My Way To You

A wave of emotions. .h.i.t Ariana. She was angry, sad, confused and bitter. She wanted to save the Lumas from their fate. Her heart filled with desire and she couldn"t stop herself. "You"re not ready." Vasu called out into Ariana"s subconscious. Ariana opened her eyes. She saw that her hands were starting to glow a soft, pulsating, rainbow colour.

"When can I fully heal you?" Ariana whispered as she looked at Vasu. "Not yet." He replied. Ariana got off the bed. "Sorry... I need to go calm down.... Aroha, thank you." Ariana said before she walked out of the room. With a heavy sigh Ariana walked towards the front door of the house. She didn"t want to stay inside. She thought Vasu"s story was cruel but after listening to Aroha"s past she wondered if she could keep her emotions in check long enough to hear everyone else"s.

Ariana slumped onto the porch and sighed again. "It"s hard." Duko said as he walked up to Ariana and then leaned his chubby, yellow body against her hip. "Ya." Ariana responded as she placed her hand on Duko"s head. She started to stroke his fur, releasing the small amount of pure magic from her body. "You could have given that to Aroha. She may have felt drained after losing her last connection to the G.o.ddess." Duko said.

Ariana facepalmed herself. "I can"t even do that right." She groaned. Duko nudged her hand with his small snout. Ariana removed her hand and looked at Duko. "We all make mistakes in our life and we shouldn"t regret or forget them. We should learn from them instead. Then when a next time comes around you know what to do." 

Ariana felt her eyes sting, water was already starting to build up. "I don"t want a next time. Why can"t I just do things right the first time? I was reborn into this world, I should know what the right thing is by now." Ariana said pitifully. "So have we but even with a second chance at life we still couldn"t protect your mother." Duko said nonchalantly. Ariana"s hand froze mid pet. She didn"t know what to say.

"Like I said I don"t regret what happened nor will I forget. I will move forward and become stronger so I can protect who really matters to me." Duko continued to say. Ariana wrapped her arm around Duko and pick him up gently. She placed him on her lap and looked at him sadly. "Is it because of your deal with the G.o.ddess?" Ariana asked. Duko"s fur flarred outwards in horror. "Don"t worry Vasu told me about it." Ariana explained.

"Of course he would. He"s the only one that seems to be different from the rest of us." Duko sighed. "I don"t think so. He has had his own story... but he chose to not share it with the rest of you.... Does he really need to seperate himself so much from the rest of you though?" Ariana asked with a bitter tone. "It"s not his fault. He actually trusted us very much once upon a time. Even smiled but we held him back when your mother made her choice. He"s never forgiven us for it. Serves us right." Duko replied.

"What if I think what you did was the right thing to do?" Ariana asked as her gaze started to drift off to a far off place. Duko looked at Ariana with surprise, he wasn"t expecting this type of comment from Ariana. "Why?" He asked as he stared up at Ariana. 

Ariana looked down at Duko and her eyes reflected an eerie sadness that caused Duko to be concerned. "Loralei said you are sensitive to Aroha, why is that?" Ariana asked instead. Duko"s eyes grew wide. "You also follow every wish she makes, you never leave her alone nor do you ever argue with her. In all honesty you spoil her and she seems unaware of it. Are you by chance in love with Aroha?" Ariana asked coolly.

Duko"s ears flattened as he tried to think of a response. "In a way, yes." Duko admitted. Ariana snapped out of her weird thoughts. "Oh Duko I"m sorry." Ariana started but Duko just smiled. "No, it"s fine. Aroha had alwasy reminded me of my first love but after I heard her story.... I was overwhelmed." Duko said with a sad smile. Ariana wrapped her arms around his chubby body, pulling him in close. "I shouldn"t have asked Aroha to tell her story. It should have been private." Ariana said in a trembling voice.

"No, she gave courage so that the others could open up. It was necessary and it gave me courage to tell you mine." Duko said as his body trembled. "Duko..." Ariana called out. "Don"t stop me, don"t let go and don"t tell the others. Promise?" Duko said as he layed his snout on top of Ariana"s shoulder. "I promise." Ariana replied almost immediately. "Don"t regret it." Duko laughed.

"No regrets remember?" Ariana chuckled. "I met my first love when I was only a child, I was about 9 years old. She was scrawny, malnourished, her hair was a dull black, her skin was fair but  rough looking and she was wearing clothes that didn"t suit her. The only reason I took an interest in her was because her eyes were full of happiness, love and life. It made her seem so beautiful that I vowed that I would make her my wife but life was so cruel.... I actually abandoned her in her time of need. She practically died all alone. My men told me she was back in the City but like a coward I didn"t rush to her side instead I mulled over what to do and it lead to her death...."