The man turned his attention to us, his hand still stroking Celestia's mane.
"I guess you were right. They do match one female with a group of men. Hmph," the man named Magnor complained.
We exchanged looks of confusion.
He shook his head. "Celestia, switch back. You're wasting magic and you and Sia are already unbalanced," Magnor continued.
Celestia huffed, walking around him.
"Why doesn't she want to shift back?" Hunter asked.
"She'd be naked, remember?" Caio rolled his eyes.
"It's because he hasn't shifted in ages. Hunter doesn’t remember I bet," Cairus whispered to his brother.
"You two are annoying together. I hope you realize that," Hunter grumbled.
"You just hate when they state the obvious," Theo replied.
I sighed. "Just turn around and give her some privacy to shift back," I ordered.
They didn't delay, turning to give Celestia privacy.
"Wait, doesn't that mean Master Rune has to turn around too?" Caio whispered.
"We didn't even introduce ourselves," Cairus replied.
"Is the exam over?" Theo asked.
"Let's leave all the questions for after we get out of here," I suggested.
"Good point. On a side note, I really don't want to explain everything to Finn," Hunter complained.
We felt the shift of magic; a wave of wind blew past us and a warm light hit our backs. It took a minute to dim and we heard a weak sigh. I immediately turned around; my heart skipped a beat to see Celestia fall forward.
Magnor caught her, a silver cloak materialized to cover her naked frame. I'd gotten a glimpse of her luscious body, but my worry overwhelmed the hint of lust and desire that begged to take over. I was at their side in seconds.
"Is she okay?" I asked.
He nodded, repositioning Celestia so she was cradled in his arms.
"She needs medical attention. All of you do," he announced, lifting Celestia off the ground.
I rose up, noticing how exhausted I truly was. I glanced at the others who looked beat.
"But the exam. We didn't finish," Theo pointed out.
"How could we? Those Forsaken couldn't have been a test," I replied, stifling a yawn.
Magnor sighed, but had a relieved expression on his face as he stared at each of us.
"I'll answer all your questions with the headmaster once you've all been treated. Now, gather around me. I'll teleport us to the medical center," Magnor ordered.
We circled around him; my eyes lingered on Celestia who was fast asleep. She was as pale as a ghost, but I could only hope she'd be fine.
I wanted to know more about her. To get some alone time to listen to her past and maybe share a little of my own. I just needed her to know she wasn't truly alone.
I wanted to give her that sense of reassurance. Finally, I wanted to tell her how amazing she was. The people who underestimated her were fools to ignore her potential.
Without her, we'd all be dead and who knew who else would have gotten hurt amidst the Forsaken's rampage. She was a hero with a heart of gold and I'd make sure she knew how worthy she was and how important her friendship was to me.
~CELESTIA~
I felt something cold rest upon my forehead. I didn't feel sick, but my body ached like I'd trained non-stop with Master Magnor. As my mind drifted in and out, I wondered if Sia had gone above and beyond during her daily training sessions with Magnor and Arielle.
She must have and I was paying the price for it. I guess Magnor felt bad and wanted to prevent my body from getting all feverish. I really wished I could fix this unbalanced issue between us. I wondered where Magnor was now?
"Are you sure you can watch her, Mr. Charm?"
Watch me? Who is Magnor speaking to? It wasn’t normal for him to bring strangers into our home, especially into my room. I'm in my room...right?
"I'll be fine. I doubt she's gonna mind. We may not know much about one another, but if I were in her shoes, I'd rather wake up to a familiar face then a strange nurse in those stupid cloak uniforms. When I woke up, I thought I’d joined a cult during my sleep," a soft but deep voice replied.
Who was that? I knew him...but from where again?
"Alright. You were asleep when I arrived so it makes sense why you’re the first to wake up," Magnor replied.
"I missed all the good stuff. And Celestia in her unicorn form. Why is nature magic the most draining?"
"Because it's connected to other elements in its class. Water and Earth are both involved when you summon a single vine. Imagine multiple ones such as you displayed during the exam, Mr. Charm. You will get stronger in time. Hopefully, this school can help you gain the experience you require," Magnor explained.
