"Maggy, why is it back at the village you have every man that you want in your hands and I don't," I asked," I mean I never had one even glance my way. They never notice me! I am seriously wondering that they don't like about me."
"Abcde, you have asked me this a thousand times already. It just that you haven't been able to find the right guy for yourself. You know how it is. I may have everyone flinging themselves at me but I am not interested. Just wait for mister right to come along. All you have to do is be patient." She replied while looking straight into my eyes with her own hazel eyes.
I couldn't wait. I was never a patient person and never would be. The right guy could be out there but how long would it be until he found me or I found him? It seemed like forever.
"You have silky, brown hair and those eyes of yours. You could get any guy. I, on the other hand, have curly, red hair and plain, brown eyes. No man would look at me at all. Most think that I have a bad attitude. No guy wants me." I explained while fiddling with my hand me down dress.
Maggy-Marie's was a dress that put mine to shame. It was a light red that somehow made her eyes pop and was down to her knees. The patched dress that hung loosely look as if it ate me whole. It nearly went down to my shins as we walked.
"Don't be such a drag! You are the most beautiful person I know. Someday you will find a special someone for you that likes that hair of yours," she argued.
"Alright. I won't bug you anymore today about it. Shall we get going to WickaDola? I know Grayson has stuff to tell me like he always does. Isa and Grayson always seem to be hanging out together more and more. Maybe they like each other," I stated.
"I noticed that too. Let’s get going before we forget. When we get there, let’s meet up in the usual spot."
I nodded my head yes and looked for my plump gray cat. He was strolling behind us with Maggy's dog Isa. Isa was a huge, black and white Newfoundland. Gray looked like a little ant next to Isa but they did not care one bit. Back in WickaDola they are the same species anyways.
"Grayson. Come on already, you know how important it is to get there on time. Kratos will literally tan our behinds if we don't. You can tell her why we were late too. I am not getting in trouble for your little romance with Isa." I shouted back at them.
Grayson puffed out his chest and gave me the evil eye. Isa just licked his head and nudge him forward as she caught up to us easily.
When we reached our hide out Maggy and I took out our much needed writing materials. Isa and Grayson settled down next to each other as the watched us get set to go to WickaDola.
There I was just wishing to be...
I landed with a thud on my bum. Looking around I found that I was back in my favorite place to be. I sighed with relief. Finally I was where I was noticed.
"We best be going if we want to meet up with Maggy and Isa. If we are late now it is because of you. I am not telling Kratos it was my fault. It was not my fault that you guys went a head of us." commented Grayson as he hopped by me.
"Looks like you are in love with Isa. Every time Maggy and I get together, you guys are sucking up to each other. You love her don't you? Just admit it," I grinned.
Instead of answering me, Grayson hopped off know exactly where to go. I scrambled onto my feet and chased after him. He always goes mute when the conversation had to do with him and Isa.
"Grayson! Don't be like this, you know I was just kidding around. I mean Isa is just a friend and nothing more," I shouted, "I'm sorry to make you mad you know you're my buddy right?"
"Isa and I are not a thing. She is beautiful but we can't be together. We are just friends. I know you were just kidding but please, I don't want to hear anymore about it. Do you understand?"
Why does he always have to be so picky about a relationship with her? It was a joke....
"Yes, I do understand. I just don't understand why you can't be together. I understand why back home but why not here? It just so confusing," I confessed.
"This will be the last time you ask me of this anymore. The reason we can not and will not be together is because of the rules. Each puff is assigned to one of you guys while you just beginning to become a messenger, therefore we have no time to look out for love. At your age now, it is important to us to make sure you stay on the right track so we do not loose any more messengers as we did in the pass. Until you get old and Maggy gets older, there will be no thing between us. Once you are older, we would still have gain permission to as you would call it get married and have other pufflings that would help other messengers just like you. Now that is the end of it. We have to hurry if we want to meet them on time."
By the time we met up with Maggy-Marie and Isa, we were late. Once we got into the main office we went our separate ways and headed to our own guides. Kratos was tapping her foot impatiently as our elevator reached her floor.
"Where have you been? Do you think just because you are older that you can just ditch and do want ever you want to do? Well do you?" She practically shouted. Her hair was a raging storm and her eyes turned from friendly to vicious within seconds.
"No ma'am. We were just late because we got side tracked on a discussion. We were debating that if people could be come messengers but never come here what would happen. I am sorry that we are late. I didn't mean too. Next time we will be early." I bowed my head in shame.
"It is okay. Hard times like this make me think that you will leave and never comeback. I have grown to love you, Abcde, don't forget that. I do not wish to lose my best messenger."
Kratos over the years of knowing me became my second mother. No matter what I did or who I did it with I could always rely on her. My own mother still treated me as if I was a little girl. Making me do things that were ridiculous no matter whose view you looked at it in.
"It must be hard when you lose messengers, young and old. I love this place and would never, ever leave you. Kratos, you like my mother and will always be. If I lost you, I would not know what to do. Being a messenger is nothing with out you to help me on the way. WickaDola is my second home. This is the place I grew up the most in. Please don't you ever feel like I would leave you."
I hugged her just then. She was shocked, but eventually she came to hug me back. I could sense what ever stress that Grayson and I caused her melt away. She was the one who ended our hug. She grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me in the eyes. Her eyes had a gleam to the corner of them, which I suspected were tears.
"Well, you only have a while here and there are stories to be told. I want you, Grayson, to take her to the west side of the realm. There I think she will meet new friends. WickaDola is so huge, one person never can get enough of it! Now shoo before your time is up. Remember to," She started.
"Always be back on time so I can gather all my new information in to one area before I leave," I said automatically, "I know the rules."
I was heading out the doors of the Office when Maggy-Marie came up besides me.
