Bound

When Emery went to school the next day, she had actually managed to leave a little early. She pushed her bike into the stand and put the lock on it to keep thieves from taking her bike. She saw Sakura standing with a whole bunch of other students, and, curious, she walked over to her friend, "Hey Sakura, what's everyone staring at?" She asked her pink-haired friend. "A limo just pulled in!" She squealed in response. Emery gave her a look of surprise, "A limo? In this part of town? Seriously?" She asked, turning to look. Lo, and behold, there was a long black limo parked at the entrance of the school. Emery frowned, 'Who?'

The door to the limo opened and a boy climbed out. He had fluffy green hair and... Horns! He was a demon! He had black horns curling back from his temples, which were a stark difference against his pale complexion. Emery scowled, 'Why would a spirit be here?' she thought as she checked the rest of him out. He wore a tight-fitting black dress shirt, black skinny jeans, and several belts draped around his hips and he wore a pair of black and red DCs. He pulled his dark sunglasses off and revealed familiar silver eyes. A pang of fear strikes through her. 'He doesn't know that the Spirit Singer is me . . . does he?' she worried. "Oh, he's kind of hot, isn't he?" Sakura commented beside her and Emery found herself silently agreeing. He looked around those gathered. "Do you think he's here to find his bonded?" Emery heard her friend ask from beside her, causing Emery to pause, a familiar sting in her chest. She scowled, "Hardly, he's probably the bound spirit of a magus or something here to get the next group of 12-year-olds." She replied. Sakura gasped, "Emery, what if he's here for you?!" Sakura gasped in glee. Emery scowled. Sakura's statement was only more solidified by the demon looking in their direction and smirking. Emery felt a sense of dread settle in her stomach. "Sakura, I didn't get a bound spirit 5 years ago. I'm not going to get one now." Emery growled, turning on her heel and storming off.

She managed to get to the doors before the demon boy called out to her. "Miss Emery Stone, if you would please stop running away. I am here to correct a misdeed that I committed." He called out to her. Emery froze, before turning around and facing the boy, "I'm sorry, I've never seen you before today, so how the hell could you do wrong by me?" she asked coldly, glaring at the demon boy. "I am Dante MorningStar, and I am, was supposed to be, your bound spirit." He replied, causing an icy hot fury to erupt within Emery. Clueless to her inner turmoil, he continued, "There was a... situation in the spirit world that prevented me from coming to you until now." Emery walked up to him, her body shaking in fury. Those gathered took a few steps back, they had never seen their normally cheerful classmate this angry, ever, but they knew it couldn't be good. "What was so important that you couldn't come for at least 30 minutes to show people that I had a bound spirit? Where were you when I was disowned because my family decided having no heir was better than having an heir without a bound spirit?" She yelled, anger and hurt flashing in her eyes. Tears began to well up in her eyes, much to the demon's shock. She paid them no mind and continued, "Where were you when my grandparents had to help pack my things and walk me to the door, crying because my parents were ashamed to face me? Where were you when I was forced to live on the streets for a year and a half before I could find a home?" She hissed, her face wet with tears. She clenched her fist, before letting it fly, hitting the demon boy in the jaw, knocking him on his ass. She glared at him, before going to where she had left her bike. She hopped on and left the school grounds. No one moved to stop her or bring her back. Dante hissed, holding his jaw as he sat up, "Hot damn, that girl's got quite the swing.' He murmured. Sakura approached him and held her hand out to help him up. Dante raised an eyebrow in question, but took the offered hand nonetheless, not bothering to hide his surprise at the fact the girl yanked him up and almost sent him flying. Sakura giggled, "Sorry, even after 5 years, I still have little control over my strength my bound spirit gives me." She apologized as a small pink fairy flew up beside her. Recognition flashed in his eyes, "Ah, earth fairy, generally grants the bound human super strength, the closer and stronger bonded sometimes even control plants." Dante replied, "It's fine, completely understandable." Sakura looked at him in awe, "so neat! Anyway, sorry about Emery, she's gone through a lot these past few years after the ceremony when we were 12 and you didn't show up. She was kicked out that same day. My parents let her stay at our place for a little while, but eventually, my parents had to tell her to leave. They didn't want to, but having a boundless in the house, it's like a curse amongst humans. Having a bound spirit is an honor, and to not receive one, it's generally perceived as the boundless has been rejected and forsaken by the spirits and the gods. We, that is, her classmates, we know better. Emery is the best person. If you need help, she's the first person to drop everything and offer to help you. She's the most determined and hardworking person you'll ever meet. Anytime a girl is afraid to walk home after school, she offers to walk them, because Emery is a black belt in several different styles of fighting. Emery, after what happened, was determined not to let it stop her. But, no matter how much she says or struggles to show it doesn't affect her, not having a spirit really has left a huge scar on her." Sakura explained gently, "I don't know what kept you, but you may want to explain to Emery. It may help." Sakura gave him one last smile before she and Ichigo went inside to class. Dante stood there a moment, in thought, before turning on his heel and leaving the school, waving to his driver to leave without him. He followed the faint, but still very there, strand that connected him and Emery. 'I screwed up big time, and now I need to fix my mistake.'

