Espial

by Nikita Francois

  “7, 6.5, 7, 2”

  “Next we have Bruno Viril!”

  Bruno chuckled as he walked to the side. “This is going to be a piece of cake,” he grunted.

  “Don’t be too sure of yourself,” cautioned Flash.

  “Don’t be so jealous,” Bruno retorted.

  Stella began the countdown. “Three, two, …” Before she finished, Bruno had already soared up high into the sky. He then hovered momentarily, pulling out a spear. He threw the spear toward the ground and then chased after it. Keeping his wings and arms pressed tight along his sides, Bruno rapidly gained on it before passing it entirely. He landed heavily on the ground, then reached up and caught the spear before it impaled itself into the ground. Clearly the crowd favorite, everyone rose to their feet in a deafening roar. His scores came up on the screen.

  “9, 8, 9, 2.5”

  I couldn’t understand why Victoria was giving everyone such low scores. I felt around my pockets and fingered several pairs of sais, including my gold pair. I was becoming nervous.

  “And now we have Gary Dreary!” Only a handful of audience members clapped at the mention of his name and I felt sorry for him. He sulked over to the side of the rooftop and peeked over the edge.

  Stella gave him his countdown and he did a simple dive to the ground, no tricks at all. Not a single being in the audience cheered or clapped. It took a few moments before his scores appeared.

  “4, 2, 3, 0”

  He walked dejectedly back into the LARF, his wings drooping along his back. Everyone was extremely quiet.

  Stella cleared her throat and announced the next contestant. “Up next we have Bitty Bupper!”

  Bitty walked confidently over and stood patiently by the side. Once she was given the countdown, she fell head-first down the side of the wall. Midflight, she pulled something out from her pocket. She then began blowing bubbles as she approached the ground. When she landed, she used her wings and her fingers to pop them all. Everyone laughed and cheered.

  “7, 5, 6, 2”

  “Fly, you’re up,” said Stella. Fly marched over and gave the crowd an incredible show. She must have incorporated some of her powers, because she was able to knit an entire beanie cap during her dive. She tossed the cap into the crowd, who went crazy. Even the judges smiled.

  “9, 9, 9, 1”

  I burst out a laugh when I saw Victoria’s score. There was no way anyone could have given Fly a “1.”

  “Second to last we have Flash Rider!” All of the female angels and Espials in the crowd began shrieking. Evidently, everyone was infatuated with him. He too gave an incredible dive. While falling, he withdrew his sword and released ten wooden dowels into the air. Thrashing his sword, he was able to slice them all into inch-long pieces before landing. Flash then tossed the pieces into the crowd, enough for the female angels and Espials in the audience to each receive one. A few pretended to faint while others screeched happily.

  “8.5, 8, 9, 10”

  “Ha!” I laughed loudly when I saw Victoria’s score. She was purposefully underscoring everyone else so that Flash could win. I shook my head and chuckled at her tactic.

  “Last but not least, we have Soleil Arch!” The crowd cheered and then fell into a sobering hush as everyone anticipated my stunt. Stella gave me my countdown and I peeked at the judges table. I had asked them earlier to place ten apples on their table, laying each on their side with their stem facing the wall. They had done exactly as I had asked, so I plummeted over the side of the roof. I immediately went into tight spirals. After a few seconds I withdrew all twelve of my sais as I spun. I released them in the direction of the table, which was a complete blur as I continued down. I saved my gold pair for last, which I threw toward the middle two apples that already had sais piercing their centers. I then flipped and landed on my feet. I quickly turned to look at the apples. All of them were pierced with a sai exactly like I had anticipated, with the two apples in the middle sporting 2 sais each.

  The crowd rose up and screamed, deafening my ears. I smiled brightly as Glinda and Fly ran over to hug me. The judges clapped for me as well and then bent over to enter my scores. I turned to look up at the big screen.

  “9.5, 10, 10, 8”

  The word ‘WINNER’ then flashed onto the screen in bold, colorful letters.

