Arielle Rainbow

by Yumoyori Wilson

  "Elder said we have to move," I revealed.

  "Why?" Alec and Aaron asked together.

  "Me. I'm a hybrid." I was unable to say anything else. I closed my eyes instead, continuing to whimper quietly while Alec and Aaron were silent for a moment.

  "Ari, don't be sad," Alec comforted.

  "Being hybrid means you’re unique, Ari," Aaron acknowledged.

  "But, we have to move. I don't want to." I sniffled and shook my head in denial.

  "If we move together, it's not too bad," Alec suggested.

  "We can make new friends and see new places," Aaron added.

  "But." I lifted my head to look at my two brothers. Alec had bright green eyes that were similar to a stone Mommy called an emerald, while Aaron’s purple eyes looked like a Kunzite gem Father showed me the other day.

  "Arielle. You're everything to us. If we have to move, it's fine," Aaron stated.

  "Yeah. I don't like the familiars here anyway. They're annoying," Alec huffed.

  "You'll move, even if it's because of me?" I asked, looking between the two.

  "We're family, Ari, and we love you. We go where you go. We have to protect you from stupid boys." Alec straightened and puffed out his chest.

  "She's too young for a boy anyway," Aaron complained, fluttering his wings. I gave them a slight smile and Aaron snuggled up to my left side while Alec was on my right.

  "You have your big brothers, Ari." Alec reminded.

  "And Mother and Father," Aaron added. "You just keep being you. There's nothing wrong with being one out of many. It just means you’re unique."

  "It's okay to be different?" I shot my gaze from one to the other as I waited on their replies.

  "Super okay. I bet people are jealous of your pretty feathers," Alec acknowledged.

  "I wouldn't be surprised. Ari's one of a kind. Which female phoenix would pass up the chance to have pink and blue feathers?" Aaron added.

  Their compliments made me giggle, and my feathers lit up with small flames.

  "Oh snap, Ari, no fire inside," Alec urged.

  "We made her happy," Aaron laughed, stretching his wings out to pull me into a side hug. I smiled, and my flames went off.

  "I love you, Aaron and Alec," I chirped happily.

  "We love you too, Arielle." Alec’s outstretched wing landed on my back, and he snuggled against me in a side hug on my right side.

  "Let's wait for Mother and Father and then we’ll tuck you in," Aaron suggested.

  "Okay!" I hummed and began to sing quietly.

  It's okay if I'm one out of many. As long as I have my family, that's all that matters.

  "LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE, ASSHOLES!" Aaron roared, close to attacking the group of mother phoenixes insulting me, yet again.

  "She doesn't belong! Tell your parents to keep their pink-blue daughter at home before she infects my children."

  "Unbelievable. I can't believe the Elder is even allowing such a creature to be near us."

  "Thank goodness they're leaving the nest. We don't tolerate HYBRIDS!"

  I fought back my tears as I glared at the older phoenix familiars hovering over us. Alec and Aaron covered my front and back, their bodies surrounding me in flames as they defended me.

  Father and the Elder wanted me to take Flight classes early, seeing as I'd been growing stronger with each passing day. However, since day one of classes, I'd been bullied left and right.

  During class, the other familiars would ensure I tripped over something before I could even attempt to lift off. The teacher felt pity for me after the first class of failed attempts, asking for me to stay behind so I could try on my own.

  Ms. Free told me they must have been worried I'd excel quickly in class and learn how to fly before many of them. I guess it made sense, but it didn't make the bullying right.

  The parents were adding to the insults. I'd told my brothers this morning when I said I didn't want to go to class. This was the fourth time the older phoenix parents had started to pick on me after Flight lessons.

  Mother and Father had left early to help the Elder with planning for our move after my brothers approached our parents and said they wanted to move if it meant I would be safe.

  Even though it was known within our nest that we were moving next week, it seemed I couldn't get a break.

  "What is going on?"

  We flinched at Mother's loud screech, the parents moving back as she landed in front of us protectively. Her flames doubled in size, and she looked like she was ready to disintegrate one of the mothers who now shivered in fear.

  "Your child! She's preventing our children from excelling!" one of the mothers declared.