"So, where are you headed to? I headed toward the Southern WickaDola. Andratos said it would me be in my benefit to get out more then the regular areas I go to. Isa agreed but I still think I should stay in Northern WickaDola. I like it there but they teamed up on me and demanded, well just told me really, to go and explore WickaDola. So difficult! I swear it is just getting to be more harder then when we first came here. She expects me to write more details that will appeal to the senses and she wants me to be the greatest writer I can be. I do write fast and that but she wants me to be better, to learn how to do certain things better then what I can do. All I can do is try. It is amazing how I can just ramble on and on like I am right now," Maggy admitted.
"First, I'm going to Western WickaDola. Southern WickaDola is awesome. I must admit that when I first came I ended up over there. There are a lot of residents that will be thrilled to meet you. Kip is the sluegood I met. He was really big and orange with a little bit of scary. He was the first of my story characters! Kratos told me that WickaDola is a place to huge to know for one person. I guess that is why there are so many messengers. Anyways, I understand. I know that is tough to better talents but it can be done! Sensory detail is important in everything you write. I know this cause Kratos trained me for a good year on it before she called it expert work. Try having Kratos as a Guide. She reminds me of my old teacher Mrs. Cherry always repetition and the need to better yourself. Rambling is good, if there was no rambling then there would be no sense in the world or WickaDola realm. We would all go mad if it weren't for rambling. Look, I'm rambling now! I can not just stop myself for the life of me. I am crazy and so are you. We are crazy! Rambling, crazy idiots. Oh that is how the village has seen us for the last 8 years," I exclaimed, "but they don't know that we are crazy, we are just one of many kinds of messengers. We write to let them know that even though we ramble there is a truth behind our rambling!"
"Okay, I get the point. Rambling is good and writing is even better. Did you know how far we got just by rambling? I think we got half way to our parts. Pretty soon I will have to let you go again, which will devastate my little heart! I will be no longer the Maggy-Marie whose best friend is Abcde but I will be Maggy-Marie with her best friend half way across WickaDola Realm. I Ouch! You have a really good punch there." She was smiling and rubbing where I hit her on the shoulder.
"Then I shall be Abcde the redheaded, rambling idiot whose best friend left her to go and write about sluegoods and other characters. Oh how terrible it is! I won't see you most of the time we are here. Goodness I do think I feel like fainting now. Please do make sure you catch me as I fall. I wouldn't dare want to hurt Isa or Grayson if I fall."
"I do imply that we hurry and that you don't fall on Isa or me. That would be deadly awful. Don't you say Isa," Grayson asked. He was trying to hide his laughter as he talked all proper.
"Bumbling fools. If you ever fall on me, the princess of being the princess then I shall have you behead. Yes I did say behead! It is the only punishment that is suitable for the death of a princess like me. I agree we shall be walking and not shuffling our way along. Princesses do not like to be late and nor are we ever late," she ordered. Her white stripe made her look like a princess. Her coloring was so rare in puffs that indeed she acted like she was all that and a bag of chips.
"Isa! Why would you say such a thing? You would never last that long with out me and you know it. Beheading is never the answer. It seems like it always is. Besides the time is not really going that fast, and well we are always here when we need to come. We have all the time in the world it seems Princess Isa. Don't forget that once we are done, which is why you want us to hurry up, you and Grayson get some time together. I know how it is now. Want to abandon us for some chat time to yourselves. Shall we hurry along so the royalty and her friend can hang out together?" Maggy-Marie questioned.
"Thy royalty is a pain in thy foot at times but I suppose that she needs to see her friend as well. We shall quicken our walk, so that we will depart even faster then we wish to. Her royal highness and Grayson need the time to themselves also." I giggled.
It did not take long until we went our own ways. It felt awkward with the silence thick in the air. There was no more giggling or even the enjoyment of walking. Grayson was in his own thoughts and I in my own. Thoughts haunted me as I continued to gnaw at my very soul.
"Gray, do you ever think that I will find someone for me like you did with Isa? It seems impossible since I am now seventeen yet no one dares to look twice. I might as well wear a sign that says don't like me I will bite off your head. I know you heard what Maggy said to me but I really want your honest to god opinion."
"I did hear your little conversation while I was walking behind. Maybe it just because the right guy is not there yet. You have to fit perfectly together and not just be people who are smashed together. Don't worry he, who ever he is, will come along," Grayson reassured me.
There was a noise that was hard to tell what it was. It sounded as if it were a pony neighing but walking through the forest made it sound like it was coming from every which way.
"What was that," I whispered as quiet as I could.
Grayson made a shush sound and head to the right into the dense woods. I was dumbfounded whether or not I should follow him. I quickly decided that it was something that I could not miss. There was that sound again but more closely. I continued to follow Grayson as best as I could. He was weaving between the trees rushing towards the sound as if the whole forest was on fire. I suddenly saw why. In the middle of an open patch was a pure midnight black pony. It was trapped. It was hang up in a net as it struggled to get free. Every movement it mad the net tangled it up more.
"That is an unipony, the most rarest of creatures in WickaDola. It is a cousin to the unicorn and the regular pony. It seems poachers were out here to get a prize like him. This may sound stupid and unlike me but do you have that pocket knife that you carry even though I insist that you never carry it?" predicted Grayson.
I felt around my patched dress looking for the secret pocket I had attached. I felt the usual lump of cold metal in against my hand and pulled it out. The silver knife gleamed in the little sunlight the beamed through the dense canopy of the colorful trees. It was a small knife that came in handy when I needed but most people who knew I had it insisted that I get rid of it. It was not lady like to carry a pocket knife or any type of knife. I just shrugged it off and now I am glad I did.
