Yaffa Part 1

Jimi looked out from his opened balcony, the fresh air brushing past his face. Today his father had gathered everyone in the morning. All maids, butlers, and other important staff. Then he called upon Jimi, and his two elder brothers, Otus and Erebus. These two were average in their own way, like everyone in the family. They each had bright blonde hair similar to Jimi, although Otus liked to dress a bit more feminine, he was also probably the most masculine. He had cold gray eyes, and an oddly ugly bob cut, making it somewhat hard to take him seriously. The one that broke the mold for men that weren't just Otus and Jimi, Erebus.

The eldest child of the prestigious 'Xyken' family. His eyes were similar to Jimi's in the way that both were sharp, narrow, and dark. Unlike Jimi, Erebus didn't reflect light into his eyes, making not a single glimmer appear. Some thought he was blind, but from tests, it seems he can see perfectly fine. Other than those specific features, he liked to wear coats of multiple designer brands such as 'S.O.S.' popular wear for young adult males, and 'Siren'. An openly posh and exclusive group that shunned those without status, getting even a thread from one of the clothing lines cost a fortune.

Besides the males, Jimi also had two sisters, the younger one of which was only two years older than him. She was heading to the 'Academy'. Jimi had only ever heard it by word, but it supposedly rested near the edge of the western hemisphere right at the border of 'Dtr' and 'Atr'. He didn't realize the importance of such a location, just that it was supposed to be important. Other than that, Jimi could only recall an envoy from the 'Dragon Empire' who lived directly in the royal city. It was then he heard the name of the area and put a few connotated pieces together. Uncovering the name of the academy to be, "School of Galmodrad."

This same 'school' was also the one his eldest sister, a year younger than Erebus, had graduated from. When she graduated it was she who ranked in the top 10. That to Jimi didn't sound too impressive, but when his father and the rest of the family heard of it. Well, let's just say it was a bit extreme. Even on Erebus's twenty-first birthday did they not celebrate as much as they had when my eldest sister came back from the academy.

'Just to be consistent, I'll introduce them, my youngest sister Oizys and eldest sister Theia.'

Now that important information has been left, all introductions are out of the way. Father personally had announced the arrival of a new neighbor. To some this may seem arbitrary, why should one care when a neighbor moves into a house, just greet them politely sometime later once they settle in.

That's the normal thing to do, sadly though our family isn't as simple as greeting the neighbor. The wealth of this household is enough to buy two large cities in the Dragon Empire and still have plenty of change over. Being able to feed every citizen in these cities.

So when a new 'neighbor' arrives, it's not as simple as they pulling up the house beside us. They bought twice as many acres as we had, and father, well he took it as a challenge. In all honesty, I couldn't really care less, not like it will be all that important to me anyway. That's why tonight when father hosts his "celebratory banquet" to respectfully and happily opens up with his new 'acquaintances'.

I'll be inviting L. over, and we're gonna do whatever the hell we want. Maybe Lull will also bring along Jinu and Jeanne, though that might add some trouble.

While all of this was great in thought, Jimi had forgotten that he was just standing out, not realizing that two 'Spitrals' came floating down. Landing in the courtyard of a giant mansion, but could you really call it a mansion, it was like twelve castles combined. Well either way an acre away the family, Jimi's new neighbors, appeared climbing slowly out the latch of the two black domes.

'Shit they even have two spitrals, we only got one, and dad doesn't let anyone use it. Neither Erebus nor Theia. How in the hell...'

Before Jimi could fully finish his thought, he saw his neighbors. From what his father spoke of, they were supposed to be just as wealthy, but also somewhat old. Jimi was in complete shock, at first he tried to claim it as just the distance. Running back into his room, Jimi rummaged through his stuff as fast as possible till he found his most expensive binoculars. Pulling them out in an instant, Jimi got a close look.

