1 Homecoming

It was the Middle of autumn, and school had already been in session for a few weeks now. Everyone had joined clubs and made friends. It was a Friday, and students were just departing from school for the day. Each leaving in their own individual way. Some would cast a spell of flight and just fly away. While others simply walk home. The day had gotten a bit later, and Ari had stayed late to fill out some forms for school. Once she finally finished, she started to head home. A couple of other students were hanging around the school still for clubs and sports, and some just did not want to go home. Once Ari made it to the front of the school and stopped for a moment and said,

"shit, I almost forgot."

She reached into her bag trying to find her hat so she can cover her ears. Once Ari found the hat from within her bag she takes it out and  places it on her head. Then she let out a sigh before continuing to walk out of the school.

Ari started to walk past a group of students that were still at the school. She grabbed the brim of her hat and pulled it over her ears. She then lowered her head to not draw attention to herself. She was as stiff as a board. The tension was building up inside, it was practically pouring out of her. Walking past them as fast as she could. She finally got through the gates and let out a large sigh of relief.  As Ari came around the corner of the gate there was loud crashing sound. She jumped back through the school gate and looks at the hole from the other side. There was a thick cloud of dust from the destroyed wall. She hears a voice coming from inside of the dust cloud says,

"What the hell is your problem? Just because you are a Royal doesn't mean you can push us around."

Ari steps back and watches things play out, trying not to be noticed.

A boy in the same class as her smiles standing over the kid in the rubble. He grips the kids shirt pulling him closer then says,

"The weak should know their place. Never overstep your bounds again."

He lets go of the kid in the rubble, fixes his jacket, and walks off. As soon as he gets out of sight, Ari quickly walks over to the guy in the rubble and says,

"Are you are right?" He looks up then stands up brushing himself off.

"I'm fine thanks for asking." Ari smiles slightly,nods to him, and places her hands in her pocket as she began to walk away. She gets past the gate and hears a small wince. She steps back once more seeing the boy who got his ass beat struggling to walk. She sighs and walks over to him placing his arm around her shoulder saying,

"Let me take you to the infirmary the doc should still be here." He let out at sigh and says

" Thanks again. My name is Titan, What's yours?" She looks up and says

"Just call me Ari." he nods and they enter the building.

After walking through the school for a bit they finally get to the infirmary the school nurse was still there and asked, "Titan what the hell happened to to this time?" she sounded angry and Ari Interrupts ,

" The Royals beat him up. Even put him through a wall." The Nurse sighs, pointing to the bed saying

"Lay him there, and thanks for bringing him in you may leave." Ari places him on the bed in the infirmary softly and then leaves the room. As she walks away she hears the nurse scolding Titan about his bad habits of getting beat up. She chuckles as she walks down the hall and out of the school. She finally made through the gate and away from the school. She was finally heading home.

    All Ari could think about on her way home was how Titan stood up to the royals even though he knew what would happen. She shakes her head then continues to walk home. After about a ten minutes walk Ari made it home and her little brother was sitting on the porch watching the birds in the trees. Ari snaps her fingers in front of his face and breaks his gaze. He blinks once then he looks at his sister and smiles slightly saying,

"Oh welcome home Ari. How was school today?" Ari smiled walking past patting him on his head. She entered her house and went straight to her room. As she opened the door to her room a bright white flash through the doorway. She sighs opening the saying

" Axle how many times do I have to tell you no teleporting into my room?" Axle laughs while sitting on her bed swinging his legs back and forth. She walks over to her bed and motions for him to get off and leave. He smiles then a white light flashes and he was gone. Once he is gone she falls flat onto her bed and almost immediately drifted off to sleep.

    A white ball of light flashes in Ari's dark room and she immediately wakes up and throws a pillow at Axle saying

" Axle Get the hell out!" he laughs dodging the pillow and cutting on her light then tells her

"You have a friend down stairs to see you sis." She groans and thinks

" Who could be here this late." She looks over at her clock that reads 9:42 PM. She rolls out of bed and is about to leave she passes a mirror in her room and stops. She was still in uniform so she changes into to something more comfortable jeans and an oversized hoodie. She smiles and leaves her room. As she made her way down the stairs she heard a familiar voice but it wasn't a family member. She made it to the bottom of the stairs and stops. Ari looked as if she had seen a ghost.

    Ari snaps out of it then says, "I… I Thought you died that night." She slowly walks over the male standing in her living room. Tears running down her face. He laughs

"Ari I told you that you will see me again and I kept my promise." He wraps his arms around her and she sobs into his chest then says,

" Dante you suck. You know that."

Dante was a 6'4 male who was Ari's best friend since middle school. Dante ran with a rough crowd ever since he could use his power, and he got in good with a gang called Olympus. One of the first Jobs that he went out on Dante never came back and Ari's parents told her he had died .

He lets her go and she wipes her tears and takes a step back. Dante begins to speak and was abruptly stopped by Ari slapping him across the face. He staggers back then smiles while saying

"I deserve that."

She looks at him then sits down saying "Explain now Dante."

Dante sighs and takes a seat on one of the couches in the living room then smiles.

" I have been here and there and everywhere."

"Dante you are not making any sense" Ari looks at him confused

" I'm just messing around, but what I said was true. I never left Ari." He leans forward and places his hands on her legs " I would never leave my best friend alone. Wouldn't dream of it."

Ari smiles slightly then places her hands on his replies," Dante you still have not told me where you were. "

Dante leans back in the chair then looks her in her eyes saying " If I tell you about what I have been up to i would have to kill you."

Ari laughs very loudly then stops after seeing how serious Dante was " I'm sorry Dante I didn't mean…" He lifts his hand and tells her

" It's okay Ari, But I did come here for a reason. I need you to come with me right now. Please just trust me."

Ari stands up  and without question follows him to the door. Dante stops then yells up the stairs

" AXLE I NEED YOU TO COME HERE BUDDY!"

A white light flashes in the living room and Axle says " What's up Dante"

" I need you to go to bed on time by yourself. Ari and I are heading out."

Axle nods and says " I'll go to bed within the hour" Once again white light fills the room and Axle is gone.

" Good now let's go Ari"

Dante and Ari head out of her house and into the street. It was now about a quarter to eleven and the city was pretty dark. The only lights came from the houses but the streets were

pretty wide ,so the center of the streets were almost pitch black. Ari becomes uneasy as they walk deeper into the city and Dante hasn't said a single word but his head was on a swivel. As if he were expecting something to happen.

"What is it Dante?"

Ari asks confused starting to look around but seeing nothing. Dante looks back at her and then smiles then says,

"Sorry its a habit. Being alert is one of the things Olympus taught me when I first started out."

    They are in the middle of downtown,but it's not what a normal town looks like. Downtown was literally downtown. Below the trees of the city that the high rankers live in. This is a world where the strong lord over the weak. A world of kill or be killed. A world where either you are born into power or you are born as a weakling. Dante was stronger than most be he never brags  or boast he lets his actions speak for him. Downtown was safe but you can never be to sure.

    Ari smiles back and nods. She still had so many questions where there were going. Where Dante had been for the past five and a half years, and why did he show up now. She knew dante would answer these questions when the time came but she was still very anxious. Dante finally stops at a building in the middle of downtown and turns and tells her,

"Don't say anything and put your hat on before we go in."

Ari nods and places her hat in her head to cover her ears and nods at dante. He nods back then knocks on the door. The slide on the door opens and a male voice says.

"password "

Dante responds with

"Homecoming"

The door opens and they walk into the building.