Charlie's Psyche

A Chapter by Alex Fyresol

Last chapter, we looked into Rhea's mind, now we get to see a little into Charlie's unlocking magic..

There are times when magic takes it's toll on everyone, everywhere. Magic was banned from this world long ago, causing the fork in this world. Banishment is just a suggestion.

Magic can never be erased. Magic can never be taken away from these souls. It will always come back, no matter what you do.

Charlie grips the new boy's wrist, dragging him around the school. "This is a classroom, this is another classroom. Oh! And that's another classroom. Can you guess the next one?" she bats her lashes.

"Um..."

"A classroom!" Charlie giggles. "You're super funny, you know that? I know it. I wonder what we should do next? Should I show you the gym? I hear it's really... Gym-y."

Arian tries to pry her fingers off him, but her hold is too tight. "Charlie, can we please go to class?" he asks.

Charlie laughs, "Of course not! You're new to school, and we can't have a homeschooled person not know where to go, or what to do! Let's play basketball!"

Arian groans, allowing her iron-like grip to take him away yet again.

"I love the sunshine," she smiles happily as they pass by a window, the sunlight warming their skin. "It's just so- amazing!"

Arian raises his eyes to meet hers, his heart stopping. The light hit her golden hair just perfectly so, illuminating a golden glow all around her. She opens her eyes, so full of happiness, and- sunshine. Fiery wings burst forth from her back, flames dance at her fingertips, and an orange halo rests atop her head.

"Charlie?" Arian stumbles back, apalled by the sight. He rubs his eyes fiercely, looking back at Charlie, dumbfounded.

"What?" she asks, blinking slowly. Arian is so cute. He's super shy and new! New!!!

"You're-" Arian rubs his eyes again. "You were just on fire..."

"I know," Charlie flips her hair, "I'm always on fire. I'm just that good!"

"No! I mean-" Arian studies her momentarily. "What is going on at this school..?" he murmurs. First, he has seen a girl with two very differently colored eyes with wings and the power of stars at her fingertips. Then he had seen a dark prince, ruler of shadows.

No, wait. That doesn't make sense... Arian rifles through his brain, determined to get an answer. Then he had seen a moon princess, rampancy hidden behind her eyes.

Charlie gives Arian a puzzled look. "Are you okay?"

Arian snapped to attention, "Huh?"

Charlie pokes him, "I hope you're not broken. If you were, then I can't drag you places! What fun would that be!? None! Duh! I can't wait til you meet my sister and best friend Rhea! Oh! Maybe Levi too! I think he would like you. Wouldn't that be cool!? Another adopted friend. You're mine now. Okay? Agh! Basketball!" Charlie ducks into the gym, pulling Arian along with her.

Arian rubs his eyes with his free hand, his vision clouding over with layers upon layers of multiple versions of everything. Of everybody. He saw himself with an affinity for earth and the sky. He saw himself as the son of the greatest hero of all time...

He saw Charlie, a princess.

He saw her bubbly, carefree personality burning brightly even during the most horrific events.

Then he saw this world. Arian scrubs at his eyes, wishing it would just stop. Only once before has this ever happened, and that was when-

When his mom was murdered by the Shadel. Back then, he saw them as evil creatures of the night, but here, in this reality, he saw them as nothing but a couple of gang members getting a rise out of beating a woman up in the street.

Fear struck Arian. He gripped Charlie's hand almost as hard as Charlie was holding his wrist, "Charlie, something's wrong," he tries to warn her.

"What do you mean? Is it my hair? I tried so hard to keep it from getting this poofy, but it just won't stay down!" Charlie pats her hair. "Or is it the smell of burnt cookies? Whew, they stink. Who was cooking cookies in the gym anyway? EW. What if it was just somebody who was that smelly?"

Arian looks around the gym pensively. Something isn't right. Something is- off.

"Hey! I'm hungry. I could really use a sandwich. How do you even use sandwiches? Do you throw it in the sand and yell 'Which!?' as if you were doing a super big ceremony to decide which one you want? I wouldn't want either of them," Charlie takes a moment to ponder deeply. "They'd be sandy. Don't ya think?"

Arian nods stiffly, watching the walls and ceiling for any sign of danger.

"Arian, what should we eat?" Charlie asks.

Arian startles, looking at Charlie as if for the first time. His vision clouded over and he saw the magic behind her. "You're beautiful," he murmurs, admiring the golden sunshine energy emanating from her.

"Aww, thank you!! You are too!!" Charlie smiles. "I think they're serving lunch now."

"What? It's already been-?"

"Yeah, we took a long time walking. Not that I mind," she bats her lashes. "Come! Food is this way!! Onward march!"

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