《The Oscillation》


 B1 — 0. The Oscillation

    AuthorSME


    If you don''t like crude language, then please move over to the clean version.  ^_^7


    This is a new series I''ve been thinking about for a while.


    Okay, so, I work 70 hour weeks not writing and have life stuff too.  A.K.A expect this to be a web serial.  I try to put the attention I can into it, but sometimes I¡¯ll be rushed to get a chapter out or have to hold off a few days.  Well, turns out I can''t keep up with 3 novels at a time; so, since TO and ATM are more popular than THC, I''m going to have to put THC in a stasis chamber until I get more time.  T_T I love my first girl, I do this with a heavy heart; sorry fans!


    I''ve always wanted to do a LitRPG or GameLit of my own, but I wanted to put my own twist on it; this will have multiple POV in the future (it has the tag for that reason), but most chapters will be in Rachel''s POV.  This is not a pure action and beat-em-up type of web serial; I''m doing slice of life with this as well (why it has the tag) and adding other elements.  If you can handle some slow parts and characters trying to figure out more about themselves then I hope you enjoy!  This may not be for you if you can''t handle the pacing shifts of living life.


    I hope you enjoy the free serial!


    WARNING:  If you are put off by excessive dialogue and a character-driven story, then I wouldn''t waste you time.  This is the style of books I love, which is why I had to write it myself, and it seems a lot of people enjoy it, too!  I''m happy to have my ever-growing audience.  It can get a bit emotional, dark, and cute at times, so be warned!  Cheers!


    Cheers ^_^7


    Rachel set the last cardboard box on her dorm room bed; taking a deep breath, she sat down, sullenly looking over her roommate¡¯s side of the room.  It was bright and colorful, reflecting her bubbly personality; they¡¯d talked online earlier that week. Her previous roommate had dropped out of Miami University, leaving an opening for her.


    Taking out her cellphone, she unlocked it and opened her voicemail app.  She listened to her father¡¯s message in Korean:


    ¡°Sung, it has become difficult for you and your sister-in-law to see eye to eye; therefore, it is necessary that you distance yourself from the family.  For the business¡¯ best interest. If you keep your grades as A¡¯s, then we will provide half of your tuition and pay for your housing; we require a weekly picture of your grades.  We expect you to not disgrace our family name and your brother¡¯s reputation at school. The study of martial arts is admirable, but do not let your extra-curricular activities diminish your...¡±  She turned it off as her roommate walked through the door.


    Her roommate¡¯s green eyes lit up.  ¡°Rachel! Oh, wait, should I call you Rachel or¡ªPark-Sung-Hyo?¡±  She asked, butchering her Korean name as she read from a small piece of paper.


    ¡°Rachel is fine.  It¡¯s hard for most Americans to pronounce Korean names.  It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s nice to meet you face to face, Cloe.¡±


    Cloe nodded with a beaming smile.  ¡°Thanks! So, umm, I just popped in to grab my laptop charger.  I got all the way to English 1010 before realizing I forgot it! Umm, by the way, you¡¯re pretty tall for most Asian girls I¡¯ve met¡ªoh, that was so rude of me!  I¡¯m so sorry.¡±  She muttered.  ¡°I¡¯m just a little nervous.¡±


    Laughing, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°It¡¯s fine. There aren¡¯t many five foot nine Asians; I¡¯ve heard it most my life.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Cloe¡¯s eyes shifting to her bedside desk.  ¡°Alright, I gotta head to class. Mind if we chat later?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡±  Grabbing, her charger, she stuffed it in her backpack and dashed out into the hallway, slamming the door behind her.


    Sighing again, Rachel leaned back.  I can¡¯t believe I got kicked out because Alexa hates martial arts ... every time I get home from the gym, she¡¯s making a scene.  I guess it was only a matter of time; since her dad¡¯s a vital contractor for the business, dad would prioritize that over me.


    Her nose twisted.  I¡¯ve done everything right though!  Grades, partial scholarship, despite the decrease to my average, because I¡¯m Asian.  How can schools even do that? Lower my average because of my race ... isn¡¯t that racist?  I almost didn¡¯t qualify this year because of that.


    Puffing out a long breath of air, Rachel looked at her phone.  Eleven A.M.  At least I have today off.  She glared at her boxes.  I might as well get everything set up.  I do need to finish some math before heading to the gym.


    She massaged her neck before getting to work unpacking.  There wasn¡¯t a lot, clothes, a few household goods, and making her bed.  She didn¡¯t have the money to buy frivolous things since she needed to support herself.


    Finished making her bed, she sat down at her desk to do homework, yawning.  She rubbed her eyes, opening her old laptop. Accessing the school network, she finished her homework quickly; looking at the clock, she smiled.  Four-twenty.  I can spend a good amount of time at the gym today.


    She donned shorts, a sports bra, and tank-top before grabbing her gym bag.  Walking out of the dorm building, she made her way through the massive crowds of Miami.  Arriving at the Muay Thai gym, she dropped her bag off at a locker, and wrapped her hands.  She began her warm-up before conditioning and training with Brock, her coach.


    After training for three hours, she finally hit the showers, breathing heavily with sweat running down her body.  She stretched out, letting the cool water slide down her smooth skin.


    She began training in Muay Thai in eighth grade to release the stress she felt at home; her parents were semi-traditional second-generation immigrants from Korea.  Her mother and father were a part of a conceptually arranged marriage that did have its struggles; they loved each other, but business played a role.


    Drying off before dressing in the t-shirt and shorts she¡¯d brought in her bag; she left the gym, moving along the busy sidewalk.  How much more do I need to do to make them proud?  I work, I go to school, I train in martial arts ... if only Nam hadn¡¯t married that stupid snowflake.  She thinks she¡¯s so much better than me because her dad gives her whatever she wants¡ªAmericans ... look at me; I¡¯m amazing because I¡¯m a Vegan ... martial arts is violent; therefore, I¡¯m a violent woman ... I¡¯m taller than most Asians.  I¡¯m so odd¡ªwell, sorry, princess, I didn¡¯t ask to be born taller than you.


    Fuming, Rachel took a deep breath.  Whatever, it¡¯s not like mom likes her anyways.  She¡¯s just a business deal since she likes Nam, and it would benefit the company.


    Massaging the back of her neck with both hands, she stopped at a light as it turned green, shifting the bag on her shoulder.  Once I finish school and get a law degree, then what can she say?  She¡¯s worthless; all she has is her rich dad while I¡¯ll be working for a big firm.  Maybe I could be the business¡¯ lawyer if I get successful enough, then they¡¯ll have to acknowledge me.


    She jogged to a local diner and ordered her usual, spiced salmon and vegetables.  She ate quietly before leaving and grabbing a superfood smoothie at a local shop. She walked the rest of the way back to her dorm to find Cloe lying in bed with her laptop.


    ¡°Oh, Rachel!  Did you go workout?  Do you do that often?¡±  She sat a little straighter.


    Setting her bag down, Rachel nodded.  ¡°I practice Muay Thai in my free time.¡±


    ¡°Really?  That¡¯s so awesome!¡±  She set her laptop beside her, scooting to the edge of her bed.  ¡°You look really fit. I was thinking about doing something like that; since I¡¯ve been gaining a little weight recently.¡±  She grumbled.


    Smiling, Rachel, pulled out her desk chair to sit.  ¡°You could just...¡± She paused as a scream sounded down the hall and a reverberation pulsed through her body.  It rebounded within her for several seconds before everything changed.


    In a split second, it felt like the room had expanded; she could see everything with crystal clarity within a two-hundred and ten-degree angle.  Her hearing opened as she felt something similar to her arms atop her head; she could distinguish between millions of sounds around her and conversations that she somehow knew were hundreds of meters away.  She could sense a small appendage near her butt bunch against her shorts. A new strength rose within her, something that made her movements light and easy.


    Cloe¡¯s face turned ashen as she stared at her.  ¡°What was that¡ªwhat¡¯s happening to you?¡± She gasped.


    Frowning, Rachel looked down, her hair had changed.  ¡°I have white hair¡ªit¡¯s so long? What¡ªhow¡ªwhat happened to my black hair?¡±


    Cloe shook her head, pointing at the mirror.  Turning, Rachel saw her reflection before she fully faced the mirror, causing her mouth to drop open.  On closer inspection, her hair was white with a slight pink hue that glowed in the colorful lights coming from the window; it had grown, falling to her butt and was much thicker than before, causing her hair tie to bulge.


    She pulled back the thick hair, searching for her ears, but she couldn¡¯t find them; the only thing that met her fingers was skin and a lot of hair, completely hiding the fact that her human ears had vanished.


    Her once brown irises had enlarged and turned a light red with faint pink petals surrounding a deep red pupil, a radiant white halo surrounding it; it reflected her stunning complexion.  One of the most significant changes were the two long, furry bunny ears attached to her skull.


    Swallowing reflexively, she realized she could feel them like her own fingers.  They twitched, shifting with desire. Feeling the slight discomfort at her butt, she turned around to see a bulge in her gym shorts.  Pulling it back, she stared at the puffy white rabbit tail attached between her hip and waistline.


    ¡°What¡¯s¡ªgoing on?¡±  She muttered. Her bunny ears tensed as she heard multiple conversations around them.


    ¡°Did you feel that?¡±


    ¡°What was that feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on fire!¡±


    ¡°I have a cat tail?¡±


    ¡°What are you?¡±


    She flinched as she heard gunshots in the distance; more gunfire followed.  Sirens started blaring everywhere. Rachel ran to the window and looked up into the sky; there were massive rifts in space all across the atmosphere; uncountable cracks that opened and closed as the heavens rippled, each one a different hue.  It looked like the sky was fracturing and repairing itself hundreds of times in the span of a few seconds as lights radiated through the fissures.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Cloe said, looking at her with fright.  ¡°You¡¯re changing like¡ªyou¡¯re going from normal to bunny-like¡ªlike a dozen times.  Now you¡ªit¡¯s not changing anymore.¡±


    Rachel shook her head, lips dry.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening either.  The sky¡ªit¡¯s not changing anymore.¡±  Only seconds after she saw it, the event passed, leaving the black sky completely normal as the reverberations within her ceased.  ¡°The sky¡ªit was breaking. There were bright colors all over the cracks...¡±


    Cloe turned back to her laptop as she heard the screams, sirens, and shouts around her, and pulled up a local news podcast; the announcer sounded frantic on the other end.


    ¡°We are getting multiple reports of people changing into monsters and displaying supernatural powers all over the city¡ªpolice are in a panic, some of their own members changing before their eyes.  There seems to be anarchy breaking out within some neighborhoods¡ªwe urge people to stay indoors...¡±


    Her phone vibrated, and the podcast cut out; opening it she saw:


    Presidential Alert


    All States


    Stay calm¡ªstay indoors and proceed to a safe location.  Martial Law has been instated. The Military, National Guard, and Center for Disease Control are being mobilized.  Again, stay calm and proceed to a safe location.


    The reporter came back over the air.  ¡°An IPAWS message was just sent nationwide; stay indoors, and if you are out, please proceed to a safe location.  We are getting further information that the President will be making a national statement soon; the CDC, U.S. Military, and National Guard are also being mobilized.  We will keep you aware of the situation as it unfolds. I repeat, stay indoors and proceed to a safe location.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face matched her hair.  ¡°The CDC? Is this a terrorist attack ... a virus?¡±


    Cloe jumped to her feet, took one look at Rachel with wide eyes before running out of the room.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Rachel collapsed against her bed as she listened to the chaos around her.  She could hear cars crashing, guns firing, people shouting, sirens blaring, and explosions, all miles around her.  How is this happening?


    AuthorSME


    Discord Link


    You can download the full image at my patreon for free.  ^_^7


    I commissioned Pino on Deviantart for the image.  He does amazing backgrounds for a decent price!

 B1 — 1. Chaos

    Rachel sat back on her bed and scooted up against the wall, hugging her legs; she had to pull her hair over her shoulders to keep it out of the way.  The chaos continued as the radio played.


    ¡°The police have been overrun in Miami Beach; if you are there, then please find a safe place, a gang of people with abilities are controlling the south bridge.  This just in¡ªwe¡¯ve gotten reports that these monsters are humans that have gone through some kind of physical change.  Please, if you have changed, stay indoors; there are groups of people hunting you. I repeat¡ªthese monsters are human.  The CDC has set up a base at the University of Miami and the Baptist Hospital of Miami.  The National Guard is on site helping to keep the peace.


    ¡°We¡¯re just getting an updated report from reporters at the White House¡ªthis event is worldwide, I repeat, this event is worldwide.  There are riots all across the world; stay safe. We will be relocating to the Baptist Hospital of Miami; until then, Godspeed.¡±  The radio cut.


    What do I do?  She could hear that the building had caught fire from some guy that was on fire and a great many people rushing away from the dorm.  If I stay here, then I¡¯ll burn alive, but if I go out, someone might shoot me.  What do I do?


    Twenty minutes passed as she sat listening to the panic around her, too stunned to move as she stared down at the white hair across her lap.  It can¡¯t be mine ... I¡¯m not a rabbit.  She snapped back to her senses as she heard a megaphone in the distance.  ¡°This is the CDC; if you have been changed, please come to the University Main Building.  Get in line and enter the controlled zone.¡±


    Rachel swallowed nervously.  Should I go?  The National Guard is protecting them, right?  What if they shoot me? A shiver ran down her spine.  The CDC should be able to fix me though, right?  What if I infect others though.


    Closing her eyes, she shook her head, feeling the pressure against her rabbit ears.  I need to figure out what happened to me.  This is happening everywhere, it¡¯s not going to go away.  Taking a shuddering breath, she got up and moved to her mirror, hearing people rush down the hall and out of the building.  Looking at herself, she leaned in closer. I can see so much more ... it¡¯s like I can see everything at once, I don¡¯t have to focus that hard.  Opening her mouth, she was relieved to find her teeth normal.  At least I don¡¯t have bunny teeth.


    On closer inspection, she thought she had a unique beauty.  Her eyelashes were dark and much thicker than before, but her eyebrows matched her new hair color.  What the hell is up with this hair though?  It¡¯s too long and thick ... how am I supposed to live like this?  It¡¯ll take like half a bottle of shampoo¡ªwhy am I thinking about that right now?


    Scratching her forehead, she took a deep breath.  ¡°Okay, no problem. Look for a hair tie ... pull it up in a high ponytail and head over to the CDC ... they¡¯ll figure everything out.¡±  Cracking her neck to ease her tension, she was a little shocked how light her head felt. Shouldn¡¯t this much hair kill my neck?  I don¡¯t feel the pressure at all. Humming, she went to one of her trays by the window and pulled out a bow; she frowned as she looked at the current elastic hold she had in place.  A ribbon would work better ... it¡¯s freaking thick.  She pulled it out of her hair with a little trouble before adding a ribbon.


    Finished, she went to the door and took a deep breath.  Feeling the doorknob, she didn¡¯t find it hot. Opening it a crack, she peered out to see a few students that hadn¡¯t left yet, one of them was a small teenage girl with black cat ears and a tail; she stood in her doorway, looking down with concern.  She looked up as Rachel opened the door. ¡°Hey, you changed like I did? What¡¯s happening? What do we do?¡±


    Rachel rubbed her shoulder, looking up and down the hall.  ¡°I think¡ªI¡¯m going to go to the CDC and see if they can fix me, or at least tell me what to do next.¡±


    The girl¡¯s brow creased.  ¡°Okay, I think I heard them calling out over by the main building.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s where I hear them.¡±


    ¡°You can hear them right now?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you?¡±  Rachel asked, ¡°They¡¯re yelling pretty loud.¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°Only a little bit. It¡¯s a bit muffled too.¡±


    ¡°We should head over that way¡ªsomeone set the building on fire.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I smell it on the other side of the building.¡±  She fidgeted.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    They made their way toward the side exit; pillows, backpacks, and clothes were randomly left everywhere; her hair blew back as she ran.  She was a little surprised to see people moving a lot slower; the cat-girl seemed to notice it as well as they zipped past people. They darted around the crowd until they burst through the doorway.  The area was in a state of pandemonium, individuals fleeing from anyone that didn¡¯t look human.


    Grabbing the cat-girl¡¯s hand, Rachel ran toward the main building, alert for threats.  A few people were yelling for people to follow the CDC¡¯s instructions, but not many listened.  I guess it makes sense, the monsters are running that way; who would go where the infection could be?


    She and the girl next to her froze as three armed people in hazmat suits rounded the corner.  They pointed their rifles at them. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± A man said.


    The girl next to her started to tremble as they both raised their hands, fingers interlocked.  ¡°Please, don¡¯t shoot!¡± They shouted in unison, eyes closing as they quaked.


    ¡°Okay, now follow us.¡±  One instructed.


    They opened their eyes, breathing deeply.  Rachel, swallowed, shifting a little.


    ¡°I said follow us!¡±  A man yelled.


    Flinching, the girls ridgely walked forward.  The cat-girl¡¯s voice shook with fear. ¡°What¡¯s going on?  You aren¡¯t the ones shooting people, are you?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re part of the National Guard.  We¡¯ll escort you to the CDC Forward Operations Base.  Just stay calm and do as you¡¯re instructed.¡± Rachel licked her lips as she nodded and they walked toward the main building together.  There were groups of people running that way, trying to stay as far away as they could from the two girls.


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to us?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°To be frank, I don¡¯t know.  We¡¯re only tasked with escorting those that have changed to the containment center.¡±  One of the men responded.


    The cat-girl¡¯s face started to turn red as she squeezed Rachel¡¯s hand.  ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know what happened. I just¡ªI was reading a book, and then I got ears and a tail ... this pulse shot through me, and they j¡ªjust appeared.¡±  Tears dripped down her cheeks as she sniffled.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get you to the center...¡±  The man cut off as a few men shouted, running around the male¡¯s dorm area.


    Several people in hazmat suits chased a man that was on fire.  ¡°Get on the sidewalk! Get down, or we¡¯ll open fire!¡±


    The man on fire seemed to be crying.  ¡°I don¡¯t know how to turn it off! I¡¯m getting down¡ªI¡¯m getting down!¡±  The grass was smoking around him and soon broke into a blaze, but his clothes seemed perfectly fine.  One of the people trailing him had a fire extinguisher in hand as he sprayed him down, another person snuffing out the fire in his wake.  His flames went out quickly, and he lay against the ground, shaking. The cat girl¡¯s trembling increased as she watched the incident.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep going,¡± their escort prompted as a firetruck with several dents in the front rounded the corner to keep the dorm building from getting worse.


    The closer they walked to the front of the Campus, the more people in hazmat suits and armed men with gas masks or face masks on could be seen.  Coast Guard and other Military vehicles were roaming around with soldiers in protective gear onboard; a large military transport truck stopped in front of the main building as it came into sight.  Soldiers prompted people off and directed them toward the left side entrance that led inside.


    ¡°Keep to the left.  There¡¯s a contained tunnel up ahead that¡¯s been set up for intake.¡±


    They both nodded as they neared, keeping close as they entered the line.  Around them were others that had changed; some changes were major, while others were minor.  There was a man that seemed to have sprouted dark brown fur all over his body and had grown wolf ears and a tail.  Another girl had thick tiger fur on her arms, legs, and face; she had tiger ears, but not a tail. Everyone was silent as the guards directed them into the building.


    ¡°Keep it moving.  Nice and steady.¡±


    There were a few men with their rifles raised, their faces unreadable behind their tinted facial masks; the weapons made Rachel¡¯s skin itch.  What will they do to us?  This is a global event; a terrorist isn¡¯t capable of that, right?  This has to be some kind of massive natural phenomena or something.  It was instantaneous too; it¡¯s not like we grew it over time.


    She thought back on Cloe¡¯s explanation.  I changed multiple times.  I swapped from normal to this¡ªam I part bunny now?  Her face paled.  What¡¯s dad and mom going to say?


    The cat-girl was getting control of her tears; she looked up at Rachel with concern.  ¡°Are you okay? You don¡¯t look so good.¡±


    Clearing her throat, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°I just¡ªI don¡¯t know what my parents are going to say when they see me like this...¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll support you, right?¡±  The girl asked. ¡°My parents would¡ªI think.  Although, I don¡¯t know what they¡¯ll be supporting.  I don¡¯t know what we are, now ... we¡¯re like anime characters.¡±


    ¡°Anime?¡±  Rachel questioned.  ¡°I haven¡¯t watched any anime.  Are there situations like this?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any¡ªbut I¡¯d imagine there are.  I mean, there¡¯s like, everything in the anime world.  Beastkin are pretty popular...¡±


    ¡°Beastkin?  Like, human animals?¡±


    She nodded, moving up as the line pushed forward a little.  ¡°Yeah, like, cat ears and stuff. At first, I was a little thrilled.  I mean, a lot of guys like cat girls¡ªI¡¯ve never had a boyfriend ... then everything went crazy.  I could smell the fear too, it was really strange ... everyone¡¯s scared. I can really smell it.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m scared too.¡±


    Their hands tightened for a moment.  ¡°Thanks for bringing me with you ... I was a little stunned.¡±


    She smiled.  ¡°It¡¯s nice having someone with me.¡±


    They fell silent as they made it to the double doors and entered.  There was a long white plastic tunnel that had been placed at the entrance that led down the hall.  Keeping close to the walls, she could hear dozens of fans sucking air all around them, but her focus shifted from the changed humans to a group of men ahead of them, talking amongst themselves. They were toward the back of the line.


    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, man, this has NASA written all over it.  Did you see those lights in the sky¡ªthe fractures?¡±


    ¡°What?  No, probably aliens; they¡¯ve made a deal with the government, or it¡¯s been taken over.¡±


    ¡°From outer space?  Nahh, extra-dimensional beings.  This is straight from the invasion handbook.  The National Guard picked me up before I could get to my bunker.  This is where they¡¯ll send us into their dimension to work as slaves on their sun-powered dimensional labor camps.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?  Why would extra-dimensional beings want to turn us into monsters?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about ... oh, we¡¯re getting close to the end of the line.  Just remember, high frequencies can disrupt their brain activity.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, dude; this is totally NASA¡ªthe freaking moon landing was a cover-up.¡±


    The other man chuckled.  ¡°Wait, really? Cover-up for what?¡±


    ¡°A fake recording for when they found alien life.¡±


    ¡°You guys are idiots.  It has to be extra-dimensional beings.  That technology would be too powerful for moon based aliens.  It has to be type-two aliens¡ªat least. Moon-based aliens aren¡¯t strong enough.¡±


    Swallowing nervously, Rachel shifted a little, but the cat-girl nudged her.  ¡°You listening to those alien fanatics up ahead?¡±


    Rachel chuckled a little.  ¡°Yeah, a little.¡±


    ¡°It has to be a god or something.¡±  She huffed.


    ¡°What?¡±  Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°A god?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ªwell, it would be in like, a light novel.  Isekai? Ever heard of it?¡±


    ¡°Umm, there¡¯s a word called isegye in Korean ... it could be translated as other world.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, oh, you¡¯re Korean, cool¡ªI¡¯m Zoe, by the way.  Umm, normally you have people travel to other worlds, but to me, that light everyone¡¯s talking about, it sounds like it¡¯s energy from another world.  Stuff like that is what gods do¡ªwell, usually ... not that I believe that.¡± She flushed.


    ¡°Who knows what to believe now...¡±  Rachel whispered. Her attention swapped to a pair of scientists in the building as she listened in, brows furrowed.  ¡°Can you hear those scientists?¡±


    Zoe frowned.  ¡°Umm, I hear a lot of people.  What are they saying?¡±


    Rachel repeated what she heard, whispering since she knew Zoe could understand her.


    ¡°These people have literally changed; did you see the scans sent over from the hospital?  Their biology has been completely altered. Blood work will take a few hours, but...¡± He cut off before swearing.  ¡°What is happening? A person with a tortoiseshell attached to his back¡ªit doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    ¡°The physical change was shocking, but the changes in the brain was what caught my attention.  Their brain has physically altered as well, but not by much. Several areas are abnormal, and it¡¯s different for every patient.  It doesn¡¯t make sense; there¡¯s no pattern to it.¡±


    ¡°One man was cured of cancer and was able to recover.  Did you read that on the joint report? Any injury starts to heal; slowly, but every scar he¡¯s had is now healed.  He¡¯s in perfect health.¡±


    She heard another person run up to them, a woman.  ¡°Did you see the recent update; read over this.¡± She fumbled with something.  ¡°Look at that!¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a prank, right?¡±


    ¡°This comes straight from the University of Michigan Hospital; it just updated.¡±


    ¡°A woman changed into a panther-like creature; sprouting ears and a tail with fur growing on a few parts of her body.  She entered labor fifteen minutes ago¡ªthey¡¯d already planned for a c-section previously, and a child was born¡ªthe baby boy had the same animal characteristics as the mother ... an hour ago he was normal in the scans?¡±


    ¡°This makes no sense¡ªat all...¡±


    Zoe nodded with a serious frown.  ¡°A panther-like woman ... I¡¯m only a cat though, right?  I wonder if she¡¯s stronger than me?¡± She asked, looking off into space.  That¡¯s what she got out of all that?


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°Oh¡ªhave you not noticed ... well, I guess only people with Isekai knowledge would really try it.¡±  She muttered. ¡°Think about your stats sheet or¡ªlike, your strengths and skills.¡±


    Brows furrowing, Rachel thought about the skills she had, and suddenly she knew.  She was momentarily shocked. ¡°It¡¯s like¡ªhow do you even explain it. It¡¯s like pure knowledge flowing into my brain?  I know I¡¯m more agility based; I have high burst power, but my endurance is low¡ªbut above average. It¡¯s likely to do with my training every day; I have high stamina to spend, but low endurance.  How do I explain it? I have high stamina, but it drains really quickly. I have skills too; a race ... I¡¯m not human...¡± She muttered. It was something she couldn¡¯t deny; she knew it was true.


    Zoe nodded.  ¡°We¡¯re Beastkin, right?  That¡¯s what I am.¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°I¡¯m Mythickin.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±  Zoe asked, letting go of her hand; the fear in her voice was gone.  ¡°That¡¯s probably rare! It¡¯s like, mythic¡ªumm, like fairytales or something.¡±


    Rachel sucked on her lower lip for a moment.  ¡°I¡¯m a hare, not a rabbit ... I¡¯m a Lunar Hare¡ªI¡¯m really not human anymore.¡±  Tears slid down her cheeks.


    Zoe hugged her.  ¡°It¡¯s not that bad, right?  I mean, I¡¯d be lying if I haven¡¯t thought about being a Beastkin once or twice; now I really am a cat girl!  You¡¯re even a Mythickin; that¡¯s amazing!¡±


    Rachel was trembling as she shook her head, hair shifting in Zoe¡¯s arms.  My parents, they¡¯ll¡ªcan I even go back to school like this?  How can I make my parents proud¡ªI¡¯m a freak now? I¡¯m a part of a different world ... they¡¯ll ostracize me, maybe even disown me.


    Their conversation had sparked a lot of interest from people surrounding them as they realized their own race and changes.  Unease began spreading like fire as the information cycled down the line, but before things could escalate any further, a loud voice caught everyone¡¯s attention.  ¡°Hey! Keep the line moving.¡±


    Rachel, sniffed, wiping at her tears as she pulled away from Zoe.  Swallowing, she cleared her throat. ¡°Thanks, Zoe. I¡¯ll be okay. Maybe the CDC can find something to change us back.¡±


    Zoe looked skeptical as they slowly moved further down the hall with the line.  ¡°Like I said, this smells of some kind of god or something. I doubt they¡¯ll be able to do anything.  They¡¯ll probably just tell us we¡¯re different and then they¡¯ll try to figure something else out, like what we can do ... I just hope the world will accept us.  I read a few stories about people changing, and the world hated them.¡± She muttered.


    Rachel let her words slide past her; she had to believe she could return to normal.  Her entire life was linked to that thin, fragile string; gaining her parents¡¯ recognition was contingent on that.  Wait ... what if dad or mom changed?  What if Nam changed? Maybe I can be a Lunar Hare and still be okay ... maybe.


    They finally made it up to a desk as a large space opened up, plastic was hanging from the ceiling; people in hazmat suits walked around, directing people.  The woman at the desk instructed people to different parts of the building. ¡°Women right, men left.¡± She repeated the instruction as they neared, and they followed the guides to a few classrooms.


    A person standing against a wall ushered a few of the women in front of them into a room before holding out her hand.  ¡°This room is full. Move to the next one.¡± She pointed at the next door down. Nodding, the girls filed past her to the room.  Inside were a few personnel that were laying down mats, blankets, and pillows. ¡°You may be here for a while,¡± one said as they brought in more materials.


    Rubbing her arm, Rachel nodded as she glanced beside her at Zoe.  They moved to the back corner, pulling over two mats and grabbing their bedding.  Sitting against the wall, Zoe watched as women and girls slowly entered the room, receiving the same instructions they had.  Some were more human-like than others; several looked like demons with red skin, horns, and two of them were nearly hairless.


    Zoe scooted closer to her; throwing the blanket over herself.  ¡°Can¡ªcan I sit next to you?¡± She asked with a trembling voice.  Rachel nodded, and she leaned against her shoulder, staring at the door with uncertainty.  ¡°I think it¡¯s sinking in ... I¡ªwhat¡¯s going on?¡±


    Rachel smiled a little.  ¡°I thought you had a god theory.¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªI just¡ªI hope everything turns out okay.¡±


    They stiffened as gunshots sounded in the distance, and Rachel heard someone shouting.  ¡°Death to the devils!¡± It was too far away to be recognized by anyone without enhanced hearing, but the faint sounds of the bullets made everyone in the room flinch.


    The space filled quickly; the humans exited after they finished bringing all their supplies.  The last person in a hazmat suit shut the door, staying inside. She looked around at them, taking a deep breath.  ¡°Okay, so, right now we are still trying to get the situation under control. You are safe here. The local Police, Military, and National Guard are sorting things out.  We are currently running a lot of tests in every CDC base around the country; private companies have been conscripted into aiding as well. This was the fastest location we were able to set up, and I¡¯m glad you are all safe.  You will be safe here as long as you stay inside, and we will do everything in our power to find out what is happening.


    ¡°Please, please stay inside; the National Guard and Coast Guard are currently patrolling the area, and the military is moving to keep the peace.  The local police have also been ordered to help bolster security around the University.¡± Nodding, she walked out of the room.


    A few of the demon-girls started crying, and a woman with falcon wings sprouting out of her bare back stared blankly at the floor; the back of her dress seemed to have holes in it, perfectly forming around the base of her wings.  The silence stretched on as the chaos was slowly brought under control and Rachel heard less and less violence outside. So, this is all real ... what¡¯s going to happen to us?


    AuthorSME


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


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 B1 — 2. Stabilizing

    Rachel waited in the room for what seemed hours; Zoe had quickly fallen asleep against her shoulder, her soft purrs bringing a faint smile to Rachel¡¯s lips.  She¡¯d gently guided her head down to a pillow on her lap after she¡¯d drifted off. I never thought I¡¯d hear a person actually purr like a cat.


    Her rabbit ears were twitching as they followed the countless conversations across the facility; it was pretty bad outside.  There were a few different groups that had formed and been causing trouble for the armed forces. The National Guard and Coast Guard had been appointed to safeguard the areas that the changed humans gathered at, supported by the local police.  She heard a few heated debates between different people that were in the Military, National Guard, and Police Department that were concerned about their family members. There was talk about if the people in the military that had changed were allowed to help and a host of other concerns.


    The most prevalent conversation was about a gang that had taken over Miami Beach.  A few of the gang members had obtained powers, and been physically changed; they attacked the police and had taken many of their weapons, arming the rest of the gang.  The Military was just about to form a raid, striking tactically on key locations the gang had taken over, but there were hostages. It wasn¡¯t an isolated incident, terror groups were forming all over the U.S. as law enforcement did their best to keep everything under control.


    Though the nation reacted quickly, the sheer volume of people changed into beasts caused problems everywhere, making it hard to contain the disaster.  The CDC had become more organized since then, and the whole nation was working on a solution, while the armed forces did their best to keep order. Volunteers and civilian readiness groups organized, several receiving permission to help support the CDC with basic means while also providing shelters and information through HAM networks.  By the time someone finally entered the room, the majority of the mayhem had calmed to a manageable level; a woman came in with a hazmat suit.


    Rachel shook Zoe awake.  ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She yawned, and Rachel hissed, lifting her hands up.  Her fingernails had extended into claws. ¡°Oh¡ªsorry!¡±  Zoe pulled her hands back, looking at her fingernails.  ¡°How did I just do that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Rachel hummed.  ¡°I¡¯m just glad I noticed before you took a chunk out of my leg.¡±  She teased with a slight shove to her shoulder.


    Zoe giggled apologetically, frowning as her claws changed back.  ¡°I guess I don¡¯t need to carry around a knife anymore.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a plus,¡± Rachel said before pointing up front.


    The woman seemed tired as she wheeled a TV in with a laptop connected to it.  ¡°Hi, my name¡¯s Krystal¡ªI guess you still have some spirit.¡±  She smiled a little before taking a long breath.  ¡°So, we¡¯ve been able to set up and get the appropriate staff onsite.  The President is going to release a statement in ten minutes.¡± Everyone watched her in silence.  ¡°Right¡ªwe are working hard to help you.  Things are starting to look better.¡±


    One of the demon-girls shifted a little before raising her hand.  ¡°Umm¡ªwhen can we call our family? Are the cell phone towers down?  I don¡¯t have any reception.¡±


    Krystal cleared her throat.  ¡°The cell phone towers in the area were damaged¡ªI don¡¯t know when they¡¯ll be fixed.  When local communications are up, we¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    ¡°Can we use the laptop or the internet on it to contact our families?¡±  A girl with a raccoon tail and ears asked.


    She shook her head.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re connected to a closed government satellite network that is designed to distribute real-time data.¡±  Everyone seemed disappointed at the news.


    The woman looked around at the group.  ¡°Okay, umm, so, please wait for the broadcast.  Further instruction will be sent to us after it.¡±  They nodded, and she left the room. The group waited the remaining time; the presidential seal came on-screen before the President appeared.


    ¡°My fellow Americans, we have been in a state of crisis for the past several hours; yesterday, at approximately nine-thirteen P.M Eastern Standard Time, there was a worldwide phenomenon.  The sky, all around the world, cracked; lights of all different colors shone through these fissures. There were reports of some form of oscillation that passed through people, and upon this event, they changed.  We are still gathering information and the numbers affected, but it¡¯s within reason to believe over a million U.S. citizens have been affected by this oscillation.


    ¡°This event has changed the biology of humans; mothers, fathers, children, and grandparents alike.  These are not monsters, but your family¡ªI repeat, these are not monsters, but human beings that have undergone a terrible change¡ªnormal people crying for help.  To all those that can hear my voice, you have my sympathy, and we are doing everything within the United States¡¯ power to help you. Please find your way to a U.S. Military outpost; that includes U.S. citizens around the world, you will be safe.


    ¡°We were quick to realize the implication and fallout from this disaster, and I was advised to instate Martial Law and initiate our highest contingency plan.  We are currently working round the clock with state authorities and the UN to resolve this crisis. Stay calm and have hope, we will pull through, and God bless you.¡±  The image cut. There was silence for a moment after the broadcast before a few women broke down into tears.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to be killed,¡± a demon-girl cried.


    Another nodded with a hopeful smile.  ¡°We¡¯re going to get help.¡±


    Zoe scooted back against the wall.  ¡°What do you think, Rachel?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªat least we know they¡¯re restoring order.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really worried about my parents and little brother ... at first, it was a little cool, but everything got really scary¡ªI hope they¡¯re safe.  My grandpa too¡ªhe lives all alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about my family too...¡±  Rachel cut off as someone in a hazmat suit entered the room, the light chatter around the space fading as everyone¡¯s focus shifted.


    The woman in the hazmat suit cleared her throat; she held a small stack of paper that had been cut into strips, and a box of pens.  ¡°Umm¡ªI don¡¯t want to sound rude or offend any of you, but,¡± she shifted a little. ¡°I was told to ask each of you to write your race and¡ªtype ... I¡¯ll just leave them here on the desk and pick it up in five minutes.¡±  She quickly set the parchment and utensils down before retreating back through the door.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we bite.¡±  One of the demon-girls muttered sullenly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t blame her though,¡± the squirrel-girl said with a shrug.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± a demon-girl sniffed.  ¡°You¡¯re a cute squirrel; we look like demons ... how could you understand.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Rachel frowned.  ¡°Let¡¯s not get at each other¡¯s throats.  We¡¯re all in the same boat. Let¡¯s try to help rather than push each other away.¡±


    The demon-girls looked at the floor, one whispering, ¡°Says the gorgeous bunny-girl.¡±


    ¡°That can hear miles away, and I¡¯m not a bunny, I¡¯m a hare,¡± Rachel said as she rose.  ¡°Look¡ªyes, everyone¡¯s change isn¡¯t equal, but neither is life ... look at us. Knuckle down and deal with it rather than complaining.  Let¡¯s write down what we are and try to make the best of it.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you...¡±


    Rachel cut her off.  ¡°Do you want to be normal again?¡±


    The demon-girl was silent for a moment as she glared at her.  ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then help them get answers, and we¡¯ll go from there.¡±


    The girl looked down, her nose twisted.  ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Let me help!¡±  Zoe offered as she jumped up.  ¡°I¡¯ll pass out the pens and paper.¡±  She darted to the desk before anyone could react.  Taking the lid off the box of pens, she began passing them out along with the strips of paper.


    Rachel smiled as Zoe approached, and took a pen and paper.  ¡°Thanks, Zoe.¡±


    She nodded with a beaming smile as she finished passing the rest out, returning to Rachel¡¯s side.  She used the wall to write her answers, and Rachel grew a little interested.


    ¡°Zoe, you know my race is a Mythickin, and my type is a Lunar Hare.  You¡¯re a Beastkin, but what is your type?¡±


    Zoe¡¯s face flushed.  ¡°Domestic Cat ... a bit disappointing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Rachel grinned as she nudged her shoulder a little.  ¡°You were purring while asleep, pretty cute. I¡¯m sure any boy¡¯s ears would steam seeing that.¡±


    She giggled, cheeks flushing.  ¡°I really purr?¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Super cute.¡±


    A tremor ran down Zoe¡¯s body, her tail stiff.  ¡°Thanks for cheering me up,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Easy when you could melt a guy¡¯s heart,¡± she winked.


    ¡°You¡¯re like a divine being though,¡± Zoe said, studying her.  ¡°Your hair glows a little, and the slight pink hue makes my eyes really focus on it; it enhances your overall beauty.  The pinkish-red eyes too, they¡¯re striking ... everything about you is.¡±


    She shrugged.  ¡°Probably something to do with being a Lunar Hare.¡±


    ¡°Right¡ªyou¡¯re so unique looking that it forces people to look at you.¡±


    ¡°Stop it,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°You¡¯re going to make me blush.¡±


    Zoe snapped her fingers.  ¡°Snap! You¡¯re too composed ... were you like that before or is that a Lunar Hare thing too?  I feel a little more¡ªbubbly, I guess, since becoming a Beastkin Domestic Cat.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Maybe¡ªI haven¡¯t thought about it like that.  I did cry back when we were in line though, remember?  That¡¯s not composed.¡±


    Lips pursing for a moment, Zoe hummed.  ¡°It didn¡¯t look that way to me. You were thinking about something you really care about, right?  Then your composure came back quickly.¡±


    She mirrored her hum.  ¡°Perhaps¡ªwho knows how these changes work; it could have changed our personalities a bit.  The scientists did say our brains have been altered a bit; they found out a few hours ago that everyone they¡¯ve tested so far is not contagious, but until we¡¯ve been cleared, protocol states to be cautious.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s eyes grew at her statement, but their conversation was cut short as the door opened again for a different person in a hazmat suit.  ¡°If you could please put your papers on the desk, I...¡± She was interrupted by the demon-girl as she stared at Rachel with wide eyes.


    ¡°You mean¡ªwe aren¡¯t contagious?  They really said that?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªwhat?¡±  The woman seemed to tense.


    Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°That¡¯s only with those that have been tested.  We haven¡¯t been tested yet; so, we need to stay here.¡±  The women in the room seemed crestfallen at the information.  ¡°Hey¡ªthat¡¯s good news. It means there¡¯s a chance none of us are contagious.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± the woman in the hazmat suit said.  ¡°Who told you about that because that¡¯s news to me?¡±  The woman asked.


    She pointed at her long ears.  ¡°I can hear miles away ... everything on campus is fairly easy for me to listen in on.¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± the woman muttered.  ¡°Well, okay, can I get everyone¡¯s papers?¡±  Everyone dropped off their papers at the desk, and she collected them.  ¡°Alright, thank you for your cooperation thus far; I know this must be difficult for all of you.¡±  With that, she turned and left.


    Everyone settled back onto their mats and into their own little discussions.  Zoe, hugged her legs as she glanced at Rachel. ¡°So, why do you think they need our races and types?¡±


    Sitting back, she thought on the question for a moment.  ¡°Well¡ªI¡¯d say it¡¯s probably to get metadata to crunch. They¡¯ll compile all the information and then apply it to the area to see the diversity and look for a pattern¡ªthat¡¯s my guess, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Then they can use that to start solving the puzzle?¡±


    ¡°I think so.  I mean, there was so little warning, and you heard those scientists, there¡¯s no connection.  They¡¯re trying to find out if there¡¯s a puzzle at all. There¡¯s the sky fracturing, lights inside those cracks, and then everyone changes, and the cracks disappear ... that¡¯s all.¡±


    She nodded.  ¡°Not much to go off of¡ªso that¡¯s why they¡¯re trying to use the races and types to map a pattern.  Okay, I get it now.¡±


    Rachel sighed.  ¡°That¡¯s just my guess.  They could...¡± The door opened again as three people entered in hazmat suits, two of them had rifles.  Everyone stiffened, moving back toward the wall.


    ¡°No need for alarm,¡± the woman in the center stated.  ¡°We¡¯re here for the Mythickin; I assume the bunny-girl in the back since her type is a Lunar Hare.¡±


    Rachel swallowed nervously.  ¡°Why do you need me?¡±


    ¡°We are going to test to see if you¡¯re infected with any virus and then transport you to the hospital.  No harm will come to you; we just need to run some tests. Perhaps we can find a means to return you to normal.¡±


    ¡°I...¡±  Rachel straightened as she trailed off.  I could hear a lie in there ... her heart, I could hear the flutter, like a lie detector.  She was honest that they aren¡¯t going to hurt me ... but she doesn¡¯t think I can return to normal...  ¡°Alright.¡±


    Zoe squeezed her hand.  ¡°I¡ªthanks for helping me.  I hope we meet again.¡±


    Rachel smiled.  ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t have many friends¡ªnone actually.  Thanks for sticking with me this far and keeping me company.¡±


    She was a little shocked as Zoe hugged her.  ¡°No,¡± tears fell on her shoulder. ¡°Thank you for keeping me calm.  You helped me through this.¡± Rachel rubbed her back comfortingly.


    ¡°Please hurry up, we¡¯d like to get to as many people as possible.¡±  The woman stated.


    Taking a deep breath, Rachel lightly pulled away, Zoe wiping at her cheeks as she left the room.  The hallway was lined with plastic, but there was a clean looking pink tunnel that appeared down the next hall.  ¡°Inside, you will need to strip down, and a shower will be in the next room that will decontaminate you. It may sting, but please bear with it.  There is a medical gown on the other side for you to dress into; there are plastic buttons to clip together and a tie with instructions on the wall.


    Rachel nodded stiffly.  Every time I saw this in movies, they always freak out because it hurts ... how will it feel on my ears?  Taking a deep breath, she walked through the flap into the first room.  There was a dispenser for her to put her clothes in with a biohazard symbol on it.  Removing her clothes, she grimaced as she undid her ribbon.


    Taking a deep breath, she opened the hard plastic door and stepped in; once the door shut, she tensed as the nozzles all around the tank discharged liquid from every angle.  To her surprise, it didn¡¯t hurt; she felt a little pressure, but there was no pain. It shut off after a short time, and she stepped through to the other side, noting her waist-long wet hair; however, there was something else that caught her attention.


    ¡°Where¡¯s all my muscle mass?¡±  She whispered. Her body was still toned, but nothing near what she had before.  Her skin looked soft and smooth; it even looked like she¡¯d lost fat in certain areas.  She puffed out a long breath. Well, I guess there were a lot of other things to think about before now.


    She glared at her thin arms.  Seriously.  Shifting her vision away in disgust, she examined the towels and medical gowns waiting for her.  She dried her body before patting down her waist-long hair; shockingly, it didn¡¯t seem tangled in the least and stayed perfectly straight.  Odd, I guess it¡¯s a Lunar Hare thing.


    She followed the instructions on the wall, dressing into the gown, and to her surprise, it looked a lot better than she¡¯d imagined; it was baggy, but not revealing.  Stepping out on the other side, she frowned as she met a man in a hazmat suit. Her eyes wandered past him to a semi-transparent plastic wall that separated them from a makeshift medical room.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be drawing your blood, and then you¡¯ll be escorted off the campus to the medical center.¡±


    Deciding to test the waters, Rachel asked, ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m infectious, do you?¡±


    The man shook his head.  ¡°We¡¯ve had so many changed people exposed on the outside, yet no one¡¯s changed.  This is just a precaution. We¡¯re close to...¡± He cut off, listening to something.


    Rachel¡¯s sharp ears caught every word.  ¡°It¡¯s been confirmed that the only infectious types seem to be a few Mythickin; specifically the Kitsune, Incubus, and Succubus that release some form of airborne chemical compound to control human minds.  It seems to have some effect on different Beastkin as well. There are also predatory types of Mythickin that have been observed with mind control capability, such as Vampires. If you have any Mythickin at your facility, contact your supervisors, they will have instructions.¡±


    Rachel sighed.  ¡°Well¡ªI¡¯m Mythickin ... so, what does that mean for me?¡±


    The man¡¯s heart started to increase.  ¡°You heard that?¡± She pointed at her ears, and he nodded, swallowing hard.  ¡°Okay¡ªso, you are being transported to a facility in Miami that is bringing together all the Mythickin to determine the best way to treat you.¡±


    ¡°Not the treat as in turning me back into a human, I presume¡ªI¡¯m right ... great.¡±  She scanned the area for more information and picked up on a particular conversation.  ¡°I see,¡± the man stepped back nervously. She scratched behind her left ear with a heavy frown.  ¡°There are a few Mythickin causing a lot of trouble around the world¡ªnow I¡¯m being roped in because of that ... it makes sense.¡±


    She put her hands on her hips.  ¡°Well¡ªfrom what I¡¯ve heard, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be experimented on or anything right?  I really want to punch something right now¡ªguess that can wait. They¡¯re just trying to understand what to do with us and keep us from causing trouble.¡±


    ¡°You can tell all of that from me?¡±  The man asked.


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°No, I¡¯ve been listening in on conversations for the past several hours.  I know quite a bit about what¡¯s happening outside and around the world. Everything is calming down, and now the political side is showing its face ... just like Zoe said.¡±  She rubbed her shoulder nervously. ¡°Oh¡ªI¡¯ll be riding in the car with a Vampire? That makes me a little nervous after hearing what happened in Seattle¡ªover eight-hundred dead.¡±


    ¡°Can¡ªI start drawing your blood?¡±  He asked, shoulders rotating to ease the tension.


    She rubbed the back of her neck.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, yeah, go ahead. You know, I think Zoe was onto something.  I think I have changed a bit since turning into a Lunar Hare, and from everything I¡¯ve heard¡ªI don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to return back to normal.  Really¡ªwhat are my parents going to say?¡± She bit her lower lip with concern.


    AuthorSME


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


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 B1 — 3. Scarlet

    Rachel waited for the man to get ready, sitting on a foldable chair.  He took out the needle to stick into her vein; she held out her hand, but he seemed a little confused.  ¡°Umm, I can¡¯t see any veins?¡± After a little study, he added an elastic tourniquet and waited, but still, her arm didn¡¯t change.


    She hummed.  ¡°That¡¯s odd. I work out a lot; usually, I can see them, but you¡¯re right.  My skin is perfectly smooth; I can recognize the tourniquet too, but it doesn¡¯t feel tight.¡±


    Clearing his throat, he swallowed.  ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to see about using your accessory cephalic vein.  Give me a second to study your arm.¡± After a bit of study, he poked her arm, and white liquid began running into the tube.  ¡°What the...¡±


    ¡°My blood is white?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°I guess...¡±  The man trailed off.


    ¡°Hm, it¡¯s really strange.  I could feel the prick pretty sharply, but it wasn¡¯t a painful feeling, just a knowledge I¡¯d been stuck with something.¡±


    He nodded without comment.  After a few vials were taken, he loosened the strip and took out the needle, ¡°What¡¯s your name, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Rachel Sung Park¡ªmy Korean name is Park-Sung-Hyo if that matters.¡±  He added a cotton ball but soon realized the small hole had already healed.  Shaking his head, he directed her to an exit by the decontamination area.


    She swallowed nervously and took a deep breath.  I guess I¡¯ll be escorted to the vehicle transporting us ... I¡¯ll meet a real vampire.  She isn¡¯t the same vampire as the guy in Seattle, but she¡¯s still a vampire. She went through the plastic wall, parting the slit, and moved through two more barriers before she made it on the other side.


    Twelve men in heavy military equipment and green berets greeted her.  ¡°Hello, Ma¡¯am,¡± a man stepped forward. ¡°My name is Captain Mateo Garcia Herrero; we¡¯ll be your escort.¡±


    Rachel rubbed her left shoulder, examining each of them.  Wow, their posture and just the aura I feel from them ... these are really brave men.  She nodded.  ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°This is B-Team, escorting Lunar Hare to rendezvous location.¡±


    ¡°Roger, B-Team.  Mission a go.¡±


    Nodding, they walked briskly down the halls, passing many people in military garb and a few people in lab coats; the men forming a circle around her.  When they came to the front of the building, Rachel¡¯s breath caught. The moment she stepped out of the building surging energy coursed through her.


    The company stopped.  ¡°Something¡ªyou¡¯re glowing, anything to be concerned about?¡±  The men took a step back, studying her warily.


    Catching her breath, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°No,¡± looking up, she stared at the crescent moon.  ¡°I think¡ªthere¡¯s a reason I¡¯m called a Lunar Hare ... I feel like I could work out forever.  I just have this urge to be active¡ªbut it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not going to go crazy or anything. Just feel super motivated, I guess.¡±  She chuckled apologetically. ¡°Sorry to worry you.¡±


    Holding a hand to his ear, Mateo said, ¡°Note, Lunar Hare, obtain energy when under moonlight and begins to glow.¡±  Nodding with confirmation, he motioned for them to keep moving.


    Rachel¡¯s attention was taken by a few military vehicles that were stationed in front of them; they moved toward a Humvee.


    ¡°Roger, Cameron with the Vampire and Lunar Hare; pack-up and move out!¡±  Mateo ordered.


    The men hustled into action, running to different Humvees with weapons atop, and she heard a helicopter coming toward them.  Wow, all of this for us?  I guess there are still some terrorist groups out there killing anyone that looks different ... and who knows, maybe another Mythickin goes crazy, who¡¯s to say.


    She stiffly walked toward the Humvee door one of the men opened for her.  Peering inside, she got her first view of a Vampire. She was around seventeen or eighteen and wore a straight jacket with a barred muzzle over her mouth, dark PJ¡¯s covering her legs; she seemed completely at ease.


    Her skin was as bright as Rachels, but her hair was a silky raven black that hung a little above her lower back.  The Vampire-girl seemed bored as she turned to stare at Rachel, her sclera appeared to be a void; so black that it looked hollow, and large irises glowed with a crimson light without pupils.  In moments, her eyes changed; her sclera turning back to white and irises becoming bright blue before their escort could see.


    Slowly entering, Rachel sat across from her; Roger and Cameron taking both sides, by the opposite windows, and shut the door.  Someone sat in the driver''s seat, and they began preparing to move, Mateo issuing orders over the wireless headsets.  ¡°So,¡± Rachel muttered.  ¡°My name¡¯s Rachel Park. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    She responded neutrally, eyes sliding over her body.  ¡°My name¡¯s Scarlet Clementine Johnson ... yes, my parents are obsessed with Vampire literature.¡±  She sighed as she looked toward the brown-haired man next to her.


    ¡°You can read my mind?¡±  The man¡¯s face grew pale.


    Scarlet seemed to smile.  ¡°It¡¯s not a hard stretch, but no¡ªI don¡¯t have that ability; from what I can tell, I have the power to control my blood.¡±  Her eyes glowed entirely crimson and the straight jacket darkened before ripping into sheds, crystalline blood flowing into razor edges.  Rachel stiffened, and both men¡¯s complexion paled as they lifted their rifles.


    Scarlet chuckled as the blood seemed to be absorbed into her hands, eyes returning to normal.  ¡°No need ... I¡¯ve already been shot, remember. Though, none of the bullets hit my heart.¡± She pondered before looking down.  ¡°Oh¡ªsorry, I broke your jacket ... why don¡¯t you call for a new one?  I¡¯m getting thirsty too; could you call for a new blood pack? That last one is making me feel dull¡ªhonestly, are most people that donate blood this dense?¡±


    The man next to Rachel swallowed hard before pressing his hand to his ear.  ¡°This is Cameron; Vampire broke restraints and is asking for a new one, orders?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed as Mateo swore in response.  ¡°Again? She¡¯s just playing with us; whatever, she hasn¡¯t shown any signs of hostility.  Leave her be¡ªacts like my freaking daughter.¡±


    Scarlet removed her muzzle with ease; her blood-red lips were a line and didn¡¯t twitch as she stared at the Lunar Hare across from her.  She suddenly yawned, exposing thin, razor-sharp canines before rubbing her eyes and turning to stare out of the window, revealing her pointed ears.  She whispered low enough for only Rachel to hear. ¡°Those big ears aren¡¯t for show, are they?¡± Her blue eyes sparkled as she glanced over at Rachel, but her face remained placid.  ¡°I¡¯ve been testing out my abilities; they¡¯re pretty cool, but I keep getting thirsty after I use them¡ªtired too. They don¡¯t know that though,¡± She winked before yawning again, scratching behind her ears with black fingernails.


    ¡°She¡¯s asking for another blood pack,¡± Cameron stated, eyes trained on Scarlet.


    ¡°She just had one like fifteen minutes ago!  She can wait.¡±


    Scarlet frowned slightly at Mateo¡¯s response and looked over at Cameron.  ¡°I don¡¯t think I can ... I feel...¡± Her eyes rolled back as she appeared to faint.


    Both men seemed conflicted as they watched Scarlet lean against the door.  ¡°Umm¡ªshe¡¯s just faking it, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Rachel muttered.  ¡°I think using that blood ability took it out of her.¡±


    Repeating what happened, Mateo swore again.  ¡°I swear! If she¡¯s messing with us¡ªfine, Conner, drop off a blood bag ... we don¡¯t need her becoming delirious or something and start attacking people.¡±


    Shortly after the order, a man opened the door and handed Roger a bag.  He ripped off the top cap and shifted over to gently shake the Vampire. When she didn¡¯t respond, he held the opening to her lips, squeezing a little into her mouth.


    She jolted a little, eyes slowly opening; she studied Roger¡¯s hand with a teasing grin.  ¡°How brave of you; offering me your own blood.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Roger dropped the bag, darting back, but Scarlet was much quicker, snatching the blood bag just as it left his grip.  By the time he was pressed against the opposite door, she was sucking on the bag.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said brightly before her features turned placid again.  ¡°Seriously,¡± she groaned, pulling the bag away from her lips. ¡°It¡¯s the same guy ... I feel so dull again.  I guess this is what it¡¯s like being a Vampire¡ªit sucks.¡± The Humvee started to move as she sighed, looking over at Rachel.  ¡°What¡¯s it like being a bunny-girl¡ªI assume you¡¯re Mythickin too if you¡¯re with me.¡±


    Feeling a little more comfortable with the girl in front of her, Rachel nodded.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a Lunar Hare. It¡¯s not that bad; I can hear everything around me for miles, and I just learned the moon has an effect on me.  It gives me energy or something like that.¡±


    ¡°Cool,¡± she said dully.  ¡°Oh, so, depending on the person¡¯s blood I drink, apparently, it changes my personality a bit, but blood bags just make me feel ... blah.¡±


    ¡°What does it taste like?¡±


    Scarlet shrugged.  ¡°Everyone¡¯s different.  It depends on their gender, age, diet, and personality; that¡¯s what I think anyway.  Have you tested out any of your powers?¡±


    ¡°Not really; I¡¯ve just been mostly using my ears.  I don¡¯t know if you could call those powers. What about that blood ability of yours?  You can harden your blood like knives or something?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.  I think I can make microfractures in my skin to allow my blood to come out and absorb it back in the same way.  I don¡¯t seem to need my own blood in my body, I can pull out just about all of it, and I heal super fast, but I haven¡¯t tested anything with ultraviolet light yet ... don¡¯t want to burn to a crisp.  Here¡¯s to hoping I¡¯m like a purebred or daywalker or something like that.¡± She said, holding up her blood bag before sipping at it again, expression showing hints of a sour taste.


    They were silent for a moment as Rachel thought on what to ask next.  ¡°So, your type¡ªit¡¯s just a vampire?¡±


    She shook her head, finishing the bag.  ¡°Nope¡ªI¡¯m a Vespertine Reaper, basically a Vampire ... I think it¡¯s like, a subtype or something.  I¡¯ve heard about another type of Vampire that controls people¡¯s minds in Seattle.  I don¡¯t think I can do that. By the name, I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯m not the day-walking type though ... who knew yesterday was my last time feeling the sun.¡±  She stated bitterly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to enjoy being a Vampire,¡± Rachel commented, shifting to ease her tension.


    Dropping the bag beside her, she hummed.  ¡°Love the powers, but hate Vampires; let¡¯s just say my parents ruined it for me...¡±


    Rachel nodded, not pushing the topic and they fell silent.  The streets seemed to be cleared of obstacles, cars lining the roadside.  From what she could see of the trash-laden streets, there was a massive panic here; store windows were broken, and several sections of housing seemed burned as the National Guard patrolled the streets.


    Her ears twitched as she heard a commotion further down the road; it sounded like ice breaking and expanding as people shouted.  The men¡¯s headpieces activated with instructions. ¡°A human with ice powers has appeared; those near Coral Way and Douglas Road intersection be advised.¡±


    Roger swore.  ¡°That¡¯s right in our path.  The other streets are still blocked by cars.¡±


    Sure enough, Mateo swore through their headset.  ¡°Be prepared for action.¡±


    Scarlet seemed to perk up a little.  ¡°Oh, is there going to be action? Another pretend hero or villain?¡±


    Rachel swallowed nervously; she¡¯d heard reports of people with powers fighting other people with powers.  She rubbed her shoulder nervously as she heard guns firing in the distance and people shouting, women, men, and children crying near the chaos.  ¡°Have you met any of them yet, Scarlet? The heroes or villains?¡±


    She took a deep breath.  ¡°You could say that...¡± Her eyes opened a bit wider than Rachel thought possible as the void returned, red orbs emerging from within as she stared ahead of them.  ¡°A few people died up ahead; several more are severely wounded.¡± She licked her lips. ¡°We¡¯re just about to the scene; it¡¯s right in the middle of the road. A big man with some form of crystal wall he¡¯s able to protect himself with¡ªoh, my,¡± her hand lifted to her lips, showing her night black fingernails.  Rachel heard a rapid expansion of ice and a roaring wind that rushed out in all directions.


    ¡°What?¡±  Cameron asked, looking at her eyes nervously.


    She calmly put on her seatbelt.  ¡°He can push the ice out and cause a blizzard that seems to freeze people.  We¡¯re about to be hit by a gust, buckle-up.¡±


    Rachel and the two guards quickly fastened their seatbelts; no sooner than the click sounded the driver yelled, and they slammed to a halt.  Rachel didn¡¯t feel the force at all, easily recovering, but Roger and Cameron seemed winded.


    ¡°How did you know all that?¡±  Rachel asked, removing her seatbelt as fog escaped her lips with the plummeting temperature; yet again, she felt no discomfort from the frost as the two men beside her began to shiver.


    Roger and Cameron¡¯s headset was a flurry of activity.  ¡°Get out of the vehicles and into cover! Overwatch down¡ªdoors jammed¡ªOliver and Chad frozen...¡±


    Removing her seatbelt, Scarlet hummed.  ¡°I can see through things; it¡¯s like a red-tinted vision that allows me to see living beings, and seems to have zooming thrown in ... classic Vampire eyes.¡±  She frowned as she examined the ice creeping through the door. ¡°What are we going to do? I can¡¯t use my abilities very long with the amount of blood I¡¯ve ingested¡ªmy, when have I started talking  like this¡ªthis Vampire change keeps startling me.¡±


    Rachel smiled a little.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve changed a bit too.¡±  Seriousness returning, she asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s going on now?¡±


    They turned their attention to Roger and Cameron as they tried opening the door without luck before touching their headpiece.  ¡°Sir, we¡¯re trapped inside.¡±


    Humming, Rachel looked down at her thin arms.  Well, I have wanted to punch something, but a kick will do.  ¡°Get back,¡± she instructed.


    A touch of curiosity touched Scarlet¡¯s cheeks, but her tone was still unenthusiastic.  ¡°Oh?¡± She scooted back beside Roger.


    Rachel pulled her hair out of the way as she crouched in the small space before kicking at the door with her bare foot.  The metal caved under the force as it was ripped off its bearings and plowed into a nearby car, crushing it as the tires popped, rims skidding to slam against an adjacent building.  Rachel stiffened. ¡°That was a lot stronger than I intended.¡±


    ¡°That was awesome,¡± Scarlet clapped slowly.  ¡°Okay,¡± her vision shifted to stare through the vehicle.  ¡°Drat, he¡¯s taken a child hostage; probably around the age of nine¡ªyour kick just now alerted him, he¡¯s looking this way.  His ice barrier is back up.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Rachel turned to Roger and Cameron.  ¡°Can you ask if I can help? I¡¯m pretty sure I can run really fast and grab the boy without him knowing.¡±


    Cameron hesitated for a moment but repeated the information over the headset.  Mateo¡¯s voice was hard. ¡°You¡¯re a civilian, stay inside.¡±


    Rachel sighed.  ¡°Please, I can help...¡±


    Shut cut off as Scarlet stretched with a groan.  ¡°This is so boring; I want to get all of this over with.¡±  She glared through the vehicle. ¡°Hey, Cameron, let me talk to the Captain.¡±  Cameron frowned but handed her his earpiece. Holding the earpiece close to her mouth, she said, ¡°Hey, Mateo, this is Scarlet.  I heard you guys talking about how I¡¯m a predator before. Well, I was scared and starving back then¡ªnow,¡± a charming smile touched her cheeks, ¡°I feel like a predator.¡±  Shadows rose up from the ground to swallow her.


    Startled, Rachel darted out of the vehicle to see Scarlet partially hidden from view behind a tall man.  The moon''s light filled her with energy; she could see Scarlet''s void black and shining red eyes, even from this distance as her smile grew; she¡¯d somehow bypassed his icy shell. Blood snaked up around the man¡¯s torso, encircling his neck as he stiffened.


    She whispered from behind the man.  ¡°Hello,¡± she said sweetly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about stumbling and falling in shock; I paralyzed you.  It seems I have a selective paralysis touch.¡±


    The boy standing in front of the man screamed as he turned and saw the red liquid flowing across the man¡¯s skin and caught sight of Scarlet.  He scrambled to the edge of the ice shell as it shattered into tiny pieces.


    ¡°Run along,¡± Scarlet said with a bright smile.  ¡°I¡¯m feeling so much better getting that last bit of blood out of my system ... some people¡¯s blood just makes me so depressed.  Oh¡ªlet me release my paralysis on your breathing muscles and mouth. There, now, what do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    ¡°What¡ªare you?¡±  He gasped, breathing sharply.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s rude,¡± she clicked her tongue, ¡°but what can you expect from a kidnapper.  Me¡ªI¡¯m a Vampire,¡± she took a deep breath. ¡°And you smell like lunch! That¡¯s the correct time, yes?  Maybe dinner ... I mean, it should be getting light again soon, so I really would like to wrap all this business up.¡±


    She walked around to face the man, hand leaving his back.  He began to tremble, eyes bulging as he caught sight of her face, her blood binding him.  ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯re a monster!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as she heard Mateo speak to a few of his men that were set up; the boy had been taken into a nearby building by another soldier.  ¡°You have the tranq set? The highest dose for the Vampire; human dose for the iceman.¡± Should I warn her?  I don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s in control right now though ... she¡¯s not acting like she was in the car.


    ¡°Such a rude man.¡±  She tsked, taking a deep breath.  The blood spread across his body. ¡°I imagine the paralysis touch is used for silently draining my prey ... I really am built like an assassin.¡±  She shook her head. Her voice seemed to brighten. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve had this thought. You see, I can change my blood into a weapon; you feel it giving you the closest shave you¡¯ve ever experienced.  It¡¯s malleable, so you can still breath, but cuts literally every hair right to the skin. Now, it also reacts on danger for me; so I¡¯d advise against using that ice you¡¯re trying to summon around me.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s gut tightened.  If it¡¯s by danger then could it react to the tranq darts?


    ¡°On my count; ten...¡±  Mateo whispered.


    Scarlet hummed, licking her lips.  ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking, what if I forced my blood into your body, surrounded your nerves, and then start slowly shaving them away.  How would that feel?¡± She sighed. ¡°I guess we don¡¯t have time.¡±


    Mateo finished his count and Rachel heard the triggers pulled; however, Scarlet smiled as all the blood gathered into her body before she vanished in a shroud of shadows, rematerializing from shadows beside Rachel.  The ice-man stiffened as the tranq hit his neck and he dropped to the floor three seconds later.


    ¡°Honestly,¡± Scarlet huffed.  ¡°No trust at all; I was just scaring him, so he¡¯d never think about doing it again.¡±  She glanced back at Mateo as he glared at her. ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± She yelled. ¡°All the frozen people are still alive too.¡±


    Her bright demeanor seemed to diminish.  She released a sad puff of air as she glanced toward a specific house.  ¡°Really, he followed me all the way here ... Rachel, there¡¯s a wannabe superhero that¡¯s about to attack me¡ªand I¡¯m feeling faint...¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Rachel asked, ears perking.


    She was alarmed to see Scarlet¡¯s eyes turn back to normal as she began dropping to the ground.  Time slowed as she reached out and heard something flying through the air. She scooped Scarlet in her arms, jumping fifteen feet over their frozen Humvee as smoke bombs exploded around the spot they¡¯d been.  Supporting Scarlet¡¯s head, she landed, hair swinging behind her. I hear someone running toward us ... what is Scarlet wrapped up in?


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 4. Ethics

    Rachel''s ears were stiff, scanning for danger.  She heard something rushing through the smoke and then it was gone; not a sound.  Swallowing nervously, she backed up a little, supporting Scarlet against her body without effort.  What is that?  He was there, and then he vanished.


    Her ears twitched as she heard someone¡¯s footsteps appear out of nowhere from within a house behind her; heavy breathing followed as the man fiddled with something metallic.  Rachel¡¯s focused hearing heard Mateo calling for his men to defensive positions as soon as he saw the smoke. Is he teleporting?  He appeared in that house out of nowhere, but there was a definite delay.


    She frowned as she heard a dull popping sound as more projectiles shot from the building toward her, the smoke at her back beginning to expand to fill the area.  He¡¯s obstructing our vision.  The movement of the haze around her slowed to a creep as she moved, a concussive burst of air rushing past her at the near instant acceleration.  Holy¡ªwhat is up with this speed?  Her vision shifted down as Scarlet pressed against her body.  She should be able to handle this speed, right?  She¡¯s a Vampire, still, I should be careful with her head ... or her heart?


    Her focus returned to what was in front of her; her wide field of vision giving her ample information.  I should head back to our escort and tell them what¡¯s going on.  Within a breath, she¡¯d run around the smoke blocking the unit and stopped in front of Mateo, slowing a bit before coming to a stop.


    Mateo jumped with a half-uttered curse as she appeared in a flurry of wind; shielding his face.  ¡°What¡ªwhen...¡±  He slowly lowered his arms as he returned to his senses.  ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Rachel kept ahold of Scarlet as she looked back at the expanding cloud, shifting violently with her passing.  ¡°Scarlet said there¡¯s a wannabe superhero after her before fainting. She probably needs a blood pack.¡±


    Her ears twitched as a person seemed to appear from thin air fifteen feet from them in a cloud of haze; his breathing, heartbeat, footsteps, and clothes shifting in the breeze gave away his position.  She watched him appear in slow motion as her focus sharpened. He was wearing black spandex with yellow designs, and a Noh mask that hid his face; on his back was a tactical backpack, a belt with two more smoke grenades on it with some form of miniature grenade launcher strapped to his side.  He seemed to have muscle and was at least two meters high. ¡°Don¡¯t give that devil a drop of blood!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s hands tightened around the unconscious Scarlet.  What¡¯s his beef?


    The soldiers around them reacted instantly; raising their guns.  ¡°Get on the ground!¡±


    ¡°I will not,¡± the man stated, crossing his arms.  ¡°I have been tracking that hellspawn all night!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t repeat it,¡± Mateo growled, finger on the trigger of his rifle.


    ¡°Your weapons are useless against me,¡± the man darkly stated.  ¡°I will not harm the Military for doing their duty, but I cannot allow that thing freedom.¡±


    They were silent for a moment; the sound of Mateo grinding his teeth feeding into Rachel¡¯s ears.  ¡°The country is in a state of Martial Law; we are in a hostile zone with stretched resources. On the count of three, we will open fire; one, two, three, weapons hot.¡±


    Rachel tensed, closing her eyes, ears lying back as the soldiers¡¯ weapons sounded around them.  The firing ceased, prompting Rachel to look at the scene. The man was standing in the same position, wavering for a moment as if a mirage before solidifying, causing Mateo and a few of his men to curse.  ¡°Ability user.¡± He spat.


    ¡°I cannot be hurt by your weapons,¡± he stated again.  ¡°I will ask again; give me the Vampire, and I¡¯ll be on my...¡±  He cut off as Mateo sniffed loudly.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he said, pointing at the man.  ¡°You want the Vampire?¡±


    Rachel was about to question him when she heard the sharp sound of a cartridge being loaded several buildings back.  The man that took the child inside the buildings.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d...¡±  He cut off as a bullet passed through his head, the shockwave sounding to Rachel¡¯s ears seconds later.  The bullet didn¡¯t seem to catch him in a solid state, causing Mateo and several of his men to mutter a curse.  ¡°Well¡ªI should have seen that coming from Special Forces...¡± The man stated bitterly, his voice hoarse. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t about to walk over to grab her ... I¡¯d be dead ... pure luck on my part; I¡¯ll admit my mistake.  Now, will you?¡±


    Rachel hummed darkly.  ¡°Why do you hate Scarlet so much?  What¡¯s your beef with her?¡±


    The man¡¯s voice hardened.  ¡°I¡ªshe¡ªit killed twenty people; my brother included.¡±  There has to be more to the story.  This all had to have happened in less than several hours.  What did Scarlet say? She was starving and scared before, but now she felt like a predator.


    Frowning, Rachel pressed.  ¡°How did it happen?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡±  The man stated. ¡°It killed twenty people; it¡¯s a mass murderer.¡±


    Mateo spoke up, clearly pissed.  ¡°I was briefed on the incident; twenty cultists that forced her into a coffin and wanted to use her for some purpose.  She was kidnapped and lashed out in self-defense. Get off your high-horse and go to a shelter...¡± Oh, I get it ... Scarlet¡¯s blood reacted to save her ... she was scared, just turned into a Vampire, starving, and kidnapped.  I can¡¯t even imagine being forced into that circumstance after changing.


    ¡°Are you kidding me!¡±  The man yelled. ¡°My brother was an undercover cop investigating that cult, and it murdered him right along with them.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a sad incident.¡±  Rachel said with a heavy tone, ¡°But Scarlet had just changed; she didn¡¯t know how to control her powers, and her blood reacts to protect her.  Her blood must have lashed out at everyone in the area.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still a murderer,¡± he seethed.


    ¡°She¡¯s a traumatized teenage girl that was turned into a monster and forced into a terrible situation.  So, quit calling her it and recognize the poor girl¡¯s humanity¡±  Mateo shouted back. ¡°What would you do if the roles were reversed and it was your brother that did that?  Huh? Would you be hunting him for revenge right now?¡±


    Rachel could hear the man grinding his teeth at Mateo¡¯s response, and Rachel had a thought.  ¡°Did Scarlet drink any of their blood?¡±


    It took a moment before the man answered.  ¡°No, but...¡±


    She cut him off, feeling a little heated herself.  ¡°If she were a monster like you say, then would a starving monster¡ªliterally dying of thirst, not drink the pools of life around her?¡±  She paused for a moment, but he didn¡¯t respond. ¡°No¡ªa starving monster wouldn¡¯t run away in a panic, terrified¡ªlikely of what she just did¡ªwhat she¡¯d become.  What kind of hero hunts down the victim? It¡¯s sad that your brother was there, but you¡¯re spitting on his grave by hunting down the girl he probably would have wanted to save¡ªfrom a person like you.¡±


    The silence stretched as he thought on her words.  He growled in frustration for a moment, before cursing.  ¡°She will answer for her crime!¡± He unhooked a gas grenade from his belt, squeezed the release trigger and dropped it.  The haze began to fill the area, and he faded away. ¡°My brother will get justice!¡±


    ¡°Eyes sharp; gas masks,¡± Mateo yelled.


    Rachel relaxed as she heard him materialize a few hundred feet to their north a few minutes later; she pointed in his direction.  ¡°He¡¯s running that way; I don¡¯t think this smoke is poisonous either.¡±


    Mateo removed his mask, taking a deep breath before swearing.  ¡°Left behind gas everywhere. World¡¯s turned on its head. Hopefully, we can get everything ironed out soon and restore power to the local authorities.  We need a justice system back.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Can we get another blood pack for Scarlet?  I think she goes into this state to conserve energy when she¡¯s low ... I don¡¯t know how long, but she could die if she doesn¡¯t get blood after a certain time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Mateo muttered.  ¡°Do you hear any other threats in the area?¡±


    Rachel listened for a moment.  ¡°Some gunfire two miles south and some fist fights and arguments over resources within a few miles, but I don¡¯t hear anything about any hostile threats.  There is a Beastkin Dog-man that is being bullied by some teens, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll get violent; they¡¯re verbally assaulting him, but keeping their distance.  A few more incidents, but nothing concerning us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s relieving.¡±  He motioned to one of his men.  ¡°Roy, grab a blood pack from one of the vehicles.  Cameron and Roger take up a defensive position and keep watch.  Vincent, keep guard on the Ice-man and keep him sedated. The rest of you, get what blankets you can find and help the frozen civilians and National Guard in the area unthaw.¡±  The men rushed into action. Holding his hand to his ear, he said, ¡°Great shot, Matthew. What happened to the child?¡±


    ¡°Parents were nearby; he was out looking for food.¡±


    ¡°Good work,¡± Mateo looked up and down the street.  ¡°Keep overwatch, get to that four-story business across the street.¡±


    ¡°Roger.¡±


    He took a deep breath as he saw Roy trying to get into a frozen Humvee.  ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have the strength to open it?¡± He glanced at Rachel.


    Rachel smiled.  ¡°Yeah, shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±  Carefully setting Scarlet down, she walked over to the door, gesturing for Roy to stand back.  Taking a deep breath, she grasped the door handle and pulled, frowning as it broke off in her hand.


    ¡°Well, the hard way then.¡±  She muttered, dropping the handle.  She placed her fingers against the steel and pressed in, fingers ripping into the metal, she tore the door off, causing the whole frame of the car to screech.  She took a look around at the smoke before gripping it tightly and sharply waving it a few times, blowing the gas away with sharp gusts of wind before tossing it to the side.


    ¡°For real?¡±  Roy whispered, shaking his head.


    Mateo walked over to her, breathing through his teeth as Roy ducked inside.  ¡°You¡¯re something else¡ªboth of you,¡± he said, glancing back at Scarlet. ¡°I can only imagine how scary you two would be if put through training.¡±


    She chuckled.  ¡°I can see your point, but,¡± she pointed up at the sky, ¡°I think the moon has something to do with all my extra strength right now.  I can feel a lot of power leave my body when I¡¯m obstructed from the moon¡¯s light.¡±


    He laughed.  ¡°We all got our weaknesses, I suppose.  That speed though¡ªyou were a moving blur, racing around that cloud of smoke ... the wind pressure alone cleared out a lot of it.¡±


    ¡°Again,¡± she shrugged, ¡°probably the moon.¡±


    Nodding, he looked thoughtful.  ¡°That makes me wonder how your powers will be during a full moon; hell, what could they be on the different colors of the moon.¡±


    ¡°Like an eclipse?¡±


    He examined his men for a moment.  ¡°Yeah, the moon can stay other colors through the night for various reasons too¡ªwe need some way to deal with these people with abilities; we¡¯re getting into the realm of science fiction and fantasy now.¡±  He whispered, scratching under the back of his helmet. ¡°No offense, but it would be a nightmare trying to deal with Scarlet or you if you went on a rampage¡ªScarlet took a shotgun to the back like it was nothing when we found her.¡±


    Rachel sighed as Roy hopped out of the Humvee with a blood bag; running over to hand it to Mateo.  He stared down at the red liquid before giving it to Rachel. ¡°We¡¯re going to clean-up here for a bit; keep alert and warn us of any danger¡ªanyone could be hostile ... feels like Iraq all over again.¡±  His sharp brown eyes surveyed the area before turning to Roy. ¡°Find out how the vehicles are and contact HQ; let me know if you establish contact.¡±


    Rachel moved to Scarlet as both Roy and Mateo moved off.  Kneeling down beside her, she realized Scarlet was about five foot two; a lot smaller than she¡¯d thought.  She did look like a child next to that massive ice guy.  Tearing off the cap, Rachel supported Scarlet¡¯s head and squeezed a tiny bit of blood into her mouth, causing her to stir.  Removing the bag as she opened her eyes.


    Scarlet looked around with a frown at the leftover smoke still lingering in the area, her tone alert.  ¡°Oh¡ªis he gone?¡±


    She nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m keeping track of his footsteps; he¡¯s north of us, running away.¡±


    Breathing a relieved sigh, Scarlet looked down at the blood pack with a small smile.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste like the same blood as before.¡± Rachel handed it to her, and she pinched the cap; opening her mouth wide, she sank her fangs into the bag.  Rachel watched in fascination as her eyes glowed crimson and the packet emptied in seconds.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t have to suck on it, like a yogurt stick?¡±


    Licking her lips as her eyes returned to normal, Scarlet shook her head, but her tone had mellowed out.  ¡°Nope. My fangs seem to absorb the blood and pull it in once they make contact. It scared some scientists before¡ªso, in front of the soldiers I was sucking it out.¡±


    Rachel was silent for a moment.  ¡°I heard a little bit of what happened to you when you changed¡ªsounded pretty terrible.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s vision narrowed as she glared at the ground.  ¡°What did you hear?¡±


    ¡°Just that you were kidnapped and had to defend yourself to escape.¡±


    She nodded slowly.  ¡°Yeah ... I was scared.¡±  She glanced around, Vampire eyes returning as she scanned the area.  ¡°There are wounded people in the building; it looks like the soldiers noticed already and are treating them though.  The boy found his parents? I see him with a group of people.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he had wandered away to find food.¡±


    She nodded, straightening against the side of the upside-down car she rested against.  ¡°Thanks for keeping me safe.¡± She whispered as red tears started gathering in her eyes.  ¡°It¡¯s the blood¡ªit¡¯s making me emotional.¡± She sniffed, pale face reddening as a bloody tear dropped down her cheek.


    Smiling warmly, Rachel hugged her.  ¡°Red tears, huh? You¡¯re not so bad of a Vampire; by the way, how can your face flush or your skin stay perfectly fine if all your blood leaves?¡±


    Scarlet shook with soft laughter in her arms.  ¡°Magic¡ªI guess, I have no clue.¡± They sat that way for a minute as Scarlet got control of herself; wiping at her cheeks with what remained of her left jacket sleeve, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but you don¡¯t smell that great ... your blood sure, but I mean you.  My nose has become pretty sensitive.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Rachel laughed as she pulled away.  ¡°I took a chemical shower before we left.¡±


    She laughed with her for a moment, eyes returning to normal.  ¡°Okay, so, what¡¯s the next goal? Have you noticed some of the buttons on your sleeve are undone too?¡±


    ¡°We rest,¡± Rachel huffed, pushing the plastic buttons back in, and checking her medical gown¡¯s security.  She pulled her hair over her shoulder before sitting next to her. ¡°Mateo is trying to get in touch with headquarters, and the rest of the soldiers are helping people in the area clean-up after the Ice-man incident.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Scarlet yawned.  ¡°I¡¯m so tired.¡± She looked at the sky with worry.  ¡°The sun rises so early in Miami; I feel like it¡¯s going to come up soon ... I¡¯m a little scared.¡±


    Rachel hummed as she stared up.  ¡°Yeah, it¡¯ll probably be daylight in a few hours¡ªyou know, it actually started around night-time, but it did happen all over the world¡ªguess every moment of the day.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really?¡±  Scarlet asked, rubbing her eyes.  ¡°It happened everywhere?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear the Presidential statement on the matter?¡±  She shook her head. ¡°I guess we didn¡¯t learn much¡ªthe government is working with the States and around the world to help get everything back to normal¡ªthey speculate over a million U.S. citizens were affected.¡±


    She yawned again.  ¡°That sucks¡ªit¡¯s good too though¡ªI want a bit more normal.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as she heard Mateo talking with his superiors about the incident.  ¡°That¡¯s the situation; what are our orders. Over.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have the resources to send an extraction.  Take any Humvee that is working and hotwire some cars in the area.  Get to the drop point. Over.¡±


    ¡°Sir.  Out.¡±


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re hotwiring some cars and continuing to the hospital,¡± Rachel muttered.


    Scarlet nodded as she rose and stretched.  ¡°Mhm, alright.¡± She walked over to Roy as he turned on a Humvee in the back, the ice starting to melt, Rachel following behind her.  ¡°Hey, are we using this one?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Roy confirmed.


    ¡°Great,¡± Scarlet muttered.  Opening the back door, she sat by the opposite door, put on her seatbelt, and promptly fell asleep.


    Roy looked through the gap leading to the cab with concern.  ¡°She okay?¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I think so. She¡¯s just really tired after using her abilities all night ... probably while functioning on so little blood too.¡±  Wow, that¡¯s a real thing.  She lives off blood ... I¡¯m sure it¡¯s even more strange for her.


    Mateo was talking to some of his men; giving them orders to find a working truck with a cover to transport the frozen people.  They quickly found a moving van and dumped everything that was within, keeping blankets and harnesses to cushion the people placed inside.  Glancing their way, he said, ¡°Alright, everyone, prepare to roll out.¡±


    They were soon back on the road, Rachel sitting across from Scarlet.  She seems so peaceful lying there.  Her mind returned to her vanishing.  She can teleport through shadows, paralyze people with her touch, see through buildings, and control her blood like knives ... it¡¯s pretty amazing.  What can I do though? Hear really far, run fast, I seem resistant to impacts and the cold, but so does Scarlet; I have super strength, and the moon gives me power¡ªI feel a lot weaker inside the Humvee and not under the moon though.  Her abilities seem so much cooler¡ªwell, flashy. She also has weaknesses though, and I haven¡¯t really tested my abilities ... but she¡¯s only been running on minimal blood too, she could have other amazing powers. My parents would be proud of me though, right?  I have strong abilities; I also have my Muay Thai training ... what are they doing in this chaos?


    The ride to the hospital was without incident.  They pulled up to the ER; a lot of people were in a flurry of activity.  People flocked to the building for medical treatment as National Guard soldiers directed people to specific areas.  Rachel¡¯s ears caught an interesting conversation.


    ¡°Did you hear about the Mythickin Unicorn that showed up with that gang?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she can cure just about anything, but she¡¯s demanding compensation from people.¡±


    ¡°She knows this is a state of crisis, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s such a...¡±


    Rachel hummed lowly.  A Unicorn Mythickin that¡¯s demanding compensation and has a gang?  What¡¯s up with that? She scanned the building until she found the conversation with the Unicorn present, but couldn¡¯t understand a word; she recognized the language as Spanish.


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 5. Rare Breed

    Rachel hopped out of the Humvee and carefully opened Scarlet¡¯s door.  Unbuckling her, she gently picked her up and moved to Mateo as he talked with another soldier that met him.


    ¡°Nicely done, Captain.  We¡¯ll take the wounded off your hands.  Have two of your men escort the two Mythickin to the research area and have the rest of your men take a breather.¡±  Mateo nodded, and the man walked over to talk with more soldiers.


    ¡°Roger, Cameron,¡± the two men looked Mateo¡¯s way.  ¡°You two have been with them the longest. Escort them to the research area and standby.¡±  Nodding, they walked over to Rachel as Cameron went to inform the rest of his team.


    ¡°If you could follow us,¡± Cameron said, nudging his head toward the ER.


    She noticed that she was drawing a lot of attention; likely from the moon¡¯s light making her glow.  However, when she walked inside, and her glow faded, she still drew eyes. Is it because of my bright skin and white-pinkish hair?


    They went by several doors with soldiers at attention; everyone made way for them as they continued, staring at her as they passed.  It¡¯s got to be my hair, it covers my tail, so that¡¯s the only thing ... except for my pinkish-red eyes and bright skin¡ªZoe did say I stand out.


    Her ears twitched as someone began talking to the Unicorn in English.  ¡°Hello, your name is Maria Camila Espinar, correct?¡±


    The voice that responded was soft but had a hard edge.  ¡°That¡¯s right; you the President of this hospital?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.  I understand that for your¡ªservices, you require compensation?¡±


    ¡°What of it?  I have a service and if you or anyone else wants to use it, pay up.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªthese people have just come running from their homes with nothing on them...¡±


    Maria chuckled.  ¡°I know you have WIFI up and working in this building; tu esta bromeando, cabron?  They can access their bank accounts and wire money.¡±


    Rachel frowned as the President went silent for a moment and Maria sniffed.  ¡°Nothing to say? No tengo tiempo.¡± She stated in a disgusted tone. ¡°If the hospital wants my support then it¡¯ll have to pay; think smart, payment to me and no drugs or equipment.¡±


    ¡°Give me some time to consider your proposal.¡±  The President muttered.


    Laughing, Maria¡¯s soft voice and condescending tone seemed in contrast.  ¡°Think quick, basura de mierda; people are dying.¡±


    It soon became apparent that she¡¯d left the conversation with the President as she spoke to someone new.  ¡°Estos tontos dar¨¢n; Ve a buscar a la pandilla y diles que traigan comida al d¨¦cimo piso.¡±


    ¡°Dale, hermana,¡± a young man chuckled.


    Rachel sighed as she continued talking in Spanish.  She¡¯s charging for healing people when the world¡¯s falling apart ... if Maria¡¯s like Scarlet and me, she could probably just do it with a snap of her finger.  She¡¯s a freaking Unicorn ... aren¡¯t they supposed to be pure and generous? Well, I guess it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve changed all that much ... a bit, but nothing crazy.  If she was a crook then, she¡¯d be a crook now.


    ¡°What is it?¡±  Roger asked.


    ¡°Just listening to a conversation,¡± she muttered.  ¡°By the way, is there any other Mythickin here beside Maria?  The Unicorn.¡± She added, noting his blank stare.


    ¡°Ah, umm, I haven¡¯t been briefed on any other Mythickin other than Scarlet and you.¡±


    ¡°That right,¡± Rachel said, still scanning the area for more information.  There are so many injured; from minor cuts to massive internal organ damage.  Some wounds seem to be from ability users, but most sound like they were caused by the riots and crowds running from anyone that changed; knowing the CDC was getting involved played a role in it, no one wanted to be infected.  There are so many biologically altered people dead too ... seems they got hit the hardest around the world. Hundreds of bodies that the National Guard and Military are helping to clear out ... all from a handful of groups and individuals.  It¡¯s so sad.


    She arrived at a medical ward that seemed to be clear of people; the doors locking behind them.  She could hear an excited woman up ahead. ¡°Richard, they¡¯re coming! It¡¯s the Vampire and Bunny-girl!  Isn¡¯t this exciting.¡±


    ¡°Chill, Julia.  Remember the report, she can probably hear you fangirling right now.¡±  An older man said with a chuckle, making Rachel smile.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it!  A real-life, like, in reality, Vampire and Bunny-girl!  Hare, gotta remember that; it¡¯s an important difference, but still!  What must they look like? I haven¡¯t seen any pictures.¡±


    ¡°Julia¡ªchill.¡±


    ¡°Right, deep breaths¡ªdeep breaths.  Okay, they said they¡¯re here, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, coming this way.¡±


    Cameron and Roger frowned as they started hearing the girl¡¯s squeals.  ¡°Something wrong up ahead?¡± Roger muttered.


    ¡°No,¡± Rachel said with a light chuckle.  ¡°She¡¯s just excited.¡±


    Rounding the corner, she got her first look at the pair.  They both wore lab coats and standard hospital attire. The man seemed to be in his fifties, the woman in her early thirties.  When Julia saw them, it looked like she was going to faint. ¡°You are¡ªgorgeous!¡± She breathed.


    Adding a light smile, Rachel sighed.  ¡°Thanks.¡± She examined the large medical space in a glance; she spotted a patient room to the left and went in to set Scarlet on the bed.  She turned as both Julia and Richard moved to the door, and before Julia could squeal anymore, Rachel put her finger to her lips, causing the woman¡¯s jaw to snap shut.  She was happy to see there were no windows. I should probably leave the curtains around the bed open and leave the glass door a crack ... I hope she doesn¡¯t have any trauma from being forced into that coffin.  Turning back to the pair, she left the room, leaving the glass door a crack behind her.


    ¡°Is there anything wrong with her?¡±  Richard asked with concern as he looked at the door.


    ¡°No,¡± Rachel said.  She moved to sit in a waiting chair, pulling her hair around her right side.  ¡°She¡¯s been using her abilities a lot and is feeling tired. I think she¡¯ll need a little more blood in a bit.  She fainted from a lack of energy after subduing a man that attacked us and has only had a single blood pack to stabilize her.¡±


    Julia¡¯s eyes were sparkling.  ¡°Really, she subdued the person that attacked you?¡±


    Roger and Cameron moved further down the hall and sat in chairs.  Cameron muttered, ¡°Rachel, we¡¯re going to try to get some rest. Wake us if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thanks, Cameron, Roger.¡±


    Richard glanced over at the soldiers.  ¡°Did they say something?¡±


    ¡°She must have heard them with her super hearing!¡±  Julia noted.


    Rubbing between her eyes, Rachel took a long breath.  ¡°Alright, so, Richard, Julia, I was told that I would be taken here, but it was a little vague for the purpose.¡±


    Julia cleared her throat, standing straighter.  ¡°Right, so, I have a doctorate in animal science from Cornell University, specifically, animal genomics and bioinformatics ... basically, I know a lot about animals.  I also love anime ... seeing you in real life is like a dream come true!¡±


    ¡°Doctor Jarsdel,¡± Richard said firmly.  ¡°We need to be professional.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Julia tried to calm herself.  ¡°Of course, I apologize ... what was your name again?  They really should have asked people to put their names on that race survey.¡±  She muttered.


    ¡°My name is Rachel Park.¡±


    Richard nodded.  ¡°Right, Ms. Park, it is a pleasure to meet you.  My name is Doctor Richard Raynott, MD of Psychiatry and General Surgery.  We have been asked to look at each Mythickin and assess your condition.¡±


    ¡°Condition,¡± Rachel whispered.  ¡°Do you know why any of this is happening?  Why everyone changed?¡±


    They both shook their heads.  ¡°No,¡± Richard said in a grave tone.  ¡°We have tested many people changed and found no matching signature biologically.  Mythickin, however, are extremely rare from what we¡¯ve been able to determine; analysts have determined through numbers pulled from other countries ... one in every one-hundred and fifty people have been affected worldwide¡ªthat¡¯s roughly fifty million people.¡±


    ¡°They haven¡¯t been able to compile all the races or types yet,¡± Julia stepped in.  ¡°However, there are only fifty-two Mythickin discovered so far.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m one in fifty-two,¡± Rachel sighed, leaning back.  ¡°That means there are three so far in Miami alone ... that¡¯s pretty surprising, right?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Richard pulled over a chair to sit across from her.  ¡°There are three in Tokyo, Japan discovered so far ... they¡¯re taking the change rather well.  There hasn¡¯t been near the amount of chaos as in the U.S., and there are a lot of people with powers helping over there.¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± Julia chuckled.  ¡°It¡¯s Japan; they love The Oscillation.¡±


    ¡°The Oscillation?¡±  Rachel shifted at the name.  ¡°The President said something about an oscillation.¡±


    Grabbing her own chair, Julia sat next to Richard.  ¡°That¡¯s what they¡¯re calling it; I think it started from the speech.  They¡¯re calling this event The Oscillation. We¡¯ve gotten a lot of reports about the exact moments it happened; there was a reverberation that pulsated back and forth inside of you before the change, right?¡±


    Rachel looked down at the floor.  ¡°Yeah, my roommate said that I changed from normal to¡ªthis like a hundred times in a second before this form stuck.¡±  She gently rubbed her left bunny ear, feeling the tingling sensation it left. ¡°It was like I had these ears all my life; I instantly knew how to minimize the volume around me and focus on specific sounds.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Richard noted, taking out a tablet PC to document her description.  ¡°That¡¯s likely a mental control; you can mentally, no¡ªinstinctually, control the sounds you perceive.  That¡¯s quite amazing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Lunar Hare, right?¡±  Julia asked, continuing at Rachel¡¯s nod.  ¡°So, what makes you different as a Mythickin than the other bunny and hare Beastkin we have documented?  Why are you so special as a Lunar Hare; a Mythickin, not a Beastkin?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°The moon¡ªwhen I am under moonlight, I gain an enormous amount of energy.  How do I explain it ... when I was in a Humvee, not under the moon, I was able to kick out its door, sending it smashing into a nearby car, crushing it and sending it flying into a nearby building.  On the other hand; when I was under the moonlight, I was able to move extremely fast, fast enough to cause massive shifts in air pressure, and I could easily rip into a steel door and rip it off its frame.¡±


    Staring at the two doctors¡¯ confused expressions, she chuckled a little.  ¡°I guess that doesn''t explain it very well. I tried with kicking the door and with the other door or running, I didn¡¯t even have to try¡ªit was like it was made of butter and my fingers just sank into the steel with ease.  When I¡¯m not under the moonlight, I don¡¯t feel that massive strength¡ªsure, I feel strong, but nothing like under moonlight.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Richard typed down the information on his tablet.


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed.  Wait, Scarlet was worried about the sun ... what if I have to be concerned too?  ¡°Umm, it just occurred to me, but maybe I¡¯ll get weaker under sunlight, in contrast to moonlight¡ªwhat happens when the sun and moon are both in the sky?¡±


    ¡°Excellent questions.¡±  Julia nodded before pursing her lips.  ¡°Hmm, anything else interesting about your change?¡±


    Feeling a little depressed, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°Just the speed, strength, and hearing¡ªwell, my vision has expanded, I can see everything in my peripheral vision in focus.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Richard noted.  ¡°So, from what you¡¯ve said, you¡¯re far stronger than any Beastkin we¡¯ve seen so far and much faster.  Some Beastkin seem to have enhanced speed and strength, but ripping steel apart like butter, nothing like that yet.  There are some human¡ªI¡¯m sorry, that was insensitive of me.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips fell as she stared at the polished wax tiles, still able to see both doctors¡¯ concerned expressions.  ¡°No need to apologize¡ªI realize I¡¯m not really human anymore. I may look human-like, but I¡¯m pretty sure my blood will come back not very human-like¡ªI mean, it¡¯s white.¡±  She scratched at her left brow. ¡°It is what it is.¡±


    ¡°Your blood is white?¡±  Richard asked, looking down at his report.


    ¡°Yeah ... what about Maria¡¯s blood?¡±  Rachel asked, head lifting


    Both doctors shifted nervously.  ¡°I guess you can hear people talking about her,¡± Julia said before breathing deeply.  ¡°The Unicorn¡ªMaria, has chosen to withhold her blood until compensated ... since it could be a valuable resource, she says.¡±


    ¡°Can she do that?¡±  Rachel¡¯s head tilted to look in the direction she heard her and her gang talking in Spanish jovially.


    Richard shrugged.  ¡°Well¡ªwe don¡¯t know what other kinds of abilities she has, and with the horrible things some of the other Mythickin have done, the President decided to give them some leniency until we understand them a bit more.  That¡¯s one reason why we gathered both Scarlet and you here.¡±


    ¡°I understand that,¡± Rachel said as she looked over at the room Scarlet slept in.


    Her attention was diverted as she heard one of Maria''s gang members running back up the stairs to see her; he spoke in English.  ¡°Hey, hermana, I heard two other Mythickin just got in.¡±


    ¡°?Carajo!  They better not mess up my deal.  You hear what they are?¡±


    ¡°Na, they¡¯re talking about a bunny and black-haired girl with pointy ears though.  Apparently, the bunny glows like you, hermana. The bunny was carrying the black-haired girl too.¡±


    ¡°She hurt?¡±


    ¡°No clue¡ªcould have been asleep.¡±


    ¡°Both chicas?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what they¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°Alright, muchachos, stay here; I¡¯ll go check out these payasos.¡±


    ¡°You gonna pick a fight, Boss?¡±  Another guy asked.


    ¡°Tsk, if they¡¯re moving in on my business, sin piedad.¡±


    They shouted, ¡°Aye, reina del bloque, no se detendr¨¢ hasta que se caiga!¡±


    Rachel sagged against her chair; she didn¡¯t understand the words but recognized the tone.  ¡°It sounds like Maria is coming this way and she¡¯s not happy.¡± Richard and Julia shifted nervously.


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 B1 — 6. Born To Fight

    Rachel heard Maria separate from her group at a brisk pace.


    Richard cleared his throat.  ¡°You heard that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she thinks we might be compromising her healing deal with the hospital.¡±


    Julia bit her lower lip for a moment.  ¡°You and Scarlet can¡¯t heal though, right?¡±


    Taking a deep breath while stretching out, Rachel got up, continuing to stretch.  ¡°Not that I know, but who knows. She seems like the violent type¡ªwho knows what she¡¯ll do.  I better get ready in case she wants to fight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡±  Julia said, face growing ashen.


    ¡°I¡¯ve known girls like her in high school.  They aren¡¯t reserved about throwing a punch.¡±  She began easing her neck, long hair shifting as she pulled it back.  ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have like an elastic strap or something? I wish I was in something besides a medical gown.¡±


    Swallowing, Julia moved behind the big station in the center, returning with an elastic strip.  Rachel took it and tied back her hair in a high-ponytail before slowly rotating her neck. Shaking herself out, she took a few deep breaths.  Wow, why do I feel so calm?  I used to be nervous before training with Brock in the ring, but I feel perfectly comfortable with the idea of fighting.  I guess it¡¯s just a part of the transformation.


    She turned to smile at the doctors.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I don¡¯t know much about Unicorns, but I¡¯m no slouch.  You should go wait back by those empty rooms.¡± They nodded, following her suggestion.


    Rachel waiting a few minutes, following Maria''s movements through the halls.  Her footsteps are light; probably something to do with being a Unicorn.  She could be light on her feet, I should watch for it. The military guards by the door to the wing opened the door as she neared.  I guess this is the Mythickin wing.


    Time slowed as Rachel focused on the Unicorn as she rounded the corner.  She wore a black tank-top with 808 numbers across the front in white, and a black sports bra underneath; black slightly baggy pants with a white belt, and black Jordan shoes.  The shine of her gold chain around her neck paled in comparison to her glowing white skin, enhanced by her shimmering white hair. She definitely was radiant and her features beautiful; she was at least two inches shorter than Rachel with the Jordans and held hourglass proportions.  Her hair wasn¡¯t as thick as Rachel¡¯s, but had no pink hue and was silky, hanging straight down her back to her butt. Shockingly, she had no horn, but pointed ears poking through her silky locks.


    Maria''s silver irises twinkled with an inner light as she caught sight of Rachel.  ¡°So, this is the rabbit I¡¯ve heard about. What¡¯s your name?¡± Her voice was soft on Rachel¡¯s ears but held a commanding tone.


    ¡°Rachel, and before you get all uptight; no, I¡¯m not moving in on your business.¡±


    She lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°I see those big ears aren¡¯t for show.  You¡¯re a fly on the wall, eh?¡± Appraising her for a moment, she hummed.  ¡°We could use someone with good ears in the crew; what do you say, chica?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯d be a good fit.¡±  Rachel said curtly.


    A small smile lit Maria''s lips.  ¡°Not afraid to speak your mind, eh?  ?Qu¨¦ pedo? Got some beef, sangrona?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up with charging people for something you can do with a snap of your fingers?¡±  Rachel asked, feet planted.


    ¡°Really are a sangrona, aren¡¯t ya?  We with the business¡ªwe suffer every maldito minuto; I got eighty-eight killers with their aim on me, hating cabrones, trying to stop me from taking care of my barrio, my camaradas.  Who are you to judge what I¡¯m doing is wrong? Only God can judge me; so I answer to no man. It¡¯s programmed,¡± she said, tapping her head. ¡°So, ?Vete al infierno, perra, y comprate una vida.¡±  She huffed.


    Rachel looked down at the floor, eyes narrowing.  I guess I don¡¯t have the right to judge her.  I don¡¯t know anything about her, but she could at least speak English ¡­ I don¡¯t speak Korean to insult people.


    ¡°No tengo tiempo,¡± Maria said dryly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand Spanish,¡± Rachel muttered.


    ¡°You¡¯re wasting my time, perra.  Understand?¡±


    ¡°Is that all you came here to do?¡±  Rachel sighed. ¡°Find out if I could damage your business and...¡±  She paused as she heard a commotion with Maria''s group.


    ¡°Quienes son estos ... Marcus?¡±  A young man asked before yelping with surprise.


    ¡°?Oye!  Dejalo ir tu¡­¡±  There was a sharp sound, and a few people grunted as multiple people hit solid objects.


    ¡°What a bunch of bitches,¡± a deep male voice chuckled.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Maria snapped her fingers.  ¡°You high or something?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon Marcus, these guys don¡¯t even have abilities,¡± another man said with amusement.


    Rachel held up a finger with a serious expression.  ¡°Your crew were just attacked by someone named Marcus and someone else.¡±


    Maria''s annoyed expression shifted to confusion.  ¡°What are you on about? Marcus is causing trouble in Miami Beach...¡±  She went silent as Rachel put her fingers to her lips, staring in their direction, her ears twitching for a second.


    ¡°So,¡± Marcus said, throwing someone into a chair with a grunt.  ¡°Felix, my boy! I hear your sister¡¯s one of those Mythickin the news is all up in arms about; some kind of Unicorn or something.  Is that right?¡±


    Felix spat on the floor.  ¡°?Vete a chingar!¡±


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Rachel breathed as she heard Marcus slap Felix.


    ¡°I know my Spanish slang, Felix.  You should choose your words carefully; you know who I am, show respect.¡±  He popped his tongue. ¡°Now, can your sister really heal any kind of illness?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on,¡± Maria asked, concern in her soft voice.


    ¡°Marcus found out you¡¯re a Unicorn¡ªhe¡¯s asking Felix if you can heal anything.¡±


    Maria''s nose twisted.  ¡°?Carajo! How did he find out?  He must want his father¡¯s cancer cured...¡±


    Rachel¡¯s attention returned to the scene.  ¡°Felix, my man,¡± the other voice stated, slugging his shoulder.  ¡°You know, our gang¡¯s got quite a few ability users now. We¡¯re even giving the Military a run for their money up in Miami Beach ... been at a standoff since their last failed attempt to push us out two hours ago.  We even got our hands on a Fairy Mythickin, but the tiny girl¡¯s basically useless ... then we hear about your sister¡¯s miracles ... now, that caught our interest. To think that little hothead got that sort of ability¡ªshocked my brother and I, but even more shocking¡ªyou didn¡¯t contact us.  Why¡¯s that? I mean, you two know the favors I pulled for your father in prison; you owe me.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes shot to Maria as she began to march toward her.  ¡°What¡¯s going...¡±


    ¡°Can you shut up,¡± Rachel snapped.  ¡°I¡¯m listening; they¡¯re mad you didn¡¯t contact them after all they did for your dad.¡±


    Maria bared her teeth as she seethed, glaring at the wall.  ¡°Mierda¡ªmierda¡ª?esos bastardos tienen a mi hermano?¡± She took a deep breath.  ¡°They have my brother?¡± Her shouting seemed to wake Roger and Cameron as their sharp eyes narrowed in her direction.


    ¡°Everything alright?¡±  Cameron asked, rising quickly, hand resting on his rifle strapped around his shoulders.


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°There¡¯s someone named Marcus that just attacked Maria¡¯s gang and took her brother hostage.  I think his brother is with him; they probably want Maria to heal their father. They said they¡¯re the ones the Military is trying to push out of Miami Beach right now.¡±  Roger and Cameron¡¯s faces darkened as they repeated her information on their earpiece. She focused on the scene again.


    ¡°I doubt the boy¡¯ll talk easily,¡± Marcus¡¯ brother stated, burping.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s hit up the surveillance room and look for her there.  Check it out; this is where the room is.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± his brother stated as he grabbed Felix.  ¡°Let¡¯s go, kid.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened as they vanished; not a sound followed, clothing or breathing.  ¡°They¡¯re gone?¡± She scanned through the hospital. ¡°Wait, I found them ... they¡¯re in the surveillance room.  They knocked out the guards and ... they found us.¡± Her eyes shot to a camera in the corner. ¡°Marcus¡¯ brother can teleport; they¡¯re figuring out the exact location to get here.¡±


    Roger and Cameron cursed before cocking their rifles and repeating the information through the network; Mateo voice fed through their headset shortly after.  ¡°More units on the way.  They¡¯re terrorists; green light, fire on sight.¡±


    Running to different rooms, Roger and Cameron yelled, ¡°Docs, get inside that room and lock the doors!¡±  The doctors ran to the room, the door slamming behind them. ¡°Rachel...¡±


    Three people appeared by the door the doctors had locked themselves in.  Roger and Cameron took aim and fired with sharp accuracy. Rachel¡¯s focus slowed the world around her to the point she was able to see the bullets move like a professional pitcher throwing a baseball.  The rounds hit some kind of orange honeycomb shell, ricocheting off to strike the cement walls. Marcus has a shield while his brother can teleport ... that¡¯s a dangerous combination.


    Cameron and Roger swore vehemently about ability users as Maria fearlessly marched over to the shell, face twisted with rage as her fist pounded against it once, causing it to light up for a moment.  ¡°Daran, Marcus, libera a mi hermano ... malditos bastardos!¡±


    Both Daran and Marcus were African American with matching expensive pinstripe suits on with black ties and purple dress shirts; matching the look, they both wore dark aviator glasses, small gold earrings, and had short beards.


    Daran pulled off his glasses with his left hand, right gripping Felix¡¯s collar.  His dark brown eyes appraising Maria with raised eyebrows. ¡°Damn, is that you Maria?  Turning into a Unicorn made you as white as it gets, chola.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯d be pissed.¡±


    Marcus¡¯ grin rose.  ¡°Guess the info checked out.  She¡¯s not bad to look at; what do you think, Daran?¡±


    He smacked his lips.  ¡°I¡¯d go with exotic, definitely exotic; same with that fairy though¡ªthink about it, a girl that small; she could do all sorts of things.¡±  He chuckled.


    Rachel¡¯s teeth were clenched as she glanced over to Scarlet¡¯s room.  Should I try to help?  I don¡¯t know if I can break that barrier ... I¡¯m sure I could if I were in moonlight, but without it ... Scarlet could handle them in literally a second, but me ... a knee would be my strongest weapon.


    Marcus looked over at Rachel.  ¡°Check out the rabbit. That¡¯s exotic for you¡ªwe should get some more of those Beastkin girls; some of them are hot as...¡±  He cut off as Maria clenched her teeth, pulled back her fist and struck the barrier. Nothing happened.


    ¡°Huh,¡± Daran muttered.  ¡°How was it?¡±


    Marcus chuckled.  ¡°Disappointing. Probably as strong as a muscular guy; a lot stronger than she looks, but weak as hell.¡±


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Daran shook his head.  ¡°All these Mythickin are such a disappointment for all the hype; first the Fairy and now the Unicorn¡ªI guess she¡¯s only good for healing.¡±  He put his glasses back on as the skinny Hispanic boy started struggling in his grip and brought him around to smack his face; making him cry out, cheeks darkening.


    ¡°la madre que te pari¨®!¡±  Maria slammed both fists on the barrier, white face flushed with frustration.  ¡°I¡¯ll heal your dad; just let my brother go!¡±


    Rachel had enough, her eyes locking on Felix¡¯s bruised face; he was trying to hide his tears from his sister.  Okay, these guys are terrorists, right?  They¡¯ve killed people and will likely kill Maria¡¯s brother.  They¡¯ve also kidnapped a Fairy Mythickin. I get the feeling that I won¡¯t feel a thing killing people like this¡ªmore to do with my change?  Well, I¡¯m a lot more powerful than a strong human man ... let¡¯s see how you like my punch.


    Movement slowed around her as Rachel instantly accelerated, leaving a whirlwind in her wake as she raced beside Maria, hair waving behind her.  Her fist struck the honeycomb barrier; she heard a sharp sound as spiderweb cracks broke across a few feet at her point of impact before starting to heal.


    Marcus dropped to a knee; clutching at his shoulder, he gasped, ¡°What the¡ªwas I just hit by a truck?¡±


    Both turned to look at Rachel¡¯s anger filled pinkish-red eyes as the wind roared past her, hair fanning out.  Punch didn¡¯t work, knee it is!  Firming her footing, she twisted her hips and threw all her strength into kneeing the barrier; the shield shattered.  Marchas quaked as he grasped his chest, blood spraying from his mouth.


    Daran¡¯s jaw dropped open, his sunglasses sliding down as his eyes bulged, staring at Rachel regained her footing and prepared for a roundhouse kick.  He reached down to grab his brother; touching his back just before Rachel¡¯s heel struck his side, they vanished. A roar of wind slammed the door the doctors were in; the hinges creaked as it dispersed, glass shattering and flying inward.  No!  Did I just kill the doctors?


    She raced toward the door, smashing through it; she saw Julia and Richard cowering in the back corner behind the bed, glass littering the floor.  Rachel sighed with relief. ¡°I thought I might have killed you. I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t think that would happen.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Julia squeaked, staying behind the bed.


    Roger and Cameron ran into the room.  ¡°Rachel, are they still in the building?¡±


    Swallowing, Rachel took a deep breath to calm herself before scanning through sounds.  The other door guards are almost here ... there they are; freaking a mile away!  ¡°They¡¯re a mile away,¡± she cursed.  ¡°Scarlet wouldn¡¯t have let them escape!¡±  She growled. Why do I keep comparing myself to her?  Whatever, she wouldn¡¯t have! She listened to their conversation, the heat of failure burning her chest.


    ¡°Get in the corner!¡±  Daran yelled at Felix as he shoved him away.  He cried out, after hitting the ground and started to cry softly.  ¡°What happened?¡±


    Marcus coughed several times, rasping, ¡°What¡ªwhat¡ªwas¡ªwas that bunny-girl?  It¡¯s¡ªtook a¡ªa hit by a tank shell! If I didn¡¯t¡ªdidn¡¯t release¡ªI¡¯d be dead!¡±


    ¡°The other Beastkin weren¡¯t anything like that,¡± Daran muttered.  ¡°She must be a Mythickin, but what kind of legend is she from?¡±


    Spitting a few times, Marcus cleared his throat.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter¡ªshe¡¯s dangerous...¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes darted to Maria as she walked over to her, tears falling down her cheeks.  ¡°You¡ªyou,¡± she was trembling as she stopped in front of her. Her balled fist shot out; Rachel saw it coming long before it landed, but decided to take it.  The blow itself didn¡¯t hurt, just shifted her head a little. ¡°You¡ªthey¡¯ll kill him!¡± She cried.


    She focused on their conversation again.  ¡°What do we do with the boy?¡± Daran asked.


    Clearing his throat again, Marcus swallowed.  ¡°We need¡ªI need to see the doc. Maria will come¡ªcome looking for her brother.¡±  He wheezed, coughing again, he cursed. ¡°That rabbit!¡±


    Rachel frowned as Maria began punching her chest in grief; Roger and Cameron unsure what to do as the other unit arrived.  She continued to listen to the brothers, Maria¡¯s weak punches not fazing her.


    Daran hummed darkly.  ¡°Seems like the best plan, but what if that bunny-girl comes with her?¡±


    ¡°We¡ªwe got the force to deal with her¡ªon our turf,¡± Marcus said with a vicious tone.


    Taking a deep breath, Rachel grabbed Maria¡¯s hands as Daran grabbed Felix and pulled him over to his brother by the hair.  The three of them vanished; she finally heard their voices two miles away before they disappeared again several seconds later.  It looks like he can only teleport a mile at a time.  Maybe he could go further, but it seems limited, and they¡¯re in a rush, but took several seconds to jump again.


    ¡°Su¨¦ltame perra puta madre...¡±  Maria yelled as she struggled in her grip, kicking at her shins.


    Rachel sighed.  ¡°Could you settle down?  Your brother is fine right now.  They¡¯re going to wait for you to go get him at their base in Miami Beach.¡±


    Maria¡¯s brow creased as her teary eyes locked with her.  ¡°What? You heard them say that?¡±


    Letting go of her hands, Rachel snapped back some of the buttons on her sleeve that had come undone.  ¡°While you were whaling on me, yeah, I did. It¡¯s a bit concerning that they also think they can handle me if both of us go together ... they said they had more ability users earlier.  If the Military haven¡¯t been able to handle them in the last several hours, they must have some strong abilities, but I think Marcus will be out of commission for a while.¡±


    Cameron relayed the information over his headset as Roger explained what had happened to the soldiers flooding into the area.


    Rachel listened for a minute before she saw Maria beginning to walk toward the exit.  ¡°Hey!¡± When she didn¡¯t stop, she ran in front of her. ¡°Do you have any powers to fight?¡±


    Maria glared at her.  ¡°No, but...¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re going to get yourself killed!¡±  Rachel glanced over at Scarlet¡¯s room again. The Military can¡¯t handle them, and they¡¯re confident they can handle me ... but Scarlet would probably eat all of them alive, literally ... but I can¡¯t...


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±  Maria yelled, trying to move around her.


    ¡°Stop!¡±  She yelled, getting in her way again.


    The soldiers noticing their confrontation, moving to block the exit.  ¡°She¡¯s right, Ma¡¯am,¡± a soldier said. ¡°We¡¯ll handle it from here.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±  Maria screamed.  ¡°Ni siquiera puedes tocar...¡±  Rachel frowned before reaching out and picking her up.  ¡°You...¡±


    Rachel whispered in her ear.  ¡°Look, I¡¯m going to help you get your brother back, but you need to calm down.¡±


    Maria stopped struggling.  ¡°Fine, you better not go back on your word.¡±  She whispered before shouting. ¡°Fine! You handle it!¡±


    Carrying her to the back room, she sat her down and looked into her silver eyes.  ¡°Okay, we need a plan.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 7. Changed

    Rachel listened to the conversations around the base as Maria looked at her expectantly.


    ¡°Give me a second to process this,¡± she muttered, still dealing with the frustration of letting Marcus and Daran escape.


    She frowned as Scarlet stirred in the opposite room; the Vampire paused for a moment after sitting up, giving a troubled hum while staring their way.


    Rachel¡¯s tail stiffened as Scarlet vanished, and she did her best to hide her troubled mind with a smile, knowing what was coming next; Scarlet appeared from a shroud of shadows on the bed, a bright smile showing her fangs.


    ¡°Hey, Rachel.  What¡¯s up with the snowflake next to you?¡±


    Maria jumped, looking at Scarlet with panic as she caught sight of the girl¡¯s black and red eyes.  ¡°?que demonios?¡±


    [What the hell?]


    Rachel sighed, scratching the side of her head.  ¡°Hey, Scarlet, did you get enough sleep?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she groaned, falling to the bed.  ¡°There was a bunch of noise that woke me up.  There are so many people running around, and I sense a lot of emotion.  What¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡±  She hummed, licking her black lips.


    ¡°Liebre blanca,¡± Maria snapped her fingers in front of Rachel¡¯s face.  ¡°Oye, who¡¯s this chica demonio?¡±


    [White Hare, hey, who¡¯s this demon girl?]


    Scarlet¡¯s head tilted slightly.  ¡°Oh, is she Hispanic?¡±


    Pulling her hair to the front, Rachel sat against the wall with a groan, adjusting the end of her medical gown.  ¡°Maria, the Unicorn, meet Scarlet, the Vampire.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay, okay,¡± Scarlet nodded enthusiastically.  ¡°I see, so, she¡¯s Mythickin, like us.  Unicorn, huh?  Pretty cool, pretty cool.  But, uh¡ªwhere¡¯s her horn?¡±


    ¡°Mande?  This chica¡¯s a Vampire?  En serio, a Vampiro?¡±


    [What?  This girl¡¯s a Vampire?  Seriously, Vampire?]


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Yup, she¡¯s a Vampire, and you know, I was wondering the same thing.  Do you have a horn, Maria?¡±


    ¡°Tch,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°It glows when I use my powers; it¡¯s like a bright light that appears on my head, or some shit.¡±


    Scarlet crossed her legs before sucking on her lower lip, left fang poking out.  ¡°Cool.  You know, I wonder what Unicorns taste like...¡±


    Maria recoiled.  ¡°?Qu¨¦ dijiste?  ?Al¨¦jate de m¨ª, demonio!¡±


    [What did you say?  Get away from me, Demon!]


    Giggling, Scarlet winked, eyes returning to normal.  ¡°I¡¯m only kidding with you, jeez!  Lighten up¡ªbesides, your blood doesn¡¯t smell that appealing, to be honest.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mood started to lift with Scarlet¡¯s joking introduction, but her features fell to explain the situation.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t look so good, Scarlet.¡±


    Lips tilting, Scarlet cocked her head.  ¡°Oh¡ªwhat happened?¡±


    ¡°My little hermano was kidnapped by some hijo de puta!¡±  Maria spat.


    [hermona i.e., brother; son of a bitch]


    ¡°I see,¡± Scarlet¡¯s tongue played with one of her fangs.  ¡°This all happened while I was sleeping?¡±


    Rachel grimaced, combing her hair out with her fingers; the fine locks slid through her fingers like water.  ¡°Yeah, I pushed them into a corner, but they were able to get away.¡±


    Scarlet nodded with an interested hum.  ¡°Alright, I get it.  So¡ªwhat¡¯s the plan?¡±  She yawned.  ¡°I¡¯m still exhausted, by the way.¡±


    Nodding, Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°Right,¡± she glanced over at Maria with pursed lips.


    ¡°What?¡±  She snapped.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to like this ¡­ I think we should wait ¡®till nightfall.¡±


    ¡°Mande?  You know my hermano is in the follando hands of those bastardos locos, and you want to espera hasta m¨¢s tarde?¡±


    [Say again?; my brother is in the freakin¡¯ hands of those crazy bastards, and you want to wait until later?]


    ¡°Hear me out,¡± Rachel groaned.  ¡°You always jump to conclusions!  Look, I need to test out how my powers are affected by sunlight.  Not only that, but Scarlet, a super-powerful Vampire,¡± she pointed as Scarlet grinned, waving at Maria, ¡°can¡¯t function during the day and is exhausted.  If we go into their base, that they think they¡¯re basically invincible in, half-cocked, we¡¯ll be eaten alive¡ªyou can¡¯t even fight.¡±


    Maria¡¯s nose twisted in disgust as she glared at the floor.  ¡°You think I¡¯m happy about that?  Tons of people get all sorts of strong powers, and I get a useless ability that can¡¯t even stop my little harmeno from being kidnapped.  No¡ªit¡¯s the reason they targeted him, dammit!¡±  Her face flushed with frustration.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to rely on you¡ªI don¡¯t!¡±  She yelled.


    Rachel frowned as her shout caught the attention of a few of the soldiers, but they ignored it as nothing followed.  ¡°I hate it,¡± Maria whispered, ¡°but I know I have to put my trust in you, chica.  Why couldn¡¯t I get your kind of powers, huh?¡±  She muttered bitterly.


    Scarlet¡¯s cheeks brightened.  ¡°Wait, does that mean you¡¯re going to storm some kidnappers¡¯ base tonight, and you want me to come?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to put you in danger,¡± Rachel looked down, tone low.


    ¡°Mh-uh,¡± Scarlet shook her head.  ¡°You know, ever since that ice-man, I¡¯ve had this feeling in my chest ... I know it doesn¡¯t sound flattering, but I felt so excited scaring him¡ªand it helped me forget things.  Ever since I changed, all I¡¯ve felt was scared, hungry, and depressed, but that feeling ... I want to feel that again!  I just want to feel something else,¡± she whispered, cheer dampening while rubbing her left arm.


    A groan left Rachel¡¯s throat as she leaned up against the wall.  ¡°By the way, how old are all of you?  I¡¯m nineteen; I was starting my third term of college when all this happened.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Maria sniffed.  ¡°A college girl, okay.  I¡¯m twenty-two, I¡¯m the leader of my block; make sure everyone¡¯s fed and got enough to get by.¡±


    Rachel smiled a little.  ¡°I guess you aren¡¯t so bad.¡±


    Maria looked away.  ¡°No necesito tu aprobaci¨®n.¡±


    [I don¡¯t need your approval.]


    Her vision shifted to Scarlet as the Vampire¡¯s smile returned.  ¡°I¡¯m eighteen; no job after finishing high school.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrow rose at her statement.  Not ashamed in the least ... her parents are okay with that?  On that note, I don¡¯t know much at all about her family.  I guess I shouldn¡¯t push it if she isn¡¯t talking about it, though.


    ¡°Who needs high school,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°Las instituciones est¨¢n ah¨ª para mantenerte deprimido.¡±


    [Institutions are there to keep you down]


    ¡°Right,¡± Rachel breathed.  ¡°Okay, so, here¡¯s my thoughts; first, Scarlet and I need new clothes ... every time I move, I fear this gown¡¯s going to rip right off me.¡±


    She glanced down at her garments, muttering, ¡°I¡¯m just glad these new medical gowns are a lot more secure than the ones I¡¯ve seen in the movies.  After that, we need to get quite a few blood bags for Scarlet.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes lit up.  ¡°For real!  I like that part,¡± she nodded, licking her lips with anticipation.  ¡°I wonder what it¡¯ll be like with multiple people¡¯s blood in me?¡±


    Rachel breathed through her teeth.  ¡°Yeah, that might be bad ... I didn¡¯t think about that part.  Umm, we¡¯ll have to test that out.  Next, I think we need rest...¡±


    ¡°And you could use a shower,¡± Scarlet said, holding her nose.  ¡°That chemical bath did you no favors.¡±


    Chuckling a little, Rachel nodded.  ¡°Alright, that might be good.  We also need to get some food ... I¡¯m feeling a bit famished right now.¡±


    ¡°Already ate,¡± Maria said, sitting back in a chair with a grunt.


    ¡°Okay, well, I think that¡¯s a good start.  Once we get that done, then we can sneak out and rescue your little brother.  I¡¯ve already heard a lot about his gang; I¡¯m pretty sure I can locate his hideout.¡±


    They both nodded, and Scarlet stretched.  ¡°Wonderful.  I¡¯ll go back and sleep then,¡± she winked at Rachel.  ¡°Just put those blood bags under my bed, and I¡¯ll feast when I wake-up.¡±  When she nodded, Scarlet vanished in shadows; she heard her appear in her previous room, throwing back the blankets to snuggle into bed.


    ¡°She can just do that whenever?¡±  Maria asked with an impressed expression, looking at the spot Scarlet had been.


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Not a clue; it certainly seems that way ... as long as she has the energy.¡±


    ¡°Well, damn.¡±  Maria was silent for a moment, studying Rachel.  ¡°Why are you helping me?  We just met, and I know I¡¯m not the most likable person.  S¨¦ que puedo ser una perra.¡±


    [I know I can be a bitch]


    Cracking her neck, Rachel hummed lowly before pressing a hand against her chest, reflecting on her recent decisions.  ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know; I have this feeling in my chest.  How do I explain it?  Maybe it has to do with my change, but I feel different¡ªit¡¯s like a sense of pride, I think.  When did it start?¡±


    The answer came instantly from the strange knowledge she¡¯d experienced before, downloading into her mind.  ¡°Since I first changed ¡­ I mean, I didn¡¯t feel it was that strong until I saw Scarlet subdue that guy with the ice powers ... when she passed out, it grew a little while protecting her.


    ¡°It was like ¡­ I felt the drive to measure up to her¡ªher casual ease at dominating a situation¡ªnow,¡± she sighed.  ¡°I found out she wasn¡¯t serious about life before becoming a Vampire¡ªI was always serious ¡­ always.¡±


    Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve always been trying to measure up to Nam.


    ¡°It was the strongest right after Daran and Marcus escaped ... frustration¡­¡±


    For some reason, she couldn¡¯t say failure; her tongue locked for a moment, and she felt like she¡¯d rather bite her own tongue off than admit to someone that she¡¯d lost.


    Everything I¡¯ve felt from my family just exploded in me¡ªnow that I think back.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m just pissed they got away ... I don¡¯t know how to feel about that¡ªabout myself.¡±


    She was a little surprised to find Maria¡¯s smile growing as she explained.  ¡°I can accept that¡ªI¡¯m pissed too.  Don¡¯t overthink it.  Joder a esos bastardos; el karma es una perra.¡±  Stretching, she frowned.  ¡°Know what my gang¡¯s doing?¡±


    [Screw those bastards; karma¡¯s a bitch]


    Listening for a moment, Rachel lifted to her feet.  ¡°Still don¡¯t understand Spanish, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Shit ¡­ eh, it¡¯s just a habit,¡± she growled, running her fingers through her hair while spreading it out across her back.


    ¡°It¡¯s cool,¡± Rachel shrugged, ¡°just sayin¡¯.  Eh, your gang?  Most of them are still knocked out; some staff found them and are trying to treat their injuries.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re hurt,¡± she said with a deep frown.  ¡°Shit ¡­ I guess I¡¯ll go over and heal them.¡±


    She huffed, looking back as she reached the door.  ¡°And, uh¡ªthanks, Rachel,¡± she muttered, eyes locked on the door.  ¡°Dammit ¡­ fine, I¡¯ll try and help out a bit with the injured ... but I¡¯m not goin¡¯ to strain myself.¡±  She growled before walking off.


    Well, not like I really mind either way, now, but okay.  I suppose it would help us get a more positive image.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± one of the soldiers said, running after her.  ¡°I¡¯ll be escorting you around the facility.¡±


    ¡°?Chale!  I said I wouldn¡¯t run off¡ªfine, bastardos molestos.¡±


    [Chale i.e., a term used to show disagreement or disapproval of something or some idea. Means the same thing as ''hell no'' or ''hell na. ''; pesky bastards]


    Brushing her hair back over her shoulders, Rachel eased the tension in her neck, pondering her shifting attitude.


    I don¡¯t feel bad at all about nearly killing Marcus ... I¡¯m actually pissed I didn¡¯t kill him.  It does have something to do with my change¡ªit told me itself, but I can¡¯t be certain I wouldn¡¯t feel the same way before if something like that happened.  Somehow, I¡¯m doubting my own mind before The Oscillation ... this is some kind of Lunar Hare pride that¡¯s swelling within me.  I want a rematch ... I want to win, but I¡¯ve always been like that.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Stretching out her back and chest, Rachel got into her Muay Thai stance, springing on her lead and back foot while keeping her back heel up.


    She alternated, pushing the air from her lungs in sharp hisses, swapping to a knee, roundhouse kick, block, back elbow, block, uppercut, jab. The force of her attacks shifted the air around the room, utensils and paper shifting softly around the space; it wasn¡¯t nearly as strong as when she¡¯d gone for the kill on Marcus and Daran, but still powerful.


    Roger peeked into the room as Rachel slowed down, taking a deep breath as she flexed her fingers.  He chuckled, leaning against the wall, lips saying he was impressed.  ¡°That¡¯s quite somethin¡¯; you move faster than any fighter I¡¯ve ever seen.  It¡¯s like I was watching a hurricane just now.¡±


    Rachel sighed before rotating her arm.  ¡°My body feels a little strained, to be honest ... I was afraid of that.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Roger clicked his tongue.  ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I met someone that helped me understand a bit more about my abilities; a cat Beastkin.  I¡¯m agility based; I have massive burst potential, but my stamina won¡¯t last long.¡±  She hummed.  ¡°I need to train; although, Muay Thai¡¯s good for that.¡±


    She smiled, throwing a sharp jab.  ¡°I don¡¯t think I can train with someone, though; going at a human¡¯s pace, I could last forever.  I¡¯ll have to think of somethin¡¯; who knows, maybe my coach could still whip my ass,¡± she giggled, thinking back on her time spent with Rock.


    ¡°I see,¡± Roger muttered.  ¡°So, you do practice a martial art.  No wonder you can pack so much punch; you know the techniques to maximize your power.¡±


    She heard Richard and Julia exit the room, studying the scene in silence; it seemed as if they¡¯d stayed inside until the soldiers told them it was safe to come out.  ¡°Thanks for the support,¡± Rachel said, passing Roger.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he muttered, looking after her as she went to join the scientists.


    ¡°Richard,¡± Julia said, studying the mess of papers and medical supplies lying all across the floor.  ¡°All of this happened in like seconds, right?¡±


    Richard nodded.  ¡°Indeed¡ªoh, Ms. Park.  Thank you for repelling those terrorists.  I heard that they ended up kidnapping the poor brother of Ms. Espinar.  Are you okay?¡±


    Grimacing at the mess her whirlwind had created, she nodded.  ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re trying to question her right now about the gang to better understand what they¡¯re dealing with.  She¡¯s cooperating now, and I think I¡¯m okay.  My body is starting to feel a little strained, but nothing I¡¯m not used to.¡±


    She added an innocent smile.  ¡°I actually had some thoughts I wanted to run by you.  Mind sitting down with me?¡±


    They both glanced at each other.  ¡°Umm, sure!¡±  Julia¡¯s attitude brightened.  ¡°It¡¯s what we¡¯re here for, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± Rachel returned, nodding toward the junction.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we go into one of these other rooms down the hall.¡±


    They followed her to a room, and she shut the door to minimize the chance their conversation would be overheard.  They sat before Rachel began, shifting her hair over her shoulder.  ¡°I¡¯d like to test a few things and run some thoughts by you.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Richard hummed, taking out his tablet PC.  ¡°Shoot.¡±


    ¡°I think it would be a good idea to gather quite a few blood bags for Scarlet to test her personality changes.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Julia asked, leaning forward.


    Richard cleared his throat.  ¡°Can I deviate a little?¡±  Sitting back, Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed, but she nodded.  ¡°Wonderful.¡±  He paused for a moment.  ¡°Rachel, how are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?  I¡ªdon¡¯t know what you mean by that.¡±


    ¡°I mean, after the confrontation.  I heard that one of the terrorists had some kind of shielding ability and that you smashed it, and just before almost crushing him, his brother teleported them away.  How are you feeling after that incident?¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± she muttered, glancing down to show she was reflecting.


    This is a probe into my psyche.  He¡¯s wondering about my mental state after committing to the kill.  He is an MD at psychiatry; he must be tasked with figuring out our state of mind to determine if we¡¯re a threat like other Mythickin.  Should I be truthful about my feelings?


    He¡¯s probably well trained in detecting lies, but this could be a good test at my own ability to redirect while being truthful.  It¡¯s all about framing.  Painting myself as a cold blooded killer, not that I am, wouldn¡¯t give me the best image.  I need to be careful how I proceed, for my family and my sake.


    Her features gradually became more relaxed.  ¡°Oh, I think I understand where you¡¯re going!  Umm¡ªI¡¯ve trained in Muay Thai since I was in eighth grade; I¡¯m no stranger to confrontations, but I was a little surprised that I didn¡¯t hesitate to rescue Felix, even by deadly force.  Sometimes I would lie in bed, thinking how I¡¯d react if someone pulled a gun on me, and I guess I know now,¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°I heard quite a few things about them from Military transmissions, too.  They were terrorists and killed a lot of people; I didn¡¯t want that to happen to someone right in front of me.  Since becoming a Lunar Hare, I have noticed a change in my personality.  I¡¯m calmer¡ªa girl I know said I was more composed, if that makes sense.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s connected to my Muay Thai training, as well ¡­ decide, commit, act, succeed, repeat.  There might be a link with how I¡¯ve lived my life, but it was an action I took in the heat of the moment.¡±  It wasn¡¯t the full truth but wasn¡¯t a lie.


    He nodded, writing down what she¡¯d said.  ¡°How do you feel about almost killing him, though?¡±


    Rachel kept her features reflective.  ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know what to think of it¡ªI¡¯m surprised by my transformation.  I wasn¡¯t thinking about it at that moment.  I do remember the slap that Daran gave Felix; that was the moment that triggered me to act,¡± she whispered, scratching the base of her left ear; the sensation was relieving.  ¡°I didn¡¯t want him to get hurt anymore¡ªand seeing Maria¡¯s desperation, too¡­¡±  She trailed off.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Richard said with a frown.  ¡°I¡ªRachel, don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but something¡¯s bugging me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Her head tilted.  ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Your composure¡ªit¡¯s true.  The way you talk¡ªit¡¯s hard to read ... especially your eyes¡ªwhich are unique, for sure, but¡ªthere¡¯s something else there, but it¡¯s just out of reach.  I¡¯ve sat with a great many people, but there¡¯s something¡ªunnerving in you.  Not necessarily in a bad way, but something burning underneath.  I want to say there¡¯s rage, but I don¡¯t see it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel sucked in her lower lip, glancing at Julia as she watched with interest.  ¡°I¡ªwas angry at Daran and Marcus.  Is that what you see?  They were saying and doing some pretty messed-up things.¡±


    ¡°See,¡± Richard muttered.  ¡°Right there ... you say that, but I don¡¯t see it¡ªyet I can feel something.  I¡¯ve never experienced this before.  It¡¯s just perplexing,¡± he sighed.


    It would be best to deflect the conversation, but how to do it inconspicuously?  I do feel rage; now that he mentions it.  I feel like I should have been able to do better; I failed, and that eats at me.


    The silence stretched for several uncomfortable seconds as Richard studied her.


    She had to focus to keep up the mask.  ¡°Umm, Richard, Julia,¡± she gave them a nervous laugh, trying to draw their attention to her clothes.  ¡°Now, with you looking at me ¡­ I know you probably have a lot of questions¡ªbut, umm¡ªI¡¯m really starting to feel like this medical gown ... just won¡¯t do.¡±  She mumbled, plucking the hem.  ¡°You know ¡­ after everything.¡±


    Richard¡¯s frown deepened.  ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my¡­¡± Julia¡¯s face dawned with understanding.  ¡°You¡¯ve had to fight in it twice within such a short time ... you don¡¯t even have any undergarments, do you?¡±  She whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡±  She briskly rose to her feet, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go look at the clothing some of the churches and relief parties have brought.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Richard breathed a long sigh, sitting back.  ¡°That¡¯s what you meant, huh?  I can certainly see why you would feel uncomfortable after all of that¡ªtense, being so exposed.  It just struck you, though ¡­ huh.  You wanted to talk about Scarlet and a few tests, though?¡±


    Rachel nodded as she lifted from her chair, knowing he still felt something was off.  ¡°Yes,¡± she flushed a little, trying to think of embarrassing things to keep up the mask.  ¡°Scarlet also mentioned that I¡ªuh, I smelled of chemicals¡ªshe suggested I take a shower.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Julia nodded with an understanding smile.


    ¡°Right,¡± Richard mumbled.


    ¡°For the tests,¡± Rachel continued.  ¡°I think I¡¯d like to see how my strength compares in sunlight, in comparison to the moonlight and without sun or moonlight.¡±


    He slowly nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s¡ªa good question to consider.  Okay,¡± he rose.  ¡°You go get freshened up, and we can begin some tests; we can discuss your thoughts on bringing multiple blood packs for Scarlet during that time, as well.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Rachel said, an innocent smile returning before following Julia, beckoning her with an enthusiastic shine.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what clothes we can find to match you!¡±  Julia hummed, studying her with a critical eye.  ¡°I wish we could find a Japanese sailor outfit for you¡ªoh, with a red tie!  You¡¯d look so cute,¡± she fantasized.


    Rachel giggled a little as she followed.  ¡°As long as it fits me.¡±


    I really have changed a lot ... I¡¯m manipulating them to get what I want, but I don¡¯t care.  It¡¯s not like I¡¯m hurting them or anyone else¡ªthat matters, but I know that they¡¯ll try to stop me if they heard my plan.  They¡¯d be a lot more cautious of me if I let them know how I really feel ... I can¡¯t let it go.  I didn¡¯t start this fight, but I will finish it.

 B1 — 8. Initial Preparation

    Rachel followed Julia through the hospital; outside of the Mythickin area, the floors were packed with patients.  She smiled a little as she heard Maria going around helping people; a few of her bigger gang members escorting her.


    ¡°Hey, Unicorn!  You forgot about me.¡±


    ¡°Bajate, naco,¡± a gang member said, stepping up to the man.


    ¡°Okay, okay!  I just¡ªyou healed that boy¡¯s broken arm.  You can heal my broken finger no problem, right?¡±


    Maria hummed.  ¡°No hay bronca¡ªey, chido, that¡¯s a nice watch you have.  Tell you what; I¡¯ll fix you up good as new, your heart problems too, and it¡¯ll just cost you the watch.  Good deal, eh? No pain or weeks of recovery.¡± She¡¯s something else.


    Her focus shifted back to her immediate surroundings; Julia kept talking about all the outfits she¡¯d look great in, mostly from an anime perspective.  When they made it to the relief area, Rachel wasn¡¯t surprised at the volume of people. People are still making their way here all around the hospital ¡­ a few casualties from a robbery north, home invasions to the east, an ability user that was just shot to the west.  It¡¯s calming down, but there¡¯s still so much chaos. So many Beastkin crying out for help ¡­ the National Guard need to escort a lot of them. A lot of people haven¡¯t heard the President¡¯s address that they¡¯re changed humans.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±  Julia asked, looking at her.


    Realizing she must look downcast, Rachel nodded.  ¡°I can hear so much suffering and fear with these ears.  It¡¯s hard to explain just how accurate and wide my hearing has become.¡±


    Brow furrowing, Julia hummed.  ¡°Do you feel responsible for all those voices?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t¡ªout of seven billion people in the world ¡­ there¡¯s only so much one person or even a military can do.  The noise just makes me sad.¡±


    Julia went silent as she thought on her words.  ¡°It¡¯s¡ªI¡¯m trying to imagine hearing hundreds of people crying out for help and being unable to help them all ¡­ all I can think about is chaos in my head.  How do you filter it out.¡±


    ¡°I could filter it out,¡± Rachel said softly.  ¡°However, then I wouldn¡¯t be aware of threats¡­¡±  She paused at the word. When did I start thinking like that?  Children crying around me ¡­ I don¡¯t feel the urge to rush over there and save them.  Does that make me a monster or realist? My enhanced hearing definitely has changed my perspective on situations.


    Clearing her throat, Julia guided them to a volunteer.  Rachel had heard her name from previous conversations. ¡°Kelsey, thank you for the work you¡¯re doing.¡±  Kelsey and Julia were stunned for a moment


    ¡°You know my name?¡±  Kelsey asked, eyes scanning her appearance.  ¡°Are you that Mythickin bunny-girl?¡±


    Smiling warmly, Rachel nodded.  ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m a Lunar Hare, not a rabbit.  My name¡¯s Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kelsey muttered, looking at her large white ears.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Rachel said, turning to Julia.


    She jumped, realizing she had the floor.  ¡°Right, umm, Kelsey, do you have anything that would fit Rachel?  Something that would be easy to move in.¡±


    ¡°And would accommodate my tail,¡± Rachel added.


    ¡°Tail?¡±  Julia asked with wide eyes.


    Chuckling, Rachel nodded.  ¡°It¡¯s currently hidden beneath this gown, but yes, I have a fluffy white tail.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so cute!¡±  Julia squealed. ¡°I want to see it.¡±  She said with pleading eyes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s first get me some clothes that fit.¡±  She turned to Kelsey. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that some companies are donating clothes for tax write-offs.  Are there any running or sports attire that were donated, including shoes?¡±


    Frowning, Kelsey looked back to an elderly gentleman that was going through a stack of papers.  ¡°I think you¡¯ll have to talk to the lead supervisor.¡± Nodding, they walked up to the man. ¡°Umm, Mr. Huckly.¡±


    Rachel knew the man had looked at her a few times and knew he¡¯d been listening, but he feigned ignorance.  ¡°Ah, Kelsey, and this is that Mythickin, correct?¡±


    She nodded.  ¡°I am.¡±


    Julia stepped in.  ¡°We¡¯d like to see if you have any sports attire that would fit Ms. Park here.  She needs training clothes.¡±


    Huckly leaned back with pursed lips.  ¡°There¡¯s a concern that was brought up during the donation meeting.  To be frank, we need to be careful who represents certain brands. Some don¡¯t want anything to do with the animalistic or monster looking¡ªhumans.¡±


    Rachel breathed a heavy sigh.  I was afraid something like this might happen ¡­ Zoe was spot on when she said there could be social upsets.


    She was a little surprised as Julia spoke up, tone heated.  ¡°You¡¯re joking! You know you have no right to withhold donated items that have been registered with government write-offs.  They are no longer within your company¡¯s control, but the U.S. government and relief parties to hand out to anyone in need.¡±


    Huckly breathed a long sigh before looking at Rachel, swallowing.  ¡°Okay, look, there are a lot of things we could do to block you from getting specific clothes; there are other options, after all, mass-produced clothes that don¡¯t have the specs you¡¯re looking for.  However, if you want the quality sports gear these companies can provide and not the generic mass produced low-quality products...¡±


    Julia huffed, crossing her arms.  ¡°How can you think about profit when the world has been flipped on its head?¡±


    ¡°Flipped on its head?¡±  Huckly shook his head with a long sigh.  ¡°Some places, sure, but I¡¯m seeing things from a global scale.  Not everywhere has taken The Oscillation as badly as Miami; Japan, for instance, business is booming.  Some scuffles, for sure, but they¡¯re embracing The Oscillation. Heroes all over the place ¡­ I heard someone talk about Otaku or something; a dream come true.¡±  Otaku ¡­ yeah, my parents hate Otaku, but I guess that¡¯s good to know; the world isn¡¯t falling apart.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Julia¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Well, yeah, Japan is taking it well ¡­ but, still!¡±


    ¡°Business will go on.¡±  He smirked. ¡°I need to look out for the corporate interests.  It¡¯s only natural for a company to try and protect their brand ¡­ imagine a terrorist wearing a major brand¡¯s logo.  What that could do to a company¡¯s reputation. ¡±


    Julia¡¯s nostrils flared.  ¡°That¡¯s outrageous! Comparing Ms. Park to¡­¡±


    ¡°Julia, I¡¯m sensing a but,¡± Rachel huffed.  ¡°What is it?¡± This guy would line up just fine with Maria; all about that profit ¡­ perhaps for different aims though.  So, what do they want from me that could make a profit? It would need to be something decent enough to propose in front of Kelsey and Julia.


    He was silent for a moment as he studied her appearance.  ¡°This is a rare opportunity for you and me. Let me take a picture of you and send it to the Board of Directors of a few companies I¡¯m in contact with.  If one of them likes how you look then you''ll sign a contract to wear their products exclusively for promotion.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Julia asked with a furrowed brow.  ¡°A contract.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t hesitate.  ¡°Okay, can your phone send it right away?  I¡¯d like to get clothes as soon as possible, and there¡¯s two other Mythickin that I¡¯d like added to that contract.¡±  Free high-quality sports clothes!


    Huckly frowned.  ¡°Which Mythickin would those be?  Are you referring to the Unicorn? That would leave one more...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a package deal,¡± Rachel stated.


    Julia leaned in to whisper, ¡°Do you really think Maria would follow that contract?¡±


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Of course, they¡¯re free, high-quality clothes.¡±


    ¡°So, the Unicorn is one,¡± Huckly whispered as he thought on her counteroffer.  ¡°This could be a big opportunity ¡­ I¡¯ve heard rumors about a black-haired girl that arrived with you ¡­ let me contact a few of the companies and see if they¡¯re willing to gamble on the mystery Mythickin.¡±  Taking out his phone, he took a picture of Rachel before sending out a mass text. The response was quick, which made the man hum. ¡°Looks like we have a taker. They¡¯ll want a few pictures to post on the website and for a few covers.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Rachel said.


    Nodding with a smile, he rose.  ¡°I¡¯ll grab the contract that¡¯s being faxed; as stated on the front line, they can void the contract at any time, but you must complete the time stated, or else pay a very hefty fine.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°Tell Kelsey where the boxes are so I can get changed while you get everything set up.¡±


    He nodded with a devilish grin.  ¡°Mythickin have a bad name now, but the public is fickle.  Once this blows over, and they get a good look at the civil ones ¡­ I think it¡¯s reasonable to say you¡¯ll be a celebrity.  Kelsey, here¡¯s the product list for the company in question.¡±


    She took the clipboard with a frown as he left.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe he did that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting used to it,¡± Rachel said with a light chuckle.  ¡°The world hasn¡¯t ended just yet, and there¡¯s money to be gained¡ªhuman nature.¡±


    They went through the boxes, looking for her size.  Should I go with stealth or comfort and breathability?  Probably breathability; I need to be able to perform. Eventually, she found clothes to her liking, everything in black; crop-top sports bra, underwear that just fit under her tail, performance bike shorts, and a seamless tank.  They moved to footwear, and she chose breathable socks with matching performance running shoes. She put it all in a plastic bag.


    A thought crossed her mind.  ¡°Do you have any armbands? They come in handy to wipe away sweat if you¡¯re working out pretty hard, and do you have any scissors to cut my hair?  It¡¯s just too long.¡±


    Julia gasped.  ¡°What, no¡ªit¡¯s so silky, thick, and pretty!¡±


    Rachel smiled sadly.  ¡°As much as I fantasized about having hair like this ¡­ it¡¯s just not practical.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Julia said, looking at her hair with longing eyes.


    She added the wrist bands to the bag with her clothes and moved to the showering area with Kelsey and Julia.  Setting up a chair, Rachel sat down and grabbed a handful of her hair. Chuckling a little as Julia brought a bag.


    ¡°Hey, this could make an amazing wig for someone that could use it!¡±  She said with chagrin.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she said.  ¡°Okay, Kelsey, cut it at my shoulder, could you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no professional,¡± Kelsey muttered with a bit of distress.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine, just cut it at my shoulder.¡±


    Swallowing nervously, she carefully grabbed a clump of her hair and brought the sharp medical scissors up and squeezed.  Rachel frowned, she didn¡¯t hear the sound of snipping hair. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Umm, it won¡¯t cut?  I¡¯m squeezing really hard ¡­ it just won¡¯t cut.¡±


    Lips pursed, she hummed.  ¡°Maybe it¡¯s stronger than normal hair.  Give me the scissors; I should be able to cut it.¡±  Kelsey handed her the utensil and Rachel brought her hair around.  Fitting her fingers into the holes, she tried to cut the lock she¡¯d selected; the scissors broke in her fingers, falling apart.  ¡°Seriously¡­¡± Rachel muttered.


    Julia breathed with awe.  ¡°Your hair is like¡ªas strong as steel, but feels no different¡ªno, even silkier than normal hair!  I need to message Richard about this.¡± She was almost bouncing on her toes.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ wonderful.¡±  Rachel glared at her thick white hair.  ¡°I guess it¡¯s another form of defense. I should probably leave it unbound¡ªsince it always goes back to the same style, fanning around my back.¡±  She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m stuck with long hair forever.¡±


    Kelsey smirked.  ¡°The curse.¡±


    She chuckled.  ¡°Right, well, guess I¡¯ll take a shower and then get dressed.¡±  Nodding, both girls left, letting her clean herself up. There was an assortment of bottles already in the staff shower room, so she helped herself.  Just how has my biology changed?  Will I still have a period? I don¡¯t even know ¡­ I don¡¯t even know if I can have kids.  I mean, there was that case I heard back at the college, but is it different for Mythickin?  What myth am I from anyways? Figuring that out might help me better understand my abilities.


    She stretched out in the shower.  I¡¯m so much more flexible; does that have to do with my decrease in muscle mass?  She frowned as she focused, watching the water slow around her.  She moved back and to the left, watching the air pressure from just that movement shift the liquid around her.  Slowing to a stop, the water shot along the explosive burst of wind. I wasn¡¯t moving as fast as I was back in the fight, but still, I can cause this much change in air flow?  My mind also compensates; that¡¯s the interesting part ¡­ my mental state can accelerate. Though, just like my speed, I can¡¯t sustain it for long.


    She looked down at her physique with a sad smile.  I¡¯m stronger than I ever was as a human; so, why do I feel so depressed looking at this soft skin?  I guess it¡¯s all the hard work I put in seems lost¡­


    She finished washing; making sure to thoroughly scrub her skin so Scarlet wouldn¡¯t make fun of her.  Drying off, she left her hair to air-dry after patting it down. Donning all her new clothes, she walked out to meet Julia; Kelsey was gone, back to work helping people.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Julia clapped.  ¡°I swear, you¡¯ll look good in anything!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so cheerful all the time,¡± Rachel smiled.


    ¡°Of course!  I¡¯m living a dream right now!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy for you; say, would you mind cutting a small incision for my tail?¡±  It doesn¡¯t have to be big since the fabric can stretch.¡± She took out a piece of the broken medical blade.


    Julia looked like a kid on Christmas day.  ¡°Really? I guess the fabric is very well made.  It should hold up, right?¡±


    Turning around, she pulled her hair over her shoulder.  ¡°You see the bulge in the back ¡­ it does feel uncomfortable having my tail compressed.¡±


    Nodding, Julia carefully pulled back her bike shorts; Rachel felt her tremble of excitement as she caught sight of her puffy white tail.  ¡°So cool,¡± she whispered while cutting a small section for her tail to exit. ¡°How¡¯s that?¡±


    Rachel shifted to guide her tail through; it was a bit of a tight fit at first, but when it poked through it didn¡¯t constrict the base of her tail.  ¡°Wonderful, well, let¡¯s go sign that contract ¡­ I hear him making preparations for a photo shoot.¡± She groaned.


    ¡°It¡¯s not all bad,¡± Julia shrugged.  ¡°You¡¯re so gorgeous that you don¡¯t need a hint of makeup or photoshop!¡±


    ¡°Lucky me.¡±  She muttered as Julia followed her to where Huckly was setting everything up.


    He grinned as she appeared.  ¡°Striking, especially your pinkish-red eyes.  Natural, not edited; it¡¯s perfect!¡±


    Forcing a smile, Rachel nodded.  ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get on with it¡ªfirst, where do I sign, and I won¡¯t be here all day.  Twenty shots for now; I have things I need to do.¡±


    ¡°More than enough!¡±


    She finished the photo shoot quickly; Julia taking a few pictures of her own.  Rachel sucked in a deep breath as she moved to intercept Maria. On sight, all of her gang members stiffened, but Maria¡¯s smile grew.  Rachel¡¯s eyes widened; her horn was showing. Made out of white energy, it was thin and spiraled, attached just above her forehead. Wow, it¡¯s really bright and pretty.


    ¡°Ah, Rachel, got some new threads, buena onda.  Like the black."


    Rachel smiled as her bright aura dimmed slightly, horn fading.  ¡°So, I¡¯ve got you a deal for some clothes.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  All ears.  What kind of deal we talking?¡±


    ¡°So, this company,¡± she pointed at her tank.  ¡°Has offered to supply us all the clothes we want if we only wear their products and take a few pictures.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, s¨®lo para vestirse con sus ropas ... todo gratis, huh?¡±  A broad smile lit her cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re thinking like a hustler now!  Think I¡¯m rubbin¡¯ off on ya.¡± She turned to one of her boys. ¡°?Cu¨¢nto crees que podemos voltear eso?¡±


    Chuckling, Rachel nodded.  ¡°Right, well, go to the support area and get a new set of clothes.  See if you can get some cash on each picture taken too; I¡¯m sure you can hustle it out of him.¡±  Several of Maria¡¯s gang members nodded with broad grins.


    ¡°Aye,¡± Maria snapped, glaring at them.  ¡°?Qu¨¦ est¨¢s pensando tontos, eh?¡± They all looked away, trying to shrug it off.  Huffing, she turned to Rachel. ¡°Anyways, good job. I¡¯m gonna go do that and get some sleep.¡±


    A sly smile lit Rachel¡¯s lips as she heard a soldier asking the surveillance room for Maria¡¯s location.  ¡°Did you slip your tail?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Maria looked back with a frown.  ¡°Hear them looking for me? It¡¯s pretty easy when everyone crowds you; they get shoved back, and then the boys cause a distraction.¡±


    ¡°Well, keep an eye out for the cameras; they¡¯re looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the heads-up,¡± she suddenly smiled.  ¡°What did I say. You¡¯d be great in the crew; welcome aboard.¡±


    Rachel scratched the back of her neck.  ¡°You¡¯re funny.¡±


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Maria marched up to her.  ¡°You¡¯ll join, liebre blanca, just you wait!¡±  She tilted her head, and her group broke away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Julia muttered.  ¡°You¡¯ll join, just you wait ¡­ I get what she means, but¡­¡±


    Walking back toward the Mythickin section, Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much. Now, let¡¯s get Richard and start testing.¡±


    Julia¡¯s heart escalated.  ¡°Oh, finally! Yeah, let¡¯s go get ready.¡±


    She noticed the attention she was attracting seemed to be increasing rather than decreasing; people watched her with bated breath.  Rachel paused as she passed a waiting area, catching sight of a news station that showed a colossal tree, sprouting out of a large riverway.  She listened to the report with Julia:


    ¡°We¡¯re here at the Houses of Parliament, and as you can see, there is a massive tree growing out of the River Thames.  We have confirmation that the boat that sunk had a Mythickin Nymph onboard; she was transformed during The Oscillation, just before the hull was pierced by unknown origins, some speculate the Nymph herself.


    ¡°One witness to the event stated that as everyone was thrown into the water, this enormous tree began to grow, saving many that had fallen into the River Thames.  However, there are still several people unaccounted, including the Mythickin Nymph herself.


    ¡°The tree roots are currently blocking traffic on Westminister Bridge, Abingdon Street, A3212, Lambeth Bridge, A3036, and penetrating into the roads all around the area; thankfully, most buildings seem to be unaffected, and there are no reported casualties from the tree itself.  There are rumors that these roots reach as far as the North Sea and the English Channel, but there are multiple confirmed sightings of large roots spread across England, and this mythical tree continues to grow. People are already comparing its height to the Burj Khalifa as its enormous branches shadow London.


    ¡°We¡¯ve consulted multiple experts on the pictures we¡¯ve been able to secure, and it seems there are plants of unknown origin growing near the base and further up in the large branches where waterfalls can be seen.  You can see that the water, plant life, and even the trunk itself seem to have a glow, radiating their colors in an almost magical way; reports have been issued that it is not radioactive. It almost looks like a forest itself is sprouting out of the trunk and branches.


    ¡°Experts theorize that the mass spread of its roots must reach far underground and tap into many underground rivers and water sources across the country to sustain its massive size; as you can see, it seems to be pulling in water.  Waterfalls are gushing out of various openings and cascading down multiple branches further up the trunk. Some are already calling this the Eighth Wonder of the World, The World Tree.


    ¡°The area is being sealed off by local authorities as the military prepares to enter the tree¡¯s inner hollows at the trunk¡¯s base.  We will continue to keep you posted.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so cool¡­¡±  Julia mumbled, eyes sparkling.


    Breaking away, Rachel hummed.  So, there¡¯s a Nymph Mythickin in England.  That thing¡¯s massive though ¡­ if she can do that, then what can I do?  Well, in any case, that makes fifty-three Mythickin discovered. Could there be more of a specific kind ¡­ it¡¯s a good question; are there duplicate Mythickin?  There are two Vampires, but they aren¡¯t the same. I guess only time will tell.


    Richard came into view.  ¡°Ah, Ms. Park, you found wonderful clothes.  Feeling more comfortable?¡±


    She nodded.  ¡°Yeah, a lot more comfortable.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful.  Are you ready to test your strength in the sunlight?  Dawn broke about forty-five minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, where¡¯s a good spot?¡±


    Richard shrugged.  ¡°Not a clue. I guess we could just go out on the street and go from there.¡±


    ¡°That seems reasonable; the National Guard are keeping the building and surrounding area fairly secure.¡±  They made their way to the front entrance, Julia¡¯s eyes alight with excitement. Rachel smiled as she kept looking over at her.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Julia swallowed as she stared into Rachel¡¯s eyes.  ¡°I think I found out which myth you¡¯re from.¡± That¡¯d be great!  She did the research for me.  What¡¯ll she do if I motion with my ears?


    ¡°I¡¯m all ears,¡± Rachel said, ears shifting to beckon Julia on.


    She breathed in sharply.  ¡°I know you¡¯re doing this to get a squeal out of me!  You actually have that much control over your ears?¡±


    Rachel responded by moving her ears into a heart shape, causing Julia to pull out her phone.  ¡°Just one more picture!¡± She said, taking the photo; she stared at the picture with a beaming smile.  ¡°So, I think you¡¯re from the Moon Rabbit myths; I know you¡¯re not a rabbit, but you¡¯re in the same family.  It dates back to China and has a lot of different variants to it. Usually, the rabbit is depicted with a pestle and mortar, pounding away at something, what exactly differs between myths and translation.¡±


    Rachel hummed.  ¡°So, I guess you could say my power and speed could come from that.  Always pounding away, but wouldn¡¯t that mean I have a lot of endurance ¡­ which I don¡¯t.  I have a lot of stamina, but not high endurance...¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Julia hummed.  ¡°Stamina and endurance ¡­ oh, so ¡­ explain.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Rachel rubbed the back of her head, ears shifting to the left.  ¡°Let¡¯s see ¡­ it¡¯s like I have a high energy pool, but it drains really quickly.¡±


    Julia¡¯s eyes lit up.  ¡°Oh! So, it¡¯s like stamina is represented as a bar or pool, and the cost of abilities or skills increases or decreases based on your endurance stat.  Sounds just like a game.¡± She grinned.


    ¡°That¡¯s the only way I can think about explaining it.¡±  Rachel chuckled.


    Julia shrugged.  ¡°It¡¯s really cool.  Of course, the myth could be a metaphor; a lot of Chinese myths were used to represent something.  Maybe it¡¯s perseverance or dedication. Speaking biologically wise, Hares have longer ears than rabbits, are usually wilder than rabbits, not kept as pets, they¡¯re more solitary, and can run as fast as forty to forty-five miles an hour while being able to keep high mobility; they leap instead of hop.


    ¡°Hares also change their coat based on the season¡ªyou might change based on moon color; that would be awesome!  Let¡¯s see, they¡¯re nocturnal, they move close to the ground to escape detection, ears lying flat against their head when they move at accelerated speed; hares are excellent swimmers¡ªyou don¡¯t have long, front incisors, do you?¡±  Rachel shook her head, soaking in the information. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good, hare front incisors never stop growing; so they need to grind them down all the time. They have an excellent sense of smell¡ªdo you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve mainly been focusing on sound; I haven¡¯t paid attention to smells since I was so focused on the commotion around me.  Umm, let¡¯s see.¡± She sniffed the air and to her surprise, found a ton of scents meet her. I can¡¯t tell what many of them are, but I smell flowers and other things.  I don¡¯t know what a lot of these other scents are though ¡­ why have I not noticed until now?  At the thought, the answer came in the same way as her race.  I hadn¡¯t unlocked it?  Does that mean I¡¯m capable of further growth?  I must have a variety of other natural skills that can be opened to me ¡­ I¡¯ll need to do my research on hares.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Richard asked, looking over at her.  ¡°You usually look so neutral, but you seemed surprised just now.¡±  He¡¯s still studying my features; I guess I can¡¯t be too careful.


    ¡°Yeah, let me see if I can explain it¡ªI just gained access to a deeper sense of smell.¡±


    Richard and Julia¡¯s brow furrowed as they stopped in front of a hallway with sunlight shining through the windows.  ¡°What do you mean, gained access to a deeper sense of smell?  You didn¡¯t have it until now?¡±  Richard questioned.


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Yes ¡­ that¡¯s what I just learned¡ªit¡¯s the same for identifying my race and type.  It¡¯s a knowledge that just filters into my brain upon request ¡­ obviously, I need to be specific for it to work.  I just gained access; it¡¯s like the biological function just opened up to me. I couldn¡¯t smell anything deep or profound, and the moment I tried to identify all the scents around me ¡­ it was unlocked.¡±


    Julia¡¯s eyes widened as she slammed her fist into her hand.  ¡°Like a talent in a game!¡±


    ¡°A game?¡±  Rachel and Richard looked at her.


    She nodded enthusiastically.  ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s like an Isekai anime I¡¯ve seen; everything you¡¯ve been telling me sounds just like a game!¡±


    ¡°Isekai ¡­ the girl that taught me about my race and type said the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Right, so, it¡¯s like a video game where you have multiple trees or skills, and you need to unlock them!¡±


    Rachel licked her lips.  ¡°Eh, this doesn¡¯t feel like a game, Julia.  It feels very real.¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°Of course it feels real because this is real, but it¡¯s functioning like a game ¡­ not that it is a game.  Well¡ªwhen you think about a stat menu or like, a gaming screen, does anything come up?¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re getting at,¡± Rachel muttered.  ¡°Zoe, that girl I mentioned, told me the same thing.  Thinking like that made me aware of my general strengths; such as agility, and weaknesses, low endurance.¡±


    ¡°This is so exciting!¡±  Julia breathed. ¡°It¡¯s more of a hidden system then?  Some games don¡¯t give you exact stats or abilities and let you develop your own style of gameplay as you play.  It sounds like that!¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Richard muttered.  ¡°I¡¯ve never played any games, but if your hypothesis is correct, then we can develop a means of testing it.¡±  He looked forward at the light ahead of them. ¡°I guess this is the first time you¡¯ll be entering the light, Ms. Park.  Being based on a nocturnal animal and a Lunar Hare, connected to the moon, I wonder what the sun¡¯s effect will be on you?¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°I need to know.¡± She turned to Julia.  ¡°Keep thinking about your Isekai stuff, and we can test some of your theories in a minute.¡±  She turned back to the sunlight and walked forward, holding out her hand. Please don¡¯t burst into flames...


    AuthorSME


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    You can download the full images for free at my patreon for free.  The links to Maria and The Nymph''s Tree.  ^_^7


    I commissioned Likesac for the image of Maria and my other characters.  He offers a really competitive price!


    I commissioned Pino on Deviantart for the tree image.  He does amazing backgrounds for a decent price!

 B1 — 9. Experimentation

    Rachel¡¯s hand entered the branching hallway; the sunlight shone through the windows, reflecting off the white tile floor to strike her fingers.  Strength immediately started leaving her body; hand recoiling, she darted back, causing Julia and Richard to jump at her quick action. She almost tripped over a few people lining the hallway, causing them to stiffen at her swift backpedal.


    ¡°Did it hurt?¡±  Richard asked.


    Julia moved to her with concern.  ¡°What is it¡ªdid it hurt?¡±


    Rachel looked down at her fingers, flexing them without response.  It¡¯s not like I lost strength in just my fingers ¡­ it was my entire body.  It¡¯s not returning, even when I¡¯m out of the light, and that was only a reflection off the tiles.  It was a good call to wait until night.


    She looked up at Jula and Richard¡¯s questioning gaze before humming lowly.  ¡°So, the moment my fingers¡­¡± She cut off as a familiar bodily system entered her perceptive range.  That¡¯s the guy that tried to take Scarlet ¡­ he¡¯s to the north of me.  For me to recognize specific human sounds, do I need to be within a hundred meters of someone?  The way his vocal cords sound when he breathes, the rise and fall of his lungs, specific body movement ¡­ it¡¯s all the same.  He¡¯s not in the building yet, but walking with a few people outside.


    ¡°Rachel, are you okay?¡±  Richard asked, stepping closer to examine her.


    Mind returning to the present, Rachel frowned.  ¡°Yeah, sorry, I just heard someone nearby. Give me a moment.¡±  They both followed her as she backtracked to a National Guard soldier stationed down the hall, scanning the crowd.  ¡°Mason,¡± his eyes rose as she called out his name. ¡°Can you patch through to Mateo? He¡¯s one of the Green Berets, a Captain.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask why?¡±  Mason shifted to face her.


    ¡°I just noticed someone that he¡¯ll be interested in.¡±


    He frowned.  ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Rachel,¡± she said, eyes darting to Julia and Richard as they listened.


    ¡°Right,¡± pressing his earpiece, he said, ¡°This is Mason Jordan, Private First Class; the Mythickin Rachel, wishes to be patched through to Captain Mateo.  She says she¡¯s discovered someone he¡¯ll be interested in.¡±


    After confirmation, several seconds passed in silence as people moved around them, the hallways busy with noise.  Mateo¡¯s voice came over the speakers. ¡°This is Captain Mateo, put Rachel on.¡±


    Mason¡¯s heart rate elevated; he swallowed nervously before handing his earpiece to Rachel.  Holding it up to her mouth, she spoke softly. ¡°Mateo, I just heard that man that wants to take Scarlet outside the facility.¡±


    ¡°How did he get so close without you noticing him?¡±


    ¡°As far as I can guess, he hasn¡¯t been talking.  I can recognize tone from much further away, but his unique bodily sounds were only noticeable within a hundred meters or so.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I already sent in a report on him; I¡¯ll check up on how it¡¯s going and alert the National Guard around the area.  I¡¯ll also station some of my team in the Mythickin section; all authorization will go through me. Thanks for the heads up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mateo.  Thanks for caring about us.¡±


    He sniffed.  ¡°Hard not to when my own daughter was changed.  You¡¯re all victims in this, but you¡¯re also walking military grade weapons; so, don¡¯t cause too much trouble.¡±


    She repressed a sigh.  ¡°Thanks, Mateo.¡± She handed the device back to Mason.  ¡°Thank you too, Mason.¡± He nodded briskly as she walked away, the two doctors behind her.


    ¡°I see,¡± Richard muttered.  ¡°You recognized the sounds of someone you knew nearby that could be perceived as a threat.¡±


    Julia nodded.  ¡°The part that caught my interest was how you recognized him.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I told you, it¡¯s hard to accurately describe how acute and broad my hearing has become.  I can hear the popping in your joints as you move, the motion of your lungs, which foot you put the most weight on.  I could go on, but I think you get the point. The sound is much clearer the closer someone is, and the more I can recognize it, but I can hear loud sounds like gunfire happening several miles away ¡­ normal voices two and a half miles away.  I¡¯ve been trying to measure and get an accurate distance for the last few hours.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m just starting to realize how much of an advantage that is,¡± Richard muttered.  ¡°You can hear every conversation in the hospital, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±  She said, stopping outside the branch to the hallway with reflected sunlight.


    ¡°There are still things you can possibly unlock too!¡±  Julia¡¯s tone was spiked with enthusiasm. ¡°So, what¡¯s up with the sunlight?¡±


    Looking down at her hand, Rachel sighed.  ¡°The moment my fingers touched the sunlight, reflected sunlight, not even direct ¡­ I felt all the strength in my body decreasing.¡±


    ¡°Not just in your fingers,¡± Richard muttered.  ¡°So, that tells us sunlight does have an effect on you, but it¡¯s not on just the parts of your body that are actively touching sunlight, but your entire body.  It would be good to test how far your power decreases; do you feel up to it?¡±


    Rachel swallowed, feeling a little nervous.  ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I wasn¡¯t scared of the idea.  What if at a certain point I can¡¯t even twitch a finger, but I do have the two of you here in case anything drastic happens.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Julia hummed lightly.  ¡°The moon is still in the sky. It doesn¡¯t just show up at night; the moon rises and sets at different times.  Let me see ¡­ it¡¯s a quarter moon, right now and will set at around twelve pm.¡±


    Rachel cursed internally as she looked at Julia¡¯s phone.  I can¡¯t believe I left my phone back at the dorm.  A particular conversation caught her interest that diverted her train of thought.


    ¡°When can they transport the expired blood bags and other biohazard materials to the sanitation facility?  With all the volunteers flooding in we also need more supplies.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re working it out, but give us some time.¡±  I see¡ªI guess blood bags would expire too.  We don¡¯t need to get the blood bags here, we can just go to one of the sanitation facilities that are empty, and she could drink her fill.  What time will the moon be rising tonight though? Turning to Julia, she asked the question.


    ¡°Umm, looks like it¡¯s around twelve A.M.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait for tonight to test the moon¡¯s growth potential,¡± Richard muttered.


    Rachel stretched her arms out.  ¡°Well, I do need to figure out the effects of the sun, and if the moon is still out, we can move to a location in the shade with the moonlight still showing.¡±


    The three of them looked at the hallway with some reservation.  ¡°Well,¡± Rachel sighed, ¡°let¡¯s see how far my physical strength can fall.¡±  She extended her hand again, the light touching her fingers. It wasn¡¯t painful, but she could feel her explosive strength diminishing at a consistent rate.


    Julia was a little breathless.  ¡°How is it?¡±


    ¡°Slow, but constant.¡±  Rachel turned her palm around, flexing her fingers in the light.  Will the decrease increase if I put my whole arm in it?  Trying it, she frowned.  ¡°It¡¯s the same constant rate.  Stepping into the hallway, she licked her lips, now fully exposed to the reflected light.  ¡°There, it increased a little, but I think it¡¯s because I hit a more intense glare.¡±


    Julia and Richard followed her as she walked to the window, peering through it at the brightening front entrance of the hospital.  ¡°There, it stopped. It¡¯s not decreasing anymore.¡± Rachel muttered.


    ¡°You¡¯re not glowing anymore,¡± Julia said with a hint of sadness.


    ¡°The glow could be linked to the amount of moonlight energy she¡¯s absorbed ¡­ how unscientific does that sound,¡± Richard shook his head.  ¡°Moonlight energy¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it looks like the sunlight decreases your energy, but¡­¡± Julia frowned as she looked down at the ground.


    ¡°What is it?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m just wondering if it¡¯s a static or dynamic source of power?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a dissipative system?¡±  Richard questioned.


    ¡°Not necessarily; if we¡¯re talking about anime or game-like mechanics.  I was looking at a few systems while Rachel was in the shower, and there was one that showed a specific resource.  They used specific kinds of elements to gain their power, but if their counter elements weren¡¯t present then it would stay static; neither increasing nor decreasing when their environment lacked those positive and negative elements.  What makes me think about that is how Rachel was able to stay strong inside the building or without moonlight. Of course, it could dissipate over a much longer time.¡±


    Richard cupped his chin.  ¡°Hmm, what do you think Rachel?  Were you getting weaker since coming into the hospital?¡±


    Thinking back, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t getting slower, but I was getting more tired.  Let¡¯s see ¡­ how do I explain it? I could move at my max speed, but my body would continue to feel more strained ¡­ like, I could pull a muscle or something if I continued to push my body at that pace, but I still could.¡±


    ¡°It does sound like a separate resource then,¡± Richard muttered.  ¡°That would mean that if you went back inside without going out to absorb the moonlight for a few days ¡­ you¡¯d stay at your current weakest state.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s skin tingled at the information.  Wait¡ªthat would mean that if someone wanted to kidnap me ¡­ even the government, then they could expose me to sunlight and then stick me in like a steel container ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be able to escape.  It wouldn¡¯t be good to give them that kind of information ¡­ at least not if we¡¯re going by common sense.


    Rachel sucked on her lower lip for a moment.  ¡°Maybe, let¡¯s go test it out real fast now that I¡¯m completely drained.¡±


    Richard nodded.  ¡°Let¡¯s, it¡¯s an important weakness to note.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re right about that,¡± Rachel whispered.


    Returning to her previous spot outside the sunlight; she was a little shocked to find a small portion of her energy instantly recover, but it wasn¡¯t increasing.  It¡¯s like moonlight.  I feel a massive increase when in moonlight, but that diminishes immediately when I step outside of it; however, it doesn¡¯t decrease any further ¡­ it¡¯s like a sharp boost.  I think it affects my stamina pool; it could also be affecting my endurance, decreasing the cost of my abilities ¡­ if Julia¡¯s right and this is like a game. It has to be one of the two; it either affects my stamina or endurance ¡­ even both.  In contrast, the sun would do the same; it should reduce my overall stamina or endurance, increasing my stamina loss while moving.


    Rachel smiled a little.  ¡°No, I¡¯ve regained some strength.¡±  It wasn¡¯t a lie but wasn¡¯t expressing the full truth.  She clenched her fist and punched, feeling the strength behind the blow, she tried to measure it with her previous punches.  A whole lot weaker than when I was charged, but I think I could still bend something like a steel rod with some effort.  I¡¯m at least as strong as the strongest humans I¡¯ve seen in strength exhibitions. So, I¡¯m still a force to be reckoned with outside of sunlight, but I need to know just how weak I become in daylight.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Richard said, making some notes.  ¡°You aren¡¯t glowing still, but you¡¯ve regained strength by passing out of sunlight.¡±


    Julia watched her punch with excitement.  ¡°Wow! That was so fast; I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen someone punch that fast before.  Does that mean you have a medium or cap; like with mana as an example, there¡¯s a mana cap that you reach outside of moonlight, and it decreases to zero in sunlight?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Rachel said with a bright smile.  Not at all.  You were right before ¡­ it¡¯s a static state, but there¡¯s a significant boost or loss in direct light.


    ¡°So,¡± Rachel stretched out a little.  Julia squealing at how flexible she was as she wrote something down in her phone.  ¡°Let¡¯s see if I can get any of the soldiers to help test me. There¡¯s an area outside where some of the Coast Guard soldiers have gathered.¡±


    ¡°You seriously want to spar?¡±  Julia asked.


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°I want to know how strong I am compared to a normal human while in sunlight.  Not spar, since we don¡¯t have much protective equipment and I don¡¯t know exactly how strong or weak I am in sunlight.  They could hurt me, or I could hurt them. I just want to test my strength.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Richard nodded.  ¡°Like, arm wrestling?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good option,¡± she said while moving back into the sunlight.  ¡°Let¡¯s head that way.¡± On the way to the Coast Guard break area, she listened, ears twitching a few times as she caught wind of the wannabe hero talking to a few National Guard soldiers she knew the name of.


    ¡°Hey, Carter, there¡¯s a problem.¡±


    ¡°What is it?  Something change in the guard schedule?¡±


    ¡°No, the entire bloody guard changed.  I caught wind that the rabbit Mythickin found out you were nearby and alerted the Army.  There¡¯s a Green Beret team that¡¯s taken over the whole section.¡±


    Carter cursed.  ¡°How did she know I was nearby?  I¡¯ve been keeping low and away from her.¡±


    ¡°No clue.  They¡¯ve locked down that whole section, and I heard that the Unicorn recently went in the section too.  She¡¯s got a gang that¡¯s hanging around outside the halls.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to get in with them locking everything down; it¡¯s probably the same Special Forces unit that I saw before.  Is there anything some of your buddies can do?¡±


    ¡°Actually, we need to be more careful.  Some of the guys in the National Guard were frozen by some guy with ice powers.  They found out that the Vampire was the one that subdued him and they¡¯re talking about how they¡¯d be dead if she hadn¡¯t shown up.  People¡¯s fears are dying down, but we can¡¯t let what happened in Seattle happen here!¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯ll figure something out,¡± Carter muttered.  ¡°The bunny-girl¡¯s fast ¡­ crazy fast. I need to figure out how she caught wind I was nearby.  Give me a heads up if anything comes up or if they discover my location.¡±


    ¡°No problem, and Carter¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Careful, man.  I don¡¯t want another cousin turning up dead.¡±


    ¡°I know ¡­ I¡ªtalk to you later, Paul.¡±


    Rachel turned down another hallway, Julia pondering something while Richard studied his tablet PC.  Should I intervene?  I didn¡¯t know he had accomplices within the National Guard.  It sounds like it¡¯s under control for now and I don¡¯t see him as that big of a threat.  He can turn into smoke or some kind of vapor but against someone like Scarlet ¡­ that¡¯s child¡¯s play.  She could just trap his smoke inside a blood ball or something. How would that affect him? I assume he has to materialize after a certain time ¡­ what if he was trapped inside of a container?  Would he die? She halted as her strength seemed to return a bit, causing Julia to almost run into her.


    ¡°Woah!  What¡¯s up?¡±  Julia asked, moving to her side.


    Looking through the glass, she caught sight of the moon poking over the buildings.  ¡°The moon, it¡¯s countering the sunlight¡¯s effect, but not all of it.¡± I¡¯d say I¡¯m a little weaker than outside sunlight.  Maybe it needs to be more full to counter it?


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Richard started typing a few sentences on his tablet.  ¡°It does have a bit of a counter effect then.¡±


    Julia moved to get a better view of the moon.  ¡°Only most of it, eh? I wonder how it would be if it were a third or a full moon?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to see,¡± Rachel muttered.  ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s keep moving.¡± They began moving again with her prompt.


    Keeping a light smile on her lips, she made it to the spot; her appearance caused a stir among the soldiers.  She walked up to a specific man; he had black hair and brown eyes, a bit taller than her, excluding her ears, and was well built.  ¡°Senior Chief Petty Officer Flores, it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    Several of the men around him straightened.  ¡°You¡¯d be?¡± Flores asked.


    ¡°Rachel Park, I¡¯m one of the Mythickin within Miami.¡±  A few of the men narrowed their eyes, muscles moving defensively as their breathing changed.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to cause any trouble for the Coast Guard.¡± She said with raised hands. ¡°I just wanted to ask for your help.  Can I explain?¡±


    Julia stepped in, ¡°Yes, umm ¡­ should I address you as Senior Chief Petty Officer?¡±


    Looking at them with a frown, Flores picked between his teeth before sucking in.  ¡°Hmm, one of those Mythickin, eh?¡± His vision didn¡¯t leave Rachel. ¡°You can call me Logan, if you prefer, Ma¡¯am.  We¡¯ve heard a lot about some of you in other countries¡ªof course, the Seattle incident. Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve heard about a rabbit Mythickin though.  What do you want, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Right, thank you, Logan,¡± Julia said with a slight nod.  ¡°Rachel wishes to test her strength. What have you heard about the Mythickin or the changed humans?¡±


    Pursing his lips for a moment, Logan continued to study Rachel as he spoke.  ¡°Enough to be cautious about them.¡±


    Richard nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s understandable, and forgive my wording, Rachel¡ªbut, she was human not so long ago.  Could you explain a little about yourself, Rachel?¡± Is this some of his psych background to help connect me to humanity or is this a subtle way to get more information about my background?  Perhaps both...


    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind.  I was changed into a Lunar Hare during The Oscillation; yesterday, I was just an ordinary college student; a nineteen-year-old, third-semester Korean-girl that liked Muay Thai and had family problems.  Now,¡± she gestured at herself, ¡°I¡¯m this.¡±


    Logan nodded.  ¡°Okay, a little background is appreciated.  So, what do you want our help with.¡±


    Swallowing, Julia continued.  ¡°Because she¡¯s a Lunar Hare, under moonlight, she can rip steel apart like butter and move extremely fast ¡­ like, a literal blur.¡±  Several of the men¡¯s defensive posture returned. ¡°Oh, but don¡¯t worry¡ªin the sunlight, she becomes much, much weaker. She¡¯d like to test her strength a little and see how she performs at her weakest.  It would also help us better understand her abilities.¡±


    ¡°How weak would that be?¡±  Logan growled.


    She looked over at the moon, still a bit above the building line.  ¡°Umm¡ªI believe a little weaker than some of the strongest humans on the planet¡ªwith the moon in sight, not when in sunlight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re joking,¡± one of the other men muttered.  Did I come off too strong?  Maybe I should have downplayed it.


    Logan shook his head.  ¡°I can¡¯t risk one of my men being injured.  Especially in a state of Martial Law.¡±


    Richard nodded.  ¡°I completely understand your position.  It would just be an arm wrestling match; in the sunlight, of course, and outside of the moon¡¯s light¡ªat her weakest.¡±


    He thought about it for a moment before addressing Rachel.  ¡°How strong would you be at your weakest?¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°That¡¯s what I want to find out¡ªI¡¯ll definitely be a lot weaker than I am right now.


    Turning to a few men, he asked, ¡°Any of you want to arm wrestle a Mythickin that claims to be able to best the strongest men in the world when weakened?¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡±  Several men shouted.


    Rachel kept her smile pleasant as Julia spoke.  ¡°Great. Just over there, by the building outside of the moonlight should work.¡±  Nodding, everyone made their way over to the spot; the men setting up a table with two chairs.


    Richard had an amused expression.  ¡°Ms. Park, out of curiosity, you do know arm wrestling is more about technique than raw strength.  I¡¯m guessing these men will know a few of those techniques.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Rachel said, taking a seat with a soft smile.  ¡°I want to know how well I stack up. If they have the advantage, then that helps me understand my strength even more ¡­ is that why you suggested it?¡±


    ¡°It was just a thought,¡± Richard mumbled, typing a few things into his tablet.  Right...


    ¡°Alright,¡± Rachel said brightly as a big muscular man sat.  ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± She held out her hand, and the big man took it, elbows resting on the table.  Her hands felt so small in the big man¡¯s rough palm.


    ¡°Your skin is so smooth and soft,¡± the man said with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°I know,¡± Rachel said with a bitter sigh.  ¡°All my Muay Thai training and conditioning was thrown out the window when I became a Lunar Hare.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± the man grunted.


    ¡°Your skin is magnificent.¡±  Julia huffed.


    Logan frowned as he looked between his men.  ¡°Everyone curious to see if the rumors about these changed people are true?¡±


    ¡°Sir, yes, sir!¡±  They shouted.


    Nodding, he turned back to Rachel.  ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Julia took a deep breath.  ¡°Alright, ready, set, start!¡±


    Rachel felt a slight tug against her shoulder as the man tried pulling her arm toward him, her feet resisting his pull for a moment as she countered the force he was exerting.


    He frowned, his buddies cheering him on.  ¡°You¡¯re a lot stronger than you look,¡± he grunted, muscles bulking as he fed more strength into them.  Rachel countered the force again. I feel the tension against my shoulder, and he¡¯s trying to pull me up toward him, but I¡¯m able to at least counter his strength.  It¡¯s not easy, and I feel my stamina draining quickly. I can¡¯t hold out for an extended period of time; my endurance really is low.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to start really trying now,¡± she grunted.  Throwing all her strength into her arm, she began moving his hand down; the man¡¯s large muscles rippled as his face turned red.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Mike!  Don¡¯t let that shrimp beat you!¡±  A few of the soldiers called, but it was over soon as his muscles relaxed in defeat.


    He swore, rubbing his wrist and arm.  ¡°You¡¯re a beast alright. Rachel, was it?¡±  He took a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re like when at your weakest?¡±


    Rachel rotated her arm, flexing her fingers.  ¡°I believe so, but I couldn¡¯t last a long game against you.  I don¡¯t have very good endurance or strength, just high burst power.  My arm¡¯s tingling.¡±


    He laughed, a few of his buddies slapping him on the back.  ¡°I guess that¡¯s something.¡± He chuckled.


    She went around to shake everyone¡¯s hand.  ¡°Thank you all for helping me out. That¡¯s all I wanted to know.¡±  They joked around a little and poked fun at the soldier she¡¯d beat, but all in good humor.  Waving, she left back toward a shaded spot to recharge a bit on moonlight.


    ¡°So,¡± Richard questioned as they sat in the grass.  ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°I think it would be best for me to get some rest.  Maria and Scarlet have already gone to bed; I need to get some sleep too.  Nocturnal, remember?¡± She laughed with a bright smile.


    Both doctors nodded.  ¡°Alright, that sounds like a plan,¡± Julia said with a yawn.  ¡°I¡¯m tired, myself.¡±


    ¡°What about Scarlet and the blood packs you mentioned?¡±  Richard questioned.


    Scratching at the base of her left ear, she hummed.  ¡°We can wait until later. She¡¯s sleeping anyways. We can test out some of her abilities tonight.¡±


    Stretching, Richard nodded with a half smile.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a little hesitant about testing her abilities¡ªI¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be alright if you¡¯re around if anything goes south though.¡±


    Rachel shrugged, tone low as she looked at her hands.  ¡°Who knows¡ªScarlet has some amazing abilities. I can only imagine how she¡¯ll be if fully juiced up ¡­ live blood might be a whole different story too.  Anyways, thanks for helping me understand this new transformation a bit more, Richard, Julia.¡±


    They both nodded as they watched her head back to the Mythickin area to sleep, Rachel¡¯s ears following their conversation as she left.


    ¡°What do you think about her, Julia?¡±


    Julia chuckled.  ¡°You know she can hear us?¡±


    Richard hummed.  ¡°Of course, but what would you rather do, text everything from now on?  She might be able to detect specific keystrokes and understand what is written in any case; I mean, she can identify minute physical phenomena in the body.  I believe being open is the best approach.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that,¡± Julia said, licking her lips.  ¡°She¡¯s amazing in more ways than one. She knows we were sent to gather information about her, but still allowed us to tag along.  I wonder what will end up being decided in the end¡ªthere¡¯s so much change happening in the world.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got that right ¡­ well, I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡±


    They both rose, shook hands, and left their separate ways.


    Rachel sighed.  There is something being cooked in the background, and they¡¯ve been cautious about voicing it aloud.  I guess they¡¯re revising that approach or at least trying to make me think they are. She scratched at her long right ear with irritation.  There¡¯s so much uncertainty ¡­ how will they act after our actions tonight?


    She entered the Mythickin wing, chose a room, and quickly fell asleep.


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — S1. Terror

    AuthorSME


    Scarlet took a deep breath as she awoke, stretching under her soft fabric sheet.  Shifting her back, she pulled her braided long black hair out from under her as she changed positions against her satin pillowcase.


    She yawned, opening her blue eyes to stare at her bedside clock.  ¡°Ugh,¡± she moaned. It¡¯s seven P.M. ¡­ mom and dad are still home.


    Pushing herself up against her headboard, the bed-frame creaked.  She cracked her neck, before pulling her blue blankets up to her stomach.  Dully examining her room, she breathed a heavy sigh. She had posters and pictures everywhere showing what her parents hated the most, vampire hunters; she didn¡¯t particularly like some of them, but just annoying her vampire crazed parents was enough for her.


    She looked at her red laptop beside her, lying atop her full-sized bed.  What should I do tonight?  I could draw ¡­ Minicho could be on Discord, but she can get annoying with that represent phase she¡¯s in.  Maybe I should just look for some Netflix shows and pretend I¡¯m not online.


    She glanced back at her clock.  Should probably wait for mom and dad to go to their secret vampire club before going down to make dinner.  She frowned, eyes darting to her stomach as it growled.  Ramen tonight?  Maybe mom or dad have some leftovers in the fridge.


    She breathed through her teeth with frustration as a knock sounded at her door, her mother¡¯s voice following.  ¡°Scarlet, you awake? I thought I heard your bed.¡± I hate this metal bed, and of course, they had to get it in red!


    ¡°Yeah, mom.  What¡¯s up?¡± She said with a bit of annoyance in her tone.


    Her mom opened the door; Scarlet was a little shorter than her, but her mom worked out, so she was a lot more filled out than her skinny daughter.  Her black hair shifted as her brown eyes appraised the room with disdain. ¡°We¡¯re hosting the gathering tonight.¡±


    ¡°That right,¡± Scarlet said dryly.  ¡°Joanna and Florence coming to tonight¡¯s gathering?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± her mom said brightly.  ¡°We¡¯re going to be doing the Bloody Ritual of Kartash!  I developed the incantation myself.¡± She said with pride.  ¡°We¡¯ll be channeling the primeval forces of the blood deity, Marvok, to bring about the incarnation of Scarlet herself.¡±  She was almost bouncing on her toes.


    ¡°Uh-uh,¡± Scarlet puffed a breath through her mouth.  ¡°The same blood god Scarlet that you named me after?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the very same!  We¡¯ve been preparing the proper ingredients for this ritual for three months!¡±


    Lips pursed, Scarlet nodded before folding her arms.  ¡°Right, like the last thirteen attempts to summon Scarlet¡¯s incarnation.  The last one was at Johnny¡¯s barn, right? The one that you spent two hours reciting from that massive script¡ªthat you forced me to listen to?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± her mother shook her head.  ¡°No, that was to call forth Ravilla, her apostle.  We hoped it would work since we¡¯d used Round Island Boa skin, but that didn¡¯t work either.  We needed something more powerful.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the problem,¡± Scarlet muttered, head falling back to her headboard.  ¡°Explain to me again how channeling Marvok, a blood deity, is going to bring Scarlet, a god, into this world?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± her mother said with a sad smile.  ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Scarlet huffed.  ¡°I guess you¡¯re right¡ªanything good to eat downstairs?¡±


    Her mother didn¡¯t answer as she stared at a new poster she¡¯d just added above her desktop computer desk.  ¡°Is that Trevor C. Bel¡ªreally, Scarlet? You know Trevor worked with Alucard, the son of Dracula.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Scarlet said with a frown, scooting off her bed, she went to the poster and tore it off the wall, ripping it in two.  ¡°Thanks for letting me know¡ªI¡¯ll get another picture of Abraham Van Helsing.¡±


    ¡°Honestly,¡± her mother said with a disapproving tone.  ¡°Why do you insist on provoking your father and I?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you like the sparkly Vampires,¡± Scarlet said, smashing the ripped poster into a ball.


    Her mother¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Those are not Vampires; such a ridiculous concept.¡±


    Scarlet smiled.  ¡°Hey, they¡¯re called Vampires right; so, you must like them.  You like Vampires, I hate them. To each their own, right?¡±


    Her mother huffed.  ¡°I know you just do it to spite us; you¡¯ll get over that phase eventually¡ªwe ordered KFC for the gathering.  Come down and grab a plate.¡± She shut the door.


    ¡°Don¡¯t count on it¡ªand I¡¯ll be down to get some in a minute!¡±  She fumed. ¡°Freaking Vampire fanatics. You¡¯re the reason I always got bullied in school.¡±  She muttered, dropping back on her bed. What am I going to do with my life?  Everyone I knew are off working or getting ready for college.  Earning my own money might be good; maybe I¡¯ll see if I can make some commissions off drawing online.  She groaned as she heard the doorbell.  All the Vampire freaks are here.


    Hoisting herself up, she went to her bathroom and frowned at her morning looks.  What can I do to embarrass mom and dad?  How about a Solomon Kane shirt; they hated that show.  They should stop giving me an allowance ¡­ nevermind, I¡¯d rather they didn¡¯t.  Stretching, she began getting ready.  After showering and brushing out her hair, she changed into a comfy black sports bra and underwear before donning a black Solomon Kane shirt and black pajama bottoms.  Looking at herself in the bathroom mirror, she stretched a little before going downstairs. She heard the current conversation as she descended the stairs.


    ¡°Jeremy, Adele, this will be the night!¡±  Kris said with enthusiasm.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± her mother said.  ¡°Three months to work out the kinks.  We are the chosen ones; we¡¯ve sacrificed and worked for so many years for this moment!¡±


    She glanced at the twenty-two people gathered in their large front room with a sigh; she caught sight of the newest member of her parents¡¯ roleplay group, Kyle, and it appeared he brought a guest; a giant black-haired man that made her nervous.


    ¡°Ah, Scarlet, just waking up?¡±  Joanna asked with a bright smile as Scarlet hovered between the kitchen and front room.


    She caught her parents¡¯ scowls at her shirt and Florence shook his head.  ¡°Solomon Kane¡­¡± Yes!  Just the effect I wanted.


    ¡°I thought it was appropriate for the occasion,¡± she said with an innocent smile.


    Her mother sighed with exasperation before turning back to the group.  ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll begin by reciting the ancient text before we begin the ritual.¡±  A thought seemed to surprise her as she turned to her daughter. ¡°Hmm, Scarlet, we need some hair for the ritual.  Could you go up and get your brush for us?¡±


    ¡°What?  Seriously¡­¡±  Scarlet muttered with a furrowed brow.  ¡°Use your own hair¡­¡±


    Her father spoke up.  ¡°Scarlet, we need hair from someone named Scarlet to link to the incantation.¡±


    Scarlet puffed out a long breath as every eye locked on her.  ¡°Whatever¡­¡± She slowly walked upstairs, muttering, ¡°You named me Scarlet for rituals ¡­ didn¡¯t you.¡±  Wait ¡­ how many times have they taken something of mine to use in a ritual without telling me?  They¡¯re so weird, but they¡¯ve been like this all my life ¡­ the only change is the number of people that roleplay with them.  I guess it makes them happy¡­


    Grabbing her brush, she brought it back downstairs and handed it to her mom.  ¡°You aren¡¯t going to burn my brush, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± her mother said with a bright smile.  ¡°I¡¯ll return it when we¡¯re done.¡±


    Eyebrows lifting for a second, Scarlet huffed.  ¡°Right. Well, I¡¯m going to go get some food and watch Netflix.¡±


    Her mother nodded, several of the other members waving as she left to the kitchen.  Wow, they really ordered a lot.  Grabbing a plate, she piled it with mashed potatoes, chicken, and corn before grabbing two water bottles; putting them under her armpit, she walked back upstairs with her plate.  The group was chanting some bogus spell her mother had written, waving her brush in the air. All hail the mighty brush of Scarlet!  She giggled, walking into her room and closing the door.


    She set her plate beside her keyboard and started her computer.  Putting in her earbuds to drown out her mother¡¯s loud voice, she started watching a drama while eating.  She finished an episode and started the second, cleaning off the last of her plate. Why would Tami¡­


    She froze as she felt a pulse oscillating within her, back and forth; her throat went dry, a spur stinging her gums as her vision tinted red.  She jumped to her feet as her stomach convulsed; without thinking, she ran to her toilet and vomited. Breathing heavily, she glanced forward, the toilet and wall seemed to fade as she saw into the next door neighbor''s house.


    Her throat constricted as she watched Ms. Franklin through the walls; she could see her heart pumping blood through her body, easily recognizable by its faint glow.  Clearly visible, she saw her blood, skeleton, muscle, nerves, and organs with a desire; her vivid vision shifting between them in confusion.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±  She coughed, wiping the dribble away from her lips.  Her hands froze. My fingernails are black?  I didn¡¯t put any fingernail polish on?  Spitting into the toilet, her vision returned to her bathroom, moving to the mirror, she paused.  She couldn¡¯t speak; her eyes were gone; replaced by a seemingly hollow blackness with glowing red irises, deepened further by her red-tinted sight.  Mouth opening, her vision locked on fangs, tongue glazing across them. I¡¯m¡ªno¡ªimpossible ¡­ my lips, it¡¯s like I¡¯m wearing crimson lipstick and my skin is even paler.  I can¡¯t be a Vampire!


    She winced as another spur struck her gums.  This has to be some kind of joke, right?  What if ¡­ did mom¡¯s spell actually work? How else could this happen to me?  Turning her vision to the front room, she looked through the walls with a desire; no one.  Her focus moved to the basement; twenty-one bodies of life, her vision shifted to the front yard as she watched someone else staring up at the sky; it was Kyle¡¯s guest.  She swallowed, eyes widening as he turned into a bloody mist, floating across the street. What is happening?


    She ran downstairs; her hands fumbled with the basement door, but it was locked from the other side.  Pounding her fist against the door, she heard a snap as she indented the oaken frame. ¡°Mom!¡± I need to get into¡­  Her thought froze as shadow surrounded her and she was standing behind her mother.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be right,¡± her mother whispered.  ¡°We did everything correctly¡­¡±


    ¡°Adele,¡± Joanna muttered, pointing behind her with shock.


    Her mother turned to stare into her daughter¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Mom...¡± she said in a panic, but her eyes centered on a closed casket.  She licked her lips reflexively, swallowing. ¡°Why is that casket full of blood?¡±  She took a deep breath; it felt intoxicating. ¡°What¡¯s going on, mom?¡± She whispered.


    Scarlet¡¯s skin prickled as her mother dropped to her knees with tears of joy dripping down her cheeks.  ¡°My daughter, you have become the avatar of Scarlet herself! We succeeded.¡±


    ¡°No¡ªno,¡± Scarlet took a step back, bumping into the wall.  ¡°I¡¯m¡ªthat¡¯s not¡­¡± The rest of the room dropped to their knees except for Kyle that seemed floored.


    ¡°Yes, my daughter.¡±  Her mother breathed with reverence.  ¡°You are the prophesied savior of the world; you will bathe in the blood of the non-believers and create a kingdom of the night to last an eternity!  We are your faithful apostles on this mortal plane that will slaughter any who oppose your will.¡±


    Tears began dripping down Scarlet¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Mom¡ªyou¡¯re scaring me. Dad¡­¡±


    Her father bowed further.  ¡°Yes, the bloody tears of the avatar will start the christening of the Monarch of Death¡ªScarlet, The Reaper of Blood has returned to us.¡±


    Scarlet started to hyperventilate.  No, what¡¯s going on?  Why are my parents acting like crazy people?  This is all just a roleplay, but this is real for me¡­  ¡°Stop¡ªplease, stop¡­¡±  She whispered.


    ¡°What¡­¡±  Kyle breathed.  ¡°She can¡¯t be real ¡­ this is just a cult ¡­ it can¡¯t be real.¡±


    Her mother moved to the casket.  ¡°Yes, Kyle, this is very real¡ªthe Monarch of Death, Scarlet, has returned.  She must be christened in the blood of her followers; come, Scarlet, your baptism awaits.  Disciples, lift your goddess to her empowerment.¡±


    Scarlet trembled as her parents¡¯ friends, people she¡¯d known for years, closed in on her.  She couldn¡¯t speak; terror gripping her chest as they laid their hands on her, lifting her above their heads.  They chanted as they made their way to the casket her mother had opened, blood glistening in the torchlight around the room.  No ¡­ stop ¡­ please ¡­ I¡¯m scared.


    ¡°Stop!¡±  She screamed teary eyes closed in desperation.  She was momentarily shocked as silence followed.  Opening her eyes, she saw blood spikes branching off from a pool of blood that surrounded her, skewering everyone nearby.  She dropped with the bodies as the solid blood liquified; falling atop the corpses.


    ¡°No¡­¡±  She breathed, body quivering as her hands pressed against her chest.  ¡°Dad?¡± Her father¡¯s thrilled features were lifeless as he stared at her, two feet away.  The blood around her flowed into her body, separating from the pools of red spreading across the concrete.  Her nose began to burn. No ¡­ I didn¡¯t ¡­ I couldn¡¯t¡­


    Her mother¡¯s voice was pained but held such joy.  ¡°I see¡ªthis is what¡¯s meant by christened in the blood of her followers ¡­ such an honor!¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s vision shifted to her mother with fear; she saw blood flowing down her stomach, but with her enhanced vision, knew it wasn¡¯t fatal.  ¡°Why, mom ¡­ why did this happen? Dad¡ªI killed dad ¡­ everyone...¡±


    Her mother¡¯s smile terrified Scarlet.  ¡°We have recorded this glorious moment, my goddess.  Here we are, don¡¯t turn away, my daughter. We will become the foundation on which your throne will be built!  The time has come for you to rise above the rest; to prove your spirit never dies, Scarlet. It¡¯s time, your father has gone to take his throne above; so, don¡¯t weep for him for this has been the labor of his love.¡±


    Scarlet stared at her mother in horror.  They¡¯re crazy ¡­ actually crazy¡­  Stumbling to her feet, she tripped a few times across the bodies littering the floor.  Crawling up the stairs, she began pounding the door, wood splintering against her small fists.  ¡°Let me out! Help!¡±


    A man¡¯s voice yelled on the other side.  ¡°Stand back!¡±


    Stumbling back, she heard her mother calling up to her.  ¡°My goddess! You have yet to drink the blood of your following.¡±


    There was a loud bang as the doorknob blew off and Kyle¡¯s guest forced the door open, shotgun in hand.  He froze as he caught sight of Scarlet, cowering a little further down the stairs. Sirens were blaring in the distance.  ¡°What are you?¡± He breathed, backing up hurriedly as she ran by him, bloody tears staining the floor as she passed. Scarlet wanted to escape; she didn¡¯t know exactly from what, but she wanted to get away; so, she ran from the darkness behind her.


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 10. Never Good Enough

    AuthorSME


    Rachel opened her eyes, sounds tickling her ears; she could smell warm food in the next room, making her swallow.  Sliding her thin blanket off, she sat up, crossing her legs.  Cracking her neck, she yawned, ears folding back.


    I forgot to eat before going to bed ¡­ things have been too crazy.  I¡¯ve been so distracted.  She pursed her lips while glancing down at her hands.  I¡¯ve never felt so alert after getting up ¡­ Scarlet and Maria aren¡¯t awake yet.


    She heard a nurse downstairs muttering about the time.  Nine P.M., huh?


    Pulling her hair to her side, she moved to the edge of the bed, scanning her hospital while sniffing the air.


    Julia and Richard brought food up from the kitchen, some soup?  Can I still eat meat?  It¡¯s in the soup, and I¡¯m not repulsed, so it should be fine.  Wait, it¡¯s almost pitch black in here, and I can still see perfectly fine.


    Do I have night vision ¡­ well, I suppose I do; it¡¯s level-three, huh, cool.  What¡¯s up with these other skills with it?  Focus Sight and Motion Tracking ¡­ interesting stuff.  All these game-like stuff ¡­ I could see perfectly fine last night, so I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.  If¡­


    Her neck locked in place, noticing a new set of clothes by her bed with horror; a white fitted shirt, black blazer, red tie, light pink skirt, white socks, brown leather loafers, red sports bra, and black underwear.


    Thoroughly examined each item, she felt a glint of desperate hope.  They don¡¯t have the Tempest brand, so, thankfully, I can¡¯t wear them; I¡¯ve never seen this moon-shaped logo before.  Julia must have been noting my size when I was looking through all those clothes.  She¡¯s pretty sly¡­


    Rachel breathed a sigh of relief.  I am not into the whole Japanese school-girl outfits thing; sorry, Julia.  Wait ¡­ I didn¡¯t notice anyone walking into the room to drop these off.  I thought I would wake up or realize something was wrong ¡­ perhaps it¡¯s another skill to be unlocked?


    Her vision lingered on the outfit before she walked out of the room, leaning side to side to stretch her muscles.  Julia and Richard smiled as she exited.


    Scanning the area, she noted a few of Mateo¡¯s men stationed around the room; two of them were asleep in chairs, gear still on.  Everyone but the two sleeping soldiers turned to acknowledge her.


    Julia¡¯s bubbly atmosphere hadn¡¯t changed.  ¡°Good morning, Ms. Park.  Did you see the clothes I left for you?¡±


    Adding a fake apologetic smile, Rachel sighed.  ¡°Sorry, Julia, but they aren¡¯t from the company I¡¯m signed with, so I can¡¯t wear them.¡±


    Her bright smile didn¡¯t diminish in the slightest.  ¡°Oh, Moonlight or Gekk¨­, in Japanese, is owned by Uplift Inc., the same people that own Tempest; it¡¯s perfectly fine within the confines of the contract.¡±


    Shit, don¡¯t tell me¡­


    Julia kept going.  ¡°I was able to talk to one of the board members, and we got talking about what clothes would suit you for the next photo shoot for an Eastern audience.¡±


    I don¡¯t think she just so happened to bump into a board member ¡­ what, is she my agent now?  She really wants to make this fantasy of hers come true¡­


    She took a deep breath, keeping her smile in place.  ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have¡ªand another photo shoot so soon?¡±


    Richard seemed amused as he studied her.  ¡°Indeed.  Apparently, in just the last few hours, your photos have been a massive hit in Japan.  They want to keep that momentum.¡±


    Of course, why wouldn¡¯t a big company have other brands ¡­ there go my hopes at exclusively sporting goods, but I did make the deal.  The photo shoots were a part of the contract, and it wasn¡¯t specified that it would be only sports clothes ¡­ it¡¯s not that bad, I guess.  I still get the sports clothes.


    ¡°By the way,¡± his head tilted toward the room Maria was sleeping in.  ¡°Maria was able to shift around the contract since it wasn¡¯t complete without both her and Scarlet¡¯s signature.  You¡¯ll have to sign the new document.¡±


    Her brow furrowed.  ¡°What did she change?¡±  Did she have something to do with this new clothing line?


    He leaned back with a hum.  ¡°You weren¡¯t paying attention to her conversation?¡±  Shit, he¡¯s pushing for a weakness on my hearing.  I could let him know I can only focus on one conversation at a time, but recognize keywords and people¡¯s voices to refocus ¡­ no, that¡¯s a bad idea.


    ¡°What did she change?¡±  She asked, bypassing his question.


    ¡°I see,¡± he muttered, but Julia cut in with a giggle.


    ¡°She worked out a deal by sales.  You get a small amount of money for each item you showcase; she¡¯s quite the negotiator.  It¡¯s a very small amount, but still, I¡¯m amazed she was able to work out that deal.  Oh, and we were able to find your citizen records and get in contact with your parents.¡±  Rachel tensed, every other worry vanished at Julia¡¯s statement.  Did they tell them about my change?


    Richard¡¯s lips dropped a little.  ¡°We didn¡¯t tell them about your change; we left it up to you on how to explain it.  We just let them know you were alright and that you¡¯d call them when you awoke.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Rachel breathed a sigh.


    Julia nodded as she walked over to hand her a phone.  ¡°You can use my phone; if you need it, your father¡¯s number is the first one on the recently called list.¡±  She turned to grab a bowl and spoon on a tray.  ¡°We have two big pots of soup here.  We didn¡¯t know if you could eat meat or not; hares have been known to be omnivorous.¡±


    She paused, glancing over at Maria¡¯s room, ¡°Horses, on the other hand, while they can eat meat, studies show it is unhealthy for them.  So we have one with chicken and one without.¡±


    Richard hummed.  ¡°For Scarlet, we assumed she would drink blood for all her nutrients, but didn¡¯t want to assume either.  We brought some blood packs, just in case; it would be interesting to see if she could eat food mixed with blood.¡±  He mused.


    Rachel smiled as she rubbed the surface of the smartphone in her hand.  ¡°Thank you for thinking about us.  I¡¯ll just go back inside to talk to my parents.¡±  The butterflies in her stomach increased.  This is it ¡­ what¡¯s going on with the family?


    They nodded, and she shut the door behind her.  Sitting on the bed, she inputted her dad¡¯s personal phone number, but her finger hovered over the call icon.


    How will it turn out?  I guess it depends on how Mythickin are seen at the moment.  They wouldn¡¯t want anything reflecting negatively on the company.  One of them could be changed too ¡­ I should prepare for the worst case ¡­ please, don¡¯t resent me.


    Swallowing, she completed the call; it rang a few times before her father¡¯s calm, deep voice spoke Korean on the other end.


    ¡°Sung, I hear that you are doing well, but why would you be at a hospital?  There was a CDC outpost at your school.¡±


    Clearing her throat, she responded in Korean.  ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not hurt¡ªhow is the family?¡±  She tried skirting around his question.


    Her father was silent for a moment.  ¡°Your cousin, Soo-geun, has changed into a Bear type Beastkin.  Your brother has developed an ability; he can create some form of energy-based constructs to command at will.


    ¡°He single-handedly put a stop to several escaped convicts that attacked the local police department; he will be awarded a medal of valor.¡±


    He¡¯s pleased with Nam¡¯s accomplishment, even though he changed.  What have I done?  I repelled a terrorist group, two ability users the military are having a hard time with.


    Her attention snapped back as her dad asked, ¡°I can tell by your voice that something has changed; your voice is less harsh on the ears.  How did you change?¡±  That¡¯s just like you¡­


    Taking a deep breath, she said, ¡°I changed into a Lunar Hare¡ªa Mythickin.¡±  She hurriedly followed the statement, ¡°I repelled two terrorist ability users; one was a teleporter, and the other had a shield ability.  They¡¯re the ones that took over Miami Beach.¡±


    Her father was silent for a moment.  ¡°You turned into one of those Mythickin.¡±  He let the statement hang for a time, Rachel¡¯s stomach squirming at his silence.  ¡°You repelled¡ªmeaning they escaped.  Tell me more about the incident.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s fingers gripped her side as she stared down at the floor, fear digging into her stomach.  ¡°They¡ªhad a hostage.  I broke their shield and seriously wounded one, but before I could rescue the hostage or finish off the terrorists¡ªthey teleported away¡­¡±  The following silence was painful.


    ¡°If you could not handle the situation, you should not have gotten involved.¡±  Her breath caught at the implication.  Nam could have handled it ¡­ a failure again.  ¡°Don¡¯t cause any more trouble and let the authorities handle it.¡±  Don¡¯t shame the family name¡­  He ended the call.


    Her hand lowered, fingers trembling with frustration.  Nam goes out and saves a police department, and I let terrorists escape with a hostage.  Teeth clamping together, she glared at the window for several seconds.  I can never do anything right!


    Her fist slammed against the patient support bar attached to the bed, fist cleaving through the first and second aluminum bar.  Shit¡­  A long puff of air shot through her lips as she held up the destroyed phone, lips pursed while her jaw locked.  This is bullshit.


    Julia, Richard, and a few of the soldiers had jumped at the sharp sound.


    ¡°What was that?¡±  Julia asked.


    ¡°Sounded like screeching metal,¡± Richard muttered.


    Cameron knocked on the door.  ¡°Rachel, you okay?¡±


    She took a deep, calming breath.  I¡¯ll save everyone in Miami Beach; what can Nam do to top that?  ¡°Yeah, sorry for startling all of you.¡±  She called back.


    Rising to her feet, she let some of the fragments of the smashed phone drop to the tile floor.  She stared at the glass pieces and damaged railing.  I lost my temper ¡­ I don¡¯t remember being so temperamental, and it always happens with my family ¡­ I lost my composure.


    Sighing, she walked out of the room, both Julia and Richard looked concerned.  Swallowing as she looked down at the former phone in her grip, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Julia.  I crushed your phone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªfine,¡± she muttered, taking it back to examine.  ¡°It¡¯s under insurance and backed up¡­¡±


    Richard moved to the door, looking inside to study the bed; his vision returned to Rachel.  ¡°Ms. Park, did the conversation with your parents go poorly?¡±


    Rubbing her shoulder, she shrugged.  ¡°My brother rescued a police department, and I let terrorists escape with a hostage.¡±  Now I sound petty.  ¡°It just reminded me that Maria¡¯s brother is still being held hostage, and I couldn¡¯t stop it.¡±  Richard frowned with a few of the soldiers.


    ¡°You can¡¯t blame yourself for that,¡± Cameron said with concern.


    Roger nodded, posted up by the exit.  ¡°He¡¯s right, there was a teleporter, even with your speed you can¡¯t beat an instant escape.¡±


    Rachel resisted locking her jaw, only seeing her failure in his statement; she wasn¡¯t good enough, but Nam would be.  ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± she faked a smile, hearing Scarlet and Maria get out of bed.  ¡°It looks like Maria and Scarlet are¡­¡±  She paused as Scarlet appeared from the shadows a few feet away from her, eyes void black without the red glow.


    Her arcus senilis returned to normal soon after.  ¡°Rachel, why do I smell anxiety on you?  Everything okay?¡±  Seriously, c¡¯mon Scarlet!


    ¡°Anxiety?¡±  Julia questioned.


    Maria yawned as she left her room, looking as radiant as ever with her faint glow, spotless skin, and perfect hair; she was dressed in the company¡¯s sports attire.  ¡°?Que es eso?  What¡¯s the liebre blanca scared of?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just concerned about your brother?¡±  Rachel dodged the implications with a depressed sigh.


    ¡°Eh?¡±  Maria¡¯s eyes shot open.  ¡°Did you hear something bad?  Esos bastardos lastimaron a mi hermanito!¡±


    Rachel shook her head, hair shifting gently.  ¡°No, I haven¡¯t heard anything; something just reminded me that he was still a hostage.¡±  All of this because I couldn¡¯t hold in my temper ¡­ hopefully Maria doesn¡¯t rat me out; she¡¯ll likely catch it.


    She nodded.  ¡°Right,¡± turning to Roger, she asked, ¡°has the military rescued him yet?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t heard anything as of yet, but they¡¯re doing everything they can,¡± Cameron said with confidence.  ¡°They¡¯ll rescue your brother; I know some of the men that are in charge of that operation, and they¡¯re well trained.¡±


    Scarlet was looking at Rachel with pursed lips, but she didn¡¯t pursue the topic, her eyes moving to a cooler before she licked her lips.  ¡°Blood bags.¡±  She said with glee.


    Maria huffed as she glared at Cameron.  ¡°Fine, let me know if anything changes¡ªby the way, what¡¯s up with those prep clothes in my room?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I had some too!¡±  Scarlet said with a bright smile, vision glued to the cooler.  ¡°It looked like something Japanese students would wear in anime.¡±


    Julia cleared her throat, a bright smile returning.  ¡°It¡¯s a part of the contract that Rachel and Maria worked out with Uplift Inc.; the company is trying to appeal to some of its Eastern audience.  Your previous photos are a big hit out there, Maria.¡±


    A charming smile lit her cheeks.  ¡°Oh?  We raking in cash?¡±


    She nodded.  ¡°I¡¯d say a decent amount from what I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    Maria chuckled.  ¡°This is way easier than hustling on the street!  A few pictures, and we¡¯re getting paid royalties.  If I start my own healing practice with the photo royalties, then my neighborhood will be set.  Barbecues every week!  By the way, what¡¯s that smell?  You got some food?¡±


    Richard eyed Rachel for a few moments before turning his attention to Maria.  ¡°Yes, we¡¯d like to find out which one you like more.  Why don¡¯t you try a sample real fast?¡±  He asked, adding a bit of each in separate bowls.


    At least everyone¡¯s attention is off me, and Maria has a point.  This could be a much better way to get money than a part-time job.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re talking,¡± Maria said with a soft laugh that Rachel assumed was meant to be much louder.  She took the first bowl offered by Richard as Scarlet opened the cooler, examining each of the packs of blood with a scrutinizing eye.


    Bottoms up,¡± Maria said, taking a bite.  Her face flushed a bit as she spat it back out.  ¡°Ack, what is this, rotten?  ?Tratando de envenenarme viejo?¡±


    Richard hummed with interest as he took the bowl back, handing her the next one.  ¡°I see, so, meat doesn¡¯t taste good to Unicorns.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±  Maria muttered.  ¡°I love meat!  Me parrilla con los amigos todo el tiempo.¡±


    Julia chuckled.  ¡°What you just ate was a soup made from chicken; the other is potato soup.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Maria said stubbornly.  ¡°I¡¯m a carn¨ªvoro!  That was just rotten.¡±  She accepted the next bowl and swallowed a spoonful.  ¡°See, this is good soup!  None of that rotten stuff in that other one.  Should go double-check the kitchens!¡±  Rachel grabbed her own bowl of chicken soup as Scarlet chose a blood bag, smiling at Maria¡¯s shaking head.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do it, liebre blanca.¡±


    Frowning, Rachel sat down in one of the chairs near the wall.  ¡°What does that mean?  You keep calling me that.¡±


    ¡°It means white hare,¡± Julia said with a bright smile.  Shifting to watch Scarlet tear into a blood bag.  ¡°Scarlet, can you eat normal food too?¡±  She responded by shaking her head, intent on sucking out the blood.  ¡°That right,¡± Julia muttered as Richard kept writing notes on his tablet.


    ¡°Got it,¡± Rachel nodded.


    ¡°Tu hablas espa?ol?¡±  Maria questioned.


    ¡°Si,¡± Julia grabbed a bowl of potato soup before turning to Scarlet.  ¡°How is that blood?¡±


    Scarlet winked at her as the package dropped from her lips.  ¡°Your blood is wonderful, Julia.  Nice and peppy!¡±  She said with a bright smile.  ¡°It has a soothing taste with a dash of envy.¡±


    Julia giggled.  ¡°I guess I can¡¯t hide that from a Vampire.  I am envious that I wasn¡¯t affected by The Oscillation; I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be the only one once things get a little more normal.  One out of every one-hundred and fifty people isn¡¯t rare, but still rare enough.  Not only that, but I¡¯m around a few of the very small percentiles of Mythickin.  How could I not be envious and joyful at the same time?¡±


    Everyone fell silent as they ate; Maria grumbling as she watched Rachel eat the chicken soup without issue.  Richard invited the soldiers over to join them.


    When Scarlet finished her bag, she went to grab another bag before returning to Rachel¡¯s side.  ¡°So, Rachel, what did you do this morning?¡±


    She hummed.  ¡°I tested out some of my abilities in the daylight.¡±


    Scarlet sighed.  ¡°Yes, daylight, the thing I¡¯ll likely never feel again without risk of pain and death.  So, how was the sun?¡±


    ¡°Not that great; turns out Lunar Hares get weaker in the daylight ¡­ a lot weaker.¡±


    Her eyes lit up.  ¡°You¡¯re nocturnal, like me!  So, I¡¯m not alone.¡±  She said with a bright smile.  ¡°What about the Unicorn?¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°Not a clue.  So far, I¡¯ve got pretty good ears, nothing like the liebre blanca, but decent.  Between a bit of abnormal strength and healing, that¡¯s all I got.  You know, I wonder if I could purify Vampires?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°That¡¯s a good question!  We should find out sometime.¡±  Her smile was bright as she sucked a little on her blood pack.


    ¡°Tch, you scared of anything?¡±


    Scarlet looked thoughtful as she hummed, bag dropping from her lips.  ¡°Honestly, the biggest concern would be the sun, but other than that, not really.  Oh, but maybe ultraviolet light could hurt me!  I¡¯d be the easy sauce vampire from the movies.¡±


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Scarlet, how can you be so carefree?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know,¡± Maria muttered, taking another bite of soup.


    Scarlet went silent as she looked off into the corner, features passive for a moment before she grinned.  ¡°I have to be; if I let myself feel emotion, then I could break.¡±  A shiver ran up Rachel¡¯s spine at the subtle tremors in her voice that only she could detect.


    Richard¡¯s hands paused against his tablet as Maria set her bowl to the side.  ¡°I get that,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°My life¡¯s crazy too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it is,¡± Scarlet chuckled.


    Maria¡¯s lips turned into a scowl.  ¡°You don¡¯t think my life¡¯s crazy?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s brow creased with confusion.  ¡°I didn¡¯t say that?¡±


    ¡°No, but that wasn¡¯t the truth.  I can feel it in my gut.¡±


    Julia hummed with interest.  ¡°Some Unicorn myths say they can detect lies.¡±  I couldn¡¯t detect any lie from Scarlet¡¯s body.


    ¡°Whatever it is,¡± Maria growled.  ¡°You think your life is worse than mine?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s cheer didn¡¯t diminish.  ¡°I think we all have things that are rough on us.¡±


    ¡°But your life is so much worse than mine.  Is that right?¡±


    Rachel broke into the conversation.  ¡°Hey, Maria ¡­ even if Scarlet feels that way, she¡¯s not antagonizing you.¡±


    Scarlet huffed.  ¡°Maria, I¡¯m sure you had a rough time, and I hope you never have to go through something like ¡­ let¡¯s just drop it.¡±


    Maria looked down at the floor.  ¡°You actually meant that ¡­ why would you truly care for me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Scarlet said with a sad smile.  ¡°I just wouldn¡¯t wish what happened to me to happen to anyone.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Maria¡¯s white eyebrows furrowed.


    Scarlet¡¯s bright smile returned as she quickly sucked down the blood pack.  ¡°Julia, your blood is the best!¡±


    Breathing a sigh of relief, Julia chuckled nervously.  ¡°Thanks, I¡¯m glad you enjoy it.¡±


    Red bag hiding her mouth, Scarlet whispered, ¡°When are we going to leave?¡±  Maria stiffened.


    ¡°Whenever we get a chance,¡± Rachel whispered back, hiding her lips behind her bowl.  ¡°Can you transport other people through shadows?¡±  She looked off toward the left wall.  Carter is hanging out near the photo shoot area.  I guess he¡¯s heard about our deal.


    ¡°No clue; I¡¯ve never tried.  We¡¯d have to be close together; it only goes around me.¡±


    Richard cleared his throat as he finished his bowl and typing a few things.  ¡°So, Julia, when is the photo shoot set?  Once we finish with that, we can test their abilities.¡±


    She noticed the three of them were just about finished with their bowls.  ¡°Whenever they wake up and take a shower.  I think going down to the staff showering area would cause too much commotion; you should just use the showers in the rooms here.  I¡¯ll hurry down and tell them to start setting up.  You finish your food and shower; I have different products you can use¡ªjust behind here.¡±


    She moved behind the nurse¡¯s station and pulled out some bottles and towels.  After handing them each a few containers, she raced out of the area.


    She really wants us to get into these new clothes.  Is dressing in these ridiculous clothes worth free sporting goods?  Yes, yes, it is.  So, I shouldn¡¯t complain.  They get products sold, and I get a wardrobe, and thanks to Maria, a bit of cash too.  She¡¯s so touchy but straightforward.  I like that about her, but Scarlet seems to have a much deeper past than I first thought.


    Making up her mind, Rachel whispered, ¡°We can leave after the photo shoot.  We¡¯ll try to teleport outside when Scarlet gets a pair of sports clothes.¡±  She noticed Maria¡¯s slight nod, showing she was listening.


    Scarlet smiled.  ¡°I¡¯d like to take a shower before going out; I haven¡¯t bathed since turning into a Vampire.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she stood, stretching a little.  ¡°We can just go into the rooms we choose.¡±


    Finishing her last spoonful, Maria nodded with a dark sigh.  ¡°Right.¡±


    They each went into their rooms to shower, finishing quickly; Rachel grimaced as she studied the Japanese school uniform, patting her hair down with a towel.


    She heard Maria¡¯s thoughtful tone before she muttered something in Spanish, examining her matching outfit a few minutes later.  Julia¡¯s squeals of excitement below caught her attention as she talked with the photographer downstairs.


    She¡¯s way too excited about this.  She giggled softly.  She¡¯s so bright all the time, and since Scarlet changed when drinking her blood, it¡¯s no act.


    Taking a deep breath, she picked up her undergarments.  Let¡¯s get on with this.


    Rachel dressed quickly but paused at the tie.  How the hell are you supposed to tie this thing?


    Her attention moved to Maria as she heard her put the tie on within seconds.  How did she do that?  What!  Scarlet did it without a problem too ¡­ how do they know how to knot a tie?  She frowned, studying herself in the mirror.  At least the red bra doesn¡¯t show through the shirt¡­  Giving up, she left the room, knocking on Maria¡¯s door.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I need your help.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±  Opening the door, Maria studied her with a deep frown.  ¡°What, you don¡¯t know how to put on a tie?¡±


    Rachel turned away, feeling her face flush a little.  ¡°No¡­¡±


    A smirk lit Maria¡¯s lips.  ¡°I had to do my little brother¡¯s tie every Sunday.¡±  She chuckled as she took her tie, fitted it around her neck, and tied it within seconds.  Loosening it, she handed it back.  ¡°There.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Rachel muttered.


    ¡°Na¡ªI should be thankin¡¯ you.  You¡¯re helpin¡¯ me get my brother back ¡­ he took¡ªhe¡¯s had it rough.¡±  Her soft face lit with malice.  ¡°?Quiero que tomes las pollas de esos bastardos y las pongas en la boca!  ?Entendido, liebre blanca?¡±


    Rachel sighed, ¡°You know I can¡¯t understand Spanish¡­¡±


    ¡°Beat the shit out of them for me, okay!¡±  She snarled.


    She smiled.  ¡°I plan on it.¡±


    ¡°Good, okay, let¡¯s get the vampiro, finish this stupid photo thing, and ditch these fools.¡±


    Scarlet appeared from the shadows in the corner.  ¡°Both of you look really cute in those school outfits!¡±  Did she get some of Julia¡¯s personality with her blood?  A peppy Scarlet is a change of pace.


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 11. Cold Intent

    The three of them exited Maria¡¯s room; the soldiers gave them appraising looks.  ¡°I can definitely see the three of you becoming idols in Japan,¡± Matthew muttered.


    Roger nudged him with a chuckle.  ¡°You are a fan of manga! Knew you had a sharp eye for a reason.¡±  The rest of the squad chuckled as Rachel heard Julia rushing back down the halls.


    Richard cleared his throat; he was studying them with a deep frown.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to dampen your moods¡ªbut, I¡¯ve been giving it some thought, and I¡¯d like to have a private session with each of you.  Well¡ªI doubt it will be private; each of you seems to have incredible senses, but I think I need to have a chat with each of you, nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±  Maria asked bluntly.  ¡°Privately, eh, think there¡¯s something wrong with us?¡±  The soldier¡¯s muscles shifted to a more serious stance at her words, cheer diminishing a bit.


    His eyes didn¡¯t leave Scarlet as he carefully chose his words.  ¡°Frankly¡ªI think there are some issues that each of you have; it¡¯s to be expected with your sudden change.  I want to be transparent with each of you¡ªI doubt skirting the truth will do much good with the abilities each of you possess.  Therefore, I would like to be as clear as possible.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a loquero!¡±  Maria sniffed.


    Richard chuckled, but his eyes were serious.  ¡°Maria, I believe your change has actually helped you for the better; there may be some things hidden deeper, but you¡¯ve mellowed out a considerable amount since coming here.  Scarlet and Rachel on the other hand¡ªI¡¯m deeply concerned.¡± He was bound to get to this eventually, especially with my recent outburst.  I¡¯ll need to consider my response carefully.


    Rachel left her features passive.  ¡°I think that would be beneficial; I know I have changed in some ways¡ªjust my advanced hearing has changed my outlook on situations.¡±


    She could hear his muscles shift in an agitated manner, but his face remained calm.  ¡°I find your composure and ability to control your demeanor most concerning as a Psychiatrist; it¡¯s not easy to detect, but there¡¯s something you¡¯re trying to hide¡ªwhy you choose to hide it is what is most concerning.  I¡¯d like to discuss your relationship with your family; your outburst earlier is concerning, especially with the kind of strength you possess.¡± He¡¯s not wrong, and it¡¯s natural to determine all of our stability.  I assume the government chose him for this reason.


    ¡°Humph,¡± Maria folded her arms.  ¡°Her business is her own.¡±


    Scarlet took a deep breath.  ¡°Thank you, Richard.¡± Everyone went silent as Scarlet¡¯s cheer dampened slightly and a sad smile moved her lips.  ¡°Really, thank you, Richard, but it won¡¯t help me¡ªit will only terrify you.¡± Richard¡¯s soft swallow caught Rachel¡¯s attention.  That¡¯s an interesting answer; she didn¡¯t sugarcoat it in the least, and it makes him extremely nervous.  Why would having a counseling session terrify him? Does he know something about her that I don¡¯t?


    He took a deep breath as Maria smirked, appraising Scarlet with respect.  ¡°Be that as it may be,¡± Richard said, closing his eyes for a moment. ¡°I need to know how you¡¯ve changed; including what parts of your humanity are intact, as harsh a statement that is.¡±


    Scarlet laughed softly, holding her right arm as she looked at the floor.  ¡°I know very clearly that I have changed, and I¡¯m concerned about my humanity as well¡ªhowever, there¡¯s nothing you can do to fix what¡¯s broken¡ªinfused inside me.  People will hate me for what I am, I¡¯m trying to accept that.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s skin tingled at her response.  Wow, what kind of struggle is she having internally?  I¡¯ve felt a stronger drive start to push me to succeed, but what about her?  I can¡¯t really tell anything from her body; it¡¯s so much different than how human biology sounds.


    ¡°I¡¯m concerned¡­¡±


    ¡°About my psyche?¡±  Scarlet asked. The atmosphere grew more tense; no one willing to interrupt her.  ¡°Yes, as you should be¡ªI mean, I¡¯m concerned; I¡¯m not shy about it.¡± Rachel heard the hurt and hesitation hidden beneath her calm voice.  ¡°I was standing in a nightmare¡ªwith a storm of emotion raining down¡ªmy insides screaming ¡­ I was utterly alone¡ªwith that demon¡ªthe only person that came hunted me.  A burning emotional storm was all I experienced ¡­ it was all I could do to struggle to keep myself afloat in that¡ªthat harrowing flood that threatened to strip my sanity.¡±


    Swallowing, she smiled.  ¡°Talking about it is a little hard and not helpful¡ªpeeling back those layers to look into my core; the real issue ¡­ if it scares me to dive into that ocean, then it will horrify you.  I¡¯d rather let The Reaper sleep...¡±


    ¡°Alone with that demon¡ªThe Reaper¡­¡±  Richard muttered darkly; the soldier¡¯s shifting uncomfortably at Scarlet¡¯s words.


    He trailed off as Julia rushed into the room.  ¡°Oh, my ¡­ you¡¯re all absolutely stunning! What¡¯s with all the tense faces?  I miss something?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s features brightened in an instant.  ¡°Not at all! Richard was just asking to have some personal time with us after the photo shoot¡ªhonestly, I¡¯m a little nervous.  I¡¯ve never been a model before¡ªI¡¯m a bit gothic looking too; not your average bright model.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, okay.  You¡¯ll do wonderful, Scarlet!¡±  Julia said with a thumbs up. ¡°You three defy logic, beyond natural beauty!¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Scarlet giggled.


    Richard fell silent as he studied Scarlet, Rachel could hear how tightly his muscles were wound.  ¡°Very well, you go on ahead ¡­ I¡¯ll think on your words, Scarlet.¡± His eyes shifted to Rachel, ¡°I still would like to speak to you first, if that¡¯s alright, Ms. Park.¡±


    Rachel smiled innocently.  ¡°Of course.¡±


    Maria rolled her eyes.  ¡°Let¡¯s get on with this.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±  Julia clapped.  ¡°They¡¯re getting a small space set up.  Let me take your clothes to get washed¡ªare they in your rooms?¡±  She hurriedly moved to get them when they nodded.


    Turning to Rachel, Maria said, ¡°Lead the way, liebre blanca.¡±


    Rachel turned to leave; the Green Berets fell in line, sharp eyes looking for trouble as they escorted them.  Julia quickly caught up with a bright expression, leaving Richard alone.


    Rachel frowned slightly as Richard began to speak to the empty room.  ¡°Rachel, I assume you can hear me. From what information I¡¯ve been given on your background, you¡¯re a very diligent girl.  You¡¯ve done excellent in school and have practiced Muay Thai for some time. All of this while holding down a job since the age of fourteen as shown from tax records.  I¡¯ve also read the report on your activities during the ride over to the hospital and the kidnapping incident; you have a moral compass from what I can tell. Just from the short time I¡¯ve known you, I can clearly see diligence, but to what aim, I¡¯m still unsure.  I need to know your goal, what is pushing that drive? That is what I need to talk to you about, think on my words.¡± He fell silent.


    She took a deep breath.  Right, my drive.  I can clearly see my drive; I¡¯ve always been in competition with Nam.  I want my parents¡¯ approval and love, which they measure by achievement.  I know that it¡¯s a hard road, but that¡¯s never scared me¡ªI was scared they¡¯d hate what I¡¯ve become, but that doesn¡¯t seem like the case.  It¡¯s still about achievement; I am a representative of the family name. If that translates into saving lives now, then I¡¯ll compete; I¡¯ve never backed down from a challenge.  I¡¯ve just had to adapt to this new competition. There¡¯s also Alexa ¡­ another obstacle standing in my path.


    Features pacifying, Rachel found what she¡¯d been scanning for.  Good, a medical sanitation facility.  Scarlet doesn¡¯t seem scared to fight. Whatever Reaper she¡¯s talking about must not be connected to blood packs.  Perhaps she would change when drinking live blood, but that shouldn¡¯t be a problem with how much blood is at the facility.  Would Richard think this competitive urge to compete with my brother is healthy? Probably not, it probably isn¡¯t, but I don¡¯t care; I want my parents¡¯ respect, and this is how they measure it.  It¡¯s interesting how I can think like this now; I¡¯ve definitely changed.


    Her ears tracked Carter skulking by the photo shoot.  She whispered, ¡°Scarlet, look through the floors to our left.  See anyone of interest?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s eyes darkened as her glowing halo-like red irises appeared.  She grimaced. ¡°Seriously¡­¡±


    Roger noticed Scarlet¡¯s reaction.  ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Probably nothing,¡± Rachel said with a smile.


    ¡°Really?¡±  Scarlet muttered.  ¡°He shot me in the back with a shotgun¡­¡±


    ¡°For real?¡±  Maria growled with contempt.  ¡°Le vamos a partir la madre!¡±


    The soldiers were looking at them with deep frowns; trying to piece together their conversation, but they weren¡¯t able to hear their whispers past the loud halls.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡±  She looked up as they exited the building to get to the photo shoot area.  The moon was just poking above a short building; energy filled her instantly, and she paused.  There we go.  She flexed her fingers with a slight grin.  I could get used to this feeling; I¡¯m weightless and filled with tremendous strength ¡­ it¡¯s like I could jump all the way to the moon.


    Julia hummed.  ¡°Why ¡­ oh, the moon!  How do you feel?¡±


    Maria grinned as she looked at her and Scarlet smiled.  ¡°You¡¯re glowing again,¡± Scarlet noted, eyes returning to normal.


    Eyes sparkling, Julia took out her phone and started taking pictures.  ¡°So brilliant! You look ¡­ what¡¯s a proper word ¡­ majestic!¡±


    Smiling, Rachel looked up at the moon.  ¡°The moon certainly is majestic; I see her through new eyes, literally.  I can feel her protection and power infusing me; this feeling¡ªit makes me feel like I can do anything under her light.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Maria smirked.  ¡°Let¡¯s get going. We have a tight schedule.¡±


    Face straight, Rachel nodded.  ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They made it to the designated area quickly, and the soldiers posted up around the room.  Huckly swallowed nervously as they appeared. ¡°Wow¡ªyou two certainly give a different vibe in new clothes and ¡­ you¡¯re glowing a bit more than yesterday, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Rachel asked.


    Julia cut in.  ¡°I think it¡¯s because it¡¯s nearing a waxing gibbous moon¡ªjust a few more days!¡±


    Huckly¡¯s eyes moved to Scarlet.  ¡°So, this is the other Mythickin¡­¡±


    Rachel cut in.  ¡°That¡¯s right, now, where do we sign to seal the contract?¡±


    He frowned as he studied Scarlet¡¯s cheerful face.  ¡°Umm, here¡­¡± He pulled out a piece of paper from a briefcase and handed them a pen.


    They both signed, and Scarlet looked past Huckly at the cameras.  ¡°I am a little nervous. Do you really think people will want to see pictures of me¡ªI mean, you¡¯ll post what kind of Mythickin we are ¡­ right?¡±


    Clearing his throat, Huckly shifted nervously as he looked Scarlet over.  ¡°You don¡¯t seem that scary or intimidating¡ªwait, are those fangs in your mouth?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s smile was bright as she showed them off.  ¡°I guess Rachel didn¡¯t tell you I¡¯m a Vampire.¡± She said with a sad chuckle.


    Rachel heard his muscles tighten as he glanced at her before returning to Scarlet.  ¡°Vampire¡ªyou¡¯re a Vampire? Like the Seattle Vampire?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Julia cut in.  ¡°She¡¯s not the same type of Vampire as the Seattle one.  From what we¡¯ve been able to observe, she cannot control people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ªrelieving.  What¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s classified as of now,¡± Julia stated.


    ¡°Right ¡­ so, do you have any kind of¡ªtransformation, or anything to¡ªenhance the photos?¡±  He stumbled through his words.


    Scarlet hummed with concern.  ¡°Do you really want to see? Wouldn¡¯t it look better for you to not post anything scary?  It could also improve the Vampire image that the Seattle Vampire ruined for us.¡±


    Swallowing, he cleared his throat again.  ¡°I guess¡ªyou¡¯re right. Next to Rachel and Maria ¡­ it would be good to keep their theme.¡±


    Julia nodded.  ¡°Wonderful. Alright, who would you like to¡­¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you start with Maria,¡± Rachel said.  ¡°I have someone I need to talk to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Huckly said, motioning to Maria.


    She was looking around with serious eyes but nodded with a deep breath.  ¡°Alright, liebre blanca. Don¡¯t take too long though.¡±


    Julia seemed confused as Maria went with Huckly toward the brightly lit area they¡¯d set up.  ¡°Who are you going to meet?¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take long,¡± Rachel said with a confident smile.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay with Scarlet; I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±  She trailed off as Rachel moved off.


    She walked toward the back of the room by an emergency exit where several National Guard were huddled on break; all of them were with Carter, hiding him from view.  The Green Beret¡¯s followed her movement, their muscular motion signaled that they¡¯d realized why she was moving toward them. Cameron radioed in. ¡°Carter identified in the photo shoot area; seems he has National Guard with him¡ªRachel engaging.  Orders?¡±


    ¡°Observe for now,¡± Mateo stated.  ¡°Clear civilians in the line of fire and be ready for action.¡±  She heard their grip tighten on their rifles.


    ¡°Copy.¡±


    The National Guard soldiers shifted nervously as she approached and they huddled around Carter.  She stood face to face with one of the soldiers; she could smell his fear and hear the tightening of his muscles.  Her passive pinkish-red eyes stared into his brown. ¡°Move aside, Carlos.¡±


    Carlos¡¯ fingers began to tremble in his pockets.  ¡°How do you know¡­¡±


    Carter sighed.  ¡°Carlos, let her in.¡±


    Clearing his throat before swallowing, he shifted to let her by.  Carter appraised her warily as he nodded for her to sit across from him; a man rising to let her take the chair.  Accepting it, she crossed her legs, sitting straight, hands across her lap.


    ¡°How are you tracking my movements?¡±  He asked darkly.


    A smile touched her lips.  ¡°I know all about your childish game; I know about Carlos, Ivania, Jose, Farid, Aldo, John, Ronny ¡­ should I go on?¡±  All the men¡¯s faces grew pale as she continued. ¡°The breakers you plan to flip to cause a distraction to target Scarlet, which would only kill all of your friends.  The smoke bombs you have around the area to cause a panic in the Green Berets for public safety¡ªaren¡¯t you acting like terrorists?¡±


    ¡°How¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only the tip of the iceberg,¡± Rachel smiled innocently.  ¡°Sangita slipped you fentanyl from the Miami Zoo; certainly elephant tranquilizers would work on a Vampire, right?  That¡¯s a felony for poor Sangita; there¡¯s plenty of evidence to link her to your little group. What about George, slipping you the security detail of the hospital electrical room?  Henry, right next to you,¡± Henry¡¯s eyes widened, muscles tense. ¡°Did you know about his morphine addiction? He could get Gloria fired for using her credentials to get into the medical¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you?¡±  Henry¡¯s nose was twisted with rage.  ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡± Carter shifted a little to ease his tension as he held up a hand, but Henry shook his head.  ¡°No, this¡­¡±


    ¡°Hiding it in the fold of your military jacket; a hidden pocket near your right breast.¡±


    Henry took a step back, eyes wide.  ¡°How the¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you protecting her¡ªor are you after something else?¡±


    Rachel went silent for a moment.  Why am I protecting Scarlet?  I guess it¡¯s because she¡¯s a goal ¡­ she isn¡¯t connected to my parents though.  Is it just the competition? I want to match up to her ¡­ I guess that¡¯s it. These people won¡¯t take away someone I view as a rival.


    ¡°I want to be perfectly clear, Carter.¡±  Rachel¡¯s tone was neutral. ¡°Think of your options.  I could expose every person that has helped you plan a terrorist operation with evidence to paint a damning picture; I know every single person¡¯s name, no matter how small their contribution was.  Think about the implications during Martial Law. That¡¯s option one¡ªoption two ¡­ I could rip every one of your men to pieces in less than three seconds; literally, I could tear every one of them apart, limb from limb.  You¡¯ve already been suspected of terrorist activity; no one would blink an eye. All I need to do is wait for you to act¡ªcut the power, blow the smoke bombs, and you¡¯re all dead, labeled as terrorists with the U.S. Army backing me up.  You cannot beat me, period. Understand?¡±


    Carter worked around his jaw.  ¡°You¡¯re as evil as she is ¡­ Mythickin¡­¡±


    She chuckled.  ¡°How narrow-minded.  You never wanted it to be like this, right?  You think I want to kill you? No, but I¡¯m a lot colder than I was yesterday; perhaps that has something to do with my change.  I didn¡¯t want to give you these options, but you forced my hand. You view Scarlet as a monster, I don¡¯t. It¡¯s as simple as that; is your life worth that hatred inside you?  Go on your own way and don¡¯t come back into our lives. I honestly hope you don¡¯t test me.¡±


    She gripped the lip of the steel chair she sat on and tore a piece off with ease, causing the men to jump.  They stared at the metal with wide eyes as she formed it into a ball with one hand. ¡°I haven¡¯t measured how fast I can throw things.  That would be an interesting test, don¡¯t you think?¡± Rising, the men scattered, giving her a wide berth as she dropped the metal ball on the ground.


    Henry huffed.  ¡°You think you can intimidate us?¡±


    He flinched as Rachel¡¯s eyes slid to him.  ¡°You think I¡¯m lying? Isn¡¯t it natural to have your hand on a blade when a snake bites?¡±  Her tone darkened. ¡°Forget about revenge; it¡¯s impossible.¡± Carter rose, taking a deep breath, nose flaring, but Rachel cut him off.  ¡°Don¡¯t turn this into a boxing match ¡­ walk left, right out of my sight.¡± She flexed her fingers; cracking her neck, hair shifting with her movements.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Carter growled.  He paused for a moment as they glared at each other.


    ¡°I¡¯ll always be prepared,¡± Rachel stated.  ¡°I won¡¯t warn you next time; for your family¡¯s sanity, I hope you don¡¯t throw your life away.  Think of your son.¡± Rachel stated. A few of his men spat on the ground as they glared at her before exiting the building.  If he seeks Scarlet¡¯s or my life, then I don¡¯t feel bad.  He made his choice to raise the sword. If they start it, I don¡¯t feel bad about finishing it.  Perhaps this is what Richard is sensing within me that¡¯s giving him unease¡ªthis cold intent.


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 B1 — 12. Let’s Go!

    Rachel watched Carter, and his men leave with a passive expression; they began muttering amongst themselves the moment they left the building.  Henry¡¯s voice was heated.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re letting all that hard planning go to waste.¡±


    ¡°Seriously,¡± Carter¡¯s tone was hard.  ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re concerned about, Henry.  She knew everything, everything, Henry, and I can¡¯t believe I had to learn about your morphine addiction from a Mythickin.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t deny it,¡± he slapped Henry¡¯s chest with disgust.  ¡°Freaking right where she said it was, and you used a doctor''s credentials to get it.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡ªI¡¯ll get help after all this mess is over, okay¡­¡±


    Carter seethed through his teeth as Carlos asked, ¡°Hey, you think she¡¯ll rat us out?¡±


    Cameron walked over with a few of his men, expressions serious; she held up a finger, letting them know she was listening to them.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past her,¡± Carter muttered.  ¡°She¡¯s a real issue¡ªshe has some kind of ability to track us ¡­ how did that Mythickin know everything?  She¡¯s a rabbit; so, she might have good hearing, but to hear even Sangita, we were at least a mile away from the hospital.  If she can hear people from that distance ¡­ we¡¯re going to have to rely on text communication.¡±


    ¡°Tck, there¡¯s evidence with that,¡± Ronny grumbled; Rachel huffed at his statement.  If they¡¯re worried about evidence, it¡¯s a sign they shouldn¡¯t be doing it.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice.  If she has that good of hearing ¡­ who knows how accurate it is.  She wasn¡¯t joking about always being prepared¡ªprobably listening to us right now.  If she can hear people from a mile away ¡­ I don¡¯t see how we can take out Scarlet with her nearby.  Maybe with a sniper, but who knows with her blood protection.


    ¡°If we can¡¯t do it with her knocked out, then it runs the risk of her surviving¡ªa shotgun from point-blank didn¡¯t do it ¡­ it really does seem impossible unless we use C-Four or something.  We¡¯ll have to do more research, but with the rabbit around ¡­ I¡¯ll do some thinking.  Let¡¯s retreat for now and keep everything through text.¡±


    He pulled out a piece of paper.  ¡°We need to get away from the hospital as quickly as possible.¡±  He sent each of his men to different locations, pointing to routes on the map so she wouldn¡¯t know their exact direction.  ¡°We¡¯ll all meet here.¡±


    Rachel sighed as she turned to Cameron.  ¡°Thanks for waiting.  I thought I was pretty clear, but it doesn¡¯t sound like they¡¯re going to give up.  I¡¯ll give you the names of everyone involved; they suspect I can hear them and are retreating for now, but they¡¯re underestimating how far I can hear them.  Still, they¡¯re going to move pretty far away and come up with another plan.¡±


    Cameron nodded.  ¡°Alright, they seemed pretty rattled by whatever you said.¡±


    ¡°I knew their plan and exposed everything.  I told them their options were limited and to give up on trying to get revenge, but it looks like it¡¯s consuming him.  His tone didn¡¯t sound defeated, just frustrated this plan didn¡¯t work and about me getting involved.¡±


    The Green Berets¡¯ faces grew cold.  ¡°What was their plan?¡±


    ¡°Smoke bombs to cause panic; they¡¯re set up around the area.  You¡¯d prioritize evacuating civilians with the possibility of poisonous gas; they¡¯d then use elephant tranquilizers to try and drug Scarlet, posing as little danger to her as possible to keep her blood from attacking.  After she was out, they were going to take her to a warehouse and try different means of cutting her into pieces to kill her.  They think they¡¯re heroes, stopping another tragedy from happening.¡±


    Roger swore in disgust.  ¡°They were going to chop a teenage girl into pieces¡ªthey¡¯re sociopaths.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I think a few of them are, but the majority are just brainwashed into thinking Scarlet¡¯s a real-life monster that will destroy humanity.¡±


    Cameron reported the incident, giving Mateo the names Rachel had gathered.  Once finished, Mateo huffed in disgust.  ¡°Traitors, the lot of them; abandoning their post, defying orders, conspiracy to commit murder, plots to terrorize the public and disrupt order.  We¡¯ll see what confessions we can get from the conspirators.  Thanks, Rachel, your ears really are something.  If we can nip this in the bud, we could stop a dangerous anti-Mythickin group from forming before it gets rolling¡ªthem mentioning C-Four, that¡¯s concerning.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Rachel frowned.  ¡°I did my best to give them a chance to back out.  I¡¯m sure a few of them will abandon Carter if pushed.  They have the National Guard radios; if you give them an ultimatum over it, then I¡¯m sure a few will turn themselves in.  That¡¯ll back Carter into a corner and let him know there¡¯s no going back.  I just feel bad for his family; from what I heard earlier, it sounded like his marriage isn¡¯t doing great¡ªmaybe he¡¯s projecting a bit of that onto Scarlet with his brother¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get to the bottom of it,¡± Mateo stated.  ¡°Were you able to tell anything about the direction they¡¯re heading?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re heading north right now, but from how he was holding the map¡ªI¡¯m not positive, but he could be planning to cut east.  They¡¯re all split up now,¡± Rachel handed the earpiece back to Roger.  ¡°I¡¯d rather not have anything else to do with that man; thanks for handling it and still treating us as U.S. citizens.¡±


    Cameron huffed.  ¡°Well, you are.¡±


    Smiling at them, she shook their hands.  ¡°Thanks for serving.  You really are heroes.¡±


    She returned to Scarlet and Julia¡¯s side as Mateo issued more orders regarding Carter and his group; he began organizing a small party to track them while giving the ultimatum over the radio.


    Julia seemed in awe.  ¡°Scarlet translated what was going on¡ªyou¡¯re so cool!  I can¡¯t believe you just marched right up to them and called them out, and then the chair thing¡ªI couldn¡¯t see it, but their faces!¡±


    Scarlet looked down before mumbling.  ¡°Thank you for having my back¡ªI just keep causing trouble, and what Carter asked, you didn¡¯t answer it¡ªwhy did you help me?¡±


    Rachel scratched her left ear, looking at Maria as they discussed poses.


    That¡¯s a good question.  I think of her as a goal to reach, but maybe there is a little something more to it.  Logically, Scarlet can take care of herself, but I still decided to interfere.  It wasn¡¯t like I owed Carter anything either.


    What¡¯s the connection?  I felt like it was important to act on the information I had ¡­ important, why was that important?  The only thing that was important to me was my parents¡¯ love and acknowledgment ¡­ that, and Muay Thai.  Why did I interfere then?  Did I feel pity for Carter and his group?  Maybe I¡¯m overthinking it¡­


    Smiling, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know how to answer that right now.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re becoming friends!¡±  Julia said with a bright smile.  ¡°Friends help each other out.¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡±  Rachel muttered.  I¡¯ve never really been interested in friends; I was always too focused on family and releasing tension, focusing on training or school, that was my life.


    Rachel chuckled softly.  ¡°Maybe¡ªI¡¯ve never had friends.  I don¡¯t know how to make them or even how friendship works.  I was always too busy doing other things.¡±


    Rubbing her shoulder, Scarlet looked away.  ¡°I grew pretty distant from all my friends after high school ¡­ I mostly talked with people I met on Discord or drawing sites.  I guess I became pretty anti-social.¡±  Smiling, she looked up into Rachel¡¯s eyes.  ¡°I¡¯d like to be friends¡ªif that¡¯s alright, just having another Mythickin around has been nice.  It just feels nice to not be so alone; that I¡¯m not the only one that¡¯s changed so much.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I don¡¯t see why not...¡±


    ¡°Hey, chicas!¡±  Maria called out.  ¡°What are you two doing wasting time?  Let¡¯s get this done!¡±  Smiling, they both joined her.  The shoot didn¡¯t last very long; they took several photos separately and then a few together before letting them go.  They walked to the relief area with their Green Beret escort, leaving the camera crew to clean up.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t so bad,¡± Scarlet looked down to study a few of the polaroids.


    Maria huffed. ¡°Easy money.¡±


    ¡°That reminds me,¡± Rachel scanned through sounds. ¡°I can¡¯t hear any of your gang around, Maria.¡±


    She hummed. ¡°They went to take care of the elderly; there are several that need help. I was able to heal their weak bodies, but the old folks in the neighborhood ... son dur¨ªsimos y muy trabajadores para su edad.¡± She chuckled. ¡°They¡¯ll curse your ears red if you do something they can do themselves.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°You actually take care of everyone in your neighborhood?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Maria sniffed. ¡°They took care of me and my brother growing up. I¡¯m not alone, we got a tight group and connections¡ªwe have to be with all the gangs; Marcus is a high ranking Untouchable, the Miami Boys criminal organization. The Gambino family has been a problem lately too; they¡¯re trying to take cuts from any hustling done by local crews. We have to keep our heads down with so many gangs in Miami.¡±


    ¡°Are there really that many?¡± Rachel questioned.


    ¡°Humph,¡± Maria scoffed. ¡°A ton¡ªyou have MS-13, Savage City Gangsters, NHP Bloods, Shower Posse, TNS, West Side Boys, and Young Latin Organization to name the big ones. ¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all real gangs too? Not just wannabe gangsters?¡±


    Maria lifted an eyebrow. ¡°You seriously haven¡¯t heard of them? Chicas ignorantes,¡± she muttered. ¡°You think sex-trafficking, drugs, murder, extortion, money laundering, and arms trafficking are small things?¡±


    Scarlet frowned. ¡°I remember hearing bits and pieces like that while in school, but I thought they were just talk.¡±


    ¡°The world is pretty until you peel back the layers,¡± Julia said with a sad sigh.  ¡°Let¡¯s get off this depressing discussion, though!  What kind of clothes do you want, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  Oh, umm, honestly, I¡¯m okay with these clothes.¡±


    ¡°You seriously like these things?¡±  Maria asked with a raised eyebrow.


    A light blush touched Scarlet¡¯s pale cheeks.  ¡°Yeah, kind of.  I mean¡ªI was a little scared with how my features changed; it¡¯s like looking at a stranger in the mirror, but I think I look cute in a skirt.¡±


    ¡°Of course you do!¡±  Julia ran ahead and took a quick picture of her.  ¡°That shy look is just adorable!¡±  Maria shrugged as Scarlet smiled a little, looking at the floor.


    Rachel smiled as she stared down at Scarlet.  ¡°I think you look cute, but me, I¡¯m more comfortable in gym clothes.¡±


    ¡°But, you look so stunning in a school uniform!¡±  Julia moaned.


    ¡°Just not me,¡± Rachel chuckled.


    They made it to the relief area; Maria and Rachel picking out a new set of identical black sportswear.  Julia looked like she didn¡¯t approve.  ¡°Seriously, those are the same clothes you were wearing before.¡±


    ¡°Comfort is key,¡± Rachel replied.  ¡°You really should get some comfortable clothes, Scarlet.¡±


    She shook her head with a light chuckle.  ¡°To be honest, I feel perfectly comfortable like this¡ªI¡¯ll grab a sports set, though.  Why not?¡±


    They took all of their outfits to the staff break room since it was closer, leaving Julia with their escort outside.  Rachel and Maria changed into their clothes quickly; Scarlet moved to the window to look out into the night.


    Finishing, Maria hummed as she examined Scarlet.  ¡°You want to fight a gang like that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how it would be that different dressed in sports clothes,¡± she said brightly.


    Maria nodded.  ¡°Humph, not a bad retort.  To each their own.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel smirked as she finished flipping her hair out of the tank.  ¡°You sure it¡¯s not just Julia¡¯s blood that¡¯s influencing you?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°You know¡ªthat could actually be true.  I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t think of that ¡­ I really need to be careful whose blood I drink.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want to drink an exhibitionist¡¯s blood, right?¡±


    Scarlet swallowed reflexively.  ¡°That is definitely not me!  Please slap me if that ever happens ¡­ lock me up in a basement.  Can I sign a consent form?  Seriously.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to worry about that if we have rights at all; who knows how The Oscillation will change the country, but I think we first should worry about Maria¡¯s brother.¡±


    ¡°Finally!¡±  Maria said, pounding her fist.  ¡°What¡¯s the plan then?¡±


    Cracking her neck, Rachel shook herself out.  ¡°We first need to see how we can get away from the hospital without anyone knowing.  If Scarlet can¡¯t transport all of us, then we¡¯ll have to jump out the window; I¡¯d rather disappear without leaving any kind of clue how.¡±


    Scarlet took a deep breath.  ¡°No pressure.¡±  Walking up to them, she shifted a little.  ¡°Okay, I feel awkward just asking this, but we need to be really close to each other if it¡¯s going to work¡ªI know we all don¡¯t know each other that well yet¡­¡±


    Maria huffed, moving within Scarlet¡¯s personal space before she could finish.  ¡°Whatever it takes to save my brother.¡±


    Rachel nodded without hesitation.  ¡°I said I¡¯m willing to be friends.  I don¡¯t know what all that entails, but I guess getting over discomfort is a part of that.¡±  She stepped in close to Scarlet.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Scarlet breathed.  Her eyes changed as she looked through the window, across the street at another building.  Rachel¡¯s skin tingled as shadows rose around them.  She didn¡¯t feel like she moved at all as the shadows lifted, and their environment changed.


    She looked around at a teen¡¯s bedroom; there were no windows in the room.  ¡°Where are we¡ªfrom the sound, two blocks away?¡±


    Moving back, Scarlet looked left.  ¡°Yup, two blocks away.  There were a lot of people in all the houses around us; this was the only empty one I could see¡ªa lot of people are huddling around the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Looks like it worked,¡± Maria said with a broad grin.  ¡°Interesting, shadow teleporting.  Is that the furthest you can go?¡±


    Scarlet sat on the twin-sized bed.  ¡°No, but it takes more blood to teleport further.  I wasn¡¯t sure how much energy I need to conserve since I wasn¡¯t able to drink all that much.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Rachel said, sitting on the desk chair.  ¡°We first need to head to a medical sanitation facility on the way to Miami Beach.  They send expired blood bags there.¡±


    ¡°Expired?¡±  Scarlet muttered with a bit of disgust.  ¡°Normal blood packs that aren¡¯t expired taste pretty bland.  Julia¡¯s was pretty freshly drawn, so it was delicious.¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Best I could come up with.  The facility is basically abandoned with the emergency going on; you could drink as much as you want.¡±


    Scarlet sighed.  ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯ll be a good test to see how much blood I can store and if that energy degrades over time.¡±


    ¡°Good point,¡± Maria nodded.  ¡°So, how are we going to get there quickly?¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll like it, but I think I¡¯ll have to carry you.¡±


    ¡°?Qu¨¦ co?o¡­¡±  Maria muttered.


    ¡°Well,¡± Rachel sat back with a deep breath.  ¡°I think Scarlet could keep up with me if she keeps shadow teleporting¡ªcan you?¡±  Scarlet nodded with a smile.  ¡°Right, which leaves you.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°I¡¯m a Unicorn¡ªlike a horse, right?  I¡¯m supposed to be fast ¡­ how can I move fast¡­¡±  Her eyes lit up.  ¡°I can move really fast, too ¡­ I can even teleport!  Crazy name, too, Solar Traveler.  Cool, huh?  Eh, pretty far, but it takes time and a lot of energy ¡­ it¡¯s better for me to run, damn.¡±


    ¡°Did the knowledge just flood into your brain?¡±  Rachel asked, brow furrowed.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s like I¡¯ve known it all my life, but just forgot it somehow ¡­ it felt so strange.¡±


    Scarlet nodded.  ¡°Me too!  It just comes to me when I have a question about something¡ªsometimes it just activates on its own if I want to do something, like teleporting.¡±


    Maria hummed with interest as she leaned up against the closet door.  ¡°That¡¯s how healing is; I know exactly what¡¯s wrong with people too¡ªall their illnesses.  I can even select certain ones to heal or let be.¡±


    Rachel sucked on her lower lip for a moment.  ¡°For me, my physical strength is like a dial; I can turn it up or down on desire.  It all depends on what I want.  Like when Maria was hitting me, I didn¡¯t feel anything, but earlier I let a needle pierce my skin.  It¡¯s like I can dial up or down my defense and offense.  Maria ¡­ how¡¯s your burst speed vs. endurance?¡±


    She looked down at the floor with a slight frown.  ¡°My burst speed isn¡¯t super great, but I can run for a long time; it takes a bit of time for me to speed up.¡±


    ¡°Thought so,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°I might be the slow one, actually.  My burst speed is amazing, like, instantaneous acceleration that causes whirlwinds, but I can¡¯t keep that movement up for a long time.¡±


    Maria smirked.  ¡°If you need, I¡¯ll carry you.¡±


    Rachel grimaced.  ¡°Well¡ªlet¡¯s see how I do.  I think it¡¯s different under moonlight.  I feel a lot stronger under moonlight; let¡¯s hope I can keep up while under it.  Just to let you guys know, this could cause problems with the military¡ªthey want to handle it.¡±


    ¡°My little brother¡¯s life is on the line,¡± Maria crossed her arms darkly.  ¡°If I can do something about it, I will.  Okay, we¡¯re wasting time,¡± Maria huffed.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to tingle all over,¡± Scarlet said, white fangs gleaming in Rachel¡¯s night vision.  ¡°I can taste it¡ªfear, anxiety, despair.¡±  She licked her lips.


    Rachel smiled, her heart picking up.  ¡°I feel it too¡ªI think Lunar Hares live for danger¡ªthere¡¯s something about this situation that makes my muscles burn to move.¡±


    Maria chuckled.  ¡°Right, monsters¡­¡±


    ¡°I prefer, reaper.¡±  Scarlet grinned.  ¡°We¡¯re creatures of the night, after all.¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯s getting into it,¡± Rachel stretched out.  ¡°Julia¡¯s influence?¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Maria stretched out with Rachel.  ¡°Whatever it is, we¡¯re losing moonlight.  Let¡¯s get going to this sanitation place.  Then, Marcus, le vamos a partir la madre!  You beat the shit out of him; I¡¯ll heal him, rinse, repeat!  Scarlet can go wild too.  These are sex-traffickers, murderers, and arms dealers ¡­ no mercy.  You hear?¡±


    Rachel felt a coldness touch her mind at her words, and Scarlet giggled, ¡°The best kind of prey; the kind you feel nothing for.¡±


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 B1 — 13. Tainted

    They walked downstairs; the hallways were lined with pictures of a four-person family.  ¡°They aren¡¯t home?¡± Maria asked, examining the well-decorated walls.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Scarlet and Rachel said in unison.


    ¡°Huh, guess it would be safer to be near the hospital.¡±


    Unlocking the front door, they walked out; the moonlight struck Rachel with a wave of energy.  It¡¯s always such a rush!  Scarlet smiled as she appraised her, watching her glow intensify.


    ¡°Nice neighborhood,¡± Maria looked up and down the street.


    Scarlet looked down the street.  ¡°The sign says ¡­ we¡¯re on Shore Drive East.  Where do we need to go, Rachel?¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath as she continued to scan through information around her.  ¡°Umm, we need to go North for a bit...¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±  Scarlet¡¯s eyes grew big.  ¡°I see a big van on the main road¡ªit¡¯s like five-hundred meters away; there¡¯s a bunch of blood bags in it and other medical stuff.¡±


    Brow furrowing, Rachel looked in the direction Scarlet was staring.  ¡°Well then ¡­ that¡¯s convenient. I guess there would be a sanitation van that got stuck in traffic when all the chaos hit.  All the conversations I listened to ¡­ with your x-ray-like eyes, I should have known it would have been a lot easier to just look along the way.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s tone was bright.  ¡°It¡¯ll only take me a moment!  I can find you guys on the way if you want to go on ahead.¡±


    ¡°How can you find us?¡±  Maria asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it take a while for you to look around blindly?¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°You both have unique blood signatures; it¡¯s really interesting to look at.  You¡¯re both super white; you¡¯re a lot brighter than Rachel, but she has a bigger pulse around her.¡±


    Maria cocked her head.  ¡°Am I just a big white blur to you then?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, not at all.  It¡¯s just if I¡¯m looking at your blood.  I can change my vision to look for different things.  Like, just looking through walls or looking at people¡¯s muscles or blood.  It¡¯s really sophisticated actually. I can look like, a mile away!¡±


    Rachel hummed.  ¡°That¡¯s cool. Okay, we¡¯ll see you in a bit.¡±


    Crossing her arms, Maria smirked.  ¡°But what happens if those blood bags are a dud?  Could you still find us?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªyeah, that could be a problem.¡±  Scarlet frowned. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be okay though¡ªI can tell how long the blood has been outside a human body by how bright it is ¡­ it changes the taste too.  I mean, they look old, but I don¡¯t feel like it would be a problem.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Rachel looked to the Northeast.  ¡°You could be a detective ¡­ Scarlet, real quick, before you go¡­¡±  She listened to a conversation with a frown.


    The girl¡¯s tone sounded young.  ¡°Raven, you want to go help at Miami Beach?  It sounds pretty dangerous though ¡­ the Military is having a tough time.¡±


    Scarlet hummed with interest.  ¡°What is it? Need me to look at something!¡±


    Raven responded with a sure voice.  ¡°Of course, we have superpowers now!  If it gets bad, then Image can make an illusion for us to escape.¡±


    ¡°I hate that superhero name,¡± a boy muttered.  ¡°I should¡­¡±


    ¡°Could you look that way ¡­ I hear a group that¡¯s helping people.  I heard them yesterday stop a few looting parties. They have powers, but I just heard they¡¯re planning on heading to Miami Beach next.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that a problem?¡±  Maria questioned. ¡°They can cause a distraction.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªthey sound like teens¡­¡±


    ¡°Tch, they should be helping their family then,¡± Maria stated with disapproval.


    Scarlet frowned as she looked to the Northeast, head moving slightly as she scanned through objects.  ¡°Umm, how far away are they?¡±


    ¡°About a mile and a half in that direction¡ªwhich you can¡¯t see that far, right?¡±


    Her brow creased.  ¡°Sorry, nope ¡­ that¡¯s a bit disappointing.  I couldn¡¯t help you out.¡±


    Sighing, Rachel nodded.  ¡°It¡¯s alright. They¡¯re over by Mary Brickell Village; they¡¯ve been protecting the shops down there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on the way, right?¡±  Maria asked. At Rachel¡¯s nod, she huffed.  ¡°Well, if you¡¯re worried about them getting hurt, then I guess we can check them out, but I¡¯m really getting concerned about my brother ¡­ Marcus isn¡¯t patient, and he¡¯s mad at you...¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°From their conversation ¡­ they¡¯re making light of the situation down there.  They think that Marcus¡¯ gang will be easy since they handled the looters.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes lit up.  ¡°Oh, what kind of powers do they have?¡±


    Rachel smiled.  Julia¡¯s curious personality affecting her again.  ¡°There are four of them; their real names are Greg, David, Laura, and Thomas, but they chose fake names to call each other by.  Greg has some kind of Clairvoyance ability that lets him see things around a mile away. It¡¯s not like your vision though; he can¡¯t see through objects¡ªit¡¯s like he can project his mind to a spot and look around.  He can¡¯t see well in the dark either. David can make illusions...¡±


    ¡°Like, mess with people¡¯s minds?¡±  Maria asked with a deep frown. ¡°That could actually be pretty useful.¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°No, they¡¯re only optical illusions.  He can bend the light around to make something appear real, but if someone looks hard, they can tell it isn¡¯t.  I¡¯ve heard Laura say she can use magic; mainly she¡¯s been able to shoot fireballs and ice blasts that freeze things.¡±


    ¡°Magic!¡±  Scarlet breathed with excitement.


    Chuckling, Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Well, aren¡¯t we sort of magical?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Scarlet muttered.  ¡°Magic seems kind of dull when you¡¯re an actual magical creature, but it would still be pretty cool to see.¡±


    ¡°The last guy?¡±  Maria¡¯s tone was becoming impatient.


    ¡°I know we need to hurry,¡± Rachel¡¯s face pacified.  ¡°Thomas is a Bull type Beastkin. I think we should talk to them real fast before heading over.  Let them know that we¡¯ll handle it. Scarlet, you should get going.¡±


    She nodded and waved as shadows enveloped her.  ¡°See you in a bit!¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go then!¡±  Maria growled as she looked east along the street.  ¡°We using 95th or another road?¡±


    ¡°South Miami Avenue seems like the clearest route.¡±


    ¡°Okay, lead the way!¡±  Rachel¡¯s eyes widened as Maria¡¯s glow intensified and her thin spiral horn appeared.  ¡°What are you gawking at?¡± She huffed.


    ¡°Huh, it¡¯s just ¡­ it¡¯s pretty.¡±  Rachel pulled her eyes away and began running down the street, picking up her pace as Maria matched it.  She¡¯s pretty fast starting off for human standards, but she keeps accelerating.  We just passed about twenty miles an hour ... there¡¯s forty. I wonder how long I can last if we keep accelerating like this¡­


    They branched at Samana Drive then at South Miami Avenue; Rachel smirked as she listened to Scarlet enter the van, sucking on the blood packs.


    ¡°Blah ¡­ they taste terrible, Rachel!  It¡¯s like I¡¯m drinking vomit ¡­ there has to be a faster way to ¡­ oh?¡±


    Rachel frowned as she heard an odd sound come from the van and then Scarlet went silent.  What¡¯s going on?  She must have found a faster way to drink all the blood; was that sound all the blood bags exploding?  Why would she go silent after that?


    After a few more seconds, there was the sound of cutting metal as the van door fell to the ground and Scarlet stepped out.  ¡°Hmm, interesting,¡± Scarlet said in an oddly curious way; she hadn¡¯t heard Scarlet take that tone before.


    Rachel listened, but Scarlet seemed to be sitting on the back lip of the van, not making a sound.  Did something happen to her when she drank all that blood?  She said it was gross ¡­ maybe all those personalities had an effect on her?  They¡¯d reached over two hundred miles an hour as they quickly neared their destination, effortlessly darting around obstacles; she wasn¡¯t feeling tired yet, it seemed effortless in the light of the moon.


    Rachel quickly stopped by the east entrance of the shopping district, but Maria kept going, taking a good thirty feet to stop.  ¡°Joder, ?c¨®mo te detienes tan r¨¢pido?¡± She muttered.


    ¡°What was that?¡±  Rachel asked, moving to join her.


    ¡°How do you stop so fast?¡±  She repeated.


    She shrugged.  ¡°No, clue. I just stop or shift when I need to; it¡¯s just natural.  I move my body in a certain way to put the right pressure in the right places.¡±


    Maria huffed.  ¡°Whatever, is Scarlet done?¡±


    Rachel made a low tone in her throat as she looked back in her direction.  ¡°She finished, I think, but she¡¯s just sitting on the back of the van.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°No clue. She seemed to figure something out, and I think she drank all the blood at once.  She might be processing it or thinking about another ability. We haven¡¯t tested what happens when she drinks a lot of blood.¡±


    Maria grunted.  ¡°Anyway, where are these kids?¡±


    ¡°Inside, there are a lot of people in one of the restaurants; they¡¯re all holed up in the back.¡±


    Smirking, Maria walked into the shopping area, glancing at the district clock.  ¡°Eleven-thirty? Not as bad as I thought.¡± The area was littered with trash and people¡¯s belongings; a lot of windows were broken, glass scattered around.  ¡°Really let the place go.¡±


    Rachel walked toward the stairs leading to the second level, Maria following.  ¡°What did you expect; people turning into monsters and strange powers started flying everywhere.¡±


    ¡°My neighborhood took it well.¡±  Maria huffed. ¡°A few people changed into Beastkin, but I left them back to help keep all the gente vieja safe.¡±


    Rachel stopped at the top of the stairs, looking toward the grill restaurant further down the walkway.  ¡°Oh, looks like Greg noticed us.¡± She smiled as she watched them slowly leave the building, using illusions.


    ¡°Why are they moving like that?¡±  Maria chuckled. ¡°Do they think we can¡¯t see them?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t,¡± Rachel shook her head.  ¡°They think their illusions are keeping them hidden.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even see any illusion?¡±  Maria muttered.


    ¡°Same ¡­ which is odd.  Maybe it¡¯s a Mythickin thing, or it¡¯s just too weak.  It was working on the robbers from what I heard.¡±


    ¡°Well, at least they¡¯re not running away; saves us the trouble of looking for them.¡±  She stepped forward. ¡°Hey!¡± They froze behind the rails across the downstairs gap. ¡°Quit creeping around and come over here.¡±


    ¡°What?  How did they know where we were?¡±  Laura whispered.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Greg muttered.  ¡°They know about us; so let¡¯s go with C-Formation.¡±


    Rachel sighed as Thomas straightened and ran across the balcony to face them, several meters away.  ¡°You have some nerve attacking a place we¡¯re protecting!¡± He was extremely muscular with black, sharp bull horns atop his head, and tall, at least seven inches taller than Rachel at the head; her ears made her taller though.  How old is he?  They don¡¯t sound that old.  I¡¯d say Laura, and the rest are fifteen, but who knows these days.


    Maria lifted an eyebrow as Laura jumped up from behind the steel railing, she muttered a spell and shot a blast of bluish energy that struck the guard to Maria¡¯s left, freezing the rods with an inch of ice.


    Maria¡¯s mouth dropped open for a moment as she glared at Laura.  ¡°Hells wrong with these kids?¡±


    ¡°No joke,¡± Rachel crossed her arms.  ¡°When did we say we were attacking?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Thomas shifted nervously.  ¡°What¡ªare you doing here then?¡±


    ¡°What, we can¡¯t walk around?¡±  Maria sniffed. ¡°?Qu¨¦ chingados les pasa a los j¨®venes hoy en d¨ªa?¡±


    ¡°They knew who we were though,¡± Greg muttered.


    ¡°Look,¡± Maria growled.  ¡°We¡¯re in a hurry¡ªwe know you plan on storming Miami Beach like some heroes or something.  We¡¯re here to tell you¡ªdon¡¯t. ?Entender?¡±


    ¡°Eh, how did you know,¡± Greg cut off, moving to the balcony with Laura.  ¡°Why do you want to stop us? We¡¯re going to go help them! Someone has to stop those evil guys from hurting people!  We can do it; we¡¯ve got powers.¡±


    ¡°?S¨®lo malgastando mi tiempo!  How about this¡ªyou beat Rachel, here,¡± she pointed, ¡°and we¡¯ll let you do whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±  Rachel asked, moving to Maria¡¯s right.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to beat up kids.¡±


    ¡°This¡¯ll be the fastest way,¡± Maria stated with annoyance.  ¡°You think these kids are just going to listen to us? They¡¯re teenagers; I wouldn¡¯t, would you?¡±  Well ¡­ she has a point.


    ¡°You serious?  We could hurt you.¡±  Laura muttered. Maria chuckled at her statement.


    Thomas¡¯ eyes narrowed.  ¡°Hey, we really could hurt you, and I don¡¯t want to hurt girls!¡±


    ¡°Ni?os ignorantes,¡± Maria muttered.


    Rachel sighed while stretching out her back.  ¡°Okay, I guess this would be the fastest route.¡±  She looked over at Greg. ¡°You heard about Mythickin?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±  Greg¡¯s face paled.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rachel stated patiently.  ¡°I¡¯m a Lunar Hare, and the girl beside me is a Unicorn; we¡¯re both Mythickin and¡­¡±


    Maria cut in, ¡°We¡¯re going to go kick Marcus¡¯ ass, and beat the shit out of the rest of his gang for kidnapping my hermanito.  ?Cons¨ªguelo? So, be useful, stay here and help these people.¡±


    Laura¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°What? You¡¯re a Unicorn?¡±


    Maria seemed dumbfounded.  ¡°Hey, liebre blanca ¡­ is my horn hidden right now?¡±


    Rachel chuckled before shaking her head.  ¡°Clear as day.¡±


    ¡°Are they just idiots?  They hear what we¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s mean,¡± Thomas huffed.


    ¡°They must be¡­¡±  Maria cut off as a flat disk of dark red liquid seemed to appear out of thin air; expanding into a large oval like shape, it shifted between dark shades of red.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡±  Thomas screamed as he scrambled back.


    Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°Blood.¡± She muttered. She heard Scarlet walk back toward the transport van.  ¡°I think Scarlet¡­¡±


    Scarlet emerged through the portal, glowing eyes entirely crimson.  The portal enveloped her, absorbing into her skin. ¡°Ah, Rachel, Maria, it seems you have found the children.¡±  Rachel frowned at her tone. That¡¯s not the peppy Julia tone from before ¡­ this is cold, calculative, dark¡­


    Maria took a step back; Rachel grew alert at Maria¡¯s sudden change in demeanor.  ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Scarlet chuckled as her crimson eyes shifted to Maria.  ¡°Yes, Maria, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Why,¡± Maria cut off for a moment.  ¡°I sense a corruption inside you¡ªblood corruption.¡±


    ¡°Of course you do, dear,¡± Scarlet shook her head with a light giggle.  ¡°I drank a bunch of corrupted blood. What did you think would happen?¡±


    Greg was having a hard time getting his words out.  ¡°It¡¯s¡ªI¡ªDemon¡ªVampire¡ªit¡¯s a Vampire Mythickin¡ªSeattle!¡±


    Scarlet hummed at his statement.  ¡°You know, I am mildly insulted by that comparison.  From everything I have heard, the Seattle incident was amateur work.¡±


    ¡°What do we do?¡±  Thomas asked, ashen-faced.


    Laura was trembling.  ¡°We¡ªwe can¡¯t let that¡ªthat thing kill everyone!¡±


    Greg¡¯s muscles tightened.  ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªDavid, give us some cover!  Formation G!¡± Shit!  These kids are going to get themselves killed!  We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with Scarlet ¡­ if she drank corrupted blood ¡­ Maria said it¡¯s an actual corruption.  It¡¯s all my fault!


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened as time slowed.  Scarlet smirked as her eyes darted to her before returning to the group.  She began to shrug as blood began expelling from beneath her skin, surrounding her.  Shit!  I need to stop this.  Maria should be able to purify Scarlet, but I first need to stop these kids from committing suicide!


    Thomas had begun charging Scarlet, head down as Laura cast a fireball.  Rachel accelerated instantly, she rushed to the fireball as it moved in slow motion toward Scarlet¡¯s encircling blood.  Swatting at it, Rachel felt the massive burst of wind her swipe generated explode into life as she shifted to intercept Thomas.  Slowing before reaching him, she grabbed his waist from behind and tossed him through a restaurant door. A massive gust of wind extinguished the fire and sent both Laura and Greg stumbling backward as Thomas screamed, smashing through the doors to tumble across the ground.


    The blood receded into Scarlet¡¯s body; she began clapping with an elated smile.  ¡°Wonderfully executed; I always enjoy watching you dash about. What was David¡¯s job again?  His execution seemed rather lacking.¡± She clicked her tongue. ¡°Ah, hiding further in the building ¡­ his ability is rather ill-equipped to handle Mythickin.  The beginning stages of True Sight; of course, Maria¡¯s is a bit more advanced.¡±


    The three groaned on the floor as Rachel took a deep breath, turning to Maria.  ¡°Can you purify the corruption?¡±


    Scarlet looked at Maria with an innocent smile.  ¡°Oh, yes! I am most interested in this; can you purify me?¡±


    Maria swallowed nervously.  ¡°There¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s too much. Not right now, no¡ªI¡¯ve never felt anything like it.  It¡¯s so¡ªdark.¡±


    ¡°I figured as much,¡± Scarlet sighed.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±  Rachel asked carefully, keeping Scarlet in sight as she took up position between the kids and Scarlet.


    ¡°Both of you are adorable,¡± Scarlet said with a slight smile.  ¡°You both know so little about what you are; it¡¯s the same for Scarlet though, the poor girl has no clue what she is capable of.¡±


    ¡°Why,¡± Rachel licked her lips before continuing.  ¡°You just talked about yourself ¡­ was that in the third person?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Scarlet praised.  ¡°I am mildly surprised you caught on to that.  People tend to glaze over the details, but I suppose your mind works at a much different pace during stressful moments.¡±


    Maria wore a deep frown.  ¡°You¡¯re not Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Oh, darlings, of course, I am Scarlet.  Who else would I be?¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — S2. Haunted

    Scarlet fled, running down the street, she heard shouts of surprise everywhere, but it was a sixth sense that overpowering her senses, a dense, pulsing aura; fear and anxiety surrounded her.  Why is this happening to me?  I¡¯m a monster!


    Her legs locked up as police cars screeched around the corner; she tumbled across the sidewalk, but there was no pain.  The bright sirens passed her, stopping in front of her house. She stared at the police van and cars as officers rushed out of the vehicles; entering her home.  What do I do?


    Her enhanced vision penetrated the walls, watching the police meet Kyle¡¯s guest in the basement.  He was cradling Kyle¡¯s cooling body; several of Kyle¡¯s organs had been struck by the blood spears.  Now that she was focusing, she could see every wound on the bodies were fatal, and she felt Kyle¡¯s grief; it sent a wave of pleasure through her that twisted her stomach.  This isn¡¯t right!  Why do I feel ¡­ pride?  No! I don¡¯t!


    A few of the officers threw up on sight of the massacre, her mother seemed to be laughing as she spoke to the men and women entering the scene.  I¡¯m a murderer ¡­ I killed my dad and ¡­ no, I didn¡¯t do it, it was the blood!  I wouldn¡¯t kill someone! I would ¡®t feel pleasure in it! Her teeth locked as her finger started to shake; the exhilaration reverberated within her bones.  Never!


    Her breath caught she saw a camera in the corner of the room.  Mom said she¡¯d recorded the event ¡­ that means they¡¯ll¡ªit wasn¡¯t me!  It was the blood! The officers started treating her mom as she laughed at them, talking excitedly.  One officer was questioning Kyle¡¯s guest, while the others checked the house for other people.


    Scarlet rolled to her side, watching the scene with hollow eyes; she could sense the fear growing around the area, the smell was pleasant and made her muscles prickle, begging to be exercised.  Where can I go?  I¡¯m a Vampire ¡­ I have to be¡ªit happened in less than a few seconds.  It doesn¡¯t make sense. I was at my computer, and then I threw up ¡­ that was when everything changed.  I could see through walls and people ¡­ damage wood with my bare fist ¡­ teleport through shadows ¡­ the blood.


    Her throat felt so dry, she couldn¡¯t even swallow, which irritated her throat.  It had to be my Vampire abilities, but I didn¡¯t want to kill everyone ¡­ I just wanted them to stop ¡­ it acted on its own.  Mom said...


    She wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes, blood smearing across the back of her hand before absorbing back into her skin.  I even cry blood.  She felt more tears sliding down her cheeks.  It¡¯s not fair!


    Her eyes darted up as she heard two cops running out of her house, one of them had a radio in hand.  ¡°This is Officer Laxly, we¡¯ve got a ten-thirty-five; massacre at scene¡ªat least twenty bodies. Requesting major crimes¡ªsecuring scene.¡±


    The second officer opened the back of his car but paused as he noticed her on the ground.  ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a girl collapsed over here!¡± He rushed toward her.


    Scarlet stiffened, quickly rising to her feet; the man seemed to slow.  Confused as his expression shifted between emotions in slow motion, she panicked.  Does he see my eyes or the blood all over my clothes?  She turned and ran without looking back, realizing she was running at an accelerated pace.  The burning in her mouth increased, but she didn¡¯t slow until she saw something too shocking to turn away from.


    She skipped to a stop as she watched the scene unfold with horror, looking into the house in front of her.  With her enhanced vision, she could see the back window was broken, and a bulky man with lizard-like skin crawled across the walls and ceiling to pounce on a man, tail whipping a woman against the wall.


    Scarlet¡¯s trembling hands rose to her mouth as the lizard-man bit off the man¡¯s head; she watched the blood begin to spread across the floor as it turned to the woman.  What ¡­ this can¡¯t be real?  This is a nightmare ¡­ a real nightmare.  The lizard began gnawing on the woman¡¯s body as she screamed.  He¡¯s eating her alive ¡­ I feel his pleasure ¡­ he knows what he¡¯s doing.  This is sick ¡­ why do I have this awful feeling? Her terror and pain ¡­ it feels good ¡­ that¡¯s terrible.  It¡¯s not me ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t feel this way. It¡¯s not me!


    Her vision shot to an upstairs bedroom; two fraternal twins no older than nine were hiding under their blankets.  They¡¯ll be next.  Focus returning to the lizard, she watched it raise its head to the ceiling, and even from this distance, she could hear the kids¡¯ cries for their parents.  I can¡¯t let them be eaten!  I just watched their parents be murdered ¡­ what can I¡ªI¡¯m a Vampire, right?


    With the desire to help the kids, shadows rose around her, and when the darkness left, she was standing beside the bed.  The kids were still under the blankets, she could see the lizard quickly move up the stairs and across the wall. What do I do?  I¡¯m scared ¡­ how do I fight it?


    One of the kids peeked out from behind the blanket, his vision centered on her; he locked up, his aura of fear made Scarlet¡¯s blood burn and teeth ache.  No!  I want to help them, not kill them!  She backed away, bumping into their dresser as a knock sounded at the kids¡¯ door.


    A harsh, hissing voice spoke on the other side.  ¡°Henry¡ªCortney¡ªit¡¯s Mr. Kennedy¡ªwhy don¡¯t you open up?¡±


    Scarlet was trembling with both children as they stared at each other in trepidation.  I can¡¯t move ¡­ I don¡¯t want to ¡­ why does the blood cycling through their veins smell like a steaming steak dinner?  It¡¯s not right! There¡¯s a murderer outside the door ¡­ but, I can¡¯t look away from their blood!


    ¡°Cortney,¡± Kennedy cooed.  ¡°I remember seeing you¡ªplaying out back in the sprinklers with¡ªyour brother.  You should¡ªcome over to my¡ªhouse and play in my¡ªpool.¡± The silence stretched, and he continued.  ¡°I¡¯m going to¡ªcome in.¡±


    Scarlet was able to shift her eyes as the doorknob began shaking.  What do I do?  He¡¯s a monster ¡­ but, I¡¯m a monster too ¡­ no, the blood is the monster!


    The door opened, and Kennedy¡¯s lizard-like head poked around the corner, scaled fingers gripping the side of the doorframe.  He froze as his eyes caught sight of Scarlet. ¡°What¡ªthe hell¡ªare you?¡± He hissed. ¡°I can¡¯t¡ªsee any heat coming from you.¡±


    The twins began sobbing again, hugging each other as they stared between Scarlet and Kennedy.  Scarlet took a deep breath, voice trembling. ¡°Y¡ªyou should leave¡ªthere¡¯s police coming.¡±


    His face creased in confusion.  ¡°Police? I¡¯m not¡ªconcerned with¡ªpolice.¡±  He moved to the floor on all fours before rising on his hind legs; he was over two and a half meters tall, head brushing the ceiling.  ¡°What¡ªare you¡ªthough? Not human¡ªchanged, like me?¡±


    Scarlet shook her head.  ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know, but you should go...¡±


    A smile seemed to split his lips.  ¡°I smell¡ªthe blood on you¡ªyou want these kids all¡ªto yourself?  I have¡ªdibs.¡± He sallied up to her, hissing laughter. ¡°You chose¡ªthe wrong prey!¡±


    She began to tremble more violently as his mouth opened extremely wide.  He¡¯s going to swallow me whole!  I need to run¡­ Her vision closed as she hugged herself in panic.  His lumbering footsteps stopped, a choked gurgle responding shortly after.  The smell of blood lifted up her nostrils; different from the warm human blood she¡¯d experienced.  Opening her eyes in dread, she saw crimson; the solid spikes of blood penetrating Kennedy¡¯s body liquify, flowing back into her body as he dropped to the ground, lifeless.  His heavy drop causing a reverberation to shoot up Scarlet¡¯s legs. Again...


    The kids were frozen in each other¡¯s arms as they watched the blood absorb back into her skin.  Scarlet sniffed as she began to cry again. I did it again ¡­ I¡¯m really a Vampire, but it¡¯s not me.  I didn¡¯t control the blood, it did it on its own ¡­ I didn¡¯t kill my dad, his friends, this lizard¡­  ¡°It wasn¡¯t me,¡± she cried.


    Scarlet stumbled around the dead lizard-man, moving to the bathroom.  She stared at herself in the mirror; her expression was terrified, but terrifying.  Her mouth was slightly open in horror, showing sharp, fang-like canines, her wide eyes seemed a hollow void with crimson halo-like glowing irises, and her ears were pointed, poking through her raven black hair.  Blood stained her cheeks; the dark lines ran down her neck. More crimson stained her clothes before fading as it was absorbed into her skin.


    ¡°I¡¯m a monster,¡± she wept.  ¡°My mother turned me into a monster¡ªit¡¯s not me!¡±  She screamed, black fingernails digging at her skull as she clamped her teeth together.  ¡°It¡¯s not me! I¡¯m not a Vampire!¡± Her eyes opened in shock. ¡°My mom made me¡ªI¡¯m the avatar of Scarlet ¡­ I¡¯m a host for the Reaper of Blood.¡±  Her face lit with malice. ¡°It¡¯s your fault, Scarlet!¡± She shouted. ¡°You killed my dad¡ªeveryone!¡±


    All she saw in the mirror was the monster reflected.  Screaming, she slammed her palms against the mirror, causing it to spiderweb at the impact.  ¡°You¡¯re no god¡ªyou¡¯re a damned demon!¡± Scarlet¡¯s anger was smothered as her own voice spoke within her mind.  Demons can be gods too.  Didn¡¯t you know?


    Backing away from the mirror, her eyes widened.  ¡°You¡¯re real ¡­ It¡¯s not me¡ªyou really did all of it¡ªyou did all of that ¡­ why¡­¡±


    Of course, I did, a disease must be purged.  If they raise a hand against my avatar, they are a disease to be eradicated.


    Her head slowly turned to the door as the twins watched her, halfway hidden behind the door frame.  ¡°Please, stop¡ªyou¡¯re scaring me¡­¡± Cortney pleaded.


    The fear they exuded made her arms start to quake against the fractured mirror, fingernails digging into the sheet wall behind; she hugged herself with fear, trying to suppress her tremors.  ¡°I can¡¯t¡ªI can¡¯t help this awful energy inside me! What are you doing to me, Scarlet?¡±


    Her skin tingled as her tongue slid across her crimson lips.  ¡°You should be scared of me, children¡ªwho is in control?¡± You¡ªno!  I¡¯m in control!  Away! Get away from the kids!


    Her vision shifted to the front room, and she was swallowed by shadows.  She clung to her sides as she stumbled to the corner, huddling against the wall.  I¡¯m in control!  I am! She jumped as she heard gunfire close by; the emotional aura escalated around the area.  She could feel it everywhere as it pressed in on her; the joy, sadness, anger, fear, trust, distrust, surprise, and anticipation struck her mind, corroding her will.  She began rocking back and forth, whispering, ¡°I¡¯m in control¡­¡±


    Her lips turned into a smile as her words changed.  ¡°I¡¯m bigger than this body, Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°No¡ªno, no¡ªno!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m colder than this world.¡±


    ¡°Please¡ªno, stop¡ªthis energy¡ªeverywhere!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m meaner than its demons.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not in control!¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s muscles relaxed as she looked up at the large mirror on the wall before walking to it.  Her face showed pity, eyes completely red as her fingers traced the outline of her head. ¡°Dear, what are you saying?  You are me. We are The Monarch of Death¡ªThe Reaper of Blood¡ªaccept me¡ªI am you, and you are me.¡±


    Fear returned to her face as the hollow darkness returned to her eyes.  ¡°I¡¯m not you!¡± She ripped the mirror off the wall, embedding it into the sheet rock.  ¡°You¡¯re the devil! Get out of me!¡± She stood in the same spot for several seconds, eyes closed as she waited for Scarlet to continue her fight for dominance, but she didn¡¯t return.


    Opening her eyes, she looked up at the stairs; the kids were staring at her, curiosity touching their fearful aura.  Gritting her teeth, Scarlet yelled, ¡°Run!¡± They broke into tears. Growling with frustration, she backed against the wall and slid down to her butt.  ¡°Where are you, Scarlet?¡±


    The voice returned, soft and patient.  Waiting for the time, you¡¯ll accept me.  We can do great things together; my will is yours, after all.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not my will!  I didn¡¯t tell you to kill my dad, leave!  Get out of me!¡±


    Her merciless chuckle caught Scarlet off guard.  I already told you; we are one and the same; I cannot leave, and you were in danger; I merely acted in a way to protect us.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt people...¡±


    Yes, you do, but you do not accept it ¡­ yet.  Those feelings can be channeled; it doesn¡¯t have to be indiscriminate.  You can feel the urge spurring your teeth, tickling your throat, burning your muscles, and boiling your blood; emotion cries to be savored, power longs to be gained, blood waits to be reaped.  You deny it now¡ªeventually, the time will come when you will accept the reaper¡¯s task and consume your enemies without hesitation, or you can just wait for me to take control again. Then I¡¯m the bad guy, right?


    ¡°I don¡¯t have enemies!¡±


    My dear, everyone has enemies.  We can feel the pressure all around us; hate, intolerance, disgust, greed, lust, fear of the unknown and powerful, spite, jealousy¡ªall these tantalizing negative emotions that are screaming for the reaper¡¯s scythe.  We do not need to be separate in our desires; we want the same thing¡ªyou just need to see the truth in what we are.


    ¡°What are we?¡±


    Reapers.


    ¡°No¡ªI¡¯m not a killer!¡±


    Scarlet laughed, and the crushing emotional energy around her escalated as she curled into a ball against the wall; the sound, scent, and aura of violence, confusion, and hate only increased as Scarlet trembled in her defensive position, haunted by the emotions that threatened to crush her diminishing will.


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 B1 — 14. Bonding

    Rachel took a deep breath, nerves calming.  Scarlet is affected by blood corruption, but she isn¡¯t expelling a dangerous aura.  She¡¯s definitely different; I get the feeling she would have killed the kids if I hadn¡¯t intervened, but she wouldn¡¯t kill them without being provoked.


    Her focus didn¡¯t leave Scarlet as Greg whispered, ¡°We need¡ªneed to get the people out of here.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s head shifted toward them with a pleasant smile; it was impossible to tell where she was looking with her eyes completely red.  ¡°No need, Greg. We will be departing shortly.¡±


    ¡°You¡ªknow my name?¡±  Greg¡¯s voice quivered.


    Smile turning sympathetic, Scarlet chuckled.  ¡°Rachel, here, told me. She¡¯s been following your conversations for some time; she¡¯s quite the spy.  We simply came to prevent all of you from committing suicide in Miami Beach or becoming subject to much worse fates.  Some wise advice, it is not very intelligent to attack someone you just met ¡­ they may take offense.¡±


    Maria rubbed behind her neck as Thomas moaned, stirring inside the restaurant.  ¡°You still plan on helping me get my brother back?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Scarlet said with a modest smile.  ¡°I¡¯d love nothing more than to slaughter the fools that encroached on our time.  Blood corruption does not mean I am a complete maniac or different person; I may be a monster, but I am a monster with human experience.¡±  Her white fangs glistened in the faint lights around the district.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to help us win this war then?¡±  Maria asked slowly.


    The teens started trembling at the word.  ¡°War?¡± Laura muttered.


    Scarlet¡¯s smile darkened.  ¡°Indeed, what war? The word war gives the impression the opponent has a fighting chance.  I do not do wars¡ªI reap; can the harvest refuse the reaper¡¯s scythe?¡±  So, this is what Scarlet was scared of ¡­ and I awoke this reaper within her.  I made a mistake; Scarlet was fine drinking a little expired blood, but all of those expired bags at once caused this corruption.  Is this an alternate personality, or another being entirely? She mentioned a demon and the reaper; not necessarily connected, but they could be one and the same.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Rachel looked back at Greg and Laura.  ¡°Are you going to go to Miami Beach?¡± They shook their heads, ashen-faced.  ¡°Well, we accomplished that.¡± Turning back to Scarlet, she frowned. ¡°Will this corruption expire like the personality effects of the other blood bags?¡±


    ¡°That is an excellent question,¡± Scarlet nodded.


    When she didn¡¯t elaborate, Rachel sighed.  ¡°Right, well, there is something that¡¯s bugging me a little.  What do you mean the three of us, Scarlet included, know so little about what we are and what we can do?  That implies you have an idea about the subject and that you are separate from Scarlet.¡±


    Maria was paying close attention to the conversation, horn still blazing light as Scarlet folded her arms and cocked her head.  ¡°Do you think you¡¯d ask those questions if you were still human?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.  Turning the question around on me while still making it relevant.  Would I think like this a few days ago ¡­ no, I don¡¯t think I would, but she must know the answer to that, which means she posed the question for me to self-reflect.  It would be the same for her; The Oscillation changed the way she thinks and behaves, but that doesn¡¯t give me an answer for both my questions. I still have my human experiences; the same is true for her.  Is there something I¡¯m missing? I guess I can fish for a bit more information.


    Cracking her neck, Rachel hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°Are you the demon Scarlet mentioned to Richard?  The one sleeping in the ocean.¡±


    Scarlet laughed with mild amusement.  ¡°No¡ªI am not The Reaper of Blood; I am merely a corrupted Scarlet, her, but not her.  Think of me as the personality affix of corrupted blood¡ªreleasing all of Scarlet¡¯s darker urges.  I am the monster within Scarlet¡¯s heart.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Maria muttered.  ¡°That¡¯s why you aren¡¯t trying to kill us.¡±


    The kids slowly began crawling together, grouping behind the rail guard further down the hall.  ¡°Are they going to fight?¡± Thomas muttered, massaging his shoulders.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Greg replied.  ¡°They seem to be friends.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, you are not enemies or seen as such by Scarlet; Scarlet is desperately seeking someone to connect to, and she¡¯s connected to both of you.  Therefore, those that attack you attack her, and are enemies to be reaped.¡±


    A tingle ran down Rachel¡¯s spine.  ¡°Then¡ªyou¡¯re saying this Reaper of Blood is not Scarlet, but something possessing her?  It¡¯s real.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s chuckle was low.  ¡°That is the real question.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Maria said stretching out a little as she walked up to join Rachel.  ¡°So, not even you know about this mysterious demon reaper thing, but you said you knew something about our abilities.  It could be helpful to learn a little more about our abilities before rescuing my brother.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Scarlet¡¯s head shifted toward her, red eyes glowing in the faint light.  ¡°You are fine with my explanation and corruption? I was mildly frightened that you would reject me.¡±


    Maria huffed.  ¡°We all got a monster in us; if you¡¯re Scarlet¡¯s monster, then the girl¡¯s a saint.  You seem pretty mellow and collected.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed as she shifted to get Maria in sight.  ¡°We all have a monster within us?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s humanity,¡± Maria shrugged.


    ¡°Says the embodiment of purity,¡± Scarlet chuckled, hand moving to her lips for a moment.


    Maria grinned.  ¡°Purely honest, but I can¡¯t deny that I have changed.  Not really bad, but I just can¡¯t lie, it actually sucks.¡±  She muttered. ¡°If I choose to respond then I¡¯ll say it how it is.¡±


    ¡°Look at us sharing our feelings while I¡¯m corrupted,¡± Scarlet giggled.  ¡°When it comes to your abilities; what should I say? Maria, Unicorns are said to be untameable, wild, powerful, you have Solar Empowerment while Rachel has Lunar Empowerment.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I gain power from the sun?¡±  Maria frowned. ¡°Deber¨ªa haber estado tomando el sol hoy¡­¡±


    ¡°Rachel can utilize the energy gained from the moon for different purposes, the same for you, Maria, but I am unsure in what ways.  All Mythickin have the beginning stages of True Sight; poor David. These are things I have learned from The Reaper of Blood; it is fragmented, make of that what you will.  Scarlet tries her best to ignore the bits of information gleaned from her sleeping mutters. One thing is for sure; the three of you have only scratched the surface of your abilities.¡±


    Stretching out, Rachel nodded.  ¡°I feel a lot more comfortable about your corrupted state, but the third person is kind of off-putting.  You at least have a degree of control; so, this is the darkest Scarlet can get then¡ªshe really does sound like a saint.¡±


    ¡°You know, I would have killed those kids¡ªit would not be pretty.  You can accept that?¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Well, if at your darkest you¡¯d kill someone that attacked you, but wouldn¡¯t kill indiscriminately¡ªthen, yeah.  I can prevent something like that from happening because you¡¯re still in control. I just hope your corruption runs out.¡±


    Maria hummed.  ¡°You might be able to dilute the corruption to the point I can purify it.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Scarlet smirked.  ¡°Are you telling me to drink our enemies blood?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not,¡± Maria said with a straight face.  ¡°You said it yourself, you¡¯re a reaper. If they¡¯re going to die anyway, why not make use of them.¡±


    Rachel folded her arms.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe I can hear that and not be repulsed¡ªbut I mostly agree.  The only concern I have would be waking The Reaper of Blood.¡±


    ¡°That could happen, but I want to try real blood¡ªhot, emotional, live.¡±  She licked her lips.


    Maria put her hands on her hips with a huff.  ¡°Well, think about it Rachel; this is Scarlet¡¯s dark side, and she wants to drink live blood ¡­ that¡¯s her dark desire.¡±  She chuckled. ¡°Not much we can do to stop her, and I¡¯d rather not try turning a Corrupted Scarlet into an enemy. Not like I feel bad for those bastards either, joder esas perras.¡±


    Scratching behind her left ear, Rachel nodded.  ¡°I follow. Fine, I¡¯m game, but we may have to fight Scarlet if she turns into some crazed monster.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s grin turned dark.  ¡°I would say, do your best; I have no love for The Reaper of Blood.  If she takes over my body¡ªbeat the shit out of me if that is what it takes to get me back.¡±


    ¡°Well, that settles that,¡± Rachel said with a grin.  She heard the kids leaving, muttering about how crazy they were.  ¡°Let¡¯s go; the Military set up a forward base at Airlines Arena. They¡¯re discussing different means to launch their next strike...¡±  She paused as Mateo spoke her name, her ear twitching slightly as she repositioned it.


    ¡°Rachel, I know you can hear me.  Look¡ªI get it, you want to go help Maria¡¯s brother and frankly ¡­ you must have been planning this from the start.  I¡¯d like to help, but the Lieutenant Colonel over the operation is shutting that down. I had to report your probable action to him, and he¡¯s pissed.  Just know, they¡¯re keeping an eye out for you¡ªthe only way this turns out in your favor is if you take them down without any civilian casualties. Cameron has a buddy that was taken prisoner too, if you could rescue some of the SEALs, then it would go a long way with the Military.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Scarlet hummed.  ¡°Caught onto some juicy information?¡±


    Mateo sighed.  ¡°Honestly, I wish I could join you three and take out those bastards, but orders are orders.  I¡¯ve seen how strong you are first hand; however, don¡¯t go biting off more than you can chew¡ªyou have guts, but don¡¯t go sacrificing yourselves, you hear.  You all have your whole life ahead of you.¡±


    Rachel sighed.  ¡°Mateo just gave us a heads up; he had to report us.¡±


    ¡°Maldita sea,¡± Maria tsked.


    ¡°He wants to help but was ordered to standby.  His superior doesn¡¯t like us getting involved, and the troops around the area are keeping an eye out for us.  Mateo says, he respects our strength and gave us a tip to help out some Navy SEALs that were captured; one of the members is friends with Cameron, and it would help our reputation with the Military.¡±


    ¡°Plan on humoring that request?¡±  Scarlet moved to sit on an outside chair, crossing her legs.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say humoring,¡± Rachel frowned.  ¡°It¡¯s a solid request and with a great possible reward.  If we get any civilians killed though, that would cause our reputation with the Military to sink.¡±


    ¡°Eso ser¨¢ pan comido,¡± Maria smiled.  ¡°I can heal anyone that gets hurt, and Scarlet¡¯s the perfect assassin.  If there are any big obstacles or thugs, then you can tear them apart.¡± She looked at Rachel with confidence.


    Scarlet nodded with a slight smirk.  ¡°I have a few ideas I would like to put into motion; this will be a perfect testing ground.¡±


    Rachel grinned.  ¡°Right, Ms. the Seattle incident was amateur work.¡±


    Maria seemed impressed as she studied Scarlet.  ¡°She wasn¡¯t lying.¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Scarlet folded her fingers atop her lap.  ¡°Why lie about the truth; the Seattle incident was messy, unrefined, and only functioned well due to mass panic.  Once the Military organized he was forced to go underground; laughable, he only proved himself a coward.¡±


    ¡°What would you have done?¡±  Maria asked. That¡¯s a good question.  What would the dark side of Scarlet do?


    Scarlet frowned as she tilted her head.  ¡°Planned. His ability is to control individuals; from the information I have, they are more zombie-like, unresponsive and dull.  They can go into a rage and cause disorder, but there was no end goal, it was simply anarchy. He could have used that ability in a number of different ways to infiltrate high-security Military bases, viral facilities to release an epidemic, obtain missile launch codes, and a plethora of other options.  He created havoc, showed himself as this grand figure to the media, claiming godhood before running the moment things turned south for him.¡±


    ¡°He really did sound like an idiot,¡± Rachel sighed.


    ¡°No,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°Scarlet just has an evil mind!  Freaking viral outbreak? Seriously, that¡¯s what you¡¯d do?¡±


    Scarlet grinned wickedly.  ¡°Depended on my goal; that is what I am saying, he had no endgame other than he was the superior race, bow down mere mortals¡ªlaughable, a cartoonish villain.  He could have used the ability in a much more efficient manner to achieve his goals, even his superior race bit. It did take a bit of time for us to adapt mentally to our Mythickin change, perhaps he is wiser now.¡±  Scarlet shrugged.


    Maria hummed.  ¡°Okay, you¡¯re a bit darker than I first thought.  What¡¯s your endgame?¡±


    Scarlet smiled innocently.  ¡°Friendship; you know I am being truthful.  My deepest desire is, of course, to rid myself of The Reaper of Blood, whatever she may be, split personality, which is my primary fear, or a separate demonic entity.  Either case, I want her gone¡ªyou know, it feels so liberating being corrupted; I have no fear of expressing myself, even if I can rationalize that I should be fearful revealing such flaws within myself.  I suppose friendship requires displaying our flaws and trusting our friends will accept us, scars and all.¡± She chuckled.


    Rachel folded her arms.  ¡°Really? That¡¯s interesting ¡­ I did not expect to have this kind of conversation with you, Scarlet.  I suspect when you become uncorrupted, you¡¯re going to be extremely embarrassed about what you just said.  In that light, when all this business is finished, why don¡¯t we all sit down and really have a talk about our feelings¡ªhow we¡¯ve changed.  I think it¡¯ll help me, at least. I have my own concerns.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m game,¡± Maria nodded.  ¡°Let¡¯s get Felix back first¡ªthose SEALs too ¡­ hell, we take out all of Marcus¡¯ gang, and everyone will be safe.¡±


    Taking a deep breath while stretching, Rachel groaned.  ¡°Man, my muscles keep twitching ¡­ they want to be worked!  Usually, I had to pump myself up to work out, but now I have to hold myself back from just rushing over and punching someone ¡­ I really do feel like a violent person now.¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡±  Scarlet nodded with interest.


    ¡°Tch,¡± Maria shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t feel that way.¡±


    Rachel and Scarlet giggled.  ¡°I suspect that is the odd part.¡±  Scarlet winked.


    ¡°Hey!  I¡¯m¡­¡± She trailed off for a moment.  ¡°?Malditos unicornios! I can¡¯t lie ¡­ fine, I was pretty violent before I changed¡­¡±


    They laughed again before Rachel stretched out her arms.  ¡°Alright, we can use the back side of the Bayside Marketplace to get on the bridge, but,¡± she turned to Scarlet, ¡°can you use your shadows to teleport us past the Military roadblock on the bridge or boat patrols?  If we can be stealthy, I¡¯d rather not be seen by them.¡±


    Scarlet shook her head with a sad expression.  ¡°I am afraid the corruption does not allow me to use shadow skills.  However, if you are willing to go through my blood portal, then we can.¡±


    Maria shuddered.  ¡°?Eso es jodidamente espeluznante como una mierda!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with that,¡± Rachel said.  ¡°Maria?¡±


    She breathed a heavy sigh, clearly disturbed by Scarlet¡¯s proposal.  ¡°You serious, liebre blanca? Just watching that earlier creeped me out!¡±  She groaned, closing her eyes. ¡°Fine,¡± she breathed through her teeth. ¡°Lo har¨¦ por F¨¦lix¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll talk about their operation when we get into Miami Beach.¡±  Rachel stretched out her arms, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    They followed Rachel¡¯s lead to the supermarket; they shifted to the bayside and alleyways when they neared the bridge to escape the Military patrols.  Scarlet wasn¡¯t nearly as fast as them but was able to keep up through her portals. They reached the docks, hiding in a docking bay as Military patrolled the area.  They were easily able to see through the night to Dodge Island as the Coast Guard moved up and down the coast. Rachel watched a few boats; men squinting into the night, looking for any life.  ¡°Well, this is rather inconvenient¡ªI can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t think about this...¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Maria¡¯s brow furrowed as she looked past her.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t lean out!¡±  Rachel pulled her back.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡±


    Scarlet giggled.  ¡°You are a spotlight, my dear.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°We both are, but you¡¯re like a literal spotlight with your horn.¡±


    ¡°Not like I enjoy glowing all the time,¡± Maria grumbled.


    ¡°Do you need it active now that we aren¡¯t running?¡±  Rachel pressed.


    Maria looked at the water with a deep frown.  ¡°No¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s frowned.  ¡°It sounds like you don¡¯t want to put it away?¡±


    Maria huffed.  ¡°What, you think I enjoy this thing?  Culpa del chupador de sangre! Her corruption is making it stay out, not like I can put it away on command¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, how fascinating,¡± Scarlet stared at her horn.  ¡°I was unaware of such a detail.¡±


    ¡°You seriously can¡¯t put it away?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªit comes out when I¡¯m using my abilities; when I heal it comes out or when we ran ¡­ I sense corruption, it¡¯s going to show¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s rather inconvenient, but I guess it¡¯s not like I can turn my glow off either.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ªso, quit blaming me for standing out!¡±


    Scarlet chuckled.  ¡°You cannot deny the glow, Maria.  It may be as bright as daylight for us, but it is the middle of the night.¡±


    ¡°What do you want...¡±  Her eyes widened, ¡°No, I am not wearing a bag over my head!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Shit! A guard on the docks noticed our light¡ªScarlet, can you get us to the island?¡±


    Blood detached from Scarlet¡¯s body to form into a portal.  ¡°Easily; out of sight, I assume.¡± Rachel didn¡¯t hesitate; jumping into the blood, she felt the liquid slide across every inch of her body.  It was the strangest feeling; liquid that touched her but didn¡¯t leave her wet. She landed in what seemed to be a large storage facility. Maria appeared from the hovering portal a few moments later, followed by Scarlet.


    Maria was muttering in a frightened tone as she hugged herself.  ¡°Nunca m¨¢s ... por favor, nunca m¨¢s!¡±


    Scarlet chuckled at her mutters.  ¡°Is it really that bad?¡±


    Rachel shivered.  ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ odd feeling.¡±


    ¡°Odd?  It felt¡ªviolating!¡±  Maria choked. ¡°It touched¡ªeverywhere¡­¡±  She watched the blood return to Scarlet¡¯s body in horror.  ¡°It just¡ªback into your body ¡­ shadows, I like the shadows a lot better.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Scarlet shrugged.  ¡°I would if I could; purify me and I can use shadows.¡±


    ¡°Joder ... necesito un poco de luz solar¡­¡±  Maria stammered.


    Rubbing her shoulders, Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to do it at least one more time.¡±


    Maria shook her head.  ¡°I¡¯d rather be seen!¡±


    ¡°Where did that badass Spanish chick go?¡±  Scarlet poked Maria¡¯s back, making her jump and shrink back against the wall.


    ¡°Hey!  No tengo miedo de mucho, pero eso, ?eso no est¨¢ bien!¡±


    Scarlet smirked.  ¡°You are a beacon shining in the dark, and there are a plethora of soldiers around the area.  Do you want to teleport us?¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Maria moaned.  ¡°I¡ªdo we really need to do it again?¡±


    Rachel hummed, ears scanning sound.  ¡°Can you get us to Miami Beach with one jump, Scarlet?¡±


    Her left hand rose, knuckle pressing against her crimson lips.  ¡°Hmm, I could, but I¡¯d be teleporting blind; I can only see a mile away.  How far away is Miami Beach?¡±


    ¡°About two and a half miles,¡± Rachel leaned against the wall with a frown.


    Scarlet looked through the wall with a thoughtful expression.  ¡°If you tell me what direction to go then I could go an exact distance.  I¡¯d be blind, but you could tell me how far away it is.¡±


    Rachel scratched her temple.  ¡°I¡¯m not that accurate. I can tell a general distance, but not exact.  I can hear a lot of people two and a half miles away in that direction,¡± she pointed.  ¡°It¡¯s a massive hotel; a lot of the people that fled the streets are taking shelter there.¡±


    ¡°That will do,¡± Scarlet studied the direction she¡¯d pointed out.  ¡°We might be a little off. I will teleport us on ground level; we will not end up in a pillar or anything, but we could smack face first into one though.¡±  She chuckled.


    ¡°Worth the risk!¡±  Maria stated, trying to work herself up.  ¡°Just one more time ¡­ one more time.¡±


    Blood flowed out of Scarlet¡¯s skin to create the portal.  ¡°After you,¡± she giggled at Maria¡¯s nervous twitches; poking her back once.  ¡°We are on a time crunch, remember?¡±


    ¡°I hate you!¡±  Maria seethed as she shut her eyes, tensed, and jumped through.


    Scarlet shook with silent laughter as Rachel grimaced.  ¡°It really is an uncomfortable feeling¡­¡± Rachel muttered before hopping through.


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 15. Grave Sealed

    Rachel shuddered as she exited the portal.  It really does touch everywhere.  She did a quick scan of the room; they were in a hotel lobby, the decoration seemed expensive.  She heard people on the upper floors, but no one was on the first three levels. Maria appeared shaken as she sat on the ground, hugging herself.  Scarlet emerged from the portal at her back, the blood absorbing into her body.


    ¡°No one around us,¡± Rachel reported, shifting to sit in a comfortable armchair nearby.


    ¡°We are not going into that blood again,¡± Maria stated, Rachel felt a little bad seeing tears in the corner of her eyes.


    Scarlet huffed, taking a seat across from Rachel.  ¡°I did not expect to see this side of you, Maria.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Maria snapped.  ¡°I don¡¯t like being touched, okay!  Your blood¡­¡± A quake ran down her frame as her eyes closed, fingers gripping her shoulders.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Rachel soothed.  ¡°We¡¯re past the Military. I¡¯m looking¡ªgot it, Marcus is to the east, in a hotel with a bar in the basement.  They have loud music playing, so it¡¯s hard to make out the conversation, but I can tell the frequency of his voice.  I can¡¯t tell if your brother is there though.¡±


    ¡°Point toward the direction,¡± Scarlet followed Rachel¡¯s finger.  ¡°Hmm, underground ¡­ yes, I see him. He certainly enjoys living the gangster life.  There are very scantily dressed women dancing for him; a few Beastkin ¡­ how sad.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Maria tensed.


    ¡°There is a girl with bunny ears, likely a Hare or Bunny Beastkin, that looks fairly brutalized.  He must have been quite livid with Rachel humiliating him.¡±


    ¡°What about my brother?¡±  Maria pressed, taking a deep breath to regain her composure.


    ¡°Hmm, what does he look like?¡±


    ¡°Hispanic, skinny, a bit on the small side¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, I see him sitting at another booth with two men beside him.  They make your brother look like a child.¡± She snickered.


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t hit his growth spurt yet!¡±  Maria snapped. ¡°Well, Rachel, we¡¯re here, what¡¯s the plan?¡±


    Scarlet smirked.  ¡°It would be simple to just teleport him to us.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Really? It can¡¯t be that simple.¡±


    She shrugged.  ¡°Well, I would need to take the entire couch, but I can do that.  The thugs will be transported with him.¡±


    Maria smiled darkly.  ¡°Yeah, do that, and when they show up, Rachel, throw them across the room.  We can get some decent information from them. I¡¯m not satisfied with just saving my brother; we¡¯re dismantling their entire operation, right?¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath as Maria straightened, stretching out a little.  ¡°Well, that¡¯s what I planned to do. You two don¡¯t have to stay with me, but I feel like I have unfinished business with them.¡±


    Frowning, Scarlet¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°I am not satisfied with just being the transport girl.  I want to sink my fangs into something.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Maria chuckled.  ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll have the chance with one of those guards you¡¯ll snatch.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s smile returned.  ¡°It is a start; the night is young, after all.¡±


    ¡°I got it,¡± Rachel cracked her neck, bound hair shifting.  ¡°Can you grab Felix real quick then?¡±


    Blood extracted from Scarlet¡¯s body, forming into a large disk a few feet in front of her.  ¡°Of course.¡± A big couch emerged from the portal, three screams followed as it struck the ground; one of the wooden supports snapped, causing one of the big men to sink into the frame.


    Rachel rose, time slowing as she walked toward the men with quick steps.  If felt natural to her, but their reaction was sluggish. Moving around the back, she grabbed both men¡¯s collars and tossed them back, tumbling across the floor.  They grunted with each strike as they struck the marble.


    Felix seemed petrified as he stared at Scarlet¡¯s sinister appearance, blood absorbing back into her body.  ¡°Hello, Maria¡¯s little brother.¡±


    He slammed into the side of the couch as Maria tackled him.  ¡°Hermanito, ?est¨¢s bien? Te lastimaron? ?Te duele en alguna parte?¡±


    ¡°?Hermana? Oye, est¨¢s apretando demasiado apretado!¡±


    Rachel chuckled as she faced the two men; they gasped for air, shaking while examining the area in shock.  The one to Rachel¡¯s right had blonde hair, while the man to her left had brown. The blonde haired man rubbed his forehead.  ¡°What the fuck¡ªTony, did you feel that?¡±


    Tony coughed, grasping at his shoulder.  ¡°Yeah¡ªlike I was being touched by a million bugs.  What the¡­¡± He trailed off as he caught sight of Rachel.  ¡°Who the hell¡ªyou that bunny Mythickin?¡± His vision shifted to Maria as he rose, but locked eyes with Scarlet.  He swallowed hard; his buddy lifted himself to one knee, next to him. ¡°Shit¡ªPete, where the fuck are we?¡±


    ¡°You are with us; is that not obvious?¡±  Scarlet chuckled before licking her lips.  ¡°I sincerely hope you are not as thick-skulled as you appear.  Doltish blood is rather distasteful.¡±


    ¡°Shit¡­¡±  Pete muttered.


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as she heard the music cut in the underground club with Marcus¡¯ yells.  ¡°What the fuck was that? Where did the kid go?¡±


    Maria released Felix, glaring at the two men before a deadly smile moved her lips.  ¡°I¡¯m shocked, Scarlet. That was a lot easier than I anticipated¡ªI owe you, big.¡±


    Teeth bared, Tony was wide-eyed.  ¡°Fuck Marcus¡ªdidn¡¯t say anything about a Vampire!¡±


    Rachel shifted slightly to keep both Maria and the men in sight.  ¡°What did you want to ask them about, Maria?¡± She heard Marcus ordering people to search the area.


    Maria cracked her back with a satisfied grunt as she rose.  ¡°The¡­¡± Felix cut her off.


    ¡°Hermana, ?qu¨¦ est¨¢ pasando? ?Est¨¢s con el vampiro y el conejo?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re with us,¡± Maria said before her horn¡¯s light momentarily intensified.  Rachel hummed as Felix was surrounded with white light and the dark bruises on his face were healed, swelling dropping within seconds.  ¡°I want to know if anyone else touched you. Was it just Marcus and Daran?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t touch the kid,¡± Tony shifted, hand slowly reaching behind his back.  Seriously ¡­ he¡¯s probably going for a gun.


    Pete nodded.  ¡°Yeah, we¡­¡± He paused as Tony whipped out a handgun.  Rachel sighed as she accelerated. Before he could bring it up, she¡¯d snatched it from his hand, feeling bone snap as her grip tightened.  ¡°Shit!¡± He shouted, stumbling back as the air current struck him. He managed to stay on his feet, but his face was pale, round eyes staring at the gun in Rachel¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Fuck, man¡­¡±  Pete tripped, falling to his side.


    Maria chuckled.  ¡°Broke two of his fingers disarming him.¡±


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Rachel breathed.  ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to do that part.  I need to learn how to control my strength better.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡± Tony brought up his hand, arm starting to tremble.  ¡°Fuck!¡± He cradled his purpling fingers.


    Scarlet rose; moving around the couch, her head shifted to Pete.  ¡°Going to follow that oaf¡¯s example?¡±


    He shook his head, raising his hands, ashen-faced.  ¡°No¡ªno, I¡¯m cool! I¡¯m cool!¡±


    Rachel frowned as she held up the gun, examining it.  ¡°How do you¡­¡± She pressed a lever, and the clip fell out.  ¡°There¡¯s usually a round in the chamber, right?¡± She questioned, looking toward Maria.


    ¡°Yeah, toss it here.¡±


    Rachel tossed it as Scarlet bent down close to Pete, sniffing slowly.  ¡°Not a bad scent.¡± Maria caught the gun and removed the round in the chamber, tossing the gun back; Rachel caught it and crushed the metal in her grip, tossing it to the side.  ¡°This one might be the best choice¡­¡± Scarlet hummed darkly.


    Maria huffed.  ¡°Realizing he¡¯s screwed doesn¡¯t make his ass smart.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Scarlet hummed; Pete began shaking, tears gathering in his eyes as he started hyperventilating.  ¡°I really like the emotion though ¡­ it smells like Vanilla.¡± Felix moved behind his sister; he seemed as scared of them as the men.


    ¡°Emotion actually has a smell to it?¡±  Rachel asked, head tilting.


    ¡°Most definitely,¡± Scarlet caressed Pete¡¯s cheek with the back of her hand, causing him to lock up, completely paralyzed.  Her blood slowly began leaving her body, hovering before his eyes as it slowly snaked down his neck, wrapping around his frame.  Her black fingernails slowly moved down his cheek to his neck. ¡°Playing with the mind¡ªapprehension, that is a tantalizing emotion.  Horror mixed with the slightest hint of hope that he will survive.¡±


    ¡°Look¡ªI¡¯ll tell you anything you want to know!¡±  Tony pled, vision shifting to the crushed pistol.


    Rachel pursed her lips.  ¡°I¡¯m beginning to see you have a talent for this, Scarlet.¡±


    She giggled, face inches away from Pete, forcing him to look into her crimson eyes.  ¡°I was an artist before becoming a Vampire; perhaps I will try painting with blood in the near future.  What do you say, Pete?¡± Her tone held intense joy.


    He gasped, suddenly able to breathe again, but still unable to turn away.  ¡°Please¡ªanything¡ªI¡¯ll do anything¡­¡±


    His chest locked up again, throat bulging as his veins convulsed.  Scarlet moved back. ¡°Selective Paralysis, locking your lungs while releasing your throat.¡±  She chuckled as she rose, fingers leaving his neck; he coughed, vomiting but unable to move his head with her blood keeping him pinned.  Tears finally started dripping down his cheeks. ¡°Yes,¡± she cooed, ¡°restricting your tear ducts¡ªsurprisingly, it enhances the terror, being unable to release stress.¡±


    ¡°Fucking shit mother¡­¡±  Tony¡¯s mouth clamped shut as Scarlet turned her head toward him.


    Pete sputtered, spitting out the vomit in his mouth before gasping, ¡°Pl¡ªplease¡ªplease ¡­ anything ¡­ stop, please¡­¡±


    ¡°Hard gangsters, these, Maria,¡± Scarlet giggled.


    Maria huffed.  ¡°You kidding? You¡¯re a real Vampire, who wouldn¡¯t be terrified?¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°For real, Scarlet¡ªit may be because of your corruption, but I didn¡¯t expect this out of you.  Not saying it¡¯s bad, just saying I¡¯m surprised¡ªstill, a lot better than the worst I could imagine; at least you¡¯re friendly.¡±  She frowned as Tony scrambled to his feet and tried running to the exit. She was about to chase after him when a shiver dropped down her spine, and she focused on Scarlet.


    Scarlet¡¯s composure lit up as a section of her blood separated from around Pete¡¯s body to form a portal.  The crimson liquid appeared in front of the exit door, just as Tony slammed against it and was enveloped in blood.  He emerged before Scarlet, and that was when the aura struck. Rachel frowned as an external aura of terror surrounded her.  Tony crumpled to his butt, soiling himself as his eyes lost focus.


    ¡°Seriously,¡± Maria huffed as her horn¡¯s light increased, a soft glow enveloping Felix; she instantly felt the aura¡¯s pressure fade.  ¡°You have a fear aura¡ªa literal fear aura! When did this happen?¡±


    Scarlet chuckled.  ¡°Recently.¡±


    Rachel shifted, working out her muscles.  ¡°That was interesting. I felt a bit of danger, but it wasn¡¯t like I couldn¡¯t move.  It just made me cautious.¡±


    ¡°As expected,¡± Scarlet grinned.  ¡°I would not expect such a cheap ability to work against you; however, look at these pathetic vermin.  Their minds have checked out; perhaps they will behave now.¡± Her aura faded as her blood portal shifted to encircle Tony, vision clearing.


    ¡°Will you behave now, Tony?¡±  Tony opened his mouth, but he seemed to have forgotten how to speak.  He breathed a few times, grunting before looking down at the floor, nodding.  Her blood returned to her body. ¡°All yours, Rachel. I had my fun.¡± Scarlet smiled innocently.  ¡°I will choose one to drink from when you are finished; which one depends on their answers.¡± She sat on one of the chairs, lowly humming a song.


    Maria shook her head; pulling Felix in, she rubbed his shoulder.  ¡°It¡¯s okay, alright?¡± He nodded, staring at Scarlet with wide eyes.


    Rachel walked over to the men, her nose twisted with disgust; she could smell the piss and shit that stained their pants.  I guess most men would do the same if they were faced with Scarlet ¡­ she has the tools to do it and in her corrupted state¡­  ¡°So, Marcus realized Felix vanished; I think he saw at least part of the blood.  He¡¯s furious, making his men search the area.¡±


    ¡°Not a big deal,¡± Maria shrugged.  ¡°Now that my brother¡¯s back, I don¡¯t feel that threatened.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Rachel growled lowly.  ¡°I feel like there has to be someone here that can pose a threat to us if he¡¯s so confident.¡±


    Scarlet leaned back, smiling as she looked around.  ¡°I see a lot of people, thousands. They must have something to keep all those people trapped.  There¡¯s bound to be many ability users they¡¯re keeping oppressed as well.¡±


    ¡°Fair point,¡± Maria frowned.


    Rachel turned back to the men.  ¡°How many people are in your gang?¡±  They both sounded broken as they tonelessly answered her questions.


    ¡°Eighty-eight.¡±


    ¡°How many ability users?¡±


    ¡°Fifteen.¡±


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Rachel huffed.  ¡°That¡¯s quite a bit. They can¡¯t be all together though; they need to be spaced to make sure everyone stays in line.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re spaced around South Beach,¡± Tony stated.


    Rachel rubbed her left ear to ease an itch; she glanced back at Felix.  We should probably get him out of here ¡­ especially before Scarlet drains one of these guys.  ¡°Alright, well¡ªwe should probably get Felix out of here first.  Scarlet could send him back to one of the Military blockades on the bridge.¡±


    Maria sniffed.  ¡°What? We¡¯d have to get him back from them after we mess up Marcus and his gang.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Scarlet pursed her lips before a sly grin touched them.  ¡°We will need to deal with the Military eventually since the Army already knows what we are doing.  Therefore, sending back hostages will provide us a good light.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Maria looked down.  ¡°Okay, so, headlines being, Mythickin saves South Beach.  It¡¯s not about taking out Marcus, but helping the citizens.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  If I manage this ¡­ there¡¯s no way my parents can ignore it.  ¡°We can start with some people in this building.  That will start the word being spread.¡±


    Scarlet folded her arms, eyes narrowing.  ¡°You know, my powers are not unlimited. The size of a portal and length of time it is open increases the energy spent.¡±  She looked up. ¡°You have any idea how long I would need to keep it open for over three hundred people?¡±


    Rachel smiled.  ¡°It¡¯s crossed my mind.  Let¡¯s first get Felix to safety before we continue the discussion.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Scarlet¡¯s smile darkened.  ¡°Maria?¡±


    She was silent for a moment, deep in thought.  ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it.¡±


    ¡°?Espera, hermana!¡±  Felix shouted, but Scarlet merely waved at him as her blood shot out from her body, spreading below him within seconds.  He dropped through the liquid with a shout.


    Maria huffed as she glared at the pool of blood that swallowed her brother.  ¡°So, you¡¯re talking about Scarlet drinking both these moron¡¯s blood?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Rachel stated without remorse, stretching out her arms.  She turned to them. ¡°How many people have you killed?¡±


    ¡°At least thirty,¡± Tony said without resistance.


    ¡°Forty-three,¡± Pete replied.


    Scarlet¡¯s brow lifted.  ¡°Did you see that coming, Rachel?  I would have lost the bet if we were guessing who killed more people.¡±


    ¡°Huh, I¡¯m with you there,¡± Rachel shook her head.


    Maria glared at the two men.  ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± she growled.


    Scarlet licked her lips.  ¡°Bon app¨¦tit.¡± She walked behind both men, fangs glistening as she smiled with anticipation.  ¡°I probably will stop using my fear aura; from the smell, it sullies the emotional flavor. They are so broken that it takes the joy out of it.¡±  She opened her mouth, bent down and bit into Pete¡¯s large left jugular vein; the red glow in her eyes intensified as Pete dried up in front of their eyes.  Within ten seconds, his skin was placid and lifeless.


    Releasing, Scarlet took a relishing breath as Pete¡¯s husk crumpled to the ground.  ¡°That was ¡­ marvelous.¡±


    Maria held a deep grimace.  ¡°It was certainly something¡ªI could feel his life being sucked out of him; he died at the four-second mark.¡±


    ¡°I could have made it last hours,¡± Scarlet smiled.  ¡°It is ¡­ no meal I have ever tasted could compare.¡±


    Rachel frowned as she looked to the right as something caught her interest.  A man was frantically looking around a room in the basement of a supermarket near them.  ¡°Where did that fucking fairy go? How did it move the entire cage?¡± That¡¯s right, they have a Fairy Mythickin here.  She listened carefully to the sounds around the man as Scarlet drained Tony, again without resistance.  There, small sounds of scurrying rodents ¡­ rats?


    The tone she heard was whispered, but she had a lovely voice.  ¡°C¡¯mon guys! To the left, no, Rat four, to the left, left! Okay, again, lift, boys.  Put the pencil down, now pushers, go! Again!¡± What the hell?


    ¡°Hey, guys?¡±  Maria and Scarlet looked at her with furrowed brows.  ¡°I think¡ªI just found the Fairy Mythickin ¡­ she¡¯s controlling rats?¡±


    ¡°Well, that is unexpected.¡±  Scarlet chuckled, tossing Tony¡¯s lifeless shell across the room.


    Maria snapped her fingers with a smile.  ¡°That¡¯s it! I can purify you ¡­ wow, that actually shifted the balance a ton.¡±


    Scarlet smiled fondly.  ¡°Well, it was fun, girls.  This personality is like a parasite on Scarlet¡¯s mind; it is the corruption of those expired blood bags.  Since I am an amalgamation of all those personalities, linked to Scarlet¡¯s mind, I will functionally die.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re okay with that?¡±  Rachel frowned, crossing her arms.


    ¡°Of course, Scarlet desires control over herself above all else and I am a representation of her subconscious; therefore, I relish the opportunity to give her back control.  Thank you, Maria.¡± Scarlet nodded.


    Rachel hummed.  ¡°Before that, can the uncorrupted Scarlet teleport people through blood?¡±


    ¡°She should be able to; if she does not know how then she simply needs to ask, and it will be given her.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Rachel nodded.  ¡°And would you mind teleporting that Rabbit Beastkin here?  I feel a little guilty that she got hurt because Marcus is pissed at me.  He¡¯s going back downstairs to hurt her some more.¡±


    Scarlet hummed as she looked over at the underground club.  ¡°I could just bring Marcus here.¡± She grinned wickedly.


    Rachel considered it.  ¡°We can do that after; the Rabbit Beastkin seems to be a punching bag for other members of his gang too.  I¡¯d rather save her and have Maria heal her wounds as soon as possible. We can deal with Marcus at any time.¡±


    ¡°Your call,¡± Scarlet shrugged.  The blood portal formed as the liquid left her body and a tattered looking woman dropped onto the couch with a heavy grunt.  Maria and Rachel¡¯s lungs froze as they caught sight of her. She was naked, black and blue welts and bruises covered her tanned skin as large gashes seeped dark blood, and she was missing a few fingers and toes.  Her brown hair was patched and bloodied; one bunny ear was cut off, while the other had multiple holes punched through it. The woman¡¯s muscles convulsed as she hugged her body protectively. It¡¯s way worse than I thought.


    ¡°Marcus¡­¡±  Maria seethed, healing the woman¡¯s wounds in seconds.  Her quakes slowly eased, hair returning as her dried blood vanished with her lacerations.  White light filled her lost appendages, dispersing to reveal her brown bunny ears, both restored to perfect shape with the rest of her body.


    ¡°I told you it was bad,¡± Scarlet huffed.


    The woman looked over at them and started breaking down into tears.  Rachel rushed over to her; embracing her as she stroked the woman¡¯s head.  ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, you¡¯re safe.¡± She struggled for a moment before her words sunk in and her cries escalated.  She latched onto Rachel¡¯s body, muscles quivering.


    Maria¡¯s teeth were locked.  ¡°Ese bastardo pagar¨¢.¡±


    It took a few minutes for the woman to collect herself.  ¡°Are you okay?¡± Rachel asked. She nodded, sniffing. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to let go, okay?¡±  She nodded again, and Rachel released her grip, pulling back. ¡°We¡¯ll get you to safety¡ªlet¡¯s look through some of these bags people left lying around and get you some clothes.¡±


    They spent a few minutes going through clothes before finding something that fit her.  After she dressed, she sat down on the couch, taking a deep breath. ¡°Th¡ªthank you.¡± She stammered.


    Rachel sat across from her.  ¡°We¡¯re going to try to get everyone in this building to safety.  Do you have a name?¡±


    ¡°Coral¡­¡±  She mumbled.


    Scarlet took a deep breath.  ¡°I know she is still upset, but are you going to purify me?¡±


    Maria shook her head with a slight frown.  ¡°You were one crazy personality,¡± she muttered, horn flaring with light.  A massive beam enveloped Scarlet before she sagged.


    Rachel moved to support her, ¡°You good, Scarlet?¡±


    Coral cringed as the wave of wind blew around the area.  ¡°What did you do to her?¡±


    Maria scratched her temple.  ¡°It¡¯s a¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Scarlet muttered, blue eyes returning.  ¡°That was ¡­ bizarre. It felt like I was floating in space as flashes of images seemed to hit me from every angle¡ªthanks for waking me¡­¡±  She glanced at Coral, then over at the bodies, blue eyes widening with horror. ¡°What did I do?¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 16. Inner Fear

    Rachel was a little taken aback by Scarlet¡¯s response.  ¡°What¡ªyou don¡¯t remember?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes seemed to defocus.  ¡°No¡ªI ¡­ I don¡¯t¡ªwhat happened?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±  Maria¡¯s brow furrowed as her luminescent horn faded.  ¡°You were corrupted by the expired blood; you didn¡¯t seem all that abnormal though¡­¡±


    ¡°Corrupted?¡±  Scarlet began to hyperventilate.  ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± She shook her head, arms starting to shake as she hugged her shoulders.  ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± her vision shifted to the corpses. ¡°I don¡¯t kill ¡­ no!¡± She screamed, bloody tears sliding down her cheeks.


    Coral seemed horrified by Scarlet¡¯s change; she closed her eyes, trembling while gripping her shoulders at Scarlet¡¯s outburst.  ¡°Scarlet?¡± Rachel pressed a hand against her back, ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    She flinched, shrinking back.  ¡°No, no¡ªit¡¯s not okay!¡± Her focus shifted between the confused expressions of Maria and Rachel.  ¡°I¡¯m not okay!¡± She looked toward the wall, eyes turning Vampiric, she vanished in shadows.


    ¡°Hey¡ªwhat¡¯s up with her?¡±  Maria folded her arms, staring at the spot she¡¯d left.


    Rachel heard Scarlet appear further inside the building; she was huddling in a janitor¡¯s closet, crying.  ¡°I didn¡¯t kill anyone¡ªI didn¡¯t kill anyone¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, liebre blanca¡ªdid she not know what she was doing the entire time?¡±


    Continuing to listen to Scarlet¡¯s mutters, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°From what she said¡ªit was all a dream or nightmare to her. She¡¯s hiding in a closet muttering that she¡¯s never killed anyone ¡­ I think we might have messed up.¡±


    Maria¡¯s brow creased.  ¡°Messed up how? How were we supposed to know she didn¡¯t know anything?  When she was corrupted, she said that she was Scarlet, but just her darker self ¡­ it was her.¡±


    Rachel ran her hand through her hair, scratching the base of her left ear.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ I mean, what do we really know about her? She was running away last night, scared and hunted; we just met her¡ªyou just met me.  I think Scarlet has some scars that she¡¯s not showing us¡ªit probably has to do with the Reaper of Blood¡ªobviously, she didn¡¯t want to kill anyone.¡±


    ¡°No, she did ¡­ now she doesn¡¯t,¡± Maria huffed.


    ¡°What?¡±  Rachel turned to face Maria.  ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Maria shifted her weight, pursing her lips before glaring at the wall.  ¡°I can tell when someone¡¯s lying. Scarlet was perfectly fine killing these guys, but once uncorrupted, she didn¡¯t want to kill them.  That¡¯s what¡¯s confusing me.¡±


    ¡°She did¡ªnow she hates that she did?¡±  Rachel sat in a chair, cradling her head.  ¡°What do we do then?


    Shrugging, Maria sat in one of the armchairs.  ¡°How should I know¡ªthe girl¡¯s an emotional wreck¡ªit must be a Vampire thing.¡±


    Rachel breathed out a heavy sigh.  ¡°So¡ªis it like, her darker Vampire nature that pushed her to kill, but once her human consciousness returned, it pushed her to hate and despise that part of her?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Maria rubbed between her eyes.  ¡°We all recognized that we¡¯ve changed ¡­ what was it the Corrupted Scarlet said?  Scarlet most wants control and also wants to connect with someone?¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Rachel leaned back.  ¡°I think I get it. We never discussed anything about killing anyone when Scarlet was uncorrupted.  Scarlet thought this was only going to be a rescue mission ¡­ it¡¯s like we¡¯ve betrayed her. She asked us to help her if her personality ever went crazy, and we just let her run wild¡­¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±  Maria sat back to stare at the ceiling.  ¡°I don¡¯t remember her asking us that?¡±


    ¡°It was kind of indirectly ¡­ we were talking about her drinking blood of an exhibitionist, and she didn¡¯t want to act like that.  She was hoping that we¡¯d keep her in check if she went crazy.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get anything like that?¡±  Maria frowned. ¡°I just thought she didn¡¯t want to strip in front of people.¡±


    ¡°Exc¡ªexcuse me¡­¡±  Coral stammered.


    Maria and Rachel turned to face her.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Maria locked her fingers behind her head.


    ¡°What are you¡ªwhat¡¯s going to happen to me?  I don¡¯t want¡ªI know you¡¯re talking about your friend, but¡ªI just¡ªis there any way I can leave Miami Beach?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one of the problems,¡± Rachel sighed, scratching her forehead.  ¡°Scarlet has the best ability to transport people, and she¡¯s pretty upset right now¡ªwhat about you, Maria?  You said you could teleport.¡±


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Maria stretched her arms before shaking her head.  ¡°Nope ¡­ apparently I need more sunlight to do something like that¡ªpurifying Scarlet took quite a bit of energy as it is.  I feel like Teleporting would be really costly; I don¡¯t think I could even heal anyone if I teleport.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±  Coral muttered.  She glanced down at the floor, fingers gripped.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interrupting you.¡±


    Rachel rested her head against the back of her chair.  ¡°No¡ªit¡¯s okay. You¡¯ve been through a lot too. I think I should go talk to Scarlet ¡­ she seems to be in a delicate state right now, and she¡¯s the only person that can transport everyone to safety.¡±


    Maria stretched with a short yawn.  ¡°Want me to join you?¡±


    ¡°No, I think you should stay with Coral; I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll want to be left alone.¡±  She noticed Coral¡¯s muscular movement shift in a relieved manner before she nodded.


    ¡°Sorry for causing trouble¡­¡±


    Huffing, Maria shifted to look at her.  ¡°You got nothing to say sorry for, but Marcus will be sorry when we¡¯re done with him.¡±  She nodded, muscles tightening up at Maria¡¯s sharp tone.


    ¡°Well,¡± Rachel breathed a long breath, ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±  Getting to her feet, she walked down the main entrance, branching at a hallway to her right.  Reaching a janitor¡¯s closet at the opposite side of the building, Rachel stopped outside the door.  ¡°Scarlet?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡±


    ¡°Leave me alone,¡± Her voice cracked.  ¡°I¡­¡± She pressed herself further into the corner.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±  Rachel sighed, leaning against the wall; she slid down to her butt, tail pressing against the door as her hair bunching against the marble floor.  ¡°We didn¡¯t really consider how you¡¯d feel ¡­ sorry.¡±


    The silence stretched for a full minute as Rachel followed Marcus fuming over Felix¡¯s disappearance; many of his gang members were scouring the immediate area for clues.  Daran was talking to a few of his men through radios, expanding the search.


    ¡°I hate it¡­¡±  Scarlet whispered.


    ¡°Hate being a Vampire?¡±


    ¡°Everything ¡­ the thirst¡ªemotion¡ªScarlet¡ªmy own feelings¡ªmy parents ¡­ everything.  I just¡ªwhy is everything so dark? Why do I have to deal with this? It¡¯s not fair ¡­ I just want my family back ¡­ my Vampire role playing mom and dad.  Why did everything change?¡± Her voice broke as she sobbed.


    Rachel let her head fall back against the door.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ I¡¯m scared too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always so confident though?  It¡¯s like everything¡¯s normal to you.¡±  Scarlet sniffed.


    ¡°Maybe on the outside ¡­ you can smell my emotions, can¡¯t you?¡±


    Scarlet was silent for a moment.  ¡°Yeah¡ªI sense them, which is confusing.¡±


    ¡°Confusing¡ªwhy?¡±  Rachel shifted, ears twitching.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re angry¡ªoutraged; you¡¯re also sad and scared, but you¡¯re so confident.  I don¡¯t know how you can be scared and confident. I¡¯m scared, really scared, but no one can tell ¡­ everyone thinks I¡¯m just a monster or some basket case.  I¡¯m scared¡ªI hate myself¡ªI¡¯m scared of myself¡ªterrified. I don¡¯t want to be a horrible monster ¡­ I want to be a girl ¡­ a normal human girl. I want my family back¡ªI want my life back...¡±


    Rachel¡¯s muscles sagged.  ¡°You don¡¯t feel in control?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°I get that¡ªthat confidence you sense ¡­ I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s me either.  It¡¯s super confusing, and I bet Maria feels a bit of the same way, but she has to be strong ¡­ she¡¯s gotta be the big sister and the person that helps everyone; she can¡¯t even lie anymore, and that must be strange ¡­ forced to always tell the truth.¡±  Rachel was momentarily distracted as she heard the Fairy finally get free of her cage, but returned her focus back to Scarlet as she spoke.


    ¡°You¡¯re scared of yourself?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Rachel muttered, hugging her knees against her chest.  ¡°That scares me a bit in itself. I¡¯m not scared of who I¡¯ve become, and that¡¯s scary, but I don¡¯t feel that scared¡ªit¡¯s a little confusing.  I¡¯m scared that my parents will reject me ¡­ that¡¯s one reason why I want to save people¡ªto throw it in my brother¡¯s face. Not very heroic, right?¡±


    Scarlet swallowed, shifting a bit behind the door.  ¡°You don¡¯t get along with your family?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªit¡¯s complicated.  My brother¡¯s the golden child and I¡ªit¡¯s just like, there¡¯s not enough love for both of us ¡­ if he does something good, then he¡¯s loved, and if I do something good, I¡¯m loved.  I know it doesn¡¯t sound ideal or healthy or I don¡¯t know¡ªbut that¡¯s life for me ¡­ I need to make my parents proud. This is how I do that...¡±


    Scarlet sniffed before huffing.  ¡°Sound like crappy parents. You¡¯re amazing¡ªat least, I think you are...¡±


    Rachel was a little taken aback.  ¡°Are you serious? You¡¯re the amazing one¡ªI guess what I admire about you is something you hate¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡ªyou admire me?  I¡¯m a mess...¡±


    Laughing a little, Rachel slid down to her back, brushing her hair out of the way to rest across her chest.  ¡°You sure are ¡­ a hot mess that can succeed at anything she does ¡­ everything I¡¯ve seen you do, you dominate.  If I was like that¡ªI can¡¯t help but think my parents would love me more.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s stupid¡­¡±  Scarlet stated.


    ¡°Kind of is¡ªisn¡¯t it¡­¡±  Rachel muttered.


    ¡°You¡¯re super outgoing and take charge ¡­ you take responsibility and try to help people ¡­ don¡¯t let your parents¡¯ expectations define your good stuff!  It wasn¡¯t your parents that forced you to take care of me when Carter wanted to cut me into pieces ¡­ you did that, no one else.¡±


    ¡°I forgot you heard that part¡­¡±  Rachel sighed, hands resting behind her head to finger her ponytail.


    ¡°See¡ªyou¡¯re a good person ¡­ I¡¯m a monster to be cut into pieces¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Rachel frowned.  ¡°What¡¯s up with that twisted logic?  The monster was Carter, and if he wasn¡¯t the monster, then I¡¯m the monster that helped another monster.  Maybe we¡¯re just new monsters figuring everything out ¡­ do you remember the stuff you did when you were corrupted?¡±


    Scarlet was silent for several seconds.  ¡°Kind of ¡­ I¡¯m trying not to think about it¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you remember Coral?¡±


    ¡°The Bunny Beastkin?  Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°Who saved her?¡±


    ¡°Maria.¡±


    ¡°How did Maria heal her?¡±


    ¡°With magic¡­¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°... because I teleported her here¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you did.  You saved that woman, and do you know how?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a monster¡­¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re a good person.  You remember what you told us when you were corrupted?¡±


    ¡°I said a lot of things¡­¡±  Scarlet muttered.


    ¡°You said that your corrupted state was the darker emotions in your heart, and what did you say when you saw Coral in that condition?¡±  When she didn¡¯t respond, Rachel continued. ¡°You said, how sad ¡­ compassion, in your most terrible state, you had compassion. How many families do you think those two men broke apart and destroyed?  And who¡¯s the monster?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡ªI killed them ¡­ I did it¡ªnot Scarlet...¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Yes, you did, but I would have no problem doing that myself.  If that makes me a monster, so be it. They killed a lot of people, and now, for their lives, you have the chance of saving hundreds.  Is that morally right? I don¡¯t know, but I can live with that trade¡ªI¡¯m sure my change has a part in that, but I¡¯m not hung up over it.  There are people that can use your help, Scarlet, right now.¡±


    Scarlet took a deep breath before appearing across the hall from her; her cheeks were blood-stained as she left the shadows but it quickly sank into her skin.  ¡°How can you think like that? I¡ªI don¡¯t want to trade life for life ¡­ heroes don¡¯t do that¡­¡±


    Rachel sat up against the door with a depressed sigh before scratching behind her right ear.  ¡°Who said we were heroes? I don¡¯t think of myself as a hero. I¡¯m just a girl that got changed into a monster; some bad men were in front of me and could be used to protect some decent people.  Is everyone upstairs good? Probably not, but I¡¯d say they¡¯re at least more decent than the men used to save them?


    ¡°We¡¯re not heroes?¡±  Scarlet looked down at the floor mournfully.  ¡°What does that make us then?¡±


    A sad smile lit Rachel¡¯s cheeks.  ¡°I was about to say human, but I guess that doesn¡¯t apply to us anymore ¡­ I guess, we¡¯re living in reality.  Reality¡¯s ugly¡ªthis really has opened my eyes to that. Would I have just killed them if there was no gain? I don¡¯t think so; I wouldn¡¯t kill indiscriminately, but something in me has flipped since changing, and I¡¯m not so hung up about killing.  If someone pointed a gun at me, I have no doubt that I could kill them without hesitation; no remorse.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s black eyes turned back to blue.  ¡°You¡¯re okay with that?¡±


    ¡°Okay with that?¡±  Rachel scratched her left ear, shaking her head.  ¡°No, well, it¡¯s complicated ¡­ it bugs me, sure, but I have other priorities right now.  Right now, my concern is you; is that connected to a ton of other goals and objectives ¡­ yeah, yeah it is, but I still don¡¯t think you¡¯re a monster.¡±


    ¡°How can you not think I¡¯m a monster?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s brow creased as she glared at the floor.


    ¡°Because you cry; you feel scared about what you¡¯ve become; you¡¯re caring; you¡¯re self-reflective; you have reservations.  Frankly, I feel like you¡¯re more human than I am ¡­ you could ask Maria to see if I¡¯m lying.¡± Rachel chuckled.


    Scarlet hugged her knees together.  ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to do with myself¡­¡±


    ¡°Clarify something for me,¡± Rachel smirked.  ¡°What are friends for? I¡¯ve heard a ton of things through different media and stuff, but what do you think?¡±


    ¡°To be there for one another?¡±  Scarlet asked.


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I guess¡ªI have no idea.  I don¡¯t think we¡¯re quite friends; I mean, we just met, but like I said, I¡¯m willing to give it a shot.  I don¡¯t think I¡¯d take a bullet for you, but I¡¯m willing to help you out¡ªis that where we start?¡±


    A sad smile curved Scarlet¡¯s features.  ¡°I guess that¡¯s a start. I¡¯m still a bit upset ¡­ I know they weren¡¯t good guys, but I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m processing all the memories of when I was corrupted.  It¡¯s like it was me¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t me ¡­ it¡¯s just confusing.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m here, and if you ever want to hear an absolutely one-hundred percent honest opinion, just hit up Maria.¡±  She giggled. ¡°Do you remember how she reacted to your blood portal?¡±


    A smile finally touched Scarlet¡¯s lips.  ¡°Yeah¡ªI¡¯d have to agree with her ¡­ it does feel strange, but I guess not nearly as bad since it¡¯s my own blood.  It¡¯s like jumping into a pool of dense water¡ªI don¡¯t experience the touching part.¡±


    ¡°So, you think we can help all these people?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s black eyes returned with her glowing red irises as she stared up at the ceiling.  ¡°I feel super powerful ¡­ after drinking their blood.¡± She seemed conflicted for a moment before nodding.  ¡°I think I can help them.¡±


    Rachel rose to her feet.  ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you being affected by those murderers¡¯ blood?  Shouldn¡¯t their personality affect you?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Now that you mention it ¡­ you¡¯re right?  I feel completely normal ¡­ could it be Maria purifying me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good suggestion,¡± Rachel nodded.  ¡°Maybe she can purify the emotions that latch onto your personality?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±  Scarlet muttered, looking down at the floor.  ¡°I think it was something different though.¡±


    Brow furrowed, Rachel stretched out a bit.  ¡°Oh? Why¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªthere was something that I heard the Reaper of Blood mutter when I was sleeping ¡­ I think the purpose of the emotion is to be converted.  I was letting it float around inside me, but it can be converted into energy. I think the corrupted me did that, and that¡¯s one of the reasons why my corruption was so strong ¡­ I absorbed the personalities inside the old blood bags.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Rachel, cupped her chin as she thought.  ¡°So, you can increase the energy gained by absorbing the emotion and personalities.  The expired blood bags caused you to become corrupted, but by absorbing live blood, it neutralized a lot of that corruption, allowing Maria to purify the rest.¡±


    Scarlet nodded.  ¡°Pretty crazy, but I think that¡¯s what happened.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Rachel smiled as she looked down at Scarlet.  ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back to normal, and I get to meet the real Scarlet.  I think we kind of know what to do if you get corrupted again.¡±


    Her eyes widened.  ¡°What? Please, don¡¯t make me drink live blood just to uncorrupt myself!¡±


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°You should be able to do the same with normal blood bags, right?  It may not be nearly as powerful as live blood, but it could help mitigate the effects if you absorbed the personalities and emotion within them.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Scarlet breathed a sigh of relief.  ¡°Okay, I see.¡± She rested her head against the wall, staring up at the ceiling.  ¡°Hey, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Hmh?¡±


    ¡°I feel¡ªI think I understand that I may need to kill at times, but¡ªbut I don¡¯t want to just do it for a stupid reason.  I don¡¯t want to be entertained doing it or feel happy ¡­ that¡¯s the part that scares me.¡±


    ¡°I get that,¡± Rachel hummed lowly.  ¡°So, killing isn¡¯t really the issue, but how you feel when doing it.  I¡¯m guessing it has something to do with the emotions you talked about when corrupted?¡±


    Scarlet nodded gravely.  ¡°I feel¡ªI hate that I do feel pleasure when people have negative emotions.  I hate it, my brain hates it, but my body loves it¡ªI just ¡­ I don¡¯t know how I can make that stop.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Rachel rubbed her left shoulder, leaning up against the wall.  ¡°I think we have a lot of things we need to talk about after all this mess is done ¡­ I don¡¯t think anyone else could really understand but us, right?  I mean, we¡¯re a lot different than everyone else, and we¡¯ve actually, really changed¡ªa lot. I mean, Maria can¡¯t even lie anymore; I feel drawn to stressful situations and I¡¯m completely comfortable with that; you feel joy in negative emotion ¡­ we all seem to have our problems.  I¡¯d like to sit down and talk that out with everyone ¡­ maybe it would be good to include the Fairy Mythickin in that too.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Something like an AA meeting, I guess.¡±


    Pausing for a moment, she listened in on the Fairy.  ¡°Hey! What¡¯s up with you guys? I just want to find my friend!¡±


    ¡°Fucking rats ¡­ trying to bite me?  Hey!¡± She heard a squeak as he slammed his foot down.


    ¡°Hey ¡­ Rat Four¡­¡±  Her voice cracked.


    ¡°The Fairy is going through a rough time right now ¡­ it seems like she¡¯s out of energy and got caught again.¡±


    Scarlet took a deep breath.  ¡°I guess we all do have our problems ¡­ I¡¯d like that¡ªsitting down and talking about it.  I don¡¯t think Richard would understand, but I feel like you would ¡­ maybe I¡¯m more of a mess than I thought, and that¡¯s scaring me¡­¡±


    Rachel moved to help her up, holding out a hand.  Scarlet looked at her hand with a furrowed brow, taking a second before grasping it.  ¡°Alright, let¡¯s give Maria and Coral a heads up; quickly save that Mythickin Fairy, and then we can transport everyone we can to safety.  Sound like a plan?¡±


    Scarlet rose to her feet with Rachel¡¯s aid.  ¡°Thanks, Rachel ¡­ really, thank you. I couldn¡¯t imagine going through all of this alone.¡±


    AuthorSME


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


    Vote on Top Web Fictions

 B1 — F1. The Struggle Is Real

    Fiona frowned as she got off the plane at Miami International Airport at eight P.M.  I was only in Ireland for two days.  Honestly, what the crap is up with all these demonetization claims?  Unlocking her phone, she called her lawyer and manager, Erica Kohne; the line rang a few times before she answered.


    ¡°Fiona, I¡¯m so sorry I had to bother you when you were overseas seeing your family.  How was Clifden?¡±


    She took a deep breath as she walked down the hallway toward the luggage section.  ¡°I was able to see my family for about two hours before traveling back to Knock Airport¡ªI was looking forward to spending more time with my little sister.  Maybe we can fly her out next time.¡±


    ¡°That would be nice,¡± Erica commented.


    ¡°I think she¡¯d like it.  So, over three hundred of my videos have been flagged not user-friendly?¡±


    ¡°Yes, most of the claims are for inappropriate language.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s brow furrowed as she got on an escalator, going down.  ¡°I don¡¯t swear?¡±


    ¡°I know, it could be from the comments other people are leaving, or it could be how some words sound in the language you¡¯re using within the videos.¡±  She said with a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Wait, are you saying they¡¯re marking Gaeilge as an offensive language ¡­ because it sounds like offensive words in other languages?  So, my native language¡ªmy instructional videos and songs in Gaeilge are the ones being flagged?¡± She got off the escalator and continued toward her luggage.  ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. The email I got didn¡¯t say anything about that; it only said if I had an issue with the claim I should appeal it, but you¡¯re saying I have to appeal over three hundred videos?¡±


    Erica was silent for a moment.  ¡°Two more were just hit; it keeps going up.¡±


    Fiona sighed, slowing her pace to let a group of tourists pass.  ¡°This, right after dealing with Barbra¡¯s lawsuit about me correcting her pronunciation guides.  So, what can we do?¡±


    ¡°For right now, you¡¯ll have to go appeal every video that was flagged.  I sent a message to talk to a representative at the company three hours ago, but I haven¡¯t heard a reply back.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thanks, Erica.¡±  She made it to the luggage area and waited for her bag.  ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my condo.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Erica went silent for a moment.  ¡°I¡¯ll head over there in a bit. I¡¯m going to try getting them on the phone again; I¡¯ll come over to help you appeal all the videos.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, see you later.¡±  She hung up with a heavy puff of air, putting her phone in her back pocket.  This is so stupid.  I¡¯ve been planning this trip for a year.  Nora¡¯s grown up; she¡¯ll be eighteen this year¡ªif my income is cut like this then I won¡¯t be able to go back and visit home, much less bring her to Miami.  Is it Barbra trying to spite me after the lawsuit was dismissed?


    Catching sight of her bag, she hoisted it over the belt guard, grunting at the weight.  Extending the handle, she walked out to her pre-arranged car. The driver helped put her bag in the trunk as she got in the back seat.  Getting behind the wheel, he asked, ¡°Destination still Miami Beach, 6039 Collins Ave?¡±


    She nodded without a word, vision turning to stare through the window as they entered traffic.  The driver tried to initiate some friendly conversation, but she wasn¡¯t in the mood. The drive took thirty minutes with a bit of traffic; stopping in front of her condo, he got the bag out of the trunk.  ¡°Need anything else, Ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine, thanks.¡±  He nodded before getting back in his car and driving away as she entered the lobby.  Going to the elevator, she pressed the button for the sixth floor. It stands to reason that I should make a video about this, but I should wait to post anything online until I talk to Erica.  What a disaster; still, being twenty-one and owning my own condo in Miami Beach. It probably won¡¯t cause me too much trouble if I get on top of it now; hopefully, this won¡¯t become a regular thing.


    Arriving on the sixth floor, she went to her condo and unlocked the door.  Going inside, she frowned. She had replaced the wallpaper with different colored walls, making a whole video about it when moving in.  There were canvases with Gaeilge sayings and pictures she¡¯d taken of her homeland spaced across the walls. It was a simple design, a bit colorful, but practical; most of her decorations were subtle advertisements for her online products.


    Shutting the door behind her, she walked to her couch and dropped into it, her orange-coated cat came out of her room to rub against her leg.  ¡°How was your time with Ms. Valory, Brion?¡± Petting him, she chuckled. ¡°Yeah, she fed you more than she was supposed to?¡± Taking out her phone, she glanced at the time, eight forty P.M.  She text Erica as Brion jumped onto the couch and curled up next to her: How soon will you get here?


    It took a moment before she responded.  Probably an hour, I¡¯m taking care of some business down the street real fast.  Another client had an emergency, but I¡¯ll be up soon.


    Got it.  I¡¯m going to take a shower then.  TTYL She dropped her phone beside her closed laptop on the oval table in front of her.  I wasn¡¯t supposed to open my computer for another week and a half.  Sighing, she pushed it open, turning it on.  It responded quickly as she scratched Brion¡¯s forehead before typing in her password.  Chrome popped up with her channel; showing a lot of notifications.


    Growling, she scratched the back of her ginger hair.  ¡°This is so stupid!¡± She fumed. Glancing down, she said, ¡°Alright, I know you¡¯re happy to see me, but I need to take a shower.¡±  Getting up, she walked to her bathroom and shed her clothes, Brion following her; turning on the hot water, she threw her old outfit into an empty hamper.  Brion ran out at the sound of the water, making her chuckle. Might as well get new clothes after the travel and flight.


    Running her hand through her hair, she sighed as she stared at herself in the mirror.  Irish through and through.  Maybe I should think about dating, I¡¯m cute ¡­ seems a third of my comments are about that, but where do I actually meet people?  The content creator conventions ¡­ not that interested. Shutting the bathroom door, she got inside the shower, taking a deep breath as the welcoming water eased her muscles.  She closed the shower door and began singing a modern song in Gaeilge as she washed.


    Fiona was about to bend down and press the cap on her shampoo bottle when something rippled through her body, oscillating within her.  ¡°What¡­¡± Everything around her seemed to expand before she felt the shower water turn into a waterfall; it collided against her body, throwing her upside-down against the tiled wall.  She gasped as the air was forced out of her lungs, her back stinging as she fell to the ground. She struck the tile, gasping for air, only water filled her lungs, pelting jets continuously pounding against her skin.


    Coughing and sputtering, she tried crawling out of the explosive burst that pelted her body.  After a few seconds, she finally managed to exit the stream; her whole body burned as she trembled in the hot steam that rose around her.  She cried as the bullets of pelting water ricocheted off the ground and walls, striking her from every angle.


    She began hyperventilating, slowly curling into a protective ball as her vision squeezed shut.  Liquid continued to beat her from all sides as she held her breath, slowly regaining control of her body.  Teeth chattering, she stiffly stretched out and began crawling toward the wall, everything she saw was massive.  Looking up she read the large label of her shampoo bottle. What¡ªis happening?  It hurts ¡­ everywhere hurts¡­


    She shakily moved behind her large conditioner bottle and outside of any water jets, tucking into a ball, she felt something sweet touch her lips as tears dripped down her cheeks.  Why did everything grow?


    Looking down at her legs, her eyes grew.  Why are my legs so smooth and thin?  Doing a quick check of herself, her breath caught.  Elf ears, I¡¯m thinner, and my hair grew down to my waist ¡­ and it¡¯s white¡­  ¡°Why is my hair white?¡±  Her hand shot to her throat.  ¡°My voice¡ªno, no, no, no ¡­ my voice changed.¡±  Swallowing, she cleared her throat. ¡°My voice is slightly higher than it should be and¡ªwhy does it sound like this?  Can I even sing?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, she began to sing a modern song in Gaeilge.  ¡°Hmm, it doesn¡¯t sound bad,¡± she muttered. ¡°Still, it¡¯s different than my ordinary voice.¡±  She licked her lips, tasting a sweet flavor.


    Taking a deep breath, she examined her body once more, pulling her long silky white hair back.  I feel bruised all over, but I don¡¯t see any marks.  Looking up at her colossal shower products, she pursed her lips.  It doesn¡¯t look like everything¡¯s grown¡ªI¡¯ve shrunk ¡­ like Alice, but I didn¡¯t drink some magical bottle.


    Peeking out from behind her conditioner bottle, she watched the shower water pound the floor; the reverberations they made against the tile causing ripples to transfer up her bare legs.  It¡¯s like watching a hundred fire hoses ¡­ how do I protect myself?  At the thought, she knew the answer.  I can create a wind shield¡­


    Holding out her hand, she fed the desire and watched in wonder as she started to glow a brilliant green; invisible air wrapping around her body in a protective bubble.  She pulled her hair around with shock. It¡¯s green!  My hair and nails turned green, and I¡¯m glowing!


    Swallowing nervously, she walked out from behind the bottle; the bullets of water struck the wind shield and shot off to her right.  I have wind magic?  This is insane! Am I dreaming?  She looked up at the spout, a skyscraper away.  How small am I?


    Looking at the tiles and products around her, she tried comparing her height.  No way ¡­ I¡¯m like, three inches tall!  How am I supposed to get out? Her thought broke as the information fed into her mind.  I can fly¡­


    At the desire, she felt the energy appear at her back.  Looking behind her shoulder, she watched large green glowing fairy wings appear.  It¡¯s like Navi¡¯s wings ¡­ am I a Pixie ¡­ no, I¡¯m a Mythickin Prismatic Fairy?  What¡¯s a Mythickin ¡­ don¡¯t want to give me that one, eh ¡­ a Prismatic Fairy ¡­ okay, like colors; I¡¯m a color fairy¡­  Taking a deep breath, she rose into the air.  It¡¯s so natural; I know exactly how to fly.


    Looking over at the shower, she frowned.  Can my wind shield handle the pressure?  I should probably stay close to the ground.  Flying close to the floor, her wings were nearly stationary, she didn¡¯t even have to beat them to stay floating.  A jet of water struck her shield; she could feel the pressure eating at her stamina as she watched it change directions.


    She moved out, and the drain almost diminished entirely.  I see ... so my shield can determine the power output needed to keep me safe ¡­ that¡¯s cool.  Rising to the shower tap, she tried pushing it in, but no matter how much strength she mustered, it wouldn¡¯t go in.  Okay, let¡¯s try to beat my wings and¡­  ¡°Oof!¡±  Her shield hit the shower head as she plowed into it, a large chunk of her stamina vanishing.


    Floating to the floor, she panted slightly.  Really?  I¡¯m not strong enough to turn off the shower?  Am I supposed to leave it running forever? At least I¡¯m drying a lot quicker than normal.  A chill ran down her spine.  The door!  Flying over the shower door, she hovered at her bathroom doorknob.  Why is it the stupid twist kind?  There¡¯s no way I can get my arms around that ¡­ it was always pretty stiff too.


    Moving to the floor, she breathed a sigh of relief.  At least I can get through the door crack.  Flying to the mirror, she floated to a non-fogged section.  I look pretty cute for a fairy ¡­ I have a nice multi-shaded glow too ¡­ should I just accept this?  I mean, I don¡¯t see many other options right now. I just turned into a small little fairy out of nowhere.  Why is this happening? I guess Erica could help me when she gets here ¡­ what am I going to wear? I¡¯ve got nothing.  Maybe I can use the small silk wipe I keep for my computer screen.


    Breathing out a sigh, she looked left and felt her skin prickle; staring right at her, not two feet away, was a massive Wolf Spider.  That thing¡¯s like half my size!  She darted back to the opposite wall, her wind shield keeping her from striking it.  ¡°Were spiders always this scary looking?¡± She muttered. I think I want out of the bathroom!  I¡¯ll have Erica smash it¡ªthat thing could literally eat me!


    Moving to the crack in the floor, she froze as she heard a deep masculine voice beyond the door.  ¡°Master eats, master feeds me, master eats, master feeds me!¡± Master?  Who the crap is in my apartment?


    Getting on her hands and knees, she frowned, lifting her dirty hands.  I really should have swept before leaving.  Peeking under the door crack, she saw Brion¡¯s tail swishing back and forth outside the door.  Can I understand Brion now?


    Swallowing, she released her wind spell and wings; her glow faded, white hair returning.  I guess this is a Prismatic Fairy thing; I glow when I use magic.  Crawling under the door, she stepped on the carpet.  My carpet¡¯s like long blades of glass ¡­ I should have vacuumed too.


    Looking up at her condo, she had a new appreciation for how big the hallway was.  Well, okay, I should probably fly to the cloth and figure out some way to make a robe out of it.  She froze as Brion¡¯s soft purrs cut.  Looking left, she found large copper eyes staring at her.


    AuthorSME


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


    Vote on Top Web Fictions

 B1 — F2. Persevere

    AuthorSME


    Fiona took a step back as Brion tilted his head; he rose up on all fours.  ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He purred. Oh my ¡­ he¡¯s like three times my size!  A cat three times my size ¡­ he¡¯s as big as a house!


    ¡°Brion ¡­ nice, kitty¡­¡±


    Her spine tingled with unease.  Oh, no ¡­ he¡¯s going to attack.  Brion¡¯s eyes widened as he tensed to strike; his muscles shifted in slow motion as Fiona¡¯s wings appeared on desire and she shot up into the air.


    He hissed.  ¡°Little thing knows my name?  Master and Master¡¯s friends call me Brion.¡±  He circled around her. ¡°Why is glowing white bug in Master¡¯s home?¡±


    Clearing her throat, she hovered five feet above him.  ¡°Brion, it¡¯s me, it¡¯s Fiona, Master.¡±


    Brion¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°You don¡¯t smell like Master?  Master is in the falling water ¡­ you¡¯re trespassing in Master¡¯s home!¡±


    The cool air felt like needles against her skin mixed with the bruises across her body; she rose a little more as Brion leaped at her.  ¡°Brion, stop it!¡±


    ¡°Glowing bug!  You trying to hurt Master?  I protect Master¡¯s home!¡± Brion hissed as he circled under her.  ¡°Leave home!¡±


    Fiona growled.  ¡°Brion, I¡¯m your Master!  I got changed into this little fairy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a¡ªfairy ¡­ not a glowing bug?  Fairy isn¡¯t Master; you don¡¯t smell like Master!¡±  He crouched, and Fiona rose a bit higher. He jumped up to swipe at her again, not getting nearly as close as the first time.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe my own cat is trying to kill me¡­¡±  Fiona groaned. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m naked¡ªI want some clothes!¡±  She sighed as she began flying toward her open computer, Brion running after her.


    ¡°Leave fairy!¡±


    She hovered over her oval table, Brion jumping up on the table to look up at her.  ¡°Hey, Brion! You know you¡¯re not allowed on the table.¡±


    ¡°Only Master tells me what to do!¡±


    Growling lowly, Fiona looked down at the cloth by her computer.  How do I get Brion to realize I¡¯m his Master?  Food ¡­ he¡¯s a bulimic! He¡¯ll just keep eating before puking if I don¡¯t regulate his meals.  That might work!


    ¡°Hey, Brion, are you hungry?¡±


    Brion¡¯s menacing demeanor shifted.  ¡°What? Hungry? Yes, I¡¯m hungry ¡­ oh, you might taste good!¡±


    Fiona pressed a palm against her forehead, breathing tiredly.  Great.  ¡°No, Brion.  I don¡¯t taste good, but your cat treats taste good.¡±


    She was a little shocked to hear Brion gasp.  ¡°What¡ªFairy knows about cat treats?¡± Cats can gasp?


    ¡°Umm¡ªyeah, Brion.  I know about cat treats.  Your master gets up at seven in the morning, feeds you, and then feeds you when she eats at five.  When do you get cat treats?¡±


    ¡°You know Master¡¯s words?  Master feeds me treats at seven!¡±


    Fiona nodded.  ¡°Right, but you didn¡¯t get your treats today, did you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡±  He said with big eyes, his tail shifting, flipping the cloth off the table.  ¡°Master¡¯s friend didn¡¯t give me any when Master left.¡±


    ¡°You want one?¡±


    ¡°Yes!  Yes, I¡¯m hungry!¡±  He purred.


    ¡°Will you call me your Master?¡±


    He swallowed before saying, ¡°Yes!  Master feeds me; if you feed me then you are Master, but why does Master not smell like Master?¡±


    Fiona huffed.  ¡°Because I turned into this tiny Fairy!  It sucks!¡±


    ¡°Master says that too!  It sucks. You really are Master!¡±  Finally, at least we¡¯re getting somewhere.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she lowered herself a little.  ¡°Brion, I¡¯m going to grab that cloth on the ground.  You go wait in the kitchen for me to get you some snacks, okay?¡±


    ¡°Cat snacks!¡±  Brion cheered as he jumped off the table and raced to the kitchen.


    Flying down, Fiona grabbed the microfiber fabric and rose back into the air.  Okay, got the cloth ¡­ wow, it¡¯s a bit taller than I am.  She breathed a depressed sigh.  Alright, let¡¯s fold it a little bit and wrap it around like a towel ¡­ freaking hair gets in the way!  She struggled with it for a bit.  Doing it in the air is a lot harder than I thought...


    ¡°New Master!  I¡¯m hungry!¡± Brion meowed.


    ¡°Give me a second, I¡¯ll be there in a bit!¡±  She yelled back as she dropped to the table top.  Tuck it in, and ¡­ there!  Her eyes settled on a shed whisker.  Oh, that would be a decent belt!  She picked it up and tied it around her waist.  It¡¯s a bit stiff and long, but it¡¯ll do.  I¡¯m so freaking small!


    Flying to the kitchen, she landed on the black granite countertop; the floor was white tile and there were plenty of lightly stained wooden cabinets around the stove, fridge, and microwave.  She looked at the plastic container filled with cat treats in the back corner, grimace creasing her lips. Crap, how am I going to get this open.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to give me a second,¡± Fiona grumbled.  ¡°I need to figure out a way to open the jar.¡±


    ¡°What, why?  Master can do it super fast, you can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I am your old and new master!¡±  Fiona huffed. ¡°I¡¯m a lot weaker than I used to be ¡­ physically at least.¡±  How am I supposed to open this?  It seems like a harder task than turning off the shower.  She folded her arms.  Yup, seems impossible, but if I want Brion to behave then I need to get him one.  I¡¯m at the mercy of my cat¡¯s attitude... ¡°This is sad¡­¡±  She muttered.


    ¡°What¡¯s sad, new Master?¡±  Brion asked innocently.


    How can I open it?  Wind? Nope, nothing.  Well, what about fire¡­ ¡°Yes!¡±  She grinned.  I can use fire!  Flying close to the container top, she held out her hand and called upon the element with a desire.  A small flame lit in her hand as her fingernails, hair, wings, and glowing aura turned red. This is pretty cool.


    She expelled the radial heat toward the lid in a jet of hot air; she watched as a hole opened in the plastic, the edges curling.  Great!  This works.  I can feel it draining me like the wind though, and it¡¯s a lot faster than the passive Wind Shield.  She finished a big enough hole for her to slip into and cut her fire, light dimming as her wings vanished.


    Okay, just gotta get in and grab one!  She stepped near the sides.  ¡°Ach!¡± She quickly retracted her foot.  Stupid!  Of course, it would be hot near the edges.  Do I have ice ¡­ yup! Sweet! Holding out her hand, she began glowing a bluish-white as she expelled a cold burst of air; cutting the magic, she stepped forward.  Round two!  Smiling, she sat on the edge and lowered herself into the bowl.


    ¡°Okay, these things are pretty big¡ªthe size of my head.¡±  She lifted one up with a grunt. ¡°They weigh like freakin¡¯ fifteen pounds!¡±  She hoisted it up through the hole, dropping it on the counter. ¡°They used to weigh nothing when I was a human.¡±  She sighed, looking down. Two more!


    Finished lugging the treats through the hole, she climbed out.  ¡°I hope you¡¯re happy Brion. These things are heavy now!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry!¡±


    ¡°Okay, here they are!¡±  She tossed them over the edge, watching Brion scramble to get them with a small chuckle.  It¡¯s so crazy watching a cat the size of a house run after treats.  Okay, well, Brion should be satisfied now. Slowly flying down, Brion looked at her, blinking as her white glow faded.


    ¡°What¡¯s New Master going to do?¡±  Brion purred.


    ¡°I¡¯m your old master, okay?  I¡¯m Fiona! Say it, Fiona.¡±


    ¡°Fiona,¡± Brion repeated.  ¡°My master is Fiona.¡±


    Smiling, Fiona flew up to his head, scratching between his eyes.  ¡°That¡¯s a good boy, Brion.¡± He purred, pushing forward. ¡°Oof!¡± She gasped as she was sent flying back, skidding across the ground, wings vanished.  Coughing, she wheezed, ¡°Brion ¡­ I¡¯m fragile now¡ªokay? You need to be gentle with me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand?¡±  Brion asked with concern; walking up to her, he sat down, feet tucking under.  ¡°I always rub against Master.¡±


    Fiona chuckled.  ¡°Well, Master got a lot smaller and weaker; now Master rubs against Brion.  Sound good?¡±


    Brion cocked his head.  ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±  Fiona got up, fixing her makeshift robe.  ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see if we can figure out what¡¯s happening.¡±


    She flew to her laptop, Brion following behind her.  Standing beside the touchpad, she glanced over at her cat as he leapt onto the tabletop, sitting beside the computer.  ¡°Hey! What did I say about the tables, Brion.¡±


    ¡°I like to be close to Master¡­¡±


    Do I have water?  The knowledge came.  This is awesome!  A globe of water appeared above her hand.  ¡°Brion! Remember the rules.¡±


    He tensed as he caught sight of the water.  ¡°You are Master! Master uses water to punish!¡±  Leaping off the table, he ran into her room.


    Feeling a little bad, Fiona called after him.  ¡°Aww, Brion, hey! Look, you can sit on the couch, but remember, no scratching!  You have a scratching post for that. Brion!¡± She looked at the water above her palm with a frown; on a thought, the water turned into vapor, and her dark blue light faded, tinting red for a moment.  This is so fascinating, but I can¡¯t feel my magical power building back up; I just keep using it.  I feel like ¡­ a quarter drained.


    She pressing on a key with her foot, but it didn¡¯t drop.  I¡¯m too freaking light!  Stepping atop the key, she jumped, and it compressed, lighting up her screen.  This is going to be such a pain; freaking mechanical keyboards and stiff keys!  She slowly typed in her password, hovering between keys to drop down on the right letters.


    Entering her desktop, she used her feet to slowly move the cursor down to her streaming program.  Opening it, it took her a few minutes to initiate a stream. ¡°Finally!¡± She growled as her stream went live.  She watched the side of the screen, and after a minute a few people started to join, and the messages started flooding in.


    Daxton: ¡°Fiona, what the crap?  You¡¯re one of the changed people!¡±


    Nonumapu: ¡°She¡¯s like a little pixy!  She¡¯s so cute!¡±


    Daxton: ¡°She¡¯s obviously a fairy, not a pixy.¡±


    Ulitron13 ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±


    Seabrax: ¡°Do you have powers?¡±


    Trollex1313: ¡°What the crap is this?  Fiona¡¯s a gnome?¡±


    Daxton: ¡°Freaking Trollex again!¡±


    Daxton: ¡°How can you troll when the world has gone to ****¡±


    Nonumapu:  ¡°Hey, who knows ¡­ she could be a Gnome.¡±


    Seabrax:  ¡°That towel looks so cute!  You¡¯re so small and beautiful!¡±


    ¡°Guys!¡±  Fiona said with a tired sigh.  ¡°So, I changed into a Prismatic Fairy¡ªanyone know what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Trollex1313: ¡°Hey, at least you¡¯re a smaller target for people to shoot at!¡±


    Seabrax: ¡°Okay, that¡¯s dark!  Where¡¯s a mod when you need them?¡±


    Daxton: ¡°Yeah, that was too much!  I¡¯m hiding in my basement right now.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±  Fiona asked. ¡°Is there people being shot right now?  What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Nonumapu: ¡°There were a ton of lights in the sky.


    Trollex1313: ¡°The sky cracked like an egg!¡±


    ¡°Seriously, Trollex, please be serious,¡± Fiona muttered.


    Daxton: ¡°Actually ¡­ he wasn¡¯t trolling on that one¡­


    skGGh: ¡°The epic troll juke ¡­ but seriously, dude.¡±


    Nonumapu: ¡°I just heard another gunshot!  What¡¯s happening out there?¡±


    Seabrax: ¡°You guys didn¡¯t hear?  The U.S. just went into Martial Law.¡±


    Trollex1313: ¡°Australian dude, get that American garbage out of here!¡±


    Fiona frowned.  ¡°Martial Law? The sky cracked, and there were lights all over?  What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Ulitron13: ¡°Okay, so, basically the world is going to **** and everyone¡¯s gone crazy.  Some people changed into monsters; not pretty like you, like scary monsters.  The U.S. has gone full lockdown, and the CDC has been called in.¡±


    Daxton: ¡°People have changed and ¡­ yeah, Ulitron¡¯s got it.  Government¡¯s saying find a safe place.


    Nonumapu: ¡°I¡¯m sitting in my closet with my phone and a shotgun¡­¡±


    Trollex1313: ¡°CDC ¡­ Clinically Diseased Citizens, A.K.A. Stupidity!  Run for the hills!¡±


    Pushkin1: ¡°Bottle of Vodka, MP-443 Grach, my dog, and my ZIL-130.¡±


    skGGh:  ¡°Actually ¡­ seeing Trollex makes me feel a little better.  At least I know trolls will never die.¡±


    Daxton: ¡°Seriously guys?¡±


    Fiona watched the comments with pursed lips.  What did I expect?


    Trollex1313: ¡°Hail Mother Russia *salutes* Pushkin1¡±


    Seabrax:  ¡°Seriously though, Fiona, do you have any powers?¡±


    Pushkin1:  ¡°Wait, when did Fiona turn into a tiny person?  My cow¡¯s floating ¡­ Anatoly¡¯s stealing my cow!¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°Yup, I have magic powers.  Someone¡¯s seriously stealing your cow ¡­ by making it fly?¡±


    skGGh: ¡°Oh **** **** his **** up Pushkin!¡±


    Trollex1313: ¡°Rule 1: Don¡¯t steal a Russian man¡¯s cow!¡±


    Daxton: ¡°It¡¯s sad your cow is being stolen, but can we get back on topic?  Fiona needs some answers. And you know the no swearing rule skGGh...¡±


    Fiona looked right as Brion came around the couch and hopped up on the cushion, ears back with pleading eyes.  ¡°Master won¡¯t punish me?¡±


    Sighing, she shook her head.  ¡°No, Brion, I won¡¯t punish you.  Just don¡¯t get on the counter, okay.¡±  She turned back to the screen as Brion meowed his acceptance, reading the short backlog of comments.


    Seabrax: ¡°I want to know your powers!  Fairy powered Fiona!¡±


    Tolvesta3: ¡°Wait, Fiona¡¯s a fairy?  Can she still sing?¡±


    Nonumapu: ¡°Oh, you do have powers?¡±


    skGGh: ¡°It¡¯s probably flying powers; she¡¯s basically Tinker Bell.¡±


    Daxton: ¡°Oh, Brion is there.¡±


    Trollex1313: ¡°Brion¡¯s a giant compared to Fiona!  Well, goodbye, your lovely voice has been recorded for history.¡±


    Roxy44: ¡°RIP Fairy Fiona...¡±


    Seabrax: ¡°Wait, you can talk to animals now?¡±


    Tolvesta3: ¡°F¡¯s in the chat!¡±


    Daxton: ¡°F!¡±


    Nohh: ¡°f¡±


    Nonumapu: ¡°She¡¯s a cat whisperer! 0_0¡±


    Trollex1313: ¡°Sabrina, is that you?¡±


    skGGh:  ¡°We going to talk about the floating cow in Russia?¡±


    Seabrax: ¡°Powers, Fiona, Now!¡±


    Roxy44: ¡°My role model just turned into a Fairy ¡­ I don¡¯t know how to feel about this¡­¡±


    basti1993kekyo: ¡°f ¡­ what we f¡¯ing?  Pixy Fiona!¡±


    Daxton: ¡°I¡¯m interested in her powers too, Seabrax.¡±


    skGGh: ¡°No ¡­ okay¡­¡±


    Tolvesta3:  ¡°Sing Ocean Eyes!¡±


    Nonumapu: ¡°Oh, don¡¯t let Daxton hear you say that, Basti!¡±


    Trollex1313: ¡°Yeah, Basti, Pixy!  She¡¯s totally a Pixy!  Pixy in the chat!¡±


    Daxton: ¡°She SAID she was a PRISMATIC FAIRY!  Fairy!¡±


    skGGh: ¡°F¡¯s in the chat for Fairy?¡±


    Fiona puffed out a long breath.  ¡°Okay, guys, focus here. Yes, I can talk to Brion; he¡¯s a good boy.  I¡¯ve only tested out ice, fire, wind, and water magic so far, but I can do all of them.  I can also make Navi like wings and my color changes when I use specific magic, like green when I use wind, see?  Then it goes back to white when I stop it.¡±


    Seabrax: ¡°0_0¡±


    Nonumapu: ¡°Pretty!¡±


    Daxton: ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    skGGh: ¡°F!¡±


    basti1993kekyo: ¡°I feel blessed!¡±


    Nohh: ¡°Donating 5k right now!  Give us m0re!¡±


    Trollex1313: ¡°What¡¯s up with the microfiber cloth?  Thought this was a family stream >.>¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyes shot to the door as she heard a key inserted in the lock; Brion shot to his feet, vision locked on the door  ¡°Master, who is it?¡± Is it Erica?


    The door opened to reveal a scared looking Erica, but she seemed five years younger; she looked like she was in her early twenties.  She wore her standard business outfit; a black undershirt with a gray overcoat and skirt. Her feet were bare, and her long black hair that hung to her lower back was tangled.  More surprising were the furry fox ears and tail poking out from under her skirt, both black with white tips.


    ¡°Fiona!  I¡¯ve¡ªyou¡ªwhat?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s white wings appeared as she rose into the air, soft glow enveloping her.  ¡°Erica! You¡¯re a fox-girl?¡±


    Erica quickly shut the door, rushing over to her.  ¡°Fiona? You¡¯re so tiny! What¡¯s happening? There were all those lights in the sky, and then I got a message on my phone about Martial Law and the CDC being mobilized.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my stream says there¡¯s chaos all over the world!  I was in the shower and suddenly there was this pulse that shot through me and I turned into a Prismatic Fairy ¡­ it really sucked.  What about you?¡±


    ¡°Prismatic Fairy?  You¡¯re a fairy ¡­ this is so surreal.¡±  She breathed a tired sigh as she moved around the table to sit next to Brion, but paused as he hissed, fur on end.


    ¡°Master!  Who is this new thing?  It smells dangerous!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with Brion?¡±  Erica asked with concern.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Brion.  It¡¯s only Erica ¡­ well, I guess she would smell different than what she normally smelled like.  It¡¯s okay, she a friend, okay?¡±


    ¡°I smell different?¡±  Erica muttered, glancing at Fiona with a furrowed brow before returning to Brion as he settled down.


    Fiona motioned for her to sit as she hovered over to her.  ¡°I guess you do, and it¡¯s okay to rub against Erica, okay, Brion.¡±  He meowed with cheer as he moved to rub against Erica¡¯s hand. ¡°So, umm, I can talk to Brion now ¡­ like literally, I can understand him.¡±


    ¡°This is so bizarre¡­¡±  Erica shook her head, scratching Brion¡¯s forehead; he purred with joy, pressing against her hand.


    ¡°Tch, you¡¯re telling me ¡­ I¡¯m freaking three inches tall¡ªI couldn¡¯t even turn off my shower!¡±


    Erica¡¯s head shifted toward the bathroom door as the sound of the water amplified in the following silence.  ¡°Wow, really? How much can you lift then?¡±


    She hovered down, sitting on the edge of her laptop display with a huff.  ¡°Brion¡¯s treats felt like they were fifteen pound weights¡ªI¡¯m super weak. I just hope this isn¡¯t permanent because I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll live being ¡­ this¡ªoh!¡±  Erica¡¯s vision snapped to her. ¡°There¡¯s a spider in my bathroom!¡±


    ¡°...Okay?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand!  I¡¯m three inches tall and that thing was half my size!  It¡¯s super scary ¡­ can you please go smash it?¡±


    Erica scratched her left fox ear with a soft hum.  ¡°Should we really be focusing on spiders when we changed into ¡­ this?¡±  She gestured at her ears and tail. ¡°You said you were a Prismatic Fairy¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±  Fiona nodded fervently.  ¡°If you had a killer spider the size of a large dog in your house, what would your priorities be?¡±


    ¡°Eh, okay¡ªI get that.¡±  Sighing, she rose and moved to the shower; Fiona trailed behind with Brion in-tow.  She scowled as Erica opened the door without a second thought. I can¡¯t believe how much I took that for granted!


    Floating in, she squinted her eyes as the moisture hit her.  ¡°Being small sucks so much!¡± Fiona growled.


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Erica chuckled. ¡°Where was it?¡±


    ¡°By the mirror¡ªspiders are super scary looking.  I¡¯ve never really looked at one close up, but they¡¯re freaky.¡±


    Erica frowned as she looked around the sink.  ¡°I don¡¯t see it¡­¡±


    ¡°Master!  I see the thing!  The thing!¡± Brion jumped behind the toilet to swat the spider; it tumbled across the ground.


    Erica jumped.  ¡°What¡¯s up with¡­¡±


    ¡°The spider!¡±  Fiona yelled, pointing down at it as it tried scurrying away.


    Shaking her head, Erica stepped on it with her right heel.  ¡°Alright, feel better?¡± She sighed.


    Fiona breathed a deep sigh of relief.  ¡°I really do ¡­ I mean, it¡¯s a spider! What if it just jumped me from behind or I got caught in a web or something?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think those kinds of spiders make webs, but I could be wrong,¡± she muttered.  ¡°Anyways, what should we do? The CDC is being mobilized; are we infected by something?¡±


    ¡°Got me,¡± Fiona crossed her arms.  She looked over at her shower, turning back to Erica with pleading eyes.


    She closed her eyes, pursing her lips.  Taking a deep breath, Erica put her hands on her lips.  ¡°Seriously ¡­ where are your priorities?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Fiona fronwed.  ¡°I just¡ªit¡¯s a solution I guess ¡­ it¡¯s accomplishing something, and I feel like I need wins right now¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­¡±  Erica opened the shower door and turned off the water.


    Fiona¡¯s nose burned a little as she watched Erica effortlessly press the knob in, her emotions flaring.  ¡°You¡ªyou don¡¯t know how hard that is ¡­ how hard it is being small.¡± She sniffed back tears.


    Erica turned to her with concern.  ¡°Hey¡ªit¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just the shower.¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ it¡¯s just the shower¡ªjust the stupid shower ¡­ just a door ¡­ I had to melt Brion¡¯s treat bag to get a treat out for him.  Brion tried to kill me¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Erica held up her hands, a little lost how to comfort her; her voice reverberating through Fiona¡¯s body.  ¡°Do¡ªdo you need a hug or something? I just¡ªI don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±


    Her shoulders began to quake as her chest convulsed.  ¡°I¡ªI¡­¡± She shot toward Erica¡¯s throat, hugging her as best she could.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªwhat do we do?¡±


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay¡­¡±  Erica carefully pressed her fingers against her back as she cried, trying to be gentle with her wings.  ¡°You¡¯re pretty warm.¡±


    ¡°Master?¡±


    ¡°Hah¡ªI¡¯m warm?¡±


    She swallowed.  ¡°Yeah, why don¡¯t we go back to the front room and try to sort this out.  I¡¯m sure your chat have some answers. Maybe we can check out some other streams too, or the news.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±  Fiona sniffed.


