Beginnings: Chapter 1

"Please, you have to help us! There's still a few people stuck inside!"

Neo watched in shock as the building, engulfed in flames, began to slowly collapse in on itself. An older woman at her side was pleading for Neo to help, to which she nodded and ran towards the burning building. The door had been blown off in the explosion that started the fire, leaving the doorway to look as if it were a gate to hell. Neo leapt in, narrowly avoiding a particularly large flame that flicked in her direction. She carefully but quickly picked her way through the burning rubble, desperately looking around for survivors.

Neo began to get lightheaded from the smoke and heat, but she pressed on. Finally, she heard a voice.

"Oh thank god, someone found me! Hey, over here!" A waving hand caught Neo's eye, a hoarse voice barely audible over the roaring flames and crumbling building. She turned to see a younger female, arm feathers still smoldering from where she had been badly burnt. Neo ran over to her, attempting to lift her up. "Come on, let's get you out of here." Neo said, feeling the weight of the other grow heavier as she leaned into Neo for support.

"I don't know if I can stay awake." The other mumbled, collapsing into Neo's arms. Neo stumbled to catch her, panicking when a beam from above came crashing down nearby. She had to get them out of here. Quickly, she lifted the other over her shoulder and began running for the exit.

Once the outside was visible through the flames, Neo leapt through the entrance, tripping and collapsing into the soft melting snow coating the ground. The other being over her shoulder fell with a thud underneath her, out cold from the incident. Neo used the last of her strength to push herself aside and onto her back, just conscious enough to watch as the building spit sparks and imploded. She'd only managed to save one person that had been stuck inside.

Neo slowly blinked awake, only to find herself in a very quiet, clean room. She felt strangely comfortable, yet afraid at the same time. Where was she?

The room was dark, lit only by one light left on next to her bed she was laying in.

Looking around a bit more, she determined this place to be a hospital. She sat up, wincing at the pain in her legs and torso, reminding her of the events that transpired when she was last conscious. The fire. Who even survived? Is the one I rescued ok? Among all these thoughts, one became more prominent than the others; I was only able to save one…

Someone stirred next to her. Neo turned her head only to see the very girl she had saved beginning to wake. Pushing her thoughts aside, Neo smiled at her, waiting for her to wake fully.

"Where the hell am I?" Was all she asked, to which Neo answered, startling her.

"We're in a hospital. I saved you from the fire, you were stuck inside the building."

The other looked surprised to see Neo, reminding her that they'd never formally met before.

"I'm sorry, who are you? I don't remember much, but I definitely didn't see you among our staff at the time of the fire." The other asked with a puzzled expression.

Neo cocked her head to the side in questioning. Staff?

"I'm Neo. I showed up just as things were getting bad. I happened to be in the area and had spotted flames coming up over the treeline, so I came as fast as I could to see what was wrong." Neo said, taking time to observe the other's features.

She had dark brown feathers, even darker ones on her shoulders and back, and a red mark on her throat. Her eyes were a beautiful green color, almost hypnotic to stare into.

"Ah, ok. So you weren't employed there, makes sense. That place used to be a recovery home for the injured, traumatized, and mentally ill. I'd only worked there for a short time when the fire happened, guess I didn't know my way around enough to get myself out in time." Jade said the last part almost apologetically, as if it were her fault Neo had to save her.

Neo chuckled, noticing the mass of bandages wrapped around the other's arm. Theta must be the result of that nasty burn she had gotten.

"Is your arm alright? You got burned pretty badly there." Neo asked.

"Oh, I'll be fine. It just stings a little." The other looked down at her bandages, frowning. Neo was about to ask her name, but one of the hospital staff interrupted them.

"Hey, you two should be asleep. Your chatter has woken a few other patients." The nurse said in a firm but kind voice. Neo nodded, looking over to the other who began to lay her head down to sleep.

Neo did the same, now realizing how taxing the rescue had been on her body. Luckily she hadn't been hurt, just overworked.

A few days later, Neo was let out of the hospital with no major injuries, just s few cuts and bruises. On her way out, she spotted the same brown-feathered girl she had been talking to nights prior. She quickly made her way over.

"Hey, they letting you out too?" Neo asked.

"Yeah, just have to come back occasionally to check up on this thing." The other said, gesturing to her bandaged arm.

"Ah, ok. Well, I never did get your name after all this." Neo remarked.

"It's Jade." The other said, chuckling and holding out her hand. Neo took it in a firm handshake. "Nice to meet you, Jade. Where do you live?"

"I live in an apartment complex closer to the coast of the city. The one near the little streetside market."

"Hah! That's where I live too! Makes sense though, it's one of the biggest apartment buildings in the city, and it's decently cheap, too."

Jade laughed as they walked.

"Why don't you come by my place later this week, we can talk a bit then." Neo gave Jade her room number, writing it into her phone. The two walked the whole way back to their building together, laughing and joking about things they found to have in common.

1063 words-5

Rider(Neo)-2

Soul Bonded-2

Personal-1

Total= 10 AP