Sylestia looked at her sleeve, wet and covered in makeup, and whispered to herself "why am I crying?" Curled up on her bed, the lights out, the young elf hoped she was being quiet enough not to wake the rest of her team. It wasn't that she didn't want them to wake up. It was because if they woke up, they'd see her in this state and her pride refused to show that. She was a Amberblossom...
No, she wasn't. Not anymore. The words rang in her ears, though they had been said hours ago. "You are no longer my daughter." She'd lost everything with those words: no longer an heiress, no longer rich, no longer able to uphold the good Amberblossom name. That last had been the problem. She wanted that name to mean something good. She wanted to prove to the world that not all of her family cared more about money than ethics.
Her last meeting with her family she had argued the point with her father... her ex-father. It had gotten heated, especially when Bell was brought up. He could insult her, calling her both a mule and a mutt. Both prejudiced terms for a half-blood. And Bell was indeed a half-elf. An insult to her teammates was more than she could take. She didn't even remember doing it, but she remembered the sound. The silence that followed it as a shocked look crossed his face and his hand went to his reddening cheek. Then he said those words, and Sylestia didn't care, not at that point. She was too angry. She left without a second thought and went back to her only real home; Western Academy and her teammates.
It didn't hit her untill now what it all meant. Her father may have questionable ethics, but he never went back on anything he said. His twisted sense of honor wouldn't allow it. It wasn't the loss of all her physical goods that hurt right now; it was the reality that she was, once again, alone.
She looked across the dorm room in the moonlit darkness and saw Bell and Diane on their respective bunk-bed, and heard the loud snore of Jasmine above her. No, not alone. Not yet anyways.
This hadn't been her first fight with her father, though it certainly was the last. She'd grown up in that environment. She was "the heiress to the Amberblossom empire" in the public eye, but it was her sister who got her father's attention. When the time came, Sylestia fully believed that Summer would become the head of the family. Her father had been very clear on that point.
A new rush of tears fell, remembering the isolation. She didn't like it, but she started patterning herself after Summer. If that was what he wanted, that was what he'd get. She would do almost anything to get her father's love. She was only six at the time. It was only natural.
The only thing that he had shown any approval of was her singing. She could sing like an angel. He'd book entire auditoriums for her performances. She didn't know it was a cover for him to meet with the less savory nobles he had business dealings with at the time. All she knew was it was the perfect metaphor for her life. She stood alone. Thousands of people watched her, but never got close. Listened to her music, fawned over her beauty and skill, but didn't really care about the scared little girl underneath.
There was only one thing that had given Sylestia any confidence at all. She was a Amberblossom. By definition she was better than everyone else; everyone who wasn't another Amberblossom. This was reinforced by all the people who wanted to curry any kind of favor with her, and how her father looked down on them. Even if she wasn't good enough for her own family, she was still worlds above most.
A particularly long and loud snore came from above her. She punched the bottom of the top bunk to get Jasmine to stop, more out of anger for her own situation than to stop the snoring. But a shake of the bed indicated Jasmine had rolled, and the snoring had at last stopped.
When she realized she would never get her father's love was when everything snapped into perfect clarity. She was alone, and would always be alone. Rather than allowing it to hurt her, to allow people to care only for her money and status and for her father not to care at all she kept her distance and made sure no one would come near her. The more they tried, the more she knew they didn't care about anything but what it meant to them to be seen with her. It made her skin crawl, and it made her angry. An arrogant air seemed to turn people away the fastest. After time had passed she even began to believe the facade.
And then she met Jasmine, in the worst way possible. Talk about bad impressions! Despite herself a small chuckle escaped her at the memory. Jasmine was a force unto herself, even if Sylestia hadn't realized it at the time. After all, she couldn't see beyond her own self importance. She was a Amberblossom, and for the first time she was the only one. She was the most worthy one there.
Sylestia was fairly certain Jasmine hadn't realized what kind of force of nature she was either. With her came the rest of the team. Trust was the big thing. It was something completely alien to her, but fighting side by side trust was inevitable. Friendship followed. True friendship, which she'd never had before. She'd become happy without really knowing when.