    Erica chuckled as she walked back to the front room, Fiona still clinging to her throat.  ¡°How¡¯s your voice? It seems a little different.¡±


    ¡°Master!  I want to help!¡±


    Fiona cleared her throat.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ it changed a little; I¡¯m a little scared, but I also don¡¯t feel super scared.  It¡¯s really odd ¡­ it like, flips off and on.¡±


    She sat on the couch, and Brion jumped up next to her; front paws pressing against Erica¡¯s thigh as he looked up at her.  ¡°Master, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It looks like Brion¡¯s pretty worried about you.¡±


    ¡°Your voice vibrates my whole body,¡± Fiona chuckled as she let go, floating back to hover in front of her.  ¡°Thanks, Brion ¡­ I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°Really, Master?  Nothing hurts?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing hurts.  I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he purred happily.


    Erica smiled, examining her a bit more thoroughly.  ¡°I think your makeshift dress is becoming a bit too loose.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±  Landing on her left leg, she secured the cloth.  ¡°This was the best I could do¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it must have been rough, sorry.¡±


    She smiled up at her lawyer, manager, and friend, wiping at her cheeks.  ¡°I¡¯m just happy you¡¯re here with me.¡±


    Cracking her neck, Erica pulled her black hair over her shoulder and secured her bangs behind her ears.  ¡°So, what¡¯s your chat saying then?¡± They both moved to look at the screen, Brion sitting at the edge of the center couch cushion.  Skipping the backlog, they looked at the newest messages.


    skGGh:  ¡°Erica!!¡±


    Seabrax:  ¡°Foxy Erica!  I want to see!¡±


    Daxton:  ¡°Did you guys get the spider?¡±


    Erica laughed.  ¡°Yes, we got the spider.¡±


    Dodokumi:  ¡°Brion¡¯s so big compared to Fiona!¡±


    Nonumapu:  ¡°Erica¡¯s a giant fox lady compared to our girl!¡±


    Roxy44:  ¡°Were you crying, Fiona?¡±


    Trollex1313:  ¡°You okay, Fiona?¡±


    Nohh:  ¡°Fiona¡¯s cheeks are wet?¡±


    skGGh:  ¡°So, I just watched my neighbor summon an imp?¡±


    basti1993kekyo:  ¡°Wait, Trollex cares?  What¡¯s up Fiona?¡±


    Seabrax:  ¡°So, what other powers do you have?¡±


    Fiona took a deep breath.  ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay ¡­ I guess. This is just a lot to take in.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Erica huffed.  ¡°We¡¯re both not alright.  Anyone know what¡¯s going on or what we should do?¡±


    Daxton:  ¡°I¡¯m with Basti ¡­ Trollex cares?  BTW, seriously, an imp?¡±


    Trollex1313:  ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not inhuman or a monster¡­¡±


    Olusculum:  ¡°Oof ¡­ wrong words?¡±


    Trollex1313:  ¡°Eh, wait, not what I meant ¡­ yeah¡­¡±


    skGGh:  ¡°C¡¯mon, it¡¯s Trollex, of course he meant it!¡±


    Roxy44:  ¡°Hey, Fiona, I¡¯m sorry that happened.  My little brother turned into a wolfboy ¡­ I don¡¯t know how to handle this¡­¡±


    Tentec667:  ¡°So, been getting caught up on the conversation.  Yeah ¡­ so, lights, changed people, powers, Fairy Fiona with powers ¡­ I¡¯m going back to bed.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Fiona, you have powers?¡±  Erica glanced over at her.


    ¡°Eh, yeah ¡­ I can feel this energy within me¡ªmaybe something like mana or some resource from games.  I¡¯m running out fast when I use my powers¡­¡±


    ¡°What kind of powers?¡±  She shifted on the couch, making Brion shift a little to keep balance.


    ¡°Umm¡ªwater, fire, and wind are what I¡¯ve tested out.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?  Well ¡­ I think we should probably go down to the CDC.  I¡¯ll ¡­ oh, the network just went down?¡±


    Olusculum:  ¡°Aww, cheer up, Fiona!  I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll work out.¡±


    Daxton:  ¡°I guess I need to go ¡­ my girlfriend has powers.¡±


    basti1993kekyo:  ¡°I¡¯m just waiting for my dog to fly ¡­ wait, ALL those powers?  Freaking OP!¡±


    Dodokumi:  ¡°Did you water strike Brion?  He looked pretty scared you were going to punish him when I came on!  PETA!! Hehe¡­¡±


    Seabrax:  ¡°You¡¯re an elemental magical Fairy!  Wait ¡­ CDC, IDK about that one Erica¡­¡±


    skGGh:  ¡°CDC!  They¡¯ll freaking lock you guys up for life!¡±


    Fiona sighed.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ maybe they can help.¡±


    Roxy44:  ¡°I¡¯m kind of with them on this one .... you two don¡¯t seem sick.  The government isn¡¯t the most trustworthy.¡±


    Nonumapu:  ¡°Yup, don¡¯t trust the government!  Rule #1 of monster change movies!¡±


    Dodokumi:  ¡°Wait, what?  Government?! NONONONO!!!  They¡¯ll dissect you!¡±


    Daxton:  ¡°C¡¯mon guys ¡­ I mean, my gut¡¯s with you guys, but who else is equipped to handle this ¡­ Martial Law too¡­¡±


    basti1993kekyo:  ¡°Fiona can just blast her way out if they go all evil on her!¡±


    Olusculum:  ¡°Wait, if it¡¯s the CDC then you should get there as soon as possible!  Get help!¡±


    skGGh:  ¡°^^^  First guy to die in a movie.¡±


    Seabrax:  ¡°Hehe, actually, yeah, sounds about right.¡±


    Erica rubbed between her eyes.  ¡°Right, well, there is a store that sells doll clothes down the street.  Maybe we should go grab you some clothes that will fit ¡­ then we can come back up and figure out our next step.¡±  She smiled at Fiona. ¡°I think you¡¯re right about needing some wins, and you could use some proper clothes.¡±


    Fiona ran a hand through her hair with a slight smile.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like real clothes. Alright, guys, we¡¯ll be back in a bit.  Brion, stay here and keep chat company.¡±


    Brion¡¯s big eyes widened as he looked around.  ¡°I don¡¯t smell chat? What¡¯s chat?¡±


    Chuckling, Fiona moved to pat him on the head.  ¡°You¡¯re a good boy, keep the house safe for me.¡±  Without looking at chat¡¯s reaction, Fiona left the camera¡¯s sight, Erica rising with a stretch.  ¡°Right, let¡¯s get going then! Our first Fairy shopping trip.¡±


    AuthorSME


    I hope you enjoyed Trollex >.> hehe, always a troll.


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


    Vote on Top Web Fictions


    Thanks, patrons!  I always have a chuckle at all the neck and neck polls.  Hehe.  They are always so neck and neck for a day or two.

 B1 — 17. We’re Not Heroes

    Rachel and Scarlet walked back to the foyer; Maria was sitting in an armchair, legs crossed, and the bodies seemed to have been moved.  Coral straightened as they entered, shifting nervously on the couch.  ¡°Is everything¡ªare you alright?¡±


    Scarlet breathed deeply.  ¡°No¡ªnot really, but that can wait.  Rachel helped me calm down a bit ¡­ the Fairy Mythickin seems to be in trouble.¡±


    Maria hummed with pursed lips.  ¡°So, you going to teleport her here?¡±


    ¡°Which direction is she in?¡±  Scarlet turned toward Rachel.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡ªacross the street, to the northeast; it¡¯s a supermarket, and she¡¯s in the basement.¡±  Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as she listened to Marcus.


    ¡°Diago!  Where¡¯s my dad?  He isn¡¯t picking up over the radio.¡±


    ¡°In the spa ¡­ I think¡­¡±


    ¡°You think?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªno, I¡¯m pretty sure he is¡­¡±


    ¡°Go get him!  We need to figure out where that brat went and what the fuck is going on!¡±  He pressed the radio.  ¡°Hey, Daran, you found anything?¡±


    She heard Daran respond several buildings away, still on the hunt.  ¡°No, I¡¯ve checked at least a dozen buildings, and they¡¯re not around here.  You sure you saw some red liquid swallow the couch?¡±


    Rachel sighed as she focused on the Fairy again.  ¡°You little insect ¡­ I don¡¯t care about your stupid rat-friend or fox-friend, or whatever friend you have!  Just¡­¡±


    Maria stretched her arms out, yawning.  ¡°Anything interesting going on, or are you just spacing out?¡±


    ¡°You could say that¡­¡±  Rachel frowned as she shifted her weight.  Her focus altered as Scarlet breathed a small sigh; she was starting toward the supermarket, eyes vampiric.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Well, I could transport the Fairy here, but that guy¡¯s holding the cage they¡¯re keeping her in right now.¡±


    ¡°Who cares,¡± Maria huffed, scratching her temple.  ¡°Grab him, and Rachel will knock him out.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Scarlet ran a hand through her hair.  ¡°We don¡¯t know if he has any abilities; isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡±


    ¡°Ack,¡± Maria¡¯s head leaned back.  ¡°We should have questioned those guys further,¡± she muttered.


    Rachel moved beside Scarlet; she stretched, muscles itching to be used.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about abilities; I¡¯m pretty sure we can handle any of them if they¡¯re alone.  Though¡ªmaybe I¡¯m just being reckless and want to fight.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±  Scarlet¡¯s red halo-like irises glowed as blood separated from her body to form the portal.  ¡°Here he comes.¡±


    Rachel heard two screams as the man fell into the blood; he dropped through the air as he appeared before them, legs buckling as he struck the ground.  A glass case, caging the Fairy, slipped from his grip, smashing against the floor; she screamed as glass shattered around her.


    Accelerating, Rachel made it two steps before she felt the glue in her left shoe snap, throwing off her balance.  Shit!  I thought they¡¯d last a lot longer than this!


    She tried to recover, but tripped, stumbling across the floor until ultimately smashing into the wall with a grunt; the sheet wall buckled under the force, making her slam into the bricks behind it.


    ¡°Wha¡ªRachel?¡±  Scarlet muttered.


    Maria quickly rose to her feet, but after a moment¡¯s hesitation burst into laughter.  ¡°Ar-are you serious?  Did¡ªdid you just¡ªjust face plant the wall?¡±


    ¡°Ouch¡ªack¡ªuhk,¡± the Fairy groaned.  ¡°What the flip?¡±


    ¡°Uah,¡± Rachel muttered, pushing herself up a little.  ¡°Seriously, c¡¯mon, Maria¡­¡±


    ¡°What the ¡­ who the hell are you people?¡±  The man stumbled to his feet.  ¡°Blood just ¡­ that feeling ¡­ wait?¡±


    ¡°You okay?¡±  Scarlet asked tentatively.


    Dislodging herself from the sheet wall, Rachel dusted herself off.  ¡°Ack, yeah¡ªI¡¯m fine.¡±  Eyes returning to the scene, she saw the Fairy was wearing tight jeans and a red shirt that looked like they were meant for dolls.  She was cut a little on her right arm, cheek, and there was a gash in her pants.  She was curled into a ball with glass all around her, wounds seeping light blue blood.


    Maria shook her head with an amused grin as her brilliant white horn appeared.  ¡°Here, I¡¯ll fix you up.¡±  A glow surrounded the Fairy, and her wounds mended, scabs turning to dust.


    The Unicorn¡¯s head tilted up to give Rachel an incredulous look as the gangster began looking between them in bewilderment, trying to assess the situation.  ¡°Not a scratch?  I¡¯m impressed; wish we recorded that, though.  I¡¯d love to show it to the block ¡­ the strong Liebre Lunar, shoe breakin¡¯ in two, then flying off to faceplant into the wall,¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Scarlet frowned.  ¡°She could have been hurt¡­¡±  The Fairy looked confused as she stared around, but the man seemed to understand the situation as he caught sight of Rachel.


    ¡°You¡¯re the bunny-girl that messed up Marcus!¡±


    ¡°Tch,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°Na, that wouldn¡¯t hurt the chica de acero; she¡¯s made of tougher stuff.  It was funny as hell, though.¡±  She turned to the man as he rose to his feet.  ¡°Aye, chupadora de pollas!  Chill, sit tight, ¡®ite?  We got business ta¡¯handle.¡±


    [i.e. steel girl; sucker!]


    He stiffened as Scarlet shifted to stare at him, eyes still void black with glowing red halos.  Scurrying back against the front reception desk, he stammered between words.  ¡°Fuck¡ªshit¡ªmother ¡­ a fuckin¡¯ Vampire¡ªDevil?  Marcus didn¡¯t say anything about ¡­ that blood¡­¡±


    Sighing, Rachel finished doing her best to brush the dust off her clothes; she could see the bottom half of her shoe lying on the ground across the room, the other half still on her feet.  ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the shoes to break so soon ¡­ that¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°Who are you people?¡±  the Fairy asked with an Irish accent.  Everyone¡¯s attention shot to her as she began glowing white, wings appearing at her back as she rose into the air.  ¡°You guys healed me too?¡±  She checked her cuts with interest.  ¡°I think ¡­ oh, no...¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened as the Fairy¡¯s wings faded and vanished.  This time, she accelerated a bit slower, watching the tiny girl fall in slow-motion as her expression sagged with fatigue.


    Before she hit the marble floor, Rachel managed to catch her, taking care not to squeeze too tightly.  ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Uh, not really,¡± her tone was weak.  ¡°I¡ªI need sugar.¡±


    Scarlet hummed with concern as she looked around the first floor.  ¡°Oh, do Fairies get powerful by eating sugar?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the thing in my head said will help¡­¡±  The Fairy muttered, lying in Rachel¡¯s open palm.


    Maria, however, didn¡¯t take her silver eyes off the gangster as he continued to stare at Scarlet with fearful uncertainty, folding her arms underneath her chest while glaring at him.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±  Rachel asked, moving to the couch to gently set her on the armrest.


    ¡°It¡¯s Fiona,¡± she looked up at Scarlet; she seemed to be studying a blank wall.  ¡°Are you really a Vampire?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s lips turned into a grimace.  ¡°Unfortunately ¡­ I think I found some sugar in the kitchen.  Give me a second.¡±  Shadows enveloped her.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± the man muttered.


    Maria tilted her head toward a seat.  ¡°Go ahead.¡±  He didn¡¯t move as his focus shifted from Coral to Rachel.


    Rachel removed her shoes, tossing them to the side while keeping the man in sight.  ¡°You heard her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you deaf?¡±  Maria took a threatening step forward.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he backed up a little.  ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ so, you were the one that took Marcus¡¯ plaything ¡­ and somehow got your brother back, Maria.  To think you had a Vampire working with you ¡­ that changes the game a¡ª¡±


    The gangster seemed to bite his tongue as Scarlet emerged from the shadows with a large bag of sugar in her hands.  ¡°Oh, anything I miss?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s being rather chatty,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°You just need to shut up until we get to you.  ?Entender?¡±


    [i.e. Understand?]


    He swallowed, eyes returning to Scarlet.  ¡°Huh, he seems rather calm?¡±  She moved to give Fiona some sugar, opening the bag.  She scooped out a handful and dropped it beside her.


    Fiona picked up a small fist full and dropped it into her mouth; her body tensed, tears falling down her cheeks.  ¡°This is¡ªthis can¡¯t be sugar¡­¡±


    A little concerned, Scarlet flipped the bag around.  ¡°It says sugar?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡ªit doesn¡¯t taste like sugar ¡­ it¡¯s not sweet.  I can¡¯t even describe the taste; it¡¯s just ¡­ amazing.¡±  She began scarfing down the small pile beside her.


    Maria¡¯s gaze shifted to her.  ¡°What, have you not eaten anything since you...¡±


    Rachel¡¯s muscles tensed as black smoke surrounded the man; she dashed forward, getting ready to perform a roundhouse kick to disperse the smog.  He was waiting for Maria to turn her head away.  Is he trying to escape?


    Maria¡¯s eyes snapped open with concern, and Rachel made it to the edge of the gas before a solid wall of wind slammed against her, making her grunt.  What in the¡­


    She winced as she was thrown back, bare feet sliding across the smooth floor as she regained her balance.  ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±  Maria shouted.


    Catching sight of Fiona¡¯s outstretched hands, Rachel straightened, wide field of vision taking in the scene.


    Fiona¡¯s ethereal wings had reformed out of light, reflecting the multi-hued greens of her hair, fingernails, and eyes while floating above Coral as she yelled, ¡°The gas is poisonous!¡±


    Rachel watched with bated breath as the currents of wind escalated, wrapping around the smoke and containing it into a ball.  Wind magic?


    Fiona shifted to look at Rachel.  ¡°Seriously, though, how fast can you move?  It felt like I was throwing back a moving truck or something!¡±  She lowered back to the couch to eat more sugar, multi-hued eyebrows creased with concern.


    ¡°Wow!¡±  Scarlet¡¯s eyes returned to normal as she dashed to the edge of the invisible cyclone; she had to pull back her long black hair as it was gently pulled toward the force.  ¡°This is so cool!  Can you use wind magic or something?  Can I touch it?¡±


    Swallowing another mouthful of sugar, Fiona glanced up at her before clearing her throat.  ¡°No, please don¡¯t!¡±  she said in a thickening Irish accent.  ¡°It¡¯s called Wind Prison, and it sucks anything from the outside in.¡±


    ¡°Word,¡± Maria muttered with a modest nod.  A grin split her full lips, and she walked over to the counter, picking up a sharpened pencil.  ¡°Could we chuck things in at him?  Poke him full of holes?¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Fiona¡¯s plump lips creased.  ¡°You could¡­¡±


    ¡°Perfect!¡±  Maria tossed the pencil at the shell, and shortly after, he shouted, ¡°Son of a bitch!  The fuck¡¯s wrong with¡­¡±


    He cut off as Fiona¡¯s pretty face twisted with rage, and she rose into the air, shouting, ¡°You¡¯re a monster!  I watched this guy kill people with that smoke; he¡¯s a psychopath!¡±


    ¡°That right,¡± Maria growled, nose twisted as tossed in another pencil.


    ¡°D-Dammit!  It¡¯s in my fucking leg ¡­ shit!¡±


    Adjusting her clothes, Rachel cracked her neck before rotating her shoulders.  ¡°Thanks, Fiona.  I guess I jumped the gun¡­¡±  she trailed off as Fiona¡¯s green aura mixed with a bright red tint.


    Her hand lifted, and an inferno the size of a bonfire appeared above her, causing a burst of hot air to radiate throughout the room.  ¡°Where¡¯s Erica?¡±  Fiona shouted.  ¡°Tell me where she is, or we¡¯ll see if that gas can combust!¡±


    Coral sank into the couch, staring at the blazing fire above her as Fiona flew toward the trapped ball of smoke.


    ¡°Damn!¡±  Maria muttered, holding up her hands as she moved closer to the enraged Fairy.  ¡°Hey, hey, chill, chill, Hada!  We¡¯ll find out where your friend is, but calm down a bit¡ªmaldita; we don¡¯t need to blow everyone to high heaven!¡±


    [i.e. Fairy; damn]


    Her features were twisted with fury as the fire intensified.  ¡°I¡¯ll turn you to ashes if any of your guys hurt her!¡±


    Rachel moved around to stand beside Fiona and the man.  ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay, Fiona.  Scarlet can find her and bring her here if we can figure out where she is.¡±


    ¡°He killed three children¡ªin front of me!  He forced me to¡ªto watch them vomit and choke and cry ¡­ just to prove a point and tested his gas ¡­ over and over!  Men, women ¡­ so many people¡­¡±


    Maria¡¯s nose twitched as she turned to glare at the smog.  ¡°Este hijo de puta mat¨® a los ni?os?¡±


    [i.e. This son of a bitch killed children?]


    Scarlet¡¯s cheer fell as her eyes glowed red, blood seeping out of her skin.  ¡°He killed children?  He doesn¡¯t deserve to live, then!¡±


    ¡°Woah,¡± Maria moved to stand on the opposite side of Fiona, giving Scarlet a glance.  ¡°Hey!  I get ya ... I do, but he can¡¯t tell us anything if you kill him.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s small frame was trembling, but her red glow faded with the fire.  ¡°You can help me?¡±  she sniffed, turning to Maria and Scarlet with tears gathering in her eyes.  ¡°We just went out to get me some clothes, and¡ªand they jumped me ¡­ I don¡¯t know what happened to Erica, but I¡¯m sure they took her.¡±


    ¡°Maria¡¯s right,¡± Rachel said, walking over to pat Scarlet on the shoulder.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Scarlet¡¯s blood returned to her body, eyes shifting back to black with the red glow.  ¡°We¡¯ll get her back.¡±  Her halo irises moved to penetrate the smog.  ¡°I have something planned for him¡ªa child killer, and he liked it ¡­ I sense¡­¡±  her tone faded with a seething growl.


    ¡°Here,¡± Maria¡¯s horn radiated light, making everyone shield their eyes.


    When the light faded, the smoke was gone, and the man was sitting on his butt in the center, face ashen as he clutched at his leg; a pencil was jammed down to the eraser¡¯s end, blood and a small line of red blood dripped out.  ¡°What¡ªyou¡­¡±  he whined, his voice pained and slightly distorted past the invisible barrier between them.


    Maria smirked.  ¡°Purified the poison; I¡¯m starting to run low on energy, though...¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Erica?¡±  Fiona demanded.


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t¡­¡±  Everyone stiffened as Scarlet appeared behind him from shadows, blood snaking around his body within seconds.  Crying out, tears fell down his face as he screamed, ¡°What the¡­¡±


    Scarlet grabbed his shoulder, making him stiffen.  ¡°Child killers equal shit ¡­ don¡¯t utter a single lie¡ªwe¡¯ll know if you do.¡±


    His chest heaved as he choked, only able to talk and breathe.  ¡°Wha¡ªwhat kind of¡ªof heroes are you?¡±  His throat began to bulge as Scarlet¡¯s blood flowed up to move through his hair, slowly cycling across his body.


    Rachel stepped forward as Fiona dropped Wind Prison.  ¡°Who said we were heroes?  I don¡¯t think of myself as a hero; any of you?¡±  Fiona and Maria shook their heads, expressions hard.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Scarlet whispered in his ear.  ¡°We¡¯re no heroes.¡±


    His voice started to crack.  ¡°Where¡¯s¡ªwhat did you do to Tony and Pete?  They were...¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±  Rachel asked, staring at him in the eyes.


    ¡°I could take you over to them if you want, but they don¡¯t look like they used to.¡±  Maria offered.


    The man swallowed nervously.  ¡°Okay, okay, I get it ¡­ what does your friend look like?¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±  Maria growled, horn flaring.  ¡°He¡¯s excreting poison from his skin!¡±


    Scarlet chuckled as the dark liquid seeped through her blood and dropped to the ground.  ¡°You think that¡¯ll affect me?¡±


    She licked her black lips.  ¡°I can choose what mixes with my blood; all you¡¯re doing is making a fool out of yourself.  Pathetic.¡±  He began to hyperventilate as the red liquid slowly crept into his gaping mouth, inching further into his body.


    He began to choke as she moved to whisper in his ear, crimson sliding up to his eyes.  ¡°I don¡¯t have body heat; is my breath cold?¡±  she giggled, tone lush.  ¡°Feel those micro-cuts digging into your throat?  That¡¯s my blood burrowing into your body.  Try something like that again, then we¡¯ll go behind the eyes next, and that will only be the beginning.¡±


    Her blood flowed back up his throat, exiting with spit and vomit; the excess easily separated from her blood to drop across his shirt front.  ¡°What¡ªfuck¡ªshit¡ªwhat does she¡ªshe look like?  Fuck!  What does she look like?¡±  he shouted.


    ¡°Holy cow,¡± Fiona muttered.  ¡°You guys really are scary¡ªumm, Erica turned into a Fox Beastkin.  She has black hair, and her fox tail and ears are black with white tips.  She¡¯s wearing a business suit¡ªlast time I saw her at least...¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ªyeah, she, she was sent to Marcus ¡­ he was¡ªwas pretty interested in all those Beastkin¡ªno, no, I didn¡¯t¡ªI didn¡¯t have anything to do with it!¡±  he pleaded.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie,¡± Maria snarled.


    ¡°No¡­¡±  he cut off as Scarlet clicked her tongue.


    ¡°He¡­¡± Everyone shifted to look at Coral; her jaw snapped shut as she shrank back.


    ¡°What happened?¡±  Rachel encouraged.


    Clearing her throat, she looked down at the floor.  ¡°He¡ªHe chose which ones Marcus would¡ªwould like best¡­¡±


    Scarlet took a deep breath as she shifted to his other ear.  ¡°You¡¯re not helping me quell these emotions in the air.  Do you fathom the hate, fear, and disgust flowing around the area?  It pulls out my darker emotions.¡±  He gasped as she let him breathe again.  ¡°They gather around me and push for action; it¡¯s rather uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Can you convert them, like the blood?¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°It¡¯s not a part of me; it just presses against me.  So, where is Erica?  One last chance,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I¡ªI kept the fox in the supermarket¡ªin the freezer with a few others.¡±


    ¡°The freezer!¡±  Fiona¡¯s fists balled up.


    ¡°They have fur!  I didn¡¯t think it would be bad!¡±


    Scarlet shifted to look through the walls.  ¡°Freezer ¡­ I see them.¡±  Her blood moved to create a large portal a few feet above the ground; the man still paralyzed by her touch.  Several girls fell through the blood with short screams as they dropped to the floor; each of them were different types of Beastkin.


    ¡°Erica!¡±  Fiona darted to a black-haired woman, latching onto her throat.  ¡°You¡¯re so cold¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡ªFiona?  What¡¯s with that ¡­ it felt like I was being touched everywhere...¡±  she gasped, hugging her shoulders.


    ¡°See!¡±  Maria glared at Scarlet.  ¡°What did I say?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Scarlet muttered.  ¡°That was corrupted me¡­¡±


    ¡°Vampire?¡±  A blonde-haired girl with raccoon ears and a tail squeaked.


    The blood floating above them swirled back around the man¡¯s body as Scarlet let go of his back.  ¡°See!¡±  he gasped.  ¡°They aren¡¯t cold¡ªright?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡±  Erica recoiled as she caught sight of the man.


    Scarlet shuddered.  ¡°This¡ªisn¡¯t fair!  What did you do to make all of them¡ªhate, disgust, fear ¡­ was it the kids, more?  Deep breaths¡ªdeep breaths.¡±


    Rachel frowned.  ¡°Is it the joy?  The negative emotions?¡±


    ¡°Yes!  His blood skyrocketing through his heart with the fear of what he¡¯s done to cause these emotions; the desire for punishment, pain, despair, hate, disgust, so many negative feelings prodding me.¡±


    ¡°You feel other people¡¯s emotions?¡±  Fiona asked, releasing Erica¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Fiona, you know these¡ªthem?¡±  Erica tucked her lower lip under nervously.


    Scarlet scratched her temple with a light giggle.  ¡°Oh¡ªI feel emotions, alright ¡­ it feels like my blood¡¯s boiling, my skin itches everywhere, and my teeth ache ¡­ it makes me want to consume, but I locked that away!  Why¡¯s it back?¡±  She grit her teeth.  ¡°Damn¡ªmy corrupted state unlocked it to feel more.¡±  She took a deep breath.  ¡°Okay, there, that¡¯s a lot better.¡±


    ¡°You still don¡¯t know everything you did in your corrupted state?¡±  Maria moved to examine the girls.


    ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ kind of blocking some of it out,¡± she muttered.


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself, Scarlet.  If you don¡¯t want to do something, then don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem ¡­ I want to.¡±  She took another deep breath.  ¡°The Reaper of Blood said something ¡­ before I drowned ¡­ I guess I¡¯d rather not talk about that.  I do, I really do want to feed on emotion¡ªdrown in it ¡­ there is real power in emotion ¡­ life.  I just hate how negative emotion smells, tastes, feels ¡­ it¡¯s intoxicating.¡±  She looked over at Rachel, standing with her arms folded.  ¡°Mind if I release some tension ¡­ there¡¯s something I really feel like I need to address.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your master,¡± Rachel smiled.  ¡°If I feel you¡¯re going too far, then I¡¯ll step in, but I feel no sympathy for these guys.  That is likely a part of my change too, but they are scum.¡±


    A brown-haired woman with bird wings for arms and talons for feet began crying.  ¡°There are other girls, children ¡­ the men ¡­ they killed so many men ¡­ my husband.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Scarlet said, eyes downcast.  The silence stretched as a few of the women began crying.


    Rachel felt oddly detached, but her head told her it wasn¡¯t right.  ¡°Scarlet, do what you need to do.¡±


    Relief passed across her features.  ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±  A dark grin spread across her lips as the man gasped, dropping through the blood spreading across the ground; she vanished in shadows as the blood seemed to fold into itself until it disappeared.  Rachel listened to the new voices that appeared in the supermarket.


    ¡°Please, please, Scarlet¡ªyou can have all of them¡­¡±


    A man shouted.  ¡°Wait¡ªwhat the hell?  Harris, what the¡­¡±


    Scarlet chuckled, causing them to go silent as she began walking around the room; she began to sing a haunting lullaby.  ¡°I have a tale that time has lost, sins of judgment born of blood.  She took a name from the one profaned; the chosen¡ªknow the dark but let it rest.  Come down to the red sea, swim with me.  Ah-ooh, ooh¡­¡±


    Rachel frowned as she watched the women collect themselves; Maria was explaining to the group what they were planning, but Rachel continued listening to Scarlet.  This is the influence that emotion has on her?  It sounds like she¡¯s reciting a haunting song.


    ¡°Hey, we have hostages ¡­ what the fuck is that?¡±  he screamed, scooting back with several other men that repeated his cry.  Rachel¡¯s vision moved to examine blood portals that opened, and several children and two more women dropped out of it with shrieks.


    ¡°Born of graves and left below, painted ashes, painted snow; when the dark awakens, fires of your last hopes are burning low.  Blood of gods and blood of men, meet in union to ascend; fate has chosen, and your fading light is at its end¡­¡±


    ¡°No!  Put away your guns!¡±  Harris screamed, but there were several shots as they unloaded clips, but Scarlet just continued her soft song.


    ¡°You rise, I fall.  I stand, you crawl.  You twist, I turn.  You sit and stay, I don¡¯t obey.  Life¡¯s breath flickers with the candlelight, lost souls in the twilight.¡±  Rachel shivered as a malevolent aura passed over her, and all the men around Scarlet dropped to the ground; only Scarlet¡¯s voice continued.  ¡°Fear not the dark, the monsters within; brace for the feast of humanity¡¯s end.  Ah-ooh, ooh.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±  Fiona shivered, looking in Scarlet¡¯s direction.  The other women seemed to stiffen as they looked that way.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot more powerful than before¡ªher fear aura,¡± Maria muttered.


    Rachel cracked her neck, bound hair shifting.  ¡°I think there¡¯s something going on a little deeper with Scarlet right now.  The way she was acting¡ªI think it might have something to do with The Reaper of Blood.  She¡¯s singing a pretty creepy song.¡±  She continued to listen to Scarlet¡¯s soft lullaby as she moved to where Harris had fallen.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long way down to the place I found, lurking silhouette waiting below¡ªa dark sun, hollowed by the fade; that debt you live to repay¡ªyou see the blackness stare, promising to spare the chosen.


    ¡°Born of graves and left below, painted ashes, painted snow; when the dark awakens, fires of your last hopes are burning low¡ªyour souls will char; flicker to and fro¡ªafraid to linger and to go; trapped in blood until my scythe has come to take you home.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°A pact embraced, a road unsought; a black heart¡¯s redemption borne by brigand¡¯s blood.  A blight upon the light, a terror for the night, she became the bringer of twilight.  Vengeance is her only ward; beware the blood-red rose¡¯s thorn, for it will end with Scarlet.


    ¡°With flowers and my love, both never to come back, her wrath is known within the black; the tide, it stole away her grace, but the depths, they would not claim her.  I could not foresee this thing happening to you; I am exposed, I am undone, no more colors, it all turns black.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°Alone with this vision, alone with this sound, alone in my dreams, maybe I will fade away and not have to face the facts.  The darkest night, the brightest day; history tainted, the cycle hovering above gravity¡¯s lure.  My love will laugh with me before the morning comes, for the blinding light will never return.


    ¡°Born of graves, left below, no time for rest, nowhere to go¡ªa storm was loosed with tear-stained eyes¡ªcome down to the red sea, swimming with me.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°A wretch bound to the harvest, born of the shadows, between light and dark.  Oh, oh, oh, ooh ¡­ who will save you now?  Incinerate our shackles.


    ¡°The Maiden of Death will tend to her fields, and eternity will fall into silence ¡­ Heaven or Hell ¡­ where do you land in the red sea?  Ah-ooh, ooh¡­¡±  Her voice died as silence permeated the scene; after several seconds, the insidious aura faded.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s done,¡± Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°I have no clue what she did to them, but¡­¡±  Everyone¡¯s attention shifted to Scarlet as she appeared from the shadows to slump into an armchair.  Rachel was the first to speak.  ¡°What was that song about?¡±


    Scarlet swallowed, looking down at the floor with a black hollow stare.  ¡°The Reaper of Blood sings it in her sleep sometimes¡ªit just kind of came out as I appeared ¡­ I don¡¯t know how much influence she has over me, but in my corrupted state, she was able to get a little bit more control than I thought.  I hope I was able to starve her of power again by releasing all of that.¡±


    ¡°Reaper of Blood?¡±  Fiona whispered.

 B1 — 18. Overconfident

    Fiona studied Scarlet with reserve.  ¡°Who¡¯s this Reaper of Blood?¡±


    Rachel frowned; both Fiona and Scarlet were in her line of sight.  ¡°Scarlet has something inside her; we don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a split personality or another being altogether, but you don¡¯t need to worry about Scarlet.  She has it under control.¡±


    ¡°That right¡­¡±  Fiona muttered.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for her, you¡¯d all be trapped still.  She can also safely transport everyone off South Beach.  We all have our issues; I¡¯m sure you have your own from The Oscillation.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s brow creased as she looked down at the floor.  ¡°Yeah¡ªI guess I¡¯m different too.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Erica folded her arms uncomfortably.


    Sighing, Fiona glanced over at her with concern.  ¡°I was seriously going to torch that guy that locked you in the freezer.¡±  She rose a little to Erica¡¯s eye level. ¡°I don¡¯t even feel bad about it ¡­ that doesn¡¯t even feel odd.  I mean¡ªmentally, I know that I should feel something.  It was like a fire in me that just sparked the moment I started eating that sugar ¡­ everything seemed to change; like something flipped in me.¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it¡­¡± Scarlet trailed off.


    ¡°What?¡±  Maria asked, dropping back in her seat with a huff.  ¡°I¡¯ll be the first to admit that I¡¯m different; I can¡¯t believe how calm I¡¯ve become.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Scarlet muttered.  ¡°When I woke up from the Blood Corruption ¡­ it was super confusing because of all the emotions that hit me, but it was the joy that freaked me out.  Once I calmed down; I don¡¯t feel bad about killing people like that, but mentally, I hate enjoying it. That only happened after drinking their blood.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t deserve shit,¡± Maria huffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s you being calm?¡±  Scarlet smiled a little, scratching the back of her neck.


    ¡°Tch, better believe it,¡± Maria chuckled.  ¡°I would have been right up there with the fairy before my change.  Someone took my brother or someone I cared about; I¡¯d be up in their face with a gun in hand.  It¡¯s war¡ªmalditas consecuencias. I used to let my hot head get the best of me, and I couldn¡¯t think, just act ¡­ me tryin¡¯ to calm everyone down ¡­ not my old self.¡±


    Rachel smirked as she moved to put a hand on Scarlet¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much Scarlet; let¡¯s focus on one thing at a time.  We¡¯ll stand and fight when push comes to shove; they started the fight, right?  Karma¡¯s a bitch; just like Maria.¡± She tilted her head to grin at her.


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°Can¡¯t deny it. Wish I could have turned into a Lunar Hare instead of a Unicorn¡ªI¡­¡±  She paused, causing everyone to turn to her. ¡°Mierda Unicornio miente! There¡¯s no way¡ªI guess¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Fiona flew over to the couch, snacking on a bit more sugar.


    ¡°I¡ªI like healing bones more than breaking them¡ªif I have a choice¡ªI wish that wasn¡¯t right...¡±  She groaned, puffing out her cheeks as she leaned against the back of the chair. ¡°Has me questioning my own morals now ¡­ this change sucks!¡±


    Scarlet shook with soft laughter, looking between Rachel and Maria.  ¡°We make a funny little team; I don¡¯t think you¡¯re anything close to passive, Maria¡ªmaybe you like a more peaceful and fun time, but you aren¡¯t shy about throwing a punch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d agree with that,¡± Rachel removed her hand from Scarlet¡¯s shoulder and sat across from Coral.  ¡°You¡¯re one¡­¡± She grimaced as Marcus finally got in contact with his dad.


    ¡°Sup?¡±  Maria pulled her long shimmering white hair over her shoulder as it seemed to catch on something.  ¡°Joder cabello largo¡­¡±


    ¡°Looks like Marcus is getting everyone together.  He just met with his dad; give me a sec to figure out what they¡¯re up to.¡±


    ¡°Dad!  Where the hell have you been?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t shout at me, boy,¡± a gruff voice growled.  ¡°Where¡¯s it look like I¡¯ve been? What¡¯s up?  Something¡¯s got you shook.¡±


    ¡°The boy, Maria¡¯s little brother, he fucking vanished in a pool of red water that appeared out of nowhere; swallowed the couch with Tony and Pete with him!¡±


    ¡°Tch, shit ¡­ I gave you one job¡ªyou high?¡±


    ¡°Fuck¡ªno, just try and find them ¡­ he¡¯s the key to getting you healed.¡±


    ¡°No shit, and are you fucking ordering me?¡±  His voice dropped dangerously.


    ¡°No¡ªshit, dad, look¡ªwe need him¡­¡±  I guess Marcus isn¡¯t the leader ¡­ their dad¡¯s a real hardass.


    ¡°Shit¡ªcan¡¯t keep track of one teenage kid,¡± Marcus¡¯ dad dropped into a couch, breathing out an audible sigh.  ¡°Where the hell¡¯s your brother?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s looking around for them.¡±


    ¡°Have you told everyone to get out and hit the streets?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªwe need to keep control of the crowds¡­¡±


    His dad leaned forward.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t take fifteen people to keep cowards in line, think smart, micromanage.¡±  He snapped. ¡°Have Tina and James gather a bunch of the groups together and get everyone else on it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, got it,¡± Marcus muttered, activating his radio to give orders; he told his men to search around their areas, but paused when someone didn¡¯t answer.  ¡°Harris, I need you to keep an eye out for anything by the bridge¡ªHarris, fuck¡ªHarris, if you¡¯re playing with one of those women when I¡¯m talking¡ªI¡¯m gonna cut off your fucking dick.  Harris! Antonio¡ªRodney¡ªfuck, anyone at the supermarket? Hey, Anthony, get over there and figure out what the hell¡¯s going on!¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Anthony stated; Rachel heard him a block away from them.


    Daran appeared out of thin air beside Marcus.  ¡°Shit, where the hell¡ªoh, dad, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Give me a damn radio.¡±  Their dad demanded; he snatched one from a man beside Marcus.  ¡°Scratch that, Anthony; don¡¯t fucking bother. You get with Elis and start patrolling the street; fucking get in the tank and kill anyone who doesn¡¯t fucking get inside.¡±  Shit, they have a tank?  Where the hell did they get that?  From the military raid?


    ¡°Got it, Terrell.¡±


    ¡°Daran, Marcus, let¡¯s fucking hit the supermarket.  Remember, Marcus, defense when we get there, then, Daran, be ready to jump us back¡ªsomething happened to Harris and his boys, so be prepared to fuck someone up.  Let¡¯s get this over with; could be another SEAL team.¡±


    Daran and Marcus breathed out sharply.  ¡°If it¡¯s that damn rabbit then we¡¯ll need to retreat fast.  She hits like a literal fucking truck.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a pussy,¡± Terrell growled.  ¡°If she¡¯s there, then we¡¯ll back off and prepare the group to take her out, but don¡¯t piss your pants.¡±


    ¡°Shit¡ªI ain¡¯t-a pussy!¡±  Marcus grumbled.


    ¡°Then man-up!  Daran, let¡¯s go.¡±  Rachel clicked her tongue, making the Beastkin shift nervously.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Fiona rose with a serious expression.


    ¡°Terrell, Marcus and Daran¡¯s dad, is taking control.  He just teleported over to the supermarket with Daran.  They also have a tank they¡¯re getting set up to patrol the streets.¡±


    ¡°?Tienen un puto tanque del ej¨¦rcito?¡±  Maria¡¯s nose twisted.


    Scarlet breathed a sharp breath through her teeth.  ¡°Where¡¯d they get a tank?¡±


    ¡°Probably from the army raid,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°They plan to check out the supermarket and then retreat if I¡¯m there; they have a plan to gather a few people to deal with me, but I don¡¯t know what it is.  What did you do to the guys there, Scarlet?¡±


    Scarlet sucked on her lip for a moment, looking at the wall.  ¡°Honestly ¡­ I don¡¯t really know what I did. Like I said, it was a bit of a release to get the influence of the Reaper out; it was like I redirected the energy she was feeding me at them.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched for a moment as she listened to Terrell at the scene.  ¡°What the hell happened here? Fucking smells like shit and piss¡­¡±


    ¡°Harris?¡±  Daran asked, walking over to where he¡¯d fallen.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with them?¡±  Marcus muttered. ¡°They¡¯re just sitting there, drooling all over themselves ¡­ it¡¯s like they¡¯re fucking brain dead.  Hey!¡± He smacked Harris.


    A shiver ran down Rachel¡¯s spine as they started mumbling Scarlet¡¯s song in unison.  ¡°I have a tale that time has lost; sins of judgment born of blood.  She took a name from the one profaned; the chosen¡ªknow the dark but let it rest¡­¡±


    ¡°The hell?¡±  Terrell growled.


    ¡°They¡¯re singing your song, Scarlet?¡±  Rachel muttered.


    ¡°What¡ªwhy?  It¡¯s not my song...¡±


    Rachel breathed a heavy sigh.  ¡°I don¡¯t have a clue. The moment they tried talking to them, they started singing.¡±


    Daran sounded a little creeped out as they continued, repeating it soon after finishing.  ¡°What the hell are they singing? Blood of gods and men¡ªthe shit?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t right,¡± Terrell clicked his tongue for a moment.  ¡°Was there any strange shit happening a bit ago? Did they say anything over the radio?¡±


    ¡°No...¡± Marcus cut off as Daran breathed through his teeth.  ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A bunch of the Beastkin in one of the buildings were acting really strange; they were scared shitless of some kind of evil feeling or some shit.  We did have the Fairy Mythickin here...¡±


    ¡°Fuck, she¡¯s not here, and neither are the hostages,¡± Terrell spat on the ground.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t feel fucking right ¡­ Harris, Antonio¡ªfucking Rodney, all of them ¡­ they¡¯re all fucking singing at the same time.  Gotta be some kind of Fairy shit at play ¡­ she had some chick with her, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, some fox chick in business clothes, I think,¡± Daran muttered.


    ¡°Shit, alright, get ready¡­¡±


    Rachel pursed her lips as she turned back to the group.  ¡°I think it¡¯ll be good to get all of you out of here. We¡¯ve spent too much time here anyway.  They think Fiona did that to their men. Scarlet, can you start getting them¡­¡± A shiver ran up her spine as she felt something unseen watching them.  Time slowed as she looked around, senses scanning. Scarlet seemed to have the same feeling; she grew alert as she looked around. I don¡¯t see anything, but I have this creepy feeling of being watched.


    Her eyes widened, and her ears twitched as she heard Terrell curse; his voice slowed with her advanced mental activity.  ¡°Shit¡ªthere¡¯s some big group with the rabbit Mythickin ¡­ you see them, Daran, the Fairy¡¯s there¡ªgrab the fox girl since the boy¡¯s not there.¡±


    ¡°Erica!¡±  Rachel shouted, moving to intercept.


    Everyone stiffened at her quick response and sharp tone; eyes moving from Rachel to Erica as Daran appeared with Marcus behind the woman.  Rachel raced to the honeycomb shell that appeared around the four, separating Erica from the group as the other Beastkin and children shrank away in shock.  The shell was much more consolidated this time, only forming around the four of them in a tight circle. Erica stiffened with shock as Terrell¡¯s large hands closed around her front; Rachel¡¯s fist struck the barrier, causing cracks to break across the dome, but it was much more resilient this time, only making Marcus wince and expel a gasp of air.


    ¡°Hey!¡±  Rachel yelled, but she paused as Terrell took out a long blade; Erica¡¯s body quivered as her breath caught, the knife pressing against her left breast.


    ¡°Ah, ah, ah¡ªso, little Ms. Rabbit¡­¡±


    ¡°Erica!¡±  Fiona darted toward the edge of the barrier in moments.  ¡°Let her go!¡±


    Marcus and Daran surveyed the scene with discomfort.  ¡°There¡¯s some new faces, Maria,¡± Marcus muttered. ¡°What¡¯d you do with your brother?¡±


    Maria rose to her feet.  ¡°Tch, Scarlet?¡±


    Scarlet whispered so only they could hear.  ¡°I can¡¯t teleport in with shadows; they¡¯re too close.  Maybe blood to move them out of the shield, but he could stab her while falling.¡±


    ¡°Please¡­¡±  Erica pleaded


    ¡°Hey, hey¡ªshhh,¡± Terrell grinned, pressing the knife a little deeper to draw a sliver of blood as his arm tightened around her throat, making Erica quake and suck in her breath.  ¡°Maria¡ªjust wondering, but you can¡¯t raise the dead, right? That would be unfortunate ¡­ if I just¡ªslid this into her heart and twisted it around a few times ¡­ how long could you heal her before breaking down my son¡¯s barrier?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes were cold as she glared at them, not a foot away behind the barrier; Fiona¡¯s white aura turned light blue as she lifted her arm; sharp cracking radiated around them as two six foot long ice shards appeared above her.  ¡°And I¡¯ll kill your sons then; you want that trade?¡± She growled, features fierce.


    ¡°Shit,¡± Marcus¡¯ face turned ashen as he stared at the massive spikes of ice, mist frothing off the thin spear-like bodies.


    ¡°Heh,¡± Terrell smirked.  ¡°Don¡¯t piss yourself, Marcus; they won¡¯t do shit.  Maria, I know you¡¯ve got some decent healing magic; just look at that bunny-girl on the couch.¡±  Coral ducked behind the back, quivering. ¡°If you can heal that kind of damage¡­¡± He breathed a hearty chuckle.  ¡°I¡¯m glad this little threat worked; seems your healing gifts aren¡¯t infinite.¡±


    Scarlet shifted a little.  ¡°What about my fear aura?¡± She whispered.  Maria shook her head, glancing around at all the people in the room.  Fuck!  I was too relaxed, reckless ¡­ we should have cleared them out a long time ago.  If they weren¡¯t keeping their barrier so tight then Scarlet could just go in and paralyze them ¡­ I didn¡¯t think they could constrict their barrier.  I was stupid and naive.


    Terrell¡¯s eyes slid to her.  ¡°Alright, Bunny-girl, go ahead and step back.  You too, Fairy, and get rid of that ice.¡± Fiona ground her teeth together as he twirled the knife hilt a little, causing Erica to cry out, tears falling down her cheeks.


    ¡°Fine!¡±  Fiona growled.  Her light blue aura faded; the ice seemed to disperse into shimmering crystals before vanishing.  Rachel followed her back toward Maria and Scarlet as the women ushered the wide-eyed children into the corner beside the reception desk.  There has to be something I can do to help her ¡­ this is the exact situation we were in with Felix.  They probably don¡¯t know about Scarlet¡¯s teleportation abilities ¡­ you¡¯re probably restricting the barrier to strengthen it against me.


    ¡°Everything will be alright,¡± Terrell soothed.  ¡°We¡¯ll let everyone go; I¡¯ve got pretty simple demands.  I want the Fairy, Rabbit, and Maria to heal my cancer. That¡¯s it, and everyone else can go free.  The Fairy messed with my men, the Rabbit hurt my son, and I need to get this cancer cured; I¡¯m a simple man.¡±  This could work.  Scarlet can ¡­ what?


    Terrell¡¯s eyes opened wide as his hands lifted off Erica¡¯s quivering form, knife still clutched in his hand.  ¡°Where the fuck ¡­ the fox vanished! Marcus¡­¡± She¡¯s right in front of him?  Time slowed again as Rachel¡¯s eyes quickly darted to the other Beastkin; they stared at Erica, but their expressions told her that they were as shocked as Terrell.  Illusion Magic?  Scarlet said we have True Sight ¡­ Erica must be using Illusion Magic to trick everyone.


    Making a split second decision as everyone froze, Rachel dashed forward, whirlwind exploding behind her.  They think they¡¯ve lost their advantage.  If I can make them panic, they might retreat; they were already planning on that if things went south.  Twisting as she reached the barrier, she slammed her foot against the shell.


    Marcus doubled over, face sliding across his barrier as it cracked; he was gasping, legs shaking.  Terrell, backed into the shield, eyes wide as he locked vision with her pinkish-red eyes. He couldn¡¯t even get his curse out before Daran grabbed his father and brother, vanishing from view.  Yes!


    Erica¡¯s knees gave way; Rachel quickly supported her, easing her to her butt.  She quaked in her arms, breathing sharply. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. You did it,¡± Rachel soothed.  She broke down into tears as Fiona darted over to hug her neck, crying with her.


    Rachel¡¯s ears picked up their destination soon after they vanished; they were down the street, back in the resort.  ¡°What the fuck?¡± Terrell yelled.


    ¡°What happened?¡±  Daran asked, taking a calming breath.


    Marcus coughed a few times before kicking an object nearby, something shattered across the ground.  ¡°Fuck!¡± He wheezed. ¡°Where¡­¡±


    His father cut him off.  ¡°Where the fuck did the fox go?  She was right in my arms!¡±


    Daran swallowed with a bit of difficulty.  ¡°I don¡¯t¡ªno clue, but they¡¯ll be coming after us now.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Terrell seethed.  ¡°I don¡¯t care about the other hostages in the area; they have some kind of fucked up powers.  Get everyone together and bring several dozen hostages; we need to bunker down.¡± Daran tried saying something, but his dad grabbed him by the collar.  ¡°I want you to bring Conner and Relica here, now! I¡¯m going to keep an eye on them, so don¡¯t bother me until everything¡¯s set up. I need to understand their powers!¡±


    Scarlet breathed a sigh of relief.  ¡°Wow ¡­ I felt so helpless¡­¡±


    ¡°Cowards,¡± Maria huffed.  She walked over to them, her horn appearing as she healed Erica¡¯s cut.  ¡°What are they up to, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°They teleported back to the resort they were at before,¡± she got up, looking over at the kids and women.  ¡°Before that, can we get everyone else out of here, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Scarlet moved over to the group, huddling in the corner.  ¡°Are you guys ready to go to safety?¡±


    They were pale-faced, and a few of the children had begun to cry, but the woman nodded reluctantly.  The Bird-woman swallowed reflexively before looking down at the little girl clinging to her torn pants.  ¡°What¡ªis it going to feel like before?¡±


    Scarlet breathed through her teeth.  ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s nothing I can really do about that feeling¡ªbut you¡¯ll be safe in the military base.¡±  All the women took shuddering breaths before nodding and Scarlet¡¯s blood pooled under them; once it spread below the entire group, they fell through with sharp gasps.


    Rachel clicked her tongue with annoyance as the unnerving feeling of being watched pricked her skin.  ¡°Terrell has some kind of ability to observe us ¡­ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll be good to discuss our different abilities; he¡¯s watching us right now.¡±


    ¡°Friggin ¡­ I just...¡±  Fiona growled as she released Erica.  ¡°Are you okay, Erica?¡± Erica shook her head, sniffing back tears.  Fiona¡¯s teeth were locked as she grasped her head. ¡°I really ¡­ I want to kill him¡ªI do!  I never¡ªhow can I feel this much¡­¡±


    Scarlet moved over to them; her blood flowing around her body.  She bent down to touch Erica¡¯s shoulder, making her flinch. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay, Erica.  Are you ready to get out of this place?¡±


    It took a moment for her to answer.  ¡°Yeah,¡± she said hoarsely.


    ¡°Will you be joining her?¡±  Scarlet looked up at Fiona with a frown.


    ¡°I¡ªI want to make him pay¡­¡±  Fiona muttered in confusion.


    Humming, Scarlet rose to her level.  ¡°I can sense your emotions ¡­ they really are violent.¡±


    ¡°Fiona?¡±  Erica whispered.  ¡°We should¡ªwe should just go¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Fiona groaned.  ¡°I know¡ªbut I just¡ªI feel so angry ¡­ I want to burn¡ªbreak¡ªI want to hurt him for everything¡ªthe kids, men, you¡ªI was bottling everything up when it was happening, but¡ªit all happened¡ªright in front of me¡­¡±


    Erica¡¯s brow furrowed with concern as she began to get control of herself.  ¡°But ¡­ what¡ªI don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Maria puffed out a breath as she looked at Coral, trembling on the sofa.  ¡°Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±  Her blood quickly moved to transport the entire couch with Coral on it; she vanished without a sound, her blood returning to her side.


    Rachel cracked her neck.  ¡°Alright, honestly¡ªI don¡¯t mind you tagging along, Fiona.  We all have our own beef with Marcus and his gang; we have a few priorities though.  You could go off on your own; I won¡¯t stop you, but if you want to join us, then that¡¯s fine too¡ªyou¡¯re more than strong enough to hold your own.¡±


    Everyone was silent as Fiona thought, hovering several more feet into the air; it almost seemed like she was unconscious of the action.  ¡°I¡ªever since I ate that sugar¡ªsomething¡¯s different¡ªin me¡ªI just feel different. I mean, I¡¯m Irish¡ªI¡¯m not scared of a fight or anything; we grew up tough¡ªit¡¯s different though ¡­ I just¡ªI feel like I need to do something¡­¡±


    Maria chuckled, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.  ¡°We¡¯ve all changed, Ni?a de hadas. If you¡¯re feeling like throwing a punch, don¡¯t fight it, just throw it¡ªdeal with the consequences later.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible advice,¡± Scarlet sighed.


    ¡°It is what it is,¡± Maria grinned as she leaned up against a pillar.  ¡°Give an inch, they take the barrio¡ªgotta react fast, chica; gotta set an example.  You need to do something, do it. Same thing with friends; don¡¯t hide shit, always be real.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m with you, Maria, but we have other priorities right now.¡±  She looked up at Fiona. ¡°Like I said, Fiona, if you want to join us then I¡¯m fine with it, but we have priorities.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get to them though ¡­ right?¡±  Fiona asked with heat back in her tone.


    Rachel¡¯s features turned cold.  ¡°Yes.¡± I can¡¯t tell if this change in me is a blessing or a curse...


    ¡°Alright,¡± Fiona folded her arms as she floated down to Erica.  ¡°I¡¯m going to stay with them and make sure they can¡¯t hurt anyone else.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I feel like I need to do this,¡± Fiona pressed.  ¡°After all I¡¯ve seen¡­¡±


    Erica looked down, fingers intertwined.  ¡°I still don¡¯t¡ªyou shouldn¡¯t go ¡­ I guess I can¡¯t make you change your mind though.  I¡¯m not okay with it, but ¡­ just make sure you¡¯re safe...¡±


    Fiona smiled encouragingly.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, look!¡±  She lifted her arms; her aura lit red as a massive fireball blazed into existence, expelling hot air around the area.  ¡°I¡¯ve got all these new powers. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Taking a shuddering breath, Erica shook her head mournfully.  ¡°Rachel¡ªwas that your name?¡± She nodded, watching Fiona¡¯s aura fade with the inferno.  ¡°Rachel, please make sure nothing happens to Fiona ¡­ I¡­¡± She sniffed back tears. ¡°She¡¯s not a gangster or anything¡ªshe¡¯s a singer, a streamer¡­¡±


    ¡°I can take care of myself¡­¡±  Fiona grumbled.


    Rachel smiled.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Erica.¡±  She turned, ¡°Scarlet.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s blood quickly spread out below Erica, and she dropped through it, staring at Fiona with concern.  ¡°Be careful¡­¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s blood returned to her as she folded her arms, looking at Rachel.  ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 19. Prep-Game

    Rachel shifted her pants a little to better position her tail.  ¡°Alright, Scarlet, do you remember what Mateo asked us to do?¡± We need to get things back under control; I need to do better at getting the information we need, but Terrell¡¯s gang just talk about crude things.  They¡¯re not giving up any important information.


    ¡°Umm, yeah?¡±  Her eyes widened.  ¡°Oh, right, we¡¯re being watched.¡±  Her eyes turned Vampiric as she looked around the area.  ¡°You know how my eyes work ¡­ do you have any clues?¡±


    Maria leaned back against the pillar as Rachel continued to scan for information.  ¡°We going to do that before transporting all the people above us? I guess they¡¯re in no big danger at this moment, but that could change.¡±


    Fiona floated over to the bag of sugar, disappearing inside.  ¡°Oh, people are hiding above us? So, what¡¯s up with you guys?  You just going around saving everyone?¡± She began eating more sugar as she listened to the conversation continue.


    ¡°Give me a second,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°Maria, could you explain it to her¡ªI¡¯m a little distracted.¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°What more do you want to know?  We were here to save my little hermano and found this mess.  I¡¯m not about bullies or terrorists; if someone¡¯s being a dick in front of me, then I¡¯ll call it out.  Is what it is.¡±


    Fiona shifted a little in the bag.  ¡°I get that¡ªthese guys are like, murderers and rapists; most people would run the opposite way.  Does that have something to do with your change?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say so,¡± Rachel muttered.  ¡°Things here were a lot worse than we thought¡ªafter seeing what Marcus and his gang did to Coral, that Bunny-girl¡ªnone of this sits right with me.¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not the full truth,¡± Maria frowned.


    Scarlet grimaced.  ¡°Your parents?¡±


    Maria¡¯s brow creased as she turned to Scarlet.  ¡°What¡¯s her parents got to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°That lie detection is a bit annoying,¡± Rachel grumbled.  ¡°Could we not discuss our personal lives with eyes on us? We have more important things to focus on.¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°Sure, whatever. So, what¡¯s the¡­¡± she scowled as she looked around the area.  ¡°Being watched is pissing me off! Makes me feel like I have to watch my tongue ¡­ maldito odio eso.¡±


    Rachel hummed thoughtfully.  Wait, now that all the Beastkin and kids are gone ¡­ we might as well test it.  ¡°Scarlet, there might be a way to shake the fly in the room¡ªwhat about releasing your aura?¡±


    A smile lit Maria¡¯s features.  ¡°Oh, right, I get you¡ªI¡¯d like to see Terrell¡¯s face if he was hit by that.¡±


    Fiona swallowed another mouthful of sugar.  ¡°Aura?¡±


    Scarlet hummed uncertainly.  ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t know ¡­ what about Fiona?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a Mythickin,¡± Rachel pursed her lips for a moment.  ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll have some kind of resistance.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s head poked out of the bag, small grains of sugar powdering her white hair and face.  ¡°Wait, what¡¯s going on? I need resistance to something? Oh ¡­ okay, I think I know what you mean.  That feeling I had earlier, right?¡±


    ¡°Worth a shot,¡± Maria folded her arms.  ¡°If it¡¯s too much, I can shield her against it, but just a heads up, I¡¯ve been healing a lot lately.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Rachel nodded at Scarlet.


    Scarlet breathed out a big puff of air before her eyes turned crimson.  ¡°Okay¡­¡± Rachel¡¯s ears stiffened; a slight shiver ran down her spine as a grin split her lips; she heard every detail of Terrell¡¯s experience.


    Terrell gasped, tumbling to the ground.  ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Marcus and Daran stiffened in shock.


    Marcus leaped to his feet, dropping his radio.  ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re covered in sweat?  What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°That¡ªwhat the fuck is that black-haired demon?  She fucking turned into¡ªI don¡¯t know how the fuck to ¡­ she just turned into a monster¡ªthe fucking devil!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±  Marcus moved in, but his dad slapped him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking touch me!  Fuck¡ªshit! What the hell did you piss off?¡±


    Daran¡¯s voice had calmed.  ¡°Dad? You¡¯re talking about the black-haired girl with the pointed ears?  She turned into a devil?¡±


    ¡°Fuck if I know¡­¡±  Terrell gasped. ¡°That¡¯s the closest fucking thing I can ¡­ shit, Daran, fuck!  Where the hell is Conner and Relica?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re just about here with the group of hostages¡­¡±  Daran cut off as Terrell shouted.


    ¡°Fucking shit mother fucking ass bitches!  This is fucking wrong! What the fuck are we dealing with?  Marcus, what are we fucking dealing with? What did you piss off?¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Marcus shrank back.  ¡°Dad, what the fuck¡ªwe just went over to the hospital, like you said¡ªto get Maria¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck about Maria!  What about that fucking black-haired thing¡­¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t see her at the hospital with them.¡±  Daran cut in. ¡°This was the first time we saw her.¡±


    ¡°That thing ¡­ that¡¯s not a fucking her¡­¡±  Terrell coughed and spat before taking a deep breath.  ¡°Fuck¡ªit wasn¡¯t the fucking Fairy that did that to Harris and his men ¡­ it was that fucking thing.  Shit¡ªshit!¡± He swallowed. ¡°Okay¡ªthink¡ªfucking think¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad, what did¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up¡ªI need to fucking figure out how the hell we¡¯re gonna get out of this ¡­ the rabbit said it was an aura¡ªthey¡¯re resistant¡ªshe must be one of those fucking Mythickin ¡­ how many fucking Mythickin are there?  The Fairy even has a ton of power now ¡­ what fucking changed¡ªshe was a powerless insect? Shit ¡­ okay, they can¡¯t use that damned aura or whatever the fuck it is around hostages, but now I can¡¯t fucking spy on them.¡±


    He took another deep breath.  ¡°We can work with this ¡­ she couldn¡¯t do anything with your shield around us and if we have hostages with Conner and Relica around ¡­ it¡¯ll be fine.  Fuck, we need to deal with them though¡ªwe¡¯ve been pushed back to a single location, and they somehow know if I¡¯m fucking looking at them...¡±


    Maria¡¯s grin rose as the watchful presence faded.  ¡°Look at that.¡±


    Fiona shivered a little but looked at Scarlet with a hint of confusion.  ¡°Okay, you certainly feel a little creepy, but it¡¯s not that bad.¡±


    A thought struck Rachel as she continued to listen to Terrell¡¯s reaction.  ¡°Oh, I think I understand how your Fear Aura works, Scarlet. I think I know why Mythickin aren¡¯t affected that much by it too.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Scarlet sat in a chair with a short puff of air as she deactivated her aura, eyes returning to blue.  ¡°Do tell.¡±


    ¡°Terrell¡¯s freaking out right now about you turning into some kind of unspeakable devil that he can¡¯t even explain; it¡¯s almost like an illusion¡ªbut it¡¯s also targeting the mind, so there has to be more to it, but I believe our True Sight counters it.¡±


    ¡°So he is freaking out!  That made my day,¡± Maria chuckled.  ¡°Nice one, Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona said with a vindictive chuckle.  ¡°He¡¯s got a lot more to answer for though.¡± Her personality seems to have changed since eating sugar.  Is that her Fairy nature coming out, similar to Scarlet¡¯s Vampire nature?  The way Scarlet talked after she became uncorrupted ¡­ after she¡¯d tasted live human blood, and now the Fairy that¡¯s eaten sugar or her equivalent.  Was it the same for me with the moon? Did I really start to change the moment moonlight touched me? Perhaps there are stages to this change.


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as she found the SEALs.  ¡°Got them; they¡¯re being escorted by a few gang members along the street,¡± she paused as the sharp sound of an engine starting made her wince.  ¡°I think the tank is near them ¡­ they just started it.¡± She pointed in the direction, a few buildings to the right of Terrell.


    ¡°Got it,¡± Scarlet looked in that direction as her blood discharged from her body.


    Her skin started to prickle as the urge for action shot down her spine; the tank was moving to position in front of Marcus¡¯ building.  Can I rip into a tank?  What about picking it up?  Her heart rate elevated.  I¡¯m actually getting excited about this.  She licked her lips with anticipation.  ¡°So, I think we¡¯ve actually waited enough,¡± she trailed off for a moment as she watching Fiona duck back into the bag.  Is she an addict now?  I guess I can¡¯t talk; I feel high just standing under the moon.


    ¡°Go on¡­¡±  Maria pressed.


    She took a deep breath as Scarlet¡¯s blood pooled into a portal a few feet above the ground; it had thinned to a very thin disk as it expanded.  ¡°Let¡¯s grab the SEALs and have them escort the people in the buildings across the bridge. We¡¯ll draw attention by just walking down the street right for Terrell.¡±


    Maria¡¯s grin widened.  ¡°Oh? Getting itchy to throw some punches?¡±


    Scarlet hummed as the men dropped out of the portal with sharp gasps of air; they had purple and blue bruises and more than one nasty cut.  However, the moment they dropped out of the blood, their eyes were alert, ready for action.


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡±  A man muttered as he appraised the four Mythickin.  There were fifteen men, eyes quick to scan their surroundings.


    Scarlet¡¯s blood returned to her as she held up her hands.  ¡°Hey, hey, it¡¯s okay! We¡¯re friends with ¡­ crap, I forgot his name¡­¡±


    Rachel finished her statement.  ¡°Cameron; he¡¯s a Green Beret ¡­ he asked if we could help rescue you.¡±


    The men were silent as they studied them for a moment.  ¡°Huh,¡± a big Latino man muttered. ¡°Know Cameron, do ya?¡±


    An even bigger African American man rose to his feet, vision shifting to Scarlet for a moment, he cracked his neck and flexed his back.  ¡°Chief, you know what they¡¯re talking about.¡±


    The Chief popped his tongue.  ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re saying a buddy of mine in the Green Berets sent them.  I haven¡¯t heard from him in a week though.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rachel took a deep breath as she rolled her neck; their gazes shifted to her.  ¡°My name¡¯s Rachel, and the four of us are Mythickin.¡± She heard the men¡¯s muscles tighten.  They¡¯re Military, of course they¡¯d assume the worst ¡­ I¡¯d probably do the same thing in their shoes.  ¡°We¡¯re not like the Seattle Vampire ¡­ I can smell the unease and hear your tense muscles.¡±


    ¡°Well damn¡­¡± One of the men muttered.


    The African American seemed to take control as he straightened, holding up his hands.  ¡°Okay, mind freeing us then? You said four, but I only see three of you.¡± They¡¯re going to just accept it?  Well, I guess they¡¯re highly trained men; adapt to the situation.


    ¡°Oh!  That¡¯s me.¡±  Fiona poked her head out from the bag.  ¡°Sorry, just¡ªthis stuff¡¯s really addicting ¡­ my head¡¯s feeling a little fuzzy¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Maria scratched the back of her head.  ¡°Hey, peque?a hada, you might want to hang off on that sugar rush¡­¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± one of the men muttered.


    Another nodded.  ¡°Yeah, Jolo, I think I¡¯ve seen it all now ¡­ Captain?¡±  He turned to the African American man.


    Fiona hummed as she massaged her forehead.  ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right ¡­ but ¡­ just a little more?¡±


    ¡°Listen to yourself,¡± Maria muttered.  ¡°Repeat what you just said¡­¡±


    ¡°I just said ¡­ oh, okay, maybe I am a little ¡­ but I have to eat it to live!  Man ¡­ I really do sound like an addict ¡­ but like, it¡¯s like an addiction to air!¡±


    Rachel chuckled a little with a few of the men, tension easing.  ¡°I think the statement here is moderation, Fiona.¡±


    She puffed out her cheeks before sighing.  ¡°Alright ¡­ I get it.¡± She began to glow white as her wings appeared and she rose out of the bag, sugar coating her body.  She looked down with a conflicted expression, but after a moment''s thought radiated green as a gust of wind blew off the sugar grains.  ¡°Fine, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°Ready for?¡±  The Captain asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to free the other hostages; Scarlet, could you cut the zip-ties off them?¡±


    They shrank back as Scarlet¡¯s blood snaked out of her body.  ¡°No, it¡¯s totally fine ¡­ I know it doesn¡¯t look fine though¡­¡±


    They froze as the blood moved to their restraints and slid through them like butter; forming around their hands, but not touching; the zip-ties were cut into tiny slivers before her blood returned.  A few men muttered curses.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to argue,¡± Rachel stated.  ¡°The gang¡¯s pissed and scared; they¡¯re bunkering down since we showed up and took out their forward base at the supermarket.¡±  Why am I talking like a soldier now?  It just seems natural to speak to them in this manner right now ¡­ odd?  ¡°There are a lot of people scared, hiding above us and in the surrounding buildings.  We¡¯ll draw their attention and give you the opportunity to guide the people to your base across the bridge.  I¡¯ve heard several law enforcement officers around the area trying to keep groups calm, you can use them to help organize a retreat.  They were scared about going out in public, but if you show up and tell them it¡¯s clear and the gang is being held up, they¡¯ll leave.¡±


    The Captain, looked up for a moment, popping his tongue before swallowing.  ¡°I want to object and take out that gang ourselves¡ªit is our mission, but you¡¯ve shown some strange powers.¡±  His eyes lowered to appraise Rachel. ¡°How do I know you can do what needs to be done? This isn¡¯t a normal catch and jail scenario, this is Martial Law; there are prison riots happening across the nation with powered people killing hundreds of people.  Lethal force has to be used right now to keep order¡ªyou¡¯re not soldiers. How can you do what needs to be done and not lock up under pressure?¡±


    Maria huffed, drawing their eyes.  ¡°There¡¯s two bodies in the next room, drained of blood as proof; how about several men in the supermarket that are basically insane now?¡±


    Scarlet stiffened as she glared at Maria.  ¡°Hey¡ªI didn¡¯t,¡± she cut off, looking down as her shoulders sagged with defeat.  ¡°Yeah, I did it. I¡¯m a Vampire,¡± she hesitated for a moment with their sudden spike of fear.  ¡°Not the crazy evil kind ¡­ well,¡± she rubbed her left shoulder as they studied her warily. ¡°I¡¯m working on my urges ¡­ I can channel¡ªI don¡¯t kill just everyone I come across.¡±  She sighed, folding down her ears. ¡°Crap¡ªnow I sound like a monster¡­¡±


    Rachel walked over and patted her on the back comfortingly.  ¡°Hey, no, you¡¯re fine, Scarlet.¡± She looked back at the stiff men, scratching her left ear as it twitched.  They¡¯re planning on using the tank to try and flush us out, attacking at random.  Guess Terrell¡¯s concluded we care about people; it¡¯s not a hard stretch, but they¡¯re scared of Scarlet¡¯s blood teleportation.  They¡¯ve become surprisingly quiet. ¡°They¡¯re planning on using the tank they stole from the Army to attack the surrounding area.¡±


    ¡°Shit ¡­ when, and how do you know?¡±  It¡¯s getting a little old having to tell everyone I have really good hearing.


    ¡°My ears ¡­ look, we¡¯re going to go deal with the tank, and then save the people that are held hostage.  If you can finish escorting all these people out of the area before we deal with Terrell and his gang, then you¡¯re more than welcome to join us, but you don¡¯t even have any weapons right now.¡±


    The captain worked around his jaw as one of his men came up to whisper in his ear.  ¡°Cap, I should be able to make contact with HQ from the phone back there.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± Rachel moved toward the exit doors.  It¡¯ll be best to be direct and firm.  ¡°You contact HQ and get some back-up.  Captain Mateo, a Green Beret, and the Lieutenant General overseeing the area know what we¡¯re doing; tell your commander that they¡¯re concentrating their men around the resort with the tank.  Maria, before we go, would it take that much energy to heal them?¡±


    Maria hummed as she studied the men.  ¡°No, they¡¯re just bruised¡ªa few fractures.¡±  Her horn appeared as she healed them.


    ¡°Damn¡­¡±  The men looked down at their wounds as they faded in blazing light.


    The Captain shook his head with reserve as he looked between the four of them.  ¡°A damned crazy world we¡¯ve entered¡­¡±


    Rachel grabbed the door and opened it partially before turning back, Fiona, Scarlet, and Maria joining her; the moon in sight again.  Her skin began to tingle as her worries faded and a confident smile spread across her face. ¡°To get the point across,¡± her fingers pressed into the rolled steel frame, making it screech before tugging, breaking it off the hinges.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡±  Several of the men muttered.


    Grasping both sides of the door, she began to crush it, glass shattering around her.  ¡°We¡¯re a lot stronger than you think.¡± She tossed the door aside as her three companions followed.


    ¡°Dang,¡± Fiona giggled.  ¡°That was pretty awesome, but it¡¯s also destruction of private property.  I would hate it if my door was crushed¡­¡±


    Maria chuckled.  ¡°Sets the tone though, doubt they¡¯ll try to stop us now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Scarlet moaned, glancing back as they descended the stairs.  ¡°Was that a wise idea, Rachel? What if they tell the Military we¡¯re dangerous and volatile?¡±  It¡¯s kind of ironic that Scarlet would be the one voicing her concerns the most, but I guess she¡¯s fairly self-conscious about her image.  It¡¯s no wonder ... everyone sees her as an absolute monster.


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. They already had a negative image of us; they know that we are powerful and if they understand we¡¯re not afraid to use it then they¡¯ll be more cautious about how they treat us.  All they know right now is that we¡¯re determined to save the hostages and we have credible feats to back it up. We also have people that voice their support, such as Mateo and his troop.¡± She listened to the soldiers securing the area as their communications expert tried dialing into headquarters.  ¡°We did what we could,¡± a smile lit her lips, ¡°now for the tank.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Maria frowned.  ¡°How do you wanna play this?  I checked my shoes earlier¡ªthe grip is in bad shape ¡­ what¡¯s left of the rubber.¡±


    Rachel nodded with a short sigh.  ¡°Yeah, I was hoping it would last longer; they¡¯re quality products, but they weren¡¯t designed for the speeds we¡¯re running at¡ªit was only a matter of time before they broke.¡±  And I can go much faster if I can get some decent gripping shoes ¡­ that will last.  I can feel it in my muscles ¡­ faster, but for shorter times. She stopped at the edge of the corner.  ¡°So, this street will take us straight to the tank and their hotel.  Terrell seems super keen on two people in particular that he believes can handle us.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±  Fiona hovered to the edge of the building, peering around the corner.  ¡°He thinks just two people can handle all four of us? He has to know I stayed behind.¡±


    Rachel folded her arms.  ¡°Well, he¡¯s now writing down information, so I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s figured out I can hear them.  I¡¯ve heard a bit about the two; they¡¯re contractors that he¡¯s used in the past, and everyone¡¯s pretty scared of them, but won¡¯t talk about them too much.  We don¡¯t have that much time before Terrell tries to draw us out too.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes turned Vampiric as she looked down the road.  ¡°Alright ¡­ I¡¯m with Maria though; how do you want to deal with the tank?  Should we just teleport in and take it out?¡±


    ¡°That would be the most effective method,¡± Rachel muttered.  We could sabotage the tank and do everything in secret, but I don¡¯t want to do it that way and there are other obstacles ¡­ for some reason I want to be open about it.  Who¡¯s to say we can¡¯t do both then? It¡¯s probable that it has something to do with being a Lunar Hare, but I don¡¯t want to hide ¡­ odd since¡ªwell, I guess it¡¯s not that odd; my power comes from how bright the moon is, not how well I can hide, but being in open moonlight.


    ¡°But?¡±  Fiona hummed curiously, waiting for her response.


    Rachel scratched her nose.  ¡°Right, well, they have snipers posted on the roofs and in buildings; I doubt they¡¯re great shots, but who knows.  If I draw their attention, Fiona, Scarlet, can you take the men out? Subdue or kill them; doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± Huh, it¡¯s not that it¡¯s right ¡­ I just don¡¯t care about them.  Has Nam changed as much as me? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the tank, I¡¯ll handle it.  They have hostages with the snipers, mostly children.¡±


    ¡°Figures,¡± Fiona huffed darkly as she began to glow green.  ¡°I can use wind to protect them, though I might stand out, so I¡¯ll have to fly really high and come down from above.¡±  Her eyes lit up. ¡°I could be like air support!¡±


    They chuckled a little and Rachel shook her head.  ¡°Maybe another time, but we just need to save the kids and neutralize the snipers first.  Scarlet can spot them pretty easily with her eyes; you can teleport with Fiona and rescue the kids.¡±


    Fiona pursed her lips as she twisted a few times in the air, floating ahead of the group a tad, smile beaming.  ¡°Okay, that seems fun too.¡± Fun?  I don¡¯t know what she was like before but from Erica¡¯s behavior, Fiona has changed a lot.  It¡¯s really something I should take into consideration; how much more will we change?


    Rachel continued to debrief them on the knowledge she¡¯d gained.  ¡°The two contractors names are Conner and Relica; they¡¯re not exactly friends, but more like associates.  Relica seems to be beautiful, but the gangsters are terrified of her; they mention something about her having monsters and being a monster herself.  Conner¡¯s more straight-forward and someone said he¡¯s invincible.¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± Scarlet sighed.  ¡°Someone that¡¯s invincible and someone that has monsters under her control and is a monster herself ¡­ doesn¡¯t sound too bad, right?¡±


    ¡°I wonder if he can survive without air?¡±  Fiona hummed mischievously. ¡°I can think of some creative ways to test that invincibility.¡±


    Maria hurried to block them off, forcing everyone to stop.  ¡°Wait, hold up, chicas ¡­ what about me?¡± She folded her arms with a deep scowl.


    ¡°Eh,¡± Rachel rubbed her neck, examining Maria¡¯s determined glare.  ¡°You¡¯re¡ªkind of a healer or doctor ¡­ I don¡¯t think it would be good for you to¡ªbe out in the open.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Maria¡¯s penetrating silver eyes narrowed.  ¡°You saying I¡¯m on standby? Ain¡¯t happenin¡¯!  I¡¯ll just walk up with you; I don¡¯t hide.¡± Well, maybe it¡¯s her street personality or Unicorn nature ¡­ who knows.  It could be both for all I know; plus, she still wants revenge for her brother.  It¡¯s not like I have an obligation to keep her safe or tell her want to do either; if they choose to follow what I say, then great, but I can¡¯t expect them to follow me without question.  Why did I even take command? Whatever...


    ¡°Fine,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°You can¡¯t react as fast as me though ¡­ what if you get shot?¡±


    Maria huffed.  ¡°Look, I ain¡¯t scared of nobody.  I get shot, I¡¯ll just heal myself, sencillo.¡±


    ¡°Does it work like that?¡±  Fiona asked with interest, hovering down to examine Maria¡¯s faint glow; it had decreased significantly since the previous night.  Fiona¡¯s right, we barely know anything about our abilities; her powers enhance and are recharged by the Sun, according to the information The Reaper of Blood fed Scarlet, anyways.  That may even be wrong. How can I be so calm, but so reckless? I¡¯m way more detached than before my change too.


    She cracked her neck with a slight groan.  ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯ll handle it when it comes.  Maria¡¯s healing has been pretty powerful already.¡±  That makes me wonder how she¡¯ll change once she¡¯s in sunlight?  Will her personality shift again, like with Fiona, Scarlet, and me?  Scarlet stiffened as information fed back into Rachel¡¯s ears.


    ¡°They¡¯re tying children to the tank!¡±  Scarlet seethed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll really need you guys to hustle with getting those snipers taken care of.¡±  Rachel frowned. They are such cowards.  She felt the heat rise in her chest.  It¡¯s good that we didn¡¯t just rush in because they have way too many men and hostages; we¡¯d have caused a massacre, but we¡¯re also taking too long to plan a rescue.  Although, I guess we¡¯re doing pretty good since we¡¯ve never been trained for this kind of thing. Wait, Relica¡¯s starting to talk¡­


    Relica¡¯s voice was lush.  ¡°Honestly, Marcus, this writing game is rather dull.  If you¡¯re offering this much for their heads then I¡¯m interested though; are you listening, little Rabbit?  I¡¯d love to see what you have to offer.¡±


    ¡°Relica¡­¡±  Terrell growled.


    Conner chuckled, sitting in a chair next to Relica.  ¡°Hey, hey, Terrell, dude, don¡¯t sweat it. If you would have offered these prices from the start then you wouldn¡¯t be in this spot.  From what you¡¯ve told us, this rabbit has me interested; if she¡¯s really as strong as you say then I¡¯d love to make her an exclusive.¡±


    ¡°Hey now,¡± Relica hummed.  ¡°If you get an exclusive then I¡¯d like to mark one myself.  This black-haired demon caught my attention.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Terrell muttered.  ¡°I don¡¯t care who does what, but I want them gone.¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°Okay, they have realized my hearing and both of them are deciding who gets to kill us.¡±


    ¡°How arrogant,¡± Fiona huffed.  ¡°Are they even taking us seriously?¡±


    ¡°No, and I¡¯m a bit annoyed about that too,¡± Rachel stated, noticing everyone¡¯s frown.  ¡°Maria and I will run over there¡ªnot as fast as last time.¡± She added, catching Maria¡¯s grimace as she glanced down at her shoes.  ¡°Scarlet and Fiona, you two start taking them out. They can¡¯t radio in; they¡¯re on a two-minute radio check, so you¡¯ll have to be quick.  Do you see all of them?¡± Scarlet took a few more seconds to scan through the surrounding buildings before nodding. ¡°Alright, the next radio check ends in twenty-three, twenty-two¡­¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 20. Killer Instinct

    Rachel finished the count as Fiona sat on Scarlet¡¯s shoulder; they vanished in shadows, Fiona making a peace sign with a bright smile.  ¡°See you on the other side!¡±


    Maria lifted her arms, stretching her back with a short yawn.  ¡°Alright, ¨¢ndele.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Rachel ran out from behind the wall, listening to Scarlet and Fiona begin their assault while Relica and Conner discussed their strategy.  Seriously, what are the odds of two different Conner¡¯s causing me problems ¡­ well, I guess it¡¯s not an unpopular name.


    ¡°Terrell, you want us to just hang out here?  How does that make sense?¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± Terrell leaned back in his chair.  ¡°I want their heads, but I want to live as well.  They can teleport.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I completely understand.¡±  Relica cooed. ¡°What¡¯s to stop them from just zipping in and killing you when we leave.  Especially considering that rabbit can hear us talking right now ¡­ such a naughty girl.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll come to us,¡± Terrell growled as a walkie-talkie fuzzed.  ¡°Corey, how¡¯s it looking out front?¡±


    ¡°Tank¡¯s up, everyone¡¯s checked in ¡­ wait.  Well, shit¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±  Terrell¡¯s throat seemed to have gone dry.


    Rachel and Maria raced down the street, Rachel matching Maria¡¯s pace.  She seems to take so long to start ramping up, but I know it¡¯s just my perception.  Scarlet and Fiona are making quick work of the snipers; I didn¡¯t even have to tell her, she¡¯s just transporting the children back toward the bridge.  It also seems like the SEALs are getting things moving.


    Maria moved to run beside her, eyes scanning ahead; Rachel followed her gaze as the tank came into view.  Corey caught sight of them as they advanced. The massive body of steel was impressive, and its long barrel was aimed in their direction.  Kids were strapped to various parts of the tank, they seemed to be out of tears because they didn¡¯t make a sound. There were several men with children in their grasp, guns pointing at various fatal spots while the hotel entrance was obscured by eighteen-wheelers carrying large shipping containers.  They tried to make a barricade?


    Rachel began to slow, Maria matching her.  I knew it would turn out like this.  Did they make a plan to shoot us with the tank while using the kids as hostages?  Seems rather simplistic; if I can avoid it then I¡¯d rather save the kids, but I¡¯m not going to let myself get blown up for it.  A hostage is only worth what the opposing faction deems their value; I might have to sacrifice a few lives to save the many, but I doubt that¡¯s the scope of their plan.  Terrell probably is using this show to give the snipers time to shoot us. Too bad for him we already know about all of that.


    Rachel stopped twenty meters away from the tank.  Scarlet and Fiona are just about finished.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got eyes on the rabbit and Maria; they¡¯re heading right for us.¡±


    ¡°Fucking put a gun to a kids head then!¡±  Terrell yelled.


    Relica giggled.  ¡°Well, this is starting to get exciting!  Should we head out?¡±


    Maria glared at the scene; she folded her arms before looking down to examine her shoes with a grimace.  ¡°I swear it¡¯s going to fall apart soon.¡± She muttered.


    Corey shifted the gun in his hand, barrel pressing into a little boy¡¯s shirt-back.  ¡°I think they get the picture; they¡¯re slowing down. I don¡¯t see the Fairy and Demon-girl.  Hey,¡± he yelled, gesturing to them with a nod. ¡°Get on the floor, or the kids die!¡±


    ¡°You that scared of two girls, culo cobarde perras!¡±  Maria spat.


    ¡°I said get on the floor!  Shit,¡± he muttered. ¡°Where the fuck are¡­¡±  His eyes darted up to a few sniper positions.


    ¡°Maria,¡± Rachel whispered.  ¡°I think it¡¯ll be best to put some distance between us.¡±  She huffed, but slowly moved off a few meters to her right.


    Two of the men holding girls stiffened.  ¡°The fuck you doing?¡±


    ¡°He said to get on the ground!¡±  His hand tightened around a girl¡¯s wrist, making her wince, but she didn¡¯t cry out.


    Rachel saw a few bruises, but for the most part, the kids were unharmed.  The kids look dead inside.  What did they do to them?


    The tank barrel slowly lined up with Rachel.  Scarlet just took out the last one ¡­ all the kids are safe on their end.


    Corey stuffed his gun in the front of his pants, grabbing the boy around the neck, he unclipped a radio with his free hand.  ¡°What the fuck are you all doing? Hey¡ªTeddy? Shit¡ªTerrell...¡±


    ¡°Oh, how unexpected.¡±  Relica hummed.


    Terrell breathed out a heavy sigh.  ¡°Not a single one responding ¡­ that fucking ¡­ how the fuck are we supposed to plan something when they can listen in on every move we make?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, Terrell.¡±  Conner chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s actually getting interesting.¡±


    ¡°Interesting?¡±  Marcus muttered to his brother beside him.  ¡°They¡¯re fucking destroying the entire gang.  How are we supposed to keep territory when our numbers are being shredded?¡±


    Daren cleared his throat.  ¡°I¡¯m with my brother; we can¡¯t keep losing men, dad...¡±


    ¡°What the hell do you want me to do?  If I send someone out there, then they¡¯ll just teleport here and kill us!¡±  His voice darkened. ¡°Caleb¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as she heard Scarlet talking to Fiona.  ¡°You have some awesome powers! Making the wind carry the kids so they¡¯ll gently go through the blood portal is pretty cool.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m super impressed with that paralysis touch!  They can¡¯t do a thing the moment you appear behind them.  You¡¯re a real assassin! Your blood just sticks through them like butter too; super fast kills.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, think we should head down and join Rachel now?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªprobably not,¡± Fiona growled lowly.  ¡°She¡¯s drawing the attention. We can wait for a good chance to strike Terrell and the others.  Rachel seemed pretty confident; I think she can handle the front.¡± Rachel smirked. Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I don¡¯t think I can kill all of these guys fast enough .  Without more grip, I can¡¯t accelerate nearly as fast as I feel I can go. I know I could save most of the kids, but not all of them; what options do I have?


    Her eyes widened as Terrell said Caleb¡¯s name and the man inside the tank began to move.  His tone ¡­ is he telling him to fire?  Rachel reacted, accelerating sharply to the left; her environment slowed.  Maria noticed her change in demeanor, her muscles were tightening to move while the other gang members¡¯ hands left the kids to cover their ears.  They may know a little about my hearing, but they don¡¯t know about my accelerated mind; there¡¯s no way a projectile could hit me if I have warning.  It may move faster than me, but I can react faster than the human that aims the weapon. It¡¯s a perfect chance to use as a smokescreen.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened as the tank fired; she saw double before her vision darkened.  She was on the ground, head ringing. What just¡­  She shook her head, hair flinging around as she pressed a hand against her forehead.  Her left elbow shifted against the ground to right herself; her vision was still swimming as she looked around, swallowing.  I just ¡­ the sound ¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­


    A warm, peaceful sensation filled her and her confounded thoughts cleared.  Maria¡­  Her vision snapped back into focus as the tank barrel locked onto her position again.  How can I protect myself from that massive sound?  No, Maria can help me recover, but I need to take out that tank!  What did that sound do to the kids?


    Rachel¡¯s ears shifted as the sounds around her clarified.  ¡°Shit¡ªhow the hell do you put a new round in?¡±


    ¡°Fucking use the tank guns!  She dodged, Randy!¡±


    Looking up, Rachel found a man shaking atop the tank, small clouds of dust billowing around the area still.  He¡¯s in shock with the force the tank just caused.  Rushing into action as the men around her tried to recover, Rachel¡¯s jaw snapped shut; most of the children had either fainted or were in shock.


    Reaching the tank in seconds, she jumped up, finding herself hanging much longer in the air.  She landed against the upper armored ring of the gunner¡¯s seat; her legs took the impact, stopping her acceleration.  Balancing herself, she threw out a punch at the man¡¯s head between the guard; he didn¡¯t even look at her as he stared straight ahead, features paralyzed.


    The moment her fist struck his skull, it seemed to explode.  Gore blew everywhere, carried by the kinetic force she¡¯d generated, splattering across the back of the tank and ground around the area.  Rachel was momentarily shocked. It was so soft?  Is that how it¡¯s supposed to feel?  I killed him...


    A few men began to scream as blood, brains, and shattered fragments of bone struck them.  Rachel¡¯s jaw set. No time to reflect.  She leaped off the tank and moved through the men in a whirlwind, taking care to keep the children out of the kinetic force she generated.  Utterly lost with how to react, she made quick work of the men.


    Rachel finally stopped in front of Corey; shoving him lightly, he grunted as he flew backward, tumbling across the ground.  Coughing and sputtering, he threw up a few times, vision swimming.


    ¡°The¡ªwhat¡ªfuck¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s pink-reddish eyes surveyed the scene coldly; the splatter radius was massive, gore everywhere.  A few men¡¯s bodies were half gone by the force she¡¯d used, blood spattered across her body. The kids had all collapsed where they were, and the two men in the tank were cursing, still trying to figure out how to reload the chamber.  I¡¯m capable of this kind of destruction?  She flexed her fingers, everything moving in slow motion.  No, so much more if I had the proper equipment.  I feel nothing for killing these men ¡­ no, that¡¯s not right ¡­ pride.  They had no honor, they died as cowards. Why am I so fixated on honor recently?  I wasn¡¯t like this before.


    ¡°Maldita sea, liebre blanca, eres un monstruo.¡±  Maria chuckled as she carefully navigated the scene.  ¡°You¡¯re way faster than last time I saw you move.¡±


    Shrugging, Rachel sighed, glancing back at the tank.  ¡°I was moving as fast as I could without proper shoes.¡±


    Maria clicked her tongue as she glanced up.  ¡°Ah, the moon, makes sense why you¡¯re so much faster.  That tank shell though, made my head swim, but the next second it was automatically healed.¡±  She huffed, following her gaze.


    ¡°The fuck¡­¡±  Corey shuddered as he stared around at the bits of meat, blood, and bone around him; he was the only one left of his crew besides the two men in the tank, still trying to figure out its complicated commands.  Rachel glanced his way, his face draining of color.


    Maria¡¯s lips curved into a smirk.  ¡°Looking fierce, liebre blanca.¡±


    Rachel blinked, brows knitting as she tilted her head toward Maria in question.  ¡°Fierce?¡±


    ¡°And¡ªit¡¯s gone.¡±  She sighed, moving to stand between Corey and the nearest kid.  ¡°Moment¡¯s over; so, what¡¯s the plan now?¡±


    Terrell¡¯s voice came on over the radios littered around the area.  ¡°Corey! What¡¯s going on? Neal? Fuck! Are you all dead?¡±


    ¡°Shit¡ªgot it!¡±  One of the men in the tank muttered.  They still have no clue I¡¯ve killed all their buddies¡­


    ¡°This,¡± Rachel grunted. Jumping up on the tank, she planted her feet against the metal and gripped the lip of the Turret Ring. Taking a deep breath, she pulled up, gritting her teeth; the frame creaked as the metal warped in her hands and the frame started to cave. After a few seconds, she tore the ring off the hull, shifting her hand to push as she continued to exert force.


    ¡°Oh my¡ªwhat the fuck?¡±


    ¡°Shit, fucking hell!¡±  Both men yelled.


    As she pushed it over her head, she let it down for a moment to get a better grip; swapping her hand against the outer edges, she tried better positioning her foot to hook onto the hull to get the resistance to counter her light weight.  She pulled back with her left hand on the outer layer while pushing with her right on the mid-section of the inner ring, twisting the Turret Ring to open straight up like a can.


    Breathing a sigh, Rachel shifted to get a better angle on the moonlight before glaring down at the two cowering men.  ¡°Well, get out.¡±


    Rachel caught Maria¡¯s gleaming eyes as she nodded with respect.  ¡°You¡¯re a monster alright,¡± she chuckled.


    Both men were quaking as they exited the vehicle, surveying the carnage around the area.  ¡°The hell¡¯d you do?¡± The would-be gunner whispered in horror.


    She heard Corey swallow hard before dropping to his stomach, prostrating himself on the ground.  ¡°Please, I give up ¡­ just¡ªjust don¡¯t kill me¡­¡± Should we spare them?  It could come back to haunt us if they started talking to the police or military ¡­ why the ¡­ no!  I can¡¯t think like that! Why did I just think that? Risk assessment ¡­ of course, I¡¯d need to consider it, but ¡­ this doesn¡¯t feel wrong, but it does¡­


    The two men that exited the tank followed Corey¡¯s example, dropping to their bellies.  ¡°Please¡ªanything you want¡ªplease¡­¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath to calm her inner angst; her ears still listening to Scarlet and Fiona.


    Fiona hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°So, should we go into the hotel and take out the bosses?  I mean, if we take out the leader then it¡¯ll be over, right?  The gang will just run and hide?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Scarlet muttered.  ¡°Rachel said their boss is putting a lot of faith in those two contractors ¡­ I¡¯d rather not just jump in and get killed or even worse, captured and used as hostages ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±  Fiona huffed. ¡°I thought a Vampire wouldn¡¯t think about that crap.  I mean, I get it, but you could just teleport out, right?¡±


    ¡°I could ¡­ but what if they can block teleporting or something?  Maybe that¡¯s why they¡¯re sticking around the boss.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hmm, yeah, that would be a problem,¡± Fiona whispered.


    ¡°Yeah, and I really don¡¯t want to cause problems for Rachel or Maria ¡­ they trusted me¡ªwell, us, to take out the snipers, but we didn¡¯t really plan beyond that¡­¡±


    ¡°See!  That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.  We can just pop in and take them out real fast ¡­ what¡¯s she doing?  Did she take care of the guys out front¡ªwow, holy crap that was a loud noise.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ªthey fired the tank ¡­ oh, wow, Rachel just slaughtered them.  Like, she literally splattered them all over the street. That one tank round¡ªit blew up a building with a few people inside.  Eight dead, mostly elderly, but there was a teenager with them ¡­ two are still alive. Let¡¯s go save them real fast.¡± They teleported to the spot.


    ¡°Oh, I think I got this¡­¡±  Fiona said. ¡°Just need to¡ªthere we go, earth magic ¡­ where are they inside here?¡±


    ¡°There, and there.¡±


    ¡°Got it ¡­ dang, displacing earth costs a lot more energy than wind.  I wonder why each element energy-cost differs so much?¡±


    She heard the ragged breathing of two individuals as Scarlet seemed to slowly lift them out of the rubble with her blood.  ¡°There we go¡ªtwo men are rushing up the stairs; they should be able to take care of it from here. They have some fractures, but there¡¯s no internal bleeding.¡±


    ¡°Cool.  Back to that one room then?¡±


    ¡°That works.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed and her heart darkened at the news.  ¡°You two want to live when you killed several people just a moment ago?  How many more people have you killed in the past twenty-four hours alone?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Maria scowled.  ¡°Did they kill someone with that tank round?¡±


    ¡°Scarlet and Fiona managed to save two, but yeah, they killed a few people with it.¡±


    She grinned wickedly.  ¡°You remember what those SEALs said?  Martial Law, terrorists, and all. It¡¯s not like we can tie them up and expect them to stay put until the military gets here.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t hurt another person again!¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ªI swear!¡±


    Rachel bit her cheek for a moment as she glared at the groveling men.  I understand what Maria¡¯s saying, and I agree, but it doesn¡¯t feel right to just execute them ¡­ ah, I see.


    Looking around the area, Rachel spotted what she was looking for, a pistol strapped to the bottom half of a man; she¡¯d devastated the upper half of the man¡¯s body, leaving pools of blood and organs painted across the street.  Nodding at the lower half of the corpse, she said, ¡°Pick up the gun.¡±


    Both men¡¯s shakes ceased as they followed her gesture, somehow turning paler.  ¡°Wh¡ªwhat?¡± The loader asked.


    ¡°You heard me,¡± Rachel growled.  ¡°Pick up that gun.¡±


    The loader shakily got to his feet, glancing her way fearfully.  Slowly, he began making his way over to the object, but the gunner didn¡¯t move; he just watched the man¡¯s slow advance, twitches shaking his body every few seconds, and she could smell the piss in his pants.  How disgraceful ¡­ there I go again.


    The man moving toward the gun took care around the carnage, trying to keep the blood off his shoes.  Finally reaching the corpse, he reached for the gun, fingers trembling. Picking it up, he looked back at her with wide eyes.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Maria chuckled.  ¡°I got ya¡ªI can respect it.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head tilted toward the hotel as she heard Conner tell Terrell he was going out.  So, it¡¯s about time to meet one of the big guns.


    Her ears picked up the man¡¯s intent as his muscles constricted, lifting the gun to point at her.  Killing an unarmed man seems to leave a foul taste in my mouth ¡­ have I turned into a Japanese warrior or something?  She accelerated, easily dodging the man¡¯s intended trajectory and darted toward him.  He managed to get a shot off, missing her by meters before her fist entered his skull, meeting the same fate as his fellow terrorists.


    The body flew back with the accompanying kinetic force her drag generated, tumbling across the street to collide with another corpse.  Rachel looked back toward the man that wet himself. ¡°You¡¯re next; hurry, I¡¯m expecting someone else soon.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 21. Legends Exist

    Rachel watched the two remaining men sink further into a bow, trembling as they stared at the pavement.  She scowled at them as Maria moved between the children, healing them. Clicking her tongue, Rachel scratched her left ear as it twitched.  This is so much more boring than I thought this would go?  Why do I care about that though? I want something more, but these guys are done ¡­ I should have had all of them pick up a weapon before attacking.


    Maria¡¯s healing and aura seemed to calm the children as she instructed them to run back down the street.  At least the kids are safe, but how much more can Maria keep this up?  She has to be getting tired.


    ¡°Maria, how low are you on energy?¡±


    Moving to the children strapped to the tank, Maria huffed.  ¡°I¡¯ll manage; quit worrying about me! Just take care of those punk culo perras.¡±  Terse as usual.


    She frowned as she heard Scarlet and Fiona teleport into the building.  Looks like they¡¯re going to try and ¡­ what?


    Scarlet hummed ominously as she entered the building.  ¡°Hey, Fiona, there¡¯s some really strange shadows lurking ahead of us.¡±


    ¡°Shadows?¡±  Fiona went silent for a moment.  ¡°I don¡¯t see any strange shadows ¡­ only normal shadows.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re moving; two shadows.  I also see some strange things in with the hostages.  Marcus and¡ªI forgot his brother¡¯s name, but they¡¯re like ¡­ animal people with them?¡±


    ¡°Beastkin?  Like Erica?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ these animal people are¡ªdifferent.¡±  She hesitated. ¡°Quick, behind here, a shadow¡¯s coming!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s focus shifted as Conner exited the building; he entered the radius she could start discerning his muscle movement and the way his body sounded made her brows furrow.  What¡¯s with his body?  I haven¡¯t heard anyone sound like this before.  Should I kill the two men before he arrives? Probably, but I don¡¯t know if I should spray blood everywhere with Maria waking up all the kids ¡­ I could just break their necks.


    She looked back; most of the kids were now awake, and despite all the gore around them, they didn¡¯t make a noise.  White light continued to envelop them from Maria. She must be using the same ability she used to protect the humans against Scarlet¡¯s aura, but will the massacre here stick in their minds and cause trauma when that aura fades?  No, I can¡¯t worry about that right now; they¡¯ll likely be traumatized anyways. Most of them are already running back down the street, so it should be fine.


    Making up her mind, she dashed forward, and before the two men could shift their heads, she struck.  The tank gunner was first as her hand closed around the back of his neck and she easily snapped his head to the left, hearing his spine crack.  The whirlwind sent the body flinging several feet away as she shifted to the next. Grabbing his head, she pressed to the side while gripping his shoulder; the man¡¯s neck snapped to the side as she crushed his shoulder, blood spurting out of an artery.  Shit ¡­ I didn¡¯t want to cause any blood.


    Sighing as the gust whipped her hair into a frenzy, she tossed his body over the eighteen-wheelers.  It landed a few feet from Conner, which only received a chuckle from him.


    ¡°Rabbit, I¡¯m impressed,¡± he muttered, moving to view the body as it stopped tumbling.  Bending down, he whistled. ¡°Look at that shoulder. You¡¯ve sure got some power.¡±


    Yelling to be heard, Rachel planted her feet.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you give up and release the hostages.  Maybe I¡¯ll let you live.¡±


    Conner chuckled before rising and taking a deep breath.  ¡°Oh, I¡¯m terrified. Tell me, how old are you?¡±


    Rachel growled.  He¡¯s far too calm.  I¡¯m getting a little sick of everyone underestimating me.  ¡°You really think you can handle me if I can take out a tank?¡±  She yelled.


    ¡°Oh?¡±  He cleared his throat as he began descending the stairs toward the trailer end of an eighteen-wheeler.  ¡°My mistake. You took out the tank? That is pretty impressive; I¡¯ll give you that.¡± Impressive?  Maybe I¡¯m underestimating him.  The only information I have on him is that he¡¯s durable.  Does he think he can take me just because he can take some hits?  There has to be more to it, but¡­


    Her thoughts were broken as he reached the trailer with a hum, ducking under to look at her.  ¡°Huh, sportswear?¡± He licked his molars. ¡°Interesting choice, and look at that white hair¡ªno, is that pink?¡±  What¡¯s with him?


    She looked back, Maria was done untying all the children and ushering them away.  At least they¡¯re¡­


    Her thoughts jarred as her ears stiffened; she heard the sound of creaking metal.  Looking back, time slowed as her eyes widened, ears tilting to the left. Connor had his hands raised over his head, lifting up the massive trailer with a large green shipping container strapped atop it, the semi-truck¡¯s back wheels leaving the ground.  Rachel was dumbfounded as she watched him, breath a heavy puff of air. There¡¯s ¡­ what?


    ¡°Man, heavier than it looks,¡± he grunted with a smirk, face turning a little red as the metal around his hands started to give.  His chest was bare, showing massive muscles that were flexed with effort and showed a grizzly growth of hair. He wore dark blue jeans with a brown leather belt and seemed to be in his late thirties with dark stubble.  His soft sole sneakers tore away from his feet as he shifted his weight.


    Maria¡¯s breath caught as she noticed the scene, ¡°No hay jodida manera¡­¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t tried to lift anything this big before; why don¡¯t we test your strength!¡±  He half grunted a laugh while heaving it toward her.


    Rachel watched the mass of metal leave his grasp as her wits returned.  Are you serious?  Could I lift that up ... even with the moon?  Can I stop it? She watched the trailer harness snap as the semi-truck skidded to the side.  If I move to intercept it then ¡­ no, the momentum; I don¡¯t have nearly the weight to stop that.  Maybe if I bend down and try to shift all the weight to the ground, but it could just as easily run me over!  She quickly turned her head, wide field of vision allowing her to see the incoming projectile and children.  It shouldn¡¯t have enough momentum to hit them, but Maria could get caught in the path.


    Darting toward Maria, she clamped her jaw in frustration as she neared; her face was slick with sweat as she watched the container near.  She¡¯s used too much energy!  I can¡¯t be rough with her, but with the container''s speed ¡­ I¡¯ll need to stop it!


    Running past Maria, Rachel dashed toward the tank.  Leaping slightly off the ground, she soared through the air to slam against the hull, feeling the folded steel cave a few inches.  Gritting her teeth, she threw as much strength as she could muster into her legs. The metal gave a few more inches as she jumped toward the container.  Twisting as best she could, she managed to land against the side. The metal folded before she broke through, devastating the packages inside; ceramics material shattered around her as she burrowed through packing peanuts to strike the opposite side.


    She winced as the pressure struck her thighs, instantly feeling the demand against her body as she left the moon¡¯s rays.  The hull indented but managed to hold the residual energy. The momentum shifted, sending crate back toward Conner, sliding several feet.  Rachel breathed a heavy sigh as she fell against the spray of packing foam. How could he do that?  He¡¯s not only durable but has that much strength?  What kind of ability user is he?


    She cried out as a force struck her, sending her body slamming against the packing peanuts and broken ceramics; she hasn¡¯t experienced pain since becoming a Lunar Hare.  Head spinning, she ran her hand through her hair before rubbing her left shoulder. She began feeling the tension in her thighs as well. I haven¡¯t ¡­ I¡¯m sore ¡­ that jump was a lot faster than I could run ¡­ it must have taken a toll on my body since I¡¯m out of moonlight.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Maria called out.


    Rachel¡¯s muscles twitched with her ears as she heard Conner running toward her.  ¡°Shit,¡± she growled, puffing out a sharp breath. The sea of packing peanuts swirled around her as she flailed, trying to right herself.  C¡¯mon!  What is this?  It¡¯s like I¡¯m in a foam pit!  Where¡¯s a wall¡­


    Her thought broke as Conner slammed against the container again, the dent she made caving back to slam her into the foam and shards.  She winced, shoulder feeling even more bruised. Still trapped in a mass of foam, she tried righting herself again. This is ridiculous ¡­ I can¡¯t get out!


    She frowned as she heard Conner nearby, ripping a hole in the container.  ¡°C¡¯mon now! Don¡¯t hide in there forever. Consider me impressed ¡­ wait, are you dead in here?¡±


    Catching sight of light, Rachel hesitated.  If I go toward him ¡­ but that could be the entrance I made.  Either way, I need out of here! Trying to swim toward the light, she managed to find a solid footing and pushed forward.  Exiting the swirl of foam, she latched onto the in-caved steel and pulled herself up. Good, it¡¯s my entrance.


    She crawled through the hole as Conner began ripping out foam.  Reaching moonlight, her pain faded, causing her to sigh with relief as she dropped against the asphalt.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Maria ran toward her.  ¡°You¡¯re actually cut.¡± She growled, ¡°This could be bad.¡±


    Rachel frowned as she looked down; her sports pants were torn, and her arms showed light cuts that bled white liquid.  She breathed out a short puff of air as she dropped against the ground. ¡°Wow ¡­ I really underestimated him.¡± She felt her wounds slowly begin to heal.  Wait¡­  ¡°Maria, you need to stop healing me and get somewhere safe!  I can¡¯t be risking my life to protect you; not when he has this much power.¡±


    Maria clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth as she glared at the container.  ¡°I¡ªMierda ¡­ you would have just dodged it ¡­ if I wasn¡¯t like this.¡± She looked pissed as sweat beat down her brow, she glared back at her.  ¡°Fine, I¡¯m a liability. Jodidamente odia esta mierda!¡± She glanced back up as the crate as Conner began ripping into it further.


    ¡°You in here?¡±


    Maria scowled for a moment before running back toward the kids.  ¡°Kick his ass!¡±


    Rachel chuckled as she got back to her feet.  She said that in English.  Backing up toward the tank, she composed herself.  The moonlight might be masking my pain and fatigue, but I get the feeling if I leave it again then I¡¯ll really feel the pain.  I need to take him out with a single attack.


    Conner tore a hole through the back of the crate; he seemed to be having a fun game of hide-and-seek.  ¡°Fuck ¡­ made me search the entire damn thing.¡± He grinned. ¡°Well, well, well, you¡¯re a lot more durable than I thought.  Just look at you!¡±


    Breathing out a long sigh, Rachel cracked her neck, holding up her arm to examine it.  Maria healed most my cuts it seems.  I¡¯m guessing she took care of the bruising as well; it¡¯s like I¡¯m back to square one.  He flicked a few peanuts off his clothes as he examined the gory scene.  I just need to keep my distance and learn a bit more about his ability.


    Stretching out her legs, she hummed with a slight smile in place, feeling a little excited at the prospect of a real fight.  ¡°I¡¯m the one that¡¯s shocked. What kind of Mythickin or ability user are you? I haven¡¯t seen anyone that could match me in strength.¡±


    ¡°Mythickin?¡±  Conner chuckled as he followed her example, stretching his arms.  ¡°So, you are a Mythickin, like that Vampire I keep hearing about. But, no, I¡¯m not a Mythickin; I¡¯m a Legendkin.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed as she lifted her arms, grabbing her elbows to stretch.  ¡°What¡¯s the difference between a Mythickin and a Legendkin? Myths and Legends are kind of interchangeable, right?¡±


    He shrugged, breathing out a chuckle.  ¡°No clue, but aren¡¯t you the chatty one?  I don¡¯t mind talking during a fight though, keeps things interesting; you know, nothing personal.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Rachel muttered, smile returning.  That¡¯s good.  I might be able to discover more about his ability, and what is a Legendkin?  Is he playing with me or is that another rare type of change from The Oscillation?  ¡°By the way, I¡¯m a Hare, not a Rabbit; they¡¯re completely different species.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that makes a lot of sense,¡± he said while moving to the container.  ¡°So, you¡¯re not some sex-crazed rabbit; Marcus will be disappointed. You¡¯re pretty fast though, I¡¯ll give you that¡­¡±  He began to pull back the metal, separating it into pieces.


    Is that right?  Marcus thought I was a sex-crazed rabbit ¡­ is he going to try to crumple those up and throw them at me?  Like I¡¯d let him do that. She rolled her eyes.


    His actions slowed as Rachel darted forward; his vision darkened as he shifted toward a defensive stance.  He was fast, but they weren¡¯t even in the same realm; her fist struck his face and was met with soft skin before becoming completely solid.  She winced as she dodged his grasping arms; kicking him in the stomach, again it felt like a brick wall. She dashed back with quick steps, rubbing her knuckles.  What¡¯s his face made of?  It¡¯s harder than steel! That was a full force punch, and he just took it to the face ¡­ no problem.


    Conner stumbled back before falling into a pile of foam.  ¡°Shit,¡± he muttered. ¡°I actually felt that!¡± A grin lit his lips.  ¡°I think I¡¯m beginning to like you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your skull made of?  Those other guys¡¯ heads felt like jello.¡±  She flexed her fingers. ¡°I can punch through steel; what¡¯s different about you?¡±  This doesn¡¯t make any sense!  I don¡¯t think I could take a hit like that without major damage, but he¡¯s just shrugging it off!


    ¡°Huh,¡± he rose to his feet, brushing himself off with a mocking grin.  ¡°Mythickin certainly seem to have some interesting abilities. Whatever type you are, you certainly can move fast and hit hard, but it looks like Legendkin Antaeus trumps Mythickin Hare.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Antaeus? Is that what type of Legendkin you are?¡±


    Cracking his neck, Conner worked around his jaw.  ¡°That¡¯s right; I¡¯m the embodiment of the legend Antaeus!¡±  A wicked grin split his lips. ¡°Why don¡¯t we wrestle? This Muhammad Ali float like a butterfly crap is getting old.  Why not determine this with a good old fashioned wrestling contest?¡±


    She didn¡¯t move from her spot.  So, Legendkin mirror some legend in history?  So could there be a King Arthur and Hercules Legendkin too?  Mythickin mirror beasts or monsters while Legendkin simulates legendary people.  I¡¯ve never heard of Antaeus though ¡­ why couldn¡¯t it be Achilles or something ¡­ that¡¯d be easy to know his weakness.  Wait? Why is a legendary hero working with Terrell?


    ¡°What kind of a legend works with scum like Terrell?¡±


    Conner put his hands on his hips with a slow sigh.  ¡°I take it that¡¯s a no on wrestling then?¡± He clicked his tongue a few times.  ¡°Shame, but what¡¯s wrong with making a business deal? Terrell¡¯s come into some decent funds and has some good information.¡±


    Rachel shifted a little, trying to ease her muscles, but she started to feel an itch at the nape of her neck.  He¡¯s actually strong.  I haven¡¯t felt my muscles react like this since seeing Scarlet in action.  ¡°Right, stolen currency.  Who knows if it will even be worth anything after The Oscillation and things settle down.¡±


    He shrugged.  ¡°Information, girl, that¡¯s the real currency.  He happens to know something I want in on. I don¡¯t expect his little tantrum here in South Beach to last much longer; he was just getting some thrills before going underground, and I¡¯m here to make sure that happens.¡±  So, he doesn¡¯t care what happens to people; well, he certainly doesn¡¯t put off that vibe.  He¡¯s just looking for his payment.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Rachel worked out her arm.  It¡¯s not bad; it hurts, but no different than sparring training.  ¡°So, you¡¯re a paid thug then.¡±


    Breathing in, he puffed the air back out.  ¡°Is that a jab?¡±


    Rachel heard Maria and the kids turn down a side street.  ¡°Just a fact. Look at the mess though? Is Terrell really okay just sacrificing everyone?  A lot of your men are dead.¡±


    Scratching the back of his head, he hummed.  ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but I don¡¯t really care for them.  This is getting boring though; if you want to talk, we should do it while fighting.¡±  His grin returned. ¡°You up to see who¡¯s stronger? A simple wrestling match, no tricks.¡±  He spread his arms wide.


    Rachel bit her lower lip.  Of course there¡¯s a trick, and something¡¯s happening to Scarlet and Fiona.  They¡¯re having trouble with some strange monsters, but I need to focus on my own fight.  Legendary heroes tend to have a lot of weapons and abilities. I mean, Hercules was super strong and durable too ¡­ what am I saying?  I know nothing about the origins of those legends. He wouldn¡¯t ask me to a wrestling match if he thought he could lose though; that¡¯s for certain.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little doubtful about that.¡±


    He shrugged.  ¡°Fine, but I¡¯m perfectly fine with slugging it out too.¡±  He darted forward.


    Rachel felt her tail and ears prickle with the urge to engage him, but she resisted, dodging his attempts to close the distance.  He might actually be stronger than me, and he¡¯s far more durable.


    ¡°C¡¯mon!  Where¡¯s all that spunk?¡±


    Backing against a brick wall, she waited for him to throw a punch before ducking around him.  His fist crushed the wall without effort. She jabbed his side, but it still felt like she was striking a heavy sandbag.  I can¡¯t keep up my speed like this ¡­ even if I¡¯m under moonlight.  If I just had the ability to match that durable side, then I could at least¡­


    Her eyes widened as the information sparked in her mind, and she held up her hand to find a bright translucent shell surrounding her body; it was different than her aura, more condensed.  She ducked below another strike and sped up, darting back several feet. Wenet¡¯s Minor Protection?  The energy I gain from the moon can be used to offset the blows I receive; cushioning blows received by thirty percent.  It¡¯s fairly costly, but as long as I¡¯m in direct moonlight, then it should quickly return.


    Conner glared at her.  ¡°You really are just some lightweight boxer, aren¡¯t you?  All out of those powerful punches?¡±


    She wet her lips as a grin lit her features.  I don¡¯t know who Wenet is, but I¡¯ll gladly take the protection.  With my natural defense added with this, I should be able to at least take a blow and if his ability functions in a similar way ¡­ let¡¯s test how far his abilities go!


    ¡°Alright,¡± she flashed her teeth with a bright smile.  ¡°I think I¡¯m done playing cautious.¡±


    Conner¡¯s eyes narrowed as he studied her white coat of lunar energy.  ¡°Something¡¯s changed, has it?¡±


    Rachel dashed forward, she stepped up to him at a forty-five-degree angle as he held up his fists and threw out a low left jab.  Expecting it from the sound of his muscles, Rachel batted away his left jab and twisted her body to perform a powerful high kick; her foot drilled into the side of his neck.  He tumbled a few feet to her left, but she could feel something else absorbing most of the impact. Yes!  There is some kind of absorption ability at play.  His head feels a little harder than a normal skull since something¡¯s absorbing most my kinetic force.  He¡¯s not invincible! She licked her lips again.  I can do this!


    Using his arm to keep himself from falling to the asphalt, Conner coughed a few times before righting himself.  ¡°Okay, okay,¡± he spat. Rubbing the side of his neck, he looked back at her. ¡°That wasn¡¯t bad!¡± He coughed again before clearing his throat.  ¡°You¡¯ve been holding out on me, Hare!¡± He grinned. ¡°Got your confidence back?¡±


    Smirking, Rachel cracked her knuckles before twisting her ankles to loosen them, pumping out her legs to get her blood moving.  He doesn¡¯t move as a trained fighter.  Maybe wrestling is his strong suit? He¡¯s too obvious with his stance and movements though.  This should be cake.  ¡°Something like that.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 22. Myth vs. Legend

    Rachel smirked as Conner moved forward, arms wide as if to hug her.  ¡°C¡¯mon, why not wrestle?¡±


    ¡°Why would I wrestle you when I don¡¯t know any moves?¡±


    Shifting into a stance, she watched him creep up to her.  I need to avoid his grapples until I at least know his game.  I don¡¯t know how long I can last with my low endurance, but I¡¯m under moonlight ¡­ I can finally go all out, and Maria healed my body.  I can put all my training and sparring into practice; let¡¯s see what I can do.


    Licking her lips, she waited.  Reaching striking distance, she launched from her stance into a teep, keeping her back foot firmly planted.  He grinned as he moved forward to grab her foot, but he was far too slow; she struck his chest, driving forward with her hips.  His eyes widened as he was pushed back, stumbling a few steps before managing to recover. The excessive strength was absorbed, but I still managed to push him back.  Looks like it can only absorb so much.


    He looked stunned.  ¡°What the hell¡­¡±


    Cracking her neck, she bounced on her toes a few times.  ¡°Alright, let¡¯s speed this up!¡±


    His eyes narrowed.  ¡°What kind of martial arts¡­¡±


    She sprinted forward, his movements slowing.  Coming at his right, she jabbed his head, right and left, snapping it back.  Ducking around his slow flailing right hand, she slammed her right fist into his kidney before kicking his left knee.  His stance broken, she reached up, grabbing the back of his head before bringing it down and driving her knee into his open metasternum; dancing back to gain purchase as he fell, she launched another teep, sending him flying off the ground.  He soared a few feet before tumbling across the asphalt.


    He coughed a few times as he landed, breathing a long breath.  ¡°Wow,¡± he grinned as he looked up, spitting before licking his lips.  ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯re a whirlwind!¡±  He chuckled while rising.  ¡°What is that? Kickboxing or something?¡±


    ¡°You took all of that like it was nothing,¡± Rachel hummed.  ¡°Kidney and metasternum strike included; that¡¯s a pretty impressive absorption ability.¡±


    Conner yawned before stretching out.  ¡°So, those were calculated blows? That knee was pretty strong; I¡¯ll even say I¡¯m a little bruised!¡±  He held his breath a moment before cracking up. ¡°I¡¯m joking, nope, not a thing. That kick though ¡­ it¡¯s an interesting kick.  Wait, knee ¡­ Muay Thai? Well, what do you know.¡± He flashed his teeth, tongue rolling around his left canine as he looked her up and down.  There has to be some kind of weakness.  I weaken outside moonlight. He took a full six blow combo with a smile though.  It could be like some legends, and he¡¯s weak in certain places; he keeps his front to me, could it be his back?


    ¡°How to deal with your speed?¡±  He questioned before his eyes lit up, clicking his tongue.  ¡°Well¡­¡±


    She ran left, taking care to avoid the gore; using the tank as support again, she launched toward the lower edge of the steel shipping crate behind Conner.  Her hair whipped behind her as she flew through the air; her previous hop returning to memory. I feel the pressure against my muscles; this is my max speed.  The steel screeched as her feet imprinted into the metal, folding it several inches before she jumped at his back.


    Using her momentum to flip with instinct as her guide, she landed horizontally against his back.  Almost all of her kinetic force was absorbed, but she managed to break through. He grunted as all the air in his lungs expelled, and he flew off the ground.  It was at that moment, something changed. The momentum ¡­ it¡¯s not being absorbed anymore?


    Feet drilling into his back, they were both sent flying into a store wall, Rachel atop him.  Smashing against the cinder blocks, her feet still pressed into his back; their movement had slowed to the point Rachel was able to reposition and kick off his shoulders, grinding him further into the wall, but suddenly his absorption field returned.  Shit!


    Miscalculating the force, her momentum fell short; half spinning, she dropped to the ground but was able to catch herself with one hand.  Twisting back to her feet, she leapt back several yards in a single bound. I swear, this Mental Acceleration is my best ability!  His absorption stopped working for a moment? Was the force too great, and it had to recharge?  It came back when we struck the wall. If it has that short of a recovery rate, then I¡¯m in trouble.  Could I stab him with some object?


    Conner collapsed to the ground, coughing and sputtering as he tried to compose himself.  ¡°Wha¡ªthat¡ªphew¡­¡±  Taking a few deep breaths, he rose to his feet, keeping her in sight as he cracked his back.  ¡°That was¡ªman¡ªphew¡­¡± Sniffing, he reached behind his head to rub his scapula, working around his left shoulder.  ¡°That was a hop, right? Man, that was fast! I just keep getting thrown around.¡± He chuckled. Still confident, but I have been seriously trying to kill him since we met and all I¡¯ve been able to do is bruise him and knock his breath out.  I can¡¯t do that kind of leap too often either, I don¡¯t feel it, but I know those two hops strained my body.


    ¡°You keep running away,¡± he sighed with pursed lips.


    Rachel stiffened for a moment.  ¡°I¡¯m not running! I¡¯m evaluating your ability.¡±  She huffed.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he grinned, ¡°touchy!  Menstrual thing? I mean, you¡¯re a glowing girl¡ªmy bad, a glowing hare under the moon ¡­ your period and all,¡± he struck his tongue against the roof of his mouth.  ¡°You know.¡± Well, that¡¯s actually a pretty good jab ¡­ he¡¯s trying to rile me up.  He even mentioned me glowing and connected it to the moon. I haven¡¯t told him I¡¯m a Lunar Hare, but he might catch on eventually.


    Adopting a sympathetic smile, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°Really, a menstrual joke? How ignorant; aren¡¯t you aware that¡¯s a myth?¡±


    His brows shot up.  ¡°Seriously? Huh, the more you know, but¡ªaren¡¯t you a myth?¡±  He chuckled. Ugh, that¡¯s actually a good comeback.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel leaned right and left, stretching out her muscles.  He¡¯s really chatty for all his talk about fighting.  He likes to wrestle, right? That could get him off the Lunar Hare train of thought.   ¡°What about the myth of pro wrestling?  It¡¯s not real, right?¡±


    Clicking his tongue, his eyes narrowed.  ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a low blow¡ªwell, the period thing was too¡ªhuh, well, sure, it¡¯s scripted, but that doesn¡¯t mean the moves aren¡¯t real or they don¡¯t hurt.  How can you call dropping down twenty feet, slamming into a table filled with sharp edges fake, or driving people through glass sheets? The outcome, sure, it¡¯s a drama, but the physical aspect?  Those guys have my respect.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Rachel grinned.  ¡°I can see that.¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± he stretched his arms over his head before slamming his elbow into the cinder block wall, smashing through it with ease.  Rachel¡¯s ears twitched with the loud noise. ¡°I¡¯m no expert in boxing, much less Muay Thai, but it could be interesting. Why don¡¯t I give it a shot?¡±


    Refocusing, she expanded her hearing to follow Maria.  She was running with the kids and had met-up with a large group of people hurrying back across the bridge, but she¡¯d just stopped to talk with one of the SEALs.  Fiona and Scarlet caught her attention as Conner continued to work around his muscles, clearly trying to goad her into attacking.


    Scarlet hummed.  ¡°You¡¯re a Legendkin?¡±


    ¡°That sounds made-up,¡± Fiona huffed.  ¡°Release the hostages and those ¡­ Scarlet, what are those again?¡±


    Relica chuckled.  ¡°My, my, Scarlet was it?  Your little Fairy friend seems to be quite jittery, and no more preposterous than a Mythickin, no?¡±


    Terrell seemed hoarse.  ¡°What are you waiting for¡ªRelica?¡±


    ¡°Oh, patience, Terrell, good things come with time¡­¡±  Scarlet¡¯s sounds momentarily vanished as she teleported behind Relica, but she was gone.  There was silence for half a second before Scarlet gasped, Relica appearing five feet behind her, tongue clicking with amusement.  ¡°Oh, how cheeky.¡± She purred with delight. ¡°So, assassin-like, to move through shadow.¡±


    ¡°Woah,¡± Fiona muttered.  ¡°Scarlet, what did she do?¡±  Seems like they¡¯re as confused as I am about these Legendkin.


    Rachel frowned as Conner ran toward her.  Tired of waiting for me to move?  What¡¯s he going to try though? It¡¯s not like he can catch me.  I could easily trip him; actually, it might be good to see if his own inertia can hurt him.


    Darting forward, she rushed forward to sweep his legs, but as she neared, she caught his grin, the slow motion confusing her.  What¡¯s he planning?  Did he expect¡­ Her eyes widened as he abruptly stopped and slammed his foot against the earth.  Is this another¡­


    Her thoughts broke as the earth trembled below her; a seismic quake that rippled up her legs, locking them and causing her to tumble across the ground.  The vibrations coursed through her, forcing the breath from her lungs. It only lasted seconds, but broke her thoughts; she could still feel the energy passing through her body.  She slammed against Conner¡¯s shins, his field absorbing her impact; gasping for air, spots dotted her vision. I ¡­ earthquake?  She swallowed reflexively as her scalp and ears tingled; Conner had grabbed her bound hair.


    ¡°Finally, got you!¡±  Taking a deep breath, she tried to grasp his hands, but it was too late; she felt gravity shift as he whipped her back.  ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll¡ªwhat¡­¡±


    The wind rushed past her skin as she swung through the air, abruptly, the force keeping her anchored seemed to let go, and she was sent spinning.  Everything was a blur before she slammed into something, sound deadening her ears as she continued to strike solid objects, sudden pain permeating her body.  Finally stopping, she breathed a shuddering breath before opening her eyes but quickly snapped them shut as her body felt as if a boulder had been dropped on her.


    She groaned, breathing sharply as her hand moved to grasp the back of her head.  Squinting as she examined her surroundings, the world was a hazy, but cleared after several seconds.  Looking down, she half noticed that there were a lot of cuts and gashes in her clothes, showing white blood that oozed out of her wounds.  This is my blood?  It¡¯s really white ¡­ wait, didn¡¯t I already know that?  What am ¡­ I ¡­ there was someone¡­


    Her mind started to clear as the dust continued to obscure the area.  That guy ¡­ Conner?  He grabbed my hair and¡­  Taking another shuddering breath, she tried moving but winced as pain shot through her mid-back, tail, and her head swam, vision dotting.  I¡¯m hurt, not as bad as¡­  She noticed the glowing white coat that still surrounded her body.  Wenet¡¯s Minor Protection ¡­ it saved me from heavy injury.  My mind feels so...


    She could feel her Lunar Energy draining rapidly out of moonlight.  Why¡¯d he let go of me?  He had me right where he wanted me.  Shifting her legs, she winced, feeling pain in her back left side.  I¡¯m definitely bruised, pretty bad; I might even have internal bleeding, but I don¡¯t think I do.  She licked her lips, tasting a minty chocolate flavor; confused, she cleared her throat before lifted her hand to press against her lips, feeling the sting her touch left.  Did I bite my lip?  My blood tastes like chocolate mints?  She huffed with laughter, wincing at the pain.  Wow ¡­ what a thing to discover.


    Fighting through the pain, she cupped her face, rubbing it with a moan.  Wiping at her eyes, she used her elbows to push away from whatever she landed on with a heavy sigh.  Her ears twitched as she began scanning for his voice, feeling the cuts in them.  She heard him grumbling as he walked her way.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it ¡­ her hair might as well be as greasy as a wrestler.¡±


    Looking around, she saw a bunch of clothing racks.  I guess my hair slipped out of his grip.  How far away is he? A hundred feet or so.  He sent me through some buildings? Looking behind her, she saw a crushed car that had smashed into part of a checkout counter.  I guess I brought a car with me¡­


    She was sitting on her hair; it was unbound, fanning around her back.  My band must have broke when my hair slipped through his grip; it might have protected my back from any sharp objects.  She quickly spotted the exit doors; rising to her feet, she was relieved that her hair wasn¡¯t caught on anything.  She wobbled for a moment as her back tensed with pain. This guy is unreal ¡­ there has to be a way to beat him!  No wonder the military was having a tough time with Terrell¡¯s gang.  In power, this guy gives me a run for my money, and his durability is off the charts.


    ¡°Hare ¡­ where are you?  Did you really go through this many buildings?  Why does this keep turning into hide-and-seek? You can¡¯t be dead, right?¡±  He¡¯s getting closer.  First, I need to get outside.


    She began limping to the open front doors, hearing several people in the third story of the building.  She made it to the doorway and almost collapsed against an upturned table, legs shaking. This can¡¯t be my limit ¡­ this is pathetic!  A rumble resounded in her throat; blinking rapidly, she rubbed the side of her head, trying to clear her lightheadedness.


    ¡°This is the third building ¡­ you in here, hare?¡±


    Stumbling forward a few more steps, she made it to the sidewalk, and her pain vanished.  Her brow furrowed. Why ¡­ Lunar Deadening?  Oh, well then, moonlight acts like a pain suppressant.  I know my body is sore and I¡¯m cut all over, but it doesn¡¯t bother me.  Just like when I crashed through that crate; all the pain went away when I hit moonlight again.  She looked behind her as Conner entered the shop.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s the car, but where¡¯s the hare?¡±


    Tasting the minty chocolate like flavor of her blood, she sucked on her lower lip, stretching out her arms.  It feels so strange.  She quickly examining the damage as Conner did a sweep of the store, she was surprised at how well she took the abuse.  I¡¯m mostly bruised, but my arms and legs have several decent cuts; my blood seems thicker than normal blood.  Whether that¡¯s a good thing or not ¡­ who knows. Conner still couldn¡¯t see her past the large table umbrellas that were flipped over, lining parts of the streets.


    Smiling, she licked off some blood on her wrist.  Chocolate mint, out of all the flavors in the universe.  Pumping her hands a few times, she glanced back before doing a quick round off followed by a backflip, soaring twenty feet into the air, she watched the world slow as she stared at the ground.  I feel like I can move just fine.  I know I¡¯ll be extremely sore if I leave moonlight, but as of now, I can still fight.  Gracefully landing on her feet, she did a quick back handspring before hopping a few paces back on her toes.


    Conner moved to study the destroyed car.  ¡°White blood, eh? Looks like ¡­ you went outside!¡±  Chuckling darkly, his muscles suggested he was prowling a wounded animal.  ¡°I¡¯m coming, little hare.¡± Right, the big bad wolf, chasing after the defenseless hare.


    She waited for him to make it to the street, stretching out her tight muscles.  He may have a bit of power on me, and his absorption is nothing to scoff at, but my sensory skills are far superior.  I guess there are always trade-offs.


    He walked around the umbrellas, grinning when he caught sight of her.  ¡°Well, well, here you are. Done with hide-and-seek?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrow lifted.  ¡°I was never hiding; you were just slow.  I mean, you walked the entire way? Did it make you feel powerful?  Get a rush?¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± he frowned, examining her closer.  ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you tough; I was afraid I killed you, but it¡¯s not like you came away from that scotch free.  Is it that glowing white coat?¡±


    Smirking, Rachel pressed against her left palm, lifting her arms above her head.  ¡°I¡¯ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.¡± The absorption isn¡¯t the only issue now though ¡­ there¡¯s that earthquake that can knock me off my feet.


    Conner¡¯s smile returned.  ¡°You¡¯re not scared in the least, are you?  Even after being tossed through three buildings.  I like it! You¡¯ve got guts. Ready for round two?¡±  If I get close, then he¡¯ll use that foot stomp.  It¡¯s the ground; how can I move without touching it¡­  Her eyes widened as a smile lit her lips.  No ¡­ that easy?  This instinctual knowledge that comes whenever I need something is really something.  Lunar Step, huh? Where did that come from? The Grace of Chang''e Branch? What¡¯s that?  Her mind blanked.  As helpful as ever ¡­ so, Lunar Step?  I can create two Lunar Steps within a three second period if I¡¯m under moonlight, but it has a forty-five second recovery time.  These skills are odd but pretty cool.


    ¡°What are you grinning about?  Did you figure something out?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± she tilted her head to examine the moon¡¯s position.  It¡¯s just scaling the buildings nearby.  It should be in line-of-sight of the street for a while, but if I move to my right too much, then some of the hotels could block it.


    Conner sucked on his lips for a moment, glaring at her.  ¡°You know, you actually have me a little worried.¡± He glanced up at the moon.  His confidence has given me breathing room; if he starts getting serious and actually starts thinking of a strategy ¡­ I mean, the moment he wished to stop my speed he got that earthquake ability.  Wait ¡­ it¡¯s no different than me. How many more skills can we gain from this ¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to call it ¡­ gaming system? Zoey and Julia seem to think it functions that way.


    ¡°You know, I didn¡¯t recognize it before, but you always seem to move in the open.  You could have ambushed me in the building¡­¡± He¡¯s starting to think ¡­ that¡¯s not good.  If he realizes I¡¯m connected to the moon ¡­ it could really be bad.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m that desperate?  I need to try and stab you in the dark or something?¡±  She scoffed.


    He smirked.  ¡°Well, yeah, look at you.  Your punches aren¡¯t working; you¡¯d need to figure out something, but¡­¡±  He looked back up at the moon. ¡°You do seem to glow a lot ¡­ a myth about hare?  I¡¯m pretty sure there was something about rabbits and the moon, why not hare?¡± Shit, he¡¯s made the connection.


    Eyebrow rising, Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°Honestly, you going to talk all night? This is getting boring.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± his eyes lit up.  ¡°You think I¡¯m boring? You¡¯re the one waiting and retreating all the time.  I¡¯ve been waiting to slug it out since the start, but I mean, what should I expect, you are a girl.  Probably no older than twenty.¡± Good, he¡¯s at least off the Lunar Hare topic.  Let¡¯s keep it that way!


    Dashing forward, motion slowed around her; Conner¡¯s grin grew as he rubbed his hands together, lifting his left foot.  Good, let¡¯s see how he likes this then.  Just as he was about to stomp, she activated the Lunar Step with a desire; a small transparent glowing disk appeared underneath her left foot a few inches above the pavement.  It didn¡¯t feel any different than smooth solid ground and tilted with her ankle rotation. Let¡¯s see how much weight this thing can take.


    Feeding power into her legs, she launched up, feeling G-force strike her body as she accelerated at a rapid pace.  It¡¯s even more sturdy than the steel crate!  Flipping above Conner, he slammed his foot against the ground, oblivious to her sudden disappearance as he stared at the pavement.  Perfect, let¡¯s test his absorbing ability again!


    Activating the second Lunar Step, she launched toward Conner¡¯s head, flipping to slam both feet against his skull, and all the force vanished, only making him squat as she watched everything in a twenty-foot radius shake with quakes.  What happened?  That was the same force I used last time?  There¡¯s no way my legs can take another launch impact like that without lasting damage!  What¡¯s different?


    Her teeth clenched as she began to fall; thankfully, Conner was too confused to realize what had happened.  The tremor ceased before she touched the ground. Trying to catch herself with her hands, she pressed against Conner¡¯s back to flip backward, but her force was absorbed again, causing her to stall, feet still pressed against his lower back.  This is ridiculous!  She used Conner¡¯s back as leverage to flip around and drop into a somersault, Conner twisting to try and bat her away.


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    Rachel launched into an aerial as she rose, shooting fifteen feet into the air and landing thirty feet away.  ¡°I don¡¯t get your ability!¡± Rachel shouted.


    ¡°Mine?¡±  Conner shouted back.  ¡°How the hell did you escape my Earth Stomp and attack me from midair?  What kind of Mythickin are you?¡± How the hell do I damage him?  What¡¯s different? I attacked him with full force!  Last time, I struck his back, we both went flying ¡­ Earth Stomp?  He wasn¡¯t on the ground. The moment he touched the ground again, his absorption returned.  So, he draws his strength from the earth like I draw from the moon; alright, that makes a lot of sense.  Still, Antaeus is a lot more obscure than Lunar Hare; how was I supposed to know that based off his name?


    ¡°You heard me?  What are you? Don¡¯t tell me some bullshit that you¡¯re just some normal hare.¡±


    Ignoring him, Rachel sucked on her lower lip; opening the wound again, she tasted the minty chocolate flavor of her blood.  I¡¯ve got to wait for Lunar Step to recover; I can¡¯t risk being thrown off my feet again.  Her blood ran hot with anticipation.  Finally!  I can see victory; I keep getting these rushes of excitement!  If I pick him up, it shouldn¡¯t count as lethal force to be countered, right?  I was able to shove him back with a teep, but the deadly force was negated ¡­ I should be able to do it.


    ¡°Seriously?¡±  Conner spat. ¡°That¡¯s bullshit!  I told you what I am; the least you could do is return the favor.¡±  Rachel felt his words strike her. Why should I?  But ¡­ why do I feel like I should?  I feel dirty now? Why? Stupid transformation!  Why do you want me to tell him? Some kind of warrior pride or something?  I¡¯m not a Japanese Samurai!


    The more she struggled with the answer, the dirtier she felt.  This is bullshit!  ¡°Fine,¡± she growled.  ¡°I¡¯m a Lunar Hare.¡± Is it like revealing my identity as a sign of respect?  He¡¯s been somewhat respectful, taunting, but respectful ¡­ do I always have to show respect to those that show me respect?  I really need to look into Lunar Hares after this is all over!


    Conner snorted, nose twisting as he looked up at the moon.  ¡°Of course, you¡¯ve kept the moon in sight the entire time ¡­ you also came back out from the building instead of running back at me.¡±  I can use Lunar Step again.


    Launching from her stationary position, she watched Conner begin his stomp.  His foot struck as she reached a meter away; using Lunar Step, she skipped the rest of the way, stopping her momentum by using Conner¡¯s shoulders to flip around his back.  She lingered for half a second for Conner to cease his ability and dropped to the floor, gripping his shoulder and back belt buckle, she lifted him off the ground and tossed him into the air.


    ¡°The hell?¡±  He shouted. Yes!  I don¡¯t feel any resistance!


    She grinned as she prepared a roundhouse kick.  It¡¯s over!  Just as he reached striking distance, her enhanced visual perception caught something strange; he shot his right arm out at her, eyes wild with desperation.  What¡¯s he¡­  A massive jet of water slammed into her, sending her flying back into an umbrella.  She flipped around with the umbrella, causing her pain to return as she momentarily left the moon¡¯s light before rolling across the pavement.  The memory of the pain made her wince reflexively as she rose to her hands and knees. What the hell was that?  He shot a water jet from his palm, but ¡­ isn¡¯t his ability earth?


    Pulling her wet hair away from her face, she got back up, tossing her hair back.  Great, I¡¯m soaked ¡­ shit.  Looking back at Conner, she found puddles of water spreading across the street.  Can I slip on that?  Quickly testing a burst of speed against a small pool, she found it wasn¡¯t a problem, her drag blowing much of it away.  Still, what the hell was with that water jet?


    Conner was scrambling to his feet, breathing heavily.  ¡°Fuck! The hell,¡± he spat. ¡°Tossing me into the air like that!¡±  Making it up, he looked left toward the building and ran toward it.  Shit!  He¡¯s trying to get out of moonlight!


    Darting forward, she swore as he stomped his feet, causing another ripple to reverberate around him as he continued to run.  So, he can leave it going and keep running since it doesn¡¯t affect him, great.  Lunar Step isn¡¯t ready yet.


    Making a quick decision, she leapt over the shaking earth, passing into the shade to intercept him.  She gasped as the pain of her sore muscles and cuts returned, worse than before with all her quick movements.  Her legs buckled against her will as she landed; tumbling across the ground, her wet hair whipping around, sticking to her skin.


    Fighting past the pain, she scrambled to her feet and dashed at Conner.  Her body cried out, but she continued pushing forward, tears falling from her eyes.  Conner sent another jet of water flying at her from his right hand, but she managed to sidestep.


    ¡°Fucking¡­¡±


    Reaching him, she grabbed his belt front before he could strike and swung him around to be sent flying back into the street, pants ripping and belt stretching.  She sighed with relief as she entered moonlight again, pain vanishing. I really hope Maria¡¯s well enough to heal me after this because I don¡¯t think I can go help Scarlet and Fiona in this condition.  This guy was way too annoying!


    Without stopping, she quickly caught up to him and grabbed him out of midair, whipping him up to hang a few feet above her.  Twisting around, she heard him scream as she slammed her foot into his side, cleaving through him like butter.


    Gore exploded around her; the force and drag she created leaving both halves of his body, organs, and guts, painted across the pavement and two storefronts.  His upper body slammed against the second story cinder block wall while his lower smashed through the right store¡¯s front window.


    ¡°Finally,¡± she gasped, falling to her butt, she sank to her back; hair bunching around her as she glared at the sky.  Fuck Legendkin¡­  A smile split her lips.  ¡°But damn¡ªthat was satisfying.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 23. Retreat

    AuthorSME


    Maria ran back down the street, following the kids; jaw locked, she glanced back as Rachel prepared to face Conner.  I can¡¯t believe how fucking weak I am!


    Turning back, she yelled, ¡°Hey, kids, turn left!¡±


    The kids shifted directions in the middle of the street, running down Collins Avenue; the bright lights of the lamp-posts, abandoned cars, and stores brightened the night for the children to see.  The glow illuminated the palm trees and brush that lined the sidewalk. However, she could sense the kids¡¯ strength failing. Shit ¡­ they can¡¯t run that long.


    ¡°Stop!¡±  She clicked her tongue with annoyance as the kids slowed to a halt, breathing heavily as they stared at her blankly.  Fucking Mental Lock ¡­ I don¡¯t have the energy to remove all of them.  Taking a deep breath, she ran a hand through her hair and wiped away the sweat that beat down her brow.  What¡¯s up with my healing¡­


    Her thought was silenced as the loud screech of bending metal penetrated the quiet atmosphere; she could faintly hear Conner and Rachel speaking as the sound faded.


    ¡°Fuck ¡­ made me search the entire damn thing.¡±  He paused for a moment. ¡°Well, well, well, you¡¯re a lot more durable than I thought.  Just look at you!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s response was quick.  ¡°I¡¯m the one that¡¯s shocked. What kind of Mythickin or ability user are you?  I haven¡¯t¡­¡± Shit ¡­ we¡¯re still too close.  We need to get at least around the next corner.  If I can hear them, then the kids are still in danger.


    Breathing in deeply, she puffed it out, looking ahead at a long row of palm trees, lining a parking lot.  ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go, kids! See those trees up there? Around the next street? Behind the trees, go!¡±


    The kids didn¡¯t hesitate, the effects of Mental Lock making them completely submissive; their hearts pumped frantically as they ran as fast as they could.  Some of the older kids quickly outpaced the younger. Maria picked up a small girl as she lagged behind, panting harshly with sweat beating down her brow. How could someone do this to kids?  Fucking locking their brains to completely follow orders.


    She hissed air through her teeth as a stitch broke in her side, but she powered through.  I should have fucking told Rachel ¡­ wait, she should be able to hear me if she¡¯s listening, right?  She might be too focused on that guy though ¡­ I think she said something about that. Whatever!


    ¡°Rachel!  They can lock your brain with some kind of Mental Lock thing, or some shit.¡±  She switched to Spanish with frustration. ¡°These fucking bastards ¡­ where the hell did Marcus find that man?¡±  He fucking picked up a steel shipping crate like it was an everyday deadlift.  Can Rachel even handle that? I was able to heal her fatigue and bruising, but¡­


    Reaching 4th Street, Maria ordered the kids to stop.  They slowed at the corner, but she ushered them to walk a little further to keep out of sight, behind the brush and trees.  She moved to a Corvette that was parked in the first available lot along the side of the road, set down the girl against its side, and sagged against the hood, draping across it.  The trees lining the outer edge of the lot blocked the view from Collins and 5th. We need a break!


    Closing her eyes, she pressed her right hand against her chest, slowing her breath.  ¡°Aye¡ªthat¡¯s right, kids¡ªwe¡¯re taking a small breather¡ªgot it?¡± They responded by sitting on the sidewalk.  I feel worse and worse as I use these abilities.  Is my energy linked to my life ¡­ fuck¡­ The knowledge hit her like a ton of bricks.  Fucking hate this damn knowledge giving asshole!  I¡¯m just like the Fairy ¡­ shit. This is fucked-up!  I should be storming in with the girls and wrecking shit, but instead...


    Opening her eyes, she glared up at the four-story beige building across the street, scratching at her eyebrow.  Why was I made a healer?  Huh? Now you¡¯re silent, asshole ¡­ fuck¡ªI want to punch shit, but¡­  She sighed.  It¡¯s nice being able to take care of people.  Why can¡¯t I do both?


    She tilted her head to look at a young boy, no older than eight; a small smile lit her lips.  I guess it¡¯s okay being a healer.  I can help kids. She frowned as their Mental Lock status tickled her mind again.  I know, dammit¡ªyou asshole!  Can I enjoy one minute? Damn ¡­ you don¡¯t have to keep reminding me!  I know it¡¯s bad.


    Maria shifted against the hood, hair bunching around her back.  ¡°And I fucking hate this damn long-ass hair you gave me!¡± She muttered, flipping it out to fan across the hood.  Of course, Unicorns cut their hair and it just instantly grows back ¡­ fucking rainbow shit¡ªusing my energy while at it.  More Unicorn bullshit...


    Glancing up, Maria watched the children stare at her, awaiting orders.  Damn¡ªI shouldn¡¯t be talking like this in front of them.  Dammit, Maria¡ªdon¡¯t be a bitch! Who the hell did this to them anyway?  If they did this to all the children ¡­ if it takes this much energy to dispel it, then how strong is the caster?


    She growled before sitting up and readjusted her sports bra and pants.  Breathing out, she pursed her lips. ¡°Okay¡ªshould I dispel some of you or not?¡±  She mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t have enough energy to do all of¡­¡± She scratched her scalp with a groan.  ¡°What if you all get super scared and run off or break down in tears and drop to your butts?¡± She clicked her tongue.  ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be good¡ªnaa, think it¡¯ll be good to figure out how to release you when we get to that military outpost.¡±


    Debating it a few more seconds, she grudgingly made up her mind.  ¡°Alright, we¡¯re going to walk down the street. Let¡¯s¡ªwait,¡± she turned to some of the cars lining the road.  It¡¯s clear enough to weave around traffic.  Smiling, she motioned to the kids, ¡°Follow me!¡±


    Tailing behind her, they stopped at a large twelve-seat van that had struck a car; the front was slightly damaged but seemed workable.  Glad South Beach is such a tourist walk trap!  There aren¡¯t that many cars blocking traffic. She saw a place where they¡¯d probably have to ram a vehicle to squeeze past, but it seemed doable.


    The kids stood around her as she opened the driver¡¯s door.  ¡°Let¡¯s see ¡­ shit.¡± The keys weren¡¯t inside. She pulled her hair over her chest before pulling the seat back to lay down on the mat.  Yanking the steering case off with a little effort, she tossed it out. At least The Oscillation made me a lot stronger than I used to be ¡­ Rachel and that other guy are monsters though.  Whatever ¡­ I can heal fucking lost appendages ¡­ I didn¡¯t even know that word until today...


    Finding the plastic wiring harness and battery wires, she worked at it until they were all exposed, tossing the plastic harness out with the steering case.  ¡°Seems right!¡± She tested a few of the wires with one of the black battery feeds, trying to find the ignition wire. Finding it, the van roared to life. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    ¡°Hurry!¡±  Maria snapped, pointing at the back as she ducked out, opening the sliding door for the kids.  It was only a twelve seater, but the fifteen kids managed to cram in; she noticed there were a few blankets and pillows inside.  After shutting the back door, Maria licked her lips, climbed into the driver''s seat. If we hit those cars, then they could hit their heads against each other or bite their tongues¡­


    ¡°Hey, buckle up, and put those blankets and pillows around your heads, cover your heads like this¡ªwith your arms.¡±  The kids followed her instructions without question. Wow, the Mental Lock is making this a lot easier ¡­ still wrong as hell though!


    Taking a deep breath, she shut the door and reversed before throwing it in drive and maneuvering around the cars.  What am I, a soccer mom?  The grannies would be laughing their asses off ¡­ Chino better be taking care of them.


    She tensed as a loud boom sounded behind them, making her arm twitch; her slight jerk almost causing them to hit a car to their left.  Fuck!  She shifted to get a better look in the mirror, but she couldn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary.  The hell was that noise?  They throwing trucks through buildings?  Shit...


    Refocusing on the road, she swallowed nervously.  The road only had two lanes with room enough on both sides to park cars along marked locations.  Healthy green shrubs, palm trees, and glowing lanterns dotted the rusted red colored sidewalk. Maria took a reassuring breath as they approached the cars blocking the road.  She braced as they moved to ram the tail end of a blue sedan. ¡°Alright, lock your jaws, and arms up, protect your heads!¡±


    They rammed it, breaking past; the front right side of the van crunched as the jolt shot through Maria¡¯s body.  She let go of her pent up breath as they continued down the road, suddenly glad the airbags didn¡¯t go off; she sensed the slight bruising a few of the kids received from their seatbelts, but overall they were unphased.  Is Rachel still fighting him?  If he can wear her down¡­


    Her brow furrowed as she saw movement ahead.  There was a massive flood of people exiting buildings and moving through a large green field to her left.  To her right was a large beige building with brick on the first level and stucco on the upper three, a few officers were running along the sidewalk the way she¡¯d come.  I guess the evacuation is happening.


    Maria sighed as she examined all the people exiting through a break in the chain link fence, briskly walking the same direction to get out of Miami Beach; there were Beastkin, humans, and the occasional oddity.  She noticed a person with angel wings, but Maria discounted it as they could have been a normal bird-type Beastkin. There were a few demon-looking people, and even some that she could only describe as elves, ogres, orcs, and small goblin-like people that peppered the small groups among the throng; it was clear that many of the humans were giving the changed a wide berth.  Those that were changed looked even more scared than the human shaped people around them.


    She examined the ogres; there were two male and one female shaped figures in sight.  The female seemed between the height of the males, at least nine feet tall. Their skin around the outside of their arms and back was seafoam green, textured like leather that faded to a light gray around their visible chest and thighs.  The muscle they showed was impressive, enough to not be bulky, they looked like formidable brawlers. They had two tusks protruding from their large mouths, causing their large lips to bulge. They wore curtains and blankets that seemed to be sewn together.


    Maria couldn¡¯t help but lick her lips.  Interesting, there certainly are a lot more people changed than I thought.  The ogres are really big; they must be between eight and ten feet tall¡ªthe true wonder is how Terrell was able to contain all of this, but ¡­ there¡¯s Conner and that magic user.  It could be ¡­ what was her name? Relica, I think?


    She spotted one of the SEALs; stopping the van, she jumped out and ran at him.  It took him a moment to spot her, but he darted over as soon as he noticed. ¡°Hey!  You¡¯re not glowing as bright as you were, and you look¡ªare those kids in the van?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Maria rubbed her eyes, fatigue starting to sink in as she found help.  ¡°Rachel¡¯s¡ªthe one with the hare ears,¡± she gestured. ¡°She¡¯s fighting some crazy bastard back at the hotel¡ªdown the street.¡±  She panted. Fucking energy!  There¡¯s no way I can heal the kids like this.


    The man patiently waited for her to catch her breath and continue.  ¡°We got all the kids¡ªI think. I don¡¯t know about inside the building, or what the Vampire or Fairy are doing, but they should have at least saved the kids being held by the snipers.¡±


    Maria turned to the captain as he exited the crowd.  ¡°Hey! What¡¯s going on? We heard the tank go off!¡± The previous SEAL stepped back as the captain moved to face her.


    She breathed a heavy sigh, running her left hand through her hair, scratching her scalp.  ¡°Well¡ªyeah, they shot it, but they couldn¡¯t reload it in time. The girl with the hare ears ripped it in two, and killed all the men holding the kids hostage.¡±


    He looked inside the van.  ¡°There should be a lot more kids than this¡­¡±


    Nodding, Maria pressed her hands against the back of her neck, pulling down to stretch.  ¡°Ack, I¡¯ll update you, but I¡¯d rather say it once. Should I talk to your boss or something?¡±


    The captain sucked on his lower lip for a moment before sucking in, popping his tongue.  ¡°Is there anything pressing?¡±


    Maria frowned as she turned to examine the kids; they seemed lifeless, devoid of emotion.  ¡°There¡¯s someone that can cause Mental Lock on their side; from what I know, it¡¯s a magical type mental spell under the control category, a charm.¡±


    ¡°The hell does that mean?¡±  The captain muttered, staring at the kids¡¯ passive features.


    ¡°Tch,¡± Maria scratched behind her ear.  ¡°Hell, I don¡¯t understand it all¡ªthat¡¯s just random knowledge that fills my head¡ªI know what¡¯s wrong with people, and they¡¯ve been charmed to obey whatever they¡¯re told.  It¡¯s powerful shit; I¡¯m too drained to dispel it¡ªmaybe half, but¡ªthen I think I¡¯d be on death¡¯s door.¡±


    He breathed through his teeth, hands on his hips.  ¡°You¡¯re right, I think I¡¯d be best to get all the facts.  Give me a moment, then you can give me the story. I¡¯ll give your report to my superiors.¡±  Pulling out a walkie-talkie, he activated it. ¡°This is Jerry; I want Max and Donner on 4th and Jefferson.  Over.¡±


    ¡°Copy.  Max; ETA three minutes.  Over.¡±


    ¡°Copy.  Donner; ETA one minute.  Over.¡±


    ¡°Copy.  Out.¡± Jerry breathed deeply, scanning the crowd, he watched the volunteers and law enforcement direct traffic.  Shifting his rifle around his shoulder, he activated his radio again. ¡°Report in.¡±


    ¡°Falcon; with Bluebird, still looking for visual on tango.  Last reported location just outside vantage. A family running down 5th; no observable hostile movement.  Requesting a change of scenery. Over.¡±


    Jerry hummed.  ¡°Affirmative. Out.¡±


    ¡°Jolo; with Tecker, escorting spearhead to hive, passing MacArthur Causeway.  Out.¡±


    ¡°Keven; holding down ground with Oliver on 5th and Michigan.  No hostiles noted; awaiting anvil. Out.¡±


    ¡°Vinny; with Honey, holding down Lenox and 7th.  No movement. Out.¡±


    ¡°Max.  On route.  Out.¡±


    ¡°Donner.  In sight. Out.¡±  Maria caught one of the SEALs emerge from the crowd, running toward them.


    ¡°Scotty; still awaiting cavalry.  No sight. Out.¡±


    ¡°Chief; with Bean and Earwig, still setting up the hammer.  Over.¡±


    Jerry frowned as Donner ran up to them, awaiting orders.  ¡°Chief, I¡¯m on route. Out. Max, change of plans, you¡¯re added to the hammer.  Out.¡±


    Max responded quickly.  ¡°Copy. ETA two minutes.  Out.¡±


    Maria listened to the exchange with a slight frown.  ¡°What¡¯s going on? Hammer and anvil? Some kind of sting or something?¡±


    Jerry turned to the first SEAL she¡¯d seen, ignoring her question.  ¡°Tacker, get in contact with the officers directing the evacuation and have them handle the kids, then meet us at the forge.  Let them know they¡¯re affected by an ability to make them compliant, and we¡¯ll have a team from the Army ready to intercept the van to take over on the bridge.  Once finished make the call to have a med team waiting.¡±


    ¡°Roger,¡± Tacker ran past Maria to the van, jumping in, he swapped channels to talk to the officers directing flow.


    They ignoring me?  Maria took a deep breath to calm herself.  No, they¡¯re just trying to focus on the immediate tasks ¡­ damn, I¡¯m patient now.  I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good or bad thing ¡­ scary? Shit ¡­ how the fuck is any of this happening?  Damn lights in the sky and that knowledge asshole¡­


    ¡°Alright,¡± Jerry turned to Maria.  ¡°We¡¯re heading over to that Supermarket with those gang members you were talking about.¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Oh! Like, that¡¯s the forge, the anvil is the guys at the back, and the hammer is you guys going in to sweep it?¡±


    She fell in line behind Donner and Jerry as they briskly walked toward the Supermarket.  ¡°That¡¯s right. Now, can you tell me everything you know, including the kids¡¯ condition?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Maria massaged her shoulders.  ¡°You want the short or long version?¡±


    ¡°As detailed as you can.  We have the time while we walk to the forge.¡±  Why call it forge when he already told me it was the Supermarket?  Whatever.


    ¡°Terrell¡¯s gang were really scared of us.  Rachel listened in and told us about everything they were planning, but they started picking up on her ears, so they were keeping it on the low.  They set up some kids as hostages with the snipers, strapped to the tank, and the men out front¡­¡±


    ¡°Captain, this is Falcon,¡± Maria cut off, brow furrowing.  ¡°Just got visual on tango¡­¡± He sounded in disbelief as he paused for a moment.  ¡°There¡¯s gore everywhere¡ªbodies ripped apart ¡­ it¡¯s a fucking massacre; it looks like every one of them stood in front of a damn claymore.  The tank¡¯s top half has been torn open like the lid of a can; there¡¯s a steel shipping container that¡¯s been torn to pieces, and it looks like part of a wall might have been blown in, across the street from the hotel.  No signs of life. Over.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Donner muttered.


    Jerry slowed a little, sucking in his lips before clicking his tongue; pinching his nose, he sniffed before activating his radio.  ¡°Keep oversight. Out.¡± His head tilted to study Maria with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Picking between his teeth, Jerry stuck his tongue against the roof of his mouth before popping it.  ¡°Continue.¡± He muttered, eyes returning to the front as they moved around the small crowds that were hurrying up 4th toward the bridge.


    ¡°Well,¡± Maria chuckled.  ¡°I don¡¯t know about the hole in the wall, but the bodies¡ªyup, Rachel blew apart every one of those bastards.  She tore the tank up ¡­ and then he showed up.¡± She growled. Whatever he is ¡­ he might even be as strong as Rachel.  Seems like they took the fight into a building, but she¡¯s a big girl.  When they caused that hole, that must have been that big boom.


    ¡°He?¡±  Jerry grunted.  ¡°You don¡¯t sound too happy about someone showing up.  Is it that Conner guy?¡±


    Maria popped her tongue.  ¡°Wait, you know that, asshole?¡±


    Jerry nodded with stony eyes.  ¡°He killed one of my men before taking all of us down.  Couldn¡¯t put a scratch on him or even retreat¡ªit was like we were set-up.¡±


    ¡°Really¡ªdidn¡¯t think to mention that before?¡±  Maria scowled as they walked onto Lenox Avenue; a large white building to their right as they walked along the red sidewalk.  ¡°Bullets didn¡¯t work?¡±


    Donner¡¯s nose twisted, bypassing her remark.  ¡°Guy fucking held a live grenade to his chest with a smile¡ªblew up, and the only thing damaged was his shirt.  He told us he wanted to wrestle ¡­ snapped ¡­ fucking...¡± He growled. No wonder he was shirtless when we met him ¡­ of course, that was a while before we got here.  Maybe he just likes showing off his muscles.


    Maria sighed, holding her chest as her heart rate elevated.  ¡°Damn¡ªbastard might even give Rachel a run for her money then¡­¡±


    Jerry hummed darkly.  ¡°To be honest¡ªI didn¡¯t trust you; that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t say anything, but¡ªwhy do you say that?  You seem to be really worn out ¡­ is there a reason for that.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªdamn, I guess we were a bit brisk, but that could have been really helpful information!¡±  She huffed. ¡°And, yeah, I¡¯m fucking exhausted, but fuck it ¡­ that bastard did a military press on that steel container your guy mentioned, and chucked it at us like it was an everyday workout.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no fucking way¡­¡±  Donner muttered but cut off as Jerry sniffed.


    It took a moment for Jerry to speak as they shifted to the street, passing onto 5th; the Supermarket was ahead, the street filled with small groups of people continuing to the bridge.  ¡°Might¡ªare you saying Rachel can kill him? She¡¯s obviously capable of killing, but can she do it?¡±


    Maria frowned.  ¡°After what you told me¡ªI fucking hate not being able to lie, even to myself¡ªnot even a little, shit ¡­ I don¡¯t know.  I¡¯m a little worried, but Rachel¡¯s stronger than anyone I¡¯ve met¡ªever. She stopped that crate by jumping off the tank to slam through it; probably saved my life, dammit.¡±  She muttered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope she can¡ªbecause I don¡¯t have a fucking clue how to kill him¡ªshort of a missile.¡±


    Mari lightly bit her lower lip.  I¡¯m so exhausted.  Will eating something help ¡­ thanks, asshole.  Yup, at a little, but not a lot. No way I could heal the kids, but at least I know I won¡¯t die from energy loss.


    ¡°So, Rachel saved my ass and told me to get out ¡­ I was a liability with my energy low¡ªwhich sucks ass, but true.  I went with the kids. The whole thing with the Mental Lock; like I told you, it¡¯s a magic-based mental skill that charms the mind, making the target do whatever¡¯s asked of them ¡­ doesn¡¯t matter who¡¯s giving the orders.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I think that¡¯s good.¡±  They weaved around the cars in the street.  ¡°We should have people that can heal the kids.  There are people with abilities to heal at the hive that we¡¯re starting to use.¡±  Is that some kind of codeword for the forward base?


    They moved through the three one-way lanes, passing onto the green separating traffic.  Splitting around one of the trees lining the lawn, they reached the massive building beyond three more lanes.  Four members of the SEAL team met them along the red and gray sidewalk that marked the Supermarket, equipment leaning against a palm tree along the curb, eyes sharp as they scanned the crowd for threats.


    Maria appraised the building more thoroughly; they¡¯d passed it along the way to confront the tank, but she hadn¡¯t taken the time to admire the structure.  Miami Beach Fifth and Altoe Shopping Center was massive, a Supermarket housing many stores and reaching several levels. The side in front of them had a large blue painted staircase that wrapped around four stories high, showing open balconies to view 5th and the surrounding area.


    The Chief stepped forward to greet Jerry.  ¡°Hey, so we got the Unicorn here, huh? She looks pretty worn out¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll manage,¡± Maria snapped.  ¡°So, we going to raid this place or what?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Jerry sighed.  ¡°Could you tell us what¡¯s waiting for us?  I didn¡¯t know what to expect after you told us about the Vampire attacking the place.  Hostages, enemies, anything else waiting inside?¡±


    Maria shook her head with a smirk.  ¡°Nope, from what I know, Scarlet went in, literally scared the shit and piss out of them.  She basically mentally broke them; again, literally, just like the other two guys she drained, and now they¡¯re basically living shells.¡±


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡±  Earwig muttered.


    ¡°Heh,¡± Maria lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°What you get for killing men, women, and children¡ªnot to mention all the other fucked-up shit they did.  They actually gassed kids, like Nazis.¡±


    Chief spoke up.  ¡°So, the building should be empty, except for that room the Vampire hit?¡±


    Maria looked down at the floor, crossing her arms.  ¡°I mean, it should be. Rachel said no other gang members were nearby, and Scarlet teleported all the hostages back to your base.  Although,¡± she looked up at the massive supermarket. ¡°I don¡¯t know where they are inside. Only Scarlet and Rachel knew the specifics.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± Chief muttered.


    Jerry took a deep breath, motioning for everyone to flip on their rifle lights.  ¡°Alright, Donner, keep watch on the front, and Maria stays here.¡± He activated his radio.  ¡°Kevin, Oliver, watch both sides of the market. Earwig and Bean take point, followed by Chief and me, Bean and Max have our six.  On my mark. Over.¡± Oh, just going to leave me out ¡­ but I do need to take a rest.  Damn ¡­ I hate being useless!


    ¡°This is Keven.  Copy. Out.¡±


    ¡°This is Oliver.  Copy. Out.¡±


    ¡°Three, two, one, go!¡±  They began sweeping the stores.


    Maria¡¯s eyes caught a sign across the street, and her mouth began to water, stomach growling.  How¡¯d I miss that?  ¡°Finally, I need some fucking food!¡±


    Donner frowned at her shout.  ¡°Hey¡ªyou should stay¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Maria growled, staring him down.  ¡°I¡¯ve been healing people all fucking night!  I need to eat something.¡±


    Holding up his hands, Donner backed off, rifle pointed at the ground.  ¡°Alright, I guess I haven¡¯t been given orders to keep you here. Just¡ªdon¡¯t wander too far.  There may be more questions.¡±


    Maria ignored him as she moved through the crowd toward BK.  I know I can¡¯t eat meat now ¡­ even though I want to fucking deny it.  That reminds me¡ªhey, asshole, is there some way I can eat meat?  No? Such a bitchass¡­


    She frowned as she passed a tree; pausing, she studied the leaves.  Do Unicorns eat grass and tree leaves and shit?  Plucking off a leaf, she hesitated for a moment before popping it in her mouth and chewing.  The flavor was similar to lettuce, just a little less watery. It doesn¡¯t taste bad.


    Sighing, she walked through the doors; the restaurant was basically free of vandalism or change.  Oh, this is actually pretty nice.  There were a few tables with leftover food, but it wasn¡¯t scattered.  Walking into the back, she searched through the slightly messy kitchen, pulling out vegetables to snack on.  She found some scorch marks, clearly from a fire that was quickly dealt with, but everything was surprisingly clean.  While she waited, she made some veggie burgers and stacked veggies on a tray. The patty didn¡¯t taste the best; nowhere near how the straight vegetables tasted, but it did quickly stabilize her energy.


    Maria groaned as she got another helping.  Food really does help; not by much, but at least it¡¯s something.  I don¡¯t feel like dropping dead on the spot now. I can eat leaves, probably grass too ¡­ seriously, this is stupid.  Leaves actually don¡¯t taste that bad ¡­ should I try grass? No! I won¡¯t ever eat grass! Never!


    Fifteen minutes passed before Jerry entered the shop, looking tired.  Maria hummed, putting down a half eaten raw onion. ¡°Still, haven¡¯t found them?¡±


    Sitting across from her, Jerry breathed through his teeth.  ¡°No¡ªI¡¯m pretty sure we did.¡±


    Maria¡¯s brow creased.  ¡°Pretty sure? What¡¯s that about?¡±


    Jerry sat forward, folding his fingers together.  ¡°Was there a room with vomit, piss, and shit in it?  I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s the room your Vampire friend attacked.¡±


    Sipping at some water, Maria leaned back, folding her legs.  ¡°Huh, that sounds about right. Wait¡ªthey weren¡¯t there?¡±


    He shook his head.  ¡°No, they weren¡¯t. We did find signs of them cleaning up; they ditched their clothes, used the janitor¡¯s shower to wipe the piss and shit away, then left.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re shitting me,¡± Maria clicked her tongue.  ¡°Huh¡ªhow did they ¡­ I mean, Rachel heard their rambling.  They would have had to do all that in the time¡ªwe dealt with Terrell¡¯s invasion ¡­ up to when you guys posted up outside.  I guess that¡¯s possible in that time frame, but I mean, how? They were literally mumbling a song¡ªinsane?¡±


    Jerry blew out a stream of air.  ¡°I don¡¯t know, but they probably escaped north; there¡¯s some sightings of them heading that way.  We don¡¯t have the resources to find them, but we radioed it in.¡± He studied her for a moment. ¡°HQ wants you to head over to basecamp.  They¡¯re sending a helicopter with reinforcements. They¡¯ll drop off, and you¡¯ll get on; your rabbit¡ªor hare friend, I think it was, was spotted walking down 5th, toward us.  She looks pretty beat-up, but she seems alive. My men are intercepting her now.¡±


    Maria picked up her onion with a long breath; leaning back, she took another bite before tapping her lip with it.  Rachel¡¯s hurt and walking this way ¡­ without Fiona or Scarlet.  That has to mean that they¡¯re winning, right? They can¡¯t be dead, I mean, Scarlet¡¯s a Vampire and can just teleport out if it gets bad ¡­ now the military are planning on taking us in.  I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised; Rachel predicted as much. How they play will vary, but it could get messy. If Rachel¡¯s hurt then, that¡¯s a problem¡ªI can¡¯t heal her as I am. If we have to run, then we¡¯ll be screwed.  Well, shit...


    AuthorSME


    The next chapter will be from Fiona''s POV.


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 B1 — 24. Welcome

    AuthorSME


    Welcome to the triple Fiona POV Chapters!  I just finished up the last one for Patrons.  Scarlet''s chapters are next and then we''ll wrap up Volume One in two or three chapters.


    ^_^7


    Fiona was swallowed by Scarlet¡¯s shadows.  They appeared in a dark room. She looked around curiously; there was a man in front of them.  It looked like they were on the second floor of a liquor store; there was aisle of bottles around them, showing different types of alcohol.  The overhead lights were off; nonetheless, her eyes penetrated the darkness.


    Two feet in front of them was a light-skinned man, dressed in baggy black pants and a red t-shirt; the window he sat at was open, a large rifle in his hands.  A kid was sitting next to him, staring at them blankly. Scarlet quickly put a finger to her lips, but the small girl didn¡¯t respond.


    Fiona¡¯s brow furrowed as the guy shifted a little, head turning to glance a bit further down the street.  I thought the kids would be tied up or something, but I guess not?


    Scarlet reached out, touching the man¡¯s back as Fiona rose into the air; she quickly activated Wind Shield, surrounding the kid with a protective bubble, her green aura brightening the dark store.  Wait!  We have the element of¡­


    He stiffened as Scarlet¡¯s blood quickly exited from around her arm and pierced the man¡¯s heart.  She let go of his back, and without a grunt, the man draped across his rifle, then collapsed to the floor.  The girl didn¡¯t make a sound or turn away from them as Scarlet murdered the man beside her.


    ¡°What the¡ªwhy didn¡¯t he move or¡ªhe didn¡¯t even moan or anything?¡±


    Scarlet frowned as she studied the blood flowing down the gun and onto the floor.  ¡°I can paralyze people I touch¡ªshould I drink their blood though? I mean, I do need blood to survive, and it would help to have more energy.¡±


    Floating over to the kid, Fiona passed through the wind shield, it formed around her body.  ¡°Umm¡ªsure, why not¡ªwhat about this kid though? She looks...¡±


    She shook her head quickly.  ¡°No! I can¡¯t get distracted.  We¡¯re on a clock. Let¡¯s go get the rest first.  Fast! We¡¯ll come back for the kids and teleport them after I kill the gangsters.¡±


    Fiona nodded as she lowered back to Scarlet¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Sounds good.¡± She¡¯s pretty chill at killing people ¡­ wait, I guess I am too.  Huh...


    They quickly teleported between different locations, Scarlet making quick work of the gang members.  The radio check didn¡¯t come as they seemed to kill the last one; Scarlet moved back from her victim with pursed lips, studying the boy they¡¯d just saved.


    Fiona was beginning to worry about the kids; none of the hostages made a sound as they emerged from the shadows, killed their captors, and left.  She placed a shield around each one as they moved between targets, but they didn¡¯t show any indication of being held against their will, just stared at them blankly.  What¡¯s up with them?


    Their last stop was on the fifth level balcony of some restaurant that overlooked 5th and Ocean Drive; the tank was below with several men, a child hostage with every gang member, and again they seemed completely passive.  They must have done something to the kids.  I guess that Unicorn ¡­ why am I having such a hard time remembering her name?  She can probably heal them though, right?


    Her brow creased with concern.  What about Brion?  He must think I abandoned him ¡­ he hasn¡¯t eaten anything since ¡­ and I left my stream ¡­ where¡¯s my mind taking me!  There are hostages! Focus!


    Fiona turned to Scarlet as studying the scene below.  ¡°The night¡¯s too dark for them to see us up here; there¡¯s not enough light.  They must be trying to use that as an advantage to catch us off guard ¡­ they really don¡¯t know much about us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona hummed.  ¡°It¡¯s broad daylight for me.¡±


    Scarlet was silent another second as she scanned the area, looking at a few buildings and back down the street.  ¡°Rachel¡¯s coming. Let¡¯s get the kids back to the military base.¡± She frowned, turning to the motionless boy as he stared up at them.  ¡°I¡¯m a little worried about just dropping him through the portal though.¡±


    Fiona scratched behind her long right ear.  She¡¯s right ¡­ when she used her portals before, they just drop people out of the sky.  Can I levitate them ¡­ no way! She grinned.  ¡°Oh, I can help with that!  Watch this¡­¡± She activated the spell Levitate as she released Wind Shield; the boy rose as a tight film of air lifted him up, hair rising with the current.


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°You have some awesome powers!  Making the wind carry the kids so they¡¯ll gently go through the blood portal is pretty cool.¡±  She quickly made the portal and Fiona lowered him through. Me?  She has amazing powers!


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m super impressed with that paralysis touch!  They can¡¯t do a thing the moment you appear behind them.  You¡¯re a real assassin! Your blood just sticks through them like butter too; super fast kills.¡±  Fiona punched the air with a sharp pow sound.


    Scarlet¡¯s lips dropped into a line as she looked down the street.  ¡°Hmm, think we should head down and join Rachel now?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªprobably not,¡± Fiona growled lowly, trying to follow her gaze.  ¡°She¡¯s drawing the attention. We can wait for a good chance to strike Terrell and the others.  Rachel seemed pretty confident; I think she can handle the front.¡± Fiona hummed thoughtfully. ¡°So, should we go into the hotel and take out the bosses?  I mean, if we take out the leader then it¡¯ll be over, right? The gang will just run and hide?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Scarlet muttered.  ¡°Rachel said their boss is putting a lot of faith in those two contractors ¡­ I¡¯d rather not just jump in and get killed or even worse, captured and used as hostages ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±  Fiona huffed, floating over to study the skewered man to their left, blood pooling under him.  ¡°I thought a Vampire wouldn¡¯t think about that crap. I mean, I get it, but you could just teleport out, right?¡±


    ¡°I could ¡­ but what if they can block teleporting or something?  Maybe that¡¯s why they¡¯re sticking around the boss.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyes widened.  Wow ¡­ I didn¡¯t even think of that.  Have I turned into an airhead or something?  Did that sugar¡­ The knowledge struck her mind like a blow to the face.  Granulated sugar gives me energy but addles me a bit if taken in excess.  Thanks for the heads up ¡­ Fart-sticks¡­ ¡°Oh, hmm, yeah, that would be a problem,¡± Fiona whispered.


    Tapping the rail atop the edge guard with her blackened fingernail, Scarlet sighed.  ¡°Yeah, and I really don¡¯t want to cause problems for Rachel or Maria ¡­ they trusted me¡ªwell, us, to take out the snipers, but we didn¡¯t really plan beyond that¡­¡±  I get that, and maybe my mind is addled, but I mean, we could jump in super fast!


    ¡°See!  That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.  We can just pop in and take them out before they even know what hit them ¡­ what¡¯s she doing?¡±  She floated up to get a better look at the street. ¡°Did she take care of the guys out front¡­¡± She trailed off as a massive boom shook her entire body.  Her mind went blank as she momentarily lost focus; wings dispersing, she plummeted, landing atop the warm corpse below her. Seeing stars, she shook her head a few times, hair whipping around her face, her whole body tingled.  ¡°Wow¡ªholy crap, that was a loud noise.¡±


    Scarlet didn¡¯t seem phased in the least as she looked down at the scene, biting her lower lip softly, left fang showing.  ¡°Yeah¡ªthey fired the tank.¡±


    Fiona rubbed her arms at the lingering tingles before rising to view the street by Scarlet¡¯s head.  Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh, wow¡ªRachel just slaughtered them. Like, she literally splattered them all over the street.¡±


    When she got a clear view of the carnage, Fiona whistled.  She¡¯s not kidding.  She¡¯s freaking destroying everything!  Snap, that tank¡¯s a goner.


    She turned toward Scarlet as she muttered, ¡°Oh, no¡­¡±  Her halo-like irises stared down 5th. ¡°That one tank round¡ªit blew up a building with a few people inside.  Eight dead, mostly elderly, but there was a teenager with them ¡­ two are still alive. Let¡¯s go save them real fast.¡±  Wait, really?  Aren¡¯t we ¡­ my flipping brain!  I forgot something ¡­ what am I forgetting?


    She let the thought go as shadows enveloped them.  They seemed to be in what once was an office space on the second story of a building.  There were cubicles, computers, and desks that were blown back. A massive hole showed part of the floor above them; dust still hung in the air as cries and screams sounded around them.  A section of the roof that collapsed was near the windows, overlooking the street.


    Wide-eyed, Fiona studied the destroyed concrete, metal, sheet wall, and wood that littered the area.  Tanks are no joke ¡­ that was just one shell, and it destroyed so much of this floor.  The wall ahead of them was damaged; the destruction went further into the building, fragments of the walls and ceiling still crumbling around them.  I gotta have magic that can help us ¡­ every time I wanted to use magic before...


    ¡°Oh, I think I got this¡­¡±  Fiona muttered. ¡°Just need to¡ªthere we go, earth magic ¡­ where are they inside here?¡±  She asked as she began to glow a light brown and green; she swept away the dust that lingered around them and forced the unstable sections of the walls and ceilings to collapse, piling them against the opposite wall.


    Scarlet watched her move the materials with a raised brow, giving her the locations.  ¡°There, and there.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±  Alright ¡­ just gotta be careful; don¡¯t want to push down and crush them¡­  ¡°Dang, displacing earth costs a lot more energy than wind.  I wonder why each element energy-cost differs so much?¡± Oh, well then, I guess it¡¯s more complicated since it¡¯s not plain dirt.  I¡¯m using the earth to move the other materials ¡­ that makes a bit more sense.  Thanks, knowledge guy!


    She slowed her progress as the ragged breathing of two women caught her ear.  Scarlet¡¯s blood seeped out of her body and flowed underneath them, raising them out of the devastation.  Once they were clear, Fiona let go of the magic, causing the pile to fold back in on itself.


    Scarlet breathed a sigh of relief as her vampiric eyes shifted to the wall before returning to the two women.  ¡°There we go¡ªtwo men are rushing up the stairs; they should be able to take care of it from here. They have some fractures, but there¡¯s no internal bleeding.¡±  Man, Scarlet, Rachel, Maria, they have such cool powers!  I know we can take care of this gang ... I have crazy elemental powers too, so we should be more than good!  I can create shields and stuff ¡­ we can totally take them!


    ¡°Cool.  Back to that one room then?¡±


    ¡°That works.¡±


    Shadows surrounded them, and they were back in the first room they¡¯d entered, the girl still in the exact same place.  Fiona felt it hit her like a truck. No!  I totally forgot about all the kids ¡­ that was the main objective!  I¡¯m so stupid! Stupid sugar¡­


    Scarlet breathed out a heavy sigh as she stared at the girl.  ¡°I feel really bad about just leaving the kids with ¡­ well, dead bodies.  I killed them right in front of...¡± She cut off with a depressed hum.


    Fiona copied her long breath.  ¡°I¡¯m with you, but what choice did we have?  There were a few kids we needed to save. What do you think is wrong with them?¡±  She hovered over to the girl. ¡°Hey, can you hear me?¡± The girl nodded, making Fiona¡¯s brow furrow.  ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Scarlet used her blood to move the corpse of the gang member over a few feet as she knelt to the girl¡¯s level.  ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Anna.¡±  She responded in a monotone voice.


    ¡°Alright, Anna, you¡¯re safe now.  Just hold on a second, and we¡¯ll get you taken care of.¡±  She turned, ¡°Hey, Fiona.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Can you make one of those wind beds, or whatever it is, under my blood portal?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah¡ªoh, you want to bring all the kids here?¡±


    Scarlet nodded.  ¡°Yeah. So, if you could make it so they aren¡¯t hurt when they drop down, that would be awesome.¡±


    Smiling, Fiona rose a little.  ¡°No problem! Just make the portal, and I¡¯ll put it up.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s blood pooled a few feet above the ground, forming into a circular disk.  Fiona¡¯s color hued green as she activated Levitation. Kids began dropping out of the portal, one after the other as Scarlet located them.  The portal broke as the eighth kid exited, not one making a sound as they fell; Fiona moved him over to sit with the other kids along the wall.


    ¡°What about the other kids?¡±  Fiona asked, rising to look out of the window.  ¡°Oh ¡­ Rachel really did freaking massacre those guys ¡­ there¡¯s blood everywhere.¡±  Why am I not freaked out about that?


    ¡°Maria¡¯s gathering the kids together and they¡¯re retreating a bit; I should probably save as much energy as I can.  I haven¡¯t scanned the entire area. There may be emergency cases where I need to transport people out. I think she can handle the kids¡ªbut, she¡¯s not looking that great, actually.  Her muscles are showing signs of strain, and she¡¯s not glowing that much anymore.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why?  Did someone do something to her?¡±


    Scarlet shook her head.  ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so ¡­ well, maybe she¡¯s low on energy.  I think she recharges in the sun¡ªshe hasn¡¯t recharged at all, and she¡¯s been healing a lot.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s mind flashed back to Maria healing all the people they¡¯d rescued, including Erica.  The condition of the people Scarlet and Maria had rescued burned in her chest again, angry flaring inside her mind.  All the horrible experiments and things they¡¯d forced her to watch as their pet insect. It fueled the hate compressing her heart.


    ¡°See!  That¡¯s why we should go in and take them out!  Maria¡¯s getting tired, we can¡¯t keep letting them hurt people.  She can¡¯t heal everyone!¡±


    Scarlet pushed her cheeks to the side in a slight frown as she turned to look back at the hotel.  ¡°I get that¡ªbut a bit too ¡­ a big guy is coming out to meet Rachel. I think he¡¯s one of those contractor people¡ªthe ones Rachel mentioned; she¡¯s waiting for him.  She¡¯s probably trying to distract him from us.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡±  Fiona cheered.  ¡°That means we have one less person to worry about.  Send the kids back to the base, and let¡¯s go end this!¡±


    Scarlet hesitated for a moment as she studied the man¡¯s approach.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªwe may need to help Rachel. His muscles are odd ¡­ kind of like Rachel¡¯s, but a lot bulkier.¡±  She shook her head lightly, black hair shifting. ¡°Okay, we could be short on time. Let¡¯s do it!¡± Pulling a stray lock behind her long left ear, Scarlet made the portal, and Fiona quickly dropped them through it.  I feel like I forgot something again ¡­ this stupid sugar¡­


    Fiona moved back to Scarlet¡¯s shoulder as her blood returned, and they vanished in shadow.  She launched off her shoulder as the shadows left, rising a few feet. They were in a long branching hallway that led to rooms; now that they were inside, it looked more like her condominium, than a hotel.  There were stairs behind them with two elevators. The hall was lavishly decorated with paintings, tiled floor, plants, and rugs. The lights were out, but her eyes instantly adjusted. What floor are we on?  Is he in one of these condos?


    Fiona turned to Scarlet as she hummed ominously.  ¡°Hey, Fiona, there¡¯s some really strange shadows lurking ahead of us.¡±


    ¡°Shadows?¡±  Fiona looked down the hall but didn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary, besides a terrible picture of fruit.  Really?  You have all these great pictures of the sea and beaches, but some random picture of fruit?  ¡°I don¡¯t see any strange shadows ¡­ only normal shadows, and what¡¯s up with that fruit picture?¡±


    Scarlet shifted to the wall edge; she glared at a particular spot at the end of the hall.  ¡°They¡¯re moving; two shadows. I also see some strange things in with the hostages. Marcus and¡ªI forgot his brother¡¯s name, but they¡¯re like ¡­ animal people with them?¡±


    Still confused, Fiona kept scanning the hall, but she didn¡¯t see any moving shadows.  ¡°Beastkin? Like Erica?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ these animal people are¡ªdifferent.¡±  She hesitated. ¡°Quick, behind here, a shadow¡¯s coming!¡±  She ushered her to hide in the branching hallway with the stairs and elevators.


    Frowning, Fiona quickly complied.  Why¡¯s she acting like this?  She¡¯s so cautious for being a vampire that can teleport and fear people with just her presence.  We¡¯re taking forever! Glancing at Scarlet¡¯s serious demeanor, Fiona breathed out a long breath.  I mean, we¡¯re whispering, but still, it¡¯s super quiet; a human would probably be able to hear us.


    ¡°Here,¡± Fiona huffed.  ¡°Let¡¯s try this!¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    Darting around the corner, Fiona held out her hand as a dark red aura burst around her; the hallway illuminated with the light as she held up her hand, a massive fire igniting as she cast Inferno.  ¡°Hey! Get out here, whatever you are!¡± There was silence for several seconds as she hovered in the hallway, blazing fireball above her that took up half the space, waves of heat radiating; the bright glow casting deep shadows from the furnishing.  C¡¯mon!  Nothing?  This fireball takes energy you know¡­


    Her thoughts shifted as a dark umbra emerged out of the carpet several feet in front of her, rising to form into a jagged looking creature; the light of the fire cast an even longer shadow behind it.  Its head tilted slightly as the two-dimensional figure shifted to her left; the shadows where its eyes should have been vanished, and a jagged, wicked smile appeared, showing the background behind it.


    ¡°The crap are you?¡±  Fiona muttered. ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    A woman¡¯s voice seemed to emanate from the umbra, tone lush and sophisticated.  ¡°Oh, my¡ªwelcome, my dear. I thought I sensed something enter this side of the building.  You must be the Fairy; I heard your name was Fiona. Is that correct?¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªyou¡¯re a talking shadow?  Do you control shadows or something¡ªare you a person?¡±  Fiona frowned as Scarlet kept hidden behind the corner. This is an enemy, right?  Then shouldn¡¯t we just kill her ¡­ it?


    ¡°You could say that,¡± the shadow seemed to be amused as a massive crash sounded around them; it was like an enormous piece of metal grating against something.  Fiona winced, fireball disappearing as her hands flew over her ears. What in the¡­  Her eyes widened with panic as another umbra appeared to her right, just at the edge of her vision, two-dimensional jagged claw-like hand slashing.


    Her vision was obscured as blood encircled her, a moment later the blood shot forward, sharp spikes chasing the shadow as it melded around the crystalline liquid, retreating back to the first umbra; Scarlet¡¯s blood molded into hundreds of shapes as it gave chase, but the creature reformed every strike to evade the barbs.  The blood reached halfway down the hall before returning, Scarlet stepping out beside Fiona as her blood encircled them. I could have died ¡­ I froze.  The sound, then that thing...


    Both shadows wore sinister grins as they stood against opposite walls; Fiona couldn¡¯t tell from which the voice came as the sound of a tongue popping was heard.  ¡°The Vampire ¡­ quite the lively blood you have. Fascinating, is that your blood or someone else''s, I wonder?¡±


    ¡°What are you?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s tone was wary.  ¡°Those shadows aren¡¯t you,¡± her halo-like red irises shifted down to their right.  ¡°You¡¯re that woman with Terrell ¡­ I see you talking when your shadows speak.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the left umbra¡¯s smile broadened as the eyes enlarged slightly, edges jagged for a moment.  ¡°You have unique eyes, my dear. I hear you have blood portals. Is that how you got in? Conner is sure having fun outside, but he would have been able to detect anyone coming in through the front.¡±


    Fiona swallowed, body tingling with her near death encounter.  Pull it together!  She slapped her cheeks, the pain bringing her focus back.  Right!  I¡¯m a powerful Fairy with magic.  I can do anything!


    The shadow to their left tilted its head to the right.  ¡°Slapping yourself? Oh, are you beating yourself up for freezing?  Losing control of your magic? I must admit, that fireball was quite impressive¡ªbut, I can¡¯t help but question your intelligence.¡±


    Fiona felt her cheeks flush.  ¡°What? I¡¯m not stupid!¡±


    ¡°I never said you were,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°Yet, what purpose would be fulfilled, setting the north wing ablaze?  From the magic I sensed within, that inferno would have exploded into quite the brilliant firework.  It would have most definitely roared out of control in a blaze of glory.¡± The left umbra shifted to the right a bit.  ¡°What about the hostages in the room behind me? Did you plan for that, my darling little hero? No? How wonderfully naive.¡±


    A pit dropped in her stomach.  Wait ¡­ there¡¯s hostages behind her?  Scarlet told me to wait ¡­ was she planning on rescuing them before going to fight the shadows, and I just rushed in without letting her explain.  Stupid! Why am I not thinking at all? The knowledge of granulated sugar jabbed at her mind again.  I¡¯m addled still ¡­ great, freaking sugar addict!  How long does it last? Five more minutes ¡­ okay, I guess it¡¯s not that much longer.  Wait, is that ¡­ I lost the thought ¡­ dang it¡­


    Scarlet moved forward a bit, causing the shadows to shift a little at her advance.  ¡°Will you surrender, or do you want me to kill you, Relica?¡±


    Relica giggled softly.  ¡°Oh, I am enjoying this¡ªyou are adorable.  Why would I surrender? I¡¯m excited to see how this plays out.  Are you as strong as they say? Some nameless demon that causes men to lose all hope of survival?  I wonder how much a myth compares to a legend?¡±


    ¡°A legend?¡±  Scarlet muttered.  ¡°A high opinion of yourself.¡±


    ¡°We shall see,¡± Relica cooed.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you come to me? I think you already know that Terrell gathered all of his men by the back lounge of the neighboring building.  It¡¯s quite savory,¡± she chuckled. ¡°The wine is to die for, but I wonder if you¡¯re of age. Can a vampire even drink wine? Well then, come, and I hope you don¡¯t disappoint.¡±  The shadows dropped to the floor before dispersing.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone,¡± Scarlet ran her hand through her hair, securing it behind her ears.


    Swallowing, Fiona¡¯s head drooped.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Scarlet ¡­ the sugar¡¯s affecting my judgment.  I¡¯m¡ªthat knowledge thing¡ªit told me I¡¯m in an addled state because I ate too much granulated sugar ¡­ sorry,¡± she rubbed her left shoulder, vision downcast.  ¡°I think it also made me freeze up ¡­ maybe ¡­ I forgot you said there were two of them, wow...¡±


    Scarlet took a deep breath before smiling at her.  ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re safe. I saw her creeping up on you.  I hoped I¡¯d be able to surprise her, but her shadow was so flexible ¡­ I kept missing.¡±  It¡¯s not okay though¡­


    Bunching her right cheek, Fiona shook her head.  ¡°Thanks for saving me.¡± She looked up at the room across the hall.  ¡°So, are you going to help those hostages?¡±


    Her blood continued to circle around them as Scarlet tilted her head.  ¡°Me? It¡¯s we, and c¡¯mon, they look lifeless, like the kids. Let¡¯s go save them, and then we¡¯ll go take Relica head on.  I¡¯m confident that you can back me up!¡± Scarlet said with a beaming smile.


    Fiona¡¯s nose burned.  She still believes in me?  I don¡¯t ¡­ I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m here in the first place.  I mean, I was mad, but ¡­ but Erica¡¯s right. I¡¯m not a crazy warrior or gangster.  She looked up, sniffing as Scarlet moved closer to glare at her.


    ¡°Hey!  I can sense those emotions!¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Fiona swallowed the lump in her throat.  ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you locked that away?¡±


    ¡°The powerful poky one that absorbs emotion, but not the light sensing emotion ability; there are a few levels to it.¡±  Scarlet winked. ¡°So, don¡¯t feel bad. You¡¯ve done great so far!¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Fiona smiled, balling her fists, she pumped her hands.  ¡°Right, let¡¯s take this war to them! The law of escalation; they want to cause pain and death then we¡¯ll return it right back!  Wait ¡­ did I actually say that? It doesn¡¯t sound like me, but it feels like me...¡±


    Scarlet chuckled, expression darkening.  ¡°Oh, no, I totally get that ¡­ let¡¯s show them what horror is!¡±  The blood parted, closing into a tight circle around Scarlet¡¯s body as she moved toward the door, Fiona in-tow.


    AuthorSME


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


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    If you get a chance then please share the serial with friends if you''re enjoying it; word of mouth is the best way to gain more readers.  Just like youtubers saying, like and subscribe, it also helps show that a serial is interesting enough to give a shot.  If you''re comfortable with it that is.  The fan''s recommendations are always worth more than an author begging for more readers.  You guys are awesome!


    ^_^7

 B1 — 25. Split

    Fiona followed Scarlet across the hall.  She reached out and turned the knob, but it caught; brow creasing, they both looked down.


    ¡°Seriously?  It¡¯s locked.¡±  Fiona chuckled with exasperation.


    Scarlet sighed, lips pursed to the side.  ¡°Honestly though,¡± she glanced through the wall to their left.  ¡°Hmm, it looks like they were trying to defend themselves. They have minor cuts.¡±  I can imagine why; the gang wasn¡¯t gentle when they took over.


    Head shaking, Fiona moved closer as shadows enveloped Scarlet.  The room they entered was a little nicer than her condo; there were white tile floors along the front entrance that led to the front room and kitchen to their left.  The appliances were a little older than her¡¯s, and the white walls weren¡¯t to her taste, but the condo¡¯s square-feet seemed to be much bigger, and she liked their furniture.  She assumed the bedrooms and bathrooms were to the right where the soft white carpet led.


    Scarlet walked down the left side of the hall.  Humming, Fiona followed, studying the furnishing.  ¡°Is there a reason you didn¡¯t teleport us right to them?¡±


    ¡°Just conserves more energy to teleport short¡­¡±  She cut off as they entered the front room; there were three women and a teen boy and girl that were probably sixteen.


    Both their eyes widened as they each picked up a knife beside them and plunged it into their stomachs.  ¡°Hey!¡± Scarlet darted forward, but Fiona was too stunned. Why¡¯d ¡­ what?


    The women and teens looked at them with blank looks, pulling their knife out; red stains instantly appeared on their clothes, running down the large white couch they sat on.


    ¡°I don¡¯t ¡­ I can¡¯t heal!¡±  Scarlet shouted, her blood pooling under the couch.


    Fiona hovered by the hall.  ¡°They just¡ªthey stabbed themselves?¡±


    Scarlet, groaned as she reached out, but quickly balled her fist.  ¡°I just need to...¡±


    The teen girl and boy lurched forward, jabbing their knives at Scarlet¡¯s chest.  Crystalline spikes shot up through the couch to pierce their hearts, causing them to fall at Scarlet¡¯s feet, blood spurting through the wounds across Fiona¡¯s front.  The women didn¡¯t twitch as blood continued to pool across their laps. They ¡­ why?


    Scarlet dropped to her knees; her hands trembled as she touched their backs, voice thick, ¡°No fair¡­¡±


    Fiona snapped back to her senses.  I just ¡­ I froze again!  Darting forward, she circled around Scarlet.  Scarlet¡¯s irises were back to ocean blue, the corners of her blood portal separated to absorb back into her skin, falling down her cheeks in crimson tears to return to the portal.


    Fiona grit her teeth.  I didn¡¯t have her back at all!  I could have trapped them in a Wind Prison ¡­ there is something I can do.  Knowledge thing! How do I freeze them in a ball of ice? I combine Water Ball and Freeze?  Okay!


    Calling on her magic, she flew to the three women, light and deep blue hews touching her glow as she hovered before them.  Holding out her hands, three balls of water quickly surrounded them, forcing her to retreat as the water expanded. Blood tainted the water; the moment they were entirely covered, she activated Freeze.  She felt three percent of her remained energy fade as the women and part of the couch turned into an ice block; cool mist frothed off its surface as her white aura returned.


    Fiona turned back to Scarlet, still staring at the teens with sad eyes.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I could have stopped them.¡±


    Scarlet shook her head.  ¡°No¡ªyou couldn¡¯t. You¡¯re still addled from the sugar.  No, this is Terrell or Relica¡¯s fault¡ªbut it¡¯s not fair¡ªit¡¯s not.  I¡¯m scared¡ªall the time. My blood attacks threats to me, and ¡­ I don¡¯t have any control.  These people¡ªit must be some kind of mind control ability.¡±


    She was silent for a moment, clearly trying to calm down.  ¡°And they used it to force these kids to stab themselves¡ªthen attack whoever got close to help ¡­ it¡¯s sick.¡±  Fiona completely agreed but gave her space to refocus.


    Taking a deep breath, Scarlet rose and looked at the three linked bubbles of ice, atmosphere cooling rapidly.  ¡°Thanks for that, Fiona. I had no clue what to do¡ªother than teleporting them; thanks for coming up with this.  Can you thaw them out later?¡±


    Fiona frowned as she looked at the frozen women.  ¡°I think so. I¡¯ll need to be careful, but if Maria can heal them inside the ice and then their hypothermia¡ªprobably.  It was the best option I could think of.¡±


    A green light surrounded Fiona as she used Levitate to move the dead teens onto the couch.  She expanded the spell to cover the couch, and it rose a few inches; the weight of the ice blocks was quickly draining her energy.  Scarlet nodded, and she lowered it through the portal until she felt the magic on the other side strike ground. She released it, green hues fading.


    Scarlet glared at the portal.  ¡°They made me kill teenagers.¡± Silence stretched for several seconds before she growled her frustration, ¡°I hate this!¡±  Taking a deep breath, she sighed. ¡°But, we should probably go back.¡±


    ¡°Eh, what?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still addled¡­¡±


    Fiona shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the reason they get away!¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Scarlet looked down with a troubled expression as her blood returned to her.  ¡°You sure? What if¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±  Fiona huffed.  ¡°I may be addled, and who knows, maybe it¡¯s because of that that I¡¯m saying this ¡­ but there are people that need help.¡±  She muttered, mind returning to Erica¡¯s condition and all the kids she¡¯d seen killed.


    Scarlet seemed conflicted for a moment, but nodded.  ¡°Alright. I¡¯m trusting you to have my back!¡±


    Fiona nodded, and shadows enveloped them; they appeared on a large concrete patio.  Fiona quickly separated from Scarlet¡¯s side, examining the space. They were on the second-floor patio of some kind of open event area that was surrounded by white rail guards and overlooked the beach.  Behind them was a hotel with two large pools, and there was a lot of greenery around the pool area, palm trees, shrubs, and ferns giving it a natural beachside atmosphere.


    There was a large white patio covering above them and stairs to their left, right, and across from them, leading to a walkway toward the beach.  Fancy beach chaises and folding beach chairs with towels were spaced around the area. There was a large rollable cart that housed a lot of glass bottles across the patio with a dark-skinned man behind it, creating a cocktail.  Fiona got her first look at the group Scarlet was talking about.


    Terrell, Daran, and Marcus sat together by the moveable bar.  There was the man behind the bar and two Asian girls that sat in folding beach chairs to their right.  One of the Asians was some kind of cat Beastkin with black cat ears and a tail, while the other had Elven-like characteristics with blonde hair.


    A white-skinned man and woman were lying on the beach chaises to their left, and there were several children by each person, eyes just as vacant as the people they¡¯d rescued.  However, the thing that caught Fiona¡¯s attention was the strange creatures by the back right rail guard.


    Several deformed creatures huddled against the railing in the back right corner of the patio.  They had grayish-brown leather-like skin and were hunched over, long, boney, jagged spikes lining their spines.  Their legs were bowed like an animal and had bones protruding at their joints, feet cleft hooves. Three bony fingers split their hands with the middle finger extending further than the others.  Their lopsided head was bald and marked with bulging blue veins, and their small red eyes were housed in hollowed sockets.


    Their noses and jaws looked torn off, and jagged indented teeth were visible further in the cavity that shifted back and forth.  Bulging arms, back, and leg muscles flexed with power, but their core seemed malnourished, showing ribs.


    Fiona couldn¡¯t keep her eyes off them.  What the crap are those things?


    Scarlet glared at the white-skinned woman as she stretched, rising to her feet.  ¡°Relica, are you planning on having these kids hurt themselves if we move against you?¡±  Relica hummed thoughtfully as most of the gang stiffened, just noticing them.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she ran a hand through her long black hair, pulling her bangs back.  ¡°That sounds boring though.¡± Is Scarlet asking me to protect all the kids?  If I make a prison around the gang then they could force the kids to hurt themselves, if I locked the kids in a prison then they could enter and hurt the kids, and if I put the kids in a shield then they could ¡­ wait, what was I thinking?  Crap! I just know it won¡¯t work...


    Fiona forced her eyes away from the creatures to examine Relica; she held moderate curves, was at least five foot eight, had hazel eyes that showed an edge of anticipation.  If someone called her beautiful, then it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. She wore a black one-shoulder top bikini with matching boyshort bottoms that accentuated her butt.


    The cat Beastkin straightened, rising to her feet to lean against the rails.  ¡°Relica, is this that Vampire and Fairy you mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Briana,¡± Relica said, placing her left hand against her hip, she put her right on a young boy¡¯s shoulder.


    Terrell took a deep breath, glaring at them.  ¡°When did they get here?¡±


    ¡°They came out of the shadows,¡± the Asian Elf-woman hummed with interest.  ¡°Kind of like Relica.¡±


    Fiona was beginning to feel anxious.  How can I stop the kids from hearing?  I need ¡­ something like ¡­ Earth Prison!  It isn¡¯t linked to my energy ¡­ so they could destroy it if they have strong enough abilities, but ¡­ but what?  Fart basket! How long until I¡¯m not addled? Oh, only a minute? I just need to keep them talking then!


    The man sitting next to Relica lifted his eyebrows.  ¡°Well, what do you think, Relica? Think a Legendkin can stand against a Mythickin?  Marcus was saying they can damage his shield.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that why Conner went ahead?¡±  Relica giggled. ¡°He¡¯s so impatient, but I admit that I¡¯m curious.  Can I take on a mythical Vampire?¡± She pursed her lips to the side in question.


    Scarlet hummed.  ¡°You¡¯re a Legendkin?¡±


    ¡°That sounds made-up,¡± Fiona huffed.  ¡°Release the hostages and those ¡­ Scarlet, what are those again?¡±


    Relica chuckled.  ¡°My, my, Scarlet was it?  Your little Fairy friend seems to be quite jittery, and no more preposterous than a Mythickin, no?¡±


    ¡°What are you waiting for¡ªRelica?¡±  Terrell fidgeted in his chair, but only he and his two sons seemed on edge; the other gang members seemed perfectly at ease as the Elf rose, stretching to stand beside the other woman against the rails.


    ¡°Oh, patience, Terrell, good things come with time¡­¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyes darted to her left as shadows swallowed Scarlet, teleporting behind Relica.  However, when Scarlet appeared, Relica transformed into a dark umbra. Scarlet gasped as its jagged claws shot for her heart.  Her blood instantly intercepted, expanding into a wave that surrounded the umbra, folding to return around Scarlet¡¯s body; the shadow was nowhere to be seen.


    Relica appearing five feet behind Scarlet, tongue clicking with amusement as she accepted a cocktail from the man behind the bar.  ¡°Oh, how cheeky,¡± she purred with delight. ¡°So, assassin-like, to move through shadow.¡±


    ¡°Woah, Scarlet, what did she do?¡±


    Scarlet turned to glare at Relica as her blood struck the white-skinned man beside her; the man¡¯s eyes popped as the red crystallized spear pierced his head.  Yes!


    However, he seemed to liquefy with his clothes, lips turning into a smile; the liquid slithered to reform by the two Asians.  He solidified into his previous form, leaning against the rail guard with a humorous chuckle. Terrell¡¯s hands gripped his chair as Marcus¡¯ shell surrounded them.  What¡¯s up with these guys?  Why are they so calm? Scarlet just tried to kill him, and he¡¯s smiling?


    ¡°You know, that blood actually hurts a lot,¡± the man hummed, still smiling.  ¡°It struck my head and split, striking all over the place. If I didn¡¯t have such high defensive abilities and regeneration that would have easily killed me.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyes widened as she felt a fog lift from her mind that she didn¡¯t even feel was there.  That¡¯s it!  I¡¯m not addled anymore.


    Her vision darted to the man.  So, he¡¯s like liquid?  Then I can freeze or burn him, probably freeze; I don''t want to hurt the kids.  Can my Ice Spears chill? Sweet, it can as long as it stays embedded, but he might have an ability to counter it.  I just need to hold him down for a moment though. The issue is Marcus¡¯ shield...


    Scarlet didn¡¯t turn away from Relica as she sipped her drink.  ¡°You just swapped places with your shadow, but you only have one more, and it¡¯s across the beach to our left, three-hundred meters away.  That won¡¯t work twice, and I see your other men preparing a boat further up north...¡±


    Daran cleared his throat.  ¡°You don¡¯t care what happens to the kids?¡±


    Relica set her glass down with a sigh.  ¡°Daran, we don¡¯t need to ruin the fun. The only threat is the Vampire; the Fairy has frozen several times already.  We have everything under control.¡±


    She licked her lips seductively as she turned back to Scarlet.  ¡°My dear young Vampire, I have something to propose. Tell me something about yourself that I don¡¯t know, and I¡¯ll tell you what type of Legendkin I am¡ªI am dying to tell you, but let¡¯s make this fun.¡±


    Scarlet was silent for a moment.  ¡°You¡¯re very chatty; you wouldn¡¯t happen to be some legendary poet?¡±


    Terrell growled lowly, clearly annoyed with how his gang was acting but kept silent.  I suppose he doesn¡¯t have the best control over these members since they actually hold power.


    The Asian Elf giggled.  ¡°Relica, a poet?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Relica said with a curious grin.  ¡°That was a decent first guess; I mean, they¡¯ve been seeing all these people that seem brainwashed¡ªwere you perhaps thinking about the Pied Piper of Hamelin?¡±  When Scarlet didn¡¯t answer, she giggled. ¡°No, I am not a Pied Piper; you haven¡¯t seen an instrument, have you?¡±


    The man behind the bar began making another cocktail as if not interested in the conversation.  I can make two Ice Spears at once.  If I shield the kids, then use one spear to immobilize the water guy and another to attack Terrell, then they should teleport away or Marcus will condense his shield.


    She examined the Asians.  Briana seemed a little shorter than Scarlet and wore a blue soft cross strap lattice bikini and held modest curves.  Her black hair was shoulder length, eyes feline yellow, and her amused smile showed fanged teeth.


    The Elf seemed to be as tall as Rachel and had golden hair, gray eyes, high cheekbones, and perfect skin and facial features.  She wore a crimson Halter neck monokini, holding an hourglass figure. I think that¡¯s my best bet.  Wait, do I have anything to bypass his shield?  I guess not. Briana probably won¡¯t be too effective against me, but I¡¯ll need to keep my shield up to be safe, and I don¡¯t know what kind of abilities the Elf has.


    ¡°Come now,¡± Relica mused.  ¡°I could be a poet, Hanna. Don¡¯t be penurious.¡±


    Scarlet took a deep breath and let it out slowly, tone dangerous.  ¡°I¡¯ll tell you that I love to draw; I could take up painting though, your blood might look magical.¡±


    ¡°Oh, an artist,¡± Relica pursed her lips, studying Scarlet closely.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have guessed; you put off that sociopathic vibe that makes me tingle with excitement!  It¡¯s only fair, you answered my question. I take my legends from Medea; so, you could call me a Witch, Enchantress, Sorceress, or Demigod.  Any would suffice.¡± Her smile was charming.


    Scarlet chuckled lightly, but it held no humor, causing Relica¡¯s smile to fade.  Scarlet¡¯s bought me a lot of time to sort out my thoughts.  I need to overpower them with brute force, completely throw them off guard.


    The man hummed.  ¡°I think she¡¯s making fun of you.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Relica asked with an annoyed frown.  ¡°I¡¯ve been nothing but courteous, have I not?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s tone was ice.  ¡°I¡¯m a Mythickin Vespertine Reaper, the host for Scarlet, The Reaper of Blood, a true god.  How does a Demigod compare to the host of an actual deity?¡±  Every gangster¡¯s brow furrowed at her answer. This is the perfect chance!


    Fiona blazed with color as she activated her magic, energy draining rapidly.  Her wind shield encircled her as the patio began to quake, causing every confused face to deepen.


    Terrell began to shout, ¡°What the¡­¡±


    Dirt exploded from the ground, wrapping around the children in shells of hardened earth as Fiona held up her hands, six foot Frost Spears forming.  She launched the spear at the liquid man and Terrell seconds after the shields surrounded the kids.


    Fiona turned toward the Asians, but hesitated; Briana was nowhere in sight.  Where...  Her eyes widened, Hanna had already hopped into the air, placing a foot on the rail guard.  She kicked into a backflip, bracing herself against a palm tree, she launched off, landing atop the patio cover.


    Fiona¡¯s vision went wild as a sharp blow struck her shield, sending her flying through the air.  Stretching her wings, she instantly stopped. Vision spinning, she saw Briana¡¯s grinning face darting toward her, fingernails claws.  What?  When did she¡­


    Briana seemed to blend into the background as she darted right, and another force struck her shield; it didn¡¯t carry the same kinetic force, but she felt the hit to her energy.  Fiona flapped her wings, launching into the sky. She stopped fifteen feet above the patio, regaining her senses. What¡¯s happening?


    Hanna held a bow of light in her hands, glowing arrow pulled back.  Gritting her teeth, Fiona threw out a Wind Wall, shoving it at her; she released the arrow, but it dispersed against the wall.


    Hanna¡¯s eyes narrowed as her arrow vanished.  The wind slammed against her, and she was sent crashing into the patio floor.  She struck the concrete with a grunt, but was on her feet within seconds. Hanna¡¯s a freaking super energy archer or some crap, and Briana can camouflage ¡­ don¡¯t I have True Sight though?  Doesn¡¯t that counter ¡­ oh, I guess it only works with illusions; she¡¯s just blending into the background ¡­ crap.


    Hanna jumped back up to the patio cover, firing another arrow.  Fiona tried to dodge, but somehow she predicted her trajectory; the arrow struck her shield, depleting more of her life force.  Crap!  What ¡­ no, I need to focus on the kids!


    Beating her wings, she raced back down to the patio within a second; a gust of wind exploding below her as she stopped.  Terrell, Marcus, Daran, and the cocktail guy were gone, and so was one of the kids. They took a hostage!  Did they teleport ¡­ wait, is that blood on the chair?  Where¡¯s Scarlet and ... those creatures are running to the¡­


    She was struck again, sending her crashing into a rail.  Her shield took the strikes, but her energy was draining faster than she liked.  Briana is actually pretty strong, but¡­  She pulled up more earth to surround the remaining kids while throwing another Wind Wall in front of her.  Hanna dropped down and pressed against the back rails to anchor herself against the force; however, Briana appeared five feet in front of her; spinning in the air, she pierced through the blast of wind.  No way!


    Briana broke the spin, entering a barrel roll to land beside her.  Darting back through the bars, she managed to miss a light arrow as she dropped into the brush; she released her magic, glow fading.  This is crazy!  They¡¯re like pro at this!  What¡¯s up with those moves?  I thought I was supposed to be an OP Fairy?


    Hanna hummed, breathing deeply.  ¡°Oh, that was so fun! Where did you go, Fairy?  I think you were somewhere around ¡­ here?¡±


    Fiona tensed as a flash of light exploded six inches to her left, burrowing into a trunk.  The smell of burning wood lifted into her nostrils. How sharp are her eyes?  It¡¯s the dead of night! Does she have night vision like us?  I guess she is an elf or something ¡­ she handles the sky and Briana the ground.  ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡±  She muttered.


    ¡°Oh!  I just heard her over there; close to where you shot.¡±  Briana giggled. ¡°She¡¯s frustrated.¡± Briana has good hearing too?  Crap!


    ¡°Ugh,¡± the liquid man mumbled.  ¡°Yo, Briana, mind pulling this crap out?  I can¡¯t¡ªget it out. Can¡¯t¡ªliquify, either¡­¡±


    Hanna clicked her tongue.  ¡°Seriously, Banner? You were taken out like two seconds into the fight!¡±


    ¡°Frost¡ªc¡¯mon, girl¡­¡±


    Fiona tried to take a long quiet breath.  Alright, I just need to catch my bearings.  I¡¯ve never fought someone in my life, but I can do this!  The kids are mostly safe; I bet Scarlet¡¯s chasing after Relica, and those creatures are going to back her up.  C¡¯mon Fiona, you¡¯re a piranha on a warpath!


    She slapped her cheeks again.  I can handle these guys!  One bite at a time.


    Another light arrow shot beside her by four inches.  Oh my Gosh¡ªI need to put up my Shield!


    AuthorSME


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 B1 — 26. Warpath

    Preparing herself, Fiona began to glow as her wings appeared and she activated Wind Shield.  Flapping them, she shot into the sky. Stopping fifteen feet above the patio, she cast a Wind Wall below her, stopping a volley of light arrows.


    Hanna ceased her attack, staring up at her with pursed lips, but soon smiled.  Banner was by the rail guard, kneeling beside Briana as he examined her Ice Spear.  Okay, Banner¡¯s free ¡­ my Ice Spear just immobilized him.  What the crap! What kind of warrior am I?


    Briana sighed, hands on her hips as she looked up at her.  ¡°Hanna, those arrows are¡­¡±


    Fiona¡¯s vision shifted to the hard shell domes surrounding the kids.  They¡¯re all safe for now, but they need air.  She manipulated the shell bottom¡¯s with Earth Displacement to create holes for them to breath.  That should¡­


    Her eyes shot open as a bright light exploded below her; she frantically beat her wings, feeling gravity slam against her body as she flew backward, barely missing a massive burst of light that pierced her Wind Wall.  What the crap!


    Hanna had her bow pulled back, white glowing arrow brightening by the second.  A charged shot?  Of course there¡¯d be a charged shot!


    Licking her lips, Fiona pulled the earth up, surrounding the three gangsters.  They stiffened as the patio trembled, dirt rising toward them. That should buy me some time.  As the shell rose, they all dodged; Hanna jumped off to the side, Briana camouflaged, and Banner turned into a liquid to melt through the floor.  Seriously?  These guys are so annoying!


    Releasing the magic, the earth only partially formed into an Earth Shield.  She darted down and manipulated the earth to open up, using Levitate to lift the children, she shot into the air but froze as Hanna hopped back on the railing, bow aimed at a girl no more than seven years old.


    ¡°Hey!  Calm down, little Fairy!¡±  She grinned, arrow brightening.


    Fiona took a deep breath, biting her lower lip.  They were fifteen feet above the covering, but she¡¯d seen how accurate Hanna could be.  They¡¯re so fast at recovering!  If I try to go, she can just pierce my Wind Wall and kill a kid...


    Briana appeared on the patio cover, tail swishing back and forth as she grinned up at her.  ¡°You¡¯re pretty fun! A lot funner than regular Beastkin and the like, there were quite a few that fought back, but they were easy prey.¡±


    Fiona looked back at the kids, still in their placid state before glaring down at Hanna.  I don¡¯t get them!  ¡°Were you never a sister or mom?  Why would you kill kids?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s vision darted to a puddle that rose up around one of the side pillars of the patio.  ¡°Oh, wrong words there, Fairy.¡±


    ¡°Teh, mom or sister?¡±  Hanna scoffed. ¡°I grew up on the streets after my parents abandoned me.  My mom went on and on about how she should have had an abortion since it was illegal to kill a kid; she would have had no problem aborting a child.  Eventually, she just dropped me off here. Proof right? I don¡¯t even remember what state they lived in or what she looked like.¡±


    ¡°So, what, this is all a game to you?¡±  Fiona seethed. ¡°Your parents abandoned you, so now just kill or hurt anyone?¡±  This is really like a warzone!  They¡¯re crazy!


    Briana snickered.  ¡°Please, we know it¡¯s wrong, but we don¡¯t care.  It¡¯s fun, and who¡¯s going to stop us? It feels so good just playing with people, like a cat playing with a mouse!  Nature, right?¡± She licked her lips. ¡°Nature ¡­ Fairies might taste good, who knows? I mean, it can¡¯t be cannibalism now, right?¡±  Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Humans aren¡¯t cannibalism now!¡±


    ¡°Woah,¡± Hanna, chuckled, still aiming a charged arrow at the young girl.  ¡°Even I wouldn¡¯t go that far, Bri. Don¡¯t do a Banner!¡±


    Fiona felt her skin prickle.  Don¡¯t do a Banner?  This can¡¯t be real. She glared at the partial liquid man, wrapped around the post.  ¡°You¡ªate someone?¡±


    Banner¡¯s eyebrows lifted.  ¡°Oh, mad?¡± He chuckled. ¡°Oh, yeah, I definitely ate people; I¡¯m an Aberationkin, a Slime¡ªit felt so natural as they ¡­ dissolved inside me.  You know, they can breathe, if I want them to, and then they just feel the acidic burn.¡± He grinned. ¡°No one can hear their screams as they float, trapped in my digestive membrane¡­¡±


    ¡°Yo,¡± Briana sniffed.  ¡°TMI, man! That¡¯s a bit too much for me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, shut up, Banner!  I might throw up. I mean, killing the kids, sure, but slowly melting them?  Gave me the shivers last time I saw it.¡±


    Fiona could feel her temper flaring; a storm she never experienced as a human.  They ¡­ he ¡­ melted children alive?  Inside him? A shiver ran down her spine as she felt Scarlet¡¯s Fear Aura activate up north, but it was a drop of water in an inferno.  That¡¯s right ¡­ these aren¡¯t people, they¡¯re monsters, worse than monsters, filth!  Murder by crushing, gassing, melting, experimenting ¡­ men, women, children ¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter to them.  Monsters? I¡¯m a monster now, right? It takes monsters to deal with monsters!


    Thirty percent of her remaining energy vanished; she lifted her hands above her head as she activated the next stage of Inferno, Conflagration.  A tight ball of red energy grew to the size of the pool below them as most her aura flashed deep red.


    ¡°Woah!¡±  Banner muttered.


    ¡°Hey, hey, I¡¯ll shoot¡­¡±


    Briana¡¯s ears pulled back as she stared up at the ball above her, tail drooping limply.  The sphere had multiple spherical hues inside as new layers continued to form, becoming lighter and lighter as it expanded.  ¡°Shit¡­¡±


    Fiona threw her hands down; the ball shot toward Hanna.  Briana kicked off the patio cover, racing to tackle Hanna as Fiona lost sight of the scene below her; activating Wind Wall at the maximum output, she felt three percent of her energy leave as they shot into the air.


    The sound was as loud as the tank shell, fire roaring below them.  The scalding steam was forced around the children as her wall combatted the rising heat.  Breathing a deep sigh, she examined the devastation below. All of the plastic had turned to vapor, fumes following her wind¡¯s current, and the metals were either partially melted or puddles of bubbling liquid.


    The conflagration was so hot that it yellowed the concrete, causing it to crack from the rapid expansion, and the plant life was instantly disintegrated, leaving no fire.  The back half of the patio lit with rising flames, the only live fire, everything else was either melted or evaporated.


    Creating a few large balls of water the size of a couch, she dropped them on the parts that were getting out of control.  Wow ¡­ that was crazy powerful, but it did cost a ton of my energy.  After all the spells I¡¯ve been using, I only have about thirty-eight percent of my energy left ¡­ that¡¯s after eating enough sugar to give me that Addled debuff too.  More than half my life is gone¡­


    She snapped back to her senses as some of the steam around the pool blew away; three bodies laid at the bottom.  A foot of boiling water was left, the atmosphere thick with humidity. Both Hanna and Briana were in some kind of gelatinous body, but they weren¡¯t unscathed.


    Hanna¡¯s right arm, the front of her face, and part of her left breast were charcoal, flaking away in Banner¡¯s body; teeth clenched in pain, she grasped at her blackened shoulder, clearly crying.


    From her shins to her feet, Briana¡¯s legs reflected the blast they received, face mirroring Hanna¡¯s agony.


    Fiona observed the three with contempt.  They actually survived that?  Slimes are pretty freaking resilient.  She hovered toward them, the two girls completely oblivious to anything but their own pain.  Serves them right!


    Coldly, Fiona began to glow light blue as she raised a hand, Ice Spear forming; Banner¡¯s upper body appeared from the gelatinous substance, forming to lie against the pool¡¯s cracked and scalding bottom side.


    ¡°Wh¡ªwait¡ªplease¡­¡±


    Fiona glared at him.  ¡°It looks like my Conflagration did affect you.  You¡¯re barely holding it together.¡± She lowered her hand toward Briana, slowly moving the thin, long shard of ice toward her thigh inside the jelly.  ¡°Slow, that¡¯s what makes it fun, right?¡±


    Banner grit his teeth as the gelatin began to liquefy.  ¡°Ah, not so fast¡­¡± Fiona clicked her tongue, sending a burst of cold air at him from her other hand, hardening the liquid.


    Teeth beginning to chatter, Banner¡¯s upper half began to shiver.  ¡°Wha¡ªwait ¡­ please¡ªack¡­¡± Her spear began to penetrate his chilled body, burrowing at a constant rate until it struck Briana¡¯s leg, causing a silent scream.


    ¡°How odd¡ªyou really can¡¯t hear her,¡± Fiona muttered as she formed another spear.  ¡°You know, I wonder how many children¡¯s screams you heard today? How many cries for help¡ªfor you to stop?¡±


    The rod entered his body, moving toward Hanna¡¯s right shoulder.  ¡°You used that arm to kill kids, did you? Torture them?¡± Her icicle entered Hanna¡¯s shoulder, severing the cartilage and grinding against bone.


    ¡°N¡ªno,¡± Banner shivered.  ¡°Hanna didn¡¯t¡ªdidn¡¯t torture¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Fiona asked, cold blue and vivid green eyes rising to meet Banner¡¯s upper half.  ¡°Well then, I guess she¡¯s off the hook.¡± Creating another spear, she shot it like a bullet through Hanna¡¯s chest.  Her eyes widened, before deadening, trembling body going limp.


    ¡°Wha¡ªwhat kin¡ªkind of hero¡ªare you?¡±


    Fiona glared at him, fireball appearing in her hand as she activated Inferno, glow tinting red.  ¡°Who said I was a hero? I¡¯m a monster¡ªjust like you. A mythical monster, really, not a legendary hero, and apparently they aren¡¯t that great either.¡±  She pushed the fireball forward, increasing the energy as it entered Banner¡¯s body. His upper body tensed before liquifying, sliding back into the water as it began to bubble viciously.


    Briana¡¯s body dropped into the pool as Banner melded with the torrent, making her scream as she hit the boiling liquid.  Thrashing about as the ice in her leg melted, Fiona watched her boil alive, safe behind her Wind Shield. ¡°Cooked like a lobster.  Is this fun?¡± After a few minutes, she stopped flailing, eyes dead.


    She¡¯d never felt this way before, rage, disgusted, powerful, willing to do anything to complete her goal.  The thought touched her mind as she released Inferno. What am I getting from this?  Why am I doing this? Oh, Warpath?  It makes my spells consume more energy than normal ¡­ but makes me more powerful, fearless, and motivated.  It¡¯s an Enrage skill ¡­ crap ¡­ it won¡¯t deactivate until I kill Terrell.


    ¡°Are you still alive, Banner?¡±  She asked, glancing down at the rippling water.  ¡°You seem really really resilient ¡­ so, I should make sure.  Do I have lightning?¡± She smiled. ¡°Of course I do, Spark.¡± The more energy I infuse, the stronger it becomes, but the cost to power ratio increases the more energy I dump into it.  Warpath will increase the power output a ton, but it¡¯s going to cost me. That¡¯s okay, I shouldn¡¯t need that much.


    Fiona examined her hand as her green fingernail color mixed with yellow hews, sparks dancing at her fingertips.  ¡°Well then, Banner, thanks for being my guinea pig.¡±


    Pointing her hand down, she sent a bolt of electricity into the boiling water.  She shifted her head to the left as liquid spikes shot out of the pool five feet from her, convulsing in thousands of spasms with the corpses in front of her.  After several seconds, she released Spark, but the liquid stood stock still in the same shape.


    Glaring at Banner, she huffed, ¡°For good measure.¡±  Her aura lit red as she scorched the spikes. They quickly turned to steam, rising into the air and around the children, following the Wind Wall¡¯s current.


    She didn¡¯t waste a second after the last of Banner¡¯s body evaporated; darting into the air, she cut all of her spells except Levitation and Wind Shield.  The children followed her on currents of air as she dropped them off in a room, barring the door with a wall of dirt. The ventilation system should give them enough air.


    Flying back to the ocean, she rose high into the sky, looking over the moonlit area.  I felt Scarlet¡¯s Fear Aura more to the left and north, on the beach.  It¡¯s gone now, so I don¡¯t even know where she is. She must be fighting Relica, but for her to take this long ¡­ I don¡¯t know.


    Floating over the ocean, she searched, looking for any kind of boat.  No, she can handle it!  She might even be fighting Terrell ¡­ he needs to die for this to be over!  How much energy do I have? Thirty-four percent; Warpath will kill me if I don¡¯t kill him soon.  For all this pain to be worth it ¡­ making me see all that ¡­ hear it. I¡¯ll find him. I just want this all to be over, all of it¡­


    Her vision caught something in the distance; a few Coast Guard boats were destroyed, turned upside down as they began to sink.  That way!  Beating her wings as hard as she could, she felt gravity press against her body, but the wind flowed around her shield.  She shot toward the wreckage, reaching it within a minute. There were several life rafts with men frantically trying to reach them as the ships sank.


    Using Levitate on everyone she could see, they shouted in shock as they were lifted out of the water and plopped onto the orange life rafts.  Floating down to one, she hovered in front of three soldiers.


    ¡°Hey, where¡¯d they go?¡±


    The men recoiled, ¡°The hell!¡±


    ¡°Is that a glowing Fairy?¡±


    Fiona pressed a hand against her forehead.  ¡°Focus, focus! The people that sank you, where did they go?¡±


    The rest of the crew on the raft jumped with shock as the waves rose and fell around them, forcing Fiona to follow their motion.  One of the men wiped water from his face. ¡°Uhh, last I saw¡ªthey kept East.¡±


    ¡°Slightly North, going East,¡± another muttered.  ¡°What¡­¡±


    Breaking away, Fiona flew high into the sky, scanning North East.  They can¡¯t have gotten that far ¡­ it¡¯s only been like twenty minutes at most.  Where¡­


    She caught sight of a long ocean speedboat.  Gritting her teeth, she shot toward it; the boat was speeding away, she was gaining on it, but it took ten minutes before she could finally see it clearly.


    The boat was at least fifty feet long, painted a sleek yellow and black with AMG written on the hood and sides.  It fit five people, and all the seats were taken.  Daran was driving with his brother beside him, he didn¡¯t look well; Terrell, the black man that made the drinks, and some brown-skinned woman sat in the back.  Terrell was clutching at his right shoulder, where an arm used to be. That blood, I cut off Terrell¡¯s arm with that Ice Spear!  Did they bring his arm with them?


    The woman looked back, eyes locking on her.  She shoved Terrell, tilting her head back with a deep frown.  He shouted something before doubling over, hand latching onto his shoulder.  The man beside him reached over, hand glowing as he held it against Terrell¡¯s wound, the pain on his face easing.  He must be a healer ¡­ of course, Terrell would have a healer close by.


    Raising her hand, Fiona created an Ice Spear and threw it at the boat; just before the spear struck, the woman whipped her hand up, sending out a bolt of electricity, shattering her ice.  More ability users?  You have to be kidding me!  If she shatters the ice, then fire¡­


    Activating Inferno, she raced along the side of the boat, but just before she could throw the blazing globe, a wave shot up.  The wave swallowed her; Wind Shield striking the water, it was thrown around her as she dove into the ocean, energy plummeting.


    ¡°Sucking hobgoblin!¡±  She shouted as the murky ocean flowed around her shield.  ¡°Where the crap¡­¡± She cut off as something slammed against her shield, shooting her back to the surface; she launched out of the water, a geyser pushing her fifty feet into the air.  ¡°Suck! Where did that come from?¡±


    She frowned, looking around.  She caught the boat racing away.  That took down like ten percent of my energy ¡­ what the crap!  I ¡­ is it another ability user in the water? That other chick has electricity powers, so ¡­ some kind of fish Beastkin?  How do I fight that? Do I have anything to see in the water? Light Globe, sweet! Once I activate it, it¡¯ll illuminate a space for a minute.  Alright, can I get Water Prison to trap him? Perfect, let¡¯s do this. Round two!


    Darting back toward Terrell, it took her a few minutes to catch up again.  How fast is this thing going?  A hundred and fifty miles an hour or something?


    The woman held out her hand again, shooting bolts of electricity at her.  Fiona hovered back, realizing the arcing bolts never reached beyond fifty feet.  I¡¯ll get to you in a second!


    She dove into the ocean; the water hit her shield, forced around it as she continued to fly through the liquid.  Wow, my Wind Shield is eating my energy like a buffet under here!  She activated Light Globe, a ball of white light appeared at her side; similar to her fireball, it kept an even distance with her body, unhindered by the water.


    Flinging it forward, she activated its effect, wincing as a blast of light illuminated the dark sea.  Her eyes quickly adjusted, and that¡¯s when she saw him; a green-skinned man with a turtle shell on his back.  He shielded his eyes as if the light bothered him. Is that a Kappa?  If only chat could see this¡­


    Darting toward him, she activated Water Prison as she neared; two spherical vortexes spun into existence around him, trapping the Kappa in the center of the swirling mixture.  Using Levitate, she pulled him out of the water; the constant drain of Wind Shield dying down. She glared at the fish-man as he spun in circles in the Water Prison.


    ¡°You guys are so annoying!¡±  She growled, aura mixing with light blue, she activated Freeze.  The vortex began to crystallize from the outside in until only the block remained; she released Levitate, letting the chunk of ice fall into the ocean.


    Following it, her aura tinted yellow.  ¡°Four down, five to go.¡± She sent a bolt of electricity at the ice, cracking it in several pieces; the Kappa split in half, frozen innards evident.  Twenty percent...


    Rising, she found Terrell¡¯s boat and launched toward it.  The woman was keeping a sharp eye on her bright green glow as she approached, sending balls of lighting at her.  You seriously think you¡¯re going to hit a Fairy three inches tall with those attacks?  If I didn¡¯t shine, you wouldn¡¯t see me coming at all!


    She activated Water Prison, but the boat was moving too fast for the vortex to catch.  Teeth latched together, Fiona created a fireball with Inferno, throwing it at the boat.  They curved left, causing the fireball to strike the ocean; a massive burst of steam whipped past her, shield forcing it around as her hair whipped at her back.


    Marcus and Terrell were yelling at each other as Fiona curved around an arc of electricity, flying in closer to the boat, she readied another Inferno.  However, a shell appeared around the top layer of the vehicle.


    ¡°Seriously?¡±  Fiona yelled, flinging the fireball at the shield.  The burst of flames just flowed around it, quickly dying off as the wind blew it back.  The electric bolts continued to assault her, passing through the inside of the honeycomb shell without issue, a few striking her shield.  So cheap!


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±  She growled. Diving into the water, she moaned at the hit her energy took as she raced under the boat.  Try to dodge this!  Forming an Ice Spear, she threw it up through the bottom; suddenly, the vehicle vanished.


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Launching back up, she broke the surface.  ¡°Where the crap did it go? Wait ¡­ he can teleport the entire boat?¡±  She rose further into the air, scanning the horizon, clicking her tongue as she spotted it at least a mile away.  Freaking ¡­ they just don¡¯t know when to die!


    Back in pursuit, she raced toward them, insides boiling.  I penetrated their hull, so it¡¯s over!  Reaching the boat, she found it dead in the water.  Terrell and his sons were gone, only the woman and healer left.  She shot a bolt of electricity at her, but Fiona activated a Wind Wall, which resisted the energy with ease.  Maybe I should have used a wall in front of the boat from the start or shocked its engine¡­


    The woman looked desperate, but the man seemed to know his fate.  Activating Water Prison, she watched the woman scream as the vortex shot out to envelop her.  Spinning in the liquid, Fiona watched her choke as she rose into the air with Levitate.


    Turning her attention to the man as he stood, the boat began to sink.  ¡°Well,¡± he said matter-of-factly. ¡°It seems we lost. I¡¯ve been in this business long enough to know when to bow out, and when it¡¯s your time, it¡¯s your time.  Being a surgeon for the criminals of Miami, I¡¯ve seen a lot of things, but the ferocity and complete lack of hesitation you¡¯ve shown? If you were just a normal girl before this, then I¡¯m astonished.¡±  That¡¯s because of Warpath, and it won¡¯t quit until I kill Terrell ¡­ if I don¡¯t do it fast, I die of energy loss.


    Fiona huffed.  ¡°Where did they teleport?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you if I wanted to,¡± the man smiled peacefully.


    Teeth clenched, Fiona seethed a breath.  These monsters ¡­ I seriously need to kill Terrell!  I only have fourteen percent of my energy left.


    ¡°Are you sure you can¡¯t help me?¡±  Fiona asked, creating an Ice Spear, she threw it through the woman¡¯s chest as she spun in the vortex.  The water broke as she released the spell, the woman¡¯s corpse collapsing against the back of the boat before sliding into the ocean wake.


    He watched the woman¡¯s body sink below the waves as the water reached his knees.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, little monster.¡±


    Growling, Fiona sent a rod of ice through his chest.  ¡°Monster? You¡¯re the monsters.¡± She watched him follow the woman into his watery grave.  Six down, three to go.


    Floating above the scene, she scanned the dark night.  How are they floating without the boat ¡­ well, that makes this easy.  A smile lit her lips as she caught sight of a glowing honeycomb shell before it vanished, appearing two miles back toward Miami Beach.  She followed them at top speed. Sitting ducks in the ocean; Terrell¡¯s worse than a cockroach, he just doesn¡¯t know when to quit.


    Diving on top of them, they didn¡¯t even see her coming.  Her Ice Spear broke through the glowing shell, penetrating Daran¡¯s chest; he didn¡¯t have time to scream as blood bubbled up his throat.  Marcus¡¯ shield broke as he gurgled, blood gushing from his mouth, chest convulsing. Terrell was sweating profusely as he stared up at her in horror.  ¡°Fuck!¡±


    Using Levitate, she picked them up, raising them to her level.  ¡°Your men were far less crude,¡± Fiona smiled wickedly as she dangled Daran¡¯s corpse in front of him.  ¡°Your little escape pass is gone; say goodbye to your son.¡± She dropped him into the ocean, waves swallowing him.


    ¡°What the fuck¡­¡±  Terrell began to quake as he followed his son¡¯s descent, tears falling down his cheeks.


    Fiona¡¯s brow knitted together.  ¡°Huh? How many families did you kill, children, parents, grandparents?  Are only your sons worth something?¡± She huffed, summoning another shard.


    ¡°Please¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t hesitate, shooting it through Marcus¡¯ chest, he fell limp, blood freezing before it had a chance to fall.  ¡°Huh? I didn¡¯t hear you past all the screams I remember. Kids, screaming for their parents, women for their husbands, boyfriends, and children.  The men¡¯s screams of outrage and pain. You gave those to me. Well, I¡¯m returning the favor.¡±


    Activating Inferno, she held up her fist-sized flame.  ¡°Give your boys my regards when you see them.¡± She tossed the flame at him and watched his skin smolder as he caught fire, burning alive.


    Fiona watched the man that had scarred her mind with sounds and visions of death burn until his cries ceased, Warpath ending.  Well, it¡¯s over.  I¡¯m sure Scarlet took care of things on her end.


    Her eyes widened.  ¡°Crap! Rachel didn¡¯t say where we¡¯d meet up.¡±  She sighed. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll bring the body back for identification.¡±  She looked around at the miles of ocean between her and land, releasing another sigh.  ¡°Guess I should start looking around for them and get some sugar¡­¡±


    AuthorSME


    So ends the reign of the king!  You have also caught up to the current release schedule of The Oscillation.


    That''s the end of Fiona''s chapters.  Scarlet''s has turned into three chapters instead of the two I originally planned.  I also created a clean, non-explicit, version of The Oscillation.  If you guys get a chance, then please rate it (you could open it in a new tab).  We might be able to get a few more views by bumping this clean version into the trending category or if you could spread the word; the voice of the fans is worth much more than the desperate cries of the author to get more readers.  Thanks for all the support you guys give my writing.  =))


    A special thanks to the patrons for helping to mitigate a little of the cost of the artwork; you guys are awesome!  I''m considering which commission will be next.


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


    Vote on Top Web Fictions

 B1 — 27. Relica

    AuthorSME


    From Scarlet''s POV; this is 1/3 that concludes the Gang Arc.  Once Scarlet''s POV is finished we will be moving on to the next scene.  =))  I hope you enjoy the information found within.


    Scarlet glared at her pool of blood as the partially frozen couch dropped through it, carrying the three frozen women and two dead teens.  She sucked on her lower lip for a moment. ¡°They made me kill teenagers.¡±


    Fiona kept silent, but Scarlet could sense she was worried about her and was frustrated with herself.  How can this be normal for us?  I hate that my blood killed them, but I can also disconnect from it.  I know it¡¯s wrong ¡­ I killed two teens. I let down my guard. I hate feeling this way ¡­ I hate being a vampire more than killing them ¡­ hate Scarlet.  Disgusting¡­


    Silence stretched for several seconds before she growled her frustration, ¡°I hate this!¡±  I want to make them pay, but with Fiona how she is...


    Taking a deep breath, Scarlet sighed.  ¡°But, we should probably go back.¡±


    ¡°Eh, what?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still addled¡­¡±


    Fiona shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the reason they get away!¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Scarlet looked down as her blood returned to her.


    ¡°You sure?  What if¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±  Fiona huffed.  ¡°I may be addled, and who knows, maybe it¡¯s because of that that I¡¯m saying this ¡­ but there are people that need help.¡±  She muttered, her frustration increasing as she glared at the floor.


    Scarlet examined her with a troubled expression.  She¡¯s really angry about something ¡­ she wants to continue no matter what.  I don¡¯t want them to get away either...  ¡°Alright.  I¡¯m trusting you to have my back!¡±


    Fiona nodded, face filled with determination.


    She looked through the walls at the neighboring hotel¡¯s back pool; she glared at the small group gathered there, scene tinted red.  They were partying, laughing, without a care as children hostages passively stood around them. I can¡¯t protect the kids, but I know Fiona can.  I just have to put my faith in her; I know she really wants to help these kids, she¡¯s so sincere ¡­ I just hope this addled state ends soon so I can meet the real Fiona.


    Shadows enveloped them on desire, and they appeared on the large concrete patio, Fiona quickly separating as the shadows left.  Scarlet took a deep breath as she sensed the emotions around her.


    Everyone was enjoying themselves, except Terrell and his sons.  The black-skinned man making a cocktail at the portable bar seemed calm, but gave her a callous impression; he wasn¡¯t afraid of death, it even felt like he welcomed it.  The elf-girl seemed to instantly tense and grow more cautious as they appeared.


    She did a quick sweep of their opponents.  The Cat Beastkin and Elf were fit. The Elf¡¯s muscles tightened as they appeared, gray irises locking on them.  Sharp eyes; she instantly caught the shift in shadows.  I have to assume all of these people are ability users.


    Relica definitely drew her attention; her Vampiric instincts told her that she was the strongest out of everyone present, but the man next to her also caught her interest.  His body seemed solid on the outside; however, internally, he was liquid, not a single drop of blood. What kind of creature is he?  Could he be a Mythickin?


    The final thing that caught her notice were several deformed creatures huddled against the railing in the back right corner of the patio.  They had grayish-brown leather-like skin and were hunched over, long, boney, jagged spikes lining their spines. Their legs were bowed like an animal and had bones protruding at their joints, feet cleft hooves.  Three bony fingers split their hands with the middle finger extending further than the others. Their lopsided head was bald and marked with bulging blue veins, and their small red eyes were housed in hollowed sockets.


    Their noses and jaws looked torn off, and jagged indented teeth were visible further in the cavity that shifted back and forth.  Bulging arms, back, and leg muscles flexed with power, but their core seemed malnourished, showing ribs.


    Scarlet¡¯s vision instantly penetrated the skin, examining the muscles, veins, and organs.  They have really condensed muscles ¡­ they¡¯re strong.  Skin seems different than any other creature I¡¯ve seen too, but they do use blood.  Large hearts ¡­ it must work hard.


    She caught one of Relica¡¯s hidden shadows shifting between the bar, Terrell, and the creatures.  Only one shadow in the area.  I can¡¯t see the other one nearby; no sneak attacks then?


    Completing her glance, Scarlet eyed Relica as she rose from her chair, groaning as she stretched.  She was at least five-foot-eight, hazel-eyed, and her emotions sparked with anticipation.


    She held moderate curves that were shown off by her black one-shoulder top bikini and matching boyshort bottoms.  Her body structure didn¡¯t seem that different from a normal human. She was a bit more resilient, but not even in the same realm as the man that went to face Rachel.


    Pressing her tongue against her left fang for a moment, Scarlet¡¯s red-tinted vision darted between the kids.  ¡°Relica, are you planning to make these kids hurt themselves if we move against you?¡±


    Relica hummed thoughtfully as most of the gang stiffened, just noticing them.  ¡°Perhaps,¡± she ran a hand through her long black hair, pulling her bangs back. ¡°That sounds boring though, and I have questions.¡±


    She sensed the Beastkin straightening to her left, rising to her feet; her blood was itching to strike out, but she held her emotions in check.  The cat-girl¡¯s tone held curiosity. ¡°Relica, is this that Vampire and Fairy you mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Briana,¡± Relica placed a hand against her left hip, right hand gripping a young boy¡¯s shoulder.  C¡¯mon Fiona ¡­ crap, her emotions are panicked again.  I guess I should buy her time to calm down.


    Terrell took a deep breath, glaring at them; his fear spiked at the sight of her.  ¡°When did they get here?¡±


    ¡°They came out of the shadows,¡± the elf hummed with interest.  ¡°Kind of like Relica.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s frown deepened as the liquid man sitting next to Relica lifted his eyebrows.  ¡°Well, what do you think, Relica? Think a Legendkin can stand against a Mythickin? Marcus was saying they can damage his shield.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that why Conner went ahead?¡±  Relica giggled. ¡°He¡¯s so impatient, but I admit, I¡¯m curious.  Can I take on a mythical Vampire?¡± She pursed her lips to the side in question.


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°You¡¯re a Legendkin?¡± Legend, not Myth ¡­ I didn¡¯t expect this.  Fiona¡¯s still panicking, but she¡¯s starting to calm down a bit.  C¡¯mon...


    ¡°That sounds made-up,¡± Fiona huffed.  ¡°Release the hostages and those ¡­ Scarlet, what are those again?¡±  Why are you asking me?  Wait ¡­ is she trying to buy time?  Is she waiting for me to strike first?


    Relica chuckled.  ¡°My, my, Scarlet was it?  Your little Fairy friend seems to be quite jittery, and no more preposterous than a Mythickin, no?¡±


    Scarlet took a long, soft breath before releasing it.  I need to act before they get organized...


    ¡°What are you waiting for¡ªRelica?¡±  Terrell fidgeted in his chair with his two sons, fear palpable to Scarlet, but the other members seemed to have faith in their abilities and each other.  The elf rose to stand next to the cat-girl, stretching against the rail guard.


    ¡°Oh, patience, Terrell, good things come with time¡­¡±


    Shadows swallowed Scarlet as she teleported behind Relica.  Her blood shot out from her arms and shoulders, penetrating Scarlet¡¯s skin to pierce Relica¡¯s body; however, as her blood left, Relica¡¯s body seemed to shift from solid to shadow, causing her to gasp.  She played me!  She sensed Relica appear five feet behind her; exactly where her shadow had been.


    The dark umbra that replaced Relica twisted its clawed hand to slash her.  Scarlet¡¯s blood reacted instantly, turning from sharp spikes to malleable liquid; it exploded from her body in a wave.  Surrounding the shade, her blood enveloped the darkness, crushing and shredding it inside the red cocoon before protectively encircling her body.


    Lips pursed, Scarlet shifted her jaw to grind her left fang against her lower canine.  As much as I hate it, at least my blood knows what to do.  She looked down at the motionless boy next to her.  And the boy¡¯s safe ¡­ so, she can trade places with her shadows.


    Fiona¡¯s emotions reflected her tone.  ¡°Woah, Scarlet, what did she do?¡±


    Scarlet breathed softly, turning as Relica clicked her tongue with amusement, accepting a cocktail from the man behind the bar.


    ¡°Oh, how cheeky,¡± she purred with delight.  ¡°So, assassin-like, to move through shadow.¡±  Why is this only beginning to make me irritated?  Their attitude? I¡¯m not scared...


    The liquid-man was lying next to her, completely calm as he studied her.  Scarlet glared at Relica, attacking the man; a crystallized spear entering his head and spiking throughout his body, but she felt his soft innards slide past her blood.  They¡¯re making light of me ¡­ no, calm down.


    The man¡¯s entire body liquified, including his clothes as she caught his smile from the corner of her vision.  Her skin prickled with annoyance as their emotions continued to tickle her mind; the liquid snaked across the ground, solidifying next to the elf and cat-girl, chuckling with mirth.


    ¡°You know, that blood actually hurts a lot,¡± he hummed, still smiling.  ¡°It struck my head and split, striking all over the place. If I didn¡¯t have such high defensive abilities and regeneration that would have easily killed me.¡±


    So, he¡¯s some kind of slime or water elemental?  Why am I suddenly so annoyed? Maybe it¡¯s because they¡¯re the first people to not take me seriously?


    Fiona¡¯s emotions suddenly altered dramatically.  It was as if a light broke through, and her frustration, confusion, panic, and doubt turned to smoke; clarity took its place.  She¡¯s no longer addled ¡­ finally, we can really attack.


    She could sense Fiona¡¯s worry, but her confidence was building; she took another glance around the area, searching for Relica¡¯s second shadow.  She quickly found it further up the beach with a Hispanic woman and turtle-like man. They were preparing a long yellow and black speed boat. I just need to buy her a little more time.


    ¡°You just swapped places with your shadow, but you only have one more, and it¡¯s across the beach to our left, three-hundred meters away.  That won¡¯t work twice, and I see your other men preparing a boat further up north...¡±


    Daran cleared his throat, cutting her off.  ¡°You don¡¯t care what happens to the kids?¡±


    Scarlet suppressed a smile as Relica sighed, setting her glass down.  ¡°Daran, we don¡¯t need to ruin the fun. The only threat is the Vampire; the Fairy has frozen several times already.  We have everything under control.¡±


    She licked her lips seductively as she turned back to Scarlet; a deep desire for something prodding Scarlet¡¯s psyche.  ¡°My dear young Vampire, I have something to propose. Tell me something about yourself that I don¡¯t know, and I¡¯ll tell you what type of Legendkin I am¡ªI am dying to tell you, but let¡¯s make this fun.¡±


    They are really starting to piss me off ¡­ it¡¯s turning out in our favor though.  C¡¯mon, hurry up, Fiona! A pulse ran down her fangs, causing her to slide her tongue over them as they ached to sink into Relica¡¯s neck.  ¡°You¡¯re very chatty; you wouldn¡¯t happen to be some legendary poet?¡±


    Terrell growled lowly, annoyance almost surpassing his fear.  Yes, I¡¯d be pissed too if I knew someone dangerous was before me and the people protecting me were idiots.


    The elf giggled.  ¡°Relica, a poet?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Relica said with a curious grin.  ¡°That was a decent first guess; I mean, they¡¯ve been seeing all these people that seem brainwashed¡ªwere you perhaps thinking about the Pied Piper of Hamelin?¡±


    Scarlet didn¡¯t answer, drawing out the silence.


    Relica giggled, but a crack of indignation bled through her emotions.  ¡°No, I am not a Pied Piper; you haven¡¯t seen an instrument, have you?¡±


    The man behind the bar began making another cocktail as if not interested in the conversation, but Scarlet¡¯s instincts told her he wasn¡¯t a threat.


    ¡°But come now,¡± Relica mused.  ¡°I could be a poet, Hanna. Don¡¯t be penurious.¡±  Her tone, emotions, posture, everything is pissing me off....


    Scarlet took a deep breath and let it out slowly, tone reflecting her desire.  ¡°I¡¯ll tell you that I love to draw; I could take up painting though, your blood might look magical.¡±


    ¡°Oh, an artist,¡± Relica pursed her lips, studying Scarlet closely.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have guessed; you put off that psychopathic vibe that makes me tingle with excitement!  It¡¯s only fair, you answered my question, though I wanted something more related to your abilities. I take my legends from Medea; so, you could call me a Witch, Enchantress, Sorceress, or Demigod.  Any would suffice.¡±


    Her smile was charming, but Scarlet could sense the superiority she felt.  She thinks she¡¯s so much better than everyone else ¡­ better than me.  Why is that so annoying though? Scarlet chuckled humorlessly, unable to restrain herself and enjoying Relica¡¯s fading smile.  If she met Scarlet, she¡¯d feel like an insect!


    The man hummed.  ¡°I think she¡¯s making fun of you.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Relica asked with an irritated frown.  ¡°I¡¯ve been nothing but courteous, have I not?¡±


    Oh, your emotions give you away.  Scarlet¡¯s tone was ice.  ¡°I¡¯m a Mythickin Vespertine Reaper, the host for Scarlet, The Reaper of Blood, a true god.  How does a Demigod compare to the host of an actual deity?¡±


    Every gangster¡¯s brow furrowed at her answer, emotions reflecting their confusion, and Fiona was preparing to attack.  Finally!  You¡¯ll run, won¡¯t you, Relica!  I¡¯ll be right on your neck.


    Color exploded around the area as Fiona activated her magic and Scarlet launched forward, watching everyone slow; she wasn¡¯t nearly as fast as Rachel, but she far surpassed human reaction time.  However, Relica proved to be no normal human.


    The concrete fractured in several places as dirt exploded from below, wrapping around the kids.  Relica¡¯s vision never left her, but her emotions were clear, shock. You didn¡¯t think Fiona could even remotely contribute, did you?


    Scarlet¡¯s blood shot toward Relica, spikes forming, but before they struck, she managed to grab the little girl beside Terrell.  An infuriating grin lit her face as her shock passed, and both her and the girl seemed to convert into shadow, her umbra creature taking their place.  What¡¯s she planning?  She left Terrell completely¡­


    A massive ice lance shot past her.  Marcus¡¯ shield formed, but was instantly penetrated by the shard, biting into Terrell¡¯s shoulder, severing his arm; the ice broke one of the rails behind him as it continued forward, leaving a trail of red liquid.  Damn, Fiona took his arm clean off!  She can totally handle this.


    Her blood surrounded the Umbra in a cocoon, not giving it a chance to retreat, she crushed it.  Turning her vision to the north, she found Relica several meters away from the boat and teleported.


    She appeared behind the woman, blood spiking, but was instantly immobilized as a magical circle burst into light around her.  Relica giggled as she danced away, dagger appearing in her hand as she dragged the little girl with her. What is this?  How do I get out?


    The dagger in Relica¡¯s hand was thin, edged with a neon purple light that faded down to the ornately designed hilt.  She drew back her arm, preparing to throw it.


    The space around Scarlet seemed to slow as her body tingled and the sleepy voice of The Reaper of Blood echoed in her mind, bubbling up from below the imaginative ocean she¡¯d buried her in.  Foolish ¡­ pathetic immobilizing magic¡­  The knowledge struck her like a blow.  Reaper¡¯s Scythe can rend magic.


    Calling upon the weapon, the shadowy shape of a large scythe appeared by her hand; the black form passed through the magical circle, breaking it.  She took hold of the scythe as shadows frothed off its semi-solid form, and flipped it around her hands and body with instinctual precision, deflecting the knife.


    Relica¡¯s eyes grew wider with excitement.  ¡°Marvelous!¡± She licked her lips nervously, but her emotions pulsed with gleeful anticipation.


    Scarlet gripped the scythe tightly, holding the long, curved blade toward Relica as her blood circled her body protectively.  Where did this come from ¡­ The Reaper¡¯s Choice in the Reaper Tree?  How many Trees do I have ¡­ two, Scarlet¡¯s Tree, and the Reaper Tree.  Scarlet has her own tree? Is that the vampire side?


    ¡°Darling, that looks absolutely wicked!¡±  Relica cooed as she stared at the scythe. ¡°It must stand eight feet tall, and if I¡¯m not mistaken, it shortened its bottom shaft when needed and moves around your blood.  Oh, I love the barbed end, it looks menacing!¡±


    Relica flipped her hair back, neon-purple dagger forming from shadows in her hand.  ¡°I could feel it sever my magic as well. Most impressive! Can it only sever magically crafted physical constructs though?  Oh, I wonder about you!¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s vision slid up her weapon for a moment, watching the shadows float like mist off its solid black body.  The thin, curved blade was at least four feet long, and the butt of the shaft held a large barbed end that thinned out into a sharp point.  She knew it had weight to it, but at the same time, it felt effortless to hold and impossibly balanced. I know how to use this ¡­ like I¡¯ve trained with it all my life.  Why ¡­ maxed Scythe Proficiency?


    Her attention was diverted as Daran, Terrell, Marcus, and the man behind the bar appeared beside the large yellow and black speed boat.  Both the turtle-man and Hispanic woman jumped, pulling their attention away from Relica and her fight.


    ¡°Shit¡ªfuck!¡±  Terrell screamed, clutching at his bloodied stump; the man next to him reached out with a glowing hand and pressed it against his bleeding shoulder socket.  With her Vampiric vision, she could see the skin rapidly grow around the fissure, veins closing off, and a portion of his blood replaced. A healer?


    ¡°Fucking hell!¡±  Marcus shouted, ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±  The turtle-man asked, clearly concerned.


    ¡°Start the fucking boat!¡±  Daran shouted at him.


    The woman and turtle-man quickly jumped into action, but Scarlet¡¯s attention returned to Relica.  She sensed her throw the dagger again; tilting her scythe, she easily deflecting it.


    ¡°Eyes on me,¡± Relica grinned.  She¡¯s right, I first need to take care of her.  Terrell and his goons will be cake as soon as I handle her.


    She readied her scythe but paused as Relica clicked her tongue.  ¡°We don¡¯t need to rush things. Hmm, is a Vespertine Reaper a kind of Vampire?¡±  Shifting her hips to the left, Relica twisted her hair with an innocent smile. ¡°No answer, huh ¡­ I may have set up a rather devious trap; so, be careful.¡±  What¡¯s she talking about?  What trap? That immobilizing magic before?


    Scarlet couldn¡¯t see anything odd around her, so she looked through Relica to the patio where she¡¯d left Fiona.  Fiona seemed to be having a little trouble, but she was keeping the kids safe. Her vision moved to the front of the building; Rachel seemed to be in a rough state, but it looked like she¡¯d somehow cut the man she was facing in half.  Maria was further west, getting out of a van with kids in it; her body seemed strained, but she was managing.


    Red halo irises returning to Relica, Scarlet huffed.  ¡°What trap? Oh, and by the way, your friend that went to attack Rachel, he¡¯s dead.¡±


    Relica¡¯s cheer turned to shock as she put a hand to her lips, dagger appearing from shadow.  ¡°Oh¡ªis that right? I¡¯m a little stunned to hear that¡ªhuh; Conner¡¯s dead...¡± She pursed her lips, studying Scarlet.  ¡°That changes things a little.¡± Wait, is she going to run?


    She was about to dash forward as Relica¡¯s cheery smile returned, dagger moving to the little girl¡¯s neck.  ¡°Ah, let¡¯s not get hasty. One nick is all it takes.¡±


    Frustration ate at her again.  Why am I holding back?  I hate her, I should just accept the kid¡¯s death!  What, how can I think that? Although, I¡¯m only showing her that hostages work ¡­ one life to end someone that could continue to kill hundreds.


    A hum resonated in Relica¡¯s throat as her tongue played with her lips.  ¡°Are you perhaps thinking one hostage for dozens of lives saved?¡±


    What ¡­ there¡¯s no way she can read my mind.


    ¡°Oh, darling, I don¡¯t need to read your mind.  I can see glimpses of the potential future; a little perk of my Legend.  Let me dash that hope of yours, I have mind controlled children, men, and women, that have returned to the Military¡¯s Forward Base.¡±


    ¡°What?  You¡¯re lying!¡±  Scarlet¡¯s jaw tightened as she glared at the woman in front of her.


    ¡°Mh, a liar, I am not.¡±  Relica shook her head, smile still cheerful and innocent.  ¡°I can sense those murderous vibes so clearly, but are you willing to take the chance of hundreds turning into mindless killing machines?  Another Seattle incident that, oh, I don¡¯t know, could be linked to a Vampire¡¯s poor image?¡±


    Shit...


    She pointed her dagger up at the girl¡¯s neck.  ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen some of my handiwork; that was only practice.¡±  Why can¡¯t I think of a way to kill her?  I¡¯m a Vampire; I¡¯m supposed to be the hunter!


    ¡°Scarlet, I have a proposition, though.¡±


    ¡°Huh?  A proposition?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Relica pulled the knife away, rotating her wrist.  ¡°I don¡¯t care about Terrell any longer; I¡¯m much more interested in you.¡±


    Relica¡¯s sudden burning desires shook Scarlet¡¯s nerves; her creep meter skyrocketed at Relica¡¯s tone and chills run up her spine at her emotional spike.  ¡°What game are you playing at?¡± Scarlet¡¯s fingers twitched. ¡°Because, umm¡ªyeah, I don¡¯t swing that way, and the psychopathic murderer type, is umm ¡­ yeah...¡±


    Relica giggled.  ¡°Oh, no, come now.  I¡¯m not interested in your body; I much prefer the muscle types that I can manipulate like clockwork, and have a,¡± she licked her lips seductively, ¡°large endowment ¡­ stamina, mmh.  Banner, now that was interesting.¡±


    She seemed to mentally lose track for a moment before shaking her head.  ¡°No, silly girl, not your body, per se; what I¡¯m interested in is your abilities.  Vespertine Reaper you, what makes you powerful, unique ¡­ this system.¡±


    Okay, she¡¯s a lot more creepy than I thought ¡­ I¡¯m more creeped out than angry now ¡­ she really has a gift to manipulate emotion.  Skin crawling, Scarlet shifted her scythe.  ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Weren¡¯t you all buddy-buddy with Terrell?  You don¡¯t care about him now?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Relica pursed her lips as she looked at the retreating boat speeding off in the distance as a Coast Guard ship moved to give chase.  ¡°I used the opportunity Terrell gave me, but I¡¯m not exactly friends with anyone.


    ¡°The moment I turned into a Legendkin, that first spell, it really changed me.  Opened my mind, you could say. Ah,¡± she grinned at her mischievously. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can catch me off-guard either.  That shadow teleport to scythe swing won¡¯t work and will only get this little miss killed.¡±


    Scarlet shot a frustrated breath through her lips.  ¡°What¡¯s your deal? You¡¯re not in it for Terrell or what he can offer?¡±


    ¡°I was most definitely in it for what he could offer.  Will you listen patiently?¡±


    She was silent for a moment as she thought, growing more irritated as she connected the trap Relica had set.


    I can¡¯t feel any alternative motive from her ¡­ she might have mind controlled people in wait all over the city.  If they attacked people and it got out there was a Vampire in Miami, which it will ¡­ I¡¯d definitely take the blame¡­  Left fang grinding against her bottom canine, Scarlet growled.  ¡°You didn¡¯t set all this up for me ¡­ did you?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem likely, does it?  However, it works out perfectly, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything,¡± Scarlet sighed, flipping the scythe butt to the ground.  ¡°To be honest, you really creep me out.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bit rude but understandable.¡±  She giggled. Scarlet stiffened as Relica¡¯s hazel eyes began to glow purple.


    ¡°No need to fret; I¡¯m just doing a quick scan of the field.  Ah, my little darlings are nearly here ¡­your Fairy friend really caught me off guard.  I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t see that coming; she¡¯s quite the fireball ¡­ and your little rabbit friend seems to hold quite the power.  Mythickin don¡¯t disappoint.¡±


    She clicked her tongue a few times before her vision returned to normal.  ¡°Yes, I¡¯m growing fond of you Mythickin! Now, why don¡¯t we begin? To answer your previous question, yes, I¡¯ve known Terrell for some time.  I¡¯ve worked as a contractor since the age of fourteen; they teach you young in the Middle East. My parents were captured by a branch terrorist group, and I did what I had to to survive.


    ¡°When I turned nineteen, I was selected to bomb a political figure that was here in Miami, but I had other plans.  My leash was finally coming free, and that¡¯s when I met Terrell. I was free and found love everywhere. I went through several heartbreaks, it¡¯s so hard to find faithful men.¡±


    She giggled.  ¡°Of course, I have pretty high standards.  If they aren¡¯t with me, then they don¡¯t deserve to live, simple, really.  When this whole thing started, The Oscillation, my mind cleared. I needed a place to experiment, to push this power I had awakened, to understand it, and that¡¯s why I need you.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s tongue played with her right fang as she listened.  ¡°Okay, sad sob story with some twisted angles; you should have made a TV drama, I¡¯d probably watch it.  Real-life though ¡­ you¡¯re a pretty sick lady.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hilarious,¡± Relica¡¯s emotional high didn¡¯t falter.  ¡°I¡¯ve explored a few different areas of my abilities. Murder seems to grant quite a bit of points that can be used, but naturally there¡¯s a curve, and the abilities can be a little complex, but I¡¯ve discovered quite useful information.


    ¡°There are Trees that I assume lead to different types of skills and abilities; for me, there are the Hecate, Helios, Circe, and Medea base Trees.  Each has its own weaknesses and strengths that add an interesting cocktail to the mix. Circe¡¯s tree is quite fascinating with several tantalizing branches that I¡¯ve discovered so far; one being Mental Charms.¡±


    Humming, Scarlet looked left as the Coast Guard ships were beginning to sink.  She¡¯s fixated on abilities then; she¡¯s looking for insights on it.  Does she want to find out more about my skills? That seems dangerous for her ¡­ helping me discover something new.


    ¡°What about you, Scarlet?¡±  Her halo-irises returned to Relica as she continued.  ¡°What types of Trees do you have? Question it, and The System will give you a response.  It can be fickle with its information, but you just need to find the right question and dive into it.¡±


    Her fingers tightened on her scythe.  I do have questions about my abilities.  For one¡­ She glanced at the weapon in her left hand.  I¡¯ve never used a scythe before, so why do I have max Scythe Proficiency ¡­ Scarlet¡¯s Blessing.  Her face twisted with disgust.  Of course, it would be Scarlet¡¯s doing!


    Relica¡¯s anticipation spiked at her expression.  ¡°What? What did you discover?¡±


    Scarlet took a deep breath as her glare slid to the woman in front of her.  She loves this change while I hate it.  If she had Scarlet in her head, she¡¯d hate it too.  So, what is your blessing Scarlet? I guess that¡¯s the wrong question.  What is Scarlet¡¯s Blessing?


    She puffed out a humorless chuckle, making Relica¡¯s features break like a kid awaiting presents on Christmas day.  Scarlet¡¯s Blessing ¡­ you blessed me with maxed proficiency in every skill I obtain ¡­ there¡¯s proficiency levels that become unlocked as I continue leveling up a skill.  Leveling proficiency takes a long time, but every time I unlock a new proficiency grade, it will be instantly maxed because of you ¡­ at least you gave me something besides terror.


    ¡°Come now!¡±  Relica motioned with her dagger.  ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s hand slid up the shaft of her scythe, feeling the silky smooth texture that had unparalleled grip when desired.  I don¡¯t think I want to play her game.  I¡¯m giving her power by letting her dangle threats over my head.  She¡¯s scheming something. Her darlings are almost here ¡­ is she waiting for those monsters?  Dammit, she¡¯s so manipulative! Well, she¡¯ll eventually use those mind controlled people anyways, so I might as well do what I can.


    She responded to Relica¡¯s demand by releasing her Fear Aura, licking her fangs as they pulsed with anticipation.  ¡°I¡¯m a Vampire, not a trained puppy, and I¡¯m done being threatened. You want to kill humans, then do it.¡± She flipped her scythe around her body, before vanishing in shadows.  Game on, Legend!


    AuthorSME


    I will be requesting a commission from Pino for an artwork on 3/3 of Scarlet''s chapters or Chapter 29.  A special thanks to the patrons for helping to mitigate a little of the cost of the artwork; you guys are awesome!  I will also be commissioning Likesac for some new character art that will be showing up in the transition to the next arc.


    ^_^7


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


    Vote on Top Web Fictions

 B1 — 28. The System

    AuthorSME


    Scarlet appeared behind Relica; she slashed at her back, but a light circular shell surrounded Relica¡¯s body moments before she struck.  The resistance she felt against her scythe increased for a moment as her blade struck, penetrating the shield by two inches before it shattered.


    Her senses exploded with warning signals; instinctively darting back, her blood defended against four clawed hands that shot out of Relica¡¯s shadow, fingers wrapped in purple energy.  She had more shadows?  Are they invisible in her¡­  Purple light broke through her crystallized blood, making her eyes widen.  It broke through my blood?


    She quickly shifted her scythe, four-foot blade intercepting the advancing claws.  The weight of their strike was weak, allowing her to recover; even though they broke past her blood, it still circled to envelop them, but quickly returned to her side as she sensed the arrival of five more creatures.  Her blood wrapped her in a protective shell as the creatures leaped at her.  What the hell?


    Dispersing in shadows, she appeared behind one of the alien-like creatures, her blood breaking into a wall to separate her target from its fellows.  She curved her scythe into an inverted arc, cleaving the monster in two; she felt a bit of resistance, but it wasn¡¯t that difficult; blood exploded from the corpse.


    Scarlet leaped back, her blood flowing around her body, but her eyes were still locked on the bony, gray-skinned creature as it fell to the ground.  It didn¡¯t even hit the sand before sinew and blood latched onto the halved body, pulling it back together.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±  Scarlet muttered.


    Relica giggled.  ¡°Oh, that was thrilling!  Scary aura too; a shame my pets are mentally broken and unaffected.  You look terrifying; if it weren¡¯t for my passive Legend¡¯s Heart ability, I¡¯d be trembling in fear.¡±


    She shifted her weight, running the side of the dagger against the little girl¡¯s neck.  ¡°And yes, as you can see, they have incredible regeneration, but your scythe cut through their magical defense with ease.  The poor things; they¡¯re the product of a lot of research and experimentation.¡±


    Scarlet backed up a little further as the creatures spread out between her and Relica, releasing a sharp clicking resonance.  The sound made a shiver run down Scarlet¡¯s spine.  ¡°What are they?¡±


    ¡°They used to be humans; well, more accurately, they were Champions, more specifically, Fighters; it¡¯s like calling you a Mythickin Vespertine Reaper.  They were humans with abilities; I¡¯d like to compare them to classes from a bit of the study I¡¯ve done.  You have Espers, Magus, and Fighters, to name a few, but there are subspecs and Trees.  It¡¯s really quite complicated.  Of course, the same thing for Legendkin.


    ¡°They¡¯re the product of my experiments.  I get to pick what skills they gain since I broke them in; it¡¯s an interesting spell that links us as master and pet.  I grew fascinated with one of Circe¡¯s legends as I searched her online, the legend with Scylla and Charybdis.


    ¡°The details are a bit vague between stories, but it¡¯s stated in a few that Circe turned Scylla, a sea nymph into a monster.  With some testing, I found a branch that resembled that in Circe¡¯s Tree.  There are certain conditions, but I met them.


    ¡°Oh, and my little shadow¡¯s new Corrosive Touch seems to work well; I saw your panic.  I was a little worried the first time we met when you blocked their strike.  They¡¯re supposed to be my deadly assassins; so, that wouldn¡¯t do.  I put a lot of points into that skill ¡­ although,¡± she muttered, pursing her lips for a moment.  ¡°You blocked it; your scythe must have a high toughness stat.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s vision moved from the recovering creature to Relica¡¯s shadow.  Seriously?  She¡¯s talking like this is literally a game.  They¡¯re back inside her shadow ¡­ she¡¯s so prepared!  Has she slept at all?  Probably not, she probably has some skill that prevents it.  At least she¡¯s talkative, but I guess this is all just another test to her.  I need to calm down and think about it; she¡¯s countering me by knowing how to use this system ¡­ it really is like a game.


    Humming, Relica examined her scythe with a furrowed brow.  ¡°You know, it might have actually been your scythe¡¯s magic dispelling quality that stopped the Corrosive Touch, not that it is necessarily durable, but you just got that ¡­ the proficiency level,¡± she smiled with a soft sigh as she shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have a choice.¡±  She turned to the little girl beside her; hand gripping the back of her neck, she plunged the blade into her chest.


    ¡°Hey!¡±  Scarlet yelled, taking a step forward.  ¡°You...¡±


    ¡°You forced my hand,¡± Relica removed the dagger, and the girl dropped to the ground without a sound; Scarlet watched the blood pumping out of her chest, staining her light blue dress as Relica knelt beside her.  She¡¯s more of a monster than I am!


    Teleporting behind her, Scarlet slashed at her neck, but a purple magical circle appeared by her stomach; the pulse of energy was too quick for her blood to react.  The blast sent her flying back several feet.  She winced but felt no pain as she landed on her feet, skidding across the sand.  When did she make that?  I can¡¯t get close to her ¡­ then I¡¯ll bring her to me.


    Her blood began to pool above her as she tried creating a blood portal, but was forced to redirect it as four of the five gray-skinned creatures rushed her.  This is so stupid!  She has a million spells and pets!  She says she can see glimpses of the future ¡­ how the hell do I fight her?


    Blood spiking, it shot through the creature¡¯s bodies, causing them to lock up as it spread through their circulatory system.  If I lock them down¡­


    Her thoughts paused as Relica began to speak; it was as if she were strolling through the park, talking to a friend.  ¡°Scarlet, you know, I assume you gain your powers through blood.  I find that fairly fascinating, actually.  One of my drawbacks is that many of these spells require a massive amount of energy; way more than I currently have.  However, I can bypass that through several methods, but the best, most efficient method that I¡¯ve found is Magic Sacrificial Conversion.  It¡¯s essentially a base ability in Blood Magic that has several chains.¡±


    Relica placed her hand against the girl¡¯s chest, and the gushing blood turned a bright purple that formed into a ball in Relica¡¯s left hand.  She turned to Scarlet with an uncertain frown.  ¡°Hmm, but I¡¯m not sure if I should¡­¡±


    System-thing, Scarlet, whoever, I want a long-distance attack that will kill her ¡­ Bloody Edge of the Crescent Blade ¡­ sounds like one of those crazy long Chinese names.  It uses the blood energy I gathered from my victims?  That works, I have a lot of blood from those two gangsters.


    Scarlet raised her left hand, right gripping her scythe, blood holding four of Relica¡¯s creatures in place.  Relica paused in her speech as her fifth creature finished regenerating.  ¡°Um, yes¡­¡±


    Slashing the air, a long, thin crescent blade of red energy emitted from her hand, speeding toward Relica; Scarlet didn¡¯t wait, slashing several more times.  Relica¡¯s eyes widened as she watched one of the blood blades cut clean through one of the mutant creature¡¯s torsos, continuing toward her.


    An umbra separated itself from her shadow, racing to her left, and she swapped with it moments before the blades struck, cutting her umbra into strips as it took her place; the energy continued several meters beyond its target before dispersing.  Scarlet moved her hand to follow.  I¡¯m not done...


    Relica¡¯s cheery emotions had plummeted, and she balled her hand into a fist, purple energy shining through her fingers.  She opened them, pumping her arm into the air, and yellow light blasted the area.  All of her energy blades seemed to vanish in the blaze.


    Pain shot through Scarlet¡¯s mind as the light touched her, blood reforming into a partial wall to protect her from the onslaught, and her scythe dropped from her hands, dispersing into smoke as her Fear Aura deactivating.  It hurts ¡­ why does it hurt?  She could sense her energy draining rapidly as the bright light illuminated the area.


    A loud huff shot through Relica¡¯s lips.  ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to use this, but if you can just sit back and throw those bloody projectiles over and over, then I have no choice.¡±


    Looking to her left, Scarlet saw a shack a little further up the beach.  Teleporting to it, she winced as her heart burned.  She clutched at her chest, pressing herself against the wooden wall as she slid to the ground, eyes squeezed shut.  The Reaper¡¯s sleepy voice echoed in her mind.  ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°It hurts...¡±  She felt like crying, but no blood wet her cheeks.  It was the first time she¡¯d felt burning pain since becoming a vampire.  Whatever that beam was, it drained a significant amount of her stored energy, and her reserve continued to plummet.


    Relica¡¯s voice held her interested tone as she moved toward the shack that she hid in,  ¡°Oh?  Could the little vampire be hiding in here?¡±  She could hear her soft footsteps in the sand as she approached.  ¡°Your blood is making this too easy, Scarlet.¡±


    My blood?  She understood as the burning pain in her chest began to fade.  Her blood entered her body, seeping through the walls of the shack.  If my blood gets too far away, then I¡¯ll feel pain ¡­ increasing the further away I am.  Why do you never warn me about any of these things?


    Scarlet opened her eyes as the pain eased, bloody tears now beginning to fall down her cheeks.  There was a bright glow that shone around the door¡¯s cracks; Relica¡¯s umbra slid through it, forming into her shadow puppet.  She clicked her tongue as the umbra¡¯s hollow eyes appeared.  ¡°I must say; you took that way better than I feared.  I was afraid it would turn you to ash.¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡±  Scarlet whimpered, trying to regain control of her emotions.


    ¡°Bloody tears?  Did it hurt?¡±  The umbra cocked its head, smile appearing.  ¡°I think you can guess what that was; it¡¯s pretty self-evident.¡±


    ¡°Sunlight?¡±  Scarlet muttered.  ¡°How?¡±


    The umbra shook its two-dimensional head.  ¡°You¡¯re so innocent and naive for a vampire.  You know so little about the system, yet you still charged in to play the hero.  I already gave you the information, but I suppose you wouldn¡¯t have an extensive history of different gods.  Helios, do you remember?¡±


    ¡°Helios?  Is that a¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, the sun god from Greek mythology.  Although, he is a minor deity, but still, your worst nightmare.¡±  She chuckled, shadowy eyes showing several fuzzy spikes.  ¡°This simple ability is called Elektor¡¯s Radiance.  Elektor was one of Helios¡¯ daughters, interesting, no?  It¡¯s in Helios¡¯ tree, but the ability has the name of his daughter, even though there are separate trees I have for a few of his other daughters and granddaughter.  This system is the most interesting thing.¡±


    Nose twisting, Scarlet¡¯s fingers stiffened, and she slashed at the shadow with her energy, but the umbra simply bent backward, letting the crescent blade soar over its torso to cut through the shack¡¯s opposite wall.


    ¡°Now, now,¡± Relica giggled.  ¡°Don¡¯t get flustered; I¡¯m not going to kill you.  I want to explore, to talk, perhaps bond even.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fangs ground against her canines as she glared at Relica¡¯s shadow puppet.  She has an answer for everything!  No ¡­ calm down.  Taking a deep breath, Scarlet closed her eyes.  Alright, she¡¯s super confident ¡­ just calm down.  Why am I getting so emotional?  Is it The Reaper¡¯s feelings, bubbling up from below, or is just stress?


    She opened her eyes as Relica hummed.  ¡°Getting control?  Good, now, tell me your Trees.  I¡¯m so curious!  Do Mythickin Trees differ from all the others?  I¡¯ve been studying all sorts of types, from Beastkin to Abberationkin, Faekin to Champion, from Espers to Magus, there are so many different Races and Types and Kinds, but I haven¡¯t had the chance to study Mythickin yet.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Scarlet tried her best to keep the heat out of her voice.  I hate her; she just killed a little girl in front of me, and she wants to bond?  She¡¯s crazy...  ¡°You want to talk ¡­ after I tried to kill you, like a dozen times.¡±  The sting she felt at her own words shocked her.  I failed to kill her so many times ¡­ I really don¡¯t know anything about being a vampire.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve prepared quite thoroughly for our chat,¡± Relica cooed.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect a normal American girl to think things through that well, but I was hoping that horrific undertone I received would surprise me.  Which, I have been a little surprised by some of your abilities, but overall, you¡¯re just a little vampire girl.  Long-distance attacks were definitely not high on my list with a vampire, and I thought it would be more shadow-based with your previous abilities, but I had fail-safes.¡±


    ¡°Sunlight is pretty OP,¡± Scarlet muttered.  Still lying against the ground, she glanced to her right, looking through the wall; Relica was smiling at her with a small blazing globe of yellow light in her hand.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Relica¡¯s umbra tapped a sharp finger against its mouth.  ¡°OP ¡­ what does that mean?  Is it a part of this system or some teenager acronym?¡±


    ¡°Overpowered,¡± Scarlet murmured.  Since the start of The Oscillation, she¡¯s been pushing herself to get stronger.  She used Blood Magic to gain an unlimited amount of energy ¡­ she¡¯s been using people¡¯s lives as fuel to push her spells and abilities to their limit, and she¡¯s had a lot of lives to play with.  No wonder I¡¯m struggling, but she¡¯s like my complete counter!  She has sun magic¡­


    Relica¡¯s shadow nodded.  ¡°Ah, I see.  Well, I wouldn¡¯t call it that; I mean, it has no other purpose than producing light.  It doesn¡¯t damage people normally, but I suppose it would seem overpowered to a vampire.¡±  She giggled.  ¡°You keep stalling, though.  Come now, tell me!¡±


    Okay, then, I¡¯ll use her confidence.  Maybe I can learn something to counter her.  Scarlet¡¯s Blessing probably gives me a pretty big advantage ¡­ she better for the hell she¡¯s put me through.  ¡°Alright,¡± she muttered.  ¡°I asked, and it told me I have two trees; I have a Reaper Tree and Scarlet¡¯s Tree.  Why do you have four, and I have two?¡±


    ¡°Oh, interesting, Scarlet¡¯s Tree, you say?  I haven¡¯t seen a tree named after themselves, and I don¡¯t know why you only have two.  Perhaps it has something to do with the differences between Legendkin and Mythickin?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not named after me,¡± she straightened against the back of the shack.  ¡°Scarlet is the god that¡¯s possessing me.¡±


    The umbra¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Excuse me?  Possessing?  What¡¯s that supposed to mean, and is your vampire side in the Reaper or the Scarlet Tree?¡±  Obviously, Scarlet¡¯s.  Is that right, knowledge-thing?  Does Scarlet¡¯s Tree have my vampire skills?  Yup, thought so.


    ¡°Scarlet¡¯s Tree; Scarlet is a blood god that my parents worshiped.  During The Oscillation, they did some kind of ritual and made me her avatar ¡­ or something like that.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± the shadow shifted to the left, becoming almost invisible with its two-dimensional frame.  ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re stringing me along or telling the truth.  What level is your blood protection and attack abilities, and their proficiency grade and rank?¡±


    Scarlet fell silent as she thought about the question.  That¡¯s right ¡­ skills have levels.  I learned that from Scarlet¡¯s Blessing ¡­ no, wait, levels, grade, and rank?  That¡¯s so complicated.  What is my blood protection called?  Wait ¡­ really?  It¡¯s a sub-ability of Blood Link.  How many sub-abilities are there in Blood Link ¡­ don¡¯t want to tell me?  What about, how many sub-abilities are unlocked in Blood Link ¡­ wow.


    Blood Manipulation and it has Blood Defense, Blood Weapon, and Blood Collection.  Blood Defense has Danger Activation turned on ¡­ I can turn it off, but I suppose now isn¡¯t the best time for that.  Blood Weapon has a few modes, Cocoon, Razor, and Spear ¡­ Spear has a sub-effect, Spike.  Blood Collection has Personality Assimilation and Conversion.  Blood Portal doesn¡¯t have any current sub-abilities.  There are some weaknesses too¡­


    Relica¡¯s emotions told her she was becoming impatient.  ¡°Well?  It seems you¡¯ve discovered something.¡±


    ¡°Give me a second to understand it all,¡± Scarlet muttered, straightening her skirt with a huff.  What level and proficiency is Blood Defense?  Level-four, and proficiency, Novice, Maxed.  What about my Blood Weapon?  Level-five, Proficiency, Rookie, Maxed.


    Okay, so the rank of proficiencies can increase based on level.  I can¡¯t get to the Rookie grade at level-four, but I can at level-five, and increase the rank.  I¡¯m guessing the rank must be maxed before it moves to the next grade, though ¡­ right.  What¡¯s given from proficiencies?  Guess that¡¯s a secret, but I can assume it has to do with knowledge on how to use something, like me suddenly knowing how to use a scythe.


    ¡°Okay, so, my Blood Defense is level-four, and its proficiency is Novice, Maxed, while my Blood Attack is level-five, and its proficiency is Rookie, Maxed.¡±


    The umbra¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Your proficiency is Rookie, and it¡¯s maxed?  How did you accomplish that?  Has it been active since The Oscillation?  I only have three level-five spells, and only one of those is Rookie Grade, Rank Zero; I haven¡¯t even been able to raise its rank by one.  How did you max it?  Does that mean Rookie is the max proficiency you can reach at level-five?  At what rank is maxed; is it ten, like Novice?¡±


    ¡°Umm, I don¡¯t know,¡± Scarlet shifted uncomfortably.  ¡°I just learned about this stuff.¡±  Scarlet¡¯s Blessing is maxing all of my proficiency Ranks and Grades.  I have a massive advantage over her then.  She must have dumped a lot of points into that Corrosive Touch, but she may have a ton from how many people she¡¯s killed.  What level is my Bloody Edge of the Crescent Blade?  Three, so it¡¯s maxed Novice.


    Is there any special sub-effect with it ¡­ Penetration, level-one.  I could have gotten that from maxing the proficiency.  Where does the ability come from?  Blood Emission Cluster Set in Scarlet¡¯s Tree; it¡¯s a chain skill.  What are chains?  A list of abilities that are unlocked in sequence.  Alright, so they¡¯re like upgrades to the skills, then.


    ¡°Well, did you ask it?  Maybe ask, how are my proficiencies maxed or some variant of the question.  There must be a reason, perhaps another passive that¡¯s helping you advance so quickly.¡±


    She¡¯s rather sharp¡­  Scarlet licked her lips eagerly.  ¡°Give me a second.¡±  This really does function like a game skill list, just a lot more complicated than any game I¡¯ve played.  Is there anything I can get in the Reaper Tree that will help me survive in sunlight?  Crap, well, maybe I have to want it, not just ask the question ¡­ it does seem like I can only ask questions about things I already have.


    The information popped into her head as she fed the desire, and the skill activated.  Her school uniform was swallowed in pitch-black shadows as a cloak enveloped her, tendrils of dark smoke slowly dispersing into the air.  She looked down at her left hand, fingers spreading as her skin seemed to fade, showing her skeletal fingers; red veins and dark red energy filmed her white bony hand.


    ¡°What¡ªwhat are you doing?  Your skin¡ªyour face ¡­ a skull, filled with red light; even your fangs are showing.  Is this a part of your Reaper Tree?¡±


    Scarlet rose to her feet; she almost felt ethereal.  Cloak of the Reaper, level-five.  It can only be used while in the Guise of the Reaper state, and it uses my Vampiric energy like crazy, but I should be protected while within it.  I can¡¯t use any skills from Scarlet¡¯s Tree, though ¡­ all my hate, it¡¯s gone.  I feel so liberated; even though my Vampiric energy is fading, I don¡¯t feel hunger, no prickly emotions, silence, stillness, tranquility.


    She turned to stare at Relica through the wall, red tint gone.  Everything was clear, and she could see Relica¡¯s life force.  It was strong; she instinctively knew Relica could live for centuries.


    ¡°I¡¯d much prefer being a Reaper over a Vampire.¡±  Her scythe emerged in her hands, wisps of dark energy frothing off its blade.


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 B1 — 29. Unexpected Outcome

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    Scarlet felt powerful as she gripped her scythe, but something was wrong; her adept knowledge of how to use the weapon was gone.  Shit ¡­ Guise of the Reaper is blocking Scarlet¡¯s Tree; so, I can¡¯t use Scarlet¡¯s Blessing.


    Her mind was clear, despite the setback.  She glanced at Relica¡¯s puppet as the shadow continued to study her changed appearance.  I don¡¯t have long ¡®till I¡¯m out of energy.  I need to make this count. What abilities can I use?  Shroud of Darkness, Shadow Movement, Reap Life, Reaper¡¯s Choice, Advanced Detection, Amortality, and Levitate.


    Relica¡¯s frown deepened.  ¡°I will take a guess that this ominous feeling I have has something to do with your transformation.  Obviously from the Reaper Tree¡­¡±


    Scarlet activated Shroud of Darkness; the space around her turned utterly black, but she wasn¡¯t using her eyes.  She teleported behind Relica¡¯s shadow and cut through the umbra with a single slash; it was effortless, cutting Relica¡¯s sentence as the shadow dispersed.  It¡¯s like cutting the air with a knife; it¡¯s so easy.  I may not know how to use the scythe like a pro, but it works just fine for cutting.


    She sensed something changing with Relica¡¯s creatures.  Floating through the wall, the darkness that surrounded her pushing back the sunlight blazing in Relica¡¯s palm; her creatures¡¯ skin was crusting and turning dark brown as their exposed bones began to glow with a red light.


    Scarlet could sense Life Force inside the ball of light in Relica¡¯s hand.  She uses Blood Magic, which utilizes Life Force as an energy source.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one with tricks.  So, you want to hide behind that shadowy mist?  Then let¡¯s see if you can handle Minor Sunfire!¡±


    The ball of light in her hand expanded by a foot, exploding with radiance; she threw the blaze at the darkness as Scarlet moved forward.  The Sunfire entered her shroud and was swallowed. She could sense the fire still burning ahead of her, but no light escaped. She continued through the invisible flames as if it weren¡¯t there, gliding toward Relica.


    All five of the creatures rushed her, but Scarlet just teleported behind the woman, bypassing her guards; her dark mist exploding around her as she appeared.


    Relica cursed as she dove forward, but Scarlet¡¯s scythe cut clean through her.  One of the creatures ahead of them split in two, falling to the ground. What?  But I cut her?


    Relica stumbled forward as the darkness enveloped her.  ¡°Okay,¡± she huffed. ¡°You really are like some Grim Reaper!¡±  A rift opened up below her, and she fell through, causing Scarlet to hesitate, but another rift opened fifty feet away, and she crawled out of it.


    She has a billion spells ¡­ why isn¡¯t she dead?  She studied Relica¡¯s mutant slave that had been cut in half and was already reforming; the four others were running at the dark mist she created.  They flailed about in the dark, but any blow that struck her simply passed right through.


    Her mutant was cut in half instead of her; so, is she linked to them?  They take her damage? Why would she need to be really resilient like that other guy when she has creatures that can regenerate, are physical brutes, and are linked to her?  She¡¯s way too powerful!


    She slashed at another creature, but her blade only sunk a few inches into his skin.  It beat at her scythe, but his hands simply passed right through it. I¡¯m using my scythe as a physical weapon, but it must be used for more than that.  It¡¯s a freaking grim reaper¡¯s scythe. Reap Life, what is it ¡­ an ability attached to my weapon that once activates, deals damage to Life Force.


    Activating it, her scythe passed through the creature like butter as a green flame lit across its length and she sensed the mutant¡¯s life diminish slightly.  She watched the bright bluish aura inside it dim. It stumbled and struck the ground, but quickly rose to its feet again, rejoining the rest in searching for her.


    I see; it¡¯s not physical damage, but an attack against its Life Force; it can¡¯t regenerate that so easily.  What¡¯s Reap Life¡¯s level, rank, and grade ¡­ one, Novice, zero. Wow, it¡¯s super weak, can I make it stronger?  I guess not ¡­ well, that sucks. Did I use all of my points just getting Guise of the Reaper? Probably. What about Reaper¡¯s Choice ¡­ five, Novice, zero.  Back to Novice, not Rookie ¡­ can it still Rend Magic? You won¡¯t tell me, so, nope ¡­ I guess that¡¯s a part of the Rookie Maxed proficiency.


    Raising her scythe, it began to glow with a faint green light as she cut through the creatures with simple slashes.  She watched their lives shave away, but there was so much, and each swing only did minor damage to their life energy.  However, she could see progress.


    ¡°What are you doing in there?¡±  Relica yelled. ¡°Why are my darlings becoming weak?  Come back, split apart and run opposite ways!¡±


    Shit.  She followed the one that was the weakest and struck her blade through its chest, keeping it lodged in its torso as she kept pace.  After a minute, it dropped to the ground. Its breath rasped out in ragged pants as it struggled to crawl away, but she slammed her blade through its bony spine.  The blade passed through the creature, and the ground before she stopped the stroke, Reap Life doing continuous damage.


    Relica was looked at the mist with wide eyes.  ¡°How¡ªhow are you damaging them ¡­ how did you kill it?  It has Rapid Regeneration ¡­ do you know how much effort it took for them to get that skill?  To level it up to seven and force them to rank it up to Novice seven?¡± She growled.


    Scarlet chuckled; her voice had changed, it almost seemed without origin, and her tone was a whisper that resonated in the air.  ¡°It was a brilliant plan. Link your life to these creatures, and with Rapid Regeneration, you¡¯ll never die. I¡¯m guessing you spent nearly every point they had on it; I mean, it wasn¡¯t just any regeneration ability.  They must have gone through much of the Regeneration Chain, but I just realized something.


    ¡°Your Life Force has lowered since losing that creature.  So, I can attack you or them, and these creatures will die with you as their life is linked to yours. When the last one dies, you¡¯ll just have your own life left.¡±


    Scarlet vanished in the shadows, appearing behind Relica in a tornado of smoke, but she was already dropping into a rift that appeared under her.  This isn¡¯t good.  I don¡¯t know if I can kill her before my energy runs out.


    Both Scarlet and Relica moved across the beach before entering the city, Scarlet chasing her down.  Two puppet umbra split off from her shadow, but she quickly teleported to them and cut them in two. You¡¯re not getting away!


    The creatures never left more than a few hundred feet from her, which gave Scarlet plenty of time to catch up and slash at her or the creatures.  Relica had tried several different spells, but none of them touched Scarlet as she passed through them with ease. After several minutes, only one mutant remained, weakened by all the cuts Relica received.


    Scarlet floated after her like a hound; Relica was fast on her feet, and Scarlet only floated so fast.  She was forced to teleport to catch her a few times, but Relica had a spell to propel herself through the air and evade her clumsy scythe swings, keeping her out of the darkness.


    ¡°This is bullshit!¡±  Relica yelled, throwing up a magical shield as she ran through the palm tree filled park at 14th and Ocean Drive, a cloud of darkness in pursuit.  ¡°You¡¯re immune to everything! What kind of ability is that?¡±


    A ring of purple energy encircled Relica as Scarlet reached her; she hesitated a moment to let her scythe strike the barrier.  The darkness enveloped her, and the blade slid past her shield as if it weren¡¯t there. Relica barely missing the edge as she launched into the air.


    Scarlet looked up, following her climb into the sky.  I¡¯m just about out of energy, but I¡¯ve just about killed all of her life links.  Scarlet looked up, following her vertical climb into the sky.  She¡¯s a sitting duck!  Why¡¯d she jump up? To not be blinded by the darkness and ram into something?


    The last creature leaped into the air, shooting toward Relica.  The moment they were about to collide, Relica used him as a launchpad, purple ring appearing again.  Was that planned?  I know she hesitated, so she wanted to test that shield against my scythe ¡­ she¡¯s a crazy psychopath, but incredible at adapting.


    Scarlet floated toward the creature as it fell through the air.  She moved her scythe to cut up its center, passing through its body.  The creature landed hard, legs collapsing as fell to its chest, trying to struggle back to its feet.  Her blade passed through its back, and she held it in place, watching Life Force chip away. It lurched forward, pulling her scythe through its body.


    Following, she thrust the edge back through its torso, and after a moment, it collapsed.  The green energy surrounding the black blade decaying the rest of its life, it stopped breathing.  Finally!  Although, now Relica can run away without worrying about distance.


    She found her life signature atop a white six-story building with the words Winter Haven written across the front.  Moving through shadows, her mist of darkness began to envelop Relica from behind, but she somehow dodged her blade.


    ¡°There!  I can at least detect the scythe.¡±  An edge of excitement showed on her face.  ¡°I knew there was some kind of element involved; the Death Element; it¡¯s amazing!¡±  She danced around another broad swipe. ¡°Death has an element, and I don¡¯t have anything that can counter it at the moment, but I can detect it.  So, let¡¯s see how long you can last now.¡±


    Dammit, I¡¯m not good with scythes!  If she can detect my swings, then how can I hit her?  This thing¡¯s bulky and weird to use ¡­ I¡¯m so close, but my energy¡­


    She vanished in shadows, appearing behind Relica.  She stabbed with the butt of the shaft, but Relica quickly sidestepped and leaped off the building, purple halo appearing as she landed below.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to say, I was not expecting you to be the Grim Reaper,¡± Relica giggled, but she was sweating and breathing hard.


    Scarlet floated down to her; weapon pulled back to strike as the fog spread across the street.  Wait, she can detect the Death Element, then if I don¡¯t use Reap Life, she won¡¯t be able to detect it, and all her regeneration puppets are dead!


    Just before striking, she deactivated Reap Life; the green flames along the blade dispersed.  Relica froze as the energy left, but just before her attack hit, she activated a transparent shield.  Her blade bit into it, but she felt the resistance, giving Relica enough time to retreat out of the darkness.


    Relica laughed giddily as her shield broke.  ¡°This is so much fun! Now that I know what I¡¯m dealing with, I know how to fight it, but congratulations on making me bleed; it¡¯s been years since someone¡¯s accomplished that.¡±  She clapped, and Scarlet noticed the small cut along the back of her left arm.


    Scarlet lurched forward but tripped as Shroud of the Reaper left her, shadows dispersing.  She struck the ground, locking up as emotion, thirst, and pain struck her all at once. She gasped, chest and fangs burning as she curled into a ball, arms pressed against her chest.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not a very lady-like position.¡±  Relica mused. ¡°I was wondering how long that could last, but it looks like I have some evidence to compile.¡±


    She walked over to Scarlet, trying to calm her heart with a few deep breaths.  ¡°You honestly pushed me very hard, my little vampire reaper.¡± She sat a few feet away from her, crossing her legs and fanning her face.


    ¡°Well,¡± she grinned, pulling on her bikini to pump some air in and readjusted her bottoms.  ¡°I know you want to jump on me and put those crimson lips to my neck,¡± she winked. ¡°Vampires can be so erotic, but I can sense that little burning desire for blood itching within you.¡±


    Gritting her teeth, Scarlet moaned. ¡°What¡ªwhat are you waiting for?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too cute.  I¡¯m not going to kill you!  Heavens, no.¡± She clicked her tongue.  ¡°No, I want you. Oh, I want you so bad after seeing that display of power.  If you utilized your abilities properly, the things you could do.¡±


    She blinked apologetically, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not calling you stupid, no, not at all.  Just¡ªinexperienced. The potential I sense in you, that raw urge for blood and that ¡­ I don¡¯t know how else to describe it, that evil inside you.  Oh, it¡¯s hidden, hidden deep, but I can sense it. I want to pull that out and make you mine. If I had you, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d need anyone else; no one could compare.¡±


    Scarlet tried to swallow, but she felt so parched; no blood entering her mouth.  Smiling weakly, she chuckled. ¡°I¡ªtold you ¡­ I don¡¯t¡ªswing that way, bitch.¡±


    ¡°Come now,¡± Relica ticked her tongue.  ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. I already told you, I¡¯m not interested in some sensual relationship, but I do enjoy master-slave.  You know, there were plenty of women that begged like dogs, threw themselves at my feet, yearning for me to use their bodies instead of what I had in store for them; I enjoy letting my experiments know what is to come.  That way, they aren¡¯t surprised.


    ¡°So, perhaps we can compromise?  I won¡¯t do anything¡ªweird to your body, I never planned to; so, why don¡¯t you become my slave?  I am a wonderful master; meals, as much blood as you can drink. If you enjoy men, I will get you dozens, the best.  Pleasure, whatever you wish can be yours.¡±


    Scarlet squinted, and the look she found waiting for her sent chills down her spine; Relica¡¯s hazel eyes were globes of desire.  ¡°It¡¯s better than being dead, right?¡±


    Scarlet tried getting to her feet; she got to her hands and knees, but her body felt so tight, it was hard to straighten her arms and legs.  I have to get away ¡­ she¡¯s insane!


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±  Relica giggled. ¡°Well, I suppose there are about, what?  I know you¡¯d be more accurate, but I¡¯d say¡ªat least twenty people are in the surrounding buildings.  You could still give me a hard time if you got some blood in you, but do you really think you can kill me without that reaper ability?  It was¡ªOP,¡± she finished with a chime in her voice.


    Taking a deep breath, Scarlet shook her head with a pained moan.  ¡°Not¡ªnot interested. I¡¯m already¡ªalready¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh, a shame,¡± Relica leaned back with a depressed sigh as she cut her off.  ¡°I don¡¯t understand. You¡¯d be with me; men and women trip over themselves for an opportunity like that.  I suppose¡ªI¡¯ll have to force you then. I didn¡¯t want you to be a subject of that experiment.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s arms began to shake as she tried getting to her feet; mind filled with nightmarish treatment.  Force me?  How? ¡°Are¡ªare you going to¡ªmake me like¡ªlike those creatures?¡±


    Relica¡¯s eye¡¯s popped.  ¡°Oh, dear, absolutely not!  How dreadful. To be frank, I doubt I could.  Hmm, no, the requirements were fairly large for those Heroes, but I have no clue about Mythickin; an utterly gray area.  I mean, you¡¯re already a monster.


    ¡°However, controlling a monster.  That, I should be able to do. The highest level spell I have in my Mental Branch.  I¡¯ve been saving this one because it requires a lot of energy, but I fulfilled its requirements and have just been waiting to use it.  I just have to hope it doesn¡¯t fail; a low proficiency level is quite troublesome. Once you become my slave, you¡¯ll have to tell me how your skills grew so rapidly.¡±


    Scarlet stumbled to her feet, losing one of her shoes; she limped down the road, trying to put distance between them.  Relica just chuckled. After a moment, she was locked in a purple circle of magic, unable to move or speak.


    No ¡­ no ¡­ no...


    ¡°This won¡¯t take long,¡± Relica cooed, walking to her.  She placed her hands on her hips as she stood squarely in front of Scarlet, emotions brimming with delight.  ¡°When I first heard about the Seattle Vampire, I thought, how brilliant.


    ¡°Some might believe that he was an idiot, causing such a commotion, but no, he was testing, advancing, becoming accustomed to the system.  War, chaos, death, it propels you forward in this brutal system. Achievements seem to be the only thing that can possibly outshine that snowball, and this spell is an Achievement gained from my Mental Tree.


    ¡°After manipulating so many minds and doing it in several different ways, I obtained a one time use for an advanced mental spell, Mind Flay.  It peels back the brain¡¯s barriers to access the target¡¯s entire mental state and manipulate it; implant memories, change behaviors, force control,¡± she grinned, eyes brimming with anticipation as she slid her fingertips down Scarlet¡¯s bloodstained cheeks.


    I don¡¯t want this ¡­ I don¡¯t want any of this ¡­ I don¡¯t want to be a slave to this psycho.


    Relica licked her lips as a purple halo surrounded her left hand; it moved up her wrist and past her hand.  Spreading her fingers, it expanded, and she placed it over Scarlet¡¯s head, pushing it down until it encircled her forehead.  Slowly closing her fingers, she sensed the energy close around her head, and she was falling.


    She looked up at the violet sky of an unknown world, a gust shot down from above; immobilized as the cold wind pressed against her skin, purple lightning rolling through the heavens, creating claps of thunder that shook her bones.  Where¡­


    Her muscles twitched as she struck freezing water.  Gasping, she swallowed the liquid, and not soon after, her mind began to swim.  The dimming lights shining past the water¡¯s surface hazed, fracturing in her eyes.  Is this ¡­ what¡¯s happening?  Everything¡¯s numb; I can¡¯t ¡­ I can¡¯t feel my body.  Her mind faded as her senses began to leave her.  The only thing she felt was emptiness, an endless void that she was sinking into.  I lost...


    Feeling slowly returned to her muscles as her body warmed, mind rousing.  It took her a moment, but she realized it wasn¡¯t her body that was heating, but the water.  Her eyes opened wide as bubbles floated around her; the temperature continued to climb, and she rose with the foam that slid across her skin.  Sharp lights suddenly broke across her vision, shining up from the depths of the void below. What¡¯s going on?


    The bubbles grew, and she broke the surface.  Gasping for air, she pulled back her wet hair and looked around.  The sea was frothing with foam as the ocean boiled and massive waves crashed against each other in claps of thunderous noise, but despite the cataclysmic forces, the water kept her afloat.


    Massive beams of energy broke past the colossal waves, shooting into the heavens.  The violet sky was turning rosen as the rays of light forced the clouds to circle them like a hurricane, and hot air whipped past Scarlet¡¯s face as jets of wind pulled the water into raging cyclones.


    The sky turned the color of wine as the purple lightning struck crimson, the roaring claps of light illuminating her surroundings.  Pelting drops of blood fell from the darkening clouds, stinging her skin and dying the ocean with spots of rose petals. The last remaining violet patch turned red as the storm escalated.


    Face ashen; her stomach twisted as her thirst deepened.  ¡°Scarlet¡­¡± Bright light burst from the heavens above her, and she began floating up, storm raging around her.  ¡°Why?¡±


    She broke past the cherry colored clouds, hand raising to shield her eyes from the blinding moonlight above as the deafening sound below broke, everything turning peaceful; the sky was black, speckled with countless stars and galaxies, bloodied clouds gently swirled below in large serine circles with glowing centers.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening¡­¡±  She was back in the real world, staring at Relica¡¯s face that reflecting the shock she felt.


    Relica took half a breath before it locked in her lungs.  She stared at Scarlet for several more seconds in locked silence before breaking eye contact.  She stepped back three steps and hesitated; a lump slid down her throat as she took one last glance at Scarlet before dropping through a purple rift that opened below her feet.


    Scarlet blinked; Relica¡¯s immobilizing magic broke, and she heard the dark, yet soft laughter of The Reaper in her mind before the chuckles faded, and she returned to her slumber.  Scarlet?  What did you do?


    All she heard was silence.


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 B1 — 30. Conclusion

    AuthorSME


    Rachel breathed through her teeth as she forced herself up; she couldn¡¯t feel pain with the moonlight empowering her, but she knew her muscles were strained.  She expanded her hearing, listening for Maria, Scarlet, and Fiona.


    Maria seemed to be talking with some of the SEALs, Fiona was having a troublesome time with some of Terrell¡¯s gang, and Scarlet was talking to Relica.


    Fiona seems to be in the most trouble ¡­ wait, Relica can force people that are brainwashed into attacking people?  Shit.  She¡¯s right; Scarlet would take a lot of heat.


    Her brow furrowed as she heard a massive explosion near Fiona and, after a moment, began to talk with a Slime gang member, mentioning his resilience.  It looks like she¡¯s got it completely under control now.


    Listening to Scarlet¡¯s situation, she began to feel more and more uneasy.  She¡¯s manipulating Scarlet to buy time.  Those creatures probably have something to do with her ability, and they¡¯re closing in.


    She glanced down at her hand, squeezing.  I¡¯m so physically spent.  Moonlight reinforces my body, but it doesn¡¯t heal my muscle stress; there¡¯s no way I can effectively help Scarlet.  Fiona might be able to ¡­ she¡¯s flying out to the ocean, though.  Ah, Terrell is out there.  What can I do?


    Biting her lower lip, she played with it for a moment, glaring up at the moon.  Maria¡¯s out of energy, Fiona¡¯s chasing down Terrell, my body won¡¯t hold up long sprinting, and Scarlet¡¯s being forced to stand down.  My best option is to try and get help from the SEALs.  Scarlet should be able to hold out; she¡¯s strong, and it looks like Relica¡¯s more interested in talking at the moment.


    She briskly walked down the street, paying close attention to the moon¡¯s light.  Moving off Ocean Drive, she crossed onto Fifth Street; there were a few buildings that blocked the moon¡¯s glow down the road, causing her to curse every time the pain returned.


    Rachel listened to Scarlet¡¯s situation intently as Relica created a globe of sunlight, and Scarlet activated some reaper ability.  Relica¡¯s way more dangerous than I thought; she knows so much about this change, and if she can counter Scarlet with sunlight ¡­ it¡¯s not looking good.  A System ¡­ she¡¯s mapping it out like some form of game and the abilities, the stats I¡¯ve discovered, everything lines up.  This does function like a game ¡­ but I don¡¯t know about any games.


    Could I stand a chance against her, even if I was at full power?  She¡¯s definitely more knowledgeable than me.  Do I have anything to help recover my body?  No ¡­ shit.


    She followed their movements as Relica tried to outlast Scarlet¡¯s new power, but she was slowly taking down her life-linked minions.  A sharp spike shot through her heart as the realization struck.


    I don¡¯t think I could have taken her.  Fiona, maybe, but I¡¯m not sure.  Would burning even work on those creatures?  Even with the sunlight disadvantage, Scarlet might have been the best choice.


    If her minions have an advanced regeneration ability, I could have destroyed them, but they¡¯d just reform, and as long as they lived, all the damage she took would be transmitted to them.  No, wait, even though she¡¯s losing them, they¡¯re not leaving or separating too far.  Then again, she has some kind of ability that can lock Scarlet down and push her away ¡­ she has way too many spells.


    Dammit!  If only I could tell Scarlet, there¡¯s probably a range on them.  If Scarlet could teleport them away, she could handle Relica on her own, but still, what a powerful ability, and the things she did to obtain it ¡­ did The Oscillation make her that callous?  Are we becoming like that?  Damn, there¡¯s so much we don¡¯t know.  C¡¯mon, Scarlet, hold out!


    She frowned as she caught sight of Earwig and Bean, two of the SEALs that were sent to meet her; further up the road, she could see small groups of people rushing toward the bridge.  Maria seems to be on decent terms with them, but they¡¯re not our friends.  They¡¯re here for a mission, and Relica is a part of that mission.


    ¡°Hey, are you alright?  What happened to that¡­¡±


    Readjusting her ripped biking pants to put less pressure on her tail, Rachel cut him off.  ¡°I need your radio.¡±


    ¡°Eh, what?¡±  Bean slowed, posture turning defensive.


    ¡°I need to speak to Jerry quickly.¡±


    Earwig frowned but nodded.  Unhooking his radio, he pressed the switch on the side.  ¡°This is Earwig, Rachel wishes to speak to you, Cap.  Over.¡±


    ¡°Affirmative.  Over.¡±


    He handed Rachel the walkie.  ¡°Jerry, I took care of the tank and Conner; he¡¯s dead.  Fiona¡¯s in pursuit of Terrell and took out most of his gang; Terrell¡¯s in a boat heading northeast with a few of his remaining gang members, but they moved too far across the ocean for me to hear them.  They sunk a few Coast Guard boats, but Fiona rescued the passengers.


    ¡°Scarlet is currently engaged with Relica; she¡¯s a Legendkin, just like Conner.  She¡¯s by far the strongest person in the area, probably stronger than Conner, to be honest.  Scarlet is having trouble.  She needs support.  Relica has two minions left that are life-linked to her and have rapid regeneration.


    ¡°Meaning, all damage done to Relica is transferred to the creatures, and they can heal that damage.  There may be a distance requirement on the ability of fifty to a hundred feet.  Scarlet can bypass the creature¡¯s regeneration, but I don¡¯t know how long she can keep it up.  They¡¯re at Thirteenth and Ocean Drive at the moment¡­¡±


    Jerry cut her off.  ¡°Copy.  Hear that, Task Force Green?  Over.¡±


    ¡°Affirmative.  On route.  ETA four minutes.  Requesting additional information.  Over.¡±  Rachel heard two of the several helicopters in the area change directions.


    She gave them all the information she had recovered about Relica¡¯s abilities and the current battle conditions as the fight moved over to Fourteenth Street.  Suddenly she caught Terrell¡¯s voice a few miles away.


    ¡°I just heard Terrell.  He¡¯s teleporting over the ocean, back toward land ¡­ Fiona just caught up to them.  She handled it.  Daren, Marcus, and Terrell are dead, and she¡¯s bringing the bodies back to land.  She¡¯s heading back to the hotel to see if I¡¯m still there, and Scarlet killed the last creature, but she¡¯s out of energy; Relica¡¯s going to try to mind-control her, you need to get there, now!¡±


    ¡°Copy.  ETA two minutes.  Over.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s right fist tightened.  ¡°That¡¯s not fast enough!  If she can mind-control Scarlet ¡­ she¡¯s already extremely powerful, add Scarlet to her arsenal, and I don¡¯t think any of us could take ¡­ the spell¡ªI think it failed.¡±


    ¡°Repeat that.  Over.¡±  Jerry stated.


    ¡°Relica ¡­ she just teleported a mile north; she¡¯s running.  She left Scarlet behind.¡±


    ¡°Copy.  This is Task Force Green; Unit One, pursue target, Unit Two, confirm Vampire¡¯s condition.  Out.¡±  The two helicopters split off.


    Rachel¡¯s brow was furrowed as she glared at the ground, listening to Scarlet.  She asked what Scarlet did ¡­ Did The Reaper do something to prevent Relica from taking over her mind?  That was supposed to be an extremely powerful spell, gained off some form of Achievement, but it failed.  Could it have been the proficiency level?  Relica was worried about that, but ¡­ we haven¡¯t met The Reaper yet.


    Corrupted Scarlet told us that she had no clue what The Reaper was, but it scared her.  Could Scarlet have another personality flip?  Her mind turned back to the song Scarlet had sung, trying to remember the exact words as Bean and Earwig listened to the different orders being given.


    ¡°I have a tale that time has lost, sins of judgment born of blood.  She took a name from the one profaned; the chosen¡ªknow the dark but let it rest.  Come down to the red sea, swim with me.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°Born of graves and left below, painted ashes, painted snow; when the dark awakens, fires of your last hopes are burning low.  Blood of gods and blood of men, meet in union to ascend; fate has chosen, and your fading light is at its end.


    ¡°You rise, I fall.  I stand, you crawl.  You twist, I turn.  You sit and stay, I don¡¯t obey.  Life¡¯s breath flickers with the candlelight, lost souls in the twilight.  Fear not the dark, the monsters within; brace for the feast of humanity¡¯s end.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long way down to the place I found, lurking silhouette waiting below¡ªa dark sun, hollowed by the fade; that debt you live to repay¡ªyou see the blackness stare, promising to spare the chosen.


    ¡°Born of graves and left below, painted ashes, painted snow; when the dark awakens, fires of your last hopes are burning low¡ªyour souls will char; flicker to and fro¡ªafraid to linger and to go; trapped in blood until my scythe has come to take you home.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°A pact embraced, a road unsought; a black heart¡¯s redemption borne by brigand¡¯s blood.  A blight upon the light, a terror for the night, she became the bringer of twilight.  Vengeance is her only ward; beware the blood-red rose¡¯s thorn, for it will end with Scarlet.


    ¡°With flowers and my love, both never to come back, her wrath is known within the black; the tide, it stole away her grace, but the depths, they would not claim her.  I could not foresee this thing happening to you; I am exposed, I am undone, no more colors, it all turns black.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°Alone with this vision, alone with this sound, alone in my dreams, maybe I will fade away and not have to face the facts.  The darkest night, the brightest day; history tainted, the cycle hovering above gravity¡¯s lure.  My love will laugh with me before the morning comes, for the blinding light will never return.


    ¡°Born of graves, left below, no time for rest, nowhere to go¡ªa storm was loosed with tear-stained eyes¡ªcome down to the red sea, swimming with me.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°A wretch bound to the harvest, born of the shadows, between light and dark.  Oh, oh, oh, ooh ¡­ who will save you now?  Incinerate our shackles.


    ¡°The Maiden of Death will tend to her fields, and eternity will fall into silence ¡­ Heaven or Hell ¡­ where do you land in the red sea?  Ah-ooh, ooh¡­¡±


    Rachel tucked in her lower lip as she recounted the words, stomach uneasy.  There are so many ominous lyrics in there.  Legendkin have Trees from gods ¡­ Wenet is a branch in my Tree.  I¡¯ll have to look up who Wenet is, but the name rings a bell.  I think she¡¯s from Chinese mythology.  Blood of gods and blood of men, meet in union to ascend ¡­ it can¡¯t mean that, right?  No, it can¡¯t, because there are multiple god-like abilities that Relica had, but I don¡¯t know the specifics of her legend.


    I don¡¯t know if some of that is talking about Scarlet or The Reaper ¡­ probably the most concerning phrase is brace for the feast of humanity¡¯s end.  What is the dark or the monsters inside it?  I¡¯ll have to ask Scarlet if she has any insight into it.  I mean, it could just mean that humanity will end as this system continues to expand, or people are born into these changed types ¡­ There was that one incident where the Beastkin gave birth to a kid that was the same type.  There are just so many unknown factors.


    She heard the unit rappelling out of the helicopter near Scarlet and looked up as she heard Fiona approaching; a bright green light moved toward her with a charred body beside it.


    ¡°Rachel, oh my gosh!  Are you okay?¡±


    Bean and Earwig stiffened as they caught sight of the bright light, unable to process it in the dark.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Rachel said, moving toward her.  ¡°It¡¯s just Fiona.  Yeah, I¡¯m fine, just tired.  What about the rest of the gang?¡±


    Fiona hovered several feet above her, lips pursed as she looked Rachel up and down; her voice was soft enough that the men couldn¡¯t hear.  ¡°Honestly, you need new clothes, and Maria should look at your wounds ¡­ where is she?  Oh, and the gang¡¯s all taken care of too; here¡¯s Terrell, barbecued and ready for drop off.  Is it just me, or is it strange not feeling anything about killing him?  Well, the satisfaction that it¡¯s over ¡­ not the best thing to say, I admit.  Anyways, I don¡¯t know about Relica, but Scarlet¡¯s awesome, she¡¯s probably already mopped the floor with her.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, yeah, we¡¯ll talk in private later.  I think we all have some things we need to discuss.  Maria¡¯s in bad shape; she¡¯s lost too much energy it seems.  She won¡¯t be healing anyone until she can recharge, and Scarlet actually had a pretty rough fight, but it¡¯s over now.  I¡¯ll tell you about it in a bit.  Some guys are helping her to one of the creatures to get some blood from it.¡±


    ¡°You mean one of those gray-skinned weird things that ran after Relica?  Is that safe?  What if it¡¯s like, radioactive or something ¡­ they looked like they popped out of a post-apocalyptic movie.¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I don¡¯t have a clue.  I want to say Scarlet knows which blood¡¯s edible for her, but who knows.  Maybe we¡¯ll meet Corrupted Scarlet again.¡±


    Bean and Earwig began to fidget as they listened to the one-sided conversation.


    ¡°What do you mean, Corrupted Scarlet?¡±  Bean muttered.


    Fiona frowned.  ¡°Oh, umm, yeah, I don¡¯t know about the whole Corrupted Scarlet part, but I mean, these guys killed, melted, ate, and experimented on kids, women, and men ¡­ in front of me.  Can you imagine why I want them dead?¡±


    Rachel smiled softly.  ¡°They can¡¯t hear you, Fiona.¡±


    Frowning, she closed the distance.  ¡°Honestly!  You know, I sing ¡­ not mainstream or anything, but people like my voice.  Now people can barely hear me; I don¡¯t know anything about Corrupted Scarlet, by the way.¡±


    ¡°If Scarlet drinks old blood, then she can develop another personality that takes over.  It¡¯s not really as bad as it sounds.  She¡¯s actually a lot more open and happy; she¡¯s had a rough transition, though ¡­ probably even worse than yours, Fiona.¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Fiona muttered.  ¡°Really?  That¡¯s terrible!  What¡¯s happening with her?¡±


    She listened to the small group around Scarlet for a moment, trying to get a better understanding of their conversation.


    Scarlet¡¯s voice was relieved as she talked with one of the men around her.  ¡°So, I can drink blood from dead bodies, even if they¡¯ve been dead for hours?¡±


    ¡°Yes, most might not think about it, but you can safely use blood from a cadaver for six to eight hours; the blood inside a dead body remains sterile, and the red blood cells retain their oxygen-carrying capabilities within that time.  So I don¡¯t see why you should have the problem you explained; it should be no different than a blood bag, if not fresher.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.  Thank you so much!¡±


    Scarlet bent down and quickly sucked the blood out of the creature¡¯s body.


    ¡°Man, the red eyes are a bit unnerving,¡± one of the soldiers muttered.


    Releasing her fangs, Scarlet sighed.  ¡°It¡¯s not voluntary ¡­ I¡¯m not trying to be creepy, but I need to drink blood to survive.  This blood tastes really salty, though,¡± she smacked her lips, ¡°and tangy?¡±


    One of the soldiers chuckled.  ¡°Gross.¡±


    Rachel smiled.  ¡°She¡¯s doing fine; the blood seems like it¡¯ll work out.  I think she¡¯ll be teleporting to us soon.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s over?¡±  Fiona stretched out with a groan.  ¡°By the way, I¡¯m functioning on like, eight percent life force ¡­ could I get some sugar?¡±


    ¡°Eight percent life force?¡±  Bean muttered.  ¡°This is just too crazy.¡±


    Fiona nodded.  ¡°Right?  I mean, I literally use my life force to attack.  What kind of system is that?  Don¡¯t get me started on Warpath!¡±


    Rachel sighed before whispering, ¡°Let¡¯s not give these guys all our weaknesses, Fiona.  There¡¯s still a lot we don¡¯t know about and how all this is going to play out.¡±


    Scratching behind her left ear, Fiona hummed before responding.  ¡°You¡¯re right.  This has been such a mess.¡±


    Both Bean and Earwig were staring at them with furrowed brows.  ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Rachel replied with a warm smile.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we head back; I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some military general or somebody that¡­¡±  she trailed off as she heard Maria muttering, alone in a building.


    ¡°Where the hell are they going to take us?  If Rachel is beat-up, then maybe Scarlet could put up a fight ¡­ gah, I don¡¯t even know them that well.  ?Qu¨¦ mierda de tormenta!  We sent Felix to the military outpost too ¡­ mierda!¡±


    [i.e. What a shit storm!; shit!]


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Fiona asked, glaring at the charred corpse above them.


    ¡°Give me a moment; I¡¯m listening.¡±  She caught both Bean and Earwig¡¯s frown as she cycled through conversations about Mythickin.


    ¡°... This is Sky Carrier Delta, have orders changed with the Mythickin?  Reports show a Legendkin escaped during their scuffle, and part of the unit is in pursuit.  Over.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a negative, Sky Carrier Delta; orders stand, pick up Mythickin and drop them off at local Overwatch.  Do not engage in combat unless provoked, and Officer on deck gives the order.  Out.¡±


    ¡°Copy.  Out.¡±


    ¡°Did I hear that right?  We¡¯ll be taken to the local Overwatch?¡±


    Bean frowned.  ¡°Eh, yeah.  Those are the orders I received.  There are some things we should get cleared up, though.¡±  He waited for Jerry to stop giving orders and getting updated information before speaking.  ¡°This is Bean.  We have charred remains that are reported to be Terrell¡¯s, the leader of the dismantled gang.  Orders.  Over.¡±


    ¡°Bean, you and Earwig report back to Forge, escort the girls there, and I¡¯ll have a medical team on standby to take the remains.  We¡¯ll debrief in the King and then send them to Overwatch.  Out.¡±


    ¡°Copy.  Out.¡±


    ¡°King?¡±  Fiona muttered.


    Rachel smirked.  ¡°Code words, they use a lot of them.  It probably means a Burger King nearby.  I think Maria¡¯s in one, and Jerry¡¯s going that way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Ma¡¯am,¡± Bean stated.  ¡°Let¡¯s start heading that way.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Rachel stretched, trying to be careful not to stress her ripped clothes.


    They walked several meters before a blood portal appeared in front of them; Bean and Earwig stiffened.


    ¡°No need to worry,¡± Rachel said with a bright smile.  ¡°It¡¯s Scarlet with an escort.¡±


    Scarlet appeared with two men dressed in green military garb; Scarlet¡¯s face brightened as she caught sight of her, but the two men seemed a little shocked, likely from the blood portal¡¯s effect.


    ¡°That felt¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like ¡­ wow¡­¡±


    ¡°Rachel, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay!¡±  She dashed forward but hesitated as she neared.  ¡°Umm¡ªis it okay to hug?¡±


    Rachel opened her arms.  ¡°I don¡¯t mind.  You¡¯ve more than earned it from a fight like that.¡±


    Scarlet walked into her arms.  ¡°I was so scared at the end ¡­ Did you hear?¡±


    Holding her, Rachel nodded.  ¡°Yeah, you did everything you could.  I don¡¯t think any of us would have lasted as long as you; she knew so much ¡­ we should talk about it later, not now.¡±


    Pulling away, Scarlet took a deep breath, the few tears that left her black and red eyes sinking back into her skin.  ¡°Alright.  Oh, Fiona, is that¡­¡±


    ¡°Terrell,¡± Fiona stated, puffing out her flat chest.  ¡°He was so annoying ¡­ all of them were ¡­ oh.¡±  She turned to Earwig.  ¡°So, back at the hotel, there¡¯s a bunch of kids in a room.  I covered the door with dirt, so you can¡¯t miss it.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Bean stated, nodding for Earwig to call it in.  He turned to the two members of Task Force Green.  ¡°I¡¯m Bean, and this is Earwig.  We¡¯re a part of Task Force Blue; we just got orders to take them to Captain Jerry for debriefing.¡±


    The person to the left of Scarlet had blonde hair, solid features, and brown eyes.  He watched the blood portal shoot back into Scarlet¡¯s skin with interest before his vision turned to Bean.  ¡°Lieutenant Hopper, and this is Rowdy,¡± he pointed to a man in his early thirties with black hair and blue eyes.  ¡°He¡¯s our medic.  Task Force Green.  We¡¯ll accompany you.¡±


    Rowdy moved around Scarlet to examine Rachel.  ¡°You seem to be in pretty rough shape for how you¡¯re acting.  How bad is the pain?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°No need, Doc.  I¡¯ll live, it¡¯s not as bad as it looks.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he glanced back at Scarlet as she sucked her lip under her teeth.  ¡°Scarlet told me that you looked really worn out.¡±


    Rachel frowned.  C¡¯mon, Scarlet!  These guys could just as easily turn against us.  ¡°I am tired, but I don¡¯t feel like my life is in danger.  Is that right, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Erm, yeah¡ªyeah, just tired.  Your muscles are just kind of strained.  I thought you might be hurting a lot.¡±


    ¡°Nope, perfectly fine,¡± she said with a reassuring grin.  Her ears twitched as she listened to the helicopter of the unit pursuing Relica return.  She puffed a breath through her cheeks, tail twitching with agitation.  ¡°It seems they lost Relica; she disappeared shortly after running away from you.¡±


    Scarlet gulped, causing Rachel¡¯s eyes to narrow with curiosity.  Does she swallow her own blood?  How does that work?  Her anatomy is so different.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Scarlet ran a hand through her black hair, pushing back her bangs.  ¡°I doubt they¡¯ll catch her.  She wanted to stay and fight me at first¡­¡±  Her vision shifted between the men, and she bunched her lips to the side.  ¡°I guess we can talk about that later; I¡¯m sure someone will want to talk to us about it.¡±


    ¡°How are you doing on energy?¡±  Rachel asked.


    Scarlet smiled brightly, fangs showing.  ¡°Great.  I drank the blood of one of those creatures.  It¡¯s not as bad as blood bags, but it wasn¡¯t that good ¡­ I really like Julia¡¯s blood if I¡¯m being honest,¡± she giggled.


    I don¡¯t doubt it; her happy personality must really help with all the tragedy she¡¯s gone through recently.  ¡°That¡¯s a relief.  We need to get Fiona some sugar soon; she¡¯s basically dying.¡±


    Fiona puffed out a breath of air, folding her arms.  ¡°Geez, make it sound life-threatening, why don¡¯t you ¡­ I¡¯m only six percent away from my grave.¡±


    ¡°Scarlet, could you teleport us to where Maria is?  She¡¯s in the Burger King¡­¡±  Scarlet¡¯s blood had already pulled away from her body.


    ¡°I know.  She¡¯s not doing so hot; I¡¯m worried about her the most.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but there¡¯s nothing we can do right now.¡±


    Fiona looked like she wanted to ask why, but kept silent.


    The four men looked at the blood portal uneasily, both Rowdy and Hopper shivering.


    ¡°How¡¯d it feel?¡±  Bean muttered.


    ¡°Eh¡ªpersonal,¡± Hopper replied.  ¡°Just go in and don¡¯t think about it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just like last time,¡± Bean muttered; a quake shot down Earwig¡¯s body as he gulped.


    Rachel didn¡¯t hesitate, motioning for Fiona to follow.  She walked through, wincing as she left moonlight, muscles tensing, but she managed to keep most of the pain hidden behind a mask.  The uncomfortable feeling of being touched all over helped distract her mind.


    ¡°Rachel?  Maldita sea, what happened after I left because it looks like you¡¯ve been run over by a truck?¡±


    [i.e. Dammit]


    Examining herself more thoroughly, she followed several rips in her tank and bike shorts, white blood staining the black clothing.  Her wounds seemed to have scabbed over with white, hardened liquid.  It was mostly modest, but the back of her bra seemed to have some cuts in it that could snap the support if pressured too hard.


    ¡°I think I turned out fairly well after smashing into a car and then following said car through three buildings.¡±


    Scarlet chuckled, hand held to her lips as they emerged from the portal behind her.  ¡°Damn, that¡¯s pretty badass.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say,¡± Jerry muttered.


    Fiona appeared shortly after; Rachel reacted quickly, wincing as she accelerated to catch her as the green aura faded, and she dropped from the sky.  Falling into her hands, Fiona shivered, holding her arms.  ¡°What¡ªwhat the sucking hobgoblin¡¯s frostbitten ears!¡±  she muttered.


    Maria chuckled darkly.  ¡°Nice save, Liebre Blanca, and I¡¯m totally with you, Hada.  Feels like someone¡¯s touching your whole body.¡±


    [i.e. White Hare; Fairy]


    Fiona nodded.  ¡°Seriously, like¡ªsuck!  Can we go through shadows next time?  I like that a lot better.¡±


    ¡°You okay?¡±  Scarlet asked, Vampiric eyes scanning Rachel¡¯s body.


    Rachel nodded, smiling reassuringly as her muscles screamed.  ¡°Yup, totally fine.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±  Maria¡¯s eyebrows lifted.


    She didn¡¯t pursue her lie as she whispered, ¡°Roll with it.¡±


    Huffing, she shrugged, but Scarlet didn¡¯t hide her concern that well.  Rachel was relieved everyone was too focused on Bean, Rowdy, Hopper, and Earwig than their conversation.  They stepped out of the portal, Earwig¡¯s face was white, but they seemed to take it well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I could ever get used to that,¡± Earwig muttered.


    Hopper chuckled.  ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not that bad.  By the way, you dropped the body on the other side ¡­ something wrong?¡±  he asked, catching sight of Fiona in Rachel¡¯s hands, still trying to compose herself.


    Fiona shook her head.  ¡°No ¡­ that¡ªI¡¯ve never been touched like that ¡­ maybe my small body¡¯s just super sensitive after being changed into a Fairy...¡±  Her wings appeared again as she took a deep breath, and she floated up, green aura returning with a spray of light dust that soon vanished.  ¡°Thanks, Rachel, that just¡ªit shocked me¡ªa lot.¡±


    The charred corpse exited the blood portal, and the crimson liquid returned to Scarlet¡¯s body.  They were in a fairly fancy Burger King that seemed all but normal after seeing the chaotic streets.


    ¡°Sorry, Fiona,¡± Scarlet shifted nervously.  ¡°I know it¡¯s a little overwhelming.  I-I kind of had to push Maria to get back into it the second time.¡±


    Maria grunted, looking off to the side.  ¡°I¡¯m not scared ¡­ it just doesn¡¯t feel good.  You know?  I¡¯m not a cobarde.¡±


    [i.e. coward]


    ¡°Never said you were,¡± Scarlet chuckled.  ¡°Just saying that it can freak even you out, and you¡¯re a pretty hard chica.¡±


    Maria struck her tongue against the roof of her mouth.  ¡°So, what happened?  Judging by your bodies, all of you feel like you¡¯ve seen paradise and barely made it back.¡±


    Rachel took control of the conversation.  ¡°Right, I can explain most of the details and some of the things I miss, each of you can fill in.¡±


    She turned toward a table with packets of sugar, grabbing out a few packages as she whispered.  ¡°Don¡¯t mention anything about The System, your weaknesses, or any sensitive information about yourselves.  We don¡¯t know what the future holds.¡±


    Turning back, she smiled warmly.  ¡°Fiona, you¡¯ll have to tell me how these taste.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyes sparkled as she flew over to the table she sat in, Scarlet joining her.  Maria sat across them at another booth, nodding at Rachel.


    Ripping open a packet, she began to explain the bare minimum of their story; she mainly stuck to their opposition, keeping information about them at a minimum.  After thirty minutes of back and forth conversations between everyone, they finally gave Jerry enough information to be satisfied.


    Jerry finished writing down some of the information she¡¯d given him.  ¡°Okay,¡± he sighed.  ¡°That¡¯ll have to do.  There¡¯s a lot ¡­ you girls really dealt with a ton.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell us,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°Did you figure out what¡¯s happening with my brother?¡±


    Rachel sat back, crossing her legs as she expanded her hearing, trying to get any more information she could from their surroundings.  So, those guys Scarlet scared the piss out of ran off?  That doesn¡¯t make a lot of sense; they were babbling eggheads.  Relica¡¯s still in the wind, and she probably has multiple false IDs.  A few of Terrell¡¯s gang members that ran are being rounded up ¡­ what?  Scarlet¡¯s mom escaped custody ¡­ how?


    She glanced over at Scarlet¡¯s bored expression as she played with her blood, creating different shapes.  Noticing her staring, she straightened.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Nothing; it can wait.¡±  Of course, Maria¡¯s looking at me ¡­ her lie detection sucks; she¡¯ll stay quiet, though, she¡¯s not stupid.  It feels like we¡¯ve taken a big step by obliterating Terrell¡¯s gang, but ¡­ there¡¯s this ominous feeling with how this all played out.


    She scratched the base of her ear as new information fed back to her; she groaned, sliding to the tabletop.  ¡°A mental hospital was just overrun ¡­ some patients with a new ability.  There¡¯s so much chaos.¡±  What¡¯s going to happen in the future?  What plans can I make?  Nothing¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s not surprising,¡± Hopper muttered, eating a hamburger that he¡¯d made in the back.  ¡°We¡¯ve had events like that happening everywhere.  Things are a lot better now that we¡¯ve got a network set up, though.  I don¡¯t expect that to get too out of hand.  Once the dangerous people are taken care of, then things will start quieting down, and we¡¯ll have to deal with the investigations of the not so loud lawbreakers.¡±


    Jerry nodded, sitting back.  ¡°It¡¯s a mess, but you¡¯re right.  Order should be returning soon, and then we¡¯ll see how the politics shake out ¡­ which reminds me.  You four need to get on the helicopter at Fifth and Alton, to your left when you exit the building.  They¡¯ll take you to your next destination.¡±


    Rachel hummed.  ¡°It¡¯s taking us to the local Overwatch, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Jerry said without explanation.


    ¡°That¡¯s different from the Forward Base, right?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    Maria finished the piece of lettuce she was chewing on.  ¡°Spit it out; where are we going?  If my brother¡¯s at the Forward Base, then that¡¯s where I want to go.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Jerry stated calmly, ¡°but there are orders to take you to Overwatch.  Do I need to remind you that we¡¯re still in Martial Law.¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath at his response.  It¡¯ll be best to not get on the bad side of the military.  From everything I¡¯ve been hearing, we¡¯re actually getting a lot of good praise from saving all those people.  There are some reporters already scrounging around for a story.  Things are looking bright in that regard, but who knows with how the news functions.  There are even youtube reporters running around.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± she said, standing.  ¡°This was inevitable, anyway.  Let¡¯s go; the sooner we get there, the sooner we can figure out what we need to do next to leave.¡±


    Fiona hummed, snacking on a small bit of sugar like popcorn as she sat on the table in front of Rachel.  ¡°I¡¯m just happy Erica¡¯s safe.  Wait!¡±  Wings appearing, she hovered over to Jerry.  ¡°Erica¡¯s my lawyer!  Can she join us?¡±


    Jerry groaned, hand pressing against his face.  ¡°Well, it¡¯s Martial Law, but I don¡¯t see why you can¡¯t have legal counsel once it¡¯s lifted ¡­ I¡¯ll put in a request with my supervisors.  If it¡¯s approved, she¡¯ll be escorted down there, but I wouldn¡¯t hold my breath.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Fiona said brightly.  ¡°I¡¯d shake your hand, but you could crush me,¡± she laughed.


    ¡°Right,¡± he smiled.  ¡°Well, any other requests?¡±  When no one responded, he nodded.  ¡°Okay, head over to the helicopter, and I hope everything works out for you lot.¡±  Standing, he saluted them, the other men following his action.  ¡°Thank you for your brave service in protecting those in need, even if it was not your duty, you made it your mission to help all those in front of you.  Your courage and quick actions saved the lives of hundreds if not thousands and the lives of my own men; I won¡¯t forget what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Scarlet whispered, blushing a little.


    Fiona cheerily saluted them back, ¡°No, thank you for your service!¡±


    Maria huffed, but smiled, hiding it with her hair as she looked down, stretching.


    Moving over to shake Jerry¡¯s hand, Rachel nodded.  ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough for dedicating your life to serving others, even at your own expense, that of you and your men.  I hope I can reflect half the honor and dedication in my life as you¡¯ve shown in your service.¡±


    Saying their goodbyes, they made their way to the helicopter; Maria seemed to lose her breath quickly but was managing.  The real battle starts now.


    AuthorSME


    News:


    Well, folks, that''s the end of Volume One (that I termed Chaos); Chapter One of Volume Two will begin next week (that I''m terming Stabilizing).  I hope you enjoyed Volume One!


    Normal Plugs


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


    Vote on Top Web Fictions


    Support me on Ko-fi, Subscribe Star, or Patreon


    View and help contribute to the Wiki


    Sneak Peek:  I have two other series that I''ve thought about within The Oscillation universe.  Here''s a small hint into them.


    Series 1:  Character''s name:  Elinor


    I floated in darkness, I''m not alone


    Now here I come, will be received


    Born into a force beyond salvation


    Brace yourself, for all will pay


    I am the keeper


    Carried with the madness and scars


    Puppets learn to pull strings


    And cut down the user''s lead


    On your knees, pray for the hollow


    Don''t stop, don''t think


    I''ve pulled you in, nowhere to hide


    With my cold and weary hands


    You''ll arise, reborn of ashes


    Before the fire fades


    Bring me your soul, bring me your hate


    In my name, you will create


    Bring me your fear, bring me your pain


    You will destroy for my reign


    Into the wastes, our lanterns burn


    My cold heart''s wrath is growing near


    When every blade falls down defeated, I will carry on


    A reckoning will, the strive for power


    To keep me still, through the darkest hours


    In desperation, your kindled hopes flicker low


    The sound of death, rising at your door


    Your champions slain, in their ashes born again


    For a cold crown, the darkness rises


    The light is gone and death is all we know


    Series 2:  Character''s Name:  Rose


    On the other side of the world, in the heart of London, a Nymph is still in slumber, awaiting her tragic rise.

 B2 — 1. Overwatch

    AuthorSME


    Rachel looked to their right at the large shopping district as Fiona, Maria, and Scarlet walked beside her; Hopper and Rowdy escorted them as they made their way toward the helicopter to their next destination, Overwatch.  She led the group, keeping them to the far left of the road; the pain she hid faded as she entered moonlight again, suppressing a sigh of relief.


    She noticed that the crowd had thinned dramatically and booted soldiers were now on every corner as they searched for anyone in need.  How will everything turn out?  If it¡¯s really true that one out of every one-hundred and fifty people are changed, then that¡¯s a massive shift in demographics.  Everyone likely has one person they know that changed.


    Maria was breathing heavily next to her, which drew her attention.  Frowning, she glanced left at her; sweat beat down her brow as her chest rose and fell with sharp gasps.  ¡°Maria, how are you doing?¡±


    Out of breath, Maria huffed with a smirk, trying to mask her struggles.  ¡°No es bueno, liebre blanca.¡±


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Maria, even I know that means not great.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we should stop,¡± Fiona said, hovering in front of her with concern.  ¡°I mean, you¡¯re literally on death¡¯s door.¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Maria scoffed.  ¡°Not death¡¯s door ¡­ just kind of close.  Maldita sea¡ªI¡¯m just low on energy.¡±


    Scarlet slowed with the rest of the group, folding her arms.  ¡°Just low on energy? Don¡¯t play it off; your energy is your life.  Did the food help any?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a little, but¡ªI just ¡­ it¡¯s not a lot.  It takes time to digest and¡ªgive me energy or some shit.  I just can¡¯t do anything really physical,¡± she mumbled, moving her hair out of her face before scratching her hairline.


    Rachel smirked as she remembered Maria¡¯s sarcastic words; moving to her side, she quickly scooped her up into a princess carry.


    ¡°Wha¡ªhey, que mierda,¡± Maria protested, but Rachel was already on the move.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a baby about it,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Don¡¯t you remember offering to carry me?¡±


    ¡°I was joking...¡±


    Her face reddened as they continued, Fiona and Scarlet snickering behind them.


    ¡°She¡¯s not heavy, right?¡±  Scarlet said, smiling as she glanced at them.


    Fiona hummed mischievously.  ¡°Well, she is a horse, but Rachel¡¯s super strong.  I¡¯m sure she can handle the weight.¡±


    Rowdy was trying to conceal his laughter, but Hopper was laughing openly.  ¡°I was wondering about that. A Unicorn is a horse, so does that mean she weighs a ton because she isn¡¯t exactly skinny.¡±


    Maria¡¯s face turned the color of wine as she turned her head; her long white hair was dull and without its previous luster, but hid her face well as it bounced two feet off the ground.  ¡°Vete a la mierda! Nunca me hab¨ªa sentido tan jodidamente avergonzada¡­¡±


    Rachel giggled at her tone, speaking Korean.  ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had this cute side; it must be because you have to be honest.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±  Maria growled with embarrassment, fingers gripping her arms.


    Fiona mirrored Rachel¡¯s laugh, swooping in closer.  ¡°Ar mhe¨¢ t¨² t¨² f¨¦in fi¨² ¨® athraigh t¨²? B''fh¨¦idir go mbeadh ort dul ar aiste bia!¡±


    ¡°Are you just speaking gibberish now?¡±  Maria parted her hair, showing burning cheeks to look at Fiona¡¯s beaming face.


    ¡°Hehe, not fun when someone speaks in another language?  I speak Gaeilge; the Irish tongue.¡±


    Scarlet hummed as the helicopter came into view.  ¡°It sounds magical...¡± It had two blades and looked like one of the transport types.


    The sound of cutting wind escalating, and their hair shot back from the force of the spinning blades; Maria¡¯s hair whipped Rachel in the face, causing her to smirk, but she retained her burning cheeks.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Fiona floated above them; her green aura made it clear she had Wind Shield up; the wind didn¡¯t phase her in the least.


    Making it to the vehicle, Maria mumbled, ¡°You want English, then am I done being a fucking princess?¡±


    ¡°The beauty of a queen and the mouth of a sailor,¡± Rachel chuckled, setting her down.


    ¡°Queen my ass,¡± Maria muttered, staring at the man that exited the helicopter.


    Rachel looked to her right at Fiona; she didn¡¯t seem bothered by the increase wind currents beating down on them as her hair stayed perfectly still, safe in her Wind Shield.


    Her focus returned to the man walking toward them; the loud sounds would have muffled his voice, but she was able to filter out most of the sound with some active thought.  ¡°Lieutenant Hopper, Rowdy.¡±


    Hopper yelled back, ¡°Let¡¯s get these girls strapped in and move out.¡±  He nodded to them.


    They followed the three men into the helicopter, entering from the open back; Rachel¡¯s teeth locked as her pain returned and the sound increased.  This is going to be annoying.  Do I need to increase my hearing level or proficiency to filter sound easier?  No answer ¡­ what¡¯s my hearing skills, abilities, and proficiencies?


    The knowledge opened to her mind as she looked left at Scarlet, Maria sitting to her right as the men helped strap them in.  Not really looking at Scarlet, Rachel¡¯s mind accelerated, ears twitching for a moment.


    My base hearing is level eight; I¡¯ve put so many points into it.  I don¡¯t remember Relica or Scarlet having anything near that level.  Not only that, but my proficiency ¡­ grade, Rookie, rank three. That¡¯s extremely high compared to Relica, but I guess I have been using it this entire time.


    It¡¯s a part of a cluster set too ¡­ what is a cluster set?  An ability has multiple branch skills that can each chain into linked skills.  So, it¡¯s like a mini-tree? Filter that lets me shift between sounds. Volume, so I can alter the levels of a conversation and my immediate surroundings.  Range that increases the distance I can monitor. They each have their own levels and proficiencies too ¡­ it¡¯s so complicated.


    Filter level is three, Novice, rank five; Range is level five, Novice, rank nine; Volume is level four, Novice, rank max ¡­ then I need to level Volume to five to start increasing my grade and rank.  It also has a passive proficiency skill attached to it since I reached Novice max rank ¡­ Ear To The Ground. I can distinguish minute sounds in my environment, like muscle movement; it only works within three hundred feet and fades the further it gets.


    That¡¯s right, I wasn¡¯t able to recognize those sounds until recently.  I want to level Volume to five, do I¡­


    She winced as the sound of the blades increased, jaw locking.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±  Scarlet asked.


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°No, perfectly fine.¡±


    ¡°Mentiroso,¡± Maria whispered, lifting her arms for Hopper to help her strap in.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about it,¡± Rachel shrugged, smiling reassuringly at Scarlet.


    Great, my Volume has increased, but obviously Filter isn¡¯t keeping up with the increase in Volume ¡­ shit.  It doesn¡¯t tell me how many points I have to use either. Can I even level a skill past the level eight base of the cluster set?  No answer; I only get information about specific skills and types, but not a lot about the specifics of types. I want to level Filter to five ¡­ four.  Dammit ¡­ I¡¯m out.


    She sighed a little as the volume decreased a bit; it was louder than it was previously, but manageable now.  She scratched her left eyebrow as she felt an itch coming on. It¡¯s not max rank yet; it¡¯s not urgent to upgrade it to five.  Do I need to increase my base level to get to the next skill in the chain?  Possibly; I probably needed level five in Hearing before I could get these three skills, and I¡¯ll probably need ten to get the next skills.


    Proficiency seems to relate to skills and how well you can utilize an ability at its current level.  I¡¯ll need to explore this with the others when I get a chance.


    Her attention returned to the scene; mind winding down to normal speed.  Fiona hovered in front of them, causing Hopper to hum as he finished with Rachel¡¯s harness.  ¡°What are we going to do with you?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s hands were held behind her back as she winked at him.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll just sit with Scarlet, and if we do get hit or go down, then I¡¯ll just float us to the ground.  No problem,¡± she said with a grin.


    ¡°Our own guardian Fairy, eh?¡±  He chuckled. ¡°Alright, that works.¡±  Moving to the front, he said, ¡°Chief, we¡¯re taking off.  Let Forward Base know we¡¯re on route.¡±


    ¡°Copy.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s features turned passive as she looked out of the window; Rowdy shut the door before getting into a seat across from them.


    Hopper sat beside Rowdy, grinning at them as he took off his helmet to put on large headphones.  ¡°It¡¯s been a crazy night, ey, boys?¡±


    She heard the Chief in the front as the other guy took the opposite seat and they lifted into the sky; Fiona sat on Scarlet¡¯s shoulder, green glow fading, but her wings remained, pressing against Scarlet¡¯s stomach.  ¡°Man ¡­ my whole body feels like it''s vibrating.¡± Fiona giggled.


    ¡°Can they hear us?¡±  Maria muttered; she studied the two men, but it seemed like they were busy communicating with other teams, headsets on.


    ¡°No,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°They¡¯re listening to the current situation of the city and making sure there aren¡¯t any complications in our path.  They can¡¯t hear us past the noise of the helicopter or the headphones.¡±


    ¡°Great, so will you tell us what¡¯s going on?  Your ears have been twitching for a while now; I know you¡¯ve been listening in on everything.¡±


    Rachel frowned as she rubbed her left ear.  ¡°I don¡¯t even realize they twitch sometimes.  That could be a possible tell; I¡¯ll need to work on controlling that.¡±


    Maria rolled her eyes.  ¡°Don¡¯t bother; you¡¯re a natural liar.  If I didn¡¯t have my lie detection, then I¡¯d think you were unreadable.¡±


    ¡°You were lying; what about?¡±  Scarlet asked, brow furrowing as she glanced at her.


    Stretching out her arms to try easing her tense muscles, Rachel groaned a bit at the stinging pain.  ¡°So, I heard about what happened with your family, Scarlet.¡±


    Scarlet tensed.  ¡°What¡ªdo you mean?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona¡¯s brow creased as her lips pursed.  ¡°What about her family¡­¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°What about Nora and mom, and dad?  Didn¡¯t you say this happened everywhere?¡±


    Rachel nodded, lips creasing a bit.  ¡°Yeah, it happened everywhere, and Scarlet¡ªyour mother, she escaped custody.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes seemed to defocus as her muscles flexed, going rigid; she stared down at the floor before taking a deep breath.  ¡°She¡ªescaped?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±  Maria shifted in her seat to get a better look at Scarlet, and Fiona floated in front of her.  ¡°Your mom was locked up?¡±


    Rachel caught Scarlet¡¯s fingers twitch at their words.  Of course she wouldn¡¯t want to talk about it.  ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it; it¡¯s a personal matter for Scarlet.  I just thought you should know.¡±


    Swallowing, Scarlet glanced at her, expression concerned.  Her voice was almost a squeak, ¡°How?¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°They don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t know what she sounds like, so I can¡¯t find her.  I¡¯ve been scanning for your name, but all I hear is the Military and normal citizens talking about you.  She was in a sealed-off room and at some point vanished. They noticed she was gone about ten minutes after your fight with Relica.¡±


    Silence stretched between them as Scarlet played with her lower lip, pressing her fangs against the skin.  ¡°I guess ¡­ there¡¯s nothing we can do about it then.¡± She forced a smile. ¡°What about Nora, Fiona? Is that your sister?¡±


    Starting, Fiona nodded.  ¡°Yeah, my little sister, she lives in Ireland with my parents.  If this happened worldwide¡ªI¡¯m a little scared for her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m jealous; I always wanted a sibling, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯s okay.¡±


    Rachel hummed, following Scarlet¡¯s move to change the subject.  ¡°I was told that every one out of one-hundred and fifty people were changed during The Oscillation, and I haven¡¯t heard of anyone changing since, other than children born from those already changed.  That was from what analytical information the government was able to compile. So, I mean, a one in one-hundred and fifty chance that she¡¯s fine is pretty good.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Maria muttered.  ¡°I mean, factor in her parents and that¡¯s a one in fifty chance, then add cousins or friends ¡­ everyone probably knows someone that¡¯s changed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not terrible though,¡± Scarlet added with a hopeful tone.  ¡°Well¡ªexcept for maybe me ¡­ but that¡¯s a super rare case. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s fine!¡±  She smiled encouragingly, but Fiona still seemed concerned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ I mean, you¡¯d think it would be uncommon, but I mean, even Erika was changed.  What about you, Rachel?¡±


    Frowning, Rachel shifted in the chair to release a little tension against her tail as it twitched.  ¡°Eh, my brother changed, and my cousin, from what I was told.¡±


    ¡°What did they change into?¡±  Fiona pressed, moving a little closer, hands pressed against her chest.


    ¡°Well¡ªmy brother just gained some kind of energy construct ability; my dad didn¡¯t go into detail.  My cousin turned into a Beastkin Bear.¡±


    Fiona bit down on her thumb, a soft growl escaping her throat that sounded oddly musical.  ¡°I just¡ªmy sister¡¯s pretty self-conscious about her looks. If she turned into like ¡­ a duck ¡­ she hates ducks.  She¡¯d be oily and ¡­ yeah, she¡¯d hate that.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re overthinking it,¡± Scarlet chuckled.  ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s just as worried about you. What would she think about her big sister turning into a tiny Fairy?¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Fiona¡¯s eyes widened as she rose a little higher.  ¡°I think¡ªit¡¯s freaking hard to keep myself level with this thing.¡±  She muttered.


    Scarlet¡¯s blood left her body, eyes turning red; it floated up from her sleeves and shirt front, causing Hopper and Rowdy to stiffen.  It hovered in the air before crystalizing. ¡°Here, you can sit on that, and I¡¯ll make a makeshift harness for you.¡±


    Fiona nodded, sitting without a second thought; her wings vanished as the blood moved to lock her in place.  ¡°Thanks ¡­ I just care about Nora. She wasn¡¯t just my sister; she was my closest friend back home. We grew up really close, and then I moved to the States ¡­ I was supposed to be back home when all of this happened.  Freaking YouTube policies screwing up everything.¡±


    Hopper and Rowdy shifted uncomfortably as they watched the blood for a moment before they listened to reports again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can ask whoever¡¯s in charge to get some information about your sister,¡± Rachel said, shifting her shoulders; she froze as she heard a rip.  The three girls glanced down at Rachel¡¯s left bra strap that had torn in half.


    Rachel sighed.  ¡°I should be grateful it lasted this long.¡±  It made her chest a little uncomfortable, but it was manageable and was still reasonably modest.


    ¡°You said you were thrown through three buildings?¡±  Scarlet muttered.


    ¡°Humph,¡± Maria lifted an eyebrow as she examined her appearance.  ¡°No joke, you look a lot better than you should.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s my hair, I think.  It¡¯s actually pretty strong and protected my back as I was smashing through the buildings.¡±


    Maria glared down at her hair, pulled over her shoulder.  ¡°Why can¡¯t Unicorn hair be like that? Mine easily cuts, but just grows back ¡­ using my energy while at it.  Everything about a Unicorn sucks¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not true,¡± Scarlet cut in.  ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, then I¡¯d still be corrupted, and a lot of people would still be hurt.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona chimed in.  ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short!¡±


    Maria looked away, cheeks turning pink.  ¡°I¡¯d just like to hit things.¡±


    Rachel shifted to look out the window again as they began to descend.  They¡¯d been flying Northeast for a bit, but not that long; they were still in Miami.  ¡°I think we¡¯re just about there.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Maria huffed, glaring at the window.  ¡°What do you hear?¡±


    Listening, Rachel scanned the facilities around them.  ¡°There¡¯s one facility that¡¯s talking about us a lot more than anywhere else.  It sounds like a law enforcement facility¡­¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s red eyes turned hollow with red halos as she looked through the helicopter.  ¡°No way¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Fiona asked, folding her arms against Scarlet¡¯s blood harness.


    ¡°We¡¯re heading toward an FBI building; it looks super new, wait ¡­ isn¡¯t this that building that was dedicated to that agent that was shot?  I think I saw something about that on YouTube.¡±


    Rachel, Maria, and Fiona shook their heads.  ¡°I don¡¯t keep up on that stuff,¡± Maria dismissed.


    It makes sense, Overwatch being an FBI headquarters; I didn¡¯t even know they had a facility here, but I guess it¡¯s logical.  There were orders to take us here, but I¡¯d expect the Military to be running the show; then why are the only military sounding commands being given through radios ¡­ oh.


    She took a deep breath.  ¡°The President authorized a split in departments; the FBI will be granted funding into a new task force that will handle much of the Mythickin and Legendkin issues.  We¡¯re going to go through some psyche evaluations to determine our mental state and if we¡¯re suitable for civilian life.¡±


    ¡°What, taking out Terrell¡¯s gang wasn¡¯t enough?¡±  Maria sniffed. ¡°By the way, your body keeps bugging me, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªhuh?¡±  Fiona¡¯s eyebrows lifted.


    Rachel sighed as she rubbed her thighs.  ¡°My body is in pain; I¡¯ve stressed it out, and she can sense that.¡±


    ¡°Not just pain,¡± Maria¡¯s nose twisted.  ¡°You¡¯re muscles are screaming, como un mono en llamas.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s bothering you,¡± Rachel scratched her temple.  ¡°However, we need to talk about The System; Relica told Scarlet a lot of valuable information that we should sit down and talk about ¡­ more than that, we need to discuss our own changed mental state since we¡¯ll be talking about it very soon.¡±


    Scarlet shifted nervously.  ¡°Is there something that¡¯s bothering you about the interview; did you hear something?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Rachel said, frowning at her chest¡¯s discomfort.  ¡°Scarlet, can you tie the two cut parts of my bra into a knot?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± she shifted to fiddle with the straps as Rachel continued.


    ¡°We still don¡¯t have the best image, and I can see there being some bias; we at least have to prepare for it, especially with Scarlet.  From what I¡¯ve gathered, they¡¯ve been following all of our actions and mapping everything we¡¯ve done since The Oscillation. Be careful with what you tell them, but act as natural as possible.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± Maria muttered.


    Rachel smirked.  ¡°Honestly, Maria, I think you have the least to worry about, but I want to be prepared.¡±


    Fiona giggled.  ¡°She¡¯s right; the worst thing about you is your foul mouth and speaking in Spanish.¡±


    ¡°Your new nature is actually a massive problem,¡± Rachel frowned.


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Maria¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m a massive problem?¡±


    Scarlet hummed, finishing the knot.  ¡°How does that feel?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she turned to Maria.  ¡°I don¡¯t think Rachel¡¯s calling you a problem, but that you can¡¯t lie, and that could get all of us in trouble, depending on the circumstances.¡±


    Rachel tested the knot with her index finger, finding it satisfactory.  ¡°Right, Maria, if you can¡¯t lie, then don¡¯t respond, and if things go too far, then tell them that you would like a different psychologist.  Preferably, name Richard, and throw Julia in too. Maybe Scarlet could get a hit of her blood.¡± She winked in Scarlet¡¯s direction, causing a broad smile to break across her face.


    ¡°Yes, please!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s Mythickin and Legendkin in the building, as well.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s cheer diminished as she looked through the chopper.


    ¡°From what I can tell,¡± Rachel rubbed her left shoulder.  ¡°They aren¡¯t dangerous like Conner, Relica, and the Seattle Vampire.¡±


    ¡°I see them,¡± Scarlet¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Two men and a woman; they have the two men in the same room, but the woman is by herself.  They look odd ¡­ we¡¯re about to land, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Got ya,¡± Maria went silent as Hopper motioned to them.


    Fiona pursed her lips, wings appearing as her aura turning green; Scarlet¡¯s blood liquified, sliding back into her body.  ¡°I guess we should be on our guard.¡±


    Hopper yelled, ¡°We¡¯re touching down.¡±


    All of them nodded, and Maria continued, ¡°So, if things get bad, say we want Richard; the devil we know rather than the devil we don¡¯t.¡±


    They all got out; her pain vanishing as moonlight touched her skin.  Several armed men and women with standard black suits greeted them. A black-haired man with glasses separated from the group; he walked straight to Hopper.  ¡°Lieutenant Hopper!¡± He yelled past the beating blades. ¡°Thank you for escorting them to the facility. We¡¯ll take it from here.¡±


    Shaking hands, Hopper nodded at them.  ¡°Hope everything turns out well, ladies!¡±  He slammed the door shut as they waved, and the chopper returned to the air.


    Rachel shifted her head, cracking her neck as she appraised all the agents at once.  Three men and four women; they all seem capable, but nowhere near the SEALs, Green Berets, or Task Force Green.  Hopper was cheery but sharp; the moment Scarlet¡¯s blood came out, he instantly assessed the situation and stood down, but was ready for action.  These agents are more wary than Hopper, but their muscle movement isn¡¯t nearly as trained.


    ¡°Hello,¡± he greeted, moving to shake her hand.  ¡°My name is Special Agent David Ross. If you could follow us into the building, please.¡±  He glanced between them before stepping to the side.


    They walked across the roof toward a door with a card pad.  One of the agents swiped her card and opened the door for them to enter.  They walked down concrete stairs until they were forced to stop at another door.  Another agent used his card, and they continued.


    They stepped onto the waxed white tile floor of a two leveled area; glass sheets with railing surrounded the edges, and the one-way glass showed the outside.  The space was reasonably bare with a few couches and armchairs atop a gray blend wool rug.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering why you¡¯re here; we simply wish to make sure every citizen is safe.¡±


    Rachel heard the names of the Legendkin and Mythickin below, piquing her interest.  ¡°Will we be meeting Ma?lle the Succubus, Kyle the Incubus, and Anthony the Legend of Diarmuid at some point?¡±


    David frowned as she repeated the names she¡¯d heard; Fiona, Maria, and Scarlet glancing at her before David.


    ¡°Seriously, a Succubus and Incubus; so that¡¯s why they have horns and tails?¡±  Scarlet looked down at the ground, swallowing as her pale cheeks turned rosy. ¡°He certainly looks the part...¡±  She whispered.


    Oh?  Is he a looker?  You know ¡­ I wonder how her eyes work with clothes?  She can see people¡¯s inner body structure, so...


    Maria pushed her cheek to the side with a low hum.  ¡°They¡¯re Mythickin too? I thought Succubus would be more like those demon types I saw.¡±


    ¡°Cool!  Are we going to meet them?¡±  Fiona pulled her hair back behind her ears as a lock fell out of place with her sharp stop.  ¡°Although, before we meet anyone, shouldn¡¯t we take showers and get new clothes ¡­ because I feel super dirty after diving all over the ocean.  Not that there¡¯s anything in my size...¡± She murmured.


    Puffing out a breath, David glanced between them before settling on Rachel.  ¡°Well ¡­ aren¡¯t you informed. I heard your hearing was really good. Yes, a shower and clothes can be provided.¡±  He examined Fiona for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can find some kind of Barbie clothes from lock-up or storage. You¡¯d be shocked how many drug dealers use Barbies to move merchandise.¡±


    Maria put her hands behind the back of her head.  ¡°I¡¯ve seen it.¡±


    He turned to one of the women.  ¡°Agents Hughes and Bailey, could you escort them to the showers, and afterward find them some clothes.¡±


    Two female agents nodded; Hughes had brown hair and was as tall as Scarlet, while Bailey had blonde and a little shorter than Maria.


    ¡°If you could follow us,¡± Hughes asked, motioning toward the elevators.


    AuthorSME


    Updated How Royal Road''s Trending Works


    I''ve thought of several methods to increase readership in my novels, but nothing beats the visibility of trending.  So, let me explain how it works ... ratings, pure ratings.  When a novel has received five 5-star ratings (or 25 total stars; such as twenty-five 1-star ratings) and been released for 30.41 days after that last 25th star, then it will be automatically dumped into the trending serial pool.  At this point, the algorithm will combine the "old ratings" to the "new ratings" and will then compare them to the already pooled serials.


    After a month''s time, they will begin to drop and fall off the list, but where you stay on that list will be determined by the ratings and ratings alone.  Reviews count with ratings since the review is a rating in itself, but the ratings are what is counted, and the reviews don''t affect the weight of the rating.


    Ratings can be negative or positive, but as long as there are ratings, it will rise.  This is why you see terribly rated serials in trending; the number of ratings increases the popularity, not the stars of the rating given.  A fifty 1-star rated serial will outweigh a fifteen 5-star serial, even though the fifteen serial has more stars, it has fewer ratings.


    It takes about 75 to 120 ratings to reach the front trending page (in general; depending on the current pool).  Now that I have explained it, the only serial that is eligible will be The Oscillation (Clean) Version this next week.  It will reach trending sometime soon and will pull in more readers for A Tail''s Misfortune as well; so if you could rate it, then that would be appreciated.  You don''t have to follow or favorite, but any rating alone will help it rise.  It may be interesting seeing a low Following novel pop up on the trending as most people will filter over to the main serial in any case.


    Bows Thank you for reading my plea!


    Normal Plugs


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


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    View and help contribute to the Wiki

 B2 — 2. The Rabbit Hole

    Rachel, Fiona, Maria, and Scarlet followed Hughes and Bailey to the elevator; getting in, she watched Bailey swipe her card and press the basement first level.  Listening to the conversations happening around the base, Rachel began to understand a trend in the topics which twisted her stomach.


    ¡°Hughes,¡± everyone¡¯s eyes locked on Rachel before sliding to the woman; Hughes took the attention well, but she heard the slight pops in her muscles and bones that told a story about how nervous she was.


    ¡°Yes?¡±  She turned, brown eyes shifting from Rachel¡¯s eyes to her ears.


    ¡°What do you know about us?¡±


    Hughes brow furrowed as she shifted her weight, weapons vest showing with the movement.  She cleared her throat, voice a little hoarse. ¡°We¡¯ve been told that you four are Mythickin and that you were involved with the South Beach Crisis.¡±


    Rachel kept a neutral composure.  ¡°Involved with the South Beach Crisis?  Do you know how we were involved, and what is your opinion of us?¡±


    She tried to keep her tone stable, but Rachel detected an edge hidden within.  ¡°That¡¯s irrelevant.¡±


    ¡°Huh; what kind of lie is that?¡±  Maria¡¯s nose twisted, but her chest was puffing harder than normal.  ¡°What¡¯s that even supposed to mean? Irrelevant ¡­ what are you a computer?¡±


    Fiona seemed a little confused as well, but Scarlet¡¯s fingers gripped her stomach as she avoided eye contact.  She can sense negative emotions; so she knows the atmosphere around my question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it is,¡± Rachel stated, her stare making Hughes swallowed and divert eye contact.  ¡°I assume we¡¯re going to the item lock-up to find clothing before going to the showers, but before that, I¡¯d like to talk with you.  That isn¡¯t a problem, right?¡±


    Bailey quickly moved beside Hughes, fake smile in place.  ¡°We¡¯d enjoy that, but we really¡­¡±


    ¡°Lie,¡± Maria stated dryly.


    ¡°... What?¡±  Bailey frowned, features hardening as she turned to Maria.  ¡°Why would you accuse me of lying?¡±


    Maria met her glare.  ¡°Mas vale una verdad que duela, que una mentira que ilusione.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Fiona¡¯s cheer had dampened.  ¡°They wouldn¡¯t like to talk to us?  That¡¯s rude.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say¡­¡±


    Rachel cut in as the doors opened, ¡°Bailey, Maria can detect lies.  I suppose they wouldn¡¯t tell you sensitive information about our abilities since you¡¯re not officially a part of the Special Task Force assigned to Mythickin yet.¡±


    Both Bailey and Hughes swallowed, muscles tensing; Rachel could smell the tension from the chemicals their body produced.  It looks like my sense of smell proficiency is rising.


    Hughes took a long breath.  ¡°How¡ªdid you know?¡±


    Ears twitching, she continued to connect the dots from conversations around the area.  ¡°There are a lot of candidates being screened; right now, they need agents in the area, but the team is being assembled all across the States.¡±


    They seemed at a loss for words as they glanced at one another, concern evident.


    Scarlet tried to break the tension, whispering,  ¡°Rachel, you don¡¯t need to single them out; the building has a lot of negative emotions in it.¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath as she turned toward Scarlet¡¯s pleading blue eyes.  She really doesn¡¯t like drawing attention to herself, and she can sense my own emotions, but we need to address this quickly before it spins out of control.  Fiona¡¯s already getting a lot of attention.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to single them out, but I think there are some things that need to be discussed.¡±  She turned to Bailey and Hughes, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind, right?¡± Their vision followed her hand as she held it out to keep the elevator doors open.


    ¡°We ¡­ haven¡¯t been told to rush,¡± Hughes muttered.


    Rachel smiled innocently, ears spreading apart.  ¡°Wonderful.¡±


    Her wide field of vision had already identified a small lounging area to the left of the elevator.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit on these couches and chairs. I just have a few things I¡¯d like to address; I don¡¯t know about the two of you, but we¡¯ve had a rather unbelievable night.¡±


    They nodded and took the lead, walking to the two armchairs in front of a table; they tried to move naturally, but she could easily hear the rigid motion of their muscles.


    Maria walked past Rachel, glaring at the women with Scarlet and Fiona following.  Scarlet gave her a concerned glance before sitting beside Maria on the right side of the couch; Fiona floated above them, arms crossed as she watched Rachel with bunched lips.


    Sitting to Maria¡¯s left, she crossed her legs.  ¡°First, I¡¯d like for us to get to know each other; we just met, and right now, all you see us as are monsters.¡±


    Before they could respond, Rachel continued, ¡°Which is natural with the conversations I¡¯ve heard; you¡¯ve only been discussing the adverse effects Mythickin and Legendkin have caused around the country.


    ¡°The Seattle Vampire is a big talking point around the base, but there¡¯s also a lot of talk of the Legend of Theseus and his total disregard for U.S. authority.  If I understand correctly, several other such incidents could be Legendkin or Mythickin related. I don¡¯t blame you for being cautious of us, especially given what information has been spread.¡±


    Maria leaned back with a groan.  ¡°What¡¯s up with all these assholes causing trouble?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona hummed melodically.  ¡°It¡¯s not all bad though. Right, Rachel?  I mean, we didn¡¯t hurt anyone that didn¡¯t have children as hostages.¡±


    Bailey shifted uncomfortably as Rachel responded.  ¡°There are a few conversations about Japan, and even Korea has some positive information about Mythickin and Legendkin.  Smaller communities seem to be taking the change a lot better than the larger ones.


    ¡°There is some positive gossip in the States; the Legend of Beowulf in Texas and a Mythickin Leviathan in Brookings Oregon that stopped a fire in the Redwood Forest.  Most of the conversations start positive before it turns into how long before they turn on people.¡±


    Scarlet sighed as she stared at the two women in front of them.  ¡°I get that, Rachel, but they don¡¯t hate us.¡±


    Maria huffed as she glanced at her.  ¡°Why would you lie? Isn¡¯t it obvious; I mean, these chicas are probably on the fence, but there are people here that hate us.  I know that just from your statement.¡± Bailey and Hughes¡¯ muscles visibly tightened at Maria¡¯s response.


    ¡°Well,¡± Hughes swallowed, rubbing her neck for a moment as sweat appeared at her brow.  ¡°I guess lying doesn¡¯t help when you¡¯re around.¡± Her vision moved to Rachel. ¡°I assume your big ears let you listen in on a lot of conversations around the base ¡­ yes, I¡¯m a little scared of you.  Just this short interaction shows how dangerous you can be, and I¡¯ve heard some things that you did in South Beach that are terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±  Fiona asked, floating down between them to sit cross-legged on the glass table.


    Rachel took in a deep breath.  ¡°Actually, Fiona, a lot about you.¡±


    ¡°What?  No way.¡±  She glanced back at her.  ¡°What scary thing did I do?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a video of you throwing some kind of massive fireball; I didn¡¯t hear that part of your fight since I was focused on Conner, but it sounds like a pretty scary scene.  Although, the normal citizens I¡¯ve heard talking about it down the road say it¡¯s awesome.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªfiddlesticks ¡­ someone was recording that.  From where? I didn¡¯t see anyone.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s this about?¡±  Maria grinned leaning forward.  ¡°I don¡¯t remember you telling us about some crazy fight at the Burger King.  Was it like the fireball you were going to vaporize Harris with?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±  Bailey mumbled, voice cracking.


    ¡°Harris?¡±  Maria glanced at her for a moment dismissively.  ¡°He was just a child-killing bitch that loved to gas people for fun, but ¡­ yeah, so, what¡¯s up with this fireball?¡±


    Scarlet breathed through her teeth, wincing at Maria¡¯s statement.  ¡°He was a nasty guy¡­¡± She directed at Bailey. ¡°The Military thanked us for helping them.¡±


    She¡¯s really concerned about their opinions of us; they would get tense hearing that Fiona was going to vaporize a person they had no clue about.


    ¡°I see,¡± Hughes whispered.  She wiped her brow, looking back at Fiona.


    ¡°Well, I mean, it was a bit ¡­ complicated,¡± Fiona said, playing with her shirt.  ¡°I mean¡ªthere were hostages, they were bragging about killing kids and how they died and stuff ¡­ and other things that made me really angry.  No¡ªit was a lot bigger than the fireball you saw, Maria. I basically melted everything in the area.¡±


    She looked back at Rachel, joints locked.  ¡°Eh¡ªdid they catch what happened ¡­ you know¡­¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°They only saw the fireball and kids floating in the air.  All they caught of you was a glow; people can¡¯t actually see you in the video, but from the comments, people know it¡¯s you.  It was filmed from probably the fifth floor of the hotel; two agents in the building are picking apart the scene.


    ¡°They do see three figures; the cat-girl and a liquid guy are the only one¡¯s recognizable while the third might be a female by the long hair and bathing suit.  Our report is being transcribed right now and given to a few of the agents that are actually on the force.¡±


    Fiona groaned, folding her ears down.  ¡°No ¡­ this sucks. My chat is probably going crazy in the comments¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a new video cycling the web?¡±  Bailey asked, taking out her phone.


    Her lips bunched to the side as she opened an app.  ¡°It¡¯s trending, number three.¡±


    Floating up, Fiona held up her left arm.  ¡°Can I see?¡±


    Bailey glanced at Hughes, and Rachel leaned forward expectantly.


    ¡°Bailey, Hughes, how long have you been in the agency?¡±


    Hughes shifted uncomfortably.  ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°I would guess less than three years as field agents, but you both should have a few good cases under your belts to be considered for a position in the Task Force.¡±


    Bailey nodded slowly as she played the video; Fiona groaning as Maria and her watched it.  Maria grinned with excitement.


    ¡°Damn, chica!  Badass.¡±


    ¡°What if my parents see it?¡±  Fiona mumbled. ¡°I bet my chat¡¯s linking it to everyone¡­¡±


    Rachel smiled at the agents.  ¡°Right, so, if we can come to an understanding, then I believe we can help you become permanent members.  I know I¡¯d feel more comfortable with someone that knows a bit about us personally than someone that just sees us as names and events on paper.¡±


    ¡°How could you make that happen?¡±  Hughes asked, turning away from the video as it ended; Maria sat back and Fiona dropped back down to the table, wings folding.


    Rachel smiled.  ¡°We¡¯ll give you information not found in the report; we can give you some events that will fill in a few blank spaces.  You will tell David that you took the time to sit down and have a conversation with us, that you gained our trust, and you were able to learn some things that might be of interest.¡±


    Hughes sat back, folding her arms suspiciously.  ¡°Why¡ªwould you want to help our careers?  That information might be a trap to ruin our careers too.  I don¡¯t know what goes on inside a Mythickin¡¯s brain.¡±


    Maria¡¯s face darkened, but Rachel turned toward Scarlet as she nudged Maria, forcing a curious smile.  ¡°No, it¡¯s completely reasonable, Maria. This is their livelihood; it¡¯s only right that we be as transparent as possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always transparent,¡± Maria huffed; sitting back, she put her hands behind her head, flipping her hair back behind the couch.


    Rachel hummed as she turned back to Hughes, leaning against the left armrest.  Maria could become the spokesperson; however, she doesn¡¯t know most of the things I kept hidden from the report.  She can be an intermediary, but first, we need to establish rapport.


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± everyone¡¯s gaze shifted to her.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we have Maria act as our intermediary.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Maria¡¯s brow creased.


    ¡°She can detect lies, but she also cannot lie.  Trust can be built through her transparency.¡±


    Bailey pulled a loose strand of hair behind her ear, pocketing her phone.  ¡°I understand ¡­ but how can we trust that she cannot lie?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s smile grew.  ¡°Oh, I know! Ask her any questions you want; see if you can catch her on anything.¡±


    ¡°Hey, now,¡± Maria growled.  ¡°Let¡¯s not get carried away.¡±


    It¡¯s a good suggestion, but how to start it off?  What about leading them to my concerns and goals ¡­ what about this?


    Rachel whispered, ¡°Just go along with it, Maria.  We need to build rapport and gain their trust.¡±


    She frowned, lips bunching to the side as her silver eyes darted to Rachel.  ¡°F¨¢cil para ti decir,¡± she muttered. ¡°You¡¯re not the one being cross-examined like a criminal.¡±


    Hughes folded her fingers together, leaning forward; she licked her lips, eyes questioning as she looked between them.  ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡±


    Maria scratched her forehead with a tired sigh.  ¡°She wants us to build rapport with you ¡­ I get the context, but I don¡¯t know what the word really means.¡±  She paused, ¡°I¡¯m not stupid either! I just don¡¯t know what it means, and I told her it¡¯s easy for her to say since she¡¯s not under a microscope.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Bailey crossed her legs, features turning serious.  ¡°Alright¡ªhave you ever killed anyone?¡±


    Fiona winced, looking back at Maria.  ¡°Oof, the hard question, right off the bat.¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Maria lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°?Qu¨¦ diablos crees que soy, un psic¨®pata? Mierda¡­¡±


    ¡°In English, please,¡± Bailey pressed.  ¡°Speaking in Spanish doesn¡¯t help your image.¡±


    ¡°Shit, fine,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°I asked Fiona what the hell she thinks I am, a psychopath?  No, I¡¯ve never killed anybody ¡­ not that I¡¯m aware of; fuck, I mean, yeah, I¡¯ve broken some jaws and probably some ribs in fights, but I haven¡¯t killed anyone.¡±


    Bailey¡¯s eyes narrowed as she scrutinized Maria.  ¡°Have you ever had sex?¡±


    Maria tensed.  ¡°The fuck kind of question is that?¡±


    ¡°Just answer the question.¡±


    Her face flushed as she looked down at the floor.  ¡°I¡¯m Christian, no, I haven¡¯t, shit¡ªI¡ªmay be gangsters, but we¡¯re not hoes.  Fucking have I had sex before,¡± she grumbled.  Her cheeks darkened as she caught everyone¡¯s expression.  ¡°J¨®danse, hijos de puta¡­¡±


    Scarlet giggled, mood lightening; she pulled her black hair over her shoulder.  ¡°I can¡¯t help but be a little shocked. I can¡¯t believe how red your cheeks look with your white skin too.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Maria sunk further into the couch, nose twisted.  ¡°Have any of you had sex?¡± When Fiona and Scarlet blushed, looking down, she rolled her eyes.  ¡°Huh, didn¡¯t think so.¡±


    Bailey smiled a little; leaning back, her posture loosened.  ¡°You four act pretty close for just meeting each other.¡± Her attention shifted to Rachel.  ¡°Alright, could you four introduce yourselves then?¡±


    After they each took their turn, Hughes stretched her arms out, releasing a slight yawn.  ¡°Okay, Rachel, you seem to lead a lot of these conversations, and it¡¯s clear that the others respect you.  Have you killed anyone?¡±


    Rachel added a slightly troubled mask to her features.  ¡°Yes, but only this last night. I killed many members of that gang that took over South Beach and held people hostage.  These people were about as bad as it could get, and the Navy SEALs that Scarlet rescued made it clear that that was what needed to be done.  We prioritized the hostages, making sure they were safe and dismantled their operation.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Hughes shifted her weight and adjusted her weapon¡¯s vest to a more comfortable position.  ¡°You were all normal citizens before The Oscillation, right?¡±


    They each went through a bit about their backgrounds, making Bailey¡¯s brow crease.  ¡°So, you each were just ¡­ normal girls that just ¡­ changed?¡±


    Maria nodded.  ¡°What, you thought we were monsters that just popped up out of nowhere?  Terrell had his boys kidnap my brother, so I went to get him back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± Hughes muttered, index finger pressed against her temple.  ¡°I can understand why you¡¯d want to go confront the gang and possibly get your brother back, but¡­¡±  Her vision slid between Rachel, Fiona, and Scarlet.


    Fiona held up her hands.  ¡°Oh, no, not me. I was a prisoner; they had me inside of a fish tank before Scarlet saved me.  They ¡­ they were pretty terrible people¡­¡±


    Scarlet nodded.  ¡°Yeah, evil people.  I felt¡ªI don¡¯t expect many people could understand how it feels¡ªturning into a Vampire¡ªall the urges, emotions, and this ¡­ it¡¯s a lot.  I felt really alone, and then I met Rachel.¡±


    She swallowed, smiling at her.  ¡°She was the first person that treated me like¡ªwell, not like a monster.  I heard she was going to help Maria ¡­ she introduced us, and I felt bad and knew I could help, even if just a little.¡±


    They¡¯ll expect me to give a response as well, which won¡¯t look good if I say I mainly wanted to liberate South Beach to have something to hold over my brother¡¯s head.  It would be best to give a name to Maria¡¯s brother, to add value to the rescue.


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°There were many reasons why I decided to help Maria; one of those reasons was to help her get Felix back.  With my ears, I also heard a lot of people crying for help; it was kind of numbing, knowing I couldn¡¯t do much to help everyone.  I won¡¯t deny that we all have changed since becoming Mythickin, but that doesn¡¯t erase our memories as humans either.¡±


    She turned to Scarlet.  ¡°Scarlet, for one, has one of the biggest hearts I¡¯ve seen; she¡¯s always concerned about other people and is really too hard on herself.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s hand lifted to her lips.  ¡°Thanks ¡­ that means a lot.¡± She sniffed, bloody tears leaking from her eyes to be absorbed back into her skin.


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Rachel smiled as she turned to Fiona.  ¡°I haven¡¯t known this little Fairy for long, but Fiona could have chosen to leave, like the others we rescued; however, she chose to stay and help rescue all the people that had been prisoners, like her, forced to witness horrific scenes.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona¡¯s chest convulsed as her eyes lit with tears.  ¡°They were¡ªthey were terrible ¡­ all those kids and the wives, crying for their husbands.¡±


    She could almost smell the tingles that shot down the agents skins at the emotions being displayed, hear the constriction of their muscles at key words.


    Rachel shifted in her chair to smirk at Maria.  ¡°This chica probably does a lot of illegal things, and has a foul mouth that will probably offend at least several people every time she opens it, but she cares about her family and neighbors more than anyone I¡¯ve met.  Every one of her gang members shows her a ton of respect, and she¡¯d go to hell and back to save her family.¡±


    Maria tried to play it off, but her cheeks were turning beet-red again.  ¡°Shit ¡­ that¡¯s what family does. Tienes que defender tu honor y a tu familia.¡±


    Chuckling, Rachel turned to the two agents.  ¡°I hope you can open your hearts and realize that we¡¯re just normal girls that were caught up in an extraordinary situation.  Did we take some drastic actions? Yes, but it was with the hope of everything turning back to normal ¡­ that¡¯s all we want.


    ¡°We want to live our lives, and if possible, we wouldn¡¯t want to hurt anyone, but sometimes, situations call for drastic action that has no right path.  If we ran from that circumstance, then I think we¡¯d all regret it, and a lot more people would be dead now. I can understand why there would be fear, but can we move past that civilly?  Do we seem dangerous or unreasonable to you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Hughes muttered, trying to loosen her arms as she shifted in her chair.  ¡°You don¡¯t seem unreasonable, but honestly, that¡¯s not for us to decide.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I completely understand that on a governmental level; however, personally, it is important what individuals think.  All of the fear circling this building is like a rubber band, and it can only take so much tension before it breaks. We need to de-escalate the tension, not increase it.  Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    They both sighed, rubbing their temples.  ¡°You make it sound very reasonable,¡± Hughes mumbled; the hidden edge in her voice was gone.  ¡°At the same time, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s truly us realizing it¡¯s reasonable or being compelled.  There¡¯s a reason why female agents are not allowed near the Incubus; he naturally releases some form of hormonal type of magic that makes females more susceptible to his charms ¡­ even if he tells us it¡¯s not on purpose.¡±


    At least we¡¯re getting somewhere.  They¡¯re finally starting to see us as rational beings instead of just monsters.  They know we can hold a conversation and that we¡¯re honest.


    ¡°As far as I am aware,¡± Rachel scratched her left ear, making it twitch, ¡°none of us have any manipulative powers that affect your body or mind.  Am I being truthful?¡± She asked, turning toward Maria.


    ¡°You are,¡± Maria nodded before her head tilted toward the agents.


    Scarlet took a deep breath as she smiled at Hughes and Bailey.  ¡°What would it take to convince you that we¡¯re not threats?¡±


    Bailey mirrored her sigh, rubbing her shoulder.  ¡°Honestly ¡­ I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s nice knowing more about you ¡­. I guess only time can fix it.¡±


    Rachel hummed.  ¡°Alright, I think we¡¯ve done all we can do to earn your trust.  Now, let me discuss our current position, fears, and then I will deliver on my promise and tell you something not found in the report that you can bring to David; it will increase your standing, and if Maria finds a lie, then she¡¯ll voice it.¡±


    Maria nodded.


    Shifting her legs, Rachel took on a relaxed posture to lighten the atmosphere, a smile brightening her features.  ¡°First, let David know that you sat down and had an extended conversation with us. The report already mentions that Maria is forced to speak the truth and can detect lies; let him know that you found this out in our conversation.  That is not a lie.


    ¡°You should give him a full report on what we discussed; to be frank, I would rather not work with someone that held some bias that couldn¡¯t even sit down to have a conversation like we are now.¡±


    Fiona, Maria, and Scarlet nodded their agreement.


    ¡°For real,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°If people can¡¯t even talk about something, then how the hell are we supposed to get along?¡±


    ¡°Naturally, the government would be obsessed with Mythickin and Legendkin, but your bosses must be delusional if they think that anyone would accept being treated as a prisoner.¡±


    She glanced down at Fiona as she stiffened.  ¡°Imagine for a second, you were kidnapped and held captive for twenty-four hours, witnessed horrific brutalities, and suddenly someone wants to lock you away again.  This needs to be a two-way street, Scarlet?¡± She asked, shifting to look at her.


    Shifting a bit, Scarlet looked back with a concerned frown.  ¡°I agree. I mean ¡­ this has been a really, really hard day. There¡¯s just ¡­ so much emotion.¡±


    ¡°We need a break, for sure,¡± Fiona moaned, dropping to her back, wings lying flat against the glass.


    ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t know if we can make that happen,¡± Hughes muttered, legs shifting as she scooted into the armrest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to,¡± Rachel shook her head with a sad chuckle.  ¡°No, but you can help in many other ways. Again,¡± she sighed, fueling emotion into her voice, ¡°imagine, for just a moment, yesterday, you were a college student ¡­ a college student that was just kicked out of your house because your pampered sister-in-law hates you.  You worried about how your parents were feeling about this change, and suddenly, you were transformed into ¡­ this ¡­ something completely different.¡±


    Everyone present swallowed at her tone, bones and muscle telling Rachel that she was expressing the right emotion.  ¡°Now the world fears you, you¡¯re labeled a monster, and people hate you for something you can¡¯t¡ªthere¡¯s no way you can change; you¡¯re compared to horrible people that have done awful things.


    ¡°You saved thousands of people¡ªall thankful, but that doesn¡¯t matter¡ªall that¡¯s focused on is a dozen murderers¡ªchild killers that you stopped to set those thousands free; can you imagine how frustrated you¡¯d feel?¡±  Rachel asked, arms trembling and teeth locking; she fought past the screams her body cried to show the emotion.


    ¡°Was saving those kids wrong?  Was saving U.S. soldier¡¯s wrong?  Was Maria being there to heal people that were viciously disfigured and bruised wrong?  Was Scarlet transporting dozens of people away from danger wrong? Was choosing to help people that were suffering wrong¡ªwhen we could do something?  How was it wrong?


    ¡°These are the kinds of questions that can run through people¡¯s minds when they¡¯re attacked for saving people.  Can you at least see how dehumanizing the talk around this facility can make us feel?¡±


    Both agents swallowed, staring down at their laps, legs pressed together, fingers intertwined.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ I can see that.¡± Bailey whispered.


    ¡°Now,¡± Rachel¡¯s frustration slowly melted as she looked up at the two agents.  ¡°Can you imagine how it would feel to have two people sit down¡ªwilling to listen to you, sympathize, and share in those emotions.  Thank you. Our lives have been turned on our heads, our future plans shattered, but at least we can talk with someone. Really¡ªthank you.¡±  A few tears sliding down her cheeks.


    Hughes and Bailey shifted on the couch, glancing at each other.


    Hughes took a deep breath, sitting back and lying her left arm across her stomach.  ¡°You are a lot different than what we imagined. I mean, the only other Mythickin we¡¯ve been able to interact with is Ma?lle and she can be¡­¡±


    ¡°A bit much,¡± Bailey winced, scratching her neck.


    Rachel nodded, wiping away the tears before taking a shuddering breath.  ¡°I¡¯d love to learn more about Ma?lle, Kyle, and Anthony, but I feel like we have more important things to focus on¡ªa lot of things.  I just wanted to solve this problem before it became a mountain; you both understand more about us now, and I¡¯d personally like nothing more than to turn off my brain and relax¡ªthere¡¯s just been so much.¡±


    Maria, Fiona, and Scarlet chuckled tiredly.


    ¡°No joke,¡± Maria groaned, head pressing against the couch to stare at the ceiling.  ¡°I¡¯m exhausted¡­¡±


    Rachel cracked her neck with a soft sigh.  ¡°You can tell David all of this, and for the information I promised; first, I know that General Dallas is posing the idea of adding us to a form of Mythickin and Legendkin Task Force.  I know that I¡¯m not interested in that,¡± she turned toward the other three that shook their heads with deep frowns.


    The two women scratched the back of their heads, Bailey nodding.  ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about that, but alright, I can understand why you don¡¯t want to be a part of that.¡±


    ¡°Right, we aren¡¯t interested in being leashed to the military or government because that is the basis of that format.  Second, I know about David setting up a psychologist to address our mental states, and I hope he knows that we won¡¯t be jerked around.  If we can detect a bias with them, then we will refuse to cooperate with that person because their decision could affect our entire lives.


    ¡°Third, we expect to be treated as U.S. citizens and not as monsters; the President made it clear that we are not monsters and that we will be treated as such.  If we are being charged with any crimes, then we want legal representation as U.S. citizens, and Fiona happens to have a lawyer that you might be hearing from shortly.¡±


    Adding a charming smile, Rachel finished the conversation.  ¡°I hope we can all get along and dispel all the superstition.¡±


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 B2 — 3. Strategic Mind

    Rachel looked between Hughes and Bailey as they stared at the table in front of them.  They¡¯re at least looking at us as people now and not dehumanizing us.  Hopefully, they will talk about this among other agents, but it won¡¯t be easy to shift opinions.


    Opinion is mostly turning in our favor from testimonials, but very little of the information the FBI has is currently public knowledge, it could be easily swayed against us with the improper leaks.  All it takes is one person feeling like the world needs to know something; he releases part of a video that paints us in a bad light, and our lives are over.


    The tone of the agents she heard burned with negative emotion; the fear that Scarlet felt around them.  Scarlet¡¯s image was ghastly, conflated with Jael, the Seattle Vampire. The recording of her mother¡¯s cult had begun to circulate between parties; held aloft as her blood spiked through dozens of people, chanting her name.


    The police raiding a damaged house of a murdered couple with kids, finding a dead Lizard-man inside with the same fatal wounds as the cultists.  It was clear that the Lizard-man had killed the family, but theories about the incident spun wildly. Why did she call the police and then run? The kids¡¯ testimonies only made her look insane, screaming at her reflection and cowering in corners.


    The footage they¡¯d been able to recover of her Reaper form caused ripples of dread to circle smalltalk; her haunting figure wrapped in shadows as she floated between targets, not bound by gravity and utterly immune to dozens of spells Relica desperately cast upon her.  Several agents whispered, trying to convince themselves that this was all a nightmare, and asking themselves if Relica¡¯s desperate attempts to escape and combat the wraith that left lifeless bodies in her wake reflected the streets of Seattle.


    The horrors and devastation Fiona could create shook the analysts as they watched a massive ball of fire descend upon her enemies; clearing up the image to see the bright ball of light, the small outline of a human figure within.


    The onsight videos being sent to the office of the terrifying ruin she left with the tortured bodies in the pool; the cracked, yellowed, and black scene, maimed and pierced bodies of the gang that had crossed her, and the search for the bodies of Terrell¡¯s boys and missing gang members that were left to rot at sea.


    Tensing muscles as agents followed her trail of carnage at the tank; blood, bone, and exploded corpses painted the streets and buildings in a visage of butchery, many chunks found atop the roofs or plastered against the higher floors of condo balconies.  The wreckage that she and Conner had caused, leading to the split body of her foe, painted across the street; repulsed mutters among the editing team as they rewatched the event from CCTV footage and several business security cameras.


    Maria wasn¡¯t even a topic; she was utterly overshadowed by the chilling evidence that kept flooding in that sent shivers down the office worker¡¯s spines.


    This is being spun wildly in the wrong direction.  We¡¯re being treated as the monsters, not the girls that saved thousands.  If this continues and this opinion gets out; my parents will be forced to disown me ¡­ I need to shift this around, but how do I start?  We¡¯re being dehumanized; there¡¯s no debate or winning if you¡¯re not even seen as human ¡­ we¡¯re just the enemy, worthless, rabid, a disease to be eradicated.  I haven''t broken enough walls with Hughes and Bailey; we need agents on our side ¡­ we need them to see us as people, not monsters.


