It was Friday evening. Heli slept peacefully in bed. But the pouring rain and the thunder would at most points of the night wake him up.
But the lighting and thunder made the sound of a nuclear bomb. And Athena became afraid.
So scared that she ran all the way to Heli’s room. She shook from the disturbing sounds. She frantically banged on the door, catching her breath.
Heli was there to answer. Athena fell to his arms.
“It woke you up too, didn’t it?”
Athena nodded.
Heli carried the girl to his bed and covered her up in the blankets.
“It feels so warm.” Athena said softly.
“I know it is,” answered Heli, “It’s because I was in it first. And your whole body is shaking! Are you cold?”
Athena stammered.
“I had the window open…but I wasn’t cold.”
“But how come your hands are freezing?”
Athena refused to answer.
Heli smiled as she began to fall asleep. She cuddled up beside Heli, who was ready to caress her head.
*~*~*~*~*~*
It was Saturday…no one goes to school on weekends. Only if they really want to do the best in school.
But for Athena…she thought she didn’t need it. After all, she did live for over three hundred years.
Then again, she would have done exceptionally well.
She laid in her bed on that Saturday night, when her mother Fionna burst through the door, jumping up and down.
“Athena! Wake up! We have to get ready for tonight!” Athena groaned.
“Aaugh, Mum! You know that 8:00pm is the time I go to bed, right?”
“I know, but your friend Heli is going to perform the violin at the Cal State Monterey Bay theater!”
Athena froze and laid back down on her bed, covering herself with the blankets. She couldn’t take the news anymore.
Why is it always Heli?
Athena eventually gave up and sat up.
“Does Heli have an absolute desire for something?”
“Well, he does…ever since his mother and father died…he vowed to play his violin for their spirits until he was allowed to join them.”
“And will he?”
Fionna nodded.
“But…it would be a hundred years for that. Let’s just be glad he is in this world today.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
Heli had practiced his violin with Shion, who also played the violin. But he was more of a successful piano player.
Heli stopped for a moment and frowned. Tears flowed from his eyes. Shion was concerned.
“Why are you crying?” he asked.
“Oh,” Heli sniffled, “It’s just nerves. I’ll be fine.”
Shion gave an embrace to Heli; Heli sobbed uncontrollably. Shion cleared his throat.
“Why are you crying? You never were one to cry.” he said.
“I just…I…”
“Do you miss someone?”
Heli sniffled and stammered through his sobs and gasps and eventually said,
“Maybe…but…it’s not Athena though.”
“Then, who is it?”
Heli continued to stutter.
“Mum…? Dad…?” he whispered tearfully. Shion was shocked.
He misses his parents, he thought, I thought it was Athena? He always admires her. I guess family is important to him.
Shion patted his back and head, comforting Heli in the process.
“I’m sorry you are going through this.” Shion whispered, “I’m going through the same thing as well. I recently lost my mother, and me and my father are devastated. But we’ve learned to keep smiling, even through the worstest things.”
Heli somewhat felt better, and dried his tears.
Athena, Odette and Fionna arrived at the CSMB theater. Athena’s palms began to sweat for no reason at all. She even felt shaky. Odette took notice and patted her back.
“Are you alright? You look a bit pale.” she said.
Athena forced a smile on her lips.
“I’m alright,” she said, “I’m just nervous for Heli, that’s all.”
“You seem to like him, don’t you?”
“Maybe…maybe a lot…maybe…a little.”
“You love him, don’t you?”
Athena gave a straight expression.
“Yes, I do love him.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
The concert goers had gathered around in the hall to the auditorium. Athena saw Heli with his violin freshly in his hands.
He was wearing a white collared shirt with a navy blue blazer. It was then already ten in the evening: the violin competition was ready to begin.
The auditorium was filled with concert goers. Fionna, Odette and Athena were sitting at the balcony of the auditorium. It had its fancy features. The host of the competition entered the stage.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, our traditional 45th annual CSMB violin competition will start now.”
As each of the competitors played their piece, Athena fell asleep. It was because she thought they didn’t play with emotion or no flavor was in the music.
Odette felt pride, since Heli was the final competitor.
This is a long competition, she thought, Hopefully, Athena’s love of her life will be up there, playing a beautiful piece of music for her.
After a long time of waiting…it was eventually Heli’s turn. Athena quickly woke up.
“Heli (any) L/N will be performing Nocturne in C Sharp minor by F. Chopin, accompanied by the Decelis Academy orchestra.”
Heli tucked the violin under his chin; he and the orchestra tuned their instruments. Once they finished…they began to play.
Heli’s performance was somewhat different from the rest. He showed a lot of emotion, and didn’t lack any variation…and there was flavour to the music. Athena fell for his features.
He is just so…beautiful, she thought, I thought boys were just cute, though.
Suddenly, there was a lingering feeling in Athena’s heart.
But right when the concert ended, Athena ran out of the auditorium and to the bathroom, where her wings flung out from her back.
