Lead hook. Cross. Strike to the chest. With every single one cutting through to the air like blades, she dodged every strike. She had to— or her ethereal body would die. That blond bastard charged at her while she was renewing her core.

  Nevermind that. She needed to finish this. Fast.

  Mara jumped, twisting mid-air, and snapped a kick straight into his head. Eric was knocked back to the white wall of the Renewal Chamber, with a swollen cheek. Letting out a chuckle, she dropped to the floor with a grin.

  Mallory just stood there. Processing. Meanwhile, Yuri seemed absolutely starstruck.

  "What? It's not that bad," Mara shrugged, breaking the silence. "He's just unconscious. The bastard prince will be up."

  She approached Eric and made him lay on one of the beds, completely ignorant of the huge crack on the wall.

  "Not bad?! The higher-ups are going to kill you! Yuri—say something to this idiot!"

  "Meh. They'll only kill her if they know, right? Chill out," Yuri said, shrugging it off like nothing. "More importantly, how did you do that? That spin was—"

  Bonk

  Mallory smacked Yuri's head with a book she picked up.

  Yuri yelped. "Ow! What was that for?!"

  "Both of you need parents," She muttered, rubbing her temples with a sigh.

  "He came at me mid-core renewal!" Mara snapped. "My body could've been reduced to magicules!"

  Mallory sighed, glancing at Eric's unconscious body. She had to admit, he hadn't been rational. Every angel knows that it'd be dangerous to be damaged while renewing their core. If Mara didn't defend herself, the results could've been worse.

  "Yuri, heal him." Mallory said, pointing at Eric's swollen cheek.

  "Mara," She added. "Finish your core renewal so we can get out of here."

  "Good thinking, Mallow!" Yuri put a hand in the air. She scurried over to where Eric lay. She put her glowing hand on his cheek. Even though unconscious, Eric's hands twitched like he was still fighting.

  Yuri leaned into his ear. "Beep boop. Be healed," She whispered, and the swelling was gone.

  Meanwhile, Mara hurried to a bed and spread her wings. Within seconds, she started to glow. Magicules were drawn into her core.

  Mara opened her golden eyes, meeting Mallory's red ones.

  "We're done here," she said, standing up with a grin.

  As they leave the chamber, Yuri's gaze lingered on the lone silhouette of the prince ultimately leading her to stop in her tracks. She tugged on Mallory's sleeve and pointed to Eric.

  "How about the prince? Are we just going to leave him there?" Yuri questioned. It wasn't really fit for royalty to be left alone vulnerable like that.

  Mallory's eyebrows furrowed. She crossed her arms and thought about it. Deciding to take him with them would mean having to hide from prying eyes but leaving him could be worse.

  She sighed. "What a troublesome prince. Fine we'll—"

  She was cut off by the sudden grip on her wrist. The girl looked behind her and saw Mara with a mischievous expression—rope in hand.

  "Just leave him there," Mara said, rolling her eyes "We'll just call his holier than thou puppets to get him."

  She smirked, unraveling the rope.

  "Upside down, that is."

  A beat of silence

  Eric was dangling by his foot with the rope tied to the chandelier, clearly unconscious. His face was getting drew on with different kinds of color. Case in point, he looked ridiculous.

  "Scratch getting killed— You're going to be exiled!" Mallory shrieked in horror at the sight.

  Mara just hummed in agreement while she created her masterpiece alongside Yuri. Random blotches of purple and gold streaked on Eric's face like war tribal paint— if they were fond of flashy colors.

  "Look! I gave him a crown!" Yuri pointed to a sloppy painting on his forehead, eyes twinkling. "Now he's a real prince."

  "See?" Mara said, voice full of lax. "We're just making his features shine."

  Mallory rubbed her temples in disbelief. "You two are going to bring me down with you. I swear if anyone catches you I'm going to—"

  "—die from the shame and humiliation," Yuri finished for her.

  Mallory groaned, questioning why she was still friends with these menaces. She paced around the room, mentally rewriting her plans in life.

  "We're not doing anything wrong y'know?" Mara said, doodling on Eric's clothes. The flapping of her wings effectively shutting Mallory up. "Just some tweaks here and there with quick art therapy!"

  "It's not therapy if he's unconscious." Mallory deadpanned.

  "That's the fun in it!" Yuri giggled, flapping her wings closer to get a bucket of paint. "He can't say no."

  Mara high-fived Yuri like that statement solved everything. It didn't.

  Creak

  The chandelier groaned ominously above them.

  "Huh?" Mallory exclaimed at the sudden noise.

  "Huh," Mara smirked.

  Mara grabbed Yuri's hand and pulled her down to protect her from what's to come.

