"WHAT!?!?" I screamed at Ava in the morning when I saw her with her bag, "You're leaving me with them!?"

"Lance and Jeffory think it'd be nice for us to catch up before their wedding," She answered as she had for the millionth time! "Besides, they think this would be good for you. I might be the anti-social one, but you don't trust easy. They want one of them to come to the wedding."

"WITH EACH OF US!" I screamed.

"I already have my pick," She answered with her sassy hair flip and began heading to the door, "I'll be back in a couple of days. A week at most."

"AVA!" I began chasing after her while screaming. She's leaving me, with the Damos. ALONE! She has to be insane! But, she needed this, so I'd suck it up. UGH!!!

"Where did Princess Ava go?" Asch growled at me as I turned on my heels and stared him down. I walked right by him and into the little doorway along the wall.

"She went to go help some friends of mine," I answered, "They wanted Ava's help in planning their wedding."

"Two of your friends are getting married!" Rhys asked in shock after Asch followed me.

"Actually four. Tommy and his Fiance are coming out soon, and Jeffory and Lance want their wedding to be really close since it's coming on their 15-year meet-iversary," I answered.

"What's a Meet-iversa-thingy?" Noi asked.

"It's the anniversary to the day they met," I answered, "Ava's kinda a fan of wedding shows and knows more than people give her credit for about that sorta stuff. So they wanted her help. She'll be gone for a few days."

"So we're stuck with you?" Asch whined and I laughed.

"Don't sound so thrilled," I laughed as I kept walking further past them, "So, you guys talk. I'm going to look around."

"Wait," Leif stopped me, "I've been wondering, why haven't you say anything about the Magic Crisis to Ava?"

"Honestly," Rhys added in, "I've been wondering the same. Humans certainly seem more content with keeping secrets then Damos do. Especially with you and that mysterious figure at the pizza place."

"I promised you I wouldn't," I answer as simple as it is, completely avoiding Rhys' comment, "Secrets mean something, and they're good to have. Like yours is, I understand why you lied. But, promises outway secrets in my book."

"Did you make any promises that would give up your secrets?" Asch asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Several," I say quietly.

"Like what?" Pierce asked. My eyes flashed to him as old memories returned.

"I promised my Mother," I answered, "My Father, I did once to... my brother... Ava, Dad, and Pop." I nodded and looked down the hall.

"Mind if I look around?" I asked, already turning the corner and running to hide. They ran right by me.

~*~*~TIME SKIP~*~*~

"THEY HAD A HOT TUB AND DIDN'T TELL ME?!" I screamed, "Screw looking around! I need this!" I slipped off my shirt and jeans, along with my sneakers and jumped on in. The water was so warm and relaxing! AHHH!!! IT WAS PERFECT!

"Princess, Tristian?" I heard Pierce say as I looked over to see all their weapons drawn.

"Hello!" I said and leaned back in the water, letting it catch my hair along the top.

"Why are you in the Spell Poo-I mean-" Rhys corrected, "What are you doing here?" Not a hot tub, but still, it was nice. I'm staying. Not like anything bad is gonna happen!

"I mean, you knew I was looking around," I answered, "But then I found this hot tub!"

"Hot tub?" Noi asked, "This is a Spell-" LEIF! DON'T HIT THE INNOCENT ONE! "OW!"

"She's doing that thing she does in her Spell Pool," Asch said, "I've seen Princess Ava do it as well."

"Is that safe for her to be doing?" Leif questioned.

"Silence!" Rhys shouted in a whisper, "She already knows about the crisis, she doesn't need to know about this as well!"

"Why don't I do Ava's job for you?" I asked, "If you let me use this hot tub all I want, I'll tell you more about the human world."

"Deal," Asch said with a scowl.

"Get in before I splash you!" I called out. Pierce didn't second guess anything, he came right in and sat beside me, the others not that far behind him.

"So," I said as the rest sat down, "Why do you guys always seem so off?"