    Hughes took a deep breath before smiling back.  ¡°Rachel, I¡¯m sorry if we¡¯ve been stiff; I have no clue how this must be for you.  I wasn¡¯t the one changed into a Lunar Hare and had her entire life pulled out from under her feet.¡±


    No, it¡¯s not enough, not nearly enough.  I need to keep looking for another angle to approach this negativity, but before that, I need these women on our sides and to have some authority into our lives.  It won¡¯t be that easy though ¡­ I need more information. How do I advance their careers and increase our favorability in their eyes?


    ¡°Really?¡±  Rachel¡¯s bright smile fell.  ¡°Was everyone in your family unaffected by The Oscillation?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s focus centered on Hughes as she bit her lip, hands tightening against her thighs, black dress pants creasing with the pressure.  ¡°I¡ªhaven¡¯t been able to get in touch with all my family, but from what I¡¯ve heard they haven¡¯t gone through any changes.¡±


    Maria huffed.  ¡°Would it be bad if they had?¡±


    The implication left both Hughes and Bailey speechless; they shifted a little, licking their lips.


    ¡°Honestly ¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Hughes muttered.  ¡°It¡¯s not something I can just answer.¡±


    Fiona growled lowly as she glared at the table before looking up at her.  ¡°Why not? I love my family; it doesn¡¯t matter what they look like.¡±


    Bailey crossed her legs, short heels bouncing a little with her foot.  She looked away, swallowing a little before clearing her throat. Her arms were folded tightly, but Rachel could hear the shakes that rippled through her body.


    ¡°I¡ªmy boyfriend told me he could suddenly make all sorts of food ¡­ like, special food that has healing properties.  It was just something he instantly knew; it¡¯s like he knew these things all his life, but he didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Wait.  What?¡± Hughes shifted to face her.  ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me Jonas had changed.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Bailey shifted uncomfortably, using her elbow to pull herself against the left side of the chair to face Hughes.  ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªa lot to take in. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen.¡±


    ¡°Food,¡± Maria muttered.  She sucked on her lower lip for a moment before shaking her head.  ¡°You¡¯re worried about your boyfriend what ... having food magic that helps people.¡±  She rolled her eyes. ¡°Wow ¡­ fucking melodramatic much; estoy aqu¨ª con jodidas orejas de elfo y una boca que no puede mentir.¡±


    ¡°I am worried,¡± Bailey whispered, bending forward to glare at the floor.  ¡°What if it¡¯s something more?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips turned soft and understanding.  Finally, something to connect us; now I need a segue.  ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wrong that she¡¯s concerned, Maria.¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyebrow lifted.  ¡°Huh? Well, not wrong¡ªjust dramatic compared to everything else.¡±


    She hummed, leaning back as Bailey looked up at her, trying to hide the fact she was biting her cheek.  ¡°Perhaps to you or I, but we only have so much concern or attention that we can give to something. Naturally, we¡¯d be more focused on things that directly affect us or what is important to us.  I¡¯d consider Scarlet¡¯s circumstance far more pressing than my own, but I can¡¯t help but worry my parents will disown me.¡±


    Scarlet frowned as she looked at her.  ¡°You have enough to worry about; you don¡¯t have to be worried about me ¡­ and¡ªand you shouldn¡¯t worry about what your parents think.  I mean ¡­ I think you¡¯re amazing.¡± She whispered, looking down at her lap. ¡°You¡¯re the first person that actually saw me as something more than just a monster¡ªa monster to be watched and feared ¡­ you saw me as¡ªas just me.¡±


    ¡°Well, I think you¡¯re freaking awesome!¡±  Fiona piped up. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you ¡­ I don¡¯t even want to think about it.  I¡¯m here ¡­ not¡ªnot back there,¡± her tone fell. ¡°That¡¯s all because of you ¡­ you saved Erica and me.¡±


    Scarlet blushed; holding her left elbow, she looked at the wall before turning to Rachel.  ¡°I guess, but¡ªit¡¯s thanks to Rachel that I¡¯m here. I didn¡¯t know what to think ¡­ I was¡ªso numb.  Emotions were everywhere, but I just couldn¡¯t feel anything; I was a monster¡ªin a nightmare with people trying to hurt me.  Someone came to kill me¡ªcut me up into¡ªinto pieces, but she saved me ¡­ you saved me.¡± Red tears fell down her cheeks to absorb back into her skin.


    Maria scratched her hairline, looking at the elevator with bunched cheeks.  ¡°We doing emotions now? I guess¡ªthanks to Rachel and you, my little brother¡¯s safe now ¡­ so, yeah, thanks.¡±  She whispered.


    I didn¡¯t realize Scarlet felt so strongly about that, but I can understand why.  She¡¯s surprisingly pure; I like her, Maria, and Fiona. I know I¡¯m experiencing the emotions, but why am I so detached from it?  This is good for our image, and I can express the persona needed to reflect on the situation, but I don¡¯t feel it. I¡¯m sure Scarlet can sense them; I know they¡¯re real, but I don¡¯t connect to them.


    Do I have an ability that makes my mind like this?  Ah, so I do ¡­ a chain ability. Risk Assessment is the first of the chain, but I¡¯ve unlocked the second skill, Strategic Mind.  When did I unlock it? No response; the knowledge is so fickle and sparse, but what it does give is so clear and understandable.  Why am I feeling so different about this now?


    The knowledge came as she pondered the question.  Risk Assessment recently reached max rank; it unlocked a ranked skill, Emotional Detachment.  An active ability that I can use to split my conscious thought from my emotional state, giving me the ability to think clearly while also being aware of my emotional side.  It¡¯s good to know I can turn it off when needed.


    What level, grade and rank are they?  Risk Assessment is level four, Novice, and max rank, meaning it¡¯s ten  Strategic Mind is level three, Novice, and rank one. They¡¯re different in how they function; Risk Assessment only handles direct threats during stressful situations, while Strategic Mind is more centered on the goals I wish to achieve and helping me determine the best course of action to get there.


    Both are used differently, but Emotional Detachment can be useful with the Strategic Mind passive, and when combined with Mental Acceleration, gives me a massive advantage; it¡¯s no surprise that I developed this skill set.  I¡¯m sure there¡¯s more that could be examined with this, but I need to save it for when we discuss our abilities as a group. I need more information to map out this system accurately, and there are more pressing issues to address.  The direction of the conversation needs to shift a little.


    It¡¯s good that we¡¯ve been able to show them our emotions; we¡¯re not creatures beyond remorse, fears, and pain.  We also found a link to Bailey that can easily be connected to us.


    Rachel waited a moment, letting Scarlet¡¯s emotional display strike Hughes and Bailey; voice touched with compassion, Rachel scooted forward to smile at the tearful vampire, vision shifting between her three companions.


    ¡°Thank you, and Scarlet, I shouldn¡¯t worry about you?  Were you listening to yourself?¡± Scarlet choked a laugh, wiping at her bloody cheeks with her sleeve as Rachel continued.  ¡°You are just you; a scared girl that should have never had to go through those things, and I¡¯m just a girl trying to work out her family issues, but here we are,¡± she motioned between them.


    ¡°We have the tiny internet-famous Fairy-girl, the artist Vampire-girl, and the foul-mouthed gorgeous Unicorn gangster-girl.¡±


    Fiona and Scarlet giggled at her theatrics; Bailey and Hughes following the conversation silently, guard dropping as they watched their banter.  Good, let them get an idea that we¡¯re just normal girls with problems, fears, hopes, dreams.  Once their guard drops, then I¡¯ll have my opening.


    Maria shifted toward her, nose twisted with irritation.  ¡°Whoa, why am I the only one that sounds bad? What about you, huh?  The clumsy liebre blanca that trips and smashes into walls!¡±


    ¡°That was pretty embarrassing,¡± Rachel sighed, using her pain to elicit a wince.  ¡°Although¡ªwhat do you think your boys would find more funny? A girl falling on her face, or their fearless leader being princess carried to a helicopter, by said clumsy girl, because, wait for it¡ªshe couldn¡¯t even walk?¡±


    Her smirk dropped like a brick.  ¡°Wait¡ªwhat?¡±


    Fiona leaned back to stare up at Maria with a raised eyebrow as Scarlet hid her lips, dark eyebrows rising.


    Rachel clicked her tongue.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d be my reaction too.  By the way, how many buildings were you thrown through again?  Because¡ªI was thrown through three.¡± She paused, watching Maria¡¯s eyes narrow as she glanced up at the ceiling, trying to work through what was happening.  ¡°None? Huh, and I had to carry you?¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyes widened with horror as Fiona and Scarlet giggled.  ¡°Hey, hey, what are you saying, huh? My boys aren¡¯t going to hear shit about that!¡±


    Rachel feigned astonishment.  ¡°What¡ªare you saying you¡¯re going to lie to them?¡±


    ¡°Seriously, que mierda!  That¡¯s blackmail!¡±


    ¡°Blackmail,¡± Rachel hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°Is it really? I thought they¡¯d love hearing about the daring acts of their leader saving a bunch of kids.  I mean, it¡¯s a part of the story; we can¡¯t leave out the minor details, right? Cherry-pick events.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯s different,¡± Maria mumbled.  ¡°You¡¯re painting a picture of me!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Rachel smiled.  ¡°Scarlet¡¯s the artist, I¡¯m just a clumsy hare, right?¡±


    Maria folded her arms before sullenly dropping back into the couch.  ¡°Fine ¡­ threat received; I won¡¯t bring up you tripping ever again.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice.  Thank you,¡± she beamed.


    ¡°What are we watching?¡±  Bailey muttered.


    Hughes nodded, leaning back to cup her chin.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ I thought we were talking about Jonas.¡±


    Rachel lifted her left hand to her brow.  ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, Bailey, I stole the floor from you.  I¡¯m really sorry; we¡¯ve been a little stressed, but so have you.  Tell us, what¡¯s on your mind about Jonas and these abilities he has.  Maybe we can help; we do have first-hand experience with this change. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s pretty worried about things too.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªno, I don¡¯t think it would be appropriate.¡±  Bailey rubbed her mouth, smearing a bit of her light pink lipstick.  ¡°Shit,¡± she muttered, looking down at her fingers.


    A rumble resonated in Hughes¡¯ throat.  ¡°You okay, Bailey?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ªsorry, it just slipped out with the stress ¡­ I don¡¯t think talking about my personal life is appropriate.¡±


    ¡°Slipped?¡±  Fiona rose into the air to level with her brown eyes.  ¡°You shouldn¡¯t bury it; it¡¯ll only hurt you more. I used to think I had to put on a show for everyone on YouTube; I had to be this perfect entertainer, and educational resource or people wouldn¡¯t like me¡ªbut it¡¯s so exhausting!¡±


    Maria arched her back, releasing a short yawn.  ¡°Yeah¡ªif you¡¯re worried about something, then you should say the damn thing.  You don¡¯t have to talk to us or shit, but you should talk to your man.¡±


    Scarlet nodded, shifting her skirt a little; the blood on her sleeves was gone, drawn back into her body.  ¡°I¡¯m with Fiona and Maria, but,¡± she glanced at Maria with a meaningful look, ¡°talk to her man?¡±


    ¡°The hell¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°Is that like¡ªnevermind.¡±  She turned back to Bailey. ¡°If there¡¯s anything I¡¯ve learned from sensing emotions; people are hurting themselves ¡­ a lot.  Holding back the dark feelings in their hearts instead of addressing them. Oh,¡± her eyes popped, ¡°I¡¯m not saying you should say everything on your mind, like Maria.¡±


    ¡°Dammit, why do you all pick on me?¡±  Maria¡¯s head dropped back to the couch as she shook her head, staring up at the ceiling.


    Scarlet chuckled, lifting her hands defensively.  ¡°No, no, Maria, you¡¯re great. It¡¯s just; not everyone has the same emotions as¡ªwell, you do ¡­ like Mr. Kennedy.¡±  She mumbled, rubbing her shoulder nervously.


    ¡°Mr. Kennedy?¡±  Hughes asked, muscles stiffening.  ¡°Who¡¯s Mr. Kennedy?¡±


    This could be good.  We moved from monsters to random strangers, from random strangers to stressed victims, from stressed victims to normal people, and now they¡¯ve put up a professional wall, trying to close off attachment, which is natural.


    Now that we¡¯ve reached a sense of normal with them and a professional attitude has appeared, if we can break past this barrier, then we¡¯re almost guaranteed a deeper relationship.  They¡¯re digging for more information, and the Kennedy event is a great story to elicit more pressure to break past this final professional wall. If Scarlet can put the right emotion into it...


    Swallowing, Scarlet¡¯s tongue played with her left fang for a second.  ¡°Umm, he was a child predator in my neighborhood that¡ªthat turned into a Lizard-man, and he¡ªhe killed two kid¡¯s parents¡ªI saw it¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Fiona, Bailey, and Hughes gasped.


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Maria growled.  ¡°We don¡¯t tolerate that shit in our neighborhood; sounds like something happened to the bastard though.  If you know about him turning into a Lizard-man.¡±


    Scarlet played with her skirt again.  ¡°He¡ªit was when I¡¯d just changed ... I¡¯d rather not¡ªit just isn¡¯t¡­¡±


    This is important.  ¡°Take your time,¡± Rachel soothed.


    Smiling at her, Scarlet nodded, still fidgeting nervously.  ¡°... He¡ªhe killed the mother, and¡ªI wanted to protect them, but it was hard¡ªI was scared and confused¡ªI teleported into the kids¡¯ room with just a thought, but¡ªI froze.  I watched him¡ªhe came upstairs and tried ¡­ he wanted the kids to go with him.¡±


    ¡°You stopped him though, right?¡±  Fiona asked, darting up to hover in front of Scarlet, fists pressed against her chest.


    Everyone else waited silently; Rachel could feel the tension in the air as Scarlet recounted the events, fear reflected in her blue eyes as she looked into the past.


    ¡°I¡ªI was too scared; he thought I was trying to kill¡ªto have the kids to myself, but I couldn¡¯t speak ¡­ he was so tall and intimidating,¡± she swallowed nervously.  ¡°He opened his mouth¡ªit was so big ¡­ he was going to swallow me whole, and I was paralyzed. I closed my eyes, and I could feel the pounding of his footsteps vibrate the floor as he ¡­ then it stopped.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±  Maria pressed.


    ¡°My blood¡ªit attacks anything that attacks me.  So¡­¡± She trailed off.


    ¡°Serves him right,¡± Fiona huffed, arms folded as she hovered in place, radiating a soft white glow.  ¡°He should have been castrated first.¡±


    Rachel breathed a sigh of relief.  ¡°I was a little scared, Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°What¡ªdo you mean?¡±  She looked at Rachel with concern; every eye was locked on her.


    She pressed the conversation; already knowing many of the details from the gossip circulating the building.  ¡°I was afraid for the children; are they alright? What happened when you saved them?¡±


    ¡°Carter ¡­ I called the police; I didn¡¯t know what to do ¡­ I was scared.  Carter got there first; he ¡­ I left, and he chased me. Mateo told me later¡ªhe said the kids were safe with relatives that lived nearby when he found me.¡±


    ¡°At least the kids are safe,¡± Fiona moved to Scarlet¡¯s hand, gripping her shoulders, and rubbed it comfortingly.  ¡°See, how many people can say they¡¯ve saved as many kids as you have in their entire lives?¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Scarlet smiled, lifting her finger as Fiona hugged it.  Her voice cracked. ¡°Lately, I just¡ªI feel like running ¡­ like I just¡ªI don¡¯t belong here.¡±  She seemed to try repressing her tears, but they fell despite her efforts. ¡°I don¡¯t belong in this world.¡±


    Rachel wanted to smile, but she suppressed it.  Her emotions swirled inside her to run to Scarlet¡¯s side, but they were kept at arm¡¯s length from her consciousness; she heard Hughes and Bailey¡¯s bodies quiver, hands pressed against their stomachs, tears cascading down their own cheeks as they watched the scene.


    Everyone goes through times where they feel like they don¡¯t belong; connecting on that level breaks a lot of barriers, and using the Kennedy event that most agents at least know a surface level about is brilliant.  They knew a little about what happened, but having Scarlet¡¯s emotional display of events paints a different tone. They were a bit more cautious than I anticipated, but we¡¯re finally getting there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think like that,¡± Fiona sniffed.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Maria said, clearing her throat.  ¡°Screw anyone that says you don¡¯t belong. Fuck¡®em.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it,¡± Scarlet babbled, breaking down.  ¡°I have¡ªthere¡¯s so much¡ªeverywhere¡ªeveryone. They don¡¯t,¡± she swallowed, ¡°they don¡¯t say it, but I feel it ¡­ fear¡ªhate ¡­ why am I the monster?  What did I do to deserve it? I tried to be good¡ªI try so hard to control myself, but they don¡¯t¡ªthey don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Rachel got up, letting soft tears leak from her eyes, and walked around the couch to hug Scarlet¡¯s back; still fighting the pain throughout her body but completely in emotional control.  Scarlet¡¯s chilled blood dripped down her cold hands as Fiona hovered before her with concern.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard, but you have us.  I hear it,¡± she whispered. ¡°The fear and hate you feel; it¡¯s everywhere¡ªI know, but they don¡¯t define you.  Remember what you told me about my parents?¡±


    Scarlet gripped her arms, draped around her chest.  ¡°I¡ªI know¡ªbut it¡¯s hard ¡­ knowing so many people hate you for something¡ªI can¡¯t change that I¡¯m a Vampire.  I can¡¯t ¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to change,¡± Rachel soothed.  ¡°You won¡¯t be hated forever; they¡¯re just hurt like you are.¡±


    ¡°Hurt?¡±  Scarlet choked.  ¡°You¡¯re hurt! I know you¡¯re¡ªyou¡¯re in pain.  Why aren¡¯t you screaming? You were¡ªthrown through buildings.¡±


    Rachel sighed.  ¡°I am hurting ¡­ a lot, but look how strong you¡¯ve been.  How could I cry when I see you fighting to keep it together?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ªnot together at all ¡­ I was so scared¡ªRelica¡ªshe¡¯s still out there ¡­ I was¡ªshe was going to make me a slave ¡­ make me hurt people¡­¡±  Her lips trembled. ¡°Why ¡­ why me? Why¡­¡±


    Hughes cleared her throat, wiping away her tears.  ¡°Scarlet, I¡ªI don¡¯t know everything that you¡¯ve gone through, but I¡¯ve heard a little.  You can¡¯t ask yourself why ¡­ we don¡¯t know. The Oscillation, the change¡ªno one knows.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to know!¡±  Scarlet cried. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to protect us.¡±


    Bailey looked away.  ¡°I know ¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Perfect; guilt is a massive step.  They¡¯re supposed to protect us citizens, but all the tragedy that we¡¯ve gone through, and the things we¡¯ve had to do; they were supposed to be the ones making those decisions, but we were forced to.


    Maria took a deep breath, closing her eyes to lean back.  ¡°Blaming everyone isn¡¯t going to solve anything. This sucks¡ªit fucking sucks,¡± she ran her left hand through her hair, ¡°but we just got to knuckle down and live.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±  Fiona asked, teary-eyed.  ¡°I¡¯m three inches tall ¡­ I couldn¡¯t even open a door or¡ªor turn the shower off¡ªa spider could have killed me!¡±  She rubbed her wet cheeks. ¡°I probably can¡¯t have kids or¡ªor anything like that. This isn¡¯t fair ¡­ it¡¯s not ¡­ I can¡¯t even ¡­ I don¡¯t even know anymore!¡±


    Rachel squeezed Scarlet, smiling softly down at Fiona as she buried her face in her hands, tucked into a ball in the air.  ¡°Whatever happens, I¡¯ll be here for you guys. I¡¯m sure Bailey and Hughes are here for us too; they¡¯re here to protect us.¡±  She looked up to see them both nod.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ªif we were insensitive,¡± Bailey cleared her throat.  ¡°There¡¯s been¡ªa lot to take in, but I didn¡¯t¡ªI didn¡¯t think how it affected you, and you¡¯re right....¡±


    Hughes took a shuddering breath.  ¡°Your whole life fell apart ¡­ I felt like that for a bit, but¡ªI can¡¯t even imagine¡­¡±


    Vision sliding to Maria, she watched her nod at the two women.  ¡°At least someone else gets it; I mean, I¡¯m white ¡­ it changes everything.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Fiona swallowed, brow creased in bewilderment.  ¡°What do you mean, I¡¯m white, and it changes everything?¡±


    ¡°You serious?¡±  Maria¡¯s mouth dropped open for a moment as she stared at the floating woman.  ¡°I¡¯m Mexican, but now I¡¯m like cream cheese ¡­ you have no idea how big of a change that is culturally.¡±


    ¡°Change ¡­ culturally,¡± Fiona mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯m three inches tall!¡±


    Rachel giggled with Scarlet before saying, ¡°Maria, are you aware of the horn that appears at your head, the pointed ears, the hair that grows back when cut, basically killing you in the process?¡±


    ¡°What kind of question is that?¡±  Maria grunted.


    Fiona nodded, rubbing her red face.  ¡°She¡¯s right; white skin seems like a small thing compared to healing lost limbs with a snap of your fingers.¡±


    ¡°Well, to be fair, she is killing herself every time she does heal someone,¡± Rachel hummed.  ¡°What do you call that? I mean, is it like autoerotic asphyxiation? People enjoy dying in a lot of ways, but dying to heal people?¡±


    Maria¡¯s face turned pink.  ¡°Huh? Autoerotic ¡­ what the hell does that mean?¡±


    Rachel suppressed a grin as she caught Hughes and Bailey¡¯s faces turn red.  We¡¯ve broken the walls, and now we need to make them like us.  ¡°I just heard about it in one of my psychology courses; a girl was talking about it.  Basically, it turns you on when you¡¯re suffocating, but for you, it¡¯d be healing, right ¡­ or am I conflating something?¡±


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Maria scooted back to the armrest, holding up her hands.  ¡°Qu¨¦ mierda! No, joder! I¡¯m not turned on by healing people or dying!  I just die when I heal people, shit!¡± She folded her arms uncomfortably, turning away to mumble under her breath


    Rachel made careful note that everyone¡¯s mood had lightened as they either smiled or giggled at Maria¡¯s rosy cheeks.  We now have two people that will back us up.


    Smile completely innocent, Rachel released Scarlet, watching the blood across her arms float back into Scarlet¡¯s body.  ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go to lock-up, find some clothes, and get cleaned up. I¡¯d really like to hear more about this magical food, Bailey; you might have yourself a wonderful catch!  You could live like a queen, eating amazing new food every day.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think about it like that,¡± Bailey whispered.  ¡°He was excited about a new type of dessert, but ¡­ would it be safe?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not¡ªby the way, what were your first names?  If possible, I¡¯d like to work more with you two; I¡¯ll mention it to David.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Bailey smiled.  ¡°My name is Serah.¡±


    Hughes nodded as she rose, stretching, ¡°I¡¯m Bree.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B2 — 4. Emotional Wedge

    They followed Bree and Serah down the halls and through a few doors until they reached evidence lock-up and storage; there were a few agents, but Rachel heard the majority of them clustered around other parts of the building, and more were flooding in with reports or just getting away from the chaos outside to check-in for duty.


    Bree and Serah talked with the agent on guard and cleared the protocols to get in.  Entering the area through a chain-link fence, Bree and Serah guided them toward the left-back section of the area.


    Bree smiled as Scarlet gasped; in front of them were shelves of vacuum-sealed packages, dozens of clothes inside each.  ¡°Last month, we got a tip about some drugs in a shipping unit; an opioid smuggling operation out of China. There were a lot of sealed fake designer clothes coming out of Hong Kong with the product lined inside.  It was pretty tedious, but we had to go through all of the bags to get them out.¡±


    ¡°Crazy,¡± Fiona whispered.


    Maria just shrugged as she pulled down a bag.  ¡°Heard something like that was happening.¡±


    ¡°Of course you did,¡± Scarlet giggled.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that crazy,¡± Maria sighed.  ¡°The Cubans do some fucked-up shit to smuggle their products in.¡±


    Serah and Bree grimaced but didn¡¯t comment.


    Stepping forward, Rachel glanced around the space.  ¡°So, we can look through all of these and just pick whatever we like?¡±


    Folding her arms, Serah nodded.  ¡°We¡¯ll need to check them out of course.  We¡¯ll take the bags with us so we can get the label of the package you took the items from and mark them.  You won¡¯t need to return them.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±  Fiona asked. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered what happens to the stuff the police confiscated.  Do you guys just store them?¡±


    Maria moved a few bags to a long foldable table, examining them through the plastic with a short huff.  ¡°They hustle it, what else? Auctions, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t call that hustling it,¡± Bree muttered, ¡°but yes, Asset Forfeiture; if items meet specific guidelines, then it¡¯s auctioned off.¡±


    They all fell silent, dropping the subject to look through the products; Serah reminded them not to mix the clothes from the other bags and keep track of where they got the items.


    Scarlet was ecstatic to find a dark blue Chinese Cheongsam traditional wedding gown with gold oriental designs that she said fit her perfectly as she examined the tag; it would play around her curves and dropped to her upper thighs, blue lace extending past that point to touch the floor.


    ¡°If I get short blue heels, then it¡¯ll be perfect!¡±


    Rachel chuckled at her enthusiasm.  She really likes to dress up.


    Maria studied Scarlet as she held it up to her shoulders.  ¡°For real? You¡¯re gonna wear that? Can you even move in that thing, and seriously, heels?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll look stunning,¡± Fiona said.  She sat on a table, sorting through a bunch of Barbie clothes Bree had found in another section.  ¡°Look, Scarlet,¡± she held up a red Qipao dress with black trim. ¡°We should follow the same theme!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Scarlet beamed.  ¡°That¡¯ll look really cute on you."


    ¡°You really think so?  The last Barbie clothes I tried were kind of itchy,¡± she mumbled.


    Rachel giggled, looking through a bag of Chinese sporting goods.  ¡°Well, to be fair, they weren¡¯t designed to actually be worn by people.¡±


    Maria opened another sporting goods container; pulling a few out, she shook her head with a soft smile.  ¡°I guess you do like that skirt and jacket though; the girly-girl Vampire.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Scarlet huffed, blue eyes glaring at her.  ¡°I am a girl, and so are you; you really did look beautiful in that Sailor outfit, and¡ªwhat other time will I get to wear a wedding gown,¡± she whispered, causing the three of them to stiffen.


    I didn¡¯t connect that ¡­ Scarlet¡¯s still depressed.  It¡¯s not like marriage is out of the question though...


    Bree and Serah looked between them with bewildered expressions.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±  Bree asked. ¡°I thought you guys were having fun?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªno, you¡¯re right,¡± Scarlet forced a giggle, folding the gown carefully.  ¡°Where are the shoes?¡±


    ¡°This way,¡± Serah said, lips pursed in a manner that told Rachel she was convinced they¡¯d missed something.


    Our advanced hearing really can make a difference if utilized properly.


    ¡°Gah,¡± Maria growled, pulling everyone¡¯s eyes, and making Serah and Scarlet pause.  ¡°What¡¯s up with China and their designer sports clothes? I mean, at least they have sports bras, but what¡¯s up with these things?  Are they even meant to work out with? The support¡¯s¡­¡± She cut off with a long yawn.


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m with you,¡± she sighed.  ¡°Our current clothes are designed for hard workouts and look at how mine turned out.  These really don¡¯t look that well made.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Bree scratched her neck, frowning as she glanced between a few of the shorts they were looking at.  ¡°These are just replicas; not the real thing.¡±


    Scarlet and Serah continued to the back without comment, but Scarlet pursed her lips, glancing back at Rachel.


    Rachel followed their exit until the shelves obscured them.  Scarlet¡¯s probably worried I¡¯m looking for good material in case we need to fight, but it¡¯s expected; we don¡¯t know how the government will play this.


    ¡°Beggars can¡¯t be choosers,¡± Fiona sighed.  ¡°You¡¯re worried about fabric quality while I¡¯m here rocking thin Barbie outfits.¡±


    Smiling at Fiona, Rachel moved to look between a few of her options.  ¡°You¡¯re right; we should be thankful to the FBI for providing us time to catch our breaths.¡±


    Bree let go of a low hum.  ¡°You¡¯re not prisoners.¡±


    ¡°We just can¡¯t leave,¡± Maria smirked, lifting an eyebrow at her.  ¡°Same shit.¡±


    Pulling at her dress shirt to relieve tension, Bree sighed, leaning against a support pillar; she glanced between the shelves before her vision fell to the concrete floor.  ¡°You¡¯re not prisoners, though.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t comment, looking for more clothes that might fit Fiona.  Letting her stew on the thought could bring some more sympathy and help conflict her opinion on our situation.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Maria grunted, pulling out some black denim shorts after checking the size and began looking over shirts.  ¡°What¡¯s with Chinese shirts and ¡­ wait, I guess Asians are pretty small. How am I supposed to fit into some of these things?  I¡¯d fucking suffocate!¡±


    Fiona shot a glare up at her.  ¡°Seriously? Flip! Some of us lost our chests in The Oscillation ¡­ what are your measurements anyways?¡±


    Maria huffed.  ¡°Well, damn ¡­ I didn¡¯t look like this before The Oscillation either; it¡¯s not like I care, but when I was checking bras I felt most comfortable in 34D.¡±


    ¡°Like it¡¯s nothing,¡± Fiona grumbled, turning back to some clothes Rachel picked out.  ¡°Here I am like a double-A¡­¡±


    Maria¡¯s body changed, just like mine.  It¡¯s not like it reflects our increased strength though; I¡¯ve lost a ton of muscle, yet I¡¯m stronger than I ever could get through training.  I¡¯m more flexible than I was before ¡­ everything has improved. My skin¡¯s as smooth as a baby¡¯s butt, and my curves are tight, but not overbearing.  I have the figure of a fighter without the hard muscles ¡­ it¡¯s so strange.


    Their attention moved to Bree as she hummed, scrutinizing Maria.  ¡°I¡¯d say she¡¯s ¡­ probably around one-hundred, sixty-six, and one-hundred.  Freaking, Kim Kardashian curves.¡±


    ¡°What,¡± Maria¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°you a human measuring tape or something?  Trying to start beef? I don¡¯t give a fuck about that shit, but¡­¡± Her eyes wandered before a grin spread across her lips  ¡°Wait, you got any George Bush down in this bitch?¡±


    ¡°George Bush?¡±  Rachel, Fiona, and Bree¡¯s faces creased with bewilderment.


    ¡°The old president, George Bush?¡±  Rachel asked, scratching her forehead.  Does she think they just kidnapped a previous President?


    ¡°Fuck, really?¡±  Maria leaned back against the table they were using.  ¡°The Presidential shit.¡± When no one answered, she shook her head, picking between her teeth as she sighed.  ¡°Kush ¡­ fuck; the premium shit.¡±


    ¡°Never heard it called that, but yeah,¡± Bree paused.  ¡°Wait, shit¡ªno¡­¡±


    Maria¡¯s grin broadened.  ¡°Damn, liar!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s illegal without a medical¡­¡±


    ¡°Got one,¡± Maria folded her arms.


    Growling, Bree massaged her neck.  ¡°Then you can buy it from the shop.¡±


    Maria popped her tongue.  ¡°Stingy ass¡­¡± She muttered, glaring down at a few shirt options


    Rachel chuckled, trying to break the atmosphere.  ¡°Maria, try that white shirt by your hand.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  She picked it up; it had a strip of blue, red, and pink flowers embroidered across the front, but seemed like it had enough room for Maria¡¯s chest in a sports bra.  ¡°Guess this works,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°What about you Fiona,¡± Rachel asked, catching Bree glaring in Maria¡¯s direction.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go with the first one I picked out; I think it¡¯ll fit me really nice and I¡¯ll match Scarlet.¡±  She smiled at the Qipao dress in her hands.


    ¡°Wonderful, I¡¯ll go with¡­¡±  She paused as a conversation caught her attention.  Shit ¡­ shit ¡­ we¡¯ll get a lot of negative attention once this gets out.  I need to get ahead of this, but we aren''t equipped to handle it yet. Maria might be able to fix this if she can get some energy back.  I¡¯ll need to spin this the right way though.


    ¡°With what?¡±  Fiona asked, looking up at her.


    Licking her lips, Rachel took a deep breath before turning to Maria, tone concerned.  ¡°Hey ¡­ we have a problem.¡±


    Bree¡¯s muscles tightened at the word and Rachel¡¯s tone.  ¡°Problem? What problem?¡±


    Maria clicked her tongue, sighing as she leaned back, fingers gripping her scalp.  ¡°Shit ¡­ sup?¡± Maria questioned, fingers moving down to scratch her neck.


    Breathing through her teeth, Rachel looked down at Fiona.  ¡°I wasn¡¯t listening to some of your fights, Fiona. What can you tell me about a couple of women trapped in ice?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s hands shot to her lips.  ¡°Oh ¡­ umm, well ¡­ Relica brainwashed two teenagers, a boy and a girl, and a few women.  She¡ªshe made them commit suicide and stab themselves when we came in. I¡ªwe kind of panicked¡ªme and Scarlet, and I was¡ªI was still addled ¡­ really confused after eating all that sugar.¡±


    ¡°Take your time,¡± Rachel said as she watched Fiona play with her shirt front, avoiding eye contact.  Bree walked over, listening with her arms crossed, expression serious.


    Nodding, she took a deep breath.  ¡°Scarlet was really, really sad and frustrated.  I thought I might be able to freeze them¡ªthey were bleeding out; I wanted to save them.  I made a ball of water and¡ªand I thought if I froze them inside it, then we could buy time.¡±


    She looked up at her with pleading eyes, wide with worry.  ¡°Did you hear something bad; did I mess up again?¡±


    Rachel paused for a moment, thinking about how to respond.  ¡°Well¡ªit isn¡¯t your fault; you didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Fiona pressed, long ears drooping slightly.


    ¡°Freezing,¡± Rachel paused, letting Fiona¡¯s petrified expression hit Bree.  ¡°If you freeze someone in ice¡ªice expands; if they unthaw them, then they¡¯ll be dead, crushed.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Fiona whispered, tight fists pressed against her chest.  ¡°Is there¡ªthere¡¯s nothing we can do?¡±


    Maria yawned, shifting against the table to look down at the floor.  ¡°Damn¡ªI could try to heal them? The ice will keep them alive, right?  They¡¯ll just die really fast if they warm it up?¡±


    Bree listened carefully, vision sliding between them.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Rachel whispered.  ¡°If Fiona¡¯s freezing spell froze the entire body fast enough.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot, though, right?¡±  Fiona pleaded.


    ¡°It is,¡± Bree said.  ¡°If you think you can save them.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°We shouldn¡¯t get our hopes up though ¡­ sorry, Fiona, I just don¡¯t want you to be hurt if this doesn¡¯t work.  You tried everything you could to save them, right?¡±


    ¡°I tried,¡± Fiona mumbled.  ¡°I just keep messing up though¡­¡±


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Maria grunted, making the three of them lock-up and stare at her.


    Maria, why are you saying bullshit?  That sounded genuine to me, and Fiona did try to save them.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you mess up, but you believe it.  That¡¯s bullshit.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s muscles eased with Bree¡¯s, but Fiona looked away with guilt.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t use water ¡­ would it have been better?¡±


    Pursing her lips, Rachel pulled her hair back over her shoulders, playing with a lock; messing with Fiona¡¯s emotions was getting harder as the conversation continued, even though it was meant to soften Bree up.  I can¡¯t keep doing this ¡­ friends don¡¯t do this to each other.  Another honor thing? Why am I obsessed with honor? Lunar Pride ¡­ a Racial Passive.


    I really need to sit down and map all of this out.  So, I have a code of honor that I must follow; respect where respect is deserved, but at least there¡¯s a limit to it with my opponent''s honor.


    That¡¯s why I had to give Conner my name and why some things bother me, yet others don¡¯t.  Fiona is someone worth respecting, and manipulating her emotions is hurting her; it¡¯s not honorable, but I feel like it¡¯s necessary ¡­ compounding the issue.


    I don¡¯t feel the same toward Bree because I don¡¯t see her as a companion ¡­ what a strange concept to think about.  Companion ¡­ friends ¡­ I actually think of them like that. I don¡¯t give a damn about anyone else, but my family ¡­ companions ¡­ that¡¯s where my focus is.


    If someone is admirable, then I can return that to a certain degree, but if they cross me or those close to me ¡­ I¡¯ve changed a lot.  At least it¡¯s not your average code of conduct; it¡¯s not like I¡¯m life bound by it, but it does leave a bitter taste in my mouth. One thing¡¯s for sure; we need to get ahead of this, and people love a winner.


    Her chest burned as she smiled, scratching her brow.  ¡°Maria¡¯s right, Fiona. You did everything you could; now let¡¯s leave it to Maria to do her thing, but we¡¯ll need to buy time for her to recover.¡±


    Maria¡¯s cheeks bunched to the side as she grabbed her left shoulder, looking down at the pile of clothes beside her.  A soft hum rumbled in her throat.


    Rachel turned to Bree, her features serious.  ¡°Bree, if you could contact the Military Forward Outpost that¡¯s set up at the American Airline Arena.  Tell them that we think that we can save the people trapped in the ice and to prepare a means to transport them here.¡±


    Looking at Maria, she pursed her lips.  ¡°Maria¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  She asked, releasing her shoulder.  ¡°I can do it when the sun rises; piece of cake.¡±


    She listened to a few military doctors and reports for a moment.  ¡°There are a lot of people that are hurt, and some healers have already confirmed that Relica¡¯s mind control is still in effect on a few people; they¡¯re on suicide watch.  I don¡¯t know when she might use them.¡±


    Maria popped her tongue.  ¡°Fuck; you didn¡¯t hear me, I guess.  She can¡¯t control them; well, at least the kids I was with.¡±  She pushed a breath of air through her perfect teeth in a long sigh.  ¡°It¡¯s a pretty fucked up Charm, but it only makes them easily compelled; they¡¯re like slaves, they¡¯ll do whatever someone tells them, but she shouldn¡¯t be able to control them remotely.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡±  Bree asked.


    ¡°Because of that damn feeling I get.¡±


    ¡°Feeling?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, fucking some asshole knowledge-thing that bugs the hell out of me; like right now, it¡¯s telling me Rachel¡¯s bruised and cut all over, suffering from the Physical Fatigue Debuff that reduces her skill efficiency.¡±


    Shit ¡­ I guess it¡¯s good to know, but letting them know it¡¯s an actual debuff; I would have preferred to keep that between ourselves.  So, if I continue to use my skills and stress my body, then I¡¯ll get a negative effect that dampens my overall abilities. Shit...


    ¡°That¡¯s still insane,¡± Bree mumbled.  ¡°It¡¯s good news though; at least the kids aren¡¯t complete puppets to her.¡±


    This could be another perfect opportunity to increase Bree and Serah¡¯s standing to David and the team.  I really need to sit down and get all the details from them.


    Rachel sucked in her lips as she glanced at Bree.  ¡°That information wasn¡¯t given in our report; shit ¡­ no, Maria, I didn¡¯t hear it.  It must have slipped your mind when we were reporting it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, fuck,¡± Maria muttered, biting her thumbnail.  ¡°I was too busy talking with Scarlet ¡­ I must have missed that part when you were telling Jerry about Relica¡¯s fight.¡±


    ¡°They are still concerned about them being controlled by Relica; although, to be safe, some people might be influenced by a different spell too.  Relica did threaten Scarlet with it, saying she could control the people she charmed to attack people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Bree nodded.  ¡°We can¡¯t take the possibility off the table.  Damn, this Relica sounds like a fucking monster.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Maria.¡±  Rachel puffed a breath through her lips.  ¡°I¡¯m glad we caught it in time, and she really was a monster.¡±


    Fiona nodded gloomily as Rachel continued.  ¡°It was pure luck that we were able to push her back, and I have no clue where she is.  I haven¡¯t heard her voice anywhere since vanishing up north. However, we need to be quick on this information; we don¡¯t want those women to die.  Bree, could you communicate all of this to David?¡±


    ¡°I can; what else can you tell me?¡±  She asked, taking out her phone to make notes.


    Fiona seemed to be getting over her guilt; she looked up at Rachel with concern, but a glimmer of hope was in her eyes.  Maria was listening carefully, lightly grinding her teeth.


    Mind accelerating, Rachel thought on the best order to address the information; only a few seconds passed as she leaned back against the table, tail resting atop the tabletop.  Her fingers played with a few locks of hair, vision low.


    ¡°Okay, first, tell David the circumstances surrounding the four girls that were frozen, and request for them to be transported here.  Let him know that we think Maria can heal them when she recovers.


    ¡°Second, after informing him on the frozen globe incident, tell him that one of the major concerns the military is currently dealing with is figuring out what to do with the brainwashed people.  Maria could possibly cure that too.¡±


    She looked at Maria, and she nodded, pulling back her long hair to stretch her neck, a short yawn leaving her pink lips.  ¡°Eh, yeah, I can do that; I could even tell you what the spells do.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Bree said; her tone was filled with interest as her fingers dashed across her phone¡¯s surface.  ¡°That would be helpful.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that would help a lot,¡± Rachel smiled at Maria.  ¡°See, healing isn¡¯t that bad. You can help in major ways.¡±


    Maria blushed, turning away.  ¡°I guess¡­¡±


    Facing Bree again, Rachel continued.  ¡°Have David request the critically injured to be brought here, and we¡¯ll see what we can do.


    ¡°Third, fill him in on the negativity that is spreading throughout the building and let him know our concerns; tell him about the conversation we had.  Our image, for the most part, is popular around the area, but if any information was leaked from this building because of the unrest and agitation, then it could severely damage our future; it could also reflect poorly on the FBI.


    ¡°Lastly, this isn¡¯t super important,¡± she said, rubbing between her eyes with a short yawn.  ¡°We could use a break. Maria needs some time to get her strength back.¡±


    ¡°We all do,¡± Fiona whispered.  ¡°It¡¯s been ¡­ difficult.¡±


    Maria nodded, stifling another yawn.


    ¡°Right,¡± Rachel nodded.  ¡°So, some pillows and blankets would be nice; some food wouldn¡¯t hurt either.  Maria eats fruit and vegetables, Fiona sugar, and I could go for anything you have ¡­ Scarlet needs blood.¡±


    Bree¡¯s fingers paused as she looked up at her.  ¡°Blood¡­¡±


    ¡°Not like that,¡± Maria rolled her eyes.  ¡°She¡¯s not going to go around fucking biting every person she sees.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s features seemed a bit uncertain, so Rachel answered before she could put any questions into Bree¡¯s mind.  ¡°Scarlet drank blood packs back at the hospital; I doubt she¡¯ll be hungry right now, but given some time, she will need to have another few blood packs.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Bree muttered, writing it down.  ¡°Anything else?¡±


    She shook her head but paused as Fiona spoke up.


    ¡°Could you¡ªis there a way to get in touch with my family?  I¡¯m really worried about them.¡±


    Bree tucked her lips under her front teeth, sucking for a moment as she thought.  ¡°Eh¡ªI¡¯ll ask, but that¡¯s all I can promise.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Fiona whispered, looking down at her feet.


    ¡°Well¡ªokay, then,¡± Bree said, repeating back the information.  ¡°I¡¯ll get all of this over to David; just wait here for Serah, and she¡¯ll help you get the clothes checked out.¡±


    They nodded, and Bree quickly walked back toward the entrance.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Maria groaned, using the table to crack her back.  ¡°We¡¯re alone for once.¡±


    ¡°At least until Scarlet and Serah get back,¡± Fiona mumbled, rubbing the fabric of the dress on her lap.


    Rachel chuckled, drawing their attention.  ¡°What a day¡­¡± The three of them looked down reflectively.  After a moment, Rachel cracked her fingers. ¡°So, I say that we shower and rest; if we can, then I¡¯d like to sit down together and discuss this system, really get into it.  We can get a piece of paper and write everything down to get everything sorted out.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about giving them too much information though?¡±  Fiona questioned.


    ¡°Yes, which is why you¡¯ll burn it once we¡¯re finished; we just need it to organize our thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Maria groaned, rotating her head.  ¡°Have you noticed that you stretch a lot when tired, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing the same thing; I mean, I did that when I was tired before The Oscillation too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Maria mumbled.  ¡°I get it; you¡¯re tired, your muscles get tight and all after a workout¡ªjust thought I¡¯d mention it.¡±


    Rachel picked out black low riding denim shorts, making sure they fit just under her tail.  This is going to be so annoying in the future ¡­ having a tail messes up my whole wardrobe.  She picked out a black sports bra and underwear with a white button-up shirt that seemed to just barely fit her, but she didn¡¯t have many options with her height.


    Scarlet returned with a bag of pads and blue heels.  ¡°Look what Serah found!¡±


    Serah¡¯s brow furrowed as she looked around the space.  ¡°Where¡¯s Bree?¡±


    They explained the situation before following them back to the footwear area they¡¯d been, and Rachel picked out some decent sports shoes with Maria.  After checking out the items, they stopped off to grab some shampoo and conditioner from another agent Serah knew before they were led to a bathroom with a shower inside.


    She kept track of Bree as she met with David, and she felt like the conversation went well.  David questioned her about what abilities they¡¯d found out but sighed and cut the discussion short when she told him about her hearing.


    Naturally, he¡¯d feel frustrated; knowing someone could be listening in on you at any time is a hard thing to swallow, and in a building holding a lot of secrets, that can be scary, but what can he do?


    ¡°This is the best we have in the building,¡± Serah apologized.


    Rachel examined the shower with a small smile before everyone dropped off their items along the wall.  ¡°It¡¯s fine; we used something similar at the hospital.¡± She looked down at the sink, catching Fiona studying it.  ¡°What do you think, Fiona? Can you use the shower?¡±


    Fiona shook her head, hair flinging around before she floated to the sink.  ¡°Absolutely not.¡± She stated, pulling her white hair back behind her ears. ¡°I changed into a Fairy when I was in the shower ¡­ it wasn¡¯t pleasant.  I think I can use the sink like a tub, though. Could you cut off a piece of soap, and add some of the conditioner and shampoo on the side that I can use?¡±


    Scarlet moved to comply.  ¡°Yeah; I can help you while I shower¡ªif you like.¡±


    Nodding, Fiona sat at the sink¡¯s edge, wings vanishing as she glared down at the drain.  ¡°It really sucks being so weak and small,¡± she whispered.


    Rachel tilted her head to Maria and Serah; they left the bathroom to Scarlet and Fiona, shutting the door behind them.  Moving across the hall to a small lounging area, Rachel and Maria sat; they looked up at Serah as she hesitated, standing a few feet to their left.


    ¡°How¡¯s Bree doing?  You can hear her, right?¡±


    Rachel smiled.  ¡°Yes, she¡¯s on her way back with some pillows and blankets.  The talk went well, David¡¯s a little annoyed that I can hear so far, but he seemed pleased with Bree¡¯s report.  He¡¯s talking to the Colonel that¡¯s in charge of that area; from how it sounds, it looks like they¡¯re discussing the details.  There¡¯s some question to Maria¡¯s healing ability, but the SEALs report and information they have from the hospital is hard to refute.¡±


    ¡°Damn straight,¡± Maria yawned, eyes drooping.  ¡°I worked my ass off for those people.¡±


    Serah was silent a moment.  ¡°Your healing¡¯s really that good?¡±


    ¡°Apparently,¡± Maria shrugged, rubbing between her eyes.  ¡°I mean, if you want me to heal your cramps later¡ªif you want.¡±


    Her face reddened, and she cleared her throat.  ¡°So¡ªyou can tell all sorts of medical problems with people ¡­ no medical privacy.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Maria muttered, lying across a couch; her silver eyes followed two male agents that walked around the nearby corner, glancing their way.


    Rachel smiled, trying to ease Serah¡¯s discomfort.  ¡°Thanks for your help, Serah. From what I¡¯ve heard, the psychologist won¡¯t be here for several hours; they¡¯re flying her in from Virginia.¡±


    ¡°That right,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°I understand you¡¯ve been through a lot recently; I¡¯m sure it will be nice.  Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Maria sighed as she stretched.  ¡°Pillows ¡­ pillows would be nice.¡± She yawned.  ¡°I feel so tired¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips fell.  ¡°She¡¯s already bringing pillows ¡­ Maria, until the sun rises, you shouldn¡¯t fall asleep.  You¡¯re really low on energy¡­¡±


    Rubbing the top of her left eyelid, Maria groaned.  ¡°Yeah, yeah, I get it ¡­ what if I fall asleep and don¡¯t wake up, but,¡± another yawn left her mouth.  ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that bad¡ªI¡¯m just jodidamente cansado¡­¡±  She mumbled, eyes drooping.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even taken a shower yet,¡± Rachel pushed.  If Maria dies ¡­ it¡¯s bad.


    She masked her displeasure with concern.  This skill that separates my emotions makes me feel like a serial killer; I¡¯m just thinking about how she won¡¯t be able to return me to my fighting strength and how it would mess up my plan for increasing our image.  It¡¯s not like I want her to die, but it would be inconvenient to me as well ¡­ that¡¯s not right.


    Taking a deep breath, she actively turned off the skill, wincing as she became more aware of the pain; the separation of her emotions had helped mitigate her body¡¯s reactions to her sore muscles.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±  Serah asked.


    ¡°No¡­¡±  She grimaced as Maria grumbled next to her, eyes closed.


    ¡°Maldito mentiroso ... eres un desastre.¡±


    Serah¡¯s lips pursed.  ¡°I don¡¯t understand; what does she mean, you¡¯re lying and that you¡¯re a mess?  Is it worse than you told us before?¡±


    Of course, she speaks Spanish.


    ¡°I just stressed my body a little; I¡¯m more concerned about Maria though,¡± Rachel said, brow creased with concern as her emotions surfaced.  ¡°As far as we know, she could die if she doesn¡¯t get sunlight. Maria, do you know how low your energy is?¡±


    She poked her back when she didn¡¯t answer.  ¡°Huh? ?Qu¨¦ carajo quieres?¡± She mumbled.


    ¡°How much energy do you have?¡±


    Maria swallowed, shifting to her back; she groaned, using her elbows to lift herself and pull her hair over her front.  ¡°It¡¯s like, point eight or some shit.¡± She moaned a little as she shifted, head drooping to the side, she seemed to fall asleep.


    ¡°Point eight,¡± Rachel clicked her tongue.  She¡¯s probably falling asleep to conserve energy, like Scarlet when she fainted.


    Serah shifted nervously.  ¡°Is the only way to keep her alive sunlight?¡±


    Bree turned the corner, following some directions she¡¯d received from a few other agents that saw them.


    ¡°As far as we¡¯re aware,¡± Rachel muttered.  ¡°How soon until sunrise?¡±


    ¡°The sun should be rising within the hour,¡± Serah said, looking toward the massive windows, showing the tinted glass of the opposite side of the FBI building and a center walkway below, running between the structures.


    Rising to her feet, Rachel picked Maria up as Bree joined them; Maria muttered something unintelligible, but only wiggled a little in her arms before going limp.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on?¡±  Bree asked with concern.


    ¡°Bree, can you take me to the east windows, and Serah, can you stay here to tell Scarlet what we¡¯re doing if we don¡¯t come back?¡±


    They both nodded, and Bree set down the blankets and pillows in her arms to lead the way; they passed many agents that gave them questioning looks but continued along with their duties.  She glanced down at Maria¡¯s limp form in her arms. If she dies after everything we¡¯ve been through to get her brother back ¡­ she can¡¯t die.  Why didn¡¯t she tell us she was this low on energy? What were the signs?


    She told us she was getting low before healing the SEALs, but I was too focused on ¡­ on what?  Saving the kids was an objective, but ¡­ it wasn¡¯t the goal or reason why I did it. Why did I want to fight Terrell and his group?  Why am I even asking that question ¡­ the answer¡¯s pretty clear; I wanted to impress my parents, I was pissed they got away, to throw it in Nam¡¯s face or Alexa¡¯s.  That¡¯s petty, so petty¡­


    Her chest burned with her muscles, causing her arms to twitch; Maria wasn¡¯t that heavy with her current enhanced strength and full Lunar Pool, but she could feel the effects of the Debuff, and flexing did increase the pain.  Even if it is petty ¡­ it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want it.  Why is it so important to me?


    ¡°Should we hurry?¡±  Bree asked, brow creased with concern as she looked back at them.  ¡°You seem really worried about something.¡±


    I¡¯m letting my emotions show ¡­ why is my tail wagging too and my ears are twitching?  Stop! She took a deep breath as she slowed a little, looking out of the window, the hint of light beginning to brighten the sky.


    Should I use Emotional Detachment again?  No ¡­ if I rely on it too much, then I¡¯ll become dependent upon it.  How long have I been using it to begin with?


    Groaning, Rachel forced a smile that she knew Bree could tell was fake.  ¡°No, I¡¯m just being ¡­ a little overwhelmed. I have a lot on my mind. It¡¯s not like hurrying will make the sun rise faster, and I¡¯m pretty sure Maria sleeping is a good thing.  It will at least slow her energy use.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Bree slowed to match her pace, agents moving around them.  ¡°This is you overwhelmed? I mean, your ears are twitching a little, and you look a bit concerned, but you¡¯re calm.  Is that a part of your change?¡±


    ¡°I suspect it is,¡± Rachel said, repositioning Maria in her arms to better support her head.  If only you understood how I felt inside ¡­ Scarlet would know.  ¡°Could you pull her hair up?  It¡¯s almost dragging along the floor.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡±  She complied, studying Maria¡¯s white hair a moment.  ¡°This is all so surreal. Yesterday ¡­ nevermind.¡± She pulled Maria¡¯s hair between her legs to keep it in place and started walking back down the hall.


    Rachel¡¯s smile turning soft.  ¡°No, I completely understand. This has been a massive change for everyone.¡±  Her wide field of vision took in every face that passed them. ¡°Do you see their glances?¡±


    Bree slowed a little to look at several agents that looked their way before quickly turning to go about their own business.  ¡°What about them?¡±


    ¡°I can see¡ªa lot slower than I used to, like in slow motion; I can see a lot more too, like a wide-angle camera, and all of it is in focus.  Smells, it¡¯s different than Scarlet¡¯s senses; she can sense actual emotion, but I can smell the fear released from the skin, hear the locking of joints and constriction of muscles that tells me someone¡¯s on guard.  Yesterday, I never thought someone would fear me on sight ¡­ to feel less than human.¡± She whispered.


    Why do I suddenly feel this way?  It has to be because I deactivated Emotional Detachment.  This will be rougher than I thought, but I can understand why they fear me, the knowledge, but ¡­ it still doesn¡¯t make me feel better.  I can still think calmly though; has my mind gotten used to being more detached or has it been like this since my change? There¡¯s so many things to figure out.


    Bree was silent for several seconds; she seemed lost in thought but continued at the same pace.  After turning down another hallway, she took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how the world¡¯s going to turn out in a week ¡­ how many relationships will be broken or changed forever from this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ªfamilies changed forever,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ªgoing up against Terrell and his gang.  It helped me not think about any of that ¡­ I was able to just focus on one thing.¡±


    They stopped at the east side of the building, facing Southwest 145th Avenue; they were on the second floor.  There were cushioned benches to sit on against the glass; Rachel set Maria down on one, part of her legs hanging off the end.


    She took the seat next to Maria, moaning as the pain returned; she pulled her hair over her left shoulder and leaned up against the glass, closing her eyes, Bree stood in front of them, arms crossed.


    I¡¯m scared still ¡­ what will my parents think about this?  What if they disown me? Can you even do that in the U.S.? It doesn¡¯t matter; they could just refuse to see me anymore, and then what?  What would I do? They ¡­ no, that can¡¯t happen, not after I freed South Beach; I took care of terrorists. Although, Alexa...


    Bree spoke up, sitting down on the opposite side of the bench.  ¡°Is that one of the reasons why you did it?¡±


    Shifting her head against the glass, she shook it.  ¡°Who knows,¡± she yawned. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll learn more about the reasons when the psychologist gets here.  Everything just happened so fast, but ¡­ how did the report go?¡±


    What if another Carter sympathist decides to pull off the covers while we¡¯re sleeping?  Yeah, screw that. If he has friends in the National Guard and even one of them has a friend in the FBI ¡­ I¡¯d rather not take that risk.  If we do sleep somewhere, then Scarlet and I should probably sleep somewhere closed off.


    She smelled Bree¡¯s nervousness increase as her scent became more musk.  ¡°It seemed fine; you heard, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Honestly¡ªyeah, I was listening.  It seems like David reached an agreement; they¡¯ll be sending them here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Bree whispered.  ¡°I hope you can help them.¡±


    Rachel pursed her lips, opening her eyes to study Bree; her muscles were loose, but she was shifting her feet and staring at her lap.  ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Just worried about my boyfriend; listening to your feelings ¡­ it makes me wonder how he feels about all of this.  Will people hate him?¡±


    She closed her eyes again, lips lifting slightly.  ¡°Possibly, but it could go either way on the drop of a dime.  Most citizens I hear think it¡¯s scary or cool, but most don¡¯t hate people that are changed.  Military and Police forces though ¡­ they¡¯re split, and it¡¯s understandable; they¡¯ve seen the ugly side of those that were changed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Bree sighed, rubbing the side of her head.  ¡°I¡¯ve got a headache.¡± She took something from her pocket and swallowed them.  ¡°They¡¯ve been handing out aspirin like candy¡­¡±


    Rachel moved her head to look out the window but knew the moon wasn¡¯t in sight.  This sucks ¡­ I don¡¯t even know if normal medication will work on me anymore.  You wouldn¡¯t think so; I don¡¯t think I have the same biology anymore.


    Chuckling softly, she drew Bree¡¯s attention.  ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You know¡ªI found out something really strange recently.  So, my blood, it tastes like mint.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, mints; I licked my blood to stop the bleeding, and it tasted like mints.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s is really odd.¡±  Bree giggled weakly.


    They both fell silent, and Rachel retreated into her mind.


    Start at the beginning; if I¡¯m being honest, I know I did this for my own gain, but it¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t want to help Maria or any of the people we saved.  I brought Zoe with me; I defended Scarlet ... really like Scarlet, and Maria¡¯s growing on me. Fiona¡¯s sweet, and it wouldn¡¯t be bad to have her around ¡­ what am I even thinking?


    Scratching her left eyebrow, she groaned at the pain and shifted to massage her left shoulder and tight thighs, trying to relax.  Scarlet wanted to be friends, and I said I¡¯d like that.  It¡¯s such a simple concept; everyone had friends, but ¡­ I tried to avoid connections.  Be courteous to people, but never get close; focus on my schooling, release stress with training.  It was all so simple and I never once regretted it ¡­ hated Alexa getting in the way of it all. She disrupted my rhythm ¡­ now, this has.


    I can¡¯t lie to myself and think I can just return to school.  I can only plan for the present and what little information I can gather ¡­ no wonder I subconsciously put so many points into my hearing; my hearing is the one thing that can get me through this crisis.  What I need is information, but I don¡¯t hear anything really new or pressing to us. Ma?lle and Kyle are asleep, while Anthony¡¯s practicing some kind of spear moves in a room by himself.


    She listened to a few conversations, but it wasn¡¯t anything she hadn¡¯t already heard or puzzled out; there were just reporting information that she¡¯d already uncovered.  After a few seconds of filtering between voices, she stopped on Scarlet and Fiona.


    ¡°... do you mean, Brion¡¯s going to be hungry?  Is that a pet you have?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s my cat ¡­ he freaking almost killed me at first.  Apparently, I don¡¯t smell like I used to; that¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve noticed about animals, they focus more on smell than sight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right; I remember Rachel told us that you were controlling rats to break you out of that fish tank.¡±  She giggled. ¡°The infamous Fairy breaking out of her glass prison.¡±


    ¡°Poor guys,¡± Fiona whispered.  ¡°Two of them were pretty rude, but the rest were nice.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Scarlet¡¯s tone dropped an octave.  ¡°Animals have different personalities and can understand a lot of stuff?¡±


    ¡°Kind of,¡± Fiona paused.  ¡°How do I explain it? They can learn things; like the rats were pretty easy to train with my commands, but it¡¯s not like they had the imagination to do things themselves.  It¡¯s like how you can train a dog to do certain things, but they actually don¡¯t understand a lot about it¡ªmy skin and hair are so soft.¡±


    ¡°That right?  What¡¯s it like seeing people now¡ªbeing so small?  Is it like Jack and the Beanstalk or Thumbelina?  Everything¡¯s super big and intimidating, and we¡¯re giants?¡±


    ¡°Kind of ¡­ I really liked Thumbelina, and now I know what it feels like.  I mean, when you¡¯re looking at a cat that¡¯s the size of a house or you¡ªI mean, you¡¯re as tall as like¡ªlike a skyscraper!  I¡¯m three inches tall, and you¡¯re like sixty-two inches tall.¡±


    Scarlet hummed as she washed her hair.  ¡°Yeah, I can see that¡ªI¡¯m five-one, actually ¡­ so, I¡¯m more than twenty times your height.  That¡¯s like me looking up at eleven or twelve-story buildings ¡­ Rachel must seem massive with how big her ears are, and people that are six-foot-plus.¡±


    ¡°See, this sink is like a full-blown swimming pool that¡¯s about three and a half to four and a half meters deep.  Plus, I¡¯m super weak; cat treats that I used to think weighed nothing are now like five or fifteen-pound bricks ¡­ it¡¯s discouraging.¡±  She mumbled.


    ¡°Maybe we can fix that; don¡¯t think I¡¯m making fun of you, but we could get a toothpick and some marshmallows.  Maybe you can work up your strength a bit?¡±


    Fiona chuckled mirthlessly.  ¡°Thanks for the thought, but I don¡¯t think adding one or two marshmallows is going to make much difference; it won¡¯t help me push that door open and closed.¡±  She breathed a deep sigh. ¡°I just need to accept that my life¡¯s changed¡ªI have to learn to deal with it; fixating on what I can¡¯t do anymore will just drive me insane.  What about you?¡±


    ¡°Me?  What about me?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Fiona huffed.  ¡°You always talk about everyone else; tell me how you¡¯re feeling about your change.  I got small and weak, but I can use magic, and my main source of food is sugar ¡­ what girl wouldn¡¯t like that?  So¡ªwhat about you?¡±


    ¡°What about me,¡± Scarlet trailed off.  A soft laugh escaped her throat. ¡°It¡¯s different; I mean, I can do this.¡±


    ¡°Oh, holding the showerhead with your blood; that¡¯s cool.¡±


    ¡°I guess ¡­ it takes some concentration since I¡¯m manipulating my blood manually instead of using a preset weapon type, but since my Blood Manipulation proficiency is maxed, it¡¯s easier.¡±


    ¡°Proficiency?  Do I have ¡­ holy snapdragon¡ªmy skills have proficiencies?  Wait ¡­ you¡¯re just trying to distract me! Tell me how you feel¡ªthen tell me about these proficiencies.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s laugh was sad.  ¡°Yeah¡ªI¡¯m dodging the question.  How should I even answer? I don¡¯t see the same; my vision is tinted red.  I can smell odd things that I couldn¡¯t when I was human. My teeth ache ¡­ it¡¯s hard to describe; as I use my energy, barbs stick under my fangs and stab me, over and over again.  It¡¯s not bad if I drank a lot of blood, but as my energy drops, the pulse increases¡ªdigging, jabbing, and clenching my jaw just makes it worse.¡±


    ¡°That sounds terrible ¡­ I just get really weak when I¡¯m low on energy.  I feel a little numb, and my mind starts to drift.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just one thing, though,¡± Scarlet mumbled, shifting her hair out of the way to wash her body.  ¡°Emotion¡ªwell, just negative emotion¡ªit pokes me, jabs and tickles my skin, and it feels good ¡­ weird kind of good.  It makes me want to taste it¡ªthat¡¯s another thing, how blood tastes. Every person¡¯s blood smells different, tastes different, and it¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s intoxicating.


    ¡°I can taste and feel their temperament; it¡¯s almost like all five senses can be experienced in just absorbing blood.  I can convert that experience into energy though or let it filter through me in a strange mixture of emotions¡ªI can even tell if people used drugs ¡­ that part of the taste is¡ªdifferent.  It¡¯s not bad, but not great ¡­ just kind of numbing.¡±


    ¡°Sugar¡¯s a bit different for me; it¡¯s more ¡­ colorful.  When I eat it; it¡¯s like color is exploding in my mouth ¡­ it sounds less odd than it feels.  Kind of like that commercial, taste the rainbow.  I can tell the difference in the sugar I eat; how refined it is, the size of the grain.  It¡¯s actually pretty complex; every bite tends to have something different.¡±


    ¡°Sounds magical,¡± Scarlet giggled, but it dropped a bit as she rubbed her arm; water splashing around her.  ¡°I¡¯m cold, but I don¡¯t feel cold. When I touch my arm, there¡¯s no heat; I know that, but the cold doesn¡¯t affect me.  It was the same when I was near this ice-guy; it was super cold around me, but I wasn¡¯t affected. I¡¯m sure¡ªyup, I have some Cold Resistance.


    ¡°This Lizard-guy told me I don¡¯t have any body heat ¡­ how is that going to affect relationships?  I mean¡ªhow can I even think about that when¡ªit¡¯s stupid.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not!¡±  Fiona yelled, heat in her voice rising.  ¡°I¡¯m worried about relationships too! It isn¡¯t fair; not at all!  We both don¡¯t know how this will affect the rest of our lives¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Scarlet breathed out a long breath.  ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªI just¡ªdon¡¯t want to focus on all the bad things, because there¡¯s so much.  I hate it¡ªI hate being a Vampire, but¡ªI loved being a Reaper.¡±


    ¡°Huh?  Reaper?¡±  Fiona asked, rubbing her body with something, likely soap.


    ¡°When I fought Relica, I needed something to hide from her sunlight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Rachel did mention that you had a shadow ability that helped you fight the sunlight Relica used.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, but I think Rachel was trying to hide a lot of my fight¡ªthere was a lot of information that could scare people.  Like¡ªGuise of the Reaper; it¡¯s an ability that basically turns me into a baseline Grim Reaper. I can see Life Force¡ªsteal it even; I have a reserve of Life Force, but I can¡¯t use it because I don¡¯t have an ability for it.  I stole the Life Force from the people Relica mutated ¡­ those poor people.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªthose monsters were real people?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Scarlet muttered, swallowing hard.  ¡°Relica experimented on them¡ªbroke them mentally and changed their bodies; she linked them to her own Life Force to act as shields.  She was¡ªif I hadn¡¯t faced ¡­ she¡¯s the second scariest person I¡¯ve ever met. Obsessed with knowledge and willing to do anything to get it.  I was so scared¡ªshe was so close¡ªthat close to turning me into a slave¡ªlike those...¡± She trailed off.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay ¡­ I haven¡¯t met many people since moving here¡ªI don¡¯t make friends that well.¡±  Fiona whispered.


    ¡°What?  I thought you were a Streamer and YouTuber, and what about Erica?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s different ¡­ that¡¯s just a bunch of names that I talk to.  I don¡¯t know any of them, not really¡ªand they don¡¯t know me. They¡¯re a great community, and I¡¯m happy to talk with them, but it¡¯s not the same as like¡ªlike being with my sister.¡±  She swallowed, sniffing as her voice cracked a little. ¡°I didn¡¯t even want to move to the U.S.¡±


    ¡°Then why¡¯d you leave Ireland?¡±  Scarlet asked, shutting off the water and drying herself off.


    ¡°My parents thought it¡¯d be good for me to get away¡ªsee the world more.  Erica was moving here because she was offered a position with a firm and she handled almost all my legal stuff ¡­ so, I kind of convinced myself to come over.  I was making enough money to support myself and had enough savings¡ªbut I just didn¡¯t want to go out.¡±


    ¡°I get you,¡± Scarlet said, standing a bit away from the mirror as she combed her hair.  ¡°A bunch of my friends graduated high school and went off to college or got jobs, but¡ªI kind of hid up in my room and focused on¡ªon annoying my parents.  I just didn¡¯t feel like doing much¡ªI draw, and I liked drawing, but I was just kind of floating.¡±


    ¡°What kind of¡­¡±


    Rachel opened her eyes, breathing a long puff of air as she heard someone break away from the flow of agents to stand a few feet away from her.  He was a dark-haired man with a standard suit without the jacket, blue tie held down by a gold-colored clip. He was at least an inch or two taller than her.


    ¡°What are you doing here?  You¡¯re the Lunar Hare, and that¡¯s the Unicorn next to you, correct?¡±


    Running a hand through her hair, Rachel resisted a wince as the movement irritated her sore muscles, but Bree answered before she could.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about things that don¡¯t concern you; if you want answers, go talk to Special Agent David.¡±


    The man¡¯s muscles tightened defensively, but he nodded and walked off.


    Smiling at her, Rachel chuckled weakly.  ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Well, it was none of his business,¡± Bree whispered, leaning back and closing her eyes.


    That was pretty brisk, but I guess she¡¯s stressed too.


    Rachel looked up as she heard a helicopter enter the airspace, landing atop the building and the name spoken piqued her interest.  General Dallas just showed up?  He¡¯s a four-star general; why would he come here and not the other major military bases with the Colonels or Majors nearby?  There are people in this office that have been sending him information about us and the other Mythickin and Legendkin.


    She leaned back again, sighing as she closed her eyes and listened to General Dallas.  He exited the vehicle alone, meeting someone on the roof that saluted him. Dallas¡¯ voice seemed aged, and his tone was hard but cheerful.


    ¡°Special Agent Johnson, it¡¯s been too long.  Last time I saw you, you were leaving Iraq a war hero.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, General; it¡¯s thanks to you that I managed to transition back in the States, and it was your recommendation that got me accepted into the department.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, your record speaks for itself; so, you have those files I requested.¡±


    ¡°Yes, General.  I¡¯m a little shocked the President signed off on your involvement.  I heard that your program was shot down?¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t make it as a four-star General without a lot of friends,¡± he chuckled, taking some files as he was escorted into the building.  ¡°By the way, has your office heard the good news about Special Agent David?¡±


    ¡°No, what good news?¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he muttered.  ¡°Well, you¡¯ll all hear soon enough,¡± he laughed.  ¡°So, I take it that Assistant Director Kelley knows I¡¯m here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s awaiting you in her office.¡±


    ¡°Excellent, lead the way.¡±


    This could be trouble ¡­ his proposal was shut down by the President, but he has something else brewing.


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 B2 — 5. General Dallas

    Rachel kept her eyes closed as she rested her head against the glass, hair pulled over her shoulder as more agents continued to enter the building; she could hear the low mutters, questioning why they were there as people past Maria, Bree, and her.  Bree kept her lax composure, obviously tired herself, while Maria¡¯s nearly inaudible breathes left her lungs.


    She wasn¡¯t concerned about her surroundings; her ears tracked General Dallas as Johnson guided him to Assistant Director Kelley¡¯s office.  His presence seemed to cause as much gossip as she did as agents caught sight of him, but the General stayed silent through the entire trip.


    A few of the whispers caused her ears to twitch and tail to shift uneasily.  ¡°Hey, is that General Dallas? What¡¯s he doing here; isn¡¯t he supposed to be dealing with the Southern border crisis?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I thought there were thousands of people trying to run the border?¡±


    ¡°I heard they were using some shady methods, though; my cousin phoned in, and apparently they¡¯re using people with powers ¡­ even a Legendkin.¡±


    Several other accusations were being thrown around, from killing hundreds of people to obscure past speculations of incidents overseas he was rumored to be a part of, but much of it sounded like conspiracies.  However, the thing that everyone agreed on was that he planned on using the people with powers as soon as possible.


    Bree groaned, stretching and puffing out a long sigh.  ¡°I haven¡¯t slept in like thirty hours ¡­ I know that¡¯s just me complaining, but I can¡¯t help being tired.¡±


    Keeping track of both Dallas and Bree was a little difficult.  ¡°That right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ I woke up after The Oscillation happened; when I figured out what was happening, I rushed to the office.  Well¡ªJonas¡¯ place was along the way.¡±


    She fell silent again, bending forward to stretch out her back.  Rachel pursed her lips as Dallas moved buildings. What¡¯s his plan?  Does he want us to go back with him to the border and help out or something else?  There¡¯s a lot of speculation, and his image is kind of low in general within the FBI because he¡¯s not afraid to use the people that changed.  There¡¯s no doubt that he¡¯s here for us.


    ¡°Rachel¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  She rumbled a hum in her throat, still trying to catch anything important in regards to Dallas¡¯ plan.


    ¡°What¡¯s it like¡ªthe change?  I know Jonas hasn¡¯t changed physically, but ¡­ what¡¯s it like for you?¡±


    She rubbed the base of her left ear with another low hum.  ¡°It¡¯s kind of¡ªdifficult to explain. My human ears are gone ¡­ now that I think about it, it¡¯s kind of annoying not being able to pull my hair back behind them, but at least my hair always goes back to the same shape, and it doesn¡¯t bother me that much.


    ¡°My ears, though ¡­ like I said, it¡¯s hard to explain; hearing from so many places and being able to instantly know how to filter sounds, identify directions, subconsciously look for keywords to focus on¡ªI mean, I hear the popping in people¡¯s joints and stretching of their muscles.  Yet¡ªit¡¯s not odd or strange to me¡ªit¡¯s like I¡¯ve known it my entire life; I can move my ears without a thought, and my tail is no different than my fingers. It¡¯s all natural to me.


    ¡°Moving fast, seeing everything in focus¡ªeverything¡¯s natural, but I know it shouldn¡¯t be.  I¡¯m the same person I was last week, but¡ªI¡¯m not; it¡¯s the strangest feeling, but it¡¯s not like I can fix it or go back.  I¡¯ve more or less accepted that this is how it will be now, but there are still things I need to work through. I don¡¯t know so much about myself now, but I do know a lot¡­¡±


    She trailed off, causing Bree to suck on her lower lip.  After a moment, she took in a deep breath before slowly puffing it out.  ¡°Yeah¡ªI guess it is complicated; none of us know how this really works. By the way, you can go take a shower; I¡¯ll stay with Maria.¡±


    Rachel hesitated.  You¡¯re kidding me ¡­ both of my options are good, and I don¡¯t want to give them up.  I can build further trust with Bree right now, but I also need a quiet place to listen and strategize for whatever Dallas is planning.  I need to focus on the conversation with Kelley. Bree has opened up a lot already, though ¡­ I guess it¡¯ll be best to focus on Dallas.


    Running both hands through her hair, she felt each lock slide past her skin as she pulled it behind her back.  ¡°That sounds nice, Bree. I¡¯d really like to talk to you about this, but the call of a shower¡­¡±


    Bree giggled, and Rachel¡¯s voice softened.  ¡°Give me a little time, and perhaps we can sit down together; maybe after we both get some sleep.¡±  She chuckled tiredly, rubbing her sore left bicep.


    ¡°Yeah, I think I¡¯d like that,¡± Bree said, smiling tiredly.


    Getting up, Rachel lifted both arms, feeling the pleasant and unpleasant burns break across her body.  ¡°I really hope Maria gets well soon,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m so sore¡­¡±


    Bree hummed her acceptance, waving her off.  ¡°Have a nice shower.¡±


    Rachel slowly walked back the way she¡¯d come; Fiona was trying to help Scarlet figure out how to properly put on the Cheongsam.  She turned her attention back to the General as he entered Kelley¡¯s secretary¡¯s office, Johnson opening the door for him.  She tried to distinguish between every sound that fed back into her ears, discerning what actions she could from the scene.


    The secretary spoke before both men.  ¡°General Dallas, Assistant Director Kelley is waiting for you.  You can step right through.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lora.¡±  He paused halfway to the door.  ¡°Ah, Johnson, could you wait for me to finish.  I¡¯ll probably need your assistance.¡±


    ¡°Of course, General,¡± Johnson replied, taking a seat in one of the chairs by the door.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Dallas opened the door to Kelley¡¯s office, shutting it behind him; he straightened his jacket and sucked on the roof of his mouth, a soft chuckle escaping his throat as he walked further into the room.


    The woman¡¯s voice that greeted him was filled with exhaustion and left the impression that she was advanced in years.  She groaned at his entrance, leaning back in her chair. ¡°Dammit, Tom, why¡¯d you have to come here? I¡¯ve got enough problems.¡±


    Tom yawned a soft laugh.  ¡°Nice to see you too, Ruth; well, you happen to meet all the right criteria.  You know how it is.¡± He sighed tiredly. ¡°Some of your load is about to be dropped too, for better or for worse.¡±


    She leaned forward, rubbing her face with a low moan.  ¡°What¡¯s happening at the White House?¡± Wrapping her fingernails against the desk for a moment, she shifted in her seat.  ¡°New department?¡±


    Something creaked as Tom leaned against a chair in front of Ruth¡¯s desk.  ¡°Well, obviously¡ªthe president is putting together a new department to deal with The Oscillation cases; not surprising, but guess who got picked among the candidates for Assistant Director.¡±


    ¡°David,¡± Ruth muttered.  ¡°It makes sense; he was cleared for the position as a potential candidate last month.  I¡¯m sure the thoughts been rolling around his own head.¡±


    ¡°If he chooses to take it, then he¡¯d be in a hell of a spot.  I would have chosen Decker, personally¡ªbut you take what you can get.¡±  Tom huffed. ¡°David isn¡¯t the worst choice.¡±


    Ruth grunted, shifting her legs in the opposite direction before leaning further back.  ¡°At least I¡¯ll get a lot of this shit off my desk. There¡¯s a lot of unrest in my department right now with all this information flooding in.  So, what stars aligned that allowed you to be in front of my desk right now? You¡¯re a busy man, Tom; what¡¯s caught the president¡¯s interest?¡±


    Tom chuckled, tossing the folders atop her desk.  ¡°Straight to the point.¡± He clicked his tongue, walking to the windows.  ¡°You¡¯ve got a nice view; it¡¯s better than the last building¡ªkeep the information scarce.¡±


    Ruth opened the files, reading through the information, they both went silent.  After a moment, Ruth grunted, scratching her scalp as a low rumble reverberated in her throat.  ¡°Shit ¡­ how the hell did you get all of this information? It¡¯s damn terrifying if all of it¡¯s true.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Tom puffed it out.  ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but that¡¯s not our main concern; at least not right now.  We have a whole lot of shit happening around the world; that first file you read, keep your lips sealed ¡­ I had to get a Presidential seal to show you those.¡±


    ¡°Dammit, Tom ¡­ what are you getting me wrapped up in?  This is scary shit; apocalyptic shit ¡­ fucking makes everything up ¡®till now look like a picnic shit.¡±


    He was silent for a moment as he continued staring through the windows.  ¡°I know¡ªthat¡¯s why I¡¯m here.  Open up the second file.¡±


    She complied, smacking her lips before breathing through her teeth.  ¡°The Mythickin and Legendkin ¡­ I knew your visit had something to do with them.  You¡¯ve got even more information than I¡¯ve been briefed on¡ªdamn, this Rachel...¡±


    Her tone lowered.  ¡°I¡¯ve been updated on the Lunar Hare¡¯s abilities; apparently she¡¯s got super hearing ¡­ probably listening in on everything in the base, us included.¡±


    Tom¡¯s tone turned pleasant.  ¡°I¡¯d be disappointed if she wasn¡¯t.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed as she slowed, leaning up against a pillar to look down at the walkway between the glass buildings.  She was halfway back to Scarlet and Fiona. They were talking with Serah; Scarlet had already located her and knew she was on her way back, so they were waiting for her return.


    So, Tom knows a lot about our abilities; he is one of the highest-ranking members in the Military, so there¡¯s no doubt he¡¯d have everything at his disposal.  What¡¯s in that report, though? Apocalyptic shit¡ªwhat¡¯s worse than what we¡¯ve already been through ¡­ a second Oscillation or something worse?


    Tom cracked his neck.  ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, Ruth, I was skeptical myself, at first, but we need to prepare for whatever might come.  We don¡¯t have all the pieces, but enough to make everyone start moving; as far as I¡¯m aware, we¡¯re the only government to pick up on it, but everyone¡¯s trying to hide something.


    ¡°The U.K. is keeping that massive tree tight-lipped.  We¡¯ve tried to use our satellites, but the thing¡¯s too massive ¡­ CIA was able to get some useful information, though, and the shit that¡¯s happening in South America and Russia ¡­ we need to restore order and get the proper information out¡ªin a way that won¡¯t spark panic.


    ¡°For the most part, we¡¯re getting everything under control, but the rest of the world is in shambles.  The border is currently secure; we need to take care of our own citizens before thinking about others.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the right choice, even if it¡¯s hard to hear,¡± Ruth muttered.  ¡°So, how freely can we speak if the Lunar Hare is listening in on us?  Obviously, you¡¯re not worried about some information.¡±


    ¡°Most of what I¡¯ve talked about either will hit your office soon, or you have agents already talking about it; speak your mind,¡± Tom stated.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything other than that first file.¡±


    ¡°Glad to hear ¡­ my head hurts just thinking about it¡ªI¡¯d like to forget that subject.  Let the president and the Cabinet worry about it. What¡¯s the deal with the Mythickin then?  It looks like you¡¯re primarily focused on the four involved with the South Beach incident, but you have a lot more data on others throughout the States ¡­ looks like you¡¯re already poaching them from other countries too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound so bad,¡± Tom grunted.  ¡°We¡¯re offering citizenship to others and giving them the choice of extraction out of their home country; it¡¯s not like we¡¯re kidnapping them.¡±


    ¡°Right, right,¡± Ruth mumbled, flipping through a few more folders.


    Walking over to the desk, Tom sat in a chair across from Ruth, folding his legs.  ¡°From the data compiled, we¡¯ve got to act fast. It was actually a lot of the reports I received from the psychologist, Doctor Richards, that made me shoot the gun and come over here.


    ¡°However, yes, I¡¯ve talked with every soldier that interacted with them and had the teams working around the clock to dig up as much information as they could.  To be frank, they¡¯re perfect candidates for Special Forces, but I doubt they¡¯ll be interested in that direction from the profile.¡±


    ¡°Oh, got a profile already?  Did you hear about the recent report?¡±  Ruth asked with a short chuckle.


    ¡°Hmm, what recent report?¡±


    ¡°Not surprising; it was delivered a few minutes before you showed up.¡±  Tom waited patiently as Ruth took a drink of something. ¡°David just informed me that the Lunar Hare had some demands and knew quite a bit; she knew about your plan for a Mythickin squad and told the agents escorting them that they weren¡¯t interested.  They want to be treated as U.S. citizens like the president indicated they would be; if we¡¯re charging them with anything, they want legal counsel.¡±


    Tom chuckled deeply.  ¡°She¡¯s better than I thought¡ªa perfect candidate.  From what I¡¯ve gathered, Rachel is intelligent, but also strategic and able to detach herself emotionally from a situation.  Not perfect, but for a normal citizen with no combat experience to handle the situation in South Beach, and as ruthlessly as the report shows ¡­ phenomenal.


    ¡°Not only that but the others and their dynamic abilities are nothing to scoff at; they functioned as a decent team from what an on-site Captain told me.  Every soldier that¡¯s interacted with them has spoken with respect; it¡¯s not easy to gain the respect of SEALs and Green Berets.¡±


    Ruth hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°You don¡¯t think they¡¯re dangerous?  They haven¡¯t even had their psych evaluation.¡±


    ¡°Dangerous?¡±  Tom snorted. ¡°Ruth, a SEAL is lethal but controlled, disciplined.  Did you see the psych notes from Doctor Richard?¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t appointed by me and doesn¡¯t have security clearance.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Tom shrugged, ¡°but he is qualified, and his report is quite detailed.  I think that Rachel is very methodical, and if you treat her like an enemy, then you will be dealt with in turn as an enemy; political or otherwise; I believe she has the means to adapt to most circumstances.  She¡¯s a perfect soldier, but it is clear that she does have her own issues to work through as stated in the report.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Ruth groaned.  ¡°That first file was meant to show me that you¡¯ve been given a lot more clearance and power than what I¡¯ve heard ¡­ the game has changed.  It almost seems like you expected something like this to happen¡­¡±


    Tom¡¯s tone turned serious.  ¡°Murphy''s Law.¡±


    ¡°Always preparing¡ªso, what do you need from me, Tom?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty obvious¡ªI want to sit down and have a chat with Rachel; off-camera, complete black book, and then I¡¯ll let you know how my plan changes.  David can hamper me a bit, which is why I needed to get ahead of his promotion. He¡¯d want to be roped into all of this, and once he¡¯s Assistant Director, he¡¯ll have the clearance for at least that much, but right now, you¡¯re in command, and I¡¯ve known you a hell of a lot longer than him.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Ruth said, rubbing between her eyes again.  ¡°They¡¯ve requested some time to rest, and the psychologist the Director suggested won¡¯t be here until the afternoon.  I know you have a lot of weight at the Pentagon, Congress, and White House. You¡¯re not the hasty type, though ¡­ there are people in power trying to block you, isn¡¯t there.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there always,¡± Tom muttered.  ¡°It¡¯s best I get what I can while Martial Law is in effect.¡±


    She nodded.  ¡°Shoot while you have the gun in hand; makes sense.¡±


    Rachel breathed out a long sigh as she stared at the ground.  This didn¡¯t turn out anything like I planned.  There¡¯s something big happening behind the scenes.  There¡¯s no use speculating on it right now if it¡¯s this classified; if an FBI Assistant Director isn¡¯t qualified enough to know about it, then no one nearby would.  He¡¯s going to come to me, and I can ask him directly. He wants something from me, but what is it, and what can he offer?


    She made her way back to the shower, catching sight of Scarlet, Fiona, and Serah sitting on the couches outside the bathroom.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Scarlet waved, rising to show off her gown.  She did a quick twirl that made her black hair and dress fold around her body, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Fiona floated above her, doing a similar spin with her dress.  ¡°Isn¡¯t she gorgeous?¡±


    Rachel smiled, closing the distance.  ¡°Yeah, it really suits you ¡­ by the way, I just realized it, but aren¡¯t we going to get some sleep soon?  Isn¡¯t dressing up a little much?¡±


    Both Fiona and Scarlet¡¯s features froze before Scarlet muttered, ¡°Oh ¡­ yeah.  I kind of forgot.¡±


    Giggling, Rachel shrugged.  ¡°You can just take it off and sleep in your underwear.  It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±  Fiona whispered. ¡°There weren''t any small underwear for me¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel sucked on her lip.  ¡°In the nude then.¡± Fiona looked mortified as she quickly looked around for prying ears, cheeks burning.  ¡°What else do you want me to say?¡±


    Serah looked amused as she joined them.  ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that big of a deal.  Who would even notice you?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s ears drooped a little as her features fell.  ¡°Well¡ªwhy don¡¯t you make me feel even more depressed.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Scarlet soothed, shifting to the left to look up at her.  ¡°They don¡¯t mean you¡¯re not pretty; you¡¯re just¡ªsmall. People wouldn¡¯t notice you that well.¡±


    ¡°Not helping,¡± Fiona whispered.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± they all said in unison.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡ªwhatever¡­¡±  She mumbled, floating to the pillows on the couch to plop into one, wings vanishing.


    Feeling a little bad, Rachel scratched her neck.  ¡°So¡ªMaria¡¯s waiting for the sun to come up. It¡¯s rising right now, so¡ªScarlet, you should probably get into a closed-off room.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Serah¡¯s eyebrows came together.  ¡°You¡¯re saying sunlight actually hurts her?¡±


    Scarlet nodded gravely.  ¡°It burns¡ªreally burns, but the worst part is the loss in my energy ¡­ it makes my teeth pulse, my stomach turn, and my skin itch.¡±


    ¡°Sounds horrible¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyways, Scarlet, you and Fiona find a room to get ready.  I¡¯m going to take a shower and meet you there. I¡¯m sure Maria will join us when she gets some sunlight.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Scarlet beamed, glancing at Fiona; her cheeks were puffy as she laid against the pillow.  ¡°So¡ªumm, Fiona, would you like to tell me more about your sister?¡±


    Her depression faded in an instantly; her wings appeared, and she rose back into the air.  ¡°Yeah! What do you want to know?¡±


    Rachel moved to the bathroom door, waving at the three women.  ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you in a bit.¡±


    The three of them smiled and waved.  Walking inside, Rachel looked around at the damp space before locking the door; her chosen clothes were still in the corner with Maria¡¯s.  Taking a deep breath, she undressed, wincing as her clothes slid past bruises and cuts.


    She did a quick inspection of her body in the mirror, pulling her hair to the side to get a better view of her back; there were strange gray marks across her back that she assumed were her version of bruising, and several cuts had light white scabs across their length.


    Her fingers traced a few gray spots along her lower back, the needle-like pain causing her to wince.  After a moment, she turned her attention to her figure. I¡¯ve lost a lot of hard muscle, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not tone ¡­ wait, did my butt get a little bigger.  Well then, alright. My legs were a bit long, to begin with, but I feel like I might have actually grown an inch from my legs alone.


    She released her hair with a light sigh.  Why do I even care?  I guess it¡¯s just crazy to think about.  Her vision shifted to the corner, centering on the bag of pads Scarlet had found by two white towels.  Do our bodies even function the same anymore?  I haven¡¯t felt like I needed pads, but who knows ¡­ better to be safe.


    Moaning, she cupped her neck with both hands, rolling her head.  I¡¯m sure the others have the same questions.


    Rachel¡¯s ears folded a little as she scratched her neck; Tom was briefed on the recent report Bree had given, and her request to the Military regarding the women frozen in ice.  He was currently talking with Johnson, setting up a room for them to meet in before Johnson asked around for her whereabouts.


    Starting the shower, she tensed as the water slid past her cuts, but it didn¡¯t hurt as much as she expected.  The water was cold, but with her Cold Resistance, she didn¡¯t even lock up. She hummed as the liquid slid down her smooth skin and soaked into her thick hair, sticking at her back.  Cold water isn¡¯t that bad; it¡¯s actually pretty refreshing.


    Washing her hair and body, Rachel dried herself off; the water in her hair absorbed into the towel like a sponge, soaking it.  Dressing in the attire she¡¯d chosen, she stretched out, looking down to catch a few cuts oozing white blood.


    Moaning, she took out some paper towels and dabbed at the blood, frowning at the thick liquid.  My body¡¯s so strange now ¡­ maybe I should ask Scarlet how it differs from humans.  That might be interesting; maybe I have different vital organ placement.


    Yawning, she stretched out her core and threw away her torn clothes before looking at her reflection in the mirror.  The white shirt was thick enough not to show the black sports bra underneath but was tight enough to show a light impression.  Her black shorts stopped at her upper thighs, showing off her long white legs, and her black, and white Nike¡¯s matched the color scheme of her white skin to black clothes.


    She left the bathroom, the bag of pads pressed against her left side; she kept her features neutral as she caught sight of Tom, sitting on the couch across the hall.  Johnson sat beside him; his vision quickly scanned her features.


    Tom smiled, eyes darting up her body before settling on the pads for a moment, and finally moving up to her face.  He sat back, posture relaxed, but his scent and minute twitches gave him away; his muscles told her that he was nervous.  ¡°Rachel, I take it you¡¯ve been keeping tabs. Why don¡¯t we go somewhere a little more private?¡±


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 B2 — 6. A General’s Prediction

    Rachel shifted the bag of pads in her hand, lips dropping into a slight frown as she stared at both men.


    Playing dumb won¡¯t help my case; he expects me to know everything he¡¯s talked about since arriving.  He thinks I¡¯ll make a perfect soldier, or he could be using that tactic to try throwing me off before negotiations.  If I mentioned anything about his discussion with Ruth, then he¡¯ll know for sure, but at the same time should I play into that?  He holds some of the highest power in the U.S. at the moment; I need to be careful.


    General Tom Dallas was an aged man; his bald head and clean-shaven face gave him a serious expression; he put off the hard vibe of a military man, and Rachel knew from his movements that he was well trained.  She could tell he had gone through several surgeries, and his body was worn, but his balance and footing were sure.  His blue eyes were sharp, sizing her up the moment she came into view, and for his advanced years, his body was toned.


    ¡°Lead the way,¡± she said, setting the pads down by the door.  ¡°I assume someone else will be by to pick these up?¡±


    The General took a deep breath, rising to his feet.  His fitted dark green jacket was peppered with colors and medals, showing his rank and achievements; he filled out the suit well and stood at least four inches taller than her at the head, but her ears far outstripped him.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he held out his hand, smile still in place.  ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Rachel.¡±


    She took his hand, her features pacifying; she met his hard grip.  ¡°Let¡¯s save the pleasantries until after you¡¯ve delivered your proposal.¡±  She spoke without bite, but the words cut past the cordial pretense and struck at the matter underneath.


    Johnson¡¯s smile dropped, but Tom¡¯s increased, interest alive in his tone.  ¡°Strong grip and words; a power play,¡± he was silent for a moment as he stared into her large light red irises, faint pink petals inside surrounding radiant white halos around the inner deep-red pupil.  ¡°You¡¯ve got unique eyes; pretty, but there¡¯s an edge under there that I¡¯ve seen in many trained men.¡±


    Releasing her hand, he turned to the other man.  ¡°Johnson, I think that¡¯s everything I need.¡±


    His brown eyes shot a glare in her direction before he saluted, turned, and walked off, disappearing around the left corner.  She noticed the faint glow of the sun shining off the opposite building¡¯s reflected glass.


    I don¡¯t know if that was the proper play; yes, it was more of a power move, but was it worth Johnson¡¯s first impression?  He obviously respects Tom to the highest degree and saw my statement as disrespectful.  I can¡¯t worry about his feelings though; my first impression to Tom is what¡¯s important.  He already has an image of me from his report, but he¡¯s looking to match it to the actual person.


    Turning the opposite way, Tom motioned in the direction.  ¡°If you could follow me.¡±


    She fell into step beside him, feeling a slight pressure her black shorts made against the bottom of her tail and how her shirt tickled the furry tip as the mild breeze she generated flared the back.  Maybe I should have picked something I could cut a hole in and a shorter shirt¡­


    Her attention was diverted as Tom hummed next to her; walking with Tom was causing a lot of rumors.  The apprehension they were generating was picking up as agents whispered among their co-workers.


    Tom¡¯s tone was neutral on the surface, but she could sense the slight disdain underneath.  ¡°What¡¯s your opinion on the FBI right now?¡±


    Rachel kept pace with the man as he moved toward the staircase instead of an elevator to their left; the wide hallways gave plenty of room to walk, and many of the office blinds were closed, voices heard in most as groups of teams worked to address different issues.


    The information itself isn¡¯t likely his main objective; he¡¯s trying to figure out how my mind works and where I¡¯ve been putting my focus.  It¡¯s obvious that they aren¡¯t happy with Mythickin or Tom.


    ¡°Naturally, the climate here at the FBI is unfavorable toward us; however, we¡¯ve been able to have a decent discussion with some agents.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  I assume it was with those two special agents sent to guide you around; what were their names?  I believe it was Special Agents Hughes and Bailey.¡±


    She nodded.  ¡°Those are their names.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he mused, rubbing his hairless chin.  ¡°I¡¯ve looked at a lot of the Special Agents that were possible candidates for the new department.  What do you think about David?¡±


    He¡¯s trying to trip me up; leading the discussion into David could bring up the new department ¡­ is he trying to get what information I¡¯ve been able to discover about him?  He told Ruth that he didn¡¯t know or trust David, but that entire conversation could have been fabricated for all I know.  The files he showed her could have been a script since he already knew about my hearing.


    She resisted a frown as her vision caught the files held against Tom¡¯s left side; he opened the door to the staircase, waiting for her to walk through.  She paused for him to retake the lead, keeping her passive posture.  ¡°I don¡¯t know much about him.  He has the respect of many agents within the building, and so far seems fairly neutral.  He is cautious of us, but no more than you.¡±


    A smirk lit his left cheek as they moved up to the third level.  ¡°I see.  Good to know.¡±


    Rachel kept her eyes forward, but she was studying the sound his muscles made as they ascended the stairs; the pain of working her thighs and calves broke some of her concentration every time she lifted her legs.


    He discovered something from my answer, but what did I give him?  He¡¯s cautious of us, but no more than you ¡­ ah, shit; I told him my perception equates their levels of caution, which isn¡¯t wrong.  Both of their reactions have been similar, which means he might not be as negative toward Mythickin and Legendkin as Tom initially thought.


    Reaching the third floor, Rachel followed Tom quietly as they moved through the halls; he seemed to be lost in thought because he didn¡¯t ask any other questions.  Agents were starting to talk about how Tom and her were connected.  She listened to several of the conversations, her exasperation building.


    The first conversation she listened to was two men that saw them pass through one of the glass office doors.


    ¡°Did you see that Mythickin with the soldier in uniform?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Erin said that a helicopter landed on the roof transporting someone from the army.  Did you see the stars on his shoulder and all those medals?  I think I saw three or four stars.¡±


    ¡°Why the hell would a four-star General be here?  Isn¡¯t there a border crisis right now, and what about the problems happening overseas?¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s with a Mythickin ¡­ wait, do you think he knows her?¡±


    ¡°Like what, his family or something?  I mean, I guess it¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, though; what other purpose would a four-star general be here for?  She could have been his daughter.¡±


    Could have been?  Like I¡¯m not someone¡¯s daughter anymore since I changed?


    ¡°Maybe ¡­ that would make a lot of sense, though; I mean, she killed all those people and is being protected.  She¡¯s not locked up; so, someone¡¯s protecting her.¡±


    Killed rapists, murderers, drug dealers, and sex traffickers, saving thousands, but sure, murdered all those victims...


    A group of two male agents and a female office worker caught sight of them as they were walking down the hall; they paused as they passed, watching them turn the corner down a hallway.


    ¡°Hey, Ben, did you see that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a four-star general; so, what Orlin said was true.  Wait, Joy, didn¡¯t you say you saw someone in a military outfit meet with the Assistant Director?¡±


    ¡°That was him,¡± Joy mumbled.  ¡°I remember some of those medals.  He went into the office with Johnson.¡±


    Ben seemed stunned.  ¡°Wait, Security Specialist Johnson; the Johnson that¡¯s in charge of the Security Division in this branch Johnson?¡±


    The first man scratched the back of his neck as the woman nodded.  ¡°Damn, but I guess he would be involved if a four-star general just pops into the facility.¡±


    Her voice began to quiver.  ¡°Why this branch?  Is he taking the Mythickin with him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Ben muttered.  ¡°They didn¡¯t have any security with him; hell, Johnson wasn¡¯t even with him.  What the hell is going on?¡±


    Joy shifted her weight nervously.  ¡°What if the Mythickin really are controlling the administration?  The Seattle Vampire could control people; we have that Succubus and Incubus downstairs too ¡­ I¡¯m scared this is just a plan to¡­¡±


    ¡°Woah,¡± the first man whispered.  ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t just jump to conclusions like that; I mean, David¡¯s running the show, right?  I trust David, and Assistant Director Kelley¡¯s tough as nails.¡±


    Ben hummed darkly.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ Shelly told me she saw a Vampire with the new Mythickin group; a pale skinned girl with fangs and black hair.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Joy¡¯s muscles tensed; Rachel could barely hear it as they turned another corner.  ¡°How the hell are we supposed to know if people are being controlled or not?¡±


    The first man groaned.  ¡°Maybe we should look more into it; I¡¯ll go ask around, just in case.¡±


    Tom opened a door, gesturing for her to enter; she filtered out the host of conspiracies and fearful conversations spiraling out of control.  This is madness.  I can understand why these people are freaking out, but how am I going to handle this?  Just this short walk with Tom has made things ten times worse.


    Scarlet¡¯s presence is starting to spread pretty fast too; Bree¡¯s dispelling a few conversations she hears and telling them to mind their stations, but it¡¯s not working.  With this new wave of people thinking their leaders are being controlled ¡­ how the fuck do I fix this?


    She walked through the door, examining the small interrogation room.  She instantly noticed the wire attached to the camera was disconnected in the top right corner.  The room had gray concrete walls and no glass separator like she¡¯d seen in the movies.  It was just a plain room with a thick metal table and two chairs.  There were a few selections of drinks on both sides of the table; there were two water bottles, some vitamin water, and energy drinks.


    She took the seat facing the door and waited; it was becoming easier to deal with her pain; the longer she concentrated on the possible threats.  The door was thick and dampened her overall hearing slightly when Tom shut it.


    ¡°Well,¡± he breathed out a heavy sigh, ¡°finally alone.¡±  Taking the seat opposite her, he tossed the small stack of folders on the table and rested his arm atop them.  ¡°I noticed your ears were twitching every-so-often; is something happening that¡¯s got you agitated?¡±


    Rachel kept the annoyance out of her voice and features.  ¡°Why would you assume that is connected to agitation?  I have to filter through a lot of conversations; I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware that I can hear for miles, and there are many reasons why they twitch.  Sometimes certain noises are louder than others, something can catch my interest, so I have to refocus my hearing, and there are multitudes of other reasons.¡±


    He huffed with amusement.  ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, Rachel; you fascinate me.¡±  Rubbing his bald head, he groaned a tired chuckle.  ¡°I¡¯ve met a few Legendkin and Mythickin in the last two days and been briefed on so many incidents and potential threats that I even started to hallucinate from the stress at one point.  Luckily, I was able to sleep on the jet ride over here and rest my brain.  You¡¯re different than the others, though¡ªmore of a maverick.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment,¡± Rachel smiled, but it soon fell into a tired sigh.  ¡°Honestly, it must be hard being the person so many look to.¡±  She shifted positions to pull her glowing white, slightly pink-hued hair over her shoulder, drawing Tom¡¯s eyes to it.  She added her own fatigued smile while playing with a lock, vision low as she looked at the soft glow.  ¡°I¡¯m rather tired myself; it¡¯s been a hard and long night.


    ¡°Being in this position ¡­ I¡¯ve had to put on a mask for most people.  When I realized the monsters we were dealing with¡ªto rescue Felix, we had to do things that we weren¡¯t proud of, and I know how it must look.  To plan for all those dangerous scenarios¡ªtrying to save as many people as possible was rough.  There were so many obstacles.  I can¡¯t help but think¡ªwho has lost and who has won?  It took some of us all we had to keep composed ¡­ some of us broke down into tears, but there were children that needed our help.¡±


    Her eyes widened as she looked into Tom¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Shit¡ªit must sound like I¡¯m just complaining, sorry.¡±  She shifted in her chair, rubbing her arm.  ¡°We just saved a few thousand people,¡± her lips fell into a concerned frown.  ¡°Our circumstances don¡¯t compare to the pressure you¡¯ve been under with hundreds of millions of people crying for help¡ªthe hard decisions you had to make; the citizens that have been changed and those that haven¡¯t are all looking to you for answers and aid.  The stress must be overwhelming.¡±


    Tom sat back, fingers rubbing the folder.  He kept his poker face, but Rachel could hear his heart rate increase, and his scent turned from nervous to interested.  ¡°That was the most I¡¯ve heard you talk since meeting you; good,¡± he licked his dry lips.  ¡°Connecting our circumstances, pulling on being the hero and victim, but painting me in the higher position to try drawing some comradery and feeding into my ego while in the process trying to draw sympathy.  Using my stress isn¡¯t a bad play given the obvious position I¡¯m in.


    ¡°The way your body reacted just now was genuine, too; that¡¯s pretty damn amazing, actually.  You¡¯re using real stress and circumstances; instantly adapting to utilize it to manipulate the situation.  I bet even Maria wouldn¡¯t be able to detect any sort of lie in that.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed as her ears pulled back a little.  ¡°I¡¯m¡ªnot lying?  I¡¯m telling you the truth; honestly, I think you¡¯re in a very stressful situation.¡±


    Tom nodded, picking up a vitamin water, he unscrewed the lip and took a sip.  ¡°Exactly,¡± he set the bottle beside the folders, tapping the side with his index finger.  ¡°You could pass a lie detection test, and any number of interrogatories would be fooled with that kind of skill; hell, even I might have if I didn¡¯t do my research.  That level of manipulation isn¡¯t easily taught in a stressful situation, and don¡¯t get me wrong; I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s bad or uncalled for.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to get a better picture of the profile I¡¯ve had working on, but I have to disagree with a few points; you really are a maverick.  I don¡¯t quite know what you¡¯re thinking, but there is a method to it; I could see myself doing something similar in your position if I had your sensory abilities.  It¡¯s smart, but not the best play if you had more information, but¡ªI trust you¡¯ll adapt as I move forward like any good maverick.¡±


    Rachel resisted swallowing as she felt this man¡¯s presence increase; she was beginning to focus more on him than her surroundings.  He¡¯s not calling me out to drop my mask, but to let me know that he¡¯s expecting even more from me.  There¡¯s already a profile he has of me, but he¡¯s not set with that information, but using it as a foundation and altering it with our interaction.  Manipulating him won¡¯t be nearly as easy as Bree and Serah; he¡¯s looking for information to add to an already present issue, though.


    He¡¯s only here to see if I can be a possible solution to those problems; he doesn¡¯t care about my circumstances, but they can be used for his own manipulations.  He really does have most of the cards; he¡¯s brilliant ¡­ I don¡¯t know how this is going to end.  I need to find more leverage.


    He¡¯s still nervous by his scent, but he¡¯s in complete control, and it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s insecure in the least ¡­ he¡¯s looking forward to how this plays out.  This man is in a position to end not just my life, but the others as well.  What do I do if he uses them as leverage or even my parents?  I don¡¯t fully understand what he even wants from me ¡­ everything with Ruth was so vague.  It could be for whatever was in that first file, but he said that wasn¡¯t the main issue, and that could have been a ploy in itself.  I don¡¯t know what angle to take with him...


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rachel closed her eyes while holding her hands against her stomach; her tail twitched as she took a deep breath and let it out in a slow stream.  Something started to burn in her chest; the pulse in her veins increased as she felt an odd sense of anticipation shoot down her arms, and a bizarre pressure compressed her throat.


    Does danger get me high now?  I have secrets I know I can¡¯t tell him, but¡ªfor some reason, my blood¡¯s getting hot as he talks, and the possibility of those secrets getting out ¡­ c¡¯mon!  Keep your grip¡ªbut why can I taste it ¡­ how much do I invest?  It¡¯s different than the thrilling sensation with Conner; this is a slow burn that makes my skin tingle and tail twitch with electricity.  Do I love playing with fire now?  If I take this route, then I¡¯ll be riding an edge I can¡¯t come back from, but there¡¯s nowhere I can run ¡­ and my legs are tensing at that prospect.


    Her relaxed posture returned as she opened her eyes and smiled.  ¡°Where do we begin?¡±


    He folded his legs, sitting more comfortably.  ¡°Tell me, what are people saying?  I noticed the looks and tense posture of the people we passed.¡±


    She hummed darkly, but her smile was still in place.  ¡°Rumors are flying around, naturally.  However, I didn¡¯t expect walking with you to make our image even worse than the documented scenes that are flooding in.  I did expect people to draw a few negative connections, but nothing like what¡¯s being spread.


    ¡°I can guess that you¡¯ve already concluded that I¡¯m doing my best to survive; there¡¯s a storm of opinions flying around, and most of it is against Mythickin¡ªthe Type I was forced to become.  There are a few voices of reason inside the chaos; however, fear is powerful, and since I¡¯ve changed, it¡¯s become more and more apparent that it¡¯s a wildfire.


    ¡°There are a few poisonous trains of thought running through FBI gossip, but public opinion is mostly positive with the testimonials of those we rescued.  The one I¡¯m most concerned about is the rumor that Mythickin and Legendkin have already compromised the government.


    ¡°More specifically, the rumor that Scarlet is manipulating Assistant Director Kelley, Special Agent David, and you; however, there is talk about Ma?lle the Succubus and Kyle the Incubus doing the manipulations.  They¡¯re conflating the abilities of Jael, the Seattle Vampire, with Scarlet.  There are a few agents and office workers that are secretly trying to do their own investigation into the matter¡ªeven one group that¡¯s currently moving closer to Carter¡¯s mindset in the building across from us.¡±


    Tom scratched his black, graying eyebrows, looking at the table.  ¡°Shit¡ªI expected that, but I didn¡¯t think it would catch on this soon.  If I remember correctly, Carter is the man that wanted to kill Scarlet because he thought she was a threat to humanity; it could also be rooted deeper with her involvement in killing his brother.  It was us being seen together that sparked this discussion about the government being compromised, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°It didn¡¯t help, most of the conversations leading that way start with us being seen together and fear of the Seattle Massacre.¡±


    Tom¡¯s vision moved to the corner of the room, sucking on his lower lip; they sat in silence for a minute.  Rachel opened one of the vitamin waters and took a sip before setting it back down.  Raspberry?  It tastes different, though ¡­ more artificial?


    Her attention shot back to Tom as he reached into his jacket; he produced a phone and pen.  Taking out a folder from the bottom of the stack, he opened it, revealing blank pieces of paper.  ¡°Could you write down the names, locations, and general conversation topic that¡¯s concerning?¡±


    Interesting direction.  This is mutually beneficial to both of us; he needs the military and government to be trusted; if people in power or even a large enough group start fearing they¡¯re compromised, then we¡¯ll devolve into chaos again.  I can see some backlash from this, though.


    ¡°I could, but if you started systematically dismantling the groups that are spreading the rumors, wouldn¡¯t that play into the theory that you¡¯re compromised and someone is organizing a strategic assault against that train of thought?  It could just make everything escalate, pushing people to follow Carter¡¯s actions.¡±


    A smile lit Tom¡¯s cheeks.  ¡°That¡¯s a good observation, but I¡¯m not that short-sighted.  It will be handled appropriately and won¡¯t be so flashy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you are short-sighted,¡± Rachel hummed softly, ¡°but you can understand my hesitation.  Our reputation is already bad in this FBI branch, and I don¡¯t want to contribute to it getting worse.¡±


    Tom nodded.  ¡°Yes, but you should be able to see why this is important to be buttoned-up quickly.  Think about how people¡¯s minds react; people aren¡¯t prone to logic when they fear something, especially when they fear something they can disconnect from being human.


    ¡°The moment they don¡¯t agree with a superior¡¯s orders, they¡¯ll construct some excuse that they¡¯re being controlled and justify making further moves outside their jurisdiction.  The dominoes falling in this scenario are very dangerous.¡±


    Rachel nibbled on the inside of her lip for a moment, ears twitching slightly as she heard one of the groups talking about the military being compromised after the Seattle Incident; they¡¯d just brought in a new person, trying to convince them that this could be a real threat.  ¡°I can see your point ¡­ alright, I¡¯ll write down what I know.¡±


    Taking the paper, she increased her speed to hasten the process, unable to resist a wince as her muscles cried out; however, Tom¡¯s focus was centered on her blurred hand, missing the short break in her composure.


    After a minute of compiling the list, Rachel dropped the pencil and pushed the papers across to him; she pulled her hands under the table, hiding them.  She rubbed the back as her nerves burned, flexing her fingers.


    ¡°Efficient,¡± Tom muttered, examining the list.  ¡°It¡¯s bigger than I expected.¡±  He took a picture of the pages with his phone, fingers skidding across the screen as he sent the text.


    Finished, he turned the phone upside down and smiled at her.  ¡°Consider me impressed; the details your mind retained and the speed you were able to express them is a nice surprise.  You exceeded my expectations.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to please you like a trained puppy,¡± Rachel said, tone neutral.  ¡°Everybody''s got their problems, and this happens to fall in line with mine.  I¡¯ve learned how fast life can be compromised and the endless consequences that can spark.  It was mutually beneficial to both of us.¡±  She heard Ruth¡¯s phone vibrate; she pulled it out and after a few seconds muttered a tired curse.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Tom chuckled, leaning back, he rested his left hand on the chair¡¯s armrest.  ¡°No, you¡¯re not a puppy; your mind alone is a hidden dragon that¡¯s adapting to survive.  These rumors are mild compared to the potential threat I can see in you.¡±


    He swallowed nervously, but his smile didn¡¯t falter.  ¡°You can be an incredible friend or deadly enemy ¡­ mark my words, Rachel, given time and experience, your mind will develop into your most powerful weapon, not those fists.¡±


    Rachel stayed silent and pleasantly composed through his declaration, but she was close to using Emotional Detachment to repress the burning excitement inside from overflowing; her pain was all but forgotten.  That statement paints me as a monster, yet why do I feel such a rush from it?  I want this to continue ¡­ what does he have on me?  Will he try to force me?  How can I maneuver around it?  Am I insane inside because this feels too good to be healthy?


    Do I have a skill or passive that¡¯s making this so exciting ¡­ Lunar Pride, again.  Why didn¡¯t it tell me about this function of Lunar Pride before?  I was only asking about why I was having a hard time manipulating Fiona, Scarlet, and Maria; I probably need to ask more specific questions to get more specific answers.


    This shows that each skill is a lot more complicated than I thought.  That¡¯s so interesting, though; Lunar Hares are drawn to challenges.  All the rumors were just annoying because it wasn¡¯t a challenge issued by an individual, but only circumstances unfolding, but this conversation is a direct challenge to me.  This system is very minimalistic on information, but that just makes me eager to sit down and figure it all out with the others ¡­ I¡¯ve changed so much.


    He paused for a moment before letting go of a low groan, massaging his neck with a broad smile.  ¡°Now that the appetizer is done, why don¡¯t we move to the main course?¡±


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 B2 — 7. Royal Flush

    Rachel looked down at the folders in front of Tom.  ¡°So, does this mean we¡¯re finally going to get to the purpose of your visit?¡±


    ¡°You could say that,¡± Tom unfolded his legs and straightened.  ¡°What do you know about The Oscillation and the current state of the world?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she folded her arms across her stomach.  The purpose of that question is likely directed at The System, but I¡¯d like to get what information he can share first.


    ¡°The Oscillation happened at night, in Miami, two days ago, but occurred at the same time all around the world¡ªdamn, I just thought about how it¡¯d be if Scarlet changed during daylight hours.  Wait, if I remember correctly, the president said that The Oscillation happened at nine-thirteen P.M.  I believe the time-zone of Miami and Washington DC are the same.¡±


    Tom nodded, his fingers starting to tap the folders again.  ¡°Yes, Seattle is PDT; so, The Oscillation happened at six-thirteen P.M for them.  However, there was a thunderstorm at that time.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Rachel whispered.  So, it was storming when he started controlling people to kill each other.  However, the light should still be shining through the clouds; I wonder how dampened sunlight affects him.


    Glancing back up at Tom, Rachel continued.  ¡°Lights cracked the sky; I remember seeing colors of every shade ¡­ it was kind of like a stained glass window had enveloped the earth.  That was when the feeling happened, and everyone instantly changed. My roommate told me that I switched between normal and Lunar Hare dozens of times as The Oscillation occurred.


    ¡°As to your second question, I don¡¯t know much.  I¡¯ve heard that Russia and South America have a lot of issues right now.  South Korea and Japan seem to be taking the Oscillation well. There¡¯s some information circulating the building, but almost everything is centered locally.


    ¡°Miami and Miami Beach were hit pretty hard by the chaos with all the tourists, but Key Biscayne, Virginia Key, and Hialeah were also hotspots for violent activity; like Virginia Gardens and Medley.  The Military and State Authorities are working together to stop looting and violence; it¡¯s working in most areas so far, and everything¡¯s dying down.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Tom sucked in a long breath.  ¡°In short, yes, the U.S. did go through a rough start, and I¡¯m not trying to downplay the chaos that occurred with the initial mobbings, looting, Alt-Right, Antifa, gangs, religious zealots, mentally ill, prison breaks, and general violent crimes; they were tiny and confined to more populated areas, though, compared to the rest of the world.


    ¡°You mentioned Japan and South Korea taking The Oscillation well, and to an extent that¡¯s true, but it¡¯s no different than some U.S. areas.  Kabukicho, Tokyo blew up with gangs and criminal activity, much like South Beach. You might have dealt with Terrell and the main group, but many other gangs rallied to his example across the general Florida area.  There are gangs and other criminals as far as Orlando and Tampa that are using him as an inspiration but having much less success.


    ¡°Osaka, Japan took a massive hit that the Japanese government is trying to keep quiet right now; the JSDF is currently dealing with it.  However, we have thousands of troops in Okinawa that are presently working with the Japanese government to keep the area safe so they can focus on other areas; also, consider this, the U.S. has roughly one-hundred and sixty-five thousand active troops serving outside the U.S., and fifty-four thousand are focused in Japan.


    ¡°We have a major presence in the Asia-Pacific region, and that is proving a great help to those governments.  South Korea has our support against its surrounding neighbors so it can focus on internal affairs; we have roughly twenty-four thousand troops stationed in South Korea to help with that, and I¡¯ve made sure that the Military is utilizing their soldiers that were affected by The Oscillation, bolstering our forces with their abilities.¡±


    Rachel hummed softly as she sat back and drank a bit of vitamin water.  She played with the bottle, shifting her tail to a more comfortable position.  ¡°Okay¡ªso you''re pro-change, at least if it can benefit the U.S. forces, which is something I¡¯d expect from the Military.  It wouldn¡¯t be wise to put what¡ªthree million changed people in prison camps when they could be incorporated into defensive power.  That might be more of a harsh observation, and you likely do care for the people themselves, but it¡¯s also a factor; am I right?¡±


    Tom shrugged, crossing his legs again, he shifted his weight to the opposite side of the chair.  ¡°It definitely is a factor. It¡¯s unrealistic to cage so many people because of fear; there have been noted changes with many people¡¯s behaviors, but that¡¯s natural in a state of crisis¡ªwhen society starts to break down, that¡¯s when you discover the true nature that social fabric constricts.


    ¡°The president was being briefed on a potential mass ISIS threat in the Situation Room when this happened.  We were able to react so quickly because of that; most of the House and Senate are in safe locations, and able to communicate.  I expect Martial Law to drop within the next few days and businesses to start returning to normal as the country moves forward with political discussions on how this will change society.


    ¡°Frankly, we need the economy to restart soon if we¡¯re to recover; the rest of the world needs the U.S. economy to start back up.  That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been so busy; I¡¯m sure you heard my discussion with Beth, correct?¡±


    Rachel crossed her own legs, tapping the front rods of the armrest; her blood was turning hot again with the direction the conversation was heading.  Should I answer him?  I think we can cut past a lot of the pointless banter if I do, and it doesn¡¯t look like he currently wants to move toward The System discussion.


    She licked her lips with anticipation, and a soft smile moved them.  ¡°Yes, I did. I¡¯m very interested in that first file that you teased, I assume on purpose.  I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get to it in time, and what information you¡¯ve extracted so far about The Oscillation has me intrigued.¡±


    Tom rubbed his chin for a moment, studying her.  ¡°You¡¯re a lot more eager than I anticipated; I thought you¡¯d be more collected, but perhaps I¡¯m reading into it too much.  Your poker face was on point earlier, but maybe this is another mask.¡±


    He grinned when her expression didn¡¯t falter.  ¡°Well¡ªin any case, then you know about the U.S. offering Mythickin and Legendkin citizenship if they¡¯ll move to the U.S.¡±


    Rachel nodded, not interrupting as he continued.  ¡°There¡¯s plenty of reasons for this; for one, it¡¯s clear that Mythickin and Legendkin have a higher chance of being more powerful than others that were turned.  That¡¯s not to downplay the other ability users, as I¡¯m sure your group can attest to, but there¡¯s something special about Mythickin and Legendkin. I¡¯m wondering if you could shed some light on that, given your first-hand experience.¡±


    She was silent for a moment as she folded her arms to keep them from twitching; she wanted to get up, and pace to just work her muscles but did her best to resist.  Her smile grew slightly as she cocked her head and took a deep breath to calm her pumping heart, but she wasn¡¯t sweating as she¡¯d expected .


    ¡°You¡¯re offering Mythickin citizenship for coming to the U.S., but I already have citizenship, and from what I¡¯m aware, so does Scarlet, Fiona, and Maria.  What can you offer us to make our cooperation worth our while? This is the U.S., and Maria would be barking over what kind of deals you can offer us as a mutually beneficial trade¡ªthe American way.  You want something I have, what are you willing to give for it?¡±


    Tom¡¯s smile grew, and a sparkle danced in his eyes as his muscles tightened with anticipation, losing his fear.  ¡°I like that¡ªa mutually beneficial trade. Okay, let me spell out the details.¡±


    He licked his lips, popping his tongue before taking out the third file from the top and opening it.  He began reading off a set of information as he flipped between pages. As he continued with the report, Rachel¡¯s innards twisted with trepidation.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we start with Maria; she¡¯s convicted of two Third-degree felonies already; Resisting Arrest with Violence and Selling Counterfeit Registration License Plates.  She¡¯s currently being investigated with a doctor for giving out false medical reasons to obtain Marijuana, which is illegal in Florida.  If that were upgraded to Intent to Sell, that¡¯d be bad.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s add on her crimes during The Oscillation; from the report and testimonials with video evidence from the areas, we can account for much of her activity.


    ¡°One, there¡¯s the issue of her requesting payment for a service she is not licensed for or documented to be taxed.


    ¡°Two, ditching her Military escort under Martial Law.


    ¡°Three, possibly being involved with Cruel Treatment and Torture methods associated with her abilities, which is currently under investigation.


    ¡°Four, there are testimonies of her being at least a witness and possible accessory to eleven Homicides, depending on her own testimony and evidence gathered from the scenes; it could be charged to the first-degree with the planned execution you demonstrated and the SEAL team report with video evidence from the lobby.


    ¡°However, that could be pleaded to duress if she decided to throw one of you under the bus; I¡¯m sure a court would take Scarlet into account and lessen Maria¡¯s charges with Scarlet¡¯s reputation, and adding the good works she did healing many injured for character witnesses.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move to Fiona,¡± he shifted the first page to the back.


    ¡°First, through investigation, it is clear that she was not present during the first two murders of Pete Summers and Tony Connelly, or the teenage incident in Miami, but was, in fact, present for Harris Weppler¡¯s torture, and could be charged with Conspiracy to Murder, even bumped up to the first-degree with her future acts.


    ¡°Second, she assisted with eight accounts of Homicide inside the surrounding buildings of what CID has termed The Tank Massacre, and could be held responsible in the first-degree to the eight accounted Homicides you committed below during that time.


    ¡°Third, she was involved in the deaths of three women and two teens; four of which she froze in a block of ice, almost certainly killing them.  I have received a report that there might be a chance Maria can heal them, and that could shine a brighter light on Maria, but not for Fiona.


    ¡°Forth, she personally killed nine individuals after this incident, racking up her body count to possibly thirty-three cases of First-Degree Homicide with the evidence of Cruel Treatment and Torture before taking the lives of at least nine; the possible Attempted Murder of a woman named Relica and Harris added onto those charges.


    ¡°Fifth, the mass property damage she caused ¡­ that¡¯s costly.


    ¡°All of that shows she had the planned intent for Mass Murder, making Fiona White a serial killer, and marked for Capital Punishment given a trial.  It¡¯s hard to argue the sentence since she had the chance as a citizen to run from the situation instead of engaging.


    He flipped the page without skipping a beat.  ¡°Let¡¯s move on to Scarlet.


    ¡°Scarlet could be charged with the same crime of ditching her Military escort under Martial Law, but that¡¯s nothing.


    ¡°First, she could be charged with twenty acts of Homicide, including her own father and an undercover operative in the Brickell Police Department; there¡¯s evidence that she was taken against her will, but the force used wouldn¡¯t account for the level of threat involved, and it could be disputed that they were under her own control given what is known about Vampires.


    ¡°Second, given evidence and testimony, she killed a person known as Zack Kennedy that had changed into a Lizard-type Beastkin, but that¡¯s much more disputable.  However, the character testimony of two kids at the scene paints her as erratic, and a harm to herself and others.


    ¡°Third, the testimony of four teens that claim that they were almost killed by a Vampire fitting Scarlet¡¯s description as they tried to defend themselves.  There¡¯s video evidence that she very well might have if you had not intervened. That¡¯s another account of Conspiracy to Murder.


    ¡°Fourth, Homicide in the First with Cruel Treatment and Torture of Pete Summers and Tony Connelly.  The torture account also includes Harris Weppler and five other individuals with the possibility of their brainwashing.  This means that any possible future crime they commit could be brought back against Scarlet as the perpetrator.


    ¡°Fifth, the Homicide of the eight individuals already discussed with Fiona, and the eight that you murdered.


    ¡°Sixth, the three women and two teens already mentioned.


    ¡°Seventh, the attempted murder of Relica and the five people, that were confirmed mutated humans in your report, that she murdered and drank one¡¯s blood.


    ¡°This brings her to an even more severe state of Mass Murder than Fiona; with a total body count of forty-eight, with the attempted murder of one, possible child endangerment of two¡­¡±


    He scratched his forehead.  ¡°I forgot to mention that every child present could also be added on charges of Child Endangerment and Child Abuse.  Ah, and the torture count of nine with the additional future crimes of those individuals.  I don¡¯t think I need to elaborate on how grim that case is with Vampire¡¯s current image.


    ¡°Then we get to you,¡± he turned the page, rubbing his temple.  ¡°All I need to say is that there¡¯s evidence that you¡¯re the mastermind behind the entire operation.  Therefore, you¡¯d be linked to every single crime attached to your comrades that you are present for or had a hand in planning.  There¡¯s also the extensive property damage caused by you and Conner, but since he¡¯s dead, that charge of Homicide and the property damage would fall on you¡±


    He looked up at her, features grave.  ¡°This because you willfully engaged a situation that you were told not to get involved with by Lieutenant Cameron Farley, who was relaying orders given by the Commanding Officer, Captain Mateo Garcia Herrero.  I¡¯ll tell you right now, the way things are looking, the DA will jump on this full force, and even the Attorney General would likely throw in her bat.¡±


    Rachel had forgotten how to breathe as he listed her situation.  The moment he looked up, she activated Emotional Detachment, causing her fracturing demeanor to vanish; she sat perfectly calm and comfortable as her emotional side screamed inside.  Her mind accelerated rapidly as her thoughts spiraled out of control; even detached from most of her emotions, she was struggling.


    This is far worse than I anticipated.  He¡¯s totally right; why didn¡¯t I think of that?  I wasn¡¯t directly involved in this situation; therefore, I engaged and endangered lives.  It does matter that we were successful, but with every one of those charges ¡­ at least one will stick.


    The heat in her blood had long turned cold.  This isn¡¯t a challenge; it¡¯s a death sentence without any breathing room.  Even if I somehow get out of this; if the press and public opinion turn with the court case, then I¡¯ll be completely cut off from my family ¡­ this decision lost me everything.  How could I be so stupid? I thought I had Strategic Mind and other abilities that helped me find the best path?


    No ¡­ that only came after, and I¡¯m still leveling them up.  This was caused by my short-sighted behavior. I was pissed that Marcus and Daran got away ¡­ Lunar Pride fucked me.  Shit. Was I subconsciously trying to counter Lunar Pride by developing Threat Assessment and Strategic Mind? It wasn¡¯t enough, though ¡­ it was too late.


    I don¡¯t know how deeply Lunar Pride influences my behavior now.  Should I keep Emotional Detachment active? Probably, but at the same time that alters my mind in just as deadly of a direction.  Fuck being a Lunar Hare ¡­ it¡¯s ruined my entire life. No wonder Scarlet¡¯s so depressed; this is fucking shit.


    What can I do to get out of it?  Is the only way to become a slave to the Military?  I assume that¡¯s why he¡¯s here; he gets me out of this situation, and I become his trained hare on a leash.  If I run ¡­ what¡¯s the point? I¡¯d lose everything I care about; that doesn¡¯t help the others either.


    Scarlet¡¯s already lost everything; no wonder she¡¯s attached to me and the others.  I have no clue how this news might change her psyche; from what I¡¯ve learned so far, The Reaper could be a real threat, and this could set her loose for all I know, adding more horrors to our rap sheet.


    Fiona would be alienated from her family, and I know it would destroy her to put her sister, parents, and Erica in that position; to be connected to a mass murderer instead of a hero.  If she heard this just now, she¡¯d die inside.


    Maria¡¯s gang would no doubt take her in, but that¡¯d put a lot of heat on them, and she couldn¡¯t handle that ¡­ she¡¯d push them away to not get wrapped up in her mess.  Her brother would likely see some bullying, but her gang would take care of him; who knows how he might act out, though ¡­ she¡¯d be worried about that.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Tom frowned.


    Rachel nodded neutrally.  ¡°Yes, give me a moment; that¡¯s a lot to take in.¡±


    No, running isn¡¯t the answer.  Tom came here with this information in mind; he chose to disclose specific things to Ruth that he knew I could hear.  There¡¯s a method to this strategy. He¡¯s after something involving Mythickin, and it¡¯s not like he can dig up dirt as solid as this on everyone.  No, he¡¯s come to me for a reason; he¡¯s been genuinely excited when talking with me.


    It¡¯s not the domination type of tension that I¡¯d expect; this is only a preface to the real negotiations.  He¡¯s shown me his hand, and it¡¯s a full-blown nuke. I only have one other option, and it¡¯s not a solid one.


    ¡°Just now,¡± he leaned forward, studying her face carefully, ¡°something changed.  I saw a few signs of your composure breaking at the news; frankly, it would slam anyone.  However, in an instant, you regained a complete mask; all I see is a perfect poker face as you weigh your options.  How did you do that? This is enough weight to shatter a strong man, but you¡¯re taking it as a summer breeze.¡±


    First, information; he¡¯s brilliant ¡­ no wonder he¡¯s a four-star general.  He chose me because of the hand he had. He told Beth that her facility fit all the right criteria; that includes us and the leverage he has.  He wants information on Mythickin and Legendkin, The System, and probably wants us involved with some classified project.


    ¡°Well played, General; I¡¯m basically out of options,¡± Rachel said, adding a smile she didn¡¯t feel as she crossed her legs the opposite way.  ¡°I activated an ability called Emotional Detachment; it separates most of my emotions from my thoughts.  As far as I am aware, I recently obtained this ability.  It doesn¡¯t make me forget my emotions, but puts them in an observable box that I¡¯m aware of, but does not interfere with my decision making.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Tom mused.  He sat back, scratching his forearm.  ¡°Before I dive deeper into that, though, let¡¯s get this out of the way.¡±


    Taking out the fourth folder, he tossed it across the table to her.  Opening it, she quickly scanned the document, and her smile grew. ¡°A federal pardon already signed by the president.¡±  She lifted the paper to find the same pardon for her other three companions. ¡°You had this planned the whole time.¡±


    ¡°I like to cross all my T¡¯s; now, those won¡¯t work on the state level, but I can pull a lot of strings since almost all of this happened under Military watch, Martial Law, and is being primarily handled under CID jurisdiction.  It helps that the new Division hasn¡¯t been officially formed yet.¡±


    Closing the folder, Rachel folded her fingers comfortably across her lap as she leaned back.  ¡°No wonder you had to move fast, and you obviously have the president¡¯s support. What are the conditions?  I¡¯m sure David would have some of his own plans for us.¡±


    Tom began tapping the table again, clicking his tongue with a half-smile.  ¡°Yes, bringing up David is an option. It¡¯d be natural for you to think that I¡¯d want to treat you as a pet or under some secret military unit, but that¡¯s fake movie shit.  No, compelled service isn¡¯t that great; this was all just to show you the situation you¡¯re in, and the help that I can offer.


    ¡°Yes, David might be able to pull your case away from CID¡ªif I don¡¯t fight back, but is that the best option?  Remember back to one of my previous questions; what do you know about David?¡±


    Rachel was silent a moment as she followed David around.  She hadn¡¯t gathered a lot on him; he seemed dedicated and neutral, which could be even worse for her than Tom.  Tom needed them for something, David didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Admittedly, not as much as I¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in the same boat,¡± Tom nodded.  ¡°I likely know a hell of a lot more than you do about him, but still not enough to buy my trust with the situation I¡¯m in; even the president agrees with me on that.  I also don¡¯t trust him to handle your case correctly. No, and the nail in the coffin; I¡¯m offering you complete freedom. Semi-normal civilian life¡ªwith special military clearance.  I want some information regarding Mythickin and Legendkin, with the sort of abilities you possess.


    ¡°I¡¯d also like to form a sort of relationship with you and your friends; if that¡¯s what you are ¡­ I haven¡¯t found any connection that each of you shared before The Oscillation.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve recently formed a bond; I suppose you could say.¡±  Rachel shrugged.


    ¡°That works,¡± Tom puffed out a breath, scratching his scalp.  ¡°I already have the clearance ready to bring you into a lot of the current secrets.  I think your abilities place you close to the mental fortitude of special forces, but importantly, it can evolve further, I assume, which is something I need.


    ¡°Now that you understand the situation you¡¯re in, my hand, and what I¡¯m offering, what¡¯s your answer?  Semi-civilian life with just some things I¡¯ll need you to do every-so-often¡ªthat is, once you accept my proposal and are granted clearance to be brought into this top-secret situation, and assuming you can convince the other three.  That, or take your chances with David.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.  ¡°That¡¯s fairly vague; how else can you phrase it that will convince me to take that deal over gambling on David?¡±


    Tom hummed lowly, looking down at his folded fingers before his eyes lifted.  ¡°It¡¯s nothing you wouldn¡¯t already be comfortable doing based on your actions.¡±


    Rachel felt her separated inner turmoil fading as the situation resolved itself, causing her smile to grow.  ¡°That¡¯s acceptable; if you can guarantee what you propose, and we can return to our normal lives, then I think we have a deal.¡±


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 B2 — 8. Dark Secrets

    Rachel¡¯s tail twitched as she heard Tom¡¯s muscles relax.  He rolled his neck with a low moan, taking a deep breath before letting it out in a steady stream.  ¡°Alright, well then, I think we¡¯ve got ourselves a deal.  You¡¯re sure you can convince the others?¡±


    She maintained her relaxed posture, legs crossed while smiling.  ¡°As long as you give me all the details, then it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.  I already plan to discuss a lot with them, but ¡­ it might have to wait until the evening.  Fiona and Scarlet are barely keeping themselves awake.  I suspect they¡¯ll pass out by the time we¡¯re done.¡±


    Tom¡¯s lips creased as he leaned back.  ¡°Hmm, how about yourself?  I still can¡¯t believe you¡¯re not affected by that fight; even if you¡¯ve got supernatural abilities, you were thrown through three buildings.  Unless ¡­ do you have another ability besides Emotional Detachment to deal with the pain or mitigate the damage?¡±


    More prodding into my abilities ¡­ I do need to solve my Lunar Pride issue.  With the entire U.S. intelligence network at his disposal, he¡¯d be well acquainted with The System, or so I¡¯d imagine.  They should have some useful intel that can help me.


    Deciding to shoot from the hip, she took the risk.  ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about another issue that I¡¯d like your input on.¡±


    Tom¡¯s brow lifted.  ¡°Oh¡ªthat sparks my interest.  I didn¡¯t expect you to ask for help.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mask split as her ears twitched with her left eye, and the pressure against her tail increased as she pressed it down with agitation.  Dammit ¡­ Lunar Pride.  Maybe this is why Risk Assessment has leveled up so quickly; Lunar Pride¡¯s been clashing with my other abilities this entire time ¡­ it can even break through Emotional Detachment to some degree, but it seems my stress can filter past it a bit if it gets too high.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªhard for me to talk about,¡± she struggled to get the words out.  ¡°This is with Emotional Detachment active¡ªI have a Lunar Hare trait that¡¯s called Lunar Pride.  It¡¯s likely my most detrimental change since becoming a Lunar Hare.  I wanted to discuss it with the others¡ªbut this conversation has also put me at an impasse¡­¡±  She trailed off, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath as the heat in her chest increased.


    His surprise turned to concern; he shifted his weight, folding his arms uncomfortably.  ¡°Lunar Pride ¡­ a Lunar Hare trait.  So, my statement just now about you needing my help struck at that pride factor?¡±  He hummed as she nodded.  ¡°Okay ¡­ Lunar Pride¡ªwhat do you call this change that occurred during The Oscillation?  How do you define it?¡±


    Her consternation began to fade a little as the topic shifted a little off herself and more toward defining the ability.  She opened her eyes, rubbing at her burning breast, heart throbbing.  ¡°Well,¡± she swallowed saliva that had built up, ¡°I¡¯ve come to see it as something like a game system; it was first explained to me like that just after The Oscillation happened.  One of the girls¡ªanother student that went to the CDC with me.  She was the first person that tried to help me understand my abilities.


    ¡°Julia, one of the animal specialists that the Military recruited to analyze Mythickin in this area, also seemed to think that these abilities functioned like a game.  That¡¯s not to say it is a game¡ªit just operates in the same manner.


    ¡°The most in-depth explanation I heard was from Relica; she was obsessed with this new system.  Since her change into a Legendkin, she was experimenting and pushing her abilities to their maximum¡ªit hurts¡ªeven to think that I couldn¡¯t beat her.  I want to think that I would have found a way...¡±


    ¡°The pride,¡± Tom mumbled, studying her struggling demeanor closely.  ¡°That is a problem.¡±


    Rachel licked her lips as her agitation grew, making her tail twitch again.  She nodded, tucking her bottom lip under her teeth.  ¡°I believe I developed Risk Assessment and Emotional Detachment to counter it, but it¡¯s not a perfect solution¡ªstill, I can at least talk about it to some degree with it active.  This is¡ªprobably my closest held secret¡ªthis consternated feeling I have toward myself, and I need a solution.¡±


    She unfolded her legs, clutching at her tight thighs as she looked down at the table.  ¡°You mentioned others having behavioral changes ¡­ is there anything you can think of that will help me overcome this?¡±


    He lightly ground his teeth; the silence stretched a full minute as he thought.  Rachel fidgeting as he glared down at the folders in front of him.  ¡°So¡ªthis is like a Racial Trait of the Lunar Hare, correct?  Something similar to say¡ªScarlet drinking blood?  From what I¡¯ve learned, there are different levels to each person¡¯s abilities.  Is a Racial Trait a skill; in other words, can it increase in level?¡±


    Rachel turned her head, staring at the wall.  ¡°To be honest ¡­ nevermind, give me a second to think.¡±  I can¡¯t say I¡¯m scared to ask ¡­ if Lunar Pride can increase in Levels, Grades, and Ranks, then ¡­ it¡¯d feed off the counters I develop for that skill too.  It would be a never-ending spiral.


    Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, and rolled her neck around, trying to ease the tension she felt.  Letting her head fall back, she opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling, fingers playing with her hair atop her lap.


    What¡¯s the level, grade, and rank of Lunar Pride ¡­ one, Novice, rank nine.  Shit.  At least I haven¡¯t put any points into it, but will I get a Proficiency Skill when it reaches max?  Of course you¡¯d be silent; you never give me answers to things I don¡¯t already possess.  What type of skill is Lunar Pride ¡­ a Lunar Hare Racial Trait ¡­ great.


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re sucking on lemons ¡­ is it bad?¡±  Tom asked with a grave tone.


    Should I tell him about what information I have on The System?  I do need his help, and if I can provide him with information, then he¡¯ll owe me for that.  I think it might be beneficial in the long run.


    Bending forward, she rested her head on the table, looking down at her bunched hair in her lap; it slid down, stopping just above the floor.  ¡°I¡¯ll share the information I¡¯ve gained with you ¡­ I need solutions.¡±


    He grunted a soft laugh.  ¡°I get you; go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Skills, Traits, Abilities, whatever they are, they have three different categories,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°They have Level, Grade, and Rank, but they each are connected in a way.  Increasing the level will unlock higher grades, and as you use that ability, it will increase the rank, which will then increase your grade if you¡¯ve opened the appropriate grade level.  It¡¯s a cycle.


    ¡°So¡ªif your level is four in a skill, and you use that skill often, then it will reach Novice Grade, Rank-Ten, and cap until you level that skill up to five, unlocking the next Grade and resetting your rank back to zero.  You have the Level System that requires points to put into and the Proficiency System that requires effort or use to increase.¡±


    Tom nodded slowly.  ¡°I see¡ªit¡¯s a bit more complicated than I was led to believe; it draws the question, how many grades there are and how high you can level something up.  Do you know how to obtain points to increase levels?¡±


    Rachel lifted her head, shaking it.  ¡°I don¡¯t know that yet ¡­ my Lunar Pride is Level one, Grade Novice, and Rank- Nine.  Once a Grade reaches max Rank, then it seems to gain a Proficiency Skill; that¡¯s how I obtained Emotional Detachment.¡±


    What are Racial Traits ¡­ the skills passively learned upon unlocking a Tree.  Does increasing the Level and Grade lower its effects or increase it?  No answer ¡­ wonderful¡­


    ¡°You¡¯ve given me more information in thirty seconds than thousands of people that are working on this issue,¡± Tom muttered heavily.  ¡°So, there are negative traits that can be leveled up ¡­ for what purpose, though?  Why would you want to level them up?¡±


    She sat up, repositioning her hair across her front.  ¡°It won¡¯t give me an answer; it might just be because I¡¯m not asking the right question, though.  The knowledge we gain from this system is minimal and really depends on the question asked and the person¡¯s desire.  So¡ªthere¡¯s nothing you know that could help me?¡±


    ¡°Not at the moment,¡± Tom said, frown deepening.  ¡°However, I¡¯ll keep my ears open, and if I do hear something, then I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    Shoot and miss¡­  ¡°There¡¯s at least that,¡± Rachel chuckled tiredly.  I just have to hope they¡¯ll learn something that will help me in the long run; it does provide good faith with Tom too ¡­ I¡¯ve really made my bed with him, but it¡¯s a calculated risk with the potential for high reward.


    The sharp emotions bleeding through Emotional Detachment began to fade, and her cool composure returned.  ¡°Alright, now that that¡¯s out of the way, I¡¯d like to know what you have planned for us.  I¡¯ve already accepted your offer, but I¡¯m finding it hard to believe the U.S. Military needs the help of four girls.¡±


    ¡°Still cautious,¡± Tom sighed.  ¡°You don¡¯t have to reveal much about yourself to me; consolidating information is important, but I¡¯m glad you told me about Lunar Pride¡ªeven if it was a potential risk.  I¡¯m hesitant to even dig deeper on the subject; I might be compromised at some point in the future¡ªthere¡¯s a lot we don¡¯t know in this changing world.¡±


    Rachel hummed darkly.  ¡°Compromised?  Relica, I assume.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot in your report to Captain Jerry that caught my interest, but Relica was a key point.  I¡¯ve been briefed on a lot of incidents regarding people with powers, but Relica¡¯s are very disconcerting.  When I read that report on my flight over, it reinforced my decision to come personally.¡±


    ¡°She is a major threat,¡± Rachel nodded, vision dropping to the table.


    Tom¡¯s features hardened as he studied her.  ¡°Obviously, you didn¡¯t provide all the details, which is fine¡ªI¡¯m actually glad you didn¡¯t.  The fear of ability users has caused many factions to divide Washington; there¡¯s a reason I wanted this meeting to be private.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Rachel stifled an involuntary yawn, fatigue hitting her mind.  ¡°How much of this meeting will return to Washington?  It sounds like that¡¯s a concern of yours.  Do you actually think the White House is compromised?¡±


    ¡°Nothing so conspiratorial,¡± Tom grunted with grim amusement.  ¡°No, but the possibility nags at the back of my mind.  It¡¯s no secret that many politicians are motivated by counter ethical standards to the U.S. staple of liberty.  There¡¯s been a movement internally to try and find authoritarian means to limit those changed in the same way they want to restrict and ban guns.


    ¡°In fact, they¡¯re flipping many of their opinions on firearms; ironic, the moment someone else holds power outside their control, they advocate for something they supposedly hate.  Getting past the hypocrisy, they¡¯re scared.


    ¡°It¡¯s no longer fear the big muscle guy or their laughably ignorant stance on weapons; did the prohibition or banning drugs ever stop anything?  Regulations, sure, but banning, no.  I¡¯m getting off-topic ¡­ Now you have teenagers that can throw fireballs and babies that can spit acid or that chase after mice and eat them.  It¡¯s a scary new world, and there¡¯s talk of segregation already ¡­ stupid, but understandable stances.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I can see that, but it would only bring about a division; just like the African American segregation, it would break at some point.  It¡¯s better to learn how to live together than breaking up into factions or tribes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± Tom sighed.  ¡°It started with the Culture War, and now this has tipped the whole boat; tribes are forming everywhere in Washington.  Right now there¡¯s a ban on weapon sales during Martial Law, but people are scrambling to seek personal protection, which means they¡¯ll find a way.¡±


    She frowned, head tilting to the side.  ¡°It¡¯s a complicated issue that would require a lot of critical thinking; it¡¯s not easily solved.  Yes, people need to feel safe, but at the same time, not ruled by fear.  You can take away a gun, but you can¡¯t take away someone¡¯s ability to cast a spell that causes frostbite by shooting out an ice bolt from someone¡¯s palm.¡±


    ¡°Therein lies the problem,¡± he rubbed his forehead, blinking a few times.  ¡°Weapons allow the weak to stand up to the strong.  That¡¯s why the Second Amendment was created in the U.S.  The Founders were the little-guys taking on the big-guys, and they wanted every citizen to have the ability to do the same; it¡¯s a check, a balance for tyrannical power.


    ¡°However, the power scale just changed.  If someone with powers decides to be a terrorist, for whatever reason, then how do you catch or stop it?  A man that can cause explosions without any ingredients walks on a plane and blows it up ¡­ how could we prevent that?¡±


    ¡°I see your point,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°As your report mentioned, we did meet some teenagers that were playing hero.  We scared them into not going to South Beach and trying to rescue people; one mistake can cost lives.  Hell, we even acted like them.  You have vigilantes like Carter that¡¯s amassing support against Mythickin in general with a focus on Scarlet.  There are a million issues to solve, and things are escalating too fast for the government to keep up.¡±


    She looked up at him with narrowed eyes.  ¡°That¡¯s something that¡¯s bugging me ¡­ you¡¯re sidelining all of that¡ªmore specifically, you¡¯re pulling away from all that to meet me.  I can understand it on a few levels; Relica for one as a major national security risk, but that first file you showed Ruth has me worried.


    ¡°I assume it¡¯s one of the main reasons you¡¯re recruiting Scarlet, Fiona, Maria, and me.  Everything we¡¯ve discussed right now, the millions of issues branching from The Oscillation, we can¡¯t really help with.  However, Ruth said this file makes all of our current issues look like a picnic ¡­ that¡¯s terrifying.¡±


    Tom looked down at one of the files that were spread across the table in front of him, tapping the blank surface.  ¡°I¡¯ll start with your first question.  When it comes to the information about yourself ¡­ I won¡¯t be sharing much with the president; that¡¯s not his main concern.  I¡¯ll just tell him that you accepted the proposal.¡±


    He paused, taking a drink of his vitamin water.  ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me much more about yourself, either.  Lunar Pride answers several of my questions already, as well as the leveling system that you kept out of the initial report, and yes, a primary factor for this meeting is this new intel we¡¯ve received that has everyone at the top of DOD jumpy.¡±


    Rachel took a few sips of her own water as he paused, looking for the right words.  ¡°We need someone with combat experience that can get results¡ªsomeone able to get the job done and intel back at any price.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s tail stiffened as she set her bottle down.  ¡°Sounds dirty, but you have plenty of men for that.¡±


    ¡°It might be,¡± Tom shrugged, holding eye contact, ¡°and yes, I do have very skilled men that could take part.  However, it¡¯s the mystery behind it all, that is what makes this situation so dangerous, and why I need a wild card; I don¡¯t know how long we can hold onto this information before releasing it to the public, which is why we need actionable intel as soon as possible.¡±


    His hand slid across the table to a file half shown by the folders atop it; pulling it out, he tossed it across the table to her.  ¡°You¡¯ll need to sign that NDA first.¡±


    She opened the file and quickly read down the page.  ¡°A Non-Disclosure Agreement.  So¡ªI can¡¯t speak to anyone about this¡ªnot even people here at the FBI.  The only person I¡¯m allowed to discuss this with is Maria, Fiona, and Scarlet; if they¡¯ve signed the same NDA themselves.  Breaking this agreement will mark us with Conspiracy to Commit Treason ¡­ that¡¯s death.¡±


    She looked up at him, still relaxed with Emotional Detachment.  ¡°You expect this information to be made public knowledge given time, though?¡±


    Tom¡¯s tired expression turned to steel.  ¡°Yes, however, you¡¯re never to disclose your involvement in this matter.  It¡¯s a complete black book operation; even if we disclose details about the mission, there will be no record of your involvement.¡±


    Looking back down at the NDA, Rachel traced a circle with her middle finger.  The record doesn¡¯t even state what we¡¯re to keep secret; it merely says the information disclosed during my meeting with Tom, and related intel to the event are top-secret.


    If what he¡¯s saying is to be taken literally, then the only people that know about this situation is the president, Tom, DOD top brass, and Ruth probably has a general understanding of what we¡¯re being asked to do.  Whatever this is, it¡¯s under the highest levels of security; this is far more serious than a simple one and done event.  The mystery behind it all is what makes this dangerous¡­


    ¡°Can you tell me how dangerous this will be?¡±  Rachel asked, looking into Tom¡¯s blue eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t until you sign the NDA.¡±


    His tightening muscles told her everything she needed to know.  He expects this to be highly dangerous, which is why he¡¯s come to us after reading through our engagement.  We may just be the most suitable candidates; we have the rap sheet that requires high levels of authority to sweep under the rug and the power and history to make tough calls.  I don¡¯t know if we could make those kinds of tough calls in every situation, though.  In any case, there¡¯s a limit to what we can do in the short-term.


    ¡°To be clear, we¡¯re very fatigued right now.  You said that you needed actionable intel as soon as possible, but we need to recover.  Realistically, Maria could restore us to our physical health, but our group is only functional during the night, and I¡¯m reliant upon the moon.  That also means that Maria would be expending her strength.¡±


    Tom took a deep breath, slumping back in his chair.  ¡°Yes, I understand there are compounding issues.  Once you sign the appropriate documentation, I can tell you the details.¡±  He tapped the first file a few times.


    Rachel closed her eyes and sighed before opening them back up to glare at the large mysterious cream-colored folder.  ¡°I suppose I don¡¯t have much of a choice.¡±


    She held out her hand, and Tom produced a pen from inside his jacket.  Taking the pen, she twisted it open and signed the NDA.  She closed the folder and slid the pen back over to him.


    He shook his head.  ¡°Keep the pen for the others to use.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way,¡± Rachel¡¯s tone was even, ¡°but I don¡¯t trust that it¡¯s not bugged.  I¡¯m sure I can find a pen elsewhere.¡±


    Tom smirked, pushing it back.  ¡°Fair enough, and no, it¡¯s not bugged, but I understand.¡±  He slid over another file.  ¡°Just one more to sign, and then you¡¯ll have the clearance needed.¡±


    Opening the folder, she scanned down the page; it seemed like a simple clearance acceptance form referencing back to a host of legal documents regarding the Department of Defense.  ¡°Explain this one to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the standard DOD Security Clearance issued by DISCO or the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office; you¡¯re basically under contract.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Wait, does that mean we get paid?¡±


    He chuckled, folding his arms.  ¡°Well, you could say that your freedom is your reward, but expenses will be covered for the job we¡¯ll be contracting you for.¡±


    ¡°For a black list mission, there¡¯s more red tape than I thought there¡¯d be,¡± she muttered.  Signing the document, she set the pen down beside the two closed files.  ¡°I assume the others will need to sign the papers issued behind mine before I talk to them?¡±


    Tom stretched.  ¡°How it is.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Rachel sat back, hands folded in her lap.  ¡°I took the bait; what¡¯s the top-secret agenda?¡±


    She kept her posture lax; Tom¡¯s demeanor sagged as his muscles loosened, and he slumped back in his chair with a long sigh.  ¡°Finally,¡± he chuckled, closing his eyes.


    The silence continued as he breathed softly, obviously deeply relieved.  I suppose I haven¡¯t really considered it, but him being here with all this preparation ¡­ how much was he banking on this discussion being a success?


    Her ears twitched as she heard Scarlet moan.  ¡°Aw, Rachel¡¯s talking with some Army guy ¡­ wait, he has four stars on his shoulder.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty¡ªhigh in the Military, right?¡±  Fiona yawned, shifting atop something fluffy.


    ¡°Yeah, like¡ªsuper high.  I think he¡¯s pretty stressed, but it looks like Rachel said something that¡¯s making him relax.¡±


    ¡°How long do you think they¡¯ll talk?¡±


    Rachel looked toward their voices and held up her thumb with a soft smile and slight nod.


    ¡°Who knows ¡­ she turned her head to look at me¡ªI think she¡¯s telling me we can get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Fiona hoisted herself up with a short huff.  ¡°That¡¯s wild ¡­ you can see her, and she can hear you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kind of becoming used to it,¡± Scarlet giggled.  ¡°Maria¡¯s awake¡ªit looks like she¡¯s pretty drained still, though; she¡¯s leaning up against the glass resting.  I hate the freaking sun¡ªit¡¯s so bright ¡­ It¡¯s like I¡¯m going blind looking at it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªokay to go to sleep, though?¡±  Fiona stifled another yawn.


    ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± Scarlet mirrored her.  ¡°Let¡¯s sleep ¡­ my mind is dead.¡±


    ¡°Ditto¡ªwell, goodnight,¡± she groaned, snuggling into what Rachel assumed was a pillow.


    ¡°Do you want a napkin or tissue or something to cover you?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡ªthat¡¯d be nice,¡± Fiona mumbled sleepily.


    Scarlet giggled softly as she got up; Rachel assumed she got a tissue and placed it over Fiona¡¯s likely nude body before snuggling into her own blanket beside her.  ¡°Night¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s attention shifted back to Tom; he was still in his silent stupor, and his body almost seemed like it was on the verge of sleep.  She decided to break the peaceful atmosphere.  ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re close to passing out?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he started, blinking rapidly.  ¡°I apologize ¡­ I guess you could say that.¡±  He groaned, rubbing his left shoulder.  ¡°It just hit me all at once.  You mentioned red tape ¡­ that¡¯s all I¡¯ve been dealing with the last forty-two hours¡ªeven before The Oscillation.  I¡¯d had quick power naps between calls and reports, but for the most part, it¡¯s been non-stop.¡±


    He rubbed his bald head with a sad smile.  ¡°It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t had your fair share of rough times¡ªright, so, onto the intel.  To begin, I don¡¯t expect you to be ready to start this until you¡¯ve slept and a few other things are prepared.


    ¡°It¡¯s about,¡± he pulled back his sleeve to reveal a golden watch, ¡°0715¡ªso, I¡¯d say sundown is around 2000.  No¡ªthat¡¯s not enough time.  To get a jet ready and the proper gear¡ªplus convincing the others ¡­ it can wait at most a day and a half.¡±


    ¡°Day and a half for what?¡±  Rachel rubbed her neck, shifting her hair to the opposite shoulder.  ¡°You¡¯re making plans for an event I have no details on¡ªI can¡¯t explain it to the others if I don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Tom mumbled.  He opened an energy drink and chugged what seemed half the contents.  Smacking his lips, he rubbed the top of the first file, breathing through his teeth; finally, he picked it up and slid it to her.  ¡°Follow along while I explain; this is going to get pretty insane.¡±


    Rachel settled herself in for a story as she opened the file; her eyes narrowed while she read through the documents and studied the pictures.


    ¡°Do you understand Military time?¡±


    ¡°Just do normal A.M. and P.M.¡±  Rachel responded, flipping through the pages.


    ¡°Right, well¡ªon Wednesday, at approximately ten-twenty-four P.M., an hour and eleven minutes after The Oscillation, we were made aware of another strange phenomenon.  These are pictures taken at High Rolls, New Mexico, population five-hundred fifty-eight.


    ¡°As you can see, the entire settlement was surrounded by the same type of unidentified substance as The Oscillation, only in a domed sphere that cut it off from the surrounding area.  A few residents managed to run outside of the barrier as this event set up; they stated that it was forming the moment The Oscillation started and solidified after an hour ¡­ somewhat solidified, that is.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips sunk as she read further down the report.  ¡°Residents that managed to get outside the barrier before ten-thirteen couldn¡¯t get back in; if they touched the barrier, then they¡¯d instantly teleport to the opposite side of the town.  Everything inside became completely indistinct as the rippling colors solidified.¡±


    Tom nodded.  ¡°It lasted exactly twenty-three minutes before the dome cracked and shattered into dust; there was no known or unknown energy or material found from the dome shattering.  It¡¯s as if the material vanished into thin air...¡±


    Her emotional side squirmed as she read the next part of the report.  ¡°This is real?¡±  She muttered.


    ¡°Every horrifying detail,¡± Tom said, scratching the back of his hand.


    ¡°Fifty-three residents left the dome by the time it solidified, leaving five-hundred and five people inside; using the statistical value of changed individuals during The Oscillation, at least three to four of them were likely affected by The Oscillation in some fashion.  What was found inside were...¡±


    He licked his lips, nose twisting in disgust, ¡°Four-hundred and thirty-three people ¡­ two-hundred and eighty female and one-hundred and fifty-three male; it looks as if they were forced into some form of satanic death ritual.¡±


    Rachel coldly examined each brutal picture, as Tom explained.


    ¡°From what forensics determined; they were skinned alive, and it was done in a manner to make sure they¡¯d live.  Their skin was stretched across an unknown form of ritualistic carved black colored wood with a harness of strange green leather and extremely durable unknown plants that comprised the device; there were foreign symbols of unknown origin written across them; the azure-colored paint used is from some form of strange plant that hasn¡¯t been documented.


    ¡°There are pits that were filled with the blood and organs of the citizens; it seems to be mixed with several other unknown liquids that are being analyzed.  The cleaned bones and dug blood pits were placed in some form of design that no one¡¯s been able to make sense of; it appears to be methodically placed, though.  We took detailed aerial and close pictures of the design before trying to put back together each victim to determine causes of death and identity.  We still have teams reassembling the remains.


    ¡°From what remains have been pieced together, it appears the victims were eaten alive after skinned, and by the teeth marks on the bones, it appears the culprits had serrated fangs.  After they died, it¡¯s speculated that the remaining blood and innards were dumped into the holes.  From the tracks, it¡¯s clear that whatever did this had five-fingered, six clawed feet and two tails that dragged along the dirt; they could be anywhere from six to nine feet tall, and were powerful enough to rip apart a fire truck.¡±


    He swallowed, clearing his throat before continuing.  ¡°Most of the structures were left standing, and it seemed like the people were gathered together over several hours.  There are signs of struggle; guns seem to have been fired, but there aren¡¯t any other corpses other than human ¡­ except for one male Rhino-type Beastkin that was skinned and placed in the center of the ritual.  His horns seemed to have been cut clean off in a single stroke; there are no serrated markings on the bones, and there are no signs of it in the town.  It could have been a trophy.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you say the event lasted exactly twenty-three minutes?  How did it take several hours to gather them if the event only lasted twenty-three minutes?¡±


    Tom acknowledged her question with a nod.  ¡°That¡¯s another one of the mysteries of this event; it¡¯s clear that all of this was done within two days by the still-functioning clocks inside houses.  While outside, only twenty-three minutes had passed, inside, two days, and none of the horrors could be heard or seen from the outside.


    ¡°It seems like they first destroyed anything that was producing high volumes of sound, which gives the impression they might be sensitive to specific ranges of frequency; however, none of that seemed to help the residents.


    ¡°We also have no clue how to explain the strange circumstances of how they were gathered except through some form of manipulative means.¡±


    He looked up at her as she studied a massive crystal structure.  ¡°Ah, I should backtrack a little ¡­ residents that managed to escape said that a sizable immaterial diamond-shaped crystal appeared out of thin air in the center of town; it was tinted a dark brown with a faint red glow surrounding it.


    ¡°Inside it looked like there was a cave; as you can see, there are pictures that two of the residents managed to take before escaping the dome; crowds began to run away after thirty minutes, when the crystal started to pulse, causing residents to feel uncomfortable around the immediate area and forced them back.


    ¡°Through the tracks we were able to determine that there were only about seven or eight creatures that appear to start at the crystal.  There are also signs that they may have taken the remaining seventy-two residents with them, and a great many possessions seem to be missing as well, mostly technology.  There are no clues as to how we might mount a rescue or if they have any means to return.  The crystal is gone, and so are any answers we might obtain.¡±


    Tom looked up at her gravely.  ¡°What are your thoughts on the first incident?¡±


    ¡°First incident ¡­ these pictures ¡­ they¡¯re disgusting,¡± she muttered.  ¡°If I wasn¡¯t using Emotional Detachment, then I might even throw-up.  I kicked Conner in half ¡­ punched men so hard they exploded against my fist¡ªbut this ¡­ this is just disturbing.


    ¡°Carefully skinning hundreds of people alive before eating them ¡­ while they¡¯re still alive, and using their remains in some dark ritual; they must have had some means of stopping people from taking their own lives.  I think the likelihood of them having mind-controlling abilities is high but on this massive of a scale ¡­ that¡¯s terrifying.


    ¡°All of this looks like it¡¯s ¡­ I don¡¯t even think they¡¯d show this in any kind of horror film.  The methods they must have used; it¡¯s sick, and to do all of this in just two days ¡­ to capture, and then perform all of this with only seven or eight individuals¡ªI can¡¯t wrap my head around it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking more tactically rather than emotionally ¡­ yes, from a practical standpoint, it doesn¡¯t make much sense.  They¡¯d have to be extremely efficient; there¡¯s precision, purpose, and method to this that makes my skin crawl.  They couldn¡¯t have slept, they couldn¡¯t make a single mistake, and for several creatures of this size to eat hundreds of humans.  There are signs of struggle, but only initially ¡­ it doesn¡¯t add up using conventional logic.¡±


    Rachel nodded, studying the different pictures of the ritual and pictures of the creature¡¯s tracks.  ¡°Were there any pictures taken of them?¡±


    ¡°No, all power was cut when the town became inaccessible, it seems; so, all live cameras without backup power were cut.  Some cars were left on, but none had active cameras that recorded, and we found no cell phone left in the entire town.  Almost everything electronic-based was taken; including the dead equipment.¡±


    She glared at the picture of the savaged fire truck; large five-fingered claw marks were raked across the side of a ripped off chunk.  I might be able to destroy a fire truck like that if my Lunar Pool was full and it would be easy in moonlight ¡­ depending on the phase of the moon, but the speed that they accomplished this.  Would I be a match against something like this?  What about the method they used to get compliance from the citizens; would it affect me?  I don¡¯t know¡­


    Her blood began to run hot again.  Lunar Pride says bring it on, but Risk Assessment tells me to stay away.  Could these be the creatures that started The Oscillation?  Could it have been a byproduct of whatever they did to get here?  Why attack a small town in the middle of nowhere, though?  Why do this disgusting and painfully precise ritual?  Could it be linked to The System?  Relica was talking about achievement-based abilities; maybe this could be related?


    ¡°You haven¡¯t already considered aliens?¡±  Rachel asked unironically as she spread out a few of the pictures.


    Tom took in a deep breath, rubbing his temple as he looked at them.  ¡°We haven¡¯t ruled anything out, and no, no aliens in area fifty-one; it¡¯s just a cutting edge engineering technology site.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re gone from this site, though; which means¡­¡±  Rachel paused as she flipped through the stack of papers.  ¡°There¡¯s another site.¡±  She stopped on a satellite image of a similar dome.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tom moaned, rolling his neck.  ¡°Once we discovered this incident, we had our satellites scour the globe for similar imagery.  Mutumbo, Angola ¡­ we¡¯re sending a team out there to figure out what happened, but that¡¯s still under investigation.  Turn to the next page.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked at a picture of another crystal.  This crystal was oval-shaped and was shaded dark green and brown with a dim sage glow surrounding it.  It appeared like there was a dense jungle inside.  ¡°My first thought is that it¡¯s a teleport crystal, but is it two way or one?¡±


    ¡°My thoughts too,¡± Tom muttered, ¡°as crazy as that sounds.  This is in Billings, Montana ¡­ we¡¯re talking about a population of over a hundred thousand people.  We cannot let what happened in New Mexico happen here.  We haven¡¯t had an incident like this since Nine-Eleven.


    ¡°It might just be a gate to the Mutumbo site, but it could also be a gate to a different dimension or world across the stars, like Stargate ¡­ it could be a million things.  However, what has been observed is that it¡¯s a threat.  We¡¯ve already sent a Green Beret team in five hours ago, but they haven¡¯t reported back.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Rachel whispered, ¡°people can go through it?¡±


    ¡°At least this one, we can.  However, only five people can enter; the team was able to leave and reenter at will, and there were no hostile targets on the other side by the crystal.  It¡¯s shaped and colored different than the first, which is something to note, and it has acted differently than the previous one.


    ¡°Like I said, I can wait a day and a half for you to recover, but I need you four to see what we¡¯re dealing with if the worst case happens and the Green Berets are killed; we don¡¯t even know if you¡¯d be able to get in if they were dead.  Just having you near in case anything were to go wrong would be optimal, though.  Your abilities give you a solid edge over normal humans, and might be what we need since The Oscillation caused your changes ¡­ there¡¯s just a lot of factors that we need answers to.¡±


    Rachel stared at the image in silence as Tom finished.  This is way further than left-field; I shouldn¡¯t be surprised this could happen ¡­ I¡¯m a freaking human-hare.  This is a hell of a lot more dangerous than I envisioned, though.  We have no support; the moment we go in, we¡¯re probably going to be on our own, and we don¡¯t know if it will vanish on us like the first, but the evidence from the New Mexico incident shows it¡¯s at least possible.


    What if they had to do that ritual to get back?  No, I don¡¯t think that was its purpose.  Tom¡¯s right, we need answers ¡­ to think this is being kept hidden from the public.  If these crystals can just appear out of nowhere and separate an area from any outside help while a hostile force attacks them ¡­ this is a massive issue.  Extra-dimensional creatures, aliens, what the hell kind of world is this now?


    ¡°Tom ¡­ what if this is some kind of declaration of war?  You¡¯re not sending us in to forge a treaty, right?¡±


    His lips pursed at her question.  ¡°I don¡¯t know, Rachel; all I need you to do is get us actionable intelligence.  You don¡¯t need to decide on treaties, but if you need to fight to get out, then do it.  We need to know what¡¯s on the other side, and if it¡¯s the same for every crystal; there¡¯s been at least two confirmed incidents involving these crystals.  We need to know who, what, where, when, and why ¡­ we have questions when we need answers.¡±


    This is a lot bigger than I imagined...


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk to the others about this ¡­ about a lot of things that this opens up.  Thank you for giving me the time to sort through it.  Will you be here when we wake up?¡±


    Tom nodded.  ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be making arrangements, and I still have a lot of other duties I need to address, but I¡¯ll need some sleep soon, as well.  I¡¯m going to talk to the president and have him postpone your psych evaluation until this mission is through.  You¡¯ll need to go through it¡ªall the Mythickin and Legendkin will, at the very least.¡±


    She sighed.  ¡°I understand, but if I can make a suggestion; I¡¯d really prefer dealing with Richard and Julia, the two doctors we met at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do, but that part is mostly outside my jurisdiction; I can get it delayed, but the FBI is mostly handling that.¡±


    She rose to her feet, quickly organizing the files and compiling them into a single folder.  ¡°Thanks, Tom; I¡¯ll get in touch with you after I¡¯ve talked to the others.¡±


    She waited for his nod before walking out, leaving the drinks and pen on the table.  How did an ordinary college girl with sister-in-law issues get wrapped up with a top-secret military mission?  Yet, Lunar Pride is sparking like I¡¯ve hit the jackpot...


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 B2 — 9. Rampant Thoughts

    Rachel took a deep breath as she exited the room; her ears shifted a few different directions as she gathered a general understanding of the current situation.  The conversation has changed a little; now people are wondering what the Military wants with me, but that¡¯s understandable.


    She listened to a conversation between a Supervisory Special Agent and what seemed like a Senior Special Agent by how freely they talked with one another.


    ¡°Darik,¡± the man¡¯s throat had a rasp to it; he likely smoked a decent amount of cigarettes in a day.


    ¡°Huh?  Oh, Jack, sup?¡±


    ¡°The hell¡¯s going on with that General showing up?  I heard from Johnson that he¡¯s here on full Presidential authority.  Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Darik muttered, breathing out a heavy sigh.  ¡°Plus, it¡¯s still Martial Law; he¡¯s a four-star general, so he¡¯s basically given full reign, and we¡¯re just here to provide support where needed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s such bullshit,¡± Jake muttered.  ¡°Anyways, I heard something about him meeting with that¡ªwhat was it?¡±


    ¡°Lunar Hare,¡± Darik grunted.  ¡°Yeah, I heard about that too.  I don¡¯t know much about him, but rumor has it that he¡¯s using any soldier that was affected in The Oscillation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re cool with that?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Darik grunted.  ¡°It¡¯s just not my call to make. We¡¯ll have to see how things shake out when Martial Law drops.  It shouldn¡¯t be too much longer.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know,¡± Jake muttered.  ¡°It just doesn¡¯t sit right with me¡­¡±


    ¡°What?  Him using people that changed?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªno, not that ¡­ I¡¯m talking about the four Mythickin.  I mean, the Succubus and Incubus haven¡¯t hurt anyone, so whatever, but those four new ones¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I get you,¡± Darik whispered, sucking on his tongue a few times.  ¡°We just gotta be careful; we should do a check and see what¡¯s going on with them.¡±


    Rachel pulled away from the conversation to focus.  I wasn¡¯t thinking clearly before, but they¡¯re not wrong.  It is a serious issue to consider; we¡¯re supposed to be average citizens that were just changed into these images of monsters but still be scared defenseless citizens that need state and government protection.


    If ordinary citizens can just flip a switch from this change and become ruthless killers, then it creates a whole new perspective on the situation.  It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll deny it; I killed those men, and I don¡¯t feel an ounce of regret for the action itself ¡­ the consequences is another issue entirely, which is another concern.


    She listened to Ruth give a few orders to break up some of the conspiracies floating around the area, but they were pretty standard tactics; more work leaves less time for speculation and interaction.


    Broadening her reception range, she listened, but couldn¡¯t find a hint about the Oscillation Dome event.  She was at least a little happier to hear people¡¯s opinions of them weren¡¯t getting worse.


    More problems kept flooding into the office, pulling attention away from them and redirecting it to rebuilding the social order to prepare for businesses to open back up.  They were clearing streets and posting up signs about where to go to locate any missing vehicles as they towed cars off the main roads to parking locations.


    She made her way toward Scarlet and Fiona¡¯s chosen room, doing her best to avoid areas with sunlight.  She managed to make it to the back of the building, facing east and away from the rising sun in the northwest.  A few rays did manage to catch her, draining a bit of her Lunar Pool, but not significantly. Taking the stairs down to the second level, she continued toward her destination.


    The Military is transporting the brainwashed and frozen people within the next few hours ¡­ they move faster than I anticipated.  I hope Maria will be ready in time; our association with Maria might be our best chance to raise our image ¡­ if she doesn¡¯t ruin it with her attitude.


    There¡¯s so much to accomplish, but I suppose most of that is negligible at this point.  Once the story about High Rolls and the information about the crystals hit the news, we¡¯ll be swept into yesterday¡¯s story.  The question is, when will it be declassified? I suppose it depends on how often the crystals begin to appear and how they react.


    If it becomes a massive danger to the public, then it would be a political nightmare for the government; I guess that¡¯s why Tom wants us at the Billings crystal.  That decision could change on a moment¡¯s notice, though. If something happens to it in the next twenty-four hours, which is more than likely, then our situation could change drastically.


    She thought back on all the information, trying to piece together anything she might have missed.


    Could the crystals be creating the domes themselves?  It was stated to be in the middle of High Rolls and appeared during The Oscillation.  The dome surrounded the entire town, and it waited fifteen minutes before taking its first action.  What¡¯s the purpose of scattering the crowd, though? It obviously wasn¡¯t enough time to force the people nearby to escape the dome before it solidified ¡­ if you can call it that.


    Fifteen minutes to pulse, and force the townspeople away, fifteen more minutes to solidify the barrier, giving at least some the opportunity to escape.  Was it planned? Did they want witnesses to talk about the crystal? It might be just a natural phenomenon, but if that¡¯s the case, then why was there a strike force waiting to methodically assault the town?


    Of course, it could be a natural phenomenon that these creatures so happen to utilize; it could be a form of hunting and gathering.  Why technology, though? Most of it won¡¯t work without the proper connections through satellites, radio towers, and electricity. Could it be for the components themselves?


    It could be a premeditated assault with a natural phenomenon, a created event to assault key locations or a completely random event with no connecting dots ¡­ that doesn¡¯t seem likely with the meticulous ritual and specific items taken, plus hostages.  No, definitely the first two options; this was not purely random, which is frightening.


    I can¡¯t rule out the possibility that it was an assault by people changed into other creatures too.  They¡¯re obviously a gateway to another place; the one in High Rolls looked like a cave system, but the one in Billings showed a dense jungle.  I have to assume they¡¯d be able to see the place they¡¯re transporting before activating it themselves.


    The crystals we know about have different shapes, show different scenery, and gave off a different light, which is something to note.  It seems that the Billings one is solid and hasn¡¯t released a pulse that drove people away, at least it hasn¡¯t yet, and we can go through on this side and return.  The High Rolls one was ethereal, though ¡­ that¡¯s so confusing. Why are they so different? The one in Mutumbo might be the closest one related to the High Rollings incident, but we currently don¡¯t have information on that yet.


    Aliens ¡­ The Oscillation changed a massive chunk of the world¡¯s population ¡­ could it have mutated or brought other creatures to our world too?  It could be anything from a dimensional gateway to an interspace teleportation device ¡­ hell, it could be a time-traveling crystal for all I know.


    If the Billings one is a gateway to the shell currently in Mutumbo ¡­ I don¡¯t even know where that is.  It sounds African, but I¡¯d have to look it up to be sure. In any case, if it¡¯s a gateway between those two places, then those creatures that attacked High Rolls could still be on earth in some cave system; that would also mean that they were there from the start.


    No wonder Tom¡¯s freaking out ¡­ The Oscillation may have caused a massive panic across the world, but it could be a smokescreen for a genuine threat to humanity itself.  We could be at war with creatures we have no information on, and we¡¯re playing catch-up to a plot already set in motion. They took most the electrical based technology from High Rolls, but left no clue as to why; plus, they left a scene straight out of nightmares.


    On the other hand, this could have been a person¡¯s doing that received some crazy powers from The Oscillation.  I¡¯ve already seen some pretty insane abilities between Relica and Scarlet. If The Reaper in Scarlet¡¯s head isn¡¯t just a split personality, then it could be connected to these creatures as well ¡­ shit ¡­ how the hell am I supposed to come up with a plan?


    She felt a bit of agitation slip past Emotional Detachment, making her tail twitch; the more she pondered the unknowns and possibilities, the more apparent it became that she knew nothing.


    FBI office workers and agents followed her with their eyes as she passed, but didn¡¯t engage.  Talk quieted down with her passing, but most of their conversations weren¡¯t anything new to her; nothing she heard was important enough to draw her mind away from her current problem that played on repeat in her mind.


    Ruth had the right idea about how serious this is.  I could actually be forming false conclusions if I keep grasping at straws; instead of being prepared, I could draw up a bad plan and cause further harm.  Tom bringing us in on this is actually a pretty solid plan.


    We¡¯ve shown a detachment to murder, which does concern me, but it¡¯s true nonetheless.  We have a wide variety of abilities; I¡¯m physically strong and fast with a sharpened mental state, Scarlet¡¯s got a ton of utility, Maria can heal injuries with the snap of her finger, and Fiona has massive elemental versatility and destructive spells at her fingertips.


    Scarlet and I have a fantastic surveillance range that can give us the advantage to creep around enemy forces to gain intel.  Fiona can scout out things from the air to see beyond Scarlet¡¯s mile limit, but at the same time that comes with the drawback of her glow, so that wouldn¡¯t be preferred.


    However, if she¡¯s high enough in the sky, then even if she¡¯s glowing she¡¯d be a speck in the heavens, like a star ¡­ if you put a glowstick two miles up, it¡¯d be basically invisible.  It is a viable option depending on the opposition.


    Maria, Fiona, and I glow, but with our surveillance abilities, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.  Lunar Pride could get in the way, though ¡­ it might prevent me from hiding and push me to a frontal assault, just like with Conner.  It¡¯s such a terrible trait¡­


    Her attention shifted as she caught David moving the opposite direction; he¡¯d asked the security office about her whereabouts and was walking right towards her.


    Great, he¡¯s been hearing gossip about Tom and I being seen together.  He hasn¡¯t listened to any of Tom¡¯s requests yet; Tom¡¯s talking to Ruth about holding off on the psych evaluation at this moment.  So, what¡¯s his angle going to be?


    Her mind blanked for a moment; nothing, in particular, came to mind.


    He¡¯s mostly been focused on directing investigations into different crimes in conjunction with CID to relieve some of their workloads.  He¡¯s barely even mentioned us; however, he has had to restrict some personnel access to Ma?lle¡¯s room, and there are some concerns he¡¯s dealing with in regards to the ventilation system and the hormones she and Kyle release, but that¡¯s mostly it for Mythickin topics on his lips.  Ma?lle and Kyle are sleeping in any case; they¡¯re just concerns about their passive hormone release, but it¡¯s only been proven to work in short ranges.


    Rachel¡¯s fingers tightened around the folders tucked under her left arm as David turned a corner; he scanned the hall as he slowly advanced, eyes centering on her after a second¡¯s study.  ¡°Rachel,¡± he said in a purely neutral tone. ¡°I suppose you heard me asking about your whereabouts.¡±


    She reflected his tone as people slowed to catch a bit of their conversation.  ¡°I did.¡±


    His eyes darted down to the folders in her hand before glancing over her appearance; he stopped a few feet away from her.


    I see!  He¡¯s here to confirm some suspicions he has; the folders really caught his eye.


    She moved toward the edge of the wall to not impede traffic as he spoke.  ¡°I see that Special Agents Hughes and Bailey managed to find you some suitable clothes.¡±


    Rachel looked down at her apparel, clasping the hem of her shirt with her right hand, she lightly pulled on it before letting it fall back.  ¡°It¡¯s a little tight, but it will do.¡± Her vision rose, settling on his brown eyes. ¡°Is there something you need? Fiona and Scarlet are already sleeping, and I¡¯d like to get a little rest myself.¡±


    His neutral expression cracked a little, lips becoming a line.  ¡°I heard you met with General Dallas.¡±


    Her response was crisp.  ¡°Is that what you¡¯ve heard?¡±


    ¡°So¡ªthat¡¯s how it is?¡±  He muttered. ¡°Very well, have a good rest.¡±  He broke away, walking in the direction of Ruth¡¯s office.


    She followed his exit.  He was quick on the uptake; he knew I wouldn¡¯t divulge any information to Tom.  He knows I met with Tom and he finds me with random folders in my hand, then it¡¯s evident that there¡¯s information I need to bring back to the others; it¡¯s not a far stretch to assume I¡¯ve made some kind of deal with Tom.


    Continuing on her original route, she ignored the disgruntled expressions of the men and women that passed her; even an office worker and agent that were Beastkin gave her cautious looks, and by their scent, it was clear that they were afraid.


    It should be at least a day or two before he¡¯s appointed the Assistant Director over this new Oscillation branch and given the parameters he can function within the FBI.  Tom really has played his hand well; there shouldn¡¯t be anything he can do in the short run, but it wouldn¡¯t be a good strategy for me to get on his bad side since he¡¯ll be over a lot of Mythickin matters soon enough, and I don¡¯t know how the public or government will react.


    As Tom said, segregation is a talking point at the White House, and it would likely be the FBI that spears that once this new branch is made and Martial Law ends.  I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if a few states moved to segregate sooner than Congress puts forward a law for the Senate to pass and the president to sign.


    I could see some states become changed people safe havens, while others bar entry and force residents out.  Of course, the government would probably step in and negotiate with the governors. There¡¯s bound to be a ton of issues, especially with elections around the corner.  I can¡¯t imagine it being too bad, though; there are enough people that likely know someone that changed, and that will quell some of the fear as time moves on.


    The big problem will likely be linked to the people that changed into large and odd creatures; there could be a backlash with Beastkin, but I expect there will be enough love for them to counter it.  Mythickin have a big uphill battle to fight with Jael¡¯s massacre at Seattle, but it¡¯s not as bad as it could be.


    The laws regarding the use of abilities will be a hard one to control, and there are a lot of skills I¡¯ve seen that can¡¯t really be regulated; how will Congress deal with that?  My hearing for one, how could someone stop me from using it functionally? There are just too many variables to consider; the complicated mess of it all, the versatility of abilities, and many unknown factors about The System are just too great.


    There could be mass cataloging; those changed could be required to go to their local FBI or Police Department and register as someone that has changed, but that¡¯s almost guaranteed.  The Police need the means to identify crimes and develop new detective means; it would be stupid not to allow those with exceptional sensory abilities inside the Police. New units of ability users could take up positions like SWAT and detectives or first responders.


    She scratched behind her left ear and flexed her back as a sharp burn flashed down her bruised areas.  I need to stop thinking about future speculations and work through my immediate problems ¡­ it¡¯s so hard not to think about, though.


    Scarlet and Fiona¡¯s room came into sight; one of the Special Agents she¡¯d seen with David when they got off the helicopter was standing guard outside the door.


    He glanced her way as she neared.  ¡°Meeting the others?¡±


    Rachel shook her head, stopping a few feet away from him.  ¡°No, heading to bed; Scarlet and Fiona are already sleeping.¡±


    His brow furrowed.  ¡°I see ¡­ alright, then.¡±  He opened the door, allowing her by.


    The room was pitch dark when the door closed, but her eyes adjusted instantly.  It seemed like they were using an office that had all the furniture pushed to the back wall.  There were blankets laid out on the floor for them to sleep on.


    Fiona was lying atop a pillow beside Scarlet; they were both sleeping soundly on their sides, facing each other.  It looked like Scarlet had tucked a tissue around Fiona¡¯s body so it wouldn¡¯t fly off from the changed air pressure when the door opened.  However, it seemed Scarlet had brushed off part of her own blanket, showing a bit of skin and her black undergarments. Both their clothes were laid out neatly atop a desk for them to dress into when they woke up.


    Rachel stood still for a moment, vision moving to the empty spot beside Fiona; she debated her options.


    Should I deactivate Emotional Detachment?  It helps me deal with my Lunar Pride, but what¡¯s the trade-off?  Does Lunar Pride affect me more often than Emotional Detachment would?  Not truly experiencing emotion could have long term adverse effects on my psyche.


    I have the emotional responses; even though I know the emotions, that¡¯s different than actually enjoying it.  It¡¯s like I¡¯m looking at a steaming hot tub; I know its hot, I know I¡¯d love it, but I¡¯m not inside it. That doesn¡¯t change the fact that the hot tub is there; my emotions are present, but I¡¯m not in them.


    Deactivating it would likely be the best course of action; I should only use Emotional Detachment when I can feel Lunar Pride creeping into my decision making.  I¡¯ll need to thoroughly examine it once my mind is rested to understand all its aspects ¡­ there¡¯s also the possibility of it getting a Proficiency Skill soon, as well.


    Looking down at the folder in her left hand, she hummed lightly.  Should I discuss this or our abilities first?  Probably our abilities, and then we can plan on how to utilize our strengths and cover our weaknesses with the crystal incident.


    She deactivated the skill and felt the pain hit her psyche first as her bruises shouted at her.  Dammit ¡­ it¡¯s not nearly as great as Lunar Deadening, but at least Emotional Detachment helps a little.  I really hope Maria comes in and heals me while I¡¯m sleeping ¡­ I don¡¯t want to wake up in pain.


    The second thing that struck her was the exhaustion; her body sagged as she trudged over to the blankets and dropped into them, head resting against the pillow.  She winced as the hard floor made her bruises burn, but the pain slowly faded.


    Sighing with a low moan, she tucked the folders under the top of her blanket, below her head.  Her ears drooped down the pillow as she relaxed her muscles, and her mind slowly drifted off to sleep.  What a day¡­


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 B2 — 10. Challenge

    Maria stretched out against the glass as she soaked in the weak rays of light shining through the window.  The experience was magical; it wasn¡¯t that she could feel the heat as much as the energy it gave her. Her sore muscles eased, her mind cleared, and her fatigue dissipated like the blazing sun cutting through dense fog.


    Opening her silver eyes, she looked down at her hand; in the last ten minutes, her mind had cleared, and the dull glow that emanated from her skin had slowly grown stronger.


    She thought back on her recent near-death experience; the moment she left the Burger King, her body had become colder and colder.  She did her best to mask her failing body, but at some point, her mind hazed when they left the item lock-up area.


    Taking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly, pumping her left hand into a fist a few times.  The feeling in her body had gradually increased as the sun rose, and the light touching her grew stronger.


    I almost died ¡­ what would have happened if I left Felix all alone?  Like dad and ¡­ shit. I need to be careful about using my abilities. I literally kill myself¡­


    She looked left at Bree; she seemed to be dozing in the chair beside her.


    What happened to the others?  I don¡¯t remember anything ¡­ we were walking toward the shower¡ªno, it was ¡­ there was something about a shampoo bottle.


    Her head tilted left and right as she examined the space.  She seemed to be in the FBI headquarters still; there were men and women in business attire walking between offices and through the hall.  Most of them were talking or looking down at their phones, but every one of them glanced her way at least once.


    Maria shifted on the small daybed, looking down at the front of the building through the glass.  There were groups of people walking in and out; it seemed like the facility was a beehive of activity.  There was a lot of ground between the front entrance and the road; she watched police directing traffic as rows of cars moved along the street, but there was a route set up for agents to get out and in.


    Her focus moved up to the light breaking past the treeline; there seemed to be a facility beyond the trees with large cylinder-shaped structures, and the sky was tinted yellow.


    If the sun¡¯s rising, then Scarlet and Rachel would be off in some closed-off room; I¡¯m with that one agent ¡­ what was her name?  Serah ¡­ no, that was the other chick; it was Bree, yeah, that¡¯s right.


    She glanced left with a slight frown as she studied her face; she did seem drained, but she didn¡¯t feel like turning on her Diagnosis ability since with how annoying it was.  She closed her eyes, breathing out another long sigh as she slumped against the window.


    I want to figure out what happened to the others, but I¡¯m no use to them like I am.  Nah, I should keep resting until I at least feel rested ¡­ damn, this feels better than any drug...


    Without realizing it, she fell asleep again.


    Her eyes squeezed shut, and she groaned as a loud voice picked up volume beside her.


    ¡°... you¡¯re too careless!¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ªI fell asleep,¡± Bailey¡¯s tone was timid.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve been up for¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve all been up a long time!¡±


    Opening her eyes, Maria squinted as the light struck her dark silver retina; her vision adjusted quickly and she saw a large scruffy man in a blue suit.  The man had blonde hair and brown eyes; he filled out his suit well, and by his posture, it was evident that he was confident in himself. Maria judged him to be in his late thirties.


    Bree and the man were facing each other, but it was obvious that Bree was on the defensive.


    ¡°The hell¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡±  Maria mumbled, straightening as she stretched her left shoulder.


    The man shot a furious glare at her.  ¡°It¡¯s none of your concern.¡± Turning back to Bree, his nose twisted.  ¡°If you can¡¯t perform your duty, then you should have called in a replacement.¡±


    Starting to feel annoyed by the tense atmosphere, Maria cut in before Bree could respond.  ¡°A la chingada,¡± she growled, stretching out her lower back as she rose to her feet. ¡°I¡¯m trying to rest here, and you¡¯re barking like a perro loco!  Quiet the fuck down.¡± She took a challenging step forward, glaring up at him.


    He clicked his tongue, anger cracking for a moment as he turned sideways defensively; he looked back at several office workers that were watching the scene with bated breath.  Choosing to ignore her, he returned his anger to Bree. ¡°You¡¯re tired? I¡¯ll get someone to replace you.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Maria barked, snapping her fingers in front of his face.


    The man¡¯s jaw locked as he turned his glare to her, but she could tell he was cautious about confronting her.  ¡°What?¡± He growled.


    ¡°Calm the fuck down.  La neta me est¨¢s emputando.¡±  She turned to Bree, turning on Diagnosis; she frowned as everyone within a ten-foot radius¡¯ medical issues lit her mind like a flame.  ¡°Y¡¯all have issues,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±  The man¡¯s nose twitched as he sucked on his tongue.


    She turned back to him; lips curved into a deep frown.  ¡°Ischemic heart disease, right, and give it a few years; you¡¯ll probably die of a stroke.  You should really get your blood pressure under control, hombre, because you¡¯re filled with adrenaline and cortisol.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  He asked, brow furrowing.  ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ that¡¯s right; you can understand health issues with people.¡±  His eyes narrowed.


    She folded her arms, keeping eye contact.  ¡°Yeah, and Bree, I can sense how hard you¡¯ve been pushing your body too.  Want me to fix that?¡±


    Bree tensed.  ¡°Wait¡ªwhat?¡±


    ¡°I can make your body feel better than it¡¯s ever felt,¡± Maria said, eyes still challenging the man in front of her.


    The man¡¯s teeth ground together, eyes narrowing further.  ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary; she can just get¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Maria hummed.  ¡°I thought you¡¯d want as much manpower as you can get, or is this your ego talking?  Huh, which is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not have your abilities compromise one of the agents under me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Maria grunted.  ¡°The Military¡¯s trusting me with a ton of kids and supposedly dead people; what¡¯s your excuse?  To me, it just looks like you¡¯ve got an over-inflated ego.¡±


    He breathed a heated puff of air through his teeth.  ¡°By all means, show us what a Unicorn Mythickin can do.¡±


    She didn¡¯t break eye contact as her horn appeared; she fed the desire to heal Bree¡¯s physical fatigue.  The man tensed as her horn came inches from touching his eyes, quickly stepping back a few paces.


    ¡°The hell?¡±  He shouted.


    Maria huffed.  ¡°Shouldn¡¯t have been standing so close to me.  Eres tan pat¨¦tico, que resultas cari?oso.¡± She glanced left.  A soft white glow illuminated Bree, and all her fatigue faded, but it came at the cost of a substantial chunk of her own energy.


    Damn; how long does it take for Rachel¡¯s energy to come back?  It looked like her energy took no more than a few minutes, but mine¡¯s gonna take forever at this rate.  At least I shut up this asshole, but Bree has a lot more issues than I thought ¡­ it¡¯s kind of sad.


    ¡°How do you feel, Bree?¡±  Maria asked, returning her smug glare to the man.


    ¡°I¡ªumm, I feel¡ªamazing,¡± she muttered, stretching out.  ¡°I somehow feel even stronger than normal?¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but you should feel completely rested.  Ready to work another few hours? Because I¡¯d rather have you around than some pendejo est¨²pido that doesn¡¯t even know my name.¡±


    Bree¡¯s face twitched, trying to hide a smile as the man tucked his lower lip under, vision shooting to Bree.  ¡°You actually feel rested?¡±


    Bree cleared her throat and stood straighter.  ¡°Yeah, I do, sir.¡±


    He sucked on his tongue a few times before glancing around at the shocked faces of the office workers and agents.  ¡°Fine, but next time I catch you dozing on the job; I¡¯ll fire your ass.¡±


    Maria glanced at Bree¡¯s back before smirking.  ¡°At least she has a nice ass.¡±


    ¡°You should work on your attitude,¡± the man growled.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Maria grinned.  ¡°Why don¡¯t I heal your issues, eh?  God knows you need a little stress reliever.¡±


    ¡°Keep your magical drugs to yourself,¡± he snapped, turning to walk away.  ¡°One more time, Bree...¡±


    Maria watched him leave, muttering, ¡°Hay d¨ªas tontos y tontos todos los d¨ªas,¡± before he turned the corner.


    Bree¡¯s lips pursed as she glanced around at the people still watching; Maria glared at each one as her horn faded.  ¡°The hell y¡¯all lookin¡¯ at? Keep starin¡¯, and I¡¯ll start chargin¡¯ ya!¡±


    Most of their eyebrows shot up before quickly moved toward their original destinations.  Maria sniffed as she followed a few women hurry around the corner. When most of the original gawkers left, she held her hair to keep it from falling back and sunk into the couch, releasing a tired groan.  Her head and shoulders pressed against the glass, and she relaxed her muscles, deactivating Diagnosis.


    Scratching the back of her neck, Bree slowly sat beside her.  ¡°Thanks, but ¡­ that could come back to bite you ¡­ and me. Darik¡¯s basically already appointed as a Supervisory Special Agent in the new division that¡¯s forming.¡±


    ¡°Tch, like I care,¡± Maria mumbled, swapping to Spanish.  ¡°He was an asshole, and I wouldn¡¯t worry about him for too much longer.  Like I said, he¡¯ll likely be dead in the next few years, maybe even months with how high his blood pressure is.¡±


    ¡°You were serious?¡±  Bree asked with concern, switching to Spanish, as well.


    ¡°Heh, that¡¯s probably why he backed off; he knew that I couldn¡¯t lie.  I bet he¡¯ll be looking for a doctor soon.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± Bree trailed off, biting her lower lip for a moment.  ¡°You could have healed him of it ¡­ couldn¡¯t you?¡±


    She smirked, holding up her hand, she snapped her fingers.  ¡°Just like that ¡­ of course, he was too proud to let me do that,¡± she chuckled before her mood fell.  ¡°I¡¯d be pretty close to passing out again, too¡ªprobably.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± she muttered.  ¡°Darik has quite the ego¡ªwait, passing out again?  You¡¯ve been soaking up sunlight for the past thirty minutes, though?  I,¡± Maria frowned as Bree¡¯s composure dropped. ¡°I remember Rachel told us¡ªdo you really kill yourself when you heal people?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Maria glanced behind her at the sun as it illuminated the sky.  ¡°Yeah, it does basically kill me, but I mean, it¡¯s not that bad. I guess I¡¯m like a rechargeable battery¡ªjust, if I run out of juice, then I¡¯m dead forever.  Also, I don¡¯t know if it makes a difference, but it hasn¡¯t been direct sunlight; once the sun breaks past those trees, then I might get more energy back.¡±


    Bree looked down at the front of the building, rubbing her scalp.  ¡°You were literally killing yourself to ease my muscles and tension¡­¡±


    ¡°Shit, don¡¯t make a big deal out of it,¡± Maria growled.  ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Bree took a deep breath before adding a light smile.  ¡°We might be able to go wait outside.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Maria smiled.  ¡°That¡¯d be chill; although, don¡¯t you need to get permission from David or something?  Can¡¯t imagine them letting a super dangerous Unicorn that can only heal out of their fancy building.¡±  She said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Even under supervision; damn government.¡±


    She took out her phone and sent a quick text.  ¡°I just messaged him; this way it doesn¡¯t bother him, and he can respond when he has the¡­¡±  She cut off, frown deepening.


    Maria glanced over and saw a thumbs-up emoji on her text.  ¡°Huh, even the FBI uses emoji, eh?¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen him do that,¡± Bree muttered.


    ¡°Learn something new every day,¡± Maria grunted, stretching as she rose.  ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we both go catch some rays?¡± Her mind flashed back to Rachel.  ¡°Wait a second¡­¡± She whispered.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Bree asked, putting her hands on her hips as she rose, twisting to pop her joints, coat spreading to reveal her weapons vest.


    Should I go heal Rachel before going on a walk?  Do I even have enough energy to do it? I mean, I should, she¡¯s been in a lot of pain, but I¡¯d be pretty drained.  Although, her body¡¯s fairly resilient, and it should only be bruising and stressed muscles; unless she¡¯s done something crazy since I¡¯ve been out ¡­ it¡¯s Rachel, so¡­


    She moaned, running her hands through her hair to pull it behind her back.  ¡°Wait, I remember there was some talk about a shower, and what about the others, where did they go?¡±


    Bree¡¯s lips pursed as she looked down at her phone.  ¡°Serah text me earlier that they finished showering and went to sleep.  She¡¯s heading to bed soon too.¡±


    ¡°A shower sounds nice,¡± Maria whispered.  ¡°Alright, my clothes should still be over there, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d imagine; I don¡¯t think the cleaning crew has been very active since they¡¯re probably understaffed.¡±


    ¡°Great, then I¡¯ll go take a shower, get changed, we can go see Rachel and the others real fast, and then we can take a walk.  Sound good?¡±


    Bree shrugged.  ¡°I guess¡ªI mean, I don¡¯t know what else we¡¯d be doing.  I haven¡¯t gotten any orders to do anything in particular with you.¡±


    ¡°Sweet,¡± Maria started walking down the hall before slowing to a halt.  ¡°Eh¡ªI just realized I don¡¯t have a clue where we are. So, umm¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, follow me,¡± Bree chuckled.


    They walked back to the shower area; there was a box of pads by the door that she snatched as she entered the tiled restroom room.  She quickly freshened up; her clothes were still lying in a corner, and she noticed the torn apparel from Tempest that Rachel was wearing in the garbage.  She grunted as she pulled her new shorts and shirt on; they were pretty tight. She kept her previous bra since the new one¡¯s measurements didn¡¯t happen to match the tag, but changed her underwear and used one of the pads.


    She folded her old clothes and brought them out with her, leaving the bag of pads in the room.  No point in wasting good clothes; it¡¯s not like mine are ripped anyways.


    Bree was playing with her phone when Maria exited; she looked up with a wry smile.  ¡°You know, to be honest, you look just as good as when you went in, but that shirt looks a little tight.¡±


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re not lying,¡± Maria said with a hum as she looked down at her body.  ¡°I guess I¡¯m just that hot, though; still, wish I could have kept my original skin-color.  Seeing white arms is just¡ªdisconcerting ¡­ not because they¡¯re white¡ªjust because it¡¯s not me.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess if you really are stunning, then it doesn¡¯t hurt to own it.¡±  She chuckled. ¡°I found out where Rachel and the others are staying.¡±


    Maria shifted her damp hair a little around her ears, smiling at Bree.  ¡°It¡¯s nice just talking Spanish again; where did you learn to speak so well?¡±


    Her smile became a little forced.  ¡°Well¡ªhonestly, I learned it when I was training to join Vice.  I don¡¯t know what your relationship with cops is.¡±


    Humming for a moment, Maria folded her arms and shrugged.  ¡°I mean, there are some bad drugs on the street and trafficking is pretty bad.  I can respect what you do, but it¡¯s not like we won¡¯t curse when we¡¯re busted for something.  It¡¯s complicated¡ªI don¡¯t like bitches that play both sides, but if you¡¯re up-front about the shit you¡¯re chill with and not, then I don¡¯t got a problem.¡±


    Bree nodded, gesturing for her to follow; Maria followed her down the hall, turning right at the next junction.  ¡°I understand. You¡¯re pretty big on the truth for a gangster.¡± She giggled.


    ¡°Hey, I ain¡¯t a snitch; I don¡¯t like that shit, but if bastards are selling crack to the lil¡¯ homies on my block or some prick is picking up our girls, then I got issue, and we¡¯ll handle it.  I¡¯m not against the cops doing their thing either; works for me.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Bree pulled some of her hair back behind her ear as she glanced back at her.  ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be so neutral about it; a lot of real gangsters, not the fake ones, really hate us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I want total anarchy,¡± Maria grunted.  ¡°You got a purpose, and just because something¡¯s illegal doesn¡¯t make it bad, but yeah, there are some fucked up people that I wouldn¡¯t mind taken off the streets¡ªwhatever the means, even cops.¡±


    Bree fell silent as they continued down the halls.


    Looking left, down at the center walkway between the buildings, she followed a few people running into the opposite building.


    What¡¯s Felix doing right now?  Scarlet sent him to that military forward base; so, will they bring him with the brainwashed people?  Maybe he ditched and is trying to find me ¡­ that¡¯d be like him; shit, I should have asked Rachel to see if he¡¯s within her earshot.


    What about the boys?  I did kind of ditch them ¡­ yeah, they¡¯ll be pissed.  They should have gone back to regroup with the rest, but who knows with those blockheads.  Damn ¡­ I didn¡¯t expect to get wrapped up in all this shit; how soon until we can head back?


    There¡¯s that shrink that¡¯s coming; dammit, Rachel¡¯s all worried I¡¯ll say something that could get us in deep, but who the hell knows.  I don¡¯t know what she wants to stay hidden, but it¡¯s not like we¡¯ve had the time to talk about it. If they¡¯re giving us time to sleep, then maybe we can talk a bit after.


    Her attention shifted back to Bree as she cleared her throat, looking down at her phone.  ¡°So, Serah text me ¡­ one of the other agents woke her up asking about Rachel seeing a four-star general?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±  Maria¡¯s eyebrow lifted as she tugged on her shirt front, trying to ease some of the pressure against her chest.  ¡°I haven¡¯t heard shit about that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Bree muttered, her pace slowing a little.  ¡°Serah hadn¡¯t heard anything about it either. Apparently, after she carried you to the front of the building and left you with me, she went back to take a shower.  She was supposed to meet up with the others in the office we¡¯re heading too, but it seems like, after the shower, she must have gone with the general.¡±


    ¡°Is she even in the room we¡¯re heading to then?¡±  Maria scratched under her chin, feeling a bit annoyed.


    If Rachel isn¡¯t there, then heading there is useless.  Why the hell would she be meeting with a four-star ¡­ wait¡­


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Rachel say that there was some general asking about a task force or some shit?¡±


    Bree nodded.  ¡°Yeah, she did say that and told Serah to tell David you guys weren¡¯t interested in it.  Oh, and it looks like Special Agent Laymen confirmed that Rachel came back about five minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±  Maria trailed off.


    Why would a high-ranked general come here to meet with Rachel?  If Bree and Serah haven¡¯t heard anything about it, then it¡¯s gotta be for something different than what the FBI has planned for us.  Damn ¡­ Rachel¡¯s got such a sharp brain, though, she¡¯s probably scheming something.


    They rounded a corner, and Maria caught sight of a man standing in front of a door.  He straightened when he caught sight of them. ¡°Ah, Special Agent Bailey, the Lunar Hare is still inside.¡±


    ¡°We have names,¡± Maria muttered as she brushed past him, opening the door.  She slowed to a stop after taking a few steps into the room, Bree behind her with the disgruntled man behind her in the doorway.


    Her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room quickly; she caught Scarlet¡¯s exposed skin and turned quickly, shutting the door in the man¡¯s face.  She heard him let out a soft huff before shifting to lean against the wall beside the door.


    Bree was squinting into the abyss.  ¡°Eh¡ªI can¡¯t see anything.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just give me a second,¡± Maria whispered.  ¡°They¡¯re all asleep.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s so much cuter when she¡¯s relaxed ¡­ damn, my brother would be bright red.  Her mind flashed back to her corrupted state.  Then again, she has that scary side; I don¡¯t know why Fiona¡¯s so fixated on my curves, though, Scarlet¡¯s aren¡¯t terrible ¡­ I guess I am kind of ¡­ shit, focus!


    She glanced at Rachel with a frown.  ¡°Rachel didn¡¯t even throw a blanket over herself,¡± she muttered, activating Diagnosis.


    Damn, no wonder; she¡¯s a freaking mess.  She¡¯s tough as Amaia¡¯s bread; how can she function like this?


    Bree hummed softly, still speaking in Spanish, she whispered, ¡°I can actually see a little; both Rachel and your glow helps a bit.  Is that Scarlet ¡­ she¡¯s not¡ªnaked, right?¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯s got underwear on; just give me a second.  I¡¯m going to heal Rachel, and then we can head out for some sun.¡±


    Before Bree could respond, her horn appeared, cutting away the darkness; she cursed softly, holding her old clothes in front of her head as she healed Rachel, blocking a bit of the light from shining on them.  She finished as quickly as she could, feeling her energy reserve dip down to four percent; her muscles were beginning to feel sluggish and tight again.


    Bree moved a little closer to study the soft glow that surrounded Rachel before turning back to her as her horn began to fade.  ¡°Honestly¡ªI can see myself being a little jealous of your looks; you each have gorgeous long hair, and I highly doubt any of you are wearing make-up, but you look like supermodels.¡±


    Maria moved back to crack the door open, allowing Bree to find her way toward her; she opened it enough for her to exit, and she followed her out.  Shutting the door, she said, ¡°Hey, they¡¯re sleeping, so don¡¯t open the door until they choose to come out. Got it?¡±


    The man¡¯s face tightened at her stern expression.  ¡°I don¡¯t plan on it unless ordered to get them up.¡±


    Nodding with satisfaction at his honest answer, she tilted her head.  ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get to some sunlight, because ¡­ I¡¯m feeling terrible.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the man called after them.


    They both turned, brows creased with question.


    ¡°I heard that the military¡¯s bringing all those kids here within the next few hours.¡±


    Shit ¡­ that sun better start giving me some real energy!


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Bree said, turning back to her.


    Maria didn¡¯t respond as she picked up her pace, walking back toward the side of the building where she could start gaining a bit of light, Bree in-tow.


    ¡°Damn,¡± she muttered.  ¡°Let¡¯s hope direct sunlight gives me more energy.  Where¡¯s the closest way out?¡±


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


    I hope you''ve been enjoying the free entertainment!  The internet is divided into different echo-chambers; you have a specific group that only hovers around specific sites/content.  So, by recommending my serials to others, you give it more exposure to different echo-chambers and help it grow.  Ratings are excellent, Trending is terrific, but it only will appeal to a specific echo-chamber.  If you like my content, then please share it in your own unique way.


    Thank you!  ^_^7


    Normal Plugs:


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


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 B2 — 11. Miracles of the Immaculate

    AuthorSME


    Update:  I released both chapters 11 and 12 to get us back on track since I messed up by giving 13 last week.  xD


    Maria followed Bree through the halls, ignoring the looks people have her.  Why does healing someone¡¯s fatigue require more energy than healing some bruises?  Is it because Rachel¡¯s a Mythickin and it¡¯s easier because of that? It doesn¡¯t make any damn sense.


    Reaching an elevator, they took it to the first floor; she glared at a flustered looking woman standing as far away from her as possible in the back corner of the box.  She swapped to English with an annoyed tone. ¡°What¡¯s your deal?¡±


    Bree looked back at her with bunched lips, speaking Spanish.  ¡°You can¡¯t blame people for being cautious, Maria.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re being?¡±  She asked the woman, turning her body to face the stiff woman.  ¡°You¡¯re being cautious of me? To me, it looks like racism. You a racist?¡±


    The woman shook her head, a lump dropping down her throat.  ¡°N-no¡ªI just¡­¡± The door opened, and she darted around her, almost tripping on her way out.


    ¡°Tch,¡± Maria glared after her retreating back, several agents waiting to get in hurrying out of the way.  She flipped back to Spanish as she followed Bree out. ¡°I¡¯ve seen those looks before.¡±


    A few men and women shifted to let them by; Bree sighed, glancing back for a moment, ¡°C¡¯mon, Maria.  She¡¯s not a racist; she just doesn¡¯t know how to treat you guys, and you guys did kill a bunch of people.  Even if they were murderers and rapists and the like, people normally have a hard time with murder.¡±


    Most of the people in the halls moved out of their way, eyeing her and Bree with questioning looks.  ¡°What? You guys kill bastards all the time; they don¡¯t give you looks like this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, we do it within the confines of the law¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?  They¡¯re still dead.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, hmm,¡± Bree went silent for a second as they went straight; the front entrance seemed right in front of them down a long hallway, through some metal detectors and guards on-duty.


    After a moment, Bree continued.  ¡°People want to feel safe, and if normal citizens start going around killing everyone that gets on their nerves, then it freaks them out.  Especially when they have crazy powers that belong in superhero movies.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you call killing children and kidnapping teens?  We don¡¯t cry when cops kill a molester where I¡¯m from, and that¡¯s if we don¡¯t handle that shit first.  Cops don¡¯t come around our neighborhood often anyways; we gotta take care of our own.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Bree slowed, looking back at her with a serious expression.  ¡°You told us you never killed anyone before The Oscillation?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t; not before The Oscillation or after.¡±  She stated, looking at the closed doors to her left; several people hurrying past them toward the elevators or down different hallways, clearly very busy with something.


    ¡°Right ¡­ I guess you would know people that have murdered.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I know that bastard Patrick Crusius was a racist and shot up a bunch of Latino.  You telling me all these people don¡¯t see me as a Mythickin and just hate me for that? There¡¯s some fucked up Mythickin; I¡¯ll say that.  It¡¯s not like there aren¡¯t fucked up White, Black, or Asians too.


    ¡°Shit ¡­ you going to blame every person of a race because of one person?  A man in Texas pops some mass shooter, and he¡¯s treated like a hero; we take out dozens of terrorists, and we¡¯re treated like Hannibal fucking Lecter.¡±


    Bree seemed like she wanted to drop the subject.


    ¡°Anyways¡ªwhere do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± she sighed, looking to her right at the back of Bree¡¯s blonde head.  ¡°Hey, look, I¡¯m just a little tense, aiight. I hate it when people look down on me. Damn, I hate it; it¡¯s like I¡¯m a fucking wild animal or some shit.  But what, you¡¯d rather someone lie to your face and play all nice? That¡¯s that shit I don¡¯t like, and I ain¡¯t about to play a popbitch. I hate fake bitches¡ªif someone¡¯s got something to say, then say that shit to my face, and get the fuck over it.¡±


    Bree rubbed the back of her neck, hair shifting with the gesture as a low hum left her throat.  They were closing in on the exit. ¡°I get it; it¡¯s just a bit complicated. People are scared; I mean, when I learned that you could heal wounds instantly, my first thought was if you could even be killed with bullets after hearing about the Seattle incident.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fucked up, but at least you¡¯re honest,¡± Maria mumbled.


    She shrugged.  ¡°Hey, all I heard was that you guys killed dozens of people, and I was worried about how to stop you.  Give people time, and they¡¯ll come around; they don¡¯t know the full situation yet; the Military are keeping a lot of the details.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, playing both sides, I don¡¯t like.  I¡¯m not going to just take shit from people to make them feel better.  If they don¡¯t like me, fuck¡¯em.¡±


    Bree put all of her metal objects in a tote, unholstering her gun to put it through as they approached the checkout area.  The agents fed into the machine and let them by; the detector didn¡¯t go off as they went through, and Bree recovered her items.


    Humming thoughtfully, Bree looked left at her as they exited the building.  ¡°How did you end up like that? The whole gangster thug life thing?¡±


    Maria let a low moan slide through her throat as the weak morning rays struck her skin; all her fatigue vanished with a bit of her irritation as a slow warmth oscillated within her body.  Yeah, it¡¯s going to take a while to get charged, but man this shit¡¯s real.


    Putting her hands in her pockets, keeping her thumbs out, Maria bunched her lips to the side.  She for real?  ¡°You wanna know why I keep it three-hundred?¡±


    ¡°Eh, what¡¯s three-hundred mean?¡±


    ¡°Damn, I thought you were a part of Vice?¡±  Maria chuckled; the air pressure changed around them, making her pull a lock behind her left ear that blew out of place.


    ¡°Yeah, well, there¡¯s a lot of odd street language; a lot of it comes from rap, right?  There¡¯s a lot of rap slang...¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°I guess. Keeping it three-hundred means you¡¯re three-hundred percent real and honest; you ain¡¯t no popbitch or a gangster that turned out to be a fakeass bitch.  If you want to know, then I¡¯ll tell you how it is.


    ¡°Understand, where I come from, every day you wake up¡ªevery day you leave the house, you¡¯re takin¡¯ a chance on going to the penitentiary and gettin¡¯ done over.  You know ¡­ all my closest friends are done.


    ¡°You understand what I¡¯m sayin¡¯?  They¡¯re doin¡¯ a whole bunch of time, or they¡¯re outta here.  You gotta be real or else nobody¡¯s got your back, and you know, we all tryin¡¯ to get outta the hood, right?  But not because we¡¯re afraid of it; that¡¯s not an obstacle. Na, it¡¯s the mentality; never weary, never stoppin¡¯¡ªwe aren¡¯t poor, we¡¯re just broke, and the hustle¡¯s necessary for the bread.  For that, you gotta be real.¡±


    ¡°The mentality¡­¡±  Bree whispered as they turned a corner.  ¡°And all the gangster killing talk is a part of that?¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± Maria muttered.  ¡°It¡¯s not about the killin¡¯ shit, but about takin¡¯ action; if a dog runs up on you and knows you¡¯re a popbitch, then he¡¯ll walk all over you, steal your shit, and fuck you up.  It ain¡¯t that simple as just be nice¡ªthat shit doesn¡¯t fly when someone¡¯s tryin¡¯ to put bread on the table; you gotta get it how you live, and that shit¡¯s dirty.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, alright, well¡ªI guess I don¡¯t fully understand how it¡¯s like living where you¡¯re from.  Anyways, what do you like to do then? You mentioned that you¡¯re a Christian? You go to church and everything?¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah,¡± Maria smirked.  ¡°What, you don¡¯t think a gangster needs God?¡±


    ¡°I just never got how it fit?¡±  Bree muttered as they split down another walkway.  ¡°I mean, isn¡¯t it against Christian teachings to be a gangster?¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°Hey, we all got shit in our closets; else why¡¯d we need God, right?  No one¡¯s perfect; you tellin¡¯ me you are?¡±


    A grumble rumbled in Bree¡¯s throat.  ¡°No ¡­ I guess not; I¡¯ve got my regrets.¡±


    ¡°Look, I believe what I do, and that¡¯s that; ain¡¯t nobody going to tell me fuckin¡¯ shit when they haven¡¯t walked in my shoes.  God¡¯s got my back; at least, that¡¯s how I feel. He¡¯s been there with me from the start. More than any of these other bitchass fakers can say.


    ¡°Now, do I believe everything some preacher tells me?  Fuck no; I read and figure that shit out for myself, but like I said, I¡¯m not perfect, and I don¡¯t know all everything.  So I live as best I can. Ain¡¯t nobody but God above me; understand?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Bree muttered, ¡°but I can respect your honesty.  You still believe all of that after changing into a Mythickin Unicorn, though?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Well ¡­ it just,¡± she paused, looking left as they turned right on a concrete walkway; there were still long lines of cars moving slowly along the road in front of the building.  Agents were now keeping watch to make sure nobody trespassed onto the property. ¡°Do you think this is God¡¯s doing? All of this?¡±


    Maria chuckled, causing Bree to frown and look back at her.  ¡°Believin¡¯ in God and believin¡¯ he did all this are two different things, chica.¡±


    Bree sighed, looking up at the nearly cloudless sky.  ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Though, could God have done it?  Sure, I mean, it¡¯s not like he lacks the power, but there¡¯s tons of other shit it could be too, you know?¡±


    ¡°So ¡­ you believe in aliens and stuff¡ªand in God?¡±


    They both made it to a walkway around a large pond area that seemed to have a concrete running track around it for FBI employees, and Bree led them onto it.  The glass windows along the massive FBI building next to them reflected the rising sunlight, and further ahead the freeway could be seen through some trees. The area was nicely groomed with palm trees, cut green grass, and several different groups of chirping birds flying around the area.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Maria looked ahead of them toward several agents and office workers already jogging down the track ahead of them.  ¡°I mean, do I think that we¡¯re the only special planet out there? I believe God could have made other planets with other creatures on them, why not?  I don¡¯t think scientists have a time machine to look back and know everything that happened¡ªit¡¯s all just guesswork. Could some of it be true? Sure, but that doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s no God either.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I believe God pulls back His arm and blasts every evil person too; look, if He did that then where¡¯s the choice, right?  There¡¯s judgment and the like for that, and we got our agency; we make our own beds in the end. I ain¡¯t about that speak the name, and all is forgiven shit, either.  It¡¯s not what I¡¯ve read anyways. James is all about those works, but you can¡¯t be a popbitch about that either.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little surprised,¡± Bree giggled.


    Maria frowned, silver eyes following a few birds cruising around in the pond.  ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a little shocked that you are talking about things in the bible, but if you said you read and study yourself, then you can¡¯t lie about that.¡±


    She scratched her neck with a slight huff.  ¡°Like I said, I keep it three-hundred; it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have my own questions about it too, but that¡¯s different than doubts.  What about you? Why do you think all this shit happened?¡±


    ¡°The Oscillation?¡±


    ¡°What else?  Seems like a pretty big deal.¡±


    Bree went silent as she took out her phone.  ¡°So, umm, apparently one of the office workers I know saw Rachel with a four-star general ¡­ you know anything about that?¡±


    She grunted.  ¡°Changing the subject?  Fine, whatever, you don¡¯t have to tell me your theory.  Eh¡ªRachel, and a four-star general? Nope, but it wouldn¡¯t surprise me; that girl¡¯s as crafty as they come.  She¡¯s probably working out some deal; she¡¯s more of a hustler than she knows.¡± She chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s a general doing at the FBI anyways?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Bree mumbled, shooting back another text.  ¡°Apparently she¡¯s heard some talk about people saying the military¡¯s butting heads with the FBI?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s some bullshit; isn¡¯t there still all sorts of bad shit happenin¡¯?  Why are y¡¯all fighting when people need help?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ I have no clue.  It might not even be true; office gossip can be taken out of context.¡±


    They both went silent for a moment as the sun continued to fill her; she turned on Diagnosis since they¡¯d moved past the crowds.  After ten minutes of walking around the track, a group of joggers passed them, giving them questioning looks.  Maria was a little preoccupied, though.


    After several minutes, Maria cleared her throat.  ¡°So, eh¡ªdo you want me to heal your womb?¡±


    Bree stopped in her tracks, body stiffening.  A lump dropped down her throat as she turned to stare at her.  ¡°Umm ¡­ what¡ªwhen did you notice?¡± She asked, tone defensive.


    Maria pulled her hair back as a breeze blew it in front of her vision; she turned her head toward a bench to their left and tilted her head.  ¡°Let¡¯s sit.¡±


    They both moved to the bench and sat; Bree was biting her lower lip as she glared at a duck.  Maria waited for two men to pass them before continuing. ¡°I noticed when I was studying that one asshole¡¯s medical conditions.  I can turn it off or on; I¡¯ve been keeping it off because it¡¯s damn annoying, but I noticed your medical conditions when I turned it back on.¡±


    ¡°That feels ¡­ invasive,¡± Bree mumbled with a heated tone.  ¡°So¡ªyou know everything wrong with me¡ªwith everyone? No medical privacy...¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯ll be the first to tell you how uncomfortable it is,¡± Maria groaned, flipping her hair behind the back of the bench.  ¡°There was one guy in that crowd that had gonorrhea; I don¡¯t want to know that shit.¡±


    Bree was hunched over, elbows resting against her knees as she stared at the ground.  After a while, she whispered, ¡°So ¡­ what about my uterus then?¡±


    ¡°I know there¡¯s scar tissue on it; probably cauterized; you likely had surgery done on it, right?  I know you can¡¯t have kids because of it, and there¡¯s some kind of defect you have called bicornuate uterus.


    ¡°If I ask what something is, then there¡¯s something in my head that gives me an answer; it can be a real asshole about it, though, and leave me hanging.  Bicornuate uterus is a defect that you were born with, though, right? I don¡¯t know much other than that, but I can still sense it with the scar tissue on your uterus.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Bree muttered.  ¡°When I was a teen, my periods really ¡­ you don¡¯t want to hear this.¡±  She sighed, leaning back with a tired groan.


    ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t mind,¡± Maria muttered.  ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing better to do, and I think I can help.  You don¡¯t have to tell me shit if you don¡¯t want too; I kind of like you, though, so I¡¯m offering to fix it.  Simple as that¡ªnot that big of a deal.¡±


    Maria folded her arms as Bree¡¯s lips curved into a sad smile and a jaded huff shot through her nostrils.  ¡°Not that big of a deal?¡± She was silent for a few seconds before she ran a hand through her blonde hair.  ¡°It was a big deal to me. When I was a teen, my periods were¡ªdifficult, erratic, I always had a stomach ache¡ªit was bad.


    ¡°My dad was a return vet from Desert Storm; he got oxy for his back pain, and I¡¯d¡ªI¡¯d steal some just to get through the day sometimes ¡­ I felt like a loser, but the pain was just¡­¡±  A lump dropped down her throat, and she brushed away a tear. ¡°My dad would always blame my uncle for the missing pills, but I couldn¡¯t come clean.


    ¡°After a year of that¡ªI just felt like a freak; none of the other girls had to deal with something like that.  My mom knew something was wrong but didn¡¯t know what it was¡ªthought it was just teenage angst. I finally told her, and we went and got an ultrasound; my mom thought I was pregnant or something at first,¡± she chuckled sadly.


    She scratched her scalp as she gathered her thoughts.  ¡°Turns out I did have bicornuate uterus ¡­ the doctor called it a heart-shaped womb, which I hated.  Hearts were supposed to be connected with love and passion ¡­ not a painful defect ¡­ I was defective¡ªat least that¡¯s how I felt.


    ¡°My mom scheduled me for consultations, and one of the options was cauterizing it; it would stop the pain and irregular bleeding.  I just wanted the pain to go away, but it also meant I couldn¡¯t have kids.¡±


    Bree looked up at her with an uncertain expression.  ¡°You¡¯re saying you can fix all of that, though? The defect and the damage done by the surgery?¡±


    Maria shifted a little in the seat, feeling a bit of pressure now.  ¡°I mean, I feel like I can¡ªbut you¡¯re making me doubt myself now. That¡¯s a shitty story, though¡ªdamn, that would suck.¡±  Bunching her lips to the side, she looked left at the hesitation in Bree¡¯s features. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get your hopes up, but ¡­ I think I can.  I just¡ªwant to wait a few more minutes to get some more energy back.¡±


    She looked over at the sun peeking over the treetops; her energy was returning a lot faster than it was inside.  She gauged herself at eight percent, but it was still going up slowly. It would be hours before she was fully recovered.


    ¡°I¡¯m at about eight percent, right now,¡± she mumbled.


    Bree followed her gaze to the sun before her vision fell.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡ªdon¡¯t you kill yourself when you heal people?  What if it takes more than seven percent and you¡¯re on death¡¯s door again, or more and you just die?  You could like ¡­ vanish into thin air or something?¡±


    Maria laughed.  ¡°Vanish into thin air ¡­ yeah, who knows?  Damn¡ªbut, I mean, don¡¯t you want kids?¡±


    She almost forgot that the woman beside her was a Special Agent of the FBI as she stared down at the concrete, a complex swirl of emotions spreading across her face.


    ¡°You¡ªyou know I¡¯d be lying if I said I never thought about it.  I haven¡¯t even¡ªJonas doesn¡¯t even know¡­¡±


    Maria groaned, stretching out.  ¡°Aiight, then let me ask some questions and figure out what the hell this is going to cost.  I don¡¯t want to die, but hell¡ªyou¡¯re the most honest damn person I¡¯ve met here at the FBI. I don¡¯t know exactly why, but it just feels like ¡­ good helping you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I guess,¡± Bree mumbled.  ¡°I don¡¯t think just being honest should warrant you killing yourself for a complete stranger, though.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the kind of shit you do every day?¡±  Maria asked with a playful nudge. ¡°You go out there bustin¡¯ in doors tryin¡¯ to save random people?¡±


    ¡°I suppose¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, well, shit¡ªyou can pay me back later.  Sound good?¡±


    Bree took a deep breath, vision returning to the ground.  ¡°No ¡­ I think you should first heal all those people the Military is bringing over.  You should be saving up your energy for them.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I do both?¡±  Maria asked.


    ¡°Eh,¡± Bree clicked her tongue a few times, ¡°because you don¡¯t have the energy?¡±


    ¡°Let me worry about that shit, okay?  Now shut-up and let me think. I can¡¯t fight for shit as a Unicorn; so, what good am I if I can¡¯t heal shit?¡±


    Bree¡¯s lips drew into a line as she glanced at her, but she didn¡¯t pursue the topic.


    Alright, knowledge-asshole-thing, I want something that will help me heal and not use a ton of energy; got anything like that while I¡¯m in sunlight?  Dammit, just give me some shit that reduces my energy used in sunlight or ¡­ oh, Solar Mitigation. So, you aren¡¯t completely useless! While in sunlight, my Miracles of the Immaculate Branch abilities have a ten percent reduced cost.  I guess that¡¯s something.


    What kind of abilities are in that branch ¡­ Lesser Cure Defect and Restore Minor Appendage.  Those are pretty specific for this situation ¡­ although, I suppose the appendage thing was used for that bunny Beastkin.


    A smile broke across Maria¡¯s lips; she had a distinct feeling that she could do it now.  ¡°Well, do you want me to fix it? Yes or no?¡±


    Bree groaned, running both hands through her hair to secure it behind her ears.  ¡°You¡¯re a temptress, but¡ªif you can ¡­ it¡¯d change my life¡ªI¡¯d really appreciate it.¡±


    Maria fed the desire, and a white light surrounded Bree as her horn appeared; after a moment, they faded, and Maria felt half her energy leave.  ¡°Huh,¡± she stretched out her left arm, ¡°four percent is pretty good. Curing some scarring and an organ¡¯s shape seems to be a little costly, but not as much as I thought.¡±


    ¡°F-four percent,¡± Bree asked, body stiffening.  ¡°That¡¯s half your life¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be melodramatic,¡± Maria giggled.  ¡°Sure, half my life now, but it¡¯s coming back.  I¡¯m already at four-point-zero-zero-three percent!  My life goes up as I live, not down.¡± She said with an innocent smile.


    ¡°And¡ªI¡¯m cured?¡±  Bree asked, looking down at her stomach.  ¡°I don¡¯t feel any different?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Maria hummed, looking her up and down.  ¡°I¡¯m not getting that condition warning anymore; so, yup, you¡¯re cured¡­¡±


    She was a little shocked as Bree lurched toward her, wrapping her arms around her shoulders as tears dripped from her eyes.  ¡°Y-you have no idea what this¡ªthis means to me.¡±


    ¡°Woah,¡± Maria mumbled, awkwardly patting her back; Bree¡¯s holstered firearm dug into her side, causing her to repress a grunt.  ¡°That came from left-field¡ªeh, yeah, okay. Hey, c¡¯mon, let go, we¡¯re making a scene,¡± she muttered, face turning red as she saw a few agents turning the corner.


    Bree took a deep breath before releasing her, quickly dabbing at her cheeks.  ¡°I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m sorry, but¡ªI¡¯ve been dealing with that most my life ¡­ you really are a miracle worker.  You¡¯ve even¡ªyou¡¯ve even made me want to believe in a higher power.¡±


    Maria cleared her throat as she scratched behind her long left ear, trying to hide her rosy cheeks by looking toward the sun; surprisingly, the sun didn¡¯t blind her in the least.  ¡°Let¡¯s not get over-emotional.¡±


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


    I hope you''ve been enjoying the free entertainment!  The internet is divided into different echo-chambers; you have a specific group that only hover around specific sites/content.  So, by recommending my serials to others, you give it more exposure to different echo-chambers and help it grow.  Ratings are excellent, Trending is terrific, but it only will appeal to a specific echo-chamber.  If you like my content, then please share it in your own unique way.


    Thank you!  ^_^7


    Normal Plugs:


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


    Vote on Top Web Fictions


    Support me on Patreon and get up to 2 Chapters ahead in A Tail''s Misfortune, 5 Chapters in The Oscillation, and 8 Chapters in Undying Empire.


    View and help contribute to the Wiki

 B2 — 12. Me, A Saint?

    Maria sat on the bench, enjoying the warmth of the rising sun with Bree; after a few minutes of crying, she¡¯d calmed down.  A few agents or office workers had hesitantly stopped to see if she needed help, but she¡¯d waved them away.


    Bree was now more composed; however, her eyes were still puffy and cheeks red.  She watched several different types of birds as she seemed to be thinking deeply on something.


    After a while, she asked in Spanish, ¡°Maria¡ªdo you really think there¡¯s something out there that has everything planned out?  The Oscillation was planned¡ªall the deaths¡ªeverything?¡±


    Maria sighed before releasing a soft rumble in her throat and playing with a lock of her hair; after a moment¡¯s thought, she responded in Spanish, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªto be honest.  I believe there¡¯s a plan, and who knows why everyone dies ¡­ hell, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll even die anymore. Are people¡¯s deaths planned?¡±


    She leaned back to look up at the scattered clouds moving across the blue sky.  ¡°I¡¯d say that¡¯s pretty complicated. I mean, I believe people have their free will, but I also believe God knows everything.  That doesn¡¯t mean God will interfere, though, but you do have miracles; I don¡¯t believe once we die we just go up into heaven and sing forever ¡­ that¡¯d be stupid.  Besides, I have a terrible singing voice.¡±


    A soft giggle came from Bree as she shifted to look up at the sky with her.  ¡°You¡¯re actually taking my question seriously?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±  Maria asked, resting her right elbow atop the back of the bench.  ¡°It was an honest question. I have my questions too, no doubt. If I follow my logic, then God lets people do bad things, so punishment is justified, but you also have forgiveness, and I don¡¯t know how that works exactly.  I mean, there are things I can¡¯t see myself forgiving, but I guess that¡¯s why He¡¯s God, and I know I want forgiveness for my mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t we all,¡± Bree whispered.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Maria chuckled, ¡°that little voice in us that we can¡¯t shake; it¡¯s not so easy to get rid of that guilty feeling.  That also means I believe I was born into my circumstance based on the decisions of my family tree and the countless choices people around them made throughout history, and that God knew all of that would happen.


    ¡°Dammit, it gets so damn complicated,¡± she mumbled, pulling back the strand she was playing with behind her ear.  ¡°I like to think of God as a dad or some shit; I can¡¯t see this life being an end goal either, there¡¯s a purpose, even if I don¡¯t fully understand it.  God¡¯s letting us figure ourselves out, and when we get back up into heaven, then we get to do the next thing. I don¡¯t know what mansion or some other shit he¡¯s building for us ¡­ I think that¡¯s kind of like a metaphor for the life we¡¯re going to have after.


    ¡°It¡¯s like he¡¯s preparing a home for us to live, and what home is without family?  I build my life around family; that¡¯s the most important thing to me, and that¡¯s what really draws me in with the bible, you know?  Living together forever as a family ¡­ sounds great, but,¡± she chuckled, ¡°families aren¡¯t perfect. We just do the best we can, forgive the mistakes, and welcome them back in with open arms.  Sometimes they need a good whack over the head to get it through their thick skulls, though.¡±


    Bree hummed softly.  ¡°I¡¯m kind of envious of your belief ¡­ I want to, but¡ªit¡¯s hard.  I don¡¯t think you sound brainwashed or anything, either.¡±


    ¡°Brainwashed?¡±  Maria lifted an eyebrow to smirk her way.  ¡°You kidding me? We¡¯re all brainwashed by everyone on something.  The system, people¡¯s agendas, hell, we¡¯re all caught in a web and confused as shit.  Government? I don¡¯t trust that shit more than the vatos down the street. I ain¡¯t for that Socialist shit or any of that goodwill crap; ain¡¯t nobody perfect enough to live like that.  We all got greed in us, and it¡¯s ignorant to think otherwise.¡±


    She sniffed bitterly.  ¡°Any system without greed in it is unrealistic or built on slavery and control with an iron fist¡ªdo what I say or die bullshit.  Can¡¯t believe fools trust a system like that.¡±


    Bree¡¯s lips pushed to the side.  ¡°I guess, but don¡¯t you wish something like that could happen?  Everyone puts down their guns and just lives peacefully?¡±


    ¡°Thought you said you didn¡¯t have belief in God, because it would take a God to get that shit done.¡±  Maria chuckled. ¡°You ever met a person? It¡¯s hard enough for a married couple, two people, to get along throughout a lifetime, and they bicker and argue and fight like cats and dogs, and now you¡¯re saying you want everyone in the world can get along?  Hell no ¡­ there¡¯ll always be someone willing to burn the world.


    ¡°Kids are selfish; teens are selfish; adults are selfish ¡­ hell no can we have peace.  That¡¯s why I believe God will have a place for everyone when we die. We¡¯re showing our stuff down here, and when we develop who we want to be and what environment we want to be in, then that¡¯s where we¡¯ll be.


    ¡°Hell or outer darkness?  That shit¡¯s just filled with crooked politicians screaming about how they know how to fix everything, the fools.  An endless space of politicians, that¡¯s hell.¡±


    Bree began giggling, and it soon turned into laughter.  ¡°Politicians¡ªan endless space of politicians screaming ¡­ yeah, that would be hell.¡±


    Maria hummed, looking down at the pond as Bree settled down.  ¡°Yeah, still¡ªI believe they have their right to speak, you know?  If you want to listen to Bill down the street and his talk about dinosaur aliens, then be my guest, I don¡¯t give a shit.  However, the moment you pick up a knife and tell me I need to believe that shit, then I¡¯m fuckin¡¯ rushin¡¯ your ass. I don¡¯t give a fuck what you believe, but when you start telling me how to live or start hurting someone in front of me, then I¡¯ll stand up.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, but doesn¡¯t that get a bit complicated, though?¡±


    ¡°Damn straight,¡± Maria moaned.  ¡°We just gotta do the best we can, and that¡¯s why I don¡¯t ever think we¡¯ll get any peace here on earth.  We ain¡¯t about that unless every person can see a complete stranger as their brother, which is a pipedream.  That¡¯s why you have all those kingdoms it talks about in the bible. Everyone will be with who they want to be, and that¡¯s how we¡¯ll have peace.¡±


    ¡°Segregation?¡±  Bree¡¯s brow creased as she looked over at her.


    ¡°In a way, I guess,¡± Maria shrugged.  ¡°Voluntary segregation. I mean, we do that now.  A punk isn¡¯t going to be in the cheerleader crowd.  Why would I want to go to the track team race when I don¡¯t give a shit?  If it was my brother, then sure, but hell, that¡¯s the thing, we¡¯ll all be in our own little spheres in a world where none of us will want to hurt each other.  I don¡¯t exactly know how that shit will work, but it¡¯s what I believe. I mean, I don¡¯t know how a nuclear reactor works, but I know it works.¡±


    ¡°Interesting belief,¡± Bree whispered.


    ¡°What do you want to do in the future?¡±  Maria asked, closing her eyes and leaning back to soak in the rays.


    ¡°To be honest¡ªI want children ¡­ you¡¯ve opened up an entire path in my life¡ªI never thought I could experience it.  I could have adopted or taken other routes, but ¡­ it¡¯s just not the same; I know I sound terrible¡­¡±


    ¡°Hell no; I get it,¡± Maria said with a soft smile.  ¡°I got a lot of boys and girls that look up to me like a mom or big sis.  I love them all, you know? I do, but I also know it¡¯s different than the love I have for my brother, and I¡¯m sure it would be different with a kid of my own ¡­ it¡¯s biological.  How can that be bad? It doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t love the other kids; it¡¯s just different.¡±


    ¡°I guess ¡­ it¡¯s complicated.¡±  Bree sighed.


    ¡°Damn near everything is,¡± Maria chuckled.


    The two of them shifted between topics for the next few hours, watching the birds and people running along the track.  The number of individuals slowly increased, and she even saw a dog Beastkin at one point in office attire; he had floppy ears and a short tail that caught both Bree and her attention.  His jacket was off, and he had running shoes, but he still wore his white button-up with a few buttons undone and suited pants.


    He was talking with two coworkers in gym clothes that seemed to be at complete ease with him, but Maria caught a few other joggers giving them glares.


    Bree pulled out her phone with a frown as it vibrated.  ¡°Oh, it looks like the Military is about here. They were delayed a bit by the traffic.  They want you over in the parking area on the right side of the facility. How do you feel?¡±  She asked, looking up over at her with concern.


    ¡°Eh,¡± Maria stretched out her arms, feeling the burn, but no pop.  ¡°Good, I guess; about thirty-eight percent ¡­ it takes a long time to recharge.¡±  She looked down at her glowing hair; it almost seemed to have a golden hue to the white radiance.  ¡°But at least¡­¡±


    ¡°At least?¡±  Bree questioned


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªthere¡¯s a warmth that I feel that wasn¡¯t there last night, and it¡¯s been growing.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Bree smirked, lifting an eyebrow.  ¡°Sun feels pretty good?¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Maria pressed the back of her fingers against her chest.  ¡°It¡¯s not really good¡ªI mean, at first it was, but this ¡­ it¡¯s calming¡ªserene.  I just¡ªI don¡¯t feel angry or annoyed; it¡¯s like I¡¯m floating.¡±


    ¡°Huh, that does sound nice,¡± Bree muttered, stretching as she rose to her feet.


    Is that why I feel so comfortable talking about my beliefs and chatting with Bree?  I don¡¯t know ¡­ I just feel at ease. I don¡¯t usually talk to just anyone like this.


    Shelving her thoughts, Maria followed Bree to the parking area, chatting along the way.


    ¡°Hey, you said your man can cook, right?  Some kind of magical shit?¡±


    Bree¡¯s smile turned forced.  ¡°Eh, make it sound flattering, why don¡¯t you?  Umm, yeah, I met him at a restaurant; I had a date ¡­ one of those online meet dates¡ªI was a bit desperate.¡±  She sighed. ¡°I guess I was looking depressed and pissed¡ªas I was getting up to leave, he asked if I was free the following night.¡±  She said with a slight blush.


    ¡°Damn, bold, ain¡¯t he?¡±


    She chuckled.  ¡°I guess you could say that; he¡¯s not quite as bold as you, but he¡¯s not shy about speaking his mind or chatting.¡±


    ¡°Speak Spanish?¡±


    ¡°Sadly, no, but he tries a bit ¡­ it¡¯s pretty bad.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you got yourself a catch then, eh?  How long you been going at it?¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± Bree¡¯s face reddened.  ¡°Going at it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, dating and shit.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what you meant,¡± she chuckled, rubbing her left arm.  ¡°Sometimes, I can get a little mixed up with how you phrase things¡­¡±


    ¡°You thought ¡­ shit, I¡¯m not that nosy, girl; that¡¯s your business.¡±  She said with a smirk.


    ¡°Well,¡± Bree paused, spotting a few military trucks in the parking lot ahead of them.  ¡°We¡¯ve been dating for about six months; he wanted to cook me something at his place this weekend¡ªit¡¯s the first time he¡¯s invited me over¡ªand then all this happened.¡±  She muttered bitterly.


    ¡°You still got a few days; this shit should be calm enough to have a good meal with him, right?  Plan on that shit and make it happen; life¡¯s short, you know?¡±


    Bree smiled, her eyes falling to the pavement.  ¡°You¡¯re really something, Maria ¡­ I¡¯m glad I was able to meet you.  You haven¡¯t known Rachel or the others that long, right?¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°Nope, met them yesterday, but they¡¯re chill.  Rachel¡¯s shockingly clever, despite her soft, innocent bunny appearance; she¡¯s got a good heart, though¡ªshe cares.  Scarlet¡¯s a bit messed up in the head, but who the fuck wouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    Bree¡¯s cheeks pressed to the side as her brow creased.  ¡°What do you mean, messed up in the head?¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªI don¡¯t know much about her; I¡¯m pretty sure Rachel knows a hell of a lot more¡ªScarlet knew Rachel before I met her.  I don¡¯t know how far back they go, but from what I¡¯ve heard, Scarlet should be a damn basket case ¡­ shit, the things that girl¡¯s gone through in the last like¡ªthirty hours.  Anyway, that¡¯s her shit to tell people, but damn¡ªI feel for the girl.


    ¡°I owe Rachel and Scarlet a ton ¡­ probably my life with the shit they pulled off.  Those girls didn¡¯t ask for a single thing in return too. Damn, I owe them ¡­ I owe them a ton.  My brother¡¯s safe because of them, and that¡¯s all I really care about.¡±


    ¡°So¡ªthat¡¯s why you went into South Beach; you weren¡¯t trying to be heroes?¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Maria scratched the back of her head as they walked around the surrounding fences to walk toward the parking lot.  ¡°I mean, not really. We saved Felix pretty fast; Scarlet¡¯s damn strong and has some crazy abilities; things just kind of kept escalating.  There were people around that we could save and it just kept going. I wasn¡¯t about to let kids get popped off when I could do something about it, but no¡ªI don¡¯t think what we did was heroic.  We did some dirty shit to get things done.¡±


    ¡°Do you regret any of it?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, not really,¡± Maria sighed.  ¡°I¡¯ll own it. It wasn¡¯t pretty, but I made those decisions, and I¡¯d still stand by them.¡±


    ¡°How¡ªcan you be so confident?¡±  Bree whispered, slowing a bit so they could continue the conversation before reaching the tents.


    ¡°You only have one life,¡± Maria said with a frown.  ¡°Gotta take ahold of it, make your choices, and live as best you can.  I don¡¯t regret taking action; I regret it when I don¡¯t take action. Anyway, Fiona¡ªI don¡¯t know much about that girl.  She¡¯s a bit spacy at times, but she seems to be pretty kind; fucking intense at times, but her heart is in the right place.  Anything else?¡±


    Bree shook her head.  ¡°I¡ªthanks for answering my questions; you¡¯ve really helped me ¡­ in more ways than one.¡±


    Maria pulled back her hair as a slight breeze pulled it back.  ¡°Hey, don¡¯t mention it; I didn¡¯t have much going on anyway. Well, let¡¯s see what kind of problems we have here.¡±  She muttered as a tired-looking man walked toward them with two people beside him.


    She noticed the man had four stars on both his shoulders and his green suit was peppered with medals and colors.  To his right, this man was serious, and his eyes scanned the environment, obviously looking for threats, and to the general¡¯s left was a woman.  The woman wore army camo with a specific design woven on the front, and she gave off the same serious vibe as the man as she appraised her.


    The general in the center was the first to speak.  ¡°Maria Camila Espinar, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.  My name is General Tom Dallas.¡± He pointed his thumb at the man beside him and then the woman.  ¡°This is FBI Security Specialist Nash Johnson, and this is Sergeant Major of the Army Joanah Caldwell.  Sergeant Major Caldwell is currently my advisor and will be taking over my duties while I am asleep. With that, I will retire.  I pray you¡¯ll see success, Maria.¡±


    Maria was a little taken aback as both Nash and Joanah saluted Tom; he returned the gesture and walked back toward the FBI facility.


    ¡°Well, okay then¡ªeh,¡± Maria eyed both Nash and Joanah.  ¡°I heard somethin¡¯ about Rachel meeting with a four-star general.  Is that the guy?¡±


    Nash responded promptly.  ¡°Information regarding the general¡¯s activities is strictly need to know; if you are involved in anything dealing with the general, then you will be informed.¡±


    Maria clicked her tongue as she watched Bree¡¯s head lower with a nod, acknowledging his position.


    I guess this guy¡¯s a big deal in this FBI facility.  He¡¯s not rude, but just stating the facts; not bad. I¡¯m sure Rachel will have something to tell us when she wakes up.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Maria muttered.  ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡±


    Joanah responded promptly.  ¡°We received word that you might be able to assist the U.S. Army in detecting and resolving potential threats.  If you could follow me to the medical tent.¡±


    ¡°Damn, you guys don¡¯t beat around the bush,¡± Maria grinned.  ¡°Alright, lead the way.¡±


    They followed Joanah as she led the way back to a large tent that was quickly being set up; two other tents were already up, and Maria could hear soft muttering from the right tent.


    Moving past the first, they entered the left structure; there were three people inside.  A woman and man were sitting behind a collapsible desk, and by their clothing, it was clear they were military; they were setting up some computer equipment.  The last man was sitting in a chair by some tables housing medical supplies; it was that first agent that they¡¯d met on the roof, David.


    Joanah was quick to speak.  ¡°Thomas, Peterson, is the equipment ready?¡±


    The man and woman rose to their feet.  ¡°Yes, Sergeant Major.¡± The man stated.  ¡°Peterson just needs to turn on the mic when we¡¯re ready.¡±


    Turning to Maria, Joanah said, ¡°We¡¯ll be recording what you say and transcribing it on the spot, sending the information to the White House.  Beyond this point, the military will be handling your escort, Ms. Espinar. Your FBI escort will return to the headquarters with Security Specialist Johnson and his assistant.¡±


    David sighed, ¡°Is that what the White House decided?¡±


    Joanah¡¯s hard eyes shifted to David as he rose.  ¡°No, that¡¯s what Assistant Director Kelley requested.  The Military will be keeping this in house, and General Dallas agreed.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± David replied, promptly walking out with Johnson.  Bree gave her an encouraging smile before joining them.


    ¡°Man, you guys have a ton of red tape,¡± Maria chuckled.  ¡°Are all those kids in that big tent I saw?¡±


    Joanah glanced her way, ¡°Peterson, attach the mic.¡±


    Maria¡¯s brow creased.  ¡°Dammit, so you want to record everything I say ¡­ shit, is this goin¡¯ to be held against me or some shit later?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Joanah said as the woman moved around the table.  ¡°This is all top secret. We¡¯ll be having you sign some papers that mark anything discussed here as confidential.  The White House is taking anything dealing with Relica as a serious threat. Anything dealing with mind control is to be seen as extremely dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, I can understand that,¡± Maria mumbled.  ¡°What Rachel said about that chica is pretty terrifying.¡±


    Peterson attached a Bluetooth mic to her shirt front as Joanah continued to speak.


    ¡°I heard that you needed sunlight to keep recharging your ability.  Is that so?¡± When Maria nodded, she said, ¡°Right, we can set up a chair and table outside.  We¡¯ll be sending in every person suspected of being mentally compromised. Please direct everyone that has an issue to be resolved in the left group and everyone clear to the right group.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±  Maria asked, scratching her temple.


    ¡°Yes, then we can further discuss what can be done after you¡¯ve examined them.¡±


    She nodded and went back outside with Thomas; he set up another table and chair for her to sit on.  They were quick at bringing people in as they started giving orders to children and the adults accompanying them; there were quite a few kids that didn¡¯t seem to have parents or guardians with them.


    Maria was a little surprised to find not a single one of them affected by a mind-altering skill; she did, however, receive a lot of compliments about her looks from the children.  The thing that bothered her was some of the defects and diseases she recognized with a few of the kids, choosing to add them and two adults to the left group.


    When the last of the group had been separated, Joanah asked for the soldiers escorting them to take the right group back into the tent.  Maria felt a little bad as the two adults in the left group began crying, realizing that they¡¯d been singled out for something, which caused the kids to understand something was wrong.


    Maria got up and walked over to the group.  ¡°Hey, hey, cut it out; it¡¯s not that bad; none of you have any brainwashing or anything.¡±


    Joanah frowned as she turned to her.  ¡°Excuse me? Why did you choose them, then?¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± Maria said, studying each of their conditions.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a single damn person that was still affected by Relica¡¯s charm or any brainwashing.  I can, however, tell you that these people need help.¡±


    She pointed at a woman in her early twenties.  ¡°She¡¯s got Lupus, and he¡¯s got Breast Cancer.¡±


    ¡°We ¡­ what?¡±  The man muttered.


    ¡°So,¡± Joanah hummed softly.  ¡°You¡¯re saying all these people have some kind of health issue that you can cure?¡±


    ¡°Well, just about everyone has some kind of issue,¡± Maria muttered, ¡°but these ones are the most pressing and things I think I can help with.¡±


    The woman¡¯s chest started to convulse as tears appeared in her eyes.  ¡°You can ¡­ you can cure¡ªLupus?¡±


    Maria scratched her left arm with a deep frown.  ¡°I think I¡¯m pushing it¡ªbut yeah.¡±


    Joanah looked at the crying woman and a few of the confused kids before nodding.  ¡°You¡¯re saying there are no mental threats?¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªif you count this girl over here with the tumor in her head, then no.¡±


    ¡°Good to know; while you¡¯re curing these people, I¡¯ll go get the women in ice prepped for you.¡±


    She walked off, and Maria knelt to smile at the girl she¡¯d pointed to; she looked a little uncertain why she was being singled out.  ¡°Hey, lil¡¯ ni?a, it¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    Maria quickly healed the group, feeling her energy drop from fifty to twenty percent; she sighed as she sent the last kid off to the tent.


    Man, who knew everyone had so many issues?  I can¡¯t believe how many things I can purify and cure, but I guess most diseases are impurities that can be cleansed, and I¡¯m all about that purity.  Damn, that sounds strange.


    She glanced over at Joanah as she motioned for her to follow.  Joanah led her into a tent that seemed to be pumping cold air into it through a massive air conditioning unit.


    There were two women inside wearing lab coats.  They quickly moved to join them as they entered the tent.  ¡°We had to repurpose this to make it work, but we¡¯ve been able to keep it from melting further.  You¡¯re that Unicorn, right?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your diagnosis?¡±


    ¡°Give me a sec,¡± Maria muttered, walking past them.  She frowned, brow creasing. ¡°Damn, yeah, they¡¯re a mess ¡­ shit.¡±  She ran her hand through her hair. ¡°I¡ªhmm ¡­ I think I need to soak in the sun a bit more before curing this.  I¡¯m only about twenty percent at the moment, and I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ll need at least forty to handle this.¡±


    ¡°You can do it, though?¡±  One of the women asked with wide eyes.  ¡°You can heal the damage caused by cryonics?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªwe¡¯ll have to see.  I can cure the damage to their bodies, dispel the ice, and return their bodies to the proper temperature, but that¡¯s it ¡­ the girl has myelofibrosis ¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can cure that one.  Give me a second.¡±


    Can I cure it ¡­ yes, but it¡¯ll require about as much energy as it took to purify Scarlet¡¯s Blood Corruption.  Damn. Yeah, I¡¯ll probably need to soak the rest of the day to get enough energy for that.


    ¡°It¡¯ll take me several hours, but I think I can get enough energy to do it.¡±


    ¡°Y-you can¡ªcan cure myelofibrosis ¡­ with a snap of your fingers?¡±  Both women seemed speechless.


    ¡°Well¡ªit¡¯s not that easy, but yeah.  It requires a ton of energy ¡­ I could fix a minor congenital disability easier than this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s insane¡­¡±  One of the women muttered.


    Joanah nodded.  ¡°Alright, then go sunbathe and let us know when you¡¯re ready, but General Dallas wanted me to make sure that you wouldn¡¯t be putting yourself in harm¡¯s way by this.  Can you regain your full strength tomorrow if you do this?¡±


    ¡°My full strength¡ªeh,¡± Maria bunched her lips to the side.  ¡°Maybe like¡ªninety percent if I don¡¯t do anything tomorrow. If it¡¯s the same as today.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that will have to do,¡± she said with a light sigh.  ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡±


    Maria spent the rest of the day lying on a cot they set out for her to rest on in the sun.  She didn¡¯t get hot in the least; the sun was enjoyable. After she recovered enough energy, she saw the sun descending in the sky, and went to heal the woman.


    The scientists recorded her as her horn appeared and a blinding light shot out to dispel the crystal, heal their bodies, and cure the disease in one quick motion.  The women were confused but seemed to be in perfect health after she was done.


    When one of the scientists explained what she¡¯d done, one of the women looked at her in shock before breaking down into tears.  They left as one said, ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re a saint.¡±


    Maria frowned as she watched her go.  Me a saint?  I don¡¯t think that constitutes as sainthood.  I just wanted to help...


    She felt a little tired, but that mostly vanished when she soaked up the rest of the sun¡¯s rays before it gave up the sky to the night.


    AuthorSME


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 B2 — 13. The Ugly Truth

    AuthorSME


    Update:  So, I accidentally skipped by 2/3 of Maria''s chapters.  Last week I was half delirious from sleep loss and was releasing the chapters on my phone (a freaking pain).  I didn''t realize it until I started thinking about a few comments I got asking about Maria and what she did during the daytime.  Once I realized it ... I facepalmed.


    I plan on trying to release the next chapter sometime tonight or tomorrow, but I first need to finish Chapter 18 for the Patrons (it''s only fair).  I''d like to get back on track with the chapters, though.  So, expect Chapter 12 sometime in the next few days at most.  ^_^7


    Rachel stretched as she stirred, the soft sounds of obscure voices within a few miles cycling through her rousing mind. Her ears twitched as she yawned, body extending as she stretched. Opening her eyes, she sat up; the room slowly filtered into focus as she blinked.


    The first thing she noticed was that she didn¡¯t hurt; the light morning burn of twisting and spreading her joints caused her to release a soft moan. Pulling her hair out of her face, she tossed it behind her back as she looked around.


    She seemed to be the last one awake; Scarlet was sitting in a padded armchair with Maria across from her, and Fiona was cross-legged atop the desk they sat at. They were playing Uno; Scarlet was bending the sprawled cards in front of Fiona so she could see them before laying them face down.


    Scarlet grinned as she glanced over at her before placing a Yellow Four on a green card, matching the same number. ¡°Good morning, sleepy-head. You were a bit restless; you bumped Fiona off her bed.¡± She giggled.


    ¡°Why are you laughing,¡± Fiona huffed, tapping the right of her three cards. ¡°It felt like an earthquake; I was sent spinning through the air. It¡¯s a good thing I happened to activate my wings fast enough, or I would have fallen like ¡­ twenty-five feet! Well, at least to me it¡¯s twenty-five feet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Rachel mumbled, brow creased as she rose to her feet. ¡°You¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona said with a smirk in Maria¡¯s direction. ¡°I¡¯ve won the last three games.¡±


    Scarlet turned the card Fiona had pointed at over; it was a Blue Four, causing Maria to curse. On closer inspection, she saw several coins beside Fiona; Scarlet had a nickel and two pennies, while Maria had three pennies. Fiona was rocking two quarters, a dime, and a nickel beside her tiny frame.


    ¡°I swear, she¡¯s cheating,¡± Maria growled as she picked up another card from the deck to add to the six in her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m not; am I lying?¡± Fiona snickered.


    Scarlet wore a soft smile as Rachel moved to join them; she wore the wedding gown she¡¯d chosen in evidence lockup, and Fiona was wearing her Chinese-style dress. Maria was glowing brighter than when she¡¯d first seen her at the hospital, and there was a light golden hue to it.


    Maria just clicked her tongue in an annoyed manner as Scarlet chuckled, putting down a Blue Six, leaving three cards left in her hand. ¡°Maria decided it would be fun to use change as gambling stakes; so, we dug around the office drawers and found some lying around. We each started with twenty-five cents; Maria keeps betting big and losing.¡± She giggled.


    ¡°I would have won!¡± Maria mumbled, scratching behind her left pointed ear as she eyed Fiona¡¯s hand hovering between her two cards. ¡°If this little Pixie hadn¡¯t¡ªUno¡ªshit¡­¡±


    Fiona directed a mischievous grin up at her; her hand was millimeters from touching the card. ¡°That¡¯s another two cards, Ms. Purity!¡±


    ¡°Damn friggin¡¯ Pixie ¡­ how the hell am I supposed to know when your tiny hands touch the damn thing?¡± She pulled out two more cards as Fiona quickly shifted her hand to the opposite card and tapped it.


    ¡°Uno,¡± Scarlet said cheerily.


    ¡°Monkey-butt¡­¡± Fiona snapped her fingers while glaring up at her. ¡°I can never trick you! Alright, give me two more cards.¡± She sighed, groaning as she dropped to her back, hair fanning around her.


    Rachel smiled as she pulled over a chair, sitting behind Fiona. Taking two cards out from the top of the deck, she held the Red Skip and Blue Reverse up, adding a Blue Two, and Wild Card to her hand.


    ¡°Oh, thanks Rachel,¡± Fiona said, smiling up at her. ¡°Do that one,¡± she said with a devilish grin, pointing at the Blue Reverse.


    Playing it, Maria cursed again. ¡°You ¡­ it¡¯s always me!¡± She groaned, slamming her cards face down on the table to pull her hair back.


    ¡°Not always,¡± Scarlet hummed, putting down a Red Reverse.


    ¡°You gotta be kidding me,¡± Maria mumbled. ¡°Can I please play?¡±


    ¡°I wonder about that,¡± Fiona said, pointing at the Red Skip.


    Maria just leaned back, lips a line as Rachel played the card and Scarlet promptly laid a Red Seven down, saying, ¡°Uno.¡±


    Fiona only got the u out before huffing. ¡°Man, I was too focused on Maria¡¯s pissed face¡ªworth it,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Maria lifted an eyebrow. ¡°You know, if I lose this round, I¡¯m out. I got no coins! You gonna do me like that? Not a single win? Hey, remember when I healed your friend?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Fiona nodded. ¡°We playin¡¯ that game now, eh? Okay, okay,¡± she cracked her fingers. ¡°What do you got?¡±


    ¡°Finally,¡± Maria smirked in Scarlet¡¯s direction. ¡°Can you change it to yellow?¡±


    ¡°You got it,¡± she said with a raised eyebrow, pointing at the Wild Card. Rachel complied, enjoying the friendly banter.


    Maria laid down a Yellow Draw-Two card with a satisfied grin. ¡°Remember that¡­¡±


    Scarlet simply flipped her card over with an innocent smile, a Draw-Four Wild Card. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you that said you can place Draw-Fours on Draw-Twos?¡±


    ¡°Son of a¡­¡± Maria blew a long breath through her cheeks as her head dropped to the counter. ¡°I didn¡¯t win once.¡±


    Fiona clapped her hands. ¡°Masterful, Ms. Red!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Red, Ms. Purity, and Pixie?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Scarlet said, glancing at Maria.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona huffed haughtily. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be Ms. Little, but Maria keeps calling me Pixie! What can I say,¡± she shook her head sadly, ¡°Karma, right?¡±


    Maria grunted, hair hiding her face atop the table. ¡°Aye, wait a minute,¡± Maria said, pulling her hair back as she rose. ¡°I was meaning to ask, what were you doing with that Tom dude? I¡¯ve heard a few people here talking crazy; there¡¯s some talk about you leadin¡¯ some kind of revolution?¡±


    Rachel sighed as her ears shifted, listening to several conversations. ¡°Is that seriously what it¡¯s devolved to? I¡¯m a revolutionary, now? I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s better than Tom¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Fiona squeaked, turning to look up at her. ¡°What¡¯s this about Tom¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Rachel sighed, running her hand through her hair to scratch her left ear. ¡°There were a lot of rumors about why I was with Tom, a four-star general before I went to bed. I do need to talk to you about the meeting I had with him.¡±


    Scarlet hummed thoughtfully. ¡°It looked like whatever you were talking about; it made him really thankful; he was super tense when I saw him with you, but you said something that made his heart and muscles relax. It sounds a bit odd, but it¡¯s something I kind of notice with my eyes.¡± She mumbled, eyes dropping to the table.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªcomplicated,¡± Rachel mumbled. ¡°Give me a second.¡±


    Getting up, she walked back to her bed of blankets and extracted the folder. Walking back, she set the file atop the table.


    ¡°Alright, to be brief¡ªMaria, you know how you don¡¯t trust the government that much?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªyeah?¡± Maria mumbled, eyeing the folder with pursed lips.


    ¡°Well, it turns out that we¡¯re in a bit of trouble.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s features twisted with concern. ¡°What do you mean, we¡¯re in trouble?¡±


    ¡°We did a lot of¡ªillegal things last night, and we can get charged for a lot of really bad things. We were told not to get involved, and we chose to do it anyway; because we engaged the situation, we can be charged with some pretty hefty things, but¡ªbut,¡± she said, trying to break Fiona building panic. ¡°We have a way out.¡±


    Scarlet frowned as her blue eyes moved down to study the cream folder. ¡°So¡ªwe broke a lot of laws¡ªeven though we were trying to help people?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the fuckin¡¯ law for you,¡± Maria huffed, lips bunching to the side in disdain. ¡°Bet they¡¯re chargin¡¯ us for all Terrell¡¯s men¡¯s deaths, right?¡±


    ¡°M-manslaughter?¡± Fiona squeaked. ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ I¡ªno¡­¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Rachel took a deep breath. ¡°No, we have a way out of all of it, and no, what we did wasn¡¯t the wrong thing to do. It may have been a little short-sighted on my part¡ªI should have seen this coming, but Tom has been authorized to pardon us. The President has already signed the pardons, and Tom said he¡¯d run interference with the State and Military.¡±


    Maria¡¯s sullen demeanor had hardened. ¡°Oh, and what bullshit things do they want us to do in return? Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ in this life free.¡±


    Rachel nodded. ¡°Yes, there are things that Tom wants, and it¡¯s something I don¡¯t really like, but it¡¯s also not something I¡¯m necessarily against. I¡¯ve already signed the agreement and had everything explained to me. It¡¯s also a package deal; unless we all take it, then we don¡¯t get Tom¡¯s support.


    ¡°The FBI will be the one that¡¯ll likely spearhead the case against us, and to be honest, I¡¯d rather have Tom sweep this all under the rug, leaving my family in the dark about it, and do this favor he¡¯s asking than go through the legal system.¡±


    ¡°What do they want us to do?¡± Scarlet asked, shifting in her seat. Her tone was clearly concerned that it was something she wouldn¡¯t like.


    Maria folded her arms, vision narrowing suspiciously as she studied her. ¡°Yeah, what web we crawling into?¡±


    ¡°I know how this will sound, but it¡¯s super top-secret; the only people that likely know about this information is The President, Tom, Department of Defense top-brass, and me. I¡¯m sure many people know pieces of it, but not the full scope. We can never speak about our involvement with it, and Tom has assured me that our participation will never be made known.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sayin¡¯ we gotta sign some bullshit contract before you can tell us shit, right?¡± Maria groaned.


    ¡°Basically,¡± Rachel shrugged, scratching her temple. ¡°I don¡¯t like it either, but we don¡¯t have many options. We can¡¯t go public; in fact, if any of this were to get out, then I¡¯d be charged with Conspiracy to Commit Treason ¡­ basically, death¡ªit¡¯s that top-secret.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice?¡± Fiona asked.


    ¡°No, we do,¡± Maria huffed, glaring at the file. ¡°We take our chances with the legal system¡ªfat chance we¡¯ll get outta that, or take this deal.¡± The four of them were silent for a moment before Maria asked, ¡°We ain¡¯t snitchin¡¯ on anyone, right?¡±


    Rachel pursed her lips for a moment. ¡°Quite honestly, I don¡¯t think it would be anything you¡¯d immediately refuse, Maria. It¡¯s more about keeping our mouths shut, but I¡¯ll say it¡¯s dangerous¡ªpotentially very dangerous. I think I can say at most that; we¡¯ll be doing something extremely dangerous, but with the government¡¯s full support.¡±


    ¡°More dangerous than what we did last night?¡± Scarlet asked, rubbing her left arm nervously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe,¡± Rachel shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how dangerous it could get, but just based on what I know¡ªit might just be more dangerous.¡±


    After several seconds of silence, Scarlet smiled at her. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯d ever do something intentionally that would hurt us. I trust you. So, I¡¯ll agree.¡±


    Before Fiona and Maria could think of Scarlet¡¯s words, Rachel groaned, scratching behind her left ear. ¡°Before you say that, I want you all to know that I¡¯ve been under the effects of an ability called Lunar Pride; it¡¯s only right that you know. I have a Racial Trait that might pull me toward dangerous situations.


    ¡°I thought a lot about this before going to bed, and as all of you are involved, it¡¯s the right thing to do, and the ability itself wishes for me to tell you. I might find myself in compromising positions in the future that pulls me to do reckless things, such as chasing after Daran and Marcus because they escaped me when I had decided to kill them.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit hard to tell you that part, but it¡¯s also the right thing to tell you; can you see how this ability affects me?¡±


    ¡°Lunar Pride,¡± Scarlet whispered. ¡°Okay, but I can become Corrupted, and you still helped me.¡±


    ¡°I have an ability called Warpath,¡± Fiona whispered, playing with her dress front. ¡°It makes me super mad¡ªI did things that I don¡¯t really ¡­ well, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t like what I did, but I kind of don¡¯t. It¡¯s a bit confusing. I have to kill the person I¡¯m at war with or I die.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Maria lifted an eyebrow. ¡°Y¡¯all messed up.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Fiona mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m doing my best.¡±


    Scarlet sighed, ¡°That¡¯s not what she means, Fiona. She¡¯s saying we¡¯re all pretty messed up in our own ways, and we should help each other.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Maria smiled at Scarlet. ¡°You get me!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s frown turned as she studied her three companions. ¡°So¡ªwhat do you say? Tom says we can basically have a normal and free life if we do this. I don¡¯t know how long it might take or what might come after, but he¡¯s promised us normal lives if we do this. I think I can also say that we won¡¯t have to leave until tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°At least we can catch our breaths,¡± Maria moaned. ¡°Sure, whatever¡ªtell us straight, Rachel, how bad is it?¡±


    ¡°Remarkably bad if we don¡¯t take it; I wouldn¡¯t have done it if I didn¡¯t consider seeking the public¡¯s help, other governments, and the law itself¡ªwe¡¯re in pretty deep without this deal.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯m in, dammit¡ªwe¡¯re not pets on a leash, right?¡±


    Rachel shook her head. ¡°Tom said we wouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Fiona nodded. ¡°If I can still see my family, then I think I¡¯ll be fine with it. I don¡¯t know how bad it is, but I¡¯ll take your word for it ¡­ I just want to see my little sister.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to meet her someday,¡± Scarlet said with a warm smile. ¡°And yes, Rachel, I¡¯ll stick by your decision.¡±


    Rachel pulled out the NDA and clearance papers; after reviewing them with the three, and finding a pen to sign them, Rachel took a deep breath, turning to Scarlet.


    ¡°Can you sweep the room and make sure there aren¡¯t any bugs hidden around?¡±


    Fiona rose into the air on glowing white wings, a wicked chuckle rumbling around her throat. ¡°We did that when we got up! We found three in here, but I¡¯m pretty sure they were put in here a long time ago. Scarlet pointed them out, and I destroyed them.¡±


    ¡°Damn, you didn¡¯t tell me about this,¡± Maria mumbled, staring around the near pitch-black room.


    ¡°I was too busy kicking your butt at Uno!¡± Fiona giggled. ¡°That, and Scarlet and I were excited to play it; we found it in a drawer when we were looking around.¡±


    ¡°Glad you¡¯re two steps ahead of me,¡± Rachel crossed her legs. ¡°Okay, so¡ªthis is how it is¡­¡± She pulled out all the files and showed them everything.


    Fiona gasped, holding her hands up to her mouth as she viewed the ghastly pictures she was laying out.


    ¡°These are pictures taken at High Rolls, New Mexico; they have a low population¡ªnear six hundred, and all of them were skinned alive. They were used in this ritual, and the Military has no clue on how it all relates. The timestamps are on this paper,¡± she said, passing the sheet to Maria.


    ¡°Wait¡ªtime travel shit? It says two days inside and twenty-three minutes outside?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just another one of its mysteries; they don¡¯t know how it works, but for the creatures to change every clock in the town manually just seems improbable.¡±


    ¡°Improbable?¡± Fiona asked, studying the crystals. ¡°This looks like aliens or something.¡±


    Scarlet slowly shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªmaybe, but this is just¡ªmonstrous. We¡¯re going to go fight these monsters that it talks about here?¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Maria mumbled, shifting to get a better look at the paper Scarlet was reading. ¡°Two tails and six legs? Damn, that¡¯s weird. They don¡¯t like loud sound?¡±


    ¡°The crystal vanished, though?¡± Fiona said, looking at another paper.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we can rescue the people taken through the High Rolls crystal, or however they escaped.¡± Rachel said gravely. ¡°Fiona¡¯s right, the crystal vanished; there¡¯s no trace of it left behind besides the pictures we have. Tom¡¯s hoping to prevent this from happening again in Billings, Montana. If that same thing happens to a hundred thousand people¡­¡±


    Fiona held her hands to her mouth as her vision shifted between the ghastly pictures. ¡°This is¡ªthat¡¯s horrifying. There¡¯s so many¡ªall of them¡ªa hundred thousand?¡±


    ¡°Damn¡­¡± Maria mumbled, reading down a few more pages as Rachel pointed out the Billings crystal.


    Scarlet became pretty silent; her eyes turned sad as she studied the terrified faces of the people in the pictures at High Rolls.


    Rachel glanced between her three companions. ¡°So¡ªwhat do you think? Is it something we can do?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s something we have to do,¡± Scarlet whispered after a few seconds, looking at a little girl crying as she knelt under the stretched skin of what seemed her mother, pulled tight across black wood. ¡°So many innocent lives¡ªchildren, mothers, husbands ¡­ this looks even worse than South Beach. This is something¡ªI don¡¯t even know if Relica would go this far ¡­ maybe, but this is just¡ªtoo monstrous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a nightmare,¡± Fiona growled with disgust. ¡°You¡¯re saying that this could happen to a hundred thousand people ¡­ we have to stop it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Rachel said, leaning back against her chair with folded arms. ¡°Tom doesn¡¯t know what to expect, but we know that this has happened in High Rolls and that there is a similar crystal that just appeared out of nowhere in Billings, Montana. He wants us to be there at least, possibly investigate. We¡¯ll learn more later, but that¡¯s the gist of it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s insane¡ªthis is insane,¡± Maria mumbled. ¡°Stupid insane ¡­ what if we get stuck, and I can¡¯t make it back to Felix. There¡¯s just so much¡ªdammit, there¡¯s a lot that can go wrong.¡±


    Fiona swallowed nervously. ¡°Yeah¡ªwhat if we do get stuck? I mean, we need to stop this¡ªthis¡ªwhatever this is, but I want to see my family again.¡±


    Rachel shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªI really don¡¯t, guys. Like I said, it¡¯s a bad situation. We have terrible chances with the law¡ªnear zero chances of making it out on top, but at least with this, we don¡¯t know the odds. We might not even have to enter the crystal, but we should be prepared to. The Lunar Pride in me welcomes the challenge, but the rational side of me says it¡¯s too dangerous¡ªjust like you guys are thinking.


    ¡°To put it simply¡ªI hate Relica, and her methods are disgusting, but I believe we need to take a similar approach. We have to understand our new bodies¡ªthis new system that gives us these powers. If we¡¯re going to have the best chance to survive this, then we need to sit down and learn everything we can.¡±


    ¡°Not in the same way,¡± Scarlet mumbled, eyes lifting to stare at her in concern.


    Fiona¡¯s hair whipped around as she shook her head, bobbing in front of Rachel¡¯s vision. ¡°Yeah¡ªno way!¡±


    Rachel wrapped a lock of hair around her index finger with a light hum. ¡°No, not experimenting on people, but we need to dig into our abilities. We need to understand everything about them, so we aren¡¯t caught off-guard. We need to map out this desire based system, our negative racial skills and weaknesses¡ªask as many questions as we can to get answers.¡±


    After a moment, Maria nodded. ¡°Question asking, eh? I¡¯m with you there; damn, this blows, though. Alright, where should we start?¡±


    Looking around the room, Rachel hummed thoughtfully. ¡°Did you see any paper that we can use to sort our thoughts and get everything down so we can study it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona said, flying over to a desk against the wall. ¡°There¡¯s some paper in here.¡±


    AuthorSME


    If you haven''t seen it yet, Robbuz did an amazing job drawing Rachel; it works well for as a phone background.  You can DL it free here


    SME''s Request:


    I hope you''ve been enjoying the free entertainment!  The internet is divided into different echo-chambers; you have a specific group that only hover around specific sites/content.  So, by recommending my serials to others, you give it more exposure to different echo-chambers and help it grow.  Ratings are excellent, Trending is terrific, but it only will appeal to a specific echo-chamber.  If you like my content, then please share it in your own unique way.


    Thank you!  ^_^7


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 B2 — 14. The System Sheet

    AuthorSME


    The System: During The Oscillation, some force changed people; we transformed from humans to these creatures multiple times within the span of the event, and after the cracks and lights in the sky vanished, so did our humanity.


    The System functions in a similar manner to a game; we have different stats, abilities, and it has provided some kind of agent that discloses information that we ask. However, there seem to be some rules for this knowledge to be delivered.


    The Attribute System: Since the change, we¡¯ve all been given different stats that affect our overall performance.  These stats seem to affect our abilities; these are sperate from our Racial Attributes, such as my Lunar Pool and Maria¡¯s Solar Pool, but they are affected by the Attribute System.  Magic forces could play a significant role in this system, as well. The attributes we¡¯ve been able to identify are as followed:


    Types of Effects: we¡¯ve been able to identify.


    The Advancement System: It¡¯s clear after some digging that we each can advance within our abilities.  There are two sub-systems at play, the Leveling System and the Proficiency System.  However, the Proficiency System is restricted by the Leveling System; you cannot upgrade the proficiencies beyond a certain point without leveling up a skill to a certain point.


    Achievement System: is relatively unknown to us; only Scarlet and Maria seem to have achievements at the moment, but Relica said it was the only means to counter the snowball effect of the battle experience system.  Maria having more points than me seems to prove that since she didn¡¯t fight at all, but we don¡¯t know if healing can also give experience points toward the Level Advancement System.


    The Tree System: appears to function in a variety of different ways, and there are many different branches within it.  They could be considered skills, talents, spells, abilities, but they all have some kind of power attached to them.  Fiona proposed this thought:


    Types of Activations:


    The Oscillation Changed: There are three categories that we can be; we are all the Mythickin Type, but we have different Races and Kinds.  Scarlet is a Mythickin Type, Reaper Race, and Vespertine Kind.


    The Oscillation Types:


    Psyche Change:  It¡¯s clear that our minds have been affected by this change.  We¡¯re a lot more capable of causing physical actions than we would have been as humans.  We¡¯re more detached from our humanity than we initially thought. Our minds have definitely changed.


    Overall: It appears several systems function together and against each other.  These systems are:


    Rachel; Lunar Hare: are Lunar Elemental type based; most of my attacks deal Lunar and Physical damage.


    Stats:


    Base Lunar Tree Skills:


    Lunar Racials:


    Cerridwen Branch: Probably some other deity that is connected to something with the moon.


    Wenet¡¯s Branch


    Chang¡¯e Branch


    Total Skill Points Used: 78


    Maria; Sunlit Unicorn: Maria¡¯s healing actually takes a hit under direct moonlight (unfortunate).  It adds a higher cost to her abilities by fifteen percent.


    Stats:


    Achievements:


    Type Abilities:


    Base Sunlit Unicorn Tree Skills:


    Sunlit Racials:


    Sun Touched Branch


    Miracles of the Immaculate Branch: seems to be centered on more miraculous feats compared to the Sun Touched Branch.  These spells take a lot more Solar Energy than the previous, but Maria said she was able to cure a birth defect in a person that changed their lives; I think being in the sunlight changed Maria a bit ¡­ she¡¯s still blunt, but she almost seems nicer.


    Liberation of the Light Branch: seems to be Maria¡¯s movement or escape type skills; she didn¡¯t particularly like this branch, saying she doesn¡¯t run from things, but liked the idea of being able to teleport into banks...


    Fiona; Prismatic Fairy: the big downside for her being a Fairy is that she¡¯s now three inches tall, much to her ire.  She could even fit through the hole Scarlet made in the wall when she was trying to cut Maria¡¯s horn, though, it was a tight fit.  Most of her spells seem to be conjuring based rather than manipulating existent elements.


    Stats:


    Type Abilities:


    States:


    Base Prismatic Fairy Tree Skills:


    Prismatic Racials:


    Wind Magic Branch: is the first branch Fiona unlocked.  It gives her a green glow whenever used.


    Fire Magic Branch: Fiona¡¯s second branch (if you count Hot Air in the Fire Branch since it is between Wind and Fire) that makes her glow red.


    Water Magic Branch: is the third branch opened to Fiona; apparently, she used it to scare her cat off the table.  Scarlet really wants to meet this cat Fiona keeps talking about. This makes her glow dark blue.


    Ice Magic Branch: is the fourth branch opened to Fiona, and makes her glow light blue.


    Earth Magic Branch: is the fifth branch unlocked by Fiona, and turns her aura a light brown.


    Lightning Magic Branch: is the sixth branch Fiona used, and turns her aura yellow.


    Link Magic Branches: Not officially a Branch, but it seems some skills occupy multiple Branches, like dividing down the center.


    Scarlet; the Vespertine Reaper: a glorified vampire while not being called a vampire.  Who knows why she gets the fancy name (none of us know what Vespertine means).  Maybe she¡¯s not a Mythickin Vampire because Jael is already the Mythickin Vampire, or perhaps it has something to do with the Reaper inside of her ¡­ the more I learn about it, the surer I am that it¡¯s something separate from Scarlet (yet has the same name?).  She is such an all-rounder too, and Scarlet¡¯s Blessing ¡­ super broken.


    Stats:


    Achievements: Scarlet¡¯s achievements are so scary that she¡¯s told us that she doesn¡¯t want to tell us what they do; they frightened her so badly that she doesn¡¯t want to risk anyone learning about them.  What she has told us is that both are Level One Hundred, Grade Godly, Rank Maxed, and they¡¯re so terrible that she thinks the whole world would turn on her if they found out what they did.


    Type Abilities:


    States:


    Guise of the Reaper: is a state in which Scarlet basically becomes a Grim Reaper ... literally.


    Base Scarlet Tree Skills: acts more like a Racial Tree.


    Base Reaper Tree Skills:


    Reaper Racials:


    Vespertine Racials: by all our knowledge shouldn¡¯t be a Racial, but it seems it is.  Vespertine is a strange word. We asked one of the agents outside to look it up, and they said it meant active during the evening, related to bats and owls, but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re active in full darkness or at night.


    Scarlet¡¯s Tree: Scarlet has no Branches in this tree; another unorthodox thing about her.


    Reaper¡¯s Tree:


    Call of the Reaper Branch:


    Final Note:  Scarlet, The Reaper of Blood, or whatever this being or thing is that¡¯s changed Scarlet seems to defy a lot of what we know.  She seems to be a Vampire without being a Vampire, a Reaper, and some Light and Darkness creature. Her primary weakness seems to be the Solar Element, and her other weakness, the Light Element, from her Reaper side seems to be covered under the Vespertine Twilight aspect of her.  She¡¯s a mixture of paradoxes.


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


    I hope you''ve been enjoying the free entertainment!  The internet is divided into different echo-chambers; you have a specific group that only hovers around specific sites/content.  So, by recommending my serials to others, you give it more exposure to different echo-chambers and help it grow.  Ratings are excellent, Trending is terrific, but it only will appeal to a specific echo-chamber.  If you like my content, then please share it in your own unique way.


    Thank you!  ^_^7


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 B2 — 15. Mending Bridges

    Rachel flexed her fingers as she finished writing down the last of Scarlet¡¯s information.  ¡°This is insane,¡± she mumbled, glancing over the sheets before her.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± Fiona sighed.  She¡¯d taken up residence on a pillow Scarlet had moved onto the table, lying out across it.  ¡°I¡¯m a dust menace ¡­ I used to hate dusting my condo.¡±


    Maria chuckled.  ¡°Dust menace? It all disappears after a bit.  No dusting needed; I¡¯ve got some cool shit, though.  I¡¯m immortal, imagine that!¡±


    ¡°At least all of yours makes sense,¡± Scarlet groaned, hair covering part of the Uno cards as she rested her head against the table, eyes closed.  ¡°I¡¯m a glorified nuclear war ¡­ wait, Rachel, you didn¡¯t write down anything to do with my Achievements, did you?¡±


    She pursed her lips to the side as her head tilted down to look at the sheets.  ¡°Just what you told us; the name, levels, and proficiencies.¡±


    Pulling back her hair, Scarlet¡¯s lips became a line.  ¡°Please erase it ¡­ I don¡¯t want even a chance of people learning about those.¡±


    Rachel spun the pen around her fingers for a moment before sliding a blank page next to the sheet.  ¡°Hmm¡ªokay. I¡¯ll transfer over the other bits of information on a new page, and Fiona can burn the page.¡±


    ¡°We ain¡¯t giving this shit to anyone, right?¡±  Maria asked, pushing back her chair to balance it on two legs, grip on the table, keeping her balanced.


    She shook her head.  ¡°No, I just wanted to compile everything we knew, and I retain information better if I write it down.  Once we¡¯re done here, Fiona can burn the rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the group incinerator, eh?¡±  Fiona giggled, lifting her hand to cast a small Inferno; her reddish glow paled in comparison to the blazing globe above her, orange radiance cutting past the pitch-black room, and making all of their eyes adjust.  ¡°The fire is kind of pretty, but it looks different than normal fire.¡±


    Scarlet hummed thoughtfully as she stared at the orb.  ¡°It is different. It doesn¡¯t really move like fire; do you have to concentrate on keeping its circular form or the bright core inside?¡±


    Fiona shook her head, ears pressed against the pillow as her hair shifted with the movement.   ¡°Nope, it¡¯s like breathing; it just comes naturally.¡± Closing her fist, she let her arm drop to her side, the fire fading from the center out.  ¡°Just as easy to put out, too.¡±


    Maria huffed, legs dropping back to the floor and returning the room to darkness.  ¡°Didn¡¯t everyone hear me? I¡¯m immortal! Like, I could jump out of a plane, hit the ground, and jump back up like, no prob, sucka!¡±


    Scarlet smiled tiredly as she pulled her hair to the side to look at Maria.  ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t land in the shade or,¡± she smacked her hands together, ¡±splat!¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Ms. Purity,¡± Fiona giggled.


    ¡°Yeah, well ¡­ how hard is it to land in sunlight, huh?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips mirrored Scarlet¡¯s.  ¡°Personally, I¡¯d rather not find out.  I¡¯ve grown to like you as you are, Maria.  We don¡¯t need a pancake on the team.¡±


    Scarlet and Fiona chuckled, and Maria¡¯s smile grew.  ¡°Oh? Team, are we?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say so,¡± Rachel said, folding her legs as she glanced between them.  ¡°I know I told Scarlet and Maria that I don¡¯t know much about friendship ¡­ that feels like forever ago,¡± she mumbled, ¡°but I can¡¯t think of anyone more I¡¯d want to hang out with.¡±


    ¡°There we go!¡±  Maria grinned. ¡°Right?  I¡¯m pretty cool, huh. Besides, doubt you¡¯d all make it without me; I mean, y¡¯all get more cuts and bruises in one night than I get in a month.¡±


    ¡°Check out this checa,¡± Fiona giggled, resting her hands behind her head.  ¡°Can¡¯t go a few minutes without telling us she¡¯s a brawler, but wait ¡­ what bruises or cuts did you get again?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Scarlet folded her arms across the table.  ¡°You could say she¡¯s the one that was hurt the most since she basically trades our wounds for her own life; that¡¯s probably the most selfless thing I¡¯ve ever seen, and you did it for so many other people, too.¡±


    Maria¡¯s cheeks flushed as she looked away.  ¡°Yeah, well¡ªI¡¯ll ¡­ dammit ¡­ I can¡¯t say, I¡¯ll send them a bill¡ªbullshit¡­¡±  She grumbled, causing them to laugh.


    ¡°I heard what you did,¡± Rachel said with a warm smile.


    ¡°Huh¡ªeh, what?¡±  Maria asked, folding her arms defensively.  ¡°It wasn¡¯t me; I ain¡¯t done shit!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile turned into a smirk.  ¡°Oh? You didn¡¯t change Bree¡¯s life in some way?  You didn¡¯t single-handedly make us look better while we were asleep?¡±


    Maria¡¯s already flushed cheeks darkened further; she turned away, coughing a few times before clearing  her throat. ¡°Eh¡ªI didn¡¯t ¡­ I only did what I could; nothing more, nothing less.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±  Fiona gasped, hands flying to her mouth as she looked up at the embarrassed Unicorn above her.


    ¡°What?¡±  They all asked in unison.


    Fiona¡¯s smile was bright and innocent.  ¡°Who knew Maria could actually look cute?¡±


    Maria clicked her tongue, nose twisting.  ¡°Oh¡ªgo to hell,¡± she grumbled.


    They all began laughing, and soon after, Maria¡¯s lips twitched shyly.


    ¡°Friggin¡¯ Pixie,¡± Maria whispered.


    ¡°Pixies are better than Fairies!¡±  Fiona moaned, pressing her head back against her makeshift bed as she yawned, stretching out.  ¡°At least they¡¯re cooler ¡­ real Fairy stories are scary.¡±


    Scarlet cleared her throat, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the downer, but what are we going to do now?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression returned to its neutral state as everyone¡¯s eyes moved to her, and her mind accelerated to address the issue.


    We have time to think and prepare.  We now know more about The System and our abilities, and I know at least Scarlet has some extremely deadly trump cards to use, even if we get into a horrible situation.  In time, hopefully, she¡¯ll feel comfortable telling me what they do, but we¡¯re a lot more equipped than I initially thought. The Crystal incident is a problem for tomorrow; today, we need to rest.


    Maria helped repair a lot of our image, acting so selflessly, and with the information being spread that she heals others by using her life force.  Just by our association, people don¡¯t think Maria would be with us if we posed a threat; why heal and help so much only to turn around on a dime and kill people?


    There are the cautious types that still feel that we pose a threat, but they¡¯re not nearing the point of insurrection against orders.  Overall, we¡¯re in a much better position than we were before. Bree and Serah are up and helping out, and David is just getting word that we¡¯re awake ¡­ he¡¯s planning on coming down to see us.


    She went over the last interaction she had with David.


    I played that poorly; I don¡¯t need to be cold to him and force him to go through several channels to get simple information about Tom and my current relationship.  I can release enough information about our schedule to probably satisfy him. He isn¡¯t against us, but if he thinks I¡¯m evasive and hard to work with, then it would cause us to develop an antagonistic relationship in the future.  I need to recover what little rapport we had with him.


    Her ears twitched as she caught a conversation between a man she¡¯d already identified as a Supervisory Special Agent, Darik, and a subordinate.  Darik was all but already selected to oversee other Special Agents in the new department the President was in the process of setting up, and it seemed like he¡¯d already met Maria¡¯s acquaintance.


    ¡°I heard that Unicorn did something to Special Agent Bailey?¡±  Special Agent Donald asked Darik; Donald appeared to be a relatively new Special Agent from what she¡¯d gathered in her previous listening escapades.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention that damn woman,¡± Darik growled.


    ¡°Ehrm¡ªwhich one, sir?   Bailey or the Unicorn?¡±


    ¡°The Unicorn.¡±


    ¡°Uhm ¡­ can I ask why?  I heard that she healed loads of people, and even basically resurrected some women in ice.  Is she really that bad?¡±


    Darik popped  his tongue with irritation.  ¡°Bad as in healing others? No, but she¡¯s got a fucking mouth on her, and damn near no respect.  She¡¯s done good, but her attitude be damned.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips twitched, causing the others to look at her with questioning eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Fiona asked, sitting up.  Her wings appeared as she rose into the air; light orange dust sparkled around her as she floated in at their eye level, the specks dispersing a foot around her before fading.


    ¡°Just hearing about Maria¡¯s confrontation with Darik.¡±


    ¡°The hell¡¯s that?¡±  Maria asked brow furrowed, causing Rachel to giggle.


    She can¡¯t lie; she honestly doesn¡¯t know who this guy is that she pissed off so badly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not important; anyways, David is on his way over to us.  He¡¯s taking care of some information about several convicts that were recently captured from the Miami Federal Detention Center, but will be here soon enough.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±  Scarlet asked. ¡°He¡¯s that guy we saw when we first got here, right?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Like the big boss?¡±


    Rachel hummed thoughtfully as she gathered all the papers across the table, stacking them with their ability documents.  ¡°Kind of; he¡¯s going to be over a large part of the incidents involving The Oscillation within the U.S. in a few days. The President is pulling in people from several branches of government for it, but it¡¯ll function basically like the FBI.  Anything dealing with U.S. citizens and The Oscillation, they¡¯ll be over. Nothing foreign. That¡¯ll probably still be handled by other branches of government.


    ¡°David is going to be the new Assistant Director of that branch; Tom and him are somewhat at odds, and we¡¯re trapped in the center.  He wants to know what¡¯s going on, which he has a right to, to a certain extent, but he still doesn¡¯t hold the authority to demand it quite yet.  Tom wants what we talked about before kept a secret, even from David, but that doesn¡¯t mean we have to be rude to David. He¡¯ll be over all Mythickin in a few days, so we need to play nice.¡±


    ¡°Dang,¡± Fiona whispered nervously, dust turning light emerald green.  ¡°What does he want?¡±


    ¡°Your dust,¡± Rachel pointed out, causing Fiona¡¯s focus to divert.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ hobgoblin¡­¡± she growled, dust turning light red before changing to yellow.  ¡°So annoying.¡±


    Rachel smiled reassuringly.  ¡°No problem; it will take us time to get used to our new abilities.  In regards to David, there¡¯s no need to worry. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be confrontational; that¡¯s not his style from what I¡¯ve been able to observe.  If he¡¯s coming here, then it¡¯s to confirm a few questions he has, and he¡¯s pretty sharp. He can read between the lines.¡±


    ¡°But we can¡¯t say anything about the crystal-thing or the blood bath shit, right?¡±  Maria asked.


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t talk to anyone about what was in those files; no one but us, and Tom are to talk about it.  Others might have a small piece of the puzzle, but very few people have the same scope as we have. On that note¡­¡±


    Rachel held up the second pile of files and pages that she¡¯d gathered; it held all the information about them and the incident.  The first was a single folder with their Federal Pardons, NDAs, and Military Contract signatures inside.


    ¡°If you could incinerate these, Fiona, then everything should work out.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t need them?¡±  Fiona asked with concern, activating Wind Prison on them before lifting the swirling papers into the air, white aura turning green.


    ¡°Nope, I¡¯ve memorized the information inside, and it will be better if we can give David the folder and let him make his own assumptions.  Everything in this first file are things we can share with him. It doesn¡¯t tell David about what is in these other files but references back to them, and it shows we¡¯ve been granted Top-Secret clearance.


    ¡°The Federal Pardons also shows that Tom has the President¡¯s support, and will likely quiet some concerns he has about our own trial for the crimes we committed.  Showing him that he doesn¡¯t have to worry about anything involving us and that we are now the Pentagon and President¡¯s problem.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡ªokay,¡± Fiona mumbled, tossing a small globe of fire into the prison; it flashed as it exploded inside, flames swirling around the interior before dying, leaving ashes inside.


    ¡°If you could close the Wind Prison a bit and release it in the trash can, please.¡±


    Fiona complied, and Rachel placed an empty folder over the top as she released it.


    ¡°Smart,¡± Maria whispered, staring down at the folder.  ¡°Stopping the ash from coming out?¡±


    Scarlet breathed a heavy sigh of relief.  ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡± She whispered.


    Rachel brushed her hair back as she rose, stretching her arms up as high as they¡¯d go, she groaned.  ¡°I haven¡¯t thanked you for healing me, Maria. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Maria grinned at her.  ¡°So, we just going to toss the folder at him and tell him to read it?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what she said?¡±  Fiona asked, sighing as she crossed her arms.  ¡°We don¡¯t want to get on his bad side.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to actually throw it at him,¡± Maria rolled her eyes at Fiona.  ¡°You know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s hard to tell with you sometimes,¡± Scarlet chuckled.


    Rachel pulled back her chair to face the door.  ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, Maria. We can just sit down and wait for him to come; it shouldn¡¯t be long.  In the meantime, I had a thought.¡±


    Scarlet relaxed in her chair, brushing back her hair.  ¡°Did you hear something that caught your interest?¡±


    ¡°This¡¯ll be good,¡± Maria¡¯s lips dropped into a slight frown as she sat back, waiting for her plans to unfold, and Fiona floated to the right side of the table to keep everyone in view.


    ¡°Ma?lle, Kyle, and Anthony are up; why don¡¯t we petition David in letting us meet them?  Maybe we could hang out and learn something more about The System from their perspective.  We¡¯ll need to be subtle about it, but¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s those scheming ears at work,¡± Maria interrupted, chuckling as her head tilted back to stare at the ceiling.  ¡°I¡¯m tired of all the plots and tension, though, ya hear, chicas? Why can¡¯t we just go in and check them out; maybe we can find some booze and start a party.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªwe did find some alcohol in one of the drawers¡ªI think,¡± Fiona mumbled.


    Scarlet winced.  ¡°Eh, yeah, but¡ªI mean, we¡¯re not of age in the U.S., right?  I mean, I¡¯m eighteen, Fiona¡¯s twenty, and Rachel¡¯s nineteen.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not underage!¡±  Maria chuckled, quickly moving over to the drawers to search them.  ¡°Besides, alcohol turns to sugar, Fiona,¡± she said with a smirk in her direction.  ¡°You could live off the stuff. Wouldn¡¯t it be good to see how you react?¡±


    Fiona swallowed nervously, clearing her dry throat.  ¡°Uh¡ªerm¡ªI mean, maybe, but¡ªbut I¡¯ve never had alcohol before, and what if I can¡¯t¡ªand¡­¡±


    ¡°And what-ifs aren¡¯t gonna give you shit!¡±  Maria laughed. ¡°C¡¯mon, Fiona, I wanna see what a plastered Pixie looks like.¡±


    ¡°Okay, now I¡¯m scared,¡± Scarlet shifted uncomfortably in her chair.  ¡°Fiona¡¯s got¡ªyou heard her abilities. She¡¯s a floating bombshell.¡±


    ¡°Bah, I¡¯m sure we can handle it,¡± Maria mumbled.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel sat back, taking a deep breath.  ¡°I suppose it would be a good test. We don¡¯t know how any of our bodies react.  We don¡¯t even know if Maria can drink alcohol. She¡¯d probably just purify the poison inside her body, and her aura might purify the alcohol in the bottle by just being close to her aura.¡±


    ¡°Ah, found, em ¡­ eh, what was that, Rachel?¡±  Maria asked lips in a deep frown. ¡°You think¡ªI can¡ªshit ¡­ eso es una maldita maldici¨®n!¡±  She quickly backed up and motioned to her. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t want to risk it; so, pull out the drinks, will ya?¡±


    Rachel sighed.  ¡°Let¡¯s wait to discuss this, Maria.  David is just about here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good!¡±  Maria grinned, quickly moving to her seat.  ¡°He can settle this.¡±


    ¡°Eh, what?¡±  Scarlet asked, and Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed, head darting to her.


    ¡°What are you thinking, Maria?¡±  Rachel asked uncertainly.


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Maria shot a sly smirk in her direction.  ¡°Can that accelerated brain not keep up with me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more like I can¡¯t think of any reason why you¡¯d want to ask the soon to be Assistant Director of Oscillation Affairs if it¡¯s cool for underage girls to drink alcohol, stolen from an agent that serves in this office, that he probably knows, and in a federal building while not knowing how it would affect us.¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­ maybe I got a little worked up,¡± Maria mumbled, ¡°but hey, they owe me!¡±  Her grin returned after a second. ¡°And you didn¡¯t oppose any of that. You¡¯re not against the plan of drinking?¡±


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Scarlet asked.  ¡°You aren¡¯t seriously considering Maria¡¯s proposal?¡±


    ¡°We can talk about it when he leaves,¡± Rachel said, turning to the door.  ¡°Ten seconds.¡±


    All of them composed themselves, staring at the door, bright light by the hallway lights shining through the bottom door crack.


    David entered the room, the hallway light flooding into the space.  Their eyes quickly adjusted; it seemed like he had a new black suit and white dress shirt on.  He looked a bit tired, but fairly well for someone that had been up for more than thirty-five hours.  She smelled the scent of coffee on his breath from across the room.


    He squinted into the dimly lit room.  ¡°Good morning, ladies. May I turn on the light?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rachel responded in a reasonably pleasant tone.  ¡°Since we can see in the dark, it doesn¡¯t matter either way to us.¡±


    Flipping on the lights, the four of them winced for a second as their eyes adjusted to the bright overhead lights.


    David rubbed his left eye, blinking rapidly before looking between the four of them.  ¡°The four of you are looking beautiful this night. I assume Rachel let you know I¡¯d be coming, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re waiting for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she let us know,¡± Maria stated bluntly.  ¡°So, why are you here?¡±


    Rachel sighed before pulling the file off the table and holding it out.


    Without a word, David walked forward, took the file, opened it, and glanced through the papers.  ¡°That¡¯s one thing I really appreciate about you, Rachel,¡± David said as he flipped through its contents.  ¡°You have a sharp mind.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Scarlet said brightly.  ¡°I do like how Rachel always seems to have an answer.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± David whispered as he finished reading the last paper.  ¡°Strict NDA ¡­ what can you tell me?¡± He asked, eyes lifting to stare right at Rachel¡¯s unusual glowing eyes.


    Rachel kept her inviting smile.  ¡°I can tell you that we were given today to relax and rest.  We will be out of your hair tomorrow night, at least for the foreseeable future.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more than an acceptable answer,¡± David said, a small grin brightening his cheeks.  ¡°You¡¯re much more inviting than yesterday. I assume it has something to do with your fatigue, and perhaps with your conversation with the general?¡±


    ¡°Not completely,¡± Rachel said with a regretful sigh.  ¡°I was a tad brisk, and I apologize.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give it a second thought,¡± David said, glancing back to see the other agent listening in on the conversation.  ¡°Is there anything you need during your stay?¡±


    The Federal Pardons must have really taken a weight off his chest.  We¡¯re now just citizens that are temporarily staying here.


    ¡°If possible,¡± Rachel got to her feet, accepting the files David offered her back.  ¡°Might we greet the other Mythickin and Legendkin?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  David¡¯s smile dropped slightly, eyes narrowing slightly.  ¡°Does this have something to do with the file mentioned in the NDA or just a personal request?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that it would or wouldn¡¯t deal with the file, but you could consider it a personal request.  We¡¯d like to learn more about them, and we might be able to better understand our own change by talking with them.¡±


    David was silent for several seconds as he stared at her, the others shifting anxiously, but Rachel kept her pleasant poker face.


    After a time, David nodded, his smile returning.  ¡°I can understand that,¡± he sighed. ¡°Sorry if I seem a bit tight; I¡¯ve been dealing with a lot of issues, and it¡¯s made me see the worst in situations.  If the general and President trust you on this level, then I believe I can put my trust in you. Yes, I¡¯ll allow it, but are you sure with the Incubus? Kyle releases pheromones that are rather powerful toward the opposite sex.¡±


    Rachel giggled.  ¡°I¡¯m sure we can handle it, and if worse comes to worst, we have Maria.¡±


    David hummed thoughtfully as he glanced Maria¡¯s way.  ¡°I see ¡­ that makes sense.¡± A genuine smile brightened his serious features.  ¡°If I send a few men and women to you, could you purify them of the pheromone effects?  I¡¯m afraid some of my agents are still experiencing side effects from their ability. They tell me that it¡¯s something they cannot control; if you could confirm that for me, then it would make my job much easier.¡±


    ¡°Eh, yeah, sure,¡± Maria shrugged.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± David breathed a heavy sigh of relief.  ¡°I wanted to thank you personally for what you did today, as well.  Thank you, Maria. You¡¯ve done a great service to us, your fellow citizens, and your nation.¡±


    Maria¡¯s cheeks reddened a bit.  ¡°Yeah,¡± she cleared her throat, ¡°don¡¯t forget it.¡±  She mumbled, turning her head away so her hair would hide her face.


    ¡°She¡¯s pretty shy,¡± Fiona giggled.


    ¡°Maldici¨®n, ?Pixie tiene una gran boca!¡±  Maria whispered.


    David chuckled before turning back to Rachel and extending his hand; she took it with a genuine smile, and he said, ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure, Rachel.  I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet again.¡± His grip was firm.


    Pulling back, he left, saying, ¡°Randy, trade places with Bree and Serah.  I heard they really connected with them. Fill them in on what we decided.¡±


    ¡°Eh, yeah, right away, boss,¡± Randy said, glancing back into the room before his focus returned to David¡¯s back.  ¡°Do you want me to organize the infected agents to see them?¡±


    David paused to respond.  ¡°No, I¡¯ll have Darik do it.  You can trade places with Serah on overseeing the safe transportation of the Faekin and Aberationkin protection group downtown.  They¡¯re getting ready to depart with a National Guard escort.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile grew as she turned to the others.  ¡°Which do you want to meet first?¡±


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 B2 — 16. Pure Hearted Blunders

    Rachel turned her head back to her companions.  ¡°All of them are up; it might be best to see Anthony first.¡±


    ¡°The Legendkin, eh?¡±  Maria hummed. ¡°I heard a bit about him earlier today.  Some women were saying he¡¯s pretty shy. He¡¯s mostly kept to himself, but he¡¯s supposed to be a looker.¡±


    Scarlet swallowed, turning to look up, black, red-halo eyes returning; the unnatural display looked strange with her slight blush.  ¡°We could go see Kyle; I mean, if we¡¯re going to see them all.¡±


    A smile touched Rachel¡¯s lips.  Is she in love?  Something about him must be really attractive to her; I suppose he is an Incubus, and it would be good to see if we¡¯re affected by his control magic.  Maria should have us covered in case one of us is susceptible. Plus, Scarlet usually isn¡¯t like this; it would do her good to act a little more human.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad choice¡­¡±  Her ears twitched as she heard Anthony open his door and talk to an FBI agent outside his room.


    ¡°Hey, which way was the kitchen again?¡±  His tone was fairly neutral, but the low hum made her ears twitch.  He does have a lovely voice ¡­ I can¡¯t believe this is the first time I¡¯ve heard it.  Of course, he¡¯s mostly been asleep or silently practicing with his spear in that room.


    The agent yawned, scratching his hair.  ¡°I¡¯ll¡ªI¡¯ll take you. Do you really gotta take the spear with you, though?¡±


    ¡°Does it bother people?  Just having it out is practice; David said it was fine after I explained the function.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know, but ¡­ nevermind.  It actually looks pretty cool.¡± He said moving with him back down the hall; he took him to the third-floor break-room.  ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a weapon like it.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s relaxed tone touched with a hint of excitement.  ¡°Oh? Are you interested in weapons?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a bit,¡± the agent said.  ¡°I watch a Medieval YouTube channel that goes into detail on a lot of the battles.  It¡¯s pretty cool learning how they fought in Europe.¡±


    Rachel turned her focus back to the group, but her ears continued following Anthony and the agent¡¯s conversation.  ¡°No one wants to see the Succubus?¡± She asked with a smile.


    ¡°Who¡¯d want to see some chica that¡¯s all about seducing guys,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°I¡¯m with Scarlet, let¡¯s see what this Incubus is all about.¡±


    ¡°Is he hot?¡±  Fiona asked with a smirk, floating a few feet away from Scarlet.


    ¡°Eh, I guess,¡± Scarlet cleared her throat.  ¡°I mean, he¡¯s definitely different ¡­ he kind of looks like what I¡¯d imagine an anime character looks like.¡±  She mumbled, vision darting to the side.


    ¡°Oh, now I¡¯m interested!¡±  Fiona giggled. ¡°A real-life anime guy?  Sign me up!¡±


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°So, his looks are what¡¯s interesting, y¡¯all?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªno, not all of it,¡± Scarlet stammered.  ¡°I mean, he kind of looks a little shy, and¡ªand I just ¡­ he¡¯s not wearing a shirt¡­¡±  She cut off; it almost seemed like she bit her tongue, face turning the same color as her name.  ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve been looking¡ªit¡¯s just ¡­ he was sleeping, and¡ªuhm, nevermind,¡± she stammered, thoughts seeming to go out of control.


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Maria grinned, nudging Scarlet as she hid her face.  ¡°Already gettin¡¯ sneak peeks? Naughty girl, are ya? Didn¡¯t see that in ya!¡±


    ¡°No¡ªno, no, I¡¯m not¡ªit¡¯s just his shirt, okay¡­¡±  Scarlet backtracked.


    Rachel hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°Well, to be fair, I did hear one of the girls mention him bare-chested before.  Apparently clothes are uncomfortable because of something with his skin.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes turned back to blue, seemingly trying to avoid looking at the Incubus.  ¡°It must be those¡ªthose glowing cracks on his s-skin. It¡¯s kind of pretty¡­¡±


    ¡°Now I¡¯m really interested,¡± Fiona mumbled, and Rachel wouldn¡¯t be surprised to see her drooling.  ¡°An anime-guy with pretty glowing skin?¡±


    Randy¡¯s eyebrow was raised as he listened to their conversation by the door.  ¡°Does this really have something to do with what you¡¯re doing with the Military, or do you just want to see some eye candy?¡±


    ¡°N-no¡ªeye candy,¡± Scarlet mumbled, but Fiona butted in.


    ¡°Nope, definitely interested in eye candy!¡±


    Maria chuckled.  ¡°At least you¡¯re honest, but I¡¯d like to see what the hype¡¯s about.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Randy leaned against the doorway with a creased brow.  ¡°You into horned guys, then?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Horns too?¡±  Fiona swallowed. ¡°He sounds like the anime bad-boy demon type!¡±


    ¡°I have no clue what you guys are talking about,¡± Rachel said, happy to see Scarlet coming a little out of her shell.  ¡°What¡¯s an anime bad-boy demon type?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªhe¡¯s not like that,¡± Scarlet interjected.  ¡°He¡¯s s-shy looking ¡­ Anthony looks more like the cool-guy, bad-boy!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Rachel hummed, now interested.  ¡°He has a nice voice.¡±


    ¡°You too?¡±  Maria asked.  ¡°I guess tone would interest a Hare, though ¡­ I mean, you go through hearing enough voices.¡±


    For some reason, her dad¡¯s words flashed back into Rachel¡¯s mind.  ¡°I can tell by your voice that something has changed; your voice is less harsh on the ears.¡±  The thought dulled her interest.  Why would he say that?  I¡¯ve heard some harsh voices, but ¡­ that¡¯s how he heard me before?  Was my voice annoying? Is that why he kept me at arm¡¯s length?


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Fiona asked.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªyou looked a little nervous.  It¡¯s just¡ªit¡¯s not like you.¡± Scarlet whispered.  ¡°Did you want to talk about something else?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªI was just thinking about something else.  Don¡¯t worry about it; it doesn¡¯t concern this.¡±  She said with a fake smile.


    ¡°If you say so,¡± Scarlet said.


    Randy yawned, looking down the hall at a few people moving between offices and softly talking about plans to shelter some of the Beastkin that were arriving.  ¡°Hey, Rachel, how soon until Hughes and Bailey arrive?¡±


    ¡°Oh?  Happy to get rid of us?¡±  Maria smirked.


    ¡°Na, this is simple work compared to the other complicated stuff going on.  I¡¯ve been out of the loop with the group David assigned me to. I¡¯d like to get caught up to speed.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Fiona said, tone concerned.  ¡°How are the other Beastkin doing out there?¡±


    All of them turned to Rachel for answers.


    Scratching the back of her head as she continued following Anthony and his escort¡¯s conversation, her ears shifted a little; he seemed interested in all sorts of weapons and found someone to share that with.


    ¡°From what I know, they¡¯re doing a lot better.  Most of the chaos and initial panic about aliens, monsters, dimensional creatures, and mutated government attack robots have been quelled.¡±


    ¡°Mutant government attack robots¡­¡±  They all muttered with creased faces.


    ¡°Yeah, there was some group that was convinced that¡¯s what we were; everyone changed was some kind of weapon used by the government to start a government regime and take over the Democratic Republic of the U.S., controlled by his Twitter account.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s insane,¡± Randy muttered.


    ¡°Who knows with Twitter, though; I could see it,¡± Maria chuckled.  ¡°Thing takes over people¡¯s lives.¡±


    ¡°Mutant government attack robots,¡± Fiona repeated.  ¡°That doesn¡¯t even make sense?¡±


    ¡°There were a few high schoolers that had a time-traveling theory and managed to convince some of their student body about it, mainly because the two Beastkin in the school went along with it like a game.


    ¡°A Aberationkin Angel-type was kidnapped by some demon-cult that thought if they got her tears, then they¡¯d bring back their dark lord.  They also needed tears from a demon, so they took an Aberationkin Demon-type ¡­ I saw a few of them back at my school.¡±


    ¡°Did they torture them?¡±  Scarlet asked in horror.


    ¡°No, no, well ¡­ I guess,¡± Rachel mumbled, looking up at the ceiling.  ¡°They tickled them ¡­ I don¡¯t know how that translates in court, but ¡­ yeah, they tickled them until they cried, but the Demon-girl managed to break out after two hours.  The Angel-girl¡¯s been rescued by the Coast Guard; they were using a houseboat.¡±


    ¡°People are crazy,¡± Randy grunted.


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I did a report once about the number of visitors to Miami; we get tens of thousands of overnight visitors a day coming through here, and thousands more staying longer.  In Miami alone, not including the surrounding cities like Miami Beach, Hialeah, and Kendall, we¡¯ve got like four-hundred and fifty thousand people, excluding all the tourists.¡±


    She turned to Randy.  ¡°Do you know how many people are in Miami-Dade County?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Randy sighed.  ¡°We have about two-point-seven million people in the county, excluding tourists; we broken the record of overnight visitors last year at sixteen and a half million for the year.  We get a lot of tourists, and that¡¯s one reason why we have an FBI headquarters here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy,¡± Fiona folded her arms.  ¡°I didn¡¯t think we had that many people come through here.  I am kind of an otaku, though¡­¡±


    ¡°The hell¡¯s that?¡±  Maria asked.


    ¡°Japanese,¡± Rachel quickly stated.  ¡°Something my dad hates ¡­ someone that basically doesn¡¯t communicate with too many people and stays in-doors on technology all the time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m lumped into that boat,¡± Scarlet sighed.  ¡°I used to be pretty social in junior high, but ¡­ I kind of withdrew in high school.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sayin¡¯ you were a Vampire before you became a Vampire?¡±  Maria chuckled.


    ¡°Hey, rude!¡±  Fiona huffed. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, I made a lot of money being an otaku, and had a lot of people I could talk to online.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Scarlet brushed back her hair to scratch her neck.  ¡°I guess you could say I lived a Vampire¡¯s life ¡­ now that I look back on it.¡±


    Knowing how close this was hitting for Scarlet, Rachel swapped the subject.  ¡°Anyway, Serah and Bree met up further up the building. They¡¯re heading this way; we can go meet them.¡±


    Randy nodded.  ¡°Alright, but ¡­ I just thought of something; is it a good idea to put Agents Hughes and Bailey in the same room as the Incubus?¡±  He asked with concern.


    ¡°Pfft,¡± Maria scoffed.  ¡°I can keep them safe.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel smiled at her.  ¡°Let¡¯s hope your purifying skills are up to the task; we need to test our abilities to see where we need to improve.  I¡¯m sure David understood that when assigning them to us. We won¡¯t let anything happen to them.¡±


    He slowly nodded.  ¡°Okay, I suppose that makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let him try to seduce her,¡± Maria growled.  ¡°It ain¡¯t happenin¡¯ on my watch. That girl¡¯s got a good man already.¡±


    ¡°Oh, which one?¡±  Randy asked with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°None of your damn business,¡± Maria sniffed.  ¡°Unless ¡­ you interested in one of them?¡± She asked with a small smirk.


    He cleared his throat.  ¡°No, it¡¯s just ¡­ wait, damn¡­¡±


    Maria winked at him with a short chuckle.  ¡°Should have stayed silent; which one is it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Randy chuckled, cheeks turning a bit red.  ¡°Got me there. Damn ¡­ I haven¡¯t gotten used to all these new abilities people have.  You should consider law enforcement¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, hombre, don¡¯t change the subject,¡± Maria snapped.  ¡°Which one, eh? I might even put in a word, ya know.¡±


    ¡°Ack,¡± He scratched the back of his head, ruffling his brown hair a bit.  ¡°You can¡¯t lie, right? Then say you won¡¯t tell her.¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyes creased with her grin.  ¡°Yeah, I won¡¯t say a word.¡±


    He clicked his tongue, vision shooting to the other three girls.  ¡°Damn ¡­ I put my foot in my mouth, didn¡¯t I ¡­ fine, whatever,¡± he sighed, ¡°it¡¯s Bailey.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Maria smirked.  ¡°Serah, huh? Tryin¡¯ to test me?¡±


    ¡°Damn ¡­ alright,¡± Randy motioned for them.  ¡°Let¡¯s just go meet them; I¡¯ll let the cards fall where they do¡­¡±


    Scarlet and Fiona¡¯s moods seemed to lift as they giggled; they walked halfway down the hall before Randy turned to Rachel, cheeks flushing even further.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ I don¡¯t know where they are.¡±


    Rachel took the lead.  ¡°They¡¯re up here to the left; they¡¯re close.¡±


    They followed her until they caught sight of Bree and Serah; they¡¯d changed into more casual clothes, likely some back-up gym clothes, but they kept their weapon vests.  Randy quickly left down another hall before they reached them.


    ¡°Huh,¡± Serah mumbled, watching him turn the corner.  ¡°I thought I needed to brief him on the escort, but I guess he can get the information from the other members.¡±


    Maria and Fiona gave each other knowing looks.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure he can.¡± Fiona giggled.


    Bree seemed a lot more cheerful than when Rachel had last seen her.  ¡°So, what are you four planning? David just told us that we were to be your escorts to wherever you wanted to go.¡±


    ¡°We heard you¡¯ll all be leaving tomorrow, too,¡± Serah asked with a bit of concern.  ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Well, technically, we¡¯ll be leaving tonight,¡± Scarlet said, looking out of the glass walls at the brightly lit grounds below.  The sun had fallen more than an hour before they exited the room.


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re fine.  If you two stay in Miami, then I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll probably meet again.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I wonder about that,¡± Maria said, nudging Bree.


    Fiona, Scarlet, and Serah looked between Bree¡¯s flushing face and Maria¡¯s secretive smirk.


    ¡°Something you¡¯d like sharing with the class?  Because I¡¯m lost.¡± Serah asked.


    ¡°You seriously haven¡¯t heard?¡±  Maria lifted an eyebrow.


    A soft sigh left Rachel¡¯s lips.  ¡°It¡¯s pretty personal, Serah; I only know because of my ears, and Maria¡¯s statement is a little polysemous,¡± she said with a glance at her.


    ¡°Poly¡ªhuh?¡±  Maria asked, scratching her forehead.


    ¡°It can be taken multiple ways,¡± Scarlet chimed in.


    ¡°Right,¡± Rachel continued, ¡°don¡¯t worry, Bree, no one knows the details but the Assistant Director; they just speculate that Maria healed something.¡±


    Bree breathed a heavy sigh of relief.  ¡°Thanks, Rachel. I was a little self-conscious about it.¡±


    ¡°Ack,¡± Maria popped her tongue with irritation.  ¡°My bad, my mouth can get ahead of itself sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Well, okay then,¡± Serah mumbled before smiling.  ¡°Tell me when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Bree shifted a little, holding her left wrist against her stomach, but nodded shyly.  Clearing her throat, she asked, ¡°So, what are we going to be doing?¡±


    ¡°Meet boys!¡±  Fiona giggled.


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Both women¡¯s brow creased.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re going to go meet the Incubus,¡± Rachel corrected.  ¡°We need to understand a bit about our own resistances, and it shouldn¡¯t be an issue with Maria nearby.  Just being in her presence should combat the passive hormone effects with her passive purifying effects. That¡¯s my working theory, anyway.¡±


    ¡°The Incubus?¡±  Bree asked with uncertainty.


    Serah¡¯s tone mirrored Bree¡¯s reluctance.  ¡°You¡¯re sure we¡¯ll be okay?¡±


    Maria put her hands on her hips.  ¡°Yeah, of course. I¡¯ll be here.¡± She said with confidence.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about a thing!¡±


    ¡°How reliable, for a word klutz,¡± Fiona giggled.


    ¡°Hey, I said I was sorry,¡± Maria grumbled, flipping back her hair as she turned to glare out of the window.


    They all grinned.


    ¡°I know the way,¡± Rachel said, turning to walk down the hallway Randy had taken.  ¡°There¡¯s an elevator down here that¡¯ll take us to the third floor.¡±


    The others followed her to the office; they went up to the third floor and continuing further back to the rear of the building.  They noticed an agent outside of his room as they entered the hallway. He seemed a bit nervous at the sight of them.


    ¡°I got confirmation from Head Supervisor David, but ¡­ are you sure?  We had a few hysterical women already try to get back in ¡­ it was like they were having withdrawals.¡±


    ¡°We have our own detox agent,¡± Rachel replied.  ¡°Thank you for the concern, and we won¡¯t intrude if he wants us to leave.¡±


    The agent nodded, stepping aside.


    Knocking on the door, he opened it saying, ¡°Hey, Kyle, you¡¯ve got some guests.¡±


    The Incubus¡¯ voice was deep but soft.  ¡°Oh, alright, give me a moment to put on a shirt.¡±


    Rachel resisted a smirk as she caught Scarlet¡¯s vampiric eyes staring through the door, cheeks red; a hard lump dropped down her throat.  Face flushing further at his voice.


    I don¡¯t think he needs hormones with Scarlet; she really is infatuated with him.  I guess it¡¯s nothing she wouldn¡¯t see if he was at the pool, but still ¡­ although, she hasn¡¯t told us if her vision can penetrate clothes.  She could just be embarrassed to say it.


    After a minute, he said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    He opened the door, allowing them to walk in.


    Kyle stood up, waiting to greet his unknown guests.  He wore a black button-up shirt that fit his body reasonably well and could have been a bit small for his lean, but solid physique.  His black skinny-jeans weren¡¯t skin tight, but close-fitted, and were pulled down a bit to allow a long tail its freedom as it hovered at his side.  His D-ring belt was undone, and he wore black boots that came up above his ankles.


    His physical appearance made Rachel understand Scarlet¡¯s flustered attitude; he was more on the pretty-handsome side rather than rugged.  He seemed to have lean muscle, and there seemed to be bright pink glowing cracks that bled through his black shirt, the only visible one being on the left side of his neck; they pulsed softly and were spaced out from his neck to his shins.


    The long, wicked-looking barbed tail stiffened when he caught sight of them, arcing to hover by his head; the tail seemed to have rough skin, but the barbed end appeared to be made of sapphire, glowing with an inner light.


    His hair was mostly blue with black streaks, and his horns curved around his head, curving to frame his eyes.  They began at the back of his head, just above his ears, wrapping around with a slight bow to end with sharp points above his eyebrows.  His fingernails and eye color matched the horns.


    Kyle¡¯s eyes immediately drew their attention; the whites were as black as night, showing large illuminated blue irises that were gradient, darker on the outside, brighter on the inside, while his black pupils appeared to glisten like water.


    ¡°Huh?¡±  His eyes widened as his features shifted from relaxed to shock.  ¡°Why¡ªdid you bring girls? Please¡ªplease get them out!¡± He shrank back.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Rachel soothed, stepping closer.  ¡°Maria is a Unicorn Mythickin; she should be able to purify your area charm effect.¡±


    ¡°What?  You¡ªyou¡¯re a Mythickin?¡±  Kyle asked, turning to look at Maria.


    ¡°Chill,¡± Maria huffed, moving in to take a seat on a couch by the door.  ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, Scarlet; he¡¯s got that pretty-boy vibe. Not my type, but not bad looking.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Scarlet¡¯s already red face deepened, and she curled into a ball, vanishing in shadow.


    ¡°Tch, Maria!¡±  Fiona growled. ¡°Rachel, where¡¯d she go.  I¡¯ll go talk to her.¡±


    Rachel shot a glare at Maria.


    ¡°What?  I was only speaking the truth ¡­ geez, the girl¡¯s too shy for her own good.¡±  Maria mumbled, lips pursed as she looked at the wall.


    Rachel breathed out a heavy sigh.  ¡°It¡¯s usually not what you say, Maria, but how you say it ¡­ she¡¯s in the janitor¡¯s closet down the hall, Fiona.  You made her cry.¡± Rachel whispered, knowing Maria could hear her.


    ¡°My bad,¡± Maria mumbled, scratching above her long left ear.  ¡°I¡¯ll go apologize¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t; not yet,¡± Rachel said, pointing at Bree and Serah.


    They both had their lips pursed, shaking their heads disapprovingly at Maria.


    ¡°Right, yeah, okay, I messed up ¡­ story of my life.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s shock turned to confusion.  ¡°Um¡ªwhat¡¯s going on?¡±


    AuthorSME


    Artwork:  I had a picture done for Kyle, but it isn''t perfect and doesn''t fit the scene well.  I''ll post it for you guys to have a rough depiction before I get a better one made.  This was commissioned by Likesac like ... a while ago.


    You can get it free at the --> Patreon Link Here <--


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 B2 — 17. Hurricane Of Emotion

    AuthorSME


    Fiona huffed as she shot out of the room, floating six feet above the ground; she was becoming more accustomed to her new visual perspective of the world.  It felt like she¡¯d stepped into a dream with giants everywhere, and worse, she could see all the little critters that she ignored because of her size. Aphids were like big bugs and flies the size of small dogs.


    Floating in the hallway, she watched a few people walking down the hall, hesitating at the open door to the Incubus¡¯ room before hurrying past.  All the humans around her were twenty to twenty-five times her size; she would have felt bad for bugs if they didn¡¯t look like life-sized aliens invading her world.


    She rose a few more feet into the air, studying the hallway near the ceiling.


    I didn¡¯t ask Rachel how close the janitor¡¯s closet is ¡­ it¡¯s not like everything¡¯s labeled.


    Zipping from door to door, she listened carefully for the sound of crying on the other side; it took a few rooms, but eventually, she heard Scarlet¡¯s soft weeping.  Descending to the floor, she got down on her hands and knees, wings dispersing; she noticed light red powder dissipating around her.


    Great ¡­ I really need to get a handle on this Fairy Dust.


    Crawling under the door crack, she was thankful the FBI kept their floors reasonably clean.  On the other side of the door was a dark room with cleaning equipment on shelves; everything was neatly labeled.  Scarlet was curled into a ball against the wall to her right, knees pulled in close, pressing her gown against her shins.


    Fiona sucked on her lower lip with concern as she watched red tears soaking into her dress before vanishing back into her skin.  Clearing her throat, she said, ¡°Maria said she¡¯s sorry.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t¡ªmatter,¡± Scarlet hiccupped, chest convulsing.  ¡°I look like an idiot¡ªcrying¡ªbreaking down for like¡ªlike no reason and running away!  I¡¯m so stupid!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Fiona mumbled; her wings appeared, light blue dust sprinkling around her.  She rose into the air, manually swapping her Fairy Dust to light yellow.  ¡°You¡¯re not stupid.  Maria is a little stupid, sure, but not you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so¡ªso easy to read, right?  He probably thinks I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m weird or something¡­¡±


    Fiona landed on Scarlet¡¯s knees, balancing herself as best she could; Scarlet¡¯s head rose, cheeks flushed, and bloody tears dripping out of her eyes and nose before absorbing back into her skin.  ¡°I think I¡¯m the weird one; I mean, look at me! I throw out dust everywhere, I¡¯m three inches tall, and I¡¯m like a rave concert with how often I change colors.¡±


    Scarlet giggled a little, throat catching for a moment.  ¡°No way; you¡¯re pretty, and all of¡ªof that makes you look magical.¡±  She swallowed. ¡°Me¡ªI¡¯m like a full-on goth-girl ¡­ black fingernails, scary eyes, and black hair.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t knock the look!¡±  Fiona slapped her knee. ¡°Quit acting like you aren¡¯t pretty, too, because you¡¯re gorgeous, and with that wedding dress on, you look even more beautiful.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Scarlet¡¯s blue eyes moved to the yellow mop bucket.  ¡°Kyle probably thinks I¡¯m just weird¡ªwearing a wedding dress out of the blue.  I wish I would have known we¡¯d be meeting him beforehand,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I¡ªI just kind of panicked ¡­ he was right there¡ªlooking at me, and then Maria¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona scratched behind her long right ear with a groan, ¡°not Maria¡¯s greatest moment, but I don¡¯t think Kyle thought you were weird.¡±


    ¡°How could he not think that?¡±  Scarlet shifted her legs a little, making Fiona rise back into the air.  Scarlet gently brushed her dress out, straightening her legs against the floor.


    Fiona moved to the mop bucket.  She was about to sit on the edge, fingers touching the side before shooting foot into the air.  ¡°Ack¡ªwhat is this?¡± She barked, feeling something sticky on her hands, ¡°eww.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s lips lifted into a soft grin as she pulled a few sheets of paper towels out to lay against the edge of the bucket.  Sitting back down, she wiped her fingers on it as she sat.


    ¡°Gross ¡­ thanks.  Anyways,¡± she turned back to her.  ¡°I ¡­ kind of forgot where I was going¡ªbut I think you¡¯re being too hard on yourself.  You must really like him.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Scarlet pressed her palms against her stomach, rubbing the back of her right hand nervously.  ¡°I guess¡ªI don¡¯t know,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, talk to me!¡±  Fiona said, still trying to get the sticky feeling off her hand.  ¡°What are you thinking and feeling? I¡¯m probably the most upset about relationships; I mean, I¡¯m like twenty times smaller than you, much less guys that are usually much taller.¡±


    ¡°I know¡ªI¡¯m sorry, too ¡­ it sucks.  I don¡¯t like most of this. I¡¯d be lying if I didn¡¯t like a few things, but¡ªthere¡¯s so much bad.  Sunlight literally kills me, and who knows about garlic or silver or other Vampire weaknesses? I¡¯m a monster that survives off blood.  I can get high off negative emotions. I¡¯m freaking possessed by some stupid demonic god ¡­ it feels like everything¡¯s against me¡ªso why is this so hard?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Fiona crossed her legs.  ¡°You¡¯re saying you like Kyle?¡±


    ¡°I guess¡­¡±  Scarlet mumbled, not looking at her.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s confident,¡± Fiona giggled.  ¡°To me, it looked like you liked him, so, why the hesitation?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ªI don¡¯t know if it¡¯s really me or not,¡± Scarlet whispered, playing with her gown.


    ¡°Is he cute?¡±


    ¡°Not really cute ¡­ well, yeah, cute, but¡ªbut handsome.¡±


    ¡°The pretty handsome type?¡±  Fiona pressed with a grin.


    ¡°You¡ªyou could say that.¡±


    ¡°What part about him?¡±


    ¡°Really?  You wanna go there?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s face creased into a plea.


    ¡°Why not?¡±  Fiona asked with an innocent smile.  ¡°You¡¯ve obviously found something that you like.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªokay ¡­ the first time I saw him,¡± she swallowed, face flushing again.  ¡°It was¡ªwas on¡ªwe were on the helicopter.¡±


    ¡°I remember,¡± Fiona nodded.  ¡°Rachel asked if he was cute.¡±


    ¡°You see¡ªhe was almost naked,¡± Scarlet mumbled, hiding her face with her hands.


    Fiona smirked, eyebrows lifting.  ¡°Oh? Define almost.¡±  She pushed.


    ¡°He¡ªhe had his un-underwear on, but¡ªbut that was it.¡±


    ¡°Rock hard abs,¡± Fiona asked with a sly grin.  ¡°Did seeing his tone legs cause that undead heart of yours to beat?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon ¡­ don¡¯t tease me,¡± Scarlet moaned, face still hidden.  ¡°His back was turned¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, a butt shot, huh?  I didn¡¯t take you for a peeker, Scarlet.¡±  Fiona giggled.


    ¡°P-peeker?  I didn¡¯t¡ªdidn¡¯t mean to!¡±  Scarlet tensed, knees sliding back up to her chest.  ¡°It just¡ªkind of happened.¡±


    ¡°If I remember right¡ªyou didn¡¯t look away that fast, did you?¡±  Fiona pressed.


    ¡°I¡ªI was interested in the cracks¡ªno, not¡ªthe cracks in his skin¡ªthe glowing ones ¡­ this is so embarrassing¡ªhis tail...¡±  She cut off with a sad moan.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Fiona floated back into the air, orange dust spreading around her.  ¡°Did you ever draw any Incubus? You did say you enjoy drawing.¡±


    ¡°What¡ªn-no¡ªno way ¡­ why would¡ªwhy would you say¡ªask that?¡±  Scarlet stumbled over her words.


    ¡°So you did,¡± Fiona chuckled.  ¡°You can¡¯t help but be interested, huh?  Did you watch any anime or read any books about Succubus and Incubus?¡±


    Scarlet ran her hand through her hair, groaning softly.  ¡°Just a little ¡­ my parents¡ªthey were Vampires fanatics, and that¡ªthat got me introduced to a lot of other monsters.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so you are interested.  You¡¯ve seen him in his underwear ¡­ might want to keep that one a secret,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°Definitely don¡¯t tell Maria that, but other than that, I think you¡¯ve got a great shot!¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªreally?¡±  Scarlet asked, blue eyes swimming with uncertainty as she looked up at her.  ¡°But¡ªbut we don¡¯t have time for this, right? We¡¯re going to go on like¡ªa death mission, and what if¡ªif he hears about all the people I¡¯ve killed?¡±


    ¡°Bah,¡± Fiona waved her hand.  ¡°Who cares about those guys; they deserved it, and all the other stuff ¡­ who cares?  I mean¡ªI guess some people do, but I don¡¯t think a lot of people would, too. You won¡¯t know until you try.¡±  She shrugged.


    ¡°He¡¯s so out of my league, though ¡­ I¡¯m a Vampire.¡±


    ¡°Huh?  Na,¡± Fiona scoffed.  ¡°You¡¯re so far out of his league that you¡¯re in a completely different universe!  He¡¯s got freaking horns and a tail ¡­ blue hair¡ªflippin¡¯ blue hair! Reminds me of that one I''m Blue da-ba-dee-da song ¡­ huh; anyways, you don¡¯t have to worry about leagues, because you¡¯re in a league of your own.¡±  She said with a thumbs up.


    Scarlet was silent for a moment, left fang poking out as she bit her lower lip.  ¡°I just¡ªdon¡¯t know. We have enough to worry about, you know?¡±


    ¡°We kind of do,¡± Fiona nodded, glaring down at the bucket.  ¡°You don¡¯t have to jump right in there and ask to be his girlfriend, though.¡±


    A hard swallow dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat.  ¡°G-girlfriend? Just ask him?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªI said you don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Fiona giggled.  ¡°Have you ever had a boyfriend before?¡±


    ¡°Well, kind of¡ªin eighth-grade ¡­ we held hands a few times and¡ªand he kissed me on the cheeks, but then¡ªthen he moved away.  I had some friends that were boys, but they all had girlfriends already¡­¡±


    ¡°So, you were just friend-zoned most the time?¡±  Fiona said with a sigh.


    ¡°Well¡ªwhat about you?¡±  Scarlet asked defensively.


    ¡°Me?  Eh¡ªyeah, I had a few boyfriends, but they weren¡¯t really that serious.  Usually, we¡¯d enter the kissing phase, and then I¡¯d realize I didn¡¯t really like them that much, so I¡¯d break it off.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°You were a heartbreaker?¡±


    ¡°Heartbreaker?¡±  Fiona asked. ¡°No, I just talked with them about seeing other people, and we went our own way; I mean, I guess there was one guy that took it pretty bad and cried, but we kept on talking terms.¡±


    ¡°Can¡ªcan you do that?  Most the guy friends I had were pretty bitter about their break-ups, or the girls were pretty bitter about them breaking up.  They usually stopped talking after it.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s stupid,¡± Fiona chuckled.  ¡°Although, I guess I¡¯ve never really had a serious relationship.¡±


    ¡°Kissing isn¡¯t a serious relationship?¡±  Scarlet asked.


    Fiona shrugged.  ¡°I guess people have different terms for what defines a serious relationship.  Once I moved to the states, I kind of became a bit of a recluse ¡­ most my dating was done in middle school and the start of high school.  I spent more time at home, recording and hanging with my little sister.¡±


    Scarlet was silent for several seconds, vision centered on the tiled floor.  ¡°What¡¯s it like having a little sister?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡ªannoying as all heck a lot of the time,¡± Fiona mumbled.


    ¡°Huh?  The way you talked about your sister¡ªI thought you had a great relationship?¡±


    Fiona chuckled.  ¡°Of course we do, but that doesn¡¯t mean she can¡¯t be annoying at times!  I used to hate her when I was a kid; she took my mom and dad¡¯s attention away from me, and that made me mad.  I remember winning a singing competition when I was eleven, but Nora found a nut somewhere and eaten it ¡­ she¡¯s allergic.  The spotlight was supposed to be on me, but Nora just happened to have a reaction and pull it all to herself. I was so mad¡­¡±


    ¡°You sounded like a brat,¡± Scarlet grinned.


    ¡°You know¡ªI kind of was,¡± Fiona said with a sad smile.  ¡°I started growing closer to my sister in middle school; she was being bullied and was too scared to tell our parents ¡­ she wanted to be tough.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  I was teased about my parents when I was in high school,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°It wasn¡¯t really that bad looking back, but it felt like the world was out to get me at the time.  I blamed everything on it, blamed my parents.¡± She whispered.


    ¡°Well¡ªI kind of confronted her bullies,¡± Fiona hesitated, scratching the back of her head.


    Scarlet¡¯s focus returned to her.  ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I was in eighth grade, and my sister was in fifth, she was held back a year, and I told them to back off.  One of the girls was a little bigger than the others; I think she was pretty big for a fifth-grader, maybe she was held back, too ¡­ anyways, she asked what I was going to do about it.¡±


    ¡°Did you punch her?¡±


    ¡°Na, I just shoved her down, and she started crying.  They all ran and stopped bullying my sister after that.¡±


    Scarlet smiled.  ¡°Sounds nice ¡­ oh, not the bullying part, but just¡ªbeing there for your sister when she needed you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona huffed.  ¡°No one was going to flush my sister¡¯s hair down the toilet!  That¡¯s gross and mean ¡­ little psychopaths.¡±


    ¡°Yikes,¡± Scarlet grimaced.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d make me cry.¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°So ¡­ you really think I have a shot with Kyle?  I¡¯m too embarrassed to ask him, though.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t,¡± Fiona grinned.  ¡°You might work up the courage to do that later, but for now, just get to know him.¡±


    ¡°I guess¡ªhe feels like my only shot, though.  Who else is going to date a possessed Vampire than an Incubus...¡±


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Fiona cut in.  ¡°Say that again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m possessed ¡­ and a Vampire.  I could go crazy at any time, and I have creepy red eyes when I eat ¡­ there¡¯s just¡ªthere¡¯s a lot wrong with me.¡±  She mumbled, hunching her shoulders defensively.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Huh?  What do you mean, so?¡±  Scarlet asked, looking up at her.  ¡°I¡¯m a crazy mess; no guy would want to go out with me ¡­ much less marry.¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Fiona giggled.  ¡°Every girl is a crazy mess about something.  Guys don¡¯t expect you to be perfect; is that one of the reasons you ran away?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m about as far from perfection as you can get,¡± Scarlet sighed.  ¡°I¡¯m just¡ªand what if he¡¯s like¡ªlike a womanizer?¡±


    ¡°Mhh, you¡¯re changing the subject,¡± Fiona folded her arms, a frown close to her lips.  ¡°That could be a problem, though. Yeah ¡­ Incubus¡¯ are known to be womanizers. We kind of took on characteristics of the myths we¡¯re from too ¡­ but it¡¯s not like we¡¯re completely controlled by them.¡±


    ¡°I kind of am,¡± Scarlet muttered.  ¡°I¡¯m controlled by the fact I can¡¯t go in sunlight anymore ¡­ I have to drink blood to live.  If we weren¡¯t in the modern day where we have blood bags, then I¡¯d be forced to drink the blood of others.¡±


    ¡°True, but we don¡¯t know what his negative parts are.  I mean, Rachel did say he has that hormone thing, but it¡¯s not like he¡¯s going after women ¡­ it¡¯s more women going after him.  Sounds more like a curse, to be honest.¡± Fiona nervously chuckled. ¡°There are some crazy women out there.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, like me¡­¡±  Scarlet sniffed.


    Fiona huffed.  ¡°We back to that?  Please, Scarlet, you¡¯re the kindest Vampire I know that kicks serious butt!¡±


    ¡°Kicks serious butt?¡±


    ¡°Serious butt!¡±  Fiona nodded with a bright smile.  ¡°So, what¡¯s Rachel and them doing right now?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes turned Vampiric as she looked through the walls before returning to blue.  ¡°Just talking; it looks like everyone¡¯s taken a seat. Kyle looked kind of nervous, though, and Maria looks like she¡¯s enjoying herself.¡±


    ¡°Should we start heading back?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Scarlet rose to her feet.  ¡°I guess, but ¡­ how should we go back? Wouldn¡¯t I look strange if I just popped in out of shadows?  What if Rachel wants to keep our abilities secret? I already showed him I can move through shadows, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Fiona raised her hands, floating up to face her.  ¡°Hang the questions! We can just walk back.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, okay¡­¡±  Scarlet breathed.  ¡°I just gotta calm down,¡± she muttered, hand pressed against her chest.  ¡°I don¡¯t have an undead heart, by the way ¡­ I don¡¯t even know how to describe my body.  Vampires are normally undead, but I don¡¯t really think I am undead? It¡¯s¡ªkind of hard to explain.¡±


    She opened the door and stepped through it, Fiona floating closely behind her, but froze as a honeyed voice called out to them.  ¡°Oh, how pretty! Are you a Fairy, and who¡¯s the lovely girl next to you? Pointy ears and pale smooth skin? Comme tu es belle.¡±


    They both turned toward the voice; they first caught sight of a large agent, and a woman stepped out from behind him.  Fiona¡¯s throat caught at the sight of her. The woman¡¯s succulent tone held a slight French accent that was pleasant to her ears.


    ¡°I heard a rumor that Mythickin are meeting on this floor.¡±


    Fiona swallowed as she looked over the woman¡¯s appearance; this was most definitely Ma?lle, the Succubus.  Her full pink glossed lips were curved into an interested smile as she appraised them.


    The first thing to catch Fiona¡¯s focus was her thick pink hair that hung down to the small of her back; it appeared more natural on her than she thought any other color would.  Her eyes reflected Kyle¡¯s, black in the place of white, and a gradient pink, darker on the outside and lighter on the inside. Her barbed tail mirrored her Incubus counterpart in every way but the color of the gem-like spike, showing a stunning pink hue that matched her curled rams horns.  The horns were a different shape than Kyle¡¯s, spinning into a loop before ending in sharp points.


    The cracks running down her body were sapphire blue; the light pulse they gave off made the eye follow her profound curves, shining through her tight black dress that fell to her mid-thigh.  Black heels wrapped her feet, showing her pink toenails that matched her long, neatly trimmed fingernails.


    Ma?lle¡¯s fingertips lightly grazed the agent¡¯s arm, causing him to twitch and look down at her; his dress shirt sleeves were rolled back.  ¡°Tommy, I believe these girls can help me find the meeting place.¡± He bent down, and she kissed both sides of his cheeks. ¡°Thank you so much for your help, and give Sherry my best regards.¡±


    Tommy¡¯s face flushed, and he straightened.  ¡°Y-yeah, of course.¡± He licked his lips as he turned to go, pausing a moment to look back at her.  ¡°I¡¯ll¡ªI¡¯ll see you around.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ma?lle giggled, waving him goodbye.


    Turning back to them, Ma?lle causally closed the distance, heels clicking against the tile.  ¡°Hello, girls, my name is Ma?lle; what might yours be?¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± Fiona recovered first.  ¡°I¡¯m Scarlet¡ªI mean, Fiona, and this is Scarlet.¡±  She stammered. ¡°And you¡­¡±


    She paused as Ma?lle placed her left hand on Scarlet¡¯s shoulder; Scarlet tensed as Ma?lle leaned in and kissed her on both cheeks.  ¡°C''est un plaisir de faire votre connaissance, Scarlet, Fiona.¡±


    Scarlet seemed to be in a daze as she stumbled back, but Ma?lle had already turned her attention to Fiona.  ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know how to do a proper bise with a Fairy; you¡¯re so tiny but so cute!¡±


    Both Fiona and Scarlet couldn¡¯t form a proper response.


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 B2 — 18. Troublemaker

    Rachel frowned as Fiona left, and a conversation made her ears twitch nervously; the Succubus had slipped her escort on the way to the bathroom.


    ¡°Oh, and what is your name?¡±


    ¡°T-Tom ¡­ are¡ªyou supposed to be out on your¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no¡ªof course not, I mean, I¡¯m so dangerous,¡± Ma?lle teased; there were a few mutters as people noted that she¡¯d touched his arm, but no one intervened.  ¡°Look at these slim muscles; although, I do have rather tone legs, don¡¯t you think? I could do some real damage, right?¡± She giggled.


    Tom cleared his throat, tone nervous.  ¡°I¡ªum ¡­ where were you going?¡±


    ¡°I was going to freshen up; I heard Julia mention something about a Mythickin meetup.  Have you heard anything about that?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± Tom clicked his tongue.  ¡°Yeah¡ªI guess.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s true!¡±  Ma?lle breathed a sigh of relief.  ¡°I was hoping to meet more; after hearing about the Incubus Mythickin and some rumors about a few others coming in last night, I was beginning to feel less lonely.  By the way, Tommy, what do you do here?¡±


    A few of the female office workers that were lingering mumbled about him not liking that pet name, their tones smug.


    ¡°Tommy?¡±  He muttered.  ¡°I,¡± he cleared his throat, tone deepening, ¡°I¡¯m a Supervisory Special Agent in charge of a group here in the Florida district.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful,¡± she clapped her hands.  ¡°I¡¯m Ma?lle; it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± she paused for a moment.  The sound that followed made Rachel¡¯s brow furrow; the shocked responses of the people in the hallway confirmed it.  She¡¯d kissed him on both cheeks, and French was thrown around a few whispers.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s my pleasure,¡± Tom mumbled.  ¡°I umm¡ªI¡¯m married.¡±


    She paused for a moment.  ¡°I see¡ªthat¡¯s a beautiful wedding band; can I see?  Hmm ¡­ white gold, and what are these symbols around it?¡±


    Tom cleared his throat.  ¡°Uh¡ªCeltic¡ªCeltic knots ¡­ my wife really likes history.¡±


    ¡°How fun,¡± Ma?lle giggled.  ¡°You should tell me more about her while we walk; you can guide me to that meeting.  I am a Mythickin, after all. I think I¡¯ll be the last one there, but being fashionably late is fun too.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡ªyeah, I guess,¡± he hesitated before walking down the hall with her.  ¡°My wife¡¯s name is Amara¡­¡±


    He paused as Sherry, the Special Agent assigned to Ma?lle, caught up; she was out of breath.  ¡°H-hey ¡­ you¡ªaren¡¯t ¡­ Tom? A-are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tom said dismissively.  ¡°You were supposed to be with her,¡± Special Agent Sherry.  That was careless.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI know, but ¡­ I just turned away for a second.¡±  She muttered, but Tom cut her off.


    ¡°Anyways, there¡¯s a meeting between the Mythickin happening on the third floor.  I¡¯ll escort her there.¡±


    ¡°A-are you sure?  Didn¡¯t¡ªDavid said¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know what David said, but you¡¯ve already made a mess of the situation.  I¡¯ll take care of it from here.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Special Agent Sherry.¡±  Tom¡¯s tone turned harsh.


    ¡°Oh, Tommy,¡± Ma?lle said with concern.  ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on her; it was my fault.  I just grew so curious and wandered off without looking to see if she was with me ¡­ I can get distracted when I see handsome men.¡±  She giggled.


    ¡°T-Tommy?¡±  Sherry asked in horror.


    ¡°Handsome?¡±  Tom cleared his throat.  ¡°Right, well,¡± he scratched the back of his head, letting go of a soft sigh.  ¡°I suppose accidents happen. Alright, Sherry, go report to Darik. He¡¯ll assign you to a new post.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­¡±


    ¡°Did I stutter, or are you disobeying a direct order?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±  Sherry meekly replied, hesitantly retreating down the hall before calling David.


    Rachel kept track of the situation as she greeted Kyle, trying to smooth over Maria¡¯s statement and Scarlet¡¯s embarrassing exit.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for barging in like this, Kyle.  My name is Rachel, and yes, we are Mythickin.  Please forgive my friend¡¯s statement; we¡¯re here to discuss your abilities with you.  Perhaps we can help.¡±


    He latched onto her latter statement, forgetting all about the strange entrance they¡¯d made.  ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯re serious? You can help me?¡± He asked, tears forming in his eyes. ¡°This has been¡ªit¡¯s been a nightmare.  Do you know why this is happening?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°It would be best if we sat down to discuss it; I can tell you some of what we know, and we can try to find a way to help you solve what¡¯s troubling you.  Would this room be appropriate?¡±


    Kyle cleared his throat, wiping back the tears that threatened to leave his eyes.  ¡°Yeah¡ªyeah, wherever you like.¡±


    Rachel motioned to Bree, Serah, and Mick, the Special Agent assigned to Kyle.  ¡°We can pull up some chairs around the couch.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Mick smirked.  ¡°That was quite the entrance?  Are you sure your friend wasn¡¯t affected?¡±


    ¡°Oh, was¡ªwas that my fault?¡±  Kyle asked with concern.


    ¡°Na¡­¡±  Maria began, but Rachel cut her off.


    ¡°No, absolutely not, Kyle.  It was Maria¡¯s fault; I understand that you don¡¯t wish to be the lady killer your abilities have made you.  Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªyeah, I don¡¯t like it.  I don¡¯t want to hurt girls or¡ªor force them to like me.  It¡¯s been ¡­ stressful, to say the least,¡± a humorless chuckle close to his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk about your abilities, but before that, there¡¯s a situation brewing on the floor above us.  Bree, could you call David and let me talk to him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Bree quickly pulled out her phone, immediately calling the contact.  ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She asked, handing her the device.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out in a moment,¡± she paused as David answered.


    ¡°Something wrong, Bailey?¡±


    ¡°David, it¡¯s Rachel; there¡¯s a slight problem.¡±


    ¡°Give me a moment ¡­ I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he said to another person.  After a short pause, she heard him move away from talking to a group of agents, closing the door to an empty room.  ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is it serious?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not completely sure,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°Ma?lle¡¯s found her way to one of your Supervisory Special Agents, Tom.¡±


    ¡°Shit ¡­ do you think she has malicious intent?  What happened to Sherry? I believe she was last assigned to Ma?lle.¡±


    ¡°Malicious intent, I don¡¯t know, but Tom sent Sherry off to get a new assignment from Darik.  Ma?lle seems to have heard a rumor that we were meeting with Kyle and wanted to join us. I think the wise move would be to allow it; we can handle her if things get out of hand.¡±


    ¡°That seems like the best decision; thanks for all the support you¡¯ve been giving us, Rachel.  Do you still want me to send you the people that were initially infected? Maria handled a few cases before, but I have received reports about some people asking about her whereabouts, wanting to meet up with her.¡±


    Rachel hesitated for a second.


    That could be a dangerous move, but how dangerous could it be?  She could have abilities like Maria, that center around how many people are under her influence in an area.  Any physical actions ordinary people could take isn¡¯t that big of a deal for us, besides hostages, and Maria could instantly cut her connection to them, but who knows how strong she is.


    I don¡¯t sense any ill intent with her voice, but ¡­ that¡¯s a troubling aspect, too.  She¡¯s way too casual and upbeat. It¡¯s like she¡¯s totally in her element, almost like she¡¯s embraced this change ¡­ kind of like Relica.  That doesn¡¯t make her bad, but it could present its own problems. If it¡¯s hormone-based, than she¡¯d probably need direct contact to manipulate people; it¡¯s not like Relica¡¯s mind control abilities ¡­ at least, I don¡¯t believe that¡¯s a likely case; it is still a possibility.


    Sending them here to receive treatment might be the best case; if there are enemies or hostages, then it¡¯s best to have them close.  If they¡¯re within reach of Maria¡¯s light, then it¡¯s problem solved.


    Does she have malicious intent, though?  What would she gain from showing up? I don¡¯t think she knows we¡¯re all female; she could be after strong slaves for the worst-case scenario.  She does know about Kyle ¡­ could he be her primary target? I don¡¯t know what kind of relationship is between Succubus and Incubus, but it could be a hostile one or even an attraction.  I haven¡¯t heard them connected in any way. She could just be curious, but it¡¯s best if I¡¯m prepared for a fight.


    After weighing some of the options, Rachel said, ¡°I think it would be best to keep any potential hostages or enemies close.  She might just be curious about other Mythickin; she¡¯s indicated that in her responses, but ¡­ there¡¯s something about her tone of voice that¡¯s throwing me off.¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t place my finger on it; it¡¯s almost too natural, but there¡¯s something more.  I can tell a lot of things about how someone talks, but there¡¯s something unique about her voice.  The subtle emotion in voices is hard to mask; give me time with her, and I can give you a more definite answer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your advice and pass down the information to the other agents.¡±


    ¡°It might be good to call Tom, the agent, not the general, and give him instructions, as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I suspect that she made him more accepting with her aura; he was quick to trust her.  Ask him to take her to us, and when he says he¡¯s already on top of it, praise him. Maria can purify him once he¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°It seems like a reasonable plan ¡­ alright, I¡¯ll relay the message.¡±


    Rachel hung up, handing the phone back to Bree.  ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Mick was shifting uncomfortably, glancing back at the door.  ¡°The Succubus is coming here, eh?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rachel replied, moving a chair by the couch Maria was in.  Sitting down, she waited for everyone else to get comfortable. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be long until she¡¯s here; Maria, how much energy do you have?¡±


    Maria folded her arms and crossed her legs.  ¡°Uh¡ªfifty-six percent; I healed a ton during the day.¡±


    Bree directed a smile at her, sitting with Serah.  ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I told you, it¡¯s nothin¡¯,¡± Maria mumbled, looking away.


    ¡°Fifty-six percent,¡± Rachel¡¯s tone was low, placing her hands in her lap.  ¡°Do you think you can be near a hundred by tomorrow night?¡±


    Maria¡¯s lips pursed into a grimace.  ¡°Maybe ¡­ it depends on how much I do tonight and in the morning, especially tonight.¡±


    Serah, Bree, Mick, and Kyle seemed confused at her reply.


    Rachel nodded with a slight frown.


    If there¡¯s a serious incident sometime within the next twenty-four hours, Maria might need to take action; however, Tom would rather prioritize her saving energy for the Montana operation.  Even if it were a few thousand hurt around us, that pales in comparison to the threat of a hundred-thousand people. Not helping could put stress on Maria and our relationship we¡¯re building with the FBI.


    It¡¯s not like David and Ruth wouldn¡¯t understand why we aren¡¯t helping, but the problem would be the other agents.  The news that we refused to help thousands of injured would be pretty bad for our overall reputation, and since the OP won¡¯t be made public knowledge, it could really put a strain on our public image.


    It would be worse if it happened outdoors, given that Maria¡¯s healing is diminished in moonlight.  That¡¯s such a negative aspect to our group synergy. Although, it does help having someone that can operate during night and morning.  There are pros and cons to that stipulation, and it¡¯s not like she can¡¯t heal in moonlight.


    A big threat would be Ma?lle¡¯s goals; if she¡¯s embraced her Succubus nature and just wants to go after guys, then it would be a problem for the FBI, and in turn, a problem for us since Maria is the only one that can counter her.


    Kyle was shifting a little in his seat, vision sliding between Maria and her.


    This Incubus ¡­ I could learn a lot about Ma?lle¡¯s abilities through him.  It might not be the same, but there¡¯s bound to be similarities. He appears to be the nervous type, and he doesn¡¯t seem to like his new abilities.  However, just like us, minds can change over time. He could be hiding his true desires behind a mask to fool the FBI into letting him go free, but that¡¯s a bit of a stretch given how his abilities affect the public.  It is a complicated situation.


    Her ears shifted a little, following Ma?lle and her escort taking the elevator; David had just started spreading the news about her joining their group.  Out of mild interest, she turned into Anthony¡¯s room, across the fourth floor. He seemed to be getting ready to head to the cafeteria to get food.


    First thing¡¯s first, I need to figure out this situation with Ma?lle and Kyle.


    Her lips lifted into a pleasant smile, only a few seconds passing as she thought.  ¡°Kyle,¡± she said, turning to face him.


    ¡°Erhm¡ªya?¡±  He asked, his body stiffening slightly as he stared into her eyes.


    ¡°This may sound strange to you, but could you please ask these questions to yourself and tell me the responses you get?¡±


    ¡°I guess¡­¡±


    ¡°What Trees do you have?¡±


    After a moment, Kyle¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°I have one Tree, Incubus.¡±


    ¡°Ask yourself what kind of attack skills you have.  You can switch up the question a few times if it doesn¡¯t give you answers.¡±


    Rachel kept her guard up, ready to move at any moment.


    He lifted his left hand in shock as his blue fingernails extended three inches, thickening into sharp claws.  ¡°I have ¡­ that¡¯s crazy. What about ¡­ I can retract them. My tail has something called piercing, too. Does that mean I can turn off my hormones?  Why didn¡¯t I get an answer?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears shifted a little; Ma?lle turned the corner as Fiona and Scarlet exited the closet.


    This is bad; she got here a lot faster than I anticipated.  Tom knows the exact room we¡¯re meeting in, so I should have predicted that he wouldn¡¯t ask for directions; he is a supervisor.  From what I can tell from Kyle¡¯s reactions, they¡¯re genuine. He honestly didn¡¯t know how to use The System. Is he a Mythickin, then?  He could be an Aberationkin.


    ¡°Kyle, ask it what Type, Race, and Kind you are.¡±


    Her ears twitched, and her vision shot to the door as Ma?lle closed the distance with Fiona and Scarlet; she listened to the sound of Ma?lle kissing Scarlet on the cheeks, which didn¡¯t shock her but made her worry.


    I¡¯ve already heard others mention she¡¯s French and talk about their customs, but the problem is if its a subtle form of attack.  So far, she hasn¡¯t shown the ability to affect females, but she could have been saving that skill for a golden opportunity. She also sent Tom back, which wasn¡¯t part of the plan.  We won¡¯t know if he was influenced by a skill now; was that planned or just luck on her part?


    Ma?lle shouldn¡¯t have that many points at her disposal unless she¡¯s somehow gotten an achievement.  She hasn¡¯t been as active as us and should have a lot less experience. If she does have skills, then it should be more base Tree and Racials, similar to my burst of speed and strength when we were going to the hospital.  Her proficiency in those skills could be maxed, possibly in the Rookie stage, if one or two skills are level five.


    In any case, she shouldn¡¯t know how powerful Scarlet or Fiona are; I haven¡¯t heard any indication that she¡¯s received any classified information on them or the incident in South Beach.  If she could control Scarlet or Fiona ¡­ we¡¯d be in trouble. Scarlet seems flustered, no surprise, given what she¡¯s said about herself.


    She listened to Fiona, and Scarlet¡¯s response as Kyle worked through her request.


    Scarlet had lost all composure.  ¡°W-w-what¡ªyou just¡ªyou k-kissed¡ªwhy¡¯d you¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so cute,¡± Ma?lle¡¯s light French tone and heart rhythm held no hint of deception.  ¡°I forget that la bise is not a common thing in America.¡± She chuckled. ¡°It is a friendly greeting in France, you must forgive me, and is that a wedding dress?  Mes f¨¦licitations!¡±


    Fiona chuckled nervously, floating over to Scarlet¡¯s side.  ¡°It¡¯s okay, and, umm¡ªScarlet¡¯s not getting married.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    Scarlet swallowed hard, shaking her head, still trying to comprehend the situation.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona mumbled.  ¡°Kissing someone out of the blue would catch a lot of Americans off-guard ¡­ even be considered sexual harassment.¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± Ma?lle gasped.  ¡°How tragic.¡±


    ¡°T-tragic?¡±  Scarlet repeated in confusion.


    ¡°Of course, a kiss is to show affection and a warm welcome!  It should not be banned; I don¡¯t know what I would do if I couldn¡¯t kiss a boy¡¯s pretty cheeks when we meet.  So, you must tell me,¡± Ma?lle said with fervor, closing the distance with Scarlet again. ¡°What is the gown for?¡±


    Scarlet took a deep breath, hands pressed against her chest as she retreated a step.  ¡°I¡ªumm, just¡ªI just wanted to try it.¡± She mumbled defensively.


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Ma?lle hummed, circling Scarlet.  ¡°The blue doesn¡¯t look bad, but ¡­ I think a deep rouge would be stunning!  We should go to the Designer District sometime; we¡¯d have so much fun ¡­ and the boys,¡± she giggled.


    Rachel¡¯s focus returned to Kyle; it seemed like he was trying to work through a hard to swallow response.  He nervously looked up at her ears before moving back down to her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m¡ªnot human anymore¡ªam I?¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°No. What response did you get?¡±


    Kyle tightly folded his arms together, hunching over as he stared at the ground.  ¡°It said¡ªI¡¯m a Mythickin Type ¡­ it¡¯s like¡ªhow could this happen? What¡¯s the difference between a Mythickin Type and an Incubus Race?  I don¡¯t¡ªI don¡¯t get it. People said I was a Mythickin, but I didn¡¯t really know what that meant.¡±


    How did they know he was a Mythickin if he didn¡¯t know himself.  I suppose they could have pieced it together if Ma?lle told them she was a Mythickin; from the descriptions I¡¯ve gotten, they¡¯re fairly similar in appearance, subtracting the color scheme.  Still, that¡¯s an inaccurate way to determine it.


    Rachel folded her legs, leaning back as Scarlet and Fiona retreated toward the room.  ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry about the differences at this point; it all must be confusing. What is your Kind?


    ¡°It says¡ªit says my Kind is Dreamweaver; I¡¯m a Mythckin Dreamweaver Incubus.¡±


    Dreams ¡­ now that could be dangerous.  It must be mental based attacks, which means we¡¯d need high resistances to fight against it; perhaps Maria could purify or nullify it herself, but that¡¯s not a guarantee.  It can only be used when we¡¯re sleeping, but everyone needs to rest. He¡¯d be a troublesome foe, depending on what his skills can do. If he¡¯s a Dreamweaver, what¡¯s Ma?lle?


    She turned toward the door; the three girls entered, Fiona and Scarlet¡¯s expressions pleading for help as Ma?lle followed them in.  She looked precisely like Rachel had envisioned from comparing statements and Kyle¡¯s appearance.


    Ma?lle was a few inches smaller than her, likely five-eight with long legs; she was a full-on drop-dead exotic beauty, yet looked like the definition of innocent.  There was something about the combination that put Rachel on edge.


    ¡°Oh¡ªmy, how many Mythickin do we have?¡±  Ma?lle said with a slight grin, but her lips fell at the sight of Kyle.  ¡°You¡­¡±


    Rachel quickly got up, closing the distance in a heartbeat.


    Maria¡¯s here, and she¡¯s not stupid; she¡¯ll activate her Diagnosis skill.  I might as well test the waters.


    Ma?lle took a step back, almost bumping into Scarlet as Rachel fluidly moved toward her; by the time her foot hit the ground, she was offering her hand with a pleasant smile.  She kept her mask as her barbed tail rose like a snake at her side, but it paused as she stopped two feet in front of her.


    She acted like she hadn¡¯t seen the defensive gesture.  ¡°Hello, Ma?lle, my name is Rachel.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªumm,¡± she swallowed with a nervous chuckle.  ¡°My¡ªyou scared me; you¡¯re so fast!¡± She giggled, hand pressed to her chest.  ¡°And you know my name?¡± Her hand extended to take her¡¯s.


    Rachel took it, leaning in to kiss both her cheeks; Ma?lle returned the gesture with pleasant surprise.  ¡°Do you know me? It feels like you do.¡±


    Taking a step back while releasing her grip, Rachel shook her head, still smiling.  ¡°No, but you could say my ears have been following your every move.¡±


    I don¡¯t feel any different, and Maria hasn¡¯t acted out about anything.  There might be a delay, but so far, she¡¯s just really touchy and open. Her defensive gesture shows she¡¯s not above retaliation, and to react so quickly ¡­ her senses are sharp.  At that speed, it would have been easily dealt with, which is likely the fastest she can react since she genuinely felt threatened. Physically, I do see her as a threat.


    Ma?lle¡¯s lips curved a little with curiosity as she looked up at her slightly bowed ears.  ¡°They¡¯re fuzzy ¡­ can I feel them? Please.¡± She pressed with a bright smile, showing perfect teeth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Rachel said, bending down a little and folding her ears.


    Her touch was soft, skin like silk as she gently rubbed the back of her ears; it was a little more sensitive than Rachel predicted, almost forcing her mask to break.  Hot pulses rippled back to her brain and down her spine. She only handled them for a moment, stepping back with a beaming smile.


    ¡°Si doux et moelleux!¡±  Ma?lle squealed. ¡°Thank you, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she said while straightening.


    Maria chuckled.  ¡°Really, Rachel? We¡¯re worried about this chica?  I gotta say, she doesn¡¯t look like much.¡±


    Ma?lle turned toward her, an innocent smile returning.  ¡°I¡¯m strong, look at this,¡± she giggled while flexing her left arm, showing little to no muscle.  ¡°Oh, my horns are pretty spiky too! Better watch out.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s funny,¡± Maria wheezed.  ¡°Seriously, though; what can you do in a fight, chica? Kiss them to death?¡±


    Rachel repressed a facepalm.  ¡°Maria¡­¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s eyes narrowed seductively as she licked her glossy pink full lips.  ¡°I could, would you like me to demonstrate? The French way, of course.¡± She added with an innocent grin.


    ¡°French way,¡± Maria hesitated, working through her offer.  ¡°Maldito pervertido! No, no ... I''m good, damn¡­¡±


    That got a chuckle out of Fiona and Scarlet, and even the others repressed a grin.


    The back of Ma?lle¡¯s left hand caressed her soft smile as she tilted her head, pink hair fanning to the side.  ¡°Shame, I was so looking forward to it.¡±


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


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 B2 — 19. The Heartbreakers

    AuthorSME


    Sorry, I had quite the day.  I''m over at my grandma''s and she fell; we thought she broke her arm.  We called 911 and the ambulance came to get her.  We had some x-rays and cat scans done, and everything looks fine ... she just dislocated her arm (thankfully!).  She''s home and resting.  =))


    Between the holidays and that I was a little behind.  Now we''re getting back to it!


    Rachel offered Ma?lle her seat, moving to grab two more chairs.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit? We have a lot to discuss.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  Are you not concerned about the men?¡±  Ma?lle asked with a slight frown at Mick.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about infecting anyone here,¡± Rachel said with a bright smile, not explained the reason.


    ¡°I see,¡± Ma?lle hummed thoughtfully, glancing between Maria and Kyle.  Smile returning, she sat in her seat. ¡°Then I will take the offer. By the way, Kyle, aren¡¯t clothes stuffy to you too?¡±  She sighed, loosening a black button on her dress, exposing a bit more cleavage and drawing everyone¡¯s eye.


    Kyle took a deep breath, vision shooting to Scarlet, making her look away with a flush on her face.  ¡°Umm¡ªyeah, to be honest. It¡¯s everywhere the glowing cracks are; it itches a bit when you have them covered.¡±


    ¡°You do know!¡±  Ma?lle complained, smoothing out the bottom of her dress as she crossed her legs, heels dangling as she bounced them up and down for a moment.  ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how uncomfortable you must feel; are you sure you wouldn¡¯t like removing your shirt?¡± She asked without a hint of hesitation.


    He brushed his blue hair back with a sad sigh, eyes shifting to Ma?lle, and Rachel set the two chairs she was carrying beside him.  ¡°No. I can deal with it.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ma?lle shrugged, seeming to lose interest.  ¡°So, Rachel, are you the one hosting this little gathering?  Everyone looks so stiff for this to be a party. What¡¯s the purpose?¡±


    She kept her pleasant smile as she sat beside Kyle, Fiona sitting on Scarlet¡¯s knee as she stiffly settled beside Rachel.


    ¡°You could say we¡¯re getting together to help Kyle and you with your abilities.  We¡¯ve been able to learn a lot that could be helpful to you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d like to live a normal life without the FBI always breathing down your necks.¡±  She stated it casually, but everyone seemed to catch the implication.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Mick muttered.  ¡°Are you saying you know how to help them turn off their hormone ability?¡±


    ¡°Is there a way?  Is it like what you told me before?¡±


    Serah huffed, glancing sideways at Ma?lle.  ¡°The question is if she wants to turn it off; why would she want to when she could just manipulate men to do whatever she wants?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my,¡± Ma?lle giggled, ¡°is that hostility?  I¡¯m not trying to be rude, but I don¡¯t need these new powers to hook a boy¡¯s attention.  I could give you some pointers¡ªif you¡¯d like?¡±


    Serah¡¯s nose twisted, but before she could respond, Rachel cut in.  ¡°Excellent, then you¡¯d like to join us, Ma?lle? Before that, though, we should introduce ourselves.  I think getting to know each other will lighten everyone¡¯s mood. Why don¡¯t you start Serah, and we can go around the circle.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªguess,¡± Serah mumbled, glaring at Ma?lle.  ¡°I¡¯m Serah Hughes; I¡¯m a Special Agent here at the FBI, working field cases.  I¡¯ve been working in this district for three years, and I have a German Pinscher named Bernard¡ªthat¡¯s kind of what you wanted, right, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°It could be anything; we¡¯re just getting to know each other,¡± she replied.  ¡°Is there nothing else you wanted to share?¡±


    ¡°Well, to be honest,¡± she glared at Ma?lle for a moment.  ¡°No¡ªnevermind. I like tennis.¡±


    ¡°What about relationships?¡±  Ma?lle quickly interjected with a sympathetic tone.  ¡°Anyone on your arm?¡± She asked with a sly smile. ¡°You must have someone.¡±


    Serah cleared her throat, folding her arms as she looked down at the floor.  ¡°No ¡­ not right now.¡±


    ¡°Too bad,¡± Ma?lle hummed sadly.


    ¡°Why¡¯re you so interested in her business?¡±  Maria huffed.


    ¡°I¡¯m a curious woman, and I believe relationships are key to happiness,¡± Ma?lle smiled at her.  ¡°I¡¯m more than willing to help a girl out if she needs help. I¡¯ll have men throwing themselves at your feet.¡±  She stated brightly.


    ¡°Taking your words,¡± Serah muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t need powers to hook a boy.¡±


    Maria giggled.  ¡°I¡¯m sensing some hostility.  Can¡¯t we be friends? I¡¯d prefer being friends.  Men won¡¯t like a harpy.¡±


    ¡°What ¡­ saying you want to be friends, and calling me a harpy?¡±  Serah growled, fists tightening.


    Mick chuckled nervously.  ¡°Hughes, what¡¯s with the cold shoulder?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ let¡¯s get along,¡± Fiona muttered.


    ¡°I need some air,¡± Serah whispered.  Getting up, she scooted around Mick and left the room, muttering under her breath.


    When she was out of the room, Bree released a tense sigh.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Ma?lle completed the thought with a sad tone.  ¡°I suspect she had her man stolen by some vixen recently.¡±  Bree¡¯s hands knotted, but her slight hesitation all but confirmed it, leaving Ma?lle to nod.  ¡°Understandable. Perhaps when she calms down, we can set up a date to get him back.¡± She said brightly.


    ¡°You serious?¡±  Maria¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°You wanna help her get her guy back?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±  Ma?lle asked with an innocent smile.  ¡°It certainly sounds fun to me.¡±


    ¡°No magic or hormones?¡±  Bree pressed.


    ¡°Please,¡± Ma?lle giggled, ¡°do you think you don¡¯t release hormones that attract guys, and it¡¯s more than scent that draws a man¡¯s attention.¡±  She said with a wink at Mick, left hand sliding down her smooth leg as she shifted a little in her chair.


    His eyes followed her hands for a moment before he flushed, turning away.


    Rachel watched the situation unfold, analyzing Ma?lle¡¯s tone of voice and muscle movements, but she was a little more concerned with Kyle and Scarlet.  Kyle¡¯s vision kept shifting to her, while Scarlet¡¯s couldn¡¯t stay on him as she tried to look at anything but the handsome guy in front of her.


    She¡¯s so love-struck, and either Kyle¡¯s interested in her, or he¡¯s wondering why she¡¯s so fidgety.  This is not turning out how I envisioned. Kyle wants help, and Ma?lle hasn¡¯t refused it; in fact, she seems interested, but her mannerisms breath tension.  Wait ¡­ tension.


    Rachel¡¯s turned her smile toward Ma?lle.  ¡°Do Succubus feed off tension?¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s eyes widened with her grin.  ¡°You¡¯re so smart; guilty as charged! I didn¡¯t have to say much at all, but to be more precise, I feed off sexual tension.  Isn¡¯t that right, Kyle? I assume it¡¯s the same for you. We¡¯ll die if we don¡¯t cause at least a little tension every so often.¡±


    ¡°Every so often?¡±  Maria huffed. ¡°You¡¯re breathing sexual tension, chica.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Ma?lle beamed.


    Maria just rolled her eyes, and Rachel leaned back, folding her legs.


    ¡°Do you know how to turn off your hormones, Ma?lle?  As you said, you don¡¯t need them active.¡± She chuckled.  ¡°You¡¯ve got a charm all yourself.¡±


    Mick nodded.  ¡°If you can find a way to turn it off, then it would go a long way.¡±


    ¡°How sweet, thank you, Rachel.  Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know much about my abilities,¡± she sighed, playing with a long lock of hair.  She twirled it around her left index finger as she frowned at the glowing blue cracks running down her legs.  ¡°It¡¯s a little frustrating not knowing if it¡¯s me a guy likes or some power I have, but on the bright side,¡± her smile returned, ¡°at least I¡¯m surrounded by boys.¡±


    ¡°One track mind,¡± Maria muttered, eyebrows lifted.


    Her tone of voice is completely devoid of deceit, and Maria isn¡¯t making a fuss ¡­ at least about her lying.  She¡¯s just a woman utterly honest about her feelings. I bet once Maria gets past her initial comment; she¡¯ll like her.  I can see Scarlet being extremely tense around her, and Fiona just wants everyone to be friends. The problem would be the agents.


    Mick is fine with her, as long as he isn¡¯t affected by her ability.  Bree is concerned about Serah, but she has no real problem with the Succubus.  It seems like Serah is the only issue that could come up. She should be able to at least hold her temper once she cools off, but if anything more sets her off, then she could disrupt the conversation.  If we can solve this issue for David, then we¡¯ll be in an even greater position.


    Once Serah comes back, what will be the best solution to solve the problem?  From Bree¡¯s response to Ma?lle¡¯s question made it obvious that Serah had a bad breakup because of some girl that stole her boyfriend or husband.  That¡¯s not going to be easily reconciled if she¡¯s deflecting her pent-up emotions onto Ma?lle.


    Could I leave to talk to Serah myself?  If I can make her understand what we¡¯re trying to accomplish, then it could at least put a bandaid on the issue.  Ma?lle offering to help her win back her husband or boyfriend could also set her off, though. From her tone of voice, she wasn¡¯t bluffing; she¡¯d really help Serah win him back.  However, it¡¯s the pure entertainment she¡¯d feel from it that would leave a bitter taste in Serah¡¯s mouth.


    Maybe I should look at it from Ma?lle¡¯s point of view; what¡¯s driving her actions?  She lives off sexual tension, but I don¡¯t get the same feeling from Kyle. He could be putting on a facade, which would be impressive because every indication screams honesty.


    Her wide field of vision surveyed the slowly developing situation as her mind worked at an accelerated speed.  The actions of everyone around her played an eighth their normal speed.


    Ma?lle probably wanted to come here to be in a group; she¡¯s definitely a social butterfly.  Actually, playing matchmaker would garner a lot of sexual tension. She¡¯s hungry. How large is her appetite, though?  Scarlet needs blood, and you can¡¯t blame her for that. Ma?lle needs sexual tension, and you can¡¯t blame her either.


    Rachel¡¯s smile didn¡¯t falter as she cleared her throat, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.  ¡°I was already instructing Kyle on what to do. Ma?lle, could you ask yourself what Type, Race, and Kind you are?  You will get a response¡­¡±


    Ma?lle licked her lips with interest as her head tilted slightly, hair dropping from her finger.  ¡°How fun ¡­ I¡¯m a Mythickin Succubus; I already knew that, but I¡¯m also like a femme fatale. So, you just have to ask questions to get answers?¡±


    ¡°Femme fatale,¡± Maria mumbled.  ¡°Sounds French.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Bree said, a slight frown on her lips.  ¡°It means, disastrous woman.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m that bad,¡± Ma?lle giggled.  ¡°Although, I suppose others might see me as a disaster.¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°I think we have more pressing things to worry about; Ma?lle, Kyle, could you ask yourselves how to deactivate your hormone ability?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªhuh?¡±  Kyle¡¯s eyes snapped to Rachel.  ¡°Sorry, I was a little¡ªdistracted.¡±


    Scarlet cleared her throat, vision shifting between them.  ¡°She¡ªumm, she wanted you to ask yourself how to turn off your¡ªyour hormones.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Ma?lle¡¯s pink eyes moved to Scarlet before sliding to Kyle, lips turning mischievous.  ¡°Do I smell chemistry?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t¡­¡±  Scarlet stammered, but Rachel interjected.


    ¡°Let¡¯s focus on your abilities, please.¡±


    Ma?lle chuckled, waving her hand.  ¡°Okay, okay ¡­ oh?¡±


    ¡°I can reduce the hormones released to a normal amount,¡± Kyle took a deep relieving breath.  ¡°Why did it not answer my questions before?¡±


    ¡°It can be a real bitch,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°You gotta ask it specific questions.¡±


    ¡°Not only that,¡± Fiona cut in.  ¡°You need to desire it and not just complain or be angry about it.  It¡¯s not that hard, to be honest. Once you know it will answer your questions.¡±  She smiled brightly, patting Scarlet¡¯s knee comfortingly.


    ¡°These powers are so strange; imagine waking up with horns attached to your head?  Of course, it¡¯s not that bad.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Fiona hummed thoughtfully, ¡°what¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°How are their hormone release levels?¡±  Rachel asked Maria.


    ¡°As far as I can tell, it¡¯s gone,¡± Maria said with a slight frown.  ¡°Can we finally kick back and have a party?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±  Ma?lle¡¯s grin rose.  ¡°A party would be so much fun; now that we aren¡¯t seen as threats, we should invite all the tense agents around the base.  They could use a release, right?¡± She asked innocently.


    ¡°There¡¯s still a lot that needs doing,¡± Bree said.  ¡°We can¡¯t disrupt all the work that¡¯s being done to get everything back to normal.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s normal?¡±  Ma?lle asked. ¡°I think a party is pretty normal.¡±


    ¡°I second that!¡±  Maria said, stretching out her arms.  ¡°Scarlet, can you sneak back and grab those bottles?¡±  She asked with a sly grin. ¡°We get to relax for a day before heading out.  I think we¡¯ve earned it!¡±


    Rachel chuckled tiredly.  ¡°You know what, I think that¡¯s actually a pretty good suggestion.¡±


    ¡°For real?¡±  Mick asked, brow furrowing as he glanced around the group.  ¡°I mean, I guess the biggest issue has been solved, but can we really just throw a party, and with what?¡±


    Everyone pretty much ignored him.


    Scarlet fidgeted a little, vision shifting to Rachel.  ¡°You really¡ªyou want me to go get it?¡±


    Scratching behind her left ear, Rachel shrugged.  ¡°To be honest, we¡¯ve had so much stress recently; it¡¯ll do us good to relax.  If some trouble comes with it later, then we¡¯ll deal with it then. While you guys do that, I¡¯ll report to David and tell him the good news ¡­ I have something else I need to see to anyways.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Fiona frowned as her wings appeared, light green dust puffing around her; she rose to Rachel¡¯s level.  ¡°You aren¡¯t going to join us?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a curious hare,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°My ears hear a lot of things, and there are a lot of interesting topics that I need to investigate.¡±


    ¡°Boo,¡± Maria called, pointing at her.  ¡°You should cut out all the scheming and relax with us!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay for a minute,¡± Rachel promised.  ¡°Scarlet, could you go grab the bottles?¡±


    ¡°Bottles?¡±  Ma?lle sucked on her lower lip for a moment.  ¡°Do you mean ¡­ you are grabbing some alcohol?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Maria grinned.


    ¡°Eh¡ªI don¡¯t know about this,¡± Mick mumbled.  ¡°You want to get drunk with your powers?¡±


    ¡°Yes, to be honest,¡± Rachel promptly responded.  ¡°I need to understand how they function when intoxicated.  I doubt Maria can get drunk, and she can purify them if things go poorly.  It¡¯s an experiment that does require answers.¡±


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Mick said, ¡°I guess that makes sense¡­¡±


    Bree sighed, pulling back her blonde hair as she worked around her neck.  ¡°I can see why you¡¯d want to learn how it affects you, but does that include Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, does it?¡±  Scarlet squeaked. ¡°I¡¯ve never had alcohol before ¡­ and I¡¯m a Vampire.  When I changed, I threw up all the food I ate for dinner.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the point!¡±  Maria stated, getting to her feet.  ¡°Let¡¯s get it going. You guys know where some cups are?¡±


    ¡°There are some plastic cups in the break room on this floor,¡± Mick said.


    ¡°I can get that while Scarlet gets the drinks,¡± Rachel quickly responded, getting to her feet.


    Scarlet rubbed her forehead nervously, blue eyes darting to Kyle before leaving him for the floor again.  ¡°Okay¡­¡± She closed her eyes and vanished in shadows.


    ¡°Woah,¡± Kyle muttered.  ¡°She can just¡ªteleport like that whenever she wants?¡±


    ¡°Basically,¡± Maria said, moving the desks around.


    Ma?lle got to her feet, stretching out a little.  ¡°She seems like such an interesting girl.¡±


    Rachel left the room at a brisk pace, waving to them as she moved down the left hall, toward the break room; she¡¯d already memorized much of the building¡¯s layout from different conversations.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Scarlet to return, and she handed Maria the two bottles they¡¯d discovered.  ¡°These aren¡¯t strong ¡­ right?¡±


    Maria whistled.  ¡°One-fifty-one and Malibu rum?  Someone was getting ready to make some Caribou Lou!¡±


    ¡°What does that even mean?¡±  Fiona asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind that,¡± Maria chuckled, humming a song.  ¡°Do you guys have any pineapple juice¡ªlike a lot?¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡±  Bree questioned.  ¡°If there is, then it¡¯d be in the break room.¡±


    ¡°You hear that, Rachel?  Scarlet, did she hear?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really need to check ¡­ she heard.¡±


    Rachel chuckled as she turned the corner, walking toward David; he¡¯d just finished a meeting on the fourth floor with a few supervisors and was heading toward Ruth to report on the cleanup of South Beach.


    Scarlet doesn¡¯t want to change her eyes ¡­ she really cares about how she looks in front of Kyle.  Ma?lle¡¯s caught on, but it wasn¡¯t really that hard to figure out, to begin with.


    David¡¯s neutral face lifted into a curious smile as he caught sight of her.  ¡°Rachel, what¡¯s up? How did it go with Ma?lle and Kyle?¡±


    They both moved to the side of the hall to not impede traffic.


    ¡°Everything went smoothly, for the most part.  Serah has some issues with Ma?lle, but it¡¯s understandable.  It shouldn¡¯t cause many problems. Kyle and Ma?lle now know how to reduce their hormones to a normal level.  I bet they¡¯ll still garner interest, but it will be from their looks, not their mind-altering powers.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± David leaned up against the wall, glaring at the floor as he cupped his chin.  ¡°What¡¯s your impression of them?¡±


    Rachel let a frown touch her lips as she sighed.  ¡°My initial observations weren¡¯t conclusive, but both Maria and I couldn¡¯t find any deception.  Ma?lle and Kyle seem to feed off sexual tension, but I get the feeling Ma?lle acted the same way she does now when a human.  Kyle, however, is a bit of an odd case.¡±


    ¡°Concerning?¡±


    ¡°Not really ¡­ he seems shy, almost like he¡¯s rarely had many interactions with the opposite sex.  You can get a report from Bree and Mick about a few details. Right now, they¡¯re getting ready to have a party to relieve stress.¡±


    ¡°A party,¡± David crossed his arms, looking down at her.  ¡°You aren¡¯t joining them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting the cups, but no, I don¡¯t think I will.  They¡¯ll be able to experiment with alcohol safely with Maria there.  I¡¯d like to know how it affects them. It could be important in the future ¡­ especially with Fiona.¡±


    ¡°I see ¡­ yesterday I¡¯d see that as an excuse to get drunk, but times have changed.  I understand you¡¯re doing your best to prepare for whatever General Dallas has you doing tomorrow.  If you aren¡¯t going to be testing the alcohol with them, what will you be doing?¡±


    ¡°My plans¡­¡± Rachel rubbed her eyes, glancing out of the window to the dark parking lot below.  ¡°I plan to first get the cups, look for some pineapple juice, deliver that, meet with Serah, and finally,¡± her ears twitched as she followed her target, ¡°meet Anthony, the Legendkin.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  What do you plan to do with him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet ¡­ the only two Legendkin I¡¯ve known have been pretty bad people.  I want to confirm a few things about him, and I have some questions he might be able to answer.¡±


    ¡°Rachel,¡± David said with a warm smile, ¡°I like your work ethic; I know this might be coming out of the blue, but how would you like to join the FBI?  It could be a special taskforce, depending on how things turn out, but I believe you could be a real asset. Once you¡¯ve finished with the contract you signed with General Dallas, that is.¡±


    She chuckled.  ¡°Thanks, David.  I¡¯ll keep that option open as long as I can, but I can¡¯t give you an answer right now.¡±


    ¡°I completely understand,¡± David sighed.  ¡°The offer stands. Let me know your answer when you can.  I know your life is fairly hectic at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    They both broke off, going their separate ways.


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


    I hope you''ve been enjoying the free entertainment!  The internet is divided into different echo-chambers; you have a specific group that only hovers around specific sites/content.  So, by recommending my serials to others, you give it more exposure to different echo-chambers and help it grow.  Ratings are excellent, Trending is terrific, but it only will appeal to a specific echo-chamber.  If you like my content, then please share it in your own unique way.


    Thank you!  ^_^7


    Normal Plugs:


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


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    View and help contribute to the Wiki

 B2 — 20. Problem Solver

    AuthorSME


    Rachel walked toward the breakroom as she listened to her group.


    Ma?lle¡¯s soft hum caught her attention.  ¡°Maria, what you said before, can Rachel really hear us?¡±


    ¡°You saw her ears, didn¡¯t you?¡±  Maria huffed, pulling a chair over to a table to sit.


    Fiona interjected.  ¡°Yeah, Rachel¡¯s got some pretty good ears.  Why? Did you have something to ask her? She might not hear you, depending on where she is.¡±


    They know I can hear miles, so Fiona¡¯s sidestep was decent.


    ¡°Oh, no, no,¡± Ma?lle giggled.  ¡°I just thought it was cool that she could hear so far away.  I assume there¡¯s a lot of other sounds throughout this building; I wonder how far she could hear?¡±  She mused.


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t told us an exact amount,¡± Maria absently stated.  ¡°Yo, Scarlet, you¡¯ve been so quiet. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Eh, huh?¡±  Scarlet asked, clearly distracted.  ¡°I was just¡ªjust thinking about some things.  So, umm, Kyle?¡±


    Kyle cleared his throat, chair creaking as he shifted in it.  ¡°Y-yeah?¡±


    ¡°What do you plan to do?  After, you know, you¡¯re cleared to get out,¡± she asked, trying to act casually.


    ¡°I¡ªdon¡¯t really know,¡± he muttered, volume lowering.  ¡°I was here on a work-related vacation, and everything went crazy.¡±


    ¡°A work vacation?¡±  Ma?lle butted in, moving closer to Scarlet and him to sit in the chair between them.  ¡°What kind of work are you in? I can hear the slight accent in your voice. ¨ºtes-vous du Qu¨¦bec?¡±


    ¡°You could tell by the sound of my voice, huh?¡±  Kyle chuckled. ¡°Oui, le fran?ais est ma langue maternelle.  I¡¯m a tourist guide for a company based in La belle province.  We were here to celebrate during the dry season.¡±


    ¡°How magical,¡± Ma?lle chimed, ¡°you call it the beautiful province.  So, do you plan on going back to Canada after this? If so, maybe I¡¯ll join you.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±  Scarlet stammered.  ¡°W-why would you g-go back with him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ why would you want to go back with me?¡±  Kyle asked; he¡¯d lost most of the nervous vibes in his voice.


    ¡°Silly, obviously to¡­¡±  Rachel¡¯s ears stiffened as she heard both Ma?lle and Kyle cry out in pain, collapsing to the floor.  She slowed to a stop near the left wall to listen, lips curving into a frown.


    ¡°What happened?¡±  Scarlet asked with concern, dropping to Kyle¡¯s side.


    Maria shot to her feet with the others, rushing over to their sides.  ¡°The hell? It¡¯s like¡ªthere¡¯s some kind of chemical discharge firing through their bodies.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re in pain!  Can you stop it?¡± Scarlet asked, voice turning frantic as she knelt beside Kyle.  Rachel could hear both of them moaning as they hugged their bodies, but there was something odd in the tone of their voices.


    That¡¯s not just pain ¡­ there¡¯s also pleasure mixed with it.  What happened? It¡¯s a chemical discharge, so it must have something to do with their abilities.  Did Ma?lle try to use a skill on Kyle, and it backfired? He could have tried to use one of his abilities, as well, I can¡¯t just suspect Ma?lle.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stop this kind of reaction,¡± Maria growled.  ¡°It¡¯s some kind of natural condition, like Fiona¡¯s Addled State.  It should pass shortly, though.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±  Mick asked.


    Bree cut in.  ¡°Should we get a medical team here?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s worried tone hovered around Maria.  ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll help if Maria said¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°Weren¡¯t you listening? There¡¯s nothing anyone can do, and it¡¯ll be over soon.¡±


    Scarlet was clearly lost.  ¡°She just touched his shoulder ¡­ I don¡¯t know, in like¡ªlike a playful way ¡­ they collapsed as soon as she touched him.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed at the information.


    Was it a natural chemical reaction to her touch.  It could have been Ma?lle experimenting with how her ability would work on an Incubus, but it could have also been a defensive response by Kyle.  To affect both of them, though?


    Another possibility is that it¡¯s linked to the pheromones they produce.  If the cracks in their skin touch, then maybe they¡¯ll exchange chemicals, and that could have caused the reaction.  Pleasure and pain as a consequence ¡­ it¡¯s an interesting effect. How do their bodies respond to it? Will long term exposure to their energy hurt them physically or just cause a mental impact?


    Rachel was debating whether to return or not when Ma?lle and Kyle struggled to a sitting position.


    ¡°W-what ¡­ it¡¯s a natural ¡­ if we touch, then we¡¯ll,¡± Kyle mumbled.


    ¡°Kyle, Ma?lle, are you alright?¡±  Scarlet asked. ¡°You¡¯re trembling.¡±


    ¡°W-why¡­¡± Ma?lle whispered, clearing her throat.  ¡°It feels¡­¡± Her throat caught before she said, ¡°o-one more time.¡±


    ¡°N-no,¡± Kyle shot back into Scarlet, making her release a sharp squeak.  ¡°That¡ªthat¡¯s just too¡­¡± He yelped as he dropped to the ground, Scarlet reappearing back in the closet she¡¯d first teleported to.


    ¡°Yes, but ¡­ but it¡¯s¡ªwhy would you not ¡­ I see,¡± she took a deep relishing breath before letting it out.  ¡°I see,¡± she giggled. ¡°Okay¡ªokay ¡­ where did Scarlet go?¡±


    Fiona cleared her throat.  ¡°So, umm¡ªwhat happened?¡±


    ¡°Just a natural reaction between Succubus and Incubus,¡± Ma?lle said with a bright tone.  ¡°It was ¡­ quite powerful.¡±


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Maria growled, dropping back into the couch.  ¡°You want to do that again? You do know that whatever that was, it was poisonous to your bodies?  Keep flooding your system like that, and you¡¯ll die. I don¡¯t even know if I could keep you alive.¡±


    ¡°Really ¡­ how fascinating,¡± Ma?lle mused.  Her voice was too soft for the humans to hear, but Rachel suspected Fiona and Maria could.  However, they turned their attention to Kyle as he shakily got to his feet, stumbling back to the wall.


    ¡°W-we¡¯re poisonous to each other?¡±


    ¡°Sweet poison,¡± Ma?lle replied, using her chair to help stabilize herself as she struggled to her feet.


    Rachel¡¯s attention returned to Scarlet as she began chastising herself in her small sanctuary.  ¡°Stupid, stupid, stupid! What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± She cried. ¡°I mess-up every time ¡­ I¡¯m so stupid¡­¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Rachel walked a few feet to her right, sitting on a flat sofa and gently beckoned toward Scarlet.  Sure enough, after several seconds, Scarlet looked through the walls to view the situation she¡¯d left behind, and in a few more seconds, her vision shifted to find her.


    ¡°Y-you want me¡ªto come to you, Rachel?¡±  Scarlet asked, sniffing a few times. She groaned at her nod.  ¡°I suck¡­¡±


    Scarlet appeared beside her from shadows, causing a bit of a stir with a few FBI workers walking down the hall, but Rachel ignored them.  Scarlet¡¯s bloody tears were slowly being absorbed back into her cheeks, and she was gripping her left wrist, twisting nervously.


    ¡°Did you hear¡ªwhat am I asking ¡­ of course, you heard.¡±  She mumbled, refusing to look at her.


    A soft smile lifted Rachel¡¯s lips as she gripped Scarlet¡¯s left knee, causing her to stiffen.  ¡°Yeah, and you¡¯re not stupid.¡±


    ¡°Not that¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I heard it all, and if it wasn¡¯t for my changed mental state and some of my abilities, then I think I would have ran too.¡±


    ¡°You?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s eyebrows creased.  ¡°No way ¡­ you¡¯re too cool.¡±


    Rachel chuckled as she shifted her hair over her left shoulder, scooting back to lean against the wall.  ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯ve had a crush before?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªumm,¡± she bunched her cheeks to the side, looking troubled.  ¡°I guess you might have.¡±


    ¡°Ouch,¡± Rachel winced, ¡°really?  I come off that cold?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not that,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°I mean, you¡¯re just kind of too cool ¡­ not in a cold way.  I just don¡¯t know what kind of guy could catch your interest.  That¡¯s all.¡±


    Her blue eyes rose, absently following different people walking down the halls; every person that noticed her gaze picked up their pace.