Her friends had given her the strength to be honest with her father, rather than trying to be his porcelain doll. She told him how disgusted she was with what he was doing to the Amberblossom name, and their family's noble influence. How did she think that was going to work out? And she called Jasmine a dolt!
A small piece of her childhood self must still have been inside her hoping her father would love her.
The muffled crying continued until sleep finally claimed her. The dreams that came after were closer to nightmares.
The morning was bright, Jasmine was animated, and Bell and Diane were both still in their bunks. One was reading and the other sleeping. Everything was normal. There were three more days left of the mid-semester break, and Jasmine was being quiet (by her standards), but Sylestia knew from experience she had all three days planned out to make the best of them for herself and her team. It was adorable in its own way. Not that Sylestia would ever admit it to anyone.
Normal. It all felt wrong to Sylestia. She knew it shouldn't. They didn't know what had happened to her, so they were going to just do as they always have. She wasn't going to disillusion them. Sylestia couldn't bear to see the pity in their eyes. She may not be a Amberblossom anymore, but she still had her pride.
"Come on Diane, everyone else is up. Stop being such a sleepy head,” Jasmine wined.
"Dolt. You know that if there are no classes she won't rise before ten for anything short of pulling one of her hairs out." The words left her mouth out of reflex, so ingrained was this routine.
"I wouldn't recommend doing that again," Bell responded in her near monotone voice. It was what passed for sarcasm with her. "I don't want to have to repair our furniture again."
The irrepressible Jasmine wasn't thwarted. "It wasn't that bad."
"She punched a hole through my bed!" Bell responded.
That sheepish look crossed her face, her two pointer fingers tapping together. "It wasn't that big of a hole."
"I was in it at the time, and the mattress' stuffing made me look like a chicken."
Sylestia began to tune it all out. Everything was normal, except for her.
"Sylestia! Syyylleessstia!"
"Huh?" Startled back to reality she looked around and realized Diane was awake. Obviously a lot of time had passed.
"You drifted off somewhere in la-la land," Jasmine said. "Are you okay?"
"Of course I'm fine! What kind of dumb question is that?" Ah yes, haughty arrogant princess. That was familiar. It was safe.
All three of her friends took a step back, a bit of shock on their faces. That bitterness wasn't like Sylestia, not for two years now. The sarcasm was, of course, but not the icy intent. She knew what was crossing their minds, of course. Even if it had been years the echoes from that past were unmistakable.
Damage control time. After a deep breath, "I'm sorry. I just didn't sleep well." It was another half truth, but at least it wasn't an outright lie. She waved her hand dismissively, as if it wasn't really anything of consequence. "So what did I miss?"
That was the wrong thing to ask. Jasmine launched herself into an exciting day that she had planned. She spoke so fast that after a minute Sylestia raised her hands up as if to defend herself. "Okay, okay, I get it. Really, you shouldn't talk so fast."
"I didn't." A thoughtful look crossed her face.
"Oh no, I forbid it!" She new too well that hyperactive friend was capable of at least two gears faster than that.
That brought on a defeated pose, her head and arms hanging down dejectedly. Three, nearly four, years after meeting her and she still had that innocent charm. Sylestia didn't think it would ever leave her. It was as much a part of her as her mothers hair pin she wears to this day.
"Oh, alright, but I'm not going to pay attention to it, just to be clear," Sylestia said testily. And that was all it took. Everything was right in Jasmine's world.
Sylestia tried to smile, but it was forced. If anyone had been paying attention to her they would have known. I can be normal still. This will all pass, she lied to herself, and we'll all be laughing about it later.
Why Jasmine went to Kathy for advice even Jasmine couldn't explain in words. Kathy wasn't exactly a subtle or tactful person. While Jasmine was tactless herself out of a social awkwardness that was with her to this day, Kathy's lack of tact came from a level of enthusiasm that made her speak before she fully processed her thoughts. Yet here she was asking Kathy advice while the others were off in the library studying, or more likely getting beat by Shawn at the strategy game World Peril again.
After a heavy petting session, it was giving the two girls time to stretch out on the floor and have a little heart to heart. A few pillows and some overstuffed blankets and it was reasonably comfortable, and more spacious than any of the other locations they could have chosen.