"Yep. I always will carry it and now you see why it comes in handy. What to do you want me to do? I can cut it down if you want. If it is the rarest of creatures then we need to cut it down.”
“Well we have to do it a certain way or else we could in danger both of us. It is going to be risky. Damn poachers don’t know when to stop. Some day karma is going come back and bite them on their booty. So here is how we do it,” he explained.
It took fifteen minutes to
devise a plan. It was a good deal. I slowly walked over to where the unipony hung. He neighed in response and started to freak out. Grayson looked calm as he quietly talk to the unipony. The knife glimmered in the light as I pulled it out. As I started to cut, I noticed something in the corner of my eye. It was like a shadow lingering. I was not sure if I was just seeing things or if there was something truly there. Feeling uneasy, I continued with the plan.
“Okay you’re almost through the rope. You’re going to have to grab the part you just cut and slowly let him down. His name is Bruce. He is scared but also thankful that some one came to his cries. Gently now,” Grayson ordered.
I lowered Bruce down to the ground and was startled by clapping. Grayson had heard the clapping and was now looking for who was doing it. I looked with him but could not find anything that explained the eerie clapping.
“Show yourself! I wasted enough time here already. If you don’t show yourself then I am leaving,” I shouted in the direction the clapping came from.
“Now that isn’t lady like at all. I just was applauding your wonderful rescue of Bruce. He has been there for over two hours until you showed up. Most people would have walked right by. It seems that you are not like most people. Oh look, you even have a puff! That certainly does make things even more interesting,” a voice echoed through the trees.
The voice came from all directions. Grayson looked up at me and gave me a look that said not to respond back. The voice was a smooth, deep male voice that gave me shivers just hearing it.
“I said show yourself. I don’t like idle chit chat. Either you show who you are and tell us what you want or I am leaving and you will never see me around these parts again.”
“Well, a little feisty aren’t we? Why are you so determined to see what I look like? I don’t call this as idle chit chat; No not at all. I call it a friendly conversation to the hero who saved Bruce when he had gotten himself into a little mishap. Don’t you like conversations? I would think anyone who is a messenger would love them!”
He did not show himself. I was worrying that it must have been a trap. Goose bumps went up and down my back every time he talked. Grayson, sensing my fear, had come closer.
“Who are you and what do you want? I don’t like talking to anyone who likes to keep themselves a secret. If Bruce was in that net for so long why didn’t you save him? I told you over and over again if you do not show yourself, I will leave,” I yelled into the trees. My voice came back as an echo.
“Yet here you are, still standing there talking to me. I find that very interesting. Are your threats just as idle as you claim this conversation is? I could not help Bruce because what the net was made out of had prevented me from doing so. You see, I am someone who is interested in you. What I want is to merely talk with you. To me, you are a very interesting messenger. I have never met any like you nor do I think I will ever again,” he laughed, “Not many come this particular path either. You know what makes you interesting to me? I’ll tell you. You’re a redhead messenger who happens to walk down this less taken path to find a unipony, the rarest of creatures, in trouble just to stop and help it. Then you assume just because I am talking to you, my dear, that I will listen to you when you shout at me to show myself. With out even saying please! Now where are you manners?”
“Abcde, lets just go. We don’t know anything about him, time is dwindling and we must not waste any more then we already have,” Grayson whispered to me.
“My threats are never idle. My manners left me long time ago with everything else about me. I don’t play around. I don’t care if you just merely want to talk either. Either you show me who you truly are with in the next minute or I am gone!”
“A little demanding. Well fine if you want to play that way, I’ll come out. You are quite the unique messenger. Abcde, I do like that name. Interesting and yet flows off the tongue.”
He stepped out directly in front of me. He stood at 6 feet tall, with apple green eyes, short brown hair that spiked up, and a boyish grin on his face. He bowed to me and laughed. The mystery man wasn’t really much older then I. He looked to be around eighteen. His white skin, tight shirt made his muscles pop out. I felt a hand close my mouth that I didn’t even realize had open. I shook my head trying to see if he was really there.
“Did anyone tell you it is not polite to stare? That’s right, you don’t have any manners or do you? You said to show you who I am and here I am. I can always go back into the trees if you’re that shocked. I am Arawn,” he said.
“It has been a pleasure to meet you but Abcde and I are really on a tight schedule. So we must be going right away. Let’s go Abcde.” Grayson pushed on my leg urging me to go.
“We have a few minutes Grayson. Don’t be so silly. Besides if we are that tight of time I am sure he can walk with us. That is if you would like. I also do have manners, just not when some mystery person is making a mockery of me I don’t. So Arawn, why were you hiding in the trees like you were?” My face was grim but inside I was melting at the sight of him.
“You are even feistier in person. Just look at you! Though I do say manners are everything,” Arawn looked me up and down with a smirk on his face, “Abcde, what a lovely name. I could ask you why you wanted me to show myself but I won’t. I wouldn’t think the world of a messenger like you! Here you are though. Most messengers are rather boring and blend into the crowd. Fiery red hair, an attitude, no fashion sense, and even a puff with a rare color. The reason I was so called ‘hiding in the trees’ is because I was observing the situation. I spoke up because you interested me. You, my dear Abcde, are unique.”
My mind was racing through all the words he had said. I tried to make sense of it all while trying to fight the urge to run my hands in his hair. Stop it! Just stop it. He is obliviously a creep who was watching you through the trees. Do not believe a word he says. I’m telling you Abcde! Listen to me. My conscious yelled at me. Sometimes she gets in the way of things while I try to think properly.
“First off do not ever call me dear. I hate when people call me dear. Second, I have always been ‘unique’. The answer you gave me makes no sense to me. Why would someone like you just stay back and so called observing the situation? I know people and creatures here that are thrilled to come out without being called out. I think. I only have a few moments until I have to go. Better talk before I leave you high and dry,” I turned to go.
