Angel With Broken Wings

07 - Mash Burnedead, Kat Ride and the Mysterious Maze (3)

[POV CHANGE - FIRST PERSON | KAT]

I glare harshly at the examiner known as Claude Lucci, my eyes sharp as a commotion begins all around us. "They just marched straight through!" Their faces were full of bewilderment, and I could only lower my head slightly, attempting to show signs of brief hostility, only smirking with the blonde man flinched in front of us.

"Looks like we made it." Mash was calm in his words, Lemon standing between us but slightly behind, watching silently at what was going on. The group of people in front of us begin their commotion, yelling nastily towards us for how we got through the maze in the first place.

"Hey! Are they gonna let that slide?!"
"Is that allowed?!"
"No way! That's not fair!"
"He has got to be kidding!"
"Cheater!"
"The rest of us did it properly!"
"GO HOME!"

I scowl harshly, nearly growling, as they all start chanting go home. Mash glances downward, upset at what was happening, "I wish I could." His words frustrated me greatly, and their consistent questions infuriated me completely. "It's not a maze if you can punch your way through it!" One shouted, Mash nodding in agreement, "Good point."

"Yeah! Mazes are meant for getting lost until you find the exit!" Another shouts, Mash countering, "I can't deny that." The one I bothered to answer, made them pause after questioning it for a brief moment, "What is a maze even to you?" Mash and I responded at the same time, "Philosophy. | Torture."

The crowd seemed to draw a blank for a moment, Mash even giving me a somewhat confused look, as I mutter curses underneath my breath. They all seem to quickly shake off their shock, however, as they all begin to chant for us to go home once again.

Lemon steps forward, crying out loudly to beat the shouting of the crowd, "PLEASE STOP THIS! THEY'RE NOT THE ONES AT FAULT!" Her cry manages to catch their attention, their voices stopping and the only one to speak next was Claude. "Don't you dare! Say another word and you'll come to regret it! I can still reconsider our deal!" She shakes her head, continuing her words boldly,

"The truth is, I was told to prevent them from reaching the goal...by Professor Lucci." Her words make the atmosphere drop, the students changing their disapproval filled glares towards the teacher. "He told me that he would let me pass if I slowed them down. My family is poor, and I was desperate to get into this school for them... But not only did they save me, one of them told me...they would marry me!"

The last part of the sentence made me pause, Mash glancing at me quickly with a shocked expression, making me sigh. "Don't look at me like that, you were there, you know I said no such thing." Mash nods, placing a finger to his chin as if to think before looking up and saying blankly, "I never said that either."

"You did, you did for sure, Kat!" The use of my name made me pause, my head tilting to the side at the random confession and declaration of marriage, as I replay the previous moments within my head.

~•~•~ FLASHBACK ~•~•~

I stand in front of Lemon, who still remained shocked on the floor, my eyes scanning her over for any other injuries. "If you're too injured to walk, I can support you. Even carry you, if you'd like?" My question was with some mixed feelings, still a little hesitant to trust the girl before me, but not wanting to just dump her onto Mash to handle alone.

I watched her as she flinched, her head raising as she asks meekly, "By "support" me...? You mean like... But I'm sure I'd only be an [emotional] burden to you." I tilt my head to the side, glancing over at Mash briefly. "I don't think you'd be a [physical] burden, I'm pretty strong, you know? I just haven't had many opportunities to show it yet."