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In the beginning the world had been known as Saya. But then people developed a link into the world, controlling some of its most basic forms of being. And Saya was forever changed, and so the world Tansa was born.
The people of Tansa were a desperate one, wanting to enjoy the riches that had been visited upon them. But they were also a greedy people, for the three elemental groups of Plant, Land, and Water wanted the world for their own. And from this greed rose the fear of destruction, and a prophesy. The Prophesy of Flames. The prophesy foretold the end of the world, not in a Bang or a Pow. But with the coming of a new element, Fire. The world would be born anew, and all elements of old would be reborn with it. The people of Tansa hid their fear deep, and fought over the land. But finally, harmony over came greed, and the world was born anew once more, as Ea.
Ea was a peaceful, and peace loving world. It was ruled by the heads of the three elements, and ruled wisely. The head family of each element was governed not by greed, but by the needs of the people. And in this time there was a Princess of both Plant and Water, and a Prince of Land. The two ruling parties had decided that to protect Ea to their fullest, the young Prince and Princess were to be married, and their world united as one. But, alas, this was not to be. For shortly before the Princess was to marry the Prince, the Princess fell in love with a Duke. The Prince became overwhelmed with rage, and killed the Duke. The Princess died of a broken heart, and once more the world was torn. It had no people of Plant or Water to rule, and Ea was destroyed, and from its ashes rose Ergo.
Ergo was a savage place. It was torn, not by greed, but by revenge. All people of both Plant and Water united under one cause, to avenge their Princess. Water and Plant blamed Land for the Princess's death, and Land denied all. A great war erupted, and lasted for many generations, passing hatred from parent to child, elder to younger. Then, on a distant evening, a battle was held that would decide the outcome of this war. But it ended all hope for all those who took part, for the Prophesy of Flames was fulfilled. A little girl set the world aflame, and once more the world was reborn, and with it the elements were created anew. Fire, Air, and Ice.
And so here starts the story, set in the new world, Era...
Arika watched the clouds float by outside. She sighed, and looked at the clock once more, only five minutes until school would let out, and she could go boarding. She needed the practice, because the big contest would be next week, and she intended to be the winner this time.
"Arika, perhaps you could tell us the answer!" Ms. Gaska said sharply, breaking into Arikas train of thought.
"Hmm, what? Could you repeat the question?" Arika asked drowsily, looking at the teacher. Ms. Gaska was an old teacher, she had been teaching history for at least thirty years, and everyone laughed at her fashion. Long, dark dress.
"Who was the person who set of the flames that affected the turning point of the elements?" Ms. Gaska asked angrily. Arika sighed again, she hated this part of history class. Just because her ancestor had been Akina, everyone assumed that she knew everything about the turning of Ergo to Era. The bell rang, signaling the end of school.
"Tell ya tomorrow!" Arika waved sharply, and bolted for the door, joining the rest of the school in the busy hallways of Akia High School.
"See you're going boarding." Arikas boyfriend, Tenvis, said.
"Don't sneak up on me like that! I thought you were a teacher!" Arika said with a laugh, pulling her board from her locker. It was a good board, one of the best in the world. It was shaped like any board, long and oval, but she had added the necessary paint job. Flames shooting along the length, an ice background. Arika always wore her boarding uniform, it was a fashion statement. She was one of the best, and no one argued with it.
"See you got a new 'form. Nice." Tenvis said, closing Arikas locker for her. Tenvis was a few inches taller than Arika, and had pale blond hair. He was Air. He always wore the same thing, dark jeans and a periwinkle shirt.
"Yeah, I decided I might as well get a new suit for the tournament. But I'm going to have to break it in soon. Today, preferably." Arika said. The basic uniform of a boarder differed from person to person. Arika preferred the trendy look. A short, intricate flower design, dark purple dress. A pair of black stretch shorts beneath. A white shirt beneath the dress's strap sleeves. Her hair was tied back in a long, red french braid.
"Arika, come on! We're going to be late!" some of Arika's friends yelled from the other side of the hallway.
"Got to go. See you tomorrow?" Arika asked, kissing Tenvis.
"Yeah, tomorrow." Tenvis said as Arika ran down the hallway, her bag pack bouncing. No one noticed the dark shadow following Arika. The metallic ice eyes holding nothing but the reflection of pain of a love that had never been recognized. The boy turned away, and starred at the retreating figure of Tenvis with pure hatred.
"One of these days it will be me she kisses good-bye to, Tenvis. Never forget that!" Keklin said, under his breath.
"Dude, she's never going to notice you unless you do something really cool." Jrevin, one of Keklin's friends said, bumping into the black clad figure of his friend.
"What can I do? I can't board, I'm not smart, and I'm not handsome enough! Everyone passes me off as a joke!" Keklin said softly, but angrily. Pounding his fist into the nearest locker. His shock white pony tail blending in with his white coat.
"Dude, take a chill. Lets go grab some grub. I'm starved!"