I felt a cold hand grab my elbow and suddenly I was so close to him that I could smell his breath. There was an electric current coming from his hand all the way up my arm to my heart. I let out air I didn’t know I was holding in. His eyes gleamed with curiosity and humor. My heart was beating out of rhythm from the shock. Grayson squirmed and watched as what went on. I knew that he knew something that I did not. Figuring it out will be too hard now so it will be for later.
“Wait a minute there. I didn’t mean to offend you. I am sorry if I did. In the past when messengers came through these parts, all they did was burn me. I don’t trust anyone unless I observe them first. I call almost everyone I meet dear or honey. It is kind of force of habit.”
“Abcde, come on. I don’t want Kratos to skin our bums if we don’t make it in time. You will have a lot of explaining to do if we don’t meet our dead line,” Grayson started off with a sense of urgency behind him.
“I do have to go. I am going to the west side and Kratos will be upset if I do not get all the material I need to write my good stories. You may follow us on one condition. That condition is you answer all my questions I have and with out hesitation. Grayson is already leading the way. Do not think you are off the hook either! Wait until we get on going back. You will tell me what you are hiding also. So are you coming or going Arawn?” I asked with total innocence.
“I am coming. I agree to your condition. Just know that I might not answer them for many reasons know to me,” Arwan replied with seriousness.
I looked back to see indeed Arwan started to follow. Bruce look lost but then resumed to follow Arwan with out a thought. It seemed strange that a unipony would follow someone like Arwan. Grayson looked back at me and glared. I knew very well he did not approve of Arwan or of him following us. That made me want to laugh. Grayson is right! He should have stayed behind. You never listen do you?? You know nothing about him or if he is dangerous. This guy could be a stalker or something else for all you know. Grayson is right to be worried! My subconscious yet again interrupted me. She wiggled her finger trying to prove a point. I shoved the thought away.
“Why is Bruce following you? Doesn’t he have somewhere else to be? I mean he is a unipony. They have like little herds they live in?” I asked.
“Abcde, don’t ask too many questions. Time is wasting and we can not afford to lose more then we did!” Grayson gave me a warning glance.
“Bruce does not have a herd. He was abandoned and I took him in. He is mine and you might be wondering why I did not come in and save the day with the accident. The net was made out of material that burns my kind and has devastating after affects.”
“What are you? You are not like the many I have seen. You look almost human. I mean I haven’t seen any creature around here that looks like a human unless you count crazy Kratos. So what exactly are you,” curiosity was in my voice as I asked.
Arawn didn’t answer at first. His eyes fell down to the ground as he tried to avoid my stare. I started to walk backwards in hope he would realize I won’t let this go. Bruce nuzzled him and neighed. Our foot steps combined with Grayson’s bouncing and Bruce’s Hooves echoed through the forest. The sound was an eerie one which gave me shivers the first minutes of walking.
“It is hard to explain. I don’t know how explain it at all. I am willing to give you my best attempt though. I am a nephilim. Nephilim are rare. You can even ask your familiar too. Most people would love to be in the position you are in. I do hope you know what nephilim are.” Arawn responded. There was a long stretch of silence between us.
“I know something about them. It doesn’t make sense though. How could you be a nephilim when only messengers are the only humans here? I know there are angels here but I never knew anything about nephilim being here. How is it even possible?”
“Back when messengers first discovered this realm there was no rules to follow or time limits. When the messengers became older, they came back. They started to date creatures like Angels and such. Nephilim are the product of that. Chaos rained down and that is when Kratos and her people stepped up. They created time limits and rules that had to be set in place. Nephilim are usually creatures that keep to themselves and hidden. That is why they are so rare. Not many of them stayed since many of the messengers took them back home to their world.” Grayson explained.
“That is quite right. My mother was so kind to leave me here with my father. Many others were not so lucky. I was raised up in WickaDola with a sense of pride of knowing what I am. The others that were taken back to your dimension were raised as human children, yet as they grew older it came apparent that they were not all human. The mothers sheltered them from the world until they could not anymore. Some have tried to come back to WickaDola with little success. Nephilim are not just the product of human and Angel, they are a mixture of human with almost every human like creature in WickaDola. For me, I just happen to be half fallen angel.”
“Why is it that I don’t believe you? I mean no offense to you or anything but I hardly believe that you could possibly a Nephilim. It’s a mythical creature. Granted that everything in WickaDola is mythical, but nephilim that is outrageous. When I think nephilim I think of gross little things with black wings that wander around not knowing anything but chaos,” I retorted.
All Arawn did was shrug his shoulder. I wanted to ask him so many things to disprove him. The words didn’t come. I saw truth glimmer in his eyes but my inner being told me it was the trick of the light. Time does tell the truth.
“I can’t make you believe what you don’t want to believe. I am what I am. You don’t have to believe it nor do I care if you do. Just know that this encounter we are having doesn’t happen very often with me.” Replied Arawn.
“Then I am enchanted to meet you Arawn. Maybe one day I’ll have to do a story on you, but for now I must continue to the west side. Why don’t you stick around? I have only Grayson to talk to and sometimes it gets pretty iffy on the topics. No offense Grayson.”
“None taken at all. I’ll just talk to Bruce and bore him with my so called iffy conversations.” Grayson sarcastically stated as he slowed his hop to match Bruce’s pace.
“I particularly like that fellow; I must say he is the funniest puff I have seen thus far,” a smile crinkled his perfect faces a he laughed.
Arawn flipped back his head and let out a beautiful sound. His laughed sounded like a church choir singing on a cloudless summer Sunday.
