Soul Sunder Ch.2: Village of Heros

The Heroes Village wasn't big, but it was impressive. From head to toe, everything was made up of the finest wood, polished, and pristine. The village wasn't large, and there wasn't much in it except the three main buildings. There was Academy where they studied, the Oaken Platter where they ate, and the Council Building which was where the Guardians were. Smaller buildings surrounded them, but they were mostly housing. Something the 'Wild Animals' didn't have the luxury of.
Barely on time, the three slipped through the gates. One giant wall encircled the village keeping unwanted visitors out. This made the only entrance through the two giant doors, which closed by nightfall. If they shut before you made it back in, you'd be sleeping under the stars.
Angelou relinquished her weight of the deer and shooed off her friends to hand it over to the butcher. She would have to report to the Guardians, and of course, get grilled about the fight. Dallin no doubt had already told them warping the truth in his favor. All she could do was listen and take it.
Better me then them, Angelou thought looking after the two.
As she turned to leave, Raisa called out to her. "Hey Angelou?" she said.
"Need something?" Angelou asked.
"Er... well, about earlier. I lost my cool cool and because of that your foot... I mean... well... I guess I'm tryin' to say... damn it..."
Angelou smiled. Raisa was horrible with words, but she didn't need to say anymore. There was no need for apologizes. She couldn't remember the amount of times Raisa's helped her. They were all they had, through thick and thin.
"Don't hurt yourself Rai," Angelou laughed. "I'll catch you two later alright?"
They nodded and hurried off into the crowd. Angelou watched them go and steeled herself for the lecture of a lifetime... but first, she needed some meat.
***
The closer and closer she got to the mess hall, the denser the population became. With the festival only a couple hours away everyone wanted to party like it was their last day on earth. In a way, it was-- because after that night, their new lives began.
Angelou loved the Oaken Platter. it was the only place in the entire village where the smell of food overpowered the odor of Arcane. Now that she was only a few feet away, the rich aroma of meats and spices invaded her senses each step she took.
Focused on the task of not drooling, and the sensation of meat inside her stomach, she moved forward through the crowd and finally reached the source.
The Oaken Platter, where they all ate breakfast, lunch, dinner, and the many snacks in-between. The Oaken Platter was made up of wood like every other structure in the village, but it was by far the biggest. There were two floors, the first floor had one wall removed so everyone could come and go as they pleased. The second floor was mostly used during the snowy season. That floor was inclosed and usually warm so you could eat in comfort-- if you weren't a Hybrid.
Angelou strode into the building with her head down. Nobody in the Village knew her by face, but her eyes were a dead give away. All around her, Human and Arcane alike looked ready for the festival. It was the one time they got to wear something besides the required uniform-- so they went all out. Aside from her, there wasn't a single person dressed up in their silk cloths, bejeweled fingers, and fancy hair. One girl even had shoes that increased her size by at least a foot.
It much be a rich person thing, Angelou thought.
Slowly, the knowledge of her presence seemed to spread throughout the dimly lit room. She knew she couldn't hide forever, so she would get her food and leave. She was already in trouble for her tangle with Dallin. Anymore-- and the Guardians might hold her back from graduation.
It wasn't long before whispers and jeers floated above the crowd towards her. Silently, Angelou swung onto the bar stool, she was use to the side remarks; it's been a few years.
"If it ain't my favorite customer!" a gruff boy said. "We're the other two girls? Don't try and tell me they're not hungry. Especially Raisa! She tried to eat my whole stock once ya' know."
"They're probably in your stock right now dropping off our catch," Angelou said. "So, got any food? Steak... or ice-cream or something."
"Steak and ice-cream?" Cook said. "Angelou, you're going to get fat."
"I don't pay you to lecture me about my weight!" Angelou snapped.
"You don't pay me at all," Cook said. "When you look like a whale, don't come cryin' to me."
Cook turned on his heel and retreated into the kitchen. Cook was human and one of the oldest trainees in the village, but due to his knack for cooking he was often found in the kitchens. Angelou liked him more than she let on, even if he was human. Cook never treated them any different, he scolded them when they did wrong, praised them when they did right, and was there when they needed him. He was like the older brother they never had.
The second Cook left, his younger brother, Soren, took his place. The first things she always noticed about Soren were his startling green eyes, and messy hair. Ever since the day she'd met him, he'd always tied his bangs up with a clip. Coupled with his pretty face he almost looked like a girl, especially now that he was dressed in his fancy cloths.
"Hey Soren," Angelou waved.
As usual, he didn't respond. Angelou knew he spoke, she saw him laugh away with his friends, but around her he'd clam up within a second. She couldn't blame him though, if he spoke with a Hybrid, he'd be treated like one. One of the reasons why she was hesitant to speak to Cook.
A loud voice from behind made her jump in her seat, "Hey boys, I think the wind might've blown a bit of garbage in just now!"
Anything close to comfort Angelou might have felt, was immediately shattered the second she recognized whose voice it was, "Cale, I was enjoying myself, so buzz off."
"Messin' around with Cook again? I keep telling the guy that if he get's too close, you'll eat him for breakfast. It's just what monsters do. Aren't I right boys?!" Cale said.

