Chapter Five: Strange New Things
So Kimi looked at herself in the mirror.
But she didn’t see herself in the mirror. She saw something else. Humanoid. Pitch black skin and hair. Gold claws. Like the winged woman. But the wings on her back? Gold. And her eyes were pure gold too.
She heard knocking on the door. Panic set in. She was stuck like this! She was okay with looking like this, but she didn’t know how anyone else would like it.
The door opened, Jem walked in.
“Kimi? What happened to you?”
“I-I-I…” She tried to shove words from her throat into the open air, but fears of sobbing held them down like a paperweight.
“Breathe,” Jem instructed, closing the door behind her. “Deep breaths.”
Kimi did as she was told, her breath wobbly and uneven. She quickly calmed down.
“Now, tell me what happened.”
“I woke up in the woods and felt so, so sick. And I was trying to find someone to help me, and I did, but I couldn’t see well and I passed out, and then I woke up here, feeling sore all over. And that lady with the big gold claws gave me something to drink and told me to take a nap and I woke up like this!”
“Alright. That’s alright. The woman who’s been taking care of you is Ulet, however, she wasn’t the one to find you. Her apprentice, Sei, did.”
Kimi nodded.
“Ulet said you reminded her of her sister.”
“Did her sister look like me?”
“According to her, you had a similar aura.”
“Can you get d-Karo?”
“Were you about to call him dad?”
“Y-yeah…”
“I guess I’m your mom then!” Jem grinned.
“I’m gonna get him.”
“Did I make you mad?”
“No, I just wanna see everyone else too.”
“Alright.”
Kimi opened the door and saw them
“Woah!! Kimi, you look awesome!” Jackie yelled, causing the three monsters, Sei, Ulet, and Kimi to cover their ears.
“Ow…”
“Oh! I’m sorry, I forgot you had sensitive ears!” Jackie apologized.
“It’s alright. Your inability to commit things to memory is rather endearing,” Sei said.
“Thank you? Okay but either way, Kimi looks so pretty! Gold and black is a great colour combo for you!” Jackie’s hands were curled in such a way they looked like paws. Kimi looked Sei in the eyes and grinned, and as their eyes darted away from Kimi’s, a little nod from said they saw it too.
Kimi smiled.
“Kimi, we were discussing something important earlier,” Ulet started.
“I remind you of your sister. Jem told me that.”
“It’s more than that. You’re clearly not entirely human, and you were born a year after my sister was kidnapped.”
“Oh. Oh my god. Y-you think my father kidnapped your sister and had me. I-I wouldn’t put it against him! He’s awful.”
“I’m glad you didn’t think I was antagonising him.”
“I thought you were, I just do that too.”
“You’re the princess of his kingdom, right?” Maxine asked.
“Yeah, why?”
“End him. Juniko allies behind you. Take the throne.”
“With Lirret gone, I rule the Monsters. But I would suppose since you were born, you are the true heir of your mother’s throne. They rally behind you.”
“I’d be happy to rule the island, but my older brothers will take the throne before I have a chance.”
“I will teach you how to use your family’s magic.”
Juno looked in awe, “Korowa’s roar? That’s an insanely powerful type of magic!”
“What’s that?”
Sei explained, “Korowa’s roar is a special variant of night magic. Night magic could level a city if used recklessly. But its most common uses are for healing. Korowa’s Roar causes an eclipse, at the cost of a lot of energy.”
“My father taught me how to store magic energy! He may be awful, but he’s powerful enough to single-handedly control the weather, and he has been without a break since he became king!”
“Then this should be simple. Meet me outside, but first, change out of those pyjamas, little one.”
“Okay, auntie!”
Kimi hurried into her room. She found a gold shirt and white pants and pulled them on.
Once she finished getting herself ready, she headed outside.
Sei was sitting in a tree nearby. “Hello again. Ulet is just south of here.”
“Which way is south?”
“The thickest moss on a tree faces north. Walk ‘round one and feel the moss on its trunk. Where it is softest, that is north.”
“Really?”
“We monsters have lived in forests since before time. We know how to orient ourselves where the sun cannot show its face.” Sei hopped from her perch and began walking, signalling for Kimi to follow.
“Nice. I never really left the palace grounds, so I never really learned how to find my way around.”
“You were a sheltered child?”
“I mean, sorta? My family always told me it was safer inside the palace, so I never really left, but my dad did train me and my brothers on how to use magic.”
“I lived in the woods until I was eleven. Most kids awaken at ten, but you have to be near other monsters to do so. I lived alone until Ulet got too close and I got sick like you did. I fell out of a tree. Ulet caught me and took me home.”
“Is she like a mother to you?”
“A little, yes. She’s more like a teacher though.”
“How much further do we go?”
“We’re here.”
“Ah,” Kimi said, “Auntie! I’m here!”
“Kimi! You’re ready?”
“Yes! I’m ready to learn!”
“Okay. Take your shoes off and sit down.”
Comments (0)
See all