“You get use to him. He’s perfect for me, so he says. I’m outgoing and always looking for trouble and he is the more logical one that keeps me out of trouble.”
Why did you just say that? Come on! You got a rare being here that might just get bored of you and you go on talking about the most random thing that even possibly I could not think of!
“I won’t get bored of you, I find you most interesting. It wasn’t random, it was funny. From what I observed you are right. He is the no nonsense puff. Before you ask, yes I did just read your mind. No, I didn’t do it on purpose. Yes, I will stop doing that.” Arawn winked.
“You got me there. Do you really have that ability or are you just fooling with me. I haven’t met anyone that could do that.”
I watched for his response but all he gave me was another wink. I noticed truly now saw how close we were walking. His fingers looped in his pockets and were only a finger length away from mine. I felt a shiver go down my spine as I tried to distract myself from it. My mind was drooling over the whole over look of him. The remaining fingers bounced off his leg leading to me watching each beat.
“So, how did you become a messenger? It interests me that you are one. Usually most are well kept to themselves. I told you my story, which you don’t believe, but I accept that.” He inquired.
Before we knew it my story was told. Most of the time he listened and asked questions like how did I know I wanted to do this or if it was my choice to get swallowed up into WickaDola. Most times I had the answers and continued on with my tale. I got engross with telling it that sometimes I would hear a laugh slip from his lips. Arawn would just say it was just me that made him laugh. I wondered if it was just me or if it was WickaDola making me feel easy around him. By the time I finished, we were in a small village. Nothing really to look at. There were a few huts carved from the stumps of the trees. It was like the slums of WickaDola, yet it wasn’t. Each place had its own character to it. One building had a small family in it eating at a table, the mother was scolding what looked to be the youngest for throwing food across the room. Her hairy finger pointed towards the north and the child obediently followed.
“Welcome to the west side of WickaDola. Most of the residents are brownies minus a few odd balls in the group. Each brownie has a story to tell, and I know some particular ones that you might as well be very interested in,” Grayson spoke up, “Tippy and Winnie Popple are the ones you will be interested in the most. I am sure no one wrote about them just yet. I know them personally, I come when I can to talk to them.”
“That sounds fun, just point the way. Arawn, are you coming too? Arawn?? Hello???” I scanned the area for Arawn, but could not spot him anyways
“I’m here, you may not see me but I am. I just don’t want to be seen by the brownies. I lost a game of rollos and they want some money I bet on the game. Brownies are some fierce little creatures. Once a Brownie is insulted they will most likely undo everything they have done which means a lot of favors they did for me. I don’t have the money right now.” His cold fingers found my shoulders ensuring me he was near.
“Suit yourself. This messenger has a story to write. Grayson, let’s go meet the Popples.”
The Popples were a small couple. Tippy wasn’t the normal brownie, she had green eyes instead of blue and frequently berry dyed her hair to stand out. Currently it was auburn red with some black highlights. Tippy lived out in the eastern part of WickaDola. Her husband, Winnie, was opposite of her. He was the normal looking brownie, with brown hair and standard blue eyes. He was more reserved then she was. He had convinced her to move to the west for some peace so they could raise a family together.
“Welcome to our humble home. It is nice to have a messenger come by to speak with us. Not many had been convinced that we were as important as many others. My wife insists to everyone that we are just as important as the angels are. She says that she doesn’t want a family until we are famous. I will just continue to do my best with my love.” Winnie welcomed us.
“I don’t see us having children soon because we are not famous and besides I still have a lot of life to live! I know we live over centuries but I am only two centuries old, I still have a few more until I want to have children. I like watching them, just not being around them all the time. I love you to bits honey but it is not going to happen soon. My momma was 5 centuries old when she had me and my brothers! Just look how well we were raised,” Tippy assured Winnie.
“Well that’s interesting. I think I will be pleased to write about you for sure. So far I never met anyone just as opposite of each other then you two. Anyways just tell me what you want people to know about you and I’m your messenger!”
“I was born and raised in this little village here. It was back in the late fifteen hundreds that I was born. Nothing really big there. Let’s skip to the part where I met Tippy. I was in the eastern part of WickaDola on a trader trip. I was relaxing for a bit at a club when she walked in. Not that not many brownies leave in the east. The city life usually detours brownies away. She was wearing tradition clothing but with a touch of the city life. Her headband inside of red was a bright pink. At the time her hair was also violet which threw me off the loop. I was sitting in the corner booth alone. She was by herself. It was understandable, brownies tend to stay away from others expect friends and family. She walked over to my booth and asked me if the seat was taken. My reply was supposed to be a no but it came out as gibberish instead. She laughed and sat down. That’s when my mouth decided to work. I asked her name and if she would like a drink. After that, I would always find a reason to stay a little bit longer in the east or some way to get back to the east. Every time I was away it seemed I couldn’t stop my scattered brain from thinking of her. I had a love interest back home but she didn’t make my heart skip a beat like Tippy did. Our relationship grew to where I got to meet her parents and would stay in the east weeks at a time. My parents finally got feed up with it and just told me to ask her already. I was nervous at first. We been dating for a time and the time never did seem right. It was her that asked when I was going to ask her. I was shocked and she laughed at my expression. I got down on one stubby knee and ask her there ‘Will you be my brownie?’ then she laughed more. I was left hanging for a whole week before she gave me a present that was a big wooden YES. After that we moved here because I insisted. Here we are now,” Winnie recalled.