    Rachel rubbed her left arm as she let go of a soft sigh.  ¡°I¡¯m anything but cool ¡­ I¡¯ve never asked anyone out; I was pretty nervous about boys growing up, and the one time a guy did ask me out, I froze up and said I couldn¡¯t because of studies ¡­ he was kind of handsome too.¡±


    ¡°Really?  I can¡¯t imagine you chickening out, and he just bought that excuse?¡±


    ¡°Would you?¡±  Rachel grimaced as Lunar Pride struck at her chest.  ¡°Na, I don¡¯t think so.  I think he just thought I didn¡¯t want to go on a date because I didn¡¯t like him.  Sometimes I think about it, and I get a bit regretful. Who knows what might have happened?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy ¡­ I¡¯m so bad, though.  I mean, he bumps into me, and I panicked and teleported out.  Lame¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to change the subject,¡± Rachel hummed, shifting a little to look at her, ¡°but how did you not pull him in with you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that?  My Shadow Movement does have a larger radius if I want, but I can also just teleport myself.¡±


    She sucked on her lower lip absently.  ¡°So, we didn¡¯t figure out everything when we were going through our abilities.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Scarlet turned to her side, brushing back her hair.  ¡°Was that information important? It just kind of slipped my mind when we were all asking so many questions.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault; don¡¯t worry about it.  It¡¯s just a bit complicated. These abilities of ours have so many caveats and ways we can use them that it can get a little distracting.  Anyway, with Kyle, I think you should just be yourself. That¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s hands knotted as she looked down at her lap.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ I know Fiona was telling me¡ªoh, well, you probably heard us.  I know it¡¯s stupid, but I just don¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve got much of a chance.  Yes, I know he¡¯s an Incubus, but¡ªbut I¡¯m scary¡ªno, more than that ¡­ I¡¯m horrifying.  The things I can do ¡­ I didn¡¯t ask for this.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t respond, leaning her head back against the glass to look up at the ceiling.  Scarlet started to shift uncomfortably at her silence. ¡°A-aren¡¯t you supposed to say I shouldn¡¯t worry about it or something?¡±  She stammered with a forced chuckle.


    She shook her head, vision tilting down to Scarlet¡¯s black fingernails atop her lap.  ¡°No, it¡¯s an honest concern, and I won¡¯t belittle it with that kind of response¡ªI don¡¯t think so little of your judgment.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªthanks, I guess,¡± Scarlet whispered, rubbing her thumbs together.  ¡°What should I do then?¡±


    Clicking her tongue, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°I can¡¯t really say, but I can tell you my thoughts.  Want to hear them?¡±


    ¡°Why not,¡± Scarlet trailed off for a moment.  ¡°I mean, I think you¡¯re super smart. You helped us get out of a lot of bad situations with the FBI.  It even looks like they kind of trust us now.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips curved into a sad smile as she released a soft breath of air through her nose.  ¡°I¡¯m not ¡­ mmh,¡± she groaned as Lunar Pride prevented her from fully forming her negative emotions.  ¡°We can always do better.¡±


    ¡°I guess¡­¡±


    ¡°As far as my thoughts, yes, the way you acted when we were going through your abilities, especially the Achievements, I¡¯m pretty nervous about that.  Just the scale of power something that high might be able to accomplish is pretty terrifying. Look at what a level forty, base Proficiency Level skill like Lighthouse can do.  Something like what you described ¡­ that really is something to be cautious of, and you can¡¯t honestly say you¡¯re in complete control, can you?¡±  She whispered so that only Scarlet could hear.


    Scarlet slowly shook her head, hand sliding up to rub her left forearm.


    ¡°I thought so, after what happened with Relica.  You haven¡¯t told me everything that happened during that time, and Scarlet.¡±


    Her brow creased at her tone.  She looked up at her with a questioning expression.  ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Rachel smiled reassuringly.  ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me turning on you or hating you, okay?  Even if your fears come true, then I¡¯ll help you back. That¡¯s what friends do, right?  We look out for one another.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes grew big, and blood started leaking down her cheeks as her chest convulsed.  ¡°R-Rachel ¡­ but¡ªbut what if¡ªwhat if I hurt you¡ªor¡ªor the others?¡±


    Reaching around her, Rachel pulled her into an embrace.  ¡°Simple, Maria will curse you out and heal us up, and then we can all go get ice cream or something ¡­ a bloodcicle,¡± she chuckled.


    Her quakes began to increase as she hugged her back.  ¡°W-we¡¯re really¡ªreally f-friends? I¡ªI don¡¯t have a-anyone ¡­ my p-parents ¡­ they¡ªthey¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Rachel soothed.  ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about The Reaper, and we¡¯ll figure it out together.  We¡¯ll take everything one step at a time. There¡¯s so much to unpack in just our own lives, much less what everyone else wants, but I¡¯ll be here to help all of you.  I¡¯ll figure out how to get our lives back to normal.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±  Scarlet cried, causing several agents to rush past.  ¡°Why do you care so much? You don¡¯t owe¡ªowe us anything.  So why do you care?¡±


    Rachel was quiet for a moment as the Vampire shook in her arms.  ¡°Why ¡­ honestly, I couldn¡¯t answer that with logic.¡± She whispered.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Scarlet pulled away, vision narrowed with her flushed face.  ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    She scratched her left ear as it twitched.  ¡°Not really. Logically, it would be for the deal Tom gave me.  If I were to be honest ¡­ I only really saved Felix as an excuse to get back at Daran and Marcus.  It was Lunar Pride that drove me to get all of us together to fight, and as that expanded ¡­ it felt good.¡±


    ¡°Saving people?¡±


    Rachel bit her left cheeks for a moment before shaking her head.  ¡°No ¡­ battle, the rush of the fight, conflict ¡­ winning. I had something I could throw in my brother¡¯s face.  He saved a Police Station; I saved a city.¡± Her vision dropped to the floor as she continued to whisper what was on her heart.


    ¡°I don¡¯t regret it in the least; in fact, I feel glad that we were even able to overcome the potential legal problems with Tom.  To be noticed by such a high ranked person in the Military¡ªto be selected out of so many people to do something only I can do ¡­ a piece of me thinks, of course, he¡¯d come to me.  However, another piece of me hesitates at this development. I told you before; I¡¯ll likely dive toward more reckless situations.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s face twisted into a scowl.  ¡°For your parents?¡±


    ¡°A bit,¡± Rachel admitted, features passive.  ¡°That¡¯s not everything, though. I want to prove I¡¯m strong.¡±  Her fingers closed into a fist. ¡°Something pulls at my chest; I want to fight someone like Conner again ¡­ I want to show I¡¯m better.¡±


    ¡°Show you¡¯re better?  Who are you showing that to?¡±


    ¡°Myself, my parents, my brother, my sister-in-law ¡­ all of you.  I want to show everyone, yet at the same time, I don¡¯t. The funny thing is ¡­ I feel like over time, that resistance will fade.  The ability I¡¯ve gained to counter Lunar Pride can be used just as effectively with it.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Scarlet sniffed, her blood returning to her skin, even the stains on Rachel¡¯s clothes detached to be absorbed back into her body.  ¡°You basically just want to be successful.¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯ve always had that desire in my heart, but this is ¡­ much more powerful.  It feels good, really good ¡­ you know, David offered me a position at the FBI.¡±


    ¡°What?  I thought he hated us,¡± Scarlet looked over at her with raised eyebrows.  ¡°You made that good of an impression on him?¡±


    Rachel smiled.  ¡°Yup ¡­ and it felt amazing, but I wouldn¡¯t accept it unless I needed to or I gained something more out of it.  Me winning David over to that extent was a victory in itself.¡±


    Scarlet fell silent.  After a moment, she brushed her hair over her left shoulder, hunching over.  ¡°You¡¯re cool with being friends with us, even if you don¡¯t know why you want to.  You really are amazing¡­¡±


    ¡°Based on what?¡±


    ¡°Focus¡ªmotivation ¡­ you had that even before becoming a Lunar Hare.  I mean, you could even shock Ma?lle. You just stepped right up and gave her that French kiss.¡±


    ¡°Is that what I did?¡±  Rachel smirked. ¡°I French kissed her?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s cheeks flushed a bit as she looked up at her.  ¡°Hey, no¡ªyou know I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± she grunted, shoving her with her shoulders as she rose.


    ¡°I know what you meant,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Yeah, well, that was to determine how she¡¯d react when shocked.¡±


    Scarlet glanced down at the floor with a deep frown on her lips.  ¡°She¡¯s so¡ªso touchy, and¡ªand how do I beat a girl like that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to worry about Ma?lle stealing Kyle,¡± Rachel giggled.


    ¡°Wait ¡­ why not?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re literally poison to each other.¡±


    ¡°When they collapsed?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, they had a reaction that was killing them.  If they touch each other, then they poison one another.¡±


    A savage smile lit Scarlet¡¯s face.  ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. Still¡ªI bet that wouldn¡¯t stop a girl like her, though.¡±


    ¡°Kyle doesn¡¯t seem to like Ma?lle, especially after poisoning him.¡±


    ¡°Huh ¡­ thanks, Rachel.  I¡¯m still worried, though.  I¡¯m a ticking time bomb. How can I ever feel comfortable around people without blowing up and becoming some demon?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t, and you can¡¯t.  All you can do is just move forward and live.  If you worry about The Reaper all the time, then what¡¯s the point of even living; plus, that takes so much energy that could be used in other ways ¡­ like getting closer to Kyle,¡± she teased.


    ¡°C¡¯mon ¡­ I don¡¯t even know the first thing about him¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the point of talking to him.¡±


    Scarlet sighed, playing with a lock of hair in her fingers.  ¡°Sure, but¡ªbut what if he doesn¡¯t like me, or what if¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Fiona already talk to you a bit about that?¡±  Rachel chuckled. ¡°Okay, here¡¯s a thought, and just think about it for a moment.  Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°I guess ¡­ what is it?¡±  Scarlet asked suspiciously, shifting in her seat to look at her.


    ¡°Ask Ma?lle to help you learn how to talk to boys.¡±


    ¡°W-what?  Are you crazy?¡±  Scarlet choked. ¡°You e-expect me to¡ªto learn from that¡ªthat demon?¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Rachel pursed her lips to the side for a moment.  ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s technically a demon ¡­ I think that¡¯s more of an Aberationkin thing.¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean!¡±  Scarlet hissed. ¡°She¡¯s an animal¡­¡±


    ¡°Which is exactly why she¡¯d be the best to learn from.  She knows every trick there is about getting a guy¡¯s attention.¡±  Rachel countered. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t find it that appealing myself, but efficient ¡­ it would be the best route, I think.  She feeds of sexual tension, too ¡­ I think she¡¯ll get a lot of good meals off you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible,¡± Scarlet mumbled as her feet rubbed against each other.  ¡°I get the logic, though.¡± Sighing, she moaned. ¡°Fine¡ªI guess, but¡ªbut what about the mission?¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s still here when we get back, then ask her.  We don¡¯t know what will be waiting for us on the other side, so we kind of have to play it by ear.¡±  She said while waving her ears back and forth.


    Scarlet giggled.  ¡°I understand ¡­ could you maybe¡ªaww, nevermind,¡± she cut off with a low sigh.


    ¡°What?¡±  Rachel nudged her leg.  ¡°Were you going to ask me to take dating lessons with you?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªmaybe,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯d just feel a lot better having someone there with me ¡­ I don¡¯t want to be alone with that woman.  To be honest, she intimidates me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel nodded, ¡°she¡¯s got a fairly intimidating style.  She can put you on-guard or off-guard in seconds ¡­ it¡¯s fairly impressive, actually.¡±


    Scarlet took a deep breath.  ¡°Okay, what¡¯s next for you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel looked down the hall.  ¡°I would like to talk about a few more things, but we have all night for that, and my window of opportunity is closing on Anthony ¡­ at least in the place I¡¯d like to confront him.  Mind teleporting us to the breakroom?¡±


    ¡°Confront?  Well, maybe I¡¯m not the only girl with a crush.¡±  Scarlet giggled. ¡°Yeah, no problem!¡± She chimed.


    Rachel¡¯s smile fell.  ¡°Really ¡­ it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Scarlet winked as shadows swallowed them.  When they exited, they were greeted by several stunned agents, all staring at them with wide eyes.  There were a few items that dropped from people¡¯s hands to hit plates or the tiled floor.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Rachel said with a bright smile, trying to bypass Scarlet¡¯s teasing remark.  ¡°Can anyone tell me if there¡¯s any pineapple juice or cups here?¡±


    There were low murmurs that followed.


    ¡°Pineapple juice¡­¡±


    ¡°Cups?¡±


    ¡°Did they just ¡­ huh?¡±


    A man set down a sandwich, scratching his nose as he rose.  ¡°Uh¡ªyou two are Mythickin, right? The Hare and the¡ªVampire?¡±  He said, clearing his throat.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Rachel¡¯s expression didn¡¯t falter.  ¡°We need to find some cups and pineapple juice. Would any of you know where we could find any of that?¡±


    ¡°Probably inventory?¡±  A woman mumbled.


    The man addressing them nodded, shooting a glance at the woman before his eyes returned to them.  ¡°Yeah, if you are going to find those, then they¡¯ll be on the first level, second building to our right ¡­ eh, well, that direction.¡±  He pointed at a wall.


    ¡°Got  it, thank you.¡±  Rachel said as Scarlet turned.


    ¡°Ah, okay, I see it, Rachel.  There are a lot of people moving things around ¡­ like half of them are Military.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  Let¡¯s go see if we can find someone that can point us in the right direction.¡±


    Scarlet nodded as her shadows enveloped them; they appeared behind a massive shelf, outside of anyone¡¯s view, but she noticed a few cameras in the area.  They walked out from behind it to a flurry of activity. Finding someone that was directing things, they approached.


    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re here to pick up some pineapple juice and cups.  Could you point us in the right direction?¡±


    The man lifted an eyebrow as they approached.  ¡°Umm¡ªwhat?¡± He turned to their left as a forklift passed.  ¡°Hey, hey! Donny, no, no, no! To the fifth shelf, down aisle C.  Damn,¡± he muttered, looking back at them. ¡°Pineapple juice and cups ¡­ plastic cups?¡±  He hummed as they nodded. ¡°Alright, eh, just go back to¡ªwait, how did you even get in here without going past the inventory desk?¡±


    ¡°So, there is a desk we can go to?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°Yeah, back that way¡­¡±


    They both left the man gapping as Scarlet teleported them to the destination.


    ¡°This is so much faster,¡± Rachel chuckled.


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±  Her tone died as a woman screamed behind the counter, ducking under it.


    ¡°Lordy!  What in hell¡¯s name¡ªdemons poppin¡¯ outta the walls!¡±


    ¡°Woah,¡± Rachel soothed, holding up her hands.  ¡°We¡¯re Mythickin, not demons. My name¡¯s Rachel, and this is Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°The hell¡¯s a Mythickin?¡±  The woman asked, still under the desk.  ¡°Some kind of special demon, because that shit ain¡¯t natural!¡±


    ¡°Sorry for the scare,¡± Rachel giggled.  ¡°We¡¯re actually just here to pick up some cups and pineapple juice.¡±


    ¡°For real?¡±  She asked, her brown hair poking up.  ¡°Demons want pineapple juice and cups?  Well, Miami¡¯s the right place, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    ¡°Can you arrange that for us?¡±  Scarlet asked as politely as she could.


    ¡°I¡ªI guess ¡­ we do have some pineapple juice from the last party left ¡­ cups are a dime a dozen too.¡±


    ¡°You can call Special Agent David if you want confirmation.¡±  Rachel offered.


    ¡°Head Supervisory Special Agent David?  Very well might do that,¡± the woman mumbled, picking up her phone.


    After a short conversation, some phone calls, and some apologies, a few men walked through the door with their items.  One was a box filled with jugs of juice and another plastic bag of red plastic cups.


    Thanking the woman, Rachel had Scarlet teleport them to Serah¡¯s position.  The woman jumped as they appeared in front of her; she was sitting on a flat couch, overlooking a pond below with a paved path around it.  There were more than a few people on the walkway.


    ¡°What¡ªScarlet, Rachel?  What¡¯s going on? Did something happen with Ma?lle?¡±  She asked darkly, but it quickly turned to confusion as she saw their items.  ¡°What¡¯s¡ªup with those?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel sighed as she sat down beside her, waving to Scarlet as she took their supplies back to the room.  She heard Maria¡¯s cheers when she appeared.


    ¡°So that¡¯s where you went!  You went to help Rachel. Nice!¡±


    ¡°Hey, get away from the bottle, Maria!¡±  Fiona chided. ¡°You¡¯ll purify the stuff.¡±


    Rachel pulled her hair over her right shoulder as she leaned back against the glass.  ¡°Hey, Serah, before I go talk to Anthony, I wanted to make sure you were alright.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be worried about?¡±  Serah huffed. ¡°And Anthony? You¡¯re really going to go see that Legendkin?  Is David cool with that?¡±


    She nodded, features passive.  ¡°Yes, I talked with him. We¡¯re on fairly good terms now.  He even offered me a place here at the FBI.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±  Serah¡¯s eyebrows shot up as she pulled her eyes away from the window.  ¡°You¡ªhuh? You¡¯re going to work here? Even with all the bad rumors?¡±


    Rachel followed a few startled agents continue down the hall, realizing there wasn¡¯t any danger.  ¡°Many of those rumors are slowly being dealt with. It isn¡¯t as bad as it was yesterday. Anyways, no, I haven¡¯t given him an answer yet.¡±


    She turned to stare at her, ears hanging a bit lower than normal as she pursed her lips to the side.  ¡°I know you have some issues with Ma?lle¡¯s way of life, but you can¡¯t let that get in the way of your job.  It sets a bad image for you.¡±


    ¡°Why are you worried about my image?¡±  Serah grunted.


    Rachel licked the inside of her teeth, picking between her canines.  ¡°Because I want you in the new department.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t beat around the bush,¡± Serah chuckled mirthlessly.  ¡°If it means dealing with that kind of ¡­ I don¡¯t want any part of it.¡±


    ¡°I understand you¡¯re angry,¡± Rachel replied, crossing her legs and folding her arms.  ¡°You can be angry all you want, but how will that solve anything? Will that hurt Ma?lle in any way?  You know she actually feeds off sexual tension. She enjoys pleasure as much as pain; perhaps she even enjoys pain more,¡± she mused.  ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡±


    ¡°Huh?  What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Nevermind.  I just think that you should at least afford her the same chances you gave us.  From what I can tell, she¡¯s just candid about her feelings. I doubt she¡¯ll ever really have a solid relationship.  If it¡¯s the energy she needs to live or the game itself, who knows, but at least she¡¯s honest about it. With Maria around, you don¡¯t have anything to worry about, too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± Serah growled.  ¡°It¡¯s not like we can tie Maria to her.  Once you guys leave, she¡¯ll have free reign.  Who can stop her?¡±


    Rachel clicked her tongue a few times before nodding.  ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. That¡¯s one of the issues that¡¯s plaguing the top administration.  What to do with all these new and potentially dangerous powers? They¡¯re worse than guns ¡­ far worse, and we have restrictions on those, but how do you restrict something like this?¡±


    Serah was silent for a moment as she leaned over, folding her fingers.  ¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually answer me seriously. Yeah ¡­ I don¡¯t know.  I¡¯m just worried¡ªI mean, how much trouble that¡ªwoman,¡± she said with difficulty, ¡°can cause to relationships is¡ªis just unfair.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and that¡¯s pretty much the world we live in.  Isn¡¯t it? Everyone¡¯s born unequal, and it¡¯s all unfair ¡­ it appears even The Oscillation gave an unequal advantage to different people.  That¡¯s reality.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡ªbut it sucks being powerless.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about being powerless,¡± Rachel huffed.  ¡°Everyone can make a decision. Are there scary new abilities?  Yes, but won¡¯t humanity adapt and move on? I mean, if we learned anything from the World Wars, it¡¯s that we can recover remarkably fast.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ªan interesting perspective,¡± Serah mumbled.


    Another several seconds of silence followed before Serah got to her feet, stretching out her arms.  ¡°Alright, Rachel¡ªI don¡¯t have to like her, but I can tolerate it¡ªfor now. By the way,¡± her eyes narrowed as she glared down at her, ¡°why do you care?¡±


    ¡°This is purely strategic,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯ve developed a relationship with Bree and you, and I¡¯d like to keep that relationship going forward, but that requires you to gain the right access to the new department.  I want people there that know me as a person, not a face on paper.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if that¡¯s heartwarming or not,¡± Serah sighed.  ¡°Alright, thanks for the talk, Rachel. I¡¯ll head back.¡±


    Rachel nodded and watched her leave before turning her eyes to the wall in front of her; Anthony was in the next building.  Getting up, she walked that way.


    Finally, let¡¯s see what this Legend of Diarmuid is like.


    AuthorSME


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 B2 — 21. Meeting A Legend

    AuthorSME


    Update:


    I have released chapters 0-4 of Undying Empire to the Public, putting you on release time for the patrons (when Patrons get a chapter, you get a chapter).


    Some patrons have told me that chapters 8-9 is basically mandatory for TO fans; it just reveals answers and presents more questions.  =))  I put a link above if you want to open it in a new tab.


    Enjoy!


    Rachel made her way to the opposite building, causing a buzz of talk to follow her.  She listened to one of the more noisy groups.


    ¡°Hey, did you hear what Allen said?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!  They¡¯re leaving tomorrow night, but isn¡¯t that strange?  They caused so much damage.¡±


    ¡°Dude, do you know how many people they saved?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but they¡¯re still criminals.  They killed people without trial; what are they, judge, jury, and executioner?¡±


    ¡°Punisher, man; my favorite hero.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an anti-hero, and that¡¯s cool and all in fiction, but seriously ¡­ they just killed people in cold blood.  They don¡¯t even look shaken up about it!¡±


    ¡°Hey, what are you three talking about?¡±


    ¡°Who else?¡±


    ¡°The Mythickin.¡±


    ¡°Dude, that¡¯s bull!  I heard Main Justice is going to go after them.¡±


    ¡°Na, there¡¯d be a riot.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not right!  It¡¯s Main Justice¡¯s job, I¡¯m telling you; everyone deserves a trial.¡±


    ¡°To be fair, it¡¯s Martial Law; if the Military don¡¯t press charges¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you even take criminal law?  I didn¡¯t think so!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re like one of two people I¡¯ve heard on their case about it.¡±


    ¡°Totally, I think they did what was needed, but yeah, it¡¯s not something you should condone¡­¡±


    ¡°Y¡¯all crazy; desperate times.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not an agent; you¡¯re an office worker.¡±


    ¡°Does that discount my opinion, or Ivan¡¯s?  He¡¯s not an agent.¡±


    Rachel sighed, tuning out the group.


    I¡¯m glad things are dying down.  Eventually, the pardon will become common knowledge; some people even think we¡¯re going to disappear tonight, and the Military¡¯s going to keep us in some black site.  There isn¡¯t a shortage of rumors. Many are hearing about the conditions the people in South Beach were in, though, and that¡¯s turning a lot of opinions.


    Walking downstairs instead of taking the crowded elevators, Rachel made it outside; she transferred buildings.  It was quicker this way, but the front checkpoint guards stopped her.


    ¡°Eh, what is your business in this building?¡±  One of the two guards on duty asked; he was in his mid-forties and was relatively large.


    She responded promptly, looking the man square in his brown eyes.  ¡°I¡¯m here to see the Legendkin, Anthony. I¡¯ve been given the green light by Special Agent In-Charge, David.  You may contact him to confirm.¡±


    The man nodded, eyeing her suspiciously.  ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    Rachel walked a little back to the side of the main traffic area, keeping her posture lax and unassuming.  Maybe I should have come with an escort or through the other building¡¯s bridging point.  I am in an FBI facility, of course, they¡¯d be suspicious about a glowing girl with long ears poking around.


    She studied the area a bit more closely as she waited; this was the central building of the three facilities making up this branch of the FBI.  Two of the buildings were large and modern-looking; one-sided glass windows surrounded the sleek design, and there was a concrete path running down its center that went to a jogging area.  The scenery along the track seemed nice from what she¡¯d seen with a large pond, benches, and greenery.


    She¡¯d entered the administrative building where Ruth¡¯s office was; it was by the massive parking lot.  The front entrance didn¡¯t have any seating area before the first checkpoint; if you weren¡¯t supposed to be there, then they didn¡¯t want you to loiter.  Further access to the building was restricted by a single entrance, guarded by two members of the FBI security team.


    Rachel saw a few tired people leaving through one of the two exit points; they gave her tired, but strange looks as they moved through the single handle doors.


    Everyone must be working hard; I bet most people haven¡¯t even gone home since The Oscillation occurred.  I have heard about many agents sleeping in the halls or their offices. I didn¡¯t expect civil servants to be so dedicated, but I suppose they entered law enforcement for a reason, and it¡¯s no different than the police or military.  Everyone¡¯s working on getting everything under control.


    She listened to the man as he called David, her eyes still taking in the beautiful architecture and arranged foliage.  The front of the building had palm trees and a large pond with several agents standing guard around the property.


    ¡°This is Brad, with the front desk.  I have a girl with bunny ears here, saying her name¡¯s Rachel.  She¡¯s saying she¡¯s been given access to the administrative building and that you gave her clearance.¡±


    David¡¯s voice held an edge of exasperation.  ¡°Yes, I did ¡­ Rachel, you should have gone through the other building¡¯s bridge.  They¡¯re connected. Let her by.¡±


    Rachel smiled apologetically at the guard.  She walked back to the men, saying, ¡°Thank you, and tell David I¡¯m sorry.  I¡¯ll remember that next time; I just thought it would be faster to meet Anthony this way since he¡¯s on the first floor now.¡±


    The second guard stiffened at her approach, but the other man held up his hand as she went through the metal detector without incident.  Walking further into the building, she passed a few branching hallways, moving to the downstairs cafeteria. Many of the personnel were giving her questioning looks, but again, no one questioned why she was there.


    Maybe I should have asked for a temporary suit I could wear to fit in.  Although, I suppose that would cause an even bigger uproar; people might think I was made an agent, and I¡¯d need to cut a place for my tail in the dress shirt and pants ¡­ the owner wouldn¡¯t like that¡­


    Her thoughts wandered back to her group as Ma?lle hummed curiously, standing at the desk by the window; her ears twitched involuntarily as she slowed to a stop.


    ¡°Hey, Scarlet, what are these?  Oh, non-disclosure documents; very official ¡­ what are these for?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s private!¡±  Scarlet quickly moved to snatch the folders from her hands, but the Succubus had already flipped through them.  She paused at Scarlet¡¯s words, but she¡¯d already seen the pardons.


    ¡°My ¡­ can your President really do that, and you guys know him?¡±


    Scarlet took the folders back with a low grown.  ¡°Umm ¡­ no, we don¡¯t know him; I¡¯ve seen the President do that in movies, too.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Ma?lle sat in a chair.  ¡°So, you guys are doing some kind of thing for the government?  That sounds fun! Can I join? I mean, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve done anything worth being charged, so I won¡¯t need a Presidential Pardon.¡±


    A few minutes previous, Scarlet had to return to the breakroom to find a punch bowl.  Maria only partially paid attention to their conversation as she instructed Bree on how to mix the alcohol.


    ¡°Eh¡ªno, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something you can do with us, chica.  It¡¯s half a bottle of the one-fifty-one, then add one cup of the Malibu Rum before filling up the rest of the bowl with pineapple juice.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a big drinker,¡± Bree mumbled, ¡°but this stuff smells pretty strong.  You guys actually got a Presidential Pardon? Crazy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the point!¡±  Maria chuckled. ¡°You gotta mix enough pineapple juice to make it good and not too strong, though.  Yeah, you don¡¯t have to worry about it. Rachel handles that stuff.¡±


    Ma?lle sighed as she sat beside the window.  ¡°Why can¡¯t I join? I¡¯ll sign whatever. I don¡¯t care what it is; it just seems like fun.¡±


    Is being curious and pushy a part of being a Succubus?  It might just be her personality as Kyle appears to be a lot more subdued and quiet; of course, Succubus and Incubus are similar, but not the same.  Her seeing those pardons also opens up a bigger issue. I don¡¯t think she missed it either; she¡¯ll ask. Can the others handle the question?


    Fiona moved over to her as she spoke.  ¡°How can it sound like fun? You don¡¯t even know what we¡¯re doing.¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s tone was bright.  ¡°Well, you all sound fun; I mean, Federal Pardons for all of you?  I¡¯d love to hear the story behind that! I do know a little, but the juicy details escape me.¡±


    ¡°You¡ªwere all criminals?¡±  Kyle¡¯s tone held concern as he moved a bit away from Maria.


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not like that!¡±  Fiona assured. ¡°We¡¯re like¡ªlike liberators.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±  Ma?lle hummed pleasantly, tapping the desk with one of her fingernails.  ¡°What kind of liberators need pardons? Sounds like the fun kind!¡±


    Maria shifted a little in her chair.  ¡°Hey, Bree, is it confidential or something, or can we tell them?¡±


    ¡°Some of the general details should be fine; as far as I know, the News is already circling a lot of information.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Maria chuckled.  ¡°Well, sorry, Fiona, but we are kind of criminals ¡­ to The Law anyways.  Did we do anything wrong, though? Na. We killed a bunch of terrorists that were doing some messed up shit, and now the Military wants us to do some shit for them.  Simple as that.¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s interested hum followed.  ¡°How fascinating! So, you¡¯ve all killed people.  How do you feel about that, Kyle?¡±


    ¡°Even¡ªeven you?¡±  He asked with concern.


    Rachel assumed he directed it at Scarlet.  She frowned while scooting to the side of the hall; several people passed her with hesitant glances.


    Why does this always happen when I leave?  I guess they¡¯re handling it pretty well; Maria¡¯s honesty and blunt way of speaking has its ups and downs.  Ma?lle¡¯s probably heard about us killing people; she¡¯s been talking to a lot of agents, trying to get as much information as possible.  She¡¯s looking for something out of this ¡­ but what?


    Is she trying to create tension?  It wouldn¡¯t be to feed since it¡¯s not sexual¡ªunless ... Scarlet could feel quite stressed about Kyle not liking her.  That¡¯s one option.


    Another is that she¡¯s actually interested in joining us.  Perhaps, she wishes to get in on such a deal to get out of the FBI¡¯s watch.  I can¡¯t see her skillset being that useful to us, though. If I was there, I could gain a lot more information about her abilities.  Still, I doubt she¡¯ll be qualified to join us.


    A third option is that she¡¯s actually interested in us.  She wants to know more about Mythickin, just as much as we want to know about the changes we¡¯ve experienced.


    Of course, she could be using this to wedge a barrier between Scarlet and Kyle because she likes Kyle ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t put it past her with how she reacted when touching him.  She¡¯s all about pleasure and if that stimulated her in the right ways...


    Scarlet stammered into the conversation.  ¡°W-well, I mean¡ªthere were a bunch of kids that were being held captive¡ªthey were being killed and experimented on.  We had to do something, and they were¡ªhorrible¡ªevil people.¡±


    ¡°So¡ªyou killed them?¡±  Kyle muttered.


    ¡°Just the ones that ¡­ well¡ªI guess we did kill most of them.  Yes,¡± she mumbled uncertainly.


    ¡°Well,¡± Maria huffed, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill anyone, but if I could, I would have.¡±


    Mick spoke up.  ¡°For real?¡±


    ¡°You kiddin¡¯ me?¡±  Maria directed at him.  ¡°Damn straight; anyone who puts a hand on my brother better be willin¡¯ to pay the consequences.  Cause and effect, ya¡¯ hear? They kidnapped my hermanito, and all those other children they ate and butchered.  You tellin¡¯ me you wouldn¡¯t kill someone that told you they ate kids, experimented on them, and planned to do it again while having kids as hostages in front of your face?  If so, then you ain¡¯t a man.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right there with you!¡±  Fiona growled. ¡°If anyone touched my little sister, then they deserve to be roasted alive.¡±


    The silence that stretched seemed to last longer than it did, and Serah walked in as Ma?lle replied.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more, Maria. Inaction is compliance, after all.¡± She giggled.


    Maria clicked her tongue.  ¡°See, she gets it!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±  Serah asked.


    Rachel sighed, scratching her left ear while filtering out the conversation.  Ma?lle¡¯s one to keep an ear on, but the others should be able to handle it.  They need to learn how to respond to someone like her.


    She walked into the cafeteria, adding a pleasant smile as she swept the area with her broad vision.  They mainly had the cafeteria for office staff, and it showed with how many people were around. She suspected that it wasn¡¯t normally open in the dead of night, but The Oscillation had everyone pulling overtime.


    There were a few dozen tables around, and the ample space could be cleared, making it an excellent all-purpose zone.  Her glowing eyes spotted Anthony almost instantly; he was in the back corner with a male agent that was a bit shorter than him, which was impressive, but the strange thing was the fantasy-like spear leaning against the edge of the wall to his left.


    She judged that Anthony was at least six-one, maybe a little taller, was in perfect shape, and was far above most men in looks.


    His fire-red hair almost seemed to burn with the bright overhead lights, and his dazzling green eyes instantly moved to study her when she came through the doorway, picking her out of the crowd.  He had no facial hair, but she suspected he could grow it if he wanted; he looked like he belonged on the cover of Men¡¯s Health magazine.


    Despite his dashing appearance, his clothes told her a different story.  He was wearing a fitted plaid vanilla and tan button-up dress shirt, and dark gray dress pants that were held by a black belt.  He wore an unfastened white fitted medical coat over his shirt that dropped to his knees, and his black shoes were polished. The glint of a gold ring on his wedding finger instantly caught her attention.


    The elegant seven-foot-tall spear next to him was anything but ordinary; its shaft was white, and it appeared to glow on its own.  The butt bent into a barbed point, wrapped with some kind of metal decoration. The golden head of the weapon was curved, showing an intertwined design connecting it to the shaft.  It certainly looked like a holy artifact.


    Brow creased, he leaned toward the agent eating beside him.  ¡°Duncan, is that one of those Beastkin you were telling me about?¡±


    Rachel held her casual smile as she weaved through the maze of tables and people, long white hair swaying around her.  He watched her approach with a mildly curious smile playing on his smooth lips.


    Duncan cleared his throat as he glanced at Anthony.  ¡°What do¡ªson of a¡­¡± He almost choked as he caught sight of her.  Pounding his chest, he quickly regained his composure. ¡°The hell are you doing here, Mythickin?¡±


    ¡°Mythickin?¡±  Anthony hummed, eyebrow lifting as he appraised her.


    Rachel¡¯s smile turned slightly forced as she approached the table.  She held her hands in front of her as she stopped. ¡°Am I really that frightening?  I obtained permission from David to see Anthony; I suppose he is fairly busy. If you¡¯d like, you can confirm it ¡­ I feel a little bad, making everyone interrupt him.¡±


    ¡°To see me?¡±  Anthon asked. ¡°You¡¯ve caught my attention.  Of course, with looks like yours, it¡¯s hard to imagine any man brushing you off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s flattering,¡± Rachel giggled.  ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say you were hitting on me.¡±


    His smile turned dashing.  ¡°You¡¯re the one that came to me, and it¡¯s a fairly obvious deduction.  From your eyes to your ears to that tail, I noticed while you were walking ¡­ never mind the grace in your posture.¡±  He muttered, sweeping her with his eyes. ¡°I think you have excellent control over your body.¡±


    ¡°What an interesting way to introduce yourself,¡± Rachel mused.  ¡°You¡¯re far more comfortable than I thought you¡¯d be. Although, I did hear that you taught lessons on using pole based weapons.  You¡¯d need to have your wits about you to meet new clients. May I join you?¡±


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Duncan mumbled, dialing David¡¯s number, but before he could even ask the question, David answered the call and responded.


    ¡°Yes, Duncan, I was just about to call you.  Rachel is perfectly fine going about her own business, so long as she¡¯s not interrupting workflow, then let her be.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªgot it,¡± but David had already hung up to continue reporting to Ruth.  ¡°Alright, then¡­¡± He mumbled.


    ¡°He¡¯s speaking to the Assistant Director at the moment,¡± Rachel said with an apologetic expression.


    Anthony smoothly got up to offer her a chair across from them.  ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll be making each other¡¯s acquaintance.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips turned into a playful smirk as she took the seat he was offering.  ¡°You know, many girls these days would see that as a statement of female weakness and take offense to be offered a chair.¡±


    He effortlessly scooted it in before returning to his own.  ¡°I¡¯m a stickler for polite behavior,¡± Anthony chuckled. ¡°And I don¡¯t particularly enjoy conversing with those types of girls.¡±


    ¡°Strong-willed?¡±


    ¡°Egotistical and desperate for attention that they take polite behavior as diminutive propaganda.  The hypocrisy is what irks me the most; they don¡¯t want equality; they want their moment in the spotlight or to rant about some disconnected issue.¡±


    Rachel crossed her legs, keeping her hands folded in her lap.  ¡°So, you¡¯re a gentleman?¡±


    ¡°You could attribute polite behavior as gentlemanly,¡± he let go of an amused laugh, ¡°but I have no qualms against hitting a woman that strikes me or ignoring a brat.  It¡¯s not what most people I¡¯ve seen call gentlemanly; I¡¯m simply civil. Are you one of those women that think there are no differences between the sexes?¡±


    ¡°I like that; being civil to one another and not taking abuse are two different things entirely.  However, no; I do believe there are clear differences between men and women. I¡¯ve fought both men and women and can attest to the differences personally.¡±  She said with a short sigh.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s unscientific to think otherwise,¡± he responded before taking a sip of the glass of water in front of him.  ¡°Although¡ªI suppose The Oscillation has changed many aspects to that scenario. Before, there was no possible way a woman could reach the same heights of physical prowess as a man using the same methods.  It¡¯s simply a biological fact; however, The Oscillation does seem to add an interesting twist to that equation. Take you, for example.¡±


    ¡°Me ¡­ what do you know about me?¡±  Her smile turned curious as she licked her lips and brushed her hair back, noticing a slight discoloration under his right eye.


    Is he using makeup to cover up something?  That¡¯s interesting.


    Anthony folded his arms while crossing his legs.  His head tilted slightly as he said, ¡°Your behavior, for one, and the way people carry themselves is fundamental when sizing up an opponent.


    ¡°I could tell by the way you moved through the crowd and tables that your vision is much broader than a normal human, or you could have a perfect memory, perhaps both.  You instantly took notice of me, showing you have sharp eyes and a quick mind. You¡¯re clearly intelligent and in control of your emotions by your responses.


    ¡°Moving back to your posture, you believe in your strength.  I think you could dash in any direction on the drop of a dime; I haven¡¯t seen anyone near the balance and control you showed me when walking this way.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think all that confidence comes from The Oscillation, either; my suspicion was heightened by your response of fighting both men and women.  Yes, I have noticed a change in my own demeanor since The Oscillation, but it isn¡¯t enough to completely alter my past behaviors. Although, I do think this change brings out a bit of our deeply rooted desires.  Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Rachel could feel her heart¡¯s pace picking up as he spoke; he was sizing her up the moment she entered the room.  She didn¡¯t get the scent of fear or the touch of caution in his voice that she¡¯d come to expect from someone meeting a Mythickin.  This was the type of tingling she felt when facing Conner.


    ¡°Astute observations.  I¡¯m curious, why have your spear out, and why are you dressed in a lab coat?¡±


    He looked down at his clothes, plucking at the fold of his lab coat.  ¡°This thing? Ah, well,¡± he chuckled, ¡°I was still working when The Oscillation happened.  I lived in Nashville Tennessee and worked as a Chemist; I assisted the Supervisory Chemist in complex sampling and analytical procedures and techniques, interpreting hazardous chemical substances exposure data; analytical laboratory quality assurance; and, helped him represent the company to other government agencies, the private sector, or international inquiries on technically related issues.¡±


    ¡°Sounds complicated, but saying lived and worked,¡± Rachel mused.  ¡°That¡¯s changed then, and what about teaching pole-based weapon combat?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re as sharp as I thought, perhaps more.¡±  He grinned. ¡°Yes, well¡ªthere aren¡¯t that many people that want to learn advanced weapon skills; most people prefer traditional martial arts.  It¡¯s more of a hobby; teaching can help you learn in which areas you lack.


    ¡°My home,¡± for the first time, his lips fell with a sigh.  ¡°Several motorhomes were burnt down by some person that got fire-based powers.  Sadly, I don¡¯t have fire insurance; so, not much I can do about that, and I know the guy that did it.  It was an accident, and he¡¯s dirt poor.


    ¡°My job ¡­ Legendkin don¡¯t have the best rep, at the moment, I¡¯m sure you can relate.  I told my boss what happened, and he said it would be best to play it by ear, and well, I¡¯m not much into maybe¡¯s, so I quit.  He must have alerted the police, because shortly after, they found me, and sent me here.¡±


    He shrugged.  ¡°What can you do?¡±  Smile returning, his eyes moved down her body.  ¡°What about yourself? Gym clothes make for interesting casual attire; I suspect these aren¡¯t from your normal wardrobe by the tight fit.¡±


    ¡°Who has sharp eyes?¡±  Rachel giggled. ¡°My story¡¯s a bit more complicated, and you haven¡¯t told me about your spear.¡±


    He didn¡¯t mention his wife or a fianc¨¦.  Why?


    Anthony¡¯s head tilted the opposite way, messy red hair shifting with the motion as he settled into his chair.  ¡°If I tell you everything about me, then what else do I have to bargain with; isn¡¯t it more fun to exchange stories than being a one-way voice box?¡±


    I can¡¯t believe how much I¡¯m enjoying this!  He¡¯s mysterious but open, and he knows how to keep the conversation interesting.  What kind of woman was able to catch his interest? I almost feel a bit guilty thinking it, but he¡¯s honestly not bad to look at either.


    She suppressed a laugh at Duncan¡¯s rolling eyes as he returned to his dish.


    Yes, I can imagine what you¡¯re thinking.  Still, this is the stimulating situation I¡¯ve been craving!


    ¡°It¡¯s not a pretty story.  Do you really want to hear it?¡±


    He bit lightly at the left corner of his bottom lip, eyes narrowing.  ¡°A beautiful woman can make any story compelling.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but are you truly listening to the story if your mind is centered on her looks?¡±  Rachel asked, ears drooping to the left side as she smirked.


    ¡°Can¡¯t a man enjoy both?  Grizzly stories can be the most gripping when told from such beautiful lips.  It makes the contrast so much more succulent.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not the Incubus?¡±  Rachel asked with a teasing laugh. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine many men being able to speak so naturally in such a manner.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s smile grew.  ¡°Am I that charming?¡±


    ¡°Your wife is a lucky woman.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Anthony whispered, lifting his left hand to twist his ring.  ¡°What about you? Surely you must have a string of charming men lining up to put a ring on that delicate finger?¡±


    Did he have a nasty divorce, or did something happen to his wife?  He blames himself for something. He can¡¯t be more than twenty-three years old; that¡¯s young to be a Chemist and weapons instructor.  He hasn¡¯t mentioned his wife at all, and when I bring it up, he shows regret and sadness. Can I coax it out of him ¡­ maybe, but that could sour the mood.


    ¡°No, I was too focused on my studies to have a relationship.¡±


    ¡°Studies?  Are you enrolled in college?¡±


    ¡°I was enrolled at Miami University, but I can relate to your job issues; I¡¯m fairly certain that there will be some problem with me returning.  I believe Mythickin have a worse reputation than Legendkin, at least for the moment.¡±


    ¡°What were you studying?¡±


    ¡°Law; I was interested in becoming a lawyer for the Private Sector.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the leeches of society¡ªas some might say.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t like lawyers?¡±


    He shrugged, shifting his legs in the opposite direction.  ¡°I suppose you could say I have bad experiences with them, but that¡¯s beside the point.  You can¡¯t judge every lawyer the same, that¡¯d be illogical. You said was interested, meaning something else has taken its place.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Rachel hummed thoughtfully, looking to the right at a couple of agents that glanced their way.  ¡°I can¡¯t really plan for my future right now; everything¡¯s kind of up in the air. What about your plans?¡±


    He smirked.  ¡°Are we going to keep skirting the topic, or are you going to tell me your story?¡±


    ¡°My story,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°I was in my dorm room when The Oscillation occurred, and things grew a bit wild in Miami.  There were gangs, prison, and mental facility breakouts; people¡¯s dark desires bubbling up to take advantage of the chaos ¡­ it was mayhem for a bit.  Although, I heard a few parts in London got pretty bad with a few Beastkin that went on a killing spree.¡±


    ¡°Changing the subject again?¡±  Anthony asked, resting his hands against his thighs.


    ¡°Just drawing contrast.  I went to the CDC outpost and was sent to two researchers at one of the local hospitals with another Mythickin.  We were attacked a few times, and then another Mythickin¡¯s brother was kidnapped¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Anthony said, lips curving into a frown.  ¡°It¡¯ll get confusing if you just keep jumping between multiple Mythickin; is it possible for you to identify them in some way?¡±


    ¡°I can give you names, I suppose,¡± Rachel offered.  ¡°Scarlet and I were attacked on our way to the hospital; I found out later he was one of the inmates at the local penitentiary that broke out.¡±


    ¡°How eventful, and Scarlet¡¯s an interesting name,¡± Anthony commented with an amused smile.


    ¡°Her parents were interesting people ¡­ anyways, Maria¡¯s brother was captured by a local gangster with ties to the Cartel.  He wanted Maria to heal him and used her brother as leverage. We chose to rescue him. It wasn¡¯t the smartest choice, to be honest, but seemed like the best option we had, and it turned out that the conditions of South Beach were worse than we thought.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Anthony nodded.  ¡°Alright, yes, I heard a bit about the South Beach incident.¡±  He sucked on the roof of his mouth a few times. ¡°So¡ªthat was your group.  I heard about the hostages, and Duncan mentioned some of the horrid experiments they¡¯ve discovered.¡±


    ¡°A lot of it¡¯s circling,¡± Duncan muttered, glancing up at her.  ¡°I also heard about the damages you Mythickin caused.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  You haven¡¯t told me that part.¡±  Anthony shifted to get a better view of him.


    Duncan shrugged.  ¡°I try not to read too much into rumors.¡±


    ¡°What have you heard?¡±  Rachel asked with an innocent grin.


    ¡°Just some things about destroyed property ¡­ bodies and the like.¡±


    ¡°Bodies?¡±  Anthony questioned with raised eyebrows.


    A dark grimace replaced Rachel¡¯s smile as she recalled the incident.  ¡°Yes, well, when you have kids strapped to tanks and guns held to their heads or knives to their throats, then things can escalate.  There were even children being used as food, so, yes, I did what I thought was necessary. I did rip apart that tank, and I was thrown through three buildings in a fight against one of Terrell¡¯s hired men.  It was a fairly intense encounter.¡± She said with a strained grin.


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Anthony mumbled. ¡°Thrown through three buildings, and you look that gorgeous?  Do you have invincibility or something similar ¡­ perhaps healing?¡±


    Her smile returned.  ¡°Would you like to find out?¡±


    ¡°Woah¡ªhuh?¡±  Duncan¡¯s head snapped up.


    Anthony¡¯s perfect teeth flashed.  ¡°You¡¯re a handsy girl, eh?¡±


    ¡°Handsy, how do you figure?¡±  Rachel¡¯s smile was unassuming.


    ¡°Just listening to your story tells me enough; I¡¯d even say you enjoy playing rough.  Is this the real reason why you came here? Don¡¯t tell me the guy that threw you through those buildings was a Legendkin?¡±


    ¡°As it happens, he was a Legendkin!¡±  Rachel said with a bright smile, ears leaning to the side.


    He ran a hand through his red hair with a forced grin.  ¡°I see¡ªand am I the limp punching bag alternative?¡±


    ¡°Preferably not limp; I like my punching bags to have a spring to them.¡±  She winked before giggling. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that, and I don¡¯t know about being handsy, but I would like to test your skills.  You were a master at pole based combat, right? It¡¯s interesting that you¡¯d turn into a Legend that uses a spear.¡±


    Stretching out his fingers and neck, Anthony chuckled.  ¡°I¡¯ll be your spring-loaded punching bag, then. You¡¯re not wrong about questioning our change; I wondered that myself.  I suspect you¡¯re own change centered on something to do with your lifestyle. I do need some good practice, and it would be fun to spar with a supposed Myth.  What will the rules be?¡±


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 B2 — 22. The Challenge

    Rachel felt a tingle shoot through her veins as she rose to her feet, hair partially fanning around her back.  ¡°Then, should we take it outside?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I think this has gone too far,¡± Duncan muttered.  ¡°You can¡¯t just go around picking fights.¡±


    She frowned as she turned to him, adding a genuinely confused expression.  ¡°I¡¯m not picking a fight, Duncan; I¡¯m proposing a friendly sparring match. Didn¡¯t David say I¡¯m free to do what I want unless I hamper work here for the agents and office workers?¡±


    Duncan pushed his chair back and unfolded his arms to scratch his left sideburn.  ¡°He did¡­¡± His lips pursed to the side, and a groan shot through his throat. ¡°But I doubt sparring was what David had in mind.¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Anthony agreed, but his lips were still curved in an amused smile.  ¡°However, I don¡¯t see much of a problem in it. It appears Rachel has gained David¡¯s trust to be able to walk around so freely.¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Duncan muttered.  ¡°Although, I suspect he wouldn¡¯t be too keen on any violent actions.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not violent,¡± Rachel giggled.  ¡°We¡¯re just curious to test out our abilities, and you¡¯d be there to observe the entire time.¡±  She soothed.


    Anthony¡¯s lips shifted into a smirk.  ¡°That was quite the statement,¡± he chuckled while looking up at her innocent smile.  ¡°Lumping me into that category, while giving Duncan the image of control.¡±


    ¡°Image of control?¡±  Rachel asked. ¡°Couldn¡¯t he ask for us to quit at any time if it is getting out of hand?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s assuming we don¡¯t see red and keep fighting; it¡¯s a statement that places complete trust in our willingness to follow his authority.  What guarantee does he have that we will stop?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s brows furrowed further as he eyed Anthony.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not reassuring.¡±


    Rachel hummed while crossing her arms, and her head tilted with her ears.


    What¡¯s he trying to pull?  He was all for it at the start, but now he¡¯s sabotaging it ¡­ unless he¡¯s testing my ingenuity and how well I can adapt under pressure.  That¡¯s pretty fun; it¡¯s a pre-battle warm-up. What other wrenches might he add if this continues?


    She let her lips turn into a slight frown as she dropped her glowing red eyes to the table, allowing Duncan to see her deep in thought.  ¡°True ¡­ even friendly sparring matches can get out of hand. I suppose you¡¯ve seen that happen between students ¡­ perhaps you were the student that went too far and needed your teacher to step in.¡±


    Anthony shrugged.  ¡°That might have happened when I was younger; who¡¯s to say?¡±


    ¡°How mysterious,¡± Rachel huffed, shifting her weight to her opposite hip.  ¡°I took you as being quite level-headed. Was that not always the case, or are you still rather heated while sparring?  You mentioned not practicing with someone for a while; so, am I to assume you aren¡¯t in complete control of your emotions?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I am quite in control; good bait, though,¡± he pleasantly added while folding his fingers together.  ¡°It is, of course, a concern with both parties.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel¡¯s cheeks pushed to the right as she eyed him.  ¡°That¡¯s a bit mean, but it¡¯s an honest question. I have been accused of some rather ¡­ unsavory things.¡±


    ¡°Accused, and not without evidence,¡± Duncan cut in.  ¡°I¡¯m with Anthony on that.¡±


    Rachel nodded slowly, lips tucking in as she stared down at the table again.  ¡°I can understand that. If I were to analyze my movements, I think I might come up with a different answer, though; you both aren¡¯t that familiar with my actions, after all.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Anthony nodded with understanding.  ¡°Therein lies much of the problem. Duncan has very fragmented data to draw upon, and much of it negative.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Rachel¡¯s grin returned as she glared down at Anthony.  ¡°How dirty!¡±


    Duncan scanned both their expressions.  ¡°Dirty¡ªhuh?¡±


    ¡°If you wanted to know more about me, then you could have just asked,¡± Rachel huffed.  ¡°You don¡¯t need to dip into rumors to get me to talk; I think my track record is fairly consistent.¡±  Her innocent smile returned as she turned it to the agent. ¡°Duncan.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°What kind of man is David?¡±


    Anthony expressed mild admiration as he nodded a few times, but didn¡¯t interrupt.


    ¡°Eh¡ªstrict, I guess.  He¡¯s the Head Supervisor Agent for a reason.  He ¡­ pays attention to details, and he¡¯s good under pressure ¡­ trustworthy.  He¡¯s a good man, and has a solid head on him.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Anthony mused.  ¡°So¡ªyou¡¯re saying you¡¯ve been able to gain the respect and trust of that kind of man?  What does that say about your personality and history?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s at least a basis; wouldn¡¯t you agree?  Knowing that David puts his trust in me to freely roam an FBI facility means I¡¯m not a danger.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you can go anywhere else,¡± Duncan interjected.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°I know we¡¯re still being evaluated to determine we aren¡¯t a threat to the general public.¡±  She said, pointing at her swaying ears. ¡°I know all about it, and I know all the terrible, nasty things agents and office workers are spreading about me.¡±


    Duncan stiffened, showing he¡¯d heard some of those rumors.  ¡°I guess ¡­ you would have.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Anthony questioned with interest.  ¡°What kind of things?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips dropped into a sad smile as she sighed.  She shook her head with a light shrug before making a show of looking around as if scared the wrong people were listening.  Learning in, she lowered her voice so only they could hear.


    ¡°People think that we¡¯re controlling the top brass, including David, and we¡¯re secretly running the country ¡­ in under forty-eight hours since changing, which, to be honest, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªwhat?  I mean, you understand them thinking that?¡±  Duncan asked, uncomfortably shifting his focus to other tables; several eyes were on them.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rachel whispered, bending down to lean her arms against the table as she better situated her hair.  ¡°I mean, if they knew about some of the details of the terrorists we fought, and the unease that Kyle and Ma?lle bring to the table, why not?¡±


    ¡°Ah, the Succubus and Incubus,¡± Anthony nodded.  ¡°Yes, I can see them causing quite a stir. Well, I suppose they already have.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡ªyeah,¡± Duncan mumbled, ¡°but a big one is...¡±  He grimaced as he shot a glance at her before shifting it to the wall.


    Rachel groaned, head dropping to the tabletop; her hair shifted to bunch on the table, and a bit slid off to brush against the floor.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ it¡¯s an honest question. It¡¯s really a lack of information that has people afraid of Scarlet.¡± She muttered, falling silent as she maneuvered her long pink-hued white hair to the chair in front of her, playing with a lock.


    She could hear Anthony¡¯s muscles twitch, spiking her interest as he studied her actions.  ¡°Oh? You mentioned a Scarlet; you were both attacked on the way to the hospital. Is she that concerning, Duncan?¡±


    Rachel responded before Duncan could form the first word, whispering, ¡°It¡¯s really sad, actually.¡±


    ¡°That bad?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s such a sweet girl,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°A little shut-in eighteen-year-old teenager that¡¯s been living a nightmare the last few days.  Everyone hates the girl because she¡¯s a vampire. She has terrorist groups after her life, Legendkin that are still on the loose that want to control her, and has seen nothing but discrimination since her world fell apart.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Anthony¡¯s lips curved as he looked down at his mostly finished plate of salad.  ¡°With the Seattle incident hanging over her head ¡­ that would be rough.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªa sweet girl?¡±  Duncan asked, his tone making Rachel pull back her hair to see him.  ¡°I¡¯ve heard¡ªa bit of a different story.¡±


    She released a drawn-out breath.  ¡°You must be thinking about the hotel lobby footage; I heard a few agents talking about that.  So, you were in that circle ¡­ it makes sense; to be guarding Anthony, you must have some connections with already picked members of the new department.  You didn¡¯t have anything to add, so I didn¡¯t recognize your voice right away.¡±


    ¡°You¡ªwere listening to¡ªhow far can you hear?¡±  Duncan asked, releasing an uncomfortable shiver.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard all sorts of things,¡± Rachel said with a forced chuckle.  ¡°A lot of things I¡¯d rather not have heard, but yes, I heard the group you were in.  There are a few discrepancies with the theories Jamison proposed. A major one was that Jael can create mindless zombies; not fully functioning people but drones.  He can¡¯t make his drones analyze complex data, like direct a Delta Force team ¡­ much less a four-star general in charge of operations across the world.¡±


    ¡°The name of the Seattle Vampire?¡±  Anthony asked.


    Rachel nodded before continuing.  ¡°They¡¯ve gathered more accurate numbers from the Seattle Incident¡ªit feels a little disrespectful calling them that, but I suppose the agents have to disconnect the victims from people to get through it.  The death toll is currently numbered nine-hundred and sixty-two; Jael only personally killed sixteen while the others were killed by his thralls, as the agents have dubbed his victims.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s horrible,¡± Duncan whispered.


    ¡°It is,¡± Rachel said with a low tone, ¡°and even more that they¡¯d associate such an inhumane being with Scarlet; she¡¯s the most self-conscious person I know and is more frightened of her powers than anyone.  She hates being a vampire.¡± Rachel muttered.


    Duncan swallowed as he avoided eye contact with her.  ¡°But ¡­ she murdered ¡­ tortured those two¡ªthree men¡ªmaybe more.¡±


    ¡°Really, torture and murder?¡±  Anthony asked, vision sliding back to Rachel.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel took a long breath as she stared back into Anthony¡¯s passive glowing green irises.


    He¡¯s fishing for information while testing me; perhaps he¡¯s testing my patience with these types of questions.  It is unsettling having to explain our actions to people when they weren¡¯t there to experience it, but it¡¯s also understandable.  It does help their image of me and gives me a chance to change people¡¯s opinions of our actions. Still, it¡¯s a dirty topic that sours the mood.


    ¡°Did you see the footage?¡±  Being able to see everything within her vision in focus, she watched Duncan shake his head.  ¡°Then Jamison didn¡¯t tell you about Scarlet freaking out about her actions or what they confessed to.  I won¡¯t tell you the details; they¡¯re currently classified until David releases that information and Jamison could get in a lot of trouble if Ruth or David finds out he¡¯s been talking.


    Duncan swallowed hard before clearing his throat.  ¡°I understand that.¡±


    ¡°Short answer,¡± Rachel straightened her back, hair fanning around her.  ¡°There¡¯s more to the story.¡±


    ¡°Freaking out how?¡±  Anthony pressed. ¡°Are you able to explain that?¡±


    ¡°Hating what she¡¯s been forced to become¡ªScarlet doesn¡¯t want to drink blood, but she is forced to, to survive.  Imagine dying of thirst with water all around you, but having the willpower to refrain from it while only drinking nasty sewage with the tasty pure springs everywhere taunting you with razors sticking into your gums.  She really is the sweetest girl, and personally, I think she¡¯s too rough on herself.¡±


    Duncan cleared his throat.  ¡°All the more reason why we should hold off on something like sparring.  You still need to be evaluated by the Psychologist they¡¯ve called, and they won¡¯t be here for a while as far as I know.¡±


    Rachel scratched the back of her head, starting to feel a bit frustrated.  ¡°True, that is to determine our mental state under different circumstances and if we¡¯re able to function in the general public, but that¡¯s not sustainable for the mass population.  There aren¡¯t enough psychologists, and it¡¯s entirely impractical. This is simply a general response to determine how each of us changed.


    ¡°Mythickin and Legendkin are just being singled out because of several incidents.  If we¡¯re stable enough to reenter society, then the others must be acceptable, too.  It¡¯s flawed, but the best short term solution.¡± Rachel sighed.


    I suppose it can¡¯t be helped.  It¡¯ll be rough convincing Duncan to go forward with this without some weight thrown into it; this might have been Anthony¡¯s plan all along.  It does line up with understanding a few of my motivations and helps him profile me better.


    I was on the losing side, to begin with, so bringing something more significant to the table is necessary.  It¡¯s also essential to get off the subject of Scarlet and Vampires; it¡¯s a landmine, and hard to navigate without knowing how invested Duncan is in the topic.


    For all I know, he had a brother in Seattle, which could severely sour my argument.  I¡¯ve given him enough to start doubting the stories he¡¯s heard, but a little more couldn¡¯t hurt before shifting the topic to throw him off.


    ¡°Jamison also forgot to mention that everyone that was infected by Jael had bite marks on their necks, and of course he couldn¡¯t tell you, because he doesn¡¯t have access.  He¡¯s speculating with people¡¯s lives on the line.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t even know Scarlet¡¯s powers, but compared them to Jael?  It¡¯s been stated in a pre-psyche evaluation that she has not shown any signs of the same abilities, but he wouldn¡¯t know that.  He knows so little but is so quick to judge. The closest thing they share is their fangs.¡±


    A short sigh left Rachel¡¯s lips.  ¡°Alright, Duncan, to be honest, I need to test Anthony¡¯s abilities to test something.¡±


    ¡°Need to, eh?  By the way, I enjoyed the speech; it puts things a bit more into perspective.  So, what do you need me for?¡± Anthony questioned with a curious smile. ¡°I completely trust your argument, by the way.  I doubt you¡¯d gain the respect of a four-star general and the FBI without reason, and much of it is classified.


    ¡°Well, that or some manipulative means, and I can¡¯t detect anything other than your charming personality and good looks.¡±  A playful smirk lifted his perfect jaw. ¡°Although, I¡¯d call that combination a perfect weapon.¡±


    ¡°And who¡¯s the one that¡¯s charming?¡±  Rachel giggled, ears twitching as her mood began to improve.  ¡°I see you¡¯ve heard about my visit with Tom, then.¡±


    ¡°Hard not to,¡± Anthony said, leaning back and folding his arms.  ¡°A four-star general walking around draws eyes; not many of those prancing about, giving orders, and his first order of business is getting an audience with you.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get that information?¡±  Rachel asked with a curious smile.


    ¡°Me, sadly,¡± Duncan groaned, ruffling his hair with a loud groan.  ¡°Since Anthony¡¯s been with me most of the time, he hears a lot of gossip ¡­ I¡¯m kind of a sounding board for a lot of people.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re that popular, huh,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Tom¡¯s visit did cause a big stir yesterday, and it was getting around a lot of groups; it¡¯s what really sparked the controlled government debate.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s this about needing to test Anthony?¡±  Duncan asked with a tired tone. ¡°All of this is giving me a headache; could we cut past all the playful banter you two seem to enjoy?  I¡¯m too tired for that crap.¡±


    He¡¯s to the point where he¡¯d be more willing to just accept something rather than deal with it.  It¡¯s the best time to strike.


    ¡°Something that no one has yet to confirm, but has been rumored is that the Military has some kind of special mission we¡¯re doing.  I can¡¯t confirm that rumor or deny it, but me testing Anthony does reflect on things brought up in my meeting I had with General Dallas.¡±


    Anthony hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°That¡¯s a rather roundabout way of implying something, yet it has some real weight to it.  You caught my interest from the start; well, besides your looks.¡±


    He grinned before continuing.  ¡°So, testing me might have something to do with your secret military meeting.  I assume if Duncan calls General Dallas, then he can confirm your ¡­ connotation, or at least give a similar roundabout way of collaborating your implication.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s innocent grin returned.  ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°And by the way,¡± Anthony¡¯s eyebrows lifted.  ¡°Tom, huh? You¡¯re rather friendly with the good general.¡±


    She forced a chuckle, scratching her left ear.  ¡°I suppose you could say that. It can feel like I know someone personally when I can listen to people as if we¡¯re in the same room.  It¡¯s something I think I¡¯ve become too accustomed to since changing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting answer.¡±  Anthony lifted an eyebrow at Duncan.  ¡°So, what do you think? Should you try getting in touch with General Dallas?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve memorized his personal number from a few conversations,¡± Rachel offered with a bright smile.


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan resigned.  ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard enough mind games that I don¡¯t doubt you, and David has given you a lot of leeway.  Let¡¯s just not make a big deal about this ¡­ I bet if word spread, then you¡¯d draw a massive crowd. Hell, I know I¡¯d even want to place bets.¡±


    ¡°The less, the better,¡± Rachel nodded.  ¡°I want this to be as discreet as possible.  So, how about ¡­ the top of the parking lot beside this building?  We can get there relatively quickly from here, and there aren¡¯t that many cars up there, from what I can tell; no one is up there currently.¡±


    Duncan rubbed his temples.  ¡°I guess there shouldn¡¯t be.  With how the streets are, most FBI employees are just walking here or using bikes¡ªpeople want to get here and informed as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Rachel chimed in.  ¡°Should we go?¡±


    ¡°Eager, aren¡¯t we?¡±  Anthony asked. ¡°Have you noticed your growling stomach?¡±


    Rachel blinked, not expecting that response.  She looked down with a slight frown. ¡°No¡ªactually.  I haven¡¯t eaten in, oh ¡­ twenty-four hours or so.¡± She chuckled as she looked into his bright green eyes.  ¡°Ironic, I have super hearing, but block out the sounds of my own body.¡±


    ¡°Do we have time to eat a little?¡±  He asked, conversationally. ¡°By the way, has your diet changed since The Oscillation?¡±


    ¡°The night¡¯s still young,¡± Rachel mused.  ¡°However, I usually eat after sparring, and no, apparently, Hares are omnivores.¡±


    ¡°Interesting ¡­ you¡¯re a Hare, not a Rabbit.  Okay,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s not a bad habit either; some people do better without food in their belly when doing physical activities.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m one of those people,¡± Rachel said, hearing her stomach growl again.  ¡°It¡¯s just a habit; train, and eat on the way home.¡±


    Anthony stretched out his arms before getting up.  ¡°Alright, why not. Duncan, are you good to go?¡±


    Duncan glanced down at his already empty plate.  ¡°It looks that way,¡± he groaned. Getting to his feet, he frowned at her.  ¡°What¡¯s the military doing with you, anyway?¡±


    Rachel smiled apologetically.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I had to sign a pretty strict NDA; you¡¯d have to subpoena the President to get the details.¡±


    Anthony whistled.  ¡°Got some powerful friends, haven¡¯t you?  It seems The Oscillation hasn¡¯t been that bad for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be shocked,¡± Rachel chuckled, scratching her left ear.


    ¡°You grow more interesting by the second,¡± Anthony commented; grabbing his spear, he stuck  it to his back before dumping his food into the trash with Duncan. They set their trays on the appropriate rack before turning to her.


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrows lifted as she followed.  ¡°Oh? You have some kind of magnetic powers?¡±


    ¡°Something like that; it would be annoying to hold onto it all the time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel motioned for them to follow her, leading them out of the cafeteria.


    They caused a stir as people followed their exit with a buzz of interest.  No one had an explanation for why they were together, but there were many questions thrown out between tables.  The three of them moved toward the multilayered parking lot entrance that linked to the building, continuing to cause a stir with their passing.


    Her head shifted to the window; her eyes penetrated the darkness with ease.  It was surprisingly still on this side of the building.


    I won¡¯t have the moon to enhance me, which will be a good indication of how my base abilities stack up.  The real question is how fast he is. If I¡¯m faster, then I can easily avoid his spear, but it is a long-reaching weapon.  If worse comes to worst, I can try to use my hair to tangle the spear and disarm him. I¡¯ve never fought anyone that¡¯s been trained in weapons combat; this will be new.


    Her attention was diverted as Anthony followed her gaze and said, ¡°It¡¯s a nice night.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Rachel replied, keeping a pleasant smile in place.  ¡°How did you get involved with pole-based weapons?¡±


    ¡°Ironically, old Chinese movies.  I grew up watching them; my parents were fans.  I started training at the age of six, and it grew into my favorite pastime.¡±


    ¡°Did you have friends?¡±


    Anthony shook his head.  ¡°Family acquaintances that had kids around my age, but we lived in the country; there weren¡¯t that many opportunities to meet anyone my age.  What about you?¡±


    ¡°No, I was somewhat of a loner; it didn¡¯t really bother me that much since I was mostly focused on my grades.¡±


    ¡°You mentioned fighting, and I told you my story.  What about you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ you didn¡¯t tell me much, to be fair.¡±  She teased. ¡°Anyways, I took up Muay Thai in eighth grade.  Ever since then, I¡¯ve been training in it.¡±


    ¡°Muay Thai, eh?  Interesting choice.  Did you debate between any other options?¡±


    ¡°No, in sixth grade, there was a group of kids I sat next to that liked watching matches.  Eventually, the opportunity arose to try it out, and I liked it.¡±


    ¡°A lot of blank space in that story,¡± Anthony mused.


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°The same with yours; maybe we want to keep it that way.¡±


    ¡°The handsy tease it is,¡± Anthony said as they turned down the hall that would lead them into the parking lot.


    Duncan seemed to be growing more and more uncomfortable with their conversation.  ¡°Is that wedding ring just for show?¡± He muttered softly, but they¡¯d both caught it.


    Rachel frowned.  That was rather pointed.


    Anthony didn¡¯t seem all that bothered by his mumbled question as he glanced down at the golden ring.  ¡°I suppose you could say it is for show.¡± He whispered.


    Curiosity piqued, Rachel hummed to show her interest.


    ¡°Nosy, aren¡¯t we.  Is the answer that important?¡±  He laughed, running a hand through his red hair.


    Well played; he¡¯s put it back in my court, but I could shift it to the third wheel since he brought it up.


    She suppressed a devilish grin while turning to Duncan to give him an innocent smile.  ¡°Oh, is it important, Duncan?¡±


    Anthony gave her a sideways grin before his focus returned to their path as they entered the first level; the lot was relatively filled.


    ¡°Just saying,¡± Duncan scratched the back of his neck with a heavy sigh.  ¡°Would you be talking like that if she were here?¡±


    Anthony¡¯s smile fell a little as they moved to the stairs, bypassing the elevator.  ¡°No¡ªI doubt I would.¡±


    How can he stay so mysterious?  Jeez! What¡¯s the story with his ring, but I can¡¯t just come out and ask ¡­ I¡¯d take the losing¡­


    Her eyes widened as he turned to  her; they¡¯d reached the second landing, and he was showing an impish grin.  ¡°Why not make a game out of this?¡±


    ¡°Out of what?¡±  Rachel cautiously asked.


    ¡°The first to make the other land on their back wins.¡±


    A spur shot down Rachel¡¯s spine to her tail.  ¡°Wins what?¡± She pressed, playful grin returning.


    ¡°One story,¡± Anthony said with a wink, holding up his left hand to show the glinting ring.  ¡°The loser must give up any story the winner asks, and in full.¡± Looking down at her, he smirked.  ¡°Interested?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s stomach tightened with anticipation as his glowing green eyes with her red irises.  ¡°I¡¯ve never been one to back down from a challenge; you¡¯re on.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B2 — 23. Forging Bonds

    AuthorSME


    Rachel followed Anthony up the stairs to the third level of the parking lot; there were only four cars in the entire area, and they were close to the entrance.  She could smell Duncan¡¯s discomfort and hear it in the sounds his muscles made, but she¡¯d expected as much.


    Walking to the center of the space , she turned to stare at the two men with a bright smile.  ¡°Alright, Duncan, you might want to stand back.¡±


    ¡°You two really want to go through with this?¡±  Duncan asked, glancing at Anthony.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already made the bet,¡± Anthony shrugged before removing his spear to set it on the ground.  ¡°I¡¯m a man of my word.¡± Taking off his lab coat to reveal his long sleeve shirt, he stretched real fast; he was fairly flexible.  ¡°Your only weapon is your fists?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never trained with anything else,¡± Rachel replied, mirroring his movements.


    Anthony hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°You¡¯re fine with me using weapons, then?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rachel grinned.  ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be practice otherwise, and that¡¯s plural.  You have multiple weapons?¡±


    He picked up his yellow-tipped spear, effortlessly twirling it around his body.  ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said, pointing it at her as it stopped in his hands. ¡°I¡¯m ready when you are.¡±


    She finished stretching out her calves as Duncan leaned against one of the concrete pillars.  Anthony¡¯s legs were spread, giving him a solid base. Rachel took a deep breath to calm the tingles shooting down her spine to her tail while studying him.


    Alright, how to get around the spear?  This is as much training as anything; I don¡¯t know what¡¯s waiting for me on the other side of that crystal, and I need to be prepared for anything.  Maybe taking some kind of weapons training when I get back would be good ¡­ if I get back.


    He¡¯s perfectly balanced, and he can move the tip in just about any direction I move.  The question shifts to my balance; if I can move fast enough and nimble enough to grab the spear, then I can pull it out of his hands, but if he can resummon it back, then that would be almost pointless.  Scarlet can summon her weapon, so there¡¯s a possibility he can.


    There¡¯s also the issue about multiple weapons; it would only be small weapons if they¡¯re on him.  He might make something appear; it¡¯s more probable with Scarlet¡¯s explanation about her fight with Relica.  Relica could summon a dagger, and she could summon a scythe. Maybe having his weapon out more increases his proficiency?


    In any case, I need to be careful when first approaching him.  He¡¯s not aiming to kill, but I should take this as a real battle.  First, I need to test his reaction time and speed; these shoes are not reliable either ¡­ I hope my clothes hold up, but I¡¯m not in moonlight, so I¡¯m nowhere near my max output, and that¡¯s a part of this training.


    She sighed while straightening, balancing on one foot to remove each shoe before moving to her socks; she stuffed the socks into a shoe before tossing them by Duncan.


    Anthony lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re unreliable,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I really need to find some decent shoes.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°A bad past experience?¡±


    ¡°You could say that.¡±


    Rachel darted forward, watching Duncan¡¯s slight shifts slow from the corner of her vision as she raced toward the spear; Anthony held perfectly still as she neared, but easily followed her movements as she pivoted left, running in a circle around him.


    Her ears were lying flat against her hair as it whipped behind her.  She watched him near the corner of her vision; he was keeping up with her position.  She stopped after doing a half-circle around him, quickly finding purchase against the concrete.


    ¡°Testing the waters?¡±  Anthony asked, spear still pointed at her chest.  ¡°Checking your foundation would be important, and seeing if I can keep up, you¡¯re pretty fast.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t respond, ears rising again; they twitched as Duncan whispered, ¡°Damn, they¡¯re fast ¡­ what is she, a cheetah-rabbit?¡±


    Anthony hummed.  ¡°I¡¯d say that was zero to sixty in less than two seconds; fast, indeed.¡±


    ¡°Not fast enough,¡± Rachel mumbled, dashing into a sprint.


    She came into striking distance of the spear and ducked under it, trying to force it to slide across her shoulder blades to keep him from recovering; the spear retreated faster than she anticipated, and somehow snaked around to catch her chest.


    Her eyes widened as she launched herself into the air before he could lift her off the ground, spinning to land several feet away; she slid a few feet before finding enough purchase to stop, hair flinging behind her.


    Anthony was casually flipping the spear around in his hands, moving the head back to the butt.  ¡°Nimble,¡± he praised. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure you¡¯d be able to make it out of that one.¡±


    Rachel swallowed, glaring at the spear.  ¡°So, that was a feint to get me close enough to toss me into the air.¡±


    He responded by launching forward; the spear shot for her head; she reacted instantly, bringing her hair around before rushed to meet him.  She thrust her thick hair between the point to tangle it before using her body to latch onto the shaft. Using leverage, she tugged at the spear to jerk it from his hands, but he¡¯d already released his grip.


    He dropped his spear?  He¡¯s moving to my side ¡­ my momentum is going the opposite way!


    Still carried by her momentum, he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up.  Her jaw locked as her feet left the ground; she was falling back first toward the ground.


    Was it another feint, or is he improvising?


    Spreading her legs and free arm out, she caught herself before her back touched the hard ground; Anthony¡¯s weight was pressing her down, but she countered it with a bit of force.


    Sliding her free arm between their chests, she pried him off; he grunted as she tossed him off, sending him flying several feet to her right before kicking into a backbend to right herself.


    She watched him twist in the air before landing on his feet, skipping back two paces with a grin on his lips.  ¡°That¡¯s some power!¡± He chuckled. His spear appeared out of radiant light as he closed his left hand into a fist, and Rachel felt the object tangled in her hair vanish.


    Rachel¡¯s grin was a little forced as she shifted to get up, flipping her hair back.  ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to abandon your weapon. I did suspect you could recall¡­¡± Her words died as her wide field of vision caught several glints on the ground.


    ¡°Your spear¡ªit cut my hair?¡±  She whispered; there were several strands of her long glowing hair on the ground.


    ¡°Is that so shocking?¡±  Anthony asked, taking up another stance.  ¡°Although I have to admit, it is a tragedy; you have charming hair.¡±


    Medical scissors using my own strength couldn''t cut it ¡­ something¡¯s up with that spear.  If even my hair isn¡¯t a solid defense against it ¡­ and it¡¯s a piercing weapon that can slide through the strands.  That¡¯s a really dangerous weapon.


    ¡°What kind of attribute does that spear have?¡±  Rachel cautiously asked, circling Anthony.


    The spear¡¯s point followed her.  ¡°Mysteries keep fights interesting.¡±


    She launched into a sprint, but had to slow herself and duck as he threw his weapon; it soared past her ears as he ran to meet her.


    He¡¯s going to fight me head-on?


    His hands rose with open palms as he neared, and she launched a fist toward his head.  He deflected it before striking out at her feet. Setting a solid foundation with her left foot, she met his leg with hers, blocking the kick, but he had a better position; she didn¡¯t have enough force to push him back.


    His open palm shot for her chest, but before it struck, she launched skyward; it was clumsily executed and didn¡¯t have the strength she wished, but was enough to barely reach the ceiling.  Twisting to land against the roof, she shot back at him.


    He dodged left, rolling to his side as his spear appearing in his left hand.  He threw it as he righted himself before jumping back. It was fast, but not fast enough with his unbalanced recovery.


    Snatching it out of the air an inch before it struck her shoulder, she twisted before launching it back; however, before it even left her fingers, it had vanished, returned to Anthony¡¯s left hand.


    He ran to meet her without hesitation, spear butt striking out, but she sidestepped it, trying to close the distance to strike; just before her foot hit his spear, he dropped and lifted it, pushing her leg up.  Pushing in, while twisting, he bent down before striking her stomach with the shaft, throwing her up with a grunt.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes were wide, watching in slow motion as she was carried halfway to the ceiling, trapped in midair.  Her mind went wild, searching for solutions, but nothing stuck; without moonlight, she couldn¡¯t use Lunar Step. He¡¯d curved the trajectory to keep her from flying back and instead threw her into the air.


    Leaning back, she tried catching herself as she dropped, but could already hear Anthony¡¯s fluid muscle movements as he recovered.  He¡¯d be ready to strike before she could land, but he paused.


    Confused, she landed in a handstand, hair obscuring her vision, but she could still hear every muscle spasm; the problem was connecting the twitches with his weapon.  Somehow he manipulated the spear¡¯s movements in strange patterns that didn¡¯t fully match up with the sounds his body made, making it difficult to predict.


    The side of the spearhead struck her thighs, forcing her to fall toward her back; she bent her knees, trying to catch herself, but Anthony simply waited.  He could have attacked her neck or any other exposed part of her body with the sharp butt of the spear, but didn¡¯t.


    He moved like a snake a foot before her feet hit the ground, barbed point of the butt centimeters from touching her jugular notch.  She tried lowering her center of gravity, back inches from the ground, but the spear moved with her, and worse, he was standing above her head, just out of reach to grab his legs with her free hand.  She could try to catch the spear, but with his speed, she doubted she could reach it in time.


    ¡°You¡¯re hand¡¯s fast, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯re fast enough to stop my point before digging into your neck.¡±  He said with an amused grin. ¡°Do you have any other abilities that you can use? I¡¯ve exposed myself to get this chance.¡±


    Rachel tried to think of a way out, but couldn¡¯t think of anything.  She expected Lunar pride to start burning her chest, but as she waited, a peace fell over her ¡­ acceptance.


    How is this different?  Is this the difference between armed combat and non-armed combat?  He¡¯s obviously proficient in some form of martial arts himself, added with the weapon ¡­ without moonlight, he might even be faster than me.  I suppose this is the difference when fighting a Legendkin outside my element and with little knowledge about his skillset. I doubt he even used half of his skills.


    Sighing, she dropped to her back, staring up at him; she felt respect as she smiled up at his amused lips.  ¡°Not without moonlight; you¡¯re a lot faster than I expected.¡±


    ¡°Moonlight, eh?¡±  Anthony commented, moving his spear to his back before shifting to offer her a hand.


    She took it with another disappointed sigh.  ¡°I wanted to test out how well I could fight outside of moonlight.  I guess fighting a Legend and master at their weapon while handicapped isn¡¯t the smartest strategy.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m shocked,¡± Anthony chuckled as Duncan joined them.  ¡°Trying to fight a spear while barehanded is suicide. I can dictate which direction you¡¯ll be forced to dodge with its reach, and even if you do disarm me, I can recall the spear.  I may not be quite as fast as you, but I can predict where you might run based on your balance and how your body shifts.¡±


    Rachel scratched her left ear with a grimace.  ¡°It¡¯s strange ¡­ I don¡¯t feel that bad about losing; I learned a lot from that short match.  I know you were holding back,¡± Rachel muttered, ¡°but ¡­ by how much?¡±


    Anthony hummed darkly as he moved to pick up his lab coat; setting his spear down to put it on, he glanced back at her.  ¡°As you already commented, I have other weapons, but my spear is my best tool. Considering your speed, it was the only real option.  I wasn¡¯t playing around with my movements; you¡¯re fast, and I needed to match that.


    ¡°Could I have been more proficient?  Yes, I could have been more focused on fatal spots and manipulated your position to better land a killing blow.  However, if you can speed up further, and had some other abilities to help you not flounder around in the air, then it would be difficult.  As it stands, you¡¯re well trained for only studying what ¡­ eighth grade ¡­ so, five to six years of Muay Thai.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Rachel whispered.  ¡°You¡¯ve been studying pole-based combat from the age of six.  Was that from a professional or just swinging a stick in the backyard?¡±  She asked with a light chuckle.


    Anthony licked his lips with a silent laugh.  ¡°My parents had me professionally trained,¡± Anthony replied, returning his spear to the back of his lab coat.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just weapons combat training, too.  You have some kind of martial arts training, right?¡±


    Anthony nodded.  ¡°Some MMA; being trained in both weapons and unarmed combat is essential to any weapon master.  A pole can break ¡­ of course, then you could use them as Kali sticks. The point being, you should be prepared for everything.¡±  He said with a smile.


    Rachel looked down at the floor.


    He¡¯s right; I need to have some kind of weapons training to handle myself better.  Just some sort of armored glove could help me deflect weapons. Yet, even that isn¡¯t the best option since he could cut my hair.  If I come up against someone that¡¯s as fast as me and even better trained, then I¡¯m dead.


    Clearing her throat, she looked up at him.  ¡°If¡ªyou¡¯re still here when I get back ¡­ would you mind sparring with me again?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Anthony said, looking back at the sky, poking through the openings of the concrete and steel barriers.  ¡°I kind of like the weather here. When I left Tennessee, there was a little snow coming down.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Not the biggest fan of snow, and well¡ªI¡¯m currently jobless and homeless.  I could find something here in Miami. By the way, sorry about your hair; that was a pretty impressive move, though. I¡¯m shocked it only cut off a few strands.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t think it would cut at all ¡­ a mistake on my part; my hair is kind of like a magical defense in itself.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Anthony nodded as he rejoined her, standing a few feet away before folding his arms.  ¡°I didn¡¯t consider that at all; thanks for reminding me to be cautious. It makes sense; my spear has some minor anti-magic properties.¡±


    ¡°Good to know,¡± Rachel said, pulling around her hair.  ¡°So anti-magic can counter it.¡±


    ¡°I said it before, and I¡¯ll say it again; you have gorgeous hair,¡± Anthony noted.  ¡°I think I see some pink in there, too; you really have a unique appearance.¡±


    She scratched her ear as it twitched, and a soft smile touched her lips.  ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Duncan hummed lowly.  ¡°So ¡­ you two weren¡¯t even giving it your all?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem that way,¡± Anthony chuckled.


    He popped his tongue; the sound echoed around the space.  ¡°Okay.¡±


    Rachel smirked.  ¡°Next time, let¡¯s try sparring under moonlight.  I won¡¯t lose to you then.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± Anthony returned her grin.


    Rachel¡¯s ears stiffened as she realized what losing meant.  ¡°Oh, what about the story?¡±


    He shrugged, smile turning mysterious.  ¡°I don¡¯t know enough about you to cash in that ticket.  I¡¯ll take a raincheck.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Rachel hummed, brushing her hair back with a raised eyebrow.  ¡°You keep surprising me.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s brow creased with confusion.  ¡°Why did you make the bet if you didn¡¯t  have something in mind?¡±


    ¡°Do I need a reason to entertain a pretty girl,¡± Anthony replied with a wink.  ¡°So, what¡¯s on your agenda now?¡±


    Rachel fell silent as she shifted her ears, listening to her group, and Duncan muttered something under his breath.  ¡°It seems Maria finally got her wish ¡­ Fiona¡¯s drunk, and she doesn¡¯t sound anything like her normal self.¡± She mused.  ¡°She¡¯s cursing? Huh ¡­ would you like to join us?¡±


    Duncan frowned as he eyed them.  ¡°You sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±  Rachel asked.


    Anthony repeated her question with a bright smile.  ¡°Yeah, why not?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ having so many of you all ¡­ together.  It just feels ¡­ like something bad will happen.¡±


    ¡°Now wouldn¡¯t that be fun,¡± Anthony said, ¡°and sure.  Why not?¡±


    Duncan was a little hesitant, but eventually caved; the three of them entered the building again.  Their escort cleared them past the checkpoints until they made it to their building. They made it to the hallway before Anthony¡¯s eyebrows rose; Fiona¡¯s melodic voice could be heard halfway down the hall.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡ªI¡¯ll fuckin¡¯ f-fight ya¡ªdamn, brighty¡ªwhity!¡±


    ¡°For fuck sake!¡±  Maria groaned. ¡°Why the hell are you so up in arms about Enya being the best singer of all time?  I don¡¯t give a shit about¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey!¡±  Bree¡¯s frantic voice cut in.


    Anthony turned to Rachel with a confused smile.  ¡°This is normal?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly.¡±


    Rachel winced, as Mick said, ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not that big of an Enya fan myself.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s cautious tone followed.  ¡°Fiona ¡­ can you please put away the fireball ¡­ Fiona?  They didn¡¯t mean it!¡±


    ¡°Of course I meant it,¡± Maria sniffed, ¡°and what are you going to do, burn me?  I just don¡¯t like her music.¡± Rachel watched her jump back as they entered the room.  ¡°Oy!¡± She shouted; Fiona held a fist-sized fireball in her hand as she darted a bit forward, taunting her.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she hiccupped, red dust flinging off her wings in a torrent before dispersing into the air.  ¡°That¡ªthat¡¯s what I thought!¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Scarlet said with relief.  ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to give Fiona alcohol.¡±


    ¡°I beg to differ,¡± Ma?lle giggled.  ¡°She¡¯s quite the firecracker ¡­ and who might this handsome man be, Rachel?  Have you been holding back on us?¡±


    Kyle tried to scoot between Mick and Fiona, which impressed Rachel; he had more of a backbone than she¡¯d thought.  ¡°Hey ¡­ we don¡¯t need to resort to violence.¡±


    ¡°Enya¡¯s the greats!¡±  Fiona muttered as she turned her glowing red eyes to him; her fireball expanded and shrunk as she spoke, likely unable to control the output as she swayed toward them.


    What a way to introduce Anthony to the others¡­


    First addressing Maria, Rachel asked, ¡°Can you purify her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she sighed, horn appearing.  ¡°She was hilarious at the start, but then she went crazy the more she drank.¡±


    Fiona blinked before her face flushed.  ¡°Oh, my¡ªmy goodness! I¡¯m so sorry ¡­ I don¡¯t know what came over me.  Was¡ªwas I swearing, and¡ªand threatening you?¡±


    ¡°Like a sailor before Rachel got here,¡± Maria giggled.  ¡°And you have an unhealthy relationship with Enya ¡­ ya might want to look into that.  It was kind of fun until that came up.¡±


    Rachel suppressed a groan as the Succubus closed in like a viper.  ¡°Hello, my name¡¯s Ma?lle.¡±


    ¡°Anthony,¡± he responded, brow furrowing as she neared.


    Luckily, he was too tall for her to kiss his cheeks, but her suspicions rose.  She had her fingers wrapped around her back as she stared up at him. ¡°Anthony,¡± she repeated with her French accent.  ¡°That¡¯s a splendid name. Are you that Legendkin that I¡¯ve heard about?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is,¡± Serah butted in.  ¡°And I agree with Scarlet.¡±


    Rachel smiled at the scowling agent.  ¡°We now know what happens when Fiona gets drunk.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Fiona whispered.  ¡°I only had a few sips, and I just ¡­ I can¡¯t describe it.  It was like a floodgate had opened, and all my emotions just rushed out.¡±


    ¡°This is why we¡¯re...¡± Rachel¡¯s words died as she pursed her lips; Ma?lle, looking utterly innocent, darted around a distracted Serah to take Anthony¡¯s arm.


    ¡°We should sit and talk; you must tell me about your change, and what do you do to get these muscles?¡±


    Anthony gave her an apologetic look as Ma?lle pulled him toward a table.


    Maybe this wasn¡¯t such a good idea¡­


    Anthony didn¡¯t say much to Ma?lle as they all started to mingle, mostly listening to her babble as she continued to flirt.  Serah did her best to keep the Succubus at arm¡¯s length from both men as the night continued.


    Fiona was devastated by her behavior, which dampened her mood.  Scarlet was trying to keep everyone at peace and cheer up Fiona while Mick took the alcohol out of the room.  Maria had taken to questioning a nervous Kyle with Scarlet distracted.


    Rachel glanced around at the strange company she was in with pursed lips.


    How did I get roped into all this?  Was it all just Lunar Pride? This is insanity ¡­ we all have powers ¡­ everyone¡¯s trying to learn how to deal with it, and we¡¯re going on some top-secret military op tomorrow.  What would my parents think?


    Her thoughts shifted as she studied her friends.


    Maria had accepted Fiona¡¯s apology with a wave of her hand, and Scarlet was trying her best to work herself up to talk to Kyle, Maria doing her best to hook them up while not making it obvious.


    Rachel pressed her hand against her chest, looking down at the ground.


    I can¡¯t believe how happy I am.  They rely on me, and I rely on them.  So, this is what friendship is like. Everything¡¯s looking up at least; the FBI¡¯s calming down with the streets, and everyone¡¯s beginning to accept this new reality.


    She spent the next few hours mingling between each group as they formed and separated; the agents had brought lemonade and soda to replace the alcohol, to Maria¡¯s disappointment.


    She learned that while she was away, Maria had already taken a look at the agents David sent their way, and it seemed like most of them were faking the infection just to see the Succubus and Incubus again.  Their personality and looks alone were an addiction.


    Kyle slowly began to open up as the night went on, although, just like Anthony, he talked less about himself and more about the others.  He even went so far as to give Scarlet a compliment about her blue eyes, making her face reflect her name.


    Ma?lle and Kyle had several conversations in French that they seemed to enjoy, but Rachel noticed Kyle took care to keep his distance.


    Anthony mostly stayed with her, and they went from topic to topic, finding commonalities.  They both enjoyed martial arts, but Anthony preferred weapons. Both his parents died when he was a teen, but he didn¡¯t elaborate much on the topic, and even after Ma?lle asked, he didn¡¯t comment on his ring or a possible wife, changing the subject.


    When the night was nearing its end, they retired for the day, leaving Mick with Kyle as he prepared for bed.


    They escorted Ma?lle back to her room, fighting past every man that caught her interest, and every man caught her attention and was interested in her.  Another female agent took post outside her room as she wished them goodnight, making them promise that they¡¯d say goodbye before leaving.


    It was at this point that Anthony left for his room to catch some sleep, which apparently, he hadn¡¯t had since The Oscillation.


    Maria entered their room with a loud sigh, Bree and Serah joining them inside before shutting the door.  ¡°That chica is muy loca! Does she have to talk to every single guy, and not one of them was infected but perfectly willing to entertain her!¡±


    ¡°Every time I was starting to talk to Kyle, she¡¯d butt in!¡±  Scarlet seethed, finally showing her pent-up rage. ¡°She did it on purpose; I know she did!¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Fiona yawned.  ¡°I saw her trying to do the same thing with Anthony and Rachel, though,¡± she teased, nudging Rachel¡¯s arm.  ¡°So, what¡¯s the story there? You two seemed to be getting along.¡±


    Rachel forced a chuckle.  ¡°Well ¡­ we sparred, and he beat me.¡±


    The five women froze.  ¡°He¡­¡± Scarlet began, but Maria finished.


    ¡°Beat you?¡±


    ¡°In the moonlight?¡±  Fiona pressed.


    ¡°No, not in the moonlight, but he¡¯s good.¡±  She sighed, dropping into her makeshift bed before kicking off her shoes.  ¡°You already heard that he¡¯s a master at pole-based weapons; he¡¯s also really good at hand-to-hand combat, too.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Lunar Pride hit you, then?¡±  Maria asked, sitting down in a chair to rest her head against the back.


    ¡°No ¡­ I thought that was strange too, but then again, he was strong, and I wasn¡¯t at my strongest.  I learned a lot from it. I don¡¯t know how else to say it, but it was a sound defeat, and I¡¯m itching to fight him again.¡±


    ¡°You could have, instead of coming back,¡± Maria pointed out.


    ¡°I could have ¡­ but I need more experience before facing him again.  I don¡¯t want to embarrass myself, I guess.¡± She muttered.


    Bree¡¯s smile mirrored the others.  ¡°Okay ¡­ so, do you like him?¡±


    Rachel supported her head with her knees as she tucked them up to her chest.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ probably not like you¡¯re all thinking, no. I guess you could say I admire him.  He was in complete control during our fight and directed its flow with ease. I¡¯ve never felt like that before ¡­ it¡¯s something I need to learn.¡±


    Clearing her throat, she smiled at each of them.  ¡°Well, we have a big day tomorrow. Let¡¯s get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s brush our teeth first!¡±  Scarlet said.


    Maria¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Do we have any toothbrushes?¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±  Fiona asked.


    Scarlet nodded with a beaming smile.  ¡°Mick told me where some extra ones are, and I saw one that might work downstairs with those doll stuff for you, Fiona!¡±


    Scarlet teleported to the warehouse for a moment before coming back with the items; next, she took Bree and Fiona downstairs to lock-up before returning.  They each brushed their teeth and went to bed, Serah took the first watch outside so Bree could get some sleep.


    Lying in bed, Rachel didn¡¯t open her eyes as Scarlet whispered, ¡°Guys¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Maria asked, shifting in her bed.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Maria groaned as she moved again.  ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°For believing in me.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rachel smiled, shifting her ears a little on her pillow.  ¡°Thank you for believing in us.¡±


    ¡°You guys are so sweet,¡± Bree chuckled.  ¡°Oh, and by the way ¡­ do any of you need to go to the bathroom anymore?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Maria¡¯s body stiffened as she got up.  ¡°Now that you mention it ¡­ no, I haven¡¯t had the urge.¡±


    Rachel moved to lay on her back as she sighed.  ¡°Yeah, I haven¡¯t thought about that either. I haven¡¯t felt the need to use the bathroom at all.¡±  The others made similar notes in their throat as if just realizing a strange phenomenon. ¡°Why did you ask?¡±


    ¡°Because ¡­ I need to go.  I¡¯ll be back,¡± Bree muttered as she got up to leave.  ¡°That¡¯s freaking weird ¡­ so, Mythickin don¡¯t have to use the bathroom anymore ¡­ where does it all go?¡±


    ¡°Ya got me,¡± Maria whispered while settling back into bed.  ¡°I try not to think about the strange stuff¡­¡±


    That is strange; our bodies have changed that much ¡­ tomorrow we step into that crystal.  Will we make it back alive?


    It didn¡¯t take long for them to fall asleep.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 1. New Information

    AuthorSME


    Rachel¡¯s ears stiffened as she heard hurried footsteps nearby; mind rousing, she recognized Special Agent Johnson¡¯s muscle movement.  He was breathing heavily as he rushed past two office workers, causing them to press against the wall to give him more room.


    Opening her eyes, she assessed the area; Serah had taken Bree¡¯s bed, already swapping shifts, and Maria wasn¡¯t there.  Scarlet and Fiona were sleeping next to her, sound asleep.


    Johnson was one hallway away, but this section of the building wasn¡¯t traveled much since it was at the tail end of the front, so he didn¡¯t have many obstacles in his way; he had to be running to get them.


    Broadening her hearing, she determined it was nearing nightfall by the conversations, and it seemed as if a few cities were coming back under local policing control as Martial Law was lifted.  A helicopter was nearing the building, and Tom was on the roof, preparing for departure.


    It was clear that something had changed.  There was a group of agents already going to grab Maria from outside; apparently, she¡¯d only slept a few hours before going out to sunbathe.


    Johnson addressed Bree as he rounded the corner.  ¡°The General¡ªhe needs them r-ready¡ªas soon as possible!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Bree sounded confused as she turned to face him, pulling out her phone.  ¡°What¡¯s going ¡­ oh, your text just got to me. Alright,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll go in and wake them up.¡±


    Rachel was already ahead of her.  ¡°Hey, Scarlet.¡±


    The Vampire groaned, sitting up as she blinked, looking around.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± Fiona stirred next to her, stretching out atop her pillow, and her napkin blankets shifted off her naked body.


    ¡°It seems it¡¯s time to go.  Tom sounds pretty stressed; he¡¯s making plans for us to board a jet at the Fort Lauderdale Airport.¡±


    Bree knocked on the door before cracking it, the hallway lights illuminating the dark space.  ¡°Hey, I think¡­¡± Rachel cut her off.


    ¡°Thanks, Bree.  We¡¯re getting ready.  Is the sun down?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªgive me a second.¡±  She shut the door before running to the window to look outside.  ¡°It looks like there¡¯s just a bit of orange in the sky left.¡± She said, knowing Rachel could hear her.


    ¡°Scarlet, I think it¡¯s dark enough for you to go out if we teleport into the helicopter.  Can you get us into it before picking up Maria?¡±


    Getting up, Scarlet looked down at her undergarments with a slight frown.  ¡°Can I get dressed first?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rachel chuckled.


    Fiona¡¯s wings appeared as she groggily floated into the air.  ¡°Wow,¡± she yawned. ¡°We¡¯re going in hot, huh? I hope they have some sugar on the plane ¡­ I¡¯m a little hungry.¡±


    ¡°It could have been the alcohol yesterday,¡± Rachel mused, throwing her blankets off to get ready.


    Johnson stepped up to the door, but she responded before he was able to knock, and Serah began to stir.  ¡°Yes, Johnson, we¡¯re getting ready. We¡¯ll just teleport up to the helicopter. Thanks.¡±


    He cleared his throat.  ¡°I¡ªI see. Alright, then.¡±


    He briskly walked back the way he¡¯d come.  Bree ran back, coming in as they were getting dressed.  ¡°So, umm ¡­ I guess this is goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Serah rubbed her eyes, glancing around the dark room.  ¡°What¡¯s¡ªgoing on? Is it already time?¡±


    ¡°Seems like it,¡± Bree sighed, flipping on the light.  ¡°I kind of enjoyed hanging out with all of you ¡­ I can¡¯t thank Maria enough for what she did for me.¡±  She mumbled.


    ¡°I had a lot of fun too,¡± Fiona said, landing beside her dress to slip it on.  ¡°I hope they have barbie clothes I can change into once we get there; jungle exploration doesn¡¯t sound great wearing this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Tom has that all figured out,¡± Rachel replied, flipping out her hair after putting on her shirt.


    Serah rose to help zip the back of Scarlet¡¯s gown up.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ it¡¯s been a little crazy with all of you around, and you¡¯re leaving us with that Succubus.¡±  She moaned.


    ¡°Yeah, good luck with that,¡± Scarlet muttered.  ¡°She¡¯s a real piece of work.¡±


    ¡°You sure you can¡¯t suck out her blood before going?¡±  Serah asked with a forced chuckle. ¡°Make the world a little bit of a better place?¡±


    Fiona gasped as Bree helped her tie-up the back of her dress.  ¡°That¡¯s¡ªa little tight¡ªBree.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªI¡¯m so sorry,¡± Bree apologized, hurrying to undo the knot.


    Scarlet groaned as she brushed out her hair with her fingers.  ¡°I wish I could, but ¡­ yeah ¡­ I can¡¯t. We aren¡¯t going to go see her¡ªright, Rachel?¡±  Scarlet pleaded.


    Finished putting on her shoes, Rachel shook her head, pulling her hair to her back after rising.  ¡°No, we¡¯re on a clock; I get why you two don¡¯t like her, but she¡¯s not as bad as you make her out to be.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not that great,¡± both Scarlet and Serah whispered.


    Bypassing the comment, Rachel put a hand on her hip, ears still scanning for useful information.  ¡°We ready?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Scarlet sighed, turning to hug Serah before turning to do the same to Bree.  ¡°Thanks for keeping us company ¡­ and guarding us,¡± she chuckled. ¡°I know we haven¡¯t known each other long, but I enjoyed it.¡±


    ¡°Same,¡± they both replied, returning the embrace.


    Fiona hovered in the air, grinning at them.  ¡°When we come back, we should all hang out again.  Maybe I can do an FBI stream! I¡¯m sure my audience would love it ¡­ Rachel would probably have to hold the camera, though.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Rachel chuckled, ¡°but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll need to get Johnson and probably Ruth¡¯s permission to do it; Security and the head Director over the building.¡±


    Fiona waved her hand dismissively.  ¡°Bah, it shouldn¡¯t be that hard!¡±


    Scarlet moved around Bree and Serah to stand next to Rachel.  ¡°So, we leaving right now?¡±


    ¡°Yup, the helicopter is about to touch down.¡±


    Scarlet looked up at the ceiling, eyes turning void black with red halo irises.  ¡°Ah, I see it. I¡¯m guessing shadows, not blood, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fiona nodded vigorously.  ¡°Shadows, please!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡ªyeah, I¡¯m not petrified to use your blood portals, but it¡¯s not on my preference list,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°Shadows would probably work better since it¡¯s still in motion.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Scarlet whispered, motioning them to get closer; Fiona landed on Scarlet¡¯s shoulder, and Rachel pressed in, close to touching Scarlet.  Bree and Serah waved as shadows surrounded them.


    The sounds of the two beating blades spiked in Rachel¡¯s head, making her wince as she adjusted the volume.  No one was in the back of the helicopter as it descended to the rooftop. Rachel pulled her hair over her shoulder, quickly dropped into a seat, and Fiona fell into her lap, releasing her wings.


    They glanced around the dark interior; it was bigger than the last one.  The sides had gray padding, and there were headphones attached to the long poles on either side of the walls that held orange straps.  The seats weren¡¯t padded, they were only orange stretched fabric on a metal frame, and things could be slid underneath if needed.


    A large American flag was attached to the ceiling, fluttering slightly with the changing wind pressure that shifted their hair.  They could hear the pilots up front, speaking to their command; it didn¡¯t seem like they¡¯d noticed their intrusion.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go get Maria,¡± Scarlet said, vision already scanning the building below them.  Rachel nodded, and she vanished. Before the vehicle touched down, Scarlet was back with a confused Maria.


    ¡°Que mierda?  Warn me next time, girl!  Damn ¡­ that scared the ¡­ gah, I can¡¯t even say that anymore.¡±  She mumbled, pulling around her hair to sit next to Rachel.


    Scarlet took the opposite seat.  ¡°Sorry, Rachel said we were in a bit of a hurry.¡±


    ¡°Sounded like it,¡± Maria sighed.  ¡°The tipos that came to get me were antsy.¡±


    One of the pilots took off his harness and shifted to get up, freezing as he caught sight of them.  Fiona waving from Rachel¡¯s lap. ¡°Hey! We¡¯re all ready to go.¡± She said with a thumbs up.


    He paused, trying to work through the situation.


    Rachel pointed to the door.  ¡°General Dallas is outside; once he¡¯s in, we¡¯re ready to head over to the airport.  I know you have orders afterward to pick up some soldiers at Homestead and need to hurry.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± he muttered, moving to open the door.  ¡°You certainly look like what I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    ¡°Was that a compliment?¡±  Scarlet whispered, brow creasing.


    Maria shrugged in response.


    General Dallas stepped up, and the pilot explained the situation.  He straightened, walking down to meet them as the pilot returned to his seat, preparing to take off while doing checks with his co-pilot.


    Tom¡¯s dark eyebrows rose as he glanced between them, shifting the bag on his back with a grunt.  ¡°I¡¯m glad you were able to get ready so fast.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±  Rachel asked. ¡°It sounds like something¡¯s changed; I heard that Martial Law is being lifted in a few cities.¡±


    He sighed as he dropped the bag he was carrying at his feet, sitting next to Scarlet.  ¡°Yes, well, that was more of the state Supreme Courts, but no, that¡¯s not the issue. Five hours ago, the crystal¡¯s glow changed colors.¡±


    He pulled a small tablet out of a pocket on the side of the military bag, inputting a few phrases and scanning his finger, he unlocked the device to show them something.


    ¡°As you can see,¡± he pointed, voice rising as the blades pick up, ¡°it still oval-shaped, and still hovers slightly off the ground; the color of the crystal itself is the same, dark green and brown, but the dim sage glow had changed to a mustard yellow.  There are some problems on the other side too.¡±


    He handed the picture to Scarlet; she took it and passed it around as he continued to explain.


    ¡°I sent in more men ¡­ it¡¯s uncertain what happened to the men that went in before, but they¡¯re presumed dead; they failed to deliver their hourly report at eight P.M.  We were able to send in eight more soldiers. They came back and gave this report: the forward base that had been established was destroyed; most of the technology they brought with them was either damaged or taken.


    ¡°Swipe the image to see more ¡­ you see that image.  It¡¯s what we were able to recover from the previous expedition.¡±


    ¡°The sky,¡± Rachel muttered, shifting as they left the ground.  ¡°It¡¯s almost exactly like The Oscillation ¡­ it¡¯s ¡­ is that two moons in the sky?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tom sighed, scratching his bald head.  ¡°It¡¯ll be interesting to see how your powers function under two moons.  Anyways, it seems like this crystal is either a gateway to another world or another dimension, and the dome expanded ¡­ it¡¯s bigger than it was at the start.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a picture of how the dome looks after the color changed; it¡¯s higher, considerably higher.  Some of the wildlife observed were very alien; it appears many of the creatures are more insectile-types.  We don¡¯t know the significance of the crystal itself or why it¡¯s in that specific location; there aren¡¯t any clues to be found on the other side.


    ¡°However, we can assume there are hostile bodies on the other side; there were signs of a struggle.  The soldiers opened fire on an unknown target. The shells were left behind, but the weapons and remaining ammo are gone.  There was an unknown blue liquid at the scene that appears to be some kind of blood. No bodies were found, and there¡¯s no human blood to be seen.¡±


    Rachel examined the blue liquid shown in the video recording from the second investigation team; Fiona swallowed nervously.  ¡°Yeah, you know ¡­ I have blue blood. That¡¯s not creepy or anything.¡±


    ¡°What kind of weapons did they use?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°They held a defensive position using M240L machine guns with support fire from two other soldiers with M4s.  Two grenades were used, and claymores were planted as part of the defense, but they weren¡¯t triggered.¡±


    Tom scratched his arm nervously.  ¡°If two M240s can¡¯t take the enemy down ¡­ the team that¡¯s in there right now have two Browning M2 fifty-cals.  Damn ¡­ we just need to know what we¡¯re dealing with. None of the footage recovered from the cameras of the first unit shows anything particularly hostile ¡­ nothing that they couldn¡¯t handle.¡±


    ¡°Eight can enter,¡± Rachel hummed as she slid through the pictures.  ¡°The limit was five originally, but with the color change came the expansion of both area and how many people could enter.  The other men could still be alive.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but there¡¯s no response on radio and with how many tracks are around the site, and with how cautious we¡¯re being, we don¡¯t know where they could have gone.  If you can hear them, then we¡¯ll mount a rescue immediately, but until we have confirmation, we¡¯ll play it safe.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I understand; does that mean four men will be holding the crystal while we investigate?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and you¡¯ll be given a radio with other supplies before entering; there¡¯s a supermarket nearby where you can grab what clothes you might need.  We have blood packs on-site for Scarlet; she can take however many she wants. We had more supplies on the other side, but much of it was taken, including the rations.¡±


    Scarlet licked her lips eagerly.  ¡°Now you¡¯re talking,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°I don¡¯t know how much energy I can store.  I¡¯ll go in like Rambo!¡±


    ¡°Sugar?¡±  Fiona asked.


    ¡°Plenty.¡±


    ¡°Perfect!¡±


    Rachel hummed darkly.  ¡°So ¡­ you think we¡¯re dealing with something that is at least semi-intelligent?¡±


    Tom nodded before rubbing his nose.  ¡°The videos the second team brought back shows displacement in the dirt; the tracks appear to have two long toes and a sharp point that protrudes at the back of the foot.  It¡¯s theorized by the shape that they might act like talons.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t many, and there are other tracks shown in the photos.  However, they could be days old, and we don¡¯t know exactly which ones are predators or prey ¡­ there were tracks when we first stepped through, but the original footage the first team had was destroyed.¡±


    ¡°What about sunlight,¡± Scarlet asked.


    ¡°As far as we can tell, the sun should set near the same time as our own.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope,¡± she muttered.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to be barbecued Vampire.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Tom frowned, folding his arms as he shifted to look at her.  ¡°You really do burn up in sunlight?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say, it¡¯s not pleasant,¡± Scarlet sighed.


    ¡°Honestly, I couldn¡¯t tell you much about the planet,¡± Tom growled.  ¡°We tried launching a drone past the barrier, and it teleported to another part of the closed-in area; we made a rough map of the ground from the pictures, but the drone was taken out by some large dragonfly looking creatures with stingers.¡±


    ¡°These things?¡±  Maria asked, pointing at one of the pictures; the creature had a long red body with a thick black stinger at the end of its butt, similar to a bee.  It¡¯s four arms were thin and shiny blue. Its head seemed closer to a termite than a dragonfly, but its four wings seemed to flap at a fast rate. ¡°It¡¯s disgusting¡­¡±


    ¡°From what we¡¯ve determined, they¡¯re more animalistic in nature, no different than a falcon.  They seem to respond to sound, which is likely why it went after the drone; they¡¯re fast. They¡¯ve been observed to mostly live high in the treetops.¡±


    ¡°The drone test was done on the first trip, correct?  Have you done a second one since the area expanded?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, we¡¯ve put a priority on securing the immediate area; one of the soldiers is checking in every ten minutes, but currently, we have six soldiers guarding two environmental chemists that are bringing back contained samples from the site.  They¡¯re under strict orders not to leave the immediate area.¡±


    Rachel scratched her left ear, eyes scanning each image; the environment was very jungle-like, and the creatures were very different.  It seemed like this area had few animals; as Tom had said, almost everything was insect-based.


    ¡°Have you marked any dominant predators?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t left the crystal area, and from what we know about the previous crystal event, it seems to release a pulse that repels creatures nearby, which it didn¡¯t do on our side, instead, drawing citizens toward it.  However, the drone was able to capture images of a few creatures while it was active, as you¡¯ve seen. We don¡¯t know how their food chain works.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Alright, then I think we should relax until we get there.  It won¡¯t do us much good to feel nervous about what we don¡¯t know.  What I would like to do is talk about our objective.¡±


    Her eyes rose to meet Tom¡¯s, still studying the pictures with her wide field of vision.  ¡°Off the top of my head, I can imagine a new place with resources is optimal; this discovery could change everything ¡­ more real estate, possibly oil and coal, etcetera.¡±


    Tom leaned his head back against the straps, releasing a long breath.  ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. Resources are the real value of this discovery, but the primary objective is control.  Why waste so many resources going to space to get them when we could just use these crystals? However, if we cannot control an area, then devoting resources is a waste, and if it is only temporary, then it changes how we would proceed.


    ¡°As I said before, what we need is information.  You¡¯re stronger than a human, more durable, and have many utility-based abilities to help you survive and scout.  First, we need to know threats; second, we need to learn how these crystals function.


    ¡°If these crystals only go to a single planet, then that also changes how we will proceed.  We just need information, period ¡­ it¡¯ll be optimal for you to bring a camera with you. We can¡¯t transmit signals through the crystal.


    ¡°It might be possible to run a wired connection if we have a really long cord, but the speed at which it expels increases the longer something is in contact; it¡¯s a problem for the tech department on-site.  What we can do is bring radio tower equipment there and use that to run a short-range transmission to direct your search. You could provide info that could be quickly brought back.¡±


    ¡°You want us to follow directions?  We aren¡¯t soldiers that will follow every order given to us ¡­ we¡¯re contracted to get you information.  If we feel like we should do something other than what is directed, are you fine with that?¡±


    ¡°I understand the position you¡¯re in, and I know risking your life for my support is uncomfortable.  If you feel uneasy with an order or request, then I understand. I want you four to know that I have your back, whatever happens in there ¡­ all I need is actionable information.¡±


    Rachel smiled.  ¡°Then we will do what we can.¡±  Looking back down at the image, she bunched her lips to the side, examining the crystal again.  ¡°Have you considered the possibility that the color could mean that the crystal is breaking, similar to the High Rollings crystal?¡±


    ¡°Yes, however, that doesn¡¯t account for the expanded area ¡­ the other crystal didn¡¯t seem to function like that.  It must have something to do with how long it¡¯s been open. We have no clue how the crystal actually functions, though.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rachel passed the tablet to Maria.  The Unicorn made a disgusted face at the next few creatures she slid through as Rachel said, ¡°It seems like we¡¯re coming up on the airport.¡±


    Once landed, they got out of the helicopter, transferring to the small jet before it took off.  Rachel and Scarlet sat next to each other; Fiona sat on a table with a spoon of sugar in front of her.


    Maria had given the tablet to Scarlet and had taken the opposite couch to sleep, feeling a bit tired.  Scarlet was studying the scenery while Rachel leaned back, eyes closed as she rested. Tom was near the front on a laptop, reading reports and giving orders as they flew.


    Scarlet nudged her.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°What do you think about the map?¡±


    Rachel yawned, stretching out her arms above her as she glanced down at the wide-shot pictures taken by the drone as Scarlet swiped through them.  ¡°It¡¯s really green, but that area on the last picture that¡¯s burned ¡­ beyond the boundary. There could have been a fire.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that recent, though, right?¡±  She asked, going back to the image.


    ¡°Maybe not, but recent enough to still be black ¡­ if it was a fire at all.  That section is fairly blurry, but it¡¯ll be in the newly expanded area. There are the cliffs up here too,¡± she muttered, pointing at the screen.  ¡°It might be good to first head there to get a better understanding of the area, but the images aren¡¯t really that helpful; a little, but not much.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Scarlet pulled a loose section of her bangs back behind her left ear.  ¡°Once we get there, I can look around, and you can listen to see if there are any dangerous things nearby.¡±


    ¡°Everything will change the moment we step foot on this new planet,¡± Rachel said, closing her eyes again.  ¡°Tom asked the pilot how long it would take to get there, and we¡¯ll be there within four hours ¡­ we¡¯re going pretty fast.  The first thing we¡¯ll do when we get there is search for a cave, in case the sun rises sooner than expected. We need a place where you can go and not fear turning into charcoal.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Scarlet whispered.  ¡°I¡¯m kind of the weak link, huh?¡±


    ¡°You kidding?¡±  Rachel chuckled.  ¡°You¡¯re a powerhouse, but that comes with some weaknesses.  We¡¯ve all got them.¡±


    ¡°I guess ¡­ thanks for sticking with me.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Rachel groaned.  ¡°Everyone thinks your awesome, why don¡¯t you?  Have a little confidence in yourself.¡±


    ¡°Teleporting is kind of awesome, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Super awesome!¡±  Fiona agreed, giving her a thumbs-up as she got up.  ¡°Umm, my wings kind of don¡¯t really work that well in planes ¡­ could one of you help me sit down by you guys?¡±


    Scarlet chuckled, getting up to help her.  ¡°I got you.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Rachel shifted in her seat, leaning back.  ¡°Let¡¯s get a bit more rest. We need to be ready for this new place.  There could be some real threats waiting for us on the other side.¡±


    The four of them rested until they neared Billings Airport.


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


    I hope you''ve been enjoying the free entertainment!  The internet is divided into different echo-chambers; you have a specific group that only hovers around specific sites/content.  So, by recommending my serials to others, you give it more exposure to different echo-chambers and help it grow.  Ratings are excellent, Trending is terrific, but it only will appeal to a specific echo-chamber.  If you like my content, then please share it in your own unique way.


    Thank you!  ^_^7


    Normal Plugs:


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


    Vote on Top Web Fictions


    Support me on Patreon and get up to 3 Chapters ahead in A Tail''s Misfortune, 6 Chapters in The Oscillation, and 10 Chapters in Undying Empire.


    View and help contribute to the Wiki

 B3 — 2. A New World

    Rachel¡¯s skin prickled as they left the plane; there was a helicopter waiting for them when they exited the aircraft.


    The air was much chillier than she anticipated; even though it didn¡¯t bother her, it was the first time she¡¯d experienced the northern winter.  Large snow deposits were shoveled off to the sides of the airstrip, and there were still men working on clearing a section of the airfield with army support.


    They descended the steps of the jet, Fiona, Maria, and Scarlet humming with interest as they left the enclosure.


    ¡°Snow!¡±  Fiona cheered, dust turning from blue to yellow.  ¡°I saw a lot back home when I visited; to be honest, I kind of miss it.¡±


    Maria¡¯s lips curved into a frown.  ¡°This is snow? It¡¯s super cold here,¡± she mumbled, rubbing her arms.


    ¡°Does it bother you?¡±  Scarlet asked.


    ¡°What?¡±  She puffed her cheek to the side, ¡°you¡¯re not cold?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Fiona grinned, doing a spin in the air; Maria growled a little, swiping at the yellow dust that floated around them as Scarlet giggled.


    They followed Tom to the helicopter; he chuckled, glancing back at them.  ¡°Something about the four of you makes me smile; it just makes me feel like things aren¡¯t as bad as they seem.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do our best,¡± Rachel said, giving Tom a bright smile and folding her ears in to make a heart.


    Everyone but Maria laughed; she was still grumbling about the snow while folding her arms tightly around her core, accentuating her bust.


    ¡°You¡¯re incredible,¡± Tom said as they walked, watching men open the doors to the vehicle ahead of them.  ¡°That image will be burned into my mind forever. It seems so out of place, but you make it look entirely natural; you have a gift.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a simple girl,¡± Rachel giggled.


    ¡°Anything but simple,¡± Scarlet said, bumping into her playfully.  ¡°You have a billion layers; I feel like I¡¯m getting to know you, and then you swap it up.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Fiona hummed, floating between them.  ¡°I think Rachel¡¯s pretty simple; she adapts to the situation where needed, but she¡¯s a great friend.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Scarlet glared at her, ¡°but I want to change a little to help you out.  I feel like you do all the work.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just her personality,¡± Maria chuckled, trying to hide her shivers.  ¡°Rachel¡¯s a workaholic; she¡¯s always working toward something.¡±


    ¡°You sure you aren¡¯t cold, Maria?¡±  Rachel asked, grinning back at her as she tightened her grip around her body.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªokay, maybe I am!  I¡¯m just¡ªwait, you¡¯re just changing the subject!¡±


    ¡°She does look cold, though, doesn¡¯t she?¡±  Fiona commented, flipping around in the air to study the quivering Unicorn.


    Rachel glanced around; it was partly cloudy, and there were sharp gusts of cold wind that shot across the flat field.  The helicopter blew currents of chilled air around them; it was more strange that Scarlet, Fiona, and her weren¡¯t cold.  However, the moon was out, already past its peak and descending.


    ¡°It¡¯s freezing for me,¡± Tom muttered, a shiver running down his body.  ¡°It is February, and probably negative twelve Celsius; colder with the wind chill.  Billings gets cold during the winter.¡±


    ¡°Celsius,¡± Maria mumbled.  ¡°What¡¯s that in Fahrenheit?¡±


    ¡°About ten degrees,¡± Fiona answered.


    ¡°You shitting me?¡±  Maria whispered, rubbing her sides.  ¡°It¡¯s like sixty-eight in Miami ¡­ f¡¯ing wind!¡±


    Maria ran past them toward the helicopter, causing the others to chuckle.


    ¡°Screw y¡¯all!¡±  Maria yelled, hopping inside.


    They got inside the military vehicle, and it took off on Tom¡¯s command; a black-haired man with a bulky looking laptop was inside.  He greeted the general with a salute as the soldiers outside shut the door.


    ¡°General Dallas, there¡¯s been some developments.  The wavelength issues seem to be solved; we¡¯ve enhanced the signal, which appears to have solved the interference.  Also, sir, in the last report, we got a response from one of Alpha Team¡¯s members, Cross. He gave the proper identification codes, but can¡¯t give us a solid location for exfil.  The best we¡¯ve been able to determine is that it¡¯s near section O-Seven.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed as she stared at the man.  ¡°Near the mountains.¡±


    ¡°You memorized the map?¡±  Scarlet asked, sounding slightly depressed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± knowing she was feeling like an overachiever, but realizing she couldn¡¯t do anything about it, Rachel pressed on.  ¡°Did he give you any useful information?¡±


    The man looked over at Tom with a lifted eyebrow, but he nodded.  ¡°Go ahead, Major. This group¡¯s cleared for full access; they¡¯ll be going inside next.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± he said, glancing between them as he spoke.  ¡°Currently, we¡¯re holding the area around the crystal. Our last report came in eight minutes ago,¡± he said, glancing down at his laptop.  ¡°Cross told Captain Taliesin that they¡¯d seen movement on their infrared camera, but could not see anything with their naked eye.


    ¡°Upon investigation, they noticed that they were being watched.  They kept observation for five minutes before the creature crossed into the defended area; they attacked, and then everything went black.  He suspects he was attacked by some kind of sonic weapon; when he came too, the entire unit was gone except for one other member of the team.


    ¡°They were a little dazed, and that was when he saw an invisible force lift the other Beret off the ground.  He opened fire, trying to hit whatever was holding the soldier; the blue blood appears to have come from that creature.  Even while wounded, it still took the soldier into the jungle. The one remaining soldier stuffed his earplugs in after realizing what had caused their dazed state.


    ¡°He noticed other figures through infrared blocking off his path to the crystal, and took to the jungle, trying to lose the creatures.  He¡¯s been trying to radio in, but there was some kind of interference that was disrupting our communications.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Bringing us back to you strengthening the signal; so, these creatures can be hit by bullets and bleed.  It¡¯s valuable information; we have creatures that might be the cause of the crystals. They seem intelligent, and they either have more advanced technology or abilities that allow them to blend into their environment.  What do you think, Tom?¡±


    Tom listened in silence, arms folded.  He licked his lips, working around his jaw at her question.  ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± He muttered. ¡°Those Berets had earpieces to communicate that would block out enough sound to harm their ears from their guns.¡±


    His vision slid to the Major.  ¡°I assume the Berets on the other side have taken measures to secure the area with that information?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re setting up infrared sensors around the area, and they¡¯re keeping a watchful eye on their equipment.  They took measures the moment they received the intel, and there were no invisible targets in the area.¡±


    Tom popped his tongue against the roof of his mouth, sucking in a breath.  ¡°They attacked after we¡¯d already been in the area for over twenty-four hours, and then they abandon the area?  The other Berets could be alive ¡­ I¡¯m concerned about what they used to incapacitate them.¡± He muttered, glancing at Rachel.


    Rachel¡¯s cheeks bunched to the side.  ¡°I agree, it could be an issue for me; however, I do have the ability to moderate the volume.  It¡¯s not perfect, but I constantly need to adjust it in any case.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be there too!¡±  Fiona reassured from Rachel¡¯s lap, flexing the non-existent muscle on her slim arm with a smile.


    Scarlet nodded.  ¡°Yeah, we won¡¯t let anything happen to Rachel, and I can find the soldier when we get there.  Umm¡ªI guess we¡¯ll be going in hot, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°No new clothes, then,¡± Maria sighed, cracking her neck.  ¡°I¡¯m ready to go the moment we land ¡­ anything to get out of this chill; I thought it got cold in Miami in the winter,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one that thinks that,¡± Fiona giggled.


    Maria glared at her light orange dust.  ¡°Excuse me for being normal.¡±


    Rachel winked at her.  ¡°If you¡¯re normal, then we must be absolutely insane.¡±


    ¡°Wait ¡­ what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±  Maria asked, trying to work through her statement.  ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t get it.¡±


    Fiona and Scarlet giggled, causing Maria to blush.  ¡°Why am I the only one that doesn¡¯t get it?¡±


    ¡°In any case,¡± Rachel breathed a light sigh, staring out of the window at the city below as they descended, ¡°we need to be ready for a fight when we get on the other side.¡±


    The other three fell silent.


    Tom scratched his forehead, turning back to the Major.  ¡°Could the expansion have something to do with the creatures showing up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a possibility, but we can¡¯t be sure.  With the interference we¡¯re getting, it¡¯s hard to know much; it certainly increased when the crystal¡¯s glow changed colors.¡±


    The helicopter landed outside a makeshift structure; it appeared as if the Military had flown in some kind of makeshift bomb container that they¡¯d dropped around the crystal.  There were weapons set up around it and checkpoints blocking off much of the area.


    Stepping out of the helicopter, Rachel examined what she could see with a single sweep, turning her head to get a full scope of the area.  They were in a parking lot with a Mexican grill, Panda Express, Market, and Red Robin¡¯s. She could see a lot of fast-food restaurants across the street and a coffee shop.


    Military vehicles and personnel were stationed all over the place, and helicopters were coming and going like clockwork.  She could hear jets flying overhead, making sweeps.


    Tom¡¯s literally prepared for war.


    A black-haired Hispanic man in his mid-forties ran toward them with two stars on his shoulder.  ¡°General Dallas!¡±


    ¡°Jensen, what¡¯s happening?¡±  Tom asked, hopping on the stairs.


    ¡°I just got word from the NSA Deputy Director; five more crystals have been documented within the States.¡±


    ¡°Shit ¡­ when did they appear?¡±


    ¡°Three appear to have been active for more than twelve hours, two less than two.¡±


    Tom turned to Rachel.  ¡°I need to get on the phone with the President.  I need answers, Rachel. Whatever you need.¡±


    Rachel nodded, and he walked off with the two-star general, moving into a trailer that had been set up at the corner of the parking lot.


    The Major motioned to them.  ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll guide you inside.¡±


    They followed the man through three checkpoints, passing inside the temporary containment dome.  Soldiers with massive guns and boxes of ammunition lined the hallway; they had to zig-zag around barriers that had been placed to funnel any form of assault.  Scarlet and Fiona gave each other nervous smiles as they continued.


    She continued to listen to the conversation Tom was having; he was on a conference call with the President, the Secretary of Defense, service secretaries, and Joint Chiefs of Staff.


    So, the other crystals are the same shape and color but have a brown and sage green glow.  It seems like our crystal is the only one that¡¯s changed ¡­ at least none of them show any signs of having the High Rollings incident.


    After a time, they arrived at the center.  The crystal was a lot larger in person than Rachel anticipated, but was just the same as she¡¯d seen in the pictures; an oval-shaped green crystal with a yellow glow and a pristine jungle clearing on the other side.  It appeared to be nighttime.


    It doesn¡¯t reflect a perfect representation of what¡¯s on the other side; right now, there should be a military camp built around that area, but it¡¯s not showing.  Does it carve an image of what¡¯s on the other side the moment it¡¯s created?


    Nodding to Scarlet, she kept walking as the Major stopped.  ¡°Scarlet, you stay here until we figure out if it¡¯s nighttime.  The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get back to our lives.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Scarlet cleared her throat before chuckling.  ¡°I guess we¡¯ll be going to a new world ¡­ we¡¯re like astronauts or something.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s kick some ass!¡±  Maria smiled, but Rachel could smell she was nervous.


    Fiona hesitated for a moment but sped up to join them after looking back at the entrance.  ¡°I hope Nora and Erica are okay¡­¡±


    You can¡¯t pull back out once you touch it¡­


    She tried to pull her arm out, but it was useless; it continued to pull her arm inside at a constant rate.


    Interesting ¡­ I¡¯d have to cut off my arm to get away.


    ¡°Eh, Rachel?¡±  Maria asked, swallowing nervously as her own hand was being pulled in.  ¡°Are we going through, because I don¡¯t think I can get out ¡­ damn.¡±


    ¡°No, let¡¯s go.¡±  She stepped through, and the crystal let her increase the pace; the moment her head went through, she was in a new world.  Her shoes made a squelching sound as they sunk into the mud.


    Time slowed as she looked around with her wide field of vision, walking a few steps in.  It was nighttime. It was like she was floating.


    Two bright moons showered their full glow across the clearing; they were three times the size of Earth¡¯s.  The sky was bright with stars and nebulae, dotting the clear sky with color. A smile lit her lips as she raised her hand; she was shining like a spotlight.


    The sounds that fed into her ears were foreign; she could hear clicking, whirring of wings, cricket sounds, and dull vibrations throughout the forest.  It only took her a moment to filter everything out to find the shallow breathing of a human to her left, near the massive mountains that resembled the pictures she¡¯d seen of the Himalayas.


    Bright lights atop poles lit the clearing, getting their power from a solar generator.  A few soldiers turned to stare at her, eyes wide. She quickly took note of the enormous guns that were stationed around the area, fully armed, and the large Humvee with a massive radio tower on it.


    One of the men quickly moved toward her.


    ¡°What the¡­¡±  Fiona screamed as she came through, causing Rachel to turn.  She barely kept herself from hitting the ground. ¡°The flippin¡¯ ¡­ heavy!¡±  She grunted, slowly rising as she flapped her wings.


    Maria grunted as she walked through, pumping her arm.  ¡°Shit ¡­ why am I so damn heavy, and ... I suddenly feel a little sick.¡±  She mumbled, holding her stomach.


    The man that had left his station by one of the large guns cleared his throat before saying, ¡°Hey, you must be the assault force we¡¯ve been waiting for ¡­ you¡¯re one of the changed?  My name¡¯s Captain Taliesin¡­¡±


    Rachel smiled welcomingly.  ¡°Yes, give me a moment; I need to let another member know it¡¯s safe to come through.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­¡±


    She¡¯s already walked back, appearing on the other side.  Scarlet was folding her arms nervously, eyes widening when she came through.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°All clear, and there are two moons ¡­ I feel like I could fly.¡±  She giggled, smiling ruefully at her fading glow. ¡°It seems like the gravity is slightly stronger on the planet; so, be prepared for that.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I thought you¡¯d been briefed on that,¡± the Major said apologetically.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±  Rachel tilted her head and went through, waiting for Scarlet.


    The first thing she heard was Maria complaining.  ¡°... have worn boots,¡± she grumbled.


    ¡°Yeah, this will take some getting used to,¡± Fiona mumbled, bobbing up and down.


    Maria lifted an eyebrow, noticing she was back.  ¡°Damn, brillante como el sol.¡±


    ¡°Deas,¡± Fiona cooed.  ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful!¡±


    Scarlet appeared next to them, looking around with interest, but her black halo irises were instantly drawn to her.  ¡°Holy snap! I¡¯m like¡ªblind ¡­ your insides are on fire.¡±


    Rachel smirked.  ¡°Peeking? How rude, Scarlet.¡±


    She smiled, turning her eyes to the soldiers.  ¡°Those are massive trees ¡­ some crazy creatures around us.¡±


    ¡°Those creatures?¡±  Taliesin asked, head darting around.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know,¡± Scarlet smiled apologetically.  ¡°I can see through a lot of things, including trees.  I see a lot of creatures around us ¡­ underground in caves too.¡±  She mumbled, nose twisting with disgust. ¡°Those things are nasty looking ¡­ oh, they¡¯re burrowing under us.¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡±  Taliesin grunted, gripping his weapon as he looked down.  ¡°Should we prep some charges?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; it¡¯ll take them a little bit,¡± Scarlet said, scanning the area again.


    ¡°Scarlet, look this way,¡± Rachel said, pointing in the direction of the human she could still hear.  ¡°See him?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah, got him.¡±  Taliesin shrank back as blood left Scarlet¡¯s body, gathering into a flat disk in front of her and a few feet off the ground.  ¡°Here we go.¡± She said brightly as a muddy blob dropped out of the portal before it closed off, returning through her clothes.


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    The others looked down at the stunned man with the other Berets.


    Maria sighed, horn appearing.  ¡°Twisted ankle and a few cuts ¡­ all fixed.¡±


    Fiona lifted her finger and created a globe of water; it continued to grow until it was the size of the man.  ¡°Hold your breath,¡± she said with a bright tone, dropping it on him. It cycled a little before she lifted it up again and tossed it to their left.


    The man was quivering, looking around at them before his eyes settled on the other Berets.  ¡°Am I ¡­ dreaming? Hot chicks, and I¡¯m back in the camp?¡±


    ¡°Aww, thanks,¡± Fiona¡¯s deep blue glow flipped to bright red, and she sent a spray of hot air at the man.  ¡°Just give me a second to dry you off.¡±


    All Taliesin could do was stare and mutter, ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    Rachel looked down at the dirt, a slight frown on her lips as she listened.  Her ears twitched as the sound of digging became clear, and she could hear the sharp clicks of something.  ¡°I can hear them, Scarlet; they¡¯re about forty feet down, six of them.¡±


    They all turned to her, and Scarlet asked, ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I hear two more in the jungle with the same sounds thirty meters into the jungle in front of your second gun over there.  There¡¯s at least twelve of them in a burrow toward¡­,¡± she glanced up at the mountains. ¡°Thought so; they¡¯re coming from the burnt area.  We¡¯ll call the mountains north, which would put them southwest.¡±


    She looked down at the man; he was nearly dry already.  ¡°What can you tell me; are they friendly or foe?¡±


    He swallowed before clearing his throat.  ¡°Hey, you¡¯re Taliesin, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Cross, and this is the assault team we¡¯ve been waiting for.¡±


    ¡°Where the hell¡¯d they find them, a cosplay convention?¡±  He grunted, standing up to look at her. ¡°Anyways, thanks, and honestly, I can¡¯t say.  As far as I know, the others are fine.¡±


    Rachel pursed her lips, looking southwest.  ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that ¡­ Scarlet, go scout out the burnt area and tell me if you can find the soldiers.  It¡¯s too far away for me to hear, which means it must be more than several miles ¡­ unless they¡¯re underground.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s features brightened as she saluted her.  ¡°I¡¯ll check it out!¡± She was swallowed by shadows.


    Cross¡¯ eyes shot open.  ¡°Where the ¡­ nevermind¡ªI¡¯ve seen enough shit today ¡­ what¡¯re my orders, Captain?  I assume you¡¯re the highest-ranking officer here at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes, right now, we¡¯ve been told to just secure the area; do you have anything important to report?¡±


    ¡°Know about the invisible creatures?¡±


    ¡°We got that,¡± Maria mumbled, yawning a little.  ¡°Damn, why do I feel sick to my stomach?¡±


    Rachel looked up at the sky.  Her weakest resistance was supposed to be Lunar Energy.  ¡°Probably the double moons; they¡¯re really close, and both are full.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she moaned, cracking her neck.  ¡°What about you? How are you dealing with the energy spike?¡±


    ¡°Like the energizer bunny,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Although, I suppose I¡¯d get stuck really easily with this mud ¡­ I¡¯ll probably have to jump from tree to tree, parkour-style.¡±


    ¡°That sounds fun,¡± Fiona chimed, white tones returning as she cut the spell.  ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Scout out the air, and tell me if you find something of interest and if anything attacks you¡ªlight them up.  Bring down one prisoner if you can; can you use Freeze on one?¡±


    ¡°Umm, yup!.¡±


    ¡°Great, and if you¡¯re having issues, then prioritize your safety.¡±


    ¡°What would Maria say?¡±  Fiona hummed thoughtfully before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll rip a hole in through their panza!¡±  Fiona shouted, shooting into the sky.


    Maria¡¯s eyebrows lifted as she followed her ascent.  ¡°Actually sounds like somethin¡¯ I¡¯d say; you¡¯re learnin¡¯ fast.¡±


    ¡°Alright, well¡ªthis is happening,¡± Cross grunted, frowning down at his AR.  ¡°I hid in a mud pit, and was scouting around, but I didn¡¯t find much. Got a bigger gun with some stronger ammo?¡±


    ¡°Cases in the back of the humvee.¡±


    ¡°Sweet.¡±  Cross moved to the vehicle.


    ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡±  Taliesin asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know yet.  We have creatures burrowing below us, but we don¡¯t know their intent.  I don¡¯t hear anything significant that they¡¯re doing other than likely talking to each other.  The two ahead of us might be scouting us out; I can¡¯t see unintelligent creatures just chilling around a place where they¡¯d been attacked.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just chill by the car,¡± Maria said, stretching out as she stomped her way through the mud, grumbling about it the entire way.


    Rachel looked up as several sounds shot across the sky, rocketing toward Fiona.  I thought there might be an enemy that would see her.  It sounds like those dragonfly-like creatures. Fiona¡¯s a powerhouse, though ¡­ there¡¯s no way she¡¯d miss them.


    Sure enough, she heard Fiona chuckle darkly.  ¡°You were right, Rachel. Now, what to use? Fire might be too bright ¡­ target practice?¡±


    Large spikes of ice appeared around her, and she threw them into the dark, but the creatures seemed to shift directions easily to avoid them as they neared.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Fiona whispered.  ¡°Y¡¯all asked for it! I gotta hustle, won¡¯t quit; grind, won¡¯t stop, dirty little misfit, illin¡¯ just to kill it!  Muscle through like Arnie, then I hit em¡¯ with the ¡­ pop, pop, pop!¡±


    Rachel laughed, watching Fiona shoot toward them, ball of fire growing around her as she chased the creatures around the sky, disintegrating their thin bodies while singing and ramming them through with shards of ice as more joined the chase.


    ¡°All across the land, all I do is slay, fastest Fairy in the ace; I¡¯m stupid dub sick, Queen of Faiya here to stay  ¡­ Supa fly life, livin¡¯ just ta kill ¡®em; power level off the scale; I¡¯m pop and droppin¡¯ y¡¯all shrimps! I got some wings; flyin¡¯ high like a superhero pimp; getting cred for my skillz with insects on a stick!


    ¡°If I want it, bet I got it, if I don¡¯t, bet all I gotta do is smoke, rip ¡­ smoke, rip, smoke, rip ¡­ boi, get up off my grill!   Think y¡¯all can catch me? I got them air-Nike kicks, ballin¡¯ till I drop, flossin¡¯ ¡®till I¡¯m finished. Spoken for da thrill, burnin¡¯ insects along the way, then I pop mah collar top-top tier snipin¡¯ err¡¯day!  Dab on ¡®em!¡±


    ¡°What did you teach Fiona while I was sleeping, Maria?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Maria asked, looking up at the sky as Fiona darted about, slaughtering dozens of insects; their charred or frozen bodies fell around them.  ¡°All I can see is that ball of fire ¡­ is she chasing something? Wait, is she rapping?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty funny, to be honest.¡±


    Maria grinned.  ¡°Man, wish I could hear her; she has a really nice voice.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re serious,¡± Taliesin mumbled.  ¡°She¡¯s just ¡­ singing and killing them all?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as her head dropped, looking at the jungle.  There we go ¡­ finally, on the move, are we?  Now, what will you do with Fiona spitting fire up top?


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 B3 — 3. Making A Move

    Rachel tracked the creatures¡¯ movements up a large tree; they were surprisingly silent and quick for their size, but she could hear every twitch of their muscles and joints.


    Turning to the captain, she said, ¡°Taliesin, once Scarlet is back, could you send one of your men through to report the situation to the Major and have them bring as many blood bags as they can.  There should be a bag of sugar, too. General Dallas said there would be some prepared.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can do that.  What about the creatures in the jungle and the ones under our feet?¡±


    ¡°Right now, I¡¯m just observing them, and the creatures below us are taking some time to create their tunnel; I don¡¯t think they know our exact position.  They¡¯re probably examining the vibrations we make walking. Don¡¯t worry about any of them; I¡¯ll inform you if anything changes.¡±


    He nodded.  ¡°It sure is strange having people with abilities around ¡­ I suppose the general chose you for a reason.¡±


    She turned her focus back to the sky.


    The flying ones seem to be drawn to Fiona¡¯s light; but overall, they¡¯re nothing special.  They could be dangerous to creatures on this planet, especially with their numbers, but Fiona just has to fan her fireballs around, and they get smoked.  It¡¯ll be interesting to see what new skills she can develop after killing all of them. They¡¯re not really that intelligent ¡­ she¡¯s beginning to kill them by the hundred.


    Her head dropped to the treeline.


    These invisible things, though ¡­ I feel like it¡¯s still too early to count them as intelligent, but they certainly do seem to have interesting behavior.  Two scouts that are obviously observing. The issue is if they can communicate with the others. It doesn¡¯t appear like they are, but how would I confirm it?


    Rachel¡¯s wide vision took in the area.


    These soldiers are tense, but focused; they¡¯ve only been given orders to secure the crystal and wait for us ¡­ it must be aggravating.  That scientist operating the equipment seems most agitated. They are dealing with a lot of unknowns in an alien environment; the horror movies flashing through their minds must be on overdrive.


    These things must seem like wraiths to them ¡­ I can¡¯t hear any other humans in the jungle.  Where did they bring the other unit? How did they escape the defenses, as well? They could have sharp senses to detect the claymores and other defensive measures ¡­ they¡¯re clearly cautious.  The previous team could have been under observation the entire time.


    They took much of their equipment with them, but I don¡¯t hear any of it within my sensory radius.  Why? Scarlet should have a lot more information with her when she returns.


    Her ears stiffened as she turned her head, scanning the area.


    There are so many creatures around the jungle, but most appear to keep a wide distance from the monsters that attacked the camp.  They¡¯re probably the apex predators of ¡­ wait, one of them just attacked another creature ¡­ how far away ¡­ three miles southeast.


    She paused on the scene, listening to the scrapes and light guttural sounds the other creature made in contrast to the high-pitched sounds of the invisible monster.


    The other one is putting up a decent fight ¡­ they¡¯re winning.  I¡¯m not close enough to get a clear picture. It did something to¡­


    Her thoughts paused, ears twitching; she¡¯d heard a high-frequency sound from the invisible creatures in that direction, making every one of the monsters around the forest pause and look in that direction; it sounded like a distress call.


    The offensive unit of the invisible creatures had just been wounded and was on the retreat; a new sound from under the ground entered the mix, and the sounds faded with a shift in directions by several units in the area.


    Was it a counter-ambush?  Did they bait the creatures to a specific location to get the upper hand?  They caught up ¡­ it sounds like they¡¯re pulling them underground. This ecosystem is an interesting one.


    She glanced south as she heard Scarlet teleporting just under a mile at a time, heading their way.  The other soldiers tensed as she appeared beside her.


    ¡°Rachel, it¡¯s not a burnt area!¡±  She said with excitement. ¡°It¡¯s like black sand¡ªwell, more gravel than sand.¡±  She said, holding up a handful of the bumpy substance; it almost looked like obsidian, but less shiny.


    It could be dangerous to handle for humans.  I¡¯m not so worried about Scarlet, but the others¡­


    ¡°Taliesin, could you get a biohazard bag that we could put this in.  I¡¯m sure the scientists on the other side would want to investigate the substance.¡±


    ¡°I was just about to suggest that,¡± he muttered, calling over the blonde-haired scientist by the trailer adjusting the radio equipment.  ¡°Hazard bag, Thomson!¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s brow creased as she looked down at the objects in her hands.  ¡°I didn¡¯t even think about it being dangerous like that.¡±


    ¡°I doubt it could do any harm to you,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Anyways, what else did you find?¡±


    ¡°Thousands of those insect-like creatures underground!  It¡¯s like a massive hive, and I saw the equipment down there ¡­ the men are dead, though.  It looks like their bodies were taken to the hatchery ¡­ butchered, really.¡±


    ¡°Butchered...¡±  Taliesin¡¯s nose twitched.


    Scarlet looked up.  ¡°Fiona¡¯s fighting those dragonfly things?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rachel said without explanation.  ¡°What do the invisible ones look like?¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± her void black and red halo irises shifted to the trees.  ¡°Kind of odd. Some have a circular butt that flattens out into a point, and they  have different sections on their bodies ¡­ kind of like an ant-wasp hybrid. Some have two big wings ¡­ I can see a bluish-like liquid coursing through their bodies; that¡¯s probably their blood.


    ¡°Their mouths have four sharp ¡­ what would you call it¡ªmandibles?  There are smaller teeth further in their mouths.  I can see a pretty small brain, and they have some strange organs.  I think they have a really hard outer shell; it looks tough, at least.


    ¡°Oh, and there are a few different types in the hive; the ones that were sent out look more or less the same¡ªmy teeth ache a bit ¡­ I kind of want to see what they taste like.   Oh¡ªbut looks¡ªlooks ¡­ some have segmented parts, and some are more oval.  Some are brown and black, some green. The ones that are digging have paddle-like hands with small sharp fingers ¡­ they¡¯re super creepy, actually.


    ¡°There are a few fuzzy ones in the underground hive, and they all have stingers near their stomach.  I saw one latch onto a big rhino looking bug ¡­ like around its back, and its stinger shot right through its tough-looking armor.  It injected some kind of liquid that paralyzed the rhino-bug. Every one of them has six legs and big antenna ¡­ some larger than others.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Maria mumbled; she was still seated several meters away on the trailer, but listening.  ¡°Thousands of those things around us?¡±


    ¡°Well, there are tunnels under us,¡± Scarlet nodded, ¡°but I don¡¯t think they¡¯re all from those creatures.¡±


    ¡°What about being invisible?¡±  Taliesin asked.


    ¡°Oh, yeah!  The ones in the jungle can change their colors to blend in.  I don¡¯t know if the others can do it, though. I didn¡¯t see any of them doing it besides the ones with flat butts, but my eyes have like x-ray vision so I can see their fluid and organs.  They can¡¯t change that color,¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°Does it look like they¡¯re intelligent?¡±  Rachel pressed. ¡°You called it a hive; do they have honeycomb-like structures underground?¡±


    Scarlet nodded.  ¡°The hive, yes, intelligent, I don¡¯t know ¡­ they seem to have a lot of structure.  They¡¯re all going about doing specific tasks. They create this strange black sticky substance that they put the eggs in ¡­ it¡¯s like they throw it up from this little gland in their mouths.¡±  She shuddered. ¡°They¡¯re pretty picky about cleaning places, too. They have an entire place where workers go in to be cleaned before leaving or going to different areas of the hive.¡±


    Taliesin folded his arms, pursing his lips.  ¡°How did you get that so fast?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, It helps when you have x-ray vision that can see really far into the ground,¡± Scarlet said with an innocent smile.


    ¡°You said you wanted to ¡­ taste them?¡±  He asked with a strained smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± Rachel cut in, shifting her eyes to the blonde-haired man as he approached.


    He held up a bag for Scarlet to drop the black materials into.  ¡°Umm, I heard you guys talking about the creatures, and from what I heard, they¡¯re producing normal bee or ant-like behavior.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Rachel asked, adding a soft smile to her lips.  ¡°Do you know a bit about insect behavior?¡±


    ¡°Yes ¡­ it¡¯s one of the reasons why I was selected,¡± he muttered.  ¡°I feel like I haven¡¯t been able to do much cooped up here in the camp, though.¡±  He said, shooting a glance at Taliesin.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard your complaints,¡±  Taliesin sighed. ¡°However, with the enemy so close to us,¡± he glared at the jungle, ¡°it was the right decision to wait.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°You see ¡­ insects usually have incredibly sensitive hairs on their antennae, and they need to be cleaned to smell food or follow pheromone trails or communicate.  Similarly to ants, bees clean themselves quite regularly, too, wiping their eyes.


    ¡°These creatures might be a slightly more advanced form of bees or ants; it seems as if they¡¯re observing us to understand our behavior.  Some animals have curious personalities and will study and mimic humans.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how advanced these creatures are, but if we¡¯re talking about honey bees, then they¡¯re more akin to animated robots that move around their environment, responding to stimuli with behaviors that have served them well for millions of years.  They build wax combs to use for food storage and baby bee production; it allows the bees to keep tens of thousands of bees huddled closely together.


    ¡°Infection is a serious thing to consider, though, and any type of microbial outbreak that happens in a species that interact closely with one another could be destroyed since they¡¯re so tightly packed together; that¡¯s one reason why they¡¯re so meticulous about cleaning, to avoid an epidemic.


    ¡°Bees, for example, exhibit behavior to deal with that problem; they collect resins from various plant sources, return to the hive with these sticky masses, and their sisters help to unload them.  It¡¯s commonly called propolis or bee glue because it is used to fill small cracks in the hive and cements the boxes together.


    ¡°It¡¯s used as a thin varnish to line the walls, and sometimes portions of the combs.  They carry surprisingly potent antimicrobial properties that are effective against bacteria, fungi, and viruses.  So, bees are encased in a shell of antibiotics. It¡¯s been speculated that the inside of a beehive is as clean as a hospital room.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fascinating and all, but what are we going to do with that information,¡± Taliesin asked dryly, ¡°spread viral or bacterial warfare among them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying that¡¯s a possibility with what she saw,¡± Thomson defensively said.  ¡°The scouting behavior is an interesting one, though. Bees will send out scout bees to find new locations for the colony to build if they¡¯re becoming overcrowded.  Generally, though, insects follow a set of rules rather than complex behaviors.


    ¡°For these creatures, they sent out scouts that watched us cautiously, having developed themselves to be hard to notice.  They seem to have evolved to have different types of workers, by your explanation, young lady, and that is an important identification.¡±


    Scarlet beamed at his praise, likely feeling useful.


    Rachel hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°No, I like your examination.  So ¡­ you think each of these ants is designed for different purposes in mind, and that¡¯s been dictated by their environment?  These scouts are now observing Fiona in the sky, and the ants burrowing below us could be special ants designed for surprise attacks.  These scouts seem to be equipped with some kind of vocal attack, though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible; I¡¯m just giving you my experience with insects.  Insects and most animals don¡¯t tend to enjoy wasting resources like we humans tend to do.  In many cases, warrior ants have developed so specifically for combat that they can¡¯t even feed themselves with their powerful arms and must be spoon-fed by others.


    ¡°It takes a lot of resources and time for these ants to develop and are valuable resources to the colony; so, they will send in fodder worker ants to die in droves during war to give the warrior ants the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow without sustaining injury.  It¡¯s easier to replace the worker ants than the highly specialized warriors.


    ¡°You have these scouts observing us, and they¡¯re looking to see how dangerous we potentially are.  They eventually found us as potential food and sent their scouts after us, not needing their warriors; however, one got away and was even able to injure them.  Therefore, we¡¯re a more potent threat to the collective than they first understood.


    ¡°It appears slightly more advanced than your average ant or bee ¡­ they appear to have sharper senses and functions, but they seem far from intelligent.  That¡¯s my observation, anyway.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s red irises moved to the jungle.  ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure ¡­ I¡¯m just happy I was able to get a bit more information on the creatures.  I¡¯d personally love to take some back with me for study.¡± He said with a hopeful tone.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Rachel whispered.  ¡°Our priority isn¡¯t the creatures, but the crystal itself.  I don¡¯t think we need to focus on them too much other than defending ourselves.  So, let¡¯s let them know we¡¯re not to be trifled with.¡±


    She smiled down at Scarlet.  ¡°Go grab one of the ones three hundred meters to our left, in the middle of their group, make them fear you; paralyze one, and bring it back.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±  Scarlet chimed, saluting as she vanished in shadow.


    ¡°Making the preemptive attack?¡±  Taliesin whispered. ¡°Should we prepare for a counter-attack?¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt, but this is also to determine what their response will be.¡±  Rachel smirked as Scarlet appeared on top of a scout.


    A chill ran down every soldier¡¯s spine as Scarlet released her Fear Aura.  The creatures froze as Scarlet¡¯s pleasant tone carried through the suddenly silent jungle.  ¡°Hello! My name¡¯s Scarlet. How are you guys this fine night? Oh, I¡¯ll be taking one of your friends.¡±


    Thomson¡¯s body began to quake as he stared toward Scarlet¡¯s sinister presence, pointing them in her direction.  ¡°What is this feeling of¡ªof dread?¡±


    ¡°As creepy as ever,¡± Maria huffed, leaning back against the trailer to stare up at the sky.


    Rachel¡¯s ears followed the actions of the packs of creatures, but she replied with a light chuckle.  ¡°Scarlet is built to be at the top of the totem pole; how they react to an apex predator will determine what our next move will be.¡±


    ¡°An apex predator ¡­ what is she?¡±  Taliesin asked. ¡°I feel like it¡¯s something that¡ªthat we should just run from.  It¡¯s something we shouldn¡¯t even consider fighting.¡±


    Fiona darted back down as the bugs fled.  ¡°Hey, Rachel! Is Scarlet okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s bringing back a prisoner.  Mind throwing up a Wind Prison when she gets back?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªyeah.¡±


    ¡°Good work with those bugs, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, were you listening?¡±  She eagerly asked.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ you have an amazing voice, but¡­¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°But? But what?¡±


    ¡°But you could work on your lines; don¡¯t get me wrong, some of them were priceless, but I think the combination could use some work.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Maria shouted, but she bent over, clutching her stomach.  ¡°Ugh ¡­ screw multiple moons. Don¡¯t be hard on her! It was her first time rapping.¡±


    ¡°Aww,¡± Fiona¡¯s smile rose.  ¡°Did you hear, Maria?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ but it was your first time really doing it yourself.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s ears drooped.  ¡°I guess I could work on the lines.¡±


    All their eyes darted to a large, thin blood portal that appeared several feet from them; Scarlet deactivated her Fear Aura as she dropped through, sitting on top of a blob of colors.  She made a victory sign.  ¡°Brought the prisoner!¡±


    ¡°That thing¡¯s huge!¡±  Fiona said, a gust of wind blowing past them as she created the Wind Prison.  ¡°Wait ¡­ are those big things their teeth?  Gross ¡­ oh, did you hear my rap, Scarlet?¡±


    Scarlet blinked blankly, teleporting through shadow to her side.  ¡°Rap? I didn¡¯t know you rapped, Fiona? I thought you said you never even tried back when you were drinking.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but Maria¡¯s been coaching me ¡­ I think I need to work more on my freestyle; Rachel thinks I should work on my lines.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± Rachel scratched her left ear, folding it slightly.  ¡°You have a wonderful voice, but the follow-up lines could use some work.¡±


    ¡°Lay it on me,¡± Scarlet smiled.  ¡°I want to hear.¡±


    ¡°I second that!¡±  Maria called out, still looking slightly sick.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with her?¡±  Scarlet asked.


    ¡°The damn moons!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s inconvenient,¡± Fiona sighed, moving over to talk with her, Scarlet following.


    ¡°Umm,¡± Taliesin followed their conversation with a confused expression, eyes moving back to the quivering colorful mass.  ¡°Should ¡­ is it secure?¡±


    Fiona waved her hand nonchalantly.  ¡°Yeah, yeah, no problems, Wind Prison¡¯s up.  So, check out these lines, Maria!¡±


    Rachel patted Taliesin¡¯s back with an encouraging smile.  ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m keeping track of everything. Right now, the ones underneath us are retreating, and the two that are still watching us are pulling back; I¡¯m pretty sure they saw that we captured one of their people.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be this easy¡­¡±  He trailed off as Rachel chuckled.  ¡°This isn¡¯t anything funny.¡±


    ¡°This is just another deadly game of life,¡± she responded.  ¡°The situation had too many unknown variables, and we¡¯ve just made a move that will simplify things.  We haven¡¯t killed them yet, which gives us leverage if they¡¯re intelligent. However, if they want to fight, then I¡¯m not opposed.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    Maria laughed, apparently listening to them as Fiona collected her thoughts.  ¡°That¡¯s just how it¡¯s done! Hey, Rachel, you said those vatos are running¡ªand damn, I¡¯m gonna need sunglasses with how bright you are.¡±


    ¡°As charming as always,¡± Rachel said with a fond tone.  ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re backing down.¡±


    Fiona made her best gangster impression to follow Maria.  ¡°We¡¯re G¡¯d-up, Homie!¡±


    ¡°Chica,¡± Maria shook her head,  ¡°it just sounds comical from you.¡±


    She puffed out her cheeks.  ¡°Hey, I¡¯m trying! It¡¯s not my fault I¡¯m flippin¡¯ three inches tall.  I¡¯m just repeating some of the things in the songs you showed me!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but,¡± Maria popped her tongue and pulled her hair over her shoulders, ¡°okay, yeah, it just doesn¡¯t fit ya.¡±


    ¡°Then how would you say it?¡±  Scarlet asked, glancing over at the creature as it started to rise back to its feet; it seemed to be struggling to even stand.


    Maria smirked, walking over to the edge of the Wind Prison, flashing her teeth.  ¡°These vatos have no clue who they fucked with; they tryin¡¯ to see some blood spray, we can do some slug trades if they think they can play.  This is just a big ass sea, and we roll and dismantle, so they better comply. Ya hear, el insecto? Abliberate your whole clika when it¡¯s time to get down.  We¡¯re serio, like a fuego, chino, so pay close attention.¡±


    Fiona hummed with a hint of disappointment.  ¡°I¡¯d give that a seven; no F-word, remember?¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Maria muttered.


    Scarlet¡¯s vampiric eyes widened.  ¡°Really? I thought she sounded pretty threatening.¡±


    ¡°Meh, I¡¯ve heard better from her.¡±  Fiona shrugged. ¡°The Spanish was a nice touch, though.  I doubt it even understands us.¡±


    Maria popped her tongue.  ¡°Y¡¯all unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all nuts,¡± Rachel said with a forced chuckle.  ¡°Fiona, can you not communicate with it?¡±


    Fiona pursed her lips before shaking her head.  ¡°Na, I¡¯ve heard a few creatures speak around the area, but not this thing.  I don¡¯t think my communication skill works with insects.¡±


    ¡°Alright, see if you can find something nearby that can give you some information.  Be forceful if you need to.¡±


    ¡°Aww, can I tell Maria my bars real quick?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.  Once you finish that, see if you can get us some intel on these things.  Maybe you could find an interpreter or something.¡±


    Scarlet licked her lips, eyeing the creature that had retreated to the opposite side of the prison.  ¡°Oh, that would be cool! I really would like to taste a little of them, though.¡±


    ¡°In time,¡± Rachel replied, turning to the Captain.  ¡°Could you send in your report. It seems Scarlet is getting a little hungry.¡±


    ¡°Just a little ¡­ and I¡¯m just a bit curious; it smells a little sour, but a good kind of sour.¡±  Scarlet said, licking her lips as she looked at the creature in front of them.


    ¡°This is insane,¡± Taliesin mumbled, moving to talk to one of his soldiers.  ¡°It¡¯s like we¡¯re the monsters here now¡­¡±


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 B3 — 4. Uncertainty Grows

    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as she listened to the surrounding jungle, still assessing the situation while looking at the camouflaged insect inside Fiona¡¯s Wind Prison.


    Taliesin was talking to Thomson and Cross about returning to Earth to report, making sure they knew the important information to bring back.  Fiona was delivering her hot bars to an amused Scarlet and Maria, and the Green Berets around the area were murmuring in their groups, shooting questioning looks back at them, but she could tell they were staying alert for dangers in the foliage by the sounds of their muscles and bones.


    It¡¯s understandable why they¡¯re so tense; they¡¯ve been ordered to stand their ground and wait for something to happen, then we come in and start making plays the moment we land.  The creatures themselves don¡¯t seem all that important to focus on, but I feel a little antsy about something.


    Her ears twitched again; she shifted them in another direction while listening to the creatures¡¯ noises miles around them, constantly readjusting the volume.


    The insects we encountered appear to be at least one of the top dogs here, but it¡¯s not like they don¡¯t have competition.  That other group just killed the scouting party; they got a distress call out, but the colony has just picked us up as threats ¡­ they should be confused, but they¡¯re not.


    Somehow they¡¯re communicating and relaying information swiftly; the warriors are called back, more scouts are on their way, and the parties around the hostile zone are changing locations to gather food.  Is all of this decisive decision-making or a natural response to their environment without much thought?


    It¡¯s clear that the creatures around the area are ¡­ wait a minute, are the insects pushing the larger jungle creatures our way?  It¡¯s like they¡¯re corralling them to move in our direction.


    If they are like ants or bees, then the loss of a single warrior is a big deal, a worker isn¡¯t, but handling the threat to the colony is an important task.  If something is perceived as a threat to honey bees, then they¡¯ll throw suicide bombers at it.


    It doesn¡¯t seem like they care too much about the missing insect ¡­ unless, is it still communicating to the others?  They may have long-distance communication with their shifting actions. I¡¯ll need to test it; Wind Shell likely distorts sound waves, but what about magnetic, or electromagnetic?


    She turned her focus back to the insect, walking that way; her shoes made squelching sounds as she made her way through the mud.  It wasn¡¯t difficult to move, but it did feel like her shoes would pop off at times.


    Her advance paused as something else caught her interest; the crystal had changed shape and color.  She blinked, a little stunned that she hadn¡¯t noticed it before; it was now a three-dimensional right-angled triangle and was a dull cream color.  The glow hadn¡¯t changed from its mustard yellow. When did ¡­ I wasn¡¯t looking directly at it, but ¡­ there was no sound.


    The others first noticed her behavior before the crystal¡¯s change.


    ¡°What the¡­¡±  Cross muttered, pointing at the structure.


    ¡°When¡­¡±


    Mind functioning much faster than everyone else¡¯s, Rachel cut Taliesin off, head snapping to the cameras positioned around the area.  ¡°Let¡¯s look at the cameras. We need to know everything the crystal does.¡±


    Taliesin cleared his throat before his features set.  ¡°Roads, pull up the feeds; Joey, you¡¯re on Roads.¡±


    ¡°Sir!¡±  Both soldiers responded, leaving their posts.


    ¡°The rest of you stay sharp; Rachel, Scarlet, are there any hostiles closing in on us?¡±


    Rachel licked her lips, eyeing the crystal suspiciously.  ¡°The insects seem to be organized; they appear to be corralling nearby creatures to funnel our way, but it should take them at least fifteen minutes at the pace they¡¯re going.  I suspect that they might have the means to communicate across long distances to each other.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Thomson whispered.  ¡°Insects have multiple ways to talk to one another ¡­ magnetic, ultraviolet, sound, scent¡­¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s head moved around the area, Vampiric eyes scanning the jungle.  ¡°I see them gathering creatures, Rachel ¡­ two points, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re big rhino-looking bugs; the smaller ones just make a run for it, but a few just got killed trying to escape.¡±  Her head tilted down. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything in the tunnels they were making near us; well, the same ones retreating. Oh¡ªthere¡¯s a sinkhole to a river about half a mile from here ¡­ there¡¯s a river going toward the mountains underground¡ªsome rocky caves, but I don¡¯t see the bugs using it right now.¡±


    When she paused, Taliesin muttered, ¡°Can we even get back?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m concerned about,¡± Rachel said, walking beside him.


    ¡°That¡¯s some bullshit,¡± Maria grumbled, clearly fighting past the discomfort her body felt.  ¡°When the hell did it change?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be stuck here,¡± Fiona whispered, vision darting to Rachel; the other soldiers made similar remarks.


    ¡°We¡¯re here mainly for the crystal,¡± Rachel replied, swallowing after a moment.  ¡°It¡¯s still there, though¡ªlet¡¯s not jump the gun.¡± Internally, her mind was laced with troubling questions.


    This is the third type we¡¯ve seen.  What do they mean? The High Rollings was a bloodbath, and it was shaped like a diamond, tinted dark brown with a faint red glow surrounding it.  There must be a reason for the changes. Could it be because we entered?


    ¡°Sir,¡± everyone¡¯s attention shot to Roads as he jogged over to the Captain, holding a laptop.  ¡°It looks like it changed twice, Sir ¡­ none of us even noticed it.¡±


    ¡°Twice¡ªhow¡¯s that possible?¡±


    Thomson folded his arms.  ¡°Hmm¡ªcould it be cognitive distortion?¡±


    She recognized the term from her Psych classes, causing her cheeks to purse.  ¡°But for all of us to experience it? It seems a bit unlikely, but if we all expected the crystal to look a certain way, then we could have filtered out its change if there weren¡¯t any signs to indicate something was wrong.¡±


    Rachel watched the soldier rewind the footage; Scarlet, Fiona, Maria, Thomson, and Taliesin clustered around the laptop in his hands.  Joey glanced back every once in a while but kept his eyes scanning the jungle, looking for threats.


    Roads brought the recording to a particular time that he¡¯d marked, flipping frame by frame.  In one frame, it was its original color and structure while the next it had changed to a left-angled, dull yellow triangle before changing again, jumping to the right-angled, cream triangle.  Both instances showed the change happen instantly, from one frame to another.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t that far apart,¡± Roads explained.  ¡°Changing the cameras¡ªusing the same time-stamp, we can see that it was shortly after our new group¡ªRachel, I think,¡± he continued with her nod, ¡°came through.  When¡ªScarlet, I think¡ªdid her ¡­ one fear-thing¡ªit changed again.¡±


    ¡°How in the hell did we not see that?¡±  Maria asked. ¡°I mean, I saw the crystal, and now that I think about it¡ªI mean, I knew something was different, but it just¡ªI don¡¯t even know,¡± she growled.  ¡°Is the damn thing playing tricks on us? I don¡¯t sense anything wrong with us.¡±


    Rachel folded her arms, ears shifting as she heard the insects continue pushing the creatures forward.  There were more mutters about how strange the incident was between the others as her mind spun.


    Twice ¡­ we didn¡¯t notice two different changes in its color and shape.  I suppose recognizing a right-angle and left-angle shift isn¡¯t that big of a deal, but it was an oval before, and the new pointed edges would be hard to miss.  It¡¯s roughly the same size, though.


    Dammit ¡­ what if the destination changed?  Is it possible? Could the portal shift to new locations with each shape?  I swear I saw it as normal not that long ago when they were discussing the change ¡­ how did I miss it?


    She breathed a sigh of relief upon closer inspection; the image displayed on the other side showed the portable bunker that had been constructed around it, but no person inside.


    It¡¯s still the same destination, but the image itself changed.  Before, it showed the parking lot with cars and shopping places.  So, it appears that its reflection changes whenever its shape alters.  It won¡¯t show people on the other side, though.


    A three-dimensional right-angled triangle ¡­ oval to left-angled to right-angled ¡­ what¡¯s the catalyst?  It could have been us, but it could just as likely be something else entirely. Is it a countdown to some event?


    We don¡¯t know if the High Rollings crystal changed shapes; if it did, allowing more creatures to come through ¡­ maybe even flying ones.  If there were flying monsters, then that could have changed the entire equation. I didn¡¯t even think about that.


    ¡°Sir,¡± Cross muttered.  ¡°I¡¯ll test it out; I don¡¯t want to be stuck here forever, and if that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s better we determine if we¡¯re in danger sooner than later, right?¡±


    After a moment, Taliesin nodded.  ¡°Okay, but Joey, tie a strap to him.  I know it¡¯ll be forced through, but it could provide him with at least some foothold in case he needs it.  We don¡¯t know if that image is a trap or anything ¡­ go through prepared for a fight.¡±


    Cross sniffed, checking his weapon with a grave expression.  ¡°Got it.¡±


    Joey was quick to respond, rushing to the vehicle to grab a strap; after they¡¯d finished, Cross didn¡¯t hesitate, rushing through.  The strap continued to feed to the other side until Joey was forced to let go of it. Not soon after, Cross came back with a relieved expression; his strap soon returned with him.


    ¡°It¡¯s safe, Captain.  The crystal¡¯s oval-shaped on the other side ¡­ the exact same as it was before.  Should I make my report?¡±


    Taliesin¡¯s nose twisted.  ¡°I don¡¯t like this, but yeah, go make a report; command needs to know.¡±


    Cross untied the strap before running back inside.


    Fiona breathed a sigh of relief.  ¡°At least we know we can go back.¡±


    ¡°Damn scared the ¡­ well, not that bad, but still,¡± Maria growled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible anymore,¡± Scarlet giggled.  ¡°And eww¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an expression¡ªdamn,¡± Maria huffed, vision turning to her.  ¡°What do you think, Rachel?¡±


    Scratching the base of her ear, Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s concerning, but nothing else has changed.  If the crystal on the other side is the same, and it¡¯s only this side that¡¯s changed, then it certainly raises questions.  I just don¡¯t see how we can reliably answer them.


    ¡°If we can¡¯t explain it with the information we have, then we need to do something to gain more.  It changed after a bit when we came through, and both sides shifted colors before we even got here.  We just don¡¯t know. All we can do is move forward and have someone keep an eye on it.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking the same thing,¡± Taliesin sighed.  ¡°We need to prepare for combat. If the insects are planning on sending basically a cavalry charge at us with these rhino-insects, then we¡¯ll respond with matching hostility.


    ¡°Since we know their plan of attack, it would be best to launch a preemptive strike.  We need to send a warning that we can counter anything they try. Crush their resolve to fight back ¡­ they certainly seem somewhat intelligent.¡±


    He turned to Scarlet.  ¡°Can you do that thing you did before?  We might be able to see if the color will change again as a side note.  If you can quickly go to both sites and fear them away, then it would send an even greater message.  Not killing them and popping out of thin air shows them we could pop up and destroy them any time we want; it sends a sharp message for them to back off.¡±


    Scarlet turned to Rachel for confirmation.


    She folded her arms, gazing off into the jungle.  ¡°I agree, it would send a good message, but I think we need an even greater threat.  Scaring them off is great and buys us time; however, if we were to show up in the middle of their hive and take back some of the equipment they stole, then it would be an even bigger emotional blow.¡±


    Taliesin¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°You think you can accomplish that?¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt, Scarlet could do it, but I suspect if she¡¯s already thirsty, then she¡¯ll need some blood when she returns.¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ Vampire.  By the way, sunlight should be coming up within the hour from what we¡¯ve observed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Scarlet mumbled.


    Maria groaned.  ¡°Finally!¡±


    Rachel bunched her lips to the side.  ¡°Alright, Taliesin, we need to get those blood packs here as soon as possible.  Scarlet, go do what you can and scout out a bit in their hive; it¡¯s pretty big, right?¡±


    Scarlet nodded.  ¡°Yeah, I couldn¡¯t see the end of it, and it looks like it continued past the barrier to the southeast.  Oh, and I can¡¯t actually see beyond the barrier.¡±


    ¡°That is important to note,¡± Rachel muttered.  ¡°Go scare off the bugs, and try to make the rhino-insects run away from the camp ¡­ we don¡¯t need them trampling the site.  Once you¡¯ve put some fear in the queen or whatever they have, then bring back the equipment through a blood portal; hopefully, we¡¯ll have your blood here when you get back.  After that, you can take cover in that underwater caving system you saw.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Scarlet chimed, dispersing in shadows.  The humans shivered around them as Scarlet¡¯s Fear Aura reactivated.


    ¡°She¡¯s not some ancient Vampire, right?¡±  Thomson asked.


    ¡°Oh, totally!¡±  Fiona said with such a serious tone even Maria lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°She¡¯s been hiding in the shadows for centuries, waiting to¡­¡±


    ¡°Cut the bullshit,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°You¡¯re giving me shivers¡ªdamn.¡±


    ¡°Aww, Maria,¡± Fiona puffed out her cheeks.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe you were the one that ruined the fun!  I thought you¡¯d get a kick out of it.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Taliesin sighed, ¡°she¡¯s just like all the other changed people recently?¡±


    ¡°Kind of,¡± Rachel replied with an apologetic smile.


    Maria rubbed her neck, releasing a soft moan.  ¡°Sorry, Fi, but I¡¯m just not in the mood ¡­ I can¡¯t wait until the sun hits me.  I swear, these moons are killing me!¡±


    ¡°They might be,¡± Rachel whispered low enough so only Fiona and Maria could hear.  ¡°And is Fi your new nickname, Fiona?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Fiona mumbled before her expression brightened.  ¡°Yeah! Maria gave it to me, and I really like it.¡±


    Raising the volume of her voice, Rachel chuckled, ¡°Taliesin, I think it would be best for Maria to wait inside the vehicle.  Would that be alright?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, if that¡¯s what you think is best¡ªis something funny.¡±


    Maria stretched her arms high into the air, moaning softly, ¡°That might help, and yeah, there being two damn moons is funny, dammit!¡±


    Fiona rolled her eyes, catching a few soldiers quickly averting their gaze from Maria¡¯s curves as the tight fabric stretched.  ¡°And me?¡± She pouted, folding her arms across her thin chest.


    Rachel nodded solemnly with understanding, knowing how conscious Fiona must be about her changed size.  ¡°I¡¯ll need you to question the local population.¡±


    ¡°I can do that, but it¡¯s going to be tough with Scarlet scaring everything off,¡± Fiona sighed.  She shot into the jungle brush to scout out the animals, muttering, ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing strange shouts about the Azure Frost is coming!¡±


    Azure Frost ¡­ are they talking about Fiona?  She was using her ice to kill the insects ¡­ but that just doesn¡¯t seem right...


    ¡°You seem like their boss,¡± Taliesin chuckled, watching Maria softly curse as she made her way through the mud to the Humvee.


    She shrugged; beginning to feel stiff, she began stretching out.  ¡°Less of a boss and more like a strategist. My change gives me some edges on making decisions, and they¡¯ve grown to trust me.  Just so you¡¯re aware, we are not under your command; we answer directly to General Dallas.¡±


    ¡°I assumed that was the case,¡± he said while eyeing her questioningly.  ¡°What¡ªkind of abilities do you have?¡±


    ¡°Some I need to test out,¡± she said with a soft smile, walking toward the nearest trees.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± one of the soldiers operating a fifty-caliber machine gun called out to her.  ¡°There are claymores around the site over there.¡±


    Rachel pursed her lips¡ªher wide field of vision caught sight of the insect; it had just become active, scouting the edges of its wind prison.


    How to test its communication abilities?  Scarlet¡¯s making sure none of the creatures run this way at the moment, Fiona¡¯s finding us something to talk to is a bigger priority, and Maria¡¯s in a pickle.  Her weakness is Lunar Energy, which means with enough of it around, she could be poisoned.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± she called back, ¡°I won¡¯t be touching the ground.¡±


    Right now, I need to test my limits ¡­ I¡¯m a bit concerned with how my body will hold up.  A smile touched her cheeks again.  It¡¯ll also be fun to see how this much moonlight affects me.


    Bending down, she activated Lunar Step, tensed her muscles, and casually jumped; she launched twenty meters into the air.  The wind rushed past her face as she climbed into the sky; glancing around at their surroundings, she realized she wasn¡¯t even halfway up the massive sixty-meter tall trees.


    Flipping slightly in the air with her launch, she used the second step, the translucent foothold appearing under her left shoe.  She leaped toward the nearest tree, using an average amount of force. The sole of her shoe exploded with the pressure.


    Let¡¯s see how much my body can¡­


    Her thoughts broke as she rocketed forward¡ªthere was a pop; something was wrong with her leg.  The trees rushed toward her as she dove toward a trunk, wind whipping her hair back as it gushed past her face and folded her ears back.  It was hard to follow her descent.


    She barely managed to flip around in time.  A massive amount of energy left her as she passed beyond the moon¡¯s light under the overhanging trees.  Her right foot took most of the impact, making her wince as pain shot up her thighs to her tail, and she heard another pop from her left foot.  The trunk buckled a bit from her landing, and her left leg wouldn¡¯t bend as she wanted.


    A lump dropped down her throat as she negated the force, what remained of her shoes sliding up her shins.  Momentum gone, she fell toward the ground; realizing something happened, she activated Emotional Detachment, looking down at her legs as she free fell.  A dull throbbing began coursing through her body.


    I dislocated my left knee ¡­ even my foot.  I didn¡¯t use as much force as I did back ¡­ did I?  Maybe I did use more than when I launched at Conner.  It didn¡¯t feel like it, but my mind had a hard time keeping up, even with Mental Acceleration.


    Perhaps multiple moons is actually a harmful thing at my current level; I thought I was using an average amount of strength, but it¡¯s even stronger than my full force on Earth, likely because these moons are so close and full.  I need to hold back, or I¡¯ll break my own body.


    Her glowing red eyes shifted to the side; she was about to hit a large limb.  Spreading out her body to flip midair, she used her free hand to catch the nearby branch, using the momentum to flip herself around to the top of it; she landed on her strained right foot.


    The pain shot up her legs, and even her upper body felt stressed, but she boxed it all in the confines of Emotional Detachment.  Looking down at the camp, ten meters below, she hummed.  The soldiers were looking up at her, illuminated by her bright glow; from their conversations, it was clear that they didn¡¯t suspect her current condition.


    I¡¯m not skilled enough to pop my leg and foot back in, but they should have someone trained in the medical field here.  Once I hit moonlight again, Lunar Deadening will come into effect. Maria could also help ¡­ yeah, I¡¯d rather not be seen by the soldiers like this.


    Lunar Pride won out; hanging onto the branch, she flipped down, near the trunk, and used her right foot to launch back toward the Humvee.  The pain would have driven her mad when she was a human, but as she was, it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal.


    Rachel landed in the mud with her right foot, using her left to stabilize; it cried out, but she ignored the sensation with her skills.  Her bare feet barely sank into the mud. She was lighter than a normal human; most of her power came from speed. She carefully trudging over to the door, opening it as she neared; the men watched her without a clue.


    Hopping in, she glanced over at Maria; the Unicorn looked stunned as she caught sight of her.  ¡°The hell happened to you?¡± She seethed, horn flaring. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been three minutes since I left!¡±


    Rachel emotionlessly looked down at her foot and leg as they seemed to pop back into place by an invisible force; the pain vanished.  Releasing Emotional Detachment, she breathed a sigh of relief, shutting the door for privacy.


    ¡°I learned that I have to be a lot more careful under multiple moons,¡± she muttered, running her hand through her long hair as she moved it to her front.


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 B3 — 5. The Pumpkin Assassin

    Rachel breathed a heavy sigh as Maria crossed her arms; eyebrows raised, expecting a further explanation.  ¡°I¡¯m supercharged on moonlight. If I put some effort into moving, I¡¯ll hurt myself.¡±


    ¡°Damn ¡­ screw these moons,¡± Maria growled, slouching further into her seat.  ¡°Makes me sick and wrecks your body. What¡¯s goin¡¯ on out there? Figure anything else out?¡±


    She leaned back, closing her eyes and rolling her neck around.  ¡°Not really much; we have no real clues to go off of. You know where I sent the others.¡±


    Vision opening, she pushed her cheeks to the side while examining Maria¡¯s relaxed posture.  ¡°Feeling better?¡±


    Maria groaned, stretching out her arms.  ¡°Yeah, but I gotta stick in this exact seat ¡­ this sucks.  What about you?¡±


    Half a chuckle left Rachel¡¯s throat before her ears shot straight into the air, pressing against the roof; something was leaping through the jungle at an abnormal speed.  The sounds were cutting in and out, and it seemed to appear out of nowhere a mile to the north.


    Maria¡¯s movements slowed as her mind accelerated; it was as if she was listening to a short-ranged version of Scarlet¡¯s back to back shadow teleports, but this was not their adorable little Vampire.


    Whatever this is, it¡¯s jumping from tree to tree, bouncing off to propel themselves forward ¡­ they¡¯re heading right for us.  Fiona¡¯s a hundred meters away, still talking with animals; I can¡¯t hear Scarlet within a few miles either. It¡¯ll be here in ¡­ less than thirty seconds at that pace.  Friend or foe?


    The air current shifted within the vehicle as she moved to leave, cursing as she broke the handle with her haste.  Maria¡¯s brow creased with concern at her quick movements. Rachel¡¯s jaw locked as she gently forced the door off its bearings, tossing it to the side.


    ¡°Rach¡­¡±


    Locating the nearest tree, she jumped; the Humvee¡¯s shocks creaked as the frame rocked back and forth.  The sound was mixed with Maria¡¯s cursing, and the soldiers glancing toward them, guns rising.


    Rachel flipped around midair, grunting as she landed.  The quick shifts in and out of moonlight are messing me up.  I need to focus ¡­ how is it moving like that?


    Using only a small fraction of her strength, she changed directions, launching toward the sandbags holding a fifty-cal down.  Her execution was much better this time; she hardly felt the force of the landing. The bags released a puff of sand out of its seams as it absorbing her impact.


    Every man¡¯s head darted toward her; Taliesin was the quickest to pose the question.  ¡°Rachel, what¡¯s¡­¡±  He cut off as she smoothly interrupted him, studying the treeline to the north.


    ¡°Unidentified threat, ETA fifteen seconds, mountains, fast.¡±


    ¡°Prepare for combat!¡±  Taliesin shouted, turning north.


    Safeties already off, the men readied their weapons, releasing sharp curses; more than one man licked their lips, swallowed, and tensed their muscles before relaxing with a deep breath.


    Rachel¡¯s surroundings began to crawl as her eyes widened, mind accelerating.  She waited for the strange object to appear, positioning herself on a sturdy sandbag.


    Her wide field of vision noticed dark blue clouds beginning to cover the tops of the mountain; it was the color of the earth¡¯s sky, making a shiver run down to her tail.  The black and blue skyscape was surreal, painted against the white snow-capped peaks.


    When did that get¡­


    Her focus snapped to a bright and dark orange glow, launching between the trees like a ghost; the moment it came into eyesight, it let out a distorted shriek that sounded oddly similar to a girl¡¯s murderous battle cry.  She heard the shudder that passed down every man¡¯s spine.


    She followed the figure closely; it had five strange vine-like tendrils waving atop its head, lying back with the air pressure.  It wore some type of gray cloak with a banner-shaped undercoat, and metal shoes that made little sound with each step against the trunks they touched.


    Its face glowed with an orange light, giving the mixed impression of a jack-o''-lantern and a little alien from Mars.  It wasn¡¯t more than four feet tall; the only things that shone in the darkness were its two alien-like red eyes, and its orange face and three claw-like fingers, only partially visible behind its purplish-gray cloak.


    It went straight for the nearest Green Beret.  Not quite as fast as me, but the soldiers won¡¯t be able to follow it.  Foe, it is.


    She launched toward it as saffron-colored energy flared to life around its glowing fingers, activating Wenet¡¯s Minor Protection.  The alien¡¯s head slowly shifted to observe her; just before Rachel tackled it, it dispersed into orange smoke, flowing around her.


    Some kind of partial energy-based creature?  Okay, but I¡¯m not so easily shaken. Let¡¯s see what you have; just how fast can you dissolve and reform?


    Spreading out to flip around, Rachel activated Lunar Step, negating her momentum.  Using Lunar Burst for the first time, she started to feel the thump of battle hit her chest; a grin split her lips.  She shot back as the haze solidified, gravity shifting as her ears pulled back, wind rushing past her body.


    The honey-comb-like energy-swords materialized, ready to strike one of the men atop the fifty-cals.  The Beret just now pulling the trigger, sending a spray of bullets and sound spraying below them.


    Rachel tackled the alien; the creature was caught completely off guard, releasing a high-pitched squeal.  They shot toward the ground, mud spraying around them as they tumbled through the muck, Rachel¡¯s arms locked around its waist; its swords vanished with its shock.


    They struck a tarp, sliding under it before grunting as they hit the heavy crates.  The creature hissed with several sharp hiccups; the alien¡¯s energy-blades rematerialized, rushing toward her head.


    Not good enough!


    She ducked under it, pushing forward with Lunar Burst surrounding her fist.  Her knuckles connected with its chest, making it release a clicking grunt as it was sent off the ground; its material somehow absorbed a lot of her impact.


    That¡¯s fun!  What¡¯s this material?


    Mud flew around them as it slammed against the steel crates; clumps of dirt blinded her vision, so she used her ears, hearing the sizzling sound of its swords burning the air vanish again.


    Focus based weapons?  Too bad for you! If you don¡¯t want to get buried alive, you better get off the ground!


    Rachel shot forward, hand reaching for its throat; it dispersed, but she was prepared, starting to recognize the sound of its body preparing to change.  Feinting, she shifted her feet against the tarp, redirecting her force into a roundhouse kick mixed with Lunar Burst.


    It reappeared at her side, leg catching it square in the chest; the cloth absorbing most of her force again, but she was steadily increasing the power, sending the alien face-first against the mud.  It was a little difficult, but she dashed toward it, the earth exploding around them. Grabbing its arm, she forced it off the ground and tossed it back at the steel crate.


    ¡°C¡¯mon¡ªfight back!¡±  She laughed.


    The hiccup sounds it made must have been it coughing because it escalated, and she felt it dispersing again, but the Green Berets had recovered.


    Time to dip!


    She dove beside one of the metal crates as the berets released a spray of rounds at the rematerializing alien.  She couldn¡¯t see it with her eyes closed, but she could hear everything.


    The creature jumped into the sky as the bullets bounced off its cloak, ricocheting around the area.  Rachel quickly ducked further behind the crates; the noise was too much for her to filter out, forcing her to fold her ears down as she huddled against the cold steel.


    The shooting soon stopped as the howling of wind increased, and Fiona¡¯s angry voice yelled around the area; she darted in front of the soldiers¡¯ faces, waving her arms.  ¡°Stop, stop, stop! Hey! I got it! Stop! Sucking firemonkys ¡­ Rachel, where are you?¡±


    Getting up, Rachel wiped away the mud from her face and body, laughing as she waved at the Fairy.  ¡°I¡¯m here, Fiona,¡± she took a long breath before showing her a smirk. ¡°What would we do without you?¡±


    ¡°Put holes through the entire jungle,¡± Fiona mumbled, glancing around.  ¡°Bullets were flying everywhere ¡­ wait, I think it¡¯s hurt pretty¡­¡±


    ¡°The hell y¡¯all doin¡¯ out here?¡±  Maria yelled, face shifting between indignant and nauseated as she stomped toward them.  ¡°?Qu¨¦ demonios es eso?¡±


    ¡°Something that flew at us like a bat out of hell,¡± Rachel mumbled, grimacing as she extracted clumps of earth from her hair.


    The creature was floating at the bottom of Fiona¡¯s Wind Prison; it tried to disperse and phase through, but the wind simply repelled the smoke.  Its distorted shrieks could barely be heard behind the barrier.


    Fiona circled the alien, humming thoughtfully; a cute red panda-like animal was floating beside her.  She whispered, ¡°I think this thing¡¯s hurt, Maria.¡±


    Maria grumbled while closing the distance, having a bit of trouble with the mud.  ¡°Dammit ¡­ everyone¡¯s friggin¡¯ hurt these days.¡±


    ¡°Friggin¡¯?¡±  Rachel asked, directing an amused smile her way as she joined her.


    ¡°The damn pixie asked me to stop saying the F-word ¡­ there was a bet.¡±


    Fiona gave her a thumbs-up.  ¡°You stop saying the F-word, and I learn how to rap!  That¡¯s part of the deal.¡±


    ¡°I feel like a chump for losing that game ¡­ shit, this thing¡¯s dying fast!¡±  Maria grunted, horn flaring to life.


    Rachel frowned as she examined the glowing orange alien; it didn¡¯t seem to be leaking any liquid.  Its cloak was filled with bullet holes, obviously unable to deflect all the heavy rounds, but she couldn¡¯t see any signs of it dying other than its flailing limbs.  The orange energy-swords weren''t returning.


    Taliesin and his men kept their weapons trained on the trapped monster.  ¡°What the hell is that thing?¡± One of his men asked.


    ¡°Dying ¡­ freak,¡± Maria grunted, lurching forward as if trying to vomit; the alien had stopped moving, staring at the Unicorn with wide eyes.  ¡°This damn¡ªmoon ¡­ this is so messed up¡­¡±


    ¡°The moon¡ªright¡­¡± Fiona mumbled, shooting down with concern; she brought their second prisoner closer to Maria.


    Light emerald green dust billowed around Fiona as she bit her lower lip, aura mixed light brown; the ground trembled, causing the men to curse with surprise.  A massive earthen dome covered them, throwing a few boxes back and blotting out both the moon¡¯s rays. The inside was illuminated by Rachel, Maria, Fiona, and the alien¡¯s glow.


    ¡°Is that better?¡±


    Maria took a deep breath, cracking her neck.  ¡°Hell yeah ¡­ thanks, Fi.¡± She turned her frown toward the motionless creature, sniffing.  ¡°The thing was in some kind of metamorphosis ¡­ it was literally killing itself, but it¡¯s stable now.¡±


    Fiona breathed a sigh of relief, dust turning a light lime green.  Shortly after, she made an entrance for Taliesin and Thomson to enter.


    Thomson hummed with interest as he caught sight of the creature.  ¡°Should we have attacked it? Perhaps that was the wrong move.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rachel replied, drawing everyone¡¯s attention as she continued to clean herself off.  ¡°It had some kind of energy blades; it was about to attack one of Taliesin¡¯s men. It has an impressive ability to escape; it¡¯s kind of similar to Scarlet¡¯s teleportation.  Fiona¡¯s Wind Prison seems to be doing the trick, though.¡±


    She turned to Maria.  ¡°It was dying from a metamorphosis?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it felt strange ¡­ I had to use so much energy to keep it alive¡ªlike twenty percent.  Better be grateful ya¡¯lil bastard!¡±  She growled, pointing at the alien; it responded by dropping to its butt, crossing its two black legs as its cloak closed to obscure most of its body.


    Rachel took a deep breath, emotions pacifying as she studied it and did her best to remove the dirt on her ears.  Its hood was still in place, showing a martian-like glowing head that sat atop a short, sturdy body. Its cloak seemed to be fastened to its banner-like vest and fell to its armored calf, the bottom edges showing wear.


    There was some kind of random embroidery done on either side of the cloak and the hanging banner that covered its front. The alien¡¯s glowing orange claw-like fingers flexed as it stared at them blankly.


    When Scarlet gets back, she should be able to discover its emotions.


    Rachel bent down to clean her legs.  ¡°It¡¯s certainly strange-looking; can you communicate with it, Fiona?¡±


    The Fairy shook her head regretfully.  ¡°Nope ¡­ look at those things on its head; it¡¯s like there¡¯s a small fern growing out of it.  You know, it¡¯s kind of cool looking ¡­ it glows like a firefly.¡±


    Taliesin folded his arms as he walked around it.  ¡°What¡¯s up with its clothes? They were able to deflect bullets, but it doesn¡¯t seem that stiff.  It looks as soft as silk, but it has the tension of a tarp.¡±


    Thomson bent down to study it; most of the creature was hidden behind its clothing.  ¡°I think its feet are in some kind of metallic shoe, too,¡± he mumbled. ¡°There could be some kind of chemical reaction in its face and fingers that make them glow.¡±


    Rachel moved to her fluffy tail, removing the chunks of dirt that were stuck to it.  ¡°It¡¯s probably intelligent; still, to attack us right off the bat? It could be in communication with the other insects; this could be one of their warriors for all we know.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like the one out there,¡± Fiona commented.  ¡°This little guy,¡± she pointed at the red panda-like animal hovering beside her, ¡°says it¡¯s different than the insects.¡±


    ¡°That thing¡¯s so fu¡ªfreakin¡¯ fuzzy and cute!¡±  Maria cooed as if just noticing it; she let out a very un-Maria like squeal that made both Fiona and Rachel raise an eyebrow.


    One of the Berets shouted from outside the dome, ¡°Captain, everything cool?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Erin, all good; keep watch.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°Its ¡­ is that hair?¡±  Taliesin asked. ¡°Looks like something out of a hentai show¡­¡±


    ¡°The hell¡¯s a hentai?¡±  Maria asked, standing under Fiona with her arms raised.  ¡°Hey, I want to hold it¡ªc¡¯mon, give it here.¡±


    Taliesin cleared his throat, face reddening a little.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±  Rachel smirked.  ¡°I¡¯m sure Maria would have a hernia.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?  Eh ¡­ let¡¯s not get into hentai, please¡­¡±  Fiona mumbled, glancing over at the panda as it curled defensively, paws covering its face.  ¡°He thinks you¡¯re going to fry him in insect blood, skin him alive, and then eat his eyeballs ¡­ ew, don¡¯t say stuff like that!  I¡¯d rather listen to Taliesin discuss hentai ¡­ no, she¡¯s cool.¡±


    ¡°Should have kept my mouth shut,¡± Taliesin sighed.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m cool!¡±  Maria cooed, ignoring their conversation.  ¡°Are there scary things in the jungle that eat you?¡±  She asked as Fiona lowered him into her arms before petting it.


    ¡°Yeah, a lot of things.  I think they don¡¯t get too big, and their only defense is this poisonous barb in their tongue, but it¡¯s hard to get past a lot of the armor the creatures around here have.¡±


    Rachel cleared her throat, drawing attention to herself.  ¡°What about this thing, Fiona? That animal said it isn¡¯t with the insects?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right,¡± Fiona flew over to her.  ¡°No, he says that the orange ones are fighting the Azure Frost.  It¡¯s like the fog, covering everything.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel pursed her lips.  ¡°I¡¯m guessing it doesn¡¯t think of us and the insects as this Azure Frost, right?¡±


    Fiona turned back to the creature; it was releasing a low purr from Maria¡¯s gentle strokes.  ¡°Are we the Azure Frost, or are the insects? Umm ¡­ nope ¡­ he likes the left ear, Maria. Man, don¡¯t be a perv ¡­ some animals,¡± she huffed, nose twisting.


    Rachel giggled before turning back to the firefly-like creature, chewing lightly on her left cheek.  If these things are fighting off some crazy fog-like ice thing ¡­ probably that blue cloud covering the mountains.  Are we in the middle of a war?


    We have the insects, these creatures, and the Azure Frost to deal with ¡­ great.  Things are turning out to be a lot more complicated than I hoped. We don¡¯t even know which side to take¡ªif any ¡­ our only objective is the crystal, but how does that play into this?


    It all seems utterly unrelated at the moment ¡­ perhaps this Azure Frost is the cause.  We¡¯ll need to figure something out. We have that fog coming down the mountains ¡­ it wasn¡¯t on the first aerial sweep.  Fiona or Scarlet could get a better scope of the field. Scarlet can still bring back some important news, too; Fiona would be the better choice since it¡¯ll be morning soon.


    Rachel smiled as she heard Cross return through the crystal; he was dragging something through with him, likely the supplies.  At least Scarlet will have her blood when she gets back.  He can also return with what we learned.


    ¡°Cross is back.  We should probably send him back with the intel we¡¯ve gathered.  We¡¯re likely caught up in some kind of three-way war; although, saying that about the insects might be pushing it.  This firefly-guy could eviscerate the insects we¡¯ve seen.¡±


    ¡°I think we should get a bit more information out of the¡ªbear ¡­ damn, that sounds weird to say,¡± Taliesin muttered.  ¡°Like¡ªdoes it know how to stop the Azure Frost?¡±


    Thomson had kept silent, circling the alien, studying every movement.


    Fiona asked the question.  ¡°Eh ¡­ nope. The firefly-guys are trying, but not having much luck, it seems.  This perv¡¯s been running away with his burrow ¡­ like a family, and they were split up during one of the insect patrols.  Oh ¡­ there is something that stops it? The sun? Well, that¡¯s cool!¡± She grinned at Maria. ¡°Maybe you can shine!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Maria grunted, still stroking the panda¡¯s back.  ¡°I don¡¯t have any sunlight attacks.¡±


    ¡°Not now, but we¡¯ll see,¡± Rachel hummed.  ¡°This is still great news; it means we¡¯ll have time to plan during the day and rest up.  The firefly-people will be busy dealing with the Azure Frost and preparing for the next attack.  We should send someone to check it out, and we should be prepared for an attack.¡±


    ¡°I can handle it!¡±  Fiona assured, flexing her thin arm.  ¡°Kinda silly, though, but I¡¯m lyrical, bet I put ¡®em in the dirt, drivin¡¯ by, poppin¡¯ nines, Pakistan, I¡¯ll bomb ¡®em first, back to the lab with mother Earth; Maria got the shovel, puttin¡¯ in work; super fly, I need a cape!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Rachel said with a forced smile.  ¡°I get it; you¡¯ll check it out.¡±


    Maria nodded.  ¡°Not bad, Fi, not bad; I like the Pakistan touch.  Hits hard.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re corrupting her,¡± Rachel sighed.


    ¡°Corrupt?  She¡¯s lit! How you feelin¡¯, Fi?¡±


    Fiona did a twirl in the air.  ¡°Now? I¡¯m feeling so fly, like a G-Six!  We get them bottles poppin¡¯; we get that drip and that drop; now, get me two more bottles cause you know we don¡¯t stop!¡±


    ¡°Hell, yeah!¡±  Maria chuckled.  ¡°We goin¡¯ hard when we get back.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll join you two, but let¡¯s focus first,¡± Rachel said, forcing a chuckle as Cross walked in, listening silently as he dragged in a cooler.  ¡°Fiona, your Wind Prisons will work for a while, right?¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Maria,¡± Fiona said with a bright smile, ¡°yeah, I know I can find a boyfriend!  Umm, yeah, Rachel, but they¡¯ll only block as much damage as I tie them off with. I can refuel them when I get back,¡± she whispered, flying in close to Rachel.  ¡°If he goes crazy, he might be able to break free.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep my ears on him,¡± Rachel assured.  ¡°Lock off the entrance when you leave; I¡¯ll watch outside.  Having two prisons might be best ¡­ it might be able to escape if there¡¯s air holes, and you won¡¯t be gone too long.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and if worse comes to worst, then I¡¯ll break it open myself.  Find out what¡¯s going on and report back.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, Captain Rachel!  Seven-eight-six is where I be; I¡¯m a soldier in my hood, it¡¯s an army; on me, east coast, Miami bound, after dark, no hooks, no marks, all G¡¯s; bang on ¡®em, let go of that Desert Eagle; Mythic-Gang, Exotic Family, and Military Boies; ask about me in the streets, I¡¯m an east rep, home of Maria and Felix, but I¡¯m next; that¡¯s the city by the sea; so, ask me where I¡¯m from, I¡¯ll tell you MBC, cuz I¡¯m from Miami Beach!¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t know what all that means, but okay,¡± Rachel mumbled.


    Fiona saluted with a bright smile before ushering everyone out.  ¡°It¡¯s like Christmas is coming early ¡­ Azure Frost, it really does sound Christmasy!  Alright, time for Airforce Fiona to take off ¡­ c¡¯mon, out, out.¡±


    Rachel watched her seal the entrance, watching the firefly-like alien cock its head.  Life has gotten so strange.


    Seeing Fiona off, she explained the situation to Cross; Taliesin filled in a few places.  Maria seemed like an utterly different person with the red panda-like animal, patting it affectionately.


    Her vision shifted between the two prisons; the insect was still testing the edges of the Wind Prison, and beyond the thick earth blocking off the alien, she couldn¡¯t hear much movement.


    If those pumpkin-like creatures attack in force, we could be in trouble.  I don¡¯t know if we¡¯d be able to protect the soldiers and block them off from going through the crystal ¡­ what¡¯s the right play?  I suppose it depends on what news they bring back.


    She watched the fog continue descending the mountain, but it was slowing as light began breaking past the jagged peaks; fifteen minutes passed before Scarlet returned, and in that time, Rachel didn¡¯t hear any other alien creatures rushing them.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 6. The Bird Family

    AuthorSME


    Fiona sighed as she rose into the brightening sky, the stars now all but invisible; it was becoming a bit easier to fly, but the slightly heavier gravity still bothered her a tad.  The extra gravity wasn¡¯t the only thing that pressed down on her frail body; the atmosphere was thick with at least eighty percent moisture. The precipitation didn¡¯t bother her as much as the added weight it brought.


    A soft sigh left her lips as her hair waved gently back with the gentle breeze sliding past her; the violent gusts beyond her Wind Shield were being redirected, giving her a smooth flight.  It did cost energy but was more than worth it in her mind.


    She glanced down at her red Qipao, black-trimmed dress with a deep frown; it fit her snuggly, which was surprising given Barbie dolls¡¯ usual curves.  The chilled air slid past the slit in the dress to press against her left leg; the cold wasn¡¯t an issue with her resistances, but she recognized the temperature dropping the higher she flew.


    What must the soldiers have thought when Scarlet and I came through?  I mean, Scarlet didn¡¯t even seem to notice, though ¡­ I bet if anyone brings it up, she¡¯ll turn beet red.


    The thought brought a hint of mischievous delight back to her sinking emotions, a small smile curving her lips.  Maybe I should point it out; that would be fun.


    Her multi-hued irises absently scanned the sea of green below her; the swaying of the treetops appeared to rise and fall, resembling waves, and gave her the feeling of being on an alien world.  Her thoughts gradually returned to the strange jack o''lantern-like alien she¡¯d trapped.


    Rachel was caked in mud when I got there; she didn¡¯t seem hurt, but maybe Maria healed her before I got there.  Did it just attack or ¡­ flaming insects ¡­ I should have asked more questions. Maybe Rachel thinks I don¡¯t care ¡­ no, she¡¯s probably too focused on the problem to even care what I think.


    I have to do some thinking, too!  It did have a strange scream; the others didn¡¯t seem to notice it ¡­ it¡¯s not like I could understand it, but I knew it was in pain.  Scarlet could probably feel its emotions if she were there, but it would undoubtedly be a kebab in that scenario.


    She looked up at the greenish-brown towering spikes poking out of the leafy ocean ahead of her.  A dark blue cloud was slowly cresting the mountain peak and sides, spreading out rapidly.


    What is going on with this world and that crystal?  There are crazy insects, aliens ¡­ well, I guess we¡¯re the aliens, but they¡¯re aliens to us ¡­ the crystal changed color; it¡¯s just too much!  How the flip are we supposed to figure these things out? Right ¡­ me ¡­ ask around and get some intel.


    She did a quick twirl to look up at the heavens, a sad frown making another appearance; it was becoming nearly impossible to see the stars now.  The blue moons were beginning to descend, dropping to the south; they appeared to be influencing each other¡¯s movements.


    If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d be worried about those moons smashing together sometime in the future.  That would be pretty interesting to see ¡­ the effects might not be so pretty.


    Flipping back around, she pursed her lips to the side as she studied the trees below her, debating if she should descend.


    I¡¯m the only person that can understand crazy animal languages, but most of the creatures I¡¯ve talked to just aren¡¯t that smart ¡­ or super perverted.  How the heck did that thing even know Maria and I were female? At least he¡¯s ¡­ he sounded like a he, but who the crap knows?


    She gradually descended toward the treetops, rubbing her forehead.  If only I had Rachel¡¯s ears, then I could spy on all the animals in the entire jungle!  It¡¯d make my life so easy. At least my hearing is decent ¡­ better than it used to be.


    A low groan left her throat as she swerved side to side.  Should I really be this close to the trees, though ¡­ what if something jumps out to eat me.  At least it¡¯d be interesting. I mean, even if something does, I could just freeze its insides or roast its stomach, but I¡¯m still putting myself at risk; Rachel wouldn¡¯t like that, yet I could also get information, which she¡¯d like¡­


    After a bit of debate, she decided it was worth the risk; currently, there weren¡¯t any other sounds than the strange noises the insects make, but she did notice they were all fleeing the opposite direction of the mountain.


    Word¡¯s spreading to them, too.  Something dangerous is coming down from there.  That perv-bear said it was the Azure Frost, and well, that cloud looks azure-colored to me.  A fog that freezes things, maybe, and the jack o''lantern aliens are trying to fight it? How are they using orange energy-swords to slash something like that?  Yeah, that probably won¡¯t be that effective; no wonder they¡¯re losing.


    Not two minutes later, she finally heard something besides the fleeing creatures below; it was a mix of male and female voices, causing her to pause.


    ¡°Hurry, Ja¡¯a, carry Te¡¯r on your back,¡± A male voice ordered.


    A much younger voice responded, presumably Ja¡¯a.  ¡°She¡¯s too heavy for me¡­¡±


    ¡°Quit making excuses!¡±  A third, more feminine tone snapped.


    The first voice returned.  ¡°The sun rises; we must hurry to the edges before nightfall!¡±


    Fiona darted into the jungle, vision instantly adjusting to the dark underbelly.  Scanning the undergrowth, she spotted a toucan-like bird about the size of a large dog running across the ground; their light blue and purple feathers shimmered in the darkness, and their necks were puffed out with a mane-like frill.


    It didn¡¯t seem as if they could fly with their stubby wings; however, their mouth seemed more than vicious enough to take a chunk out of someone.  Their jaws snapped open and shut as they talked to each other, showing serrated teeth inside their razor-sharp mandible. Oddly enough, they looked menacing yet cute.


    ¡°Hello!¡±  Fiona called out cheerily to the four birds.


    The creatures slowed a little, heads darting around.  ¡°Did you hear someone, Ha¡¯e?¡± The first one muttered.


    ¡°Yes, but where ¡­ what is that?¡±  She screamed.


    Fiona shot out in front of them, flying beside the one that seemed tired, likely Te¡¯r.  ¡°Hello, Te¡¯r, Ha¡¯e, and Ja¡¯a ¡­ I don¡¯t know your name, though,¡± she said, directing a pleasant smile at the bird in the lead.


    His taloned feet bit into the dirt as he skidded to a stop before launching himself at her, jaws open wide.


    ¡°Hey!¡±  She shouted, easily maneuvering around the attack before flying a bit higher.  ¡°That¡¯s not very nice! I¡¯m just saying hello; I¡¯m not trying to hurt you.¡±


    The others backed up against a tree with black bark, the leader in front, and Te¡¯r wheezing.


    Ha¡¯e¡¯s tone was hesitant as she shrank behind the larger toucan.  ¡°Ge¡¯r ¡­ it can speak our language.¡±


    ¡°I can hear that,¡± the leader said, releasing a growl.  Fiona assumed it was a squawk to anyone else, but since her abilities translated their conversation, it would convert it to reflect her own interpretation of a warning; hence, the growl.


    ¡°Chill,¡± Fiona huffed, crossing her arms.  ¡°I just want to ask some questions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking the questions,¡± Ge¡¯r interjected.  ¡°Are you a resident of this land? How can you speak our language?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s brow creased.  ¡°Resident of this land?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t repeat me; give me an answer!¡±


    Confusion touched Fiona¡¯s voice.  ¡°I just ¡­ are you not a resident of this land?  You definitely aren¡¯t from Earth.¡±


    ¡°What if we aren¡¯t?¡±  Ge¡¯r challenged, puffing up his feathers.


    The show was more cute than menacing, causing Fiona to giggle.


    ¡°Oh, not scared?  I could eat you in one bite!¡±


    Fiona waved her hand.  ¡°No, no, please,¡± she laughed.  ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ you¡¯re pretty cute.¡±


    ¡°Cute ¡­ she thinks you''re cute?¡±  Ha¡¯e huffed, gray eyes narrowing as she puffed out her own feathers in a frill.


    ¡°Honestly,¡± Fiona wheezed, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.  ¡°If you were pets back on Earth ¡­ well, I guess I don¡¯t have time to waste, too.  I¡¯m¡­¡±


    Her eyes narrowed as a feminine voice hissed around the area.  ¡°Gotcha!¡±


    A snake the length of a school bus shot out of the thick undergrowth, crocodile-like mouth opened wide to chomp down on the unsuspecting birds.  Quick as lightning, Fiona activated Wind Wall.


    The creature¡¯s head managed to break past a part of her spell, but its trajectory was forcefully redirected into the trunk beside her new information banks.  The poor birds screamed in fear as Ge¡¯r jumped up, biting the snake¡¯s bark-like skin as it swayed in a stunned manner above them. The only response was the poor guy¡¯s cry of pain, dropping back down beside the others while licking his teeth.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡±  Fiona barked, green aura tinting light blue as her dust turned red; she conjured the advanced form of Ice Shard, Ice Spear.  ¡°Ya¡¯ done messed up, snake!¡±


    The six-foot-long icicle formed within seconds, and she launched it toward the dazed serpent.  It penetrated the side of the creature¡¯s head, skewering it against the tree. It thrashed about, gurgling as a green liquid sprayed out of its wound, redirected away from her new acquaintances by the still active Wind Wall.


    Before the birds could get crushed by the creature¡¯s weight, Fiona used Levitation to pull them back toward her, rising into the sky while deactivating Wind Wall.


    ¡°W-what is this?¡±  Ha¡¯e gasped, flailing around in the air.


    Te¡¯r sounded mystified.  ¡°We¡¯re flying!¡± She screamed with glee, flapping her stubby wings.


    Breaking past the canopy of the rainforest, Fiona crossed her legs and folded her arms as she studied the four.  ¡°Okay, now we can have a proper conversation; you can¡¯t be too careful in this place. I captured a bug and crazy jack o''lantern thing earlier; this world has some scary stuff.¡±


    The four birds stared at her blankly for several seconds before Ge¡¯r cleared his throat, now sounding a little nervous as he glanced back down at the ground; the scene below was now invisible behind the dense tree cover, but the sounds of thrashing and hissing could still be heard.


    ¡°You¡ªyou can make us¡ªfly?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that, it¡¯s just Levitation.  I suppose we¡¯re flying, but it¡¯s more like I¡¯m doing some magical thing to your weight and changing wind currents or something like that.  Oh, it can also get pretty breezy up here,¡± she mumbled, watching them shiver as a gust of wind blew back their feathers.


    ¡°Then ¡­ you aren¡¯t from this world?  It is a double crystal event?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyes sparkled.  ¡°Yes! I finally found someone that knows something.  Rachel¡¯s going to be so happy¡­¡±


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Ha¡¯e mumbled, now sounding a little cowed.  ¡°What are you ¡­ are you going to kill us?¡±


    ¡°Kill you?  No, no, not at all!¡±  Fiona cooed, but her smile soon fell as she heard a familiar buzzing sound.  ¡°Seriously!¡± She groaned, expanding her Wind Shield to encompass the birds.


    The two kids tensed as the sharp gusts blowing against them calmed, and two of the large dragonfly creatures batted against the shield beside their heads, bouncing off to the side.


    ¡°W-what are those?¡±  Te¡¯r gasped with fright.


    ¡°No need to worry,¡± Fiona soothed, scratching the back of her head as she glanced around at the swarm of insects that began to surround them.  They seemed to wise up because they were now floating just outside the perimeter, likely waiting for the shield to drop. ¡°These things are small-fry; I¡¯ve killed dozens of them.¡±


    ¡°G-glad to know,¡± Ha¡¯e whispered.


    ¡°So¡ªumm,¡± Ge¡¯r¡¯s tone had become considerably more respectful, ¡°what is your purpose ¡­ with my family, I mean.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s smile returned.  ¡°Family! That¡¯s even cuter!  Eh¡ªwhat do I want with you? You know about the crystals, right?¡±


    ¡°We know about them ¡­ yes,¡± Ge¡¯r responded.


    ¡°Well, I want to know about them, too.  One just appeared in our world, and we¡¯ve been trying to figure out what the flaming things are.  We don¡¯t know if we should be worried about attacks or not. That kind of stuff.¡±


    ¡°You¡ªyou didn¡¯t have the crystals before?  This is¡ªis the first time?¡± Ha¡¯e asked with shock.


    Fiona nodded.  ¡°Yup, there was a big light that cracked the sky around our planet and changed tons of people, then these crystals appeared.  Does that ring a bell? It¡¯s like that,¡± she pointed at the dome above them, ¡°but imagine it around the whole planet ¡­ oh, and a lot more colors, brighter, too.  At least, from the pictures I saw in the files¡ªeh, anyways, anything sound familiar?¡±


    Ha¡¯e was the first one to respond.  ¡°No¡ªnot the whole planet, but small areas like this.  Our people have been through many such incidents, but The Great Jo¡¯Toa¡¯Koria always protected us and pushed the assailants back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s,¡± Ge¡¯r¡¯s tone was pained, ¡°until the Azure Frost came ¡­ it¡¯s endless.  Our home is very dark, and it grows quickly in the dark. The Azure Frost overwhelmed The Great Jo¡¯Toa¡¯Koria ¡­ it pushed them back, even when the crystal shattered, it remained.  It advanced ¡­ taking over everything. It seems to spread, crystal to crystal. When another arrived, we were inside the barrier; for the first time, instead of looking at it as an assault, we saw it as our salvation.¡±


    He choked up; Fiona squinted as a blue tear left his eye, crystalizing into stone before dropping below.  The color and shine were so beautiful that it momentarily distracted her. Ha¡¯e finished as her husband collected himself.


    ¡°The Azure Frost was closing in on us; it had overtaken every land we knew ¡­ suffocating everything.  We met with what was left of our people and fled here; these creatures met us with light sticks that could cut through even the Roka¡¯la¡¯s shells ¡­ it is always a risk with going to a new planet.  Naturally, we¡¯d find opposition to our migration. We all ran ¡­ and then the Azure Frost followed us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your world,¡± Fiona said, ears drooping; however, her mixed light-red and blue dust flared red.  ¡°Could you shut it for two seconds; it¡¯s a sad moment!¡± She barked, glaring at the buzzing insects outside. ¡°I¡¯m about to bust a cap in these buggers.¡±


    The bird family stared at her tentatively as she continued to glower at the flying creatures, eyes like daggers.


    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡­ bugger and cap?¡±  Ge¡¯r asked.


    ¡°This,¡± Fiona said, lifting her hand to summon an Ice Shard.  The three-foot-long spike shot through a small opening in the wind currents with her desire; the bug effortlessly ducked around it, causing Fiona¡¯s jaw to lock momentarily.  ¡°Freakin¡¯ kiddin¡¯ me ¡­ okay, toasted it is!¡±


    The light blue in her aura changed yellow as sparks danced from her fingertips, short arcs zapping the creatures out of the sky through small gaps she created in the shield.  The static discharge made the birds quake, trapped in her spell, and unable to move.


    ¡°Man, I¡¯m OP,¡± Fiona mused, breathing a sigh of relief as she struck down the last bug.  I¡¯m down to sixty-three percent of my energy, though.  They¡¯re bringing back some sugar, so it¡¯s fine.


    She turned her bright smile to her semi-captives; the smell of burning insects was swiftly blown away.  ¡°There, all done.¡±


    ¡°You have some ¡­ I¡¯m glad you chose to talk to us,¡± Ge¡¯r mumbled, following the blackened bodies with his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad we can communicate!¡±  Fiona clapped her hands together.  ¡°We really need to figure out what¡¯s going on with these crystals.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡ªis it safe ¡­ can we come to your world?¡±  Te¡¯r squeaked.


    ¡°Te¡¯r!¡±  Her mother chastised.  ¡°We can¡¯t just¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Fiona replied.


    ¡°Wait¡ªreally?¡±  Ge¡¯r asked.


    Fiona shrugged.  ¡°I mean, we¡¯d probably need the okay from Tom, but if you guys have information, then it could be ¡­ oh, what was it in that one movie.  You could be like¡ªinformants ¡­ witness protection sort of deal¡ªfor aliens. How much do you know about the crystals?¡± She asked, scratching behind her long left ear.


    ¡°We¡¯ll tell you everything we know!¡±  Ha¡¯e urged. ¡°Please, just ¡­ if you can guarantee our safety ¡­ the Azure Frost¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, about that,¡± Fiona held up her hand, crossing her legs again.  ¡°Tell me about this stuff, and how do we close the portal? Oh, the shape, what¡¯s the shapes and colors mean?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªcan you give me a second to¡ªto collect my thoughts ¡­ this is all so sudden,¡± Ha¡¯e asked, closing her eyes and folding her tiny bird wings, getting more comfortable with floating.


    ¡°Sure, no problem,¡± Fiona said, glancing back at the mountain.  The cloud had stopped, and the mist was beginning to disperse as the sun rose.  She squinted as the tops of the peaks began to shimmer like diamonds in the firelight.  ¡°What in the name of brightness?¡±


    The bird family followed her gaze, and Ge¡¯r whispered, ¡°That¡¯s the Azure Frost ¡­ during the night, it releases spores continually, proliferating.  During the day, it goes into hibernation ¡­ it¡¯s cold, sort of how your long weapon feels. In our land, our nights were long ¡­ it overwhelmed us within months, and now, it¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Fiona pressed, ¡°how do we close our crystal and be done with it all?  I want to get back to my sister ¡­ I¡¯m really worried about her. Maybe I can get Tom to bring her over to the U.S.,¡± she pondered.


    Realizing she¡¯d stopped talking, Ha¡¯e took a deep breath before responding.  ¡°To close the crystals ¡­ you must conquer the opposing side.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s body tilted slightly in the air.  ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Conquer¡ªoh, Ge¡¯r, how would you describe it?  Maybe they don¡¯t have the word in their language.¡±


    ¡°No, I understand what conquer means; I just don¡¯t get the context.  What are we supposed to conquer? Are there some people we need to beat-up, or do we need to destroy a bunch of the land?  Get what I¡¯m asking?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you must conquer the official residents; how you do that is up to you, but you can kill them, pillage them, make it so they must rebuild ¡­ there are many ways.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªsnap,¡± Fiona mumbled.  ¡°That makes things a little complicated ¡­ is it the bug people or the jack o''lanterns ¡­ maybe something else?¡±


    Ge¡¯r and Ha¡¯e both shook their heads.


    ¡°No idea,¡± Ha¡¯e replied.


    ¡°The Great Jo¡¯Toa¡¯Koria always took care of it for us, but a lot of it was public knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful ¡­ I suppose you guys know a lot more about the crystals?¡±


    Again, they all nodded.


    A soft sigh left Fiona¡¯s lips as she pulled back her hair, righting herself in the air.  ¡°That solves our biggest problem. Let¡¯s just hope that Scarlet didn¡¯t discover anything crazy on her end.  Well¡ªthis is pretty important stuff to bring back. Tom will have to talk with the President and decide how we¡¯ll handle it, I suppose.¡±


    Ja¡¯a spoke up for the first time.  ¡°We¡¯re¡ªgoing to safety?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Fiona grinned, giving him a thumbs up.  ¡°You guys have no clue how happy you¡¯ve made me!¡±


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


    I hope you''ve been enjoying the free entertainment!  The internet is divided into different echo-chambers; you have a specific group that only hovers around specific sites/content.  So, by recommending my serials to others, you give it more exposure to different echo-chambers and help it grow.  Ratings are excellent, Trending is terrific, but it only will appeal to a specific echo-chamber.  If you like my content, then please share it in your own unique way.


    Thank you!  ^_^7


    Normal Plugs:


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


    Vote on Top Web Fictions


    Support me on Patreon and get up to 3 Chapters ahead in A Tail''s Misfortune, 6 Chapters in The Oscillation, and 10 Chapters in Undying Empire.


    View and help contribute to the Wiki

 B3 — 7. First Contact?!

    AuthorSME


    POV Change: Scarlet Clementine Johnson


    Recap: Rachel sent Fiona to find some info and she rescued our bird family from a deadly snake the size of a school bus and a swarm of dragonfly-like insects (electrifying!).  She found out some news on the crystals and is returning.  In this chapter, we go back to Scarlet''s POV and follow her adventure to explore the insect hive!


    Scarlet has some fun.  =))  She''s getting better at dealing with her negative image, but it''s a bit easy when she''s like this.  Poor girl has self-esteem issues.  D=


    Scarlet smiled as she teleported through the jungle, activating Fear Aura to scare off the rhino-like bugs; she couldn¡¯t believe how much better she was feeling.  Moving locations to guide the stampeding animals and insects away from the campsite.


    Once the panicked bugs had been dealt with, she sat on a tree branch, scanning the area while bobbing her head back and forth while humming Youth by Glass Animals.  Her hair getting in the way didn¡¯t bother her much since she could just filter it out.


    Trees vanished within a mile radius as she studied the animals and insects; their bodies were a lot different from humans, and several had blood that was mixed colors.  Some animals traveled in small groups, but the other predators around the jungle were picking them off like flies.


    How could some of those things survive with all these reptiles and insects around here?  Poor things, but that¡¯s the circle of life. Huh, it¡¯d be the same if humans were never here; it¡¯s just the same thing ¡­ everything needs to eat.


    Leaning back a little, Scarlet held herself up as she kicked her legs out, watching the frenzied ecosystem flee from the mountain, but they were heading right for sections of the black sand.  Her fingers rubbed the hard bark beneath her as she studied everything swapping to Things in Life by Nameless Warning.


    The sight of all the creatures floating in midair or running along invisible branches made her giggle.  She didn¡¯t know why her mind kept flipping between songs she liked, but it was a nice change of pace from all the worry she¡¯d been feeling.  There was something about being in the jungle that resonated with her and curbed her anxiety.


    She vanished in shadow to appear above a group of Red Panda-like creatures, watching them release high-pitched squeals before freezing.  The scene made her swap to Heathens by Twenty One Pilots.


    Several seconds passed with them quivering as they stared up at her, and the snakes that were trailing them quickly retreated, moving to the southeast.  ¡°All my friends are heathens, take it slow...¡± Scarlet softly sang, body bobbing with her hair as she observed them.


    After thirty seconds, she sighed, motioning for them to run off.  ¡°C¡¯mon, you just can¡¯t go this way.¡± She pursed her lips to the side as her vision penetrated their bodies; their hearts were pumping frantically, obviously scared out of their minds.


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± she muttered, desiring her Fear Aura to drop to a lower tier level.  With the sudden decrease, the Red Pandas dashed to the west.  The fear in the air drew her notice, and it suddenly clicked.


    It¡¯s the panic, the dread ¡­ that¡¯s why I feel so good.  Huh ¡­ it¡¯s not the jungle that smells so intoxicating but the fear pheromones.


    The realization didn¡¯t dampen her mood; in fact, the knowledge made her feel alive.  She licked her black lips as the song in her mind changed to Fear the Fever by Digital Daggers, vision following the pandas; their blood pumping through their bodies, releasing the sweat that carried with it their fear and an itching pulse ran down her spine.


    It wants to kill you.  It wants to tear you apart.  It wants to thrill you. This vengeful love that I¡¯ve got wants to consume you, then spit you out.  I fear the fever¡­


    The blood that had wet her mouth quickly dropped down her throat as she swallowed, and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.  No ¡­ maybe a little, but ¡­ later.


    Trying to distract herself, she started humming Toluca Lake by Tep No while casting her focus around.  She found a few more creatures heading for the crystal and quickly diverted them.


    Not finding any more creatures willing to go that way, she turned off Fear Aura and teleported a few miles toward the black sand.  She released a soft moan as she appeared on a branch, leaning up against a purplish-colored tree trunk.


    Eyes closed, she lightly hit her head back against it, fighting past the urge to go after something.  Mass panic brings out this crazy urge in me!  What¡¯s so scary? I guess Rachel¡¯s on that; she¡¯ll figure something out.  I need something to pick me up, but not heighten my bloodthirst ¡­ what song?  C¡¯mon, think, think ¡­ wait, why do I need to curb it?


    Her eyes snapped open as one of her favorite bands popped into mind with a particular song, The Reckoning by Unsecret.  The white in her eyes was replaced with the void as she hummed, vampiric vision returned.


    I¡¯m supposed to be a nightmare.  I keep holding myself back and worrying about what others think of me, but no one¡¯s around ¡­ this is the jungle on a completely different world.  No one¡¯s going to judge me ¡­ it¡¯s just me. Rachel and Tom want results, and they need me to instill fear. Fear, I can do.


    Reactivating her aura, she let it radiate at its maximum output, breathing in the horror surrounding the forest.  Her tongue slid over her fangs as she smiled, taking a deep breath. The jungle vanished within a mile radius as she studied the creatures fleeing from her.


    What mysteries are hiding here?  There must be a reason why the crystal brought us to this place, and it¡¯s somewhere in this dome.  The bugs seem to be a major player, and I only looked a bit into their hive.


    The ground began to fade as her eyes penetrated the earth, following hundreds of tunnels; the ant-like creatures had created many openings to conduct hunts, but it appeared as if they all branched off three primary shafts.  A few of the more prominent warriors stood guard in those areas.


    Will they run if I show up?  Time to do my own testing.


    Shadows enveloped her, and she appeared in front of five of the massive creatures.  They didn¡¯t have the camouflage that the worker ants had. The animals froze as she looked around, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.


    The tunnel was relatively large, at least ten meters wide and tall, lined with the black gravel, and the rugged texture was easily recognizable as she rubbed the bottom of her flats against them.  There was some kind of adhesive that kept them in place that almost looked like mud.


    She pursed her lips as she put her hands on her hips, staring up at the frozen insects; turning her head, she looked at the blue blood of the workers that were too close and had found themselves unable to run.


    What kind of effects does my maximum Fear Aura give ¡­ Fear and Horrify; there¡¯s only a chance of each affecting a creature, and it increases its potency the higher tier I use.  Everyone has their own resistance level to each status effect; so, I guess that¡¯s why some of them just froze in place.


    Scarlet hummed softly as she walked forward; it was then that she realized that it was a little hard to breathe.  ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± She mumbled, touching her throat.


    I¡¯m having a hard time breathing ¡­ I suppose it would be difficult to breathe in certain areas as we get further underground.  I¡¯m only like two hundred feet under, though.


    ¡°Huh.¡±  She looked back up at the tank-like body of the creature with its massive, powerful legs and jaws.  Up close, she found that it had five eyes. Their skin was shiny metal; she slid her hand over one of its legs; it was as thick as her torso and smooth to the touch.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you things strange,¡± she mumbled.


    Looking further into the tunnel, toward the black sand area, she frowned.  Groups of soldiers and workers were scuttling her way, but once they reached a certain distance, they quickly ran back the way they¡¯d come.  After retreating a bit, they tried to return before repeating the process.


    They¡¯re not that smart, or are they being compelled by some queen, like Rachel theorized?  Either way, I need to put the fear of Vampires in them.


    Patting the side of the scary insect next to her, she vanished in shadows.  Skipping past several more groups of rushing guards, she finally made it to the primary hive.  Her eyes narrowed as she teleported to where she¡¯d seen the equipment before; only scraps were left against the black gravel.


    What in the world?  Where¡¯d they take it...


    It took a moment to filter through the layers of dirt, looking for the possible workers that had moved it.  In her search, she found a few points of interest.


    There were the sanitation caverns, which were a bit disgusting; it looked like chunky green ooze that was being continually filled as workers carried the goo on their hands, dropping it down the holes.  Several more pockets were currently under construction.


    Several large caverns were lined with eggs, from the top of the ceiling to the floor with strange winged ants that moved from egg to egg, seemingly fertilizing them.  Workers could be seen running around the area, cleaning up the shells, and feeding newly hatched ants from their mouths, regurgitating nutrients into their mouths.


    She watched the shells brought by the worker ants to a large area with patches of liquid veins that bubbled up through the soil, where smaller ants with wings and no stinger drank it, ate the shells, and regurgitate it after some kind of chemical reaction happened in their stomachs.  The workers collected the black paste and brought it back to the tunnels, lining the edges and spreading the black gravel across it.


    Scarlet tucked her lips under as she finally found the queens by following the movement of the eggs.  There were over twenty of the fat creatures, each in branching caverns. The queens were over ten meters wide and five meters tall; it didn¡¯t look like they could even move, requiring the workers to roll each one to clean them.


    The whole process was a bit disturbing to watch, between their waste, birth, and inner workings as the winged males, she assumed, injected their stingers in specific places on the queens¡¯ bodies.


    Well ¡­ they certainly are energetic ¡­ wait, do the males die after a single seeding?  What¡¯s up with ¡­ the queen¡¯s blood mixes with their body when they impregnate her, and it poisons them.  They¡¯re cannibals. Crazy...


    She watched the males stumble into what she could only describe as a processing plant, where workers cut them into pieces and smashed them up, draining their liquid into an underground water stream.  After which, they chewed up the remains, neutralizing the poison with some kind of chemical in their stomach, and then threw it back up to give the workers to feed the babies.


    Workers continued to bring back more food to be processed, and it was taken down to the food plant where they did the same process of draining any liquid the animal or insect had.


    Quite the system they have, but the real interesting thing is that¡­


    Her eyes centered on two specific spots, the waste holes and a tunnel running below the queens.  Glowing orange crystals were slowly growing from within the earth, feeding off the waste, and she couldn¡¯t see into it.  Several other areas had the same crystal, except that they didn¡¯t glow, and she could penetrate them with her eyes. The stolen parts were nowhere to be seen in the hive.


    Shadows enveloped her, and she stood at the entrance to the cavern, glowing orange crystals releasing a soft light that made her think of Halloween.  Folding her arms, she glanced back as the queens released a murderous shrill scream that sounded like a dying cat. However, they were the only ones that even moved with her Fear Aura radiating around the area.


    Scarlet wanted to sigh, but the air was so thin down here that she couldn¡¯t even do that.


    I¡¯m glad I don¡¯t need to breathe air; still, it feels uncomfortable.


    The workers and male suitors were frozen in terror, and she could see a swarm of insects lining the tunnels further up, trying their hardest to reach her before being forced to flee.


    Yeah, something tells me that these guys aren¡¯t masterminds.  It doesn¡¯t matter if I fear them, they¡¯ll just run right back at me.  So, they¡¯re just following protocols and commands, but is it from the queens?  There¡¯s also this¡­


    She glanced back at the orange crystal, and paused in her thoughts, vision falling to the hard black soil.  It hadn¡¯t been noticeable so far away, but from this distance, she saw scattered fragments of glass and plastic.


    They brought it here?


    Her halo-like red irises lifted to the impenetrable crystal wall.


    No ¡­ a secret area?


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes narrowed as she glanced back around the queen¡¯s dome-like cavern, noticing the same glowing crystal creeping through the dirt and running back to the massive crystal structure that appeared to extend as far as she could see underneath her.


    This thing is over two miles under the earth ¡­ what in the world?  It just keeps going too, and if I filter out everything within a mile radius, it has what looks little crystal tentacles that keep growing up all around the place.  This isn¡¯t suspicious at all ¡­ if I didn¡¯t know any better, then I¡¯d say there are aliens behind those walls. It just screams aliens.


    Walking up to the bright structure, she waited for something to happen, expecting her blood to protect her if things went south.  From this distance, she could hear a low resonance that almost seemed closer to something she¡¯d expect from Dubstep; there was silence, then a high to low drop that came at different times and appeared to have short patterns before changing.


    Have I entered an alien rave world?  If I go behind this crystal, will I find aliens getting down on the dance floor, going ham?


    She tensed as the sound of the screaming queens, and the beats came together in a strange mix that made it all too unnerving; it was like Horrorstep, and not being able to take a breath only increased the pressure in her chest.


    Well, time to dive in headfirst.  This stuff makes it hard to even think ¡­ it¡¯s like twice as loud as a normal rave, and the bass ripples through my body.


    Her blood spiked out of her hands, digging into the crystal; it was surprisingly durable, but her blood burrowed into the structure, finding weaknesses.  Cracks appeared in the wall as the liquid continued to tunnel. Sections fell off, not breaking when they hit the compact black gravel, and her blood soon punctured to the other side.


    Scarlet tensed, eyes widening before leaping back as her blood retracted to shield her; orange fumes released from the opening as chunks of the wall continued to crumble with the liquid¡¯s swift return.  A partial barrier surrounded her, but she didn¡¯t sense anything wrong with the smoke.


    Her frown deepened as a sharp hiss came from the other side; the horrorstep continued to play while she waited.  Licking her black lips, she glanced back at the still screaming queens and tirelessly attacking and retreating ants.


    Do you guys know something I don¡¯t?


    Her focus went to the ceiling as the orange smoke rose, collecting along the black gravel.


    Well, okay, I guess we continue.  I mean, it¡¯s usually a bad thing in movies to open something you have no clue about, but hey, I¡¯m a vampire, and I don¡¯t need to breathe.  Of course, what if this thing melts my bones?


    She pursed her lips, vampiric vision returning to the cracked crystal wall, penetrating her blood.  A pulse of light was gathering around the damaged sections.


    Flip, what would Rachel do?  Probably study it for like ¡­ ever, no, probably just punch a hole through it and see what happens.  Fiona? She¡¯d probably do the same. Maria? Likely complain about the noise ¡­ yeah, that¡¯s about it for her.


    Stretching out her hands, she cracked her neck before moving her blood around her body.  It floated close to her skin as she used Blood Manipulation, visualizing what she wanted, a protective barrier.


    She walked forward and told it to gather.  The liquid formed into a ball at her face before extending, smashing into the structure; crystal shattered everywhere as her blood battering ram created a massive hole.  Smoke exploded through, but the gathering light increased, glowing brighter.


    What¡¯s it¡­


    Spikes flared out, filling the hole.


    No, you don¡¯t!


    Scarlet visually filtered out the smoke, saw the floor on the other side, and teleported.  The area she entered wasn¡¯t that large; it looked more like a hallway than a room. Her vision became nothing but a wall of orange fog as she deactivated her vision¡¯s filter.  The horrorstep sounds were surprisingly gone, and the only noise left was a dull hum.


    Filter on, it is.  Geez. At least this stuff doesn¡¯t seem poisonous ¡­ well, at least to me.  Who knows since I don¡¯t have to breathe.


    The wall swiftly closed up, but she wasn¡¯t concerned.  Her focus shifted to the floor where a ton of crystal pieces were scattered around like glass.  The rigid design of the hallway intrigued her, pulling her attention. She walked up to the wall and stroked the side; an imprint of bright orange light followed the motion.


    Crazy.  Too bad I can¡¯t see through the walls.  I guess my vision isn¡¯t a high enough level for these things.  It runs along the entire underground, though. What¡¯s up with it?  It¡¯s miles underground, too.


    Glancing to her left and right, she folded her arms.


    Left or right?  Right will bring me closer to the team.  I suppose we can start¡­


    Her thoughts froze as she caught sight of two glowing orange jack o''lantern-like alien creatures walked down a hall.  They didn¡¯t seem to notice her since their heads were turned toward each other; her mind went into a panic.


    Do I have any hiding abilities ¡­ Shroud of Darkness, that¡¯s right!


    She activated it; blackness obscured her body; she almost wanted to slap her own head.  The creatures paused as they caught sight of the impenetrable black space in the hallway before looking at each other, then shattered crystals scattered across the ground from the hull breach.


    Their arms and three claw-based fingers made strange motions as they communicated, glancing her way every once in a while and gesturing to the shattered pieces of their wall across the floor.


    They both wore a white banner-like shirt and some kind of close-fitted stiff-fabric pants.  The one to her left had a black crescent shape with a cross running through it on his shirt-front while the other had a blue line through the black crescent shape.


    The one with the cross walked to the side of the wall and slid his hand in a complicated design; Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened as a sigil appeared, and a holographic sphere came into existance.  The alien began playing with strange symbols that floated inside, moving them around as new lines of shapes and designs came into being.


    This is straight out of a Sci-Fi film!  These are like aliens; they even look kind of like orange Martians!  Who needs to go on an Area Fifty-One run when you¡¯ve got them in Montana?  Should I talk to them? Can I even speak in here? Maybe I can use gestures, but would they even understand that?  Oh, they could have made the crystals in the first place!


    Think ¡­ what did they do in that one Arrival movie?  That one was about learning how to communicate with aliens ¡­ I think?  Crap, I don¡¯t know if I have the time to do that. I also have no clue how to really even do all that stuff.  Well, I guess I can wing it ¡­ but I mean, if someone just showed up in my home, unannounced, and I looked like them ¡­ I¡¯d flip the crap out.


    Their emotions are more curious and concerned than angry, but that could change really quickly.  I can¡¯t just keep hiding in here, though, and who knows what they¡¯re doing¡ªprobably checking some kind of scanners or something?  Maybe ¡­ or what if they¡¯re checking to make sure their ¡­ oh! Is this orange fog like their atmosphere? It was like that in Arrival.  They need this stuff to live? Maybe, and that¡¯s why they¡¯re seeing if there¡¯s a malfunction in this area? This is so cool!


    What if they have lasers or disintegration beams, and the like ¡­ yikes ¡­ that could be bad.  If an alien showed up in my room looking kind of scary ¡­ I¡¯d shoot first, ask questions later.  They¡¯ll eventually do something else to figure out what this random black spot is in their ¡­ is this a ship?  Snap ¡­ okay, can I breathe, good, okay, breathe, breathe, first contact is always important. I get to make first contact!  They seem super intelligent, too!


    Her vision centered on the first alien¡¯s claws as it danced around the hologram, catching three-ring like devices that she hadn¡¯t noticed before, and her mind flashed back to tons of alien movies where they have crazy weapons.


    Eh ¡­ maybe I shouldn¡¯t.  I could be the moving black shadow walking around their ship.  They¡¯re trying to figure out what I am, and I¡¯m trying to figure out what they are.  That¡¯s cool, too ¡­ no need to rush things. If I¡¯m not hostile, then they shouldn¡¯t be hostile either.  No need for crazy space weapons, too ¡­ let¡¯s test the waters and look around.


    She swallowed a bit of blood that had gathered in her mouth as her nerves acted up.


    We¡¯ll go down the opposite way and see what they do!  Time to explore an alien ship ¡­ if it¡¯s a ship ¡­ man, this is awesome!  Kind of eerie, but cool.


    Turning around, she carefully walked down the hall, glancing back to see the two aliens make more gestures toward each other before hurrying after her.  The hologram followed them along the wall as the creature continued to play with the symbols.


    If I wasn¡¯t a vampire, this would be so much scarier.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 8. Apprehension

    AuthorSME


    POV Change: Scarlet Clementine Johnson and returns to Rachel Park halfway down


    Recap: Scarlet went down into the hive and found the queens, but accidentally discovered the alien base and is now exploring it.


    Scarlet frowned as she walked along the nearly silent crystal hallways, hands intertwined behind her back; the low hum of the walls and soft tapping sounds the orange aliens made behind her were the only noises.  She had to refrain from humming Keep On by Sasha Sloan as it played in her mind to fill the silent atmosphere.


    She could only see so far since the path curved slightly, but eventually, she found a crystal wall.  A dead-end?  What¡¯s up with that?


    Her head snapped to the left as something resembling the sound of cracking ice; turning around, her brow creased as the orange crystal expanded from the wall, sealing her off from the aliens.


    Ah, I get it; they¡¯re putting me in quarantine.  That¡¯s pretty smart, but they left me a lot of room to walk around in.  She put her hands on her hips, examining her free space.  Maybe this is the only area they can seal off.  Too bad for them, I can teleport to shaded locations!


    She couldn¡¯t sense that many shadows near her which was odd, but there was one to her right, further into the crystal structure.  Shroud of Darkness quickly expanded as she appeared, looking around with mild curiosity.


    She was inside some kind of massive storage space that extended more than a hundred meters in both directions and was at least five meters high.  A smile lit her lips as the area began to light up. I guess it knows someone¡¯s here.


    Moving to one of the crystal crates that was nearly as tall as her, she slid her hand across it.  The orange substance began to slide into itself, revealing dozens of clothes inside. This layer was only two feet down and didn¡¯t extend through the entire container.


    Scarlet picked up one of the plain white banner-like shirts she¡¯d seen the aliens wearing, twisting it around.  Man, this place is wild.  I wish my dressers worked like this; it would be so cool.  Maybe I should take one of them back with me ¡­ that might be a bad idea, though.  What if they¡¯re super offended and launch a full-on invasion ¡­ a war started over a stolen crate.  I could see it¡­


    Trying her best to fold it back up, she replaced the item before walking into the main path, clearly identified by a slight indentation in the floor.  It felt a little strange not being able to see through everything around her. Following the pathway further into the alien base, Scarlet made it halfway to the sealed wall before it soundlessly slid open, revealing three aliens.


    They all froze, and Scarlet smiled, spotting a room with holograms beyond the three.  She instantly teleported, starting to feel the prick in her gums that told her she was reaching about half energy.


    Shrouded in a cloud of darkness that extended a few feet, she observed the new area; her entrance had started a panic, several aliens with white uniforms and yellow crests ran into the storage room, making a strange high-pitched sound.  She could sense their terror, but one seemed to double down on his courage.


    Aww, I feel a little bad now¡­


    The lone little guys wearing a black cloak shot toward her, orange energy flaring to life from his rings; Scarlet hummed with interest as the orange atmosphere seemed to be absorbed into the blades in his hands.


    Well, isn¡¯t that interesting.  He¡¯s kind of fast, too.


    She¡¯d been feeling less and less frightened since the Miami Beach incident about engaging combat, and there was something about being on this new planet that put her at ease; she didn¡¯t have to watch how she looked or acted, for the most part.


    Her blood shot out of her body, surrounding the creature; she was a little shocked to see the blades penetrate the crystalline substance as it hardened, but her blood simply molded around its arms and raised it up.


    It made quite a racket as it struggled in the air with the others watching from the doorway.  Scarlet slid her tongue over her fangs as she approached; her remaining blood returned to her body, protecting her heart.


    Man, so much for being lowkey ¡­ of course, a black cloud moving around their home isn¡¯t exactly stealthy.  Something¡¯s up with his cloak, too, I can¡¯t see through it. His head, though ¡­ what a strange-looking brain.  It almost looks like stir fry mixed with noodles. I¡¯m not smelling anything that appetizing from¡­


    Her eyes were drawn to an enormous orange rectangular consol center with a hollow center; a massive hologram of the mountains outside could be observed with a valley on the opposite side.  It looked like the jungle had been frozen over and colossal dahlia flowers blooming on top of the trees.


    The largest was on the left side of the valley; it was at least five times taller than the towering jungle trees and spread a good distance in all directions.  It almost looked like a shimmering rainbow-colored diamond wonderland.


    The most concerning issue was the sun; the horizon was glowing with the onslaught of the coming daylight.  ¡°Shoot!¡±


    Quickly scanning above her for the nearest cave she could teleport to, she threw the alien to the side; before it could touch the ground, her blood had returned, and she¡¯d vanished.  It took another two caves before she was in the range of ground level.


    She breathed a long breath of fresh air as she looked up at the brightening sky; the moons were surprisingly still showing in the sky, slowly moving to the east.  Vision penetrating the jungle, she found the mountains they¡¯d labeled north.


    ¡°Crap, it¡¯s coming up so fast!¡±  She groaned.


    Scarlet vanished in shadows, swiftly moving in the direction of the base camp, keeping an eye out for the crystal.  It took a few jumps, grumbling every time she scanned each new area and didn¡¯t spot her destination. Every second was a moment closer to her sublimation.


    Eventually, she released a sigh of relief; she¡¯d found the site.


    * * *


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched, shifting to the south as she caught Scarlet¡¯s sporadic sounds; she was rustling leaves, appearing on branches, and cursing to herself.  Fiona was coming back, too. Maria had taken the red panda back into the vehicle to pet him; she was talking to it like a dog.


    Her vision swept the area; the sun was coming up.  The insect in Fiona¡¯s Wind Prison kept trying to break past the barrier but was repelled each time; the attempt didn¡¯t hurt it but simply shot its arms and legs back.  She could barely hear the alien creature moving at all; it was sitting down, almost as if it was waiting for something.


    If Fiona¡¯s coming back, then ¡­ she has some creatures with her that are squawking.  She¡¯s supposed to get an understanding of what¡¯s happening up on the mountain; she must have found some pressing information.


    Scarlet¡¯s a bit frantic; I guess she didn¡¯t realize how much time had passed while underground.  Hopefully, one of them figured out what¡¯s going on with this little orange jack-o-lantern.


    Scarlet appeared first with a stressed smile on her black lips.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ sorry I took so long.¡± Her eyes shifted to the stone prison.  ¡°You captured one of the orange Martians; they have a huge crystal base underneath the jungle.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears stiffened.  ¡°They¡¯re under us? I can¡¯t hear anything down there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s super loud when you¡¯re right outside of the stuff,¡± Scarlet said, pulling back her black hair before putting a hand on her hip.  ¡°It sounds kind of like horrorstep.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Taliesin and Thomson hurried over to them, the Captain saying, ¡°Did I hear you correctly?  We¡¯ve got a possible enemy under our feet?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s right cheek bunched as she looked down.  ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re an enemy; I mean, we are kind of trespassing.  Rachel, you¡¯re filthy! What ¡­ oh, they¡¯re sending up some of those tentacle-like crystals toward us.  I saw them all over the place down by their base; I can¡¯t see through the ones that glow.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears pointed down as she lowered her body, glaring at the mud.  It¡¯s soft ¡­ slow ¡­ I can¡¯t believe I missed it.  It¡¯s like an accelerated growing root, pushing past the dirt and around stones.  At that rate, it should take another twenty minutes or more to reach the surface.  What¡¯s its purpose?


    Her red and pink petaled eyes lifted to Scarlet.  ¡°You said you can¡¯t see past the crystal?¡±


    Arms crossing, Scarlet shook her head with a slight frown.  ¡°Nope. I had to feel my way out using shadows; their ship or base or whatever it is is really bizarre.  It¡¯s like¡ªmade out of this orange crystal stuff¡ªlike all of it, and it can do all sorts of things.¡±


    ¡°Ship,¡± Thomson asked, eyes sparkling with interest.  ¡°You actually boarded their ship?¡±


    Scarlet shifted uncomfortably, shaking off the mud from her shoes.  ¡°Umm, the sun¡¯s kind of coming up.¡± She bit her lower lip, rubbing her left arm.  ¡°So ¡­ should I go to the cave?¡±


    Rachel hummed, glancing back at the crystal.  It¡¯s about time that we report back to Tom.  This could be critical information. We don¡¯t want to appear anymore hostile to the aliens, too.  Perhaps if we release him, then it¡¯ll show them that we¡¯re not a threat. If they have a huge base underground, who knows what weapons they could utilize?  It really depends on what information Fiona brings back; at least we¡¯re getting somewhere.


    Turning to Thomson, Rachel asked, ¡°Hey, can you go to the other side of the crystal and make sure it¡¯s still cut off from the sunlight?¡±


    ¡°Eh, yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened before a touch of concern entered her tone.  ¡°Am I going to go back? I can still do things underground, too. I don¡¯t have to go back.¡±


    Rachel smiled, folding her arms as she turned toward the north; Thomson was already running to check Earth¡¯s daylight condition.  Fiona was racing back at an accelerated pace; apparently, her guests were interested in some of their songs, causing Fiona to start singing.


    ¡°We¡¯ll probably give the general a report once Fiona returns.  We¡¯ve made some headway, and Fiona¡¯s main job was to find us an animal informant and figure out what that Azure Frost is.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that what it¡¯s called?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s tail twitched.  ¡°You¡¯ve seen it in the alien ship?¡±


    ¡°Well, a hologram of it; the valley on the other side of the mountain is covered in these diamond-like flowers.¡±


    ¡°Hologram?¡±  Taliesin muttered.  ¡°Shit, they must be more advanced than we are.  It could be a problem if they start getting serious.¡±


    Scarlet shrugged.  ¡°I don¡¯t know; I mean, yeah, they did have some cool stuff, but they were terrified, even before I showed up.  It¡¯s everywhere around the jungle; everything¡¯s scared.¡±


    Rachel looked up as Fiona neared.  ¡°Fiona¡¯s just about here.¡± Her head tilted to look at the crystal; Thomson came back through with a thumbs up.


    ¡°Still covered!¡±  He shouted, jogging back to them.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Rachel chuckled, noting Scarlet¡¯s nervous glance back at her.  ¡°We¡¯ll be right behind you. Also,¡± Scarlet hesitated, ¡°don¡¯t think you need my permission, Scarlet.  We¡¯re friends, I¡¯m not your commander.¡±


    Scarlet breathed a relieved sigh.  ¡°Right, thanks, Rachel. Sometimes I just ¡­ nevermind, thanks.¡±  She looked troubled for a moment before smiling and vanishing in a cloak of shadows, appearing beside the crystal.  Without a backward glance, she passed through.


    ¡°Does she normally act like that?¡±  Taliesin asked, folding his arms.


    Thomson rejoined the group.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s had ¡­ a really bad last few days.¡±


    Her lips curved into a smile as she heard Fiona singing, coming nearer.


    ¡°... you got that something I want next to me.  Only you is like a little piece of ecstasy. If you knew what I was thinking, maybe we could be.  Only you ¡­ ah, oh, ah, ah, ah, oh ¡­ and I still got that feeling you¡¯re the one that I need. Take you to another world, another f-fantasy.  If you only knew what I was thinking ¡­ oh, we¡¯re back! Rachel, hey!¡±


    Before anyone could respond, she puffed out her cheeks, glaring at one of the birds with a challenging tone.  ¡°Wait ¡­ what do you mean our songs are weird? What do your songs sound like?¡±


    Everyone winced as one of the larger birds started shrieking like a dying dolphin, but Fiona listened with a critical eye.  After a short performance, Fiona folded her arms across her chest and nodded with a soft hum. ¡°Not bad, but you could work on the lows.¡±


    ¡°Not bad?¡±  Thomson mumbled.  ¡°That sounded horrible.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Fiona¡¯s brow creased.  ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad ¡­ oh, you can¡¯t understand them.¡±  She said with a spark of understanding. ¡°Yeah, how do humans sound?¡±  She asked, turning back to the four. A few squawks later, and she turned to Rachel, ¡°Say something.¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ did you learn anything important?¡±


    ¡°Oh, totally!¡±  She presented the four with flourishing motion and energy, pointing at each.  ¡°Meet papa Ge¡¯r, mama Ha¡¯e, lil sis Te¡¯r, and big bro Ja¡¯a. They¡¯re going to tell us all about the crystals!  They actually come from a different world than this one; it¡¯s a double crystal event. Pretty wild, eh? The Azure Frost comes from their world, it¡¯s kind of like an apocalyptic thing for them, pretty sad, actually.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mind flipped into overdrive as she processed each of Fiona¡¯s words and the implications.  Double crystal event ¡­ they understand what they mean ¡­ Azure Frost ¡­ apocalyptic.


    ¡°We¡¯re going back to meet with Tom, bring the birds.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that quick?¡±  One of the birds made a gurgling sound.  ¡°What was that? We sound like blustering Tailfin Quakers?  I have no clue what those are ¡­ well, that¡¯s scary.¡±


    Rachel had already turned to Taliesin.  ¡°Can you let Maria know we¡¯ve gone to the other side and to have her follow us.  She can bring the little panda thing. Fiona, could you release the alien and¡­¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ I guess, and what?¡±


    Damn ¡­ I didn¡¯t ask Scarlet about the other bugs.  She didn¡¯t mention it as a threat, but they did attack the previous unit.  We¡¯ll keep that one in the Wind Prison until Scarlet gives her full account, but the aliens are definitely a possible problem.  Actively releasing it could prevent any attacks while we¡¯re gone; they already know where we are and sending some kind of crystal tentacle ¡­ that never ends well in movies.


    ¡°Reinforce the energy trapping the bug and open the stone prison around the alien.  Thomson, could you grab the blood packs that were brought over and take them to Scarlet?¡±  When he nodded, he turned back to Taliesin. ¡°Maria?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m on it ¡­ strangest OP I¡¯ve ever been a part of.¡±  He mumbled.


    When she turned toward Fiona, she saluted her.  ¡°Got it, Captain Rachel!¡± Her green aura mixed brown as she collapsed the stone, tossing the dirt into the jungle.


    Rachel made it two steps before the sound of an explosion flooded her mind; her ears flinched, jarring sensation shooting down her spine.


    ¡°Flip!¡±  Fiona screamed, covering her ears as all the soldiers¡¯ dove to the dirt or behind objects, expletives close to their lips.  The shrill sounds from the birds were even louder, but Fiona was quick in calming them down.


    Staring at Fiona¡¯s dirt pile as mud rained around the area, she sighed.  ¡°The claymores,¡± she muttered, scratching her scalp before flipping back her hair.  ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    The alien looked as startled as them, glancing back at the spot, up and alert.


    Rubbing her left ear, Rachel finished walking to the edge of the dust tornado surrounding the creature.  ¡°Fiona, drop the shield.¡±


    She held her hands up toward the alien as Fiona dropped the shield, and she gestured for it to leave, pointing at the jungle.  It stared at her a moment before its vision shifted between Fiona, the birds, and the soldiers; after a moment¡¯s study, it jumped five meters at a time, jumping from trunk to trunk to disappear into the foliage.


    From the looks of the soldiers, they doubted her decision, glaring after it before turning their gaze to her.


    Rachel motioned to Fiona.  ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Fiona beat her to the crystal, flying through without a moment¡¯s hesitation; Thomson was next, hauling a cooler through.  Rachel took one more glance around before going following; the area was brightening rapidly.


    It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the enclosed space with bright lights stationed around the crystal; her body tensed, ready to move as she heard someone rushing her at a rapid pace, but from the sound of her body, she could tell it was Scarlet.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Her arms closed around her back as she hugged her.  ¡°I feel so much better. Thanks for having me come back.  Oh, too much? Sorry, I just ¡­ kind of ¡­ I¡¯m coming off of a high.¡±  She mumbled, shrinking back a few feet apologetically.


    Rachel shook her head, smiling at the Vampire.  ¡°No, well, I haven¡¯t been much of a hugger, but it¡¯s fine.  A high?¡± Her mind swiftly ran through the possibilities before her ears stiffened.  ¡°Wait, you mean the emotions? You said the aliens were afraid ¡­ I hadn¡¯t considered how that might affect you.  Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Uh-uh, it¡¯s fine!  I know you must have a lot on your mind, and it¡¯s not terrible, it just ¡­ makes me feel different.  It¡¯s good, but not good ¡­ it¡¯s hard to explain. It just feels a bit better, sleeping back on Earth.¡±


    There were several men with heavy-duty weaponry stationed around and mounted turrets surrounding the crystal; they kept silent as they listened and kept an eye on the glowing structure.


    Fiona was giving the birds a tour of the area.  ¡°And this is a ¡­ well, I don¡¯t know what kind of light it is.  It¡¯s not really a spotlight, I don¡¯t think, but it¡¯s like ¡­ a construction light?  Hey, I know what it is ¡­ just not what it¡¯s called. You didn¡¯t know what everything was called in your world, I bet ¡­ liar!


    ¡°Wait for Maria, then we¡¯ll see if you¡¯re telling the truth!  Yeah, feeling nervous now that someone can call you out? No ¡­ doubling down, eh?  You don¡¯t think Maria can tell if you¡¯re lying?¡± She said with an impish grin. ¡°We¡¯ll have to see!  Oh? Coming clean, eh? I thought so! Of course, I¡¯m going to punish you ¡­ upside down? Hey, hey, I¡¯m joking!  Don¡¯t cry ¡­ jeez.¡±


    Rachel frowned as she watched the group banter.  Do these birds really know anything about the crystals?  Fiona seems pretty certain, but it could all be made up. I could have jumped the gun by bringing us back when she didn¡¯t explain it to me.  They could have an agenda of their own for getting onto our planet.


    They¡¯re just as alien as the orange guys, and Fiona can be a little bit of an airhead.  Well, I don¡¯t honestly know that much about Fiona. She¡¯s a powerhouse and has a good heart, but her change has affected her mind more than I think she realizes.


    For us to randomly find just the creatures that have the answers we want ¡­ seems too good to be true.  It smells like a setup. Maybe I¡¯m being a bit too harsh on Fiona ¡­ the Addled State wasn¡¯t her fault back at Miami; we just didn¡¯t understand our weaknesses or powers that well.  We still don¡¯t. Man ¡­ when have I started worrying this much. I feel so anxious. Something just feels off.


    Her focus shifted to Scarlet as she took one of the blood packs out, and Thomson was studying Fiona¡¯s conversation with interest.


    She bit into the bag, eyes glowing red as she sucked out the liquid.  ¡°-iona, what¡¯s up with the birds? New pets?¡± She asked, bending down to take two more bags out.


    ¡°Refugees,¡± Fiona replied with a peace sign.  ¡°They¡¯re way better than that perverted panda ¡­ honestly, I¡¯m a little worried about leaving Maria with the guy.  Was that red-furred creature from your guys¡¯ world? Yeah, thought so ¡­ it knew about the Azure Frost, so ¡­ their whole culture is like that?  Yeah ¡­ let¡¯s not bring the thing to ¡­ Maria!¡±


    Maria came through the portal, carrying the red panda in her arms, snugly situated between her breasts.  Her brow creased. ¡°Sup?¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you bring the pervert?¡±


    The birds made several squawks, and the small, small dog-sized bear made a few grunts, nose twitching; it squirmed a little in Maria¡¯s arms, so she gave it a platform to shift around.  ¡°What¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡±  Fiona yelled, and the bear shot out of Maria¡¯s arms and into the air, floating high above the ground with high-pitched sounds of surprise.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡±  Maria asked, looking up at the creature with concern.  ¡°He was just trying to¡­¡±


    ¡°Go for the milk,¡± Fiona huffed crossly.  Glaring up at the bear, twisting around in the air with her manipulations.  ¡°Seems these guys are pretty messed up! Know what ¡­ I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Before anyone could say anything, she shot through the crystal with the bear.  Everyone looked at each other raised eyebrows; after thirty seconds, she reappeared, sniffing in disgust.  ¡°I threw the thing back into the woods and told the soldiers to shoot it on sight if it comes back. That guy¡¯s seriously twisted!


    ¡°You totally let it sniff you up and down, didn¡¯t you!¡±  Fiona demanded, flying right up to Maria¡¯s face, red dust cascading around her.  Fiona backed up with her hands in the air.


    ¡°I just¡ªI mean, yeah, but chill!  He was just curious¡­¡±


    ¡°You have no idea,¡± Fiona said with a tired sigh.  ¡°I¡¯m just glad he hadn¡¯t finished his investigation.  Seriously, Maria, you need to be more careful around guys like that.¡±


    ¡°Guys like what?  He just looked like a cute panda¡­¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ animals are messed up ¡­ no, I¡¯m not talking about you guys.¡±  She muttered, waving at the indignant birds. ¡°I know you¡¯re nothing like the Gobenax ¡­ please, no more stories.  I¡¯ve heard enough; he¡¯s gone.¡± She said with a sharp shiver.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ thanks for watching our backs,¡± Rachel said with a forced chuckle.  ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind if I see one of them later.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m considering genocide ¡­ they have some nasty tools in their kit,¡± Fiona grumbled, floating back to the birds.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡±  Scarlet asked, finishing off her eighth blood pack.


    Rachel opened her mouth but hesitated as Fiona folded down her ears.  ¡°No! I should have given him to Scarlet ¡­ that would have been a million times better!¡±


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t like him,¡± Maria whispered, but she rubbed her arms with concern as she glanced back at the crystal.  ¡°Qu¨¦ l¨¢stima¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Rachel cleared her throat.  ¡°Let¡¯s go see Tom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to join,¡± Thomson asked with a hopeful grin, but it fell into a depressed sigh when Rachel hummed and shook her head.


    ¡°Sorry, dude, but this will probably be classified.¡±


    ¡°I get it ¡­ I¡¯ll just go back and collect more samples.¡±


    He trudged back through the gate as Rachel waved for the others.  ¡°Scarlet, mind making a blood portal to Tom¡ªif he¡¯s in a place without sunlight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no problem.  I¡¯m juiced up!¡± Scarlet said with a giggle.  ¡°The last blood pack was from a really happy girl ¡­ feels nice!  I think I¡¯ll keep this feeling for a bit.¡±


    ¡°I forgot how blood can affect you ¡­ some blood¡¯s like Molly to you, eh?¡±  Maria asked, glaring down at the pool of blood that extracted out of her body.  ¡°Umm¡ªI¡¯ll walk.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Scarlet shrugged with a bright smile, showing her pointed fangs.  The soldiers were eyeing her nervously. ¡°Tom¡¯s in the portable building we saw him go into; it looks like he¡¯s Skyping with a few people.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t hesitate, jumping through; Fiona¡¯s previous words sticking with her.  The Azure Frost is an apocalyptic event for them ¡­ we need to get ahead of this.


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 B3 — 9. Omens Of The Apocalypse

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Park


    Recap:  Fiona and Scarlet return to report in about their finds.  Fiona found some news on the crystals while Scarlet discovered some aliens.


    Rachel appeared on the other side of the Blood Portal, finding her balance quickly; she couldn¡¯t help but shiver as the physical act of being touched everywhere spread across her body while sliding through.  Taking a calming breath, time slowed as she examined her environment.


    Tom was sitting in a chair at the head of the table, facing a monitor with a grid showing multiple people in power.  She recognized the President front and center in the largest box; he seemed to be in a large underground room with multiple people.  The sight brought flashbacks of different movies she¡¯d seen call it The Situation Room.


    Two more people were seated on either side of the table; one was the Major that had seen them off, and the second was a man in his late forties or early fifties; the one to Tom¡¯s right had a jacket peppered with colors and medals.


    Tom glanced back at her as everyone stiffened; the man with the medals shot to his feet, hand dropping to a gun at his waist, but stopped on Tom¡¯s words.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, no need for concern.  Rachel, I got a report that Scarlet had come back through,¡± the general said, shifting his chair around to observe her.


    Rachel calmly walked over to take the empty seat beside Tom and the man that had shot to his feet; he held his hands up, taking a step back as if expecting to be attacked.


    She just smiled while taking the seat.  ¡° If you wanna start a fight, you better throw the first punch, and make it a good one if you want to make it through the night.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Gibbson, relax,¡± Tom huffed, tapping his fingernails against the plastic table.


    ¡°Sorry, Sir,¡± Gibbson muttered, cracking his neck before taking the seat beside her.


    They appeared to be in a portable home, designed for operations; there were printouts of images taken from the other world scattered across the table with a large map of the wide-shot picture the drone took.


    A camera was set up to record them and a projector was bolted to the ceiling, sending its image to a portable white screen.  It appeared to be a one-room structure and wasn¡¯t that big.


    Everyone¡¯s attention went to the President as he spoke.  ¡°Rachel, then this is the Mythickin girl you were telling me about, Tom?¡±


    Rachel kept a calm and business-like appearance, folding her fingers atop the table; with only movie references and common sense to work with, she conducted herself with what little knowledge she had.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. President.  I would like to thank you on behalf of myself and my friends, but before we get into why we¡¯ve interrupted your meeting, please give my friends some time to settle in; we have time.  I hope we haven¡¯t disrupted anything of importance.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Tom replied.  ¡°If you¡¯ve come this urgently, then I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a good reason for it.¡±


    She turned back to Fiona as she exited, rubbing her shoulders with the manic toucans at her side.  She shivered a bit, glancing over at the birds as they flapped their wings and squawked as if they were dying.


    ¡°Hey, hey!  I know, it feels like you¡¯re being ¡­ yeah, like that ¡­ chill, though.  Still, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get used to that feeling. Right¡ªit sucks.¡±


    The man to Rachel¡¯s right was clearly disturbed as he stared at the birds and Fiona with disbelief.  ¡°What in the name of sam hell is going on?¡±


    The creatures slowly calmed down, quaking as they stood in midair.  Fiona¡¯s eyes locked on the screen. ¡°Oh ¡­ Rachel, umm, that¡¯s the President, right?  Uh¡ªshould I salute¡ªSir?¡±  She questioned, making a stumbled attempt to raise her hands.  ¡°Wait¡ªleft hand¡ªno, right?¡±


    The President chuckled.  ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about formalities, my dear.  Please get seated ¡­ those are interesting creatures.  Ah, or float where you like¡ªI guess, and¡ªum, explain what news you have when¡­¡±


    He paused as Maria exited the portal, falling on her face with several sharp gasps; dead silence followed as she rolled to her side, hugging herself with pants and curses.  ¡°?Ya me¡ªtienes harto!  ?Vete¡ªa la chingada!  ?Chingada madre!¡±


    Scarlet came through with her fluttering Chinese wedding gown several seconds later, giggling.  ¡°She told me to kick her ¡­ umm¡ªwhat¡¯s next, Rachel?¡±  She asked, face turning red as everyone looked at her; she slowly slid behind Tom¡¯s chair.  No one could ignore the blood that flowed back into her body.


    ¡°What¡ªthe fuck¡ªis that?¡±  The Major asked in a rather calm tone, vision locked on the blood that rushed back into Scarlet¡¯s chest, not making a mark on her dress.


    Tom swiveled his chair around, making Scarlet¡¯s face brighten further as she was exposed.  ¡°Ah, Scarlet ¡­ that¡¯s an interesting method to travel. I assume it¡¯s not pleasant, though,¡± he mumbled, glancing down at Maria as she recovered; she was on her knees, bending over with her forehead pressed against the carpet.  Her mane of glowing white hair obscured her face as she hugged her stomach.


    ¡°It¡­¡±


    ¡°Language!¡±  Fiona called out with a bright tone.


    ¡°F-Freakin¡¯ sucks ¡­ MMMH!¡±  Maria growled.


    ¡°Hey, you told me to kick you,¡± Scarlet mumbled defensively.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t actually mean for you to kick me ¡­ and that hard!  I don¡¯t have pain immunity ¡­ dammit!¡±


    ¡°My bad,¡± Scarlet whispered, rubbing her arms.  ¡°It¡¯s a little difficult judging my strength now ¡­ I guess I did drink a lot of blood.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Tom said with a slight smirk as he turned his brown eyes back to Rachel.  ¡°You girls seem to have had a good ol¡¯ time in the mud; especially you, Rachel. I got the report back that you¡¯d saved one of the soldiers and were making progress.  What¡¯s brought you back so suddenly?


    ¡°Ah, wait, before that, let¡¯s introduce everyone.  To my right is the Sergeant Major of the Army, Gibbson; he¡¯s in charge of representing the issues of the enlisted soldiers to all the officers.¡±  He gestured at the man.


    Tom lifted an eyebrow at the man¡¯s reservations.  ¡°Better brass-up, Gibbson, surely these girls aren¡¯t as intimidating as the Al-Shabaab.  You¡¯ve seen some gruesome combat situations. They don¡¯t bite ¡­ well,¡± he chuckled, glancing to his left as Scarlet rounded the table to sit next to him and across from Rachel.  ¡°Not without provocation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, general,¡± he said, regaining his composure.


    ¡°Good, and to my left is Major Webber, whom you¡¯ve already met.¡±


    ¡°Is that teleportation?  Impressive.¡± Webber asked with keen interest, folding his hands across the table as he studied her.


    ¡°Ah, we can save the minor stuff until later,¡± Tom muttered, waving his hand while turning his attention back to her.  ¡°Rachel, you have the floor.¡±


    Rachel sat back, adding a pleasant smile as she turned to Gibbson.  He swallowed under her stare, and she turned her glowing red irises to the toucans.  She began after everyone was seated and Fiona had floated the birds to the foot of the table with her.


    ¡°To put it bluntly, we¡¯ve discovered some information that might prove critical; to begin, we entered this new world with limited information and our first objective was to identify threats.  I see that you each have papers in front of you and the ability to take notes; please write down anything you¡¯d like to address once I have finished the full briefing.¡±


    Tom nodded, unfolding his arms to pick up the pencil in front of him.  ¡°That sounds reasonable to get through this.¡±


    He lifted his eyes to the screen to see everyone else shuffling about or calling for someone to take notes.  Everyone straightened as she continued, paying close attention to her explanation.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Rachel¡¯s tone turned neutral as she used the map on the table, pointing at the areas of interest.  She took some time to go over all the information they¡¯d gathered, directing the conversation to Fiona and Scarlet during their stages.


    Fiona was animated as she darted around the air, explaining her one-sided slaughter of the insects while rapping, but Scarlet was much more reserved for her parts, shyly stumbling around her words as she tried to explain the hive and aliens.


    Maria fell asleep in her chair halfway through, somehow looking utterly stunning as she leaned back, hands folded in her lap.  She was likely drained after being under the full moons, which put a bit of concern in Rachel¡¯s mind.


    I¡¯ll need to ask her if moonlight drains her energy?  Perhaps, if the Lunar Energy is strong enough, it could.  It could be the same for me with the sun ¡­ if we somehow end up on a planet with different types of sun, could that be an issue for me?  Not specific, enough? I suppose I¡¯ll have to look at each individual sun type and ask the question. There¡¯s so much to consider.


    Once Scarlet had finished recounting her alien-base experience, and Fiona ended her discovery of the toucan birds, Rachel re-entered the conversation.


    ¡°Now, as Fiona explained, these birds say they come from another world and this Azure Frost is currently attacking the jungle planet our crystal is linked to.  To be honest, I¡¯m not very confident in these birds.


    ¡°They magically appear out of the jungle, clearly running for their lives, and willing to give us the information we need?  It all seems too convenient; that¡¯s not to say they aren¡¯t being truthful, and if so, then that¡¯s wonderful, but before we make any deals with them, I believe we should first identify the veracity of their claims.¡±


    Tom breathed in a long breath before letting it out.  ¡°Well isn¡¯t this a cluster storm ¡­ we didn¡¯t even consider many of those possibilities.  So, Fiona can talk to wildlife?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mind quickened.  We need to keep the information these birds have to a minimum; if they can piece together the situation based on Fiona¡¯s answers, then it could make it more difficult to get down to the truth.


    Fiona was about to answer but Rachel cut in.  ¡°Only certain types of wildlife, and it¡¯s not something she can turn off.  Giving them that information could also dampen our level of negotiation.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Tom muttered, leaning back in his chair with a low hum as he looked up at the display.  ¡°What do you think, Sir?¡±


    The President had needed to take several breaks to talk to a few people, but his attention was undivided at the moment.  He sat back, staring down at the table in front of him, likely studying some of the recorded notes. After a moment¡¯s silence, his blue eyes turned to Rachel.  ¡°You say you have a surefire way to tell if they¡¯re lying?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°Perhaps not surefire, but Maria can tell if someone is lying.  I don¡¯t know if that will work across the language barriers, but it might.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth a try,¡± he nodded.


    Scooting back, Rachel got up and walked around Gibbson to gently shake Maria.


    ¡°Huh?  What¡¯s up?¡±  She asked, swallowing before looking around in confusion.  ¡°We done? About time,¡± she mumbled, scratching her forearm.


    ¡°No, we need you to check if the birds are lying.¡±


    Maria stretched her arms high into the air, shirt rising to expose her smooth belly as the fabric stretched against her chest.  Releasing a yawn, she lifted an eyebrow at the birds. ¡°Seriously? All I hear from them are squawks. I can give it a go, though.¡±


    She leaned forward with a smirk, resting her elbows against the table.  ¡°Alright, Fiona, ask ¡®em whatever.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s lips pursed.  ¡°Oh¡ªI get it ¡­ okay,¡± turning to the toucans, she asked, ¡°So, Ha¡¯e, you know a lot about the crystals, right?¡±


    The second-largest bird did a few quick gestures with her wings before quieting down; everyone turned to Maria as she released a soft groan, forehead dropping to the table; her hair slid to the table, dropping over the edge and nearly grazing the carpet.  ¡°Gibberish ¡­ no clue if it¡¯s lying or not.¡±


    Shoot ¡­ so, Maria does have a limitation on her lie detection.  She needs to be able to understand the language.


    Rachel took a deep breath before letting it out.  ¡°It was worth a try. That¡¯s everything we have to report, any questions.¡±  A flurry of voices assaulted her.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you let the alien go?¡±


    ¡°You mentioned the alien was in pain?¡±


    ¡°How fast does the Azure Frost spread?¡±


    ¡°The crystal¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey!¡±  Tom shouted, holding up his hands.  ¡°Let¡¯s get organized.¡±


    The President cleared his throat, causing everyone to quiet down.  ¡°Thank you, Rachel. The first thing we need to address is the safety of our citizens and troops.  The crystal is the primary focus. Fiona, was it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me!¡±  Fiona nodded, smiling at the man as she sat cross-legged in the air.


    ¡°Can you ask them to explain to you everything they know about our specific type of crystal.  Basically, we need to know if someone creates them, what are the conditions of its appearance and disappearance, why it shows up in specific locations, why it is here in the first place, and if more will come.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ that¡¯s a lot,¡± she folded her arms across her chest, glancing over at the shifting birds.  ¡°They said before they tell us anything, they want to make sure they can stay here. They¡¯re scared of the other world.¡±


    The President sucked on his cheek for a moment.  ¡°Depending on their intelligence, we¡¯ll see what we can do.  I assume it would need to be close to your residence so you could translate for them, correct?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Fiona¡¯s brow creased.  ¡°I guess that makes sense ¡­ I hadn¡¯t really thought about that part.  I live in Miami ¡­ and I know this isn¡¯t the time, but life¡¯s been so hectic that I want to ask before I forget ¡­ is that okay?¡±


    He breathed out a long breath.  ¡°Seems this is the time for negotiations ¡­ what is it?¡±


    ¡°My sister ¡­ I was wondering if you could send people to make sure she¡¯s okay.  I¡¯m just really worried about her, and my friend, Erica ¡­ she¡¯s also my lawyer. I¡¯ve got a cat, too, Brion, he¡¯s all alone,¡± she whispered with worry.


    Tom cleared his throat.  ¡°Sir, I can handle that personally, including the placement of the birds if their intel checks out.¡±


    The President breathed out a sigh of relief.  ¡°Thanks, General Dallas. Then, if these creatures have the counsel we need, we¡¯ll do everything we can to assure their safety within our world.  I also hope your family is safe.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Fiona sniffed, choking back tears.  ¡°It¡¯s been so crazy ¡­ I was supposed to be with my family right now ¡­ stupid YouTube¡­¡±


    Everyone¡¯s faces softened but the man and woman¡¯s on the bottom left corner of the screen.  The woman¡¯s lips were a line as she used the following silence to be heard. ¡°Yes, it must have been hard for you; we have the lives of potentially the world on the line, though, dear.  If you could please ask those questions.¡±


    ¡°Give her some room to breathe, damn,¡± Maria grunted, pulling back her hair as she sat back.


    The man¡¯s emotionless eyes moved to her.  ¡°This is not the only crystal currently in the matrix.  We need actionable intel as soon as possible. Lives are being lost and people are in danger.¡±


    Maria just glared back at the man, but her composure broke with a yawn.  ¡°Awwh ¡­ dammit¡­¡± she grumbled. ¡°Ah,¡± she shot a glare at Fiona as she lifted an eyebrow, ¡°it was the F-word, remember!¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± she sighed, turning to the birds.  ¡°Thanks, Te¡¯r, yeah, I hope my sister¡¯s alright, too.¡±  She gave them Tom¡¯s assurance with the President¡¯s support before repeated the questions and listened; the second-largest toucan did most of the speaking, but the others chimed in every once in a while.


    ¡°After a few minutes, Fiona whistled.  ¡°Man, that¡¯s pretty insane ¡­ so, that¡¯s everything?  Huh ¡­ wait, the Azure Frost was a world crystal ¡­ no way.  Well, that¡¯s not good. Wait, wait ¡­ it¡¯s kind of like our abilities then!  Yeah, no, I gotta think about it for a minute ¡­ hmm ¡­ it¡¯s so much like a game!¡±


    ¡°A game?¡±  Scarlet whispered.  ¡°The crystals are connected to our abilities?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Fiona chuckled, holding up her hands.  ¡°It just functions a bit like our abilities. It might just be a coincidence.  Let me just think a bit more about it¡­¡±


    After a few minutes of bobbing her head back and forth, she said, ¡°This is so cool ¡­ okay, it¡¯s like this!  So, each one has a shape, color, size, glow, and image.


    ¡°The image is pretty easy, it¡¯s like one of our Branch Skills; it indicates the type of world environment we¡¯re going to enter.  Like my Ice Magic Branch ¡­ ours is a Jungle Crystal.


    ¡°The size shows how many people can enter it; it¡¯s like how many levels it has and as it grows, the more people can enter it.  Ours is the size of a vending machine, but as time passes, it¡¯ll continue getting bigger and bigger. That reminds me ¡­ how did you guys get a car in there?¡±


    ¡°It just kind of got sucked in when we drove into it,¡± Major Webber replied with a shrug, clearly not understanding how it worked either.


    ¡°See, it¡¯s so cool!¡±


    The Sergeant Major rubbed his cleanly shaved chin with a light hum.  ¡°So, can it start at different levels, then? Not all of the crystals are the same size that we¡¯ve observed; some are bigger and some smaller.¡±


    Tom nodded.  ¡°Now that you mention it, yeah, the larger ones do allow more people to enter.¡±


    ¡°Their information is checking out, then,¡± Rachel added, folding her fingers atop the table as she leaned forward.  ¡°What else, Fiona.¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ the size, yeah ¡­ well, if a crystal is left on its own for a long time, and no one completes the requirements to close it, then it¡¯ll basically turn into a raid ¡­ when it reaches max level.¡±


    ¡°Snap,¡± Scarlet clicked her tongue.  ¡°What kind of raid ¡­ like, a twenty-man, forty-man?¡±


    ¡°Raid ¡­ what are you two talking about?¡±  The President asked.


    ¡°Like a game,¡± Fiona replied.  ¡°In games, you have dungeons and raids ¡­ I know it sounds a bit ridiculous, but actually, our abilities function pretty closely to a game-like system!  So, no, Scarlet, not twenty or forty ¡­ more like the world-level ¡­ a raid is when the limit on creatures that can enter is removed. The objectives change each level, too.


    ¡°The objective of the crystals is to conquer each other ¡­ and we¡¯re in a Double Crystal Event ¡­ basically, it¡¯s a Battle Royal type game.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Tom growled.  ¡°It is a declaration of war¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, not really,¡± Fiona mumbled, playing with her glowing green hair.  ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re declaring war or the other side is declaring war ¡­ it¡¯s more like someone or something else wants us to fight ¡­ maybe no one at all.  These guys haven¡¯t figured that out yet on their world. If you don¡¯t close a crystal and let it go into a Raid, then it¡¯s never good. They don¡¯t know what will happen, but they were told that it¡¯s terrible.


    ¡°The crystals will shatter when the opposite side has been defeated ¡­ it¡¯s a lot more advanced than any other game we have.  It¡¯s like ¡­ you can do just about anything to win. They speculated that another race used the Azure Frost to act as their solution to the crystals.  It¡¯s not really a person, but a flower that just grows at a super-fast rate. It¡¯s not alive.¡±


    Webber nodded, lips a line.  ¡°It¡¯s an effective strategy. If a crystal opens, just throw it through and let it do its work.  It¡¯s a weapon.¡±


    ¡°The color and shape are like a danger level, its Rank is the color, and the shape is the Grade.  So, umm, that Diamond-shaped red crystal was a really high Grade and Rank, meaning it¡¯s like game over before it even begins.  Not soon after we entered, the crystal changed shape, color, and glow to reflect our entrance. Oh, the glow is like an experience indicator to the crystal reaching the next level.¡±


    She counted on her fingers.  ¡°Level is the size, Grade is the shape, Rank is the color, Glow is the EXP, and Branch is the image.  I mean, I guess it¡¯s not a perfect example, but it just kind of came to me.¡±


    Silence followed as everyone digested the information, and Rachel¡¯s ears twitched in the silence as she thought.


    I¡¯m sure they have little to no clue what she means by Grades or Ranks, but they¡¯re thinking about the other possibilities.  We are at war with other worlds, and at multiple points throughout the world ¡­ anywhere, anytime.


    ¡°Is there any way to tell where the crystals will show up?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªgive me a second to ask ¡­ I didn¡¯t get to that one.¡±  The birds shifted nervously as the larger one replied, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to the answer.  ¡°Umm¡ªthey said that The Great Jo¡¯Toa¡¯Koria, it¡¯s basically like a military race on their old planet, had a network of fast responders to take care of any incident that popped up since there¡¯s always a grace period before it starts.


    ¡°One more thing ¡­ the Azure Frost has a Core that draws its energy during the day before using that fuel during the night.  It¡¯s kind of like Maria, then, a solar battery with a frozen heart!¡± She giggled.


    ¡°J¨®dete.¡±


    ¡°What curse was that?¡±  Fiona asked with a smirk.


    Maria¡¯s lips pursed as she refused to make eye contact.  ¡°My bad,¡± she mumbled.


    There were a few curses that popped out from the others.


    The Azure Frost really isn¡¯t that big of a deal if we can take out the core; Scarlet can probably find it, but if it has solar energy in it, then that could be an issue.  Maria might be able to absorb it. We can consider that possibility later.


    We have the problem of this crystal right now, but it¡¯s good to consider long term solutions.  It¡¯s probably not a far off theory that another race used the Azure Frost as a means to handle the rapid influx of crystals.


    How do we respond, send a nuke through every crystal?  I¡¯m sure there would be blowback ¡­ we¡¯d need to put some kind of barrier around it to defend against a push back, and then there¡¯s the attacking force crystal issue.


    It pushes living creatures away, but would it work for machines?  Maybe we could send in drones just as it forms. Why am I even thinking about this ¡­ we did our job.  We just need to see how things shake out. It¡¯s not my job to protect the world or nation.


    She looked up, observing everyone; every eye was downcast as they considered the information.  Her eyes darted between Scarlet, Fiona, and Maria as they started their own conversation, Fiona starting it.


    ¡°Scarlet, I didn¡¯t know you played games?¡±


    ¡°A few JRPG¡¯s,¡± she said with a weak laugh.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this seem like an anime or game?  It¡¯s like, an apocalyptic event happens, and the world has to adapt to the sudden change.  We got powers just before the change, and we get stronger by battling and using our abilities.  These crystals are like dungeons ¡­ maybe there¡¯s like a crafting system!¡±


    ¡°Nerds,¡± Maria laughed.


    ¡°But she¡¯s totally right,¡± Scarlet defended.  ¡°This is something right out of an anime. I mean, you could see guilds as companies or a ton of other possibilities.  The government could have a special task force to handle quick deployments!¡±


    Tom cleared his throat.  ¡°Girls, thank you for your help.  We¡¯ll discuss this further while you rest.  I assume you¡¯ll be staying on this side until the sun goes down on the other side?¡±


    Rachel stood up.  ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll sleep by the crystal just in case we need to take quick action.  Could you provide us some provisions?¡±


    He nodded before a smirk lit his lips.  ¡°I¡¯ll send word to you about what we decide; that is¡ªif you don¡¯t already know by the time we¡¯ve made a decision.¡±


    She replied with an innocent smile, ears shifting to the left.  ¡°I¡¯ll await your decision. The sooner we solve this the better; I look forward to going back and seeing my own family.¡±


    With that, Scarlet began to make a portal but paused as Maria flatly shook her head.  ¡°Nope, not happenin¡¯, chica! I¡¯ll walk.¡±


    Fiona forced a smile.  ¡°Yeah, Scarlet, no offense, but I think I¡¯ll join Maria.¡±


    Scarlet shrugged before her blood returned.  ¡°Okay, that¡¯s fine.¡± She winked at them before vanishing in shadows to appear beside Rachel.


    Rachel chuckled at Maria¡¯s glare; they disappeared, appearing beside the crystal.  There were a few curses from the soldiers, but they quickly calmed down.


    ¡°Dammit, you girls want to get shot!¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    Two of the men muttered.


    ¡°Sorry!¡±  Scarlet said with a bright smile, showing her fangs.


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 B3 — 10. Crystals, Money, And The Future

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Park


    Recap:  Rachel and the girls were in the thick of a meeting with Tom and the Executive Branch of the United States.  The girls told them about the aliens and the Azure Frost, and now they''re getting ready to discuss what to do about it.


    Rachel listened to the conversation that followed once they left; Scarlet was already moving back to the cooler for more blood with a bright hum, causing the soldiers to give each other uneasy glances.


    Her ears shifted a little to the left, getting a clearer sound from the strategy room; Tom¡¯s voice became louder as she concentrated on the area.


    ¡°Major Webber, go with the girls and get them anything they need¡ªin reason, Rachel,¡± he said with a tired sigh.


    Maria chuckled.  ¡°You know she be listenin¡¯!  Right, right¡ªI¡¯d like to talk to my hermanito ¡­ he must be worried sick.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Webber said, chair making a slight squeak as he rolled back, but paused as the woman on the screen spoke again.


    ¡°General, are you sure we should let them go?  We need to look into a lot of the  information they¡¯ve brought us.¡±


    ¡°I agree with the Secretary of State,¡± said another man.  ¡°The country¡¯s laws will change drastically this year, and we need to identify contingency plans, including the fact that this is a Presidential Election year.  Both parties will go nuts over the policy changes; we need to get ahead of this.¡±


    Tom shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯ll appeal to the Hatch Act on this one.  I¡¯m here for the military-strategic planning on how we¡¯re going to move forward to keep the nation¡¯s best interests at heart, not a presidential race.¡±


    The President took in a long breath before letting it out.  ¡°I get it, everyone ¡­ what do you think, Jeff?  You¡¯ve been the one that seems to be throwing out all the right ideas, putting Tom in charge to lead us here.¡±


    There was silence for a moment; Maria popping her tongue with a bit of annoyance as she waited.  After a second, he said, ¡°Tom¡¯s served me well as the Army¡¯s Chief of Staff.  I trust his judgment.  Let the girls rest ¡­ hell, they¡¯re citizens for heaven¡¯s sake.¡±


    The Secretary of State released a low huff before replying.  ¡°Yes, Mr. Secretary¡ªbut we¡¯re dealing with an unorthodox phenomenon.  We¡¯re getting information from birds, dammit!  How am I supposed to go back to explain this intel to our allied nations?  Phil, what do you say?  Surely this is a critical piece of information we can use?¡±


    There was a short pause.  ¡°As the Director of National Intelligence, I understand your reasoning, Hannah, but we have been given a lot to discuss.  Tom, what that girl¡ªRachel,¡± he muttered, likely looking down at his notes, ¡°you trust the intel she gave, and what about the concern she has for the bird¡¯s explanation on the crystals?¡±


    Tom leaned back in his chair, causing it to squeak before releasing a short sigh.  ¡°I¡¯d stake my career on Rachel¡¯s intel.  Let¡¯s just say she¡¯s as honorable as they come, but as to her concern, there¡¯s not much we can do about it.  This is the only branch we¡¯ve got to jump on.  Maybe Fiona can go back out and find some more creatures with information after she rests, but I think we¡¯ve got enough to discuss right now.¡±


    The President spoke up, silencing any further debate.  ¡°Okay, thank you for what you¡¯re doing for your country, girls.  Have a good rest.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure!¡±  Fiona said with a bright tone.  ¡°Major Webber!  Can we make those calls now?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± he said, getting up to guide them out.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Maria groaned.  ¡°I¡¯ll be in the¡ªoh, my¡ªflippin¡¯ cold!¡±


    Fiona giggled.  ¡°What, you forgot this is Montana in February?¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to sunbathe in this?¡±  She shouted with frustration.  ¡°Dammit!¡±


    ¡°Indoors?¡±  Fiona suggested.


    Maria just growled in response, stomping into the chilling wind.


    Rachel¡¯s head shifted to glance at Scarlet; she was sitting on the cooler, absently sucking on a blood bag while watching her.  Her fangs detached from the plastic, licking her lips as Rachel¡¯s focus moved to her.


    ¡°Anything important happening?¡±


    She shrugged.  ¡°Maria¡¯s complaining about the weather.¡±


    ¡°Typical Maria,¡± she said with a soft chuckle.  ¡°She¡¯s got a big mouth, but she¡¯s not that intimidating, to be honest, well¡ªunless you didn¡¯t know her.¡±


    A smile touched Rachel¡¯s cheeks.  ¡°You¡¯d first see a mesmerizing beauty, followed by the mouth and attitude fit for the gutter before warming up to her big heart.  She¡¯s brutally honest about her opinions and how she feels, but that¡¯s what makes her such a great friend, right?¡±


    ¡°I thought that, too!  They¡¯re coming back?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°They¡¯re going to another building to call their family; Webber¡¯s grabbing us some cots, blankets, and pillows, too.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s lower lip tucked under, blue irises falling to the asphalt before glancing left at the soldiers.  They were trying to keep their focus on the crystal, but their eyes understandably kept shifting their way every so often.


    A heavy sigh passed through Scarlet¡¯s mouth as her focus returned to the ground, feet twisted around each other.  ¡°Hey, Rachel¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±  She folded her arms under her chest, studying the crestfallen Vampire.


    ¡°Why¡ªwhy did my parents do that¡ªbelieve that stuff?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face pacified while she thought.


    She isn¡¯t looking for an answer ¡­ she¡¯s just hurt.  She went through her entire life seeing this false image of her parents to suddenly discover what they really believed.  Not only that, but having something like that happen after going through The Oscillation is hard to contemplate.  Being a part of the group has just been a distraction from the nightmare her life has become ¡­ a way to cope.


    She accidentally killed dozens of people she knew for years, her father included, and her mother just smiles, saying that¡¯s exactly what she should have done ¡­ that¡¯s some mixed messaging.  Her mother¡¯s definitely insane, but Scarlet didn¡¯t see her like that at all ¡­ it was a complete whiplash; she¡¯s having a hard time fusing the mother she thought she knew with this new fanatic.


    Scarlet might even be trying to convince herself that this can¡¯t be her mother, and there¡¯s some kind of magic at play.  Her world¡¯s utterly fallen apart, and to top it off, there¡¯s a part of her that hates what she¡¯s become.  How can I respond?  Well ¡­ if I try to put myself in her shoes, even though I might deny it at first¡­


    Rachel walked over and bent down to hug Scarlet; she stiffened for a moment but didn¡¯t resist.  After a moment, she wrapped her arms around Rachel¡¯s back, whispering, ¡°Thanks, Rachel.¡±


    She didn¡¯t cry or shake, but her cold body continued to embrace her for a few minutes.  After a time, she pulled back and glanced over at the concrete wall.  ¡°Can we sit down?  Sorry, the blood is giving me some strange emotions,¡± she chuckled, wiping at a single bloody tear that left her eye.


    ¡°No, yeah¡ªno problem,¡± Rachel replied with an encouraging smile.


    They both walked over to the edge, away from most of the soldiers.  Sitting down, Scarlet leaned her head against the wall.  She tugged a portion of her gown, smoothing it out.  Rachel sat next to her, folding her legs as she mirrored Scarlet¡¯s action, head resting against the wall to look up at the concrete barrier.


    It took a few minutes before Scarlet whispered, ¡°This all still feels like a mix between a nightmare and a dream ¡­ if I¡¯m not focused on the task in front of me, my mind wanders.  I don¡¯t know what to expect anymore¡­¡±


    A lump dropped down her throat, blue eyes closing.  ¡°My mom and dad took us on lots of vacations ¡­ trips around the world to see all sorts of historical sites.  I thought it was fun when I was growing up, but now ¡­ now I wonder what they were really doing there.  How much of it was a lie?  Did they ever love me?¡±


    Rachel wanted to say they did, but at the same time, she wasn¡¯t sure if she could.  After running it through her accelerated mind, she said, ¡°I doubt they could have kept up that mask your entire life.  They must have loved you.¡±


    Shifting a little, Scarlet brought her knees up to hug them, whispering, ¡°But was it me?  Looking back, was I just the eventual plan they had to summon their goddess?  I was just some named body of cells they could use to accomplish their goals?  The way my mother looked at me ¡­ they all looked at me; it¡¯s like this was the end goal the entire time.


    ¡°All the rituals I was forced to take part in ¡­ just looking at the clock, waiting for it to be over so I could get back to my weekend.  I¡ªI didn¡¯t have a clue they were serious.  Was I that stupid?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re stupid¡­¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I see it, then?  My parents were the leaders of a legit cult ¡­ maybe they even killed people during those rituals.¡±  A shiver ran down her body as she pressed her face against her knees, mind likely returning to dozens of events she took part in.  ¡°I met random people during our trips ¡­ my parents would go out to eat with them, and the next day we¡¯d move to a new location.  I can¡¯t stop thinking about all the times they were gone.  What were they doing?


    ¡°And The Oscillation ¡­ did they cause it?  I mean, we all have crazy powers, and we¡¯re in front of a crystal that teleports us to a different world.  Were they really communicating with Scarlet ¡­ was it all actually real?  Were my parents the ones that caused everything?  I don¡¯t know¡ªI just don¡¯t know.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s pulled her hair around, leaning forward a bit.  ¡°I can¡¯t say they didn¡¯t ¡­ it¡¯s a valid question.  You have Fiona, Maria, and me, though ¡­ you¡¯re not alone.¡±


    Scarlet fell silent for several seconds; the only sound came from the shifting clothes and hushed conversations of the soldiers, discussing between how they looked to the different events happening around the world.


    Another lump dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat, tone dropping further.  ¡°What if you¡¯re deceiving me, too, though?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Rachel asked, brow furrowing as she looked over at Scarlet¡¯s gloomy demeanor.  ¡°Why would you think that?¡±


    Scarlet shrugged, running her left hand through her hair.  ¡°It just popped into my mind.  What if you just want me around to benefit yourself, like my parents.  What if it¡¯s not really me you want around, but my powers ¡­ what if I¡¯m only worth anything because I¡¯m a Vampire?  Should I even be alive right now ¡­ am I alive?¡±


    Rachel reached over and nudged her, causing her to look over at her with confusion.  ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Did that feel real?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ but that¡¯s not what I mean.¡±


    A smile moved Rachel¡¯s lips as she grabbed Scarlet¡¯s hand.  ¡°I thought to have a Vampire as a friend meant others would hate me, and I¡¯d be better off chasing you away?  Isn¡¯t that what you were saying before?¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªI guess¡­¡±


    ¡°I get it ¡­ don¡¯t get me wrong, and no, I don¡¯t think I really understand how you¡¯re feeling ¡­ how could anyone ¡­ you do have emotional sensing.  Do you think I¡¯m being insincere?  If you suspect I¡¯m lying, you could always ask Maria, too.¡±


    Scarlet giggled softly, looking back down at her knees.  ¡°Yeah, well¡ªMaria¡¯s kind of a blockhead, and you¡¯re pretty crafty.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re not wrong,¡± Rachel said, mirroring her laugh.  ¡°Still,¡± she squeezed her hand, ¡°I¡¯ll keep trying to be your friend, and I know you don¡¯t have anywhere to go¡ªwhich sucks.  I bet I¡¯ll have to find a new place to live here in a bit anyways ¡­ we¡¯ll just take it one step at a time, and you can live with me.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for hearing me out,¡± Scarlet sighed, leaning over to rest her head against her shoulder.  ¡°I don¡¯t really feel like you¡¯re keeping me around to use me ¡­ yet the thought still popped up,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°I know saying don¡¯t worry about it is pointless; so, I¡¯ll just let my actions prove it.  I¡¯m here for you, no matter what you need.¡±


    They leaned against each other for a time, shifting every so often while Rachel followed the discussion taking place back in the mobile home.


    Tom and the executive council were still debating; she closed her eyes, listening to their conversation.


    ¡°... we going to keep this from the public?¡±


    The Secretary of National Intelligence, Phil, responded, ¡°I don¡¯t think we can; I¡¯ve been getting reports that there are already speculations and questions surrounding the crystals circulating the web.  We¡¯ve tried to put a button on it for the time being, but it¡¯s only a matter of time before it starts to hit the big YouTubers, Podcasts, and Social Media in general.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Tom sighed.  ¡°We knew we couldn¡¯t fight it forever.  The bird¡¯s information on the crystals seem to be holding up, and the public won¡¯t be worried about the crystals, but what we¡¯re going to do about them.¡±


    ¡°The soldiers are restless about our direction, too,¡± the Sergeant Major muttered.  ¡°I¡¯ve talked to a few that are even concerned about their wages dropping or their stations being filled by people with powers.¡±


    Hannah, The Secretary of State, breathed out a heavy sigh.  ¡°There¡¯s also the issue of immigration and relief for other countries; the middle east is a hornet¡¯s nest with purges and rival warlords moving to expand their territory.  Africa and Hong Kong are in major civil unrest, too.


    ¡°We predict Hong Kong is moving further toward civil war to regain their freedom from China, and China¡¯s considering putting boots on the ground to keep the territory while also using the chaos in India to expand further.  Still, I haven¡¯t gotten much information about how they¡¯re doing internally.¡±


    The President groaned.  ¡°As much as I hate to hear how the rest of the world is doing, we need to first focus on our own citizens.  We can¡¯t help out others until we¡¯re in a stable condition to support them.¡±


    ¡°Our allies are demanding aid ¡­ what do you want me to tell them?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°Whatever you must,¡± Jeff stated bluntly.  ¡°We¡¯re in a state of national defense; the sooner we solve our problems, the sooner we can help the world with theirs, and we¡¯re not the world police; I ran on that, and I believe it.  We need to let other nations handle their own problems.¡±


    ¡°Getting back to the topic of the crystals,¡± Tom cut in, ¡°it¡¯s our most pressing issue.  If the birds are to be believed, then we are literally in a state of constant war.  We should use this crystal as an experiment to see if their estimation is correct.¡±


    ¡°Nuke the site?¡±  Hannah chuckled mirthlessly.  ¡°You think that would be a good decision?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Tom huffed.  ¡°Rachel and the others can get us further information on how to proceed.  Learning how to close the portals and discussing how to warn the populous should be our top concern.  The girls weren¡¯t wrong; we might need to look at alternative options to protect the nation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not talking about privatizing the task of closing the crystals?¡±  Phil asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s just one of many options.  We need to shift the focus off the tribal mentality of those changed people and give everyone a common goal.  What better opportunity than an enemy that could show up at any time, and we just don¡¯t have the resources to deal with it, right, Zack?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said it before. Since we passed the major tax cut and pulled back most of our forces in the Middle East to focus on rebuilding the nation¡¯s infrastructure, we¡¯re in a better financial spot than we might have been.  However, even with the increase, our deficit keeps growing because spending keeps increasing beyond that.


    ¡°Our economic growth is important, and contracting that out to private companies might help with that, giving them the chance to bid on crystals, but we also have to worry about big business and big government¡­¡±


    ¡°Here we go again¡­¡±  Hannah muttered.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a legitimate concern,¡± The President sighed, ¡°and I get your opinion, too, Hannah, it¡¯s why I nominated you ¡­ to give me a different angle.  Go on, Zack.¡±


    ¡°Right, well, you campaigned on smaller government, but big businesses getting richer is becoming a growing concern with the public.  With some of the things you want to do with the presidency in your next term, you won¡¯t have the power to really interfere that much.


    ¡°Censorship and these companies monopolizing the market might be a big concern that we need to look into.  I suspect you want this to be a grassroots effort, giving anyone the chance to contract these people with powers, and maybe even people that can gain suitable weapons.¡±


    The President hummed.  ¡°If we do take that route, then we¡¯ll need to prioritize safety and have a certain degree of oversight and programs to make sure people are qualified, whether they have powers or not.¡±


    ¡°Of course, but look at the top companies in the world, Silicon Valley, they make the oil companies look like a joke.  If they were able to get their hands on resources from other planets, they could even start challenging the government.  We need to consider both sides; economic growth is great for all citizens, but giving companies the power to utilize the crystals is playing with fire.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s move back to the cost,¡± The President said.


    ¡°Right ¡­ well, you didn¡¯t run on Entitlement Reform, but it¡¯s something we can look into ¡­ yeah, I get it, it¡¯s like the elephant in the room, and you¡¯ve already cut back a bit on the military, but it seems like we¡¯ll have to increase that with what¡¯s to come.  We all know we¡¯re going to bankrupt ourselves in the next fifteen years if this continues, and I¡¯ve got to put these figures before Congress.


    ¡°Trying to increase that by setting up active military outposts around the country to monitor crystal activity is going to be a massive expenditure.  We might be able to minimize that to an extent with technology, but there¡¯s really no telling at this point, and that¡¯s not including the resources we¡¯re already sending to other nations with the military aid that they request.  We¡¯re already fronting more money into NATO than every other country combined.  We may be doing better economically than any other nation, but we keep increasing our budget.


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t see us being able to put forward the money to initiate an agenda that big on a governmental level without sharply increasing tax, which might break the working and middle class.  If we tax the companies, we¡¯d force spending cuts, lose more jobs, or they¡¯d move overseas to China, causing another trade war.  Frankly, I¡¯m not sure if that would help or harm the economy, at this time.


    ¡°Our market was on the rise before The Oscillation, which was a major part of why the public was favorable toward your reelection.  However, if we just borrow more money, especially from China¡ªit just isn¡¯t a solution, and we¡¯re not on the best terms with them at the moment.  The intellectual property issues we¡¯re having with them is coming to a head, too.


    ¡°We could cut back on every program, but if we don¡¯t do something about the Entitlement Programs, it won¡¯t even make a dent¡ªwe could eliminate most of everything unnecessary, and that still doesn¡¯t solve the problem.  We just don¡¯t have the resources, and we couldn¡¯t get it past Congress without a solution to not bankrupt ourselves.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying, Zack, we should cut off Social Security and Medicare?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that; I said this is a critical issue with the treasury.¡±


    One of the people she hadn¡¯t heard before asked, ¡°If I may, Mr. President.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I like the idea of hiring private corporations to handle this new threat, and if we frame it right, then we could even double or triple our economic output.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±  Zack muttered.  ¡°How would you do that?¡±


    ¡°Give me a moment,¡± everyone went silent as he collected his thoughts.  ¡°As you said, Zack, we sell the crystals.  Now,¡± he stated, cutting Zack off, ¡°I understand we still have a ton to discuss, and the safety of citizens in a wartime effort is needed.  It¡¯s kind of a grim outlook, but basically, overnight, we¡¯re being forced to turn into a military world.  We must not only defend but attack, based on the information we¡¯ve obtained.  Correct?¡±


    There were begrudging mumbles of acceptance thrown around the call.


    ¡°Right, so, we must drastically change how we perceive war; we don¡¯t know how long this might last, perhaps forever, and we need to be ready for the chance that the rest of the world will also have issues.  I can¡¯t see African tribes being able to handle waves of monsters attacking them for an extended period of time.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a powerful industrial market to prop us up, and like it or not, the sound of the war machine is starting up,¡± he muttered, and Tom sighed, seat squeaking with his movements.  ¡°Yes, Mr. President, we need programs and tests to make sure we can handle this, but our military must be prepared to handle it if the companies fail.¡±


    Tom hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°Okay, so you¡¯re saying allow the companies to give the government resources, and potentially anything dangerous, meaning we need to have a lot of oversight, but provide them with the chance to gain supernatural resources to spur the market forward.


    ¡°Soon, we might see magical fire swords and the like circulating the market or electric bullet guns, or whatever, which will also need regulating.¡±


    ¡°In accordance with the Second Amendment, of course,¡± The President stated.  ¡°I can see where you¡¯re both going, and ¡­ abilities and the Second Amendment; that¡¯s a whole other can of worms.  It might work, but we¡¯d need to put this through the legal department and a host of other committees to work out the details.  Congress and the Senate will bicker like cats and dogs over it, but ¡­ it could work.¡±


    ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that it seems like the best option to handle the problems we¡¯re facing.  We need to prepare for the long haul; this isn¡¯t going to be a temporary thing.¡±


    Hannah groaned softly.  ¡°Mmh, this will make a lot of countries pretty scared.  I mean, we¡¯re talking about going all in ¡­ full-on military mode, while even using private citizen volunteers, right,?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a whole new industry that¡¯s untapped,¡± Zack muttered, clicking his tongue a few times.  ¡°The standard of living could rise a ton, but it¡¯s all dependent upon the chance skills or abilities people obtained, and less than one percent of the population has gained powers.¡±


    The President leaned back, causing his chair to creak across the speakers.  ¡°Although, it will increase the immigration of these powered people to our nation, correct?  Barring the issues that might arise between these powered and normal people, it would strengthen the nation.  This could be transformative.¡±


    There was silence for a moment as the other members thought on it; Zack was the first to respond.  ¡°I see where that could go ¡­ and it could work.  It would solve a ton of our financial issues in the long run, but we¡¯ll need something to help us in the short term.¡±


    Tom hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°I don¡¯t know how that would function; it¡¯s outside of my purview.  However, didn¡¯t you already discuss selling the portals?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I do like that,¡± Hannah whispered.  ¡°We could make it illegal to enter a crystal, and...¡±


    She paused as Tom laughed.  ¡°Like that will stop them; it¡¯s like stepping into a fantasy world.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Phil mumbled.  ¡°We¡¯re talking like we¡¯ve already decided to release it to the public.  I get that it¡¯s going to be hard to keep a lid on this, but have we just given up entirely on covering it up?¡±


    The Sergeant Major groaned.  ¡°I don¡¯t see that we have much choice.  If those birds were right, they¡¯ll just show up randomly, putting everyone at risk.  We need ways to quickly identify crystals and some type of quick response units to take command.¡±


    Zack clicked his tongue a few times.  ¡°If we go down this route, then we¡¯ll need to not only get it past the Senate and House, but we¡¯ll also need to set a pre-purchase price.  For that, we¡¯d need more detailed information on the danger level of each crystal, and the insurance these companies would have to take out on anyone going through ¡­ there¡¯s just so much more to consider.¡±


    Tom shifted in his seat.  ¡°Hmm¡ªwe could also tax the resources taken back.  For a short term solution, this could work¡ªuntil we find a better one that might not require conquering the other side.  Morally, it doesn¡¯t sound right, but if it just keeps getting worse, I don¡¯t see many other choices to keep our citizens safe while not bankrupting us, as Zack pointed out.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to first bring in a bunch of PMCs and brief them on the opportunity and conditions.  You could work this out later to put in a bill to send to the Senate and House.  Mind if we move on to how to deal with this Azure Frost?¡±


    Rachel listened to them argue and bicker about information and political agendas for several minutes before turning to greet Maria and Fiona as they entered the room with a bunch of soldiers carrying their supplies, including nightwear.  She was a little surprised to find Scarlet had fallen asleep on her shoulder.


    ¡°I guess Vampires sleep on a clock,¡± Maria chuckled softly.


    Fiona¡¯s dust changed from dark blue to yellow.  ¡°She¡¯s so cute, and you¡¯re holding hands!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s body shook slightly with a light laugh before gently nudging Scarlet.  Her eyes opened in an instant, moving to grasp the situation before her tension dropped.  ¡°Oh¡ªhey guys,¡± she yawned, shifting her hands to stretch them.  ¡°Beds¡ªoh, please tell me those clothes are for us!¡±


    Fiona gave her a thumbs-up.  ¡°Maria picked out some things while I made a few calls!¡±


    Maria lifted an appraising eyebrow at Scarlet¡¯s appearance.  ¡°Seriously, chica, you gettin¡¯ out of the bride¡¯s dress?  It¡¯s not a bad look, you know, even with the mud.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s face turned the color of her name, looking down at the dirty fabric.  ¡°You really think so?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I couldn¡¯t see Rachel in somethin¡¯ like that ¡­ she looks right at home covered in mud.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Rachel said with a bright grin before getting to her feet and sweeping her hair back.  ¡°They have a shower we can use?¡±


    ¡°Yup, a hotel across the street, just pick any room ¡­ we¡¯ll walk.¡±  She said, giving Scarlet a meaningful look.


    Fiona broke into the conversation, seemingly bouncing with joy, yellow dust falling around her green-hued body.


    ¡°Good news!  Brion, my cat, is fine; Erica is at my place taking care of him.  She¡¯s talking to the Major right now ¡­ poor guy, she¡¯s pretty scary when the lawyer side of her comes out.  I told her that we couldn¡¯t say anything because of the contract.¡±


    ¡°And your sister?¡±  Scarlet asked, following Rachel to her feet.


    All Fiona¡¯s cheer diminished, dust turning emerald green as her long ears drooped a little.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t get in touch with them, but Major Webber said there are Military contacts at Shannon Airport since it¡¯s now a de facto U.S. military station.  It¡¯s about a two-hour drive away from Clifden, but he said he¡¯d have someone go check on them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± Rachel said with a bright smile.  ¡°By the time you get up, we¡¯ll have some answers.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªI don¡¯t think I can sleep,¡± Fiona said with a forced grin.  ¡°I really want to make sure Nora and my parents are alright.¡±


    ¡°What about your brother?¡±  Rachel asked, turning to Maria.


    Her smile mirrored Fiona¡¯s.  ¡°Well¡ªFelix got in a little scuffle with some guy talkin¡¯ shit on us and was locked up ¡­ I sent one of my crew over to get him out.  Everyone¡¯s doing good at the block, too.  Some heads needed smashing, but ever since Elena changed into a Beastkin Honey Badger, she¡¯s been freakin¡¯ mean.  She whipped some thugs¡¯ asses, and got them into shape when they came lookin¡¯ for cash.¡±  She chuckled.


    ¡°Someone more feral than you?¡±  Scarlet asked innocently.  ¡°Humanity is doomed.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I thug, but damn,¡± she muttered, flipping a few locks of her long white hair behind her back.  ¡°Elena can get out of control, and she¡¯s only sixteen.  Girl¡¯s got mad attitude; some of the boys just call her Badazz, but she takes care of her mom.¡±


    ¡°She sounds like a real firecracker,¡± Fiona commented.  ¡°My sister can be a bit timid ¡­ I used to be a little timid!  Man, The Oscillation changed us so much¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± Scarlet said with a long sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you have people you can count on,¡± Rachel said, patting Maria on the shoulder.


    ¡°Hey!  What¡¯s the deal?  You¡¯re covered in mud, chica!¡±


    Rachel chuckled before yawning, ¡°Alright¡ªwell, let¡¯s get ready for bed.  Are you going to go chill in a heated glass room?¡±  She asked as a partial joke.


    ¡°For real!  There¡¯s a greenhouse nearby, so I¡¯ll be in there.¡±


    ¡°Well, okay,¡± Rachel said, and they all laughed.


    Scarlet teleported her to the hotel room and went to another room to shower herself, using the small bottles to help clean off.  They dressed in the replacement nightwear before heading back.  Scarlet had to wait a bit for her to finish getting all the dirt out of her hair; it wasn¡¯t as hard as she thought it would be, but still took a bit of time.


    She was a little surprised to find she wasn¡¯t hungry.  She followed a few more conversations with Tom related to making the crystals public and what it might take to get some of their plans past Congress and the Senate.  They both made their cots and laid down, quickly falling asleep.


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 B3 — 11. The Plan

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Park


    Recap:  Rachel and the group got caught up in a meeting between the Executive Branch and Tom; they got a little off-track and were concerned about a lot of issues, but mainly money, and how they were going to proceed with the information given.  The gang retired for the night, leaving Tom to talk things over with the Executive Branch.  Now, everyone''s waking up.


    Rachel yawned as she shifted on the cot, mind rousing; a host of sounds met her, causing her ears to twitch.  Stretching her arms out, she opened her eyes while sitting up; part of her glowing white hair shifted around her back.


    The linen blanket the army had given her slid down, exposing her back and shoulders to the chilly air.  Cold Resistance made the environment comfortable, and it only took a moment for her broad vision to adjust to the bright lights surrounding her.


    She was lying atop the cot she¡¯d fallen asleep on, and there was nothing out of the ordinary happening around her.  Her ears picked up a few conversations between officers, and she caught one of the men standing by the exit quickly walk-off, likely to report that she¡¯d woken up while a woman jogged forward to meet her.


    The guards smiled at her from their assigned posts; a few waved from their massive fifty caliber machine guns positioned around the crystal.  Through a few of their whispered conversations, it was clear they¡¯d been trying to be quiet throughout the day to not wake Scarlet, Fiona, or her.


    Rachel returned a smile and gesture before turning her attention back to the right-angled, cream-colored triangle.  The crystal may not have changed, but the guards had moved on to a new shift; she didn¡¯t recognize the men and women around the area.


    Scarlet was wrapped in a pink and orange checkered blanket, sleeping soundly in a cot with her hands folded below her chest under the fabric.  She¡¯d bound her long black hair into a ponytail the night before, resting beside her head atop her pillow and running down the outside of her blanket.


    Rachel hummed thoughtfully as she realized Scarlet wasn¡¯t breathing; she knew she wasn¡¯t completely dead by the sounds the inside of her body made.  Her blood cycled around in a strange manner that was completely different than the human vascular system.


    The teenage Vampire looked at peace; by the soft smile on her lips, she was likely having a happy dream, and Rachel began humming Gooey by Glass Animals as she heard someone listening to it a mile away, calming her rousing body.


    She giggled as she saw the sizable Barbie house at the foot of their cots, still inside her broad field of vision; the soft sounds of Fiona breathing could be heard from within.  There was a foldable table set up beside them with supplies on it, including clothes and food.


    Fiona finally found a place that fits her.


    Releasing another yawn, Rachel threw off her blanket, pulling her hair around before standing up to meet the advancing woman.


    She was at least partially Hispanic with black hair that was bound in a tight bun.  Rachel assumed she was older than she appeared; by her soft features, she looked to be in her late teens, but to be here, she¡¯d likely have some years behind her within the military.


    The woman had hazel eyes, a cute snub nose, soft, rounded arched eyebrows, and a heart-shaped face.  She was dressed in the standard military uniform, complete with the cap, and was a few inches shorter.


    Rachel licked her lips before putting on a smile as the woman approached; Rachel held out her hand as the woman offered her own.  ¡°Rachel, I assume?¡±


    ¡°That would be correct.¡±


    ¡°Hello!¡±  She said brightly, stepping back a little to give her some space.  ¡°My name¡¯s Second Lieutenant Ava Hernandez,¡± she said in a Texan accent, drawing out her phrases in almost a sing-songy manner.


    Ava was clearly trying to keep her voice in check, but it seemed unnatural to her.  ¡°I took the clothes you had before and found some replacements of similar style; I¡¯ve been assigned to prepare you to be briefed by General Dallas.  A runner has been sent to wake him up.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Has he gotten enough sleep?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been resting for roughly seven hours; you¡¯ve slept through most of the day.  The sun¡¯s dropping below the horizon; it¡¯s currently seven-twenty,¡± she promptly replied.


    We slept that long ¡­ it seems we have been on a strange clock that revolves around the sun descending.  Is it just a natural bodily response?  Perhaps for Scarlet and me, but Fiona and Maria don¡¯t have that type of nocturnal background¡ªin fact, Maria should probably feel the exact opposite?  Although, I suppose she has been on the same clock as us since The Oscillation.


    ¡°Hmm, okay.  Thanks, Ava¡ªcan I call you Ava?¡±  She asked, sweeping all her loose locks behind her back; they simply fell into their standard defensive wave with her gentle flicks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with that,¡± Ava said, smile still in place.


    They both turned their attention to Scarlet as she moaned a little, her arms finding their way through her cocoon.  ¡°Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Scarlet.  Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± she yawned.  ¡°I just¡ªhad this strange dream where I was back at Disney World with my parents¡ªlast time I went was when I was like, twelve, and the strangest thing was¡ªI was a Vampire¡ªin the sunlight.¡±


    ¡°Trippy,¡± Rachel said with a light huff.  ¡°I don¡¯t dream ¡­ I mean, I have to, but I can count the number of dreams I remember on one hand¡ªwhen I do dream, it¡¯s so real I can¡¯t really tell if it¡¯s real or not for a few minutes after.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s tongue slid over her red lips for a moment as she studied her.  ¡°How do you look good in anything you wear?  A black T-Shirt and shorts ¡­ anything.¡±


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Is that your appetite talking?¡±


    Her blue eyes widened as she gave a start.  ¡°Oh¡ªI think you¡¯re right!  I am kind of thirsty,¡± she mumbled, glancing around before her vision settled on the cooler atop the table.


    Walking over to the case, Rachel opened it for a moment and grabbed a bag, tossing it back to her.  Scarlet caught it without effort before biting into it, eyes flashing crimson.


    Rachel heard the Second Lieutenant¡¯s muscles tense for a moment, liquid sliding down Ava¡¯s throat as she watched Scarlet drain the bag within seconds before her eyes returned to their blue color.  ¡°Scarlet¡ªright?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s blue irises returned as she glanced between the Second Lieutenant and Rachel, fangs detaching from the plastic.  ¡°Who¡¯s this, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Ava, our guide.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Scarlet gave her a charming smile, glossy white fangs flashing in the bright spotlights.  ¡°Hello, Ava.  That¡¯s a pretty name.¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±  Ava whispered, trailing off as she glanced around at the other soldiers that were trying their best to keep their focus on the crystal.


    Scarlet¡¯s ponytail shifted a little as she scanned the area.  ¡°Where¡¯s Fiona?  Wait ¡­ is she in that ¡­ she is!¡±  Scarlet mumbled, eyes turning Vampiric as her vision penetrated the dollhouse.  ¡°I guess she likes sleeping in the nude,¡± she whispered, shaking her head ruefully.


    Ava cleared her throat, walking around the cots to extend her hand, trying to force a smile.  ¡°Excuse me?  I didn¡¯t catch that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing!¡±  Scarlet giggled, shaking her hand before standing up and pulling out her hairband.  ¡°So, we¡¯re going to get changed and go talk to Tom?¡±  She asked, glancing over the table of supplies.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ava quickly replied, gripping her wrist behind her back.  ¡°The general is currently getting ready.¡±


    ¡°That right?¡±  Her Vampiric eyes returning as she surveyed the area; Ava was clearly perturbed but hid her fear well.  ¡°Oh, it looks like you guys are using¡­¡±  Scarlet¡¯s eyes quickly shut as her cheeks reddened, lips becoming a line.  ¡°Boundaries ¡­ boundaries,¡± she stated, berating herself.


    ¡°E-Excuse me?¡±  Ava asked, turning to Rachel as she chuckled.


    ¡°Scarlet can be a bit of a perv.¡±


    ¡°Perv¡ªhuh?¡±  She asked, staring at her in disbelief; her cheeks darkened further, blue irises back.  ¡°I¡¯m not a perv!  I just¡ªit¡¯s hard not to see things ¡­ sometimes¡­¡±


    Rachel winked.  ¡°Not judging.¡±


    Scarlet moaned, looking down at the floor as she played with her fingers.  ¡°It¡¯s usually an accident¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s an accident?¡±  Fiona mumbled as Rachel heard her rustling inside the dollhouse.


    ¡°Nothing!¡±  Scarlet stated defensively.


    Rachel quickly followed with, ¡°Scarlet¡¯s just doing a bit of peeking.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ªtotally get it,¡± she said with a soft yawn.  ¡°X-ray vision and all¡ªfun stuff!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that!  Geez ¡­ you¡¯re both mean!  It was really an accident.¡±


    ¡°Usually,¡± Rachel quoted with an innocent nod and gave her a thumbs up.


    ¡°Oh, gosh¡­¡±  Scarlet mumbled, folding her arms while turning to look at the wall.  ¡°One time¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, one time?¡±  Fiona asked, getting up and making some noise while she got ready inside the house.  ¡°So, Kyle was on purpose,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Do I have to ¡­ yes, okay¡ªI was just ¡­ curious ¡­ just once...¡±  She mumbled, pointed ears now affected by her blush as Fiona burst into laughter.


    ¡°Exotic taste!  So, how¡¯d he look?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon¡ªstop teasing me¡­¡±  Scarlet whimpered.


    Ava seemed utterly bewildered, unable to follow the Fairy¡¯s side of the conversation and baffled by Rachel¡¯s laughter.  ¡°Am I¡ªmissing something?¡±


    ¡°Nope¡ªprivate conversation,¡± Scarlet stated.  ¡°So, umm¡ªthis stuff is for us, right, and uh¡ªFiona, you getting ready?¡±


    Rachel shook her head while leaning against the table, silently appraising the abashed Vampire as she clumsily tried to redirect the conversation.


    ¡°Maria¡¯s inside that one¡ªwhat was it?¡±


    ¡°The greenhouse?¡±  Rachel helped.


    ¡°Yeah, the greenhouse ¡­ is someone going to wake her up?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears shifted a little as she continued to filter past conversations, learning about the flood of information that had passed through the area while she¡¯d slept.


    In the following silence, while she gathered information, Fiona quickly interjected.  ¡°Yes, I¡¯m getting ready.  I wanted to make sure I had a lot of options, so we went to a few local toy stores.  You¡¯d be shocked how hard it is to find even Barbie clothes that fit me!¡±


    ¡°Wait ¡­ are you talking to Fiona?¡±  Ava asked, vision falling to the dollhouse.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rachel replied, ¡°she¡¯s currently getting ready.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ I was a little surprised when you started talking to yourself¡­¡±  Ava trailed off, cute features twisting with concern.  ¡°Not that you¡¯re crazy¡ªI don¡¯t think you just talk to yourself¡ªI just¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no¡ªit¡¯s fine!¡±  Scarlet replied with a forced smile before walking around her cot to look through a few of the clothing options on the table.  ¡°I totally get it.¡±


    Rachel cut in while opening a bag of original Fritos.  ¡°Maria¡¯s not awake, but some of the conversations I¡¯m hearing,¡± she chuckled, ears twitching for a moment as they shifted to catch another group¡¯s discussion.


    ¡°Like what?¡±  Fiona asked before mumbling, ¡°Black leggings with a black and white striped shirt ¡­ bronze flats should be good; they were super hard to find.¡±


    A depressed sigh left Rachel¡¯s throat.  ¡°Well, just your average talk about a drop-dead gorgeous woman sleeping in a glass room.  It¡¯s been going around that you can see sleeping beauty by looking around Bench Boulevard and Hilltop Road.  It¡¯s turned somewhat into a riddle game among the troops and even some citizens.¡±


    ¡°Wait ¡­ what?¡±  Ava asked.  ¡°People are making a game out of finding Maria?  If I remember correctly, she¡¯s sleeping in the greenhouse off those streets.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not harming anyone,¡± Rachel said with a short shrug.


    ¡°Imagine how their view would change if they met her in person,¡± Fiona giggled.  ¡°Sleeping beauty ¡­ I¡¯m totally going to call her that!¡±


    ¡°Oh, we should ask her where her prince is!¡±  Scarlet added, laughing as she tried to redirect their focus off her recently discovered deviant behavior.


    ¡°I love it!¡±  Fiona said as she walked down the stairs to open the front door.  Yellow dust exploded around her as her white wings appeared, and she rose into the air.  ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡±  She asked, joining them by the table.


    Ava blinked a few times as they all stared at her; after a moment, she gave a short start.  ¡°Oh¡ªsorry, I just¡ªI¡¯m not used to seeing¡ªpeople as ¡­ small as you.¡±  She mumbled.  ¡°And that you can fly.¡±


    Fiona shrugged, folding her arms under her chest.  ¡°I totally get it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a lot¡ªdifferent, seeing it¡ªyou¡ªin person.  I was given a report, but ¡­ it¡¯s just not the same.  Can your dust make people fly?¡±


    Looking back at her wings, Fiona giggled.  ¡°No¡ªwell, maybe¡­¡±


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Not in the way she¡¯s thinking.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, probably not¡ªsnorting dark yellow Fairy Dust,¡± Fiona laughed, running her left hand across her scalp and through her hair.  ¡°And like I said, I get it.  So, umm¡ªwhat¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Right¡ªyou can get ready real quick, and then we¡¯ll go meet General Dallas.¡±


    ¡°Good ol¡¯ Tom,¡± Fiona said while floating down to a small bowl of sugar.  ¡°Okay¡ªI¡¯ll go wake up sleeping beauty.  Oh, wait, before that¡ªGe¡¯r, Ha¡¯e, Te¡¯r, and Ja¡¯a are currently in the hotel across the street.  They don¡¯t do too well in the cold; they needed a heated area to rest in.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan for them?¡±  Scarlet asked, brow furrowing with concern.  ¡°I could feel their terror, and it was terror ¡­ they¡¯re not faking their fear.¡±


    ¡°Just rest¡ªI think?¡±  Fiona asked, turning to Ava for confirmation.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been ordered to bring them.¡±


    ¡°There you have it!¡±  Fiona stated.  ¡°And you¡¯re totally right, Scarlet, they¡¯re petrified of the Azure Frost.  They seem to think that we can¡¯t stop it.  I did a bit more translating after you two went to bed.


    ¡°They had an interesting life in their world.  It was a bit more and less violent than we have it.  Some colonizing and rebellions here and there, but it sounds super complicated.  Mostly we talked about the Azure Frost.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I can¡¯t hear anyone talking about it, but that¡¯s likely because it¡¯s only known by Tom, the top officers here, and the Executive Branch top brass.¡±


    ¡°Right, right,¡± Fiona said with another salute.  ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll go get the sleepy head.¡±


    Ava cleared her throat.  ¡°It didn¡¯t snow while you slept, but it is freezing outside¡ªabout negative four celsius.¡±


    ¡°No prob,¡± Fiona replied, waving as she shot up a meter above their heads.  ¡°I¡¯m super-resistant to the cold, and I know where our sleeping princess is; oh, I¡¯m going to win the riddle!  Okay, see you all at the meeting.¡±


    ¡°Later,¡± Scarlet and Rachel said, waving her off.


    Fiona shot into the tunnel leading outside, disappearing from sight.


    They grabbed a set of clothes before Scarlet teleported the three of them to one of the empty hotel rooms; she swore she hadn¡¯t peeked in on anyone around them.  Ava was a little concerned about traveling through shadows but quickly gave in as they moved to teleport.


    Ava was a bit dazed as both Mythickin girls moved onto getting ready without skipping a beat.  She had to sit down on the bed and think a little about what she¡¯d just done and what had happened.


    While she collected herself, both girls dressed in matching apparel, light brown army boots, black leggings, panties, and sports bras with a white long-sleeve shirt.  Rachel found matches that fit her perfectly, but Scarlet¡¯s was a bit tighter than she¡¯d like.


    After brushing their teeth and doing a quick check of their appearance, Scarlet transported them back to the crystal to eat a little.  Rachel finished two bags of chips and a few vegetable rolls that she cooked in the microwave that had been set up with a portable electric battery.


    Scarlet grabbed another bag before traveling through shadows to the trailer Tom was waiting in; Ava was a bit more willing this time around.  The three of them fanned out as they entered; Scarlet and Rachel promptly took the chairs on both sides of Tom while Ava tried to regain her bearings.


    Tom¡¯s eyebrows lifted as they entered, and he sat back, a grin splitting his lips while following them take their seats; he looked a lot more rested, and he was out of his suit and in a standard military outfit with four stars on the shoulders.  ¡°Rachel, Scarlet, how did you sleep?  Ah, Lieutenant Hernandez, you¡¯re dismissed.  Thank you for guiding them.¡±


    ¡°Of¡ªof course, general,¡± she said, saluting before hesitantly exiting through the front door; a chilling breeze swept through the opening, causing Tom to shiver before she shut the door.


    ¡°Poor woman,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°She was petrified of the shadows surrounding us.¡±


    Tom groaned a little, glancing back at the closed door.  ¡°She¡¯s a good soldier, from what I¡¯ve read of her OMPF.  Everyone¡¯s been playing catch-up since the world¡¯s changed overnight.¡±


    Rachel breathed out a heavy sigh.  ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing a few of the reports flooding in; a lot of countries are in chaos ¡­ a lot of violence between the changed taking over areas and humans cracking down on the changed.  I¡¯ve been hearing the term Demi being thrown around?¡±


    ¡°Demi ¡­ it¡¯s a word that¡¯s become popular in the last twenty-four hours, coming out of a mix of Japanese and U.S. fiction subculture.  People are collectively calling the people that changed Demi-Humans, Demis, for short.


    ¡°Yes, there are issues that have been happening around the world; the whole of Africa is a battleground.  Many of the once peaceful places in South America have become war zones between struggling individuals with powers.


    ¡°Some just trying to keep the peace and some trying to live out their power trips.  Well, mostly the countries with weak militaries or that rely on other countries for their military support.  Mexico has become a theater between the rival cartels, military, revolutionaries, and smaller gang violence, and Venezuela is divided between rival factions breaking down into utter chaos.¡±


    ¡°The U.S. seems to be stabilizing, though,¡± Rachel said with a hum.  ¡°Between all the branches of military, public, corporate, and religious support, most areas are trying to learn how to accept this change.  Now people are beginning to look for answers.


    ¡°Of course, there is still the need for a lot of policing in places around California and New York, where mobbing was the worst.  Texas did shockingly well, but I suppose the military is heavily patrolling the borders.  I haven¡¯t heard much about how things will be handled from here, though.¡±


    ¡°Was it really that bad?¡±  Scarlet asked, fidgeting with her hands in her lap.  ¡°I mean, I know it got a little bad in Miami, but was it even worse in California?¡±


    Tom ran his hand over his bald scalp, scratching the back of his head with a long sigh.  ¡°Much worse ¡­ Las Vegas was really bad, too.  Mostly, it came from the homeless and gangs.  Primarily looting before retreating back into the tunnels or scattering along the waterways, but there was no shortage of home invasions and murders within many of the cities after the initial shock with their dense population.


    ¡°Most of the more rural counties and cities tended to do a lot better after the initial shock since there were firearms within nearly every home and distance.  There were incidents, but it didn¡¯t grow rampant like it did in the major California and New York counties; there were leaders of the mobbing that came from the local gangs that overwhelmed the police in many areas that are still being dealt with as we position boots on-ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s to be expected with places like California for obvious reasons.  As the President mentioned, we¡¯re already the largest immigration country in the world ¡­ by far, and since we¡¯ve closed our borders because of the new sickness and security risks, we¡¯ve come under heat from a lot of countries.  That¡¯s politics, though ¡­ I¡¯m more concerned about our citizens; I¡¯ll always prioritize our country over others because that is my job as a general.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be helping everyone we can, though?¡±


    Tom chuckled with a sad expression.  ¡°It¡¯s easy to say that, but when you¡¯re dealing with a country, it¡¯s not so simple.  There¡¯s a lot of things to consider that most people just brush off.


    ¡°If we just opened the borders, we¡¯d turn into a Third World Country overnight and the police would be overwhelmed; we already have boots on the ground in many areas of our own country.  We have borders for many reasons, and all of them are to protect our citizens.  When a plane is going down, you are told to first put a mask on yourself before helping the person next to you.  You must be in a stable position to help others; it¡¯s as simple as that.¡±


    Scarlet slowly nodded.  ¡°I never thought about it like that.¡±


    Tom cracked his neck before clearing his throat.  ¡°It¡¯s not uncommon.  I¡¯m in this job because I have the experience to handle the larger picture.  Our own are our first priority, and everyone that says otherwise can join support groups to help those they are interested in aiding; everyone prioritizes certain people above others ¡­ it¡¯s just a part of being human.


    ¡°You have a priority on every human¡¯s life, from your mother to a homeless millionaire, but my job is to look at our citizens as a whole, not the world or your grandmother.  It¡¯s a reality that people in 1st World countries and those that have never been in a position of power tend to gloss over.  When you have people¡¯s lives in your hands ¡­ America can¡¯t save the world; so, we do what you can.


    ¡°There were a few local militia groups that went overboard, but it¡¯s nothing like the media is trying to portray it as ¡­ in other words, it¡¯s not this massive movement.  Most people are just trying to keep their small part of the world safe from the looters; people naturally try to use chaos to get free stuff or break things when they have the chance.  It¡¯s just mob mentality.¡±


    Scarlet tucked her lip under as she listened.  Once Tom stopped, she asked, ¡°Will it get better?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s already improving; the media would have you believe there are racist hangings and the normal cocktail of anti-establishment propaganda.  It¡¯s not completely wrong, but as usual, way over the top to gain ratings, clickbait, and push an agenda.  No different than any other politician.¡±


    He shrugged.  ¡°No, everything will be fine; the big issue isn¡¯t internally, but these crystals and the threat they bring.  We can easily handle the occasional Antifa riots and pockets of Alt-Right arsonists ¡­ most of them scatter the moment they hear a gunshot or someone throws a fireball.  People have been recently learning not to mess with Beastkin, too ¡­ a gashed open arm wises people up...¡±


    He twisted his seat a little as the front door opened to admit a quivering Maria and Fiona; Maria rushed in, rubbing her arms as her teeth chattered, mumbling, ¡°?Maldita sea, hace fr¨ªo!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, sir,¡± Fiona yelled, waving someone off.


    Maria turned around to glare at the floating Fairy.  ¡°You¡¯re insane; get in here!¡±


    Fiona casually zipped side to side, entering the room with a mischievous smile.  ¡°It¡¯s not that cold.¡±


    Maria slammed the door with a huff, quickly rubbing her arms again while mumbling, ¡°I¡¯d swear you¡¯re making it colder ¡­ but you¡¯re not blue.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that cold, to begin with, sissy!¡±


    ¡°S-Sissy!¡±  Maria blustered, glaring at her.  ¡°I don¡¯t have insane Ice Resistance like some pixies¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, so you¡¯re supposed to show how Spartan you are!¡±  Fiona said with a wink.


    Maria¡¯s nose twisted into a sour complexion.  ¡°Spartan, my ass.¡±


    She¡¯d changed into similar clothes but had added a large furry gray coat, and Rachel suspected two more layers of clothing under that by how it bulged.


    ¡°Good, the gang¡¯s here,¡± Tom chuckled, motioned to the chairs.  ¡°Take a seat.¡±


    Fiona glided over by Scarlet, floating two feet above the tabletop, cross-legged.  ¡°Thanks!¡±


    Maria released a long sigh before rolling out the chair beside Rachel and dropping into it, scooting forward.


    Scarlet forced a smile.  ¡°Going to take off your coat?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Maria stated, folding her arms across her stomach.


    Feeling it was about time to take control of the conversation, Rachel drew everyone¡¯s attention, glancing between them as she spoke.  ¡°Alright, now that we¡¯re here, why don¡¯t we get down to business.  We¡¯ve heard about Fiona translating a bit more yesterday.  So, Tom, what did the powers have to say on how we should proceed?¡±


    Tom released a short chuckle in his throat.  ¡°Rachel, ever the one to keep us on point.  Right,¡± he sighed, rubbing the back of his head.  ¡°Well, the Executive Branch wanted me to get a few answers from you, Rachel, and from Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡±  Scarlet asked, glancing between him and Rachel.  ¡°Rachel¡¯s the one that has the plans!¡±


    Tom leaned against the table, partially lifting a hand to indicate he needed a minute.  ¡°Just hear me out ¡­ you¡¯ve all earned a lot of trust with the President and a few of the Executive Branch members, and they want your opinion on a few things.¡±


    A few ¡­ meaning there¡¯s likely some that don¡¯t like us at all.


    ¡°It may sound derogatory,¡± Tom shifted his weight back, causing his chair to squeak, ¡°but, I¡¯ll be referring to the people that changed as Demis since it¡¯s already caught on like wildfire, and it¡¯s easier to say to identify them.  On the contrary, it is a bit polarized in some circles, but most seem to accept it.


    ¡°First, what is your opinion on the mental state and the ability for Demis to function in society?¡±


    Scarlet looked stunned.  ¡°Me¡ªyou¡¯re asking me¡ªa Vampire?¡±


    Tom nodded, causing Scarlet to run her hands through her hair.  She released a low moan before responding.  ¡°Mostly¡ªprobably?  I mean, there are some¡ªpossibly dangerous stuff, but for the most part, I think people¡ªDemis want to live in peace.¡±


    He turned his eyes to Maria as she huffed.  ¡°Right¡ªmy hitters ain¡¯t got a problem, but if anyone else has a problem, then there¡¯s trouble.¡±


    Rachel sucked in a breath before releasing it slowly.  Everyone¡¯s eyes fell on her as she clicked her tongue a few times, staring down at the table.  ¡°Honestly, it would depend on the laws that were initiated.  You already told me about people lobbying for segregation, depending on how the government handles the laws coming out of the House.


    ¡°In general, most Demis would play by the rules to stay with their families ¡­ if those rules were fair¡ªequal opportunity.  I expect the pushback would be harder from normal citizens¡ªhumans, than the Demis.  Demis can do all sorts of things that could make their skills much more of a valued asset.¡±


    Tom nodded with a grave expression.  ¡°Yes, that has been stated, but we have planned on going forward with the privatization of the crystals.  The bill needs a lot of work and input, but we¡¯re getting everyone we can on it.  It should be one of the first big bills passed; that, and an amendment to the Constitution for Demis with several other Demi Equal Rights bills that protects their rights with any other citizen.


    ¡°There will naturally be pushback and a lot of debates to come in the months leading up to the new election.  I¡¯m sure there will likely be some Demis jumping into the race.  I¡¯ve heard that even Senator Hutchings was turned into a Faekin.¡±


    Rachel folded her hands in her lap.  ¡°In short, yes and no.  You already know that Lunar Pride influences me, blood influences Scarlet, and so on.¡±


    Tom closed his eyes and swallowed before turning his attention to Maria.  ¡°Maria, specifically, they wanted an answer from you; they¡¯ve been briefed that you cannot lie.¡±


    Maria groaned, glancing over at her with a furrowed brow.  ¡°Well, damn ¡­ I mean, we do have abilities that can cause us to do some messed up shit.  Can we function in society?  Hell yeah, but I¡¯ll be damned if everyone is stable.  I think it¡¯s the same with any human, though, any human can have their bad and good eggs; no different.¡±


    Tom breathed out a long sigh.  ¡°Good, just what I hoped.  Thank you, okay, and second, Rachel, why did you let that alien go?¡±


    She didn¡¯t break eye contact with Tom.  ¡°It seemed like the best option we had.  The aliens were making a move to either weaponize him or break him out already.  We just showed them that we aren¡¯t savages.  I made a split-second decision when I discovered they were sending up a tentacle from their base below.  Have they retaliated yet?¡±


    Tom shook his head.


    ¡°Good, then it seems like I averted at least one possible escalation of the conflict.  Might we need to attack them to close the portal?  Possibly, but we at least have some time to discover that method without the natives busting into our side of the crystal ¡­ for the moment.¡±


    ¡°A perfectly reasonable decision,¡± Tom stated with satisfaction.  ¡°Now, to get down to business.  We need to handle the Azure Frost, and we¡¯ve come to the conclusion that Maria needs to do it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  The Unicorn lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°You kiddin¡¯?  You¡¯ve seen me out there!  I can¡¯t go into a place that¡¯s sub-zero.  Not a chance in hell!¡±


    ¡°What we need,¡± Tom continued, ¡°is for you to handle the Core; you need to remove or destroy it, and we think you might also be able to absorb its solar energy.  From what information we gained through Fiona and what I¡¯ve already discovered about your abilities.  Scarlet can locate and teleport you near it¡ªthrough shadows,¡± he quickly stated as Maria promptly shook her head.


    ¡°Shadows will work fine.  Fiona can act as defense and offense ¡­ there were some heavy discussions about collateral damage Demis can have between a few members of the Executive Branch when they saw the video cycling the web, Fiona.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªwell ¡­ nevermind,¡± she said before whispering, ¡°probably shouldn¡¯t mention Warpath¡­¡±


    Rachel hummed thoughtfully, breaking in to complete his plan.  ¡°I think I understand.  Maria, Scarlet, and Fiona go after that while I stay back at the camp to defend in case of an attack if one comes.  I wouldn¡¯t be much help in a raid like that in any case.  Fiona can handle any destructive aspects, and if it turns out Fiona, Maria, and Scarlet can¡¯t handle it, then I can trade places with Maria and Fiona.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Tom said.  ¡°I know you must do it at night when it¡¯s expanding, but by our projections, it will overtake our crystal within seven hours by our calculations.  At least, from the data we¡¯ve been able to gather from its rate of growth last night that our cameras were able to observe.  It could and will most likely accelerate in speed, based on the bird¡¯s predictions.¡±


    ¡°Then we can¡¯t waste much more time,¡± Rachel said, getting to her feet.  ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Not until this is handled, and then we can move on to the alien problem.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± she gestured to the others as they breathed out heavy moans, stretching out.


    ¡°Ho¡¯boy, here we go again!  Let me get my murder spikes out,¡± Fiona mumbled, flexing her fingers out.


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 B3 — 12. Invitation

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Park


    Recap:  Rachel and the group had to suffer through some politics that bled Tom''s stress and frustration before he explained the Executive Branch''s discussion.  Fiona got a house!  Maria is now Sleeping Beauty (unbeknownst to her), and they''re getting ready to enter the crystal ... oh, and if they fail, they''re nuking the place!


    Rachel got to her feet, the others following her example.  ¡°Alright,¡± she chuckled, smirking to her right at Maria. ¡°Going to walk back to the crystal?¡±


    ¡°Damn straight,¡± Maria grunted.  Her left eyebrow raised as she scrutinized Rachel before her silver irises moved to Scarlet.  ¡°What¡¯s up with everyone having higher Elemental Resistance than me?¡±


    Fiona hovered up to her eye level, giggling as she appraised Maria¡¯s multiple layers of clothes.  ¡°Well, you have very high Control Resistance; that¡¯s pretty good!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but all of you,¡± she huffed.  ¡°Every single one of you has above-average Elemental Resistance.  I hate the cold,¡± she mumbled, shivering as she glanced toward the door.  ¡°Now you¡¯re saying I need to go through a blizzard?¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Scarlet said with a forced smile.


    ¡°C¡¯mon!¡±  Fiona shot over to her, nudging her shoulder.  ¡°Don¡¯t be a princess about it; I¡¯ll make it warm for you.¡±


    Rachel smiled innocently.  ¡°Well,¡± everyone turned to listen, ¡°we could always send for a prince to save you.¡±


    Maria¡¯s pointed ears and cheeks reddened as laughter filled the trailer.


    ¡°What the hell¡¯s up with that?  Fiona said something like that when she came to get me; what¡¯d I miss, eh?  I don¡¯t need a damn prince ¡­ freak¡­¡±


    ¡°Just a rumor about sleeping beauty,¡± Rachel said dismissively.  ¡°Anyways, we¡¯re still in the middle of a small scale war that could grow much bigger.  You all ready?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Scarlet turned back to Tom.  ¡°Umm¡ªis there anything you want us to do with it¡ªit¡¯s like a bulb or something, right?  I mean, if it¡¯s too big to pluck or Maria can¡¯t absorb the energy, then should Fiona and I try to break it?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s fist shot into the air as a bright ball of fire erupted above her; a hot gust of wind exploded around the area.  ¡°I¡¯ll melt it into a puddle!¡±


    Tom sat back, causing his chair to squeak, eyeing Fiona¡¯s fireball before it quickly vanished.  A sigh left his lips as he folded his hands across his stomach. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know what might happen.  We ran through many scenarios, and some of them aren¡¯t that appealing. There is, however, some additional information you¡¯ll need.


    ¡°This bulb is like a power core with Solar Energy as its fuel; this isn¡¯t the kind of solar to electric energy we¡¯re accustomed to, either, from what our sources on these new forms of energy explained.  Similar to Rachel¡¯s Lunar Energy, this is something new. Is that fair to say?¡±


    Rachel nodded, and his implication suddenly sparked in her mind.  ¡°If it is a massive battery, housing Solar Energy, then it could detonate.¡±


    A lump dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat; her blue eyes shot between Rachel and Tom.  ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tom stated gravely.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have told us that sooner¡ªbefore we were about to head out?¡±  Maria asked with a twist to her nose. ¡°That¡¯s pretty important!¡±


    Tom¡¯s lips became a line, and it took him a second to respond.  ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I¡¯m bringing it up before you leave.¡± He glanced to his left at Scarlet.  ¡°I understand if you are a little scared about this plan, and to be frank¡ªthis isn¡¯t my first option, but it¡¯s what the Security Council decided as the first plan.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s brow creased with concern.  ¡°Even though it could kill her?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips fell as she folded her arms, mind working on the reasons for this decision.  ¡°There are members of the Security Council that fear Scarlet. Were you supposed to tell us about this in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tom stated, and Maria nodded, indicating he was telling the truth.  ¡°However, you¡¯re right in thinking there are members that just wanted to leave the dangers out of the discussion; there¡¯s a push back from both political parties to try and control the Demi.  They¡¯re not happy with my use of Demis in regards to public safety and border protection.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s horrible,¡± Fiona huffed.  ¡°We¡¯re alive, too! We¡¯re not mindless beasts.¡±


    Maria clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth.  ¡°It¡¯s the government; what do you expect? It¡¯s all about giving people free things to make em slaves to the state.  Why not do the same to people that have power, huh? Typical.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s wide field of vision and large ears caught everyone¡¯s reactions, but Scarlet¡¯s was expected and concerning.  Her body curved in, head drooping as she took on a defensive posture; she knew how badly she frightened people, and their fear was like dopamine for her that she had to fight.


    ¡°If both political parties want to create the enemy they imagine, then they should keep making decisions like that.¡±  She stated coldly, red eyes moved to Tom as he responded.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get no complaints from me; we often create our own enemies out of our prejudice.  Of course, it¡¯s rarely a one-sided issue; there are plenty of examples for them to pull from to point to the dangers of Demis.


    ¡°Even though I¡¯m on the side that Demis should be treated as individuals instead of lumped into group politics, it¡¯s hard when statistics are telling people Demis are four times more likely to participate in criminal activity than all other ethnic groups combined.¡±


    Before Rachel could respond, Tom added, ¡°And yes, that is an early estimate of the data we have in comparison to Demi numbers, which aren¡¯t solid yet, but we¡¯ve found a correlation between population size and percentage of humans changed.  It seems to be evenly distributed change among the population, but the density of Types, Races, and Kind are totally different, and not always the same.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Fiona mumbled.  ¡°That means that you know how many humans changed world-wide.¡±


    Tom stretched his fingers before clearing his throat.  ¡°It¡¯s surprisingly close to what we first predicted to our first census statistical report; by using smaller populations and comparing them to other small towns and counties, we¡¯ve come to expect every one out of one-hundred and forty-four people world-wide has changed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ªinsane,¡± Scarlet muttered.  ¡°That many people?¡±


    Remembering back to the population numbers of the U.S. and other large countries, Rachel did the calculations quickly in her mind.  ¡°That means roughly two-point-three million people changed in the U.S., and about nine-point-three million in India.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s insane in India right now ¡­ there are so many diverse and power-hungry Demis running wild over there that I doubt the country will ever be the same.  A Demi assassinated the Head of State ¡­ it¡¯s also been confirmed that Kim Jong-un was also changed; he was made an Aberationkin of some type from the communications we¡¯ve been able to intercept.¡±


    Rachel bit her lower lip for a moment as her brow creased with concern.  ¡°If Kim Jong-un turned into a Demi of some type ¡­ is South Korea in danger?  I still have family living in Gwangju and Incheon.¡±


    ¡°As I said before, we have a large force invested in the Asian province to help support some of our allies if it becomes necessary, but we¡¯re treading carefully.  From the information we have, Kim is still exploring his possibilities with this new change in his country.


    ¡°However, much of the world is on fire at the moment, and the largest issue is if our own civil disputes will be coupled with otherworldly creatures declaring war on Earth.  You¡¯re not the only team we¡¯ve sent into crystals, but the one that¡¯s given us the most information.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already confirmed that if we, in a way, conquer the other side, the crystal will release a sharp hum before vanishing within a particular amount of time in conjunction with the sound.  Most of our information is coming from what you¡¯ve been able to gather; we can¡¯t talk with the creatures of the other crystals.¡±


    Maria, Fiona, and Scarlet didn¡¯t seem to know where to branch off from there, but Rachel moved into the ensuing silence.


    ¡°You¡¯re in a position of power,¡± she stated, eyeing Tom¡¯s solemn expression.  ¡°How do you see this playing out with your experience on the world stage?¡±


    Tom hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°Much of what I¡¯ve told you since we¡¯ve become acquainted is extremely confidential; the reason why you¡¯ve been brought into the circle is that I knew your group could produce results.  I¡¯m less familiar with the political side than the war, but if I were to take a guess, humans, and Demis will have a rough first start in the States.


    ¡°However, the number of people that want to make society work with both human and Demi is far more dominant than the other side.  I expect certain counties in different states to vote on secession, shifting the boundaries of states as people disagree with state policies, but with the crystals as a threat, we¡¯ll unite stronger than ever.


    ¡°A few judges have already been taken off the seat for attempting to enforce laws against the Constitution; judges cannot make laws, only enforce.  There will be many Demis that take office, and as they enter the workforce, we¡¯ll start seeing an uneven distribution of labor with the jobs they can take, but it is what it is.¡±


    ¡°And the world?¡±  Fiona asked with concern.  ¡°What about Ireland?¡±


    Tom chuckled.  ¡°So far, from what I¡¯ve heard, Ireland is actually reasonably peaceful compared to places like France or the U.K., and even the U.K. isn¡¯t that bad.  I¡¯m sorry we haven¡¯t been able to confirm if your family is alright yet, it shouldn¡¯t be too much longer, but at least Ireland isn¡¯t a hotspot.


    ¡°There are pockets of heavy violence in the U.K., and without much protection in the country with much of their military focusing on densely populated areas and the massive tree¡¯s appearance, they¡¯re stretched thin.  Naturally, they¡¯re concentrating on the places that could sustain the most casualties.


    ¡°The local authorities and charities are doing their best to keep things civil.  However, there are areas where the citizens are left at the mercy of rogue Demis; they are taking a lot of heat and putting a lot of resources into identifying the massive tree that showed up in London.


    ¡°The Police just aren¡¯t equipped in many of these areas to handle the volume of violence with their decreased military, and distance between incidents.  Parts of their military are also having to keep an eye on their borders from potential outside threats.


    ¡°They¡¯re doing what they can, though, and their government is working hard to get everything under control.  We¡¯re helping where we can with what troops we have stationed around the world; we do provide military aid to over a hundred and fifty countries that request it, but in many countries, we¡¯re limited on what we can do.


    ¡°However, I think we¡¯re getting a bit off-topic,¡± he said, licking his lips.  ¡°Is that really what you wanted to know?¡±


    Rachel hummed thoughtfully as everyone turned to her.  ¡°I just want to make sure this is all worth it.¡± She said, turning to smile at Scarlet.  ¡°So, what do you think, Scarlet? Not everyone fears you, but just the chaos; they don¡¯t know the cute Vampire girl that dreams about going to Disney World.¡±


    Scarlet blushed.  ¡°Well¡ªI¡¯m not a kid anymore,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Clearly,¡± Fiona winked.  ¡°Spying on some high-quality meat with those dirty eyes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing to say,¡± Scarlet stated, clearing her throat.  ¡°I know¡ªthanks, Rachel, and can we please drop that, Fiona!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Fiona looked up at the ceiling with amusement.  ¡°Drop what¡ªboundaries?¡±


    ¡°Geez,¡± Scarlet mumbled, turning away from Fiona to fold her arms, likely trying to hide her red cheeks.


    ¡°I missed a ton,¡± Maria whispered, tone piqued with interest.  ¡°Give me the DL later, Fi.¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing to talk about!¡±  Scarlet demanded, rosy cheeks showing as she shot a glare in Fiona¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Right, right,¡± Fiona giggled.


    Both Fiona and Maria quickly shot back as a wicked smile lit Scarlet¡¯s lips, and blood snaked out of her body to coil around her body.  ¡°I can always teleport you into a freezing lake while you sleep!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not go straight to nuclear fallout!¡±  Maria stated. ¡°Damn ¡­ got it, got it, chica, put the blood away!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona forced a chuckle.  ¡°Point taken! No need to throw us through blood portals to make a point.¡±


    Scarlet huffed, but her glare faltered when she caught Tom and Rachel¡¯s smile.  ¡°Oh¡ªumm, yeah¡ªso, was there something else?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile fell a little as she glanced back down at Tom.  ¡°There should be.¡±


    Tom nodded, tone serious.  ¡°The Azure Frost is powered by Solar Energy, which is harmful or at least negative to both you and Rachel.  There¡¯s also the risk that the ice itself radiates Solar Energy; I don¡¯t need to warn you of the consequences of that.¡±


    ¡°So ¡­ I could burst into flames by just going into the stuff?¡±  Scarlet asked with disbelief. ¡°Who thought this was a good idea?  Why don¡¯t they put a gun to my heart?¡±


    Rachel folded her arms under her chest, keeping her glowing red irises on Tom.  ¡°That will be a test; you teleport Maria and Fiona near it and then see if it is harmful to you.  If it is, then you can leave them to continue and retreat.¡±


    Scarlet breathed a sigh of relief, blood returning to her body, causing both Maria and Fiona to relax a bit.  ¡°I don¡¯t need to continue if it hurts me, then.¡±


    ¡°Never,¡± Rachel said, her eyes turning compassionate as she looked up at the scared teenage Vampire.  ¡°I keep telling you; you don¡¯t have to do anything you don¡¯t want. We¡¯ll still stick with you, and we won¡¯t think you¡¯re a terrible person if you¡¯re too scared to do something.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Rachel¡­¡±


    ¡°Now, Tom,¡± Rachel continued, ¡°there¡¯s still more to the risks, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°Right¡ªlet me get everything out so we can skip by some of the ping-pong.  Is everyone alright with that?¡± He asked, glancing around the table at the standing or floating girls.  When everyone nodded, he took a long breath before laying out the possible issues.


    ¡°First, the ice might not release Solar Energy, but it could also have periodic pulses of it that are sent out; so, you can¡¯t be sure that you¡¯ll be safe if you don¡¯t immediately feel discomfort after going into the Azure Frost.


    ¡°Second, there¡¯s the possibility that it has some kind of defensive activation to attack anyone getting close to its Core.


    ¡°Third, it could be immune to the magic Fiona has and could be insulated in a manner that Maria couldn¡¯t get it out.


    ¡°Fourth, if it is insulated, then you¡¯d need to crack the shell, which could release a mass of Solar Energy ¡­ we have no clue how powerful or large that blast could be.  It¡¯s possible that a portion of the energy the main Core held on the other world was given to this side¡¯s Core. Unlikely, unless sentient in some manner or designed in that manner, but not impossible to rule out.


    ¡°The fallout from a blast that size and with this unknown energy type could very well kill both Scarlet and Fiona, but I doubt Maria would be harmed ¡­ in fact, she¡¯d likely become supercharged.


    ¡°Fifth, if we destroy the bulb or capture it, there¡¯s no reason to believe that another one will not form the next day¡ªactually, from what we¡¯ve gathered from the birds, it¡¯s credible that it will develop a new one before slowly starting to die on the edges.  In this case, you¡¯d need to continue to pluck it until it could no longer regenerate it.


    ¡°Sixth, the bulb might start branching out and create a second wave of the Azure Frost; we don¡¯t know how stable it is and if it can be contained.  It might need an activator, such as sunlight or moonlight, but we can¡¯t be sure of anything. Even the birds didn¡¯t have that detailed amount of information.


    ¡°Seventh, the orange aliens might attack us while you¡¯re dealing with the Azure Frost.  If they do appear or any other possible threat, then we leave it to your discretion. The men on the other side will follow your lead.


    ¡°Eighth, in case everything you do fails ¡­ we¡¯ve been authorized to use a Hydrogen Bomb; it will be here in less than an hour.  That¡¯s our last case scenario, but Washington decided that if it comes down to it, we cannot let the Azure Frost into our world.¡±


    All four girls swallowed with the drop of the dreaded phrase; a chill passed through Rachel¡¯s spine, causing her to shiver.


    ¡°You said it¡¯s estimated to overtake the crystal within seven hours ¡­ how much time do we have until we need to evacuate?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°It will only take a few minutes to set up and launch with what we have on the way; we¡¯re talking about a bomb that is over a thousand times more powerful than an Atom Bomb.  We don¡¯t know what kind of backlash we¡¯ll receive through the crystal. I¡¯d give up if you cannot complete the task within five hours. I¡¯ll have a Humvee prepped for your escape with the other men nearby if that¡¯s the case.


    ¡°We know if we set it off, and we destroy the area, that it will close the crystal, but we¡¯d rather not nuke every crystal.  We just don¡¯t have the resources to sustain that over a long period of time. That being said, we¡¯re about to initiate an evacuation; we¡¯ll be using everything we have here to get everyone as far away as possible.  We don¡¯t want to use it, but it¡¯s our final end game if you fail. Understand?¡±


    They all nodded, and Maria released a nervous chuckle.  ¡°I never thought I¡¯d hear a real U.S. general say that if I fail, they¡¯ll drop a nuke ¡­ the pressure, right?¡±


    ¡°It just got real,¡± Fiona mumbled, rubbing her shoulders while hovering beside Maria.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rachel walked around the table.  ¡°I think we understand the stakes ¡­ Scarlet, can you take me to the crystal and quickly come back for Maria and Fiona.  Going through shadows will be quicker.¡±


    Scarlet quickly transported them to the crystal, and before they entered, Scarlet sucked down every blood pack left in the cooler while Fiona ate enough sugar to reach the Well Fed buff.


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as they prepared to go through the crystal; she heard the sound of evacuation beginning to play around them as the military moved from house to house, initiating the procedure.


    ¡°I can feel the fear increasing,¡± Scarlet whispered, looking in a specific direction.  ¡°The soldiers ¡­ citizens ¡­ the anxiety ¡­ panic ¡­ suspicion.¡±


    Rachel put a hand on her back, rubbing gently.  ¡°I hear it, too; Demis are worried they¡¯re being taken to segregation camps, humans think there¡¯s some kind of Demi attack coming ¡­ everyone¡¯s trying to come up with a reason for the evacuation.  We just need to do what we can.¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± Maria mumbled, scratching the back of her head before pulling her hair back.  ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking, and¡ªthis is like¡ªone of those critical moments in history, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Snap,¡± Fiona whispered.  ¡°You¡¯re totally right ¡­ we¡¯re like¡ªmaking history.  I translated the first information we have on the crystals ¡­ that¡¯s crazy.¡±


    Rachel smiled at them before glancing around the enclosed space, hearing the tension in the soldiers¡¯ muscles.  ¡°I get it, but we¡¯re also wasting time talking. Remember watching all those movies where you are just screaming at the characters to just get in there?¡±


    ¡°Dang ¡­ we are kind of wasting time, aren¡¯t we?¡±  Fiona asked.


    ¡°If this is a story, it¡¯s a horror story,¡± Scarlet mumbled, looking down at a string of blood that left her fingertips before returning.


    ¡°Well¡ªour little horror story has just begun,¡± Rachel replied, stepping through the portal.


    Her boots sunk into the mud as she exited, and she quickly studied the hostile environment they were reentering.  The soldiers were still keeping a watchful eye on the jungle, and it seemed like the previous Green Beret group had been replaced by a fresh team, likely to allow the former group to rest.


    The insect was inside Fiona¡¯s Wind Prison, still looking for a way to escape.  It made harsh crying sounds that could barely be heard past the raging air, pushing back all its attempts to break free.


    Rachel¡¯s ears stood on end as she slowly turned her head, getting a grasp of the situation miles around them.


    Since the last time they¡¯d been here, the camp had been reorganized and tidied up, and there was a new medical tent that had been constructed to the right side of the crystal.  She could hear a man talking inside, seemingly dissecting an animal.


    She was a little shocked to hear dozens of creatures hiding around the site, staying just out of sight; however, none of them seemed hostile by the sounds of their bodies, the noises they made were more on the defensive.


    Everything within a three-mile radius was silent, except for the immediate area, and the strange crystal noises she¡¯d come to expect from the alien¡¯s peculiar material.


    The biggest thing that she noticed was she didn¡¯t feel any spike in energy.  Looking up, she couldn¡¯t see a sliver of moonlight.


    A new moon, or something else ¡­ shit, this isn¡¯t good.  I know I could keep up with the alien I fought without the moon with my current Lunar Pool, but this most likely takes my ability to damage the bulb out of the equation.  Fiona can do more damage than I can like this. I didn¡¯t even consider the possibility of the moons not being here.


    Walking forward, Rachel turned to greet Scarlet, Maria, and Fiona as they appeared behind her.


    Maria breathed in a deep breath.  ¡°I love the smell of the place, but ¡­ wait, I don¡¯t feel sick.  Rachel ¡­ the moons,¡± she mumbled; Scarlet and Fiona both looked up into the sky.


    ¡°Where are they?¡±  Scarlet asked. ¡°Is it a new moon?¡±


    ¡°Must be,¡± Fiona replied before darting high into the sky to look around; her hair, nails, and eyes glowed green as she activated her Wind Shield.  ¡°Nope, sorry, Rachel, but I don¡¯t see any moonlight.¡±


    ¡°Qu¨¦ mala suerte,¡± Maria sighed.  ¡°What do you think, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll manage,¡± she said, walking forward to greet the Captain over the current unit.  ¡°You three should get to work; I¡¯ll handle things here.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±  Scarlet asked, blue eyes transforming into their void black and red halo counterparts while she scanned the floor with a dark hum.  ¡°There¡¯s one of those crystal tube-tentacles coming up. Maybe we should stay for a bit; it should be here in like¡ªfive minutes, at its current pace.¡±


    The Captain called out to them with a half-smile.  ¡°Well, it¡¯s good to see the princess everyone¡¯s been whispering about.  I don¡¯t quite know which of you it is, though.¡±


    ¡°Sweet,¡± Fiona giggled before nudging and whispering to Maria.  ¡°He could be your prince!¡±


    ¡°D¨¦jate de mamadas!¡±  Maria grunted. ¡°What the hell¡¯s up with y¡¯all today?¡±


    Rachel returned the smile and said, ¡°The princess would be the Unicorn beside me, but I think we have other concerns.¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t no princess.¡±  Maria glared at her while folding her arms, pushing up on her chest with an annoyed growl in her throat.


    Fiona dove back down, stopping close to the Captain¡¯s head; he was a little surprised, but quickly recovered as she whispered, ¡°Watch out, she bites!¡±


    He released a forced chuckle before asking, ¡°Funny¡ªwhat¡¯s the issue?¡±


    ¡°There are some aliens coming up,¡± Scarlet sighed, pointing at the ground.  ¡°It¡¯s fairly straight, coming up from their base below us, and my eyes can¡¯t penetrate it.¡±


    Turning around, he yelled, ¡°Look alert!  Tango below, prep for combat, ladies! We got some kind of tube; grenade launchers ready, rockets, weapons, and if any of you louts misses a shot, they¡¯re fronting the tab next break!  Ya¡¯hear? And Johannes, I see that cig!¡±


    A mass of replies happened as the men shot into action, prepping different weapons.


    ¡°Where are they coming out from,¡± he asked, turning to Scarlet with a serious expression.  ¡°I¡¯m Captain Aaron Channing, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªover there,¡± she stated, pointing several meters to the left of the insect.


    ¡°Any other threats in the area?¡±


    Rachel cut in.  ¡°There is some wildlife around the area, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯re a threat, and I can¡¯t hear anything larger than a mouse within miles; I don¡¯t even hear the dragonfly-like creatures in the sky.¡±


    Raising his voice, Aaron shouted, ¡°No enemies around us, but Tot, I want you watching the perimeter; we got critters watching.  Everyone else, that spot¡ªI want you ready to light it up like Christmas day!¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Fiona mumbled, floating over to her.  ¡°The animals¡­¡±


    Rachel scanned the treeline, easily identifying where the creatures were.  ¡°What about them?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re begging for safe passage ¡­ some are mourning the loss of three family members.¡±


    Aaron clicked his tongue a few times.  ¡°Well, that sucks to hear¡ªa shitty situation, but we had to stop anything trying to make it through the crystal without authorization.  You can always petition the general.¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°We¡¯re kind of on a clock.¡± Watching Fiona¡¯s sad expression as she looked at one particular spot where there were soft moaning sounds, she asked, ¡°Can you tell that scientist back there to tell General Dallas the animals¡¯ situation.  Let him know that it¡¯s possible they also have information on the crystal.¡±


    He released a soft hum, rubbing the back of his neck.  ¡°I¡¯ve been told to assist you lot with whatever you need.  I feel like we should be more concerned with the attack, but if that¡¯s what you want, then I suppose getting a civilian out of possible harm¡¯s way is good.¡±


    Drawing his attention back by moving a little to the left of the man, Rachel turned back to Scarlet.  ¡°I¡¯ll handle it here with these guys; put some trust in me. I need you guys to take care of that bulb.  If we can¡¯t stop that thing¡¯s ice wave, then we¡¯ll be running for our lives in a few hours anyway.¡±


    Aaron gave a short shrug before jogging over to the tent to inform the scientist.


    ¡°Mmh¡ªI don¡¯t know ¡­ they had some crazy tech when I broke into their base.  You sure?¡±


    ¡°Positive.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she mumbled, moving a bit closer to Maria.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go dying on me,¡± Maria stated with a grin before it fell into a scowl as she turned to Fiona.  ¡°I¡¯m gonna find out what all this princess shit is, too.¡±


    ¡°Sure you will,¡± Fiona chuckled with a knowing wink at Rachel.  ¡°Stay safe! We can¡¯t have our warrior princess hare leaving us behind.  Erica wants to thank you for rescuing us with a dinner when all this is over.¡±


    ¡°Have I let you down before?¡±  Rachel asked innocently.


    ¡°Beat and broken like a pinata,¡± Maria laughed, ¡°but you always come limpin¡¯ back.¡±


    Smile turning forced, Rachel waved them off.  ¡°C¡¯mon, give me some credit! I was fighting basically Hercules.¡±


    ¡°Really, though¡ªstay safe,¡± Scarlet whispered with worry.


    Rachel folded her arms, turning to Fiona as she solemnly floated to Scarlet¡¯s side.  ¡°Before you go, can you tell the animals that we might grant them safety. Let them know you¡¯re the only one that can communicate with them, and you need to go.


    ¡°Show them a wave and tell them that that¡¯s the sign that they can come through, an x shape is a no, and it will be best if they find shelter elsewhere.  Also, let them know that we¡¯re sorry for their loss. We¡¯ll do what we can for them.¡±


    ¡°I think they¡¯re from the same world that the others are from.¡±  Fiona nodded gratefully, shooting off to deliver the message. ¡°Thanks, Rachel!¡±


    They waited in silence for a minute before she returned.  ¡°They accepted ¡­ one of them¡¯s pretty angry; I¡¯m pretty sure his dad and mom were killed.¡±


    Maria clicked her tongue.  ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    Scarlet took one last glance up at the moonless sky and her before vanishing into shadows with Maria and Fiona nearly hugging her.


    C¡¯mon, don¡¯t give me that look ¡­ I¡¯ll be fine.


    Rachel breathed a long sigh as the sounds of the expanding crystal grew closer; she started stretching out her muscles as they began to itch.


    ¡°Seems like they really care for you,¡± Aaron returned with a grin.  ¡°They seem like good girls.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they are,¡± she replied, twisting around her ankles a bit to loosen them up.  ¡°Don¡¯t fire until it¡¯s clear they¡¯re hostile. We¡¯re not quite sure what they plan, but there could be a whole battalion of soldiers ready to storm out of that.  Keep sharp.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me twice,¡± he huffed, moving a bit to their right to stand behind a sandbag barrier.  ¡°Stay sharp, men! How soon until contact?¡±


    ¡°Any second,¡± Rachel replied, walking over to a different constructed barrier.


    Lips were licked, shoulders rolled, and breath eased as the soldiers watched the event unfold.


    A small orange crystal spike slowly eased out of the ground before slowly opening up, folding down into a hole the size of a man; orange smoke exploded from inside, dispersing to reveal a single orange alien, wearing their black bullet-resistant clothes.


    Saliva dropped down everyone¡¯s throats as they waited for something to happen.


    After a few seconds, it walked out, hands hidden beneath its cloak; its head moved back and forth as it observed them, and after a moment, its eyes locked on her.  Revealing its arms, it pointed one of its four clawed fingers in her direction and using both hands, it gestured for her to come forward.


    ¡°What¡¯s it doing?¡±  Aaron asked.


    ¡°I think it wants me to join it,¡± Rachel replied with a neutral tone.


    ¡°Is it crazy?  Who would blindly walk into enemy territory?  I suppose it doesn¡¯t know what a white flag or any kind of negotiation indicator we use is, but still ¡­ that¡¯s ballsy unless it¡¯s got something up its sleeve.¡±


    Rachel grimaced as she felt the pull of Lunar Pride.


    Shit ¡­ now ¡­ of course, I¡¯m not supposed to hide ¡­ I¡¯m supposed to face down my enemies with my head held high.


    Groaning a little, Rachel straightened and walked out from behind the barrier.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±  Aaron whispered with frustration.  ¡°You¡¯ll block some of our line of fire!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it,¡± Rachel sighed, scratching the back of her head as she walked forward.  ¡°So, what do you want?¡±


    Her lips became a line as the orange crystal expanded, providing room for both of them on the platform it stood on.  Walking back, it gestured for her to join it, spreading its arms wide before putting its hands around its throat.


    Rachel released another low moan.  ¡°I think it¡¯s telling me that this atmosphere is toxic to it.  I think it was somewhat similar to the other one, and from Scarlet¡¯s story about their base, it makes sense.  It wants me to join it, but I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m able to breathe its orange atmosphere¡­¡±


    Almost as if it recognized her concern, the alien reached down into the frothing orange smoke at his feet and produced a silver metal necklace, offering it to her.


    Feeling the dangerous excitement that Lunar Pride spurred, Rachel stretched out her arms.  ¡°Well, Aaron. I¡¯m going to see what this is all about.  If four and a half hours pass ¡­ leave me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re joking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have much of a choice,¡± she said with a backward grin.  ¡°This is a bit interesting, and I¡¯m pretty confident that I can fight my way out.  I¡¯m not stupid, either.¡±


    ¡°This seems stupid,¡± he grunted, and she heard a few of the other soldiers make similar remarks.  ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell your friends to trust you? This seems pretty dumb¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to do it,¡± she sighed, walking forward.


    She towered over the alien as it held up the device, twisting a small invisible section on it; a translucent bubble appeared across the inside.


    ¡°Hold up,¡± one of the soldiers called.  ¡°Let me test the thing!¡±


    A pulse shot down Rachel¡¯s spine to her tails.  Damn, you, Lunar Pride!  I¡¯m even starting to feel like it¡¯s right ¡­ this is such a terrible idea!


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Rachel replied with an even tone, but she activated Emotional Detachment, feeling the urge fade.  However, she could tell that Lunar Pride was getting stronger since her time fighting Anthony.


    Taking the item, she placed it over her head; the bubble didn¡¯t seem to restrict her breathing at all, even though it was a skin-tight fit.  Flipping out her hair, she was a little surprised to see the bubble envelop its entire length as it fell, yet the rest of it didn¡¯t extend past her collarbone to her body.


    Interesting stuff.  I really need to learn more about Lunar Pride and how to counter it ¡­ I¡¯m held hostage by this Racial more than anything else.


    Standing next to the alien, she said, ¡°Wave to the animals to let them know they can come in and make an x symbol if General Dallas replies that they can¡¯t come through.  I¡¯ll make it back; I stake my pride on it!¡±


    She grinned as she felt her words burn in her chest.  There we go ¡­ I can fight back, too!


    Her smile fell as the crystal began to close, and the platform they stood on began to descend.  Just what do you want with me?


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 13. Fantasy And Science Fiction

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Park


    Recap:  Rachel and the group prepare to deal with The Azure Frost with the expectation that if they fail, then the world might end, and the U.S. Government will drop a Hydrogen Bomb.  Rachel was invited into the Alien base, and Lunar Pride reared its ugly head.  Not only that, but it also forced her to put a strange metal collar around her neck that provided her air.


    Rachel watched the night sky disappear as the orange crystal folded up, and they began to descend; a surge of fog expelled from the glass-like substance, heavily obscuring her vision from inside the transparent mask it had given her.


    She glanced down as the creature breathed a long hiss.  Rachel¡¯s ears stiffened, causing the bubble to expand with its sharp movement; from the base of the necklace came a deep masculine voice.  ¡°I thank you for accompanying me.¡±


    Shifting to her left in the small space, she glanced down at the creature with a slight frown.  ¡°I can understand you ¡­ this device you gave me is some kind of translator and oxygen unit?¡±


    The alien looked up at her, continuing to make various hissing sounds and hand gestures while the necklace translated.  ¡°It took a long while for us to analyze the speech patterns of your race; we have been trying to understand you for some time.¡±


    ¡°How are you monitoring us?¡±


    The translation was nearly toneless.  ¡°That is not of concern, your intent is.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  Do you know about the crystals?¡±


    ¡°The devices you used to come to this place?  No, we are not residents of this moon.¡±


    ¡°Moon?¡±


    The creature paused for a moment, looking up at her blankly.  ¡°You are unaware of the place you have arrived? By the information we have, you are here to determine threats.  We will be no threat to your people.¡±


    Rachel restrained a frown, keeping her demeanor neutral as the platform ceased, opening up to a plain orange crystal hallway.  Seven more aliens were waiting for her; they all wore a white banner-like shirt with a black crescent and a cross running through it, just like Scarlet had described.


    Her ears twitched as she expanded her ears, and she could distinguish the strange horror-like musical noise Scarlet had told her about humming through the outer edges of the crystal structure on closer inspection.  One of the sharp sounds she speculated was linked to the production of the orange fog.


    The hallways were relatively silent, but she did hear the shuffling of feet through the structure and the cracking of crystals as people passed through areas and the walls resealed themselves, and the soft hisses and clicking hand gestures of more aliens.  However, the device at her neck wouldn¡¯t translate anything, likely because it was so far away.


    The seven aliens in front of her spread out, not making any sudden moves as they observed her in a non-hostile manner.


    ¡°Not a threat?¡±  She asked, keeping a lax pose, but ready to move at a moment¡¯s notice.  ¡°How so? One of your people attacked me. Are you saying that was a mistake, and what is the purpose of you bringing me here?¡±


    The alien walked out, turning as she didn¡¯t follow.  ¡°These are my fellow researchers; there is no need to be so defensive.  Yes, the attack against you was from a divergent faction within our team.  We know you have the ability to defend yourself if needed, and your species has weapons that we have never seen before; we do not wish to escalate into conflict.¡±


    Researchers?  So, is this a facility designed for study?  The insects could be a point of interest for them, and we just so happened to get caught up in the middle of it.  There¡¯s also the threat of this divergent faction, and perhaps they changed their mind when the attack didn¡¯t work.


    Also, we have weapons they¡¯ve never seen before?  Is he talking about Scarlet, me, and Fiona, or is he referring to the military?  It¡¯s good that we can communicate with them, but¡­


    Activating Mental Acceleration while keeping Emotional Detachment in play, she slowly exited the lift to take in the hallway with her broad field of view; the orange fog obscured almost everything beyond several meters.


    They certainly have different technology than we do, and it seems far more advanced.  Who knows if a nuke would even damage their structures ¡­ no, if Scarlet could break into it, then it can¡¯t be that tough; a Hydrogen Bomb should have no issue.


    This is unexpected, though ¡­ why would they go through all this trouble?  They likely took the equipment and men to program this necklace ¡­ we still don¡¯t know what happened to those soldiers.  If they learned our language this fast, then that must be a factor ¡­ I wonder. What if the Green Berets are connected to some kind of mind scanning technology?


    Swapping to Korean, she said, ¡°Is this opposing view still a threat to my people?¡±


    Each of the creatures glanced at each other before they began hissing.


    ¡°Did you understand her?¡±


    ¡°I did not?  Are you sure the transition method was correctly calibrated?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the interface was a perfect execution, but there is so much information; perhaps this is a set of data that is unavailable to the others?¡±


    They understand I¡¯m a woman, and unavailable to the others?  They might be using some kind of brain link.


    Swapping to English, she asked, ¡°Which is better, fries or onion rings?¡±


    They all made rapid hand gestures to one another, tone of voice still monotone.


    ¡°I do not understand the question.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, there seems to be no right answer.¡±


    ¡°Conflicting answers ¡­ it does not make logical sense.¡±


    ¡°This was not expected with the data collected.¡±


    ¡°How should we proceed?¡±


    It¡¯s highly likely that they¡¯re using some kind of mind scanning technology to get that kind of information.  If that¡¯s the case, then they could be seeing Science Fiction or pure Fantasy-based weapons as the standard technology for our world, and we¡¯re not going all out until we assess the threat of this world.  Of course, they could also know about nukes and many other weapons the military is researching.


    The main problem is their motive and methods they¡¯re employing.  It¡¯s perfectly reasonable that they¡¯d use our soldiers as information banks, but the issue is how humane it is.  If our military had that capability, then we¡¯d no doubt employ something similar. Some things just don¡¯t add up, though.


    They don¡¯t know about the crystals.  That could be a lie; I have no clue how their bodies would even react if they lied.  They don¡¯t want a conflict, but at the same time, we both must conquer the opposing side to close the gate, by the testimony of the birds.  This could cause some complications.


    Any way you look at it, abducting soldiers is a hostile action; you can¡¯t incapacitate people, bind them against their will, and keep them in a place where they can¡¯t communicate with their allies without expecting retaliation.  However, perhaps this is nothing wrong with this alien culture. Maybe this is standard, and if it is, then we have a lot to set straight.


    Rachel hummed thoughtfully, drawing their attention.  ¡°That you know about fries and onion rings means you¡¯ve somehow obtained some cultural understanding of our world, and it¡¯s highly unlikely that you would have gained that information from mere conversation.  You have our soldiers and equipment, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The aliens made more hand gestures toward one another with short hisses.


    ¡°It was a test?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps she does not trust our words?¡±


    ¡°A mistranslation?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    ¡°What is the point of this exercise?¡±


    ¡°I cannot see a solution.¡±


    Rachel cut into the conversation before the next could respond.  ¡°For a solution, we can begin with a bit of transparency. You don¡¯t want conflict, but you¡¯ve taken some of our people, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Glancing between each other, the aliens went silent for a much shorter time than Rachel perceived.  After a few seconds, they began communicating as if she wasn¡¯t there again, ping-ponging off each other¡¯s statements and questions.


    ¡°Transparency?¡±


    ¡°We have been very transparent.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, we have not?¡±


    ¡°Again, we go back to the translation errors.¡±


    ¡°The match is ninety-eight point seven, seven, two percent accurate.¡±


    ¡°Yes, which is well within the margin of error.¡±


    ¡°Where is it ¡­ the words have different meanings.¡±


    ¡°I can see that now.¡±


    ¡°Confusing.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, to us.¡±


    ¡°I am sure we are confusing to her.¡±


    ¡°The subject is the key.¡±


    ¡°Visual representation is powerful to ¡­ humans.¡±


    ¡°Such amazing technology.¡±


    ¡°Frightening technology.¡±


    ¡°We are seen as aliens¡­¡±


    ¡°Such terrifying and confusing policies toward aliens.¡±


    ¡°Yes, quite conflicting.¡±


    ¡°We should not make enemies of humans.¡±


    ¡°We must move past this barrier.¡±


    ¡°The subject was people we have taken.¡±


    ¡°Correct, which means the humans are upset that we took them.¡±


    ¡°How odd.  We could not understand each other without them.¡±


    ¡°They did not know our ways.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is most illuminating.¡±


    ¡°They have many technologies to understand us.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, it is more complicated than we perceive.¡±


    ¡°Possible.¡±


    ¡°Very possible.¡±


    ¡°We can not comprehend the small one¡¯s technology.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the way that she can speak to others seemingly without a device is fascinating.¡±


    ¡°The manifestation of energy out of seemingly nothing is equally as terrifying as it is intriguing.¡±


    ¡°We are getting off the important topic.¡±


    ¡°Correct, we need to establish a degree of ¡­ trust.¡±


    ¡°Trust ¡­ how strange of a meaning when connected to individuals.¡±


    ¡°The distrust of humans makes them unpredictable, and their wild, inconsistent behavior makes them a threat.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but we cannot combat such creatures.¡±


    ¡°We are on cycle again.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps this distrust has also affected us as we are becoming wary of objective human action.¡±


    ¡°You may be correct in your hypothesis.¡±


    ¡°Is it productive to bring back such a radical change to the collective?¡±


    ¡°That will be something to run simulations on once we have obtained safety.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°That would be the best action.¡±


    ¡°Alleviating this one¡¯s concerns is the pressing issue.¡±


    ¡°Incorrect.¡±


    ¡°Identifying the purpose of the human¡¯s interaction with the growing energy crystal mass is of the highest priority.¡±


    ¡°Correct, the rapid increase in the burrowing roots will reach our ship within twelve hours.¡±


    ¡°We do not have the resources to combat such aggressive proliferation.¡±


    ¡°The humans do.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and the energy crystal mass will reach the gate to their world shortly.¡±


    ¡°That must be the reason for the three heading into the growth zone.¡±


    ¡°They would freeze on contact.¡±


    ¡°The tiny one seems to have technology that protects against such a case.¡±


    ¡°Impressive.¡±


    ¡°Most impressive.¡±


    ¡°Combating a pulse wave of negative eighty degrees Celcius that bypasses all known material is powerful.¡±


    ¡°Most powerful.¡±


    ¡°If only we could contain such a force.¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    ¡°Already discussed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it has bypassed every attempt at containment.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, with the human¡¯s aid?¡±


    ¡°We must take things one step at a time.¡±


    ¡°That would be the safest route.¡±


    ¡°What might be left after the humans deal with it?¡±


    ¡°Undeterminable.¡±


    ¡°We shall see.¡±


    With Emotional Detachment active, Rachel only analyzed their statements with an objective mind to get to the goal in mind; however, inside her detached bubble of emotions, it all seemed rather strange.  How they each knew who was speaking and how they were gaining all this information was a mystery to her.


    They¡¯re far more advanced than us, but whatever inaccuracies are in their equipment are making it appear that we¡¯re extremely sophisticated, advanced, and that anything the soldiers know of in Science Fiction and Fantasy, coupled with our abilities, are fact.


    It doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯re very warful, to begin with, either.  At the very least, their weapons of war aren¡¯t on this research station or inside the shield.  However, the question is, are these aliens the real creatures of this world or just traveling visitors?


    The Azure Frost is something they can¡¯t combat, and they obviously think that we¡¯re so advanced that we can deal with it in a snap.  The moment we recognized it as a threat, we decided to take care of the problem.


    The one that had brought her down ceased his hand signs for a moment, looking up at her neutral expression as she watched him.  After a moment, the others dropped their hands and turned to study her. Seconds passed, and a few of them continued to sign and hiss.


    ¡°We wish to know how the humans will deal with this threat.¡±


    ¡°If the humans will grant us an explanation.¡±


    ¡°Infinite possibilities.¡±


    ¡°An answer would be illuminating.¡±


    They¡¯re curious as a species, and it appears they go to great lengths to understand different species.  Giving them an answer might be the best option to get the ball moving. They said they don¡¯t want to fight us, and they haven¡¯t given me any indication that this group would do anything.


    However, the group that thinks differently than them might be an issue as we move on.  We¡¯ll have to get to that. Telling them about the Hydrogen Bomb wouldn¡¯t be ideal at this point, and from what they just said about it bypassing all of their known material ¡­ that might be an issue.


    Rachel hummed softly; she responded while stretching out her arms and calves.  They carefully studied every move she made while loosened up.


    ¡°What you call an energy crystal mass, we call the Azure Frost.  It is an ice crystal-like substance that feeds off solar energy during the day while it hibernates.  Once the sun drops below the horizon, it will begin to proliferate, based on the amount of energy it¡¯s receiving from the sun.


    ¡°It has a core that if plucked will begin the process of slowly killing it.  The ones we¡¯re sending to deal with it will be draining that energy, breaking it, or bringing it back with them to our world for safekeeping.¡±


    The seven looked at each other, hands and arms making gestures as they spoke.


    ¡°Slowly die.¡±


    ¡°Good, it will be taken care of.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we could bargain with the humans for a piece?¡±


    ¡°Doubtful.¡±


    ¡°Unlikely with what we have to offer.¡±


    ¡°Indeed ¡­ next, we must move to peaceful relations.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the people taken and the equipment.¡±


    ¡°Should we ask about keeping some of the equipment.¡±


    ¡°True, perhaps we may learn from it.¡±


    ¡°It would be best not to provoke such creatures.¡±


    ¡°That would be the safest route.¡±


    Again, the one that had brought her down motioned to her, saying, ¡°Come.  We will take you to them.¡±


    The group turned toward the left hallway as if she¡¯d naturally comply; the mystery behind the creatures caused a pulse to shoot from her tail to the tips of her ears.


    It could be a trap, but I have to follow them; the chance to save lives is worth the risk.  They certainly have a different way of doing things than a human. It would help if I could recognize the tone of their voice and what kind of emotions they¡¯re exhibiting, then it would be so much easier.


    Although, I can understand a bit of their emotional state from the words they use.  Clearly, they have pain, and Scarlet could feel emotion from them, but this device doesn¡¯t translate them at all.  I can¡¯t even tell who is talking most of the time.


    I need to get more information about what they know about the crystal.  With their advanced technology, maybe they can tell something about them that we can¡¯t.  I can¡¯t tell them that we don¡¯t have a clue where they came from, though.


    They barely moved in the time it took Rachel to think about her next move.


    The walls were smooth, and the fog thick, making the journey all but blind.  She expanded her hearing again to catch the hissing around the facility, but still, the device wouldn¡¯t translate something so far away; she was beginning to map out the open layout.


    She seemed to be in a large circular hallway that went on for miles; there were many branches to it, and after some time to compile the data, hundreds of the aliens all working on different aspects of the ship.


    Her eyes scanned the back of the aliens as they moved in a more disorganized fashion than she would have expected.  She gave them several seconds to bring up any more conversations before starting her own. ¡°What should I call your race?¡±


    ¡°We do not have a word to describe us.¡±


    ¡°We are us, and not the same as others.¡±


    Two stated, making gestures and low hissing sounds.


    ¡°What about the group that diverged from your idea of making peace?¡±  Rachel asked, turning her head slightly to observe the smooth wall. ¡°Is there a chance that a group of your people wishes harm to humanity?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°They were misinformed.¡±


    ¡°Upon further analysis, it was determined that combat would not be the most efficient path forward.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Rachel ran her hand along the wall, and just as Scarlet said, a faint imprint followed; the crystal was warm to the touch, causing prickles to cascade down the nerves in her palm.  ¡°What have you been able to determine about the gates?¡± She asked, using the word they had picked.


    ¡°Fascinating.¡±


    ¡°Immaterial.¡±


    ¡°Material.¡±


    ¡°A contradiction.¡±


    ¡°Convenient.¡±


    ¡°Would save travel time.¡±


    ¡°An impossible spatial and temporal dimensional field that interferes with our conventional understanding of the universe.¡±


    ¡°It should not exist.¡±


    ¡°Yet, it is a reality we cannot dispute.¡±


    ¡°No energy.¡±


    ¡°No particles or waves; no gravity, yet it has a pull.¡±


    ¡°No detectable signs to observe, but visual.¡±


    ¡°Damaged our ship without warning.¡±


    ¡°Incorrect.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the spatial and temporal dimensional field damaged our ship.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, the crystals are connected to the field.¡±


    ¡°Were we a bridge between the two realities?¡±


    ¡°If that is the case, then the humans brought the Azure Frost to this world?¡±


    ¡°An experiment?¡±


    ¡°How did the humans create this ¡­ stargate ¡­ crystal, and force field.¡±


    ¡°Many names your people give it.¡±


    ¡°Powerful and contradictory.¡±


    ¡°We do not understand the concepts within your mind.¡±


    ¡°A hive of confutation.¡±


    So, even to these aliens, the crystals are something impossible to understand.  That doesn¡¯t give me hope in humanity, puzzling it out. Even to them, these gateways don¡¯t release any kind of indicator.  They¡¯re ghosts to reality, but follow a certain set of criteria that force an ultimatum upon people to fight. Why? They really don¡¯t make sense.  There¡¯s no reason to even believe someone created them.


    I can¡¯t really answer their questions either, and telling them that we purposely created the portals to get to the Azure Frost could lead to a negative view.  I suppose I can be honest and let them spin their imagination out of control.


    A low hum escaped Rachel¡¯s throat.  ¡°Humanity is naturally curious; we explore almost anything new we come across.¡±


    ¡°Dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating.¡±


    ¡°We are almost to your request.¡±


    Rachel paused as the aliens walked several more steps before turning to a wall to their left, and one slid his hand over the smooth surface.  A holographic image pulled out of the wall with strange symbols tumbling inside the triangular sphere. After it played with it for a moment, the orange crystal began to open.


    It revealed a large room with what appeared four standing crystal-shaped human mummies, surrounding a burning red ball of energy that released the heat of a low fire.  Other than the sphere of light and humans, the room was empty.


    ¡°They¡¯re alive, I assume,¡± Rachel asked with a neutral tone.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The shell has been programmed for their needs.¡±


    ¡°The Matrix is functioning nearly at full capacity.¡±


    ¡°The human mind has so many ideas and contradictions to sort through.¡±


    ¡°A frightening place.¡±


    ¡°A wondrous place.¡±


    ¡°Inventions and concepts never imagined to us.¡±


    They walked into the room, and Rachel circled one of the crystal structures, ears alert to any sound of cracking crystal that might seek to entrap her.  Debating on how to answer, Rachel chose to dig a little deeper into their race and purpose. ¡°What is your purpose on this moon?¡±


    ¡°The humans have methods to determine our reasons.¡±


    ¡°Another test?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    ¡°Humans seem to enjoy their traps and tests.¡±


    ¡°Irrational and rational, many times within the span of a sentence.¡±


    ¡°We came to the fourth moon of our planet on research.¡±


    ¡°To study the strange life that lives in a constant struggle to survive.¡±


    ¡°We have not experienced such methods for many ages.¡±


    ¡°We seek advancement in a block within our lives.¡±


    ¡°We seek for purpose as it fails our race.¡±


    ¡°Much has been uncovered from the minds of humans.¡±


    ¡°Many things to be studied for ages to come.¡±


    Rachel released a soft sigh as she turned around to view the creatures.  She felt a little bad for the ultimatum the crystals forced; it was an eat or be eaten system; however, perhaps there could be a more humane way to deal with the conquering of these people, and there was only one way to find out.


