~CELESTIA~
I slowly opened my eyes, forcing myself to sit up. I removed the thin blanket that was draped over me, swinging my legs over the side of the bed so my feet touched the cold wooden floor.
The sun had started to rise and I could hear the sounds of nature from my open window.
Smiling, I got out of bed, stretching my arms over my head. Time to wake up.
My eyes looked over to the open luggage; half of it was filled with my possessions as I prepared to leave for Aslan. I could feel my nervousness regarding the upcoming entrance exam.
Taking a deep breath, I opened my dresser drawer— grabbing a sports bra and a pair of yoga pants that were stretchy enough for me to move around with ease.
It was time for my morning run, to be followed by some deep stretches prior to my training with Magnor.
I quickly got dressed, taking a moment to glance at the purple bra with pink edging. I personally loved the white logo print in the middle — a big circle with an 'R' and what looked like a lightning bolt sliced through it.
I slid into my black yoga pants, smoothing out the tight material so it lay flat on my body. I grabbed my black socks and pink running shoes, putting them on quickly.
As fashionable as I'd liked to be, I was already behind schedule and was running out of clothes— this uneven match would have to suffice. I wish interdimensional shopping wasn't so expensive.
I glanced over to my standing mirror, my mismatched eyes took a good head to toe glance at my overall appearance. I sighed, thinking of my inner desire to 'borrow' Magnor’s credit card and go on an intergalactic shopping spree.
I grabbed my hair tie, throwing my messy locks into a bun, making sure the colored strands were hidden from view. I already had to deal with people staring at my odd colored eyes, and didn’t want to give them another reason to judge and mock me.
I always struggled to remember to change my purple eye to green before heading to town. I sometimes wondered if DEM was the reason why it had changed color. I knew from Magnor’s explanation that Sia’s eyes were purple. I guess it was one of those things we just had to live with. At this point, I doubt either of us minded.
After nodding to myself in approval, I made my way out of the room, down the hall and out of the house.
I breathed in the crisp air, smiling as I heard the click of the door shutting behind me. The smell of morning dew was soothing to my very soul, always making me excited to start the morning with a brisk run.
I began to jog away from the house, but froze when I heard a familiar voice — one that caused me to groan in agony. WHY?
"If it isn't the magical unicorn herself," the sneering voice greeted.
I took my time turning around to face the male shifter, narrowing my eyes on one of the many tormentors that had plagued my childhood.
He was the same age as me, with long black hair which was currently tied in a ponytail and dark red eyes that reminded me of blood— the color I wished stained his clothes while I punched him till he begged for mercy. Well, a girl could dream, right?
He wore the traditional robes of his clan, the gold symbol standing out against the dark grey cloth. You'd think robes would make a man look sexy and dominating, but trust me, this guy wasn't doing them any justice.
I took a calming breath, putting on my best innocent smile as I looked right into the blood colored eyes I despised. "What do you want, Vincent?" I questioned. I didn't want to spend my energy on him, not to mention I disliked his kind.
Every past encounter with him always ended badly but today wasn't going to be one of those days. His attempt at dimming my spirits with his name calling had become ineffective long ago; I had gotten used to him and his fellow clan mates and their numerous ways of insulting me.
As Magnor always liked to say — kill them with kindness.
It was only a matter of time before I proved to everyone that I was not someone to look down upon and belittle. That was one of the things that motivated me to work hard every single day.
Vincent smiled, his sharp canines showing as he looked at me. He approached, walking toward me till we faced one another.
"My father and I are here to talk to Master Magnor. I doubt you've heard, but I got accepted into the great Aslan Academy." His red eyes sparkled with pride as he glanced down at me, his six-foot frame leaving me with no choice but to look up at him. "I could use a couple of tricks up my sleeve when I go to the Academy."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as he puffed his chest out, looking boastful. I continued to smile. "Congratulations! I heard that school is hard to get into. I am surprised you got in so easy."
He grinned, his fangs still peeking out— ignoring my hidden insult. "I’m not. I am the best candidate in my clan. The moment I submitted my application, I could already imagine the acceptance letter in my grasp."
I had to cough, hiding the wave of laughter that desperately tried to escape. His arrogance had always gotten on my nerves— today being no different.
Deep breath, Celestia. I just need to be polite and try to escape this conversation so I don’t have to spend another agonizing minute with this asshole.
"Isn't this just great? Here you are, at what...twenty-five? Going nowhere, even with someone as great as Master Magnor training you," he mocked.
I stiffened at his words; my fists clenched while I tried to keep my cool.
This was his usual behavior— always trying to put me in my place. To him and the rest of the villagers, I was nothing but a charity case, not even worth the pity they thought Magnor was showing me.
It was the same mockery I'd heard for years, but that didn't mean those words didn't pinch at my heart.
I remained quiet, watching him carefully for that glint of satisfaction from hurting my feelings. Too bad I wasn't going to give him such enjoyment.
