Maya sat on the old torn-up couch, gauze wrapped around her side under a black tank top; the dark hoodie she'd been wearing was tied loosely around her waist. A dusty, cracked window stood on the wall behind the couch, and flashes of light could be seen as a group wearing glowing bracelets passed by. Muffled music could be heard in the distance.

The girl sat there, cheek rested on her chin, elbow on her knee, messy strands of white hair fell loosely over her eyes.

'Why did she save me?' Maya thought, disgustedly. 'I know I'm used to living in Red, but there's no way everybody treats each other that way in Pure Towers either....so why? Of all people, why her? And...why me?''  The girl put her hand on her forehead and sighed into the empty room.

'I'm over-thinki-' Maya suddenly sat up, instinctively reaching for the knife on her belt.

Nothing but the sound of muffled music.

She kept her hand on the knife as she looked at the front door, then her gaze fell on the dark hallway that lead to the back door. Her heart began racing, though she didn't know why. Something was calling her into the hallway, towards the door.

It wasn't a noise, however, it was a feeling. Something was telling her to go to the back door and look outside, as if she'd forgotten something and needed to go grab it.

Maya crept silently towards the door, one hand clutching the knife in her belt, the other reaching out for the doorknob.

Slowly, she opened the door, it creaking as the crisp night air crept into the warmth of the musty house.

When she opened it, however, there was nothing there...Just a back alleyway and the border of Red, a slope leading up into the woods of fairy and bug territory.

Maya peered around suspiciously, eyeing the border for a moment. There was still a bloodstain on the tree where she'd been sitting with Maximilian Ascil.

That same feeling was yet urging her to go forward, as if there was far more to see.

'Ah sweet Jesus-...Well..my gut has never failed me before I guess...' Maya thought hesitantly, shuddering in the damp air and looking around for a moment.

She sighed, thinking that she's only got nothing to lose, before making her way towards the trees.

She repeatedly glanced left, than right, then repeated the process as she climbed the rocky slope she'd already climbed once before in that last hour.

She got to the top and knelt down, examining the bloody indention she'd left in the moist grass, and the indention Max had left next to her.

Suddenly a twig snapped. Maya jumped up, instinctively taking cover behind the tree, her knife making a 'shing!' noise as she pulled it out of its sheath and pointed it towards the noise.

There was a figure staring at her from behind the tree.

Then another figure appeared beside it.

"I don't want any trouble!" Maya hissed, backing up a step.

"May?"

"Max?!"

'This night just keeps getting weirder and weirder.'

"What are you doing here?! Go home!" Maya snapped, shoving the knife back into its sheath.

"Funny story actually..."

Then the fairy emerged from the trees, eyes slanted in slight distrust, crossing his arms as his wings flicked slowly.

"You know this Psychic...?" Taube said, lisp thick in the word 'Psychic'.

Maya's eyes widened. 'I swear if I meet another elemental tonight I'm going to kill somebody.'

Max nodded. "Taube meet Maya, Maya meet Taube. Taube was sent to tell my dad about me sneaking out...but instead he..saved me..." She looked at the ground for a moment, "and also cut off my dad's hand. It was kinda cool but I'm also kinda freaking out...and uh- the reason I know Maya- earlier tonight when I went to go to a bar, I saw Maya getting beat up so I stepped in."

"Yeah about that, why did you save me?" Maya asked, crossing her arms and eying Taube cautiously. The two were seemingly staring each other down.

"I don't know....I felt compelled to...and why did you save me?" Max turned to Taube, "And how did you know I even needed saving?"

"I don't know...I just had this crazy feeling that I needed to get you out of there. You specifically." Taube stared at the ground with a focused expression on his face, fiddling with his charm bracelet.

'The reason I came out here...that feeling....it's like that feeling is causing all of us to come together.' Maya shook the thoughts out of her head, declaring them dumb.

"Well May, please don't tell anybody you saw us here. Technically we're both outlaws now..." Max smiled that familiar, obviously-fake smile. Her hands were shaking but she'd been playing it cool the whole time. "Since Taube rescued me and they know I've been sneaking out. You shouldn't get involved..you can just go home, May.  Taube is taking me to a safe place outside Bug territory."

"How can we trust him?!"
"How can we trust her?!"

Maya and Taube exclaimed at the same time, they paused and glared at each other for a moment, then turned back to Max and began speaking over each other.

"She's a psychic! Sh-shes probably going to tell somebody she saw us here and turn us in for a reward!" Taube babbled, eyes frantic.

"He's a Fairy! He's leading you to your doom. He is literally kidnapping you, are you seriously that trusting?!" Maya hissed, pulling Max away from Taube. 

"Guys!" Max shouted, the 'authority of a fierce queen' voice returning, then she covered her mouth for fear of being too loud.

"May, if you don't trust us-come with us! It'll be like an adventure!" She said excitedly, though she would obviously feel safer with the other. Taube's head snapped towards her.

"Not like I've got anything to lose. I hope you know we're both gonna end up getting kidnapped by a group of Fairies though." May glared at Taube, who exhaled roughly and flicked his wings.

"I would never-!"

"Seriously?" Max said.

They both mumbled a sorry towards the girl, then glanced at each other.

"Taube, lead the way."

And at that moment as the Fairy lead the Wind elemental and Psychic into Bug territory, they all shared one simultaneous thought.

'Why am I doing this?'