Jrevin said, some what hysterically, his face started to match his
red hair. The two friends left the school, heading for the local cafe.
The boards echoed across the cement. People of all levels were gliding around, but were starting to stop and watch Arika practice her stunts.
"Double loop, triple turn, high dive..." Arika said to herself, under her breath. The board reacting to her every command. She went up a hill, did a triple loop, and sped at the cement, her board nearly scraping the ground when she pulled up. And instead of going straight, she went up the hill in reverse, looping around to face forward in midair, and went down again. But this time she spotted an old friend across the crowd. She sped over to him, and got off the board. When the crowd saw that she wasn't going to do any more tricks, they dispersed to try some of the moves on their own.
"Tenshi! What are you doing here!" Arika said, hugging her friend. He smiled, and pulled away.
"Decided I might give another shot at the board." Tenshi smiled meagerly, and pulled a board out from behind his back. It was a bit bigger than Arikas, but just as good. It had been spray painted an icy blue, and looked as if snow had fallen across it. If it hadn't been a warm Winter day, Arika would have thought the board was made of ice.
"Man, if you enter the contest, I'm never going to win!" Arika said with a laugh, intending the comment as a joke, but stopped laughing when she saw Tenshi's face. He was a year older, and a senior in high school. His hair was shock white, except for an odd red streak that he insisted was natural. His clothes were a pair of long, pale blue pants, and a long white shirt, with long sleeves and a red lightning streak through the middle.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about there, you could dance circles around me." Tenshi said, with a sarcastic sense of humor. He had been the one to teach Arika most of her boarding skills.
"Sure, like you aren't going to give boarding another try. You just have to relearn, that's all. Come on, race you to the loop-de-loop!" Arika said, and then nearly hit herself for the insult she had given Tenshi. His left leg had been injured, and he now had a limp. He hadn't been able to board since.
"No, you go ahead. I think I'll start with the bunny slopes. See you at the games tomorrow, and you'd better win! If you don't, I'll enter every contest from here to Nanza!" Tenshi said, with a laugh. No one really knew what Nanza was, it was supposed to be some city from ancient times. But Arika just laughed as he limped off to the beginner course. Tenshi was majoring in ancient past stuff, and she was more of the artist. She shook her head, and raced to practice more of her stunts.
She still didn't see the pair of metallic eyes that were
following her every move.
"Oh my god! Arika, did you hear that!?" Neska shrieked, and everyone in the group covered their ears. Neska may be a good friend, but she could let out a wail that could deafen a person at close range.
"Jeez, Neska! Shriek like that, and I won't have anything to hear with! What's going on, any ways?" Arika asked, coming out of her morning spacyness.
"Arika! The championship tomorrow! Don't you even care who's going to be there!?" everyone shouted at Arika at once. Arika threw her hands over her ears, and ducked. Her waist length braid flew up and hit Senzka in the eye.
"Ouch! Arika, you didn't have to hit me!" Senzka yelped, and everyone started giggling.
"Sorry, but what's so important about the championships, beyond the point that I'm going to win?" Arika asked, confused. The school had never shown any interest in boarding, and Arika herself thought of it more as a game than anything important.
"Keskos is going to be there!" Kyran shouted, a piece of her red hair burst into flames with excitement. Keskos was the cutest, and most popular, boy in school. Unfortunately, he was a 'Cool Senior'. Which made him out of reach for not cool enough juniors. But if he took an interest in boarding, that would elevate Arika and all of her friends into 'Cool Junior' status. And make him available, if they ever got rid of his current girl friend.
"Your kidding, right!? We're talking about the same Keskos, right!? Crimson hair, deep maroon eyes, six feet tall, and absolutely gorgeous?!" Arika asked, picking up on the excitement of the others.
"Yes!!!" everyone, including Arika, shrieked at once. All the heads in the hallway turned and stared at them, sending the group into hysterics.
"What's going on?" Tenvis asked, hugging Arika. All the girls started laughing.
"Nothing you'd be interested in, Tenvis." Arika said, kissing Tenvis, and then ran off to spread the news.
"What, I appear, and everyone leaves! Is it something I said?" Tenvis yelled at the retreating group. Everyone in the hallway burst out laughing that time. Tenvis just blushed, and left to go to his first period class. Keklin watched him with cool hatred burning in his eyes, and then followed Arika to her, and his, first period class. He didn't see the pair of silver eyes watching him, and sizing him up.
"So, Fire Princess, you seem to have yourself an admirer.
Maybe it's you who has a back in need of watching." Tenshi said
silently to himself, still trailing both Arika and Keklin with his
eyes.
Arika started to drift to sleep, and her head dropped into the play she was supposed to be following.
"Arika! Perhaps, since you seem to know 'Embers Flame' so well, could please tell us the meaning of Jaquen's speech in the third act, second scene?" Mr. Gegaysha, one of the most feared teachers in all of Akia High School.
