The living blessing

*This story is underneath my folder titled “Kyla and Talia’s journey”. Gacha Club character designs are under my forum titled “My character designs<33”. Enjoy!*

Introduction

There was Talia Thorne, the demon. Then there was Kyla Ashe, the angel. Though Talia tried her best to hide it, Kyla could see the seething jealousy in her eyes, the anger hidden within.

And though Talia tried her best to deny it, Kyla knew that Talia despised herself.

Kyla loved Talia more than anything.

Chapter One

IN SCHOOL

Kyla walked down the halls of the school, the wings within jabbing at her insides. No one noticed that the wings at the winter recital the other night were real, and she’d like it to stay that way.

She had to tuck her wings inside of her skin. It was a bloody, ungodly process, but it was necessary to survive.

Kyla frowned when she noticed the dark circles surrounding Talia’s eyes. Her breath was ragged, and her face had faint wrinkles of stress.

Whatever was the matter with her?

Chapter Two

“Talia? Are you alright? Did you get any sleep last night?” Kyla asked.

Talia rolled her eyes and said:

“I’m fine, Mom.”

“No you’re not. What’s the matter?” Kyla asked, dismissing Talia’s comment. Goodness gracious, there was nothing wrong with Kyla being concerned for her!

Talia walked off, sighing as she did so.

Sure, Talia ignored her, but Kyla wouldn’t stop asking. She needed help, and Kyla would give it to her.

Chapter Three

Perhaps it was something supernatural? Kyla couldn’t help but notice that whenever Talia opened her mouth in class (which was very little), she had sharp, pointed teeth.

She must be an angel, like me. Or maybe she’s a demon. If angels can exist, then so can demons, isn’t that right? Kyla thought.

Well, the only way to get an ounce of truth from Talia was to show her wings. That was what Kyla needed to do.

Then, maybe, they could find common ground.

Chapter Four

The teacher droned on with her lesson, one that the class heard multiple times, but one that she still wanted to teach.

Kyla took out her pink pen with the matching pom-pom on top and wrote on her notebook page:

Talia-

Meet me at my house after school.

-Kyla

Kyla ever so gently and carefully ripped the piece of paper and passed it over to Talia.

Upon receiving, Talia smiled softly and adorably to herself, with closed lips.

Chapter Five

HOURS LATER

“So why do you want me to come over?” Talia asked.

Kyla and Talia had finished a day of school and were walking over to Kyla’s house, which was not too far from her own. Kyla noticed that Talia was careful to speak without showing her teeth.

“I just want to hang out for a bit.” Kyla said. They both stopped, for they had made it to the front of Kyla’s house.

“This won’t interrupt my homework?” Talia asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kyla laughed lightly. No, it wouldn’t interrupt homework, that was for sure.

“Nope!” Kyla beamed.

With that, the girls walked over to Kyla’s house.

Chapter Six

Mom was out volunteering at the community garden, Dad was in the kitchen, making cookies. Dad noticed Kyla and Talia walk in and asked:

“Did Talia’s parents say that she could come?”

“It’s okay, Dad! They said yes!” Kyla said with a smile.

Dad raised his eyebrow like he didn’t believe her, but went back to baking.

Kyla and Talia walked up the stairs to her bedroom. The wings in her back were begging to be set free, to break from the confines of her flesh.

Chapter Seven

Once they were in her room, Kyla slammed the door shut and closed her eyes.

She smiled as she heard the rustling of her wings breaking from her skin, as she felt the soft feathers caress her body.

Kyla opened her eyes. Talia stared at her, mouth wide open in shock, forgetting for a moment about her pointed teeth.

“I’m an angel.” Kyla said.

Chapter Eight

Talia’s eyes widened like bowls, she backed away, trying to process what she was seeing.

“Those wings at the recital last night…they’re real?” Talia asked.