  “I won!” I screamed, jumping up and down. Glinda screamed and Fly jumped with me. Suddenly, the entire crowd had left their seats and stormed the area I was standing in. Pushed and pulled from every direction, everyone tried to give me a hug.

  “Congratulations to Soleil Arch!” said Stella. “She has won a brand new wardrobe from famed angel fashion designer, Dax Harrington!”

  Still stuck in the crowd, I felt an arm go around my waist and I was flown into the air above the throng of people. I looked up to see that it was Flash. He carried me over to the entry of the LARF.

  “Congratulations, Sol!” he said genuinely. “That was absolutely incredible, what you pulled off.”

  “Thanks, Flash. You were quite impressive yourself.”

  He gave me a pat and then flew off as people made their way back into the LARF.

  For the rest of the day, everyone took the time to congratulate me. Some even asked for my autograph or to take a picture. At dinner, Stella passed by the table I shared with Div, Glinda and Fly. She said that I would be meeting Dax Harrington the following afternoon and that I had won an additional prize.

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “Your very own apartment here in the LARF.”

  At a loss for words, I reached out and hugged her. She hugged me back and congratulated me again.

  Fly needed to leave to put Gadget to bed, so Div and Glinda helped me locate my new apartment and move my few belongings in. I didn’t realize it ahead of time, but my mom had packed all of my clothes from the ARC before the evacuation. None of my items from the unsheathing party had been lost and I was able to have an entire dresser drawer filled for the first time in my life. It was a beautiful apartment. It had oak hardwood flooring throughout an open layout and featured a tan marble fireplace. The kitchen was already fully stocked and my bedroom was completely furnished with mahogany furniture pieces and crisp white linens.

  I met Dax Harrington the following day and she spoiled me with dresses, catsuits, shoes, various tops, and trendy pants. I had something in every color imaginable and every cut she had picked for me was very flattering. I had some trouble walking in a pair of shoes she referred to as “flip flops.” However, with a little practice, I saw how convenient they were to slide on and wear with almost anything. She also gave me several accessories and showed me how to pair them with different outfit combinations. It was a lot to remember, but I felt special and looked forward to dressing up every day.

  “You are destined for great things, Sol,” said Dax with a nasally lisp. “So please, at the very least, accomplish these things in style.” Dax gave my hand a quick pat, then fluttered out of my apartment. I smiled as I watched her leave.

  I didn’t leave the apartment for three solid days as I took everything in. I spent most of my time trying new recipes given to me by Glinda. She came over with an old, tattered recipe book and began showing me how to make some of her favorite dishes.

  “This one’s called spaghetti and meatballs.” She boiled water on my stove and poured in many long, yellow hard strands. “This is the spaghetti part.”

  “But it’s hard,” I commented, scrunching my face. “How could anyone want to eat something so hard?”

  “Ah just you wait and see!” Glinda then opened a package that contained a red meat. She placed the meat in a large bowl and added several spices. After mixing everything together, Glinda then place the little balled meats in a frying pan on the stove, making the apartment smell wonderful. “This is how you make the meatballs.”

  I watched as she gave the spaghetti a stir and noticed that they became soft and wiggly. She turned the meat over once, and after a few minutes, she
poured a red sauce on top. Covering the meatballs, I ran to get some plates. “I’m inviting everyone over. This smells too delicious to enjoy by ourselves.”

  “Excellent!” she exclaimed. “A dinner party hosted by Sol!” She lowered the fires under each pot and began placing fancy linens from my linen closet on the dining table.

  “Oh that’s what those are for,” I said, realizing that she was setting the table.

  “Yes. We have to make a good impression since this is the first party you’re hosting.” She set beautiful crystal wine glasses onto the table near the plates. The stems were vines with leaves that crept up the glass. “Honey, pass me the bottle on that rack that says pinot grigio.”

  I went over to the small wine rack on the wall next to my refrigerator. I read each label until I found the one she requested. Glinda removed one of her pink daggers from her bosom, drove it into the stopper of the wine bottle and yanked it out.

