<div style="text-align: center;"><a class="postlink" href="http://s300.photobucket.com/user/SociallyToxicBeauty/media/5d741913-5214-4aef-8677-bf3a2c5711a8.jpg.html"></a><a class="postlink" href="http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn24/SociallyToxicBeauty/5d741913-5214-4aef-8677-bf3a2c5711a8.jpg">[ img ]</a><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;">Alida</span></span></span></div><br/><br/>Alida had tried her best to calm Izu before it was too late, but Zoltan's words were already making the man nervous.<span style="color: #BF0000">"I'm no prince...Guy,"</span>Izu state with a bit of panic as he began to press against the door.<span style="color: #408000">"Izu, it's..." </span><br/><br/>Before Alida could even finish her sentence, the lithe man had already pushed fully out and darted down the hall.<span style="color: #408000">"Izu!"</span>she called out, briefly turning to Zoltan to glare at him.<span style="color: #408000">"You foolish man, this would be a shock for anyone!"</span>she snapped. Zoltan seemed pleased with himself regardless, giving a shrug--to which Alida gave a huff and ran out the door to follow Izu. Even with all this time between them, Zoltan still tried to aggravate Alida.<br/><br/>Izu, Alida thought with some annoyance as she ran after him, was far too fast of a runner. It didn't seem to matter though as he had simply stopped right outside of the tree.<span style="color: #408000">"Izu?"</span>she kept her voice soft as she approached him cautiously. He was quite unpredictable when he was anxious and she certainly did not want to get elbowed by accident. A light captured her eye and she looked down to see the pendant glowing in Izu's hand.<br/><br/>Zoltan approached and came to stand next to her.<span style="color: #408000">"What is happening?" </span>she asked him as she saw butterflies begin to form out of the light, whisping away.<span style="color: #FF8000"> "I...honestly do not know..." </span>Zoltan replied in a low voice. Alida tried to call for Izu again,<span style="color: #408000">"Izu? Are you alright?" </span>she asked. He did not reply, but she could feel that he was focused on something within, though he didn't seem panicked by it.<span style="color: #408000">"What is--"</span><br/><br/>Suddenly, large teal wings came from his back, causing the crowd to murmur. Alida's eyes were large from shock and Izu's eyes darted to meet hers, only to look around at the gathering crowd.<span style="color: #FF8000">"Interesting...I need to look into this," </span>was the only thing Zoltan mumbled out as he disappeared back inside.<span style="color: #408000">"Izu, let's go inside, alright?" </span>Alida stated softly, grabbing his hand gently and leading him back into the building. She motioned for the guards to block off the crowds as she did not want her people to bombard her or Izu about their arrival...or Izu's new wings.<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000">"Izu...do you notice anything different...other than your wings?" </span>Her golden eyes were looking over Izu, examining him for any other changes or possible injuries. It seemed there was a nice sized bruise on his side, but it likely would heal up quickly enough. While she looked him over, she noticed that she had a much stronger sense of how Izu was feeling and she wondered if he had felt the same. She hoped that he would be okay with whatever changes had just occurred. It made her nervous about how he might react.<br/><br/>When she had been thrown onto Earth, she had been depressed for many months. She had not gone there by choice and she had felt so out of place with her wings and inability to communicate clearly with others. Luckily for Izu, her world wasn't nearly as violent as his was---but instead of having his wings almost ripped off, he had grown a set of his own. However, it still didn't change the fact that he hadn't asked for them. He hadn't asked for any of this. She supposed she was most afraid of his rejection of her world--and essentially her life. She did not wish for him to be unhappy in any way, but she wasn't sure what she could do to reverse this situation if he didn't like it.<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000">"It isn't fair,"</span>she exclaimed with a sudden pout,<span style="color: #408000">"Yours are prettier than mine..."</span>Alida's wings were still scarred from her first night on Earth and she was self-conscious about it now that she was back with her people. She wasn't even sure if she could still properly fly. Just then a sharp pang of insecurity shot through her for no discernible reason. On Earth, Alida had no competition to keep Izu's attention but in her world Izu would have plenty of other winged beauties to compare her to and fawn over. Beauties who actually could fly with their flawless, undamaged wings (realistically she didn't have competition as that simply was not how her people worked, but Earth had broken her thinking somehow).<br/><span style="color: #408000"><br/>"Let's go to my room," </span>Alida demanded as she grabbed Izu's hand once again, leading him through the winding tree. It didn't take too long and the room was simple. There was something that was likely a bed near an opening that functioned as a window across the room, while on the other side there was a pool of steaming water sprinkled with live flowers in hues of pink, orange, and deep purple. Alida used to have more in her room, but the attack on her home had destroyed most of it. She was thankful that Zoltan had taken the time to repair it.