  "Arielle has done no such thing!"

  We turned our heads to our left to see Ms. Free, who made her way towards the ground. "I will not continue to watch this nonsense! Your children have been nothing but trouble. Not only do they disturb my class, but they've also consistently picked on Arielle and disrupted her lessons to the point she has to waste time AFTER class to learn what she should have learned during class!"

  The mothers fluttered their wings angrily, but Ms. Free screeched loudly at them, causing the mothers to freeze.

  "I will not teach your children if they can't be kind to their peers. I now understand where they learned their behavior; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Flight classes are CANCELLED! You women who would rather waste your day getting your feathers plucked and trimmed have no other choice but to take care of your children and teach them how to fly yourselves."

  "But! You can't do that!"

  "I certainly can. The Elder has been watching all of your behavior towards Arielle and her family! We won't tolerate this any longer. Learn how to act like mature Phoenixes and raise your kids properly! The outside world is not kind to spoiled familiars," Ms. Free raged.

  "This is all that hybrids fault," the mother in the middle snapped, pointing her wing in my direction. I nestled closer to Aaron who stood protectively in front of me. Alec moved to my side and Mother remained in front of us.

  "Alandra! Do not anger me. It's thanks to me you even have a child to take to classes. Leave my family alone. We'll be out of your feathers by early next week, but I will NOT tolerate you picking on my daughter. Understood?!" Mother snapped.

  The women were silent, and the mother named Alandra glared at us. "Hmph! We don't need your family anyway. You think we need your protection? We don't. Get out of here and take that disgusting phoenix bird with you."

  The mothers all chirped and agreed, spreading their wings and launching up into the air and away from the large oak tree where we took our classes.

  Ms. Free sighed, giving me a sympathetic look with her blue eyes while Mother turned to face all three of us. "How long has this been going on?"

  "Ari told us this morning," Alec replied.

  "She didn't want to go to school, and we asked her why and she said the other kids have been picking on her. We didn't know the parents were too," Aaron explained.

  "Arielle." Mother stared down at me. I hid behind Aaron, making myself as small as possible.

  "Bru," I mumbled, not wanting to see Mother's upset face. I didn't want to be in trouble. I did nothing wrong.

  "Arielle you're not in trouble," Ms. Free soothed. I heard my mother's short sigh.

  "How long has the bullying in class been going on?"

  "For a few weeks. I hadn't caught on until last week. I noticed Arielle didn’t want to participate in the flying sessions, but I assumed it was because she was a lot younger than the current familiars. I figured she wasn't ready yet. However, when I started doing private after class sessions, she performed wonderfully. Arielle will be able to start flying independently with one or two more classes," Ms. Free explained.

  "Sis can fly?! She's only four!" Alec exclaimed.

  I'd heard Father say phoenix shifters took a lot longer than the average bird shifter to learn how to fly, usually being six years old; seven was considered a late bl
oomer. Since I was four, it was a big deal to many of the other phoenix kids, and that was one of the many reasons I was being picked on.

  "No wonder they're picking on Ari. She's accelerating way too fast for their liking. They're jealous," Aaron grumbled, his feathers lighting on and off with bright red flames.

  "Am I in trouble, Bru?" I asked shyly, afraid to look up at Mother and Ms. Free.

  "You're not in trouble Ari. See, Mommy isn't mad at you," Alec reassured me, pointing up to Mother. I lifted my head and saw her sad expression.

  "I'm not upset, Ari. I'm mad at the mothers and their children for treating you so poorly. What they're doing isn't right. You know that," Mother disclosed.

  "But, it's because I'm weird, right?" I asked.

  "You're not weird!" Aaron and Alec said together.

  "But that's what the kids say. I'm weird and different. That's why we have to move because I don't belong here. My feathers are ugly, and no one looks like me. They said I'm adopted," I explained, telling them what the kids had been saying since I started classes.

  It made me not want to go to school, but I didn't want to disappoint Mother and Father. Aaron and Alec seemed stunned by what I'd said, and I looked to Ms. Free who appeared extremely upset. She moved to stand right next to me, lowering her head to meet my gaze.