"Umm, because he really liked burning stuff?" Arika took a shot in the dark, and then she remembered what was going on in the play. "Because he really loved this girl, but she didn't know he existed. So to get her attention, he decided to go and do something, and then accidentally killed her." Arika said, wondering if she had mentioned the right speech. Embers Fire, to her, seemed to have fifteen speeches per character. And the weirdest people.
"Good, glad to see you were paying attention. But the five million dollar question is, what will he do to get Sanha's attention?" Mr. Gegaysha asked, a wicked grin of extra homework spread across his wrinkled face. Arika shuddered, and then drew from a hat.
"Gave her an ice cream cone?" the entire class started laughing, and Mr. Gegayshas face turned red.
"No, he did not give her an ice cream cone! How is he to kill her with an ice cream cone?"
"Freezer burn?" Arika shrugged her shoulders. She was know for being a good class clown when situations demanded.
"Freezer burn is when you are a piece of meat that has been in the freezer too long. Do you think Jaquens would put Sanha in a freezer!?" Mr. Gegaysha was practically blowing steam out his ears.
"Wouldn't being in a freezer kill someone? I mean, if he accidentally kept her in the freezer too long, wouldn't that be accidentally killing her?" Arika asked innocently. The entire class was going into hysterics.
"That's it, all questions in chapter three for homework! All fifty-two, in complete sentences! And, Arika, since you seem to know so much, you can do the chapter four questions for the class!" Mr. Gegaysha said with an evil smile. The class bell rang. "Class dismissed."
"Man, Arika, why couldn't you have kept your mouth shut!"
"Yeah, think of someone besides yourself next time!"
"You idjit, now how am I supposed to get anything done!?" Arikas classmates yelled at her when leaving the classroom.
"I thought what you did was cool." Keklin said cheerfully.
"Thanks, but you seem to be the only one who thinks so." Arika ran off, tears stinging her cheeks.
Tenshi stopped Arika as she ran by.
"Arika, what's wrong?" Tenshi asked, his friends left, knowing she wouldn't want whatever had happened to be aired.
"Nothing!" Arika sobbed, and then ran into the nearest bathroom.
"Man, she looked in bad shape. Maybe she shouldn't race in the competition, if school gets to her this harshly." Hesper, one of Tenshi's friends, said.
"No." Tenshi siad, shaking his head. "I think she needs to compete in this contest. She could have been in the hall of fame by now, if she hadn't been afraid I'd beat her. Something just came up, I'm sure."
"If you say so, man. To bad you can't compete anymore, but you'll be on a board in no time. Out of curiosity, why were you in Tara Square anyway?" Hesper asked, his friend had never told him why he had been where he was when he was shot.
"Because, I had important business to resolve." Tenshi said darkly, and Hesper got the drift on not to ask him anymore. The two seniors stalked down the hallway, trying to decide who had the best chance of winning the championship that weekend. Both decided that Arika had the best chance, but Tansla could come in close second.
"Arika, what happened?" Tenvis asked, bumping into Arika in the hall. He noticed her blood shot eyes.
"Nothing." Arika mumbled, keeping her head low.
"Don't nothing me! If someone said something, you tell me. I'll wash their clocks in minutes!" Tenvis said, pounding his fists together.
"Just go away!" Arika shouted, and ran down the hall. She ran into Tenshi and Hesper once more. She finally gave into to Tenshi's requests to tell him what was wrong, and told him about the English class.
"Man, what got into her?" Tenvis asked out loud.
"This seems to be your day for talking to yourself, Tenvis. Wait till everyone hears the head hockey player is going nuts!" Recsa, Tenvis's little sister, shrieked. All her friends began laughing.
"Hmm? Recsa, I don't even play hockey." Tenvis said, annoyed. He had played hockey in middle school, but had given it up because of the rough-n-tough way they played in high school.
"So, it's still going to be some rumor!" Recsa shrieked, and ran off with her friends to tell and exploit.
"Seems like you got the kiddy squad on your back again." Fervew, one of Tenvis's friends, said. "What you need is a new sister."
"What I need is a new girlfriend, and a new sister." Tenvis said harshly.
"New girlfriend? You broke up with Arika? Man, you guys were the perfect couple." Fervew said seriously.
"Yeah, but she seems more willing to talk with Tenshi than she will with me. See, she's talking to him right now, and all she did was scream at me!" Tenvis said, his voice edging over.
"Maybe it had something to do with boarding." Fervew said hopefully.
"Boarding? But Tenshi doesn't know a thing about boarding. Just look at the way he limps, why would he know anything about boarding?" Tenvis demanded sharply.
"Because, he taught her how to board. And, Mister Fact Finder of Forgetfulness, he didn't have that limp until tenth month." Fervew pointed out. He admired being a know it all. "And he was the best boarder ever seen until the shooting."
"Shooting?" Tenvis asked, confused.
"Yeah, he was caught in the cross fire, down at Tara Square."
