I was partially correct about not wanting to go to the arena. I definitely felt more attention on me than usual, with weird looks and side-eyes following my every move. The warriors already knew about my "problem" or whatever you want to call it. I think the older warriors were a bit shocked to witness it firsthand. Maybe it was the fact that this was only the second time the Gate Goddess had dropped me off. All of this starts to make sense in its own way.
I made sure to avoid eye contact altogether with Ballona. I didn't like that goddess, and the talk I had with Janus made me dislike her even more. But that wasn't the same for Arden.
I wanted to speak with her about what happened, and most of all.. I tried to apologize..
That was my plan, but I never got the chance to talk to her. It felt like she was intentionally avoiding me, which annoyed me a bit. I wanted to address what had happened during the last session, but she wasn't giving me the opportunity. However, Apollonia did.
"Hey, Vienna?" I paused as Apollonia called out to me by the large doors. The other warriors began to fly off; the session was over, marking our last day at the Warrior Goddess arena. Arden was still inside the arena talking with the goddess, leaving Apollonia to wait for her outside.
"Yes?" I motioned for Casper to wait on the grass as I stepped up to join the warrior on the steps.
She crossed her arms, "I wanted to say I'm sorry."
Huh?
"Wait.." I had to take a second, scratching my head at the sudden comment. "Why are you apologizing?"
"I'm apologizing because Arden can't.." She took a look at the warrior speaking with Ballona inside the arena. The warrior had her ears down, face to the floor, while the goddess spoke above her. "She wants to let you know that she is sorry for hurting you."
"Why can't she say it herself?" I couldn't help but let out.
Apollonia turned to me, wings slightly fidgeted when she let them out. "She can't because the goddess won't let her go after this. She's gonna be talking with Arden for a while, so she told me to tell you that." She shook her head, dreads falling against her face. "That.. and because I wanted to apologize for not convincing you sooner..."
I flinched at the thought back when Apollonia tried to warn me. Yet I was so caught up with myself that I didn't listen. That was my fault, not hers.
"Then I'm sorry too." I let out, blushing with embarrassment. "I was childish not to listen to you, so I'm sorry."
She grinned, her playful eyes growing. "Well, if you can apologize to me so easily, then apologizing to Arden should be easy, eh?" She ruffled my hair, making my face burn even brighter.
"Apologize to Arden..?" I groaned, pushing her hand away. "How can I when he is talking with Ballona? I tried to do this the whole time, but she's always busy!"
"Tell me and I'll relay the message." Apollonia shrugged.
I groaned, turning away. "Fine.. tell her I'm sorry for being so stupid. Also, thanks for feeling bad..."
Apollonia tilted her head at my choice of wording. She gave a light giggle, eyes suddenly turning the softest I have seen them. "You got it, little one. Feel better, alright?"
I nodded and bolted down to the ground with Casper, signaling for him to follow me. He jumped alongside me, barking and yipping a goodbye to Apollonia, who had waved me off before turning back to Arden. It made me realize that, while I already knew they were close, they seemed even closer than I had thought.
I shouldn't be worrying about that, though. I needed to get to the palace before the party was over. That's where most of the warriors would gather to greet the new angel and celebrate. I wanted to join in the celebration, but more than anything, I wanted to see my friends.
It had been a while…
The palace came into view just as we went under the clouds. I could just feel Casper's excitement next to me with his wings flapping wildly.
He bumped into me, a grin across his muzzle. "I know Casper, I'm excited to see them too.." I kinda let out, a bit dejected.
He arrived first; the pup was too excited to wait for me to land and bolted right inside. I quickly chased after him, ducking under a few angels and cupids before finally catching up. He stood by the doors, his tail wagging back and forth. He let out a bark at me, looking at the dance room filled with angels and cupids dancing to the music. I followed his gaze, trying to spot any familiar faces among my friends.
I did catch Bunny, but only her. She raised her head, wings fluffed up as she beamed at me. I walked over, moving past a few angels until I was next to her.