  "Arielle. You are not weird or adopted. You're just very rare. The phoenix families around here haven't seen a phoenix harpy hybrid before. But for us adults who've flown around many places and dimensions, we know how rare and unique you are. Other hybrids would wish to be like you," Ms. Free revealed.

  Overwhelmed with emotions I couldn’t express at such a young age, tears pooled in my eyes. "Can't we go there then? I don't want to be here anymore. No one likes me. I don't want to go to school anymore. I just want to be with Alec and Aaron. I just want to be loved and have friends." A broken sob released and I cried, letting my tears escape and run down my face.

  "Oh Arielle, don't cry, sweetie," Mother whispered.

  "I don't want to be here. I wanna go home." I continued to cry, and Aaron came over to wrap me in his wings.

  "Hey, sis. Let's go home. We'll go together, and you can show Alec and me your awesome flying skills."

  "Yes! If you're able to show us you can fly, we'll go hunt for shiny buttons. You get to keep the one you find!" Alec suggested.

  I lifted my head to look up at Aaron as Alec moved to stand next to him. "I get to keep it?" I sniffled, my tears beginning to dry up.

  "Yup! You can even show Father. If you keep crying, we can't go back home and start searching." Alec acknowledged.

  "Well, that's after you show us your flying skills," Aaron reminded.

  "Okay. I'm not sad anymore!" I jumped up and down, wanting to go home and get the chance to fly with my brothers.

  Ms. Free looked pleased, but Mother still seemed bothered by the situation.

  "Let them go have some fun. We'll head to the Elder. Your husband is there as we speak," Ms. Free suggested to Mother, who nodded.

  "You three go straight home and don't go too far away from the nest. Be home before dinner, understood?"

  "Yes, Mom!" Alec spread his wings out first, launching off the branch we were on. He flapped his wings, staying in place while waiting for Aaron and me.

  Mother moved to stand before me, lowering her head to brush against mine. "Ari, Mommy loves you. Just like Father. Don't let those mean familiars hurt your feelings. You're our child, and we love your gorgeous pink and blue feathers," Mother soothed.

  "Really?" I asked.

  "Yes. You’re my sweet, beautiful daughter and no one can tell me otherwise. You keep your head up high and show them their mean words don't affect you," Mother encouraged.

  "Okay. I'll keep my head up and learn to fly longer so we can fly as a family when we move!" I beamed, and Mother nodded.

  "Let's go, Ari. Onto my back you go," Aaron said as he ruffled my head with his right wing.

  "I want to fly back," I argued.

  "You'll be tired if you do that. Reserve your energy for shiny button hunting," Aaron suggested.

  I pondered about it for a moment. "Okay." I looked back to Mother and stretched my feathers. "Bye, Mom. Bye, Ms. Free."

  Mother looked happier with my change in mood and leaned in to give me a gentle peck with her beak. "Be good, all of you. Don't forget to be home by dinner time."

  "Yes, Mom. I'll bring them back before then," Aaron stressed. I hopped over to where Aaron lowered to the ground, making it easy for me to hop onto his back.

  "You ready, Ari? We'll have lots of fun!"

  "Ready brother!" I hummed, making sure my talons were secure. He outstretched his wings that began to blaze red flames, and he hopped off the branch, soaring past Alec who followed us.

  "Soon we'll be at a new place with people that will love you just the way you are, Ari," Alec beamed.

  "Yes. You'll find a friend who will love and adore you just like we do. Maybe lots of friends," Aaron added.

  "And when I'm older I'll find a boyfriend!" I giggled.

  "No." Alec and Aaron were adamant as they spoke the word at the same time, making me laugh and my flames ignite.

  "No boyfriends and ah! Ari, cool the heat. I can feel your flames from here," Alec sighed.

  "It's fine. As long as she's happy, but no boyfriends," Aaron stressed.

  "Yes, yes," I sang, chirping away as I rode brother's back, Alec right beside us.

  My family loves me, and maybe one day I'll find other people who love and accept me. Then I'll make Mother and Father proud, and my brothers and I can always play and have fun together.

  "Arielle! We need to go home," Aaron called out.