"Tara Square? But that's near Arikas house..." Tenvis
didn't have time to finish the thought, the tardy bell rang, and he
sprinted to class. Getting there just in time to be assigned three
hours worth of detention.
For Arika, the classes seemed to dawdle on forever. Finally, lunch came.
"Cheese, please!" Arika shouted at the cafeteria people, paying her two dollars, and went to sit at her table.
"Arika, who's your board?" someone yelled from across the cafeteria, and everyone who knew anything about boarding went silent. The people who didn't know anything, went quiet out of respect. The name of a board was an important thing, and Arika had yet to tell what hers was named. The cafeteria echoed in silence, people waited for her to answer.
"You'll find out at the contest." Arika replied, and still standing at the table, by her friends. No one stirred, everyone starred at her. Not naming the board until the contest was considered bad luck, and bad manners.
"Arika!" hissed one of her friends. "Don't be a snob You're breaking the most important rule! Dude, it's sacrilege!"
"People, curiosity killed the cat. So, learn a virtue." was all Arika said. She sat down, and the entire cafeteria broke loose into a maelstrom of shocked chatter. Arikas friend had been right, her comment could be considered a dire insult, and even sacrilege, to any boarder worth his moves. Arika wondered if she had done the right thing.
"Arika, you shouldn't have done that." Kyran said, jabbing her elbow into Arikas side, and making Arika drop her pizza on her plate.
"Jeez, think you could be a little rougher? I think you only cracked a rib!" Arika sniped at her friend, shoving her back. Kyran dropped her sandwich on the table, and glared at her.
"Arika, I was just pointing out the truth. Even ask your boyfriend!" Kyran shot back, the entire table quieted down to hear the fight.
"Tenvis doesn't know the first thing about boarding! I'd be surprised if he had enough mental talent to even control a bunny-hopper!" Arika said, holding her nose in the air, and insulting the non present boyfriend. Everyone at the table let out an ooh.
"Not Tenvis, Tenshi!" Kyran shot angrily. Her red hair was beginning to glow with anger.
"Tenshi? When did you get the idea Tenshi was my boyfriend?" Arika asked, confused. She couldn't figure out why they thought her best friend was her boyfriend. In her eyes there was a big difference.
"Let me think about it. You hang with him at the rink, you talk to him in the halls, you discuss nearly everything with him. Is there anything I left out! Oh, yeah. Can I have Tenvis, now that you're through with him!?" Kyran shot at Arika rudely. She had had the biggest crush on Tenvis since the moment she had seen him, and he walked right past her to Arika.
"You can't have Tenvis! He's my boyfriend!" Arika said, knocking over her milk. People on the other side of the table moved their stuff out of the way quickly, glancing angrily at Arika. Arika just ignored them.
"That's not what I heard!" Kyran said tauntingly. Arika glared at her, her eyes turning into molten lava.
"What did you hear!?" Arika asked through clenched teeth. Her hands were in fists, and it took all her will power not to strike Kyran right there and then. But the incentive of being disqualified from the contest for fighting held her back. Kyran was lucky.
"Didn't you hear, or were you to busy getting the class in
trouble!" Kyran snapped, she had English with Arika, and had
suffered the same fate as the rest of the class. "Tenvis is thinking of
breaking up with you, I think that little event of you telling Tenshi,
and not him, sort of hit a nerve. Never can tell these days!" Kyran
shrugged her shoulders, Arika raised her hand, threatening Kyran.
She didn't notice the face starring at her from one of the other
tables. Keklin heard the mention about Tenvis breaking up with
Arika, and hopped for it to be true. Maybe then he would be able to
get her to notice him. Keklins friend shoved him roughly, and he
rejoined the conversation on whether to t.p. the teachers houses, or
spray their cars. Keklin still didn't notice the pair of silvery eyes
watching him.
"So, that kid still stalking Arika?" Senzu asked Tenshi, his eyes trailing the lunch crowd.
"Yes. There's something wrong with him. I don't like him following Arika like that. He's too secretive. Too dangerous." Tenshi said sharply, turning to face his friends.
"To dangerous, yes. To secretive, no." Tao said, almost too silently to be heard. "If he was too secretive, you, nor any of us, would have spotted him. But I must agree, he is very dangerous. But why, is the question I would ask. It's not everyday you fall in love with a Fire Princess."
"Your question is to simple, Tao. You answered one, but left the history out. Love is one thing that controls a person, not the person controlling it. But how well he can manage it, I do not think I need to ask. We'd better keep our eye on him, death lurks in his shadow." Tenshi said to the small gathering.
"And on everything he touches." Percy said, her red hair seeming to glow in the shadows. "I could smell it a mile away, and so could you, Tenshi. You're going soft. I'd do more than keep my eye on him, I'd make him disappear. Like a puff of smoke." Percy held up her hand, and a small flame ignited on her index finger. She grinned evilly, and blew the flame out.
"That's why you don't work with us, Percy. And why we don't let you." Tenshi said, softly but harshly.
