Chapter Text
Yukui’s eyes widened in fear as she looked down from the cliff where she stood… and where she was told to jump off and fly.
“You are all out of your mind!” she cried, looking back at her sprites and a frowning Satoku. “That drop is probably well over a thousand feet!! And I don’t think those clouds are strong enough to catch me if I fall!” Satoku snorted, rolling his eyes.
“Typical MeteorChild…” he sneered, “you always say the same thing. Don’t you know you fell down to Earth at 100 miles per hour from this world when you were a mere infant? Falling from here should be a breeze!” Yukui didn’t answer, not understanding what he meant by “MeteorChild.” Yet, for some reason, she felt… agitated by his words…
Yui and Yuo looked at each other then at Yukui’s frowning face. “H-Hey, just ignore him, okay?” Yuo said softly. Yui nodded. “But seriously, what’s his problem?” Yukui huffed, turning away from them and Satoku.
“You never told me how to fly…” she said through clenched teeth. She braced herself for another of Satoku’s snide remarks when a friendly voice spoke.
“Satoku, why don’t you give our newcomer here a demonstration of how to fly?”
Yukui whirled around, grinning. “Uto Sensei!” It was the teacher of the Quester’s Basics Class, who was also the shopkeeper of the glass figurines store back on Earth. He walked up behind Satoku, patting him on the shoulder. “Go on. Show her how to do it.” Satoku sighed before shooting a rather venomous look at the pinkette, brushing past her to take her place in front of the edge of the cliff. He then took a few steps back, and ran .
Yukui gasped in surprise as Satoku jumped off the cliff, launching himself into the air before plummetting down like a rock. She ran to the edge, watching in horror and despair.
All of the sudden, a flash of gold and white appeared behind Satoku, and he arched up gracefully. With ease, Satoku flew over Yukui and Uto Sensei, exerting a calm yet slightly prideful nature. From the cliff dropoff, Yukui watched in amazement, her mouth agaped.
Those gold and white streaks behind his back were actually large, magnificent wings. They were mostly white, but had golden outlines on every little feather, giving his wings the overall gold and white colors. They reflected the sunlight gently, making Yukui having to squint a bit to watch the arrogant mentor. She forgot all of what he had spat at her earlier, delighted in seeing him fly.
“See?” Uto Sensei’s optimistic voice chirped behind her. “It’s easy. You have wings too.” Yukui looked at him incredulously. “I do?!”
“Yeah,” grinned the man. “If you can see us, have Sprites, and make it this far in this world, then you have wings.”
What kind of explanation is that, Yukui frowned in disbelief before returning her gaze up at the purple-haired boy. She had lived on Earth for thirteen years, and had never seen flying people before! Nor had she seen or even knew she had wings! “What makes you think that I have wings, Uto Sensei?” As much as she tried, Yukui couldn’t hide the bitterness in her words. But Uto Sensei didn’t seem to noticed, his smile still bright.
“Even if you are a MeteorChild, Yukui, you’re still one of us.” His voice had dropped considerably. “And if that’s the case, you have wings. You just need to use them…” He smiled kindly at the girl and her Sprites. “You want proof that you’re us? Look at your Sprites. Spritelv will only join inhabitants or natives of this world. And look! You have two of them!” Yui and Yuo giggled.
“It’s true, Ne-chan!” Yui squealed, flying over and landing on Yukui’s shoulder. “If you were human, we would’ve avoided you!” Yuo grinned. “We are naturally attracted to this world’s* natives, not normal humans! *I constantly say this world’s natives because I haven’t figured out a name for them yet.* Proof that you belong here, with us!” Yukui smiled at this, feeling a bit more confident in herself. She hesitantly took a step closer to the edge, watching Satoku fly around a bit before hovering over her with his wings wide and his arms crossed.
“Hear that, Satoku?” Yukui thought to herself. “I’m one of you, so watch me… Watch me fly faster, and stronger, and better than you!” Without thinking, she jumped off the cliff, arms outstretched.
They came at once; the wings. Yukui gasped at the light yet overwhelming feeling, looking behind her as she witness her white and gold wings sprout behind her back. It felt natural, like it was part of her, not an alien part of her body. Yukui smiled.
What wasn’t natural was the fact that they didn’t glide like Satoku’s… and she was spiralling down fast!
“Aaaahh!!” she screamed, hands reaching out to the people above her. “H-Heellp!”
Within a second, arms went around her waist and stayed there, and she was quickly brought up. Satoku hissed into her ear angrily, “You are the most idiotic person I have met. Jumping off without a clue of how to manuver? You are sure to have died like that.”
Yukui was agitated, but quickly as it came it dissolved, the world below her layed out and beautiful. Satoku had taken her up, way up, higher than the cliff she was at before. From below, Yui, Yuo, and Uto Sensei looked up back at them and grinning. The pinkette returned her gaze back at the forest, clouds, and mountains, breathing in the crisp cool air of this world. It was truly beautiful , amazing, compared to the noisy and cramped area called New York. She felt her heart swell at the thought: she belonged here.
“Well?” Satoku snapped irratibly. “I’m letting go now. I assume that you heard my advice?” Yukui was about to turn back and look at him in confusion, but that was when he let go of her. She shrieked, panicking as the mighty wings behind her back spread out once more.
And she flew. It was as if Satoku had given her magic or something. Yukui was actually flying! Amazed, the girl spread her arms near her wings before giggling like an excited school girl, laughing as she flew, she saw Yui and Yuo flying up to meet her, cheering her on. “You did it, Ne-chan!”
Yukui looked back to Satoku and was surprised to see him back down at the cliff, his wings gone. He had this look of— was it?— jealousy and frustration written over his face. When he caught her gaze, he simply looked away.
No matter, thought the pinkette, I can fly! I can really fly!! She let out a whoop, trying all sorts of tricks she saw Satoku do earlier.
“This is so much fun!!” Yukui said happily, her Sprites zipping around to follow her.
Though, as fast as she could fly past clouds and the cliff, she couldn’t seem to escape what felt like Satoku’s burning glare.