Cassiopea's School for the Gifted

Ch. 4

"Hey, we're gonna go hang out in the garden. Wanna come?"

I smiled, "Sure!"

I loved flowers.

I quickly got my shoes on and followed Finn to where he planned on meeting up with his friends.

I didn't know why I still said "his friends". They were my friends too... I just wasn't used to having friends, I guessed.

"Woah."

I stopped in my tracks as soon as I saw it. An endless field of flowers. So many colors, different sizes, and different types.

Finn laughed at me, "What? It's just flowers."

I shook my head, walking along the path and looking at all the flowers with wide eyes.

He didn't get it. I'd been in darkness for most of my life. And in New York, there weren't fields like that. I saw flowers occasionally in pots but that... wow.

"I've never seen this many flowers in one place before."

He just laughed at me and then called out to our friends when he saw them.

Hm. "Our friends". I could get used to that.

"You look like you've seen the love of your life," Noa said as they lightly nudged me with their elbow.

I smiled, "I love flowers. In New York, you don't see fields or gardens like this."

They nodded, "I suppose not..."

As I continued to stare out in awe, I felt Noa watching me. More like observing. But I was too distracted and happy to care.

A while later, we'd been walking around and hanging out, Circe came over to me.

"Hey, Arion?"

"Yeah?"

I'd been at that school for a few weeks and she hadn't come up to me a lot. I could tell she was really shy. And Finn said she'd get more comfortable around me soon.

"Bend down a bit."

I furrowed my eyebrows but did as told, and I was surprised when she reached up and tucked a flower behind my ear.

I used my phone to look at it.

"I noticed you were staring at those specific flowers..."

I smiled, "Thank you, Circe."

She smiled back, "It's no problem! I love flowers too. I reacted pretty much exactly how you did when I first saw the garden. It's just so magical and amazing."

I nodded, looking out again, "It really is."

"Y'know... I think I can relate to you a bit."

I looked back at her, "Yeah?"

She nodded, "When I first came here I didn't know much about magical creatures either. My parents and brother are actually normal humans. I got the magical gene from my grandparents on my mom's side but they didn't really educate me besides teaching me how to control my powers. There are all sorts of people here, sometimes it can feel lonely, but you'd be surprised how many people are in similar situations and can relate to you."

I smiled, "You're warming up to me."

She giggled, "You're a nice person, it'd be hard not to."

"Thanks, you're a nice person too."

She smiled and then we both looked out into the field.

I wondered if she would think of me differently if she knew my family... or my powers...

**

"Are there any other people here with... dark powers?"

"Dark?" Cassia questioned.

I nodded, "Yeah. Like me. Not the same powers, obviously, but..."

She nodded, "I think I understand what you're asking. There are a select few from the same family who have magical blood and have control over blood, from themselves, another human, or an animal. There are demons who are enrolled in this school. And in the past, we have had one student with bakezori physiology and we couldn't get him to control his shifting so he had to leave, on account no one could sleep with him running around the dorms at night yelling and singing." She ended with a small giggle.

After a small pause, she smiled at me, "Just because your powers may be dark, doesn't mean you are a bad person, Arion. I hope you know that."

I nodded, "In theory, I know that. It's just hard to believe."

"Would you like the name and dorm room of one of the students that have darker magic than usual?"

I shook my head, "No, I just wanted to know. I wouldn't be able to talk to them because I don't want anyone to know my magic is dark."

"Would it help if I got your phone number and gave it to one of them so you could message them anonymously?"

I thought for a minute.

It could help. They didn't have as dark of magic as I did but maybe they could help me realize that my powers didn't define who I was as a person.

I nodded.

She handed me a Post-it note and a pen and I wrote my number on it.

"I will just tell him that there is a new student who would like to ask him some questions about his magic. I won't give anything away."

I nodded again, "Thank you."

**

?- Hey, is this the person that was curious about my magic?

A- Um, yes? Who is this?

S- My name is Samwise (yes like the Lord of the Rings lol), I'm a seventeen year old blood manipulator

Samwise... he was in my class. I needed to be careful not to give myself away.

A- Are you okay if I ask some questions?

S- Go for it

A- Blood manipulation is considered a darker magic, right?

S- Yeah, usually when people find out that's my power they get a bit scared or creeped out

A- How do you deal with that? With people being scared of your power and maybe thinking that you're a bad person because of it

S- At first it was really hard

S- I hated my power with a passion, even though my whole family for centuries has had it

S- But after I came here and people learned what my power was, they gave me a chance. People here are a lot more accepting than anywhere else. At first people were scared that I'd drain their blood, but then I explained what I can do and what I can't do, and they got to know me, then they saw that just because my power is dark doesn't mean I am.

S- And I guess once other people started thinking that way, it opened my eyes 

S- Can I give you a piece of advice?

A- Yeah

S- I can tell from how you've been asking these questions, you probably have a dark power. Maybe it's darker than mine, maybe not, I don't know and I won't pressure you to tell me. But my advice is, tell your friends that go to this school. I bet you they will be able to see that you aren't a dark or bad person, or they will give you a chance to show that you are a good person

A- Thanks, that helps a lot

S- No problem

S- Can I ask you something?

A- Sure

S- You don't have to tell me your power, I know it's hard telling people if you yourself are scared of it or dislike it. But could I know your name?

... should I?