"Oh, did I hurt the big bad Tenshi's feelings? Boo hoo hoo." Percy said, pouting sarcastically. "Jeez, you guys wouldn't last a day anywhere!"
"Like you did!?" Tao snapped harshly, jumping up from the table. "You went and killed everything around you, and expect us to want to be like you!"
"Warning to the unwise, no one ever threatens me!" Percy snapped, she had a flame at Tao's neck within the blink of an eye. Tenshi brushed Percy's hand away from Tao's throat.
"If you consider that a threat, Percy, maybe it's you who's going soft. You leave the business of Arika to us. We don't need your help, yet." Tenshi said softly, staring into Percy's eyes. Percy shuddered, Tenshi's eyes were the only thing that intimidated her. No one but Percy and Tenshi knew why. Percy retreated back into the shadows.
"I'll let you go on this one, this time. But if all goes wrong with the Fire Princess, it'll be you to answer for it Tenshi." Percy faded like smoke into nothingness.
"Nothing will go wrong, Percy." Tenshi said to the empty shadows, and sat down once more. He started munching on his sandwich, ignoring his friends stares.
"Dude, what went on between you and that girl?" Senzu asked finally.
"Past history." was all Tenshi replied. He finished his
lunch, and limped out of the cafeteria, leaving his friends watching
him with curiosity, and concern.
Arika skated across the cement, her mind nearly numb with all the training she had put in. The championship was only a day away, and she intended to win it. She was still angry at Kyran for insulting her over her board. And Tenvis. Arika was beginning to believe what Kyran had told her, she hadn't seen her boyfriend at school since their fight. Arika stopped for a second, and turned to the side. Tenvis was standing their, waving at her. She glided over.
"Tenvis, when did you get here?" Arika asked, stepping off her board and wiping her brow. Her French braid was beginning to come out of place.
"A few minutes ago. Dude, I thought I'd never get through to you!" Tenvis said, and then started coughing.
"Where you been, I haven't seen you at school?" Arika asked when Tenvis stopped coughing.
"Got sick!" He grinned. "That's what I came to tell you. I knew you were depending on me to come, but I might not make it. This bug's really got me by the throat." Tenvis grinned again, but not long. He saw the sadness seeping from Arikas face.
"I'm sorry to hear you're sick. You'd better get home before you get worse." Arika got back on her board, and drifted lazily off. She didn't see Tenvis leave, or Keklin show up. Tenshi followed Keklin, both on boards, to the bunny-slopes, and kept an eye on him.
"Tenshi, over here!" Tenshi looked up quickly, and saw Arika coming his way. "Tenshi, I thought your leg was out of service!?" Arika said with a laugh. Tenshi made an effort at a smile, but it was a grim one that appeared.
"Yeah, well. You know what they say. Something about a horse and all that. Couldn't let injury get the better of me, you know. Man, you look beat, you'd better get some rest before tomorrow." Tenshi said, hoping that Arika would take his advice and leave. In his eyes, Keklin had become too daring, and was trying to get Arika to notice him faster than anybody thought. But, to Tenshi's relief, Arika hadn't noticed. She hadn't noticed much of anything at school, except for the championship posters.
"Man, I am beat. But as you said, you can lead a board to water..." Arika laughed at the old pun. Tenshi finished it for her.
"...But you can't push her in!" a real smile spread across his face. "But my advice stands. You'll be no good at racing if you fall asleep. Go get some rems, and some bites. You look wasted as is." Arika smiled weakly, and nodded her head. Tenshi was right, she needed to give it a rest. She was the best she could be, and no last minute practice was going to help much.
"Okay, you talked me into it. But you keep at it, I want to brag about winning against you next year!" Arika smiled, and got off her board. Tenshi watched her go down the street, and turn a corner. He looked to his side, and spotted Keklin staring at the same sight. He boarded over to Keklin, and knocked him off the board. Keklin got up, and started yelling at Tenshi.
"Hey, what you do that for!? You stupid lunk head! Get down here and fight fairly!" Keklin started shouting, and a crowd gathered around him and Tenshi.
"I'm so sorry, I just lost control of my board, that's all. I promise it won't happen again." Tenshi said, hiding the sly grin the was trying to spread across his face. He got off his board, and limped over to Keklin. His limp had the intended effect. Though, people did not recognize the limp, Keklin caught the warning. Tenshi had been one of the best boarders in all of Era, and he hadn't just lost control of his board. The crowd scattered with the encouragement of an evil look from Keklin.
"She's mine. I'll warn you that right now, surfer." Keklin said threateningly under his voice.
"No, she is neither yours, nor anyone's. She is her own
master, not to be called attention to or fought for. You would do
best to remember that, Keklin. I won't warn you again." Tenshi
said, hoping on his board and sailing away before Keklin could
even get on his board. Keklin knew that he had just been warned,
and was beginning to think Arika wasn't worth all the trouble he
was going through. But then he shook his head, and grinned evilly
to himself. On Monday, she would notice him. Keklin went home,
and began making plans for what would happen at school on
Monday. And to him, it was the perfect day to get Arika to notice
him. It was Valentine's Day.