“Well, mine are, at least. I’m an angel. I don’t know how or why, but I am. I suspect that you might be something, too.” Kyla said.

Talia was about to answer, but then, Dad opened the door, startling both girls.

“Of course she is! She’s a demon!” Dad said with a smile.

“How do you-“

White, infinite wings spread on Dad’s back, wings that were bigger than Kyla’s, wings that silenced Talia’s question.

“I’m an angel too, kiddo.” Dad said gaily.

Chapter Nine

It was Kyla’s turn to be absolutely and utterly bewildered. Dad was an angel? But why hadn’t he told her?

“Where do you think you got the angel DNA from? The sky? No, silly! It’s from me. Your mother is a human, I’m an angel.” Dad said with a wink.

“You…you didn’t tell me!” Kyla said indignantly. The wings she got were more of a welcome miracle, but the fact that her own parents kept something from her…that was something else.

“Why should I? You wouldn’t believe me if I merely told you, especially if you hadn’t undergone transformation yet. Talia, go home.” Dad said.

“But this is just starting to get interesting!” Talia whined.

“No exceptions. Your parents are probably worried sick about you. Get home.” Dad said.

Reluctantly, Talia left. Kyla only gaped at her father, the man who had wings that seemed to envelop everything around him, as he calmly walked to her room.

Chapter Ten

“There are people who become angels in Heaven and demons in Hell after they died, yes, but there are also natural-born angels and demons. It originates from a wish an ancestor made that became a gift for generations to come.” Dad said.

“What?” Kyla asked, for most of what Dad said was lost in her mind.

Dad sighed, which Kyla didn’t appreciate much, because she was just asking a question, but then, he simply replied:

“Your Great-Aunt Saskia made a wish to be angelic and got said wish. I’m guessing that an ancestor of Talia’s did the same thing.”

“How did you know that she was a demon?”

“Same way you did. I sensed it.”

Dad folded his wings back into his back, letting them mesh into his skin again. Kyla didn’t want to hide them just yet, it didn’t feel right.

“The night at the winter recital was the night you could truly be yourself. Isn’t it wonderful to be free?” Dad asked.

“Yes…” Kyla responded absentmindedly.

Sure, she could have glorious, beautiful wings, but she had to hide them. And what of Talia? Was Talia blessed or cursed? How did she feel about being a demon?

Kyla wondered how her father could go about with hiding all his life.

Chapter Eleven

Kyla watched as Dad walked away, and listened to Mom’s footsteps downstairs. He said that Mom knew what he was, that they lived happily with one another. That they were both fine with him hiding himself, that it was for “the greater good”.

She walked up to her bedroom window a crack. Dad might be content with hiding, but not Kyla.

Kyla would fly high.

Chapter Twelve

Kyla flew up in the clouds, so that no one would see her. There was no Heaven, unlike many people believed. There was only the painted sky and the airy clouds, silence save for the airplanes.

Down below, she saw Talia in the empty school playground, sitting next to the bleeding body of a child. Her body seemed to shake with violent sobs.

Kyla felt her heartstrings tighten within. While she was in the sky, Talia was on the ground, drowning in guts and guilt.

She swooped down, the air from the sky giving her more momentum, and headed for her friend.

Chapter Thirteen

Once Kyla was within reach, she grabbed Talia and carried her, not minding the blood that was slathered on Talia’s mouth, that dripped down onto Talia’s chest. Kyla was an angel, angels saved. Angels helped.

She would always be there for Talia.

Speaking of which, Talia’s eyes widened as she realized that she was being carried, a slew of words spilled out of her mouth:

“Whoa…whoa…whoa! You’re like, flying! In the sky…like…wow…”

Talia seemed too amazed to continue her sentence, so she stayed silent.

“Don’t you remember that I have wings? I must use them.” Kyla beamed.

“Oh yeah…” Talia said, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

Kyla’s heart warmed at the sight. Talia wasn’t worried, Talia wasn’t stressed. She knew that she was safe and sound, that she could trust Kyla with all her heart.