"So you're saying you're worried because Sylestia is being cold, grouchy, and snipish lately?" Kathy asked with a 'and this is new to you how?' smile on her face. "She's been like that for a month, at least."
"It sounds silly when you say it, but yeah; more so than normal." She shook her head slightly. There was more to it than just that, but she wasn't sure Kathy would believe her. Sylestia seemed off in another way. If she didn't know better Jasmine would say she had no confidence.
"Yesterday she picked a fight with Bell about the New Order, calling them degenerates from the day they were formed, not just the final years. Bell walked away from it rather than actually hitting Sylestia, but I think it was a near thing.” Jasmine paused, thinking about it. New Order, when it was first formed, had been a peaceful organization intent on getting equal rites for the half bloods. Frustration at their continuing failures to achieve their goals eventually corrupted them, but the motivation had been pure at first. “I know Sylestia doesn't feel that way. Not anymore. So why?" Oh, when they first met she had been one of the biggest bigots Jasmine had the displeasure of meeting, but that was to be expected of an elf, especially one as well connected as she was.
"So she's going after her own team now? That is bad. I really did hope it was just my team." Kathy leaned back, fully relaxed and unnaturally docile for her. Jasmine had timed this conversation perfectly after a strenuous workout, which Jasmine had pushed Kathy a bit harder than normal.
She valued Kathy's input, but she didn't want to get sidetracked as Kathy was want to do normally. "Ya think maybe something ha- ha-" Kathy let out a big yawn. "happened between her and her folks?" Okay, maybe Kathy was a bit too relaxed. "After all, this seemed to start after she got back from her visit with them."
Jasmine was a bit surprised. 'Folks' meant Kathy didn't know. Did Sylestia only tell her? "Her mom died when she was young, so really it's just her dad and her sister, but maybe." Jasmine had caught the slight change in Sylestia too, but hadn't been sure. She was happy to get a confirmation. "I'm not sure what that could be. She loves them of course, but certainly doesn't like them. She's grouchy every time she gets back. What more could they do to her?" A small idea came to her at those words, but she wasn't sure. She filed it away for future analysis. It would explain a few things she'd seen in her friend lately.
"I could rough her up and force it out of her!" It was classic Kathy, in her bloodthirsty yet oddly cheerful and cute voice. A bit of her normal self was starting to show through. Jasmine couldn't help but laugh. Then again Jasmine laughed at everything, even Sylestia's attempts at humor.
And that was when the door opened. After their 'exercise' both Jasmine and Kathy had been too comfortable to worry about getting dressed again. Jasmine reflexively grabbed at their blanket. Kathy just leaned a bit further back and folded her arms to purposely accentuate her bare breasts with a smile. Why hadn't Jasmine at least locked the door? The tie thing was out. Everyone knew what a tie meant and she didn't want anyone to know it might be her. But locking the door was so simple. No, that wouldn't have made a difference, just delayed things. It isn't like they could get dressed and clean the mess in the short time it would have taken Sylestia to unlock it.
Sylestia's eyes were shocked for one second, if that. Then they became hard, unforgiving, and focused completely on Jasmine. It scared her. Those were the eyes she saw the day they first met. Jasmine wasn't sure why Sylestia was so angry, or why she felt so guilty. She and Kathy had been quiet about their affair, but it wasn't like this kind of thing was unheard of in college.
Without a word Sylestia turned around and left, closing the door behind her.
"Well that was something," Kathy replied sarcastically, not appearing to be put out in the least.
Jasmine was near tears, and again she wasn't sure why. "I need to be alone Kathy."
A confused look crossed Kathy's face, and then a big smile replaced it. "Well if that's what you want then I'll let you have your time, but I'm just across the hall if you need anything. I think I'll just go talk to Wynn. I'm sure he's lonely without me, probably just reading. You know how he is." Jasmine watched Kathy get dressed and listened to her talk now that the afterglow fog was starting to clear and appreciated her beauty. Kathy was a great friend and beautiful, but that was all there was to it for her. Well that and Jasmine needing help to understand her own sexuality.
Kathy was the only open lesbian Jasmine knew well enough to even ask. And well, this happened. Kathy didn't really care who knew what was going on. She was just as open about her sexual orientation as she was about every other aspect of her life. More or less it was in your face because there was no such thing as a filter between her brain and her lips. It was Jasmine that was hiding it. She was embarrassed, confused, and more than a bit guilty.
