The Morphling's Gem

Chapter 6

The hallways were lit with dim, warm yellow light. It cast an eerie, mystic glow around the hall. Brielle's footsteps matches her mother's as she led her into a large room, filled with comfy looking armchairs, fireplaces, bookshelves and tables. It was a perfect place to relax, read, and nap.
Michelle smiled, noticing her daughter's amazement. "Welcome to the Lounge."
Brielle felt a smile creep into her face. "I can get used to this..." She whispered dreamily.
It was almost like a fantasy. The Lounge itself was two stories high, with spiral staircases that wound up to doors placed high up on the wall. There were a lot of them... About fifteen stair cases and doors in all.
"What are those staircases and doors for?" Brielle asked, pointing to one.
Michelle chuckled. "My dear, those are dormitories. For the Morphlings who stay here year round. In fact, I have prepared one for you to stay in. Follow me."
Michelle led Brielle across the Lounge, towards a staircase that was laid with a velvet and gold trimming. They climbed it, and at the top was a door with the number 12 printed on a gold plaque. Below was a brass dragon knocker. Michelle dangled a set of keys in front of Brielle. "Why don't you open your new room for yourself..?"
She anxiously took the keys, and slid them into the lock. Turning sideways, the door swung open, revealing a massive room inside.
Brielle walked in, hardly believing her eyes. "Wow," she breathed.
A silken four poster bed sat in the center of the room, it's blue-green sheets and duvet on a soft mattress below silken drapes of silver and blue that hung from the bedposts. A bedside table held all of Brielle's precious things: the current book she was reading, the special pendant her grandmother gave her, and even the little pink unicorn she had gotten when sh was six. A white dresser stood at the far end of the room, and silken blue and silver curtains hung in the window to match the bedding. A perfectly tiled bathroom with polished marble countertops was behind a door close to the dresser, and a walk in closet was opposite. This was truly amazing.
"How did you even get all this?" Brielle asked in disbelief.
"Oh, I have my ways." Her mother gave her a smirk. "I'll let you get settled in... I'll have Nicolas and Anna bring up your things I retrieved from our hold house."
With those words, Michelle swept out the door, leaving Brielle to think.
She was happier than ever. The first thing she did was twirl in front of the full-body mirror, and quickly put her hair up in a braid. She pirouetted until she was dizzy, then flopping down on her bed, which she sank right into.
"This is the life.." She said to herself, and she stared up at the ceiling.
Suddenly, a knock sounded on her door. Brielle sat up, walked towards to door, and peeked out the tiny little circle that distorted people's faces, like they had in hotel rooms.
She saw the same boy with the spiky red hair, and that girl who's hair was perfectly straight dark brown. Nicolas and Anna, she thought, remembering the names her mother had given her.
Brielle opened the door, inviting the other kids in. They each carried two suitcases. Nicolas placed them against the wall, and so did Anna.
"Thanks guys," she said awkwardly.
"Not a problem." Nicolas's voice was surprisingly mature.
Anna simply nodded, her straight hair moving with her head.
"So, uh... Anna and Nicolas, right?" She asked.
"Yup. Nicolas Livingston. I go by Nick." The redhead boy said.
Anna remained stony faced, and serious. "Yes. Nice to meet you, Brielle." Her voice was soft and gentle, like a running stream, but her word choice was very adult-like.
"Nice to meet you too. So, you guys are also Morphlings?" Brielle asked.
Nick nodded. " Anna and I train together, most of the time. I been a part of the MU since I was seven. That made Anna five."
"As a matter of fact, Michelle told us that we would be training with you tomorrow," Anna said.
Nick gave a slight smile. "You might wanna rest up. The first training day is usually the hardest for a newbie."
"Um... Sure. See ya tomorrow, I guess." Brielle closed the door behind them as they left.
Brielle wasn't sure if she like the presence of this two. Anna was too serious, and Nick was friendly and all, but she just didn't know him well yet. They seemed like well bonded friends. Brielle also wasn't sure if she like the idea of training with them tomorrow.
It was getting late. She washed up, dressed in her pajamas, and crawled under the covers into her new big bed. It was cozy and all, but it just felt like some this was missing. Home.