It was nice to know that Talia was in good hands.

Chapter Fourteen

Kyla didn’t ask Talia what happened. She didn’t need to know. All she had to do was take Talia to the woods, which was what surrounded the local park and where regular people couldn’t get in.

“I ate someone. Alive.” Talia blurted out.

Kyla suspected that would happen. Talia was a demon. Demons had urges. Deep down, it didn’t change how Kyla felt about her.

Chapter Fifteen

“My Mom says that it’s normal, but I don’t like it. I feel like a monster. I feel evil. You, you don’t have to eat people, do you?” Talia asked.

“No, I don’t. But you don’t mean to hurt anyone. It’s just something you can’t control. It’s how you survive.” Kyla said softly. After all, Talia couldn’t condemn herself for living. 

Talia shook her head, self-guilt clouding her view.

“But I can be better. I can eat animals. It won’t be much of a difference, because they have lives too, but it would be better than to hear someone scream! Goodness, but why did Bijou have to make that wish?!” Talia cried out, her voice cracking with sobs.

Kyla had Saskia make the wish to be an angel, so she assumed that Bijou was Talia’s ancestor. Either way, Talia didn’t need to fret herself with such things. Life was life, people needed to live on. For those that loved them, but more importantly, themselves. They deserved to live simply to exist, to enjoy the pleasures of life, for even if things got bad, there still was value to every soul that existed, because being living as best as anyone could was a gift.

At least, that was what Kyla thought.

“We can’t control what our ancestors did. It’s not our fault.” Kyla said.

Chapter Sixteen

“It feels like it is, though.” Talia said defeatedly.

“I know. But I’m here. I’ll help.” Kyla said softly.

She didn’t have an exact idea of how to help yet, but she knew Talia for years. She would figure it out.

On Kyla flew.

Chapter Seventeen

There was a current in the wind. Something that Kyla didn’t expect. It pushed at her wings, forcing her back, but she kept flying…flying…

It hurts. It’s trying to push me away. I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s an airplane? No, that doesn’t feel right…

The wind threw her all the way down, Kyla and Talia were headed for the ground.

Chapter Eighteen

What do you think that you’re doing? Your fates are set, you cannot help her. You deserve much better than her.

Kyla heard a voice in her brain, something she deep down was the driving force that was pushing her and Talia down. Better? That was absolutely ridiculous! Nobody was better than Talia, Talia was fine as she was.

Nobody was perfect.

Stop trying so hard. 

It felt familiar, but faraway. Could it have been…Saskia?

Chapter Nineteen

Out of the corner of her eye, there was a fae-like creature, a nymph woman, with skin that was covered in dew-drops, and hair that melded into all of the colors, and a dress that billowed out and bloomed like a flower.

You don’t know her. Saskia whispered to Kyla.

But who was she to tell Kyla who Talia was? Saskia wasn’t Talia’s friend, she didn’t know of her whimsies and woes, she didn’t know Talia at all.

Chapter Twenty

Kyla pushed back against Saskia, flying, flying…

No, she would never let go of Talia. Nothing and no one would make her.

Not her parents, not Saskia, no one.

Chapter Twenty-One

There was no more pressure. Kyla could see the clearing in the woods get closer, and swooped down, Talia in her arms.

The clearing was still so full of life, so full of fresh flowers of many colors and grass with rain drops that clung to their blades.

They would be safe there.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kyla placed Talia gently on the ground, who closed her eyes. The blood dripped from her lips, but Kyla wiped it away with her sleeve.

Saskia wished to be an angel, Bijou wished to be a demon. If only they hadn’t wished…

But there was nothing Talia and Kyla could do but be there for each other.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Flesh and blood spewed from Talia’s mouth, Kyla held her, for she wouldn’t leave.

Apologies were written in Talia’s eyes, Kyla could see from the constant tears.