  "Coming Bru-ree!" I flew down to the branch where Aaron and Alec waited for me. We'd been flying around for an hour, searching for shiny buttons and other knickknacks, and Aaron had found me a really sparkly pink button that he'd securely attached to my back with some vines we'd discovered.

  I wanted to fly with my brothers for hours, but the sky had begun to turn grey, and it looked like a storm was brewing. I landed on the branch slowly and stretched my wings out. Exhaustion coursed through me from all the fun, and I used my wings to rub my face.

  "Looks like Ari's tired," Alec chirped.

  "She did really good. Wait till Mother and Father see her. They'll be so proud," Aaron praised.

  "Will you both teach me how to do magical spells now that I can fly?" I asked, moving over to Aaron who lowered his body so I could station myself on his back.

  "I think you need to be a bit older, Ari," Aaron suggested.

  "She'll be good at fire and lightning magic. Those respond to emotions. Since Ari always ignites her fire when she's super happy, it shouldn't be too difficult," Alec acknowledged.

  "Alec, Aaron. What's that?" I asked quietly.

  "Huh?" they both said in unison before they lifted their gazes to the darkened sky. Weirdly shaped creatures that looked like birds were flying towards us, their bodies surrounded by an eerie black fog, red eyes peering out.

  "Dark phoenix birds!" Aaron snapped.

  "They're heading towards our nest!" Alec shouted. He immediately entered the air and swiftly began to turn back to the direction we'd come.

  "Arielle! Hang on tightly. We need to beat those Dark birds before they reach the nest," Aaron called out

  "Bru!" I replied, fear of the Dark birds that noticed us rising in me. "Brother, they see us!"

  "Don't worry. We're faster." Aaron took off into the air. He made a swift turn before his wings burst into wild flames as they grew double his size.

  We flew triple the speed we had coming to this area, and Alec had also increased the size of his wings and was soaring quickly ahead.

  It began to rain, cold droplets falling little by little before they beat hard against us. I didn't care about the rain. My eyes remained glued to the Dark birds that were far behind thanks to Aaron's speed.

  It didn't take us long before w
e saw the nest and noticed Father flying towards us.

  "FATHER! DARK BIRDS!" Alec screamed.

  Father looked shocked, and we saw Elder and Mother come out from their shelter. "Children hurry!" Mother announced.

  "We're almost-" Alec was cut off suddenly. I turned my head in time to see a red arrow shoot straight through his body.

  My eyes grew wide, and Aaron screamed, "ALEC!"

  We watched in shock as his body began to drop, and Father shot down after him. I looked back at the bird who had a red magic circle beneath him, signaling to me he was the culprit who had hurt Alec. HE HURT BROTHER!

  "BRU!" I chirped, turning my body on Aaron's back and focusing just on that Dark Bird. It stretched out its wings ready to attack us, but I didn't allow it.

  "BRU-REE!!!" I screeched, my body glowing brightly as a large magic circle formed above the blackbirds.

  In seconds, shots of thunder ran through their crowd, striking down five of the eight Dark birds at once. I watched them drop, none of them moving as they fell to their death, leaving the three Dark birds whose eyes landed on Aaron and me.

  "ARI! AARON!" Mother called out. I looked back to Mother who was heading towards us, but my eyes picked up on the incoming red bolt.

  "AARON!" I screamed, and he looked over his shoulder.

  "NO! Ari!" he shouted. He maneuvered to avoid the attack, but the bolt rushed directly at me, the force of it pushing me off Aaron's back.

  "BRUUU!" A burst of energy ran through me, making it impossible to move as I started to fall. My ears rang, and my vision was clouded with black.

  "ARIELLE!"

  I could hear Aaron's cry and felt something wrap around me, but I couldn't respond. Aaron, Alec. Mother, Father. No...

  My body crashed into something hard, and with that, darkness greeted me.

  Arielle. C'mon, Sis...you have to...live! Ari. Please.

  "B...ru?" I squeaked, trying not to move because of the intensity of the pain that rattled through me. The cold seeped into my body as the rain assaulted me, no relief from either on the horizon. I just wanted to sleep. I wanted Mother to tuck me in.

  "Mommy. Daddy," I cried, wishing to go back to sleep and not deal with what was going on. I was so cold, and I didn't want to move.