Six✧*。

*Vi's pov*

"Hunter," Kathy yells from the door.

"Shit," Hunter says, quickly getting off me. I sit up to adjust my top. "Kathy. You're home early."

"I thought I'd surprise you cause you might be lonely," Kathy says. "Guess I was wrong." She gives Hunter the sternest look I have ever seen. I take that as my queue to leave.

"I think I should leave," I say.

"You probably should," Kathy says, still looking at Hunter.

Once I leave Hunter's room, I hear arguing.

"You're the one who told me to make friends with her," Hunter says.

"That is not what I meant and you know it," Kathy says.

I chuckle to myself. I blink and I'm back in my room.

"Where have you been?" The voice behind me startles me.

"I know I locked that door, Justin," I say.

"I'm serious Violet," he says with a serious voice.

I take a deep breath and look at him.

"I'm fine Justin," I say.

"I let you go to school and make friends because I thought I could trust you," Justin starts. "But, within the space of two weeks, someone has tried to kill you."

"But, they didn't," I say with a playful grin on my face.

"This isn't a joke, Violet," he says. "You're the last of your kind. We can't afford to let anything bad happen to you."

"Yeah," I say, rolling my eyes. "Because I'm the only reason the earth isn't an arid wasteland. Blah blah blah."

"Really, Vi," Justin says with a stern look on his face. "The fate of earth and every living thing on it is in your hands. Why can't you take this seriously?"

"Did you ever stop to think about what would happen when I die?" I say. "Because I will die. What happens after that? Will the world end? Did you even think that far?"

"I-"

"Of course you didn't," I say. "Because I have eight hundred years but, you have eighty. You don't care what happens once you're gone. Humans. Even the good guys are selfish."

"Violet I..."

"Please leave," I say.

He makes his way to the door. He turns to me.

"We're going to HQ so, you aren't going to school for the rest of the week."

"But..." I say. But, he's already out the door.

I went to the Caretakers' headquarters last week.

°°°°°°°

I look at Hunter's house as our car leaves the driveway. She's going to think I'm ghosting her.

"Tell me again why we need to go to HQ," I say.

"Because you're right."

"What?" I say.

"We haven't been thinking long term," he says.

I decide not to question any further.

The windows of the car are down and I stick my head out a little. I love cars they're like ships but, faster and no one is trying to throw me overboard.

"Put your head back inside, Vi," Justin says. "You're not a dog."

I immediately remember my parents. The way they would scold me for almost everything I do.

"Stop playing with sand, Violet," they would say. "You're not a baby."

"Stop walking with your bare feet, Violet. You're not a dog."

"Close your legs, Violet. You're not a boy."

Truth be told, my relationship with my parents was shit. They were judgemental, overprotective, and the reason I had no friends.

"Are you okay?" Justin says. I don't realize how hard I'm gripping my seatbelt.

"I'm fine," I say, not looking in his direction.

"We're almost at the port," he says.

When we get to the seaport, we're greeted by overeager seaport workers. I hate that we're given preferential treatment but, I know why. The Caretakers aren't exactly a charity organization. They are funded by some of the world's richest people. I'm not sure how it all works but, from what I've learned from the modern world - who am I kidding - the world in general, these people won't spend so much money and time on us if they don't benefit from our existence somehow. I'm just too scared to ask how.

We finally get on the speedboat which is run by solar power. It takes about two hours to get there.

"Are you going to tell me what you're up to now?" I say.

"You'll see," he says. "We're almost there."

I look and I see HQ. It's on a private island in the middle of the ocean. It looks like a normal island because HQ is beneath the surface.

We finally get to the island and I feel at home. This is the island I grew up on but, it is similar. I let myself get carried away by the birds' songs and the smell of the trees. Almost immediately, animals start to swarm me.

"Hi there," I say as I pick up a squirrel. I hold out my hand and an acorn falls into it. "Here you go." I give it the nut. It collects it and immediately starts eating it. I giggle.

"You done?" Justin says.

"Sorry," I say, still giggling. I drop the squirrel and follow Justin deeper into the forest.

We stop at a cave where there is a hidden elevator. Justin types in the passcode and it opens. We step in. The elevator finally stops and opens to reveal a large hall filled with people and magical creatures alike walking around.

The first person who greets us is Raven Jones. But, everyone calls her Ray Ray. She has caramel skin and short curly brown hair. She's about five foot three. She's wearing big round glasses that barely fit her small face.

"Hey, Vi," she says with her high-pitched, happy voice.

"Ray Ray," I say, hugging her.

Ray Ray is a biologist. She used to specialize in aquatic life before she was recruited by the caretakers.

She turns to Justin. "Have you told her yet?"

"Told me what?" I say. "Does she know why we're here?"