She didn’t need to be sorry.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Kyla felt it deep in her heart that her parents were out there, looking for her.

They were looking for Talia, too. They wanted to sort everything out, to fix everything.

But no, they just needed a moment. Just one moment.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Kyla felt something else, too. An emptiness within. It was gaping, gnawing, growing.

Talia lay on the ground, breathing steadily, safe with her. At least, that was what Kyla hoped.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Kyla got up and walked farther into the forest. She’d come back for Talia, that was for certain. She just needed to see something…find something…

There was something out there, if only she could just walk closer…closer…and closer.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

An animal, in the woods, shivering and hiding. The hunger in her stomach, it grew, spread, just like a disease.

Hunger? What hunger? Kyla was an angel, angels didn’t eat animals!

And the creaking of sticks told her that someone else was in the woods, someone other than her and Talia.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Kyla caught a glimpse of large, traveling white wings on a man’s back, as though it were his own cape.

But she knew better than to believe such a thing.

“Dad?! Dad?!” Kyla asked, approaching him.

Dad’s eyes held waves and waves of sadness in them, a sadness like no other, like he was deeply worried for her.

But for what reason? 

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Dad swallowed hard, then he said:

“You were holding a demon after she was feeding. Right after. Her mouth was still drenched in the blood of an animal. Angels aren’t supposed to do that. They’re not supposed to be near demons during feeding and seconds after. Saskia was trying to help you. I could feel your opposing forces and...”

Dad shivered for a moment, as though something had crawled up, down, and all around his skin.

“I came out here to check on you. I could feel that you were here. Kyla, the blood spilled from Talia’s mouth, onto her chest and on your hands. I can see the blood on Talia. I can see the blood on you.” Dad said.

Kyla looked down at her own hands. Sure enough, the blood of Talia’s animal victim had seeped onto her hands. She hadn’t noticed it when she was helping Talia, but why was that a worry for Dad? Kyla would simply clean it up.

Chapter Thirty

“You’re still an angel, but now…now that the blood of Talia’s victim has tainted you, now that her act of killing a living being has spilled onto you, you must feed on living beings just like her. I’m so, so sorry, but you’re cursed.” Dad said.

Cursed? Cursed? A few minutes ago, Dad said that she was blessed. That all changed when she helped her friend? When she carried her up into the air? Sure, it didn’t fix anything for Talia, but at least Talia knew that she was loved, that she was cared for.

Why did he look at her with those sad, pitying eyes? There was nothing to be sad about, it was just a fact of life. Kyla helped Talia, Kyla would deal with the hunger.

“You said I was blessed before, now I’m cursed? Because I wanted to help my friend? Nobody can control what they are. What Saskia did felt more like she was hurting me. I was honestly scared for my life, but I pushed on for her. Isn’t that what anybody does for those they care about?” Kyla asked.

Dad looked like he was thinking for a bit, then he nodded with eyes that looked like he might cry.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. I just need to get Talia home.” Kyla said.

She turned around and walked towards Talia, pushing down the hunger for an animal and her annoyance at Dad. The important thing at the moment was Talia. Talia needed to get cleaned up, Talia needed to go home. They both needed to take a breather after all that happened.

Hopefully, they wouldn’t have to have that conversation again. If anything, Kyla’s additional “curse” would help Talia more because then they would relate to each other more!

Nobody needed to be sad for Kyla.

Epilogue

Her parents were still concerned about Kyla’s own wellbeing in eating living things, but Kyla would always tell them that she was okay. As long as they didn’t have any ill will towards Talia, then all would be well.

Kyla hoped that she would never have to deal with Saskia again. If she did, then Saskia better not hurt Talia in any shape or form. Kyla didn’t care that Talia was a demon who could help herself, she would still protect Talia if need be.

The both of them were changed, but at least they had one another. They would get through the unsavory hunger urges with each other.

Everything with each other.