The triangular metal structure tiptoed, stretching its sharp head to the sky. The iron-wrought tower with its triangulation framework towered infinitely over every building in the city. It stood tall, beautiful, and bronze under the sun's casting light.
From the tip of its pointy head, the Eiffel Tower watched the citizens pouring intensely into the city, on the streets with their loaded cars, and on the pavement with their rushing feet.
Some sat outside the cafe and indulged in hot beverages and pastries before going to work, while the traffic officers directed the traffic passionately around the roundabout.
A Rolls-Royce Phantom, parked outside Paris Primary Ere'cole Primary School. It stood next to the pavement, and the sun's rays bounced off its sapphire-black surface. Clousaue of the Afrodille family tapped the steering wheel with his fingers, garbed in white gloves. He served Vanessa Bloom as her butler. Vanessa is one of the six Divine Guardians, who came to earth years ago not only to protect her former talisman but also to start her botanical enterprise.
Clousaue fell back on his chair, his head nestling closely against the headrest. He grabbed the pointy end of his black mustache and gently pulled it as if teasing to rip it out. "Oh, ma parole, vat is taking them so long?" He muttered, anxiously waiting for the school bell to ring.
At last, the bell rang, and a horde of children came storming out from the school hallways and sprinted to the school gate. Their excitement spread evenly across the lush small gardens, and trees arched over the brick fences; it poured out of their mouths through their laughter and screams.
Helena, Vanessa's adopted daughter, opened the back door of the Rolls-Royce and climbed in. She closed it, removed her bag from her back, and threw it on the floor. She crossed her arms and peered through her window, her brows arching lower and briefly covering her eyes.
"Bonjour la demoiselle," Clousaue began.
She kept silent. Clousae cocked his head and looked at her through the rearview mirror. He saw a scowl crossing her face and spoke, "La demoiselle, vat seems to be ze problem?"
"Nothing," she shrugged; her golden locks of hair were divided by two butterfly bands, a tuft of hair cascaded on her right, and the other flowed down on the left side of her head. They bounced off her shoulders when she shrugged. Her pink lips were thin; you'd liken them to two twigs.
Clousaue unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to face her, "You can speak to me, oui?"
She crossed her face further; she was more defiant than before.
"S'il te plaît, speak to me," he said, intertwining his fingers, desperation evident in his voice.
"Why doesn't Mom want to spend time with me? Is there something wrong with me? Is it because..." She snapped, a searing sensation throbbing in her throat as her emotions poured out.
"Petite fleur, don't zink that's way. Madame Bloom loves you very much. She wouldn't have gotten through the trouble of making you her child if she did not love you."
Helena shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears. "I wish she had left me to die. It would've been better that way."
Clousaue slid his fingers through his white blond strands of hair and sighed, "I know Madame Bloom rarely has time for you. Her business is going through a tough situation, and if she doesn't fight for it, it will collapse. She spent decades trying to make her empire. I know that's not enough, but try to understand what she's going through. I know what I'm asking you is too much, but bear with her, s'il te plaît."
She nodded and took a deep breath. She leaned against the headrest while he smiled back at her, "Thank you." He said
******
"Floral Reef Cooperation hasn't been doing so well, wouldn't you say, Miss Bloom?" A plump, round man said, sitting against the leather chair with his hands intertwined. His hair, withering with age and leaving a large, round space of skin on his head.
"I assure you, Mr. Barbaroux, we've only encountered a few hurdles. But my business will continue like always," a soft, sweet voice replied. The owner of the voice flashed a smile at the unconvinced round man. Her hair was braided, a different texture from the usual soft, silky locks. The locks were woven into spirals to form a unique branch of braids sprouting from her scalp and dipping down her shoulders. Vanessa's copper-colored braids complemented her almond skin tone.
Mr. Barbaroux grabbed a pen and caressed his lower lip with its surface. Then with his other hand, he adjusted his glasses.
"How would I know that? Many of your branches have been burned down, and many of your employees don't feel safe going to work. Your customers are also terrified of coming to your shops. The speed and rate of your goods and services production have slowed down dramatically. Should I invest my money somewhere else, in a competent franchise?"
"I'm aware of that. There's no need for rash decisions. Eight out of thirty-two branches have been burned down, but we can still compensate for our losses with the remaining branches. Furthermore, some customers use our online website to purchase flowers they'd like to buy. I understand that you are afraid of losing your money, Mr. Barbaroux; you have every right. But you must understand that after suffering such huge devastation, the franchise will take some time to bounce back," Vanessa answered, sharing her gaze not only with Mr. Baraboux but with the rest of his representatives who sat on his left side, across the long, wooden rectangular table.
"I see, in any event, I'm interested in knowing how you will counteract another attack from the perpetrators, and how far the investigation is on this case?" He said as he fell back on his chair.
"We will tighten security by deploying more guards on duty. They will continue their routine as one group will take a day shift and the other, a night shift. The police are still trying to find the culprits, but they are struggling since all the evidence was destroyed in the flames. They think that it was an inside job."
