Aru Shah 3.5 (DISCONTINUED)

Earth to Aiden

A/N Okay! So first of all--time skip. They're in Lanka now. Also, I chose not to include Kara on this quest and I put in Hira instead even though that probably won't be true for COG. This really was its own little story, though, and I don't really mind if it's not accurate to COG :)

"How are we supposed to convince Kubera to help us?" Mini asked.

"My own genius, obviously," Aru joked. "And I've got something that might help."

She dug around in her jeans pocket, praying it was still there. Several small heart attacks later, she miraculously she pulled out a lipstick tube. The gift Kamadeva had given her so long ago.

"Kamadeva said it would make people see me in a 'different light.' Maybe it'll sway Kubera a little."

"We have to go soon," Aiden warned, holding up his watch. "It's three minutes to high noon."

"Let's do this, then." Aru uncapped the tube. It was filled with lipstick that seemed to shift colors the longer she looked at it. Had it gone bad? It had been nearly a year since she'd received it. Mini could probably list a bunch of harmful side effects of expired magical lipstick. Aru shuddered at the thought and quickly swiped it across her lips before she could change her mind.

The tube dissolved in her fingers. A tingling but not unpleasant warm sensation spread through her body.

"Whoa!" Brynne stumbled back. "Since when did you get taller?"

"Taller?" Aru glanced at herself. For a moment she saw an image of herself superimposed over her own body. The projection was indeed taller than she was.

"What else do you see?" she asked.

"You look stronger," Mini said, examining her curiously. "Your posture's actually straight."

"Wow, thanks."

"You're wearing like, armor and stuff, too," Brynne added. "You look like a warrior. A leader. I mean, you were already one, though."

Hira nodded. "Yeah. You look really powerful."

As they both spoke Aru's description was brought to life in her image. Aru's face looked different--it was still hers, but it had a fierce gaze and light in her eyes.

Aru stared at herself in awe. A leader. Aru had never thought of herself that way. But that was how her friends saw her. She couldn't let them down.

Aru turned to Aiden. "What do you see?"

Aiden's eyes lingered on Aru's face. "Um..."

The smolder effect Kamadeva had hinted at was probably kicking in. Aru snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Earth to Aiden."

"Uh, yeah?"

"I don't look that bad, do I?" Aru teased.

"No, you look..." He hesitated, his gaze faltering.

Suddenly Aru remembered what had happened the last time he'd said that. Now it felt like a lifetime ago, but it still stung. "Fine?" she supplied.

Aiden shook his head quickly, his cheeks turning red. "No. I--I mean, you look...good. Really good."

Aru had a sudden sense of vertigo, staring at her hologram self. Nothing had seemed to change except that she didn't feel insecure anymore when she looked down at herself. She didn't dislike her hair, or her skin, or her outfit...things she usually thought of as flaws. They hadn't changed...but maybe she had.

Her face felt warm. "Thanks," she said quickly.

For some reason, Mini, Brynne, and Hira were smiling at each other like they were sharing a secret she didn't know about.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," Mini said. "Let's go in."

Aru's hologram self disappeared suddenly and she was left looking at the doors. "Well...I guess this is it?" she said.

As if on cue, the golden gates swung open.

"Ready?" Aru said.

"Nope," everyone else chorused.

"Me neither," she admitted. "But let's just get it over with."

Aru led the way into the city of Lanka.