The Rose Garden

Possibility

“Would you like to come with me to the ball? It'll be fun.” Bion asked Rosalia who was overjoyed at the potential of dressing as a princess. 

“Of course I'll come.” was her reply then she was filled in on all of the details of the plans until then.

The ball was in a few terms just enough time to get better mastery over zeva. By the time the ball is, Bion should be able to push back Tothaz with zeva and Rosalia should be better at her combat skills to stand her own against Bion. 

True zeva mastery won't affect the fauna around so getting better proficiency is absolutely paramount. This meant controlling what is affected so not to make the enemies stronger while in combat.

Bion didn't need combat training being a Fated he would only be taught how to defend himself against the beasts. Rosalia not needing this hadn't trained at all but she could do some of the basics. Tothaz would train both of them: Bion would meditate with a bit of combat training to move and Rosalia would fight with little meditation for her breaks. Having to be ready for anything they began this new rigorous cycle. 

“Like this? This doesn't feel natural or right.” Rosalia said while working on a high kick. Tothaz walked over and pushed her, making her fall to the stone floor.

“It won't until you can support yourself without zeva. You need this, you might need it to hide your flame.” Tothaz repeated to her again. She rolled her eyes and got up to try again. This was her life for the last two weeks: wake up at home, eat, back to bed, go to Rosé, train with Tothaz, eat, leave, eat with family, back to bed, more training, then actually sleep in her bed at home.

Bion had work for part of the day so he could skip the training a bit but since he had Rosalia to keep up with his zeva had to be perfect. But when another tree exploded he had to practice a mountain away to make sure Rosalia and Tothaz didn't die. 

“One term left and I still haven't made her dress.” Bion said after Rosalia left at the beginning of the rotation. He had a vision of this grand ball gown of red silk and gold trim. Flowy sleeves in bell shapes, the neckline being high with a tasteful cutout. It would be feminine. This vision would make high ranking officials jealous but he didnt care. 

Over the last few terms of hanging out with her. He cared about her more than he thought he should, it was a magical moment every break they had from ‘Tothaz Boot Camp’, as Rosalia put it. 

She was in her bed at home once again. It was four in the morning, the moon the only witness to her arrival. She sat still sad that she was hiding this world but who would believe a child about random tales of dragons and elves. The ball was next week and she was going to be there. 

She then said, “Etopful reunon.” her arm glowed. She had figured out that if she said her chant here then she would feel rejuvenated and her headache didn't bother her. She would help around the house during this time clean the kitchen, tidy up her room, and other miscellaneous things. 

Her mother suspected that it was her but never did say anything. She would simply thank the house fairy.

“Rosalia you have a doctor appointment in a few hours and you need to be awake for several hours. You will be sitting on the deck with me away from your tablet.” her father told her as he was helping her that morning. This was the first change in her schedule since the accident and she couldn't tell them that she won't be there til later. They might think that she died.

It was a position she didn't like being in but what choice did she have. She sat with her dad outside in the breeze of the morning sun. It was a different kind of tranquil and she had a thought that she could talk about it like it was a book she was reading. He wouldn't find it in a*****e so she thought quickly and went for it.

“Have you heard of Rosé?” Rosalia asked. 

“Is it a place or a book?” he asked in between sipping his coffee. 

“It's a place in a book. I found it while playing on my tablet. It is this pink dusty planet with dinosaurs and arola trees. Dragon protectors and other mythical creatures. It also has magic.” it was all she could do to not say that she was going there to see it. She loved it there and these past few weeks have really proved it to her.

“Sounds like a dream but we should get ready to go. We don't want to be late.” her father responded to her enthusiasm with a sad tone. The first time in a while she wanted to talk about something of her own accord he shot her down but her health was more important than a book.

It was true that it hurt but she didn't have a choice. The doctor wasn't going to wait for sunset on another planet. As they proceeded to get ready she looked at her portal and wished to go but she resisted the urge to and just left it there. 

They drove in silence the sound of the radio barely blocking out the sound of the crickets. The office was an hour away so the silence was deafening.

“Rosé you called it, were there any characters there or just a description of a place?” he asked, cutting the deathly quiet with a blessing. 