"And what do you think?" A gaunt Indian man replied, next to Mr. Barbaroux. His name was Mr. Maharaj, the C.O.O. of Mr. Baraboux's insurance company..
"It could be, but whoever did this will pay dearly," she replied, her arms crossed
*******
The night cloaked the city with darkness, the lines and rows of streetlights gave the city life, and there were orange and amber hues all around. The Eiffel Tower exuded a golden aura, unveiling the brilliance of its artistry in the spread of darkness.
Vanessa knocked on Helena's bedroom door and waited. There was silence. She knocked on the door again, but there was no response. "Sweety, open up, it's me," she said.
Yet again, she was met with silence. She wrapped her hand around the knob and twisted it. "I'm coming in alright."
She pushed the door and entered her room. She closed the door from behind and sauntered toward her. Even though she had been here many times, she still couldn't help but admire the craft and art she and her daughter had made.
They transformed this bland guest room into a fantasy bedroom. They painted the walls pink with additional sky-blue stripes at the far end of the corners. They also attached butterfly and rabbit stickers to the wall. They nestled three unicorn plushies between her pillowcases.
She walked over to the rug and finally spotted her sitting on her bed with her arms. The pink curtains that sheathed the four wooden supports of her canopy bed made it difficult to find her. She sat by her side and grabbed a plushie, striding her thin fingers through the pink flame of hair that sprouted from the unicorn's back.
"Sweety, you know that ignoring me won't solve anything, right?"
Helena looked to the side and grimaced, turning her back to her mother. Her anger was boiling intensely; thankfully, it did not have the might to melt her skin off her skull. Nevertheless, Vanessa reached out to her golden locks with her left unoccupied hand and grabbed a strand of hair; she gently pulled the locks.
"I'm sorry, I know I wasn't there for you for the past couple of weeks. I have a lot on my plate. Mommy's company hasn't been doing well for the past couple of weeks. I'm going through a lot, but please try to understand."
She turned to face her mother, "Mommy, I know you are going through a lot. But we never had a chance to speak. I'm used to having supper and breakfast with you, I'm used to having our late conversations or going out to catch up. You've been giving me a colder shoulder, only greeting me and rushing to go to work. Mr. Clousaue is a good guy, but you are my mother. I know I'm still thirteen, at least try to talk to me even if I don't understand."
Vanessa pursed her lips and nodded, "You know what, you're right. I've been selfish. I failed to talk to you for at least a week. I don't want to make any more excuses for myself. I will work hard to spend more time with you. You know what, this Saturday I won't go to work. We will go to the Magic Fountain Theme Park. We could go out on roller coasters and see the theatrical show of Zickey the Adventurous Cat."
She erupted with euphoria, "Really?" Her eyes were shimmering with hope.
She nodded. She enveloped Vanessa in a warm embrace and shouted, "Thank, thank you, thank you so much." Vanessa lowered her head and kissed her forehead.
Their joy was abruptly halted as the two heard a knock on her door.
"Come in," Vanessa responded.
"Madame, Bloom excusez-moi. I have heard a pestering beeping coming from your room. It's been ringing several times now," Clousaue said as he slid his head into the room, while the rest of his body stood outside behind the narrow open door.
"Thanks, Clousaue."
*********
"So Bianca came from a parallel earth because her homeworld has been under Shai Ken's tyrannical rule," Vanessa added, stroking her lower lip with her index finger and thumb.
"Indeed, for this reason, I've decided to reunite the Divine Guardians to help her with this task," Ken Sou said, holding firmly onto the polearm.
"Shai Ken is one of the six OverLords. Even with our powers combined, we don't stand a chance against him. It's suicide."
"You are in no way tasked with confronting Shai Ken; you will leave that to me. I'll inform you about your mission as soon as you have gathered in Yung Fu's compound."
She looked at the floor and sighed; even though Ken Sou wasn't physically there, he could see despair from her gesture in his holographic form. "What is it, my dear, what bothers you?"
She raised her head, her throat pricked its pointy end against her thin, delicate skin on her neck.
"Commander, when will we depart for Earth-Forty Five?"
"Within sixty hours, or forty-eight as measured in your earth's time," he said calmly.
"I don't mean to give you excuses; however, I can't leave everything unattended. My daughter and I are going through a perilous path; there's a strain in our relationship. And my business, my business is being sabotaged by a foe whose existence I don't know of." Her voice cracked, pain evident in her voice. It wouldn't take much for her to break down, though.
Ken Sou sighed, and he raked his face with his hand. "I understand that you are facing hurdles in your love and financial life, but you must not forget the oath you took when you were chosen. Duty must come first, regardless of your adversities. You must honor your vow," he replied softly, nearly sympathizing with her struggles.
"But I..." She croaked, tears welling down.
"Viper, you were warned against forming Earthly attachments before becoming a Divine Guardian, that if the time came, you were to break them to fulfill your duty. You must put self-desires aside and serve," he said sternly, but with the additional tip of softness.
She nodded, "I understand."