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When Emery arrived back at her treehouse, she put her bike up and changed into a black tank top and a pair of brown shorts, and pulled on a pair of black combat boots, before descending and venturing further into the forest. She walked a little way, before coming upon a lake filled with blue and white water lilies. She stopped, looking for the just barely visible stepping stones beneath the water, before crossing them into the center of the lake, where a black stone gazebo stood, covered in moon vines, white roses, and purple wisteria vines. She stood in the center and took a deep breath, centering herself. Several spirits came up to her, all giggling and laughing. A large woman appeared and sat down on the bench inside the gazebo. "Hello, Emery-hime, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Asked the woman. She stood at about 6'5, with creamy skin and brown twisting vines for hair, various flowers blooming all over her long hair, her eyes a warm green that often reminded Emery of the forest she's lived in the past 4 years. The woman also had the tendency to call her Emery-hime, and anytime she's asked why, the woman has given her a mysterious smile. "It's a long story, Lady Willow." She replied. The woman let out a hmm, she knew why, but she wouldn't let Emery know that she did, wanting the young girl to tell her of her own accord, but news travels fast amongst the spirits. Lady Willow spotted Dante watching the girl from behind a tree on the shore and suppressed a chuckle. "Sing for me, Emery-hime." She requested, "One that will release the pent up anger you seem to hold." Emery nodded with a smile, before stepping out onto another stepping stone, going farther into the lake. The lower-level spirits realized she was going to sing and gathered on the banks, close enough to hear, but far enough not to get caught up in the magical backlash that was bound to happen. They remember that last time Emery had sung to release negative emotions, the lake had been waterless for months and the surrounding trees had been destroyed. Emery took a deep breath and began to sing.

As she began, as the wind picked up and the sky grew dark. Dante watched with apprehension from behind one of the trees on the back. He could feel the magic in the air, caused by his bonded. Dante watched in awe, as the water rose in response to her singing, swirling up and around Emery, who danced as she sang, never stepping off the stepping stones. The water danced in the air as she sang, moving all around the lake and far above it. The spirits danced as well, fluttering and weaving between the ribbons of water. 'How can she do this?' he wondered in awe.

As she finished, the water settled back down into the lake, the surface still, as if it had never been disturbed. The spirits flew over to the girl, complimenting her voice and her skills. Dante was reminded of the singer the humans named The Spirit Singer, 'Of course!' he thought with realization, before shaking it off, 'Now's not the time.' Emery returned to the gazebo, where the woman sat, a serene smile on her face. "Do you feel better, now, Emery-hime?" She asked and Emery nodded, "Yes, Lady Willow, I do, thank you." Emery replied. Dante made his mind up and, finding the stepping stones, approached his bound human. Lady Willow saw him approach and nodded her greeting, "Hello and welcome, young Prince Dante." Emery spun around in shock, "how did you find me?" Dante chuckled, "Whether you want to admit it or not, we are still bound, and I followed our faint but still very there bond. I came to explain why I couldn't come." He explained, nodding at Lady Willow, who nodded in return, before disappearing, leaving the two alone.

Dante sat down on the stone bench and motioned for Emery to take a seat. Emery, however, raised an eyebrow. Dante sighed, "Why do I have a feeling our entire relationship is going to be an uphill battle with you?" he asked himself, before taking a deep breath and starting his story.

"In the spirit world, there are 5 major kingdoms, each ruled by a powerful spirit and his or her family. There is the Sun Kingdom, ruled by Emperor Johann Sparks and his wife, Empress Tsukiaki, and their only son, Prince Ash, and their only daughter, Princess Alicia. They are dragons. There is the Shadow kingdom, ruled by my father, King Lucifer Morningstar, and my mother, Queen Esmerelda. I have 3 older brothers, though I have a different mother than they. First Prince Sora, Second Prince Ace, and Third Prince Nyx and I have a younger sister, Princess Osirin. Of course, you know we are demons. Then there is the Kingdom of Aria, ruled by Sultan Minuit Krow, and her son, his royal feathered stiffness, Prince Kuro. They are angels if my insult didn't give it away. Then there's the Ocean kingdom Dolfinea, ruled by Mer-queen Delphine and her daughter, Dreya. They are mermaids. Finally, there's the earth kingdom of Gaia, ruled by Queen Willow, and her daughter Princess Flora. They are powerful dryads.

About 5 years ago, the 5 different kingdoms were attacked by Kaiser Onyx, the ruler of the kingdom of the dead. He attacked powerfully and out of nowhere. At the time we were supposed to be bound, I was defending my mother, who had fallen sickly, and a band of the undead had somehow managed to get into my parent's quarters. If I had not gone to check up on when I had, she would be dead. After that, I was overwhelmed with the urge to cut them all down, one by one. The war has only been over for the past year, and I've been helping with the reparations for the kingdom. Kaiser Onyx was stripped of his powers and sealed away. We have hope that his daughter, the newly crowned Kaiser Nymphadora, will turn out better. I've only been made aware of my bound human being 17 and without me for 5 years. When I heard, I made my way here as quickly as I could come." Dante explained to Emery, who stood there, staring out at the lake in thought. She sighed before turning to Dante. She smiled softly at him, creating a magic circle, "My bound spirit, name thyself before me, for I am Emery Stone, your bound human. I accept our bond with heart and soul." She said, much to Dante's glee and shock. Dante jumped up and, extending his wings and flying a few inches off the ground, "My bound human, I name myself, Dante Morningstar, your bound spirit! I gladly accept our bond with heart and soul." He responded. Magic erupted from the pair as a bond to last the ages formed between the two, binding them together. Willow watched from the forest, a soft smile on her face. 'My adopted daughter, Emery, you have a long road ahead of you.' As the light died down, Emery found another tattoo adorning her skin, and Dante found his first one, both were matching and placed upon their hands, Emery's left and Dante's right.