As if his eyes were trying a new illusion tactic, what he saw was unbelievable. For one, Jimi was at the age where he began to look at the opposite sex in a light beyond just, they are they, and I am I. Even still, the attraction was never a major thought for him, but in this instant, he could admit it. They were beautiful. It was shocking and disgusting, a man and a woman, not seeming much older than his eldest siblings, and just to insult it all, were better looking than them as well.

Xykens aren't known for their looks, but that doesn't mean they don't have regal appeal. If the average man was a simple '5' then a Xyken was a most definite '8' at a minimum. But these freaks were beyond that, they were a '12' at minimum. It was utter disgust that showed all around his face, utter disgust.

Then the worst began to appear, out of the second vessel was a woman that was so gorgeous it made Jimi want to vomit. It's like her presence spread all the way over here. 'Impossible.' Jimi thought as he tried to look some more, but then a headache bombarded his brain making him collapse before he could see the final individual exit.

Waking up Jimi could hear a loud banging on his door.

'W-what the hell is going on, what's with that noise.'

Unnerved by the racket, Jimi got up slowly, soon to regret his decision as he would hear Otus's voice.

"Get your fucking ass out here! I don't have time for this bullshit Jimi! The banquet is gonna start in fifteen minutes! If you don't answer this instant, I'm gonna put this damn door down and make that damn balcony you love so much commit a slip of accidentality!"

Jimi gulped heavily, he rummaged through his room running like a crazed cartoon. Soon he dressed in the best way he could, opening the door in a hurried cold sweat. To only see Mildred, one of the head maids with a recorder in one hand and a hammer in the other.

"Hmm, seems sir Otus' idea worked well. Now come along young master, the party will start in forty minutes. So we'll get you kept up and send you down at twenty. Understood." The last word sounded less sweet than the rest, Jimi thought, could this possibly be worse than Otus?

It surely wasn't, but in those mild seconds, it felt as if it was.

***

Twenty minutes later, night had come around and Jimi had finally sent his 'Farron Messenger' to Lull, hoping he could gain some company before this dreaded night could truly start.

In the halls was gallant decor plastered all around, and the ballroom sparkled with gems and fancy metal. It was so bright and gleaming that it began to hurt his eyes. Right from the corner of his eye was the couple that he saw first. They were even more good looking up close, 'it was seriously frightening' Jimi thought.

He then began to think, if his passing out was due to that other lady, from barely even looking at her face and being an acre and a half away. Jimi didn't want to think about it, he just wanted to run in hiding. Where though, the hall was huge and spacious to a degree that it felt somehow under-decorated even with all these decorations. Jimi was frazzled and before he could notice anything more, a light tap on the shoulder made him squeal.

'Shit.'

For a minute it seemed everyone was staring at him, 'was it always this quiet.' His father stepped near the bars of the second floor, he began to scowl at Jimi. A pressure like lightning crashed over him, then his father's gaze seemed to sway a little, looking somewhat behind Jimi. His eyes widened and in an instant he sharpened them, blaring a wave of pressure toward Jimi. He was about to collapse till...

"Don't you feel that's enough, what harm has the boy done?"

It was like a serene frost, a glossy snap hung from her voice, breaking the pressure like it was just a simple breeze. Her voice still carried, and every step she took bore a sweet, but sickening fragrance.

'Who the hell is she?'

Jimi was falling unconscious, slowly the woman caught him and brought him over to the one who tapped him on the shoulder, it was Lull.

"You're his friend. Correct? Take care of him well, I'll deal with the matter at hand."

Lull's face did not change, he simply starred in the eyes of the one who had the beauty of a deity. With their arguably long stare, the woman turned with a small twist, seemingly feeling frustrated and intrigued at the same time.

'What an interesting child. That's for another time though. Now I have to deal with this old snake. How irritating.'

"Move aside."

His tone and pressure did not falter, instead, for it shook even more. Some of the guests began to stagger, holding their heads with hands on their foreheads.

"Are you planning on crippling a good majority of your guests?"

Her voice neither wavered as well, it spiked, but like a smooth stream, enveloping the misty pressure. Suddenly most of the guests began to regain their composure.

"Damn, Witch."