“Now my turn honey bug. My story on how we met will be way different then his. I was raised in the north originally but my pa got a job in the east. We moved there and I feel in love with the city. Yes, I do miss it but we go there from time to time to have some old fun. Anyhow, it was a lazy evening and I didn’t have anything to do. On the contraire of what he says what typically brownies are, I was heading over to my good friends Sparky’s for a movie night. I happen to be passing by the club when I was parched. Usually I didn’t see other brownies in there. It was interesting. I only went over to his booth because I wanted to know why he would happen to be there. It was awkward at first. He actually bought me some berry dew which is delicious! We got on talking about just normal stuff. He told me he came there on a trader trip. I knew many traders that traded through the parts but never one that was a brownie. I asked him why he chose to be a trader. I remember his answer and it was ‘I trade to see the world. I can stand being in one place for very long expect if it is at my home town. Plus I get to meet pretty ladies like yourself.’ I was tempted to leave because no other person had said such a compliment to me,” Tippy giggled at her memory, “I giggled instead. After that, I asked him out more when he could come to Eastern WickaDola. It became more frequent and I knew I had him on my hook as I was on his hook. One day he was nervous, note that it was over 6 months that we have been seeing each other, and I was waiting for him to spit it out. Finally I just asked him why he doesn’t ask me already. I laughed at his expression because his mouth dropped opened and his eyes bugged out of his head. I kept him waiting because he kept me waiting for so long to ask the question. I also had to figure out a creative way to say yes to him. I bought a souvenir that and had them custom make it into a YES. We got married shortly after that. I wanted to stay with my family but he said he had a house already back home. He had been living in it since he was just thirty years old which is young for a brownie. I was persuaded to come here and live. I do like it here. Now and then we will venture off on the trade route for some trips to see my family and also some friends that we have made over the years. We have been together for over seventy-five years now.”
“May I interrupt? Why did you say yes? No offense I heard of brownies getting married with in 10 years of dating, but only 6 months. I’ve seen many creatures in my life time. Granted I am way younger then you but it doesn’t make sense. Usually everything makes sense to me,” Arawn reappeared to the human and brownie eye. He was leaning against the wall listening into the whole conversation. His fingers rubbing his chin trying to figure out why.
“You’re…… You’re… A nephilim! I heard of you, you swindle people out of their money and leave then weeping with nothing left. I heard of the legends! Why are you here? What business do you have with me and my husband?” Tippy practically screamed at Arawn. Her face grew red with each word she said. Steam started to come out of her ears and her eyes bulged out of her head. She pointed an accusing finger in his directions.
“Sorry ma’am. It was me that brought him with me. I didn’t know he would follow me in here. I met him on the way here after I helped his pet down from a trap. I’m so sorry. If you want him to leave, I will make sure he does. He means no harm, and honestly I don’t think all the legends about nephilims are true. Arawn didn’t want my money; he actually wanted just to talk to a messenger. He owes some brownies money anyways from a rollos game. His question is a good one though and I will like to know why you married him so quickly if you don’t mind.” I stuttered an apologize.
I have only been with this guy for a few hours and he already gotten me into trouble. Why is it that I’m apologizing for him? I hardly know the guy yet he has a certain interest on me. Why did he have to come along! What am I going to do? UGH!
“He is not welcomed in this village. Nephilim bring nothing but trouble especially male ones. Your kind is crooks and swindlers. Ever since your kind became to be, WickaDola residents have suffered for it. You make yourselves scarce because of your past! They don’t make legend just for the fun of it. Your kind should have never existed,” Winnie growled.
“Nephilim have done nothing to you! Our past is not of anyone’s concern! We make ourselves scarce because of the hostility that everyone displays. You think your better then us. You think just cause you are pure blood that you can step on nephilim! In the past we couldn’t stand you stomping all over us! You thought of us as inbred and probably still do. We swindled creatures like you because you were so stupid to think we weren’t like everyone else! Everyone is so judgmental because of our revolt! You know what? If you don’t want me in this so called village, I’ll be so happy to leave!! I stay in solitude because of people like you. At least a messenger like Abcde doesn’t judge. Maybe we can all learn from her. If you want to find me Abcde, I will be in the forest,” Arawn screamed back. He stomped viciously out of the house and slammed the door shut.
“Excuse me. Excuse me!!! I said excuse me,” Grayson bounced into Winnie’s face, “What you did was inexcusable! Arawn did not do anything to you, yet you are judgmental just like he said. I may be a puff by at least I know my manners. I expected more from both of you. Here we are with Winnie accusing Arawn of thieving without proof and Tippy went out of the loop and blamed him from the past! I thought it would be nice for Abcde to come and get to tell your story. I now have doubts. Abcde, do you want to continue or would you like to head back?”
My mind was dumbfounded. All I could think about was the way that Arawn fought back. I’ve heard the legends but none were of swindling. My mouth tried to connect to my brain but there was not connection to be made. Instead I just lazily blinked my eyes and shook my head yes.
“I got enough. Thank you for letting me to come here to do this interview. I best be going or Kratos will be wondering where I am Kratos will be pleased that I did this. Thanks again.” I forced a fake smile and stiffly walked towards the door.
Mumbling came not long after I headed out the door. I was busy trying to sort my broken, shattered thoughts. I just needed to be alone for a while. Without any control of my legs, I sprinted for the forest. The blues, greens, pinks, and purples of the trees sped past as I continued to run. My heart pounding faster then I ever thought it could. Finally I collapsed in an open space. My hands face, and legs were torn from the unrelenting branches that attacked me.
What the hell is happening? Why are you doing this Abcde!! You had no right to run like that. What? You’re a child again now? I don’t think so. That boy is nothing but trouble. Grayson will think of you as absolutely insane. Don’t you think before you do? Oh that is right, you do expect for now! My subconscious seemed to have her say in things now. Just shut up will ya? I know what I did and that it was very immature but I can not help that. Something in me urged me to run, its either fight or flight. So what if I did the flight. I couldn’t take anymore bickering anymore. I see it a lot back home where verbal abuse is common and yet no one will say anything about it. I can not stand it you hear me! I don’t give a damn who gets mad at me but I can’t see anymore.