To my surprise, the small cupid pulled me into a hug. "Hey, it's been a while." She pulled away, looking up to me with a cheerful expression. "How have you been?"
I shifted, feeling suddenly aware of being pressed against her. "I've been better." I giggled, ignoring the spreading blush on my face. Weird, every time I see her, I remember the kiss. I get embarrassed like this. "How about you? What have you been up to?"
"I have been assigned to help set up the parties here." She pulled away, giving me her adorable smile. "The Euphorian Goddess said that I am good at design, so she let me decorate."
I grined, "That's no shocker. You seem to have a good style as well."
She watched me look her up and down, a sly smirk on her lips. "Ohh~ you like what I wear, huh?"
"Why-" I stopped, feeling very hot and red. "No.. I mean, yes but not like-"
Bunny giggled, her wings fluttering slightly behind her back. "It's okay, Vienna, you're just too cute to tease," she said with a wink, causing my cheeks to flush at her playful banter. I groaned and turned my head away as she bent down to greet Casper. Once she was finished, she looked back at me, noticing my eyes scanning the room. "Are you looking for someone?" she asked.
"Oh uh.." I shifted, leaning on the wall to try and stop my eyes from wandering. "Yeah, have you seen Bridget, Rory, or Seth at all?"
Bunny thought for a second, puckering her red lips. "Well, I have been setting up the palace for a while.. but I did see Bridget with Orwell down in the garden. I also saw Seth and Rory come in together. Don't know where they are now."
"Oh, thanks." I moved over, stopping when I heard Bunny giggle.
"You're leaving me already?" She smiled, a light blush on her cheeks.
I felt a surge of embarrassment and my cheeks turned red. "Well... I was planning to find them and say hello—just to greet them," I explained. Bunny continued to look at me, her smile widening as I blushed even more. "If you'd like, we can meet up again later and talk," she suggested.
"I'm kidding, Vienna," she laughed, placing a hand on my shoulder as her alluring eyes caught mine. "Thanks for talking with me, though."
I smiled back, feeling her warmth calm my tense muscles. "See you later."
She waved before I went off onto the dance floor. I moved past the beings, hearing Casper right on my tail when we got back to the doors. I planned to go back to the garden, that's where Bunny saw Bridget and Orwell.
And since Seth or Rory weren't here, I believed they would be out there with them. Either that, or I have terrible eyesight.
Regardless, I reached the garden in the back. Contrary to my expectations, it wasn't empty; a few Cupids and angels were gathered near the pond and perched in the trees. I maintained a steady pace as I entered the hedge garden, keeping my eyes peeled for any sign of the angels or the Cupid that accompanied them.
But instead of me finding them, Casper did.
The puppy tugged at my wing, jumping excitedly before darting towards the end of the garden. I called out to him, left with no choice but to chase after the little pup. He dashed through the bushes that lined the other side, his yips suddenly stopping. I quickened my pace, bursting through the leaves before coming to a halt.
"Wh-"
Casper was nestled in Bridget's lap, purring contentedly. She sat beside Orwell, who had his legs dipped in the water, and their hands were intertwined. A blanket spread out beneath them, and a basket filled with fresh fruit was nestled between them.
Like a picnic?
"Vienna!?" Bridget smiled, jumping up to bring me into a hug. I hugged her back, feeling slightly confused.
Bridget moved to stare up at me, her eyes big and very happy. "Hey, I didn't think you would come to the party."
I shrugged, tipping her back before she finally let me go. "Well, I didn't have anything better to do." She took my hand and guided me over to the blanket where her cupid and my pup were sitting. I settled down crisscrossed between the two of them, while the small angel moved to curl up next to Orwell. "You guys aren't exactly at the party either, right? Did you come over here to get some alone time?"
Bridget blushed, looking a bit bashful. Orwell gave a little laugh, facing red flaring. "Well, that was our plan to begin with, but.."
Before he could finish speaking, I heard some shouting coming from behind them. I gasped when I saw Rory and Seth in the pond, seemingly fighting—well, more like play fighting. They were roughhousing in the water, dunking each other before wrapping their arms around one another and giggling like little kids.
