Things got a lot weirder the more I thought about the world around me. However, that does not compare to the unnatural event in front of me—Feuer staring at me behind my bedroom window. Normally, I would just open the latch and let her in, but here's the thing...
...This is the second floor.
"Are you just going to lie there or will you open this window?" she said with a mild annoyance in her voice.
Snapping out of my inner monologue, I quickly got out of bed and reluctantly walked towards the window. Then I opened the latch and realized how she got there in the first place. Flames were spewing out of the soles of her feet, keeping her afloat in the air like Ironman.
"Feuer! How are you—wait, don't answer that," I blurted out, my brain trying to keep up. "Just come in before you fall from that height."
With a graceful leap, Feuer landed in my room, extinguishing the flames as she touched the floor. She then fixed her oversized hat and looked at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"So, you have a question?" she asked, folding her arms.
"More like a million," I replied, plopping back onto my bed. "First of all, why are you floating outside my window in the middle of the night?"
In response, she smiled. "I wanted to see you again."
Hearing her answer, I couldn't help but blush. Never once in my life had a girl gone out of her way to visit me in the dead of night, let alone floating up to my window like a superhero.
"Well, that's rather flattering," I admitted, scratching my head. "But seriously, where have you been? Why did you just disappear on me like that?"
Feuer lowered her head and responded meekly, "Because I'm afraid of adults."
"Afraid of adults? You mean, like my dad?" I asked confusedly.
She silently nodded, her oversized hat wobbling as she did. Noticing that, I thought to myself that there could be some inconspicuous reason for her worries. But, for now, I had to address the current situation.
"So, you decided to visit me at night to avoid running into my dad?" I summarized, attempting to piece together her logic.
"Yes," she replied, her pinkish-blue eyes meeting mine. "They are very harsh and dangerous."
"Harsh and dangerous? What do you mean by that?" I leaned forward, curiosity piqued.
"It's... complicated," she reluctantly responded, fiddling with the brim of her hat. "Let's say I have bad memories with them."
My mind hummed with questions upon hearing her troubling reply, but I decided not to press her further. Instead, I offered a sympathetic smile and a pat on the shoulder.
"It's alright, I won't force you. But if you want to talk about it, I'm here to listen."
Feuer's expression relaxed in response, and she nodded admiringly. "Thanks, Siegfried. That means a lot to me."
As the moonlight streamed through the window, it cast a gentle glow on the side of Feuer's face, realizing our friendship was growing stronger. Despite the odd circumstances, having her around here felt quite right.
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Later on, I had a little chat with Feuer, allowing me to learn a bit about her backstory. It turns out she lived in the woods not far from the creek, although what bothered me was her way of living there.
"So, you're telling me you hang out in the woods by yourself?" I inquired, trying to wrap my head around it. "Isn't that a bit... oh, I don't know, dangerous?"
Feuer shrugged, her oversized hat bobbing with the motion. "It's not so bad. I have my magic to protect me, and the animals in the woods are my friends."
Say, what? That sounded straight out of a fairy tale. Was she Snow White or something? My imagination went wild because of this, picturing Feuer with birds perching on her shoulders and tiny critters prancing around her.
"Friends, you say?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow. "What are you? Some sort of princess who commands animals to help you with chores and stuff?"
In response, she tilted her head. "What's a princess?"
Her innocent confusion was endearing to me. Here I thought, a young girl with the talents of a mage, living a life straight out of a fairy tale, yet she had no idea what the heck a princess was. It was as if she had skipped the entire script of a fantasy storyline. Though, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt, and help her understand what I mean.
"Okay, let me explain," I said, trying not to laugh. "A princess is usually the daughter of a king and queen, which are two very important people of a kingdom. They live in big castles, wear fancy dresses, and sometimes talk to animals. You know, like in stories and fairy tales."
Hearing my explanation, Feuer still looked confused yet she tried her best to comprehend my words. "So, it's a special person who lives a relaxing life and has power?"
"Yeah, pretty much," I confirmed. "Except you skipped the whole castle and fancy dress part and went straight to the animal bit."