  1...

  2...

  3...

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  SNAP

  The chain holding the chandelier snapped with Eric's ankle still tied on it.

  "Uh oh," Yuri said.

  Eric groaned. His hands twitched under the debris. "What the...," He mumbled, his vision blurry.

  Mallory stood there, horrified. "Why didn't you untie him!?" She questioned, putting a finger on Mara's chest.

  "Whatever do you mean?" Mara answered.

  "You know exactly what I mean! I've had it with—" Footsteps were getting closer to the chamber. Fast. She looked behind her then faced Mara.

  Mara reached out her hand to the side, making her palm face the window. A beam of black magicules came right out and destroyed the window, leaving remnants of burned substance on the edge.

  "That's unfortunate," Yuri fled right out while the other two just stared down at each other.

  "Ladies first," Mara grinned.

  "Menaces last," Mallory insulted, flying out the window.

  Ouch. That hurt.

  Mara took one last look of Eric's pitiful form, shoulders slumped. His eyes wide, locking with hers. Her grin wavering— just a moment. Damnit, why did she have to be like this.

  "See ya later, prince charming," Mara turned on her heel and joined her friends up in the sky.

  Wind whipped at Mara's face while she soared in the quiet moonlight of Celestia. Pouting, she tried to catch up with Mallory, but every time she did, the other would just splash her with water magic. Her heart pounded. Not from fear or shame—Just a bit of adrenaline left from breaking at least three divine laws.

  Yuri flew beside her, spinning mid-air. Her excitement was as of an overexcited hummingbird. "Did you see him when he fell off? Just–thud—," Yuri exclaimed, giggling at the thought.

  "That is not funny! Can't you see we're at risk here!?" Mallory hissed at the front, not looking behind at them. "We could be punished heavily!"

  "Don't worry your pretty head about anything." Mara said, finally catching up with the hothead. "It was his fault anyway."

  "Besides," She added. "Yuri's connections could just cover this up."

  "No! We aren't making them cover up the glitter bomb you made!" Mallory finally snapped, raising her voice. "Not the absolute ridiculous mess you've made of Prince Eric!"

  "Why are you so bothered!? You're a princess! Nobody would suspect you." Mara said. "Nobody wouldn't even think that you're involved with us—"

  "But I am!" Mallory cut her off, halting and looking behind at them. "I'm involved with misifts who don't know their place!"

  Mara flinched, restricting Yuri to get any closer to Mallory while she just stared in shock.

  A beat of silence

  "Sorry. I didn't mean..." Mallory struggled to form words, shocked at herself. "I just need to be alone."

  Mara opened her mouth but nothing came out.

  She flew opposite to their direction. Mara didn't care to make her gaze follow her silhouette. They'll discuss this matter when appropriate—if we can fix this like her—Mara thought to herself. Yuri frowned.

  "Let's just go to our usual spot." Yuri whispered, smile strained but real.

  Mara nodded.

  .

  .

  .

  .

  Mallory quietly soared into the sky. The moonlight being her only source of light. She landed on the balcony of her room. The royal palace was something she had gotten used to fly around so she didn't break a sweat.

  Meanwhile, on the other side of Celestia...

  Mara hadn't spoken since they arrived to their little house. Not that her words mattered anyway. She blankly stared in the horizon, like some text would blow in the sky and tell her exactly how to get out of this mess.

  "I'll open the door," Yuri said, breaking her out of the trance she was in.

  Mara followed Yuri inside. She plopped on the stone floor, lazily making a magic sigil to fill the bucket beside her with water. As she washed her hands that were filled with gold paint and remorse—mostly gold—, her shoulders slumped in disappointment.

  At herself.

  "We need to apologize," Mara muttered softly.

  "With a cake!" Yuri chirped.

  "No, no cakes," Mara protested, but then paused. Her eyes twinkled. "Maybe a gift. But no explosions! Real words and a little sparkle."

  "Words and sparkles!" Yuri said, opening a drawer.

  "Exactly!" Mara snapped her fingers. "But what's sparkly and wordy?" She crossed her arms and tilted her head, closing her eyes.

  "A letter!"

  "No."

  "Oh! Oh! Maybe a card saying how much we love—"

  Bonk

  "No way I'm writing that chummy piece of writing," Mara groaned.

  "If you don't like that then... A poem?"

  Mara perked up. She stood up, barely reaching Yuri without stumbling at least three times. Grabbing her shoulders, Mara shook the other angel, eyes sparkling in relief.

  "You're a genius!" Mara exclaimed. "Gods, I'm thankful Mallory blew me up so you could go into that damn school club!"

  "Once you make the stupid poem, we can finally make peace with her!" She added, her earlier mood completely gone.

