Chapter 37

Time blurred past Hayden in the Summer Palace. She had never been with another mew anywhere close to her own age before. Julian couldn't teach her new powers, he couldn't train her in further Unity. But he didn't really need to. It was enough to be with someone who shared her perspective—someone who wanted to fly, and felt trapped when they didn't change something for too long.

It just happened that he was also the most important kid in the world, with a responsibility that bordered on the divine. It might be ages before the two of them could ever be alone again. It wouldn't matter if Mew House decided to keep her around for a few weeks, or longer. The ritual would be over then. There would be servants, observers, maybe soldiers.

Too bad the ancients didn't allow them to have a few weeks together instead. She would definitely have him flying on his own by then, and probably transforming too. But one day wasn't enough, no matter how clever the kid.

They were in the pool around sunset, where Julian came to practice his flying.

"Swimming isn't the same, but it's easier for Aerie this way," he explained, hopping eagerly inside. Hayden left her gown beside the water, then joined him, letting the pleasantly cool liquid envelop her. It was easier to float once she was in the pool, so natural that even Hayden could do it without thinking.

All that really meant was not needing to make the little corrections. She didn't have to tread water or paddle with her fingers, just floated along effortlessly at the perfect height. 

And since it was in the Summer Palace of Mew House, it wasn't just a pool, but a false pond, brushing up against a cliffside. If she swam to the edge, she would have a perfect view stretching out hundreds of feet. An awning overhead covered most of the pool with glass, so they could've swam there in comfort even during a storm.

There was no storm though, just a perfect sky slowly turning orange.

Liz skimmed the water's surface beside her, occasionally dipping a toe in. The cat had her fill of water in the last few days. "I can see that," she eventually said. "I guess with most of the weight gone, it's easier. Like training wheels."

"Not sure what wheels have to do with it." He pushed past her, using his feet against the pool's edge. His daemon didn't fly, but perched on his forehead, where she could stay dry with far less effort. To her credit, she did move them around in subtle ways. She wasn't just sitting there. "Why would you put those in a pool?"

She giggled. "Wheels on a bicycle, silly. For riding around. They make it easier to stay up when you're learning."

"Of course. A… bicycle," he said, without comprehension. "Anyway, bet you can't do this! Aerie and I had to practice for ages!"

He kicked to the center of the pool, then dropped straight down. She floated over him for a few seconds, waiting for him to re-surface—but he didn't. When nearly a minute had passed, she stuck her head in, squinting down towards him.

Julian sat at the bottom, quite a bit deeper than any conventional swimming pool. It was far enough in fact that she wasn't sure she could even make it that far on a single breath, at least thirty feet down. He sat on the bottom, grinning up at her through a slightly reflective surface around his face.

"She's holding a bubble!" Liz exclaimed, amazed. "I… don't know how. It's easy to grab big things, but air is small."

Hayden stuck her head back underwater, making eye contact with him so he would know what she was doing. "You're right, I can't do that," she sent. "How?"

"You can already do everything. You figure it out."

So maybe she'd underestimated them—Julian understood telepathy well enough to send messages through Aerie. Plenty of people with psychic daemons never learned that.

A door swung open nearby, revealing a figure in white silhouetted against the sunset. Ilene, staring in her direction. We're out of time.

Hayden didn't think—she dove. Liz couldn't grab a bubble, but they could do other things. They could be fish. Vaporeon was easiest, so they did that. Hayden got leaner and thinner, her hair short and muscles more obvious. Suddenly the distance she had to swim seemed entirely within reach, at least if she held on to Liz and let the vaporeon pull her along. 

She reached the bottom in a few seconds, then stuck her head into his bubble. Liz didn't need the extra help, and she just swam slow circles around them. "Bad news."

"You didn't learn it first try," he said, grin widening. "There are things even big Hayden can't do. You had to cheat! Maybe I can trade you, if you tutor me on how to be a different pokémon. I just have to pick which one…"

"No," she said flatly. She couldn't float in the water anymore, so she had to hold onto his arm for stability.

His eyebrows went up. "No? People don't get to tell me that."

"No I won't trade," she said again. "Trades are for strangers. I don't help my friends because I get something back. I'll show you because it's fun, and you should get to change too. If you want to teach us… underwater stuff… then we would be grateful. But it won't be a trade."

"Oh." His face was unreadable then—confused, mostly. "That's weird."

"I'm weird," she said. "Also, Ilene's here. I think we're out of time."

Something splashed into the water, sending a little distorted wave around them. Ilene didn't try to swim, but sank straight through to the bottom. Where Julian had a bubble around his head, a shimmer surrounded Ilene's entire body, keeping her totally dry. In an instant she reached the bottom, and walked calmly towards them.

"Already?" Julian exclaimed, exasperated. "That wasn't long enough!"

Ilene reached them, and the bubble of air expanded. They dropped to the stone floor, dripping wet. Hayden scrambled to her feet—then realized the kid was still down, and helped him up too.

Julian stepped forward, putting himself between them. "I have decided," he said, as confident as any ten-year-old could be. "I am not finished with my guest. She doesn't have to leave."

Ilene bowed. A wave of sudden hope washed over her—maybe it was that easy! He was the prince. 

"Unfortunately, she does," Ilene said. "Sacred custom dictates that this first encounter may not continue past sunset. If you accept the contract, you may see her again. Otherwise, I can take her away forever."

He stuck his tongue out. "She doesn't have to leave doesn't mean 'take her away forever.' Why didn't anyone tell me there was another mew out there? You should've brought her sooner!"

