Fan Fiction ❯ Angel Wings ❯ Chapter 7: Fire Ignited ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7: Fire Ignited

Iris went through her morning routine that Thursday morning. She dressed herself in a white tank top and a pair of red shorts. She ate and went to her bus. Oh I can't wait till tomorrow night! The thought of Friday helped her through the morning.

At lunch Iris and her friends went to the roof to eat like usual. Eva chatted with Alex and Jodi, Amy with Rachael, and Melody went off to talk with Iris. She seemed so interested with the Angalikan history. "So you meet every Friday night in the forest?" Iris nodded.

"Yep. Actually I use to live there up until three years ago. My dad got offered a job by a friend in the colony who owned a business in the city. My mom didn't put up much of a fight because she grew up living among humans and thought that me and my brother should try to coexist with them." Melody seemed so intrigued and hung onto every word.

"So is it true you have different names?" Iris nodded. "What's your's then?"

"Iris Dove is my real name. Quin's is Quintin, Cassandra's is Calista and Bonnie's is Bonita."

"Wow, that's a nice name. So why do you change your name?"

"For protection. Only certain people can tell an Angalikan by their name and we don't take risks." Melody nodded in acknowledgement. Their was a silence between the two. Melody tried to think of more questions to ask whereas Iris was debating whether to tell Melody the truth about her best friend's death.

"Hey Melody, you remember when I was away from school because of my friend's death right?" Melody nodded and looked confused. "Well, her name was Juno and yes she was an Angalikan . . .Jodi's brother shot her." Melody gasped in shock.

"Oh my God! Are you sure it was him?" Iris nodded sadly. "I can't believe that." Iris remained silent. "Does Jodi know?" Iris shrugged.

"I'm sure she knows her brother killed Juno but I don't know if she knows that Juno was my best friend."

"Are you gonna tell her?" Iris shrugged again.

"I don't know, maybe. I'm just afraid she might overreact or something." Melody nodded. Both knew Jodi disliked her brother but when it comes to family, anyone who was anyone would stand up for their family.

As the two friends sat together in silence a bizarre thought came to Iris' mind. "Okay, I'm not sure if this will be allowed but why don't you come with me to the colony gathering tomorrow night! I'm sure it will change the views of humans for some of the other Angalikans!" Melody was shocked by her friend's sudden outburst. "I'm sure I could talk my parents into it!"

"Well it would be interesting to meet some of your kind but what if they don't like me or want to kill me or something?" Iris laughed.

"We Angalikans don't believe in murder or killing unless it's for survival such as food but never do we kill for revenge. It's just not in our blood to kill."

That evening Iris pestered her parents about having Melody come with them to the annual gathering. "Iris no. She is human not Angalikan." Iris frowned as she sat on the kitchen counter.

"C'mon mom, dad! She is no threat to our kind! In the human world she is just like Juno. Any ways, if you wont let me I'm moving out." Iris grinned inwardly knowing that they would let her have her way.

"And just where do you plan to move to?" her father asked with his arms crossed. Damn, didn't see that coming. Iris thought about it for a moment or two.

"I'd move in with Melody. Her parents love me. They think I'm an angel." she smiled triumphantly and her parents sighed in defeat.

"Fine, she can come but you are responsible for her. if she causes any problems then you will be punished." Iris grinned and nodded. Yes! She jumped down from the counter and ran to her room where she picked up the phone to call Melody.

"Great news Mel! My parents okayed tomorrow night!" Iris listened to Melody's response then went onto say, "So come home with me after school-" Melody interrupted her and after a momentary pause Iris continued. "Ya, you'll be sleeping over because it wont end till late."

Iris woke up Friday morning feeling like she was on top of the world. Only about eight hours till the gathering! She grinned and dressed herself in a green t-shirt and beige flares. She wore her hair up in a high pony tail. Once she had eaten and had all her books ready, Iris took her bus to school.

Through each of her classes Iris was so focussed on getting everything done. She just couldn't wait to bring Melody to the gathering. Finally I'll have someone new to talk with. At lunch Melody and Iris refused to talk with each other. They knew if they were to talk now they would have nothing to chat about later.

When the last bell rang Melody boarded Iris' bus with her. For the entire ride they held back their temptation to talk to each other. Oh God I don't know how much longer I can go! Iris cracked her knuckles to take her mind off of Melody. When they bus came to a halt, everyone got off and went their ways. Thank God I live close to the bus stop.

Once they arrived at Iris' house, the two went to her bedroom. Iris showed Melody the different dresses she could offer her to wear. "So why do I have to dress up like you guys?" Melody asked a bit annoyed.

"If you don't you'll only get stared at even more. And any ways, I have to dress like your kind when I'm around them so I think one night wont hurt Mel." Melody huffed and laid back on Iris' bed in defeat.

"Fine then. If it makes you happy I'll wear one of your weird dresses." Iris smiled triumphantly.

After going through dozens of different styles, Melody finally settled on wearing a deep forest green bodice which had a blue lace to tie it. She wore it over one of Iris' mother's ivory chemises. Iris's chemises were too short for Melody so they borrowed one of her mother's. Iris wore a golden bodice over her ivory chemise.

Finally it was time to go. Melody was finally feeling nervous. Oh my God, what if they hate me? Heh, most likely they will hate me because I'm "human". . . After the long drive they arrived at the forest. As they walked down the pathway to the colony centre, Iris took notice of her friend's state.

"Don't worry," she said with a reassuring smile. "They'll like you. Heck I love you! I use to seriously despise all humans before I met you." Iris's words calmed Melody somewhat.

"Iris!" a familiar voice squealed. Iris looked around but couldn't figure out where the voice was coming from. "Up here!" the voice shouted. Iris looked up towards the trees a little too late. The young Vesta flew down right into Iris, knocking her off her feet.