I don’t know how long I sat there, nor did I care. All I could do was reflect. Back home I had a secret hiding spot which no one could find expect Grayson. I felt a weight lift off my chest the longer I sat there. Finally looking down at the watch, I realized that some how I needed to get back. I wiped off the dirt from my pants and attempted to clean off the dried blood that I could sense.
“Sometimes I come out here to think. It’s a quite place, no one really knows about it. It has a mystical feeling to it. Peace runs through it. No one really believes anything I say, they only believe what the legends say. Have you ever had a day where everyone who sees you says ‘oh there is the monster! A mix breed amongst all the pure breeds.’ It stings. My past isn’t my ancestors past. Many link me to that past and not my past. I don’t know. I come here and think. No one has ever really considered me as a friend so all I can do is think. My father is never around. Meeting Bruce was an accident. Sometimes I want to scream, shout, anything to let it out. I can not though. Like anyone would care anyways. Grayson couldn’t find you. `It’s been two hours of searching. He has a whole search party looking for you, even tried calling you. He won’t find you though. This place here,” Arawn spun around, “is enchanted so no one can find it. Some way you did, but I’m not going to question. If you are ready to go I’ll take you back to Grayson. That is if you want too.”
I noticed my surrounding then. An open meadow with only a few trees like the one I sat against. It had a vibe to it that made the whole place seem like a zen garden. Arawn stood besides me with his hands tucked inside his pockets. To the right of me a whole set of violet trees sat. It was almost like a fairy circle of trees that guarded the place.
“Honestly I do not want to go back. Grayson is going to bite me a new head when he finds me,” I mumbled looking down at my watch, “Sadly I have to go back… My time is almost up here and hopefully Kratos won’t explode on me too. Funny thing is that at home I have a place like this expect the magical part. It’s where I can think or spend the day about with out anyone bugging me. Grayson only knows it, but since he’s a cat back home he can’t squeal on me. I enjoyed it here. I’d like to know more about you Arawn. You are an interesting person. Tomorrow I will be back as usual so maybe you’ll find me or I’ll find you. Let’s go back.”
It was a quiet way back and a quieter journey to Kratos. I could tell Grayson was steaming when he wouldn’t talk to me. I don’t know at whom though. I attempted several times to start a conversation with him with no avail. My watch started it thirty minute count down warning us that time was running out.
“What do you mean you had to run? Do you know how lucky you were that someone found you! Well do you? For a young lady of your age, I thought that this childish behavior was behind you. You are now under probation for the next few days. Do you hear me? There is to be no running off again! Tomorrow I want you to report straight here with no detours. No if ands or buts about it,” admonished Kratos, “Now for you Grayson! You should have kept an eye on her. You know the rules and how dangerous it is out there. Never let her leave your sight.”
“Yes ma’am, I understand. Do not worry. I will not behave like that again.” My eyes were glued to the ground.
“It is for your own good. You may have the free run back at earth but here in WickaDola you don’t. How many people would worry if you were injured? Some days Abcde you make me want to pull my hair out. You are just lucky that I only have you for half of a day and not a full one. As your supervisor, I advise you to stay out of trouble. It is almost time for you to go. Remember that Grayson will be watching you closely for now on. Don’t jeopardize what you already have.”
With those last word ringing in my ears, I faded back to earth. Maggy-Marie was still in WickaDola as I got up and stretched. A soft gray head butted into me grabbing my attention away. Grayson let out the full purr machine knowing I would take it as an apology.
“Don’t think you’re out of the cat house just yet. Now you have to listen to me. I did not run away. I had to get away and think. Grayson, you think so much because you can right now. I haven’t had a day to myself this whole week. The one time that I went off to think, you go insane and notify Kratos that I had ran off? You’re my puff and such but why squeal like you did. Now I can’t go anywhere that she doesn’t want me too. I’ve seen kids that were on probation before! Kratos probably already has a team working on putting a tracking device into my watch. I did absolutely nothing wrong,” I pounded my meet into the ground and shouted, “I am beyond mad. Look at me! I’m a weird outcast of my own village with patch dresses whose only place I could be free and normal was at WickaDola! When I go back, I’ll be the talk of the office how I ran off and caused so much trouble.”
Grayson growled and hissed. He was not only mad at me but at the inability to speak his mind also.
“Oh, now you get all cranky at me? Well I don’t give a damn! You’re stuck in a stupid cat body that you can do nothing about it. I don’t care if you’re mad at me or not! WickaDola was my freedom, now its going to be like boot camp. I should have stayed hidden. Maybe I wouldn’t have been considered displaying juvenile behavior.”
His ears were set back, his tail was raised, and his eyes just mere slits. His growl was lower down a notch a more menacing growl. He sliced the air with razor sharp claws towards me.
“Go ahead. I don’t care how mad you are. I am beyond mad! Now you understand what I felt like when Kratos was going on about me being a spoiled brat. You can’t speak just like I couldn’t speak. You are the one that made me sound like I was a spoiled teenager that ran off to live with Arawn or someone like him. Did you know all I did was think about how well you handled the situation back at the Popples? I bet you didn’t. I thought that I could never be like you. You are so well rounded and sensible. Just look at me. I have tangled red hair, a patched dress, and an attitude that scares away people. When ever they see me, they turn their backs hiding the giggles and rumors about being crazy. You on the other hand are just a cat that follows me! You don’t have a reputation like I do here. When I went to think I thought how I was normal in WickaDola with out looks and sneers of people who dislike me for being who I am. They welcome me there hoping I will be on of the messengers to talk to them. Now that is taken away from me. You snitched on me assuming the worst. Do you know how hard I try to be normal? Do you,” tears stream down my face as I sob out the last sentence.