"Ah, sorry I couldn't hear that. Please as the host of this thankful gathering, you shouldn't mumble, it gives off a bad impression."

A light glow surrounded her, and like a flash Jimi's father let go of all his strength, turning around and heading back up the stairs.

"Now is not the time. I personally wish not to kill such a woman as yourself."

"Well thank you, I truly appreciate your generosity."

Deep down she really thought, 'Oh fuck off you sleazy bastard, if it wasn't for your damn influence. I would've sliced your head off the moment I saw you. Well, what can ya do, might as well move on to the next.'

She turned with a gracious twirl passing by Jimi and Lull, taking a different flight of stairs, she began to escort someone of similar stature to Lull.

'What in God's name? I can't believe what I just saw. No, what I just felt. Shit, should a thirteen-year-old really feel the pressures of coming to grips with one's death? This is seriously fucked...'

As Jimi continued to ramble through his brain, Lull could only look around, still holding Jimi. After the sudden clash everyone kept to their groups, keeping up average small talk, and minor stuff.

***

About an hour and a half had passed from those previous events, Jimi and Lull were out in the back picking grass and looking at the stars. Both didn't say much, just idle stiff, like "how many stars have you counted" or "are you hungry? because I sure am."

Such was what they said. Out of nowhere a loud crash echoed throughout the quiet night.

"L. What the hell was that?"

"Don't worry, I don't feel any of that weird wind stuff. So I don't think it's that lady or your father."

"Really?" Jimi had a panicked look on his face as if he was a twenty-year veteran soldier who just came back from a mission in which all his troops had just died.

"Ya, want me to check it out?"

"We can go together."

Lull nodded.

The two began to slowly creep towards where the sound arose. There in the two's lack of understanding, they finally came to accept the reality that weird shit is just gonna happen. As they agreed in thoughtful eye contact, they began to look back again. Seeing a young girl, roughly the size of Lull, possibly a year or so younger. Thrashing around rocks and slabs of pure white marble. Once Jimi figured out what types of stones she was smashing, his jaw dropped and a small tremble of tears flowed down his face. Each gram was worth a thousand vrets. Not insanely pricey, but still she was destroying a lot of it.

'Does she not realize whose home this is? '

Before Jimi could identify a good way to interact in this situation, Lull was already up and getting closer, trying to greet her.

She was about a centimeter shorter than Lull, and her puffy, but also somehow long and shiny hair, streamed down her shoulders and back like a coiled snake. Her vibrant pink hair didn't make the odd style any more unnoticeable, her eyes were pinkish-violet. Glimmering from the moonlight, her eyes were only made even more pronounced.

Jimi was in ah, sure she wasn't inherently as good-looking as, well the woman who challenged his father. But in a faint acceptance, he finally gave in, she was better looking than anyone he's ever seen in his age group. It was unfair, Jimi was always proud of feeling he had the biggest brain and best looks out of everyone he knew closely.

At this moment though, it all shattered, she was the new head. When she gets older, Jimi will be a fading light, more so than he already is. Weirdly, it openly hurt him, but he had hope, for he had one savior. And that was Lull, a practical 'god' of indifference, the guy who cares for nothing, avoiding trouble and attention is his game. He would never fall for that damn demon.

With all of Jimi's thoughts coming together, he opened his eyes to look at Lull pinned to the ground. Arms tied behind his back, held by one arm with a ferocious grip. A young girl in a ragged, torn dress, decked in jewels and other fancy crap that Jimi glossed completely over was holding down his best friend.

'How the hell did that happen.'

Jimi then jumped out from the bushes, his face in total shock. Worst of all he was completely silent, he knew not what to say.

"A-Ah, hello, I'm Jimi, the son of..."

Before he could finish, in a flash a flying drop kick smacked him in the jaw blasting him good feet away.

"Fuck off!"

Lull only looked, his face painfully dull. Keeping his arms behind his back, laying on the ground even though nothing restrained him.

'I just felt she would just pin me down again if I tried to escape.'

Fair enough.