True Nature

The following morning, Ambrosia found her father on the couch, typing away on his laptop still in his plaid pajama bottoms and plain white tee. He stopped once he realized she wanted to speak to him and let out a sigh, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. The news was on the television reporting the weather, nothing more. “No one was hurt last night.” He said, as though he knew what it was she was going to ask. “That doesn’t mean that it was a normal wolf. Wolves in this part of California are very rare.”

“But if it had been a werewolf, someone probably would have gotten hurt, don’t you think?”

“Not necessarily. Maybe they were secluded in the woods and didn’t come across anyone to hurt. Unless you are with me, I don’t want you in the preserve at night. Understood?”

“Understood. Even with the possibility of there being werewolves out there, you still want to search for the Nemeton this weekend?”

“Of course I do. You know that there are dangers with my occupation. Are you still willing to go with me? I would understand if you didn't want to go though I do prefer having my partner there with me." He smiled at her kindly. Ever since she was little she had always asked if she could be his partner on outings to search for things. She was curious, just as much as he was, and when he had finally allowed her to join him she had been overjoyed. Over the past few years, with so many close calls, that excitement waned ever so slightly.

“Of course I'll still go … we made a deal. Normality when I invite my friends over. All these books find a home in your study that night.” She pointed to the books splayed out all over the coffee table and the floor beside it.

He grinned and nodded, scratching the stubble on his chin. “You’re right, we made a deal. Just let us know what night. We’ll … order a pizza or something.”

“We will just order pizzas and nothing more. No weird cocktail concoctions, mother!” She spoke the last part loudly so her mother could hear in the kitchen. The response was a noncommittal laugh. “I have to get to school. I’ll invite them over on Friday and we can search for that Nemeton on Saturday.”

“Sounds wonderful.” As soon as she left the house, her father walked into the kitchen to see his wife brewing something that smelled of lilac.

“She has always made friends so easily.” She said, putting a hand on her hip. “First day at every school, isn’t it?”

“Seems so. You say it like it’s a bad thing that our daughter is so likable.” He joked, smiling but seeing his wife was being serious. “What is it, Esme?”

“You don’t find that the least bit odd that she becomes friends with whoever she meets no matter their background, nationality, whether or not they speak the same language?”

“She’s affable and intuitive. No, I don’t think it’s strange. I think she’s just good with people. Are you insinuating that our daughter is supernatural? Because, well, that would be wonderful.”

“Lucian!” She threw the hand towel closest to her and they both laughed.

Ambrosia felt her nerves spike a little as she walked into class, trying to remain calm and casual to invite her new friends over. She really liked them and wanted to hang out but she was scared they would decline. She was possibly even more concerned about what her parents would do should they accept and show up. The first person she spotted was Kira, standing at her locker with her – what Ambrosia assumed to be, but still didn't know for certain – boyfriend, Scott. She strode up to them and smiled, both of them greeting her kindly.

“So I was thinking that maybe after the game on Friday you would all like to come back for pizza at my place? I know it’s like short notice and all but I wanted to thank you for being so accepting of the new kid.”

“That sounds great!” Kira said, nudging Scott.

“Actually, it does. You’re going to come to our lacrosse game? It’s just a preseason scrimmage.”

“Well, I’ve never watched lacrosse before so I’m pretty excited to see a game.” She answered, looking between the two. “Is that okay?”

“Of course it is! Lydia and I could use another cheerleader in the stands for the boys. Stiles is on the team, too.”

“And he definitely needs a cheerleader or two.” Scott teased, walking with the girls down the hall. “I think that sounds great. I’ll let the others know.” He kissed Kira’s cheek before darting off to his own first period class.

“You say ‘pizza’ and the guys are there.” Kira joked, making them both laugh. “And you like comics? You’ll definitely be winning them over.” She said, pointing to the books in Ambrosia's hands.

“Oh yeah? Well, comics were one of the few things I could always find in English when I was younger and traveling in various countries so I kind of grew up on them.”

“You’ve lived in a lot of places, huh?”

“Well I was born in New York City, where my parents are also from. Let’s see, then it was to Boston, back to New York, up to Vancouver … then Tokyo, Moscow, Paris, Bucharest.” Seeing the look on Kira’s face, she just chuckled. “Yeah … it was actually in Tokyo while my dad was studying the Nogit – this legend – when I really started to fall in love with comics.”

“What legend?” Kira asked, the pitch in her voice raising an octave making Ambrosia curious. People typically did that when they got nervous or knew more than they were letting on.

“Um, my dad studied fables for awhile and there was this thing about Nogitsune that really intrigued him.” When she mentioned the word, Kira nearly slammed head first into an open locker but Ambrosia quickly pulled her aside. “He’s totally normal – I promise.”

“Oh – yeah – of course … no I just … I’ve heard of those fables. That’s really cool!” And just like when people lied saying they liked her name, she could tell that Kira was lying. She didn’t push it, afraid she would already alienate herself from the nicest person she had met in Beacon Hills.

As with the day before, Ambrosia was the last one to the lunch table where everyone was already talking, and agreeing, to pizza after the scrimmage on Friday at her house. Even Lydia, who she wasn’t entirely sure even liked her, was chatting about going. “So, you move around a lot.” She choked on her sandwich and looked up at Scott. “What do your parents do?”

“Um, well, my parents write books. About a lot of stuff.”

“Her father researched the Nogitsune legend.” Kira offered, causing Stiles to emulate her and choke on the bite that he had been chewing on.

“Yeah … they, um, they write fiction based on legends.” That was, well, kind of the truth. She felt bad about the slight lie but the truth might make them worry a little and from the look and sound of it, they were already a little curious and possibly even concerned. And why did it seem like all of them had some kind of secret knowledge about what she was talking about?

“Oh!” They all washed the worried looks off their faces, smiling and more relaxed than before. “That’s good. I mean cool. That’s cool.” Stiles finished.

“Okay then …” She looked at all of them being strangely quiet and nodded. “I’m gonna go to class … I’ll see you in biology.”

She was happy to see her lab partner, Danny, when she walked in and slumped onto the stool next to him. “Already? I pegged you as lasting at least a week before showing such signs of defeat.” He teased.

She laughed and shook her head. “It’s not that. You play lacrosse with Stiles and Scott, right? And you know Lydia and Kira … are they a little … weird about abnormal stuff?”

“Abnormal stuff like …?”

“I don’t know … just different stuff. Not, uh, natural?”

“I don’t know about that – but I do know that Stiles asked me about you earlier.”

“He did?” She couldn’t help but flush. Raising both hands to her cheeks she grinned at Danny.

“He did. He’s weird, but cool. Both of them are.”

“Weird is good. Sometimes."

“I agree."

She really wanted to ask about what Stiles had said to Danny but she didn't want to pry and it didn't seem like he was going to offer it up willingly. He had definitely peaked her curiosity and interest, though. Instead of asking what she really, she moved to the next topic she was curious about. “So ... you and Ethan …” He snapped his eyes to hers shocked. “Is it a secret?”

“No, but um … you’re new here and all.”

“Oh … right. I’m just really good at reading people. So, why aren’t you two lab partners?”

“We’ve … had issues.” And again, it seemed like there was more to what he was saying than he was letting on but she didn't pursue that line of questioning, either. Beacon Hills was shaping up to be a mystery wrapped in an enigma. It made her feel as though they just might be staying for awhile.

“High school romance, am I right?” She teased, relieving the tension of unpoken words between them and making them both laugh.

They might be weird, but at least they were still being nice to her.