Chapter 23:Im Now Alone

Now even though its been roughly a week. Since Azou's passing. Grandma Umi sent a text saying if I wanted to attend the funeral or not was up to me. I declined because deep down I still felt guilty. I heard Azou's spirit say it wasn't even my fault but it still hurts to this day. The bullying and name calling from the other girls stopped altogether. Mostly due to Silvia threatening them and sending her sisters to rough anyone up who dared tried to bully me. I walk to the court yard of the school and sit on a bench. There I was all alone staring up at the gloomy grey clouds.

"Oh Azou. At least...you can finally rest easy. No more pain,nor sorrow,nor even disappointment. For you..I promise I'll do my best. Fafir and his cronies are going to pay. I just need time...to regain my strength." I said placing my hand on my chest. I went back inside and back to my room. I saw the wall that was destroyed. It was being reconstructed. The force field according to the now recovering Headmistress has been amplified ten fold. Now no one was able to get in or out unless it was for a good reason. Security was also enforce. The Headmistress had some of the seniors and juniors of the school guard all areas of each floor.

That didn't matter to me. For I walk into my room,showered and went to bed after I finished some gaming with Chelsea. All I could think about is..well..Azou. I fell asleep and wished for there to have been a different outcome. But no..not one. Who am I kidding..may be it was fate. I dunno im just internally monolouging here. The next day I called Grandma Umi and told her I wasn't coming to Azou's funeral. She said she understood and told me just to remember the good times and let the bad ones be my motivation. Then I remembered..Azou's last words before her spirit faded. "Stop acting like you died with me!!!." "We are now one" I paused and ended the call with my grandmother. I felt a smile forming on my face for the first time in a few weeks.

I felt energetic and jumped out of my bunk bed. I stretched my legs and arms and decided to workout my muscles. I headed to the Q-Wing and practiced my combat training on the new dummies that were recently installed. Each hit and kick I landed made me feel very happy. For once the dummy took all my punishment without a scratch. I picture Fafir standing in front of me. His sharp yet snaggled tooth smile. His dark eyes and intense stare. Almost emotionless.

"For Azou..For Momma,For Papa and for Neo Kind." I mumbled. I must've zoned out cause everything was a blur. It took Silvia to snap me out of it with a head pat. "Don't overtrain yaself. Hehe. Someone is very sweaty. Lets get you cleaned up. Glad to see you out of your room. Its nine pm. You've been here for hours." She giggled. She picked me up and patiently waited for me to finish showering. Once I stepped out the tub I notice. My hair it was growing..longer. Never has it grown pass my neck. I paid no mind to it and just wrapped it into a ponytail. Once I left the bathroom Silvia hugged me and immediately notice my hair was slightly longer.

"Wow. Its pretty. It'll be as long as mind if ya keep letting it grow. Hey I got a idea. Try transforming. I wanna see if that form of yours has something to do with it." She excitedly said while bouncing on Chelsea's bed. I did just that but...um..I accidentally unlocked a new form. Or so I thought. According to the Aether spirit I talked to in my meditation. This was the same green form but..particles or speckles were beautifully flowing away into the ether. From the right and left corners of my forehead. I felt lighter and I also seem more in control. Silvia was able to touch this form and her touch felt warm.

"Take a look in the mirror. Hehe. Your hair also changed. Its white as snow. Hmm. Interesting besides flying,levitating,super speed and strength..what else is there?" She pondered. Chelsea just walked in with Coco,Tsu and Becky. They also touched my hands in this form. All warm and gentle. When I looked into the mirror. My pupils and iris gone. Just glowing white eyes. It felt not too different then the first Aether state. But then again I barely mastered that one. Only the spontaneous ripping my clothes off thing. Well..That didn't last. I was wearing just a towel and it bursted into little shreds. Thankfully my body was fully covered by this weird green glow. Doesn't mean the outline of my body and..certain parts couldn't still be seen.

Silvia wolfishly whistled as I covered my breasts and private area. She kissed me and took pictures. "So now ya got two forms huh? Well oh mighty Aether. What more can you do..besides be sexy that is hehe." Silvia smirk.

I thought about that and didn't realized the form completely faded. There I was back to my normal state in the nude and lost in thought. I also must've unconsciously teleported my body in Neo-Shire town square. Once I snapped out of it. I saw a large crowd of people stare at me. I was confused and nervously looked down. "U..uuughhh..oh fuck...oh no..U..uh ummm..T..this isn't what it looks like I swear..I..I was just in my Aether state..and and..I" Before I could finish my sentence some people of the crowd had their phones out. Others were parents and covered their children's eyes. Another disgusted and walked away. I searched for my cell phone but..It wasn't on me. I started blushing as some of the women and men stared. I swear some were...pleasuring themselves at the sight of my body. I had the idea to teleport but strange enough..I couldn't.

"W..what..no..Maybe flying..that could work" I hoped..I jumped into the air. And landed on my booty. I tried several times but I couldn't get even high enough to take off. Each failed attempt resulted in the crowd laughing and mocking me. "Dammit..There's too many people here to run back to the Academy..what if I..hmm..climb this statue,jump onto the nearest roof and hightail it outta here." I wondered. I started to slowly shimmy up the tall statue. It was all good onto a bird decided to poop on the next spot were my hand landed. "Eww..At least it wasn't my..." The bird also crapped into my hair.. I smelled awful and thankfully made it to the nearest roof perfectly.

"How did this happen? Why teleport here to Neo-Shire? Hmm..must be a defect of this new Aether state..Maybe the first form can get me back to school." I hoped. I concentrated even though people can still see a nude purple dullahan girl on a roof meditating. Nothing happened except a feint white aura emerged. It surrounded my body and felt like ice. I started shivering and reluctantly skipped the nearby roofs to the school.

"Mmmm..Maybe I wasn't meant to go into Aether Delta yet..Hehe..Delta. Sounds cool may be I'll named the Aether states once I get back." I giggled to myself. I must've got my powers back cause I teleported back to Silvia's bedroom and saw..my body just..standing there..naked. "Whoa!!! Y..You can leave your own body..Without a near-death or outer body experience? That's soooo cool!!!" Uh..also..The news has you on tv..Is that bird poop on your head?" My girlfriend asked laughing at me and telling Chelsea and the others. I took another shower and went back into my body only for it to fade and turn into a vapor and flow back into my mouth.

"Eughhh..weird..I taste like...strawberries..I hate strawberries. But um..being naked in front of hundreds of people..that was scarring." I said scratching my head still nude standing in front of all my friends and girlfriend. "Luna..put some clothes on. Wait..did you grow a bit? Hmm..Nah just a defect of that form." Tsu teased. The other girls laughed at the news about me and hugged me once I got dressed. And to my displeasure. My clothes bursted off me. I was left in my bra and panties.

"Wow!!! Could that second state be the problem? Well. I have a idea..wear nothing. Or hmm..I got a idea." Silvia said while also fiddling with her fingers.

"Lets make a new special outfit for her..A..hehehe sexy outfit." She evily grinned and giggled.

"Whats that grin for hmmm?" I wondered. Silvia quickly scurried out of the room and went to the elevator. I could only assume she was going to the basement.

"Oh boy..I better get this state under control. I don't wanna run outta clothes." I giggled and just tossed on a long t-shirt and laid in bed excited. My former joy and bright attitude return.