"Jasmine," Kathy said as she opened the door, her voice unusually soft. "I know this is for fun and a bit of experimentation, but it's been good hasn't it?"
"Of course!" She faked. It had been fun, and she did learn a lot about sex and herself. But that wasn't what Kathy meant about "good" and she knew it.
Got to find her, got to find her, got to find her, Jasmine chanted inside her head, while verbally she said "Sylestia, where are you? Please, I want to talk to you."
Jasmine ran into a wall as she made one turn in the dorm hallways. Well actually it was Diane, but it might as well have been.
Jasmine was able to send her magic into external items like wards, runes, and glyphs, making her a sorcerer. Of magic users it was the most common, and the easiest to teach. Both her sister and Sylestia were of the other type of magic user, able to use their own magic within. Sylestia used it to cast spells, making her a Mage, but her sister used it to enhance her own body and mind, making her a Jutsu Master.
"Hello sis!" Diane said cheerfully as she reached down to give her sister a hand up. "What's this about Sylestia?"
Thinking quickly Jasmine grabbed Diane's wrist and pulled. "Not here," she said, pulling her back to their dorm room as fast as she could.
Unphased Diane asked "Well?"
"Well you know how I haven't really dated, even though there have been plenty of cute boys who've been interested and I was always kinda uninterested. And they were cute; did I mention they were cute? I mean I'm quite popular, though I didn't want to be popular just a normal girl, remember? So really it was only natural that boys would keep hitting on me and..."
"You're gay, you've been sleeping with Kathy, I know," Diane interrupted. "Can we move on to Sylestia?" Caught off guard, Jasmine just stopped and looked blankly at her sister. "You've been sleeping with Kathy. How long did you think she could keep her mouth shut? Wynn knew the night you approached her, and we all knew by the time you two really, you know, did it."
That slowed Jasmine down, with a humorous and extremely shocked look on her face; for a couple of seconds anyways. "But what about Sylestia? I mean she didn't seem to know when she opened the door, and I mean really surprised, and she gave me that angry look. Remember her angry look, when we first met? No, of course you don't cause you ran off with your friends, but it was really scary and..."
"Wait wait wait, Sylestia caught you two?" Jasmine was fully aware that Diane was using simple questions thrown in to slow her thinking down. Her sister was well accustomed to her going off the handle when she was nervous, upset, or extremely excited, and was good at steering the conversation. The small, non-jabbering, portion of her brain was thankful for it right this moment. She needed help, and she needed to get moving.
Still, her voice was on autopilot. "Yeah, and Kathy didn't even try to hide that she was naked, but I completely covered myself, and so you'd think she'd look at Kathy first, but she was looking at me with those angry eyes, and you'd think I would be scared, but really I was just feeling guilty..."
"Slow down, what did Sylestia do after the angry look?"
"She left, which is why I was out there calling her name, and then I ran into you and... Oh, you know the rest. Can I go find Sylestia now?" A short sentence. Well shorter. She was starting to come back down. Good.
"Yes, I'll stay here in case she comes back and I'll call you if she does. You might want to stop calling her name though. If she's trying to hide from you warning her you're coming probably isn't going to work so well."
Getting all of that off her chest, Sylestia was visibly calming down. She reached out and gave Diane a hug. "Thank you; you're the best sister ever!" And then she was off.
Watching Jasmine leave, Diane couldn't decide if she was upset or happy. Why did Kathy get involved with Jasmine? It had been clear years ago that Jasmine and Sylestia were going to end up together to everyone except the expected couple, so why sabotage it? When asked she'd simply shrug and say she was just speeding things along. Diane had nearly gone to blows over it, but she managed to hold her temper in check. Any kind of fight could bring what everyone knew was happening between Jasmine and Sylestia's out in the open. As shy as Jasmine could be she would likely go into her shell, and Sylestia was just pig headed enough to push away out of her odd sense of pride. And that wasn't even counting the stygma of lovers being from different races. The only boon there was they wouldn't have any children, and that was a very small boon in the eyes of society.