School? What school?
"I hope so, Master Rune. Sorry, a few of my friends may not know who you are. We're all from different dimensions and backgrounds. We simply know each other due to a few past encounters and the exam."
"It is understandable and I take no offense. I'll leave you to watch over Celestia and the others. Notify me when everyone is awake. All of you take it easy until we can explain everything to you," Magnor replied.
"Thank you, Master Rune. Please get some rest as well."
I listened to the fading footsteps and heard the door close. I fought to open my eyes that felt as though they were weighted with bricks. From the conversation I overheard, I assumed I must have shifted. Why though? My mind was still muddled and things weren't adding up.
I opened my eyes, squinting at the bright light.
"Celestia? Hold on," the soft-spoken male announced.
I heard his feet shuffle along the floor; the bright lights above me dimmed. I sighed in relief, letting my eyes close for a few seconds before opening them again.
"Where am I?" I pondered.
A handsome male with bright green eyes looked down at me. He gave me a sad smile. "Cutie Pie. Do you have amnesia? Magnor did say you experience it from time to time when you shift," the male asked.
"Um. Maybe? You're...Pixie...Boy? The cute one...I mean, no. Not cute," I stuttered as my cheeks tinged with embarrassment. I hated when this happened. If I did shift into my unicorn form, then I was totally dealing with memory loss and the other side effects that came after. As long as I didn't have a giggle fit or start talking about saving starving children, I guessed it wouldn't be too bad.
He gave me a wide grin and removed something from my forehead. I noticed it was a pink face cloth and watched as he dipped it into a bowl of water.
"Yes, Cutie Pie. I'm Pixie Boy or Finn. Magnor said your memory would come back in waves so don't sweat it," Finn explained.
I tried to sit up, but I felt nauseous even from the slight movement.
Finn pressed his hand on my shoulder. "Easy, Cutie Pie. You're not in a stable state yet. Magnor said he'd make something to help you recover faster," Finn confessed.
"Right...why are you in our house? Wait, this doesn't look like my room," I realized, glancing around the white-curtained box my bed was stationed in. It looked more like some type of medical clinic, like the one Magnor once took me to when I was sick and he got concerned.
Finn chuckled. "You’re even cuter when you’re confused, Celestia. Why don't you rest a little more before we play Twenty-One Questions? But to reassure you, you're in a medical ward in Aslan Academy. Magnor went to have a meeting with the headmaster. He'll be back later," Finn explained.
"Oh," I replied, resting my head back on the pillow. That made sense...I think?
"At least you’re cooperative," Finn acknowledged, squeezing the excess water from the face cloth before laying it back on my forehead.
I sighed in relief at the cold fabric against my hot skin. I wanted to ask more questions, but a nap was rather tempting.
"Celestia, go back to sleep. I'm not going anywhere. Our team is knocked out and they won’t tell us what happened until everyone is fully rested, including you," he explained.
<
br /> "How about you?" I asked, opening my eyes slightly to analyze his smooth skin. For a guy, he sure has lovely skin. I wonder if he uses facial products?
"I'm fine. I slept enough already. You need to worry about yourself, Cutie Pie." He brushed his hand against my cheek.
"Why?"
"Why what?" he asked, an amused smile on his face.
"Why are you taking care of me? You don't know me...or well, barely. Everyone thinks I'm useless...a liar that doesn't deserve Magnor's training. I don't know why he cares, either. You don't need to be here, yet you are. Why?" I asked.
The smile on his face fell and a sad expression replaced it. I didn't mean to make him sad or upset. I just couldn't comprehend why anyone would care. All those years of loneliness, and the countless days I sat in the garden and wished for even one friend. Now here I was, in some medical ward with a man who was willing to stay up and take care of me in Magnor's stead. It made no sense and I wished to understand.
