Chapter 14: Priscilla's Outing
“You’re leaving already, Priscilla?” Nayla asked me. Nayla was a dark skinned girl with brown hair. I stood up from her couch. The other side was broken but since it was my birthday, she let me sit on the good side. Her house was pretty rundown but that was because she bought it with a student’s salary
I am Priscilla, the main character of my story. I have long white hair and pointy ears along with sapphire eyes. Its embarassing to name my own features though. I wear a black cloak like my uncle Tenshi and carry a sword.
https://i.imgur.com/YzyA5Ek.png
“Well yeah. I planned to meet my savior on my 16th birthday! You can come along too if you want.” I answered Nayla. Today was July 14th! My birthday.
“No thanks. Unlike you, I still have school so I can’t travel.” Nayla said despondently.
“Really? You might be able to meet your crush too.” I teased.
“Cut it out Priscilla. It’s embarassing.” Her face flushed with embarassment. “Daragon just thinks of me as a friend.”
“Even though he did that for you?”
“He didn’t mean to! You know what happened afterwards.” She rebutted.
“But he still did it. You remember right?”
“Of course. We were both so small it’s been ingrained into my mind. Draken offered to pay for our therapy but you told me not to take it.”
“Uncle Tenshi told me not to. But I personally just didn’t want to be even more indebted. He already did enough.”
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It was midsummer. Who am I kidding, it’s always summer on the equator. I was about 6 and was being picked on in the orphanage again. I’d been running from foster homes over and over again. Every single one I’ve been to never treated me like a person but an ‘elf’. They mostly used me because the government gives them money for fostering children like me. Especially elves since they’re considered a minority and need more help.
“You bitch! You keep running away from your new home while the rest of us stay here!” The boy said, kicking me.
“Yeah! Why don’t you just go die already!” The girl shouted.
The ‘system’ to help people like me only bred hatred and resentment from others. Meanwhile, I don’t benefit from the system because it’s been exploited countless times.
“You elves are acting so high and mighty! Just because you’re elves you think you’re hot shit!” One of the orphans shouted. These kids were merciless. But I guess that’s what happens when you’re fatherless and motherless.
I was an Elf, sure, but I was also a human. No, I’m not half-human, half-elf. Elves are humans. We just have different physical appearances. We feel, think and act the same as humans. There’s no difference. Yet people still call us by our labels. Discriminate based on those labels.
I didn’t dare to reply. I learnt from a book that people will only bully you more if you give a reaction. So I sucked it up. Asking for help was not a good idea. I don’t know who I can trust, and adults would just scold the children and let them go. After all, they were children.
“Man fuck this shit. Just leave her alone. Let’s play tag.” One of them suggested. Children are quite the mystery. After they left for the playground, I made sure nobody was around before curling up myself into a ball. I just wanted to cry.
“Hey, are you alright?” One of the girls asked me. I quickly wiped my tears and looked up at her. I stared at her coldly. “Um. I’m Nayla.”
“I don’t care.” I stood up to leave. I didn’t want to talk to anybody.
“What’s up with you? I didn’t even do anything to you.”
“Shut up. You’re just like them.” I answered.
“I’m not racist? It’s not like I picked on you too.” The girl tried to argue.
“Vasid Aangel.” I muttered.
“What?”
“Forget it. Just leave me alone.” And with that, I left to find a much quieter corner to cry in. Why exactly was I being bullied for being an Elf? It’s not just because I’m different. It was because of how Elves are viewed in History.
The Elves are associated with ‘colonisation’. They once ruled over the land. But they faded out after ‘Tolle Reinigung’ or the Great Cleansing by the Dark King Kreima. Because of the Elves and their link to colonisation, the hate here towards us was immeasurable since my ancestors colonised the land and took it for themselves. But what does that have to do with me? I didn’t choose to look like an Elf. Why must I pay for the mistakes of the dead? Useless thoughts right now though.
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“Alright, see you again, Nayla.” I waved with my back facing Nayla. Something I picked up from Uncle Tenshi.
“See you soon!” She waved back, I hope. I couldn’t really see.
And with that, I made my trip to the Eccel Estate. It was quite far from here. I was currently at… somewhere. My sense of navigation wasn’t the best. I know it’s North of the map. I would take a train but I wouldn’t be able to reach the place by train. Luckily a local pointed to me where North to the equator was. His name was Damien or something. I couldn’t remember.
I just went straight North and eventually found myself on a bridge connecting Singapore, The Lion City, to Malaysia, the Federation of Malaya. In the middle of the bridge was a third one connecting to the island Nayla and I moved to after our orphanage burnt down.
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I walked to the small cafeteria to eat my food. I sat down alone at the table and overheard the group of kids talking about me.
“Oh god. It’s that Elf again. Why can’t she just die already?” I overheard one of the girls groaned.
I ignored them as always.
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“Hey! Stop that!” Nayla shouted.
“Stop what?”
“Stop being racist.”
“We’re not being racist. Reverse racism doesn’t exist.” One of the boys answered. “Go read a book.”
“I did, actually. A lot of books. Why don’t you grow up already? She’s an Elf. But she’s no different from any of us.”
“Yes she is. She’s an Elf! Her people have been living a life of luxury while ours have been working hard.” One of them retorted.
“Hey dumbass, her people. Not her. Why are you hating the child for the sins of the father?” Nayla insulted the group. “No wonder you’re still fatherless and motherless.”
“What?”
“Forget it. You simple minded kids.” Nayla laughed to herself. She had a stupid smirk on her face. She then walked away from the group and sat down beside me.
I ate in silence. Nayla just looked at me nervously. She looked like she was trying to say something but couldn’t break the ice.
“Yes? What do you want?” I sighed.