A turned a playful look to the cupid. "They didn't seem to care about your plans?"
Bridget laughed, snuggling her head against his neck. "You know Rory. They wanted to join us on our date so it could be a double date."
I leaned back, and Casper came over to crawl in my lap with his wings curling against his back. "I feel like I am the one intruding then. It's a double date after all."
"You can stay." Bridget quickly jumped in. "We missed you anyway after... after..."
I nodded, feeling my shoulders tense up. "It's alright. I'd rather not think about what happened."
She gave me a slight nod. Turning her head to the couple in the water, I couldn't help but cough to get their attention back at me. "I feel like I need to thank Seth for.. sticking up for me the way he did."
Bridget placed a hand on my own, her warm skin slightly lighter than my own. "We're friends, Vienna. Of course, we have your back."
Orwell looked slightly annoyed and turned away from me, ignoring my presence. I decided to do the same and gazed out at the water. That caught Seth's attention first. The male quickly jumped up, pushing Rory aside as he called out to me. Rory grumbled but his eyes lit up when he saw me. I waved, causing the couple to jump out of the water, which soaked their clothes. Rory waved back frantically.
"HEY!" They yelled, pushing Seth under the water before bellowing into me.
I fell back, feeling the soaking wet angel drench me with water. Rory pulled me into a tight hug, their wings flapping wildly, before turning to Seth with a goofy grin. Seth grumbled and pushed Rory away to get his own hug. I did my best to hug both of them, ensuring they knew they had my attention.
"Stop hogging her!" Seth pushed Rory, earning a whine.
"She doesn't want to hug you anyway! She only wants to hug me!"
"Stop lying!" They continued to bicker until Bridget let out a deep sigh.
The angel quickly pulled us apart, glaring at Rory, who was, of course, being too rough. Seth gave up, prompting him to pout at being pushed away as Rory argued with Bridget. "You're getting her all wet."
"It's out of love~" Rory mouthed, moving to grab me and to get hide behind the head by the girl.
"Ew-" I groaned, hiding a smirk that pulled at my lips.
Rory let out an exasperated gasp, placing a hand over their heart as if it were hurting. "You wound me!" they exclaimed before falling backward and crashing into Bridge. The angel's wings fluffed up, and an annoyed grin spread across her lips as she attempted to push the heavy redhead off of her.
"Stop playing around." Seth pulled Rory into her, ruffling their hair. Rory laughed, kicking their feet like a little child would.
"Don't tempt me!" Rory grins with mischievous intent, grabbing at Seth before switching their positions. Of course, the redhead began to tickle the poor blonde, who was wheezing out sharp breaths.
This was normal, this was okay..
Bridget groaned as she leaned back into Orwell, who had his arm wrapped around her waist. When the couple arguing finally calmed down, Bridget nudged Seth with her leg. He turned to her and noticed that Bridget was motioning toward me. Seth raised an eyebrow and pulled Rory closer, who still had an abundance of energy.
I glanced between the two of them, feeling a wave of nervousness wash over me. "Oh, um.. right... Seth?" he stood up fully, giving me his full attention. "I never got the chance to thank you for.. standing up for me in the sentencing room."
The sudden realization made the atmosphere tense. Rory stopped joking around and appeared a bit weary. Orwell turned away from me while Bridget tried to offer an encouraging smile. Seth looked the calmest and most understanding as he glanced back at me. He nodded and spread his wings, which looked relaxed in the motion. "Of course, Vienna," he gently said, making eye contact with me. "We're friends, and we will always have your back."
The same thing Bridget had said..
I let out a laugh, feeling embarrassed. "You guys are so similar." I joked.
Seth and Bridget looked to each other, pointing at one another as if they were twins. I let out a laugh, covering my mouth with a hand. They laughed, as well, Rory whining like Casper at being ignored. I placed a hand on Casper, shushing him. Seth had to let Rory lie in his lap so they wouldn't whine too much.