Of course, both outcomes were only theories, but there were at least five more that spelled them knowing causing more harm than good. Why risk it? They would end up together over time just from their own mutual attraction. It was best if they figure it out naturally than unwanted matchmakers pushing them.
This development though was possibly the perfect storm to bring them together, or tear them apart. Either way she felt sorry for both of them. Sylestia must be crushed thinking the one she loved had no chance of returning her feelings, and Diane knew Jasmine well enough to know where her guilt was from. She felt like she somehow cheated on Sylestia, though it was only on a subconscious level right now.
Then again Sylestia had changed lately, setting everyone on edge with her frosty behavior. Diane didn't really believe it but the thought was still naggingly there. What if Sylestia was returning to her old self because soon their time at Western would be over? If that was the case she could force it all to end before it truly began.
But Diane was happy. Her sister was a force of nature. It will end in their favor. She was certain of that. She stopped to think what day it was on her mental calendar, and smiled. And I'm going to win the pool.
Sylestia felt a pain unlike any she had ever known; one more powerful than her father disowning her. How close was she with the members of Omni? They'd flee at the first chance. She knew Bell would desert her. In her team she was the one Sylestia expected it to happen with. Diane wouldn't leave her so much as simply disappear on some adventure on the other side of the world after graduation. But Jasmine, she was the one person she'd hoped would stay.
She never suspected, or expected, Kathy of all people to get in the way. In the way of what? an unwanted voice asked.
She had to hide. She didn't want to have Jasmine catch up with her, or any of them to see her like this.
Hiding in an academy wasn't an easy task. The good spots had already been found. She needed someplace gross, smelly, and cramped. Places where the other students wouldn't want to hide for their public displays of affection. A broom closest was the solution. The chemical smell of cleaners hit her in the face as she opened the door. Well, at least if she was caught she could blame the chemicals for her tears.
She sat, smudging her white robes on the grimy floor. Sylestia couldn't define what was running around in her head as thoughts. More like instinctive yearnings and fears chasing each other's tails. Hugging herself tightly, she let them have their way for now. A few minutes later she heard Jasmine pass by, quietly calling Sylestia's name. It went unanswered.
Dolt. She'll probably spend the rest of the day looking for her, missing dinner if necessary. She wouldn't stop until morning. Sylestia knew what would happen when Jasmine did find her. She could picture it in her head perfectly. Jasmine's words would be like a knife being so gently pushed into her heart. Jasmine would say anything to make Sylestia understand it wasn't about her; that she and Kathy had just found something. Something she couldn't get from Sylestia.
Fine! If she couldn't get it from Sylestia, then at least she was getting it somewhere. I'll get her to understand one way or another that I don't need her, and she can go back to what makes her happy without guilt. I'll force her to if needed! The thoughts continued in that cycle; the anger in them building with each rotation. By the time she was ready to face the world she wasn't in the mood for any diplomacy.
She went directly to her dorm room, half expecting to find Jasmine waiting for her. She was half right, finding a half sister instead. Diane looked like hell, but Sylestia knew she hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours. "Where have you been?" Diane started, a bit of heat and a lot of worry in her voice. "You've got Jasmine worried sick."
"Jasmine should mind her own business," Sylestia retorted with a bit of the superior "I'm better than all of you" tone she used to ooze thrown in. A tone she didn't have any right to anymore, but was good armor to wear in any situation.
"She cares about you," the heat was definitely rising in Diane's voice. Good, no point in waiting till graduation for her desertion.
"No. She doesn't. She may act the cute adorable feather-head, but she's in it all for herself. She made us all into the perfect team so she could look good in front of the Headmaster, and it worked. She'll get her pick of jobs as long as she can hold us together until the end of semester." Sylestia couldn't believe the words left her mouth, and she certainly didn't believe a single one of them. That wasn't the point though. She got a reaction.
Diane was a woman of extremes with few grey areas. Normally cheerful, she had only a couple of buttons to push. Attacking her sister, that was a big button. She was playing with fire; time to stoke the flames. "You're just too thick to notice because she's your sister. I bet she laughs every time she thinks about it."