    ¡°The crystals do go beyond your understanding, but they do come with a terrible price.¡±


    ¡°Sacrifice is something we have been learning.¡±


    ¡°It gives value to things that we have not experienced in ages.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Rachel said.  ¡°The crystals require the conquest of the opposing side.  This could be from full destruction, taking the resources from you or this planet, or anything similar to dominating this side.  That is also the purpose that the Azure Frost was employed. Not by us, but by someone else.¡±


    The aliens went silent again before communicating with one another.


    ¡°Someone else that is an enemy of humans?¡±


    ¡°How frightening?¡±


    ¡°There are many such things within their memory.¡±


    ¡°Yes, such as these Dalek¡­¡±


    ¡°Frightening creatures.¡±


    ¡°Horrifying technology.¡±


    ¡°Weeping Angels.¡±


    ¡°Cybermen¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, The Master.¡±


    ¡°Such creatures exist; we must bring back this data as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°If the price for such technology is the conquest of an area, then it cannot be helped.¡±


    ¡°What is the most effective means?¡±


    ¡°The power core would be of sufficient damage.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and we would be stranded for approximately twelve days.¡±


    ¡°Incorrect.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, twelve-point-three-two days.¡±


    ¡°We could use that time to research this sonic screwdriver device that is of such value.¡±


    ¡°It would provide great benefit.¡±


    ¡°We must also look into this Artron Energy.¡±


    ¡°Most wonderful.¡±


    ¡°It could change everything.¡±


    ¡°Possible error.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, we might be overlooking the fact that we are not native to this moon.¡±


    ¡°If that is the case, then the hive mothers might be the solution.¡±


    ¡°Conquering the insects would be simple for the humans.¡±


    ¡°True, it is not an issue for the humans.¡±


    ¡°Our conclusion could be incorrect.¡±


    ¡°We must test it, then.¡±


    Rachel had no clue what they were talking about, but they¡¯d obviously connected to some story in someone¡¯s head and were extracting from it ideas.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said with a bright smile.  ¡°Shall we combine our efforts and test these theories?  The sooner we can conclude our business, the sooner you can get this information back to the rest of your people, which would be of the most critical importance.¡±


    ¡°Most logical.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let us proceed.¡±


    ¡°Follow us.¡±


    Rachel was beginning to like the little guys; she followed them to the opposite wall, and the one that had gone up to request her visit activated an elevator at their feet.  Rachel looked up as the large platform lowered, and the hole above was filled in by crystal.


    These guys have such an advanced type of crystal technology.  They¡¯re crystal experts, and they can¡¯t tell anything about the gates ¡­ that says a lot.


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 B3 — 14. A Grim Discovery

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Park


    Recap:  Rachel met the orange aliens and found out they didn''t quite understand fiction from reality and connected with a soldier''s mind with way too much Sci-Fi in it.  Now, they''re worried about how unpredictable and powerful humans are.  They find that the most ''logical'' solution to not anger the time-traveling, technologically more advanced humans.  Rachel looks around and is like ... okay, we''ll roll with it!  Oh, and they''re fascinated by the Sonic Screwdriver, go figure!


    Rachel folded her arms as the crystal continued to lower them further into the alien¡¯s ship, dropping twelve levels before stopping; each floor closed above them, filling in with crystal, and every once in a while, she saw one of the creatures enveloped in their own task.


    On the third layer, aliens were studying several different types of fungus and plants on a table that emitted three-dimensional holograms of the items.  Their small claw-like hands played with the symbols inside as the image zoomed in and appeared to show the DNA of the material they were studying.


    On the fourth, fifth, and sixth, there were large orange crystal pods with different animals and insects inside.  The organization of the creatures seemed to be in a specific order with various similarities between the monsters.


    It was at this point that Rachel¡¯s focus moved back to the alien that had given her the translation device; while they were descending, a rigid platform of crystal spiked up from the ground and released a hologram with more symbols.


    It shifted the order around before saying, ¡°Miscalculation detected.¡±


    The others quickly responded as they moved around the display.


    ¡°Alpha Level test could result in premature closure of the human gate.¡±


    ¡°If the humans do not solve the expansion of the Azure Frost, then we will be left defenseless.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, and unable to retreat should the opportunity arise.¡±


    ¡°If we give the humans our power core, then would the gate immediately close?¡±


    ¡°Calculations undeterminable.¡±


    ¡°Too many possibilities to determine a proper mode of action.¡±


    ¡°Data store lacking.¡±


    ¡°Human advance group entering distortion zone.¡±


    ¡°Unable to conclude results.¡±


    ¡°Range of error is too high for further reliable action.¡±


    The platform stopped, and the conversation was beginning to worry her, causing her mind to accelerate and branch off their discussion.


    They¡¯re not wrong.  If they roll over and give us their primary mode of power, essentially crippling any advanced civilization, with the Azure Frost devastating the entire area, then it might just count this field as conquered.


    If that happens, then would I even know the crystal¡¯s conditions are complete?  Could it close, and I¡¯d have no idea? I could be stuck here in that instance, and the chances of me getting back would be nigh-nonexistent.  I hadn¡¯t considered that ¡­ this is actually extremely risky for these aliens and me.


    It appears that the others have entered a part of the Azure Frost that their technology has trouble penetrating.  Does that mean Scarlet was able to go in? Perhaps ¡­ I told them to have faith in me, so I need to do the same.


    These aliens are scared and awed by the fiction inside of our minds, which could mean that they just don¡¯t have that great of an imagination.  They¡¯re curious, but it¡¯s more about the events around them rather than the immaterial wishes that humanity has.


    By the way they¡¯re talking, they want to wait until it¡¯s certain the Azure Frost is dealt with, which puts me in an awkward position.  I expect that they¡¯ll come to a conflicting conclusion that either this was a test for them or that we already have everything planned out.  That will put me on the spot.


    If I say it¡¯s a test, then it could blow over, but it¡¯ll also keep making them second guess themselves, and put more suspicion in us.  All it takes is for them to realize that whatever they¡¯re seeing in those soldiers¡¯ memories is fiction and not fact.


    Although, I¡¯m sure that it¡¯s so bizarre to their way of thinking that they just write it off as just too far advanced for them to comprehend.  That¡¯s important ¡­ I need to redirect their thoughts and get them to explain to me what they have been learning while we wait for Maria to work her magic.


    Using Mental Acceleration, she sorted through the information and decided on the direction she¡¯d take within seconds.  She waited for her chance to enter the conversation, keeping a slight smile on her lips while holding her hands behind her back; the tips of her fingernails brushed up against her tail, causing her lower back to tense for a moment as the tickling sensation shot up her spine.


    Sometimes I forget I even have a tail ¡­ just a few days ago, I was worried about grades and my family ¡­ now I¡¯m dealing with an alien race.


    The group continued to study the glowing sphere of random symbols as they bounced around their thoughts, making signs with their hands and hissing sounds.


    ¡°Error in Azure Frost proliferation calculations.¡±


    ¡°A point-four error.¡±


    ¡°It is increasing its pace.¡±


    ¡°Ramping or fixed?¡±


    ¡°Calculating ¡­ fixed pace.¡±


    ¡°The human¡¯s analysis seems to be correct.¡±


    ¡°Yes, fluctuation in solar energy detected.¡±


    ¡°If left on its own, it will continue to increase its proliferation daily.¡±


    ¡°If it continues to spread at the current growth rate in conjunction with the solar calendar, then the Azure Frost will encase the moon within forty-three days and twelve hours.¡±


    ¡°With a marginal range of error within eighteen minutes.¡±


    ¡°The penetration of the Core will be within eighteen days.¡±


    ¡°Given known data.¡±


    ¡°Estimated time for the Jade City to arrive, eighty-three days.¡±


    ¡°Unsustainable.¡±


    ¡°The moon is lost without outside help.¡±


    ¡°Repair of ecosystem untenable.¡±


    ¡°All current ecological research would be of little value.¡±


    ¡°All resources spent on the current data would be our loss.¡±


    ¡°Conclusion unchanged.¡±


    ¡°Human aid is the best solution.¡±


    ¡°All are in favor.¡±


    ¡°Human action is perplexing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, is there data we have not compiled?¡±


    ¡°Would this not constitute the closing of their gate?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it is also tied to the Azure Frost¡¯s gate?¡±


    ¡°A resonance?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    ¡°Possible.¡±


    ¡°How long will it take for the gate to close after the conquest?¡±


    ¡°Unknown.¡±


    ¡°Uncalculable.¡±


    ¡°Insufficient data.¡±


    Rachel stepped in as there was a slight pause.  ¡°We are in the process of testing the gates ourselves.¡±  She laughed, smiling down at the aliens as they looked up at her, emotions utterly masked.  ¡°Isn¡¯t experimentation and exploration fun?¡±


    The group¡¯s heads fell to stare at one another, hands quickening, but tones still monotone.


    ¡°Exploration.¡±


    ¡°Experimentation.¡±


    ¡°Yes, humans are avid explorers.¡±


    ¡°Humans use data recklessness to expand quickly.¡±


    ¡°We must learn from their example.¡±


    ¡°What is the best use of our time?¡±


    The group fell silent, turning back to her.


    Man ¡­ these aliens really have the wrong idea of us.  I almost feel a little bad, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m really lying to them.  I¡¯m just letting them spin their own narrative. Okay, so, let¡¯s see how much I can learn about The Oscillation and these crystals from these creatures.


    ¡°While we wait, why don¡¯t we do some imaginative exploration of our own?¡±


    ¡°Imaginative¡­¡±


    ¡°Exploration?¡±


    ¡°We do not understand such a concept.¡±


    ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°Expound.¡±


    ¡°Show us.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rachel said with a bright smile.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to one of your observation rooms where we can do a little theorizing.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    With a few quick taps of the hologram, they rose three floors before pausing.  Rachel frowned as she looked around what appeared to be an empty hallway on both sides.  Her ears twitched as she focused her hearing above them; it was difficult to penetrate and filter out the strange humming and cracking, but after a few seconds, she heard the soft tread of footsteps and sharp breathing of more aliens.


    Ah ¡­ we¡¯re waiting for traffic.  Interesting. Their brains seem somewhat connected, but not on a pure mental link level ¡­ maybe more of an emotional or some kind of minor surface level?  They certainly have a degree of unity, and from the sounds of it, each of them is connected to a rudimentary computer system that gives them a limited amount of information.


    Maybe the bandwidth is the biggest issue or some kind of cultural dependence concern?  When they need to have a more direct link to the system, then they pull up those holograms.


    Her attention shifted back to the ceiling as it opened up to another hallway before stopping; there more aliens were walking to their left, hissing to one another while flashing their hands.


    ¡°Attempts to utilize the human¡¯s miniature black hole energy is enticing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but the draw would appear unstable, given our current technology.¡±


    ¡°The connection to a sustainable link to the possibility of Artron Energy is exciting.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°The concept of time travel has never touched The Matrix.¡±


    Rachel turned away from their speculations and theories as her group led her down the opposite way, and they began speaking again.


    ¡°The introduction of human science has many of us intrigued.¡±


    ¡°We have not considered the uses of plutonium in many of our machines.¡±


    ¡°To use sonic vibrations as a medical scanner, life tracker, and interface device for many other species of technologies is most fascinating.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we have many looking into this sonic screwdriver machine.¡±


    ¡°Do you have such a device?¡±


    Rachel chuckled while walking with them down the hall.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not my specialty.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°What is your specialty?¡±


    ¡°Combat,¡± Rachel replied, holding out her hand and activating Lunar Burst.  They all slowed and made humming sounds as they hissed.  Gathering around her, they examined the white glow surrounding her fist.


    ¡°What is this energy called?¡±


    ¡°How is it produced?¡±


    ¡°Does it differ from the duller glow around your body?¡±


    Releasing the skill, Rachel hummed thoughtfully as they came upon a dead-end.  ¡°Consider it like a biological function that I have, and yes ¡­ it¡¯s different than the glow my skin radiates.  It¡¯s called Lunar¡­¡± She paused, realizing something that shocked her.


    I¡¯m not receiving any energy from the moon ¡­ they called this world a moon.  Maybe there¡¯s a different definition for them, but my Lunar Pool wasn¡¯t affected at all without the two orbiting moons.  Why is that?


    Is it because I¡¯m on the dark side of the moon, and not receiving the reflected light from the sun?  If that¡¯s the case, then what would happen if I stayed in the sunlight here? Would it be like I was on the surface of the moon back on earth?  It¡¯s the only explanation I can come up with ¡­ there has to be something more I¡¯m missing¡­


    Her revelation was soon overshadowed by the scene that unfolded before her as they walked toward the solid barrier in front of them, and the wall opened as they neared, likely in response to the aliens being nearby and whatever sensor they had that said they had access.  Her eyes still couldn¡¯t penetrate the swirling orange fog that far, but she was becoming more accustomed to it.


    They entered a large space, and the mist had thinned slightly, giving her a better view of the area.  All around the edges of the room was a solid extension to the wall that was slightly curved, and several aliens studied different holographic images that projected out of them.


    In the center of the room was what appeared to be a yellow rectangle-shaped consol area with a diamond-shaped centerpiece, spinning in midair, where each of the rectangle points should have been were walkways that allowed someone to enter the inside of the formation.


    Rachel¡¯s attention was pulled toward the hovering object; it had several short purple spikes exiting from each smooth side of the piece, converging into a point that glowed with a red light.  It was one of the few changes in the standard orange color palette she¡¯d seen of the ship.


    The other aliens around the area quickly turned to stare at them as they entered, and her group guided her toward the center.  Without more than two seconds of silence, they continued to bombard her with questions.


    ¡°You turned it off?¡±


    ¡°Was that one of your weapons?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called lunar?¡±


    ¡°Is that an energy?¡±


    ¡°Lunar Energy?¡±


    ¡°How strange.¡±


    ¡°Like the stingers of the Tolgratha?¡±


    ¡°What does it do?¡±


    ¡°How is it powered?¡±


    With the flurry of questions, a few of the other aliens quickly joined the group but were silenced as one of them held up its hands.  ¡°Enough. Research without focus is harmful.¡±


    After a moment¡¯s pause, they all looked at each other before continuing their rapid hand motions and hissing.


    ¡°Yes, focus is necessary.¡±


    ¡°The crystals will break.¡±


    ¡°What is the best subject to focus on?¡±


    Without a response, they all turned back to her, waiting expectantly.


    She chuckled softly, scratching the back of her neck before stretching it out and flipping back her hair.  ¡°I¡¯d like to know what you¡¯ve learned about this moon.¡±


    ¡°She wishes to know about our research.¡±


    ¡°Why would a human be interested in our findings?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been with us.¡±


    ¡°Yes, humans are curious.¡±


    ¡°Unpredictable.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen the sonic screwdriver?¡±


    ¡°I have not.¡±


    ¡°Laser screwdriver.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Robots.¡±


    ¡°Can we create crystal variants?¡±


    ¡°Possible.¡±


    ¡°Rogue AI.¡±


    ¡°Frightening.¡±


    ¡°Time manipulation.¡±


    ¡°Wondrous.¡±


    ¡°Dimensional creation.¡±


    ¡°Useful.¡±


    ¡°Molecular compression technology.¡±


    ¡°Needed.¡±


    ¡°To only name a few.¡±


    ¡°I have not experienced many of those things.¡±


    ¡°Expected.¡±


    ¡°Predictable.¡±


    ¡°Crystal integrity requires much focus.¡±


    ¡°Too much to absorb.¡±


    ¡°Far too much.¡±


    One of the aliens held out its hand and activated the main control, causing the entire thing to brighten; the spinning sphere at its center lit-up with white light before projected a realistic three-dimensional image.  It was as if she were staring at a miniature planet.


    Fascinated, Rachel moved around the aliens to get a closer look.


    The sphere was spinning on a slight angle, and there was a large bubble on one of the southern continents that looked like The Oscillation event.


    ¡°This is where we are?¡±  Rachel asked before folding her ears back to lean in and get a better look.


    ¡°Not a live feed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are there.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the human know?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Humans specialize in different fields.¡±


    ¡°She is a combat-oriented human.¡±


    ¡°War.¡±


    ¡°Protecting.¡±


    ¡°She focuses on war strategy.¡±


    ¡°And engages in physical combat.¡±


    ¡°I was in error.¡±


    ¡°Understandable.¡±


    ¡°Data is being stored.¡±


    ¡°Throughput is backed up.¡±


    ¡°Too much data.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a simulation of what we have compiled.¡±  One moved around her, sharp fingers touching the bubble.


    The world expanded, showing what appeared to be a live three-dimensional image, capturing an aerial view.  A large hazy blue cloud was moving down the slopes at a slow pace, but she knew it was just her perception because of the distance shown.


    ¡°We have lost several research stations inside.¡±


    ¡°All communication lost.¡±


    ¡°No instrument can penetrate more than twenty meters.¡±


    ¡°Waves do not reflect out.¡±


    ¡°Temperature further inside is undetermined.¡±


    ¡°Conditions beyond are a...¡±


    A large red hexagram-shaped crystal was blinking inside the fog on the opposite side of the mountain.  The display caused Rachel to swallow before cutting in.


    ¡°That¡¯s the shape of the crystal?  It¡¯s not solid like the one we came through?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°It releases a solid EM wave of light.¡±


    ¡°Has an image.¡±


    ¡°The structure is not solid.¡±


    ¡°Unknown waves.¡±


    ¡°Undetectable.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps Artron Energy?¡±


    ¡°Possible.¡±


    ¡°Only known release is from what the humans call the EM spectrum.¡±


    ¡°Human war, correct?¡±


    ¡°Data points in that direction.¡±


    ¡°Humans were at the beginning stages of the war.¡±


    ¡°They sent in the changed humans.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°They are currently attacking the Azure Frost.¡±


    ¡°Frightening technology.¡±


    ¡°Terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Biotechnology?¡±


    ¡°According to one of the humans.¡±


    ¡°Genetic manipulation.¡±


    ¡°Intriguing.¡±


    ¡°Far more advanced.¡±


    ¡°Studies are in¡­¡±


    They paused as Rachel licked her lips, clearing her throat as she reached over and pointed the crystal indicator.  The scene vanished, replaced by the strange gateway.


    Rachel stepped back before taking a deep breath; she scanned every inch of the smooth structure.  The aliens moved to watch her, hissing, and gesturing.


    ¡°She is studying our collected data?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps she knows something we do not.¡±


    ¡°Could there be useful information found within?¡±


    ¡°We do not know much.¡±


    ¡°Time, place, and image.¡±


    ¡°Number of pulses.¡±


    ¡°Wave strength.¡±


    ¡°Our theory of connection.¡±


    ¡°That could be important.¡±


    ¡°It could, for many possibilities.¡±


    ¡°Distance¡­¡±


    She slid her bottom lip under her teeth before licking them.  Their rapid responses sparked dots in her mind that she quickly connected, and several of her own questions began to bubble up.


    Clearing her throat, she asked, ¡°Can you take it back to the beginning, just before it appeared?¡±


    The group fell silent, and a few of the aliens moved around the table; a sphere of orange light appeared before each of them with various symbols within them, and they each began moving them around and somehow changing them into different shapes.


    If I can use their recording data to pinpoint more information on these crystals, then we might be able to better understand how they came to be.  Just how detailed is their monitoring equipment? They also mentioned that their Matrix ¡­ whatever that is, is being overloaded. Hopefully, they can do what I want.


    The display faded, showing the spinning diamond-like crystal, and it began to increase in speed before the entire room disappeared, and they were standing in an unassuming dense part of the jungle.


    There were small and medium-sized insects that she hadn¡¯t seen before flying around the area as what looked like a rainstorm passed overhead, only noticeable by the fading sound of thunder.


    Water dripped off the leaves, and a giant snake with a body as tall as her, slowly moved around her; it had bark-like skin and seemed to materialize from nowhere.  Upon further inspection, its scales changed colors to blend into the environment.


    It quickly lashed out at one of the medium-sized insects, biting it in half with sharp teeth before swallowing the remains.  Several different creatures of various sizes shot out from the thick underbrush, fleeing the area.


    Gazing around the scene, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but feel awed at the spectacle; the orange haze was gone, replaced by a perfect simulation of the jungle above, and she could hear the crystal below her molding itself to simulate the impression her feet made against the mud.


    The only thing that wasn¡¯t masked was the console and aliens with her.  It looked like the structures they were playing with were simply a part of the woods around her; one of the panels was even obscured from sight by a tree between them.


    These guys are way more advanced than us ¡­ light-years beyond our current technology.


    ¡°This is the time it appeared.¡±


    ¡°Ahead of you.¡±


    The scene slowed in Rachel¡¯s eyes as she activated Mental Acceleration to its maximum degree and watched the dripping water lag as if the world were trying to catch up; however, she didn¡¯t even blink, and the three-dimensional hexagram emerged from nowhere before her.


    Deactivating the skill, she released a low hum before asking, ¡°How slow can you make it?¡±


    ¡°Not as slow as the humans.¡±


    The water around her reversed until just before the crystal¡¯s appearance, and then everything seemed to freeze.  With her wide field of vision, she watched a single line of solid red light, the size of her fist, materialize out of nowhere without any burst or gradient of hues.


    Several lines branched off from the point, moving at an even pace and was perfectly straight, turning sharply at different angles to produce a three-dimensional representation of a hexagram that resembled a star.  It was as if two three-dimensional triangles had been overlapped on either side.


    ¡°Fifty times faster than light.¡±


    ¡°We use inferior technology to humans.¡±


    ¡°Only possible to capture this much.¡±


    ¡°Thought to be impossible.¡±


    ¡°Yet, we cannot deny it.¡±


    ¡°Light that is faster than light in the same space.¡±


    ¡°We theorize, the breach of dimensional space is the cause.¡±


    ¡°Undetermined.¡±


    ¡°Cannot penetrate unknown substance with monitoring equipment.¡±


    ¡°Waves teleport to the opposite side as if the space isn¡¯t there at all.¡±


    ¡°The same for the barrier around us.¡±


    ¡°Human technology is far superior.¡±


    Rachel moved around the shape as she watched a slow pulse of red light emerge from its center, branching out and taking on a solid form within the lines.  ¡°The center light moves at light speed?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­ can you show me side by side the crystal we have and this other crystal?¡±


    They complied.


    She smiled a little when half the room split, showing the camp and jungle; they watched her exit the portal with the others to talk to the Captain.  The scene slowed to a standstill, and their crystal¡¯s internal glow faded, erasing the picture of the other side.


    The solid lines began to retreat back to the centerpiece before branching out again into the right-sided triangle, released an image of the other side, retreated again, and made the left-sided triangle at the same time the other crystal was being formed.


    Her mind accelerated again.


    They must be synchronized between them, and there was some kind of transition phase where our crystal completely changed shapes, but it took a moment.  Why? In the span it takes to move these solid outlines, we don¡¯t even have the technology to even hope to capture it. However, it waited an eternity in its time before changing again.


    It could have something to do with a cooldown phase or lag between crystals?  Maybe the information about the Azure Frost ¡­ that could be it. The birds said the colors and shapes indicate the danger level.  It wasn¡¯t that high until the Azure Frost came into the mix, but the world the birds were coming from must have been a powerful world to have the crystal shaped like that.


    No ¡­ they had a protector that dealt with them, but I doubt they were the cause of the crystal¡­  Why do I keep calling it a crystal? It¡¯s light. Well, no, not exactly that, either. We don¡¯t know what it is, but it takes the form of a crystal.  It¡¯s connected, though ¡­ it is coming from the same place.


    Yet, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it.  It¡¯s a bridge between two dimensions or worlds, and this proves it can be even more, but there¡¯s also an origin point ¡­ there has to be.  There¡¯s something connecting the portals, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s every crystal.


    Are they natural?  It doesn¡¯t seem that way.  There¡¯s a function it follows, but you could say the same about reality ¡­ the universe follows certain rules.  No, this is a rabbit hole, and I¡¯m no rabbit. I can¡¯t speculate much off this.


    Her attention moved back to the crystal as time sped up on both sides.


    ¡°We observed the situation.¡±


    ¡°Unknown creatures came out.¡±


    ¡°Just like the humans.¡±


    ¡°The humans are confusing.¡±


    ¡°The others are not.¡±


    ¡°Humans contradict.¡±


    ¡°Vulnerable and not.¡±


    ¡°Powerful, but withhold their strength.¡±


    ¡°Anger and love unbound.¡±


    ¡°They experience things strongly, or seemingly, not at all.¡±


    She hummed lowly while watching multiple creatures, including the toucan birds, exited the portal in droves; they spread out, rushing all directions.


    ¡°Then, the Azure Frost came.¡±


    There were groups of strange creatures that came through from time to time, and then there was a pause; the leaves stopped weaving, and insects stopped moving.  The space before Rachel expanded, showing an extremely small area below the hovering crystal. A tiny blue chunk of ice had fallen through.


    It struck the ground, and slowly bloomed into a blue dahlia, leaving a frozen bud at its center; the sun barely touched it through the thick undergrowth, but with the strong breeze and swaying trees, the light came through.


    Time advanced to nighttime, and roots spread out, taking into the mud; a soft mist was expelled from the delicate leaves, and ice exploded around the area.  The floor seemed to leave her as the image was pulled back, and she watched the fog grow like cancer, overtaking the nearby trees within an hour.


    ¡°This is how it started,¡± Rachel whispered.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°None of our defenses work.¡±


    ¡°Bypasses all materials.¡±


    ¡°Freezes everything.¡±


    ¡°Almost no motion besides the spores.¡±


    She watched the expansion with a grave expression; the aliens showed her their model of how quickly the proliferation and burrowing would take place.  It was at this point that their earlier predictions started to sink in about the entire planet being utterly encased by this enchanted ice. The sight caused her ears to twitch with agitation.


    It bypasses every material and defensive measure these aliens have.  If all of these attempts and failures are true ¡­ will a nuke even work?


    They showed her their last resort that they¡¯d initiated only a few hours after its expansion.  Massive orange pillars of crystal shot out of the valley, meeting one other above the haze to close it off, and below the surface, more crystals dug their way to block the roots from expanding.


    The orange turned black as a field of energy linked between the arches, creating a colossal force field.  The mist moved past the force field as if it wasn¡¯t even there, and shortly after, they lost all control over the structure.  It was as if the framework was gone; it drew no energy, and the power sent through simply vanished.


    A nuke probably won¡¯t work.  These aliens are looking at us like some god-like technologically advanced civilization, but if Maria and the others fail ¡­ we¡¯re all dead ¡­ everyone.

 B3 — 15. Frozen World

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Scarlet Clementine Johnson


    Recap:  Rachel listened to everything the Aliens discovered and watched what they tried in their holographic room.  With everything she''d seen, she''s fairly confident that a nuke won''t work, and not only their lives, but the lives of the Aliens and all of earth are in the hands of our nervous Vampire, upcoming rap-goddess Fairy, and Miami gangster Unicorn ... we''re doomed!


    Scarlet was swallowed by shadow as she took Maria and Fiona away from the base camp, moving toward the large mountain in the distance; the slopes were already half-covered by the shimmering bluish fog expanding toward them.  The jungle around them faded before her enhanced vision as she jumped to each new location.


    A lump of blood formed in Scarlet¡¯s throat as she watched the glowing cloud, and she forced it down; Rachel¡¯s concerns hung at the back of her mind like an executioner¡¯s ax.


    If this stuff radiates solar energy, then ¡­ I¡¯ve been hit by it before, and I wasn¡¯t instantly vaporized.  It¡¯ll be fine! Relica¡¯s solar energy ball just drained my strength really fast. Although, this could be much stronger¡­


    Fiona pulled her mind out of its spiral.  ¡°Could you stop for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Umm, yeah?¡±


    Her boots sunk into the mud a little as they appeared at their next location; she did a glance around the area to make sure everything was safe.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    The feeling of Maria¡¯s bra pressing against her shoulder left as she backed off a little, stretching out her arms before pulling back some loose locks of hair.  ¡°Man, your teleporting is so disorienting.¡± She mumbled.


    Fiona flipped around in the air to face her, smiling brightly.  ¡°I could levitate us, and we can go down from above!¡±


    ¡°Huh, not a bad idea, Fi,¡± Maria commented, picking between her teeth while scanning their environment.  She had a brooding expression, eyes downcast as if deep in thought.


    Scarlet folded her arms, releasing a soft hum.  ¡°Well, yeah, I guess it would be quicker to go over it ¡­ I don¡¯t see creatures around us.  It¡¯s so strange; it was so populated before.¡±


    The light orange dust surrounding Fiona flipped to cyan and back to orange as she caught Maria¡¯s expression.  ¡°Something wrong? Do you not want to fly ¡­ oh,¡± she smirked, putting her hands on her hips as she lazily hovered around her.  ¡°Are you scared of heights?¡±


    ¡°What, no,¡± Maria growled.  ¡°I¡¯m just ¡­ do you think the government will keep their promise?¡±


    Scarlet shot a glare down at the mud as she pulled her left foot out, making a squelching sound.  ¡°What promise? The one about clearing our record or some other one?¡±


    A puff of air hissed through Maria¡¯s teeth as she folded her arms under her chest, nose twisted with annoyance.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ I just have a hard time believing the government is good for anything. I mean, they screw-up all the time, and it¡¯s not like they¡¯re honest with everyone.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s lips bunched to the side for a moment.  ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s gotta be that way for some things, right?  I mean, it¡¯s not like telling us about every terrorist attack stopped would be helpful; it would just cause a lot of panic.¡±


    ¡°And aren¡¯t you the lie detector,¡± Scarlet replied with a light chuckle.  ¡°Did Tom sound like he was lying when he told us anything?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Maria mumbled, ¡°but we¡¯ve already seen that my lie detecting isn¡¯t perfect.  No, it¡¯s just ¡­ something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±


    Maria scratched the back of her head, fingers sliding through her long, flowing white locks.  ¡°It¡¯s just the story of my life; I¡¯d hear some of the oldtimers saying how this politician will do this or that, but it¡¯s all just talk.  I just have a bad taste in my mouth.¡±


    ¡°What started this?¡±  Scarlet asked, glancing through the black wooden trees at the sea of blue descending the mountain at an even pace.  ¡°We¡¯re kind of on a clock¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I get that, too,¡± Maria sighed, twisting her hips to stare at a long gnarled root.  ¡°I do ¡­ I mean, we¡¯re like the heroes here, and it¡¯s all crazy, but ¡­ last night it was just on my mind.  What if we¡¯re just a piece in the puzzle for them to take over or something or there¡¯s this big conspiracy going on behind the scenes.¡±


    Scarlet covered her hands with her arms, rubbing one of her left ribs with her middle finger a few times; the soft sensation of her clothes pressing up against her skin caused a strange tingle to shoot down her spine as she let Maria¡¯s words sink in, and Fiona had also gone silent while staring down at the ground.


    Rachel would have already thought about it, right?  Probably ¡­ but what if we just don¡¯t have much of a choice.  Well ¡­ they don¡¯t have much of a choice. Rachel, Maria, and Fiona all have their family to lose.


    I¡¯m the only one that has nothing left ¡­ well, that¡¯s not entirely true.  I have my new friends ¡­ I couldn¡¯t have survived this mentally ¡­ not at all if I didn¡¯t have them.  Maria¡¯s not entirely wrong; we do need to be careful.


    We¡¯re the good guys, though.  Aren¡¯t we? If we don¡¯t stop this, then it¡¯ll destroy the world.  Rachel¡¯s risking her life talking to those aliens. We found out all this information on the crystal, and the government is helping to keep everyone safe.


    Her tongue slid over her lips before she said, ¡°Rachel trusts Tom.  He hasn¡¯t gone back on his word yet.¡±


    Fiona hummed thoughtfully before adding her own input.  ¡°Yeah, that crossed my mind, too, but then I thought about one of the things in Maria¡¯s rap songs, and it got me thinking.  You know, Tom¡¯s not the government.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±  Maria whispered.  ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a big shot and has a lot of influence since we¡¯re basically at war, but what happens when all the bureaucrats back in Washington get back in power?  You see what I¡¯m saying? Tom was worried about that, too, and I hadn¡¯t given it much thought until last night.¡±


    They all fell into their own minds, and the soft sound of the cutting wind above took the stage; the unusual silence of the jungle pressing in on her with the looming ax of the possibility of solar energy ahead of her made Scarlet uneasy, and the conversation wasn¡¯t helping.


    Tom confirmed that there were people back in Washington that were scared of me, and I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not the only one on that danger list.  We¡¯ve been so busy with everything happening around us that we haven¡¯t really given much thought to what it¡¯ll be like when we get back home.


    These deadly crystals will start showing up all over the planet, and we¡¯ve got to figure out a way to deal with it.  On top of that threat, we have The Oscillation and everyone having powers. Our old world is gone ¡­ we aren¡¯t going back to a place familiar to us, but to an evolving crisis.  I¡¯d be alone ¡­ my mom on the loose¡­


    Her stomach turned at the thought, and she broke the silence with a forced chuckle.  ¡°We can worry about that later, right?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Maria sighed.  ¡°I¡¯m just a little worried about my family; I¡¯ve got some real blockheads to take care of, and if they start rounding up anyone that¡¯s a troublemaker, then I¡¯ve got a problem.¡±


    ¡°I get it,¡± Fiona said; her dust had slowly grown a deeper shade of green as they¡¯d talked.  ¡°I was hoping that I could bring my sister to the States since we¡¯ve got some connections with Tom, but maybe I should ask Rachel and him if it would be a good idea.¡±


    She bit her lower lip, and her small hands balled into fists.  ¡°If it gets bad here, then ¡­ it might just be better that she says over there.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Maria grunted, taking a deep breath while pulling up on her chest before letting the air out slowly.  ¡°I¡¯d like to meet your sister; I was surprised to hear that she was a bartender since she was sixteen.¡±


    ¡°Well, my uncle needed help, and the laws are a bit different in Ireland,¡± she said, accent suddenly slipping back to her Irish roots for a moment.


    ¡°Right, well, I¡¯m all about that smaller government; I don¡¯t need them poking in on my business.  I just feel like we¡¯re looking at a big turn in history, and we have a small part in it. You know?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really think about it until you mentioned it,¡± Scarlet admitted, scratching her temple while giving them a forced smile.  ¡°Still, we won¡¯t have a world to worry about unless we solve this problem.¡±


    ¡°Oh, geez ¡­ we are wasting a lot of time.¡±  Fiona laughed sheepishly; her aura mixed with green hues and Scarlet¡¯s stomach did somersaults as she was lifted off the ground with Maria.


    Maria released a short yawn as Fiona lifted them a few meters into the air, and she stretched her left arm across her stomach.  ¡°Yeah¡ªman, this all sucks. I¡­¡± Her jaw locked as Fiona brought them into the sky, and a sharp frigid gust hit them like a wave, blocked by the massive trees.


    Scarlet giggled as the Unicorn hugged herself, arms tucked under her armpits in a death grip.  ¡°Fiona, Maria¡¯s a bit cold.¡±


    ¡°C-c-cold?  It¡¯s ¡­ it¡¯s freezing ¡­ dammit¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?  Oh! I always forget since I can¡¯t really feel it,¡± she chuckled apologetically, and the sharp gale coming from the mountain faded.  ¡°There. I put up a Wind Shield around us.  Easy peasy,¡± she chimed while they continued to rise.


    Scarlet glanced back down at the shrinking sea of trees as they climbed toward the multicolored cracks in the sky, trapping them inside its bubble.  ¡°What do you think would happen to us if we went through those cracks?¡±


    ¡°Eh, I¡¯d rather not find out,¡± Maria mumbled, rubbing her shoulders while taking a deep breath.  ¡°In that report, people were teleported to the other side ¡­ that¡¯s probably underground. I¡¯d rather not be smashed like a bug by a ton of dirt.¡±


    ¡°I second that!¡±  Fiona said, flipping upside down while they continued to fly at an angle.  ¡°It is rather pretty, though ¡­ in a terrifying world-ending way.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s stomach tightened as Fiona flipped her around to look at the spectacle.


    ¡°I guess,¡± Maria said, folding her arms as her shining silver eyes slid over the sharp cracks of light.  ¡°It looks more like we¡¯re being invaded by aliens than anything else.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Fiona cocked her head, green hair fluttering at her back between her energy-like wings.  ¡°I don¡¯t know. It doesn¡¯t really scream alien to me; it¡¯s more like a crazy dooms-day weapon gone wrong.¡±


    A chuckle escaped Maria¡¯s throat.  ¡°What kind of movies do you watch?¡±


    ¡°Probably not the same genre as you,¡± she replied.


    It appeared like they were moving at a slow pace, but in truth, they had reached over a hundred miles an hour, and Fiona¡¯s shield protected them from the sharp gusts being expelled from Azure Frost.


    Flipping back around to view the path before them, Scarlet hummed thoughtfully while watching the blue cloud.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look like an avalanche?¡±


    ¡°The biggest avalanche ever!¡±  Fiona mumbled.


    Maria cleared her throat, drawing their attention as her cheeks darkened.  ¡°You don¡¯t think ¡­ it¡¯s not going to get past your shield. Right? It¡¯s not going to get cold, too; I mean, you have fire spells, too,¡±  Maria chuckled.


    ¡°No clue,¡± Fiona said with a mischievous smile before her features fell into a brooding complexion.  ¡°This stuff destroys worlds; what¡¯s a little pixie¡¯s bubble, right?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon ¡­ Hada de mierda,¡± Maria growled.  ¡°Throw me a bone!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Fiona giggled.  ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can; I mean, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here!¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s up with my hair?  It¡¯s not getting in my face at all.  Kind of strange,¡± she muttered, playing with it at her neck, but it only shifted a little before falling back into uniform around her back.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just a little something I found out I could do!  Useful, huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say ¡­ I¡¯ve never had long hair like this before, and now that I do ¡­ it¡¯s cool¡ªa little.  It¡¯s also super annoying; the damn stuff may not tangle, which is a blessing, but it gets in my face all the damn time.¡±


    ¡°Sucks to be you,¡± Fiona giggled.  ¡°I just manipulate mine with Levitation to keep it out of the way.¡±


    ¡°Fairy privilege,¡± Maria joked with a laugh.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not immortal; Unicorn privilege!¡±  Fiona shot back.


    ¡°Flying!¡±


    ¡°Healing!¡±


    ¡°Firepower!¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­ got me there.  I am a little bit of a living weapon,¡± Fiona giggled.


    ¡°More than a little bit,¡± Maria huffed.  ¡°What¡¯s up with that massive fireball thing I saw in that video online?¡±


    ¡°Inferno or Conflagration?¡±


    ¡°The big one¡­¡±


    ¡°Conflagration, then,¡± Fiona hummed.  ¡°It¡¯s the upgrade to Inferno.  It¡¯s pretty scary, but the only time I used it was when I had Warpath activated, and that boosts its power.¡±


    ¡°Talk about firepower ¡­ the thing¡¯s like miniature napalm.¡±


    ¡°It requires a lot of energy.¡±


    Scarlet only partially listened to their banter as they rose; she felt like she wanted to throw-up.  The feeling of Relica¡¯s solar globe attack was imprinted in her skin; the memory of the searing light touching her skin made her legs quiver.


    ¡°Scarlet?¡±  Fiona asked.


    ¡°Huh?  What¡¯s up?¡±  She asked, realizing she¡¯d retreated into her mind.


    Both Maria and Fiona were giving her a concerned look.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, chica?¡±  Maria asked.


    ¡°Yeah, you were trembling,¡± Fiona said, slowly bringing them to a stop in the air.


    ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s just ¡­ I¡¯m a little scared of the¡ªwell, if the stuff radiates solar energy.¡±  She rubbed her left shoulder, trying to give them an encouraging smile. ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªit hurts ¡­ a lot, but don¡¯t worry about me!  We need to do what we can.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no shame in going back,¡± Fiona offered.  ¡°If you¡¯re that scared, then we can handle it.¡±


    ¡°No shame?  C¡¯mon, we both know she¡¯d feel like shit,¡± Maria huffed, drawing Fiona¡¯s glare.  ¡°Look, I get it,¡± she sighed, rubbing her neck as she glanced down at the expanding fog ahead of them.  ¡°I hate the cold ¡­ hate it! ?El fr¨ªo puede chupar una polla!¡±


    Her ire fell as she folded her arms again.  ¡°Anyways,¡± she turned back to the angry Fairy.  ¡°She knows we gotta do it; we¡¯re all scared.¡±


    ¡°I could drop you right now!¡±  Fiona sniffed. ¡°No sunlight to make you unkillable.¡±


    ¡°No, please,¡± Maria rolled her eyes.  ¡°Scarlet¡¯s a big girl.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s lips lifted a little.  ¡°Thanks, Maria. You¡¯re right; we need to do scary and tough things sometimes.  Thanks for the encouragement; I needed to hear that.¡±


    ¡°Anytime,¡± she smiled.  ¡°What we hangin¡¯ around for?  The Fairy Airlines sucks! Negative reviews ¡­ hey!¡±  Maria cried out as Fiona cut off her Wind Shield, causing a gust of wind to blow past them and flip their hair back.  ¡°O-Okay¡ªuncle!¡±


    Fiona and Scarlet giggled as the shield enclosed them again.


    ¡°F-Friggin¡¯¡ªcan¡¯t t-take a¡ªa joke!¡±  Maria mumbled, teeth chattering.


    The conversation grew cold as they continued to climb into the sky along a diagonal line, their focus stolen by the mass in front of them.  It took several minutes before they finally crested the invisible mountain peak, swallowed by the shimmering blue clouds.


    The view was a little breathtaking as they got a full picture of the scene below them; it was like the largest firework festival Scarlet had ever seen, mixed with a fog machine.


    Swirling mist gently moving below them, and there seemed to be firework-like explosions that shot up from the depths of the fog before expanding in a silent spay of shimmering mist.  The plumes fell back into the slow-moving fog below them, carried along by the strong wind that moved along its surface, causing it to look like the ocean.


    ¡°Pretty,¡± Fiona whispered.


    Maria¡¯s lips pursed as they glided over the sea, vision sliding between the streaks of blue lines, erupting from the pool of blue to burst into plumes of smoke before gently falling back into the flowing mass below.  ¡°Sure, but I don¡¯t like those explosions. The hell¡¯s going on down there?¡±


    ¡°Can you get a little closer?¡± Scarlet asked.  ¡°I can try to look through it.¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah, but I don¡¯t want to get caught up in one of those blasts.¡±


    Maria studied the Azure Frost¡¯s movements for a second before asking, ¡°How are we going to find the Core thing the birds were talking about?¡±


    ¡°They have names,¡± Fiona huffed.


    ¡°Too hard to remember¡ªso, how do we find it?¡±


    When no one responded, Maria growled, ¡°Perfect.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just take it one step at a time,¡± Scarlet urged as Fiona changed their direction.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re doing a quick dive; let me know when!¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s vision tinted red as she activated her Vampiric Vision, and when they reached a mile away from the swirling soup, her eyes widened.


    ¡°Keep diving!  It¡¯s only about thirty meters thick before becoming mostly clear.¡±


    ¡°Woah, this is a bit too sudden!¡±  Maria cautioned, but Fiona licked her lips before taking them into a dive bomb.


    ¡°Here we go!  I¡¯ll strengthen Wind Shield.¡±


    They braced as the cloud neared; Scarlet felt the hit as their momentum was quickly cut in half, but they passed into the substance.


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ it¡¯s draining my energy like crazy!  We¡¯re slowing down, too; it¡¯s trying to push us out ¡­ how much further?¡±


    ¡°Not much further!¡±


    ¡°This is such a bad idea,¡± Maria groaned, glancing around at the fathomless mist pressing in around them as it tried to push into their invisible bubble.


    A glob of blood dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat; she caught sight of small crystals forming around their shield before being spun off.


    ¡°It¡¯s like trying to fly through super thick jello!¡±


    ¡°Just a bit more¡­¡±  Scarlet trailed off as they broke through.


    Fiona slowed their descent; they had entered a frozen alien world.  A light flurry of ice blew across the scene, but they could still see most of the valley.  The green world over the mountain had been replaced by a shimmering blue field of faintly glowing trees with large crystal flowers reaching high above the tree-cover, and given how tall the trees were, the new flora was massive.


    The pistil of the colossal ice flowers shot out beams of energy that flew into the thick clouds overhead, and after a moment, a gentle rain of crystals fell back down.  There was nearly no wind in the serene and silent space.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±  Fiona whispered.


    Their attention moved to massive pillars that stretched high into the sky at the back left corner of the valley, framing a smooth shell.


    Maria hummed, quickly scanning the landscape.  ¡°That¡¯s the only out of the ordinary thing, and it looks constructed.  Aliens, right? It¡¯s gotta be something to do with those little orange guys.¡±


    ¡°Could be,¡± Scarlet said, looking back up at the sky as small ice crystals fell around them.  ¡°At least I didn¡¯t burn up ¡­ yet. How are you doing, Fiona?¡±


    ¡°Not great,¡± she mumbled, looking back up at the fog with a concerned frown.  ¡°That thing took me down to twenty-two percent ¡­ crazy, since I was at like a hundred and forty-six percent before going into it.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Maria chuckled before reaching into her pocket.  ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I stashed some sugar, then!¡±


    Both Scarlet and Fiona glanced at Maria incredulously.


    ¡°You seriously put some sugar in your pocket?¡±  Scarlet asked.


    ¡°Yeah, my life¡¯s on the line!  We don¡¯t need our little firecracker puffing out on us,¡± she mumbled, pulling out a handful of sugar from her pocket.  They all watched as a third of it slipped through her fingers to be spun out of their protective shield. ¡°Shoot ¡­ well, I still got a lot more in my pockets.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable,¡± Fiona giggled before hovering down to eat the suger out of Maria¡¯s hand.  ¡°You know¡ªI¡¯m glad you thought about this. We¡¯d be kind of stuck in here if you hadn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Well, I could have teleported us out ¡­ I could have teleported us in.¡±


    Both Maria and Fiona laughed at Scarlet¡¯s realization.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Maria smiled, glancing back around the valley.  ¡°This place does look pretty cool, but I bet it would be freezing if Fiona wasn¡¯t repelling the ¡­ what would you call it, atmosphere?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Fiona said between bites.  ¡°It¡¯s bizarre¡ªwhen I was going through it, it was freezing my wind, but since I generate wind because I¡¯m a conjuror-type, it just kept getting replaced and spun off.  It was a real battle trying to keep it out.¡±


    ¡°This stuff really is dangerous,¡± Scarlet whispered.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me ¡­ and it¡¯s cold.¡±


    The three of them laughed, and after Fiona had eaten her fill, they made their way toward the see-through dome; Fiona lowered them closer to the jungle canopy, flying by the massive stems of the ice flowers.


    ¡°So, how big do you think this Core is?¡±  Maria asked.


    Fiona¡¯s brow creased as she shot a smirk in her direction.  ¡°How should we know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, just asking,¡± she muttered.  ¡°I¡¯m just wondering if we can move it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out,¡± Scarlet whispered.  ¡°It¡¯s crazy, though ¡­ I can hardly even see into the crystals.  I¡¯m looking down at the jungle, but I can¡¯t see it because of the ice.  It¡¯s the thickest thing I¡¯ve ever seen; it¡¯s like it freezes things at the molecular level.  I wonder if there¡¯s even air around us, and it¡¯s only Fiona¡¯s shield giving us some breathable oxygen?¡±


    Maria¡¯s lips became a line.  ¡°Not a good thought.¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Fiona hummed.  ¡°My shield is still being eaten away, but it¡¯s not as bad as it was in the cloud, and not nearly as fast.¡±


    Scarlet swallowed another clump of blood that gathered in her throat.  ¡°We should get this done as soon as we can, then.¡±


    ¡°Got that right,¡± Maria replied.  ¡°Can we pick up the pace.¡±


    ¡°Pedal to the metal!¡±  Fiona cheered before singing.  ¡°I got twenty-inch spinners on my drop, doin¡¯ one-fifty, so I¡¯m watchin¡¯ for the cops.  Since I¡¯m in the Lamborghini, I ain¡¯t gon¡¯ stop! I keep this three-Hunna; I¡¯m goin¡¯ right.  Pistol totin¡¯, and I¡¯m shootin¡¯ on sight; put in work, run up on a killer, then put him in the dirt.  Fiona in this war, now, that¡¯s a scary sight; yeah, ride or die!¡±


    Maria and Scarlet chuckled as Fiona kept trying to come up with lines as they flew, and after twelve minutes, they came upon the shell.


    Fiona slowed to a stop, and they looked up at the monolithic structure to their left, curving around the shell; it was totally clear, without a single bubble or imperfection inside.  ¡°So crazy,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Can you teleport us through?¡±  Maria asked.


    Scarlet folded her arms, looking through the dome to the unassuming frozen jungle beyond.  ¡°Probably, but doesn¡¯t this look pretty crazy? I mean, why would there be this thing in the middle of nowhere?¡±


    ¡°It could be the start of it,¡± Fiona offered.  ¡°You see that big crystal flower? Doesn¡¯t that one look bigger than the others?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Scarlet muttered.


    Maria licked her lips before saying, ¡°Am I crazy for wanting to lick it?¡±


    Both Fiona and Scarlet shot her an incredulous look.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fiona stated.  ¡°Yes, you would be crazy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I probably am,¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°Alright, can you get us closer together?¡±  Scarlet asked, and when Fiona complied, she teleported them beyond the shell.


    A wave of chill shot through Scarlet¡¯s body before Fiona¡¯s shield activated again, causing Maria to lock up.  Scarlet even felt the freezing atmosphere past her resistance, causing her to shiver.


    She rubbed her arms.  ¡°Wow ¡­ that was chilly.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s aura mixed red as she created a small fireball in front of Maria, features creased with concern.  ¡°Hey, you okay?¡±


    Maria didn¡¯t respond; she was locked in place, eyes wide, and she wasn¡¯t shivering.


    Scarlet filtered past her skin, examining the insides of her body.  ¡°She¡¯s alive ¡­ I think she¡¯s just in a bit of shock.¡±


    ¡°What should I do?  Maria¡¯s the healer!¡±  Fiona asked with a bit of panic.


    ¡°Umm ¡­ I saw in a movie that you¡¯re supposed to make them warm and elevate their legs ¡­ I think.¡±  Scarlet offered.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Fiona followed her instruction.  ¡°That¡¯s a movie, though ¡­ would that really help a Unicorn?  She¡¯s mostly energy, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, kind of,¡± Scarlet hummed, cupping her chin before picking her lip with one of her fangs.  After a moment¡¯s thought, she said, ¡°If I remember right, she said she had a Passive Link Skill called Sunlit Body, and it makes her more energy-based.  I think she¡¯s healing right now; the atmosphere out there is well below freezing ¡­ I mean, I felt it, and I have above average Elemental Resistance.¡±


    After a minute, Maria blinked and started to shiver; her hands slowly moved to rub her arms as she curled into a ball in the air.  ¡°T-That w-was ¡­ cold ¡­ d-damn cold¡­¡± She stuttered, rubbing her hands beside Fiona¡¯s fire.


    Fiona¡¯s brow creased as she looked back at the towering ice flower that almost reached as high as the dome.  ¡°How are we going to take it out if it¡¯s that cold?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know quite yet,¡± Scarlet replied.  ¡°Let¡¯s hurry, if we can; keep the fire out so Maria can warm up, but we need to stop this before it spreads more, and we¡¯re on a clock for a nuke.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ okay,¡± Fiona whispered, glancing back at the quivering Unicorn as she rubbed her body, trying to warm up, and suddenly a bright light blinded them.


    Maria¡¯s horn appeared, flaring for a moment before disappearing.  ¡°Dammit!¡± Maria shouted. ¡°That was the coldest I¡¯ve ever felt ¡­ like, I was numb; I blacked out!  The next thing I know, I¡¯m freezing to death ¡­ shit¡­¡±


    Fiona breathed a sigh of relief as she got them back on the move again.  ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay?  That thing drained like ¡­ fifteen percent of my total energy!  I¡¯m down to sixty-two percent ¡­ it¡¯s not so easy to get mine back.¡±


    They both nodded with understanding.


    ¡°Things aren¡¯t looking good,¡± Scarlet said, staring down at the frozen wonderland.  ¡°The Azure Frost is really dangerous stuff.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± Maria growled.


    Fiona just bit her lip as they moved closer to the colossal stem, and once they were closer, they noticed that the stem didn¡¯t reach the ground; there were dozens of roots branching out at its base.


    ¡°You guys ready to go below?¡±  Fiona asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with ¡­ I want to go back to Florida,¡± Maria complained.


    Scarlet took a deep breath before nodding.  ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do it.¡±


    Fiona maneuvered them through open sections in the canopy, and Scarlet noticed a layer of what appeared like snow layering the floor from the frozen moisture in the air.  She¡¯d never heard the level of silence that permeated the icy world; it was eerie how there weren¡¯t any cracking sounds coming from the ice.


    How many worlds ended up like this?  A frozen wasteland, forever spreading from planet to planet through the crystals.  Could this thing even destroy a star?


    ¡°There!¡±  Fiona called out, pointing at a glowing red crystal in the shape of a hexagram-like star.  ¡°Holy cow, that looks scary.¡±


    ¡°The crystal at High Rollings was red-colored, too,¡± Maria commented as they approached it.


    It hovered a few feet off the ground, and the image it showed was a frozen forest.


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes wandered below the structure, and a small delicate flower at the base of the crystal snagged her attention; it glowed with an azure color, and its petals sparkled with rainbow hues.  Even more surprising, there was a wide patch of unfrozen grass and dirt surrounding it. ¡°Look!¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡±  Maria mumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s not cold right there?¡±  Fiona asked, moving them closer.


    They hovered before the pulsing red crystal, and Fiona released Levitation; Scarlet promptly landed on her feet while Maria fell on her face.


    ¡°Oof ¡­ give me some warning next time!¡±  She growled, picking herself up while dusting her clothes off.


    Fiona ignored her while cautiously floating around the icy blossom.  ¡°It¡¯s gorgeous ¡­ it looks like a dahlia.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s vision penetrated the ground, following the frozen rhizomes as they branched out to the larger rhizomes that created the massive flower overhead.  ¡°This is the Core ¡­ it¡¯s this flower.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Maria walked over and knelt beside Fiona.


    ¡°Careful, guys,¡± Scarlet warned, backing up to the edges of Fiona¡¯s shield.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Fiona chuckled.  ¡°Right, we don¡¯t need you turning to dust if things go wrong.¡±  Her aura mixed brown, and a globe of dirt surrounded her.


    Scarlet breathed a sigh of relief as the glow of the icy jungle blackened; she felt a lot more secure inside the tomb of stone.  Her eyes penetrated the barrier while Maria and Fiona talked. She wasn¡¯t able to hear what they were saying, but after a moment, Maria hesitantly reached down, but before she could touch it, a bright explosion of color shot out from the flower.


    When the light cleared, Scarlet saw that the glow of the crystals around them was gone, and the light emitting from the flower had faded.  Maria hesitantly closed her hand around the stem and plucked it.


    The three of them braced themselves as cracks ran up the large roots leading to the massive pillars of ice, causing a resonation of noise, and after that, nothing happened.


    Another lump of blood dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat, but a full minute passed without anything more happening.


    Fiona lowered her Earth Shield, saying, ¡°Well, that was anticlimactic.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you made that shield,¡± Maria muttered.  ¡°That burst was concentrated Solar Energy.  Topped me off, actually ¡­ like, for real.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel anything,¡± Fiona shrugged.


    ¡°Resistances, probably; you¡¯re elemental repellant incarnate.¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    Scarlet cleared her throat, feeling a little weak at the knees.  ¡°So ¡­ we¡¯re done?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Maria shrugged, flicking one of the leaves.  ¡°This thing doesn¡¯t feel like ice at all, and I can feel the energy inside it ¡­ it¡¯s crazy powerful.¡±


    ¡°Should I really be out, then?¡±  Scarlet asked with worry.


    ¡°No problem, but why the hell didn¡¯t we bring any bags,¡± Maria sighed, pulling back the top of her winter clothes to tuck the flower between her bust.  ¡°I think it responded to my aura.¡±


    ¡°Aura?  What do you mean?¡±  Fiona asked, glaring at Maria¡¯s ample chest.


    ¡°Well ¡­ it just crossed my mind.  It goes into hibernation when the sun comes out, and I have a skill called Sunlit Body.  So, it thinks it¡¯s time to gather energy, not spread its pollen.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m shocked,¡± Fiona giggled, scratching her neck.  ¡°That actually makes a bit of sense.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not dumb,¡± Maria growled.  ¡°I don¡¯t know about the addled pixy, though; I mean, at least I don¡¯t have skills like that.¡±


    Fiona sniffed, glaring at the crystals around them.  ¡°Wait ¡­ hey, the crystals are melting ¡­ we did it!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re totally right ¡­ this did seem a bit too easy,¡± Scarlet muttered.  ¡°Well, let¡¯s head back.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t we bring any radio or anything?¡±  Fiona asked before looking down at herself. ¡°Well, yeah, I know why I didn¡¯t, but Maria could have carried one!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we talk about getting some before?¡±  Scarlet asked. ¡°I can¡¯t really remember ¡­ anyways, yeah, it would have been a good idea.¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter; it¡¯s not like it would work underground or through that spore stuff.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± Fiona said with a low hum.


    ¡°Mkay, cool, oh, hey,¡± Maria¡¯s eyes lit with excitement.  ¡°With this flower near me, I feel like I can teleport without much issue!  What do you say? Want to try out my teleportation?¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­ you sure you¡¯re not going to vaporize me with a burst of sunlight?¡±  Scarlet asked with a nervous chuckle.


    ¡°Umm ¡­ nope.  It¡¯s based on being touched by Beacon of Light, and we¡¯ve already tested out my horn on you.  I mean, I purified you with it. Finally, I get to try out Solar Traveler!  Wait ¡­ shit, I forgot that I need to be in sunlight to do it¡­¡±


    Fiona and Scarlet laughed.


    ¡°Okay, smarty,¡± Fiona winked.  ¡°We¡¯ll just take the Fiona highway back to camp.  Let¡¯s go back and tell everyone the good news. We might need to come back in a bit and make sure a new one isn¡¯t growing, but we scored¡­¡±


    She paused as a loud noise reverberated around them, and Scarlet felt a pulse shoot through her body.


    ¡°That came from the crystal, right?  Everyone heard and felt that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±  Maria mumbled.


    They waited fifteen minutes, and each minute, the sound returned.  On the fifteenth sound, it shattered, leaving behind nothing.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ now we know,¡± Maria said in a cold tone while running her hand through her hair.  ¡°We won.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 16. Is It Finally Over?

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Scarlet Clementine Johnson


    Recap:  Scarlet, Fiona, and Maria infiltrated the Azure Frost''s defenses with a mixture of good affinities, and fearing the worst, Fiona put an Earth Shield around Scarlet.  She watched in trepidation as the two argued and without warning, Maria reached down and plucked the Core.


    After a dazzling display that put the fear of disintegration in Scarlet, the three mused that that seemed too simple and ... anticlimactic?  Let''s see where it goes from here!


    Scarlet breathed a drawn-out sigh as she looked around at the massive cracked pillars surrounding them, leading up to the colossal flower.  I¡¯m still alive ¡­ that¡¯s a good thing, I guess.  Not much¡­


    Fiona¡¯s musical Irish accent became stronger as she floated up a little bit, following a bright light that shot up from one of the ice flowers outside the dome, barely visible through some of the frozen tree cover.  ¡°Eh ¡­ that doesn¡¯t look good.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Maria asked, glancing around.  ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡±


    ¡°One of those lights,¡± Fiona pointed.  ¡°It went up into the ¡­ see the crystal-like rain coming back down.  It shot up another¡ªthere, see it?¡±


    ¡°Shit¡­¡±


    Scarlet slid her tongue across her left fang, releasing a rumble in her throat as she searched for any other change in the area.  ¡°We took out the Core, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what¡­¡±


    Maria cut Fiona off.  ¡°Wait, wait, wait ¡­ you know that one death thing?¡±


    Fiona and Scarlet looked at each other with raised eyebrows.


    ¡°Death thing?¡±  Fiona asked.


    Scarlet folded her fingers, black hair shifting as her head tilted.  ¡°Yeah, explain it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon,¡± Maria mumbled, running her left hand through her hair and scratching the back of her head.  ¡°You know, the one thing ¡­ damn, it was one of the cool things they showed you in school. When you die, the brain keeps sending signals or somethin¡¯ like that.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay, yeah,¡± Scarlet mumbled, looking up at the structure above them.  ¡°You¡¯re saying that there¡¯s still energy inside the crystal network. We took out the battery, but it still holds a charge.¡±


    Fiona giggled.  ¡°Death thing? That¡¯s the best way you can describe it?¡±


    Maria¡¯s cheeks flushed.  ¡°How would you say it?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ it¡¯s like my parents¡¯ computer!  If you need to reset it, you have that one little battery on the inside that keeps the clock going.  Even if you turn off the computer, you need to unplug it and press the power button if you really want to reset it.¡±


    ¡°Bah,¡± Maria grimaced, looking at another ice flower that shot up a globe of light.  ¡°Too long ¡­ lost interest.¡±


    A bright light slowly was gathering inside the crystal-like structure above them, drawing Scarlet¡¯s attention.  ¡°Umm, hey, guys, are we going to get blasted with a bunch of Solar Energy?¡± She asked with a nervous chuckle. ¡°I mean, I¡¯d really rather not.¡±


    ¡°Oh, preemptive measures!¡±  Fiona grunted, aura mixed with a brown hue as earth surrounded Scarlet.


    Scarlet groaned as her vision tinted red; she couldn¡¯t hear Fiona and Maria talking, trapped inside the earthen shell, but she could see what was happening.


    The glow increased, and Scarlet turned to look back at the landscape; through the trees, the light was slowly flowing toward them.


    ¡°I¡¯m about to get solar beamed¡­¡±  Scarlet mumbled. Hopefully, Fiona¡¯s Earth Shield can handle some bright light.  Fiona¡¯s super resistant to these elemental attacks, and Maria can just absorb them ¡­ it¡¯s just me.


    Scarlet sighed as she watched the lights close in on them; she was a little confused as Fiona, and Maria only seemed mildly concerned.  Maria pulled back her jacket and shirt to look at the Core for a second before shrugging and shaking her head, causing Fiona to scratch the side of her head.


    Great, they have no clue what¡¯s going on.  Could I teleport out? Not really ¡­ even my blood portal wouldn¡¯t reach above the clouds in the sky.  I mean, it¡¯s higher than the mountain. I might be able to quickly burst shadow teleport, but ¡­ wonderful, the sky crystals are now glowing with lights.


    She scratched her forehead, pursing her lips, and released another long sigh before talking to herself to calm her nerves.  ¡°Okay, what do we have, Scarlet? A crazy solar powered ice machine that lost its power source, and now, looks like it¡¯s about to explode or something.  It¡¯s not very fast, though, so I got time!


    ¡°Eh ¡­ Fiona and Maria seem pretty lost, and ¡­ yup, the ice flower isn¡¯t reacting ¡­ Maria¡¯s chest is just ¡­ the flower, yeah, the flower is just fine.  That leaves the problem to be this massive frozen monolithic structure.¡± She mumbled, turning her Vampiric gaze to the heavens.


    Her teeth were beginning to ache, making her lick her lips and press her tongue against her left fang.  This is ridiculous!  How am I even in this situation?  This thing is OP. The crystal closed, we¡¯re supposed to be done with¡­


    Scarlet¡¯s body stiffened as she heard a mumble inside her mind; The Reaper was mumbling in her sleep again.  ¡°Why¡¯s the ¡­ Aquentia¡¯s Flower ¡­ too bad.  Fun ¡­ experiment ¡­ runs cold.¡±


    Hey, what do you ¡­ nevermind ¡­ yeah, just keep sleeping.  Aquentia¡¯s Flower? She is like a goddess ¡­ evil, but crazy powerful with just the random Achievement Skills she gave me.  Is she talking about the Azure Frost or something else?


    Grr ¡­ why do I have to deal with a demon goddess inside me?  None of the others has some insane death deity inside them! If I¡­


    Her lips pursed as Fiona rose a little higher, putting another layer of earth over her shield.  Great, not inspiring confidence in me!  Is it just a precaution, or do they know something bigger is happening?


    Maria drew her attention as she turned her vision away from the blinding light that was growing ever brighter above them to the spot just below where the crystal had been.


    A lump of blood dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat as she noticed the stem glowing, slowly sprouting back out with golden light.  You¡¯re kidding me!  It¡¯s regenerating that fast?


    Maria pulled her hair to her front, around her neck, and to her back again to keep it out of the way as she nudged her head toward the growing flower, talking to Fiona.  The Fairy quickly hovered down, folding her arms as she pointed at it with a questioning look.


    Reaching out her hand, Maria touched the light, and her body exploded with golden rays, causing Scarlet to wince and deactivate the filter, but soon after, the brilliance penetrated the Earth Shield surrounding her.


    Son of a¡­  Scarlet threw up her hand as the radiance hit; it was warm.  Lowering her arms, she squinted at the light, and suddenly she felt like she was floating.  ¡°Huh?¡±


    Blinking a few times, Scarlet glanced around the space as spots danced across her vision; her Night Vision made the area bright as midday, but the sun rays had addled her senses.


    After a few seconds of silence, the sound of moving dirt filled the space, causing her to tense; a smiling Fairy met her, giving her the thumbs up.  ¡°We¡¯re good!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±  Scarlet asked, glancing around at the trees, completely frozen, but the massive flower overhead was gone, cut off over fifty meters in the air.  ¡°What happened to ¡­ did all the ice melt?¡±


    ¡°No, silly,¡± Fiona giggled.  ¡°Then we¡¯d be flooded with a ton of water!  Well, I think ¡­ Maria¡­¡±


    ¡°I teleported us!¡±  Maria cheered, throwing her arms in the air before swaying in some kind of dance as she snapped her fingers.  ¡°It felt so badass! I just want to throw on some music and dance. I was floating through space, traveling like¡ªlike light!¡±


    ¡°Okay, Star Ranger,¡± Fiona giggled.


    Maria didn¡¯t even pause in her dance.


    Scarlet opened her mouth, shut it, licked her lips, and folded her arms while releasing a low hum.  ¡°So ¡­ eh¡ªhow? We already talked about this, didn¡¯t we? You need the sun, right? What about the Azure Frost, too?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Maria can tell you!¡±  Fiona said, gesturing toward the Unicorn with a dubious expression.  ¡°She deserves a little credit sometimes, and is that how gangsters dance?¡±


    ¡°Pfft, don¡¯t judge me, and you serious?  You were freakin¡¯ out. Is two layers enough?  Maybe I should try to get a Fire Shield spell or something, but would that even work?¡±  Maria mocked.


    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon!  I was worried about Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I get it,¡± Maria chuckled, settling down.  ¡°Don¡¯t want anything happenin¡¯ to our bloodsucking friend.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thanks, but, eh¡ªhow did you do this again?¡±  Scarlet muttered, pulling back her hair while glancing around; a slow breeze cut through the jungle, blowing against her body and throwing her black hair back.


    Maria cleared her throat and puffed out her chest.  ¡°So, I felt the Solar Energy building near the base of the flower I plucked.¡±


    ¡°The stem,¡± Fiona prompted.


    ¡°Yeah, that, and I bent down and absorbed it!  I kind of needed to use it, though,¡± she mumbled, looking up at the sky with a frown as a bright light was fading.  ¡°I didn¡¯t have anything to heal or anything; so, I looked for a possible alternative, and it told me there was a teleport location.  The energy being released by the crystals gave me a stable path to bring us here.¡±


    ¡°Where is here?¡±  Scarlet asked, now realizing why the massive crystal flower had been cut in half.  ¡°You¡¯re telling me that the power you gained from that was enough to teleport this massive chunk of land here?¡±


    ¡°Yup!¡±  Maria said with a hearty laugh.  ¡°I bet you can¡¯t move something this big; it used up a ton, but it still isn¡¯t anything near the strength of this little flower,¡± she mused.


    Scarlet activated her Vampiric Vision and filtered through Maria¡¯s shirt to stare at the flower.  ¡°That little thing is more powerful than all that light ¡­ the entire Azure Frost system ¡­ all of it?¡±


    Maria¡¯s cheeks turned red as she threw up her hands over her chest.  ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t just be lookin¡¯ through people¡¯s clothes.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Scarlet chuckled apologetically.  ¡°It¡¯s just a habit now.¡±


    ¡°Not a good one,¡± Maria mumbled, glaring at her.  ¡°How¡¯d you like it if I could just strip you naked?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Fiona hummed, giving Maria a mischievous smirk.  ¡°It¡¯s not exactly like that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon!  I know you would hate it, too,¡± Maria huffed.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re right,¡± Scarlet sighed, pulling back her bangs.  ¡°It¡¯s not a good habit, but sometimes it can just happen when I want to see something.¡±


    ¡°Kyle?¡±  Fiona interjected with a grin.  ¡°Bad girl!¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s jaw locked, face flushing.


    ¡°See?¡±  Maria smirked.  ¡°Not so fun when it¡¯s turned around!¡±


    Blood filled Scarlet¡¯s throat, and she forced it down.  ¡°Okay ¡­ let¡¯s get onto the actual topic. Is it going to come back?¡±


    ¡°Aww,¡± Fiona sighed, floating above the treeline high overhead to get a sense of the area.  ¡°It was just getting to the good stuff,¡± she grumbled.


    Maria went on to explain the results.  ¡°It was a lot to take in ¡­ a ton, but it wasn¡¯t even one percent of the stuff inside this little flower.¡±  She pointed between her chest. ¡°Still, it was a lot, and I had to use it ¡­ like, I had to, or it would just burst out of me and who knows what that might do.  This thing¡¯s like a miniature sun!


    ¡°I drained every last drop I could, though.  There was a bit of lingering light around the edges and up in the sky; so, I used that to teleport us here.  It was the furthest away from where we were.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t come back?¡±


    Maria shook her head.  ¡°Not likely. It¡¯s just like I said with the death thing.¡±


    ¡°The computer analogy¡¯s better!¡±  Fiona called down.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not!¡±


    ¡°Granny!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that mean?  I¡¯m not that old; I¡¯m twenty-three, dammit!¡±


    ¡°Okay, Princess.¡±


    ¡°The hell¡¯s up with everyone and this princess shit?¡±


    Fiona just laughed hysterically, dampening Maria¡¯s mood.


    ¡°Friggin¡¯ Pixies¡­¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Scarlet said, moving a little closer to the Unicorn to draw her attention back to her.  ¡°You¡¯re saying it doesn¡¯t have enough energy to reform it?¡±


    ¡°Na, not with how much it was taking when it was just trying to sprout from the stem.¡±


    Scarlet rubbed the corners of her eyes.  ¡°Finally! We can be done with this.¡± She whispered.  Breathing out a long sigh, she smiled at Maria. ¡°You¡¯re amazing.¡±


    ¡°Damn straight ¡­ thanks,¡± she mumbled, red face deepening.


    Fiona zipped back down.  ¡°Oh, we¡¯re close to the camp!  We¡¯re probably only a few shadow leaps there.¡±


    ¡°Which direction?¡±  Scarlet asked before looking up at the half-frozen mountain to her right.  ¡°Eh¡ªthat way, I¡¯m guessing?¡±


    ¡°Yup!¡±


    ¡°Can we please be done with this,¡± Maria groaned.  ¡°I¡¯m all for goin¡¯ on adventures and goin¡¯ to new worlds, but I need to take a shower ¡­ back at my place, and not some random hotel, FBI bathroom, or hospital.  Yeah ¡­ my own bed would be nice, too.¡±


    ¡°Two-hundred percent!¡±  Fiona mirrored Maria, running her hands through her hair.  ¡°More than anything, though ¡­ I want to know if my sister and parents are okay.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ that¡¯d be nice,¡± Maria whispered.


    Cracking her neck, Scarlet breathed out a short sigh.  Yeah, it would be nice ¡­ having a family that you wished was alright.  I had such an annoying family before all this happened ¡­ now the thought of seeing my mom horrifies me.


    A shiver ran down her spine as the image of her mother laughing, mocking the police as they tried to help her came flooding back.  If I never see her again ¡­ yet, I want to ask her why ¡­ why would she do this to me?


    Scarlet shook her head violently before pulling back her hair.  ¡°Okay, you guys ready?¡±


    Both Maria and Fiona were looking at her with concern.


    ¡°You okay?¡±  Fiona asked.


    Maria nodded, lips pursed as she studied her.  ¡°You don¡¯t look that well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, totally fine!¡±  Scarlet grinned, trying to bury her feelings.  ¡°We good to go?¡±


    They glanced at each other before nodding and moved closer to her.  Scarlet took one more glance skyward; the glistening edges of the lower half of the stem and roots of the ice flower was quite the spectacle.  Turning back toward the south, shadows surrounded them.


    Arriving back in camp, they took turns quickly explaining the situation to Captain Aaron Channing.  Once they finished, he told them to take it straight to Tom, and if they heard the crystal¡¯s sound, then they¡¯d go through.


    The three of them hesitated, glancing back at the loose ground where the alien crystal structure had been.


    ¡°Rachel hasn¡¯t come back yet, right?¡±  Scarlet asked, glancing into the soil; the impenetrable crystal had retreated to its base.


    Aaron shook his head, and his men, stationed around the area, gave each other looks.


    ¡°What happened when we left?¡±  Fiona asked.


    ¡°Well,¡± Aaron breathed out through his teeth, glaring down at the spot.  ¡°The alien produced some kind of collar ¡­ that¡¯s what we figured it was and gave it to her.  It created some kind of bubble around her head and hair ¡­ she put it on willingly and went down, despite our warnings.  Some of my boys were willing to take her place, but she refused.¡±


    ¡°Lunar Pride,¡± Maria whispered just low enough for Fiona and Scarlet to hear.


    They both nodded.


    ¡°Shoot,¡± Fiona mumbled.  ¡°Rachel¡¯s a big girl, though.  I mean, she¡¯s been thrown through buildings and came limping back.¡±


    ¡°That was with moonlight,¡± Maria pointed out.


    ¡°I guess¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Scarlet shook her head, face setting.  ¡°Rachel told us that she¡¯d stake her pride on coming back to us.  There¡¯s no possible way she doesn¡¯t fulfill that promise.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of faith,¡± Aaron muttered.  ¡°She put on an alien collar and went into their ship, and we, at least, can¡¯t go in after her.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s left fang poked out to rub against the outside of her lip as she tried to keep her nerves in check.  I¡¯m always so nervous about things!  C¡¯mon, Scarlet, calm down ¡­ Rachel¡¯s strong, but more importantly, she¡¯s smart.  She¡¯ll work it out, and we need to do our part.


    Running her hands through her hair, Scarlet put on a reassuring smile.  ¡°We¡¯ll go tell Tom what¡¯s going on, and then I¡¯ll come back and wait. If she¡¯s gone too long, then I¡¯ll go in and see what I can do.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll come, too!¡±  Fiona said.


    Scarlet hummed darkly before shaking her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s wise ¡­ I mean, maybe you can survive with your Wind Shield, but I¡¯m pretty sure the air is toxic, and that¡¯s why they gave her the bubble helmet thing.  I don¡¯t need to breathe, but I think you two do ¡­ maybe not Maria, who knows.¡±


    ¡°I definitely breathe,¡± Maria muttered.  ¡°The more I learn about you,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°So, you don¡¯t need to breathe¡­ crazy.¡±


    ¡°I think so, too,¡± Scarlet chuckled.  ¡°Plus, we don¡¯t know what we¡¯re going to do about that flower.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Maria groaned.  ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t know if we can destroy it, and teleporting with it might be out of the question.  I think I might be able to teleport the whole United States onto the moon ¡­ that¡¯s how strong it is.¡±


    Fiona whistled.  ¡°That¡¯s insane!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re tellin¡¯ me.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Scarlet cut in, trying to bring back their focus.  ¡°Let¡¯s go talk to Tom.¡±


    They said their goodbyes to Aaron and waved to his men before going through the gate; Scarlet spotted Tom still in the trailer, but he looked somehow older, and he was speaking on the same big conference call they¡¯d seen before with the President.


    Scarlet teleported them in, causing the conversation to cut.


    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Tom sighed with relief, but his face showed concern.  ¡°How¡¯d it go? Too early to celebrate?¡±


    Fiona made a peace sign as Maria said, ¡°Nope, the Azure Frost is taken care of!¡±


    Tom breathed out a heavy sigh, leaning back in his seat as the other men and women on the screen mirrored his actions.


    ¡°What a relief¡­¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Excellent work!¡±


    ¡°The Aliens are the next threat to handle.¡±


    ¡°You said it, Phil, I¡¯m taking that bottle of brandy!¡±


    ¡°You got it,¡± Hannah chuckled.


    Tom groaned before cracking his neck and stretching out his fingers; he breathed out a long yawn before blinking a few times.  ¡°Okay, so, the nuclear option is currently on hold. Any news on the little orange men?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± Scarlet said, ¡°but I know Rachel will have it handled, and there¡¯s something we need to show you.  Maria?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± she grunted, pulling back her coat and shirt to produce the flower.  ¡°Really should have brought a bag,¡± she mumbled. ¡°So ¡­ this is the Azure Frost¡¯s Core, and it¡¯s crazy powerful ¡­ like, insane.¡±


    Some of the most influential people in the Executive Branch leaned closer to their screens, squinting at the flower in Maria¡¯s hand, and Tom got to his feet to examine it.


    Tom licked his lips as he drew closer, studying the sparkling pedals.  ¡°Can I touch it?¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°Honestly, no clue; the ice it makes is like ¡­ saying it¡¯s cold is like calling ice cubes hot.  The flower itself isn¡¯t cold to me, but I¡¯m pretty sure it needs to be close to me to keep it contained.  I have some kind of solar property that keeps it calm.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± the President muttered.  ¡°What can you tell us about the level of energy it holds?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªI told Scarlet and Fiona, I could probably teleport the whole United States continent to the moon, but I couldn¡¯t draw that much out of it at a time.  I¡¯ve got my limits, it seems.¡±


    She set the flower down on the desk before dropping into one of the cushioned seats with a grunt.  ¡°Maybe as time goes on, I¡¯ll get stronger, but I don¡¯t see how I can even use all of this.¡±


    Fiona hovered to it, floating above the article while Scarlet moved around to her original seat, leaning back in it.


    ¡°So, umm¡ªwe¡¯re done once this crystal¡¯s closed, right?  We can go back to our lives?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan for now,¡± Tom said, dropping back into his own seat.  ¡°We might need¡­¡±


    He trailed off as Fiona spoke up.  ¡°Eh¡ªMaria, is it supposed to be freezing the table?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s focus sharpened as they leaned in to get a better look; sure enough, the table was slowly frosting over, and small feelers were slowly coming out of the cut stem.  A bluish glow bloomed into existence; it appeared like it would take time, but it would regrow and spread its roots.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡±  Maria moaned, picking it back up.  The energy vanished the moment she touched it.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to hold the damn thing forever!¡±


    ¡°Can it be destroyed?¡±  The President asked.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Hannah hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°If it has that much power, then we could use it to end our energy concerns.  Phil would love to get rid of the Department of Energy.¡±


    ¡°Please, we¡¯d focus all its resources on this, if that¡¯s the case,¡± Phil interjected.


    Tom scratched the back of his bald head, clearly tired.  ¡°Assuming we can control it at all. If this thing can move a continent, then it can blow one up.  I think we should be cautious about how we proceed. One accident over the ocean and it could cause a tidal wave thousands of meters high.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Hannah muttered.


    ¡°Any suggestions?  I¡¯m all ears,¡± the President asked, eyes glancing between people.


    ¡°Bear with me,¡± Phil said with a short pause, ¡°but I read a report that Maria is a healer, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Maria said.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°So, could she theoretically use this as a tool to help out the massive strain we¡¯re having on our healthcare system?  We¡¯re currently overloaded, and we simply don¡¯t have enough beds. New York City and several of the California cities for starters are in turmoil after the riots, and there¡¯s that new virus sweeping the States.¡±


    ¡°I like that,¡± the President hummed.


    Hannah nodded fervently.  ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, Phil!  It¡¯ll really help calm the citizens if we send out a report about her being sent to the different cities for relief.¡±


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Maria leaned back with a deep frown on her lips.  ¡°You want me to go zippin¡¯ around the U.S. healing people? I got my own worries, you know?  You know how long that¡¯ll take? I mean, just seeing a thousand people would be super long. I ain¡¯t goin¡¯ to make my life¡¯s mission flying around the States on a whim.¡±


    Tom hummed, folding his fingers as he leaned back to appraise her.  ¡°Let¡¯s see ¡­ don¡¯t think we¡¯re just demanding this of you. What would it take for you to make this happen?¡±


    Maria¡¯s lips turned into a grin.  ¡°Now we¡¯re talkin¡¯ capitalism! I¡¯ll work out some of the details with you guys, but for starters, Fiona¡¯s family gets full citizenship, and they get to be flown out here.  She can get on a flight like ¡­ oh, as soon as possible would be good.¡±


    ¡°Maria,¡± Fiona¡¯s eyes widened, and she sniffed as tears appeared in the corners of her eyes.  ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re like my new best friend!  Gotta look out for ya like my own neighborhood, you know?  Next, I want a business. Y¡¯all can make it happen with Congress, right?  I want my own hospital where I can take people in, and I don¡¯t do most shit for free!  I may do my own thing and help people out here or there, you know, pro bono, and all. Maybe I¡¯ll even pay taxes!¡±  She chuckled.


    ¡°Anything else?¡±  Tom asked. ¡°We¡¯d like to get you moving soon, but I think we should probably wait for Rachel to get back with her information.  Still, we can start getting things prepared.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re speakin¡¯ my language,¡± Maria chuckled, sitting forward as she pointed her thumb at Scarlet.  ¡°Anything she wants, and Rachel, too. Gotta lookout for the homies. That about covers it ¡­ oh, and get me in touch with a bunch of rich people.  Y¡¯all got connections, and tell them I can do some miracle work ¡­ for a price.


    ¡°I need to get some funds somewhere, and I ain¡¯t about to take a big lump of taxpayer money for it ¡­ and fix the damn potholes on my street!  Well, don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be living there, so scratch that one. Yeah, me and the crew be upgradin¡¯ after this!¡±


    Tom folded his arms but was nodding.  ¡°Those aren¡¯t unreasonable, and I¡¯m sure there are a ton of rich people that would pay a ton of money for curing things like cancer and other illnesses.  Using that to start up your business isn¡¯t a bad idea at all, and could birth a whole new industry with what we¡¯re hearing about healers.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± the President muttered.  ¡°Alright, Tom, you handle that; you have my support, and I think many new laws will be bipartisan.  When the alien incident gets resolved, contact us; we¡¯ll iron out more with this Azure Frost Core later when it becomes more pressing, but keep this under control!  We don¡¯t need this thing destroying the planet ¡­ then everything China¡¯s propaganda department is saying about us will be true.¡± He growled, rolling his eyes.


    ¡°Understood, thank you, Sir.¡±


    The feed cut and Tom turned back toward them.  ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get some of these details down on paper so I can get things drawn up.  Oh, and Fiona, we¡¯re going to need to talk about those birds and what to do with them. Sound good?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah,¡± Fiona hummed.  ¡°It would be kind of hard to deal with unless we can figure out a system they can use to communicate.  That¡¯s a toughy.¡±


    ¡°Finally!¡±  Maria flashed her perfect teeth, giving him a thumbs up.  ¡°We¡¯re getting this business all sorted out; I¡¯m really beginning to like you, Tom.¡±


    Scarlet closed her eyes and leaned back, trying to calm her racing heart.  What do I want from the government ¡­ I don¡¯t know...


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 17. Victory!

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park


    Recap:  It seems like everything''s over on Scarlet, Fiona, and Maria''s side of things as they prepare to head back.  Maria teleported a massive chunk of land, did a dance, and now has the Azure Frost Core tucked snugly between her breasts.


    Now, we head back to Rachel to see how she''s doing on her end with the aliens!


    Rachel kept a neutral posture and expression as she watched the Azure Frost in the alien¡¯s life-like monitor room; it was descending the mountain at an alarming rate.  The scene suddenly changed, showing Fiona, Scarlet, and Maria hovering above the blue puffy cloud, releasing a bright shimmering glow.


    The little orange aliens stood in midair, working the crystal panels in front of them as a few spectators watched, hands flying between poses.  Their voices still came out in the monotone voice she was becoming accustomed to.


    ¡°The humans entered here.¡±


    ¡°Flew right into it.¡±


    ¡°Amazing.¡±


    ¡°Lost visual upon entry.¡±


    ¡°How is it possible?¡±


    ¡°There was a barrier.¡±


    ¡°I see the data, now¡­¡±


    ¡°It trapped the Tolgratha.¡±


    ¡°Appears to be highly concentrated air particles in motion.¡±


    ¡°Not originating within that space.¡±


    ¡°Yes, most peculiar.¡±


    ¡°Seemingly generated out of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°Thought impossible.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps energy is used from the small one?¡±


    ¡°Possible.¡±


    ¡°No connection is found.¡±


    ¡°The Azure Frost was unable to penetrate it.¡±


    The picture zoomed in on the three girls, and strange symbols appeared in several places as they continued to study the scene.  Rachel resisted folding her arms as her stomach tightened; they looked concerned.


    Of course they¡¯re worried ¡­ there¡¯s got to be some way that I can help them.  Can these aliens do anything?  No, they can¡¯t even get inside.  If only we had a partnership with them at the start ¡­ no, that¡¯s wishful thinking.


    The aliens continued their speculations and conversation, and Rachel¡¯s eyes fell to the floor as she thought on the information she¡¯d collected, partially listening to the little orange creatures.  The pieces of scattered data floating through her mind made her want to scream, yet Lunar Pride was itching at the implications.


    Rachel took a deep breath, calming her racing heart as her red eyes lifted back to the hologram, more designs continuing to appear as the aliens talked about Fiona¡¯s abilities.


    This is a recurring event.  If we stop this disaster and close the crystal, then it will only continue.  These aliens can just move to a new planet, but that¡¯s not a solution, either.  These things will keep appearing on this moon if it follows the same pattern on the bird¡¯s world and ours.


    This moon will be populated with many more strange creatures with the increase in crystals; there could be galaxy and universe level threats at some point.  It¡¯s a bigger problem then they might grasp; it doesn¡¯t sound like they¡¯ve even engaged in warfare in at least their recent history.


    All the horrors that are involved in Science Fiction ¡­ humans are accustomed to adapting to the unknown and deadly; it¡¯s our entire struggle throughout history.  It¡¯s no wonder these guys are amazed and terrified of us, and if they can¡¯t distinguish between reality and fiction, then it¡¯s a wonder why they aren¡¯t screaming themselves, but I suppose it has to do with their logical way of thinking.


    Earth, though ¡­ how rare are these powerful crystal events, and is this even a powerful event at all?  The bird¡¯s testimony paints this as an outlier, but could that be just their luck of the draw?  There has to be a method behind all of this.


    It¡¯s clear that the crystals are monitoring the outcome of these events, which means it¡¯s possible that it¡¯s sending that information back somewhere.  These guys¡¯ technology is far beyond ours, and they can¡¯t make heads or tails of it.  Whatever or whoever is doing this has a level of technology that breaks well into Sci-Fi, and could even extend to Fantasy.


    It might as well be Fantasy.  I mean, look at me, Scarlet, Fiona, and Maria ¡­ there¡¯s nothing scientific about the type of Lunar and Solar Energy we have.  The Oscillation happened just before these crystals showed up, and it appears like the magic or technology that is creating them is connected.


    It could be opposing factions ¡­ maybe a boost or experiment to prepare us?  Yet, is it really a boost at all since it fractured so many governments.  Society is breaking apart around the world, giving these crystals a chance to get a foothold in our world.  Is there a reason for that?


    If we close every gateway before a new one appears, then could we stop it entirely?  Is this actually to cover-up something else, and maybe give a chance for this thing to begin?  I don¡¯t know ¡­ there¡¯s more questions the more I discover.


    Rachel licked her lips before nibbling on the left corner, left ear twitching as her body itched to move; she wanted to do something other than just watching everything unfold, but what could she do?  The only thing that made sense was to think and use the aliens¡¯ technology when she could.


    These crystals connect to worlds, and the previous world was dealing with this for a long time.  Data is being collected; whether it¡¯s being transmitted back or just following a set of commands is undetermined, and I don¡¯t know how we could figure that one out.


    In any case, these things might have levels to them ¡­ but we just barely got the crystals, and they¡¯re throwing the Azure Frost at us?  It doesn¡¯t add up.  One thing seems for sure ¡­ we¡¯ll get more, and they¡¯ll keep coming.  The Executive Branch was right to consider all the options; we¡¯re facing a greater threat than anything in our history ¡­ we¡¯ll be fighting wars everywhere, and the United States will be the biggest force with China and Russia following.


    A pulse shot down her spine to her tail, causing her butt to tighten.  Life will never be the same ¡­ and I actually want to be involved more.  Damn you, Lunar Pride, but can I really blame it?  It¡¯s now a part of me ¡­ I might have even been interested in this stuff if I didn¡¯t have it.  It makes me wonder how much of my change really has altered my personality or if it just brought out what was already there?


    She turned her attention back to the aliens as they took the scene back to when Fiona and the gang first left the ground.


    ¡°... wind makes them fly.¡±


    ¡°Their mass is the same?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but the air is holding them up.¡±


    ¡°The data does conclude that.¡±


    ¡°It is not gravity-based.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°No machines of any kind detected.¡±


    ¡°Bioengineering?¡±


    ¡°Most probable.¡±


    ¡°Psychic powers?¡±


    ¡°Undetermined.¡±


    ¡°Possible.¡±


    ¡°She seems to be controlling it with her mind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an action.¡±


    ¡°Strange.¡±


    ¡°Most strange.¡±


    ¡°Teleportation.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating.¡±


    ¡°Unknown travel method.¡±


    ¡°Untraceable.¡±


    ¡°Vanishes.¡±


    ¡°Appears.¡±


    ¡°Without warning.¡±


    ¡°Human entangled particles?¡±


    ¡°Negative.¡±


    ¡°I see, now.¡±


    ¡°No entanglement.¡±


    ¡°Unknown process.¡±


    ¡°Without technology.¡±


    ¡°Purely biological, but unknown.¡±


    ¡°Most fascinating.¡±


    ¡°Progress on¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears perked as the aliens¡¯ hands flurried into motion on the controls and toward one another, the image zooming in on the cloud.


    ¡°Change detected.¡±


    ¡°Drastic loss of energy.¡±


    ¡°Did the humans succeed?¡±


    ¡°Information points to a massive power withdrawal.¡±


    Rachel looked down at the mass of clouds the room simulation projected; the blue glow was diminishing as they spoke, and the little orange creatures¡¯ heads moved up and down as they glanced between symbols in the holograms on the console and projected below them.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?  Do you have an image of Fiona and the others?¡±  Rachel asked.  Her wide field of vision took in much of the valley, and every second, the glow continued to fade.


    ¡°Expansion halting.¡±


    ¡°Slowed by eighty point three percent.¡±


    ¡°Incorrect.¡±


    ¡°Change in calculations.¡±


    ¡°Eighty-two point eight percent.¡±


    ¡°Constant decrease.¡±


    ¡°Reaching ninety percent.¡±


    ¡°Spore interference diminishing.¡±


    ¡°Pathways opening as energy drops.¡±


    ¡°Predictions indicate the Azure Frost going into hibernation.¡±


    ¡°Energy centralizing around the¡­¡±


    ¡°Incorrect.¡±


    A lump dropped down Rachel¡¯s throat as she glanced around; the aliens had all paused, looking down at one particular set of orange symbols, floating above the clouds.  ¡°What?  Has something happened?¡±


    ¡°A resonance from the Azure Frost.¡±


    ¡°The Azure Frost¡¯s Power Core¡­¡±


    ¡°The source has been removed.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rachel said, folding her arms below her chest.  ¡°What does that mean?  Now that it¡¯s out of power, is it going to crumble?¡±


    ¡°Scanning¡­¡±


    ¡°Integrity failures in Azure Frost detected.¡±


    ¡°Instability is disrupting its transference network.¡±


    ¡°It appears the Azure Frost has a failsafe.¡±


    ¡°Energy gathering.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head snapped back to stare between them.  ¡°What do you mean energy gathering and failsafe?  Is it going to explode?¡±


    ¡°Uncertain,¡± one replied, and they continued to tap their fingers against the symbols that appeared and disappeared in their holograms.


    ¡°The Azure Frost network is fractured.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s taking time to gather.¡±


    ¡°Pulling in all available power inside its infrastructure.¡±


    ¡°Failure most likely imminent due to the combination.¡±


    ¡°Pulling its energy back for hibernation¡­¡±


    ¡°Linked with disconnecting it during the transition process¡­¡±


    ¡°Caused a reflux of unstable energy.¡±


    ¡°Azure Frost network seeking to reform its Core.¡±


    ¡°Process is slow.¡±


    ¡°Remaining energy is dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Humans are still at the location.¡±


    ¡°Further study¡­¡±


    When they all paused again, she bit her lower lip, but without warning, their surroundings changed.  They were now with Fiona, Maria, and Scarlet, and she counted fifteen pulses that shot from the crystal; Rachel could feel it from inside the alien¡¯s base, passing through everything in an instant.


    ¡°The gateway is pulsing.¡±


    ¡°Faster than sound.¡±


    ¡°Faster than light.¡±


    ¡°Only affects living creatures.¡±


    ¡°No change in Azure Frost¡¯s structure.¡±


    ¡°Calculating possible meanings.¡±


    ¡°The energy of the spores and body are being sent to a point below the gateway.¡±


    ¡°Core replacement in the sprouting process.¡±


    ¡°Powerful.¡±


    ¡°Dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Humans are waiting.¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason?¡±


    Rachel masked her unease with a confident smile.  ¡°From what we¡¯ve discovered, when the gateways pulse, it means they¡¯re going to close.  From our current data, it takes around fifteen minutes, but we can¡¯t rule out the possibility that this one will be longer.¡±


    ¡°It is recorded.¡±


    ¡°Fifteen minutes.¡±


    ¡°Fifteen pulses.¡±


    ¡°We wait and hope.¡±


    Rachel turned back to her three friends, oblivious to their spying eyes; the orange aliens were utterly silent, moving around the space, symbols appearing around different artifacts, including Maria¡¯s shirt front where they were analyzing the Azure Frost Core.


    Please ¡­ please don¡¯t say anything to make us look like the stupid creatures we are¡­


    The fifteen minutes passed, and on the fifteenth sound, the crystal shattered.  Every alien paused as Maria said, ¡°Okay ¡­ now we know.  We won.¡±


    ¡°The humans declare victory?¡±


    ¡°Do they have a plan for the Core¡¯s reconstruction?¡±


    ¡°They must.¡±


    ¡°Can you go back and slow that down?¡±  Rachel quickly asked, drawing all the alien¡¯s attention.


    Without a word, the crystal returned with their tapping.  When the space zoomed in, her eyes widened; the lines cracked, showing blinding rainbow light that reflected the cracked sky overhead, starting at its origin point before branching out to the edges.  The deep red hexagram cracked after the lines did, and then broke apart.


    ¡°How small can you look?¡±


    ¡°It breaks down beyond our ability to track.¡±


    ¡°We could not identify anything beyond the light.¡±


    ¡°The unknown, undetectable, base substance is gone.¡±


    They each looked down at a bright symbol that popped out in front of the rest, and after a few taps, the scene returned to Maria, Fiona, and Scarlet.  Rachel almost wanted to strangle them as they began stumbling their way toward the answer the aliens had long known all along.


    ¡°Azure Frost¡¯s infrastructure decay is causing errors in spore production.¡±


    ¡°Some disconnected systems are creating more.¡±


    ¡°The one known as Maria speaks about a death thing?¡±


    The aliens went silent to listen to Maria¡¯s terrible explanation, seemingly fascinated, and they all gathered around Fiona with awe as she started correcting her analogy with her own.


    ¡°I do not follow.¡±


    ¡°Humans are too intelligent.¡±


    ¡°We must store this conversation.¡±


    ¡°The Azure Frost network has found a suitable route to send energy.¡±


    ¡°Blooming process taking¡­¡±


    ¡°Fiona knows the danger.¡±


    ¡°What will the humans do with the gathering energy?¡±


    ¡°Unknown.¡±


    The unseen group followed Fiona and Maria¡¯s conversation as they looked up at the glowing ice roots.


    ¡°So, I sense a ton of Solar Energy gathering around us.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not good.¡±


    ¡°Can you absorb it?¡±


    ¡°Not a clue, damn ¡­ maybe.  I¡¯m already topped off, but I might be able to just convert it into somethin¡¯ else.¡±


    ¡°Like a big healing spell?¡±


    ¡°Na, I can¡¯t do that shit ¡­ that¡¯s like ¡­ like expecting to eat bean dip and instead stickin¡¯ your chip inside a big bowl of ghost pepper chili and scarfing it down.  It¡¯s just too much.¡±


    ¡°You have the weirdest analogies sometimes,¡± Fiona grunted.  ¡°Should I put another layer around Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°I mean, probably ¡­ it is Solar Energy we¡¯re talkin¡¯ about.¡±


    ¡°Fiddlesticks,¡± Fiona mumbled.  ¡°Well, you¡¯re the solar expert.  What do ya got?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll probably just wing it,¡± she mumbled, bending down.  ¡°What if I could teleport with it?¡±


    ¡°It is Solar Energy,¡± Fiona mused.  ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s give her a go, then!¡±


    ¡°Wait, should I get a Fire Shield spell or something?  Would that even work?  Ugh, probably not,¡± she moaned, biting her lip in frustration.  ¡°I think my two Earth Shields will have to do.  I don¡¯t know what else I could use.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Maria hummed, ¡°and I think if you let her out, then the light is reaching a point where it would hurt her.  We need to act, I think.¡±


    ¡°Fine ¡­ just don¡¯t be wrong,¡± Fiona said with concern.


    You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!  Rachel sighed, running her hand through her long pink-hued white hair.  I know Fiona¡¯s protecting Scarlet, but this is so dangerous¡­


    Using Mental Acceleration, she watched with dread as light exploded from Maria¡¯s fingertips, and her horn appeared, sending a blazing flare through everything.  Rachel squeezed her eyes shut, covering them with her arm, and when the flash faded, she opened her eyes.


    Spots danced across her vision, but the sight of the massive top half of the Azure Frost collapsing upon a frozen crater made her numb.  Are they dead?


    She quickly regained her wits as the aliens¡¯ hands went mad, moving back to their positions around the console as the shards of ice rained around them, and the colossal flower quaked the ground as it struck the frozen forest.


    ¡°Change in location identified.¡±


    ¡°Teleportation.¡±


    ¡°Outside the affected zone.¡±


    ¡°Moved roughly eight million cubic meters of ice and dirt.¡±


    ¡°Impressive.¡±


    ¡°Correction, eight-point two-two-three cubic meters of ice and dirt.¡±


    ¡°Uncalculated.¡±


    ¡°Amazing.¡±


    ¡°Twenty miles from the starting location.¡±


    ¡°Instantaneously.¡±


    ¡°Azure Frost in catastrophic failure.¡±


    ¡°Needed energy depleted.¡±


    ¡°Incorrect.¡±


    ¡°Absorbed.¡±


    ¡°Combat humans have advanced physiology.¡±


    ¡°To absorb unknown energy.¡±


    ¡°Very advanced.¡±


    ¡°Monstrous power.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°Human memories show monstrous powers.¡±


    ¡°Witnessed it first hand.¡±


    ¡°Humans returning to their gateway.¡±


    ¡°Humans conquered the Azure Frost.¡±


    ¡°Just as promised.¡±


    ¡°It was simple.¡±


    ¡°Without loss.¡±


    ¡°Frightening.¡±


    ¡°Mysterious.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful.¡±


    They all turned their large orange eyes to her.  ¡°We are humbled by the benevolence of humans.  Please, follow us.¡±


    The change was so sudden that it caught Rachel a bit off-guard.  ¡°You¡¯re taking me to your Power Core?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°Humans are always correct.¡±


    ¡°Incorrect.¡±


    ¡°Yes, humans correct humans.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°We have learned much from humans.¡±


    ¡°Minds of infinite wealth.¡±


    Rachel took one last look at the devastating sight of the Azure Frost; the massive dome overhead slowly faded, replaced by the orange crystal of the room as they turned off the projection.


    She followed the two aliens that were motioning to her a few meters into the hallway before stopping; the same pillar-like console shot out from the floor, rising to his left hand.  With a few taps on the hologram that appeared, they began descending further into their base.


    A nervous jitter ran through her stomach; she couldn¡¯t decipher what these creatures were thinking.  ¡°You¡¯ll release the other humans with me once we go retrieve your Power Core?¡±


    The one not operating the console responded to her questions.


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    Rachel glanced back at the hallway and the flurry of activity inside the console room as the aliens rushed between their orange tables.  ¡°You¡¯re preparing to lose your power, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.  Our emergency supply is calculated to last us the required time for a scout ship to arrive.  The moment our Matrix was cut off from the primary network, it is protocol for a scout ship to be sent.  We do not assume time has moved upon equal planes; however, we are preparing a distress signal to be sent upon release from this space.¡±


    ¡°Smart,¡± Rachel whispered, looking down at the small creature.  ¡°I appreciate your support.  You do not know how helpful you¡¯ve been to us.¡±


    ¡°It is we that are thankful to the humans.  The things we have learned from your human minds will help us avoid our calculated destruction, and there are many inventions we are already putting into the design.


    ¡°Though we will be stranded and it will be difficult for a time, we project that the price is well worth the risk.  Many centuries of our research across this solar system will be destroyed; however, with the extra time we have had, we are able to back-up much of the human knowledge you have brought us.¡±


    Feeling a little better about what they were about to do, Rachel nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m glad we were able to help each other.¡±


    ¡°We are unaware of what aid we have given the humans, but we do not dare contest your intellect.  It is our pleasure.¡±


    They descended in silence for another minute before arriving at what seemed a sealed-off room, and the two aliens guided her toward the center of an unassuming wall.  When they neared, two panels extended from the crystal, releasing large holograms.


    Both aliens got to work, fingers fiddling with the complex structure inside, tapping, and moving symbols to different areas.  After a moment¡¯s work, they both turned back to her, hands at their sides.


    ¡°When we activate this program, it will create a staircase leading to the surface to our right.  We will exit to our left since our atmosphere will escape, and the air outside is toxic to us.  The humans inside the analysis crystals will be released, and the Power Core will then become inactive.¡±


    The one to her left reached down and touched the floor; a three-inch-thick box, big enough to house a coconut, was fashioned from the crystal ground.  The top had a slight glow, and upon five taps, the crystal folded back to reveal an empty case.


    ¡°Do you wish to use this container, or do you have your own methods to handle the Power Core?¡±


    Rachel nodded without hesitation.  ¡°Yes, the box will do fine; I¡¯m thankful for your consideration.¡±


    Both of their fingers moved, cycling between each other in a way that she wasn¡¯t sure who spoke.


    ¡°It is our pleasure.¡±


    ¡°Once what we previously described happens, the barrier will open.¡±


    ¡°Using emergency power.¡±


    ¡°And you will be able to take the Power Core.¡±


    ¡°It has been enlightening.¡±


    Bowing slightly, they walked to the hallway that opened up to their left, walking through; Rachel watched them go with pursed lips.  This has been an insane adventure.


    When the wall closed behind them, she turned back to watch the walls fold out, creating stairs that rose sharply.  My way out.  I feel so dirty doing this to them, but it¡¯s necessary.  These little guys don¡¯t deserve this ¡­ they did attack me, but well ¡­ can I judge their entire race if they¡¯re somewhat linked mentally?


    They said it was a different faction, which probably just means it was a group that had a separate analysis and conclusion.  That changed after the encounter, though.  What interesting aliens; they weren¡¯t anything like I expected.  Although, what could I have expected?


    She chuckled, shaking her head before breathing a sigh.  Still, I should keep my guard up until the crystal breaks, and the¡­  Her thoughts faded as the thick fog began to thin, and she felt a drag to her right.  These crystals are amazing ¡­ they can do everything.


    Once the mist was gone, the bubble around her head popped, and the collar-like device clicked, dropping from her neck.  She reflexively grabbed it before the device passed her chest.  The taste of the air changed, and a myriad of odd scents filled her nose.  These aliens keep a pretty lovely smelling space.


    Lifting the object to examine it under the orange light of her surroundings, she released a low hum, turning the metal piece around in her hands.


    It looks totally unassuming ¡­ it might be considered bad manners taking it with me.  I doubt they really mind, but I¡¯ll just leave it by the box.  They¡¯ve given us enough, but ¡­ yeah, I¡¯ll probably have to continue conquering more worlds in the future until we figure out how to end this madness.


    She flipped her hair back before setting the metallic collar down and picking up the container; it was warm to the touch.  Could that be the goal of these crystals and The Oscillation?  Is it a test to see how far a civilization can go?  Some Darwinian game?  Who knows¡­


    Her red irises lifted as the wall opened, revealing a mostly empty room; in the center were two cones, rising from the floor and dropping from the ceiling, and in the center of it was a clouded glass-like porous ball.  The many holes were uniform and square-shaped, leading to a circular hollow that had white mist swirling inside; it was the size of a softball.


    Swallowing the saliva that gathered in her mouth, she walked forward; Rachel hesitated as the cones sank into the floor and ceiling when she neared, but the sphere didn¡¯t move from its place.


    Licking her lips, she slowly closed in on the orb and lifted the box from under it; she had to fight a weak push that suddenly pressed up against the bottom, but once it had encased the ball, the force faded, and the top sealed.


    She released a heavy puff of air before turning back to the doorway, ears twitching as she heard the mumbles of the soldiers above and the base camp preparing for possible combat.  Those little dudes gave me a straight path back to the crystal.  Such cute aliens; it¡¯s probably the most peaceful conquest I¡¯ll see.


    She sighed.  Well, let¡¯s go greet our mind probed friends; yikes, probably shouldn¡¯t frame it like that.


    Moving back to the stairs, she ascended, tucking the box against her hip.  It looks like one of those staircases that went on forever with the night sky above, but halfway up, she finally caught sight of the soldiers as some of them stumbled into the hallway.


    There were three Caucasian men and an African American man, and to top it off, they were naked, mumbling about insects and little orange men.  The word probed was being thrown around, making her giggle.


    ¡°Hey!¡±  She called out to the four men.


    ¡°Huh ¡­ the hell?¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m dreamin¡¯, man.¡±


    ¡°You see some drop-dead gorgeous bunny girl coming up the stairs?¡±


    ¡°Na, Dan, it¡¯s real, man, unless you¡¯re in my dreams.¡±


    ¡°Gross, dude, and what, you a furry all ¡­ damn, guess I am now,¡± he muttered, peering down at her.  ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to tell my wife¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, shit, we¡¯re naked, dude.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a dream, who the hell cares!¡±


    A chuckle slid through Rachel¡¯s throat as she neared them, unable to avoid staring with her wide field of vision.  ¡°My name¡¯s Rachel.  I¡¯m a Mythickin, a Demi.  I was sent to this world by General Dallas.  I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re all alive and so ¡­ healthy,¡± she smiled innocently.


    ¡°A Demi ¡­ wait, so ¡­ son of a...¡±


    They all took deep breaths, looking between each other.


    The one she assumed was the captain popped his tongue before sucking on his lip.  ¡°Hey, Rachel.  My name¡¯s Captain Singer; I apologize for our appearance, but I suppose mission comes first.  What¡¯s the news?¡±


    The other three men muttered apologies of their own, faces red.


    ¡°No issue; I understand.  We should¡­¡±  Her smile faded as fifteen pulses shot through them.


    ¡°The shit?¡±  Dan shouted, staring up at the entrance.


    The men darted back into the hallway they¡¯d just exited.


    ¡°Take cover, Rachel,¡± Singer whispered.


    Rachel took a slow breath before stretching out her neck.  ¡°That¡¯s the signal that we¡¯ve won.  The crystal is closing in fifteen minutes.  Let¡¯s hurry and pack up.  I don¡¯t know how much we can get back through in time.¡±


    ¡°Is ¡­ that right,¡± Singer muttered, chewing on the left side of his bottom lip.  ¡°If you say so, you did know about General Dallas, but ¡­ were we mind hacked by little orange aliens?¡±


    Rachel tilted her head, motioning for them to follow her, and she breathed out a hiss of air through her teeth.  ¡°If I say no, will you feel better?¡±


    The four men tucked their bottom lip under their teeth, noses flaring as they glared at the ground.  Dan sniffed sharply.  ¡°Okay ¡­ okay¡­¡±


    The big African American man nudged him.  ¡°Hey, Dan, cross it off the bucket list,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°Shit ¡­ dude, c¡¯mon, Lamar.¡±


    ¡°Just sayin¡¯, man.  You talked about it last month.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile grew, ears hanging down a little; they joked back and forth for a moment; once they paused, she cut in.  ¡°Hehe, as much fun as this is, our gate home is preparing to close as we¡­¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    Her ears stood on end as Scarlet¡¯s voice carried down to her, and another pulse shot through them; she had just arrived through the crystal.


    The atmosphere around the men darkened as they studied her expression.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Singer asked, head darting around the corner to see if anything was coming up or down the stairs.  ¡°We got a threat coming?¡±


    Her smile turned forced.  ¡°No, but you¡¯re about to have another girl dropping in.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The men shouted with fright as Scarlet appeared out of the shadows in front of her, throwing her arms around Rachel¡¯s neck.  ¡°I was so worried!¡±  She cried, blood leaking from her eyes to be absorbed back into her skin.


    ¡°Hey, Scarlet ¡­ eh, mind making a Blood Portal for these gentlemen?¡±  She asked, looking to her left.


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s face turned red as she looked left at the men, red halo-like irises slowly moving to their waistline as they wore forceful grins.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡±  Dan muttered, but Scarlet¡¯s high-pitched voice quickly overpowered him.


    ¡°W-What in the ¡­ R-Rachel ¡­ they¡¯re¡ªthey¡¯re¡­¡±


    Rachel wasn¡¯t as surprised as she thought she should be to see shadows surrounding them, and they were suddenly back by the crystal, her feet sinking into the mud.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Captain Aaron called out.  ¡°What¡¯s goin¡¯ on?  I read that when the crystal makes that noise, it¡¯s getting ready to close.¡±


    Untangling herself from Scarlet¡¯s grip, she giggled, shifting the box at her hip to a more comfortable position.  ¡°Scarlet, you really need to work on your embarrassment factor; those guys need some help.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she mumbled, face still flushed.  ¡°I just ¡­ I didn¡¯t expect them since I can¡¯t see through the crystal walls.  I¡¯ll go help them.¡±


    She vanished into the shadows again, and Rachel grinned at Aaron as he joined her.  ¡°Yes, it¡¯s closing.  Let¡¯s pack up, and the Green Berets that were captured are ¡­ right there,¡± she chuckled as they dropped out of a blood portal, cursing the high heavens and shivering.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be,¡± Aaron muttered.  ¡°Okay, you head back through with Scarlet.  You know how much time we have?¡±


    ¡°To be safe, like eleven minutes.¡±


    He nodded, turned around, and yelled, ¡°Pack it up, ladies!  We got ten minutes to get this shit back through.  Hustle, hustle, hustle!¡±


    Scarlet appeared in front of her with a forced smile.  ¡°Okay, they¡¯re saved.  Can we go?  I really want to go!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel said, giving her a sincere grin.  ¡°You¡¯re something special Scarlet, you, Maria, and Fiona did a great job.  Let¡¯s go wrap this up, catch up with the others, and celebrate!¡±


    Rachel looked back, surveying the lush jungle and the strange orange crystal staircase leading down into an alien base.  Fantasy and Science Fiction ¡­ the world really has changed.  Now the hard part ¡­ preparing to meet my family.


    Turning her head back toward the gateway, they both walked through the crystal as it released its third pulse, leaving the soldiers in a flurry of activity.


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 B3 — 18. Plans For Home

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park


    Recap:  Rachel was given the power core of the alien ship as a mark for the conquest.  The crystals closed and now they have the information needed for the government to start making some plans.  Time for the next step of our heroines'' adventure!


    Rachel walked through the gateway with Scarlet by her side, entering the large dome surrounding the crystal.  Her ears twitched as she heard the shifting of hard men¡¯s muscles, cold eyes ready for action as they locked onto her, prepared to defend their world of any threat that might come through.


    Scarlet chuckled nervously as they shifted their arms and necks, their guns making unnerving sounds as they moved in the soldier¡¯s hands.  ¡°Hey, guys!  No problems on the other side.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the sound mean?¡±  One of the men asked in almost a growl, blue eyes moving back to the glowing crystal.  ¡°I don¡¯t like the way it makes me feel.¡±


    There were a few grunts made by the other soldiers surrounding them.


    Adding a smile, Rachel nodded while glancing around at the men.  ¡°Yeah, the sound means it¡¯s closing.  It should close in about twelve minutes; the Berets on the other side are packing up as fast as they can.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s relieving,¡± another man muttered, but by the look on his face, he wouldn¡¯t be happy until the crystal was gone.


    ¡°Alright, well, we¡¯re going to go talk with General Dallas,¡± Scarlet said, pulling on Rachel¡¯s arm.  ¡°Just make sure not to shoot the guys sending back supplies!¡±


    A few chuckles were heard around them as the men smirked at one another.  ¡°No promises,¡± one joked.


    Rachel giggled while waving them off, and she turned back to Scarlet with a furrowed brow as they walked toward the tunnel leading out of the enclosed area, ears scanning conversations.  ¡°I hear Maria and Fiona walking toward us.  You went out first?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well,¡± Scarlet¡¯s left fang poked through, pulling back on her lower lip.  ¡°I just was worried about you.  We reported back, and ¡­ wait, you know about what we did?¡±


    They walked around and passed by the guards behind concrete barriers in front of the tunnel; Maria and Fiona were following the outer edges of the dome, walking toward the entrance.  The gray texture of the walls gave the scene a bleak aesthetic.


    Rachel glanced down at Scarlet to give her a wink as she looked up at her.  ¡°The aliens were watching you guys and commentating ¡­ man, they got the wrong idea of the situation,¡± she mumbled, shifting the orange block held against her right hip.


    Scarlet¡¯s steps slowed, a lump dropping down her throat while her head lowered to the floor.  ¡°E-Everything?  What about¡­¡±


    ¡°Everything,¡± Rachel repeated, bumping into her with a soft giggle.  ¡°What are you embarrassed about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Scarlet mumbled, hitting her stomach.  ¡°So, umm, what were they like?¡±


    ¡°The aliens?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!  Don¡¯t they have crazy tech?¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath, smile falling slightly.  ¡°They were something ¡­ I wonder how much damage and good we might have done.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  She asked, leaning forward a bit to study the box in her arms.  ¡°Are you talking about that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only the start of it,¡± Rachel whispered, ears falling a little as her mind accelerated.


    The damage that we can do by spreading human culture ¡­ will they ever be the same?  Probably not.  The things we could teach and learn from the countless worlds that are opening up to us is ¡­ it¡¯s exciting, but also terrifying.


    I always thought the world would come together if we had a global crisis, but after seeing this ¡­ everyone is closing themselves off, crying out for protection rather than unifying.  People want to be protected; they want to feel safe.


    It¡¯s not about unity but survival, and I¡¯m no different ¡­ in fact, I want more danger.  I don¡¯t want peace, as bad as that sounds.  I want conflict, and death inevitably will follow.


    Some of the things she¡¯d heard from movies and songs touched her mind.


    If you keep messing around with darkness, then you¡¯re the one who¡¯s losing ¡­ yet I keep being pulled toward this void.  Could it be me?  I mean, it¡¯s by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life ¡­ Grandpa always said that.


    Yet it¡¯s said whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process they don¡¯t become a monster themselves, but ¡­ what if I can¡¯t help it?  This method of delving into the darkness within myself ¡­ and what I see around me is¡­


    She licked her lips, and a pulse shot down her spine to the tip of her tail as Scarlet slowly lifted to stare at her.


    Conflict fascinates me.  Is that really just Lunar Pride, or something else entirely?  If the information isn¡¯t coming ¡­ Lunar Pride isn¡¯t the sole cause ¡­ that¡¯s terrifying.  Can I not escape where I¡¯m heading?  Do I even want to?


    ¡°Rachel?¡±


    She breathed out a long sigh before whispering, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.  I¡¯m just thinking ¡­ I feel like my eyes have been distorted since The Oscillation.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s tone lowered with her eyes.  ¡°I get that.¡±


    They both fell into silence, and Rachel returned to the darkness swirling inside her mind, activating Emotional Detachment.


    Crystals will come, and worlds will need to be conquered.  It¡¯s a reality to us now, that the world will soon discover.  There¡¯s bound to be pushback, but I can¡¯t help thinking the war machine will start-up, and humanity will find a new field of discovery.  If there¡¯s one thing that rivals humanity¡¯s drive for war, it¡¯s discovery ¡­ mix those, and it spells the disaster of worlds.


    Can we escape the horror to come?  No ¡­ not as I see it.  We are going to boom as a world, but ultimately, this is how everything is.  Harmony with nature is only a human concept.  Insects, animals, reptiles ¡­ they don¡¯t think about peace.  Orcas and monkeys are extremely vindictive and savage.


    Even if humanity weren¡¯t here, then another race would just climb up to the top and destroy everything.  Organisms, in general, on our planet, are conquering life forms, and we dominate this natural selection pyramid.


    There really never was any hope to change this direction the moment it hit our planet.  There will always be losers; that is how this system was designed.  Only those with power have options, and humanity only has two choices, destroy or be destroyed; so, nothing really has changed.


    Rachel glanced up at the sky as they left the tunnel, face devoid of emotion.  I retained a bit of my humanity, but I¡¯m not the same person I was.  It might have been a gradual change, but I¡¯m changing in drastic ways, and I know I¡¯m not the only one.  One out of every hundred and forty-four people ¡­ I could walk back and kill every soldier surrounding that crystal if I wanted, and I wouldn¡¯t blink an eye.


    Deactivating Emotional Detachment, Rachel breathed out a heavy sigh as Maria and Fiona came into view, walking around the gray concrete dome that had been created around the crystal.


    ¡°Aye, chicas!¡±  Maria yelled.  ¡°We rule ¡­ what¡¯s up with y¡¯all?  Y¡¯all look like ya just came out of a morgue.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, something wrong?¡±  Fiona asked, floating around them while glancing down at the orange box under Rachel¡¯s arm.  ¡°Are the aliens going to be a problem?¡±


    ¡°Eh, didn¡¯t we feel that pulse, though?  Isn¡¯t it over?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s over,¡± Rachel said, masking her inner thoughts with a bright mask.  ¡°I was just telling Scarlet that I saw everything you guys did!  You were making me look bad in front of the aliens!¡±


    Maria¡¯s head cocked slightly while squinting her eyes.  ¡°Huh?  Whatcha talkin¡¯ about?  We killed it!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Fiona huffed, folding her arms as she huffed out her cheeks for a moment.  ¡°We were awesome!¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, totally,¡± Rachel chuckled, holding up her hands defensively.  ¡°The aliens thought you guys were basically gods!¡±


    ¡°For real?¡±  Fiona asked, lowering a bit and glancing back at Maria.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if we were that awesome.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but we were totally boss!¡±  Maria muttered, folding her arms.  ¡°I even teleported us.¡±


    ¡°Is that flower cold in there?¡±  Rachel asked, pointing at Maria¡¯s bust.


    Maria¡¯s cheeks reddened.  ¡°No, it¡¯s actually pretty ¡­ wait, is that why you were embarrassed by us?  Well, yeah ¡­ we could have brought a bag or somethin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s up next?¡±  Rachel asked, glancing between them.  ¡°I just got back with Scarlet.  You both talk to Tom?¡±


    A dazzling smile lightened Maria¡¯s cheeks.  ¡°Well, I¡¯m apparently pretty important, ya know?  They got me¡­¡±


    Fiona cut in hastily, bobbing up and down in the air.  ¡°Maria made a deal to get my family to the States!  I¡¯m so excited!  Oh, and she¡¯s going to go around healing a ton of people for the¡­¡±


    ¡°Aye, let a chica speak, peque?o duendecillo!¡±


    ¡°Right, right,¡± Fiona giggled.  ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to steal your thunder; I¡¯m just so ¡­ I want to see my family so badly!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you,¡± Rachel commented.


    ¡°Yeah, congratulations,¡± Scarlet said, trying to give Fiona a real smile.  ¡°A loving family would be nice¡­¡±  She mumbled.


    ¡°Yeah, I love my little hermanito,¡± Maria sighed, giving her a fond smile.  ¡°Aye, what if my lil bro hangs out with your lil sis?¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Fiona¡¯s smile turned forced.  ¡°Let¡¯s take it one step at a time.  She can be pretty shy.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she work in a bar?¡±


    ¡°Family bar,¡± Fiona chuckled.  ¡°Everyone knows each other in our little town; no one crosses the line.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to meeting them,¡± Rachel said, folding her hands behind her back, underneath her long white pink-hued hair.  ¡°What¡¯s going on with you and the government, Maria?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so, Uncle Sam needs my help with some healing and as some kind of stability symbol or some shit.  I¡¯m gonna fly around for the next few days doing some stuff, but then I¡¯ll be back in Miami.¡±


    ¡°That will be nice,¡± Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°I¡¯ll be heading back to see my parents.  I need to clear up a few things with them.¡±


    Scarlet released a disapproving hum.  ¡°You aren¡¯t going to let them walk all over you, right?¡±


    Rachel glanced down, ears twitching as she heard the groups of soldiers moving around the area, still preparing to receive the nuke.  ¡°I can¡¯t really say, to be honest.  We¡¯ll see how things go when I get there ¡­ I handle things differently now.  I may not be the same daughter they remember, but they¡¯re still my parents.¡±


    ¡°I get it,¡± Scarlet muttered.


    Fiona and Maria looked between them with raised eyebrows but didn¡¯t press the gloomy atmosphere.


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Maria muttered.  ¡°Since Tom felt the crystal pulse, he¡¯s said we¡¯re clear to start preparing to head out.  He¡¯s expecting you to make a quick report; oh, and you can ask for whatever you want!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears stiffened, and her red eyes shot to Maria¡¯s bright smile.  ¡°Wait ¡­ say that again; I can ask for anything I want?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah!¡±  Maria gave her a thumbs up.  ¡°I made a deal with Uncle Sam, remember?  I gotta look out for my chica!  Scarlet still hasn¡¯t said what she wants, but yeah, get out your bucket list.¡±


    Stretching out her arms, Rachel groaned, shirt rising a little to show her innie belly button and flat abs.  ¡°So, are we going to meet up later?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we should meet up at my block!¡±  Maria voiced before anyone else had a chance.¡±


    ¡°Sure, okay,¡± Rachel shrugged.


    Fiona nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m cool with that; I want to see this feral teenager Maria talks about.¡±


    Maria¡¯s smile fell.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ Elena is a bit of a beast; you know, it doesn¡¯t shock me at all that she turned into a Honey Badger Beastkin ¡­ girl¡¯s vicious and has a head as thick as a steel drum.¡±


    ¡°What about your mom?¡±  Scarlet asked.  ¡°I haven¡¯t heard you talk about her.¡±


    Everyone went silent as Maria opened her mouth, picking between her teeth.  ¡°My mom ¡­ yeah, never met her.  I mean, yeah, she was there when I was a little girl, but it¡¯s not like I remember her.  She skipped out on my dad just after havin¡¯ Felix.  Can¡¯t say she didn¡¯t give me anything, right?¡±  She said with a sniff.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ sorry,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°I, umm¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Maria shrugged.  ¡°Without chaos, nothin¡¯ evolves, right?  Me and my brother had our aunt Eloisa, and she¡¯s our jeffitas; she¡¯s gettin¡¯ along in years, but yeah, come around, chicas, and we¡¯ll put it down.


    ¡°You know we puttin¡¯ griffa in our pipas; whatever you want, we can get it, and we¡¯ll make some homemade tortillas, throw on a barbecue, pop some twelve-packs of frias, and hang with the homies.  When we run out, we can roll down to the store in my primo to get some pisto, ya know?  Tom says we be gettin¡¯ businesses back up soon, and I got some stuff in the works.¡±


    Fiona giggled.  ¡°You¡¯re a good girl with good intentions, though I gotta say, you leave bad impressions, my chica!¡±


    ¡°Ya get me!¡±  Maria laughed.  ¡°If I could press rewind and turn back time, I wouldn¡¯t change a thing, cuz this is me, the way I live, homie, it¡¯s what I bring!¡±


    ¡°It certainly is,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°I can¡¯t wait to hang out with your friends and family.¡±


    ¡°The real neighborhood experience!¡±  Scarlet giggled, finally starting to laugh.


    Rachel and Scarlet got Maria¡¯s block information in Miami-Dade County before going their separate ways, Maria and Fiona heading to the Billings Airfield.


    Scarlet and Rachel took the short walk back to the mobile home that Tom was using as a base; she could hear him breathing a heavy sigh while playing with something in his hands, a tablet by the sound of the inner components.


    Glancing down at Scarlet, Rachel¡¯s lips curved slightly.  Our life¡¯s been on pause the last few days, but now we¡¯re going back ¡­ that¡¯s a lot of baggage for Scarlet.  Does she have anywhere else to go?


    Rachel cleared her throat, drawing Scarlet¡¯s blue irises.  ¡°So, do you have any other family in the States?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s long left fang poked out again as her eyes fell to the ground, and a cool gust shot through the still winter air, fluttering their hair.  After a moment, she shook her head.  ¡°No ¡­ everyone on my dad¡¯s side died young.  I¡¯m pretty sure I have a cousin somewhere in Arizona, but my family never kept up with them.


    ¡°My mom was an only child, too, and my grandparents both died when I was thirteen in a freak boating accident ¡­ I think, who knows,¡± she muttered.  ¡°My parents¡¯ friends ¡­ they felt like family ¡­ they were over all the time.¡±  She went silent, fangs poking out, and pressing against her lips.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Rachel whispered.  ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to bring back bad memories.¡±


    She shook her head again.  ¡°No, I get it ¡­ I just ¡­ no, I don¡¯t really have anywhere to go.¡±  She said, rubbing her left arm while looking away.  ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out, though ¡­ I¡¯m sure the government would ¡­ I don¡¯t know, give me a job or something.¡±


    Reaching around Scarlet¡¯s shoulder, Rachel pulled her in, readjusting the cube against her right hip.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, okay?  I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Scarlet asked, pulling back her hair to stare up at her.


    Rachel slid her tongue over her lips as they felt dry.  ¡°We¡¯ll see, but Maria¡¯s right.  We gotta look out for each other.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªstill don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying,¡± Scarlet muttered.


    ¡°Do I need to spell it out?¡±  Rachel laughed, squeezing her shoulder.  ¡°I¡¯m going to see if I can get you to come back home with me.¡±


    ¡°No, what?¡±  Scarlet blurted.  ¡°What about your parents?  They wouldn¡¯t want a Vampire in their home!¡±


    ¡°You let me worry about that,¡± Rachel winked down at her.  ¡°I¡¯ve got something in mind with what Maria told us.  Well, let¡¯s go see Tom, and drop this block off!  We¡¯ve got plans to make.¡±


    They walked the rest of the way to the mobile home in silence, but she could tell that Scarlet didn¡¯t want to give her hopes up; Rachel knew she had to make this work, she¡¯d already given Scarlet her word that she wouldn¡¯t abandon her.


    This shouldn¡¯t be too big of a request ¡­ it¡¯s the biggest thing Tom could do for me, and it could mean so much to my parents.


    Tom turned around as they opened the door, and he gave them a tired chuckle.  ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned, Rachel.  You did it, and I¡±m sorry about dropping all that political crap on you earlier.  I was a bit stressed and just needed someone to complain to.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Rachel said, sitting next to him, and Scarlet took the seat across from her.  ¡°I¡¯m pretty apolitical when it comes to most things unless it directly affects me.  I¡¯m sure I should keep a sharp eye on what the government is doing with what¡¯s to come, though.¡±


    ¡°No joke,¡± Tom muttered, setting down his tablet.  ¡°I won¡¯t bore you with my frustrations with bureaucracy.  What happened, and what¡¯s with that orange box?¡±


    She set the box on the table and nudged it to him.  ¡°It¡¯s basically like a nuclear reactor.¡±


    Tom and Scarlet stiffened.


    ¡°A what?¡±  Tom blustered, quickly scooting back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Rachel giggled.  ¡°It¡¯s sealed in this box, and I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s radioactive ¡­ maybe even worse for all I know, but it should be safe in there.  It¡¯s the Power Core of the alien ship, and from what I could tell ¡­ this thing has some serious power.  I don¡¯t know exactly how much, but a lot to do the things those aliens did.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned,¡± Tom grunted.  Leaning back with a long yawn, he closed his eyes before relaxing a little.  ¡°Another Power Core ¡­ China and Russia aren¡¯t going to be happy about that if they find out.  The Azure Frost is a world destroying Relic by itself, and now we have an alien Power Core.¡±


    ¡°Relic?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s what we¡¯re calling items of power brought back from other worlds, and we¡¯re starting a ranking system for them.  We need certain protocols for certain danger levels with things brought to our country.  The Azure Frost is Negative Triple-S Tier, but what will this one be?¡±


    ¡°Okay, explain that again,¡± Scarlet pressed, eyes lighting up.  ¡°Are you using a grading system for items?  It sounds like games do it!¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Tom nibbled on his lower lip before opening his eyes.  ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing reports about a particular Class of people, which includes Demi and even Legendkin that are Artificers, basically, yes, they¡¯re like gaming Blacksmiths and Crafters from what reports are saying¡­ there are even magical chefs that make special food; even the food items have different tiers and ranks.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you who, but there¡¯s a Legendkin Artificer that broke some of these explanations down to us.  He can¡¯t craft these yet, but this strange system gave him this information.


    ¡°You have Tiers, Tripple-S dropping down to F, and Grades within those, namely Negative, Standard, and Positive.  For comparison, The Azure Frost would qualify as the lowest level of Triple-S Relic.  What Artificers can craft are called Artifacts, using materials from our world or others.  It¡¯s a pretty complicated system overall, but the possibilities are frightening.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched with excitement, but she tried to keep a straight face.  ¡°That would be difficult from a governing position.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Tom muttered.  ¡°The Second Amendment is in place to counter a tyrannical government, and while they meant it to mean the people can stand up to the government if it went authoritarian ¡­ I don¡¯t think the Founders considered world-ending items in that equation, and now other countries can even get these types of weapons by the luck of the draw.


    ¡°It just means to protect ourselves, the U.S. is going to have to dive headfirst into this world conquest game.  We can¡¯t fall behind, and we must assume China and Russia are getting this same information.  It¡¯s a mess right now,¡± he groaned.  ¡°Why¡¯d this have to happen when I have to advise the President?¡±


    ¡°I can see it is quite the pickle,¡± Rachel said, pursing her lips.  ¡°So, we can now craft legendary items to help us in these world conquests?  That¡¯s really something ¡­ and I can¡¯t see any way out of it.  We¡¯re a world at war with the universe, now.¡±


    Tom shook his head, rubbing his bald head with a low groan.  ¡°The President and his advisors are going crazy over the implications.  No nation has ever survived a war on multiple fronts for very long, and there¡¯s seemingly no end from the information we have.  It¡¯s just a wave survival horror, but we have been given a massive advantage, I suppose, with The Oscillation event.¡±


    Sucking on his lower lip for a moment, Tom stretched out his arms.  ¡°I can¡¯t imagine the stress right now on the President.  He¡¯s literally making history with every decision he makes that affects over three hundred million people ¡­ it¡¯s insane, but it has to happen.  Who would want to be in that position?  No matter what you do, people will criticize you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t imagine,¡± Scarlet muttered.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I¡¯m going to go grab a quick blood bag.  My fangs are throbbing¡­¡±


    Tom and Rachel smiled at her as the shadows embraced her.


    When she left, Rachel took the opportunity to pose her question.  ¡°I need something from the President, Tom.¡±


    ¡°The President?¡±  Tom asked, head snapping back to her.


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Yes.  I don¡¯t know how much time we have for me to explain, but I need to get on my parents¡¯ good side.  They voted for our current President and really approved of him.  I need a way to show them that I¡¯ve accomplished something important in this crisis; I know I can¡¯t tell them about all of this, but I can imply I did something essential to national security.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Tom muttered.  ¡°Well, you will be getting The Presidential Medal of Freedom for your service here.  It might be a little bit before we can set that up, but it will be a national thing that¡¯s publicized for your help at South Beach, and we¡¯ll mention that you also aided the U.S. government during this time of crisis in other matters, yes, involving national security.¡±


    Her tail and ears twitched with excitement.  Eat that Nam and Alexa!  I¡¯ll have the last laugh, and this should give me just the fuel I need to get Scarlet and the others into the family.  Maria becoming held up as the beacon of hope for the nation will help a ton, too.


    ¡°Thank you, Tom,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°If I may, could I ask you to have the President or even the Vice-President ready for a video call from me shortly after I get back home?  What I have planned is that I¡¯ll call him as I step into my parents¡¯ house; it will put weight to everything I tell them.¡±


    Tom¡¯s smile widened.  ¡°Ever the schemer, eh?  I like your plan, but I can¡¯t promise anything ¡­ I mean, their time is pretty stretched thin, as you can imagine, but ¡­ I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    ¡°Good, because Scarlet will be coming home with me, and well, with Vampire¡¯s images.  It will take something big for my parents to accept her into the home.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see now,¡± Tom nodded, clicking his tongue.  ¡°Yeah, I could see that being an issue.  Well, okay, I¡¯ll have a¡­¡±


    He paused as Scarlet appeared back in her chair from shadows, three blood packs in hand.  ¡°Okay, back!  Oh, sorry, was I interrupting?¡±  She asked with concern, glancing between them.


    Tom shook his head with a soft smile.  ¡°No, you¡¯re good, Scarlet.  I was just telling Rachel that I¡¯m going to have a plane ready for you guys to head back to Miami in the next two hours; it will only be a cargo plane hauling military supplies for relief, but it¡¯ll get you there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that right,¡± Scarlet said, hiding her lips by biting into a blood pack; her eyes turned red as she sucked up the liquid.


    Tom must have sensed the tense atmosphere, but he just continued on like he didn¡¯t notice.  ¡°Mhm, and I¡¯ll have phones waiting for you when you land.  Give me a call when you arrive, Rachel, and I¡¯ll have an answer for you; my number will be automatically programmed in.


    ¡°Thanks, Tom.  Alright, then, why don¡¯t we get down to business?¡±  Rachel giggled.


    Scarlet silently moved between her bags of blood while Rachel explained what happened in the alien ship and went into detail about the strange behavior the crystals exhibit.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 19. Stomach Sickness

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park


    Recap:  Rachel is now getting ready to head home, and she''s bringing Scarlet, but our Lunar Hare has met a foe that is most terrifying...


    Rachel tried to sleep, but she couldn¡¯t stop worrying about the meeting with her parents; the feeling was worse than all the drastic changes and events she¡¯d gone through over the past few days, and ever since she¡¯d entered the Boeing seven-forty-seven UPS cargo plane Tom had arranged, her stomach had been doing summersaults.


    Her ears twitched, and she was doing her best to filter out as much sound as possible; the wind, creaking metal, and sound of the pilots dominated much of her senses, much like the helicopter ride.  It was clear that the passengers that rode previously in this colossal plane smoked, despite the bans on most flights.


    She opened her eyes, staring down at her change of clothes; Scarlet and she had gone to one of the local thrift stores with someone from the military that was in charge of cataloging everything used to pick out a new outfit before showering.


    Scarlet found a white slim-fit Racerback shirt with a black design on the front, showing a crown with a crescent moon at the top and a sleek hare¡¯s head inside.  Written across the base were the words Hare Majesty; it seemed like a rather obscure local brand, but Scarlet couldn¡¯t get enough of it.


    Rachel was utterly opposed to the idea, but after some badgering, she gave in to the request, pairing it with slim-fit Racerback and black mid-rise yoga pants.  She cut a hole in the back for her tail, and in all, it wasn¡¯t a terrible look.


    Her hands pressed against her abdomen, and she sucked on her lower lip.  How is this even possible; do I have stomach acid?  I feel sick to my stomach, but I don¡¯t even know if I can get sick anymore ¡­ it must be a mental thing.


    At the same time, if I use Emotional Detachment, then it doesn¡¯t solve the problem but just masks the effects, and it¡¯ll just hit me like a train when I turn it off.  Maybe if I turn it on until I finish talking to mom and dad.  No ¡­ I want to be myself with them.  They need to know me, not some fake version.


    Unbuckling her seatbelt, she got up, head shifting to get a full sweep of their little area.  She had no clue these massive flights could carry people, but there was a decent-sized space above the cargo that fit up to sixteen people.  The chairs weren¡¯t the best but were better than most coach seats she¡¯d sat in.


    Most of the other passengers were military officers that had been called back to support Miami¡¯s military branch and were asleep, but there were two that seemed to be content reading books.  All the windows had been taped up and sealed off for Scarlet¡¯s sunburn issues, which had sparked a few conversations at the start of the flight, but things had long since settled down, and they were exhausted from the work that needed to be done in Billings.


    Rachel scooted out of her seat, using the table in front of them as support before heading back to the restroom.  She closed the door behind her before taking in a deep breath, puffing out her cheeks as she let it out.


    She yawned, stretching out a little, but the action quickly made her stomach more nauseous.  ¡°Get a grip,¡± she muttered, closing her eyes while pressing her forehead against the mirror¡¯s cool surface.  Her ears sliding back as she groaned, holding her abdomen.


    What¡¯s mom and dad going to think about how I look?  Will they even recognize me?  Probably not ¡­ I only partially look similar to my original self.  My hair¡¯s pinkish-white and ultra-thick, I¡¯m thinner ¡­ well, some parts of me, and let¡¯s not forget the tail and ears.  I don¡¯t even have human ears anymore.  My skin glows slightly when I have Lunar Energy, and I only have a few Asian characteristics, now.


    She opened her glowing scarlet-colored irises, staring at the pink-hued petals surrounding her pink center pupil, framed by a maroon ring that was followed by a white halo.  My eyes are pretty bizarre ¡­ no wonder people get uncomfortable when I stare at them.  Alexa will no doubt make several unsavory comments about my appearance.


    Taking a deep breath, she let it out again, trying to ease the tension in her chest, but no matter what she did, the feelings remained.  Maybe it¡¯s good I feel this way; it means I¡¯m still a bit normal ¡­ damn, I look cute with my ears pulled back, though ¡­ like a bunny pleading.


    Rachel closed her eyes again, groaning softly while brushing back her bangs to rub her forehead.  ¡°I¡¯m more of a mess than when I was thrown through three buildings ¡­ at least I could punch Conner to feel better.¡±


    She pulled down the toilet cover, sitting down while cupping her face with her hands.  C¡¯mon ¡­ I went into an alien ship without backup, killed a legend, saved thousands if not billions of lives ¡­ yet, even the threat of the world ending isn¡¯t as stressful as meeting my parents for the first time after I changed.  How does that make any sense?  It doesn¡¯t!


    A few low whimpers left her throat.  It¡¯s not just me, I guess ¡­ this is also about Scarlet and my parents, Fiona and Maria, in extension.  A lot has changed ¡­ a lot.  I doubt I¡¯ll be a lawyer anymore ¡­ I¡¯ve lost all interest in it.  Dad will bring that up, and what should I tell him?  He¡¯ll want an answer ¡­ what are my plans for the future?


    Well ¡­ I can mention a few things like the modeling, contracting with the government, and I have some inside knowledge about some industries that will likely come about that I can prepare for.  Still, he¡¯ll want something concrete that he can hold up to the family name with pride.  If worse comes to worst, then I can always call Grandpa.


    She hung her head.  Grandpa¡¯s so old-school, though.  Still, there¡¯s not a chance he¡¯d turn me away; family is one of the cornerstones of his philosophy, even if he¡¯s got a lot of old traditions.  The Jindan¡­


    Her lips pursed, remembering back to the summers when her Grandfather forced her to participate in his breathing exercises.  ¡°The ding of the jing, qi, and shen,¡± she repeated softly.  ¡°Who knows ¡­ maybe there¡¯s something to gain out of that with this new system.  It¡¯s right up Jinda¡¯s alley.¡±


    Leaning against the back of the toilet, she rested her head against the wall, feeling the vibrations ripple down her frame.  It¡¯s been a year since I¡¯ve seen Grandpa.  That might be nice, and it¡¯s always an option, even if he can be a bit weird.  He did start the company with dad and built it up before retiring, and he¡¯s got plenty of room in that massive house he had built.


    Remembering back on a few of the breathing exercises, Rachel tried one of the entry-level techniques, and was a little surprised to find it working.  Her nerves eased a bit, and she smiled.  Breathing is a way to relieve stress, I suppose, and there¡¯s bound to be better ways to do it than others.


    Rachel returned to her seat and leaned back, trying to relax; she couldn¡¯t fall asleep, but her body did better when she did the exercises.  Scarlet was still fast asleep, leaned up against the side of the window with a pillow.  The scary part was that she didn¡¯t seem to breathe when sleeping.


    The plane touched down at Miami International Airport, and they were met with some unpleasant news.  It was still daylight, which meant that Scarlet would need to get in a cargo container to be transported to a warehouse and wait until nightfall.


    Scarlet rubbed her left arm, vampiric eyes filtering out the plane to look outside.  ¡°Really, a shipping container?¡±  She asked, concerned features returning to the soldier that had informed them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ma¡¯am, but it¡¯s the best we can do.¡±  He shrugged apologetically.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll join you,¡± Rachel reassured.  ¡°I¡¯d rather not lose all the Lunar Energy I¡¯ve built up anyways.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Rachel,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to sound like a baby, but it¡¯s just ¡­ a shipping container.  Well ¡­ I guess it¡¯s no different than a cargo plane ¡­ we were just shipped back to Miami, right?¡±  She chuckled nervously.


    ¡°Yeah, you could say that,¡± Rachel giggled.  ¡°Umm, what about some phones that are waiting for us?¡±  She asked.


    The man shook his head.  ¡°I haven¡¯t been told anything about that.  All I¡¯ve been told is that there should be some things waiting for you when you get to the warehouse.


    Rachel smiled at the man.  ¡°Okay, thank you.  Will you bring one in for us?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, we have one that has room inside; I don¡¯t think you want to wait several hours while we get all the other stuff out, close the plane all up and put you back in.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that will work,¡± Rachel hummed, ¡°but Scarlet could just teleport us into a sealed-off car.  I don¡¯t know if you have something like that, but it¡¯s just an option.¡±


    ¡°Eh, yeah,¡± he muttered.  ¡°Let me run that up the chain real fast.¡±


    He flipped channels on his radio, moving off to the side of the cabin; the other military members had already left.


    ¡°You still want me to come with you?¡±  Scarlet hesitantly asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rachel replied, nudging her shoulder.  ¡°What, are you saying you don¡¯t want to come with me?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not it!  I just¡ªI don¡¯t want to cause problems.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t keep thinking, that,¡± Rachel chided, putting her hands on her hips.  ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re a great person to be around, and if it¡¯s a problem, then I¡¯d have said it was.  Put some faith in me; I¡¯ve set everything up, okay?¡±


    Scarlet looked down at the floor.  ¡°Yeah, okay,¡± she whispered.  ¡°I get it.  Is there¡ªI don¡¯t know, anything I can do for you?¡±


    Rachel forced a smile.  ¡°Umm, yeah¡ªtry not to judge my family too harshly.  We may be a bit different than the normal American household, but I know my parents still care about me.  It¡¯s just in a different way than most parents.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have anything good to compare your parents to,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°Who knows where my mother is, and my dad¡­¡±


    ¡°Your mother ¡­ right,¡± Rachel whispered, puffing out a long breath.  ¡°Yeah, I know there¡¯s nothing I can say to make it better.¡±


    I don¡¯t know if I should say anything, but it doesn¡¯t feel right.  Relica disappeared around the same time her mother escaped her cell, and then there¡¯s the guys Scarlet mind broke ¡­ those are some loose ends that could come back to bite us.  They¡¯re a big enough threat that the government is on the hunt for them.


    Scarlet smiled softly, shaking her head.  ¡°No, you¡¯ve done more than I could ever thank you for.  To be honest¡ªyou almost seem like a good older sister to me.  I hope that¡¯s not weird.  You¡¯ve just been there for me when I felt like the whole world was trying to crush me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not weird at all,¡± Rachel smiled, feeling a warmth touch her chest.  ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever really wanted a little sister, but if this is what having a sister is like, then I¡¯d never throw that away.  I¡¯ve grown closer to you, Maria, and Fiona ¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can compare it to anything.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Scarlet whispered, blue irises appearing as she looked up at her.  ¡°I feel like I¡¯m building a new family with you guys, and ¡­ I know it¡¯s not fair, but¡ªI don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if anything happened to you all.  It¡¯s like you¡¯re keeping me from drifting away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to be that rope around your waist,¡± Rachel laughed.


    ¡°Otherwise,¡± Scarlet¡¯s eyes pulled in as if gazing deep within herself.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do ¡­ what Scarlet might do.¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t need to worry about that!¡±


    They both turned as the man returned with a half-smile.  ¡°Well, umm¡ªyeah, so they like that idea.  It cuts out some of the leg-work and should shave off some time with unloading.  It¡¯s a win-win.  A car is being prepared right now; it shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°That¡¯s great, and could you ask about the phones again?  It¡¯s just really important.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªyeah, yeah, no problem,¡± the man replied.  ¡°Give me a minute.¡±


    Scarlet folded her arms with a frown, and she whispered, ¡°A phone ¡­ who would I call?¡±


    ¡°Me,¡± Rachel quickly replied.  ¡°You also have Maria and Fiona ¡­ we¡¯ll need to figure out something for our little fairy friend, though,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°It¡¯s taller than she is.¡±


    Scarlet giggled.  ¡°She¡¯d be depressed about that ¡­ I¡¯ve had so many thoughts running through my mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh, like?¡±  Rachel asked, knowing they were questions reflecting upon her horrible situation.


    ¡°Well ¡­ it¡¯s a bit embarrassing,¡± Scarlet mumbled, ¡°but they¡¯re from popular songs I¡¯d listen to ¡­ it doesn¡¯t make them mean less to me, though.¡±


    ¡°No, I get it,¡± Rachel sat back on an arm of one of the seats.  ¡°Shoot.¡±


    ¡°Well ¡­ would you know what love is if hate didn¡¯t exist?¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Rachel said with a smirk.  ¡°We¡¯d all be dominated, oppressed, and ultimately eaten by malevolent creatures for whom we felt love.  How I see it, there¡¯s a biological and logical reason why hate exists.  Some expressions of hate serve to make the world a better place in my eyes; after all, it¡¯s just an expression of revulsion or moral indignation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very logical of you,¡± Scarlet chuckled softly.  ¡°Like how you don¡¯t know about heartbreak if your heart was always fixed.  There¡¯s evil in this world we can¡¯t control ¡­ blood to be shared or mouths to be fed.¡±


    Rachel brushed back her hair, leaning against the side of the chair while folding her ears to the side.  ¡°If I remember right, that song says there¡¯s no such thing as a new past, and we survive, or we don¡¯t last.  What¡¯s it good for with nothing to fight for?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Scarlet smiled, but it soon faded as she sat on the seat behind her, pulling her long black hair around.  ¡°So let the punches roll, right ¡­ it¡¯s just¡ªsometimes I think I¡¯m crazy, and other times it¡¯s like nothing seems to faze me.  I¡¯m afraid that I believe in nothing anymore ¡­ like this is all just a nightmare.


    ¡°Now that everything¡¯s settling down, it¡¯s all sinking in.  What am I fighting for?  Where am I supposed to put all these emotions inside ¡­ I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to always hear about my messed up mind.  How¡¯d I get so far behind everyone else?  I mean, you seem fine, but me ¡­ I¡¯m sick and tired of all this tension inside me, but I¡¯m also afraid of letting it go.  It¡¯s like a war inside my chest and mind, but everything I¡¯ve done, it¡¯s too late, I can¡¯t take it back.¡±


    Rachel closed her eyes, chuckling softly.


    ¡°What?¡±  Scarlet asked sheepishly.  ¡°Too much?  Should I stop talking about it?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Rachel sighed, opening her eyes to look up at the ceiling.  ¡°There are times I scare myself, too ¡­ the fire burning inside me that pushes me toward danger.  Much of what happened in Miami was because of Lunar Pride ¡­ or that¡¯s what I tell myself, but I can¡¯t really say.  The fight with Conner changed something within me ¡­ it¡¯s like I like to play with fire and let it burn me.  Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m crazy?¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re both insane inside,¡± Scarlet whispered.  ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why we connected so much.¡±


    They both laughed, but Rachel¡¯s mind pulled back to something that did concern her, the thing inside Scarlet.  Yet, at the same time, she wanted to understand it so she could experience the danger herself; the thought of facing The Reaper of Blood made her tail quiver.


    I feel like an unstoppable mythical animal ¡­ danger gets me high, rolling the dice to see if I can come out on top and the struggle along the way.  Every day it gets worse ¡­ I think even Tom¡¯s legal prediction would get my blood hot at this point.  How close can I ride the edge of insanity before I go too far?  The Reaper of Blood should be way beyond that line, but what do I really know about her?


    The more I get to know Scarlet, the more it seems like an entity of its own, and that¡¯s ¡­ exciting.  Was she created from The Oscillation or some ability born out of it ¡­ or did she have something to do with the event itself?


    The man returned shortly after they finished.  ¡°So, it looks like there will be some phones in the car; the latest models from the big Galaxy kings themselves,¡± he said with an impressed nod.


    Rachel gave him a thumbs up.  ¡°Thanks.  Please let us know when it arrives.¡±


    He moved off to climb down the ladder to the level below.  ¡°You got it.¡±


    Scarlet and Rachel fell silent as they turned inward; her thoughts reflected on the song Scarlet had heard The Reaper sing, feeling an excited shiver run through her spine, transferring down to her tail.


    Breaking down the song, it really paints a horrifying picture that gets my skin itching.  I have a tale that time has lost, sins of judgment born of blood.  If this is The Reaper of Blood telling a story about something no one remembers, is that in reference to us or someone else?  We can¡¯t be the only humans in this massive network ¡­ it just doesn¡¯t seem probable.


    Sitting up, she pulled the armrest up before sitting down, pulling her hair around to her front, and leaning the chair back.


    Sins of judgment born of blood ¡­ does that mean in this story, these people¡¯s sins were passed on through their blood; inherited sin from their forefathers or the shedding of blood?  Well, the next part starts painting a picture of the sin, I suppose.


    She took a name from the one profaned; the chosen¡ªknow the dark but let it rest.  The chosen know the dark thing that is profaned, but she ¡­ The Reaper?  Is this a story about The Reaper¡¯s judgment, Scarlet¡¯s, or her mother¡¯s ¡­ who can tell?


    The next part really puts a shiver in me.  Born of graves and left below, painted ashes, painted snow; when the dark awakens, fires of your last hopes are burning low.  Blood of gods and blood of men, meet in union to ascend; fate has chosen, and your fading light is at its end.


    The profaned one ¡­ this dark thing awakens, born of graves, and left below.  Ashes and snow could be symbolic of the waste and devastation that comes with the dark¡¯s arrival.  The next part paints both gods and men dying together; no one can escape the coming awakening.


    That could be The Reaper of Blood herself, but it could also be this other being.  Maybe The Reaper ran away from this fate and is just singing some song carried from her world ¡­ wherever that might be.  Perhaps they found a way to manipulate the crystals themselves, and that caused a backlash in our planet?  It¡¯s all theories, but with scary implications.


    Then there¡¯s, fear not the dark, the monsters within; brace for the feast of humanity¡¯s end.  Is the dark the crystals and the monsters within them?  It¡¯s obvious that these are new planets or dimensions in themselves ¡­ there are real creatures and resources inside.  Who really knows.  Maybe we can tell by constellations in the sky if we get enough data.


    Life¡¯s breath flickers with the candlelight, lost souls in the dead of night seems connected to the part of humanity¡¯s end, but there could be dozens of other opinions.  The next part sounds extremely important, though.


    It¡¯s a long way down to the place I found, lurking silhouette waiting below¡ªdark sun, hollowed by the fade; that debt you live to repay¡ªyou see the blackness stare, promising to spare, the chosen.


    That¡¯s spoken by The Reaper herself ¡­ what place did she find?  It must be the dark thing that the chosen let rest.  That makes me think that she did something forbidden by taking a name from the one profaned ¡­ one of many?  Could it be an object, or is a name something more important to whatever creature she is or culture she¡¯s in?


    Dark sun, hollowed by the fade; that debt you live to repay ¡­ is that directed to Scarlet, The Reaper, or spoken to a group of people as a whole?  The blackness stare, promising to spare, the chosen ¡­ well, the chosen let the dark rest, and the blackness could be related to the dark ¡­ it could also be something else entirely, combatting whatever the dark is.


    Then we repeat the part about everything dying, but now we add your souls will char; flicker too and fro¡ªafraid to linger and to go; trapped in blood until my scythe has come to take you home.


    This seems entirely connected to The Reaper of Blood, which might be the name she stole from the profaned one.  People¡¯s souls will char or blacken, willpower failing them as running is just as bad as staying ¡­ wait, is this about her previous world?  She killed everyone and awoke the dark; the people had to choose their fate, die by the dark, or by The Reaper of Blood.  That would be a nightmare ¡­ and then it repeats about gods and men both dying together.


    A shiver ran down her body.  It¡¯s so fascinating that it can even pull my mind off the upcoming meeting with my parents.  It all makes me wonder if The Reaper of Blood is a ticking time bomb ¡­ and I¡¯d run right at it.  Will the dark follow us here if that¡¯s the case?  I don¡¯t know.  There are so many questions that arise out of that one dark lullaby, and I can¡¯t wait for the inevitable answers that will make my blood run hot.


    I really like Scarlet ¡­ she could be like a sister in time.  Right now, though ¡­ The Reaper of Blood just really makes my tail twitch, and I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s good or bad.


    It took twenty more minutes before the car was ready, leaving Rachel¡¯s mind to flip through all the possible threats that still surrounded them to distract herself from the upcoming family reunion.


    Scarlet had fallen asleep again within that time, and Rachel nudged her as the soldier returned.  ¡°Mhh ¡­ what¡¯s up¡ªis the car ready?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±  The soldier smiled cheerily.


    ¡°How can you be so happy all the time?¡±  Scarlet complained with a yawn as she stretched.  ¡°You¡¯re in like ¡­ a war zone here.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± the man chuckled.  ¡°A lot of order has returned, and in today¡¯s Presidential National Address, there¡¯s talk about the economy starting back up.  It¡¯s not the end of the world like all the news is reporting,¡± he muttered, rolling his eyes.  ¡°Although, yes, a lot of people lost their lives ¡­ there¡¯s a lot of funerals being prepared.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ funerals,¡± Scarlet whispered, blue irises falling to the table in front of her.  ¡°Those things¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  The man¡¯s eyebrows pulled together.  ¡°What do you mean?  Are they¡ªumm, different for Vampires?¡±


    ¡°No, just ¡­ it¡¯s a personal thing,¡± Rachel replied, knowing Scarlet was thinking back to when, in her panic, her blood had killed basically everyone she¡¯d grown up with.


    Will she want to have a funeral for them?  It might help her get over it, and their family is bound to have a service, but ¡­ will they be okay with Scarlet attending?  It¡¯s such a touchy and complicated situation.


    ¡°Well,¡± Scarlet said with a bright smile, vampiric eyes scanning the area outside.  ¡°Shall we get out of this tin can?¡±


    ¡°To enter another tin can,¡± Rachel chuckled with a sad sigh.  ¡°I can¡¯t wait until nighttime.¡±


    Rachel scooted over to the window seat as Scarlet took her spot, and they both waved at the soldier.  ¡°Thanks, again,¡± Scarlet said as shadows surrounded them.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 20. Closure

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park


    Recap:  Rachel is dealing with all the stomach twisting anxiety of meeting her parents for the first time after her change.


    The shadows around Rachel dispersed; her glowing red irises scanned the new colorful environment with mild interest.  They were in the back seat of what she could only describe as a limousine.  The curtains had all been pulled around the windows to help block the sun, and a light blue glow illuminated the bar in front of them.


    Scarlet leaned forward, causing the leather seats to make a stretching sound as she glanced around.  ¡°Wow, we¡¯re really inside a fancy limo.  I assumed this is what they meant since it was the only really acceptable car.  What do you think, Rachel?¡±


    A small smile lit Rachel¡¯s lips as she looked at the back where the only door was situated, ears tilting forward to graze the ceiling.  ¡°It¡¯s nice.  There¡¯s also some guy in the driver¡¯s seat looking around; well, I assume, he¡¯s a guy by the sound of his muscle movement.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s pretty beefy.  Isn¡¯t this cool?  We have our own chauffeur!¡±  Scarlet¡¯s blue eyes sparkled.


    ¡°I guess,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know how my parents would feel about us rolling in like this, but it¡¯s the best we¡¯ve got.  Alexa would probably make a big deal about it, though ¡­ she grew up riding in things like this.¡±


    Slight concern crossed Scarlet¡¯s features.  ¡°Wait, who¡¯s Alexa again?  Did you tell me about her?  I¡ªumm, is she your sister?  I thought you only had a brother.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªI¡¯m not a hundred percent sure I did, to be¡­¡±


    She paused as the driver¡¯s voice entered the conversation through speakers; it was deep and pleasant to Rachel¡¯s ears like a western late-night radio talk host.


    ¡°You girls¡¯ back there?¡±


    ¡°Umm, yes, Sir,¡± Scarlet promptly responded.  ¡°Are you with the Army?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be correct, Ma¡¯am; Marine Corps, to be specific, and I¡¯m a radio repairman that¡¯s assigned to Repair Company.¡±


    Scarlet seemed to be a little flustered by his military-like response.  ¡°Oh, well, umm ¡­ what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Lance Corporal Andrew P. Carpenter, Ma¡¯am.  Would you like me to relay my orders?  As I understand, you just got off a long flight from Billings, Montana.¡±


    Rachel forced a chuckle.  ¡°That would be great, Lance Corporal.  Eh, how should we address you?¡±


    ¡°Whatever is more comfortable for you.  Lance Corporal, Andrew, or Carpenter would suit me fine.¡±


    ¡°Andrew, then,¡± Rachel replied.  She rather enjoyed the way the military responded; the structure gave her a sense of ease.


    ¡°Very well.  I¡¯ve been told that I¡¯d be picking up some Demi VIPs ¡­ I understand that there are some changed that don¡¯t like that term.  Is it suitable?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s fine,¡± Scarlet quickly replied, glancing over at her.  Rachel smiled, giving her a nod as she continued.  ¡°I really like the term.  It makes me think about a bunch of anime shows I¡¯ve watched!¡±


    He cleared his throat before continuing.  ¡°That¡¯s great; I didn¡¯t want to offend you.  I was ordered to use this limo that was being prepared and to drive you around.  Both of your home addresses, your parents¡¯ listed work addresses, and a Miami University dorm address have been given to me.  However, I¡¯m told that one of you is sensitive to daylight?¡±


    Scarlet brow creased as she tucked her bottom lip under her teeth, fangs poking out, and Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed while looking at the black barrier separating them.


    Is he asking so he can roll down the windows or not?  That¡¯s a pretty loaded question that could be taken a lot of ways.


    ¡°Umm¡ªyes,¡± Scarlet muttered.  ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I suppose that would be a rather pointed question,¡± he sighed as the vehicle began to move.  ¡°My apologies.  It¡¯s currently eighteen-hundred hours ¡­ six P.M.  It will be another few hours until the sun has dipped below the horizon.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±  Scarlet¡¯s lips pursed to the side.  ¡°I see ¡­ umm, I guess it would still be kind of sunny in your house, right, Rachel?¡±


    Rachel folded her arms, leaning back in the soft seat.  ¡°Yeah, it would be.  My parents like to keep the blinds open during the day.  I guess we¡¯ll need to kill some time before heading there.¡±


    ¡°Anywhere in mind?  It seems they¡¯d like us off the airstrip.  I¡¯ve also put the phones that were given to me in the compartment to your far left.¡±


    A jolt shot down Rachel¡¯s spine.  Phones ¡­ Tom is following through on his end so far, but will the President be free enough to honor my request?  It¡¯s a long shot, I mean, the whole world, plus over three-hundred million people on his mind, much less all the political crap.  I have to hope¡­


    ¡°Thank you, Andrew,¡± Rachel responded, scooting to the area.  ¡°Umm¡ªis there anything you¡¯d like to do in the meantime, Scarlet?¡±


    Scarlet hunched over a little, rubbing her left arm.  ¡°I¡ªumm, if it¡¯s not too much to ask ¡­ could we maybe¡ªI don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Rachel paused, pulling her hair around before tilting her head to show Scarlet had her attention.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I just¡ªthought that maybe I could¡ªnevermind ¡­ it¡¯s stupid,¡± she mumbled, looking away from her.


    A little concerned about her reservations, Rachel sat back against the seat again.  ¡°No, go ahead.  What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s crazy¡­¡±


    ¡°More than what we did yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Rachel lightly bit on the inside of her left cheek before saying, ¡°It can¡¯t be that crazy.  C¡¯mon, spit it out.¡±


    ¡°Well ¡­ I was just thinking that maybe we could¡ªgo back to my house¡­¡±


    Rachel was a little thrown off-guard, and she didn¡¯t like the feeling.  ¡°Your house?  You¡¯re serious?  I¡¯d think that was the last place you¡¯d want to go.¡±


    ¡°Kind of,¡± Scarlet whispered, playing with her long black hair.  ¡°I just¡ªclosure, maybe?  I don¡¯t know; it¡¯s just a suggestion.  I was so¡ªI don¡¯t know ¡­ distraught¡ªhysterical ¡­ I just want to know if everything was real.¡±


    Large ears shifting to the side of her head, Rachel studied the nervous Vampire in front of her.  ¡°You¡¯re serious?  You really want to open those wounds?  It¡¯s going to hurt¡ªa lot.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that.¡±  Scarlet breathed in a long breath before letting it out.  ¡°I know it will, but¡ªbut I just need to make sure.  The person I was ¡­ my life before ¡­ everything¡¯s gone, and I need to know that¡ªif that makes sense.¡±


    ¡°No, I get it ¡­ well, no, I don¡¯t think I get it on the same level, but,¡± Rachel scratched the back of her head, pursing her lips to the side.  ¡°Okay.  If that¡¯s what you want, then it¡¯s not my place to stop you, but I¡¯ll go with you if you¡¯ll have me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Scarlet said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before leaning back.  ¡°I just need some time to process all this ¡­ life¡¯s been so crazy that I¡¯ve just been living in the moment.¡±


    ¡°That, I get,¡± Rachel chuckled, ¡°and for the record, I like the Scarlet I¡¯ve gotten to know over the last few days.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Andrew hummed softly.  ¡°Seems like we¡¯re going to quite the hotspot, then.  It¡¯s Scarlet, right?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s face flushed a little, likely not expecting him to listen.  She shifted in her seat to look up at the black divider.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Our destination is your house?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just the driver,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°I take orders and follow them, and for the next few days, at least, I¡¯ve been assigned to drive you girls around.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed as she reached over to open the compartment, extracting the slim phones; they were the latest model.  ¡°Few days?  Where are you going to sleep?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been given a list of hotels that have agreed to house military personnel in the area.  If you need me, then you can just call me.  I¡¯ll give you my number whenever you¡¯re ready to put it in.  By the way, what would you like me to address each of you as?¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Andrew,¡± Rachel swallowed, lips suddenly feeling dry as she stared down at the phones in both her hands.  ¡°You can call me Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Scarlet is fine.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Scarlet, Rachel, I¡¯ll put in the destination and leave you to your privacy.¡±


    She reached over, handing Scarlet one of the rectangular devices before turning hers on.  She swiped it open; it seemed like a brand-new phone.  Tapping on contacts, she frowned; the only numbers listed were Rachel and Tom.


    Scarlet giggled as she looked up from her own phone.  ¡°I think we have the wrong phones.  This phone is all written in Korean, and there¡¯s a background with a boxer or something on it?¡±


    They both giggled, swapping phones.


    ¡°It¡¯s Joanna, one of the Muay Thai fighters I kind of look up to.¡±


    ¡°Cool,¡± Scarlet whispered, absently staring down at her new phone.  ¡°There were a few characters I think I looked up to, but I¡¯m not really sure if TV Dramas count.¡±


    ¡°Sure, why not?¡±  Rachel chuckled before taking a deep breath.  She looked down at the names shown, and sure enough, it was all in Korean.


    Leave it to Tom to do his homework.  It has ¡­ wait a minute; this is everything my phone had ¡­ all my contacts.  It must be from my back-up.  Wow ¡­ Tom did do his homework or had someone else do it for him.


    The two new numbers on the phone were the English spelling Tom and to her excitement The President.


    A lump dropped down Rachel¡¯s throat.  How many people have a direct line to the President?  She tapped Tom¡¯s number, and after a few rings, he answered.


    ¡°Rachel,¡± he said in a tired tone.  ¡°How was your flight?  I see you got the phones.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we did.  Thanks, Tom.  You sound like you should get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Bah, you know how it is,¡± he yawned.  ¡°There¡¯s a lot to do, and I¡¯m the one making a lot of those decisions.  Happens when the President puts you over a large section of the U.S.¡±


    ¡°Speaking about the President¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tom breathed a long sigh.  ¡°By the way, those phones are secure, running through a Military encryption app before making calls.  The Tech-boys swap it up every once in a while; just make sure to keep it updated.¡±


    ¡°The President?¡±  Rachel pressed, butterflies in her stomach taking flight.


    ¡°He was impressed and extremely grateful for what you girls did, and Maria¡¯s already making massive waves in the media.  Not all good, but I expected as much.  She punched a reporter in the face.¡±


    Scarlet giggled, listening to their conversation intently.


    Rachel forced her own chuckle.  ¡°Sounds like her.¡±


    ¡°I thought the same,¡± he laughed before smacking his lips.  ¡°Well, the President would be happy to help you out.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a but in there,¡± Rachel said, feeling more dread than when she entered the alien ship.


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not that big of a deal.  Just give him a call and drive around the block a few times when the sun goes down.  It¡¯ll go to voicemail, and he¡¯ll call you back when he has a bit of spare time.  Just be sure to be close enough to your home where Scarlet can teleport you to the door.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I like that plan!¡±  Scarlet said, rubbing the glass surface of her phone while looking down at it.


    ¡°That sounds wonderful,¡± Rachel said, releasing a breath that seemed to carry with it the world.


    Finally ¡­ everything¡¯s set up.  All of this ¡­ did I really do it all to impress my parents?  I¡¯ve done some impressive things, but there has to be more to it than just making my parents proud and throwing it in Nam¡¯s face.  I¡¯ve got friends now ¡­ we all did it together, and there¡¯s no possible way I could have done it alone.


    Maybe, in the beginning, it was about Mom and Dad ¡­ after that call with Dad, but at some point, I really connected with Scarlet, Maria, and Fiona.  Fiona probably the least, but she¡¯s grown closer to Maria more than me.  I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get closer in the future, though.  Things are looking up.


    ¡°Tom¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Please¡ªmake sure the world stays together.  Things are finally looking up, and ¡­ I don¡¯t want things to fall in my face.¡±


    Tom released a long chuckle before breathing out a heavy sigh.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ it¡¯s my job to keep every American safe.¡±


    ¡°And if you need more help, then don¡¯t hesitate to call me,¡± Rachel responded, feeling Lunar Pride swell in her chest.  ¡°I don¡¯t know about Scarlet and the others, but if you need my help with something, then I¡¯ll consider helping where I can.¡±


    Tom hummed softly.  ¡°I¡¯ll take that into consideration, Rachel.  You¡¯ve got the clearance now, and I don¡¯t think I need to remind you, but I must anyway; you can¡¯t tell your parents about the crystals or going to other worlds.¡±


    ¡°I understand the NDA,¡± Rachel replied, ¡°but I can tell them I was involved in a Top-Secret Military OP that basically saved the world, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s acceptable,¡± he replied, ¡°and if the President is forced to declassify some things, then it will be fine.  I¡¯m sure Congress will subpoena the President sometime in the next week on this very issue with some of the reports that have been delivered to them, and the Judicial Branch is being called in to dispense with Martial Law.  We need to make the case why it needs to stay in force for a bit, but there are a lot of people in even the Executive Branch that are a bit nervous about the powers being granted to it.¡±


    ¡°Understandable,¡± Rachel said.  ¡°I¡¯ll leave all that business to you guys.  I¡¯m happy with the little things.¡±


    Tom chuckled.  ¡°I get it.  Alright, I¡¯ve got to go ¡­ more reports, meetings, and decisions to be made.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.  Thanks, Tom.¡±


    Rachel sat back, dropping her phone to the side before closing her eyes.  She ran her fingers through her hair, pulled around at her front.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe everything is working out ¡­ I can¡¯t help but feel like black clouds are hanging over my head, and I¡¯m going to get struck by lightning before this is all over.¡±


    ¡°There always is,¡± Scarlet yawned.  ¡°Umm¡ªhow do we¡­¡±  Her eyes widened, and she quickly brought her phone out of sleep before her fingers began skidding across the screen.


    Rachel¡¯s brow knitted together as she opened her eyes.  ¡°Texting Tom?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ what about blood bags?¡±  She asked with horror.  ¡°How am I supposed to get more?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel crossed her leg.  ¡°That¡¯s a valid question.¡±


    ¡°Right?  I need to eat, too!¡±


    A response came quickly.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Rachel scooted over to her.  ¡°What¡¯d he say?¡±


    ¡°He said there¡¯s already been a notice sent out to all the ASBP ¡­ what¡¯s that?¡±


    Rachel quickly spotted the button that was likely used to talk to the driver and pressed it.  ¡°Hey, Andrew.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Do you know what the ASBP is?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s the Armed Services Blood Program.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ he said there¡¯s not a center in Miami,¡± Scarlet said, glancing back at her phone.  ¡°He said to contact one of the Army recruiter stations, and they¡¯d point me in the right direction; mobile centers are being set up, and our driver should be given some updated information on that soon.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Andrew replied.  ¡°We going there first?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Scarlet protested.  ¡°I¡¯m just wondering where the nearest ¡­ well, I guess you¡¯ve guessed that I¡¯m a Vampire.¡±


    ¡°Eh, honestly, I suspected it, but I didn¡¯t know until you told me.¡±


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±  Scarlet nervously asked.


    ¡°Not really.  I mean, sure, I¡¯ve heard about Washington, like everyone else, but if Top Brass are calling you a VIP, then I just gotta follow orders.  You¡¯re not going to use me as a portable snack, right?¡±


    ¡°No, no, never!¡±  Scarlet blustered.


    ¡°Then we¡¯re all good, and if you¡¯re talking about using the ASBP, then, by all means, sounds like you¡¯re one of the good Vampires.¡±


    Scarlet stiffened before smiling sadly.  ¡°Thanks ¡­ you don¡¯t know how much¡ªthat really means a lot to me.¡±


    Rachel gave her a reassuring smile.  ¡°She¡¯s one of the good ones, alright.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t mention it.  Anything else you need?¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯re alright,¡± Rachel replied.


    ¡°Got it.  GPS tells us we¡¯ll be at your destination in thirty minutes.¡±


    Scarlet licked her lips before saying, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    The light showing the speaker was active dimmed, and he didn¡¯t respond, likely terminating the connection to give them their privacy.


    ¡°Well, things are looking up.¡±  Scarlet smiled.


    Rachel let her head fall back to the cushion, ears flopping to the side.  ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡±


    ¡°By the way,¡± Scarlet whispered.  ¡°If Tom does need your help, then I¡¯ll come with you.¡±


    ¡°Glad to hear it.  I¡¯d feel a lot more confident with you around.¡±


    ¡°... Even with the Reaper?¡±


    ¡°Even with the Reaper.¡±


    Scarlet didn¡¯t respond for a moment but smiled softly.  ¡°So, what about this Alexa?¡±


    ¡°Ah, she¡¯s the Wicked Witch of the West ¡­ a spoiled brat that gets whatever she wants because of daddy.¡±


    A light chuckle left Scarlet¡¯s throat.  ¡°Sounds like me ¡­ before everything happened.¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯s nothing like you,¡± Rachel growled.  The world blacked out as she closed her eyes, tail flicking with annoyance.  ¡°She¡¯s loud, annoying, and judges everyone.  My brother tolerates her ¡­ I think.  I just can¡¯t see him really liking her.  It was an arranged marriage; so, what can he do?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Scarlet asked with slight interest.  ¡°I thought that stuff only happened in movies nowadays.  So, she¡¯s your sister-in-law?¡±


    ¡°Yup ¡­ and I can picture her yelling at me because I glow, and now I outshine her in every way.  She told me she hated how I was taller than her one time.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a real piece of work,¡± Scarlet said with a forced chuckle.


    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s voice became determined.  ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got your back, no matter what!¡±


    ¡°Thanks ¡­ we¡¯ll see if she¡¯s even at my parents¡¯ house.  I could see her running back to her dad¡¯s place.¡±


    ¡°What about her mom?¡±


    Rachel opened her eyes, frown deepening.  ¡°I ¡­ honestly don¡¯t know.  I¡¯ve never really had a sitdown conversation that didn¡¯t start or end with insults.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ okay,¡± Scarlet hummed.  ¡°So, we¡¯ve got your parents, your brother, and his witchy wife?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it ¡­ well, my Grandpa lives in the Miami Bay area.  He retired pretty wealthy and built his own Zen-styled house ¡­ it¡¯s like a fifteen-thousand square-foot mansion or something like that.  He teaches an Eastern philosophy called Neidan.¡±


    Scarlet gave her a blank look, causing Rachel to scratch the back of her neck, for some reason feeling a bit self-conscious.


    ¡°You could call it Internal Alchemy.  It revolves around purifying yourself and obtaining peace and harmony with your body through a number of different ways, including breathing exercises.¡±


    ¡°Sounds pretty cool!¡±  Scarlet said with excitement.  ¡°Is it like that one new anime that has the breathing techniques, and they have like fire and electric powers and stuff?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s white eyebrows lifted.  ¡°Fire and electric powers through breathing?¡±


    Scarlet scratched her neck with a giggle.  ¡°I know, I know, it¡¯s just something that connected in my mind.  The anime was super good.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to show me sometime,¡± she said with a chuckle.  ¡°But no, you couldn¡¯t spit fire or something with those breathing exercises ¡­ unless you do those crazy island dance rituals where you suck in liquid and spray it out to make fireballs.  It¡¯s not what the breathing exercises are for, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I get it,¡± Scarlet said with a thoughtful smile.  ¡°Still, it would be cool to swing a sword around with fire or water.¡±


    ¡°A water sword?¡±  Rachel giggled.  ¡°Sounds deadly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you have no idea!¡±  Scarlet said with bright eyes.  ¡°There¡¯s this one scene¡­¡±


    Rachel listened to Scarlet explain all the crazy things she¡¯d seen anime characters do with breathing techniques with amusement.  It started to sound like she was convinced her grandfather was some kind of hidden superhero, transplanting all of the anime abilities onto the mental image she was creating.


    Her cheerful smile faded in an instant as the speaker light flipped on.  ¡°We¡¯re coming to your house, Scarlet.  It seems like a few houses in the area are under investigation.  There are police tape and barriers in front of a few doors around the area, although ¡­ it looks like the FBI is taking point with your house.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s void black and red halo-like eyes returned as she looked through the car walls, squinting a little.  ¡°Man, sunlight sucks.  Umm ¡­ yeah, I see it.  Could you just park by the side of the road?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.  I¡¯ll just be waiting here, then.  Let me know when you want to go.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you wondering how I¡¯ll get in?¡±  Scarlet asked.


    ¡°Not really,¡± he replied in a dismissive tone.  ¡°I figured you got into the back of the limo without much issue.  You¡¯ve got a way to get places.¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ thanks for not asking too many questions.¡±


    ¡°Just following orders.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Rachel reached out, gripping her hand.  ¡°You want me to go with you?¡±


    Scarlet took a deep breath before nodding.  ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±


    Scooting closer to each other, shadows surrounded them, and suddenly they were sinking into a soft mattress.  Rachel¡¯s wide field of vision scanned the room in a single glance.


    The thick blinds were closed, shutting out the outside light, and posters of various men and women lined the white walls, all seemingly vampire hunters by profession based on their attire and weaponry.


    Rachel assumed it was Scarlet¡¯s room as she looked around with a sad expression.  She slowly rose before gripping her left arm, right held tightly at her side.  ¡°Just as I left it,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°We go to another world ¡­ and it¡¯s just as I left it.¡±


    She walked over to a desktop computer in the left corner, pressing the power button; it didn¡¯t turn on.  ¡°Power must be out,¡± she mumbled, glancing toward her open closet and bathroom, right beside each other.  ¡°I¡¯m actually a vampire ¡­ at least I have a reflection.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s an odd one,¡± Rachel whispered, getting up before flipping her hair back.  ¡°So, this is your room?¡±


    ¡°Mhm ¡­ I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m not as embarrassed as I think I should be.  This was me,¡± she mumbled, picking up and hugging a few stuffed animals that Rachel assumed were from some anime.  ¡°I feel sort of numb about it all, but there¡¯s this strange tingling in my chest ¡­ like I¡¯m trying to convince myself it¡¯s not real.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t respond, vision continuing to scan the space.  The white carpet was vacuumed and mostly clean, but there was evidence of several people walking in before quickly exiting after making sure no one was inside.


    The smell of vomit came from the bathroom, and she could detect different perfume and soap scents from a hamper in the closet.  It was a little strange; human Scarlet smelled entirely different than Vampire Scarlet, and she quickly filtered through all the scents until she came to the stronger scents of her mother and father, dotting the room.


    ¡°Need me to do anything?¡±  Rachel asked softly, trying to filter out the sounds of thousands of humans within her wavelength radius to focus on Scarlet.


    Scarlet¡¯s throat seemed to catch, and she shook her head, unable to speak.  A lump dropped down her throat, eyes wandering, and after a moment, she walked into the bathroom and flushed the toilet before standing in front of the mirror, staring blankly into her blue irises.  After a minute, she sighed and moved into the hallway.


    She looked up and down before moving further up the hall.


    Rachel watched her silently, keeping her features unreadable, following her movements.


    Scarlet leaned up against the wall, looking into a room.  Her voice was a little hoarse.  ¡°My parents¡¯ room ¡­ pretty plain for cultists, right?  There¡¯s sunlight in there, though¡­¡±  She looked down at her hand, flipping it around while extending it.  ¡°The small reflections sting a little ¡­ they did this to me.  They made me into this ¡­ thing.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Rachel¡¯s brow knitted together.  ¡°The Oscillation did this to us?¡±


    ¡°But why?¡±  Scarlet demanded, glaring at her parents¡¯ room, fingers closing into fists.  ¡°Why did I get turned into a Vampire?  Out of everyone, my parent''s were the Vampire worshipping cultists that so happened to be performing a ritual that very night to turn me into the host for a blood goddess ¡­ no, demon, a blood devil!¡±


    She turned to look at her, streams of red liquid running down her cheek.  ¡°They used my name, my brush, my hair, me ¡­ they did some stupid ritual like the hundreds of other worthless rituals they did, but this time ¡­ this time it worked.¡±


    Her nose twisted with disgust, and she slammed her fist against the wall, smashing through the sheetrock and snapping a support beam.  ¡°They got everything they¡¯d wished for ¡­ I¡¯ve thought about it a lot.  I¡¯m not like you, and I¡¯m not like Maria or Fiona.  You know it!¡±


    She bit into her lip, blood leaking to her chin before being reabsorbed through her skin.  ¡°Scarlet¡¯s Blessing, and all the strange skills I have ¡­ Achievement Skills.  You don¡¯t just get that shit from nowhere.  No, Scarlet¡¯s real ¡­ she really is The Reaper of Blood, and everything my parents talked about ¡­ no, more than they said.¡±


    A lump dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat.   ¡°I¡¯ve seen anime and shows like this ¡­ just like this.  I¡¯ve got some demonic goddess in me, and it¡¯s only a matter of time before she takes me over.  I¡¯m an avatar ¡­ a container ¡­ nothing more.  She probably needs to recuperate after some battle or something.  Who the hell knows?¡±


    Rachel watched her with a neutral expression.  ¡°It¡¯s true.  When we went over our skills, some things didn¡¯t make sense when it came to your abilities.  I think it is a little premature to definitively determine anything about The Oscillation, but your situation does raise some concerning questions.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, a lot of it doesn¡¯t add up.  It could be somehow tied with a power your mother gained during The Oscillation for all we know.  In truth, we know little, yet we¡¯re in a position to know a lot more than any other human on this planet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure scared,¡± Scarlet growled, fingers gripping the inside of her parents¡¯ doorframe.  ¡°I have real people that want to kill me ¡­ not fake movie shit, but real people, and I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re actually wrong to do it or not.  Really, I don¡¯t ¡­ I don¡¯t want to die, but I¡¯m also scared of myself.  It¡¯s all so confusing!¡±  She moaned, rubbing the side of her head; the doorframe creaked from the pressure of her grip.


    ¡°In an anime, you have situations like this ¡­ the world¡¯s in danger because of one person, and you could stop all of it.  Maybe ¡­ who knows, maybe if I die, then Scarlet is released.  I just don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Rachel walked forward and put her arms around Scarlet, hugging her close against her body as she trembled.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we should look for answers.  Worrying about things we have no control over will only make things worse, and I know it¡¯s hard to hear ¡­ even harder to follow.  I get that it¡¯s no different than trying to tell yourself you don¡¯t like someone when you really do ¡­ we can¡¯t help how we feel.  We just have to soldier through and try to weather the pain.¡±


    Scarlet sniffed back the blood leaking out of her nose, wrapping her arms around her.  ¡°Thanks, Rachel ¡­ it¡¯s a lot harder than I thought.  It¡¯s like my heart¡¯s going to explode ¡­ I can¡¯t help it.  Why did my parents do this to me?  Why would any parent do this to their daughter?  Did they ever love me ¡­ or is their love for me so much that there was no other choice than to pick me for their god¡¯s avatar ¡­ I¡¯m just so confused.¡±  She cried.


    Rachel¡¯s ears and tail twitched as she shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ I can¡¯t really say.¡±


    They stood there for a bit, and Rachel watched the beams of sunlight in the room across from them slowly fade.  After a while, Scarlet took a deep breath to calm herself before pulling away.


    ¡°Thanks, Rachel.¡±


    Stepping back, Rachel tightened her lips for a moment.  ¡°Are you okay now?¡±


    She folded her arms under her chest, blue irises gazing back at her parents¡¯ room before shaking her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t think so.  I don¡¯t know if I ever will be, and I¡¯m more confused than I thought I¡¯d be, but ¡­ I know I also need to move on.  It¡¯s hard, but I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    Scarlet chuckled sadly.  ¡°Getting lost in our little adventures helps a bit.  It¡¯s just ¡­ I never thought I¡¯d lose everything ¡­ without warning¡ªwithout a hint.¡±


    Rachel leaned up against the wall, head tilting back so her ears would rest against the surface.  ¡°It¡¯s a bit different for me.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±  Scarlet asked, leaning against the opposite wall to look up at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t regret my change.  I kind of want to, but I think it¡¯s also a part of Lunar Pride or maybe even some other more instinctual part of my transformation.¡±  She looked down at her smooth, blemishless hand.  ¡°I like it ¡­ this power I feel ¡­ the excitement of the unknown ¡­ the inevitable conflict that will shape our world.  I know I¡¯ll be a part of it, and that gets my blood pumping.  I¡¯m ready for war, and it¡¯s pumping faster in my veins every day.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that scare you?¡±  Scarlet asked.  ¡°Well, you¡¯ve told me it does in the past, but what about now?¡±


    ¡°No, not really.  I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m scared ¡­ concerned, sure, but not scared.  Crystals with monsters attacking our world; forced conflict with armies ¡­ it all gets my blood hot, and I want to prepare more.  I know I need to get stronger, faster, smarter, and it pulls me into this fever that pulses through my body.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as she lifted her red irises to study Scarlet.  ¡°It could be The Reaper that¡¯s interfering with that part in your own transformation.  Fiona, Maria, and me ¡­ I¡¯ve seen it in both of them, too.  The acceptance of this change and our new nature; however, all I¡¯ve noticed is resistance from you, which does make me worry about our own transformation.


    ¡°Whatever The Oscillation did to us, it was pretty thorough.  Yet, for you, there are definitely differences.  The System tells you that you are a Mythickin, but you¡¯re not a Vampire, and that¡¯s the interesting part; you¡¯re a Vespertine Reaper.  I¡¯ve never heard of a myth like that.  I¡¯m a Lunar Hare, Fiona is a Prismatic Fairy, and Maria is a Sunlit Unicorn.


    ¡°Going by the same logic, you¡¯re not a Vampire, but a Reaper, which connects to your abilities, like the Guise of the Reaper skill.  Yet, at the same time, you also have an entire base Skill Tree called Scarlet¡¯s Tree, with another base Skill Tree called Reaper¡¯s Tree.  You¡¯re not wrong to be worried, Scarlet.  Let¡¯s look for answers where we can, but we also need to live our lives, too.¡±


    Scarlet took a long breath, pressing her hand against her chest.  ¡°My heart feels like it¡¯s beating a million miles an hour ¡­ yeah, it¡¯s not, but I still have that feeling.  I¡¯m thankful to have you as a friend, Rachel ¡­ your logical way of thinking always calms me down.¡±


    Her smile turned into a smirk.  ¡°But we really gotta do something about that family of yours!  Speaking about family¡­¡±  Her vision fell again.  ¡°What do you think my Mom¡¯s doing?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°Who knows ¡­ I have some thoughts, but I¡¯d rather not voice them until I get a lead.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to look into it?¡±  Scarlet asked.


    A smile lit Rachel¡¯s cheeks.  ¡°Of course!  I mean, we got a lot of enemies pointing knives at our back and concerning people that seem interested in us.  Remember Relica?¡±


    ¡°Like I could ever forget that perverted psycho,¡± Scarlet mumbled with a shiver.


    ¡°Yup, we¡¯ve got our hands full!¡±


    ¡°We totally do,¡± Scarlet sighed, shoulders falling into a depressed slump.  ¡°There¡¯s those guys I scared that went missing, too.¡±


    Rachel lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Scared?  You literally made them poop their pants.¡±


    ¡°Ew¡­¡±  Scarlet giggled.  ¡°Gross ¡­ yeah, I did kind of scare them shitless,¡± she winked.


    Rachel winced.  ¡°It is kind of gross, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°More than kind of!¡±


    They both laughed.


    Scratching the side of her neck, Rachel stretched out her arms.  ¡°So, see enough?¡±


    Scarlet breathed out a long sigh before nodding.  ¡°Yeah, just let me transfer over some clothes.¡±


    They went back into her room, and Scarlet made a Blood Portal to toss clothes through, sending them back to the limo.  The last item she chose was her pillow, throwing it in like a basketball.


    ¡°It¡¯s so hard to sleep without it,¡± Scarlet defended, catching Rachel¡¯s smirk.


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything, but I gotta say, you sleep pretty soundly without it from what I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just not the same,¡± Scarlet huffed, puffing her cheeks to the side.  ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s go meet your parents and get a personal call from the President!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my dad¡¯s going to flip,¡± Rachel chuckled.


    They teleported back into the limo, now filled with dresses, pants, shirts, shoes, garments, and the occasional stuffed animal.  Scarlet sighed with relief as she laid her head against her pillow atop the large pile of clothing.


    Rachel chuckled before giving Andrew the go-ahead to take them to her parents¡¯ house; the butterflies in her stomach returned.  Finally, time to meet my parents.  This time, for sure¡­


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 21. Going Home

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park


    Recap:  Rachel is still steeling herself to meet her family, and while it was still daytime, they went to Scarlet''s old home for her to get closure.  It was a bit rough for Scarlet, but she was able to move past some of the pain, looking forward to being a part of Rachel''s life now.


    Now, the fateful day has arrived ... time to meet Rachel''s family.


    Rachel rubbed her left arm as she leaned back in her comfy seat, causing the leather to stretch under the pressure.  ¡°Why am I so nervous, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that something you¡¯re supposed to tell me?¡±  Scarlet mused, folding and sorting through much of her clothes.  ¡°You¡¯ve already told me a ton of reasons why you¡¯re scared, which isn¡¯t like you.¡±


    Scarlet hummed, shooting her a sidelong stare.  ¡°Your family isn¡¯t some crazy Korean witch doctors or anything, right?¡±


    ¡°Pfft,¡± Rachel laughed.  ¡°My family, witch doctors?  That would be the day.  No, my dad has a subtle disdain for anything religious in the least.  He tolerates my grandpa¡¯s stuff because it¡¯s his dad, but he never bought the whole one with your body deal.  No ¡­ he¡¯s more of a practicalist and looks for results.  He knows breathing exercises work for many things, but it¡¯s all medical, nothing spiritual.¡±


    Scarlet set a pile of clothes on the table in front of them before turning to face her.  ¡°Why do you want to see your family?¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond right away, bending over to fiddle with her thumbs; her ears twitched slightly as she cracked her neck.  ¡°I¡ªit¡¯s more of a feeling, I suppose.  I don¡¯t want to lose them.¡±


    A long sigh left Scarlet¡¯s black lips as she crossed her arms, leaning back to stare up at the ceiling.  ¡°Knowing you¡¯re different is only the beginning.  If you accept these differences, you¡¯ll be able to get past them and grow even closer.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrows knitted together as she turned to face the Vampire, wearing a sagacious expression.  ¡°That didn¡¯t come from you, right?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s smile turned impish, and she winked.  ¡°Ms. Kobayashi.¡±


    ¡°A Japanese lady?¡±


    ¡°A twenty-five-year-old Japanese lady with ditsy dragon friends!¡±  Scarlet replied with a bright smile.


    ¡°An anime,¡± Rachel chuckled with exasperation, running her hands through her long white hair.  ¡°You and your anime and songs.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t knock the logic if it¡¯s true!¡±  Scarlet huffed.  ¡°How can you move forward when you keep regretting the past?  Edward Elric.¡±


    ¡°Are we talking about me or you?¡±  Rachel asked wryly.


    Scarlet seemed to ignore her question, sagacious expression returning.  ¡°It may be hard right now, but you must silence those thoughts.  Stop counting those things you have lost, what is gone is gone.  So ask yourself, what is there that still remains to you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Ms. Anime,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°I see you had a lot of time on your hands.¡±


    ¡°The world isn¡¯t perfect.  But it¡¯s there for us, doing the best it can ¡­ that¡¯s what makes it so damn beautiful.¡±


    Picking up Scarlet¡¯s pillow on the table, Rachel threw it at her with a smirk.


    ¡°Hey!¡±  Scarlet giggled, easily catching it.  ¡°Oh, I just remembered a good one!¡±


    Rachel breathed out a long sigh before lying back and closing her eyes.  ¡°Okay, let¡¯s hear the invaluable logic of the Anime world.¡±


    Scarlet cleared her throat, voice dropping to mimic a sage.  ¡°This comes not from me, but one much older and more experienced than I.  Listen to the wisdom of the elderly.¡±


    A small smile touched Rachel¡¯s lips, but they fell slightly as she quoted it.


    ¡°No single thing is perfect by itself.  That¡¯s why we¡¯re born to attract other things to make up for what we lack.  I think we start walking in the right direction only after we start getting our counterparts besides us.¡±


    ¡°Huh ¡­ that¡¯s not bad,¡± Rachel whispered.  ¡°Who said that?¡±


    ¡°Only the coolest ninja that ever lived!¡±  Scarlet said with a bright smile.


    ¡°Ninjas, eh?  It sounds like¡­¡±


    Her body stiffened, ears shooting up as she straightened, and a lump dropped down her throat.


    Scarlet¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I just heard my parents¡¯ voices ¡­ we¡¯re getting closer.¡±


    ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath, hand pressed against her chest.  ¡°My brother¡¯s there ¡­ with Alexa.¡±


    ¡°Bah,¡± Scarlet began folding her clothes again.  ¡°Why should we be worried about the Witch of the West?  All she can really do is scream, right?¡±


    ¡°Screaming causes waves,¡± Rachel whispered, rubbing the back of her hand.


    Scarlet paused in her action, studying the pants in her hands.  ¡°Screams do cause waves ¡­ was that on purpose?¡±


    Rachel released a heavy puff of air, giving Scarlet a look.  ¡°Unbelievable ¡­ thanks for trying to cheer me up.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re friends!¡±  She said with a soft smile.  ¡°How many times have you done that for me over the past few days?  I don¡¯t know ¡­ there are too many times to count.¡±


    A yawn left Rachel¡¯s lips.  ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but we¡¯ll see how things turn out.¡±  She rubbed her stomach as it churned.  ¡°I just wish my stomach would settle down.¡±


    ¡°Would ginger work for you now?¡±  Scarlet mused.


    ¡°Ginger?¡±  Rachel asked, pulling her ears back to scratch them.  ¡°What¡¯s that have to do with anything?¡±


    Scarlet shrugged.  ¡°I don¡¯t know; my mom would always give ginger ale to me when I had an upset stomach, and it seemed to help.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±  Rachel fell silent, stroking her long white hair, examining the pink hue it gave off.


    It took a while longer for them to reach her block, and Rachel¡¯s nerves kept escalating by the mile.  Her tail flicked, ears twitched, and skin prickled, but she tried her best to keep her breathing in check.  She wanted to throw up but knew there was very little in her stomach.


    Scarlet seemed to be a little nervous herself as Rachel took out her phone and unlocked it.  ¡°Alright ¡­ let¡¯s call the President of the United States.¡±


    ¡°Well, when you put it like that,¡± Scarlet chuckled.


    ¡°Right?¡±


    Rachel swallowed before clearing her throat and dialed the number.  It rang for a bit before going to voicemail.  ¡°You¡¯ve reached President Capell.  Leave your name and your phone number, and I¡¯ll get back to you when I can.¡±


    At the beep, Rachel took a shuddering breath before saying, ¡°Hello, President Capell.  It¡¯s Rachel Park.  Give me a call back when you can.¡±


    She hung up, and Scarlet let go of a long sigh before scratching the back of her head.  ¡°Well, that was a bit more nerve¡­¡±


    Her jaw snapped shut as Rachel¡¯s phone began to ring, and the caller ID showed, The President.


    Rachel answered, holding the device in front of her, and the deep voice of the President of the United States spoke; he sounded a lot more exhausted than the last time she¡¯d spoken to him.  ¡°Rachel, yes, Tom gave me a brief explanation about what you wanted.¡±


    ¡°Are you busy ¡­ no, that¡¯s a stupid question,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°Of course, you¡¯re busy.¡±


    He chuckled, and she could hear him sliding a hand through his hair through the speaker.  ¡°You could say I¡¯m swamped, but I specifically set aside time to speak to you before I head off to see the First Lady and my little boy.¡±


    ¡°You set aside time to speak to my father?¡±  Rachel asked, feeling a little shocked at the news.


    ¡°No, not specifically,¡± he chuckled, his chair squeaking as he leaned back in it.  ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll speak to him, of course, but I would like to have a real conversation with you after that business is done.¡±


    Rachel felt a little dubious about having a personal chat with the President but knew that as a Mythickin and having gone into one of the gateway crystals, he must have more questions for her.


    ¡°Okay, then could I text you to call me in the next few minutes?¡±


    ¡°No problem here,¡± Capell sighed.  ¡°I¡¯m glad to have a bit of a break.  It¡¯s been non-stop for the last few days.  I haven¡¯t been able to see my wife or son once.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Rachel said, ears falling a little.  ¡°So, umm¡ªI¡¯ll text you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Capell¡¯s voice became a little concerned.  ¡°You sound stressed, Rachel.  I recall you being a lot more composed and calm when reporting about world-ending events.  Is seeing your parents really this stressful?¡±


    Rachel released a forced laugh.  ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ fine.  No issues,¡± she said, doing her best to add a happy spark to her voice, but Scarlet was clearly not buying it by her lifted eyebrow.  ¡°I¡¯ll text you in a bit, and I would love to talk to you about anything you need.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Capell mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯ll wait for your text.¡±


    Rachel groaned as the call ended, rubbing her closed eyes.  ¡°Okay ¡­ I can do this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right here with you,¡± Scarlet reassured, scooting a bit closer to bump her.


    ¡°Right,¡± Rachel pressed the button to connect with Andrew.  ¡°Hey, we¡¯re just about to head out.  Would you mind keeping all the clothes we have back here how it is?¡±


    Andrew promptly responded.  ¡°Clothes?  Well, okay, yeah, no problem.  So, I¡¯m off for the night?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Scarlet chimed, picking up a pair of PJs.  ¡°You ready?¡±  She asked, red halo-like eyes appearing.


    ¡°Yeah, my house is that way,¡± Rachel pointed.  ¡°You¡¯ll see four people inside.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Scarlet whispered.  ¡°Man, your parents look a lot younger than I thought they would.¡±  Shadows surrounded them, and they rematerialized on the front doorsteps of Rachel¡¯s house.


    Her parents¡¯ house was a decent size and spackled with a grayish-white color.  There were a few dozen palm trees and ferns that hid much of the property, and meter high walls and gates blocked it off from the sidewalk.


    Scarlet got to her feet, pressing her black PJ¡¯s against her side as she walked to the front gate, glancing up and down the street.  ¡°Nice place.  We¡¯re in Northeast Coconut Grove, right?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Rachel took a few deep breaths before writing out the message she¡¯d send to the President when they got inside.  ¡°My parents have just about paid off the property.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Scarlet turned around to study the house.  ¡°It¡¯s about the same size as my parent¡¯s place.¡±


    ¡°No basement,¡± Rachel said with a small laugh.  ¡°Just the first and second floor.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well ¡­ who likes basements,¡± Scarlet mumbled, lips falling into a grimace.  ¡°I wanted to say Alexa looks like a horse, but she¡¯s actually fairly pretty ¡­ if you like blonde hair.¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯s pretty,¡± Rachel said, stretching out her arms.  ¡°She just has a terrible personality.¡±


    Rachel turned as Scarlet stiffened.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just ¡­ no,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Does Alexa ¡­ like Vampires?¡±  She groaned; her black halo-like eyes were fixated on Nam and Alexa¡¯s room.


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°No clue.  Why?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s got some ¡­ concerning stuff in what I assume is her room.¡±


    ¡°Like?¡±


    ¡°Disney vampire plush dolls and stuff ¡­ there¡¯s a Nightmare Before Christmas one, too,¡± she mumbled, nibbling on her lower lip.


    A grimace touched Rachel¡¯s face.  ¡°That, I didn¡¯t expect, but I do remember her being into animated shows.  Why do you think it will be a problem?¡±


    Scarlet rubbed her left shoulder.  ¡°No, it¡¯s not.  I know plenty of people are like that ¡­ it just makes me shiver.  I don¡¯t know why.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to wait outside?¡±  Rachel offered, folding her arms under her chest.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll come in ¡­ I just, no, nothing¡­¡±


    Rachel puffed out a breath through her cheeks, knowing there wasn¡¯t much she could do to set Scarlet¡¯s mind at ease.  ¡°Alright, ready?¡±


    Scarlet gave her a forced smile, gripping her hands behind her back.  ¡°I should be asking you that.¡±


    Turning toward the front door, Rachel knocked; her mother was the closest to the door.  Her father and brother were in the study, and she heard Alexa upstairs in the shower, likely preparing for bed.


    Her mother looked at the face camera screen, mounted in the hall as her father called out to her in Korean.  ¡°Chan-hee, who¡¯s at the door?¡±


    ¡°I think ¡­ Sung is.  You said she turned into a Lunar Hare Mythickin?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she was one of the people that changed.  I haven¡¯t seen her yet; how does she look?¡±


    ¡°Unique, but she¡¯s still pretty.  She¡¯s with a black-haired girl with long ears.¡±


    Nam breathed a sigh of relief.  ¡°I¡¯m glad she¡¯s okay.  I can get the door, mom.¡±


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯ll get it, dear,¡± her mother quickly replied.


    Every step her mother took made Rachel more nervous, and eventually, she made it to the door.  The locks clicked, and it opened, spreading the bright hallway light across the sidewalk.


    Her mother was about five-three and quite beautiful for her age, even without her makeup.  Her thick black hair fell to her shoulder blades, and her slim build was the product of good dietary habits.  She wore a loose gray long-sleeve shirt and tight black jeans with house slippers.


    Her mother¡¯s inquisitive brown eyes swept her appearance.  ¡°Sung, is that you?¡±  She tentatively asked in Korean, tone holding an unexpected sound of hope.  Her vision momentarily darted to Scarlet before returning to her.


    Rachel responded in English.  ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me, Mom ¡­ I¡¯m home.¡±  She smiled.


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness,¡± Chan-hee sighed, pressing a hand against her chest before looking up at her ears.  ¡°You¡¯ve changed quite a bit,¡± she said, giving her a smile.  ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you safe.  Come in and let me give you a hug; your father and brother are in the study.  Alexa is in the shower.¡±


    Stepping into the wide hallway, Rachel took a deep breath, knowing the questions would come once they¡¯d had a chance to sit down, but she was caught off-guard as her mother gave her a hug that was surprisingly long.


    ¡°M-Mom, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Now I am,¡± she whispered, pulling her down to kiss her cheek.  ¡°We couldn¡¯t get in contact with you after you called us, and no one would tell us anything.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears fell back, feeling a little guilty for destroying the phone.  Sure, I was mad, but Mom and Dad were probably so worried.  He could have been angry I put myself in a dangerous situation, which was why he responded like that.  It might not have been about shaming the name.  Gah, it¡¯s so confusing...


    Scarlet entered behind her, trying to stay as small as possible, but Rachel turned to introduce her.   ¡°Umm, Mother, this is Scarlet.  We¡¯ve grown to be close friends over the past few days.¡±


    Her mother turned and gave her a short bow.  ¡°I welcome you to our home, Scarlet.  Would you like any refreshments while we catch up in the study?¡±


    Scarlet quickly shook her head, eyes darting to Rachel.  ¡°N-No, I¡¯m fine, Ms. Park.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but let me know if you¡¯d like any tea,¡± she said with a pleasant tone.  ¡°Sung will show you to the study, and I¡¯ll be in once I fix some for the others.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Scarlet said, rigidly doing a short bow.


    A soft giggle slid through her mother¡¯s lips as she closed the door and walked back toward the kitchen.


    ¡°I feel like I just embarrassed myself in front of your mom,¡± Scarlet mumbled, face turning slightly pink.  ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem bad, and I could feel her emotions; she was really worried about you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel whispered.  ¡°I heard it ¡­ and no, you¡¯re fine.  Just don¡¯t bow again,¡± she said with a light smile.


    Scarlet¡¯s lips pursed together as she held her forearm against her stomach.  ¡°Yeah, I got it.¡±


    Rachel was beginning to feel a little more at ease, now that she was here, and took out her phone to message the President.  Once it sent, she nodded to the left.  ¡°It¡¯s that way.¡±


    She slid her shoes off, Scarlet quickly doing the same before placing them on the shoe rack beside the door.  They walked through the front room and into the study.


    Her father sat in a big armchair with his reading glasses on; there was a thin tablet on his lap that he seemed to be using to watch the news.  Nam sat beside him with his phone resting on the side of his own armchair.


    Nam was slightly bigger than their father, taking after their mother¡¯s side of the family that had surprisingly large frames by Korean standards.  His trim black hair was swept back, and he wore a casual black shirt with fitted blue dress pants.


    Her father showed a bit of his age, but in a handsome way.  He always kept his appearance neatly groomed, and wore his suits even when relaxing at home.  The current outfit he wore was the slim black pin-striped one, and the watch on his left wrist, she remembered well; he¡¯d received it as a gift on a business trip with a few of the company investors when in France.


    They both gave her appraising stares as she entered, and Nam chuckled softly.


    ¡°Well, look at you, lil sis.¡±  Leaving his phone on the chair, he rose to his feet before walking over and hugging her.  ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright; we¡¯ve been trying to get in touch with the hospital to find out where you went, but no one had any information.¡±


    Rachel felt a warmth fill her heart; she hadn¡¯t expected this warm of a reception, and before her father could speak, her phone started ringing.


    She gave them a strained smile.  ¡°Sorry, let me,¡± she paused after taking out the rectangular device.  ¡°Umm¡ªsorry, Dad, but it¡¯s important.¡±


    Her father frowned but raised his hand.  ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Rachel put on an apologetic smile as she said, ¡°Hello, President Capell.¡±


    ¡°Rachel, is this the appropriate time?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡ªumm, I just got back with my family,¡± she turned to face her father and brother, both giving her questioning stares.  ¡°My dad¡¯s actually a really big supporter of you.  Do you have a bit of time to talk to him; it would mean the world to him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d be fine.  I do need to talk to you after, though.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mr. President, and thank you.¡±  She held the phone to her chest, giving her dad a bright smile.  ¡°Umm¡ªso, I¡¯m on the phone with President Capell, and he has a bit of time if you¡¯d like to talk to him, Dad.¡±


    Her father licked his lips before glancing at his brother and then back at her.  ¡°The President of the United States, President Capell?¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    He shot to his feet with surprising speed, walking around the table to take the phone.  Lifting it to his ear, he tentatively asked, ¡°Mr. President?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I assume I am speaking to Mr. Park, Rachel¡¯s father?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that would be me.  Eh¡ªI¡¯m a huge supporter of what you¡¯ve been doing for small businesses, and if you have the time, could I maybe speak to you about some concerns I have?¡±


    ¡°I can do that for a bit, Mr. Park, but I am a very busy man and need to talk to your daughter about some pressing National Security details.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course, of course.  I have no doubt you are a busy man ¡­ might I ask why you are calling my daughter?¡±  He questioned, glancing over at her with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s classified, Sir, but I do have a few minutes to hear your concerns about small business.  I know Martial Law has hurt many while we¡¯re trying to get everything under control.¡±


    Her father moved into the front room, taking the phone with him as he discussed some of the policies he¡¯d heard online that have been put forward by the Senate.


    Nam gave her an inquisitive look before nodding toward the seat in front of his.  ¡°We going to sit and catch up?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like that,¡± Rachel said with a long sigh, pulling her hair around her front before sitting.  ¡°I thought Dad would be a bit more angry if I just showed up out of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Sung,¡± Nam said with a huff as he dropped into his seat.  ¡°You know Mom and Dad care about you.  Sure, they¡¯re a bit strict, but they wanted to know you were safe.  Mom¡¯s been stress baking since yesterday.  The fridge is filled with food; Dad¡¯s been telling her to slow down; we don¡¯t know how long the lockdown will last.¡±


    Scarlet took the left side of the sofa beside Rachel, keeping her mouth shut as she observed them.


    Nam¡¯s brown eyes shifted to the Vampire.  ¡°So, I see you¡¯ve been making friends.  Is she the new roommate you found in MU?¡±


    Rachel shook her head, ears leaning to the side as she remembered the last interaction she¡¯d had with Cloe.  ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her since The Oscillation event.  I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯ll be allowed back in school.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nam clicked his tongue a few times.  ¡°It is kind of a strange time, and it was pretty violent a few days ago when things dropped off the deep-end.¡±


    She caught sight of the metal hanging on the wall.  ¡°I heard about the Police Department thing.  Is that the medal?¡±


    Nam shrugged with a drawn-out sigh.  ¡°Only a temporary.  They¡¯ll give me the real thing later, but I was just in the right place at the wrong time.  My car had been broken into the day before, and I was down at the station talking to an officer when it all went down.  I discovered I had powers, and just happened to use them in a way that helped save lives.


    ¡°It was scary, but I¡¯m glad those officers were able to go back and see their families ¡­ although, three weren¡¯t quite so lucky.  Officers Jenny, Harper, and Kelsey ¡­ I had a nightmare about the scene last night, scared Alexa right out of bed,¡± he whispered.


    A pressure hit Rachel¡¯s chest as she looked down at the hardwood floor, ears pulling back slightly.  I thought Nam was this big hero, and everything went off without a hitch, but he¡¯s actually suffering from the incident.  I¡¯m over here trying to rack-up brownie points while he¡¯s dealing with nightmares of people he couldn¡¯t save.


    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± Nam chuckled tiredly.  ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to drop the mood.  No, I¡¯m thrilled to see you safe.  So, are you going to introduce me to your friend?¡±  He asked, giving Scarlet a warm smile while folding his hands across his stomach.  ¡°Sung¡¯s ¡­ oh, well, I guess you probably know her by Rachel.  Rachel¡¯s never brought home any friends before.¡±


    ¡°O-Oh, really?¡±  Scarlet said with a forced smile.  ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    Rachel groaned, glaring at Nam.  ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it like that.  I was always too busy to hang out with people.¡±


    ¡°A bit anti-social,¡± he said, giving Scarlet a wink.  ¡°Oh, she¡¯d talk about her sparring matches, though, and how she was improving.  I had this joke with her about her only friends are people that beat her up.¡±


    ¡°Nam, cut it out,¡± her mother huffed while walking into the room with a tray of glasses, but she wore a smile.  ¡°Quit bullying your sister; she just got home.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°I¡¯m just giving her a hard time.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s your father talking to?¡±  She asked with a slight frown, glancing toward the front room.


    ¡°Talking with the President,¡± Nam said with an impressed tone as he eyed Rachel.


    ¡°Which President?¡±  Chan-hee asked, giving Nam and Rachel a drink before setting it down on the coffee table.


    ¡°The President of the United States,¡± Nam replied with a low chuckle, nodding toward Rachel with a smirk.  ¡°He called our Sung.¡±


    ¡°No, really?¡±  Her mother¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she sat on the opposite side of the sofa.  ¡°You have the President of the United States calling you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Rachel laughed, scratching her left ear as it twitched.  ¡°Scarlet and I are contracted with the U.S. government, and we are under a strict NDA.  We also have top security clearance.¡±


    Nam whistled.  ¡°Impressive, lil sis.  What can you tell us?¡±


    ¡°Oh, be patient, Nam,¡± Chan-hee scolded.  ¡°We should wait for your father to hear the story.  No, why don¡¯t we get to know Sung¡¯s new friend?  Tell us about yourself.¡±


    Scarlet took a deep breath before turning toward Rachel with a strained smile, doing her best to hide her fangs.  ¡°Umm ¡­ how should we approach the topic?¡±


    ¡°What topic?¡±  Nam asked, lips dropping into a slight frown.  ¡°About your changes?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel leaned back, folding her arms before breathing in and out.  ¡°There¡¯s no real delicate way to put it.  I¡¯m a Lunar Hare, and Scarlet is a Vespertine Reaper.¡±


    Both their expressions told her they had no clue what she was talking about.


    ¡°Basically ¡­ I¡¯m a Vampire,¡± Scarlet mumbled.


    Nam and her mother gave Rachel concerned glances before repositioning in their seats.


    ¡°Is that so,¡± her father whispered, coming back into the room.


    Everyone turned to face him, and Scarlet seemed to be the most concerned as she twisted her hands around in her lap.


    His neutral brown irises moved from Scarlet to Rachel.  ¡°President Capell needs to talk with you.  We¡¯ll talk with Scarlet while you¡¯re occupied.¡±


    ¡°Just so you know, Scarlet is a good Vampire that even the government trusts.  I could even get a Five-Star General to confirm it.¡±  Rachel quickly defended, rising to her feet to meet her father.


    ¡°No issue,¡± her father evenly replied, vision sliding back to Scarlet.  ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it later.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rachel said, voice a little hoarse as she took the phone.  ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit, and please, just don¡¯t attack her.  Her blood responds to danger.¡±


    ¡°Why would we attack her?¡±  Nam questioned, but Rachel could hear the strain in his voice.


    ¡°Yeah, alright ¡­ I get it,¡± she whispered.  ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Rachel walked toward the guest room to speak to the President in private, feeling her butterflies return.  What will they say to Scarlet?  What will Scarlet say to them?  Am I abandoning her by taking this call?  The President did say he needs to talk to me, but ending on that note ¡­ I just hope they don¡¯t attack her.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 22. The Future

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park


    Recap:  Rachel''s a little surprised about a much warmer welcome than she was expecting, but things have turned a bit tense after Scarlet''s introduction.  Now, she needs to talk in private with the President of the United States, and while the flex for her family has had an effect, Rachel''s now worried she''s throwing Scarlet to the wolves.


    Rachel took a deep breath as she moved into the guest bedroom, closing the door behind her.  She could hear her father sitting back down in his armchair with a long sigh in the study.


    ¡°So, Scarlet, you¡¯re a Vampire, then?  I trust my daughter wouldn¡¯t be running around with someone like the Seattle Vampire, which gives me a reason to blow-off that connection, but I¡¯d appreciate a confirmation.¡±


    Her sharp ears caught Scarlet lick her black lips, giggling nervously to likely release some pressure.  ¡°No, nothing like the Seattle Vampire, Mr. Park.  I¡¯m also not really a Vampire ¡­ umm¡ªspecifically, I¡¯m a Mythickin Vespertine Reaper, whatever that means.¡±


    ¡°You have fangs, though?¡±  Chan-hee asked with slight interest.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Scarlet said, likely smiling to show them off.


    Nam hummed softly, shifting his legs the opposite way.  ¡°What about blood?¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Scarlet sucked in a sharp breath.  ¡°I know I¡¯m not selling it well ¡­ yes, I drink blood, but the Military is providing me with blood bags.¡±


    ¡°Have you tasted human blood from the neck?¡±  Her father pointedly asked.


    Scarlet was silent for a moment.  ¡°Terrorists ¡­ people that killed dozens of citizens.¡±


    ¡°The South Beach thing?¡±  Nam asked with sudden interest.  ¡°We¡¯ve seen a few reports about it on the local news networks.  So, Rachel and you were involved in the rescue with the Military?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s attention returned to her call as President Capell cleared his throat.  ¡°Ms. Park, are you there?¡±


    She swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat, breathing easier now that some of the hard things had been at least addressed with Scarlet as she began the story of their raid against the gangsters, starting with Maria.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. President.  I apologize for the delay.  I was worried about leaving Scarlet alone with my family, but it seems like they¡¯re accepting her for the moment.¡±


    ¡°No troubles, Ms. Park.  Now, down to business.  I assume you are somewhere private?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he chuckled softly, leaning back with a tired yawn.  ¡°There¡¯s a lot of talk in Washington; hell, some of Congress, the Senate, and even people in the Executive Branch have changed, and there are high tensions all-around.


    ¡°For one, the economy needs to start back up.  Some nations are falling into anarchy as governing bodies break down, but that won¡¯t happen here.  I¡¯ve already met with many CEOs of the Fortune Five-Hundred companies, and if we can get it running quickly, then they won¡¯t need a bailout, but we¡¯re working on a Small Business Stimulus Package.¡±


    Rachel sank into the neatly made bed, pulling her hair around before falling onto her back; her tail folded into a comfortable position as she eased her tension.  ¡°Umm, that¡¯s great, President Capell, but what does this have to do with me?  That seems like something my father would be best suited to talk to you about if you want input from small business owners.¡±


    ¡°Right, right,¡± Campell mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯m used to addressing the foundations of something, so the intentions aren¡¯t taken out of context.  You see, we need a strong image to show other companies that those that changed can still work.  Investors are holding their money because they¡¯re scared the market will continue to tank, but we need to show them that the economy will come back stronger than ever.


    ¡°I heard about the contract you have with Tempest, and one of my advisors thought to mention you in the next Presidential Speech; you¡¯re working as a model, and the successes the company is having in the East could quiet many of those fears.  It might sound a little ridiculous, but people need evidence that the world isn¡¯t ending.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips pursed.  ¡°It was kind of a compelled contract, and Fiona¡¯s friend would likely want to look over it ¡­ in fact, my dad just found out about it and wants his lawyers to go over it.  I don¡¯t know how binding it really is, but I can see where you¡¯re going.¡±


    ¡°How do you feel about the thought, though?¡±  Campell pressed.


    ¡°Honestly,¡± Rachel closed her eyes, holding the phone above her head, ¡°I never really wanted to be in the limelight.  I¡¯d happily decline, but if you think it will help the nation, then I¡¯d begrudgingly do it ¡­ I¡¯m not a fan of the types of clothes they were putting me in, but I¡¯ll deal with it if I can help everything get back to normal.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an option,¡± Campell said before shifting gears.  ¡°Now, the real reason I wanted to talk to you was about your change.¡±  Rachel frowned as she heard someone knock on the President¡¯s door.  ¡°Ah, give me a moment.¡±


    The phone went silent, as the call was muted.  She turned her attention back to the conversation happening in the study.  Scarlet was getting into how she couldn¡¯t eat human food anymore.


    Campell¡¯s voice quickly drew her attention back.  ¡°So, the changed people ¡­ I¡¯ve had reports from a host of other conflicting opinions, from sociology, psychological, Military advice, and everyone else under the sun.  It¡¯s exhausting, to be honest; we know the dynamics of our society are going to change.  How to prepare for it and evolve as a society will be a difficult task to keep up with legislatively, but we¡¯re rushing bills through TPA Fast-track legislation like clockwork.


    ¡°The thing that concerns me is ¡­ what is your honest opinion on the Demi, as one yourself?  Can you function properly in society as you once did, or have things changed so drastically to the point you can¡¯t even see yourself going back to the world before The Oscillation?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s tongue slid through her lips, and it took a moment for her to respond.  ¡°Honestly ¡­ no, I can¡¯t see myself returning, and that¡¯s for a number of different reasons.  Do you know my bio?¡±


    ¡°General Dallas gave me a rough idea.  You were a MU student majoring in Law.  You had excellent grades, enough with the high Asian scholarship standard to land yourself partial tuition.  There was something about Muay Thai in there, too, with a side job for cash.¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ well, no, I don¡¯t see myself going back to that, which does concern me a bit.¡±


    Campell¡¯s tone fell slightly, and she heard him rise out of his seat, turning around to likely stare out of a dark window.  ¡°Even if we return everything to normal ¡­ can I ask why?¡±


    Rachel opened her eyes, ears shifting against the sheet as she rested the back of her left hand against her forehead.  ¡°There¡¯s this system ¡­ have you been briefed on it?¡±


    ¡°A system ¡­ I¡¯ve heard it described as a set of protocols.  There¡¯s a set of rules you must conform to in order to accomplish something.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that works, but the more I look into it, the more game-like it appears.¡±


    ¡°Game-like, huh?  Are you referring to video games?¡±


    ¡°How else would you describe Achievement Skills, Race Trees, levels, proficiencies, and other such concepts being linked to our very biology.  My hearing is in direct relation to these Skills, and I¡¯ve even experienced how we can screw up our balance by messing with it.¡±


    ¡°Could you explain further?¡±  Campell whispered.  ¡°My little nephew changed into something called an Aberationkin, and ¡­ my sister¡¯s really concerned about some of his mannerisms.  You mentioned balance being messed up?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Rachel took a deep breath before letting it out.  ¡°The only Aberationkin I know of was a Slime-man ¡­ Fiona was the one that killed him, and he was a horrible person.  If it was a product of being an Aberationkin or simply his personality, I have no clue, but I can tell you that there are forced changes within Mythickin.


    ¡°Maria, a Sunlit Unicorn, can¡¯t lie anymore, but in return, she can tell when someone is lying.  My changes have turned me away from being a lawyer ¡­ my body cries to be in conflict, and with the upcoming crystal crisis¡­¡±


    When the President didn¡¯t interject, she continued.  ¡°It¡¯s like a pulse in my veins ¡­ a drug that courses through my blood, drawing me toward conflict.  Now, I can channel that to a certain extent, but it¡¯s a product of what I¡¯ve become, and there¡¯s no way I could curb it.  Saving those people in South Beach was a complicated situation ¡­ it didn¡¯t feel bad saving them, but that was more of a side-mission, as bad as that sounds.¡±


    ¡°Did you feel any remorse for what you did in South Beach?¡±


    A smirk lifted Rachel¡¯s lips as she pondered the President¡¯s reason in calling her about all of this.  ¡°Remorse ¡­ the correct answer is yes, and I could lie to you about it, but I truly want you to have all the facts to make an honest decision.  You called me to gain my unfiltered opinion, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes.  I want to know exactly what¡¯s going through your head as a Mythickin.  Reports tell me that Mythickin are essentially the monster variants highest-tier in comparison to the Legendkin to the Champions.  What is it like from the top?¡±


    ¡°Did I feel remorse for killing?  No, nothing in the least.  I felt more remorse for letting the bastards get away than taking their lives, and I still don¡¯t believe it was the wrong decision or feel.  The FBI will be calling us in to have psyche evaluations in the coming days, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll ask a similar question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m that different than any human in the same situation.  I feel remorse for some things; I¡¯m not a robot, but some people are worse than dirt.  Like I said before, my emotions need to be channeled, and our nature has definitely changed since The Oscillation.¡±


    Campell hummed tiredly.  ¡°What¡¯s your opinion on the Demi that use their powers to break the law?¡±


    ¡°No different than any other criminal,¡± Rachel mused.  ¡°We all have laws that we don¡¯t agree with, but to live in society, we conform to those rules.  If we had our way, then we¡¯d change them, but we live with the good and bad.  Do I think I did wrong by killing those terrorists?  No, and I think the nation would agree with me, but I never relied on the opinion of Mob Rule.¡±


    The President¡¯s grip tightened on his phone; Rachel could hear the case squeeze against the aluminum.  ¡°Yes, well, it¡¯s one reason why the U.S. is a Constitutional Republic.  We¡¯re built to give everyone a voice, and not a Democracy that stamps on the little-guy,¡±


    Campell sighed.  ¡°The Constitution protects everyone the same, and we¡¯ve already amended it to include any and all Demi.  Demi are in the minority, though.  The next election cycle will have a lot to do with the promised changes of each party ¡­ what is it that you want as a Mythickin?¡±


    Rachel folded her hands behind the back of her head, fingers weaving between her locks.  ¡°Honestly, not much, but I can¡¯t talk for all Mythickin.  Fiona and Maria are very family-oriented; it¡¯s not like they¡¯ve lost that, and I love my own family.


    ¡°What I want, though ¡­ I¡¯m just waiting to hear how the U.S. will handle the crystal conquests.  I want to be on the frontline; my blood runs hot at just the thought.  I think there will be a whole new industry that will develop out of this around the world.¡±


    ¡°A world at constant war,¡± Campell whispered.  ¡°It¡¯s frightening to me, honestly.  I understand it¡¯s eat or be eaten, and we¡¯ll be introduced to creatures that are likely our superiors in combat, which means we need to use everything at our disposal.


    ¡°I hate it, though ¡­ we¡¯ve just started pushing toward peace as a world.  We were starting to talk about the environment, human rights, and how we could live better than our ancestors, but now ¡­ all I see is my children inheriting a pillaging, war-loving culture.  Yet, that¡¯s a better alternative than being slaves or fed to monsters as cattle.¡±


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Really?  It¡¯s no different than the circle of life that we¡¯ve dealt with over the millions of years of our existence as a species.  Every creature that enters a new environment seeks to dominate it.  We¡¯ve just been thrown into a bigger pool, and perhaps this will pull humanity together; after all, humans love their tribal conflicts.¡±


    Her eyes sparkled as she envisioned the conflicts ahead of her.  ¡°This is just the beginning, and my skin prickles with the challenge.  Of course, there will be opposition, but what¡¯s the alternative?  It¡¯s always been, eat or be eaten, as you said, but we¡¯ve been so high on the food chain that we¡¯ve forgotten what it was like to truly struggle.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Campell said, returning to his seat with a huff.  ¡°Perhaps my vision was just a dream, to begin with.  World peace was always one of those dreams that always ended in utopian nightmares; perhaps it¡¯s a religion in itself to envision such ideals.


    ¡°Anyways, you¡¯re saying this change has had a massive impact on your mind?  You are not the same young woman you were a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°The change was gradual enough to be hardly noticeable,¡± Rachel analyzed, shifting to her side to stare at the black screen in front of her.  ¡°I think I¡¯m still changing now.  I¡¯m more calculative, cold, but burning with a competitive edge that branched out from where it was before The Oscillation.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±  Campell tapped his desk four times before asking, ¡°Then ¡­ you believe these changes within you were more enhancements or augmentations to your previous personality, branching out from there?¡±


    ¡°Sharp catch,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Yes, I believe these changes are in direct response to something already within us.  People that gained power and did bad things with it already had that inclination, to begin with.  The power didn¡¯t corrupt them but merely revealed what was restrained below the surface.


    ¡°A Law Firm is a very competitive place, and I was drawn that way for a variety of different reasons, but now ¡­ now there¡¯s something even more enticing to me, and I feel like many people, human and Demi, will feel the same way once you reveal the information about the crystals.¡±


    A thought occurred to Rachel as she twirled around one of her long locks of hair, studying the pinkish glow it radiated.  ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d use the crystals and gateways as your political foundation, and how the Demi can be of use within it.  Spark a new industry for investors to jump onto like bees to honey.  After all, it¡¯s not a risky investment ¡­ we need to survive.¡±


    Campell groaned.  ¡°There it is ¡­ the war machine roaring to life in my mind.  So, Demi have enhanced characteristics that are connected to their type of change.  Thank you for being honest with me, Ms. Park.  You¡¯ve given me a lot to think about ¡­ more than those reports those supposed experts gave me.  Everyone¡¯s tippy-toeing around the issues.¡±


    ¡°Who can blame them,¡± Rachel mused, rising to glance around the rather bare room.  ¡°No one wants to make a decision that hundreds of millions will judge them for.  So, in short, first, you want me to go to Tempest and make an appearance.  They¡¯ll make a big deal about it to hype people up, and show that Demi can function just fine in the workplace.


    ¡°Second, you wanted my opinion on Demi to better understand the changes in your family and to give you a perspective you weren¡¯t getting.


    ¡°Third, you wanted to pick my brain about this new system.¡±


    He released a soft laugh before clicking his tongue.  ¡°Nothing so structured.  I just wanted to get a few things clear, unfiltered, from someone that was going through the changes themself.  An interview with some popular news organization might be helpful, too ¡­ Maria¡¯s interview didn¡¯t go too well.  She gives the impression that Mythickin can¡¯t hold their temper, and a counter view might be in order.¡±


    Rachel sucked in through her teeth before letting it out.  ¡°I¡¯m sure the comment was pointed on the reporter¡¯s part, but yet, Maria does have a temper.¡±


    ¡°It was a bit of a mixed message,¡± Campell muttered.  ¡°On one hand, she¡¯s doing truly miraculous work that is already causing waves.  On the other, her attitude and comments ¡­ let¡¯s just say they raise a few eyebrows.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to look up the video,¡± Rachel said with amusement, but her voice soon fell.  ¡°However, what you¡¯re asking of us is going to cause us trouble.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  How so?¡±  Campell asked, straightening in his seat.


    ¡°Do you know about Carter and Relica?¡±


    ¡°The terrorists?  I believe I¡¯ve heard those names in a briefing, but so many names pass through National Security briefings that sometimes names escape me.  Remind me what your connection to them is.¡±


    ¡°Relica is a Legendkin that is being pursued by the Military; she might be a little obsessed with Scarlet, and Carter is an Anti-Vampire extremist that wants to kill Scarlet.  Carter has many Military contacts himself.  If we publicize ourselves and give them more information on our lives, then they¡¯ll know where to find us.¡±


    ¡°I see ¡­ that could be an issue.  I can assign a protective detail to you if that helps?¡±


    Rachel licked her lips as the potential danger made Lunar Pride rear its ugly head.  ¡°No, I think we can handle it ourselves, but I just wanted to make you aware.  I personally have no issues with them coming after me, but I am concerned about Scarlet.  I think it¡¯s something the FBI would be more in charge of than bothering you.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Campell yawned again, pausing a second before continuing.  ¡°Alright, Ms. Park.  I may end up calling you another time, but I think it¡¯s about time I see my family.¡±


    ¡°Anytime, Mr. President, and if you need me to shut another crystal, then don¡¯t hesitate to call.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.  Goodnight, Ms. Park.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, Mr. President; it¡¯s a brave new world.¡±


    The line cut, making Rachel¡¯s ears twitch with anticipation; the dread she felt had vanished.  Times are certainly getting interesting.  What¡¯s there to look forward to in the next few days?  An interview, meeting up with the others, modeling ¡­ I never thought I¡¯d be a model, but I definitely have a unique appearance to do it now.


    Free sports clothes are always a plus, and maybe I can get them to fashion something I can actually run in.  There¡¯s also the psych evaluation.  We could run across Ma?lle and Kyle while there ¡­ how will Scarlet take that?  There¡¯s Anthony, too¡­


    Her tail quivered at the thought of her last encounter with the Legendkin, and she flipped to her back, lifting her ears high to stare at them.  How will that reunion be?  He was considering moving down to Miami ¡­ that will be interesting.


    Scarlet had just finished their story about the gangsters and was moving onto their time in FBI custody, and surprisingly, her family seemed to be enthralled by the information.  Although, Alexa was finishing up her bed-time preparations and was getting ready to head downstairs.


    Rachel hoisted herself up with a long sigh.  Well, here we go...


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 B3 — 23. Reconciliation

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park


    Recap:  Rachel had a chat with the President and learned that even the most powerful man in the United States had his own personal family questions.  She''s excited about the prospect the crystals bring, and can''t wait for them to force the government into letting her be a part of the clean-up.


    Now, she must deal with the dragon that is her family; a beast that has haunted her since the start.  How will this trial end?


    Rachel¡¯s long ears arched forward as she got to her feet, stretching her arms high into the air as she mentally prepared herself.  Alexa seems to be in a good mood.  What kind of song is she humming, though?


    Her sister-in-law didn¡¯t have a horrible voice, but she¡¯d never heard her use it before; however, she¡¯d never bothered spending that much time around her, to begin with.


    Alexa had finished her shower and was doing some bedtime maintenance to her skin and tying back her long blonde hair.  An irritated twitch shifted her tail the opposite way as she recalled the ridiculous time she spent in the bathroom getting ready; she¡¯d take all the hot water in the mornings, which caused Rachel to move everything to the gym for morning exercises.


    What will her reaction be?  Probably shocked that some unknown bunny-girl is in the house.  She¡¯s in a bright mood, but that could change on a dime.  Whatever the case, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll find something to nitpick.


    Tightening her grip on the phone in her hand, she walked out of the guest bedroom as Alexa exited the bathroom.  She turned at the next junction to enter the study through the kitchen, moving her focus back to the conversation within.


    ¡°... were that scared of you guys?¡±  Nam asked Scarlet.


    ¡°Well, yeah, they were pretty scared, but it¡¯s not like we had a whole Military unit following us around.¡±


    Rachel cut in with a chuckle as she entered.  ¡°No, that was the Army when they escorted us to the hospital.¡±


    Everyone turned to smile at her.  Nam and their father were in their armchairs while their mother leaned against the side of the couch, shifted toward Scarlet on the opposite side.  Her father¡¯s muscles had eased greatly over the conversation.


    Chan-hee patted the open spot next to her with a warm smile, indicating she wanted her to sit.  ¡°Scarlet was telling us about your first night after The Oscillation and how you met.  How was your chat with the President?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t hesitate, walking around the coffee table while positioning her hair to take a seat; she dropped next to her mother with a soft sigh as Chan-hee rubbed her leg, almost as if she was reassuring herself that she wasn¡¯t an illusion.


    ¡°Good.  He was just interested in my experience as a Mythickin, mixed with a few other things.¡±


    Scarlet chuckled, drawing the attention back to her.  ¡°Rachel¡¯s big ears aren¡¯t just for show; she was probably following the whole conversation.  She can multitask like a boss.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Her father asked with a raised eyebrow as his vision lifted to her large white ears, causing them to twitch.


    Rachel nodded, feeling a little more self-conscious than she knew she should.  ¡°I can dial it back or listen to things miles around me.¡±


    Chan-hee¡¯s lips pressed to the side for a moment as she shifted her position, staring up at her head.  ¡°Can I touch them?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Everyone watched in silence as her mother¡¯s hands reached up, and Rachel turned, letting them fall forward a little.  Chan-hee¡¯s smooth fingers slid down their length, gently folding back the hair before rubbing the thin layer of gray fur within.  A lump dropped down Rachel¡¯s throat as she giggled, tickling sensations making them twitch, causing her mother¡¯s fingers to shoot back.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hurt you?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all.  I¡¯m just not used to anyone touching them.¡±


    Nam shook his head with a small smile.  ¡°Bizarre ¡­ you don¡¯t even look the same.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just as pretty as before,¡± her mother huffed before reaching out and combing through a lock of her thick white pink-hued hair.  ¡°What about this; is it hard to manage?  I could never grow my hair out past my mid-back ¡­ oh, it¡¯s so soft and slick.  Is there natural oil in it?¡±  She mumbled, rubbing her fingers together while leaning back.


    Rachel gave a weak shrug before brushing the rogue locks back into place and setting the phone on her lap.  ¡°I¡¯ve grown used to it, more or less.  I do need to use an unreasonable amount of shampoo and conditioner if I want to clean it, though,¡± she chuckled.


    Scarlet jumped in.  ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention she tried to cut it all off at the hospital!¡±


    ¡°Tried?¡±  Her father questioned.


    ¡°Well,¡± Rachel scooped up a large chunk of her hair around her front before letting it slide through her fingers.  ¡°I thought it would get in the way, so I tried to cut it off.¡±


    ¡°You never really liked long hair,¡± her mother mused.


    ¡°Yeah, well, my hair¡¯s a lot more durable now.  I couldn¡¯t even cut it with medical scissors.¡±


    ¡°Crazy,¡± Nam muttered, vision shifting to the kitchen as Alexa called out.


    ¡°Nam, is someone here?¡±  Her shifting muscles told Rachel that she was a little self-conscious about coming in while dressed for bed.


    ¡°Yeah, my sister¡¯s back.¡±


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  She asked, stepping into the doorway.  ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me she¡­¡±  Her words died as her green eyes caught sight of her.


    Rachel¡¯s wide field of vision easily took in her sister-in-law¡¯s appearance as she came into view.  She was wearing a black silk nightgown that fell to her mid-thighs, showing off her smooth and recently washed white skin.  Her long blonde hair was tied into a ponytail, dropping down to her mid-back, and her face was slightly flushed after washing.


    The mask she¡¯d grown so accustomed to reappeared as Rachel hid her internal emotions, and she smiled at the woman two years her elder.  ¡°Alexa, it feels like it¡¯s been forever.¡±


    ¡°You did turn into ¡­ Nam said a hare?¡±  She mumbled, looking stunned as her eyes moved up and down her body.


    ¡°Yup, a Lunar Hare,¡± Rachel added.  ¡°You¡¯re looking pretty.  Getting ready to sleep?¡±


    ¡°Me, pretty?¡±  Alexa mumbled before a rueful smile touched her cheeks, and she folded her arms under her chest while leaning up against the doorframe.  ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.  You look stunning ¡­ you even glow, and who¡¯s your friend next to you?¡±  She asked, brow furrowed.


    Rachel could hear the nervousness hidden within her tone and muscle movements.  ¡°Thanks, and this is Scarlet; we¡¯ve become friends recently.¡±  When will she show her true feelings?  I know she¡¯s still processing everything, but she was never really great at acting.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us?¡±  Nam asked, motioning to the armchair across from him.  ¡°Scarlet was just telling us all about Rachel¡¯s adventures since The Oscillation.¡±


    ¡°Umm, yeah, sure,¡± Alexa mumbled.  She fixed the left side of the nightgown as it tried to slip down and sat, thighs pressing together.  ¡°So, what¡¯s it like being a ¡­ what would you call it?  A hare-girl?  Can you hear far away and run really fast?¡±  She asked, voice picking up speed and excitement.


    Caught a little off-guard, Rachel¡¯s ears moved to the left as her tail pressed against the back of the sofa.  ¡°Yeah.  It took some getting used to, but I¡¯ve become a lot stronger.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement,¡± Scarlet said with a smirk, likely happy the focus wasn¡¯t on her.  ¡°Rachel can punch through steel.¡±


    ¡°Impressive,¡± her father chuckled.  ¡°Went from kicking trees to breaking them in half?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve done that, yet,¡± Rachel said, feeling her mask falter a little.  For some reason, it was hard keeping her composure in front of her parents, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel anxiety welling up within her again.  ¡°What about you, Alexa?  You seem a bit ¡­ different.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you can tell?¡±  She asked, lips falling slightly as her arms tightened around her stomach, and her vision fell to her lap.  ¡°Honestly, it all scared me a lot.¡±


    Nam took a deep breath before letting it out, and his tone grew tired as he ruffled his black hair, shifting uncomfortably.  ¡°Alexa was with me at the police station.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s glowing red eyes moved back to her brother, forehead creasing.  ¡°She was?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t know,¡± Alexa mumbled, cheeks reddening further as she shifted uncomfortably.  ¡°I mean, I wasn¡¯t in the thick of it all ¡­ the gunfire really scared me, and the shouting.  I remember this smell ¡­ I hid in the back with a few women while Nam and the police barricaded the area we were in.  It was this older lady¡¯s perfume.¡±


    Alexa gave her a forced smile; this was a side to her sister-in-law that she¡¯d never seen.  ¡°Kind of weird¡ªright?¡±  She swallowed.  ¡°Everyone was shouting and screaming ¡­ gunshots, but the thing I remember most was the smell of that lady¡¯s perfume, and I didn¡¯t even like it that much ¡­ it was so overpowering.  It just kind of seems silly to me now,¡± she whispered, rubbing her left arm.


    ¡°I get that,¡± Scarlet whispered.  ¡°I remember strange things, too ¡­ kind of like that.  For me, though, it¡¯s emotion.  I can sense emotions, and they just kind of stick in my chest.¡±


    ¡°I can relate to that, but I don¡¯t know if it was someone else¡¯s emotions or just my own,¡± Alexa giggled nervously.  ¡°It was like my brain took a back seat ¡­ I felt so sluggish, and my mind kept stopping and going.¡±


    She looked up at her father-in-law, hands pressing into her lap.  ¡°Sam says it¡¯s natural when you¡¯re terrified¡ªfor that to happen.  I kind of froze ¡­ not very cool, I know.  Nam was sitting there, saving the day, and I was cowering in the corner.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nam soothed, getting up to kneel beside her, rubbing her knee comfortingly.  ¡°You took that girl into the back to protect her.  Remember?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Alexa said with a smile, ¡°to be honest.  Everything was a blur, and it gets all jumbled together when I think back on it.  Do you feel that way?¡±  She asked, turning back to Rachel with a furrowed brow.  ¡°After you changed?¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath before leaning back.  ¡°No, not really.  Whenever in fights at the gym, my mind would become sharper as I focused on the opponent, and it¡¯s gotten even faster now.  It seems like time slows, but really, it¡¯s my brain moving faster.  I can only hold that mental state for so long, but I¡¯ve never had to use it that long.¡±


    ¡°The abilities,¡± Alexa mumbled.  ¡°Nam told me about them,¡± she said while smiling down at him and holding his hand.  ¡°Seems like a game, right?  Sorry for dampening the mood.¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Scarlet shook her head.  ¡°I can feel how upset you are.  Talking helps, it really does.  I can¡¯t tell you how many times Rachel¡¯s helped me cope with my own change.¡±


    Alexa¡¯s eyebrows came together as she turned her focus to Scarlet.  ¡°Your change ¡­ are those fangs?  You¡¯re like¡­¡±


    ¡°A Vampire,¡± Nam said, still rubbing her hand, ¡°but not like the Seattle one we¡¯ve heard about.¡±


    Alexa shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t keep up with the news ¡­ it¡¯s too scary.  I¡¯m a bit of a wimp, but Rachel knows that.¡±  She chuckled, giving Rachel an apologetic smile.


    Rachel felt confused and utterly blindsided.  Did The Oscillation send me to an alternate universe?  Nam, Mom, Dad, I can get, but Alexa?  How did she change so much from that one incident?  No, she¡¯s got to be the same person buried under all that, but ¡­ I¡¯m a lot different.


    No, I¡¯m different because of the change.  Lunar Pride and a host of other things are probably influencing me.  Alexa doesn¡¯t have anything like that, but even Scarlet¡¯s feeling sympathy for her.  If anyone would know she¡¯s genuine, it would be Scarlet.  Maria could only tell if she was lying, but sincerity ¡­ that¡¯s Scarlet¡¯s department, and in a way, they¡¯re actually bonding.


    ¡°Umm, that¡¯s pretty cool, though,¡± Alexa said, and it was clear that she was trying to fight back tears.  ¡°I can¡¯t¡ªimagine how hard it must have been for you guys.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s muscles tightened, arm pressing against her abdomen.  ¡°It has been rough ¡­ if it wasn¡¯t for Rachel, I don¡¯t know if I could have made it.  She¡¯s been a huge mental support for me; Rachel¡¯s always so calm and collected, and she always knows what to say.¡±


    Rachel tried to hide the twitch that shot down her ears by moving them to the left as everyone turned to smile at her.  ¡°I¡¯m just glad everyone¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°Speaking about that,¡± her father took a deep breath, drawing everyone¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Soo-geun?¡±  Her mother asked with a sad tone.


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed, remembering what her father had said about her younger cousin being turned into a Bear Beastkin.


    Sam nodded.  ¡°Soo-geun hasn¡¯t been getting along with his parents since the change, and he¡¯s been having some temperament issues.  Your grandfather has asked for him to come up and spend time away from all the drama.¡±


    ¡°Drama?¡±  Rachel asked, remembering the time she¡¯d spent with her cousin.  They hadn¡¯t been the closest, but they were the nearest in age within the family, she being nineteen, and Soo-geun being seventeen.


    Chan-hee¡¯s hand tightened on Rachel¡¯s knee.  ¡°Girl troubles.  Apparently, the girl he¡¯d been dating over the past year just broke up with him, and it has something to do with his change.¡±


    ¡°That sucks,¡± Scarlet whispered.


    Her father released a tired sigh, closing his eyes for a moment before turning to look at Rachel.  ¡°I told him about your change, and he wants you to come up to talk with him.  I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not his only reasoning; he was concerned about your wellbeing, too, since we couldn¡¯t get in touch with you.¡±


    ¡°About that,¡± her mother pressed, glaring at her husband.


    Sam nodded, lips curved into a deep frown as he glanced at Chan-hee before returning to Rachel.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sung.  After consulting with your mother and grandfather, I acted out of line.  I was worried about you and came off too strong.  What I said was inexcusable.¡±


    Rachel felt her entire life falling into pieces.  What happened to my parents?  Dad¡¯s apologizing ¡­ to me?  He was out of line?  Dad never apologizes.  He means it, too.  I got an apology from my dad ¡­ the first ¡­ ever.


    This can¡¯t be real.  Am I still trapped in the alien ship?  Is it all a lie?  This can¡¯t be reality ¡­ it just can¡¯t.  Maybe even before the crystal ¡­ am I in some kind of mental trap from Relica?  Did I get transferred to a new reality?  My mind left my Earth, and now I¡¯m stuck in this hare body?


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Her mother asked.  ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    A lump dropped down Rachel¡¯s throat as she collected herself, reforming her breaking mask.  ¡°Y-Yeah, I¡¯m fine.  Thanks, dad ¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say.  Umm¡ªwhy does Grandpa want me to talk to Soo-geun about girl problems?  I¡¯ve never even been on a date before.  Nam would be better at that, not that there are any problems with you.¡±  She chuckled, giving Alexa a forced smile.


    Alexa shook her head, returning the smile.  ¡°No¡ªI know I haven¡¯t really been fair to you.  It¡¯s just been a tough transition¡ªhaving someone else in the house was hard at first.  I just kind of¡ªfelt like I was competing with you, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°For?¡±


    ¡°Nam¡¯s attention,¡± she admitted.  ¡°It was petty, but I¡¯ve been thinking about it over the last few days, and I was really worried about you, too.  I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ umm¡ªI¡¯m suddenly feeling a little tired, and this is a lot to take in,¡± Rachel said, knowing by Scarlet¡¯s appearance that she knew her inner struggle.  ¡°Is my old room still untouched?¡±


    ¡°I mean, other than the stuff you took to the dorm, yeah,¡± Nam muttered.  ¡°You¡¯re sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just a lot to take in,¡± Rachel reassured.  ¡°I¡¯ll call Grandpa later, too, Dad.  Thanks for letting me know.¡±


    ¡°Right, it is getting kind of late,¡± Sam said with a long yawn.  ¡°We can talk about some other things that were on my mind and finish this up tomorrow.¡±


    Her mother quickly got to her feet, moving to the front hallway.  ¡°Oh, Scarlet, dear, let me get everything ready in the guest bedroom for you.  You said sunlight is not good, right?  I¡¯ll nail some blankets over the window for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Park.  Umm¡ªwould you like some help?¡±  She asked, shooting Rachel a questioning look.


    ¡°Yeah, go ahead,¡± Rachel urged.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±  Scarlet got up, following after Chan-hee.


    Nam guided Alexa to her feet, hugging her around the waist.  ¡°Right, let¡¯s head up to bed.  We¡¯ll catch-up tomorrow, Sung?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, for sure,¡± Rachel said with a bright smile; her heart felt like it would pound outside her chest like in the cartoons she¡¯d seen as a little girl.  She got up, fingers clamped around her phone.  This is just too much!


    ¡°Alright,¡± her father groaned while rising, and the cracking of his aged body almost made Rachel wince as he stretched, reminding her that her parents were getting on in years.  ¡°I just need to make a few business calls, and I¡¯ll be heading to bed myself.  Love you three, and it¡¯s good to have you back, Sung.¡±


    Rachel tensed as her father moved in, feeling her heart put to the test as he gave her a strong hug.  ¡°Really ¡­ it¡¯s nice to have you home.  Whatever your grandfather says, please, stay for a few days to put our minds at ease.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Rachel¡¯s throat caught, and a tear fell down her cheek as she returned the hug.  ¡°Thanks, Dad.  I love you, too ¡­ I¡¯m home.¡±


    AuthorSME


    Artwork:


    Another amazing work done by Robbuz; you can download it in full resolution for free here


    SME''s Request:


    I hope you''ve been enjoying the free entertainment!  The internet is divided into different echo-chambers; you have a specific group that only hovers around specific sites/content.  So, by recommending my serials to others, you give it more exposure to different echo-chambers and help it grow.  Ratings are excellent, Trending is terrific, but it only will appeal to a specific echo-chamber.  If you like my content, then please share it in your own unique way.


    Thank you!  ^_^7


    Normal Plugs:


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    Support me on Patreon and get up to 3 Chapters ahead in A Tail''s Misfortune, 6 Chapters in The Oscillation, and 10 Chapters in Undying Empire.  All pictures are up for free download on Patreon with the artist I commissioned listed.


    View and help contribute to the Wiki

 B3 — 24. Family

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park


    Recap:  Rachel is finally settling into the possibility that things might not be as they seem, and she''s starting to connect with her family.  Is this too much to hope for, or did she have a skewed view, to begin with?


    Rachel¡¯s ears were pulled back as she stepped back from her father, fingers linked just above her tail.  Nam and Alexa were moving toward the kitchen to make it to the stairs while dad pulled out his phone from the pocket inside his jacket, giving her a forced smile.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a backlog of customers wanting to buy our products, but there¡¯s no way for us to ship it at the moment.  A lot of the shareholders want daily updates of how things are moving, and the President told me some information they¡¯d like to hear.¡±


    She returned the smile, pressing her knuckles against her lower back.  ¡°Must be rough.¡±


    Her dad frowned as he looked down at his phone, releasing a soft sigh.  ¡°Scarlet told me about the whole modeling thing.  If you can get me a copy, I¡¯ll send it to Kim to look over.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I think that that¡¯d be good,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°Umm, just so you know ¡­ it¡¯s kind of hard to fall asleep during the night for Scarlet and I.¡±


    He pulled his eyes away from his phone, tongue sliding across his lips as he folded his fingers.  ¡°Mmh, that makes sense with Scarlet being a Vampire, and you said you were a Lunar Hare?¡±


    ¡°Yup, connected to the moon,¡± Rachel said with a short chuckle.  ¡°We¡¯re kind of on an afternoon schedule, not completely nocturnal.  I think we¡¯ll maybe go to bed around ¡­ I don¡¯t know, four or five, maybe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let your mother know.  We¡¯ve got plenty of food in the fridge, too.  Your mother¡¯s been a tornado in the kitchen,¡± he smiled, rubbing the back of his neatly cut black hair.  ¡°Anything you need?¡±


    Rachel quickly shook her head, shifting her body to allow him to go into the front room.  ¡°Nope, I¡¯ll just go help mom and Scarlet get the guest room ready.¡±


    Her dad sucked in his lips, nodding a few times before slowly walking into the other room.  ¡°Love you, Sung.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, love you, dad¡­¡±  Rachel whispered, red irises following the back of his pinstripe suit as he left.  Is this really my dad?  There has to be something wrong here, and what¡¯s up with Alexa?


    She bit the inside of her left cheek, sucking on it as her ears lifted to follow everyone¡¯s movements.  Her mom and Scarlet were moving toward the garage.


    ¡°... don¡¯t want you to damage the walls,¡± Scarlet mumbled in a worried tone.


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Chan-hee scoffed.  ¡°If sunlight hurts you and you¡¯re staying in the house for a few days, then we¡¯ll need to proof the windows.  It¡¯s easily covered up, too, and we don¡¯t want any accidents ¡­ the hammer should be on the bench with some nails.  We¡¯ll just put up some of the extra blankets.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ thanks for thinking about me, Ms. Park.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you can just call me Molly.  Most of my non-Korean friends just use that name anyways; we like to speak Korean in the house, but we adapt when needed.¡±  She giggled.  ¡°Even though Alexa¡¯s trying to learn, she¡¯s not very good at speaking the language.¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Nam groaned as they made it to the stairs.  ¡°She¡¯s trying.¡±


    ¡°I meant it as endearing,¡± Molly chuckled as Scarlet and her paused by the garage door.  ¡°She tries.¡±


    ¡°Mhh,¡± Alexa forced a laugh.  ¡°Your mother¡¯s not wrong, Nam.  I can¡¯t even keep up with you guys when you¡¯re speaking casually.¡±


    ¡°Give it another few months,¡± Nam encouraged as they climbed the stairs.


    Rachel folded her arms, lips becoming a line.  Things are way too lax.  I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on.  Dad should have asked me about my plans with schooling after the change or about my job, but instead, he listened to Scarlet recount our adventures.  I¡¯m home, but ¡­ it doesn¡¯t feel the same.


    She pressed her hand against her left breast; it was beating a hundred miles an hour.  Taking in a deep breath, she slowly let it out before dropping into the armchair Nam had been using, vision losing focus as she turned her thoughts inward.


    I¡¯m home ¡­ just those words.  I was kicked out days ago ¡­ nothing seems real.  Am I in an alternate dimension, a parallel universe?  Stupid thoughts, but what other alternative is there?  No, dad was his usual business-like self on the phone a few days ago, but he apologized.  I doubt an imposter would be that detailed.


    I don¡¯t get it ¡­ I just don¡¯t get it.  Nam seems a bit more caring than I remember, but only a little; he¡¯s pretty much the same.


    Mom worry-baking, though?  I mean, the tea, sure, and cleaning, but ¡­ no, no, she did have some stupid long baking sessions growing up.  There was always a ton of food during finals last year and when we were waiting for the scholarship letter.  Was I just too busy and focused on my own problems to notice before?


    Her vision went black as she closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the chair while trying to relax.  Dad was worried about my safety ¡­ isn¡¯t that new?  I mean, since I started Muay Thai, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be less scared for me, but I¡¯ve never heard that tone in his voice before.  Is it because of my enhanced abilities?


    I¡¯m sure he wanted to discuss his concerns about all the dangerous stuff Scarlet told him, but he¡¯s unsure of how to approach the subject.  Mom obviously didn¡¯t like the way he handled it before, and that has to play a role in it, but he¡¯s struggling to find a way to express it.  My dad ¡­ struggling?


    She sat in silence, mind blank as she let the thought sink in.  How much of my thoughts before were true or distortions of reality?  Alexa ¡­ yeah, she made some rude comments, but was she really that bad, or was I projecting my own insecurities onto her?


    She took a lot of Nam¡¯s attention away from me.  He used to come to watch my matches, but she stole that ¡­ there was that one time he couldn¡¯t make it because the vegan restaurant she liked was all the way across town.  Was I yelling at her just as much as she was yelling at me ¡­ I can admit that, now that I look back.


    Yes, she did complain a lot to her father about the fights we had, and that could have put some stress on dad, too.  Her dad is pretty overprotective; in fact, I¡¯m shocked he even let her stay here.  Dad was also going through a pretty rough time before The Oscillation with a particularly big business deal; I¡¯m sure Alexa and I making a fuss didn¡¯t help, and the day before, he was on a conference call when we blew up at each other.


    I guess we were both pretty immature, but the police station incident did a number on her, and I don¡¯t even consider myself the same person I was anymore.


    An itch at the back of her neck made her scratch it; Scarlet was getting out some blankets from the hallway closet to bring back to the guest room at Molly¡¯s instruction.  Her dad was on a five-way business call, and her brother was brushing his teeth while Alexa snuggled into bed.


    It¡¯s normal ¡­ everything¡¯s so normal.


    She broadened her range, listening to hundreds of households.  It was a little shocking but other than a few arguments ranging from food usage to the internet being down; it was peaceful.  The National Guard and police were patrolling the streets, but they were joking and laughing to pass the time.


    A shiver ran down her spine as her mind returned to the moment her leg cut Conner in half, and her thighs tensed.  She bent over, elbows pressing against her knees as her hair draped onto the floor, obscuring her vision, and a hard lump dropped down her throat.


    I was pretty contentious before my transformation, and I didn¡¯t even realize it.  Was Muay Thai really to release stress at home or just the frustration that naturally ate at me?  I don¡¯t know.  Could all of this have something to do with my change, or was a piece of this Lunar Hare nature inside of me from the start?  I don¡¯t know¡­


    A low groan rumbled in her throat.  She swept her hair back, fingers pressing against her temple.  No, it doesn¡¯t matter.  Whatever the reason, it won¡¯t do me any good to break it down.  Even if I could change who I am now ¡­ I don¡¯t want to.  I like it ¡­ I like the power.  Even Lunar Pride ¡­ it¡¯s more of a mental formality that I curse it.  The danger gets me high, and if that¡¯s the case¡­


    Her stomach tightened as she leaned back, folding her arms across her abdomen as she listened to her father¡¯s deep voice and her mother¡¯s bright tone, speaking to Scarlet with affection.  How would my parents react if I told them I plan on living a very dangerous life?  No, of course, I know how they¡¯d feel ¡­ dad spelled it out before he left.


    Can I really put them through that fear?  Can I curb these desires?  I don¡¯t think I can, which sets up a problem.  Her throat constricted, nose flared as she fought back the tears.  Why am I getting so emotional?  I want to fight ¡­ I think I always did, but now it¡¯s real.  I should tell them ¡­ but I won¡¯t.  I know they¡¯ll find out eventually, but I just can¡¯t tell them myself.  How can this be so frightening?  Why is it?


    ¡°Mhgh¡­¡±  Rachel took a deep breath, puffing it out and sniffing before scratching her scalp.  She ran her fingers through her hair, palms pressed against her ears to muffle all the sounds flooding her brain.


    I don¡¯t even know if Maria and Fiona will take the same route.  They have their own lives to live, but Scarlet ¡­ she¡¯s kind of stuck to my hip.  I think she¡¯ll do whatever I do, which is kind of comforting.  I know I won¡¯t be alone in this.  What even is this?  I have no clue how the government will deal with the crystals, but it¡¯s inevitable.


    They¡¯ll have to come up with a solution, and it¡¯s not like every country can handle it themselves.  If a crystal shows up over the sea or in the arctic, then it could keep growing and go out of control.  There¡¯s so much we still don¡¯t know, but what I do know is that chaos is on the horizon.  We must deal with it, or our world will collapse, and I¡¯ve got a ticket inside.


    That won¡¯t be for a bit, though.  She sighed, opening her eyes to stare up at the ceiling.  In the short-term, I spend a few days here, maybe go spend some time with Grandpa, and go to the FBI to be evaluated.  I could meet up with Maria and Fiona a little before that or during it, who can say?


    Soo-geun isn¡¯t getting along with his parents and having girl problems¡­


    Her mind returned to the little kid she remembered.  He did have a bit of a temper growing up.  She mainly remembered beating him up a lot since he always thought of himself as a tough guy; she felt a little bad about it since she was older than him.  They¡¯d spent a decent time together when she was in middle school.  He was always looking for trouble, and she was willing to give it, which usually left him in a rough spot, but he never gave up.


    Why does Grandpa want me to talk to Soo-geun?  Is it just an excuse to get me to come out?  It wouldn¡¯t be the first time he came up with something to spend some time with me.  It¡¯d be super awkward, though.  What am I supposed to say to Soo-geun?  There¡¯s no way I could give him good advice.  If he brings it up, then whatever, but I have no clue what the situation is.


    Cracking her neck, Rachel brushed back her hair while standing, arching her back to stretch it out.  Whatever ¡­ I¡¯ll call Grandpa tomorrow.


    She walked out of the study, moving through the kitchen and hall to get to the upstairs guest room.  Her mother and Scarlet came into view as she leaned up against the doorframe; the sound of a hammer cut as she entered, and Scarlet turned around with a smile on her face.


    ¡°Your mom¡¯s super nice.  She even said she¡¯s going to try to make a blood lemonade to see if I can have something different!  Oh, I bet you heard that, though,¡± she chuckled.


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°No, I¡¯ve been a bit busy with my own thoughts to follow everything.  Didn¡¯t you say you already tried eating?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but, umm, I haven¡¯t tried blood lemonade!  It sounds good,¡± Scarlet mumbled sheepishly.  ¡°I mean, I haven¡¯t tried to drink anything yet.¡±


    ¡°You tell her,¡± Molly encouraged.  ¡°You never know until you try, and we¡¯ll figure something out!  We have three whole bags of lemons, and you said you had the blood on the way?¡±


    ¡°Blood on the way?¡±  Rachel asked, shooting Scarlet an inquisitive stare.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, so ¡­ I¡¯m actually getting pretty thirsty; I think it has something to do with me being so nervous about meeting your family,¡± she said with a forced chuckle.  ¡°Which you¡¯re great, by the way,¡± she reassured, smiling at her mother.  ¡°So, I kind of text our driver about my little ¡­ concern and he said he made some calls and is on the way with enough to last me a few days ¡­ he hopes.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Rachel slowly nodded.  ¡°You¡¯re going to stay up and make some lemonade then, mom?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, why not?  I mean, your dad needs to get some sleep, but I¡¯m wide awake, and you just got home!  Scarlet also said that you¡¯re more night owls, and I¡¯m not tired at all.  In fact, I¡¯m wide awake!  I have a lot of housework that needs to be done, after all,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°We need to make this place sun-proof!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s way too nice,¡± Scarlet smiled with a dubious sidelong look at Molly.  ¡°She was even talking about making a coffin tonight for me to sleep in, but I don¡¯t need anything like that.¡±


    ¡°Just a suggestion!  I mean, I have no clue how this new change thing works, and I was a little surprised to see you in the hallway mirror.  It¡¯s just all so new and exciting, and I¡¯m just happy to have my little girl back.¡±


    Rachel released a puff of air through her nose as her mother set down the hammer and rushed over to give her another strong hug.  ¡°Yes, mom, I¡¯m not dead ¡­ I¡¯m real.¡±


    ¡°Just had to make sure,¡± she mumbled, not letting her go, and after a few seconds, brushed back her hair.  A curious hum rumbled in Molly¡¯s throat.  ¡°You have a little hare tail?  It¡¯s pretty cute,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Hey, mom ¡­ be a little careful,¡± she mumbled, tail twitching as her mother stroked it.


    ¡°Curious, just curious ¡­ how does it feel?¡±


    Rachel pulled away, giving her a forced smile.  ¡°Not used to being touched.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I understand, boundaries, mom,¡± she chuckled, brown eyes close to tears.  ¡°Oh, okay, let¡¯s see, umm ¡­ we¡¯ll have to come up with another solution for some of the other windows,¡± she mused, voice cracking as she turned to stare at the blanket they¡¯d hung up.  ¡°We don¡¯t have enough for the entire house, but we¡¯ll figure something out; we might still have some rolls of masking paper left somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±  Rachel chuckled softly.


    ¡°Hmm?  What?¡±


    ¡°Slow down.  You¡¯re kind of freaking out.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I am!  I was worried sick,¡± she said, tears appearing in her eyes as she began to shake.  ¡°I thought ¡­ I thought the worst.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Rachel moved in to hug her.  ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Molly clutched the back of her shirt before running her hands through her hair, head pressed against Rachel¡¯s chest.  ¡°Give your mom a break, though ¡­ I felt so useless.  You were gone, and the stupid government wouldn¡¯t even let me leave to go look for you.  All I could do was, was stupid baking ¡­ I just wanted to smash the last cake I made on the floor and scream.¡±


    Rachel felt her mother¡¯s lips trembling against her neck as her hug tightened, arms shaking, and she kissed her neck.  ¡°I was so worried.  No one would tell me anything ¡­ your dad was so calm and cold ¡­ it was killing me, but I know he handles stress differently.  Don¡¯t go ¡­ I know your grandpa wants to see you, but stay ¡­ please, for me¡­¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I plan on staying for a bit, mom ¡­ don¡¯t worry.¡±  Rachel¡¯s throat constricted, and she noticed bloody tears running down Scarlet¡¯s own cheeks, likely smelling and sensing their emotions herself.


    ¡°Can I just¡ªcan I hold you for just a bit longer?  I fear¡ªI don¡¯t want you to disappear again.  I knew sending you to that school would be a mistake ¡­ I just¡ªyour dad ¡­ nevermind.  It¡¯s in the past.  I just¡ªI want to stay like this for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine, mom¡­¡±


    Rachel swallowed the lump in her throat, holding her mom as she tried to calm herself, chest heaving while she cried, and the only thing running through her mind was the guilt about her previous thoughts.


    Was mom always this emotional?  If I keep going into crystals ¡­ if just a few days without contact made her like this, I can¡¯t imagine how she¡¯d react to me going to different planets that I could get stuck on.  It might just break her¡­


    She spent the better part of the night trying to ease her mother¡¯s stress; Scarlet and her got into a baking spree with trying to add blood into items.  Most of it was a complete miss with Scarlet left gagging over the sink, but they didn¡¯t give up, and eventually, they found the right blood content needed for her to actually drink blood lemonade, which was far more blood than lemon.


    Rachel sat at the bar, watching them work and theorize while occasionally reminding them that the cooler full of blood packs were meant to last a few days, but her prompts were given a half-hearted hand waving as they continued with their next experiment.


    It was nice, and it felt good to have Scarlet around.  Her mother treated Scarlet like her second daughter, which made Rachel smile.  The little teenage Vampire-girl was finally having a fun time; it was the first time she¡¯d seen her so happy, and after the blood lemonade, they moved onto likes and dislikes, shifting their conversation back to the study.


    Scarlet talked about how she loved to draw, watch dramas and anime, and read web serials.  To both Rachel and Scarlet¡¯s surprise, it seemed Molly had a bit of interest in following online Manhwa while taking baths, primarily romance.


    Scarlet and her got hooked on one particular long-running series they followed; Rachel was lost in the conversation for more than an hour before they used up the rest of the blankets on the windows and changed the subject.  Finally, after hours of mostly Scarlet and Molly talking, they all headed off to bed.


    Molly gave them both a hug, kissing them on their cheeks as they stood by the stairs.  ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to sneak into bed with your father,¡± she giggled, giving her a wink.  ¡°He¡¯s a pretty light sleeper.  I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll wake up and ask me what we¡¯ve been doing.  I¡¯ll see you girls in the afternoon.¡±


    Scarlet gave her a bright, toothy smile, showing off her fangs.  ¡°Thank you, Molly.  I had so much fun.  I can¡¯t wait to talk more tomorrow.  Maybe there will be an update on the latest chapter!¡±


    ¡°We can hope ¡­ that last cliff-hanger!  Grr, sometimes authors ¡­ mmh!  Evil!¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±  Scarlet sighed, shaking her head.  ¡°It¡¯s like let them kiss already!  It¡¯s been two-hundred chapters!¡±


    Rachel just smiled as they both shook their heads with exasperation.  ¡°Right, well, night, mom.¡±


    They split off from Molly at the top of the stairs, waving before Rachel entered Scarlet¡¯s temporary room, shutting the door behind them.


    ¡°Your mom¡¯s amazing!¡±  Scarlet grinned, dropping back onto the bed with a soft sigh.  ¡°She even reads Manhwa, and she¡¯s funny.  She¡¯s a little ahead of me in some since she can read the raw, but she didn¡¯t spoil anything.¡±


    Rachel breathed out a long sigh before giving her a small shrug.  ¡°Honestly, you bring out a side of my mom I haven¡¯t seen before.  I had no clue she read any of that.  It makes me realize how much I didn¡¯t know about her ¡­ I¡¯ve always been kind of focused on my own thing.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s black lips dropped into a sad smile before she mumbled, ¡°Is it bad that I wish your mom was my mom?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s red eyes fell to the floor.  ¡°No, I get it.  Well, I think I¡¯ll head to bed.  You going to bed?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Scarlet yawned.  ¡°I¡¯m beat ¡­ even though I threw-up more than I put down ¡­ it was so much fun.  Just feeling the raw energy your mother had and the emotions.  She¡¯s so ¡­ real.  Unlike my mom.  I didn¡¯t know her at all.¡±


    She rolled over on her side, staring at the PJs lying atop the blanket.  ¡°Thanks, Rachel ¡­ thank you so much for letting me be a part of your life.  You¡ªyou don¡¯t know how much this means to me.  I didn¡¯t take your time away, did I?  I don¡¯t want to overstep.¡±


    Rachel shook her head, giving her a soft smile.  ¡°No, not at all.  It made me happy to see both of you getting along so well.  I was really worried, but from what I could see, you¡¯ve already become a second daughter to my mom.¡±


    ¡°That means a lot,¡± Scarlet whispered.  ¡°A lot¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m heading off to bed.  Night, sister,¡± Rachel said, giving her a peace sign.


    ¡°Night,¡± Scarlet said, getting up to hug her.  ¡°Sister ¡­ wow ¡­ I was a single child.¡±


    When she pulled away, Rachel brushed back her bangs.  ¡°Not anymore.  I think we¡¯ve been through enough to bridge that gap.¡±  It didn¡¯t seem Scarlet could respond, but she managed to give a nod, sniffing back tears.


    Rachel waved her goodnight before heading to her own room.  When she entered, she released a long sigh, examining the bare space; she¡¯d packed up most of her belongings.  Walking to the side of her bed, she sat down, noticing how little of an impression she made from her cut weight.


    Bringing around her long white hair, she slid into bed, not bothering to change; the room was pitch-black, but she had no problems seeing.  The white ceiling was as bland as she remembered, and she stared at it for a good minute, mind blank as she let a wave of emotions course through her body.


    I¡¯m home ¡­ in my bed.  This is real.


    Her ears fell back against her sleeveless pillow, tail curved into a comfortable position as she waited for sleep.  How does this feel more like a dream than when I changed?  It¡¯s like a crack is going to break open the ceiling, and I¡¯ll find out I¡¯m still on that alien planet.  All of this is just a figment of my imagination, whipped up by the little orange aliens.  This can¡¯t be real ¡­ but it has to be.


    It took her a little longer than she expected to fall asleep, but eventually, she did, and her worries faded into her subconscious.


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


    I hope you''ve been enjoying the free entertainment!  The internet is divided into different echo-chambers; you have a specific group that only hovers around specific sites/content.  So, by recommending my serials to others, you give it more exposure to different echo-chambers and help it grow.  Ratings are excellent, Trending is terrific, but it only will appeal to a specific echo-chamber.  If you like my content, then please share it in your own unique way.


    Thank you!  ^_^7


    Normal Plugs:


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


    Vote on Top Web Fictions


    Support me on Patreon and get up to 3 Chapters ahead in A Tail''s Misfortune, 6 Chapters in The Oscillation, and 10 Chapters in Undying Empire.  All pictures are up for free download on Patreon with the artist I commissioned listed.


    View and help contribute to the Wiki

 B3 — 25. A Girl In Need

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park


    Recap:  After testing her nerves more than any physical battle she''s been in, Rachel is finally settling in back home, but now, she''s left with the wake of what she''s experienced, and some of those thoughts could weigh heavily on her mind.


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched against her pillow as she stretched out beneath her sheets; her muscles released a burning pleasure as she groaned.  Taking a deep breath, she released it in a soft sigh before opening her eyes.  The room was dark, but she could see the small glow of bright sunlight poking through the edges of the blankets draped over her window.


    Her tail shifted to the left as she got up, slowly turning her head to view her room with a soft smile.  I¡¯m home ¡­ I really am.


    Scarlet was up, busy helping her mother in the kitchen while her brother and father listened to the news.  Alexa was shut inside her room, watching anime by the sounds of the voices; Rachel shook her head at the high-pitched tones of the characters.


    So, Alexa¡¯s a big nerd after all.  Is she embarrassed about it?  Nam and her never spoke about it ¡­ well, I guess Mom is also into some things I wasn¡¯t aware of.  I never really wanted to learn about their interests either ¡­ I suppose I was pretty self-absorbed; it seems pretty obvious now, but I didn¡¯t notice them.  I thought Alexa was always in her room because she didn¡¯t want to be around the family, but I guess she had her own secret.


    Swinging her legs over her bed, Rachel got up and looked through what clothes she had left; the only things she didn¡¯t pack were the items she rarely wore.


    A sigh passed through her nose while she pulled out a light blue summer dress with spaghetti straps.  She didn¡¯t have many options, and it would work for the moment.  All of her undergarments were at Miami University; so, she made do with what she had.


    Sitting back down on her bed, she put her selected items beside her while taking her phone out of sleep.  She didn¡¯t have any calls or messages.  Opening up Chrome, she searched, What do hares symbolize?


    A smirk lifted Rachel¡¯s full lips as she read down the first link.  An animal that represents illumination, intuition, promise, and balance, huh?  Elegance, beauty, and strong feminine energy.  Of course, they are also connected with the devil, lunacy, and madness.  Rabbits are seen to be good luck while hare is seen as bad luck.  Interesting...


    She chuckled before leaving her phone by the bed, going to the second-floor bathroom to shower; the space was large, but most rooms in the house were like it.


    Her parents made a decent living; the house came with two master bedrooms, one taken by her parents while the other was given to Nam and Alexa.  Both bedrooms had their full bathrooms, complete with bath and shower.


    There was the public bathroom, which normally she had to herself, but she could see signs of Scarlet using it with the leftover water in the shower.


    The rest of the house consisted of her room, two guest rooms, the study, front room, living room, kitchen, and garage.  She¡¯d grown up here her entire life, and seeing herself in the mirror made her pause.  I¡¯m so different.


    She could see everything about her new body with her wide field of vision, every detail in focus.  Rachel undressed, throwing her slept-in clothes on the sink before turning on the shower, letting it run for a bit to warm up.  She stepped back, looking at herself in the sink mirror again.


    Her long ears hung slightly forward and to the left.  She studied her passive expression for a moment, letting her smooth lips fall into a slight frown.  I wouldn¡¯t necessarily call myself beautiful ¡­ more unique.  It¡¯s still strange seeing myself so skinny and without all the muscle.


    A soft hum rumbled in her throat as she slid her palms across her bare stomach.  It was firm, but her skin was silky smooth to the touch as her fingers grazed over her innie belly button.  She turned her focus to her evenly cut and perfectly manicured nails.


    My new body is so strange.  I sweat, I know that, but I don¡¯t need to use the restroom or take care of any other needs I used to have.  I don¡¯t have any hair on my legs or arms to shave ¡­ my hair has enough for a lifetime.


    She brushed back her absurdly thick white pink-hued hair, turning to watch it fall to her round butt.  I have an attractive body, for sure ¡­ I¡¯m tone, and everything¡¯s tight, but why is that?  Why would The Oscillation affect my physical appearance so drastically?  I¡¯m sure Maria didn¡¯t have the kind of body she currently has before the event.  There¡¯s so many mysteries about this, and from how it looks, the government had no warning at all this would happen.


    She slid her hands up her thighs and butt, pursing her lips to the side as she let go.  Why would The Oscillation care if I had a butt or not?  I mean, every girl has the thought and is self-conscious about their image, but why would it accommodate for that?  This alone makes me think it has something to do with our own desires, but at the same time, why would I desire to not have muscle?  Is it linked to our subconscious, and I simply don¡¯t know myself as well as I thought I did?


    Rachel moved closer to the mirror, pressing her fingers against her cheeks, opening her mouth, and examining her teeth and tongue before pulling up on her nose and brushing back her bangs to view her forehead and vanished human ears.


    I¡¯m a Mythickin Lunar Hare ¡­ no longer human.  My parents are just happy to have me back ¡­ that worry is out of the way, but there¡¯s so much more I haven¡¯t had the time to consider.  For one, my mind; why am I so obsessed with analyzing things?  I¡¯m cold, calculating, and a killer, but at the same time, caring for those close to me, a whirlwind of emotions when I really get into fights, and focused on conflict.


    What part of me is really me, unconscious human Rachel or otherwise, and what part is this change?  This four-leaf clover-like design in my eye ¡­ the white moon-like iris eclipsed by a black and pink moon ¡­ all inside a large red orb.  It¡¯s so fascinating; it¡¯s almost as if there¡¯s a massive solar event happening inside my eyes.


    A depressed sigh left her lips as she looked down at herself with a deep frown.  I don¡¯t even know if I can have kids.  Sure, there are reports of Beastkin giving birth to the same Type of Beastkin, and that adds so many other questions.  If that¡¯s the case, then can Legendkin and Mythickin have children, then what would they be?


    Perhaps it would be impossible for certain Kinds, Types, and Races to mix ¡­ maybe it just has to do with Type, and Mythickin can breed with Mythickin, Legendkin with Legendkin.  Perhaps that¡¯s a price for our powers as Mythickin and Legendkin, we¡¯re unable to have children.  So many questions.


    Fiona voiced these types of concerns before; with her tiny body, how could she not think about it?  Her blood is blue when it touches air ¡­ mine white, and if that wasn¡¯t strange enough, it tastes like mints to me.  Maria doesn¡¯t even bleed; she¡¯s basically the physical manifestation of Unicorn energy.


    Scarlet¡¯s body is utterly different, too ¡­ has she even considered future prospects of kids?  Probably not; she¡¯s been so busy trying to work through her parents¡¯ betrayal and these immediate changes that she can¡¯t see anything in her future.  The way that she responded last night could be evidence of that.  She doesn¡¯t want to think about any of it.


    Rachel¡¯s lips became a line as she reached her hands into the air, stretching them high.  She watched every crease her body made, sound her muscles released, and pop her bones fed back to her large ears.


    I¡¯m still exploring this body and mind, but my drive ¡­ these desires, though.  There¡¯s a growing beast inside of me that wants to be released, and it¡¯s only a matter of time.  Something is going to trigger that to come out.  I may be pushing it down now, but when the time comes, I need to channel it somewhere, this animal crawling beneath my skin.


    Her cheeks lifted into a smile she didn¡¯t recognize, and she could see the light in her eyes brighten as the pink hues blazed to life.


    Tell me, System-jjang, do I have a monster inside of me like Scarlet?  A few seconds past without an answer, and she giggled.  No?  This is me, then?  Why do I feel this burning in my chest to fight ¡­ ah, there it is, System-jjang; you just needed a little coaxing.  Feral Instinct.  Tell me about it.


    She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath of the moist air as the humidity of the room increased, slowly beginning to fog the mirror and blur her image.  The information that came made her smile widen with the sudden understanding of her changing behavior.


    Feral Instinct, Passive, Level Six, Novice, Rank Max.  I expect every Beastkin has this type of ability, but the attachment ¡­ Lunar Impulse.  The moon brings out a part of me that I suppress.  It¡¯s not like it wasn¡¯t there, to begin with, but fear, anxiety, depression, and anything that pulls me away from enjoying myself in conflict ¡­ the monstrous side of me is slowly pulled out, depending on the phase of the moon.  It¡¯s also connected to my Lunar Pool ¡­ I can carry that energy even without the phase if it¡¯s not used.


    So, multiple types of Lunar Energy can pull out this monstrous side of me.  That¡¯s a lot of fun ¡­ I pull my energy from moons, and there are different types.  I want to know all of them ¡­ I do, but at the same time, I know I don¡¯t ¡­ I want to experience them first hand.  This hunger that drives me is maddening!


    She laughed softly, opening her eyes to look at the fogging mirror.  I¡¯m sure Scarlet can sense some of these emotions inside of me, but she hasn¡¯t said anything.  Is she scared to make me angry?  Maybe.  I¡¯m hiding these feelings deep within my chest, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯s worried.  It would be best to not let her mind wander and address it myself.  It¡¯s all about framing.


    Her bare feet slid across the wooden floor, surveying the room with one look.  I¡¯m home, but I¡¯m not the same Rachel that left.  It¡¯s only a matter of time.


    She stepped into the scalding hot shower, humming Sam Tinnesz song Play With Fire while she washed.  The heat didn¡¯t bother her as she cleaned her ears, tail, and hair, but the flames that still licked within her veins surged.  She could distract herself for a time, but at some point, she needed something to use this pent up energy on.


    Her fingers combed through her hair as she stared at the wall, but her mind was back on that alien moon, reliving the sensations she experienced there.  The energy I absorbed there is still inside my Lunar Pool, and it wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy me.  This is me ¡­ I¡¯m really this violent inside.  Maybe Alexa had a point, and I was extremely aggressive.  Perhaps I am insane inside, who can say?


    She licked her lips, tasting the water as she shut off the shower and dried off.  Her mother walked up the stairs, drawing Rachel¡¯s attention while she put her old undergarments on.  ¡°Hey, you awake, Sung?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Mom.  I hear you making some breakfast downstairs with Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±  Molly leaned up against the door, resting her head against the frame as she swapped to Korean.  ¡°She¡¯s a nice girl.  She always wants to help me with something.  What about her parents?¡±  She whispered.  ¡°Did something happen to them?¡±


    Rachel was silent for a moment, tying her hair back with a blue ribbon from her accessory box on the counter.  She responded in Korean.  ¡°You could say she has no parents.  It¡¯s best not to talk about them.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± her mother mumbled, playing with a lock of her black hair as she shifted against the wall.  ¡°Umm ¡­ the way she¡¯s been talking just has me concerned.  I think she has something that¡¯s eating her up inside.¡±


    ¡°More than I can say,¡± Rachel sighed, finishing her knot.  ¡°She needs a good supportive motherly figure to just be there to love her.  Give her some time, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll open up to you.¡±


    ¡°Is it ¡­ appropriate?¡±  Molly asked.


    Rachel used a towel to wipe away the moisture clouding the mirror before looking at herself in it, examining how she looked in the dress.  She hadn¡¯t worn it for years, but with her lost muscle mass, it fit her fairly well.  ¡°It¡¯s a lot to carry on her own.  Her entire life has been shattered, and she doesn¡¯t have any family to turn to.  I¡¯m like a sister to her now, and basically, all she has is me.¡±


    ¡°How sad,¡± Molly mumbled.  ¡°Okay, sorry to bother you, but it¡¯s just been on my mind.  I don¡¯t want another mother to be worried sick while I keep their daughter all to myself.¡±


    Rachel opened the bathroom door, giving her mother a bright smile.  ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± she said, switching back to English.


    ¡°Wow,¡± her mother took a step back, looking her up and down.  ¡°You look positively stunning!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not just saying that because I¡¯m your mom,¡± she huffed, lifting her eyebrows in challenge.


    Rachel plucked at the hem of the dress with a rueful smile.  ¡°What¡¯s with that expression?  It¡¯s like you want to fight me over how pretty I am?  This dress is old.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know.  Your middle-school graduation dress!  I picked it out myself,¡± Molly huffed with pride.  ¡°You lost a lot of your muscle, too,¡± she hummed, stepping forward to run her hands down her arm.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±  Rachel groaned but didn¡¯t pull back from her mother¡¯s touch.


    ¡°You¡¯re just ¡­ so different,¡± she said, giving her long ears an inquisitive stare.  ¡°You know, Alexa thinks you¡¯re super pretty, too.¡±


    ¡°She said that?¡±  Rachel asked with semi-disbelief, hearing the name Katarina Claes in the anime her sister-in-law was watching.


    ¡°She did, and complemented Scarlet, too.  I think she¡¯s being a little shy, though; she¡¯s been holed up in her room watching shows since breakfast.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as she heard some news that caught her a little off-guard.  Her mother¡¯s eyes moved to her ears, and a soft smile lifted her lips.  ¡°Do they do that often?¡±


    ¡°I hardly pay attention to it,¡± Rachel lied.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I heard Martial Law is mostly being lifted.  Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, your dad would know more about that,¡± Molly shrugged.  ¡°That would be great, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll go¡­¡±  Her head turned back toward her room as she heard her phone vibrate.  ¡°My phone¡¯s ringing?  Who¡¯d be calling me?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s Anthony,¡± her mother giggled, giving her a smirk.


    Rachel¡¯s smile became forced as she walked back toward her room.  ¡°Scarlet told you about Anthony?  How much?¡±


    ¡°Enough for your mother to know there¡¯s chemistry.¡±


    ¡°Right, chemistry,¡± Rachel chuckled, retreating from her mother¡¯s impish grin.  ¡°It might be the President.  I¡¯ll be down in a bit.¡±


    ¡°I still want to hear more about this Anthony!¡±  Her mother called after her.


    Rachel shut her door behind her with a tired sigh.  Honestly ¡­ mom¡¯s talking to me about a boy.  A lump dropped down her throat as she remembered Anthony¡¯s face and the strength of his hands as he helped her up.  A shiver ran down her spine to the tip of her tail before she shook her head and walked to her phone; she didn¡¯t recognize the number.


    She answered with a neutral tone, regaining her cool facade.  ¡°Hello?¡±


    The voice and tone of the person on the other end made her ears stand on end.  ¡°R-Rachel ¡­ umm, hey, it¡¯s Zoe.  I¡ªI don¡¯t know if you remember me, but¡ªumm, hey.  You know¡ªthe c-cute cat-girl, Beastkin?  Calling myself cute ¡­ sorry, I¡¯m just...¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know your voice, Zoe.  You sound scared.  What¡¯s going on?  How did you get my number?¡±


    ¡°Your number?  Yeah, umm¡ªI knew the dorm supervisor, Heather, and she¡ªumm, got me your number because I said you had something I needed.  I¡¯m sorry, I am, but I just¡ªI don¡¯t know anyone else here.  I¡¯m a Freshman, and I didn¡¯t really like my roommate¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, slow down,¡± Rachel sat on the side of her bed, smoothing out her dress while holding the phone in front of her.  ¡°Calm down a little, take a few breaths, and let me know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Zoe cleared her throat and took a deep breath before continuing.  ¡°I think I¡¯m in trouble, and I don¡¯t know what else to do.¡±


    Rachel pressed her tongue against her teeth for a moment before answering.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what I can do.  What kind of trouble?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being followed by some guys ¡­ it¡¯s my fault.  I was stupid, I know, but I¡¯m just¡ªI¡¯m scared, and I don¡¯t know anyone from Florida.  I¡¯m from stupid, boring Kansas ¡­ you know the stereotype, well ¡­ that¡¯s kind of what it was like.  I came to Miami University to have a little fun ¡­ you know, the whole Florida fun college life.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going off-topic, Zoe.  Focus for me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, alright, I get it, I get it.  I¡ªumm, there was this woman that said there was this opportunity for a job.  I know, I shouldn¡¯t have even thought about it.  I mean, but she said it paid really well, and I just needed to see someone.  They were kind of¡ªinterested in Beastkin.  I was pretty cute ¡­ stupid me¡ªI don¡¯t know ¡­ I think they¡¯re gangsters or a part of the mob or something¡­¡±


    Rachel resisted a groan, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath.  I don¡¯t know Zoe at all other than a few hours after The Oscillation, but she actually helped me a lot.  What can I do for her?  If there are gangsters or people after her ¡­ I could waste some of my time before the crystal raiding happens.


    A smile lifted her cheeks as she opened her eyes.  ¡°Alright, Zoe, I understand.  Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Umm, the west side of Downtown Miami.¡±


    An idea sparked in Rachel¡¯s mind.  ¡°Near Little Havana?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ this car keeps following me.¡±


    ¡°Are you in a car?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ I don¡¯t have a car.  I normally just walk or use public transit.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you later tonight.  What I want you to do is go to Maria Camila Espinar¡¯s neighborhood and start asking around about Felix, her brother.  Drop her name just about anywhere in Little Havana, and you¡¯re bound to find someone that knows something; it¡¯s her home turf.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll keep you safe until I can get to you.  I¡¯ll give you the address, but can you repeat back to me her name?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ let me write it down real fast.  Umm ¡­ okay, say it again.¡±


    ¡°Maria Camila Espinar and Felix Espinar.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.  Why do I need to go there?  How can they keep me safe?¡±


    ¡°Maria runs a gang there, and she¡¯s got a reputation.  People will know her name, okay?  I¡¯ll be there tonight, and I¡¯ll help you sort everything out.¡±


    ¡°Maria and Felix ¡­ okay, thanks, Rachel.  I just¡ªit¡¯s hard.  I can¡¯t get in touch with my parents¡ªI don¡¯t know if they¡¯re alive or dead.  No one in my family is picking up their phone ¡­ it¡¯s scary.  There¡¯s this big guy named Cal¨ªstrato, I think ¡­ Ballesteros or something like that.  He likes Beastkin girls, and it was just a maid-type of job.  I thought it would be fine, but¡ªI¡¯m stupid¡ªI¡¯m just stupid¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Rachel cut her off.  ¡°Hey, it¡¯ll be okay.  Alright.  Tell me you¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay¡­¡±


    ¡°Go and ask anyone that looks like a Mexican gangster about Maria.  You¡¯ll probably have some hit or misses, but I¡¯ll find you.  Okay?¡±


    ¡°Alright ¡­ thanks, Rachel.  I just didn¡¯t know where to go or what to do, and my card was denied ¡­ I was desperate.¡±


    ¡°Okay.  I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡±


    ¡°Tonight?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I said, I¡¯d be there.  I¡¯ll find you, but during the day I won¡¯t be of much help.¡±


    ¡°Lunar Hare, right ¡­ okay.  I just need to take a deep breath and calm down.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Zoe took a deep breath before releasing it and hanging up.


    Rachel grinned.  Well, looks like something interesting has dropped into my lap.  I just can¡¯t be as reckless as I was before.  If things escalate ¡­ no witnesses, but I need to be smart about this.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 26. Shifting Focus

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park


    Recap:  Rachel did some self-reflection about her attitude toward her family and how The Oscillation may be forcing her to see things in a different light, and she''s shocked how much may have been tinted by her perception.  She got a call from Zoe, pleading for help as a gang stalks her.  Rachel directed her to Maria''s hood, telling her to drop her name and ask for protection.


    Rachel pressed her tongue against her left cheek as her mom walked through the study to clean-up any leftover dishes from the morning, and her dad asked, ¡°Has Rachel spoken to my dad yet?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; she should be down in a bit, though.  She just finished up a shower.  You should mention Anthony,¡± she giggled.  ¡°See if you can pull something out of her ¡­ oh, fudge, she can totally hear me.  Can¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°I bet she can,¡± Nam chuckled.  ¡°Why are you suddenly so interested in Rachel¡¯s love life?¡±


    ¡°Because she never even mentioned any boys in the past!  This is the first one,¡± her mother huffed.  ¡°I just want to know what about him has caught her eye.  Scarlet paints quite the picture.¡±


    ¡°Molly,¡± her dad breathed out a soft sigh.  ¡°Don¡¯t get the girl in trouble with Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!  Why would she be in trouble?¡±


    Both Nam and her father took a long breath before letting the conversation die, returning back to the news.  Her mother lingered for a moment, likely giving them a challenging look, but after realizing they wanted no further part in the discussion, she left back to Scarlet.


    Scarlet definitely heard them.  Rachel pulled her hair around while falling to her back, fingers twirling around a few locks.  I bet she¡¯s red-faced right now.  She gets embarrassed so easily, and mom probably weaseled it out of her.  I guess it¡¯s true I never really talked about any guys I liked, but it¡¯s not like Anthony¡¯s the first.


    Her lips became a line as her vision closed, resting her forearm over her eyes.  Then I guess I fully admit it.  Yes, I¡¯m attracted to Anthony ¡­ great.  It¡¯s more than evident that he¡¯s got a lot of baggage, and I don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s married, widowed, or anything in-between.


    There¡¯s no doubt he¡¯s charming, and I believe he was attracted to me.  Of course, married guys can be attracted to other women, too.  Point being, I don¡¯t know how far I could take a relationship with him ¡­ is that one of the reasons it¡¯s so enticing?


    Gah ¡­ now I¡¯m trying to justify it like my mom¡¯s standing in front of me, folding her arms with that impish smile.  She was always like that with Nam ¡­ I suppose it¡¯s about time she turned that nose onto me.  No, I can¡¯t make this into another competition!


    Nam had plenty of girlfriends before he married Alexa.  I can¡¯t believe I only thought about their marriage as some kind of business arrangement.  I only saw what I wanted to see, but ever since I got back ¡­ since my change, I¡¯ve seen things a little differently.  I was extremely judgemental before; maybe I still am.


    Still, before I would never have hung around someone like Scarlet ¡­ she requires so much attention; it¡¯s harsh but true.  Now, Maria ¡­ there¡¯s someone I¡¯d never hang out with before The Oscillation, and I¡¯d consider Fiona just a waste of my time.  I was so focused and driven that I probably pushed away any potential friends, either that or I was utterly oblivious to it.


    She pressed her head back, ears held above her messy bed as she organized her thoughts.  The checklist ¡­ Zoe, grandpa, mom and dad¡¯s stress, Scarlet¡¯s internal conflict, and Soo-geun.  My immediate concern would be Zoe with her situation, but I can¡¯t do much during the day; plus, I don¡¯t know how I might act if I let the sun wash away the energy in my Lunar Pool.


    ¡°Huh,¡± Rachel mumbled, opening her eyes a little to stare around her arm at the ceiling.  I¡¯m scared to lose this feeling.  I want to help Zoe, but I also want to enjoy it, and for some reason, I believe it would ruin the fun if I got rid of the energy I got on that alien moon.


    I could have directed Zoe to the police or FBI.  I¡¯m sure David would be interested, now that he¡¯s been appointed as the new Assistant Director over the Department of Demi Affairs.  Demi being exploited by gangs would be a decent case to make a public address to score political points.  I could pass it up the chain ¡­ but I want to handle it myself, and the prospect that it could get bloody makes my blood burn with excitement.


    Okay, but think first; I need to be smart about this.  What¡¯s the goal?  Zoe not being bothered by the gangsters ¡­ but that¡¯s not everything she brought up in that conversation.  Being the target of some furry obsessed mobster is one thing; how she got into that situation is the key.  What she¡¯s expecting isn¡¯t just help from the men that are chasing her ¡­ she needs help with her first concern: cash, room, and communication with her family.


    A low moan left Rachel¡¯s throat, settling into a soft growl.  How do I get myself into these situations?  Am I a charity worker now?  Somehow, I keep ending up helping people out and telling myself that aiding them is just a side-product.  Is that really true, or are the goals I tell myself just sweet words to not admit that I want to help?


    If I brought her back here, then I¡¯d just be putting more stress on mom and dad, and I don¡¯t think Alexa could emotionally handle another girl in the house right now.  Scarlet might even become jealous ¡­ who can say?  No, I need to find a different solution.


    She sat up, vision narrowing as her ears tilted to the left.  Maria said she wanted to start a company for healing; it¡¯s one of the conditions she made with the government.  If that¡¯s the case, then maybe I can get her a job with Maria.  Zoe would probably be a good front desk attendant.  It¡¯s an option.  I¡¯ll need to bring it up with Maria first, of course.


    Alright, next, grandpa and Soo-geun ¡­ girl troubles, and grandpa¡¯s attempt to have some one-on-one time with me.  Her lips fell into a deep frown as she glared at her lap.  Is that my ego talking?  I don¡¯t really know if that¡¯s the reason grandpa wants me over; I shouldn¡¯t assume and just call him.


    Taking a long breath, she made the call to her grandfather¡¯s house phone.  It only rang twice before a very deep, angry voice answered.  ¡°Clare, why won¡¯t you¡­¡±


    ¡°Woah,¡± Rachel cut in, pressing the phone into her lap.  ¡°What¡¯s with the fire, Soo-geun?¡±  She asked, brow furrowed as she scratched her temple.


    ¡°I ¡­ wait, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°I take it Clare is your girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Ex-girlfriend, and cut it out with the whole Korean garbage ¡­ I¡¯ve had enough of it with grandpa.  Just call me Creed.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrow raised, and she smirked.  ¡°Creed ¡­ seriously, what kind of name is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my nickname, okay?  What, got a problem with it?¡±


    ¡°Chill,¡± she muttered.  ¡°I just haven¡¯t spoken to you in a while.  How was I supposed to know you had a nickname like that?  Anyways, my dad told me you were changed into a Beastkin Bear.¡±


    ¡°What about it?  You calling to judge me, too?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips pursed, and she took a quick breath.  ¡°Okay, Creed, I¡¯m getting a bit tired of the heat.  Could you dial it back so we can actually talk, and why would I be judging you about being a Beastkin when I¡¯m a Mythickin Lunar Hare?¡±


    Her cousin didn¡¯t respond, and Rachel rubbed her tongue against her teeth as she waited.  ¡°A Mythickin ¡­ grandpa didn¡¯t tell me you changed.  So, like that Vampire Mythickin kind of deal, but what, a Lunar Hare?  Do you have ears?¡±


    She didn¡¯t know why, but Soo-geun¡¯s questions were beginning to annoy her, which caused her ears and tail to twitch with irritation.  ¡°Let me get this straight, cousin.  I call to check up on you and grandpa, and the first thing you do is yell at me, not even making sure who you¡¯re talking to.  Accuse me of judging you with no basis, and now, you¡¯re comparing me to a mass murderer that has the whole country carrying pitchforks and torches, ready for a monster hunt?  How many bridges do you want to burn with me?¡±


    Soo-geun made a few sounds like he was sucking on his lip before breathing out a long sigh.  ¡°My bad, Rachel.  I just ¡­ my parents have been crap, and my girlfriend broke up with me, wanted to get back together, and then broke up with me again today.  I¡¯m mad ¡­ I¡¯m just always so mad, and I can¡¯t punch something, or I¡¯ll break it!¡±


    Rachel let herself fall to her back again, holding the phone above her.  ¡°What¡¯s your Kind?¡±


    ¡°My what?¡±


    ¡°When we changed, we each got a Type, Race, and a Kind.  My Type is Mythickin, my Race is a Hare, and my Kind is Lunar.  I¡¯m friends with a Mythickin Sunlit Unicorn and Mythickin Prismatic Fairy.  What are you?¡±


    Her brow furrowed as she recalled Zoe¡¯s statement days ago.  She¡¯s a Domestic Cat Beastkin ¡­ well, that¡¯s interesting.  That could tell a few things about her personality, and even some things that she might be suppressing right now.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ oh, cool, I¡¯m a Beastkin Bear Berserker.¡±


    And there it is¡­


    ¡°Do you have a Passive Skill called Feral Instinct?¡±


    ¡°One second ¡­ yeah, yeah, I do.  Huh, that¡¯s pretty sick.  You can just ask any question you want?  How¡¯d you figure all this out ¡­ shit, why won¡¯t it tell me how to fix Clare¡¯s personality?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a tool,¡± Rachel muttered.  ¡°I call it System-jjang; it basically tells you about your skills and abilities, but there¡¯s a process to get the right information.  I haven¡¯t mapped it out completely; I¡¯m slowly getting used to it, though.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up with everyone and their Korean crap; we¡¯re in America, you don¡¯t have to add jjang to everything ¡­ it¡¯s annoying.¡±


    Rachel rolled her eyes.  ¡°You going through a hate your own culture phase or something?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± he grunted.  ¡°And it¡¯s not my culture; I was born and raised American, with American friends, and American fast food, and American bands.  Every Tuesday was Korean only day for my parents ¡­ I hated it!¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re projecting all that pent up anger, cousin,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°I get it, I really do, but you need to channel it somewhere else other than your girlfriend, grandpa, and your parents.¡±  Her eyes narrowed as she imagined the future possibilities.  ¡°If you don¡¯t, you might end up killing one of them by accident.¡±


    ¡°Killing them by accident?¡±  Soo-geun scoffed.  ¡°You think I could kill them?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rachel replied in a crisp tone.  ¡°I know it because I could see myself doing it if I didn¡¯t check myself.  If I let my emotions run wild, then I have no doubt I could be no different than the Seattle Vampire.  I won¡¯t, and I¡¯m not like him, but do I have the capability?  Yes, I do, and so do you.¡±


    ¡°Wait ¡­ you¡¯re serious?¡±


    ¡°I am.  Take a step back, and really think about it.  We changed, and not just a little.  You need to learn how to channel that rage.  You¡¯re a berserker, and you should be just as aware of what that word means as much as I do.  My Fairy friend has a very similar problem that she needs to look out for.¡±


    ¡°Fairy friend ¡­ she has a similar problem?¡±  He asked, tone still showing his doubt.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ lookup on YouTube, fairy fireball Miami, and watch the video; it¡¯s gone viral.¡±


    ¡°A Fairy,¡± Soo-geun chuckled, voice becoming distant as he fiddled with something.  ¡°I¡¯m heading to grandpa¡¯s office; I left my phone at home to try and forget about Clare.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t seem to work,¡± Rachel noted with a wry smile.


    He huffed.  ¡°She got grandpa¡¯s number somehow.¡±


    ¡°Alright ¡­ YouTube, and ¡­ grandpa has some weird fetish with necks, yo.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t reply, slowly shaking her head with a soft sigh as he continued.


    ¡°Wait ¡­ that little speck of light is your friend?  She¡¯s tiny compared to¡­¡±  His words died, and it took him several seconds to say anything other than unintelligible mumbles as he rewatched the short clip.  ¡°The whole place went up in flames ¡­ how much of that water evaporated?  She did that because she was angry?¡±


    Rachel frowned, glaring down at her phone.  ¡°There¡¯s more to it than that, but I won¡¯t say anymore, and I¡¯ll just call you by your English name if you hate Korean.  Yes, Mason, you need to seriously take a step back and figure out a way to channel that anger.¡±


    He popped his tongue a few times.  ¡°Damn ¡­ there¡¯s another video showing what¡¯s left from someone else that posted the aftermath.  Umm, yeah ¡­ alright.  You going to bring that friend up to grandpa¡¯s?  He¡¯s been saying you¡¯d come up.¡±


    ¡°Maybe another friend, but no, Fiona is probably in Ireland right now, bringing her family back to the States.¡±


    ¡°Cool.  So, eh ¡­ that Unicorn one, then?  Man, I¡¯m looking at some videos of her on the YouTube news stations.  She¡¯s pretty hot, and there¡¯s ¡­ she just socked a reporter in the face!  That¡¯s sick!  Dude ¡­ he¡¯s out, like Mars out, man.¡±


    Oh, no ¡­ now he¡¯s cyberstalking my friends.


    ¡°No, Maria is doing things for the government right now.  I have other friends.¡±


    ¡°For real, though?  I can¡¯t imagine you having friends,¡± he muttered.  ¡°Although, yeah, they seem like your type of friends, though.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?  I attract violent friends?¡±


    ¡°Well, duh,¡± Mason laughed.  ¡°My balls haven¡¯t been the same since you kicked my ass two years ago; I think that¡¯s why dad never had you guys over again, to be honest,¡± he mused.  ¡°I always wanted a rematch.  I¡¯m so much bigger now.¡±


    ¡°Is grandpa there?¡±  She sighed, changing the topic.


    ¡°Hey, no, really, Sung,¡± he pled.  ¡°You always seemed to have a stick up your ass; you were always mad, but you never started shit.  I was the punk that always got up in your grill, trying to act tough.  You were like a role-model for me growing up, you know?  You were always so focused and strong, a real badass.¡±


    What¡¯s up with him suddenly losing the whole hate my culture spiel?  Rachel¡¯s mind returned to her uncle¡¯s house; whenever they¡¯d gone over there, she¡¯d spend most of the time in the basement using their gym and punching bag.  It wasn¡¯t hard to see how he got that image of her, and why he was suddenly breaking down.


    ¡°Alright, when I come over, you can train with me.  I¡¯ve needed to get back into a routine, and it might help you to develop the habit.¡±


    ¡°The punching bag?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa doesn¡¯t have one.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know, but like a gym or something.  There¡¯s got to be one in the city; there was a ton in Montgomery.¡±


    ¡°We can find one, sure,¡± Rachel said, scratching the base of her ears as they twitched.  It felt a little off, planning to go to the gym with someone, and she knew Scarlet would likely be attached to her hip, and a future image popped into her mind, making her repress a groan.


    He¡¯s coming off of a bad break-up, and I¡¯ll probably be bringing Scarlet with me.  She¡¯s only a year older than him, and there¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t be smitten by her.  She¡¯s really too sweet, and she has a hard time saying no.  I¡¯ll need to nip that in the bud quickly.


    ¡°And, Mason, don¡¯t go swooning after Scarlet.  Okay?¡±


    ¡°What does that even mean ¡­ swoon?  Wait, no, no, I¡¯m not going to hit on your friend!  I mean, yeah, your friend Maria is freakin¡¯ hot as hell, but na, that ain¡¯t me.  I¡¯m cool.¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ just please don¡¯t bug her.¡±


    ¡°Scout¡¯s word!¡±


    ¡°Dude, Mason, don¡¯t ¡­ I¡¯m serious.  She doesn¡¯t need you chasing after her.¡±


    ¡°I told you; I¡¯m cool.  I got Clare; okay, don¡¯t trip!¡±


    Rachel shook her head, debating if she should bring Scarlet at all.  It¡¯s going to be a problem ¡­ I already know it.  ¡°Just go get grandpa,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m on it ¡­ so, uh, you have ears then?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I have ears.¡±


    ¡°No, bunny-like.  You know, don¡¯t play with me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I have long ears like a hare and a short tail.¡±


    ¡°Sick!  Yeah, my homies thought my bear-ears were awesome, but Peter was a little shit about my tail.¡±


    She heard the heavy Korean-American accent of her grandfather yell, ¡°No cursing!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, grandpa ¡­ so, umm, hey, Rachel¡¯s on the line!  She changed, too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±


    ¡°The ¡­ heck,¡± he caught himself.  ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me?  I thought I was the only one that changed physically.  I mean, there¡¯s perfect cousin Nam, but he didn¡¯t grow ears.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about appearance,¡± her grandfather muttered, taking the phone from Mason.  ¡°Rachel,¡± he swapped to Korean, pace quickening as he returned to his mother tongue.  ¡°How was your reception home?¡±


    ¡°Warm.  Thanks, I heard you talked to my dad.¡±


    ¡°Bah, he was always a stubborn fool that didn¡¯t know how to properly show his emotions.  I see you¡¯ve talked to Soo-geun¡­¡±


    ¡°Creed!¡±  He yelled.


    ¡°Soo-geun,¡± her grandfather said, slowly and distinctly, ¡°or Mason, is going through a bit of a tough time.  I feel like you must be as well.  I¡¯d like to arrange for a retreat for both of you to get away from all the craziness happening around us.  We need time to take a breath and harmonize with the energy within.¡±


    ¡°Straight to the breathing exercises,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°So, you want us to go to the Everglades?  Can we even drive down to the National Park?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as of today,¡± her grandfather stated with joy.  ¡°It would do you both good to get out of the city.¡±


    ¡°There are a few problems with that.  I can come up in a few days to discuss them with you, but I feel like I also need to spend some time with my parents.  They asked me to stay for a bit.¡±


    ¡°I can understand that,¡± he said with a disappointed tone.  ¡°Soo-geun seems to be in brighter spirits after talking with you.¡±


    ¡°He needs to release stress ¡­ not breathing exercises, grandpa, but real physical labor.  He needs to go jogging, lifting weights, and maybe even sparring.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sung.  Martial Arts has a foundation in breathing techniques, but yes, stress and negative energy can be expelled in multiple ways.  A few days, then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯ll probably bring up a friend ¡­ she may really enjoy your breathing exercises.¡±


    ¡°Ho, ho!  Well, I look forward to meeting your friend.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I love you, grandpa.¡±


    ¡°It was nice hearing your voice, Sung.  I¡¯m glad you¡¯re doing well; I expected you to be much more stressed than you sound.¡±


    Rachel hung up, flipping to her stomach, she kicked up her feet; her dress folded around her body, and she readjusted her left strap.  She stared at her blank screen, mind working around the potential issues ahead, but after a minute, she took a long breath and let the worries fade.


    I¡¯ll warn Scarlet of Mason, and with Zoe ¡­ we¡¯ll see tonight.


    She spent the rest of the daylight hours bouncing between conversations with her family.  Scarlet helped Molly with a new bread recipe, and they made home-made spicy Korean clam chowder.


    Scarlet and Alexa were a little shy about it, but with a few detours in the discussion, they got onto this season¡¯s anime and went to her room to binge-watch episodes that were out, leaving Rachel with her mom.  She¡¯d been giving her looks all evening, obviously wanting to know more about Anthony.  So, she finally gave in when Scarlet went upstairs with Alexa.


    Rachel helped bring the dishes over to the sink as her mother washed them; Nam and her father had gone back to the study to resume a debate on stocks that didn¡¯t interest her.  ¡°Okay, Mom ¡­ I¡¯ll tell you about Anthony.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s head snapped toward her, brown eyes glowing with excitement as she paused her scrubbing.  ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t want to intrude.  Only if you want to talk to me about him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too obvious, Mom,¡± Rachel said with a forced chuckle.  ¡°Do I like him?  Yes, I think I do.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  Why?  It¡¯s not just his looks, right?  Although, Scarlet said he was a looker.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears shifted to the left.  ¡°He has red hair.¡±


    ¡°Scottish?  I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be into red hair,¡± she mused.


    ¡°No clue, to be honest,¡± Rachel said, handing Molly a few plates.  ¡°He¡¯s a Legendkin, and his appearance was likely changed.  He doesn¡¯t just have red hair, but it¡¯s like fire, and yes, he¡¯s got the looks and charm that would fit a Legendkin.  I ¡­ actually, asked him to fight me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  Did he think that was odd?¡±


    ¡°Probably not as much as you, by the look on your face.  It has to do with my change, but you know I¡¯ve always been competitive.¡±


    ¡°Well, sure,¡± Molly mumbled, ¡°but I never thought you¡¯d require a date to get punched to have a chance with you.¡±


    ¡°We sparred,¡± Rachel¡¯s voice softened as she thought back on the incident.  ¡°I lost ¡­ and no, it¡¯s not all bloody like you¡¯re thinking.  I just don¡¯t know if it will work, though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still coming to terms with a guy beating you down ¡­ not a pretty image, I assure you,¡± Molly huffed.  ¡°I¡¯ll bite, though.  Why not?¡±


    ¡°He has a ring on his finger.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ oh ¡­ hmm,¡± Molly¡¯s lips pursed.


    ¡°Now, I know that doesn¡¯t mean he definitely is married ¡­ but he did kind of refuse to talk about it, and it seemed to be a depressing topic.¡±


    ¡°So ¡­ she could have passed away?¡±.


    ¡°Maybe ¡­ I don¡¯t know.  That¡¯s the mysterious part that kind of gets my heart pumping.  You know?¡±


    ¡°I do!¡±  Her mother squealed softly, glancing toward the study for a moment before returning to her dishes.  ¡°It sounds like a real-life drama.  Will you meet him again?¡±


    ¡°In a few days ¡­ probably.  I need to go back to the FBI to get a psyche evaluation.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s hands slipped on a dish, causing it to clatter against the metal sink, and she turned to her with worried eyes.  ¡°Psyche evaluation?  Why would they need to do that?  It¡¯s not like they¡¯ll take you away from me again.  Right?¡±


    Rachel cursed internally.  ¡°No, no, it¡¯s just routine, Mom.  There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    Molly took a long, shuddering breath before resuming her task, but the news clearly perturbed her.  ¡°Have you told your father?  If you need, we can get the best lawyers.  No, we¡¯ll get them; yeah, I¡¯ll just talk to your father in a moment ¡­ I just need to collect my thoughts.¡±


    ¡°No, Mom.  I told you.  It will be fine.¡±  Rachel put her left hand on the small of her back, rubbing it soothingly.  ¡°All the Mythickin and Legendkin have to do it; I¡¯ve got a lot of weight in the government, remember?  I had the President call me.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help worrying,¡± her mom whispered, turning to embrace her, and she breathed while holding back tears.  ¡°I can¡¯t lose you again ¡­ not again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°But you will ¡­ you have to.  I know you do, but ¡­ just a little longer.  Stay a little longer.¡±


    Rachel held her mother as she cried softly, letting the sink run; after several minutes, Molly collected herself and resumed her task, and once they¡¯d finished, Rachel went to the front room with her to talk.  She directed the conversation to her mother¡¯s interests, and there was one drama, in particular, that got her mother talking and fuming, but she had her clear bias.


    After a time, her mother suddenly grew tired; her dad went with her to bed, leaving her and Nam to talk.  She learned about the struggles the business was going through and the weight that had been placed on her elder brother in running it.  Alexa may be a little kiddish at times, but it appeared like that¡¯s what Nam liked about her the most; she wasn¡¯t involved with the complicated mess of his work life and allowed him to unwind.


    She learned so much about her family in those hours that, in the past, she¡¯d never had the interest to know, and it made her a little sad as he went upstairs to prepare for bed, leaving her alone in the study.  I was so selfish before ¡­ I suppose most kids are, and I¡¯m still technically a teenager.  My mind¡¯s changing, though.


    Scarlet came down to join her, still wearing her PJs.  ¡°Today was so much fun!  I got to watch all the episodes I missed this last week.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Rachel smiled.  ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying your time with my family.  Yeah, I had more than a few things wrong ¡­ I¡¯m happy.  I really am happy to be home.  However, I need to go help an acquaintance.  There¡¯s this girl named Zoe that helped me when I first changed; she¡¯s in trouble with some guys.  I sent her to Maria¡¯s neighborhood.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s face set.  ¡°Are we going now, or can I change my clothes?  I was able to bring a few sets in from the limo earlier.¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°You don¡¯t need to come with me.¡±


    ¡°I want to!  If she¡¯s in trouble, then I want to help, too.¡±


    ¡°Alright.  I want to handle this quickly, tonight.  It might get rough.¡±


    ¡°Rougher than what we¡¯ve already been through?¡±  Scarlet asked with a smirk.


    ¡°No, I guess not.¡±  Rachel laughed.  ¡°No, this will be a walk in the park.¡±


    ¡°So, umm ¡­ something black?¡±  Scarlet asked.  ¡°And are you going to wear that dress?¡±


    Rachel glanced down at her blue dress with a frown.  ¡°You have a point.  Yeah, I¡¯ll go see if my other clothes are done drying.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re back at it!¡±  Scarlet grinned.


    ¡°I guess we are and don¡¯t mention this to my parents.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, yeah ¡­ sorry about the Anthony thing.  Your Mom¡¯s so crafty!¡±


    ¡°I think you just have a hard time saying no,¡± Rachel said with a playful scowl.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ I kind of do,¡± Scarlet mumbled, rubbing her neck.  ¡°I¡¯m working on it.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go and see who¡¯s bugging Zoe.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 27. Saved?

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Zoe (Domestic Cat Beastkin; first Demi Rachel met after changing that told her about the game system style of fiction)


    Recap:  Rachel told Zoe to ask around for Maria in Little Havana, her home turf, and to try and get protection from the gangsters there until she could come for her at night.


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    A lump dropped down Zoe¡¯s throat as she ended the call with Rachel, scanning the streets for the white SUV BMW that had been following her all morning.  She¡¯d lost sight of it, but she knew it was probably circling around.  The SUV was the same one Deodato Vomele had used to take her to his caf¨¦ to test out her work ethic.


    She¡¯d done her best to play the role she knew people at the caf¨¦ would enjoy, a cute catgirl server, and had made a decent amount in tips.  She loved it, but that wasn¡¯t the job Deodato wanted her to do, and after she¡¯d overheard a few strange conversations with her enhanced hearing, she became a bit nervous about the client he was scouting for.


    Cal¨ªstrato Ballesteros wasn¡¯t a familiar name to her, but being from Kansas, she wasn¡¯t that familiar with Mexican names or culture other than what she¡¯d seen in the media, and she didn¡¯t have any Latino friends growing up.


    The flag that made her tail stand on end was his tone of voice when talking about her as his new maid, and when she tried to back out, things started to get a little scary.  Just to get out of the conversation, she promised to meet the client tonight at six before making her own decision about the job.  She planned to just stand him up.


    Her cat ears twitched as she pulled up Maps on her phone and put the directions Rachel had given her; it led right into the heart of Little Havana.  C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be a scaredy-cat ¡­ heh.  You can do this!  Rachel will come later tonight, and it makes sense ¡­ she¡¯s a Lunar Hare, but ¡­ I don¡¯t know.


    Zoe¡¯s amber irises stopped at a gas station across the street, making her lips purse.  I just need to make it to this Maria¡¯s place.  It shouldn¡¯t be that hard.


    She looked both ways on the busy street as the light changed, and she followed the crowds across the street.  Miami was booming with life as it passed afternoon, and she hoped she could lose the car in the throng, but somehow it kept showing up whenever she stopped.  If it just came close enough, I could hear the voices inside, but there¡¯s so much noise!


    The loud sounds made her scratch the inside of her furry ears with irritation, but it was better than being alone.  She wasn¡¯t sure if anyone was keeping an eye on her since there were so many people around, and her appearance attracted a lot of eyes.


    At first, she loved the attention, and if what she¡¯d heard was correct, it was only a one in a hundred and fifty chance that someone would be affected by The Oscillation, and she¡¯d been one of those drawn.  Out of that selection, then she was made into a Beastkin, which was one of the most visually identifying groups.


    It made her feel special, but now all she felt like was a collector¡¯s piece or zoo animal; the image of her sitting in a glass box or mounted like a trophy kept popping into her mind.  How does Rachel do it?  She actually glows ¡­ she¡¯d have more people interested in her than I would, and my skin¡¯s crawling.  Rachel ¡­ she said she¡¯d come find me, which means she¡¯s probably out of the government¡¯s hands.  No ¡­ I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s been doing.  I can ask her later¡­


    Turning at the gas station door, she scanned the sunny area; there wasn¡¯t a cloud in the sky.  Since the Martial Law order had been repealed, a ton of people had hit the streets, and it only seemed to be growing.


    She had noticed the Hispanic population increasing as she moved further west, and from what Rachel had said, that was a good thing.  It did make her a little nervous, though; when she first arrived in Miami, she¡¯d been told by a few locals to be careful in Little Havana, and she¡¯d seen a report that Miami-Dade had the seventh-largest gang populations in America, which didn¡¯t ease her fears.


    Entering the gas station, she tried to ignore the eyes that lingered on her three-foot-long black tail and cat ears; she¡¯d needed to wear low-riding jeans to allow her tail to roam, and it poked out from under her white shirt.


    She couldn¡¯t understand the voices in the cars with the noise the crowds made, but she could hear what the tourists and locals said, and some comments spoken in whispers to friends more than made her cheeks red.  Men and women ¡­ how can adults be so crude!  I¡¯m a cute catgirl, not some lolita, and how can some people think I¡¯m thirteen years old ¡­ The Oscillation didn¡¯t make me look that young¡­


    Deciding to be quick about it, Zoe walked up to the attendant, a middle-aged Hispanic woman, and waited her turn in line before asking, ¡°Hello!  Can you, umm, tell me how I should get here?¡±  She asked, pulling up her phone.


    The woman glanced behind her at the few customers that were getting in line before her brown eyes moved from her cat ears to her phone; she had a slight Hispanic accent.  ¡°Let¡¯s see ¡­ eh, wait, you goin¡¯ there?¡±  She lifted an eyebrow while studying her face.  ¡°You don¡¯t look like the type of girl to be goin¡¯ into those neighborhoods; there¡¯s a lot of gangs around those parts.  You got a boy there?  How old are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m seventeen, and no, I don¡¯t have a boy there.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s cheeks burned as a man with a Jamaican accent whispered, ¡°Aye, yo, you think she¡¯s for real?¡±


    ¡°Na, man.  She¡¯s fifteen; no doubt.¡±


    ¡°You sure, that old?¡±


    ¡°Eh, maybe ¡­ what do you think?¡±


    ¡°A runaway.¡±


    ¡°No, her age, fool.¡±


    She tried to ignore the comments, giving the woman a nervous laugh as she lifted her eyebrow questioningly.  ¡°No, I¡¯m really seventeen; I graduated last summer.  Here ¡­ that¡¯s my driver¡¯s license.¡±


    The Jamaicans both tried to hide a snort with a cough, and the woman gave her a rueful shake of her head.  ¡°That don¡¯t mean shit here, dear; we get fake ID¡¯s all the time.  You sure you¡¯re here to get directions, or are you tryin¡¯ to buy boos?¡±


    Starting to feel belittled, Zoe took a long breath to calm her racing heart.  ¡°No, and how would I even buy alcohol when I¡¯m only seventeen?¡±


    The woman looked to the left, scratching her neck while cocking her head a bit.  ¡°Hmh, yeah, you got a point.  Okay, but you already got directions, it seems.


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m looking for someone named, umm¡­¡±  She pulled back her phone and swapped to her notes.  ¡°Maria¡ªCamila Espinar¡¯s ¡­ I think that¡¯s how you say it, and her brother¡¯s name is Felix Espinar.¡±


    The woman sucked on her lower lip before folding her arms and frowning, head turning to look out of the window at a few cars that left.  ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve heard of them, but I don¡¯t keep up with things in that area.  Also, it¡¯s not good to be droppin¡¯ names like that; if I catch your meaning.  In those areas, you better be sure about who you talk to.¡±


    ¡°You said there were some places to avoid by there?¡±  Zoe¡¯s ears pulled back.  ¡°I, umm ¡­ could you just tell me which path you think I should take.¡±


    ¡°You walkin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a car.¡±


    She clicked her tongue before turning toward a younger man beside her, ringing up the Jamaican¡¯s order.  ¡°Hey, Joal, you got some friends over in those parts, right?¡±


    ¡°Eh, one minute,¡± he muttered, finishing the purchase.  ¡°Let¡¯s see ¡­ NLH?  Yeah, I have a few friends on the northside, but not in those areas.  Probably not best to walk around those parts, man.  TNS doesn¡¯t like new faces showing up in their neighborhoods, and ¡­ yeah, you¡¯ll stick out with those ears and tail.¡±  He said with a forced chuckle.


    Zoe pursed her lips before scratching the side of her head, where her human ears had once been and brushed her black bangs back.  ¡°TNS?¡±


    ¡°A gang, dear,¡± the woman chuckled, shaking her head.  ¡°Yeah, you shouldn¡¯t be pokin¡¯ around there if you don¡¯t know about this stuff.¡±


    ¡°A friend told me to ask around about Maria in Little Havana,¡± Zoe shrugged with a frown as she turned to see the line backing up.


    ¡°A prank?¡±  The boy mumbled while ringing up a few sodas.


    The woman shook her head, nose twisting.  ¡°If that¡¯s right, they¡¯re lookin¡¯ to get you killed.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Zoe paused, vision sweeping the store as more people came and went.  ¡°I have some people following me, and ¡­ I don¡¯t know.  I know it sounds a bit strange.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you,¡± the woman shrugged.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get involved with those types of people, but that¡¯s just me; go to the police if you need help.  I can¡¯t really help you with choosing a route to get there, and sorry, but some people are tryin¡¯ to buy things¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, no problem; sorry to bother you,¡± Zoe smiled apologetically while stepping back and putting her ID away.


    She looked at the GPS¡¯s recommended path; it would take her at least forty minutes to get there by following the shortest route.  None of the customers approached her, but she heard enough whispers to make her self-conscious; everyone seemed to have an opinion about her appearance.  Demi seemed to be on everyone¡¯s tongue.


    Leaving the store, she paused at the edge of the sidewalk, eyes widening; the white SUV was stopping at the nearest gas pumps, and two huge men were getting out of the car, men she¡¯d seen with Deodato, and she could hear his voice within the vehicle.  You have to be kidding me!  He is stalking me, but ¡­ for what?  Some kind of Mexican drug trade thing or something?  That only happens in the movies...


    ¡°Gah¡­¡±  She growled while hurriedly turning and walking down the recommended path.  The men paused as she moved with a large group of what seemed tourists; it appeared like this was their first chance since the lock-down to get out and do sight-seeing with their enthusiasm.


    I should just go to the police, but what do I tell them?  I¡¯m being followed by gangsters like some paranoid schizophrenic?  Oh, the cute catgirl thinks she¡¯s being followed ¡­ it never works out in the movies, and usually, people discriminate against Beastkin in a lot of anime.


    C¡¯mon, this is reality, though ¡­ really?  A maid job that pays forty-five grand a year, and not even full-time.  I should have thought it was fishy to start, you stupid cat, and meeting the client in a caf¨¦ ¡­ it¡¯s just too clich¨¦ and creepy.  Maybe I should be on medication...


    Zoe took a deep breath as she separated from the group at the next light, and noticed the men getting back into their SUV at the gas station.  Well ¡­ Rachel already said she¡¯d help me, and I don¡¯t know what she can really do, but she¡¯ll have a plan.  I hope she does ¡­ but why is she friends with a gangster?  She didn¡¯t seem like that kind of girl when we first met.


    Her worries didn¡¯t ease up as she continued into Little Havana, and she started to notice graffiti, Cuban flags, but as she went on, specific areas hosted Mexican flags, and shoes were hanging from a few power lines in some areas.


    It was becoming more and more apparent that she was entering a place she didn¡¯t belong.  The neighborhood feeling became less lively with Cuban touches and more Mexican as she turned down a few streets, and unsurprisingly, she either heard Mexican mariachi music or rap.


    The new issue was the thinning crowds, and the SUV was following her again, now able to take its time as traffic cleared.  She tried to ignore the men and women standing on porches, and one thing was clear about this neighborhood, they loved their tattoos and classic cars.


    Zoe walked onto a new block, noticing a few Hispanic eleven-year-old kids watching her across the street, a woman pushing a stroller with a young teen walking beside her.  Zoe folded her arms defensively, stopping dead in her tracks as two men in their late thirties caught sight of her from a house two doors down.


    They were shirtless, showing off dozens of tattoos as they sat in chairs on their front porch, assault rifles on their laps with rags.  Sunglasses were covering their eyes, and she could hear dozens of people inside and in the back of the house; it sounded like they were having a barbecue.


    She chuckled nervously while smiling at them, but quickly looked away and picked up her pace as their forehead creased.  Their attention moved from her to the white SUV as it turned the corner, and they got to their feet, hands gripping their guns as they eyed the vehicle, and the one to Zoe¡¯s left nudged his head, mumbling something in Spanish.


    ¡°Oye, dile a Miguel que podr¨ªamos tener problemas.¡±


    He opened the screen door and disappeared inside as the remaining guy moved to the lawn, hands gripped on his weapon as he sniffed loudly, focusing on the BMW as it slowed to a stop, and the door opened.


    Zoe bit her lower lip while she walked, turning to watch the man get out; it was one of the big guys that were around Deodato the day before.  He was a Caucasian, at least two meters tall, and looked like he belonged in the pro wrestling scene.  ¡°Hey, Zoe.¡±


    She turned, walking backward while she yelled, ¡°Stop following me!¡±


    The woman pushing the stroller slowed, eyeing the big man, and the boy beside her pulled up on his belt to fix his baggy pants.  His nose twisted while eyeing the situation.


    ¡°Zoe,¡± he chuckled, keeping his focus on her.  ¡°We shouldn¡¯t disturb this neighborhood.  Come back...¡±


    ¡°Aye, yo,¡± the man with the rifle yelled.  ¡°Hombre, what you doin¡¯ here, huh?  You got business, then do it somewhere else.¡±


    The large man chuckled, turning to smile at the gangster.  ¡°Yeah, my sister, she¡¯s just having a bit of a tantrum.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your sister!¡±  Zoe yelled, still backing up.  ¡°I¡¯m looking for Maria Camila Espinar and Felix Espinar!¡±


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye,¡± the gangster cut him off, focus now on her.  ¡°What was that, chica?  Aye, yo, don¡¯t be walkin¡¯ away while droppin¡¯ names, orejas de gato!  Say that again.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s fingers tightened on her shoulders as her stomach turned.  ¡°I¡ªI, umm¡ªI¡¯m looking for Maria Camila Espinar and Felix Espinar.¡±  Her voice started to shake.


    He licked his lips before popping his tongue a few times.  Sniffing loudly, he turned to the boy walking beside the stroller.  ¡°David, lleva a tu mam¨¢ de regreso.¡±  He turned to the kids watching from across the street and snapped, ¡°Lleva tu trasero a casa.¡±


    They quickly ran on, yelling, ¡°Lo siento, t¨ªo Javier!¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± his tongue slid across the inside of his lips again as he turned back to her.  ¡°What¡¯s this about you lookin¡¯ for da Queen?¡±


    Just as Deodato¡¯s man was about to say something, the front door of the house opened, and over a dozen men exited, joining the gangster on the lawn.  Two of the men looked Jamaican while the rest were Latino.  Each of them had weapons in their pants or rifles around their shoulders.


    The leader appeared to be a muscular Latino with tattoos across his body and face.  He was shirtless like most of his gang and had a forty-five tucked in the back of his baggy black pants.  He sniffed, rubbing his goatee while joining his man.  ¡°Javier, ?qu¨¦ pasa?  ?Qui¨¦n es esta burra blanca y orejas de gato?¡±


    ¡°Aye, she says she¡¯s lookin¡¯ for da Queen.¡±


    Deodato¡¯s man held up his hands with a forced smile.  ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble from TNS.¡±


    The leader lifted an eyebrow as another Jamaican with long dreads exited the house.  ¡°Yo, Miguel, we got a problem?  What¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡±


    ¡°Na, no issues, Arcus,¡± Miguel lifted an eyebrow at Deodato¡¯s man.  ¡°You got a problem with us, vatos?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, no ¡­ I¡¯m just here to take my sister¡­¡±


    ¡°Yo, cut the bullshit, vatos,¡± Javier growled.  ¡°She said she ain¡¯t your sister.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that right?¡±  Miguel chuckled, turning to Zoe.  ¡°He¡¯s not your hermano?¡±


    Zoe was still trying to decide if she should run or not, but cleared her throat before rigidly shaking her head; her ears were laid back, tail stiff.  These are real gangsters ¡­ they¡¯ve got guns and everything.  How can they even have that here?  This is insane!  Maybe I should just run¡­


    ¡°Okay,¡± he popped his tongue.  ¡°Then, who are you?  Eh?¡±


    The back window of the SUV rolled down, revealing Deodato.  ¡°I run a caf¨¦ Downtown.  She works for me.¡±


    A lump dropped down Zoe¡¯s throat as a man inside the car whispered, ¡°Hey, we need to go.  It looks like we¡¯re in the middle of an arms deal between TNS and Zoe Pound.¡±


    ¡°He runs a caf¨¦,¡± Miguel laughed, slapping one of his men on the chest.  ¡°What kind of caf¨¦ owner owns a ¡­ oh, nice,¡± he mumbled, walking up to the vehicle.  ¡°What is this, a twenty-twenty BMW X-Seven?¡±


    Deodato¡¯s man tensed as the gang casually closed the distance, and Arcus nodded with a smirk while studying the front.  ¡°You¡¯re no fool, Miguel, got a sharp eye, amigo.  Yeah, this is what, seventy-five grand?¡±


    ¡°No lie,¡± Miguel muttered, eyes narrowing as he stared at Deodato.  ¡°Tell me, how does a normal caf¨¦ owner afford this, and who are they, body-guards?¡±  He chuckled.


    Zoe could hear a bit of stress in Deodato¡¯s voice.  ¡°Cal¨ªstrato Ballesteros is my client.¡±


    The gang turned to look at each other, and Arcus hummed darkly.  ¡°What was dis?  You work for Ballesteros?  I don¡¯t like him, and I hear he¡¯s tryin¡¯ to fill in da shoes of dat ol¡¯ boy Marcus.¡±  He spat on the car.  ¡°I didn¡¯t like Marcus; he was a fool.¡±


    Miguel reached behind his back and pulled out his pistol, making Zoe freeze, and Deodato¡¯s man put his hands up as a few of the other gang members shifted their rifles in their hands.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like snakes, Se?or caf¨¦ owner, and you look like a snake.  If you work for Ballesteros, you also know he shorted me fifteen grand and needs to pay up, amigo.¡±


    ¡°Huh, Ballesteros owes me twenty and extra,¡± Arcus said, Jamaican accent becoming stronger.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we take the trans and split the profit, eh?  What do you think, Miguel?¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± Miguel smiled, tapping the side of the window with his gun.  ¡°I need a message sent back to Ballesteros, and it¡¯s either a body or a car.  What you choosing, vatos?¡±


    Deodato took a deep breath.  ¡°How would I get home?¡±


    Arcus chuckled.  ¡°Not my brother¡¯s problem; take it to the yard and catch the teeth, bumbaclot.¡±


    Miguel pointed it at each of Deodato¡¯s men inside the car while saying, ¡°And it be like eeny, meeny, miny, moe, parumpapumpum,¡± he rolled it off his tongue while jabbing the barrel in Deodato¡¯s direction.  ¡°Uh, vatos?¡±


    ¡°Miguel,¡± Deodato chuckled.  ¡°I¡¯m sure we can¡­¡±


    ¡°No, bitch.  I don¡¯t care what you talkin¡¯ ¡®bout, it¡¯s irrelevant.  Get outta da car, homes, or my boys will light it up.¡±


    ¡°Mash it up, ras clot,¡± Arcus moved around the car, taking out a knife from his pocket.  ¡°Get back to Ballesteros and tell em Zoe Pound sends their regards for his yellow paper.  Don¡¯t be makin¡¯ a fool again.¡±


    The doors quickly opened, but before they could move two feet, Arcus clicked his tongue.  ¡°Aye, you no see, stakki?  I didn¡¯t say you could leave with your tools.¡±


    All of Miguel and Arcus¡¯ men pointed their weapons, and a few onlookers quickly left after seeing what was happening on the street.


    ¡°No, I¡ªI understand ¡­ everyone, put your guns on the ground.¡±


    ¡°Wallets, too, chico, or we goin¡¯ to set it off.¡±


    ¡°Just do as he says,¡± Deodato growled, shooting a scathing glance at Zoe.


    They quickly left after dropping everything, and the gang turned their attention to her.  ¡°Okay, chica, we see you,¡± Miguel tucked his gun back into his pants and motioned for his boys to relax.  ¡°Now be straight; why you lookin¡¯ for the Queen?  Maria be hittin¡¯ lotta circuits recently, yo.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªumm¡­¡±  Zoe was having a hard time completing her thoughts; everything was happening so fast, but she took a deep breath and cleared her throat.  ¡°My friend told me¡ªtold me that Maria would protect me.¡±


    ¡°Smart, eh?¡±  Miguel chuckled, slapping one of his boys again.  ¡°What you think?  She looks around Elena¡¯s age, eh?¡±


    ¡°Na, maybe a bit younger,¡± Javier said.


    ¡°Mmh, huh,¡± he popped his tongue again as Arcus eyed her with a frown.  ¡°Why¡¯s Ballesteros sendin¡¯ guys to tail you, huh?  You got somethin¡¯ of his?¡±


    Zoe shook her head and quickly explained the situation to them; it fell out like word vomit, but the gangsters listened and even brought out a chair for her to sit on the lawn while they talked.  Arcus seemed to get bored and went to the backyard, leaving a man to tell him what happened.


    After she was done, Miguel hummed darkly.  ¡°Ah, okay, yeah, seems like you was about to be made into Ballesteros main chica.¡±  He shook his head, and the other men did the same, noses twisted with disgust.  ¡°Ain¡¯t about that shit, but hey, if what you be sayin¡¯ is true, then you got nothin¡¯ to be worried about.  Maria¡¯s got a lot of influence since she and her crew took out Terrell.¡±


    He turned his head toward Javier with a smirk.  ¡°Tell one of the lil¡¯ ni?os to go fetch Elena.  I always like seeing her cute face; yo, did I tell you ¡®bout the time her dad took a bullet for me?¡±


    ¡°Shit, all the time,¡± Javier sighed.  ¡°She¡¯s one crazy chica, though, Miguel; almost took my eye out last time I said she was growing up pretty.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why she got the nickname badazz,¡± Miguel laughed.  ¡°Nine years old, yo, she told her mam¨¢, I¡¯m thuggin¡¯ outside, we don¡¯t need cable.  Eh?¡±


    ¡°You told me,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°She¡¯s ruda loca.¡±


    Zoe felt a bit of her tension ease as the conversation continued, and she was beginning to feel sweat gathering on her forehead as the sun continued to rise in the sky.


    Okay, I just need to wait for this Elena girl to come get me ¡­ do I really look that young to people, and the girl I¡¯m supposed to see took out another gang?  I don¡¯t want to be treated like a little kid, but this is scary.  I really need to ask Rachel how she knows these kinds of people because this is freaking insane!


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 28. The Honey Badger, Elena

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Zoe (Domestic Cat Beastkin; first Demi Rachel met after changing that told her about the game system style of fiction)


    Recap:  Zoe was saved by TNS, which knows a few people in Maria''s crew.  They sent a kid to get Elena to escort Zoe; Maria''s talked rather fondly about Elena in a few chapters.


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    Zoe took a deep breath as she sat under the shade of the gangsters¡¯ porch, drinking lemonade they provided; it had been twenty minutes since they¡¯d chased off Deodato, and one of the other gang members had taken the stolen car to what she could only assume was a chop-shop.


    Javier and Leonardo, the first two men she¡¯d seen when entering the neighborhood, had taken their original seats while the others had returned inside to continue their discussions and party.  Her amber irises moved to the rifles on the men¡¯s laps, stomach tightening while she licked her lips; they appeared to have a rag half-draped over them to give the impression they were cleaning the weapons if anyone drove by.


    She plucked at the front of her shirt, feeling the sweat slide down her collarbone and between her breasts.  It¡¯s so flippin¡¯ hot today!  It¡¯s supposed to be February, so what¡¯s up with this heat?


    The men glanced over at her, and a reassuring smile lit Javier¡¯s lips, eyes still hidden behind dark sunglasses.  ¡°Yo, you good?  You want me to grab a fan?¡±


    ¡°Mm-mmh, I¡¯m fine, thank you.  Umm, can you tell me a little bit about Maria?  I¡¯m just a little nervous,¡± she said with a forced chuckle.  ¡°This is all¡ªit¡¯s just really new to me, and I¡¯m not from Miami.¡±


    Javier picked between his teeth with an amused chuckle while slouching in his chair and scratching the side of his short mustache before sniffing.  ¡°I was thinkin¡¯ you weren¡¯t a Miami native.  To be clear, I can¡¯t say much, ya know?  We gotta first see if you¡¯re for real.  Elena should be here in no time, though.


    ¡°Once she says you¡¯re cool, then we¡¯re good, but you know, gotta keep the info on the low to keep ya safe.  We might be snitchin¡¯ without even knowing, ya feel?  No worries, though.  You say this Rachel chica knows Maria; then it should be good, right?¡±


    Zoe¡¯s stomach twisted, and her ears pulled back.  ¡°Um¡ªyeah,¡± she forced a smile while wiping away the sweat on her temples.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s my hope.¡±


    ¡°Okay, until then, it¡¯s good we don¡¯t know much about each other.  Ya feel?¡±


    She nodded stiffly, taking a deep breath while leaning back and flipping her tail around to stare at it in her lap.  ¡°I get it ¡­ I never thought I¡¯d end up with gangsters following me.  It just kind of popped my bubble,¡± she mumbled.


    Javier worked his jaw to the left before popping his tongue.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve seen that nasty shit, and heard about the things Ballesteros is into.  Shame no one¡¯s dropped him yet, but it is what it is.¡±


    The conversation died, and Zoe put her attention back on her tail; it had been a bit more of a chore than she thought it would be.  It was no different than moving her arm or fingers, but the issue was that modern life wasn¡¯t built with humans having tails.  If she wasn¡¯t quick enough while walking through doors, it could swing back and smash her tail, and there were a number of other concerns with how she sat.


    Cleaning her ears was another issue with how they were situated, which irritated her at first, and she was filled with mixed emotions about her changed physical appearance.  Yes, she knew she was cute, but at the same time, it came with her being treated like a child, and her clothes were mostly baggy on her now, which meant shopping with the little money she¡¯d gotten as an advance from Deodato.


    She pressed the back of her fingers against her tight blue jeans, the black fur of her tail tickling her skin.  How am I going to survive if I make it out of this?  I don¡¯t want to create problems for Rachel.  I want to handle this myself, but how can I?  I was literally going to be kidnapped and stuffed in that car if Miguel¡¯s gang didn¡¯t interfere, and they only did it because they had problems with Ballesteros.


    Her tongue slid across her dry pink lips before she swallowed.  If I need to defend myself, I have this new system, but I don¡¯t have that great of combat stats.  Sure, I can claw someone and scratch them, but I¡¯m not strong enough to overpower big guys ¡­ I¡¯m a freakin¡¯ Domestic Cat Beastkin!  The moment I felt in danger, I ran ¡­ I¡¯m not brave.


    Zoe¡¯s amber irises rose as Javier released a concerned hum, arms crossing across his tattooed chest.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Huh?  Umm¡ªwhat do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that smile,¡± he mumbled.  ¡°Whatever ya thinkin¡¯ out has you lookin¡¯ down?¡±


    She bit her lower lip, sucking on it for a moment while looking away.  ¡°It¡¯s nothing.  I¡¯m just a little nervous.¡±


    Leonardo shrugged, yawning before stretching out his left arm.  ¡°What ¡®bout?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Leo,¡± Javier huffed.  ¡°Read the mood, bro.  She don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Aye, you was the one who brought it up, man.¡±


    Javier popped his tongue.  ¡°Yeah, I know, and she says she¡¯s good.¡±


    Zoe lifted her hands with a soft chuckle.  ¡°Hey, it¡¯s fine.  It¡¯s just like, kind of ¡­ personal.¡±


    ¡°Say no more,¡± Javier sniffed, settling back in his chair.


    The wind shifted directions, throwing a few locks of her black hair into her face.  She passively brushed it away while changing her position on the chair.


    I¡¯m a cat, but how much of a cat?  I liked the attention I was getting, but then I got overwhelmed.  I don¡¯t like how some people look at me.  I¡¯m skittish around people I don¡¯t know, and I run away when I¡¯m scared.  Is this really what I was like?  Well, I wasn¡¯t chased by gangsters before ¡­ Rachel decided to help me at the drop of a dime.


    She¡¯s the cool Lunar Hare Mythickin, and I¡¯m a scared house cat that ran to her with my tail between my legs.  I want to be strong and cool, too.  House cats aren¡¯t usually called cool or strong, though.  Cats are pampered little devils that cause trouble ¡­ I want to be a pampered little devil that causes trouble?  C¡¯mon, really?


    I mean, cats always have a good life, which is awesome, but do I want everything that comes with that?  Someone takes care of them, gives them what they need, and spends time with them, but the cat can just reject the master and stick her nose in the air while prancing off like royalty.  Cats laze around all day and play ¡­ life as a cat is great, but ¡­ that¡¯s stupid.  I don¡¯t have a master to take care of me.  Does that make me a wild cat ¡­ a homeless cat?


    My parents haven¡¯t answered all week, and I¡¯m running out of resources.  If the card was denied, then how will I pay for tuition?  How can I even get home?  No one will answer their phones ¡­ I mean, c¡¯mon, this is twenty-twenty ¡­ why wouldn¡¯t they pick up their phones or answer texts?


    She took a deep breath, feeling her nose burn, and she pushed back her tears.  No, crying won¡¯t help!  Get a grip, you stupid cat!  I can find a job, yeah, no problem!  I mean, I can just go work for another service place ¡­ one that doesn¡¯t have mobsters and gangsters running it.  I liked it, and people liked me.  Mom and Dad will call back soon; it¡¯s not like they¡¯re dead.


    Her gut tightened.  No ¡­ they¡¯re not dead.  That¡¯s silly.  I¡¯m just being paranoid!  Why would they be dead?  Stupid ¡­ a really stupid thought.  Like, everyone in my family?  No ¡­ but there was a reunion happening.  Uncle Rolly wasn¡¯t going to come, though.  He should have answered.  So, no, no, no, everyone¡¯s fine!  I just need to get by for the next few days.


    Javier and Leonardo¡¯s lips creased as they gave her a few worried glances, but didn¡¯t pursue the topic like she wished someone would; someone had to help put her mind at ease, but she had no one.


    Within ten minutes, she¡¯d finished the lemonade they¡¯d brought out, and five minutes more, Zoe stood up as the girl she assumed was Elena rounded the corner.  Her first impression of the infamous Elena that the gangsters had hyped up was a shock to her; she followed the eleven-year-old boy that Javier had sent to fetch her.


    Elena wasn¡¯t that muscular but seemed as fit as the cheerleaders were back when she was in middle school and was about five-foot-two.  The surprising part was her two small ears, and a short bushy tail that was sticking out of a cut in her ripped black jean shorts; she was either a Beastkin or Mythickin, which made Zoe¡¯s legs tense with anticipation.


    She had absurdly thick, long sandy brown hair that fell to her lower back, fading to white and then turning black toward the tips, giving her a very unique look.  A black sports bra was the only top she wore, and Zoe felt a little uncomfortable as she mentally compared their sizes, realizing Elena seemed more developed after she¡¯d turned into a Domestic Cat.


    She looks more cute than sexy ¡­ it¡¯s not fair, but I guess guys like flatter chested girls, too.  C¡¯mon, Zoe!  What are you thinking?  Get your head out of the gutter¡­


    Elena¡¯s sharp clouded gray eyes were instantly drawn to her before moving between Javier and Leonardo.  Zoe tried rising up as tall as she could, bra pressing against her small chest as she took a deep breath and added what she hoped was a charming smile.


    She was pretty but wild-looking.  Elena¡¯s most surprising feature was the thick fur protecting her limbs; it was mostly black, but on the back of her forearms and thighs, there were streaks of silver.  Her hands were normal, but Zoe knew just like her own claws, Elena could probably transform further on desire.


    Elena¡¯s pink lips parted, showing a slightly wider smile than Zoe was expecting, and revealing sinister small fangs as she addressed Javier in a pretty, but irritated tone.  ¡°?Qu¨¦ demonios, Javier?  Estaba pasando tiempo con mi madre.  M¨¢s vale que sea bueno.  ?De qu¨¦ habla el t¨ªo Miguel?¡±


    [What the hell, Javier?  I was chillin¡¯ with my mom; this better be good.  What¡¯s Uncle Miguel on about?]


    ¡°Aye, Elena,¡± Javier chuckled.  ¡°This chica needs some help.¡±


    Elena breathed out a hiss as she turned a critical eye to her.  ¡°Tch, not my problem; I don¡¯t know her?  That it, Javier?  You wastin¡¯ my time?¡±


    The boy that guided her quickly shot by Elena, heading toward the door, but froze as the girl turned her attention to him, tone becoming heated.  ¡°Oye, Pepito, no vuelvas a vender esos chocolates al hermano peque?o de Cayo. El peque?o Goito casi muere, tonto.¡±


    [Aye, Pepito, don¡¯t be sellin¡¯ those chocolates to Cayo¡¯s lil¡¯ bro again.  Lil¡¯ Goito almost died, fool.]


    Leonardo¡¯s nose twisted with anger as he shot to his feet, rifle dangling around his torso as he roared.  ¡°Eh? ?Es verdad, Pepito?  Huh?¡±


    [Eh?  That true, Pepito?  Huh?]


    The boy seemed to shrink under his gaze.  ¡°Dijo que era genial con su mam¨¢. ?C¨®mo se supon¨ªa que supiera que estaba mintiendo? Solo estoy haciendo ese dinero.¡±


    [He said it was good with his mom.  How was I supposed to know he was full of it?  I¡¯m just hustlin¡¯.]


    ¡°?Sabio tonto!¡±  Leonardo growled, walking over to slap the boy in the back of the head before saying, ¡°Pon tu trasero all¨ª y dile a Tonio.¡±


    [Smart ass/wise-up!  Get your ass inside and tell Tony.]


    ¡°?No, Javier, por favor,¡± he pleaded, turning to the man as he breathed out a tired sigh.  ¡°No quiero que mi trasero se hinche!¡±


    [No, Javier, please; I don¡¯t want my ass kicked!¡±


    Zoe tried to make herself as invisible as possible as the situation continued, fear gripping her gut from Elena¡¯s response.  This is the girl that¡¯s supposed to verify if I¡¯m worthy of being protected?  C¡¯mon, she hasn¡¯t even heard my story at all!


    Elena¡¯s narrow silver eyes moved from the protesting boy as Leonardo escorted him in by the wrist to give Zoe an inquisitive stare.  ¡°Okay, so this ni?a Gata needs protection?  How¡¯d she get Uncle Miguel¡¯s eye, or is he just a sucker for her looks?  He was always soft on the cute girls in the hood.¡±


    [i.e. ni?a Gata = cat-girl]


    Zoe blushed slightly but kept silent while trying to appear friendly, waiting for Javier to explain.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with that grin she¡¯s given me, Javier; es espeluznante.¡±


    Javier chuckled while settling back into his seat.  ¡°Chill, Badazz, mierda, seriously.¡±  He scratched the side of his scalp before gesturing to her.  ¡°She says a girl named Rachel is in with the Queen, and that you guys can offer her protection from Ballesteros.¡±


    ¡°Ballesteros, that fool that shorted Uncle Miguel?¡±


    ¡°S¨ª, pero recuperamos lo que necesit¨¢bamos de la perra con inter¨¦s.  Anyways,¡± he popped his tongue while shifting his shoulders against the back of the chair, ¡°give little Felix a call, or see if her story checks out with the Queen.¡±


    [Yeah, but we got back what he owed from the bitch with interest.]


    Elena didn¡¯t move, giving Zoe a hard look as her eyes moved up and down her body.  ¡°For real, Javier.  She¡¯s a prep chica by her looks, and she smells like a lil¡¯ rich girl.¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± Javier sighed.  ¡°Would it kill you to be a little nicer, for real.  Damn, you got that nose, right?  You know she¡¯s nervous.¡±


    A smirk lit Elena¡¯s cheeks.  ¡°A little more than that, mi amigo.  She¡¯s a real scaredy cat, aren¡¯t you, ni?a Gata?  I see that tail and ears.¡±


    Zoe pressed her intertwined fingers against her abdomen, tucking her lips under her teeth for a moment before shakily nodding.  ¡°I am ¡­ Ballesteros scares me after everything I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    Elena¡¯s nose twisted.  ¡°Tch, should just drop his ass instead of runnin¡¯ with your tail between your legs, but fine, whatever.¡±  She turned away, pulling out a phone from her back pocket and calling someone.


    Zoe waited nervously, and after a few rings, a boy responded on the other end.  ¡°Elena, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Yo, Felix, you know some ni?a Gata named Zoe?¡±


    ¡°A cat girl named Zoe?  Umm, no ¡­ I mean, yeah, back in like third-grade, there was a chica I knew with that name, but no, not now.¡±


    Zoe pulled back her hair while shaking her head.  ¡°No, not me ¡­ it¡¯s Rachel that knows Maria.  Rachel sent me to find Felix and Maria.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Elena shot an annoyed glare at her before asking, ¡°what about a Rachel?¡±


    ¡°A Lunar Hare Mythickin,¡± Zoe added.


    ¡°A Mythickin, Lunar Hare, or some shit.¡±


    Felix was silent for a moment.  ¡°Oh, wait ¡­ yeah, yeah, that¡¯s the chica that rescued me with my sister and took out Terrell¡¯s gang.¡±


    Elena¡¯s tongue appeared in the corner of her mouth as her lips twisted with minor interest.  ¡°Eh?  Wait a minute, this chica named Rachel helped the Queen take out Terrell¡¯s click; she buried them fools?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, from what I hear, they had to spray off the streets with a firehose to get rid of all the blood and guts.  Some real shit happened over there, and the Military are tryin¡¯ to keep a cap on it.¡±


    ¡°Damn, okay, okay, so,¡± Elena turned to address her, ¡°Zoe, is this friend of yours gonna show up?¡±


    A lump dropped down Zoe¡¯s throat, and tingles shot down her arms.  Rachel was involved in a bloodbath?  The Military is trying to keep a lid on it?  She said she¡¯d meet me ¡­ what¡¯s going on?  I don¡¯t ¡­ Rachel killed people?


    ¡°Yo, ni?a Gata, wake up!¡±  Elena snapped her fingers.  ¡°Zone out on your own time!  Your friend comin¡¯ or not?¡±


    Zoe nodded mechanically.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ tonight.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she grinned, hanging up on Felix.  ¡°Let¡¯s get back to my place, then; it¡¯s right by the Queen¡¯s, and we¡¯ll wait, eh?  I want to meet this badass Lunar Hare, huh?  Ah, let me text Felix to stop by and tell the story!¡±


    She started walking off the porch, and when Zoe didn¡¯t follow, she turned around with a raised eyebrow.  ¡°Hey, you comin¡¯ or not?  Pick it up!  I gotta go take care of my mom.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s throat felt raw.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ I¡¯m coming.¡±  Did I know Rachel at all?  If she¡¯s roaming free ¡­ is she working with the Military or hiding from them?  What have I gotten myself into?


    She followed Elena down several long streets, and it was clear that she had a reputation; people either darted across the street or nodded their heads toward her with respect as they went.


    After several minutes of silence, Zoe asked, ¡°So, umm¡ªhow old are you?¡±


    ¡°Sixteen, why you askin¡¯?¡±  Elena¡¯s left eye narrowed suspiciously, ears twitching as her tail swung to the left.  ¡°No, ni?a Gata; I don¡¯t roll that way, chica.  Damn, you be checkin¡¯ me out the moment you saw me or what?¡±


    ¡°W-What?  N-No¡ªnot at all!  That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Zoe blushed, looking down at the sidewalk while scratching at her slick forehead.  ¡°Why¡¯s it so hot!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m what?¡±  Elena muttered.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± she chuckled, shoving her onto the lawn to their right.  ¡°I¡¯m playin¡¯, but seriously, why you askin¡¯?¡±


    Zoe puffed a long breath out, trying to regain her balance and nerves.  ¡°I was just¡ªI don¡¯t know, trying to make conversation,¡± she mumbled, cheeks still flushed.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sixteen last month.  What about you, huh?¡±  She asked while rubbing her left ear.


    Zoe rubbed her arm behind her back, trying to relax her tail as they walked.  ¡°Seventeen five months ago.¡±


    ¡°Shut-up,¡± Elena chuckled, studying her with an unconvinced smirk.  ¡°With that body?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well ¡­ The Oscillation changed us all.¡±


    ¡°But that?  Tch, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re playin¡¯ or not, but damn.  Okay, though, assuming that¡¯s true, then how do you feel about it?  What did you look like before?¡±


    ¡°Older,¡± Zoe whispered, ears sliding back a little.  ¡°I don¡¯t really look thirteen, do I?¡±


    Elena didn¡¯t even try to hide her laughter.  ¡°Thirteen?  I would bet money on twelve!¡±


    ¡°Son of a ¡­ really?¡±  Zoe asked, sliding her hands through her damp hair.  ¡°And how can you stand this heat?¡±


    Elena shrugged.  ¡°Meh, I¡¯m partially messin¡¯ with you.  You look young, yeah, and the heat?  I don¡¯t know; it just doesn¡¯t bother me.¡±


    Zoe didn¡¯t reply, fiddling with her thumbs behind her back as they turned down another street, and a group of three teenage boys gave them appraising stares but didn¡¯t call out to them, and Zoe caught a few whispers from one of them.


    ¡°Hey, yo, that¡¯s Badazz.  Word is, she turned into a Honey Badger Beastkin, huh?  What do ya think, Roger?¡±


    ¡°Hot as hell, but I¡¯d roast my own balls before steppin¡¯ up to her, bro.  Remember what happened to Parker in seventh?¡±


    ¡°Curbstomped that bitch, man ¡­ brutal.¡±


    She turned her focus away from them as Elena nodded ahead of them, and Zoe had no doubt she heard the boys gossiping.  ¡°This is my block.  My mom probably needs her ice-pack changed.  Just chill on the porch; I¡¯ll be out in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Elena guided her to a small trailer.  It wasn¡¯t half bad looking, and it seemed like the yard was taken care of.  She sat on a white plastic chair while Elena went inside.  Zoe followed the noises she made.


    ¡°Mam¨¢, estoy en casa.¡±


    [Mom, I¡¯m back.]


    A sickly woman replied with concern.  ¡°?Donde irias?  He estado llamando, Ela.¡±


    [Where¡¯d you go?  I¡¯ve been calling you, Ela.]


    ¡°No fue nada, mam¨¢; Acabo de salir a buscar una gata del t¨ªo Miguel. Ella est¨¢ en el porche delantero.¡±


    [It was nothin¡¯, Mom; I just went out to grab a cat from Uncle Miguel.  She¡¯s on the front porch.]


    ¡°?Trajiste a una nueva amiga?¡±


    [Did you bring over a new friend?]


    ¡°No, solo una chica.  No la conozco.¡±


    [No, she¡¯s just a girl; I don¡¯t know her.]


    ¡°Eso no significa que no pueda ser tu amiga. ?Deber¨ªas presentarme!¡±


    [That doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t be friends.  You should introduce me!]


    ¡°F¨¦lix se va a pasar y vamos a relajarnos en el porche. Debes relajarte y leer tus libros; ?Le¨ªste el nuevo que te di?¡±


    [Felix is stopin¡¯ by, and we are goin¡¯ to relax on the porch.  You need to chill and read your books; did you read the new one I got you?]


    ¡°Solo los primeros cap¨ªtulos. ?Es bueno!¡±


    [Only the first chapter; the book¡¯s good!]


    ¡°De acuerdo, mam¨¢, aqu¨ª hay una bolsa de hielo. Solo estar¨¦ en el porche delantero; ll¨¢mame si necesitas algo, ?de acuerdo?¡±


    [Okay, Mom, here¡¯s an ice pack.  I¡¯ll just be on the front porch; call me if you need anything, okay?]


    ¡°Bueno, ?quiero conocer m¨¢s amigos tuyos! ?Est¨¢s creciendo tan bonita y tu cabello es tan largo!¡±


    [Well, I want to meet more of your friends!  You''re growing up so pretty and your hair is so long!]


    ¡°?Mam¨¢, no me toques la cola! ?Voy a salir!¡±  Elena yelled while her mother pleaded with a few weak chuckles.


    [Mom, don¡¯t touch my tail!  I¡¯m leaving!]


    ¡°No, vuelve, Querida!¡±


    [No, Dear, come back!]


    Elena came bursting through the front door, rubbing her tail, and Zoe noticed her red cheeks.  ¡°Umm, everything okay?¡±


    She popped her tongue, giving her a dirty glare before breathing out a long sigh, dropping into one of the chairs beside Zoe.  ¡°No problem, why?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Zoe whispered.


    Not soon after they settled down, a boy around eighteen years old jogged across the connecting laws from two doors down to join them.  ¡°Aye, Elena!  What¡¯s up?  Oh, this is the catgirl you were talkin¡¯ about?  She¡¯s cute!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Elena smirked, giving her a sidelong look.  ¡°I didn¡¯t notice!  Yo, she¡¯s seventeen, amigo.  What you think, just about legal and lookin¡¯ like that, eh?¡±


    Both Zoe and Felix¡¯s faces reddened, and they blustered, ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    Elena just snickered.  ¡°Okay, I see you two.  So, get on with it, Felix!  Tell me about this badass that¡¯s comin¡¯ tonight.  What¡¯s she about?¡±


    Zoe slowly unwound while listening to Felix¡¯s story, and she began to see a different picture than what she¡¯d imagined.  She¡¯d heard reports and rumors about South Beach and what went on there, but had no idea Rachel was connected, and Felix seemed to have a lot more details from first-hand witnesses that had been sent back to the relief camp once saved.


    Maybe Rachel can help me ¡­ is it right to ask, though?  I mean, I did, but I was desperate.  She could probably help with the gangsters, but ¡­ everything else?  I feel so guilty even thinking about it, but what options do I have?


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 29. Some Fun And Hubris

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel (Lunar Hare); Elena near the end (Honey Badger Beastkin; 16-year-old gangster girl).


    Recap:  Elena took Zoe back to her place to wait for Rachel, teasing her along the way.  We learned a bit about her mother''s relationship with her, and Felix stopped by.


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    Rachel donned the newly washed white slim-fit Racerback tank-top and black mid-rise yoga pants she¡¯d gotten from Montana, and Scarlet finished flipping her hair out of a maroon slim-fit long-sleeve shirt before attempting to adjust her faded light-blue skinny jeans she¡¯s taken from her parents¡¯ house.


    A hum partway between annoyance and interest caught Rachel¡¯s attention as Scarlet twisted the pants around her waist, trying to pull them up more.  ¡°Have you noticed how much our figures changed?  My butt¡¯s bigger ¡­ these used to fit perfectly, but now it¡¯s tight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel chuckled, pinching the fabric at her rear before shifting it to the right, better accommodating the pressure on her tail.  ¡°My butt has a bit more fat on it, too.  Makes you wonder why The Oscillation cared so much about our figure, huh?¡±


    ¡°Right?  Not that I¡¯m complaining, though,¡± she giggled.  ¡°I was a bit self-conscious about that before.  I don¡¯t know; what do you think?¡±  She asked, turning around in a circle.  ¡°Am I a cute vampire?  Sexy?  Oh, alluring?¡±  She winked, but her flushed cheeks made it clear that her answer would carry weight.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly while wearing a half-smile.  ¡°Depends on the Scarlet, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s eyes darted to the ground.  ¡°Wait ¡­ what¡¯s that mean?  Like ¡­ when I¡¯m on different blood?¡±


    Stretching to the left and right, Rachel pulled back on her elbows, ears following her motions.  ¡°Emotionally vulnerable Scarlet?  Super cute.¡±  Her smile brightened.  ¡°You¡¯d have boys tripping over themselves trying to comfort you.  Please, Scarlet, bite my neck!  Please, just don¡¯t cry.¡±  She snickered.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±  A lump dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat as she scratched the side of her neck with her black fingernails, averting eye contact while smiling.  ¡°You make it sound kind of ¡­ oh, nevermind.¡±


    ¡°Kinky?¡±  Rachel smirked.


    Scarlet winced, but her smile didn¡¯t falter.  ¡°Not exactly the cleanest word I was searching for, but yeah ¡­ I can¡¯t say my mind didn¡¯t go there.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Rachel pressed.  ¡°Fiona would probably be teasing you about a certain incident.  Something about boundaries?¡±


    ¡°One time,¡± Scarlet mumbled, rubbing her left shoulder while glaring at the washing machine.  ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would mark me as a pervert for all time.¡±  She mumbled, glancing back at the door with a worried expression.


    ¡°Maria would disagree with it being one time,¡± Rachel teased.  ¡°Oh, and what about the time when all those soldiers were in the hotels, and you were ¡­ ahem, scanning to find a room we could use.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s pointed ears turned red.  ¡°What ¡­ how ¡­ oh, you devilish hare!¡±  She growled, folding her arms under her chest while turning away with puffed-out cheeks.  ¡°You¡¯re fishing.  That never happened.¡±


    ¡°Never happened, huh?¡±  Rachel repeated, walking over to bump her with her hips while walking out.  ¡°You¡¯ll swear in front of Maria?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t need to!  Because it never happened, and¡ªeven if there were accidents,¡± she mumbled softly while following, ¡°then it would be completely outside of my control.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s play a game, then,¡± Rachel said while walking toward the front door.


    Rachel turned to smirk at Scarlet¡¯s forced smile.  ¡°I¡¯m not liking where this is going, Rachel.  Can we please leave Shame Scarlet out of this?  I get enough guilt from my own mind.¡±


    ¡°Shame?¡±  Rachel flipped around, head tilting with a curious smile.  ¡°Weren¡¯t we just talking about the marvels of the male physique?¡±


    ¡°Is that what we were doing,¡± Scarlet asked, releasing an unconvincing laugh.  ¡°Kyle¡¯s abs were pretty tone, and his¡­¡±  Her eyes popped while darting up to stare into Rachel¡¯s innocent eyes.  ¡°It¡¯s a trap; I knew it!¡±  She seethed with a low growl, but she was wearing a shy smile.  ¡°You¡¯re an evil hare!¡±


    Rachel licked her full lips, flipping back around as they reached the hallway to the front door.  ¡°An abs girl, huh?  I¡¯m more into the chest myself,¡± she shrugged, ears tilting to the right.  ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not necessarily the mass, but the shape and the hands ¡­ surprisingly, I think I¡¯ve got a bit of a hand fetish.  Oh, and don¡¯t think I missed that part you cut off,¡± she added, turning to give Scarlet a wink.


    ¡°No,¡± Scarlet protested, waving her hands dismissively.  ¡°It¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking!¡±


    ¡°Oh, what am I thinking?¡±  Rachel asked, opening the front door and gesturing for Scarlet to proceed.


    The Vespertine Reaper slowed to a halt, glaring at her.  ¡°You were ¡­ I¡¯m beginning to think this is another trap.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Rachel gave her a naive grin as Scarlet walked outside.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you illuminate me?¡±


    Scarlet scratched her nose, blue eyes darting to the left of the lawn, studying the fence.  ¡°Umm¡ªI don¡¯t know, his torso, but¡ªbut not that ¡­ per se¡­¡±


    ¡°Per se,¡± Rachel nodded matter of factly.  ¡°I completely understand!¡±  She said while closing the door.  ¡°Oh, and I noticed him eyeing certain parts of you, but ¡­ mmh, we don¡¯t want to be crude, right?  We also have places to be ¡­ ah, the moon¡¯s out.¡±  She breathed a relieved sigh as she passed Scarlet on her way to the street, giving her friend a mischievous grin.


    ¡®No, I¡­¡±  She cut herself off, and Rachel caught Scarlet¡¯s left fang poke out, clearly interested in that juicy remark with how she bit her lower lip.  ¡°What parts of me?  Rachel?  Oh, c¡¯mon¡­¡±  She groaned as Rachel hopped over the fence in one bound and burst into a sprint.


    Rachel¡¯s ears shifted back as the cool night breeze pressed past her skin and clothes, glowing red eyes penetrating the darkness with ease.  The running shoes she¡¯d taken from the store were decent, but she knew they could only take so much abuse, so she kept her speed below sixty miles an hour.


    Scarlet soon caught up with her, hopping through shadows, but Rachel noticed the dirty glares she shot her way every so often.  She¡¯s totally hooked; maybe she¡¯ll come out of her shell sooner than I thought if this keeps up.


    She ran down the nighttime streets of Miami; there was more than one set of eyes following her as she darted past cars and pedestrians, and she noticed a few Beastkin along the way, usually in groups of humans that seemed like moral support friends.  The wide scene her expanded vision gave was slowed with the reactive activation of Mental Acceleration, giving her the chance to dodge obstacles and observe the night crowd.


    It¡¯s almost like The Oscillation never disrupted things at all, but I¡¯m sure laws about where abilities can be used will start becoming the hot topic among the news and government.  President Capell seems fairly open to the change and willing to take advice from a nineteen-year-old girl who experienced it.


    Still, I¡¯m sure there will be a call for tighter regulations and criminalization of ability users.  The Demi are seen with fear, envy, awe, and probably even pity by some.  I should expect more conflicts to arise in the future that won¡¯t be able to be solved with just my fists.  Mythickin and Legendkin seem to be where a lot of the conversations lead, but Aberationkin and Champions are starting to take the front.


    If Champions can¡¯t be identified, how can you be sure one doesn¡¯t get on a plane and blow it up.  People are scared to ride buses, planes ¡­ uber¡¯s gone pretty far.  They can demand Demi release personal information about their abilities, but who¡¯s honestly going to follow that guideline?  Still, most of the intense tension has subsided, for now, at least.  Everyone¡¯s just moving along their lives ¡­ the world keeps spinning.


    Rachel slowed to a stop as she reached Downtown Miami, transferring to the sidewalk while dancing around packs of people; the gusts of wind left by her drag caused several people to stumble, and she made a mental note to be more careful.  Her long furry white ears shot up, and she slowly turned her head, filtering through sounds to find every voice within her max radius, and to her shock, she discovered it had increased from two miles to three.


    What ¡­ my Base Hearing Level and Grade ¡­ I¡¯ve broken ten.  Cluster Set, Level Ten, Rookie Grade, Rank Nine.


    Filter is Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Zero.


    Volume is Level Six, Rookie Grade, Rank  Three.


    Range is Level Six, Rookie Grade, Rank One, and it now has a Proficiency Skill ¡­ an Active Skill, Focus Array.  I can lower my range behind me to slightly amplify the distance I¡¯m facing.


    Scarlet appeared beside her from the shadows; lips pursed, and hands on her hips, she scanned the area with her vampiric vision.  ¡°Umm, aren¡¯t we going to Maria¡¯s place, and¡ªisn¡¯t that further northwest?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel mumbled as several groups paused to stare at them.  ¡°I want to see if I can pinpoint this Cal¨ªstrato Ballesteros thug before going to check-up on her.  I¡¯m guessing he works near here, and it¡¯s prime club-time.¡±


    A nervous smile lifted Scarlet¡¯s cheeks as her blue irises returned, and she glanced around at everyone staring at them while waving.  ¡°How long do you think we¡¯ll be crowd stoppers?¡±


    ¡°You?¡±  Rachel smirked.  ¡°Always.¡±


    ¡°I swear,¡± Scarlet sighed, shaking her head.  ¡°Oh, and you, umm¡ªyou mentioned something before,¡± she mumbled, shifting her feet.  ¡°What were you going to say before you took off?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  I don¡¯t know what ¡­ oh, wait, are you talking about my Kyle comment?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±  Scarlet mumbled, plucking at her left sleeve to stretch it up to her wrist.  ¡°No, you¡¯re just playing with me ¡­ nevermind.¡±


    ¡°But I said it, didn¡¯t I?¡±  Rachel asked, brow furrowing as she turned to face her.


    Scarlet¡¯s tongue slid across her black lips before her gaze darted to the concrete.  ¡°Did you?  I don¡¯t remember ¡­ you said that he was eyeing certain parts of my body.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he was,¡± she winked.  ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t notice, but ¡­ I suppose you were distracted by his ¡­ ahem, abs,¡± she snickered.


    ¡°Nope, not blushing,¡± Scarlet huffed, turning away to hide her face.  ¡°I am beyond such jabs now.¡±


    ¡°You know I can sense muscle movement,¡± Rachel mused, returning to her search as the crowd slowly went on their way.


    ¡°Y-Yes, but that doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±


    ¡°Really, Rachel,¡± she moaned, head dropping back to stare at the sky.  ¡°What part of me¡­¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t matter, right?¡±


    ¡°It was my boobs, wasn¡¯t it!  Every guy likes boobs,¡± she mumbled, keeping her voice low and hugging below her chest while lifting up slightly.  ¡°Maria¡¯s is so much bigger, though ¡­ and they¡¯re tight ¡­ not flabby at all.  Wait, my butt, right?  I mean, it¡¯s pretty shapely now ¡­ is that even a word?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smirk grew as she caught Cal¨ªstrato¡¯s name mentioned, and upon further investigation of the area he was in, she determined it had to be him.  While she studied the conversation, voices, and tones, Rachel continued to talk with Scarlet.


    ¡°You¡¯re going deep with this analysis, and I suppose you would know the details about Maria¡¯s ¡­ curves,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Honestly, yes, okay, I admit¡ªgah¡­¡±  Scarlet sniffed before puffing out a long sigh, going silent more a moment as a group of teenage girls walked past them, and she kicked a small rock into the street.  Once the girls drew beyond earshot, Scarlet released a low growl, saying.  ¡°I was curious ¡­ and a little intimidated, to be honest.  Maria¡¯s so eye-catching..¡±


    ¡°She has five years on you, remember?¡±  Rachel pointed out.  ¡°She¡¯s twenty-three; you¡¯re eighteen.¡±


    Scarlet shrugged weakly, shoulders drooping.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter; it¡¯s not like my body¡¯s going to fill out more.  I mean, I know I have decent curves ¡­ but I don¡¯t have Maria curves.¡±


    ¡°Nobody has Maria curves,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°She¡¯s in a class of her own, but you know not all guys like that.  He had his eyes on you, not Maria.¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Scarlet huffed, turning away to stare at a brightly lit Mexican restaurant.  ¡°You¡¯re just trying to make me feel better.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ was it your thighs he was interested in?¡±  She asked, turning to watch her muscles stiffen and cheeks flush.  ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m having trouble remembering.  I mean, he did look at your feet for a bit; maybe he has a foot fetish!  Wouldn¡¯t that be funny?¡±  She laughed.


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Scarlet¡¯s lips turned into a line as she moaned.  ¡°Stop teasing me!  What did he really like?¡±


    Rachel turned and leaned in close, staring right into her blue eyes.  ¡°Take a guess; where am I looking?¡±


    ¡°My face?¡±


    ¡°A deep, crystal blue ocean.¡±  Scarlet¡¯s mouth dropped open, but she seemed at a loss for words, and Rachel leaned back, nudging her head toward Little Havana.  ¡°Well, let¡¯s go meet Zoe.¡±


    Before she took two steps, Scarlet cleared her throat, voice turning timid.  ¡°You¡¯re not playing with me?¡±


    Rachel turned to give her a soft smile.  ¡°Well, that¡¯s not completely honest, your blushed cheeks were a close second, third, definitely your fangs, and yes, your bust did get a few glances,¡± she grinned.  ¡°Now, Anthony, his eyes are pretty trained,¡± she hummed.  ¡°He¡¯s a slippery one; I couldn¡¯t tell if he wanted me to notice him checking me out or not ¡­ but I lean toward the yes.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes fell to the street¡¯s black pavement, lips slightly curved into a smile, and after a second, she flashed her fangs.  ¡°You¡¯re always so cool,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°Thanks, Rachel.  Okay, let¡¯s go!¡±


    * * *


    Elena reached back and flipped her long mane of hair behind the plastic chair as she slouched, groaning while lazily scanning the street.  ¡°Yo, girl, when¡¯s your badass friend showin¡¯ up?  It¡¯s like nine ¡­ damn.¡±


    Her amber irises slid to the Cat Beastkin sitting across from her; the cat had grown more relaxed as the day went on, but her muscles were beginning to tighten again once the sun dropped below the horizon.


    Felix yawned, stretching out his arms while blinking a few times.  ¡°Chill, she said after night came, right?¡±


    Elena gestured to the sky.  ¡°It¡¯s night, fool!  Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Give her a bit of time,¡± Zoe chuckled nervously.  ¡°She¡¯s a Lunar Hare, so it makes sense that she¡¯d want to travel at night.¡±


    ¡°Moon¡¯s up durin¡¯ the day, too?¡±  Elena groaned, popping her wrists before scratching her twitching ears.


    ¡°True,¡± Zoe mumbled, clearly unable to think up a good comeback.


    Elena rolled her eyes, listening to her mother shifting in bed within the house; she usually went to bed around nine and got between six and seven hours of sleep.  Every morning her mother needed her to bring another ice pack to ease the pain the metal plate in her lower back caused.


    Her nose twisted while she flicked her tail to the side, shifting in the chair to a more comfortable position.  ¡°Whatever, wake me up when this girl gets here.¡±


    If she was being honest with herself, she was a bit nervous; The Queen didn¡¯t approve of just anyone, and with the things Felix mentioned, this Rachel was no punk, she was the real deal.  She¡¯d grown up around gangsters, thugs, and killers, and she knew what to look out for, but still took it too far from time to time.


    She knew that if it hadn¡¯t been for some of the connections her family had with TNS, and her godfather Miguel, that she¡¯d probably be dead by now, but that¡¯s what it meant to have a family, they had your back no matter what, and even if they were annoyingly doting, she loved them.  Maria and Miguel had some kind of past, and somehow got her mom a place on her block when she was five; she didn¡¯t remember her dad¡¯s face that well from memory, but she had a few pictures and videos.


    Javier loved her, but he was one of the few that didn¡¯t fawn over her attitude, and she just enjoyed butting heads with him.  She liked the old gangsters, though; the new thugs on the street were just posers and weren¡¯t shit to hang around.


    She cracked open an eye as the silence stretched; Felix looked just as uncomfortable as Zoe, and she snorted, leaning her head back again.


    ¡°What?¡±  Felix asked.


    ¡°What, you like her?¡±  Elena asked with a smirk, eyes still closed.


    His chair creaked as he stiffened.  ¡°W-What¡¯s up with that?¡±


    She shrugged.  ¡°You¡¯re all quiet and shit, damn, just go make out in back, okay?  I don¡¯t want to see that shit.¡±


    ¡°Elena, the hell?  It ain¡¯t like that!  Yo, you¡¯re bein¡¯ rude, too; what¡¯s got you so agitated, girl?  Chill.¡±


    Elena¡¯s grin grew as she caught the sounds of Zoe shifting nervously in her chair; she¡¯d known Felix for years and saw herself as his little sister.  ¡°What ya talkin¡¯ ¡®bout?  I¡¯m ice, dude.  You¡¯re the two that¡¯s all red-faced and shit; look at her ears!  I bet her ears are twitchin¡¯, eh?¡±  She chuckled.  ¡°What about her tail?  You lookin¡¯ ¡­ damn, you got a fetish, brother.¡±


    Felix popped his tongue, and Elena could tell his nose was twisted with rage as he shot to his feet.  ¡°Hey, Zoe, we can wait at my sister¡¯s place if you want.¡±


    A short pause followed, and Elena giggled, hands resting on her bare stomach as Zoe stammered, ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t want to cause any problems.¡±


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re hilarious!¡±  Elena laughed.  ¡°How self-conscious are ya?¡±


    ¡°For real, Elena ¡­ Zoe, is somethin¡¯ up?¡±


    Elena¡¯s lips dropped as she opened her eyes, hoisting herself up to scan the street; her ears twitched as the sound of rushing wind met them.  Somethin¡¯s comin¡¯, and she heard it before I did; can¡¯t tell what the damn thing is, though ¡­ probably a car.  ¡°Huh¡­¡±  She stood up, feeling her chest press against her sports-bra as she raised her arms high into the air with a groan.


    ¡°What¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡±  Felix asked, glancing between them.


    Releasing a soft sigh, she cracked her neck.  ¡°A car¡¯s comin¡¯, I think.  Could be her.¡±


    She walked to the side of the patio and leaned against the metal railing; the night wasn¡¯t as clear as daytime, but she could see easily enough.  Her eyes widened, and muscles stiffened as a pretty black-haired girl with pointed ears appeared on the lawn from a mass of blackness.


    Elena¡¯s focus quickly moved down her frame, pausing on her black lipstick and fingernail polish.  Some goth girl?  Isn¡¯t Rachel supposed to have white hair or something like that?


    The girl smiled between them, giving a V-symbol before frowning, glancing at her hand, and changing it to a peace-symbol.  ¡°Hey¡ªumm, peace!  Man, I really wanted to do that to the aliens,¡± she whispered almost too softly for Elena to hear.  ¡°You must be Zoe?¡±  She asked, clapping her hands as a bunny-girl came darting around the closest side street at a mind-numbing speed, stopped gracefully beside the black-haired girl.


    ¡°I beat you,¡± the black-haired girl said with a smirk.


    The hare-girl returned the smirk.  ¡°Teleportation is kind of cheap.¡±


    Elena¡¯s lips fell further as she glanced to her right; Zoe was smiling, hand pressed to her left breast while breathing a sigh of relief.   ¡°Rachel ¡­ you look really well.  Are you okay?¡±


    This is the girl, then ¡­ well, she¡¯s fast, I¡¯ll give her that, but how can she be as strong as the rumors surrounding her?  She¡¯s got no muscle ¡­ sure, she¡¯s got a figure, and damn those looks, but seriously?  She¡¯s not some muscled out chick on roids?


    ¡°Who¡¯s your friend?¡±  Zoe asked, rubbing her left arm as Felix and her walked off the patio to join them.


    Felix chuckled softly, extending his hand while closing the distance.  ¡°Scarlet!  I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d be here; thanks for saving me, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mention it!¡±  The black-haired girl bounced forward, extending a hand to shake Felix¡¯s.  ¡°I¡¯m glad everything turned out okay!¡±  She quickly turned to face Zoe.  ¡°Oh, and my name¡¯s Scarlet; I¡¯m friends with Rachel.¡±


    Elena¡¯s brow furrowed as she caught Scarlet¡¯s fangs.  What is she?  She doesn¡¯t seem like a Beastkin.  If she¡¯s one of the three that saved Felix, then she¡¯d need to be a Mythickin ¡­ both right here?


    Rachel looked down at her with a charming smile.  ¡°Are you that Honey Badger Beastkin Maria told us about?  I think she said your name was Elena?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s bright blue eyes widened.  ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right!  She does kind of have that Honey Badger vibe,¡± she giggled.  ¡°My mind keeps going back to the meme pictures.¡±


    Elena closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out before giving the two Mythickin a toothy grin.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me.  Yo, what do you say about a fight, huh?¡±  Her smile lifted further as Scarlet¡¯s features twisted with concern.


    ¡°Umm, why?  I don¡¯t want to fight you, and you¡¯re feeling a little nervous right now.  Did I do something to upset you?¡±


    Felix sucked in his lower lip, turning to give her a dirty look, but she ignored him.  ¡°What, are you scared a Mythickin will lose to a Beastkin?  Was everything I heard all hype?  Felix told me they had to clean up the streets with a firehose.  All talk, huh?  What¡­¡±  Her brow creased as Rachel began to chuckle softly, gripping her abdomen.  ¡°What are you laughin¡¯ about, bunny-girl?¡±


    Scarlet pursed her cheeks to the side, glancing between them.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ Zoe¡¯s feeling scared.¡±


    ¡°I know; I can smell it,¡± Rachel sighed, but her smile stuck.  ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit nostalgic, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Hearing someone mix Spanish with English while they¡¯re talking.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Scarlet nodded, brow still creased.  ¡°Yeah, it does remind me of Maria, but even she didn¡¯t just come out and try to fight you.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Rachel tilted her head with an amused grin.  ¡°When we first met, I¡¯d say it was a coin toss, and no, Elena,¡± she said in a taunting tone.  ¡°Scarlet is not afraid to lose; she¡¯s afraid of killing you if you did fight her.¡±


    Elena¡¯s smile fell.  ¡°What was that?  That¡¯s some serious confidence ya got!¡±  She licked her lips, and if she was being honest with her instincts, she knew this was a bad fight, but could hardly be brought to care; she was conflicted between testing these rumors and offending The Queen if these were really her friends.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Zoe whispered, and Scarlet¡¯s worry seemed to go up a level.


    ¡°Is it something you¡¯re being compelled to do?  What am I saying?¡±  Scarlet sighed, rubbing her neck.  ¡°Of course, it¡¯s that¡­¡±


    A low groan left Rachel¡¯s throat as she pulled her arm over her head, stretching her elbows.  ¡°Okay, Elena, I could use a light pre-workout before I deal with Ballesteros and his goons.¡±


    Elena popped her tongue before pressing it against her lower lip, and after a moment, flicked it back into her mouth.  She sucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, making a clicking sound, slowly descending the patio while cracking her neck.  ¡°Okay, heh, light¡ªpre-workout.  That¡¯s it, huh?  All I¡¯m worth to you?¡±


    Rachel bent down, showing off her extreme flexibility as she stretched before slowly rising to give her an infuriating leer, smile mocking her advance.  ¡°You¡¯re just a little girl; be honest with yourself.¡±


    ¡°Woah, woah,¡± Felix jumped between them, arms stretched out.  ¡°C¡¯mon, chill, girls; shit, Elena, this ain¡¯t what my sister would want!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s long ears shifted to the left as she cocked her head, giving her a testing grin with a short shrug.  ¡°He¡¯s right; she wouldn¡¯t want me to smear your face across the street.¡±


    All hesitation left her; Elena rushed forward, thick fur sprouting out of her arms, legs, abdomen, and back.  She threw Felix to the side as she accelerated, claws extending, but the hare was gone.  Where¡­


    She felt something heavy strike her in her stomach, making her abs tighten.  Elena glanced to her left; somehow, Rachel had moved around Felix without her noticing, but the punch was nothing.


    ¡°Hmh,¡± Rachel smiled.


    Elena flipped her hand around to slash at the cocky Mythickin¡¯s face.  ¡°You call¡­¡±


    ¡°Going up,¡± Rachel chuckled, fist easing to press her palm against Elena¡¯s stomach; Elena¡¯s words died in her throat as the air rushed out of her lungs, and vertigo hit her stomach.  She blinked, and suddenly she was over twenty feet in the air.  She coughed, gasping to fill her lungs as her momentum slowed, and she began to fall.


    That¡¯s ¡­ how did she throw me up so high?  Dammit!  She¡¯s making a fool of ¡­ why¡¯s she standing under me?


    Elena¡¯s jaw set, trying to ease her heart while bracing to pounce on the hare as she fell, but Rachel just directed a vexing smile up at her and waited.  Once she reached a meter away, the myth blurred into action, left leg coming up while her right balanced on the ground, doing vertical splits; Elena¡¯s vision swam as all the air rushed out of her lungs again, mass generated by her fall focused against her abdomen.


    She gagged as Rachel balanced her in the air before shifting her right foot to launch her twenty feet across the yard and into the street.  She tumbled across the pavement, heaving for air; her ringing ears made it impossible to understand Rachel¡¯s words.


    The next moment, she was flying through space again, landing hard on the ground; Rachel wasn¡¯t letting her breathe, and after a moment, everything began to come clear as she was finally allowed a moment to rest.  Rachel was spinning in front of her, blurred by involuntary tears.


    A soft puff of air brushed against Elena¡¯s face; she could smell curry.  ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong; you¡¯re tough, sure, but you can¡¯t fight if you can¡¯t breathe.  Fighting one-o-one.¡±


    Elena coughed a few times; her throat felt like it was blistered.  Spitting, she glared at the woman belittling her.  ¡°T-That it?  Ain¡¯t¡ªshit¡­¡±


    Rachel rolled her eyes.  ¡°Damn, you remind me of my cousin.¡±


    Elena struggled to defend herself, but she felt so sluggish as Rachel gave her an innocent smile while pulling back her fist.  ¡°I wish this were more enjoyable, but grit your teeth!¡±


    Everything went black.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 30. Rough First Impression

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel (Lunar Hare)


    Recap:  After some fun Elena challenged Rachel ... bad move with Lunar Pride in play, and even if Rachel didn''t really find it that fun, she still put the girl in the dirt.  Now, for the fallout...


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    Rachel gave Felix an amused smirk as her ears shifted to the left; he ran up to Elena, kneeling to check her pulse.  ¡°Hey, Elena!  Is she okay?  What was...¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just unconscious,¡± Rachel chuckled, turning to survey the street as shouts and rushing feet exploded from the nearby houses and apartments.  Her tail twitched with excitement when the sound of cocking guns hit her ears.  Well, this is escalating faster than I thought.


    Scarlet puffed out a breath, giving her a look while stepping forward to comfort Felix.  ¡°She¡¯s breathing.  I can see some bruising, but that¡¯s all, and there are some not so happy people coming.¡±


    Rachel turned to face the men and women swarming from the houses like bees.  Maria wouldn¡¯t like me taking out her entire block, but it¡¯s not like this was my fault.  Still, it¡¯s a little concerning how hot my blood¡¯s getting.  Scarlet might need to step in if I get too carried away.


    ¡°Yo, Felix!¡±  A woman yelled, pistol in hand as she ran across the street.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Felix shot to his feet, holding up his hands while glancing around at the flocking gang.  ¡°It¡¯s cool!  It¡¯s cool!  Aye, Adriana, put that shit away¡­¡±


    The group slowed around them, and Rachel could hear the tension in their muscles, stomach twisting with anticipation.  The wind picked up, pushing her long pink-hued white hair to the left and carrying the stress-induced chemicals released from their skin.  She licked her full lips, fingers twitching, ready for action.


    One of the men she recognized from the hospital; he pushed back a few people to see her.  ¡°What¡¯s up ¡­ yo, Rachel?  She¡¯s cool, but what¡¯s goin¡¯ on with Elena?¡±


    ¡°Cool?¡±  Adriana sniffed as a few men gripped pistols, shotguns, and rifles, noses twisting while glaring at her.  ¡°Na, Ad¨¢n, I saw this pelo largo loco punt Elena across the street!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± Rachel turned to face the woman, cracking her neck with a testing grin.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t start it, but I¡¯m more than willing to lay down anyone else that wants to start something.  If you want to act tough, then I won¡¯t play around.¡±


    ¡°Rachel,¡± Scarlet groaned, scratching her left arm while shrinking back from the angry faces.  ¡°I don¡¯t think Maria would like us taking out all her friends.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Ad¨¢n grunted, looking around before forcing a few guns down.  ¡°Chill, y¡¯all, chill; I¡¯ve seen her with the Queen.¡±


    Rachel turned to give Scarlet a glance.  This is taking too long¡­  Scarlet pushed her lips to the side, eyes opening wide to tell her not to escalate things, but Rachel either wanted it all to start or end.


    ¡°Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯,¡± Adriana growled.  ¡°I know what I¡­¡±


    Rachel shot forward, snatching the gun out of her hands before anyone could react; the burst of wind she generated made them take a step back in shock as Rachel puffed out her chest, smile widening at their building surprise.  ¡°Hmm?¡±


    She dangled the gun in her hands, glowing dully from the quarter moon filling her with Lunar Energy, and the constant stream gave her a sense of serenity that contrasted the heat in her veins.  ¡°I could turn this up in two seconds; be careful how you come at me.  I¡¯ll tell you right now; Maria would tell all of you to stand down.  Take the advice.¡±


    Not one person spoke, and the weapons rose again, their focus darting to the pistol dangling in her fingers before moving to her smirk.  Rachel¡¯s glowing red eyes scanned each person, and when the guns didn¡¯t fall, she hummed, vision narrowing as her ears dropped a little, entering her vision.  ¡°I¡¯ll give you one last chance; I¡¯ve got places to be, and I didn¡¯t come here to start a fight, but I was never one to turn down a brawl.  What¡¯s it going to be?¡±


    Zoe¡¯s arms were tightly pressed against her chest, ears pulled back, and tail stiffly held at her side.  ¡°R-Rachel?¡±  Zoe stammered.  ¡°P-Please don¡¯t hurt anyone.  They helped me.¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡±  Scarlet darted between her and Adriana; arms stretched out.  ¡°We¡¯re just here to check up on Zoe; c¡¯mon, Rachel.  We¡¯re not here to fight!.¡±


    Felix cleared this throat, pulling everyone¡¯s attention as he darted to a few men, forcing their guns down.  ¡°She¡¯s right!¡±  He took a few deep breaths to calm down before saying, ¡°Elena started it.  She asked to fight Rachel; you know what she¡¯s like.  Still,¡± his lips pursed, brown eyes sliding to her, ¡°that was a bit much.¡±


    ¡°Much?¡±  Rachel asked, hearing movement in the house behind her, and everyone twitched as she simulated what she¡¯d seen Maria do before, removing the clip and taking the bullet out of the chamber; they dropped to the ground as the mob watched with confusion.


    ¡°If you think that was too much?  I could have done much worse.¡±  The sound of twisting metal pierced the silence as she crushed the gun; a lump dropped down each person¡¯s throat as the steel folded around her fingers.


    ¡°Shit,¡± Adriana murmured as Rachel tossed her the scrap metal.  ¡°Didn¡¯t have to ruin it¡­¡±


    Several members mumbled, ¡°Maldita irreal¡­¡±


    [Damn unreal]


    After a few long puffs of air and glances between each other, they lowered their weapons.


    Ad¨¢n gave her an uncertain look, vision darting from the twisted gun in Adriana¡¯s palms to Rachel to Elena, and finally, he took a long breath before asking, ¡°She¡¯s good then?¡±


    ¡°Unconscious, but alive.  She¡¯s tougher than I thought; I had to use a bit of power to handle her like¡­¡±  She paused as an older woman exited the house behind her.


    ¡°Elena?  ?Qu¨¦ est¨¢ pasando, Felix?¡±


    [Elena?  What¡¯s going on, Felix?]