He continued, "Come now, Celestia. Admit it. I know you’re feeling a whole lot of jealousy right now. I got into the Academy where Master Magnor himself first learned the art of magic. Let me guess. You applied and got the decline letter? Poor little unicorn. Sucks to be so useless." He sighed, shaking his head and wiping his cheeks, as if to remove invisible tears.
I could feel goosebumps crawl up my skin as his eyes took another long look down my frame, continuing before I had a chance to speak.
"You should give up on the whole "huntress" thing. You...a fighter? More suited to be a housewife than a warrior. At least you have a decent body to show for it," he admitted, those red eyes lingering on my legs before moving up to my hips and waist.
Great...of all the men in this damned place, I have to have this blood-sucking fool lust over me. Just my cup of tea.
"Thank you for your concern, Vincent. Now if you’ll excuse me, I'm off for a run. Need to get going if I expect to stay on schedule for my training session with Magnor," I said, using my sweet voice.
And I hope you fall off a cliff and get eaten by scorching maggots that suck out your soul at an agonizingly slow pace.
Before I could pass by him, he grabbed onto my arm. I narrowed my eyes, exhaling to calm my magic that was ready to pounce.
"You will learn your place soon, Celestia," he threatened.
"Uh huh. I guess you'll never get to see me put in my place since you'll be at Aslan. Good luck to you, Vincent." I tugged my arm out of his grasp, beginning a slow jog, away from him and toward the trail.
I'd gotten halfway down the road when I silently cursed. Dammit, I forgot my headphones! I groaned, running in place for a moment before biting my lip, turning swiftly back to the house.
"Stupid bloodsucker distracting me," I muttered. I glanced around, wanting to avoid Vincent at all costs. One encounter was more than enough for me, even after all these years, but I reckoned I'd be seeing more of him now that we would be attending the same school.
He'd been aiming to get into this Academy for years, whereas I applied to get payback. I could already imagine his shocked expression when he saw me on campus and realized I got in too, before his face burned a bright red with anger. That would be a rewarding moment.
I grinned, shaking my head at the thought. I quietly went back into the house. I retrieved my music player from my room; the white pair of earbud headphones were wrapped neatly around the pink device. I had to fight for dear life to get this color during its limited-edition release.
I was ready to head back, unwinding the earbuds and slipping them up under my shirt so they wouldn't get in my way. I paused when I heard raised voices coming from the main living room.
Frowning, I silently made my way there, curiosity getting the better of me. I recalled Vincent saying his father was here to talk to Magnor, but it seemed the conversation wasn't going their way, the yelling an obvious indication of my hypothesis.
Thanks to Magnor’s training, I could hide my presence with ease, not making a sound as I reached the doors that led to the living room.
Thankfully, it wasn't as open as other homes; Magnor explained he wanted privacy when he had business conferences here. His office was big enough to fit at least six people.
The living room was a better option and having the door gave us a sense of security that no one would roam around the rest of our home.
I hid behind the closed half of the door, listening carefully at the exchange leaking out from the room.
"I don't understand why you train her, Master Magnor. She isn't anything special. I have seen her over the years and have yet to see anything of worth come from her!"
I winced at the cold words, taking a deep breath to calm my emotions. Sure, I portrayed a tough personality, but it didn't matter how many years had passed, those words still hurt.
"Celestia may have exceptional parents who've accomplished many things during their lives, but she's nothing like them. She has an unrealistic mindset and you encouraging her delusional visions of becoming someone important will only hurt her in the long run," the man advised.
Magnor sighed heavily, but the man continued.
"There is no such thing as a unicorn shifter. We all know this! She's never even shifted to prove to us she is. Yet, you believe her and have trained her for all these years. All your efforts must have been wasted because I've yet to see any of it bear fruit."
I stood up straight, crossing my arms over my chest and closed my eyes for a moment. I needed to stay calm or Magnor would sense my presence and realize I was listening in.
I knew that no one believed me. Magnor always told me not to concern myself with what others said about me. People didn't believe until they saw something with their eyes, and even then, they would often make up some excuse rather than accept reality.
I stayed silent, wanting to hear how Magnor would respond, but the man continued yet again.
"My son has been training to get accepted into Aslan for most of his life. I want him to be the best of the best. We all know the challenges they have to face at the school. He deserves to be at the top. Therefore, I ask you again to train my son. It would take months...no YEARS for Celestia to even get a shot at Aslan and she wouldn't survive the exam. My son, however, already received his acceptance letter. At least if you concentrate on what he needs to work on these next three days, he'd be well ahead of the other entrance students," he concluded.
I felt my shoulders slump after the long explanation. A wave of doubt hit me. What if he was right? Magnor was known by many, yet he stopped most of his duties to help raise me. Maybe it was time for him to focus on someone who'd achieve more.
"No."
I blinked, the simple word seemed to echo through the room. I had to shake my head, wondering if I'd heard Magnor correctly.