"Because we're friends, Celestia. Friends don't abandon one another. Even if we've just met...you put your life on the line for people you hardly knew. To you, this may seem fast and even preposterous, but I can speak on the others’ behalf that we care about you. And to be fair, we wonder the same thing. How did we meet a girl who could mingle with us so easily after such a short amount of time? Why would this girl put her life on the line to protect us, a group of misfit shifters who she knew nothing about other than our names and a few minor details?" he explained.
Even with my current memory loss, his words made sense.
He continued, "For the first time, I sat around a campfire with a group of shifters that were happy to be around me. Even though this was an exam, we tried to get to know each other. I know for some, friendship takes days or months to develop, but to me, if you’re willing to risk your life for another, that counts as friendship in my book and I take care of and protect my friends. . So...we're friends," he concluded.
I stared into his green eyes. I could hear the honesty in his voice and his facial expression showed me a glint of hurt. It was like getting a peek into his troubled past which made me curious as to what he and the others had dealt with before coming here. Most of all, it made me wonder if we were all the same. If we were truly a bunch of misfit shifters who people didn't take seriously or care about because we weren't among the majority. And if my thoughts were true, would we find acceptance with each other?
"Friends," I repeated.
He nodded. "Friends," he confirmed.
I closed my eyes, a small smile on my lips as I thought about the simple word that brought such happiness to my lonely heart. I'd rest a little more and hope I remembered everything when I woke up.
I woke up to see Finn next to my bed. His eyes were closed with his arms crossed over his chest. From the way his head leaned forward, I figured he was falling asleep. I glanced down to his chest that rose and fell in a slow rhythm. Between that and his peaceful expression, I could tell that he was on the verge of sleep.
"Finn?" I whispered.
He squeezed his eyes, opening them slightly to meet my curious gaze. He covered his mouth, yawning. "Cutie Pie, you remember me now?" he asked.
"Why would I forget you, Pixie Boy?” I questioned. I removed the wet cloth from my forehead, looking around the bed I was in. White curtains surrounded three-fourths of my bed. Only one section was open which was behind Finn, giving me a glimpse of a few other beds in my row.
I slowly sat up; Finn placed a hand on my shoulder, urging me to take my time. I took a moment to peek over Finn's shoulder. The bed next to me had a sleeping Hunter and Orion looked to be in the one on his other side.
Finn followed my gaze, pointing to the other three beds that were slightly hidden by the white curtain.
"The twins and Theo are on that side. Orion wanted to be in the bed next to yours, but apparently everyone was placed in alphabetical order," Finn explained.
"Alphabetical...McGinty and Meadow. But that makes no sense. I'm Rainbow," I countered.
"Charm, Kristopher, McGinty, Meadow, Rainbow, Sun Twins. Mine and Theo’s beds were supposed to be on this side, but I'm awake and the twins and Theo were mid-conversation and told the nurses they would go back to their beds when they were done." Finn grinned.
"They fell asleep, didn't they? And really, why alphabetical? We're all adults. That's a stupid rule," I mumbled.
"They get multiple rounds of students during entrance exams so they organized it this way so it's easier to direct their family members to their bodies," Finn replied.
I blinked. "Bodies...as in..." I trailed off.
Finn nodded. "It happens or so Hunter explained. Do you remember what happened during the exam?" Finn asked.
I took a moment to recall my thoughts. Written exam— Team M, stupid Vincent, campfire...Sia. Huh. Oh, Sia took over before I shifted. Wow, she did a good job with those Rhinroys. Hmm...oh. OH.
"I shifted and the Forsaken’s gone. Magnor! Is he here? Why is he here? He should be in Versa." I looked left and right, scanning the room as if he'd appear any moment.
Finn stood up and walked to the edge of the bed, placing his hands gently on the side of my face to stop me from doing another look around. "He's at a meeting still. You’re gonna give yourself whiplash," he mumbled.
I frowned, noticing how soft and large his hands were. I blushed and looked away from his analyzing gaze. "Okay. Sorry," I replied.
He chuckled. "You sure are interesting, Celestia," he admitted.
"Why?" I asked, glancing back to meet his gaze.
"Too many reasons to list. I'll tell you later," he replied, giving me a wink and letting go of my cheeks. He sat back down, leaning back in the chair.