Arika was barely able to keep from jumping up and down. She wasn't hungry, but she knew she would need the energy later in the day, so she practically shoved a bowl of cereal down her throat, and tried to keep it down. Her mother just stared at her daughter angrily, and then glared back at the paper.
"You know, dear, I'm beginning to wonder if I should let you compete in this boarding championship at all. Just look at what your table manners have turned into, just atrocious! And you won't be back in time to do any chores, I take it. And if you win, you must celebrate, and throw a big party." Arika's mother said, disapprovingly. The only thing she wanted of Arika was for her to be a scientist, or a math professor of some kind. Arika nearly screamed.
"Mom!! This is important to me!! I've been working for years to be this good, the least you could do was support me!!" Arika yelled at her mother, and ran out of the kitchen.
"Didn't even clean up her cereal." Arikas mother commented to herself, and continued reading the paper.
Arika ran up the stairs, and into her room, slamming the door. She didn't need to leave for the contest for two hours, so she sat down on her bed. She picked up her board, and made sure it was perfect. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she messed up because her board was in poor condition.
"Why doesn't she understand? Why can't she support me for once?" Arika asked out loud to herself, and started crying. Her father had died when she was three, and she still missed him. She stopped crying, and went to rinse her face off. It wouldn't do to show up looking like a crybaby. When Arika got back into her bedroom, she laid on her bed, wondering what life would be like if her father hadn't been killed. Nothing came to mind, it had been to long since she had last known her father, all she remembered was bright red hair, and a deep laugh. To Arika, he had no personality. He was just a person who had been swept down river by the current of life. The phone rang, and Arika sat up sharply. She reached over to her night stand, and picked up the reciever.
"Hello?" Arika asked.
"Hello, um, Arika?" a voice on the other end asked. Arika couldn't recognize the voice.
"Who is this?" Arika asked, confused.
"Arika, I was wondering, since you broke up with Tenvis..." Arika cut the person off sharply.
"Listen Kyran, you can't have Tenvis! He's my boyfriend, and it's staying that way! So go soak your head!" Arika shouted.
"I'm not Kyran." the voice said. Arika felt the hair on the back of her neck rise.
"Wh, who is this?" Arika stammered, afraid.
"Don't you recognize my voice?" Arika heard anger wedging it's way through the phone. Arika became afraid. She knew her friends voices, and this wasn't one of them.
"Listen, I don't care who you are, but I'm giving you to three to tell me." Arika snapped, her fear turning to anger.
"I pass you in the hallway."
"One..." Arika said warningly.
"I'm in your classes, and your lunch."
"Two..." Arika was beginning to think it was a practical joke.
"You see me everyday."
"Three. That's it, I'm hanging up now!" Arika was starting to put the phone on the cradle, when she heard the last comment.
"And I love you." Arika was so surprised by the last words, she dropped the phone onto the cradle, hanging it up.
"Oh my god, what have I done? That was Tenvis!" Arika squealed, and picked up the phone again. She dialed in Tenvis's number. She heard it pick up on the third ring.
"Hello?" a groggy, half dead voice asked.
"Tenvis, that was the sweetest phone call you've ever given me!" Arika said sweetly.
"Arika? I don't think that was me." Tenvis said, coughing. "I'm to sick to do anything but lay here. I haven't touched the phone in days." Tenvis rolled over in his bed, and moaned.
"Listen, you had to have made that call no one else could have." Arika felt a chill go down her back.
"Sorry, but it wasn't me." Tenvis moaned again, and Arika knew he was telling the truth. Tenvis couldn't lie to her. She glanced at her clock, and noticed that she had to go.
"How time flies. Listen, go to go. Bye!" Arika hung up, grabbed her board, and raced out the door. She arrived at the championship fifteen minutes later, and saw the competition practicing.
"I'm doomed." Arika said to herself.
"Come on, you're not that bad. Cheer up, you'll do fine." Tenshi said, resting his hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah, you would. But I've never raced, besides getting here." Arika said nervously.
"But I won, and I had less experience than you, remember?" Tenshi said, soothingly.
"But you're better than me." Arika said, desperately.
"I'll make you a bet. If you win, I'll compete next year."
"And if I lose?" Arika asked warily.
"If you lose, you have to wear pants and a top to school. Deal?" Tenshi asked, holding out his hand.
"Deal!" Arika said, shaking his hand to seal the bet. "But a pants and top? Yuk!" Arika laughed, and left to warm up for the race.
"I hope you win, Princess, I really do." Tenshi said silently to himself.
"Hey, Tenshi!" Arika yelled out. Tenshi looked up, and saw Arika stick her tongue out at him. "Quit acting like a big brother!" Arika sped off, leaving Tenshi standing alone.