She bowed again. "We summoned her as soon as we knew," she said. "There have been many pretenders along the way. Disposing of them has wasted valuable time. Apologies."

Julian turned, taking one of her hands with both of his. "Will you come back? Please come back. I think there's some kinda contract—I don't really understand it. But you should sign it right away. Maybe you can come back tomorrow!"

Hayden touched his shoulder with her free hand. "It's not up to me. But if it makes any difference, I'd like that. Maybe we could go somewhere fun next time. Have you ever been into the jungle around the palace?"

He gasped. "Into the… You can do that? Just leave?"

Ilene cleared her throat, loud enough to silence them both. "You may see her again, but not tonight. We have to go." She took Hayden's hand off his shoulder, dragging her away. There was nothing violent or overly forceful about the gesture, but she was still completely irresistible.

She changed under her grip, shrinking back down so her underclothes fit properly. More importantly, she didn't feel quite so weak. Liz could float up beside her, shaking out her damp coat.

"And you should both be aware—" Ilene finished. "That holding a bubble down here is not sufficient for a long stay. You need to exchange oxygen with the surrounding water, or you will suffocate. When we are gone, you should surface, Julian. I will send the staff to make sure you do."

They vanished before Hayden could hear a reply. One step, and they were back in her bedroom, the tall one tucked away in Mew House. Eleanor reclined in one of her oversized chairs, surrounded by several giant stacks of toys. They were sorted by type, balanced with the kind of care that only came from many hours of effort. 

She froze, holding a joltik carefully in one hand near the top of the stack. "And she's soaking wet. The heir seriously tricked you into the water wearing white?"

Ilene released her hand. "I believe you may misinterpret his motives. Hayden, did you observe anything untoward during your encounter today?"

"No, I…" She started shivering. "Can I have a—"

Before the word was out of her mouth, Ilene handed her a towel, huge and pink and soft. She dried off Liz first, then wrapped it around herself as best she could. 

It wasn't just big, but warm, as though pulled from a steam closet waiting for that exact moment. Knowing Mew House, it probably had been. "He wanted to practice flying, and he can't fly out in the open. The water makes it easier."

"Oh." Eleanor stood up, dodging her pile of electrical pokémon without knocking them over. "You're just an idiot. There's a reason they don't make swimsuits white, Hayden. Think about that next time you're alone with a boy." 

She sighed, settling down onto the cushions beside her. "This is exactly why she shouldn't be by herself. This kitten is clueless, Ilene. I've seen her walk off cliffs."

"Fly off cliffs," she muttered. But now that Eleanor mentioned it—a glance inside the towel was all she needed to see the ditto was right. Her ritual clothing was basically see-through when it was wet. Her face turned bright red, brighter than the pink carpet or the pink towel.

"The Lady has another meeting," Ilene said, somehow calm despite the discomfort of the conversation. "I don't know when the Eldest will be ready for her, but my guess is an hour at most. He will be with Master Julian as we speak, discussing his impressions. One way or another, you will have an answer to take back to Shaymin House."

Hayden squirmed, wiggling out of her wet clothing. "Do I have to go through that awful ritual all over again?"

"No," Ilene said. "But you should dress formally, and allow me to style your hair properly. That should improve your chances with Lord Moonstone."

She stood up, keeping the towel around her body. "Can you help me, Eleanor?"

Eleanor rolled her eyes, then tugged the towel off her shoulders. "You're just standing there. That isn't enough to get dry. I'll do it."

She started working—not gently, but her touch was at least familiar. She had been there in the first moments of Hayden's transformation, when no one else was. "You haven't even said how it went. Should I actually try to make you presentable? If he's just going to dismiss us, it probably doesn't matter."

Ilene remained silent, observing.

So she said the first thing that came to mind. "I like him." Then she realized what she was saying, and her cheeks went red all over again. "I like… being around another mew," she corrected. "Aerie is sweet. Feels like they grew up in a cage without any windows."

Eleanor tossed the towel aside, handing Hayden dry underwear. At least she didn't try to dress her completely. "You like him," she repeated, baffled. "The most dangerous kid in the world. Heir to… everything. You like him?"

She was still red. "Not how you're thinking! But maybe we could be friends." She turned away. "Will I get to see him again?"

Ilene smiled faintly. But for her, that was more emotion than she usually showed. "That isn't up to me, or the young master. Only the lord of the house can decide." She gestured, and one doll among many floated up out of Eleanor's piles. One toppled over, knocking over several nearby. She floated the single mew doll up past Hayden.

Eleanor twitched, glaring at her—but she bit back her anger and walked back to the closet instead.

"I've never seen the young master act that way before. I imagine he will be quite disappointed if you don't survive your encounter with Lord Moonstone. For his sake, I wish you success."

Hayden finished, then held still while Eleanor started with the complicated part. "If I… if I stay, could you train us again? Liz and I want to see more teleporting."

"We're already learning," Liz added. "Since it's how you get around. But lessons would be better."

Ilene teleported the little mew back onto the shelf. "It would be highly irregular for a member of the household to ask lessons from a servant. I would be your steward one day, don't forget."

She shrugged. "I grew up with commoners—maybe that can cancel out some of the rank stuff and make me normal? Nobody else is gonna help me."

Eleanor leaned in close, whispering into her ear. "Are you sure that's a good idea? This is a dangerous woman, Hayden. Don't push her."

"She's not scary just cuz she's stronger than me."

"Hurry, Lady Hayden. Tardiness would not speak to your success."