Chapter 1

Staring into the mirror she twirled and turned in her white silky dress, a near permanent smile on her face. She knew she was not just beautiful, but powerful and indeed the best of her kind.

She had been training for this for so long and it was finally here. Ayra! Ayra! Ayra! You made iiit! Yes! We made it! She whispered, hugging herself and giggling. She didn't think she'd get tired of admiring how she looked in the mirror at that moment.

It was her first day at her assignment post which meant she had to look her best.

She had already selected multiple outfits for today's event but this was the perfect one. It was a white, glittery silk dress which her mother had given to her… Before she'd transited into her true form.

"Oh my ghoul! You are up already? It is only 4am! Why do you always find pleasure in ruining my peace?" Ayra's roomie Mira yowled as she got down from her bed, throwing her hands up in annoyance.

Mira had been Ayra's roommate since the beginning of their school year. She was a natural blonde and had eyes that were befitted of an angel. And – her only other preferable trait– she too was in the academy to train to become a combat angel. It was her dream. Just like Ayra.

Ayra scrunched her face. She was already used to Mira's year round grumpiness and disagreeableness. She wasn't necessarily a bad person; she just "hated" other peeps.

"Well angels don't sleep." Ayra muttered.

"That does not mean my rest time includes me seeing you in a shiny white dress dancing in front of the mirror like a squirrel. And of all times, at a time that screams inappropriate!" Mira snapped at Ayra.

"I beg your pardon!" Ayra exclaimed, turning to face Mira as she reemerged from the restroom.

"Pardon denied coconut head." Mira hopped onto her bed. "Good night. Or perhaps good morning. Now off to sleep I go, make too much noise again and you won't like what comes next." Mira muttered as she covered herself with her blanket.

"Rudeness in lifeform!" Ayra whined. Then smirked as she remembered why she was in a good mood in the first place.

"Hm!" She gave one last twirl then snapped her fingers. The dress immediately reemerged on its stand in the corner of the room, revealing her nightwear which she'd been wearing underneath. Then she turned on her heel happily and headed off to bed.

Morning came faster than usual, the sky's color brightening from pitch black to sky blue. The alarms of Gbaibel hostel rang out loud and birds could be heard chirping as they flew around the hostel, some stopping at specific windows to wake their friends. Blue and Berry were two of such birds, they stopped by Ayra's window to say good morning. Ayra smiled then yawned as she waved them goodbye.

"Good morning Mira!" Ayra screamed deliberately, on top of her lungs, not forgetting the insult from earlier.

"Ahhhhh!" Mira yelped as she fell off her bed. She lifted her head and blinked. "Ghouls… It's morning already." She sighed as she struggled to untangle herself from her blanket.

"Thanks for ruining my sleep Ayra." She dead-panned.

"Good morning to you too Mira." muttered Ayra, her eyes not leaving Mira.

"Ayra, why are you staring at me like that? It's creepy. Creepy doesn't suit you, stop it."

"Oh so you are literally going to ignore the fact that I said good morning to you multiple times?"

Mira raised a brow.

"Well it's fine! No need to reply, child, I'll reply myself!" Ayra spouted, her teeth clenched. Then she went ahead to reply herself,

"Oh good morning Ayra! Trust you had a great night? Of course I did! I had the most wonderful dreams! Although something tells me you had a bad night and a bad dream because of your haggy behavior!" She ended sharply, her eyes narrowing to slits.

"Oh is that soo?" Mira intoned getting up from the floor. "Well dearest Ayra, I need not stress my vocals because we both know the only person with a haggish behavior in here is you! And no one else. So spare me this unnecessary drama; I have had just about enough of your haggy ass. Bye ghoul!!!" Mira screamed the last part as she rolled her eyes and cat walked – more like cat wobbled Ayra thought to herself – to the bathroom.

Ayra nearly hemorrhaged. D-did she? Had she? Had that ghost! Just called her a ghoul?

A knock was suddenly heard on the door. Ayra momentarily forgot her murderous thoughts.

"Yes who is it?" They both responded. Ayra's thoughts returned, how dare she reply from the bathroom?

"Good morning girls, it's Linda. I have a package for you Ayra."

"Oh, for me!!!" Ayra squealed jumping off her bed, all thoughts of murder and Mira vanished.

"Yes for you Ayra." Linda stated calmly. Ayra was sure she was smiling, Linda always was.

"I'll be out shortly!" Ayra cried shuffling about for her slippers.

"And who could that be from? Hmmm let me guess, Josh? Miguel? Noa? Samuel? You know, I could keep going on and on. But can you imagine? It had to be today of all days? Emphasis on the 'all'."