"Am I really acting like a big brother?" Tenshi asked himself out loud.
"Yes." A voice said, coming up behind Tenshi sharply.
"What!? Oh, Tao. I didn't know you were competing." Tenshi said, glancing back to the cement rink. His eyes wavered through the boarders, comparing their style and chances for winning. Not many were as good as Arika, in his opinion.
"Of course I was competing. Think I'd let a chance go by when I wouldn't?" Tao said, a smile spreading across her face. Tenshi said nothing. "Dude, it was a joke."
"Do me a favor, will you." Tenshi said, turning toward Tao. "Make sure nothing happens out there. Something is beginning to itch at me. And I think it all ties into that Keklin kid."
"Why do you call everyone kid, Tenshi? And what would happen out there any ways?" Hesper asked, coming up behind the two old friends. Tao cringed noticeably, Tenshi just glared forward, and then turned toward his friend.
"Hesper, I thought you were coming with your date. She hasn't disappeared, has she?" Tenshi said cruelly, hoping it would make Hesper go away. It did.
"Man, even for you that was cold!" Hesper said harshly, and stomped away to the other side of the crowd.
"That was mean." Tao said, sizing up the competition.
"I do not have the time, nor the patience to explain this all to him." Tenshi shot at Tao.
"Dude, you've never had the time nor patience for anyone but Arika." Tao said, drifting toward the rink.
"What was that supposed to mean!?" Tenshi shouted at Tao.
Tao didn't bother to answer.
The entire crowd was silent, starring at Arika. She had promised them a name, and now she was going to give it to them.
"Eternal Happiness!!!" Arika shouted, holding the board above her head. The crowd sat there for a second or two, but then started cheering.
"Glad I got that over with." Arika said, under her breath.
"Why such an odd name, Arika?" Tao asked, confusion written carefully across her face.
"Just sounded good. You know, like a bolt of lightening, or something." Arika said, shrugging her shoulders.
"Yes, like a bolt of lightening. Or something." Tao said, so softly that Arika didn't notice. A dark shadow crossed her face, and her eyes narrowed. To many odd events had set themselves up. And they were all about to come crashing down upon their heads.
"Three...two...one. Go!" the check was sounded, and Tao cleared all out of her mind. Concentrating on nothing but the race.
The race went over hills, cut turns, and looped the track. Within the first minute, half the racers had been disqualified. Tao was catching up on Arika, moving closer slowly. Tao was knocked back by another racer, but not knocked out. She swore under her breath, and sped up, ducking as the racer was rushed behind her by a speed bump.
"Got to watch those things. They can speed you both ways!" Tao said from beneath her helmet. Racers were never allowed in without a full facial helmet. To much could happen, and to many people could get killed.
Arika looked behind her quickly, and saw that the race was between her and Tao, all others had been wiped out. Arika scanned the course, and put the pedal to the medal, whipping forward at a astonishing pace. Tao swore again, and sped up once more. Arika, seeing the sharp turn up ahead, sped up some more. Just before she hit the turn, she turned sharply, and made it. Tao wasn't so lucky. She didn't see the turn until it was to late, and ran into the divider ahead.
Arika looked back, and saw that no one was on her tail. In fact, she saw no one at all. She slowed down in shock, but decided not to risk it. She sped up once more, and went over the finish line.
"And Arika comes in first, with no other competitors left to come in behind her!" the announcer yelled, the crowd rushed onto the track, and picked up Arika.
"Tenshi, you owe me big!" Arika laughed, pointing at the lone figure.
"Guess I do!" Tenshi laughed, looking at Arika sitting on a mosh pit of arms was hilarious. Arika got off, and the people started to break away, and go watch the recaps of the race.
"So, next year you expect me to race in that thing?" Tenshi asked, a smile spread warmly across his face.
"Yes, I do." Arika said, picking up her board. "And I expect you to win." Arika said, starring at Tenshi fiercely. She started walking toward the exit.
"You forgetting something." Tenshi said, and pointed toward the judges. A trophy was still sitting on their table.
"Oops! Thanks Tenshi!" Arika ran over to the judges table, and looked at the trophy.
"You did very well today. We were surprised when Tao didn't make the turn, it was her favorite one." One of the judges said, handing Arika the trophy. Arika wondered, suddenly, what if she hadn't won after all. What if she had been duped. Arika shook her head, and forgot the question almost immediately.
"Thanks! Bye!" Arika yelled behind her, and rushed over to where Tenshi was holding her board. "Come on, let's go home! I'm beat!" Arika said, and headed out the door.
"Tenshi, you knew Tao, right?" Arika asked half way to her house.
"Yes, why do you ask?" Tenshi asked back, confused. Did she know that they knew who she was?
"One of the judges said something odd about her. That's all." Arika said, starring at the pavement.
"Odd?" Tenshi asked, he was getting confused. And worried.
