☾ Time: Two days before ✩ Location: Berlin, Germany (Airport) ✩ Interaction: No one yet. ☽
It had been quite an arduous morning for the once bright star of Tanner. Before Cai's father shipped him off to Berlin, it seemed like he had had it all; money, good looks, charming personality, on his way to becoming a witch, top of his class, and athletics. But there's a saying, that those who seem perfect on the outside often hold deep-seated darkness within, or something poetic like that. Either way, Cai was a cliche case of such a conundrum--you couldn't write it out more clearly than in a comic book. In many ways, Cai resented the pressure, so when he finally found himself in Germany, in a way, he was reborn. He started a new life, forged his own path as a songwriter, and ultimately, embodied the freedom that he had so desperately desired in his youth.
The young airline associate looked at Cai with an uninterested sort of gaze, as though she might quit faster than a blink.
[In German] "First, I'm not your bro." the girl said curtly,
"Second, sir, as I said, you've missed the boarding period. We can arrange a complimentary..."[In German] "I'll sit on somebody's lap! Please!" Cai cut in, so desperate he didn't stop to think about the ridiculousness of his statement. Unintentionally, he slammed his hands on the countertop, causing it to rattle under his strength.
The associate rolled her eyes, unperturbed.
[In German] "Sir, do I need to call security?"Cai pulled his arms away and placed his hands over his face, sighing heavily,
[In English] "Fuck. No. I'm sorry." He put his hands down and looked at her with a puppy-like pout. The associate seemed puzzled, clearly not understanding English.
[In German] "It's just, I booked his flight months in advance. It's basically life or death." She wasn't moved.
[In German] "Okay well, whichever way it goes, you can deal with it on the next available flight." Cai sighed. Seeing no other way around it, he nodded, relenting. It was his fault though. He got stuck in an impromptu meeting with a new up-and-coming German artist, some young lad named Rex Stein. Cai had been commissioned to write the artist's newest single and it had to be a big hit, or modestly successful enough for Rex's agency to make a return on investment. Cai was not one to usually cave under pressure, but somehow he convinced himself that his trip to Tanner would be work-free. He had only planned to stay for a short while, tell the truth about his life, see what was so urgent with his father's message, and then return home to Berlin. Strange, he considered Berlin more like home than Tanner.
In any case, he had fooled himself.
☾ Time: 2 in the Morning ✩ Location: Tanner, Washington U.S.A (Washington Manor) ✩ Interaction: His younger sister Yuna ☽
By the time he arrived in Tanner, darkness fell and in the wee hours of the morning, moonlight licked the town in a quaint and comely sort of way. Once the taxi pulled up to the rustic gates of
Washington Manor, Cai stepped out and handed the driver his fair (throwing in a little extra, just because). Once he saw that the taxi driver was out of sight, he turned back to the manor, his old home. He marveled for a moment, taking in the atmosphere of it all; the familiar smells, the always pristinely lit foliage, the vines and flowers that trailed up the home like in the fairytales. Being "home" after seven years, it felt a bit unfamiliar somehow and second nature all at once. Typical though, nothing really changed. His father was a stickler for keeping the status quo of what is, shall always be.
When he pushed on the gate, it was locked. He pushed it again, no luck. With no luggage to weigh him down, Cai looked around for a moment. Peering down both ends of the road to ensure no cars were coming, Cai posed and gazed towards the stars. He felt his magic bubbling, this old age he hadn't touched in such a long time. He concentrated feeling it in the core of his being, as it moved to his back. It didn't take long though. In but a moment, a pair of large ivory wings sprouted from his back. The juxtaposition of his snow-white wings against his dark skin was mystical and eye-catching.
With one deep breath, he flapped his wings and took flight. It marvelous feeling, being in the sky. For a few minutes above his childhood home, he danced upon the wind, returning himself to the feeling of weightlessness he had so enjoyed in his youth. This was a feeling plane flights could never replicate. Crossing against the silhouette of the moon, Cai looked like an Angel. Eventually, Cai descended slowly until he was face to face with his sister's bedroom window. He hovered there, flapping his wings gently to stead himself mid-air.
He tapped on the window once, peering in to see his sister sleeping soundly in her canopy bed. She rustled feebly, but remained in slumber. Scrunching up his face in annoyance, Cai tapped it again, with a little more ferver this time. Finally, his sister woke in a daze, curly hair disheveled. She reached for the lamp on her nightstand, turning it on before putting on her glasses and peering towards the window, moonlight gleaming through. For a moment, she stared at the window, not scared, but just confused as to what she was seeing. When she was certain that the angelic figure in the window was Cai, her eyes furrowed.
On the opposite end, Cai was beaming, his smile as radiant as witchlight. He was excited to see his younger sister in person, after what, four years or so.
[German] "Yuna, open up, it's me." he whispered with child-like glee.
Yuna groaned, forcing herself out of bed and a wonderful dream about acing her next exam.
"English Cai, English." she bemoaned.
"I said open up." he retorted, masking his voice in a half-whisper as not to wake their father who slept in the master bedroom downstairs. With a casual flick of her wrist, the metal latch on the window unlocked itself and opened. Looking surprised, Cai entered her bedroom, gently landing on the hardwood floors with a soft creak.
"Nice magic. What kind is it?"Yuna shrugged,
"It's nothing" she said cooly.
Cai made a silly
ah ha! kind of face, before grinning guiltily at his sister, who just rolled her eyes. Feeling ever affectionate and standing at least a head or two taller than Yuna, Cai opened his arms and moved in for a big bear hug. As he approached, Yuna put her hand out, blocking his attempt.
"Hey!"Yuna shhh'd him and crossed her arms, clearly annoyed.
"Where were you? Dad and I were worried sick. We expected you to be here yesterday morning." She adjusted her glasses and Cai's face fell, knowingly.
"Yeaaah...about that. First, I missed my flight....""Of course you did" Yuna snorted.
"And then, the airline lost my luggage." Cai held his hands up, showing he was luggage-free.
Yuna slanted her eyes at him, unconvinced,
"The airline lost your luggage...??"Cai nodded aggressively, eliciting a sigh from Yuna.
"So why didn't you call? I called you five times."Before Cai could answer that, something she said earlier stuck out to him.
"Wait, dad was worried?""That's not the point" Yuna retorted, lightly nudging him in the chest. Cai put his hands to his heart, playfully pretending to be heartbroken and in pain.
"We were worried sick." Yuna continued, unamused,
"I mean...I was worried sick."Cai understood the meaning of her correction and despite not wanting to face the truth, it was expected.
"Whatever. Just give me a hug you know-it-all little shit." When he moved in again to hug her, she didn't resist, though she kept her arms crossed. Cai relished in the warmth of his sister within his firm embrace--like old times.
"I know you missed me, kid," he said, teasing.
"Not really," Yuna said coldly. But actions speak louder than words and she wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly as if she would never let go again.
"By the way...your shirt is ripped...again." Cai looked over his shoulder, peering down at the two giant holes where his wings tore through the fabric. It had been so long since he used his wings, he had forgotten. He just shook his head, not surprised with himself.
"Damn." 
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