Others’ perceptions don’t define you: Sprite’s Story

## Summary

Sprite has always known she was different, and known her family came from two conflicting worlds, but sometimes it’s hard to be who you are when the populations of Heaven and Hell are arguing about where you belong, but with a glimpse into her family’s own memories, Sprite realizes that she and her friends can do whatever makes each other happy, and occasionally under the alias of partial legend Captain MoonEye, a nickname that stemmed from her starry blue eyes, Sprite can make the world a better place to be

## Sprite’s POV

Most stories start with “once upon a time.”

This isn’t one of them.

It’s *not* “once upon a time.”

It’s now.

Now I’m pretty sure all of you have heard of the realm of Heaven and Hell, both located in the spirit realm

And if you’re all wondering why I just said “realm” it’s because these two formerly separate worlds are two sides of the same realm now, but despite this, its inhabitants are still pretty much divided, which is still kind of sad, because it’s only been 200 years, and according to my parents, they *still* have 200 year’s worth of emotional, physical, spiritual, and physical baggage to unpack.

Lots of inhabitants of the Illogical Realm are half demon.

Then there’s me. I am literally a combination of two *completely different* realms.

Why?

Because both my parents come from those realms. My mom is a Hell’s demon and my Nobi is a Heaven spirit.

See? Literally both, except I look more demon, but if you look closer, my eyes are the heaven part of me.

They’re right. I *am* both, yet others only see what they deem as the “bad parts” of me.

The demon side of me. Like they don’t even care that my Nobi came from the realm that is perceived to be about peace and goodwill, but really, it’s not perfect either.

Nothing is one or the other, yet people can’t seem to let go of that one story they hear all the time.

And if I ever get asked the question of if I could be someone else, what would I be?

My answer? I’d rather be me, because I’d feel better being who I am then being something else, because despite what I think, the world *might* be better with me in it.

Although I hope that’s true.

I hear Mama calling me.

“Sprite!” she says. “Come over to the living room. We have news for you.”

“Coming Mama!” I reply.

Walking through the halls, feet landing with each step

Every sound, smell, sight around me, enveloping me.

Opening me up,

Stripping away all the doubts and regrets

Revealing my whole self.

“What’s the news?” I ask softly.

“You know how you’re adept at harmony magic?” Nobi asks.

I nod.

“We found several guardians who can help you expand the range of your other abilities too.”

I grin. “Really?! Is Cyrus and my friends Celeste and Estrella part of the group too?”

“Yes.” Mom replies. “And they can help you become a guardian if you want as well.”

Euphoria floods my veins.

*Never fear. Captain MoonEye is here.*

*The world needs you.*

I can help *everyone.* Maybe it *is* possible to make the world a better place. Except I can’t do all that alone.

A team is better than two.

“This is *amazing!”* I say excitedly. “I can’t wait.”

“Nobi?” I ask. They turn towards me. “Can I see what your lives were like before you were my parents.

“Quin, we should tell her, right?” Mom says.

They nod. “I think you’re ready to really see it. Experience it. If you hold on to these photos, you’ll be brought to a realm where it allows you to experience the events in the photos. The people in the memories won’t be able to see or hear you, but you’ll be able to take it in nonetheless.”

“I’m ready.” I say.

I take a glimpse at my parents’ old photos.

Back before they were my parents.

Back before they actually were together.

The photos glow

They all whisk me into a memory, where I am just a spectator, watching their stories fold out moment by moment, to the time where they were considering having me, but were getting debate from their friends at their respective realms on where to raise me. It was a hard decision, but here I am now, living out my life in Summerwood.

My imperfect life

Where I’m happy *just being here.*

I can do *all the things.*

I see everything spread out around me.

Here we go.

I’m about to hear my story, my family’s story, but in the glory of being up close.

I watch, from my own little space in the memory, the people in it blissfully unknowing

——————————————————————————————————————-

Deep in the clouds, up in the spirit realm, there was a crowd of people, music, festivities.

It was a very large party. One of Quin’s friends had recently become a spirit guardian, meant to guide those who passed up into this realm safely.

But for a while, Quin felt a sense of longing, like their life living in the heavens was growing mundane. While on a school tour through the living world, they had spotted several demons, and a regular realm guardian. It was then that some spark inside of them had been ignited. They had wanted to go down to SummerWood on their own, but no matter how many times they asked, they had been refused.

“I saw a demon.” they said.

“A demon! Quin, you’re supposed to keep your guard up around them until you know they’re safe.” the teacher said, a hint of anger in their voice.

“I know.” Quin replied. “I just saw something in her, almost like she wasn’t judging me. Like she only saw…me. Like someone understood.”

“If you wander off again, you’ll need supervision. We don’t want you slacking off again.”

“I’m 17.” Quin shot back. “You are so harsh. Live a little.”

Quin trudged despondently back to their parents’ home. They *wanted* to come back again, but due to the realm’s still partially closed off views, there wasn’t an easy way to achieve this, but if they were that desperate, they’d do it anyway. They had to. It was calling out to them

They walked through the meadow, and looked down through the clouds, spotting people dotting the illogical realm, then,

That same demon girl.

Looking up at them. Quin felt a twinge of longing, but held themself back.

They couldn’t let themself be pulled in.

They opened the front door that lead to part of the front of their house, closed it behind them, and saw themself in the mirror.

Elfish face, tall willowy slightly muscled frame, starry blue eyes, translucent wings. Feet covered by leather boots. In their mind they saw the girl, and deep inside of them, they felt like something was missing. Like somehow she was meant to be there.

“How was training today?” Quin’s mother asked as they took a seat next to her. She had round cheekbones, gold eyes, long hair tied in a braid. She was in her mid 40s, but still managed to look eternally young. 24 to be exact.

“Well…” Quin said. “It was okay…but I do wish they would let us venture into  other realms.”

Adria had been Quin’s strongest supporter ever since they were very young, possessing a kind of quiet fierceness about her, and cared about her family very deeply, and deep down Quin wondered if she had telepathically knew about their encounter with a demon girl. Adria knew that people aren’t just one thing. She knew that many people aren’t just good or bad. She knew that every person living had a little bit of both inside of them. She thought the same thing of those from Hell

“You’re not mad, are you?” Quin asked. “When I saw her, I saw only her. Nothing good, nothing bad. She was just there. We got to talk, and she gave me this note.”

“I’m not mad.” their mother replied. “I am just happy you were able to find someone you could really connect you. You didn’t just see the good or just the bad. Both of you just saw *each* *other*. Your whole selves, and if that makes you happy, then you just do what feels right to you. In my eyes, you can love whoever you want, and if you ever start a family someday, give your descendants the best life you can, because you don’t have to be better than everyone to be happy.

You can just do what you love.”

Quin felt a glimmer of hope. So they asked the big question hanging in the back of their mind.

“Mom, since you’re a guardian, can I go down to the land of the living with you? I want to see what it offers, but no one let me.”

“I will try.” mother replied. “But it won’t always be easy.”

“Easy or not, I hope we can do this.”

“We can. We just need to find a way to do it.”

## Bianca’s POV

Walking through the woods

Several groups of people gawking at me.

Their thoughts ring through my head.

Then, I spot someone. A heaven spirit. But it’s not the one I ran into earlier.

They edge towards me, and for a while it seems like I’m going to get spotted, but to my surprise and relief, they walk right past me.