"Yeah. Said that the turn that wiped Tao out was her favorite one. Why would someone wipe out on their favorite turn? Did you bribe her, or something?" Arika asked, demanding to know the truth. Tenshi nearly sighed with relief. All Arika wanted to know was what had been bugging him all afternoon. Not what had been bugging him since he had met Arika.
"No idea in the slightest. Well, here's your house." Tenshi made a funny bow, and motioned that she was to go inside.
"Thanks Tenshi." Arika said, and went inside. Once inside,
Arika noticed that the only thing that happened was that her
mother had changed sections in the newspaper. She rushed
upstairs, and started rearranging her room for the trophy.
At the same time Arika had been racing, across the town, in
a room above the garage, a boy was checking to make sure that his
coat was long enough for the Valentines Day celebration. He
checked the measurements once more, and decided it was just the
right size.
When Arika got to school on Monday, the entire school was talking about the race. Arika had been the winner, and the only person to finish it. Everybody was cheering and calling out congratulations.
"Good job, Arika!" Arikas friends said, gathering around her. "Yeah, man, you whipped it up on that track! And the only one to finish!" Arika nodded yes, and broke free from the crowd.
"Hey Tenshi! Over here!" Arika waved her arms over her head. Tenshi smiled, and walked over. No one noticed the kid dressed in white standing behind him.
Keklin smiled a smile of pure hatred. He had been planning this day for an entire weekend, and no one was going to stop him. Not his friends, not the teachers, and not some senior with a limp. He was about to reach into his jacket, when his friend grabbed his shoulder.
"Hey dude..." Jrevin stopped talking, and fell to the ground as the shots pierced his body. The entire hallway started screaming, and a stampede followed. Keklin unleashed a rain of bullets into the crowd, stopping many of them in their tracks.
"What the?" Arika asked, trying to run, but Tenshi grabbed her arm.
"What's wrong with you!?" Arika screamed, and tried pulling free of Tenshis grasp.
"Look, he's mowing down the crowd!" Tenshi hissed. And, as if to accentuate his point, a girl fell dead next to Arika. Arika ducked down, and curled into a ball.
"This can't be happening to me!" Arika kept whispering. Finally, the bullets stopped, and Arika looked up. So did Tenshi.
"Arika, I would never hurt you." Keklin said, standing over her. He had to push aside a body, staining his white coat with a crimson smear. Arika shuddered, and stood up, Tenshi stood up as well, and got ready to grab Keklins gun.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" Arika sobbed, starring down. She looked up again almost immediately. The body on the ground was her friend, had been her friend, Kyran.
"I told you on the phone. Because I love you." Keklin said, as if it were a sunny day in the park. "Because I love the way your hair shines, and your eyes glow. Because I love the way you get angry, and look mad."
"But, why?" Arika cried, pointing all around. Fresh tears stinging her eyes every time she saw a person she had known.
"We can all end this now. Just put down the gun, and walk away." Tenshi said calmly, reaching for Keklin's gun. Keklin backed away a step. And then aimed.
"No I can't! You'll take Arika away from me! You'll laugh at me!" Keklin fired. And missed. Arika almost fainted.
Keklin fired once more, and Arika jumped to push Tenshi out of the way. But Arika missed as Tenshi backed away from the bullet. The bullet hit Arika in the chest. Arika felt the bullet burrow its way through her, and then into Tenshi. She fell onto the ground, and it was Keklin's turn to scream. Arika closed her eyes.
"No!" Keklin screamed, and then fired, ending his life, thinking that Arika was dead.
"Arika?" Tenshi asked painfully.
"Tenshi?" Arika moved to lean against the wall. She opened her eyes, and saw the blood spilling onto the floor. Then noticed Tenshi was bleeding. "Guess I wasn't a good shield."
Tenshi nodded painfully. He opened his mouth, and closed it. He tried speaking once more. "Arika." he gasped.
"Don't try to talk..." Arika started coughing. Blood was coming out the corner of her mouth.
"Arika, will you be my valentine?" Tenshi asked, blood was beginning to bubble out of his mouth as well.
Arika stared at Tenshi, and for the first time, noticed how handsome he was. She realized that, after all these years, she really had liked him. And that she had even come to love him. "Yes." Arika answered weakly. She saw Tenshis head droop, and felt his hand grow cold. And Arika knew he was dead. She started crying anew.
Her vision grew faint and, through her eyes, a mist came rolling in. Covering her friends, and hiding all but Tenshi from her view. Arika felt the blood seep slowly from her body, out of the bullet hole in her chest, carrying her life with it. Arikas head drooped, and she followed Tenshi into death.
Percy, stepped out of the halls shadow, and starred at
Tenshi, a tear trickled down her cheek. "Oh, Tenshi. You deserved
better." Percy said sorrowfully, wiping away her tears. She started
walking down the hallway, sadly, and disappeared into the
shadows from which she had come.
And so here ends the last in the line of the Fire Princess.
Doomed by a love never met, and ended by a love sorely wept...
Flames? Comments? Contact me at denki@angelfire.com