Justin takes a breath before talking.

"You know how you said you'll eventually die and the earth will die with you," he starts.

"Vaguely," I say, narrowing my eyes.

"I called Ray Ray last night and she said she might have a solution to that."

Hell no.

"Oh hell no," I exclaim. "I'm sorry but, there is absolutely no way I'm letting you guys make me immortal. You have no idea how hard it is to even think about outliving everyone and everything I care about. The only thing keeping me going is the knowledge that my misery will one day end."

"Okay," Ray Ray says. "That was super dark for no reason."

"We're not going to make you immortal," Justin says. "We're going to make more nymphs."

"I'm sorry, what," I say, surprised.

••••••

*Hunter's pov*

She didn't come to school today. She's ghosting me. I can't believe it. I thought we had at least some kind of connection last night.

There's no way she's ghosting me. She's probably busy or maybe she's in danger. I hope she's okay.

•••••••

*Vi's pov*

"I am not okay," I say. We're in Ray Ray's high-tech lab. This is the first time in a while that I feel genuinely distressed. "What do you mean make more nymphs? Are you going to clone me or something?"

"What?" Ray Ray says, chuckling. "No."

"You're going to metamorphosize people," Justin says.

I start laughing then I look at Justin and Ray Ray but they aren't laughing.

"Oh my God. You're serious," I say, realization hitting me.  "I'm sorry to break it to you but, only pure breed nymphs can turn people into nymphs. I'm a turned nymph, remember?"

"Yes," Justin says. "But you're not just any turned nymph. You're a Mutineer. You break the laws of your species."

"Exactly," Ray Ray says. "And if my theory is correct, you should be able to make nymphs once you turn two hundred and ten years old. Isn't that great?"

"What?" I say, confused. "No. That's terrible news."

Ray Ray and Justin have confused expressions on their faces.

"Me being the last nymph was the best thing that could have happened to the human race," I say. "The only thing standing between humans and dealing with pollution is me. Now you're telling me that I can make more of me."

"Vi that's good news," Ray Ray says.

I roll my eyes at that. "Even if I did agree with you. It isn't possible," I say.

"I think we've established that it is."

"That's not what I mean. To change someone, they have to be of pure heart and mind and they need to see the world with childish wonder. They also need to be young. Sixteen at most. And identify as a female."

"I'm not seeing the problem," Justin says.

"Of course, you aren't," I say, pissed off. "I can't turn anyone below the age of fourteen because they'd be too dumb to think things through before they consent to me taking away their gift of a normal life."

"Then change the older ones."

I scoff. "Have you met the teenagers of this generation?" I say. "Everyone I've met is either doing drugs, having sex, or - oh - trying to kill me! So, no. That's not an option."

"You live in a small town," Ray Ray says. "Everyone is bound to be similar. That doesn't mean there aren't some people that'll fit your criteria out there."

I hope she's wrong but, a small part of me hopes she's right.

I spend the rest of the week learning how to metamorphosize people and also have more control over my powers. It is so exhausting and I am so happy when the week is finally up.

"I'm only trying to do what's best for all of us," Justin says in the car.

I don't reply.

°°°°°°°

When we get home, the first person I want to see is Hunter. But, Justin makes sure I stay in my room till the next day.

The next day is Monday. I wake up early because I'm too excited to see Hunter to sleep properly. I take a shower and spend an hour deciding what to wear so, the extra time I had by waking up early is gone.

For my outfit, I decide to wear a yellow turtle neck with a light purple floral sweater vest and a white pleated tennis skirt. For my hair, I put it up in a messy bun, and wear a light purple headband to go with my sweater vest. For my makeup, I try to keep it simple with the no-makeup look but I decide to put white spots on all my freckles.

It weird. I didn't have freckles when I was human.

I carry my yellow baguette bag and slide into my white oxford shoes. I take a strawberry smoothie from the fridge even though I know I'll be hungry in an hour.

I look out the window and see Hunter's aunt's car drive off.

"I'm taking my bike, Justin!"

"Be safe!" He yells back.

When I get to school, the first person I see is Danny. I hide in the nearest classroom and pray to the gods he didn't see me.

I look through the glass in the door and he walks past the classroom. I sigh in relief. I make a mental note to uncharm him. Charming him was an accident. Now, thanks to my visit to HQ, I can finally undo it. I'm about to leave to find Hunter when I feel hands around my waist. I gasp and turn around. I sigh in relief when I see that it's Hunter. She's different.

My brown back length haired, bland dressing Hunter is now blonde with a blunt cut that falls just below her earlobe and is dressed like a skater girl.

"Hunter, you look..."

Before I complete my sentence, her lips are already on mine. Dancing slowly. I guess she missed me as much as I missed her.