Mystal: School of Magic~ Aiya's Story

Chapter 3: Are You Proud of Me, Dad?

Sitting on her bed with her legs crossed, Aiya stared at the letter. She didn't want to let go of it because honestly, she was afraid that it would vanish into nothingness. Then she would be stuck here.

Biting her lip, a habit she could never seem to kick, she set it down and fell back onto her fluffy green pillows. Letting out a tired blow of air, she turned her head to glance at the pictures sitting beside her bed. She focused on one of them where she was about 11, sitting on a man's shoulders, laughter painted all over her face. 

"Daddy." she whispered, rolling over in the bed to grab the picture. "I got a letter from Mystal.." Her finger traced the sides of the frame, remembering the day they took the picture. They had gone to sea world together for her birthday. It had been one of the funnest days of her life. Corn dogs, swimming with dolphins, petting whales... It had been wonderful. It also had been the day she first used magic. 

Remembering the expierence, she smiled. The feeling of being one with water still gave her chills. It made her feel powerful, yet calm. Unpredictable, yet peaceful. Her father's face had been one of excitment and wonder. "Your a water witch, just like daddy!" He had smiled, pinching her cheeks. To be told that she was just like daddy had meant the world to her. He was her idol. He was her best friend. He was also her savior. 

The good feeling of that day vanishing rapidly, she set it down and looked back up at the ceiling. If it wasn't for him, she would have been dead. But no. He was a great father, always looking out for his daughter. 

...

It had been storming that night durring suppertime and she had been worried about a small family of ducklings that lived near the gutter. 

"Can i just go get them, pleaseeeee?" Aiya begged her mother, drawing out the word. "They'll get washed away!"

"For one Aiya." Said her mother, chopping up some onions. "You hate thunderstorms. And second of all," she poured the onions in the large pot on the stove. "Its way too dangerous.." Pouting, Aiya turned to her father, who was reading a newspaper at the table. 

"Dadddy...." She whined. 

"Aiya, your mother said no." He turned a page. Frowning, she slowly walked outside of the kitchen, jumping as thunder boomed outside. Glancing into the living room, she saw Charlie watching some TV. She stopped by the door, an idea forming. Checking the kitchen just to make sure her parents were still in there, she slowly pulled on her pink rainboots and matching jacket and hat. Opening the door slowly, she dashed out into the storming weather. 

The wind nearly  blew here away, but she held her ground. Her vision was blurred as she was constantly hit with rain and gushes of wind, so she just focused on her feet, heading towards where the ducklings were. 

"I'll save you!" she called, her voice lost into the wind. First, she headed to the fence where she had left a bucket she had been playing with earlier. She dumped out the rain water and worked her way to the ducks. 

"Go into the bucket!" she told them, grabbing them gently. "It'll be safe in there!" She counted as she picked them up. She frowned when she only counted five. One was missing. Covering her eyes, Aiya looked around for the duck, and found one waddeling into the street. "George!" She called out. "Thats dangerous!" 

Just then, lightning flashed in the air, followed seconds by thunder. At the sight, Aiya screamed and covered her head. Her body started to shake uncontroably, fear wide in her eyes. A squack, even through the loud rain, could be heard a distance away. Biting her lip, the small ,brave12 year old forced her head up. Though she was scared, determination was drilled into her eyes.

"I'm coming... George!" Step by step, she made her way to the duck, unaware of the car speeding around the corner up ahead. "Gotcha!" She smiled half-heartedly as she reached the duckling. The car didn't have any headlights, and Aiya was completely unaware. Aiya gave a little yelp as a huge gust of wind blew her over. The same wind blew to the door, and slammed it hard against the wall.

"What was that?" Asked her mother, Dayna, as she looked up from her cooking. Phillip, her father, looked up from his paper and went to go check. As he took a step into the storm, he saw  Aiya standing in the middle of the street and the car rushing for her. She was innocent and unsuspecting. A perfect victum.

"AIYA!" He yelled, sprinting from the door towards her, slipping and sliding in his socks. "AIYA!" Hearing something in the wind, Aiya looked up towards the house. 

"daddy!?" She shouted herself as she saw her fathers figure. "I'm sorry, i had to save-" But she never finished. She felt her father reach her and wrap his arms around her. She looked at him with confusion, but felt herself be throne from his arms to the other half of the street. 

"Daddy!?" She cried. He was there, something silver passed by, and then he was gone. Just like that. Flattened to the ground. 

"DADDY!" She cried, sobbing as she rushed forward. A red puddle was forming around him as Aiya grabbed his hair. "DADDY WAKE UP! DADDY!" She shook him, and a crack was heard. "PLEASE!! I'm sorry! I'm sorry for disobeying! I'll go back in the house! Just please wake up!" He never did. 

...

Aiya opened up the eyes she had closed, tears gathered in her eyes. "Are you proud of me, daddy? I'm going to Mystal. Just like you hoped."