Ayra had paused in the middle of Mira's rubbish tirade, her hands clenched, her face scrunched up, and her left foot half in and half out of her slipper.

"Mira, would you just shut up? You are just jealous."

"Fine, fine yeah I am jealous but don't forget you're keeping Linda waiting!"

"Miraaa!" Ayra groaned under her breath, then she inhaled deeply and headed for the door.

She opened it, and standing outside smiling as expected was Linda. She was indeed carrying a package that started to flap as soon as the door was opened.

"Good morning Linda!" Ayra's good spirits returned.

"Good morning Ayra. A package came flying in for you this morning. I would not have brought this to you myself, but I saw an inscription on the top and I knew I had to deliver it myself."

Ayra's brows furrowed imperceptibly and her hand involuntarily moved to the package.

"What inscription?"

"Here you go." Linda said as she handed the package to Ayra.

"Alright. Do have a nice day girls, considering what today is!" She shouted so Mira could hear her from the bathroom.

"Yes we will Linda, bye." Ayra's smile wasn't quite complete as she turned the package around in her hands wondering what is was and more importantly who'd sent it.

Linda nodded then turned and headed down the stairs.

Ayra couldn't wait to tear the package open and in her rush, slammed the door hard. A plop was heard from the bathroom.

"For crying out loud Ayra!" Mira screamed. But Ayra was deaf.

She gingerly placed the package on her bed and stared at it for a moment. Mira came out of the bathroom while she was staring and the look of annoyance on her face turned into a smirk. She walked over to her bed and sat directly opposite Ayra, ready to give her hell about the package.

Ayra noticed Mira out of the corner of her eye but didn't pay any mind. She tenderly lifted up the card attached to the package and saw her mother's seal on it. Her heart fell to her stomach an inch.

"Oooo! Is it from a super duper important guy now? That look on your face definitely isn't for Josh." Mira teased, making funny oogly boogly totally-in-love faces. Ayra ignored her. The package was far more important.

Underneath the seal was the inscription Linda had spoken of; it was a simple MUM. She pulled on the card and the package unravelled. There were two things inside: a letter and another package. The letter had AYRA written on it boldly.

"Mira."

"Yea Ayra? What?" Mira smirked already dressed.

"The package is actually from my mum!" Ayra yelled a huge grin on her face. Mira's smirk fell.

"'Mum'?" Mira uttered "Meh." She completed but got up and headed towards Ayra.

"Yea, now I get why the package flapped as soon as I opened the door and why Linda came to deliver it herself.

"Hm true. So what is in the letter?" Mira questioned rolling her eyes as she sat on Ayra's bed.

"Time to find out." Ayra replied as she proceeded to open the letter.

Ayra love,

I know this is unexpected and it has been a while since we last had a mother-daughter conversation. I'm sorry love, transition is not as easy as it seemed at first; this is a new and a whole different world. Things are done very differently… but that is an entirely different story which I will definitely touch with you soon. For today, I want this letter to be about you and how gorgeous and powerful you've turned out. I wish I could be there to watch you bloom. But of course we all have different callings, I am glad you understand that and I am glad you have found yours. I hope your first day is just as wonderful as you have been dreaming it would be. I've sent you a happy first day gift alongside this letter but do not open it till midnight to unlock its full potential. Ayra love, remember hardwork pays only if you do the work.

Bye love,

Mum.

"At least it wasn't from any of your situationships." Mira sighed getting up and shaking off the emotions that had sprung up like arrows to attack her. "But your mum, hmm she kind of caught me off guard there."

"What do you mean Mira?"

"Who, me? Oh please don't mind me, before we get all emotional, we have somewhere to be and we don't want to be late on our first day right Ayra?" Mira assumed her awful roommate accent again.

"Alright, alright." Ayra replied placing the package on the cabinet beside her bed.

"What could be in this package that I have to wait till midnight to open it?" Ayra thinks to herself then heads for the bathroom. Just as she enters the bathroom the package glows green but even Mira doesn't notice as she's inspecting her boots, contemplating whether or not she should have worn the navy blue instead of black.

"Whoosh I am done. Banakazim." Ayra utters out loud as she emerged from the bathroom less than a minute later. She gestured at her white dress which she'd conjured to lay on her bed while she was in the bathroom and it appeared on her body, looking even better than last night.

"Time for hair and makeup huh?" Mira droned dully, prepared to wait another minute.

"Scratch that Mira." Ayra returned grinning widely at herself in the mirror, she was practically vibrating with giddiness.

"I look so darn good I would do me if I were a boy!" She said ecstatically.

Mira blinked.

"Anyone asks, you did not hear that from me." She muttered.