Shudder

36

After the wonderful Faery Dance came the Witches Performance. Just the sound of it had me wondering what it was they intended to do, but of course, we'd have to travel to another room to find out. A theater room at that. By now I'd grown rather accustomed to Tidus Reem's lavish mansion and the theater he had was really no surprise. It easily seated all of us and still had more room for others including balcony seats. The stage was massive and I could tell that there was a large screen that came down for movies, though a movie wasn't what we were watching tonight.

The path to the seats were lit by lines of lights including a few lights lit from up above. The seats were plush, like you were sitting on a cloud and the arm rests flipped up so you could become comfortable with your neighbor if wished -- I did since mine was drool-worthy Roman. And as everyone became settled, the lights dimmed and cloaked figures took to the stage.

At first nothing seemed to be happening, but soon a wave of wind began whisking about the Witches and then it was whipping back their cloaks and lifting them high into the air. I watched, but couldn't see their faces as they made a show of their magic and flicked up streaks of light. Just as the light faded, they settled onto the stage and it was then that I could see their faces and what I saw had me shaking in disbelief.

It can't be.. No. It just has to be someone who looks like her...

But the more I stared, the more I was convinced that it was Bree among the Witches up there. She had the same curly, red hair and bright green eyes, but I still thought that maybe it was just some girl the way she was dressed in a short, green dress, a cloak around her shoulders as her fingertips wove a spell, releasing butterflies into the air.

She was just dressed so differently than the way the Bree I knew did and the fact that, that Witch -- who looked like Bree Porter -- was doing magic and the Bree I knew was human only served to strengthen my denial. But unfortunately, being Lupus my sense of smell was heightened and as I inhaled deeply -- I knew without a doubt it was Bree as her scent of lavender and peppermint filled my nose. Suddenly I felt nauseous and wanted nothing more than to get away.

I stood, hearing grumbles, groans and Roman's murmur of concern, but I ignored it all as my eyes actually locked with Bree's from up on the stage. Her own eyes widen a little, but she didn't look guilty, if anything she looked triumphant that I finally knew. Her look made me angry and at the same time annoyed with myself for not just being honest with Bree from the beginning, but I still moved and stomped my way out of the theater, no longer interested in the Witches dazzling effects.

As I burst out of the theater I could hear Roman's footfalls close behind, but I was busy dealing with the revelation that my best friend was a Witch and I hadn't known once, even when I had changed into a beast I still didn't fucking know. And that pissed me off.

"Dammit!" I snapped, fur prickling my neck as my rage swirled.

"What's wrong?" Roman finally asked, confused.

Suddenly I wondered if Roman had known about Bree, but just as the thought began to fill me with a rage so intense, it slowly vanished as I remembered that Bree's scent didn't carry the magic smell that Roman had described and I wondered why. And in my thoughts, I hadn't bothered to answer Roman, instead opting to continue to stomp along in deep-rooted anger and concentration. I was weaving my way down long, wide hallways decorated with numerous pictures that hung on the walls with doors in between when suddenly I found myself in chamber that was slightly smaller than Tidus' ballroom, but larger than the waiting area.

The room was so clearly themed like an oasis with the floor a glimmering sand color, the ceiling a sky blue and pools that glittered in just the rising moon's glow from large, spacious windows. Plants were littered around the room in various places, some with flowers on them that gave the room a tropical smell and pleased my heightened senses greatly and to add to the theme even more the room felt just a few degrees warmer than the previous rooms I'd been to.