The Art of Molnija
4
Kayo
After being yelled at Nidia had told me to wait before ordering me to some seemingly random location. The place in question was a small club. It was dim and colors flashed on the dance floor. People danced as close as possible and touched just as much. Others were having fun drinking themselves into a stupor. Then here Nidia, some guy and I sat. The booth was on the upper floor and slightly secluded. A midnight blue cloth cut us off from the world.
I was telling myself to focus on the matter at hand but Nidia looked great to say the least. She was dressed in black capris that seemed to sway with every move she made couple with a blue tank top.
“Why are we meeting here?” I asked my eyes glossing over the man next to her. He seemed nervous but when he took a sip of the fruity drink in front of him he relaxed. The cat ears on his head fell flat and I realized he was the Neko.
“I’m really sorry Nidia. I had no idea he was a Neko. I’ll take him to the elders tomorrow and-” The Neko’s ears went straight up and he dug his nails into Nidia’s arm. She sighed and turned to him. She put her hand on his arm a small spark of jealousy shot through me before I brushed it away.
“Adrian I won’t let him do that now relax. Okay?” He stared at her for a second before nodding and curling himself into the corner of the booth.
“Nidia Nekos are rare beings it’s protocol to take them in.” I said but Adrian interrupted me.
“We are not savages! You treat us like humans treat animals! You force us to breed then force us to stay where you can watch us! It’s like the second war all over again!” I flinched at the mention of the war as Nidia tried to calm him down again.
“Is everything all right in here?” A waitress asked poking her head in. She had black hair and pale skin. Her eyes slid over to Adrian and then widened.
“My apologizes.’ She said quickly and started to leave but I grabbed her wrist.
“Please stay for just a moment.” I said. She flinched and looked out possibly searching for security.
“Please Luna?” Adrian said.
“This girl is a dear friend of Kristopher’s and this boy well you can see what he won’t do anything.”
Luna looked curiously at me before pressing the palm of the hand I wasn’t holding to my forehead. A slight drowsy feeling appeared before she pulled her hand away.
“I’ll sit but only for a moment.” I scooted over and she sat down. I brushed my hair from my forehead allowing my fingers to inspect for damage. What had she done? I also wondered what had that simple touch told her.
Adrian took another drink before speaking.
“Luna we have to tell them.” Luna looked terrified and she gripped the skirt of her uniform tightly.
“We can’t! You know what will happen and Kristopher-”
“Is now a Strigoi.” Nidia said. Her voice held an edge I hadn’t heard before. It was calming but still held the sharpness I was used to.
“I was there Luna. He choose that fate.” Luna immediately started crying.
“He wouldn’t do that.” She said.
“He was too loving of a Moroi and he-he-he- promised he’d be there for me.” She sobbed and I awkwardly handed her a napkin. She took it and gently dabbed at her face. Adrian spoke up.
“A while ago something happened but I thought it was just a dream.” He shook his head and sighed.
“I wish I hadn’t been so stupid. A while ago when I was asleep under Kristopher’s bed his balcony doors flew open and in marched in girl. She was so bright she hurt my eyes. I couldn’t see her face but she seemed to be completely dressed in white. She told Kristopher she knew his little secret and if he wanted it to stay secret he would help the Strigoi’s bring down the Moroi Empire.”
Adrian took a deep breath and continued his story.
“Kristopher said he didn’t know if he could and then she said she also knew about what Luna had. She would kill both if he didn’t agree. Kristopher stared threatening her but then she . . .” Adrian stopped as if he was trying to find the words. Luna was looking at him and waiting with red eyes.
“She just let out a . . . blast of energy so big I couldn’t stop from shape shifting into this form. I was still able to hide myself though. Kristopher seemed to be in pain before he agreed. I passed out and woke up as a cat so I thought it was all a dream since Kristopher seemed normal. But a month later. . . it was his birthday.”
The booth was silent as we digested the words. Then Nidia spoke.
“Have any of you ever heard of the fifth element?”
“Nidia Spirit is a myth.” I said and she rolled her eyes. Moroi are each able to control one element. Fire, water, earth or air. Some said there was almost Spirit but it was no one had ever seen it
“Kristopher’s house is wired with magic that would set off alarms if a Strigoi came onto the property. But if a Moroi came along. . .”
“The alarm wouldn’t be tripped.” I finished. Nidia nodded.
“Added to that how else would you explain a Moroi with the ability to shoot out so much energy it affected a Neko?” I shook my head.
“Even if that far, and I do mean far, fetched idea is true we still don’t know why Kristopher would care so much about a Luna. Who while she seemed like a nice girl is just a simple Neko.”
“Because she’s pregnant.” Adrian blurted out just loud enough for us to here.” Luna closed her eyes as her hand went to her stomach. Two cat ears of her own poked up from her hair.
“With Kristopher's baby.” She whispered.