"Us?" Leif commented, "Look at yourself!" I looked at him confused as he went on. "You always threaten us with your magic but never do anything with it then flash it at us."

"I agree," Asch commented, "And why are humans so docile? I haven't seen any of them try to kill each other, or us."

"We learned not to do that sorta stuff I guess," Is all I could answer with, "I mean, it still happens and everything, I guess, we're just lucky enough to have it that bad..."

"Is war not common here?" Pierce asked.

"No," I said simply.

"Why are humans so calm?" Noi asked.

"Isn't your world calm like this?" I asked.

"No!" Rhys said suddenly, "It's not!" He seemed... surprised by my question, but alarmed, like, he knows the subject of war all too much. "I mean... Uh-"

"She knows enough," Asch commented as he looked back at me.

"Heh," I said thinking of a change and subject, "Ya know you guys really scared Dad and Pop. I bet they're worried about Ava and me more than ever now."

"Is that a bad thing?" Noi asked.

"No," I answered, "But I'm pretty sure they'll come around to check up on us more often now."

"What are we doing?" Asch asked. I looked at him confused. "We aren't talking about anything of use here. This is nonsense and ramble. What use is talking like this?"

"It's what friends do! I-" Silence followed my sudden stop.

"Are you alright?" Pierce asked.

"Y-Yeah..." I answered half-heartedly, "Just... thinking too much about the past..."

"Does it have to do with that man you saw the other day?" Rhys asked.

"No," I answered, "An old friend... He was the only other person, aside from family, who I can remember having a real non-professional conversation with!" I smiled brightly. "He used to throw me over his shoulders and spin me around the room until he launched me out the door or the window. Then he'd come chasing after me and we'd lay in the lake at the very edge together and just... talk."

"Where is this friend now?" Rhys asked.

"Don't ignore my question I-" Asch began. Um, IGNORE!

"I don't know," I answered sadly, "When I was little, Devin and Andrew picked me up off the streets. I wasn't in the best condition, but they took care of me anyways. I owe them so much for everything they've done for me."

"They took you off the streets?" Leif asked.

"Y-Yeah..." I replied, "How do I explain this? It's like... I didn't have a home or a family or anything really. Something happened with my family and I ran to my friend's house. I must've gone unconscious or something because the next thing I knew I was laying on the sidewalk."

"Strange," Rhys commented, "That sounds like powerful Damos teleportation magic. Few posses that sort of magic."

"I doubt that," I said and he stood up.

"How do you know?" He asked smugly, "You've never even been to Damos!"

"Then bring me!" I said and stood up. Taking a few steps towards him. And tripping over Pierce. The next thing I knew, Asch was laughing and everyone was shocked by it.

"He laughed," Noi said.

"Shut up!" I said and stood back up. He didn't, so I splashed him. Everyone else began laughing after that one.

"Weren't expecting that huh?!" Leif yelled in his laugh.

"It's only befitting since Tristian is a Princess," Rhys added in as I sat back down in my original spot.

"Silence!" Asch screamed and looked at me with caution, all I could do was smile back at him. Not a smug smile, a kind one. "My knights are to retire for the night. I am doing the same. Stay as long as you want Prisoner." With that, he was up and gone.

"Excuse me," Rhys said and followed.

"I'm out," Leif said and did his little poof thing.

"How does he do that?" I asked.

"I don't know now that I think about it," Noi replied, "BYE!" He stood and walked off. I turned and saw Pierce just sitting there.

"You aren't leaving?" I asked.

"I will escort you out when you are ready," He said.

"I can do that on my own ya know," I said with a bit of tone.

"I like to help," He said and I sat up.

"Y-You sound just like-..." I said and carried off, "Get comfy then! I live for hot tubs!" I said and leaned back, closing my eyes with a sigh.

"Of course Princess Tristian," Pierce said and one of my eyes popped open. A smile crossed my face. Not there yet. I closed my eye again, and slowly drifted off.

(What do you think guys? Like Ava being there or being gone? Also, a reminder the contest is still up, posting opened to all the chapters!)