Willow's Legend - Original Version

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"What's up Mitchell?" Alicia said, using Michael's nickname. She remembered Chelsea had asked them what they thought were the ugliest names, Alicia had said Stanley and Michael said he wasn't a fan of the name Mitchell. Which was a bad thing to say in front of Alicia, she had officially proclaimed that day that Michael's nickname would be Mitchell, he didn't seem to mind too much, though.

Michael smiled at her and responded, "Nothing much, Leech." She wrinkled her nose at his response. Of course, since she had made up a ridiculous name for him, he had to make one up for her, too. Eh-LEE-sh-ah apparently to him sounded like "leech", so that exact same day he had proclaimed that her nickname would be Leech.

It was their turn to clean blades. All Headquarters had a circulations of chores to do around the place. Yesterday, Alicia had to help clean, do the laundry and polish bloodied, raggedy, sweat-filled gear, which was not a fun job at all. Michael grabbed a chair and a rag which had some Safrong wax on it and started on a Kindgel blade.

Alicia sat down as well with a sigh and got her rag out, dipping into the bucket of Safrong wax, which made the blades shiny and clean. She was never one to do dirty work like this, in fact she hated it, she would much rather go out and kill some things for adrenaline. But because Willow was here, she couldn't even go outside for fresh air.

"So, you know how the Midsummer's Shade Ball is coming up in two days?" She said casually, Michael was never one for "girl talks" but he listened to her, which was nice of him. She could talk to him about whatever she wanted--periods, sex, pregnancy--and he wouldn't care, he wasn't like those awkward Ganashes where you even mention the slightest thing about females and they panic. Chris was the same as Michael, so she had suspicions that it was her fault they weren't grossed out or anything.

Michael rolled his eyes, "Cleaning blades always make you gossip," he teased her. Even though he was messing with her, it was true. Cleaning blades was a boring, tedious job and it was the job that she talked the most with. She was a naturally talkative person, but cleaning blades seemed to amplify it.

She smiled innocently and rubbed the blade she was cleaning harder, there was a stupid blood stain that wasn't coming off. "Let me guess, every Ganash girl has asked you to go with them?" Michael rolled his eyes, even though she was right. He was the type of guy that seemed to get every other girl to look at him. Every year it was the same, girls (and men, for that fact) would run up to him and beg him to come with them. It was rather stupid, considering his situation, but she guessed the only reason they would want him to come with them is to show off. No girl had ever got Michael to even glance at them for more than a second, so having him dance with you would surely be an item of gossip; Ganashes like Kopors were always up for a good, juicy subject to giggle about. Well, all the girls had never gotten his attention till now...

Michael looked up at her, "And all who did were very stupid, it seems girls never learn." His tone was light and bouncy, but she knew he really meant it.

Alicia furrowed her eyebrows, "They probably didn't want you to like them, they probably just wanted to get you into a bed." She momentarily wondered if he hadn't been bound would he go with their girls. Right now, he had the risk of falling in love with them, which was the reason he dodged the relationships like bullets. But if he hadn't been bound, would he go with one of them?

Michael nodded at what she had said, "Stupid, like I said. It seems none of them have life preservation in their systems."

Alicia laughed, "As long as we're the center of attention, we don't have life preservation."

There was a question, that was nagging her like an itch in the back of her head. He had avoided all relationships like bullets, but there was one girl he hadn't avoided at all, he had actually grown attached to. She was nervous to bring the subject up, though. Very nervous. "So, since the sexist pig isn't coming to the ball," She said the words slowly, dragging them out syllable by syllable, letting the each and every letter sink into his head. She knew very well that Michael understood who the 'sexist pig' was. He never minded that she insulted Katrina, mostly because, if he could, he would too. Chelsea and Chris were always giving her nicknames, for the benefit of Michael not them. "Who are you going with?" She asked, this time, the words popped out, almost slurring into one mumbled sentenced.