Soaring Over The World (Soaring Saga #2)

**Chapter Twelve~I'm Not Who I Think I Am**

"Reborn?" Shienna asked, "What do you mean? Reincarnation? And of General Palloko?"

"Ruby Palloko?! You're saying she was Ruby Palloko in her past life?!" Raina exclaimed.

"That would be something," Ari snickered, "A war hero, reborn as this small gal?"

"For the millionth time, I'm not that small!" I tell him, determined to not think about what the ghost had just told us. He could be lying... or confused... I don't even believe in that stuff!

"How do we know you aren't just mistaken?" River voiced my confusion, "And reincarnation? Really? Where's the scientific proof in any of that?"

"Trust me," the ghost sneered, "That's Ruby. I'd know her short hairstyle anywhere, same with those determined green-gold eyes!" 

"But... I... how... I'm Cirocco!" I stammer, not sure why this felt like such a revelation for me, "I'm pretty sure if I'd know I wasn't..."

"You can feel I'm right though," the ghost guy continued, "You can feel that the little Essence-full soul of yours has been through more than you ever have. I watched Ruby leave. She was rewarded with the option of going again, and hundreds of years later, she took it, knowing she'd get another chance to set another legacy and could give more to the world. Oh, how she loved the idea. And now, I get to take back the part of that legacy that was rightfully mine: all of it."

     Then the unexpected:

"No!" Ari stated, stepping in front of me in a protective stance, "Even if Cirocco used to be someone else, she is Cirocco Avery Arellano now. She is a strong, independent, witty thirteen-year-old who can and will take you on. But she's been through a lot recently, so she is smart enough NOT to take you on right now. I don't care if she was Ruby Palloko-- actually, I do care, because that makes her ten times more amazing that she has the potential to do it again-- but she isn't this enemy of your's by now, and that was something-hundred years ago anyway! So if you'll excuse us, we're going to go and have some fun with who we are now. Good. Day."

     Ari backed up, put his hand on my shoulder, and started walking away. I followed him, and the rest of us started following us two. I heard the ghost guy yelling, and he started to come after us, and when he got close, something slowed him down, like there was a forceful wind pushing him back. He got slower and slower, until he had to physically push against the air. Then he dropped, huffing, sending death glares our way.

"They're mares, remember?" River whispered, answering my confusion about why the ghost couldn't follow us, "He's a type of house ghost, which confines him to his designated town, house, or family. We're getting too far out of town, and his barrier holds him back."

     I nodded, then looked at Ari, feeling hidden mixed emotions radiating from him. He looked a little upset after his outburst, with his lips pursed and eyes a little sad, wondering if he'd done the right thing. 

"Hey, are you okay?" I ask quietly, "That... that was one of the nicest things you've said about me. Ever. Truly. And honestly, I have no flipping idea how I could fight a ghost or if it could fight me."

"I just..." Ari replied even quieter than I had, "I refuse to think that this guy hates you for something you didn't do. He thinks you're someone else, and I can't stand that. He was about to attack and I couldn't stand by letting you fight someone who has no real reason to fight you." 

     A moment passed as cold air whipped at our faces.

"And just, by the way," he whispered as we got ready to fly up the cliff again, "I meant everything I said."

****~~~~****

     So we took turns going down into the city and watching camp. Even though none of us knew Italian. I happened to know three languages-- English, Norweigian, and Coelumese--, none of them happened to be helpful in Italy. I think we did alright though, getting food and drinks, more supplies, washing our clothes, and Shienna somehow converted our Arjentuman money into Italian, Canadian, and Pervian at a bank, somehow gaining us almost twice the money we had left. Her only explanation was, "It's simple, if you know how to work the machine and how much your's is worth."