User blog:Elhana 4stars/Chapter 3 - Studying Woes

Chapter 3 - Studying Woes

At the River of Stars Hotel nearby, a girlish figure was busy toiling away in one of the hotel rooms. The sounds of the busy interstellar festival floated over and she put down her pen and sighed a bit. The sounds of the festival sounded so tempting. She wanted more than anything to go.

“Stupid Math Exam ...” She muttered.

“Just go to the festival, Master. You are an accomplished ghost agent. You have slain dragons, vanquished daemons and saved people. Who cares whether you get an A in your Math exam.”

A youngish but low voice answered her comment. She was not even surprised. His frequent presence had become almost second nature by now so she knew exactly who was speaking. She glanced over towards him anyway. A boyish looking figure sat on the window ledge, his back leaning on the window frame. He was dressed in a white cloak with black diamond designs printed on it. A white scarf with black strips was wrapped around his neck and pulled high to cover his mouth. It didn’t cover his eyes though, those were always intense, and unfathomable. She felt that she would always get lost in them if she looked into his eyes long enough.

“Well, my parents care… I care. Anyway, why aren’t you at the festival, Doppel? I gave everyone leave to go.”

“Hmmpm, don’t wanna go … I can see that you really want to go though, so why not just go, Master?”

She giggled at that. Her daemon Doppelganger sounded almost a bit petulant.

“I WILL go, Doppel, nothing is going to stop me from enjoying this festival. Just … let me finish studying first. Luckily the festival is for a whole week… sigh. And I already told you before, you can just call me Redoxed.”

Doppelganger remained silent. Redoxed knew he could be really stubborn and she still hadn’t managed to get him to call her by name. With a small sigh, she plunged back into her Math… though she felt better now, with his companionable silence nearby.

One hour later, Redoxed felt as if she was slowly sinking into a sea of Math symbols and formulas, her head was starting to ache. Then, a delicious smell wafted over and she looked up. Doppelganger was now lodged on the sofa in the hotel room. He was holding a plate of pastries, steaming pie and ice cream. Redoxed stared open mouthed.

“How… did you get those… Did you go to the festival, Doppel?”

“Nah, got them from the hotel. Well, what are you waiting for, the food isn’t going to eat itself you know.” Doppelganger held up the plate, almost like a challenge.

Redoxed smiled in spite of herself. She got up walked over and sat down on the sofa beside her divina daemon. She took the plate, scooped up a spoon of ice cream and swallowed. The smooth cream slid down her throat, delicious and cold. She felt better already.

“Wow, this is great! But you are a spirit, Doppel, how come you can buy real food and such?”

“This realm where the interstellar Tanabata Festival is held in the stars. In this realm, both human and daemons are wholly physical and may interact freely. I am as solid as a human in this realm, Master.” Doppelganger took up the glass of ice cream and placed it into her hands while he took back the plate of food for Redoxed, holding it nearby. His fingertips brushed lightly across Redoxed’s and her hands tingled from the touch. It was the first time Doppelganger had ever felt physically real to her. The sensation sent a quiver through her.

Redoxed had finished the ice cream and started on the pie when she realised and said.

“If you can manifest physically now, you can eat too!” She smiled and with just a hint of mischievousness, brought her fork with pie on it up towards Doppelganger. Doppelganger remained silent but shook his head clearly. But Redoxed insisted, she could be stubborn too.

“I want you to… please?” She brought the fork nearer.

“Tch..” Then there was a slight wavering, and suddenly Doppelganger was no longer there. Instead, the handsome face of the Korean pop star Rain looked into Redoxed’s eyes even as he took the fork from her and slowly munched on the pie offered.

Redoxed should be used to this. After all, this was Doppelganger. He could take on whatever human form he choose. However, sitting so near the drop dead looking pop star and again feeling his fingertips actually brush across hers a second time now while taking over the fork again sent a tingle through her again. Redoxed now felt a flush spreading slowly across her face and she quickly looked down back at the pastries.

When they had finished eating. She got back up and went back to her dreaded math.

“Thanks, Rain…” She said gratefully, with just a hint of tease in her tone.

Rain’s eyes turned red into the familiar color of Doppelganger’s piercing eyes, before his form shimmered, and the familiar white cloaked figure again appeared in his place. Redoxd giggled a little and plunged back to her studies with determination.

Three hours later, it was clearly Maths 1: Redoxed 0. She was now slumped face first into her open book, and her eyes were closed. Her pen had been held upright for the last ten minutes without writing anything. Redoxed’s grasp weakened and the pen slowly tumbled onto the desk…

A white cloaked figure walked over silently and looked at his master with resignation. She could be so stubborn at times, just like he was. He slowly bent down, gathered Redoxed into his arms and lifted her up, princess style, letting her lean her head on his chest.

“hmmmm, Doppel… warm…”

Redoxed murmured as he was walking with her towards her bed and he froze, wondering if he had woken her up. Nothing happened, Redoxed instead burrowed further into his warmth and nuzzled him. He became aware that his master was a young woman, and her girlish figure was being clasped in his arms. Physicality was extremely rare for Doppelganger, and the sensations of carrying her was an intoxicating one.

Doppelganger reached the bed slowly, taking a longer time than necessary. Then he carefully bent down and laid Redoxed on the bed. She frowned a little, from leaving his warm arms, but the frown soon smoothed as he pulled the blanket over her and tucked her in. She snuggled further into her blanket, looking really adorable while she was sleeping.

Doppelganger looked steadily at his master for a long time, feeling certain inexplicable feelings and sensations running through him. Then he walked over to the desk light and switched it off, plunging the room into darkness.

“Goodnight … Redoxed.”

It was the first time he had called her by her name.

Deep in her sleep, Redoxed smiled, dreaming…