'm sure you will be dying of joy in here, ladies, make our guest welcome."
The monsters rushed at him and he yelled.
Portia woke up suddenly then sat on the side of the bed and looked at the glowing egg besides her, it was safe.
She held it in her arms and felt it was freezing cold.
She made several rotating rings of fire around it then heard a crack.
She put off the fires and then saw there was a crack...cracks, going along the scale like patterns, then it burst with all the scales spreading, then rearranging on the creature in a breech position within it.
The creature was about the size of the average domestic cat, with two wings, covered in black and white feathers, it had two tails as well, one in the shape and colour of a Green wood hoopoe, and another, below the first, like that of a fox.
The creature stood like a dog, but the wings were on the sides of its back and it was covered in black and white fur, with the talons of an eagle and with a beak full of dog like teeth.
It yawned, then sneezed and Portia picked it up in an ever gentle manner.
She held it till black and white flames burst around it and she dropped it when she was burned, then gasped at her mistake.
It fell, safely on the bed, and cawed like a raven, then the doors opened and Uncle Cloud walked in to see it.
He walked slowly closer with Aeric and his mother behind him then picked it up as well.
Portia was a little anxious and asked,"So when will he get his human features?"
"He won't..."Aeric said in a low tone,"...his human side is gone, for good."
The world went blank for Portia as she screamed and the room started being thrown out of order by a powerful but unknown force.
Fire and ice began spreading all around till someone hugged her and told her it would be okay, then he said,"I'll make things right..."