Zodiac Story

From Lively Peaches and Vermillion Feathers, Beget Monochrome Art Part 4

Despite Dulce's proclamations, her feet started to hurt. Felícia pulled herself to the tree. A kick with her heel made Felícia grit her teeth in pain, but her feet sank into the mud all the same. In front of her, the sky was alight with fireballs and the clanging of metal. Although Felícia noted that the various steel columns inside the creature are melting in the heat. Her feet are starting to hurt less, the soothing sensation doing what it was supposed to do. Next to her, Dulce was staring at her amulet. What is it that you want, Felícia wanted to say, what do you want the most in the whole world? What Felícia wanted was to fight, yet her body refused that command.

"...where is she?" Dulce asked.

Felícia scanned the sky, leaning on her right foot. There was no sign of the other girl. Come to think of it, she hadn't heard the telltale singing in a while.

ー¡El gallo!

As much as Felícia barely liked the other girl, even she wouldn't have wished harm on her. Cursing in pain, she forced herself to keep running. A small pile of feathers seemed to be heading in her direction. Catching her, Felícia set her down immediately. Dulce was not far behind, checking the other girl over.

"...this one is fine. Do not worry," The other girl stated as the smell of burnt feathers wafted. "The feathers shall grow back into their full finery."

Dulce looked at the sky, the soot and smoke staining it black. "There is no possible way to win. We should go home, say goodbye to Sra. Tanaka-"

"No!" Something about her defeated attitude re-energized the other girl. "If we give up now, we'll leave thousands to a fiery end. Should we accede to submission, this creature shall end the cities of beautiful Brazil much like Rio today. When we meet our ends, do you wish that burden upon your soul?"

"Great speech," Dulce murmured. "But I question how we are supposed to accomplish this."

"Your amulet," Felícia stood up, despite the massive pain. "Back home, you said two is better than one. Well, the three of us can easily defeat that. I find it hard to believe that someone like you, who travelled across the Americas for the promise of shelter, would have nothing that drives you. Your teacher believed in you, for whatever reason."

Dulce nodded. "I do not know if this will succeed." She traced her fingers on the amulet. "All I have ever wanted was a simple life, learning from Lǎoshī, drawing, giving back to the community, and helping people when needed. Now more than ever, I want to rise above, above the obstacles and challenges that I face. I need to be resilient to face all that is to come."

Nothing happened.

Dulce shrugged. "That was a good-"

The amulet exploded. For a brief second, the three girls were awash in black and white. Finally, Felícia thought.

The moment her feet lifted off the ground, Felícia wondered if all transformations had a side effect. The tree that she was leaning on earlier was uprooted, as well as some of her neighbours' houses. Multiple shirts, free of their lines, floated like birds. When she looked down, almost all of her neighbourhood was suspended in the air, ripped out of the earth. The other girl was visibly in shock and trying to swim through the air.

"Meeeeeé."

She looked at the origin of the sound. There was a sheep flailing around, its white wool a stark contrast against the black sky. Grabbing onto a branch, she dove in and caught the sheep in her arms.

"Meeeeeeeé." The sheep looked at Felícia.

"Dulce?"

"Meeeé."