18 Chapter 18: Jungle

I looked down at the ground knowing exactly what Ikko was talking about. 'Even though Mary was a horrible woman who didn't care about anything but herself, she was still considered a goddess because of her outward appearance. Ikko disagrees with how common that is so much that he hates himself because of how beautiful he is. I never thought someone would hate themselves because of how irresistible they are.' Ikko then pulled his hand out of mine and started to walk back into the forest.

"It doesn't matter. I've helped you find Cienar, my work here is done. You don't need me anymore." I heard Arine and Cienar walk up behind me and Arine smirked. "Finally! He's gone! Come'on Silvera, let's go!" I ignored him and ran to Ikko giving him a big hug from behind. "No! I'm not letting you leave!!" He stopped walking and silence filled the air until I continued. "I need you Ikko Oui." He slowly turned his head behind him to look at me, his eyes were wider than I've ever seen them.

He didn't speak and I could feel my eyes welling up with tears. "I lost a friend once. I am never losing one again. Please don't hate yourself Ikko. You deserve to be the way you are because you're kind. Even if you would never admit it. Please be proud to be who you are because you are you. You can't change that and that isn't a bad thing! You may not have a soul but you have a heart, and it would break mine to see you go." His face relaxed and his wings lowered in silence. He turned away from me and sighed. "Damn woman, you really need to stop touching me." I smiled and squeezed him one last time. "I can't help it! You're so squishy!"

He instantly blushed and turned around pushing me away. "Stop it or I'll eat you!" I laughed stepping back. "Okay! I'm off!" Then Ikko looked down and hesitated for a moment. "...Promise not to look of I go with you?" My smile brightened. "I promise!"

He then pointed to Arine and Cienar. "They can't look either!" I looked back at them and Arine's mouth was dropped and Cienar was looking off in the distance like he wasn't paying attention to anything we said. I turned to them and crossed my arms. "You two cover your eyes!"

Arine raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Why can't we look? What could he possibly be hiding?" I pointed to both of them. "I said cover 'em!" Arine groaned and Cienar chuckled covering his face with his free hand. "You're voice is as powerful as your lips Silvera." I blushed remembering our kiss and Arine slapped him over the head. "Ow!"

Arine then covered his face and turned around grabbing Cienar's arm taking him with him down the trail. "Don't ever say stuff like that again you scumbag!!" Cienar didn't fight at all as Arine dragged him. "You want me to help you don't you?" I watched them bicker as Arine dragged Cienar away and I looked to the ground. Then Ikko stepped beside me. "You care about us very much. But I have a feeling that you don't feel the same way as that we feel about you." I sighed. "...I tried love once. I know what it's like to be in love without the other person loving you back. I feel awful, but you all are my friends and I don't see you as anything more."

Ikko gave me a small smile which caught me off guard. He then took my hand. "We are just a bunch of goofballs, but don't act like that isn't the only reason you're not in love with any of us." I looked up at him surprised, and his smile disappeared. "You're still hurting from heartbreak, and that's making you close yourself off from any romantic relationship. But I assure you. You will open up again in time. And when that happens, I'll be waiting."

My eyes widened in response and Ikko slowly closed them with his fingertips of his other hand. "Don't look my dear." I couldn't help blushing as he led me down the trail of the clearing. 'How could a fallen angel be so unknowingly intimate with every word he says? ...Though angels are experts in the art of love, I just assumed that when one becomes fallen, they lose their compassion. Maybe they do, and it's just that, Ikko is different. Maybe...'

Awhile later we entered the jungle and we met up with Arine and Cienar. I still had my eyes closed when Ikko slid a finger along my jawline. "You can open them now." I shook pulling away from him covering my cheek. "Ah! Don't do that! It feels weird!" He smiled and Arine stepped in between us. "Yeah! Don't touch her you pervert!" Then suddenly Cienar grabbed my arm, pulled me against his chest and placed a hand on my head. "I'm feeling left out." I groaned. "I would seriously kill for another female character right now!"

Later we continued to walk through the jungle and the deeper we went, the more scared I became. The jungle was covered in carnivorous plants that moved swiftly, and strange creatures swung from the vines on the trees as we walked. 'Everything about this jungle seems alive. All the trees look like faces, and everything is moving on it's own.' I grew tense and Cienar noticed. He turned to look at me. "Don't be afraid. This jungle isn't as bad as it seems."

As soon as he said that, some vines immediately came down, grabbed Arine and quickly pulled him up. "Ahh!" I turned around startled. "Arine!" They were pulling him up into a mouth that had opened on the tree above him. He was struggling but the vines were too strong. Then suddenly, Cienar turned to a nearby river and reached out his hand making the water bend. He moved his hand to Arine quickly making the water move fast enough to cut the vines. Blood spilled out making the monster shriek and Arine dropped to the ground. "Oof!"

Cienar rolled his eyes and turned away. "Tourists." Arine got out of the vines and rushed back up to us. "Thanks." Cienar didn't answer and I followed beside him as we walked again. "You can control water?! That's so cool!" Cienar turned his head to me. "I don't control it. Water is my companion and helps me when I call upon it. It is a gift all sirens possess because we are one with water." I raised an eyebrow. "What did I say?" He sighed and turned away. "This is why we kill humans." I stopped suddenly. "What was that now?"

Then the quick silence was broken by my stomach rumbling. 'Oh yeah. I haven't eaten today.' I can usually go a long time without eating, but since I was given the luxuries of food when I was with Sythyon, my body has become more needing of it. Cienar turned around. "Hungry are we?" I nodded embarrassed.

Then Arine rubbed his stomach. "Now that you mention it, I'm hungry too. Are there any non-poisonous fruit in this jungle?" Cienar looked around and walked up to a plant picking a fruit off of it and tossing it to Arine. The fruit was yellow with orange spots and Cienar picked one for himself. I tilted my head. "What about me?" Cienar turned his head to me. "Only men can eat this fruit unaffected. Don't eat this unless you want to pass out from pleasure." I blushed and he smiled. "Don't worry. I'll find something else for you to eat."