Grayson expression softened. He lowered his posture. He head butted my arm hoping he could comfort me somehow. Maggy-Marie stirred from her trance. She was coming back from WickaDola. I quickly wiped away my tears so she could not see it. Isa jumped up and trotted towards Grayson and I. She began to overly lick Grayson until he looked like a wet rat.
“Abcde, did you really run off like Kratos said,” Maggy asked, “I know you wouldn’t do it without a reason.”
“I don’t want to talk about it. My reason was I needed to think, and well I thought for awhile. A lot of things happened and well it was something that just made me upset. I don’t want to explain everything. I can tell you that Kratos put me on probation for the next couple of days. Right now, Grayson has to watch me for those days too. I hate it. What did you hear,” I inquired.
She went from food to foot, deciding whether to tell me or not. Finally she shrugged her shoulders and let it fly.
“The talk of the office was about a red headed messenger who ran off. There are rumors going around saying that it was Grayson’s fault, that Kratos gives too much freedom, and that you wanted to stay there forever since you found the loophole,” Maggy ticked off each one with her fingers.
“Wait a second. First I wouldn’t want to stay there forever. Secondly what loophole? I never heard of this loophole.”
Grayson let out a nasty hiss at the same time Isa growled a menacing growl. Both seemed to warn me not to ask any more and for Maggy to stop talking about it. Luckily for me, Maggy-Marie didn’t get the hint
“It’s a loophole that allows a messenger to stay in WickaDola for as long as they want without ever having to go back. They didn’t say much but they did say that if it were true then WickaDola would have trouble in the future. I doubt that it is true. You know how those office ladies are! All they do is gossip about little things. Now that you are the gossip of the WickaDola, I think that they just want to blame this and that for what you did today,” Maggy shrugged.
“I don’t understand. There’s a loophole? I am not even going to ask anymore. Too many things going in one day makes my head spin around. Lets just go home, I am tired for the day and I got chores to do…” I mumbled.
Back at home, I didn’t care that much the effort I put into my chores. Father was a stickler to when it came to chores. He was right by my stand, watching with a watchful eye my every movement. I didn’t dare to explode on him today. I have felt the punishment of my backlash before.
“You are missing a lot of spots. Abcde, if you want to become a respectable young lady you have to know how to clean a house properly. What you are doing now, swinging the broom back and forth willy-nilly is rubbish! You have to do it with precise posture. Any man loves a woman who knows how clean house,” his cold brown eyes settling on my face.
Father was always one that was for making the women stay at home and do all the house work as the men went out to work. I let it go in one ear and out the other. None of the village boys didn’t know the difference from a clean home to a dirty home. Most only chased the girls around trying to please their fathers and to get her to catch their attention.
“Don’t you worry child. I know it seems like silliness now but wait until you meet a man like me. There are a few potential suitors that I have in mind.”
“Father, do we really have to talk about this now? I am not ready for any boy to chase after me. I do not want to go out with any of them right now. Can we talk about it when I am ready please?” I begged hoping he would stop this nonsense of a conversation.
“You are almost of age now. Most girls have several suitors which they can choose from. You, my daughter, have none that I am aware of. I am concerned that if you do not have some now that in the near future you will be stuck with one of the lesser men around here,” Father raised his bushy eyebrows at me.
“I do not want any suitors! I want one man that loves me through thick and thin. With suitors they think it is a competition. Who ever wins the gal over is the winner while the others go to another one and challenge the other suitors. All of this is such competition to stroke the men ego! None of them are really out for the love; they are out there for the money. Father, I make sure not one boy follows me around like a deprived puppy dog. I do not want to talk about this right now,” I calmly said. My knuckles turn white as I continued to sweep.
Father let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his long black beard. His eye hovered around mine until he let them slip. He knew it was no use to fight further about it.
“I have to go check on your mother and Abcde your about to break the handle,” with that he walked out.
That rest of the day was full of doing chores for mother and getting lost in my thoughts. Every time I thought I knew what was going on another thought came and countered the other. It was bad enough to make me look out the window at the village and wonder what reality was real and what was not. Spinning my ring around my finger caused Grayson to look up. He knew that something was bothering me.
“Grayson, I don’t know anymore. Father is right; if I don’t find a suitable boy then I will be left with the bottom of the barrel. I can’t stop going to WickaDola, nor can I start looking for boys. It worries me. Usually I don’t let it worry me, but how father said that I am almost of age got me thinking. I don’t want to get married, I don’t want to have lads just competing over me, and I definitely don’t want to stop going to WickaDola. Plus in WickaDola everyone will be looking my way since what has happened. Being normal is one thing but being a messenger is another thing. I am in two different worlds. They are colliding fast now.”
I spun my ring faster around my finger making a rug burn. Grayson tried to stop me by swatting at my hands. His claws dig into my palm leaving red marks behind them. I don’t stop though. Thoughts are scrambled all around and trying to find their home in my puzzle of a brain. Finally he gives up and left me to my thoughts.
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The sun starts to rise from the east lighting up the village. I woke up early because of dreadful nightmare. It seemed that no matter where I went I always have tried to figure out something I had no control over. The village looks to be bathed in liquid gold as the sun rises ever so slowly.
“Abcde, what are you doing up so early? You are usually in bed for a little while longer,” Mother stated.
Mother stood behind me as I look out the window. My fiery hair is bathed in the light making it look like lava.
“I couldn’t sleep that well. I thought since the sun will be up soon that so should I. Unfortunately with the lack of sleep I don’t know what to do. I tried to sleep but I couldn’t,” I replied back.
“We all have one of those nights, so don’t worry about it my dear. Is it that your father is pressuring you? I heard
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