FairyTales (Joey Graceffa Fanfic)

Chapter 12: Story Time ( Astral and Joey's P.O.V)

"So, what's so special about Arcadia?" Astral asks, throwing Joey off guard. "It's kind of hard to explain, but as soon as I saw her at a party one day, I didn't want to leave her side. For all of the friends she has, they always want to be around her. Her personality is pure, kind, loving. She always fights for what's right, and never once has she doubted me, or my mom." Joey explains, his heart aching a bit. Since the incident, Joey had almost never left her side. His heart ached to be away from her. "Not in that kind of way. I didn't need to hear all that mushy crap. I meant her power. What power does she posses to make her so hunted?" Astral says as Joey laughs inside his head "She's an Omni. Besides Arcadia, the last Omni ever recorded was her great great great great grandmother, Tabitha Patterson. What about you? What makes you so good of a person to be Aeron's apprentice?" He asks, still curious about her story. "Nothing. He took me in. My old village, Greystone, was overcome by termites. I had nowhere to go, and, when I saw him in the shadows that day, I asked if he had a place I could stay. So he let me. He's  been training me for quite a while on whatever it is he does. Last year he gave me Singe as a birthday present. He really cares for me, as if I were the daughter he never had." Joey just nodded, yet frowned at the mention of Aeron. He really hated him right now. "I'm glad that you have a good home with Aeron, but I still can't believe he said that. What's wrong with him?" Astral gives him an icy cold glare and he stops breathing in utter fright. Her glare was something he never wanted to see again. "Look Joey. What you said probably hurt Aeron a lot. Sometimes, he would cry himself to sleep all because he was worried about his sister. All because of what happened. You do know that it was all an accident, right?" "Well that's what he told me. But what he said to me hurt a lot worse. My mom hates me because I won't marry Arcadia. Not too long ago I learned it was because she wanted her son becoming the most powerful person to ever rule this land. Though there are other monarchs, we're the top family so she only expects the best. And, to tell you the truth I really wanted to marry Arcadia. I was planning to propose to her the week after we had our fight. That's when all hell broke loose in our household. I actually still have the ring. When I went and got that ring, it made me so happy. Just glancing at it made it scream her name. It just seemed so like her, I was so happy. I even found the perfect spot for the wedding. I actually took her there for our first date since the accident." "I understand. I had someone I loved too. they fell and died the day of the infestation. But I can understand your pain. She is alive, yet your entire relationship reset." Joey nods, realizing that they had arrived at the garden. He was happy the trip was short. "This won't take too long, will it? Not that i'm bothered by coming out here with you, I'm just worried about her. She keeps having hallucinations and I desperately want to know what's causing them. It happened so suddenly I couldn't be sure." Joey swears he could see a flash of guilt go across her face, but he shook it off. What could Astral be guilty about?          "No; it shouldn't take long." Her voice sounded emotionless, where as when they talked about their lives her voice was full of mixed emotions that Joey could detect. Though it was hard with Astral being the kind of person she is. "Are you alright? You're sounding different than you did a minute ago." She ignores him, and walks over to the vegetable garden. "You get the fruit, I'll get the vegetables and herbs." Her voice had the same emotionless tone, but Joey shakes it off as he gets on his knees to pick strawberries. They worked in silence, and Joey was a bit pissed as he did so. Why was Astral acting so strange? She was just opening up to him, and now she acted like a  complete jerk. He had asked a kind, worry some question, yet she ignored it. He knew better than to just let it pass without him being suspicious. He could read the guilt right off her face.

"You're hiding something. You can't deny it; I can read the guilt right off your face. Now please, tell me what's wrong and then I won't bother you. But if it's something important, I don't want you hiding it from me." Singe squawks at him, and he growls threateningly." He was never a fan of fire, let alone a bird that harnessed it. Astral sighs loudly  "Fine, I'll tell you since you're so demanding. It's about Arcadia, and it's not good. That's all I'm going to tell you. Aeron should explain the rest to you when we get back." Joey stopped in his tracks, enraged. He turns and looks Astral straight in the eyes, giving her the meanest glare she'd ever seen. "You can't think that you can say that and not tell me the rest. That is my fiance‐girlfriend you're talking about! She means more to me than my own life and you won't tell me!" He snaps, rubbing his temple. This was all too stressful for him. "Please understand it's because I don't want you getting upset.

Arcadia needs you, and I don't want you breaking down and crying for hours on end just because of what's going on. Trust me, I know it's the right decision. If I told you, you would rush back when we need to collect food. There isn't any back at the lab, so Arcadia would starve when she wakes up. Is that what what you want Joey, is it!?" Joey bit his lips as he mentally screamed with anger. "You can't do this to me! This is the worst thing someone could ever do to me! You don't understand how worried I am about her! She means more to me than anything. I would die if I had to!  Tell me or I'll just leave and find out myself, no thanks to you!" The more Joey raised his voice, the more Astral wanted to bury herself here. She was done. Everyone treated her like this. As soon as she tells them about her power, they demand to know so much that Astral couldn't bear to tell them. Then they would get mad. Astral had been hit on several occasions at the village. Truth was, there was no termite infestation. The love of Astral's life did not fall. She committed suicide. Everyone hated her after that, even though Astral had tried her best to help her. She knew it was going to happen too. She knew that some day that she would, but couldn't do anything to stop it. The pain and guilt is always building up inside her, so Joey's comments didn't help. Joey was about to run off, but Astral grabs his arm firmly. He struggles, even growling as if it were going to help. "I can't let you leave. Not yet. There are things I don't want you to see. When the time is right, we can leave. but now is not the time. Joey stood still and suddenly, in one firm yank, his arm was free and he went off running, leaving Astral behind.

The tears threatened to spill, but she wouldn't let them. She wanted to sob, but ran after Joey reluctantly. If Joey got to the lab before her, he would see what was happening and get the wrong idea. Astral couldn't let that happen. She didn't want Aeron getting hurt. "Singe let's go!" With those three words, she was lost into the thick jungle trees.