Yukari Part 1

Girls are assigned human guardians to protect them from harm.

“You will each partner up to an assigned guardian. Now don’t pout, Yukari. It’s only temporary, but during that time you must all gain the trust and acceptance of your partner. It may save both of your lives. Do you understand, girls?”

            “Yes, Madame Mabelle,” The girls squeaked with barely contained excitement.

            Mabelle snapped her fan closed pumping an upraised fist in the air, “What’s our policy?”

            “Honour, duty, perseverance, charisma, and grace,” They kept their heads bowed low to the floor pink nails scraping into the hardwood.

            “And what’s a lady’s best charm meant for enticing?” She pretended to swoon batting those dark eyelashes clumped with mascara which elicited a murmur of approval.

            “A hint of rouge and a rosebud smile,” Their tones became one high pitched drone overflowing the other.

            “A-a guardian?”

            The chanting stopped as each glazed eye turned towards me, “Is there a problem, Yukari?”

            I repressed a shudder, “Damn straight. Pureblooded scum are going to come here with their oh so mighty powers bragging and holding their golden manes high and what are we to them, chopped fish liver. Damsels in distress who twirls our braided curls all the while flaunting our vapid brains full of gibberish… we are nothing, the pretty face not the longed for shield and arms.”

            “I think Miss Tough Pants is scared. Afraid of the humans,” One girl whispers nudging another in the ribs.

            The other girl giggles behind a cupped hand, “Yeah and I bet she practiced that speech in the mirror to make her seem stronger and more intelligent where we can’t understand what she’s saying. I mean hot partners what’s not to like? Berserker style, right?”

            “Totally,” The first agreed.

            “Yukari dear, they’re here for a reason: to promote peace between humans and specters such as ourselves, to change the minds of those set against us in dire straits, and to find a lifelong companion to share in their woes. Teamwork girls, is necessary to survive so treat these guys with respect. They've come a long way.”

            I scrunch up my nose in disdain letting out a puff of breath. And who would get all the credit again? They would even though we've tried for generations to summon some kind of tranquil solution to free ourselves from this endless oppression. We've ran and created our own lands of bounty, just careless spirits carted away by the wind, but humans pursued us to the farthest edges of the world and ravaged that sovereignty and enslaved our kin. My blood boiled at the thought of them coming here and not just from rage, but an ironclad fear.

            In my mind I knew not everyone wanted the same thing or had the same ideals, but if the majority wouldn't let us rest in peace the rest couldn't do anything about it. After all this time seeing what the humans were capable of I was just too closed minded to think any other way. I didn't want to have hope that someday the world would be better because what if it didn't?

            “Long way my-,” Dani holds me in a headlock rumpling my hair until it’s frazzled and stopping my tirade mid-sentence.

            “Hush up or we’re all gonna get kitchen duty you hypocrite. Complain later. Smile and shake your dumb red head now,” She flicks me for emphasis, hard. “Ugh, can’t stand these things. I’d rather have her dish out punishment than sit here and listen to her preach the same ole thing we've been hearing for months. Gag reflex, my knees ache. Kill me now. PUH-LEASE!”

            Madame Mabelle continues to talk the only words I’m catching are girls, smite, and holy justice. It’s like a play. She’s not doing this for our benefit, the unwilling or some maybe too willing audience. On the stage she has forgotten about us, being our matron, even herself. On the stage there are only the dramatic pauses, the voice changes, and the role she is playing.

            “Maybe we should sneak out… they’re too transfixed to notice a minor disappearing act,” I c**k my head to the side just so brazenly rising to my haunches and offering her a feral smile with a hint of pearly whites.

            “Minor? And do you even know what that means? Slight, insignificant, barely a traumatic disruption. With that evil gleam that can’t be what you are thinking, no way. Don’t count me in,” A faint tremor of exhilaration creeps into her voice.

            “Too late.”

            The orb hidden beneath my waistband flies up into the air raining down sparkles of fairy dust as it slowly revolves twisting gears and hidden mechanisms until it is a ball of brightness shedding light on us all. The domed cathedral’s stained glass rose window painted in colorful arrays reflects a dazzling sort of glimmer enhanced by the flaming hues of sun.

            Girls leap up out of its way in a flurry of decent skirts and small glasses of rosemary turned over. The matron looks bewildered bunching up silk and lace to scatter nearly knocking over the podium in her haste to bound down the stage. They swat at their pristine hairdos, fans in a wild sweep of hysterics. So funny I could keel over into outrageous laughter.

A mad dance ensues, but not before the burst of wind that rockets the orb in a frenzied spiral. Straight at the window.

            Shatter. Shards litter the floor and sill creating a massive ball sized crater, but that wasn't the half of it. The orb smacked into a tree then fizzed out right on top of a guy’s head. One of the prestigious saviors Mabelle preached about. The exact same one she wanted us to act our very best towards.

            I couldn't help myself. I laughed.

            Mabelle gave me a withering glare, lips stretched thin across her face. If looks could kill. Composed she turned towards the window curtsying before breaking into a string of apologies.

            “Gracious, I’m so very sorry for my student. She’s an amateur, see. Disgraceful behavior and could we- I mean she do anything at all to accommodate you. Just let us know because she would be humbly glad to do so. Isn’t that right, Yukari?”

            Dani doesn’t come to my rescue. She just points, “It was all her this time, Madame Mabelle.”

            Well, give me with all the blame though it was mostly my fault. If we had an apocalypse I already knew who not to trust. I couldn't get past the part where she was playing diplomatic and using me as the sacrificial goat. Doesn't Dani know it was trouble by association?

            “You’re saddling me with, with that human?” Mabelle pinched my side as I winced rolling my eyes sarcastically, “Ouch, I mean yes of course if it is absolutely necessary.”

