Vitae

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Solomon and the Oracle walked to the door side by side, Mia behind them. The trio walked together out of the Dream Chamber, as the Oracle had called it, and out into the room they were in before. The family of cheetahs were laying in a giant heap on the floor, all of them snoring softly, and the mare had her head down and her eyes closed, most likely sleeping. "Wait what time is it?" Mia asked, wondering why all of the animals seemed to be asleep. "It's only three in the afternoon. The Anima are only taking naps." The Oracle turned around and smiled. She stopped walking and looked down at Solomon, the giant tiger was walking around sluggishly. "Go take your nap now, Solomon. We'll be alright without you," she whispered, her sweet voice like honey once again. The huge tiger bowed his head and padded off, back towards the Dream Chamber.

The Oracle and Mia had passed two or three doors before reaching their destination. This door was different from the other ones. It was a large, steel door that looked much heavier than the others, and it looked like it needed more effort to open than the others, as well. The Oracle looked as if she was having trouble opening the door, so Mia stepped in and tried helping her. She wasn't very strong, but the door opened nonetheless.

To Mia, beautiful was an understatement with this room. Flocks of scarlet and blue parrots nested in little crevices in the walls, while the emerald ones flew around the room, looking for fruits to eat. Large bird houses, much like the ones Michelle had out on the front lawn and in the backyard, were pinned up, side by side, all around the walls. Finches and bluebirds flew down from the various trees in the room, birch and oak along with a few tropical ones for the parrots and other tropical birds she hadn't seen.

"Welcome to the Aviary," the Oracle whispered, not wanting any of the birds to stop their beautiful, yet fragile, routine. Mia was still looking around the room, and only stopped when she saw something in one of the pine trees. It was a smaller bird nest, resting in the crook of one of the longer branches. There was a flash of mixed grays and blues and a hummingbird sat at the nest, building it with various grasses found throughout the room. Mia watched the hummingbird in amazement, Michelle didn't have these at her house. "What are those?" Mia asked the Oracle, watching as the bird went down to a group of honeysuckles, sipping the nectar out with its beak. "That, Mia, is a Bee Hummingbird. And that one," she said as she pointed to one, drinking out of a morning glory, "is Pandora. She's your Anima."

Mia gasped a little. She was surprised that her Anima was a hummingbird. "How did I get a hummingbird?" She asked the Oracle. She was expecting something more common like a wolf or a bear, and she had never seen anyone with a hummingbird before. Pandora buzzed up from the flower to the nest again. "Because you're fearless. And, no matter what, you have to try making anyone sad happy again. No matter what, you wouldn't stop running until you got back home. That's how it's always been, Mia," the Oracle told her, smiling. "And that is what it takes to be bonded with a hummingbird." Mia smiled and looked up at Pandora, thinking about what the girls would think of a hummingbird Anima.

The Oracle got Pandora down into her hand, coaxing her with flowers, and pulled a stone out of her pocket. The stone was round and it looked smooth. Different kinds of red swirled around the stone, clashing with each other or blending with each other. The Oracle pressed the stone to her lips, uttering a few words in a language that was foreign to Mia. Then, she pressed it to Pandora's head. The reds in the stone were replaced by the blues and grays of her feathers. Pandora let out a little chatter and ruffled her feathers out. Mia tilted her head a little in confusion, she had no idea what she was doing to Pandora.

The Oracle pulled the stone say from Pandora's head and turned to Mia. "Are you ready?" She asked, just making sure. Mia nodded and the Oracle pressed the stone to her forehead. There was a numbing pain in her mind, like someone was trying to freeze her. Images from her past flashed before her eyes, much like when they were in the Dream Chamber, and she groaned out in pain. There was a faint voice in the back of her head. Mia? Mia, can you hear me? Mia nodded and answered, yeah, I can hear you. The Oracle pulled the stone away from Mia's forehead, but the pain stayed with her for a little while longer. "Mia? Did you hear Pandora?" She asked her as Mia began to rub her temples, wanting this horrible pain to end. Mia answered with a nod, seeing as how talking wouldn't help the horrible pain in her head. The Oracle smiled her sweet and addictive smile. "Then it is done. You two are bonded."

The Oracle handed Mia the stone that had turned the colors of Pandora's feathers and Mia's eyes, making it look like the ocean. "Here you go," she said as Mia observed it. "Why do I need it? Does it have a purpose?" Mia asked her, wanting instructions. I don't believe it does. I think it's just a reminder that we're bonded, Pandora told her through their thoughts. "It has no purpose. I just thought that you would want it," she told her and smiled again. They reached the waiting room again and Mia looked around for Michelle. Who's Michelle? Is she your mother? Pandora asked, listening to Mia's thoughts. My foster mother. I'm an orphan, Mia responded and gave Pandora some images from her past, such as when Michelle told Mia that she was an orphan and have her the locket. Pandora let out her little high pitched chatter and nodded in understanding. Well this Michelle character sounds pleasant. I'm sure I'll like her. Pandora chirped and Mia smiled. I'm positive you will. And she'll like you too. Mia finally found Michelle and walked over to her briskly. Michelle looked up from the beauty magazine she was reading and smiled. "How did it go?" she asked me as Pandora began zooming around the room, making her little hum.
"It was," Mia stopped mid sentence to think of the proper adjective to describe it. Magnificent? She heard Pandora suggest in the back of her mind. "Magnificent!" she exclaimed quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace. Michelle chuckled and looked around the spot that Mia was standing. "So where is it? Where's your Anima?" she asked, most likely because she hadn't seen Pandora flying around. Pandora flew over to the two girls and hovered above Mia's shoulder, chirping happily.

Michelle looked at the small bird as a prospector would a gold nugget, as if it was the most beautiful thing in this world and that no one should be given the chance to take away it's beauty. "I was afraid you would get something like a lion," the woman joked, wanting to give her mind another thing to think about. Then, her eyes widened and she looked down at Mia, smiling. "Someone called while you were in there, they're interested in adopting you. You'll be meeting them tomorrow."

Mia's eyes widened as Michelle's had and her mouth dropped down to the floor. "Who? Who called?"

Michelle chuckled and looked up at the ceiling before answering. "The King wants to adopt you."