  “That’s how you show the cork who’s boss!” she said, giggling. She poured wine into each glass. I counted the place settings.

  “So I should invite six more people?”

  “Yes. Go ahead and send a message out to your mother, Rider, Div, Luke, Victoria, and Flash. Tell them to be here in twenty minutes”

  “Why Flash?”

  “Why not?”

  I had no reply, so went to my desktop and sent them the invitations. When I returned, Glinda had finished setting up. The lights had been dimmed and candles adorned the center of the table. Glinda then entered the room, her hair pulled into a tight bun. She was adjusting her pink stud earrings when she noticed me.

  “Oh honey, go put on one of Dax’s pieces. Red would suit you, so see if there’s anything that will work.”

  “Actually, I think Dax did send me a red top with a matching skirt.”

  “Perfect! Go put it on. Your guests should be here in ten minutes.”

  Just as I turned to change, there was a knock on my door.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll keep everyone entertained. Hurry and get dressed!”

  I ran down the hall into my walk-in closet. I quickly spotted the red outfit and changed into it. I found red sandals with shiny rhinestones and wore those as well. My hair had been in a tight bun all day, so I let it down, natural platinum curls falling to my shoulders. When I walked back into the dining area, I saw that everyone except Flash had arrived.

  “Thank you all for coming. Just know that Glinda did all of the cooking.”

  Everyone laughed and I took a seat at the head of the table. We all chatted and laughed as Glinda put the finishing touches on our meal in the kitchen. A knock sounded, so I rushed over to answer. There stood Flash, filling out a nicely tailored tan double-breasted suit jacket, waistcoat and slimming jeans.

  “Hi, Sol,” he said gently. “You look stunning.”

  “Thanks, Flash, so do you.” I stepped back to let him in before closing the door. Victoria’s chair screeched as she pushed it back and she stood abruptly.

  “Oh Flash! Come let me give you a hug!” She ran over, bumping into the table. Several wine glasses sloshed over, spilling onto the table. Everyone held back snorts and giggles as napkins were passed around. She pulled Flash into an awkwardly tight hug. “I’ve missed you so much!”

  “You just saw me at the contest the other day, Vic,” he replied, gasping for air.

  “I know and it’s been too long since.” She finally released him. “Come, sit next to me.” She had chosen a seat next to Glinda, who was at the opposite end of the table from me. Everyone covered their giggles and snorts as she pulled his chair out for him.

  “Uh thanks Vic,” he said, clearly embarrassed.

  “Any time,” she winked.

  Glinda began serving our food. We continued talking amicably about our experiences in the LARF. Flash took time to tell us about what he enjoyed most about living in Los Angeles.

  “Firstly, you can’t beat the weather. Sun and mild temperatures are the way to go.”

  “I agree,” Luke chimed in. “It’s been really nice here since we’ve arrived.”

  I nodded as I inhaled the food. The spaghetti was cooked perfectly and the meatballs were unlike anything I’d ever tasted before. Complimentary spices greeted my taste buds. The meat was delectable and practically melted in my mouth. I helped myself to no less than ten.

  The evening passed without incident. After dinner, everyone thanked me and Glinda for hosting dinner. Flash gave me a hug before leaving, which caused Victoria to grunt in disapproval. She hurried quickly after him as I closed the door.

  “That was amazing Glinda. Thank you so much.”

  “You’re welcome honey bee. Looks like everyone had a nice evening and Flash couldn’t take his eyes off of you.”

  “I don’t know about that, Glinda. After the mess with Alex, I think I’m going to give myself a break from the opposite sex.”

  “I understand. And you should always be cautious when it comes to matters of the heart. But don’t let a truly good thing slip away, alright?”

  I nodded and gave her a hug as she left. I began cleaning up and went to sleep peacefully.

  CHAPTER 25

  The morning after my dinner, Div set up a mounting rack for my sais above the mantle. She handcrafted the wooden supports that displayed them, decorating them with blue flowers in memory of Sacra. Seeing the mounting rack brought tears to my eyes and I couldn’t stop thanking her. After she left, I reheated some of the leftover food from the prior night. My passed by during the afternoon and showed me how to make special bath soaps and lotions. They were all techniques showed to her by Sacra. Some of my new friends from the dive-bomb contest visited that evening and kept me entertained with stories about Bruno Viril.

