Sapphire Speaks (complete)

Chapter 12

A week later, Brandon and Yonna were touring the campus of Forgin State University. She'd agreed to take him around on her day off. In exchange for her time, Brandon had promised to give her the most invigorating, thought provoking conversation she'd ever had. She'd laughed it off, but had agreed because she enjoyed being around Brandon. She didn't feel any romantic feelings toward him, but the friendship was what she valued.
Brandon looked up from his phone. He had a basic smartphone. He only used it for internet and to keep notes. "The website says that the political science department, or social sciences department, will only accept thirty transfer credits."
Yonna linked her arm with Brandon's. "Well, do you have at least thirty credits?"
Brandon smiled. "I think. I haven't even requested my old transcript yet. And I think I have to do an entire letter asking for admission because of how I was -uh-dismissed."
Yonna nodded. "You can do it."
Brandon slipped the phone back into his pocket. They hadn't told Yonna anything about the shadow that had been attached to her nor did they bring up the battle. Neither of the three knew how to tell her. Not even Crash, knew how to broach the subject. He'd known her the longest, but since the shift in her energy, he'd wanted to let her enjoy it without any repercussions. Yonna's energy had done a complete one hundred degree turn after the battle. Her orange aura radiated from her. It was so bright that Brandon and Crash sometimes couldn't look at her straight on. She'd become more talkative and when they entered the juice bar in the mornings, they would often find her conversing, laughing, and socializing with the customers. She was a beacon of positivity.
Crash was spending most of his time researching Yonna's background. He would use any information that Brandon passed on to help him. He was focused on figuring out what or who had cursed Yonna and why. He was focused on finding the "He" that the shadow had mentioned. This person had strong ties to Yonna and if he were important to Yonna, he was now important to the trio. They looked at Yonna like a sister. Kyra was even venturing out of her apartment more often. It had only been a week, but Kyra and Yonna had met at the park after Yonna's shift and between her classes several times.
Brandon found a ray of sunlight and reveled in it as he pulled Yonna with him. "Why did you choose biology? You want to be a doctor?"
Yonna laughed. "No. I know a lot of people think that, but I don't want to be a doctor. I like research."
"Where's the black student union? Y'all do have one, right?"
Yonna pointed with her free hand. "Over here to the right."
Brandon followed her lead. He pulled her bag from her shoulders and slung it over his. "Why biology then? What type of research."
Yonna blushed. No one had ever asked her about why she wanted to research and not become a doctor. Once she'd said no about being a doctor, the conversation had been discarded. "Biological warfare."
"Like terrorism?" Brandon looked around. The campus was pretty bare. There were only a few people walking around. He guessed it was because it was Sunday. He enjoyed the quiet anyway.
"Kind of. Like all of the ways that black people have been subjected to biological warfare since first encountering the white man."
Brandon enjoyed the way that Yonna's face lit up. "That sounds like the same kind of thing that I was on before I started using. I was all about corruption, fighting gentrification, all of that."
They'd reached the BSU. "Are you not on that anymore?" Yonna looked up Brandon quizzically.
Brandon smirked. He thought about the way his life had changed in the past two months. "Yeah, I guess I am still on that."
Yonna unhooked their arms. "This is it. You can go it. I have to run to the library real quick."
Brandon caught her by the forearm before she could walk away. "I'll go with you. Plus, I still have your bag."
Crash slammed his hands against his keyboard. His research wasn't yielding any results. Yonna didn't have any kind of social media page. She wasn't even listed in her high school's online yearbook. He'd only known that little tidbit because she'd let it slip one day early in their friendship. She was a ghost. She existed. She had a birth certificate, a social security number, but no other paper trail. The girl didn't even have a driver's license. He figured that with the wave of ride sharing sweeping the nation, she didn't need one. It just made for a more challenging experience. His past as a nerd was made present as he launched headfirst into the mystery that was Yonna.
Each day during his mediation, he would ask his ancestors for help, for guidance, for a way to help Yonna. Each day they were silent. He knew that they were still with him because he could feel them. They were there to counsel him on everything except Yonna. He took a deep breath and opened himself up to any guidance.
The invocation hit him hard. He'd never met Adroa before, but the god was properly introduced as Crash viewed all of his abilities, past lives, and proxies, as if he were using a viewfinder. Each push of his index finger, and a new scene appeared. It finally settled on a riverbank. Crash released his soul-self and allowed him to graze the riverbank. The feeling of peace that flushed over him was welcomed.
"Hey, my sweet boy." Crash turned to his left and saw his grandmother leaning against a tree whose branches hung over the river.
He rushed to her. He'd only been allowed to view her a handful of times since accepting his divinity. He embraced her and felt himself transform into his eight year old self. "I'm so sorry, Grandma."
As she always did, she told him that he didn't owe her an apology as everything happened as it was supposed to. When he felt steady, he released her.
Florence smiled at her grandson. She knew exactly why his soul self had regressed. It was the last time he'd felt safe and protected. She patted his back and pulled him away from her. "Crash, you are a man, now. A man with your own tribe. You are not a child."
Crash shook his little shoulders free of his grandmother's hands. "You are my tribe!"
Florence shook her head. "You asked for someone to be with you. You asked for help in finding your tribe, remember?"
Crash nodded stiffly. "And I got Kyra and Brandon."
"You got a sister and a brother. A mystic and a judge," Florence corrected. "They need a leader. You are their leader. Their big brother. An eight year old cannot lead six twenty- somethings."
Crash's eyes narrowed. "Six?"
Florence nodded. "This is not a conversation for a child. When you are ready to act as the man and god you are, then you know where to find me. Ask for Adroa."
Just like that he was pushed out of his own meditative state. He sighed and resumed his research.