Magi: The Goddess of Hope [DISCONTINUED]

💮 Scene Thirteen: Snake Under the Blossom,

The breaking dawn found Maka sitting pensively in her room, mind racing a thousand miles an hour. 

She was just given a pass. By Capricia-"I am a noble lady of propriety and manners"-Giada. 

To travel to Balbadd. 

Maka's lips twitched into a smile before became a wide grin. She was finally moving on with her plans! She would travel to a land out of her mother's reach, see another sunset from another place, and--

The teal-haired girl took a deep, calming breath, giddy grin still in place. Falling back to her bed, Maka smiled wider and allowed a small laugh to escape her. Resisting the urge to roll around in her bed, Maka stood up like a shot and began packing her things into her old satchel. 

After packing and re-packing her things, Maka sighed and flopped down on her bed, although sleep eluded her like a ghost eluded sunlight.

The sun slowly rose up on the horizon, and Maka was startled when the door to her room slammed open. Turning around, she saw the familiar green gaze of Isla staring at her intensely. The smaller girl looked pinched, her tunic, as usual, embroidered with suns and flowers for days. 

Maka frowned when Isla swept her green eyes across the room, and scoffed. However, as per tradition, Maka stood up and offered a shallow bow. "Good Day, Sister. How may I assist yo--!"

Maka startled as Isla ran over and a resounding crack echoed through the small room.  Belatedly, Maka noticed that Isla had slapped her on the cheek, with the sting spreading across the reddening area. Faintly, the teal-haired scholar tasted the tangy taste of blood in her mouth.

"You!" Isla hissed as she took Maka by the tunic and shook her. "What did you do?!"

"I-I was--?!"

"I was supposed to be the one on that ship with Capricia to Balbadd!" Isla seethed as she hurled Maka onto the unkind stone floors of the dorm. "I was the one to meet the Kings, the Magi and--you--!"

Isla's face turned an unflattering shade of pink as she shook, and her gaze snapped on the satchel lying innocuously on Maka's slightly rumpled sheets.

With a shrill cry, Isla moved towards the small worn satchel that Maka owned.  With a triumphant smirk, she grasped the clothes and money Maka had packed and begun tearing through the contents. A few moments later, Isla's nimble hands made quick work of the secondhand tunics and clothes, ripping them into shreds.

"No!" Maka cried as she tackled the irate girl, and threw her down to the stone floor,  causing a cry of pain from both of them. The coins clattered out of the windowsill, making the day of some random passerby to be hit by raining silver coins.

"Isla Orphea!" 

The bellowing call of Mortellia caused the younger Isla, who was in the process of pummeling a sobbing Maka's shoulders, to flinch and look up with teary green eyes. "Mortellia--you, you have to tell Capricia that I--that I am--" 

Mortellia, with her red hair and green eyes, looked imposing as she stalked over to her younger sister and tore her away from Maka. "What in the world do you think you're doing?" the taller girl took Isla's arm and hauled her up by force.

"I was delivering justice." Isla hissed as she ripped her arm away from Mortellia's grasp. "because this--this commoner--" the younger Orphea hissed, pointing an accusing finger at Maka, "--took away my chance to meet the Magi! The High Courts! And Capricia just--up and abandoned me!"