Violet's POV

Astrid turned to me with a smile as she sheathed her sword.

"Wow," I said with awe, "You really know how to handle that thing."

"Yep," Astrid sighed and walked over to where I had perched myself on a rock. "Took me a while, but somehow I managed."

We looked at each other for a brief moment.

"I'm so sorry I lied to you." I hung my head with dismay, tears forming in my eyes.

Astrid scoffed and dropped her bag on the ground beside her. She knelt down so that we were face to face and rested her hand on my knee.

"I'm sorry too," she said hesitantly. "I'm... sorry I kept this from you for so long."

I wiped my tears and looked up at her. "I forgive you." I jumped off the rock I was sitting on. As she stood up to face me, I ran into her arms, making her widen her eyes and freeze for a moment. She smiled and hugged me back.

"You're my best friend, Astrid." I said, hugging her tightly. "I should have never kept this from you. I should have told you as soon as I-"

"Yeah yeah. Cut the sappy crap and let's go home already." I heard an unfamiliar voice sneer.

Astrid and I broke apart from the hug and she scratched the back of her neck.

"Who-" I started.

Astrid cut me off. "Violet, this is my uh... cat... Merlin." As she spoke, a black cat peeked its head out from her bag. It smiled cockily and strutted out, rubbing against her thigh.

"Your cat... can talk?!" I exclaimed, poking the thing.

Merlin nodded his head and licked his paw. Astrid picked him up, making him meow in displeasure.

"There's a lot you don't know, Vi." She said, sighing to herself. "That's why I'm taking you home."

"Wow, already? I mean, at least take me out to dinner first." I smirked and elbowed her. She playfully shoved me back and picked up her bag, letting Merlin hop in.

"Oh shush, you!" She smiled. "Let's just get home first, okay? We can find something to eat there."

* * *

We trekked through the forest as the sun set peacefully over the horizon, casting bright shades of orange and yellow across the sky. I looked up and breathed out happily. I had my best friend back.

THWACK!

I jumped back and grabbed my face. "What the hell!" I groaned and looked at my attacker. Turns out it was Merlin hitting me with a pine tree branch.

"Wakey wakey, daydreamer!" Merlin cooed evilly. "Don't wanna lose ya on the way home, do we?"

I growled at him, making his eyes grow wide as he pounced back into the safety of Astrid's bag. She turned around and helped me up onto a rock leading to the road.

"Almost home," she breathed happily.

"Thank God." I rolled my eyes. "But uh... do yah mind if we slow down a bit? You're walking awfully fast and I don't think I can keep up..." I said as I rested my elbows on my knees, trying to catch my breath.

"Oh, get it together, Violet! We gotta get home before the sun sets completely! You don't want to become Monster dinner, do you?" She sighed. I looked up at her and she had a grin spreading across her face. "Unless..."

"Unless?" I questioned her. Whatever she was planning, it better be good.

She walked over to me and grabbed my hand, watching the sun set. I looked at her, then thr sunset.

"Dude, what gives?" I gawked at her and tried to pull my hand out of her grasp. Was she going to use me as monster bait?

"Just a little longer..." I heard her say quietly.

Merlin peeked out of Astrid's bag and grinned at me. "She's gonna teleport us back home. Saves us the walk."

"She's gonna who and a what now?" I asked, not sure if what I heard was correct.

"You heard me." Merlin answered and hopped back into the bag.

Astrid turned to me with a smile on her face. "This is gonna be really cool, but you gotta hold on to me, okay?"

Not being completely sure of what was going on, I nodded. Astrid nodded back and grabbed both my hands to turn completely towards me. I watched her as she closed her eyes and concentrated on who knows what.

The scenery around us became blurry and just blotches of colour. I gaped and tried to look around, but my face was fixated on Astrid, no matter how hard I tried to look away.

Suddenly, the blotches of colour changed to different ones. Then they became clearer and clearer until I realised we were standing in Astrid's living room.

She let go of my hands and smiled. "Cool, huh?"

I nodded, speechless. "H-How did you-"

"That's my transportation," she stated simply. "We all have one. That's how things work." Astrid walked to the dining room and set her bag on the table, letting Merlin out.

I walked over to them, curious to find out more. "By things, you mean powers?"

Astrid smiled and turned to me. "Yep. Everyone who possesses such strengths has access to one transportation and one main power."

"You sound like Professor H-"

Astrid slammed her hand on the table. I yelped and jumped back.

"Do not... EVER... mention his name... in my household." Astrid looked into my eyes, a finger pointed at me like she was about to stab me in the chest with her nail.

I gulped and took a step back. "Haha alright um... duely noted." I nodded and smiled sheepishly.

Satisfied, Astrid turned around and went back into the kitchen to rummage through her cupboards. Probably to find food. Is she just hangry? Or... on her period?

I stood there in her dining room, not sure whether it was safe to move or not. Merlin jumped up onto the table, noticing that I was rather frightened.

"Astrid has had a grudge on that guy for years." He purred. "Killed her entire family."

I pet Merlin behind his ears, making his tail wag back and forth. "Her... entire family?"

"Yeah," he said, lying down in front of me, "Her pops stole a vial of this glowing pink stuff and long story short, the professor guy went mad and they went to war with each other." I stopped petting him for a moment with wide eyes. "Drastic, I know." He meowed, ushering me to keep petting him.

I stroked his fur once more. "They... went to war?"

"Astrid's got a big family. Or at least, she used to. They all got up and left to go to war with the Chronos and haven't returned. Poor Astrid's been living by herself ever since."

"Harsh." I mumbled. Astrid never told me anything like that.

Before I could start to think about what that would be like, Astrid came out of the kitchen with two bowls of ramen and a smile on her face.

"Who's hungry?"

A/N: So sorry I haven't posted for a while! I had writer's block for like the longest time :')
BUTTTTTT The next chapters will be longer and more action-packed, so I can give you guys time to actually appreciate the story for once xD
AIGHT PEACE this girl gotta catch some z's before school starts again! *uhghhhghhhh*
<3