Orwell whispered something to the girl, causing Bridget to flinch as she placed a hand on his shoulder. She suddenly looked startled and shook her head, clearly in disagreement with the cupid. Seth and Rory were too busy to notice the small argument unfolding, but I was watching closely. I couldn't hear the conversation over the cupids' whispers, but from their expressions alone, I could tell that whatever Orwell was saying was upsetting Bridget.
I huffed, glaring at the male who suddenly looked up to meet my eyes. He let his eyes fall back to me, and all of his peaceful and soft features were gone, replaced with a distaste, almost fear.
"This has something to do with Rue, and Brick doesn't, does it?"
They all turned to me with that. Rory and Seth looked to one another, discomfort clear in their expression. Bridget tried to shake her head, telling Orwell something that the cupid turned soar at. He let out a sigh, sharp eyes finding my own. "Yes.. I wanted to ask about it."
I growled softly under my breath, crossing my arms. "Go on then."
A sudden, putrid smell hit me; it smelled old and strong. I felt the tension in my muscles grow. When I leveled eyes with the cupid, it struck me that it was him doing it. I no longer could smell the soft fondness when I first met him, only the sour, bitter scent.
That got me irritated and mad. The way Orwell held Bridget, the way he glared at me with untrustworthy eyes.
I didn't need him to trust me, I didn't need him to like me! So why am I getting so riled up? So angry over this?
"You should apologize to them. Tell them you're sorry like you did for Seth."
My lips curled, eyes narrowing on the cupid. "Why should I do that? I didn't hurt them, did I?"
Bridget placed a hand on the cupid, trying to calm him down. She didn't even look at me, and neither of the two in the middle of us cared; they could only stare at us.
"You scared them, Vienna. They deserve an apology, especially after you did that in front of their child."
The horrible scent intensified, making my mind feel fuzzy and my eyes water. It pounded against my skull, with rage racing through me like a predator ready to strike. I curled my nails into my thigh, trying to ignore Casper's desperate attempts to regain control.
"I didn't do anything to them. I hit Seth, and I apologized," I sat up, ignoring the scent that only grew stronger. "That should be enough; those cupids don't deserve my apology."
I heard the shocked gasps from all around me as eyes darted between me and the cupid, who glared even harder. My head began to pound, and the overwhelming urge to shy away and block out the horrible smell only intensified as I glared at him. His mouth opened, and he tried to defend himself, but I couldn't hear the insults he was hurling.
The pounding in my head only grew louder, my eyes watered, and my body swayed. It felt as if it were crushing my insides, turning them into minced meat to be chewed and spat back out. I growled, my thoughts fogging over as I mixed together Orwell and Bridget. The angel tried to calm him down, while both Seth and Rory spoke to me, but all I could hear was my own heartbeat and the rush of blood rising in my ears.
"Kill him."
The voice was sharp, thoroughly pressed against my ear. My eyes widened, and I was unable to look around or even tell if it was all in my head. No one else could hear it, that slimy whisper with a taunting voice.
"You know you want to."
"No.." I groaned, finally tearing my glance away to hold my head. I growled to myself, fingers shaking in a weak grip. I had only hair.
"Vienna? Vienna!" A distant voice called out for me, but never too close to pull me from the dark.
It was too much, the pain, the thoughts. I had to take control of it!
"Vienna?" Before anything bad happened, I quickly stood up. Rory fell back, surprised at my sudden move.
I didn't want to hit anyone again; I knew Orwell would tell me like the other Cupids did.
I quickly moved to leave, pressing a hand against my head as the skull-crushing pain throbbed in the same spot over and over again. I heard a faint shuffle following me, but without even looking back, I reached out my hand. "Stay, Casper," I commanded, continuing toward the trees. I only paused when the footsteps persisted.
Without thinking, I turned and shouted, "I said STAY!"
Casper crumbled, ears pinned back, tail tucked between his legs, his eyes wide with fear. I growled, unable to feel any regret as the pain intensified. I could only run deeper into the trees, hearing the distant chatter of my friends.