That did it. Diane's eyes were the only warning, but it was all Sylestia needed. She cleanly bent backwards avoiding the fist that would have connected otherwise, and continued the motion into a backward somersault, each leg set to connect with a powerful kick should Diane be foolish enough to follow up her attack. The punch was no joke. If it had connected it would have probably knocked Sylestia out, whether she was magically shielded or not. It was fortunate that Diane's eyes were such an obvious tell.
"Hmmph!" was all Sylestia said in reply to the attack, with a roll of the head and eyes. Then with a superior sniff she turned and left.
A muffled "Sylestia..." was heard behind her through the door, but Diane didn't chase after her. As quickly as Diane's temper had flared, Sylestia knew it had cooled just as fast. It didn't matter. Her only regret, or the only one she was allowing herself to acknowledge, was that she didn't get to change out of her grimy robes first.
Jasmine's phone rang, and seeing Diane's face on the ID she paused her headlong run to answer it; hoping that Sylestia had shown up at their room. "I messed up," Diane said before Jasmine had a chance to say anything. "She bated me, and I bit."
No need to ask who 'she' was. "What did she get you to do?" Jasmine had only one guess off the top of her head, and she was afraid the answer was going to prove her right.
"I took a swing at her, and I wasn't holding back." Jasmine stopped breathing, her fears confirmed. Diane continued, oblivious of Jasmine's reaction. "She knew it was coming of course, and she ducked it." Breathing started back up again. "Then she got all superior like she has been lately and left. I called you as soon as I calmed down. It couldn't have been more than a couple of minutes. What's wrong with her?"
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." The voice was steady and determined, like she got when in a battle. It was going to be a fight, but one of emotion and words and Jasmine had no intention of losing. She felt the importance of this moment on her shoulders; as if it would dictate the direction of her entire life. She couldn't lose!
She knew Diane would recognize that tone, and she hoped it would reassure her sister. Ruby wasn't sure if Diane realized how much she had helped her. She had gotten so upset that she hadn't really been thinking. Before Diane's intervention she'd been reacting and going into her nervous circular chatting patterns. If Diane hadn't come along and calmed her she'd still be in that state and completely helpless against the challenge before her.
Hanging up the phone she charged towards the dorms. She was on the other side of the grounds, and the longer she took the further away Sylestia would be from them.
She reached into her pocket and found the small saphire and pored her magic into it. Instantly she felt her speed increase to superhuman levels. With this crystal she could run faster than her sister. Internal magic was useful, but the power she could command with her stones surpassed them. They just were limiting by the nature of needing the stones.
She could have caused a small vacuum if she used this crystal to its fullest capacity, but she resisted that desire. She didn't need to upset her classmates. She'd get there quick enough as it was.
When she did get there her breathing was perfectly calm. She got there in time to see Sylestia go around the corner of the dorms towards the gardens. Quietly Jasmine followed, not wanting to spook her friend.
She wasn't sure where she was going. She didn't really have a place to go: no home, no friends, no nothing. She had only herself to blame, and deep down she knew it. She found herself outside, in the garden next to the dorms. It was a beautiful spot with the smell of flowers everywhere. It didn't fit with Sylestia's mood at all.
"There you are!" The voice behind her was unexpected, mainly because Sylestia assumed Jasmine would still be calling her name, giving her a chance to prepare herself. Unguarded, Jasmine got a split second to see the hurt behind the facade. She hadn't needed to see it though. She knew. Sylestia could be a real pain, but she wasn't hurtful normally.
"What do you want?" Sylestia snapped, while in her head Go away, please, just leave me alone. Of course that wasn't what happened.
"I want to know what's wrong! This isn't like you. Not anymore!" The desperate look in Jasmine's eyes could not be faked. Not wanting to acknowledge what that expression said, what it promised, Sylestia ignored it instead.
"Nothing's wrong, you dunce, so why don't you go where you're wanted." Anger rose in her, fueled by her own self-doubt and a sense of jealousy she knew she had no right to. She had tried capturing the bitter cold of the northern wastes to freeze Jasmine's passion. Instead it seethed with the heat of the hottest forge. She turned her back towards Jasmine, trying to show just how little she cared, and doing the exact opposite.