His small gang nodded their agreement. They reminded Angelou of mindless dolls, born for the sole existence of making Cale feel better than anyone in his presence. No doubt their parents worked for his, even though he wasn't a Hybrid, he wasn't very popular. But when it came to Cale, or the Hybrids the answer was obvious.
Angelou sighed and slowly turned in her seat to face him. No matter the day, or the time, his curly blonde hair always managed to rub her the wrong way. The heavy cologne and slicked back hair didn't help. Before he looked like a prick, but all dressed up he looked like a first rate prick. All Cale needed was a cup of wine and a fancy hat to seal the deal.
"They say Humans are the smartest race. So prove it and walk away," Angelou said.
Angelou saw his confidence wane and turned back around in her seat. He wasn't stupid enough to pick a fight with a Hybrid. After all, he was one of the few people that had been with them to see them in combat.
Just when Angelou began to wonder where her food was, someone called, "Wait... Cale are you just going to take that?"
"You're suppose to be a member of Division Three! Act like it!" another said.
"She's just an animal Cale! Kick her ass!" a third one yelled.
One by one the group started to cheer on Cale. The noise grew, stomps started, and the room began to shake. Within seconds it sounded like an army jammed into a small metal box with nowhere to go.
The cheers rekindling Cale's damaged confidence, he boldly walked up to Angelou, grabbed her head, and slammed it into the counter. His act of 'bravery' was rewarded with a chorus of laughter. Angelou desperately tried to keep a lid on her emotions.
After today, I don't have to deal with this anymore. Angelou thought. "Just one more day," she whispered.
  Even though Cale was Human, wisdom didn't seem to be a quality. Cale leaned close to Angelou's ear, "My father is doing experiments on your kind as we speak... After the festival I'll make a recommendation for the next specimen."

"Cale, just leave me alone. Please just walk away," Angelou said through clenched teeth.

"Hear that boys? The little monster is asking for me to walk away!" Cale called to the spectators. In response, Cale ground Angelou's face harder into the tabletop.

Angelou squeezed her eyes shut. Keep calm. Just one more day. Keep calm. He's just a human. He's not worth it. Keep calm.

 " Let me tell you something..." Cale mused. "All the children my father tests on die too quickly, and the adults resist too much. You'd be the perfect choice- no, maybe Nina will be. She seems to have less fight in her if you know what I mean."
That's it, Cale needed a refresher on who was at the top of the food chain. Angelou reached up and grabbed Cale's hand. At first, he let out a surprised gasp but Angelou didn't let up. She peeled his hand from her head, and spun around in her chair.
"Now let me tell you something..." Angelou rose from her seat and closed the distance in two short strides. She yanked his fancy silk shirt down so that his ear was only inches from her mouth. "You humans think you're so great. Just so amazing to be able to be able to stand in the Arcane's shadow. Let me tell something Cale, the Arcane only tolerate you. They tolerate you because you're not a threat. You humans are weak and if I ever catch you mouthing off to me again I will show you just how weak you are."
Angelou let Cale yank himself out of her grip and there she stood. If he were smart, he'd walk away but something deep down really wanted him to say something else.
"Get her Cale!" they yelled
"Yea... 'get her Cale,'" Angelou mocked. "Get her."
Once again the embers of his damaged confidence were ablaze. The crowd cheered him on, their voices only got louder and louder as more people joined in. Mugs were slammed against tables, and boots stomped the floorboards.
"You're just a dirty animal!" Cale laughed. "I'll see you in the labs! Nina will go first, then Raisa. I'll make you watch the whole time! Mark my words monster!"
Her wish was granted. Screw control, screw the races, and screw the rules. Forget giving him a reminder, she was going to beat him to a bloody pulp. Angelou let her blood-lust flow freely and the once loud crowd was hushed within seconds. The second the crowd died, Cale's confidence vanished. Angelou approached Cale slowly, she watched his frightened expression turn to fear, and from fear to panic, and from panic to terror.
"Cale I've dealt with your shit for ten years too many. Today, I'm going to re-figure your face for the festival. Lucky you, it can't look any worse." Angelou growled.
"If you touch me my father-"
"Your father is miles away sitting in his blue-blood house with his blue-blood women. I'm standing two feet away from you. Who do you think will get to you first?" Angelou said. "For a Human, you're not too smart."
Cale tried to run but Angelou grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him to the ground. She was on him within seconds.He didn't know true fear- not yet.
Her instincts began to take over. Her vision narrowed until the only people in the room were her, and Cale. Poor, shivering, slobbering Cale. The fear in his eyes only fed her blood-lust.
"Beg me for mercy," Angelou growled.
Cale was so frightened he couldn't even form proper words. But she didn't care, it wouldn't have helped him anyway.
Years of self-control; gone. 

Her efforts; void.

She was going to show them the reason why Hybrids should be feared.

Angelou hesitated for a second and looked into Cale's eyes. He was just a stupid human drunk on the cheers of other stupid people. Angelou relaxed her fists... maybe he wasn't worth it.
On second thought... 

A savage smile played across Angelou's lips as she reared up for the punch.
Before Angelou could deliver, a hand held back her fist. It wasn't enough, but it was enough to make her miss Cale's face completely. Her hand slammed into the floorboards inches from his face, utterly destroying them, they didn't stand a chance.
Angelou whipped her head around to undoubtedly land the next punch on the person that stopped her, but the second she turned she came face to face with the person she least wanted to see.
Cook, a worried expression masking his face, and only a few feet behind him Shiro. Her sky-blue eyes as unreadable as ever.