Avery frantically walked through the halls of the royal family’s luxurious home, her head spinning, filled with beeping noise that muffled out all the sounds made by the people she passed.
Her breath was uneven and heavy.
She did not know where she was going or when she was going to stop.
She just couldn’t stop her momentum.
She eventually turned a corner, seeing no one around.
She collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily, her left hand clutching at the clothes covering her chest.
She leaned against the wall, trying to process all she heard, never in her life had she ever imagined to overhear something like that, not only that but the fear of knowing that were she caught, her life would have been forfeit, made her tremble in fear.
Her gulps of breath began to become less desperate as she rationalised the fact that she was now safe.
The two who were exchanging in the malicious dialogue did not see her, nor did they know she was there.
However, she did not see their faces either, and that worried her, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to protect herself with whatever attack is launched against the royal family.
She won’t know who to keep an eye on or avoid in cases where they start to act suspicious.
But she knew she had to tell Mike and Jason.
Her friends needed to know they were in danger, and that would be as far as she would get involved.
…..Meanwhile.
Valery sat down with a satisfied sigh, her stomach filled and the plate in front of her empty.
She rubbed her stomach in satisfaction, her eyes closed, taking in the heat of the sun.
“Gross, just gross,” said the same male voice from earlier, which has also been actively making rude comments here and there while she’s been eating, and this time it came from in front of her.
Her eyes snapped open to be faced with her empty plate, wondering if her plate was suddenly talking.
She widely stared at it intently, waiting for the voice to come back.
“Over here you nasty human…how insulting! You think im a plate?!!” Her eyes moved left of the plate to see the brown bear looking right at her, its arms folded over its chest, just a few inches from its purple bow and its brows creased in anger.
“You’ve got some nerve thinking im a plate!” The bear fumed.
“Wha-?” “It took you so long to notice me!, I’ve been trying to talk to you this whole time while you’ve been stuffing your mouth like a pig!!!” It yelled, again interrupting her.
It kept on ranting about her being rude and not noticing it while she was staring at it, both shocked and not knowing how to react.
Her stuffed state not helping her reaction speed either.
Soon enough though, she snapped.
“Shut the hell up!!!
” she yelled back “excuse me?!” the bear exclaimed, looking even more insulted.
“You talk so damn much, just shut up for a second! And you cry about me not knowing a stuffed bear is alive as if thats a normal thing that happens where im from?! Well news flash!! Its not!! Now stop fucking crying like some attention entitled loser and i dont know? Enjoy the sun with me or eat something! Because im trying to relax here and you’re killing my vibe, dude!” She said.
The bear was stunned silence, looking at her quietly.
“You can talk now,” she said reluctantly.
The bear nodded “i..um..can i also have some food? Please, ma’am?” he asked politely.
“You eat?” She asked, a confused look on her face.
The bear nodded.
“Yes, i do normal things organic beings do, however i am made of fluff and cotton”, “hmm, interesting. So you do have manners”.
The bear snapped “tch, of course i have manners. Look im sorry about earlier, alright?! I thought you were ignoring me and…i kinda overreacted, ” he pouted.
“Awww, what a cutie,” she patted his head, cooing.
Wish his short teddy paws, he attempted to reach over his big head to swat her hand away in aggravation, looking, “Stop it! Im not cute!”.
“Yes, you are~” “NO IM NOT!” he picked up a knife from the table and pointed it at her, “Touch me again, and I’ll stab you!”.
Valery hollered in laughter at his antics, patting him one last time before going to round him up some food.
A few moments later she returned with some food for the bear and he hastily thanked her before he began stuffing his mouth.
Valery rested her head on her hand and smiled warmly while looking at the bear.
“So…whats your name?”, the bear looked up at her and shrugged.
He swallowed his food, “i was created for you so you’re the one who should pick a name” he said.
“Oh..hmm…lemme see” she held her chin between her thumb and index finger, brows creased in thought.
“How about….Pan”,
“Pan?” he tilted his head, “yes, Pan, short for Pandora. In a way you’re like a cute ball of chaos from Pandora’s box, the box being this world” she said, her gaze distant, nostalgic, remembering something from her home.
Or someone.
“So, where are you from?..hmm~…And whats your name” He asked, mid bites.
“My name is Valery, and im from…earth?” she said, not sure if this is another planet, another universe, or another world entirely.
Pan nodded, “alright, miss Valery, my name is now Pan and im a magically made construct called Luru, we Luru are commonly created by the Ametrine tribe.”
“Ametrine tribe?”
“Yes, a tribe of mages who possess the birthright ability to make objects they create come to life. Other mage tribes can do it but its much more complex for them as they need ingredients and most of which are rare while for blood members of this tribe they can cast a simple creation spell and whatever they create can come to life, provided it has a face on it and has a physical body, most members have purple hair as a basic tribe trait” he explained.
“Hair? What does hair have to do with anything, dude?” She enquired, eye brow raised.
“It has to do with everything, here hair colour is the biggest representation of your tribe and thus your power. Unless, of course, if you’re a half blood. No one likes half-bloods” he said.
“Wild work, you were made by a purple haired guys though, so whats the beef with mixed kids?” she asked astonished at the lore, taking some bites out of the food she brought him.
He slapped her hand away angrily “get your own food!” he snapped, held a hand to his mouth, letting out a cough to clear his throat.
“Anyway, hair matters, each colour has different representation and basic birthright special magic abilities, as for why half bloods are disliked, its due to the fact they are seen as deceptive and abominations of nature as well as problematic in general” he explained, taking a bite of his food.
Valery sighed and rolled her eyes “let me guess, they have a mix of special powers from both tribes their parents are from? And people hate them because they’re more inheritely powerful?” she said matter-of-factly.
Pan nodded, “precisely, that and the deception part, no one can tell what their power is till they expose themselves or show it and by that time its too late for their opponent to truly do anything. Or they can be stupid and leave someone who fights them alive who will run to news articles and post it and have a bounty set on them with mages that counter each bloodline tribe they’re descendanted from teaming up to kill them, but you know, details-details” he shrugged.
“This world is so weird!” she groaned.
To be contined…