She began her description of Tothaz the dragon guardian and of Bion the elf with new confidence. Her description stopped suddenly when she heard her father laugh, “You sound like you love, what's his name Bion? You haven't said a bad thing about him.” That sent her for a loop because she didn't think so. It wasn’t possible they were just friends who trained together. She was not in love; she repeated to herself the rest of the way to the office.

She was late. She is normally here Tothaz and Bion were concerned about Rosalia’s tardiness not that they had control over her it was just they had a routine and it was weird.

“Where is the wanderer she should've been here.” Tothaz muttered but Bion saw this as an opportunity where he could make her dress if she was going to be late.

He ran out without warning and went to town in a flash of red. His speed when he was zeva boosted was incredible and that also meant he didn't need to be as close to Twilight. He went straight for the market withall of the fabrics and started shopping. 

He walked by the more expensive fabric to head toward the cheaper fabric. He didn't need zeva to make her clothes but zeva infused fabric was safer in terms of protection. He turned around to the more expensive luxury fabric he just walked by. Bion found and picked up the color he thought of. It was silky and richer than any of the cheaper fabric. The cheaper the fabric the more likely it was made of minotaur but the softer and smoother it was unicorn hair; the finest for clothes.

“Make sure you put zeva into that Fated. It won't do any good without it. Better yet don't bother buying it let a real native use it.” A passerby remarked. He was tall and his eyes the sapphire of the night sky and looked just as cold. He was wearing a thin strapped shirt exposing his spellseal on his shoulder. He didn't look like a merchant and looked like he wanted to hurt someone.

“I can manage besides she could really use the extra protection from it.” He responded off handly to the man. He ducked to dodge a punch. The passerby was beginning his torment of the Fated who couldn't fight back.

A grin appeared on his face as he chanted, “Tore despl” and his green flame extended his punch to reach Bion. Bion had no time to react while he was holding the fabric and not wanting to ruin it he jumped away. 

“Can I pay for my fabric and leave? I don't want to fight you.” Bion pleaded because the green flame didn't scare him; he was relaxed and just annoyed. Another zeva punch flew toward his direction. A crowd had formed but he had an idea.

“Sir if I win could this guy and the crowd pay for the fabric? If not I'll pay double.” Bion asked, still dodging a flurry of zeva boosted punches and kicks. 

The merchant agreed to these terms and waited for him to lose. Bion then chanted “Rozi reiter.” He then glowed his rose red flame dense and proceeded to knock down bystanders who were to close down.

Then he boosted his speed to attack. A single punch to his gut was all that it took. The green flame that was previously there was gone, the fabric was paid for and Bion left he had gold trim to buy. 

Boss was in the crowd and saw his employee use red zeva and understood his behavior changes. When he stopped wearing his hat he didn't back down and actually stood up for himself it was quite the sight. He knew his ability could be exploited and went to conjure up his plan on how to.

The bystanders split when he walked away and were paying the total of the luxury fabric. Bion was tall and proud; this courage was all from Rosalia. He stopped his thoughts. Why was he thinking like she was his world? He didn't care for her like an elsker; they've only been friends for a few terms.

He bought the golden trim and started to leave but he was in a rush. He felt like he had no time to get back and finish the dress.

Rosalia was still questioning if she loved Bion or not as she met the doctor. 

Doctor Mash Gatvol looked familiar to her. Her hair was in a braid and she carried herself with confidence. Her eyes were sharp with wisdom and she had a symbol on her silver necklace that looked familiar to Rosalia. 

“So a concussion?” Gatvol asked. “Those can be hard to recover from. It can take several years to recover properly and it heightens your risk for other health issues.”

Rosalia and her father nodded in understanding but then Gatvol asked a weird question, “Have you read about Rosé yet?”

Her father began repeating the things Rosalia told him and Gatvol took out a different notebook. Small and worn with the only thing being written down the details of the people talked about.

“Lots of people are found to have read a book like that except there are no similarities in the plot. It is like a file when someone gets diagnosed with a concussion then reads a book akin to a choose your own adventure book where the beginning is similar but the adventure is different. It's quite rare to recall so much and be able to tell another person. You're quite lucky Rosalia.” was Gatvol's last comment. 

They were discharged and were told to just let her rest. She should make a full recovery. So they went home and Rosalia was sent to bed once they got there.

Rosalia didn't go to sleep but rather she went to escape.