"Shouldn't you resummon your familiar? I bet she's worried," Finn reminded.
My eyes grew wide as I gasped. "Oh no! Arielle. She's gonna be so pissed at me," I huffed. I could already imagine her fluttering feathers as she chirped nonstop in my ear just to annoy me. I shivered. "Ongoing chirping spree," I complained.
Finn grinned. "Don't worry. I'll wake up Hunter if she makes too much noise," he stated.
"You don't understand Arielle's chirping sprees. It's like death music to your ears. I bet it could cause internal bleeding at its worst," I disclosed.
"She’s probably just worried that her one true family and partner could be dead and she's impatiently waiting to find out," Finn stressed.
I frowned, "You’re right. One sec," I admitted, closing my eyes. Release and awaken, Arielle Rainbow.
I felt the section in my heart that was connected to my familiar awaken. I was slammed with a wave of emotions: fear, anxiety, hope, regret.
It only took ten seconds before I heard the flapping of wings. Finn looked over his shoulder at the door that was left open; Arielle's small frame flew into the room and straight to where I laid.
"BRU-REE!" she chirped, crashing into my cheek.
"Ow. You totally did that on purpose and not so loud. You'll wake the others," I huffed.
She landed on my lap, immediately shifting into her larger form and began to ignite.
"Uh. Is she gonna make the bed catch fire?" Finn asked, looking concerned.
"Ugh. Depends how upset she is. Arielle relax. I'm okay. I'm sorry for unsummoning you, but I couldn't afford to lose you and you know that," I confessed, petting her flaming body that continued to burn wildly. I knew she wasn’t truly upset or the bed would surely be on fire by now.
"Bru. Bru. Bru. Bru," she began her chirping spree while she glared at me.
I sighed, "Told you." I turned to Finn who looked pleased. "Why do you look so happy?" I asked.
"Arielle loves you dearly. She's only causing a fuss because she wants you to understand how worried she was. It's hard to find a familiar that cares so dearly for their owner," Finn acknowledged.
I looked down to Arielle who was still chirping away, but I noticed that her amber eyes were pooling with tears. "You were that worried?" I w
hispered.
"Bru-REE!" she replied, going back to her chirp spree while hopping up and down.
I smiled, wrapping my arms around her fiery body. Her warm body stilled and her flames began to fade, leaving only soft feathers. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Arielle. Next time I'll let you fight with me, okay? I just didn't want to lose you. You're my best friend, remember?" I whispered.
"Bru..." She snuggled against me, rubbing my cheek with her head.
I pulled away, allowing Arielle to shift back to her smaller form. She flew to sit on Finn's shoulder, brushing his cheek in greeting.
"Hello, Arielle. Welcome back," Finn greeted.
"Bru-Ree," she replied.
I giggled. "It's nice that my familiar gets along with you guys," I admitted. It made me wonder if we'd stay together as a team. Which reminds me.
"What happened? I think I woke up before, right?" I asked.
Finn grinned. "You woke up twice actually," he confessed.
"Twice? I vaguely remember hearing you talk to Magnor, but I can't recall waking another time. Was that a dream?" I pondered.
"Nah, that was real. But you woke up when we arrived here in the medical clinic. Magnor warned us you'd act a little different," Finn confessed.
My eyes grew wide as my cheeks began to burn red. "Please don't tell me my ditzy side came out! Please? Was it me or Sia?" I asked.
"Sia? Who's that?" he asked.
"Okay. Not Sia. Then it was me. Oh no. How bad was it?" I ranted on, wondering if I would have to remove all traces of my identity and escape the school grounds when everyone was asleep to escape the shame.
"Are you gonna explain who Sia is?" he asked.
"I'll explain when everyone's awake. It's a long story," I admitted. I was fine with them knowing since I could imagine Hunter would eventually tell them what happened with the Rhinroys anyway, but I needed to know what my unicorn drugged self said first.
"Okay. To answer your question, you were basically having a giggle fit for fifteen minutes straight; we thought we'd have to put you in the mental ward on the other side of the school," Finn explained.
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