Bloody Dawn - MCD AU [REWRITE PENDING]

Fifteen - Comparing Notes

As Zane stared up at the clouds, he couldn't help feeling small in this world.

The Overworld is just so damn BIG! I never thought I'd see a world where I can fly freely, without having to worry about smacking into floating soulsand, a netherrack pillar, or a flying ghast.

As Zane watched the clouds change in the sky above, he imagined what it must be like in the Aether.

Aphmau says it's a really big and wide-open space. So I guess it would make sense for angel wings to be more powerful than demon wings.

Zane sat up. He looked around. Michi, lying in a patch of oxeye daisies, was purring as she sunned herself. Zane could already tell she was going to get sunburned. Vylad napped in the shade of a nearby tree, while Katelyn practiced combat skills on some boulders. Emmalyn was reading in the shade, and Aphmau...

Zane actually wasn't sure where Aphmau was.

"Surprise!" Aphmau landed right in front of Zane. He fell back in surprise, sending the cupcake he just grabbed flying. Aphmau caught it and ate it whole, giggling at Zane's surprised reaction.

"Hey!" Zane exclaimed indignantly, sitting back up and tucking his wings back in. He grabbed his cupcake bag, holding it close. Aphmau laughed, then sat down next to him.

"Don't worry, you big babywings, I won't eat ALL of your cupcakes." Aphmau giggled, putting her arm around Zane's shoulders. Zane set down his bag of endless cupcakes, blushing a pretty crimson. He laughed nervously.

Aphmau is just so friggin' bright. She always puts on a smile, no matter how bad or hopeless a situation is.

She always has this way of lifting others' spirits, even when she isn't trying.

Zane smiled, momentarily forgetting nobody could really see it under his mask. He put his arm around Aphmau's shoulders.

Aphmau leaned in close, her wing wrapping around Zane. "So, whatcha thinking about?" She asked.

Zane looked up to the clouds, a distant glimmer in his eyes. "Just what it would me like to have wings like yours. Ya'know, strong, powerful wings built for true flight."

"Oh." Aphmau looked up to the clouds. "But I've seen you fly with your wings." She said, somewhat confused.

"Well, it's indeed true that my wings are flight capable." Zane began to explain. "But the Nether is essentially a giant cave. There isn't a ton of flying room in there. In fact, imps are one of the few demon species that still have flight capable wings."

Aphmau took her arm off of Zane's shoulders. "Wait. If most demons don't have wings, then how do they know what they're good at?"

Zane removed his arm from around Aphmau's shoulders. "What do you mean?" He asked, confusion written in his face.

Aphmau looked at Zane. "In the Aether, an angel's wings determines what they're good at. For example, SongWings have special feathers on their wings which work like instruments-they vibrate in specific ways to create sound. That's why SongWings are supposed to make music." Aphmau explained.

"Oh." Zane said, nodding.

But Aphmau wasn't finished yet. "Or take BookWings like Emmalyn. Their wings are smaller to accommodate for the smaller spaces of the library, but their loaded with a special magic that allows them to levitate themselves and other objects." She explained, pointing out Emmalyn's smaller wings.

"Oh." Zane said again. "Well, in the Nether, the species you're born as only matters partly. It may affect the jobs you can get, or your education, but not in any drastic way." He began to explain. "Take Michi, for example. She's an imp, so she was born with flight capable wings and a slightly smaller size. She was also born with more precise, lighter claws. So she takes extra penmanship lessons, flight class, and can do delicate tasks."

Aphmau nodded, and Zane continued. "Michi was also born with illusion magicks, so she takes some more special classes. I also knew this succubus, Sasha. Sasha's wings are to small for flight, and she was born with a more whip-like tail and cloven hooves. A succubus like Sasha also has a bigger magicks potential, and great ears. So she takes courses like potionry, eavesdropping, and tail-hoof combat."

"In other words, a demon takes classes that interest them, or attune to their unique skills. Mostly everydemon kid is treated as an equal, and the adults take jobs that they prefer... although, there aren't that many jobs available. Everyone kinda works together to keep everyone happy and alive." Zane, done explaining, smiled as Aphmau nodded.

"What other demon species are there?" Aphmau asked with genuine interest.

"Well..." Zane began, "There are imps like Michi, and Sasha isn't the only succubus, so let's see..."

"Well, there are crawler demons, which are beefcakes with hunched-over backs, short, stout tails, huge horns and claws, and tiny, useless wings. There are also stalk demons, skinny twigs with big wings, long tails and weak claws, stubby horns and small fangs." Zane said, listing off a few demon species.

"Oh." Aphmau said, falling backwards to stare at the clouds. Zane did the same. Together they watched the clouds change and pass by.