The Girl with an Owl

Chapter 25

Next morning Ajana was woken up by the excited flutter of pages.
"Okay Rex, calm down, I am awake!" She said sleepily.
Rex seemed more excited than she had ever seen him before, he kept flying around the room turning his pages as if he couldn't wait for the day ahead.
"Rex, Walnut! Walnut, Rex!" Rex said excitedly.

That was when she understood that Rex was expecting another exciting walk with Walnut.
"I don't know if Walnut is in the mood for a walk today, Rex. We have to ask first." Ajana said gently trying not to hurt the little guy's feelings.
However, before he had the chance to fold his pages in sadness, they could both hear Walnut screaming from downstairs: "Rex! Come here, boy! Rex!"

"You'll wake up Ajana!" Cassie said quietly.
"That's okay it's already her time to go to school," Walnut said, unapologetic as ever.
Ajana got ready for the day ahead quickly because she didn't want to be late on her second day of school.

The moment she opened her bedroom door, Rex flew out in a flash and flew to Walnut who was floating nearby. Ajana didn't know if she would ever get used to seeing something like that. Although Walnut did have wings and all of that, Ajana still tended to forget that he was a magical being who could fly. Sometimes she felt as if it was just a small boy in a fairy costume.

It was ridiculous after everything she had seen and heard, but she couldn't help it.
Her brain still struggled to process the new reality she found herself in.
In some moments she was completely fine, accepting everything at face value. Other times, like now, while she was watching a fairy boy flying around the house wrestling in the air with a book that could fly and talk, it felt like everything was a bit too much for her.

The book and the fairy boy, however, paid no attention to the lost Ajana, and they continued playing and laughing excitedly.
No matter how much it was all strange to her, Ajana couldn't help but smile at the duo.
They were so happy and not afraid to show it, which Ajana thought wasn't so common in the world she came from.
Often times, she would see someone smile at an animal or a child on the street and then suddenly stop, afraid that their actions might be misinterpreted and judged.
Even with family members people rarely showed true, undisturbed joy, and it felt revitalizing for Ajana to see that kind of joy and sincerity existed.

During breakfast, which was the most delicious breakfast Ajana had ever had, since this time it mostly included fairy food, the one that other beings could eat, they started talking about the Great Father Owl day.
Late to join the conversation Ajana asked: "What is the Great Father Owl day, exactly?"
"You don't know what it is?" Nectarine asked.
"But everyone knows that. It's the day that we were born, it's the world's birthday." Nectarine said.

Seeing confusion on Ajana's face Cassie decided it would be best to explain from the start.
"I am guessing that Wallace has told you the Creation story?" Cassie asked.
After Ajana nodded her head in agreement, Cassie went on with her explanation.

"Well, tomorrow is a holiday celebrating the day that the Great Father Owl came from the skies, created all there is, and humbled himself into someone more like us, choosing to put aside his God-like stature and to live as one of us.
It's similar to religious holidays you have on Earth, only in our case we celebrate by reconnecting with mother nature since that was the gift given to us by the Great Father Owl that shall always stay with us.
By reconnecting we give our thanks to nature and the almighty father who bestowed that gift upon us.
You won't have school and no one will go to work. Instead, we shall all gather for a simple reconnection ritual and a delicious picnic afterward.
What do you think? Are you interested in going with us?" Cassie asked.

Ajana thought that would be a great opportunity to immerse herself in the society and enjoy the beautiful nature of Mag which she simply adored.
"I would love to," she said.
The moment she agreed to go with them, she could see that her accepting their invitation had made Cassie and Zephyr very happy and that only confirmed that she had made the right decision.

"Do you need Walnut to help you find your way to school again?" Cassie asked after they finished breakfast.
"No, that's okay. I can find it." Ajana replied.

"Can Rex stay with me? Pretty please?" Walnut asked.
Ajana was hesitant because she wasn't sure how Cassie would react, but upon seeing her nod in agreement she said it was okay.
Both Walnut and Rex seemed pleased by the decision.

"Don't think you are getting rewarded for being naughty yesterday. I am still thinking of what you can do to make up for what you have done.
When I decide, you will have to do it, whether you are playing with Rex at the time or not." Cassie said.
"Yes, mom," Walnut said.
It was obvious he would agree to anything just to get to spend time with Rex.

Ajana said goodbye to them and stroked Rex's pages whispering: "You be a good boy, okay?"
Rex started bobbing up and down in agreement.
Even after she left the house, Ajana could hear Walnut's laughter and the strange muffled sound that she took for Rex's laughter, as well as Cassie telling them to be careful not to hurt themselves.

The whole way to school, Ajana couldn't help but think that they were such an awesome, energetic family who loved each other dearly.
Although Ajana herself had a good home life, she never had that kind of, well, magical existence.

The moment she arrived at school, Bluebells was by her side. It felt to her like he had magically appeared from out of nowhere which wasn't out of question.
As they were walking towards the school together Ajana noticed Kieran standing under the huge tree covered in dark red flowers, all alone, lost to the world.
"I'll be right back," Ajana told Bluebells and went towards Kieran's lonely figure.
"Uh-oh," Bluebells said.

When she reached the tree, Kieran was standing under it was obvious that he didn't notice her even though she was standing just in front of him.
She cleared her throat to get his attention, afraid that anything else might startle him having in mind where he came from.
"What do you want!" Kieran immediately said.

"Listen, I get it that you don't like it here and that you had a difficult life, and I am sorry. But we were paired up for this project together and I think we can be civil enough with each other to survive the project.
It would be best for both of us to do this project well. Don't you think so?" Ajana said.
"Yes, fine but don't expect anything more than just civil from me. We can do the project together, but that doesn't make us friends." He said firmly.

"Clearly. Why don't you just let me know when you are free for us to work on the project, and we can do our best to finish it as soon as possible. That way we won't have to see each other again. Deal?" She said extending her hand.
He seemed to be familiar enough with human customs to know he should shake her hand or maybe they had a similar custom at Aguene as well, Ajana wasn't sure.
As they were shaking hands, Orla was passing by and when she saw the exchange she stopped and stared at them in disdain.

"Ew, I knew earthlings were disgusting, but disgusting enough to touch an elf, I didn't expect that," Orla said.
Kieran quickly withdrew his hand and walked away without saying a word while Ajana couldn't help but glare angrily at Orla.
Seeing her glare, Orla flicked her hand in one fluid motion and Ajana was surrounded by angry bees.
"Next time you want to glare at me, you better have the magic to defend yourself, you stupid earthling," Orla said and walked away.

Ajana kept swathing her hands trying to get rid of the bees but nothing helped they kept swatting around her.
"Calm down, it's just an illusion." Bluebells said appearing by her side.
"Breathe deeply and clear your mind." He said.
She did as she was told and just like that the bees were gone.

"How did you know?" Ajana asked.
"She had done that trick many times before. I am more surprised by you, you sure are not listening to my advice are you, staring daggers at her and all." Bluebells said.
"Sorry, I just thought she was so mean, for no reason," Ajana said.
"Well, that's the most accurate definition of Orla I have ever heard." He said.

They walked to the school's front door together and the new school-day started on that not-so-happy note.