you're incredibly wicked

27: first quarter in pisces

Every 2 months, the academy lets the students go home on breaks to see their families and/or go back to work. Serena heard the news while reading a book and was undecided on where she wanted to go. As much as she loves her family and heaven, the world she is in now has taught her so much, and she would love to learn more. All of her roommates went back to their hometowns, leaving Serena in her room alone. Just as she was about to summon a magical bird to let her family know that she was going to be coming back home, a bird flew through the door, with a message.

The bird perched on Serena's finger tips and she opened up the message.

Just as she finished, she went to get a breath of fresh air when Nikolai sat on the balcony.

"Good morning, sugarcake."

Serena remembered she had the letter in her hands still.

"Good morning to you too. Did you send this letter?"

He hopped off the balcony.

"Was it that obvious?"

"The paper smelt like yours. But, all it said was "I hope you don't have any plans for the break." Luckily, I don't. I was going to go back to heaven but..."

"You weren't feeling it?" He tilted his head.

"I like being here. There's always something new everyday."

"Speaking of new, these grounds can get suffocating, and I wanted to ask if you would care to enjoy the break with me in Palato."

He held out his hand.

"Your hometown? Really?"

He nodded with a slight smile.

"Oh, I'd be honored! How are we going to get there?"

Nikolai suddenly shapeshifted into a grey cloud.

"Hop on, I don't bite."

"Ooh, this is going to be fun!" 

Serena jumped on and the cloud floated along in the sky with her. Nikolai as a cloud was a soft and fluffy outer with a sturdy and solid interior. Together, they flew past a few small villages, bodies of water, forests, and so much more. However, what caught Serena's eye was when she took notice of the royal castle where the royal family resided.

"Wow." Was all she could say.

After a breathtaking journey, they had finally arrived in Palato. Nikolai let Serena down and transformed back into his human form. Serena took a twirl around. Palato was a bright, sunny village with a bountiful of warm and vibrant colors. The people walking by reflected the same kind of vibe as the village.

Nikolai smiled when he saw Serena have such curiousity in her eyes. Once she was done, she looked back and saw Nikolai staring at her with a smile. She ran to him and grabbed his hand.

"Woah! I can tell that you are dying to see Palato."

"This is ALL SO EXCITING! I'm beaming with curiousity!"

"What are we waiting for? Let me take you around the village."

They walked hand in hand as they took in the sights of the village. Market stalls, small cafes, and entertainers filled the streets. For a place as lively and sunny as this, it seems odd that Nikolai was born and raised here.

Serena walked by a bakery and the smell of fresh baked goods drew her in.

"Can we please go in?" She asked.

"Of course." Nikolai took her inside.

The bakery was run by a mother and father, both looking to be in their fifties.