            “Splendid. See well trained if you know how to prod the lass. Oh, where are my manners I am Madame Mabelle. You must be from Marbury Academy.”

            “Liam Haverick at your service and I’ll take good care of your little firecracker. This is Varik Creed and Jax Silver. The others are on their way. Here’s your, um, machine?”

             “Thanks,” I shoved the bits of broken metal into Dani’s hand. “See getting along just fine, Madame Mabelle. I’ll escort him around campus and show him the dorms if I have your permission of course.” I sling an arm around both his shoulder and Dani’s bringing them closer. The urge to wipe my hands on my pants is growing and I pray that she’ll buy my honest to goodness act. No shame in trying either way.

            “Will you?” A hand on her hips now as she raises to her full matronly height, “Very well, but I expect you and Danielle to report to me after you are finished. This mess isn't going to vanish the longer I rub at my temples and will it to be gone along with this incredible migraine you two have brewed up.”

            “Yes, Madame Mabelle,” we both mimed the other girls from earlier matching their notes perfectly.

            She sauntered off a sway in those hips--- not quite running--- as if she couldn't wait to get away or better yet turn around. Believe me our matron was such a prep sometimes and for her age. Gross!

            Liam plopped down on the ground making a pillow out of some downy moss. He crossed his hands behind his head then gazed up at the sky as if it were worth something. Blobs of disfigured clouds, a blazing sun dipping low to the horizon where it could spread its fiery colors, the vast blueness of space and maybe a cuckoo or two, but otherwise there really wasn't much out there.

            Not that I could see anyways.

            “Faye!” I called.

            A small girl nimble in size appeared ducking behind locks of her golden hair before she can meet my gaze. Her hands tentatively bunch up the fabric of her dress toying with the piece of ribbon attached to it. It was a nervous habit probably.

Her meek demeanor made it hard to sound rough with her so my voice came out softer than I would've liked, “Care to have your own boy at your beck and call right off the bat. Well, go ahead. I offer you a free guardian of your choosing. Pick then show him around if you don’t mind. And if the girls ask tell them you got first choice because I said so and if they have a problem with it leave it to me to deal with them snobs.”

Faye peeked from behind a curtain of hair, doe eyes so very blue and round, “R-r-really. Wow, Yukari you’re so nice. Um?”

One of the guys, Jax, held out his hand all dimples as he combed back his shocks of silver hair, “May I?”

Timid she takes his hand, “Sure.”

“What a match,” Dani replies out of earshot once they leave in a cute yet awkward silence.

I turn back to Liam leaning over him, “What do you think you’re doing? Aren’t you supposed to be scouring the perimeter or something? It’s in a guardian’s job description.”

“I think he’s trying to take a nap. Maybe you shouldn't disturb him,” Dani, cautious as always.

“Speaking to the boy lying on the ground.”

Liam winks, “Who me? Just enjoying the fresh breeze since I don’t really believe you want to show me around even though it’s in your job description.”

“That’s besides the-.”

“So why don’t you come here and lie down then you’ll understand. It feels too good to remain cooped up in some stuffy corridors,” He closes his long-lashed eyes again stifling a yawn.

The wind rustles his fair hair and I’m tempted. Just looking down at him he seems at peace.

“Go over there why don’t you? Don’t mind me I’ll just chillax with that hunk of broody junk over there,” She gives me a little push in his direction causing me to stumble until I’m clambering on the ground right beside him.

I shoot her a glare, but she’s already got her arm linked with a serious looking man I've already forgotten the name to. Oh, Dani, she could be so forward in her intentions sometimes that it was comical to watch. Shame, we rarely got to see boys, but when we do they all were human. Now if I could just remind her to stay true to our cause, down with humans. Those untamed brutes only brought trouble with them no matter the innocent faces. One day, if they haven’t already, they would turn just like the rest of them. They knew not of our plight.

Staring up. Relaxing with the bird’s insistent chatter overhead, the sun warms me. My eyelids start to grow heavy.

I look over at him. Who did he think he was? Just who to come here, disrupt how we always did things, and. And.  Act like such a goddamn human, there I said it.

His lazy grin caught my attention first. The way it tilted up at the corners as if he were too lethargic to complete it, made him seem carefree. He clasped his hands around his head and I couldn't help noticing how long his hair was, not like most boys. Filtered sunlight was what it was like. From a distance, if I wasn't paying attention I could almost confuse him with a girl because he had pretty features: a small heart-shaped face, an up-turned nose that could be considered button-like and slender arms and legs.

What, no. Repulsive, steal your home and eat you in lamb chop stew creatures not dazzling or perfect at all. Get a grip and slap yourself together. Human that’s all I needed to know. So what if he was pretty???

“What are you?” I mumbled head lolling back on the soft patches of grass.

“I’m me. Liam. A flesh and blood human.”

The heat mixed with the faint flush itching its way up my neck made me out of it. I normally wouldn't be laying here with my guard down. It was just the Autumn day: cool enough for the season to no longer be considered summer, but still warm enough for it to be right at the beginning of the Autumn season, the leaves overhead were turning a crisp sunset color, and the sky is a mix of light shades of grey.

“That’s what I’m afraid of---.”

That was more of a comment to myself, I didn't meant to say aloud. I was relieved he didn't hear me because after a few seconds he doesn't say anything. I almost think he’s asleep so I catch myself looking over at him. It does feel nice out here with the birds and the rustle of leaves and the zzzzzzz…

“Why? You act tough, but then is that because you’re afraid of the unknown? Yukari?” I don’t hear him for I’m already lost to the world.

Author's Note

The last part sounds soooo cheesy *cringe.* I've always liked characters like her though. Spirited. Hope you enjoyed it, just wait until the other guy comes in. He's even more swoon worthy if you can believe it!