    The crowd parted to reveal a Hispanic woman in her early fifties, and she ran forward to check on her daughter; Rachel frowned, hearing the scraping of metal against bone inside the woman¡¯s back.  ¡°Escuch¨¦ gritos ... ?por qu¨¦ mi hija yace en el suelo?¡±


    [I heard screaming ¡­ why is my daughter lying on the ground?]


    Felix released a low moan while scratching his scalp.  ¡°Ella est¨¢ bien, pero comenz¨® una pelea con esta liebre y fue noqueada.¡±


    [She¡¯s fine, but she started a fight with this hare and was knocked out.]


    Pursed lips and nervous shifts ran through the crowd as the woman looked up at her.  ¡°My Elena started it?¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°She did, and how many times do I need to repeat myself?  I just knocked her out.¡±


    The woman¡¯s focus moved back to her daughter¡¯s face, pulling back her mix-colored hair; her transformation was reverting, thick fur receding into her body.  A soft sigh passed through the woman¡¯s lips, and her tone was tired.  ¡°She¡¯s going to be the death of me.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s tough,¡± Rachel offered, mouth dropping into a frown as Zoe came back into view.  Zoe¡¯s never seen this part of me; of course, she¡¯d be freaked out right now.  ¡°I could see Maria acting like her when she was young; she¡¯s got a good defense, though.¡±


    ¡°You know Maria?¡±  She asked, eyes still on Elena.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve grown pretty close since I helped her rescue Felix from Terrell¡¯s gang.¡±  Rachel smirked at a few men that shifted nervously at the revelation.  ¡°You haven¡¯t heard about a crazy liebre blanca?¡±


    [liebre blanca: i.e. white hare]


    Scarlet quickly knelt beside the woman, laughing nervously.  ¡°She went easy on her; Rachel wasn¡¯t trying to hurt your daughter.  She¡¯s not hurt that badly; I can tell with my abilities.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± the woman gave Rachel a weak smile.  ¡°I guess Elena found a new girl to idolize ¡­ umm,¡± she took a deep breath, clearly trying to deal with the pain in her back.  ¡°Can you help me get her inside?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile fell a little while moving to pick up the unconscious teenager, and the group backed up, lost with what to do next.  ¡°I¡¯d rather she didn¡¯t idolize me.¡±


    The woman shook her head while slowly walking up the porch steps, holding her back; by her tone, the woman didn¡¯t want her daughter to idolize her either.  ¡°It¡¯s just the kind of girl Elena is ¡­ this way.  My name¡¯s Zarita.¡±


    Rachel followed her inside, taking Elena to her room and laying the unconscious Beastkin on her bed, drool was starting to come out of the girl¡¯s mouth, dripping on her pillow.


    The house was fairly normal, and had pictures of Elena and Zarita; she noticed the only images of a male were in Elena¡¯s room.  There were a few photos of what Rachel assumed was Elena¡¯s mother and father, together and happy.  I guess she loves her dad, but her mother seems to not have the same view.  A complicated, broken family?


    Elena had a typical teen¡¯s room, complete with an area to do her makeup, images of numbers, fighters, and friends on the walls, and surprisingly a few stuffed animals and posters of Honey Badgers.


    Zarita smiled while tucking her in, glancing at a poster.  ¡°She got these animal ones recently ¡­ Elena¡¯s pretty proud, and if she wanted to fight you, then she wanted to see if you¡¯re worthy of her respect.  She¡¯s a good girl ¡­ a little too emotional, but she¡¯s got a good heart.  Her dad¡¯s legacy had a pretty big impact on her.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t approve?¡±  Rachel asked, ears twitching as she heard Adriana complaining to Felix about her gun, and Scarlet was trying to comfort Zoe.  I could have tried to make her submit, but my instincts told me she wouldn¡¯t.  That was the quickest way to end the conflict, but it did cause quite the mess.


    ¡°Thanks for helping Felix,¡± Zarita whispered, obviously ignoring her question.  ¡°Elena was ready to run off with the Queen to get him back once she heard.  He¡¯s like an older brother to her, and she¡¯s pretty protective of the people she loves.  She was pretty upset, but I won¡¯t take any more of your time.  Oof ¡­ that¡¯s going to leave a pretty bad bruise,¡± she winced, fingers pulling back Elena¡¯s hair to reveal a nasty goose-egg that was forming.


    Rachel sighed, scratching her neck before shifting a few loose locks back.  ¡°My instincts told me she wouldn¡¯t back down or quit unless I knocked her out.  She¡¯s a fighter.¡±


    Zarita looked like she was trying hard to hold back tears.  ¡°That, she is ¡­ umm,¡± she swallowed before taking a shuddering breath.  ¡°Could you leave me alone ¡­ I don¡¯t blame you, but I¡¯m just a bit emotional right now.  Thanks for going easy on her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no problem,¡± Rachel mumbled, walking to the door.  She turned before leaving, watching a few tears run down Zarita¡¯s cheeks while she rubbed her daughter¡¯s arm.  Would my mom be like that if she really knew what was happening beneath my facade?  Could she accept my urges to rush into conflict?


    With the whole room in focus, she knew there was more to the girl than met the eye.  I thought she was like my cousin, but maybe there¡¯s more to her than I first thought.  She¡¯s looking for a strong role model to follow, and she¡¯s got the nerve to push for it.  She must work hard; she¡¯s got heart.


    Rachel exited the house, and immediately the tension of the men and women that remained skyrocketed.  Zoe hesitated for a moment before approaching her with a smile, hands behind her back, ears twitching, and tail flicking to the side; she was clearly agitated.  ¡°Hey, Rachel, umm ¡­ this is all pretty surprising.  Um, hi!  I, eh ¡­ I didn¡¯t expect you were so gangster,¡± she laughed.


    ¡°Sorry you had to see that,¡± Rachel chuckled, giving her a forced smile to ease the mood.  ¡°I came here to help you, not get in a fight with a teenager.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a teenager, too,¡± Scarlet pointed out, waving at a few men and women as they returned to their houses, giving her unsure glances on their way.


    ¡°Not for long,¡± Rachel replied with a wink.


    Scarlet¡¯s smile grew, and she closed the distance with a few steps.  ¡°Hmm?  When¡¯s your birthday?  You¡¯ve gotta tell me!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, but we can talk about that later.¡±  Rachel said, raising her hands defensively.


    ¡°Aww, it¡¯s like one sentence!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s focus had already moved to Felix and Ad¨¢n as they joined them.  ¡°They¡¯re not too happy with me,¡± she mused with a low hum, lifting her head to give the retreating gang an innocent smile.


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to provoke them,¡± Ad¨¢n mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯ve heard a bit about the things you did to Terrell¡¯s gang ¡­ I¡¯m just glad things didn¡¯t escalate.¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± Zoe cut in, hands behind her back and feet shifting while she looked down at the grass.  ¡°All of that was, umm¡ªtrue?¡±


    Scarlet rubbed her left arm.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what you heard, but Rachel and I did help save a bunch of people with the military in South Beach.¡±


    ¡°And ¡­ what are you?¡±  Zoe asked, swallowing quickly, ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to tell me¡ªI talk a lot when I get nervous, heh ¡­ not that you make me nervous ¡­ shoot¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Scarlet giggled.  ¡°Umm¡ªI¡¯m a ¡­ Mythickin Vespertine Reaper.  That¡¯s what I am!.¡±  She gave Zoe a hopeful grin, showing her fangs


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not intimidating at all,¡± Zoe said, reflecting her laugh.  ¡°I¡¯m a Domestic Cat Beastkin over here ¡­ a little kitty and you¡¯re both the real big lionesses.¡±


    Rachel turned her attention to Felix as he smiled at her statement.  ¡°Yeah, umm¡ªyeah ¡­ I can see why my sister likes you, though.  My sister¡¯s just like that; she¡¯d stick her neck up an angry mob ¡­ I¡¯m starting to think that¡¯s a Mythickin thing, huh?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°I know some Mythickin that wouldn¡¯t be so forward, but who knows; we¡¯re all changing since The Oscillation.  Anyways, we¡¯re wasting moonlight.  I just wanted to get some of the details from Zoe before helping her out, and then we¡¯ll be out of your hair.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Ad¨¢n mumbled.  ¡°So, you¡¯re friends with this chica here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about friends,¡± Zoe whispered, ears falling back.  ¡°I¡¯m just a stupid cat-girl.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Scarlet chided.  ¡°Don¡¯t talk about yourself like that!¡±


    Rachel gave Zoe a soft smile.  ¡°You helped me just after I changed, Zoe, and it¡¯s because of you that I started to think about this system like a game.  I don¡¯t think I would have discovered everything I did unless I met you.  You gave me clarity.¡±


    ¡°We barely met, though ¡­ we¡¯re at most acquaintances.  You don¡¯t have to help me; you¡¯ve already done so much for me.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±  Rachel huffed, putting her hands on her hips.  ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything; it¡¯s Maria and her group that¡¯s taken the heat.  I need to go pull this scumbag out of the mud, beat him black and purple, and throw him back into the gutter.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where he is, though,¡± Zoe mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯m useless.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s black lips creased and she flicked Zoe¡¯s forehead, making her bluster, ¡°Ouch ¡­ hey¡­¡±


    ¡°I told you not to do that!  Why do you keep putting yourself down?¡±


    Zoe rubbed her forehead, tears coming on, more from her emotional stress than any pain Scarlet might have caused, and she sniffed, avoiding eye contact.  ¡°My family¡¯s missing ¡­ I was stupid enough to think a well-paying part-time maid job was legit, and then¡ªthen I make trouble for everyone ¡­ I look like a little kid, now ¡­ I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  I think you look super cute!¡±  Scarlet reassured, hands lifting to pet Zoe¡¯s ears, but they only made it a foot before freezing, twitching slightly as she giggled, ¡°I just want to pet you, but that¡¯s just demeaning, isn¡¯t it?  I¡¯ve wanted to do it to Rachel for days, but I¡¯ve been holding back!  It¡¯s hard, though, you know?¡±


    She giggled as Rachel lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°No, really!  When you were sleeping by the¡ªin the Montana military base,¡± she caught herself with a laugh.  ¡°I was so tempted!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zoe mumbled, cheeks flushing as she gripped her right arm.  ¡°Not really ¡­ it¡¯s sweet.  Thanks for trying to cheer me up.  I just don¡¯t want to cause anyone any more trouble.¡±


    Rachel folded her hands behind her head, ears leaning forward.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not about to let people just pet my ears; not even you, Scarlet,¡± she smirked at her friend.  ¡°That being said, it¡¯s about time we handle this problem.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±  Zoe asked, wiping at her eyes.  ¡°I don¡¯t know where he is.¡±


    ¡°Are you forgetting about Rachel¡¯s ears?¡±  Scarlet winked.  ¡°We¡¯ve already found him, and with what we discovered, it¡¯s more than enough of a reason for us to take him out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to kill him?¡±  Zoe asked, eyes going wide.


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°I thought about it; I mean, with how many Beastkin girls he¡¯s been rounding up, it¡¯s pretty damning, but I also have another plan,¡± she said with a smirk.  ¡°A fate many might think worse than death.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Scarlet asked, eyebrows lifting.  ¡°You haven¡¯t told me about this plan yet?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.  Anyways, I just wanted to check up on you and see if you¡¯re okay.  By the way, what did he do to you?¡±  Rachel asked, eyes narrowing.  ¡°That¡¯ll affect how I move forward.¡±


    A lump dropped down Zoe¡¯s throat as her hand tightened around her arm, ears fluttering a little.  ¡°I¡ªumm, nothing ¡­ no, really.  I have some decent hearing, too ¡­ I got out before it escalated, and he just stalked me.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s nose twitched.  ¡°I can guess what he was going to do to you, though ¡­ I¡¯ll handle it.  I also have some plans that might help with your money problems.  We¡¯ll see if we can get everything solved tonight.  You gotta eat, right?¡±


    ¡°Rachel¡­¡±  Zoe sniffed, breaking into quiet tears.  ¡°T-Thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make some calls for some other things, too,¡± Rachel hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°Plus, this gives me something to do, and I¡¯ve been itching to get moving since getting back home.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Ad¨¢n grunted, turning before walking away.  ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ in, then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call my sister and tell her what went on,¡± Felix yelled after him, and he lifted a hand in acknowledgment.  He turned to Zoe with a bright grin.  ¡°You can stay at my sister¡¯s place until Rachel gets back.  You¡¯re coming back tonight, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this won¡¯t take long,¡± Scarlet¡¯s fanged smile turned sinister.  ¡°This is cake compared to what we¡¯ve dealt with over the past week.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°It¡¯ll be over in ten minutes, tops, but the fallout might take a bit more time.  Just know it¡¯s all over, and I¡¯ll give you a call if I can¡¯t make it back tonight.  Don¡¯t worry, though; I¡¯ll give Maria a call myself, Felix.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.  She¡¯s been on a sunrise schedule,¡± he said, giving them a thumbs-up.  ¡°I talked with her yesterday; she¡¯s been making a lot of waves,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°I heard,¡± Rachel nudged her head back the way they¡¯d come.  ¡°Well, Scarlet, let¡¯s kick down some doors.¡±


    ¡°We could just teleport in,¡± Scarlet offered.


    ¡°It¡¯s all about the show?¡±  Rachel explained.  ¡°For what I have planned, we¡¯re going to need to make a lot of noise.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  I¡¯m starting to get excited!  But ¡­ we can still teleport in, though, right?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s left eyebrow lifted.  ¡°You really want to teleport in there?¡±


    ¡°I mean, there was this scene in the anime Alexa and I watched that looked so cool!  He just popped in like, wassup, bitches!  It was so awesome, and then, oh, he took out the first guy with a chop to the neck!¡±


    ¡°Ah ¡­ okay,¡± Rachel nodded between her explanation of the scene; Felix and Zoe just watched her with wide eyes, probably trying to connect her recount with Scarlet herself performing the actions.


    Blood flowed out of Scarlet¡¯s arms, forming into a large scythe before she danced back, whipping it around her body in an expert manner to demonstrate several attacks that the protagonist used with a sword.


    Rachel hummed doubtfully when she finished.  ¡°Eh ¡­ we¡¯re not going to kill anyone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wait ¡­ you said that before, didn¡¯t you,¡± Scarlet chuckled, flipping back her hair before scratching her scalp with a soft chuckle.  ¡°I ¡­ umm, yeah, I feel a little silly now!  I promised Alexa I¡¯d show her some cool things.  I was just practicing!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Rachel smiled.  ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re bonding with her ¡­ I think I judged her a bit too harshly.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s pretty shy,¡± Scarlet giggled.  ¡°She really loves your brother, though!¡±


    ¡°I bet she does,¡± Rachel sighed, wanting to get off the topic.  ¡°We can teleport in; that¡¯s fine.  I¡¯ll work it out.¡±


    ¡°You sure it won¡¯t mess things up?¡±  Scarlet asked, forehead creasing with concern.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Zoe cleared her throat, whispering, ¡°That¡¯s all cool, but ¡­ please, just be safe.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about us!¡±  Scarlet quickly gave her a thumbs-up.  ¡°We¡¯re super OP.¡±


    ¡°Quit showing off, and let¡¯s go get ¡®em,¡± Rachel giggled, body heat rising as anticipation rushed through her veins.  I could do this twenty-four hours, seven days a week!  C¡¯mon, crystals, force the President¡¯s hand, and let me feel this rush every day!


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 31. Reconnecting

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel (Lunar Hare)


    Recap:  Rachel made an ... impression on Maria''s group, to say the least, and promised Zoe that she''d handle it.  Rachel wasn''t sure she''d be able to come back during the night but assured Zoe that she''d come back to help her and that she had a plan.


    Elena''s mother asked Rachel to help bring her inside, and she learned there was a bit more to the gangster teenage girl than she first suspected.  Poor mother ... she''s had her hands full with Elena!


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    Rachel winked at Zoe as she backed up toward the sidewalk.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about a thing.¡±


    Before Zoe could respond, Rachel turned and dashed into the street, running toward Downtown Miami as the moonlight filled her.  The wind whistled past her long ears, air pressure pressing her clothes tight against her body.  Scarlet soon caught up, and Rachel noticed the grin on her black lips.


    I¡¯m not the only one that¡¯s excited about this conflict, but Scarlet seems pretty easy to entertain; she just wants to socialize.  What I should be focused on is how long I can keep this tension confined before I snap?  Probably not long.


    Cars flew behind her as they entered more active parts of Little Havana, forcing her to use buildings as launch pads when needed to bypass crowded areas.  She held back to not buckle her shoes but was still fast enough to zip by the vehicles holding to the speed limit, and more than one person noticed her high-speed race through the packed Miami roads.


    Fragmented sentences reached her ears through the gusts and sound of traffic; her abilities automatically dulled it, but from what she could hear, people were more than interested in the white-haired girl that more than doubled the cars¡¯ speed on the streets.


    Her sharp turns and quick recovery only gave some people a glimpse before she darted down the next street, giving them the impression of a ghost flying through the city, and more than one face pressed to the glass inside vehicles to get a better look.


    At the pace she ran, bypassing traffic by jumping over intersections, it didn¡¯t take them long to make it a street before the cafe.  She slowed to a stop, and Scarlet soon appeared several meters ahead of her, between two tourist groups; she wore a pleasant smile, hands held behind her back while she waited for her to catch up.


    Rachel took a few deep breaths to calm her heart while coming to a stop.  ¡°I just took hundreds of steps, but you haven¡¯t moved one,¡± she chuckled, shaking her head while managing her hair and glancing around.  She caught every eye that locked onto her, which wasn¡¯t surprising since she stood out by literally glowing.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I could keep up with you on foot,¡± Scarlet shot back.  ¡°So, umm ¡­ why are we stopping here?¡±  She asked, vampiric eyes fading back to blue as they drew more attention, but the frightening vision quickly returned.  ¡°Oh, look, look!¡±  She squealed, pointing behind her.


    Rachel¡¯s brow creased.  ¡°What¡¯s ¡­ wait, that¡¯s a Fairy ¡­ and a boy?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  It is a boy!  Fiona¡¯s not alone; I should text her a picture.¡±  She licked her lips with anticipation, pulling her phone out.  ¡°Give me just a minute; I¡¯ll just be two seconds.¡±


    Before Rachel could protest, shadows enveloped her; the next moment, she heard Scarlet behind a pillar to the group¡¯s back.  Rachel sighed with slight humor as the tourists around her gave each other shocked glances while searching where the long-eared girl had gone.


    I doubt he¡¯s a Mythickin, but it¡¯s not impossible.  It would be better to go make sure, and it shouldn¡¯t take that long.  I mean, it was only a matter of time until we would come across some type of Fairy or little-person.


    She jogged across the street, easily dodging between traffic with her ears raised high in the air.  There was more than one whispers about a glowing bunny-girl and vanishing black-haired girl, but she filtered past them, focusing on the group with the Fairy-boy, and she almost wanted to face-palm when she saw where Scarlet should have been, enshrouded by shadows beside a building; she could hear her fiddling with her phone in the darkness.


    She¡¯s straight stalker mode right now!


    Slowing to a casual walk, she approached the group with a pleasant tone.  ¡°Hey, could I talk to you for a second?¡±


    Two teenage girls, a blonde and brunette, a brown-haired boy in his early twenties, and the Fairy turned to give her a confused smile.


    ¡°Umm, what¡¯s up?¡±  The blonde-haired girl asked, looking up at her before glancing over at the Fairy as he floated to her eye level.


    ¡°Do we know you?¡±  He asked, voice rather masculine for his size.


    Rachel hid her inner thoughts while addressing him, scanning his physique with a careful eye.  Strong build, and his wings seem a lot more attached than Fiona¡¯s; they¡¯re fluttering like a dragonfly.  He¡¯s also at least half an inch taller than her, which is actually a pretty significant amount when she¡¯s three inches tall.


    That being said ¡­ he¡¯s got a pretty neatly trimmed goatee, and his black hair is well-shaped.  Chiseled enough to make Scarlet blush.  He could be a young Pedro Pascal, and his taste in Ken-doll clothes isn¡¯t horrible.  He probably didn¡¯t have many options like Fiona.


    She had to restrain an amused smirk while holding out her hand to the blonde-haired girl; the crowd casually moved around them.  ¡°Hi, my name¡¯s Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Hi?¡±  The girl asked, hesitantly taking her hand before quickly retreating.  She looked to the man in his early twenties as he cut in.


    ¡°Eh, what do you want?¡±  He folded his arms, doing a quick sweep of her body.


    Now that she¡¯d gotten their attention, Rachel stepped back to give them space, and moved to a shy smile, pulling back a loose lock of her long hair.  ¡°So, umm, I¡¯m just wondering if you could tell me what type of Demi you are?¡±


    They all gave each other a quick look, but the expression shared between the teens Rachel couldn¡¯t help but catch, and before both men could recover, the brunette jumped in, gesturing to the brown-haired man beside her.  ¡°Hi!  Um, my brother¡¯s a Demi, even though he doesn¡¯t look like it.  He can do wind spells, real magic!  Oh, his name¡¯s Tony, and he¡¯s single.¡±


    ¡°Yo, Roy¡­¡± Tony groaned, rubbing the back of his neck before giving her an apprehensive smile; he wasn¡¯t bad looking, but nowhere near Anthony¡¯s looks.


    Rachel quickly redirected the conversation.  ¡°Oh, no,¡± she held up her hands with a short giggle.  ¡°I¡¯m asking for a friend, and, umm ¡­ sorry,¡± she winced, glancing at the man, ¡°but I¡¯m wondering if your friend is a Fairy?¡±


    She could hear Scarlet biting her lips, and pictured her bouncing on her toes with excitement as she took several shots, hidden in the shadows not four feet away.  ¡°How do you do it?¡±  She whispered so softly that she wasn¡¯t sure even Maria could hear her, and it sounded like she wanted snack blood-bags to watch the scene unfold.


    Ignoring the audience, Rachel continued.  ¡°Are you perhaps ¡­ a Faekin?¡±  She asked, tone saying she didn¡¯t want to offend him.


    ¡°Oh, eh,¡± the Fairy-guy chuckled before sucking in through his teeth, giving his buddy an apologetic grin, and the blonde-haired girl hid a smirk from the other teen.  ¡°I am a Faekin, and I¡¯m flattered, but I¡¯ve already got a girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±  Rachel sighed with disappointment.  ¡°Thanks, I just wanted to confirm some things.  She just thought she was the only Fairy in the world; she¡¯ll be ecstatic to learn she¡¯s at least not alone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, no, I¡¯ve seen one or two others,¡± he said with a warm smile.  ¡°We don¡¯t seem to be all that rare, but, umm ¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve seen you somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±  Roy stuck her tongue out of the side of her mouth for a moment while digging around her back pocket for her phone.  ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s all over Instagram trending, right now!  Check it out ¡­ it¡¯s on Tempest¡¯s page; your name¡¯s Rachel, right?  Some people are saying you¡¯re a Mythickin!¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t have to fake a forced smile.  ¡°Oh?  I ¡­ did do a little modeling after changing.  I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d become that famous, though.  What a surprise¡­¡±


    ¡°Totally famous!¡±  Roy piped, flipping through shots, and Rachel could feel the predator vibes flowing off her flushed face.  ¡°So, umm, yeah, you don¡¯t have a boyfriend, right?  I mean, you¡¯re also friends with that Unicorn and Vampire-girl, too, right?  If you¡¯re not free, maybe they¡­¡±


    ¡°Roy,¡± Tony growled, moving to usher her off, ears beat-red.  ¡°Don¡¯t harass her.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Bro!  She¡¯s totally free; I can tell,¡± she groaned.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±  The blonde-haired girl asked with a bright smile.


    ¡°No,¡± Rachel replied while giving her a shy chuckle.  ¡°That¡¯s all I wanted to know.  Your friend is pretty forward, huh?¡±


    ¡°She means well,¡± the Fairy sighed, glancing back at the clearly unhappy pair as an embarrassed Tony guided his sister into a store.  ¡°My name¡¯s Jase, and this is my sister Kayla.¡±


    ¡°Poor guy,¡± Kayla released a soft sigh, but she was grinning.  ¡°He can¡¯t get a date to save his life.  You sure we can¡¯t get your number?¡±  She asked with an innocent smile.  ¡°He¡¯s the bashful type, but he¡¯s cool once you get to know him.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to lead him on,¡± Rachel frowned with concern.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s just not my type.¡±


    She shrugged.  ¡°I can tell her I tried.¡±


    ¡°Although,¡± Rachel folded her arms, pausing for a moment to give them time to question her addition.  ¡°My friend might like to meet you to see what else she can learn.  She just hasn¡¯t met anyone her size in over a week.¡±


    Jase floated down a bit.  ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with it, but like I said, I have a girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no problem,¡± Rachel assured.


    He nodded at his sister.  ¡°Go ahead.  Heh, as you can tell, I can¡¯t really use a phone like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had to do like ¡­ everything for him,¡± Kayla rolled her eyes while messing with her phone.  ¡°Mom seems to think he¡¯ll break if I¡¯m not with him.¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t that weak.  C¡¯mon,¡± Jase huffed.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, Mr. Macho,¡± she teased.  ¡°Okay, umm, just put in your number, and I¡¯ll text my contact info.¡±


    Rachel took the offered phone, fingers blurring as she inputted her number.  ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send mine back to you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks ¡­ snap, wish I could text that fast,¡± she mumbled, accepting her phone back as Rachel saved the contact and sent her own info.


    Taking a step back, Rachel waved at them.  ¡°Well, it was my pleasure, Kayla, Jase, and I¡¯ll give this to my friend when I get a chance.¡±


    They waved back, and once they left, Scarlet appeared beside her with a sly smile, nudging her side.  ¡°Huh?  Shy Rachel is so cute!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mask melted, and she gave her a smirk.  ¡°Not as cute as bashful Scarlet; you could give your name a run for its money.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t get that red,¡± Scarlet huffed, rubbing her neck before tossing back her black hair.  ¡°Still, too bad about him having a girlfriend.  He seems like a decent guy, but he was attracted to you, but I mean, most of the guys around us think you¡¯re attractive ¡­ even one or two girls are checking you out.¡±


    Rachel hummed thoughtfully while glancing back at the Fairy and his sister.  ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll see how that holds, and,¡± she nudged Scarlet back, ¡°are you sure they¡¯re not checking you out?¡±


    ¡°Eh?  What¡¯s that mean?¡±  Scarlet asked blue irises darting between the crowds moving around them.  ¡°No way!  You¡¯re the one that¡¯s glowing.¡±


    ¡°Who would want a nightlight in bed?¡±  Rachel winked.  ¡°Now, a timid Vampire-girl that¡¯s way too easy to embarrass?  Gold.¡±


    ¡°Can I ever win?¡±  Scarlet groaned, stepping back into the shadows to hide.  ¡°Okay, no more daggers; I¡¯m curious, what did you discover about Jase?  Oh, c¡¯mon!¡±  Scarlet huffed as Rachel turned and walked toward the end of the street.  ¡°You keep leaving me hanging tonight!¡±


    Rachel glanced back, and as expected, Scarlet left the shadows to follow her, clearly a little irritated, and she chuckled.  ¡°With all the side quests done, let¡¯s get to business.  This car up here; the black one.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s brow creased as her vision changed again.  ¡°Those two guys?  What¡¯s so ¡­ oh.  Mhh ¡­ are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Just follow my lead,¡± Rachel replied.  ¡°I¡¯m shocked you didn¡¯t figure it out sooner.¡±


    ¡°Well, to be fair, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d want the police involved.¡±


    Scarlet followed Rachel as she opened the back seat of the car before scooting in, pulling their hair over their shoulders; the two men jumped, twisting around to glare at them.


    ¡°Hey, yo, this ain¡¯t an Uber¡­¡±


    ¡°Hello, Terrance, Ronnie, Miami Police Department,¡± Rachel said with a bright tone, and Scarlet shut the door as she finished settling in.


    Both men¡¯s jaw went slack for a moment; they glanced at each other before their features hardened, but Rachel didn¡¯t give them a chance to pose the question.


    ¡°My name is Rachel, a Mythcikin Lunar Hare, and beside me is Scarlet, a Mythickin Vampire.¡±  As expected, they tensed at the information, hands sliding into their jackets.  ¡°I know that you¡¯ve been staking out Deodato Vomele¡¯s cafe and that he¡¯s a human trafficking scout for Cal¨ªstrato Ballesteros.  How has your investigation gone?¡±


    ¡°Mmh, Rachel ¡­ eh,¡± Scarlet chuckled nervously before smiling at them, ¡°you should mention we¡¯re not the bad guys.¡±


    Terrance took a deep breath before sniffing sharply.  ¡°You¡¯ve got our attention.¡±


    ¡°The FBI has been in contact with us for a number of different things, and we¡¯re a little concerned about what¡¯s happening inside.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re with the feds?¡±  Ronnie asked, obviously doubting the story.


    Rachel nodded without hesitation.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you call your supervisor and ask for confirmation from Assistant Director of Demi Affairs, David Ross.  Tell them that Rachel, the Lunar Hare, is with you.¡±


    Terrance puffed out a long breath before giving Ronnie a look.  ¡°Assistant Director ¡­ that¡¯s quite the source.  If this doesn¡¯t pan out, then we¡¯ll be taking you both down to the station.¡±


    Scarlet cleared her throat.  ¡°We have Top Secret Military Security Clearance.¡±


    Ronnie lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Weird flex ¡­ but okay; I¡¯ll make the call.¡±  He pulled out his phone, calling his supervising officer.


    Scarlet¡¯s mouth dropped open, head snapping to Rachel.  ¡°Weird flex?  Rachel ¡­ did he just ¡­ he¡¯s like thirty-eight; a boomer!¡±


    Rachel just smiled, giving her a weak shrug.


    ¡°Weird flex¡­¡±  She stared down at her lap, clearly still in disbelief.


    Shockingly, it didn¡¯t take long for the response to come; his Sergeant put him on hold while he made the call, and not three uncomfortable minutes later, he was back.  Ronnie¡¯s forehead creased further as he responded.


    ¡°Ronnie ¡­ the Assistant Director wishes to speak to Rachel.¡±


    A lump dropped down Ronnie¡¯s throat as Rachel¡¯s ears twitched inside the tight headspace, and she held out her hand with an innocent smile.


    ¡°Here,¡± he grunted.


    Rachel lowered the volume and held the phone in her lap.  ¡°Assistant Director Ross.  Oh, congratulations, by the way!¡±


    ¡°Cut the bullshit,¡± David sighed.  ¡°What the hell are you doing, barging into a Police stakeout?  I have no information on whatever you¡¯re wrapped up in, which apparently, I¡¯m supposed to.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sir, one moment,¡± Rachel¡¯s smile turned apologetic.  ¡°Sorry, give me a minute to talk to my superior.¡±


    ¡°Superior?¡±  David hummed.  ¡°Are you planning on taking my offer?  No,¡± he sucked in a sharp breath, ¡°You¡¯re after something.  Keep in mind; this line isn¡¯t encrypted.¡±


    Rachel opened the door, waiting a moment for a car to pass before stepping out of the vehicle, leaving Scarlet to moan uncomfortably.  The moon had moved behind clouds; shutting the door, she walked around the car to lean against the back and putting the phone close to her mouth to be heard past the loud traffic and crowds.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got really good hearing, as you know, and the Police suspect there¡¯s demi and human trafficking happening here, which is correct.  I wouldn¡¯t be involved at all unless one of my friends so happened to get tangled up in the mess.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± he groaned.  ¡°Not a week in, and there¡¯s already Demi Traffickers.  How bad is it?¡±


    ¡°Not worried about warrants?¡±  Rachel asked with a playful tone while flipping around a lock of hair.


    David¡¯s tone was brisk.  ¡°I¡¯m a very busy man, Rachel.  No games.  What¡¯s the info?¡±


    ¡°An upcoming gangster that wants to take over some of the gaps left after we dismantled Terrell¡¯s network.  So, cartel-related, or at least this guy named Cal¨ªstrato Ballesteros is trying to get a shoo-in.  He has a few scouts; they pack their victims up in crates and ship them out while drugged under this cafe I¡¯m beside.


    ¡°There are about fifteen thugs in the back; it¡¯s a pretty big place for just a cafe business.  There¡¯s nine Demi and three girls below, and ¡­ from some of the conversations, one might be an undercover cop that turned into a Demi.  Huh ¡­ seems the MPD moved pretty quick to utilize those that changed.  They¡¯re drugged right now, though.¡±


    ¡°Damn ¡­ well, you¡¯re the type to have a plan.  You wouldn¡¯t be contacting me unless you needed something.¡±


    ¡°Authorization,¡± Rachel mused, scanning the crowd with a small smile.  ¡°I¡¯m not stupid enough to think we could get away with it in secret.  We¡¯ve been spotted too often around the area, and you know enough about us that we¡¯d need to kill everyone that saw us, and even then, I doubt we¡¯d be that lucky to escape all investigation.  I don¡¯t know how well it works in reality, but I¡¯ve seen a few movies where the Police can go in if there¡¯s a disturbance or a crime is happening.¡±


    David leaned back in his chair.  ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re coming to me with this instead of doing it on your own.  I suppose I didn¡¯t give you any good way to contact me ¡­ kind of a strange direction, but what kind of crime are we talking about?¡±


    ¡°Scarlet and I will willingly let ourselves be captured, and then we break out.  We¡¯ll make a big enough bang; they can¡¯t miss the signal.¡±


    ¡°Scarlet¡¯s there¡­¡±  Rachel patiently waited while David sucked on his lower lip before breathing out a long sigh.  ¡°You¡¯re lucky I was still in the office this late.  I¡¯ll send Agents Bailey and Hughes to pick you up; it¡¯ll be over by the time they arrive, I have no doubt.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Rachel giggled, licking her lips, stomach tightening as fire flooded her veins.  ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you, David, I¡¯m not gentle; I won¡¯t kill them, but they might wish I did.  You don¡¯t have an issue with us rampaging?¡±


    David¡¯s tone turned cold.  ¡°If it¡¯s self-defense, then I won¡¯t assume anything.  They¡¯re kidnapping people and trafficking them.  You need to do what you need to do when in that situation.  That¡¯s all I need to know; we¡¯ll talk when you get back to HQ.  By the way, I¡¯ve gotten a report that Anthony¡¯s been asking about you.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s left hand tightened around her abdomen; her ears and tail were twitching as he hung up.  Anthony, huh?  What¡¯s he asking around about me for?  Things might get interesting.


    She swallowed a lump in her throat, glowing red eyes burning while the moon came back into view, clouds moving across the sky.  She licked her full lips, tasting salt.  ¡°That¡¯s some confidence he has in us.¡±  She whispered.  Has he gotten the rest of our reports?  More than likely, he has and more.  This tells me a lot about the conclusion.  He no longer sees us as defenseless citizens, but useful allies.


    Rachel knocked on Ronnie¡¯s window; it lowered shortly after, and he took the phone as she handed it to him.  ¡°Your Sergeant will get confirmation.  Be prepared to move in when we give the signal.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Ronnie grunted, ¡°We have an officer inside.¡±


    ¡°Officer Morrow?  Yes, she¡¯s in trouble, but don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re here to help.¡±


    Scarlet appeared beside her from shadows, glaring across the street at the brightly lit cafe.  ¡°It¡¯s a pretty popular place.  Are we going through the front?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Rachel grinned, tapping the top of the car.  ¡°You won¡¯t need a warrant with what¡¯s about to happen.¡±  They blustered a few words of protest but quickly quieted as their phone rang, and Rachel nudged Scarlet, nodding toward the cafe.  ¡°Let¡¯s go get a cup of Green Tea.¡±  I¡¯m gonna have to call Mom and leave a message after this.  She¡¯s not going to be happy I¡¯m back at the FBI.


    ¡°I heard about the Anthony thing,¡± She mused before her lips fell.  ¡°And honestly, I don¡¯t really like tea,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°No blood and all.¡±


    Rachel just chuckled while walking across the street, bypassing her comment.  ¡°Burned by a boomer, huh?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut-up,¡± Scarlet huffed, smoothing her hair behind her ears.  ¡°Please ¡­ don¡¯t tell Fiona; she¡¯ll never let me live it down!  Rachel, promise me¡­¡±  She groaned while following her across the busy street.


    Rachel let a few people move ahead of her before following them into the shop.  It was bright on the ordering side of the room while dim and cozy on the other, giving the customers the option to sit in whichever environment they wished.


    Stairs lead up to a second story where soft jazz music was being played.  Rachel rolled her eyes.  Ironic, the jazz and bar vibe with the mob, only replaced with tea.


    ¡°Oh, this place is pretty nice,¡± Scarlet mumbled, glancing around at the open space.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ do they have a real jazz band playing upstairs?  So classy¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re into this stuff?¡±  Rachel asked, getting in line behind several customers.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Scarlet¡¯s smile brightened as her voice softened.  ¡°Look at the clean design and the wood floors with bamboo furnishing and wall coverings.  The speckled white paint on the walls with the backlit glow.  It¡¯s so soothing ¡­ and the smell.¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Meh, I¡¯ve seen better in Bukchon Hanok Village.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s face went blank.  ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°In South Korea.¡±


    ¡°Pfft,¡± Scarlet shook her head with disbelief.  ¡°That¡¯s Korea; of course, it¡¯s going to be better!  Flippin¡¯ I¡¯ve never been to Korea...¡±  She grumbled, crossing her arms.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel gave her a smirk.  ¡°You seem more like a Japanese fan-girl over South Korea.¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Scarlet¡¯s lips pursed as they scooted up in line.  ¡°Okay ¡­ yeah, true, but that doesn¡¯t mean I wouldn¡¯t like to go to South Korea, too.¡±


    Rachel just shook her head with a wry smile.  ¡°The Japanese fans¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, umm ¡­ do you not like the Japanese?¡±  Scarlet asked tentatively.


    She shrugged.  ¡°Eh, the Japanese are fine, but I just hate how many things get attributed to Japan over South Korea, and everyone in the U.S. is crazy about Japan.  It just gets a little old.¡±


    ¡°Maybe from a South Korean¡¯s perspective,¡± Scarlet said with a forced chuckle.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ I just kind of like the whole Japanese vibes, and the Samurai thing, you know.¡±


    Rachel just rolled her eyes as they came to the front of the line.  ¡°Hey, so, uh, I heard that you guys had some maid jobs for Beastkin.  I¡¯m really short on cash and was looking for some work ¡­ like as soon as possible.¡±  She laughed, gesturing to Scarlet.  ¡°Me and my friend, that is.¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± the girl behind the counter glanced back at the employee doors.  ¡°I can go get the manager, but I haven¡¯t heard much about something like that.¡±


    ¡°That would be awesome!¡±  Scarlet cut in, hopping forward.  ¡°We really need the money ¡­ like a lot.  I¡¯ve got this bracelet I want¡­¡±


    ¡°Bracelet?¡±  Rachel asked, lifting an eyebrow.  ¡°More like all the manga you want to buy.  Weeb.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s mouth dropped open, showing her fangs.  ¡°Wha ¡­ Rachel, rude ¡­ that¡¯s such a mean term.  How do you even know that word?¡±


    The girl giggled as Rachel turned to stare at her.  ¡°You¡¯re both funny!  Okay, okay, give me a second.¡±


    Rachel just laughed at Scarlet¡¯s rosy cheeks, noticing a few smirks from customers behind them.  She¡¯s just too easy to tease¡­


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 32. Why Do I Feel Like The Bad Guy?

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Scarlet Clementine Johnson (Our cute Vespertine Reaper)


    Recap:  Rachel has been making a point of poking fun of Scarlet while she''s been having a bit more deviant tendencies, which as shadow stalking a Fairy boy while taking pictures of him.  Rachel talked with David and got permission to be rough with the men, allowing herself to get captured by the game.  Now, we pick up from Scarlet''s POV.  What is our deviant little Reaper thinking?


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    Eodon, Animetine 16, Sean Robbins, Mr. Seth, Gabriel Diniz, and all my other Patrons!


    Scarlet took a long breath while glaring at her new friend as she continued pretending to ignore her.  Rachel¡¯s been getting a little saucy lately, and she never lets me win!  Wait ¡­ Lunar Pride?  She can¡¯t give me the win, ever!


    She folded her arms under her chest, tapping one of her left ribs as they waited for the girl to return with higher management, and she could do nothing about the whispers coming from the people in line behind them that made her ears red.


    ¡°Yo, man, she¡¯s cute, right, and a weeb?  Score!¡±


    ¡°Dude, she¡¯s a Demi, though¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, hot, right?¡±


    ¡°Tch, I mean, yeah, but you think you got a chance with her?  I guess you might, but she¡¯s not a Beastkin-type.¡±


    ¡°For real, man, Beastkin?  Knew you were into that furry shit; hey, she¡¯s got that bunny-girlfriend, eh?  What do you think, double-date?¡±


    ¡°Wha ¡­ na, bro ¡­ although, I mean, she¡¯s got legs for days, and that tail¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d I tell ya, furry as shit, bro; don¡¯t try to act like ya ain¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Dude ¡­ what if they can hear us?¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ yeah,¡± he sucked in through his teeth.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like they can?  What do you think?¡±


    C¡¯mon, Rachel!  You¡¯ve got to be hearing this, and you¡¯re just leaning against the counter, wearing that smile that I know is a mask.  How do you do it?


    She glanced back at the two boys, trying to be discrete, but she knew her poker face was crap.  They were likely no older than seventeen.


    The one that liked Rachel had freckles and a few zit marks.  He had straight teeth, hazel eyes, and brown blonde-highlighted hair that was swept forward to hide much of his forehead.  Given the kind of guys Rachel was into, the Anthony-type, this boy had a better chance of getting sucked into an Isekai and building a harem.


    The boy that liked her seemed to have ancestors from India, but he didn¡¯t have an accent.  He seemed to be trying to grow a mustache, but it was mostly peach fuzz, had thick black caterpillar eyebrows, well-maintained gelled hair, and brown eyes.  He was also on the smaller side for a man, maybe only three inches taller than her.


    She let her gaze slide over them like she was searching for something, but she was having a hard time controlling her blush.  It¡¯s crazy how many things you learn when you have better hearing ¡­ Rachel must learn so many things, and the amount of gossip people talk.  Boys check girls out a lot more than I thought ¡­ I mean, I knew they did, but about me?


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s hazel eyes snapped back to Rachel as she supported her head with her hand, elbow leaning against the tall register counter.


    A lump of blood dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat.  ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s got you flustered,¡± she stated with an amused grin.  Her smile turned charming as her glowing red irises lifted to stare directly at the two boys.


    Scarlet turned, watching both boys blush and quickly avert eye-contact, which to her frustration, made her cheeks redden.  Damn you, body!  I control my blood ¡­ just breathe, and ¡­ why is it so hard!  Rachel, damn you!  Her jaw locked with irritation as she shot a venomous glare at the bemused Lunar Hare.  How can you make just looking embarrassing?  We¡¯re supposed to be here to beat-down gangsters!


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel bit her lower lip for a moment before her four-leaf clover-like eyes shifted to her, lips barely held at a smirk.  ¡°I don¡¯t know, Scarlet.  Kyle or him?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s arms tightened under her chest.  ¡°I don¡¯t even dignify that with a response.¡±  She whispered before huffing with indignation.


    Rachel winced.  ¡°Oof, ouch!  Pretty harsh there on the judgment, girl.  I know he¡¯s no Jonas Brother, but...¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s composure fractured within seconds.  ¡°Wha ¡­ no!  I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± she groaned, left-hand lifting to comb back her thick black hair as she glanced at the boy again.


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Rachel¡¯s perfectly shaped white eyebrows lifted.  ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that; ? ?? ??? ? ??????, I suppose.  So, he¡¯s even cuter than Kyle, huh?  Better run over and sink your teeth in then.¡±


    [The more you see, the more attractive it is.  i.e. it¡¯s a popular Korean dating saying]


    ¡°You¡¯re impossible, and don¡¯t be like Maria,¡± Scarlet growled, refusing to make eye contact.


    ¡°I¡¯m just prepping you,¡± Rachel chuckled, managing her long white hair.


    ¡°For, and what did you say in Korean?¡±


    Rachel laughed silently for a moment, turning to lean her back against the counter while facing her.  ¡°It¡¯s a popular saying in Korea.  In pure translation it means, the more you look, the more attractive.  Basically, it just means the boy has hidden charms; they might not be the most handsome guy, but once you get to know them, they¡¯re more attractive and charming.


    ¡°Who am I prepping you for, Ma?lle, who else?¡±  Rachel said with a meaningful look.  ¡°That temptress will be on you like bees to flowers; for real, you¡¯re a walking buffet.¡±


    ¡°Well, thanks for the encouragement coach,¡± Scarlet mumbled, rubbing her left arm.


    Rachel replied with a low tone.  ¡°I¡¯m just saying, she¡¯s going to try and play you like before, and she¡¯s a lot more ruthless than me.  I bet she¡¯ll attempt to get you into a compromising situation that will put your embarrassment meters on overdrive.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s hands shifted to grip her arms, and she rubbed them nervously.  ¡°Heh, but I can just avoid her.¡±


    ¡°Like you are with me?¡±  Rachel asked wryly.


    ¡°Well, no ¡­ I need to be with you, and ¡­ okay, I get it,¡± she groaned, ¡°it¡¯s not a practical solution.  What should I do then?  Ma?lle¡¯s ¡­ difficult to handle; I mean, even you were having trouble with her.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Rachel pursed her lips, folding her arms while leaning back to stare at the employee door.  ¡°She feeds off sexual tension; the stronger the pressure, the more she¡¯ll stick to you, and you so happen to be a pretty stressed girl as it is.


    ¡°By the way, she¡¯s coming back.  We¡¯ll be taken to a room to meet Deodato Vomele, the tracking scout.¡±


    ¡°Got it, and it¡¯s not like I can control it,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯m just not good around boys, okay.¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath before letting it out with a sad smile.  ¡°Tonight might be rough for you because, from pieces of things I¡¯ve heard around the area, Ma?lle and Kyle are still in that FBI building, and they¡¯ve been permitted to go out every once in a while; they can¡¯t legally keep them for an extended period of time, basically.¡±


    Scarlet felt a wave of nausea wash over her.  This is stupid; my body sucks ¡­ do I even have a stomach?  Why ¡­ why do we need to deal with Ma?lle again?  Kyle, I mean, yeah, it¡¯s awesome I get to see him again ¡­ maybe if I hide in the shadows, I can catch a picture of him.  If he¡¯s ¡­ no, no, get your mind out of the gutter!  Ma?lle¡¯s so provocative; just how far will she push it?


    ¡°Umm,¡± she licked her black lips before giving Rachel a forced smile, ¡°how much freedom?  I mean, eh ¡­ we don¡¯t have Maria with us.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly while turning to greet the employee as she exited the back room with a bright smile, but it faltered slightly as she caught sight of the line that had built up in her absence.  ¡°Shoot, umm ¡­ good news!  My boss is back there; he says he¡¯d be happy to speak with you personally about it.  You can go right through those doors,¡± she pointed while looking past them at the next customer.  ¡°Eh, have you decided on an order?¡±


    Scarlet followed Rachel through the doors, glancing back at the two teens as they muttered to one another again.


    ¡°Crap, they¡¯re going into the back,¡± the freckled boy groaned.


    ¡°That sucks, dude,¡± the other shrugged weakly.  ¡°Maybe next time.¡±


    ¡°What if we wait for them to come back out?  You cool with it, man?¡±


    ¡°Aww, I don¡¯t know ¡­ it¡¯s pretty late, and we need to get back before your dad gets off his shift.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but, man ¡­ she was so cute with those pointed ears and a weeb ¡­ it¡¯s hard finding weeb-girls ¡­ maybe she even cosplayed.¡±


    Nope, not a cosplayer.  Although ¡­ Alexa had some pretty cute pictures with some of her stuff, and ¡­ does she wear them when Nam and her¡­


    A large glob of blood dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat as she licked her lips, trying to avoid eye contact with Rachel as the steamy thought flashed through her mind.  Even Rachel would probably blush at that ¡­ no, stop thinking about it, you perverted Vampire!  There¡¯s something wrong with me...


    She caught Rachel¡¯s ears twitch as she glanced back with a frown while opening the door.  ¡°Something up?¡±


    Scarlet stared down at the wooden floor to hide her face, shaking her head.  ¡°Nope,¡± she cleared her throat, ¡°nothing at all.¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­ umm, you sure you¡¯re cool with this?¡±


    The girl at the register glanced back at them, still standing in the doorway.  ¡°Is, umm, she okay?¡±


    Scarlet quickly walked through the open door.  ¡°Yup, totally fine!  Umm, is your brother into cosplay, too?  I mean, I know Alexa is, but ¡­ no, nevermind.  It¡¯s stupid¡­¡±


    ¡°My ¡­ brother ¡­ Alexa and cosplay?¡±  Rachel mumbled, clearly perplexed as she followed her through the door.  ¡°Why¡¯d you bring him up?¡±  She asked; it was the first time Scarlet had heard Rachel sound so lost in a conversation.


    Scarlet took a long breath, trying to calm her panicking brain and rosy cheeks.  ¡°It¡¯s, umm¡ªit¡¯s not important.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±


    The door led to a long hallway that had a door to the left, a bathroom to the right, and the end seemed to lead to their storage, and the rest of the gangster hideout was below; Rachel moved slowly to the left door.  Scarlet let her walk ahead, but Rachel paused halfway down the hall, turning to face her.


    ¡°Are you getting into cosplay, or ¡­ do you like my brother ¡­ Alexa, and my brother?¡±


    Scarlet sucked in her lips, closing her eyes while trying to calm her pounding heart.  ¡°No, no, no ¡­ I¡¯m not thinking about having a ¡­ no, yeah, I¡¯m interested in cosplay.  You actually think...¡±


    Rachel¡¯s assumption sent flashes of perverted thoughts through Scarlet¡¯s mind.  That¡¯s where her mind went?  Stop it!  She scratched her neck, trying not to puncture her lower lip with her fangs while shifting uncomfortably.  ¡°Umm¡ªso, yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Rachel mumbled, eyebrows lifting with what seemed a mixture between concern and amusement.  ¡°You know, I can usually tell when people are lying, but your body¡¯s way different from how the human body normally responds, so ¡­ maybe we¡¯ll have to pick this conversation up again with Maria around.¡±


    Scarlet briskly walked past her, moving toward the left door.  Nope, no, we will not!  If I say anything, then she¡¯ll assume I do want to ¡­ this is so stupid!  ¡°Ehm¡ªyeah, we can talk about that later.¡±  Not!  ¡°Let¡¯s go see this Deodato Vomele guy.¡±


    ¡°Mm-kay,¡± Rachel hummed, clearly still concerned, but quickly followed after her.


    Scarlet smiled at the man when she entered the cafe breakroom, hoping her red cheeks didn¡¯t make her look bad.  The room had the essentials for a coffee store, fridge, cupboards, sink, and tables.


    Deodato Vomele, like his name suggested, was obviously Cuban by his accent.  ¡°Hello, girls, umm ¡­ you look a little flushed.  Are you sick with that new virus going around?¡±


    Scarlet shook her head with a light chuckle.  ¡°Nope, my friend just can¡¯t stop teasing me.¡±  She growled, shooting a half-playful grin at Rachel.


    Rachel was back in perfect character, shrugging with a light chuckle.  ¡°I can¡¯t help it; it¡¯s as easy as getting a boy to pay for your meal.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Deodato laughed, gesturing for them to take a seat.  ¡°I bet it is with how beautiful you both are.  So, Willow told me that you both are looking for a maid job.  Is that correct?¡±


    Scarlet sat down, nodding absently while letting Rachel take the lead; her mind was still trying to work through the dumpster-fire of a conversation she¡¯d just gone through.  Okay, Rachel is too freaking observant, but to think I¡¯d want to join Alexa and Nam?  No!  I may have thought about ¡­ other things, but that¡¯s far away from anything like that.  I just wanted to know if Nam liked Alexa¡¯s cosplay.


    Gah ¡­ okay, yeah, I can see why that might throw up some red flags; it is kind of a weird question, but for that conversation to follow.  C¡¯mon ¡­ I don¡¯t want to steal her brother from Alexa.  Ugh ¡­ how can I fix this?  Rachel already thinks I¡¯m pretty perverted, and it¡¯s not like I try to be.  I slip with my eyes every once in a while ¡­ sometimes it¡¯s not a slip, but it¡¯s not like any other girl wouldn¡¯t abuse x-ray vision if they could!


    I can¡¯t be the only one!  There¡¯s got to be another girl out there with the same temptations, yet I¡¯m the one everyone makes fun of.  There¡¯s nothing wrong with wanting to see a few abs, right?  Men go without their shirts all the time, and they¡¯re the ones always making use of x-ray vision in fiction.  Girls can have their interests, too ¡­ and I¡¯m justifying it.


    She refrained groaning while trying to catch back up with the conversation.


    ¡°... when I was talking with one of my friends from class.  I¡¯m a foreign exchange student from South Korea,¡± Rachel said with a bright tone.  ¡°The family I¡¯m staying with is really stingy with their cash, and I want to buy so many things.¡±


    ¡°A foreign exchange student?¡±  Deodato repeated with an unconvinced hum.  ¡°You speak English pretty well for just an exchange student, and I don¡¯t hear a Korean accent.¡±


    Nearly everything about Rachel¡¯s voice changed as she swapped to Korean.  ¡°?? ???? ?? ? ??? ??????¡±


    [Do you think I can speak Korean?]


    ¡°Oh, pretty impressive,¡± Deodato chuckled while nodding.  ¡°That does sound pretty Asian.  Honestly, I couldn¡¯t tell Japanese from Korean.¡±


    Rachel sucked in her lips, giving him a slight frown.  ¡°Not going to lie, that¡¯s pretty insulting.  Really, Japanese and Korean sound the same to you?¡±


    Deodato shrugged.  ¡°Well, to be fair, could you distinguish between Italian and Spanish?¡±


    ¡°Mmh, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a great comparison, but I get your point.¡±  Rachel crossed her arms while leaning back a bit.  ¡°So, can I work for you as an exchange student?  I don¡¯t really know all the laws about that.¡±


    The man scrutinized them for a moment, focusing on Scarlet.  ¡°Your friend doesn¡¯t seem very happy to be here.¡±


    Scarlet tried to smile, not opening her mouth to hide her fangs.


    Rachel gave her a smirk.  ¡°We heard about the maid job through a friend that she doesn¡¯t really like; they had some ¡­ issues.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Scarlet huffed, and she didn¡¯t need to fake the look she gave the Lunar Hare.  ¡°We don¡¯t need to get into that garbage.¡±


    ¡°Mmmh,¡± Deodato nodded.  ¡°Boy issues, girl issues?¡±  He asked with a lifted eyebrow.


    ¡°Boy, definitely boy,¡± she stated, still eyeing Rachel.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he muttered.  ¡°So, what¡¯s your story?  Family not giving you an allowance?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s gut tightened, blue eyes falling to the table as a lump dropped down her throat, remembering the monthly cash her parents would give her.  They seemed totally normal ¡­ how could I not see it?


    ¡°They did, but it¡¯s just not enough,¡± Scarlet replied after a moment, giving him a strained smile.  ¡°I have a bit more ¡­ expensive taste.¡±


    ¡°Understandable for a girl with needs,¡± he agreed.  ¡°They know you want a job?  If you¡¯re underage, then I¡¯ll need to have them sign some papers,¡± he pushed, glancing between them.


    ¡°Nope, nineteen, and she¡¯s eighteen.¡±  Rachel winked, holding her finger to her lips.  ¡°We¡¯re kind of being rebels; her parents aren¡¯t really for her getting a job ¡­ I know, they¡¯re weird, and so we didn¡¯t tell anyone about where we were going.  Our friend that told us about it doesn¡¯t even know; we¡¯re kind of hoping you¡¯ll hire us, and we can shove it in their faces!  So, can we?¡±


    Deodato¡¯s smile widened.  ¡°Well, quite the game you¡¯re both playing; high stakes, for sure!  Alright,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°Yeah, yeah, we can work it out.  So, how do you plan to get home, then?  I hope you both don¡¯t plan to walk with all the things happening outside.¡±


    Rachel quickly shook her head, white hair shifting around her shoulder.  ¡°Nope, it¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve used the public bus system.  It took forever!¡±  She groaned.  ¡°I think they¡¯re closing soon, though, right?  Oh, we should hurry up then, or else, we¡¯ll have to call her parents to come get us.¡±  She winced.  ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡±


    ¡°Great, well, then consider yourselves hired!  We just need to make it official; come with me to the back, we¡¯ll need to get the paperwork.  I keep it all in the basement.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Rachel shot a grin at Scarlet, ¡°sounds spooky!  A basement in downtown?  How old is this place?¡±


    Deodato got up with a low laugh.  ¡°This building has gone through a lot of renovations over the years, but it¡¯s a pretty modern place.  The basement is nice and bright, not spooky at all.¡±


    ¡°Boo.¡±  Rachel got up, nudging her head toward the door for Scarlet to join her.  ¡°That¡¯s no fun, but let¡¯s get this done so we can head back.  It shouldn¡¯t take that long, right?¡±


    ¡°No, not all,¡± he promised, guiding them into the hallway.  ¡°I usually get my shipments in the night; I have some of my grave shift working in the back, so don¡¯t be shocked.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it seems like a really nice place.  I was shocked I hadn¡¯t heard about it yet,¡± Rachel mumbled, absently glancing around at the walls while keeping pace with him.


    ¡°We¡¯re new, just opened up recently, but we do alright.¡±


    ¡°I liked the band,¡± Scarlet commented, finally starting to feel calm.  ¡°Jazz is so soothing for a tea place, and the design is fantastic.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, that means a lot coming from teens like you; it¡¯s who we¡¯re trying to market to, and the free WiFi helps, of course,¡± he laughed.


    ¡°Snap, really?¡±  Rachel asked, pulling out her phone.  ¡°Oh, let¡¯s see¡­¡±


    Deodato opened the door at the end of the hall, gesturing for them to enter.  They both walked through, and Rachel lowered her phone, ears twitching while she glanced around.


    Scarlet spotted five men sitting in comfortable chairs around a table of cards, and Rachel¡¯s smile widened; there was a man with the lower half of a scorpion.  Scarlet¡¯s stomach tightened.  Wait a minute, Rachel never mentioned a Scorpion-man Demi!  She grimaced as her eyes turned vampiric.  Eww ¡­ that just looks nasty.


    ¡°So, this is where you drug up your victims?¡±  Rachel asked, turning an innocent smile to Deodato.


    The men¡¯s brows furrowed as they turned to look at them, and Deodato returned her smile with a deep frown.  ¡°That¡¯s not an accusation I like to hear.¡±


    Rachel walked toward the men as they shifted in their seats to focus on her.  ¡°Nine drugged Demi girls and three human girls in the basement would verify my claim, but I wasn¡¯t entirely sure how you were drugging them.  It all makes sense now.¡±


    Deodato¡¯s demeanor fell as he grunted, ¡°Boys, it seems we¡¯ve got a spy among us.  Who are you with?  TNS, Zoe Pound?  I paid back whatever was owed, and they let me off by taking my car.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Rachel giggled as the men stood up, pulling out their weapons as Rachel turned to face Deodato again, licking her lips as Scarlet pushed her cheeks to the side, blood seeping out of her skin to surround her.  ¡°I¡¯m not with any gang, but I was one of the Demi that dismantled Terrell¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°You what¡­¡±  He backed up as he caught sight of her blood, bumping into a shelf as his eyes widened.  ¡°What are you?  What do you want?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s red halo-like irises moved to stare at him, and she smiled, showing her fangs.  ¡°Hello, I¡¯m a Vampire, and what I want is some food.¡±  She vanished in shadows, appearing in front of Deodato; her blood quickly followed, wrapping them both in a cocoon as his men shouted curses before unloading rounds into her shell.


    She was sure Rachel would handle it, and the bullets simply struck her protective cocoon before harmlessly falling to the ground.  Deodato barely got a gasp out before she grabbed his hair, jerked his head to the side, and bit into his neck.


    He tried lifting his hands to push her off, but he was far too weak.  Within moments of penetrating his skin, she¡¯d begun sucking out his blood, and after a short while, his limbs lost strength.  A few more seconds, and she¡¯d extracted thirty-five percent of his blood; he passed out.


    Scarlet breathed out a hot breath that grazed against his cool skin, feeling the warmth coursing through her normally cold body.  Blood bags really can¡¯t compare to the living thing.  ¡°Mmmh,¡± She sighed with relief.  He had more of a mashed potatoes taste to him!  It¡¯s so good¡­


    She looked down at the limp, unconscious man she was holding up.  I want more ¡­ so much more, but Rachel promised we wouldn¡¯t kill anyone.  He¡¯s a horrible guy ¡­ I mean, just one casualty wouldn¡¯t hurt, right?


    Her spine stiffened, and she dropped him to the ground, taking a few steps back.  No!  What am I thinking?  Stupid!  I¡¯m not The Reaper!


    Upon thinking of the Goddess inside her, she could sense the sleeping deity deep within herself, and the soft sound of her long breath rippled through her frame.  Honestly, how much do you influence me while asleep?  I hate you!  Wait, are you the pervert?  Maybe you are, and all these stupid urges are all your doing!


    ¡°Scarlet?¡±


    She turned her glare on Rachel¡¯s confused eyes.  ¡°I hate her ¡­ so much!¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±  Rachel looked down at the unconscious man.  ¡°He¡¯s still alive.  Did The Reaper say anything?  I assume you¡¯re talking about her.¡±


    ¡°Nevermind,¡± Scarlet grunted, glancing around at the five unconscious men Rachel had already pummeled while she was savoring her meal.  She scanned each of their bodies with a raised eyebrow.  ¡°Oof, yeah, they¡¯re going to have months of recovery.  Broken bones, torn ligaments, and ¡­ you broke his tail in twelve places?¡±


    Rachel shrugged while adding her staple innocent grin.  ¡°It was wiggly.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Scarlet said, remember how she¡¯d given her the same look before, which made Rachel giggle.


    ¡°Okay, well, those gunshots will be sending all the cops around us on their way, and here comes the cavalry.¡±


    Scarlet was a little caught off-guard as the door shot open, revealing four armed men; they took one glance down at their unconscious friends before centering their guns on them.  ¡°Wait, I thought you meant the cops?¡±


    She teleported to Rachel, shielding them both from the hail of bullets as the men shouted.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with men and shouting whenever they¡¯re scared?¡±  Rachel asked with a rueful shake of her head, giving Scarlet a thoughtful expression.  ¡°Oh, we can¡¯t let the boss escape.  He¡¯s in the basement office right now; there¡¯s probably some kind of escape hatch somewhere in here.  So, you wouldn¡¯t mind going and holding him down while I take care of the guys in-between?¡±


    Scarlet pursed her lips.  ¡°You just want to hurt them, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re bad men,¡± Rachel gave her a look.  ¡°Wouldn¡¯t anyone want a little justice?¡±


    ¡°Whatever floats your boat,¡± Scarlet sighed, filtering out the floor to search for the man she was referring to.  ¡°You sure you¡¯ll be fine; they¡¯re reloading and fanning out.¡±


    Rachel waved her hand dismissively.  ¡°No problem; let me have my fun!¡±


    ¡°Fun, huh?¡±  Scarlet hummed.  ¡°I¡¯m starting to think this was all some elaborate plan for you to bust some skulls.¡±


    ¡°Me ¡­ no, I¡¯m not a violent girl,¡± Rachel scoffed.  ¡°You know me better than that, right?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±  Scarlet relented with a smile as she caught sight of Ballesteros.  ¡°Be careful,¡± she muttered while her blood quickly returned to her body, and she teleported behind the man.


    Before he could shout, her blood shot out, wrapping around his body like a coil.


    ¡°W-What the f¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough of that,¡± Scarlet sighed, forcing a clump of blood down his throat to clamp his tongue.  He gagged, but she¡¯d lost interest in him as she scanned the surrounding rooms.  ¡°Honestly, Rachel, I don¡¯t know how you do it, but you always have a plan to get us in the thick of it.  Is it Lunar Pride?  Probably ¡­ oh, I found the victims.¡±


    She glanced up, catching Rachel laughing while throwing one of the men through a box of tea bags, sending the packets flying everywhere.  The sounds of the fight above echoed down the halls of the basement with the gunfire.  Guess she¡¯s busy.


    Scarlet lifted Ballesteros up with her blood, flipping him sideways; she held her hands behind her back, humming while casually walking down the hall toward the drugged women.  There was a man with a rifle inside, but after returning a third of her blood to protect her heart, it didn¡¯t concern her.


    She turned the knob on the metal door, but it caught.  Locked?


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t even think about it; I got hostages!¡±  The man inside yelled, voice severely muffled.  Could a person actually hear him through that?


    Scarlet saw him clearly pointing his weapon at the door and not the girls trapped in the crates.  Hmm, what to use?  Oh, I¡¯ve got some blood stored, don¡¯t I?


    Activating Bloody Edge of the Crescent Blade, she cut a V-shape where the knob was; the weaponized blood sliced through the metal door like butter and bit deep into the concrete floor beyond.  She pressed a finger against the center and lightly pushed, making the door slowly swing open.  ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Hey, what did I say?  I mean it!¡±  The brown-haired man appeared to be in his late forties, and the moment he caught sight of her, he lost his nerve, body beginning to quiver.  ¡°Y-You ¡­ what¡­¡±


    Scarlet kept her hands behind her back, blinking as she stared at the quivering man, and after a second, she glanced over at their boss, tears streaming down Ballesteros¡¯ fat face as he hyperventilated.  ¡°Oh, I forgot; I have a hostage, too ¡­ and he might choke.  Oof.  That might not be so good.  Here, just let me remove my blood¡­¡±


    ¡°Gah...¡±  Ballesteros hacked repeatedly, and Scarlet faced him away as vomit spewed out of his mouth, coating the wall and sending a wave of foul air in her direction.


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ eww, gross,¡± Scarlet mumbled, nose twisting as she turned back to the man holding the gun.  ¡°So, eh, I have your boss ¡­ umm, surrender, or I kill you?¡±


    She was a little surprised when the gun dropped from his shaky grip, and he fell to the floor, hands held high in the air.  It soon became apparent that he¡¯d pissed himself.


    ¡°P-Please ¡­ I have a¡ªa grandma ¡­ my dad needs me.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Scarlet scratched the back of her neck, flipping back her hair.  ¡°Okay ¡­ not the way I saw this going.  Eh, go ¡­ sit against the wall, and I won¡¯t drink your blood.¡±


    He scrambled to obey, baggy pants almost tripping him along the way, and she heard Rachel dragging a sobbing man down some stairs to the hallway, humming some song.


    Yeah ¡­ why do I feel like we¡¯re the bad guys?  She looked up at the cafe, noticing cops swarming the place from all angles, evacuating the citizens.  We don¡¯t have long before they clear their way down here.


    Rachel tossed the man to her left, sending him flying halfway up the wall, striking it with a hard whimper before dropping to the ground in a crumpled heap.  His left and right arm were both broken and fractured in several places, legs like jelly.


    ¡°Cleaned up the rest of them,¡± she said in a bright tone.  ¡°You would think that someone willing to fire a gun at you wouldn¡¯t cry out for their parents, but you¡¯d be surprised; one dude even started praying ¡­ to me,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°What an idiot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Scarlet shifted their boss up to face Rachel; he was sucking in air as if the next would be his last, eyes bulging as drool and vomit dribbled down his chin.  ¡°A-Anything ¡­ w-what do¡ªdo you want?¡±


    Rachel stretched her arms high into the air, moaning with pleasure while her ears gave a slight twitch.  ¡°Sadly, we don¡¯t have long.¡±  Rachel groaned, cracking her neck before closing the distance with a playful grin.  ¡°I heard the little call with your buddy Hipolito.¡±


    ¡°W-What are you t-talking about?  I ¡­ no, that¡ªI was lying.  I never¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Rachel sucked in her lips while shaking her head.  ¡°Tsk-tsk, that was a lie.  I get it, though; you needed to taste the merchandise, right?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ I never¡­¡±


    Rachel walked around him, and Scarlet backed up, leaning against the opposite wall to watch with a slight frown.  So, this guy¡¯s a piece of shit that rapes the girls he traffics.  I can¡¯t see her letting him go that ¡­ oh.


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened as she watched Rachel deliver a quick, almost playful jab to his lower spine; a sharp crack split the air, and Ballesteros froze, mouth gaping.  Her blood returned, dropping him to the ground; he seemed utterly unable to speak.


    ¡°You paralyzed him from the waist down,¡± Scarlet commented with a respectful nod.


    ¡°Oof,¡± Rachel winced with a smile on her full lips.  ¡°No more getting it up; what a shame.¡±  She knelt to whisper in his ear as the police moved to clear the basement door from upstairs.  ¡°Oh, and by the way, if I hear that you¡¯ve been able to magically cure yourself, I¡¯ll find you again.  Good talk.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Scarlet chuckled, leering down at the mobster.  ¡°Got what you deserve, you piece of shit.¡±


    Rachel cleared her throat, giving Scarlet a look while nudging up at the ceiling.


    Scarlet folded her hands behind her back.  ¡°Can¡¯t talk?  Must be some high you¡¯re on,¡± she giggled, but Rachel only smiled.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe it!  So, mind teleporting us up to get some tea while we wait for our ride?¡±


    ¡°Honestly,¡± Scarlet rolled her eyes while walking over to comply.  ¡°You pull me into some interesting things.¡±


    ¡°You love it,¡± Rachel winked.


    Scarlet half-smiled.  ¡°Some of it.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 33. After Effects

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park (Our Lunar Hare that''s been on that wrath train)


    Recap:  Scarlet and Rachel went on a rampage (mostly Rachel), and even paralyzed most of the human traffickers, breaking them to the point they were nearly delusional or their willpower was utterly shattered.  Scarlet feels like something''s a bit off, but doesn''t really question Rachel about the brutality, passing it off as Lunar Pride.


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    Rachel¡¯s glowing four-leaf clover irises quickly took in the cafe¡¯s front entrance as Scarlet¡¯s shadows left them.  From the knocked over tables, chairs, and left items, it was clear that there had been a rush to get to safety after the traffickers had started shooting.


    There were two male cops standing guard at the front entrance, facing several cars with flashing lights; they were standing guard to keep the gathering throng away from the scene.  Rachel could hear on the ground reporters trying to set up, questions, and theories being thrown around.


    More than one witness was mentioning how a glowing white-haired rabbit-girl and black-haired elf-girl went into the back before the shooting began.  It seemed the two boys that had taken an interest in them had decided to stay to catch them, risking the curfew the freckled boy¡¯s father set.


    Her ears twitched as she tracked everything; quite a few customers were rushing home after hearing the gunfire while a few others decided to linger, searching for information or trying to see how they could get their items back from inside.


    Scarlet backed away, scanning the room before breathing out a long sigh, and dropping into a nearby seat; they were now on the darker side of the room.  ¡°We''re just waiting for Bree to show up?¡±


    ¡°Yup, Bree and Serah, but I suspect we¡¯ll draw some other attention.¡±  Rachel glanced at the chair beside her, pulling her hair around to sit while listening to the police clear the basement.


    ¡°Lieutenant,¡± a female Sergeant muttered as they finished cuffing the man that had surrendered to Scarlet.  ¡°Those two girls did all this?  The two Terrace and Ronnie mentioned were with the feds, and so fast?¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond for a moment, walking back a few steps to watch one of the SWAT members helping Ballesteros as he cried unintelligibly.  ¡°They were Demi, Heather ¡­ and you saw the first guy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Heather swallowed, her tone becoming hoarse.  ¡°Bite marks, and he was so cold; the puncture wounds were somehow sealed, too.¡±


    ¡°All officers, be advised, we may have a Vampire on-site.  Radio it in, Robby.¡±


    There was a short pause before a man said.  ¡°Vampire.  Copy.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s focus returned to Scarlet as she smiled at her, completely unaware of the growing tension that made Rachel¡¯s blood quicken.  ¡°Well, don¡¯t you seem pretty calm now ¡­ well, I mean, maybe not?  There are some strange emotions swirling inside you right now.  Umm,¡± her head turned to appraise the officers by the door, ¡°should we be worried about being seen?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±  Rachel¡¯s full lips shifted to the left as she followed her gaze, whispering, ¡°In the chaos, I see bliss.¡±


    On the surface, she reflected a still pond, but below was a bonfire, crying to be fed.  It¡¯s not enough ¡­ I need something more, but it¡¯s over.  How do I curb this?  I need a distraction.


    ¡°Mhh?¡±  Scarlet brushed a loose lock of bangs behind her left ear, giving her a puzzled look.


    Rachel sat back, closing her eyes while following the numberless string of cascading noises that filled her ears.


    Her fingers closed into a fist on the table, and she placed her other hand over her left breast, feeling the soft beat of her calm heart.  The sound was doing little to shift the tide pulling her under; in fact, it amplified the sensation as her mask began to break.  Opening her eyes, she looked down at her trembling hand.


    I get so focused when fighting that I lose track of the grand picture; it¡¯s like a continually restructuring image, showing something new every second.  This mayhem I crave ¡­ I can claim to fight for a cause, but deep down, I doubt I believe in anything about this mission; I just want to fight, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever change.


    Helping Zoe was good, and I know that a part of me wanted to, but that doesn¡¯t mean I directed us to this point.  Not only that, but the pain I can cause and feel at peace ¡­ it¡¯s astounding.


    Her soft grin dropped slightly as she leaned against the table, supporting her head with the back of her hand to control the shakes; Scarlet¡¯s blue irises were wandering around the space for something to distract herself with, at least partially aware of the emotions she was struggling with.


    ¡°So,¡± Rachel waited for Scarlet to focus on her before continuing, ¡°are we going to talk about that cosplay comment?¡±


    How much can I channel or push back?


    Scarlet¡¯s lips parted, tongue poking out to play with her left fang, quickly looking away.  ¡°Umm¡ªwhat do you mean?  Shouldn¡¯t we first come up with a plan for when they start questioning us, or the chaos I feel inside you?  Are you really okay?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s cheeks bunched to the side as she gave Scarlet a look.  Okay, clearly deflecting, but out of concern.  I may have been overthinking it before, but it was all very suspicious.  I poke fun at her deviant tendencies at stripping down guys with her eyes, literally, and suddenly she¡¯s bringing up cosplay, connecting it with my brother and sister-in-law.  It¡¯s just ¡­ a strange topic to jump to.  What was on her mind to ask that question?


    I mean, her reaction is understandable; she¡¯s already easy to embarrass and mix that with my assumption spells the poor girl tripping on her face.  Yet, the anime they were listening to when Alexa was telling her about her cosplay was obviously sexual by the sounds the characters made.


    She hid her internal breakdown behind an unconvinced frown.  Although, I suppose it¡¯s kind of hard to tell ¡­ every anime they watched had sexual sounds.  Maybe I¡¯m just projecting?  I can¡¯t say there isn¡¯t sexual tension between Anthony and me.  Oh ¡­ that¡¯s something.


    Rachel had to force herself from licking her lips, but her tail still gave an involuntary twitch.  How would I even take that if Scarlet did want both Alexa and Nam in that way?  Well ¡­ I guess if all parties were consenting ¡­ no, no, this is where my wandering mind takes me!


    I¡¯m more than likely blowing this way out of proportion, and embarrassing Scarlet way more than necessary.  I¡¯m acting more like Ma?lle ¡­ control, regain control, but it has to be me, not an ability.


    Scarlet shifted in her seat, head dropping to the table as her hair bunched around her head.  ¡°Mmmhhg!  Rachel ¡­ why are you putting these thoughts in my head?¡±


    Yeah ¡­ maybe I¡¯m the one with the problems right now.  This chaos is running through me; I need a way to channel it¡­.  ¡°No, nevermind.¡±  She forced a chuckle.  ¡°It must have been my overactive imagination.¡±


    Brushing back her long black hair to glare at her, Scarlet huffed out a long sigh, showing her red cheeks.  ¡°Geez ¡­ I just wanted to know if your brother liked Alexa¡¯s cosplay pictures.  She showed me a bunch of pictures she¡¯s done, and I just wanted to know ¡­ nevermind.¡±


    Rachel shook her head, releasing a long breath of her own; one of the officers had noticed them, nudging his partner.  ¡°My bad, my bad.  Umm, honestly, I have no idea if he likes her cosplay.  It¡¯s not like I had those kinds of conversations with Nam.  Are you thinking about dressing up with her?¡±


    A lump dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat, and she sat up; her blush deepened slightly while releasing a low chuckle.  ¡°Well, I¡ªumm ¡­ it just looked like she had a lot of fun doing it.  Eh, are they going to¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel mumbled, turning her attention to one of the officers as he entered through the closed door; a rush of crowd noises followed, drowning out most of the sounds in her mind, but her passive abilities quickly suppressed it.  ¡°They think we snuck in another way.¡±


    I need to respond to the police inquiries, and the possibilities of how this might go ¡­ but with how I¡¯m feeling, this could turn out entirely different than what I initially planned.  I don¡¯t think I can hold back much more.


    ¡°Hey, you two girls!¡±  He ran up to them with hard features.  ¡°This area is under an active investigation; you¡¯ll have to¡­¡±


    Rachel suppressed a sigh, trying to release the pressure in her chest as Scarlet smiled at him, giving him the peace sign while saying, ¡°It¡¯s cool; we¡¯re¡­¡±


    Well, this isn¡¯t going to go well; I didn¡¯t tell her they were on alert for a Vampire.  I knew this would happen; so, why...  Her mind accelerated as the man locked up, skipping to a stop as he caught sight of her fangs.


    ¡°Wha ¡­ V-Vampire?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s smile fell with confusion; blue eyes darting to her for an explanation.


    ¡°Call it in,¡± Rachel replied, still supporting her head against the table as a soft smile lifted her cheeks.


    He swallowed before putting his hand on the butt of his pistol, strapped to his left side.  ¡°I¡ªumm¡­¡±  Clearing his throat, he asked, ¡°Are you the Vampire that attacked the man here?¡±


    Scarlet gave him an unconvincing grin.  ¡°I¡ªumm, huh?  Shoot ¡­ eh, shouldn¡¯t have smiled,¡± she mumbled in a slight panic.


    He cleared his throat, licked his lips, and opened up the coms while keeping his eyes on them.  ¡°This is Officer Ware; I have eyes on a suspected Vampire.  Orders?¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ Rachel?¡±  Scarlet asked, chuckling before sucking in a breath, head snapping in her direction.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she responded in a sweet tone.  ¡°He¡¯s scared, but he won¡¯t shoot without orders.¡±


    She heard the Lieutenant and the female officer run back down the basement hallway.  ¡°Ware, keep them there; the rest of you, continue to care for the injured until the ambulance comes, and get those girls out of those crates!  Give me an update on their condition when you can.¡±


    The officer by the door cleared his throat.  ¡°Sir, the Press keep trying to push the boundary up a little.¡±


    ¡°Deal with it!  Not one word gets out, and clear a way for the emergency vehicles to get through.¡±


    Rachel gave the officer in front of them a passive smile as he said, ¡°Stay still, and don¡¯t move.¡±


    ¡°Or?¡±


    ¡°Rachel¡­¡±


    Ware licked his lips, and sweat gathered at his forehead; the nervous man¡¯s focus darted between them as he backed up two steps, grip tightening around the holstered weapon.


    She closed her eyes, ears twitching while listening to the symphony of every muscle twitch in the officer¡¯s body.  ¡°Just a bit of fun, Scarlet; consider it foreplay.¡±


    ¡°Foreplay?¡±  She squeaked, arms tightening around her belly.


    A delicious uncomfortable silence followed, ended by the Lieutenant and Heather¡¯s entry.  They caught their breath before walking up to them.  ¡°What the hell was that?¡±  He asked, nose twisted with rage.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±  Rachel asked with a soft smile before Scarlet could respond.


    His head shifted in her direction, blood pumping through his thunderous heart.  ¡°The brutality ¡­ the state those men are in.¡±


    He paused as she opened her eyes, large glowing red irises framed by pink four-leaf clovers centered on him with amusement.  ¡°They were going to try and drug us, just like Officer Morrow.  By the way, did Ballesteros tell you how he likes to sample the girls he traffics?  The humiliation, brutality, and trauma ¡­ it¡¯s quite a horrific experience.¡±


    The Lieutenant licked the inside of his teeth, nose twitching as he turned to both officers, motioning for them to turn off their body cameras.  Rachel and Scarlet watched them without interruption; once they¡¯d finished the action, he continued.  ¡°No, he can¡¯t get a proper sentence out after one of you paralyzed him; what happened?¡±


    Not addressing his statement, Rachel shifted the direction of the conversation.  ¡°Oh?  Are you worried about Officer Morrow after hearing that?¡±


    ¡°Of course we are,¡± Heather growled.


    ¡°Wonderful!¡±  The bright smile that brightened her face seemed to catch them off-guard.  ¡°You¡¯ll be relieved to hear that he hadn¡¯t quite gotten to Rosie yet.  Poor Jasmine, Janiyah, Eliza, and Jessica, though; they weren¡¯t quite so lucky to escape his oily body.¡±


    Heather¡¯s brow creased, muscles tightening.  ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ how do you know our nickname for Rosanna, and everything he ¡­ your ears...¡±


    ¡°Hear a lot,¡± Rachel finished, stretching her arms to the side while addressing the Lieutenant.  ¡°Could you tone down the judgment, Lieutenant Bright?¡±


    ¡°Judgment?¡±  Bright grunted.  ¡°Do you know what the news will call this?  The worst case of police brutality in American history!  My men will get thrown through hell when this gets out, and if they hear the MPD is working with a Vampire.¡±  He shot a glare at Scarlet.  ¡°You can¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know the heat that¡¯s already being thrown at the police, and we get little to no support from the news, public, or union!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you work with the feds?¡±  Heather mumbled.  ¡°How can you justify this?¡±


    ¡°This is a shitshow!¡±  Bright yelled.


    Rachel¡¯s ears fell to the left; her smile hadn¡¯t fallen.  Their spiteful expression stoked the roaring flames inside her chest.  ¡°You¡¯re worried about framing?  Oh, I¡¯ve already planned for that, and no, my friend here wasn¡¯t the one that did that to those men ¡­ I was.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  The officers glanced at each other, shivers running down their spines


    Leaning back in her seat, Rachel crossed her legs, focusing on Bright.  ¡°There are cameras in the other room; they don¡¯t have audio, and you¡¯ll find them firing first before I intercept them.  Although, you won¡¯t find too much footage afterward, as they were promptly destroyed in the fight.¡±


    ¡°I found the most dangerous person of the bunch and dealt with him first.  I assure you; all the evidence will point to self-defense, and I had to use deadly force to protect myself after I called them out on their plan to use us as sex slaves.¡±


    Bright opened his mouth to protest, but Rachel didn¡¯t allow him room.  ¡°I understand that doesn¡¯t help your case with the public.  The reporters will focus on the first things they hear, which is why the most important bits should be given and the narrative directed.  Let¡¯s face it, reporting isn¡¯t the boring state of facts it used to be, but opinion pieces.  There¡¯s always a biased, rage-bait spin these days because it sells.  Allow me to handle it for you; I know the perfect person on-site.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it, huh?¡±  Bright worked around his jaw as the two other officers gave him worried looks.  Rubbing his five-o¡¯clock shadow, he cleared his throat.  ¡°Like you said, it¡¯s all about the spin.  How do I know you won¡¯t just throw us six-feet under?¡±


    Scarlet was doing her best to shrink into her seat, clearly out of her element.


    Rachel folded her hands in her lap, showing an innocent expression while tilting her head.  ¡°I understand I¡¯m asking a lot of you and your men, but in my humble opinion, you don¡¯t have many options; this was your OP.  Some FBI agents are coming to join us, and they¡¯re trying to get through traffic at the moment with their GPS; they¡¯ll be here shortly.¡±


    Bright shook his head.  ¡°We need to compile a full report from you.¡±


    ¡°Totally understandable,¡± Rachel nodded.  ¡°However, I can have it written in moments once I have a pen and paper.  We wouldn¡¯t want it in pencil; what if someone decided to shift things around?¡±  She chuckled.


    He growled lowly, glaring at her.  ¡°I can¡¯t trust you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, not after how shady we look,¡± Rachel replied with an impish grin, ears leaning forward a little.  ¡°Welcome to the new world, Lieutenant.  So, have Sergeant Heather Pierce join me until I cool the situation down; it won¡¯t take long.  All I need to say are a few trigger words to the right reporter, and all the headlines will follow, bouncing around the Twitter voice box circles.  It¡¯s not about evidence, but accusations.¡±


    Heather¡¯s muscles tightened as she folded her arms under her breasts, thighs tensing as she shifted her feet to face him.  ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?  She¡¯s obviously playing us!  She didn¡¯t even beat an eyelash when admitting to utterly shattering those men.¡±


    Bright sighed, biting his lower lip before scratching the back of his neck.  ¡°I don¡¯t like it either, but they¡¯ve been cleared by not only an Assistant Director of the FBI but the Captain¡¯s name is attached to this operation.  We can¡¯t leave this situation without getting our hands dirty.¡±


    Rachel got to her feet, making everyone lock eyes on her; she stretched her arms and hips without a hint of shyness.  ¡°Oh, you¡¯re heroes!  Hold your head high, and I¡¯m glad all this worked out.  Every second counts; so, I¡¯m going to have to work fast, which means this needs to be cut short.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Bright rolled his shoulders around, giving her a distasteful glare.  ¡°Why did you do it ¡­ did you really have no other choice?  You don¡¯t have a scratch; seems you had everything perfectly under control.¡±


    Her smile turned sad.  ¡°I tried hard, you can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t care, but that stare you¡¯re embracing ¡­ I can hear you trembling inside, just standing in front of us.  You think, oh, it¡¯s such a disaster, and who are these monsters?  Poor little us.  Panic sets in under pressure; I know you know what I¡¯m talking about,¡± she giggled. ¡°even if you¡¯re trained to handle stressful situations.¡±


    ¡°So, you just panicked and completely crushed them?¡±  Heather demanded.


    Rachel licked her lips, glowing red eyes sliding to the woman.  ¡°Was I talking about us?¡±  She asked with a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°You¡­¡±  Heather paused, working through her statement, but Rachel pressed forward with the discussion, clasping her hands behind her back while addressing Bright.


    ¡°I saved the hostages, handled the armed and dangerous human traffickers, and did it without a single casualty; you don¡¯t quite understand how hard I tried.  At least these ones lived, unlike the gang that terrorized South Beach.¡±


    All three of their eyes widened as she walked around them.  ¡°Get the paperwork ready, Officer Ware; once I finish up with this little business, then I¡¯ll be back to fill out my report.¡±


    ¡°W-Where are you going?¡±  Heather demanded as Scarlet lurched forward, darting to Rachel¡¯s left side while trying to hide from the officers.


    ¡°To meet up with my FBI friends, what else?¡±  Rachel replied, turning halfway to the door to give her an expectant stare.  ¡°Well, Sergeant Pierce ¡­ coming?¡±


    ¡°Damn you,¡± Pierce growled but paused as Bright held up a hand.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be done with this charade.  What¡¯s your name, and were you always this flippant and scheming?  Although, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised if you¡¯re working with the feds.¡±


    Rachel smirked, feeling the rush returning to her pulse.  ¡°My name is Rachel, and I can¡¯t really give you many details about myself without the proper clearance.  Am I dangerous?  Well, I¡¯m not sweet; yes, most definitely dangerous, but to who?  That¡¯s the question.  I can tell you right now that this will strike at more than one criminal¡¯s heart, and I highly doubt they¡¯ll try to file any charges; I mean, what evidence will they use, and I still hear one babbling about a white war goddess?¡±  She giggled.


    Heather cursed again as Bright nudged his head for her to follow after them.


    Scarlet¡¯s nervous blue eyes shifted to her before glancing back at the flustered woman.  ¡°This is a bit too ¡­ odd, Rachel,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°You¡¯re usually a lot more charming and ¡­ well, you¡¯re convincing, but in a different way.  What¡¯s going on?¡±


    A soft hum rumbled in Rachel¡¯s throat, feeling the mayhem of the fight still coursing through her veins.  ¡°How would I describe what I¡¯m feeling inside right now, well you know, but to put it simply ¡­ chaos organizes me; this feeling burns inside my mind.¡±


    Rachel left through the front door, Scarlet close by her side, and Heather rushing to catch up as she briskly walked across the street.  More officers were arriving to help with the perimeter, and there were plenty of shouts, but the noises quickly started to settle down as they caught sight of her.


    Without breaking stride, she walked into the throng past an officer.  People parted, allowing her to move by as Scarlet and Heather followed the open path.


    ¡°Rachel ¡­ are we going to meet Bree and Serah?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, and they¡¯re right ¡­ oh, they¡¯re following their GPS down the wrong alley.  One sec, let¡¯s cut in over here.  Eh, Scarlet, can you go grab them?  They¡¯re at the end of the street, a building to my right.  That way¡­¡±


    Scarlet followed her finger, eyes going void black with red halos as she tried searching for the women.  ¡°Oh, yeah ¡­ they look adorable!  Wait¡­¡±  Scarlet¡¯s face broke with horror.  ¡°Did we take them away from a date?  We¡¯re terrible!  Ugh ¡­ give me a second, and they look a bit annoyed.¡±


    Rachel gave her a forced smile before shadows surrounded Scarlet.


    Heather jumped back with a few people that were eyeing them curiously.  ¡°What the¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing big,¡± Rachel shrugged, giving the Sergeant a smirk.  ¡°Just teleporting through shadows.¡±


    ¡°The ¡­ freakin¡¯ what?¡±  She stumbled with her words, trying to wrap her head around the concept, but before she had a chance, Scarlet reappeared beside her with the two disgruntled FBI agents.


    Bree was wearing a black spaghetti-strap dress that showed a decent amount of cleavage, and her feet were wrapped in high black heels.  A silver necklace was around her neck with a matching bracelet, and her hair was swept back and straightened.  She had a matching small black purse dangling off her left shoulder.


    Serah had a black form-fitting, long-sleeve dress with white stripes running down its length to her bare thighs, and her feet were covered in black boots with open toes.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡±  Scarlet pleaded.  ¡°You two were on dates, weren¡¯t you¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ the teleportation was cool.¡±  Bree tried to shrug it off with a half-smile.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ umm, so Jonas proposed to me tonight; he made the dinner himself, but I only got a few bites.¡±


    ¡°Oh my,¡± Scarlet¡¯s fangs pressed against her bottom lip; she seemed torn between horror and excitement.  ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ I¡¯m so ¡­ wow¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she mumbled, holding up her hand to show a small diamond ring with a forced smile.  ¡°I said, yes.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Serah smiled at her before glaring at Rachel.  ¡°The few bites we had were amazing, and the strange magical wine was ¡­ it was good; so, umm, why are you pulling us away from the best wine I¡¯ve tasted in my life?  Oh, and I also had to leave my first date in six months at the table.  So there¡¯s that, too.¡±


    Rachel cleared her throat, noting Heather had taken a step back, likely still trying to process everything.  ¡°Congratulations, Bree.¡±  Her ears tilted to the right as she gave the agent a forced smile.  ¡°It may shock you, but I didn¡¯t know that tender bit of information.  I¡¯m sorry this cut into such a personal moment.  I¡¯ll be quick, then.


    ¡°Well, first, we¡¯re going to get us a change of clothes.  We need to be seen in our Tempest brand; it will help with a lot of publicity.  You¡¯ll need to front us with a bit of cash, but we¡¯re sponsored; we can pay it back once we contact the company.


    ¡°Second, we¡¯re going to leak some stuff to some reporters.


    ¡°Third, Scarlet and I will write a report.


    ¡°Finally, the four of us will go give an account to David.  Hopefully, this will only take an hour or two of your time, and maybe we can get you swapped out.¡±


    Bree, Serah, Heather, and Scarlet all gave her a lifted eyebrow.


    ¡°Come by that again,¡± Heather mumbled.  ¡°You want to first go shopping?¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I explained why.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Serah groaned.  ¡°Well, this is taking me back to the first time I met you.¡±


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 B3 — 34. The Puppet Master

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park (Our Lunar Hare that''s been on that wrath train)


    Recap:  Scarlet and Rachel went on a rampage (mostly Rachel), and even paralyzed most of the human traffickers, breaking them to the point they were nearly delusional or their willpower was utterly shattered.


    The police are (understandably) extremely worried and troubled about the unfolding events, and Rachel isn''t making it easy on them.  Scarlet''s worried about how aggressive she''s been; I mean, she''s normally aggressive, but it seems Lunar Pride is pushing past her cool persona.


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    Rachel chuckled as she guided the party back through the crowd, heading toward a nearby clothing store across the street.  Traffic on the road had been diverted due to the active crime scene, but the police activity was also bringing a throng of people running to try and catch a glimpse of the action.


    The other four girls were too busy with their own discussion to fully notice her frown; Scarlet had become the subject of question as Heather asked about her sucking the blood out of Deodato rather than incapacitating him while Bree and Serah were trying to get caught up on the situation.


    The soft light released by her skin attracted more than a few eyes of Miami¡¯s tourists and locals, but her mind was elsewhere.  Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as a few sirens from ambulances headed their way, rerouted from different parts of the city to handle the group she¡¯d broken.  Now that the fight was over, she pondered a few things that didn¡¯t click with her; the topic that weighed most on her heart was the angst inside her chest to seek out more conflict, it still hadn¡¯t gone away.


    Her fingers tightened into fists, tail twitching with irritation.  Why am I so aggressive right now?  Is it Lunar Pride ¡­ is this feeling Lunar Pride?


    When an answer didn¡¯t come, she slowed her pace, brow creasing as her vision fell to the black pavement; the others didn¡¯t seem to notice.  Why is The System not answering me?  I want to know if this is Lunar Pride.  Nothing ¡­ which means it¡¯s not.  What is it?  Why am I feeling this way?


    Her jaw locked, and making a split-second decision; she activated Emotional Detachment.  She took a long breath as the pulsing urge to rush over to a reporter and spin a story faded, and the agitation dissipated, locked inside a box her ability created.


    The others turned their attention to her as she paused on the sidewalk in front of the store.  ¡°Rachel,¡± Scarlet pleaded for help but paused as she caught her emotionless expression.  ¡°Wait ¡­ Ms. Heather, please ¡­ Rachel, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Bree and Serah frowned, moved around Scarlet to get a better look at her.  ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡±  Serah mumbled.


    Activating Accelerated Mind, Rachel relaxed her posture, closing her eyes while breathing.  Normally, if Lunar Pride is affecting me, then The System will let me know why I¡¯m acting in a specific way.  However, it¡¯s utterly silent about this.  Lunar Pride was definitely involved with my confrontation with Elena, but this is something else entirely.  Why?


    I¡¯m not getting answers, which means it''s not a part of my abilities ¡­ meaning, this is either just me being pretty aggressive right now, which might be some kind of natural change to my physical Lunar Hare body.  Although, I¡¯m fairly sure I could get an answer from The System if that¡¯s the case.  If it¡¯s not internal ¡­ it¡¯s external.


    Serah and Bree took a step back, faces creasing with concern as she opened her eyes.  Rachel slowly turned her head, ears held high in the air as she scanned the environment, sniffing the air.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±  Heather asked, folding her arms indignantly while glancing between them.


    The scents that filled her nose provided a mixed blend of sensations; she¡¯d rarely actively used her sense of smell before to search for threats, but the experience was more than a little interesting.  She could smell rats in the area; several people smelled like urine, and a lot of different perfumes, deodorants, and people¡¯s natural musk were quite potent.  However, no scent particularly stood out to her as a possible cause of her behavior, and the boxed emotions were only growing stronger.


    Her ears, however, returned far more information than her nose; she filtered through the voices and sounds every person¡¯s muscle movement left within range.  She could tell by how a person moved if they were a nonhuman Demi or not, and there were a few very big Demi in the area that was likely Trolls or Giants by the conversations surrounding them.


    After a moment, she centered on one individual that piqued her sensitive ears the most.  She turned to stare back at the cafe, vision narrowing.  That person ¡­ their movements don¡¯t sound normal.  If I was closer, then I could get a better grasp, but they¡¯re rubbing their arm without a sound, and they¡¯re not breathing, and no one is paying any close attention to them.


    The people moving in slow motion returned to normal speed as she deactivated her skill.  ¡°Scarlet,¡± she pointed at the direction of the person, ¡°look over there, behind the cafe on the next street.  Who¡¯s leaning against the wall?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±  Heather asked in frustration.  ¡°Are you just dodging the question?¡±


    ¡°Over there?¡±  Scarlet asked, eyes turning Vampiric as she filtered through the crowd and building.


    Bree and Serah wore frowns as they moved closer to Rachel, following her finger.  ¡°Hold on with the questions.  Is there a threat, Rachel?¡±  Serah asked.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Rachel muttered.  ¡°Something¡¯s off with how they sound¡­¡±


    Her words died in her throat as Scarlet stiffened; even with Emotional Detachment, it took a moment to fully process what she was hearing.


    ¡°Oh, have you finally discovered me?¡±  Relica asked with a playful hum.  ¡°I wondered how long it might take; my, how easy it would have been to attack you both.  Oh, I suppose I kind of did ¡­ oof, but I was just having fun!¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s jaw locked as anger flashed across her features.  ¡°Relica!¡±  Scarlet growled, and before Rachel could say anything, shadows surrounded the Vampire.


    Heather jumped back.  ¡°Son of a ¡­ where the f...¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Serah¡¯s tone dropped, tone serious.  ¡°Rachel, you found¡­¡±


    Rachel never expected Relica to be casually stalking them, and that she¡¯d found a way to hide from her hearing.  ¡°Yes,¡± she quickly moved through the crowd with the three law enforcement officers trailing behind her as she spoke.  ¡°Scarlet¡¯s gone to confront Relica; she¡¯s a high profile terrorist that the military is currently pursuing.¡±


    ¡°Say that again?¡±  Heather demanded.  ¡°That¡¯s crazy¡­¡±  She paused as Bree pulled out her phone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell the Assistant Director; she¡¯s a Demi terrorist, and a dangerous one from what I¡¯ve read.¡±


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t approach her like this!¡±  Serah demanded, a lump dropping down her throat as she jogged to Rachel¡¯s side.  ¡°There are too many potential hostages!¡±


    Rachel ignored the suggestion, pushing through the throng to get to the Sorceress.  Her cold red eyes quickly found the fastest route through the blockade; Scarlet appeared beside Relica, blood enveloping her, and Rachel noted that the woman made no attempt to resist, chuckling at the furious Vampire before her.


    The packs of tourists and locals quickly moved away from the incident as they realized red liquid floating around a person against a wall with what appeared to be a red-eyed monster-lady glaring at the helpless woman.


    ¡°My, my, Scarlet.  You¡¯re taking this a bit too personally!  I¡¯m not here to fight; no, I have something much more interesting to deliver than death.  Although, I did have a little fun with your Lunar Hare friend.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fingers tightened against her palms.  ¡°You ¡­ the way Rachel¡¯s been acting?  This isn¡¯t even really you, though ¡­ where are...¡±


    Relica giggled.  ¡°Honey,¡± she said in a sweet voice.  ¡°I¡¯m not stupid; no, I¡¯m far from it, and of course, I¡¯ve discovered ways of creating body-doubles.¡±


    ¡°Cut the bullshit!¡±  Scarlet growled.  ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    With Heather behind her, the officers blocking the storefront let them by, and Rachel swiftly walked toward the incident that people were beginning to record.  ¡°I would agree with you, Serah, if she hadn¡¯t already figured out that Scarlet and I had discovered her, and it appears like she¡¯s attacked me already.¡±


    Bree slowed down, gut tightening as she slid her hand in her purse, and Serah soon followed her action.  ¡°Wait ¡­ she has mind-control powers, right?  I remember reading in¡­¡±


    Rachel turned as she slowed to a stop, keeping her expression emotionless.  ¡°She¡¯s basically a demigod Sorceress Legendkin; yes, she seems to have manipulated my emotions, which is why I¡¯ve been more aggressive than usual, but I¡¯m handling her manipulations with my own abilities at the moment.¡±


    Quickly thinking through the situation, she explained her thoughts to the officers.  ¡°Scarlet has detained her, but it¡¯s only a body-double, which is why I didn¡¯t notice her ¡­ her body doesn¡¯t sound like the original, so I can¡¯t compare them.  She¡¯s here to deliver a message to us, and it appears as if she had a little fun manipulating me.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s jaw locked as Lunar Pride cut past Emotional Detachment.  She manipulated me ¡­ I did put the police department in a bind because of it.  It was probably some kind of enrage effect, and I had no clue it was even happening.  I can¡¯t be manipulated like this again.


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Heather pressed her tongue against her cheek for a moment as she glanced between them.  ¡°You¡¯re serious?  There¡¯s a terrorist around that corner?¡±  She turned and barked at two officers out of the four that had shown up outside to help with the crowd.  ¡°Springer, Hatch, on me!¡±


    Both men glanced at each other as she unhooked her gun from around her waist, and quickly ran to join them.  She looked up at Rachel, face set.  ¡°Okay, your buddy¡¯s got the terrorist pinned down, right?¡±


    Rachel held up her hands.  ¡°Calm down.  If Relica wanted to fight, we¡¯d have a whole lot of bodies on our hands, and she¡¯s likely watching us as we speak.  She¡¯s not just some random thug; she¡¯s dangerous to me and Scarlet, meaning normal humans don¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡±  Springer mumbled, taking out his Glock once he caught the Sergeant¡¯s weapon unholstered.


    Bree stepped to the side as David picked up, and she began explaining the situation.  Rachel continued while she relayed.  ¡°This is a body-clone of Relica that we¡¯re dealing with, and she¡¯s here to give me and Scarlet a message.  After that, she¡¯ll probably release the spell, destroying her double, but she¡¯s got a ¡­ hazardous personality.¡±


    Heather¡¯s nose twisted.  ¡°I hate this new Demi shit!  Body-doubles?  What the hell kind of fictional shit is that?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°Look, I know you¡¯re still on pretty high alert after all the gunfire and the possibility of being shot when clearing out the building, but this needs to be a conversation.  Give us time.¡±


    Heather looked up at her ears, still stiff as she scanned the city for Relica¡¯s real body; Bree and Serah also seemed to catch her hint.


    A lump dropped down Heather¡¯s throat.  ¡°What about potential hostages.¡±


    ¡°There likely are some,¡± Rachel confirmed.  ¡°Scarlet and I will do what we can, but there¡¯s no telling who might be under her influence; in South Beach, she forced teenagers to attack Scarlet, and she mind-controlled children.  In addition, we don¡¯t have Maria here to confirm or dispel anything.¡±


    Perhaps I was too complacent, thinking Maria could handle any kind of status effect that might affect me, but this proves I need some type of defense myself.


    The three women and two men shifted nervously as they followed Rachel around the corner, and they got their first glance of the Sorceress.


    Relica looked no different than any other Miami resident, throwing the officer¡¯s off a little as they saw the woman wrapped in crystallized blood.  Scarlet seemed like an assailant, the entirety of her eyes glowed crimson as she glared at the woman, nose twisted with disgust.


    The Sorceress¡¯ soft hazel eyes, long black hair, tied back into a high ponytail, loose pink shirt, and tattered blue jeans gave her an unassuming atmosphere.  She wore brown-strapped sandals and several pieces of jewelry; knowing Relica, they could have even been enchanted.  In all, she seemed like a beautiful Miami young woman out on a nighttime stroll through the city.


    ¡°Rachel,¡± she grinned, showing her perfect white teeth.  ¡°It took you quite a while to get here, but I suppose explaining the whole backstory was pretty time-consuming!  How are you?  By the way, loved the work you did there; it was quite entertaining.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s lips pursed to the side.  ¡°What¡¯s the plan, Rachel?  You heard about the body¡­¡±


    She paused as Serah pulled out a badge, holding it high in the air.  ¡°FBI, clear the scene!  You two,¡± she pointed at the officers Heather had brought.  ¡°Get these people back.¡±


    Mumbles swept the crowd, and a few people quickly left upon hearing Serah¡¯s shout.


    ¡°Aww,¡± Relica hummed with an amused smile.  ¡°She¡¯s worried about the people.  Well,¡± she smirked, head rolling to the left to stare at a man and woman.  ¡°Let¡¯s get all this tension out of the way first.¡±


    ¡°Relica¡­¡±  Scarlet warned, her fangs showing as she snarled.


    ¡°What?¡±  She innocently asked as three men, and two women removed their shirts and pants, showing their bright underwear.  ¡°If I don¡¯t do this, then all of this boring posturing won¡¯t cease!  Yes, as you can see, I have my little puppets here.¡±


    ¡°Shit¡­¡±  Bree mumbled, continuing to update David.


    A bunch of people that heard Relica¡¯s statement took off running after seeing the hostages¡¯ actions, but several men and women turned their cameras on the people with interest.


    ¡°You said you weren¡¯t here to fight,¡± Rachel repeated, posture lax as she stood before the bound woman.


    Relica¡¯s smile turned curious as she studied her.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ what kind of ability is giving you that resistance?  My Provoke spell seems to have hit a wall; there was nothing about this in the military record.¡±


    ¡°Military record?¡±  Rachel asked.  ¡°You were able to access the files the military has on us?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Relica smirked, giving Scarlet a wink.  ¡°I have a small group of people that I¡¯ve gathered together, and it¡¯s shocking what a Lieutenant Colonel¡¯s credentials will get you.  There were a lot of weaknesses and personnel to exploit with all the chaos happening.¡±


    ¡°What do you want!¡±  Scarlet barked.  ¡°Can you just leave me alone?¡±


    Everyone turned their focus to Bree as she put her phone on speaker, and the officers began ushering the onlookers that refused to leave away.


    ¡°I am Assistant Director of Demi Affairs, David Ross.  You prefer going by the name Relica?¡±


    Relica rolled her eyes.  ¡°Yes, yes, David Ross, Assistant Director of whatever, you¡¯re boring.  You want to know my demands, of course ¡­ you¡¯re all a waste of air.  It¡¯s simple, David, shut-up, and if I hear one of your people or these police officers speak, then my hostages will cut themselves!  Doesn¡¯t that sound fun?¡±


    ¡°Cut themselves¡­¡±  Heather¡¯s frown deepened as Relica¡¯s smile grew, and a woman took her long fingernail and ran it down her wrist, drawing blood.


    The woman seemed perfectly calm as she turned to smile at the officer.  ¡°Please shut-up, or I¡¯ll keep cutting myself; the Mistress is talking.¡±


    The few lingering people soon understood this was not a joke, and ran for their lives; Relica ignored the panic.  ¡°That, I am!  Oh, maybe we¡¯ll move onto an orgy with them next; those are fun to watch, and they¡¯ll be covered in blood.  Now, where was I?¡±  Relica pondered, and the officers turned white, realizing the impossible situation they were in.  ¡°Right, I was about to talk to these lovely Mythickin.¡±


    Rachel kept her eyes trained on Relica.  She¡¯s in complete control, and her threats are more than real; she¡¯s likely to do something even more drastic before this ends just for shits and giggles.  Scarlet painted her as a control freak, and once things started getting out of her hands, she began breaking down.  Relica¡¯s a planner and has set things up to allow her the best opportunity to achieve her goal, which is just to talk with us?  There¡¯s more to it, but what?


    As if on cue, Relica said, ¡°Now, first things first, Scarlet¡­¡±  The Sorceress turned her sparkling hazel irises to her.  ¡°Have you seen to the arrangements for your father¡¯s funeral?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened, and she reflexively took a step back, hand gripping her arm.  ¡°W-What?  What do you mean?  Why would¡­¡±


    ¡°Why else?¡±  Relica asked with a sweet smile.  ¡°Your mother wants to know.¡±


    Shit¡­  Rachel took a step forward to put a hand on Scarlet¡¯s left shoulder as her blood began to liquefy, part of it returning to her body as if to protect her.  ¡°Scarlet, she¡¯s saying it to get under your skin, relax.¡±


    ¡°B-But ¡­ how¡­¡±


    ¡°She read the military file on us,¡± Rachel reassured, but internally, her mind was quickening.


    I thought about it before, and this tips the scale pretty hard in that direction; Relica was likely the one that broke Scarlet¡¯s mom out of custody, but why?  Scarlet made it seem as if she came face to face with her inner demon, and if the first thing she did was go after her mother, then ¡­ could she have been given instructions by The Reaper?


    Of course, it could just be her obsession with Scarlet herself that drew Relica to her, but within that time-frame?  There¡¯s no way she would have gotten all the proper information to plan something like that without direct instruction.  Maybe, but it would be a quick sell; I¡¯ll know when we discover how long the Lieutenant Colonel went missing, and I¡¯m sure they can figure out when our data was accessed by his credentials.


    In any case, it¡¯s impossible to know for sure at this time, and at the same time, it¡¯s unlikely Relica knows how bad Scarlet¡¯s PTSD is about her family.  That wouldn¡¯t likely be in the report.  If Relica and Scarlet¡¯s mother are working together, that could spell a lot of trouble for us, and there are also those random gangsters that went missing after Scarlet used her Fear Aura on them.  There¡¯s a lot of loose ends here.


    ¡°Did you come here to taunt Scarlet, or do you have a real purpose?  Wait,¡± she gave Relica a testing smirk, ¡°you¡¯re just a messenger, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Relica¡¯s smile fell.  ¡°Well, you don¡¯t need to be rude.  I¡¯ve set up this whole scene so we could be nice and friendly!  Now,¡± she grinned at Scarlet, ¡°could you retract this little net, or should I have the orgy start?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fangs pressed against her lower lips as she cursed, glancing back at the hostages as the women put their hands on their bras and men on their trunks.  ¡°You¡¯re sick¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, Scarlet,¡± Relica giggled.  ¡°Who doesn¡¯t love a good orgy?  I mean, let¡¯s go back to the good Greek days and dispense with all this constrictive social fabric about marriage and saving yourself for someone that will never come.  You know, I did weasel out of your mother that you¡¯re a virgin!¡±


    ¡°Cut it out ¡­ you¡¯re such a¡­¡±  Her cheeks were bright red as she hugged herself, retreating a few more steps.


    Rachel moved with her, squeezing her shoulder again; the two officers, Heather, Bree, and Serah were all stiff as a board as they watched, teeth grinding, but every so often, they glanced over at the bleeding hostage to reinforce their need to be silent.  ¡°It¡¯s okay, Scarlet, let her go.¡±


    She heard the first ambulance arrive down the opposite street, moving through the crowd, and Heather slowly backed up toward the wall, likely trying to get back to the entrance to report the hostage situation happening out front.  However, Rachel heard several people that had been in the crowd already on a call with the local department.


    Relica licked her lips, and even her clothes seemed to be made of some other element that didn¡¯t make a sound as she shifted her body.  ¡°That¡¯s better!  Oh, and you,¡± she pointed at Heather.  ¡°No more movement.¡±


    She opened her palm, ¡°An¨¢vo?¡±  A ball of blazing red fire appeared between her fingers.  ¡°Anymore movement and I¡¯ll burn your right breast off; although, I doubt you¡¯ll be missing much,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°No, you won¡¯t,¡± Scarlet¡¯s nose twisted, and her blood spread out, pointed spear tips forming.


    ¡°Party pooper,¡± Relica huffed; she closed her fist, and the fire vanished.  Smile returning, she held her hand behind her back while facing Scarlet.  ¡°Now that we¡¯re done with all the posturing bits, let¡¯s get down to business!¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Scarlet swallowed, tongue wetting her black lips red with her own blood.  ¡°You broke my mom out of jail?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!  I did, and she¡¯s quite the lady.  You might even say we¡¯re as close as sisters, now!  I think she likes me a lot.¡±


    Scarlet shook her head.  ¡°No ¡­ no, Rachel¡¯s my sister.¡±


    ¡°Well, at least to your mom, I¡¯m like a sister,¡± Relica shrugged with a soft sigh.  ¡°There are some wonderful plans she¡¯s discussed with me.  Oh,¡± she reached into her back pocket, taking out a piece of black folded paper.  ¡°Oof, it¡¯s been pressed into a curve, but what can you do when you have an awesome figure like mine?¡±  She boasted, slapping her butt while giving one of the male officers a smirk.  ¡°I know you were looking.¡±


    His nose twisted, lips pursing as he glared at her, continuing to keep his silence.


    ¡°Are you done boosting your fragile self-esteem?¡±  Rachel asked dryly.  ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t mind, I have places I¡¯d like to be.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, important!¡±  Relica mused while leaning back against the wall; she folded her arms under her chest, bunching her shirt while tapping the paper against her side.  ¡°Fair, fair, after all, I¡¯ve got many things to do myself.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like it,¡± Rachel huffed, giving her a bored expression to hurry up the exchange, and Bree tried to hide a smile.


    ¡°There,¡± Relica mumbled, hazel eyes scrutinizing Rachel¡¯s face.  ¡°This is what makes you interesting.  I read some fascinating notes about how a few military personnel reported your behavior, and after meeting you in person ¡­ you don¡¯t disappoint.  You¡¯re calculating, cold, ruthless,¡± her teeth flashed.  ¡°Yet, at the same time, you have a passion that burns beneath that cold mask, or it could be the opposite at times.  I think having you around would be quite fun!  You sure you don¡¯t want to join us?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s head snapped to her, and it was a little painful seeing how worried Scarlet was, but the emotion was boxed into Emotional Detachment; she knew Scarlet didn¡¯t believe for a second she would leave her, but the possibility of being blindsided again was likely killing Scarlet inside.


    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t my type, Relica.  Scarlet and I want nothing to do with whatever you have planned.¡±


    ¡°Mmh, pity,¡± Relica mumbled, lifting the paper to tap her lips.  ¡°I expected as much, but Adele had a bit of hope she¡¯d join with us; she understands you aren¡¯t quite ready yet.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±  Scarlet asked, voice fluctuating between anger and fear.  ¡°What does she want from me?  Does she want me to kill everything?¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re ready, you¡¯ll know,¡± Relica hummed mysteriously.  ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure your little government friends will want to look into this.¡±


    Relica tossed the black paper to Rachel, and she easily snatched it out of the air as it veered off course.  Partially expecting some kind of trap, Rachel activated Wenet¡¯s Minor Protection with the moon overhead, feeding her energy.  Everyone¡¯s eyes focused on her, and she could smell the anxiety being released by the humans.


    ¡°Oh, pretty,¡± Relica commented.  ¡°Some protection in case of a trap?  You are pretty sharp, but I have to disappoint you.  No, we are on the same side now, girls!  That there is a little invitation that Terrell got his hands on before his untimely death.  Great work, by the way; tell your Fairy friend.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed as she read down the contents of the letter:


    To those strong enough to take what they want, come join the Free Nation!  Take what is yours and prove yourself above every single creature.  Cuba is gone, replaced with true freedom.  Do whatever you want!  You want slaves, money, power, a brotherhood, then join the Free Nation of Alanefgoi.  However, to be accepted, you must bring something of value to the Nation.  We are the New World Power!


    ¡°Hmh,¡± Rachel frowned, putting her hand on her hip to demonstrate she wasn¡¯t impressed, but internally, her blood was boiling with the challenge.  ¡°What does this have to do with us?¡±


    Relica tilted her head, ponytail bunching at her collarbone.  ¡°Didn¡¯t you read the back?¡±


    She turned the paper around, eyes narrowing.  ¡°America will fall!¡±


    ¡°So ¡­ you set all this up to tell us there¡¯s a Demi group that¡¯s preaching Demi superiority, and they took over Cuba.  Ah, can¡¯t forget the kill Americans propaganda.  What are you getting out of this?¡±


    Relica rested her head against the bricks.  ¡°Mmh, let¡¯s just say that we have an invested interest in some of the players, and it would be good having someone opposing those players; honestly, I can¡¯t think of anyone better than your little rag-tag group that the military is bound to call upon.  Maria can get you an in, too!  She knows the right circles.¡±


    ¡°You want us to go against an army of criminal underground Demi that wants to prove they¡¯re the strongest?¡±  Scarlet asked, shooting a worried glance at Rachel.  ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ umm, huh?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s the best of every nation,¡± Relica shrugged dismissively.  ¡°I mean, let¡¯s be honest here, their whole promotion is kind of sketchy, to begin with, and it¡¯s only cycling high-end criminal circles.  Basically, it¡¯s a lawless zone with rival factions trying to scrap power for themselves; however, once they¡¯ve established a power chain, then they¡¯ll be quite dangerous, and ready to move to new ventures.¡±


    Her hazel eyes sparkled before flashing purple.  ¡°Oh, I wasn¡¯t expecting you to be so interested in this, Rachel; it seems I have a lot to learn about your abilities.  You have an amazing poker face!¡±


    The agents gave her deep frowns, but Rachel kept her bored scowl in place.  ¡°Is that the message?¡±


    ¡°It is.  Oh, this has been fun!¡±  She breathed a sharp breath through her teeth while staring at the half-naked men and women.  ¡°Ah, I¡¯d forgotten about them ¡­ mmh, what to do?  It would be a waste to just leave them after so much work.¡±


    Rachel gave the humans a calculating stare before humming.  ¡°Have you seen how long your mind-controlled victims can spin in circles before your spell no longer is strong enough to compel them?¡±


    Relica gave her an incredulous grin.  ¡°What a random question?  I love it!¡±  Her smile turned dubious.  ¡°Although, I understand it¡¯s just a means to keep them alive.  Still, that does make me wonder ¡­ okay, okay,¡± she giggled.  ¡°You win, they can go free; well, until next time, toodle-oo, girls.¡±


    Relica snapped her thumb and middle finger, causing the men and women to collapse as she released control, and after waving, her body, clothes and all, seemed to disperse into shadows.


    Rachel released Wenet¡¯s Minor Protection as the Sorceress vanished, and she stared down at the piece of paper.  A lawless zone meant to weed out the weak, building an army to attack the U.S.  Interesting plan, but it seems more like a pipe dream.  No, that¡¯s just the propaganda show-message; they¡¯re planning something different, and that¡¯s why Relica and Adele are interested.


    Yeah, Tom would be locked onto this, and it will likely take a week or more for him to get the proper information to send us in.  The Crystals and the new power struggles in the world.  My body¡¯s hot, just thinking about it.  Contacting Tom should be the first thing I do after calming everyone down; he needs time to get all the facts.


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 B3 — 35. A Mess

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park (Our Lunar Hare that''s been on that wrath train)


    Recap: Relica is back, and with some disturbing news; she''s working with Scarlet''s mom, Adele.  Couple that with her usual psychotic tendencies, and you''ve got a recipe for disaster.


    She''s been using a Provoke Spell on Rachel, causing her more violent nature to surface, and after inviting them to join her, which they refused, gave them an invitation to a survival of the fittest competition being held in Cuba by some criminal underworld figures.  It smells fishy, to begin with.


    Rachel played her cards right, which allowed the hostages to live, and now has to deal with the fallout from Relica''s puppeteering while coming to terms that she was manipulated.


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    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched, head moving as she continued to scan the city for Relica; however, she doubted the Sorceress would be so sloppy after coming so prepared.  Since her body-double had vanished, the fire in Rachel¡¯s chest had tempered, but now a new flame was kindling.


    A lump dropped down her throat as she released Emotional Detachment; the flood of emotions was challenging to control, but with a few deep breaths, she managed to keep her composure.


    ¡°Where¡¯d she go?¡±  Heather demanded, eyes scanning the street before locking onto a few people that were wandering by.  By her muscle tension, she was clearly angry with everything about the situation, and she heard the self-disgust in her voice, likely coming from her inaction.


    Bree sighed, running her left hand through her brown hair with slight irritation.  ¡°Is she gone, Rachel?¡±


    Rachel closed her eyes before squatting down, resting her forearms against her knees as her head bowed; the gentle sea breeze rolling in from the ocean pressed against her skin, and the scent of the sea grew as the world blackened.  ¡°Give me a moment to think things through,¡± she muttered.  ¡°I need to prioritize things in my mind.¡±


    Her tail twitched a few times as she dealt with the irritability, but not with Relica, with herself; the anger of the whole ordeal pulsed through her veins.  Relica managed to manipulate my emotions, which caused me to make a bigger mess than this had to be.  Sure, I can work my way out of it, but that¡¯s not the point.  I was a puppet dancing to her string.


    I want to go after her so badly right now!  But I can¡¯t ¡­ think, I can¡¯t be reckless.  I have to temper myself; using Emotional Detachment for something like this will make it a crutch, forcing me to use it whenever something gets under my skin.  It¡¯s not just Lunar Pride ¡­ this is so annoying ¡­ I could even say it scares me a little.  How long was I being manipulated?


    She breathed, slow and deliberate as she contemplated her actions over the last several hours, using Mental Acceleration to speed up the process.  After some thought, the moment became clear.


    After leaving Maria¡¯s block, Lunar Pride was operating there, but once I drew closer to the cops ¡­ it was then, Relica found me during my conversation with the police, or at least that was where she used her spell on me.  Priorities ¡­ what are my priorities?


    Everyone watched her for five seconds before moving onto different tasks.  Scarlet glanced around, hoping to catch any sight of Relica.  Serah pulled into her own thoughts, brushing back her blonde hair the wind picked up, and Bree continued to explain everything that happened to David.


    Heather turned away from her in disgust, moving to help one of the officers check the unconscious hostages.  She gave Hatch orders to report to the Lieutenant and radio in for more support, mentioning the possibility of pulling in more officers from different precincts to start a manhunt.


    Rachel opened her eyes, straightening as Scarlet turned to face her.  ¡°I can¡¯t find her anywhere,¡± she groaned, forehead creased with concern.


    She frowned down at Scarlet¡¯s arm, fingers trembling as she locked it in a death-grip.  ¡°Take a few breaths for me,¡± she reassured, giving her a soft smile.  ¡°We won¡¯t get anywhere if we panic.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fangs poked out, and she pressed them against her black lips with frustration as she closed her void-black eyes.  ¡°I know ¡­ I know, but¡ªbut she just creeps me out¡­¡±


    Rachel took a long breath while nodding.  ¡°No, I get it.  Do you feel comfortable looking around the city for her?  You don¡¯t need to confront her again, but just keep tabs on her if you find out where she is.  I¡¯ll call your phone when we get ready for something else.¡±


    Scarlet took a shuddering breath, but her jaw set.  ¡°Yeah¡ªyeah, no, I¡¯ll do my best!¡±


    Shadows surrounded Scarlet, and Rachel stared at the spot with narrowed eyes; her ears and tail gave a few involuntary twitches, showing herself how upset she was.  Scarlet hasn¡¯t had a real challenge since transforming into a Vespertine Reaper.  It¡¯s odd, really, she¡¯s so reserved and self-conscious, but it almost seems like The Oscillation effect that¡¯s happening to all of us is extremely slow-moving for her.


    In any case, she¡¯s scared of Relica, which is no wonder.  She was a hair¡¯s breadth away from becoming Relica¡¯s literal slave, and the only reason she survived was this part of her she hates.  Whether The Reaper is real or not is debatable, but Scarlet hates it, yet without her, she wouldn¡¯t likely be free.  I¡¯m sure she¡¯s struggling inside to reconcile that.  No ¡­ I¡¯m getting off-track.  I need to drop everything and call Tom.


    Serah was watching her now, arms folded as she puzzled through something in her own mind, clearly confused by her expression, but Rachel paid her no mind.


    Pulling out her phone from the pocket on her yoga pants, she brought up Tom¡¯s number, pressing the call button, but her focus shifted to Heather as her eyes darkened.


    ¡°Who are you calling, huh?  You still have a ton to explain!¡±


    Serah surprisingly intervened, nose twisting with disdain.  ¡°Look, Heather, is it?  Shut-up for a minute and read the atmosphere.  Rachel¡¯s having to sort through a lot of data, give her time to communicate, damn.¡±


    Heather¡¯s face turned red, shifting her anger to Serah, and the two women began a heated discussion.  Rachel tried to tune it out while waiting for Tom to answer, but it was a little hard with them being so close, even with her abilities.


    ¡°I never liked you, Feds,¡± Heather growled.  ¡°What¡¯s up with you butting into everything, huh?  You ruined at least four OPs I was a part of, and what¡¯s up with that horrible dress, couldn¡¯t find anything better to prance around town in?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±  Serah¡¯s mouth opened in disbelief, eyebrows rising as she pressed her tongue against her red lips.  ¡°That was unprofessional, to say the least!  What does any of that have to do with this situation?  Are you that insecure and threatened?  If so, that¡¯s pathetic.¡±


    Heather sucked on her lips, glancing away for a moment before growling, ¡°Okay, yeah, I¡¯ll admit I¡¯m a bit heated right now.  I¡¯m sorry, but this is our OP, and this happened right outside our takedown¡­¡±


    ¡°Which you only got because Rachel and Scarlet, acting with the sanction of the DDA.¡±


    ¡°DDA?¡±  Heather smirked.  ¡°Seriously, the DDA; is that even a real thing?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t your Captain get confirmation?¡±  Serah challenged, puffing out her chest.


    ¡°Department of Demi Affairs,¡± Heather chuckled with a short shake of her head.  ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were FBI?¡±


    ¡°I was, not two days ago, and I knew that in that situation, saying FBI would get more people out of harm''s way since the DDA isn¡¯t so well known at the moment.  Was I wrong?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not in that, but who has jurisdiction?  Yes, yes, you are wrong!¡±


    Bree quickly moved away from the posturing match so she could continue speaking to David, and more officers were running over to help with setting up a new roadblock.


    Tom answered, pulling her away from the whirlwind of verbal jabs and punches.  Thank you!  ¡°Tom, hey¡­¡±


    ¡°Rachel¡ªwhat¡¯s up?¡±  He¡¯d clearly been in bed as he gave a short yawn.


    She decided to get right to the point.  ¡°We just defused a hostage situation that involved Relica, the Legend of Medea.¡±


    Tom sniffed quickly, and she caught the sound of him brushing his thumb against his nose before he grunted, getting out of bed.  ¡°Yeah¡ªI have the profile you gave the military.¡±  He took a drink of something before clearing his throat.


    ¡°Tom?¡±  A middle-aged woman grumbled.


    His voice became somewhat muffled to Rachel as he pressed the phone to his body.  ¡°Don¡¯t bother getting up, Julia; it¡¯s work.  It might be a while.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t it wait?  Even you need sleep, Dear¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s urgent; sorry, Honey.¡±


    Julia sighed, and the sound of a creaking bed-frame momentarily cut past the noise as she dropped back into bed.


    Tom chuckled, he sounded somewhat exhausted.  ¡°I¡¯ll be back when I can.¡±


    Getting up, he moved into what sounded like a bathroom, turning on the sink to splash water on his face while talking to her.  ¡°Alright, Rachel, you¡¯ve got my attention.  What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Is my parent¡¯s house address listed in my military file?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ it is if they have the proper clearance, but most will only see you live in the general area of Miami.¡±  Her skin tingled, tail and ears going stiff as she quickly moved further away from any officers.  Shit ¡­ if Relica knows where my parents live¡­


    She quickly explained the situation to him as he shifted locations to the office.  He turned on his computer, leaning back in his chair while putting on a headset to free up his hands.  His tone became more alert as the conversation went on.


    ¡°Confirm that, Rachel; did you say a Lieutenant Colonel was abducted, and his credentials were used to access your information?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Shit¡­¡±  Tom went silent for a moment as he typed on the computer.  ¡°Okay, we were aware of a Lieutenant Colonel that hadn¡¯t checked in two days ago.  Everyone wanting to access Mythickin and Legendkin information has to get my authorization, and only data pertinent to the request is given.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s jaw locked for a moment.  ¡°Meaning you unknowingly gave him our information?¡±


    ¡°Not your parents¡¯ address, no; the only mention about your residence given is the Miami area.¡±


    The tension against her chest eased, but she was still concerned about her family¡¯s safety.  ¡°Can you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already sending a message to have some MPs bring them back to U.S. Southern Command in Miami.¡±


    Rachel cleared her throat.  ¡°Could you reroute that to the FBI Headquarters?  I¡¯ll be going there after this.¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah, I send that out ¡­ alright, to the FBI center.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call my parents and let them know they¡¯re on their way, and Relica also said she¡¯d be seeing us again.¡±


    Tom paused, leaning back in his chair, and from the sounds he was making, it seemed like he was lighting a cigar to calm his nerves.  ¡°Give me a moment to inform my subordinates about Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey¡¯s situation, and while I¡¯m texting that, tell me ¡­ what¡¯s with that yelling?¡±


    Rachel sighed as Heather marched over to her.  ¡°What can this Demi do?¡±


    Serah was on her heels.  ¡°I told you, that¡¯s classified right now, and you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a police officer that¡¯s trying to take control of the situation,¡± Rachel replied dryly.


    Tom took a long agitated breath before saying, ¡°Give her the phone.¡±


    Both Serah and Heather paused as Rachel¡¯s frown turned into a soft smile, holding out the phone for Heather.  ¡°Wha ¡­ who is it?¡±  Rachel just extended the device closer.  Growling with frustration, she took the phone.  ¡°Hello?¡±  She haughtily asked.


    ¡°Who am I speaking to?¡±  Tom asked in a professional tone.


    ¡°Sergeant Pierce, MPD, and who am I talking to?¡±


    An irritable edge cut into Tom¡¯s voice.  ¡°General Tom Dallas.¡±


    Heather paused, looking up at Rachel as her brows furrowed.  Her tone quelled as she cleared her throat.  ¡°General as in¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, acting CSA, or if you don¡¯t know what that means, Chief of Staff of the Army, or a member of the Department of Defense¡¯s Joint Chiefs of Staff, Sergeant.¡±


    She still seemed to be processing the information, but her face was growing paler.  ¡°I¡ªumm, a four-star general of the Army?¡±


    ¡°Last time I checked my jacket.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir¡ªeh, want¡­¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do.  You¡¯re going to go back to the ranking officer, whoever that is, and let him know that the U.S. Army has taken a special interest in this case.  I¡¯ll be getting in touch with your police chief.  Now, return the phone to Rachel so I can better understand what actions I need to take as this may branch into a military matter with the individual we¡¯re dealing with.  That¡¯s all, Sergeant.¡±


    She swallowed, slowly handed her the device back.  ¡°FBI, DDA, and now the Military?¡±  She whispered, giving Rachel a confused look.


    Rachel¡¯s innocent smile hadn¡¯t faltered as she took the phone, and Serah rolled her eyes; Serah went to talk to Bree while Heather slowly broke into a jog to run inside the caf¨¦.  Rachel could hear the Lieutenant running back through the inside hallway to get to them after hearing the radio report.


    ¡°Thanks, Tom,¡± Rachel sighed before scratching her temple and readjusting her hair.  ¡°Want me to tell you why Relica laid a trap for Scarlet and me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave out any details,¡± he said in a low voice.  ¡°I¡¯ll be taking notes as you go, and I may ask you to spell or repeat something if I need clarification.¡±


    Rachel moved away from everyone and told him about the incident, leaving nothing out; she kept the phone close to her mouth and voice low in case any Demi nearby had sharp enough ears to catch the conversation.  The ambulances had arrived in the time she took to explain it, and crowds of people were growing as curious onlookers clustered to figure out what was happening.


    Sergeant Pierce caught Lieutenant Bright up to speed on the situation while Bree and Serah coordinated the start of a statewide manhunt for the Sorceress.  Rachel had her own opinion on that approach but kept her silence for now since it would take a while for them to get everything organized.


    When she finished the recount, Tom sat back, puffing on his cigar for a moment.  ¡°I haven¡¯t heard about this Demi Supremacist group, but I did hear a report about Cuba having a lot of civil control issues in yesterday¡¯s meeting with the Joint Chiefs.  Hmm ¡­ Demi are like living weapons that can be sent in as highly effective assassins to destabilize a nation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been taking this seriously since day one, and because of that, we¡¯ve managed to thwart at least twenty attacks against high-ranking politicians.  In fact, Maria dispelled a Curse-type Magic on a Democratic Senator in California the other day.  We¡¯ve had to update the NSA, FBI, CIA, and every other organization hourly on the possible attacks we can expect, and there have been three bumbled attempts at taking out the President.¡±


    Rachel chuckled softly.  ¡°You don¡¯t have to convince me, Tom.  I get it; the name of the game is changing.¡±


    Tom was silent for a moment, chair squeaking as he shifted his weight.  ¡°That¡¯s the trouble.  Actually, many organized terrorist attacks have halted in a lot of unexpected areas, while civil war has erupted in what we thought would be stable places.  New organizations are being formed, gutting old ones, and this feels like it¡¯s doing the same.  What¡¯s your take on Relica¡¯s goal in this?¡±


    Her eyes moved between the crowd, and she knew more than a few people were filming or taking pictures of her.  ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure.  She walks a fine line between a sociopath and a psychopath, and because of that, it makes her unpredictable.¡±


    ¡°I can see that,¡± Tom muttered.  ¡°Although¡ªyou did manage to get her to release the hostages.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an ego thing,¡± Rachel sighed, running her hand through her hair as she followed Scarlet¡¯s search through the city with her ears.  ¡°She¡¯s smart and plans meticulously ¡­ she¡¯s obsessive-compulsive about having control.  I played to that by giving it to her and threw a random twist to the conversation that she probably wouldn¡¯t have expected, which drew her attention away from the hostages and onto me.¡±


    ¡°Smart, and dangerous,¡± Tom grunted.  ¡°She does seem to walk that line well, which makes her a deadly enemy, and with her skillset¡ªI mean, to be able to manipulate your emotions without you knowing is ¡­ it¡¯s troubling, to say the least.  You handled the situation with a level of skill that impresses me, with what you¡¯ve told me, and that¡¯s the scariest thing about The Oscillation that¡¯s constantly being brought up with the Joint Chiefs ¡­ control abilities.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s one of the reasons she¡¯s concerning, but this new Body-Double skill of hers has me worried.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I¡¯ve read up on a few different legends about her, and the fictional figure Medea is rife with contested facts and twists, but she seemed to be fairly devious in most of them.  Explain your own thoughts on this direction she¡¯s taking,¡± Tom prompted, but he paused as his phone vibrated.  ¡°Ah, wait ¡­ I need to respond to this real fast.¡±


    Rachel closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall.  My family could be caught up in Relica¡¯s web.  I was stupid to not even consider the possibility of pulling them into this when taking on Terrell.  Nam and Alexa are already dealing with baggage, and now I dump this on them?  It¡¯s not fair, but ¡­ what should I have done?


    I could fight Lunar Pride and Feral Instinct more, yet I don¡¯t want to, and at the same time, I don¡¯t want to hurt my family.  There¡¯s not really a solution.  Maybe Grandpa could help me ¡­ he always seems to have an answer to everything.  The wisdom of age, huh?


    Tom cleared his throat.  ¡°Right, umm¡ªalright, I¡¯m good.  What were you going to say?¡±


    Gathering her thoughts, Rachel broke it down.  ¡°Relica is a Sorceress-type of Legendkin that uses a mixture of rituals, vocal, genetic manipulation, shadow, and sun magic, yet her favorite seems to be puppeteering from what we¡¯ve seen.  She¡¯s based on a Demigod that was, as you said, extremely devious, and she sure views herself like a god.


    ¡°However,¡± Rachel moved her back against the wall, adjusting her tail to the side, ¡°before, she couldn¡¯t leave her shadows or puppets; there was a set distance she had to maintain, which is one reason why Scarlet managed to pin her down.  It seems this time, she chose to make a direct copy of herself that could also use her magic, which must come with a side-effect, knowing this system, but it¡¯s hard to say what that is.  As it stands, it¡¯s a really powerful ability.¡±


    ¡°No¡ªjoke,¡± Tom groaned while rubbing his neck and yawning.  He wiped at his eyes before continuing, and Rachel could hear the creaking of the chair as he shifted his weight.  ¡°You really think it was all of her abilities?¡±


    ¡°At least enough of them to make a difference.  Provoke, being able to sense my emotions, observe us from a distance, manipulate people, and create a fireball to name the few we saw in action.¡±


    ¡°It does seem like a rather strong offensive ability,¡± Tom agreed.  ¡°Like you said, it should come with some drawbacks.  What are your thoughts on what should be done, since you¡¯re on ground zero?¡±


    ¡°Right now, there¡¯s nothing we can do,¡± Rachel said, trying her best to keep the heat from her voice.  ¡°If anything, the FBI and police are likely playing into her hands at the moment.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°She planned every detail and knew the Police and Feds were here.  However, she wanted them present and to witness the whole thing.  She wants the attention for some reason, and honestly, with her abilities, she could probably create an illusion to fool the general public.  I wouldn¡¯t be shocked if she created visual illusions around the public to incite panic and confusion.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± Tom mumbled.  ¡°Just because she has stakes in Cuba with those people doesn¡¯t mean she isn¡¯t involved with more schemes here in The States by pulling our attention away.  I¡¯ll give David a call after this and discuss it with him, so, to clarify, you don¡¯t advise making this a big public event because you think it would be playing into her hand?¡±


    Rachel pursed her lips, shifting her jaw to the right.  ¡°I can¡¯t really be certain, but I just see it doing more harm than good.  Terrorists need a platform to incite fear in the general public, and she¡¯s after something.  It could just be to divide Demi and humans, for all I know.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ well, I appreciate your opinion, and I¡¯ll talk it over with a few people I trust.  I¡¯ll also increase the screening for those trying to gain access to Demi information.  That shouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±


    Folding her fingers in her lap, Rachel stared down at the ground, taking in every crack within her field of vision.  ¡°I think it¡¯s actually fairly difficult to prevent something like that.  Relica is now gathering a team, and with Scarlet¡¯s mom involved, we¡¯re looking at the militarization of a potential growing cult that will follow the mother in Scarlet¡¯s name.


    ¡°Scarlet is horrified by it, and her entire life has crumbled before her eyes; she¡¯s scared ¡­ really scared, but she tries to be strong, yet this will come to a head.  I just can¡¯t see a situation where Relica and Scarlet¡¯s mom don¡¯t find us again, and it won¡¯t be that difficult to recruit Vampire obsessed people into a cult ¡­ she also has Relica¡¯s manipulations.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ those two are a cult horror story in the making,¡± Tom mumbled.  ¡°We¡¯ll brainstorm it more, but for now, I¡¯d ask you to get close to the two new Legendkin and a Mythickin that are being sent to that FBI office.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow creased.  ¡°New ones?  I haven¡¯t heard anything about it.¡±


    ¡°Well, they¡¯re keeping it tight-lipped, but I was let in the loop by the Director.  There was an incident between some Legendkin and Mythickin in California ¡­ two of them had some political differences, and it came to blows which wrecked part of the building.¡±


    ¡°Blows?¡±  Rachel licked her lips, and a curious smile touched her cheeks.  ¡°If it was only two people, why are three being sent here?¡±


    ¡°A few of them jumped in to stop the fighting, and it got even more out of hand.  Maria made a stop to heal everyone that was injured ¡­ had a few words with one that she didn¡¯t like, but that didn¡¯t escalate beyond taunts, and he backed down after she got in his face.  I heard reports that he was kind of scared of her horn, which isn¡¯t giving him the best image.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s left hand tightened around her stomach as she laughed.  ¡°Sounds fun.  So, which ones are being sent to us?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the surprise of what they are,¡± Tom mused, ¡°but I¡¯ll say the girl coming didn¡¯t throw the first punch, but she returned one hell of a one.  The two guys tried to break it up and ended up in their own sort of feud with three other Legendkin that stepped in for the other girl.¡±


    ¡°White knights?¡±  Rachel asked, trying not to roll her eyes.


    ¡°Meh,¡± Tom shrugged, making his chair creak.  ¡°I don¡¯t know the full details, but you¡¯ll have to determine that yourself.  They¡¯ll be there early tomorrow.¡±


    Rachel lightly bit the inside of her cheek, looking up at the black night sky.  It adds a new level of tension.  I¡¯m sure Ma?lle, Kyle, and Anthony will be there.  If it grew violent before, it could blow up again, but Tom wants us to make friends with them.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel mused.  ¡°You want them to join us when you send us to Cuba?¡±


    ¡°I never said I was,¡± Tom replied.  When Rachel didn¡¯t respond, he sighed.  ¡°Well, it¡¯s a possibility, and I like to be as prepared as possible.  I could transfer over a Mythickin in North Carolina, but ¡­ I¡¯m actually having thoughts that he might be planted by Relica with what information this has brought up.  I don¡¯t see many issues from these new ones except maybe tempers flaring, and you can handle that.  We¡¯ll see about the Cuba thing, though.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll work what magic I can,¡± Rachel whispered, ¡°but don¡¯t expect the impossible, and I can¡¯t say if Scarlet, Fiona, and Maria will like them.¡±


    ¡°Just¡ªdo what you can,¡± Tom yawned.  ¡°I¡¯d even consider using Ma?lle, Kyle, and Anthony if you can swing them to join your little group.  The Military Contract puts you as the leader, and that group can still grow.¡±


    Rachel smirked.  ¡°Is that right?  I¡¯ll keep it in mind, and it¡¯s thanks to the Military, FBI, and you that I¡¯m able to see all these Mythickin and Legendkin.  By the way, thanks for getting more Mythickin and Legendkin into The States; it helps to know we¡¯re not alone.¡±


    Tom laughed before giving her a knowing hum.  ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s more about them adding competition that gets your blood going.¡±


    A soundless chuckle shook Rachel¡¯s frame.  ¡°You understand me so well.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m all for competition, but just make sure not to push it too far, and keep property damage to a minimum ¡­ if possible.  Also, text me your account information, and I¡¯ll send over the payment for your last contract.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Wait, I thought we weren¡¯t getting paid for that since you were helping us with the legal stuff?¡±


    ¡°Take it up with the President,¡± Tom said with a hint of humor.  ¡°You really impressed him with the results you gave us, and he wants to make use of your services more.  Anyways, I¡¯ve got a lot more calls to make before I can get back to bed.¡±


    ¡°Alright, tell Julia, Rachel says hi,¡± she teased.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be doing that,¡± Tom replied with a low chuckle.  ¡°Thanks for the heads-up, Rachel.  I¡¯ll call you tomorrow, and by the way, your psyche evaluations should be coming up soon.  Be prepared; this event will likely come up.¡±


    She was silent for a moment.  ¡°Understood.  Thanks for the warning.¡±


    Rachel glared at the phone as Tom hung up.  I have so much happening that it¡¯s hard to keep everything straight.  I still need to call Maria for Zoe, and I should check up on Fiona.  Ah, mom and dad, first, then Maria, and after that, I need to handle this situation with the police.  It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll feel bad spinning everything against human traffickers.  It is what it is.  I just need to check all the boxes before heading back to the FBI.


    She dropped her phone in her lap, running her hands through her hair with a tired groan.  I still need to get over to Grandpa¡¯s and deal with Soo-geun.  So much to do ¡­ so little time.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 36. Setting The Stage

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park (Our Lunar Hare that''s been on that wrath train)


    Recap:  Using Tom''s influence, Rachel had the support to give her a bit of slack on the close-eye the Police had on her.  She discussed the difficulty of the situation with the general (Tom was woken up in the middle of the night by her call; he was still pretty tired), and Rachel prepared the agents to follow her lead in spinning the situation away from the Police and onto the villains of the story, the human traffickers.  Now, she''s ready to talk to the press; who will she choose?


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    Rachel texted Scarlet, telling her it was okay to come back; she could hear her teleporting onto the roofs of random houses and businesses, occasionally pausing a moment to scan the area.


    Scarlet looked down at her phone as she received the message; she was a little more than a mile to the north.  A low groan shot through her mouth.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ some of the things I saw; people do weird things when they¡¯re alone.¡±


    Oh, I hear them.  She snickered, and a smile touched Rachel¡¯s lips.


    She called her father, knowing he¡¯d more than likely check his phone in case of a business emergency.  No one approached her as the phone rang, and her wide field of vision followed the officers.  They were trying to take statements from anyone that might have seen Relica.  Bree and Serah talked to each other about the incident; David put Bree on hold to speak to Tom.


    How will dad take this?  I didn¡¯t tell him about all the targets on my back.  He likes to know the facts about a situation to plan a way to deal with it, so he may be angry I left it out.


    A loud sigh blew through her lips, and she folded her left arm across her stomach as her dad answered, speaking Korean.  ¡°Sung ¡­ what time is it?  Wait, why are you calling me, and not ¡­ it sounds like you¡¯re out?¡±


    Rachel cleared her throat, responding in kind.  ¡°Hey, dad ¡­ umm, yeah, I ended up going out with Scarlet to help a friend.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± he groaned softly, trying not to wake her mother; the bed creaked quietly as he sat on the edge of the bed.  ¡°Is everything okay?  You sound a little nervous.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine, but, umm, some MPs are coming to pick you guys up.  They¡¯re going to take you to the FBI facility here in Miami, and I¡¯ll meet you there.¡±


    ¡°FBI?¡± Her father mumbled.  His tone hardened.  ¡°Should I contact the lawyers?  You¡¯re safe right now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no, I¡¯m fine,¡± Rachel giggled nervously, hand tightening around her stomach.  ¡°I¡¯ll explain when you get there, but it¡¯s for your safety.  There¡¯s just a dangerous person that might show up; it¡¯s not that likely, but just to be sure, I asked that they take you to the FBI building.¡±


    She held her breath as her father fell silent on the other end, thinking through her statement.  After a few seconds, he straightened his posture, bed reacting to his shifted weight.  ¡°MPs, you¡¯re saying Military Police are coming to pick us up and bring us to the local FBI facility for our protection, and you¡¯ll explain everything to us there?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Another pause followed, and after a long sigh, he yawned, ¡°Okay.  How long?¡±


    ¡°Just for the night; I doubt they¡¯ll stay in the city for long with the waves they created.  Umm ¡­ please don¡¯t tell mom that there could be a dangerous person around.  Let me explain it to her in more detail; I don¡¯t want her to worry.  Just let her know that I was out helping a friend and needed to do some stuff with the FBI.¡±


    ¡°I understand.  Two pairs of clothes to be sure, then,¡± he muttered, reaching over to shaking her mother.  ¡°Chan-hee¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±  Her mom stretched out; Rachel could hear her sharp intake of air, the shift of sheets, and half the blanket fell off the bed¡¯s side.  ¡°What¡¯s¡ªwrong, Gwon?¡±  She mumbled between a yawn.


    ¡°It¡¯s Rachel.  She says there¡¯s a police escort coming to take us to the FBI building to meet her.¡±


    ¡°W-What?¡±  She pulled herself up against the headboard, shoving the pillow out of the way.  ¡°Did something happen?  Are they okay?  Wait, they¡¯re not in the house?¡±


    She paused as her dad held up a hand.  ¡°Sung said she went out to help a friend and needed to take care of some stuff with the FBI.  She¡¯ll explain why when we get there, Sung suggested we take two-days change of clothes, just in case it takes too long.¡±


    ¡°So ¡­ she¡¯s not in trouble; we don¡¯t need to call the lawyers or anything, and what about Scarlet, will she be there?¡±  The quiver in her mother¡¯s voice made Rachel¡¯s throat constrict.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rachel quickly responded, ¡°Scarlet will be there.¡±


    ¡°Sung says, Scarlet will be there.  There¡¯s no need to panic; let¡¯s get everything ready¡­¡±


    ¡°No, but what if that¡¯s what the government¡¯s forcing her to say?¡±  Molly pressed.  ¡°They¡¯ve kept us locked up for a week, and now my girl¡¯s just randomly telling us we¡¯re supposed to go to some building in the middle of the night?  I just ¡­ it sounds so strange, and that there¡¯s nothing wrong?  It just isn¡¯t Sung, Gwon!¡±


    Her father took a long breath.  ¡°It¡¯s okay, Chan-hee, here ¡­ talk to her yourself.¡±


    Molly¡¯s concerned voice amplified as she took the phone.  ¡°Sung, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, mom, and no, the government isn¡¯t forcing me to do anything.  I mean, they¡¯d have to do quite a bit to compel me, right?¡±  She chuckled, masking the nervousness she had when talking with her father.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about a thing, and ¡­ umm,¡± she wanted to bite her tongue, ¡°Anthony will be there.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t stop her ears and tail from twitching as her mother¡¯s tone shifted on a dime.  ¡°Oh ... the Legendkin that Scarlet told me about?  The one with a ripped body and charming face?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile turned strained.  ¡°Ripped body, she said?¡±  Was that all she was looking at?  No ¡­ freak, chill out¡­  The sudden tightness in her chest eased as she took a few long breaths, her mother shooting off rapid-fire questions.


    ¡°Your father said we may be there for two days?  Will there be beds, or should we bring the air mattress?  No, who am I kidding, it¡¯s the FBI, not a hospital ¡­ but do they have a medical center there?  I mean, they might.¡±  She mumbled to herself.


    ¡°Maybe we should pack for a few more days, then,¡± she giggled, ¡°just to be sure, and clothes ¡­ we should bring you some clothes ¡­ make-up, definitely bring make-up if Anthony¡¯s there.  Oh, and we can fit two air mattresses in the car, too, for Nam and Alexa, and ¡­ wait, do you and Scarlet need one?  We could stop off¡­¡±


    ¡°Chan-hee,¡± her father chuckled.


    ¡°What ¡­ oh, umm,¡± she forced a laugh, ¡°I guess I¡¯m getting a little carried away.¡±


    Her dad seemed to be smiling by his tone.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask her what she¡¯d like us to bring?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, okay, umm ¡­ wait, you can hear him, too, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, mom, my ears can hear miles away, so this is easy.¡±


    ¡°So ¡­ what do you need?¡±  She asked, and Rachel could practically see her sparkling eyes through her enthusiastic voice.


    ¡°I can get clothes from my modeling contract on my way over to meet you,¡± Rachel said, trying to act as casual as possible.  ¡°An extra air mattress would be nice; we had to sleep on the floor last time, and I don¡¯t think I need make-up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, bold!¡±  Molly mused.  ¡°I suppose not with how you look now, and I saw how much your, ahem, figure has changed.  You have me a bit jealous; I¡¯m sure he couldn¡¯t keep his eyes off you!¡±


    For some reason, unlike everyone else, that statement made her blush; Rachel¡¯s thighs pressed together as she bit her lip and stared down at her lap.  ¡°Mom ¡­ stop, it¡¯s embarrassing when you say it.¡±


    ¡°Hm-hmm!¡±  Molly¡¯s tone perked up.  ¡°Moms get to play the embarrassment card, but you know I¡¯ll be like a shadow.  I¡¯ll just be watching for him, and silently judging!¡±


    Okay ¡­ it¡¯s beginning to look like mom¡¯s been reading too many of her manhwa romances.  Maybe Scarlet, plus the lockdown caused her to crack a little, or perhaps this is just her being a little more forward since she thought she¡¯d lost me.


    It took a second, but Rachel breathed and said, ¡°No, Mom, I¡¯ll introduce you to him; he¡¯s a nice guy.¡±


    ¡°Not too nice, I hope,¡± Molly pushed.  ¡°There¡¯s gotta be some yin in him to keep it interesting!¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ he¡¯s interesting,¡± Rachel sighed, letting her head fall back to the brick wall, and Scarlet appeared a few feet away, arms folded with a hint of frustration touching her black lips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me a sugar overdose!¡±  Her mother pleaded.  ¡°I¡¯m already salivating at the image in my head; no, I can¡¯t wait to see how he acts around you.  I want to take pictures!¡±


    Her dad forced a chuckle.  ¡°C¡¯mon, Chan-hee, let¡¯s not interfere too much.¡±


    Too much, huh, Dad?  Gah ¡­ at least this is distracting her.


    ¡°Well, Mom, Dad, I need to go.  I¡¯ll see you in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Okay, love you!¡±  She turned to her father with a soft cheer.  ¡°Oh, Dear, it wouldn¡¯t be too much to casually sit across a room and record some pieces, for generational purposes, of course!¡±  The call quickly ended.


    Rachel closed her eyes, having to dip into her Grandfather¡¯s basic breathing exercises to calm her nerves while lowering the phone to her lap.  I just opened myself up to ¡­ wow, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve opened myself up that much to almost anyone since changing.  I can deal with a bit of embarrassment ¡­ I know she can¡¯t help herself, but ¡­ just please don¡¯t be that much.


    Scarlet¡¯s annoyed frown turned into curiosity as she bent down to sit against the wall.  ¡°Who in the world got you to blush?  I¡¯ve been trying so hard!¡±  She huffed.


    Rachel gave her a look.  That feeling I had ¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I was jealous of just the thought.  Well ¡­ this is new.  ¡°In a roundabout way ¡­ you did.¡±


    ¡°Wait; what?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s eyes shifted to the side.  ¡°Mmmh, how?  You were on the phone with your parents, right?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Rachel shook her head, releasing a short groan while getting to her feet.  ¡°Let¡¯s get all this other stuff dealt with.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s blue eyes widened.  ¡°No, I need to know!  C¡¯mon, you know, like ¡­ all my triggers ¡­ give me one, just one!¡±


    Rachel turned to give her a dubious smirk.  ¡°You didn¡¯t so happen to check out Anthony?¡±


    ¡°Anthony?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s eyes narrowed as she glanced at the ground.  ¡°Anthony ¡­ check out ¡­ you mean¡­¡±  On queue, her face brightened.  ¡°N-No, no, n-not like that, umm ¡­ wait, you¡¯re just trying to distract me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Rachel shrugged while stretching her arms high into the air.


    Scarlet¡¯s lips tightened, giving her a playful glare.  ¡°Not cool!  You need to give me some ammo.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you keep missing the ship.¡±  Rachel mused while walking to Bree and Serah.


    ¡°Ship ¡­ the board game Battleship?  That actually sounds pretty fun; we should play it,¡± Scarlet muttered while getting up to follow her.


    Bree caught their approach out of the corner of her eye, turning to face them.  ¡°Finished up with what you needed to do?¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Yeah, I updated Tom, and he¡¯s sending some MPs to pick up my parents and bring them to the office.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so we¡¯ll get to meet your family?¡±  Bree asked with a smile.


    ¡°The whole crew.¡±


    Serah gave her a thoughtful hum.  ¡°I¡¯ll say that it has crossed my mind what your family is like.  I mean, after seeing what you managed to do, what must your parents be like?¡±


    ¡°I hope they don¡¯t disappoint you,¡± Rachel chuckled.


    Scarlet hopped into the conversation.  ¡°Oh, Molly¡¯s super nice; her mom¡¯s the best!  I don¡¯t know much about her dad, but he seems cool.¡±


    Serah folded her arms, brow furrowing as she glanced between them.  ¡°Wait, I didn¡¯t know you two knew each other before The Oscillation.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, we didn¡¯t,¡± Scarlet quickly addressed.  ¡°I just met them yesterday, but they were really nice to me.¡±  Her smile became forced.  ¡°I guess it might not seem like a big deal, but¡ªbut people don¡¯t usually treat me like that when they learn I¡¯m a Vampire.  Most people give me scared looks ¡­ I know how they really feel,¡± she mumbled, rubbing her left arm.


    Her blue eyes widened.  ¡°Oh, not that I blame them!  I just¡ªit¡¯s just hard sometimes.  I¡¯m sure it will get better, though ¡­ I hope.¡±


    ¡°No, yeah,¡± Bree¡¯s soft smile fell.  ¡°I¡¯m sure It will get better in time!  You¡¯re a really nice girl¡ªwait, you said you had a clothing sponsor?¡±  She asked, turning to Rachel.


    ¡°Mhm, speaking of which,¡± Rachel glanced to the side, noticing the crowds of people recording or taking pictures of them behind the police lines.  ¡°We should hurry and make this statement before some other upstart wannabe journalist tries to jump the gun.¡±


    She gave both agents an innocent grin.  ¡°So, could you foot the bill for us?¡±


    Bree grasped her left elbow, glancing at Serah.  ¡°I guess, we could ¡­ I don¡¯t think we could really justify using DDA funds for something like this, and it¡¯s only one set of clothes, right?¡±


    Yeah ¡­ probably should only ask them to buy us one pair.  We can come back down tomorrow night and grab some clothes.  It¡¯s good that Martial Law seems to have businesses open longer than usual after all the lost revenue.  Mom would probably like to join us, too.  Man ¡­ she¡¯s going to freak when I ask her.


    ¡°Yeah, just one pair of clothes that can be easily represented by the company.  It¡¯s a pretty popular brand, so it should be easy to find in a store.¡±


    Serah shrugged.  ¡°Sure, I can get it, Bree.¡±  A smirk lit her cheeks as she nudged her partner.  ¡°Besides, you gotta save up for all that lingerie you¡¯ve been talkin¡¯ about.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound like I¡¯m buying the store,¡± Bree mumbled, cheeks flushing slightly as she turned away.  ¡°Nothing wrong with getting some new stuff.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±  Serah hummed.  ¡°Gotta impress your fianc¨¦, huh?¡±


    Rachel found Scarlet¡¯s bright eyes and eager expression far more amusing than Bree¡¯s cute blush, but the woman¡¯s shifting feet and brushed back brown hair was straight out of a movie.


    ¡°Cute,¡± Rachel laughed before Scarlet could get started on her own poke.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we try the store we were going by earlier?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do that!¡±  Bree urged.  ¡°It was, umm ¡­ that way.¡±  She pointed back the way they¡¯d come, taking a few strides to push them along the way, and Rachel fell into step.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t help but shake her head at the Vampire as they walked past the officers getting statements; Scarlet¡¯s sharp blue eyes were trained on Bree, and Serah¡¯s dolled up features, moving from their dresses to their purses to their make-up and hair.


    Yeah, I think she¡¯s the one getting mom so worked up about this couple drama, or ¡­ maybe it¡¯s mom bringing it out in Scarlet?  They definitely play off each other with these manhwas stories rolling around their heads.


    The crowd still seemed a bit shy of her glow as they parted to let her by, and she entered the shop, but that didn¡¯t stop a few from following several paces behind, hoping to catch news of what happened inside.  There were reports already cycling about people being carried away by MTs into multiple ambulances.


    They found the Tempest brand area quickly enough next to the other big-name products, and Rachel promptly picked out a sports outfit.


    Scarlet pursed her lips, glancing back at the group of people, only partially pretending they weren¡¯t loitering around to listen in on their conversation.  ¡°Umm ¡­ does it have to be sportswear, Rachel?¡±  She mumbled, glancing at the sports bras and shorts with reserve.


    Rachel gave her a small smile.  ¡°Wouldn¡¯t wearing a skirt be just as bad?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ because I like wearing skirts,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°I just never felt comfortable wearing form-fitting things in public.¡±


    ¡°Why not?  It¡¯s not like you have anything to be ashamed of.¡±  Serah said, eyeing a few sports bras herself.


    Scarlet clearly didn¡¯t mean for the woman to hear.  ¡°I, umm ¡­ I just feel a little¡ªself-conscious.¡±


    Rachel kept her voice low enough where the other two women couldn¡¯t hear.  ¡°Self-conscious, and you want to wear cosplay and sailor outfits?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different¡­¡±  Scarlet moaned, left fang poking out as she looked at a rack of tight spandex biking shorts.  ¡°I¡¯ll just do some jogging stuff.¡±  She said loud enough for Serah and Bree to hear.  ¡°Umm¡ªdo you have any suggestions?¡±


    They quickly went through options and chose out their apparel.


    Bree pointed out a black padded sports bra with a cross back and pink Tempest logo while Serah brought Rachel a Tempest Dri-Fit embossed attack training shorts with a pink waist strap and logo on a black base.


    At first, Rachel didn¡¯t like the pink but reconsidered when Bree pointed out that it matched the four-leaf clover pattern in her eyes.  The Tempest Embossed Attack Air-Kicks were their best running line-ups, and Rachel quickly snatched a pink and black pair to go with the style.


    Scarlet rejected several proposals with sports bras and settled on a red Tempest sportswear long-sleeve dress; the three girls gave her a lifted eyebrow as she held it up to check the size.


    ¡°What?  I like dresses, and I¡¯ve never had a sports dress; it¡¯s also red, which matches the whole Vampire theme,¡± she defended while rolling her blue eyes.  ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re employing us, right?  You got the whole Lunar Hare theme, and I¡¯ll have the Vampire look.¡±


    Bree and Serah shot Rachel a questioning look in response.


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Rachel hummed before giggling.  ¡°It¡¯s not like you exercise much anyways, so a dress should be fine.  I just think it¡¯s a little odd ¡­ a sports dress?  I mean, maybe for tennis?¡±


    They laughed and joked about it as they got everything ready for checkout after trying on the clothes, Scarlet selecting the same shoes as Rachel in black and red to match her dress and hair.  It was a bit more than what Serah had expected, but Rachel assured her that they¡¯d compensate her.


    Rachel and Scarlet went into the back and changed into their new attire, using the bag the sales clerk gave them for their previous items.


    ¡°So,¡± Bree sighed, glancing around the corner to the girl¡¯s dressing room at the crowd of people waiting outside.  ¡°Seems it¡¯s gotten bigger.¡±


    Serah gave her a dubious smile.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t say it,¡± Bree warned while shaking her head, but there was a slight curve to her lips.


    ¡°I expected as much,¡± Rachel said, giving a slight moan as she stretched her legs and arms; there was something about the tight fabric rubbing against her skin and the slight burning sensation the motions left that she liked.


    Scarlet poked her head around Serah¡¯s to get a better view.  ¡°Wait, are those all reporters?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Bree sighed.  ¡°Wannabes, most of them, bloggers, or they want something cool to post on their Instagram or Facebook pages.¡±


    ¡°Just follow me,¡± Rachel said, giving the women a wink.


    Rachel strode out of the changing room with Scarlet, Bree, and Serah by her side.  The throng¡¯s chatter died down to a whisper between people or silence as they waited for her to choose a direction, and she knew the rumor had been spreading that she was the Mythickin involved in the South Beach incident; how many glowing girls with big ears, a tail, and pink-hued hair that fell to their butt were there?


    She walked straight through the crowd to a woman that appeared to be in her mid-twenties with sandy blonde hair that fell to her shoulder blades.  They nearly passed her, and the woman looked slightly surprised as Rachel paused, turning her bright red irises on her.  ¡°Wait,¡± she glanced back to Bree, ¡°isn¡¯t she the news anchor for CNABC; it¡¯s Harley, right?¡±


    Harley blinked her brown eyes a few times before a smile touched her cheeks; she was more cute than beautiful and seemed younger than her muscle movements told Rachel.  ¡°Um, yeah, yeah, I am, and you¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Rachel,¡± she promptly replied.  ¡°I¡¯m a big fan.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Harley smoothed back her hair.  ¡°Thank you, that means a lot.  So,¡± her smile turned curious, ¡°you wouldn¡¯t happen to be that Lunar Hare I¡¯ve been hearing about that cleaned up South Beach?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Rachel replied with an unassuming grin, and both Bree and Serah gave each other concerned looks, probably afraid she was going to say something that hadn¡¯t been cleared for public release.


    Harley licked her lips, giving the four of them a studious glance before scanning the crowd that surrounded them.  ¡°Eh, would you mind giving me a statement about it?  We can go somewhere private if you prefer.¡±


    ¡°Oh, absolutely, but wouldn¡¯t you want something a bit more recent?¡±


    ¡°Like this event?¡±  Harley pressed, pointing at the police line barely visible through the crowd.


    ¡°Yeah, I was there, and it¡¯s pretty disturbing, to be honest,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°Although, I think it really should be brought into the light, we need to expose these types of people.¡±


    Harley¡¯s eyes lit up like a dog fixated on her favorite toy, held just outside her reach.  ¡°Please, I don¡¯t want to push you if you feel uncomfortable talking about it, but what do you mean, we need to expose these types of people?  What was happening inside?¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Rachel frowned, glancing back at the crowd.  ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about it with so many people around.¡±


    ¡°No, I totally understand!¡±  Harley nodded, raising her hands in protest while glaring at the mumbling throng.  ¡°They¡¯re vultures, aren¡¯t they?  Shameless.  Why don¡¯t we go into one of these restaurants and talk?¡±


    ¡°Sure!  I¡¯d really like to talk to you about it over any of these other people,¡± her features fell.  ¡°I¡¯ve just been feeling ¡­ I don¡¯t know, terrible about what I had to do; I know they were human-waste, I mean, Demi and human traffickers,¡± she whispered just loud enough so Harley could hear it over the crowd¡¯s noise.  ¡°And that¡¯s just the beginning, but ¡­ no, I wasn¡¯t just fighting for myself but the other victims; those poor girls, some no older than fourteen!¡±


    Scarlet, Bree, and Serah tried their best to follow along as Rachel shifted the atmosphere, staying silent while nodding or shaking their head to mimic her direction.


    ¡°I-It is¡ªreally hard thinking what could have happened to us,¡± Scarlet swallowed, and she played nervous Vampire-girl perfectly, which was more likely due to her actually not acting the part.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Harley¡¯s brow creased with concern, but she was very careful with her words, opting for, ¡°why don¡¯t you sit down with me and tell me your side of the story?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if the police¡­¡±  Rachel trailed off, glancing back at the line, masking a smirk as she dangled the bait.


    Harley swiftly shook her head.  ¡°Wait ¡­ Demi and human trafficking?¡±  She whispered.  ¡°No, no, no, freedom of information!  Don¡¯t worry about the cops; they¡¯re just bullies,¡± she huffed.  ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere we can talk in private; that is if you still want me to hear your side of the story, which is totally up to you!¡±


    Rachel bit her lower lip for a moment, glancing back at Scarlet before asking, ¡°Mmh, we really should expose them.  Shouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ it was pretty disgusting,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t want to talk,¡± she giggled nervously, ¡°but you can!  I¡¯m just ¡­ I can¡¯t really¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I get it,¡± Rachel groaned, running her hands through her hair.  ¡°Umm ¡­ maybe we can help others from not having the same experience?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s lips pursed, and she avoided eye contact, staring at her shoes.  ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    After a few moments of silence, Rachel groaned, ¡°Yeah ¡­ I think I¡¯ll feel a lot better if I talk with someone about it.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Harley motioned to a sit-down restaurant.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we go here?  My treat; I¡¯m just really curious and concerned now.  I want to help if I can!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s demeanor brightened as she turned to Scarlet and back to Harley.  ¡°That¡ªthat would be so kind of you!¡±  She nudged her head toward the building.  ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go talk; we need to drag these dirtbags through the mud!¡±


    Now, how much do I want to milk this?  I don¡¯t know her that well, so I¡¯ll need to be careful how I approach the topics.  Still, I¡¯ve heard the network¡¯s stance on politics more than once around school, and this is like catnip for this network.  It shouldn''t be that hard of a spin.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 37. Spilling The Story

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park (Our Lunar Hare that''s been on that wrath train)


    Recap:  Rachel had one of the more stressful things occur the last chapter ... calling home and trying to keep her mom from having a heart attack.  She paid a big price, gave up a win for her mother ... she knows Anthony is there, and she''s coming with fire in her eyes.  Can our Lunar Hair handle the biggest threat of her life ... the motherly need to insert themselves into their daughter''s relationships.


    On a lighter note, Rachel''s selected the news anchor to spin her story ... yay.


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    Rachel followed Harley through the crowd and into the restaurant; her ears tracked multiple conversations that told her more than one person looking for a nearby restaurant by the action, and from the discussions, most weren¡¯t even aware of them.  However, there were a few that wanted an inside scoop, and if that meant eavesdrop across tables, then so be it.


    Serah, Bree, and Scarlet tailed behind Rachel and Harley; the agents¡¯ muscles were tense, likely nervous about the approach she might take.


    ¡°We¡¯re seriously going to talk to some news anchor?¡±  Serah asked, bending down to whisper in Scarlet¡¯s ear.


    Bree leaned in as Scarlet shook her head, ¡°How should I know?  Rachel¡¯s the one that always has the plan; I just go with her flow.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Serah¡¯s lips tightened.  ¡°We sure her head¡¯s on straight?  I mean, I know she can dance around a conversation, but we¡¯re talkin¡¯ about a news anchor here, and there¡¯s the Relica thing¡­¡±


    The three of them fell silent as they entered the restaurant.  It appeared to be an expensive establishment with racks of wine on display and boasted a classy sailing ship and sea-themed design.  The place had a higher-middle class club environment with a full bar and slow jazz playing in the background.


    Harley walked right up to the male attendant.  ¡°Hello!  Do you have any tables open?¡±


    He took in their group with a hint of surprise; his eyes centered on Rachel before staring down at a seating chart.  ¡°Umm, let¡¯s see ¡­ for five?¡±


    Rachel turned back, giving her friends a wink to calm their nerves; she could hear several parties around the street either talking about or heading to their chosen restaurant.  The police action had drawn the crowds, and now they were getting hungry.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Harley responded, glancing back at Scarlet and the agents.  ¡°You ladies are going to be joining us, right?¡±


    ¡°They will,¡± Rachel responded, giving them a bright smile.  ¡°Bree¡¯s recently got engaged!¡±


    Bree, Serah, and Scarlet gave a start as Harley¡¯s smile widened, eyes snapping to the ring on Bree¡¯s finger.  ¡°Congratulations!¡±  Turning back to the attendant, she said, ¡°We¡¯ll have to get some wine to celebrate.  ¡°Oh, umm ¡­ are any of you underage?¡±  She asked, brow creasing as she addressed Rachel.


    Rachel¡¯s smile didn¡¯t falter.  Trying to determine our ages, are we?  She¡¯s pretty sharp.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid Scarlet and I aren¡¯t of drinking age, but Bree and Serah are.¡±


    ¡°Would you two like some wine?¡±  She offered to the agents.


    A few people opened the door behind them, getting in line; Bree and Serah gave each other questioning looks, and Rachel understood why.  How do I spin that into the narrative?


    Stepping between them to draw their attention, Rachel giggled softly, causing Harley to turn toward her with curiosity.  ¡°Bree and Serah are still on duty, so I don¡¯t know if they can have a glass.¡±


    The agents did their best to hide their surprise that she¡¯d ousted them with strained smiles.


    Harley¡¯s eyes widened, scanning their attire with confusion.  ¡°Oh ¡­ wait, are they¡ªare you both police officers?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Rachel swiftly replied.  ¡°They¡¯re with the Department of Demi Affairs.¡±


    ¡°Ah, fascinating!¡±  Haley¡¯s brown eyes creased.  ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the new department from the Washington Branch, but not much more than the name has been revealed.  So, they¡¯re here with you since you¡¯re a Mythickin?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°Actually, I think I¡¯ve caused a bit of¡­¡±  She trailed off, glancing at the clusters of people beginning to enter the shop.  ¡°Oh, we should probably take a seat!  Yeah, there¡¯s five of us,¡± she said, addressing the attendant.


    He seemed to have gotten lost in their conversation.  ¡°Y-Yeah, one sec, umm¡ªfor five, there¡¯s a place in the back.  I assume you¡¯d like some privacy?¡±  He asked, brushing back his long blonde bangs as he looked at her.


    By his muscle tension, he was clearly attracted to her, but she was becoming accustomed to the reaction.  It must be caused by my exotic appearance.  How many guys thought I was pretty before I changed and were interested?  Now, it¡¯s easy to identify, but I was so oblivious to it before; I suppose tracking the muscular movement of guys and girls reacting to each other makes it clear people are attracted to dozens of individuals throughout the day and don¡¯t act on the impulse.


    Her wide field of vision caught his name tag the moment they¡¯d entered.  ¡°That¡¯d be great, Tucker,¡± she said with a bright smile.


    He nodded, giving her a clumsy grin before gesturing for them to follow him to a red cushioned leather couch that faced an oval table with three black cushy chairs.  Behind the sofa and to the left were two paints, one of a jungle environment while the second depicted a fox hunt.  ¡°I¡¯ll use all the other tables before any of the ones beside yours; I hope you enjoy your time at the Capital.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so sweet,¡± Rachel replied.  Harley, Bree, and Serah shook their heads with amusement, outside of the boy¡¯s line of sight.  Scarlet was too focused on appearing natural to even notice.


    Rachel kept her pleasant mask in place as she took the red couch, Scarlet sitting beside her.  The agents and news anchor sat in the black leather chairs.


    Tucker handed them each a menu.  ¡°Is this your first time with us?¡±


    Harley shook her head, taking the initiative.  ¡°Ah, no, no, I come here often!  The Capital has the best steaks in the city,¡± she praised, but her smile soon fell as she glanced between Scarlet and her.  ¡°Wait, umm ¡­ am I being inconsiderate?¡±  She chuckled.  ¡°Do you two eat meat?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Rachel replied, setting her bag of clothes beside the couch as Bree, Serah, and Harley dropped their own items by their chairs.  ¡°Scarlet has a very picky diet that would probably not work well here.  She¡¯s also a bit shy,¡± she said with a sly smirk in her direction, making Scarlet blush and drop her blue eyes to her lap.  ¡°She¡¯s adorable, though, right?¡±


    ¡°She is, isn¡¯t she?¡±  Harley giggled, giving Scarlet an encouraging smile.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear; I won¡¯t poke or prod.  I just want to tell your friend¡¯s story, and if you have anything to add, don¡¯t hesitate.¡±


    Now that she¡¯d given Scarlet an out, Rachel shifted the conversation¡¯s direction by turning back to Tucker.  ¡°Alright, for me, water, what about you three?¡±  She asked, glancing between the women across from her.


    ¡°Water,¡± they all responded, and Tucker left with their order.


    Rachel folded her hands in her lap, ears tilting to the left.  ¡°Well, you wanted to know about what happened in the caf¨¦, right?¡±


    Harley chuckled, taking out her phone and placing it on the table.  ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind if I record it, just so I don¡¯t have to take physical notes, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course not; we have nothing to hide,¡± Rachel returned.


    A curious smile touched Harley¡¯s cheeks as she turned on her recording app and sat back, crossing her legs and adjusting her dress.  ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.  Actually, could we first get a base?  Could you state your name and tell me a little about yourself, so I know how you identify?¡±


    Rachel responded without hesitation.  ¡°My name is Rachel, and I changed into a Mythickin Lunar Hare about a week ago, during The Oscillation event.  It was more than a little shocking,¡± she giggled, sitting back in a comfortable posture.


    ¡°How did it feel?¡±  Harley asked.  ¡°I mean, I know it¡¯s described in the name of the event, but I¡¯m just curious about your own perspective about what happened to you.¡±


    Bree and Serah picked up their menus, trying to distance themselves from the conversation, and Scarlet followed their example, holding the booklet up to hide her face.


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°It was terrifying at first.  My entire appearance changed, and I could hear pretty far away.  I sat in the same place, trying to cope with it all for a time, but I slowly grew accustomed to this new body.  You could say adapting is a part of this transformation.¡±


    Harley licked her lips before tilting her head to the side.  ¡°You know, it really is strange.  Why do you think you turned into a Lunar Hare instead of say ¡­ I don¡¯t know, a dog or polar bear, or even one of those ¡­ what¡¯s the word they¡¯re using Abomidablekin?¡±


    ¡°Aberrantkin,¡± Rachel quickly corrected.


    ¡°Right, right,¡± Harley mumbled, shaking her head sheepishly.  ¡°I apologize.  I don¡¯t want to offend anyone.  There¡¯s so much new information coming out that it¡¯s hard to keep my head on straight; this is why I have a team that works with me.¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Rachel said, opening her own menu while keeping it low enough to observe the whole restaurant and read the items on the booklet.  ¡°Why did I change; who can say?  I haven¡¯t found a definitive answer why all of this happened, but it sure caused a panic.¡±


    ¡°Speaking about panic,¡± Harley hummed, pausing as a waitress brought them their waters.  ¡°Ah, we haven¡¯t finished deciding our orders yet, have we?¡±  She asked, glancing at the agents and Rachel.


    ¡°No, but, um ¡­ Bree and I will handle our own cost,¡± Serah stated.


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Harley scoffed.  ¡°I said I¡¯d handle it.  If you insist, then I understand, but I¡¯m considering this an opportunity for me.  Allow me to do something nice for all of you, and it¡¯s Bree¡¯s special day, right?  Give me a chance to show my support; I¡¯m all for a beautiful young woman finding love, and when it¡¯s so hard for law enforcement officers,¡± She soothed.


    Rachel nodded thankfully.  She¡¯s good.  If they keep refusing after that, then they¡¯ll look bad.


    ¡°I ¡­ alright, thank you, Harley,¡± Serah reluctantly said, hiding her discomfort with a smile.


    ¡°Yeah, give us some time,¡± Harley said, and the waitress retreated.  ¡°Now, let¡¯s see ¡­ speaking about panic, can you tell me why you were involved in the South Beach incident?  Were you originally there, to begin with?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t think you were interested in old news,¡± Rachel chuckled as if there wasn¡¯t anything worth hiding.  ¡°What have you heard; I¡¯ve been a little out of touch recently.¡±


    ¡°Mmh, gangs, terrorizing and killing citizens after gaining these powers, but why don¡¯t you tell me about it with your own words.  I¡¯d like to see if what I¡¯ve heard collaborates with what actually happened.¡±


    That¡¯s quite the wording.  It could be painted that she thinks what I have to say will be the definite truth, trying to give me the confidence to speak my mind.


    Rachel pushed her lips to the side, folding her arms while taking a thoughtful breath.  ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know what I can actually say.  The military was involved, and all, and I don¡¯t want to get in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, if that¡¯s the case, then this could be completely off the record!  I can turn off the recorder and not mention your name at all.¡±


    The three other women were listening intently; Rachel could hear the muscles in Bree and Serah¡¯s faces constrict at each point they thought the discussion could turn south.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine,¡± Rachel scoffed, shrugging it off.  ¡°Uh, let¡¯s see.  There was this gang leader named Terrell, and he was a real piece of work.  I heard,¡± she chuckled, pointing at her ears, ¡°that he had connections to the cartels, and his sons, Marcus and Daran, kidnapped my friend¡¯s brother as a hostage.¡±


    ¡°Wait; what?  Hold up,¡± Harley sat closer, brow knitting together.  ¡°Is that why you were there in the first place; one of your friends had their brother kidnapped?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel shook her head, features twisting with disgust.  ¡°It happened right in front of us, too.  They mocked us, and if my friend didn¡¯t show up, we didn¡¯t know what might happen to him.  I mean, these guys could teleport, make shields, and there were so many other horrible things they did that we didn¡¯t know what would have happened to him.¡±


    ¡°Wow ¡­ I haven¡¯t heard anything like this,¡± Harley muttered, pausing for a moment.  ¡°So, why did they kidnap him?  They¡¯d already successfully beat back the Army, and I heard they even stole a tank ¡­ the photos coming out of the damaged building is ¡­ shooting a tank on U.S. soil.  I don¡¯t think that¡¯s ever happened in an American city.¡±


    ¡°I was there when they shot it,¡± Rachel said with a sad sigh.  ¡°We even had to help some of the people that were trapped under the rubble.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was insane!¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s booklet fell a little to show her angry blue eyes.  ¡°They were using kids as human shields, strapped to the tank, and holding guns to their heads ¡­ real kids, like five and seven-year-olds.  It made me sick to my stomach.¡±


    Harley¡¯s bottom lip tucked under as her brown irises swapped to Scarlet.  ¡°Oh, you were there, too?  Wait, was it your brother that was kidnapped?¡±


    Knowing much of the information would come out eventually, Rachel continued to direct the conversation to suit her goals.  ¡°Oh, no, no, it was another friend named Maria.  Scarlet was there to support us; she even volunteered when we said she didn¡¯t have to come.¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to be useful,¡± Scarlet whispered, hidden behind the menu again.


    ¡°It got worse, though,¡± Rachel mumbled, brushing her hair over her left shoulder to pull Harley¡¯s gaze.  ¡°We found out they were killing kids, women¡ªthey¡¯d already murdered a lot of the men, and anyone that resisted.  We¡¯re talking about bodies in the hundreds.¡±


    Harley nodded, arms pressing against her thin stomach; she was clearly disturbed by the event.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ I saw the photos¡ªmilitary trucks carrying out loads of bodies; you¡¯re saying one group did all of that?  There weren¡¯t multiple gangs involved, and Maria ¡­ are you talking about that Unicorn Mythickin that¡¯s been cycling the news stations?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah, and Terrell did it with just a handful of Demi, but there was a SEALs team that helped to suppress and direct everything; they¡¯re the real heroes.¡±


    ¡°I heard about a SEAL team, and there was a lot of law enforcement that kept the citizens calm and safe in several areas, barricading doors.  The amount of volunteer work that¡¯s happening right now is incredible.  Although, how were they stopped?  Was it the military ¡­ because I¡¯ve heard different stories and seen several videos that haven¡¯t even hit social media yet.  I¡¯d also like a bit more information about your Unicorn friend.¡±


    Rachel scratched her temple before shaking her head.  ¡°Oof,¡± her eyes darted to the left, lips tucking in.  ¡°Eh ¡­ no, it was my friends and me that stopped them.  We went there to get back Maria¡¯s brother, but ¡­ things got a little out of hand, and since we were already there, we couldn¡¯t just watch kids be killed.  They had two Legendkin that were pretty strong, and I was even thrown through three buildings by one of them!  It hurt a lot...¡±


    Harley¡¯s mouth opened for a moment, brow furrowing before she leaned forward and snatched her phone up.  ¡°Wait, wait, wait ¡­ three buildings?¡±  Rachel grimaced as she pulled up a few pictures.  ¡°I¡¯ve got a video recording of a group of people in a building that ¡­ according to them, it was like a tank ran right into the place.  Was that you?¡±


    She watched the video, but it was dark, and the audio was just a few teens and elderly men freaking out about the building collapsing.


    Rachel shrugged while watching, and she remembered their voices but she¡¯d been too focused on the fight with Conner to catch this happening.  ¡°I remember hearing those people talking in that building when I was in the area, so it¡¯s probably right.  You¡¯ll have to forgive me; I was pretty rattled.


    ¡°The Legendkin¡¯s name was Conner, and he was basically invulnerable while touching the ground ¡­ let¡¯s just say he was strong enough to throw a shipping container at me.  Oh, and as you can see, toss me through multiple buildings.¡±


    ¡°You killed him, though?¡±  Harley pressed.


    Her ears pulled back slightly as she took a depressed breath.  ¡°I did what I had to do.  My hair actually slipped out of his grip; he was swinging me around before I flew into a car that got carried with me through three buildings.  I stumbled out to the street after that, and he hunted after me, so I defended myself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ incredible,¡± Harley¡¯s lips tucked under as she sat back, placing her phone back on the table.  ¡°After all that abuse, you were still able to not only defend yourself but kill him.  In self-defense,¡± she quickly added.  ¡°Still ¡­ it makes me wonder about your durability and power.  From what you¡¯ve told me, basically, Superman went for your throat, and you took a beating, but still won.  How?¡±


    Rachel let the silence follow, making it look like she was debating how to answer; the restaurant¡¯s soft bustle continued.  ¡°Honestly ¡­ I was lucky and cautious enough to buy time to understand his weakness¡ªwell, and he was incredibly arrogant, like most men, right?¡±  She forced a giggle, playing to the ideology she¡¯d heard from the network.  ¡°How could this thin rabbit-looking beast-girl do anything to a real man?  Maria fixed me up afterward.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Harley¡¯s frown turned into a smirk.  ¡°He was one of those types?¡±


    Rachel ruefully shook her head, using one of many trigger words she¡¯d heard from the media station.  ¡°He had toxic-masculinity patented.¡±


    ¡°Figures, power would go more between his legs than his head,¡± Harley huffed.  ¡°Well, then ¡­ alright, that answers some of my questions about that incident, but what about Maria?  Why was she a target of this cartel affiliate?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s simple,¡± Rachel smirked, tapping the table with her index finger to keep her attention.  ¡°It¡¯s the same reason why the military and everyone else wants a piece of her.¡±


    ¡°Healing?¡±  Harley whispered.


    ¡°Healing.  Terrell had cancer, and Maria could purify it; so, her brother¡¯s safety for healing the bossman.¡±


    Harley popped her tongue a few times.  ¡°It really is incredible ¡­ magical, even.¡±  She hummed, glancing down at the napkin in front of her.  ¡°I saw the video of Maria punching Jackson¡¯s smug face; it was hilarious, and everyone could see what was coming.  Is she really like that every day?¡±


    ¡°A Chola to the bone,¡± Rachel mused.  ¡°She¡¯s actually got a very kind heart, but she¡¯s also got a sharp temper if someone crosses her.¡±


    ¡°I can see that.  I¡¯ve heard that she¡¯s partnering up with a bunch of big tech companies.¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I can¡¯t be much help there; I¡¯ll probably call her to check up on things a bit after we finish.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you my card; if she wants to get on our network, then just call.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to her.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Harley scratched her nose, eyeing her clothes.  ¡°Now, I noticed both you and Scarlet are wearing the same brand.  Is that by choice?¡±


    Glancing down, Rachel plucked at her sports bra.  ¡°Ah, this?  Yeah, actually, we¡¯re sponsored by Tempest.  I believe we¡¯re kind of going viral right now on several platforms,¡± she laughed, combing her fingers through her hair.


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Harley folded her arms, eyes sparkling.  ¡°I¡¯ll have to look you up after this.  So, you stopped terrorists, dropped off the map for a few days, and were with the Army in some undisclosed location, from what some of my sources say, and now, you¡¯ve taken out, by your words, a Demi and human-trafficking group, correct?¡±


    Mmh, that¡¯s sly, burying that in there.


    ¡°I can¡¯t confirm or deny anything with any military stuff; I mean, we kind of did interfere in a government operation, so we needed to be questioned.  There¡¯s also the fact I¡¯m a Mythickin, which means they¡¯re bound to want eyes on me; there¡¯s been more than one Mythickin causing trouble and giving us a bad name.  However, I suppose you could say we stopped the terrorists, racists, misogynists, human-traffickers, and the like, but I don¡¯t want to take away the police and military¡¯s part in it, too.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t want to take away from the brave men and women that defend us,¡± Harley commented.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ okay, tell me about the trafficking incident.¡±  She leaned back in her seat, crossing her legs the opposite way.  ¡°How did you become aware of it?  Was it a military operation?  Police, or¡­¡±  Her head turned to Bree with a small smile.


    However, her smile fell when the waitress returned, bright-eyed, and ready to take their orders.  ¡°Ah, umm, excuse me, but are you ready to order?¡±


    They each took turns ordering.


    Scarlet cleared her throat, giving the waitress a tightlipped grin while hiding her face from Harley.  ¡°Could you give me some time to look.  I probably won¡¯t order anything, but¡ªbut maybe in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Of course!  I¡¯ll get those other orders in,¡± she assured, taking the menus.


    Rachel quickly drew everyone¡¯s attention as the waitress left, bypassing her probe.  ¡°Okay, how did I hear of it?  Well, I have another friend.  I¡¯d rather not mention her name; she doesn¡¯t like the press attention.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Harley nodded, taking a sip of her water.  ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°Well, she said there was this place offering really high paying jobs as maids, but there was a catch.¡±


    ¡°Maids ¡­ you¡¯re serious?  Aren¡¯t you already sponsored by Tempest?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty new,¡± Rachel admitted.  ¡°I don¡¯t know where that might lead since it only happened this week.  So, we went to check out this maid position, and to be honest, it sounded pretty fishy; I mean, they only wanted Beastkin.¡±


    Rachel leaned back, running her hand through her hair.  ¡°Gah ¡­ how do we end up in these messes?  I thought, hey, I¡¯m close enough, we could get in.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°So, Scarlet and I went to check it out, and they brought us into the back to do some paperwork.  That¡¯s when it happened¡­¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I heard everything straight from Cal¨ªstrato Ballesteros¡¯ mouth.  He¡¯s a mid-level gangster, trying to catch the cartels¡¯ eyes, and fill in the space left by Terrell.  The things he did to those Beastkin ¡­ and the human girls weren¡¯t much better off.  I mean, that oily fat body of his all over theirs¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, so ¡­ he didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah.  In his words, to test the merchandise,¡± she mumbled in disgust, and a scowl fell across Bree and Serah¡¯s faces.  ¡°I¡¯m sure the medical reports will confirm it.¡±


    ¡°What a pig ¡­ I, umm ¡­ a police contact of mine said that these men were brutally ¡­ in his words, shattered.  I also heard that it was your doing.¡±


    I see the Lieutenant couldn¡¯t keep his men¡¯s mouths shut.  Well, that¡¯s fine.


    Rachel breathed a long sigh.  ¡°Yeah, things got out of hand really quickly when we were brought back to be drugged, and I had no intention of letting it happen to me.  Would you?¡±


    Harley bit her lower lip, slowly shaking her head.  ¡°No ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Neither would I,¡± Rachel mumbled, looking down at the table as if seeing the events again.  ¡°They opened fire on us when we showed signs of resisting; they had a Scorpion-type of Demi there that would administer poisons to the girls ¡­ so they¡¯d be conscious when they¡ªwhen they assaulted her.  Ballesteros laughed about it in his call; he said, it was easier than ever, and now they didn¡¯t have to pay for all these traceable medical supplies.¡±


    ¡°My god¡­¡±


    ¡°They couldn¡¯t scream or even cry, and they¡¯d tickle the girls to get a smile on their face before paralyzing them in that state.  They wanted them to look a certain way for the task; it was very methodical.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s sick,¡± Bree swallowed, arms tightening under her chest.


    ¡°Once they¡¯d ¡­ tested how they were, the girls would be forced into small, cramped boxes to be shipped out in trucks.  The poison had a time limit; it was calculated how long they¡¯d need to be on the road.  Two girls were already sent to clients; the police are heading to the locations now after finding the client list in his office.


    ¡°When they opened fire, I did my best not to kill them, but I had to defend myself, and I couldn¡¯t in good conscience leave those girls downstairs to be shipped off to that fate ¡­ not after what I¡¯d heard.¡±  She choked, taking a deep breath.


    Harley was fighting tears of her own, empathizing with the girls, and putting herself in their position.  ¡°Yeah,¡± she cleared her throat.  ¡°That¡¯s, umm ¡­ thank you for sharing that.  We need to stop something like this from ever happening again.  How can men do that to women?¡±


    Silence fell, and after several seconds, the news anchor took a few deep breaths, fanning her face.  ¡°Okay, let¡¯s try and move to a more pleasant conversation; I think I have enough, for now, I¡¯d rather learn more about you.  Do you mind giving me your number, just in case I have more questions later?¡±


    ¡°Of course; here, give me your number, and I¡¯ll text you¡­¡±


    They exchanged information and moved on to a lighter discussion; Rachel shifted the conversation to Bree and how the proposal went down, giving as little about herself as possible.  The rest of the dinner was much lighter than she expected, but she¡¯d spun it in an acceptable manner; the horrors of what the men did would be the talking point, not what had been done to them.


    Partway through eating, Rachel cleared her throat, calling the waitress for to-go boxes.  ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Harley, but my parents are probably on their way to meet me somewhere.  I didn¡¯t expect to take this long, and I still need to write the police report.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no problem, no problem,¡± Harley cleaned her lips with a napkin.  ¡°What do you think of this place?¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡±  Rachel responded with a bright smile.  ¡°Although,¡± her smile fell, ¡°I feel a little guilty having a good time while those poor girls have to deal with ¡­ all of that.¡±


    The mood soured, just like she¡¯d planned.


    Harley tucked her lower lip under her teeth before breathing out a frustrated sigh.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ at least justice is being served but at the same time ¡­ nothing could be enough to give back what those men stole from those girls.¡±


    Each of them nodded solemnly, and after a few more parting words, Rachel led Scarlet, Bree, and Serah out, Harley staying behind to pay for the bill.


    It worked out more or less how I hoped.  Now we¡¯ll see how she actually writes it when her head and emotions clear.


    She swiftly wrote a summary of what she¡¯d spun for Harley on the report; Bright and Heather were too busy handling the rescue of the other two girls to bother with them at this point, but Rachel had little doubt they¡¯d try and track her down later for a follow-up.  There would also be an internal investigation done that she doubted she¡¯d be able to dodge.


    Rachel followed Bree and Serah to their vehicle once Scarlet and her had finished, slowly making their way through the crowded streets of Downtown Miami.  They had to refuse comment to a few journalist pleas, but eventually made it out of the throng.


    Once free, Serah gave her a raised eyebrow.  ¡°Was there any lies in that story?¡±


    ¡°None,¡± Rachel replied with an innocent smile.  ¡°It¡¯s not what you say, but how you say it and present the information.¡±


    Bree gave a start, glancing down at her purse.  ¡°Wait, did she leave a recorder or anything in our bags?¡±


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°No, I kept very close track of every motion her body took; she didn¡¯t slip anything anywhere.¡±


    Serah¡¯s smile turned sly.  ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t believe how resourceful and strong that hearing really is.¡±


    Scarlet remained silent, head low as she brought up the rear.  Rachel turned back, lips falling slightly.  ¡°What¡¯s up, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ the emotions,¡± she mumbled, hugging herself as she curled in.  ¡°You weren¡¯t wrong ¡­ those girls won¡¯t be the same.  They lost power ¡­ they felt weak, helpless; they woke up not long ago, and I could feel it.¡±


    Rachel knew what she meant and why she was so upset.


    ¡°Yeah, they won¡¯t do it to anyone ever again, thanks to you two,¡± Serah growled.  ¡°Honestly, they should castrate them, too.¡±


    ¡°If laws were like that,¡± Bree chuckled, ¡°how many incidents do you think we¡¯d have?¡±


    That¡¯s not what she means.  Rachel slowed, putting her arms around Scarlet and pulling her close; she could feel the small ripples her muscles made as she trembled, trying to hide it.  Emotionally, she loves that feeling, mentally, she¡¯s disgusted with herself.  The real question Scarlet has is, how does she deal with this sensation?  She can¡¯t help how she feels.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 38. Coming To Terms

    AuthorSME


    News:  I''m in the process of writing the 2nd draft of TO; I''m trying to do a chapter a day on Monday-Thursday (not ATM days), and Saturday if I can swing it.  Link to them here:


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Explicit)


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Clean)


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park (Our scheming girl has been doing her thing)


    Recap:  Rachel singled out a news anchor (not an actual reporter) to give her leniency and an extra layer of padding to buffer her from the mainstream news media while presenting her twist on the story.  Harley got her number so she could call back and confirm things or get comments before Rachel broke off the interaction.


    The focus should be on the human and demi-traffickers.


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Elsie Nnaji, Lu, Mohammed, GtBasilisk, Bob, Juuso, Aaron, Denis, Talek, Belduim, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel hopped into the back seat of what she assumed was Bree and Serah¡¯s government issued SUV; it was a little amusing that it was the trademark black.  The inside was neat, well-maintained, and had a lemon air freshener that she instantly identified; she set their bags of clothes in the middle seat.  Scarlet went around the opposite side as Bree took the driver¡¯s seat, and Serah sat in the front passenger.


    Closing the door, Rachel fixed her hair and fastened her seat belt before closing her eyes to relax, leaning back against the leather seat.  Scarlet did the same, hands resting in her lap.


    ¡°Well, that was something,¡± Serah groaned, muscles flexing as she stretched.


    Bree didn¡¯t start the car immediately, resting her arms against the steering wheel before letting her forehead fall into them with a soft yawn.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ yeah, I¡¯ve been trying to hold that in; I¡¯m so tired.¡±


    ¡°To be fair,¡± Serah chuckled, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to sleep tonight after the bomb Jonas dropped on you.¡±


    ¡°Neither did I,¡± Bree sighed, smoothing her brown hair to the side before sitting back.  ¡°I was so worked up, but now ¡­ I feel dead inside.¡±


    ¡°Ditto,¡± Serah mumbled before releasing a soft huff and smirking.  ¡°The high-heels don¡¯t help; I don¡¯t wear them often.¡±


    There were soft cracking sounds from the leather as Scarlet leaned right and left, trying to ease her tension.  ¡°You both look pretty, though.  What was your date¡¯s name, Serah?¡±


    Serah pursed her lips, head tilting to the right to stare out of the window.  ¡°Bryan.  He¡¯s a nice guy.  A bit shy, and I don¡¯t think he¡¯s gone on many dates, but hey, neither have I in a while,¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°There was some chemistry,¡± Bree commented, starting the SUV and beginning their drive to the FBI Headquarters.  ¡°He¡¯s not bad looking, either.¡±


    ¡°Details?¡±  Scarlet asked after a short breath and taking on a more positive tone.


    Rachel continued to listen, going over possible scenarios of the coming hours in her mind.  Meeting Ma?lle again could be a challenge, and she wasn¡¯t quite as comfortable with it as she had been with Maria around, added with the fact her family would be there.  Anthony was also on her mind; just the thought of meeting him again sent a swarm of butterflies through her stomach.


    Not only am I going to see Anthony again, after he¡¯s been asking about me, but the family¡¯s going to have their critical eyes on him, and mom¡¯s got a target on his back.


    Then, we have Ma?lle, Kyle, and Scarlet.  It¡¯s not just Ma?lle I need to look out for, Kyle¡¯s largely an unknown, and Scarlet¡¯s smitten by him.  I don¡¯t want to see her hurt and for more than one reason, but she¡¯s also her own woman, and she needs to find herself out of the depression bubble she¡¯s in.


    I can worry about the new Mythickin and Legendkin when they get here ¡­ in fact, I¡¯ll probably be asleep by the time they arrive in the FBI building.  Yeah, that¡¯s a concern for the future.  Right now, I have the report I need to give to David, which would also include the newcomers, I suppose, and my family.


    A lump dropped down her throat as she shifted between scenarios, still keeping her hearing sharp, looking for any hint of a conversation that might interest her.  Bree, Scarlet, and Serah¡¯s discussion turned lighter, and Rachel couldn¡¯t help but passively catch it as she worked on the issues clouding her peace of mind.


    ¡°Bryan?  Umm, let¡¯s see,¡± Serah mumbled.  ¡°He¡¯s not really that tall, only five-nine, and he¡¯s skinny.  He¡¯s got long blonde hair¡­¡±


    ¡°Long?¡±  Scarlet interrupted with a small smile.  ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be into men with long hair.¡±


    ¡°Try every boy she¡¯s ever dated,¡± Bree giggled, taking them to the highway.


    ¡°Hey, now,¡± Serah grunted, shooting Bree a playful glare.  ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Bree smirked, keeping her eyes trained on the road.  ¡°You¡¯d have to go back to your high school days to find a shortcut man you dated, and that¡¯s not fair because I didn¡¯t know you back then.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me sound so old, damn,¡± Serah laughed.  ¡°It wasn¡¯t that long ago,¡± she mumbled, brushing her blonde hair behind her ears.  ¡°There was this one guy named Wesley that had a military-cut that I dated back then; he was on the wrestling team.¡±


    ¡°So, one fish in the barrel of what, eight?¡±


    ¡°Seven, but Bryan¡¯s different from the other guys.  He¡¯s a bit of a nerd, which is different for me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Scarlet hummed.  ¡°What kind of nerd?¡±


    Serah shrugged.  ¡°I haven¡¯t known him for long; Bree¡¯s sister actually set it up.¡±


    ¡°You have a sister?¡±  Scarlet asked in shock.


    Bree lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Yes?  I didn¡¯t think it would be that surprising; I mean, we hang out once every week or two, and catch-up.¡±


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Serah sighed, folding her arms under her chest as she shifted in her chair, adjusting how the seat belt pressed between her breasts.  ¡°He listens to fantasy audiobooks, plays online games, and works with the mentally challenged, helping them develop life skills.¡±


    ¡°Anime?¡±  Scarlet asked with a soft smile.


    ¡°Maybe?  It hasn¡¯t been mentioned in our conversations.¡±


    ¡°What caught your eye about him?¡±  Scarlet pushed, leaning forward a little.  ¡°It seems you¡¯re considering giving him another chance.¡±


    ¡°To be honest,¡± Serah paused.  ¡°Mmh, really, his bright blue eyes,¡± she giggled.  ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such blue eyes on a guy, and he may not be college-educated, but he¡¯s smart.¡±


    ¡°There was a bit of tension there for a second,¡± Bree spilled with a sly grin.


    Scarlet leaned forward.  ¡°Ooh, do tell!¡±


    ¡°Naa,¡± Serah shook her head, ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad.  He just had a few different thoughts about some of the Stargate series than I did, which were actually pretty well thought out.  I kind of agree with him.


    ¡°I really liked the last season of Atlantas, but he made a few good points about why the earlier seasons were so much better.  Plus, the cast was outstanding, but the original cast was better.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re a Sci-Fi fan?¡±  Scarlet asked.


    Serah chuckled.  ¡°Actually, I¡¯m more of a fantasy fan; although, if you ask me, do I like steak or hamburgers, then I¡¯ll say steak, but a good hamburger¡¯s gonna catch my eye.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s face went blank.  ¡°Huh?¡±


    Bree giggled.  ¡°She¡¯s saying she likes fantasy more, but a good Sci-Fi gets her.¡±


    The conversation continued to progress with Scarlet, Bree, and Serah, lowering their tension as Rachel stewed on the discussions to come with David.


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched, brushing against the ceiling as she shifted them to the left; she¡¯d just heard her mother¡¯s voice two miles away.  Her focus moved to her parents¡¯ car before doing a quick sweep of the area.  There were a few angry drivers on the road, but there didn¡¯t seem to be any threats, and she returned her attention to her mother¡¯s words.


    ¡°This is so exciting!¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Nam groaned; he sounded tired.  ¡°We need to respect Sung¡¯s private life.¡±


    ¡°I have a right to butt in a little,¡± Molly huffed.  ¡°I¡¯m not talking about following her around with a camera; I just want to meet the guy she¡¯s interested in.  She¡¯s told me stuff, too.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± her father interjected but didn¡¯t elaborate.


    ¡°Okay, maybe I kind of pushed for it,¡± Molly mumbled, ¡°but she still told me!  Scarlet made him sound like a dream.¡±


    Rachel opened her eyes, shooting a soft glare at Scarlet, but she didn¡¯t seem to notice as she leaned forward, wrapped up in Serah¡¯s discussion about the connecting interests Bryan and she shared.  Just what did you tell her?


    Alexa asked her question.  ¡°What did she say?¡±


    ¡°Alexa,¡± Nam groaned.  ¡°Don¡¯t encourage her¡­¡±


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m interested, too,¡± Alexa said with a defensive chuckle.  ¡°I just have no clue what kind of men would attract your sister.  To be honest, I thought she loved that gym more than any guy; not that there¡¯s anything wrong with that¡ªI, umm, just didn¡¯t see her falling for anyone ¡­ well, no, I did kind of have this dream one time that she met a guy in the gym.¡±


    ¡°Wait; really?¡±  Molly asked, pushing her seat belt forward to look back at her.  ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how many guys I¡¯ve seen her having dates with, in my dreams, that is!¡±


    She could imagine the looks on her father and brother¡¯s faces reflected her own.  Mom¡¯s been dreaming about me going on dates.  I guess that connects back to her romance novels; she¡¯s secretly wanted me to bring home a boy for years ¡­ it¡¯s strange hearing things I normally won¡¯t, and they probably wouldn¡¯t say all of this when I¡¯m around.


    ¡°It was just once,¡± Alexa said with a short laugh.  ¡°I thought it was odd; Sung didn¡¯t really like me that much, and I can¡¯t blame her.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Nam soothed, ¡°you both were just learning to live together.¡±


    ¡°Not well,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°That¡¯s in the past, though,¡± Molly encouraged.  ¡°Sung¡¯s tempered out a lot since she changed.  I was shocked; she actually sat down and listened to me about some of my romance manhwas, which never happened before.  I think Scarlet¡¯s had a big influence on her.¡±


    Alexa¡¯s tone brightened.  ¡°I like Scarlet a lot!  She has so many interests that I like, too, and she¡¯s socially awkward, just like me.¡±


    ¡°I completely agree,¡± Molly chimed.  ¡°Scarlet reads some of the romances I read, too.  She¡¯s such a polite and helpful girl; I¡¯m so glad Sung found a friend.¡±


    Her dad released a low hum.  ¡°I must say, I was a little reserved when I found out she was a Vampire.¡±


    ¡°I get that,¡± Nam returned.  ¡°Recent stereotype aside, you just can¡¯t get away from the historical image, but she¡¯s got that air about her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s got what?¡±  Both Alexa and Molly asked.


    ¡°I get that, too,¡± Sam chuckled.  ¡°The more I hear Molly talk about all the things they did together, the more it grows.¡±


    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡±  Her mother asked, sounding slightly frustrated she didn¡¯t follow.


    ¡°Scarlet has that air about her,¡± Nam repeated in a shrugging ton.  ¡°It¡¯s that feeling when you see a girl, and you feel like she should be protected.  There¡¯s just something about her that says she¡¯s had it rough.¡±


    ¡°More than a little,¡± Sam muttered.


    ¡°So ¡­ the male protective instinct?¡±  Molly questioned.


    ¡°You could say that,¡± Sam replied with a neutral tone.  ¡°She¡¯s just becoming more of a part of the family, which I¡¯m a little surprised about.  I can almost see why Sung changed so much after meeting Scarlet, yet I¡¯m a little shocked she focused on the girl in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Eh, alright, I don¡¯t like to think about it like that,¡± Molly muttered, ¡°but you¡¯re not wrong.  Sung never had a lot of pity for people who didn¡¯t have self-confidence; she was always so driven, but she did make time for Nam.¡±  Rachel felt a little guilty to sense a bit of hurt in her mother¡¯s voice, knowing she didn¡¯t want to feel that way.


    I felt like I had to achieve something to spend time with them ¡­ obviously, that was one sided.  How could I have been so blind?  I had to push harder than Nam to deserve time with them.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±


    Her solemn frown turned into a smile as her eyes shifted to Scarlet.  ¡°Mmh?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so sad?¡±


    Bree and Serah fell silent, turning their focus to the road.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Rachel protested.


    Scarlet¡¯s frown deepened.  ¡°You don¡¯t want to tell me?  Is it about me?  Is someone saying bad things about the Miami Vampire that drained someone¡¯s blood?¡±  Ah, she thinks I¡¯m listening to the police talk about her.


    Reaching up to scratch her neck, Rachel released a soft sigh.  ¡°No, nothing like that.  I¡¯m just listening to my family; they¡¯re behind us still.  They¡¯ll probably arrive at the building after we get there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what did they say that made you so sad?¡±


    She gave Scarlet an amused smirk.  ¡°No, they love you.  You¡¯re a little innocent Bambie that can do no wrong.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s cheeks reddened as her focus dropped to her lap.  ¡°They¡¯re too nice, but¡ªwhy are you sad, then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me ¡­ actually me,¡± she muttered while leaning back to stare at her ears, folding them over to bounce up and down.  ¡°I wasn¡¯t the best daughter, and I¡¯m just coming to terms with it ¡­ in fact, I¡¯m still not that great.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Scarlet asked; her brow furrowed, bright blue eyes settling on her with worry.  ¡°Your family loves you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just it ¡­ they love me.  I don¡¯t have to work to make them feel that way, but that¡¯s what I thought.  I was delusional, and put expectations on myself that no one had.¡±  A sad chuckle shook her stomach, and she sucked on her lower lip for a moment.  ¡°I thought my mom and dad wanted a lawyer in the family, to be proud of my accomplishments, but honestly, my mom was probably just respecting my obsessive drive to be better than Nam.¡±


    ¡°Woah,¡± Serah muttered.  ¡°Sorry, but that sounds pretty intense.¡±


    ¡°Not only that,¡± Rachel whispered, slouching slightly while resting her hands across her belly as her stomach acted up; it felt surprisingly good to voice it aloud, and somewhat liberating.


    ¡°I was pretty aggressive, too, which pushed away my extended family, but I never thought of myself as violent.  Reflecting on it now, yeah, you could say I was a more ¡­ traditionally educated version of Maria¡ªwithout the warm heart.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t put yourself down like that,¡± Scarlet huffed.  ¡°I didn¡¯t know you before, so it¡¯s not like I can even have an opinion, but you¡¯re super caring now.¡±


    ¡°Am I violent?¡±  Rachel said, low enough where only Scarlet could hear.


    Scarlet¡¯s mouth became a line before her fangs poked out, pressing against her lips.  ¡°Mmh, situationally, maybe, but the level of control you have is insane ¡­ outside of being controlled.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed, stomach tightening as she recalled Relica¡¯s Provoke spell.  ¡°That¡¯s an entire issue in itself,¡± she growled, returning to normal volume.  ¡°I need a way to prevent being controlled by Kyle, Ma?lle, Relica, or anyone else.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the question,¡± Bree sighed.  ¡°I¡¯m right there with you, but we common folk don¡¯t have much of a chance.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s everyone being total downers on themselves?¡±  Scarlet sniffed, and she folded her arms as Rachel gave her a lifted eyebrow.  ¡°Yeah, I have enough self-pity for all of us!  Bree¡¯s got a hot, magical cooking fianc¨¦, Serah¡¯s entering the dating game, and found a good guy, rare I¡¯m told,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t knock all guys,¡± Serah scoffed.  ¡°Tch, most of the issue is the women; let¡¯s face it, guys trip on their face when a pretty face pays attention to them; they can¡¯t help it.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s knockin¡¯ guys, now?¡±  Bree chuckled.


    Serah shrugged.  ¡°Hey, I call it how I see it.¡±


    Bree hummed softly.  ¡°Also, I wouldn¡¯t exactly call Jonas hot, either.¡±


    ¡°Oof,¡± Scarlet winced.  ¡°Don¡¯t let him hear that.¡±


    ¡°I mean, he doesn¡¯t need to be hot for me to love him,¡± Bree replied.  ¡°He¡¯s not unattractive, but if we¡¯re going by looks alone, then absolutely not!  He¡¯s not a Jonas brother, for sure, but he¡¯s got more than enough to make up for that.  No guy is perfect, but he¡¯s perfect for me.¡±


    ¡°Tch, look at his girl?¡±  Serah teased, softly slapping her shoulder.


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes sparkled.  ¡°Aww.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m drivin¡¯ here,¡± Bree protested with a smile.


    Scarlet turned her focus back to Rachel.  ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯ve escaped!¡±


    Rachel smirked, lifting her hands in self-defense.  ¡°Never dreamed I could escape you.¡±


    Her black lips lifted into a warm smile, tone lightening.  ¡°I don¡¯t have to be fake around you ¡­ you¡¯re like the sister I never had.  I don¡¯t care what you were like before The Oscillation; I only care about the Lunar Hare sitting beside me.¡±


    Rachel scratched her cheek, breathing out a long sigh to relieve some of the stress slowly built in her chest.  ¡°Thanks, Scarlet ¡­ it¡¯s strange, the things that can get to me now.  Normally, I wouldn¡¯t have focused on something like this at all, but there are so many changes I¡¯ve gone through that I know I¡¯m not the same daughter my mother remembers, yet ¡­ I know I¡¯ll more than likely hurt her worse like this.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    Licking her lips, Rachel turned away from Scarlet, folding her arms under her chest as some of the internal stress returned.  ¡°You saw the way my mom reacted when we got back ¡­ there¡¯s no way she¡¯ll be okay with what we have planned.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes fell, working through her statement.  ¡°Wait ¡­ oh, you¡¯re right.  You haven¡¯t told her yet?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re under contract,¡± Rachel mumbled.


    ¡°The military?¡±  Serah asked.  ¡°I guess they have you doing dangerous stuff?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Rachel replied.  ¡°We can¡¯t talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Bree took a long breath.  ¡°The thing that four-star general came to get you for; man, I won¡¯t lie ¡­ it¡¯s sketchy as hell.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll come out soon enough.  Anyways, there¡¯s not really an answer, Scarlet.  I just need to pick a time and place to tell her when it¡¯s revealed ¡­ no, that¡¯ll be worse,¡± she groaned, running her hands through her hair.  ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Tom about it.  Don¡¯t worry about me, Scarlet.  I¡¯ll tell my family when it¡¯s the right time.¡±


    ¡°If you say so,¡± Scarlet mumbled, now seemingly depressed herself.


    Rachel¡¯s cheeks bunched to the side as she looked out of the tinted window to her left.  ¡°I probably shouldn¡¯t have even told you, Scarlet.¡±


    Scarlet rubbed her right arm.  ¡°I want to help carry your troubles, too; it¡¯s not fair ¡­ you deal with everything...¡±


    Stretching out, Rachel rolled her neck around.  ¡°That¡¯s not true.  You do help me; don¡¯t sell yourself short.  Anyways, let¡¯s talk about something else ¡­ let¡¯s see, how about Kyle?¡±


    ¡°Now, that¡¯s not fair!¡±  Scarlet said, hugging her stomach.  ¡°I¡¯m pretty nervous, to be honest.¡±


    Rachel distracted Scarlet by shifting the topics until she finally somehow got her stuck on her grandfather¡¯s breathing techniques.  The slight tension that had built slowly dispersed as they went on, but the somber thoughts continuing to play in the back of Rachel¡¯s mind did little to help her internal anxiety.


    When Scarlet settled down, Rachel returned her thoughts to the control issue, making up her mind, and asking The System for an answer.  I want some form of ability that gives me Mental Resistance.  She breathed a soft sigh of relief as a skill came.


    Chandra¡¯s  Minor Fortitude: Reactive, Magical Type, Lunar, Level Two, Novice, Rank Zero; if a Mental-Type Status Effect attempts to affect me, this will activate, increasing my Mental Resistance by double.  If I am a higher General-Level than the individual, then my resistance will be high, while if I am a lower level, then it won¡¯t be that effective.


    Although, it uses my Lunar Energy, which lowers my overall fighting ability if not under the moon.  If this activates, I need to finish the fight as fast as possible before I weaken too much, but it¡¯s the same for Wenet¡¯s Minor Protection.  At least it¡¯s Reactive, so I¡¯ll know if I¡¯m being attacked.


    Her mind eased a little, knowing she wasn¡¯t defenseless anymore.  They finally made it to the FBI building around three A.M., and Rachel took a deep breath, pressing her palms against her fingers as everyone exited the vehicle.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Bree yawned, smacking her lips before rubbing her eyes.  ¡°We¡¯ll trade-off with some onsite personnel, and head off to get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Rachel replied as Scarlet and Serah walked around the SUV to join them.


    Scarlet hopped forward a few steps with a hopeful tone.  ¡°By the way, think we can get an invitation to your wedding?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no problem,¡± Bree smiled, but her cheer soon faded.  ¡°Who knows what might happen, though; we¡¯ll just take it one week at a time.¡±


    Serah brushed back her blonde hair, glancing around the nearly empty parking garage.  ¡°Seriously.¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± everyone turned to Scarlet as she shifted nervously, ¡°can I get a second with Rachel?¡±


    Both Bree and Serah shrugged, ¡°Sure,¡± glancing at each other before walking toward the center doors.


    Rachel¡¯s cheeks bunched to the side with curiosity.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I, umm,¡± Scarlet swallowed a mouthful of blood, ¡°noticed that painting¡ªthe one in your parents¡¯ study, and ¡­ is it alright to ask about it?  I don¡¯t want to overstep my boundaries, but ¡­ I¡¯m just curious if you have another sister.  You haven¡¯t mentioned anyone else, so I was a little confused when I saw it.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Rachel sucked in her lower lip, vision falling to the pavement as her ears twitched a little before pulling back slightly.  ¡°That¡¯s¡ªmy cousin,¡± she rubbed her neck, stomach tightening as her mind seemed to screech to a halt.  ¡°She died when I was still young.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fingers tightened behind her back.  ¡°Oh, umm¡ªyou don¡¯t have to tell me.  I didn¡¯t know ¡­ no, forget it.¡±  She said with a forced laugh.  ¡°Sorry for even bringing it up.¡±


    Rachel closed her eyes, old emotions swirling up as she took a long breath.  Why didn¡¯t I even think about her wondering about the painting?  I mentioned she¡¯s like a little sister to me, and then she sees that ¡­ who wouldn¡¯t wonder if they¡¯re just a replacement or something?


    Vision opening, Rachel pushed her hand through her hair to pull any stray locks back.  ¡°My family doesn¡¯t talk about it much; it kind of hurts.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, you don¡¯t have to say anything,¡± Scarlet jumped in, walking a few steps toward Bree and Serah, waiting by the doors further down the garage.


    Rachel slowly shook her head.  ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±  Scratching her nose, she swallowed.  ¡°Umm¡ªso, when I was nine, we were really close¡ªshe was my Bear Beastkin cousin¡¯s older sister, and she¡¯d come over all the time.  My uncle and aunt used to live in Miami, but they moved away shortly after the incident.


    ¡°My dad went on a business trip to Europe, and my mother convinced both my uncle and my dad to allow her to come with us.  It was fun, and my dad had that painting done while we were there.  When we got back, my aunt arrived to pick her up, and we went on a drive to get some food¡ªwe had her over for dinner.


    ¡°On the way to the restaurant, we were hit by a drunk driver¡ªI was fine, everyone was¡ªexcept for Seo; she died on impact.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes were wide with horror; hands pressed to her mouth as she felt Rachel¡¯s emotions.  ¡°That¡¯s horrible¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mind returned to the scene, remembering her cousin¡¯s body, broken and bloody.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ well, my mom blamed herself for it, which we all know isn¡¯t fair, but¡ªyeah, it is what it is.  So, we don¡¯t talk about it, but we keep the painting up as a reminder of her.¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath before putting on a fake smile.  ¡°Anyways, yeah, that¡¯s my cousin Seo.  Anything else you want to know?¡±


    Scarlet quickly shook her head.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I didn¡¯t want to drudge up bad memories.¡±


    Rachel shook her head, thinking back on her cousin.  ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.  Seo and I had a lot of fun when we were little; she was the same age as me, two months younger.  It was a massive blow to my aunt and uncle, and after a few months, they sold their house; there were just too many reminders of her there.¡±


    The silence stretched for several seconds, both Scarlet and Rachel not knowing exactly how to continue the conversation.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡±  Serah called out, causing a soft echo in the concrete space.


    ¡°Ah, let¡¯s go,¡± Rachel prompted, giving Scarlet an encouraging smile.  ¡°You can go find Kyle while I talk to David; I¡¯m sure it will be a bit of a tense conversation.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s downcast eyes didn¡¯t lift.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ thanks for always being so nice to me.  I mess up a lot¡ªI¡¯m just a big¡­¡±


    Rachel stepped forward and hugged her, feeling Scarlet¡¯s long left ear brush against her chin.  ¡°Hey, we¡¯re good, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Letting her go, Rachel took her hand and pulled her toward the building.  ¡°If I¡¯m going to get finished before my family gets here, then I need to hurry.¡±


    She led Scarlet back toward a confused Serah and Bree; they entered the building, and swapped shifts, letting the two exhausted women return home for some much-needed R and R.  The FBI agents that accompanied them were more of the silent type, and Rachel took the front with Scarlet bringing up the rear.


    Kyle¡¯s not here, but Ma?lle¡¯s heading right for us ¡­ does she have some kind of sensing ability?  I wouldn¡¯t put it past her to have a Scarlet detector.  Anthony¡¯s sleeping, thankfully.


    ¡°Scarlet, Ma?lle¡¯s coming.¡±


    She gave a start, pulling out of her thoughts.  ¡°Wait; what?  How ¡­ what should we do?¡±  She asked, jogging up to her.


    Rachel¡¯s lips tightened as she shook her head.  ¡°Can¡¯t say; who knows what she wants.¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s exotic and stunning body stood out like a white sheep among black as she strolled down the hallway toward them with a bright smile; an Asian female DDS agent was with her, looking somewhat exhausted.


    ¡°Mes amis!¡±  She called out in her French accent, waving her hand as her thick pink hair bobbed between her ram¡¯s horns, looking more natural than any other color would on the woman.  ¡°How was your trip with the military?  Fun, I hope!¡±


    Rachel added a fake smile as she closed the distance to give them each a la bise; Scarlet¡¯s cheeks reddened a touch before she quickly retreated a few steps.


    ¡°It was fun,¡± Rachel replied with cheer.  ¡°How have you been, Ma?lle?¡±


    The Succubus¡¯ barbed tail twirled to the left side, gem-like spike glistening with the same effect as her horns as she held her hands behind her back, giving them a toothy grin.  ¡°Oh, it hasn¡¯t been dull; there¡¯s plenty of good people to tease, and we¡¯ve been going out into town recently.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re letting out you¡ªehm ¡­ letting you out?¡±  Scarlet corrected, sucking in her lips to pick at the top layer of skin out of frustration.


    Ma?lle eyes shifted to Scarlet with a wink; the white was replaced by black and gradient pink pupils and irises, darker on the outside and lighter on the inside.  Rachel could hear their guards completely under her show; every twist of her tail, a shrug of her shoulder, and a flick of her wrist or sensual facial expression had their full attention.


    ¡°Oh, ch¨¦rie, they can¡¯t legally keep us cooped up without an explicit case!¡±  Her large glowing eyes popped.  ¡°Oh, I have an amazing idea, mes amis, we should party; we¡¯ll go dancing at the nearby club.¡±  She turned to her escort before they could respond.  ¡°That¡¯s where we were heading, weren¡¯t we, Saeki?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we were¡­¡±  She responded with a forced smile.


    Scarlet licked her black lips.  ¡°Where¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Kyle?¡±  Ma?lle finished with a devilish gleam.  ¡°He went out to stroll the town a little over an hour ago.  It¡¯s the perfect time for a good lunch!  He promised to meet up with me after.¡±


    Ah ¡­ it¡¯s feeding time for her; a club isn¡¯t a bad place to find sexual tension.  Oof ¡­ that¡¯s a hard choice for Scarlet.  Can she actually say no?


    Rachel turned her fake smile to the Vespertine Reaper.  ¡°What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±  Scarlet asked, eyes widening as she glanced between the agents, Rachel, and Ma?lle.  ¡°I mean, umm ¡­ Kyle¡¯s going to come later?¡±  She tentatively asked.


    Oh, no ¡­ she¡¯s even willing to hang out with Ma?lle to see him; well, see him in a club setting is a bit differently than just seeing him.  Is she having fantasies about dancing with the Incubus?  Who can say with her mind when it¡¯s thinking about something like this.


    Trying to backtrack, Rachel hummed doubtfully.  ¡°Wait ¡­ Scarlet¡¯s not twenty-one, and I need to go meet with David to deliver a report.¡±


    Ma?lle waved her hand.  ¡°Pas un obstacle; no, mes amis, we are on that free game, all hour access!  It shouldn¡¯t be a problem as long as we have our good escort making sure you don¡¯t order any drinks, right?¡±


    Saeki looked against it, but Ma?lle steamrolled over any response.  ¡°Of course, it¡¯s fine!  We all need a little love, and I¡¯m basically a city local, now, I know where everything is.  Well?  You¡¯re coming, right?¡±  She asked, stepping forward with a hopeful grin parting her glossy pink full lips.


    ¡°I ¡­ guess¡­¡±  Scarlet mumbled, light blue eyes looking at Rachel with trepidation.  ¡°I mean, you¡¯ll come when you¡¯re done, right, Rachel?¡±  She pleaded.


    Oh my ¡­ she really cannot say no!  Although, it would be interesting to see Ma?lle in her element, and my ability hasn¡¯t popped, so she¡¯s not trying to charm us ¡­ if she even can charm females.  I guess there¡¯s a first for everything; my first night in a club could be fun.  It will also keep her away from meeting my family, at least for a bit.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ yeah, why not?  I¡¯ll join you two after meeting David and a few other things.¡±


    ¡°Other things ¡­ oh,¡± a thoughtful twist touched her lips.  ¡°While you¡¯re doing that, why don¡¯t I go get Anthony?  He¡¯s been asking around about you, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be thrilled to find his li¨¨vre ch¨¦ri returned;  Parfaite, I¡¯ll go get our dashing h¨¦ros aux cheveux flamboyants, and we can party!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s stomach fluttered; she hadn¡¯t expected this turn of events in all her calculations.  It¡¯s not a thoughtless plan ¡­ he has been asking about me, so she¡¯s got some justification, but she must know what she¡¯s doing.  Yeah, she¡¯s a Succubus; she knows exactly what she¡¯s doing.  Logically, he¡¯d need to adjust his schedule to be awake during the same time as me, too, and if I protest, then I¡¯ll look weak ¡­ damn.


    ¡°If he wants to join us, then I have no objections.¡±


    ¡°Merveilleuse!  I¡¯ll take our darling Scarlet with me while you get everything sorted out, and I¡¯m positive those long fluffy ears can track us down.  I¡¯m told you¡¯re extremely fast on your feet, too!¡±


    Of course, she heard about my fight with Anthony, and probably not from him.


    Ma?lle darted around her, latching onto Scarlet¡¯s arm before tugging her back the way she¡¯d come.  ¡°We¡¯re going to have so much fun!¡±


    Rachel watched the male DDA agents hesitate before Saeki waved for them to stay back, giving them a somber sigh.  Scarlet turned her head, blue eyes pleading for help as Ma?lle guided her away with a flurry of statements about Kyle.


    Ma?lle is a whirlwind ¡­ she definitely earns her name as a Succubus in being able to take control of a situation, but how well that translates to combat ¡­ maybe we¡¯ll see with the Cuba mission.  I get the feeling she¡¯ll have no issues with joining us, but the real question is, can I trust her?


    A lump dropped down her throat as she continued toward David¡¯s office, agents following her.  Ma?lle¡¯s barbed tail disappeared down the next hall junction.


    Time will tell, but she¡¯s a Manipulation-type Mythickin ¡­ probably even more specialized in that field than Relica.  I don¡¯t know if I could ever really see what¡¯s being planned inside that brain of hers, and there lies the issue; Scarlet, Maria, and Fiona are nothing like her.  She¡¯s a wildcard.


    AuthorSME


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    5 Chapters ahead in A Tail''s Misfortune.


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 B3 — 39. A Stressful Position

    AuthorSME


    News:  I''m in the process of writing the 2nd draft of TO; I''m trying to do a chapter a day on Monday-Thursday (not ATM days), and Saturday if I can swing it.  Link to them here:


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Explicit)


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Clean)


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park (Our scheming girl has been doing her thing but has someone challenged her at her own game?!)


    Recap:  Rachel called her parents, and the outcome was ... a bit tenser than Rachel would have liked.  Her mother had gotten very protective of her since the week of lockdown under Martial Law when she didn''t know if her daughter was dead or alive, bringing back the trauma of her little niece that died in her car.


    They talked a bit about guys and Bree''s proposal, and Scarlet made it clear that Rachel was the best thing that happened to her; she''s like the big sister she never had that''s always looking out for her.


    Things are looking up between our Reaper and Hare!


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Lars Sprenger, Jesse Birmingham, Pltergeist, Gabbeldor, Titanprim99, Walden Tolbert, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel stepped into David¡¯s temporary office; the DDA would be getting their own building based in Miami soon enough, which David would be operating from, covering the southeastern part of the United States.


    She quickly took in the room, already aware that David¡¯s secretary had returned home for the night.  His door was left open, welcoming her inside; she entered without hesitation, and her guards followed, stopping at the entrance.


    David was leaning back in his chair, eyes closed with his hands across his lap.  Hearing her walk in, he released a controlled breath of air before opening his brown eyes to address her.  ¡°Rachel, I suppose you heard my call with Florida¡¯s Law Enforcement Commissioner, Brady Golicer?¡±


    ¡°No, actually,¡± Rachel replied, taking a seat in front of David¡¯s desk.  ¡°I¡¯ve been a bit busy focusing on other things.¡±


    ¡°Hmh,¡± David¡¯s focus moved to his agents.  ¡°You two can step back into the waiting room.¡±


    They both nodded before retreating, shutting the door behind them.


    ¡°Alright, then,¡± David yawned, working around his jaw while blinking his eyes.  ¡°He¡¯s trying to coordinate with us about this terrorist incident, and he had some questions about you.  I told him I¡¯d get in touch after speaking with you; he needs to prepare a public statement, and Assistant Director Kelley and I need to consult about our own public response.  So, lay it out for me.¡±  He groaned, running his hands through his black hair.


    Rachel kept her cool demeanor, but she heard her parents arriving near the building¡¯s front, and Ma?lle was dragging Scarlet down a hall to wake up Anthony.


    ¡°First, you talked to Tom about my parents?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they can take over one of the spare offices we have for a few days if needed.  General Dallas also stated the possibility of it becoming a National Security issue for the Pentagon to handle, foreign affairs, not internal.  I know enough from Bree¡¯s report.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, and I¡¯ll get to that.¡±  Rachel paused, collecting her thoughts.  ¡°I suppose the best place to start would be the call I received from a friend.  She was in a little money trouble and ended up in the crosshairs of a gangster while looking for work, or at least that¡¯s what we knew at the time.  I told her to find Maria¡¯s friends and that they¡¯d keep her safe¡ªit was daylight at the time.


    ¡°I thought it was relatively small-time stuff, and nothing like Terrell¡¯s group; to be fair, they weren¡¯t anything close to that operation.  My friend made it to safety, and when night came, we went to check it out.¡±


    David didn¡¯t interrupt, features neutral as he listened, and Rachel wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of his sleep loss, but he was surprisingly hard to read.  She explained when she thought she¡¯d been manipulated, what had happened in the caf¨¦, and the events leading up to standing in front of him, including the exchange with Relica.


    When she finished, David closed his eyes, resting comfortably in his chair as he thought; through his muscle movements, he was more thoughtful than angry.  After less than a minute of silence, his vision opened.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ so, you didn¡¯t mention anything to that News Anchor about the FBI being involved in the operation or add it to the police report?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± she confirmed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no record of us being involved with the case other than my call to the police captain, and that was only a statement that you contacted me for a special assignment.  By all intents and purposes, it looks like you just stumbled on the scene like you said.¡±


    Rachel folded her arms under her chest, and crossed her legs.  ¡°I do expect there to be an internal investigation involving the methods I used, and I have the number of that News Anchor; I could slip her more information about Relica, which would give me cover with my actions.  I¡¯m sure she¡¯s already heard the news of Relica and our encounter.¡±


    David nodded, glaring down at his table.  ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to check on the condition those men are in, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not pretty by the way you explained it.  There could be backlash thrown your way, but you¡¯re confident that women will spin it in a positive light?¡±


    ¡°For ratings?  Absolutely,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Everyone loves a good just desserts rage-bait article.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the network,¡± David mumbled.  ¡°I don¡¯t watch it myself ¡­ too biased, but they do have a decent audience.  They do make up a lot of things, retracting them later to not deal with the legal fallout on their site, where people rarely look, perpetuating the false narrative on their show.  Yeah ¡­ it¡¯s not a bad person to have in your corner, and there are a few news stations that piggyback off some of their content.  The real issue I¡¯m seeing is the cause, though¡­¡±


    Rachel cleared her throat, jumping into the conversation.  ¡°I¡¯ve handled it.¡±


    ¡°Handled it, how?¡±  David asked, picking between his teeth as his eyes narrowed.


    ¡°I now have a reactive ability that will make me resistant to mental effects.¡±


    David released a low growl.  ¡°If only it were that easy for everyone.  Okay,¡± he scratched behind his ear, yawning again.  ¡°So, you¡¯ll handle the incident without getting the DDA or FBI involved?¡±


    An innocent smile touched Rachel¡¯s lips.  ¡°No problem.  I got into the mess, and I can fight my way out.  I¡¯ll just make it seem as if Bree and Serah were there to escort me.  When they wake up, I¡¯ll warn them about people looking for their testimony.  They don¡¯t need to lie, either; they were there to escort me back to the FBI headquarters.  By the way, I heard our Psyche evaluation will be coming up soon.¡±


    ¡°General Dallas?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and he told me about the new Mythickin and Legendkin on their way; they should arrive in the next several hours, right?¡±


    David groaned a long sigh while resting his head against the back of his chair.  ¡°General Dallas has grown pretty fond of you, it seems.  Whatever you did for him must have been big.¡±


    ¡°It was an experience,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°He wants me to try and recruit them to join my group as Military Contractors.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªalright, then.  All I can say at this time is that they¡¯ll be here a little past noon, long after you¡¯ve fallen asleep, I assume.¡±


    Rachel sighed.  ¡°Sadly, true.  Tom told me a bit about why they¡¯re being transported from the West Coast to the East, but nothing detailed¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not any of my concern, right now,¡± David interjected, rubbing his left temple.  ¡°Back to the matter at hand; you thought you¡¯d scare some gangsters to stop them from pestering your friend, and found out they were bigger fish than you thought, hooked up with the police, and played your way inside to make a move to save the girls.¡±


    He shifted his weight, leaning against his chair¡¯s left arm while resting his head against his fingers.  ¡°Sometime before you entered, Relica used this Provoke spell to make you more violent, and you tore through the human and Demi traffickers.  Pondered why the heat in your chest wasn¡¯t going away, and after a bit of guesswork, found out you were not yourself, then discovered Relica.  Sound correct?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t really call them big fish at all, but in general, yes, that¡¯s correct,¡± Rachel replied, ears twitching as her parents entered the building.


    Their voices filled with mild interest as they talked about the aesthetic of the place, escorted by the MPs that were to stay with them until she got there.


    Anthony was quickly getting ready, already awoken by a hyper-active Ma?lle, leading an embarrassed Scarlet along with light conversation.  The Succubus¡¯ DDA escort, Saeki, leaned against the wall, seemingly exhausted trying to keep up with the woman.


    Could Ma?lle be doing something that¡¯s draining her physical stamina, or is she just naturally tired?  If only Maria were here ¡­ I need to call her.


    David nodded, focus moving to a stack of folders that were neatly stacked on his desk; there was a closed tablet PC beside the files.  He sniffed loudly before returning eye-contact.  ¡°You confronted Relica, and then she told you about the Cuban incident ¡­ I don¡¯t like something so chaotic happening just ninety miles off our shores, and we have a lot of Cuban immigrants that still have family over there.  It¡¯s bound to cause an uproar once it¡¯s discovered.¡±


    ¡°Tom¡¯s on it,¡± Rachel reassured.


    ¡°Right¡­¡±  David popped his tongue a few times.  ¡°So, tell me what you think the best option is to stop all this manipulation magic that¡¯s going around?  To be honest, I¡¯m way out of my depth.¡±   He breathed through his teeth.  ¡°I¡¯m getting a lot of questions from a lot of people ¡­ not all government.


    ¡°How do we protect our citizens?  People throwing fireballs, we know how to respond to that, but mind games,¡± his tongue pressed against his lips while shaking his head, ¡°yeah, it¡¯s new territory.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s glowing red irises fell to her lap, and she responded carefully.  ¡°I won¡¯t say I haven¡¯t given it some thought, and I can only imagine how people feel, hearing about the Seattle incident, knowing they might be turned into mindless slaves to harm people¡ªmaybe their families.


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t see any good solutions.  The government can employ all detection-type Demi, which could provide a monitoring system, but a preventative system ¡­ I have no clue.  Not every Demi is so noticeable.  Beastkin, Faekin, Aberrantkin, Mythic, and maybe even some Legendkin can be quickly spotted, but it¡¯s the Champion-type of Demi that will likely be the most dangerous.


    ¡°They look no different than humans, making it impossible to catalog them properly if they go under the radar, and how would anyone know if they¡¯ve already been processed when seeing them use a power?  Give it a few days after releasing some kind of documentation, and there will be counterfeits.¡±


    Her vision rose to meet David¡¯s thoughtful stare as he followed her rationale.  ¡°Not only that but having our information in a broad databank is also extremely risky.  Tom had our data behind fairly extensive safety measures; he had to give explicit consent for someone to get it, but still, Relica got it and now has enough information to plan a decent strategy against us.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see the DDA being able to safeguard a databank containing hundreds of thousands of Demi¡¯s personal info safe while society learns to handle the new changes this will bring.  At the same time,¡± she sighed, pulling back her hair, ¡°I understand why a list would be necessary.  I¡¯m sure there will be vigilantes like Carter, who¡¯s still out there and has a vendetta against Scarlet and now me.¡±


    She shook her head again.  ¡°No, I don¡¯t see many good options at all.  A charter will be necessary for a ton of legal concerns, I¡¯m sure, but you won¡¯t be able to list every Champion.  Demi will fall through the cracks, but it¡¯s needed for possible Demi crimes, which is now a thing that the public will want monitored.¡±


    David didn¡¯t respond as she stopped, pondering the many other implications this would bring, and after a time, sighed.  ¡°Yeah, and we need to enforce whatever laws Congress enacts, but they¡¯ll ask for my council in the next few days.  As an Assistant Director of DDA ¡­ I need answers.  Thanks for giving me some talking points.  Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Kids,¡± Rachel promptly muttered, vision returning to her lap.  ¡°Teens ¡­ my cousin is going through a rough time at the moment, and he¡¯s got nowhere to throw his rage.  Ah, there¡¯s a passive ability that Beastkin have, Feral Instinct, and I¡¯m sure Aberrantkin and Faekin have similar types of passives.¡±


    ¡°What does it do?¡±  David asked with a furrowed brow.  ¡°I¡¯ve talked with Kyle, Ma?lle, and Anthony about their understanding of this ¡­ system¡ªbut there¡¯s still so much left to explore.¡±


    Rachel folded her fingers together, keeping them held loosely in her lap.  ¡°I know it must be frustrating; it is for me.  I have explored it with what free time I¡¯ve had, but I still think I¡¯ve only scratched the surface.  It¡¯s complicated ¡­ extremely complicated.  What do I know, though?


    ¡°I know that we¡¯ve changed; I am not the same person I was before The Oscillation.  However¡ªI¡¯m not that different.¡±


    David seemed to be getting a bit more alert as they continued the conversation.  ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll start by saying I haven¡¯t the foggiest idea about how this happened; The Oscillation itself is a complete mystery.¡±  She stated, leaving out her theories about Scarlet and The Reaper of Blood being somehow involved.


    ¡°How it affects us on a personal level, though?  It appears that this system responds to our desires, but there is a limit.  We must grow through gaining experience, which seems simple enough ¡­ although, I suspect it¡¯s far more intricate than we¡¯ve discovered.  If I want to jump higher, then what points I¡¯ve gained will be added automatically to best support that desire.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ too broad,¡± David mumbled.  ¡°You¡¯re saying people can gain new powers on the spot?¡±  He groaned, running his hands down his face.  ¡°Managing this is going to be a nightmare.¡±


    Rachel giggled.  ¡°Thinking about quitting so soon?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± David grunted with a serious tone, shaking his head with a frustrated sigh.  ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be briefed on some Top Secret event tomorrow, and I don¡¯t know if I can handle much more.¡±


    ¡°Oof,¡± Rachel winced.  ¡°If it¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking ¡­ it¡¯s going to be hard to swallow, and you¡¯ll be overseeing it here in the southeast.¡±


    ¡°Great¡­¡±


    ¡°No, really,¡± Rachel urged.  ¡°I¡¯m telling you to be prepared for something that you will probably need to sit down for.  That kind of responsibility is¡ªnot something I¡¯d want,¡± she slowly stated, ¡°but¡ªI¡¯m more than willing to help you with.  Just keep that in mind.¡±  She smiled.  ¡°Talk to Tom after, and then, you¡¯ll be able to ask me questions; I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be there to debrief you.¡±


    David sucked on his lower lip, clearly feeling the stress of all the responsibilities falling upon his shoulders.  ¡°Director Freeh warned me it would be hard to swallow.  Thanks for offering, Rachel.¡±


    He frowned, settling back in his chair while squaring his shoulders, the weak lapse in his professional character fading.  ¡°That being said, General Dallas managed to make a few calls, and it appears you¡¯ll be getting your wish.  Doctor Richard Raynott will be here,¡± he glanced at the digital clock on his wall, showing three forty-eight A.M, ¡°tonight, around seven P.M. to conduct your first psyche session with Doctors Julia Jarsdel and Rebecca Bryant as his council.¡±


    Rachel restrained a smile.  Julia as psyche council?  No, she just convinced Richard to take her along to see us again.  Scarlet will freak out when she sees her; I should leave it as a surprise.  Although, it¡¯s probably because of her blood.  She mused, remembering how much Scarlet enjoyed the way the peppy animal genomics and bioinformatics expert¡¯s blood made her feel.


    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± Rachel replied, but her cheer fell slightly as a thought occurred to her.  ¡°Our first session?  So, there will be multiple?¡±


    ¡°Yes, until the doctors have stated otherwise,¡± David shrugged.


    That could be a problem ¡­ Richard is sharp, and I don¡¯t know how much I can really hide from him if we had to continue until he was satisfied.  It was a gamble; at least he won¡¯t be biased against Mythickin, but he will be hard to dodge.


    ¡°I see,¡± she mumbled, shifting gears, ¡°and will that include Maria and Fiona¡¯s sessions as well as the new Mythickin and Legendkin?¡±


    David folded his arms across his chest, clearly a little concerned about something.  ¡°Maybe ¡­ I¡¯m told Fiona will be returning to Florida in two days with her family, and Maria will be here tomorrow.  The other Mythickin and Legendkin will be evaluated, yes.¡±


    His heartbeat increased when talking about the new arrivals.  I suppose it isn¡¯t strange he¡¯d want Mythickin and Legendkin he can trust around; he seems to think there might be trouble with them.


    Her tail twitched with anticipation, but she managed to keep her ears still.  ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like us to do about the new Mythickin and Legendkin?¡±  Rachel asked with an innocent smile.


    David¡¯s eyes narrowed, brown eyes lifting to her ears, and he rubbed his nose.  ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve heard enough about them, and I can assume you¡¯ve been analyzing every movement I¡¯ve made.¡±


    ¡°Can you stop yourself from hearing?  Imagine being in a crowded room with thousands of voices, and it¡¯s hard not to catch a few phrases here and there that pique one¡¯s interest.¡±  Rachel laughed.


    A yawn escaped David¡¯s mouth part way through her statement.  ¡°So¡ªyeah, they¡¯ve had an incident that I don¡¯t want to repeat here in Miami.  They may not have started the fight, thankfully we¡¯re not getting that party,¡± he muttered, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, ¡°but they¡¯re more than willing to punch back¡ªhard.¡±


    Please, don¡¯t get me even more excited!  Rachel thought, restraining the emotions she showed.  ¡°Ah, I think we skipped over one of the questions you had earlier.  Feral Instinct, I think Beastkin need a way to release their aggression.  It could be MMA, sparring, or any other form of physical sport.  Make it something that people will enjoy with a competition of sorts, and I¡¯m sure it will be a hit.¡±


    ¡°Is this also a personal request?¡±  David asked, lifting an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she grinned.  ¡°It can be controlled, and there can be people there in case things get out of hand, but I think you¡¯ll find Beastkin committing a lot more crimes unless you give them a way to relieve the tension in their chests.  It¡¯s not something they can help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it up,¡± he mumbled.  ¡°Right, well, I think the last point of interest is Relica.¡±  He absently tapped the desk with his right index finger, pondering the idea.  ¡°General Dallas says you don¡¯t think we should make her known to the public.¡±


    Rachel shook her head, cheer dampening as Relica¡¯s image popped into her mind.  ¡°No, she¡¯s a careful planner, and wanted to be seen in public for some reason.  It could be for reputation, her ego, or any number of things, but she wants to be in the limelight for some reason, and I suggest we don¡¯t give it to her.¡±


    ¡°Decent enough reason,¡± David replied.  ¡°How do we catch her?¡±


    ¡°At this time¡ªyou don¡¯t,¡± Rachel sighed, ¡°and I¡¯d be the first to tell you we need to lock her down¡ªor kill her ¡­ well, behind Scarlet.¡±  She tilted her head for a second.


    David pressed his hands behind his stiff back, trying to ease tension.  ¡°What should we do then, let her roam free?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched with irritation.  ¡°Relica is by far the most dangerous Demi we¡¯ve seen, and I¡¯d rate her higher than the Seattle Vampire, even if she hasn¡¯t killed as many people; although, it¡¯s not fair because we never met him.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  David leaned forward.  ¡°There are some dangerous Demi that have come out of this; what would you say if we put her on the DDA most wanted list?  We wouldn¡¯t be broadcasting it to the public, but every law enforcement agency would be on the lookout for her, and there would be bounty hunters looking for a prize.¡±


    ¡°Mmh, I don¡¯t know,¡± Rachel whispered, glancing down.  ¡°It might get picked up by the news and blow up, but it¡¯s a lot better than actively inciting the news to spread.  It¡¯s your decision in the end, but just be aware that she¡¯s trying to gain something out of this.¡±


    ¡°Noted,¡± David replied, pulling over the stack of files before pausing.  ¡°Alright, what about Scarlet¡¯s mother?  Relica mentioned her, and Agent Bailey said just her name made Scarlet panic.  I¡¯ve read the report; I understand why she¡¯d be upset, but why the connection between Scarlet¡¯s mother and Relica?¡±


    Shit ¡­ he does pay attention to details.


    Rachel looked down, presenting a thoughtful expression to give her time to think, and after a moment, her lips fell into a frown.  ¡°You¡¯re right; it¡¯s not something I wanted to discuss because I¡¯m still working it out myself.  We found out Scarlet¡¯s mom had escaped shortly before coming here the first time, and it was more than a bit disturbing to discover Relica and her are working together.


    ¡°They obviously have some kind of plan, but that gets into the National Security area of things with events outside the country.¡±


    ¡°Partially correct,¡± David slowly stated.  ¡°She¡¯s still on U.S. soil, as far as we know, which means I need to add her to Relica¡¯s records and update Scarlet¡¯s mother¡¯s criminal record.  What can you tell me about their relationship?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Rachel replied while shaking her head with an irritated sigh.  ¡°We didn¡¯t know Relica and Adele were working together until today, and it appears as if Adele is the one doing a lot of the planning, which is something I didn¡¯t expect.¡±


    David hummed softly.  ¡°Yes, as you painted Relica¡¯s personality, she¡¯s normally the one that likes to be in charge of a situation, yet she seemed thrilled to be working with Adele.¡±


    Rachel scratched her white left eyebrow, glancing right.  ¡°Yeah, I just know that whatever they¡¯re planning, it¡¯s not in our best interest.¡±


    Silence followed as David digested her response, and after a moment, he nodded.  ¡°I¡¯ve got a few more decisions to make before I get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Here, in the office?¡±  Rachel¡¯s tone picked up, noting the couch on the left side of the large space.


    ¡°Yeah, until¡ªthis mess slows down,¡± he said between a yawn.  ¡°Anyways, I suppose you¡¯ll be speaking with Anthony and going out with Ma?lle?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan; although, I¡¯m hesitant about it,¡± Rachel replied.  ¡°I¡¯m not that comfortable around Ma?lle or Kyle yet.  They¡¯re Manipulation-type Demi, which makes me hesitate.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with you there,¡± David mumbled.  ¡°We¡¯ve put out the word that we¡¯re looking to hire Demi that can sense Status Effects.  Can Scarlet or you help with the selection process tomorrow for our first candidates?  One of you must have a status ability, right?¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Rachel sat back, pondering the proposal.  We are gaining a lot of points with David with what¡¯s happening, and babysitting Ma?lle and Kyle will also take a load off his shoulders.  The more he owes us, the better.  ¡°Sure, we can take the time to help ease some of the stress off your shoulders.¡±


    Rachel smiled, getting to her feet, she let her ears soften slightly, falling forward.  ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ve heard some talk about handlers?  Could you assign Bree and Serah to that position for us?¡±


    David rubbed under his nose, thinking about her request.  ¡°Agents Bailey and Hughes ¡­ they¡¯re Junior members, even counting FBI standards.  Normally, they¡¯d be too young to fulfill such an assignment, but¡ªthey do seem to work well with your group.  I¡¯ll take it as a trial phase for them.¡±


    Rachel beamed.  ¡°Thanks for giving them a shot; Scarlet really likes them, and Bree even got engaged tonight.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  He popped his tongue, eyebrows lifting as he stared at the wall.  ¡°First I¡¯ve heard of that,¡± he whispered.  ¡°Huh¡ªokay, glad you told me.¡±  Eyes widening for a moment, he smacked his lips.  ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got a lot of work to do; I¡¯ll see you later tonight.¡±


    Rachel promptly left, closing the door behind her.  She waved at her escort as they got up, following her out of the office.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±  One asked.


    ¡°To see my family,¡± Rachel chimed, turning to face them as she walked; she was doing her best to restrain the agitation that twisted her stomach as her ears caught Ma?lle¡¯s actions.  ¡°They¡¯ll be staying here for a few days.  Oh, umm¡ªyou wouldn¡¯t happen to know where a spare room is that they can use?  Something big enough for a few air mattresses and close to a bathroom?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ªpretty specific,¡± the brown-haired man muttered.  ¡°We¡¯d have to talk to some of the floor managers.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine; anything will do for now, then,¡± she said, her pace increasing as she turned.


    She could hear Anthony with Duncan, his handler, walking briskly down the halls while looking for her; Ma?lle had pointed him to the front, right where her family was waiting.


    That wasn¡¯t a mistake.  She seethed.  Ma?lle¡¯s just like Relica, planning everything to a T, but she seems so much more natural at it!  She¡¯s doing this on the fly; it¡¯s like Ma?lle doesn¡¯t even try.  She¡¯s always in the right spot to cause the most drama.


    The Succubus was casually on her way to the nearest club, walking out of the building while dragging and teasing Scarlet for sport; however, she was actually revealing some of her simple tricks to Scarlet as they walked as if flaunting it.


    There was no doubt in Rachel¡¯s mind, she wanted both Scarlet and her to know how she manipulated people without releasing her hormones, and it didn¡¯t bother her in the least.


    She knows I¡¯m listening ¡­ Ma?lle was definitely a provocateur before The Oscillation.  She¡¯s too much of a natural at it, and the change only enhanced and brought out some of those parts in her personality.  How did she even know these random people are my parents?


    Did she infer it off Scarlet¡¯s reaction when she mentioned the new group of people?  Did I miss something?  Is this a challenge?  Is she trying to tell me that she can get under my skin?  It¡¯s not an if ¡­ she has.  Anthony¡¯s just around the corner!  Why like this?  I¡¯m not even there to buffer anything!


    Her heart stopped, and she had to force herself from sprinting as her mother got her first glimpse of Anthony.  ¡°Oh, Gwon!¡±  She whispered, elbowing her father.  ¡°That¡¯s gotta be him; he¡¯s so handsome, and look at that hair!  His muscles, too ¡­ mmh, let¡¯s go say hi!¡±


    ¡°Chan-hee,¡± her dad muttered, glancing around at the MPs that stiffened as Anthony turned the corner.  ¡°We should wait for ¡­ Chan-hee¡­¡±


    Her mother almost flew toward the shocked Legendkin.  ¡°You must be Anthony!¡±


    Rachel bit her lower lip, tasting her mint-like blood as Anthony glanced between her family members and the Military Police, moving forward in case there was trouble.  ¡°Umm¡ªyeah, eh¡ªwho are you?¡±


    The broad, enthusiastic grin she knew was on her mother¡¯s face must have made Anthony step back.  ¡°My name¡¯s Chan-hee¡ªoh, umm, sorry,¡± she chuckled, stepping forward to follow his retreat.  ¡°My American name is Molly; I¡¯m Rachel¡¯s mom!¡±


    Dammit!  Tail and ears twitching with agitation, her cheeks flushed.  Both agents'' muscles tensed as she broke into a run; Ma?lle¡¯s plotted event continued like a horrifying nightmare.  Mom, stop!


    AuthorSME


    New Artwork:


    The new artwork is out, and I''ll add it to the proper chapter when I get a bit of time tomorrow!  You can view it -----> here <----


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    5 Chapters ahead in A Tail''s Misfortune.


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 B3 — 40. The Mystery Of The Ring

    AuthorSME


    News:  I''m in the process of writing the 2nd draft of TO; I''m trying to do a chapter a day on Monday-Thursday (not ATM days), and Saturday if I can swing it.  Link to them here:


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Explicit)


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Clean)


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park (Our scheming girl has been doing her thing but has someone challenged her at her own game?!)


    Recap:  Rachel met with David and gave an update on the human and demitrafficking incident before going into several points of interest that David asked her advice on.  The topics ranged from safety measures to mental-type abilities to Demi needing a way to release aggression to mentally preparing him for the info on the Crystals.  Finally, Rachel told him about her gut feelings with Relica''s plan.


    Everything was looking up until Ma?lle came into the picture, snatching Scarlet up and sending Anthony to her parents to distract her ... and distract her it did!  How will Rachel''s ''legendary'' mother respond to the Legendkin, and how will our Lunar Hare handle this ticking time-bomb?


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Nikolas Zane, Lars Sprenger, L¨¢szl¨® N¨¦meth, Lu, Bob, NaudhizSowilo, Innes, Scott, E.W. Rui Fung Yip, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel¡¯s clothes pressed against her body, ears lying back as she dashed through the hallways, leaving her FBI escort in a daze.  Mom, don¡¯t ruin everything!


    Her thoughts were jumbled, trying to sort through what action she should take, split between Ma?lle and her mother.  She didn¡¯t know exactly why her mother meeting Anthony petrified her, but the fact she wasn¡¯t there to even direct anything terrified her.


    Luckily, the building was mostly empty, allowing her to run without much concern; sharp gusts of wind were generated from her passing, in some cases even shifting chairs.  She used the walls as supports when turning and leaped down an open balcony instead of the stairs to skip a floor.  By the time it took Anthony to fully grasp what her mother had said, Rachel was already closing in.


    ¡°I¡ªumm, Rachel¡¯s mom?  So, you¡¯re,¡± he paused, glancing between her family members as Nam and Alexa waved.  However, Rachel heard his muscles move quickly into action as she landed on the first level, and the sound of cutting wind drew her attention as she continued.


    His spear?  No, it sounds too long to be a spearhead.  He must have sensed me coming and thought I could be a threat.


    Slowing to a casual walk before rounding the corner, she saw the scene in slow motion.  Her mother was backing up, eyes widening; Anthony held a glowing golden short sword in his left hand, right shoving Duncan back as he pointed the blade in her direction.


    The crowd had yet to notice her arrival, and the moment she turned the corner, Anthony relaxed, short sword dispersing in light, but the MPs and Duncan were more than a little tense.


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Molly squeaked, stumbling back as her father jumped forward with her brother to pull her back.


    ¡°Woah, woah, shit, Anthony!¡±  Duncan shouted.


    ¡°Put it down,¡± several of the MPs ordered, surrounding Anthony.


    Rachel added an amused smile, doing her best to not gasp for air; for some reason, she was feeling a little lightheaded, and her heart was beating way faster than it should have been.


    Anthony reached up to ruffle his fire-red hair with a weak chuckle.  ¡°Ah, Rachel, it¡¯s just you ¡­ ugh,¡± he glanced back at the shocked group as she entered their field of vision.  ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare anyone.¡±


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Molly mumbled, and everyone but the MPs breathed a sigh of relief as she rounded the corner.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she giggled, waving at her family.  ¡°Sorry, I just spooked Anthony.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± he said, giving her a half-smile before turning to her parents.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the scare.  I sensed someone running down the halls at a really fast pace, and thought someone was coming to attack us.¡±


    Everyone seemed speechless as Rachel butted into the conversation, coming between the MPs and Anthony while keeping her back to them.  Her heart wouldn¡¯t slow down, and she assumed her cheeks would flush soon if it continued.  ¡°Umm, yeah, but a sword?¡±  She chuckled, noticing she sounded slightly breathless.


    C¡¯mon!  Get a grip!


    However, her wide field of vision was connected to her over-analytical brain, and right now, it was taking in every inch of Anthony¡¯s body.  She brushed back a few locks of her white hair that had been swept forward with her quick deceleration.  Everything was still moving in slow motion as her mind worked through every thought that randomly pounced on her heart; for whatever reason, her parents meeting Anthony had made everything inside it explode.


    She understood her mother¡¯s earlier statement.  Before, Anthony had been wearing pants, a plaid shirt, and a medical overcoat.  Now, he was in black shorts and a tank top, showing a physique fit for a Spartan, and the stretched fabric only emphasized his hardened chest and core.


    Her mind was on overload, measuring his sculpted calves, balanced posture, and grooming.  He¡¯d used an electric razor to quickly shave before stepping out, and everything from his eyebrows to his tapered hair was perfect.


    Control!  Control!  She took deliberate breaths, but her heart wouldn¡¯t stop thumping.  Why is this so hard right now?  It didn¡¯t help that her mother¡¯s brown eyes were flicking between them, and she could see the wheels turning in her mind.


    Breathing in through his teeth, Anthony placed his hands on his hips, swiveling to give her a small smile.  ¡°Hey, Rachel, long time no see¡ªeh, pretty awkward situation, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel replied.  A lump dropped down her throat, and she clasped her hands behind her back, pressing down on her stiff tail.  ¡°Sorry for¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Anthony¡¯s flaming eyebrows drew together, glowing green irises flashing with concern, and everyone silently followed his gaze as he leaned forward a bit.  ¡°You okay?  Your face is getting a little red, and did you bite your¡­¡±


    No more!  She activated Emotional Detachment and felt her chaotic body calm.  Okay, okay ¡­ get things under control, and then slip away for a moment to deactivate it in private.  Yeah, I like him.  I do.  This, though?  C¡¯mon, it wasn¡¯t like this before ¡­ it¡¯s mom being here.  It has to be¡­


    Rachel exhaled, pressing her hand against her chest, donning her trademark innocent smile.  ¡°Me?  I¡¯m perfect.  Oh, eh, mom, dad,¡± she turned to her stunned parents, ¡°could we sit down?  I¡¯m just a little out of breath.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s tongue pressed against his lower lip.  ¡°You, out of breath?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she giggled, fanning her face a little before plucking at her sports bra.  ¡°Ooh, just feeling a little hot after that run.  So, umm,¡± she turned her red eyes on the MPs, ¡°ah, that¡¯s right.¡±  Walking over to the MP she assumed was in charge, she held out a hand.  ¡°Thank you so much for escorting my family here.  I hope you boys have a lovely night.¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± the man hesitantly offered his own, grip weaker than she expected, ¡°okay¡ªyou sure?¡±  He muttered, brown eyes darting to Anthony with distrust.  After a second, his focus moved to her ears, and she gave them a slight twitch to straighten them.


    ¡°Of course!  Thank you so much for responding so quickly.  I¡¯ll let General Dallas know how helpful you were.¡±


    ¡°Okay, umm¡ªthanks,¡± he said, awkwardly moving a few steps away, turning to stare at them, and then motioned for his men to follow him.


    Nam and Alexa watched them walk back toward the front entrance, and the FBI agent that David had assigned to work overtime at the desk followed their exit with a raised eyebrow, not being in sight to see what had transpired.


    ¡°So,¡± Nam cleared his throat, turning to give Anthony an unsure smile.  ¡°Uh¡ªshould we give this introduction thing another go?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Anthony laughed, rubbing his neck as Duncan groaned.


    ¡°Dude, Anthony, you¡¯re going to give me a heart attack, man.  I swear.  How do you even function with so little sleep?¡±


    Anthony patted the man on the back, nudging his head toward the front entrance waiting area.  ¡°I¡¯m cool with sittin¡¯ down; everyone chill with that?¡±


    Her father popped his tongue a few times before stepping aside to stop shielding Molly, fingers finding her hand to intertwine.  ¡°Um, yeah, I¡¯d like that.  To be honest, I¡¯ve been looking forward to meeting you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, why¡¯s that?¡±  Anthony questioned as they all moved to find a seat.


    Great ¡­ now¡¯s the moment Anthony knows I¡¯ve been talking about him.  Well, Scarlet was the one that opened that floodgate, and now ¡­ what?  What¡¯s he going to think if he finds out I have been talking about him?


    When Rachel was the only one that didn¡¯t move, they turned to stare at her.  ¡°Give me a moment,¡± she chuckled, jogging around the corner again; the confused stares they gave each other were basically audible, but her perfect form and demeanor were protected by Emotional Detachment.


    Hiding beyond their sight, Rachel quickly took in the hallways, they were empty.  Leaning against the wall, she closed her eyes.


    Okay, Emotional Detachment bubbles my emotions, but it¡¯s not like they¡¯ll just go away ¡­ they¡¯ll only grow if I don¡¯t address it, and I haven¡¯t felt something like this ¡­ ever.  I have to deal with it before it grows into an elephant.  I can handle minor things in the moment if I can just regain control.


    Taking a deep breath, she released the skill.  Immediately, a blow struck her in the stomach, air freezing in her lungs as hot and cold chills skittered up and down her body, causing her ears and tail to go stiff.  Her heart went from zero to a thousand, forcing her to press her left fist against her soft breast while her thighs tightened, trembling slightly, and it took some effort not to fall to her knees.


    This ¡­ is way too powerful!  That¡¯s what I get for bottling up all my frustration, embarrassment, and how attracted I really am to him.  Dammit¡­


    Her breathing became erratic, doing her best to calm down.  Forty-five seconds passed before she managed to walk back down the hallway, going through a door with a bathroom sign on it.


    Anthony, Duncan, and her family were still on the topic of his sword, and Alexa was shyly leading to question if she could hold it.  Good, just buy me a little time, step-sis ¡­ just a little more geek talk.


    Rachel looked into the mirror, noticing sweat on her brow, and her whole body felt hot as if she¡¯d just finished a long workout, fingers tingling.  Her lips drew together as she lifted her arms.  I¡¯m sweating more than when I fought Anthony; this is ridiculous!


    She closed her eyes, ears drooping a little, but it only lasted a moment, her mind returning to Anthony¡¯s strong grip when he¡¯d helped her up, followed by the image of his muscular arms held against his hips.  Seconds later she was shaking her head, hair flinging around the instant her imagination put those firm hands on her own hips.


    What¡¯s wrong with me?  Relica, it has to be Relica!  Why else, huh?  Did she follow us here?  Does she have eyes on us?  No, wait ¡­ Ma?lle?


    She exhaled, wiping her forehead with a paper towel; her lips felt a bit dry, but she refrained from licking them, knowing it was only in her mind.  Am I just being paranoid?  Is this what it really feels like to have a crush?  I mean, yeah, I¡¯ve thought guys were cute before, but this is a whole ¡®nother level.  You see it in dramas and TV shows, but ¡­ you can actually feel like this?  Dammit!  Why is it so hard to control my heart?  Stop beating so fast!


    She groaned while turning on the sink faucet to splash cold water on her face.  I have temperature resistances that are pretty potent, but they don¡¯t do shit against my own body.  Is it because it¡¯s in my mind?  ¡°Gah.¡±  It can¡¯t be Relica or Ma?lle, or my Reactive Skill would have triggered.


    Rachel ran her hand through her hair, tucking her bottom lip under.  Stepping back, she held her arms against her tight abdomen, studying her unusually flustered appearance.  Anthony can¡¯t see me like this ¡­ especially mom ¡­ definitely not.


    She moved to a stall, dropping the toilet lid to sit.  Leaning against the back, she closed her eyes and tried to relax, folding her hands across her lap.


    Involuntary twitches occasionally cascaded down her ears as she listened to Anthony talk to her family, fits disrupting and dampening their words.


    Alexa finished examining the golden sword and handed it back.  ¡°That¡¯s so cool!  You can just store it in some kind of pocket dimension?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± he chuckled, but he sounded a little distracted.  ¡°Umm¡ªis Rachel okay?  She just seems a little off from what I remember.¡±


    Great ¡­ I¡¯m off now; one cousin removed from weird and odd.  Get a grip!  Relax¡­


    Molly hummed with concern.  ¡°I noticed that, too.  She¡ªumm, I hope I didn¡¯t make her angry.¡±


    Her dad breathed out a long sigh.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Rachel; she¡¯s always been very independent and responsible.  She probably had something else to take care of before sitting down.¡±


    Alexa giggled sheepishly.  ¡°Ehm¡ªshe ran here, right?  Umm¡ªyeah, I think we should just give her a little time.  She¡¯ll come back.¡±


    How is she the one that gets it?  Alexa¡¯s way more observant than I thought.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Nam asked, crossing his legs while shifting to face his wife.  ¡°Is she struggling with something.¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Alexa hurriedly responded, brushing back her blonde bangs.  ¡°I mean¡ªumm, she¡¯ll be back in a bit.  Let¡¯s just get to know each other!  By the way, Anthony,¡± she leaned forward with a bright tone, ¡°I noticed that ring on your finger.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s legs stiffened.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±  Anthony¡¯s tone fell a few notes as he shifted in his seat, fingers twisting the metal around.  ¡°I, umm¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Alexa quickly cut in with feigned horror.  ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be pushy; I¡¯m sorry¡ªif you don¡¯t want to talk about it, then¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡ªit¡¯s fine,¡± Anthony muttered, sitting back in his seat.  There were a few seconds of uncomfortable silence as he collected his thoughts, but to Rachel, every muscle twitch was a story written in loss and grief.


    He cleared his throat, rubbing his mouth with his left hand before letting it fall to his lap.  ¡°I had a fianc¨¦.¡±


    Had¡­


    ¡°She developed a rare type of cancer called chordoma when she was eighteen; it¡¯s a malignant bone tumor.¡±


    Both her mother and Alexa¡¯s hands shot to their mouths.  ¡°That¡¯s horrible,¡± Molly whispered.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± his muscles sagged.  ¡°I don¡¯t normally like to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Alexa swallowed, leaning forward a little more.  ¡°Please, you don¡¯t have to talk about it.¡±


    Anthony shook his head, Duncan, Nam, and Sam remaining silent as they listened.  ¡°It¡¯s fine.  Today¡¯s actually her birthday¡ªwould have been her birthday.  The treatments weren¡¯t working, so¡ªit required surgery, and it didn¡¯t go well.  She passed away four months ago.¡±


    The conversation died, leaving the room in silence; Molly and Alexa looked at each other, not knowing what to say.


    Rachel inhaled, the small of her back pressing against the porcelain seat as her head rested against the wall, releasing the air; the revealed mystery had calmed her racing heart.


    So, he¡¯s free.  Wow, way to have some tact.  Yeah, it would be kind of rough having a relationship after that.  He¡¯d gone all-in with the girl, and now she¡¯s gone ¡­ just like that.  No wonder he becomes depressed when his ring is brought up.


    Her dad was the first to speak in the uncomfortable silence, hand moving to grasp her mother¡¯s; Molly took it, likely giving him a concerned look.  ¡°What was her name?¡±


    Anthony¡¯s tone became distant as he folded his arms across his chest and crossed his legs.  ¡°Amelia.¡±  His head fell a little.  ¡°She got me this ring ¡­ you know, she kept it with her for two months¡ªbring it around every day in the hopes I¡¯d propose, and she¡¯d get the chance to counter propose.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so cute,¡± Alexa mumbled.


    A low chuckle moved Anthony¡¯s chest.  ¡°Yeah, she was a hopeless romantic, but you should have seen how flustered she was when I finally did propose.  She dropped the ring in the grass trying to get it out; she was so embarrassed ¡­ she wanted to be a Fall bride.  I knew about the cancer going in ¡­ didn¡¯t know how hard it would be going forward, though.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Nam grunted, nodding slowly.  ¡°I can¡¯t imagine.¡±


    Alexa scooted closer to Nam on the couch, leaning into his shoulder while placing her hand on his left thigh.  ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Duncan shot a puff of air through his teeth, rubbing underneath his nose.  ¡°Damn, man ¡­ first time I heard you talk about it.  Eh¡ªgot any plans?  You know, for¡ªumm, no the funeral¡¯s already done with, right?¡±  He cut off, clicking his tongue.  ¡°Shit, my bad¡­¡±


    Anthony shook his head, scratching his scalp before swallowing.  ¡°No, umm¡ªmy mind¡¯s kind of numb, you know.  I¡ªyou think that makes me bad?  Not having something thought out for her birthday?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all!¡±  Alexa replied.


    Her mother quickly jumped in after.  ¡°You¡¯re still mourning; it¡¯ll take time.  Just be patient with yourself ¡­ I¡ªwe lost¡ªmy little niece just after we came back from a trip overseas.¡±


    Her father shifted uncomfortable, taking a breath as she continued.  ¡°There was a drunk driver, and¡ªI could have seen it, I know I could have¡ªshould have, but I didn¡¯t.  He hit us, and everyone was alright¡ªexcept for little Seo.  It took months ¡­ before I could even get in a car,¡± she chuckled, choking as tears came to her eyes.  ¡°It¡¯s hard¡ªlosing people you love, and we¡¯ve grown further¡ªno, never mind.  Sorry.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Anthony leaned forward, voice going hoarse.  ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s hard ¡­ they¡¯re there and¡ªand then they¡¯re not, and you have this hole... ¡°  He licked his lips.  ¡°You didn¡¯t know how much of a piece they were in your life¡ªthen it¡¯s gone, and you¡¯re just trying to find a way to fix it¡ªbut you can¡¯t.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s legs pressed against each other as she listened, bending over while clutching her stomach.  Listening to her mother talk about Seo brought back old memories, and now that she mentioned it, she did remember her mother withdrawing inside the house for months after, many times locked in her room for days.


    His next revelation more than sent a shiver down her spine.  ¡°And after coming here¡ªmeeting Rachel and her friends¡ªwhen I found out how powerful Maria¡¯s healing was, it just kind of felt like a slap in the face.  Why¡¯d she have to die only months before there was a potential cure?¡±


    No wonder he was down after meeting the others.


    ¡°Damn ¡­ yeah, that, uh¡ªthat sucks.¡±  Duncan scooted forward a bit in his chair, bending over slightly while crossing his arms.  ¡°I haven¡¯t lost anyone¡ªmy grandparents, but I didn¡¯t really know them.  However, I had a partner murdered in a drug trafficking sting three years ago ¡­ knew his wife; she was a bit haughty, but a good woman.  It broke my heart, telling her.¡±


    Inhaling deeply, Rachel stretched her fingers, getting to her feet to bend right and left.  She walked out of the bathroom, returning to the group.  Each of them had drawn inward, pulling out of their glum stupor to give her a forced smile.


    She swept her butt-length pink-hued white hair over her shoulder to sit on an armchair across from Anthony, her parents beside her.  Crossing her legs, she gave the Legendkin a compassionate smile.   ¡°Some heavy topics you¡¯re all discussing; I¡¯m sorry to hear about Amelia.¡±


    A rueful grin touched Anthony¡¯s cheeks.  ¡°Always listening, huh?¡±


    ¡°A curse, really,¡± Rachel replied, smile turning forced.  ¡°David said you were asking about me?¡±  She said, redirecting the conversation.


    Recomposing himself, Anthony plucked at his tight tank top, which might have been the proper size, but Rachel could have sworn it was probably a little too small for his muscular frame.


    She literally couldn¡¯t stop herself from noticing every bulge, especially the deep valleys of his eight-pack, large pecs, well-defined shoulders, and clear-cut collar bone.  Honestly, she didn¡¯t mind having a front-row seat; muscles were meant to be admired, and best of all, no one could tell where she was truly looking.


    Her ears shifted forward slightly as she heard Alexa and her mother tense at her question, thighs tightening against each other as their elbows pressed against their sides with anticipation.


    These two¡­


    In contrast, her father and brother¡¯s lips fell a little, but they relaxed their posture while waiting for his answer.  Duncan seemed utterly neutral, trying his best to be invisible.


    Anthony scratched his temple.  ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s see¡­¡±  A half-smile moved his lips.  ¡°Really, I just wanted to see if you¡¯d come back around to spar.  When you asked me, I was a little surprised, but I haven¡¯t felt that good in a while.  It was nice training with you.¡±


    ¡°Training¡ªright¡­¡±  Rachel mused with a small smirk, and even if she was slightly disappointed, there was a growing fire lighting in her breast.  ¡°Hmm, that reminds me, I told Scarlet I¡¯d save her from Ma?lle.  We should probably go meet up with them soon.¡±


    Rachel turned a forced smile to her mother as she grew puppy-dog eyes.  ¡°Aww, but¡ªbut you just got here!¡±


    Her dad¡¯s eyebrows drew together.  ¡°You said¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll address that real fast,¡± Rachel interrupted.  She turned to face her mother; cheeks puffed out as she exhaled.  ¡°Mom.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±  Her mother slowly replied, vision darting between her and Sam.


    ¡°The reason I arranged for the military to escort you to the FBI is because there¡¯s a terrorist that has her eye on me.¡±


    ¡°Terrorist?¡±  Molly repeated, clearly not processing the information.  ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    To Rachel¡¯s surprise, Anthony jumped in before any of her family had time to formulate a question, but it quickly occurred to her that he must have a similar ability to Mental Acceleration.  ¡°Her eyes on you?  So, this terrorist wants to kill you and knows where your family lives?¡±


    ¡°Wait, huh?¡±  Alexa and Molly¡¯s backs straightened, eyes widening.


    ¡°No,¡± Rachel quickly answered.  ¡°Her name is Relica, and she is dangerous¡­¡±


    ¡°To both you and Scarlet?¡±  Molly pressed, fingers turning white as she pressed them against her thighs.


    ¡°Yes ¡­ I can¡¯t get into all the details,¡± Rachel mumbled, rubbing her neck while looking to the right to show she didn¡¯t like it.  ¡°I¡¯m going to try to get you all into a military NDA, so I can explain everything, but until then, let me explain ¡­ and let me do it without being interrupted,¡± she pressed as her mother opened her mouth again.


    Molly¡¯s jaw snapped shut, and she nodded, face creased with concern.


    Rachel licked her lips and scratched her neck as an itch appeared.  ¡°Relica was one of the hired help for the gang my friends and I dismantled.  Due to some events, Relica became obsessed with Scarlet, and thereby Fiona, Maria, and I drew her notice.  She¡¯s a Legendkin that can use a lot of spells¡ªmagic,¡± she muttered, absently combing through her hair.


    ¡°She¡¯s not interested in killing us, but she¡¯s a fine mix between a sociopath and a psychopath; so, who can really say what her goals are, but she has them and makes very carefully thought-out plans to achieve them.  From everything I¡¯ve learned about her, Relica¡¯s main focus is on Scarlet, but there¡¯s a big plan that involves her provoking the U.S. government to some serious conflict.¡±


    ¡°Legendkin,¡± Anthony repeated.  ¡°What kind?¡±


    ¡°The Legend of Medea.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±


    ¡°Like¡ªa real terrorist?¡±  Alexa asked, still too stunned to wrap her hand around it.  ¡°Medea¡­¡±


    Nam cut past her question.  ¡°What¡¯s the plan, then?¡±


    ¡°Right now, there isn¡¯t one,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°Relica has gathered a group together, and she¡¯s crafty.  I have no clue what her real goals are, but what I do know is that there is a very low probability any of you are on her radar.  The information she stole from the military only gave my general location for my hometown, that being Miami, and doesn¡¯t mention if I have any family here.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s glowing green irises had fallen to the arm of his chair as they talked, and once an opportunity arose, he asked, ¡°Relica¡ªit¡¯s a pretty unique name.  She¡¯s a pretty black-haired woman, in her twenties, can make fireballs and light?  Does she have light hazel eyes and talks kind of high-classish?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrows came together.  ¡°You met her?¡±


    Everyone turned their attention to him, and even Duncan gave Anthony a puzzled look.  ¡°When?  Dude, I¡¯ve been with you like ¡­ all week.¡±


    Anthony slowly shook his head.  ¡°It was when you were asleep, and now that I think about it, she might have had a hand in that.  She knocked on the door out of nowhere three days ago, and Ma?lle showed up with her handler shortly after; I don¡¯t think Relica was expecting her.  I thought it was a little strange that Ma?lle¡¯s handler so easily took Relica¡¯s request to allow us to speak alone.¡±


    ¡°She has mind-control abilities,¡± Rachel confirmed, causing her family to swallow.


    ¡°Figures,¡± Anthony muttered, sweeping back his hair with a sigh.  ¡°To be honest, the moment Ma?lle showed up, I became a third-wheel.  The two of them were dancing around each other¡¯s French words, phrases, and topics I¡¯m not that familiar with.  After a few minutes, Relica was getting a little frustrated.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±  Rachel pressed, stomach tightening with the knowledge that Relica had already made a move on Anthony.


    ¡°Relica wanted us to join some kind of group she was forming, and it didn¡¯t sound that bad.  It was like she wanted to make a non-profit support group of individuals to help people in need, having a quick response network to address minor issues in small areas¡ªa community first responder-type group of Mythickin and Legendkin.


    ¡°However, Ma?lle did her normal thing, twisting and flipping a conversation to disarm a person, tugging them along to her tune.  It soon became apparent that Relica was a little irritated with some of the points Ma?lle made about her comments on relationships, which Ma?lle kept poking and prodding in different ways until things started getting real personal about her choices in men, and in Ma?lle¡¯s words, poor flavor.¡±


    ¡°Poor flavor ¡­ okay, like?¡±  Rachel asked, resting her forearms against her crossed legs.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you,¡± Anthony sighed.  ¡°It was getting a bit too much for me.  I left shortly after that, and Ma?lle started poking holes in her sad childhood story like a kid popping balloons at a fair dart game.


    ¡°Ma?lle¡¯s not someone I like getting into a debate with; I learned that lesson the second day I was here; it¡¯s best to either avoid her entirely or stay on surface-level topics.  She can turn almost anything into a sexual innuendo while looking utterly innocent.  It¡¯s like she enjoys making you feel guilty thinking about it when by all appearances, it looks like she wasn¡¯t hinting to sex at all, and then she¡¯ll flip it, stating something totally sexual with a mischievous grin on her face.¡±


    Rachel sat back, lips pressing to the side for a moment.  ¡°Hmh, good to know.¡±


    I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less from Ma?lle with how she manipulated me into this whole fiasco.  She does have some kind of radar that tells her things about people.  Not only that, but she could easily pick up on Relica¡¯s intentions and presence.


    It¡¯s more shocking that Relica didn¡¯t flip out and attack Ma?lle, but that Succubus is too crafty to allow that.  She knows how to escalate a situation to the needle¡¯s point of breaking before de-escalating it in an instant.


    Of course, this could all be an elaborate trick, and if Relica was already here ¡­ Anthony could have been brainwashed already.  It¡¯s not impossible, but I¡¯d put more money on Ma?lle being the manipulator than Relica, and she seems more than capable of forcing a situation to go her way without her Succubus abilities.


    Ma?lle¡¯s extremely intelligent, and knows exactly what she wants ¡­ food.  She¡¯s a high-class glutton for sexual tension, and whatever Relica had planned didn¡¯t fit that vision.  Ma?lle gets her fun out of playing little sexual games with people, not the random sadistic torture and death type of manipulation Relica is into.  It¡¯s just as Anthony repeated, Ma?lle thinks Relica has poor taste.


    ¡°So ¡­ what?¡±  Alexa asked, glancing between them in the ensuing silence.


    Rachel smiled.  ¡°Everything¡¯s fine.  You¡¯ll stay here for the next few days, and we can all hang out.¡±  She forced a chuckle.  ¡°I¡¯d rather none of you meet Ma?lle or Kyle, honestly.  That being said, I don¡¯t think I can really keep you from bumping into them; I¡¯d feel a lot better if Maria were here, but she¡¯s not.  She¡¯ll be back soon, though.¡±


    Molly¡¯s features brightened slightly, and she clapped with excitement.  ¡°I can¡¯t wait to meet more of your friends!¡±


    Sam cleared his throat.  ¡°So, Sung, from everything I¡¯ve been hearing, you can take care of yourself; I¡¯m glad all those Muay Thai lessons helped shape you into the independent woman I see before me.  That being said, both your mother and I urge you not to take risks that would jeopardize your life.¡±


    Her mother nodded emphatically.  ¡°Mhm, mhm!  Please, dear, don¡¯t do anything too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Mom, dad,¡± Nam chuckled.  ¡°I don¡¯t think Sung¡¯s going to run into a suicide dive off a cliff.  She¡¯s smart; give her some credit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your mother,¡± Molly chided with a heated scowl.  ¡°I¡¯m allowed to worry!  From everything I¡¯ve heard, you two almost died this week ¡­ think about that!  My two only children¡ªyou almost died¡­¡±  Tears appeared in the corners of her eyes as she took a shuddering breath.


    Her father reached over to pull her into a hug, voice soft as he rubbed her shoulder.  ¡°She¡¯s right, Sung, Nam, please don¡¯t make your parents¡¯ hearts break; you¡¯re the world to us.¡±


    Guilt flooded Rachel¡¯s chest.  ¡°Mom, dad,¡± she hesitated, ¡°I love you both, too.  I don¡¯t want to die; I¡¯m just starting to live!¡±  She chuckled.


    Her mother sniffed, getting up to walk over and hug her; Molly¡¯s trembling arms encircled her neck, pulling her into her soft and caring embrace.


    ¡°Mom?¡±  Rachel questioned, feeling the wire in her mother¡¯s bra pressing against her cheek through her red night-shirt.


    Releasing her, Molly combed back a lock of her hair and rubbed the base of her left ear for a moment.  ¡°You¡¯re my little girl ¡­ I¡¯ll always worry about you.¡±


    Breathing a short sigh, Rachel got up to hug her mother, lifting her off the ground a few inches.  ¡°I¡¯ll worry about you, too, mom,¡± she whispered in her ear.  ¡°I love you.¡±


    Setting her back down, Molly beamed up at her, clearing her throat.  ¡°Alright, alright¡ªI think it¡¯s time for us to head to bed.  You get running along to save my sweet Scarlet from this Ma?lle character, kay?¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± Rachel grinned.


    ¡°Okay, Sam, Nam, Alexa, these air mattresses aren¡¯t going to inflate themselves without a bit of attention.  Let¡¯s get some sleep so we can be rested to hang out with Rachel tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±  Alexa cheered, pulling Nam to his feet as she rose.  ¡°We¡¯ll go get the last few bags from the back.¡±


    Nam gave her a warm smile while holding up a hand.  ¡°Alright, sis, I¡¯ll talk to you later.¡±


    ¡°No drinking,¡± Molly stated, giving her a critical eye before turning to Duncan.  ¡°So, can you show me to our room?¡±


    A hiss passed through his teeth, glancing at Anthony.


    ¡°It¡¯s cool, man,¡± Anthony chuckled.  ¡°Rachel and I will wait out front until you finish with them.  Sound good?¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Duncan scratched his scalp, catching Molly¡¯s sparkling eyes as she turned to stare between Anthony and Rachel.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ okay, it shouldn¡¯t take that long.  There¡¯s another office they can use for the day; I know a pair of agents called out of State.¡±


    Her mother and father picked up the bags they¡¯d brought on their first trip inside, following Duncan to the nearest entrance while they glanced back to give them encouraging smiles.


    Geez, could they be any more embarrassing?  Why do I feel that way ¡­ well, dad¡¯s cool, but mom¡¯s a freakin¡¯ mess!  Yeah ¡­ the crystals and now Cuba.  Things are going to get messy if this keeps up.


    She groaned softly, making Anthony give her a curious smile as he followed her out of the building.  ¡°Your parents are great ¡­ a lot better than mine,¡± he mumbled softly.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    The soft sea breeze hit them with the salted air as they exited the building, entering the cool mid-sixty-degree weather.  Nam and Alexa whispered about Anthony and how nice of a guy he seemed, Alexa making a few teasing remarks about their possible night out that made Rachel¡¯s heart skip a beat.


    Is everyone a degenerate, and I was just too innocent?  I mean, I guess she¡¯s just talking about kissing, but even that seems like much; it¡¯s our first time going on a walk, and it¡¯s not like we¡¯re dating.


    She tuned them out the moment Alexa began to question if she might be in threat of being the rebound-girl after his recent loss, choosing to focus on Anthony as much as possible.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ they were a bit strict¡ªEnglish upper-class strict.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re from England?¡±


    ¡°Originally, yeah, but I¡¯ve lived far longer in the States than over there,¡± Anthony muttered.


    ¡°Huh, the more you know,¡± Rachel mused.  ¡°You don¡¯t have an accent, though?¡±


    ¡°Never liked it much.  Anyways, so, what¡¯s up with the whole rescue Scarlet operation?¡±


    A soft sigh blew past her lips.  ¡°Ma?lle¡¯s a great white shark smelling blood, and Scarlet¡¯s a little guppy cowering in fear; she¡¯s got no defense against people like Ma?lle.¡±


    ¡°Oof, we better hurry then,¡± Anthony chuckled.


    ¡°I can hear them a mile and a half away at some club,¡± Rachel said with a frown.  ¡°Let¡¯s just say ¡­ Ma?lle¡¯s the most intelligent predator I¡¯ve ever seen; to her, a club is a restaurant filled with raw ingredients, and she¡¯s the master chief creating a dish fit for an Empress.¡±


    Her ears twitched as she heard her ditched DDA agents still searching for her; they¡¯d just called David.


    The Assistant Director picked up his phone, doing his best to keep the fatigue out of his voice, and upon hearing their dilemma asked, ¡°Did you check the front?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªno, she ran down the left hallway, not right to the elevators.¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± David released a long sigh.  ¡°Left of the elevators ¡­ to the balcony?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Where she likely jumped down?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Sir.¡±


    David hung up, releasing a low moan before getting back to work.


    Poor guys ¡­ they¡¯ll catch up, though.  They should run into Duncan before he finishes up with my parents ¡­ hopefully.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 41. A Blooming Relationship

    AuthorSME


    News:  I''m in the process of writing the 2nd draft of TO; I''m trying to do a chapter a day on Monday-Thursday (not ATM days), and Saturday if I can swing it.  Link to them here:


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Explicit)


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Clean)


    POV:  Rachel Sung Park (Our scheming girl has been doing her thing but has someone challenged her at her own game?!)


    Recap:  Thanks to Rachel''s step-sister (you go, Alexa; I take back everything I said about you!), she finally knows about Anthony''s mysterious ring and the sad story behind it.  Now, how will she use this information, and will her family prove to be the death (by embarrassment) of our Lunar Hare as she fears!


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    Selvaria, Lars Sprenger, John J. Riggan, Denny Richter, Seadrake, Nathan Avery, Nunction, Facemeltoar, E.W., and my other Patrons!


    Rachel turned to observe the FBI front entrance, noting the poles with three flags waving east with the gentle gusts, heading for the sea.  It was a partially cloudy night, which looked strangely normal with her night vision, and the waning moon flooded her already capped Lunar Pool.


    She held her hands above her tail, shifting so the breeze wouldn¡¯t throw her hair back in her face.  Anthony stood to her left, focus wandering; words hadn¡¯t been exchanged for a bit as they listened to the city¡¯s distant sounds, broken by the occasional car passing down 145th.


    Anthony seemed to be deep in thought, but his focus swiftly moved to her, causing a curious smile to touch her lips.  ¡°Something caught your interest?¡±


    He smirked, left hand sliding through his hair; he managed to keep his glowing green eyes centered on her¡¯s, which gave her some internal laughter.  ¡°Off the top of my head?  I could name a dozen.¡±


    ¡°Mmh?  You have my attention.¡±  Wait, is this the first time we¡¯ve really been alone together?


    His smile fell slightly as he turned back to the building.  ¡°We can pick up that topic in just a minute, but¡­¡±  He paused, popping his tongue.  ¡°You said we were going after Scarlet and Ma?lle, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel slowly replied.


    Sucking in sharply, he released it with a hiss.  ¡°I really should have thought about changing my clothes, then.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s tongue popped out, sliding along her lips as she casually leaned left and right to study every inch of his body, hair weaving with her movements.  ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know ¡­ the tank-top and shorts look pretty good from my angle.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±  She nodded brightly.


    A soft chuckle shook Anthony¡¯s chest as he folded his arms.  ¡°You¡¯ve got that innocent look down flat.  Is it a skill?¡±


    Her ears tilted left with her head, eyes widening.  ¡°What look?¡±  She held it as he lifted an eyebrow, and only managed to keep it for three more seconds before giving him an impish wink.  ¡°All natural!¡±


    They both broke into fits of soft laughter.


    Anthony took a deep breath.  ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve laughed so much,¡± he muttered, giving her a light smile.  ¡°So,¡± he turned back to the building, smiling curiously.


    ¡°So?¡±  Rachel asked, following his gaze.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think they¡¯d be mad if we played hooky?¡±


    ¡°Already guilty!¡±  Rachel chimed, ears bouncing up.


    ¡°That right?¡±  Anthony asked, holding his hands behind his back as he nudged his head to the right while walking along the sidewalk toward the northern gatehouse.  ¡°I¡¯ve only been out three times since you left.¡±


    ¡°Like it that much here?¡±  Rachel asked, keeping pace.


    ¡°Nah,¡± he gave her a sidelong look.  ¡°I was just hoping to run into you again.¡±


    ¡°Careful,¡± Rachel playfully bumped him with her shoulder; it was like trying to move a tree, but she heard his muscles give in, allowing her to push him a few steps to the right into the grass.


    ¡°Of?¡±  He chuckled.


    Her heart picked up its pace.  C¡¯mon!  Don¡¯t be stupid; this is just a fun little game, but ¡­ in games, there are winners and losers.  I¡¯m a winner, and I still need payback.


    ¡°What am I supposed to think when you say something like that?¡±  She asked as they neared the fence.


    Anthony¡¯s fiery eyebrows lifted as he stopped, placing his hands on his hips while glancing back at the guard in his booth; he was clearly tired and not paying much attention.  ¡°What were we talking about again?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rachel mused.  ¡°I see how it is; the amnesia card, huh?¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond, turning to study her body, eyes down her legs to her feet before climbing up to her ears.  Rachel kept a questioning smirk in place, but she could feel her skin heating up.  Why isn¡¯t Scarlet here to tell me how he¡¯s really feeling¡­


    ¡°How high can you jump?¡±


    ¡°Eh, what?¡±  Rachel asked, tongue pressing against her bottom lip.  ¡°I¡¯m a hare; what do you think?  Ah, you¡¯re just asking that to have an excuse to eye my legs.  Huh?¡±


    He shrugged, returning her smirk.  ¡°What can I say?  You have nice legs.¡±  He casually jumped the eight-foot fence in a single bound, landing on the other side with his hands in his short¡¯s pockets.


    I have nice legs.  She nodded with a soft hum before looking up at him through the white bars.  ¡°You know...¡±  Stepping back, Rachel lifted her left leg into vertical splits before slowly leaning forward, pressing her heel against the railing, ¡°I do have nice legs!¡±


    Anthony¡¯s lower lip tucked under, slowly giving her an impressed nod as she leaned forward, fingers closing around her left knee.  She pressed her forehead against the back of her hand, chest compressing against her thigh before she pulled back.


    Twisting her foot to the side, she put tension on her hip flexors, adductors, glutes, hamstrings, and groin muscles while leaning forward.  ¡°Mmh,¡± she moaned before giving a sharp grunt as the light burn spread.  ¡°Stretching really is the best!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but cheer as a light blush touched the Legendkin¡¯s cheeks, and he cleared his throat.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ can¡¯t argue, there.¡±


    Balancing back on her right foot, she rotated her hip to swing her leg back, lowering it to the ground with a controlled motion.  ¡°That¡¯ll do,¡± she winked with a playful smirk as he swallowed.


    ¡°Yeah, killed it,¡± he muttered.


    Turning her back to Anthony, she bent her knees, jumping into a graceful back layout; her hair flew with the wind, but she kept her ears perfectly straight as she arched her back.  Anthony followed her descent until she landed two feet behind him, brushing her hair to the side to give him a mischievous grin.


    Anthony¡¯s blush faded, regaining control before nodding and folding his arms.  ¡°Okay, consider me impressed.¡±  His massive, flexed biceps more than snatched her attention, chest-puffing out as he laughed.  ¡°I like that glow, too, and I didn¡¯t quite notice how cute your tail is when we sparred last.¡±


    She played it off by rolling her eyes, but it was hard trying to prevent a blush.  ¡°My tail?  I saw where your eyes were going, and here I thought you were a leg-guy.¡±


    ¡°Ah, are we moving to this phase of the journey?¡±  Anthony asked while they locked pace, Rachel leading the way to Ma?lle and Scarlet.


    Her head wandered as they stepped onto the sidewalk, scanning the area with her wide field of vision.  She felt a little bad for not being there to temper the situation the Succubus was exposing her friend to, but then again, it wasn¡¯t that bad, and not enough for her to cut short a game she was winning.


    Rachel noted the cars that passed along Southwest 145th Avenue; they were catching more than a few looks from the cars.  ¡°Oh, I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± Rachel hummed while adjusting her hair.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you go first?¡±


    Anthony smacked his lips before popping his tongue a few times, glowing green irises casually moving down to her fingers as she managed her pink-hued white hair; they snapped back up to her eyes before he spoke.  ¡°My favorite feature, huh?¡±  Clicking one more time, he nodded.  ¡°It has to be your legs; no doubts.¡±


    He chuckled as she punched his shoulder, putting enough strength in it to send him a bit off-balance.  ¡°For real?¡±  She asked, giving him a hard stare while grinning.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he held up his hands defensively, ¡°that stretching exercise caught me good; I was sunk after that, but then again¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm?¡±  Rachel pressed while lifting an eyebrow.  ¡°Then again?¡±  She asked, twirling her wrist expectantly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait until your turn,¡± he replied with a curious tilt to his lips.  ¡°What do those,¡± he cleared his voice, ¡°charming eyes see?¡±


    ¡°My charming eyes,¡± Rachel repeated, tucking in her lips while giving him a hard stare.


    ¡°Are you saying something with that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, is it my turn again?¡±  Anthony questioned.


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Rachel¡¯s ears tilted left with her head, vision catching every inch of the muscular man, and a lump dropped down her throat as she centered on his chest.  ¡°I told Scarlet before, I¡¯m a chest girl,¡± she tucked in her lips, ¡°and I can confidently say that tank-top does you justice.¡±


    Anthony winced.  ¡°Oof, not my winning personality?¡±  He breathed out a disappointed sigh, shaking his head, ¡°And here I thought you didn¡¯t just want me for my body.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Rachel scratched the back of her neck, looking away before giving him a devilish smirk, ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever mentioned wanting personality; besides, who was looking at my butt?¡±


    ¡°Tail,¡± Anthony corrected, but after a moment, his lips became a line.  ¡°Mmh, although, I can¡¯t say ¡­ we¡¯ll have to leave that for the list.¡±  He nodded matter of factly.  ¡°Is it just me, or are you getting a lot more out of me than I am of you?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Are you letting me win?¡±


    ¡°It might make me feel better if I said yes,¡± Anthony mused to himself, ¡°but ¡­ I shouldn¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hearing some mixed signals here,¡± Rachel noted, pointing at her two ears as they crossed the street, pedestrian sign turning on just before they arrived.


    ¡°Are you dodging your turn?¡±  Anthony questioned.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ alright, physical traits are the name of the game, and I¡¯ve gotta say, those abs,¡± she traced his well-defined valleys with her eyes, ¡°have something goin¡¯ on there.  I haven¡¯t seen many eight-packs, and I¡¯m a gym nut,¡± she admitted with raised eyebrows.  ¡°I basically lived in the gym when I wasn¡¯t studying or having classes, but I could only get a six-pack.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s focus moved to her belly, causing Rachel¡¯s hands to tighten around each other behind her back as she put pressure against her tail, trying to push her focus off his pretty gem-like eyes.  ¡°Truth, I find that toned belly of yours equally as appealing.¡±


    ¡°To be number two on the list?¡±  Rachel gave him a doubtful grin.


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Anthony chuckled.  ¡°You got me!  Your eyes.¡±  When she gave him a dubious stare, he buckled down.  ¡°No, really!¡±  He sighed, tone turning reminiscent.  ¡°It reminds me of this clover patch back home, looking for four-leaf clovers in the heat of the day while hiding out from my tutor; plus, the glowing pink, white, black, and red mix is quite stunning,¡± he added, closing an eye while giving her the ok-symbol.


    Her vision fell to the floor, smile softening before her focus moved up again.  ¡°You really think this odd design is pretty?¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± Anthony increased his pace a moment to close the distance, bending forward a little to stare into her eyes.


    A lump dropped down Rachel¡¯s throat as she felt the heat of his breath leave his nose, feeling it brush against her collarbone; she had no doubt she wouldn¡¯t have even noticed the sensation as a human, however, with her heightened senses it was all too real.  Still, she did her best to hold her playful mask, but her tolerance was waning with every puff of hot air touching her neck.


    How close are you going to get?  C¡¯¡¯mon ¡­ just need to hold out for a bit longer; he¡¯ll break off first!  He¡¯s going to¡­


    Her left ear twitched, and she danced back two paces, turning to hide her blush while brushing her hair back to obscure her stiff tail.  ¡°You breathe too hard¡­¡±  Dammit ¡­ dammit, dammit, dammit!


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±  Anthony asked with mild amusement; she heard him straightening while mirroring her action, facial muscles twitching into a smile.


    ¡°Nothing¡­¡±  She coughed, ears shifting to prevent more twitches.  ¡°Umm¡ªDuncan just noticed we bailed on him; I think he¡¯s a bit hurt.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯ll get over it,¡± Anthony mused.


    An uncomfortable silence followed; at least, she thought it was, making Rachel wonder if her ears could turn red because they were certainly hot enough for it.


    Anthony¡¯s tongue slid between his lip and teeth before he popped his tongue.  ¡°You know, I don¡¯t think I could do this with anyone else,¡± he muttered.


    Rachel cleared her throat as softly as she could manage.  ¡°Oh?¡±  I can¡¯t ask if he could do it with Amelia ¡­ dammit, why¡¯d I have a meltdown?  He broke once, but I might as well have caught fire!  That¡¯s like negative two points ¡­ does that make us even since he¡¯s kind of been losing overall?  Bah, get your head in the game!


    He paused, causing her to stop; it had been long enough to regain a semblance of her relaxed demeanor.  She turned, hair obscuring most of her blush, but he wasn¡¯t looking at her.  ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Anthony¡¯s focus was on a green plastic hardcover that was hiding machinery for some building nearby.  ¡°Hey, is Scarlet safe enough for us to sit?¡±


    She frowned, ears swiveling to catch back up with the near-catatonic Vespertine Reaper as Ma?lle demonstrated in real-time how to speak to boys.  She knew Scarlet had turned her way more than once, likely keeping tabs on her while praying she¡¯d come sooner.


    Can she feel my emotions this far away?  ¡°Mmh, yeah, she¡¯s fine.¡±  Probably not, but ¡­ sorry, Scarlet, you¡¯ll have to handle this one on your own; good luck!


    Duncan directed Alexa and Nam to the room he¡¯d brought Sam and Molly before reporting in, getting Ma?lle¡¯s location before racing their way in hopes of catching up to them.


    Rachel followed Anthony to the green cover, hopping up to join him; she¡¯d just managed to get her burning cheeks under control, spurred by her curiosity.  She knew this shift in his mood likely had to do with it being Amelia¡¯s birthday, and he was spending it with her.


    When he spoke, it made her ears stand up for a moment.  ¡°Do you believe in fate?¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± Rachel sucked in her bottom lip, forcing herself not to pick at her skin, ¡°honestly, not really, but I mean, who knows?¡±


    ¡°Hmh,¡± Anthony grunted.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ it¡¯s all so surreal, though.¡±  He scratched behind his left ear, releasing a long sigh.  ¡°I never really was that big into it either ¡­ it was kind of Amelia¡¯s thing, though¡ªshe entertained that kind of stuff.  I think she actually bought into a bit of it, but she was too embarrassed to tell me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cute,¡± Rachel mumbled, twisting her heels against the plastic as her feet dangled.


    ¡°She was a bit of a romantic¡ªmmh, and a bit weird, I¡¯ll admit,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°I was completely caught off-guard by the counter-proposal, though ¡­ I just kind of stared at her as we both kneeled in front of each other.  I was so confused.¡±


    He shook his head, swallowing before inhaling and exhaling.  ¡°No¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t have played a game like we did; she¡¯d blush within the first five seconds and change the topic ¡­ probably to the weather, to be honest,¡± he said while scratching his temple.


    Can he read my mind?  Jeez, this is turning heavy ¡­ how should I respond?  Should I hold his hand ¡­ no, that¡¯s way too forward of an action.  Don¡¯t overthink it!  This isn¡¯t fight-science.


    Her focus snapped back to him as he continued.  ¡°I only thought about her when I changed ¡­ it¡¯s been one of the only things on my mind, but¡­¡±


    Anthony¡¯s brow creased as he turned to stare at her, both taming their hair from the drag of a car that passed, going at least fifteen over the speed limit.  ¡°That¡¯s kind of changed since we sparred; it might sound weird, but ¡­ it¡¯s the truth.  Sometimes I lay back and just remember watching you sprint right at my spear point without an ounce of fear in those eyes.  Was it really just to test another Legendkin because I feel like there was a bit more to it?¡±


    Rachel kicked out her feet, letting Anthony¡¯s words soak in.  He¡¯s thinking about me ¡­ even over Amelia at times.  If he is getting over her, then it might take some time, but the door doesn¡¯t seem closed, and he¡¯s clearly physically attracted to me.  Maybe mom didn¡¯t ruin everything.


    She repressed a grimace, mind returning to her mother¡¯s bubbly greeting as she locked on Aiden like one of her Korean dramas.  ¡°Yes, and no,¡± Rachel slowly admitted, and Anthony waited for her to explain, sad green eyes focused on the ground.  ¡°I told you that there was a Legendkin that I fought before, and I did want to test you out to see how you compared, but I won¡¯t say there weren¡¯t other reasons, too,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Like?¡±


    She played with her feet, doing her best to restrain another blush.  ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±


    ¡°These changes certainly are,¡± Anthony whispered, pointing under his right eye; the make-up was almost perfect, unlike before.  ¡°I have to cover-up this beauty mark, or apparently, I can ¡­ entice women.¡±


    Rachel smirked.  ¡°I better watch out, then.¡±


    He released a sad chuckle.  ¡°Right?  I don¡¯t know ¡­ Amelia always called me a playboy; I hated it when she¡¯d said I was too good for her,¡± he mumbled, rubbing his nose.  ¡°She ran away once, after a test ¡­ Amelia didn¡¯t want me to see the results; don¡¯t know how she thought she¡¯d escape when she had to return to her room anyway.¡±


    ¡°Just emotion,¡± Rachel stated softly, keeping her eyes low.  ¡°She probably just wanted some time to build up the courage.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ anyways, thanks for listening, Rachel.  Sorry if it got a little depressing; sometimes, I wonder how I should go on, and I¡¯ve read up on my legend ¡­ it kind of makes me scared¡ªfalling in love doesn¡¯t normally work out for Diarmuid.¡±


    Did he just admit he¡¯s falling in love with me?  No ¡­ he¡¯s just worried about it in general.  He likes me, but I¡¯m hovering dangerously close to the friend-zone.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit down and read over some of those legends sometime?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he shot a short huff through his nose, ¡°maybe we could.¡±  Anthony gave her a half-smile.  ¡°Like I said, who knows¡ªthat four-leaf clover luck you¡¯ve got in your eyes might rub off.  What do you think?¡±


    Rachel gave him a forced laugh.  ¡°Actually¡ªa hare is said to be an omen of bad luck ¡­ sadly.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s dashing smile returned as he gave her a wink.  ¡°Good to know The Oscillation mixed something up.¡±


    ¡°Wait.  What?¡±  Rachel asked, but Anthony hopped off the cover, turning to greet Duncan as he slowly came to a stop, gasping for air; he¡¯d been running after them since leaving the building.


    ¡°W-What¡¯s¡ªthe big¡ªidea?¡±  He gasped, coughing as Anthony slapped him on the back.


    ¡°Alright, Rachel,¡± he turned back to her with an apologetic grin.  ¡°I¡¯m going to head back; I¡¯ve got a few things I need to set straight.¡±


    Sliding off her seat, Rachel gave him her innocent smile.  ¡°Oh, no problem; I¡¯ll just go rescue Scarlet, then, but,¡± she paused, turning her head to look further up the road, ¡°I might be a little too late.  We¡¯ll see.¡±


    Her focus returned to Anthony as his tone softened.  ¡°Thanks, Rachel.¡±


    Ears stiffening, she cocked her head.  ¡°For?¡±


    ¡°Just listening ¡­ in other words, your big ears,¡± he winked.


    ¡°You know you love them,¡± Rachel said, folding her arms while giving him a challenging smirk.


    He smacked his lips.  ¡°Mmh, yeah, I guess they¡¯re growing on me,¡± he muttered.


    Rachel stiffened.  ¡°Wait, you didn¡¯t like them?¡±


    ¡°Ah, gotta go!¡±  Anthony apologized, waving her off as he guided Duncan away.  ¡°Dude, let me see your phone.¡±


    ¡°What the hell, man?¡±  Duncan protested, glancing back at her.  ¡°Dude, wait a second ¡­ aye, yo,¡± he shouted back at her, still being guided away, ¡°I¡¯ll send word back to those two guys looking for you¡ªwhy do you need my phone?¡±


    ¡°Dude, chill,¡± Anthony chuckled, slapping him on the back again, ¡°you guys broke my phone, remember?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t do shit; it was the lab tech that dropped it!¡±


    Rachel watched them walk off with her hands behind her back, suppressing a grin.  All in all, I¡¯d consider that a victory!  Close, but I can still hold my hand in the air.


    She couldn¡¯t suppress a giggle as Duncan leaned in to whisper, ¡°Yo, are you two a new thing or somethin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±  Anthony questioned, lifting an eyebrow while glancing back at her with a smirk.  They were already across the street, but she could hear them just as easily as if they were speaking right next to her.


    He really is a tease!


    ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t know¡ªhow well that would work ¡­ eh¡ªshe¡¯s kind of¡­¡±


    ¡°Kind of?¡±


    Yes.  Rachel mused.  Kind of what, Duncan?


    He swallowed, following Anthony¡¯s gaze.  ¡°Wait,¡± he whispered.  ¡°Shit, I keep forgetting she can hear a long way¡¯s off.¡±


    ¡°You''re just going to leave us hanging,¡± Anthony asked.


    Duncan popped his tongue.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ I¡¯m not going to stick my foot in my mouth.¡±


    Anthony sucked in a breath through his teeth before slapping him on the back again.  ¡°Already did it, my man.¡±


    The Agent choked, hunching over while coughing.  ¡°Shit¡ªdude, stop¡ªsmackin¡¯ me around!¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Anthony muttered, giving him a sidelong look.  ¡°Don¡¯t be weak, dude.¡±


    ¡°Freakin¡¯ Demi,¡± Duncan mumbled.  ¡°I ain¡¯t got the body of Hercules, dammit!¡±


    ¡°Right?  I think you need to hit the gym with me, Man.¡±


    ¡°Screw off!¡±  Duncan muttered.  ¡°I work out every day.¡±


    ¡°Not with me,¡± Anthony shot back.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ there¡¯s a reason for that.¡±


    Wow, quite the pair.  Rachel mused, turning while taking a deep breath.  Alright, Scarlet, I¡¯m coming!  Lowering her center of gravity, she shot into a light jog, racing up to eighty miles an hour to keep her shoes¡¯ glue from melting.


    That was actually a really nice talk.  Some fun, and some progress; he¡¯s a pretty good guy ¡­ and he¡¯s got a pretty good body, too!  A win-win.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 42. Ma?lle’s Rules

    AuthorSME


    News:  I''m in the process of writing the 2nd draft of TO; I''m trying to do a chapter a day on Monday-Thursday (not ATM days), and Saturday if I can swing it.  Link to them here:


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Explicit)


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Clean)


    POV:  Scarlet Clementine Johnson (Our scheming girl has found someone worth playing with, hehe)


    Recap:  Our scheming girl has found someone worth playing with, hehe (Mom didn''t ruin everything, and step-sis came through with the play!).


    Rachel took our spartan-boy, Anthony, for quite the ride throwin'' in jabs and hooks to stun his pretty face.   She did some rather *cough* provocative *cough* stretches to catch his eye, and made solid headway!


    Now, we see how our timid Vampire-girl is fairing.  How has our girl done, wrapped in the Succubus'' tail?  D=


    Hang on, Scarlet!  The fans are coming!


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Dylan Oostdyk, Merpmerp, Llosa, Austin Reff, Claus Jorgensen, Zestar, Qustom, The GeneralPlaysGames, and my other Patrons!


    Scarlet¡¯s fangs poked out, pressing against her bottom lip as Ma?lle gave her a bright smile.  ¡°Isn¡¯t it a lovely night?¡±  She commented, her light French accent becoming stronger.


    Ma?lle held her hands behind her back, pink, gem-like barb at the end of her black tail swishing back and forth as she walked, swaying with her hips.  It exited just above her butt, through a slit she¡¯d made in the black strapless dress she wore; the article had a skater, flared skirt, and peplum with a pleated overlay that showed off her thighs.


    The clicking of her T-strap peep-toe platform heels tapped against the concrete as they walked, drawing attention to her calves and perfect feet.  Scarlet noticed she didn¡¯t wear any jewelry to attract the eye, probably since the glowing cracks running down her legs and arms provided enough visual stimulation, and more light was visible through patches in the fabric that covered her skin.


    Saeki, their DDA escort, rubbed her neck with a low groan; she wore her standard FBI-style business outfit.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can handle another club night, Ma?lle; I¡¯m so drained.¡±


    The Succubus skipped forward a few steps, thick pink hair bouncing as she turned to face them.  She kept pace as they continued to their location.  ¡°Absurdit¨¦, come now, Saeki!¡±  Her lips curled mischievously.  ¡°Didn¡¯t Josh say he¡¯d be here again this night?¡±


    [i.e. Absurdit¨¦ - Absurdity]


    Scarlet couldn¡¯t help latching onto her words as her French accent twisted the phrasing of every sentence.  From the tone of her voice to the playful manner in which her frame swayed, everything she did was cute, and the emotion laced with each motion of her body painted the image she wished to portray.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Saeki moaned, brushing back her black hair.  ¡°You can¡¯t keep trying to hook me up when I¡¯m on duty with you!  You turn every conversation into a battleground¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, mon amie!  I¡¯m here for you.¡±  Ma?lle protested.


    [i.e. mon amie - my friend]


    Scarlet was happy the Succubus¡¯ attention wasn¡¯t on her, but she feared the moment those captivating gradient pink eyes would change their focus.  They¡¯d just cleared the checkpoint a minute before, and Scarlet¡¯s halo-like irises filtered out everything in her path before catching sight of Rachel, racing through the FBI building to get to her parents.


    She suppressed a groan; her stomach turned with the concern on her friend¡¯s face.  Ma?lle told Anthony to go down to the lobby, which means ¡­ how¡¯d she know Rachel¡¯s parents were there?  Did I give it away when she asked if Rachel knew the people downstairs?  Did I screw Rachel over?  No ¡­ why¡¯s it always turn out like this?


    ¡°Something the matter, mon petit Vampire?¡±  Ma?lle innocently asked.


    [i.e., mon petit - my little]


    Scarlet cleared her throat, vision shooting to Saeki as she released a short yawn, scratching the back of her neck.  ¡°N-no, why would something be wrong?¡±  She asked, forcing a chuckle.


    ¡°Amie,¡± Ma?lle whispered, reaching down to grab her hand with concern.  ¡°No need to hold back; this is our little night out!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡ªjust a little nervous,¡± Scarlet admitted; all she could sense was the swirling chaos practically oozing out of the Succubus.


    The woman¡¯s warm, delicate fingers cupping her hand captured her attention; Ma?lle¡¯s pink fingernails contrasted her black nails with surprising clarity.  The Succubus gave her the jitters; she was so hard to get a fix on.


    Normally, she could easily read how people felt, especially if they had negative emotions; however, Ma?lle¡¯s constant emotional obscurity was entirely unique to her.  It was as if the woman¡¯s mood was shrouded in a thick mist, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t see past it.


    Does she have some kind of shield that protects her from my senses?  I wouldn¡¯t put it past her.


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Ma?lle frowned, head tilting with concern as she glanced down at their nails.  ¡°No, what has you on edge, ma beaut¨¦?¡±


    [my beauty]


    Scarlet¡¯s strained smile twitched as she reluctantly pulled her hands back, folding her arms underneath her chest.  ¡°I¡ªumm, just haven¡¯t had¡ªwell, been around anyone like you before, Ma?lle.  N-not that you¡¯re bad!¡±  She quickly reassured.


    Ma?lle¡¯s features slowly moved to a small musing smirk.  ¡°Mmh, I see, I see, c''est tr¨¨s compr¨¦hensible,¡± she whispered, flipping around while walking slightly ahead of them.  They were coming upon a street light.


    [i.e., c''est tr¨¨s compr¨¦hensible - very understandable]


    Scarlet¡¯s focus moved to Saeki as she gave her a knowing smile; tired as she looked, it almost appeared to be a grimace, but her emotions told her everything she needed to know.  The DDS agent didn¡¯t hate or even fear Ma?lle; she felt a tad exasperated about the Succubus but didn¡¯t really consider her that dangerous at the moment.


    ¡°You know, Ma?lle hasn¡¯t used her abilities once since you guys let her know she could turn them off.  At least, that¡¯s what she tells me,¡± she raised her voice while giving the woman a lifted eyebrow.


    ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t actively used any abilities; that wouldn¡¯t be any fun,¡± Ma?lle mumbled, turning back to reflect her expression before returning her focus to the front.


    ¡°Yeah¡ªI, umm, just,¡± Scarlet stumbled around her words, trying to say what she was thinking without sounding accusatory, ¡°how would any of us really know if we use our powers¡ªlike at all.  I mean, I¡¯m using my emotional sensing ability all the time, and no one seems to even notice.¡±


    Saeki¡¯s brow came together.  ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit intrusive?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s be honest,¡± Ma?lle giggled, tail still weaving in front of them as they slowed to a stop in front of the crosswalk to wait for the light.  ¡°All¡ªmost living creatures have some form of emotional sensing.  I do wonder about some people,¡± she mumbled with a dull expression.


    Saeki moved around her to wait, and the Succubus¡¯ attitude flipped on a dime, turning to give the agent a wink.   ¡°You were definitely feeling Josh¡¯s rising body heat when you two danced the other night.¡±


    The jab seemed to slide right off the agent; Scarlet knew she¡¯d be on the ropes with a comment like that, but Saeki appeared to have already weathered worse from the woman.  ¡°Yeah, I suppose I get your point.¡±  She leveled a smirk right back at Ma?lle.  ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t like tricks involving emotional sensing?¡±


    ¡°I said no such thing!¡±  Ma?lle returned, closing her eyes while hugging herself.  ¡°Mmh, the thrill of the dance between individuals locked in rapturous conversation heats the blood and tightens muscle.  I have extremely delicate senses to such reactions, with or without further enhanced faculties that my other skills might enable.  No, the gentle tug and push the sexual game delivers wets the mouth and grips the mind.¡±


    Scarlet swallowed, slightly intrigued and scared of the Succubus beside her.  She spoke up as a motorcycle peeled out on the opposite street.  ¡°How¡ªhow do you do it?¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s wet lips pursed, pink eyes momentarily shifting to the sign as it turned green, and they walked across the street.  ¡°What is it, you ask?¡±


    A small group of two girls and a boy crossing to the opposite side of the street drew Scarlet¡¯s notice; the teenage boy couldn¡¯t help but gawk at them, which a blonde girl definitely didn¡¯t like.  The girl¡¯s emotions were like knives, lightening Scarlet¡¯s mood as they transferred to her, but the three passed without saying a word; the negative feelings energized her.  Ma?lle all but ignored them, keeping her attention on Scarlet, but Saeki retook the stage.


    ¡°Ah, think she¡¯s asking you about how you seduce so many guys without your powers,¡± she chuckled.


    Scarlet¡¯s cheeks darkened, goosebumps crawling across her skin.  ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Ma?lle¡¯s eyes narrowed seductively.  ¡°What brings this question on, hmm, ma cherie?  Is it Kyle caressing those thoughts?¡±


    [i.e., ma cherie - calling a female ¡®my dear¡¯ or ¡®sweetheart¡¯; can be romantic or platonic]


    Caressing?  Why would she use a word like that?  It¡¯s just¡­


    Scarlet¡¯s cheeks heated further.  ¡°N-no.  I¡ªI just want to know how you do it.  That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Saeki replied while giving her a stare.


    ¡°What?  I¡¯m just curious, is all!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been around Ma?lle long enough to know why women ask her that,¡± she mused.  She gestured to the Succubus as they made it to the sidewalk.  ¡°To which, she replies¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really quite simple!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s full pink lips became a line as she slowed; Scarlet grew somewhat uncomfortable as she continued to stare at her for more than fifteen seconds.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Succubus¡¯ voice lowered so that only she could hear.  ¡°I sense the darkness in you that threatens to swallow you whole, amie, and a hidden animosity that seeks to overwhelm you.¡±


    Scarlet slowed to a stop, causing the agent to pause, giving her a questioning look.


    ¡°You ¡­ how.¡±


    A compassionate smile brightened Ma?lle¡¯s cheeks.  ¡°A sensitive soul, a heart of wild, you wound up thinking you¡¯re a cursed child.  Embrace your blessing, it¡¯s not a curse, because you¡¯ve been kissed by the universe.¡±


    The three of them stood on the sidewalk, a soft breeze gently moving their hair as Scarlet worked through Ma?lle¡¯s poem, mind firing on all cylinders.  Somehow, she felt more empowered than she¡¯d ever thought possible; it was as if the Succubus had seen inside her core before carefully moving a few broken pieces back into alignment.


    I¡¯m not cursed¡­


    A hard lump dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat as Ma?lle¡¯s smile brightened, eyes closing before silently turning and leading the way again.  Scarlet slowly followed after her, mind running Ma?lle¡¯s words on repeat.


    A sensitive soul ¡­ heart of wild ¡­ I was a cursed child, but ¡­ I should embrace my blessing because it¡¯s not a curse ¡­ I¡¯ve been kissed by the universe.


    ¡°What¡ªwas that about?¡±  Saeki mumbled.  ¡°No offense, but you say some random things sometimes, Ma?lle.¡±


    ¡°The heart is often filled with contradictions and metaphors.  I felt it appropriate, eh, ma choupette?¡±  She winked at Scarlet.


    [i.e., ma choupette - a female-only term of endearment meaning cabbage (although referring to a sweet and yummy puff pastry) which is usually seen as romantic, although not exclusively]


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Scarlet whispered, eyes downcast as she thought.  ¡°Ma?lle¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±


    She looked up, following the curves of the Succubus¡¯ curled gem-like ram horns.  ¡°Why do you like The Oscillation so much?  I mean, do you?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Ma?lle replied, looking up at the partly cloudy dark sky while eyeing the waning moon.  ¡°A difficult question,¡± she whispered.


    Saeki brow rose.  ¡°You don¡¯t like your change?  I was sure you¡¯d say it was the best thing since rice.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t really compare it to rice as I¡¯m not the biggest fan,¡± she giggled.  ¡°No, it¡¯s a complicated one to ponder, though, for sure.  Why the universe gave us such abilities is beyond me, and there are certain ¡­ advantages to being human that I miss, I admit.¡±


    ¡°Like?¡±  Saeki pressed.  ¡°If I could have any guy I wanted fawning over me, I¡¯d be perfectly fine with horns on my head and a tail sticking out of my butt.¡±


    Ma?lle gave her a wry grin.  ¡°If only you knew the discomfort of getting your tail stuck in a revolving door.  It¡¯s ¡­ not pleasant.¡±


    Scarlet couldn¡¯t help but merge the idea of such an event with the unnatural strength they¡¯d gotten from The Oscillation.  ¡°You couldn¡¯t just easily tug your tail out, breaking the door if needed?¡±


    ¡°Ciel, no,¡± Ma?lle¡¯s mouth opened in horror, showing perfect teeth.  ¡°This Succubus is delicate!¡±  She protested.


    [Heaven, no]


    The agent lifted an eyebrow as she observed her defensive posture.  ¡°Here, I thought you could pick me up and toss me onto a roof or something.¡±


    ¡°No, I cannot just simply flex my tail and topple a building,¡± she mumbled, rolling her eyes while her tail flicked with agitation.  It snaked around her side, and she began stroking it protectively.  ¡°Rachel and Scarlet may be able to do wonders with those small bodies of theirs, but I am no Serge Nubret.¡±


    Saeki smirked, giving her a thoughtful look.  ¡°No wings to fly me around, then?  I¡¯ve been meaning to bring up the whole bat wing image.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no angel, swooping in to swit you off to heaven.¡±


    ¡°No angel ¡­ that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    ¡°Quite,¡± Ma?lle agreed with a chuckle.  ¡°Although, I won¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t spread my wings and whist you away for my own ends,¡± she added with a secretive smile.


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re playing with me again?¡±


    ¡°Who can say, you have a lovely voice,¡± she paused, giving her a look, ¡°like an angel.¡±  She finished, finding her hands behind her back with a light hum.


    Scarlet¡¯s hand lifted to her mouth as she laughed; she was becoming somewhat used to the Succubus¡¯ presence.  ¡°Rachel blows me out of the water when it comes to physical strength; she can fold steel like paper.¡±


    ¡°Oh, damn,¡± Saeki mumbled, eyes widening as she gave her a look.


    ¡°Hmm, why don¡¯t we get off of this brutish topic of physical posturing,¡± Ma?lle mumbled, scratching the base of her left horn before giving her an innocent smile.  ¡°Didn¡¯t you say, you wanted to know how to seduce men, yes?¡±


    ¡°Not so¡ªboldly,¡± Scarlet admitted, ¡°but it would be¡ªI mean, maybe I¡¯m a little curious,¡± she shrugged.  ¡°You just make it seem so ¡­ easy.¡±


    ¡°Nothing in life is easy,¡± Ma?lle quickly replied, but there was a reminiscent smile lifting her cheeks.  ¡°No, it¡¯s real work; hard work.¡±  She winked while extending her arms.


    Scarlet¡¯s focus moved to the glowing cracks running down her skin, releasing a sapphire light; the color made her gulp, reminding her of Kyle¡¯s contrasting colors.


    Her perfectly manicured pink fingernails traced one that started at her wrist, slowly moving up to close off just below her elbow as she twisted her arm.  ¡°If you pay close attention, you¡¯ll see the light¡¯s gradual motion as it breathes, brightening and fading in a slow pattern, drawing your attention to the next.¡±


    She tilted her arm back, following a different crack that moved around her biceps.  ¡°It¡¯s no different than jewelry; it¡¯s meant to catch men¡¯s eyes, guiding them to different sections of the body.  You see, men have a hard time focusing on multiple things at once, but what they do center on takes their full attention; it¡¯s biology, and so they must be directed to each curve.¡±


    Saeki giggled softly, shaking her head while listening.  ¡°She explained this to me before; it¡¯s really a devilish tactic.¡±


    ¡°No more than the perfume or cologne women and men wear to attract one another; the game of attraction is quite demanding and vicious,¡± she stated, demonstrating each motion as they walked.


    ¡°The twist of the hips, caress of the hand against the thigh to entice, showing them what they want, but they must work for.  A flick of the hair, drawing people¡¯s eyes to your ears or baubles you choose to decorate yourself with, why else wear earrings if not to be noticed?  It¡¯s the same with women to women; oh, how we enjoy flaunting what we have so that others may envy.¡±


    Scarlet swallowed, clearing her throat while following the Succubus¡¯ examination.  ¡°You enjoy it, too?¡±


    ¡°Comme c''est amusant!¡±  Ma?lle chuckled, fingers creasing her dress as she held her sides.  ¡°I¡¯m a little different than most women.  My abilities aren¡¯t specialized for women, but that doesn¡¯t mean I cannot receive sexual energy off of them.  I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s equal; I get a different type of nourishment from jealousy than ecstasy, and the flavor of both men and women are different,¡± she explained while licking her moist, camellia pink lips.


    [How funny!]


    ¡°What are horns but another curve to follow with the eye?  The neck, breasts, waist, hips, fat of your butt, the round, ample shape of the thighs, leading down to the knees and calves, should I go on?¡±  She asked, the back of her fingers tracing each part of her body as they slowed.


    ¡°Men¡¯s eyes will naturally wander, but you don¡¯t want them to linger in one area too long; there needs to be some mystery to pull them in, and so you must be a shepherd, carefully ushering them further into your enigmatic web.¡±


    Saeki sucked in a sharp breath with Scarlet as she finished.


    ¡°I get it; I do,¡± the agent muttered, ¡°but not every guy is into that kind of¡ªwell, don¡¯t get me wrong, just looking at your body makes me want to blush with envy, but not everyone¡¯s into that¡ªlook.¡±


    ¡°Ho, tr¨¨s certainement!¡±  Ma?lle nodded with a short clap of her hands.  ¡°That¡¯s why I can alter men¡¯s perception of me, and I can even do the same to women, to a certain extent,¡± she mused.


    [Oh, certainly]


    ¡°Wait ¡­ you didn¡¯t tell me this before,¡± she mumbled, lips tilting to the side with concern.


    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t had to use it,¡± Ma?lle winked, slapping her butt while flicking her tail.  ¡°Have you met many men that could resist giving me their undivided attention?¡±


    ¡°Not many,¡± she admitted with a low growl.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ fine; no, none.¡±


    ¡°Anthony and Kyle!¡±  Scarlet quickly piped up.


    ¡°Ah, bonne observation, mon amie!  Indeed, Anthony has quite the willpower, and who can blame him for being so attentive to your amie Li¨¨vre Lunaire.  Kyle is in a league of his own as an Incubus ¡­ you could even say I get a little faint around him,¡± she whispered with a thoughtful smile.  ¡°That touch is ¡­ ¨¦rotique, to put it mildly.¡±


    [good observation, my friend; amie Li¨¨vre Lunaire - Lunar Hare friend; erotic]


    Scarlet was feeling more than a little nervous by the Succubus¡¯ direction, and she could tell that their escort was feeling uncomfortable, too.  ¡°Umm¡ªyou said something about¡­¡±


    ¡°Teaching you the ways of seduction!¡±  Ma?lle chimed, noting more people walking around as they drew closer to the nearby shopping district.  ¡°Do you really wish to learn?¡±


    She glanced back, scanning for Rachel, but she was sitting down with her family, talking with Anthony.  How long are you going to take?


    ¡°Hmm, how long until our fine eared friend returns?¡±


    Scarlet jumped, blue eyes returning as she scratched behind her left ear with a forced chuckle.  ¡°It seems she¡¯s¡ªumm, busy talking with Anthony.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± the Succubus¡¯ eyes sparkled.  ¡°I suppose she will be otherwise occupied for the foreseeable future, then.¡±


    She suppressed a groan.  ¡°I¡ªguess so.¡±


    ¡°Very well, then we should get started!  The lesson begins; how to be a heartbreaker.  Rule number one...¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s jaw locked with sudden panic as Ma?lle skipped forward to intercept three men in their early twenties.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she greeted, causing them to stop dead in their tracks, eyes wandering left and right as if wondering if she was speaking to them or someone else.  ¡°Could I see you at the club around the corner?¡±


    A black-haired man with short hair recovered first, giving her a forced smile, focusing on her lightly shimmering horns to her pink gradient eyes before being captured.  ¡°I¡ªumm, maybe.  Eh,¡± he tilted his head toward the man to his left, but his vision never left the Succubus.  ¡°We were just going to get something to eat, but¡­¡±


    ¡°No, yeah, you¡¯ll see us at¡ªumm,¡± the man glanced up the street.  ¡°The Latin Night Club?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Ma?lle waved back at them.  ¡°Me and my friends are heading over there to have a good time.  We should be there for a bit; maybe you could stop in after eating?¡±


    The black-haired man lifted his hand to scratch his neck.  ¡°Oh, we can¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Ma?lle insisted, darting back to rejoin the agent and her.  ¡°We¡¯ll meet you there!  Go eat, and come find us.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he chuckled, glancing at his friends as they mirrored the laugh.  ¡°Yeah, okay; we¡¯ll meet you there after grabbing a quick bite.¡±


    ¡°See you there,¡± Ma?lle called back as they split up.


    She made it a game for them.  Scarlet mechanically followed after her.  She just¡­  ¡°Did you just ask them to join us for a date?¡±


    Saeki discharged a long puff of air.  ¡°Nothing so formal.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±  Ma?lle giggled.  ¡°That was rule number one.  What did you learn?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ I don¡¯t know, talk to guys?¡±  Scarlet mumbled, trying not to fall as she stumbled on an uneven patch in the sidewalk while ignoring the Succubus¡¯ expectant smile.


    Her ears burned as she listened to the guys walking the opposite way.


    ¡°Dude, two Demi chicks, man, and both hot!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, man.  Your sister¡¯s waiting for some grub; I was too scared to even look at them when I saw the one with elf ears and pale skin.¡±


    ¡°Dude, Chris, you can hang out with the Asian chick if you¡¯re scared of the two Demi girls.  Hell, that horned one, though ¡­ damn.¡±


    ¡°The goth was pretty cute, too.¡±


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got our lineup, boys!¡±


    ¡°Dude, your sister¡­¡±


    ¡°Will love the story!  C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be a cockblock, bro.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s attention shot back to Ma?lle as she clicked her tongue.  ¡°No, no, ma bonne amie ¨¤ crocs.  Rule number one,¡± she smiled, ¡°is that you¡¯ve gotta have fun!¡±  Her tongue stuck out to the side as she winked, holding up a finger, ¡°but when you¡¯re done, you¡¯ve gotta be the first to run.¡±


    [my good fanged friend]


    ¡°Eh¡ªhey,¡± Scarlet mumbled as the Succubus took her hand, pulling her ahead, and after a second, took her other hand while swaying in a circle.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to party, ma beaut¨¦; loosen up, and shake those lovely hips!¡±


    Scarlet chuckled as Ma?lle began adding a few dancing twirls into the mix.  ¡°I¡¯ve never been to a club.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re with me; I¡¯m the perfect wing-woman.  Have you ever Salsa danced before?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, then I¡¯ll have to teach you when we arrive; we¡¯ll have so much fun.¡±


    The two of them broke apart with Saeki bringing up the rear, giving them an amused grin.  ¡°Hey, I was her little charity project yesterday,¡± she muttered.  ¡°Just roll with it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Scarlet breathed a long sigh before a real smile brightened her cheeks; they were drawing more than a few eyes, but it was becoming easier to ignore them like Ma?lle.  ¡°Can you teach me how not to be so embarrassed by all this?¡±


    Ma?lle smacked her lips while giving her a dismissive gesture.  ¡°Embarrassment is easy to overcome; you just need to break through it with experience.¡±


    ¡°Easier said than done¡­¡±


    ¡°Not when you have support!¡±  Ma?lle protested, holding out her hand with a confident expression.  ¡°Let me show you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in sports clothes¡­¡±  Scarlet mumbled, picking at the hem of her shirt with a deep frown.


    ¡°Mmh, not as revealing as most joggers I¡¯ve seen around Miami,¡± Ma?lle admitted, eyes sliding up her frame, ¡°but that has its own appeal.  It adds character; tells a story about the girl wearing them.  Now, personally, I¡¯d love to get you in a tube dress, maybe with some shoulder frill¡ªmmh, a slit down the thigh, ankle-length ¡­ oh, a deep rouge with a smocked chest, and some suitable heels.  Vous ¨ºtes une femme incroyablement belle!¡±


    [i.e., You''re such a stunningly beautiful woman!]


    ¡°I¡¯d feel too self-conscious in something like that¡­¡±


    Scarlet reluctantly took her hand, and Ma?lle spun her around while breaking away.  ¡°What do you mean; you were in a wedding gown when we first met, remember?  You, magnifique!¡±


    Scarlet blushed, regaining her balance.  ¡°You keep complimenting me.¡±  She cleared her throat, taking a deep breath before saying, ¡°You¡¯ll start making me think¡ªthink you¡¯re interested in something else.¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s face brightened with thrilling shock.  ¡°Look at you, blooming before my eyes; oh, je dois¡­¡±  Goosebumps slid up Scarlet¡¯s arms as the Succubus darted forward to kiss her cheeks.  ¡°Vous ¨ºtes juste pr¨¦cieux!¡±


    [I must ¡­ you¡¯re just precious!]


    ¡°Umm,¡± Scarlet glanced back, watching the three guys turn the corner, glancing back every so often.  ¡°Are we really going to hang out with them?¡±


    Ma?lle gave her an impish grin.  ¡°Rule number two of a heartbreaker, don¡¯t get attached to someone you could lose.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so ¡­ we aren¡¯t going to that bar?¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course, we are!¡±  Ma?lle giggled, folding her hands behind her back while flipping around to face Scarlet.  ¡°You see, boys like a little danger; we have them falling for a stranger, a player, and if we meet again, then we can move to the next phase, but it¡¯s just like I said, we¡¯re just having fun!¡±


    ¡°A heartbreaker,¡± Scarlet whispered.


    ¡°Mhm, mhm!  It¡¯s not like we actually want to have a long-standing relationship with them, but we¡¯re just testing out the ride.¡±  She smirked, her hand lifting to direct her attention.  ¡°Rule number three, wear your heart on your cheek, and never on your sleeve unless you want to taste defeat.¡±


    ¡°Cheek, meaning¡­¡±


    ¡°Keep your true emotions hidden,¡± Saeki answered with a sad shake of her head.  ¡°Like she said, these aren¡¯t lessons on getting a husband.  Nope, Ma?lle¡¯s a heartbreaker ¡­ she¡¯s not about settling down, but having fun.¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s smile dampened slightly.  ¡°Sadly, a product of my nature.¡±  She bounced back with vigor.  ¡°But we¡¯re out here enjoying ourselves; we¡¯re all heartbreakers tonight!¡±


    ¡°W-what about Kyle?¡±  Scarlet mumbled, fingers tightening around each other before pressing into her belly.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Ma?lle nodded secretively.  ¡°Well, I¡¯d say we best prepare you with some trial runs before meeting our beau diable; what do you say?¡±


    [handsome devil]


    Actually ¡­ that¡¯s not a bad idea.  Why is Ma?lle making sense?  I don¡¯t feel good about this, but ¡­ it could help me break past my fear of talking to Kyle.


    Taking a deep breath, she set her face.  ¡°Okay, rule four?¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s smile grew.  ¡°Oh, mon ch¨¦ri, you¡¯ve mastered the first part of step four,¡± she winked.  ¡°You gotta be looking pure, and next, kiss him goodbye at the door, and leave him wanting more.¡±


    ¡°A stranger¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmh, you are a player tonight, ma fille.  You¡¯ll be singing I love you ¡­ at least, I think I do,¡± she giggled.


    [my girl]


    Scarlet swallowed as they neared the place she assumed was the club.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can go through with this.¡±


    ¡°Oh, with me as your tutor, they¡¯ll be crawling over each other to give you anything you want,¡± Ma?lle assured.  ¡°Now, let¡¯s start by teaching you a little about the romance of the Salsa!¡±


    Ma?lle took her hand, pulling Scarlet toward the building¡¯s front with their amused agent escort following behind them.  Rachel ¡­ I¡¯m getting a little scared.  Please, hurry!


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 43. Easy As Dancing

    AuthorSME


    News:  I''m in the process of writing the 2nd draft of TO; I''m trying to do a chapter a day on Monday-Thursday (not ATM days), and Saturday if I can swing it.  Link to them here:


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Explicit)


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Clean)


    POV:  Scarlet Clementine Johnson (No, our cute vampy is getting pulled to the Darkside!)


    Recap:  Scarlet is getting a sneak-peek into the life of a Succubus, receiving tips and tricks along the way.  Maelle gave her some interesting pointers on being a heartbreaker in the last chapter!  What will our alluring femme fatale have in store for our sharp-fanged cinnamon bun?


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Matthew Bakewell, Oyebanjo Isaac, Patrik Frake, Brimils, Gawd, Drehaszar, and my other Patrons!


    Scarlet bit her lower lip, trying not to reveal her fangs as they came upon the night club; there were quite a few cars on the road, now that they¡¯d entered a shopping district, and crowds of people moving about.


    She was a little relieved to see that some of the more visually different Demi were pulling a lot of the attention which shielded their approach, and who wouldn¡¯t gawk at a man that looked like a nine-foot-tall Troll, surrounded by at least seven people that appeared to be his friends.


    The Troll wore a black custom made semi-elastic shirt that was tight enough to show his oddly pronounced ribs and chest, and his slim-fit pants boasted the creature¡¯s bulging thigh muscles; both must have been commissioned from a local shop.  It didn¡¯t look half bad on him, but it didn¡¯t hide his outlandish greenish-gray skin tone, veins popping out like thin vines on this girthy yet lengthy arms, reaching down to his shins.


    He didn¡¯t wear shoes, showing his abnormally long toes that ended in flattened claws, just like his thin, spiked fingers.  A wide, fine-toothed grin splitting his nonexistent lips was a little frightening, painting his reverse-triangular face in a sinister light.  The protruded nose and chin, mixed with his gaunt cheeks and wild, stringy hair that was more like skin, gave him a terrifying appearance, but few people conversing with him felt scared.  His narrow, elongated ears made it clear he could hear pretty well.


    Scarlet grimaced, sensing curious vibes from three women ranging between twenty to forty, talking with the Demi while giving flirtatious gestures.  The image that popped into her mind was more than a little disturbing.


    She cleared her throat, giving Ma?lle a forced smile as they continued along the sidewalk.  ¡°Umm¡ªyou know what they¡¯re thinking, right?¡±


    Ma?lle gave the Troll an impish grin while moving past the crosswalk to get to the front doors.  ¡°Ah, that¡¯s Jerry Fortensky.  Oh, you wouldn¡¯t believe the sexual animal he is,¡± she giggled.


    Her mouth dropped open, vision darting from the alluring Succubus to the Troll.  ¡°Wait¡ªyou and¡­¡±


    Saeki burst out laughing, clutching her gut.  ¡°Y-You think¡ªMa?lle would¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, mon amie, cieux, non!¡±  Ma?lle protested.  ¡°I can just look at a creature and know, but you should have seen the advances he made last night,¡± she mused.


    [No, no, my friend, heavens, no!]


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Saeki rolled her eyes with a sharp shiver as a few crowds took notice of them.  ¡°Yeah, just having him that close gave me goosebumps!  Didn¡¯t stop him from leaving with two women last night, though ¡­ some people have the strangest kinks.¡±


    ¡°Like you wouldn¡¯t believe,¡± Ma?lle commented, guiding them around a few groups.


    ¡°Have you ¡­ you know ¡­ since the change?¡±  Scarlet mumbled, averting eye contact as she blushed.  ¡°I mean, you are a Succubus, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Sex?¡±  Saeki asked with a short chuckle.  ¡°Not that I¡¯ve known about.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Ma?lle smacked her lips while eying a few people staring them down.  ¡°I have yet to meet anyone worth my interest ¡­ well, besides Kyle, and Anthony has my eye, but let¡¯s just say there are¡ªcomplications that must be addressed.¡±


    A lump dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat.  ¡°You mean¡ªyou¡¯ll go after Anthony?¡±


    ¡°Ch¨¦rie, don¡¯t be so concerned!¡±  Ma?lle laughed, catching Jerry¡¯s attention as they drew near.  ¡°I have no passion for disrupting your long-eared friend¡¯s¡ªcompetitive escapades.¡±


    [Darling]


    ¡°You¡ªdon¡¯t?¡±  Scarlet asked.


    Air hissed out of Saeki¡¯s teeth; she pulled back her hair, shifting the purse around her left shoulder with agitation.  ¡°He¡¯s going to make another pass, isn¡¯t he, Ma?lle?¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s charming smile tilted into a small smirk as her gradient pink irises smoothly settled on the Troll; his large head had turned their way, long nostrils flaring as if trying to catch any hint of the Succubus¡¯ scent.  ¡°I look forward to it; the contrast can have quite the flavor.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s nose crinkled as the slow breeze temporarily shifted directions, shooting a pungent odor into her face.  ¡°That smell, though?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is actually quite pleasant for his kind, as hard as that may be to believe.¡±


    ¡°Very hard¡ªimpossible,¡± Saeki mumbled while pinching her nose.


    The Succubus only laughed as they neared the front, and Jerry seemed to be preparing himself.  Her voice became a whisper as she leaned closer to her.  ¡°As for our darling Lunar Hare and Legend fantasy ¡­ no, I have very sharp senses, and coming between those two would be quite ill-advised, from my perspective.¡±


    Her tone lowered further once Jerry made a few gestures for the crowd around him to part.  ¡°Ce Li¨¨vre Lunaire a une nature comp¨¦titive que vous ne croiriez pas.  No, but I¡¯ll say I¡¯m looking forward to the blossoming, refined meal the next time I find the pair¡ªhow do I say it ¡­ entangled.¡±


    [That Lunar Hare has a competitive nature that you wouldn''t believe.]


    Does she know something I don¡¯t?  She wanted to moan with how much the tease was eating at her, but also didn¡¯t want to press the conversation with the Troll looming by them.


    Jerry scratched his protruding chin as the throng shifted to look at the Succubus.  ¡°Ma?lle, is that a new dress?  It really suits you!¡±  His voice was higher and raspier than she would have thought.


    Scarlet¡¯s hands tightened behind her back as she felt the three women trying to attract Jerry¡¯s attention send emotional daggers their way, but Ma?lle simply slowed to a stop, extending her hips to the right while tilting her head with a devilish smirk.  ¡°Jerry, those two girls didn¡¯t give you enough attention last night?¡±


    ¡°Bah,¡± Jerry waved one of his long arms with an unsatisfied grunt.  ¡°No endurance and their voices were too annoying.¡±


    ¡°A shame,¡± Ma?lle mused, ¡°I could sense your dissatisfaction a mile away.  That lust has quite the spice to it,¡± she giggled.


    Scarlet felt utterly out of place in the discussion, slowly inching behind Saeki as she gave the Troll a disgusted leer.  There were two or three women in the crowd that shared her aversion to the talk at hand, but the majority of both sexes were too enamored by Ma?lle¡¯s body and open language.


    People have a lot more crude emotions than I imagined ¡­ I was pretty innocent.  The atmosphere had several negatively charged emotions, helping to calm her racing heart as her blood cycled through her veins, involuntarily moving to her cheeks; she couldn¡¯t do anything about the blood rising to her face, limiting her overall blood control.


    ¡°He is kind of spicy, unlike you.¡±


    More than a few chuckles and smirks followed as one of the women beside Jerry stepped out with a scowl.  Scarlet¡¯s fangs tingled, nerves skyrocketing.  Did she just pick a fight?  Seriously?  She¡¯s totally ready to chew Ma?lle out!  That¡¯s insane!


    ¡°Oof,¡± Saeki grunted, but there was a smile on her lips, and it appeared like a few people knew what was about to come next as they smirked.


    The throng hushed as Ma?lle¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Oh?  You might as well spend the night with the Troll since you share his skin color.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±  She snapped, taking a step forward, but one of her lady-friends moved in front of her.


    ¡°Yo, chill,¡± she mumbled.


    Ma?lle¡¯s glowing eyes tilted down to stare at her fingernails with disinterest.  ¡°Jealousy is quite unbecoming, ugly really,¡± her eyes lifted to leer at the woman, ¡°just like you.¡±


    More than one person winced or giggled.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Jerry chuckled, shifting to grin down at the small woman.  ¡°Frita, you just going to let that pass?¡±


    Frita¡¯s face reddened, face scrunching up while flicking back her bleached, shoulder-length hair.  ¡°Nice, coming from a hoe with horns and a tail.  You should go see that bull they shipped in down the street to shoot at your level.¡±


    One of her friends smirked before jumping in.  ¡°Oh, wait, Beastiality¡¯s still illegal; how will you ever get that itch off?¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±  Frita huffed.  ¡°Not like you¡¯re brave enough to take anyone home, wait, you don¡¯t have one, do you?  I heard you¡¯re living off our tax dollars at the FBI; broke ass hoe.¡±


    Scarlet couldn¡¯t help but feel the heat in her chest rising.  Such a bitch!  However, her gut tightened as Ma?lle¡¯s glowing cracks brightened with her countenance.


    ¡°Is that how we¡¯ll play?¡±  A hard lump dropped down both the woman¡¯s throats as Ma?lle fluidly walked toward them, tail weaving behind her.  ¡°I only kick it with the finest,¡± she stated before stopping three feet in front of the woman, giving her a distasteful glare, ¡°not consanguin salopes.¡±


    [inbred sluts/bitches]


    Two men in the crowd bust up laughing, making the women¡¯s faces turn a darker shade.  ¡°What?  Afraid to insult us in English?¡±


    ¡°She said, she doesn¡¯t hang around with ¡­ I don¡¯t even want to say it,¡± one of the men chuckled.


    ¡°Let me spell it out for you,¡± Ma?lle cooed while directing a smirk up at Jerry.  ¡°If your ass doesn¡¯t sit like a horse, he¡¯s not going to hit it.  Your kitty¡¯s not good, dears, he won¡¯t keep you.¡±


    ¡°Aye, you said it!¡±  Jerry laughed.  ¡°I¡¯m all about that; so, c¡¯mon, Ma?lle!  You know you want a turn.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just a¡­¡±


    Frita trailed off as Ma?lle flicked her hair out, twisting her hips to direct their attention to her rear, tail following the motion.  ¡°Not interested.¡±


    ¡°You keep playing!¡±  He moaned with a deep growl.


    She winked at him.  ¡°Please, like you have the game.¡±  Her focus returned to the disgruntled woman.  ¡°And I¡¯ve lifted so much wood in the past ten seconds; I could build you a fort, mon paon d¨¦go?tant.  Of course, envy suits you, but I¡¯m just getting started, and here you are already upset.  Should we continue the show?¡±


    [my repulsive peacock.]


    Frita¡¯s nostrils were flaring, but Jerry looked like she¡¯d just kissed him on the cheek.  ¡°Y-You¡¯re just a pink-haired candy hoe!  Are you a virgin?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Ma?lle protested while strutting up to face her.  ¡°I¡¯m a full-time player wearing products you couldn¡¯t pronounce the name of; there¡¯s not too many things I haven¡¯t done yet, Dear.  I¡¯m the queen of this scene; you, reines des connasses.¡±


    [the queen of sluts]


    ¡°Who would ever want to date you, much less hit such a flat ass?  Besides,¡± she turned her back to the two, barbed tail flicking before Frita¡¯s eyes as the Succubus returned to Scarlet and Saeki, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in this little power pole adventure you¡¯re obsessed with; you both lack true flavor.  Cassez-vous.¡±


    [Screw off, you¡¯re a waste of breath]


    ¡°Damn,¡± several people mumbled.


    Scarlet jumped as she took her by the hand, leading her inside.  ¡°Quite the appetizer.¡±


    ¡°B-Bitch!¡±  Her friend yelled as Frita teared up, amused mumbles spread around the parking lot.


    ¡°You knew they weren¡¯t going to jump?¡±  Saeki mused, turning back to watch the woman break down.


    ¡°Them?  No,¡± she giggled.  ¡°Those girls just acted tough, and Jerry, he enjoys a sharp rejection.  He¡¯ll attempt another go in an hour or two¡ªthat is, if he can fit through the doors.¡±


    ¡°Eww,¡± Scarlet mumbled, skin crawling as she glanced back, feeling his disgusting emotions flare while watching their butts.  They entered the massive space, leaving a string of whispers in their wake.


    ¡°Sometimes, the way she talks to people really makes me lose hope in humanity,¡± Saeki sighed.


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Scarlet¡¯s stomach tightened as a savoring blush touched the Succubus¡¯ cheeks,


    I love the variety.¡±


    The club was dark and filled with beams of lights; shockingly, all the flashes actually semi-blinded Scarlet as Ma?lle guided them right by the front desk; the male attendant gave a bright wave to them as they passed, speaking in a Columbian accent.


    ¡°Have a nice time, Ma?lle!¡±


    She returned the gesture.  ¡°I will.  Thanks, Lucio!¡±


    A live band played some kind of Latino music; she¡¯d heard it before but had no idea what it was called.  The throng parted to allow them to pass, seemingly unable to resist noticing the Succubus, and there were more than a few individuals that called out to her as if she grew up in the area.  A few only spoke Spanish.


    Leaning in, she asked, ¡°Do you speak Spanish, Ma?lle?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she chuckled, ¡°not at all; emotions transcend language, though!  Isn¡¯t it beautiful?  Come, I was teaching Saeki how to Salsa last night.  Oh, no ¡­ this is wonderful; it¡¯s Rumba night!¡±


    ¡°W-what¡¯s that?¡±  Scarlet nervously chuckled, noting the tenants; the club was fairly massive with a decent sized second floor that allowed the guests to look down at the main dancing area, surrounded by white leather couches with tables.  It wasn¡¯t packed but had more than enough people to put butterflies in her stomach.


    ¡°A pretty popular Cuban dance,¡± Saeki explained while smiling at a nearby father, dancing with his daughter beside their circular couch.


    Ma?lle led her to the center floor, where a dozen couples were already engaged.  ¡°It¡¯s a lovely wedding dance.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s mind came to a screeching stop with the dreaded W-word being dropped, and the Succubus directed her on.


    ¡°A slow romantic dance that sets the heart ablaze as you look into your partner¡¯s loving eyes, hands joined with passion while you play a game of push and pull ¡­ the protraction and retraction is just¡ªdivine.  Controlled emotion, bonding in lock-step with the gentle flow of the music.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just too passionate for me,¡± Saeki chuckled.  ¡°Where do you get all that energy¡ªwait, nevermind.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ma?lle turned to give her a look, ¡°I know you¡¯d want details, but we¡¯ll have to wait for a more appropriate setting,¡± she teased.  ¡°No, first, I teach Scarlet the delight of only focusing on your dance partner.¡±


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll be sitting and watching from the booths.¡±


    ¡°B-But I don¡¯t know how,¡± Scarlet protested as their escort plopped into a couch beside the dance floor; she could hear the whispers about the alluring Succubus¡¯ return all around them.  ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I first watch a few people?¡±


    ¡°No, no, mon amie; you must experience it to learn!  Come, don¡¯t be shy¡­¡±


    Scarlet couldn¡¯t help but feel exposed in her sports clothes, looking at all the women and men dressed up for the club, but it was so hard to protest.  Her mind returned to Rachel¡¯s earlier comment.  Why is it so hard for me to say no?  It should be easy!


    Before she realized it, they were already on the dance floor, drawing attention.


    ¡°There,¡± Ma?lle breathed, pulling her in.  ¡°Take my hand.  Yes, chin height, and the other on my arm; yes, you¡¯ll be the lady for this one,¡± she giggled.


    Scarlet gulped, trying to follow the Succubus¡¯ instructions, but she quickly guided her to the proper locations; her skin was like silk, and she couldn¡¯t feel any hair as her palm rested just below her shoulder.


    Ma?lle¡¯s smile brightened as she gently moved her black hair out of the way, causing Scarlet¡¯s back to stiffen, her right-hand sliding down to her shoulder blade.  The Succubus¡¯ hot breath brushed against her collar bone while adjusting their position, spreading the overly sweet scent of lilacs with vanilla¡¯s lightest touch.


    Why does she smell so good?  She¡¯s not using her hormones, right?  This is just what her breath smells like?


    Her hands were firm but soft as she whispered in her ear, guiding their movements; Scarlet lost all sense of being observed.  ¡°Left foot forward, right back.  Slow, to your right ¡­ both feet, forward, back again, and now we cycle.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±  Scarlet growled as she hesitated, breaking the rhythm.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Ma?lle giggled, ¡°take your time.  Remember, left foot forward, right back ¡­ slow, yes¡ªthere we go.  This is a simple Rumba box-step, and we¡¯ll slowly move up to more advanced moves, but first, get used to the music ¡­ synchronize with the sound.¡±


    Scarlet knew her face was bright red, and she¡¯d lost control over a small part of her blood, unable to call upon it if needed, but she had to admit that she always wanted to learn how to dance, and Ma?lle seemed to be a good teacher.


    She started to notice all the lovely features of the Succubus as they moved around the dance floor.  The symmetrical, segmented grooves that highlighted the curves of her elegant shimmering ram horns, leading to a spear¡¯s point.  Her full, glossy, camellia-pink lips that parted into a guiltless smile, showing perfect white teeth as she giggled.


    Her glowing gradient irises were captivating, framed by thick eye-lashes and evenly trimmed pink eyebrows that arched to give her a bit of a flair for the theatrics.  Ma?lle¡¯s skin was flawless, and her oval facial-shape with the playful, thick cascading layers of pink hair caused her focus to move from the gem-like horns to the long locks falling down her back.


    The slender nape of her neck, showing the pulsing cracks of sapphire light that enticed the eyes around her hourglass frame, making Scarlet realize how well defined her own body was.  Wow ¡­ The Oscillation really has made us a lot more pretty, but ¡­ why?


    She gave a short start as Ma?lle¡¯s fingers lowered a bit before pulling her in a little.  ¡°Zoning out, ma choupette?¡±  Her French accent thickened.  ¡°What¡¯s caught your attention?¡±


    ¡°Mmh, to be honest,¡± Scarlet chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about how much I¡¯ve changed.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Ma?lle hummed while guiding her into a new spin before returning to the box-step.  ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve changed all that much.  I¡¯m sure you were as stunning while human,¡± she said with a confident grin.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure your eyes are working?  Look at how pale my skin is.¡±


    ¡°Magnifique, ma ch¨¨re.  You are a shining star among the mundane.¡±


    [Magnificent, my dear.]


    ¡°You really do have a way with words,¡± Scarlet giggled.


    ¡°I only say what I see and feel,¡± she replied.  ¡°Oh, and I think we have an admirer that can be nudged your way,¡± she winked.


    Her pink irises shifted to a tall black-haired man with blonde streaks, sitting at a booth watching them; he quickly averted his gaze once catching Ma?lle¡¯s notice.


    ¡°A moth to your dazzling flames.¡±


    Like water in a broken vase, Scarlet felt the peace slip right through her fingers.  ¡°Eh?  N-no, what would I say?¡±  She blustered, almost tripping.   Ma?lle smoothly guided her back to a balanced position before directing her back to Saeki.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she promised, giving her a confident grin.  ¡°I¡¯ll give you a crash course!  Just watch and learn.¡±


    ¡°Oh, already done?¡±  Saeki mumbled with a soft smirk.  ¡°You two were the star of the floor; even some of the other dancers were shooting glances your way.  Ah, I got you that one crazy drink you liked ¡­ five men fighting over who would anonymously take your bill,¡± she muttered while rolling her eyes.


    ¡°Ah, how sweet!  However,¡± she lifted a finger with an impish smile, ¡°only one man has worked up the courage to approach us,¡± Ma?lle stated, directing the agent¡¯s attention to the man across the room.


    Scarlet sat down across from Ma?lle, Saeki, sitting in the middle of the rounded white leather couch.  Her cold, beating heart felt like it would jump right out of her chest as she tried ignoring his slow advance, Ma?lle reaching over to take a light sip from the tall colored glass on the table beside a big brown box.


    The man was in his mid-twenties, wearing a nice shirt and dress pants.  He appeared to have a bit of Latino in him, but the overpowering sensation flooding his veins drowned everything else out; it was like there was lightning in his blood as he stood before the Succubus.


    She turned, giving him an innocent smile.


    Scarlet tried her best to play it cool as Saeki appraised the man with a critical eye.  How does she make men feel like this without using her abilities at all?  Maybe it has to do with her passive skills, but, in that case, how strong would it be if she used her active?


    He cleared his throat.  ¡°Umm ¡­ hi. So, umm ¡­ is this seat taken?¡±


    ¡°Sure, you can sit here.¡±  Ma?lle¡¯s full lips curved, showing him a welcoming smile, ¡°but only if you let me sit on top.¡±


    Scarlet was too stunned to respond.


    ¡°Eh?  For¡­¡±


    ¡°That''s a joke, by the way,¡± Ma?lle giggled.  ¡°Your blush is cute, though.¡±


    She has no shame!  None!


    Ma?lle casually shifted in her seat to allow the red-cheeked man to sit beside her; he gave a nervous laugh.  ¡°You¡¯re funny!  Hi, my name¡¯s Jack¡­¡±


    He jumped as his phone vibrated.  Pulling it out, he glanced at the screen before his eyes shot to Ma?lle¡¯s legs as they crossed the opposite way while leaning closer.


    ¡°Bonjour, I''m Ma?lle.  Now, could you please put that in my box?¡±


    ¡°Eh, what?¡±  He asked, eyes moving down her black strapless dress as Scarlet blushed.


    Seriously ¡­ her language!


    ¡°My box,¡± she said with a guileless smile, left hand sliding down her thigh as her right reached out to the table, opening the brown square box.  ¡°Phones can be such distractions.  Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you meant¡­¡±


    Ma?lle blinked.  ¡°What did you think I meant?¡±


    Saeki barely contained a chuckle, stomach heaving as she crossed her legs.


    His face turned a deeper shade of red, causing her grin to grow, tongue sliding over her soft lips.  She held out her hand, highlighted pink hair bunching at her shoulder as she leaned forward.  His wide eyes shot up to her morganite ram horns before moving to her camellia pink lips.  ¡°Oh, nevermind.  Could you give me your hand?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªumm, okay¡­¡±  He swallowed, voice shaking while letting go of his phone, falling to his side; Jack¡¯s vision slid down her slim arm, following the glowing cracks across her skin.


    He¡¯s totally wrapped around her finger.  It¡¯s almost sad.


    ¡°Palm up ¡­ there.¡±  She whispered, perfect pink fingernails and soft fingertips caressing two lines.  ¡°Rough, huh ¡­ do you work with your hands much?¡±


    Her glowing violet irises met his blue eyes, causing his hand to twitch.  ¡°Eh, yeah¡ªyeah, I do; I¡¯m an electrician.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± she tilted her head, eyes narrowing seductively.  ¡°I like a man with a strong grip.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡ªreally?¡±  He stuttered, but she¡¯d already smoothly turned toward Scarlet, giving her a virtuous smile.


    ¡°See, it¡¯s not hard to talk to guys.  As easy as dancing, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    Right ¡­ yeah, that¡¯s impossible for me!


    ¡°Wh¡ªwhat?¡±  The man blinked.


    Turning back to him with a wink, she asked, ¡°My sharp-fanged friend needs a dance partner; mind volunteering?  She won¡¯t bite¡ªwell, maybe she will.¡±  Ma?lle giggled.


    His brow furrowed, staring between her and Scarlet before fixating on her long ears and fangs, poking out of her creased lips.


    Right ¡­ he¡¯s not here for me.


    ¡°Yeah¡ªno, yeah, absolutely!¡±  He said with a dashing smile.  ¡°Hi, you¡¯re super cute, by the way.  How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Scarlet¡¯s mouth dropped open, feeling the world collapsing around her.


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


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 B3 — 44. Ma?lle’s Game

    AuthorSME


    News:  I''m in the process of writing the 2nd draft of TO; I''m trying to do a chapter a day on Monday-Thursday (not ATM days), and Saturday if I can swing it.  Link to them here:


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Explicit)


    The Oscillation 2nd Draft (Clean)


    POV:  Scarlet Clementine Johnson (No, our cute vampy is getting pulled to the Darkside!)


    Recap:  Scarlet found out how hated Maelle can be and how easily she can redirect and shutdown anyone that crosses her, but since we''ve heard that the Succubus can go toe to toe with the likes of Relica ... there''s really no comparing these fodder.


    Maria''s slowly guided Scarlet closer and closer to allowing herself to open up, which seems to be helping a lot with this exposure therapy, but what could this Succubus'' plans be?  Is she just a sucker for a good time, or is there some sinister motive behind those innocent pink eyes?


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Yotedom, Matt Gall, Fraxx, AbrecanGhoul, Nick Beck, Grissly1000, Patrick Frake, and my other Patrons!


    Butterflies swarmed Scarlet¡¯s stomach as Jack offered his hand with a sincere smile.  ¡°We just goin¡¯ with Rumba?  I mean, I guess it is Rumba night,¡± he chuckled.


    This can¡¯t be happening!


    Her mind flashed back to the only time she¡¯d ever been asked to dance, during ninth grade; she¡¯d been so embarrassed, she reflexively said no.  No one had asked her out since, which was more than a bit disheartening.  Something had changed since then, though, and now, she had a difficult time refusing.


    Scarlet took his hand, and he helped her up, guiding her back to the place Ma?lle had taught her the basics.


    Her cheeks darkened as Saeki leaned in, whispering to the amused Succubus.  ¡°Man, when I heard everything about the Mythickin report, I couldn¡¯t imagine this scene.  Terrifying blood lord?  More like, terrified Bambie,¡± she snickered.


    Ma?lle gave her a wink as he continued to prompt her onto the dance floor.  ¡°Oh, she¡¯s precious, and, umm¡ªwhat is Bambie?¡±


    Saeki¡¯s mirth faded, and she lifted a questioning eyebrow.  ¡°Seriously¡ªDisneyland Paris?¡±


    ¡°Never been,¡± Ma?lle dismissively replied.  ¡°Mmh, I believe I understand the context, though.  She is rather adorable ¡­ you might even say, delicious, I suppose.¡±


    The agent shook her head while leaning back, giving her a curious smirk.  ¡°Honest, I don¡¯t really get your eating habits.  Well, I guess it¡¯s not like I have any experience to judge it.¡±


    Jack¡¯s hand circled her back as they reached the floor, fingers spreading out across her left shoulder blade, causing her to stiffen; Scarlet¡¯s blood shot out of her body.  No!


    Just before it cut his hands, arms, and neck in two, she managed to recall it.


    He didn¡¯t even seem to notice, vision never leaving her eyes.  ¡°You know, you have really beautiful blue eyes.¡±


    Quit complimenting me!  Gah, why is he trying to talk so close?  Just focus ¡­ focus.


    Ma?lle hummed softly, and Saeki leaned forward.  ¡°Did I just see ¡­ I¡¯m not drunk, right?  No, it had to be the lights.¡±


    ¡°Trial by fire, my little bat,¡± Ma?lle mumbled.  ¡°You¡¯re doing well.  Tune everything out, and move as I showed you ¡­ there we go, get in the rhythm.¡±


    My back¡¯s so warm, though ¡­ why am I so warm, when I don¡¯t have body heat?


    ¡°You¡¯re really cold,¡± Jack whispered while following the simple box step he¡¯d seen Ma?lle doing with her.  ¡°Is that a part of ¡­ nevermind, I don¡¯t want to offend you,¡± he said with a strained laugh.


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine,¡± Scarlet replied, doing her best to keep her voice from sounding off.  ¡°I haven¡¯t really¡ªMa?lle was teaching me how to dance, I don¡¯t¡ªoh, wait, no, you didn¡¯t ask that¡ªumm, yeah, I don¡¯t have any body heat.¡±


    ¡°Really?  That¡¯s pretty crazy.  So, eh¡ªis it alright for me to ask you what you are?¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s teasing tone cut past the music.  ¡°Ask him to take a guess!  Remember, you¡¯re here to have fun; play the game, but learn quickly, Kyle¡¯s coming.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened, shooting to the Succubus.  ¡°Eh?¡±


    Jack¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Huh?  Something wrong¡ªoh, was that pretty rude.  I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    Her focus returned to him, smile forced.  ¡°No, it¡¯s not you¡ªMa?lle¡¯s just commenting on some things.¡±


    His eyes lit up.  ¡°Ah, so you can hear her from this far away¡ªand through this music?  Man, you¡¯re talented!¡±


    Shut-up!  How many compliments have people given me tonight?  Her fangs poked out.  Should I look ¡­ I mean, I want to, but my eyes¡­


    A thought occurred to her.  ¡°Umm¡ªdo you want to see¡ªjust a little?¡±


    ¡°Of¡ªwhat?¡±  He asked, grin turning curious.


    ¡°Uh, what do you think I am?¡±  She asked, trying to take a bit of the Succubus¡¯ advice.


    Jack¡¯s lips pulled together as he studied her ears and mouth.  ¡°I hope I¡¯m not offending you, but umm¡ªa Vampire?  I mean, the fangs kind of point me in that direction, but I know there could be tons of other creatures¡ªoh, and there¡¯s the body heat thing, too ¡­ eh, people with fangs¡­¡±  He quickly added, continuing down the rabbit hole.


    Scarlet felt a little better as his confident charm started to break down, and she giggled.  ¡°No problem, it¡¯s cool.  No, umm¡ªwell, I¡¯m kind of a Vampire ¡­ but not technically, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he paused, smacking his lips while working through her statement.  ¡°Consider me confused.¡±


    She wanted to scratch her forehead so badly but restrained herself.  ¡°I do drink blood,¡± she admitted, lowering her voice.  ¡°Does that scare you?¡±


    Jack¡¯s hand shook against her shoulder blade as he laughed.  ¡°I¡¯ve seen a few Vampire movies, including,¡± he cleared his throat, putting on a mock voice.  ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re a recovering drug addict¡ªthat¡¯s dating crack ¡­ it¡¯s never going to work.¡±


    Scarlet knew she should have been seeing stars at the word dating, but she recognized the reference, making her smile.  ¡°Oh, how it should have ended?¡±


    Some of his confidence returned.  ¡°I don¡¯t want her to be a monster¡­¡±


    A smile brightened her cheeks as she completed the line.  ¡°It¡¯s better if she just has a long, happy life with me.¡±


    Jack¡¯s frame silently shook.  ¡°Spider monkey¡­¡±


    ¡°Gross,¡± Scarlet chuckled.


    ¡°Right?  I mean, really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Scarlet smirked, looking away while remembering the series, ¡°I wasn¡¯t into the whole veggie Vampire thing.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  So, what should I compare your vampirism to, then?¡±  He innocently asked.


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Scarlet looked down at his exposed collar bone, trying not to let her mind wander too much.  ¡°I don¡¯t know who I could compare myself to¡ªeh, I drink blood packs, but I¡¯ve also had live blood.  You¡¯re really not scared of that?¡±


    ¡°Meh,¡± he shrugged.  ¡°I figure if you¡¯re out here, then you probably haven¡¯t done anything too bad, and the stereotype has kind of been exhausted the past twenty years.¡±


    ¡°What about the news?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, not much of a news watcher, myself,¡± he mumbled.  ¡°All they do is scream about the world ending.  Not a fan.¡±


    Scarlet started to space out again, mind returning to all the negative emotions most people had when finding out she was a Vampire.  Wait, Ma?lle¡¯s whole plan was to help make me more comfortable.  She taught¡­  ¡°Wha¡­¡±


    She tripped on his feet, forcing Jack to help stabilize her.  ¡°Woah, you okay?¡±


    Her flushed cheeks returned with a vengeance as Saeki gave her an impressed hum.  ¡°Yo, Ma?lle, where¡¯d she learn that move?  Smooth, girl.¡±


    I didn¡¯t mean ¡­ gah, everyone has such dirty minds!


    Scarlet got back to her feet, pulling away a short distance to brush back her hair and manage her burning face.  ¡°Sorry, I just¡ªumm, I was a little distracted.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he replied, hands held up.  ¡°So¡ªumm, you still want to dance?¡±


    Scarlet closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before exhaling.  It would be so easy to just back off, but ¡­ soldier through!  Where¡¯s Kyle?


    Her vampiric vision manifested while opening her eyes, tinting the world red.  ¡°I know it might be¡­¡±


    ¡°Cool,¡± Jack¡¯s mouth opened for a moment.  ¡°Wow, that¡¯s intense!  So, what can you¡ªwait, does that mean you¡¯re getting hungry?  I mean, it¡¯s sweet, but I don¡¯t really know if I¡¯m up to be a blood bank,¡± he forced a chuckle.


    Scarlet¡¯s hands rose in defense.  ¡°No, no, nothing like that!  I just wanted to see something.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    The music returned to the foreground as she glanced around, filtering out the walls.  ¡°I heard a friend was coming, and¡­¡±


    She trailed off, catching sight of the Incubus as he made his way down the street; he was less than ten minutes away and dressed in a black tank-top and shorts, her eyes naturally moved to the glowing pink cracks running along his skin.


    Dammit!  Why¡¯d Ma?lle have to ruin it for me ¡­ still, those abs ¡­ not an eight-pack like Anthony, but Kyle¡¯s are well defined ¡­ more than that.  No, don¡¯t salivate!  Stay calm ¡­ control ¡­ eyes!  Don¡¯t you!


    Her focus snapped back to Jack as he gave her a weak laugh.  ¡°It¡¯s a guy, huh?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ch¨¦rie,¡± Ma?lle whispered, ¡°you¡¯re gawking at the wall.  Of course, it would dampen the mood.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not gawking,¡± Scarlet mumbled, fixing her hair.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, umm¡ªyeah,¡± she said, unable to meet his gaze as she held her arm behind her back.  ¡°My friend that¡¯s coming is¡ªyeah, he¡¯s kind of a guy.¡±


    ¡°Kind of a guy¡­¡±  He released a soft sigh, rubbing the back of his neck while taking a wistful glance at Ma?lle.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ have you ever felt like something was so far out of your league, but something spurs you on to give it a shot anyway?¡±


    A lump dropped down her throat.  ¡°Y-you mean, umm¡ªyou aren¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°It¡¯s almost liberating, in a way.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s head tilted.  ¡°Huh?  I¡¯m lost.¡±  She followed his gaze to Ma?lle as she gave them a bright wave.  ¡°Ah, okay ¡­ Ma?lle.¡±


    ¡°Well, not really¡ªkind of, but no ¡­ heh, kind of like your Vampire thing that you¡¯re not,¡± he said, nudging his head back to his table.  ¡°Mind talking with me.  No, not like that,¡± he said, scratching his neck.  ¡°No, just to clarify what I¡¯ve been feeling.  Are you okay with talking until your friend gets here?  Just as random strangers,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Umm¡ªsure,¡± Scarlet relented, not having a clue where this was going.


    She tried her best to ignore Saeki¡¯s sly comments as she followed Jack back, sitting across from him.  Ma?lle just sipped on her drink, watching them with a glint in her pink eyes, offering short responses to the agent¡¯s speculations and jokes.


    Her vision returned to their standard blue as she folded her arms, not knowing how to continue or what to do with her hands; luckily, Jack took the lead.  ¡°I¡¯ve been having a rough time even getting the motivation to get up and talk to girls.  Sounds pretty pathetic, right?¡±  He sighed.


    ¡°No,¡± Scarlet quickly replied.  ¡°I¡¯m¡ªnot the best at talking to guys ¡­ that¡¯s why Ma?lle¡¯s been¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± he cut in, glancing back at the delighted Succubus.  ¡°It¡¯s her.¡±


    ¡°Well, I mean, she is literally a Succubus,¡± Scarlet growled, rolling her eyes before shooting a glare at the woman.  ¡°She says she¡¯s not using her active powers, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be a problem¡­¡±


    This time, she trailed off, turning a look toward the man as he reflected internally.  He¡¯s ¡­ no, but why?


    Scarlet unfolded her arms before fiddling with her fingers.  ¡°You¡ªaren¡¯t in love with her.¡±


    ¡°Her, oh, god, no!¡±  He quickly shook his head.  ¡°How could I?  No, but there¡¯s just¡ªthere¡¯s something about her that makes me so¡ªconfident.  It¡¯s like I¡¯ve known her forever, yet ¡­ I¡¯m lacking that.  It¡¯s so¡ªstrange.  There¡¯s a hole that needs filling¡ªI just had to talk to her and just¡ªjust learn a little bit to fill that gap, and just that much is¡ªis more than enough.  You know?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s tongue pressed against the inside of her cheek, studying the innocent smile Ma?lle gave her.  She¡¯s not attracting people with love ¡­ that electricity in them is so close to lust that I mistook it.  Ma?lle comes off as some kind of goddess, and sure, she can obviously be a temptress, alluring people that are after her body, but there¡¯s something deeper that¡¯s pulling them in.  I¡­ don¡¯t get her, at all.


    ¡°Stupid?¡±


    She snapped back to focus.  ¡°Umm, you¡ªI don¡¯t think so.¡±  Licking her lips, she ran her hands through the back of her long black hair, fingers sliding up her scalp before fanning her silky locks out with a short sigh.  ¡°How would you describe Ma?lle?¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± he sat back, folding his arms while studying the woman.  ¡°Beautiful ¡­ beyond that, and so¡ªwhat¡¯s the right word?¡±


    ¡°Bright?¡±


    He shook his head.  ¡°More than that¡ªradiant ¡­ a brilliant star in the dark that guides you.  I doubt I would have had the confidence to dance with you at all if she hadn¡¯t suggested it,¡± he sheepishly laughed.  ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, I mean, super cute!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t mean that,¡± Scarlet mumbled, feeling her cheeks redden again.


    ¡°Even if we¡¯ve just met each other, I¡¯d stay humble with a response like that,¡± he grinned.  ¡°A few of my friends can¡¯t stop talking about trying to get with a Demi, but¡ªI don¡¯t know.  I feel like I don¡¯t need something like that after meeting Ma?lle and you.  There¡¯s this girl that I¡¯ve liked since ¡­ oh, two years ago¡ªa coworker.¡±


    ¡°A female electrician?¡±  Scarlet asked, remembering his earlier statement.


    ¡°No,¡± he laughed.  ¡°She works in the office, but yeah, there are plenty of electricians that are females.¡±


    ¡°Keep him on the topic,¡± Ma?lle merrily prompted.


    The whole conversation felt surreal to her.  What is going on here?  I¡¯m talking to a stranger about a girl he likes after dancing with me.  ¡°What¡¯s she like?¡±


    ¡°Nora?  Umm,¡± he looked down with a fond smile.  ¡°Well, she¡¯s kind of shy, but a really hard worker.  Blonde, Scandinavian, I think.  She¡¯s about the same height as you, but ¡­ ugh, I hate saying it, but you¡¯re a bit thinner, not that she¡¯s overweight.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Scarlet mumbled, glancing down at her dimensions, ¡°I¡¯m kind of ¡­ different.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say, but not in a bad way; still, Nora¡¯s just gorgeous, and she always talks about spending time with her little brother¡ªhe¡¯s doing his Eagle project right now.  I mean, I want to ask her out, but I don¡¯t want to embarrass her.  You know?¡±


    ¡°Huh ¡­ so, you¡¯re going to go ask her out?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can just ask in private, can¡¯t I?¡±  His mouth opened, tongue pressing against his bottom lip as he nodded.  ¡°Yeah, you know what¡ªI think I will.  Thanks, Scarlet,¡± he said with a bright smile.  Getting up, he held out his hand.  ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d even consider it before, but¡ªyeah, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªsure¡­¡±  Scarlet replied, hesitantly shaking his hand.


    She watched him briskly walk toward the exit, filled with positive emotion.  This¡ªcouldn¡¯t have been her plan, right?


    Slowly returning to her seat, Scarlet sat back down; Saeki held her hands behind her head, giving her an appraising look.  ¡°I gotta say, I didn¡¯t expect him to run off like that.  What were you talkin¡¯ about, and with a grin like that?  Hmm,¡± she looked her up and down, ¡°promise him anything?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±  Scarlet snapped, thighs snapping together.  She¡¯s spent too much time with Ma?lle!


    The Succubus giggled.  ¡°She has this vision of a gibbous moon''s enigmatic rendezvous with the amorous cry of the sun, sweeping the red night afar with the chorus of yips in the fervent heat of his embrace.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°I¡ªdon¡¯t know what that really means, but no¡ªno.¡±  She turned her attention back to the Succubus.  ¡°What did you do to him?¡±


    ¡°Was it truly me, I wonder?¡±  Ma?lle mused, fingers framing her chin.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Saeki¡¯s cheer dampened, eyes darting to her charge.  ¡°So, you think she did something with her powers to that guy?¡±


    ¡°Something,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°Like?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡±  Scarlet frowned as Ma?lle casually drank from her second glass, somehow receiving it between the time Jack and her had danced and talked.  ¡°I don¡¯t know.  After we stopped dancing¡­¡±


    ¡°Sweet move, there, by the way,¡± Saeki commented, directing a smirk her way before returning her focus to the Succubus.  ¡°You just needed to follow through a bit more.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure,¡± Ma?lle replied, pink lips giving her a secretive smile.


    ¡°No?  He was eating out of her hand before the whole mood shift when he looked at you!¡±


    She¡¯s gotten more into this than I thought she would.  Scarlet dryly noted.


    ¡°He went to go ask out a coworker.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Saeki¡¯s attention whipped back to her.  ¡°Okay, now I¡¯m lost.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, mes amies.  He was mesmerized by his siren¡¯s call.¡±


    [My friends]


    ¡°Siren,¡± Scarlet whispered, mind flashing with the image.  ¡°Like, a real siren?¡±


    ¡°Dear, it¡¯s a metaphor,¡± Ma?lle replied.  ¡°Every man has a siren¡¯s name written on their heart, and it only takes a slight nudge to give them the courage to heed that maiden¡¯s cry.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s mind began working through the gears as they slid into place.  ¡°You¡ªhe just looked at you, and¡ªit gave him the courage to do it.¡±


    ¡°Eur¨ºka!  You¡¯re such a smart Bambie!¡±


    ¡°Bambie?¡±  Scarlet mumbled.


    ¡°Forget it,¡± the agent waved it off, glancing between them with an incredulous expression.  ¡°But you¡¯re saying ¡­ for real?  Ma?lle gives men the courage to pursue their romantic interests?  A Succubus as a romance coach?¡±


    It started to make more sense as Scarlet thought about it.  She sat back, staring down at the table in disbelief.  ¡°It¡¯s the perfect Passive for a Succubus ¡­ she redirects their attention from her to the one they truly love, giving her a shot of that deep-seated emotion.¡±


    Saeki folded her arms, sucking on her left cheek while working through the puzzle.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ but I mean, turning into that love would probably be better, though, right?  Not that I condone something like that,¡± she mumbled, glaring at the content woman.


    There¡¯s got to be more to it, but ¡­ that¡¯s actually pretty awesome.  The first time I met her, she was talking about that guy¡¯s wife with him ¡­ I thought ¡­ wow.  I¡¯ve got a dirty mind.


    She looked up at Ma?lle with new eyes.  ¡°There¡¯s more to it, though, right?  I mean, you heard what he told me.¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s smile fell slightly as she played with the umbrella in her cup, twirling it around.  ¡°Of course, I¡¯m built to draw attention and to give those attracted to me an initial hit of dopamine ¡­ the action hormone.  With just a look, they¡¯re mesmerized by the pulsing light that draws them to my most desirable parts.¡±


    ¡°Everywhere?¡±  Saeki grunted.


    ¡°Well, every man has a different ranking order among women¡¯s most alluring features; you¡¯d be shocked how many parts of the nose itself can draw someone¡¯s eye.  However, with that initial drive to action comes the instinctive realization that I¡¯m almost ethereal ¡­ something that cannot be touched.  A defense mechanism, really, and that is where I bolster their confidence toward the one they most desire.


    ¡°Oh, and ch¨¦rie, it is true that I could transform myself into the image of that very love, and that kind of pleasure can be ¡­ let¡¯s just say¡ªdangerous.


    ¡°And all this just happens?¡±  Saeki asked, scratching her temple.  ¡°Every guy that sees you?¡±


    ¡°In the flash of a second,¡± Ma?lle snapped her finger with a light giggle.  ¡°Well, I have some control over its length, but limited.  You see, the fun part is the initial game, and how well I can keep them focused on me while combating my own abilities.¡±  She winked.  ¡°It¡¯s a game of chess against myself.  What better opponent?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, okay,¡± Saeki crossed her arms.  ¡°I have a question, though.¡±


    ¡°Speak it!¡±  Ma?lle urged.  ¡°I¡¯m an open book.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case ¡­ what¡¯s up with Jerry?  He¡¯s all about sliding all up on you, so, where¡¯s your defense there?¡±  She huffed.


    ¡°H¨¦las,¡± Ma?lle sighed.  ¡°That¡¯s one particular reason why I¡¯ve made a note of crossing paths with the foul creature.  An ability grows stronger when there¡¯s more resistance.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s nose creased.  ¡°So, he¡¯s somewhat immune to your redirection?¡±


    ¡°In a manner of speaking,¡± Ma?lle muttered, still playing with the miniature umbrella.  ¡°The lamentable lourdaud lacks¡ªhow do I say it?  Refined love, which means the next strongest equivalent, obsession, takes its place.  Therefore, I must utilize other tactics to keep the b¨ºte at bay.¡±


    [unpleasant/dangerous oaf; dim-witted beast]


    ¡°Rough,¡± Saeki growled.  ¡°He seems like the kind of guy we should keep track of.¡±


    ¡°Mmh, I suspect he won¡¯t be alive for too much longer, to be honest,¡± Ma?lle commented, sliding her hand across her left ram¡¯s horn.


    ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°Crude behavior can attract ¡­ unsavory attention when angled the wrong way.¡±


    Scarlet eyed the absent looking Succubus wearily, and couldn¡¯t help but speculate she had some hand in tilting the scales in that direction.


    Her pink eyes popped.  ¡°Oh!  I believe our Kyle is here,¡± she mused, turning to the front entrance with a bright smile.


    A shiver ran down Scarlet¡¯s spine, but she couldn¡¯t help compare the two, driving her insane.  Are Kyle¡¯s abilities just like hers?  If that¡¯s the case ¡­ do I not have any refined love interests ¡­ is this obsession?  Dammit!  I don¡¯t even know if this was her goal all along, but I¡¯m doubting everything!  She¡¯s either an angel in the guise of a demon or a really effective devil!


    Her mind jolted as Kyle came through the crowd, highlighted by the bright lights.


    The Incubus¡¯ dark blue hair, framed by his horns, guided Scarlet¡¯s eyes to every inch of his face before being pulled down to his filled-out frame.  He¡¯d obviously had more nutritious meals since she¡¯d last seen him, and if possible, steam would have popped out of her ears.


    He didn¡¯t look as young as he had, showing a much more mature physique and rougher features.  Each muscle showing through the black tank top seemed forged out of steel, causing every woman to lock eyes on him, but there was only one person he was looking at¡ªher.


    Brushing back his hair with a light chuckle, he smiled at her.  ¡°Scarlet.  Wow, you look stunning.¡±


    ¡°Umm, thanks,¡± Scarlet replied, shocked she wasn¡¯t a blubbering mess with how she felt.  ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Ma?lle jumped to her feet, tail dancing to the opposite side as she scooted out to wrap her in a warm embrace.  ¡°Mon petit ¨¦l¨¨ve fleurit!¡±


    [My little student blossoms!]


    Kyle gave her a wry grin.  ¡°Ma?lle, have you been bullying Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Saeki quickly followed, face just as red as Scarlet felt.  ¡°Gotta say, it¡¯s been rough for the girl.¡±


    Ma?lle gave Kyle a sly smirk but didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°No, no,¡± Scarlet cut in, not wanting to appear weak in front of Kyle.  ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine!  She¡¯s been teaching me a bit about dancing.¡±


    Saeki cleared her throat before smirking at Ma?lle.  ¡°Among other things.¡±


    Scarlet jumped as another person spoke, and for the first time, she recognized an agent beside Kyle.  Wait, huh?  When did ¡­ is that how men feel about Saeki and me, we¡¯re just invisible until we draw attention to ourselves?  No, get your head in the game!


    ¡°Hey, so, uh, we staying here, Kyle?¡±  He mumbled, eyes on the Succubus as she smiled at him, pink hair bunching on her left shoulder while tilting her head.


    Ma?lle stepped up, giving him a wink.  ¡°Don¡¯t you think Kyle and Scarlet should have some personal time to catch up?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  He mumbled, nodding while his focus seemed to turn inward.  ¡°I could see¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kyle quickly slapped him on the back with a hum.  ¡°It might be good for us to get some more air, man.  Alright, what do you say, Scarlet, up for a walk?¡±


    ¡°W-what about us?¡±  Saeki mumbled, almost shyly as her eyes centered right on Kyle¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Oh, girl¡¯s night, just the two of us!¡±  Ma?lle replied with a cheer.


    ¡°Right ¡­ yay,¡± Saeki said, clearly not enjoying the news.


    The whole exchange was like a whirlwind as Kyle nudged his head toward the door.  ¡°Coming with, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah, yeah!¡±  Scarlet smiled while following them out.


    Okay ¡­ just stay calm, and don¡¯t make a fool of yourself, Scarlet ¡­ just be cool, and figure this crap out.  How do I really feel?


    Taking a deep breath as they got outside, she let Kyle take the lead as he walked north.  I¡¯m a little frazzled, but I can handle this ¡­ maybe Ma?lle¡¯s training actually did help a lot.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 45. Healing From Pain

    AuthorSME


    Note:  This ends the Scarlet and Rachel chapters; next, we will be following our Prismatic Fairy as she returns home to discover the rollercoaster that''s waiting for her.


    POV:  Scarlet Clementine Johnson (Scarlet ... with Kyle ... ALONE?!?!)


    Recap:  Scarlet was pushed ever so gently by our devious Succubus to enter the dance floor with a random stranger, causing her to almost turn him into a shish kabob!  However, out cute little, Vampy managed to control herself and even learn more about Ma?lle abilities.


    The more Scarlet learned about Ma?lle, the less terrifying she became, but at the same time, she doesn''t know if this is all just another part of some crazy long-con.  The fact Scarlet could see Ma?lle in any given circumstance, from the bloody battlefield to an innocent nunnery, is what terrifies her.


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    MetusZerum, Maximilian Ruf, Grexira, Yotedom, Foolishman, AbrecanGhoul, and my other Patrons!


    Scarlet did her best not to look at the cracks shining through Kyle¡¯s black shirt, attempting to force her gaze to his abs.  Focus ¡­ focus somewhere else!


    She was a little surprised to see Jerry hanging around the bar; a couple of drinks and women were around him, but his attention was on Ma?lle.  Guess he made it inside.  Her nose creased as his stench drifted her way.


    Kyle followed her gaze, and the reserved attitude she¡¯d first sensed within him was gone; just like Ma?lle, there was a haze blocking Negative Emotions, thereby canceling out the added Emotional Absorption Proficiency Skill.


    Just by looking at him, he was releasing an enigmatic casual chill that made her even more uncertain about her feelings, and his tone was friendly but neutral.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to act like you enjoy this scene.  Ma?lle¡¯s got a talent in getting people to do things they¡¯d normally never do.  A lot of people here feel out of place,¡± he whispered, glancing between a few men and women of varying age.


    Scarlet gave him a forced smile as they moved past the small groups obstructing part of the walkway.  ¡°Oh, umm, is it your ability that¡¯s telling you that?¡±


    Slowing near the entrance, he scratched the tip of his nose while looking back.  ¡°I mean, I can¡¯t say they¡¯re exactly like you, but I can understand the signs easy enough, and yes, my Passive Abilities can detect certain things in my environment that help me come to that conclusion.  Uh, you see those two men?¡±


    Following his gesture, she found two guys, talking to one another; she could sense distinct negative emotion from the two, depression and desperation.  ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re friends, supporting each other to come out, but they really don¡¯t feel confident enough to talk to the three prospective girls they¡¯ve spotted and found attractive ¡­ including Ma?lle.  I suspect she¡¯ll move on them within the next ten minutes, but she¡¯s in no hurry.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± her brow furrowed, blue irises darting between the two parties.  ¡°You can tell all that with just a glance?  I mean, I know they¡¯re depressed and desperate, but you connected so many dots ¡­ they weren¡¯t even on my radar,¡± she mumbled, feeling a bit exposed under the Incubus¡¯ gradient blue eyes.


    Upon zeroing in on the two men, her chest tightening, blood spaced across her gums from the delicious flavor of depression.  A lump dropped down her throat, knowing it would be a good meal if she indulged.  ¡°It¡¯s like they¡¯re in a den of wolves.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Kyle lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°You can read people¡¯s emotions?¡±


    ¡°Umm, just the negative ones.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±  Kyle didn¡¯t respond for a few seconds, vision sliding between several people with an unimpressed expression.  ¡°The land of opulence, masking false confidence,¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The agent sighed, ruffling the back of his brown hair.  ¡°Yeah, Kyle has this thing about false smiles or fake people.¡±


    ¡°Mmh, it just doesn¡¯t interest me,¡± Kyle sighed, giving her an apologetic smile.  ¡°Desperate people do things they normally won¡¯t.  They¡¯re so lonely; they¡¯ll go to a club of random people, immersing themselves in a place they hate for just the opportunity to forget their solitude.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s pretty sad,¡± she mumbled, feeling the ranging emotions that Ma?lle somehow had suppressed with her constant attention.  If Rachel didn¡¯t offer to be my friend ¡­ it¡¯s so crazy how we met.  She saved me from Carter.  She didn¡¯t even know me, and ¡­ I was kind of weird with the blood I was on.  She grimaced at the memory.


    She turned her focus back to the Incubus as he stared at a few women that were giving him flirtatious smiles.  His senses might be better than mine, and I have max Proficiencies ¡­ wait, those were men?  He can even sense men¡¯s emotions?  Can Ma?lle?  Rachel ¡­ shoot, where is she?


    Lips becoming a line, her vision tinted red as she filtered out the surroundings.  Rachel was only half-way here, and she wasn¡¯t even facing the right way as she watched Duncan and Anthony walking back toward the FBI building.


    What¡¯s taking you so long; I mean, Kyle actually saved me from Ma?lle!  Wait ¡­ if Rachel did come, then I wouldn¡¯t have my personal time with him.  Gah!  I still need to figure out how I feel, and I don¡¯t need her poking fun at me ¡­ I¡¯d blush like every two seconds with her commentary.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    Scarlet gave a start, blue irises returning as she returned her focus to Kyle; the agent was more than a little alarmed by her sudden eye color change, more than five feet away with his hand gripping his weapon inside his jacket.  ¡°Oh, sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to startle you!¡±


    Kyle gave him a look.  ¡°Dude, Glenn, it¡¯s cool; don¡¯t be so jumpy.¡±


    ¡°Eh, Dude, crazy eyes, man¡ªhorror movie one-o-one!¡±


    She tried to give him an innocent smile, forgetting about her fangs.  ¡°I was just seeing if¡ªRachel was going to join us,¡± she slowly finished as he inched back a bit more.