"Does that mean I'm somewhat of a princess?" she asked, her eyes reflecting the moonlight.
Looking at her innocent gaze, I couldn't help but acknowledge her claim. "Sure, why not."
Feuer jumped happily at my response, causing her hat to almost slip off her head because of childish enthusiasm. She then frantically adjusted it, and let out a sigh of relief later. Seeing that, I found myself questioning her unusual behavior.
"Say, Feuer, I've been wondering," I began, trying to sound casual. "What's with the hat? You seem attached to it, like really attached. So much so, I never seen you took it off."
She froze upon hearing the mention of her hat, clutching its brim with both hands. " Oh...um, it's because it was given by someone special and I'm afraid of anyone looking at my head."
"Why? What's wrong with that?" I asked, trying to look at her eyes.
Frowning reluctantly, Feuer shook her head while still holding the brim of her hat. "N-nothing, it's just... people would hate me if they saw it."
Saw what exactly? What is she trying to hide under there? So many questions swirling in my mind, but I didn't want to push her too hard. Instead, I'll try to shift the conversation slightly.
"Hey, no one's going to hate you, especially not me," I reassured her. "But If that hat means a lot to you, then you can keep it on. Just let me know if you're ready to show it to me."
Feuer's tensed shoulders loosened a bit, and she gave me a small, appreciative smile. "Thank you, Siegfried. You're a good friend."
Feeling a sense of accomplishment, I smiled back at her. "Anytime."
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After that conversation ended, Feuer decided to call it a day and went towards my bedroom window to make her dramatic exit.
"Are you sure you don't want me to lead you downstairs to leave?" I suggested, trying to be the sensible one for once.
Feuer shook her head dismissively as she climbed the edge of the window. "No need, I can just use my fire magic to descend safely."
Despite my attempt to convince her to use the front door for a safer departure, she insisted on her method instead. I guess she really doesn't want to face my father that badly.
Just before she jumps off, Feuer looks back at me and asks, "Siegfried, if I ever show what is under my hat, would you still trust me?"
Caught off guard by her sudden question, I blinked a few times, processing the gravity of her words. What is she on about? Oh well, one way to find out.
"Yeah, I—"
knock! knock!
Oh, you got to be kidding me.
"Siegfried, are you awake?" my father's voice called out from behind my bedroom door.
Turning around, I responded, "Yeah, Dad. What is it?"
"I heard some loud noises over there. Is everything alright in there?" he asked as I heard the doorknob opening.
Panicking profusely, I looked back and saw Feuer vanished once again. No matter, I will use that opportunity to sit by the window and act natural.
When the door opened, Father walked into my room with a concerned look. "What are you doing there, Siegfried? I thought I heard voices."
"Hmm? Oh, I'm just watching the stars, Dad. They looked so gorgeous that I couldn't help but talk to myself," I remarked, pretending to admire the night sky.
Father narrowed his eyes, clearly not buying my words but decided to let it slide. "Okay then, just keep it down. Also, It's late, so you should rest by now."
"Sure thing, Dad," I replied, trying to sound as casual as possible. "Good night."
He nodded and then left the room, closing the door behind him. Afterward, I let out a sigh of relief.
Turning back to the window, I whispered, "Feuer, you still there?"
"....."
"I can sense your mana, you don't need to hide," I reassured.
With my words, Feuer suddenly materialized out of thin air, hovering outside my window. Her hat was tilted slightly, giving her an uneven, odd look that made me grin despite the tension.
"You really have a knack for making dramatic exits, don't you?" I teased.
Feuer stuck out her tongue playfully. "It's part of my charm."
"Well, if you ever need to talk, or show me what's under that hat of yours, you know where to find me," I declared, giving her a thumbs-up.
Feuer's eyes relaxed, and she gave a small nod. "Thanks, Siegfried. See you next time."
With that, she spun around and flew away into the night sky, leaving a trail of flames behind her. I watched until she disappeared from view, then closed the window and collapsed back onto my bed.
Today had been a whirlwind of sentiments and surprises. As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but feel a blend of excitement and curiosity about what tomorrow would bring.