The Irene Girls

Phoenix Drop

Marie finds a path and follows it best she can, it seems old. Then she arrives at a wall, an old weathered wall. Marie assumes it must be 'Phoenix Drop'. "Avalon!" Marie screams. Marie runs farther down the path and comes across a broken bridge. Marie backs up and leaps across barely making the jump.

Behind her she hears someone almost sobbing about how this can't be Phoenix Drop. When she turns around she sees Aphmau in shock. When Aphmau crosses the bridge Marie asks, "Aphmau, what's wrong?" Aphmau gestures to the whole village, "It's been fifteen years... And it felt like fifteen minutes." Aphmau says wiping away tears. "Marie, how long were you in the Irene dimension?" Aphmau asks concerned. "Only two hours and thirty minutes. Why do you ask?" Marie asks with a slight fear.

Aphmau's face is sympathetic and sad all at once. "Because, one minute in Irene's dimension is one year in our world..." Aphmau says drifting off. Marie's eyes widen, she falls to her knees, and buries her face in her hands. "Then... We've lost everything. No family, no friends, no nothing. Where are two seventeen year olds supposed to go?" Marie says with her tears staining the ground. Marie inhales and yells even louder this time, "Avalon!" It sounds more like a distress call. "Avalon please don't leave me here alone..." Marie says so quite Aphmau only heard it by bending down. Aphmau stretches her hand out for Marie to grab. "I think I know where she might be." Aphmau says softly.

Marie grabs Aphmau's hand and Aphmau helps her up. "Go through the plaza, there will be a path on the right that leads to a statue, I will check on you guys in a moment. First I need to check on my friends." Aphmau says pointing to a small opening that's barely visible. "Thank you, Aphmau." Marie says wiping away a tear.

Marie and Aphmau go their separate ways for now and Marie runs towards the opening Aphmau told her about. While walking up the steps to the hill Marie sees a figure by the statue. "Avalon?" Marie asks quietly. Then Marie sees another figure, it's holding a sword to the other figures neck. Marie hears it say, "I'm going to ask you again, who are you and why are you in Phoenix Drop?" Marie gets closer and can make out their faces. The person holding the sword is a man with blue hair, brown eyes, and he is wearing the same armor as Laurence. The one being held at sword point is Avalon.

Avalon says nothing, she just stands there. "Wait!" Marie yells. Marie arrives at the top of the stairs, next to her stands a beautiful statue of Lady Irene. Marie puts her hands up and says, "Please, don't hurt her. She's not dangerous." Marie says frantically. "Then how come she won't even tell me her name?" The man asks suspiciously. "Her name is Avalon, mine is Marie. I'm sorry if my friend has caused trouble, we just have lot of issues right now."

The man puts his sword down and says, "As long as your problems don't cause a war we can't fight, then carry on. I better not here anything about two girls stealing. If you two do anything to hurt Phoenix Drop, or its people, I will not hesitate to run you through." With that the man walks away. Marie runs over to Avalon and hugs her, Avalon stays still and doesn't respond.

Marie pulls away from the hug, sad from her friend's lack of reaction. Then Marie hears footsteps behind her, she turns to see Aphmau. "You were right, here she is." Marie says gesturing to Avalon. "I'm glad to see she's okay, and that our statue is still safe." Aphmau says looking at the Irene statue. Once again Marie hears footsteps, she looks to this time see the man with blue hair.

"Dante!" Aphmau yells happily. When Aphmau and the man meet they hug. The man tells Aphmau how worried he was and how he waited for her to come back. Then he looks over to Marie and Avalon. "Wait, these girls are your friends?" The man asks. "Yes they are I suppose. Marie, Avalon, meet Dante, he's an old friend of mine." Aphmau says gesturing to the girls then to Dante.

"Hello Dante, I don't believe we got a proper introduction earlier." Marie says stretching out her hand for Dante to shake. Dante shakes Marie's hand and asks, "What about your friend, is she mute? She hasn't said a word, not even at sword point." Aphmau's eyes widen, "At sword point?" Aphmau yells shocked.

"No, Avalon isn't mute... She's just gone through a lot... We both have" Marie responds grimly. Avalon looks up angrily, "What do you mean we have?" Avalon asks, her voice deeper than usual. "Not now Avalon." Marie says only slightly turning her head. "No, now sounds great. I'm the one who just lost my father!" Avalon says raising her voice. "No Avalon, you lost your father one hundred and fifty years ago!" Marie yells turning around completely. "We were in the Irene dimension for two hours and thirty minutes. One minute there is one year here, so I've lost my mother now too!" Marie's voice cracks from tears.

"You're supposed to be like my sister, the only person I have left! Although right now you're not doing a good job, you know your dad was like my father too. So don't act like you're the only one hurting!" Marie shouts at Avalon. Avalon is shocked but knows Marie is right, "I'm sorry Marie." Avalon says softly. When Avalon looks up she sees Marie wiping away tears. "I'm sorry too, Avalon." Marie says. The girls almost completely forgot about Aphmau and Dante whom are only a few feet away.

Marie continues to wipe away tears then turns around and apologizes for what just happened. "It's fine, it happens sometimes." Aphmau says reassuring Marie. "Come on Aphmau, there are people who are waiting to see you in the safe hold." Dante says beginning to walk away. Aphmau gestures for Marie and Avalon to follow. Together they all walk back, while on the way there Aphmau sees her old home perfectly intact. Dante tells her that she should find out for herself who has been taking care of the house.