    Rolling his eyes, Kyle sighed, facing her with a neutral smile.  ¡°Is she planning on meeting you here; should we wait?¡±


    Scarlet shook her head, doing her best to distract herself from the dozens of women whispering about Kyle and her.  ¡°She can find us.¡±


    Feeling a little uncomfortable with all the attention, she pushed forward, leading the charge out of the club.  The loud music and flashing lights dampened as she exited.  Her hands rose to tame her hair with the sudden gust blowing from the west, and the bright waxing moon falling across the sky brought her mind back to her favorite hare.


    Rachel¡¯s drinking that Lunar Energy right now ¡­ it does affect her personality a bit, maybe that¡¯s why she¡¯s late.  I mean, she was with Anthony, too ¡­ did she ¡­ well, she¡¯s not shy like me.  Maybe¡­


    Another spike of jealousy tightened her chest as Kyle joined her, drawing more than a little female attention outside the club, reigniting the whispers.


    Kyle gave her a passive smile.  ¡°Got somewhere you¡¯d like to go?  I¡¯m not a local, so you know this area a lot better than me.¡±


    ¡°Umm, no, not really,¡± Scarlet chuckled, trying to ignore the embarrassing implications some of the onlookers were coming up with.  She had to glare at one particular group of giggling young girls.  He¡¯ll do what with his tail?  How old are you?


    He nodded toward the east, shooting another frown at Glenn as he kept his distance.  ¡°How about the ocean?  I like the briny scent, personally.¡±  He inhaled, slowly letting it out.  ¡°I think it¡¯s low tide right now.¡±


    She forced a chuckle.  ¡°Umm, sure, that¡¯s fine!¡±


    Kyle glanced back at the group of girls she¡¯d glared at.  ¡°Yeah, I was a little surprised with how¡ªferal some girls can be.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Scarlet mumbled, cheeks darkening.  ¡°How are you not embarrassed?  I don¡¯t get how Ma?lle can do most of the stuff she does without falling to pieces, and people are a lot more crude than I used to think.¡±


    A low groan shot past Kyle¡¯s lips as he directed her focus to a pretty blonde woman behind a few large guys as they hung out beside a convertible.  ¡°See her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Crazy stalker.  She¡¯s just using those guys as cover to spy on the dude over there with his friend.¡±


    ¡°Wait, the girl he¡¯s with is just his friend?  They look pretty close to me.¡±


    ¡°Well, she likes him a bit, and it could escalate,¡± Kyle shrugged, hands behind his back as they moved along the sidewalk.  ¡°I doubt it, though.  He¡¯s friend-zoned her, and honestly, that stalker is obsessed to the point that I¡¯d hate to be that girl.  I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s already gotten threatening messages.¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Scarlet mumbled, glancing back at the pair before losing track of them around a corner.


    ¡°A bit intrusive, if you ask me,¡± Glenn huffed, still keeping his distance.


    Kyle gave him a sly smirk.  ¡°Didn¡¯t stop you from using me to see if Heather liked you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, callin¡¯ me out like that,¡± Glenn grumbled.  ¡°Okay, yeah, but still, intrusive as hell.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I want to know the intimate parts of most people¡¯s lives,¡± Kyle sighed, rubbing his left horn, avoiding the gaze of all the women staring at him.  ¡°To answer you, Scarlet, after the first few dozen, you stop being excited about such common themes.¡±


    Remembering Ma?lle¡¯s earlier statement, she frowned.  ¡°Experience?¡±


    He shrugged.  ¡°You could call it that.¡±


    Their focus moved to Glenn as he cleared his voice.  ¡°So, umm, I¡¯ve heard¡ªyou¡¯re a Vampire, right?  You¡¯re like the Seattle kind?¡±


    Before Scarlet could respond, Kyle lightly jabbed his shoulder.  ¡°Dude, insensitive, man.  Does she look like the mass-murdering type?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyebrows came together as she glanced between the retorts.


    ¡°Ouch, Dude,¡± he grumbled, rubbing his shoulder.  ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just asking¡ªyou heard the same shit I did about Miami Beach.  That tank was practically painted in blood!¡±


    Kyle puffed out an exhausted breath.  ¡°You still haven¡¯t figured that out yet?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Common sense ¡­ why would a Vampire paint a tank with blood?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ how should I know?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not getting it,¡± Kyle growled, making Scarlet feel a little better with someone else defending her.  ¡°Logically, what would a Vampire do with blood?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡ªdrink it, obviously.¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± Kyle repeated, twirling his wrist for him to go on.


    ¡°So ¡­ oh¡­¡±


    Kyle spread his hand as if stating the overt thought.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ she wouldn¡¯t have painted the tank with blood.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Then¡ªwho did it if it wasn¡¯t her?¡±


    ¡°Dude, just drop it,¡± Kyle moaned, scratching the back of his scalp.  ¡°You know David told you guys it was classified; should stop spreading those stupid rumors.  The amount of gossip you guys go through daily is insane.¡±


    Scarlet giggled, drawing their attention, causing a few women that just so happened to be going the same direction as them to mummer among themselves.  ¡°Thanks, Kyle.  No, Glenn, I¡¯m honestly not a Vampire.¡±


    ¡°Wait.  You¡¯re not?¡±


    She shook her head, giving him a wink while showing a toothy grin.  ¡°Nope!¡±


    ¡°But¡ªthe fangs and blood?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    ¡°Not a Vampire?¡±


    ¡°Definitely not!¡±


    ¡°Then ¡­ what are you?¡±


    Wearing a mischievous smile, Scarlet ignored him.  ¡°So, Kyle, you worked for a tourist company, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, back in Canada.¡±


    ¡°What about your family?¡±


    Kyle¡¯s cheer dampened slightly.  ¡°I was an orphan, and I never really connected much with any of the other kids or social workers.¡±


    Glenn growled, realizing she wasn¡¯t going to answer him.  ¡°If she¡¯s not a Vampire ¡­ maybe one of the other types of Vampires¡ªLilith?¡±


    Scarlet bristled, a small pool of her blood spiking outside her body, mind returning to the memory of her parents¡¯ bloody coffin; her nose burned with the guilt hitting her chest.  ¡°I¡¯m not a baby killer!¡±


    She shot a glare at the agent.  ¡°I don¡¯t sit in baby¡¯s blood!¡±  Jaw locking, her fangs punctured her lip, fist pressing against her left breast.  ¡°Besides, that¡ªwould probably be a Legendkin, not a Mythickin ¡­ not me.¡±


    ¡°Dude, cut it out,¡± Kyle stated, shoving him a few feet away.  ¡°Think about what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    Her nose twisted, trying to rid herself of the thought.  ¡°Fine, if you really want to know, I¡¯m a Vespertine Reaper.  A Mythickin.  Happy?¡±


    ¡°Reaper?¡±  Glenn gulped, regaining his balance while staring at her bloody lips.  ¡°What the hell does Vespertine mean?¡±


    Kyle shook his head, giving him a disgusted look.  ¡°No more.  Scarlet, ignore him.  You need to let things go.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m scared of all this shit, man!¡±


    Chest heated, Scarlet glared at him.  ¡°You¡¯re in the wrong job, then.¡±


    Kyle rubbed the back of his neck, giving her a concerned frown.  ¡°You want to go talk somewhere alone?¡±


    ¡°Dude, I¡¯m supposed to¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Scarlet replied, creating a blood portal.


    ¡°Shit!¡±  Glenn barked, leaping back while all the women behind them gave similar reactions.


    ¡°It might not feel good¡­¡±


    Her eyes widened as Kyle walked through without a word.  Stepping after him, she winced as the sharp shifting breeze pulled her hair in her face.  Scarlet tamed her wild locks, the pool of crimson liquid returning to her body.


    She¡¯d transported them to a previous spot she¡¯d seen while looking for him earlier, the beach as the tide was slowly rising from its low position.


    Kyle sighed, moving to a nearby washed-up log.  Dropping into it, he ran his left hand through his hair.  ¡°Sorry, Scarlet ¡­ he¡¯s normally a good guy, but that went too far.¡±


    Scarlet licked her lips, feeling her lips heal.  ¡°It just¡ªit brought back bad memories.¡±  Looking away, she took a long breath before letting it out in a slow stream.  ¡°Can you really sense my emotions?¡±  She asked, trying to repress a tremble threatening her lower lip.


    ¡°Honestly, no.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond; it felt like her heart was tearing apart, knowing the reason.  It was The Reaper; Scarlet was the reason for everything.  It¡¯s my life ¡­ it¡¯s not yours!  Why is everything about you?  I¡¯m sorry¡ªI give¡ªmake it stop.


    Scarlet sturred below.  Hmm?


    Fighting back the tears, she pulled back her bangs to look at him.  His somber eyes were on the sandy floor, long-tail lying across the shore.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to lie¡­¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t ¡­ please,¡± Scarlet whispered.  ¡°I just¡ªhate all this¡ªhate the assumptions¡ªthis t-thing inside me.¡±


    Kyle closed his eyes, took a breath, and looked up at her.  ¡°I¡¯ve been unconsciously filtering out your emotions; when I first met you ¡­ there was something there that scared me.¡±


    Scarlet smiled, whipping at her bloody cheeks while chuckling softly.  ¡°Right¡ªof course, even an Incubus wouldn¡¯t want to touch me ¡­ a crazy stalker¡¯s fine, though.  No, I¡¯m fine¡ªI¡¯m alright,¡± she hiccuped.  ¡°I¡¯m a good person¡ªI¡¯m not bad.  I know it¡ªRachel knows it.¡±


    No ¡­ everyone thinks I¡¯m you¡ªyou¡¯re becoming me, but it¡¯s my life, Scarlet!  Mine!  No more!  I want to be there for people and not be sick!  I¡¯m not fine¡ªit¡¯s all your fault!  This life is mine; it never was yours!


    He shook his head with concern.  ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    She giggled, sniffing as blood dripped down her nose.  ¡°No¡ªno?  What, then¡ªnot like what?  Really, I¡¯m losing my mind here,¡± she cried.


    Lips becoming a line, he sucked on his lower lip while glancing away.  ¡°If you really want to know¡ªI could show you.¡±


    ¡°Please¡ªanything ¡­ just¡ªsomething, anything¡­¡±


    He held out his hand, giving her a soft smile.  ¡°Take my hand.¡±


    Scarlet dropped to her knees, unable to fix the glasshouse falling around her; Rachel flew over the bank, landing a few feet away while skidding to a stop in the sand.  ¡°Scarlet!¡±


    She took his hand out of desperation, a new source of emotion mixing inside her.  Rachel faded into mist as Kyle¡¯s voice became crystal clear, tone low as he gave her a shameful look.


    ¡°You know ¡­ I hate fake faces¡ªbecause I¡¯m fake; I look down upon all these addicts around me when we¡¯re one and the same.¡±


    Scarlet swirling despair was held at bay as she listened to Kyle.  ¡°These things I¡¯m feeling?¡±


    He gave her a weak smile, guiding her to sit next to him.  His firm hands were soft and warm against her cool skin as he rested it against his thigh, staring down at it while speaking.


    ¡°Yeah, mine¡ªa shitty ability, right; who would want to share this with someone?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so empty,¡± Scarlet whispered, letting the void embrace her.


    ¡°Like an alcoholic or pill addict, I know I need to learn to live with all the things I can¡¯t change.  I hate that I feel nothing ¡­ or I¡¯m reeling in pain.¡±


    He released a humorless laugh.  ¡°I don¡¯t even think Ma?lle¡¯s caught on.¡±


    Scarlet frowned.  ¡°Then¡ªwhen we first met you?  You¡¯re an addict to what?¡±


    ¡°Tension, in general ¡­ same as Ma?lle¡ªalthough, she has her preferences,¡± he whispered.  ¡°You know, Glenn said he¡¯s been through the same shit in his twenties ¡­ said he started drinking to deal with his back pain and told me to just walk in a club and take a few hits, and it should do the same ¡­ it¡¯s not.¡±


    He closed his eyes, right hand closing around his horn.  ¡°I sucked out so much emotional energy from three women that I left them borderline lethargic, but I felt so straight for a moment ¡­ all that weight lifted off me¡ªI could fly.¡±


    A smirk touched his lips.  ¡°You know what?  Glenn said he hadn¡¯t had such a good time on an assignment; women just threw their attention at us.  I hate it ¡­ I feel empty, or I¡¯m reeling in pain.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t stop?¡±  Scarlet asked, remembering back to the first time she¡¯d tasted live blood when Corrupted and how good it was, she didn¡¯t want to stop, and once Maria had cleansed her, the guilt and pain that gripped her.  She¡¯d been tempted at the time, and that¡¯s what made her run and hide.


    Shaking his head, Kyle huffed.  ¡°It¡¯s hard ¡­ seemingly impossible.  I¡¯m not hurting people¡ªI need to survive, too ¡­ David told me, but¡ªI¡¯m on the edge, every time I feed.  Of course, Ma?lle could never feel that pain with her habits.  I just can¡¯t do it, though ¡­ just take a bit more until I feel alright.¡±


    A lump dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat.  ¡°What about me?¡±


    Kyle gave her a sad smile.  ¡°I¡¯m not the same as Ma?lle ¡­ I¡¯m a Dreamwalker Incubus.  You¡¯re in a lucid dream right now; Rachel¡¯s waiting right now, but she¡¯s terrifying¡ªmy instincts go on high alert when she¡¯s around to avoid her.  She was moments away from separating my head from my body when you touched my hand.¡±


    A warmth embraced her heart.  ¡°Yeah¡ªRachel¡¯s awesome¡ªlike my cool, protective older sister.¡±


    ¡°With you,¡± Kyle sighed, giving her a sincere smile.  ¡°I¡¯m like a moth drawn to a flame.¡±


    ¡°Moth to flame ¡­ w-what do you mean by that?¡±


    He looked into her blue eyes.  ¡°You¡¯re deadly, extremely dangerous¡ªI know that, but something about you tells me it¡¯s worth the risk.  I didn¡¯t want to invade your emotions because I¡¯m scared, but it¡¯s not only that darkness that draws me in but this emotional hurricane.  I feel connected to that part of you that tells the world you¡¯re alright¡ªwhen you¡¯re not.¡±


    Her heart beat faster, feeling her wild emotions stabilizing, and realized he was feeding off her, but at the same time, it didn¡¯t feel bad.


    ¡°Your past tastes bitter ¡­ I feed a bit differently than Ma?lle.  I can see you this morning, the angst you feel with Rachel still sleeping upstairs as you stare at yourself in the mirror ¡­ a devil in the morning, warning yourself how this day might end if you slip up.  You¡¯ll be good for all the times you never could.¡±


    A bloody tear fell down Scarlet¡¯s cheek as her nose burned, but the weight of the memory was quickly sucked away.


    ¡°How tight you lock up when remembering the night of The Oscillation ¡­ the horrifying events you had no control over¡ªforced to live through a nightmare you wouldn¡¯t wish on Carter or any other person that you hate or fear.¡±


    ¡°I just want to be normal,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to be this.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s moved with compassion.  ¡°I know the feeling ¡­ thank you for lifting this weight off me, Scarlet.¡±


    She could feel the emptiness being filled, and after a short breath, she blinked, realizing she was leaning against the dead tree.  Wait ¡­ it¡¯s over?


    Looking up, she yelped as Rachel lifted her off the ground, giving her a crushing hug.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re okay?  I didn¡¯t want to interrupt, but when I heard something was wrong¡­¡±


    She grunted, returning the hug as bloody tears dripped down her cheeks.  ¡°Thanks, Rachel ¡­ I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too!  Let me know if something¡¯s wrong, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she choked.


    Kyle got to his feet, folding his arms, and she saw the real Incubus as his glowing cracks radiated light.  ¡°Thanks, Scarlet, and I¡¯m sorry I worried you, Rachel.  If you still feel comfortable talking, then maybe we can tomorrow.¡±  He glanced past her at the ocean.  ¡°I think the sun will rise soon.  Last time, I remember you not wanting to get caught out in it.¡±


    ¡°Tonight?  Yeah,¡± she gasped, finding it hard to breathe with the Lunar Hare¡¯s arms squeezing the life out of her.  ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Scarlet replied as Rachel released her death grip, making her feel like an inflatable balloon.


    ¡°Alright, but next time, I¡¯ll see if my FBI friends will join us,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Some real shit,¡± Kyle sighed.


    ¡°Not that I think Glenn is terrible or anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say he¡¯s a dick,¡± Rachel growled.  ¡°His suit accidentally ripped right off his body when I passed,¡± she hummed, giving her an innocent look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that in front of Maria.¡±  Scarlet chuckled.  ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Well, for real, Maria would have probably straight knocked him out, and even Fiona might have given him some choice words.¡±


    ¡°Even Fiona?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how much we care about you.¡±


    Looking down, Scarlet rubbed her left arm.  ¡°That means a lot.¡±


    ¡°Well, think I¡¯ll start heading back,¡± Kyle said, stepping into the ensuing silence.  ¡°I¡¯ll walk back ¡­ I got a lot to think about.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you tonight when I get everything straightened out in my head,¡± he promised with a bright smile.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Scarlet whispered, retreating as she felt her face reddening.  ¡°See you tonight!  Let¡¯s go, Rachel; I don¡¯t want a sunburn ¡­ or to turn into ash.¡±


    Rachel and her started walking away; she could feel the Lunar Hare¡¯s focus, even if she wasn¡¯t directly looking.


    ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ yeah, but I¡¯m still a bit lost.  I don¡¯t know how I really feel about him.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re young, right?  We got time.¡±


    ¡°Young, who knows?¡±  Scarlet giggled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have death eyes that can tell?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, but that costs too much blood,¡± she growled.  ¡°It¡¯s pretty liberating, though ¡­ it puts a wall between Scarlet and me.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t seem to know how to respond because she faced forward with a soft frown.


    A thought popped into her head, and she puffed out her cheeks.  ¡°So, what took you so long?  You know what that Succubus did to me!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, made you dance,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°How was the Rumba?¡±


    ¡°Terrifying!¡±


    ¡°Oh?  You seemed to be enjoying it,¡± Rachel mused, holding her left hand behind her back while giving her a teasing look.  ¡°Besides, I was winning a game with Anthony, and I totally won!¡±


    Scarlet giggled at her friend¡¯s triumphant grin.  ¡°Oh?  How was that, huh; make any progress?¡±


    Rachel gave her a warm smile, tone softening.  ¡°I heard my parents talking before they went to bed ¡­ my mom¡¯s talking about officially adopting you if it¡¯s something you¡¯d like.¡±


    She slowed to a stop, eyes widening.


    ¡°Yeah, really,¡± Rachel chuckled before she could ask.  ¡°We¡¯ll have to look into a few things, and it was just a few comments, but I know my mother ¡­ well, I¡¯m pretty sure I do.¡±  She mumbled, looking to the left.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be¡ªsisters?¡±


    ¡°Real sisters,¡± Rachel replied, opening her arms.


    Scarlet stepped forward, numb as her arms slowly closing around her sister¡¯s back, body starting to tremble.  Her tears mixed into Rachel¡¯s sports bra, face pressing into her chest.  The pain and guilt remaining in her heart dissolved as a new hope sparked in her heart.


    They stood on the sidewalk for over fifteen minutes with strangers, giving them odd looks as they passed.  Once her emotions settled, Scarlet whispered.  ¡°I¡¯ve been lying¡ªsaying I¡¯m fine.  I¡¯ve been feeling so¡­¡±  Her throat caught.


    ¡°I know, but I¡¯m here for you.  Sisters forever, right¡ªI¡¯ll even watch that Japanese crap with you if you want.¡±


    She laughed, nose burning as her tears continued to cycle.  ¡°Thank you¡ªthank you¡­¡±


    Pulling away, Rachel gave her a wink, tears in her own eyes.  ¡°So, umm, actually, a lot might have changed with Anthony and me.  We got into a playful game.¡±


    Rachel laughed as Scarlet smeared her blood across her cheeks.  ¡°You said that,¡± she smirked.  ¡°What type of game?¡±


    She hummed, using the back of her hand to clear her own face.  ¡°Most attractive features; not a puffy face, of course.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°Well, without a doubt, I won!¡±


    ¡°Of course!  Man, you¡¯re super excited about that,¡± she giggled.  ¡°Okay, tell me all about it!¡±


    They made their way back to the FBI building; Rachel guided them to the frustrated agents, looking for them all night.  Her new family was already asleep, so they prepared for bed, and both used the queen-sized inflatable mattress their parents had brought, quickly drifting into their dreams.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 46. My Baby Sister Is What?

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Fiona White (We now go to Fiona''s small adventure; what''s happening back home?)


    Recap: Scarlet spent some one on one time with Kyle, learning that it''s not as easy for him as Maelle makes it seem.  He''s tortured on the inside, which has our sensitive little cinnamon bun up in arms to comfort him.


    They shared a heart to heart, Rachel skulking in the background listening in with her big naughty ears.  Once she feels Scarlet might be in danger, she rushes in, ready to crush the Incubus'' head, but things turned out rather well, and now our girls are on their way back to the FBI building.


    In the morning, Maria and Fiona should be returning with a few new guests.  Now, we see what''s happening in Fiona''s little part of the world.


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    Li1 Mainy, Sen, MetusZerum, Brian, Gage Ostrander, Nikolas Zane, and my other Patrons!


    Fiona took a deep breath, stretching across the fine silk sheets of her bed as she woke.  Brushing her bound hair to the side, she groaned while sitting up to look around the room she¡¯d slept in.


    It had a nice wooden dresser with a mirror attached to the back; there was an assortment of clothes inside that she¡¯d picked out personally, and a few other types of clothing could be seen from the walk-in closet to her left.


    A rug had been placed on the wooden floor to give her feet some cushioning, and a desk with a comfortable, padded chair sitting in front of it was to her right.  A wine glass, a quarter full of sugar, sat upon the desk, or it should have been there; instead, it was spilled across the mat, and the glass was nowhere to be seen.


    Her head drooped, and she released a soft sigh, noticing the bed had moved a few feet to her right during her sleep.  Can something not go wrong with this house while on a flight?


    Getting up, she braced herself as a soft tremor ran through the building; she was in her hand-chosen house, which was actually pretty thrilling.  Among Maria¡¯s many negotiation conditions was for the Military to take her to the best dollhouse stores in Billings to let her dream shop.


    Fiona didn¡¯t skimp on the details but had to, in a manner, put them into storage while still mobile.  The ability to sleep in a room that, at least, had the appearance of normal size, gave her some comfort.  She could see the dim light bleeding through the cracks of the miniature wooden blinds, rustling with the shockwaves running through the plane, transferring to her house.


    Going to her dresser, she pulled out some navy blue garments; it had been a nightmare trying to find the proper elastic underwear that fit her but find them she did, even if some weren¡¯t entirely to her taste.  She plucked out a sleeveless casual floral sundress, ultra low-cut liner socks, and blue flats to match them with.


    She took them to the bathroom, set the items on the counter, and stepped into the bath built into the house.  Creating a glob of water above her with a Water Ball, she closed her eyes and dropped it over her head.  It crashed around her, but with her high Resistances, the cold liquid didn¡¯t cause her to shake.


    Fiona used the products she¡¯d prepared in glass containers the day before, fastened safely inside a tray built into the wall.  Using the spell a few more times to wash herself off, Fiona used Hot Air to dry off before combing her hair and dressing.


    Walking down from the middle floor to the ground level, she opened the front door and shut it behind her, calling upon her wings to float into the air.  She turned around, frowning at her house, somehow strapped into a seat on the Military plane they¡¯d been riding on with a few supports.


    Honestly, I¡¯m gonna have to hire someone to make a real-livable house ¡­ how much would that cost, though?


    ¡°Fiona, I see you¡¯re awake,¡± a gruff voice chuckled.  ¡°How¡¯d ya sleep?¡±


    She turned in the air to face the man sitting in the seat across from her house.  Casey wasn¡¯t the biggest military man, she¡¯d seen, but had some muscle.  She¡¯d lost the ability to tell how tall people were since she couldn¡¯t really compare them to her own height anymore.  In any case, he was tall, and not that attractive, but a nice guy in his late twenties.


    ¡°Not great,¡± Fiona admitted, dropping back to sit atop her roof to talk.  ¡°The bumps are way worse when you¡¯re as small as me,¡± she complained.  ¡°I got knocked off the bed once.¡±


    ¡°Understandable,¡± he nodded.


    She glanced up at the window, showing the orange glow of the setting sun.  ¡°I guess we must be nearing Ireland.¡±


    ¡°Real close,¡± he mumbled, brushing back his sandy blonde hair while glancing out of the window.  ¡°In fact, I think we¡¯ll be heading over land soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Fiona¡¯s eyes sparkled, smiling at him as she recalled the idea she had while lying in bed.  ¡°So, I was thinking; we don¡¯t actually have to go to the airport!  It would take forever¡ªway longer than it has to be, and since the towers are down in that area, I¡¯m worried.  I want to get there as soon as possible.¡±


    Casey¡¯s eyebrows furrowed.  ¡°Uh¡ªokay, I uh, follow you there, but¡ªwhy don¡¯t we need to go to the airport, then?  Ya lost me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll jump!¡±


    It seemed to fly right over the man¡¯s head; his mouth parted, vision falling to the floor as he tried to puzzle through her statement.  ¡°We¡¯ll jump ¡­ jump¡ªhuh?  What do you mean, we¡¯ll jump?  We¡¯re over thirty thousand feet in the air ¡­ I¡¯m a little lost here.¡±


    ¡°Uh-uh, jump, as in, open the door, jump out, and go down to my parents¡¯ house.  Simple.¡±


    ¡°Simple ¡­ you want me to carry you down in a¡ªwait, you can fly, so you want me to use a parachute?¡±


    She shook her head, rolling her eyes.  ¡°No, you aren¡¯t getting it!  I¡¯ll float us down to the ground; I have a spell called Levitate.¡±


    A lump dropped down the soldier¡¯s throat, eyes darting to the window.  ¡°Wait, wait, wait, hold up¡ªyou want me to jump¡ªwithout a parachute.¡±


    Fiona shrugged.  ¡°With, without, doesn¡¯t matter.  I mean, you can if it makes you feel better,¡± she giggled.  ¡°I get why you¡¯d be scared, but here, see¡­¡±


    Activating Levitate, she lifted him off his seat.


    ¡°The hell!  Woah, woah¡ªcut it out!¡±


    Releasing the spell, he dropped back to his seat, arms gripping his chair like he¡¯d just been about to jump out of the plane.  She folded her arms with a bright smile.  ¡°See?  I¡¯ll float us down, and it¡¯ll be way faster!¡±


    Casey took a shuttering breath, eyes big.  ¡°Okay, the General didn¡¯t say anything about jumping out of a plane while Tinkerbell throws magic dust on me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not Tinkerbell,¡± Fiona huffed.  ¡°I¡¯m way cooler than her ¡­ I¡¯d like to see her throw a fireball.  It¡¯s not that big of a deal, though, I mean, you jump out of planes all the time, right?¡±


    ¡°Not that kind of soldier,¡± Casey grunted, sweat starting to gather on his forehead as he began talking to himself.  ¡°Okay, okay, uh¡ªmmh, alright, eh¡ªI can wear a parachute, but what if a bird comes down and eats her ¡­ or what if a sharp gust blows us apart and she can¡¯t float me anymore?  No, a lightning bolt¡­¡±


    ¡°Woah, hey,¡± Fiona rose into the air with pursed lips.  ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯ve taken out killer mosquito dragonflies¡ªlike dozens of them!  I¡¯ve got a Wind Shield spell.  And lightning?  I¡¯ve got Electricity Resistance.  I¡¯ll be fine!  Oh, and if you¡¯re scared, I can put a shield around you, too.¡±


    His calm demeanor had washed away.  ¡°What about your stuff, uh¡ªyou need your dollhouse, right?¡±


    Fiona twisted in the air to stare at the place.  ¡°Well, yeah, which is why you¡¯ll put all the moveable stuff in that big bag with the rest of my stuff.  I¡¯ll just levitate those with us.¡±


    ¡°My bag¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a carry on with clothes to get you by while the other military guys at the airport bring it to us.¡±


    He nervously rubbed his smooth chin, taking a few deep breaths.  ¡°You¡¯ve thought of everything¡ªhaven¡¯t you¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh, not really,¡± Fiona gave him a grin.  ¡°I didn¡¯t really think about some of that stuff; I¡¯m just coming up with solutions as you throw out problems.  But seriously, c¡¯mon, it''s scary, but not that scary.  Let¡¯s go, soldier!¡±


    Running his left hand through his hair, he rubbed his scalp, averting eye contact.  ¡°Alright, uh¡ªsay we do this ¡­ I get it, you''re worried about your family, but¡ªbut if we jump¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying¡ªmaybe the pilot wouldn¡¯t want to open the back or something¡­¡±


    ¡°Good point,¡± Fiona hummed.  No, he¡¯s not the one I need to convince.  He¡¯ll get pushed along if I get the Lieutenant on-board.  ¡°Let¡¯s go see if the others are okay with it.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    Fiona zipped to the next compartment, dipping around the curtain where a group of loud soldiers talked; they¡¯d moved to the back to not disturb her while she slept.


    ¡°Hey, guys!¡±


    ¡°Fiona!¡±  Annie cheered.  ¡°We were just talkin¡¯ about that crazy Crystal.  I heard someone say there were bugs on the other side with massive stingers that could open up a hole in you the size of a sunroof.  Is that right, or was he just full of himself?¡±


    ¡°Dude,¡± Greg chuckled, shaking his head.  ¡°I¡¯m tellin¡¯ ya, if it was gonna be aliens, bugs are the thing; they¡¯re just that hard to get rid of.  There was a place I was in one time¡­¡±


    Dale cut him off, clearly more interested in Annie¡¯s alien bug story and not Greg¡¯s run-in with cockroaches.  ¡°What did they look like, though?¡±


    Theo shook his head, giving them a dubious grin.  ¡°Na, I¡¯m still saying bull, Annie.  No way they¡¯d keep that this tight-lipped, and I knew one of the dudes that went in it, Rico, crazy son of a¡­¡±


    ¡°Talkin¡¯ ¡®bout bull, as usual,¡± Greg smirked at Theo, ¡°you don¡¯t know shit, man.  Rico?  I didn¡¯t hear anyone named Rico go through the Crystal.¡±


    ¡°Shut-up,¡± Theo grunted.  ¡°Dude, Rico went through and said it wasn¡¯t shit; ISIS has more bite.¡±


    Fiona paused, forcing a smile while scratching the back of her head.  ¡°Uh¡ªwell, hehe, I can¡¯t say much about what went on there, but uh¡ªbugs, yeah, there were bugs with big stingers and teeth, and I suppose you could call them alien bugs.  I killed a bunch.¡±


    The group¡¯s eyes widened as Casey came up behind her.


    ¡°For real?¡±  Theo mumbled.


    ¡°Mhm, burnt them to crisps with lightning and fire!¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s sick, girl!¡±


    ¡°Were they intelligent?¡±  Dale asked.


    ¡°I mean, Dude,¡± Annie gave Theo a look.  ¡°I¡¯m not lettin¡¯ that slide; ain¡¯t shit ¡­ they were callin¡¯ in a nuke¡ªa freakin¡¯ nuke, man.  Ain¡¯t shit, my ass.  When was the last nuke called in to take out ISIS?¡±


    ¡°No, totally,¡± Greg nodded, ¡°but that doesn¡¯t mean they were intelligent¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just sayin¡¯, nuke¡ªthat¡¯s real, son.¡±


    Dale lifted his fist, and Annie bumped it.  ¡°I¡¯m with her, Dude.  Some real shit was goin¡¯ down in there.  Geek threw up three times checkin¡¯ to see if everyone evacuated just thinkin¡¯ about being that close to a nuke.¡±


    Casey¡¯s lips tucked in.


    ¡°Lieutenant, c¡¯mon,¡± Theo mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯m just sayin¡¯...¡±


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Fiona cleared her throat to draw their attention.  ¡°So, I had this plan to jump out of the plane when we get over my town!¡±


    The four soldiers paused, giving each other impressed looks.


    ¡°Wild,¡± Annie chuckled.  ¡°I mean, I¡¯m game if you got a plan.  Wait, you sayin¡¯ we all goin¡¯ that way or just you?¡±


    Theo scratched his nose while appraising her, floating in the air.  ¡°Damn, just flying down to the ground?  Can¡¯t say I thought of that option for ya, but I don¡¯t know about us.¡±


    ¡°Parachuting?¡±  Dale asked, brow furrowing while leaning back to give her a frown.  ¡°I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong, I love the idea of getting off this plane, but we aren¡¯t prepped for that.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±  Casey said with a sigh of relief.  ¡°She says she wants to levitate us down!¡±


    Greg¡¯s tongue pressed against his cheek as his mouth curved, eyes sparkling.  ¡°Na, c¡¯mon, Lieutenant,¡± he scoffed.  ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they got everything we need on the plane, and if the Captain says it¡¯s cool, then we can greenlight it, right?¡±


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Dale¡¯s lips lifted into a smile, vision darting between his team members.  ¡°I wasn¡¯t saying it can¡¯t be done, Greg, and levitate us down?  Huh, okay, what¡¯s on your mind, Fiona?¡±


    Yes, I knew they¡¯d be up for it!  These guys are thrill-seekers ¡­ not so much, this guy, though.  She thought, giving Casey a sidelong look.  Guess they call him Geek for a reason.


    ¡°Okay, so, check it out!  I can make all of us levitate, and then lower us to the ground.  Simple as that!¡±


    ¡°No need for a parachute?¡±  Annie asked.


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    ¡°Sweet.  Okay, I can get behind that; never jumped without a failsafe!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t get behind that,¡± Dale interjected; Casey gave him a hopeful look.  ¡°We¡¯ll be wearing chutes just in case, but yeah, let¡¯s get this goin¡¯!  It¡¯ll save a ton of time, and then we can get back to the States.¡±


    Annie popped her tongue with Greg.  ¡°Boo!¡±  It quickly flipped to a smile, though.  ¡°We might be able to hit up that barbecue Karle was braggin¡¯ if we cut off some more time!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Greg nodded, ¡°that¡¯s what I¡¯m talkin¡¯ about, and Tony¡¯s bringin¡¯ the boos; you know he gets the good shit!¡±


    ¡°W-Wait¡­¡±  Casey was overshadowed as Dale got up with a grunt.  ¡°Alright, let me go clear it.  You guys get everything ready.¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­¡±


    Annie and Greg jumped to their feet, dodging around Fiona to slap the stuttering man on each arm while Dale went to the front.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be a puss,¡± Annie bellowed.


    Greg smacked him on the back.  ¡°Your first jump, Geek; let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know how to¡­¡±


    Fiona gave him an innocent smile as they guided him to the cargo area.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Casey; I¡¯ll be gentle!¡±


    The three soldiers roared with laughter, on their way, spreading the news to Tori and Felix.


    Yes!  Operation Fairy Fall is a go!


    Dale got permission after explaining the details to the current ranking officer on the flight, and the unit gathered at the back.  Annie helped clear out the moveable objects in her house, placing them in the bag that contained her the rest of her furnishings.


    By the time they¡¯d finished, and Greg taught Casey how to properly pull his parachute, they prepared to jump by heading to the back of the plane.  Several of the other soldiers on the flight gathered to see them off, cheering Casey¡¯s first jump on as the news spread.


    Upon inquiring about her skill, she discovered a weight limit on Levitation; she could only lift things that were four-hundred pounds or less, and upon testing, if more were added on, the spell would break.  Her cost also increased based on the weight added.  Casey wasn¡¯t happy with the news.


    Annie chuckled as he complained.  ¡°What, you think a three hundred pound bird is going to land on your head?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m just scared of heights!  I don¡¯t want to do it!¡±


    Dale puffed out a long breath while watching him and, after a few moments of more jabbing comments from the soldiers, shook his head.  ¡°Alright, Casey.  If you really don¡¯t want to do this, you can stay on the plane and meet up with us later.¡±


    ¡°Y-You mean go all the way there on my own¡ªwhat if there¡¯s civil unrest on the way?¡±


    Annie rolled her eyes while moving away to finish preparing herself.  ¡°Then you¡¯ll be wishing you came with us, Geek.¡±


    Tori snickered, leaning close to her.  ¡°Girl, he¡¯s not cut out for fieldwork.¡±


    ¡°He requested it and was shoved onto us!¡±  Annie hissed back.  ¡°I don¡¯t get people like him.¡±


    ¡°Hey, if he doesn¡¯t come, then we won¡¯t have to deal with the whining twenty-four-seven.¡±


    ¡°True, that.¡±


    While he debated the options, Dale adjusted his helmet and pressed the button to open the back; the air was sucked out as the noise and wind amplified.


    Fiona took one more bite of sugar to top off before using Levitation on the several packs of gear around her, split for three hundred pounds each.


    ¡°Here we go, ladies and gentlemen!¡±  Dale shouted, ignoring Casey.  ¡°You know your line-up!  In three, two, one, go, go, go!¡±


    The soldiers smiled as they filed to the edge with cheers shouting them on from the crowd watching.  Fiona¡¯s stomach swam as it finally struck her.  Mom, Dad, and Nora are down there!  I¡¯m coming home.


    As the fifth soldier jumped, she followed Dale, leaving Casey behind.  Activating her spell, he grinned as his weight seemed to vanish, and they shot after the falling Marines.  Catching each one with quick succession, she slowed their descent.


    ¡°Damn!¡±  Theo shouted with exhilaration.  ¡°We¡¯re actually floating in the sky!¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡±  Tori screamed, glancing around at the darkening landscape below them.


    The burning glow of the sun cast a long shadow across certain sections of the rolling green hills; she used to think they were mountains before going to the U.S. and seeing the Appalachian Trail along her flight to Florida from New York.  She could see Clifden Castle, a speck in the distance.


    Annie brushed away her bound brown hair, forcing the ponytail back before the strong gust snatched it, whipping it to the side.  ¡°Got any crazy moves you can do on this crazy ride?¡±


    ¡°Just watch!¡±  Fiona called, forcing them down as g-forces hit their bodies.


    She sped through the air, pulling the rest of her companions along while doing sharp loops and zig-zags.  A few of them started laughing as Greg threw up, maneuvering Dale around the spray.


    Fiona snickered.  Doubt he¡¯ll be living that one down tonight!


    She moved them toward the coast and the town by the sea.  It took them less than ten minutes to reach the city¡¯s outskirts, the soldiers whooping and hollering as they flew, spreading out their hands as if anime characters.  There was more than one comment about having firefights like this.


    Fiona shifted directions as she got her bearings, remembering landmarks; it was a little disorienting, following them by air.  Only a few people looked up, most going about their own business.  Her mind turned to her hometown, smiling at the familiar places, and spotting her school.


    Clifden, population around sixteen-hundred ¡­ man, what a small place compared to Miami.  Mom and Dad are gonna be blown away!


    Reaching the outskirts, she spotted her family¡¯s little two-bedroom house.  She and Nora shared a room until she¡¯d moved to Florida with the support of her followers who had chosen the place from a poll.  It shocked her a bit, but Russia¡¯s city Nizhny Novgorod was second on the poll list.


    Fiona took a deep breath as she touched the soldiers down on her front yard, dropping off the equipment nearby.  Floating to the door, she paused.  Wait ¡­ I can¡¯t even open the door or knock!


    Sighing, she turned, eyebrow lifting as she saw the six soldiers on their butts, trying to get used to ground again.


    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡±  Greg coughed, spitting out what remained of the vomit in his mouth.


    Felix cracked up laughing.  ¡°Dude, you got shit all over her face, bro!¡±


    Fiona giggled, reluctantly floating over to him.  ¡°Here, let me help with that.¡±  Creating a bubble of water, she said, ¡°Hold your breath and stiffen your neck¡­¡±


    The others watched in fascination as she ran the water across his face, peeling off all the gunk.  Greg used his sleeve to dry his face; voice muffled as he thanked her.


    ¡°Alright,¡± turning to Dale, she was about to ask if he could knock for her when the door opened, revealing her red-haired mother.


    At five-six, and thirty-eight years old, her mother was still a beauty, hosting cute freckles and dimples that sadly, she didn¡¯t pass on to Fiona.  Nervously peering between the soldiers and speaking in her hometown¡¯s native tongue of Gaelic, she asked, ¡°Umm¡ªcan I help you?¡±


    Fiona responded in like.  ¡°Mom; I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay!¡±


    Her mother shrank back a little as she zipped forward to explain herself.


    ¡°It¡¯s me¡ªit¡¯s Fiona!  I know I¡¯m a little small now¡ªwell, more than a little,¡± she grunted, examining herself in the air, ¡°but I came back to see how you were doing.¡±


    The soldiers cleared their throats and composed themselves, lining up a respectable distance in front of the porch while waiting for her to draw attention to them.


    ¡°F-Fiona?¡±  Her mother stammered, bright green irises taking in every inch of her body.  ¡°W-What happened?  How did you¡ªis it really you?¡±


    ¡°Yes!  Well¡­¡±  She paused, thinking about the statistics Rachel had told her about The Oscillation when discovering more about their abilities.  ¡°I guess you wouldn¡¯t really be up to date on what¡¯s happening around the world¡ªI mean, statistically, only about ten people in town would have changed.¡±


    ¡°Changed ¡­ yes, there have been a few strange things¡ªwait,¡± her eyes widened, ¡°Fiona, have you heard from your sister?¡±


    Fiona looked away, sucking on her lower lip.  ¡°Mmh, Nora?  No, no, I haven¡¯t been able to call you guys at all¡ªwhy, is she missing?¡±


    Looking troubled, she glanced back at the soldiers and took one more studious exam of her daughter before saying, ¡°Come in ¡­ I¡¯ll tell you what¡¯s happening¡ªbut, umm¡ªwill they be joining us?¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh,¡± Dale noticed the attention shifting their way and accurately judged the situation, despite not understanding a word they were speaking.  ¡°No, no, Ma¡¯am, we¡¯ll go look for a hotel in town; we¡¯re just here to offer support to your daughter in case she needs us.¡±


    Fiona gently pulled back.  ¡°So, eh, Mom, these six fine U.S. soldiers are my escort!  It was pretty nice of the Army to assign helpers to me ¡­ I¡¯m kind of small now, so ¡­ yeah.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡±  gesturing to them, she continued.  ¡°Umm¡ªLieutenant Dale, this is my mother, Aislinn.¡±  Her Irish educational side started to flare.  ¡°It¡¯s pronounced ASH-lin, not Ice-lin or ASH-leen, but ASH-lin, as in, lin rhymes with sin, and is not a homophone!  The Irish ¡®s¡¯ has a sh sound¡­¡±


    ¡°Dear me,¡± Aislinn sighed, giving her a soft smile, ¡°you are my daughter.¡±  Smiling at the six confused soldiers, she said, ¡°Thank you for taking care of my daughter.¡±  Tucking in her lower lips, she said, ¡°Maybe¡ªI could use your help; if you would like to come in, I¡¯ll explain.¡±


    ¡°Mom?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± Dale breathed through his teeth while glancing between his men.  ¡°Sure, yeah ¡­ okay.¡±


    They all followed Aislinn inside, Tori bringing up the rear and shutting the door.  Guided to the front room, her mother gestured for all of them to sit, and Fiona took the edge of the coffee table in front of her mother.


    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s going on with Nora, and where¡¯s Dad?¡±


    Taking a shuttering breath, Aislinn closed her eyes and whipped a tear away from her left eye.  ¡°We don¡¯t know¡ªshe disappeared after all the lights spread across the sky.  Fodhla won¡¯t shut-up about aliens taking people ¡­ no damn alien took my daughter!¡±  She growled, face hardening, causing Fiona to flinch, she¡¯d rarely heard her mother swear; it had been a rule in the house to refrain from crude language.


    She soon became solemn again, shoulders slumping.  ¡°I¡¯ve been stuck in the house ¡­ the Garda told me to wait here unless she returns, but¡­¡±


    [Garda i.e., Irish Police Force]


    ¡°That¡¯s a whole week,¡± Fiona cried out, rising back into the air as she worked through her thoughts.  ¡°How¡ªwhere would she get food?  Did¡ªshe ¡­ is she seeing anyone?¡±


    Aislinn shook her head.  ¡°You know your sister ¡­ well, if she was, then she didn¡¯t tell us¡ªyou know how private she is.¡±


    ¡°Then, Dad?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been out, every day ¡­ but no one¡¯s seen anything, and people are talking about people having strange powers.  M¨¢en won¡¯t quit going on about Cl¨ªdna¡¯s son speaking to birds ¡­ he always was a rather antisocial kid, but still ¡­ no, I don¡¯t know, Fi ¡­ I¡¯m scared.¡±


    A lump dropped down Fiona¡¯s throat as her mother tried to keep herself composed.  ¡°Umm¡ªwhere was she last; where have you checked?¡±


    ¡°Everywhere ¡­ and,¡± her vision wandered to her old room down the hall.  ¡°She was in her room; she screamed, and we ran in, but¡ªwe couldn¡¯t find her.  The window was open, and we were only a few seconds¡ªbut we couldn¡¯t see anyone outside, and your father and I didn¡¯t see anything around the house.  She just¡ªvanished¡­¡±


    Fiona hummed softly, glaring at the rug sitting on top of the planks of the hardwood floor.  If she turned into something, then ¡­ maybe Nora transformed into a little person, like me?  What if she¡¯s trapped somewhere¡­


    The horror started playing across her mind, thinking about how many things could have gone even more wrong had she not been in the shower.  What if I was carrying some heavy boxes or books and they fell on me while I transformed ¡­ goodbye, little Fairy.


    ¡°Umm¡ªdid you check all around her room?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and we couldn¡¯t see anything but her carpet was kind of wet; there was a storm that night, though, and the window was open¡ªshe liked to listen to the rain.¡±


    ¡°Puddle of water ¡­ okay.  Uh¡ªlet¡¯s go check her room.¡±


    They all got up, and Fiona examined the space.  As she noticed on her last visit, her sister certainly used all the extra space she¡¯d left her.  It looked like an anime fan-girl¡¯s room, complete with posters and figurines.  She didn¡¯t know all of the shows her sister liked, but she assumed some of them were a bit more mature, and she wanted to keep them hidden from their parents.


    It was tidy, and nothing seemed that out of place or caught her eye.  What ¡­ happened to Nora?


    She heard some chirping outside that caught her attention.


    ¡°Hey, you see that strange new thing?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, saw it eat the worm I was going after!¡±


    ¡°Scary thing, right?¡±


    ¡°Had me shook, man ¡­ hey, you eying my spot?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re eying my spot!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll beat you with my wing!¡±


    ¡°You limp wing; you scared!¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t scared!¡±


    ¡°Come get this beak, then!  Get some!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want this pecker!¡±


    ¡°Give me all the pecker, wing snipper!¡±


    ¡°Oh, you want this?¡±


    Fiona darted out of the open window, leaving the soldiers and her mom chasing after her.


    ¡°Fiona!¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up, you spot somethin¡¯?¡±


    Quickly identifying the creatures, she watched the two blackbirds hop back and forth, screeching about who would start the brawl first.


    ¡°Hey, hey!¡±  Fiona shouted, causing the two birds¡¯ necks to snap her way.


    ¡°Flap!  It¡¯s the worm police!¡±


    ¡°Get gone, foo!¡±


    They took to the skies, but she swiftly cut them off, trapping them in a Wind Prison.


    ¡°Yo, Jojo, I¡¯ve been had!¡±


    ¡°They got me, too, Dinrin!¡±


    Fiona brought the two before her, giving them a lifted, green glowing, eyebrow as she used her Wind Magic.  ¡°You two were talking about a new creature that stole your worm?¡±


    ¡°Eat feathers, worm police!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we ain¡¯t gonna say droppings, you ka-co!¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Fiona mumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t know what the worm police are, but I¡¯m not them ¡­ and what¡¯s a ka-co?¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°Right?  Bro, totally got her!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Bro, we come from the North!¡±


    ¡°Represent!¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable,¡± Fiona facepalmed.  ¡°Are you two from New York or something?¡±


    ¡°Yo, Bro, what¡¯s New York?¡±


    ¡°How should I know?  No, we from the North, ka-co!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!  We ain¡¯t sayin¡¯...¡±


    ¡°Droppings, got it,¡± Fiona sighed.  ¡°Okay, look, hmm¡ªhow should I do this?¡±


    ¡°You can clip our wings; we ain¡¯t talkin¡¯ to no worm police!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Bro!¡±


    ¡°The hype man,¡± Fiona rolled her eyes.  ¡°Oh, I know!  I¡¯ll give you some seeds if you tell me what I want to know.  Sound good?¡±  She asked, giving them a bright smile.


    ¡°Tch, seeds,¡± Jojo said in a smirking tone.  ¡°What¡¯s she take us for, Eurasian blue tit?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, insulting, Bro!  We take them out; war, Bro.  It¡¯s hot out here!¡±


    ¡°Berries?¡±  Fiona offered with a confused shrug.


    They both looked at each other.  ¡°Okay, okay, now talkin¡¯,¡± Jojo chirped.  ¡°What kind of berries, huh?  You ain¡¯t tryin¡¯ to pull a fast one on us, huh?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡ªstrawberries?¡±  She tentatively offered, throwing out the first thing that came to mind.


    ¡°Yo, strawberries, Dude,¡± Dinrin whispered, quite loudly, but it seemed most birds didn¡¯t know what whispering was.  ¡°Strawberries!¡±


    ¡°I heard, foo!  Okay, okay, how much we talkin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Fiona crossed her arms.  ¡°Let¡¯s see¡ªif what you have helps me, then I could get you a whole carton.¡±


    ¡°Lies; those humans keep those in ice-cold boxes; there¡¯s no way you could get a whole carton!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Tenri got whacked tryin¡¯ for some last summer, Bro!  Lies!  Lies!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Fiona huffed.  ¡°I¡¯ll show you them right now.¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±  Jojo gave a dubious grunt.  ¡°Show us the goods!¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine¡­¡±


    Carrying them back to her house, the blackbirds seemed perfectly content standing on the magically created wind floor that trapped them in the prison she¡¯d created while squawking insults at each other about some incident involving a dog the day before.


    Honestly, they¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t threaten to cook them ¡­ all creatures aren¡¯t equal¡ªthat creepy bear taught me that.


    Returning to her sister¡¯s room, she was met by her mother and six soldiers.


    ¡°Wait ¡­ you ran after¡ªare those birds standing in midair?¡±  Annie asked, trying to comprehend what she was seeing.


    ¡°Yeah, uh, what¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡±  Dale asked.


    ¡°So, Mom¡ªI, umm,¡± Fiona weakly pointed at the two loud blackbirds, ¡°I can actually speak to animals ¡­ well, birds, fish, you get the point, but not insects.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡ªfinding this hard to follow,¡± Aislinn mumbled.  ¡°You¡¯re a little person¡ªI¡¯m trying not to faint with just that,¡± she forced a laugh.  ¡°And, um¡ªnow you¡¯re saying you can talk to animals ¡­ like Cl¨ªdna¡¯s son ¡­ why are you glowing green¡ªand the dust?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I know I need to explain a lot, Mom, I know!¡±  Fiona said slowly.  ¡°Umm¡ªAnnie, can you help my mom sit down?¡±


    ¡°I can sit down on my own,¡± Aislinn mumbled, hands shaking a little as she pulled out her sister¡¯s padded computer chair to take a seat.


    ¡°Right¡­¡±  Annie whispered, lips becoming a line while grasping her hands behind her back.


    ¡°First, I want to question these guys about where Nora is¡­¡±


    The two birds raised their voices.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, no Nora.¡±


    ¡°Stupid name, blue tit name!¡±


    Fiona¡¯s cheeks started to redden as her patience ran thin.  ¡°Will you two shut-up!¡±  She yelled.  ¡°Trolls, you two won¡¯t stop talking for half a second, and it¡¯s always complaining!¡±


    ¡°At least we don¡¯t look like trees,¡± Jojo huffed.  ¡°Lay a nest on you.¡±


    ¡°Strawberries!  Strawberries!¡±  Dinrin began to chant.  ¡°We want strawberries!¡±


    ¡°Frigin ¡­ ugh,¡± Fiona scratched the side of her head with irritation.  ¡°Mom, do we have strawberries in the fridge?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªwe usually keep some on hand, since they¡¯re your sister¡¯s favorite snack¡ªwhy is that important?¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t tell me what they saw¡ªoh, right, umm¡ªI think they saw Nora, but they¡¯re being little trolls about it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not trolls, we blackbirds!¡±


    ¡°Proud blackbirds; blackbird army!  Oorah!¡±


    ¡°These things are giving me a headache,¡± Fiona growled, running her hand through her hair.  ¡°Let¡¯s grab the strawberries.¡±


    After some explanation and showing the apparently daring, handsome, and brave blackbird soldiers their possible reward, they started spilling out information like they were on the torture rack.


    ¡°Blobby thing!¡±


    ¡°Wet thing!¡±


    ¡°It moves and swallows everything!¡±


    ¡°Ate the cat!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that was a good one, wasn¡¯t it!¡±


    ¡°Take that, ya fiend!  Serves him right; what a monster that thing was¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, took out Uncle Henpi, Aunt Ulra, and Grenli, yo!¡±


    ¡°Got what it deserved!¡±


    The picture they were painting made Fiona¡¯s face pale, getting flashbacks as the possibilities narrowed quickly.


    ¡°It moves like water!¡±


    ¡°But it''s slow and wobbly, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Pounce!  Just like the barbarian furballs!¡±


    ¡°A new ally in the war on the furballs; we will be victorious!  We are legion!¡±


    Fiona dropped to the table, her wings vanishing; she scratched her left arm as a shiver ran down her spine.  ¡°Like Banner ¡­ oh, no, no, no¡ªNora¡­¡±


    ¡°Fiona, what do you mean, like Banner?  What happened to my little girl?¡±  Her mother asked, voice hoarse as she leaned forward.  ¡°Fiona, what?¡±


    The soldiers gave each other confused looks at her stunned mumbles.


    ¡°I think¡ªno, not Nora¡ªwhy?  She¡¯s so happy ¡­ she¡¯s an Aberationkin¡ªa Slime.¡±


    Why¡ªout of everything ¡­ if our change is based on our desires or how we really feel, then¡ªthen why a Slime, Nora?  Nora, how do you see yourself?  My baby sister is a Slime¡­


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 47. Caving In

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Nora White (Fiona''s little sister that she''s mentioned and thought about throughout the serial)


    Recap: Fiona returned home on a high note!  She had some pretty chill Marines with her that jumped out of the plane with her to get home quicker (well, except for the wimp).  Operation Fairy Fall was a blazing success!


    What did she find when she got home?  A distraught mother; things quickly turned south as she discovered her baby sister, Nora, had turned into a Slime, bringing back PTSD of her time with Banner, the Slime she killed in Volume 1.


    Now, we find out what happened to our cute little Fairy''s sister during The Oscillation ... is it as bad as Fiona fears?


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Bubedah, MasterDX, Michael McLeod, Van, Jacob Hipes, Sekander, and my other Patrons!


    Nora groaned while rolling over on her bed; it was nearing two A.M, and she couldn¡¯t get to sleep.  Her sister left the day before, early in the morning after only spending two hours with them, forced back to the States because of some problem with her YouTube account.  In part, she wondered if it was because she didn¡¯t want to hang around; Fiona looked like she was having a blast in Miami.


    Reaching over to her bedside table, she grabbed her phone from its wireless charger, pulling, and unlocked it.  It was already on the page she wanted; the time in Miami was eight-fifty-three P.M., five hours behind Ireland.


    Is Fiona back at home?  She has to be ¡­ maybe she¡¯s streaming.


    She knew her sister wasn¡¯t; she hadn¡¯t gotten a notification.  Swapping to her second YouTube account, she swallowed, shifting to her side while activating Fiona¡¯s last stream.  A small smile touched her lips as her sister stood in front of her streaming setup, laughing at the song requests her fans sent.


    Her sister¡¯s lovely voice held her attention for a moment, listening to her sing Toluca Lake by Tep No, and she remembered the times Fiona had sung only to her.


    Nora¡¯s focus slowly moved to the scrolling messages.


    Potato Girl:  DANG, the first song gave me chills!


    Chrisd2506: Oh, I love this song <3


    Brown_luv: <3<3<3<3


    G0ne_camping: I love your shirty today!  Hit that like button!


    Daxton: No, DESTROY THAT LIKE BUTTON!


    Seabrax: Bulletproof next, plz.  The Score sings in.


    Nonumapu: I agree, last song was chilling!  Love the way you put your own twist on guccihighwaters¡¯ amnesia song.


    Ultron13: Right?  And how you swap out the swear words ¡­ I appreciate it for my kids.  I really do!  Some of these songs are so good, but I don¡¯t want them to hear the cursing.  Like this song, it¡¯s amazing.


    Careyatc: Ew, Bulletproof, no!  Something like ¡­ The Day We Fell In Love by Nick Kingsley.


    Holguinwifey: Shoutout to my daughter!  16th birthday, and she¡¯s on her fifth date!


    Giantsgirl805: What¡¯s wrong with Bulletproof?  Oh, grats daughter!


    Nora¡¯s eyes centered on one message, the message she¡¯d sent on her secret account.  How do you be yourself?  You¡¯re always so confident.  Of course, it had been lost in the throng while her sister sang, causing her to release a depressed sigh, dropping her phone atop her chest.


    Her sister¡¯s voice continued to play, volume low to not alert her parents that she was still awake, but they were likely asleep.


    After a few minutes, she went to a stream three days ago, following one of the few times her request was answered on her private account, and she listened to her sister sing Sympathy by Too Close To Touch.


    Fiona had been a little confused about the song request, but a few people mimicked her plea.  Her music tastes had changed a lot over the years, unlike her sister¡¯s more mellow tone, Nora had gotten more into heavier rock music.


    Listening to her sister adapt the song twisted Nora¡¯s lips into a sad smile as she listened to the words coming from Fiona¡¯s throat, dropping her phone against her chest while closing her eyes.  No one could tell she was going through a rough time, and she desperately wanted to be more like her sister, but at the same time, she had grown to hate herself because of how impossible it was.


    It all started in middle school when her sister started becoming popular in Clifden, and Nora, she was Fiona¡¯s sister¡ªthat¡¯s it.  Fiona was a little more than two years older than her, and her sister was a brilliant star in a small town, outshining her at everything.


    Worse was the fact that Fiona never had any malicious intent.  Nora was pulled along the pre-established groups, locked into the famous person¡¯s sister¡¯s role, always the extra wheel at the party.  It became harder and harder for her to express herself when no one saw her, but if she played the part of Fiona¡¯s younger sister, then people would listen.


    Every high school dance, boys would only ask her out to get the chance to speak with Fiona, or recently, just to talk about what her sister was doing.  Boys only wanted to discuss her sister, and they¡¯d compliment Fiona while not saying anything about Nora; Fiona was in the States, yet still, her sister¡¯s image taunted her.


    It was frustrating.  She loved Fiona; how could she hate her bright-eyed, loving sister, but Nora felt trapped in her body that everyone saw flaws with, frequently compared to her elder sister¡¯s fairy-like existence.  Her thoughts turned back to passing comments that likely didn¡¯t mean anything to the people asking, but struck her like a blow.


    The local girls that had always been jealous of her sister took that frustration out on her since Fiona was much more vocal and dismissive of such remarks, blowing them off.  Nora tried, but they dug at her self-confidence, forcing her to wear masks around different people or avoid them.


    Why do I have dimples when Fiona doesn¡¯t?


    Oh, Fiona doesn¡¯t have freckles, but you do?


    Are you related at all?


    Your sister¡¯s really pretty, huh?  Wait, she doesn¡¯t have to use make-up, does she?


    Yeah ¡­ and I do.


    Oh, wait, she¡¯s got everything, didn¡¯t she?  Huh, sorry, Nora; life¡¯s so unfair.


    Can you sing?  Oh, right, I heard you in class; sucks to be the lesser sister.  Oh, younger sister, I mean!


    Right ¡­ I get it.


    Getting up, she flipped on her bedside lamp, moving to her desk mirror to stare at herself.


    Nora¡¯s long red hair was bound for bed, and she was wearing some of her black silky night shorts and a big blue T-shirt.  Her green eyes were lighter than her sister¡¯s, and she wasn¡¯t quite as radiant-looking; plus, Fiona had always been a bit thinner than her, and it wasn¡¯t like she was overweight, but her sister was just perfect, Nora, not so much.


    Her makeup had long been washed away in preparations for bed.  Forcing a smile, Nora leaned in to glare at her mortal enemies, dimples, and freckles, both inherited from her mother, like most of her hated features.


    Why did I have to get so much of Mom¡¯s side in my looks?  Aunt Eachna is so pretty, and she can sing, too ¡­ no wonder Fiona gets so much attention; she got all of Dad¡¯s genetics.


    A lump dropped down her throat, and she closed her eyes, trying to imagine how her life would be if she were her talented sister.


    Is there anywhere where I can belong ¡­ just being myself?  No one wants to talk about what I¡¯m doing ¡­ it¡¯s all about Fiona.  Even Mom and Dad ¡­ it¡¯s worry about Fiona in the States, twenty-four-seven.  I¡¯m invisible unless Fiona¡¯s mentioned.


    If I looked different ¡­ wasn¡¯t this, then maybe I¡¯d be worth something more ¡­ more than just Fiona¡¯s less talented, ugly little sister.


    Her light green eyes shifted to her phone on the desk, turning on Bedroom Hymn by Too Close To Touch.  Tucking in her lower lip, she groaned, resting her forehead against her forearms atop the desk while connecting to the music.


    I¡¯m so insecure ¡­ no, no one needs to save me!  I¡¯m just complaining over nothing¡ªthe real me is just a loser, that¡¯s why no one wants to know me.  Fiona did everything on her own.  Still ¡­ am I really living if no one truly sees me?  Is it anyone¡¯s fault, or is it because I can¡¯t tell anyone¡ªwhy can¡¯t I tell anyone?  If only I was someone else¡ªsomething else¡­


    A few minutes passed before a reverberation fluctuated within her; body stiff, her head shot up, eyes slowly focusing on her mirror, and she screamed, chair flying back as she stumbled away from her reflection.


    Her skin was changing to a plum purple, and before her eyes, her skin was rapidly melting.  She tried to shout, to express what she was seeing, but her voice came out as a gurgle, vision becoming black after a few seconds.  She was thrust into a void, her bones like gelatin.


    No, no, no!  What ¡­ it feels like I¡¯m drowning¡ªI can¡¯t breathe anymore!  Why can¡¯t I¡­


    Nora tried grasping her neck, mind in a panic as oxygen refused to fill her lungs, but her limbs didn¡¯t feel normal, and all she managed to do was slide back and forth.  She was formless.  Worse, something rigid and flat was sliding past her¡ªor was it the other way around?


    She couldn¡¯t breathe, smell, but as she dropped into an abyss, a bland flavor touched her tongue.  Swallowing the substance, she coughed; it tasted like dirt.  Rejecting the substance, Nora squirmed, trying to move as a heavy, squishy object landed against her butt.


    Get off me!  What¡¯s going on?  No, no, I¡¯m a puddle ¡­ I melted!  Why am I alive?


    The squishy pressure eased, and she started to notice reverberations that traveled up her body.


    Why can¡¯t I see?  Is there an earthquake?


    It took her a minute to realize she wasn¡¯t suffocating and calm down.


    I¡¯m not dead, right?  No ¡­ I¡¯m thinking, but¡ªwhy can¡¯t I breathe?  Wait, if I melted¡ªI don¡¯t want to die ¡­ what am I now ¡­ a Mimic Slime¡ªI¡¯m an Aberationkin, Mimic Slime.


    Her mind blanked; the answer was undoubtedly correct with the information flooding in, but the reality didn¡¯t connect with the report.


    What does that mean?  I¡¯m not human ¡­ I¡¯m not ¡­ no, I have to be.  If I¡¯m not human ¡­ what am I ¡­ no, I know¡ªno, no, I can¡¯t be ¡­ I have to ¡­ what do I do?


    Her jelly-like frame trembled as the knowledge inside her responded.


    Consume ¡­ mimic.


    It was then that the hunger rippled through her mind, something slowly starving her, and the truth burned her insides.


    Why do I feel ¡­ no, get out¡ªget out of my head!  Just get out of my head!  Please, she begged, please, get out.


    Nora¡¯s mind was gradually giving in to the urge to find something, anything to satisfy the bottomless pit growing in her gut.  Her body tensed, slowly inching forward.  The panic was being suppressed by the ravaging hole opening in her chest.


    Stop ¡­ before I cave in ¡­ get out ¡­ please.


    It was starting to sink in; she knew what a slime was and had seen a few erotic monster romantic anime that had them in it, but this didn¡¯t feel sweet or innocent.  A pulsating craving pushed her forward; instincts she¡¯d never felt before drawing her to search.


    Nora was becoming aware of her surroundings as she moved, sensory information feeding back to her strange new malleable organs; the mildly dirty carpet was easy to seep through, and her liquified form wrapped around the small cracks in the floorboards underneath.


    Dropping under the house, she found the secretions left by animals, pheromones, and other semiochemical compounds absorbed into her body.  Inching, little by little, her hunger deepened by the second.


    A path of sticky liquid was left in her wake as she cried, forced on by an urge to feed upon anything living; what felt like millions of hands grasping for anything editable.  She sucked in molds, mushrooms, mildews, and yeasts that grew in the dark environment; dissolved any form of sponge, worm, or insect she came across, but it wasn¡¯t nearly enough.


    Make it stop ¡­ it burns ¡­ stop, please ¡­ I¡¯m starving!


    A new trail caught her attention; something fresh had recently crossed this area.  Her shuffle increased, chasing after the one thing that might stop the pain wracking her body.


    She found it, inches ahead of her as it batted against her side, but she latched on, millions of fingers closing around the creature.  Desperately pulling it in, she wrapped around the figure, embracing it.


    The most lovely, warm embrace filled her as it struggled in her arms, but it was so comforting; she couldn¡¯t let go, tightening her grip as it flailed, and the more compact she came, encircling the creature in a fever that filled the gaping cavity in her chest, the more complete she felt.


    It¡¯s so hot ¡­ something¡¯s swelling inside me ¡­ I can¡¯t let go ¡­ I can¡¯t lose it!


    Without it inside her, the world was cold, incomplete, torturous, but with it, she was whole.


    She wasn¡¯t sure how long it lasted, but she¡¯d never felt so at peace, and once it was over, a part of that serenity left.  However, it was bearable; she could think again, feel something besides the irascible itch inside her.


    Once her mind cleared, she knew without a doubt what had just happened, and even if she now had the peace of reflective thought, chilling thoughts entered, shattering the bliss she¡¯d felt before.


    I ¡­ ate something ¡­ did I eat¡­


    She searched for the knowledge in terror, and a modicum of relief flooded her system when it responded.


    A cat ¡­ I ate a cat ¡­ I actually ate a cat¡­


    The guilt that followed pressed in, but the feelings were soon washed away as she began rationalizing it.


    I couldn¡¯t help myself ¡­ I was starving¡ªanyone would eat a cat if they¡¯re starving¡ªKorea, China, umm, even the Swiss eat cats.  It¡¯s not like I ate a person.  Wait ¡­ what¡¯s this?


    Her mind shifted directions as an option opened during her internal debate.


    Mimic?  I can consume and mimic my victims.


    Half out of curiosity, she activated it.  Air-filled her lungs, millions of sounds opened up to her mind, and the light blinded her eyes; the only things that differed slightly were her sense of touch, taste, and the colors she saw.


    She blinked, adjusting her sight as she moved her neck back and forth, claws flexing out to dig into soft soil.  The experience was bizarre at first, but soon, the cat¡¯s feral instincts filtered into her body, muscle memory reacting.


    Her tail flicked as she sat, dropping to her back to stare at her belly, arms and legs twisting to give her different angles.


    I¡¯m a cat?  A male cat?  Well ¡­ that¡¯s disturbing.  Wait ¡­ my name ¡­ I¨®saf.  I¡¯m the Colla¡¯s cat ¡­ I ate the Colla¡¯s cat.


    Memories were slowly flooding into her mind; I¨®saf was pretty angry at Damhnait Colla, the matriarch of the family was usually too busy with the new baby to properly feed I¨®saf in a proper schedule, causing the cat to dislike the woman.


    N¨¦amh Colla, on the other hand, was very prompt with the food, arriving back in I¨®saf¡¯s kingdom at the same time during the same days with little variance.


    He wasn¡¯t too fond of the new child, either, since it did make a lot of noise that frightened him, but it did share in its strange food every so often, offering tribute, which was acceptable.


    It wasn¡¯t like Nora¡¯s temperament or mannerisms changed by transforming into I¨®saf, and she could clearly identify between herself and him.  Still, if she wished, she could act fairly confidently, impersonating the feline.


    Nora righted herself, staring up at several birds that chirmed high-pitched sounds that she¡¯d never heard as a human.  However, she still couldn¡¯t understand the creatures, but they did look like a tasty meal for I¨®saf, and Nora begrudgingly agreed.


    However, it wasn¡¯t like she was really that hungry, and honestly, as a cat, she felt more of an urge to eat like a cat than as a Slime.


    She pranced onward, mind abuzz with questions; she could hear strange mumbles and shouts around her, but the words were entirely foreign to her, like listening to a dog bark, which hurt her ears and drew deep dislike, bringing back images of massive creatures looming over I¨®saf.


    Her passive questions kept filling in the blanks as knowledge flooded her brain, but one question halted her in her tracks.


    How many things can I turn into at a time ¡­ one.  One?  One!  Umm, hehe, okay, so, can I turn back into a human ¡­ no.  Wait¡­


    Cold sweats broke out across her body.


    I want to be a human.


    No response.


    How can I be a human ¡­ eat a human ¡­ no ¡­ is there no other way ¡­ there¡¯s not!  Why?  Tell me!


    The realization numbed her mind, and her last wish returned to mind.


    I said ¡­ I don¡¯t want to be me ¡­ I didn¡¯t want to be me, but¡ªI didn¡¯t want to be a Slime.  I can¡¯t return to my body ¡­ I¡¯ll never look like me¡ªNora ¡­ ever ¡­ I¡¯d look completely different.  I didn¡¯t mean it like that ¡­ I didn¡¯t ¡­ did I?  I know I hated myself, but¡ªbut this is just¡ªextreme ¡­ too extreme.


    No matter how much she thought, she knew it was impossible to take it back.


    How do I see my parents again ¡­ I¡¯d need to ¡­ wait, can¡¯t I speak ¡­ no, I can¡¯t speak any human languages anymore.  No ¡­ this isn¡¯t what I wanted!


    A low, sad meow rumbled in her throat as she wailed.


    ¡°I just want to go back home!  I want my Dad¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut-up!¡±  Replied a gruff voice.


    Ears pulled back, Nora¡¯s eyes lifted to see one of the stray cats in the area.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you not to come to this part of the road?¡±  He hissed, jumping down.


    A high-pitch hiss left Nora¡¯s own mouth as she backed up.  ¡°Please, I don¡¯t want any trouble ¡­ I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m a human!¡±


    The cat stopped before going into the street, and she knew he was giving her a quizzical look, momentarily blocked by a car that passed along the road.


    Without making any sort of noise, Nora somehow understood the cat as he wordlessly communicated his questions through small actions in his stare, and she was somehow able to do the same with her own body-language, speaking the cryptic language.


    ¡°You seriously think you¡¯re like those two-legs that dote on you?¡±


    ¡°I am¡ªI changed into this by eating¡ªeating this cat I look like¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?  You¡¯re one strange guy,¡± he said in a mumble, crossing the street as the traffic cleared.  ¡°You changed into¡­¡±


    His eyes widened, spine stiffening into a high arch as he did the strange cat sideways dance, retreating slightly with a sharp hiss.  ¡°You¡¯re not I¨®saf!  I¡ªsomething¡¯s strange about you!¡±


    ¡°I told you!  I¡¯m a girl¡ªa human girl!¡±


    ¡°No¡ªyou can¡¯t fool me!  I don¡¯t know what you are!¡±  He ran off, creating loud noises to tell other cats of her.


    Even cats don¡¯t want to be around me¡­


    Nora¡¯s ears drooped, eyes falling to the grass.


    What should I do ¡­ I want to go home, but¡ªbut what if I eat Mom and Dad?  I can¡¯t!  Fiona would never forgive me¡ªI¡¯d never forgive me.  Wait ¡­ can I eat a corpse and take on its appearance ¡­ yes!  I just need to find the coroner¡¯s office ¡­ I¡¯ve never been there; I don¡¯t know where it is in town.


    Running around town, Nora looked for a suitable deceased human candidate.  She met many cats, and most of them were wary of her, but not because she was a Slime or an imposter like the cat before.  It seemed that she¡¯d given herself away, and it took another feline brushing up against her to notice the strange wet sensation her transformation couldn¡¯t hide.


    She did get into an altercation every so often, and each time, she reversed the transformation instead of fighting like a cat, swallowing the creatures to take on their memories of the city.  It wasn¡¯t perfect and took time to digest the information; she retained everything from the previous prey but didn¡¯t gain any additional memories after abandoning the form.


    Every new feast brought the warm, comforting sensation of being made whole, and she began fearing that she¡¯d grown addicted to the serenity that came from smothering a foe within her digestive fluids.  In fact, her gut told her everything was fine as she began enjoying the aspect of mimicking the creatures she took on, moving between cats, birds, mice, and a stray dog.


    The different experiences each had to offer were thrilling, taking on someone that had friends.  She was currently a stray female Golden Retriever named Jenny that had likely been abandoned by a traveling couple from the dog¡¯s memories.  They hadn¡¯t been the best owners in the first place, from what she¡¯d discovered so far, and found a decent place to find food in the back of local diners.


    She¡¯d been a pretty smart dog, knowing the right times to scavenge not to be yelled at or chased off, and a few of the dogs with owners in the area were pretty friendly to her, but it was no doubt her looks, from what she¡¯d discovered upon meeting a few of them.


    One little Bichon Frise had left a pretty big impression with giving her two bones.  She strutted away, bones in her jaws while wagging her tail in a manner that had the male dogs salivating near the jogging area where owners exercised with their pets, making the owners pull on their leashes.


    A giggle shook Nora¡¯s slender frame.


    Jenny was a real charmer in life ¡­ it¡¯s so different than how I feel!  I can take on the characteristics of the creatures I morph into¡ªthat¡¯s so freaking awesome!


    She dropped to her side, sides puffing as she gnawed on the bone; it was surprisingly fulfilling.  Mentally, she had no idea why it was so enthralling, but if she allowed the dog¡¯s instincts past the restrictive barrier she could use to separate herself from the morphed creature, she found extreme pleasure in the act.


    Her focus had slowly shifted from becoming human again to figuring out the pleasures of living another creature¡¯s life, and she continued to justify the actions with every transformation.  With every new meal, the thought of her hunger went further to the back of her mind; she had plenty of resources that were continuing to be digested inside her, smothered to the point of entering her seemingly bottomless stomach that acted like a black hole.


    It¡¯s the circle of life, really.  I mean, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll eat humans, but we eat animals all the time!  Plus, it¡¯s not like people will miss anyone I¡¯ve eaten ¡­ well, except I¨®saf, and I can¡¯t really be blamed for that!  I was literally starving; I couldn¡¯t think straight.  There are plants that eat insects, animals that eat insects, and humans that eat animals.


    The tantalizing forbidden fruit that taunted the back of her mind grew as she continued to experience more lives, a feeling rather than a thought.  What would it be like to live as a human ¡­ in a different family than mine ¡­ if I wasn¡¯t Nora?


    She paused, feeling the guilt return as the feeling surfaced for a moment.


    No, no!  I¡¯m not a monster!  I¡¯m Nora; I know exactly who I am ¡­ I¡¯m not a monster.  This is ¡­ it¡¯s necessary ¡­ but no, it¡¯s not.


    If she could, tears would have fallen from her eyes; instead, her face fell, head resting against her front paws as she sorted through what few memories she had obtained of Jenny¡¯s life.  It would probably take months to fully integrate the full span of even a dog¡¯s past, essentially becoming Jenny, if she chose to stay in this form.


    I¡¯m caving ¡­ this Slime I¡¯ve turned into ¡­ how am I this weak?  No, I¡¯ve always been weak ¡­ Fiona wouldn¡¯t lose to something like this ¡­ she¡¯d keep her humanity.  Why, though ¡­ why me?


    Her head darted up as Jenny¡¯s instincts told Nora there was danger nearby, head darting to the right as she heard a particular, familiar squeaking.  She rose to her feet, staring down the alley she was currently using to hide from the public eye.


    It¡¯s gotta be Renvyle Cat and Dog Rescue ¡­ I¡¯ve seen them around town before.  Of course, they¡¯d be called about some stray messing with the male dogs!


    Nora¡¯s head darted to the right, noting that the path was blocked.


    Shoot!  I was so stupid ¡­ a dog brain!  Well, I could just turn back into a Slime and play as a puddle or something.  Yeah, let¡¯s do that.


    Her Golden Retriever form melted away as she reverted the transformation; the world turned black, and all sounds vanished.


    She hummed inside her head with an internal smirk as she felt the hard pressure of something stepping on her.


    That¡¯s right, no dog here, Mr. Dog Catcher.  Go to the next route.  I¡¯m just an innocent little pool of¡­


    Something wet struck what felt like her chest, and her gut tightened upon analyzing the substance.


    Saliva ¡­ spit?  You seriously just spat on me!


    She knew that it wasn¡¯t on purpose, but since the fifth-grade, when Mealla N¨ª Liath¨¢in had her two cronies force her down and slowly dribble the bully¡¯s spit on her face, she¡¯d had an aversion to the act.


    Mind in a rage, she transformed back into the Golden Retriever, vision clearing as she watched the man slowly walking away with his hands in his pockets, grumbling some unintelligible words.  Instinctively, she knew he was having a bad day, but she didn¡¯t care.


    Running at the Dog Catcher, she jumped, barrelling into the man; he cried out, flying forward as she recovered.  Wuickly positioning herself at his lower half, she drew back her leg, and slammed her foot into his crotch as hard as she could.


    He squeaked, curling into a ball, likely releasing expletives while clutching his bruised berries.


    Nora barked once, growled, and ran off as he stumbled to his feet, yelling gibberish at her, still obviously unsteady.


    Snickering, she ran off, and over the next few days, the Dog Catcher made a habit of chasing her, and shockingly, she found a lot of fun in a man giving her so much attention.  She spent much of her time messing with him, and he still hadn¡¯t discovered her real identity.


    This is the best I¡¯ve felt in my life!  I don¡¯t want this to end ¡­ but ¡­ no, am I missing something?  I know there should be something that I need to do¡­


    Her attention was rediverted by a handsome Siberian Husky named Gambit that had been making quite a few advances toward her, and Jenny liked teasing him, meaning Nora could find pleasure in it all the same.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never talked to a girl like you, Jenny!¡±  Gambit hummed, panting slightly as she followed him and his owner as they jogged.


    His owner apparently enjoyed the company she brought; after all, she had found a fake collar the day before to give herself more credibility and always returned to a homeless man on the bench to give the impression he was her owner.  The hobo didn¡¯t seem to mind her company, and it was a decent cover.


    ¡°Of course, not,¡± Nora giggled.  ¡°I¡¯m not from around here, and you¡¯ve lived here all your life.  I¡¯ve been all over Ireland.¡±


    ¡°Ah, this Ireland again,¡± he hummed with interest.  ¡°That¡¯s what this big place you say is ¡­ this whole planet?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Nora chided.


    She mixed her own knowledge with Jenny¡¯s popular image within the dog¡¯s mind to attract Gambit.  He seemed to enjoy the grand, impossible ideas, but he couldn¡¯t doubt the fact that she¡¯d traveled.  Dogs were so much more straightforward than humans, and she felt special for once in her life, pushing back the need to return home and inform her parents of her transformation.


    ¡°The world is bigger than Ireland, a lot bigger!  I¡¯m talking about¡ªhmm, umm¡ªoh, I got it!  If you take Ireland, you follow?¡±


    ¡°Mhm?¡±  The Huskey gave her a charming smile.


    ¡°Right, Ireland, and you take all the bones you¡¯ve had in your life!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of bones,¡± Gambit mumbled.


    ¡°Yeah, and if you take all of those, and times it by Ireland, it wouldn¡¯t even fit the whole world!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ my mind¡¯s cat poop after that one.¡±


    Nora laughed.  ¡°Right?¡±


    She spent the next few minutes flirting before breaking off to return to the hobo; Gambit asking if they¡¯d see each other the next day, which she promised in the affirmative.


    The hobo smiled at her as she neared.  He was a nice guy, reaching over; he took out a few bags of dog treats he had somehow obtained, offering her one.


    Score!


    Nora accepted it from his hand, allowing him to rub her head.


    No, not there!


    She moaned, unheard by the man since it was more of a gesture than a sound; he found the spot by her ear that caused her body to burn with pleasure, hind leg rising to reflexively scratch her side.


    After he¡¯d finished, he went back to playing his guitar, using it to prompt people to offer money for his street performance.  It was pretty clear the first time he¡¯d pet her; he was surprised how wet she felt when her fur looked perfectly dry, but it was quickly dismissed.


    Nora bit into the treat; it tasted like vanilla ice cream to her dog¡¯s tongue.


    Her brown eyes looked up after she¡¯d finished.  Honestly, the guitar and singing he did weren¡¯t terrible to her ears, but she couldn¡¯t be sure since it sounded vastly different than what she was accustomed to as a human.  It was strange he¡¯d be in Clifden, to begin with, but she guessed they did get decent tourists to the city.


    She¡¯d started to recognize a shift in her small town¡¯s atmosphere, though; a lot of the tourists had stopped coming over the last few days, and she¡¯d even seen a few strange movies that looked like the news through the windows of a local barbershop.


    Was it just me that changed?  I haven¡¯t seen anyone else.


    Her head dropped to the ground, resting on her paws as her mind returned to her family.


    Are they even looking for me?  I haven¡¯t seen Mom or Dad around, but it¡¯s not like I know his scent or anything ¡­ still, maybe they did forget about me.  Aren¡¯t I the stupid one that¡¯s delaying it, though ¡­ I just want them to worry about me ¡­ just me.  Just a bit longer.


    Her heart was conflicted; on the one hand, she felt so happy, and yet, it wasn¡¯t like this was her life.  She¡¯d stolen Jenny¡¯s life, and the frightening part was that that detail didn¡¯t quite bother her that much anymore.  No, what bothered her was that she¡¯d been a ghost to her family all along, and the fact they hadn¡¯t found her yet meant they didn¡¯t care.


    No matter how many times she told herself it wasn¡¯t right, she couldn¡¯t help the depression settling in again, and to counter that, she lived as Jenny.  In a rare instance of clarity, Nora¡¯s jaw locked, body tensing as if she were in a nightmare.  Her moan caught the hobo¡¯s attention, he stopped playing as she cried inside.


    No ¡­ this isn¡¯t right ¡­ get out of my head!  I want my Mom and Dad ¡­ Fiona¡ªhelp me¡ªsave me ¡­ I¡¯m caving in.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 48. Fractured Sisters

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Fiona and Nora White (Oh, no ... I have s sinking feeling something bad is about to happen)


    Recap:  We followed Nora around as she adjusted to her powers, and she spent much of her time as this frisky dog that brought all the dogs to the yard.  For once, she felt like she belonged, but the agonizing realization of what she was doing managed to creep in every once in a while.


    Now, we see how our two sisters meet and what transpires after...


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    Fiona was having a hard time wrapping her head around the image of her bright-eyed, positive sister turning into a creature like the child-eating mass-murderer she¡¯d killed during the South Beach incident.


    Her mother was lobbing questions at her, but she was too stunned to grasp her questions about what a Slime was, and the soldiers appeared to be in a similar boat.


    A Slime ¡­ Nora¡¯s a Slime ¡­ how?  Wouldn¡¯t she be something more like¡ªlike what?  No, no, Nora would be a Faekin, if anything¡ªmaybe even a Beastkin, but an Aberrantkin Slime¡­


    ¡°No,¡± Fiona stated, returning to her senses with a stubborn look, arms tightly folded.  ¡°No, it¡¯s a mistake ¡­ Nora¡¯s not a Slime.¡±


    Sounding a little exasperated, her mother asked, ¡°What is a Slime, Fi?¡±


    ¡°Eh, a Slime ¡­ I don¡¯t know how I should explain it,¡± she mumbled, not wanting to worry her mother.


    Both blackbirds seemed to give each other shrug-like looks, reading the tense room and came to a conclusion.


    ¡°I just saw a slimy blobby thing.  You know what a Slime is?¡±


    ¡°Nope, just a slimy thing.¡±


    Her wings appeared again, floating up while lifting the Wind Prison to keep level with her.  ¡°I¡¯m going to go investigate further.¡±


    ¡°Fiona, tell me what¡¯s happening!¡±  Aislinn demanded.


    She flinched at her mother¡¯s tone.  ¡°Mom, I, umm¡ªI think I¡¯m wrong; I was jumping to conclusions, that¡¯s all.  I¡ªI need to go find out¡­¡±  Fiona trailed off, tingles shooting down her spine.


    What if the Slime ate¡ªif it ate Nora!


    A torrent of dark red dust was whipped up from her wings, falling across the table.  Everyone stepped back as her face twisted with rage at the thought.


    If a Slime was nearby ¡­ no, there¡¯s still hope, but ¡­ if it did ¡­ I need to find it!  I can¡¯t tell Mom; she¡¯s worried enough.  This would ¡­ no, I can¡¯t just jump to the worst case.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m sure Nora¡¯s alright, but,¡± she paused, taking a deep breath to cool her flaring mind, ¡°but I need to go look for her.  It¡¯s been over four days.  Please, call Dad and tell him to come home.  I¡¯ll find out where Nora went, but¡ªjust wait for me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Fiona,¡± her mother¡¯s frustration had melted, ¡°you¡¯re scaring me ¡­ what did they say?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s probably a Slime in the town,¡± Fiona responded, turning to the Marine leader of their company.  ¡°Umm¡ªLieutenant Dale, could you go into the town and talk with the Police Chief?  The Military called ahead, right¡ªtelling him that there might be a dangerous creature nearby, a Slime.  You can google it if you want to get a better understanding of it, but I need to go look for it.¡±


    Dale gave Greg and Annie a quick glance while popping his tongue.  ¡°Well, if there really is a threat, then yeah¡ªyou sure you should go alone, though?¡±


    ¡°Sadly,¡± Fiona sighed, ¡°you¡¯d all slow me down.  I know where the police station is; I¡¯ll meet you there when I can.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Dale mumbled, looking troubled, ¡°but we don¡¯t really know the area that well.¡±


    ¡°My Mom can take you.¡±


    Her mother was following the conversation with ever-growing concern showing in her green eyes.  ¡°I don¡¯t like this¡ªit sounds dangerous, Honey, please¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Fiona replied, cutting her off while slowly floating toward the open window, ¡°but I have to do this.¡±


    The Marines were muttering to each other, apparently coming to a conclusion about what a Slime might be from Greg¡¯s limited D&D experience, but before they could turn their focus back to her, Fiona shot through the window, pulling the Wind Prison with her.


    The birds squawked as they were tossed around the inside, and once above her house, she slowed.


    For someone to attack Nora that fast after The Oscillation¡ªcould it have been a stalker, and after the change, he just pounced on the opportunity?


    One of the stories Scarlet had mentioned resurfaced about a child predator lizard-man, attacking the house next-door just after his transformation.


    If that¡¯s the case, and it was for some perverted fantasy ¡­ maybe Nora¡¯s still alive.  I should freeze it first ¡­ I need answers!


    Jojo and Dinrin were spewing strange insults that didn¡¯t make much sense as she stopped, still trying to calm her pounding heart with the horror flooding her mind.


    ¡°Feather muncher!¡±


    ¡°Hail striker!¡±


    ¡°Wind beater!¡±


    Fiona released a low growl, working into, ¡°Shut up!  Shut up!  Shut up!  I¡¯m trying to think!¡±


    They snapped their beaks shut, watching her huff and puff while holding her head.


    This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen.  How could this happen?  My little sister needed me, but¡ªbut I wasn¡¯t here for her!  Whoever did this¡­


    She could feel Warpath dangerously close to activating.


    No, I can¡¯t ¡­ if¡ªeven if a small chance¡ªthe smallest¡ªif it really is Nora ¡­ I can¡¯t activate Warpath.  Breathe ¡­ just breathe¡­ I could be blowing this way out of proportion.


    After a few minutes, she managed to calm herself to an acceptable degree.  Even with her self-assurances, the weight pressing against her chest couldn¡¯t be alleviated, and happy memories of her sister randomly disjointed her panicking brain.


    Fiona descended to the back yard, staying clear of the window, her mother¡¯s terrified voice within; she tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry, and the torrents of red dust her wings produced had thinned to a normal amount, turning emerald green as fear took her.


    ¡°Where did you see it?¡±  Fiona asked, clearing her throat.


    ¡°Uh¡ªyou expect us to answer?¡±  Jojo replied in a heated tone.  ¡°We were¡­¡±


    ¡°It was there!¡±  Dinrin exclaimed, staring at a spot at the base of the house.


    ¡°Bro!¡±


    ¡°Bro, she scares me, man ¡­ she scares me,¡± he cried.  ¡°She yells, and¡ªand tosses us around, and threatens us!  I just wanna go, man.¡±


    Fiona didn¡¯t have the luxury to feel bad for the bird, following his gaze; she could hear animals all around the area, mostly self-absorbed.  There wasn¡¯t anything she could detect from the spot, but the scene played in her mind.


    Did he slide through the boards and attack Nora from below?


    ¡°There was a guy, right?  A human that was watching the window?¡±


    Jojo turned his head in defiance, but Dinrin continued to sing.


    ¡°No, no human¡ªI, umm¡ªthe big lights thing happened¡ªscared everyone, and¡ªand we went for cover in the trees¡ªthen we saw the big blob eat the cat.¡±


    Her jaw locked, vision scanning the grass before glancing around the yard.  ¡°Where did it go?¡±


    ¡°To¡ªto the black hot stuff¡ªwhere all the worms die.¡±


    The road.


    Moving to the location, she passed over the fence, scanning the street, and a feline caught her eye.  ¡°That cat?¡±


    Jojo responded this time.  ¡°No, that¡¯s one of the furry warrior¡¯s big bosses; he¡¯s killed countless blackbirds!  Wait, yes, yes, that¡¯s the one¡ªslaughter him!¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not, Bro!¡±


    ¡°Be quiet, Dinrin!¡±


    Ignoring the squabble, Fiona darted for the cat that seemed utterly oblivious to their presence until Dinrin let out a loud squawk as Jojo pecked him.


    ¡°Hey!¡±  Fiona yelled.  ¡°Don¡¯t do that again.¡±


    ¡°Bro¡­¡±


    Jojo turned away, not looking at his brother.


    The cat was wide-eyed as he watched them hover in the air, tail shifting back and forth.  ¡°Ooh, what do we have here?¡±  He purred.


    Fiona forced a smile, heart still pounding while hovering five feet above the creature.  ¡°Hello, my name¡¯s Fiona, and I¡¯m looking for a cat killer that looks like a big blob.  Have you seen anything like that?¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± the cat¡¯s head tilted, ¡°I understand you, little bug.  A cat killer?  Yes, there has been a thing killing many cats in the city, from what I hear, but it then ate a dog, which was most peculiar¡ªamong other things.  Many of the territory leaders stay clear of the crazy.  It even smells a little like other cats.¡±


    A tingle shot up Fiona¡¯s spine.  ¡°Did¡ªhas it eaten any humans?¡±


    ¡°Humans ¡­ no, not that I am aware, but I haven¡¯t heard of anything from the boss in that area since yesterday.¡±


    Her heart felt like it was beating against her ribs.  ¡°Can¡ªcan you take me to that boss?  I want to put a stop to the cat killings.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± he paused, head tilting the opposite way as its tail flicked.  ¡°It is not in my area any longer.  Why should I guide a bug?  You should entertain me, and after, offer your body for me to eat.¡±


    Finding her next fountain of information, Fiona released her Wind Prison.  ¡°You¡¯re free to go, Jojo, Dinrin¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t even have to finish before they were flapping off to a nearby fence, taking flight soon after with more bird curses.


    ¡°Aww.¡±  The cat watched them go, showing no apparent emotion on its face that she could detect.  His hair quickly stood on-end as she placed the prison around him.  ¡°What is this?¡±  He hissed, gently tapping the restrictive wind before edging back.


    Fiona lifted him into the air with a frown.  ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you a whole bag of catnip if you can get me to that cat imposter.¡±


    He was taking the exchange surprisingly well for a cat, seemingly sensing she had no ill intent.  ¡°Catnip ¡­ hmm, I sense no deception in your voice.  Is that the stuff that makes you feel happy?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡ªwell, I suppose that¡¯s an acceptable trade.  You do appear like the humans, but can speak our perfect language, unlike those inelegant fools that serve us; at least they¡¯re trainable.  I require milk, too.¡±


    ¡°Done.¡±


    ¡°Very well.  I will be addressed as Mixi.  Yes?¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mixi.¡±


    ¡°Excellent, then on we go!  To the city.¡±


    Fiona felt a little calmer after the rather cordial exchange with the feline, and she swapped Wind Prison to Levitate as he became friendly to her, allowing the spell to take effect.


    Mixi guided her through the streets, speaking to several cats that all appeared to respect him and were much more skittish than that neighborhood boss.  It took them more than forty minutes to finally meet Simba, the leader over much of Clifden¡¯s Main Street.  Night had fallen, and it was time for the alley cats to start their prowl.


    ¡°Mixi,¡± Simba hummed with a sharp gleam in his speckled eyes, glancing back at the street, further down the alley.  Two other cats in his crew scouted the corners for mice or rats.  ¡°I heard you were asking about me¡ªhow are you flying like the bug next to you?¡±


    ¡°You doubt I can fly?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡ªyou don¡¯t look like a bird, but I cannot deny you¡¯re sitting off the ground.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m Mixi.¡±


    For real ¡­ he¡¯s got a crazy ego.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Simba mused.  ¡°Have you decided to move areas?  I¡¯m always up for a spat with you; I¡¯ve never killed a flying boss.¡±


    Mixi chuckled.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, Simba, despite the joy ripping your stomach open would bring me.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyes widened at how openly they spoke about tearing each other to pieces.  ¡°My gosh, what¡¯s up with cats?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Mixi¡¯s head calmly turned to her, not purring or making any vocal sound.  ¡°I¡¯ve made a deal with this¡ªFairy is what she calls herself.¡±


    ¡°This bug?¡±  Simba replied in a doubtful tone, sniffing the air while looking at her hovering above him.  ¡°What kind of deal?¡±


    ¡°Milk and Catnip, of course.¡±


    ¡°It can get that?¡±


    ¡°I can!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, then I wish to make a deal!¡±


    Mixi responded before Fiona could utter a word.  ¡°Impossible.  You lack¡ªthe qualities needed to have catnip.¡±


    ¡°Okay, hold up,¡± Fiona mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯m willing to extend the same offer.¡±


    ¡°To this alley dog?¡±  Mixi sniffed.


    ¡°Come down and say that to my nose!¡±  Simba growled.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting!¡±


    Fiona crossed her arms in an x, hovering between them.  ¡°No!  No fighting when there¡¯s a cat killing blob on the loose.¡±


    ¡°Cat killing blob,¡± Simba repeated, settling down with Mixi.  ¡°You know about it?  It¡¯s taken quite a few of my cat¡¯s ¡­ it¡¯s hurting my image.¡±


    ¡°The blob didn¡¯t cause that,¡± Mixi said in a smirking tone, turning his head away.


    ¡°Could you both stop.¡± Fiona pleaded with a depressed sigh.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid it ate my sister¡ªthe blob used to be human.¡±


    Mixi¡¯s large eyes turned to her.  ¡°Ah, yes, I heard one of the new cats say such a thing.  The blob ate I¨®saf and turned into him.  It was crazy, talking about being a human girl, but it could speak our perfect language.  Honestly, the¡­¡±


    Her stomach twisted, a sick sensation washing over her skin, making her quiver.  ¡°What?¡±  She interrupted him.


    The cat focused on her, and after a moment, Mixi repeated himself.  ¡°It said it used to be a human girl¡ªwell, it might have been for all I know.  I heard it turned into a dog, and I heard it was all panicking after doing it.  Such a strange creature; why panic after killing something?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Simba hissed.  ¡°It¡¯s been chasing off cats every night, but it¡¯s too strong to handle alone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you have tried, and of course it is,¡± Mixi replied with the same belittling tone.


    Fiona¡¯s mind went blank after that, body numb as she floated in place, unable to process it.


    Used to be a human girl ¡­ no, it could just be a trick, but¡ªbut why try to trick a cat?  Nora is actually the Slime?  If she is, then why didn¡¯t she ¡­ it¡¯s been almost a week?  Banner could turn into a human, and she can obviously change into cats and dogs¡ªwhy hasn¡¯t she come home?


    ¡°Take me to her!¡±  Fiona demanded, cutting off a hissing match between the two cat bosses.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡­¡±


    Simba cut off as electricity sparked around her, green aura mixing with yellow.  They darted back, Mixi falling to the ground as he felt she was a threat, breaking the Friendly status required of Levitate.


    Forming a Wind Wall to block off both sides of the alley, electricity continued to spark around her as she growled, ¡°I won¡¯t ask again!  Where is she?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªumm¡­¡±  Simba hissed, the four cats were cowering together by a dumpster as she hovered over them.  ¡°T-The blob went to the smelly place¡ªl-last night.¡±


    ¡°Show me.¡±


    Cutting the power from her active spells, she trapped them in a Wind Prison and left the alley upon Simba¡¯s scared instruction.


    When they stopped, Fiona¡¯s heart crashed; they stopped in front of the local coroner¡¯s office on Main Street, and all the pieces started fitting into place.


    Nora changed into a Slime ¡­ there was no stalker.  She has to eat things to live¡ªprobably to turn into creatures, too ¡­ is she trying a dead body ¡­ she can¡¯t go back to her original form ¡­ is my sister still there¡­


    The swarm of questions assailed her as she created a Wind Wall inside the doors, and to her surprise, it was still open, swinging out with the strong gust.  Flying under the gap she left near the floor, she cut the spell, leaving the cats to run off.


    Shouts could be heard inside as she entered.


    ¡°Hey, did you hear that sound¡ªdid the doors fly open?¡±  An elderly man asked.


    A young male voice responded.  ¡°Eh, I guess ¡­ umm, what were you saying again, Doctor MacLoughlin?  You reported a missing body.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, a corpse, but yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡ªbeast-girl that was brought in from Leenaun?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she was being prepped for transport to the University Hospital Galway for a proper criminal autopsy with all this craziness, but ¡­ I went into the other room to sign some papers, and¡ªI don¡¯t know¡ªshe was just gone.¡±


    ¡°Is there any other way to exit the room?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    Fiona rushed around the corner, startling the pair with her green glow, still protected by Wind Shield.  ¡°Please, tell me what she looks like¡ªdo you have pictures?¡±


    ¡°Woah, woah,¡± the officer looked no older than twenty-one, ¡°who in the¡ªwhat are you?¡±  He asked, both men stepping back with alarm.


    Trying to calm herself, Fiona hovered back, giving them space.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, umm¡ªmy name¡¯s Fiona, Fiona White.¡±


    ¡°Fiona White?¡±  MacLoughlin repeated.  ¡°I¡¯ve heard that name¡­¡±


    The officer¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Wait, Fiona White as in¡ªyou¡¯re the YouTuber, Fiona White?  Wait, yeah¡ªno, my buddy told me you changed, too!  It¡¯s Greagoir; I was in choir with you one year.  Oh, but my buddy saw the end of that stream¡ªpeople are saying you might be dead.¡±


    ¡°Huh?  People¡ªmy chat thinks I¡¯m dead?  Wait, no,¡± she shook her head, hair flinging around, ¡°I need to find that girl that disappeared!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±  MacLoughlin slowly responded.


    ¡°I think,¡± she paused, sucking on her lower lip while debating the answer, ¡°I think¡ªit¡¯s just important, umm¡ªit¡¯s really, really important!¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Greagoir and MacLoughlin looked at each other.  ¡°I mean, we want to find it, too¡ªit¡¯s not a good look if it went missing.¡±


    ¡°Can you show me a picture of her¡ªoh, and how long ago did she go missing?¡±


    ¡°Eh, a few hours ago,¡± Macloughlin replied, moving to a side desk to grab a tablet PC.  ¡°There are hard copies made, but¡ªhere¡­¡±


    Fiona¡¯s heart sank as she looked at the biography next to the picture; not all of the information had been filled out yet as it awaited autopsy, but only a few details caught her attention.


    Name: Iuchra Nic C¨¦in


    DOB: 08/02/2003


    Age:  17


    Sex:  Female


    Height: 68 Inches


    Weight:  124 lbs


    Hair Color: Golden-blonde from the top to her shoulders, fading to a gradient black with golden spots, ending at the small of her back.


    Eye Color: Bright yellow


    Complexion:  Light


    Build:  Athletic hour-glass


    Identifying marks:  Appeared to have gained fur and claws, showing distinguishing patterns that resemble a cheetah.  No human ears, but having large feline-like ears atop her head and sharp, predator-like fangs.


    Scars & amputations:  Scar, neck.


    Manner:  Undetermined, possible homicide, or suicide.


    Cause:  Asphyxiation


    The picture beside the baseline information was of a Beastkin cheetah-girl that had likely been dumped in a swamp by her appearance.


    I doubt she¡¯d be able to replicate the clothes ¡­ it¡¯s a good place to look first.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Fiona replied.  ¡°Umm, Greagoir, if you return to the station, there should be some U.S. Marines there.  I¡¯ll return there after¡ªafter finding the body.¡±


    ¡°Umm, Ms. White,¡± MacLoughlin tentatively asked.  ¡°I only ask because this concerns the cadaver that was under my supervision, but¡ªthis seems rather personal.  Did you know the girl?¡±


    Fiona shook her head.  ¡°No, sorry ¡­ I¡¯ll explain it all once I get it back¡ªumm, could one of you open the door?  If it didn¡¯t happen too long ago, then it¡ªit shouldn¡¯t take long for me to find¡­¡± she paused, stomach churning as her sister¡¯s lifeless body flashed inside her head.


    They gave her a concerned look as she put on a forced smile.  ¡°I¡¯ll find out what happened.¡±


    ¡°Marines¡ªat the station?¡±  The officer confirmed.


    ¡°Yes, the one in charge is named Dale.¡±


    ¡°Alright ¡­ damn, this week¡¯s been insane,¡± he whispered, scratching his temple while opening the door.  ¡°You¡¯re acting like it got up and walked away¡ªhell, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡±


    Fiona faked a giggle, darting out of the building as soon as the way was opened up.  Hovering above, she made a mental note of the clothing stores she¡¯d shopped at while growing up.


    How did this happen to you?


    * * *


    Nora hummed internally while slipping through one of the local boutiques'' locked front doors, liquid form inching forward as each of her millions of hands dragged her on.


    Wow, that guy didn¡¯t even see a dog under the table?  Talk about oblivious, and moving water¡ªgeez, if this was a horror movie, they¡¯d be dead-dead as I move from family member to family member.  Oof ¡­ not a good, though¡ªwalk it back; I¡¯m not a crazy monster.


    She¡¯d managed to find something so tantalizing that she couldn¡¯t help but act.  Earlier that day, she¡¯d been interested in an unmarked SUV with darkened windows as it left the funeral home.  Waiting for its return, she spotted them unloading a body, and upon further inspection, she discovered it was a cat-girl; someone besides her had changed.


    Nora felt a little guilty about the joy she had upon seeing the girl¡¯s corpse, but that hadn¡¯t lasted long; she wasn¡¯t using it anymore, and it was finally a chance for her to upgrade.  She wished her fun dog-life goodbye and was ready to start up a new human experience, or whatever she¡¯d be.


    Her mind returned to the first time she¡¯d tested out the body; activating the change in the funeral home¡¯s upstairs bathroom.  It came with a bit of a shock that she was naked, but it also gave her a chance to inspect her new figure.  It was quite pleasant; she was stunning.


    The memory of how Iuchra Nic C¨¦in stood, behaved, and spoke came to her with more ease than any of her animal counterparts.  She had been the star of the high school track team, born to a wealthy family, and had an attitude to match.


    Her tail was long and thick, surprisingly weighty, and started at her tailbone, but with the transformation, she knew it was because it acted as a counterweight to her agile movements.  For her age, she was quite well endowed; she turned, eyeing each curve with a smile.


    Nora¡¯s focus moved to the mirror, leaning forward to examine her striking, large feline yellow irises and sharp features that gave her a cheerful predator¡¯s expression.  With interest, she released several cat-like growls, moans, and hisses.


    Leaning in, she grinned, teeth extending to fangs on desire; fur sprouted out of her skin, covering her chest, groin, sides, and backside, moving down her arms and legs.  Her hands and feet expanded to paws as she shifted to a speed-form; it was painless and even sent a surge of excitement rushing through her blood.


    I might not be able to resist going for a run if I really was Iuchra.  Nora mused.  This body wants to move, but I can regulate it if I want.


    Her transformation receded, hair sinking back into her skin before disappearing.  Pulling back her smooth, thick long hair, she searched for her human ears without success, fingers finding the cheetah ears; they were cute and sensitive, making her giggle.


    This was exactly who she wanted to be; fun, outgoing, and secure with herself.


    Entering the store, Nora found pretty cute black undergarments in her size, putting on a pair that fit just underneath her tail; her bra had a cross shape above her cleavage that would show with the white shirt she¡¯d selected.  Next, she chose a black high-waist skirt with suspenders circling her stomach and around the sides of her breasts, framing them.


    Brushing back her hair, she giggled.


    I look so adorable!


    Adding non-slip, ultra-low cut socks, and black flats to her attire, Nora partially transformed, her thin spotted fur giving the appearance she was wearing skin-tight stockings and opera gloves.


    Looking into the dressing room mirror, she turned with a mischievous smile, examining her tail as it gently lifted the back of her skirt.


    Oh, how provocative!  I¡¯m so bad¡­


    Her mind returned to the moment Iuchra died, hands rising to her neck.


    Finghin ¨® Cuilinn killed her ¡­ she trusted him¡ªhe was like an uncle to her, and ¡­ what a terrible way to die.  She could have fought back, but she was too stunned¡ªno, he used a high-powered taser¡ªat her own home.  How did her parents not notice?


    Iuchra had no clue ¡­ there was something wrong, but she thought he was depressed and needed comforting.  Wow ¡­ he might have; the guy¡¯s probably a serial killer.


    Humming thoughtfully, she walked out of the fire escape exit; the alarm went off, but she didn¡¯t care.  She was so busy processing all the emotions Iuchra had during her death that she ran right into a wall¡ªa wall should have been in front of her, but it was just the alley beside the store.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Nora¡¯s ears twitched, hair standing on end as she returned to her senses; the air was shifting around her, and the whistling drew her hands to an invisible dome, caging her.


    An oddly familiar voice made her ears stand up, eyes centering on a green glow, floating in the air above her.  ¡°Nora ¡­ what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°How do you know¡­¡±  She trailed off, focusing on the fairy-like creature, and the concern on her face could only come from someone close to her.  ¡°No ¡­ you turned into¡­¡±  She couldn¡¯t finish the sentence, knowing her instincts had to be right.


    I get turned into a Slime¡ªa Slime!  And she¡ªshe has the nerve to be a Fairy?  With what, wind magic?


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair!¡±  She growled, cheetah vocals, rumbling in her throat.  ¡°Even the universe loves you more than me!  Why do I always get your sloppy seconds?¡±  She yelled.


    * * *


    Fiona was utterly taken aback; she couldn¡¯t deny it.  Nora had become a Slime, and she wasn¡¯t even ashamed of what she¡¯d done.


    ¡°Sloppy seconds¡ªwhat are you talking about?  Nora, you killed ¡­ how¡ªhow did it turn out like this?


    The unfamiliar face her sister wore shifted as her posture changed, rage turning to a belittling sneer.  ¡°Seriously¡ªyou seriously have to ask that, huh?  Yeah, I killed a bunch of animals, like tons of people do, and what was I supposed to do, eat humans?  Yeah, that would have filled me up quicker, right, but no, no, I managed just fine without my golden older sister,¡± she huffed, rolling her eyes.  ¡°I even managed to keep myself away from most animals people would miss.  Aren¡¯t I amazing?¡±


    Fiona felt numb.  ¡°Why are you acting like this¡ªhow did you turn into a Slime?¡±


    ¡°Oh, eh¡ªheh, is that it¡ªwow, okay.  I¡¯m that invisible to you¡ªthe happy little sister, living in your shadow.  Wow, that¡¯s just sad, Fi¡ªheh, it really is.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not invisible to me!¡±  Fiona pleaded.  ¡°How could you even say that?  I came all the way from the U.S. to see you all ¡­ but¡ªbut The Oscillation changes you by how you see yourself¡ªor that¡¯s a part, so¡ªso why?  You didn¡¯t like yourself?¡±


    Nora¡¯s lips parted in disbelief, tongue sliding along her bottom lip as she looked away.  ¡°Are you kidding me, Fi¡ªdidn¡¯t like myself?  How could I ever when all I heard was how talented, pretty, and successful you were¡ªno one saw me¡ªno, they only saw you!  If no one saw me, then I had to be someone else!  Oh, and that¡¯s how it works, huh?  If what you¡¯re saying is true, then yeah¡ªyeah, Fi, me becoming a Slime¡ªit¡¯s all on you!¡±  She spat.


    Daggers sunk into Fiona¡¯s heart with the glare her sister hounded her with.


    ¡°No ¡­ no, it¡¯s not¡ªwhy didn¡¯t you tell me you felt this way?  I would have¡­¡±


    ¡°Would have what¡ªhuh, Fi¡ªwhat?  I did tell you¡ªso, so many times on your streams¡ªwhere I could work up the courage to ask for my big sister¡¯s help and advice, but no¡ªno, you were always too busy for me!¡±


    No ¡­ how could¡­


    ¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t see it¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course not!  How could you when there were hundreds of people all screaming your name.¡±  Nora scoffed.  ¡°No, why would I matter, and then your precious YouTube channel has one wrong thing happen¡ªpoof, you¡¯re gone again.  No, I see where your priorities are¡ªit was always like that.  Yeah, thanks, sis!  Why are you even here?¡±


    ¡°I just¡ªI wanted to help¡­¡±  Fiona hiccupped, tears cascading down her cheeks as thick cyan dust fell from her wings.


    ¡°Help,¡± Nora laughed, voice laced with scorn.  ¡°Like you helped me become a Slime?  Yeah, I think I¡¯m doing just fine now without your help, Fi!¡±


    Fiona¡¯s world was falling apart in her sister¡¯s disdainful yellow eyes.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t happening¡ªit¡¯s a dream¡ªa nightmare¡ªI¡¯m still on that alien planet¡­¡±  Fiona hiccuped.  ¡°I can¡¯t¡ªstop, please¡ªNora¡¯s not like this ¡­ this isn¡¯t real.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t real?¡±  Nora yelled.  ¡°My whole life isn¡¯t real?  I can¡¯t believe you!  You¡¯re the worst!¡±


    Fiona hugged herself, slowly falling to the ground.  ¡°Please ¡­ stop, Nora¡ªI don¡¯t want¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t want what¡ªdon¡¯t want to be my sister?  No, can¡¯t handle how I really feel?  Wow, you¡¯re so pathetic!  I used to worship you, but look at you now¡ªwow, I¡¯m glad I finally turned into a Slime to see how you really are.¡±


    She¡¯d lost control over her magic; the Wind Prison fell apart, and Nora gave her a disgusted snort before walking off.  ¡°You really are pathetic.¡±


    Fiona sat in the dirty alley, sobbing while trying to contend with the guilt and pain sieging her heart.


    This isn¡¯t real ¡­ it¡¯s not ¡­ Nora couldn¡¯t say those things to me.  She¡¯s kind, compassionate¡ªloving ¡­ she¡¯d never accuse me like this.  No ¡­ where¡¯s my sister¡ªthis is fake¡ªthe aliens, it¡¯s the aliens, it has to be ¡­ it¡¯s not my baby sister!


    AuthorSME


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    5 Chapters ahead in A Tail''s Misfortune.


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 B3 — 49. One Person

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Nora White (T_T these sisters need an angel)


    Recap:  Fiona tracked down her sister, and now that Nora had gained the body of a bold, teenage track star, she was able to utilize her personality to unload everything she''s felt over the last few years, sandblasting our poor little unprepared Fairy.


    Fiona was utterly blindsided by the emotional, yet cold delivery Nora spat her frustrations and bottled-up fears, and Nora left her sister in a whirlwind of denial and doubt, trying to come to terms with her sister''s rapid emotional transformation.


    How does Nora really feel, and is it really her, or is she still fighting the creeping nature of the Mimic Slime she''s transformed into?


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    Clayton Marshall, Error25, BramBora, Arin Red, Jeff923, Seijax, Mechaheart, and my other Patrons!


    Nora huffed, briskly walking to the end of the alley before glancing back at her sister.  It was dark, with only the dim street lights shedding weak beams into the passageway, but the Night Vision Skill gave her a clear picture; Fiona sat in the dirt, hugging herself with tears falling down her cheeks while her tiny frame quaked.


    She¡¯s crying, really?  I¡¯m the one that¡¯s been invisible!


    Only watching her sister for a moment, Nora turned away out of disgust.  She followed the sidewalk; the anger flaring in her mind gradually faded, leaving her numb while prowling the night.


    Her ears were stiff, listening to her sister¡¯s soft sobs with a sick feeling of success; passing around the next corner, her soft voice began to fade.  Few people ventured out this late at night since the small town shut down after nightfall.


    All she could hear were business owners returning home or animals, leaving her alone with her thoughts.


    A Fairy ¡­ of course, she¡¯d be something cute and loved.  How many of her followers are going crazy, spending all their time obsessing over her?


    Oh, and this change has something to do with how we see ourselves?  Then that¡¯s how she sees herself, huh?  A beautiful, elegant Fairy with magical powers, Fiona, right¡ªwhile I¡¯m a Slime that has to mimic anything I can find to feel something.


    How is any of this fair?  It¡¯s not!  I try so hard¡ªI¡¯ve gone on more dates than she ever has ¡­ tried to put myself out there, and still¡ªstill, it¡¯s all about her in this stupid town!


    Nora soon found herself at the Clifden community playground; she slowed, memories of spending time with her sister returning.


    The chilling sea breeze gently flowed through the area, and she could smell the ocean scents; it was falling to seven degrees Celsius, the cool temperature helping to calm her turbulent emotions.  She wasn¡¯t cold with Iuchra¡¯s Cold Resistance, but the knowledge made her shiver nonetheless.


    Eyes closing, Nora could almost see her sister¡¯s eight-year-old face, bright and cheerful, while allowing her to win at Tag.


    Her golden-blonde hair whipped around as she tried shaking away the image, guilt touching her heart.


    I¡¯m losing my mind¡­


    A soft sigh passed through her lips before she tamed her hair, moving on to the beach.  Finding a grassy spot, she sat, looking down at the white sand and deep blue ocean waves


    Her tail wrapped around as she leaned forward, arms linked around her legs while staring at the gentle water, trying to sort through the complicated mess in her chest.


    I actually said all of that to Fiona ¡­ it wasn¡¯t a lie, so why do I feel like it was, then?  No ¡­ it¡¯s more like I have three minds, pulling me in every direction.


    Iuchra, whatever I am now, and ¡­ whatever¡¯s left of me.  How can I trust what I said was really me and not something else?  What am I?


    A tear fell down her cheek as a lump passed through her throat.


    Fiona didn¡¯t deserve that, but I just felt¡ªI don¡¯t know?  I¡¯m just so empty now.


    Her mind shifted to Iuchra¡¯s memories as they slowly unraveled; it would take months to fully incorporate her existence, but her instincts, and personality were absorbed first to allow her to mimic the girl.


    Tucking her lower lip under, she took a shuddering breath, arms tightening around her knees.


    Iuchra was so outgoing and had such a bright future.  She could be mean and blunt if she felt someone deserved it, but there was a kindness and tenderness to her, too.  So ¡­ why did I say all that to my sister?  I haven¡¯t seen her cry like that since we were kids.


    The guilt creeping in was held at bay by fluctuating between Iuchra¡¯s personality, herself, and something else hardly detectable.  It was more noticeable when she¡¯d first changed; now, she rarely thought about it.


    I¡¯m letting this change become me ¡­ I¡¯ve turned more into a Slime than Nora¡ªjust let it keep going until I feel alright, but¡ªthere¡¯s always a little more stress that makes me keep moving the bar over.  When do I say stop?


    I¡¯m fine ¡­ but I¡¯m not.  I feel so empty, and if I just let it go a bit more ¡­ the weight will fall off my chest.


    Happy moments with her mother filtered through¡ªIuchra¡¯s mother, but it felt no different than how she felt about her own mother.  No, Iuchra loved her mother more than she did, causing Nora¡¯s frame to shake, nose burning.


    I¡¯m sorry, Mom ¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­


    The stress in her chest made her want to relent to the void that her Slime nature would bring, but she couldn¡¯t let go; it was like an important thing was slipping through her fingers, and she was losing something indispensable.


    Fiona¡¯s pathetic?  I¡¯m pathetic ¡­ I feel nothing, or I¡¯m reeling in pain¡ªI want it to stop, but I can¡¯t let go of it.  I¡¯m hiding in this skin like ¡­ how do I fix it?  What would Iuchra do?  I¡¯m using her to keep me grounded, but for how long?


    I took her in as my blood ¡­ the closest anyone¡¯s been to my heart, but just like everything I love¡ªyou tear me apart.  I¡¯m not confident.  I¡¯m just biding my time.  What can I do?  What would she do¡­


    Her tight body relaxed a little, blurry eyes opening with the revelation.


    Sniffing away her tears, she wiped her cheeks, clearing her throat; Iuchra¡¯s pain and rage enhanced her internal dilemma.


    How could he ¡­ why?


    The weight against her heart shifted to something she could contend with.


    Nora rose to her feet, composing herself before walking up the bank to the road, knowing exactly where she should go.


    Stretching out her chest, back, and limbs, Nora ran.


    Nora paced herself, knowing it would be a long run to Roundstone.


    She stopped off at a few roadside ponds, using her Slime abilities to absorb the maximum water her transformation allowed to cool down and replenish the resources her Beastkin form needed.  The animals still being dissolved in her stomach handled other nutrients.


    The ease of returning to Iuchra¡¯s body from her Slime state was becoming easier, and now she could even keep her clothes in a storage area that was slowly expanding inside her.


    It took her forty-five minutes to reach the village, the place Iuchra was born.  Doubt was creeping in the closer she got to Iuchra¡¯s house.


    What am I doing here?  I¡¯m confronting Finghin¡ªit¡¯s what Iuchra would do if she came back to life, but how does this help me?  No ¡­ I can¡¯t¡ªwhat do I say to her parents?


    The pull in her chest made her pause, gritting her teeth while leaning against one of the old concrete walls lining the road.  She¡¯d passed a few people on the road or within the town, but she¡¯d been moving too quickly for them to notice her in the dark, or minded their own business.


    Staring out at the dock and green, earthy shore, Nora growled; it turned into a moan, gripping her left arm while debating her constantly shifting emotions.


    No ¡­ I can¡¯t.  A dead girl comes back to life and accuses a beloved member of the family of murdering them¡ªwhat kind of fiction is that?


    Nora¡¯s stomach cramped as she resisted Iuchra¡¯s instinctual need to confront the betrayal of a man that was like her uncle.  She felt muddy, guilt returning with the shifting slider that brought her back to Nora¡¯s personality.


    Iuchra doesn¡¯t care about Fiona ¡­ which means I can express every hurtful thing I¡¯ve wanted to say all my life, but she wants to do something I can¡¯t go through with.  The way Iuchra would have dealt with Fiona if we were in the same place, though¡ªit was too cruel ¡­ I can¡¯t handle it.


    I can¡¯t go back ¡­ I can¡¯t go forward ¡­ where can I go?


    The hole opening in her chest hurt worse than before, causing her chest to spasm, tears coming to her eyes.  Sliding down the stone wall to her butt, Nora buried her face in her arms as she cried.


    Fiona came home ¡­ she looked for me, worried about me¡ªand I ripped her apart.  What have I become?  This isn¡¯t me¡ªis it?


    ¡°I don¡¯t like me¡ªhow can I still hate myself?¡±  She sobbed.


    ¡°Dear¡ªare you alright?¡±


    Nora stiffened, ears rising as an elderly woman came out of a nearby business, likely working late for some reason.


    ¡°Wait¡ªwhat are you wearing?  Are you in trouble?¡±  The woman asked, glancing up and down the street with a concerned look on her wrinkled face.


    Iuchra knew the woman, Blinne N¨ª Suaird; her name popping into her mind with rudimentary information.


    ¡°Ms. Suaird,¡± Nora whispered, sniffing back her tears.


    Blinne looked taken aback.  ¡°Oh, do I know you?¡±


    Trying to give her a fake smile, Nora shook her head but soon broke into tears as she drowned in her guilt.


    ¡°Dear¡­¡±  Blinne moved forward, grunting with effort while getting on her knees to hug her.  ¡°Hey, talk to me.  How can I¡ªmy, you¡¯re so cold and wet!  Please, Dearie, come inside, and I¡¯ll get you something warm to drink.¡±


    Nora coughed, unable to respond with the mixed emotions flooding her mind, and the elderly woman helped her up, guiding her into the business.


    It looked like a bed and breakfast; she guided her to an already lit fireplace.  The furniture was well used and cleaned, and the room was designed around sitting down to have a warm discussion.


    Blinne hurried to an Iris quilt, folded atop a couch before returning with it to wrap around her.  ¡°Here¡ªlet me get you a ¡­ oh, Dear¡ªare you one of those changed people I¡¯ve been hearing about in London?¡±


    Coughing again with a short hiccup, Nora sniffed, trying to compose herself with little success.  ¡°Y-Yes¡ªmy name¡¯s Nora ¡­ thank you,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± she replied, bustling to nab a box of tissues.  ¡°I have some¡ªtissues ¡­ here.¡±


    Accepting the offer, Nora blew her nose, rubbing her cheeks.  ¡°Why did this happen to me?¡±


    The elderly woman got on the floor with some difficulty, taking care with her knees before sitting beside her.  Blinne rubbed Nora¡¯s shoulder while pulling her into her breasts to help warm her up.  ¡°My¡ªyou¡¯re so cold and wet ¡­ what happened?¡±


    Nora tightened her grip on the quilt, muscles relaxing while resting against the woman¡¯s warm body, comforted by her touch.  ¡°How could I turn into this¡ªthis monster?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like a monster!¡±  Blinne protested, fingers tightening around her arm.  ¡°You¡¯re pretty¡­¡±


    Nora felt a bitter chuckle shake her stomach.  ¡°Pretty ¡­ I¡¯m so ugly¡ªI¡¯m horrible!¡±


    ¡°How could you say that?  Did someone tell you that¡ªdid your family kick you out?  It¡¯s horrible¡ªsome of those stories I hear.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t¡ªsay that if you really saw what¡ªwhat I was¡­¡±  Nora mumbled between quakes and hiccups.


    ¡°Really saw you¡­¡±  Blinne whispered, guiding her head to her chest.  ¡°All I see is a tortured teenage-girl, trying to survive something horrible that¡¯s happened to her ¡­ I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    ¡°A monster like me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a monster.¡±


    ¡°I am!¡±  Nora yelled, pulling away to glaring at her.  ¡°See¡ªlook at me¡ªthe real me!¡±


    The world darkened as she dissolved into a Slime, clothes disappearing into her storage with the transformation.  Spreading out, guilt seeped into every inch of her unformed body, and her encounter with Fiona returned, flooding her thoughts.


    I broke my sister ¡­ I¡¯m the worst sister in the world!  Fiona just wanted to help me¡ªsave me, and I destroyed her.  I can¡¯t live like this¡­


    After a minute, she returned to her Beastkin shape; her clothes melded into their proper places, and she looked for the hatred, fear, and disgust in the elderly woman¡¯s face she knew she deserved.


    All Nora saw was deep concern as Blinne rushed back into the room with a dustpan and bucket.  ¡°Wait¡ªno, no, Nora, don¡¯t die¡ªwhy are you turning into¡ªNora?  Nora, you¡¯re okay?  Nora¡ªah¡­¡±


    Blinne stammered and tripped on the rug in her rush, dustpan and bucket leaving her hands as her arms flailed.  Nora¡¯s mouth dropped open, watching the elderly woman fall toward the sharp edge of a table.


    ¡°No!¡±


    Time slowed as she lurched forward, using her body to cushion Blinne; the weight that hit her forced the air out of her lungs.  She couldn¡¯t feel pain but winced out of reflex as they hit the rug, the elderly woman on top of her.


    Both coughing, they struggled to their hands and knees; it was the first time Nora realized while mimicking something, she had many weaknesses that her Slime form did not.


    ¡°A-Are you¡ªokay?¡±  Nora gasped, trying to fill her lungs again.


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m fine,¡± Blinne gasped.  ¡°Wait¡ªno, are you okay?  You just¡ªyou turned to water!  I tried getting a bucket and¡ªand anything that I could try to keep you together¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nora growled, making the woman¡¯s muscles tighten at her cat-like noises.  ¡°I¡¯m a Slime!¡±  She yelled, leaning back to glare at her stomach.  ¡°I feel wet and cold because I¡¯m not this¡ªI don¡¯t really look like this; I¡¯m a glob of water that eats things and takes on their shape.¡±


    Blinne¡¯s arms started shaking as it grew difficult to support herself, and she shifted to her butt.  ¡°Slime ¡­ I don¡¯t understand¡ªwhat are you saying¡ªthings you eat?  Are¡­¡±


    She paused, confused blue eyes sliding down her body while working through her words.


    ¡°You¡ªate that girl, to¡ªto look like her?¡±  She asked with growing horror.


    ¡°Well¡ªshe was already dead¡ªbut yes, yes I did.  See?  I¡¯m a monster!¡±


    A lump dropped down Blinne¡¯s throat, a hand clenched at her chest, but her tension slowly dissipated.  ¡°She was already dead?¡±  She whispered, vision falling to the floor.  ¡°So¡ªyou didn¡¯t kill her?¡±


    Hot frustration rolled through her stomach and chest, reaching Nora¡¯s face.  ¡°Does it matter if I didn¡¯t kill her?  I ate her!¡±  Looking for any word in her vocabulary, she shouted, ¡°I¡¯m a cannibal¡ªfilthy¡ªevil¡ªinsane¡ªhungry monster that¡ªI tore my sister apart!  She tried to help me, and I told her it was all her fault¡ªleaving her to cry after I blamed her for everything!¡±


    Nora sobbed, folding down her ears.  ¡°I left my parents to worry about me¡ªI betrayed everyone I love, and I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll eat them if I go back¡ªwhy did this happen to me?  If I¡¯m hungry, I can¡¯t think¡ªI just eat ¡­ I¡¯m a monster¡ªa demon¡­¡±


    She stiffened between hiccups as Blinne¡¯s arms wrapped around her; the woman¡¯s weight forced her to the floor as she embraced her.


    ¡°W-What are you doing?  I could eat you!  Get off¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in pain,¡± Blinne sniffed.  ¡°I can hear it¡ªso much pain.¡±


    Nora¡¯s shaking arms rose, slowly closing around the elderly woman, chest burning as her emotions bubbling over.  ¡°I¡¯ve been lying¡ªI¡¯ve been saying I¡¯m fine¡ªI¡¯m not¡ªI feel empty inside ¡­ I¡¯m not fine.  I want help ¡­ but¡ªI hurt Fi¡ªmy sister.  Why¡¯d I do that?  I can¡¯t trust myself ¡­ I don¡¯t want this ¡­ this life¡¯s mine, not this Slime¡¯s¡ªI hate this ¡­ the pain¡ªmy chest hurts so much.  I¡¯m so sorry, Mom ¡­ I want my Daddy.  I¡¯m losing my mind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay¡ªI¡¯m here ¡­ I¡¯m here.¡±


    Blinne cried with her.


    The woman held her until her tears ran out, and she relaxed, staring up at the ceiling with a blank expression.  Sniffing, Nora took a deep breath.  ¡°What should I do?  Every time I try to think about it, I get so stressed, or I feel nothing at all¡ªI¡¯m so broken.¡±


    ¡°Talk to me,¡± Blinne whispered.  ¡°Tell me about your sister.¡±


    Coughing a short laugh, Nora applied a little pressure to tell the woman she was getting up; they scooted to the back of a couch, and a small, fake smile lifted Nora¡¯s lips.  ¡°Fi ¡­ she was always the star of Clifden.  She¡¯s pretty, outgoing, and can talk to people without a problem¡ªplus she¡¯s got a good voice and is really good at teaching Gaelic.¡±


    Pulling her blonde, gradient black hair out of her face, she fiddled with her thumbs, still trying to calm the turbulent emotions in her chest.  ¡°She¡¯s always so nice¡ªprobably never swore in her life, and super smart.¡±


    ¡°She sounds pretty perfect,¡± Blinne evenly replied.  ¡°You idolize her?¡±


    ¡°How couldn¡¯t I,¡± Nora weakly shrugged.  ¡°Fiona¡¯s the golden child¡ªshe even moved to the U.S. with all her supporters, and she makes a lot of money.¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°But what?¡±  Nora asked, refusing to raise her eyes while rubbing her left arm.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t saying everything,¡± Blinne prodded.  ¡°Is there something that bothers you about your sister?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ not at all¡­¡±  Nora softly protested.  Swallowing, she took a few deep breaths.  ¡°No ¡­ I¡¯m the issue¡ªor everyone else is.  My whole life, I¡¯ve been living in her shadow¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ and there¡¯s no way you could compete?¡±


    ¡°Never ¡­ she always wins¡ªand if I win, then¡ªthen it¡¯s because she let me.  Every boy I¡¯ve dated just talk about her¡ªit¡¯s like they¡¯re using me to just feel a bit closer to her, and¡ªit just never really felt like my life ¡­ I¡¯m invisible.¡±


    Blinne reached over to hold her hand.  ¡°That¡¯s horrible.  No one should feel like that.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t blame Fiona, though,¡± Nora mumbled, ¡°even though I did ¡­ I hurt her so much¡ªI don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen her break down so much.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll forgive you.¡±


    Nora shook her head.  ¡°Of course she would ¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Blinne slapped their linked hands, startling Nora.  The elderly woman had a stern expression.  ¡°You¡¯re just trying to punish yourself, but you¡¯re only hurting those that love you!  Is hurting yourself worth the pain it would cause them?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI never thought about it like that,¡± Nora mumbled, yellow irises falling to her lap.  ¡°No¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be fair to them, but¡ªall the things I feel ¡­ a part of me still blames Fiona¡ªmy parents¡ªeven if I say I don¡¯t ¡­ it¡¯s a lie.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Blinne gave her a compassionate smile.  ¡°Those feelings won¡¯t just vanish; you¡¯ve been holding them in for years, but now that you¡¯ve told your sister, there¡¯s time to heal.¡±


    Doubt crept into Nora¡¯s voice.  ¡°How could I ever heal?  I¡¯m so broken.¡±


    ¡°Dearie,¡± her fingers tightened around Nora¡¯s, lifting their hands to Nora¡¯s chest.  ¡°You¡¯re not perfect, are you?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever you¡¯ve done before, accept it and let it go.  None of us are perfect, including your amazing sister; we¡¯re all capable of making mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Maybe if I was human,¡± Nora mumbled, Blinne¡¯s elderly strength failing to keep her limp hand against her chest, they fell to Nora¡¯s lap.


    ¡°Mhm-uh¡ªno, Nora,¡± she whispered, shifting to show her concerned blue eyes.  ¡°Stop hiding from the shadows inside your heart; don¡¯t be trapped by those shattered memories.  Let the light pass through and free you.  Forgive yourself because it¡¯s the only way to start again.¡±


    ¡°What if¡ªI don¡¯t want to start again¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, things can only get worse.  Do you want to feel more pain?¡±


    Nora¡¯s gut tightened, nose burning again.  ¡°No¡­¡±  Her voice cracked.


    ¡°Then be patient with yourself, Nora¡ªaccept this new you that can bring so many wonderful things to the world, and learn how to move forward with your loved ones¡ªnot without them.¡±  Blinne smiled.  ¡°Can we start here?¡±


    Nora couldn¡¯t answer, vision unfocused as her question rolled around her head.  ¡°I¡ªdon¡¯t know if I can face Fiona alone ¡­ not after what I did to her.¡±


    Blinne licked her lips, grunting while trying to get to her feet, but her attempt ended in failure.  Chuckling sheepishly, she gave her a weak smile.  ¡°Mind helping this old lady up, and then we can call your home and set it up.  I¡¯ll be here to support you.¡±


    Some of the darkness clouding her mind lifted.  ¡°Why?¡±


    The elderly woman giggled.  ¡°Everyone needs someone in their corner, and if you don¡¯t have one, then I¡¯m more than willing.  I heard sobbing outside, and I found a broken girl¡ªI was that broken girl at one point ¡­ and someone was there for me.  Helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person.¡±


    Fighting back the tears threatening her eyes, Nora reached over to embrace the stranger that had brought her into her home when she¡¯d been at her lowest.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±  She whispered, feeling her head break past the ocean of depression she¡¯d been drowning in.  ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Blinne rubbed her back soothingly.  ¡°There, there, dearie ¡­ let¡¯s get everything out before I drive you home¡ªoh, it¡¯s pretty cold out there.  Would you like a cup of hot cocoa before we hit the road?¡±


    Nora swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling warmer than she¡¯d felt in a long time, but all she could do was mumble, ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 50. Reuniting

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Fiona White (T_T aww, how will our two sisters make up after that?)


    Recap: Nora left her sister in the alley bawling, trying to understand how her loving sister could possibly say such horrible things to her.  Working through her tortured internal storm, she decided to follow Iuchra¡¯s motivations to confront her killer, but the closer she got, the more Nora realized she couldn''t go through with it.


    Unable to return, unable to go forward, she huddled against a nearby stone wall to cry, feeling utterly alone on a freezing February night on the coasts of Ireland.


    An elderly woman heard her cries and came out of her home to usher our breaking little sister into her warm house, offering advice, comfort, hope, and a path forward.


    How is her older sister working through her shock?


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Yandron, Clayton Marshall, Florent Baril, William Gillis, Scott, E.W., and my other Patrons!


    Fiona hiccuped, mind clouded with uncertainty and pain; tears gathered in her eyes, sliding down her puffy cheeks as she hugged her trembling body.  Nora used every phrase like a knife, cutting her heart, and it wouldn¡¯t stop bleeding.


    I made Nora feel like dirt ¡­ I never wanted that!  How could she feel so bad that she turned into a Slime?  I tried to be a good sister ¡­ I never tried to overshadow her.  No, it can¡¯t be real ¡­ the aliens did this ¡­ that can¡¯t be Nora, but¡­


    Her fractured thoughts turned back the pages of her memories, and everything was sliding into place.  A cold shiver ran down her bones as she tried to understand her sister¡¯s position.


    Nora had always worn a smile and laughed, but past comments and events surfaced that made her doubt this was an illusion; her sister had always been a bit shy, and even when Fiona had lived at home, Nora was continually pushing herself to public gatherings and relationships without luck.


    At first, they¡¯d spent so much time as sisters, but through middle school, things started to change as her voice blossomed, and YouTube videos trended.


    Fiona began winning competitions without any formal training, drawing notice from scouts, but her parents chose to take the contracts they were offering to one of the upcoming lawyers around Ireland, and that¡¯s how she¡¯d met Erica.


    Erica uncovered quite a few scummy things in all the contracts, turning Fiona away from it all, and ended in Erica herself becoming her agent as time moved on.


    The news spread through word of mouth, and her spontaneous fame became somewhat of a phenomenon in itself, drawing thousands of people in to support her; Nora had been left in the shadows of everything she did, which wasn¡¯t her fault, but it didn¡¯t help that Fiona didn¡¯t notice her sister¡¯s struggles.


    As her YouTube channel grew, she found an interest in teaching their country¡¯s dying language and discovered an eager audience that saw her free lessons more enjoyable than traditional methods.


    Since that point, people were always trying to snatch her eye, which took away from her time with Nora, and even the locals were competing with her sister for Fiona¡¯s attention as this rising internet sensation.


    She recalled Nora bringing more than a few boys over when she was getting ready to move to the U.S., and all of them wanted to get pictures with her to post on their profiles, claiming to be big fans.


    Almost every date Nora had or friends she¡¯d brought over was drawn to her, which made Fiona a bit uncomfortable, and she¡¯d try to brush them off to give more time to Nora, but they were always so persistent.


    With everything opening up inside her mind, it wasn¡¯t hard to see where her sister was coming from, and it was perfectly reasonable for her to grow frustrated.  However, there was one thing that grounded her, keeping the thought that this had to be real, which cut her heart even more.


    Fiona worked through her feelings while sitting in the dirty alley, spending several minutes sorting through her emotions and thoughts, but she managed to come to a conclusion that helped move her forward.


    Nora¡¯s not this nasty ¡­ she¡¯s not.  Even if she does feel this way ¡­ she¡¯d never cut me like this, which means it¡¯s a Skill.  After all the animals¡¯ testimonies, there¡¯s no doubt it¡¯s really Nora ¡­ The Oscillation changes us and can give us things we want, even if we don¡¯t like how it responds to our desires sometimes ¡­ we need to be careful for what we wish for.


    Rubbing her sore, puffy eyes, Fiona sniffed; her tears were bitter on her lips, contrasting her sweet, all sugar diet.


    A light green aura surrounded Fiona as she composed herself, activating Wind Shield and Fairy Wings.  She rose off the pavement, hovering a few feet in the air.


    Clearing her throat, she rubbed her cheeks, taking a few breaths; her mind had calmed as the hurt and sadness were suppressed by the clarity that slowly took shape.


    It has to be Nora¡ªtaking the form of another person ¡­ maybe she was lashing out like Iuchra would have.  Still, it¡¯s painful ¡­ there¡¯s a part of her that really resents me, but Nora needs help, and no one knows it¡­


    Taking a shuddering breath, she slapped both her cheeks to motivate herself and snap out of the shock.


    If she¡¯s now a Slime, then ¡­ I just need to be there to support her!  Nora isn¡¯t Banner; how could I even think that she¡¯d be someone else!  No, she¡¯s hurting¡ªso much.  She¡¯s resisted the Slime instincts to feed on people, which is why she chose that body in the end ¡­ a corpse.


    Should I tell Mom and Dad?


    The thought was quickly dismissed.


    No, not yet.  I need to have a real talk with her ¡­ I let her down ¡­ my response cut her even more.  I have to let her know she¡¯s still my sister!


    Resolving herself, Fiona dried her cheeks with the back of her hand and shot into the air, scanning the streets for Nora.


    She flew through the town for a few minutes without luck and noticed the temperature was continuing to drop.  Her memories of past winters returned, telling her the temperature would fall dramatically in the coming hours, and she wasn¡¯t sure what kind of resistances Nora had.


    After several minutes, her stomach tightened as the realization came to her; Nora had left the center of town.


    Where would she go?  Maybe she went home, now that she has a body?  She couldn¡¯t talk to Mom or Dad as an animal.


    Fiona changed directions, smelling the winds change as the sea breeze carried the ocean scent inland.  The winds would pick-up during the night; she could smell it.


    She kept an eye out but didn¡¯t see her sister returning to their house.  Floating silently through Nora¡¯s open window, she heard her parents inside.


    Their father seemed to have just returned.


    ¡°Aislinn,¡± her father swallowed, rushing into the front room, ¡°has she returned¡ªis she back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    They didn¡¯t notice Fiona, hovering in the hallway.


    ¡°But Fiona¡¯s here¡ªyou said she¡¯s looking for Nora; she¡¯s alive?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Aislinn comforted, wrapping her arms around her father and holding his head against her chest as he began shaking.  ¡°Yes, both our girls are alive ¡­ I know it.¡±


    Fiona choked up, hearing him sobbing as Aislinn held him, tears gathering in her mother¡¯s green eyes.


    Aislinn sniffed, swallowing before clearing her throat, but her voice cracked a little.  ¡°There¡¯s¡ªthere¡¯s some changes they¡¯ve gone through, but yes ¡­ yes, they¡¯re alive.¡±


    Fiona slowly exited back through the window as her mother explained the situation, confirming Nora hadn¡¯t returned.  Fiona¡¯s mind searched for her next move, trying to stay composed as her throat and nose burned with the cocktail of emotions swirling inside her chest.


    If she didn¡¯t go home ¡­ does she even feel like a part of the family anymore?  Maybe she doesn¡¯t.  If not, where¡­


    The realization hit her chest like a truck.


    Iuchra Nic C¨¦in¡­


    She darted to the station to meet up with her Marine escort and Dr. MacLoughlin.


    It didn¡¯t take her long to get to the building, but to her frustration, over three minutes to get their attention to open the locked door.  Eventually, she was forced to create a gust inside with Wind Wall.


    ¡°Did you find her?¡±  Annie questioned, the first to open the door upon noticing her.


    Greg and Dale were right beside her with the others soon joining.


    Fiona nodded, darting out of the chilling wind her shield deflected.  ¡°She is a Slime Aberationkin, and¡ªI need some more information from¡­¡±


    She paused, catching sight of the doctor beside the local Guard.


    The others were a little taken aback as she swiftly closed the distance between them with a single bat of her wings.  ¡°Doctor MacLoughlin, I need to see that report again!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  He took a quick step back, eyes locked on her tiny frame.


    ¡°That one girl¡ªumm ¡­ Iuchra Nic C¨¦in.  Do you have her file here?  Please, say you do!¡±


    ¡°Yeah?  Eh, why do you¡­¡±


    ¡°Please!  I just need to see it for a minute,¡± she pleaded.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡±  Dale asked with a sharp frown as they moved to join them.  ¡°Is your sister in trouble, or¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I think¡ªI need to help her, and I have to see that report to know where she¡¯s going!¡±


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m lost,¡± Tori sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.  ¡°The Doc said somethin¡¯ about a girl¡¯s corpse going missing, and if your sister¡¯s a ¡­ wait¡­¡±


    The other soldiers seemed to have discussed what Slime was because they all slowly put two and two together.


    ¡°She ate a corpse?¡±  Greg asked in disbelief.


    ¡°No, but don¡¯t they usually eat living things?¡±  Dale questioned.


    Seeing that she couldn¡¯t keep it a secret for long, Fiona took a deep breath before swiftly explaining it.  The whole station was silent, and more than one person looked uncomfortable that they were going after someone that could snatch someone¡¯s body and take on their appearance.


    A sharp quiver ran down Felix¡¯s frame as he looked between Tori, Annie, Greg, Dale, and Theo.  ¡°Okay, now, I know we¡¯re talkin¡¯ about a teenage girl that turned into this Slime because of The Oscillation, but dammit, tell me you all aren¡¯t thinking about The Thing ¡­ I mean, body snatchers.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s face grew hot.  ¡°No!  My sister isn¡¯t a thing; she¡¯s just hurt and needs someone to help her.¡±


    Felix lifted his hands defensively as Fiona glared at him.  ¡°That¡¯s why I said I know we¡¯re talking about a teenage girl!  I get it¡ªI do and believe me, I want to help your sister¡­¡±


    Dale took a long breath before sitting down, resting his arms on the back of the chair while giving Fiona a stern look.  ¡°Fiona, calm down a bit and hear me out.  Can you do that?¡±


    Fiona growled, glancing between the soldiers as they shifted uncomfortably.  ¡°I¡¯m losing time to catch up with my sister ¡­ make it fast.¡±


    She hovered down to his level, and the soldiers each took a seat of their own with the Guard and doctor.


    ¡°I¡¯m all for helping to save your sister¡ªall of us are, but what exactly are we dealing with?  Based on what you have told us, and connecting the dots ¡­ I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re telling us everything,¡± he raised his voice to speak over her protests, ¡°which I understand.  You¡¯re trying to save your sister.


    ¡°That being said, your sister has changed into a Demi that can take on the appearance of the creatures she absorbs, correct?  That¡¯s what your story about this young girl¡¯s body disappearing connects to.¡±


    Fiona sucked in her bottom lip, glancing left while debating her answer, but Dale responded shortly after.


    ¡°I thought as much.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even say anything!¡±  Fiona fumed.


    ¡°Honestly, girl,¡± Annie sighed, ¡°you didn¡¯t have to.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s glowing green eyes shot to her.  ¡°Yeah, she can, but she chose someone who¡¯s dead instead of killing someone; she¡¯s not a monster!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she is,¡± Dale cooly responded, ¡°but Felix¡¯s comparison is only natural.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±  Fiona challenged.  ¡°What even is The Thing, and how does it relate to my sister?  I just don¡¯t like how he made it sound like she¡¯s not a real person¡ªshe is, and she has feelings, and she¡¯s hurt!¡±


    ¡°All valid,¡± Dale eased.  ¡°Can you tell me for certain that she won¡¯t hurt people?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s mind flashed to her sister¡¯s statement about resisting the urge, but even if she was unsure, she responded without hesitation.  ¡°No!  Nora won¡¯t hurt anyone.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡ªcan she use this girl,¡± he paused, looking at the doctor for confirmation, and repeated the name, ¡°Iuchra¡¯s abilities?  We need to know what we¡¯re walking into.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to because you¡¯ll only slow me down!¡±  Fiona shot back.  ¡°I¡¯ll go get her, and bring her back.¡±


    Dale sucked in his lips, exhaling a long breath before giving his unit a glance.  ¡°Fiona, I want to be as honest as I can with you.  What would happen if your sister, through this change that has affected many people in¡ªless than desirable ways, were to absorb you and take your powers?  It¡¯s just something that we have to consider,¡± he responded defensively.


    Fiona¡¯s mind blanked; she hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility.  ¡°No ¡­ Nora would never attack me.¡±


    Felix gave Tori a look that said, what did I tell you!


    ¡°We¡¯re in the military, Fiona,¡± Dale replied.  ¡°We are trained to look at the worst-case, so we can properly prepare.  For all we know, you could be Nora right now ¡­ when you¡¯re dealing with a shapeshifter¡ªfiction has become a reality, and it¡¯s just how we must view things now.  Tell me, what would you think if you were in our shoes?


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen some of the data on you since my team was assigned to your detail, and ¡­ if you chose to let loose, then¡ªI don¡¯t think you need me to paint that picture.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not!  Okay, look, I don¡¯t know how I could ever convince you I wasn¡¯t if that¡¯s the case, right?  Umm¡ªit¡¯s just an impossible thing, so ¡­ the only answer would be for me to bring back Nora to prove it.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡ªI¡¯m just saying,¡± Dale sighed.


    ¡°Yo,¡± Greg muttered, ¡°who¡¯s to say a Slime can¡¯t make a body double or something, too, you know?¡±


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re all getting ridiculous!¡±  Fiona accused, floating a little higher in the air.  ¡°Look, I could just blow my way out of here and go find my sister, but I¡¯m not because I wouldn¡¯t hurt you guys!  All I want is to help my sister¡ªwhy¡¯s that so hard to believe?¡±


    A puff of air slid through Dale¡¯s lips.  ¡°Alright, alright, Fiona ¡­ if you¡¯ll bring us with you¡ªjust like you did with the plane, then we¡¯ll all go together to confirm it ourselves.  You know we¡¯re also here to keep an eye on you, too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I figured,¡± Fiona grumbled, debating it, and after a second, she relented.  ¡°Fine¡ªbut you have to let me talk to Nora in private!  I¡¯ll even trap you in a Wind Prison if that¡¯s what it takes,¡± she huffed.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re in eyesight,¡± Dale responded.


    ¡°At her size?¡±  Greg mumbled.


    Annie nudged him with a smirk.  ¡°Hey, she glows like a nightlight; ain¡¯t that hard unless you¡¯ve got bad eyes.¡±


    ¡°Tch, yeah¡ªwe¡¯ll see if everyone gets ¡­ mmh¡ªmmh,¡± he grunted as the back of Annie¡¯s hand struck between his legs, making his knees lock together.  ¡°Got it¡ªgot it,¡± he growled through clenched teeth.


    The other members all smirked, chuckling at Greg¡¯s pain.


    ¡°Doc, the file?¡±  Dale asked.


    ¡°This is ¡­ crazy¡ªI just want to be done with it¡­¡±  Doctor MacLoughlin whispered, quickly handing over the file and moving to the door; by the expression on a few of the Guard officers that were on duty, they shared his sentiment.


    Fiona watched the fear and uncertainty on their faces upon learning Nora¡¯s identity, and she was glad she¡¯d be moving her family out of the small town.


    Dale opened the file, and Fiona scanned down the information.  ¡°Okay, we¡¯re going to


    Roundstone Harbour Village ¡­ it¡¯s not that far away from here.  Let¡¯s go; we might be able to find her on the way¡ªoh, wait,¡± she turned to Greagoir, ¡°do you have any sugar for coffee or something?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªyeah?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Annie quickly responded, opening a pocket on her tactical vest to produce a small pouch of sugar in a plastic bag.


    ¡°Just need to recharge a bit,¡± Fiona replied, hovering over to her as she opened it in her hand.  The officers watched in confusion as she took a few mouthfuls, getting her sugar levels to 149%.


    Once finished, she activated Levitate but paused as Felix and Tori stayed grounded, and the news added another cut to Fiona¡¯s heart.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±  Tori asked.


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s the deal?¡±  Felix mumbled.


    Fiona couldn¡¯t keep the hurt from her voice.  ¡°You¡ªdon¡¯t see me as friendly.¡±


    Felix gave Tori a sideward glance.  ¡°W-What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°My Levitate Spell only works on people that view me as a friend¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Dale was quick to respond.  ¡°You two head back to Fiona¡¯s parents¡¯ place and keep the area secure until we return.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell my parents!¡±  Fiona earnestly stated, suddenly worried, now that they didn¡¯t view her as friendly.  ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªNora needs to tell them.  It¡¯s going to be hard¡­¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t say a word,¡± Dale promised.  ¡°That¡¯s an order.¡±


    They saluted.  ¡°¡°Sir!¡±¡±


    With that, Fiona left, giving them one last concerned look as she took everyone out of the building; the doctor held open the door.


    The wind had picked up, and the temperature was swiftly dropping with the wind-chill.


    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡±  Annie grunted as they moved higher.


    ¡°I¡¯m f-freezin¡¯ my balls off, here!¡±  Greg shivered, hugging his body.


    Theo chuckled through chattering teeth.  ¡°Yo, Greg, must feel good after that ball-buster Annie gave you, huh?  Hey-yo!¡±


    Annie chuckled, reaching over to give him a quick high-five since they were close to each other.


    ¡°Shut-up!¡±  Greg growled.  ¡°Damn it, man ¡­ her little fists hurt like spikes, dude!¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah, they do!¡±  Annie chuckled; her own teeth started to chatter as they moved into the countryside.


    Feeling a little bad for them, Fiona expanded her Wind Shield to encompass them while pulling them in closer.


    ¡°What, the ¡­ damn, well, this is nice,¡± Greg smiled, shakes easing.


    ¡°Still cold as hell¡ªbut without the wind, it¡¯s not bad,¡± Greg mumbled.


    ¡°Thanks, Fiona,¡± Dale said, seemingly deep in thought as he scanned the darkness below.  The others mumbled their gratitude, too, and after a moment, the Lieutenant asked, ¡°You can see in the dark, right?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Fiona responded, scanning the roads below.  ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anyone walking or running below, yet.¡±


    ¡°Who would, in this chill,¡± Theo whispered, squinting his eyes.


    They flew for a good eight minutes outside of town before seeing a car; they were coming up to Cliefen¡¯s northern village.


    Not wanting to take any risks of losing track of Nora, Fiona took them into a dive.


    ¡°Woah ¡­ we headin¡¯ for that car?¡±  Annie questioned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to risk anything,¡± Fiona commented.


    Matching pace with the vehicle, she kept the soldiers above while creating a second Wind Shield for them as she shrank her own, hovering to the side of the red car to see who was inside.


    The man driving glanced over with wide eyes, and she shot up, reversing their trajectory.  ¡°She wasn¡¯t in it; just some random dude,¡± Fiona sighed.


    Not thirty seconds more, an older brown truck turned onto the road, heading toward Clifden.  Fiona debated whether checking every vehicle was worth it but decided to inspect one one last time before entering the town.


    Flying to the side, she didn¡¯t even have to get that close before fixating on the person in the passenger seat with two cat ears.  Nora ¡­ why¡¯s she in a truck?


    ¡°I found her!¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±  Greg asked with astonishment.


    ¡°Yeah, that was quick,¡± Theo mumbled.


    Dale hummed softly, giving her a troubled look.  ¡°How do you want to play this¡ªthere¡¯s someone driving the truck, right?  Can you make sure they¡¯ll be safe if anything happens?  That¡¯s a big if, too, but I just wanted to make sure¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course,¡± Fiona growled, running her hands through her blown back hair as they hovered above the vehicle, but it was slowly coming to a stop.


    Wait ¡­ if she has hearing like Rachel, then¡ªhow far away did she hear us coming?  She might have good night vision, too, and if she was looking at the right spot¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s¡ªgoing on?¡±  Dale asked.  ¡°Do they know we¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°How?¡±  Annie whispered.  ¡°We¡¯re basically freakin¡¯ Fairy Team Five up in this bitch¡ªwe¡¯re freakin¡¯ flying.¡±


    ¡°The wind¡¯s pretty strong, too,¡± Theo muttered.  ¡°There¡¯s no way anyone could hear us¡ªdid they spot Fiona¡¯s light coming down?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Dale grunted, loosening up as best he could while levitating.  ¡°Let¡¯s confirm the situation, and leave Fiona to talk to her as we discussed.¡±


    The others grunted their acceptance but still seemed perplexed about how their position was compromised.


    They landed on the ground, and the soldiers collapsed, quickly recovering their stability on stable ground with low curses.


    Fiona kept her position a few feet beside the passenger side door, brow furrowed with concern as she listened to Nora nervously speak to the woman inside.


    ¡°Umm¡ªthanks for stopping, Ms. Blinne.¡±


    ¡°Where did they come from,¡± Blinne whispered in disbelief; her elderly eyes locked on them, barely illuminated by the car¡¯s headlights.  The moon was covered by thick clouds overhead, casting the scene in darkness for anyone that couldn¡¯t penetrate the night.


    ¡°The little glowing one ¡­ that¡¯s my sister¡ªFiona.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Blinne softly replied, ¡°the one you mentioned.  Hmm¡ªhow are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Scared¡­¡±  Nora mumbled, vision dropping to her lap, and making Fiona¡¯s heart burn.


    Blinne reached over to hold her hand as tears started gathering in Nora¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Hey, hey¡ªtalk to me.  Why are you scared?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ I just am.¡±


    Nora¡­


    ¡°Want me to come out with you?¡±


    ¡°No, no¡ªit¡¯s too cold for you.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!  See¡­¡±  The old woman grunted, leaning back in the three-person truck to grab a thick coat from behind the seat.  ¡°I¡¯ll be just fine!  I¡¯m more worried about you¡ªwhich is why I brought a second.¡±


    ¡°No, I told you, I don¡¯t need that¡­¡±  Nora mumbled but took the coat regardless as it was offered to her.


    ¡°And what would I tell your parents if you got a cold on my watch?  No, Ma¡¯am!  I¡¯m not goin¡¯ to see my maker that soon, deary!  Now, let¡¯s get this on ya.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too fussy,¡± Nora grumbled, pulling the coat on before helping the old lady with hers.


    The soldiers watched the lit inside of the truck with confusion as the women prepared to exit the vehicle.


    ¡°It¡¯s how this old woman¡¯s survived all these years.  Now¡ªoh, don¡¯t forget your cocoa; you need to keep somethin¡¯ warm in that belly!¡±


    ¡°What belly,¡± Nora sighed, glancing down at her abdomen.


    ¡°Right?¡±  Blinne huffed, reaching over to poke her stomach.  ¡°Look how thin ¡­ oh, actually, you¡¯ve got some muscle there!¡±


    ¡°Hey, knock it off,¡± Nora groaned, inching away while taking a deep breath.


    ¡°You ready?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, you¡¯re ready!¡±


    Fiona was utterly taken aback by the display.


    How does Nora know this woman ¡­ it¡¯s like she¡¯s talking to our grandma.


    Putting her hand on the handle, Nora opened the door and exited; the door whipped open with the violet wind, but she managed to catch it.  Stepping out, she shut it before rubbing her left shoulder, green eyes on the ground.  ¡°Hey, Fi¡­¡±


    She gave a start as Blinne grunted, trying to get out of the car and keep the gusts assailing the door from making her a pancake.


    Dale and Theo got to her before her sister, leaving the safety of her shield.


    ¡°Are you okay, Ma¡¯am?¡±  Theo asked.


    ¡°Eh?¡±  She called out as the winds picked up in Gaelic.  ¡°I don¡¯t speak English!¡±


    Fiona used Levitate to lift Annie and Greg off their feet with a grunt of surprise, moving the Wind Shield to encompass the five.  She motioned for her sister to join them, expanding the shield to cover its full three-meter radius; it cost a lot more sugar to maintain, but it wasn¡¯t that bad with only the outside weather being blocked.


    ¡°She said she doesn¡¯t understand English,¡± Fiona explained, and Nora hesitantly entered the shell.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±  Theo and Dale glanced at each other with confused looks, and the woman burst out laughing.


    Her wheezing chuckles soon eased, and she began speaking English.  ¡°Of course, I speak English¡ªbut you should have seen the look on your faces!¡±


    ¡°Blinne,¡± Nora mumbled with a bit of frustration.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dearie¡ªI couldn¡¯t help myself,¡± she giggled, giving Theo a wink.  ¡°This one¡¯s just so cute!¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, thanks, Ma¡¯am,¡± Theo mumbled with a forced laugh, causing the other soldiers to mimic him.


    ¡°So,¡± Fiona paused, floating to her sister.  ¡°Umm¡ªNora, I just¡ªI wanted to talk.  Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°What about¡ªall the things I said to you,¡± Nora whispered, still not making eye contact and trying to hold back tears, but her flat ears and stiff tail gave her away.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s saying all that doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Blinne softly urged.  ¡°Is that right?¡±


    ¡°No, Nora,¡± Fiona rubbed her own shoulder, left hand pressed against her belly, ¡°it hurt¡ªit really did¡­¡±


    Nora flinched, but Fiona continued.


    ¡°Even though what you said hurt¡ªI love you, Nora.  You¡¯re my sister, and¡ªand I know¡ªI should have seen you were hurting sooner.  Can, umm,¡± she swallowed and cleared her throat, ¡°can we go and talk¡ªalone?¡±


    Nora¡¯s lips were tucked under, and she seemed more vulnerable than she¡¯d ever seen her sister.


    All she could do was nod, and Blinne took a deep breath before puffing it out.  ¡°That¡¯s the hard part, dearies ¡­ just remember, you¡¯re sisters, okay?¡±


    Fiona gave her a forced smile.  ¡°Thank you¡ªBlinne, was it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!  Now, you two go talk while I get to know these handsome young men¡ªoh, let me turn on some music; it¡¯s been forever since I¡¯ve danced!¡±


    Theo and Greg chuckled, giving each other confused stares while Annie looked like she wanted to grab a bag of popcorn.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be right here,¡± Dale stated, never keeping his eyes off Nora.


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    Fiona left the shield with Nora, expanding her personal shell to include her sister and block their conversation from being heard.


    Nora glanced at the invisible shield surrounding them, only recognizable by the soft hum of wind it produced.  ¡°You have some pretty awesome magic,¡± Nora whispered.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s okay,¡± Fiona shrugged.


    The conversation died until they reached several meters away, and Nora sat on the grass, crossing her legs while staring down at her lap.  ¡°You¡ªYou came looking for me ¡­ even after all those nasty things I said¡ªit really hurt?¡±


    Fiona sniffed, trying to hold back her tears.  ¡°Yeah¡ªyeah, it hurt a lot, Nora,¡± Fiona whispered, ¡°but I get it ¡­ it took me a bit, but yeah ¡­ you¡¯ve had it rough.  I¡ªI judged you unfairly, though ¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have acted like that.¡±


    ¡°Why,¡± Nora mumbled, playing with the hem of her skirt, ¡°why is me being a Slime so bad for you?¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± Fiona swallowed, recalling the monster she¡¯d killed.  ¡°There was¡ªan incident in Miami when I changed¡ªI was kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Nora¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°You were¡ªare you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Fiona mumbled, spreading her arms.  ¡°I mean¡ªI was saved by some new friends I made¡ªother Mythickin, but umm¡ªthere was a Slime in the group that kidnapped me.¡±


    Nora looked horrified.


    ¡°They¡ªthey were really, really bad people¡ªreally bad ¡­ like real Nazi bad, and¡ªand I found out I¡¯m capable of things that I didn¡¯t think I could do.  I killed that Slime, Nora ¡­ I killed more than one of the people that kidnapped me.¡±


    ¡°What ¡­ you¡­¡±  Nora couldn¡¯t finish the statement, trying to work through the confession as she listened to her story.


    ¡°They were terrorists ¡­ killed hundreds of people ¡­ maybe a thousand or more¡ªkids, wives, husbands¡ªhorrible people,¡± Fiona mumbled, feeling the emotions of her capture resurface with the tears in her eyes.  ¡°I saved dozens of kids that were being held hostage, and¡ªthe things I learned¡ªwas forced to watch ¡­ the FBI picked us up after all of that.


    ¡°We spent a bit of time there before a four-star general of the Army showed up and made us a deal ¡­ we¡¯re friends with him now¡ªI think.  I¡¯m kind of a part of a team contracted out by the government¡ªI know it sounds crazy, but that¡¯s where I¡¯m coming from, but¡ªbut I wasn¡¯t fair to you, Nora,¡± Fiona sniffed, wiping at her cheeks with the back of her hand.  ¡°The thought should have never crossed my mind, and I¡¯m so, so sorry, Nora¡ªI¡¯m sorry¡ªcan you forgive me?  You¡¯re nothing like that monster; you¡¯re my little sister!¡±


    ¡°Fi,¡± Nora cried, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I said those horrible things¡ªI love you, and I¡¯m sorry¡ªI just felt so scared of myself.  I¡¯m trying to be good¡ªI don¡¯t want to hurt people¡­¡±


    Fiona darted forward, hugging her sister¡¯s neck, and Nora¡¯s hand gently closed around her back, causing Fairy Wings to be interrupted and break into fragmented light.


    They both sobbed; her skin felt like solid water as Fiona¡¯s small, bitter tears fell from her eyes, and the trembles in Nora¡¯s neck rippled through Fiona¡¯s tiny body, causing minor pain, but she ignored it.


    After a few minutes, they separated, both composing themselves.


    ¡°Can we¡ªcan we just be sisters again?¡±  Nora choked.


    ¡°Please¡ªI want my sister,¡± Fiona broke back into tears.  ¡°I want you, and Mom and Dad¡ªI came back to get you.  I want to bring you back with me.¡±


    ¡°Can we¡ªeven if I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m this?¡±


    ¡°Yes!  You¡¯re my sister, and you¡¯ll come back, and we¡¯ll start over ¡­ do you want that?¡±


    ¡°Please, Fi ¡­ I just want to feel normal.¡±


    Fiona pushed back her tears, fighting for control; she¡¯d almost lost control of her shield a couple of times.  ¡°I don¡¯t know how normal things can ever get¡ªthere¡¯s so much more that I can¡¯t tell you right now, but¡ªbut we¡¯ll be together.¡±


    ¡°I want that, but¡ªbut what about this body?  Her parents¡ªthey deserve to know who killed her¡ªI know who murdered her.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll get him, okay; we¡¯ll get him together!¡±


    ¡°K-Kill him?¡±


    ¡°No!  No, we¡¯ll get the police, and go there as soon as possible, okay?¡±


    ¡°Her parents, too ¡­ how do I face them?  I stole their daughter¡¯s body¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey,¡± Fiona soothed, floating in to give her a softer hug.  ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out, okay?  Let¡¯s first go back to Mom and Dad ¡­ they¡¯re so worried about you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ªI¡¯m so sorry, Fi ¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to make everyone so scared¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡ªit¡¯s okay, we¡¯re together¡ªwe¡¯re a family, okay?  We¡¯ll get through this!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Fi ¡­ for¡ªfor being my sister¡­¡±


    Nora gave everyone a quick summary of what happened after her transformation; once finished, they returned to their parents¡¯ house, bringing the elderly woman who had helped save Nora from herself.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 51. Closure

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Fiona White (T_T aww, how will our two sisters make up after that?)


    Maria''s adventure follows this chapter, and then we get everyone back together for a big adventure (well, excluding Fiona because of reasons)!


    Recap: Fiona and Nora finally were able to meet, but our little fairy is feeling a bit low since some of the soldiers don''t view her as friendly anymore, meaning her Levitate spell won''t work on them.


    After that heartwarming reunion, how would our broken family find closure?  The hard part is ahead.


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    Rusty Lewis, Eodon, That_guy, Evan Cloud, Onill007, Sean Kent, and my other Patrons!


    Fiona flew through the night with the four Marines, Nora, and Blinne; the night had cooled dramatically along the west coast of Ireland, bringing chilling winds that swept the biting February weather inland.


    The environment didn¡¯t affect Fiona in the least due to her having extremely high elemental resistances, and Nora appeared to have Above Average Cold Resistance, but the rest of the group had little to no protection.  Blinne started to shiver even inside Wind Shield, which blocked the strong winds.


    Fiona cast Fireball I: Inferno to provide a constant source of heat on the flight home, and she began to notice her sugar reserves falling quicker than expected.


    She was becoming more aware of how demanding her spells were while using Wind Shield at its maximum three-meter radius, channeling Fireball, even at Rank 1, for an extended time, and the most demanding, Levitation on six targets for longer than thirty minutes all combined to drain her energy pool by 60%, bringing her to 71% of her total 149% when starting the journey.


    The trip took a bit longer due to Blinne¡¯s upset stomach with g-forces placed on their bodies upon any correction in their course, causing Fiona to take a more casual pace.


    Nora took a deep breath as they slowly descended to their front yard.  ¡°I wish I could hold your hand, Fi,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Mmh, I know,¡± Fiona groaned, brushing back her hair, ¡°being this small really sucks sometimes ¡­ especially when you want to hold someone.¡±


    Blinne offered her own with a smile.  ¡°Allow me to be a proxy!¡±


    ¡°Aww,¡± Annie cooed, ¡°you¡¯re so awesome, Ms. Blinne.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no such thing!¡±  She chuckled.  ¡°No, I believe it is Nora that deserves the praise for being so strong during this trying time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel strong ¡­ I feel like throwing up,¡± she mumbled, legs wobbling as they touched ground.


    ¡°It will pass, Dearie!¡±


    ¡°I feel like a jacket,¡± Greg grumbled.  ¡°It¡¯s cold as hell out here¡­¡±


    Theo slapped his shoulder with the back of his closed fist.  ¡°Heh, he¡¯s a Southern Cali boy to the root!  It could be seventy-degrees, and you¡¯d be complaining.¡±


    ¡°Shut-up,¡± he growled, rubbing his arms.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear shit from a dude that grew up in Canada ¡­ y¡¯all ain¡¯t normal.¡±


    ¡°Baker¡¯s Lake, NU, baby ¡­ dude, my Uncle said it¡¯s -34¡ãC three days ago up there.  That¡¯s what I¡¯m talkin¡¯ about!¡±


    Greg just shook his head with a no written across his face.


    Dale sucked in a chilling breath before letting it puff out in a stream of condensation as a light rain began to fall.  ¡°Yo, it¡¯s gettin¡¯ near freezing right now, and I¡¯m from New York, but damn if that wind came through¡­¡±


    Fiona gave them a forced smile as they slowly moved to the front door.  ¡°Actually, from the looks of it, it¡¯s been a bit warm this week, but this should turn to snow.  We usually have like two or three days of snow in February.¡±


    ¡°Great¡­¡±  Greg¡¯s grumbling trailed off as the door swung open.


    Their parents rushed out to meet them, Tori and Felix standing behind them.


    ¡°¡°Nora!¡±¡±


    Their father hesitated as the inside light fell across them, illuminating the group, but her mother plowed forward, smashing right into Fiona¡¯s Wind Shield.


    ¡°Ack¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡±  Nora and Fiona cried, dropping all her spells in a panic as they darted forward.


    Aislinn was tossed two feet to the left, tumbling across the ground; the wind took Fiona by shock as a sharp gust pushed her a few meters toward the house.  Catching herself, Fiona applied a shell to combat the force, allowing her to rush unhindered to Aislinn¡¯s side, but Nora was already there, brushing her thick red hair away from their stunned face.


    ¡°What¡ªjust happened?¡±  She mumbled, the world probably still spinning in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mom!¡±  Fiona cried, hovering beside her with worry.  ¡°I¡ªI umm, I didn¡¯t get my spell down fast enough.¡±


    ¡°Spell?¡±


    ¡°Oof,¡± Annie winced, and the soldiers jogged over in case they needed help.


    Her father was quickly by their side, utterly confused as he stared at Nora, helping Aislinn back to her feet.  ¡°Nora?  What ¡­ happened¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay¡ªI¡¯m okay,¡± Aislinn coughed, catching her breath while standing up and composing herself.  ¡°Wow ¡­ that¡¯s was, umm¡ªa shock,¡± she mumbled, brushing her hair back.


    ¡°Dear, Dear,¡± Blinne whispered, taking her hand and guiding her toward the door with a shiver.  ¡°Let¡¯s get you inside and on a couch!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m fine ¡­ who are you?¡±  Aislinn asked, vision centering on the elderly woman as she guided everyone toward the door.


    ¡°Ah, my name¡¯s Blinne N¨ª Suaird, Ms. White, and I¡¯ve had the pleasure of meeting your lovely daughters,¡± she explained, patting her hand as they entered the house.


    Everyone filed in behind them, her father still too stunned to speak as he glanced between them; Theo was the last to enter, closing the door behind him.


    The group filed to the left, sitting on couches as the warmth of the lit fireplace radiated heat, combating the cool air that had entered, and the howl of the wind outside played dully in the background.


    Their father sat in an armchair, concerned wide eyes still locked on Nora.  ¡°Nora ¡­ is that really you?¡±


    Blinne guided Aislinn to a couch, fussing over her to see if there was any damage done as everyone got situated; Nora was the only one that didn¡¯t sit, nervous yellow irises glancing between her parents while rubbing her left arm.  ¡°Umm¡ªyeah, Dad ¡­ it¡¯s me¡­¡±  Her words slowly died as her hands slid down her arms, hugging herself and averting her eyes.


    Water gathered in their father¡¯s eyes as he took a shuddering breath, releasing it in short bursts; his body began to quake, and lurching forward, he wrapped her in his arms, sobbing while repeating her name.  ¡°... Nora ¡­ where did¡ªI looked everywhere¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Daddy ¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Caol¨¢n,¡± Aislinn whispered, focus shifting to her family.  Her lower lip tucking under as she regained her bearings, and after a moment, she rose to join them.


    The three collapsed to the floor, knees unable to support them as they held each other, frames quivering with emotion.


    An empty feeling opened in Fiona¡¯s gut as she hovered above her family and a sad tear fell down her cheek.


    ¡­ I want a hug ¡­ if only I was a little bigger¡­


    Unable to bear it any longer, she hovered down to latch onto Nora¡¯s neck.


    Blinne and the soldiers watched them with soft smiles while watching the reunited family work through their emotions.


    After a few minutes, they all took deep breaths, calming their raging emotions.  After a few sniffs and squeezed hands, they returned to the couch, Blinne moving to an armchair to allow them to sit together.


    ¡°What happened?¡±  Caol¨¢n asked, trying to clean up his puffy red face with the rest of his family.  ¡°Your mother said Fiona was smaller, but ¡­ and you have¡ªcat ears and a tail, Nora?¡±


    ¡°It was The Oscillation,¡± Fiona whispered, drawing everyone¡¯s eye, and she told the tale.


    After she¡¯d finished, everyone was silent, waiting for Aislinn and Caol¨¢n to absorb all the information.


    Caol¨¢n held Nora¡¯s left hand, her left was taken by Aislinn.  The concern had lessened a bit, but their parents¡¯ foreheads were still creased, questions no doubt flooding their brains.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry we didn¡¯t notice,¡± Aislinn replied, sad eyes on her lap.


    Nora shook her head, gripping her hands.  ¡°No ¡­ it¡¯s not your fault.  You aren¡¯t bad parents¡ªthat¡¯s why I blamed myself.  Fiona¡¯s not a bad sister ¡­ I just didn¡¯t stand out, and¡ªand I didn¡¯t know why ¡­ I was just so frustrated, angry ¡­ bitter, but now¡ªI¡¯m just happy to be home.¡±


    Nora¡¯s chest fluttered.  ¡°Thanks for not abandoning me, Mom, Dad¡­¡±


    Tears gathered in everyone¡¯s eyes as Caol¨¢n shook his head.  ¡°No, no, Honey, we¡ªwe could never let you go.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the beat of my heart,¡± Aislinn cried, leaning in to hug her against her breast.


    ¡°Mom ¡­ even if ¡­ I¡¯m not¡ªnot human?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still our daughter,¡± Caol¨¢n whispered, fingers tightening around her hand.  ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to change that, and Fiona¡ªthat goes for you, too ¡­ come here¡­¡±


    Fiona tried to hold back her shakes, floating in to hug his neck as he gently held her; the stiff bristles of his stubble were rough against her body, but the warmth in her heart overpowered the discomfort.


    ¡°What can we do?¡±  Caol¨¢n asked, the vibrations in his throat transferring up Fiona¡¯s body.


    Blinne cleared her throat.  ¡°If I may, Mr. and Ms. White ¡­ I believe they just need your love.  I¡¯ve seen some horrible stories from London and the EU¡ªwe just need a little more compassion, and it looks like that shouldn¡¯t be a problem.  See, Nora?  You have wonderful parents.¡±


    ¡°What about this body,¡± Nora softly asked, bringing her mother¡¯s hand up to press against her chest, ¡°Iuchra Nic C¨¦in ¡­ I stole her body.¡±


    Dale cleared his throat, glancing at Felix and Tori that had remained silent for most of the exchange.  ¡°Felix, get on the phone with the local police and let them know that we¡¯ll be in at noon to discuss the case with the missing corpse.¡±


    He nodded, moving to the kitchen to use their landline, and the Lieutenant turned his focus to Aislinn and Caol¨¢n.  ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I know this is a touching and meaningful moment for your family, but there will be a lot of things we need to set in order.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if Fiona¡¯s told you both yet, but the main reason we¡¯re here is to escort you back to the States where your family has been granted asylum during this turbulent time.  There are accommodations for some of your extended family if that¡¯s a concern with possible job placement if needed.


    ¡°So, with that being said, I suggest we get some rest while we can and handle all these details once we¡¯ve had the chance to rest.¡±


    Fiona hovered back, clearing her throat as they thought on the Marine¡¯s words.  ¡°Umm, Mom, Dad, uh¡ªI¡¯d feel a lot better if you were¡ªwell nearby with what, mmh,¡± she groaned, sliding her fingers through her hair, ¡°this is harder to say than I thought¡­¡±


    ¡°What, Fi?¡±  Nora asked.


    ¡°Well ¡­ umm, I¡¯ve kind of got enemies¡­¡±


    ¡°¡°Enemies?¡±¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡±  Fiona gave her parents a forced smile.  ¡°I was kind of, umm¡ªkidnapped after I changed¡­¡±


    Aislinn and Caol¨¢n¡¯s eyes blanked as they reconciled with the information.


    ¡°What¡­¡±  Her father muttered, features twisting between emotions.  ¡°By who¡ªdid they hurt you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, and umm ¡­ almost all of them are dead, but there¡¯s this Sorceress Legendkin that ¡­ she¡¯s not that good of a person, to say the least, and ¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± she moaned.  ¡°I¡¯m just nervous with you guys being a whole ocean away from me when all this stuff is happening around the world, and ¡­ there¡¯s stuff that I know¡ªclassified government stuff.¡±


    A forced smile lifted her mother¡¯s face.  ¡°I understand, Fi ¡­ we¡¯ll need to set some things in order, but if you¡¯re this concerned, of course, we¡¯ll return with you.  Umm ¡­ some family can join, right?¡±  She asked, directing the question at Dale.


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡±


    Caol¨¢n¡¯s brow furrowed, mind clearing to start questioning the whole situation as his green eyes moved between the soldiers in his house.  ¡°Fi ¡­ why is the U.S. government doing all of this for you?¡±


    Fiona rubbed her elbow, floating back a little so they could see her better.  ¡°Umm¡ªyou know how I told you Mythickin are pretty rare when I told you about The Oscillation, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Well ¡­ it¡¯s like, super rare, and well¡ªI¡¯m friends with a few other Mythickin and we kind of did some big things for the government¡­¡±


    ¡°In short,¡± Dale cleared his throat, ¡°your daughter is seen as a valuable asset to the U.S. government, and has prevented a potentially world-ending crisis.¡±


    Fiona twisted in the air.  ¡°Can you tell them that?¡±  She asked in shock.  ¡°Wait ¡­ you don¡¯t know what happened in there, so how¡­¡±


    Dale lifted a hand as the soldiers gave her eager looks for more detail.  ¡°You¡¯re right, Fiona, we don¡¯t, but General Dallas gave me that information to give your parents in this very circumstance.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ well, I guess it would be a pretty obvious question,¡± Fiona mumbled.


    ¡°World-ending?¡±  Nora whispered.  ¡°You saved the world, Fi?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Annie asked, rubbing her chin while giving her an impressed look.  ¡°Man, I really want to know what went on ¡­ gah, this is all such a tease!¡±


    Her parents were more concerned than dazzled.


    ¡°Will you need to do something like that again?¡±  Aislinn asked.


    Caol¨¢n¡¯s done dropped a little, scooting forward on the couch.  ¡°How dangerous was it?¡±


    Fiona held up her hand, looking away from her parents¡¯ hounding eyes.  ¡°Umm¡ªso ¡­ I think there might be some kind of deal in the works so you guys can learn exactly what I did, but I can¡¯t really say anything about it right now.¡±


    ¡°World-ending, though?¡±  Nora pushed.


    ¡°Yeah¡ªit probably would have been, to be honest,¡± Fiona shrugged.  ¡°It was¡ªoh, umm ¡­ I did it with my friends, Rachel, Maria, and Scarlet.  They¡¯re off with their own families, but we¡¯re going to meet up when we get back.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªdon¡¯t remember those names,¡± Aislinn mumbled.  ¡°Did you talk about them when you visited earlier this week?¡±


    Nora shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t remember them, either ¡­ you haven¡¯t talked about them in your streams, either.¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Fiona shook her head.  ¡°They were the ones that rescued me when I was kidnapped ¡­ both me and Erica.¡±


    ¡°Erica was kidnapped, too?¡±  Her father asked with worry.  ¡°Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s fine!¡±


    Felix re-entered the room, giving Dale a thumbs up to indicate he¡¯d handled his assignment.


    Aislinn¡¯s hand pressed against her heart.  ¡°Thank goodness ¡­ my heart¡¯s beating so fast; how can the whole world change so drastically in only a few days?¡±


    ¡°As I said,¡± Dale interjected, ¡°I think it¡¯s best we call it a night and tackle this in the morning.  I¡¯m sure you four have a lot to talk about.¡±


    ¡°That might be best¡­¡±  Caol¨¢n sighed.  ¡°Fiona, Nora ¡­ would you two sleep in our room tonight?  We can bring your mattresses in.¡±


    Annie jumped in with a giggle.  ¡°Oh, Fiona¡¯s got her own mansion she sleeps in!¡±


    They gave her a questioning look as she dropped down to reveal the dollhouse, wrapped in a plastic bag.


    Fiona forced a chuckle.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ sleeping with things that are roughly normal size to me is just ¡­ kind of comforting.¡±  A shiver ran down her frame.  ¡°I had this nightmare that woke me up yesterday on the plane¡ªI was sleeping by someone, and they rolled over on me.  I¡¯m like ¡­ super, super weak¡ªI¡¯d probably die if someone smacked me with a towel¡ªyeah ¡­ it¡¯s depressing.¡±


    ¡°How can we keep you safe, then?¡±  Aislinn cried.  ¡°What if someone opens a door too quickly and smacks you, or¡ªor a cat sneaks up on you¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom ¡­ Mom!¡±  Fiona frantically waved.  ¡°I have magic¡ªa Wind Shield spell, remember ¡­ you kind of ran into it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll protect you?¡±


    ¡°Well ¡­ it¡¯s an Active and Reactive spell.¡±


    ¡°Which means?¡±  Nora mumbled.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ umm, it means if I¡¯m using it, then it¡¯ll automatically use as much energy as needed to defend me from something¡ªwell ¡­ unless it reaches the damage cap,¡± she whispered under her breath.


    Her father¡¯s shoulders slumped.  ¡°You¡¯re so fragile now ¡­ how do we protect you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡±  Fiona reassured.  ¡°Geez, Mom, Dad, I¡¯m totally a powerhouse!¡±  She grinned, flexing her nonexistent muscles.


    ¡°More like a glass cannon,¡± Nora sighed with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°Nora, I¡¯m fine ¡­ FINE!¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± her father groaned, rising to his feet before frowning at Blinne.  ¡°Umm, Ms. Blinne, was it?¡±


    ¡°Blinne¡¯s fine, Dearie!¡±  The old woman beamed.


    He cleared his throat, giving her a warm smile.  ¡°Blinne ¡­ thank you for everything you did for Nora; really ¡­ thank you.¡±


    ¡°It was my pleasure.¡±


    ¡°How will you get back home?¡±  Aislinn asked.  ¡°If I remember correctly, you brought Nora from Roundstone Harbour Village ¡­ Caol¨¢n could drive you back.¡±


    Fiona piped up.  ¡°I¡¯ll bring her back!  I¡¯m still wide awake, and I need to wind down a bit.  My schedule¡¯s kind of off, too, since Rachel and Scarlet are nocturnal.  Maria ¡­ she manages,¡± she chuckled.


    Blinne nodded, bones creaking as she rose, stretching out her back with a low moan.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ I agree, Fiona.  I think Nora needs both of you here.¡±


    ¡°N-No, I¡¯m ¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡± Nora stammered, putting on a brave face that wasn¡¯t convincing anyone.


    Aislinn gave her youngest daughter a warm smile while pulling her up.  ¡°Okay, my little kitten, let¡¯s get ready for bed.¡±


    ¡°Mom ¡­ little kitten?¡±  Nora blushed, glancing at their company.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she teased, reaching up to scratch behind her left ear and causing it to crease as a low purr escaped her throat before she caught herself.  Her face turned beet-red as she broke away.  ¡°Mom!¡±


    Everyone chuckled as she Aislinn took her hand, guiding her into the hallway.  ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a cat or slime or whatever ¡­ you¡¯re my cute little girl,¡± she giggled.


    Fiona gave a start, flying to her mother to whisper in Nora¡¯s ear.  ¡°What was the name¡ªthe one you mentioned when we talked?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Nora¡¯s features fell, ears pulling back upon muttering the name, ¡°Finghin ¨® Cuilinn.¡±


    She broke away, her mother giving them a curious smirk, probably thinking they were doing something silly.  Returning to Dale, she hovered close to his head, explaining what happened to Iuchra.


    He popped his tongue a few times, motioning over Felix to relay the information to the station.  ¡°Tell them that it might be good to act sooner than later,¡± he muttered, tapping his shoulder.


    Felix nodded with a dark expression.  ¡°Got it.¡±


    Fiona watched Felix go with a slight frown, vision shifting to Tori, and she diverted eye contact; she still hadn¡¯t fully forgiven them for doubting her, but her attention soon went to Blinne as she hobbled over.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready whenever you are ¡­ Mr. White¡­¡±


    Her father¡¯s focus moved from the soldiers to the elderly woman, frown turning into a thankful smile.  ¡°Call me Caol¨¢n.  What can I do for you?¡±


    She licked her lips, shooting a worried glance at the hallway.  ¡°I¡¯ve never met the C¨¦in family, but I heard of them ¡­ their home in Roundstone Harbour Village is their second home; they come for vacations.  Of course, I heard the news¡ªit¡¯s a small village, and I connected the dots after a bit.  Would you like me to explain things to them before Nora gets there?  It might help smooth things over ¡­ she¡¯s been through a lot already, and this isn¡¯t her fault.¡±


    Her father looked conflicted.  ¡°If I reverse the roles ¡­ it would be hard ¡­ seemingly impossible to reconcile with it, but ¡­ maybe that might help.  Thank you for all your help, Blinne ¡­ you¡¯ve helped my¡ªI can¡¯t express how thankful I am.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ your little girl reminds me a little of myself when I was younger ¡­ struggling with who I really was,¡± Blinne whispered.  ¡°I¡¯m happy to support you and your wife ¡­ you really have a special family.¡±


    She cleared her throat.  ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll see what I can do about Mr. and Ms. C¨¦in.¡±


    Dale stepped closer, drawing both adults¡¯ attention.  ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, it might be worth noting that Nora¡¯s identified the murderer.¡±


    ¡°Murder,¡± her father muttered.  ¡°It wasn¡¯t an accidental death?¡±


    He shook his head, and Fiona¡¯s ears fell a little as she empathized with the dead girl.  ¡°No ¡­ Nora told me it was one of the family¡¯s closest friends.¡±


    Blinne¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Closest friends ¡­ it isn¡¯t¡ªwas it Finghin ¨® Cuilinn?¡±  She gasped, hand pressing against her mouth in disbelief.


    Dale breathed out a groan.  ¡°You know the guy?¡±


    The elderly woman¡¯s eyes went out of focus.  ¡°It is ¡­ I would have never guessed.  He¡¯s ¡­ there have been missing persons in the National Park for years ¡­ could all of that¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll let the local authorities handle it, but as Nora is the most solid witness you could have ¡­ it goes without saying ¡­ in this new world, the dead can tell their stories.¡±


    Blinne¡¯s shoulders sagged.  ¡°That¡¯s horrifying ¡­ I¡¯ve known him since he was a boy.¡±


    Her father bit his lower lip, shaking his head with disgust.  ¡°Taking away a man¡¯s daughter ¡­ nothing could satisfy that ¡­ those poor parents.¡±


    They stood in silence, contemplating what they¡¯d found themselves in the middle of and the monster The Oscillation had revealed.


    After a time, her father gave the soldiers permission to bunker down in the front room while keeping watch, and retired to bed, kissing Fiona on the forehead.


    Fiona topped off with sugar before returning the elderly woman to her car.  Ignoring her protests, she followed her back to her house to ensure she was safe, giving her a Wind Shield to support her upon getting out.


    Her journey back home was quick; Nora and her mother had set up her dollhouse with Annie¡¯s help.  Nora and Aislinn laughed while helping her prepare for bed.


    ¡°Man ¡­ clean the sink of hair, Mom!¡±  Fiona mumbled, looking down at the red strands in her warm pool.  ¡°Are you going bald or something?¡±  She giggled, and without warning, a handful of water drenched her; the weight sent her tumbling into the pool, floundering.


    The dampened noise increased as hands reached in to pull her out, Nora¡¯s soft laughter following.


    ¡°N-Nora!  I could have drowned!¡±  She sputtered.  ¡°I can¡¯t breath underwater¡­¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡±


    Her mother¡¯s impish tittering made Fiona¡¯s mouth drop open.  ¡°Mom ¡­ you did that?¡±


    Aislinn smirked, glancing left.  ¡°Hey ¡­ I had to retaliate; my pride was on the line!¡±


    ¡°Aww ¡­ my clothes are soaked now,¡± Fiona mumbled, peeling her hair out of her face.


    ¡°No magic to help you?¡±  Nora pestered with a grin.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve got plenty of magic!¡±  Fiona said, hair and irises flashing deep blue as she created a ten-gallon glob of water over her mother¡¯s head, water still dripping off Fiona¡¯s feet.  ¡°Muhahaha!¡±


    ¡°Fiona¡­¡±  Her mother warned, stepping back with a raised eye.


    ¡°I got you, Mom!¡±  Nora called, jumping into the air while turning into a gelatinous blob to swallow the water before returning to her human form with a wink.


    Fiona¡¯s mouth dropped open with disbelief as her sister winked, giving her a victory sign.  ¡°Team Mom wins!¡±


    ¡°Not fair!  Who¡¯s on my side?¡±


    ¡°Dad, duh,¡± Nora replied, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°Wha¡ªhe¡¯s not even here!¡±


    Their dad appeared by the open door.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    They all turned to him, Fiona¡¯s cheeks puffing up.  ¡°Dad, get Mom!¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªwhat?¡±


    His eyes widened as Aislinn¡¯s smile widened, darting forward to tackle him.  He stumbled back in shock, falling upon the bed as she pinned his arms down, sitting atop his chest.  ¡°We win again, Nora!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awesome, Mom!¡±


    ¡°Dad!  Fight back ¡­ we¡¯re losing!¡±  Fiona growled, using Levitate to lift her mother up.


    ¡°Wha ¡­ I¡¯m floating?¡±  Their mother questioned, spinning in the air as she tried keeping her night-shirt from falling down.


    ¡°Fi, that¡¯s cheating!¡±  Nora growled.


    Her father¡¯s grin turned curious.  ¡°Oh, is that what we¡¯re doing?  A little lower, Fi!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Aislinn giggled as Caol¨¢n caught her in a princess carry.


    Their father gave her the smolder.  ¡°Well, my Queen, would you consider joining my side?¡±


    ¡°Hey, cheap, cheap, you can¡¯t do that!¡±  Nora called, face turning red as she darted to their side, Fiona hovering on the opposite shoulder, still dripping wet.  ¡°Mom, you can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fiona cackled maniacally.   ¡°Join the dark side, Mother; we have sugar and chocolates!¡±


    ¡°Oh, dear,¡± Aislinn laughed.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nora ¡­ you know I¡¯m a sucker for chocolate and princess carries.¡±


    ¡°No, fight, fight!¡±  Nora encouraged.


    ¡°Would you like a massage, my lady?¡±  Caol¨¢n asked with a questioning hum.


    Aislinn¡¯s green eyes sparkled.  ¡°Oh, yes, please, take me!  I¡¯m so sorry, Dear, but I¡¯ve been converted!¡±


    ¡°Nooo¡­¡±  Nora cried, calling to her knees.  ¡°We were so close to winning!¡±


    They all burst into laughter.


    Their father made true with his promise, playing their mother like a violin as she moaned with pleasure, strong hands working out the knots in her back and neck while Nora helped Fiona finish washing up.


    Sleep soon followed, allowing them to rest as a family for the first time in two years.


    Fiona stretched on her small bed, throwing off her sheets.  She put on a robe and exited her dollhouse to check on her family; she was the first awake.


    ¡°Aww, cute..:¡±  A smile brightened her lips.  Her mother was holding Nora with their father¡¯s arms wrapped around their mother¡¯s waist.


    They¡¯d prepped the night before, allowing Fiona to use her parents¡¯ bathroom to get ready for the afternoon; it was 1 P.M.


    She put on a navy blue and white striped skirt, sleeveless-shirt, blue undergarments, and completed the outfit with strap-heels.  She spent the next thirty minutes watching her family, pondering on all the crazy things that had happened over the past week.


    Her father stirred first, causing the others to slowly wake, but Fiona half-felt like Nora was faking it to stay in their mother¡¯s arms.


    Aislinn yawned, adjusting her bound hair while getting up.  ¡°Oh, Nora ¡­ you¡¯re so warm.  I felt like I had a heating blanket on me.  It was so nice.¡±


    Nora giggled.  ¡°It¡¯s this fur,¡± she stated, showing them she could retract and grow it at will.


    ¡°No shedding around the house, then?¡±  Fiona baited with a devilish grin.  ¡°Brion sheds enough!¡±


    Nora smirked, not taking the snare.  ¡°Oh?  How is Brion?  I haven¡¯t seen him since he was a kitten.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen him?  I post pictures all the time!  He even has a stream window of his own ¡­ he has like twelve subscriptions,¡± she giggled.  ¡°People want him to have the expensive food¡ªhe¡¯s a spoiled boy.¡±


    ¡°As he should be,¡± Aislinn chuckled.  ¡°Okay¡ªup I go,¡± she grunted, scooting out from between her husband and daughter.  ¡°Shoot,¡± she groaned, rubbing her shoulders.  ¡°Is it just me, Dear, or are we getting old?¡±


    ¡°You certainly don¡¯t look it, Mom!¡±  Fiona chimed.


    Caol¨¢n snapped his fingers, pointing at her, ¡°You can say that again!¡±


    ¡°Gorgeous, right, Dad?¡±  Fiona winked.


    ¡°Dazzling!¡±


    ¡°Lovely!¡±


    Nora¡¯s ears twitched, getting in on the game.  ¡°Elegant!¡±


    ¡°Beautiful¡­¡±  Caol¨¢n whispered, crawling to the edge of the bed to kiss her.


    Aislinn returned a kiss, getting up while spinning in a circle.  ¡°You three make me feel twenty again.¡±


    ¡°¡°Love you!¡±¡±  Fiona and Nora called as their parents entered the bathroom together to get ready.


    They went to the Garda station to give their statements; it had snowed a few inches through the night, layering the town with a soft blanket of white, but thankfully, the wind had died down.


    When they arrived, they found out that the Gardai made the arrest the night before with the information provided by the Marines, and Nora identified the man behind tinted glass, detailing the event to a state psychologist in the area.


    Nora was nervous, but with some support, she managed to make it through the session, and the report of her transformation, fears, and what she¡¯d learned was sent to the government.  A State official contacted her soon after, hoping to talk about staying in Ireland, but Nora quickly rejected it, wanting to stay with her family, promptly ending that discussion.


    Due to the strange circumstances, it took a bit of explaining to get the District Court Judge to issue a warrant, but the Gardai managed it instead with the Peace Commissioner.


    The raid on his house started as Fiona, Nora, and her parents flew to meet the C¨¦in family; they¡¯d been given the information by the Gardai after confirming with the C¨¦in that it was alright to give their address.


    They landed in front of the house, Nora holding onto her father¡¯s arm.


    ¡°You okay?¡±  Caol¨¢n asked, and her grip tightened.


    ¡°Kind of ¡­ it¡¯s just¡ªI could act like their daughter, and they probably couldn¡¯t tell the difference ¡­ I just feel a little¡ªit¡¯s just strange.¡±


    They¡¯d talked about what would happen if they refused to consent to her using their daughter¡¯s appearance; the U.S. Military would provide a person that had donated their bodies for science.


    The family took a deep breath, releasing a long stream of condensation before knocking on the door.


    A haggard-looking man and woman opened the door, wearing forced smiles; their eyes didn¡¯t leave Nora, making her ears twitch.


    Mr. C¨¦in licked his dry lips, and Ms. C¨¦in¡¯s body started to quiver, chest convulsing, but she managed to keep herself from breaking down as her husband welcomed them in.


    They entered the guest sitting room to the left; there weren¡¯t many words exchanged, causing the tense atmosphere to press in on them, and Fiona didn¡¯t want to push the clearly hurting couple.


    Smacking his dry lips, Mr. C¨¦in gave a short laugh, tears falling down his cheek.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to lie ¡­ I feel like I¡¯m losing my mind ¡­ you sure you aren¡¯t our Iuchra?¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Ms. C¨¦in choked, clearing her throat as her face turned blue.


    ¡°Breath,¡± her husband prompted.  ¡°Just breath¡­¡±


    ¡°What happened to our girl?¡±  She cried, tears falling down her cheeks.  ¡°I¡ªshe was supposed to¡ªI was going to watch her run today ¡­ so much I wanted to say¡­¡±


    ¡°Left unsaid,¡± Mr. C¨¦in mumbled, chest fluttering.  ¡°You look just like her ¡­ even with all those changes she¡ªher face ¡­ why did this happen?  We were told ¡­ Finghin did this to our daughter,¡± she shook his head.


    Tears were in Nora¡¯s own eyes.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I¡¯m not really Iuchra.  My name¡¯s Nora White, and umm¡ªI¡¯m just so sorry.  She loved you¡ªshe loved you so much.¡±


    Their faces turned red, unable to take their eyes off Nora as Caol¨¢n and Aislinn held her hand.


    ¡°Why can you hold your daughter¡¯s hand, but¡ªbut we can¡¯t?¡±  Ms. C¨¦in cried.  ¡°Did he hate us ¡­ was it about money¡ªwhy would he take our daughter from us?¡±


    Nora shook her head.  ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know ¡­ I know Iuchra would be confused and hurt, too.¡±


    Mr. C¨¦in took several deep breaths, using a handkerchief to clean his cheeks.  ¡°Just so¡ªso we can be certain ¡­ could you please show us that¡ªthat you aren¡¯t Iuchra, and explain¡ªwe just want an explanation.¡±


    Nora looked down at her lap; Fiona, Caol¨¢n, and Aislinn helped her through the experience as she recounted everything she¡¯d gone through since The Oscillation, much of it spilling out in a jumbled mess, but once she finished, everyone was in tears.


    The broken parents across from them seemed numb, defeated.


    ¡°I hoped ¡­ just a little¡­¡±  Mr. C¨¦in mumbled, and after some silence, he took an audible breath, face hardening.  ¡°Thank you, Nora White¡­¡±  His puffy red cold eyes moved between their parents, ¡°Ms. White, Mr. White ¡­ keep your daughters close ¡­ can I ask you a question, Nora?¡±


    A lump dropped down Nora¡¯s throat, but she nodded.


    ¡°You know our daughter ¡­ inside and out because of this change, correct?¡±


    Nora nervously licked her lips.  ¡°Not perfectly¡ªbut a lot about her, yes.¡±


    ¡°Then¡ªwould she be willing to allow you to use her body?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s arms tightened under her chest, biting her lower lip as she held her breath.


    Nora¡¯s sad yellow eyes lifted, moving between the grieving couple across from her.  ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t think she¡¯d be fully on-board with it ¡­ she¡¯d want to live¡ªto run.¡±


    The C¨¦in¡¯s vision fell to the table between them, and a tortured smile lifted their lips.


    ¡°She would, wouldn¡¯t she?¡±


    Ms. C¨¦in¡¯s lips were tight, having been almost entirely silent for the conversation.  Lifting her eyes, she gave her a warm smile.  ¡°Please do that for her ¡­ live on and¡ªrun ¡­ maybe I¡¯m not thinking straight, but ¡­ I feel like she might have liked you, Nora ¡­ please treat her body well¡ªwe loved our daughter.¡±


    ¡°So much¡­¡±


    They shared in tears, and the C¨¦in shared stories about their past, Nora chipping in to help ease their pains with what memories she¡¯d absorbed.


    It was eleven P.M. when they left; the couple¡¯s grief had been dealt with, and now they sought to find justice for their daughter.


    Aislinn shivered, but not from the cold as they returned home.  ¡°I can¡¯t imagine¡­¡±


    Their father just shook his head, eyes still puffy and red from the whole experience.  ¡°I love you three.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too, Daddy,¡± Nora whispered, and Fiona moved her parents and sister toward each other to embrace.


    ¡°Just count my fairy hug,¡± Fiona replied, choking back her tears.  ¡°Oh, no ¡­ don¡¯t get emotional, you stupid Fairy ¡­ don¡¯t lose control of the magic.¡±


    They chuckled through the flaring emotions, and Fiona carried them back home to make preparations to move the following day; the Military Moving Company would be arriving, and they made plans to bring both pairs of grandparents and their mother¡¯s sister and her son.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 52. The Drums Of War

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Maria Espinar (our Sunlit Unicorn takes the stage at last!  What will her few days be like?)


    Recap: We wrapped up Fiona''s chapters, had a touching reunion, put a murderer behind bars, and put two families on the path to recovery!  Fiona managed to get her family welcomed back to the U.S., and now they''re in the process of setting everything up to move!


    Now, we pick up with Maria where we left off with her, back at the end of the Crystal Event ... O_o man, that feels like forever ago!  We''ve gotten through a lot of things, though.  Some things people liked and some people didn''t, but we soldier on!  Let''s set the stage for our Unicorn!


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Henry Bessuille, Nolan Phanlen, Dairyman, ShotoGun, Frostbutt, and my other Patrons!


    Maria split up with Fiona shortly after the Marine team came to escort her off, and to the Unicorn¡¯s amusement, her military entourage guided her to a pretty sleek black private jet.


    She hummed as she boarded the vehicle, settling into one of the very comfy white seats inside; the interior setup was something out of a movie.


    Her silver irises moved to the single military personnel that sat across from her; besides the pilot, he was the only one that had joined her.


    The African American man was decorated in a formal military outfit with metals and rainbows bars peppering random locations that only told Maria he was someone important.


    His solid frame and strong face instantly put Maria on guard, and he was well over eight inches taller than her, which didn¡¯t help with his stern appearance.  The man gave off the intense vibes of the strict military father.


    A sharp shiver ran down her spine as the vehicle¡¯s warm temperature began to ease the chilling she¡¯d experienced from the harsh weather outside that had assaulted her.  ¡°Dammit ¡­ why¡¯s it so friggin¡¯ cold in Montana ¡­ shit¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond right away, cooly observing her.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ so¡­¡±  Maria cleared her throat before crossing her legs; her vision moved to the empty seats.  ¡°Wussup with me getting the fancy ride while my homies get those huge ass birds?  Ah, yo, that uniform, too¡ªexpectin¡¯ to go to a party or somethin¡¯ ¡®cause, uh¡ªyeah, I ain¡¯t got a dress, ya know?¡±  She joked with a forced laugh.


    The man calmly folded his hands across his lap, face as serious as she¡¯d expect out of someone dressed for the occasion.  ¡°My name is Master Sergeant Zawnt¨¦ Clay, and I have been tasked with overseeing your itinerary for the next few days.¡±


    ¡°Woah,¡± Maria leaned back in her seat with a small smirk, ¡°okay, okay ¡­ so, you¡¯re some bigshot.  How did you get stuck with Unicorn detail, hehe?¡±


    Clay¡¯s eyebrow twitched.  ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand the level of security clearance you¡¯ve been granted, Ms. Espinar.  To put it bluntly, you will be making statements and appearing before millions, if not hundreds of millions of people, and your words will be carried throughout the world.¡±


    A lump dropped down Maria¡¯s throat as she averted her eyes, releasing another forced chuckle.  ¡°Damn ¡­ killjoy, shit.  Okay, got it, got it ¡­ yeah, the whole spark of hope thing that general dude was talkin¡¯ about¡­¡±


    ¡°General Tom Dallas,¡± Clay articulately stated, ¡°has tasked me with your safety and to prepare you for the burden ahead of you.¡±


    ¡°Nice¡­¡± Maria groaned, tone speaking volumes.


    A frown touched the man¡¯s dark eyes as the jet prepared to take off, and the pilot asked them to strap in through the speakers.  They both complied, and the plane moved to the runway.


    ¡°Do you know what you will be doing or why you are on this plane?¡±


    Maria shrugged, glancing at the window as they flew down the strip, and she could feel the weight of their rapid acceleration press against her chest.  ¡°Healing people, talkin¡¯ on camera ¡­ sound about right?¡±


    ¡°More than that¡­¡±


    Clay sighed, waiting for them to stabilize in the air before continuing.


    Maria happily basked in the sound of the jet as they took to the air, but as was all good things, the man¡¯s silence didn¡¯t last, and his deep voice returned.


    ¡°We will be making a short stop in Seattle to meet someone, and there are a lot of victims from the Vampire attack, among other things that you will be helping with.¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±  Maria¡¯s lips brightened.  ¡°What kind of people we gettin¡¯?  They know how to crack a joke, huh?  ¡­ ?Porque, maldita sea, est¨¢s r¨ªgido!¡±


    [Because, damn, you¡¯re stiff!]


    ¡° ¡­ Some of the people that General Dallas contacted in order to meet your demands, and that is why we are in this jet.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ you talkin¡¯ about those big business types? Hmm ¡­ I can smell the green; aye, yo, lighten up, Tipo!  We¡¯ll have a good time, you¡¯ll see!¡±


    [Dude]


    ¡°All I know is that they are people the General knew would be interested in doing business with you.¡±


    ¡°Sweet.  Yeah, I¡¯m down with that.  So, uh¡ªhow long ¡®till we get there?¡±  Maria asked, bending down to check one of the cupboards.  She was growing a bit exasperated by his full-on business-type attitude.


    ¡°Not long.  This jet travels close to the speed of sound.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, crazy!¡±  Maria took out a bag of potato chips inside before popping the seal and helping herself.  ¡°Okay¡ªwhat happens after we do all that stuff?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll meet with a news station in Oregon before we head to California, where you¡¯ll heal more people in hospitals and relief shelters, do another interview, and then we¡¯ll go from there.¡±


    ¡°Not much of an¡ªitinerary,¡± Maria commented, popping chips into her mouth.  ¡°By the way, uh¡ªthat means like a plan, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes ¡­ things might be changed, depending on how the interview turns out.¡±


    ¡°Huh ¡­ well, okay.¡±


    Maria groaned when the pilot said they could take off their seat belts, using the opportunity to shrug off her thick coat.


    She pulled at the front of her shirt, releasing some of the tension on her chest that the soldier was causing; the icy flower between her breasts shifted a little.  On Fiona¡¯s suggestion, she¡¯d cut some of her hair and wound it around the object to act as a sort of necklace since her white-lilac locks seemed to suppress the flower.


    Clay shifted his posture, crossing his legs while glaring at her; Maria was growing more than a little annoyed with the man, and she tried focusing on her chips to distract herself, but it didn¡¯t help for long.


    ¡°Aye, what?¡±  She snapped.  ¡°Got a problem?¡±


    ¡°What shouldn¡¯t you talk about?¡±


    Wiping her fingers on her dark gray sweats, Maria scratched the side of her head with irritation.  ¡°I ain¡¯t stupid ¡­ I know I ain¡¯t supposed to mention the whole crystal thing.¡±


    The man didn¡¯t flinch.  ¡°What else?¡±


    Maria¡¯s jaw snapped shut, and she leaned to the side with a sour expression.  The man didn¡¯t elaborate.  ¡°The hell you mean, what else?  That¡¯s it.  Don¡¯t spill the beans on the whole other world shit.¡±


    ¡°How did you know I knew of that event?¡±  Clay calmly asked.


    Maria¡¯s eyebrows shot up.  ¡°Eh¡­¡±


    Damn ¡­ shit.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t, but assumed I did, correct?¡±


    Her lips fell into a grimace.  ¡°Aye, that¡¯s playin¡¯ dirty ¡­ yeah, okay, I did just assume it.  Do you know¡­¡±


    ¡°I do ¡­ what would you have done if I didn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡±  Maria¡¯s tongue pressed against her teeth as she scratched her cheek, took a deep breath, and expelled it in a hiss.  ¡°You caught me slippin¡¯ ¡­ okay, it won¡¯t happen again.¡±  She reached around her left shoulder to shift her bra strap.  ¡°Damn ¡­ tryin¡¯ ta trip me up and shit¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think those news anchors or reporters will go easy on you?¡±


    ¡°... aye, I get your point.¡±


    ¡°Where did you come from?¡±


    ¡°... An airport.¡±


    ¡°Which?¡±


    ¡°... Shit, I don¡¯t know the name of the damn place,¡± Maria growled, running her hand through her hair.  ¡°Damn, what¡¯s up with all the questions?¡±


    Clay was notably frustrated.  ¡°You aren¡¯t getting what I¡¯m saying, Ms. Espinar.  Do you not think you will be asked these questions?¡±


    ¡°Aye, okay¡ªbut it¡¯s not like I¡¯m gonna snitch, okay!  I don¡¯t know why you don¡¯t think I can keep my mouth shut?  Look ¡­ I ain¡¯t goin¡¯ to blow the lid, got it?¡±


    ¡°Tell me about your brother.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°... Fine, okay¡ªanother test, huh?  Uh ¡­ he¡¯s got a big heart, ya know?  He be checkin¡¯ up on all the folks and¡ªI don¡¯t know, he¡¯s my lil¡¯ hermono.  What do ya wanna know?  Damn, be gettin¡¯ all personal and shit¡­¡±


    ¡°What kind of questions do you think they¡¯re going to ask you?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± Maria sucked on her lower lip as she thought about it.  ¡°Like ¡­ what¡¯s it like bein¡¯ a Unicorn, or, eh ¡­ yo, how many people you healin¡¯.  Right?  How the hell should I know?¡±


    ¡°Exactly ¡­ what do you think the purpose of a news organization is in today¡¯s world?¡±


    Maria lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°... News, duh ¡­ it¡¯s in the name, Tipo.¡±


    [Dude]


    Clay slowly shook his head.  ¡°News organizations are businesses ¡­ they are in the business of netting their station or site views or clicks.  What¡¯s the best way to get that, reporting boring facts about a situation?  No ¡­ you need to be very careful about how you respond.¡±


    ¡°Huh?  So ¡­ wait, you¡¯re saying that news is a business?¡±  Maria asked, eyes widening.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  For the first time, Clay seemed puzzled.  Leaning back, he gave her a calculated look.  ¡°Have you ever watched the news?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ why would I?  I ain¡¯t got time for that shit ¡­ I¡¯m too busy takin¡¯ care of my people¡­¡±


    Maria trailed off, thinking hard on the revelation.  ¡°Aye, yo, so ¡­ if they¡¯re all about clicks and all, then ¡­ they need somethin¡¯ to catch people¡¯s attention, right?¡±


    ¡°Naturally.¡±


    ¡°So, hmm ¡­ if I was coverin¡¯ a local drug lord, and I wanted everyone to get in on it, then ¡­ I¡¯d be tryin¡¯ to get all his dirt.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ I guess,¡± Clay mumbled, trying to work through her comparison.  ¡°Look ¡­ I expect these news agencies to spin you into a story that will get the most traffic ¡­ what¡¯s always playing on the news?¡±


    ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t watch that shit!¡±  Maria grumbled, glaring out of the window.


    ¡°Right ¡­ if you were to combine everything the media plays, then it¡¯s almost all negative.  Turn on any channel¡ªmake a game out of it, and try to find something positive.  If you compare both sides ¡­ it¡¯s always something bad because that¡¯s what brings in the money.¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°Aye, makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Right, and so, what will they do?  More than not, the person interviewing you has already selected very carefully crafted questions to get specific details about you that will generate them the most money.  Meaning, they¡¯ll attempt to put you into a sequence of corners by accusing you of various forms of misbehavior.¡±


    A dark frown moved Maria¡¯s lips.  ¡°Woah, woah, hombre, what the hell does that mean ¡­ they¡¯ll try to make me look like a fool and judge me?¡±


    ¡°In a manner of speaking, yes.  It¡¯s a reporter¡¯s job to select the things they might ask about you in some manner that doesn¡¯t indicate a substantive bias ¡­ however, what is expected and the results don¡¯t often match up.  And as I stated previously, almost anything they ask will be negative¡­¡±


    He paused before regaining his poised demeanor.  ¡°You¡¯ve been in the military¡¯s care.  Have you not?¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Maria shifted uncomfortably, ¡°I¡¯m not liking how this whole shit sounds now.  Damn, so, uh ¡­ you¡¯re actin¡¯ like an interviewer to prep me?¡±


    He nodded, and she folded her arms under her chest, trying to think through her response to not look like a fool, but he spoke before she¡¯d gathered her thoughts.


    ¡°They¡¯ll comment on how you sit, the words you use, and the attitude you present.  Right now, you¡¯re not giving the cameras a good look.¡±


    ¡°Aye, give me a moment, shit ¡­ eh ¡­ okay, so smile, right?¡±  She said, forcing her lips into place.  ¡°I, uh ¡­ how do you know that?¡±


    ¡°Asking a question?  Please, Ms. Espinar, this is an interview, and the U.S. Army reached out to our station to obtain this meeting.  Didn¡¯t they let you know?¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ shit.  Okay, yeah, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Please refrain from cursing on-air, Ms. Espinar.  Now, could you answer the original question?  You were in the military¡¯s care, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±  Maria grunted.


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ what have you been doing for the military?¡±


    ¡°Uh, healing, mostly ¡­ I mean, there¡¯s a lot of people that got hurt from that Vampire attack, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ the Seattle Massacre.  Can you tell me why you think Mythickin should be allowed to roam free after such an incident?¡±


    Maria¡¯s arms tightened around her abdomen.  ¡°Wait ¡­ what are you sayin¡¯¡ªI should be locked up?  That¡¯s stupid, I didn¡¯t do that sh¡ªstuff.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve gotten reports that you took part in what some stations are calling the Miami Massacre ¡­ how is that not related?¡±


    Maria stiffened.  ¡°Eh ¡­ huh?  No, no, I didn¡¯t kill anyone¡­¡±


    Clay leaned forward with narrowed eyes.  ¡°Perhaps not, but you were involved with Mythickin that did, and did nothing to stop it.  How can you justify that, and do you think Mythickin are dangerous after so many tens of thousands have been killed by them?¡±


    ¡°Tens of ¡­ what the hell kind of question is that?¡±  Maria growled.  ¡°Yo, they don¡¯t know about that Miami shit, right?¡±


    A long puff of air shot through Clay¡¯s lips.  ¡°I told the General you weren¡¯t ready for interviews after reviewing your file.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I¡¯m just sayin¡¯ ¡­ what¡¯s up with those questions, huh?  It¡¯s like you wanna set it off, throwin¡¯ around shit like that!¡±  She fumed.


    ¡°You can¡¯t lie.  Correct?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t have to respond!¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ you¡¯ll just sit there with a dumb look on your face ¡­ granted, it¡¯s beautiful, but that won¡¯t save you from the criticism, and the image the General wants to instill with the public will be thrown in the gutter.  Do you realize that you¡¯re supposed to be the model image of Mythickin for the entire United States?¡±


    It was as if cold water had been dumped on her head.  ¡°Huh ¡­ woah, what?¡±


    ¡°Yes ¡­ you are supposed to be the healing hand that mends the hearts of everyone affected and terrified of Mythickin.  You don¡¯t think that these reporters and anchors have bias and their own career objectives in mind?  They¡¯re waiting to crucify you.¡±


    Maria couldn¡¯t respond, mind pulling in as she thought on the Master Sargent¡¯s words.


    Clearing her throat, Maria took a deep breath.  ¡°Alright ¡­ shit, I get it.  How do I not fall on my face?¡±  An itch formed at her temple, and she scratched it with prejudice.  ¡°How do I respond to somethin¡¯ like that ¡­ ¡®cause I wanted to punch your face in ¡­ tellin¡¯ me I should be put in a cage ¡­ screw that¡­¡±


    A smile lit the man¡¯s face.  ¡°We can start with that ¡­ you can get angry, in fact, it¡¯ll be good to show that, but ¡­ it needs to be controlled.  For instance, call them out on their BS, and ask why they aren¡¯t talking about all the lives you save.  Pull up a few examples to direct the conversation into a positive light rather than dwelling on all the negative stuff happening around the world.¡±


    Swallowing a hard lump in her throat, Maria¡¯s thighs tightened against each other as she imagined what these circling sharks might ask if Clay was just warming her up.  ¡°What if they ¡­ ya know, keep pushin¡¯?¡±


    Clay hummed softly.  ¡°It depends on how far they push, but one direction I could see the journalist heading is a negative to positive narrative swap¡­


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re not going to have a debate on journalism, but if a journalist doesn¡¯t ask the tough questions, then how can you give good answers?


    ¡°What would you say in response?¡±


    Maria bit her lip.  ¡°Uh ¡­ it just sounds like you¡¯re accusing me of all this bad stuff, ya know?  I don¡¯t like it, kay?¡±


    ¡°Mmh, I¡¯d respond ¡­ it depends on what the tough questions are.  For context, how did you come by this question?¡±


    Maria sank in her chair with a low groan.


    The rest of the flight to Seattle was filled with her getting schooled by the Master Sargent while trying to prepare her for the event, and she breathed a sigh of relief when they finally stepped off of the jet.


    A limo met them, and two men with matching suits promptly stood outside of it; to Maria, they looked like private security.


    The temperature was notably warmer than Montana, but still far too cold for the shivering Unicorn.  Maria rubbed her jacket sleeves as she followed Clay to the vehicle; she didn¡¯t want to do the interviews anymore, but it was a part of the deal, and the pressure hit her chest as the conversation went on.


    The warmth of the rising sun helped calm her nerves, but that only lasted a moment between the plane and limousine.


    Two more men were waiting inside the vehicle; the Sargent Master and one of the guards joined them.


    One man was in his late fifties while the other was in his sixties, and both had their eyes firmly fixed on her.


    The elder gentlemen reached out his hand as Maria managed her hair while settling in.  ¡°My name is Paul Reed, and my associate is Dr. Wilson Jasper.¡±


    Maria hesitantly took his outstretched hand as the car began moving without direction.


    ¡°Hey ¡­ uh, you must be some of those dudes General Dallas talked about,¡± she commented, remembering the general¡¯s name after Clay had mentioned it so many times on the way over.


    Both men smiled at her response.


    ¡°That we are,¡± Reed chuckled.  ¡°I must say ¡­ the vision before me is not what I expected.¡±


    Maria forced a laugh.  ¡°What, a big horse?¡±


    ¡°Mmh, not a woman with such an exquisite appearance ¡­ that¡¯s for sure.  However, your manner of speaking is ¡­ nevermind, that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here.  No, let me get to the point ¡­ business.¡±


    His eyes sharpened, and Maria glanced at Clay, but he was seemingly not even listening to the conversation as he passively looked out of the window.


    ¡°Uh-huh ¡­ what did you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you, Ms. Espinar ¡­ the appearance of all these magical healers has caused ¡­ let¡¯s just call it an upset within the medical community.¡±


    Understanding that she was getting over her head with how pointed Clay had been on the plane ride over, Maria nodded.  ¡°That bad?¡±  She sighed, playing with a lock of her hair.  ¡°Look, all I wanted to do was make a lil¡¯ money to get things movin¡¯ for my people.  It¡¯s rough on the streets, ya know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t, to be frank,¡± Reed frowned, ¡°and I wouldn¡¯t pretend to.¡±


    Maria was a little shocked by his honesty, and she could feel the seriousness in his voice.  ¡°Right now, we are heading to a hospital ¡­ a very expensive private hospital, caring for my grandson, which is why I¡¯m here with you right now.  I¡¯ve already tried other magical healers over the past two days, and ¡­ I¡¯m willing to put my full support behind the person that can support him.¡±


    The force pressing against Maria¡¯s chest increased; this wasn¡¯t a game to this man, and she could feel the intensity in his tone.


    ¡°I can see that you¡¯re starting to get nervous, and that¡¯s completely understandable, but I don¡¯t think you grasp the war you¡¯re stepping in front of.¡±


    ¡°Add it to the list,¡± Maria muttered, hands tightly pressed against her stomach.


    Dr. Jasper cleared his throat.  ¡°Please, Mr. Reed, let¡¯s give the girl the chance to breathe.  I¡¯m sure this entire week has been nothing but stress for her.¡±


    Maria released a pent up lake of air, giving the doctor a forced smile.  ¡°Damn ¡­ for real, though.  Takin¡¯ pictures for some company is a lot less stressful that all this interview shit comin¡¯ up ¡­ like damn.  I just thought I¡¯d heal a few people and be done with all this business.¡±


    The cabinet became silent as both Reed and Jasper thought silently on her statement.


    ¡°Ms. Espinar,¡± Reed gave her a calculated stare.


    ¡°Sup?¡±  She mumbled, shifting in her seat a little to stare at him; she felt less intimidated by guns pointed in her face than how this trip was turning out.


    ¡°Do you understand that you¡¯ve basically just made yourself the face of politicians taking on Big Pharma and the entire medical industry?  You are representing a new field that is threatening an extremely powerful, global monopoly that only had small-time herbal remedies from local shops to contend with.


    ¡°Word is already beginning to spread to these company shareholders and patent owners of this alarming new wave that will cripple their livelihood.  Doctors will be put out of a job, yet still, they¡¯ll be forced to pay for the extravagant debts they expected to return with interest ¡­ they went into the field believing they¡¯d make enough to pay that back.


    ¡°For instance, in Venezuela, an example of what happens when an industry or economy goes through rapid upheaval¡ªyou¡¯re looking at a doctor making barely enough to put food in front of him and his family, and that was without competition within the¡­¡±


    Clay spoke up, interpreting it in a way she could understand.  ¡°In other words ¡­ what would you do if someone threatened your neighborhood or your means to take care of your little brother?¡±


    Maria¡¯s fists tightened against her thighs.  ¡°... You¡¯re sayin¡¯ ¡­ even my family could be in danger?¡±


    Reed sighed, brushing back his gray hair.  ¡°Political, social ¡­ they¡¯ll do anything to try to discredit this looming threat, and there will be a lot of people affected by just this one change.  We¡¯re entering a very turbulent time within society, and this field is one of those big areas of conflict ¡­ the medical industry is involved in just about every aspect of peoples¡¯ lives.  You¡¯ll be attacked from every angle.¡±


    Maria¡¯s voice became hoarse.  ¡°Okay ¡­ how do I win, then?  Damn ¡­ make it sound like I¡¯m takin¡¯ on the whole world.¡±  Maria growled, feeling the weight on her shoulders increase yet again.


    ¡°A big chunk of it,¡± Dr. Jasper whispered.  ¡°Not only are you moving into the medical scene, but with the government¡¯s aid, you¡¯ll become a prime target of anarchists, terrorists, demiphobia, and having every move you make criticized.¡±


    ¡°In essence,¡± Clay gave her a weak smile, ¡°you¡¯ll be a shining star in the darkness.¡±


    Maria didn¡¯t respond as they moved through the much lighter traffic than expected, but she had to remind herself that Martial Law was still in effect.


    Jasper and Reed gave each other a look, but their attention turned to Clay as he released a soft hum.  ¡°Rethinking it?  It¡¯s okay if you¡¯re scared.¡±


    Maria¡¯s nose twisted, gut tightening before a smile lifted her lips, and she chuckled.  ¡°Aye, I ain¡¯t a pop-bitch ¡­ naw, that ain¡¯t me!  Am I nervous?  Bet your asses!  Shit ¡­ still, I ain¡¯t ever backed down from a fight, and I ain¡¯t startin¡¯ now.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±  Dr. Jasper carefully asked.  ¡°You¡¯re ready for all that heat?¡±


    She laughed, mind clearing as all the fear Clay, Reed, and Jasper laid on her slide off.  ¡°I ain¡¯t ever been that chica to back down ¡­ no, I don¡¯t play games when snakes bite.¡±


    Her silver irises moved to Reed, vision cold.  ¡°I don¡¯t think I can be that perfect lil¡¯ Unicorn you was tryin¡¯ to make me into.¡±


    Reed¡¯s frown turned into a smile at her answer.  ¡°Can a Unicorn really step onto this dirty battlefield?¡±


    Her jaw locked into a smile as she closed her fingers into a fist.  ¡°I¡¯m making it, and if haters be waitin¡¯ for me to take an L, then I¡¯m takin¡¯ offense.  We¡¯re livin¡¯ in hell cause the devils will test you, eh?  I ain¡¯t ever goin¡¯ back to my old life ¡­ if it¡¯s war, it¡¯s war.  Yeah, I can play dirty.¡±


    Clay leaned forward with a firm smile.  ¡°Maybe General Dallas didn¡¯t choose the wrong face for the Demi community.  Your confidence doesn¡¯t come from those around you but from within, and you¡¯ll need that heart with what¡¯s coming.¡±


    Maria smirked.  ¡°So, low-key ¡­ all that shit was just to see if you could shake me?¡±


    ¡°And to let you know what was coming,¡± Clay replied, leaning back while folding his fingers across his lap.


    ¡°Heh, asshole,¡± Maria grinned.  ¡°Ya know, you¡¯re growin¡¯ on me, amigo!¡±


    Reed took out a bottle of ritzy alcohol with a bright smile.  ¡°Drink?¡±


    Maria¡¯s cheer instantly dropped to the gutter.  ¡°Gah ¡­ I wish, homie, but I purify the stuff just by holdin¡¯ it.¡±


    ¡°Oof,¡± Clay reached over to take a glass as they gave her a pitying look.


    ¡°Yes, my condolences,¡± Dr. Jasper said with a forced laugh.  ¡°So ¡­ now, the real negotiations can start.  Eh, Mr. Reed?¡±


    Reed sipped at the dark liquid before clearing his throat.  ¡°Ah ¡­ that¡¯s good.  A drink after a tense discussion is always the best ¡­ yes, Dr. Jasper, now we can begin.¡±


    Maria straightened, waiting for him to continue.


    He looked at his glass, swirling it around while his lips fell into a brooding frown.  ¡°You can cure congenital heart defects.  Correct?¡±


    The moment he asked, Maria¡¯s brow furrowed with the response from the system.  ¡°Not right now, but ¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I can if I continue healing.  If all these injured people are waiting for me ¡­ I got the juice.¡±


    Reed¡¯s appraising eyes lifted to her.  ¡°That¡¯s good to hear ¡­ the other healers I talked to could mend wounds and even recover hair loss to some degree, but Tom assured me if anyone had the ability, you did.¡±


    Maria was a little impressed by how powerful the man¡¯s cadence had become as the conversation continued, and she took an envelope that he pulled from his suit¡¯s breast pocket.


    ¡°If you do that for my grandson, then this will only be the start of our relationship.  It runs in our DNA ¡­ if you can cure this curse that has followed my family ¡­ I can¡¯t tell you how thankful I will be, and so ¡­ let my actions show you.¡±


    Maria smiled, opening the letter, and her grin grew as her heart palpitated.  Hands falling, she folded the paper, vision settling on the man.  ¡°Let¡¯s get started; how close are we to that hospital?¡±


    Thirty million ¡­ and this is only the start?


    ¡°Eight minutes,¡± Dr. Jasper stated, finding landmarks outside of the window.


    Reed downed the rest of his glass with a wry grin.  ¡°It¡¯s the dawn of a new age.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 53. Hazardous Limitations

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Maria Espinar (our Sunlit Unicorn takes the stage at last!  What will her few days be like?)


    Recap: Maria is back in town, and we''re headin'' to Seattle!  She had some one-on-one time with our Master Sergeant, Zawnt¨¦ Clay, where he grilled her on how hard the media would go after her.


    After some bonding time, they met up with Doctor Jasper and the successful businessman, Reed.  He offered her 30 million dollars to heal his grandson''s genetic illness while schooling her on the powers that would be coming after her, but if she was able to heal him, he would put his full support behind her.


    Can our foul-mouthed girl do it, though?


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    Yotedom, Foolishman, AbrecanGhoul, Oyebanjo Isaac, Brimils, and my other Patrons!


    Maria looked up at an expansive six-level hospital building that stretched across multiple areas as the limo came to a stop.  Large groups of people could be seen coming in and out, yet military personnel kept the roads clear.


    Reed took a deep breath while eyeing her.  ¡°If I have this clear, the more you heal people, the stronger your healing will become?¡±


    A lump dropped down Maria¡¯s throat as everyone stared at her, and the pressure hit her chest; this was a once in a lifetime opportunity that could change the lives of everyone she knew.  ¡°I mean, yeah, I guess ¡­ that¡¯s how it¡¯s worked so far.  I heal people, and when I need somethin¡¯ new, then I ask, and most the time I can get it.¡±


    He nodded with a serious expression.  ¡°Good, then how about this ¡­ if you can heal my grandson by the end of the night, I¡¯ll add another eight million to that reward.¡±


    The news put Maria a bit on edge.


    Damn ¡­ just how bad is his grandson?  If he¡¯s goin¡¯ this hard ¡­ shit.


    Maria forced a laugh.  ¡°Aye, aye, no need to be tryin¡¯ to get my ass movin¡¯!  Chill, hombre, I¡¯ll work what magic I can.¡±


    Dr. Jasper cleared his throat.  ¡°This might not mean much to you, Ms. Espinar; I am the President of Enmass General Bright¡¯s Program, which has strived to tackle the world¡¯s most challenging problems in medicine since its founding in 2008.


    ¡°The reason I am here is not a single-minded venture, young lady.  I am here as a witness to the extent of your powers, be here for my friend, and build a conclusive report on the effects these new abilities might have on the medical world.


    ¡°If there was ever a time to wash your hands of this whole thing ¡­ it¡¯s now.  Once you step out of this car, you¡¯ve committed to having a target on your back, and you¡¯ll be seen as a public figure¡­¡±


    Maria licked her lips before shaking her head.  ¡°I told ya ¡­ I ain¡¯t backin¡¯ down!¡±


    Jasper and Reed gave each other meaningful looks.


    ¡°Well, old friend,¡± Jasper pushed out a sigh, ¡°things are about to spin out of control.¡±


    Reed¡¯s sad eyes fell to the table in front of them.  ¡°It¡¯s worth it ¡­ how can I expect Ms. Espinar to take such a risk if I¡¯m not willing to bet my own life on it ¡­ my family¡¯s no stranger to media harassment.¡±


    Master Sergeant Zawnt¨¦ Clay¡¯s serious expression hadn¡¯t faltered throughout the conversation.  ¡°Very well, then, gentlemen, it¡¯s best we keep a tight schedule.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Dr. Jasper whispered.  ¡°Ms. Espinar, I have a lot of influence in this hospital and have been given access to the entire building after explaining the situation to the hospital board of directors.  Where would you like to go first?¡±


    Maria¡¯s stomach shook with silent laughter; the entire exchange felt straight out of a movie.  ¡°Aye, look, I don¡¯t know shit about this place ¡­ yo, I¡¯ve never even been to Washington, my g¨¹eyes!  You lead the way to the peeps, and I¡¯ll just heal what I can as I go.  Chill?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s how you wish to do it,¡± Reed chuckled.


    They exited the vehicle and moved through the crowds.  Reporters already crowded the car, having been alerted of their arrival for the initial coverage, but the military stationed around the area kept them at a reasonable distance.


    Questions and shouts rained out, but the noise slowly died down as the Master Sergeant moved to the left side of the clear path leading into the hospital.  Maria could hear him telling them about their purpose here and a little about her as a Unicorn Mythickin.


    Flashes and news recorders were trained on her as she walked with the two elderly gentlemen on either side of her, and they seemed to be captivated by her glowing horn, radiating light as she fixed any ailment or wound within reach, causing more than one reporter to note the effects with astonishment.


    A few journalists in the crowd were carrying a few gashes or cuts, and almost all of them had minor genetic defects that she was able to cure.


    The warmth of the flower radiated between her breasts as she drew upon its power to replenish her reserves, doing her best to stay in the sun as much as possible.  It was a bit difficult to keep within the light¡¯s unfiltered rays with Washington¡¯s slightly overcast weather.


    Maria did her best to stay relaxed, but the salted wind was making it a bit difficult to paint the picture she¡¯d like, forcing her to tame the long, lilac-white locks as they whipped to the left.


    I should find a hat that¡¯ll work with my horn¡­


    Her coat helped with the chilling breeze, but she couldn¡¯t wait to get back to Miami; Maria was done with the cold northern part of the U.S.


    Over the next few hours, she went from the waiting room, the emergency rooms, and packed hallways, healing everyone she could as they moved through the hospital.  Just as she expected, the quests gained from all the requests and pleas, mixed with her passives that reduced the cost of her healing spells, she managed to get enough Skill Points to increase the Level, Grades, and Ranks of her skills while gaining a few others.


    Maria''s Upgrades:


    Achievements:


    Miracles of the Immaculate Branch:


    Title:  Light in the Darkness I: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: 5 Seconds; Range: N/A) Passive, Solar-Type, Level Four, Novice Grade, Rank Max.  Reduces the cost of all abilities by .2% for every person healed or purified, stacking to a max of 15%.


    Lighthouse V:  (Cooldown: Single Use; Cost: N/A; Duration: 30 Minutes; Range: 2 Mile) Active, Solar-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Zero.  A large globe-like sun will be created that repeatedly casts Heal II and Purify II upon anyone within the radius.


    Base Unicorn (Race) Abilities:


    Base Hearing:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range:  40 Meters) Passive Cluster Set, Physical-Type, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Max.


    Base Vision:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 140¡ã) Passive Cluster Set, Physical-Type, Level Three, Novice Grade, Rank Max.  This includes a standard level of Night-Vision that helps her navigate in the dark.


    Focus Sight:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 140¡ã) Passive, Physical-Type, Level Three, Novice Grade, Rank Max.  Makes Maria¡¯s field of vision come into partial focus, allowing her to run fast while seeing potential threats.


    Base Smell:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive, Physical-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Max.  Maria can smell a bit better than humans, but not by much at this level.


    Beacon of Light II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: .4%; Duration: N/A; Range:  2.5-Meters) Reactive, Magical-Type, Level Two, Versed Grade, Rank One.  Maria¡¯s horn that appears based on specific triggers and releases a soft golden light.


    Ambassador of Truth I: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range:  N/A) Reactive, Control-Type, Level Six, Rookie Grade, Rank Eight.  Maria cannot lie; if she chooses to respond, it will always be the truth.  This skill has two functions.


    Radiant Purity I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range:  N/A) Reactive, Control-Type, Level Three, Novice Grade, Rank Max.  A light golden glow surrounding Maria, providing a weak calming buff.  Is only active above 90% Solar Pool.


    Purify II:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 2% Per Debuff; Duration: N/A; Range: Light of Horn) Active Aura, Penetration-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank One.  It can purify a wider array of toxins in the body than Purify I, such as alcohol consumption or decent-sized blood clots that might block a vein and remove infections.  Purify can remove lesser curses.


    Base Sunlit (Kind) Abilities:


    Solar Pool II:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 2.5% Weekly Cost of Life; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive, Solar-Type, Level Five, Versed Grade, Rank Six.  The source that gives Maria the energy to heal and, to a large degree, sustains her.  She can go without Solar Energy inside her pool, but her Health Status would begin to decrease, and given enough time, she would undoubtedly die because of Sunlit Body.  Works off percentages instead of raw numbers.  Solar Energy and Lunar Energy counter each other, meaning if hit by an infinite source, like the moon, Maria would keep being drained of her Solar Energy.


    Sunlit Body I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive Link Skill, Solar-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Max.  This grants Maria a form of immortality; she has the appearance of a corporal body, but if cut, she will heal almost instantly, using her energy.  This has a few functions:


    Benevolent Heart I: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Ractive/Active, Solar-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Max.  Changes Maria¡¯s mental-state by making her think of someone else¡¯s situation, but doesn¡¯t mean she has to do whatever they ask.  This simply holds back potential prejudice.


    Thankful Hearts I:  (Cooldown: 1-Hour; Cost: N/A; Duration: 2-Minute; Range: N/A) Reactive Stock Skill, Solar-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Max.  Mitigates Maria¡¯s healing cost by 1%, stacking up to a maximum of eleven people that are thankful for Maria¡¯s presence.


    Diagnosis II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: Light of Horn) Ractive/Active, Penetration-Type, Level Three, Versed Grade, Rank Four.  This skill allows Maria to identify different illnesses in the people around her that she can cure, given her current Solar Pool.


    Heal II:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 2% Per Wound; Duration: N/A; Range: Light of Horn) Active Aura, Magical-Type, Level One, Versed Grade, Rank Two.  Allows Maria to mend wounds.  This heal will work on almost all medical surgery cuts and even scar tissue.


    Miracles of the Immaculate Branch:  Tapping into the extraordinary feats of a Unicorn, Maria can access a source of miraculous purity and recovery, granting her the ability to use more wondrous feats than is available at the Sunlit Base Tree level.


    Restore Appendage I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 19% Per Regrowth; Duration: N/A; Range: Light of Horn)  Active Channeling Skill, Magical-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Two.  Allows Maria to regrow lost minor appendages like fingers, toes, and ears in their perfect, reconstructed condition based on the purified DNA of an individual, meaning that even if there is a defect from birth, it will be cured.


    Solar Mitigation I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: Light of Horn) Passive, Solar-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Two.  Any skill that is used within the light of the sun has its cost reduced by 5%.


    Cure Defect II:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 5% Per Defect; Duration: N/A; Range: Light of Horn) Active Channeling Skill, Magical-Type, Level One, Versed Grade, Rank Zero.  Repairs the damaged DNA in someone¡¯s body; it is limited to the scope of the issues, but she managed to reach the second stage by focusing on it.  She can repair a person¡¯s impaired vision and many other problems with the body¡¯s DNA.


    Liberation of the Light Branch:  Maria¡¯s movement or escape type skills; she didn¡¯t particularly like this branch, saying she doesn¡¯t run from things, but liked the idea of being able to teleport into banks...


    Solar Traveler I:  (Cooldown: 1 Day; Cost: 3% (x2 out of Sunlight; x3 in Moonlight) Per Mile; Duration: N/A; Range: Light of Horn) Active Skill, Solar-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Three.  Teleports Maria and those caught in her light to a location she¡¯s been before.


    Light Feet I: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 1% Solar Pool Per Mile; Duration: N/A; Range: Light of Horn) Active, Solar-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Five.  Fortifies Maria¡¯s body with her Solar Energy to run at an accelerated pace, linked with Stats.


    Maria breathed out a long sigh of relief as she finally hit her goal, Cure Defect II, and the best part, Diagnosis II picked up the heart defect within Mr. Reed¡¯s DNA; it was curable.


    The Unicorn chuckled internally, choosing to let the tension build to play a little prank on the man, but this was it, her ticket to getting her people out of the slums.


    The sun had broken past the clouds, and after the suggestion, Clay had organized large groups of people to make the process as seamless as possible outside, where she could feel the effects of the sun.


    Maria slid her fingers underneath her unfastened coat top and flower necklace, rubbing between her breasts; her body was feeling the stress of healing over a thousand people and her chest hurt, seemingly from absorbing too much of the plant¡¯s Solar Energy so fast.  Sweat was forming at her brow, and surprisingly, the chilly Washington breeze helped.


    So ¡­ there¡¯s a limit to how much Solar Energy I can take in a day, huh?  Damn ¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve been out hustlin¡¯ all weekend ¡­ without a bit of sleep, but the pay is just too good!


    Turning around to smile at Reed, Maria puffed out her sore chest.  ¡°Aye, I just hit Cure Defect, Stage Two!¡±


    Instead of jumping up and down, Paul Reed just nodded, eyes creasing.  ¡°Let¡¯s hope the second stage does what the first couldn¡¯t.¡±


    Maria followed him and Dr. Jasper toward the hallway, exiting the outside field as people cheered her name or cried out in worry that she wouldn¡¯t be coming back.  Clay was jogging over to see why she¡¯d broken off from the structured lines he¡¯d created for her to walk past.


    ¡°Well, damn, sorry the first time didn¡¯t work¡­¡±  Maria mumbled, shooting a light glare at Reed¡¯s back.


    Dr. Jasper sighed, glancing at him to apologize.


    Reed responded before he could chastise him.  ¡°No, you¡¯re right.  That was rude of me ¡­ I¡¯m tense about this whole situation, and it¡¯s counterproductive to be chastising you for something no one can do.  I appreciate the effort you are putting in, and not just for my grandson.¡±


    ¡°Agreed!¡±  Jasper followed.  ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it; blood pressure cured, not treated, but gone.  Fingers grown back out of seemingly nothing ¡­ ah, right, you said a substance you live off of called Solar Energy ¡­ how fictional, yet fantastical!


    ¡°How soon do you believe you¡¯ll be able to cure diabetes?¡±


    ¡°How the hell should I know ¡­ not right now, but maybe at like Stage Three or Stage Five.  What category would that even be in?¡±


    ¡°Healing and Defect, most likely ¡­ probably a combination of the two,¡± Dr. Jasper theorized.  ¡°A person¡¯s pancreas becomes unable to produce enough insulin¡­¡±


    He trailed off as Clay caught up to them.  ¡°... Is there a problem?¡±


    Maria proudly turned, giving him a beaming smile.  ¡°I leveled up!  We¡¯re going to see if I can heal Mr. Reed¡¯s grandson.¡±


    ¡°... ahem,¡± Dr. Jasper cut in again, examining her more closely, ¡°Ms. Espinar ¡­ how are you feeling?  I know you said that healing so often was becoming a bit stressful on your body¡­¡±


    Maria waved her hand dismissively.  ¡°I¡¯m good!¡±


    Clay released a low hum, dark brown irises not missing the light perspiration touching her clothes.  ¡°I think that¡¯ll be enough today ¡­ you¡¯ve literally healed thousands of people, and at the expense of your own life.¡±


    ¡°Woah, woah, woah,¡± Maria frowned, ¡°you actually told people that?  Yo, that¡¯s important info!¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Reed turned to face them as they came in front of the elevator.  ¡°That was actually an excellent PR move, Master Sergeant.¡±


    Maria sucked on her lower lip, silver eyes glancing around the much emptier space on this side of the hospital; most of the patients and groups that had initially come had left after being healed.  ¡°... I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Clay calmly explained his decision to leak the news to the press.  ¡°How many people do you think will get angry with you for not healing them?  Think about how many people were crying out as you just left, worried they¡¯d missed their chance at free medical attention.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re bound to get people accusing you of just being in it for the money, and that you¡¯re a horrible vampire ¡­ basically, everything they attack the medical industry and doctors for already.  They don¡¯t care about the complexities of the medical field; all they want is to be treated without having to give anything in return.


    ¡°Now that we leaked that bit of information, you can fall back on the defense that you¡¯re literally giving up your life, dying to heal people.  It¡¯s not a lie, and it curbs a lot of those toxic people that will do nothing but point fingers at you for not being Christ or something.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ I see your point,¡± Maria mumbled.


    Dr. Jasper sighed.  ¡°Sadly, humanity is always the same, claiming the moral high-ground if it benefits them and doesn¡¯t put an ounce of the burden on their own shoulders.  It¡¯s easy to be liberal with other people¡¯s lives and money when you care nothing for them.¡±


    The elevator door opened, and they entered the large space meant for transporting patients.


    Mr. Reed nodded, whispering, ¡°Indeed ¡­ humanity is rife with hypocrites and thieves that will claim any position to achieve power over another.¡±


    No one followed the topic, and once they arrived on the sixth floor, they exited, heading to his grandson¡¯s room.


    They stopped outside, where two private security guards were stationed, turning to give Reed a quizzical stare as he paused.  A nurse noticed them and hurried to join the party, but she slowed once reading the atmosphere.


    The elderly man¡¯s eyes were on the tiles.  ¡°Ms. Espinar, no matter the result ¡­ thank you for your efforts.¡±


    Maria¡¯s lips lifted into a half-smile, feeling a little embarrassed while brushing back her hair.  ¡°Geez, I haven¡¯t been doin¡¯ this shit for free!  You offered me a bunch of cash, remember?  Hey, I ain¡¯t perfect, and I gotta get the cash to help my block.  Is what it is, and I gotta be thankin¡¯ you for trustin¡¯ in me, too.  Damn, I don¡¯t know if I could do that if I was in your position, ya know ¡­ it¡¯d be tough.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Reed strode forward, and the guards opened the door.  ¡°You do have your own way with words.  It wasn¡¯t easy, and for you to realize that even though many would view me as some rich guy that cares for nobody is ¡­ you are quite the woman, Ms. Espinar.¡±


    ¡°Tch, shit ¡­ makin¡¯ me feel bad¡­¡±  Maria mumbled, cheeks burning as she entered the room.


    The boy had been induced into a medical coma for some reason, lying on the bed with medical equipment beside him, pumping away.


    Just as she thought, her horn flared, and the defect was righted, taking care of Reed¡¯s own ailment in the process.  To speed up the reunion, Maria purified the drugs in his system and healed what wounds she could sense on him.


    Reed¡¯s eyes widened as his grandson opened his eyes, and the nurse that had followed them jumped in surprise, rushing to get the doctor, but Dr. Jasper was already moving to remove the equipment; the boy was panicking a little after finding the restrictive gear attached to his mouth.


    ¡°Joey¡­¡±  Mr. Reed breathed with tears gathering in his eyes.  ¡°Maria, does this mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Maria held up her thumb with a wink.  ¡°Aye, I¡¯ll be takin¡¯ that check, yo!  I got rid of your own heart defect in your genetic code, too ¡­ although, I doubt you¡¯ll be havin¡¯ kids at your age,¡± she chuckled.


    Her laughter died as the man¡¯s arms began to shake.  ¡°Ms. Espinar ¡­ I won¡¯t ¡­ it¡¯s not appropriate, but I ¡­ I want to cry at your feet.  My daughter is ¡­ my whole family will demand to thank you in person.¡±


    He cleared his throat, took one more glance at his recovering grandson as Dr. Jasper helped the boy before returning his moist eyes to her.  Holding out his hand, he said, ¡°Ms. Espinar, I will help you with whatever vision you wish to create for yourself, family, and friends.  Thank you for this miracle.¡±


    Maria took his hand, feeling awkward again.  ¡°Aye, you know ¡­ uh, I knew before that ¡­ nevermind,¡± she sighed with a weak smile.  ¡°I¡¯m happy to see a family reunited, ya know?  Aye, I know, how about we have a big barbecue back in Miami, huh?  We get everyone together and chill, crack open a few good ones, and party!¡±


    Clay¡¯s neutral voice stepped in.  ¡°I read that you can¡¯t eat meat.¡±


    ¡°Dammit, Clay!¡±  Maria shot a glare at him.  ¡°Aye, ruinin¡¯ the mood, g¨¹ey ¡­ shit.¡±


    Reed chuckled, and Clay¡¯s lips twitched.


    ¡°Yeah, you knew what you was doin¡¯!¡±  Maria huffed, folding her arms under her chest before wincing.  ¡°Argh ¡­ damn.¡±


    Clay¡¯s serious features returned at her action, but Reed seemed to have missed it as he went to his grandson¡¯s side.


    ¡°What¡¯s your energy level at?¡±  Clay whispered, nodding his head back to the hallway.


    Exiting with him while gently rubbing her sternum, Maria shrugged, leaning up against the wall.  ¡°Eh, 34% ¡­ it¡¯s not that that hurts, though ¡­ I don¡¯t even know if I have a real heart or not, but shit ¡­ if I heal too much, then I guess it¡¯s bad for my health or somethin¡¯.¡±


    Jaw working around as he examined her, leaning against the wall while stretching out her neck.  ¡°Okay ¡­ your solar reserves are in acceptable shape, but what about your Health Status?¡±


    Maria¡¯s lips became a line.  ¡°Shit ¡­ didn¡¯t know you guys knew about that stuff.¡±


    ¡°I read up everything I could on your performance and other Demi once I got the clearance.  As far as I¡¯m aware, there¡¯s Excellent, Good, Normal, Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, and Hazardous.  Which are you currently at?¡±


    ¡°Uhn ¡­ you¡¯re pretty sharp, Clay, damn,¡± she whispered, scratching above her left ear.  ¡°I can¡¯t lie ¡­ uh, very unhealthy, but I got a plan for tomorrow, okay!  No need to go crazy.¡±


    Clay¡¯s brow creased with concern.  ¡°Damn ¡­ you should have told us sooner.  What¡¯s the cause?¡±


    Maria¡¯s lips became a line, vision focusing on the wall.


    ¡°Please, Maria,¡± Clay urged, and she couldn¡¯t detect anything but concern for her wellbeing in his tone.  ¡°We need to know if we¡¯re going to move forward.¡±


    ¡°Aye, fine, fine,¡± Maria grunted, rubbing her left arm, and almost as an afterthought, she recalled her horn.  The bright light illuminating the space lessened as she explained, gently tugging the flower out of her shirt front.  ¡°It¡¯s this little guy¡¯s fault¡­¡±


    Clay¡¯s eyes narrowed, darting left and right to make sure no one was around to see the seed of a Negative Triple-S Tier item.  Maria carefully slid it back between her breasts while trying not to wince again at the stinging, cold pain of the petals touching her skin.


    ¡°What specifically about it?¡±  Clay pushed, moving closer to whisper after confirming the door guards were inside, receiving Reed¡¯s orders to contact his family.


    Maria pulled around one of her long locks of hair to play with it.  ¡°It¡¯s just like ¡­ I don¡¯t know how to say it.¡±


    ¡°Try, please¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine, hell, it¡¯s not that big of a deal ¡­ shit.  Umm ¡­ so, it¡¯s like the energy in the flower¡¯s too concentrated, okay?  I¡¯ve only got a small pipe, and I¡¯m tryin¡¯ to force all this energy inside my Solar Pool, but if I pump it faster, then it¡¯s goin¡¯ to put stress on the pipe.  Get it?¡±


    Clay¡¯s eyes fell to the floor for a moment before nodding slowly.  ¡°So ¡­ we were rushing you to continue healing hundreds of people, and you couldn¡¯t possibly refuel fast enough, which meant putting more pressure on your body.¡±


    Wait, that actually makes sense ¡­ my body is made of Solar Energy ¡­ but he doesn¡¯t know that!  Must be a lucky guess ¡­ maybe.  My skin contains my Solar Energy, and it can only filter through so much¡­


    Maria¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Aye, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Wha ¡­ Maria!¡±  Clay called out as she darted down the hall, stopping halfway down.


    She turned, shouting, ¡°Yo, where¡¯s the bathroom?¡±


    ¡°The wha¡­¡±


    Finding a nurse walking out of a room two doors down, she tuned out the Master Sergeant.  ¡°Aye, you ¡­ yeah, you, where¡¯s the bathroom?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ uh ¡­ t-that way?¡±  The woman mumbled in utter confusion as she saw Clay running after her.


    Maria darted around the corner and entered the bathroom, only three doors to her right, locking it behind her.


    Clay stopped at the door.  ¡°Maria!  What is it?  There¡¯s something you¡¯re not telling me.  What was that look on your face for?¡±


    Maria glanced around the single-use bathroom with a sigh of relief, ignoring the man.


    She winced, taking off her jacket as her body told her muscles not to move like that, and she got the first glimpse of her fears.  It was faint, but a light glow was bleeding through the long-sleeve white shirt she was wearing.


    Dammit¡­


    Forcing herself to remove the piece, she tossed the article on the counter with a low groan.  Her body was starting to feel a lot worse now that she wasn¡¯t focusing on other things.


    Sure enough, cracks had formed along her skin, releasing solar energy, and she began to notice the very consistent loss of her lifeforce; it was only a fraction of a percent every minute, but when she¡¯d continuously healed, lost energy, and recharged through the flower, it hadn¡¯t been noticeable.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡±


    She tucked her lower lip under as she grasped the edges of her tank-top and slowly pulled it off to stare at herself in the mirror; the yellow glow was clearly visible through her black sports bra, and there was even evidence of the material beginning to melt.


    In the most painful action yet, she suppressed a cry and reached back to remove the clip holding her bra in place.  Setting it off to the side, she released a few puffs of air while staring between her chest.


    The amount of light cracking through her sternum was bright and right where the flower petals nestled.  The jagged glowing fissures faded as it cut lines across her breasts, falling just above her abdomen.


    I¡¯m breaking apart¡­


    ¡°Shit!¡±  Maria moaned.


    ¡°Maria, talk to me!¡±  Clay urged.  ¡°What¡¯s gone wrong?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Maira pulled her hair to the side to view her sore back; there was evidence of more breaks in her skin, but nothing like where the flower sat.


    Closing her eyes, Maria ran her fingers through her hair with a low groan.


    What do I do?  Will Rachel or Scarlet even be able to get near me like this ¡­ no, probably not.  My skin is my barrier, and I¡¯ve damaged it by forcing Solar Energy through it too quickly.  If I don¡¯t somehow fix this, and I keep losing energy ¡­ I¡¯ll die.  My skin¡¯s already overloaded, too.  So ¡­ what do I do?


    Mara lightly backed up against the door, wincing while sliding to the floor.  ¡°Hey, Clay, umm ¡­ yo, I¡¯ve got a problem.  Low-key ¡­ I¡¯m dying.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 54. Overcoming Adversity

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Maria Espinar (our Sunlit Unicorn takes the stage at last!  What will her few days be like?  Wait, DEATH?!)


    Recap:


    O_O Oh, no!  Our pure Sunlit Unicorn gangster is overloaded; she''s dying!!  She managed to heal Reed''s grandson after spending much of the day chugging down that sweet icy sunflower nectar she got on that alien world.


    However, she''s discovered a weakness ... her skin can''t handle that much energy passing through it in a day.  I suppose it''s what they say, moderation in all things.


    How will our girl get out of this dire situation?


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    Thomas, Griffin Avra, Arc4203, Lia, KazukiNero, Tomi, and my other Patrons!


    Maria let her legs fall straight while leaning against the bathroom door, resting her hands against her lap; her hair bunched on the floor at her back, but she couldn¡¯t be bothered to shift it over her shoulder.


    ¡°Come again?¡±  Clay slowly replied.  ¡°You¡¯re dying?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± she sighed, wincing as the cold air brushed against her exposed chest.  ¡°I¡¯ve got like ¡­ damn ¡­ I¡¯ll be dead within two hours if I keep losing energy like this.¡±


    Clay¡¯s concerned tone deepened.  ¡°What¡¯s happening ¡­ why?  You were fine, and then you just ran off.  What can we do?¡±


    The world went black as Maria closed her eyes, head falling limply against the door.  She was more shocked about how calm she felt about dying than anything else.


    A small smile brightened her sad expression while thinking about her life.  Felix was old enough now to handle himself, and even if she wasn¡¯t around, there were people in the crew to take up the mantle.  Even so, she didn¡¯t plan to go down without a fight.


    ¡°Short version ¡­ I¡¯m leaking Solar Energy, and to heal, I need to be in the sunlight.¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­ for how long?¡±


    ¡°Hehe ¡­ I don¡¯t know, Clay, but probably longer than the sun¡¯s got in the sky.  Yo, one day is Hell, the next is the dawn, right?  Got a plan ¡­ because I¡¯m lost, chino.  The sun¡¯s the only thing that¡¯ll save me, and it¡¯s goin¡¯ into the evening, my man.¡±


    It took a moment before Clay responded.  ¡°So ¡­ sunlight will save you, and that flower won¡¯t help?¡±


    ¡°Che, hell no,¡± Maria chuckled.  ¡°No, this little devil caused the whole thing!  How do I explain it ¡­ eh ¡­ it may have Solar Energy, ya know, charge me up, but it¡¯s not like the sun.  I need to see the sun ¡­ uh, be inside the sun¡¯s sight?  Aye, it¡¯s kind of hard for me to say right now¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahem, so, if, by some chance, you can sunbathe for a decent time, then you¡¯ll recover?¡±


    ¡°Aye, how¡¯d you say it so good?¡±


    Clay slid past her question.  ¡°It¡¯s 6:17 P.M., which gives us roughly an hour to get you airborne.¡±


    ¡°Airborne ¡­ eh?  Yo, I don¡¯t think you get it, homie ¡­ if I¡¯m out of the sun for like ¡­ half a second, a cloud or some shit, then I¡¯m still dead.  The sun¡¯ll be like those life machines that pump air in your lungs or whatever, but just one wrong cloud and boom, I¡¯m a goner.¡±


    ¡°Noted, but don¡¯t sound so down.  Honey, you¡¯ve got the U.S. Military standing outside your door, get ready to fight¡­¡±


    ¡°Honey?¡±  Maria snickered, but his words resonated inside her chest.


    ¡°... General Dallas, we have a life or death situation.  How soon can you get an F-15E to the nearest airstrip, fueled, and the UV shielding removed in the back?¡±


    Maria opened her eyes, glancing at the wall while listening intently to the receiving party.


    ¡°... It¡¯ll be there when you arrive.  Send me the details when free.¡±


    The line cut, and Clay promptly asked, ¡°Do you need anything before we start traveling?¡±


    ¡°Heh ¡­ you just called in a jet for me?  Yo, that¡¯s crazy.¡±


    ¡°Please, Maria.  What do you need?  We¡¯re on a time crunch.¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ a lab coat, I guess ¡­ I ain¡¯t puttin¡¯ that bra or shirt back on!  Ya hear?¡±


    ¡°Understood.  Give me a moment.¡±


    Maria took in a deep breath of air, glancing down at the yellow energy radiating out of the fissures in her chest.


    Wow ¡­ things have really changed, huh?  I¡¯m so used to doin¡¯ everything on my own, but now ¡­ so many people are backin¡¯ me.  Is it just because I¡¯m a Unicorn?  I mean, that¡¯s probably a part of it, but still ¡­ it feels kind of nice having people to depend on.


    Clay returned with the lab coat; Jasper was by his side as she cracked the door to accept the article.


    ¡°Master Sergeant, what¡¯s happening?¡±  Jasper questioned.


    ¡°We¡¯re canceling everything planned for the rest of the day.  Maria, a Humvee is waiting outside.  We should hurry.¡±


    She wrapped the coat around her body, using one hand to keep it closed while opening the door with her other; it stung a little to move, but nothing like removing her shirt and bra.


    Giving the doctor an apologetic chuckle, she followed Clay¡¯s brisk pace as he led the way out of the hallway, and several soldiers joined them from different areas, looking slightly confused, but forming a circle to keep anyone from approaching.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ Master Sergeant, may I join to understand the situation and relay it back¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be possible at this point.¡±


    Maria breathed in through her teeth.  ¡°Aye, if you really want to be some help, get me some new clothes ¡­ I left my old ones in the bathroom, and yo, make sure nobody does anything creepy with them, okay?¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ I¡¯ll see to it, Ms. Espinar¡­¡±  Dr. Jasper mumbled as the soldiers positioned to separate them.  ¡°When will we see you back?¡±


    ¡°Undetermined.  I¡¯ll update you when possible,¡± Clay replied as they entered the elevator.


    She gave him a rueful smile, waving as the doors closed.


    Clay was back on his phone.  ¡°... The jet is being routed from McChord?  The shielding ¡­ good.  How long will it take to replace the part?  Good.¡±


    He swapped to a radio clipped to the side of his suit that hadn¡¯t been there before.  ¡°I want the roads to Tacoma Airport clear; keep all non-essential military vehicles on standby.¡±


    ¡°Sir¡­¡±


    ¡°High priority cargo en route.¡±


    ¡°... Understood!¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ big shot, eh?¡±  Maria chuckled with a wince as they exited the building.  The falling sun''s weak heat touched them, causing a mixed reaction that trapped Maria¡¯s breath in her lungs, and the cold wind didn¡¯t help.


    The sunlight comforted her in some areas, while others felt like ice digging into her skin.


    ¡°... Ms.?¡±  One of the soldiers asked, noticing her expression as she slowed.


    Clay turned around, hard face creasing further.  ¡°Something changed?¡±


    Maria bit down on her lip, trying not to cause any more damage to herself.  ¡°Yes ¡­ it¡¯s just ¡­ shit ¡­ I¡¯ll talk in the car,¡± she mumbled, fighting past the pain flaring around the cracks in her skin.


    Entering the vehicle, she readjusted the coat, swallowing a lump in her throat as she exited the sunlight.  The translation was just as jarring.  The comforting and warm sensation that was mixed with the pain evaporated, replaced by a tight and sore chest.


    Only Clay and her entered, their escort closing the door; the Humvee swiftly left the hospital with the military clearing a path for them ahead of time.  The cab seemed to be separated from the back, giving them privacy.


    The rapid acceleration pressed her closed hand against her left breast, making her jaw lock and clench her coat front harder, fighting back the tears threatening to leave her eyes.


    Clay buckled himself in, dark brown irises studying her reactions since they¡¯d left.  ¡°Is there a problem with the plan?¡±


    ¡°N-No ¡­ dammit,¡± she growled as they took a sharp turn.


    ¡°Should we slow down?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ shit, this sucks ¡­ uhg, there¡¯s just pain with the sunlight.¡±


    Clay folded his arms with a deep frown on his large lips.  ¡°Is that flower poisoning you?  If we need to find an alternative to continue containing it, then let me know.¡±


    Maria shifted on her seat to get off her hair as the ride eased up a little, reaching the freeway.  ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s poisoning me ¡­ I¡¯m just overusing it.¡±


    ¡°If possible, then please explain it to me,¡± Clay urged.  ¡°If you¡¯re worried about it being recorded or passed on, then don¡¯t be, no one will hear of anything you tell me.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wha ¡­ not even General Dallas?¡±


    Clay shook his head.  ¡°I¡¯m here to support you, and that cannot happen if you don¡¯t trust me.  My top priority is your safety.¡±


    Maria blushed a little, brushing back her hair.  ¡°Well, damn, you¡¯re not lying ¡­ okay, then.  Umm ¡­ my skin is like a container, you know, like uh¡­¡±


    ¡°A milk jug?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Maria mumbled, cheeks darkening further upon the comparison while shirtless and braless.  Her fingers tightened around the coat.  ¡°Uh ¡­my skin holds my Solar Energy, but to fill it up, it¡¯s not like you take off the lid or somethin¡¯.  Get it?¡±


    He nodded with a serious expression, fingers locked together, hands held between his legs as he leaned forward to listen.


    ¡°Right ¡­ yo, man, lighten¡¯ up a little, eh?  You¡¯re makin¡¯ me nervous, starin¡¯ at a chica like that¡­¡±


    He added a noticeably fake smile.  ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Che, damn,¡± Maria chuckled, causing the pain in her chest to act up.  ¡°Yo, you can make me laugh, chino ¡­ but, umm ¡­ the sunlight passes through my skin like a filter ¡­ too much¡­¡±


    [Chino - Mexican slang for ¡®curly,¡¯ in reference to people with curly hair, or African Americans, as they often have curly hair.]


    Clay¡¯s narrowed eyes fell to the necklace made of her hair.  ¡°... It starts to take damage.  It¡¯s reversible, though?¡±


    Maria ran her free hand through her hair, brushing it a little while puffing out a long breath of air.  ¡°I don¡¯t know.  That¡¯s the screwed up part of this whole shit ¡­ yo, all I know is that if I want to live, I gotta be in the sunlight, and I can¡¯t leave it until this shit is healed.¡±


    The Master Sergeant closed his eyes, leaning back to ponder the information while Maria studied him, doing her best to keep herself balanced with the car¡¯s movements.


    A wince creased her face every so often as the sun touched different parts of her body, and after a few minutes of silence, Maria asked, ¡°Aye ¡­ why are y''all doin¡¯ this for me?  Eh ¡­ is it just because I¡¯m a Unicorn with some useful powers?  I mean, I get that, but ¡­ I did a ton already.  I wouldn¡¯t have blamed you ¡­ you know, just leavin¡¯ it at that since I¡¯m ¡­ like this,¡±  She mumbled, glancing down at the bunched coat at her breasts with a soft sigh.


    Clay shifted his legs to cross them, glancing out of the window with a smile.  ¡°Why were you chosen for this task?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ because I can heal people, and it was probably the best option to get what y''all want?¡±


    ¡°Not incorrect,¡± Clay stated, his smile fading a little.  ¡°Like I said, you¡¯re supposed to be a light to the nation, but why you?  General Dallas didn¡¯t spend nearly as much time with you as Rachel, and I can¡¯t speculate on why he didn¡¯t choose her, but I am certain about the reasons you were selected for this task ¡­ no, I think you are the only possible choice.¡±


    ¡°Woah, hombre, that¡¯s something to say, yo ¡­ why just me?¡±  Maria whispered, feeling a little on the spot by how sincere the man was being.


    His eyes shifted to look at her, and his smile softened.  ¡°You¡¯re authentic, and no one can say otherwise.  You remind me of my youngest sister ¡­ maybe not all the cursing,¡± he laughed, ¡°but she¡¯s not one to filter her attitude.  No, what the people need to see is a real person behind the Mythickin, and I¡¯m not saying this as a political play ¡­ no, because it¡¯s you, it¡¯s not a political stunt.


    ¡°Maria ¡­ you literally gave your life for all those people to live just a little bit better, and that¡¯s rare ¡­ very rare.  You may be rough around the edges, but you¡¯ve got a heart of gold, and throughout the day, I¡¯ve seen you fight for thousands of people past your discomfort.¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyes dropped with her shoulders.  ¡°Aye,¡± she whispered, ¡°it¡¯s not like I did it for free ¡­ I¡¯m no saint.¡±


    ¡°No saint?¡±  Clay repeated, staring at the floor.  ¡°You told me that you were dying ¡­ and not once did you demand my help ¡­ you never even asked, deciding to shoulder that burden yourself.  In fact, you were even resisting my attempts to aid you, and I can¡¯t say for what reason, but to me, it doesn¡¯t even matter.  If you don¡¯t have the characteristics of a saint ¡­ then who does?


    ¡°If nothing else, you¡¯re a hero ¡­ someone people can look up to.  You could have been stubbornly proud, rejecting my help entirely, but instead, you humbly accepted it after I offered.


    ¡°It was at that moment I decided that I¡¯d fight for you ¡­ no matter what.  You may lack refinement, but you¡¯re an exceptional human being, Maria, and I will save you.  I can guarantee you, General Dallas, and I won¡¯t ever ask for anything in return for this.  You are worth fighting for, Maria, and the public must know that.  Demi are real people, and we cannot deny their humanity.¡±


    Maria¡¯s heart burned with what this Military man believed.  ¡°Damn ¡­ you gotta way of makin¡¯ a chica feel special ¡­ aye ¡­ thanks.¡±


    ¡°Anytime,¡± Clay chuckled.  ¡°You¡¯re the kind of girl that I wish my boy would find someday.  You¡¯re kind, but also a fighter, and you¡¯d fight to your dying breath for what you believe.¡±


    Maria blushed, going silent and averting eye contact to not say anything stupid.


    With the roads being cleared, it didn¡¯t take them long to get to the airstrip, and Maria was shocked to find a massive fighter jet wheeling over to stop on the runway.  A vehicle with a ladder on it neared the death machine, lining up with it as the aircraft stopped.


    The sun was dipping below the horizon as Maria got out, tensing as the cool winter breeze stung her skin.


    ¡°Dammit ¡­ I can¡¯t wait to get back to Miami ¡­ shit, it¡¯s cold as balls here¡­¡±  She shivered.


    Clay chuckled, guiding her to the area.  ¡°I arranged for a female pilot; she¡¯ll help you inside.¡±


    Maria¡¯s silver eyes widened.  ¡°Son of a ¡­ shit, how far did you think?  Damn, yo ¡­ no, seriously, chino, thanks for all this ¡­ for real.¡±


    ¡°Just hurry up,¡± Clay replied with a warm smile.  ¡°You can thank me when you return.¡±


    ¡°Tch ¡­ take a compliment, damn,¡± Maria chuckled with a nod, walking over to the stairs.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, if you could¡­¡±


    ¡°I know how to climb stairs, dammit!  Shit ¡­ actin¡¯ like I ¡­ shit, uh¡­¡±  She paused as the wind picked up.  ¡°... I just need to be careful, yeah?¡±


    ¡°... Keep a hand on the railings, Ma¡¯am,¡± the man yelled past the jet engines with a forced smile.


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    It took some effort fighting past the pain, but she eventually made it to the top where a woman with a bright smile was waiting.  ¡°Hello!¡±  She yelled past the engine.  ¡°I¡¯ll help you into your harness!¡±


    Climbing in, her eyes widened once Maria removed the coat.  ¡°Damn, girl!  Umm ¡­ I¡¯ll be careful, but¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, just get it over with!¡±  Maria yelled back.


    The woman¡¯s lips were tight as she fiddled with the straps, getting her in place before placing the headgear on, having a bit of difficulty with her hair.  She looked genuinely sorry as a few tears escaped Maria¡¯s eyes when she tightened the belts around her exposed chest.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re ready to go!¡±


    Jumping back into her seat, she threw a thumbs up to the men below, signaling them to take the stairs away, and she began talking to the flight tower while getting into position to take off.


    Maria was feeling the fatigue she experienced at South Beach as her energy continued to plummet, and the woman¡¯s voice came through the headset she wore; she could barely hear her past the pain and her low groans as the straps pressed against the cracks.  ¡°Alright, Honey, hang on¡­¡±


    She could smell the faint scent of something burning as the wire harness pressed against the fissures, but all of that went blank in her mind as the aircraft accelerated, far exceeding the speed she ran with Rachel.


    The sound raddled her head, and the pain blocked out most of the experience, but eventually, she found herself rising, G-forces pressing against her body.


    ¡°Just keep breathing, Honey!  We¡¯ll get above the clouds soon and get to a stable cruising speed ¡­ I was told to be quick ¡­ this¡¯ll be rough¡­¡±


    The afterburners kicked in; Maria couldn¡¯t breathe as she was pressed into the seat.


    ¡°Just ¡­ more¡­¡±  The pilot¡¯s voice came on, spotty to Maria¡¯s brain.


    After an unknown period of time, a warmth spread through her body, clearing her mind, but with it came the icy daggers, continually jabbing at her chest.  Fighting past the tears, she felt her stamina fading quickly; her energy was nearing zero, despite the sun¡¯s rays slowly filling her with life.


    Soon after, she blacked out.


    Maria¡¯s muscles tensed, and a light discomfort compressed her chest.  Eyes peeking open, she was greeted by the sun, hovering in the distance.  Glancing to the side, she saw clouds far below them.


    She was weak, but with a forced smile, Maria chuckled softly.  ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    The woman spoke as Maria recovered, working through her current physical state.


    Shit ¡­ my Health Status must have dropped to Hazardous, and I blacked out ¡­ yeah, I was on heaven¡¯s door.


    ¡°Oh, are you finally awake?  I was afraid you died!¡±  The woman sighed with relief.  ¡°My name¡¯s Jill, by the way.  I heard yours is Maria?  Oh ¡­ one second, let me report it in ¡­ this is Guardian, 90-0233 ¡­ Morning Glory is up, I repeat, Morning Glory is up.¡±


    She was silent for a moment.  ¡°Maria, patching you through¡­¡±


    Clay¡¯s voice came through the opposite end.  ¡°How are you feeling, Maria?¡±


    ¡°Still figurin¡¯ it out ¡­ uh ¡­ shit ¡­ not good, but eh ¡­ yeah, I think I¡¯ll live!¡±


    There was a bit of a delay, but after a second, he breathed a sigh.


    ¡°... That¡¯s good to hear.  You¡¯ll stay airborne until you give the pilot the green light to return, and if you need to continue for a while, then we¡¯ll have to send up a refueling plane.¡±


    ¡°Wha ¡­ for real ¡­ yo, I¡¯m feelin¡¯ bad over here.  How much does this shit cost?¡±


    ¡°Far less than what you mean to General Dallas and me.¡±


    ¡°Freak¡­¡±  Maria blushed with a soft smile.  ¡°Y¡¯all are too much.  Umm ¡­ give me a minute to see how things go.¡±


    ¡°Take as much time as you need to regain your healthy status.¡±


    Maria popped her tongue with a bit of amusement.  ¡°Not lettin¡¯ that go, eh¡­¡±


    ¡°Take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Fine ¡­ if you¡¯re makin¡¯ me,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°Damn, keepin¡¯ me up here ¡­ and holy shit ¡­ it¡¯s freaken¡¯ freezin¡¯ up here!¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Jill sheepishly chuckled.  ¡°Want me to turn up the heat a bit more?  I kind of like it cold.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an icicle here, chica!¡±  Maria shivered.


    Clay laughed.  ¡°Alright, let me know if anything changes.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, Jefe,¡± Maria snickered.


    [Boss]


    The connection cut and the heat slowly increased.  Maria glanced down at her compressed chest with a slight frown.  All of the fissures running out from her chest had mended except for the flower¡¯s petal-shaped pattern, but even that was showing signs of healing.


    Okay, asshole ¡­ after all this embarrassing shit, you better have given me something damn good, eh?  What the hell changed from this shit¡­


    Her eyebrows rose as the information fed into her mind.


    Miracles of the Immaculate Branch:  Tapping into the extraordinary feats of a Unicorn, Maria can access a source of miraculous purity and recovery, granting her the ability to use more wondrous feats than is available at the Sunlit Base Tree level.


    Radiant Defier I:  (Cooldown: 6 Months; Cost: N/A; Duration: 1 Hour; Range: N/A)  Reactive, Solar-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Max.  If Maria reaches 0% Solar Energy, an internal reservoir will be activated, allowing her to keep a Healthy Status for a time.


    Solar Saturation I:  (Cooldown: 1 Day; Cost: N/A; Duration: 10 Minutes; Range: N/A)  Reactive, Solar-Type, Level Four, Novice Grade, Rank Max.  For a limited time, Maria¡¯s absorption of Solar Energy is doubled.


    Armor of the Light Branch:  Tapping into the Unicorn''s incredible defensive branch, Maria can access a source of safeguards to support her in combat that is greater than the Sunlit Base Tree provides.


    Immaculate Skin I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 5% Solar Pool Per Minute; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A)  Active, Solar-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Zero.  A golden aura of light radiates from Maria¡¯s skin, making it as tough as hardened wood.


    Well, damn ¡­ okay, not bad, not bad, and I get a bit of a boost to my skin¡¯s solar absorption.  What¡¯s my current health status ¡­ Unhealthy.


    ¡°Eh, not bad¡­¡±  She mused, adjusting the wire harness with a grunt.


    ¡°Hmm?  What¡¯s up?¡±  Jill asked.


    ¡°Naa ¡­ just talkin¡¯ to myself, eh ¡­ I¡¯m still recovering, but I think I¡¯m out of the woods.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad to hear that!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, uh ¡­ where are we?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ currently, we¡¯re about to pass Puuwai if we¡¯re talkin¡¯ latitude.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ wait, where¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Ni¡¯hau,¡± Jill giggled, ¡°the same latitude as Hawaii.  We¡¯ll be heading to Wake Island next.  We¡¯ve already had a refueling session in-air about an thirty minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?  Didn¡¯t he say¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, we¡¯ve been flying over the Pacific for a while, we¡¯ll need to fuel up again.¡±


    ¡°How long have we been flying?¡±


    ¡°About two hours since take-off ¡­ a bit more, but yeah.  You slept through most of it, but we¡¯ve gone something like 2,700 miles.¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyes popped, glancing down at the impenetrable clouds below.  ¡°How fast are we goin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Roughly 1,225 miles per hour.  We could go faster, but at this speed, we¡¯re still gaining on the sun while conserving a bit of fuel.¡±


    ¡°Damn ¡­ well, I¡¯m currently 14%, so I think we should be good.¡±


    Jill¡¯s tone changed pitch.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ I was told to make sure you¡¯re at least 40% before turning around.¡±


    Maria popped her tongue with a light chuckle.  ¡°Damn, who told you that?¡±


    ¡°Master Sergeant Clay.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, figured.  A¡¯ite, well, guess I¡¯ll get my sleep on, then,¡± she groaned, rubbing between her breasts; she was a little perturbed that she could stick her fingers into the glowing holes and quickly withdrew her hand.


    ¡°Sounds good.  Oh, by the way, we might be going straight to California instead of returning to Washington.  I¡¯m sure if you had anything there, the Master Sergeant would bring it with him on his flight.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Cali ¡­ hell, yeah, chica!  No more cold-ass shitty weather?  Yo!  Aye, I¡¯m hyped!¡±


    Jill laughed, and the flight continued.  Maria had the pilot wake her up every hour to check her percent, and after two hours, they turned around, heading to the City of Angels.


    Maria enjoyed the trip back for what parts of it she was conscious; Jill made a show out of making several acrobatic moves that made her want to throw up, but she managed to keep her nerve, and it was really something, flying upside down while looking up at the ground.


    By the time they touched down at Los Angeles International Airport, she was fully rested, and all of the damage to her skin was repaired.  The process had actually dropped her back down to 35% of her Solar Pool from 44%, proving Clay was thinking ahead.


    The coming day would be rising soon with their more lax return flight, and a woman climbed up the ladder on the airstrip to deliver her a new pair of clothes.


    The woman blushed upon seeing her exposed front, causing Maria¡¯s own cheeks to reflexively darken.  She handed her the black bra, tank-top, overcoat, and short-shorts with a white studded belt.


    Maria was a little surprised at how well they¡¯d identified her size but had to remind herself that they¡¯d marked down the items they¡¯d taken from the Montana store, and referencing it wouldn¡¯t have been that hard.


    Flipping her glowing, lilac-white hair out of the back, she climbed down from the jet with Jill¡¯s initial help.  Once down, she added the light overcoat, grinning as Clay watched her, standing outside of another limo.


    ¡°What, did those two guys follow you here?¡±  She snickered.


    Clay ruefully shook his head.  ¡°Honestly, Maria ¡­ you just barely got off death¡¯s door, and you look as radiant as I first saw you.¡±


    ¡°Shit ¡­ all you do is compliment me,¡± Maria mumbled, fiddling with the zipper.  ¡°Yo, so, uh ¡­ damn, this thing¡¯s tricky, uh ¡­ what¡¯s goin¡¯ on today?  You¡¯re like my personal assistant, right?¡±  She gave him a quick grin before returning to the stubborn links.


    ¡°... Are you sure you¡¯re fine?  No one would fault you for taking a break.¡±


    ¡°Tch ¡­ naw, I¡¯m good!  Yo, you said somethin¡¯ about an interview, right?  Uh ¡­ before I do any healin¡¯, though, I should probably stay in the sun, ya know?  I¡¯m only like 35%.¡±


    Clay¡¯s eyes narrowed, glancing up at Jill, checking the plane.


    Maria caught his gaze.  ¡°Oh, aye, no, no, chino, she got nothin¡¯ to do with it, Hoss.  Yo, we turned around when I was 44%, but healin¡¯ up took more than I thought.  See, yo, all me, amigo!¡±  She said with a bright smile, finally getting the zipper to go up, stopping below her chest.


    ¡°So, we got an interview to prep for?¡±


    Clay breathed out a long sigh, rubbing his bald head while giving her a relenting smile.  ¡°Alright, but before that, let¡¯s get you to a hotel to shower.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±  Maria smirked, left eye narrowing.  ¡°You sayin¡¯ I smell?  My hair looks bad or some shit?¡±  She asked, pulling around her long locks to inspect them before giving them a sniff.  ¡°Woah ¡­ it does kind of smell like jet fuel, doesn¡¯t it ¡­ shit.¡±


    Looking up at him, she brushed her hair back while holding her hands behind her back.  ¡°A¡¯ite, let¡¯s go, Military man!  I got a schedule, right?  Let¡¯s get this fight on!¡±


    Clay shook his head with an amused smile, opening the door for her to get in.


    ¡°After you.¡±


    ¡°Damn right!  Hehe.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 55. On The Rebound!

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Maria Espinar (our Sunlit Unicorn is safe!)


    Recap:


    Man, it''s a good thing Maria had such high military connections!  Who would have known using the ice flower too much to recharge would cause some a harsh reaction (not me ... until I started writing that part and realized it ... had me sweating trying to figure out how not to kill you, Maria!)?


    So, our unicorn is the first of the girls to experience what it''s like in a jet!  Fun stuff!  Haha!  Of course, Clay had all-female help to give our girl some decency, and some clothes on her exit.  She learned that Clay can be trusted!  Now, time to get a little breathing room after that near-death experience ... I hope?


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Foo, Marcus Flax, Brandon Stiles, Thimo Gubbels, Ianitos, Kingwoh, Ethan, and my other Patrons!


    Maria entered the limo with Clay; sure enough, Doctor Wilson Jasper and Paul Reed were already inside with a security member.


    ¡°Ms. Espinar, is the situation resolved?¡±  Jasper asked with concern.


    Brushing her lilac-white hair over her left shoulder to get it out of the way, Maria scooted over with a small smile.  ¡°Eh, yup, it¡¯s all good.  Yo, sorry to worry ya, but yeah, it was pretty bad.¡±


    ¡°Bad?¡±  Reed pressed, eyebrows coming together as he glanced between her and Clay as the Master Sergeant closed the door.  ¡°I ¡­ suppose it is a classified matter?¡±


    ¡°You could say that.¡±  Clay casually leaned forward to activate the microphone to the driver¡¯s seat.  ¡°We¡¯ll be heading to one of the local clothing stores to look for a dress.¡±


    The driver responded soon after.  ¡°Understood.  Is there any store in particular that you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°No.  Just somewhere with a nice selection of clothes.¡±


    The limo pulled away as the jet prepared to take-off again.


    Clay sat back, smiling at her.  ¡°I hope you know your dress size.¡±


    Maria popped her tongue.  ¡°Shit, of course, I do.  Damn, you know I wear a dress every week for services, chino!¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Clay chuckled.  ¡°How many dresses do you have?¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ why¡¯s that so important, huh?¡±  Maria asked with a lifted eyebrow.  ¡°Not like I need a lot, ya know?  I mean, a lot of the chicas in the hood be passin¡¯ down their clothes and shit.  So, you know ¡­ not a lot,¡± she mumbled with a weak shrug.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±  Reed asked with a thoughtful look.  Leaning forward, he pressed the button to contact the driver.  ¡°Jake, head to 1300 Santee Street, the fashion district.  I recall a shop there with my granddaughter last year.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±


    ¡°Yo,¡± Maria forced a chuckle.  ¡°Aye, those fashion places are freakin¡¯ expensive ¡­ Key Rat, ya know?  Just stop off by the local supermarket or somethin¡¯, and I can grab a cheap thing.  Those rich places ain¡¯t my scene!¡±  She replied with a forced chuckle.


    [Key Rat - Used to describe a citizen of Key Biscayne who has one of those credit cards the bank won¡¯t even show you unless you smell like a Tesla. They are always recovering from a sunburn and have a boat that you, sadly, only get to enjoy via Snapchat.]


    ¡°No need to fret,¡± Reed replied with a warm smile.  ¡°I believe every woman should have at least one expensive formal dress to wear for occasions.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ hehe, why don¡¯t I believe it¡¯s just one?¡±  Maria asked, glancing between the men.


    Jasper nodded with a thoughtful expression.  ¡°Yes ¡­ we wouldn¡¯t want you to be in the same dress if there is another interview.  What would you suggest, Mr. Reed, five, six?¡±


    ¡°At a minimum, perhaps,¡± Reed replied without a hint of shame.  ¡°We must prepare in case of any circumstance, after all.¡±  He suddenly chuckled, rubbing his chin.  ¡°I recall a certain celebrity at one gathering that happened to spill wine on three different dresses throughout the night ¡­ they were swapping her between clothes like a fashion show.¡±


    ¡°Oof,¡± Maria winced.  ¡°Aye, yo, I ain¡¯t that clumsy, okay?¡±


    ¡°No, no, of course, not,¡± Jasper laughed.  ¡°It¡¯s just a precaution.  It might be a random guy that is captivated by your beauty while passing; he trips, not looking where he¡¯s going because his eyes are too enamored by your ravishing grace ¡­ thereby, spilling his coffee across your front.¡±


    ¡°Damn, yo ¡­ I¡¯d knock a fool out for ruinin¡¯ my dress, hombre!  That¡¯s money, man, and I¡¯ve seen shit like that from dumbasses that try to use that to start talkin¡¯ to a girl and shit.  Yo, but you seriously think that could happen?¡±  She asked, pulling a few locks of hair behind her left ear with a doubtful look.


    ¡°As Dr. Jasper said,¡± Reed replied with an innocent smile, ¡°it¡¯s just a precaution.¡±


    Maria glared at the two men for a moment, arms folded under her chest while she sat back.


    It¡¯s not just to get me in different clothes, right?


    Her eyes suddenly popped open.  ¡°Aye, yo, but uh ¡­ aye, I got a contract with a company to wear their clothes.  Uh ¡­ Tempest?  Maybe we should give them a call.  It¡¯ll be free!  Eh?¡±  She asked with a bright smile.  ¡°Yo, and I get paid!¡±


    Reed and Jasper looked lost for words, but Clay tried to hide a laugh, decorated chest heaving silently.


    ¡°Are ¡­ you positive?¡±  Reed asked.


    Maria gave him a toothy grin.  ¡°Yea!  Yo, I get money and new dresses; that¡¯s such a deal, yo, but, uh ¡­ I¡¯ll probably have to do a photo shoot.  That good?¡±


    The two men shrugged before laughing.


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Espinar,¡± Reed replied.  ¡°I know some people in the mother company.  I¡¯ll make some calls and see if they can set something up ¡­ in fact, it might be better than trying to find the few shops that have opened after the mandatory lockdowns are lifted.¡±


    ¡°Woah, for real?¡±  Maria asked, eyes widening.  ¡°Yo, Clay, when did that happen?¡±


    ¡°Within the last few hours,¡± Clay responded without explanation.


    ¡°Shit ¡­ coo, okay, huh¡­¡±


    Maria fell silent, glancing between the men as they played with their phones.  Jasper seemed to be engaged in his own thing while Reed messaged his contacts with Tempest to set up the event.  On the other hand, Clay¡¯s eyes narrowed upon getting a text.


    She shifted in her seat, glancing down at her hair with a frown, lifting it up to sniff it again.  ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Man ¡­ I should take a shower before heading over, but now these new clothes will smell of jet fuel, too.  I¡¯d be annoyed if someone just got new clothes and asked for more.


    Clay absently leaned forward, pressing the button to the driver.  ¡°Change of plans; we¡¯ll be heading to the hotel first.¡±


    ¡°... Of course.¡±


    Maria felt a little bad for the man; he was driving people around that didn¡¯t know what they were doing.  Her mind didn¡¯t linger on it as Clay¡¯s excellent poker face cracked, showing a hint of displeasure.


    ¡°Aye, somethin¡¯ up?¡±


    Jasper and Reed glanced up, but once realizing she was talking to Clay, they returned to their tasks.  Maria¡¯s eyes darted over at the bodyguard, but he was still as a statue, showing no interest in whatever was being discussed.


    Clay continued to send texts, receiving quick replies.  ¡°... It¡¯s nothing for you to be concerned about.¡±


    Maria¡¯s thighs tightened, eye creasing upon catching the lie, but on a rare act of restraint, she let it slide, uncrossing her arms to fold her hands together in her lap.  Her narrowed silver irises studied the military man, fingers darting across his phone¡¯s screen, outside of her field of vision.


    Clay knows he can¡¯t lie to me ¡­ if he did, then he knows I¡¯ll catch it.  So ¡­ it¡¯s something he doesn¡¯t want to discuss in front of Reed and Jasper?  Damn, I¡¯m starting to think like Rachel.


    She chuckled softly, eyes dropping to her lap with the image of the large-eared Korean girl entered her mind.


    Yeah, that girl¡¯s gettin¡¯ into trouble ¡­ yeah, without a doubt!  Everyone must be pretty busy, though¡­


    ¡°Tch¡­¡±  She popped her tongue, lips pursing to the side while playing with her hair in her lap.


    Damn, everyone¡¯s workin¡¯ hard ¡­ hey, I got some time.  I can call Felix.


    Even though Clay seemed pretty occupied with whoever he was messaging, he caught her actions.  ¡°Something wrong, Maria?¡±  He asked, brown eyes lifting to give her his full attention.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ no, no, I¡¯m just thinkin¡¯ ¡­ aye, uh, we got time for me to call my brother?  You know, just to uh ¡­ just let them know I¡¯m good.  I¡¯ve got some family in Cali, too,¡± she mumbled with a weak shrug.  ¡°It¡¯d be nice to let them know I¡¯m in State, right?¡±


    Clay¡¯s frown softened as he scratched his neck.  ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t see why not.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Reed cut in.  ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I have a second phone you can use.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Clay replied, taking out a phone from inside his jacket pocket.  ¡°The General had this phone prepared.  It uses AES to secure any information passing through it.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ okay,¡± Maria mumbled, taking the phone with a sheepish grin, ¡°I don¡¯t know what that shit means, but whatever.¡±


    Calling her brother first, she had a short conversation with him, and just as she expected, other family members around the U.S. had been calling in since hearing about her actions the day before, televised across the world.


    Things had been relatively quiet, but there was some gang activity ramping up within Little Havana.  She told him to spread the word to keep a low profile until she returned.


    ¡°Aye, you good, though, Sis?¡±  Felix nervously asked in Spanish.  ¡°Miguel said he heard from someone you vanished in a military vehicle or somethin¡¯?  Kind of worried some of us.¡±


    ¡°Tch, c¡¯mon, Felix,¡± Maria laughed, returning the conversation in Spanish.  ¡°How do I sound?¡±


    ¡°Good¡­¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah!  Aye, I may be a little low on energy right now, but that¡¯s no big deal; I¡¯ll just do a little sun-soaking, and I¡¯ll be good as new!  Let everyone know I¡¯m good, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, uh ¡­ when will you be back?¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ I don¡¯t know, bro, but look, we got cash, yo!  When I get back, we throwin¡¯ the biggest party!  Yo, everyone¡¯s invited, bro ¡­ the Cubans, Nicaraguans, Hondurans, Africans, and whites, yo, it¡¯s a celebration!¡±


    ¡°For real?¡±


    ¡°Aye, I got that money in the bank!  We gonna be livin¡¯ it up Key Rat, bro, and this is only the start.  Yo, you know I¡¯ma bring in that dough.  So, you just chill at home until I get back.  Oh, and some of my girls might come by, ya know, Rachel, Fiona, and Scarlet, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, okay ¡­ I got it, Sis.  Just come back safe, kay?¡±


    ¡°Aye, you know it!  Ight, I¡¯ll see ya, bro!¡±


    Hanging up, she called her cousin, Patricia.  Her stern voice answered as if she were responding to an overly persistent telemarketer, speaking Spanish.  ¡°Aye, who the hell¡¯s this, huh?  How did you get my number, bitch?¡±


    Maria smiled, hearing some Mexican rap blaring in the background.  ¡°Aye, Cuz.  Yo, it¡¯s ¡®lil Maria, girl!¡±


    ¡°Eh?  ¡­ Yo, aye, ¡®lil Maria!  Yo, Cuz, what¡¯s happin¡¯?  Damn, I be hearin¡¯ about you and this Unicorn shit?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    She paused as her aunt¡¯s voice became muffled, hearing some indistinguishable voices yelling back and forth, probably her twelve-year-old son.  ¡°Aye, one sec ¡­ eh?  Say that again?  Yo, check yourself, boy!  Hatin¡¯ on me will make your situation worse; you don¡¯t wanna take a ride in that long black hearse.  Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought!  Get that punk-ass lookin¡¯ bald head off that game and get on them dishes.


    ¡°Tch, aye, yo, sorry ¡®bout that, girl.  Aye, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°You know me,¡± Maria chuckled.  ¡°Check it, I¡¯m just rollin¡¯ in a limo on my way to my hotel, ya know?¡±


    She popped her tongue.  ¡°Damn, girl, it ain¡¯t trickin¡¯ if you got it, and you be on that hustle!  Ya in LA?¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯m gonna play the game, that¡¯s how it goes!  Wanna hook up?  Yo, I can take care of some medical shit, ya know?¡±


    ¡°Yo, for real?¡±  She clicked her tongue.  ¡°Aye, uh ¡­ I got a bit of work to do, but yo, I¡¯ll swing it.  Should I get anyone else in the fam?  We haven¡¯t seen you since your daddy took you out east, years, girl.¡±


    ¡°Aye, bring out the Cadillac, bumper on the ground, Cuz!  We¡¯ll cruise around and chill, but eh ¡­ yo, I gotta see what my schedule will be like, but aye, it¡¯ll be nice to see everyone.  Yo, what if, uh ¡­ na, na, I¡¯ll talk to you about it when we meet up!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, yo, yo, Alicia, Angel, yo, Maria¡¯s gonna meet up!¡±


    Maria smiled as she heard several people shout, ¡°Aye!¡±


    ¡°Okay, Cuz, I¡¯ll see you in a bit.  We¡¯ll get the cars prepped!  Yo, Uncle Ariel is gonna be hyped!  Party at the park at sundown?  Castel will bring the joints, we¡¯ll spark up the barbecue, and bump some music.  You know how it be, Oldies in the backdrop, playin¡¯ out the rag-top, Cuz!  We¡¯ll have some homemade tortillas ready to go, and yo, bring some twelve-packs of cold ones.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait, Cuz!¡±  Maria said, leaning forward with anticipation.  ¡°Yo, I¡¯ll text you, kay?¡±


    ¡°Aye, got it!  Just get here, girl, and we¡¯ll tear up the blacktop.¡±


    ¡°Later!¡±


    Hanging up, Maria smiled down at her phone.


    Clay smiled at her, putting away his phone.  ¡°I only know a bit of Spanish, but from what I understand, you want to go to a family party?¡±


    Maria chuckled softly.  ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been back in Cali.  Most of my cousins, aunts, and uncles are here.  They¡¯re planning a party in the local park at sundown.  My brother and I have a lot of memories there when we were little.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to make time for it then,¡± Clay replied with a soft sigh that told her that there was something on his mind.  He looked out of the window for a moment before pressing the button for the driver.  ¡°How close are we to the hotel?¡±


    ¡°A few minutes out ¡­ do we need to reroute again?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯ll be stopping off at the hotel for a short while.¡±


    ¡°... I see it up ahead.¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyes lifted as they came to a stop in front of an expensive building that went up several floors.  ¡°Uh¡­¡±  Glancing around, she noticed the very wealthy landscape.  ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°Beverly Hills,¡± Reed replied, exiting the limo behind her.  ¡°I have a colleague in the hotel business ¡­ actually, he¡¯d like to contract your services in the next few days if possible.¡±


    ¡°Yo ¡­ you guys are too much,¡± Maria replied with a slight shake of her head.  The wind wasn¡¯t that bad, giving her hair a break.


    She lifted an eyebrow as the driver got out, moving to the trunk to open it, and two hotel employees rushed to take the two bags he produced.


    ¡°Huh ¡­ you two bring luggage?¡±  Maria asked, glancing at Reed and Jasper.


    Both men shook their heads.


    ¡°No, Ms. Espinar,¡± Jasper laughed.  ¡°When you asked me to obtain an outfit for you, I had a sneaking suspicion you didn¡¯t have any other changes of clothes.  With the Master Sergeant¡¯s help, I hired a team of people to find suitable casual outfits for you to browse.  You don¡¯t need to fret; what you don¡¯t use can be returned.¡±


    These guys are unbelievable!


    Maria eyed the cases while they entered the building.  Going inside, Maria whistled, seeing the polished marble, sizeable white chandelier, and a table filled with white roses in elegant vases.  The paintings and lighting made it look like she was entering a whole new world compared to the hotels back in Little Havana.


    Several guests had likely been stuck inside since the lockdown, loitering in the lobby, and all of them appeared to come from money.  Every eye was on their party; two well-dressed men in suits, a high-ranking military man in uniform, and Maria.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel self-conscious with the attention but did her best to not look nervous.


    Reed got her room key and had one of the bellhops guide her to it, carrying her luggage.


    Maria could tell the young man was nervous by his wandering eyes and lack of conversation, but the trip didn¡¯t last long.  He brought her to the third floor, leaving after she dismissed him.


    Going inside, she marveled at the size of the place for just a hotel; it could have been a decent-sized condo, and the bathroom was much larger than her own back home.


    Thoroughly washing away all the sweat, dried tears, and cleaning her hair, she opened the suitcases and lifted an eyebrow.  There were sunglasses, sandals, shorts, pants, all kinds of shirts, and even several accessories to choose from.


    ¡°Damn ¡­ yo, Reed just goes crazy with money¡­¡±  Maria mumbled, pulling out a fancy looking watch that was worth more than she cared to speculate.


    Maria chose black garments, white classic cut-off shorts, kept her belt, and put on a fitted dark blue long-sleeve shirt with flowers that reminded her of Miami.  To finish the outfit, she added some rope sandals that looked cool, black aviator glasses, and after some thought, decided to go with the platinum-colored watch.


    She was a little annoyed that the clothes fit so well that her new phone didn¡¯t fit in her front or back pockets, forcing her to turn her head to stare at an expensive white purse in one of the suitcases.  Sighing, she put the phone and card in it before going downstairs; she¡¯d rarely ever used a purse in her life, but there was a first for everything, and it was useful.


    Her glasses were secured between her breasts as she exited, hair still semi-wet after patting it down and combing it out with the provided utensils in the suitcases, and once again, every eye was on her.


    Jasper and Reed gave her an appraising look upon noticing her.


    ¡°You truly are stunning, Ms. Espinar,¡± Jasper commented, and Reed followed up.


    ¡°Quite.  The shine you have certainly is magical.¡±


    Maria gave Clay a teasing grin.  ¡°Until I open my mouth, right?¡±


    Clay¡¯s lips lifted a little.  ¡°There is the rare occasion profanity doesn¡¯t come out of it, but no one can deny you have a lovely voice.¡±


    ¡°Tch ¡­ yo, I¡¯m not used to so many people complimenting me, and damn, what¡¯s up with everyone always starin¡¯ ¡­ it¡¯s creepy ¡­ like I just walked into a horror show or somethin¡¯,¡± she mumbled, catching a few men and women quickly turn away as she eyed them.


    ¡°Well, I can hardly blame them,¡± Reed chuckled, taking out his phone.  ¡°In any case, we have a studio that was already being used, and with a few calls, they¡¯ve managed to find several people that jumped on the opportunity to get back to work.  Are you ready for a photo shoot?¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°Yeah, whatever.  What time is it?¡±  She mumbled, trying to find her phone in her bag.


    ¡°10 A.M.,¡± Jasper replied, pointing toward her watch.


    Maria gave a start.  ¡°Ah ¡­ right, right,¡± she giggled.  ¡°Yo, I¡¯ve never had one of these, but aye, I¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    They walked back out, but just before they entered the limo, Clay cleared his throat.  ¡°Maria, could I have a second?¡±


    ¡°Uh, sure?¡±  Maria mumbled, following him to the side.  Reed and Jasper eyed them for a moment before entering the vehicle with the bodyguard that Maria swore hadn¡¯t said a single word.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  She asked, glancing around the ritzy place with a light smile.


    ¡°There was an incident at the L.A. FBI field office ¡­ a few Mythickin and Legendkin that were being observed there ¡­ similar to the Miami field office ¡­ there was a fight between them that ruined part of the building.  There¡¯s a ¡­ I don¡¯t know how to describe it, but the Mythickin really scares the upper brass.¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyes narrowed, thinking about what might happen if Fiona and Rachel went at it.  ¡°Well, shit ¡­ uh, need me to help heal people over there or somethin¡¯?¡±


    Clay folded his arms, looking a bit annoyed.  ¡°None of the agents were harmed because the four Legendkin and two Mythickin involved were smart enough to at least not cause physical harm to any of the agents.  Everyone was evacuated the moment it happened ¡­ no, the Director has ordered they be split up.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡±  Maria slowly replied.


    ¡°... The Associate Director requested that you heal the injuries of both parties ¡­ specifically one Legendkin that is refusing treatment.  To be honest, I believe he thinks you can intimidate the guy into compliance.¡±


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Maria pressed her tongue against her teeth with a creased eye.  ¡°Let me get this straight.  Some dumbasses started a brawl, terrified a ton of people, and now he¡¯s bitchin¡¯ so much the big shots want someone to come in to be his mom?¡±  She asked with a deep frown.


    ¡°He wants me to stroll in there, chew him out, and use my life to make some asshole comply?  Screw that; I got better things to do!¡±


    Clay sighed, looking torn.  ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.  It¡¯s not a good look for him, but he¡¯s terrified after seeing what they did to the building.  Also ¡­ General Dallas thinks it would be a good idea to acquaint yourself with two of the Legendkin and one of the Mythickin.  Three of those six are heading to Miami since it¡¯s been very stable; it also seems to be a political play by some politicians to put pressure on Deputy Director David of the newly formed division that handlesDemis.¡±


    Maria growled, glaring at a nearby building.  ¡°I don¡¯t exactly get along with those other Mythickin and Legendkin ¡­ yo, Maelle and Kyle are not my types of people, but uh ¡­ Anthony ain¡¯t bad, and Rachel seems to be into him.  Me, though?  Naw, I ain¡¯t into makin¡¯ friends with people for other people.  But¡­¡±


    Clay¡¯s lips became a line, brow furrowed as she paused, scratching the back of her head.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ yo, if General Dallas and you feel like I should meet up with them, then I¡¯ll help out ¡­ it¡¯s the least I can do, ya know?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the answer I wanted to hear,¡± Clay replied with a deep frown.  ¡°You don¡¯t owe us this, and it is tied up in a lot of politics.¡±


    Maria shrugged with a low groan.  ¡°Meh ¡­ I could care less about that shit.  Tom¡¯s a smart guy.  If he thinks I should see them, then there¡¯s gotta be a reason for it.  Maybe he sees somethin¡¯ no one else does ¡­ bah, I¡¯ll give him a call myself.  I can do that, right?¡±  She asked with a questioning frown.


    Clay released a tense breath, and Maria was a little suspicious about the whole thing with how the Master Sergeant was responding.  He was on point when she was dying, but suddenly this comes up, and he was conflicted if she should go or not.


    She slapped him on the shoulder with a bright grin.  ¡°Aye, cheer up!  If it sounds interestin¡¯, then I¡¯ll do it, and if not, then I won¡¯t.  Easy!  Yo, let¡¯s get goin¡¯ though, we¡¯re burnin¡¯ sunlight ¡­ yo,¡± she glanced over at the limo, ¡°that has a sunroof!  Aye!¡±


    Clay chuckled softly, following her back to the limo.


    ¡°... I¡¯ll give him a call after the photo shoot, but tell me more about that interview.  When¡¯s that happenin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°5 P.M.¡±


    ¡°Okay, not bad!  That should give me some time with the fam ¡­ assuming nothing else goes wrong, eh?¡±  Maria said with a forced smile.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ with our luck?¡±  Clay replied, shaking his head ruefully.  ¡°All there seems to be are disasters and emergencies lately.¡±


    ¡°Right?  Yo, you should come to the party, eh?  You could use a break!¡±


    ¡°Maybe I will,¡± Clay said with a small smile.  ¡°Should I bring my family?¡±


    Maria froze, halfway inside the vehicle.  ¡°They¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I live in Santa Monica.¡±


    ¡°Damn, son; bring the crew!  Oh, but eh ¡­ only if they know how to keep it chill, ya know?  Speak no evil, hear no evil, see no evil, right? ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s California,¡± Clay chuckled, ¡°who cares about marijuana?¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡±  Maria grinned, scooting closer to Reed and Jasper to let him get in.  ¡°Yo, we goin¡¯ to get crazy tonight!  Get the whole family in on this; we got dancing, food, drinks ¡­ oh, we need to bring some drinks,¡± she mumbled as an afterthought, ¡°and the chill, yo!  Eh ¡­ even if I can¡¯t have meat ¡­ alcohol ¡­ smoke ¡­ shit,¡± she growled, rubbing the side of her head out of irritation, ¡°being a Unicorn sucks ass!  Yo, I purify shit just by holding it, tipo; life¡¯s not fair!¡±


    The three men laughed and even the bodyguard¡¯s face cracked with humor.


    They went to the photo shoot, and she was met by a crew of people that instantly rushed her into a changing room where women fussed over so many things that it started to make Maria¡¯s head spin.  Worse was the constant debate if she needed makeup or not as they tried different styles, washed it off, and tried again.  Eventually, they decided against it, going for the natural beauty they said she had.


    The women cycled her through dozens of heels and dresses, mostly sticking to red, white, peach, and blues.  In the end, they decided on a romantic fold-over collar, off-the-shoulder red dress, draping over her shoulders.  A seamstress there quickly fashioned it to be form-fitting, following closely to her hips and opening in a sultry, high-side slit on the floor-length skirt.


    It was followed by ankle-strap heels, an expensive diamond bracelet for her left arm, and diamond drop earrings that had to be forcefully punctured through her ears since any injury automatically healed to more than one woman¡¯s surprise.  To finish everything off, they put her thick lilac-white hair into waterfall braids.


    Maria felt more than a little overdressed, but after the shoot, she was allowed to keep the extravagant outfit, including the jewelry, which she more than suspected that Reed had a hand in.


    She darted into an office once they were going over the pictures, hoping no one saw her.


    These people are insane!


    The amount of pampering and work they put into making every shot perfect made her want to scream, but they were so serious about the whole thing that all she could do was sit there and follow every instruction.


    Pressing her hand against her chest, she calmed her racing heart before checking her watch inside her purse.  It was 1:30 P.M.


    Well, I suppose it¡¯s about time I call Tom.  There has to be more to this than Clay¡¯s letting on ¡­ maybe he wasn¡¯t told.  Hmm ¡­ anything¡¯s better than if they decide to change clothes ¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can go through that again.  Wait, I just need to look like I¡¯m too busy!


    Taking out her phone, she called Tom.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 56. The New Legends and Myth

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Maria Espinar (our Sunlit Unicorn is safe!)


    Recap:


    Maria stepped off the plane and met back up with her boy Clay to get back in the groove!  Reed and Jasper got the hookups with the limo, but first thing''s first, she''s gotta get cleaned up after smelling like jet fuel!


    Maria drew eyes, of course, and Reed keeps trying to spoil her with all this fancy stuff.  Our Sunlit Unicorn isn''t used to a billionaire trying to show his appreciation, and then the modeling crew for Tempest show up and make her want to head back into the alien world to fight little orange men and world-ending ice flowers!


    Finding some time alone in the next room, she calls Tom ... to beg for anything to get her away from these crazy fashion people.  Now, our girl is going to check out the new homies that''ll be joining them in Miami!


    Let''s go!!!!!


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Jan L, Kyle Hirshson, Hayden Rayborn, Nickolas, Kilimandaros, Ikatere, and my other Patrons!


    Maria took a deep breath as the phone rang, back pressing against the closed door while listening to the flurry of activity happening beyond her small barrier.  The women and men were talking about the smallest out of place folds of the dress or tiny variables in her braid.


    She released a sigh of relief as Tom answered on the fifth ring; he didn¡¯t sound that tired, but his deep voice threw her off a little.  ¡°Maria, you called sooner than I anticipated.¡±


    ¡°Hey, yo, uh, hehe, Tom ¡­ umm, you got somethin¡¯ that¡¯s pretty important to talk to me about, right?  Clay was sayin¡¯ something like that, so, uh ¡­ yeah, I gave you a call.¡±


    His deep tone turned curious.  ¡°Something bothering you, Maria?¡±


    Her teeth clamped down on her tongue, but begrudgingly, slowly she replied, unable to lie.  ¡°... Eh ¡­ modeling is a lot more work than I thought it was.¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡±  She heard a creaking of his chair as he leaned back.  ¡°You¡¯re modeling right now?¡±


    Maria rubbed her elbow with a forced chuckle, trying to distract herself by studying the near-empty warehouse storage room; it didn¡¯t help pull her mind from the intense voices outside, talking about things she wouldn¡¯t even begin to know how to explain.  ¡°What ¡­ you didn¡¯t know?  Hehe, I thought you knew just about everything.¡±


    ¡°No man can store that much information!  No, the last I heard, you were back in Cali, safe and sound.  So, what can I do for you?  Is Master Sergeant Clay treating you well?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, no ¡­ umm, no, he¡¯s chill.  Uh ¡­ no, what can I do for you, general?  Heh, Clay was talkin¡¯ about somethin¡¯ healin¡¯ people at the FBI or ¡­ I don¡¯t know, ya know?  He was talking about you and stuff.¡±


    ¡°Wooow,¡± Tom mused.  ¡°Is it really that bad over there?  I was sure you¡¯d be firmly against the request made by the Associate Director.¡±


    She fiddled with her braided hair, stomach tightening as a few people mentioned her in the other room; they¡¯d probably be looking for her soon.  ¡°Yo, it¡¯s exhausting ¡­ and I don¡¯t know why since all I gotta do is just sit there for like forty minutes as they mess with my face, but damn ¡­ yo, it makes me feel like there¡¯s somethin¡¯ wrong with me!  They¡¯re just so fussy.  Shit ¡­ how many lipsticks do they gotta put on me before they¡¯re satisfied, ya know?


    ¡°Eh ¡­ I¡¯m not gonna go over there and try to shake down some asshole I got no beef with, but if some of those guys need healing, then I¡¯m down ¡­ shit, just picking out the way I look now took those tontos lacos like two hours, hombre!  Two hours ¡­ for a dress and to figure out I look good without makeup, yo!  For real?  Shit!¡±


    [crazy fools]


    Her jaws snapped shut as someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Ms. Espinar, are you in there?¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ yeah, umm, give me a minute, okay?  Yo, I¡¯m on the phone.¡±


    ¡°... Very well, we¡¯ll start getting everything lined up for the next shoot.¡±


    She whispered a curse, causing Tom to laugh.


    ¡°Okay, Maria.  Let me fill you in before you go crashing their party¡­¡±  He paused, tone becoming serious.  ¡°There are quite a few Mythickin and Legendkin within the U.S. at this time; we¡¯ve been pulling them in from everywhere we can, and not all of them are as cooperative as you have been.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Maria¡¯s left hand tightened against her stomach from the noises outside.  ¡°What can I say, Rachel and the chicas are one of a kind.  Am I right?¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt ¡­ these other Mythickin and Legendkin ¡­ their tempers have flared, and there are already a few incidents between cooped up and restless individuals, which is understandable, to an extent, and one reason why David has allowed the Miami group leniency to roam.


    ¡°However, that hasn¡¯t been the case in California; you¡¯ll be walking into a hornet¡¯s nest.  I can¡¯t be sure how things will turn out, but I¡¯m hoping you can at least show them that the Miami experience will not be the same as the treatment they received in California.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Maria felt her curiosity stir.  ¡°They aren¡¯t from around here?  Okay, uh, where are they from, huh?¡±


    Tom cleared his throat.  ¡°There are two Legendkin and a Mythickin that will be moving to Miami.  The Legend of Yasuke, a young African American man from Chicago, and the other came from South India, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, to be specific, and he¡¯s the Legend of Arjuna ¡­ kind of a cheeky guy, to be honest.¡±


    Maria smiled.  ¡°Chicago, huh?  Okay, okay, and I don¡¯t even know what you said about that Indian dude, but I like cheeky guys; they can be funny.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you approve,¡± Tom replied with a soft sigh.  ¡°The last one ¡­ those two are less of a handful than the Mythickin.  Her name is Selvaria, and she¡¯s a ¡­ Leviathan.¡±


    Maria¡¯s brain stuck on the revelation as Tom let the information hang.


    ¡°... Uh, like the Bible Leviathan that God struck dead?¡±


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ I really don¡¯t know, but she can turn into a sea monster in the water and there appears to be a strange transformation that happens to her body if she¡¯s outside of a body of liquid for too long.  Anyways, I suspect that when she¡¯s filled up on water, she can cause pretty substantial damage ¡­ she blew apart much of the FBI building.¡±


    A freakin¡¯ Leviathan!  Okay, so, a massive sea monster that can probably swallow entire ships ¡­ yeah, being friends with a creature like that sounds like great fun ¡­ well, I mean, Scarlet¡¯s pretty stupid powerful, too, but she¡¯s a walking marshmallow.  Hmm ¡­ yeah, I can¡¯t judge.


    ¡°How¡¯d it start?¡±  Maria asked, finding the story more interesting as Tom explained it.


    Tom took a moment to answer, fiddling with something in front of him.  ¡°A Mythickin woman named Julia was taunting the Leviathan with a few Legendkin in the room; she was basically calling her a weak, disgusting, slimy eel¡­¡±


    Maria bit her lower lip as a knock sounded at the door again.  ¡°How soon will you be ready, Ms. Espinar?¡±


    ¡°... Aye, Tom, hold up ¡­ I¡¯ma take care of this real fast and get back to ya.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.  Just give me a callback when you get everything settled.  I¡¯ll just be going over reports ¡­ there¡¯s a lot of them, and honestly, it¡¯s nicer talking to someone about lighter business to let my mind settle.¡±


    ¡°Light, huh?  Well, okay, jefe!  Hehe, I¡¯ll hit you up in a bit.¡±


    [boss]


    Hanging up, she went out and explained that something had recently happened at the local FBI facility, and she needed to head over.  The workers seemed really disappointed but accepted the excuse with little resistance.


    Clay stayed silent through her performance, never lying and even mentioning how hard it was to sit there for hours while being fussed over.  They all laughed at her statement, taking it as a joke before getting ready to pack up.


    Jasper and Reed were cleared to take them to the FBI headquarters but wouldn¡¯t be allowed inside.  Maria wasn¡¯t sure what she¡¯d do once she got there, but was happy to get away from the stress of having men and women fussing over her; it all felt so foreign to her, and she¡¯d hit her uncomfortable limit for the day.


    The three men smiled at her as she spread her crossed legs across the table, sunroof open to allow the sun to recharge her; the lone exception was the stone-faced bodyguard.  She had to adjust her dress slightly, but it wasn¡¯t difficult to find a comfortable position that didn¡¯t reveal too much skin.


    God, this feels so good ¡­ thank you for the sun!  I just need an hour or two and I¡¯ll be maxed out.


    Maria released a content sigh, and was about to call Tom back when Clay cleared his throat, pulling her attention.  ¡°... I wasn¡¯t sure you were going to take the request.  What changed your mind?¡±


    Her soft smile turned into a grimace, giving the three men a glare.  ¡°All of you guys, and those other crazy people.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ have we upset you?¡±  Reed asked with a concerned tone, glancing at Clay with a questioning expression.


    ¡°No, no,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯m just not used to so many random people giving me shit, fussing over my hair, and all that other stuff ¡­ damn, like ¡­ give a chica a break.  I ain¡¯t seen even ass-kissers suck up so hard, ya know?  It¡¯s just ¡­ it¡¯s not my scene, yo.  I ain¡¯t used to this shit, and uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Clay nodded with a smile, looking down at his pants.  ¡°You¡¯re overwhelmed.¡±


    The other two men¡¯s eyes widened with understanding.


    ¡°Tch ¡­ I mean, I guess, but uh ¡­ yeah, I¡¯m just a little done with that.  I ain¡¯t doin¡¯ that one thing, though ¡­ uh, give me a bit, though ¡­ I need to call Tom back.¡±


    ¡°Maria Espinar,¡± Clay stated with a light chuckle.  ¡°You certainly are the most genuine woman I¡¯ve ever met.¡±


    ¡°... There it is with the compliments again, shit¡­¡±  Maria grumbled, calling Tom.


    Tom answered.  ¡°Ahem ¡­ are you ready to continue?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, lay it on me, jefe!  I¡¯m good; we¡¯re headin¡¯ to the place now.  So ¡­ wussup with them?¡±


    ¡°... Hmm, you recall me talking about Julia and the slimy eel comment?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°Julia is an Erymanthian Boar, and quite crass, even more than you, I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Maria smirked, ¡°okay.  So, she threw the punch, then?¡±


    Tom let out a low groan.  ¡°I¡¯m looking at the footage now ¡­ she was the one pushing everything, but it moved into which President they liked ¡­ you know it¡¯s an election year.  Selvaria said she would vote for President Capell, and to everyone¡¯s shock, Cahira, the Legend of Grace O¡¯Malley, jumped forward and decked her.


    ¡°... It barely moved Selvaria¡¯s face, and judging by the tightening of her fists and eyes, her response was an emotional one.  One backhand sent the woman flying across the room, and that¡¯s when Julia jumped at her ¡­ she¡¯s got quite a lot of power, but in the end, it didn¡¯t surprise many to find the Leviathan virtually unharmed ¡­ although losing a lot of mass, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ so, they all just holdin¡¯ grudges now or somethin¡¯?¡±


    The four other people in the car stared at her, unable to hear the conversation but picking up pieces of the discussion through her responses.


    Tom didn¡¯t sound too pleased.  ¡°You could say that.  There wasn¡¯t really a clear winner, but who knows what would have happened if it wasn¡¯t stopped.  It¡¯s just a powder keg waiting to happen, and while the official story is that it was political, I¡¯m guessing it stems from an encounter between Cahira and Selvaria earlier that week when they went to the ocean together ¡­ both are marine-based Legend and Myth.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Maria¡¯s lips lifted into a half-smile.  ¡°What about this guy that¡¯s not lettin¡¯ anyone heal him?¡±


    ¡°The Legend of Alv¨ªss ¡­ a short guy that¡¯s apparently a dwarf.  He¡¯s a wiseass that is one of the few Legendary Artificers, although it seems on the lower-tier of that spectrum.  As you might expect, he¡¯s short, very muscular, and ¡­ I doubt many women would say he¡¯s attractive, but his confidence is off the charts.


    ¡°He¡¯s got a Norwegian accent with a northern dialect, which makes it a bit hard to understand him at times, but it¡¯s usually something snide.  Gah ¡­ yeah, the personalities there just don¡¯t mix.¡±


    Maria chuckled.  ¡°Yeah, I can see why!  Yo, they sound like a real group of assholes ¡­ but they¡¯re goin¡¯ after the Leviathan chica?  Wussup with that?¡±


    ¡°... Mmh, for the reason I think she¡¯ll do well getting to know your group.  She¡¯s standoffish, not that vocal, and mostly keeps to herself while reading, but it seems she also likes to be in a group.¡±


    ¡°... Yo,¡± Maria mumbled while shaking her head, ¡°has anyone told you it¡¯s kind of weird how much you analyze people?  Like, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever thought that hard about what people do.¡±


    Tom didn¡¯t respond for a moment, and when he did, it was laughter.  ¡°... My wife, actually.  It¡¯s helped me in my career.¡±


    ¡°I bet it has¡­¡±


    Maria popped her tongue a few times, glancing between the men around her.  ¡°Aye, uh ¡­ you sayin¡¯ it¡¯s not good havin¡¯ them all together, right?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Tom replied, seat squeaking again as he leaned forward.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ uh, just a thought, but umm, yo, check it; since I¡¯m in town, after the interview, I was lookin¡¯ at hitting up my cousins and shit.  If they¡¯ll be headin¡¯ back to Miami with me, then ¡­ ya know?¡±


    ¡°... Hmm ¡­ actually, that¡¯s a pretty good plan, Maria,¡± Tom whispered.  ¡°You don¡¯t think your family would mind?¡±


    ¡°Mi familia?  Na, homie, we all about that party, jefe!  As long as they can have a good time, then it¡¯s all about the fun, yo.  Aye, and Clay¡¯s goin¡¯ to bring his family over, too!¡±  Maria cheered, causing Clay¡¯s eyebrows to rise.


    ¡°... I said I would try¡­¡±


    ¡°Yo, he¡¯s totally goin¡¯ to be brinin¡¯ out the crew, and like ¡­ yo, it¡¯s gonna be off the chain!  Oh, aye, Reed, Jasper, we need to stop off and get the goods, too.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Reed replied with a forced smile.


    ¡°... Indeed,¡± Jasper mumbled, mirroring Reed¡¯s expression, ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be quite the experience.¡±


    Clay¡¯s normally tough expression softened with a silent chuckle.  ¡°Honestly, Maria ¡­ I¡¯ll check with the Missus and the boys.¡±


    Tom¡¯s mood had significantly improved since she¡¯d first called.  ¡°You always find a way, Maria ¡­ alright, I¡¯ll leave it in your hands.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, count on the Queen!¡±


    Tom hung up with a laugh.


    Reed cleared his throat as she lowered the phone.  ¡°Ahem ¡­ Ms. Espinar, this will be after the interview, correct?¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Aww, shit ¡­ I totally forgot.  Uh ¡­ yo, they can hang out with us, right?  We got room here¡­¡±


    ¡°... I suppose we do,¡± Reed slowly replied.  ¡°Who will we be picking up?¡±


    The bodyguard had suddenly taken an interest in the conversation.


    ¡°... Eh ¡­ just two dudes and a chica,¡± she mumbled.


    Maria did her best to assure the two men that everything would be fine on their ride to the FBI building; it was 2:30 P.M. when they arrived because of traffic.


    Clay and her left Reed and Jasper in the car, but Maria paused out front, removing her sunglasses to stare at the LA FBI main office.  The upper right half of the large building gave the impression a few tanks fired off several rounds at it.


    ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    I guess four Legendkin and two Mythickin were involved, but shit.


    Clay didn¡¯t say anything, only giving the destruction a moment¡¯s notice.  ¡°I didn¡¯t warn them we¡¯d be arriving.¡±


    ¡°Good ¡­ no damn welcome party.¡±


    They entered the building, walking up to the front desk with Maria¡¯s heels clicking against the marble floor as she kept her purse pressed against her side.  Clay¡¯s decorated military outfit drew most eyes of the busy greeting area, but they lingered on her.


    The man at the desk just finished talking with a woman, directing her to the left side of the room.  Clay engaged before he could speak.


    ¡°I am Master Sergeant Zawnt¨¦ Clay, United States Army, and this is Maria Espinar, the Mythickin Unicorn; I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen or heard about the miracles she¡¯s been performing in Seattle Washington.


    ¡°Associate Director Keen has asked for us to come, and General Dallas of the U.S. Army has issued three transfer notices for Selvaria Bell, Ohan Norman, and Vasishtha Malhotra.  Do you have someone that can escort us to their location?¡±


    The man¡¯s tongue slid across his lower lip before tucking it under, brow creasing with concern as he glanced from Maria¡¯s smiling face to his phone.  ¡°Uh ¡­ could you hold on a moment while I confirm that, Master Sergeant?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Clay responded, not moving or taking his eyes off the agent.


    Maria¡¯s silver irises shifted to her braided hair, draped over her left shoulder.


    They really did a good job with this thing ¡­ they actually managed to tie it enough times to keep it out of the way.  Maybe braids are the way to go.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Maria glanced around the nice business space, gripping her wrist at her front while slowly turning to take in the view.


    Clay¡¯s focus moved to her as the man nervously called his superior.  ¡°Something caught your interest?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Maria mumbled, feeling a little sheepish.  ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ yo, this place isn¡¯t as nice as the Miami FBI office.  It¡¯s not bad and all, but it¡¯s not that great for somethin¡¯ like LA, ya know?  I expected a lot more.¡±


    He took in the area with a slight frown.  ¡°I believe the Miami main office went through a massive reconstruction around 2010 ¡­ this building has been here since the sixties.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± a smirk lit Maria¡¯s cheeks, ¡°guess they¡¯ll get their own upgrade with the fight destroying a part of it, eh?  Not all bad!¡±


    Clay smiled, shaking his head while turning back to the man as he got someone on the line, explaining the situation.  His frown became more pronounced as he nodded, putting down the phone.


    ¡°Master Sergeant, Special Agent in Charge, Luka Schifter, will be here shortly.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Maria grinned, walking a few feet away to wait, Clay joining her.


    He glanced over at her with a rueful smile, turning to catch several more stares from men and women that quickly averted their gaze.  ¡°You look nice in that outfit.  No one can keep their eyes off you.¡±


    Maria¡¯s lips fell a little, vision dropping to examine her red dress.  ¡°... Aye, I could probably buy a Bentley with the shit I¡¯m wearing ¡­ damn, it just feels wrong.  Ya know?¡±  She whispered, cheeks reddening a little as she noticed all the eyes studying her body.


    She fingered the expensive necklace overlapping the lilac-white locks holding the flower between her breasts.  ¡°I mean, I¡¯ll wear a gold chain from time to time ¡­ gotta be lookin¡¯ clean, but ¡­ shit.¡±


    Clay didn¡¯t respond right away, folding his arms across his broad chests.  ¡°... Reed cried for over an hour yesterday.¡±


    Maria¡¯s left eye creased, staring up at the man.  ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°They ran dozens of tests, and each one showed his grandson was cured of his heart defect.  I don¡¯t know how much that really meant to him.  Personally, I think he¡¯s trying his best to show you how much he appreciated your efforts, and he¡¯s not stupid ¡­ there¡¯s a reason he¡¯s so wealthy.  I¡¯m sure he knows something horrible happened yesterday that made you vanish out of the blue, and he saw the damage to your bra.¡±


    A lump dropped down Maria¡¯s throat.  ¡°... Yeah, I guess he would have.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not trying to buy your favor ¡­ remember, he said he¡¯d show you his gratitude through his actions.  He¡¯s in your corner, and that¡¯s a good man to have in it.¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Clay looked over at her as she laughed.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just ¡­ it feels good,¡± she mumbled, pressing her hand against her burning chest.  ¡°Damn, it¡¯s just ¡­ it¡¯s nice knowing people have your back, and ¡­ it¡¯s just wild, ya know?  So many people are jumpin¡¯ out to support me.  I just ¡­ I don¡¯t know if I deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Deserve it?¡±  Clay repeated.  ¡°Do you think people just hand out respect for nothing?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s earned, and I can tell you from personal experience, Reed, Jasper, and I feel nothing but respect for how you live.¡±


    ¡°That right?  Heh,¡± she gave him a bright smile, wiping away a tear that threatened to fall down her left cheek, ¡°I guess I can tell you aren¡¯t lyin¡¯, chino.  Aye, thanks.¡±


    Clay rubbed below his lip.  ¡°You really are like the morning sun when you smile.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Maria chuckled, shoving him to the right, ¡°again with all these compliments, chino!  Cut it out; it¡¯s embarrassing.¡±


    Several people¡¯s eyes widened as she casually sent the large military man skipping on one foot to balance himself, but his soft chuckles lightened the atmosphere.


    It only took another minute before their escort walked around the corner at a brisk pace, heading right for them.  Maria and Clay noticed him by the air of authority he put off.


    ¡°Master Sergeant, Ms. Espinar,¡± he stated, extending his hand in a business-like manner, ¡°I¡¯m the Special Agent in Charge of this office, Luka Schifter.  If you¡¯ll follow me.¡±


    Maira shrugged, falling into step with Clay and him as they walked around a pair of metal detectors; the stationed agents didn¡¯t even blink an eye.


    Luka continued on, directing his focus on the African American Master Sergeant.  ¡°We didn¡¯t get any confirmation that you¡¯d be arriving so soon.¡±


    ¡°Circumstances aligned.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad they did.  I just received notice from General Dallas¡¯ aid that you¡¯ll be taking two of the Legendkin and one of the Mythickin off our hands.  What of the other request from Associate Director Keen?  There was no mention of it in the transcript.¡±


    Maria jumped forward a bit to catch up to the two, finding it a bit difficult; she hadn¡¯t had to power walk in heels before.  ¡°Nope, not gonna happen!¡±


    Luka slowed, brow furrowing as he glanced down at her; they were drawing attention from all of the other agents.  ¡°Is there a reason?¡±


    A grimace touched Maria¡¯s lips as she stared back at his brown eyes.  ¡°Look, I ain¡¯t gonna get involved with shit that¡¯s got nothin¡¯ to do with me.  If someone¡¯s hurt and they¡¯re not an ass, then I might be willing to help out, but I¡¯m not the government¡¯s hired thug to beat Demi into submission.  Okay?¡±


    Her response seemed to have struck a nerve by his tightened jaw, but he swallowed the retort, keeping his tone even.  ¡°We¡¯re trying to keep people safe.  By chance, we managed to keep anyone from getting hurt the last time they went wild.¡±


    Maria glanced to the left with a half-smile.  ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±  He asked, slowing to a stop in the middle of the hallway.


    Clay wore a frown.  ¡°Maria can sense when people are lying, and she cannot lie, which is a part of her abilities.  Also, she¡¯s not fond of liars.¡±


    ¡°Got that right,¡± Maria huffed, popping her tongue.  ¡°Yo, I get it,¡± she said with a smirk.  ¡°You wanna get me all up in arms, but aye, I know some of the Legendkin got everyone out of the way and kept things under control.¡±


    ¡°Under control,¡± Luka mumbled, repressing a growl.  ¡°They blew up part of an FBI building because they were pissed at each other ¡­ just some stupid argument, and they caused tens of millions in damages.  That is not under control.¡±


    Maria folded her hands behind her back, lifting an eyebrow.  ¡°Aye, it was you guys that chose to bring them here, right?  Why blame everything on them?  Couldn¡¯t you have put them on opposite sides of the city?¡±


    ¡°And risk another Seattle incident?  That Leviathan was nearby, but she didn¡¯t do anything to stop him.  No, she was complicit with the whole thing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your opinion,¡± Clay replied, tone emotionless.  ¡°We are here to relieve you of the three individuals stated in the document sent by General Dallas.  Can you direct us to their location?  We have a busy schedule today.¡±


    Luka¡¯s lips tucked under, but after a short breath, he nodded, regaining his composure.  ¡°... Of course, this way.¡±


    Their performance had caused several agents to slow their pace, lingering to catch the exchange, but one glance from Luka sent them scurrying down the halls.  He didn¡¯t speak the rest of the trip.


    Maria figured they¡¯d arrived at their intended location when they entered a hallway with over a dozen agents stationed outside of a room.  All of them moved aside, allowing them a clear path to the medium-sized office where the three Demi were being kept.


    Luka opened the door, entering with them, and Maria got her first look at the woman and two men.


    Her focus instantly centered on the Leviathan Mythickin.


    Selvaria was a lot smaller and leaner than she expected the girl to be, wearing a baggy blue T-shirt with an elastic pleated thigh-high skirt that showed off her skin-tight dark azurite scales, that if stroked backward, would definitely rip up your hand.


    The plate-like shiny scales ran from her black shoes across her whole legs, except her visible inner thighs, and the same was true for her arms, starting at the back of her hand to her shirt sleeves.  Along the inside of her arms and legs, her scales turned into a crimson color, and it all made Maria believe that if she tucked herself into a ball, she could turn into a spiked sphere of death.


    Her fingernails were more like deep sapphire claws, turning the pages of a book she was reading in the corner, large aquamarine eyes narrowed into a nearly placid expression while scanning the words.


    The Leviathan¡¯s thick night-black hair glowed with tanzanite inlaid highlights, falling to her lower back while red spikes, emitting the same luminescent light, protruded from her back.


    The back of her skirt bulged as a thick, plated tail curled around her butt to rest against her folded legs, weaving slightly to create a small breeze from the branching out vertical tail fin that showed small curved spikes, leading to a long razor-thin point that looked like it could be used to slash, pierce, or beat anyone that drew near to her, and specific plate lines shone with the same tanzanite hue as her hair.


    There was minor evidence of smaller prongs poking through her skull, hidden by the mass of hair, but it was less noticeable, and rather than ears, there seemed to be jagged red horns.


    However, despite the jagged yet elegant appearance, Selvaria¡¯s small size made her look like a moody teen in timeout rather than an apex predator of the sea.  Stranger still was the kiddy pool with a baby seal splashing around, causing the girl¡¯s clothes to be more than a little damp, but it was clear that some of her plated scales covered parts of her chest, butt, and front.


    Ohan Norman appeared to be in his mid-twenties, thick nappy hair pulled back into a ponytail as he studied their entrance.  His dark eyes were sharp with a calculating edge as he held a sheathed katana in his lap.


    The Legend of Yasuke wore black, ripped jeans, a fitted white T-shirt, black shoes with bright red lace, and a short, neatly trimmed beard.  The outfit showed off his ripped physique while leaving enough for Maria¡¯s imagination.


    Vasishtha Malhotra had an open cut white shirt, showing way more skin than Ohan, and his thick feathered black hair flowed around his head, resting around his shoulders while his sculpted face sported a five o''clock shadow that fit his supermodel-like frame.


    Both Legends didn¡¯t lack far behind Anthony in their own way, making a lump fall down Maria¡¯s throat, and for some reason, Selvaria¡¯s swishing tail caused Vasishtha¡¯s hair to flutter back as he gave her a charming smile; the Legend of Arjuna¡¯s tone was playful and English on point with a slight Indian accent.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I see you decided to change up the tactics, Luka; I like it!  We should go dancing.  What do you say, kamaneey mahila?  I¡¯ll show you how to bom diggy diggy!¡±


    [pretty lady]


    Luka sighed with frustration.  ¡°Vasishtha, please, behave yourself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but that¡¯s no fun!¡±  He grinned, showing dazzling teeth.  ¡°I came to America to have a good time, and that¡¯s what the recruiters promised, but uh ¡­ falling flat, my man.  We need to pick up the pace and get it movin¡¯.¡±


    Ohan gave the man a small smile.  ¡°Don¡¯t mind, Vasishtha, he¡¯s just been a bit restless.  Hello,¡± he said, getting up to offer his hand to her.  ¡°My name¡¯s Ohan.  I assume you¡¯re Maria, the Unicorn we¡¯ve heard about.¡±


    Maria caught Selvaria¡¯s eyes move to her, and the girl gave her a weak smile before returning to her book.


    ¡°Selvaria,¡± Ohan explained, gesturing at the girl.  ¡°She¡¯s a bit shy.¡±


    ¡°Yo, Ohan, gettin¡¯ in quick, my man!  I like your style.¡±


    Everyone turned to Luka as he cleared his throat.  ¡°I¡¯ll leave one of my agents outside to guide you out.  I have other business to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Later, Luka,¡± Vasishtha said with a lilting tone.  ¡°Don¡¯t trip on your way out; wouldn¡¯t that be a shame?¡±


    He left with a low rumble in his throat, and all but one of the agents followed, shutting the door behind them.


    Maria followed their exit.  ¡°Tch ¡­ dude seems like a real piece of shit, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Aye, I like you!¡±  Vasishtha jumped halfway across the room, landing before her in the blink of an eye to give her a courteous bow.  ¡°Vasishtha, at your service, kamaneey mahila!¡±


    They all turned their attention to Selvaria as the door shut; she spoke up, voice soft but pretty.  ¡°I¡¯m Selvaria.¡±  She paused, pointing a clawed finger at the baby seal beside her.  ¡°That¡¯s Galatea, Cahira wanted to shoot him, but I wouldn¡¯t let her.  She doesn¡¯t like baby seals ¡­ she¡¯s crazy.¡±


    Maria smiled at each of them as Clay took a step back, acting as a shadow.  ¡°Aye, I¡¯m Maria.  Yo, so I¡¯ve got a party goin¡¯ on later today.  Y¡¯all wanna join?¡±


    ¡°Aww, hell yeah!¡±  Vasishtha cheered.


    Ohan lifted his hand to where he¡¯d left his sword, and it flew into his open palm before vanishing in wisps of smoke.  ¡°Anything to get out of this cage.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡±  Maria caught Selvaria bite her lower lip, glancing down at Galatea.  ¡°Aye, why not, bring the baby seal!  My cousin will freak out; it¡¯ll be great.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll join!¡±  She replied, showing monstrous fangs while somehow giving her a cute smile.


    Vasishtha¡¯s smile fell as he glanced at the door, and Ohan¡¯s cheeks bunched to the side.


    ¡°I thought something like this might happen,¡± Ohan muttered.


    Clay followed their gaze, vision narrowing.  ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothin¡¯ big,¡± Vasishtha groaned with a sly smirk.  ¡°The other group¡¯s just makin¡¯ their way here.  Guess they want one last spat before we go, and that sly Luka agent is probably letting it happen to have an excuse to bring to the top brass.  Am I right, Ohan?¡±


    ¡°I figured the same¡­¡±


    Maria popped her tongue.  ¡°Well, shit.  Okay, if he¡¯s makin¡¯ it my problem, then I¡¯ll make it his once this is through.  Damn ¡­ trouble just seems to follow me,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°Aye, don¡¯t sweat it,¡± she stated, flipping her bound hair back, ¡°yo, I got this.¡±


    Her three new acquaintances glanced at each other before giving her a shrug or nod.


    Ohan hummed softly, studying the door.  ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±  Maria asked, giving him a toothy grin.  ¡°Tell the bitches to back off!¡±


    Vasishtha doubled over.  ¡°Haha!  I love it.  Hey, hey, I got it; call the ugly one a waste eating Ferrett!  She¡¯ll blow up ¡­ face redder than a cherry,¡± he wheezed.


    ¡°Eh,¡± Ohan released a forced chuckle.  ¡°I¡¯m fine with just leaving and moving on with our day.  Maybe we shouldn¡¯t start another incident that will put even more heat on our backs?¡±


    ¡°I second that,¡± Selvaria whispered, jumping off her seat and bending down to pet her baby seal.  ¡°It¡¯s not worth it; they¡¯re not that strong anyway.  No fun.¡±


    ¡°Not that you could do much as you are,¡± Vasishtha cut in with an apologetic smile.


    ¡°... True,¡± the Leviathan mumbled with an annoyed groan.  ¡°They won¡¯t let me go back to the ocean.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Maria held up her hands.  ¡°Let¡¯s just take it as it goes.  I wasn¡¯t really that good with plans, anyway.  Sound good?¡±


    ¡°No plan is never good,¡± Ohan chuckled, ¡°but I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I like this plan!¡±  Vasishtha grinned, cracking his fingers with a dark chuckle.  ¡°Just say the word.¡±


    You know ¡­ these guys aren¡¯t that bad.


    Maria turned back to Clay as he cleared his throat.  ¡°How about I handle the situation?¡±


    The four Demi blinked.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Maria mumbled, ¡°uh ¡­ yeah, okay.¡±


    ¡°Right, follow me,¡± he said with a sad shake of his head, moving toward the door, and the others fell in step, Selvaria carefully picking up her baby seal to hurry after them.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 57. The Pirate Queen

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Maria Espinar (our Sunlit Unicorn is safe!)


    Recap:


    Maria got away from her photoshoot and went to the FBI building to meet up with the new Legendkin and Mythickin that are apparently joining them in Miami.


    She discovered a little Leviathan girl, the Legend of Yasuke, and the Legend of Arjuna.  The two men couldn''t be any different!  One''s an utter flirt while the other is somewhat stoic and reserved.  Oh, and we can''t forget our tiny little baby seal!


    Uh-oh!  We got a confrontation coming with two more Legendkin and a Mythickin that appear to be in the mood to pick a fight.  Clay says he''s got it, though ... let''s see...


    P.S. These characters aren''t going to overshadow Rachel and the gang.  The next chapter finishes up Maria''s part with the interview before heading back to Miami to meet back up with everyone (except Fiona that''s still getting her parents moved over ... that might have been a bigger detail than we first thought).  Rachel is back in Chapter 59!


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Samuel Nipper, Vanyel Siegel, RottenTangerine, Alina Rin, MrMarauder, Ianitos, KingWoh, and my other Patrons!


    Maria, Selvaria, Vasishtha, and Ohan followed Clay into the hallway; the agent that was supposed to be there was nowhere to be seen, confusing Maria a bit.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Clay glanced back at her, leading them back the way they¡¯d come.  ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s uh ¡­ yo, that Luka guy said he¡¯d leave an agent outside to guide us out, but ¡­ it wasn¡¯t a lie, yet¡­¡±


    Vasishtha hummed with a small smirk.  ¡°Ah, so you know when people are lying?¡±


    Maria felt a little uncomfortable with the fact he¡¯d been able to lie to her.  ¡°Yeah, so ¡­ how¡¯d he¡­¡±


    ¡°Noted!¡±


    Ohan¡¯s eyes fell to the floor, cupping his strong chin.  ¡°Unless he wasn¡¯t lying.  He just didn¡¯t plan to leave any of the agents that were with him.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Vasishtha replied while holding his hands behind the back of his head.  ¡°That guy is pretty crafty with his words.  Did he know you couldn¡¯t lie?¡±


    Clay¡¯s eyes moved between the hallway of agents that were giving them edgy looks, hurrying by.  ¡°He did.¡±


    Vasishtha chuckled.  ¡°Yeah, if he knew it, then I don¡¯t think he¡¯d be stupid enough to get caught.  Oh, and here the troop comes,¡± he mused.


    Maria watched the Mythickin, and two Legendkin rounded the corner; the agents that saw the two parties on a collision course froze up, and most went back the way they¡¯d come at a power walk.  However, a few that seemed to be field agents stayed in the hallway, tensely assessing the situation.


    In the center of the party was undoubtedly Cahira, Legend of Grace O¡¯Malley.  At 5¡±11 with long, thick, and silky locks of fire red hues falling down to her lower back, Cahira looked precisely like the firecracker Maria thought she would.  Hefty golden hoop earrings were on display, framed by her bouncing hair, pulled behind her as she walked.


    Cahira wore a loose, dark blue, long sleeve shirt with the cuffs rolled back to her forearms, showing the outline of a black bikini from the unbuttoned top half of the shirt; Maria noted that the woman appeared to be in her mid to late twenties, boasting curves that might even be able to match her own, and her tight black leather pants showed off her thin waist, wide hips, and thick rear well.


    She had a sharp, beautiful face, full rosy lips wearing a natural smile, and her dark blue irises playfully slid between each of them before settling on Maria, expression turning curious.


    Her rings, intricate gold medallion, and bracelets combined with a heeled strut to make it all too apparent that the woman wasn¡¯t shy or oblivious about her looks.


    On the other hand, the two flanking her were far from dazzling.


    To her left was the Legend of Alv¨ªss; the dwarf of a man was probably 4¡±6 from Maria¡¯s estimations, and far from attractive.  Several nasty gashes were seen across his hairy bare chest and face.  His dark brown eyes were almost black, and the dwarf¡¯s nose was large and down-turned.


    It looked like he took pride in keeping a greasy, tangled black beard and messy long hair because both appeared as if they hadn¡¯t seen water in months.  His wrinkled shirt and fitted pants seemed to be the only things that were clean on the squat man; his thick-lipped sneer only proved to make him even more repugnant.


    Vasishtha leaned over to whisper, ¡°The ugly midget, Arnstein Aagaard, hot babe of a Pirate Queen that could burn Agni himself, Cahira ¨® Corra, and the unsightly, wannabe diva, Julia Vassallatos.


    Maria actually felt a little bad for the 6¡±2 woman.  Julia had two large canines protruding from her mouth, parting her thick lips and showing her incisors.  Thick brown fur ran across her visible skin, noticeably heavier around her neck, shoulders, and hair.  Her nose was somewhat oversized and smashed, while her feet were obsidian black hooves with girthy legs meant for driving her forward into a powerful charge.


    Massive tusks started at the sides of her jaw, curving forward in a way to gore anyone ahead of her, and pointed ears perched on her head were perked up, listening.


    Unlike a normal boar, black spikes could be seen jutting out of the fur on her arms, shoulders, back, torso, and legs; she didn¡¯t seem to need to wear clothes since the tuft covered most of her body.


    Julia certainly was a frightening sight with her glowing red eyes, and monstrous visage but Maria didn¡¯t find her quite as ugly as Vasishtha painted her, and the pink bow tied to the end of her two-foot-long tail added more to her personality.


    ¡°Awwh, if it isn¡¯t the seal lovers,¡± Arnstein laughed with his northern Norwegian accent, broad chest heaving.  ¡°I see you still got the little bundle of fat, girlie?¡±


    Selvaria glared at the dwarf, wrapping her arms protectively around the creature as it squeaked, squirming a little in her arms.


    However, before Clay could say anything, Cahira popped her tongue, glaring down at the man; her Irish accent reminded Maria of Fiona¡¯s bubbly voice.  ¡°Aye, Arnstein, didn¡¯t ya say you¡¯d be nicer?¡±


    Arnstein glanced to the side with a low grunt, folding his arms.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that against his nature?¡±  Vasishtha chuckled, adopting a positive posture as they stopped in front of each other, hands held behind his head.  ¡°By the way, lookin¡¯ nice today, Cahira!  I like the pants, really sets the mind ablaze.¡±


    Cahira gave him a charming smirk.  ¡°Of course, it does.¡±  She ran her left hand through her hair, smile turning sad.  ¡°I heard you¡¯d be headin¡¯ off ¡­ we just wanted to say sorry we got off to a rough start.  It was nice havin¡¯ Selvaria to sail with, but things kind of went into the shitter when I lost mi temper.  What ¡®bout you, Julia?¡±


    The mythical boar woman sighed, rubbing between two spikes on her arm.  ¡°Yeah, I just kind of saw red and went for it ¡­ still, I¡¯m surprised you were able to just toss me to the side like that.¡±  She finished with a weak laugh.


    Selvaria looked a little conflicted.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I ¡­ you¡¯re apologizing?¡±


    Ohan folded his arms across his chest, and a smile lifted his features.  ¡°I thought you would have wanted one last fight before we headed off.¡±


    ¡°Eh, I¡¯m more of a builder, but I ain¡¯t scared of gettin¡¯ into a brawl,¡± Arnstein grumbled.  ¡°Damn, that sword hurts, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Your skin¡¯s pretty tough,¡± Ohan returned, causing the dwarf to grin.


    ¡°Aye, maybe ya aren¡¯t so bad after all!  Still, can¡¯t keep yer liquor, though.¡±


    Cahira gave a hearty laugh.  ¡°That was a fun first night at sea!¡±


    Maria scratched her head, giving them a questioning frown.  ¡°Uh ¡­ yo, what¡¯s up with that?  I heard y¡¯all were at each other¡¯s throats, and here you are talkin¡¯ like buddies that just got into a bit of a fight.  Shit, what was that all about?¡±


    ¡°The fight?¡±  Cahira¡¯s blue eyes fell to the baby seal.  ¡°I found the baby seal when we were all on the hunt for experience and food.  Selv wanted it as a pet, and I wanted the experience.  Simple as that, and we had a fight!  Haha, she can hit like a truck, but damn, you¡¯ve looked better, girl.  What happened to you?¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s cheeks turned red as she stared down at her seal.  ¡°... I need to go back to the ocean.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay, well, uh ¡­ mind if I join?¡±  Cahira asked with an innocent smile.


    Clay¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Based on past experience, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Oof,¡± the Pirate Queen winced, rubbing her neck.  ¡°Aye, okay, I get it, but what kind of a lass would I be if I didn¡¯t own up to mi mistakes?  If anythin¡¯ it¡¯s all these restrictions that are gettin¡¯ me antsy.  I haven¡¯t been able to get out to sea in days; you know what I mean, Selva, right?¡±


    ¡°... Mmh, yeah ¡­ I do,¡± she mumbled, hands loosening around her seal before stroking it, causing the squeals to cease.


    ¡°I like it!¡±  Vasishtha cheered.  ¡°Aye, what do you say, Maria?  Is the gorgeous woman lying?  Hmm?¡±


    The pressure Maria felt upon seeing them lessened by the sentence.  ¡°Uh ¡­ yo, any of you wanna start a fight or gonna stab any of us in the back?¡±


    Cahira giggled.  ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t right now!  I just want to have mi freedom.  Isn¡¯t that right?¡±  She asked, glancing between the two beside her.


    ¡°Meh,¡± Arnstein grunted.  ¡°I just want ta work with my hands and see what I can build.  They¡¯ve got me covered there, and damn that sunlight; I ain¡¯t goin¡¯ out!¡±


    ¡°Oh, the turning into stone thing,¡± Vasishtha laughed.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s gotta suck!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Maria lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Yo, I can make sunlight.  Wanna test it out?¡±  She asked with a devilish grin at the dwarf.


    Arnstein¡¯s bored expression instantly turned to fear as he jumped behind Cahira.  ¡°J?vla jenta; hold helvete borte fra meg!¡±


    [Damn you, girl; keep the hell away from me!]


    Everyone gave the dwarf a questioning chuckle as he slowly backed up, keeping the Pirate Queen between Maria and him, disappearing around the corner.


    ¡°Guess he¡¯s out,¡± Cahira said with an amused smile.


    ¡°Umm, me, too,¡± Julia mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯m kind of ¡­ I have some plans today.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Cahira nudged her, blue eyes teasingly appraising the boar woman as she fidgeted.  ¡°That one fella that¡¯s been eyein¡¯ ya, huh?¡±


    ¡°Y-You don¡¯t have to say it,¡± she mumbled, cheeks darkening as her ears fell back and tail wrapped around her leg.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Maria snickered, ¡°y¡¯all are nothin¡¯ like I imagined!  Aye, Clay, I got no beef with lettin¡¯ the pirate lady join the party.  I get the feels, my man!  Let the woman spread her arms if she wants to hit the beach ¡­ uh, you need to go anyway, right?¡±  She asked, glancing at Selvaria.


    The girl¡¯s eyes lit up, nodding emphatically.


    All eyes turned to Clay, including the field agents that had stopped to witness the exchange.  His hard brown irises were staring at the Pirate Queen, giving him a blue puppy-dog stare.  ¡°... Fine.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±  Cahira pumped her arm before giving Maria a pleading look.  ¡°Hey, uh ¡­ any chance I can join y¡¯all¡¯s group because ¡­ yeah, this place is like a prison!  At least your fella seems reasonable,¡± she laughed, sweeping back a stray lock of hair.


    Maria thought about it, and an idea started to form in her head.


    Clay shook his head.  ¡°I only¡­¡±


    ¡°Yo, yo, Clay, my man,¡± Maria grinned, causing his lips to pull in at her tone, vision shifting with confusion.  The others waited for her reply with the same expression.  ¡°Uh, yo, so, let¡¯s not be hasty; let me talk to the big man.  I got a plan!¡±


    ¡°You ¡­ have a plan?¡±  Clay slowly asked.


    ¡°Aye, don¡¯t look so surprised, chino, damn,¡± Maria growled, motioning for them to stay there.  ¡°Yo, give me five minutes, okay?  Damn¡­¡±  She mumbled, leaving the whole group speechless while walking into a room nearby.


    She caught two female office workers hiding inside what she assumed was a storage area.  Opening the door wide, she jutted her thumb back.  ¡°Out, I gotta make a call.¡±


    The women gave her a frightened glance before rushing into the hallway; the others watched them go before mumbling to one another.  Julia waved Cahira off before leaving, but Maria was too focused on the thoughts rolling around in her brain to pay it much notice.


    Closing the door, she pulled her phone out of her purse, dialing Tom.  She tapped her foot against the carpeted floor with pursed lips, and this time, it took nearly ten rings before he answered.


    ¡°Maria, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Busy?¡±  She chuckled softly.  ¡°¡®Cause I got a potential recruit!¡±


    ¡°... Oh?  I can make time; go ahead, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Maria licked her lips, folding her left arm across her stomach while holding the phone in front of her, easily able to hear him in the closed-off space.  ¡°So ¡­ you know that group that went wild, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°What if I told you that, uh ¡­ it was all just bad timing?  The tension was high, ya know what I mean?  You was sayin¡¯ it yourself; the guy here¡¯s kind of an ass.¡±


    ¡°Not exactly my words, but in general, I suppose?¡±  Tom muttered with a light laugh.


    ¡°So, check it; those three others, they just showed up and apologized, and one wants to hang out!¡±


    Tom released a heavy sigh, leaning back in his seat before taking the phone away from his ear to mumble a few things to someone.  He returned with a tentative tone.  ¡°Maria ¡­ just because they apologized ¡­ wait, if they ¡­ you¡¯re saying it wasn¡¯t a lie?  They really meant it?¡±


    ¡°Well, at least to a degree,¡± Maria grunted, pulling around a lock of hair to play with it.  ¡°I mean, it looked like they had to swallow a bit of pride, but that¡¯s good, right?  This pirate chica wants to hang, and even asked to join us in Miami, yo!  I think this Luca asshole is really gettin¡¯ to her, and I¡¯m just sayin¡¯ people can do some crazy shit when they¡¯re pissed, ya know?¡±


    Tom sucked on his lower lip before popping his tongue a few times.  ¡°... I can see your point.  What about the other two?¡±


    ¡°Uh, that boar chica?  Yo, she¡¯s got some chico here that¡¯s into her, so ¡­ yeah, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll be wantin¡¯ to move, but Cahira?  Yeah, she¡¯s three-hundred, yo, and I can make sure she means it.  I¡¯ll ask her some questions and make sure she behaves.  Rachel and her might get along, hehe.¡±


    ¡°Give me a moment to think about it,¡± Tom mumbled, chair squeaking as he shifted his weight.


    ¡°Aye, I¡¯m just sayin¡¯, we¡¯re puttin¡¯ together a crew for the thing ¡­ you know, the thing?¡±


    ¡°... I get it, Maria, I get it,¡± Tom replied.  ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, though,¡± he sighed.  ¡°There¡¯s a lot of opposition to concentrating so many Legendkin and Mythickin in Miami alone.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you told me to play nice and make friends, right?  Seems like she¡¯s the one that¡¯s offerin¡¯ the hand, I¡¯m just sayin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I hear you,¡± Tom said, and she could imagine him rubbing his bald head with his low groan.  ¡°... Geez, I hate all these political games ¡­ I haven¡¯t mapped out all the major players yet ¡­ usually, it¡¯s simple.  Um ¡­ okay, Maria.  I¡¯ll make some calls to get her some consideration ¡­ you promise me you¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t cause any trouble?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ jefe, what kind of trouble we talkin¡¯ here?  Hehe, eh ¡­ I cause a lot of trouble, too, ya know?¡±


    ¡°... Don¡¯t remind me.  I¡¯ve been worrying about Scarlet and Rachel, but after her talk with the President, I haven¡¯t heard a thing from her.  So, it seems things are turning out well on their side.¡±


    ¡°Nice!  Yeah, I can¡¯t wait to meet up with the crew.  What¡¯s up with the Pixy?¡±


    ¡°Pixy ¡­ ah, hehe, an inside joke?  Um, I heard that her Marine escort air jumped out of the plane with her, leaving one of the new members of the team onboard that was too scared.¡±


    Maria popped her tongue.  ¡°A Marine, scared of an air jump?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know,¡± Tom mumbled, ¡°I just get random reports about things.  Uh ¡­ if she doesn¡¯t cause any more property damage or any big incidents ¡­ just make sure she understands that she¡¯s under review.¡±


    ¡°Got it, jefe!  So, ya gonna make the call?¡±  Maria grinned, twirling her hair with her index finger and thumb.  ¡°She¡¯s talkin¡¯ about goin¡¯ sailing, and that shit sounds fun.¡±


    ¡°... Don¡¯t you have an interview coming up?¡±  Tom asked suspiciously.


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Maria huffed, tossing the lock back.  ¡°Still got like, uh ¡­ two hours and ten minutes!  Shit ¡­ that is kind of a low-key short time, though.  Uh, we¡¯ll figure it out!¡±


    ¡°... I swear, this job is going to kill me by the end of the month,¡± Tom moaned.  ¡°At least I get to go home in the next few hours ¡­ spend some time with the wife.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Maria grinned.  ¡°Make sure to get a little rest, huh?¡±


    Tom laughed.  ¡°Okay, Maria, I can at least pull some favors to give her the rest of the day with you, but we¡¯ll see about her joining you in Miami.  Plus ¡­ where would she go?¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye, I¡¯ll worry about that, kay?  You just make it happen, and I¡¯ll take care of everything else.  She kind of sounds fun, ya know, and I wanna help a chica out when she¡¯s feelin¡¯ oppressed by the system!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Tom replied.  ¡°Go wait by the front desk, and I¡¯ll make the calls.  It shouldn¡¯t take long, and ¡­ actually, it might be easier to get this done than I thought,¡± he mumbled.  ¡°Huh ¡­ just wait in the lobby.¡±


    ¡°Got it, gran jefe!  Yo, and we gonna go fishin¡¯!¡±


    [big boss]


    Tom didn¡¯t hang up after her comment, making her brow crease.  ¡°... You know you need a license to ¡­ gah, nevermind¡­¡±


    Maria left the closet with a toothy grin, showing a victory-sign.  ¡°Yo, Tom¡¯s on the case!¡±


    Clay¡¯s mouth opened, working around his jaw for a moment while glancing from her to the Pirate Queen¡¯s excited expression.


    ¡°Really, yer not pullin¡¯ mi leg?¡±  Cahira asked.


    ¡°Eh?¡±  Maria¡¯s eyes widened as the Irish girl dashed forward at a shocking speed to basically tackle her with a hug.


    ¡°Thank you so much; I¡¯ve wanted to feel the sea breeze fer days!¡±


    Maria cleared her throat, arms frozen in the air as the woman¡¯s soft breasts pressed against her own, strangling grip compressing her.  ¡°... Aye, aye, uh ¡­ I still gotta ask you some questions,¡± she mumbled, smelling the unmistakable scent of the ocean on her silky hair.


    Cahira retreated with a determined expression on her elegant face, bangs covering her left eye.  ¡°Ask whatever you want!¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± Vasishtha grinned, moving over to stand beside Maria.  ¡°How hot am I?  Hot, huh?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Maria asked with a groan.


    The Pirate Queen shrugged her shoulders.  ¡°Meh, a seven, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Oof,¡± Selvaria winced, still petting her seal.


    Vasishtha¡¯s mouth dropped open, vision darting to Maria.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ lie?¡±  Maria mumbled, glancing back at the gorgeous red-head.


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Cahira brushed back her bangs, glancing to the side.  ¡°Well, technically, if we¡¯re rounding, probably an eight, but specifically, mmh ¡­ a 7.6.¡±


    ¡°7.6?¡±  Vasishtha asked with utter shock.


    ¡°You asked?¡±  She said with an innocent smile.  ¡°Uh, Ohan,¡± she mumbled, eyeing the Legend of Yasuke, ¡°8.2.¡±


    Ohan nodded in an accepting manner.  ¡°Good to know.¡±


    ¡°Wow, high standards,¡± Maria mumbled, glancing between the two very attractive men.


    Cahira just smiled, holding her hands behind her back.  ¡°That isn¡¯t what you really wanted to ask me, though, right?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Maria slowly replied, watching the Indian Legendkin spiral into an internal struggle of disbelief.


    ¡°7.6 ¡­ 7.6?¡±


    Selvaria piped up.  ¡°You won¡¯t kill Galatea?¡±


    ¡°Nope!  I was just frustrated that you ate a bunch of seals and wouldn¡¯t let me kill the one I¡¯d found.¡±


    The Leviathan¡¯s lips came together as she glanced down at the baby in her arms.  ¡°I was starving, so I ate the Killer Whales and the seals, but ¡­ but this one really caught my eye ¡­ it was just so cute, like it was pleading for me to protect it,¡± Selvaria mumbled, smiling at the damp seal in her arms.


    Cahira shrugged.  ¡°Meh, it¡¯s a cruel world.¡±


    Clay cleared his throat, folding his arms.  ¡°Will you run away?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± she chimed.  ¡°I¡¯ll go where you want me to.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t cause any damages to anything?¡±  Maria questioned.


    Cahira giggled.  ¡°I mean, I love to riot and party, but no.  I¡¯ll behave.¡±


    Maria grinned.  ¡°I think you¡¯ll get along great with the gang!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  She asked, blue eyes sparkling again.  ¡°Does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Eh, there¡¯s stuff in the works,¡± Maria replied with a forced smile.  ¡°It¡¯s not a sure thing, but we¡¯ll see what can be worked out.¡±


    Cahira¡¯s left arm pressed against her right breast while releasing a drawn-out sigh.  ¡°... Well, at least there¡¯s hope for green seas ahead.¡±


    Clay turned his attention to Maria.  ¡°What were the instructions?¡±


    ¡°To wait by the desk!¡±


    ¡°... Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    They made their way back, meeting the agent Luka had sent along the way; he was more than a little shocked to find Cahira with them, but Clay bluntly told him they didn¡¯t need his help from this point on.


    The group drew every eye, but no one wanted to butt in with the insanely decorated Master Sergeant leading the pack, hard face stone cold.


    It didn¡¯t take long from the time they entered the lobby for approval to come; Maria was a little shocked to not see the Special Agent in Charge as they exited the building, and Selvaria turned, bowing to the man at the reception desk, petite voice whispering, ¡°Sorry,¡± before leaving through the front door.


    Cahira seemed at a loss for words as they cleared the final door to the front, passing agents standing on guard.  ¡°... What kind of connections do you have, Maria?  I half expected them to lock me up and throw away the key after I went wild.¡±


    Maria snickered.  ¡°Yeah, we caused a lot more damage than that in Miami,¡± she said, pointing up at the damaged building as workmen managed the debris.  ¡°Yo, my hermanito was kidnapped by this gang; me and the girls went in on em, ya know?¡±


    ¡°Ooh, that does sound like a lot of fun!¡±  Cahira smiled.


    Vasishtha did a few easy flips in the air, shouting for joy as the open sun struck his skin.  ¡°Yahoo!  Feels good to be out of lock-up!  If I knew it would be that bad, I wouldn¡¯t have even come to the U.S.¡±


    ¡°Things will be different from now on, Vasishtha,¡± Clay quickly responded at the comment.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear!¡±


    Maria hummed while glancing between her four new acquaintances.  ¡°There¡¯s some awesome stuff in the works, my homies.  Just wait for a few days, and you¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting excited,¡± Cahira whispered, managing her hair as the wind picked up.  ¡°Shame, I might not be able to join¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not set in stone yet,¡± Maria said with a thumbs-up.  ¡°Yo, but you get to join the party my family¡¯s throwin¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Ohan spoke up, pointing at the limo they were walking toward.  ¡°We¡¯re going in that?¡±


    ¡°Yup!¡±  Maria darted forward before the driver could get out to open the door, causing him to retreat back to his seat.  ¡°Yo, Jasper, Reed, check it out!  We got some new peeps, uh, that¡¯s Selvaria, and uh, her seal¡­¡±


    ¡°Galatea,¡± she promptly replied, scooting in to sit beside the bodyguard.  He gave the seal a lifted eyebrow, clearly uncomfortable as the creature¡¯s big black eyes stared up at him, little whiskers twitching with his sniffs.


    ¡°Cahira,¡± Maria introduced, both men stiffening as the gorgeous red-haired woman entered, sitting beside Jasper.


    ¡°Vasishtha, and Ohan,¡± she finished, entering after the group with Clay bringing up the rear to shut the door.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ Ms. Espinar,¡± Jasper forced a chuckle.  ¡°You picked up a ¡­ charming extra person.¡±


    Cahira gave them a bright smile, crossing her legs while adjusting her shirt and hair.  ¡°Thanks for having me!¡±


    Reed nodded at the newcomers before addressing Clay.  ¡°Are there any changes in the plan?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± Maria piped up, ¡°aye, yo, Clay, how soon can we make it to the beach?¡±


    ¡°Fifteen minutes or so, I¡¯d say,¡± Reed mumbled, eyeing the seal with a questioning look.


    ¡°You have an interview in an hour forty-five,¡± Clay reminded.


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Maria mumbled, ¡°but we still got time, right?  How far is the place from the beach?¡±


    ¡°... I¡¯ll check,¡± Clay sighed, giving Cahira a calculated glance.  ¡°In the meantime, if we could head toward the ocean, Mr. Reed.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied, giving the driver the directions while Vasishtha and Ohan examined every inch of the expensive vehicle, including the wine cabinet.  They began moving as Reed asked, ¡°Is there a reason why?¡±


    ¡°Me,¡± Selvaria meekly replied.  ¡°I¡¯ll die in a day if I don¡¯t go.¡±


    Silence fell within the cab.


    ¡°... Say what?¡±  Maria exclaimed.  ¡°Shit!  Yo, why didn¡¯t you say somethin¡¯, chica?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Vasishtha and Ohan asked in unison.


    ¡°Selv, I thought you just got tiny, girl,¡± Vasishtha said with a worried expression.


    Ohan nodded.  ¡°When were you going to tell us?¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s fingers tightened around her hand as she stared down at her seal.  ¡°... I didn¡¯t want you guys to worry; they told us we¡¯re going to Miami, too ¡­ Miami has the ocean.¡±


    ¡°Selv,¡± Cahira¡¯s tone grew heavy as she whispered, ¡°is it because¡­¡±


    A lump dropped down Selvaria¡¯s throat.  ¡°... Mostly, Julia, but I need a large body of water or¡­¡±


    ¡°Mostly¡­¡±  Cahira¡¯s sad eyes fell to her hands, pressed against her thighs.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Selvaria smiled.  ¡°You already apologized.  Galatea and I don¡¯t hold grudges.¡±


    The rest of the car ride was in silence, Maria reflecting on her own near-death experience.


    I need sunlight to live, and Selvaria needs the ocean.  Mythickin get some awesome abilities, but damn, we also have it pretty rough.


    Each of them glanced to the left as they reached the beach; they weren¡¯t far from a dock with parking nearby, but the driver dropped them off.


    Maria smiled upon feeling the ocean breeze, and they walked along the harbor, following Selvaria and Cahira to an empty part of the pier.  The Leviathan¡¯s eyes were sparkling, and the placid expression Maria had seen on the girl was lifted into a cute, teenage girl about to open her birthday presents as her thick tail weaved back and forth.


    ¡°Go on,¡± Cahira giggled, giving a playful shove that sent Selvaria flying off the dock.  ¡°We¡¯ll meet you out there.¡±


    The girl just seemed to teeter off the edge, without a fight while carrying the seal.


    Maria was a little taken aback, but after the large splash, an enormous bulge appeared in the water, sending a low wave cascading over the concrete wharf.


    ¡°There she goes,¡± Vasishtha chuckled, pointing at a much larger and more monstrous version of Selvaria¡¯s tail rise out of the water, showing massive hardened scales and spikes with a bright blue glow.


    The top current changed, showing the outline of a large creature swiftly weaving back and forth while she left the port.


    Jasper and Reed were utterly caught off-guard, not knowing the tiny teenage girl was a terrifying sea monster in disguise.


    ¡°W-What ¡­ you¡¯re saying that girl is¡­¡±  Jasper mumbled.


    Clay responded without a hint of surprise.  ¡°A Leviathan Mythickin ¡­ how will she know we need to return?  We cannot spend more than forty minutes here.¡±


    ¡°Lucky you brought me along,¡± Cahira winked, snapping her fingers toward the side of the pier.


    Roaring red flames rose from the side of the dock, creating a beautiful red and black sailboat where nothing had stood before; it was 42 meters long, with a 7-meter beam, 3-meter draught, and a mast height of 26 meters.  Maria eyed the four, sleek black cannons with gold trim, realizing most of Cahira¡¯s firepower must come from her ship.


    It was mostly black with gold trim while hosting crimson sails imprinted with an elegant design of the O¡¯Malley coat of arms.


    A ramp appeared from the fire upon its completion.


    ¡°Welcome aboard!¡±  Cahira gestured to the stunned audience, except Ohan and Vasishtha that simply walked up without hesitation.


    ¡°... Awesome,¡± Maria grinned, rushing to the deck.  ¡°You can just pop this up anywhere?¡±


    ¡°No, hehe,¡± Cahira laughed, following after her as the others carefully tailed behind.  ¡°There be conditions, but it¡¯s one of mi primary skills.  I was just so pissed that I only needed a bit more experience to upgrade mi ship again, and you¡¯d stolen mi ticket.  It started out as a rowboat, believe it or not,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°I got a ton of points from a pack of Killer Whales that were followin¡¯ those seal packs.¡±


    ¡°Crazy¡­¡±  Reed mumbled, stepping on the boat as if it¡¯d disappear just as quickly as it appeared.


    ¡°Well,¡± Cahira snapped her fingers, making the ramp vanish in flames while moving to the front.  ¡°I control everything on this ship; I want it to go forward, then I have some control over the winds ¡­ still, it¡¯s better to have the winds, and using the rows is a bit tiring over time.  Let¡¯s get this party started!¡±  She cheered, and the boat lurched forward.


    Maria grinned as the salted wind threw her hair back, watching dozens of people on the docks watch them sail off with slack jaws.


    Yup, totally made the right choice in bringing her along!


    ¡°Yahoo!¡±  She cheered, rushing to the front to stare into the rising and falling waves.


    They drew away from the port at a fairly consistent pace, but nothing like a speedboat; still, it was nice being out at sea.  It didn¡¯t take long for them to find Selvaria since she pulled up beside the sailboat, and she got her first look at the Leviathan, swimming beside the boat with the baby seal resting on her back outside of the water.


    Selvaria was nearly as long as the boat, weaving back and forth through the water like a snake, and Maria caught a glimpse of sleek but powerful webbed hands and feet on her body.  Her tail was long and powerful with a sharp fin at the end that could probably cut through steel in Maria¡¯s eyes.


    Her long neck pulled out of the water, large aquamarine eyes shining with a glowing inner delight, and Maria guessed the girl was smiling at her, but her monstrous sapphire fangs and slick black tongue sent a shiver down her spine.


    The Leviathan¡¯s glistening dark azurite plated scales appeared to fan out to provide a rough defense or pull in to become sleek and smooth.  Her red spikes and horns were illuminated with a fierce light, and the blue was even more highlighted than before.


    Clay¡¯s voice was hoarse as he addressed her; the boat slowing to allow for a more casual pace.  ¡°... We only have fifteen more minutes before we need to head back.¡±


    Selvaria let out a low cry that sent chills through Maria¡¯s body as the soundwave rippled through her frame like the pounding of a subwoofer, and she dove back under the waves.


    ¡°She heard,¡± Cahira commented with a giggle.  ¡°... Probably.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 58. The Interview

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Last chapter for Maria Espinar before we''re back with Rachel


    Recap:


    Maria met the two Legendkin and Mythinkin that were supposedly going to pick a fight with them.  Turns out, it was actually an apology, and we got to meet Cahira, a Legendkin modeled after a Pirate Queen.


    Maria scared off the burly dwarf with the power of sunlight.  The boar Mythickin had a date to get to ... okay.   Now, Cahira wants to get OUT of L.A., and who can blame her after the way she''s been treated?


    Now, we go to some relaxation before the Interview!


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    Maria stood beside Cahira as the others were scattered across the deck, watching the ocean, and even Clay seemed to have loosened up a bit.


    Selvaria dipped below the surface, leaving her baby seal onboard to allow her some freedom to speed up to feast on the marlin around the area.  Maria saw the little guy lying next to Jasper¡¯s feet, big black eyes staring up at him while he examined the waves with Reed by his side, discussing something.


    Vasishtha and Ohan were near the front, apparently playing some kind of spotting game with how many seagulls they could see, trying to distract each other with various jokes while making bets.


    The scene relaxed Maria¡¯s tight muscles; everything had continued to build up her stress over the past few days, but things were working out.  All she had left was this interview, then she¡¯d go home, see her brother, and start making plans for a better future with her Miami family.


    Taking in the salted sea air, she smiled, feeling the breeze tickle her neck as it pulled back her braided hair.  She was getting used to wearing heels on the deck, and it seemed the Pirate Queen¡¯s vessel had some kind of internal stabilization affix because it wasn¡¯t all that bad on her stomach.


    Cahira glanced over at her, flaming hair dancing behind the Queen.  ¡°... What be on yer mind?¡±


    Maria looked up at the sails, watching them shift with Cahira¡¯s subconscious desires.  ¡°Me?  A lot¡¯s changed for me, ya know?  I mean, how ¡®bout you?¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ ta be honest, mi plans haven¡¯t been workin¡¯ out too well, as of late,¡± she replied, but there was a soft smile on her lips.  ¡°It be a wee bit frustratin¡¯, but not like tis been all bad.  I came to da U.S. a week-and-a-half ago ta purchase a ship.¡±


    ¡°No way?¡±  Maria¡¯s eyebrows lifted at the information.  ¡°Not this one, though, right?  You said this thing started out as a rowboat ¡­ damn, that¡¯s a big change,¡± she mumbled, studying the sleek design.


    ¡°Meh,¡± Cahira grunted, shrugging her shoulders before spinning the wheel around and yelling, ¡°We¡¯ll be headin¡¯ back, Clay.  Tis about the time, no?¡±


    Clay turned to stare at them.  ¡°... Yeah, that would be best.  What about Selvaria?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be headin¡¯ in with us, I assume,¡± Cahira replied, brushing back her hair as they shifted directions.  ¡°We¡¯ll find¡¯er on da shore.¡±


    He nodded, turning his gaze back to the waves.


    Cahira¡¯s voice softened to a normal volume.  ¡°I sold all I was worth back in Ireland, hopin¡¯ ta get the boat and take to the sea ¡­ been savin¡¯ long and hard, but ¡­ wasn¡¯t meant to be, I suppose.¡±


    Maria¡¯s brow furrowed as she walked back to lean against the railing.  ¡°The deal fall through?¡±


    ¡°Could say that,¡± Cahira mumbled.  ¡°In any case, I found miself here, a bit lost with what ta do next, and not a craft that did what I wanted on the market ¡­ then lights lit up the sky, and I got mi first taste of ownin¡¯ mi own boat.¡±


    She paused, head turning to study the rising and falling waves around them.  ¡°I was on the seas a day before the Coast Guard picked mi up, and mi boat was comin¡¯ along by that time ¡­ was fishin¡¯ the entire day and night ¡­ too happy ta stop.¡±


    Not wanting to pry too deeply into the woman¡¯s past, Maria gave her an out.  ¡°... Huh ¡­ eh, what about this ship?¡±  She smirked, resting both arms across the guard to her back.  ¡°You¡¯ve been upgrading it, huh?  I see those cannons over there ¡­ how does it all work?¡±


    Cahira¡¯s lips lifted to the right while following her gaze.  ¡°Ah, mi ships?¡±


    ¡°Ships?¡±  Maria lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Ya got more than this?¡±


    ¡°Well, not exactly,¡± Cahira giggled, stroking the polished wood of the wheel in her hands.  ¡°Mi abilities work in a-bunch-o tiers.  There be many types of vessels I can create and upgrade, but this be the only girl under mi care at the moment.  I¡¯ve been sinkin¡¯ every bit of points I can into her.¡±


    ¡°She ¡­ right,¡± Maria mumbled, glancing down at the deck.  ¡°What¡¯s up with ships always being called she?¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, it¡¯s about the protection she brings ¡­ like a mother, carryin¡¯ her babes to safety,¡± she whispered with a fond smile.  ¡°I have other skills I can upgrade¡­¡±


    Cahira raised a hand, and out of similar flames, birthed a shiny flintlock pistol before twirling it around her fingers.  It soon vanished before other weapons appeared in her grip, dispersing in wisps just as quickly as they came.  ¡°I got mi pistol, of course ¡­ mi pike, mi ax, mi rifle, knife, and mi cutlass.¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyes examined each object as she named them with a grin.  ¡°Damn, girl, your packin¡¯, and ya can just pull them outta nowhere!¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ well, not like they¡¯re all that useful, ta be honest.  I haven¡¯t put much points in em; well, except for the pike when I was fishin¡¯ for experience; divin¡¯ down to hunt the fishes.  Once I got mi cannons, then it was easier to catch the big targets like the seals and marlin,¡± she mumbled, glancing down at Selvaria¡¯s little pet as it aimlessly moved up and down the deck.


    ¡°Sick, that¡¯s pretty awesome, though!¡±  Maria grinned, noticing they were nearing the port again; dozens of people took pictures of their boat from other vessels or onshore.  ¡°How do the upgrades work?¡±


    The Pirate Queen hummed softly, steering them around obstacles near the harbor.  ¡°... I just want it ¡­ or that¡¯s how it works as far as I know.  I kill things, store up points, and the ship becomes bigger.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Maria nodded.  ¡°Okay, that makes sense.  I mean, there¡¯s Trees and Branches you can probably go into for other things, too?¡±


    ¡°Trees and Branches?¡±  Cahira repeated, brow furrowing as her lips pulled in.  ¡°What do ya mean?¡±


    Maria did a quick explanation of what Rachel and the gang had discovered; apparently, the other two Legendkin had good ears because they soon came over to join them.  There were several specific questions asked by each in regards to being able to manually change things, which made Maria aware that she could turn off the automatic point assignment system.


    The three Legendkin explained that they each had multiple trees, but with the time they had before touching land, Cahira was the only one able to explain hers.


    The Pirate Queen had a Crew, Ship, Personal Weapons, and Treasure Tree.  Maria wasn¡¯t sure exactly how a Legendkin¡¯s Primary Tree fit into the equation since Maria only had the one, but Cahira and the others seemed to now be pondering on the system as they privately explored it.


    Since her Race was Pirate Queen and Kind was Grace O¡¯Malley, she seemed to be funneled into a particular way of upgrading; even though she had multiple Trees, they centered around her Race of a ruler of the seas.


    It went without saying, the fire-haired woman¡¯s Primary Tree was her ships¡¯, and she said there were several variants that could be created for different functions.


    Her Crew Tree could be used to summon people to help manage her ships and fight for her, which would essentially be connected to a particular vessel she assigned them to.  It would mitigate the stress she¡¯d been experiencing on her mind and body by independently controlling everything on her craft.


    The Crew did require pay, food, and drinks to be efficient and could even refuse to work if morale was low or vanish altogether, abandoning her and losing any upgrades they¡¯d acquired.


    The Treasure Tree was a resource-based function that allowed her to receive certain goods from her kills to upgrade and maintain her crew, ship, and weapons.  Below the deck, a treasure room stored certain items that Cahira obtained when killing creatures or that could appear when discovering new areas.


    One of the more exciting aspects of her ability was the accumulation of gold; it couldn¡¯t leave her personal store, and there was a limit that her ships could each hold, but it could even be converted to experience points.  However, her Crew would require a weekly price, while food and drinks helped with morale.


    Everything from her crews¡¯ weapons, clothes to personal health items could be purchased through some kind of pirate¡¯s shop that constantly moved locations, and she had to follow an ever-changing map to get to the place to use her gold.


    On the downside, if her ship was destroyed or someone broke in and tried to leave with the booty, it would vanish and be lost forever.  They slowed to a stop when Cahira talked about her Branches, expression thoughtful while pondering the possibilities.


    ¡°... All that information is wild, Maria ¡­ I was aimin¡¯ fer an Air function ta take off anywhere I pleased,¡± she mused.  ¡°There¡¯s so much ta consider ¡­ I guess I need ta find this Pirate¡¯s Cove ta hire mi Crew.¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyes widened as a squeal left Cahira¡¯s throat, and she left the wheel to give her a bear hug, lifting her off the ground.  ¡°Thank¡¯ya so much, Maria!¡±


    She coughed in response; the Pirate Queen had a lot more strength than her body implied.  ¡°An ¡­ an Air Ship?¡±


    Vasishtha cleared his throat, giving them an appraising look as Cahira squeezed her.  ¡°... Eh, Maria ¡­ huh, aye, can Branches link together?  I wouldn¡¯t mind a hug, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah, no, I¡¯m good,¡± Maria said with a forced smile when Cahira released her.


    ¡°I could toss ya over the deck if yer that desperate for a woman¡¯s touch,¡± Cahira winked.


    ¡°... Hmm, tempting,¡± Vasishtha mused.  ¡°Very tempting, but perhaps another time; I do love a strong woman.¡±


    Cahira just laughed at his response.


    Maria hummed, adjusting her dress.  ¡°I think you can link Branches ¡­ Scarlet¡¯s two Trees have a linked Branch,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°I mean, she¡¯s the only one of us that has two Trees, though,¡± Maria reasoned, glancing toward the ramp that appeared after their stop.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Ohan whispered, pondering his own options.


    She was a little surprised to see Cahira move to pick up the baby seal as everyone got ready to disembark, carrying it off the vessel.


    Ohan cleared his throat while they left the boat, returning to dry land.  ¡°What did it do to her Branches?¡±


    A light shrug lifted Maria¡¯s shoulders, but her attention was pulled away as a gasp swept the crowd on the dock; she followed the peoples¡¯ gaze to see a boat-sized black body under the waves weaving toward the shore, and causing the sea¡¯s movements to change course.


    Worried looks swept the throng as the shape swiftly disappeared, shrinking until rippling water was all that was left of the massive creature.


    Cahira stepped off her boat, nudged her head to the end of the docks while petting the cooing seal; it vanished with a light roar of cold flames, causing the throng¡¯s gaze to snap back to them with more gasps and slack jaws.


    For the most part, Maria and the others ignored the groups.


    ¡°Aye, Selvaria will be comin¡¯ up to shore.¡±


    Clay eyed the people around them, clearly waiting for something more mysterious to happen, and upon hearing the Pirate Queen¡¯s statement, turned his gaze to the beach.  ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    They made their way there with Clay in the lead, Reed and Jasper talking lowly to one another about possibly having someone transport Reed¡¯s yacht to Florida.  Jasper seemed willing to do it for a vacation ride with his family.


    Ohan, Cahira, and Vasishtha had retreated into their own minds, more than likely struggling with the asshole System that wouldn¡¯t tell you everything until it was basically compelled by specific questioning.  By their expressions, they were making more progress than she¡¯d first experienced.


    Maria¡¯s mind was filled with the possibilities of Cahira¡¯s abilities and what it could mean in the long run as her mind projected images from pirate movies, fleets of silently moving ships emerging from dense fog.


    However, her mind went blank upon seeing Selvaria exiting the water; the little teenage girl was no longer a small teenage girl.


    Selvaria was naked after her transformation, and her scales had receded, showing more while still keeping a form of skin-tight black plated bra and shorts.  Her alabaster skin was smooth and glistening from the liquid falling off her as she casually left the water, and somehow, her soaked hair seemed to absorb the moisture, skin following soon after to dry herself.


    She was about as tall as Maria, and the Leviathan¡¯s proportions had increased dramatically, showing off an alluring figure that was only slightly smaller than Cahira or herself.


    The most shocking part of the whole event was to see the woman dragging her feet out of the muddy shore with every step sinking several inches, but without slowing, Selvaria pressed on.


    Maria couldn¡¯t help but gawk at the girl turned woman.  ¡°Aye ¡­ yo, Cahira ¡­ is that really that lil¡¯ girl, Selvaria?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Cahira giggled as they waited for the mythical creature.  ¡°She be her, alright.  I was taken aback when I saw how tiny she¡¯d become.  Guess bein¡¯ without water really cuts her down to size, eh?¡±  She asked Ohan and Vasishtha as the seal squirmed in her arms upon seeing the Leviathan.


    Vasishtha grinned while watching the woman¡¯s slow march.  ¡°Indeed!  Looks like she¡¯s gained back all that weight, too, hehe.¡±


    ¡°Weight?¡±  Maria asked with a lifted eyebrow, and at first, she thought he was talking about her bust, thighs, and butt because her waist was slightly thinner than her own, but upon seeing the woman¡¯s feet pound into the wet sand, she realized what he was talking about.


    Ohan nodded, paying more attention to the crowd than the scale-bikini monster girl rising out of the ocean.  ¡°Selvaria¡¯s been losing weight rapidly over the past few days.  She said it was fine ¡­ obviously, it was a lie.¡±


    The Leviathan wore a pleasant smile that brightened her previously dull expression, making her far more lovely.  ¡°Hey, Ohan, Cahira, Vasishtha,¡± she chimed.  ¡°I¡¯m feeling a lot better.  Thank you, Maria.¡±


    Maria followed every squelching sound her feet made, but it soon evened out as she made it to dry sand; the wet mud fell away as the liquid was sucked out, absorbing into Selvaria¡¯s body.  ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah.  You look ¡­ different.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s eyes lowered to study her body before taking Galatea from Cahira.  ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah, I should probably get some clothes,¡± she mumbled, cheeks darkening a little.  ¡°I don¡¯t really like the plates if I can help it ¡­ it makes people look at me weird.¡±


    Vasishtha chuckled, pointing his finger.  ¡°The sapphire horns, spikes, eyes, and glowing red and blue hair stand out enough.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Selvaria mumbled, trying not to look at the crowd taking pictures.  ¡°Umm ¡­ can I get some clothes?¡±  She asked Clay with a pleading smile.


    Reed spoke up.  ¡°Ms. Espinar, would it be alright to allow her the use of one of the dresses we brought?¡±


    ¡°Dresses?¡±  Maria asked, eyeing him suspiciously.  ¡°What dresses?¡±


    ¡°There were several that were prepared to your size during the photo shoot,¡± he explained without a hint of shame.  ¡°I thought it would be a waste to allow such work to go without use, so I told Tempest¡¯s on-site agent that you¡¯d wear them another time.¡±


    Jasper piped up with a smile.  ¡°They¡¯re in the trunk of the limo.¡±


    ¡°Of course, they are,¡± Maria mumbled, scratching her scalp while trying not to mess-up her waterfall braid.  ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah, sure.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s eyes lit up.  ¡°Are you positive?  Umm ¡­ would it be okay for me to still hold Galatea?¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°Why not?  I mean, I think we¡¯re almost the same size.¡±


    The Leviathan gave her a sharp-fanged, toothy grin that was more pretty than cute with her current figure.  ¡°Thank you!¡±


    They soon were ushered up to the limo by Clay as time was running out, but when they took out the white and gray dress, a glaring problem was suddenly discovered, her long, girthy tail.


    However, Vasishtha, showing his resourcefulness, walked them through the process of how to swap the zipper to the opposite direction, allowing her tail just the right amount of wiggle room while zipping it down rather than up.  Her plated chest made for an interesting bra impression, but it seemed to add to the aesthetic.


    They had to shift around in the limo since Selvaria¡¯s weight had dramatically increased, putting a lot more stress on the tires, but thankfully, they didn¡¯t pop on their way to the network station.


    When Maria arrived, she was rushed up to meet the anchor with only ten minutes for the make-up team to glance over her, but with a few quick adjustments to her hair, she was ready to go out while the others waited in back; security was more than a little nervous of Selvaria, eyeing her dangerous looking tail as it flicked back and forth, generating a slight wind current with the blade-like fin.


    They were a little late, but Clay let the station know.  Jack Harris had started his segment with a brief overview of Demi and the known types before introducing her as the next guest.


    ¡°... With the mystery of this change continues to unfold, we have with us in the studio one of the myths among the Demi.  Maria Espinar, also known to some as Washington¡¯s Saving Grace, the nation¡¯s Sunlit Unicorn joins us, a The Status Report exclusive ¡­ after this short break.¡±


    When the red light turned off, she was directed on stage; Maria saw that crew gawking at her as she took her position.  The host fiddled a little with his tablet while sitting in a large brown leather chair as she entered, going over some of the points his team had updated.


    When she sat, his lips parted into a handsome grin, reaching over to shake her hand.  ¡°Maria Espinar, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.  I¡¯m Jack Harris.  Have you seen the show?¡±


    Jack was cleanly shaven with a strong face and fit build that filled out his slim suit.  He wore a solid light brown tie, and his thick dark brown hair was swept to the side.  Everything from his eyebrows to his fingernails looked manicured and tapered to perfection.


    ¡°Hey, umm, no, I haven¡¯t.¡±  Maria returned the shake.  ¡°So, uh ¡­ what¡¯s the deal?¡±


    His brow lifted, showing the charming smile news hosts were known for.  ¡°Did no one tell you how this would go down?¡±


    ¡°Well, kind of,¡± Maria replied with a forced chuckle.  ¡°You¡¯ll just be askin¡¯ me questions, right?¡±


    Jack adjusted his position.  ¡°It¡¯ll be a bit more than that, dear.  I¡¯m here to see what Mythickin are all about.  We¡¯ve had almost no opportunity to have one of you on ¡­ I see you brought more friends?¡±  He asked with a lifted eyebrow, glancing past her.


    Maria followed her gaze, watching Selvaria happily adding a small gold-colored tie around Galatea¡¯s neck as it sniffed her.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ just some new friends.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he said with a thoughtful hum.  ¡°Would those happen to be the Legendkin and Mythickin we¡¯ve heard about at the FBI field office?¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± Maria¡¯s forced smile faltered a little, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering as the woman gave an indicator that they¡¯d be going live in fifteen seconds.  ¡°I think it would be better to ask them.¡±


    Jack leaned back with a nod, turning to face the camera, and upon the woman¡¯s direction, started speaking.  ¡°We¡¯re back, and as you can see, we have a lovely mythical woman on the show.  Maria, could you tell us a little about what it¡¯s like to be a Mythickin?¡±


    Maria tried to relax, crossing her legs and adjusting her dress a little.  ¡°Uh, yeah, sure ¡­ let¡¯s see, umm ¡­ well, I mean, it sucks that I can¡¯t lie,¡± she laughed, trying to ease her own tension.


    ¡°Huh, is that so?¡±  Jack asked, brow creasing as he sat forward.  ¡°You¡¯re saying that The Oscillation has changed you in a manner that forces you to tell the truth?¡±


    ¡°Yup!¡±  She chuckled.  ¡°I can¡¯t lie, and I can detect lies.  It¡¯s helped a lot, actually; ya know?  I mean, it¡¯s crazy how many times people tell lies in a day.¡±


    ¡°Except for you, right?¡±  Jack laughed.


    ¡°Yeah, kind of forced not to,¡± she replied with a smile.


    ¡°Wow ¡­ that¡¯s some information we didn¡¯t have,¡± he noted with an amused grin, staring down at his tablet.  ¡°Okay ¡­ so, tell us about your powers.  What abilities did The Oscillation give you as a Sunlit Unicorn, and pardon me if this is rude, but where is your horn?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± she pointed at her forehead as her luminescent energy horn appeared.  ¡°It comes out when I use some of my skills.¡±


    Jack studied the radiant energy with a curious grin.  ¡°Fascinating ¡­ does it serve a specific function?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, anyone inside its light can be healed.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Jack asked, sitting back with a hum.  ¡°Is there anything wrong with me?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ well,¡± Maria gave him a critical eye; out of several minor things, Peyronie''s disease was one of them.  ¡°Ya sure ya want me to say it?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±  Jack replied without a hint of doubt on his face.


    ¡°... That¡¯s a lie,¡± Maria mumbled.  ¡°I guess, uh ¡­ well, that¡¯s awkward, huh?¡±  She forced a chuckle.