  Yuri nodded in agreement. "Mhm! I can finally make peace with Mallow!"

  "You mean, 'we', right?"

  "Nope. I mean me!" Yuri elaborated, grinning ear to ear. "You see... It isn't really fair if I do it all."

  "And," She added. "Mallow would appreciate both of us if you give something too! I don't want poor Mara left out!"

  "Okay, okay...," Mara reluctantly doubled down. This girl knew her too well. "I'll help an eensy bit."

  "But that won't do!" Yuri pouted. "You need to give something to Mallow too..."

  "But.." All Mara's protests were thrown out the window.

  "Don't you want Mallory to also appreciate you?..." Yuri asked softly, opening a drawer to get some paper and ink. She plucked out a feather from her wings for her quill.

  "Of course I do! Well, I mean—" Mara searched for words that—made actual sense, not chummy and cheesy—. "I'll see what I can do..."

  "Good!"

  "You can really be the worst sometimes..." Mara quietly sulked in a corner, knees on her chest with her face buried in her body warmth.

  "I know!" Yuri smiled.

  On the other hand...

  Her wings were unusually heavy tonight—her words weighing down on it.

  Well, I messed that one up.

  She opened the door and went inside her room. Fishing out a piece of paper from her pocket, she leaned on her now closed door. She slowly dropped to the floor vexed by her own actions. Knees tightly kept on her chest, her grip on the parchment weakened.

  She'd close her eyes just for a bit.

  Mallory opened her eyes, feeling the sunlight seep from her transparent window. Her eyes widened at the length of her slumber.

  Oh no no no no... I have a meeting with the Prince in 30 minutes! Shit I have to hurry.

  Tossing the crumbled paper to the floor, she got up to get ready for the day. She scurried over to her wardrobe and took out the dress her mother chose for her yesterday. It was a red dress fit for proper and proper meetings. Her mother really knew what to pick—as expected of her—She thought to herself.

  Mallory stepped in front of the mirror, seeing a familiar sight. Her red eyes and black hair was a match for the dress. All she had to do was wipe her face and brush her hair.

  10 minutes later, her maid came in to escort the princess to Eric.

  "Good morning, your highness. I've come to escort you." The maid said, bowing in respect.

  "A pleasant morning to you too," Mallory greeted back, ready to go. "Raise your head."

  With that the maid began walking Mallory to the garden, where Eric was waiting. It didn't take her long to recognize that same blond hair and blue eyes. As usual, he had that same narcissistic grin like nothing happened to him yesterday.

  The maid quickly excused herself. "I'll be off then, your highness." She left in a hurry.

  "Ah, I see the princess has finally arrived. I hope you didn't miss me too much," Eric winked.

  "I see you're doing great, Eric," Mallory said, sitting down on the chair reserved for her. Her gaze lingering on his forehead—the image of a crown on it flashing in her mind.

  "Despite your humiliation yesterday," She added, clearly amused.

  "Oh please. Falling from a chandelier is nothing for a prince like me."

  "So I've heard." Mallory chuckled a bit.

  Eric's smirk grew. "I see you're worried about me despite being one of them."

  "I guess nobody can resist the beautiful I!" Eric exclaimed loudly, earning a few stares from the servants working. "Not even you, I see."

  "Perhaps I've given you some kind of misconception," Mallory laughed drly. "Just because we'll both have the same ring on our finger doesn't mean my world revolves around you."

  "I know you'll come around," Eric chuckled. "I'm your beloved fate, after all."

  Mallory let out a soft laugh. How ridiculous, "Funny... Fate has always left a bitter taste on my tongue."

  Eric looked at her, clearly smug. "It'll taste like mint this time around."

  A beat of stunned silence

  "I'd rather it not," Mallory stood up, deciding to dismiss herself from this lost cause. She froze when she felt a grip on her hand. She turned around.

  Mara?... Oh. Eric.

  "Alright," Eric stood up. "I've decided we have a date in the afternoon. That way, you can finally warm up to me."

  "As desperate as always, I see...," Mallory sharply replied.

  "I figured I'd give some effort so you admit your feelings about me," Eric said, unfazed, pretending like his ego hadn't been smashed to bits seconds ago.

  "Delusional too..." Mallory muttered.

  "In the meantime, you'll humor me." Eric sat back down. "What an honor, am I right?"

  "Right..."

  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

  Chapter one: Menaces and Royalty in a Room

  COMPLETE

  Author's note: Uh hi... This is my first time making a story so I encourage criticism... Other than that thnx for reading the whole thing and I hope I see you next chapter...

  Next Chapter: Three Steps Forward, One Step Back