Sylestia froze when the arms circled her, holding her from behind. Jasmine rested her chin on Sylestia's shoulder. "Please, stop pushing us away," she whispered in her ear. "We all know something's wrong, and we..." Sylestia paused for the barest of seconds. "I am here to help."
"Just what a good team leader should say, now isn't it? Well stop. It's last semester and we'll all go our own way after we graduate. You don't need to pretend to care about the 'ice queen' anymore, and I don't need to worry about my promise to be the best teammate." Those words hurt more than any she had said in her life. She could physically feel her heart squeeze in her chest. It was hard to breath, but she had to endure. Better to cut it off now than later. The longer the farce went on, the more painful it would be when it ended.
"Nope. I don't believe you. And you don't believe you either. I can feel it, right here." The emotional pain grew worse when she felt Jasmine's hand over her own heart. She felt her knees start to collapse under her, but Jasmine's arms tightened and held her upright. "I will never let you fall Sylestia. Never! You hear me?"
"Why? Why do you care? I'm not worth it..." The memory of Kathy and Jasmine cuddling in a nest of blankets on their floor invaded her mind. "Besides, you have others to hold close. You don't need me. Everyone loves you."
"And I care for everyone, and that includes you."
Sylestia couldn't stand it anymore. She wanted to lean into the embrace so much. Instead she shrugged out of it and turned back around to face her before Jasmine could hold her again. "You insufferable little brat!" she lashed out, determined to get Jasmine to leave. "How much clearer can I be? I don't want you. You're holding me down, and frankly you're suffocating me. You're better off without me, and I'm going to be just fine without you. Now go."
"Nope."
"What do you mean nope?" Sylestia asked incredulously.
"Nope. I'm not leaving you behind, and I won't let you leave me behind. Tell me already, what happened? It was your father, wasn't it?"
Sylestia did collapse this time, but Jasmine was there halfway through the fall, catching her. "I told you already, I'll never let you fall." How could she know? She wasn't that bright, frankly.
"How..?"
"Oh come on Sylestia, I'm not the naive girl you met. I do notice things, like my best friend becoming bitchy right after coming back from your last visit."
And she thought she had hid it so well. Who's the dolt? Then she noticed the two missing words that should have been in that last sentence. Not 'one of my best friends,' but 'my best friend.' She couldn't stop it from happening. She leaned in, and began making the front of Jasmine's shirt wet with her own tears. It wasn't all she had ever wanted to hear, but it was closer than she deserved.
"I'm not a Amberblossom anymore. You don't need to treat me like some kind of princess, because I'm not. I'm not anything." She felt naked with that admission with her defenses down and ready for a strike she hoped wasn't coming, but couldn't rule out.
"So he finally disowned you?" Sylestia nodded her head into Jasmine's shoulder. "Good. He wasn't good for you anyways. Who cares if you aren't a Amberblossom anymore? You are still part of the best team Western has seen in a generation, and you're going to be one of the most sought after mages in Vale. You know how that happened? It wasn't because of a name. It was because of you. You are a good person, a good friend, and one of the smartest most capable people I know."
"You and your speeches." Damn if it didn't feel good to hear that. She meant something. She wasn't certain she really believed it, but the fact Jasmine did meant more than all the worldly goods she no longer had.
"You make it easy." Were those tears dripping on her? Sylestia looked up, and indeed Jasmine was crying. It didn't look natural. Jasmine always looked on the bright side. Eternally cheerful, even in the heat of battle a smile would be on her lips. So why?
Jasmine looked down and saw the questioning look on Sylestia's face. "Do you think you're the only person whose felt abandoned? My mom died when I was a baby. Dad fell apart after that. I was alone, but I had Diane. Without her I would have been completely lost. I can only guess at how you feel. You have no one left in your family who cares about you, and you never really had any friends until Western." The tears were coming down harder now. Sylestia reached up and brushed a few off Jasmine's face.
Sylestia had already known most of that, but it never really registered how much that must have hurt Jasmine. It was easy to forget because of how naturally cheerful she was. It struck Sylestia just how well Jasmine understood. Without conscious thought Sylestia reached around, pulling Jasmine in closer. "Stop the speeches already, Dolt."
Two floors up Kathy looked down and smiled. "About time."
ns216.73.216.181da2
and then Add to home screen.