Odette ran in the bathroom with Athena, where she saw her wings. Odette was shocked.
“You…” she stammered, “You’re the Princess of the Serpentine! But how?! That’s impossible!”
“It’s because I…I…I have been reincarnated. The real Underland had given me a chance to live a second life. Oddly enough, they’ve got my looks down! And also…I remember how I died in the first place.”
“How did you die?”
Odette and Athena took a walk outside at the CSMB gardens. Athena’s wings had mysteriously disappeared.
“Your own sister killed you?” asked Odette, “But why?”
“She was jealous of me, and wanted to get rid of me. My mum and dad used to blame her a lot. I tried to get them to stop. But they wouldn’t. They’ve been doing this ever since I was a baby.”
“That’s sad,” said Odette, “They only praised you and not your sister.”
“They didn’t love her truly. So when she was eighteen, they disowned her. To me, I still think of her as someone who just wanted love.”
Odette frowned at Athena. And then, the faint sound of Heli playing the violin was heard. Athena perked her head up.
“The second round, I’m guessing?” she asked.
“Yup!” answered Odette.
Suddenly, Athena’s wings returned to her. But this time, Odette found out that she had her wings!
They stood facing each other. They floated up and circled around, staring at their wings.
You have wings as well, they thought.
As the violin music stopped, they both fell to the ground, gracefully.
“I can’t believe it!” said Odette, “You have the same curse, too?”
“Curse? What curse?”
“When an Angel or Serpent hears the sound of an instrument, mostly the violin, their wings would develop more quickly than your actual average rate. I’ve heard of the violin since I was about three years old and I developed my wings.”
“Strange,” said Athena, “I’ve only recently discovered the violin this past week or so.”
Odette dropped her jaw.
“You’ve never heard of the violin before?!” she asked in shock.
“Well, it’s not my fault that I don’t discover things as quickly as you do. I was just born with that.”
Athena sighed.
“I went through so much effort to keep the secret.”
“You never told anybody?” asked Odette.
“I couldn’t! If I let the whole world know I’m still living, then He would ruin the rest of my second life!”
“Who’s He?” Athena went to Odette’s ear.
“The Krampus!” she whispered.
Odette went back a few steps.
“The Krampus…but he is also known as–”
“Lucifer! Even He has been reincarnated as well.”
“But…how do we resolve everything?”
“There is only one option that could be risky.”
“What is it?”
Athena sighed. “We would have to defeat my sister…and the Krampus.”
Odette was confused.
“How do we do that? Is that why I’ve been training so hard in fencing classes after school?”
“If we are going to defeat them both, we would have to use our fencing skills and martial arts as well.”
“How, though?” Athena was quiet for a moment.
“Our wings can help us fight…I’ve read that they can make the other Angel or Serpent miss a punch or a slash of a sword from one another.”
Odette nodded in agreement.
“Are they useful?”
“That is what my mum told me.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
“I can’t believe that you made the second place mark!” Fionna squealed to Heli.
“Your mother and father would have been so proud of you for doing so well!”
Back at home, Athena was out at the West Terrace of Hearst Castle, looking towards the view of the Pacific coastline. It was breathtaking as was the wind, too.
Heli came to join her.
“You like coming out here, don’t you?” he asked.
“Yes,” said Athena, “I do. It’s where I come to be alone and such.”
“You wouldn’t mind if I would join you, would you?”
“If I could, I would…but…right now, I’m more lonely.”
Heli pulled Athena’s head on top of his chest.
“It’s so cold,” he said, “Why don’t you have a jacket on?”
“I don’t like to cover my arms.”
“Why? You’ll get hypothermia.”
“Not for Serpents like me.”
Heli was confused.
“Serpents like you…wait…you mean to tell me that you are–”
“A Serpent?”
“Yes, and also…the Princess of the Serpentine?”
Athena couldn’t hide everything anymore and nodded her head.
“But you can’t tell anyone, though. Not even Shion.”
“But Shion will get suspicious and will find out anyway.”
“Then don’t spread the secret, then. Don’t let anyone know that the princess Athena is still alive. If the whole world knows, then my sister would come and ransom our fortunes with the help of the Krampus! Please! I beg of you!”
*~*~*~*~*~*
Heli was silent for a long time…eventually, he said, “Don’t worry…I won’t tell anybody. Not even Vincent.”
“Good.” said Athena.
Heli then pulled Athena back in his arms. He kissed her passionately on the cheek.
But then, both Athena and Heli kissed each other on the lips. They stayed with each other until it was completely dark outside. The Neptune pool was all lit up as well.
Fionna, along with Hermia, somehow found the loving couple.
Heli noticed the two women.
“I think I have to go.”
“Already?” asked Athena. “We’ve been out here for over five minutes. I have a home, you know.”
Athena nodded sadly.
As she watched Heli cast off, she frowned.
In the end, she laid in her bed, and began to cry, showing her signs that she loved Heli dearly.