After being yelled at Nidia had told me to wait before ordering me to some seemingly random location. The place in question was a small club. It was dim and colors flashed on the dance floor. People danced as close as possible and touched just as much. Others were having fun drinking themselves into a stupor. Then here Nidia, some guy and I sat. The booth was on the upper floor and slightly secluded. A midnight blue cloth cut us off from the world.
I was telling myself to focus on the matter at hand but Nidia looked great to say the least. She was dressed in black capris that seemed to sway with every move she made couple with a blue tank top.
“Why are we meeting here?” I asked my eyes glossing over the man next to her. He seemed nervous but when he took a sip of the fruity drink in front of him he relaxed. The cat ears on his head fell flat and I realized he was the Neko.
“I’m really sorry Nidia. I had no idea he was a Neko. I’ll take him to the elders tomorrow and-” The Neko’s ears went straight up and he dug his nails into Nidia’s arm. She sighed and turned to him. She put her hand on his arm a small spark of jealousy shot through me before I brushed it away.
“Adrian I won’t let him do that now relax. Okay?” He stared at her for a second before nodding and curling himself into the corner of the booth.
“Nidia Nekos are rare beings it’s protocol to take them in.” I said but Adrian interrupted me.
“We are not savages! You treat us like humans treat animals! You force us to breed then force us to stay where you can watch us! It’s like the second war all over again!” I flinched at the mention of the war as Nidia tried to calm him down again.
“Is everything all right in here?” A waitress asked poking her head in. She had black hair and pale skin. Her eyes slid over to Adrian and then widened.
“My apologizes.’ She said quickly and started to leave but I grabbed her wrist.
“Please stay for just a moment.” I said. She flinched and looked out possibly searching for security.
“Please Luna?” Adrian said.
“This girl is a dear friend of Kristopher’s and this boy well you can see what he won’t do anything.”
Luna looked curiously at me before pressing the palm of the hand I wasn’t holding to my forehead. A slight drowsy feeling appeared before she pulled her hand away.
“I’ll sit but only for a moment.” I scooted over and she sat down. I brushed my hair from my forehead allowing my fingers to inspect for damage. What had she done? I also wondered what had that simple touch told her.
Adrian took another drink before speaking.
“Luna we have to tell them.” Luna looked terrified and she gripped the skirt of her uniform tightly.
“We can’t! You know what will happen and Kristopher-”
“Is now a Strigoi.” Nidia said. Her voice held an edge I hadn’t heard before. It was calming but still held the sharpness I was used to.
“I was there Luna. He choose that fate.” Luna immediately started crying.
“He wouldn’t do that.” She said.
“He was too loving of a Moroi and he-he-he- promised he’d be there for me.” She sobbed and I awkwardly handed her a napkin. She took it and gently dabbed at her face. Adrian spoke up.
“A while ago something happened but I thought it was just a dream.” He shook his head and sighed.
“I wish I hadn’t been so stupid. A while ago when I was asleep under Kristopher’s bed his balcony doors flew open and in marched in girl. She was so bright she hurt my eyes. I couldn’t see her face but she seemed to be completely dressed in white. She told Kristopher she knew his little secret and if he wanted it to stay secret he would help the Strigoi’s bring down the Moroi Empire.”
Adrian took a deep breath and continued his story.
“Kristopher said he didn’t know if he could and then she said she also knew about what Luna had. She would kill both if he didn’t agree. Kristopher stared threatening her but then she . . .” Adrian stopped as if he was trying to find the words. Luna was looking at him and waiting with red eyes.
“She just let out a . . . blast of energy so big I couldn’t stop from shape shifting into this form. I was still able to hide myself though. Kristopher seemed to be in pain before he agreed. I passed out and woke up as a cat so I thought it was all a dream since Kristopher seemed normal. But a month later. . . it was his birthday.”
The booth was silent as we digested the words. Then Nidia spoke.
“Have any of you ever heard of the fifth element?”
“Nidia Spirit is a myth.” I said and she rolled her eyes. Moroi are each able to control one element. Fire, water, earth or air. Some said there was almost Spirit but it was no one had ever seen it
“Kristopher’s house is wired with magic that would set off alarms if a Strigoi came onto the property. But if a Moroi came along. . .”
“The alarm wouldn’t be tripped.” I finished. Nidia nodded.
“Added to that how else would you explain a Moroi with the ability to shoot out so much energy it affected a Neko?” I shook my head.
“Even if that far, and I do mean far, fetched idea is true we still don’t know why Kristopher would care so much about a Luna. Who while she seemed like a nice girl is just a simple Neko.”
“Because she’s pregnant.” Adrian blurted out just loud enough for us to here.” Luna closed her eyes as her hand went to her stomach. Two cat ears of her own poked up from her hair.
“With Kristopher's baby.” She whispered.