  “When he was younger, he had very few friends,” explained Lady Bug. “He wore glasses, had a stutter and picked his nose in class.”

  “Exactly,” chimed in Bitty. “It was sad, really. But he was such an awkward young boy that no one played with him or befriended him.”

  “That is sad,” I replied, unexpectedly feeling sorry for him.

  “When we were all about to go through the unsheathing, he and his family disappeared.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Lady shrugged her shoulders. “They were seen by a few people packing their belongings into a car and driving off. They didn’t return for a full year.”

  “Why?”

  “No one knows except Bruno and his family. What we do know is that when they returned, he was tall, handsome and had an arrogant attitude to match.”

  “I wonder what changed him.”

  Bitty cleared her throat. “I really don’t like spreading gossip, but rumor has it that he and his family made some kind of deal with Sato.”

  “Do you think it’s true?” I asked, curiosity pulling me.

  “Well there’s no other plausible explanation for the changes he went through. I think he might have agreed to work for Sato or something in exchange for good looks. His family may have bargained other things as well.”

  “How so?”

  “His dad started driving a fancier car,” said Lady, “and his mom started wearing expensive dresses. She also began wearing a lot of jewelry with gemstones I’ve never seen before. She’d get completely dressed up all of the time, even if it was only to go shopping at the market.”

  “And in school,” added Bitty, “he would automatically get high grades on all of his assignments. The teachers even looked slightly afraid of him in class or when passing him in the halls.”

  “That sounds very suspicious,” I remarked, making a mental note to ask Rider about Bruno.

  “Enough of the spooky talk, let’s eat!” shouted Lady.

  We laughed as she pulled out numerous bags of treats out of her purse. We stayed up late gossiping and snacking. My first girl’s night was definitely one to remember.

  #

  My next week in the LARF passed with days filled with rigorous training from Div. Rider o
ccasionally observed our sessions or even took over as my instructor. His favorite session seemed to be defensive flight strategies. While Div helped me develop a sense of ease with flying, Rider showed me the importance of using various maneuvers when being pursued. He met us outside one day as Div made me practice dodging while in flight. She was tossing random objects into the air as I followed a route she had created with balloons. After getting hit by a baseball and a teapot, I came down and met them on the lawn outside the LARF.

  “You need to have a better feel for your surroundings,” said Rider, clearly disappointed.

  “I’m trying,” I replied, “but I can’t see every angle that she’s throwing from.”

  “It’s more than just sight,” he explained. “You need to be able to sense their approach long before you can actually see them. Here, watch.” He removed a silk cloth from his pocket and tied it around his eyes. Div guided him to the start of the flight route, where he flew up to the tops of the balloons.

  “Ready?” called out Div.

  “Ready!”

  Div blew into a whistle and he began flying forward very rapidly. Div flew below him quietly, a basket of random items hanging from her waist. She threw the baseball into the air without warning. Right when I thought it would catch his leg, he made a sharp turn to his left, causing the baseball to soar off into the distance. Rider turned back onto the course and flew even faster. Next, Div threw a frying pan toward his torso. He immediately stopped short mid-flight, the frying pan barely missing him. Rider then continued flying straight ahead. Div reached into the basket and pulled out a rattlesnake. It hissed and wriggled in her hands. She reached back and launched it toward Rider’s face. Without missing a beat, Rider did a backwards somersault in the air, and then continued flying down the path. Div giggled and unhooked the basket from her belt, dropping it to the ground. She removed her sais, spinning both in her hands. Right as Rider approached the end of the course, she released the sais, again aiming right for his face. A moment before they sliced his face in two, Rider reached out and grabbed them both by the blade. He spun them around once in his hands, then threw them back down toward Div. She caught them and secured them in her belt, laughing. They both came back down to the ground, smiling and out of breath.