"Celestia is the one I have chosen to train. She's an exceptional student, both humble and strong. No one should judge a book by its cover, especially when you haven't spent five seconds appreciating its beauty. Your son doesn't fit my qualifications. I will not train him," Magnor declared; his voice was hard, sending shivers down my spine. He rarely got upset, only using that tone when he'd reached his limit with something or someone, or if he personally felt insulted. Given what I’d heard of the conversation, I thought that it was a mixture of the two.
"Please, Master Magnor. Just a few training sessions with him and you'll see his potential compared to—"
"I said no. Celestia will be the only student I will spend my time on," he declared, his voice grew deeper, with a hint of anger lacing his words.
I had to strain my ears to catch his next words.
"If you continue insulting my student, I will make sure you are not allowed entry into my home again."
"Master Magnor, please. I know you favor this girl, but she's shown no progress. Everyone knows it. She doesn't participate in tournaments. We barely see her leave your grounds! After all this, you're still willing to train her? How am I, or ANYONE in the village supposed to believe there isn't some underlying benefit that you get from training her?" I could sense the desperation in the man's voice. He was pulling out all the stops, wanting to prove that Vincent was indeed, the better candidate.
As I continued to hide, I felt something land on my shoulder. I looked to see Arielle quietly stretching her wings before returning them to her sides. I lifted my finger and pressed it to my lips, signaling her to remain quiet. She nodded in agreement, relaxing on my shoulder.
"That's enough. Celestia is a strong woman and when the time is right, all of you will hear about her excellence. The time, however, isn't now. As for you and your son, I have no need to see either of you again. In fact, I don’t want to see any of your Seral Clan members on my doorstep again. You've overstayed your welcome. This conversation is over."
I winced at his tone. Shit, he's pissed.
"Bu-but...Master—"
"You come into my territory to ask for my assistance. Instead of being humble and showing some respect for my decision, you throw insult after insult at my choice of student. I have shown you patience by hearing you out, but your actions insult not only Celestia, they insult me as well. You are no longer welcome here. Do NOT make me repeat myself again," he thundered.
I could imagine the glare and rage on his face. I tried not to shiver at the wave of energy that leaked off Magnor; the slight slip was enough to make me want to tremble.
"Come, Vincent. We shall find a different teacher."
I heard footsteps and the door slam shut; the room fell silent. I stayed where I was, glancing up at Arielle who tilted her head at me. I turned to make my way back down the hall.
"Come out, Celestia."
I froze, biting my lip. I could hear the amusement in his voice which only made me grumble. I turned around, opening the other half of the door and made my way into the living room.
"Brrueeeee." Arielle fluttered her feathers, hopping up and down on my shoulder.
"Ari, you’re heavy," I mumbled.
She stilled; a white light engulfed her and she changed to her miniature form which was about the size of my palm.
"Bru-ree?" she chirped, the sound higher pitched than in her larger form.
I grinned, petting her head. "Much better."
We turned our attention to Magnor who was relaxed in a gold armchair, his arms crossed over his chest. His lips twitched into a small knowing smile.
"Hear anything that interests you?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow at me. His amusement was clear as day, making me blush.
I looked to Arielle who knew what I wanted to do, flapping into the air to hover over me. I gave him a bow, before meeting his gaze. "Thank you, Master," I whispered, hoping my action was enough to show how grateful I was.
It was because of him I'd made it this far. No one else would have stayed by my side. He was like family to me and it was comforting to have a sense of reassurance that no matter what anyone tried to say about me, he'd always have my back.
He sighed, standing up and coming over to me. Arielle landed back on my shoulder, chirping quietly. He reached out, placing his hand comfortingly on my head, giving me a light pat.
"You're a good girl, Celestia. I see you doing great things in the future. Don't let anyone keep you from prospering." He moved his hand to give Arielle a quick pet on her head before dropping his hand.
I gave him a nod. "Yes, Master."
"Now, shouldn't you be off on your morning run?" he reminded.
I winced. I was running late today and he knew it. "Yes. I came back to get my music player. I ran into Vincent on my way out and well, he distracted me," I confessed.
He nodded in understanding. "Go for your run. I have something to give to you when you return." He waved me away, leaving me with a burning curiosity.
What could he possibly have to give me?
"I can't get it now?" I asked, giving him a wide smile and blinking my eyes.
He laughed in return, shaking his head. He knew how impatient I was, especially regarding gifts. To be fair, who actually liked waiting for presents?
"No. Off you go. Do your run and stretches and come find me after." Magnor laughed, leaving me alone in the room. A small pout formed on my lips as I was left to wait.
"Bru-ree." Arielle looked disappointed, ruffling her feathers.
"I know. Evil I say," I replied, lifting my hand to pet her. I sighed, making my way outside and putting my earbuds in. Arielle took to the sky, shifting back into her larger form and flying ahead. I turned on my music, sighing in relief as the KPOP song began to play. Music always helped me tune out the world.
I let the tension in my muscles release. I closed my eyes, taking a few extra seconds to be grateful and enjoy a calming moment with nature. I opened my eyes, determined to get a solid workout in now that I knew I'd have to prove myself in the coming days. I slipped my music player into my bra and began to run.