“I read it. Vasid Aangel. I didn’t agree with most of it but I did see the quote I think you were talking about.” She paused a bit. “In a world filled with hate, it’s not enough to not be hateful. We must be actively kind.”
“I’m surprised you read books. I mostly skipped over that book. She was a communist and while I do find the idea appealing, we need a fair world, not an equal one.” I said.
“Did you get that off a book too?”
“Yeah…” I blushed. There was no way these were the thoughts of a 6 year old. Of course it wasn’t. I was just regurgitating what I read.
“Same. The library has some pretty good books. But I fell asleep a lot while reading your book. I’m going to stick to picture books!”
It’s funny how humanity has evolved and yet not at the same time. It was said years ago that 6 year olds could barely form thoughts back then but now with the evolution of mana in our ever increasing brains, we were able to think much faster. And yet, instead of furthering humanity it has been wasted on learning cuss words.
I hope things get better.
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“This isn’t right.” I told myself as I looked at the map. I was outside a small hut. “I should be here by now.”
“Give it up kid!” A man yelled. I walked over to the tree to see a large man and a small child. The man was physically pinning the child. “Give up all your money you filthy Elf!”
“Please! No!” The child pleaded. She then looked at me. I noticed her pointy ears. She was an elf too. “Lady! Please help me!”
I kicked the man and he went down swiftly. Almost too easily.
“Are you alright kid?” I asked, kneeling down and checking her. She was clean of any harm.
“Yes.” She sniffed, covering her eyes. “I was almost robbed. I don’t even have any money.”
“You don’t have money?” I asked. “You want some money?”
“Would you really spare me some change? Its hard living as an elf child here.” She started crying.
“Sure but first.” I walked over to the knocked man as I drew a sword. “Let’s kill him.”
“What?” The kid was flabbergastered.
“If he harmed you that means he’s probably done this before. And people like that shouldn’t live, right?” I answered.
“Hey! What are you doing! This is my first time I swear!” The man pleaded.
“He didn’t hurt me that badly. I’m not injured! There’s no need to kill him!” The kid also pleaded.
“People don’t learn their lessons.” I swung my blade but stopped at his neck when the child jumped in front. The man fainted.
“Don’t kill him! He’s not a robber!” She yelled.
“I know. I heard you practising your lines a mile away. These ears aren’t for show. And your acting was so cliche.” I told her. Uncle Tenshi had taught me all about bad actors like these. After all, he was a bad actor himself. “You shouldn’t prey on people’s kindness.”
The child had no signs of injury despite being up against a tree. And she was fairly clean of any bruises. Only her hair was messed up. This and the fact that the two were together before meant that this was just an act to get money out of some kind people.
“I know. Dad told me not to. And his acting isn’t bad! He just doesn’t like swearing in front of me!”
“Dad?”
“He’s my dad. Well not biologically. He found me in the woods and raised me. He told me we shouldn’t but I insisted. I thought since you were an Elf you would help out your own kin.” The child looked down. “I’m sorry. Dad isn’t a bad person. I was the one that asked him to do it.”
“Listen kid.” I knelt to her eye level and put some money in her hand. To my horror, the random note I gave was a 100. But since I already gave it I had to go with the flow. “I’m not helping you because you’re an Elf. We’re all the same ‘kind’.”
“That’s what dad said. But if that’s true then why can’t I get along with other kids at school?”
“Listen to your dad and you’ll be fine. He’s a good man.” I patted her head. I stood up and walked away. She looked at the money while I tried holding back tears from losing so much.
“Wait! Take it back.” She shoved the money back into my hands. “I don’t deserve it.”
“What’s your name?” I asked while taking the money back. Truthfully, I was so relieved when she gave it back. But part of me felt wrong taking it back so I shoved it back to her hand.
“I’m Natiqa.”
“Not an Elvish name?”
“Dad said they’d be more likely to hire me when I grow older if I sound more like Malay here.”
“Oh right. Where is here, exactly?”
“The Federation of Malaya.”
“Drats.” I said. “Well, I need to backtrack then. I’ll be off.”
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8 Years Ago
I watched as our orphanage burnt down. Nayla grabbed my hand as she walked me away.
“Where are we going?”
“Not to another orphanage.”
“Why not?”
“I know someone. He’s an orphan that ran away like us. He started his own ‘family’ with other kids.” Nayla responded. “Its a trend in United Korea or so he says.”
“Oh. Okay.” At this point Nayla and I had grown close enough that I trusted her fully and the reverse was true. “Where is he though?”
“It’s a long way there. We have to cross the bridge from here to the Lion City. Before the Lion City there’s a bridge that takes us to an island with a town.” She explained.
“We have to walk there? How far is it?”
“A long way. We can hitch a ride on a bus.”
“Don’t we need money for that?”
“I may or may not have taken some money from the donation box.”
“Nayla! That’s wrong!”
“Those guys were never using this money for themselves! Plus I only took the money for us. I divided by the amount of children in school and took how much they owe us! This is meant for us in the first place!” Nayla argued. I couldn’t beat that logic. “Anyways, there’s about 20 Euros.”
Malaysia was still under British rule at the time. It was only recently since the Kedah explosion that the British gave up fighting the rebel forces and allowed it to gain full independence. So the currency was still the same.
“20?! That little?”
“There’s more than 100 kids. What do you expect? Anyways, lets get going.”
And just like that, we boarded a bus straight to the bridge. It took us about 5 hours with traffic and the sun was beginning to rise.
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“Finally. I’m here.” I looked up to see a hill and a manor on top. “This is where he should be. And it only took me 3 days!”
I jumped upwards and ran for the door. Once at the door I made my hair and breathed in. I knocked on the door.
“Hello?”
Next Chapter: Other Self