"Vesta, it's good to see you too." Iris said as she tried to stand back up. Vesta furled her wings and stepped back grinning.

"Hey! Where are your wings?!" she asked as she noticed they were not there. Iris shut her eyes and two white wings burst out of her back. Something was different about her wings though. Not all of them were white. A few of her feathers were laced with gold. "Wow, your feathers look prutty . . .how did you get them sparkly?" Vesta asked as she bent down and picked up one of the golden looking feathers.

Iris looked at them surprised but also understanding. "They're beginning to look like hers . . ."she mumbled.

"Like who's?" Melody asked confused. Iris turned her attention back to her friend.

"Like Nephari's." Iris said almost in a whisper as she unfurled and furled her wings.

"Iris sweetheart!" the voice was that of an older woman. Iris recognized the voice and frowned. A thick framed woman in her mid to late forties with short flaming red and grey hair walked up to Iris quickly. The woman embraced her in a tight, bear like hug. "Congratulations Iris!" the woman remarked as she began to loosen her hug.

"Tha-thanks aunt Felice." Iris replied as she rubbed her sore upper arms. But then something crossed Iris' mind. "Why are you congratulating me for?" the older woman smiled cheerfully.

"Your parents have told me all about your little incident your highness." Iris understood completely now. She was congratulating her on being the reincarnation of the Empress. "It's truly an honour to have you as a part of out family. Never in a million years would I have expected that the Empress would be part of my family." Iris looked towards Melody who looked bored just standing there.

"Well thank you again aunt Felice but I should be going." the woman nodded and waved as Iris and Melody walked away. "Thank the gods that's over." Melody looked at her a bit confused. Iris smiled and continued. "I can't stand any of my relatives! The insist on treating me like a child still and who knows how they're gonna treat me now that they know I'm the reincarnation of the Empress." Melody put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry it'll be fine Izz." Iris looked at her with a cocked eyebrow. "Sorry, I mean Iris." Iris smiled and put her arm around Melody's shoulders.

"Come on, I want you to meet some of my old friends." Iris led Melody out of the crowded opening to a wooden pathway which led to another clearing. But unlike the clearing they were in before, there were no adults, just teens. "Hey Oriana!" Iris shouted. An Angalikan about Iris' age with long silver and violet hair turned and grinned.

"Hey Iris!" she shouted back. She ran to give her long time friend a hug but stopped when she saw Melody. "Hey, who's that?" she asked as she gestured towards Melody.

"Oh, this is Melina." Iris lied. Melody looked at her confused. Oriana held out her hand.

"Well, nice to meet you Melina. I'm Oriana." she looked at Melody confused. "Where are your wings?" Melody stood there stunned. Um, shit, what do I say?

"Her wings got injured. She was attacked by some humans." Iris explained.

"Well, I hope you heal soon and well." both Iris and Melody sighed in relief.

However, Iris may have saved Melody from that encounter but their next encounter wouldn't be so easy. An older teenaged girl with long, flaming red and silver hair approached them. Her piercing red eyes stayed on Melody. "Iris, dear, would you be so kind as to explain why you brought this trash here with you tonight?" she said in almost a growl as she gestured to Melody.

"Excuse me Dee what are you talking about?" Iris tried to play dumb to hopefully by her and Melody some time. I'll be lucky if I live through this. Knowing Dee, she'll try to rip me apart for bringing a human here.

"Don't pull that shit with me Iris!" Dee snapped and frowned at Melody. "Why the fuck did you bring a human here?"

"She's not a human Dee. Her name is Melina. She just had a bad accident with her wings so chill out." Oriana tried to explain as she smiled cheerfully.

"Oh gods, how much more stupider could you be!? Can't you smell it? The smell of human?" Oriana shook her head no and slowly stepped back. "Of course you can't. You're just an idiot-"

"Hey! That was uncalled for Dee!" Dee cocked an eyebrow at Iris. "So what if Melina isn't Angalikan! " Oriana and everyone around looked in shock. There was a human among them. "yes, she is human and her name is Melody but you don't know her like I do! Melody wouldn't hurt any of us if her life depended on." Dee smirked.

"You poor and tortured soul. She's human and all humans are the same." of course by now, Dee had her groupies all standing behind her ready to fight.

"Really, well I guess we're just like them. every being on this planet is a human. We are just a different race but we are human." Melody looked at Iris with wide eyes. Her voice sounds like the time on the roof. It sounds like Nephari's . . .

Iris' eyes flashed to gold and back to sparkling blue. Her markings on her face did the same. As this all occurred, Dee and the others stepped back almost frightened. "Iris? Are you alright?" Oriana asked cautiously.

"I've never felt better. Well, actually I have felt better. I felt much better when our people were at peace with the other races of the world." there was almost a hint of sadness in her voice. "But no, those damn Atlantians had to plot my peoples destruction." she stifled a laugh and continued. "In a way their plan worked. We may have survived but we are hated. Oh the irony."

"Iris . . .?" the sound of Melody's voice brought her back to her senses.

"Ya Mel, what's the matter?"

"It was happening again." she whispered back. Iris knitted her eyebrows together as she thought about what her friend was saying. "She was speaking through you again." Iris' eyes widened.

"Iris, what the fuck was that about?" Dee asked in a demanding tone.

"She . . ." Iris didn't know where to start. "I'm the reincarnation of the Empress." Dee just laughed.

"Oh my god! That's the most hilarious thing I've ever heard! You! The Empress!" she and her little groups of friends were laughing like a pack of hyenas. Their laughing just fuelled the Empress who slept deep within Iris's soul.

"Silence!" Nephari shouted through Iris who was beginning to take on the form of the long dead Empress.

A/N: I hoped you enjoyed! And please review!