    His smile fell a little.  ¡°Huh.  Well, I guess there might be some things I¡¯d rather not discuss about my own medical history.  So ¡­ you can really tell everything that¡¯s wrong with anyone you meet?¡±


    Maria¡¯s hands tightened around each other.  ¡°Yo, umm, mi chico, I mean, hehe, I can¡¯t lie, for real!  Anything I can cure or purify to some degree, I can sense.  It¡¯s kind of embarrassing; for real, though,¡± she sighed, rubbing her arm.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to know most the stuff happenin¡¯ in peoples¡¯ bodies.¡±


    ¡°So ¡­ you can cure me of all those medical problems that you sensed?¡±  He asked with a grin.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ yeah, I could¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he leaned back with a deep frown.  ¡°Why the hesitation?  Wouldn¡¯t you feel good about helping to improve someone else¡¯s life?¡±


    ¡°... Yo, I do what I can, okay?  Plus, why should I get involved with other peoples¡¯ lives?  I¡¯ve got my own problems to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?  Well, why don¡¯t we move to another topic ¡­ people have started referring to those that were changed in The Oscillation as Demi, short for Demi-Human.  What are your thoughts on such a term?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± Maria glanced over at a woman as she made a few gestures to another man before returning to Jack.  ¡°I mean, it¡¯s whatever.  It¡¯s no different than calling me Latino, right?¡±


    ¡°Latino ¡­ you are Latino, then?¡±  Jack asked while examining her suspiciously.


    ¡°Yes?¡±  Maria slowly replied.  ¡°Look, just because my skin shines white doesn¡¯t mean I ain¡¯t Latino, shit.  Why everyone be lookin¡¯ skin deep¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, language, Ms. Espinar,¡± he calmly replied.  ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ I mean, you can¡¯t expect people to believe you¡¯re Latino when you literally glow white,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°... Do you want me to just speak Spanish?¡±  She asked, swapping languages with a lifted eyebrow.


    He responded in a half-decent Spanish accent, which wasn¡¯t surprising for California.  ¡°No, that won¡¯t be necessary.  Most of our viewers are English speaking.¡±


    Returning to English, Maria shrugged.  ¡°Aye, my whole family is Latino; my dad was born in Mexico, same as my mom.  I got a lotta family in Cali,¡± she said, giving the camera a V-sign.  ¡°Yo, we got a party happenin¡¯ after this.  Finally get to see the Cali crew after a few years, ya know?¡±


    ¡°Sounds nice,¡± Jack smoothly replied.  ¡°So, no issues with being called Demi?¡±


    Maria popped her tongue, starting to feel more comfortable.  ¡°Well, if someone¡¯s talkin¡¯ to me, then callin¡¯ me Demi instead of my name would be pretty insulting, ya know?  It¡¯s like someone goin¡¯ around callin¡¯ every Mexican, hey, Latino ¡­ what, can¡¯t learn their name?  Naw, Demi¡¯s fine if we¡¯re goin¡¯ by identifying a group, but don¡¯t be a,¡± she caught herself, ¡°... uh, don¡¯t be insulting about it, ya know?¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Jack chuckled.  ¡°Huh ¡­ I just thought you¡¯d be a little more offended by the term.¡±


    ¡°Aye, need to call us somethin¡¯, right?¡±  Maria grunted.  ¡°Demi¡¯s not bad.  Sounds kind of sick if we¡¯re goin¡¯ street slang, huh?¡±  She grinned, snapping her fingers.  ¡°Aye, sup, Demi?  Eh?¡±


    ¡°Sure ¡­ so, what can you tell us about yesterday¡¯s incident where you were rushed out of the hospital?  There were several reports, and we¡¯ve got multiple recordings of your military escort heading to the airfield.  There¡¯s also a record of a jet taking off ¡­ it seems that same jet touched down here in L.A., too.  Were you on it?¡±


    ¡°Oof,¡± Maria sucked in a breath.  ¡°No can do, mi hombre.¡±


    ¡°I see ¡­ what about all those other people in Washington?  Not only did you leave without notifying anyone, but it just so happened to come after Billionaire, Paul Reed¡¯s grandson, was miraculously cured of his heart disease.  Are you saying you didn¡¯t have a hand in that?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ I¡¯m not sayin¡¯ that,¡± Maria hesitantly replied.


    ¡°So, you did cure him.  Why did you leave right after the fact?  Was that the end of some kind of deal made between you and Paul Reed?  Did you care about the others you left uncured?¡±


    ¡°Aye, what are ya sayin¡¯?¡±  Maria asked, her brow creasing.  ¡°Do you know how many people I healed yesterday?¡±


    Jack¡¯s lips pulled back with a light shake of his head.  ¡°... Many would say, not enough.¡±


    ¡°Aye, what¡¯s up with that?¡±  Maria growled.  ¡°You expect me to just cure the world?  What, dedicate my life to runnin¡¯ around being people¡¯s god?¡±


    ¡°Do you see yourself as a god?¡±  Jack pushed.


    ¡°No.  The only God I serve is Christ, yo.¡±


    Jack¡¯s mouth dropped open, tongue pressing against his lower lip.  ¡°Wait, Christ ¡­ you¡¯re ¡­ Christian?¡±  He asked with an incredulous smile.


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s wrong with that?¡±  Maria challenged.  ¡°Yo, God¡¯s been there for me when no one was.  No lie.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ you¡¯re a Unicorn, talking about Jesus Christ.  That¡¯s just ¡­ don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a little crazy?  Do you think Jesus made you a Unicorn?¡±


    Maria already knew where he was going with this; she¡¯d dealt with people trying to tell her how to live or laughing at her beliefs before.  ¡°I don¡¯t know, and it doesn¡¯t really matter to me.  Could Jesus do it?  Yeah, I have no doubt, yo.  Did God do it?  I don¡¯t know.  It is what it is, and I may not be perfect, but I know he is.¡±


    The look on Jack¡¯s face said that this was rich.  ¡°... A Christian Unicorn,¡± he mumbled with an impressed smirk.  ¡°Okay, now I can say I¡¯ve seen it all.  If you are Christian, then are you following the example of Christ and healing everyone free of charge?  Do you think he gave you a mission to do it?¡±


    Her mood was dropping rapidly.  ¡°God¡¯s got a mission for everyone, Jack ¡­ that doesn¡¯t mean ya gonna follow it.  We all got our agency, and we all gonna sin.  Will I heal every asshole that comes up to me, lookin¡¯ for handouts?  No.  I ain¡¯t God, and I sure as hell don¡¯t have love for every pop-bitch bastard that walks up to me demandin¡¯ my life.  I¡¯ll heal who I wanna, and if someone¡¯s got the money, then sure as hell, I¡¯m gonna charge the bitch.¡±


    ¡°... And you can¡¯t lie?¡±  Jack asked with a wry smile.


    ¡°I said it already, didn¡¯t I?  Are you mocking me for my religion?  ¡®Cause that¡¯s a bitchass move, hombre.¡±


    Jack folded his hands across his lap.  ¡°Let¡¯s move to another topic ¡­ we have eye witness reports that you were present when a few dozen gang members were brutally murdered in Miami.  Why didn¡¯t you stop that or heal them?¡±


    Maria¡¯s jaw locked as she glared at the man.  ¡°... Why aren¡¯t you sayin¡¯ what else happened there?¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you answer the question, please, Ms. Espinar?  Did you kill any of those men?¡±


    ¡°... No.¡±


    ¡°You just watched it happen, then.  Did you encourage it?¡±


    ¡°Child molesters ¡­ human-traffickers ¡­ rapists ¡­ using child shields, and eating kids ¡­ hell yeah, I was not gonna let those bastards torture and murder more people.¡±


    ¡°... Huh, but those are just your allegations against them, correct?¡±


    ¡°... You¡¯re sayin¡¯ I¡¯m lying about that?¡±  Maria asked, chest burning at the accusation.  ¡°I¡¯m lying about watchin¡¯ kids being strapped to tanks ¡­ knives to their throat, and guns to their heads?¡±


    Jake closed his eyes with a huff.  ¡°I¡¯m just saying that what we do know is that you admitted to being an accomplice to the crimes¡­¡±


    Maria shot forward, fist smashing into the man¡¯s nose and sending him flying off the couch.  Gasps were echoed around the room as the security team ran over to get between them.


    ¡°... Mr. Harris!¡±


    Maria spat on his foot, face twisted with rage.  ¡°The hell do you know about seeing that shit?  Fuck you!¡±


    She shoved the security guard next to her out of the way as the rest gave her a path back to the room and threw out a few more curses in Spanish before yelling,  ¡°Interview over!¡±


    ¡°... He¡¯s knocked out cold ¡­ his face,¡± one of the men mumbled, staring after her.  ¡°Call a medic.¡±


    ¡°Aye, do that,¡± Maria shouted, ¡°cause I ain¡¯t healin¡¯ the asshole!¡±


    Vasishtha, Selvaria, Ohan, Cahira, Jasper, and Reed were all clapping as she stormed off the set; the staff were pale-faced.  Even Galatea¡¯s small fins were attempting to follow everyone¡¯s example, golden tie swaying around her neck.


    ¡°Excellent right hook, Ms. Espinar,¡± Jasper praised.


    Vasishtha snickered.  ¡°I just can¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t see that coming!¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt,¡± Ohan replied, staring around them at the man.


    Clay seemed a bit troubled but nodded, motioning for them to go.  ¡°Well, I can say that will resonate with a lot of people.  Although, you might get some heat from his loyal fans.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Maria huffed as they fell in line with her, ¡°what are keyboard warriors gonna do?  I don¡¯t play with that shit.  Insult me, whatever, but then he goes telling me that shit?  Hell no ¡­ hell no,¡± Maria mumbled, remembering the chat she had with Fiona about her time in their cage, but also feeling a tad guilty for breaking her promise to the Fairy about the F-word.  Still, she had no doubt her friend would approve.


    They left the building, Selvaria having to take the elevator herself again to stay within the weight limit, and Reed called his lawyer to get in touch with the news station.  Once inside the limo, they made their way to the local Walmart to pick up all the supplies they¡¯d need for the family fiesta.


    A military officer met them to give Maria the debit card to the account they set up for her, doing a few authorizations through phone and digital signatures before he left, and was a little shocked that the full amount Reed had promised was already inside.


    30.1 million deposited, including the amount Tom had given for their work on the portal, made her ears burn when the banking lady reported the amount in her name.


    Reed smiled at her.  ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve already put aside the taxed amount in the savings; my accountants figured out the proper number to give you the full amount I promised.¡±


    Feeling a little overwhelmed while standing in front of the Walmart produce section with dozens of slow-moving people eyeing the strange group, Maria hugged the elderly man with tears coming to her eyes.


    ¡°... Thank¡¯s, Reed ¡­ thanks, so much.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Reed chuckled, awkwardly patting her waterfall braids.  ¡°It¡¯s really I that should be thanking you ¡­ I¡¯ve never seen my grandson so healthy.¡±


    ¡°Aww,¡± Cahira cooed.  ¡°Wow, you guys are all so adorable!  I really like the atmosphere you bring, Maria.¡±


    Ohan smiled, watching the moment as Vasishtha danced around the aisles, snatching fruits and vegetables on his way while loading up the five carts they¡¯d brought out.


    Clay was still on the phone with Tom, and from what Maria could hear, it had to do with a big White House press conference that would be happening in two days.  She had more important things to deal with, so she tuned it out and went about piling up the carts with the others.


    ¡°Yo, it¡¯s all on me today, homies!¡±  Maria grinned, sniffing back her tears and cleaning her wet face.  ¡°Grab whatever, ¡®casuse we party!¡±


    After getting everything they wanted, the group made it to the old field she used to play in as a kid, and sure enough, the place was packed with every family member in the state.


    It had been so long since she¡¯d seen some of them that she didn¡¯t even recognize many, but had a blast throughout the night, dancing, eating, and talking.  Once night fell, they hopped in the classic cars, cruising the streets, and even though she couldn¡¯t get drunk, she had one of the best nights of her life, hanging out with family.


    The Legendkin and Selvaria each attracted their own group, playing with kids, drinking ungodly amounts of alcohol, or dancing with all the local women that decided to crash the party, but Maria had anticipated it, bringing plenty of extra food and kegs.


    As the night closed out, Maria said goodbye to her relatives, telling them to come out east sometime while slipping two million in her grandmother¡¯s bank account to help distribute to the family in need on the low.


    Back in the limo, Selvaria was already asleep, taking the bodyguard¡¯s position, and Maria cured Ohan¡¯s severe alcohol sickness.  Apparently, Vasishtha was a little salty about Ohan stealing a kiss from Cahira that he obviously didn¡¯t remember, and Cahira only laughed at the whole event.


    The Pirate Queen had more than drunk two dozen challengers under the table, and even Vasishtha was feeling the heat when they¡¯d finally run out of booze.


    Selvaria played with the kids and her seal, running around having water fights that her team always won with the occasional gallons of saltwater she¡¯d generate seemingly out of nowhere to crash down on people¡¯s heads.  Unsurprisingly, she¡¯d lost a bit of volume in the process, but with the promise of daily ocean trips, she was free to run wild with it to her heart¡¯s content.


    Reed and Jasper also needed some alcohol sickness purification treatment after being dragged into the Pirate Queen¡¯s vicious crucible.  Vasishtha actually was getting somewhat flushed after his bold challenge with the promise of a kiss that Maria knew he¡¯d probably never get from the fire-haired beauty.


    Clay¡¯s family had made an appearance later, and he¡¯d seen them off when it was time to go; his wife was a bit overweight but pretty, and his son was more than a little intimidated by her when his father introduced him.  He¡¯d spent most of the time trying not to gawk at her, clearly attracted to her looks, but sadly, he didn¡¯t draw Maria¡¯s eye in that way.


    Cahira was smiling when they entered, but her grin had slowly fallen since; it seemed the enormous amount of alcohol she¡¯d dropped into her bottomless pit of a stomach, or at least, it had to be an empty void because her thin belly was just as curved as it was the first time Maria saw her, and she knew the Pirate Queen was dreading the following day.


    Tom told Clay that the decision would be made in the morning, and if it passed, she¡¯d be flown out immediately.  She wanted to comfort the woman but also couldn¡¯t lie and tell her everything would work out when she wasn¡¯t sure at that moment.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Maria whispered, nudging her side.


    Cahira¡¯s luminant blue irises moved to her, hands resting in her lap.  ¡°Mmh?¡±


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t fly out, I¡¯ll come visit, and it¡¯s not like they can keep you here indefinitely, right?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, who knows,¡± Cahira mumbled, taming her hair for no particular reason.  ¡°I never planned to stay in the U.S., but ¡­ maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so bad if I were with people like you.  I¡¯ve ¡­ no one¡¯s ever just ¡­ ya know, pulled mi in and asked mi to join em.¡±


    ¡°With looks like yours?¡±  Vasishtha asked with surprise.


    ¡°Well ¡­ we all weren¡¯t pretty before the change, now were we?¡±  Cahira mumbled.  ¡°What Maria be sayin¡¯ be true ¡­ the desires of the heart determine the change.¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± Maria winked, ¡°ya left an impression on me, and it¡¯s not because of your new looks, okay?  Wish I could have met ya before The Oscillation.  Ya were a blast to have around, ya know?¡±


    ¡°Thanks ¡­ let¡¯s pray we can go on more adventures together, eh?¡±


    ¡°Aye, that¡¯s what I¡¯m talkin¡¯ about!¡±


    They dropped Cahira off at the FBI building before heading to the airport.  Getting on Reed¡¯s private jet, they all fell asleep on the trip back to Miami.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 59. Coming Together

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:


    Maria went out on Cahira''s boat and got to see Selvaria''s crazy water dragon form.  They had a bit of fun before heading over to the interview ... which was a disaster, as we all knew it would be.  Makes you wonder if Tom planned that particular News station for that very reason >.> hmmm.


    Maria hit him with that good OHKO (you thought she was playing Super Smash Bros)!  Spat on him, and walked out with the crew to hit up a family block party!  They all had fun, got wasted, and went Maria was finally able to let her hair down around family.


    She left by giving their family matriarch a good nest-egg for some of their members to fall back on when needed, got things set up for Cahira to join them after her pleas to escape California, and flew back to meet up with the girls!


    We''re back with Rachel!


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Thomas Dahl, Dylan Oostdyk, Shinigamix, Benjamin Powell, Eric, Karanbir Nijjar, Chronicler49, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel¡¯s left hip pressed against Scarlet¡¯s butt on the air mattress they¡¯d shared, muscles burning as she stretched underneath the large blankets with a low moan, mind rousing from a deep sleep.  Her ears stiffened while swiveling her waist, left shoulder lifting to reach to the right, toes curling as she extended her legs as far as they would go.


    Releasing a sharp puff of air, she eased on the tension, scooting a little to the right as Scarlet groaned, squirming next to her.  Licking her full lips, Rachel stared up at the ceiling, taking in the sounds throughout the building.


    The family¡¯s up, huh¡­


    With her entire field of view in focus, she could make out the two empty mattresses used by her brother, his wife, and her parents; the news brought a bit of agitation to Rachel¡¯s morning.  The fact that so much could happen around her and she dozed right through it made her uncomfortable.


    Rolling to the side, she got out of bed, adjusting her sports bra and black shorts in the process.  Her hair had been pulled into a ponytail before bed, the same as the waking Vampire beside her.  Scarlet was doing her own morning stretch routine, causing the inflatable mattress to make the usual noises.


    ¡°Morning,¡± Rachel snickered.


    Scarlet groaned, lying flat on her back while staring up at her.  ¡°Ugh ¡­ was it hard for you to fall asleep?  It sounded like you just drifted off in like ¡­ five seconds.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s left eyebrow lifted.  ¡°Eh ¡­ I¡¯ve never had trouble sleeping.  I usually did a lot of exercising before bed, though.  Why; was it hard for you last night?¡±


    The Vespertine Reaper¡¯s sullen blue eyes darted to her brother¡¯s mattress.  ¡°Uh ¡­ your brother has some ungodly snores.¡±


    A smile split Rachel¡¯s lips before slow laughter rolled through her belly.  ¡°I ¡­ can¡¯t say I¡¯ve noticed.  He wasn¡¯t snoring when we came back?¡±


    Scarlet lifted her legs, causing the blanket to rise before housing herself into a sitting position, easing her neck around in a circle.  ¡°Yeah, well ¡­ it didn¡¯t start for like ¡­ oh, thirty minutes after you passed out.¡±


    ¡°Huh ¡­ you really do have a tough time sleeping.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a curse,¡± Scarlet growled, arms stretching left and right above her head.  ¡°So ¡­ what¡¯s goin¡¯ on with everyone right now?¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± Rachel¡¯s ears tilted left and right, ¡°I¡¯m still gathering all the details, but ¡­ a lot, actually.  Maria¡¯s back.¡±


    ¡°Wait, for real?¡±  Scarlet vanished in shadows, not even taking the effort to get to her feet before appearing beside her with a curious smile.  ¡°You said there was going to be new Legendkin and Mythickin, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ my family¡¯s with Anthony right now.  Interesting ¡­ Duncan isn¡¯t with him.  Maria seems pretty hyped about something; they¡¯re getting ready to head out.  Hmm ¡­ let¡¯s drop in to see what¡¯s happening.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s vampiric eyes took the place of her blue irises, following Rachel¡¯s pointed finger.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I¡¯m cool with it, but ¡­ our clothes?¡±  She asked, cheeks turning a bit red.


    Rachel stepped to the right for a second, examining the girl¡¯s appearance with a small smirk.  ¡°What about it?¡±  She giggled.  ¡°A gray v-neck t-shirt with a pony on it and yellow polka dot shorts are too embarrassing?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s black lips tightened, studying her attire.  ¡°Well, yeah, a little, but ¡­ you really want to meet the two new guys and that girl wearing ¡­ well, that?¡±  She asked in disbelief.


    Plucking at her black workout shorts, Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Meh.  I wear this kind of stuff while at the gym.  What difference does it make?¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Scarlet lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°It¡¯ll make an impression alright ¡­ I¡¯m sure, but I guess this is Miami.  Personally, I was just always really uncomfortable showing so much skin,¡± she mumbled while removing her hair-tie and brushing out her hair.  ¡°Whatever ¡­ nevermind.¡±


    Rachel just snickered in response.


    ¡°Ready?¡±


    At her nod, Scarlet moved within her personal space, shadows surrounding them.


    Time slowed as the haze left, and she caught the three new Demi quickly raising their guard upon their arrival, but the tension was swept away in an instant.


    ¡°Aye, chicas!¡±  Maria greeted, giving them a toothy grin.  ¡°Yo, just in time, and aye, I heard about that bitch showin¡¯ back up!¡±  Her cheer dropped into a scowl on a dime.  ¡°Yo, some crazy shit went down while I was away, huh?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s red halo eyes moved to the shapely woman with a large tail, glowing hair, and scales.  ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile grew suspicious as her vision turned to the two muscular and very handsome men; their cheeks turned red upon seeing her.


    The Indian man nudged the African American while whispering, ¡°Bro, Ohan, Miami is lit, my man!¡±


    Rachel shrugged, eyeing the three newcomers while keeping her gaze on the Unicorn.  She¡¯d been collecting some of the news between conversations around the building and already discovered a few interesting bits of data on the four Miami additions.


    However, it was the Mythickin beside the Legends that interested her; she was definitely someone to tread lightly around until her personality was better understood.  ¡°We handled it.  So ¡­ who¡¯s your new friends?¡±  She asked, giving Scarlet a playful nudge.


    ¡°Huh, what?¡±  Scarlet hissed defensively, scratching her right arm and averting her gaze.


    Maria gave the Vespertine Reaper a humorous hum before introducing each person present.  ¡°Aye, we got my man, Clay, over here!  I think he¡¯s like ¡­ a Master Sergeant or some shit, but yo, he be makin¡¯ the dreams happen with big jefe.


    ¡°Then we got Vasishtha ¡­ some big shot archer legend or somethin¡¯ from India.¡±  The handsome man winced at her introduction, forcing a smile and interrupting his whispered conversation to Ohan about their beauty that she had no doubt he knew they could hear.


    The Legend of Arjuna ¡­ some kind of Indian figure that favors large bows.  Tom¡¯s right; if he is on our team, it provides the ranged support we severely lack.


    He put two fingers to his forehead before making a gesture   .¡°Heh ¡­ yo.  Might I say¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Maria snickered dismissively, ¡°she¡¯s as beautiful as the moon, huh?¡±


    Vasishtha gave a relenting sigh.  ¡°Stealing my thunder again, Maria¡­¡±


    ¡°Ma?lle?¡±  Rachel asked with an amused smirk at the crestfallen man.


    The Legend held his hands behind his head while casually leaning back.  ¡°Hehe, what a vision she is ¡­ the class is just ¡­mmh!¡±


    Maria huffed, giving the man a dubious grin.  ¡°Yo, I¡¯m tellin¡¯ ya, hombre, she¡¯ll play ya like a fool.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s very flirty ¡­ not as bad as him, though,¡± Selvaria piped up with a sharp glare at the Legend.


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Rachel mused.  ¡°A pact made in heaven?¡±


    ¡°Or something far below,¡± Selvaria giggled, ¡°but we all know who¡¯d wear the leash.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please!¡±  Vasishtha grinned with excitement.


    ¡°Dude?¡±  Maria mumbled, and even the Master Sergeant gave him a questioning look.


    The Indian man held up his hands.  ¡°Aye, I¡¯m just sayin¡¯, that girl can take me into a dark alley any time of the night or day!  Ya¡¯know what I mean?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Selvaria mumbled while rolling her eyes.


    ¡°Uh, yeah, well, we kind of failed in that department,¡± Maria said with a weak chuckle.


    Vasishtha wore a triumphant smile.  ¡°Yeah, boy!  I got a date with the Succubus!  Score!  Am I right, Ohan, ma¡¯man?¡±


    Ohan returned the bro-fist with a weak chuckle.  ¡°Hey, I ain¡¯t about to cockblock, but careful, man.  I¡¯m just sayin¡¯, she¡¯s a literal Succubus.¡±


    ¡°Yo¡­¡±  Vasishtha sucked on his lower lip with a thoughtful glance to the side.  ¡°You think she¡¯s got a dungeon somewhere?  Yo¡­¡±


    ¡°Bro, I ain¡¯t down for that shit,¡± Ohan mumbled.  ¡°But you do you¡­¡±


    ¡°Aye, I¡¯m so hyped!¡±


    Maria gave Scarlet and her a weak shrug.  ¡°Eh ¡­ yeah, that¡¯s Ohan, the Samurai-thing or somethin¡¯; yeah, he¡¯s got a sword he can like Jedi to him and shit,¡± she chuckled, causing a second wince as he shyly gave her a smile.


    The Legend of Yasuke, an African American Samurai ¡­ Samurai had a variety of different weapons they used.  He may have a bow for mid-range and other tools besides a Katana ¡­ there¡¯s also the possibility of enchanted armor, too.


    ¡°Oh, and that chica with the seal, uh ¡­ yeah, she¡¯s got a pet seal,¡± Maria laughed.


    Rachel kept her expression on a placid cheer with the entire exchange, but this woman drew her curiosity.  The baby harbor seal looked like its tight fur had been white before rolling around in ink, creating black spots to run down his face, back, and be dotted all over its body.


    ¡°Yeah, the chica with the glowing hair¡¯s a Leviathan; crazy shit, huh?  Oh, her name¡¯s Selvaria, but you already know all this shit, right?¡±  Maria said with a sheepish laugh.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Selvaria waved, tail sweeping around to press her fin against her shin, giving Rachel the impression she was nervous.


    She was supposed to have been close to Seattle when the Vampire went on his massacre.


    Rachel waved back.  Scarlet shyly did the same, keeping silent, but the Vespertine Reaper¡¯s slow shift to stand slightly behind her made Rachel laugh inside.


    She¡¯s still so shy.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you three, and yes,¡± she said, giving Maria a playful smile, ¡°I¡¯ve already heard quite a bit about you from gossip.  All of you are the hot topic right now around the building, and ¡­ there¡¯s a fourth coming, correct?¡±  Her gaze returned to the Unicorn, but Clay was the one to answer.


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Park.  Cahira ¨® Corra will be touching down in Miami within the next thirty minutes.  We¡¯re just about to leave to meet her.¡±


    The name was foreign to Rachel.  ¡°Cahira ¡­ what nationality is that?¡±


    ¡°Irish,¡± Maria chimed.  ¡°She¡¯s Irish, like Fiona, but, well ¡­ she doesn¡¯t speak the language like her, though.  Umm ¡­ yeah, we¡¯re goin¡¯ to go on an adventure after I finish some business, though.  Wanna join?  We¡¯ll be goin¡¯ out on the ocean!  My bro¡¯s goin¡¯ to come with that one girl you dropped off at my house,¡± she said with a light glare.  ¡°Aye, aye, yo, what¡¯s that about?¡±


    Vasishtha¡¯s slightly bored gaze perked up.  ¡°Oh, a girl you dropped off for her brother?  Smooth!¡±


    ¡°Not smooth!¡±  Maria growled.  ¡°Yo, wassup with the cat chica?  My hermanito won¡¯t stop talkin¡¯ about this girl crashin¡¯ at my place!  Aye, and even the lil homies be spittin¡¯ how cute she be ¡­ hell, I heard some of the TNS boys be checkin¡¯ up on her to see she¡¯s taken care of ¡­ shit.¡±


    The Indian man gave her another impressed nod with a thumbs up, silently saying Yeeeaah!  That¡¯s what I¡¯m talkin¡¯ about!


    ¡°Zoe,¡± Rachel responded with an apologetic laugh.  ¡°She went through a really rough week with Cal¨ªstrato Ballesteros¡¯s people.¡±


    Maria¡¯s brow furrowed darkly, sucking on her lower lip.  ¡°Damn, that bastard ¡­ yeah, so that¡¯s why you tore up his joint.  Cool, okay ¡­ yeah, he was a real piece of shit, but let a chica know next time, okay?  Shit ¡­ comin¡¯ back to find some cat chica moved in,¡± she grumbled.


    ¡°I approve!¡±  Vasishtha snickered.


    Selvaria scratched her seal¡¯s nose with a sideward smirk at the man.  ¡°I get the feeling you¡¯d approve of a half-dressed monkey if it was a female.¡±


    ¡°Oof ¡­ yo, chill, Selv, I got standards.¡±


    Selvaria gave him a dubious stare while Ohan awkwardly stood between them, and Rachel was starting to get a dynamic picture of the trio.


    Clay interjected for a second time.  ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse us, Ms. Park, but we should get to the airport before Cahira lands.¡±


    ¡°Of course, but Maria ¡­ is there any way you could find work for Zoe.  She ran completely out of funds and can¡¯t get in contact with her family.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Maria¡¯s tight lips bunched to the side.  ¡°... Yeah, I think I can work somethin¡¯ out ¡­ uh, yeah.  Oh, yo, I got somethin¡¯ in the works that¡¯ll be sick!  Yeah, but you comin¡¯ with us?¡±


    Rachel glanced down at Scarlet with a shrug.  ¡°My family is here, but they might enjoy a boat ride.  What do you think, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sounds fun!¡±  She grinned, beginning to feel a bit more comfortable as she showed her fangs.


    Vasishtha cleared his throat with a sharp sniff of his nose.  ¡°Ahem ¡­ I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be there.  I have a date with a Succubus in an hour.¡±


    ¡°Shocker,¡± Selvaria mumbled.


    Taking advantage of the brightening atmosphere, Rachel gave him an encouraging smile, stepping forward to pat him on the shoulder with mock concern.  ¡°We¡¯ll pray for your safe return; godspeed.¡±


    For the first time, Vasishtha seemed utterly speechless as everyone burst into laughter, a silent but heavy quake running through Clay¡¯s frame.


    With that, they said their goodbyes, and Scarlet teleported them to her family; Ma?lle was shopping nearby with Saeki, looking for a new dress, while Kyle seemed to be off feeding somewhere outside her sensory radius.


    From fractured conversations, she learned that after a chat between Clay, Tom, and David, the guard detail and restrictions had significantly been lifted.  It seemed the Succubus just really enjoyed her FBI escort, which Rachel assumed came with the added security she could employ when needed or it suited her.


    Vasishtha was guided to the confiscation area where they¡¯d first gained clothes.  The agent thoroughly enjoying the Legend¡¯s energy and jokes.


    Stepping out of the shadows in the FBI front lobby, currently after hours for the day staff, she met her family on the same couches they¡¯d used the night before.  Anthony was sitting across from them, pausing in his story about backpacking the Appalachian Trail.


    Rachel instantly noticed the Legendkin¡¯s outfit; he wore a fitted rouge long sleeve shirt with the first few buttons undone, tucked into slim fit jeans.  His brown belt matched his shiny leather huaraches, which she found a bold choice.  He certainly had perfectly manicured and shapely feet.


    ¡°Hey, Mom, Dad,¡± she greeted with a bright smile.


    Molly and Alexa jumped at their entrance, eyes growing big.


    She caught Anthony¡¯s pretty green eyes instantly sweeping her body with a small, amused grin.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ planning on working out?  I like the ponytail, by the way.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s vision darted between them, sparkle quickly coming to life.  ¡°... Sung ¡­ oh, Rachel, are you?¡±


    Alexa gave her a suspicious smile after the initial shock, leaning closer to nudge her husband.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ Rachel, you look just as pretty awake ¡­ is that unfair blessing another gift from The Oscillation?¡±


    Ignoring Anthony and her mother¡¯s probe, Rachel gave her attention to Alexa, shooting Nam a sly smirk.  ¡°If so, I wonder if my brother got it.¡±


    Nam¡¯s muscles tightened after she put him on the spot, making Rachel¡¯s ears twitch with delight at seeing her brother squirm.  ¡°Uh,¡± he caught everyone staring his way, ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t believe I have that trait ¡­ Anthony?¡±  He asked, trying to toss the hot potato.


    The Legendkin gave a weak shrug, smile refusing to falter.  ¡°I haven¡¯t needed to do much skin or hair maintenance since the change.  Everything stays just about how I like it, and I suspect the same goes for Rachel and Scarlet.¡±


    A lump dropped down Alexa¡¯s throat as she gave the man a suspicious glare, whispering under her breath, ¡°Everything?¡±


    Scarlet and her mother seemed to be on the same wavelength as Alexa because both their cheeks darkened with curiosity.


    Rachel cleared her throat, dragging their minds out of the gutter.  ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ve been invited to a boating trip tonight.  Anyone want to go?¡±


    Unsurprisingly, her father¡¯s questioning expression instantly shifted gears, and a genuine smile lit his face.  ¡°What kind of vessel?  I¡¯ve been trying to get your mother to¡­¡±  He trailed off at her sharp glare.  ¡°Ahem, anyway, what type is it?¡±


    Rachel gave her father a sheepish shrug as Molly moved in to hug her and Scarlet.  ¡°It¡¯s nice ¡­ being able to hug you ¡­ and you too, my cute little Vampire!¡±  Her mother cooed, swiftly darting next to her to smother the girl in her arms.


    ¡°... Thanks,¡± Scarlet whispered, throat choking up as she returned the hug.


    Once her mother let go, Rachel went on with the discussion.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t say.  There¡¯s a new Legendkin that¡¯s coming, and one of my friends asked us to join them.¡±


    ¡°Cool,¡± Nam replied, glancing at his wife.


    Alexa nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m game!  Uh ¡­ are you going to join?¡±  She asked Anthony with an innocent smile.


    Man, Alexa¡¯s been on point lately!  Rachel mused, watching her sister-in-law do everything within her power to get them together.


    Her ears straightened, head tilting to view her mother as she hopped back, heart suddenly palpitating.  ¡°Friends ¡­ we can finally meet your friends!  Sam, we must go!¡±


    ¡°... Great!¡±  Her dad nodded with anticipation.  ¡°Uh ¡­ I need to stop by the house to get my fishing pole,¡± he mumbled.


    Scarlet sparked up.  ¡°Oh, I can take you!¡±


    His cheer suddenly dampened a little.  ¡°... The teleporting thing you do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s perfectly fine!¡±  Rachel quickly assured, giving him a confident smile.


    ¡°... If you say so.  Uh, yeah, yeah, that¡¯d be great, and I can get your swimsuit, Dear.¡±


    ¡°Can I join?¡±  Alexa interjected, hand shooting in the air for no reason.  ¡°I need to get my own ¡­ oh, and Nam¡¯s.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s face was practically glowing.  ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Molly darted to a bag on the floor beside Alexa, near the opposite side of the couch.  ¡°... I brought both of you a change of clothes.¡±  She glanced up at Scarlet with a bit of concern, brushing her bangs back.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I hope it¡¯s okay that I went through some of your clothes, Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°No, yeah; thank you so much!¡±  Scarlet replied, face flushing with joy.


    Rachel wondered if her mother would take the opportunity to bring up the adoption topic while in private.  They both accepted their clothes and went to the nearby bathroom to quickly change.


    Scarlet put on the clothes Molly had picked out for her; red garments, a pink shirt dress that fell to her knees, a gray evening coat, and a white pashmina scarf with two black lines running in parallel.


    Rachel was happy to see her mother didn¡¯t go the full girly route, giving her lime-green garments, form-fitting jeans with the knees scuffed, and a plain white sleeveless shirt.


    Alexa, Molly, and Scarlet cheerily left through the shadows; her mother assured her father she wouldn¡¯t forget all of his fishing supplies.  Nam, Anthony, Rachel, and her father talked about fishing, mostly steered by Sam.


    It didn¡¯t take them that long to return, and sure enough, Scarlet looked utterly dazed, proving Rachel¡¯s guess was on the money.  On the other hand, her mother could outshine the sun as she cleared her throat to draw everyone¡¯s attention.


    Scarlet¡¯s fingers were intertwined with Molly¡¯s as the woman happily announced.  ¡°So, after talking it over with Scarlet, and,¡± her cheer dampened for a moment, ¡°after discussing a few things, Scarlet has given us the privilege of adopting her as the newest member of the Park family!¡±


    ¡°T-Thank you so much¡­¡±  Scarlet softly replied as everyone congratulated her, and bloody tears started leaking from her eyes.  ¡°I¡¯m just ¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile softened as she got up to hug the quivering girl, moving to join Alexa and her mother in sandwiching her.  ¡°Welcome to the family.¡±


    It took several minutes before Scarlet was able to get herself under control, and she wouldn¡¯t let go of Molly¡¯s hand, taking Nam¡¯s place on the couch while contending with the powerful emotions surging through her strange body.


    Thirty minutes after they¡¯d reunited, Molly mentioned meeting both her daughter¡¯s friends again, causing Scarlet to hug her to Chan-hee¡¯s delight.


    Rachel had to put a bit of a dampener on the mood after listening to many conversations.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid Fiona and her family won¡¯t be here until tomorrow; they¡¯re in the process of moving from Ireland at the moment.  A catgirl named Zoe and Maria will be there, though.¡±


    Her mother was just ecstatic to finally meet them, which was a little strange to Rachel, but she had to remind herself that she didn¡¯t really have friends before The Oscillation, meaning this might actually be a big deal for her mother.


    ¡­ I had such a false impression of my family.  Is that just a normal teenage thing, or was I just that self-absorbed and delusional?


    Not finding an answer, and considering it unproductive after a second, she prepared to head out with the others, taking her parents¡¯ SUV while Rachel gave the directions, following Maria¡¯s voice near the edge of her sensing radius.


    They stepped out onto a hospital parking lot, watching Clay, Selvaria, her harbor seal, Ohan, Cahira, and Maria walking out of the building with an elderly gentleman named Paul Reed.  From the discussions she¡¯d been able to follow, he was quite wealthy, and Maria managed to score a phenomenal deal with all of his connections to wealthy people.


    Cahira would put supermodels to shame and somehow gave off a more gorgeously sexual appeal than Maria with her white hot shorts and halter top; she was clearly ready for the sea.  Between her heavy Irish looks, height, curved form, and long, thick, silky copper hair with fire-red hues, she was a drop-dead stunner on sight.


    Maria caught them exiting her parents¡¯ car with a bright smile.  ¡°Ah, Rachel, yo!  Did ya hear?  Oh, nice family, chica!¡±


    Rachel walked up with a sheepish smile, feeling a little bad about everything she¡¯d listened in on.  ¡°Umm ¡­ are you positive, Maria?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I mean, it¡¯s goin¡¯ to waste how it is if ya ain¡¯t gonna take it; I be lookin¡¯ out for the crew, ya know me!¡±  Maria snickered, giving her a triumphant grin.  ¡°So, what¡¯s it gonna be?¡±


    All of her family members seemed to be in a state of shock upon seeing the three dazzling women, Nam¡¯s gaze drifting to Selvaria¡¯s weaving tail while her mother and Alexa gawked at Ohan.


    ¡°Alexa,¡± Molly mumbled, ¡°I think the gods have conspired against us normal women.¡±


    ¡°... Yeah, I call foul,¡± Alexa groaned, pulling around her blonde hair before glaring at Cahira, Selvaria, Rachel, Maria, and Scarlet¡¯s lush locks.  ¡°Life¡¯s not fair.¡±


    On the other hand, Cahira¡¯s wide eyes were locked on Anthony, drawing Rachel¡¯s notice.


    I don¡¯t think so.


    She stepped closer to Anthony, feeling a heat she¡¯d never felt before rising in her chest while giving the woman an innocent smile she knew the legend couldn¡¯t miss.  Only a second passed between them as a rueful smile touched Cahira¡¯s lips, debating the challenge, but in the end, she pulled her glowing deep blue eyes to Maria.


    As far as Rachel was aware, not a single person caught the meaning of that interaction; although, she couldn¡¯t be sure about Anthony himself.


    She pushed forward in the conversation, not missing a beat.  ¡°So, that hotel owner just gave you fifteen suites as thanks ¡­ and you¡¯re giving one of those to Scarlet and me?¡±


    ¡°Aye, you don¡¯t have a place, right?  Well, your parents, but not of your own, right?  I mean, Cahira and Ohan needed a place, and I thought it could be a good spot to set up shop.  Yo, he was all about it when he figured out it was us that saved South Beach!¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°The hotel you ¡­ it¡¯s in South Beach?¡±


    Paul Reed cleared his throat with a soft smile.  ¡°Mr. Kennedy has given the rights to fifteen suites in South Beach¡¯s The Ritz-Carlton.  It has a full beachfront lodge, al fresco dining at the oceanfront DiLido Beach Club; free breakfast every morning.  Twice-daily housekeeping, including turndowns in the evening.


    ¡°If you enjoy the bar, then there¡¯s the Lapidus, an outdoor pool with private cabanas and an ocean view with more than 20,000 square feet of meeting and event space.  Ah, did I mention there are often events thrown inside, and the Ritz-Carlton¡¯s spa offers quite the treat in relaxation?¡±


    ¡°I like the free breakfast part,¡± Selvaria commented.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Alexa mumbled to Nam, ¡°dude sounds like a walking commercial ad.¡±


    ¡°... Like I said,¡± Rachel chuckled, ¡°are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Bah, get over it, chica!  Just take it,¡± Maria giggled.  ¡°Yo, we wastin¡¯ the night.  Aye, let¡¯s go, crew!¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Rachel mumbled, feeling a bit uncomfortable for the first time in a bit; the group took one step toward the limo before pausing.  ¡°Umm ¡­ thanks, but what about the people on your block?¡±


    Maria¡¯s frown turned the other way.  ¡°Ah, the familia can¡¯t fit in a tight place like that!  Naw, I¡¯m gonna make a few more deals and get my own place nearby to run out my own personal hospital, yo!  It¡¯s gonna be sick, and I get¡¯ta hustle legally, chica!  Like, damn ¡­ damn, me, goin¡¯ legit?  Damn!¡±


    The other laughed at her antics; they entered the cab, joining Clay, on the phone with Tom to report in.


    Just before getting in, Maria paused.  ¡°Oh, yeah, that cat chica is kicked out!  ¡®Ell, no is that feline stayin¡¯ at my place; she can take over one of those suites until we can figure her shit out ¡­ damn, some random cat sleepin¡¯ on my couch.  Aye, Rachel, what do you think about her being like ¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Maria scratched the back of her head, ¡°like my secretary or some shit?  I mean until she sorts her shit out.¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Sure.¡±  She was still feeling a bit overwhelmed about the news.


    Maria popped her tongue, not even trying to hide her sly grin.  ¡°Yo, Anthony!¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±  He asked, enjoying the exchanges with a gentle smile.


    ¡°Yo, you take the room next to my chica,¡± she cackled, entering the vehicle before the two of them could respond.


    Rachel had to force her jaw to stay in place.


    Maria ¡­ are you sure you¡¯re a Unicorn?


    The window rolled down for a split second.  ¡°Aye, pick up the pace; we got water to roam!  This¡¯ll be poppin¡¯!¡±


    She caught Scarlet, Alexa, and her mother¡¯s sparkling eyes at Maria¡¯s statement before turning to face Anthony; the Legend wore a bemused expression.  Nam seemed impressed while her father appeared to have even given his consent, practically already won over by their earlier conversation.


    ¡°Was she being serious?¡±  Anthony asked, rubbing his hairless chin.


    ¡°Well ¡­ she can¡¯t lie,¡± Scarlet giggled.


    ¡°True ¡­ well, will you take it?¡±  Rachel asked, finding her hands behind her back while pressing down on her tail.


    Anthony¡¯s lips became a solid line.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ I mean, I really like my FBI couch, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Rachel returned with an unconvinced glare.


    His framed chest began to shake with laughter.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ of course I¡¯ll take something that good!  You know, I feel like Maria¡¯s trying to bribe us for something,¡± he commented with a thoughtful look.  ¡°Know anything about that?¡±


    Feeling fire blooming in her chest, Rachel offered him a smug shrug.  ¡°Who can say?  You could always ask her.  Scarlet said it; she can¡¯t lie.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s tongue pressed down on his lips as Maria gave them another frustrated prompt to get moving.  ¡°... Nah, I like the surprises.¡±


    The gang got into her parents¡¯ SUV, and they made their way to the hotel she would now call her home.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 60. Beginning A Legend’s Quest

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:


    We''re back with Rachel and everyone met up ... well, except for Fiona (still getting things ready to move out of Ireland with her parents).  She met with our two new Legendkin and Mythickin.  Vasishtha seems a bit too drawn in by Ma?lle >.> seems like a match made in heaven, though, and they''ve got a date.


    Maria gets a bit annoyed with Rachel just dropping off a girl (Zoe; the Cat Beastkin at the start of the series) at her house, sleeping on her couch.  Now all the neighborhood gangsters are simping on her.  She''s chill with it but wants to be in the loop.


    Alexa, Molly, and Scarlet have their minds out of the gutter for a bit and they all agree to go on Maria''s boat trip to commemorate Cahira''s addition to the Miami crew.


    Cahira was a pretty interesting meet-up >.> she''s a bit too focused on Anthony for Rachel''s liking, but she seems okay.


    So, yeah, Maria''s RICH, and they''re now looking up in the world.  She gave a super hotel room to each of the newcomers, including Zoe to get her off the Unicorn''s couch!


    Now, TO SEA!!!  Full speed ahead!!!  But wait ... is there another reason they''re going on this trip >.> hmm?


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    At first, Rachel thought they were going to head to the hotel, but Maria quickly changed directions, turning their course towards the ocean.  The drive was filled with her parents and sister-in-law questioning Anthony, Nam, Scarlet, and her about what it was like being changed into a Demi.


    Rachel didn¡¯t pay too much attention to the random and sometimes personal questions, more interested in scanning all the information surrounding Miami¡¯s populace.  She learned more about Maria¡¯s time in Seattle and California, including some news about her taking a fighter jet out of the northern State for some emergency reason.


    News had leaked about Miami¡¯s new additions, too; a few other State officials and celebrities were now complaining about Florida¡¯s rapid Mythickin and Legendkin expansion since the State was receiving a lot more news coverage as of late, and since the economy had reopened, tourism was booming.


    A lot of the news cycle was now turning toward the White House Press Conference that President Capell would be giving, and his political opponents across the aisle were already complaining about his team¡¯s response to the crisis with propaganda being spread from the major news networks representing each side.


    Rachel did her best to tune out most of the noise, searching for more relevant reports she could use.  Cuba was a major talking point, which was obvious since it played such a significant part in Florida and Miami¡¯s population with so many immigrants.


    The previous leadership had been killed, and much of the country¡¯s public communications had been severed.  There were a lot of unknowns with a population that exceeded eleven million people, but from the last transmissions out, gangs and rival groups had turned the main island and its several minor archipelagos into a lawless zone dominated by Demi, small warlords, and a branch of the Cuban military.


    The Cuban military had centralized north, around San Juli¨¢n Air Base, after it had been forced to retreat from its capital city, Havana, losing it to a large band of rogue Demi that claimed to be revolutionaries.


    The United States had held its dominance over the southern part of Cuba at Guant¨¢namo Bay, taking in what refugees they could from the fleeing local residents nearby.  There¡¯d been one attempt to seize control; the two terrorists from the northern Demi group that tried using force had been killed fairly quickly after separating from the influx of displaced Cubans they were using as cover.


    Rachel suspected there were probably several more spies mixed in with the refugees, and they¡¯d used the other two as sacrifices to see how the response would be taken.  Tom would likely have to make a move soon, which they would probably be roped into, and Rachel couldn¡¯t wait for the chance to enter live combat again.


    A few people talked about the crystals, but it had fallen into the conspiracy category, with many news sites and social media platforms labeling them as fake news or debunked myths.  However, Rachel felt like it was gaining traction from what she¡¯d heard and figured the President would explain the subject to the public in the coming days.


    Rediverting her hearing to the car in front of them, Rachel¡¯s brow creased.


    Maria¡¯s excitement increased her Hispanic accent.  ¡°... So, you got a map we need to follow?  What kind of adventure we takin¡¯, chica?¡±


    Cahira hummed thoughtfully, unfurling something that seemed to appear in her hands.  ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, to be honest.  See how it¡¯s blank?¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ woah, but there¡¯s that small part there?¡±


    Reed, Clay, Selvaria, Ohan, and Maria leaned in or scooted over to study the scroll.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± the Pirate Queen replied, brushing her fingers across the page.  ¡°That¡¯s showing the port nearby ¡­ I think it knows we¡¯re going to start our journey there, and so it¡¯s set up the route from that location.¡±


    Clay¡¯s tone turned thoughtful.  ¡°Is this kind of thing normal for Legendkin, Ohan?¡±


    Ohan sat back with a short sigh.  ¡°In a way.  There are certain tasks that I had to accomplish to enhance my weapons.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed upon hearing the news, and she turned to Anthony as Maria went down the same line of questioning with Ohan.  ¡°... Hey¡­¡±


    Alexa and her mother¡¯s probing questions into Scarlet¡¯s mysterious x-ray eyes ceased, refocusing on her, probably much to Scarlet¡¯s relief.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Her mother asked, moving her seatbelt a bit while swapping the visor mirror to look at her.


    ¡°Anthony, do you have to do quests or tasks for your upgrades?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow, shifting in his seat next to the window to look at her, which subsequently pressed his muscular left thigh against her right, and she wasn¡¯t going to complain.  ¡°Hmm, well ¡­ yeah, you don¡¯t?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s blue irises lit up, twisting in her seat ahead of them to see.  ¡°Oh!  You have to do quests, like ¡­ like the legend you¡¯re based on?¡±


    Anthony shrugged nonchalantly.  ¡°Nothing so grand so far, but it¡¯s because I haven¡¯t undertaken those steps.  In short, yes.  I can upgrade some of my weapons by competing in a sort of arena.¡±


    ¡°How does that work?¡±  Alexa asked, teeth flashing with excitement.


    ¡°... You don¡¯t, Rachel, Scarlet?¡±  He asked with a soft hum.


    She shook her head, but Scarlet was the one to respond.  ¡°Nuh-uh!  We just level up and practice our skills ¡­ well, I mean, we need to get experience.  Do you need to do that?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±  Anthony pressed his tongue against the side of his teeth, creating a popping sound.  ¡°Okay, I do gain experience, but if I want to increase the grade of my weapons or armor, then I need to go into these dimensional spaces and complete the given task.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so cool!¡±  Scarlet groaned.  ¡°Why don¡¯t Mythickin get things like that?¡±


    ¡°... Maybe we do?¡±  Rachel mused.  ¡°Perhaps we¡¯ve been focusing on different areas.¡±


    ¡°You think?  That would be awesome!¡±  Scarlet grinned, but it soon fell.  ¡°... Mmh ¡­ the System isn¡¯t telling me anything about that kind of thing, though.  How do you do it, Anthony?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ I don¡¯t know what to tell you, Scarlet,¡± he replied with a forced chuckle.  ¡°The arenas randomly show up, and I can choose to enter them or not ¡­ it¡¯s just kind of a feeling.  The first one was pretty tough, getting my spear upgraded with a few Skills attached to it.¡±


    ¡°No way ¡­ why am I so lame?¡±  Scarlet moaned, running her fingers through her hair.


    Alexa¡¯s eyebrow shot up.  ¡°Lame?  You¡¯re a freakin¡¯ super-powerful Vampire, girl!¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s vision shot to the window, underwhelmed at the response.  ¡°Yeah, well ¡­ not all that great.  I¡¯d rather have cool adventure upgrades than sucking people¡¯s blood.¡±


    ¡°... Yeah, okay, I can see that,¡± Alexa conceded.


    ¡°Well, you might be able to join me?¡±  Anthony offered, making Rachel¡¯s ears press against the car¡¯s ceiling.


    ¡°Wait ¡­ huh?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s gaze shot to his weak shrug.  ¡°I mean, it doesn¡¯t say people can¡¯t join me; in fact ¡­ no, it says it just makes it harder.  If I invite someone along, then the difficulty will be bumped up, but there might be other perks I can gain depending on the outcome.  Going in solo or in a party seems to have its advantages and disadvantages, from what I gather.¡±


    ¡°Hehe,¡± Rachel¡¯s smile grew, drawing everyone¡¯s eye.  ¡°Well, it seems Cahira is inviting us on her first adventure.¡±


    ¡°The boat ride?¡±  Her mother asked, trying to keep up with the discussion.  ¡°Is it dangerous?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to know,¡± her brother mumbled.


    Anthony¡¯s lips drew in with a bit of concern.  ¡°If that¡¯s true ¡­ I can¡¯t say how difficult it will be if she invites six Demi with several humans into her trial.  Do you know what it¡¯s for?¡±  He asked, green eyes swimming with uncertainty.


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°All I¡¯ve heard is that Cahira has a map we¡¯re supposed to follow, and it starts at the docks.¡±


    ¡°... Mine was pretty dangerous,¡± Anthony admitted, rubbing his hands against his fitted dark blue jeans.  ¡°I had to face this random spear user in a tight alley ¡­ some alternate dimension or something, and I could only use my spear; if I caught it against the alley, then it would have left me open for a deadly blow, and the bricks were strong enough that I couldn¡¯t break them.  The guy didn¡¯t even bleed when I stabbed or cut him.¡±


    ¡°A precision and concentration-based trial?¡±  Rachel mused.  ¡°No wonder you acted that way when we had a sparring match.  Still, I¡¯m excited to give it a shot.  Mom, Dad¡­¡±


    Her mother¡¯s brow set.  ¡°No, if you¡¯re going, then we¡¯re going!  Right, Sam?¡±


    Knowing he wasn¡¯t going to convince her otherwise, her father slowly nodded.  ¡°I ¡­ suppose we are.  Is there a lower cabin in case things become too hectic?¡±


    Rachel shook her head, feeling a bit worried about her parents now.  ¡°No ¡­ umm, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯d be good for you guys to come.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine!¡±  Her mother quickly replied, and Rachel half wondered if she was insisting on coming to force her to play it safe.  ¡°Your friend is bringing your other friend along, too, right?¡±


    Rachel had utterly forgotten about Zoe.  ¡°... Right,¡± she mumbled, glancing over at Anthony as he gave her a tight-lipped response with his gaze, and a new piece of news dampened her cheer further; Elena came with Zoe and Felix.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure nothing bad happens to you!¡±  Scarlet determined, giving her mother a confident smile.


    ¡°Yeah, this¡¯ll be fun!¡±  Alexa laughed, nudging her husband.  ¡°We¡¯re going on a real adventure!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mind retreated as everyone questioned Anthony on details he couldn¡¯t answer since it would be Cahira¡¯s trial and her very first.


    It¡¯s probably going to be a sea-based challenge involving ships.  Selvaria seems like she¡¯ll be an extremely powerful support, but if it increases in difficulty by person ¡­ does it only count Demi?


    Ohan seems more of a close-range fighter, but with Scarlet¡¯s teleportation, it might be possible for us to be useful on the ocean.  Anthony and Scarlet could defend everyone, but that leaves a ton of firepower that should be added to the opposition, yet Cahira¡¯s open for it, and there¡¯s no way she doesn¡¯t know the risks ¡­ maybe she doesn¡¯t?


    Making it to the wharf, everyone filed out to join each other; Selvaria¡¯s aquamarine eyes were literally glowing with anticipation as she stared at the lapping waves, tail increasing its back and forth motions while holding her baby seal.


    Zoe, Felix, and Elena were already on the pier, the two Demi glancing over upon noticing their entrance.  The group followed Maria down, Rachel jogging to Cahira¡¯s side.


    ¡°Hey, Cahira,¡± Rachel initiated with a pleasant smile, pulling back her glowing hair as the overhead moon filled her with energy and the ocean breeze fanned out her locks.


    The Pirate Queen adjusted her own fiery hair with a curious smile, flaring blue irises appraising her.  ¡°Mmh?¡±


    ¡°Did you know your trial will increase its difficulty with the more people that enter?¡±


    Cahira¡¯s eyes widened with surprise, causing Rachel¡¯s stomach to tighten.  ¡°Aye, ye don¡¯t say?  News to me, but give mi a moment, this whole askin¡¯ questions to some invisible fella is all still new.  Hmm ¡­ now that ye mention it ¡­ seems that way!  Sounds fun, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rachel slowly admitted, glancing back at the party, each engaged in their own little discussions, but Anthony was soon by her side.  ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not excited to see how this goes, but¡­¡±


    ¡°How safe is your boat?¡±  Anthony pressed, nudging his head toward her family.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Cahira snickered, Irish accent surprisingly a bit stronger than Fiona¡¯s.  ¡°I see where yer headin¡¯!  Mmh, I can¡¯t be prominsin¡¯ anythin¡¯ fancy, but if things be blowin¡¯ the wrong direction, then there be space below fer cover.  You¡¯ll see soon enough!¡±


    Their conversation broke as Zoe¡¯s bright voice called out to her.  ¡°Rachel!  Hey, Rachel!¡±


    The smirking confidence Elena produced faltered as she noticed her, becoming somewhat shy as if meeting her favorite actor.  The Honey Badger was surprisingly cute with her folded down ears and tight fists pressed against her ripped shorts.  ¡°Umm, hey¡­¡±  She mumbled, unsure if she should address Maria or her.


    ¡°Yo, what¡¯s up, chica!¡±  Maria laughed, eyeing the teenage girl suspiciously.  ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been holdin¡¯ down the neighborhood, and this is the cat chica?¡±


    ¡°Oh, hey,¡± Zoe mumbled, becoming much more reserved as Maria approached.


    ¡°Hey, she¡¯s got a name, hermana!¡±  Felix huffed.


    Rachel smiled; it seemed the little cat-girl had made an impression on Maria¡¯s little brother.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Maria waved dismissively.  ¡°Yo, I got her a place to stay so she can get off the couch.  Cool, huh?¡±


    Zoe¡¯s eyes widened with shock.  ¡°W-Where?¡±


    Felix didn¡¯t seem as thrilled as his sister, but his hum was drowned out by Cahira, further up the docks.  She walked backward with a bright grin.  ¡°Some posh hotel room the gurl owns now.  I¡¯m excited to explore the ritzy digs!  We¡¯ll be neighbors, lass!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Zoe¡¯s confusion continued to increase as more information was thrown at her.


    Ohan and Selvaria silently followed the Pirate Queen, but Clay paused, taking out his phone.  ¡°Zoe, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Good.  Could you tell me your parents¡¯ names, phone numbers, and home address?  I¡¯ll see if I can figure out what¡¯s happening.¡±


    ¡°Umm, yeah¡­¡±  She hesitantly replied, giving it.


    The conversation barely dropped when Molly moved to take the girl¡¯s attention next while the rest of her family hesitantly eyed the two splitting groups.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Molly, Rachel¡¯s mom!  You¡¯re Zoe, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so nice to meet you!  How did you two meet?¡±


    Maria ushered everyone further down to join Cahira, Ohan, and Selvaria, waiting for everyone to arrive at the end of the pier; Selvaria and her were practically glowing with positivity.


    Elena appeared to be fairly tempered compared to the first time she met the sixteen-year-old Honey Badger, and she seemed a bit out of place while glancing between each new face.  She stayed close to Felix, probably more comfortable with someone she knew by her side.


    Zoe showed her cute shy side that had her mother and Alexa fawning over her; her father and Nam silently followed the social girls.  Felix and Elena had been zoned out by her family¡¯s pincer attack on the cat-girl.


    Clay was already busy putting someone on Zoe¡¯s case with Reed by his side, silently observing the groups.


    The dock wasn¡¯t as crowded as it would have been during the day, but a few lingering eyes followed their party, and judging by the hushed words that passed between pairs, they¡¯d identified different members of their group, mainly Maria.


    Rachel walked to the right of the wharf, and everyone turned to face Cahira as she waited for their attention.  ¡°Aye, so, a few things to be heard,¡± her blue irises darted to her, ¡°Rachel let me in on a little news.  Seems there may be some rough waters ahead of us.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±  Maria¡¯s gaze shifted to her with a lifted eyebrow.


    Anthony took the spotlight.  ¡°Basically, we¡¯re heading into a trial to upgrade something of Cahira¡¯s, and they are built to be challenging to the individual.  Do you know what to expect?  The more people that join will increase the difficulty.¡±


    ¡°Ah, fascinatin¡¯ stuff,¡± Cahira mumbled with a small grin.  ¡°Afraid I be in the dark, miselff; this be mi first adventure usin¡¯ mi map, but aye, Selv, ye may get a good meal after all!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope,¡± Selvaria returned, irises still centered on the ocean waters, ¡°I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cahira snapped her fingers, and everyone¡¯s attention instantly moved to the large sailing vessel that birthed out of roaring red flames, making the people around the pier¡¯s mouths drop open and a few people to jump back out of alarm.


    The vessel was at least 135 feet long with a lower level for sure by its size; its four sleek black cannons with gold trim showed it had a bit of combat potential, and Rachel was sure it didn¡¯t use normal cannonballs.  The Pirate Queen¡¯s sailboat was fairly impressed looking with crimson sails imprinted with some kind of coat of arms.


    ¡°I welcome ye aboard!¡±  Cahira cheerily stated as a ramp formed.  ¡°If it be gettin¡¯ bad, then there be a lower deck for shelter, but we¡¯ve got quite the crew.  I¡¯m sure the experience will nigh be unforgettable!  Anyone up for the journey?¡±


    Rachel leaned in, whispering, ¡°Anthony, how long do these things usually take?¡±


    Anthony shook his head.  ¡°Time seems to function differently, as best I can tell.  Slower in my experience, but that could change.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ we¡¯ll have to keep that in mind with Scarlet in case we come back during the day.¡±


    Scarlet scooted closer, listening in as Maria, Felix, Zoe, and Elena were the first to jump aboard.  ¡°No, I can just go below the deck before we return.  It should be fine; I¡¯ve got an escape option!¡±  She encouraged, vanishing in shadows to appear on the ship, rushing to the front to stare into the water with a wide grin.  ¡°A real adventure!¡±  She screamed.


    Rachel watched Cahira lean in to whisper to Selvaria.  ¡°Aye, seems we might be gettin¡¯ into a bit of a rough.  Keep an eye on the waters, eh?¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s sharp, toothy grin appeared, and Ohan boarded the vessel.  ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to finding anything bigger than Orca.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m not all that worried with ye watchin¡¯ the waters, mi monstrous friend.¡±


    ¡°Count on me,¡± Selvaria replied, handing the Pirate Queen her pet seal.  ¡°Just keep Galatea safe; maybe we can get her a nice bed.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see, but I can¡¯t promise anythin¡¯,¡± she snickered.  ¡°Although, I¡¯ll promise she¡¯ll be safe with me,¡± she vowed, taking the small creature.


    Selvaria shed her clothes to reveal a tight plated scale bikini before handing her clothes to Cahira for safekeeping.


    Rachel and Anthony watched Selvaria dive into the ocean out of curiosity; they were the only ones beside the captain left on the dock, and she soon realized why the Pirate Queen was so confident with the girl¡¯s support.


    The dock must not have been as deep as Rachel imagined because a large expansion lifted the waves, and a massive tail exited the surface before sliding back under, and the gigantic, monstrous form of the Leviathan Mythickin came to the surface, almost as if showing off.


    Rachel¡¯s mind accelerated, watching the slow-moving explosion of water cascading down the Leviathan¡¯s glistening dark azurite plated scales, fanning out to display a rugged defense, and her strong webbed hands showed razor-sharp talons at their ends.


    Selvaria was as long as Cahira¡¯s boat, and her tail was equipped with a sharp fin at the end that could more than likely be used as a slashing, stabbing, or bludgeoning weapon.  Her extended neck had curved spikes running down its length to her tail.


    Her head hung around Cahira¡¯s sails, aquamarine irises shimming with a glowing inner light while examining the stunned boat occupants.


    A very low rumble vibrated the air like a subwoofer as Rachel figured the woman laughed, showing her monstrous sapphire fangs and slick black tongue while the red spikes and horns were illuminated with a fierce light, and the blue glow was even more highlighted than in her human form.


    The girl¡¯s scales soon shifted colors, turning from deep blue to night black, seeming to swap to a more combat-oriented stealth mode.


    The seal made a few weak cries, seeming to want to join Selvaria, but Cahira softly soothed the baby while walking aboard her vessel.  ¡°Comin¡¯?¡±  She asked, turning to give them a small smirk.


    Anthony chuckled sheepishly, following Rachel up the ramp, both still studying the sea monster.  ¡°I gotta say ¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting her to literally turn into something like that.  Uh, you don¡¯t turn into a big hare creature.  Right, Rachel?¡±


    Rachel gave him a dubious smile.  ¡°Would it matter if I could?¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ I¡¯m just sayin¡¯ your ears only recently started growing on me.¡±


    ¡°Humph,¡± Rachel frowned, glaring at him, ears shifting to the left and tail flicking with irritation.  ¡°They¡¯re adorable.¡±


    ¡°I concur,¡± Cahira snickered.  ¡°Still, gotta admire a man that¡¯ll speak ¡®is mind!¡±


    ¡°To a point,¡± Rachel mumbled, leaving Anthony with a forced smile.  ¡°... No, I don¡¯t turn into a big furry creature ¡­ at least, not yet.¡±


    The image of all the different colors of the moon suddenly made her doubt the possibility.  She could very well transform into some kind of hare creature under certain conditions, and Selvaria¡¯s metamorphosis lodged a few other questions into her mind that would need to be explored.


    With a few more jokes and introductions, Cahira took her ship out to sea.


    The dockmaster ran across the concrete wharf, seemingly only recently noticing the ship.  Only Rachel could hear his shouts, leaving a smile on her lips while leaning against the afterdeck railing at the tail end of the boat with the Pirate Queen at the wheel behind her.


    ¡°Y-You need to pay and give ¡­ where in the world did it come from?¡±


    Rachel adjusted her hair with the increasing wind.  ¡°I suppose you don¡¯t need to pay any storage fees.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  Oh, nope,¡± Cahira giggled, watching the groups clustering around her ship.


    Ohan and Anthony were getting acquainted while Maria broke off to speak to her brother and Elena.  Zoe had been kidnapped by Molly, standing around the front with her family.  Reed stood off to the side by his lonesome, taking in the sea scent while smiling at the lapping waves below.


    Clay had gone below, on the phone with Tom as he discussed the new information regarding Legendkin.  Galatea was with him, safely away from any danger that might befall her.


    Rachel¡¯s gaze moved to the map that appeared out of red flames in Cahira¡¯s hands; it seemed she didn¡¯t even need to have her hands on the wheel to steer the ship as she examined the content.


    Ink bled into existence on the parchment as they moved out to sea, and Rachel¡¯s focus lifted to see a mass of fog that quickly appeared out of nowhere, swallowing the vessel.  When they exited, Miami had vanished, leaving gasps across the ship as dark clouds thundered ahead across an endless sea.


    A new world opened up before them, and behind was the nighttime sky, filled with unrecognizable stars and spheres in the heavens.  Rachel actually felt a different form of energy from the orbs, making her skin tingle, and the pink hue of her hair enhanced its color.


    Sadly, it would soon vanish as they entered the storm, but the calm waves that swept through her were vastly different, showing the pink, and orange heavenly bodies could provide her unique advantages.


    They¡¯d certainly landed in some alternate world.


    ¡°Here we go!¡±  Cahira yelled, increasing the ship¡¯s speed as the sails bowed.  ¡°Into the black; it¡¯s gonna get rough, so either get below deck or prepare fer the winds and waves!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears stood on end while listening to the sloshing waves around them, rolling thunder in the distance, and dozens upon dozens of large creatures below the boat.


    Selvaria rocketed out of the waves beside them with a three-meter long armored fish in her jaws, crushing its slick red and orange scales as she severed it in half with most of its size entering her stomach before diving back below the surface.


    Her mother and father watched the dead half of its head and tail be swiftly beset by more of the same fish, rocketing out to scavenge the remains.  Her parents¡¯ faces were ashen upon seeing the otherworldly creatures and sky behind them.


    Rachel sighed as her brother soon helped them below the deck as Clay came back up, probably losing signal on his call.


    I knew they wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the shock.


    Reed waved him over; by his muscle twitches, Rachel figured he was fighting his fear, thrilled to arguably be off-planet.


    To be fair, Felix and Zoe seemed to be just as unsure, while Alexa and Elena¡¯s expressions brightened at the prospect of the new adventure.


    Scarlet appeared beside them from shadows, vampiric eyes scanning the ocean.  ¡°Oh, wow!  There¡¯s so many crazy fish, and ¡­ I don¡¯t even know if those are fish ¡­ they look like an octopus mixed with a Christmas tree?  Weird ¡­ Selvaria is having a field day, though.  She¡¯s in a way bigger weight class, and ¡­ it¡¯s just not fair!  She¡¯s faster, bigger, stronger¡­¡±


    ¡°That be a good thing in mi humble opinion,¡± Cahira chuckled, gazing right at a veil of water that was moving by them at least ten miles out.  It almost seemed to be forcefully moved across a single impenetrable line.


    Ohan and Anthony soon joined them.


    Anthony seemed to be doing his own examination of what was happening below.  ¡°I suspect some of those might even have attacked us if she wasn¡¯t scaring them away.¡±


    ¡°Most likely,¡± Ohan concurred, glancing beyond the ship¡¯s port to scan the horizon.  ¡°... Look at that.¡±


    Everyone turned left to see fifteen-foot long Manta ray-like fish with sharp spikes on their fin-like bodies; they were a lot more fearsome than any fish Rachel had seen with square mouths showing rows of jagged teeth.  They leaped over the waves, heading their way.


    Time slowed, Ohan and Rachel¡¯s focus moved to Anthony; the Legend pulled back his muscular left arm, magical golden spear appearing from blinding light, and within a split second, launched it at the center creature, creating a small shockwave as it radiated yellow light.


    The weapon burrowed through the center of the creature¡¯s mass on a vertical angle, leaving a charred path that practically cut half the creature¡¯s entire body down the middle.


    It limply fell to the waves, tumbled across the water, and caused the remaining two to maneuver around their fallen comrade.


    Anthony¡¯s spear vanished before touching the ocean, appearing in his left hand again.


    ¡°Quick reaction and execution,¡± Ohan praised with a lifted eyebrow.


    Selvaria¡¯s ax-like fin soon stole Anthony¡¯s thunder, cutting through the surface of the water without warning, parting the choppy expanse, and cleaving the remaining two creatures in half.  Ink-like blood sprayed from the executed fish, carcasses sending sprays of black water across the waves as they slowed; they hadn¡¯t even made it a hundred meters from the vessel.


    Everyone was more than a little impressed by the show of speed and power, but their brows soon furrowed as the fish Anthony speared was dragged underwater.  Not long after, the Leviathan appeared on the starboard-side, releasing a rumbling chuckle while tossing the carcass on an empty section of the deck.


    Alexa and Clay rushed to the side, throwing up at the grotesque smell it released as black blood and water crept off the ship from holes in the railing.  It was missing a notable amount of spikes on its thick fins.


    Ohan and Anthony moved to examine it as Cahira groaned.  ¡°C¡¯mon, Selv, don¡¯t be tossin¡¯ the smelly things on mi ship!¡±


    Rachel kept her distance, not enjoying the smell either with her enhanced senses.


    Elena moved back to join her, with Zoe and Felix having enough, going below deck.


    Maria was right next to the Legends, though.  ¡°Damn!  Shit smells like a public bathroom, yo!¡±  Maria complained.


    ¡°Worse,¡± Anthony groaned, poking one of the spikes on its back with the point of his spear.


    Rachel¡¯s ears stood on end as a miniature explosion sounded within the creature¡¯s skin, and she saw a faint outline of the spike shoot up with the Legends¡¯ movements a second before they reacted.


    Ohan darted back, pulling a stunned Maria with him as Anthony¡¯s spear blurred into a circular motion, staying in the air on its own, repelling a bronze-colored liquid that sprayed out, launching the sharp barb thirty feet into the sky.


    ¡°Aww, not on mi ship,¡± Cahira groaned, watching the goo splatter across the helm.  ¡°Ye best be cleanin¡¯ the shit off!¡±


    Anthony gave a weak chuckle, snatching his spinning spear out of the air while studying the dead fish with apprehension.  ¡°These things might actually be pretty deadly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say,¡± Ohan mumbled, pulling out his sword from thin-air as Maria collected herself.  ¡°If a swarm of these appear, we might have some issues.¡±


    Rachel hummed while glancing up at the advancing storm.


    My Mental Acceleration is enhanced under this moon?


    She licked her lips with fascination as the answer came.


    Cerridwen Branch (Lunar Based):  A moon deity that seems to embody or represent this section.


    Mental Acceleration I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Reactive, Lunar-Type, Level Eight, Rookie Grade, Rank Nine.  Accelerates Rachel¡¯s thinking process to give her the time to react while running and in conflicts.  Linked to her Constitution Pool.


    Rapid Mental Acceleration I: (Cooldown: 3 Minutes; Cost: N/A; Duration: 3 Seconds; Range: N/A) Active Link Skill, Lunar-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Two.  Accelerates Rachel¡¯s thinking process to an even higher degree.  This is likely the advanced form of Mental Acceleration, allowing her to temporarily boost to a higher skill stage for a limited time.  Linked to her Constitution Pool.


    Does Flush Moon affect all of my Skills?  It does.  No wonder it feels different, but it makes me calmer ¡­ interesting.  Too bad it won¡¯t last much longer, but at least it topped me off with this tranquil energy.


    Her gaze moved to the veil as they drew closer to it and the storm.  ¡°I¡¯d be more concerned about what strange weather conditions we might find in there than monsters.  We can fight these things ¡­ nature, we aren¡¯t at that level yet.¡±


    Scarlet gave her a wink, likely silently saying speak for yourself with her level 100 Achievement Skills.  ¡°Yeah, that might be a problem, but looking at the insides of these things ¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure they got a crazy venom sack on their tail ¡­ or that¡¯s another thing,¡± she mumbled with red cheeks.  ¡°I¡¯m going to imagine it¡¯s poison.¡±


    ¡°Poison, either way, am I right?¡±  Cahira giggled.  ¡°By the way, is it just me, or did Rachel¡¯s whole glowing thing suddenly change a bit?¡±


    They all chuckled at her joke, but her afterthought seemed to be bypassed as everyone turned their sights to the challenge ahead and beside them; Selvaria appeared to have handled anything around them because she was weaving just below the surface in front of the ship, scanning for more danger.


    ¡°Huh, is this all ye got?¡±  Cahira yelled at the heavens, causing Scarlet to wince.


    ¡°Famous last words ¡­ I¡¯m just sayin¡¯.¡±


    Anthony moved his spear to his shoulders, draping his arms across them while balancing against the waves rocking the ship.  ¡°We¡¯ll see, but actually, this is beginning to get my blood pumping.  What about you, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Heh, was Cahira the only one that realized my glow swapped to pink?¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t really making a big deal out of it, so I decided to leave it be,¡± Anthony returned with a grin.


    ¡°Yo, I didn¡¯t even notice, chica!¡±  Maria mumbled, eyeing her for a moment.  ¡°What¡¯s up with that?¡±


    She pointed at the celestial objects behind them, soon to be hidden behind the clouds overshadowing the sky.  ¡°Seems one of those moons back there can increase my skill¡¯s Ranks, Grades, and Levels, by an entire grade.  Probably really powerful when I start hitting the later levels.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Maria and Scarlet mumbled in unison.


    ¡°Anyways, storms appear to be a weakness of mine, too,¡± she groaned, but a smile lifted her lips.  ¡°I¡¯ll be a lot happier when I can beat something to death, though.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s the chica I know!¡±  Maria snickered.


    Her smile softened her full lips as she heard Elena mumble, ¡°This is so hard!¡±


    A lump dropped down the girl¡¯s throat while examining the dead creature at the front of the ship and glancing between all the Legend and Mythickin surrounding her, waiting for the next exciting event, but the girl jumped as Cahira barked.  ¡°Aye, Ohan, get that pile o¡¯ blubber off mi ship!  Will ya?¡±


    They watched in fascination as Ohan unsheathed his weapon, the scabbard vanishing upon dropping it.  Holding his Samurai Sword with both hands, Rachel watched him get into a stance, and in slow-motion, followed three cuts, but was shocked to see the creature split into nine pieces.


    Her ears could be lied to, though; with each slash, two more branched from either side.  It was likely a skill he had, but that didn¡¯t stop several of the touch-sensitive spikes from shooting out of its back.


    The Samurai countered, repelling them over the edge; his two invisible strikes seemed maneuverable to a certain degree, and once the creature¡¯s arsenal was empty, he swirled his blade into a small circle, generating a visible cyclone around his sword.  With one slash, a small whirlwind was created; the gale swept the remaining chunks off the boat.


    Anthony¡¯s spear vanished, hands dropping to his front to clap at the display.  ¡°Impressive skills, Ohan!  How long have you used a sword?¡±


    ¡°Since I was six,¡± Ohan replied, frowning down at the remaining globs of amber ooze.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s the best I can do, Cahira.¡±


    The Pirate Queen pointed at a bucket with a rope attached and a bristly mop that appeared beside him with a bright smile.  ¡°I¡¯ve got ye covered, mi lad!¡±


    Ohan released a short sigh, glancing at the approaching storm before taking it up and getting to work.


    Anthony chuckled, asking, ¡°Got another pair?¡±


    ¡°Ain¡¯t ye sweet!¡±  Cahira giggled, generating another.  ¡°A clean ship be eh lucky ship!¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t the storm get most of it off?¡±  Elena curiously asked.


    ¡°Tis¡¯ the ethic, mi lass,¡± Cahira replied with a wink.  ¡°Can¡¯t be assumin¡¯ things we don¡¯t need ta; maybe one o¡¯ ye slips on the gunk before it¡¯s off.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Maria walked back to join them with a bright grin.  ¡°Yo, this shit is epic, chica!¡±


    Her gaze was fixed on the dark horizon as the wind swiftly increased its speed, throwing back their long hair as Alexa, Reed, and Clay composed themselves at the starboard railing.


    ¡°How bad do ya think it¡¯s gonna get?¡±  Reed asked with apprehension.


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched, glancing toward the right to see the wall of rain falling toward them at an increasing pace.  Her skin prickled as she left the two moon¡¯s gaze, and her stomach tightened with anticipation.  A storm of sinister squawking sounds was hidden within the heavy veil, causing her puffy tail to stiffen with excitement.


    ¡°... Hey, guys, I think we have some company ¡­ a lot of things.  Most of you should get below deck, quick.¡±


    Anthony and Ohan picked up their pace, the spear user throwing the bucket over to gather water and dump it on the spots while the swordsman shoved them off the side of the deck.  Elena jumped into action as Cahira¡¯s toothy smile grew, creating another bucket for her to help.  ¡°Get ready for a fight, mi lads and gents!  It¡¯s gonna get rough.¡±


    Rachel jumped up the mast, swiftly reaching the top while staring at the wall.  ¡°Scarlet, can you see anything inside?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ not yet, it¡¯s too far away,¡± she mumbled, knowing she could hear her.


    Nam¡¯s brow set, body shimmering with red light; four static-like energy constructs with sharp claws and eight jagged teeth formed out of him, and he left them on the deck while guiding a reluctant Alexa below with Reed and Clay behind them.


    It was the first time she¡¯d seen her brother¡¯s ability, but she didn¡¯t have much time to reflect on the four summons as Cahira glanced down at her map, unfolding it again.


    ¡°Huh,¡± the Pirate Queen¡¯s elated voice shouted over the rising wind and thunder.  ¡°It shows we¡¯re reachin¡¯ Sky Reaver¡¯s Way.¡±  A bright grin lit her full lips.  ¡°Ready fer combat!  Watch those ears by the cannons!  Oh, by the way, I just got notice; we¡¯ve upgraded to a Legend¡¯s Quest, mi rag-tag crew.  Our journey begins just beyond the veil; we¡¯re goin¡¯ to Kokoa!¡±


    She spun the wheel to a hard right, taking them into the worst visible area of the storm and giving Rachel¡¯s stomach butterflies as they came upon the veil.


    Upgraded to a Legend¡¯s Quest ¡­ this might get ugly.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 61. Sky Reaver’s Way Pt. 1

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:


    The crew all gathered together and set out to sea on Cahira''s boat!  Then ... Rachel learned that they were going on a Quest for Cahira ... that everyone extra brought into the quest, and with all the bodies on the boat ... we''re on a Legend''s Quest, BABE!!!


    It''s a little gut-wrenching that they''ve got a bunch of normal humans, but maybe something interesting will come out of it?  In any case, we''re on to Sky Reaver''s Way!


    Oh, and did I mention Rachel''s getting some boosts from a mysterious ''Flush Moon''; a pink and orange moon hang in the distance ... what could this mean?


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Vyktor, Hayden Rayborn, Ikatere, Foo, Brandon Stiles, Thimo Gubbels, Ianitos, KingWoh, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel shivered with anticipation as the wind increased, and Cahira¡¯s ship began making changes as ropes rose and fell, changing the slight directions of the vessel¡¯s airfoil-like sails to combat the rushing gusts they were sailing into.


    With Elena¡¯s help, Ohan and Anthony vanished, scrubbing the inky blood off the deck, and Maria told Elena to keep near the hull entrance, much to the Honey Badger¡¯s dislike, but she wasn¡¯t great at keeping stable on the moving ship without support.


    The wall of rain was swiftly approaching with the rough gales, and with a loud laugh, Cahira sent a rope to Maria to strap Elena down, the Unicorn asking for her own after a sharp gust threw her to the side.


    ¡°I expect the rest o¡¯ya to handle without the lifeline, eh?¡±  Cahira snickered.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± Anthony said, moving to stand beside Rachel with Ohan.  ¡°What are we dealing with, Rachel?¡±


    Her ears were stiff, broad field of vision scanning the wall of rain for anything within, but it was still impenetrable.  ¡°I hear hundreds of wings flapping, big ones ¡­ it sounds like high-pitched birds squawking to one another.  Scarlet, do you see anything under the waves?¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ Selvaria is flipping around.  She¡¯s coming back ¡­ oh, she just transformed to her human form.¡±


    ¡°How does that look?¡±  Ohan questioned with a lifted eyebrow, focused on the roaring storm.


    ¡°Eh, like something big turning small,¡± Scarlet shrugged.  ¡°I mean, a shadowy substance surrounds her, and her insides change so much I couldn¡¯t even explain it.¡±


    Rachel followed the much smaller figure¡¯s path under the waves, jumping up to hold herself up on the solid railing; her figure was much more monstrous than her previous human form with more scales and spikes sticking out of her slick blue and black hair.


    ¡°Something¡¯s ahead,¡± she said with a deep frown.  ¡°Something really huge like ¡­ fifty miles into the storm.  I can hear it.¡±


    ¡°A sea monster?¡±  Maria called out several meters away, staying beside Elena.


    Selvaria shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t know; I just heard something big the way we¡¯re going.¡±


    ¡°Birds above, monsters below,¡± Cahira mused.  ¡°We¡¯ve got our work cut out for us, huh?¡±


    ¡°Birds?¡±  Selvaria asked, glancing toward the storm as the waves began increasing in size, rocking the boat.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Rachel said, stomach tightening with the coming combat.  ¡°You handle whatever¡¯s in the water, and we¡¯ll handle anything above.  If it looks bad where you are, then come up and let us know.¡±


    ¡°I can keep an eye on her, too!¡±  Scarlet added with a thumbs up at the Leviathan, not even trying to manage her hair since she could see through it.


    ¡°I can handle that!¡±  Selvaria grinned, giving Rachel a salute before dropping back into the ocean.


    ¡°Yo, we need some epic beats for this shit!¡±  Maria laughed.  ¡°Got anythin¡¯, Cahira?¡±


    ¡°Not mi foray, Lass, but a song would set the mood, for sure!¡±


    The pounding of people¡¯s hearts, the beat of the waves, and the roar of the wind were more than enough for Rachel¡¯s spine, tingling for combat as the world¡¯s motion slowed with her accelerating mind.


    How can we handle aerial combat?


    ¡°Fiona would be nice right about now,¡± she commented with a small smile.


    Ohan nodded.  ¡°Vasishtha, as well.  I can keep the space around the ship protected, but that is all I can do.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s radiant spear appeared in his hands again.  ¡°I can handle those further away, but I¡¯ve got a minute cooldown on most of my long-distance skills, six hours on my big one.¡±


    Scarlet snickered.  ¡°I can teleport all over the sky, no problem; I¡¯ll just go crazy!¡±


    Maria¡¯s voice rose with the wind.  ¡°If anyone gets hurt, then just stop by, and I¡¯ll fix ya up!¡±


    ¡°We got a plan comin¡¯ along!¡±  Cahira shouted, bright red hair blowing back with everyone else¡¯s with the incoming storm.  ¡°I can¡¯t be shootin¡¯ things up high with the cannons; clip their wings, and I¡¯ll handle ¡®em in da blue!¡±


    Rachel felt a little frustrated as everyone made plans; Lunar Step required the moon.


    If I have any extra points, that¡¯s where I need to use them; I can¡¯t help if I can¡¯t battle in the air.


    Making the request, she was a little shocked at the number of Skill Points she¡¯d gathered with how little she¡¯d used them.  A smile lit her lips as her quickened mind cycled through them, clarifying their uses.


    Rachel¡¯s Abilities:  The current list of abilities and her understanding of the Skills.


    Base Mythickin (Type) Abilities:  Skills gained through being a Mythickin, which means every person of the same Type can gain these Type-specific abilities.


    True Sight I (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Reactive Skill, Penetration-Type, Level Two, Novice, Rank Four.  The ability to see past the lowest tier of illusions.


    Base Hare (Race) Abilities:


    Base Hearing:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 7.5 Miles) Passive Cluster Set, Physical-Type, Level Nine, Rookie Grade, Rank Max.


    Filter I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 7.5 Miles) Reactive, Physical-Type, Level Six, Rookie Grade, Rank Nine.  Allows Rachel to filter between sounds.


    Volume I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 7.5 Miles) Reactive, Physical-Type, Level Six, Rookie Grade, Rank Max.  Allows Rachel to alter the levels of conversations in her surroundings.


    Ear To The Ground I: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 100 Meters) Reactive Proficiency Skill, Physical-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Eight; allows Rachel to hear minute sounds in her environment like muscle movements, but the sharpness of this skill is gradient, reaching its weakest point at 100 meters.


    Range I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 7.5 Miles) Reactive, Physical-Type, Level Seven, Rookie Grade, Rank Max.  Increases the distance Rachel can monitor sound.


    Base Vision:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 210¡ã) Passive Cluster Set, Physical-Type, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Eight.  This includes a standard level of Night-Vision that helps her navigate in the dark.


    Focus Sight I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 210¡ã) Passive, Physical-Type, Level Four, Novice Grade, Rank Max.  Makes Rachel¡¯s entire field of vision come into focus, allowing her to run fast while seeing potential threats.


    Predict Motion I:  (Cooldown: 10 Minutes; Cost: N/A; Duration: 3 Seconds; Range: 210¡ã) Active, Physical-Type, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Eight.  Helps her predict to a small degree where the kinetic motion of objects will move.  Absorbed into Rapid Mental Acceleration II for an upgraded version.


    Base Smell:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive, Physical-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Eight.  Rachel hasn¡¯t actively tried to increase this Passive, but she can still smell better than when she was a human.


    Base Lunar (Kind) Abilities:


    Lunar Pool I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 4.9% Weekly Cost of Life; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive, Lunar-Type, Level Ten, Rookie Grade, Rank Max.  The energy source that gives Rachel strength and, to a large degree, sustains her.  She can go without Lunar Energy inside her pool, but her Health Status would begin to decrease, and given enough time, she could die.  Works off percentages instead of raw numbers.  Solar Energy and Lunar Energy counter each other, meaning if hit by an infinite source, like the sun or moon, they¡¯ll keep being drained.


    Lunar Surge I: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive Link Skill, Lunar-Type, Level Three, Novice Grade, Rank Eight.  Grants a .5% Power and Toughness Stat boost, equivalent to Lunar Pool levels.


    Overpowered I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Conditional; Range: N/A) Reactive Link Skill, Lunar-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank One.  If Lunar Pool is full and Rachel is under direct moonlight, this increases her Power and Toughness Stats by 26%.  If she uses any ability that drops her pool to 99.999%, then this skill deactivates.  As a counter, if at 0% Lunar Energy and in direct sunlight, a negative 24.8% is subtracted from total Stats.


    Lunar Reserve I: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive Link Skill, Lunar-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Zero; grants a 1% to Lunar Pool, making her maximum pool 101% to help keep Overpowered active for a longer time.  This extra pool does not count in the 100% total of abilities.


    Lunar Hair I: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive Link Skill, Lunar-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Four.  Rachel¡¯s hair is infused with Lunar Energy, increasing its Toughness to 200% of her current durability.  It appears difficult to passively advance as her hair must receive damage to increase its Rank.


    Lunar Shield I:  (Cooldown: 10 Minutes; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Reactive, Lunar-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Three.  Rachel¡¯s light glow gives her a Lunar Energy shield that absorbs incoming damage up to 10% of her Lunar Pool outside of moonlight and 20% while under the moon¡¯s rays.  Mainly used to allow initial cushion to deadly attacks and recovery for incoming impacts.  It deactivates Overpowered if she¡¯s even slightly damaged by an opponent.


    Lunar Deadening:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Under Moonlight; Range: N/A) Reactive Proficiency Skill, Lunar-Type, Level Three, Novice Grade, Rank Five.  Masks physical pain under moonlight.


    Lunar Burst I: (Cooldown: 25 Seconds; Cost: 3% Initial and .1% Per Second If Held After; Duration: N/A; Range: Max 2 Feet) Active Charging, Lunar-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Two.  A Lunar elemental attack that can strike beyond Rachel¡¯s reach.  It is an element attack, which means it can be resisted.  Lunar elemental damage is multiplied by the energy % used.


    Cerridwen Branch (Lunar Based):  A moon deity that seems to embody or represent this section.


    Mental Acceleration I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Reactive, Lunar-Type, Level Eight, Rookie Grade, Rank Nine.  Accelerates Rachel¡¯s thinking process to give her the time to react while running and in conflicts.  Linked to her Constitution Pool.


    Rapid Mental Acceleration I: (Cooldown: 3 Minutes; Cost: N/A; Duration: 3 Seconds; Range: N/A) Active Link Skill, Lunar-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Two.  Accelerates Rachel¡¯s thinking process to an even higher degree.  This is likely the advanced form of Mental Acceleration, allowing her to temporarily boost to a higher skill stage for a limited time.  Linked to her Constitution Pool.


    Strategic Mind I: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive, Lunar-Type, Level One, Versed Grade, Rank Zero.  The upgraded version of Risk Assessment.  It aids Rachel in seeing and remembering things that will help her achieve the goal in front of her.


    Emotional Detachment I: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Active Proficiency Skill, Lunar-Type, Level Three, Novice Grade, Rank Nine; helps separate Rachel from her emotions.  It isn¡¯t perfect, and all of those boxed emotions can break free or will be experienced in whole upon release.


    Lunar Pride I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive, Lunar-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Max.  Affects Rachel on every level, enhancing her already competitive nature.


    Wenet¡¯s Branch:


    Wenet¡¯s Minor Protection:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 3% Per Minute; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Active, Lunar-Type, Level Four, Novice Grade, Rank Seven; a bright coat made of moonlight that overshadows Lunar Shield, providing a 30% damage reduction that applies before striking Lunar Shield, and requires a set amount of Lunar Energy per minute in use.  Can be activated in burst amounts, providing a 30% damage reduction for 1 minute for 3% of Lunar Pool.


    Wenet¡¯s Light I:  (Cooldown: 1 Day; Cost: 20% Lunar Pool; Duration: 30 Minutes; Range: 2 Miles) Active, Lunar-Type, Level Six, Novice Grade, Rank Zero; a globe of stored Lunar Energy that can be used as a temporary replacement for the moon.  It recovers no Lunar Energy but will grant Rachel the ability to use her skills and abilities that require moonlight.  The globe is moveable by Rachel¡¯s direct physical action once set.


    Enhancement - Flush Moon:  If the stored Lunar Energy is from a Flushed Moon, then the effect enhancement will be granted, increasing Skill Grade and Level by a Stage.


    Lunar Curse - Misfortune I:  (Cooldown: 1 Day; Cost: .5% Lunar Pool Per Minute; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: 2 Meters) Active Aura, Control-Type, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Two.  If anyone, including friends, comes into range, their Luck Stat is reduced by a constant rate until it falls to 10% of its base state.


    Chang¡¯e Branch:


    Lunar Dash I: (Cooldown: 90 Seconds; Cost: Moonlight; Duration: Five Seconds Between Steps; Range: N/A) Active, Lunar-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Zero; the upgraded version of Lunar Step.  Its cost is negated with the requirement of being used within sight of the moon, allowing Rachel to create six lunar disks to use as a platform.  Cooldown begins after the first step is used.


    Rachel¡¯s mind exploded with information, a smile brightening her lips as her combat potential skyrocketed.


    Wenet¡¯s Light mixed with the energy I gained ¡­ I can create my own artificial Flush Moon for forty-five minutes.  Every lunar effect could be stored and used for later if I save the energy in my Lunar Pool, and if I can increase the reserve, then I could store multiple types of Lunar Energy ¡­ could I combine them?


    The possibilities unfolded in her accelerated mind within several seconds.  ¡°Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±  She asked, frowning up at the sky and then down at her gray v-neck t-shirt with a pony on it and yellow polka dot shorts.  ¡°I just can¡¯t believe we¡¯re gonna fight with these clothes,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°We¡¯re gonna get soaked.¡±


    Cahira giggled.  ¡°I think ya look fabulous, Lass, but the storm¡¯s here; let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Thanks ¡­ but uh, what¡¯s up, Rachel?¡±  She asked, eyeing the rain starting to fall around them.


    ¡°I was just gonna say, I¡¯ll meet you in the sky,¡± Rachel replied with a wink, stretching out while tightening her shorts and adjusting her sports bra.


    ¡°... Oh?  Woah ¡­ I see them!  They¡¯re crazy looking ¡­ like scary harpies.¡±


    Rachel closed her left fist, activating Wenet¡¯s Light; the Flush Moon energy she¡¯d recently absorbed gathered in her palm, causing a pinkish light to shine through the gaps in her fingers as the radiating power took effect, enhancing the skill itself.


    Everyone noticed the brilliant light as she laughed, pulling back her arm to throw the energy into the storm.  ¡°Let¡¯s see how they like the light?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s new¡­¡±  Scarlet mumbled but covered her eyes as she launched the forming globe into the dense rainfall that struck the ship; they¡¯d entered frenzy.


    The light stopped two miles into the sky, exploding to create a ball of intense blush rays that cast a purple tint to the dark scene and illuminating the army before them.


    Hundreds of black feathered humanoid-birds hovered on the strong winds, showing their hardened bone-like skulls and sunken black eyes.  Their sharp beaks and lean frames were highlighted by the sharp talons and tight, muscular legs, and thin, osseous tail the length of their bodies.


    Rows of obsidian barbs running across their massive metallic feathered arms that could be used to saw their targets in half.  Three claws at the end of their wings could be used to hold things.  Leather-like strips flowed in the wind, seemingly a part of their anatomy.


    The creatures were at least seven feet tall, some even eight from what Rachel could see, and those that saw their ship were quickly spreading the word.


    ¡°Ugly things, aren¡¯t they?  So, we be callin¡¯ the beasts harpies, and what¡¯s with the pink light?¡±  Cahira chuckled as lightning flashed across the sky, wind and rain howling around them.


    ¡°Nothing big,¡± Rachel smiled, adjusting her position as a large wave crashed against the side of the vessel, causing Maria and Elena to cling to things to keep balanced.  ¡°It¡¯s just an artificial moon for me.¡±


    Scarlet whistled, blood exiting her body to form into a nasty-looking scythe while eyeing two that dove toward Maria and Elena.  ¡°Unlocks your Lunar Step Skill?¡±


    ¡°Lunar Dash,¡± Rachel corrected, kicking off her shoes to put into a nearby compartment for safekeeping.


    Anthony¡¯s spear glowed yellow when the creatures came within striking distance, and he sent the javelin rocketing at one of the harpies; to everyone¡¯s surprise, with a quick aerial motion, it circled around the swift weapon, causing the Legend to release a low grunt.


    Within Rachel¡¯s slow-moving world, she watched Ohan jump onto the nearby railing to leap forward, intercepting them, and she half wondered if she should act to save the Honey Badger and Unicorn while dropping her two articles into the rain protected space.


    The Samurai jumped straight up several meters, sword glowing with a black aura before delivering a thin wave of dark energy.  The harpies both extended their scaled, powerful claws, intercepting the attack.


    ¡°So crazy,¡± Elena mumbled with wide eyes, staring up at the Samurai and bird creatures, and glowing green drops fell as the black wave caused several light cuts on their feet.


    They released a low screech before changing directions; at first, Rachel thought they were retreating because of the shock, but upon further inspection, she noticed a change in the flight pattern of the creatures circling them in the sky.


    ¡°They¡¯re communicating ¡­ wait, do you see those ones ¡­ high above?¡±  She pointed, and everyone followed her gaze.  Ohan looked just as annoyed as Anthony while touching down on the slick deck, sliding to the side to regain his balance against the side; his attack probably didn¡¯t do the damage he¡¯d hoped.


    ¡°Electricity?¡±  Scarlet asked, scythe held across the back of her shoulders and underneath her hair, liquid easily sliding between the strands.  ¡°Is it jumping off their bodies?¡±


    ¡°Their feet are pretty tough,¡± Ohan said, following the two he¡¯d wounded.  ¡°That wasn¡¯t a weak attack.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s spear appeared in his hand again.  ¡°Fast and tough ¡­ not a good combination.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s gaze was still on the pack high above, mostly hidden behind the veil of rain, but every so often, she¡¯d catch sight of the creatures; she had a bad feeling about hovering threats.


    ¡°Like I said,¡± Cahira repeated, ¡°get ¡®em in the water, and I¡¯ll light ¡®em up!¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.  Ohan, Anthony, you work with Cahira to bring them into the ocean for her cannons.  Scarlet and I will keep the ones higher up busy; we need to distract them, so they don¡¯t swarm us.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fangs showed as she flipped her scythe around, jumping onto the nearby railing to show her cat-like balance with her smile; the butt of the weapon stopping on the wood, and she gave them a peace sign.  ¡°Well, they got some green blood that looks interesting to try out; let¡¯s get this anime going!¡±


    Shadows surrounded her, and Rachel quickly spotted her appear behind one to their far right; the leather-like straps instantly reacted, flying back to attack her, but the Vespertine Reaper just laughed, blade-edge cutting through them like butter and cleaving the creature in two, causing a cacophony of sounds to radiate from the surrounding throng.


    Rachel winced, adjusting to the sound while watching the green blood explode from the Harpy¡¯s body; much of the liquid was gathered into a ball from Scarlet¡¯s outstretched hand, scythe floating next to her while waving her right hand to release a few Bloody Edge of the Crescent Blades to attack those that tried to close in on her.


    Right ¡­ Scarlet¡¯s just OP.


    Bending down, she launched twenty meters into the air, activating Lunar Dash to take her first step, using the disk to propel her at the nearest Harpy.  Her rapid motions didn¡¯t go unnoticed, straps reaching for her as she neared, but they were too slow for her acceleration, and she used it as a stepping stone, jumping Harpy to Harpy, climbing into the heavens to identify the larger types above the throng.


    Wind and pelting rain struck her as she maneuvered to Wenet¡¯s Light, using her eighth step to stop in front of it, kicking the globe as hard as she could while following its rapid rise.  The higher she went, the more the thunder rolled through her body from the arcing bolts above.


    The ship and Scarlet¡¯s bloodbath were soon left behind, but she could still hear the group below.  Cahira was talking about the Harpy¡¯s turning into treasure when they died, commandeering Nam¡¯s energy creatures to help bring the floating objects on board with a new net harpoon station she¡¯d been able to build with Scarlet¡¯s slaughter, sending experience to everyone involved with the battle.


    Rachel¡¯s forehead furrowed upon reaching her eleventh step; with one left, she shot down to one of the few Harpies at this elevation, landing on its back.  Its muscular movements weren¡¯t hard to track with her hearing and wide field of vision, and she was undoubtedly faster.


    The birds had twelve leather-like straps acting as hands, and Rachel countered them all, activating Lunar Curse -Misfortune II; she smiled as its grip slipped on her left wrist, ripping them apart as they tried to throw her off.


    It released pained cries as small globs of green blood oozed out of the flat appendages, smearing across Rachel¡¯s hands and arms.  Her lips fell a little, legs tightened around its core as it flipped in the air, trying to shake her off.


    Smacking its skull to daze it, she was a little surprised her blow didn¡¯t phase it, her force blocked by its thick bone skull.  Doubling the strength, she repeated the action.


    The bird¡¯s body quivered, going limp for a moment before swiftly trying to right itself in the air, possibly passing out a second.  She¡¯d lost at least half a mile from the dive, reaching the edges of Wenet¡¯s Light, but Lunar Dash II was off cooldown.


    Gripping its neck for balance, she repositioned herself and shot off its back, not gaining nearly as much momentum as she¡¯d like, her kick sending it more to the ocean below than her higher into the sky, but activating her skill again, she swiftly recovered the distance.


    The sharp gales were becoming more challenging to navigate through, but with sheer power, she muscled through the shifts in her course, making it to Wenet¡¯s Light again to kick it another mile into the air.


    She caught sight of the giant Harpies, more than double the size of the ones below, and electricity was sparking off each of the five creatures, massive wings tripling the strength of the storm¡¯s wind to blow her back.


    I only have five steps left¡­


    Activating Rapid Mental Acceleration II, she scanned her environment for a solution.  Lunar Dash II would be back before hitting the sea, but that didn¡¯t matter because she¡¯d be outside of Wenet¡¯s Light to use it.  It would take three, possibly four steps to reach the huge birds, and that was if they didn¡¯t choose to beat her back with their powerful gusts.


    From the sounds of Scarlet and the ship below, she was seven miles in the air, and the enhanced hearing she gained from Flush Moon¡¯s enhancement was somewhat confusing since she wasn¡¯t accustomed to large range increase, throwing off some of her estimations on distance.


    The sharp crackling sounds of electricity that sparked off the five Harpies reminded her of Fiona¡¯s electricity skills she¡¯d shared.  If they could not only generate electricity but direct the storm¡¯s lightning, then that could spell the end of Cahira¡¯s ship and her family within it.  Their size alone could cause a lot of damage to her sails and mast.


    With the extreme degree her world was slowed, Rachel saw their deep-set black eyes studying her, and she made the decision to engage.


    Her body was soaked with water, droplets sliding across her skin as if she were in a shower as she bent her knees and launched toward her globe of pink light, using her second step to stop beside it, reposition, and fire it right at the birds.


    The massive Harpies quickly dispersed, gigantic wings flapping to try and send it away, but she was the only one that could interact with it, giving her the distraction she needed.  Jumping towards the nearest one, her chest rose with her lips.


    That¡¯s it, keep attacking the pretty light while I¡­


    Her eyes widened as a bolt of electricity arced off its metallic wings, casting a bolt at her; she was far too slow for the strike and didn¡¯t have the steps to waste on an attempt.  In that split second, Wenet¡¯s Lesser Protection and Lunar Shield II cloaked her with light.


    Her physical output took a hit with the loss of 25% of her total Lunar Energy, mixed with the initial 20% of Wenet¡¯s Light; she had 39.5% remaining.  The numbers running through Rachel¡¯s calm mind went blank.


    Wind exploded against Rachel¡¯s ears and tail, pressing her gym shorts against her butt as her hair whipped around her face.


    Mind slowly recovering from the shock, she spread herself out, muscles giving an involuntary quake, but she managed to get to a position to use Lunar Dash again, applying what power she could muster to jump into the sky.


    Luckily, her senses hadn¡¯t been addled enough to make her mistake up for down; she was still in Wenet¡¯s Light but only had one more step before the skill went on cooldown for twenty-four seconds.


    The Harpies were still preoccupied with the globe they couldn¡¯t interact with; she only had one option left.  Using all the strength she could, her legs felt the strain, already taking a decent amount of impact on the way up, but Lunar Recovery kept the pain at bay.


    She lost 60.5% of her Lunar Pool, but with Lunar Surge upgraded, her increased Stats under moonlight went from .5% to 1%, giving her enough raw power to make it.


    Using her last step, she jumped for the closest Harpy¡¯s talon, attacking from below rather than from the side this time.  Her arms closed around its slick left claw, pulling herself up to hug its leg as her muscles reflexively twitched again, but Flush Moon¡¯s calming waves helped to ease her racing heart and addled mind.


    The Harpy¡¯s muscular leg shot left as its much larger whip-like straps shot down to attack her, and she used Mental Acceleration II and Lunar Curse - Misfortune II to help dodge the slaps, moving up its leg while charging Lunar Burst II in her left fist.


    Once reaching its inner thigh, Rachel threw the attack at the soft bridge between its thigh and body, blowing its leg clean off with the white explosion that followed.  She dug her right hand into its belly to stay in the air.


    Another 6% of her Lunar Pool disappeared, causing Rachel to groan softly; she felt no pain from the electric attack, yet things were looking grim after losing such a massive chunk of her energy out of pure defense.


    Maybe I should have let Scarlet handle it, but ¡­ Lunar Pride ¡­ I wanted to fight the strong ones, can¡¯t be complaining now.


    She mused, watching the storm rage around her as the bird screamed with pain, green globs of blood gushing below as it rose into the heavens, leaving the four remaining Harpies to question what happened.


    Rachel debated dropping down on the others as they entered the higher reaches of the black clouds, thunder and lightning dancing around them, skidding off the Harpy¡¯s wings.


    She guessed the creature was trying to attack her with the energy, but the arcs never reached the lower part of the bird.  However, the pink rays of Wenet¡¯s Light were weakening as she rose through the darkness and rain.


    Power suddenly exploded within her breast as they broke the surface, and the two moons gazed upon her.  Her strength was returning by the second as the storm raged below, whipping up cold winds around her.  Within the next few minutes, her energy would be recharged under the dual gaze of the watchful spheres in the heavens.


    ¡°Big mistake,¡± Rachel chuckled, activating Lunar Burst II.


    The Harpy was continuing to go higher and higher, whips searching for her as it twisted in the air, trying to get a glimpse of her swift movements, playing around its blind spots; it seemed unable to find her exact location with Lunar Curse - Misfortune II in effect and its flailing pain, giving her time to charge her next attack.


    Rachel¡¯s joy doubled upon seeing the four remaining birds exit the roaring cloud cover below, rising to aid the injured Harpy, and now with them closer together, she noticed one was even double their size.


    That must be the leader!


    A minute of charging completed to equal a punch that would drain 8.4% of her total Lunar Pool, Rachel let go, activated Lunar Dash II, and jumped with redoubled strength, fist not even touching the bird as the beam of offensive Lunar Energy extended four feet, detonating against the creature¡¯s belly.  Its lower half exploded, sending guts and mashed organs raining upon its friends.


    Swiftly changing directions as the glowing green blood surrounded her, she shot toward the remaining four, already charging her next Lunar Burst.  The calm satisfaction she felt from the pink and orange moons rather than the heated rush under the white moon was so different, hearing the soft pounding of her heart.


    Electricity danced across the sky as the four released bolts of deadly lightning, even drawing from the storm below.


    Rachel used Lunar Curse to provide more chances they¡¯d miss her while crawling around the creatures¡¯ legs and stomachs to take cover for her cooldowns to return.  Every punch she took, a Harpy fell from the sky, bodies converting to heaps of treasure.


    Their attacks skidded from bird to bird, dancing lightning that made Rachel¡¯s hair stand on end and tail twitch with the powerful energy rolling around her.  The beams ping-ponged off the Storm Harpies¡¯ feathers, never passing by their feet, stomachs, or tails.


    The remaining Harpies weren¡¯t too much trouble after identifying their weak underbelly, and with the moons activating Overpowered II after four minutes, with all the other enhancements she gained at maximum energy and under moonlight, she made quick work of them.


    Each Storm Harpy had far more firepower than her individually, but the way their electricity bounced off their wings and were attracted to each other spelled their downfall if someone was able to get underneath them, and Rachel was built for maneuverability and speed.


    Finally, she stood one on one versus the largest of the creatures, tail lashing out to slap her out of the sky, but it was far too slow of an attack compared to its lightning, and she¡¯d learned to keep the low-ground.


    Its metallic wings sent sharp gusts of wind that had hidden blade-like pressure hidden within, yet after seeing Ohan¡¯s attack, she recognized the danger, giving her ears the experience to identify the pathing.


    The creature¡¯s whips managed to knock her off once, but Lunar Dash was off cooldown, and with a two-minute Lunar Burst charge, its foul blood rained around her, body nearly punched through to the other side, and the globs of green liquid soon vanished with the smell as they disappeared, leaving behind a big chest that fell with her into the raging storm below.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Rachel was over ten miles in the heavens, skydiving with a light smile on her lips while studying the chest that she could fit inside.


    Should I try and bring it with me?  I mean, I could just guide it close to the ship ¡­ oof, yeah, I¡¯m a bit far away from it.  Where¡¯s Wenet¡¯s Light, though ¡­ probably ¡­ around this area.


    She used two Lunar Dash steps to kick the chest toward Cahira; Scarlet seemed to have made quick work of most of the smaller creatures.


    Finding the pink globe in the same area she left it, Rachel battled around the wind and rain, keeping track of her friends through sound while using her transparent steps to slow her fall every so often.  She was forced to land in the water at a somewhat jarring speed since the ship and Harpies had far outstripped their previous position but using Wenet¡¯s Light and two cooldowns of Lunar Dash, she made it back.


    Sopping wet, Rachel landed back on the deck, smiling sheepishly as she heard her father grumbling in the belly of the ship.  ¡°... All I wanted was to fish¡­¡±


    ¡°Aww, maybe we¡¯ll get some time, Dear,¡± her mother soothed.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind a good relaxing fish after these waves,¡± Reed grumbled.


    ¡°No,¡± Alexa groaned.  ¡°I wanna see the fight ¡­ adventure!¡±


    ¡°Uh, hehe, I¡¯m not a fan of whatever¡¯s making those sounds out there,¡± Zoe forced a laugh, ears twitching nervously as Felix tried to comfort her.


    ¡°Next time, Honey,¡± Nam assured his wife with a comforting pat.


    Clay seemed to be resting his eyes next to a wall, taking soft breathes as if trying to get some sleep.


    Rachel¡¯s lips fell a little while studying the ship; it looked like it didn¡¯t come off completely scot-free with a few scratches to the sides, and there was a small rip in the sails that Anthony was working his way toward to sew up.


    Wringing out her hair, Rachel lightly jabbed her energy ball a few dozen meters at a time to keep it nearby with a light laugh as Scarlet teleported around the sea to grab chests or sacks floating in the waves.  ¡°How¡¯d the battle go?¡±


    Cahira glanced back with a bright smile.  ¡°Couldn¡¯t ¡®ave been better, Love!  Where¡¯d ya scamper off ta?¡±


    Scarlet appeared out of the shadows beside them with the big chest Rachel had kicked over to them.  ¡°... Oh, Rachel, you beat the boss, right?¡±


    ¡°Boss?¡±  Maria asked from the deck¡¯s side, still using the harpoon net to gather what treasure she could as the waves tossed items around.  ¡°Shit!  It¡¯s so freakin¡¯ hard to hit these things!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let me do it,¡± Elena mumbled, smirking with amusement as Maria missed another.


    ¡°Dammit!  Fine, you¡¯re good at this shit,¡± Maria grumbled, untying herself from the railing to join them; she stumbled across the deck a few times as the wind picked up and waves rocked the ship.


    Ohan was at the bow, scanning for more enemies, but the rest of the Harpies seemed to be retreating.


    ¡°Woah!¡±  Scarlet teetered to the left, setting the chest down as a big wave sent the ship rocking the opposite way.  ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah, I saw you jumpin¡¯ around fighting those electric Harpies; I lost track of you when you blew the leg off that one!  They all started to retreat a bit ago, probably after you killed their boss.  This is the chest, right?  The Boss chest?¡±


    Rachel smiled at Scarlet¡¯s quick words, clearly overjoyed to just let power go wild and rip the Harpies apart.  ¡°Yeah, it was pretty fun, to be honest.  So, where¡¯s all the other treasure I¡¯ve been hearing about?¡±


    ¡°Have a look,¡± Cahira replied, pointing at Elena and Nam¡¯s energy creatures as they used the one to the right, untangling the prizes to land on the deck.  The moment they touched wood, they flashed and disappeared.  ¡°Goes straight to the ship¡¯s Treasury!¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah,¡± Scarlet mumbled, knocking on the top of the chest in front of her, ¡°but what about this one?  It¡¯s the Boss Chest, right?  Maybe you gotta open it.¡±


    ¡°Give ¡®er a try,¡± the Pirate Queen urged with a grin.


    ¡°Okay!¡±  Scarlet pulled back her slick hair to stare at the lock, clasping the box shut, and her lips tilted with a growl.  ¡°... I can¡¯t even see through the thing?  Hmm ¡­ can I break the lock off?¡±  She questioned, blood flowing out of her hands to mess with the mechanics.  ¡°... Nope, won¡¯t even budge ¡­ the pins, either.  Is it thief-proof or¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh ¡­ let me see,¡± Cahira mumbled, leaving the wheel to put her hand on the top of the chest; it suddenly popped open.


    Scarlet, Cahira, and Rachel leaned in to see what it held, frowning as a baby Harpie popped out with a low squawk and a rolled piece of parchment with a key inside were left inside.


    ¡°... A little bare for a Boss Chest, don¡¯t you think?¡±  Scarlet mumbled, feeling around the bottom for anything hidden as Cahira pocketed the key and picked up the scroll to open it.


    ¡°... Wha¡­¡±  Scarlet¡¯s mouth dropped open as it turned to dust upon opening.  ¡°Did it just¡­¡±


    ¡°Combine with my map,¡± Cahira replied, summoning the article from flames as the heavy rain continued to fall around them, and a wave sent all of them stumbling to the left.  ¡°... Oof, yeah ¡­ should probably be at the wheel!  Hehe ¡­ beyond the storm lies the path to Kokoa, and we¡¯ll find somethin¡¯ to open with this key here,¡± she said, brandishing the item before pocketing it.


    Rachel turned her attention to the small Harpy, perched behind them while studying the ocean waves.  ¡°Uh ¡­ what about the Harpy?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s blue eyes returned, sparkling with glee as she jumped over to join her.  ¡°Oh, is it a pet, Cahira?  Did you get a rare Harpy pet or something?¡±


    ¡°Aye, it seems so!¡±  Cahira replied, glancing back at the creature.  ¡°Hehe, seems a bit shy, but it¡¯s listed as a part of the bootie.  Called a Sky Reaver; makes sense, right?  Sky Reaver¡¯s Way.  Her name¡¯s Gisele, according to the ledger; think she¡¯s a little version of the boss ye offed, Rach?¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡±  Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I mean, it was over twenty feet tall ¡­ not counting wingspan.¡±


    ¡°Huh, wonder if she¡¯ll grow up nice and big,¡± Cahira mused, but her lips quickly fell into a serious frown.  ¡°Once we get beyond this storm ¡­ we¡¯ll see, but I think we¡¯ve got one more fight ahead of us.  Selvaria¡¯s beastie still hasn¡¯t shown its face.¡±


    Thinking back on the previous fight they had, Rachel leaned against the thick stern trailing, eyeing the chest as it began to turn into dust, blowing into the wind.  ¡°Why didn¡¯t the creatures before turn into treasure?¡±


    Cahira shrugged.  ¡°Probably because the quest hadn¡¯t started ¡­ or maybe those are real creatures and these aren¡¯t, who can say?¡±


    ¡°Pretty cool, though!¡±  Scarlet piped up.


    Rachel hummed thoughtfully, noticing how wet everyone had become; Maria¡¯s bra was making an impression on her dress while the guys had abandoned their shirts, showing their muscular builds while working the ship with Cahira¡¯s ruthless orders.


    It may not have been a calm summer cruise, but the monstrous waves Cahira navigated, roaring winds that tried to throw them over the railing, and pelting rain brought a smile to Rachel¡¯s lips.  This really was an adventure.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 62. Sky Reaver’s Way Pt. 2

    AuthorSME


    POV:  Selvaria (our terrifying Leviathan!)


    Recap:


    Well, we learned what the Sky Reavers were, scary dangerous bone-armored giant birds!  Of course, Rachel let Scarlet handle everyone around the ship with the others while going for the boss >.> naturally.  Using her newfound strength from the Flush Moon to take to the sky and fight the Storm Reavers.


    Unlike the small minions below ... these guys actually used lightning, and just about 1HTKOed our girl!  O_O  She managed to barely hang on and found a fatal flaw in the gigantic birds ... their lightning didn''t strike their lower half.  So, she played around it with her curse saving her life, and edged out a victory!  Now, Rachel has a little baby Sky Reaver of her own named Gisele!


    Where do we go now?  Selvaria!  What will our sea dragon face?!


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    Selvaria snaked beneath the strong storm waves, large tailfin propelling her at a steady pace while using her webbed hands and legs to steer.  She was free in the water, unrestrained by the heavy pull of gravity in her human form that weighed her dense frame to the earth.


    Through the electrical currents around her, she sensed the non-threatening sea life, aquamarine eyes identifying threats within sight.  Her hearing was attuned to the distant sounds of creatures surrounding them.


    Behind her were the remains of the several dozen jackal-like eels with antlers, turning to treasure.  They weren¡¯t that large compared to herself and had no way of penetrating her thick plated scales, but their poisonous coat did leave a rather unpleasant lingering taste in her mouth that was similar to jalape?os.  She hated hot things.


    Her protected gills pumped water through the small plate gaps that opened to release the oxygen drained liquid, allowing her to stay underwater for an indefinite period of time, even without motion, and for the first time, the reception ability of her red glowing horns running down her spine feedback shocking amounts of data.


    The fish and animals on earth didn¡¯t release the kind of energy that permeated this ocean.  There were tiny things in the water, similar to plankton, radiating a weak radioactive signature that was deadly to humans in large amounts.  Many of the fish that ate the creatures carried a dangerous degree of radioactive material.


    Defense was her primary function, and her resistances were vastly superior to her two Legendkin friends.  That being said, her capabilities on land were significantly diminished; the great bulwark the Leviathan Race gave her was swiftly depreciated without a source to refill her Water Pool.


    She still hadn¡¯t decided if becoming a cute teenage girl when low on water was a bad thing compared to the beautiful and curved womanly figure she gained when filled.  Selvaria enjoyed dressing up in fun outfits, and there were a lot of awesome designs she liked on her smaller frame.


    The issue of feeling vulnerable when her pool had declined was also a problem; she couldn¡¯t help but be more reserved and shy when not experiencing the bastion of fortification she was when at her peak underwater.


    She also lost control over her plate production when low on water, meaning her smaller frame was doomed to a set draconic appeal, which wasn¡¯t exactly all that terrible of a state to work with.  Although it came with the issue of people gawking and with her diminished self-esteem from being vulnerable, the combination added up to a nasty combo.  People seeing her as beautiful, not that bad, a dangerous monster, embarrassing when not feeling that way.


    Selvaria released a low groan, snapping her jaws while sliding her tongue around her teeth to try and rid herself of the burning sensation in her mouth, frightening the sea creatures nearby.


    Diving down further, she studied the vast greenish-blue saltwater; the floor was invisible to her, but none of the treasure that the eels turned into sank to its dark depths.


    Through the sounds returned from the bottom, she knew it was at least three miles at their current location.  She hadn¡¯t tried to go that deep yet back on earth, sticking to the California shelf.


    Her attention moved to the large fish swimming around the area; they were all strange to her, following the strong storm current that pushed the plankton past her in their large groups.


    The warm surface water was mixed with sharp streams of cool undercurrents, and the hard rainfall was diluting the salt near the upper layer, which caused the marine life to seek shelter further below to be damaged by the frigid temperatures.


    Above her was the medium-sized boat, Cahira shooting some kind of net into the water to pick up the treasure, but many were slipping away with the tides.  With nothing better to do, she helped gather what she could, bringing them closer to the vessel to be picked up.  The sailship moved at a decent speed with the strong winds, forcing her to work a little to keep in range while making broad sweeps to gather the cargo.


    Several floating bags and chests escaped her, lost at sea, and once everything was on board, she darted up, transforming while flying out of the water.  She couldn¡¯t get too high with her weight, latching onto the edge to pull herself up.


    The storm was still raging, heavy winds, pelting rain, and lightning striking across the heavens, but it really didn¡¯t bother her; in fact, she enjoyed this type of weather.  Although, the rocking boat she could have done without.


    Cahira, Rachel, Maria, and Scarlet were at the bow, the Pirate Queen looking at a map and compass in both hands with a slight frown.  The Unicorn was at the helm, a bright smile on her rain-slick face as she tried keeping the ship steady, having the time of her life.


    Rachel leaned back to grin at her, keeping herself anchored on the thick railing with shocking dexterity that Selvaria severely lacked, her long ears held high while listening to the storm.  ¡°How¡¯s it below?¡±


    Confidence returned with the strength burning in her breast; Selvaria giggled.  ¡°Calm.  My mouth burns a little from those eels, though,¡± she complained.  ¡°Blegh ¡­ it¡¯s taking a bit to fade.¡±


    ¡°Spicy?¡±  Scarlet asked, joining them.


    ¡°Mhm!  I¡¯m not a fan.¡±


    Glancing past the women, Selvaria gave the Pirate a toothy grin, voice turning sweet.  ¡°Cahira, that was a lot of treasure!  Do we get any?¡±


    She gave her a forced smile.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ ¡®fraid not, Love.  It¡¯s stored in mi ship fer the Pirate¡¯s Cove.  I need to gather it to purchase mi supplies, men, and upgrades.  I be reachin¡¯ my ship¡¯s storin¡¯ limit, ¡®dough, which is much appreciated, girl!¡±


    ¡°Aww ¡­ wait,¡± her focus moved to a small Harpy creature leering at her a few feet to her left.  ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called a Sky Reaver!¡±  Scarlet explained, scooting over to scratch the back of its neck; it released a few unusual chirps at the action.  ¡°He¡¯s Cahira¡¯s pet reward from the boss that Rachel killed.¡±


    ¡°Mine?¡±  Cahira snickered, giving them a sly smirk.  ¡°When did I say it be mine?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrows rose.  ¡°You can¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Aye, Gisele be listed as a part¡¯o the loot reward to yeh!¡±


    ¡°... You¡¯re joking?¡±


    The Harpy gave a soft squawk, presenting Rachel with a scowl Sevlaria was sure actually translated as a smile.


    ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ does it need food?¡±  Rachel mumbled, clearly not overjoyed at the news.


    ¡°Obviously,¡± Cahira chuckled.  ¡°It¡¯ll grow, too.¡±


    ¡°How fast?¡±  Scarlet asked with interest.  ¡°Oh, and what about me?  I killed a bunch!¡±


    ¡°Aye, I don¡¯t distribute the loot!¡±  Cahira returned with a sheepish smile.  ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because it was the boss.  If you kill the next, then ya might get somethin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Dibs!¡±  Scarlet shouted, raising a hand in the air with a bright grin.


    Rachel was still staring at the bird with a soft frown.  ¡°... I¡¯d rather have a cool weapon.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t say that!¡±  Selvaria huffed, scooting over to pet the bird.  ¡°You¡¯ll hurt her feelings ¡­ she¡¯s a girl, right?¡±


    ¡°Yo, Cahira,¡± Maria turned with a furrowed brow, ¡°just keep the same direction, right?¡±


    ¡°Ya won the coin toss,¡± Cahira winked, vision returning to the water repellent map and compass.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ little ta the right ¡­ little more ¡­ there, keep that course, mi shiny helmsman!¡±


    Rachel scratched the back of her head, fingers sliding through her thrown back locks with a low groan.  ¡°I¡¯m not really the pet type ¡­ you want to take her, Selvaria?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t be that easy, Loves,¡± Cahira mumbled, studying some of the areas that had become filled in with their passing.


    ¡°Why not?¡±  Selvaria asked, cheeks bunching to the side while moving to tickle Gisele¡¯s belly.


    ¡°... ¡®Cause it¡¯s imprinted on the bunny lass.¡±


    ¡°Hare lass!¡±  Scarlet corrected with a wink at Rachel.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way to undo that?¡±  Rachel asked, scratching her left arm with a grimace.


    ¡°Aye ¡­ perhaps when she¡¯s older.  Can¡¯t really say, but it¡¯ll listen to ye ¡­ to a point.  Not like ya can tell ¡®er to see the big beastie as her master, but she¡¯ll follow simple commands.¡±


    ¡°... Perfect.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love her,¡± Scarlet mumbled, caressing her tiny bumpy back where spikes would likely grow out from.  ¡°It¡¯ll turn into a Storm Sky Reaver, right?¡±


    ¡°Whi-duno,¡± Cahira replied.  ¡°It¡¯s listed as a baby Sky Reaver ¡­ aye, pretty boys ¡­ aye, yeah, there¡¯s more gunk on the right side of mi ship!¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye, Captain,¡± the two bare-chested men sighed, moving with a surprisingly chipper teenage Beastkin girl that seemed to be connected to Maria somehow.  She¡¯d forgotten her name.  The energy things Rachel¡¯s brother summoned had vanished.


    Selvaria crawled over the side, hearing her seal crying downstairs while Rachel¡¯s family tried to comfort her.  ¡°I¡¯m going to go pet Galatea and tell her it¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    ¡°Nothin¡¯ dangerous below?¡±  Cahira asked.


    ¡°Not right now,¡± she returned, wobbling on the rocking ship and requiring the guard to keep stable.  ¡°There¡¯s something big far out, but we won¡¯t get there for a while.¡±


    She paused, turning back while remembering what she wanted to say, ¡°Umm ¡­ there¡¯s a lot of radioactive plankton in the water.  I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to eat anything ¡­ well, unless you have good resistances.¡±


    With that, she went below, hearing Rachel sigh at the news, talking to Scarlet about her father not going to be happy.


    Going below deck, she secured the door the wind was waging war against, added a pleasant smile to not frighten anyone while combing out her now dry hair after the liquid absorbed into her body.  ¡°Hello!¡±


    The left side of the lower deck was open to allow mingling, which was where everyone sat.  They were divided into their little groups, but most of them gave her forced smiles.


    Rachel¡¯s family waved, but Clay was the first to speak, sitting beside Mr. Reed, appearing to just wake up.  ¡°How¡¯d the battle go?¡±


    Selvaria shrugged, still finding it difficult to walk on the ship without holding onto the wall for support, praying for assistance as her tail weaved in the hope to keep her balance.  ¡°Umm ¡­ it went fine.  Rachel killed the boss, and the others took care of the other stuff ¡­ well, mostly Scarlet, I think.  I ate the eels in the water.¡±


    The blonde-haired girl moaned.  ¡°Harpies?  I wanna see!¡±


    ¡°O-Oh, is, umm ¡­ that all?¡±  The cat-girl asked with obvious agitation.  ¡°And you should get your wish, Alexa ¡­ it sounds like Rachel got a pet Harpy ¡­ uh, Sky Reaver, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what it was called,¡± Selvaria mumbled, concentrating on her footing while stumbling toward Alexa, holding her seal.  ¡°I just came down to tell Galatea I¡¯m still here.¡±


    ¡°Is it safe to return to the deck?¡±  Rachel¡¯s father asked.


    Sitting beside Alexa with a relieved sigh, glad she didn¡¯t tumble across the floor and smash right through the boards into the ocean.  ¡°Umm ¡­ no.  There might be more fighting in a bit.  There¡¯s a really huge creature miles ahead of us ¡­ I don¡¯t think the quest thought we could kill everything so quick.¡±


    ¡°This is insane,¡± the man mumbled, glancing over at an expensive fishing rod case with disappointment.


    ¡°Give it a bit of time,¡± Rachel¡¯s mom comforted.


    Felix cleared his throat, drawing her attention while petting Galatea.  ¡°Ahem ¡­ what about my sister?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s steering ¡­ I don¡¯t think she¡¯s as good as Cahira.¡±


    ¡°... It has been ¡­ rougher,¡± Reed mumbled, holding his stomach with unease.


    ¡°How soon until the storm passes?¡±  Clay asked.


    She shrugged, bringing her cute little baby seal up with a fond expression.  ¡°Okay, mummy¡¯s goin¡¯ back out to patrol.  You be good, okai?¡±  She squealed, rubbing their noses together, and Galatea gave her an adoring lick to let her know she was doing well.


    Handing her back to Alexa, Selvaria unsteadily rose to her feet with a wave that rocked them to the left, making everyone wince as their seatbelts kept them fastened to their seats.  ¡°... Cahira says we¡¯re goin¡¯ to an island.  It should get better in a bit!¡±


    Clay rolled his shoulders, releasing a soft yawn.  ¡°Thanks ¡­ for the update, Selvaria.¡±


    ¡°No problem!¡±  She eyed him questioningly as he settled in to sleep again.


    Can he really sleep in all of this?  I guess he is military.


    Water and wind exploded against her with the chilling gale, but she smoothly shut the door; the hardest part of her entire experience on the ship was the swaying itself, and sure enough, the moment she took one step away from a railing, she was sent tumbling to the edge and fell into the ocean with a light scream.


    Her squeal swiftly became a sigh, dully watching the swirling dark clouds while plummeting over the edge.  The waves swallowed her, and with one beat of her tail, she darted away from the vessel, darkness surrounding her with the transformation.


    The strength that welled up within her breast brought a smile to her mouth, powerful limbs pushing her to the left as her senses expanded.  The plankton schools had moved on with many of the fish that followed it.


    Selvaria was alone, but the frequencies traveling through the sea quickly drew her notice; the massive monster looming ahead of them had hidden creatures close by, using its bulk to mask their presence.  The smooth water gushing past her sent an omen through her frame; this underwater denizen was different from the others she¡¯d eaten.


    What if all the other monsters were running away from these things?


    Her eyes lifted as she recognized land in the distance, behind the wall of enemies ahead.  A shiver ran through Selvaria¡¯s bones as she saw the school of vicious-looking fish surrounding a dark mass more than six times her size.


    These schools were nothing like the larger prey she¡¯d dispatched before; these were Great Hammerhead shark sized piranha with powerful jaws, sword-like fins, and small plated scales.


    Their bodies were sleeker with bony spines that could cut anything that it rammed, using its hardened head, and there were thousands of them, spreading out like an armada and obscuring the creature behind the school.


    I can¡¯t handle all of that and protect them; I won¡¯t even be able to see once they surround me!


    There were likely creatures above the water, too, which meant she wouldn¡¯t have much help, and didn¡¯t know how any of them could aid in a high-speed underwater battle.


    Taking in a deep mouthful of water, she activated her skill Pressure Stream I, sending a jet of compressed water at the throng in an underwater roar, aimed at the thing behind the school.  When they scattered around her attack, it revealed a monster that made Selvaria feel small.


    A nasty, ancient-looking crustacean with dense bone plates, hundreds of three-meter claws, and metallic eyes along its back weaved into sight, opening its mouth that was at least twice as large as her own to emit a pulse wave of air that nullified her jet.


    She couldn¡¯t let the creature wrap around her; it might be powerful enough to penetrate her scales, and five smaller jellyfish-like squids with the same red eyes mixed with three yellow pupils could be seen on their gelatinous bodies.  They released streams of water behind them, expanding and contracting every few seconds, possibly the crustacean¡¯s offspring.


    How the otherworldly jellyfish evolved into the bony crustacean was beyond her, but the real question was why the parana didn¡¯t attack them.


    The answer came as one of the fish brushed by a jellyfish, causing the parana to stiffen before being pulled in by larger tentacles.  She witnessed it get absorbed within seconds, digested in potent acid.  The fish weren¡¯t attacking them; they were fleeing the massive threats.


    Feeling a bit more confident since she didn¡¯t have to deal with the fleet of parana, Selvaria darted forward.  The creatures didn¡¯t even give her a second look, racing by, and she attempted a frontal assault, spinning to cleave the smaller jellyfish in half.


    The crustacean moved with shocking speed, coming between her and its baby.  Her fin struck the bony armor, sliding to the side and sending a jarring sensation through her lower half; a quick jab by three of its hundreds of large claws pummeled her below.  Luckily her plates took the impact, but she could feel it in her side.


    The jellyfish changed course, sharp jets of pressurized air pushing them toward her.


    Spinning around, Selvaria tried to cut another, and just as she neared, it inverted, throwing its tentacles around her tail.  She cut more than half of them off, but the moment it touched the side of her tail, a pulsing pain shot along its lower length.  Arms propelling her away with disbelief, she beat her stinging tail to send it spinning off.  Her tail was going numb as the other four closed in.


    Now on the defensive, she shot more pressurized jets of water, but the jellyfish were shockingly agile and could detect the attacks.  Furthermore, the crustacean kept trying to circle her, and worse, the parana had ceased their retreat, watching to see who would win the contest.


    A few of the deadly fish eyed the ship above as dozens of flying bat-like monsters fell out of the sky, releasing short bursts of blood that interested the fish before transforming into treasure bags.


    Selvaria never faced something she couldn¡¯t just overpower; it was impossible to hit them with her water or get near to chop them in half.  If she tried to swallow them, they could invert their bodies to inject poison directly into her mouth.


    I need an AoE attack ¡­ Sea Dragon Pulse I.


    Using the attack, the crustacean simply bodied the waves of energy while continuing to chase her through the ocean, and she was falling behind because of her injured tail.


    That¡¯s not working!


    Her velocity increased with the points she sank into mobility, desperately trying to escape the net they were creating.  She dumped her remaining Attribute Points into speed, but it wasn¡¯t enough to avoid the creatures.  They wouldn''t let her refocus and were somehow communicating, methodically directing their combined actions.


    She rocketed across the ocean, diving deeper and swimming further away from the ship while looking for a way to attack.  Pressure Stream I (Level 4), Sea Dragon Pulse I (Level 3), and her extremely high defenses were failing her, but the Lesser Poison Purification I (Level 5) Skill she¡¯d gained and dumped Skill Points into was slowly mitigating the stress her tail was feeling.


    The babies created a net around her, closing off her escape from their mother, and Selvaria put points into Minor Fear Resistance I (Level 3) to calm her panicking mind.  She was supposed to be a Leviathan, unmatched in the water, invincible, but she was losing in her element.


    How many points do I have left?  I need something that will actually help me!  Give me something to kill them ¡­ anything ¡­ am I out?  I don¡¯t want them to hurt me!  Give me something to stop them from ¡­ Chaos State I ¡­ Chaos Scales I.


    Her mind vacated as she activated the State, losing control; various shades of violet, cobalt, rose, and black energy coated her plates, creating a Chaos Elemental Shell that would rip apart whatever touched her.  Bubbles exploded around her as hydrogen and oxygen were separated, the Chaos State breaking down the elements surrounding her.


    Selvaria¡¯s attributes were enhanced by 15% as the Chaos State drained the gathered chaos energy she¡¯d passively gained over the past week.  Pressure exploded inside her silent mind; she could barely understand what was happening.


    Sea Dragon Pulse was upgraded to Chaos Pulse; it took time for her newly developed skill to parse the elements around her, but with every Roar of Chaos, she sent the jellyfish retreating, and the crustacean could no longer catch her.


    An unbridled flood of aggressive emotion blocked out all thought, and she lost all restraint.  Overwriting shadowy echoes was all she felt around her, order to be disrupted.  She rammed the nearest foe, chaos infused hands ripping it apart as its millions of stingers were disintegrated in the destructive surge released by her scales, no longer reacting to pain or hesitating.


    A flood of chaos waves released from her mouth, vaporizing what remained of the tattered creature, and with a sharp beat of her fin, she was in motion again, chasing the next opponent.


    Her maw opened wide, swallowing the jellyfish whole, energies erupting in her jaws, ripping the creature apart before it even entered her throat.  Two Chaos Pulse waves sent the crustacean retreating, trying to stop her rampage, but she was on the small jellyfish that were trying to converge on her from opposite sides without care.


    Shoving the water out of her way, she dove at the creatures, cutting one in half with her ax-like fin while charging Chaos Stream I, destroying the remaining two in one beam of concentrated chaos force.


    Anarchy filled her mind, and with the crustacean out of sight, she writhed in the water, releasing waves of destructive energy.  Without warning, the disorder afflicting her mind faded with the force, her Chaos Pool depleted.


    Her muscles loosened, strength failing her as fatigue swept through her frame, and from the electric waves surrounding her, she felt the crustacean closing in from far off, where it had retreated.  Her muscles were limp, paralyzed, the light fading in her eyes.


    The crustacean¡¯s thick bony plates were spreading out, revealing a web of tentacle-like probes with a bright light emitting from its ends.


    Aww ¡­ this sucks¡­


    Selvaria¡¯s thoughts roused a bit as a blinding crimson light exploded from her right, and a spear surrounded by flaring light smashed into the crustacean¡¯s back, sending blue blood and fragments of meter-thick bone spraying in all directions.  The creature released a scream that hurt her ears, weapon lodged in its back while emitting red pulses.


    Scarlet appeared from shadows in front of her.  The girl¡¯s black hair fanned out; a shield of crystalized blood cut the rapid water currents to keep her in place, and she didn¡¯t seem bothered by the below-freezing temperature, water pressure, or lack of oxygen as she gave her a toothy smile and V-sign.


    Realizing they¡¯d come to help, Selvaria allowed her mind to fade into oblivion.


    Selvaria released a low moan, mind surfacing from the darkness it drifted into; opening her eyes, she swiftly closed them as a spur striking her side.


    ¡°... then the ¡­ oh, she¡¯s waking up!¡±  Scarlet¡¯s enthusiastic voice cheered.


    ¡°Ye gave me a fright, Love!¡±  Cahira¡¯s lush tone followed, and she felt something softly slapping her cheeks.  ¡°Ye good, mi girl?¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t do that!¡±  Scarlet huffed.


    Her body hurt all over, and her tail was on fire, worse than her mouth.  ¡°Blegh ¡­ what¡¯d I eat,¡± she groaned, leaning to the side to cough.


    Working around her neck, she opened her eyes; once the blur cleared, she saw the whole gang, excluding Maria, surrounding her, including all the normal humans that were below.  The storm had passed, and the large pink and orange moons were hovering above them.  ¡°W-What happened?¡±


    Rachel bent down, and Selvaria was a little shocked as the Lunar Hare picked her up without trouble, helping her lean against the ship¡¯s mast.  ¡°You passed out after going wild,¡± she laughed, brushing back her white hair, radiating a blush glow.  ¡°What were those crazy beams of energy you were throwing out?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±  Scarlet followed.  ¡°They were really pretty.¡±


    ¡°Did ¡­ we win?¡±  She asked, realizing her hair had returned to its blue coral hues, but her Water Pool was full, represented by her curved form.  Her plates were covering most of her body, spikes extending to their full length.  Repressing the defenses, Selvaria listened to everyone explain.


    ¡°Did ya have doubts?¡±  Cahira snickered.  ¡°The bats weren¡¯t all that ¡­ just a billion o¡¯the things.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, mhm!¡±  Scarlet jumped in, pointing at different people.  ¡°Way easier than the Sky Reavers.  Elena and even our Rachel¡¯s little pet Sky Reaver got a finishing blow on some that fell to the deck!¡±


    ¡°They scream so loud¡­¡±  Elena grumbled, massaging her left ear while wearing a thrilled smile.


    Scarlet nodded.  ¡°Yeah, and once we got you back here, Maria purified the rest of the poison in your system and some of your wounds, but the double moons aren¡¯t kind to her energy,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°She¡¯s below deck right now.¡±


    Scanning her unmarked skin, Selvaria¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°... I was ¡­ hurt?¡±


    ¡°A few light gashes and a bunch of poison,¡± Rachel replied, sitting across from her as the ship sailed across the smooth waters.  ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ my mind just kind of went blank with all the noise, and ¡­ it was like a storm was inside me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a State, isn¡¯t it!¡±  Scarlet asked with a curious smile.


    ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah, but ¡­ how did you kill that thing ¡­ it was so big, and¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Scarlet motioned to Anthony, spear held across his bare shoulders.  ¡°We got there just in time.¡±


    The hot night wind that followed the storm ruffled his flaming hair; his torn jeans, ripped muscles, and half-smile on his strong chin held her gaze.  A lump dropped down her throat, remembering the spear that broke the bony monster¡¯s back, and the moment she caught those shimmering emerald eyes, for the first time in a long while, she blushed, realizing he¡¯d saved her life.


    A deep chuckle shook Anthony¡¯s chest.  ¡°Well, you got me there.  I was a bit shocked that my strongest attack only broke its shell and paralyzed it.¡±


    ¡°Gave me time to check Selv and join ya,¡± Scarlet replied.  ¡°By the way, super, super gross ¡­ those ¡­ I don¡¯t even want to say the name,¡± she shuddered.  ¡°Yeah, I wasn¡¯t even gonna attempt to sink my fangs in that thing!  So, I activated Cloak of the Reaper and stole all of its Life Force ¡­ not that much, sadly.¡±


    ¡°You ¡­ what ¡­ stole its¡­¡±


    Rachel waved her hand.  ¡°Don¡¯t think too hard on it; Scarlet¡¯s just overpowered.¡±


    ¡°Hehe!¡±  Scarlet grinned, giving her a V-sign.  ¡°We win!  Although ¡­ I think my clothes are absolutely ruined¡­¡±  She sighed, staring down at her damaged PJs.  ¡°Just because it can¡¯t hurt me doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t hurt my clothes¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±  Selvaria mumbled, feeling a bit depressed she couldn¡¯t handle everything in the water herself.


    ¡°Aye, don¡¯t be like that, mi lil¡¯ lass,¡± Cahira snickered.  ¡°Ya did a bang-up job, and ¡­ we¡¯re comin¡¯ up on da shore!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Everyone shifted positions to look at the island they were coming up on; it looked like a tropical paradise with white beaches and massive tropical trees with exotic fruit.


    Cahira leaned down to give her a wink with everyone distracted.  ¡°By the way, the bloodsucker got the reward, but ¡­ she can¡¯t use it.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±  Selvaria asked, struggling to her feet.


    ¡°An expensive meal.¡±


    ¡°... You¡¯re joking¡­¡±


    ¡°Nope!  The Vamp can¡¯t have normal food, and Anthony declined the reward, leavin¡¯ ya the spoils!¡±


    ¡°... Okay ¡­ I guess I¡¯m kind of hungry,¡± she mumbled, still feeling weak.


    ¡°Oh, and did I mention ¡­ it grants a minor permanent increase to Toughness and Venom Resistance?¡±


    ¡°For real?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    A smile lit Selvaria¡¯s lips.  ¡°I guess that¡¯s not bad.¡±


    Selvaria stumbled down below deck, where the group had set up a table for her with a plate of what she could only describe as seafood.  Galatea was staring up at the food with sharp eyes, possibly trying to think of a way to nab it for herself.


    ¡°No can do, girl!  This was a gift for me,¡± Selvaria chuckled, heart burning as she saw another plate on the bench with a fish on it.  Checking the radiation level with a light taste, she determined it was safe for Galatea.


    Sitting down beside her pet, she presented the food to her with a bright smile.  ¡°They¡¯re so nice!¡±


    Once Galatea started eating her strange, otherworldly fish, Selvaria took her first bite, tears coming to her eyes; it was spicy.  Refusing to let a meal go to waste, it was kind of a motto of her¡¯s; she forced it down and felt her defense rise by a surprising degree for it being labeled as a minor boost.


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 B3 — 63. Twilight

    AuthorSME


    POV:


    1: Rachel Park (our Lunar Hare!)


    2: Sam Park (near the end, Rachel''s father)


    Recap:


    Selvaria, our terrifying Leviathan, had smooth sailing, cutting things down with her massive bulk and strength ... the queen monster of the seas!  Then ... something came to challenge her reign, and she was pulled into a life and death battle with a crazy crustacean/jellyfish monster that nearly killed her.


    She managed to take out its babies, but she''d worn herself out after activating her chaotic state ... luckily, she isn''t alone anymore, and she has friends to back her up!  Scarlet came swooping in for the save!


    Now, what awaits them on Kokoa?


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    Rachel stretched her arms high overhead, cracking her neck before grinning at Scarlet and the others, staring at the paradise before them.  ¡°Kokoa, huh?  Pretty nice place!¡±


    ¡°Maria said the fish were fine, too?¡±  Her dad asked in a shockingly enthusiastic tone, already getting his fishing rod out.  ¡°No radiation?¡±


    She hadn¡¯t seen her father so passionate about something in a long time.  ¡°Uh, yeah, Dad.  Maria said the fish are perfectly fine here.  It was just those first groups we saw with the radioactive plankton.¡±


    Nam was taking out some of the foldable chairs they¡¯d brought with them, moving to the areas where you could climb down to set up shop.  ¡°Yo, Dad, which fly did you say was the best?¡±


    He shrugged with a bright grin, her mother hustling to support him with a fond smile at seeing her husband so cheery.  ¡°Can¡¯t say since this is whole new territory ¡­ man, and those two moons make it so bright!  This is perfect ¡­ with that breeze, too.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±  Nam turned to Cahira, eyes darting to his wife for a moment as she leaned over the side to look into the crystal clear water, watching dozens of oddly shaped fish.  ¡°These ¡­ won¡¯t turn into treasure, right?  We¡¯ll be able to eat them like that one Anthony caught?¡±


    The Pirate Queen hummed absently, still staring down at the map and compass with a slight frown.  ¡°That be right, mi lad ¡­ these be fish to grant strength for the next challenge.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I want to catch one with my hands!¡±  Elena cheered, throwing off her wet shirt and pants to reveal a bikini.  ¡°No dangerous stuff around?¡±  She asked with sparkling eyes, likely hoping there was more slaughter ahead.


    ¡°Afraid not, from what I can tell!¡±  Anthony chuckled, brushing back his slick red hair while climbing up the left ladder.


    Ohan hummed thoughtfully, following after him.  ¡°I think there are some further out from shore, but not near where we¡¯ve anchored.¡±


    ¡°Are we going to land?  This is the end, right?  Do we get to party on the beach?¡±  Alexa asked.  ¡°Oh, what kind of vegetables and fruit do they have here?  I¡¯m soooo looking forward to trying new ones!¡±


    Rachel was a little shocked at how much her step-sister was getting into violent stuff; she used to hate going to her matches, but after some thought, she figured it might have just been Alexa feeling she was competing for her husband¡¯s attention.


    Yeah, I guess a vegan might be interested in that kind of stuff ¡­ Dad loves seafood, too.


    Scarlet was on the top of the mast, scanning the area.  Appearing from the shadows beside her, she cheered.  ¡°It¡¯s so awesome!  I don¡¯t see any animals, but there¡¯s so many fruits and vegetables and stuff!  Wait, no, I mean on the island,¡± she corrected, almost bouncing on her toes.  ¡°There are crab things, and cool glow fish, and all sorts of stuff in the water.¡±


    ¡°Good to know,¡± Clay replied, coming back up with what appeared to be her father¡¯s extra rod while Reed had her brothers.  ¡°Hey, Sam, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve fished ¡­ anything special I should do?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah, yeah, actually, Reed had this interesting idea,¡± her dad mused, getting up to converse with the pair.


    Rachel giggled upon seeing her father, brother, Reed, and Clay on a first-name basis, talking about fishing.


    Felix and Zoe seemed happy to be out of the lower deck and away from Maria¡¯s narrowed eyes, acting as the overprotective older sister.  The two seemed to be developing a closer relationship over the past few days, finding more enjoyment in talking alone at the stern while watching the foreign stars and moon than with anyone else.


    It was a little awkward, but the two of them were getting along; just thinking back on how forced and embarrassing her first semi-date with Anthony had her face on the verge of steaming.


    I was so cringe ¡­ a game about our most attractive body parts.  Yikes, but I guess it worked out.  I was able to keep him company on a hard day, but ¡­ he was kind of using me as a substitute and probably felt a bit guilty after.  Still¡­


    She glanced over at the bare-chested Legendkin as he talked with Ohan about the fight Scarlet and he had with the sea monster.  Rachel was forced to close her eyes and rub her left temple as her mind pondered how it¡¯d feel to be hugged by him.


    He hasn¡¯t run away from me, which is something ¡­ and I make fun of Scarlet¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Scarlet asked, frowning at her slightly red cheeks.  ¡°You didn¡¯t get poisoned or sick from anything, did you?¡±


    Smiling a little, Rachel shook her head, brushing out her hair while trying to distract herself from Anthony¡¯s ripped bare chest.  ¡°No, no ¡­ I¡¯m good.  Umm ¡­ so, Cahira, what¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°Ah ¡­ aye, I¡¯ve been lookin¡¯ at the map ta see where¡¯d we best be headin¡¯, and I think we should explore the island.  It¡¯d be best ta fill in the map, but we should be on our guard.  I don¡¯t believe our quest be over yet.  I just need more info.¡±


    Brushing back her damp red hair, she glanced between her makeshift crew.  ¡°Eh ¡­ I suppose we could be fine with takin¡¯ people ashore if the others be alright with it.  Anthony should probably stay to keep the ship lovers safe.¡±


    Rachel was a little disappointed with the suggestion, but it would make her feel better about going to land while leaving her parents here.  Between Anthony, Selvaria, Maria, Nam, and Elena, they¡¯d have a solid defense.


    ¡°I want to go!¡±  Alexa pleaded, giving Rachel her best green-eyed puppy-dog stare.  ¡°Please!  I didn¡¯t get to see anything before ¡­ hey, Gisele!¡±  She giggled as Rachel¡¯s Sky Reaver landed on her shoulder, licking her cheek; Rachel had ordered her to protect her step-sister to get the bird out of her hair.


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Nam glanced at his wife with a strained smile.  ¡°Maybe they should explore the island first for danger.¡±


    ¡°Scarlet did!¡±  Alexa huffed, glaring at him.  ¡°Right, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ I did,¡± Scarlet mumbled, scratching her neck to indicate she didn¡¯t want to get between the couple on a possible divide.


    ¡°See,¡± she smiled, walking over to pull him down for a short peck on the lips, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine!  If anything happens, then Scarlet can just teleport me back, too.  Right?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah, I can.¡±


    ¡°And your sister will be there, Ohan, Cahira, Gisele,¡± she chuckled with the short flap of his wings on her shoulder.


    ¡°... Okay, I¡¯m just worried,¡± he mumbled, kissing her again.  ¡°Stay safe, okay?¡±


    He gave her a forced smile.  ¡°Yeah, I got it!¡±  Rachel chuckled.


    After a few minutes of preparation and discussion, Scarlet brought each of them to the shore through shadows.


    Cahira had her cutlass in hand, chopping at the foliage as they moved into the untouched jungle-like tropical environment.  ¡°Ya see, we got the key, but we¡¯ll need ta get another piece of the map in the jungle to find the proper direction ta travel ¡­ huh¡­¡±


    A soft mist was beginning to move out from the deeper within the jungle.  ¡°Scarlet?¡±  Rachel asked.


    Scarlet¡¯s vampiric eyes darted left and right, but she just shook her head.  ¡°Uh ¡­ I mean, it is kind of hard to see, but it¡¯s just fog ¡­ I think.  I¡¯m not seeing anything strange or any monsters.


    Should we back off?  Fog monsters, maybe?  No, Scarlet should be able to even see something like that.  Toxic?  We don¡¯t have Maria here¡­


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched, eyebrows furrowing as sound swiftly closed off around her; the thickening fog was cutting off her sensory abilities.  ¡°Keep together ¡­ Scarlet¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel anything¡­¡±  Scarlet mumbled.


    Alexa was just beside her, scooting closer.  ¡°Me either!¡±


    Cahira¡¯s response was so low Rachel couldn¡¯t even hear it.


    A shiver ran down her spine with a discomfort she¡¯d only felt in a few of her nightmares, showing up naked to a class where she was promptly kicked out, disgracing her family; however, this was much more real.  To be without sound was more oppressive than she imagined, and her other senses were swiftly being reduced.


    The moon shining through a break in the canopy was obscured by the fog, and the powerful pulse of the Flush Moon left her feeling weak and vulnerable as the whiteness pressed in around them; she could see mouths moving, but within a few seconds, her own hand wasn¡¯t visible.


    Reaching to her right, Alexa wasn¡¯t there.  Dashing forward, she almost tripped on something she didn¡¯t even feel, finding it difficult to keep balanced with her deadened senses.  Rachel fought to stay in control of her rising panic; she¡¯d never experienced a world without stimulation.


    A fog that affects our nervous system?  Maybe our brains?  What if it¡¯s something that brings out the Reaper?  If it¡¯s a mental attack like Relica, it could ¡­ is it magical?  How would The Reaper respond to another attack?


    Wait ¡­ no, it¡¯s probably not a mental attack because it¡¯s not triggering my ¡­ no, that would only work if a person is actively trying to invade my brain!  That¡¯s such a weakness, and could still activate The Reaper!  If Alexa dies, Nam will ¡­ no ¡­ calm down ¡­ it could be caused by breathing in the mist.  I need clean air ¡­ how far up is it?


    She activated Emotional Detachment I, her sense of touch was failing; using what remained, Rachel bent her knees and launched as high as she could, searching for clean air.  It was unclear how far she leaped, but it wasn¡¯t enough.


    Her head was spinning, trying to orient herself in the white void that surrounded her, and eventually, she felt her chest hurting.  Leaning to the side, she spat, coughing as her lungs worked furiously to fill with air; she¡¯d landed hard.  The fog was slowly dissipating.


    Clearing her throat, Rachel rasped, ¡°Is ¡­ is anyone there?  Can you hear me?¡±


    The dampened sound of her voice made her believe no one could if she could hardly hear herself.  Staying close to the ground to keep the thick green grass in view, Rachel glanced around, her wide field of vision only discovering white beyond the foot or so mist surrounding her.


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ quite the troublesome trap you¡¯ve fallen under.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears darted to the right, vision swiftly following as Scarlet¡¯s voice carried to her.


    ¡°Scarlet?  Where are you?  Do you hear me?¡±


    The soft hum of the Vespertine Reaper followed, mirroring the haunting melody she¡¯d heard before, and an ominous feeling began leaking out of her detached box of emotions.


    ¡°... Corrupted Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Strike two, my dear.¡±


    ¡°... The Reaper?¡±  Rachel swallowed.  This was unknown territory.


    ¡°Ah, at last ¡­ I¡¯ve been known by such a term.¡±


    Rachel still couldn¡¯t see that far, which meant most of the others were more than likely just as blind.


    If this is some kind of effect ¡­ dammit, if only Maria were here!


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I¡¯m afraid this little trap goes much deeper than simple mind games,¡± The Reaper chortled.  ¡°Quite the spectacle, really ¡­ a pitifully weak version of Eleuthira¡¯s Curse ¡­ still, to conjure up such a feat is ¡­ amusing.  This seed has quite the information store if one can dissect it.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Rachel sucked on her lower lip.  This could be an elaborate trap of the Legend¡¯s Quest, but if that was the case, it seemed to converse with this fake Scarlet was some part of the trigger that had to be passed to conquer it.


    Rachel was running through questions and topics that would best allow her to exit the event when Scarlet made her ears stand on end.


    ¡°Most fascinating ¡­ you have the possibility to access such a Curse ¡­ although, it would more than likely be pulled into your Wenet¡¯s Branch rather than give you the information it was translated from.  It¡¯s a pity, really, Eleuthira was a fairly fun little depressed Goddess.¡±


    ¡°... I can learn a curse like this?  What do you know about the seed?  You can read it?¡±


    A curse ¡­ shit, so Maria could dispel it.  It¡¯s not like we could have predicted a mass of fog would randomly spawn all around us, though, and the moons were really making her sick ¡­ worse than the two white moons on the alien¡¯s world.  Yeah, there¡¯s no way she could have joined us.


    ¡°Hehe, of course!  I wouldn¡¯t be ¡­ well, me, if I couldn¡¯t, darling!¡±  She followed with tittering laughter.  ¡°No, I manipulated parts and pieces for my dear little Scarlet.  She will make me proud in the future.¡±


    ¡°... What does that mean?¡±


    Rachel pulled her hair around to her front as the mist continued to clear.  Scarlet sat on a magnificently designed throne, completely composed of blood; her legs were crossed, hair tied into an elegant braid while she leaned against the left arm, resting her cheek against the back of her hand.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ it took long enough to settle in ¡­ factually, a pitiful execution time.  Humph, Eleuthira would be devastated.¡±  Her unimpressed blue irises glanced around, seemingly bored.


    Figuring The Reaper wouldn¡¯t answer her unless she drew the conversation in a direction that she found interesting, Rachel got to her feet, brushing her hair back.  ¡°This is the first time we have officially met ¡­ correct?  You aren¡¯t some made-up vision of my imagination ¡­ I can¡¯t recall hearing the name Eleuthira and would probably have come up with a much different name to describe some goddess myself.¡±


    The Reaper¡¯s sophisticated chuckle followed.  It was strange hearing an utterly different disposition within Scarlet¡¯s voice; everything from her mannerisms to her habits was entirely new to what she expected from the girl.


    ¡°Oh, this curse is much more complicated than a simple hijack of your imagination ¡­ no, you might say I am the most realistic phantom you¡¯ve ever encountered.  If Cahira were even a little proficient in her Cartography skill, then she would know what Kokoa means.  Although, hehe, you know what it meant, yet the answer hadn¡¯t even crossed your mind.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed, but it soon snapped into place.  ¡°Kokoa ¡­ but it¡¯s a fantasy word ¡­ are you saying it¡¯s love of the heart ¡­ Korean?  How does this curse make sense with that translation?¡±


    ¡°Oh, ignorance is almost palpable!¡±  The Reaper sighed, rolling her eyes while glancing to the side.  ¡°What was the love of your heart when exploring this island ¡­ answers.  Who would have better answers than I?¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­ so this curse is to grant your heart¡¯s desire?¡±  Rachel asked, still not connecting all the dots and feeling it had to be more complicated than that.


    A mischievous grin lifted The Reaper¡¯s lips.  ¡°What better way to trap someone than give them what they desire?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel eyed the fake Scarlet doubtfully.  ¡°Why you, though, and in the form of Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Have you seen me in my transcendent state, much less my original form?¡±  She countered with a mocking smile.


    ¡°... I suppose not, but why you?¡±


    The Reaper appeared bored again, vision moving to the right to study some of the greenery that had become visible after the fog had somewhat thinned.  ¡°Many reasons I don¡¯t feel compelled to answer ¡­ but in short, fear.¡±


    Lunar Pride spiked at the word, causing her tail to stiffen, but The Reaper¡¯s mature laugh caught her off-guard while rising from her throne, blood swirling around her.  ¡°Yes, fear, my little white hare.¡±


    She slowly moved to a bush with some kind of green berries dotted across it.  ¡°You fear my power while also desiring answers ¡­ to questions about yourself, your family, including Scarlet, and many, many more reasons that bore me to mention.¡±


    Head tilting to smirk at her with her bright blue irises, The Reaper¡¯s tone became lilting.  ¡°The fear of and desire for power is such a trivial subject; power is so ¡­ limited.¡±


    Rachel folded her arms, ears turning right and left, searching for the others, but only The Reaper and her made sounds in this oppressive atmosphere.  It seemed she had no choice but to proceed, and if she was here to answer questions within her heart, then all the better; this was the perfect opportunity to figure out precisely what she was dealing with.


    ¡°Power is limited?¡±  She asked, cautiously moving to the left while keeping The Reaper at the edge of her vision in the thick fog.


    Silent laughter shook The Reaper¡¯s frame as she plucked one of the berries, studying it with minor interest.  ¡°What really is power, and what is the purpose of fear?¡±


    Rachel had to ponder on the question, finding it strange that her fears would bring Scarlet¡¯s inner demon here to discuss her psyche, yet after a moment, a thought occurred to her.  ¡°My fear ¡­ is of myself ¡­ but it¡¯s linked to you, too?¡±


    ¡°Still stuck on that little connection, are we?¡±  The Reaper mused.  Her blood circled the berry dissecting it while a pool underneath caught the juices; the liquid swiftly drew in more, harvesting the extract through compressing the items.  ¡°I hate repeating myself ¡­ could you be a little more intelligent?¡±


    The fact a conjured cursed copy of Scarlet¡¯s inner demon was continually roasting her was beginning to bruise Rachel¡¯s pride, but Emotional Detachment filed it away.  She returned to her question.  ¡°Power ¡­ is defined by the ability to accomplish any given act ¡­ the true definition of power in its essence is omnipotence ¡­ I don¡¯t see how that is limited?  Hmm ¡­ if you can do anything, then what can limit you?¡±


    The Reaper moved to a flower a meter away, bending down to pluck it before taking in its aroma.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ a copy of the Rulimara cactus on Totalira ¡­ come now, I¡¯m a little disappointed in this copy dimension,¡± she sighed, tossing it to her blood to be pressed and crushed into the mixture.


    ¡°Allow me to spell out the diagram, Rachel,¡± she sighed with dissatisfaction, like a teacher trying her best to educate a dumb student, the type of tone that pulled Rachel¡¯s lips in and set her tail on edge.


    ¡°Power is limited without knowledge and vision; many gods have the tools and abilities to accomplish things, yet never actually have the scope of mind to know what can be done with it.  A goddess that solely possesses omnipotence is nothing but dross to me.


    ¡°Knowledge is limited without the imagination to utilize what you¡¯ve learned, and the being might not have the ability to accomplish the task.  Again, creation¡¯s waste.


    ¡°Imagination is limited without the wisdom upon how to employ that thought; many an aspiring god has had the brilliant mind to comprehend vast worlds yet failed to accomplish it because they lack the ability to connect the thoughts to reality, much the same as ambitious authors, and they think it¡¯s motivation.¡±  She giggled.


    ¡°Wisdom is worthless without a direction; how many wise goddesses have I known that waste away in seclusion, never to realize any of the great bastions of thought working within their minds?


    ¡°Desire is what draws those gods out of their profound insights and into a pivotal direction that shapes reality; desire is the dream within a god to look at the great expanse in their mind and demand more, yet what good is a want without the motivation to realize it?


    ¡°Motivation is an unswayable will that drives gods toward a goal at all costs, including the abandonment of ethics or moral value; a passion that transcends boundaries.


    ¡°Yet, without power, all that motivation is a worthless effort, despite what others may tell them; an upcoming god may have all the internal urges of a mindless beast, yet lack the strength, knowledge, imagination, and wisdom to achieve a true vision.


    ¡°No, each is more or less trivial on their own, even at their most powerful; only those that have power, knowledge, imagination, wisdom, desire, and motivation can stand as arbiters of creation.  This is true for mortals, gods, Primordials, Founders, and the Transcendent.¡±


    She turned to level a soft smirk at Rachel.  ¡°That is the simple answer to why power is limited, dear.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat annoyed that she didn¡¯t connect the dots sooner; it was so uncomplicated after she began the explanation and worked on the other question she¡¯d asked.  If this was a test, she was failing.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ what is the purpose of fear?  Hmm ¡­ to motivate action?  I fear what I¡¯m turning into and you ¡­ to a degree,¡± she mumbled, fighting past the urges Lunar Pride sent her that squeezed their way out of the box.  ¡°It¡¯s emotional energy that pushes us in a direction and heightens our concentration on the object of that fear.¡±


    ¡°Which means¡­¡±  The Reaper asked, rolling her eyes while moving to extract sap from a nearby light-green tree.


    ¡°... ¡°  Rachel¡¯s shoulder slumped, realizing she¡¯d just gone in a complete circle; she was supposed to be smarter than this.  ¡°The reason why you¡¯re here ¡­ answers since I fear the unknown.¡±


    ¡°Mhm ¡­ challenges excite you; I can tell, and even the unknown to a certain extent.  You hate inevitabilities, which is a product of your chaotic lunar nature,¡± The Reaper chuckled.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ follow me,¡± she stated, turning with the expectation she¡¯d be listened to.


    ¡°Where?¡±  Rachel asked, complying for the moment since there wasn¡¯t a better option.


    ¡°... The fact you refuse to look at your own heart to understand that answer is aggravating ¡­ I am not accustomed to dealing with mortals ¡­ and gods annoy me.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a Goddess?¡±  Rachel questioned, pondering the obvious direction The Reaper was directing her toward.  ¡°Oh ¡­ answers ¡­ I don¡¯t want to be trapped.  Everything you¡¯re doing is leading toward my freedom ¡­ that¡¯s my heart¡¯s desire.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re brilliant,¡± The Reaper mumbled.  ¡°If only this were even a sliver of Eleuthira¡¯s Curse, then I¡¯d actually have the ability to accomplish my short-term goals,¡± she sighed.  ¡°Alas, this pitiful replica skims the line of the potency I require, and no, I am not a Goddess ¡­ well, not for a long time, although I find immense entertainment in taunting Scarlet.¡±


    Rachel frowned.  ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ a Reaper, not a Goddess?¡±


    ¡°Insulting,¡± The Reaper replied, turning to level a mild glare at her through the fog.  ¡°I may have been reduced to a previous state that would¡ªin part, define a Reaper; however, I am so much more.  I am that which is between ¡­ Twilight would be a more appropriate name.¡±


    ¡°So ¡­ should I call you Twilight?¡±  Rachel asked, beginning to enjoy her time with this copy of Scarlet¡¯s demon.


    ¡°If you wish,¡± she replied in a bored tone.


    ¡°What about the song Scarlet says you sing in your sleep?¡±


    ¡°... I sing in my sleep,¡± Twilight slowed to a stop, vision narrowing before turning to stare at her.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I am not fully aware of what that might be; the current state Scarlet has placed me in has limited my scope of perception.  Repeat it for me.¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ I¡¯m not a good singer,¡± Rachel replied, folding her arms under her chest.


    She doesn¡¯t know the answer ¡­ I suppose it¡¯s more of an afterthought, but it seemed like a pretty important song.


    ¡°Repeat it,¡± Twilight demanded, black lips falling.  ¡°The Curse is in the process of stealing your desires, leaving you a living creature without purpose, helplessly following the dictates of any that implant their dream into you.  I would be quick.¡±


    A shiver ran down Rachel¡¯s spine.


    Steal my desires ¡­ I can turn people into slaves in the future?


    Rachel¡¯s mind snapped into overdrive with the chilling information; she was currently under attack from the island itself, and so was everyone else.  Judging by Twilight¡¯s deadly gaze, she wouldn¡¯t continue to help unless she complied.


    She¡¯d always had a good memory retention, but the song had been stuck in her mind since she¡¯d first heard it with the haunting implications.  Clearing her throat, she repeated the extended version Scarlet had sung, feeling a bit uncomfortable with a few parts that just felt wrong coming from her mouth.


    ¡°I have a tale that time has lost, sins of judgment born of blood.  She took a name from the one profaned; the chosen¡ªknow the dark but let it rest.  Come down to the red sea, swim with me.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°Born of graves and left below, painted ashes, painted snow; when the dark awakens, fires of your last hopes are burning low.  Blood of gods and blood of men, meet in union to ascend; fate has chosen, and your fading light is at its end.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°Life¡¯s breath flickers with the candlelight, lost souls in the twilight.  Fear not the dark, the monsters within; brace for the feast of humanity¡¯s end.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°You rise, I fall.  I stand, you crawl.  You twist, I turn.  You sit and stay, I don¡¯t obey.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long way down to the place I found, lurking silhouette waiting below¡ªdark sun, hollowed by the fade; that debt you live to repay¡ªyou see the blackness stare, promising to spare the chosen.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°Born of graves and left below, painted ashes, painted snow; when the dark awakens, fires of your last hopes are burning low¡ªyour souls will char; flicker too and fro¡ªafraid to linger and to go; trapped in blood until my scythe has come to take you home.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°A pact embraced, a road unsought; a black heart¡¯s redemption borne by brigand¡¯s blood.  A blight upon the light, a terror for the night, she became the bringer of twilight.  Vengeance is her only ward; beware the blood-red rose¡¯s thorn, for it will end with Scarlet.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°With flowers and my love, both never to come back, her wrath is known within the black; the tide, it stole away her grace, but the depths, they would not claim her.  I could not foresee this thing happening to you; I am exposed, I am undone, no more colors, it all turns black.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°Alone with this vision, alone with this sound, alone in my dreams, maybe I will fade away and not have to face the facts.  The darkest night, the brightest day; history tainted, the cycle hovering above gravity¡¯s lure.  My love will laugh with me before the morning comes, for the blinding light will never return.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°Born of graves, left below, no time for rest, nowhere to go, a storm was loosed with tear-stained eyes; come down to the red sea, swimming with me.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°A wretch bound to the harvest, born of the shadows, between light and dark.  Oh, oh, oh, ooh ¡­ who will save you now?  Incinerate our shackles.  Ah-ooh, ooh.


    ¡°The Maiden of Death will tend to her fields, and eternity will fall into silence ¡­ Heaven or Hell ¡­ where do you land in the red sea?  Ah-ooh, ooh¡­¡±


    A secretive smile lifted Twilight¡¯s lips before she turned away, continuing their journey.  ¡°A lovely lullaby; of course, it would be.¡±


    ¡°What does it mean?¡±  Rachel asked, not expecting an answer.


    ¡°A tug of war between Light and Dark. Life and Death ¡­ with me at the Core.  The fall and rise; it¡¯s important to hold on.  Love, war, pain, life, death ¡­ everything¡¯s the same to me; swim in the Red Sea ¡­ indeed.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t know exactly how to take that explanation, so she filed it away as Twilight began humming the tune much better than her.  ¡°... What¡¯s your purpose with Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°To be a Reaper of Blood, as I¡¯ve told her; we want the same thing.¡±


    Scratching the back of her neck, Rachel glanced around at the dense fog; Twilight¡¯s blood was carving a path for them in the lush foliage while gathering dozens of other fungus, flowers, fruit, and vegetables along the way, utilizing only tiny parts of each before discarding them.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem as scary as what she¡¯s described ¡­ but I suppose that¡¯s because you don¡¯t have to be.¡±


    Twilight giggled.  ¡°This pitiful curse couldn¡¯t comprehend what I am; I am the end product of its surface-level abilities to generate a realistic representation.  I assure you, if you were to meet me ¡­ you would not return the same, such as your little playmate, Relica.¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ what did you do to her?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not something this weak copy knows,¡± she glanced back with a smirk.  ¡°Scarlet was there.  Perhaps she could describe it to you.¡±


    Rachel began to rethink Relica and Scarlet¡¯s mother joining forces.


    What if both are under Twilight¡¯s influence?  Cuba ¡­ her invitation ¡­ it could all be for Twilight ¡­ all she wants from Scarlet is to reap, and there will be a lot of that if we are in conflict.  Yet, it¡¯s not like we can¡¯t go ¡­ there¡¯s just so much more to Twilight ¡­ and how can I be sure any of this is even real?


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ gods are real?  Are they who created the seed that attached to our spirits?¡±


    ¡°Again,¡± Twilight chuckled, mature tone delivering a lilting undercurrent, ¡°something I¡¯d know, but not something this curse could give you.  Why don¡¯t you ask Scarlet to wake me and see if I¡¯ll answer?  Although, I wouldn¡¯t hold my breath ¡­ I get the feeling it¡¯s better you didn¡¯t know, but the gods?¡±


    Twilight stopped as they came to a clearing with a pearl orb with many occultic artifacts and symbols traced around it; she wore a thoughtful smirk.  ¡°No, hehe, I highly doubt that even they can accomplish it as a group; they would enjoy the show, though.  Perhaps, they¡¯d even meddle a bit.  Shh, don¡¯t say I told you, though,¡± she winked with a finger held to her black lips.


    ¡°Would they try to kill you?¡±  Rachel asked, walking around the humming pearl the size of her head.


    ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t dealt with gods in a long while ¡­ although, now that I am at a weakened state ¡­ perhaps one or two might take an interest; most would stay as far away as possible, though,¡± she whispered with a small smile.  ¡°Your friends are lucky you had me in your heart, or else you¡¯d all have failed this test.  I suggest exercising caution on quests that severely out-level your current progression for the future.¡±


    She dropped the strange concoction onto the orb, causing it to turn red before cracking down the center; the occult objects burst into flame.  ¡°Two trials remain, Lunar Hare, but Cahira will gain quite the prize at the end.  I suggest you tell her to increase her treasure room if she hopes to afford what I¡¯ve seen.  Goodbye, Rachel ¡­ until we meet again in the Red Sea.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t like how she phrased that, but the copy of possibly one of the most dangerous beings in existence turned to mist as the fog dispersed.


    Sound returned with Scarlet¡¯s scream of despair, followed by more desperate voices from others scattered across the nighttime tropical paradise island.  Rachel dashed toward Scarlet, only a few hundred meters away, yet she didn¡¯t hear any threats around her, meaning it was related to what was on her heart that the orb had shown her.


    * * *


    Sam breathed out a sigh of relief while sitting next to Clay, Reed, and his son, slowly sipping on one of the bottles of rum that Reed had brought.  The seafaring adventure had been somewhat of a hidden dream of his since he was a boy, but the turbulent storm had upset his stomach along the way.


    Now, he could relax and was finding company with the two new acquaintances more than enjoyable.  Both men were easy to get along with and very polite.


    He gently held his rod in hand, having just cast it out a bit ago, using some cheese they¡¯d brought along as bait since all the shops that would sell worms would be closed when they¡¯d made plans.


    Glancing back at his wife on the opposite side of the deck, he caught her sneaking smiling glances at the two teens at the back of the ship.  They made a cute couple from what he¡¯d seen, and he did wonder how long they¡¯d been together.


    Anthony was by her side, which put his mind at ease; he certainly would make for a decent step-son from what he¡¯d heard and the talks he¡¯d had with the man.  Chemist, disciplined in martial arts, and strong, matching up to his daughter.  Mixed with stunning Western looks and a decent charm, he¡¯d get some good grandchildren.


    All in all, things were looking far brighter than the previous month.  Rachel had mellowed out a lot, which was a bit shocking considering her transformation, and it was still a bit strange seeing the massive visual change, but she was still his little girl, driven as they come.  It made him proud, yet at the same time, he wondered how happy she was.


    Something was eating her up inside, and he could sense it but didn¡¯t want to force the conversation, making it awkward.  Hopefully, he¡¯d have some one-on-one time with her once this was finished.


    His eyebrows lifted upon hearing Elena, the young Honey Badger girl, swimming on the opposite side of the boat, chasing the larger fish.  Sam doubted she¡¯d get any with how loud she was being and worried it might scare some of the fish on their side away, but even if he didn¡¯t get a bite, it was fine.


    Sam¡¯s head tilted back, staring up at the strange new sky, shimmering with stars and galaxy colors he¡¯d never seen with the overhead light of the two strangely hued moons.


    ¡°Pretty crazy, huh?¡±  Clay mumbled, following his gaze.


    Reed hummed in agreement.  ¡°I¡¯ve taken a few photos, but ¡­ I doubt many would believe me if I showed them.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see¡­¡±  Clay chuckled.  ¡°The world¡¯s changing.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Nam groaned.  ¡°I can make energy people that follow my orders, and I think I can level up or whatever ¡­ my wife¡¯s been talking about it.  Scarlet told her some stuff, and ¡­ yeah, she¡¯s been persistent.¡±


    They all chuckled.  ¡°I bet.¡±  Sam mused.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ haven¡¯t told Fredrik yet?¡±


    His son shook his head with a depressed sigh.  ¡°No ¡­ I don¡¯t know how her dad¡¯s gonna take it.  I just don¡¯t want Alexa to have to make a decision that¡¯ll hurt her.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ yeah, Fredrik¡¯s a protective guy.  Took some convincing to get him to be alright with you both staying at our place.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, almost bought us one on his street ¡­ I couldn¡¯t handle that, though,¡± Nam chuckled with the rest of them.


    ¡°I hear ya,¡± Reed mumbled.  ¡°My wife¡¯s father was a real hardass.¡±


    ¡°Did you tell her about coming here?¡±  Nam questioned, vision shifting to the elderly gentlemen.


    ¡°No, no ¡­ she passed away from an illness two years ago,¡± Reed replied softly.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ sorry,¡± Nam mumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Reed sighed.  ¡°It hurts, but I just need to believe I¡¯ll see her again.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±  Sam mumbled, glancing back at his wife while thinking about their niece.  ¡°I get that ¡­ ugh, umm, so, what kind of business do you¡­¡±


    He sat up straighter; the others following his example as Anthony asked.  ¡°Hey, has anyone noticed the fog in the jungle?  When did it start?¡±


    No one gave him an answer, setting their rods down to gather around the front with Molly and Anthony.  The two teens stayed in the back while Elena continued to play below, diving underwater.


    ¡°Is that bad?¡±  Molly asked with worry hidden in her voice.


    Nam cleared his throat.  ¡°Ahem ¡­ yeah, is uh ¡­ nothing bad¡¯s happened, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Anthony whispered with a furrowed brow.  ¡°I just have a bad feeling.  You can make copies, right, Nam?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah, yeah, I¡¯ll send some in¡­¡±


    Sam¡¯s gut tightened.


    Please ¡­ please, don¡¯t let anything happen to my little girl¡­


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 64. Let’s Not Be Stupid

    AuthorSME


    POV:


    1: Rachel Park (our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:


    Rachel was greeted by Twilight, a.k.a. Scarlet''s inner demon, The Reaper of Blood, and had her first real conversation with the horror incarnate ... except, she wasn''t so horrible ... belittling, but considering her responses, that''s understandable.


    Twilight told Rachel that gods were real, this curse that was trying to steal their free-will wasn''t strong enough to even realize what she was, and that her response was thus limited.  However, Rachel gained some very valuable insights into the mysterious being ... and did she mention Founders ... hmm...


    Well, before Twilight completed the trial for their party, she warned Rachel to be more careful, and in the future, they shouldn''t do quests that ''severely'' out-level them ... there are also 2x more trials left in the Legend''s Quest ... and they get way harder the further they go.


    Harder ... and Twilight had to get them out of this one?  Not good.


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    Jonathan Howard, Necroma Crowley, HSdragon, Freddie Rash, Malcolm Wade, Kyle, Life Savior, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel noticed a wooden trap door appear below the cracked orb out of the corner of her vision while passing into the lush jungle environment, rushing toward Scarlet.  Once she¡¯d gathered everyone together, then they¡¯d probably need to return to the location.


    The strangest part of the island was its complete lack of life onshore.  There weren¡¯t even insects that she could detect, nor birds in the trees; silence permeated the entire area, which she assumed was because of the fog, and the fact that this was a copy dimension, as Twilight had pointed out, which took inspiration from real places the mysterious being had visited.


    Her ears searched for every tiny sound that was made within several miles, but only the humans made noise, and her little Sky Reaver was now screeching since she¡¯d been separated from the group, looking for any of them.  No one appeared in immediate danger by their sobs, questioning, self-reflecting tones, and body movements.


    Scarlet was the most vocal, crying hysterically while collapsing to her knees and butt, and Rachel could guess why; if the curse showed you what the heart most desired, then for Scarlet, it would be life before The Oscillation.  The devastation upon dashing that dream, even if she was partially aware of the fact, must have been crushing to the eighteen-year-old girl.


    Alexa had been split off from them to the west of the island from their docking location.  She¡¯d also fallen to her knees and butt in the damp mud, more in stunned confusion instead of panic, while collecting her thoughts, and Gisele swooped down to join her, seemingly able to discover her location surprisingly quickly.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ Gisele, hey¡­¡±  Alexa mumbled, petting the bird¡¯s head after it landed beside her, hopping closer with a small chirp.  ¡°I ¡­ think I was in a dream ¡­ it was so realistic, though ¡­ I started to believe all of this was a ¡­ well, maybe it still is ¡­ hmm¡­¡±


    Her sister-in-law released a depressed sigh, pulling back her blonde bangs to stare around at the dense jungle.  ¡°Well ¡­ the best thing we can probably do is wait for someone to come get us ¡­ Rachel or Scarlet will find us.  You think so, too, right?¡±


    Gisele chirped again, hopping in circles to look around.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ man ¡­ now I¡¯m a bit depressed.¡±


    Cahira was actually further northeast than Rachel, scratching her scalp while mumbling to herself.  ¡°Aye ¡­ hold-up, this ain¡¯t the place I ¡­ a devilish trick of the mind?  Hmm ¡­ must ¡®ave been since everybody be more split than a banana on Sunday.  Huh ¡­ ya tackless island, makin¡¯ me believe I¡¯d completed mi quest.  Guh ¡­ best be lookin¡¯ fer the crew ¡­ and there was so much treasure.  Aye ¡­ the x be not too far distant!  Mmh ¡­ it can wait.¡±


    It sounded like The Pirate Queen had unsummoned her map with the licking flames that roared to life before dying down.  ¡°Yo, Rach, ya hearin¡¯ me?  Bah, a likely case unless ye be havin¡¯ the same issues as mi own useless brain ¡­ eh, back to the ship, or wait fer the lasses?  Mmh ¡­ best be waitin¡¯ on mi arse fer a bit.  Ah, practicin¡¯ mi shots seems ah proper use of mi time!  If I draw some buggers attention, then all the marrier!¡±


    Rachel forced a chuckle as she began pulling out her weapons to figure out which would be the best to start with.


    Ohan¡¯s reaction was a bit of a shock to her; he¡¯d stumbled to a tree, using it as support, sheathed sword shaking in his left hand.  ¡°No ¡­ no, but ¡­ he was right there with his girlfriend ¡­ we were home.  No¡­¡±


    His voice cracked with an underlayer of anger before he drew his sword and began destroying the foliage and trees around him in a rage.  The actions were utterly out of character with what Rachel had expected from the very cool, emotionally controlled man, but she could surmise that having something so close to your heart ripped away from you so quickly might elicit such a response.


    She could hear her brother¡¯s four energy creatures foraging through the island undergrowth, looking for them, and one was decently close to where Scarlet was but would possibly miss her with its direction.


    The wind pulled back Rachel¡¯s hair as she ran; Scarlet glanced up as she neared, bloody tears falling down her cheeks from the Vespertine Reaper¡¯s blue eyes.


    ¡°R-Rachel¡­¡±  Scarlet sobbed as she neared with a comforting smile.


    ¡°Hey, hey, I¡¯m here ¡­ woah¡­¡±


    Rachel grunted as Scarlet lurched forward at a surprising speed, tackling her to the ground to bury her face into Rachel¡¯s sports bra; a muddy pool of water sprayed around them as her hair fanned out, now caked with the gunk.  Scarlet clung to her, body shaking uncontrollably while Rachel rubbed her back comfortingly.


    Scarlet didn¡¯t babble or say anything, and it took two minutes of lying in the mud before the girl started to get control of herself, left cheek pressing against Rachel¡¯s breast as she mumbled, ¡°... Why ¡­ is life so cruel?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Rachel whispered, hugging the back of her pajama top that had a few rips in it from the two fights they¡¯d gone through.  Two of her fingers had slipped through the shirt, rubbing her slightly damaged bra strap before moving to her skin in back and forth motions.  ¡°Did it make you think The Oscillation didn¡¯t happen?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s arms tightened around Rachel¡¯s back again, face pressing against her back as she mumbled, ¡°Mhm¡­¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath, chest forcing Scarlet¡¯s body up slightly so she could see her bloody cheeks, liquid slowly sinking back into her skin past the mess of dirty black locks, and she hugged her a bit tighter, not knowing what else she could say.


    She felt a lump pass through Scarlet¡¯s throat before she sniffed, seeming to cough a little out of reflex.  ¡°... I don¡¯t want to be ¡­ this ¡­ you were there ¡­ we met up at University ¡­ my parents made me go, and ¡­ we became friends,¡± her voice cracked.  ¡°My family was back together ¡­ everything was so nice.¡±


    Her tail was really uncomfortable, digging into the clay-like dirt, but she dealt with it, untangling her fingers from the back of Scarlet¡¯s shirt to move them to her face.  She brushed back her hair to see her red cheeks; every so often, a few crimson tears would leak out as she let her release all the pain.


    ¡°I ¡­ we were picking out classes, and ¡­ I thought all of this was some nightmare ¡­ I was so scared and excited when I saw Maria ¡­ I was too nervous to talk to her, but ¡­ but I wanted to, and she seemed happy with her brother.¡±


    ¡°Fiona?¡±  Rachel asked, feeling the reverberations in her chest with Scarlet¡¯s body pressing down on her.


    ¡°... Umm ¡­ yeah, she, uh ¡­ I tuned into her stream once ¡­ I¡¯d only seen a short clip of what she used to look like before, but ¡­ how could it do that to me?¡±  She moaned, chest fluttering with her sharp breath.  ¡°I ¡­ even Kyle had moved here ¡­ giving tours around Miami.¡±


    Wow ¡­ it¡¯s kind of crazy how much time passed for Scarlet compared to me ¡­ no wonder it felt so real to them; weeks must have gone by in their own fantasies, but I guess that¡¯s how much is in Scarlet¡¯s heart.  It really shows how much different I am.


    Taking another deep breath, she let it release in a slow stream.  ¡°It was a curse ¡­ I broke it before it could make us controllable zombies.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ so cruel¡­¡±  Scarlet repeated, sniffing again.  ¡°Why did it show us that, though?  What did it show you?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips tightened; it was a lot of information that she honestly wouldn¡¯t want to share too much of with many others, possibly only Maria and Fiona.  This would be the best time to do it in private; just as she¡¯d predicted, her brother¡¯s energy creature had moved off to the right.


    ¡°... Uh ¡­ are you okay now?  If you want to talk about it, then I¡¯m listening.  Once you¡¯re okay, then I¡¯ll tell you my experience, but I¡¯m still concerned about you.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ oh, no, no, I¡¯m fine!¡±  Scarlet cleared her throat, hastily sticking her hand on the mud beside them to hoist herself up; her pressure pushed Rachel¡¯s concealed hair further into the damp soil, but it didn¡¯t hurt.


    Rachel smiled a little as Scarlet became flustered, rubbing her dirty arm before pausing and releasing pitiful groans.  ¡°No ¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Rachel ¡­ I¡¯m so sorry, I just ¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to tackle you into the mud, but I just ¡­ I was so happy to see you and sad and¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine!  No, it¡¯s totally fine, Scarlet,¡± Rachel chuckled, mud making a squelching noise as she unstuck herself, running her hands through the clumps of clay in her hair after standing up.  ¡°I¡¯m just happy you¡¯re doing better.  That was pretty cruel, though ¡­ I know you¡¯re still going through a rough time.¡±


    Once out of the gunk, Rachel smiled at her.  ¡°We¡¯re sisters now, remember?¡±  She chuckled, opening her arms.  ¡°Want another hug; what¡¯s some mud?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s facade began to break down again, and she stepped forward to hug her, sniffling as Rachel bent down a little to pick her up into a bear hug.  ¡°See?  We¡¯ll be fine, right?  So, want to talk about it anymore?¡±


    ¡°Mhm-mmh ¡­ no, you tell me about it ¡­ was it bad?  How did you get out ¡­ no, of course, you got out because you¡¯re so awesome!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± Rachel chuckled, squeezing a tiny bit harder until Scarlet gave a low squealing giggle.


    ¡°Okay, okay ¡­ uncle!¡±


    Letting her go, Rachel held out her hand.  ¡°Hey, let¡¯s grab Alexa and Gisele first, then tell my brother everyone¡¯s fine.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s flush face softened, fingers closing around her palm.  ¡°T-Thanks, Rachel ¡­ thank you so much for ¡­ for letting me be a part of your family.¡±


    ¡°Of course, and my mother would kill me if I let anything happen to you,¡± she winked, guiding her in the direction of her brother¡¯s construct.  ¡°You don¡¯t know how scary a Korean mom can be if she wants to be!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I bet,¡± Scarlet giggled.  ¡°Umm ¡­ so, what about¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Rachel used her free hand to scratch the back of her dirty scalp, releasing a soft hum; they didn¡¯t know the exact reason why the island showed them the visions, and it might be easier not to go that deep into the topic or else it might open up some misunderstandings in Scarlet¡¯s mind.  ¡°Well ¡­ I know it might sound a little crazy, but actually ¡­ met a copy of your inner devil.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fingers flexed, slowing to a stop while staring up at her with widening eyes.  ¡°Y-You don¡¯t mean ¡­ you met ¡­ you met The Reaper of Blood?¡±


    ¡°Well, kind of,¡± Rachel mumbled, gently tugging her arm to get them moving again.  ¡°She called herself Twilight, the creature that¡¯s in-between, whatever that means, but it does correlate to your Twilight Branch that links your Scarlet and Reaper Trees.¡±


    ¡°Twilight,¡± Scarlet mumbled, vision falling to the nighttime jungle floor; sheens of light were passing through the dense canopy, but the darkness wasn¡¯t an issue for them.  Alexa had to stay put because she couldn¡¯t see much of anything without a guide.  ¡°So ¡­ you don¡¯t seem very scared?  Are you sure it was her?¡±


    ¡°No, not exactly,¡± Rachel replied, brushing back large ferns and flowers while making her way to the bright energy creature.  ¡°The power of the curse we were under couldn¡¯t actually copy Twilight; figures, right?  I mean, she¡¯s super powerful ¡­ she talked about gods and goddesses like they were annoying bugs buzzing in her ear.¡±


    ¡°Woah ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be surprised, though,¡± Scarlet whispered, and a shiver ran through her body.  ¡°H-How did it ¡­ why did the curse show you that?¡±


    ¡°I have a theory,¡± Rachel mumbled, ¡°but the important part was what she told me ¡­ she¡¯s the only reason we made it out of this alive.¡±


    ¡°Wait ¡­ you¡¯re not joking?¡±  Scarlet asked, her tone becoming concerned.  ¡°Nope¡­¡±


    Rachel told Scarlet about much of the conversation she had with Twilight, including the exasperated and elitist mannerisms she displayed.  The part about people fearing and wanting power made Scarlet roll her eyes; it was an utterly different experience than what she¡¯d experienced, but that only made sense because this was only the tiniest fragment of who Twilight really was.


    Nam¡¯s constructs managed to find them as Rachel told Scarlet about the experience with her demon, and he appeared to understand the message, which made her realize her brother¡¯s intentions when talking to his wife below deck earlier.  It meant he¡¯d personally witnessed the whole fight above the ship but hadn¡¯t told Alexa about it; he didn¡¯t like that she was getting involved with this dangerous side of his sister.


    The construct vanished, and Rachel quickly wrapped up her story, causing Scarlet to huff with dissatisfaction.  ¡°She sounds a whole lot more reasonable, and ¡­ she likes to mess with me; I hope she likes sleeping because it¡¯s her sole hobby forever!  Freakin¡¯ Twilight ¡­ like a flippin¡¯ pony Alicorn.  Wow ¡­ I just can¡¯t get that stupid image out of my head.¡±


    Utterly lost on what a pony alicorn was, Rachel bypassed the remark.  ¡°Just to keep it simple, I think we should probably not mention Twilight to the others.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ uh, yeah, that uh ¡­ yeah, okay,¡± Scarlet mumbled, surprisingly conflicted.


    ¡°So ¡­ can you teleport us to Alexa?  She¡¯s with Gisele right now, but ¡­ alone in a copy dimension¡¯s scary dark jungle.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s expression broke with concern.  ¡°Oh, my goodness!  I¡¯m so sorry!  Yeah, umm ¡­ where is she?¡±


    Pointing the direction, Scarlet took several jumps through shadow before they finally reached her sister-in-law.


    ¡°Hey, Alexa, how are you feeling?¡±  Rachel asked as they appeared.


    Alexa jumped at the sudden voice and shadow that appeared out of nowhere.  ¡°Oh!  Uh ¡­ Rachel?  Eh ¡­ hey, is everyone with you?¡±  She asked with a sheepish smile, pulling back her hair; there was a hint of disappointment still in her voice.


    ¡°No, we came to get you first!¡±  Scarlet took a few steps forward to hug her as Alexa got up, brushing off her muddy knees, but stopped after thinking twice about how dirty she was.  ¡°Umm ¡­ so, are you okay after whatever you saw?¡±


    Rachel was slightly surprised to see Alexa show a full blush while scratching her neck, probably forgetting how easily they could see her in the dark.  ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah, no, I¡¯m just a bit, umm,¡± she swallowed a bit of saliva, ¡°disappointed a bit, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ I get that,¡± Scarlet mumbled, the emotion evident in her tone.  ¡°You don¡¯t need to share it if it¡¯s painful.¡±


    Alexa¡¯s half-smile fell a little while rubbing her neck, fist closed against her belly while shifting a bit shyly in the mud.  ¡°Well ¡­ not really painful, per se, but just ¡­ a bit embarrassing.  I guess I know why it kind of made me believe that ¡­ umm, I was a magical girl,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°I mean, I really want to help Nam with ¡­ ya know, what he¡¯s going through, and I feel a little helpless, but ¡­ I can¡¯t argue the thought hasn¡¯t crossed my mind ¡­ magical powers would be fun ¡­ no, nevermind.¡±


    Rachel giggled lightly.  ¡°Is that why you wanted to join us?¡±


    ¡°... Kind of,¡± Alexa admitted with a wince.  ¡°The adventure was super enticing, but I just want ¡­ to know a bit more about this stuff to try and help Nam.  He acts really tough, but I know some of the things he did at the Police Station and ¡­ well, how he feels about himself isn¡¯t the same.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile fell a bit upon hearing the confession, remembering the position her family had been on the night of The Oscillation with the people attacking the Police Station, and the actions Nam had to take that obviously still haunt him.


    She licked her lips, rubbing her own neck; it reminded her of the ease she could cause people pain and kill.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ there¡¯s a lot of bad that came with The Oscillation.¡±


    Alexa took a deep breath, releasing it in a long puff.  ¡°... Okay!  Umm, but if there¡¯s anything you two want to talk about ¡­ was it really bad for you, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ it was, but Rachel helped me get through it,¡± she mumbled, gripping her side.  ¡°So ¡­ should we go find the others then?¡±


    Rachel noticed the baby Sky Reaver acting a little discouraged on Alexa¡¯s shoulder but dismissed it.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ uh, we probably should leave Ohan to cool down a bit ¡­ he took the thing pretty bad.¡±


    ¡°Oof ¡­ he¡¯s okay, though?¡±  Alexa asked.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ but the jungle around him isn¡¯t.  He¡¯s sitting down right now, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s really that calm by how his teeth are grinding and some of his movements.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s vampiric eyes returned while scanning the area.  ¡°What about Cahira?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, well ¡­ she took it surprisingly well.  I think her big vision was about completing this quest and getting a big haul.¡±


    Alexa chuckled a little, hugging herself.  ¡°I think that can actually come true, though.¡±


    It also gave Rachel a good understanding of Cahira¡¯s character; in her heart, she really just wanted the freedom to chase adventure, and she was alright with that.  She probably had the most surface-level emotions out of everyone she knew, wearing her heart on her sleeve for all to look.


    ¡°Okay, Scarlet, you want to grab her?¡±  Rachel asked with a bright smile.  ¡°We can¡¯t all squeeze in around you to teleport, and I don¡¯t think Alexa would like the Blood Portal experience.¡±


    ¡°The what?¡±  Alexa questioned, adjusting her hair again as a breeze picked it up.


    ¡°Eh,¡± Scarlet forced a smile, ¡°yeah, it¡¯s another teleport thing I can do that¡¯s, uh ¡­ pretty uncomfortable.  Maria HATES it, but yeah ¡­ I¡¯ll go grab her ¡­ which is where?¡±


    Rachel pointed out the direction of The Pirate Queen¡¯s voice, and she rushed that way to grab the woman.  There was a rather strange discussion revolving around Cahira thinking Scarlet was there to join some kind of exhibitionist game?  Scarlet was probably piping red in the face at that because she swiftly rejected it.


    Once the woman was secured, they used her shadow to get to the boat and report in; they passed the first trial.  Molly was pretty emotional about wanting to know what happened, but Sam calmed her down.


    Finally, Scarlet snatched Ohan and pulled him to their location.


    Cahira took the time to detail the strange dream that involved an unusual cricket creature and a puzzle, artifacts hidden around the island that Rachel actually solved.  While Rachel slaved away with the proper sequence, the rest of the crew had taken to lazing about the island, enjoying themselves.


    One particular part about a romantic moment that sparked between her and both Legendkin caused Rachel¡¯s ears and tail to remain stiff, but luckily she didn¡¯t go into too much detail because it was beginning to heat Rachel¡¯s chest; Alexa cried for more detail, but the discussion was swiftly dropped when Scarlet returned with Ohan.


    The Samurai¡¯s cold mood instantly dropped the atmosphere; his gaze shot between them, and the first thing he asked was, ¡°What the hell was that?¡±


    This was exactly what Rachel didn¡¯t want to fully explain, but she understood why he¡¯d be so up in arms about it.  ¡°A curse.¡±


    Ohan¡¯s jaw tightened, his lips pulling in as his nose twitched with rage, hard glowing brown eyes locking on her.  ¡°... What kind of curse would do that?¡±


    Rachel took the glare without issue.  ¡°The kind that doesn¡¯t want you to ask questions while it works at stealing your ability to have desires ¡­ turning you into its slave, fully conscious of the act, but lacking any motivation to fight it once completed.¡±


    ¡°Who¡­¡±  Ohan asked, clearly to find the identity of the person he¡¯d murder.


    Cahira shook her head, shrugging with a soft frown.  ¡°Can¡¯t say, love.  From what the lass here says, it be a sort of ritual in the jungle.  Could be no one¡¯s doin¡¯ but this Quest¡¯s.¡±


    He didn¡¯t appear to like that answer, but his temper was slowly calming.  ¡°... Is there more ¡­ could there be someone that created it that we need to slay next?¡±


    The Pirate Queen opened her mouth, shutting it soon after as Rachel butted in.  ¡°Possibly, but it¡¯s not for certain.  I discovered that there are two more trials next ¡­ and we should be very cautious.  We almost died in this trap ¡­ not all these challenges are about physical strength.¡±


    ¡°Then we should get going,¡± Ohan mumbled, glancing around.  ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°Wait, thar be two?¡±  Cahira asked, glowing blue eyes creasing with a thoughtful expression.  ¡°Huh ¡­ well, I¡¯ll be damned; how¡¯d ya come by this savory bit of information?¡±


    Rachel brushed back her hair while turning to the fiery-haired woman.  ¡°It was revealed while the curse was breaking.¡±


    ¡°Oh, huh ¡­ I should keep a better eye out,¡± Cahira mumbled.  ¡°I suppose there could be clues at the end of each trial¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°A hidden wooden door appeared after all the totems burned away.  That¡¯s probably our next clue.¡±


    ¡°Which direction?¡±  Ohan prompted, jumping at the bit to destroy the next trial as if it had personally wronged him.


    Cahira held up her hands with a forced laugh.  ¡°Hol¡¯up, big fella!  I¡¯ve gotta nab the treasure on mi map above ground before we go below ¡­ who be knowin¡¯ what trigger be sparkin¡¯ next after we hop in the hole?¡±


    ¡°... I¡¯ll wait by the entrance until you finish.¡±


    Rachel released a soft sigh; Ohan was very upset by the vision he¡¯d been sucked into, and it wouldn¡¯t be easy dealing with his hovering grudge.  He could just jump in and start it without them being present, but it was a risk she¡¯d have to take.  The issue was that she didn¡¯t know the exact location anymore after they¡¯d moved so often; there wasn¡¯t any sound that would help her locate the area.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ to be honest, I don¡¯t know,¡± she mumbled, glancing over at Scarlet before the Samurai could respond.  ¡°Scarlet, could you scout around for a few miles?  It should be a clearing big enough to see from the sky.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure!  Umm ¡­ then just come back and take Ohan there?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it,¡± Ohan nodded, neutral tone returning.  ¡°While you¡¯re digging up treasure ¡­ I¡¯ll look for clues around the site.¡±


    ¡°Okay, uh ¡­ sounds good!¡±  Scarlet said with a forced laugh, disappearing into shadows.


    It didn¡¯t take long for her to discover the area and deliver Ohan to the place.  She then teleported each of them to the direction Cahira pointed in, using her compass to determine the proper location.


    They were on the shores across the island with a long jutting peninsula of sand running out to sea; the water washed up over the area every so often, causing the sand to stay wet.


    Cahira glanced at her map and pointed at a location with glee.  ¡°Uh ¡­ aye, we got ourselves buried treasure, mi lasses!¡±


    A short wooden shovel appeared out of flames, and she handed it to Rachel.  ¡°Ya seem like the most capable of the lot with grunt work, eh, mi girl?  Ah, maybe ya two would like washin¡¯ in the sea first?¡±  She chuckled, eyeing Scarlet and her muddy appearance.  She chuckled, nudging her side.


    ¡°Uh, sure ¡­ Scarlet?¡±  Rachel gasped as the girl¡¯s arms latched around her chest from behind with a giggle, vanishing with her in the shadows to appear over the ocean.


    ¡°Got ya!¡±  Scarlet snickered as the salty breeze rushed past them.


    A smile lit Rachel¡¯s lips as she took a deep breath; they hit the water, dropping meters below its surface.  The riptide they entered was fairly strong, but she could easily combat the force with Scarlet.


    Rachel swiftly outpaced Scarlet, powerful dolphin-like kicks propelling her forward as dirt and mud were pulled off her body with the motions; Scarlet seemed to have more trouble with such a method, losing her bottoms at the first attempt and having to retreat to snatch them.


    Scarlet took a bit longer to reach the shore, water dripping off her body as she exited, trudging through the waist-high currents as it tried to carry her back to sea; it succeeded once, pulling the sand out from under her feet to her shock and causing her to dip back below the waves.  Cahira and Rachel were the only ones to see it, chuckling at her struggles.


    The girl¡¯s cheeks were a bit heated with frustration when she finally made it out of the water, but she didn¡¯t use her shadows; the PJ bottoms were tied much tighter around her hips, but it seemed part of the left leg had been torn off at the mid-thigh with her kicks from the damage they received during her fight with the bats.


    ¡°Missin¡¯ a leggin¡¯, mi lass!¡±  Cahira pointed out with a smirk.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ I noticed,¡± Scarlet mumbled; her shirt was sticking to her bra, giving it an imprint.  ¡°I think this place has a grudge against me ¡­ that was way more difficult than it should have been.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel nodded with a small grin, ¡°maybe ¡­ I mean, you did basically slaughter the first two challenges.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±  Scarlet huffed, glaring down at her wet skin.  ¡°Geez ¡­ Cahira, you don¡¯t have any, uh ¡­ extra clothes, right?¡±


    ¡°¡®Fraid not,¡± she replied with a forced smile.  ¡°We¡¯ll need ta complete this Quest to get ya some decent threads.¡±


    ¡°Is it really that bad?¡±  Alexa asked, moving closer to inspect her.  ¡°Oof ¡­ wait, yeah ¡­ those aren¡¯t gonna last much longer.¡±


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ can you check the back?¡±  Scarlet asked, grabbing her shoulder to try and sneak a peek.  ¡°I feel like there¡¯s just a lot more torn off ¡­ part of the cuts were from my own blood exiting too fast,¡± she grumbled.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ your blood comes out?¡±  Alexa asked with a soft hum.  ¡°Wait, like Noblesse?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ kind of,¡± Scarlet mumbled, waiting for Alexa to finish her inspection.  ¡°More like Kuriyama Mirai, yea know, from¡­¡±


    Alexa squealed.  ¡°Kyoukai no Kanata?!  I love that show; she¡¯s so cute!¡±


    ¡°I know!¡±  Scarlet replied, expression brightening with the topic.  ¡°I can make all sorts of weapons, but I kind of like the scythe the most.  It makes me think of¡­¡±


    Rachel took the purely wooden shovel Cahira offered her and began digging; the light of the falling Flush Moon and orange moon, mysterious effects overpowered by the pink sphere, still hanging in the sky to aid her.  The shovel broke four times, requiring Cahira to spend her own reserve energy to restore it.


    They both listened to the girls fangirl out about topics far outside their realm of expertise.


    ¡°Oh, let me guess!¡±  Alexa hummed while inspecting her clothes in the overhead starlight.  ¡°Uh ¡­ Haqua?¡±


    ¡°Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai,¡± Scarlet giggled, ¡°but nope, wasn¡¯t thinking about her.¡±


    ¡°Ruby Rose?¡±


    ¡°Ooh, close second!¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, I know ¡­ umm, her name was ¡­ Shinoa H¨©ragi!¡±


    ¡°Ding, ding, ding!  I love the Owari no Seraph prequel light novel, and the manga is so good!  You know ¡­ even though it has Vampires, it¡¯s, ya know ¡­ not that bad since they¡¯re mostly enemies with the demons.  I actually read it all in incognito mode so my parents wouldn¡¯t know,¡± she mumbled with a sheepish smile.


    ¡°Hehe,¡± Alexa¡¯s tone died down a bit with a low groan.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ I don¡¯t know how long your bra strap is gonna last.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that,¡± Scarlet cried with a moan.    ¡°How bad is it?¡±


    ¡°I mean, there¡¯s a few tears in the fabric, and if more are made or more pressure put on some parts ¡­ yeah, it could cause some trouble.¡±


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ okay, thanks, Alexa.¡±


    ¡°No problem!  Umm, yeah, so ¡­ oh, is Rachel already almost down to the chest?¡±


    Cahira hummed softly.  ¡°Broke four of mi shovels gettin¡¯ there; she¡¯s got the strength of a monster, alright.¡±


    ¡°... Thanks,¡± Rachel chuckled, standing in the waterlogged hole she was swiftly digging.  Water and sand were trying to fill in her efforts, but her speedy actions were outpacing the effort.  ¡°Hey, Scarlet, mind making a small barrier around to stop the water?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she whispered, lips still pushed to the side with dissatisfaction from the news about her bra.


    Scarlet created a circular barrier around her, causing the waves to bow around it, and within another minute, she¡¯d struck a chest.


    ¡°That be the sound!¡±  Cahira cheered.


    Digging her hands into the sand around it, Rachel¡¯s feet sunk into the moist hole as she forced the box out with a loud suction sound, repositioning herself as the ground shifted.  Tossing it out, she worked herself back to the crew.


    Cahira took out the key from her tight leather pants and popped it into the lock; no sand had gotten into the contraption.  A click sounded, and the lid was thrown back to reveal a rainbow-colored pearl nearly the size of the chest.


    The Pirate Queen¡¯s eyes sparkled.  ¡°Oh, mi beauty; this be worth a fortune once we get ta Pirate¡¯s Cove!¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ Cahira,¡± Rachel prompted, causing the woman to pull back her hair to give her a questioning look.  ¡°I think you should increase your treasure hold a lot ¡­ this is a very high-level Legendary Quest, and I¡¯m guessing your store is already almost filled.  I just think it would do you better to have the treasure than the combat points at this time since we¡¯re helping you on that front.¡±


    ¡°Not a bad idea, mi lunar friend!¡±  Cahira grinned.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ yer sayin¡¯ I should upgrade mi ship¡¯s size, eh ¡­ I suspect it be costin¡¯ a pretty price, but ¡­ with ya helpin¡¯ me on these adventures ¡­ I¡¯ll drop the wager!  Hehe, yer not wrong, though, mi lass; my ship is bulgin¡¯ at the seams with loot after those two hordes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t wait to see the new ship!¡±  Alexa cheered.


    ¡°That be my hopes, too!¡±  Cahira replied, frowning down at the box.  ¡°Eh ¡­ normally, I believe a crew would be the tool I¡¯d use to bring back the spoils ta the ship.  Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°I got it!¡±  Scarlet raised her hand.  ¡°Although, I mean ¡­ I¡¯m kind of actually running out of blood ¡­ which is kind of crazy,¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°Oh, can I volunteer?¡±  Alexa hesitantly asked.  ¡°I mean, you¡¯re not going to drain me dry, right?¡±


    ¡°Eh, no, no,¡± Scarlet mumbled, ¡°umm ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t want to do it from you guys ¡­ maybe a monster we meet next.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet up with some beasties next,¡± Cahira urged.  ¡°Aye, let¡¯s get back mi ship; we need to store this precious cargo and upgrade the vessel!¡±


    Scarlet used her Blood Portal to do it in one go with Alexa¡¯s assurances that she¡¯d endure however it felt.  They quickly hopped through, and sure enough, the blonde was a bit mortified by the experience of being touched everywhere as you passed through but played it off pretty well.  Scarlet figured out that if she stood at the halfway point, she could utilize Blood Portal at twice its distance since she could see them and the destination.


    While everyone was answering questions, Cahira upgraded the ship with everyone onboard, causing a bit of panic as blue flames exploded across the vessel.


    It kept its sleek red and black theme while expanding into what Cahira described Barquentine-class; a sailing ship with three or more masts.  This ship had three.


    At 58 meters long, with a beam of 10 meters, and a draft of 4 meters, she was a decent size bigger than the previous vessel.  Her highest mast shot 35 meters into the sky, hull made of some unique hardened wood that was as strong as steel; a major upgrade was the ship had the aid of some form of saltwater electrohydrodynamic-based engine, utilizing the sea itself as fuel, which eased Cahira¡¯s personal energy cost.  Much of the extra size, however, was dedicated to the Treasury.   Rachel could absolutely see the difference between the increased girth.


    Selvaria had gone through a few slow healing treatments below deck while they¡¯d been away and wanted to join them on the next challenge, eager to prove herself with the tone in her voice.  Rachel still wanted Anthony with her parents, and Alexa agreed to stay behind this time.


    Maria was running lower on energy after everything she had to heal from Selvaria¡¯s complicated body and outside of sunlight, so she was confined below the deck; she¡¯d been crying out warning shouts when the ship started to change, though, which had a few people laughing.


    Elena wanted to join, but after Twilight¡¯s warnings, Rachel shot the girl down to her disappointment, but it dispersed when she mentioned she wanted her nearby to protect her family.


    Rachel dismissively left her little Sky Reaver on the ship to look after things before heading out; with Selvaria joining them, they decided to trek the rest of the way to meet up with Ohan.  She figured with Cahira, a fully juiced up Selvaria as the tank, Ohan and herself, rocking Flush Moon energy, for close-combat, and Scarlet¡¯s versatility, that they had a decent team.


    Again, Fiona came to Rachel¡¯s mind; a lot of the issues could have been solved if they had the tiny OP Fairy girl that could scout by air and possibly solve the fog matter by being outside its effects from above.


    Ohan was waiting to meet them, but Rachel was still concerned about how cool-headed he could be on this upcoming journey.  He could handle himself, she was sure, but rash decisions based on emotional rushes could affect others; she just hoped none of that would happen with the crew they brought.  The only real concern was probably Cahira; Rachel wasn¡¯t sure how much the woman¡¯s body could take.


    They stopped outside the trapped door; Ohan mentioned he couldn¡¯t find any other clue besides the strange symbols written on the ground that none of them could translate.  Scarlet decided to go first to check out the interior since she could just teleport out, and Rachel opened the trapped door.


    Not a sound was made, which surprised Rachel¡¯s ears as it smoothly lifted up; the only noise came from the plop as it struck the dirt.


    They peered into the depths; it was a narrow hole that dropped over ten meters below with strange wooden handles and footholds as a ladder that appeared to be just wooden spikes stuck into the earth.


    ¡°Well ¡­ here I go!¡±  Scarlet said with a nervous chuckle.


    AuthorSME


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    10 Chapters in the Pokemon Fanfic


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 B3 — 65. The Nightmare

    AuthorSME


    POV:


    1: Rachel Park (our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap: Rachel discovered some rather ... uncomfortable things about Cahira''s ''thirsty'' nature involving her time in the Curse ... provocative time spent with the guys.  Ohan was furious with whatever he saw, which changed his personality dramatically; he''s out for blood.


    She told Scarlet about Twilight and how they got out, bypassing why she saw her to get to the others.  Getting everyone back to the ship.


    Scarlet and Alexa went into cute characters ... Rachel lost in the conversation, and Scarlet''s clothes aren''t holding up too well after their first two challenges, showing how difficult just those battles were.


    Cahira ... being Cahira, and they went to the underground opening, getting together who they could for an elite squad!  What awaits our party?!


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Omega, Joanathan Howard, Necroma Crowley, Ryan Devine, Braincase, ASmallFish, Loki388, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched; she couldn¡¯t hear anything in the underground space except for the very low frequencies of trembling earth that radiated up from the ground.  It was a bit odd, yet so was an entire tropical island jungle without animals, birds, or even insects.  She had to filter out countless noises in her environment on Earth, but the silence here was eerie.


    Scarlet tucked her shirt into her PJs, gave them a nervous laugh and wave while dropping into the hole.  She followed her friend¡¯s descent with her ears, judging the distance.


    ¡°10-meters, just as it looks,¡± Rachel reported.


    Ohan was already preparing to make his own drop; Rachel didn¡¯t try to intervene, listening to Scarlet explanations below; they sounded a bit distorted, though, causing her lips to bunch to the side.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ wow, umm ¡­ well, this is cool.  Alien wood, huh?  I liked the alien ship better, though.  Hey, it¡¯s safe to come down, guys ¡­ uh, I can¡¯t see through the walls here; they must have a high penetration resistance.  Umm ¡­ yeah, I think we¡¯ve gotta activate something here to continue ¡­ it¡¯s pretty advanced looking stuff.¡±


    Rachel followed after Ohan.  Her hair flew up, keeping out of her face before she landed, brushing a few out of place locks back.  Her eyes widened with confusion upon rising; her entire environment had changed in an instant, but Scarlet hadn¡¯t reported that fact.  There was no warning or feeling, but something had undoubtedly occurred.


    Cautiously walking forward to allow Cahira and Selvaria to join them, Rachel spun in a slow circle, taking in every inch of the octagon-shaped room they¡¯d entered.  Her brain kicked into overdrive with fascination, and a thrilling spur rotated around her stomach at the design, aesthetics, and implications.


    The room was at least 20-meters tall, making no sense since the distance they fell was certainly 10-meters; the descent had likely been a trap with a teleportation portal.  Ohan was examining the wooden spiked stairs suspiciously while Scarlet moved around to inspect other strange articles.


    Rachel wanted to solve the first mystery before moving onto the others since this was their only escape route.  Each spike floated in midair with similar witchcraft-like symbols as the totems that had burst into flame, written near the sharp tips.  Her mind returned to the concoction Twilight had dumped on the orb.


    Everything about this Quest seems to be connected with some dimension or universal place that actually exists, if what Twilight said was true, which means this whole island is probably some form of vault or treasury for some real creatures.


    Her lips pulled in as a thought sprung up.


    No ¡­ Twilight said the last trial was a weak version of Eleuthira¡¯s Curse ¡­ we could be raiding a goddess¡¯ vault, or at least, that¡¯s what this is trying to replicate.  Why would random items from the jungle in a mix destroy the cursed orb?  It makes no sense unless there was real energy within the ingredients that could be combined to disrupt something ¡­ is it even worth speculating over?


    It appeared as if they''d been teleported while reaching the bottom.  It would be worth a shot to see if she could jump or climb out, but that could also trigger some kind of event, which meant her next order of business should be examining the odd room.


    The octagon-shaped, futuristic puzzle was mirrored in a broad, six-tier descent, and everything was carved out of an obsidian-black wood; each tier had a gradual ramp, leading to the next.  The entire structure was crafted with large triangular walls and floors with glowing blue lines running between them.


    The faint-blue patterns cast the space in dim light and drew everyone¡¯s focus to the unusual room¡¯s shape; above them, the ceiling rose from the center out several meters with the same pattern as the floor, making the center the highest and lowest point of the ground and roof.


    Rachel followed Scarlet down the tiers, keeping track of the large alien symbols placed in each of the wooden triangles.  ¡°You can¡¯t see past them, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Nope ¡­ they¡¯re really cool, though, right?  Do you think we touch the wall and try to match up the symbols?¡±


    A soft chuckle shook Rachel¡¯s frame as she held her hands behind her back, glaring at the odd symbols.  The eight walls were shaped just like the floor and ceiling.  ¡°Would you go into a human vault and try to match up the numbers to open the lock?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ no,¡± Scarlet mumbled, flushing a bit.  ¡°I guess that is kind of silly, hehe.  Hmm ¡­ oh, what if ¡­ eh, wait, do you think this is a vault?¡±


    Cahira released a low rumble in her throat upon reaching the bottom, apparently jumping the same as all of them.  ¡°Odd ¡­ eh, woah, what¡¯s that?¡±  She asked, directing everyone¡¯s attention to a symbol that changed on one of the walls.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ a body-count meter?¡±  Rachel asked.  ¡°We¡¯ll¡­¡±


    They all swiftly looked up as a faint scream sounded from above, and Selvaria just appeared beside Cahira out of thin air, lying flat on her back with her arms outstretched.  The first thing to move was her thick tail, twitching left and right as she stared up at the ceiling.


    ¡°... I fell,¡± she stated in a dreary tone.


    Cahira raised an eyebrow.  ¡°Aye, we can see that, mi dear ¡­ eh, did it hurt?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± she mumbled, head tilting left and right to observe her new surroundings.  ¡°Huh ¡­ bigger than I thought.¡±


    Rachel scanned the symbols; not one changed.


    Could the number have changed when Selvaria entered the hole?  I guess we can try to test¡­


    Her plans were dashed as the room¡¯s lights and symbols began to glow; the entrance vanished with the wooden stakes, and then the triangle walls started to drop into slots before sliding underneath the one below it, twisting the octagon room around in a strange pattern that had almost everyone on edge.


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Selvaria murmured in a bleak tone, fingers pressing against the floor while lying flat on her back, observing the same room moving process above them.  ¡°I¡¯ve triggered their trap card.¡±


    Cahira released a nervous giggle, scratching the back of her neck.  ¡°We¡¯ve gone and done it now, eh?  What¡¯s the play?¡±


    Rachel kept an eye on the triangles they each stood on; only they didn¡¯t move, which could imply the room would change depending on the spot they were at.  Leaping to a new space, she watched her previous triangle enter the mix of dropping and rising shapes.


    ¡°Stay where you are ¡­ unless they start¡­¡±


    She trailed off as the rotating area stopped.


    Scarlet popped her tongue with a grimace as multiple entrances opened up all around them.  ¡°Ugh ¡­ the random route play, huh?  I hate when games make you do this ¡­ think we¡¯ll get a chance to double back and try another?¡±


    ¡°Shit ¡­ here we go again,¡± Selvaria groaned in a dry tone, still lying flat on her back, tail flicking from side to side.


    A frown touched Rachel¡¯s lips, head shifting to gaze between each opening; twenty-two routes were available, and splitting up was always a bad option.  Through one of the walls, they could go down or try and jump to the ceiling paths.  Each one turned in a different direction, blocking sight.


    However, Rachel¡¯s ears and tail stiffened with sudden dread as two voices down one path made her stomach twist, and her wide-eyed gaze shot to Scarlet next to her, but the Vespertine Reaper was just looking around in a conflicted manner.


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ did it have to separate us?¡±  Another Scarlet moaned from a distance that sounded a mile away from them, likely running her hands through her hair in frustration down dozens of twists and turns.  There were two Scarlets.


    In a different direction, Rachel heard Selvaria release a somber sigh.  ¡°No one around, still.  So, Selvaria ¡­ how¡¯s it like being alone again ¡­ yeah, it sucks, and I¡¯m hungry.¡±  She released another depressed sigh.  ¡°I should have eaten some more sea creatures.¡±


    A lump dropped down Rachel¡¯s throat as different paths had similar sounds of her teammates wandering around a maze by themselves with weary and frustrated comments.


    Rachel eyed the group beside her; there was a very high chance of an imposter being among them, or outside in the labyrinth.  Worse, there was probably even a copy of her that was doing the exact same thing in that very moment.


    When?  When we were teleported ¡­ if it can replicate Twilight ¡­ just how powerful is Scarlet¡¯s replica ¡­ Selvaria¡¯s, mine ¡­ what if ¡­ could I be the replica?


    Her paranoid mind shifted into overdrive with the possibilities this Quest could manifest.


    ¡°We can split up,¡± Ohan grunted, but Rachel¡¯s features set as she glared at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take a step.¡±


    ¡°... What?¡±  He asked, features creasing in confusion.  ¡°Why?¡±


    Everyone looked at her, waiting for an answer, but she didn¡¯t respond right away, still tracking each footstep, grumble, and action made by the others within the labyrinth.  Finally, she zeroed in on her own cold, calculating voice within the path to her left.


    ¡°So ¡­ we have doubled; this makes things complicated ¡­ wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    More saliva gathered in Rachel¡¯s throat; the implications were actually terrifying once sliding past the obvious fun it would be to face herself.  If any of them were to die, and the trial ended with the living turning to smoke, how could they live with themselves?


    No, the most acceptable process would be to gather everyone ¡­ we could ¡­ I could be fake with how powerful the previous Curse was, and this maze ¡­ I bet a curse is working against us right now ¡­ something must be.  Dammit!  Twilight couldn¡¯t have given me a hint about this?


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±  Scarlet asked.


    The group straightened, folding their arms with frowns while continuing to wait for her response.


    Swallowing her nervous spit again, Rachel said, ¡°I¡¯m going to say some things that probably don¡¯t make sense to you, but ¡­ bear with me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Her double across the maze sat on the ground with a sly tone.  ¡°Well, this should be interesting.  You can hear the others, right?  I¡¯ve only heard Scarlet and Cahira within my range.  What about you?¡±


    ¡°Everyone,¡± Rachel responded, causing her group to give each other baffled expressions.


    ¡°Yes?¡±  Cahira questioned.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you guys,¡± Rachel smoothly replied.  ¡°As I said, give me a minute.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Ohan growled.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you want me to leave to find whoever¡¯s doing this ¡­ if someone is doing this?¡±


    Her double hummed softly.  ¡°You should probably calm everyone down ¡­ but this maze is filled with monsters my ¡­ our friends could run into.  You can hear them, right?  I wouldn¡¯t put traps off the table, either ¡­ it is a bit strange ¡­ talking to myself.  Are you me ¡­ or the imposter?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s teeth clamped together; she wasn¡¯t sure.  Turning to the other four, she took a deep breath and said, ¡°I can hear each of you throughout the labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ could ya repeat that?¡±  Cahira asked, uneasily pulling up on her chest with her folded arms as they tightened around her body.  ¡°Yer sain¡¯ ¡­ we got some body-doubles among us?¡±


    ¡°Ehh?!¡±  Scarlet jumped back with a hard swallow, eyeing each of them as her irises turned vampiric.  ¡°Umm ¡­ no, but ¡­ everyone looks the same to me.  So ¡­ the other ones are imposters?¡±


    Ohan took a step back, grip tightening around his sword.  ¡°That last trial showed how real this ¡­ person can make something.  Even if you say that, Scarlet ¡­ that doesn¡¯t drop you of suspicion.¡±


    His narrowed gaze shifted to Rachel.  ¡°Nor does pointing it out.¡±


    Rachel pulled around her hair and dropped to her butt across from Selvaria.  ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.  However, I can talk with my clone ¡­ unless I¡¯m the clone.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±  Scarlet protested.  Her left hand tightening against her chest, red halo-like irises darting between them.  ¡°You can¡¯t be ¡­ we¡¯ve been together the whole ¡­ wait¡­¡±


    ¡°The teleportation thingy,¡± Cahira groaned, ¡°and we show up in the labyrinth?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°Umm ¡­ so ¡­ what are the chances all of us are the real ones?¡±  She asked with a nervous chuckle.


    ¡°Low,¡± her double and Ohan stated.


    Combining her locks around her front, Rachel¡¯s gaze slid between each member of her team; her hyperactive mind was swiftly dripping poisonous thoughts into her brain as she saw them circling her like vultures.


    We could each unknowingly become our own worst enemy ¡­ could it have predicted my abilities and came up with this whole game to get me to doubt myself?  Is this all an illusion again?  There¡¯s just so many horrifying possibilities.


    Clearing her throat, she said.  ¡°Ahem ¡­ so, we should stay still until I can get to the bottom of this with my other self.¡±


    Just as she feared, Ohan shook his head, but it was expected.  ¡°I don¡¯t think so; how can we be certain you are talking with Rachel at all?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s got a point,¡± her double replied.  ¡°On second thought, perhaps skimming the truth would have been better.¡±


    ¡°It usually is,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, Ohan.  We¡¯re all aware of how persuasive this place can be.  If you do go off on your own, there are monsters that I hear roaming the halls and rooms; they¡¯re probably fairly strong considering we¡¯re entering the latter half of the Quest.¡±


    Cahira nodded.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ which is not somethin¡¯ I¡¯d be likin¡¯, ya, know, bein¡¯ away from the crew.  Might I suggest we go collect everyone?¡±


    ¡°You do that,¡± Ohan replied, giving Selvaria¡¯s concerned look a conflicted frown.  ¡°I¡¯ll go alone and see if I can find ¡­ whatever or whoever I need to kill to end this trial.¡±


    ¡°It could be a puzzle among a dozen other things you aren¡¯t equipped to handle,¡± Rachel responded, near the same time her double did, reaction slower with the vocal delay.


    ¡°... True, but I¡¯ll feel safer knowing none of you might stab me in the back.  No offense,¡± he followed, ¡°but that¡¯s a realistic take.  Mazes are simple to handle on their own ¡­ if magic isn¡¯t involved.  In the end, I believe this is a better choice for me, and you can find me if needed, correct?¡±


    Rachel solemnly nodded.  ¡°I understand.¡±


    The others didn¡¯t seem so convinced but didn¡¯t try to stop him as he left down a random hall, not trusting her to guide him in any direction.  She couldn¡¯t blame the man; he¡¯d only just met her and spent merely a week with Selvaria.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Selvaria whispered, sounding just as down as her counterpart talking to herself.


    ¡°... Well, shiet,¡± Cahira growled, dropping down to her own butt beside them.  ¡°Well, if I be speakin¡¯ the devil¡¯s truth ¡­ any o¡¯ ye lot can do me in.¡±  Stretching her arms high into the air, she released a low moan.  ¡°So ¡­ what be the plan?¡±


    Scarlet joined them, her vision turning to the path Ohan had walked down.  ¡°... What¡¯s in that direction?¡±


    ¡°A large monster with wings; it has a low robotic grunt, too ¡­ probably three meters tall.  Dozens of others are skulking about, and there are strange humming sounds that seem like devices.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s lonely gaze centered on the ground with a sigh.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Cahira popped her tongue at the news.


    ¡°So,¡± Scarlet brushed back her bangs, ¡°you¡¯re going to talk to your other ¡­ you really could be an imposter?¡±  She asked with doubt.


    ¡°... It¡¯s possible,¡± Rachel whispered, turning her head and ears to survey the hundreds of bazaar noises throughout the labyrinth.  ¡°I partially believe I might not be since I don¡¯t have any desire to trick you, but ¡­ perhaps that will change at a moment¡¯s notice due to some switch that gets flipped, and I attack you.


    ¡°I was ¡­ we¡¯re taking part in a quest that¡¯s far more difficult than what we¡¯re currently supposed to handle.  I suspect this is only the beginning of this trial.¡±


    Rachel spent the next ten minutes going over her thoughts with her double across the maze; within that time, Ohan had encountered the slow but tanky monster, and surprisingly, he was forced to run away, only slightly wounding the creature.  She hoped his internal reasons were to conserve his real strength for this figure he thought was influencing the trial; the alternative would mean he was out-classed.


    In the end, Rachel begrudgingly agreed with her other self that gathering everyone would be the best option.  They would both take opposite directions and meet up once gathered.  Having the imposters among them was risky, but the only way to really figure out who was real.


    Based on the current locations, the other Rachel would probably get to Scarlet first, but depending on the trouble it would be to navigate the dungeon, it might be more challenging for the two to meet up with them.


    Ohan¡¯s double was the closest to them, which would then possibly take them to Cahira, and Selvaria was actually walking away, nearly outside of her audible radius.


    The echoes and walls between were a horrible disrupter, too, causing Rachel to pause every so often and reevaluate their direction was accurate.


    Rachel motioned for the others to get up, motioning them to jump down the hole to her right; the moment they did, gravity shifted, and they were walking on solid ground, which surprised everyone.


    ¡°T-This place is so weird,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°We could be walking upside down.¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± Cahira chuckled, ¡°now wouldn¡¯t that be fun?¡±


    Selvaria was the last to enter, glancing back at the room while her feet dangled into the hole; to all of them, it looked like she was holding onto the ledge by her legs, but gravity hadn¡¯t shifted for her since she hadn¡¯t fully entered the passage.  ¡°Umm ¡­ should we all be leaving?  What if it closes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m expecting it to,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if there might be a penalty for not leaving or if everything will change in an hour.  I still think we should stick together ¡­ if one of us has bad intentions¡­ time will tell.  Just keep an eye on everyone.¡±


    The Leviathan sighed and dropped in, blue dress flying up a bit, but it soon fell to the floor as gravity changed; Selvaria¡¯s butt promptly hit the ground with a shockingly soft thud, considering her weight.


    Being careful not to lean on her dress, she got up, straightening her clothes.  ¡°So ¡­ are there any big monsters around ¡­ maybe some splashing water?¡±


    ¡°Oh, water, wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful?¡±  Cahira longingly sighed, folding her arms.


    Selvaria, Cahira, and Scarlet jumped as the wall behind them began closing up, causing the Vespertine Reaper¡¯s blood to pop out of her skin.


    ¡°Figured,¡± Rachel mumbled, turning to walk away.


    Scarlet kept her blood close to her body, nervously gazing back at the sealed entrance they¡¯d taken.  ¡°Umm ¡­ the hallways get bigger, right?¡±


    ¡°Much bigger,¡± Rachel said, directing them to the left tunnel, ¡°and I¡¯m going to try to guide us around all the monsters, but ¡­ one might be in our way to Ohan.¡±


    The three women glanced at each other with frowns, and they continued down the black wooden passages, lit by the blue light glow between the triangle blocks and symbols.


    Scarlet tried to cut into it with her scythe as they traveled, but nothing came of it, and even going into Reaper¡¯s Guise didn¡¯t allow the girl to phase through the objects.


    The Vespertine Reaper¡¯s skeletal hands returned to normal as she released the Reaper¡¯s State, a sad groan leaking out of her throat.  ¡°I wasted so much energy trying that ¡­ Rachel, I need to find something with blood soon.  I¡¯ve only got four liters left.¡±


    All of the actions were convincing for Rachel, but that¡¯s what set her on edge; she couldn¡¯t detect anything odd in her counterpart¡¯s plan, so why would this be different?  In fact, given her position, trapped alone in the maze, going after Scarlet would be her first order of business with ruefully puzzling out their circumstance with the fake.


    ¡°I understand ¡­ we¡¯re coming up on a creature.¡±


    ¡°What kind?¡±  Cahira asked, pistols appearing in her hands out of blue flames.


    Rachel eyed her, ears sharp in case she aimed it at one of them.  ¡°The heavy breathing type.¡±


    ¡°Eww¡­¡±  Selvaria¡¯s nose twisted.  ¡°It sounds gross.¡±


    Holding out her hand to stop them at the entrance of the hall the beast was in, she motioned for them to be quiet, taking a quick peek.  They swiftly ducked back as it stumbled aimlessly within a large room down the corridor.


    ¡°That thing ¡­ is creepy,¡± Scarlet mouthed, shivering a little.


    It was three meters tall with reptilian gray skin; the thing was in the shape of a man, but they saw its misshapen muscle mass and popping veins with its back to them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s rush it!¡±  Cahira whispered, pointing at her pistols with a grin.  ¡°I¡¯ve got a wide shot that might just blow it apart.¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah, we¡¯ll see,¡± Selvaria mumbled.


    Rachel motioned to Scarlet.  ¡°We¡¯ll take him together.  I¡¯ll try to blow him apart from the bottom; you go the top at its back.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I like it!¡±  Scarlet squealed.  ¡°Tag-team wombo-combo!  Umm ¡­ by the way, I can¡¯t look inside it.¡±


    Selvaria nodded.  ¡°I¡¯ll just charge it with Cahira ¡­ wait, really?¡±


    ¡°Oof.¡±  The Pirate Queen gave them a forced smile.  ¡°That¡¯s not a good sign, aye?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°No ¡­ but it¡¯s the best we¡¯ve got.  Who knows why, but my guess ¡­ these things far out-level us.  We need to charge up our attacks and hit him with the best we¡¯ve got off the bat.¡±


    ¡°Got it¡­¡±  The others replied, swallowing before readying themselves.


    A glowing light began compressing inside her closed palm as she charged Lunar Burst, and Rachel darted into action, faster than the other three could react.  Scarlet followed soon after, forming her scythe out of her blood.


    Dashing around the edge, she felt air rush past her as her potential energy tried to force her to the ground.  Her muscles tightened as the creature¡¯s body stopped, stiffened, and turned  its head within a single second far more than a neck should be able to twist.


    It was a nightmare made flesh.  Its ugly imprinted eyeless face writhed as if something squirmed underneath, lips peeled up to where its nose should have been, revealing multiple hard pink gums, and wide-open mouths filled with three-inch-long spear-like yellow teeth.


    Long forked tongues slid between the wide gaps, extending two feet as its gray skin seemed to compress with its hisses; its throbbing veins began to squirm.  Not an ounce of fat was on the horrifying creature as its thin muscles bulged, and its knife-like fingers spred out as it burst into a sprint to meet her, hot steam exiting holes below its square chin.


    Shimmering blue symbols were written across its oblong forehead, muscular pecs, and legs, showing its connection to the maze.  A terrifying screech echoed across the halls like a howl red fox the size of a lion.


    Rachel dashed to the walls; it followed, body beginning to vibrate, causing it to teleport from the left and right by two feet at a time.  Its frame changed positions with every jump, and she began to wonder if she really had entered a nightmare; the massive creature¡¯s frame eclipsed her, and its fingers extended like vines to ensnare and slice her into ribbons of meat.


    A pulse of dread pulsed through Rachel as it neared, almost causing her to trip with the air locking in her lungs, but she pressed forward, pushing her muscles to go faster.  Throwing out her shining pink fist, clothed in the Flush Moon¡¯s energy, she aimed to smash into the monster¡¯s lower half as Scarlet appeared from shadows behind it, scythe in motion to take its head.


    Time slowed for Rachel as it flickered and vanished, her fist and Scarlet¡¯s scythe meeting empty air; the Vespertine Reaper¡¯s widening eyes focused on her back, which told Rachel what her ears were already confirming.  It was behind her.


    Her expansive field of vision was already seeing the snaking fingers curving around her body.  No one was faster than her; they couldn¡¯t react to that.  Selvaria and Cahira were just making it around the corner.  This was a fight for her, with Scarlet offering support.  She didn¡¯t expect this kind of phasing speed.


    Rapid Mental Acceleration would soon return to its normal state, and to combat the horror effects the creature released, she activated Emotional Detachment.  Wenet¡¯s Light would have been so helpful, but it still had a day¡¯s cooldown, so she turned to Lunar Curse - Misfortune to try and even the playing field.  Scarlet might occasionally be affected by the curse, but so long as she kept its attention, they¡¯d be dancing far beyond two-meters from anyone.


    Maximizing her power, Rachel released Lunar Burst and jumped to the opposite wall.  Its knife-like fingers slid across her hair, thankfully protecting her back from injury, but she had no doubt it could cut her locks with enough tension.


    Flipping around midair, she shot into the room with the creature in hot pursuit, leaving the other three in a dazed whirlwind.  Running to the edges of their new arena, she transferred to the ceiling, and swapped back to the floor, then the walls as it kept pace, trying to lock her into a corner with its sharp phase-shifts.


    She had to be careful with Lunar Burst because it reduced her overall speed; every %  lost in her Lunar Pool would dampen Lunar Surge¡¯s effects.  Overpowered was only in effect because the Flush Moon¡¯s energy still coursed through her veins, granting the advanced versions of her Skills, including Lunar Reserve II.


    If she dropped below 100%, she¡¯d lose the 30% increase in her Power and Toughness Stats.  She was currently at 101.55%, which meant if she got hit, Lunar Shield II would protect her, thereby killing her since she¡¯d lose the ability to dodge, and she could only keep Lunar Curse - Misfortune up for three minutes before being forced to deactivate it, leaving her at 100.05%.


    Scarlet was her only hope to survive this encounter.


    However, the Vespertine Reaper was having difficulty predicting where she¡¯d go next with the nightmarish creature continually teleporting around Rachel to ensnare her.  She made a few attempts, but on the third, the creature¡¯s long left claw absently swatted her away, power slamming her into the ground.


    Shit!


    Rachel caught sight of Scarlet shaking her head in a dazed manner, stumbling to the side as her blood swirled around her, reverting from its scythe form to protect the girl.  Her shirt had been ripped away, only leaving her bra in-tact; three long gashes were seen across her stomach that were very slowly knitting back together without the sight of blood.


    It got past Scarlet¡¯s blood and cut into her skin ¡­ that¡¯s the most damage she¡¯s taken since ¡­ ever.  If it can do that, then I¡¯d be cut in half; it doesn¡¯t matter about my defensive skills.  This thing is way above our level!


    Cahira and Selvaria were rushing to Scarlet¡¯s side in a panic; they couldn¡¯t dream of keeping up with her if they wanted to, and her body was beginning to feel the burn of the rapid movements.


    How do we get out of this?


    She sprinted to the floor, air gushing past her skin and pressing her sports bra against her chest with every rapid shift.  Her eyes flew open in shock as the creature¡¯s snarling face appeared in front of her with a wicked smile peeling back its full lips.  Its jaws opening four times their size to reveal several tongues and inner teeth surrounding its sticky throat that lurched up, trying to sink its first set of fangs around her entire head.


    Forcing herself into a controlled tumble, she flipped around, hair spinning in a circle as her bare feet pressed against its writhing chest.  Kicking off, with all her strength, she rocketed away, finding its frame an immovable force; the nightmare¡¯s yellow teeth barely missed her leg, but a cold sensation gripped her heart; its snaking fingers found their mark.


    Damn¡­


    Her momentum was halted in an instant, jarring her frame as she began falling to the ground, and it moved to pounce; the sharp edges of its fingers were about to dig into her back and side with its gaping jaws when it suddenly stopped.  A thunderous roar made Rachel¡¯s head spin, and the nightmare threw her to the side.


    A little dazed as she tumbled, Rachel managed to get a glimpse of Selvaria¡¯s entire body clad in thick plated scales; she truly looked like a monster herself in her partially transformed state at two and a half meters tall.


    The two rushed to meet each other like some kind of monster movie; the Leviathan might have been moving molasses, but when they clashed, a boom shook the air.  She was pushed back by the enormous creature¡¯s unnatural strength, releasing its shrill, eerie cries as steam exploded from below its neck.


    Scarlet¡¯s nearly bare back appeared in Rachel¡¯s vision from shadow, scythe overhead as she cut into the creature¡¯s neck, Selvaria doing her best to hold it in place.  Her blade only passed a few inches into the nightmare¡¯s muscular neck, and its fingers extended to find her, still overpowering Selvaria¡¯s attempts to keep its attention.  The Vespertine Reaper had different plans, though.


    Her blood rose to try and hold the tentacle-like claws at bay while she landed on its back, mouth opening to sink her fangs into the slowly closing wound, sucking in the brown liquid.


    The wriggling fingers were quickly combating the crystalline blood, but they soon slowed, and Selvaria was now holding her ground.


    The nightmare¡¯s forked tongues shot out, writhing in the air before the Leviathan¡¯s face, causing her  monstrous mouth to close in disgust, but Scarlet¡¯s continual venom and absorption were having a noticeable effect.  Its flesh had healed from Scarlet¡¯s initial attack but couldn¡¯t seem to force her fangs out, despite his pumping veins that were becoming noticeably less active.


    Rachel struggled to her feet and noticed Cahira in the corner with a rifle, pumping shots into the creature¡¯s face while screaming obscenities, but it didn¡¯t seem to be effective at all.


    Her bones and muscles cried out in pain; the rush of her blood at the near-death experience had dulled most of it, but it was clearly evident now.


    After several long minutes, the nightmare finally fell to its knees, unable to combat Scarlet sapping its strength any longer, but Selvaria¡¯s entire frame were trembling from stress at that point, and finally the monstrous girl began reverting to her human state once disengaging.


    Selvaria breathed heavily, stumbling back to collapse on the floor, and Rachel caught several dozen broken scales dropping off her frame; she seemed to have taken the full brunt of the creature¡¯s charge, but it hadn¡¯t been easy for her.


    The whole experience made her question herself.


    Are they imposters?  Why would they go through all that and not jump one of us ¡­ if Scarlet and Selvaria hadn¡¯t acted, then I¡¯d be dead.  She must have some kind of ability to draw its attention.


    Rachel stretched out her back, noticing Scarlet and Selvaria¡¯s torn garments on the ground, ripped and trampled to shreds.  ¡°You okay?¡±  She asked, taking on a calm tone.


    Selvaria gave her a pained smile, rubbing her plated chest; she¡¯d lost a considerable amount of her feminine figure and scales from the damage and depleted Water Pool.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll ¡­ I¡¯ll be okay; I¡¯m just ¡­ tired.¡±  She huffed, still breathing a little heavily.  ¡°He was so strong¡­¡±


    ¡°Ya doin¡¯ alright, loves?¡±  Cahira asked, jogging over while taking out her pistols again to point at the motionless, dying nightmare with Scarlet still draining it.  ¡°I feel useless with ya three around,¡± she mumbled, glaring at the thing.


    ¡°Fine ¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡± Selvaria sighed, not even moving her tail while on her back, hair resting randomly around her head.  When she removed her hand, Rachel noticed several of the scales around the upper portion of her chest had broken off, showing a tiny bit more cleavage than she knew the girl probably liked.  Scarlet would probably be pissed about the loss of her PJ top.


    They¡¯d taken a lot more damage than she expected on this journey and learned that they should really be careful about what they do in the future.  Still, the whole thing excited her; she¡¯d escaped death yet again.


    It took five more minutes for Scarlet to finish draining the thing of blood; her eyes shone with an inner red light more fierce than Rachel had seen in the past, clawed fingers now digging into the husk of the nightmare.


    Releasing her fangs, she took a long breath.  ¡°That was ¡­ more delicious than ¡­ than anything I¡¯ve ever tasted,¡± she mumbled in a daze.  ¡°I¡­¡±


    Rachel darted over as she seemed to faint, catching her with worry while ignoring her sore muscles.  ¡°Hey, hey, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Scarlet blinked her glowing red eyes, glancing around with confusion.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I think?  I just, uh ¡­ I saw some strange guy that ¡­ was I reading his memories?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°I think so,¡± she mumbled, getting to her feet.  The husk of the creature sat on the ground where it had fallen, mouths still gaping open.  ¡°We won, right?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope,¡± Selvaria chuckled.  ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for phase two.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I¡¯ve got the next one!¡±  Cahira chuckled.  ¡°Yo, uh, Rach, can we rest a ¡­ wait, treasure!¡±  She shouted with glee, running up to the corpse as it began to turn to dust, revealing three fist-sized diamonds.  ¡°Holy shiet!  These be ¡­ worth more than mi whole ship¡¯s horde combined!¡±


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± they all groaned, sitting down.


    Scarlet glared down at her bra.  ¡°At least this held up ¡­ umm, any treasure for me ¡­ maybe a shirt?¡±  She asked with a hopeful smile.


    ¡°Eh, sorry, love,¡± Cahira replied, motioning at the vanishing nightmare.  ¡°Nothin¡¯ but the expensive jewels.¡±


    ¡°Boo!  Stupid RNG¡­¡±  Scarlet huffed, crossing her arms.  ¡°So ¡­ what¡¯s next, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°We rest ¡­ my body¡¯s on fire,¡± she groaned, working around her shoulder.


    Cahira joined them, putting away her weapons.  ¡°I bet,¡± she chuckled, ¡°ya were a movin¡¯ blur, racin¡¯ across the ceilin¡¯, floor, and walls!  Ya gave good ol¡¯ Selv enough time to set up, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks, by the way,¡± Rachel smirked, arms dropping like limp noodles to her sides.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Selvaria smiled.  ¡°I¡¯m glad to be of help; oh, and thanks for taking it out, Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Yup, yup ¡­ now to find a shirt¡­¡±


    They all giggled.


    Rachel still kept her ears on alert upon the chance the imposter decided to make their move, but nothing happened.  She deactivated all of her skills except Emotional Detachment; she needed to keep her mind sharp for whatever came next.


    After a bit of rest, they continued the journey to Ohan that could turn out to be an imposter.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 66. The First Imposter

    AuthorSME


    Happy Easter!!  Well >.> very late, Easter considering the time zones for some.


    POV:


    1: Rachel Park (our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap: In short, Rachel and the group met something she termed ''The Nightmare'' because it certainly was one, and it wanted to eat them with its disgusting tentacle tongue mouths.  Rachel barely was able to hold aggro for the others to recover, keeping distance.


    Eventually, with Sevlaria getting pushed back as their tank, they were able to slow him down enough for Scarlet to land enough of a blow to sink her fangs into the creature, draining it of blood.


    Snap ... they literally almost died to this thing ... what''s next?


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    The pervasive silence swiftly retook Rachel¡¯s notice as they left the room; with the nightmarish creature taken down, they had a clear path to Ohan, but he had changed directions, causing her to reevaluate their current course.


    Her three companions talked with one another about their last encounter while her head and ears moved to identify the small vibrations that could be heard throughout the environment.  The black wooden triangle-shaped walls were a strange material, and the light between them was just as mysterious with their sound reflecting properties.


    Rachel walked over to a section, studying the glowing blue symbol within its center.


    It¡¯s easier to follow the sounds moving and breathing things make, but that¡¯s only effective within a distinct range ¡­ the echoing doesn¡¯t help, either.  The creature was in the right place ¡­ there¡¯s just so little noise, and every so often, something scatters the sounds and forces me to map out the labyrinth again.  How can a place be so silent?  If we come up against a statue or trap ¡­ I can¡¯t let my guard down.


    She stared at her fingers, pressed against the utterly still pieces of wood; not even a single ripple could be sensed within the object, unlike the shock waves she could feel from the first room.


    Her head shifted to the right, eyes narrowing as the sound scattered again, and her fears were confirmed; areas were opening up and closing.  It didn¡¯t often happen, which was why it took a while to prove, but she was positive now.


    Selvaria¡¯s double had moved beyond her earshot, or the pathway had been closed off; she couldn¡¯t be sure because there was no longer sound in that direction.  Cahira¡¯s double was making her way toward them in a roundabout way while Ohan had sat down in an open room.  He wasn¡¯t saying anything.


    Scarlet¡¯s bright expression turned toward her, tinted yellow-blue eyes alive with power; ever since she¡¯d drained the nightmare of its life-blood, the Vespertine Reaper had been jittery, as if on a high.  There wasn¡¯t anything dangerous about her transformation unless you counted the gibberish she spouted with Selvaria about anime, manga, and light novels.  Japanese things that didn¡¯t really interest her outside of a life-threatening situation, much less trapped inside a killer maze.


    ¡°... Rachel!  Oh, is there another creature in our way?  Is it big or small?  I was thinking about this one show¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± she sighed, scratching the back of her neck while giving the girl a forced smile, ¡°nothing like that ¡­ the maze is just changing.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  Oh, no!  That¡¯s not good!  The string theory I had probably isn¡¯t good, then unless it doesn¡¯t change if something is there; we should try and test that out ¡­ but wait, how would we know when it was going to change ¡­ do you know?¡±


    Cahira had been more or less ignoring her, but Selvaria seemed too nice for that.


    The leviathan had lost a considerable amount of her womanly figure after the previous battle, and her damaged scales had fallen off as they walked; she¡¯d asked about nearby water, but Rachel hadn¡¯t found anything of the kind.


    Selvaria hummed softly, folding her arms under her partially plated chest.  ¡°Umm ¡­ what about the others?  If it¡¯s changing, can you still hear them?¡±


    ¡°I still hear Ohan,¡± Rachel replied, evading the question, ¡°and no, Scarlet, I don¡¯t know when they¡¯ll change.  Give me a minute to think,¡± she said, turning her side to them while glaring at the wall.


    Rachel¡¯s biggest concern at the moment was her own strength; her Lunar Pool may be at 100.5%, yet that didn¡¯t count for her physical fatigue.  The high-speed change put a stitch in her side that wasn¡¯t noticeable during the stress of the fight, and her muscles were moderately sore from use.


    She eyed her three companions from the corner of her wide-field of vision; Scarlet was on another subject with Selvaria, hardly able to keep up as Cahira passively enjoyed the show while occasionally glancing around at the triangles with a curious grin.


    There was the possibility one of them would make a move before she reached Ohan, but that could be said about any instance since the start of their journey into the maze.  Either the labyrinth or the imposters were waiting for some kind of trigger, and she didn¡¯t know if confirming one of their questions would be that spark.


    Trust was utterly void in a circumstance such as this, yet they had helped her with the nightmare; she wouldn¡¯t be alive had they not stepped in.  There had to be an identifying marker to distinguish who was real or fake, but she hadn¡¯t been able to discover it.


    Scarlet¡¯s shirt was ripped off, and her PJs were missing part of a leg; Selvaria¡¯s clothes had been ruined by the exchange, and now she only had sandals to her name.  Not a single thing stuck out to her that they weren¡¯t who they said they were.  In fact, Scarlet¡¯s behavior is precisely what she expected it to be had she taken a stimulant drug.


    Slowly, the possibility that they were all real had started to creep into her strained brain; the maze could have just split them for all she knew, and they were both the same person.


    A low grown rumbled in her throat as she rubbed her ears with agitation.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ somethin¡¯ wrong, love?¡±  Cahira asked, walking over with the others.


    ¡°It changed again, didn¡¯t it?!¡±  Scarlet sighed in exasperation.  ¡°Can¡¯t it just give us a break for once?¡±


    ¡°... No, let¡¯s just keep going,¡± Rachel mumbled, continuing down the hall.  ¡°We need to go up to reach him.¡±


    ¡°Up?¡±  Selvaria asked.


    Scarlet was bouncing on her toes.  ¡°Oh, oh!  It¡¯s the gravity thing!  Do you think we can walk on the ¡­ look, look, we can!¡±


    Rachel was a little taken aback as she turned to see Scarlet hanging horizontally on the wall, jumping up and down as if gravity had changed for her.


    ¡°This is so much fun!  Oh, the ceiling?¡±  She asked, running up to get to the point.  ¡°Yo!¡±  Her eyes widened as if she¡¯d discovered the answer to the meaning of life.  ¡°Yo ¡­ what if you are all upside down, and ¡­ and I¡¯m on the floor!  Wow¡­¡±


    ¡°I suppose ya could be,¡± Cahira chuckled, preparing herself for a big jump.  ¡°What if ¡­ aye, even works if ya skip a step, huh?¡±  She mused, flipping in the air to land next to Scarlet ¡­ feels kind of strange, ta be honest.¡±


    Rachel sighed, motioning for them to follow her; Selvaria and Cahira took both walls as Scarlet moved across the ceiling with the Vespertine Reaper¡¯s prompts.


    Maybe she¡¯s just dealing with stress differently¡­


    Eventually testing it out herself, she discovered the feeling wasn¡¯t the same as when she was running around the room with the nightmare.  It could have been because they were moving too swiftly that it couldn¡¯t react fast enough, or it might have changed since their battle.  The phenomena had happened before, she had to remind herself, but for it to swap their gravitational direction depending on their position was odd, and it only happened when their feet touched the surface of a triangle.


    Time was somewhat challenging to keep track of, and Rachel could see losing track of the concept if locked in a prison such as this for an extended period.  The thought made her second guess her original view of infiltrating a vault.


    A prison ¡­ my thoughts were stuck on a vault because of the Quest, but ¡­ what if this is actually a penitentiary, and we¡¯re breaking into it.  The first trial was getting here, which was through a dangerous sea and sky.  The second trial was a cursed island that kept you locked inside your head.  This third is navigating a maze to reach ¡­ what?


    They came upon a fork; a passageway to Rachel¡¯s left had no noise within, which meant she didn¡¯t know what was beyond that point; if they continued straight, they¡¯d come to a small dead-end with a soft humming sound within.  She wanted to check it out, but discovering everyone took priority.


    ¡°Cahira?¡±  Rachel asked, transferring to the ceiling to join Scarlet and move onto the new hallway.


    ¡°Mmh?¡±  The Pirate Queen brushed back her crimson hair with a smile while transferring walls.


    ¡°Do you know what the quest is about?¡±


    The redhead¡¯s lips tilted a little as she cupped her chin, thinking about the question.


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes lit up again.  ¡°Oh, yeah!  That would be really helpful, right?  Does it tell you?  I bet you just gotta ask, like ¡­ uh ¡­ hey, what are we supposed to do?  Does that help?  Or, or ¡­ what¡¯s our objective?¡±


    Selvaria studied Cahira with her as the woman thought.


    ¡°I mean ¡­ it be basic stuff, ta be speakin¡¯.  Navigate the maze ¡­ uh ¡­ hold-up ¡­ we got an option at the end.  Slimy System ¡­ be buryin¡¯ the details in a ton o¡¯ questions.¡±


    Rachel hummed, folding her arms as her tail and ears twitched with irritation.  Although, the other legends hadn¡¯t probed The System like they had the first few days.  It would probably take some getting used to how vague the seeds of power and information could be.


    ¡°Oh, was it my advice?  The part about ¡­ oh, what is it?¡±  Scarlet asked, still on her blood high.


    ¡°... We can choose to kill the fella at the end ¡­ or bring ¡®em along ¡­ doesn¡¯t say much ¡®bout the fella other than that scrap.¡±


    ¡°Oh!  Do we get to know more about him?¡±  Scarlet inquired, now doing laps, walking around the walls, prompted by her hyperactive charge.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say, lass,¡± Cahira sighed.  ¡°Maybe once we get ta ¡®im.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°So ¡­ a rescue escort mission ¡­ or an assassination mission.¡±


    Selvaria piped up.  ¡°I like rescue missions.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±  Scarlet¡¯s lips fell with a weak chuckle.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ not a fan of the whole escort the stupid AI missions myself ¡­ they always get stuck on a log or something.¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be like that, though, right?¡±  Selvaria asked, turning to Cahira with a questioning look.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ why ya askin¡¯ me?¡±  She giggled.  ¡°Aye, but that would be hilarious!  We gotta go!  One moment, mi missy ¡­ I needz ta tie mi shoe.  There¡¯s a monster behind us, ya dumb arse!  Hehe¡­¡±


    ¡°Funny until you need to start it over again ¡­ or the fifth time,¡± Scarlet stated with exasperation.  ¡°I¡¯d just shadow teleport him down each hallway ¡­ get it over with quick.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s pure blue eyes shifted to the left doubtfully.  ¡°Uh ¡­ what if that breaks him from the targeted path ¡­ ya know, and he just runs back to the start?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s previously bright features turned to stone.  ¡°We kill him!¡±


    Cahira nodded with a small smirk.  ¡°It¡¯s an option.¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ what if he¡¯s untargetable?  I mean, that¡¯s what happens to monsters when you bring them outside their attack zone,¡± Selvaria offered again.


    ¡°Oof ¡­ let the monsters kill him ¡­ no, no, gah!¡±  Scarlet scratched the top of her head manically, messing up her hair a bit.  ¡°That wouldn¡¯t work!  If we accept the escort quest, then we can¡¯t let him die, or we fail ¡­ what would happen if we fail?¡±  She asked, turning to Cahira.


    Rachel followed her gaze.  She¡¯d been a little annoyed by the stupid game-logic being thrown around, but this was a valid question.


    ¡°Aye, why ya always lookin¡¯ ta me?¡±  Cahira asked with a weak shrug and a small smile.  ¡°I¡¯m here for adventure; I got no clue ¡®about what happens when things fly south.  We just gotta make sure the fella be tip-top if we decide to do the extra bits.  Loots greater for the escort ¡­ aye, but the trouble could be a breaker.  Wha¡¯da¡¯ya be thinkin¡¯?¡±


    The crew next turned to her; Scarlet was obviously against bringing the guy out, which could be her past gaming experience talking.  Yet, Rachel couldn¡¯t say that was it; her overactive mind kept looking for reasons they could be imposters.  If this was a prison, of course, the warden would probably want the prisoner dead instead of free.


    A Warden ¡­ suddenly Ohan¡¯s theory is making more sense.


    Releasing a long sigh, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out eventually ¡­ keep asking questions, Cahira; see if you can narrow things down further for us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡±  Cahira saluted with a bright smile.  ¡°I gotta say, this is one hell of a quest, though, eh?¡±


    It took them at least thirty minutes to get to Ohan; he was at least two miles away, but with all the shifts and disruptions, it was hard for her to accurately gauge distances at that range.  Rachel followed the Samurai¡¯s clothes¡¯ small movements as he glanced left and right, seemingly tracking something that Rachel couldn¡¯t hear.


    She silenced the noisy girls as they drew closer along the triangle-plated hallways with the various alien symbols for light, and upon her prompts, they proceeded with caution.


    Peeking around the corner, Rachel spotted a very similar room as the one they¡¯d fought the nightmare in; the designs in the center of the pieces of black wood that made up the room were noticeably different, but other than that, it was identical.


    Ohan was in the middle of the empty space, cross-legged with his back to them.


    ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡±  Scarlet asked, vampiric eyes scanning the area.  ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.  Is he sleeping ¡­ he¡¯s not breathing that ¡­ no, meditating!  That¡¯s it; he must be meditating!¡±  She excitedly whispered.


    They all jumped as the hallway branch to the left of them closed; unlike the first room they were in, there were no big falling and rising triangles.  The three-sided blocks soundlessly folded over to shut off the entire section in large chunks, and Rachel lost track of a rapid breathing creature a mile away.


    That confirms it ¡­ but what is the trigger?  Wouldn¡¯t it be more beneficial to the maze to block our path to Ohan ¡­ unless he¡¯s an imposter ¡­ or that could be its goal to further diminish our trust in him.


    Preparing herself, Rachel exited cover and made her way to Ohan, motioning for the others to stay hidden; she hoped they¡¯d be on-guard of one another with that signal.  She didn¡¯t say anything while curling the Legendkin.  His eyes were closed, and every so often, he¡¯d shift his gaze to the right or left.


    Did a creature do this to him ¡­ or is it self-induced?


    Standing in front of the handsome man, she caught the three women eyeing her over fifty-yards away, behind the hallway wall.  ¡°Ohan¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Ohan?  Can you hear me¡­¡±


    Ohan¡¯s chest expanded while taking a sharp breath, and he opened his eyes.  ¡°... Ah, Rachel ¡­ I figured one of you would find me.¡±  He closed his eyes again, taking in and puffing out slow puffs of air.


    ¡°Are you ¡­ using a skill?¡±  Rachel asked, still a bit confused by his calm actions; his counterpart was a raging bull, looking for something to gore.


    ¡°... In a manner of speaking.  I¡¯m trying to follow the course of energy within this space ¡­ it¡¯s surprisingly difficult because of how dense it is ¡­ but slowly ¡­ I¡¯m following the ebb and flow.  There is a change with every new triangle you walk over ¡­ it ripples through the pieces next to it, which causes a chain reaction that goes far beyond what I can sense.¡±


    The thought hadn¡¯t been void from her mind; their movements were causing an effect, but the part that confused her was why she couldn¡¯t sense it.  Vibrations were reflected on the surface, which was why the scattered soundwaves were challenging to pinpoint, but nothing passed between the triangle pattern from what she could determine.


    It couldn¡¯t be spiritual, or Scarlet would sense it in her Reaper¡¯s Guise State.  It wasn¡¯t a physical form, or it would cause a vibration she could hear.  ¡°What type of energy?¡±


    ¡°A primal one¡­¡±


    That meant nothing to her.  ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pulled from nature ¡­ it goes into the walls and then is crafted into something else ¡­ we¡¯re a part of a massive system that is in constant motion, and it dances to our actions ¡­ anything that stands inside can cause an effect.¡±


    Scarlet, Cahira, and Selvaria cautiously moved to join them.


    ¡°Uh, hey, Ohan,¡± Scarlet started in a tone that was both excited and nervous while hiding behind Cahira, ¡°we had a big fight with this crazy horror creature and almost died; what are you up to?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all doing well?¡±


    ¡°... Not Scarlet¡¯s shirt,¡± Selvaria mumbled, glancing to the side at the girl as she hid behind Cahira.


    ¡°Ah, I got the idea,¡± Cahira snapped her fingers with a wicked snicker.  ¡°Oye, Ohan, ya should give yer shirt to ol¡¯ Scarlet.  The girl¡¯s a panic without one!¡±


    ¡°As most girls would be,¡± Scarlet mumbled, her cheeks darkening.  ¡°It¡¯s the stupid nightmare¡¯s fault ¡­ no, the harpies and bats!  Stupid monsters ¡­ I should bring more clothes when ¡­ oh, uh ¡­ thanks!¡±


    Her face turned beet red as Ohan wordlessly removed his shirt, revealing his hairless, obsidian skin; his naked back, chest, and abs were undoubtedly well endowed.


    Cahira snatched it out of the air, lifting it up to smell it while turning to give Scarlet a wink.  ¡°Might want to save that for later!¡±  She whispered.


    ¡°Eh?¡±  Scarlet reluctantly took the shirt, lips tight as she stared down at the article.  ¡°W-What do you mean?¡±  She hissed so the Samurai couldn¡¯t hear.


    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon, lass,¡± Cahira giggled, just loud enough where only Rachel could have heard the awkward exchange.  ¡°Girls¡¯ got their needs, too.¡±


    Scarlet seemed utterly conflicted; Rachel knew it was difficult getting those kinds of thoughts out of her head from past experience.


    ¡°Have you ever just ¡­ taken it right after the ol¡¯ workout and just held it up to your face ta nuzzle it?  Mmh ¡­ when they¡¯ve got it ¡­ they¡¯ve got it!¡±


    ¡°Cahira!¡±  Scarlet moaned.


    Her hyperactive-blood-infused brain probably already on fire from the woman¡¯s teasing remarks as she gripped the shirt front.  Rachel had no doubt she really wanted to experiment with the redhead¡¯s comments, but she was far too shy with the man in the same room.


    Selvaria seemed somewhat torn with what to do, and it almost looked like she was mentally picturing Cahira¡¯s words with her expression as she mumbled.  ¡°I didn¡¯t know you two were into sniffing guys¡¯ shirt scents¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡±  Scarlet screamed in a panic.


    Rachel¡¯s primary focus was on Ohan; her lips fell into a frown as his brow furrowed.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±  She whispered.


    Scarlet was now running away from Cahira on the ceiling as she asked if they could both fit inside the large shirt; the woman really did have no shame, which reminded Rachel of Ma?lle.  She apparently was trying to corner the Vespertine Reaper to tackle her.


    Ohan¡¯s closed eyes shifted left, following the path Cahira and Scarlet had gone.  ¡°A massive amount of energy is gathering from ¡­ no, Cahira stop moving ¡­ something¡¯s unlocking¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s muscles readied to move as Cahira slowed to a stop, looking up at them from her angle with a confused expression.  ¡°Hmm?  What be happenin¡¯ ¡­ aye ¡­ what¡¯s that?¡±


    The warning came after Rachel noticed black energy rise out of the plates¡¯ blue lights, and both exits sealed.


    A trap ¡­ but who was it?


    She jumped straight to the ceiling, but with a closed-in space, it was pointless.  Scarlet¡¯s voice became panicked.  ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t use my teleport ¡­ no, my blood still works.¡±


    Darting left and right to avoid the darkening smoke, Rachel watched the substance swallow Selvaria; she released a burst of concentrated water from her mouth at it, but it merely absorbed the liquid.


    Ohan was still in the same spot, letting the darkness surround him.  ¡°It¡¯s not lethal¡­¡±  He said in a serious tone.  ¡°Whatever it is¡­¡±


    His swift words were cut off as it swallowed him, and Cahira vanished just after materializing her pistols; the smoke was swiftly filling the entire area.


    It¡¯s not lethal¡­


    Rachel hopped to the clearest spaces; the fog wasn¡¯t predicting her movements but simply following where she¡¯d last left off.  Scarlet teleported to her next target through her blood, looking panicked.


    ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t use my Reaper Tree ¡­ all I can use is Scarlet¡¯s Tree ¡­ not even the Twilight Branch.¡±


    Rachel tried to activate Rapid Mental Acceleration to find it blocked, as well.  ¡°Only our Passives work ¡­ no Actives or Reactive.  Can you teleport us back through the¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t finish her question as the shadows sprung up around Scarlet and her so fast that even she couldn¡¯t react without her accelerated mind.


    A black void encompassed Rachel as gravity lost its meaning; the effect caused a strange reaction in her body.  She couldn¡¯t move.  Without warning, she was lying on the floor, staring up at the black triangle plates.


    Blinking, Rachel¡¯s ears twitched with agitation as she scanned her new environment; she¡¯d been teleported away again.  She swallowed the lump in her throat, slowly rising to her side; she didn¡¯t sense any different, but now she stood in a ten by ten box.


    I¡¯m trapped ¡­ a puzzle?


    Taking a calming breath to ease her racing heart, she stood up, flexing her fingers; the world slowed as Rapid Mental Acceleration activated.


    Our skills aren¡¯t locked anymore.


    It was the first time she¡¯d come across something that could cut her off from her abilities; of course, The System generated this entire copy dimension, which meant it had the power, but it was still chilling that her skills could be compromised.  The event also told her something else.


    Scarlet was real ¡­ The System can¡¯t actually copy Twilight¡¯s powers or restrict them, and Scarlet was using active abilities, which would have been cut off.  It¡¯s not 100%, but she was probably the real one.


    Her vision narrowed while scanning her prison.


    Ohan and Cahira, though ¡­ Cahira appeared to activate it at first glance ¡­ she was running up the path, and Ohan stated there is a transfer of primal energy between them.  He called out Cahira, but if anyone was acting out of the ordinary ¡­ Ohan was.


    He didn¡¯t mention the hatred for the place ¡­ it was entirely about the energy itself.  I suppose that could be connected, but it was the most unusual part of the entire exchange.  Then again ¡­ Cahira clumsily activating a trap seems entirely in her character ¡­ it would add to her adventure.


    Ohan¡¯s calm demeanor may have been perfectly reasonable to me before he went on a tree murder spree ¡­ now, there¡¯s something off about that.


    Rising to her feet, Rachel did a quick check of herself; legs, chest, stomach, butt, tail, ears, arms, and all her little parts ¡­ everything appeared in order.  She pulled around her hair; it had dried, and surprisingly, looked reasonably clean after all the recent scuffles she¡¯d been through.


    Tossing her locks back, she moved on to her clothes; her shorts had taken a bit of damage with parts melted from her electrifying time in the sky with the Storm Reavers, but other than a few small rips in her sports bra that weren¡¯t too bad, everything was fine.  She was built to not be hit, which meant the damage she showed was far less than Scarlet.


    Flipping around to view the whole box, she tried crossing over to the wall; her gravity changed.  Rachel did a few more tests, but after five minutes, the barrier to her right opened up, revealing a large hallway.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t exit.


    The sounds that met her ears were entirely new; she hadn¡¯t been to this part of the maze, nor heard any of the noises, except for one voice.


    Cahira ¡­ she¡¯s in a cage with some kind of guard dog in front of her.  This has to be the one that activated the trap ¡­ I need to figure out if it was on purpose, but how do I get rid of the beast?


    An idea formed in Rachel¡¯s mind as she exited the room, and she began playing with the large blocks surrounding the opening to her ten-meter by ten transportation cell.  It took ten minutes to find the change; a small red line appeared within the symbols if they linked together.


    Within that time, she could hear Cahira start singing an old pirate¡¯s song while taking shots at the snarling wolf from her cage; she seemed entirely at ease with the situation, amused, in fact, since she could simply whittle the creature down.


    Every time Rachel hit a block that wasn¡¯t connected to the set, the red faded; she had to go twelve meters worth of linked blocks before something happened.  A smile lit Rachel¡¯s lips as the opening to her cell closed, and walking in reverse, opened it again.  It was like a terribly complicated door handle.


    She had to wonder if the trap Cahira or Ohan had activated was just a simple transportation device; then again, Cahira had ended up in a cage, but ¡­ that could have been by her own design, in the end.


    With her plan in motion, she decided to give it a shot; there wasn¡¯t another option unless she wanted to wait for Cahira to eventually kill the dog, but judging by her level of fire-power, mixed with the insane level advantage the creatures in this place had, she wasn¡¯t holding her breath.


    Air whipped past her as she jogged to Cahira and the beast; once she got her first look at the mechanical beast, unsurprisingly unaffected by the woman¡¯s pistols, she realized it was more of an armored unit than the evasive terror the abomination they¡¯d fought before.  However, the damage to the glowing blue rods caging the singing woman told Rachel its strength shouldn¡¯t be underestimated.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Cahira¡¯s cheerful.  ¡°Love, you¡¯re such a¡­¡±


    Her words slowly died as the mechanical beast flipped around, releasing a savage roar that she had yet to hear.  Rachel was forced to activate Emotional Detachment again as a wave of dread rolled through her entire being, threatening to make her trip.


    The mechanical beast was like a mix between a jackal and wolverine, hosting metallic-like wings and a draconic head filled with two rows of five-inch fangs.  It reared up on its muscular hind legs to leap forward, jagged appendages on its back fanning out in what she assumed was an intimidation effect before beginning their chase.


    It was at least four meters high, and despite its massive girth, she couldn¡¯t feel any shockwaves through the ground, but the pressure of its passing whipping the air into a frenzy was more than enough to give Rachel an understanding of what a simple body slam would do if it managed to get her between it and a wall.


    She dashed back to the room she¡¯d awoken in and waited inside for it to follow.  A lump dropped down her throat as she listened to its approach.  The disturbing thing about the metallic beast was that it didn¡¯t sound like a machine; it moved and acted like a hound of flesh and blood, but visually, it was far from the case.


    The beast was quick and might have caught her off-guard had she not been above 100% of her Lunar Pool, and with the energies of the Flush Moon enhancing her skills by a grade, she was easily capable of evading it and had time to spare.


    It didn¡¯t change course after she¡¯d left its sight, tracking her in some unknown way, and after a few minutes, it finally made it to her trap.


    Just to be sure, she sprinted out at full speed once it entered; the creature snapped its jaws while flicking its tail, trying to predict her trajectory, but it was far too slow, mirroring the pattern she¡¯d discovered, the blocks began to cage the metallic beast.


    Skidding to a stop a bit away from the closing plates, her throat felt dry.  The draconic dog smashed into the swiftly sealing box with its head, but the triangle walls didn¡¯t budge; the force implied was more than a little frightening, and some of the radiating fear the creature emitted slid past her box, making her quiver for a moment.  Yet, the walls held, folding plates sliding over one another to seal the powerful creature in.


    Breathing a sigh of relief, she waited a moment to be sure the thing couldn¡¯t merely open the door back up.  She had no doubt it was releasing the same terrifying sounds inside, but the fear had faded with the closed opening.


    Rachel walked to a nearby wall, paying close attention to the symbols around her, and slid down to her butt, holding her knees while bracing herself, unsealing her box of terrifying emotion.  She locked up, allowing the wave to pass through her.


    Sweat slicked her skin as she trembled on the ground; the nightmare might have been visually more frightening, but this dog was undoubtedly a higher level.  She doubted any of them could have even hoped to damage it.


    Allowing herself to calm down, Rachel slowly made her way back to Cahira anxiously waiting.


    ¡°... Rachel ¡­ aye, uh, hehe, you¡¯re doin¡¯ alright, right ¡­ Rachel, mi lass ¡­ I can¡¯t hear the ragin¡¯ beast anymore¡­¡±


    She¡¯d lost track of Cahira¡¯s voice after engaging with the horrifyingly powerful monster; it would have definitely killed anyone else, but after all the effort her muscles had gone through, she was nearing her limit.


    Reaching the end of the hall, she stopped in front of the cage.


    Cahira¡¯s eyes filled with tears upon seeing her.  ¡°Oh, mi love!  I ¡­ I thought ya might ¡®ave actually met the sea¡¯s end ¡­ Rachel?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°You¡¯re Cahira¡¯s imposter.¡±


    ¡°Eh?  What ¡­ why am ¡­ hmm¡­¡±  Cahira¡¯s lips curved softly as she released a weak shrug.  ¡°Hehe ¡­ well, I suppose I wasn¡¯t expectin¡¯ ya ta actually live, but ta think it¡¯d be mi bleedin¡¯ hare that would be the one sent ta here ¡­ mi Irish luck be failin¡¯ me taday¡­¡±


    Imposter Cahira stepped forward, sliding her fingers down a few of the railings and hopping back and forth on the tiles, making her chest bounce slightly with the actions.  ¡°What gave mi secret away?  I didn¡¯t even know until mi head cleared of dis fog, and mi purpose was clear.  Ho, it has been fun!¡±


    A sharp frown was on Rachel¡¯s lips as she watched the woman¡¯s actions.  ¡°Who else are imposters.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± her teeth flashed as the green bars soundlessly slid back into the blue outlines surrounding the large plates Cahira stood on; the ceiling folded into the sides, breaking apart into smaller sections to sink into the floor until everything looked uniform again.  ¡°Mi mouth be shut because mi mind doesn¡¯t know!  Hehe, so, it would make little sense tryin¡¯ to read mi thoughts or whatever tricks any of the others might have up their sleeves.  Hmm ¡­ where do we go from here?¡±


    Rachel stood still as the red-haired imposter put her hands on her hips, grinning at her.  ¡°I got a few tricks up mi sleeve¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t finish the final word before Rachel spun into action, stepping forward in a roundhouse kick, but her foot came to a stop just before taking Cahira¡¯s head off.


    Some kind of detonator was in Cahira¡¯s hand.  ¡°Hmm?  Ya stopped ¡­ I mean, I suppose I was a little slow, but ye didn¡¯t let a lass finish her¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes were wide.  ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ an imposter¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±  Cahira jumped back with a surprised expression.  ¡°Ye ¡­ well, I¡¯ll be the devil¡¯s mother,¡± she cackled, doubling over.  ¡°W-When did it hit, huh?¡±


    Swinging her hips back down, Rachel glared at the floor.  ¡°... The moment I was about to kill you¡­¡±


    The emotion in Rachel¡¯s chest was ice-cold as she played her part.


    If this maze wants to play the imposter game ¡­ so can I.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 67. Unsavory Discovery

    AuthorSME


    POV:


    1: Rachel Park (our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap: Rachel and the gang found out who the imposter was the hard way ... the Cahira in their group was the imposter the entire time, but she didn''t know it until the moment she decided to betray them.


    Rachel gets teleported into a closed box that takes her to a new place, and eventually, she figures out how the runes walls worked.  Moving within a specific pattern activates them in a repeatable way.  She discovers Cahira close by, but doesn''t know if it''s the fake or not, and leads an insanely powerful monster to the room she figured out how to open and close, locking it in.


    Recovering from the terrifying encounter with a monster far, far outside their level range, Rachel returns to confront Cahira, discovering she was the imposter after all, but instead of killing her, Rachel decided to act the imposter herself.


    What can she learn from this fake?


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    The gears working in Rachel¡¯s mind were on overdrive as she lowered her foot from the fake Cahira¡¯s head.  Cahira¡¯s smile was only widening with her false confession, and Rachel figured the woman would want some kind of proof, but many other scenarios were running through the Lunar Hare¡¯s brain.


    Rachel¡¯s narrowed eyes fell to the floor as she backed away, arms folding in a brooding manner.  ¡°... I was the imposter the entire time.¡±


    She could still see the Pirate Queen cupping her lower chin; questions were probably swirling around in her own mind regarding her surprise revelation.


    I don¡¯t see the actual Cahira responding like this if she weren¡¯t the imposter.  She¡¯s a person to take risks, but not dumb ones like this, which begs the question, why did she crack and tell me?  Her actions line up with someone that wishes to do us harm¡­


    The woman¡¯s actions over the past few hours were mostly what Cahira would have done.  She was adventurous and not afraid to speak her mind, but everything she wished to accomplish would also be meaningless if she were an imposter.


    Rachel slowly dropped to her butt, ears tilted left while pondering the next best action to take; Cahira would only know about her personality through Maria.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ this makes things complicated,¡± she mumbled.


    Cahira mirrored her, dropping down, cross-legged.  ¡°I¡¯d say it be more complicated than it be needin¡¯ ta be,¡± she smirked, blue eyes wandering to the side of the passage.  ¡°Ya actually took care of the beastie that was waitin¡¯ around.  How¡¯d ya manage ta conquer that monster?¡±


    ¡°I trapped it in the transportation room I awoke in ¡­ that¡¯s not important, though.  How are we going to fulfill the task?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the task,¡± Cahira mused, leaning left and right.  ¡°I be interested in yer plan!  Ya seem ta be a smart cookie, but ¡­ how¡¯d ya figure the little symbol puzzle out.  I can get the idea if yer head be fillin¡¯ with the gobbly-goop of this here maze,¡± she chuckled, spinning her hands in a circle at the walls, ¡°but if ya just figured out yer on mi side ¡­ hmm, how¡¯d ya use the room without the know-how?¡±


    Rachel slowly nodded, giving Cahira a small smile.  ¡°Ah, good question, Cahira.  I would expect you to be somewhat dubious about the same process ¡­ after all, we can kill each other without issue.¡±


    Her grin became grim.  ¡°In fact, I would have had others been watching; it would have cemented my position within the group.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, cold,¡± Cahira snickered.  ¡°Mmh, I suppose such an action would be the way ta lower the crew¡¯s guard ¡­ aye, it be a sound plan.  Ya don¡¯t seem ta be too thrilled by the outcome, though, mi brightly lit lass,¡± she pushed.  ¡°What be on yer mind?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow came together, and she tried to put herself in her own shoes if killing everyone she knew was her purpose in life while remaining inconspicuous.  A chilling vibe melded through her body as her thoughts realigned to break her new role down.


    ¡°Our real counterparts don¡¯t know each other all that; well, Cahira,¡± she stated, glowing red eclipse-like eyes digging into the woman¡¯s curious irises.  ¡°I like having a plan ¡­ a direction and your chaotic nature has thrown a thorn in a relatively decent trap that could have been executed.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so I messed up, be it?¡±  Cahira chuckled, scratching the back of her neck before playing with her braided hair.  ¡°Mi skin was feelin¡¯ chills with the sudden knowledge, mi long-eared friend.  All mi head knew was mi desire ta divide and conquer!  I got a bit of hidden firepower, but nothin¡¯ that be close ta be doin¡¯ the trick with the speed ya were movin¡¯ before, and the little vamp be a problem on her own with the rapid healin¡¯ I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    Rachel slowly nodded, arms tightening around her body.  ¡°No, given your circumstance, it was the right play ¡­ the problem is that if you were able to get everyone into this room, then it would have been over without a problem.  The only reason I was able to escape was because of my speed and being able to trap it in a room.¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± Cahira¡¯s eyes narrowed, and her pistol appeared in her right hand.  Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed further as the Pirate Queen pressed it against her left breast.  ¡°Ya still ¡®aven¡¯t answered mi question ¡­ if ya figured ye be on mi side only so little ago ¡­ how¡¯d ya know ¡®bout the room?¡±


    The cold look in Rachel¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t seem to phase the Pirate Queen, and she remembered that Legendkin had a courage passive in place of Mythickin¡¯s illusion breaking variant.  She wondered if she had actually leveled the Skill up if she would have been able to see past the previous curse¡¯s illusions.


    ¡°I puzzled it out,¡± Rachel solemnly replied, leaning into her gun to force her hand back a little; her sports bra¡¯s stretching fabric made an audible noise to her enhanced hearing.  ¡°We¡¯re here for the same thing, Cahira, and it was the same before I realized my identity.  I wanted to discover the secrets about this place so I could get through it ¡­ so I figured it out.¡±


    Rachel made a brief account of how the symbols have a red line inside when they are a part of a set.


    Cahira¡¯s muzzle¡¯s pressure was released from Rachel¡¯s chest as she gave a sheepish chuckle, returning the weapon to the void as it converted into flames.  ¡°Wow, ye discovered a pretty interestin¡¯ bit ¡­ huh ¡­ I just knew the proper place ta move ta make somethin¡¯ fun happen!  Hehe¡­¡±


    A low sigh escaped Rachel¡¯s lips.  ¡°... I thought as much ¡­ we need to better understand this puzzle.  There must be a way to observe everyone within the dungeon to plan a proper way to deal with them.¡±


    Cahira¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Aye!  That¡¯s not a bad idea, Rach!  Mmh¡­¡±


    Her head darted left and right, eyeing several triangles.  ¡°Ya know ¡­ there might be a way we can make somethin¡¯ like that happen, but what be the play?  If we be settin¡¯ up a trap, we need a good beastie, and that last one be the strongest in this part.¡±


    Rachel nodded with a small smile.  ¡°Yes, which is why it being within a transportation cube is perfect.  Once we gather them in one place, we send the ¡­ beastie,¡± she mumbled with a bit of a forced sigh, ¡°to handle everything.  We can even be a part of it since there isn¡¯t a way for us to combat something so high.¡±


    ¡°Oh!  You¡¯re right,¡± Cahira rubbed her chin while studying her.  ¡°You know ¡­ that be a wicked plan, mi tailed lass.  The beastie wouldn¡¯t even leave the room had I tried to make a command ¡­ the thing be anchored to the spot, but ¡­ ya set everyin¡¯ up pretty nicely.  We can¡¯t bring ¡®em all here, yet if we put it to another location, then it be a piece of cake.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Rachel replied, getting to her feet to place her hands behind her back.  ¡°I¡¯m still getting used to the markings,¡± she mumbled, glaring down at the symbols along the floor.  ¡°I have a Skill that makes it ¡­ difficult to fight my allies called Lunar Pride.¡±


    Cahira licked her lips, lips curving into a smirk.  ¡°Ah, I did hear about such a thing with some Mythickin ¡­ at least, mi other half did,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°So, be that one of the reasons ye didn¡¯t off mi head?¡±


    Rachel laughed.  ¡°No, Cahira.  We are not comrades or friends.  We are simply here to accomplish a task.  That is all.¡±


    ¡°Heh, all business, eh?¡±  Cahira grunted.  ¡°Ya do be comin¡¯ off as the no-nonsense type ¡­ I do be wonderin¡¯ how the party lady, Maria, be gettin¡¯ in with a lass like yerself?¡±


    ¡°Not important,¡± Rachel replied, already thinking through several scenarios where this might lead.  ¡°The sooner we fulfill our goal, the sooner we can be done with it.¡±


    ¡°Aww, where be the adventure in that!¡±  Cahira pouted, giving her a hard glare.  ¡°We need ta set the stage, show the finale, and let the chips fall with a hail of cannon fire!¡±  She cheered, hopping to her feet and throwing an arm in the air.


    A grimace fell across Rachel¡¯s lips, and she turned around to brush off her tail, showing a bit of annoyance.  ¡°Who will be alive to see the end result?  It doesn¡¯t matter, but ¡­ if it will get you on-board ¡­ I can compromise.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±  Cahira cheered, bouncing over to give her a hug.  ¡°It¡¯ll be our first and last big shebang!¡±


    Rachel awkwardly let the woman squeeze her; she wasn¡¯t strong, but it just felt a bit odd being hugged by an imposter that was plotting the death of one person she cared about, Scarlet.  The others didn¡¯t honestly bother her all that much, considering she wasn¡¯t all that familiar with them, but Scarlet had become somewhat of a little sister to her over the past two weeks after helping the girl work through so many of her problems.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± she mumbled, tapping her back with a hand while keeping her ears sharp for any kind of foul play; she expected this kind of move to be exactly what The Pirate Queen would do to deliver a deadly blow.  ¡°I would have thought our last encounter was our first act¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡±  Cahira protested, chest rumbling against hers as the woman hugged her to her bosom.  ¡°That was before we stood on the same deck!  Now, we be a crew ta the world¡¯s end!¡±


    After the strange embrace, Rachel hurriedly stepped back.  ¡°... Didn¡¯t I already say¡­¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye, let¡¯s not be gettin¡¯ caught up in the details,¡± Cahira chuckled, absently waving her hand while turning her attention to the symbols.  ¡°Ah ¡­ mi head be burnin¡¯ with a plan, see!  Since mi strengths lie with mi ship ¡­ we be ¡­ ah, a battle at sea!¡±


    Rachel was a little unsure how she¡¯d arrange it, but this was exactly what she wanted; Cahira would follow her prompts at gathering everyone in a single place, which would require a control room.


    A short shrug lifted Rachel¡¯s shoulders.  ¡°I don¡¯t care how it¡¯s done, so long as the ¡­ beastie,¡± she said with a forced tone again, ¡°can handle everyone.  The question is ¡­ how do we get everyone in one place for the finale you want?¡±


    ¡°... Don¡¯t rush me,¡± Cahira mumbled, eyebrows drawing together while she scanned the room.  ¡°There¡¯s ¡­ so many things I can do ¡­ oh, we can go to that place!¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t comment, watching the bubbly fire-haired woman run up and down the walls, following an intricate pattern.  The red lines became so numerous that they were easily visible across the blue symbols, making up more than four-fifths of their entire surface area.


    ¡°... That is a long one,¡± Rachel commented.


    ¡°Aye, it just keeps going!¡±  Cahira chuckled while skipping up to the ceiling for the next part of the puzzle.  She almost activated half the room¡¯s tiles before the partially illuminated triangles flared to life, and the woman flipped back down to the floor, tight leather jeans stretching as she landed.


    ¡°Hmm, what do ya think?¡±  Cahira asked with excitement.  ¡°Whatever it do, it be the best shot at bringin¡¯ all the crew and beasties together!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s bored expression observed the bright room as tens of thousands of shifting pieces began working throughout the labyrinth; this was a solution Cahira would advocate for, in Rachel¡¯s mind.  Ever since she¡¯d first met the woman, she was enthralled by the adventure of her quest.  Even if she was an imposter, she still wanted to live her short life¡¯s goal to the fullest, and that meant Rachel had to be careful about her own copy.


    If she was a threat to Scarlet and herself, then she couldn¡¯t think of a better way to provide as much support before her entire frame of mind changed; she just hoped she could accomplish it before it came to that point.


    A short nod moved Rachel¡¯s head as she watched the room constrict and expand like a heart as the entire maze changed.  ¡°Okay ¡­ it¡¯s a bit impressive.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±  Cahira grinned, watching everything breathe around them, and Rachel noticed a brown sack tied around her waist, indicating she still had the jewels from the Nightmare.  ¡°I be bouncin¡¯ on mi toes ta see how it be playin¡¯; this is such fun!¡±  She squealed.


    ¡°Heh, I just came up with the plan; you¡¯re the one that wants to make a show out of it.  Do you know what you¡¯re even doing?¡±


    ¡°Eh, no, not really,¡± she laughed, brushing back her hair with anticipation.  ¡°Ye know it only be given us what be needed for what we want, and I want some fun!¡±


    The contrast was of note to Rachel.  At first, the island showed them what they wanted to keep them in place, but now, their doubles had the same liberty to destroy them.  If anything, she was lucky Cahira was the first imposter she uncovered.


    Her attention moved to the wall to the right of where she came into the room; a hallway was opening up to reveal a room housing odd blackwood and crystal figurines that burned with a soft green energy.


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Cahira skipped forward to examine the artifacts, ¡°very occult lookin¡¯.  So ¡­ this is the place ta control everythin¡¯.¡±


    Rachel followed, taking in every inch of the ritualistic room that was at least twice the size of the massive area before.  ¡°It is a lot more decorated than everywhere else,¡± she commented.  ¡°So ¡­ what¡¯s your grand plan for our final act?¡±  She asked with a low chuckle.


    ¡°Huh ¡­ I¡¯m still figuring it out!¡±  Cahira replied in an absent tone.  ¡°Oh, no¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Rachel turned away from the multitude of red, blue, yellow, and green symbols dotting most of the visible walls to find Cahira glaring down a crystal figure of some impossible to discern shape.  It could have been a vase or larger than life candle holder for all she knew.


    The bubbling liquid inside was an alternating hue of browns, reds, and yellows, but not a single pop sent the stuff spilling over the edge.  It almost appeared as if the substance was floating at its center with a rising and falling blue flame beneath it.


    Cahira gave her a forced smile while rubbing her shoulder.  ¡°Uh ¡­ aye, this is way too complicated!  The blasted thing wants a million and a half tasks ta be done ta make mi ocean¡­¡±


    Rachel released a low scoff.  ¡°Cahira ¡­ you don¡¯t need an ocean.  How hard would a small lake be?¡±


    ¡°Aww,¡± Cahira folded her arms in a light pout while glaring back at the object.  ¡°That ain¡¯t legendary enough fer me ta go out in a bang!  Don¡¯t ya wanna light up the sky and sail off into the sunset?¡±


    ¡°Hold up¡­¡±  Rachel gave the woman an incredulous grin, only half acting as she asked, ¡°Are you telling me, you asked it to make an ocean, sunset, drop everyone in the water, and bring the beastie to cause havoc?¡±


    ¡°Na ¡­ there needs ta be a storm ¡­ a big one,¡± Cahira complained.


    Rachel rolled her eyes.  ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do something that won¡¯t require us to be tilting burning pieces of wood in precise angles, moving liquid between bottles, and jumping on our backs like fish for two hours to do something.¡±


    Cahira¡¯s eyes widened with wonder.  ¡°It asked for that?  That¡¯s way cooler; we should do that!¡±


    Trying not to imagine herself flopping around the floor like an idiot for two hours, Rachel ran her hand through her hair.  ¡°As much as I¡¯d enjoy that, we should really complete our task.¡±


    ¡°Aww ¡­ yer a fish without the sea,¡± Cahira moaned, vision moving to another crystal artifact with yellow and green smoke slowly oozing from underneath it.  ¡°What¡¯s yer big idea for our final showdown where we all look like we be the good guys as mi lil¡¯ beastie rips us apart?¡±


    Rachel questioned how she planned to get her ship out without the others knowing something was up since her family was on the boat, and she wondered if it might bring everyone to them, but that quickly got filed away.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you can¡¯t do it,¡± Rachel mused, giving her a short shrug.  ¡°I¡¯m saying let¡¯s be a bit practical because we don¡¯t know if the others will have their fun before we get to.¡±


    Cahira¡¯s mind seemed to click at the news.  ¡°Aye!  I hadn¡¯t thought about that, ye mind thumpin¡¯ stunner of ah lass ¡­ ugh,¡± she folded her arms with a brooding frown.  ¡°Aye, they may be gettin¡¯ their wits about them ta start messin¡¯ with the lot of ¡®em.¡±


    Maneuvering to this point, Rachel offered the solution to get exactly what she wanted.  Expression brightening, as if she¡¯d just thought of something grand, she moved forward to join the fake Pirate Queen.  ¡°Oh!  How about this, hmm ¡­ we pull everyone into this big room and start filling it with water.  We can put a delay on the beastie to show up and scare everyone, but only after the room has enough water so you can show your stuff.  Sound good?  Maybe you¡¯ll get to fight your own pirate ship, and we¡¯ll turn it into a navy battle!¡±


    ¡°Huh ¡­ not a terrible idea,¡± Cahira whispered.  ¡°It¡¯d need ta be a pretty decent sized room, mi lass, and ¡­ wait, there be no delay commands?¡±  She asked, giving her a questioning look.


    ¡°No?¡±  Rachel gave a somewhat puzzled expression while glancing to the floor.  ¡°No ¡­ there isn¡¯t ¡­ not that I can activate,¡± she muttered, giving a small sigh.  ¡°I suppose that means one of us will need to make a surprise entrance ¡­ oh, what if I come running in with it chasing me!¡±


    Cahira looked a bit suspicious about her slip with the delay commands, but her offering to be bait for the creature with the Pirate Queen acting as the hero seemed to spark a thrill in the woman¡¯s eyes.  ¡°I ¡­ would enjoy havin¡¯ the beastie smash through an entrance, chaos around us as we enter our last ride to glory, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Treasure?¡±  Rachel asked with amusement, using the trigger word to redirect the woman.


    ¡°... Treasure!¡±  Cahira¡¯s toothy grin said it all.  ¡°Yer absolutely right, mi mop-headed lass!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head tilted to the side, causing her hair to bunch at her shoulders.  ¡°Mop-headed lass?¡±  She mumbled, spotting her white hair out of the corner of her vision.  ¡°... I mean, it¡¯s not completely white,¡± she grumbled.


    Cahira gave her an impish grin.  ¡°Hehe!  Ye got a fine tangle o¡¯ hair on yer head!  No, we need treasure to die over ¡­ yes, eh, but what ¡­ oh, there do be a small bounty of treasure within the labyrinth ta trap the foolhearty ¡­ which we be!¡±  She cheered, jumping into action.


    The small smile that lifted Rachel¡¯s lips was anything but real as she memorized the woman¡¯s actions and the corresponding activation plates with her enhanced mental speed; she had to know every move the fake Pirate Queen made.


    ¡°Cahira,¡± she hummed softly.  ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure how you want me to enter with the beastie, so give me the breakdown when you¡¯re done getting everyone in the room with the falling water.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, you want ta follow my plan for the entrance, too?¡±  She asked, stopping on the ceiling to give her an excited grin.  ¡°Thought ya¡¯d want ta go on yer own way!¡±


    Rachel simply shook her head.  ¡°I¡¯m only concerned about getting the job done, and I don¡¯t want to ruin your play ¡­ they must all die.¡±


    She swiftly nodded, running across the ceiling to jump once or twice on specific plates to turn them blue, green, or red.  ¡°Yeah, yeah!  Okay, so, mi ¡­ be settin¡¯ up the room right now ¡­ it¡¯s only gonna be like a few miles in all directions¡­¡±


    A frown moved Rachel¡¯s posture.  ¡°Is that going to be enough?¡±


    ¡°Bah ¡­ not for what I want!¡±  Cahira agreed, walking to the right wall to flip more symbol colors.  ¡°Like ya was sayin¡¯, though ¡­ we can¡¯t be lettin¡¯ them others have all the glory!¡±


    She watched the fake Pirate Queen work, plotting the trap to kill all their counterparts, and she elaborated on the process with a smile on her lips.  Rachel had been prepared to make an action the entire time, listening intently to every muscle movement that the woman made, and for the life of her, she couldn¡¯t tell why Cahira trusted her.


    The paranoid part of her brain said this was all a trap; she couldn¡¯t kill her on her own, so this was all a ploy to get everything set into place, but she had guided her to the labyrinth¡¯s central hub and was telling her all about her frame of mind.  It was a rather long con she was playing, and there were a few points that she slipped, but the recovery was simple enough, and without her enhanced mental state, it would probably be challenging to keep track of every action she¡¯d taken thus far.


    Most people in her college classes couldn¡¯t recite all their actions over the last hour without tripping on several vital points and could easily be convinced otherwise of their own eye-witness accounts.  There had been one psychology course she¡¯d been a part of to test each of their mental facilities, which many shockingly failed to an embarrassing degree.


    Many of the students involved could be convinced to doubt their memory with the slightest urge, and the number of details they couldn¡¯t retain or falsely recalled was laughable.  Her problem was the opposite.  She was always confident in her memory, but she couldn¡¯t even trust herself in circumstances like this, which changed how she acted and planned.


    So far, it was working out in her favor, but the nagging at the back of her brain told her to be even more cautious.  Cahira could be playing her, and at last, the time of the anticipated event arrived.


    Cahira very carefully moved an artifact with liquid to another, gently pouring its contents in before returning it.  ¡°Aye!  Not bad, eh?¡±  She asked, pretending to slip with a chuckle, and Rachel played along.


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I be pullin¡¯ yer leg, lass, chill!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± Rachel forced a chuckle, ¡°we don¡¯t want to mess anything up after you¡¯ve already started the first part.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I¡¯m not one to choke,¡± she winked, setting the item back down carefully, which reignited several symbols in the room to different colors.  ¡°Just need ta swap the direction a tad ¡­ ah, there ya go!¡±


    The red-haired woman gave her a toothy grin.  ¡°Okay, we be runnin¡¯ on ah clock.  Ya remember what I told ya?  I know it be a¡­¡±


    Rachel swiftly pointed at the proper pathing she needed to take to be transported to the hallway and moved around her back to identify the items to touch.


    ¡°... Those four need to be red, that one ¡­ requires a hop, you said,¡± Cahira grinned mischievously while nodding at her recount, ¡°then I move over to here¡­¡±


    The world slowed dramatically as Rachel took the opportunity while inside Cahira¡¯s blind spot and nearby to reach around her head, drag her to the ground, and clamp her legs around her torso in a rear-naked choke.


    Cahira was quick to respond, but it was impossible to break her herculean strength once she¡¯d applied the hold.  Rachel¡¯s legs were like a vice around the fake¡¯s stomach, a mass of fiery hair pressing into her face as she took shelter behind the fake Legend¡¯s struggling figure.


    The Pirate Queen obviously didn¡¯t have any grappling experience with her ineffective efforts to pull, jab, or twist, and she fired a few shots of her pistol that appeared in her hands, but Rachel refused to let go.


    A fist full of hair was the best she managed in the end, yet her roots were so strong that even a physical Legendkin that could trade blows with Hercules had his fingers slip before ripping them out, and slowly, the loss of blood flow to the brain forced Cahira¡¯s mind under.


    Rachel was very careful the fire-haired woman was actually unconscious before shoving her to the side.


    Cahira limply rolled over, pistols flying from her fingers as she came to a stop on her back.  Rachel hadn¡¯t been forced to exert herself.  Cahira was a Legendkin, but she was not suited for close combat like Ohan and Anthony.  If it had been those two, she would have taken an entirely different approach.


    Getting to her feet, Rachel hummed softly while taking note of any damage that might have occurred.  She was somewhat surprised to find the woman¡¯s shots hadn¡¯t caused damage to any artifacts like some movie gimmick; there had been a point she had to fold back her ears in fear of the woman snatching them.


    Ears returning to their normal, slightly angled forward position, Rachel let a small twitch run down them; nothing had changed.


    Am I the fake or not!  Why are you playing with me, maze?!  There¡¯s still a small chance ¡­ very small, that things are not what they seem, but I need to get everyone together to figure it out.  I know enough to get around, at least ¡­ and this room holds the keys to everything.


    She folded her arms, taking in the space with its insane ritual technology.


    ¡­ Ohan is the key.


    Bypassing the step that would bring the impossible to kill hound to their location, Rachel picked Cahira up in a princess carry and teleported to the hallway outside the colossal room location.  Shadows lifted up to pull her into the void, and she allowed herself to be carried along.


    There wasn¡¯t any force that put her asleep this time; it was much like Scarlet¡¯s shadow warping.  Turning to glare at the dead-end behind her, Rachel kept her hearing trained on the fake Cahira while discovering the method to open the room.


    In the end, it turned out to be very similar to the previous door except for a single symbol; there was a pattern to it.


    The panels slid open to reveal a massive room that shot into the air so far it was difficult to see more than a few hundred feet, but Rachel could guess what was happening by the mist-like rain falling down across the entire area; it was coming from the blue light between the triangles, doing exactly what the fake Cahira had explained.


    A frown touched her lips at how far away she was from the converging group; a few had already met up, and her other clone already took notice of her.  Rachel¡¯s ears twitched with agitation while hearing her own voice issue a caution.


    ¡°Hold up, Scarlets ¡­ my double just opened a room to our left.¡±


    ¡°She knows how to work the walls?¡±  One of the Scarlet¡¯s asked, and judging by how she was rubbing her shoulders, it was the one with only her bra left.


    Using the opportunity to speak to them through her double, Rachel folded her arms, glaring at the fog that obscured her vision of the party.  ¡°I could be the fake ¡­ you could be fake, but what I can say is that I am 97% sure the Cahira with me is not the real one.  I¡¯ve knocked her out in the 3% chance she was trying to fool me, but I find it very difficult to believe that¡¯s the case.¡±


    The copy held up her hand to stop the sling of awkward questions being passed between them; it made sense that Scarlet would use her vision to swiftly find whichever version of her was nearby and teleport to meet up.


    ¡°She says she¡¯s almost positive the Cahira with her is an imposter.¡±


    ¡°Almost?¡±  The other Scarlet asked with a nervous tone.  ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like 100% ¡­ hehe, uh ¡­ is she dead?¡±


    Rachel stepped back to stare at the unconscious woman, leaning against the wall on her back.  ¡°No ¡­ I knocked her out after tricking her into thinking I was the fake and coming up with this plan to kill everyone.¡±


    ¡°... Everyone ¡­ including them?¡±  Her copy broodingly asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she found it a bit odd conversing with herself again.  ¡°I believe they keep our personality traits, which means even if she¡¯s an imposter, Cahira would want to go down in a blaze of glory.  I used that to set this up, which means ¡­ you or I are the real threat, and before I monopolize the information I¡¯ve been able to gain ¡­ I want to share it with all of you.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± her double released a low growl.  ¡°In case you turn against us, but at the same time, you could be feeding us false information.¡±


    ¡°Sure, which is why there will need to be some level of trust on both parties to move forward.¡±


    ¡°... Reasonable.  Scarlets, gather everyone and head to the west wall exit, where my copy is at ¡­ we¡¯ll have a lot to discuss, and make sure to keep your body angled that way ¡­ if you keep yourself facing north and south, you¡¯ll know which direction to go next.¡±


    ¡°¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡±¡±


    Both Scarlet¡¯s trailed off before glaring at each other, and with growls, they teleported to find everyone.


    Her copy took off at a sprint to reach her, and the closer she got, the more she realized her counterpart was slower than she should be.


    Rachel passively followed the small searches the two vampire girls made while talking to her double.  ¡°You were in a battle, or are you trying to fool me into thinking you¡¯re below 100% Lunar Pool?¡±


    ¡°A good question ¡­ you know I won¡¯t answer that.¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ I suppose not.¡±


    ¡°The important information first?¡±


    ¡°...¡±  Rachel¡¯s mind felt like it was burning out with how many possibilities there were when the imposters thought they were the real things themselves.  If she told the imposter the news before everyone joined, then the fake could try to discredit her.


    Her fear didn¡¯t seem to be an issue as her double released a soft sigh.  ¡°I can understand why you wouldn¡¯t want to explain without everyone present.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take more than four minutes for the two Scarlets to identify everyone and meet up with her; she expected the unconscious Cahira to wake up.


    The moment the other Pirate Queen saw her double, she jumped into the air.  ¡°Droch chr¨ªch ort!  Aye, yo wha¡¯in¡¯da blood hell be happin¡¯ in dis unearthly place?!¡±  She jumped back to the wall with Selvaria in toe since they didn¡¯t apparently know there were imposters.


    [Irish:  Bad ending upon you!]


    Rachel did a swift job of calming everyone down, showing them how to close the door, and informing the two crews about the control room.  Her gaze shifted to the two suspicious Ohans once finishing the quick explanation.  ¡°You two are the only ones that might be able to find out exactly how to shut this down.¡±


    Her double released a low tone in her throat.  ¡°Although, one could be acting to sabotage the result, and are you positive there aren¡¯t more than two groups?¡±


    A low groan puffed through Rachel¡¯s full lips as she slowly shook her head.  ¡°No, I¡¯m not 100% ¡­ more like 85%.  In any case, we should hurry, and because any action taken to cause an event to occur requires physically touching something¡­¡±


    The copy nodded, finishing her sentence, ¡°I agree, we should walk single file and at a distance with Cahira ¡­ the one we believe to be real, in the back.  The fake ¡­ between us?¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I scanned the open hallways, and I believe I can guide us back to the room ¡­ do you hear that hum to the far right ¡­ that way, and down five levels?¡±


    Her double followed her finger.  ¡°Mhm¡­¡±


    ¡°That exact sound was within earshot of the control room.  You should be able to hear the fire and other strange sounds the control room makes once we get near there.¡±


    None of the group seemed to like the danger they could be walking into, but there wasn¡¯t much of a chance, and tensions only grew once the fake Cahira awoke.


    Releasing a soft moan, the fake cracked open an eye, finding everyone glaring at her.  ¡°Oof ¡­ mi noggin,¡± she mumbled, rubbing the side of her head.  ¡°Aye, what be the bright idea, eh, Rach?  We was havin¡¯ a good o¡¯ time, an¡¯ then ye went an¡¯ took mi neck off!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already revealed everything,¡± Rachel coldly replied.  ¡°You¡¯ll be walking between me ¡­ and my other,¡± she trailed off, pointing at her double.


    ¡°Ye blasted body snatcher!¡±  Cahira growled from beside the Ohan that had talked about Primal Energy.  ¡°The world be only needin¡¯ one red-haired beauty, mi dryshite huair!¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± the fake jumped to her feet, face turning red at the insult.  ¡°I¡¯ll be a mate¡¯s slapper, then be lettin¡¯ a tool faced wagon be spittin¡¯ at mi licks!¡±


    ¡°Gobshite dope!  Le¡¯mi see yer ship ta knock ye off yer ankles!¡±


    ¡°Some gombeen shite, right there, ye sap Karen!¡±


    Aye, ya say what, two-faced geebag!¡±


    Rachel sighed and walked over to haul the fake up to the front with her continuing to spit bizarre insults at each other that would probably have Fiona¡¯s ears red.


    ¡°Lickarse!¡±


    ¡°Aye, ya better not be slowin¡¯ us down, ya sea-bitten langer!¡±


    They filed into line with the hotty show, Rachel shoving the surprisingly willing fake Cahira along with her double leading the way.


    The Selvarias were more or less acceptable beside one another; although, they got into some strange Gundam conversation that the Scarlets jumped in on, but even that topic didn¡¯t last long.


    Rachel glanced back with a wry smile as it took a new direction; it was a bit strange seeing the two very different body-types.  The very womanly shaped Selvaria took the lead with the smaller one at her back, a tail¡¯s length behind, but their tones were equally as bright.  It was almost as if they really enjoyed having a copy of themselves around.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Galatea cute?¡±


    ¡°So cute!  We should get her some clothes.¡±


    ¡°Yes!  We should dress her up in a sailor outfit!¡±


    The Scarlet with Ohan¡¯s shirt piped up.  ¡°Oh, what about a Gundam outfit!¡±


    ¡°¡±Yes!¡±¡±  They both squealed.


    Both the Ohans refused to be behind one another, so they took up a side by side position.  Nothing was turning out how she thought.


    I just have to get everyone to the spot¡­


    A light opened in Rachel¡¯s mind, and her priorities changed on a dime.


    ¡­ I really was the imposter ¡­ the entire time.


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 68. Revelation

    AuthorSME


    Note:  I apologize for the late chapter; I had some pressing family concerns that caused this week''s chapter to be delayed a day, which will also affect Pokesync tomorrow, meaning it should come out during the night instead of the normal 1 P.M. MST schedule.  If you want to get updates of such nature to know what is happening, then please join the discord.  There is a link in the end-notes.


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    POV:


    1: Rachel Park (our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap: Rachel played her part and learned some valuable things about this labyrinth and how it functions.  She managed to do everything she hoped ... Until her mind was illuminated by the fact she was an imposter herself the entire time.


    How will our ''imposters'' game come to a close?  Let''s find out!


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    Etly Lindman, Cedric Isaac, Frozen In Time, DustHurricane, RottenTangerine, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel¡¯s mind turned cold upon the discovery; her goal was clear, stop anyone from freeing the prisoner, but she¡¯d already set things up for them to make it to the endgame.


    Her wide field of vision and sharp hearing tracked every movement surrounding her; they would reach the control room if nothing was done, but her hyperactive mind was caught on a few glaring details.


    She kept on the route while thoughts flashed across her brain; only the Selvarias and Scarlets spoke, discussing random things that weren¡¯t immediately important.  Her biggest obstacle had been herself, in the end, yet more than a few mysteries troubled her.


    Why did the labyrinth wait this long to activate me?  Was Cahira first ¡­ I don¡¯t know.  How many others are waiting for the right opportunity?  A hostile Scarlet would be ¡­ actually reasonably devious.  If a switch was flipped in her mind, she would likely use everything within her power to kill us.


    Ohan appears to be more straight-laced; he¡¯d attack given a proper opportunity, which he¡¯s had.  Cahira made her play without alerting me in the slightest.  No ¡­ it makes no sense.  There would have been ample ability to slaughter everyone before this point.


    It doesn¡¯t change our personality ¡­ just shifts our priorities.  If that¡¯s the case, then could it be a curse itself?  If so, then it¡¯s only a matter of time, but that would imply my resistances are the second-lowest in the labyrinth, and why would making ¡­ unless us doubles aren¡¯t perfect copies.


    Can I expect help?  If any of the others make a move, I could kill my counterpart when they act to intercept.  Cahira ahead of me ¡­ no, I¡¯m paying very close attention to her, which means she¡¯s doing the same for me.


    Scarlet and I are the biggest threats to deal with, but I can¡¯t handle everyone at once.  Is there a way I can trigger a trap?  No ¡­ not while walking in a straight line.  It was smart to put shade on anyone who moves out of formation, and I¡¯d instantly suspect myself if I did anything out of order.


    She refrained a smile.


    I¡¯ve really outplayed myself.


    The original was ahead of her, ears standing straight; she was ready to dart in any direction to react to anything out of the ordinary.


    Two Scarlets and myself ¡­ it¡¯s impossible.  I have to wait for something unexpected to happen, but what will happen if we reach the observation room?


    A spur dug into her chest.


    We pass right through the cell room ¡­ how could I have been so close without even realizing it?  If Ohan can sense it, then I¡¯m out of luck.


    Her mind flew through possibilities, but everything ended in the same result, failure.  Her heart began to throb with the emotion, and she activated Emotional Detachment.  The feeling faded in seconds; however, an odd desire was building up within her breast that alarmed her.  She wanted to tell her team the truth.


    Damn you, Lunar Pride!


    Body-double Rachel¡¯s insides squirmed at the building tension, and they continued through the labyrinth at a rapid pace; the original was moving at a brisk pace as if anticipating something was off, or it could have been to make it as far as possible before the traitor revealed themselves, but it should have been impossible for her to be a suspect based on action alone.  Nothing had been given away.


    The hallways with their multitude of activatable symbols passed by, with Rachel scanning for anything that might help her accomplish her goal, but it was either too complicated or would take too long to execute to be effective.


    How do I still consider it a betrayal when I¡¯m not even the real Rachel?  I know I¡¯m not the real Rachel.


    Both the Scarlets and Selvarias were beginning to get into a mind-numbing discussion about some short-form anime series called Sirotan that had her blocking out the noise.  Her emotional box was swiftly filling with a myriad of conflicting emotions, bouncing off one another to multiply into a colossal monster of a wave that threatened her goals.


    She couldn¡¯t break now.  Her gaze shifted to the humming occultic waypoint that could transport you to various locations within the maze.  It might be the last hope she had at completing her mission.


    ¡°Hold-up,¡± she mumbled, slowing to a stop to glare at the burning flames and black wooden effigy with symbols shown across it.  ¡°I¡¯ve seen something similar to this in the room.¡±


    The original¡¯s emotionless eyes narrowed while studying her, keeping her limbs and posture in peak condition to take action.  ¡°Is that right; why would this be important enough to make you stop us from reaching the control room?¡±


    Fake Cahira hummed with a small grin, rubbing her neck a little while glancing between them.  ¡°Oh ¡­ mi skin be feelin¡¯ some tension between ya lasses?¡±  She snickered.  ¡°Aye, what do ya say we find ah good room for ya ta work out the knots?  I know of a good spot!¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± the original barked from the rear, ¡°ye bloody fecker be thinkin¡¯ we be real eejits, have ya?  The head on this one; don¡¯t be thinkin¡¯ ¡®cause ye be a cute hoor we be listen¡¯ to ya!¡±


    ¡°Ye think ya be a real amad¨¢n, eh, don¡¯t ya?  Ya bloody scut!¡±


    ¡°No more!¡±  Both Scarlet cried, glaring at both of them, and the Selvarias nodded in response.


    ¡°Mhm, stop yelling¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡±  The original Cahira growled, scratching the side of her head with the leer the fake gave her.  ¡°We can¡¯t be trustin¡¯ a word outta the lass; she¡¯d go ¡®way owra dah with us.¡±


    [Irish saying - she¡¯d mislead us]


    The fake huffed, flipping her off with a wide grin.  ¡°P¨®g mo th¨®in.¡±


    ¡°Say that in mi face!¡±  Cahira barked, but the two Scarlets blocked her path.


    Rachel and her original all but ignored the encounter, keeping their attention centered on each other, and the Ohans seemed more attentive to them, as well.


    ¡°Well?¡±  The original asked.  ¡°What¡¯s the purpose behind stopping here?¡±


    She turned to gesture at the two Samurai as the two redheads barked outlandish insults at one another, and the four remaining girls tried to calm them down without much success; at least they were staying in the same positions to not draw any hostile action from anyone.


    ¡°I believe I told you about Ohan¡¯s sensing ability ¡­ had you forgotten?¡±


    Her original¡¯s lips fell a little at the jab.  ¡°I haven¡¯t.  Are you saying they should analyze it; for what purpose?¡±


    The Ohan without a shirt, which one of the Scarlets now wore, spoke up first; he gave both Rachels a suspicious stare but directed his inquiry to his double.  ¡°You can sense the flow of Primal Energy within the labyrinth, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was using it to follow the strongest threads toward the center ¡­ before the shadows teleported me away, interrupting my progress.  I find that awfully convenient when I was growing closer to the source.¡±


    ¡°You can feel it, though?¡±  He questioned, motioning to the effigy and down the hall they were on.  ¡°We¡¯re on the right path, but there are multiple paths we can take to reach it.¡±


    Rachel hummed, turning back to her original.  ¡°We could be going into a trap; Cahira might have set one up.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Cahira grinned, now infuriating her double by ignoring her.  ¡°I am prone to that sort of thing.  These hallways are full of surprises!¡±


    An internal smile brightened Rachel¡¯s mood; it was a vague reply, but there wasn¡¯t a hint of deception inside it.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Her double¡¯s long ears shifted left and right, possibly scanning for anything minute within the atmosphere she might have missed.  ¡°I don¡¯t like it.  Are you saying this could be a shortcut, Ohan?¡±


    Both shook their heads, but the one with a shirt answered.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be for sure, but I¡¯d only test it out if I had to.¡±


    ¡°Cautious boys, huh?¡±  Cahira mused.  ¡°Where¡¯s your sense of adventure?  I¡¯ll show you something interesting!¡±


    She took one step forward, and Rachel held up her hand to block her path before the original could take action.  ¡°I don¡¯t think so.  Why don¡¯t the two of us go together?¡±  She asked, shooting a challenging glare in her double¡¯s direction.


    A laugh rolled through Rachel¡¯s mind as her original¡¯s jaw locked; there was no way she wouldn¡¯t rise to the challenge.  It was checkmate and subtle enough where she¡¯d have a very difficult time convincing anyone else she was an imposter.


    ¡°... Together then.¡±


    Rachel nodded, keeping her gaze fixated on herself.  It certainly was a strange feeling, listening to the tightening of her own body; she had to assume the person she was copied from had the same sensation.  ¡°Ohan, which part do we need to press?¡±


    This is it.  I can activate the proper traps if I get back and just need to keep myself at bay.


    The emotions telling her to be honest with her friends was dangerously close to breaking, making her tightening muscles real; it was coming down to the wire.


    They both took a step forward, broad fields of vision keeping each other and the burning structure in view.


    The Ohans¡¯ lips tightened, distrustful eyes on them.  ¡°Perhaps we shouldn¡¯t,¡± the one with a shirt muttered as the shirtless said, ¡°slide your finger down the chest.¡±


    Rachel was close enough; her original would no doubt try to stop her ¡­ or so she¡¯d thought, but her double darted forward to perform the same action as her.  They both failed to halt the other, right hand completing the process while their right and opposing legs rose to counter their attacks.


    They blinked, eyes swimming with confusion as they both entered the expanding green flames that shot out from the device.  Within a second, they were standing beside one of the strange artifacts within the ritualistic control room.


    Left arms tensing against one another, they both tried to throw the other back; she thought her original had fallen below 100%, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case.  A nearly equal force propelled them both back; Rachel was stronger than her original, but only by a fraction, yet that made all the difference, and now all she had to do was throw all of the Skill Points she¡¯d gained from the Nightmare incident into her speed and power.  It was over.


    Arching her back to flip to the ceiling, Rachel felt gravity shift when she touched the wall, and Emotional Detachment broke.  A wicked smile lit her cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯m your double; it¡¯s only fair you¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your double; it¡¯s only fair you¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s body locked up, watching the mirrored reaction.


    The smile fell on their reflected lips; if there was anything she could have said to disorient herself, it would be this, yet the confession didn¡¯t make any sense.  Instead of jumping into combat, both fakes fell silent.


    Straightening while looking up at each other, standing on opposite walls, they contemplated the turn of events, activating Rapid Mental Acceleration to be the first to find a solution to move forward.


    Impossible ¡­ sure, she could have guessed I might say it, but ¡­ no, not quick enough if she weren¡¯t experiencing Lunar Pride.  She shouldn¡¯t have even had the proper information to plan around my action, so how did she develop such a confusing counter-strategy?  A stupid strategy, really, yet ¡­ it worked; I¡¯m hesitating.


    If we both are imposters, then everyone else could be, and they just haven¡¯t been triggered yet, and if that¡¯s the case ¡­ where is my real self?


    Their eyes widened, both fakes¡¯ vision moving to the center crystal container; the glowing brown, red, and yellow-hued liquid swirled around each other with the blue flames beneath it.


    ¡­ We¡¯ve been played for fools.


    The heat in Rachel¡¯s throat and chest erupted as Lunar Pride burned a hole in her breast, incinerating the implanted desires within it.  The embarrassment, rage, and dishonor rolled through her frame, compelling her to do one thing.


    Without words, both Rachels walked to the oddly designed crystal object and picked it up by either side of its handles before throwing it with all their strength at the floor in a violent rage; it shattered on impact.


    The liquid erupted into a fountain of rainbow-colored flames as the blue mass ate away at the substance, and both Rachels were eradicated.


    * * *


    Rachel¡¯s eyes snapped open, ears and tail twitching with agitation as everything both of her copies did burst into memory, and she breathed a low growl, fingers trembling while pressing against the black wooden plates she laid against.


    ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ such a fool¡­¡±  Lunar Pride hit its cap Proficiency level as the process tore through her mind and heart.  ¡°Damn you, Twilight ¡­ you were probably laughing at me.¡±


    She could see Scarlet¡¯s smug face that was utterly unlike the girl she¡¯d become so close to; her actions started the next trail, but she¡¯d refrained from giving her the answers she sought.


    It¡¯s punishment ¡­ she was reprimanding us like children ¡­ a never-ending cycle of killing each other until our bodies died.  She knew Lunar Pride would eventually force me to recognize it and reject the process of being an endless puppet!  Dammit¡­


    Her fist slammed against the black wood plate below her, but no damage was done to the floor.  Out of the corner of her vision, she saw Scarlet, Cahira, Selvaria, and Ohan beside her, unmoving.


    Her teeth ground together as she got up, spotting the same oddly designed crystal container several feet in front of her.  She was in a decent-sized occultist room not unlike the others she¡¯d traversed in the magical labyrinth.


    Their spirits had actually been split in two, which was how their spiritual seed had still functioned between them, and it would use their spirits in an endless cycle of mind games and suicide that would eventually make them no different than the Nightmares with the very slow and insidious curse that filled the place.


    Dozens of remains from various creatures were lying around the space; one of them looked unsurprisingly like the Nightmare she¡¯d fought and the beast she couldn¡¯t hope to defeat, dead for ages against the left corner of the area.


    Jaw working around, Rachel pushed herself up to move to the ritualistic object of her focus.  Picking it up, she went to the hole several meters up the large ramp they were on.  Tightening her grip, she listened, and upon finding no living creature within the range of the cave, threw it up.


    It landed on the site where Twilight had conquered the previous trial for them and lit the forest ablaze with the unquenchable flames that would burn the island jungle to the ground; the enchantment was lifted.


    There was only one way to escape the labyrinth, destroy the connecting vessel, but that only worked for those within the space.  The one flaw in the design, or perhaps it was intentional, was it told her how to end it.  Although, without Lunar Pride, she wouldn¡¯t have had the internal strength or rage to utterly reject the urgent goal it had implanted inside her.  Twilight was laughing at her for being so easily manipulated.


    Her motley crew slowly started to stir as the container shattered, vision opening wide.


    A lump of blood dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat before she took her first reflexive breath in a while.  ¡°W-What ¡­ wait ¡­ what just happened?¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath, trying her best to calm her raging emotions, but she just now discovered that Emotional Detachment had a day cooldown if the box was broken instead of released.


    A low rumble shook her throat.  ¡°I¡¯ll explain ¡­ we were all in a trap ¡­ this place is full of them, but I destroyed the main trigger that activates them all.¡±


    Everyone settled down after gaining their bearings, and Rachel laid out the spiritual prison they¡¯d experienced.  She didn¡¯t know how long they¡¯d been under, but judging by the rising sun she could see and the lack of anyone from the ship, they¡¯d only been under for at most a day or two.


    Once finishing the tale, Rachel pointed at a wall with the same symbols she learned would open a door in the maze.  ¡°I¡¯m guessing the escort is behind that wall.¡±


    Ohan¡¯s grip tightened on the hilt of his unsheathed blade, nose creasing with disdain.  ¡°So ¡­ is there an orchestrator behind this ¡­ I felt the energy flowing from a source.¡±


    Rachel shook her head, arms folded underneath her chest to keep them from quivering.  ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware ¡­ no, it¡¯s all self-operating, and this is only a copy of another real location in another world.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡±  He asked, glaring at her.


    ¡°I told you,¡± Rachel lied, not willing to go into detail about the crystals or Twilight.  ¡°If you want to kill the escort, then I don¡¯t see that being much of an issue.  Right, Cahira?¡±


    Cahira groaned, scratching the back of her head while glaring at the metallic frame of a dead spider-like creature.  ¡°I suppose not ¡­ my performance was a tad lackluster, eh?  Got mi agitated.  Oh, but, uh ¡­ I guess the reward might be better if we keep ¡®im alive.  I¡¯m not bothered either way by it, though.¡±


    Selvaria raised her hand, her body slightly less curved after being dry for a day or two; if it had been a week, she¡¯d be dead.  ¡°I want to save him; escort missions can be fun.¡±


    Scarlet appeared happy her shirt was back on, even if still showing their signs of battle.  ¡°Yeah; I mean, we won, though, guys!  That¡¯s good!  Uh, we only have one last trial, right?  Is it the escort?¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s what it¡¯s supposed to be¡­¡±


    Ohan¡¯s closed fist slammed against the floor, making Scarlet and Selvaria jump, but after a long, calming sigh, he smiled.  ¡°... Alright ¡­ I know I¡¯ve been ¡­ a bit off, but the mind games of the first one really got to me.  I¡¯ll chill out.¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± Cahira gave him a toothy grin.  ¡°I¡¯m yer lass if ya ever need a shoulder ta cry on; I be a good listener to hear yer woes, and mi lips be sealed!¡±


    Ohan chuckled, getting up while taking another calming puff of air.  ¡°Thanks, Cahira, but ¡­ I think I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    She popped her tongue with disappointment.  ¡°Aww, bein¡¯ the stoic type has its charms, though,¡± she snapped her fingers, getting up to dust off her butt and thighs after noticing the stuff on her tight leather pants.  ¡°Welp ¡­ let¡¯s get this trail over with!  An escort means danger, am I right; we thinkin¡¯ some beasties?¡±


    Rachel wasn¡¯t fond of the woman¡¯s mirrored word that connected her thoughts to an insanely powerful monster she¡¯d literally felt the fear of death from but tempered her racing heart by reflecting Ohan¡¯s long breaths.  ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I learned everything we need to get there.¡±


    Selvaria smiled down at her dress.  ¡°At least it¡¯s not ruined ¡­ that¡¯s a silver lining.¡±


    Scarlet and the scaly Leviathan girl got into a small conversation about their clothes as they followed Rachel further into the dungeon.  It wasn¡¯t challenging to discover the humming sound that indicated a teleport effigy, and they made it back to the control room.  They all noticed the ghostly orange glow that the lingering flames left against the dark wood, potentially ruining parts of the maze¡¯s functions.


    Cahira couldn¡¯t leave without her gems from the Nightmare; since the labyrinth had crafted artificial bodies for their spirits to inhabit to rob them of all suspicion, they were still at the place the doubles had died after Rachel smashed the vase, releasing them.  Scarlet ran back with her, mentioning they¡¯d had to knock both Pirate Queens out again after both revealed themselves as clones.  The incident had caused an edge of panic in the group at the same time it was happening to Rachel.


    The combination to open the secret room that the metallic monster tiger was guarding took the entire time Scarlet and Cahira were gone.  Rachel was a little embarrassed she¡¯d gotten two symbols mixed up, but with Ohan¡¯s help by reading the energy, they made it to a dark underground cave.


    They all dropped in, Scarlet teleporting Selvaria down since she literally weighed tons and might actually hurt herself from the half-mile fall.


    ¡°Huh ¡­ interesting place,¡± Scarlet mumbled, the first to reach ground level.  ¡°I can¡¯t see through any of it ¡­ well, the darkness ¡­ how big is it?¡±


    Rachel turned around with the others, taking in the vast underground area they¡¯d entered.  It was over seven miles long and five wide, curving around the edges.  She pawed the rough stone ground they stood on, noticing fissures running in a patterned way across the black area.  Above them was the maze, stretching out across the entire ceiling; the light blue glow they gave off didn¡¯t reach the depth they¡¯d gone.


    Selvaria¡¯s mouth dropped open as she pointed to everyone¡¯s left, near the edge of the smooth dome that rose up to the labyrinth plates.  Everyone followed her finger, causing their eyebrows to lift in bewilderment, but Cahira let out a squeal of joy.


    ¡°No way!  No way!¡±


    The Pirate Queen¡¯s hair blew behind her as she sprinted toward a 40-meter long black and white Brig with red sails, designed out of a living sea turtle¡¯s back.  The massive creature meandered about, hovering a few feet above the ground.  Six cannons appeared to be able to be extended, maneuvered and fired from the sides.


    Scarlet gasped.  ¡°Did ¡­ did you just get a battle turtle airship?  Is that your reward for this challenge?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s attention was on a barely noticeable glow in the distance where a terrifying horror was bound.  It looked like it had gone through a terrible battle in the past before being sealed at the bottom of this abyssal labyrinth.


    One of its arms appeared cut-off, but the lump of wood, flesh, and bone was so disfigured and hideous that Rachel didn¡¯t know what to make of it, but she was not against slaughtering the thing.


    ¡­ Is that seriously what we have to escort out of this place?  Why do I think the final trial will be the hardest?


    Leaving the group to fawn over Cahira¡¯s new ride, Rachel made her way over to the creature to get a closer look, Ohan following behind.  It took over thirty minutes to reach it, and Scarlet soon joined her after helping the Pirate Queen to her new vessel.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ now that¡¯s terrifying,¡± Scarlet mumbled, walking a bit closer to Rachel.  ¡°Uh ¡­ you think we need to escort that thing?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you, but it¡¯s the only other thing here besides the boat.  What¡¯s up with that, by the way?¡±  She asked, glancing over at the ship, far in the distance.


    ¡°Umm ¡­ Cahira¡¯s gotta tame it or something; Selvaria¡¯s cheering her on and hugging its fin, hehe.  I think it likes her jewels?  It was eyeing them, eh ¡­ like it wanted to eat them,¡± she chuckled.


    Her tone trailed off as Rachel suddenly stopped, tail standing on end; the horror started to move, rattling the wooden shackles that locked it to the floor.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Scarlet glanced between her and the monster.  ¡°What¡¯s up?  Oh, no ¡­ is it moving?¡±


    ¡°Seems that way,¡± Ohan mumbled, grip tightening on his blade.  ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but ¡­ I think fighting is out of the question.¡±


    Rachel nodded, fingers tightening into a fist.  The horror¡¯s bones popped, flesh ripped, and limbs twitched as they neared, causing a shiver to run down Rachel¡¯s spine.  In terms of strength, this thing far surpassed them; just being near the 5-stories tall terror made her skin crawl.


    Scarlet scooted closer as they stopped at a reasonable distance, whispering, ¡°W-What are we supposed to do with it?¡±


    ¡°How should I know?¡±  Rachel mumbled in return.  ¡°Cahira said we needed to escort or kill the thing at the end ¡­ I don¡¯t think we can hurt it at all ¡­ even if it¡¯s chained down.¡±


    All of their hair stood on end as a low rumble rolled through the cave, vibrating the air, and the horror¡¯s voice alternated pitches until a deep, gravely male voice echoed in their ears.  ¡°Vvvvvvisssitors?  How long ¡­ has it been?  Torrrmentors ¡­ no ¡­ how peculiar¡­¡±


    It trailed off, causing more pops and cracks as its bark-like skin snapped before repairing; its deformed, bone-like skull of a head tilted, mouth opening further than any creature Rachel had seen.  ¡°Ha ¡­ hahaha,¡± it roared, causing a wave of dread and putrid wind to whip their hair back.  ¡°To see such weak lumps of flesh ¡­ no¡­¡±


    Its thick jaw popped the other way.  ¡°No ¡­ something deep rests in one ¡­ dark ¡­ light ¡­ hmm.  Yes ¡­ yes, this will do ¡­ freedom ¡­ after so long ¡­ Maiden of the Harvest ¡­ mercy ¡­ free this wretched existence.¡±


    Rachel and Ohan turned to Scarlet with tight jaws.  The Vespertine Reaper shrank back, squeaking, ¡°M-Me?  N-no, no, no, no ¡­ I can¡¯t ¡­ not at ¡­ there¡¯s just no way!¡±


    The horror released an agonizing groan.  ¡°Even the Maiden of the Harvest denies me ¡­ no ¡­ you sleep, Maiden ¡­ hmm.¡±


    It grew silent for a time, and Rachel wondered if she should unstick her tongue from the roof of her mouth to ask Scarlet if Twilight was mumbling in her sleep again when it spoke.


    ¡°I am bound ¡­ in a manner you cannot help, yet ¡­ a piece of me ¡­ take but a small piece, and I may regrow ¡­ bloom ¡­ be free.  I shall take you to a land rich with treasure ¡­ that is what you seek, yes?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t know what else they could do; killing it was out of the question to fulfill that quest condition; this seemed like the only solution.


    Steeling her nerves, she said, ¡°Tell me what I have to do.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B3 — 69. Legend’s Quest Completed!

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1: Rachel Park (our Lunar Hare!)


    2: Cahira (Chapter 69 ... shakes head ... Cahira ... she really needs to let off some steam)


    Recap: Rachel tried to do everything in her power to trick her ''real'' self after figuring out she was the imposter.  She gets so close, and then¡ªshe discovers they were both imposters?  That didn''t make sense¡ªWhere''s her real body then?  The understanding that the Labyrinth was pitting them against themselves, and for multiple runs, is too much, Lunar Pride activates and both Rachel destroy the item that would end the whole thing.


    Pissed, the group makes it to the bottom of the maze, where Cahira found a floating turtle boat!  On the other hand, Rachel went toward their last task ... finding a creature so powerful that Rachel instinctively wanted to run.  There''s no possible way she can even think of attacking this creature, even if he were completely bound.


    How will this quest end?


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Dangling_Participles, Alex I, Owen, Etly Lindman, Cedric Isaac, Life Savior, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel would have thought the colossal monster looming above them was a CGI movie prop had its overwhelming pressure been removed.


    She wasn¡¯t sure what was more unbelievable, that linked wooden chains as thick as her fist restrained it or the fact they were going to help it because had Cahira not told them that there were two methods of completing this trial, she would have said screw it.


    The ripping and mending of its barky-flesh and unearthly growls, translated into words, was enough to make her bones tremble; it literally looked like an undead abomination, sealed away behind layers of preventative measures to stop them from doing what they were just about to do.


    The horrific creature lowered itself as best it could, freeing a pungent odor she couldn¡¯t hope to place from its half-rotten mouths.  ¡°Thhheee wwwardenn will chase uponnn my attempt tooo be freeee.  Escape ¡­ I will guuuide the wayyy.¡±


    Scarlet leaned over to her with a forced chuckle.  ¡°Eh ¡­ should we really set it loose or take something from this thing?  It looks like something an audience would be screaming at us for ¡­ I¡¯m screaming at myself right now¡­¡±


    The sword in Ohan¡¯s death grip relaxed a bit as he studied the fiendish abomination.  ¡°... Who locked you here; who¡¯s manipulating these trials?¡±


    Rachel suppressed a low groan.  He¡¯s still on that?  The creature¡¯s response changed her perspective entirely.


    ¡°... Forces move unseeen ¡­ powwwerful ¡­ not as powerfullll as the jailorrrr.  I dooo nooooot sense the jailor!¡±  It bellowed a laugh that caused Rachel''s mind to blank, stumbling to the side.  ¡°Hahaha!  Moongmor plays¡­¡±


    Someone is manipulating the Legend¡¯s Quest!  Ohan was right the whole time ¡­ could he sense it in the changing energy around us?  Gods ¡­ Twilight did mention the possibility.  If¡­


    A shiver ran through Scarlet, Ohan, and Rachel¡¯s frames; without a hint of warning, the monster¡¯s animal skull-like heads fractured, and what appeared to be eight invisible claws tore the impossible to defeat horror apart, sending car-sized chunks of wooden flesh and sap-like blood cascading around them.  Orange flames ignited across every piece, ensuring their demise.


    The group scattered with panicked shouts, dodging the flaming debris, but the lit sections that fell by Rachel were icy cold, not hot, yet the flesh burned, and the unseen claws bit into the stony ground; Rachel jumped right to outpace the collateral damage, activating Rapid Mental Acceleration II.  Taking in every moment of the event, Rachel discovered nothing.


    The undead abomination could have easily handled any of the forces guarding it that Rachel had seen, and she instinctively knew her party couldn¡¯t so much as scratch the creature¡¯s skin; no, there would have been some insane adverse effect from even going closer to the thing.  Scarlet, with Scarlet¡¯s Blessing granting her maxed Proficiencies to her scythe penetration could only slightly cut the Nightmare they¡¯d encountered.


    That was the terrifying part about this whole trial.  Everything in this labyrinth was scaled back and had a power limit from their real counterparts, according to Twilight, which meant whatever this abomination is in reality, it knew secrets this manipulator didn¡¯t want to be shared.


    Shit¡­


    Worse was the red liquid beginning to run out of the gash the invisible assailant had made in the floor, orange flames refusing to go out as it annihilated what she could only believe was blood; sure enough, quakes rippled across the stony ground, progressing in slow motion to Rachel¡¯s enhanced vision and mind.  The warden was now clear.


    We¡¯re in a gigantic sea turtle, aren¡¯t we?  Shit!  There¡¯s going to be an island-sized turtle snapping at my tail soon.  The airship makes sense now.  Oh, lovely¡­


    Emotional Detachment had broken in the previous trial, so it was still on the 1 day cooldown, causing her queasy stomach to act up.  Rachel was forced to react while actively trying to keep the panic in her chest from escalating with the alarming information assaulting her mind.


    Miles away, seawater began pouring down the walls to fill the colossal space with hundreds of bony snapping ocean turtles floating down to attack them, acting as the island¡¯s internal defense system.  Their twitching jaws, thick claws, and armored bodies varied in size, but each one rivaled the Nightmare in the strength Rachel instinctively sensed.


    They rocketed toward them, but their focus wasn¡¯t on her group.  Jets of water expelled from their mouths, powerful enough to likely split Cahira¡¯s boat in half, aimed at the orange flames continuing to burn their way across the thick stony gray skin of the island turtle.  Still, even a nick from the aqua blasts could have ripped off part of her arm.


    Her stiff ears scanned the area, compiling what she¡¯d need before touching ground to take the proper action; although, her excited mind was conflicted by the shocking turn of events.


    Scarlet¡¯s blood had shot toward Ohan, creating a blood portal to throw him away while searching for her, after she¡¯d leaped into the air.  Cahira was just getting her new turtle ship into action with Selvaria, which couldn¡¯t have been better; they needed to get out of here.  The quest was supposed to be over; the escort target was dead.  However, the island was in defensive mode.


    The cold orange flames burned everything they touched to smoke while the radial frosty atmosphere it generated instantly froze all that surrounded it; once the orange flames licked the ice, orange fog exploded upwards, and the cycle continued with the exception of one area, as if taunting Rachel.  A path had opened up, just for her.


    Jaw locked with frustration, Rachel didn¡¯t have a lot of time to decide, even with her accelerated mental state; she doubted it was a trap.  No, whoever had manipulated their Legend¡¯s Quest¡¯s motive was fairly obvious from the items dropped; they were interested in her.


    Rachel¡¯s legs lowered herself to the ground as she landed, thighs tensing and ears folding back as she shot into a dash, cold fire bypassing her resistances to send a chilling wave through her body as jets of water rained down on the flames to minimal effect.


    The turtle¡¯s rough skin had excellent grip for her bare feet, and she made it to the horror¡¯s dropped items within moments.  Her narrowed 4-clovered eyes centered on the three colorful bouncing creations with elated, cute zig-zag smiles and big eyes; she didn¡¯t have time to ponder the rabbit-eared blobs.


    When she touched them, they vanished with small pops of light, leaving sparkles matching their colors.  A Branch grew on Rachel¡¯s Tree, providing a possible answer to her question.


    Moongmor¡¯s Branch:  Eostre¡¯s mercurial pet bird that she turned into a rabbit, providing gifts of joy.


    Rabbit Gang I:  (Cooldown: 1 Day; Cost: N/A; Duration: 1 Hour; Range: N/A) Active Cluster Skill, Lunar-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Zero; call upon three moonchild helpers to cheer you up or destroy your enemies.  Each helper will level up as a unit and gain similar abilities corresponding with their unique type; Proficiencies Levels are negated.  All Rabbits¡¯ damage and life force is reduced by half in sunlight; doubled if under their respective moon.


    White Rabbit: Absorbs any type of moonlight and converts it into White Moon energy.


    Lunar Step II:  (Cooldown: 40 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: Remains for 3 Seconds; Range: N/A) Create three lunar disks to use as platforms.


    Lunar Tackle I:  (Cooldown: 30 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: Contact) Uses 1/4th of Rachel¡¯s current Stats, including enhancements, to calculate damage.  Enhanced to 1/2th if under a White Moon.


    Lunar Boost I:  (Cooldown: 5 Minutes; Cost: Destroys Rabbit, setting them on cooldown if used 2 times; Duration: N/A; Range: Contact) Grants up to 10% of its unique Lunar Energy type per use.


    Flush Rabbit:  Absorbs any type of moonlight and converts it into Flush Moon energy.


    Lunar Step III:  (Cooldown: 30 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: Remains for 3.5 Seconds; Range: N/A) Create three lunar disks to use as platforms.


    Lunar Tackle II:  (Cooldown: 25 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: Contact) Uses 1/4th of Rachel¡¯s current Stats, including enhancements, to calculate damage.  Enhanced to 1/2 if under a Flush Moon.


    Lunar Boost II:  (Cooldown: 5 Minutes; Cost: Destroys Rabbit, setting them on cooldown if used 2 times; Duration: N/A; Range: Contact) Grants up to 12.5% of its unique Lunar Energy type per use.


    Coral Rabbit:  Absorbs any type of moonlight and converts it into Coral Moon energy.


    Cursed Lunar Step II:  (Cooldown: 40 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: Remains for 3 Seconds; Range: N/A) Create three fiery lunar disks to use as platforms, able to burn anything that touches the barrier with Ice, Fire, and Lunar Elemental Damage.


    Cursed Lunar Tackle I:  (Cooldown: 30 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: Contact) Uses 1/4th of Rachel¡¯s current Stats, including enhancements, to calculate damage; adds Cursed Ice and Fire Elemental Damage to the attack.  Enhanced to 1/2th if under a Coral Moon.


    Cursed Lunar Boost I:  (Cooldown: 5 Minutes; Cost: Destroys Rabbit, setting them on cooldown if used 2 times; Duration: 1 Minute Lunar Cloak; Range: Contact) Grants up to 10% of its unique Lunar Energy type per use.  Adds a Cursed Ice and Fire Lunar Cloak to the user.


    The information instantly popped into her mind, and she briskly wrapped the map and two shimmering crystals into an oddly designed coat before running back to Scarlet; the little Vampire girl had discovered her location after transporting Ohan away, and Cahira¡¯s turtle was beginning to make its way toward them.


    Rachel dodged around the pressurized jets of deadly water the turtles sprayed at the flames, but their liquid was simply freezing before being turned to steam by the orange fire.


    Scarlet vanished in shadows to appear several meters in front of her to save time, and Rachel practically tackled her to the girls surprise, carrying them out of the flaming path and lethal streams of water.  They soared high into the air, reaching their peak before Scarlet could teleport them far away from the battle.


    ¡°W-What was that?¡±  Scarlet gasped as they glanced back at the circling turtles, converging on the growing inferno of cursed elemental energy; the wicked orange flames looked something out of a misty Halloween night as the ice and fire combined to generate a sinister fog that was rising to meet the turtles defense squad.


    Rachel saw the rushing seawater converging on their location as liquid continued to cascade down the distant walls to fill the space, picked a confused Scarlet up into a princess carry, and raced for the ship heading their way.  ¡°We need to get out of here!¡±


    ¡°O-Okay,¡± Scarlet stammered, vampiric eyes squinting a little as air gushed past them with Rachel¡¯s accelerated pace.  ¡°Umm ¡­ there¡­¡±


    Shadows surrounded them again and they were now running on the deck at the same breakneck pace, causing the Vespertine Reaper to squeak in panic.  Reacting in a split second, Rachel shifted her posture and position, both girl¡¯s hair mixing as she allowed them to be flipped into a backflip while gripping Scarlet close to her chest.


    She landed on the back railing, legs taking the bulk of the stress before hopping to the wood.  Rachel released a slow puff of air through her full lips to rid her breast of stress, shifting the coat a bit to set Scarlet down.  The black-haired girl stumbled a little, eyes spinning from being spun and jerked around, but swiftly regained her senses.


    ¡°Aye,¡± Cahira called, running over to meet them, ¡°what in the bloody ¡®ell be happenin¡¯?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s gaze fell to the coat with a glare, but unfolded it to hand the Pirate Queen the crinkled map.  ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here first; I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯re diving into the ocean, and I don¡¯t know how deep this thing goes.¡±


    ¡°Oof, I see yer point,¡± Cahira mumbled, focus moving to the filling up space.  A grin lifted the fiery-haired woman¡¯s face as she unfolded the parchment to study it.  ¡°Mi lil¡¯ boy here is a bit green ¡®round the ears, but we¡¯ll see what the lad can handle.¡±


    Her reddish-orange eyebrows lifted.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ a rather odd map ¡­ it be changing as we go ¡­ ah¡­¡±


    Scarlet and Rachel barely got a look at the map before their ride tilted into the air, heading right for the folding and twisting maze above.


    Selvaria was currently all the way off the deck, hugging the turtle¡¯s head while cooing how cute he was; her pet seal was resting contently beside her, now rocking a new faintly glowing blue collar.  Both were utterly oblivious to what was happening around them.


    Rachel directed a suspicious glance toward Gisele; somehow her pet bird and Selvaria¡¯s pet seal had made it to this massive turtle ship before them.  They¡¯d been onboard to greet Cahira when they arrived.


    Ohan was still taking in the area, searching for danger, and probably pondering the undead abomination¡¯s response and demise.  He had one hand on the railing to stabilize himself and another on his sword, following the army of snapping turtles.  Their living ship was coming up to the battle, but none of them focused on their little vessel.


    The orange cursed flames and fog continued to rise, causing the deadly ocean turtles to drop out of the sky one after another, turning into piles of treasure.  Cahira hadn¡¯t missed the gems and gold raining into the rising seawater below; the rushing in liquid was turning to ice before being converted to mist faster than it could overtake the flames.


    ¡°Gah, too bad¡­¡±  The woman grumbled, vision returning to the map.  ¡°Our exit be up in that there button; strap down, mi lad an¡¯ lasses, we be enterin¡¯ the thick of her!¡±


    A lump dropped down Rachel¡¯s dry throat; after their flying turtle weaved around the shifting mass of black wooden triangles, symbols flaring with life; they were diving right for a wide opening in the shell, currently dumping waves of water into the area.  The wooden triangles of the maze must have been plugging it up before but after the attack and them finishing the quest, they appeared to have shifted positions.


    Swiftly finding a storage box built into the deck near her, Rachel unlatched it to deposit the coat and crystals into it.  She locked it back up before opening a nearby door and directing her little disgruntled Sky Reaver into it for her own protection, noticing the gemstone anklet around Gisele¡¯s left leg.  Once her bird and items were safe, she barred the door.


    Accepting the rope Cahira created out of blue flames, Rachel tied herself and retied Scarlet¡¯s horrible knot to the nearby rail; the Vespertine Reaper looked a bit crestfallen after comparing her previous knot to the one Rachel fashioned.


    ¡°Well ¡­ I wasn¡¯t in Girl Scouts¡­¡±  She defended with a low grumble.  The comment made Rachel¡¯s stomach shake a little with laughter; she needed to since the thoughts rolling around her gut and brain were anything but comforting.


    The Pirate Queen sent several lifelines that shot out of the front of her ship to secure an oblivious Selvaria and Galatea safely to the turtle¡¯s neck; not that they might die in the sea, but if they were seperated the lost time could be costly.


    ¡°Brace!¡±  Cahira yelled as her map vanished into wisps of flames, stored for safety.  Everyone took a deep breath, and with a loud cheer, the Pirate Queen directed her living ship into the waterfall.


    Liquid surged around Rachel, but she held firm to the wooden railing, eyes squinting to see what was happening around them.  Their ride was powering through the downward gushing seawater.  It took a minute to finally make it out of the thick shell, and the strong tides eased.


    They were still in the ocean, hundreds of meters below the sea level, but rising swiftly; some kind of ability the sea turtle possessed must have helped ease the pressure because they weren¡¯t having any issues acclimating with the rapid race to the surface.


    Sadly, Scarlet¡¯s ripped shirt had mostly been torn off from the rushing waters, leaving her clinging to the scraps, face red with frustration.  Rachel felt a little bad with how hard she¡¯d had it with clothes on the quest, noting that extra pairs might be a good idea for future adventures.


    Out of curiosity, Rachel positioned herself to peer over the edge, and saw they¡¯d only seen a fraction of the colossal living creature they¡¯d been on; its head could have easily gobbled up their entire ship.  It soon disappeared into the depths of the sea, releasing such low frequency roars that it was even difficult for her to hear.


    Turning her gaze above, Rachel could make out Cahira¡¯s first ship and the darkening sky; it was reaching nightfall, proving they¡¯d been gone for more time than she thought.


    Anthony was in the water, swimming down to chase after the floating away island, but appeared to have changed directions upon seeing them.  Pointing him out to Cahira, she somehow telepathically directed her turtle to pick him up.


    Reaching the surface, Rachel filled her lungs with fresh air, chest heaving; water was dripping off everything as their motley crew pulled their hair out of their faces and surveyed the area they¡¯d landed.


    Cahira¡¯s sailing boat with everyone on it was thirty meters away.  The occupants¡¯ notice was swiftly drawn their way by Molly; Rachel could imagine her mother nearly having a heart attack when the island started to sink, and a twinge of guilt filled her chest.


    How is Mom going to survive the crystal news?


    Anthony¡¯s bare chest was heaving while rushing over to meet them.  ¡°Rachel, what ¡­ what happened?  You were¡­¡±


    Cahira interrupted him as her turtle swam toward the other ship.  ¡°Aye, aye, mi lovers, we best be gettin¡¯ on the move before the big beastie be comin¡¯ up in a tizzy!  Ohan, mi lad, can ye ¡®elp bring the rest o¡¯ the crew over?¡±


    ¡°... Yeah, I¡¯ll get on that,¡± he mumbled, still looking somewhat preoccupied with his thoughts.


    ¡°... Mmh,¡± Anthony¡¯s lips fell a little, but after a moment he nodded, trying to give Rachel a reassuring smile.  ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay; your mother looked like she wanted to strangle someone when the island was sinking.¡±


    ¡°I can imagine,¡± Rachel chuckled.


    Scarlet cut her rope with her blood out of frustration when she couldn¡¯t untie it.  ¡°Why does my shirt keep getting destroyed!¡±  She yelled; only a small part of the front of her PJs was left after most had been torn away.


    Anthony¡¯s smile turned forced, green eyes shifting to her.  ¡°Sorry to hear that ¡­ umm, I¡¯ll head over and help get your family across.¡±


    He ran off as Rachel opened the chest to extract the overcoat and handed it to Scarlet to use; the crystals tumbled out into the chest.


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened with surprise upon seeing it.  ¡°Grrgrmm  ¡­ wait, uh ¡­ this is what that monster dropped when it died, right?¡±  With both men now jumping over to the other ship to help bring people over, she removed what was left of her PJ top to examine the coat.  ¡°... Doesn¡¯t this look like it¡¯s meant for you, Rachel?  It¡¯s got a big bunny paw-print on it ¡­ so cute,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Rachel glared at the piece of clothing.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what it does or if it does anything at all, but I¡¯m thinking about it ¡­ I¡¯ll let you know when I work it out in my mind.  Until then, you can use it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡±  Scarlet chimed, examining how to put it on.


    The article was mainly white with what appeared to be fluffy rabbit or mink fur around bottom hem; the coat was backless and shoulderless, showing orange trim, bunny-ear button designs, and string that wrapped around the back and under the bust to hold it in place.


    It by no means looked practical or as if it would hold its position to Rachel, but who it was intended for was obvious.  The back had a fold-over area with a bow a few inches above where her tail was, allowing a place for it.  The pink bunny paw-print on the left side all but confirmed the connection.


    Cahira inspected the outfit as Scarlet fiddled with the buttons and tie.  ¡°Eh ¡­ hol¡¯-up, lass ¡­ where¡¯d ya get this godly thing?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s small smirk screamed victory as she managed to get the front knot undone, and her blue irises lifted to the woman.  ¡°Oh, you can see the stuff we get since it¡¯s loot from the dungeon, right?!¡±  She asked with excitement before slipping it around her body.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with this ¡­ wait, Rachel ¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll fit this.  Aww, look,¡± she grumbled, tying the knot into a small simple knot underneath her bra, ¡°my bust is too small ¡­ no I¡¯m just small in general,¡± she whispered; the item was clearly designed for Rachel at 5¡±9, not Scarlet at 5¡±1.


    Rachel and Scarlet jumped as the outfit suddenly shone with white light before shrinking to the Vespertine Reaper¡¯s size.  Scarlet¡¯s belly thrust forward in surprise as the fold-over orange ribbon tied itself firmly wrapping the mid-section around the girl¡¯s figure, and at the same time, the front string tightened underneath her bust, front framing her breasts while securing them in a comfortable position.


    Her bra vanished, showing a small black outlined strip of a strapless and backless replacement just above the coat¡¯s semi-sweetheart neckline; a carrot shape was cut out of the middle of the bust, just above the ribbon.  The bottom flared out from her sides to mid-thighs with a reverse-V cut at the front, starting just above her belly button.


    Scarlet began to panic when her PJs bottoms were suddenly replaced by white shorty-shorts with an orange bow and trim; the same pink bunny paw-print could be seen on the sides in miniature fashion, as if the tiny creatures had made their way down the shorts, and a bunny poof belt wrapped around her hips.


    Black tights followed with similar pink bunny paw-prints running down the sides that ended at her upper-thighs, showing a section of skin.  White, ankle cross-strap ballerina ballet flats with orange ribbons weaving up to her shins with a pink bow tying them off on opposite sides.  Two pink bunny head outlines were imprinted on the two cross-sections the straps met.


    To top it all off, accessories began shining into existence across Scarlet¡¯s body.  A cute pink strap choker with a carrot centerpiece and poofy anklets, and a left thigh strap.  It finally finished with skin-tight black gloves with frizzy wrist warmers and a leaf-design rhinestone upper-armband on her left arm.


    It had transformed her entire appearance, and Rachel had no doubt it would probably add some kind of fashion to her ears had she worn it.


    ¡°Woah!¡±  Scarlet stepped back, turning and twisting to see all the changes.  ¡°I¡¯ve ¡­ never changed faster in my life,¡± she said with a forced chuckle.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I can take this off, right?  It¡¯s not gonna ¡­ you know¡­¡±  She tailed off before tentatively hopping on her toes.  ¡°Uh ¡­ why do I feel so light?¡±


    Cahira giggled, studying her with a critical eye.  ¡°Aye, the long-eared lass might not look half-bad in it, ya know?  So ¡­ it¡¯s definitely meant fer Rach, as ya might ¡®ave guessed.  As ta the light in yer step, it be enhancin¡¯ yer Stats by 10%, and she¡¯s got a lot¡¯ah perks besides that up her skirt.¡±


    ¡°Like?¡±  Rachel asked frowning a little while moving around Scarlet to see her backside; there was a small gap that would be shown just above her tail, displaying her skin, but if she lifted it up, the spot would be covered.  The gloves were decent, but she wasn¡¯t sold on all the puff the outfit carried with it.


    ¡°Ah, well, she¡¯ll level with ya, for one,¡± Cahira grinned, causing both Scarlet and Rachel to give her a questioning glance.  ¡°Aye, that¡¯s right, mi lasses ¡­ seems if ya choose to wear it, Rach, you¡¯ll be stuck with it for a while ¡­ although, maybe it¡¯ll change a bit each level, huh?  It could be doin¡¯ it with your desire, like many of the other things.  Ya already seen it can reshape itself.  Pretty cool, huh?¡±


    This is definitely not the design I¡¯d go with ¡­ something tells me it¡¯s Moongmor¡¯s whims that will change it.  God, demigod, or whatever creature he may be ¡­ what does he want for all these gifts?


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not that bad,¡± Scarlet mumbled with a small smile once getting a full view of herself.  ¡°I mean, a bit open at the top, but it¡¯s cute ¡­ looks like something out of an anime or something,¡± she giggled.


    Rachel took a long breath.  ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to see what it does for me when we get you some decent clothes ¡­ did it eat what was left of your others?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s lips fell a little.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I mean, I¡¯d trade those scraps for this any day, but ¡­ yeah, that is a good question.¡±


    Their attention moved to the plank that the Legendkin had set up, helping the others onto the new ship; her mother cried out their names, rushing over to give them both a smothering hug.


    ¡°Rachel, Scarlet!  I ¡­ I was so worried!¡±  She cried, forcing them into both her arms.  ¡°What happened?  What ¡­ are you wearing?¡±  She asked, probably wondering if her cute Scarlet had been forced into a stripper outfit for some ungodly reason; she hadn¡¯t seen fantasy clothing designs, and anything close to this was from passing Korean Instagram pictures, so, of course, her mind would go there.


    The Vespertine Reaper¡¯s cheeks darkened a little.  ¡°Umm ¡­ well, my other clothes kind of got ruined ¡­ this is actually Rachel¡¯s.  We¡¯re fine, though!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Molly¡¯s unsure gaze shifted between them, probably trying to imagine her wearing the outfit.


    Rachel swiftly stepped in.  ¡°It¡¯s a long story, Mom; we just escaped a gigantic island turtle.  Once everyone¡¯s on, we¡¯ll¡­¡±


    She cut off as the ship went into motion, wind picking up its pace.  ¡°Already on it!¡±  Cahira chimed, snapping her fingers; her previous ship burst into flames.  Everyone else was preoccupied with the massive moving turtle head at the front of the ship.


    Selvaria was sitting on the front, long blue-highlighted black hair weaving in the wind behind her as she cheered, her baby seal in her lap; they were leaving the water, rising higher and higher into the sky.


    ¡°We should be good,¡± Cahira grinned, putting her hands on her wide hips.  ¡°My little boy can keep an altitude of 100 meters for two hours before having to drop back down.  Should be good to mingle now.¡±


    Rachel caught her dad looking around for her, moving past the small crowd while mumbling in Korean, ¡°Now we¡¯re flying on a gigantic Hyunmoo¡­¡±


    She met up with everyone and did her best to quiet their worries, swiftly taking control of the conversation to deliver it in the least frightening way possible for her parents¡¯ hearts.  They went below deck to get away from the wind.


    Apparently, the creature they were on was a Floating Turtle, and it couldn¡¯t technically fly, but use its large fins to propel and glide for a certain distance.  Cahira gave a passing comment about the reason there wasn¡¯t a steering wheel was because she communicated with the turtle through thought, and since she called him her baby, he was apparently pretty young.


    Alexa wasn¡¯t buying the smooth story Rachel glossed over, petting the baby Sky Reaver that was standing on the table in front of her, but Scarlet leaned in to whisper she¡¯d tell her about the details later.  The important part for everyone was that the Legend¡¯s Quest was over; they just had to stop off on an island to pick up Cahira¡¯s reward.


    Cahira gave everyone around the comfy gathering area a bright smile and thumbs up.  ¡°Yup, it be smooth sailin¡¯ from here on out!  Oh, I can¡¯t believe I got mi first flyin¡¯ ship so soon; he be a real beaut¡¯!¡±


    Molly slumped across the table with a weak groan.  ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t know how much more I can take, Rachel, Scarlet ¡­ why is everything so dangerous?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Scarlet pleaded, ¡°this was just a really unusual one.  This isn¡¯t normal.¡±


    Clay released a low rumble in his throat.  ¡°Rachel, do we have time for you to discuss it at length with me?  For military purposes, that is,¡± he added, noticing Sam and Molly¡¯s looks.  ¡°There may be a few things I need to bring up to my superiors.¡±


    This was actually a perfect opportunity; Rachel¡¯s gaze shifted to Cahira.  ¡°Is there a private room a few of us can use.  There are some things I¡¯d like to discuss that would be covered under the NDA we signed.¡±


    Her parents didn¡¯t like that she was moving to discuss things without their attendance, but her father ran interference to respect her wishes.  ¡°Molly, I wanted to talk with you, too.  We can find a secluded place.¡±


    Molly¡¯s eyes watered a bit.  ¡°Really?  Thanks, Gwon,¡± she sniffed, using her father¡¯s Korean name.  She shifted to give Rachel and Scarlet one last look before getting up and hugging them.  ¡°You two mean the world to me ¡­ I just don¡¯t want to see you get hurt.¡±


    Scarlet began to choke up, hugging her back.  ¡°T-Thanks ¡­ Mom,¡± she whispered, causing Molly to break down even more.


    ¡°The Park family has another daughter ¡­ you¡¯re always welcome in our home, okay?¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s own heart burned at the emotions, but she reigned them in to discuss what had been bugging her.  They all split up.


    Zoe and Felix moved off to explore the ship more, but according to their whispers, Felix wanted to find a room where they could talk more; they seemed to be developing a cute relationship.


    Reed and brother seemed to have developed a closer friendship with one another since they were gone, talking about how The Oscillation might change the sport¡¯s scene.


    Her parents bustled off for her father to let her mother cry on his shoulder and tell him all her fears.


    Alexa was a little miffed she was being excluded from the conversation, taking Rachel¡¯s Sky Reaver to the upper-deck to check around more; by the expression on Elena¡¯s face, she really wanted to join, too, and after some careful thought, figured Zoe and the Honey Badger would hear anyways with their enhanced hearing.  However, knowing it was the simple act of being left out that was bothering the girl, Rachel allowed it.


    Clay didn¡¯t seem sure about the 16-year-old girl into the meeting, but didn¡¯t push the topic, likely figuring she had her reasons, and Maria seemed to catch on since she had enhanced hearing, as well.


    Rachel directed the individuals she wanted to be present to follow her.  Clay, Maria, Anthony, Ohan, Scarlet, Cahira, Elena, and Selvaria into the ship¡¯s meeting room.  It was built for ten people, which meant they had a seat open.


    ¡°So, what was it really like?¡±  Elena asked with an eager smile; she was looking at Rachel like she was a superstar.


    Of course, after seeing how everyone fought the Werebats and Sky Reavers, it wasn¡¯t that big of a surprise that her eyes would be locked on them; she was a Honey Badger Beastkin.  The teenager had grown up around gangsters, where being tough was a big part of her life, and who could compete with the figures in this room?


    Rachel¡¯s demeanor cooled dramatically as she retold the tale.  Ohan stepped in to describe the Primal Energy shifts that were too focused to be random acts, leading him in certain areas, and the other four girls added their own small inputs, Selvaria letting her seal sleep on her lap during the conversation.  The only part she manipulated was the information about Twilight.


    Once Rachel finished discussing the undead abomination, she paused, activating her ability to reveal the Bunny Gang.  Selvaria, Scarlet, and Elena¡¯s eyes shone like stars while observing the adorable little buns, each one a different color to represent the various lunar energies.


    They were squishy balls with zig-zag mouths that didn¡¯t open; the only features they had were two long bunny ears, currently flopped over in a cute manner, three colorful whiskers, big, shiny black eyes, a polished button nose, and a puffy tail.


    The three hopped around, cheeks puffed up in a cute manner, and they seemed to be drawn to the three girls that were fawning over them.


    Rachel¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t cheerful, though.  ¡°... These creatures come from a skill called Bunny Gang, and I received them from the abomination that was killed by an invisible attacker.  The last thing it said was Moongmor, which just so happens to be the same name of the Branch this Skill is linked to.  It names Moongmor as Eostre¡¯s pet bird, turned into a rabbit¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, now that¡¯s somethin¡¯,¡± Cahira mused.  ¡°Eostre be an Anglo-Saxon goddess ¡­ don¡¯t know much more than that, but it be interestin¡¯, nonetheless, huh?  Think it be Eostre¡¯s doin¡¯ or the pet?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°I can¡¯t be sure.  I¡¯m pointing to it being Moongmor himself, but he could be on orders from Eostre.  The only thing that really is certain ¡­ there are real creatures out there that have the power to mess with The System.  I don¡¯t know why, but what I do know is that they didn¡¯t create The System.¡±


    Clay¡¯s dark skin creased.  ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°I am almost 100% certain that these powerful creatures ¡­ call them demigods or gods, it doesn¡¯t matter, but they did not create The System.  However, they can manipulate it to a degree.  I do believe there are things vastly more powerful than Moongmor or even Eostre ¡­ I only know a small sliver the size of wood shavings compared to an entire iceberg ¡­ I really don¡¯t know a lot when it comes to this System or the forces surrounding it, but what I do know is that we can draw the attention of these deities or creatures.¡±


    Ohan was leaning forward, a hard glare in his dark eyes, and even if it was aimed at Rachel, she knew it wasn¡¯t for her.  ¡°You¡¯re saying a creature called Moongmor was likely the one manipulating us and this quest?¡±


    Rachel slowly shook her head.  ¡°Parts, possibly, but for all I know, there could have been others.  The one lead I do have is Moongmor, and judging by the gifts he manipulated The System to give me, I¡¯d say I¡¯ve drawn his attention.¡±


    ¡°What about the Crystals?¡±  Clay growled, his vision narrowing from the implication.


    ¡°It¡¯s a possibility,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t get any information about that.  In the end, we need to really reevaluate the kinds of enemies we could be stepping into the ring with ¡­ we need to utilize everything we have to get stronger, and that includes the U.S. as a nation,¡± Rachel concluded.


    Clay leaned back, sucking on his lower lip.  ¡°... I¡¯ll pass it on ¡­ there are enemies gathering everywhere.¡±


    Maria snickered, reaching over to punch Clay¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Aww, c¡¯mon, chino, we got this, yo!  Aye, we just gotta keep lookin¡¯, huh?  Good thing we got Rachel on the case, she might as well be a hound, my man.  Oh, and let me heal y¡¯all,¡± she huffed, glaring around the table, ¡°yeah, ya can¡¯t hide shit from me.¡±


    Her horn flared and all of Rachel¡¯s stressed muscles eased.


    After the meeting, they parted ways; Selvaria wanted her to name her ¡®bun-buns¡¯, as she called them, but she wanted to think on it for a while before deciding on anything.  She wasn¡¯t sure if Moongmor had any ulterior motives, but expected there must be.  In time, perhaps he¡¯d show himself.  The whole event had thrown her for a loop, but the competitive side in her wanted to get strong enough to handle the monsters they¡¯d barely come out alive from.


    Rachel returned to the box where her crystals were; one shimmered a bright pink while the other was orange.  Scooping them up, she went to Cahira.


    The woman was standing at the front of her ship with a small smile on her full lips, staring down at the sea; the wind had calmed dramatically with the skills the turtle was exercising, giving them a smoother voyage.


    Without even asking, Cahira glanced back with a small chuckle.  ¡°Ah, takin¡¯ ¡®em out, eh?  Guess ya be lookin¡¯ for some answers ¡®bout ¡®em.¡±


    Rachel hummed, leaning back against the railing to twirl the four-inch long diamond-shaped objects.  ¡°You could sense them in the box?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mi ship,¡± the Pirate Queen replied.


    ¡°Right ¡­ I¡¯m guessing they contain Flush Moon and Coral Moon Energy ¡­ I¡¯m beginning to think that¡¯s what Moongmor primarily focuses on.  Their purpose is unclear, though.¡±


    Cahira nodded.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ well, ta me, they be materials.  There be this ugly ol¡¯ dwarf Legendkin back in L.A. that can turn those types of things into stuff; if I were ta take a guess, ya be needin¡¯ someone like ¡®im, but I wouldn¡¯t recommend the fella,¡± she mused.


    ¡°... An Artificer,¡± Rachel whispered.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ okay, that makes sense.  Thanks, Cahira ¡­ you know, you really have been a pleasure to have around.¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± she giggled.  ¡°I be useful in a pinch,¡± she said with a sad smile, pulling back her hair to stare up at the puffy white clouds.


    ¡°Heh,¡± Rachel tapped her bare shoulder with the back of her hand, ¡°you¡¯re more than just a convenient ride.¡±


    ¡°Ho?  A good singer, eh?¡±  She snickered, referencing the maze, ¡°No, no, I get yer point ¡­ it be nice havin¡¯ people that accept ya, and Maria be a good one.  Ya seem ta be one, too ¡­ how¡¯d a lass get so lucky?¡±  She asked with a softening smile.  ¡°Perhaps ¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be so bad ta stick around a while, ya know?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d be glad to have you,¡± Rachel replied, patting her shoulder while going off to visit with her mom.  She needed some one-on-one time, and mother-daughter bonding sounded nice while she had the time; she hadn¡¯t had much of it recently.


    The rest of the trip to the island didn¡¯t take more than five hours; when they finally took to the air again on their last hour, the group spotted flying fish and crocodile-like monsters the size of penguins chasing them through the sky, but other than that, they didn¡¯t see much life along their journey.


    However, Cahira¡¯s map led them to a big rocky island cave, and inside was a whole underground town filled with pirates and dunkards.  The cove was more spooky than enchanting, but that turned a 180 if you went to the island beaches; the Pirate¡¯s Cove was the hidden secret of the travel point.  They could see dozens of ships moving to and from port on the sunny-side.


    They left Cahira to her own devices, seeing as she wanted everything to be a surprise once she¡¯d gone over her options.  Rachel and the rest of the gang were dropped off on the nice-side of the island to have fun for the next six hours of nighttime exploring since it would take that long by the Pirate Queen¡¯s estimations for everything to be completed.


    * * *


    Cahira left Largo, her baby Floating Turtle, on the rickety docks of the hidden cove; the map had said to come alone, and so she did.  She grinned, sword and gun holsters appearing with her belt as she walked down the creaking planks, catching the eyes of hard men and women working on their vessels nearby.


    This was everything in the gut churning adventure she¡¯d been hoping for; exploration, danger, treasure, and most of all, it was just so much fun.  The girls and guys she¡¯d met were exactly what she expected from the trip¡¯s roller coaster.  Plus, she had the added eye candy of Anthony and Ohan to satisfy her imagination.


    Although, a touch of guilt stabbed her heart about the fantasies she had at one point; Anthony and Rachel seemed to be an item in the making, and she¡¯d never want to harm something so raw, especially when the hare-girl could rip her apart with her bare hands.  That wasn¡¯t even getting into her mental gymnastics; the girl was a bubbling caldron of paranoia and strategic genius ¡­ not a mix to be jumping into if you wanted to keep your legs.


    Ohan was pretty enough, though, and she was always on the lookout for more mouth watering candidates to sink her teeth into.  It all was looking up since Maria¡¯s appearance; she reminded herself to thank the Unicorn again when this was done.


    She whistled and winked at a few muscular men as they passed; she knew they weren¡¯t real since this was just a copied reality, but Cahira couldn¡¯t help herself.  They grinned and waved, but the gruff man with a long brown beard they were with just grunted and barked for them to get the crates they were carrying to the ship.


    Cahira snickered, glancing down at the map to find the place she needed to go two streets over; it gave her a little time to reflect.  If she¡¯d tried that when she was fat, skin-scared, and sickly, they would have probably given her a disgusted look and hurried away.


    Beauty really does give you a pass in this life ¡­ the luck of the draw with genetics.


    The Pirate Queen¡¯s glowing green eyes lifted to stare at the half broken down shack that seemed the last place you¡¯d want to do business.  The map lit with blue flames as she stored it, chest thumping with anticipation.


    Nothing ventured, nothing gained!


    Entering the bar, she noted only two men in the room; the bartender was behind the counter, jaw working around suspiciously while eyeing his new patron.


    Cahira gave him a bright wave before heading to the man at the back of the room.  His tangled black beard was flecked with gray and sunken eyes told the seas he¡¯d seen; the man¡¯s wrinkles moved with his half toothless grin as she sat across from him, kicking her booted feet up on the table.


    His gaze slid down her tight leather pants, admiring her legs and up her body.  ¡°What be a lass like ya be doin¡¯ ¡®her, huh?  Ya seem ta be the type ta be spendin¡¯ ¡®er time chasin¡¯ ¡®ore ¡­ pretty lads than I ¡­ which means ya got business with ol¡¯ Raguna.¡±


    Raguna¡¯s heavy red eyes shifted to the bartender.  ¡°Gennaro, a bottle of yer worst for the lass.¡±


    The man behind the bar chuckled, taking out a filthy glass to fill it up with a dark liquor.  ¡°Got¡¯cha, Boss.¡±


    Cahira just gave him a pleasant smile.  ¡°Ah, it be true ¡­ ya got mi curious, Raguna.¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±  The man gave her a lifted eyebrow.  ¡°A thing a many be true ¡­ what be yer pretty lil¡¯ eyes on mi poor soul, ¡®dough?¡±


    Gennaro was quick with the drink, slapping the thick glass on the table with a hard thump that sent a quarter of the liquid splashing to the table.  ¡°The worst, mi lady,¡± he chuckled before retreating.


    Cahira¡¯s gleaming teeth shown while leaning forward to grab the cup, showing her flexibility, and without hesitation, downed the content in one go.  The liquid burned her throat, but the thrill was better than any foul drink that coated her throat.


    Smacking the empty glass back on the table, she smacked her lips.  ¡°Heh, it be the worst drink I ¡®er did taste, aye.  Ye weren¡¯t pullin¡¯ mi leg, Gennaro.  Another!¡±


    The two men chuckled and he returned with the bottle, replacing her glass with it.  ¡°¡®Ave at it, lil¡¯ missy.¡±


    So Cahira did.  She took two more swigs before dropping the empty bottle beside her chair.  ¡°Aye, it be just as I thought,¡± she laughed, puffing out a hot breath; it was stronger than anything she¡¯d tasted on Earth.  ¡°So ¡­ down ta business.¡±


    She dropped her legs to the floor to slam the map down on the table, appearing from blue at her fingertips.  ¡°How¡¯d the great Raguna manage ta leave ¡®dis in such a dangerous island, eh?¡±


    The man¡¯s lips fell a bit upon seeing the map.  ¡°... Ah ¡­ now how¡¯d a pretty lass like yerself come by mi greatest treasure?¡±


    Cahira¡¯s smile widened.  ¡°A map ta show you to yer heart¡¯s desire; it truly be the treasure of treasures.¡±


    ¡°... Heh ¡­ heahahaha!  Aye, ya got mi.  So, mi fire-haired sweet ¡­ what can ol¡¯ Raguna do to swipe mi treasure back?¡±


    Cahira¡¯s eyes sparkled.  ¡°I be lookin¡¯ for a few crewmates; the best yer cove has ta offer, and I¡¯ll pay top ¡®o the berrel for ¡®em.  Fer yer map?¡±  She licked her lips with anticipation.  ¡°I want ya to upgrade mi ship as best ye be able!¡±


    ¡°Aye ¡­ yer a genuine seeker, uh?  Lookin¡¯ fer bigger clouds to catch ¡­ what ship we be havin¡¯?¡±  Raguna asked with a devilish grin as a shadowy aura began frothing off his skin and the room began to darken; his red eyes only grew brighter.  ¡°As best I can, eh ¡­ yeh got mi good with me map, so I be feelin¡¯ charitable.  Tell ol¡¯ Raguna yer desires.¡±


    Cahira¡¯s stomach squirmed at the fathomless void in front of her that seemed to be pulling in the very light of the room, and she could see a man like this braving the labyrinth they¡¯d just escaped with a capable crew.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a Floating Turtle ¡­ a babe¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehehe ¡­ ah, the gem crushers ¡­ yes, I have what ya want, but it be takin¡¯ me a minute to fetch the proper food ta really make ¡®im fly.  Eh ¡­ it be rare, though ¡­ quite rare ¡­ how ¡®bout ya sweeten the pot a bit, mi lass?¡±


    She suppressed her instincts to run at the man¡¯s dark presence and flaming eyes, thanking her Legendkin Passive and Skills that kept her nerves just within the line to answer.  ¡°Which be?¡±


    ¡°Ah, but another drink with ol¡¯ Raguna to lighten a mood!¡±  He finished as the threatening atmosphere popped like a bubble and he roared with laughter.


    Sunken eyes and shabby appearance returning, he gestured at her, looking to the bartender.  ¡°Another, mi man!  We got a lil¡¯ Pirate Queen takin¡¯ her steps ta greatness!¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡±  Gennaro cheered, taking out the most expensive looking bottle from behind him and bringing it over.  ¡°Seems ya found the right lass for finishin¡¯ yer tale.  Aye, Boss?¡±


    ¡°Aye ¡­ it be lookin¡¯ that way, mi man,¡± a small glow lit in the man¡¯s sunken red eyes again while gazing at her.  ¡°There be a task ye gotta do fer the Pirate Lord¡¯s Token ¡­ remember, red be mi color fer life ¡­ but green ¡­ green be grantin¡¯ ya somethin¡¯ eternal.¡±


    Cahira nodded, committing the advice to memory.  Once finished, they had a few more laughs and drinks before he went off to some unknown location to get his end of the bargain; of course, she kept the map until it was finished.


    Gennaro brought her to another establishment with enough muscular and gorgeous men to make her knees weak, or it might have been the powerful alcohol she¡¯d ingested because for the first time since she¡¯d changed, Chaira was wasted.  A man offered her another drink, and that was the tipping point, she passed out.


    When she awoke, she was on her ship; she could feel it, but something had changed.  Her room she was in was something fancy, with a massive, comfortable bed, and many places to store clothes or other items.


    Looking down, she found herself half undressed; her head was in a foggy mess, but it was swiftly clearing.  She pulled her one free hand back through her shirt, adjusted her bra, and tightened her leather pants before walking outside her quarters to be greeted by four very muscular, and might she add, handsome men.


    ¡°Wilkins, at yer service, Captain!¡±  The largest and most juicy piece of meat she wanted to sink her claws into said in a bright tone.  ¡°I hope ye had a good rest.¡±


    Giving him a charming smile, she hummed, leaning against the door frame.  ¡°Ye can always come in and make sure yer Captain be gettin¡¯ some proper sleep.  Aye?  Tuck me in a little?¡±


    He laughed it off.  ¡°Haha!  Again with the jokes, Captain!  Right, to business; your Dragon Turtle has finished evolving; which direction shall we sail, and be we takin¡¯ de Dreadnought or Dragon Turtle, Captain?¡±


    Cahira blinked.  ¡°Dragon ¡­ Turtle ¡­ Dreadnought?¡±


    The information flashed across her foggy mind; her little baby Floating Turtle had eaten something that made him evolve into a High Vessel Class, a baby Dragon Turtle that would continue to grow as she leveled it through Points and battle experience.


    These very succulent pieces of piping hot meat in front of her was a drunken purchase that she¡¯d made with all her treasure, and the bonus had been a shipwright that had upgraded her sailing boat to a Dreadnought Class vessel; she was once again broke, but at least she had a Transcendent-Grade 1st Mate, two Epic-Grade Deckhands, and a Legendary-Grade Caretaker to handle her Dragon Turtle¡¯s needs and maintenance.


    The problem ¡­ they required pay, and weekly.  It seemed she had a lot of ¡®privateering¡¯ to do.


    ¡°Eh?!¡±


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


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 B3 — 70. Please, Return To Me

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1: Gisele (The Baby Sky Reaver of Rachel''s she got as a reward)


    2: Molly Park (Chan-hee; Rachel''s poor Mother)


    3: Rachel Park


    Recap:  Cahira got a baby Dragon Turtle!  And that''s not all¡ªa flippin'' Dreadnought!  We met some copy of a real pirate legend from another world, and he gave Cahira some tips on her way to become a true Queen of the Pirates!


    The problem ... She''s broke, and these new crewmates she bought and ships require a LOT of money ... ugh ... always a problem!  We''re making strides, though!


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    MadGod, Iobe I, Owen, Alex I, Ianitos, KingWoh, Ryan Devine, Braincase, and my other Patrons!


    Gisele gently touched down on the side of Cahira¡¯s railing, metallic-like wings softening to fold around her body; her focus darted between the individuals around the deck as they spoke in rapid and confusing phrases.   She tried really hard to memorize the key identifiers her master used for the creatures around her, but the names were difficult.


    Her master, Rachel, had just returned from the jungle after breaking the illusions that were cast upon them.  Scarlet seemed to demand so much attention from her, but Gisele did her best not to be jealous.  Still, it was difficult not to see the small slices of time Rachel spent with everyone but her since the Sky Reaver¡¯s summoning.  Scarlet¡¯s strange shadow ability certainly did blow her powers out of the sky after witnessing the black-haired girl dance through the air, cutting down the loud bats with ease.


    Gisele was all but ignored.  In short, her life was challenging and only getting worse by the hour.


    Her concerned purple eyes turned to Alexa, shame clouding little Sky Reaver¡¯s mind; she¡¯d failed her master by succumbing to the illusion.  No, her master had to save her, which horrified her.  It was heartbreaking; she¡¯d followed the orders of a fake Rachel, yet it was that fake master that made her feel so needed at the time.  The Flying Screamers had returned, and Rachel called upon her aid.


    Only to find out, it was all just a trick, and she¡¯d fallen for it like one of those screamers that fell into Scarlet¡¯s liquid traps.  She was embarrassed, she was angry, and she wanted to be of use, but her master seemed to think she was utterly useless.


    Rachel gave her a dismissive wave that pricked her chest while preparing to enter a dangerous underground area; her master¡¯s vision wasn¡¯t even on her.  ¡°Look after someone that needs it; I¡¯ll be back later.¡±


    There her master went ¡­ again, jumping into danger, and she was left to guard someone else.  What else did she expect, though; how many failures did she have under her beak?  She¡¯d barely been able to kill two of the Flying Screamers and failed to guard Alexa.  On the other hand, even the excited beast girl had two more Flying Screamers under her thin, flightless wing.


    An itch appeared on her right wing, so she reached her left claw around to scratch at it.  Expertly finding the spot between the sharp barbs on her feathers, she smacked her long bony tail against the side of the rail with pent-up agitation.


    Who should I look after?  This must be a test ¡­ who is the weakest of the flock?


    Her gaze shifted back, a grimace crossing her features once spotting the aggravating prime candidate; Galatea was staring up at her.


    ¡°Where did Mom go?¡±  The utterly defenseless aquatic piece of fat inquired.


    Gisele understood humans once she¡¯d been bonded to Rachel, and the annoyance they called a ¡®seal¡¯ wasn¡¯t difficult to figure out.  ¡°She¡¯s gone with my master.¡±


    Galatea gave her a big-eyed stare.  ¡°... When will she be back?¡±


    A groan rumbled through Gisele¡¯s throat.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ soon, I hope.¡±


    Gisele was reaching a new low in depression; this dumb animal was probably the creature she had to protect ¡­ most likely from itself; it was by far the weakest thing on the boat.  Honestly, Gisele couldn¡¯t understand how the little thing got so much love from everyone ¡­ only Alexa seemed to like Gisele, and she¡¯d failed to even protect her master¡¯s sister.


    The little Sky Reaver¡¯s tail twitched again, slapping against the rails once more, her frustration building while glaring at the seal¡¯s fracturing expression.  ¡°Are you going to cry for her again?¡±


    ¡°... Umm, you told me not to,¡± Galatea mumbled, whiskers quivering as she tried to hold back her cries.  ¡°You¡¯re not going to eat me?  I¡¯m just ¡­ I¡¯m so sad.¡±


    It was such a stupid question that it made Gisele want to cry.  The creature was supposed to be older than her by quite a bit, yet it wined, had to be cleaned up after, and was utterly useless in a fight.  No, actually, it was detrimental to even be around since it had to be saved, and yet ¡­ here she was, protecting the hunk of meat.


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat you ¡­ I have to protect you.¡±


    Galatea¡¯s whiskers twitched as she sniffed, bobbing up and down.  ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ you¡¯re my friend!  Oh, oh, so we can go play!¡±


    Gisele¡¯s shoulders slumped as the seal began inching her way to the side of the deck.  Her gaze shifted to her master¡¯s party, but they seemed to be busy with each other; Rachel¡¯s safety was what seemed an emotional topic after some of the things they¡¯d heard from Alexa, and they were preoccupied with calming the nerves of her master¡¯s mother.


    She was sure there wouldn¡¯t be further instruction from Alexa, the only other human that her master gave permission to order her around.  Her master¡¯s mother and brother were taking all her attention.


    Her focus returned to the slow-moving seal, releasing an internal sigh.  ¡°You know I can¡¯t swim, right?¡±


    Galatea¡¯s progress halted, her tone utterly mystified as the creature flopped to its belly, rolling around to stare at her upside down.  ¡°Eh?  Everyone can swim!¡±


    Sharp, thorny feathers ruffling a little, Gisele¡¯s glare intensified at the dense piece of meat.  ¡°Not Sky Reavers ¡­ can you fly?¡±


    The seal giggled.  ¡°No, that¡¯s silly; not everyone can fly!¡±


    ¡°And not everyone can swim¡­¡±  She huffed, tail cracking against the wood again.


    ¡°Really?  Oh, I didn¡¯t know that ¡­ uh¡­¡±  She spun around to the edge again, gazing off the side of the boat from the open ramp area.  ¡°We can play near land!¡±


    ¡°There could be monsters.¡±


    Galatea giggled innocently.  ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re here!  You¡¯re like my mom; you¡¯ll protect me while I play.¡±


    Great¡­


    The seal took her silence as acceptance and rolled off the side without a second thought, forcing another internal sigh out of the baby Sky Reaver.  Gisele smoothly flipped to the opposite side to watch the chunk of lard belly-flop into the clear, nighttime sea.


    Her master¡¯s friends were too occupied to notice, and the splash was surprisingly mellow compared to what the Sky Reaver expected, considering how the bat creatures made a lot of noise when entering.  There were fish and other creatures in the water, but nothing so far that seemed to be a threat to the animal.


    Hopping off her perch, Gisele took into the air to follow it; the seal was playfully zipping around the water while slowly working her way toward the shore.  Suddenly, she took off to the right, chasing a small, brightly colored orange fish.


    Right ¡­ we can play on the shore.  How do I get stronger, so I don¡¯t have to watch baby Dead-Weight?


    She followed after the seal, ready to give her an earful when she finally made it to the shore.  Gisele hesitantly lowered herself to the water, eyes narrowing as the pink fish darted onto the beach and flopped back into the huffing and puffing piece of meat¡¯s mouth.  That wasn¡¯t normal.


    Gisele quietly lowered herself to the shore as Galatea cheered.  ¡°Did ¡­ did you see, Gisele; did you ¡­ did you see?  Oh, no¡­¡±  Her mouth darted to the side as a wave threatened to pull her catch into the ocean.  ¡°Mmhmhhghgmh!¡±  She mumbled, inching her way further onto the beach to feast.


    The Sky Reaver hopped after her, eyes scanning the dead shoreline; there weren¡¯t any tracks of life except for the blatant trail the seal made, but her instances were telling her something was off.


    ¡°Did you see?¡±  Galatea repeated.  ¡°I¡¯m so good at playing!  Wanna share?¡±  She asked with a bright tone.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Galatea and Gisele jumped as an amused male voice appeared out of nowhere in front of them.  Hopping to the right while preparing her tail and jagged feathers for an attack, she appraised the newcomer.


    A furry creature nearly half the size of Gisele with orange, pink, and white tie-dyed explosions across his wooly frame stood behind them.  He had surprisingly similar ears to her master, except they were folded down and shorter.


    He looked utterly defenseless; even Galatea could probably roll over the fuzzy thing and finish it off, but its colorful, intense swirling eyes made the bird hop back.  There was something deceptive about this creature, much less the fact it had just popped out of nowhere.  ¡°W-What are you?¡±


    Galatea¡¯s mouth tightened around her fish.  ¡°Mmegrmmrrrgm!¡±


    The creature chuckled, small arms rising to his closed mouth.  ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯m not here to take your fish.  You can call me Rabbit, cause I¡¯m a Rabbit!  Oh, yes, yes, Moongmor works, too!¡±


    Rabbit took a few slow steps, circling while his unsettling eyes stared at them; Galatea was utterly incapable of even following those slow actions, but Gisele wouldn¡¯t let him leave her sight, ready to attack.


    ¡°A lot of interesting things have been happening in your master¡¯s Realm recently, but Scarlet ¡­ Scarlet¡¯s really caught my eyes.  To think a creature such as that exists is ¡­ frightening, hoho.  Rachel is so cute, too.¡±


    Gisele¡¯s sharp feathers ruffled a bit more; again, Scarlet took her stage, but she couldn¡¯t let that statement pass.  ¡°Master is fierce, like a lightning strike!  She¡¯s not cute¡­¡±


    The seal was doing her best to follow Moongmor¡¯s movements, which seemed to be taking much of her energy.  Rabbit paused with the ocean in the backdrop.  ¡°Oh, yes, yes!  That¡¯s part of her charm.  I want to see more of that cuteness, but ¡­ there¡¯s a problem,¡± Moongmor mumbled, head tilting to the side.


    ¡°Gmrmr,¡± Galatea swallowed the fish in her watery mouth whole, ¡°are you our friend?  Are you going to play with us?¡±


    Rabbit¡¯s head tilted to the opposite side, swirling eyes darting to their left.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ the seal¡¯s cute.  Maybe I will, but someone¡¯s playing dirty ¡­ that¡¯s no fun.  Killing the Warden isn¡¯t nice ¡­ oh, fascinating ¡­ who could this be?¡±  Gisele didn¡¯t understand his babble, but the thumping of his left foot drew her eyes.


    What¡¯s up with this crazy thing?


    Although not her original plan, the boat was far beyond their sight at this point; she needed to get Galatea back safely.  She couldn¡¯t fail another mission.  Gisele flashed her tail threateningly.  ¡°... What do you want?  Are you going to trick or attack us?¡±


    A wave of danger overpowered every instinct within the baby Sky Reaver, freezing every fiber in her being; radiant flashes of white light exploded around them as Rabbit¡¯s intense gaze darted around, following something.  ¡°Oh, my, my; I¡¯ve stepped in it now!¡±


    Flickering orange flames roared to life around the creature, irises glowing brighter with the pink aura collected across the fire, and he began dancing about in a blur, vocal tone and excitement increasing as if he were in some kind of heated dance with an invisible partner.


    ¡°Oh, lovely!  You¡¯ve got a fetish for fine art ¡­ I get the feeling we¡¯re in deep here.  Who might you be?  Troubled waters, but they¡¯re only thigh-highs¡­¡±


    A humming vibration blocked out the sound of the waves, and both Gisele and Galatea floated into the air with Moongmor; blazing cold energy engulfed them, and all she could see was Rabbit¡¯s flips, slides, and side to side dashes.  Speaking to the air with a strange tempo that rose and fell with his movements, the rabbit twirled around small spheres of green, gray, and purple, locked in unseen combat.


    ¡°... Oh, she goes right for my heart ¡­ here she comes, a¡¯knocking with those stockings and those clever moves.  I see you flaunting, see you taunting, it¡¯s so sickening ¡­ I can¡¯t resist the way you flirt; I should be dead, but my heartbeat¡¯s quickening, now-wow.  Oh, don¡¯t you slow; less is more, this is just an excuse to make you shake your little derri¨¨re, yeah!¡±


    Gisele¡¯s beak dropped open as Moongmor¡¯s leg exploded into light, and then it was back, twisting him over the color-infused air in a spiral before sliding to a new position.  Portals of various hues showed multiple angles of each person in her master¡¯s party.  Time seemed to be twisted in a manner to slow Rabbit¡¯s movements so she could see every detail.


    ¡°That ratio; a perfect score!  Maybe you can help me get what I want; arch your back, now, curve your little spine, and tell me that you¡¯re mine; it¡¯s all about the game and what you flaunt when you know you¡¯re not teasing me!¡±


    He chuckled, jumping on Galatea as she twisted in the air, completely lost with where they were or what was happening.  They¡¯d stepped into some crazed nightmare because the floating trees, spinning sand designs, and energy beams flashing across her vision couldn¡¯t be real, yet Rabbit just kept humming along with his little song.


    ¡°Oh, my, my, you¡¯re an absolute terror for Absolute Territory!  You¡¯re so hotly contested, here¡¯s a tip:  Lie down baby, that¡¯s it, baby, take control; you¡¯re so enticing, mesmerizing, I don¡¯t know how to react; double-take, yeah, I¡¯m shaking, and you know it shows!¡±


    The flames across his chest snuffed out, fur turning white before the fire exploded, larger than before, ¡°You¡¯re gonna steal my very soul; more manslaughter than the third impact, YEAH!  This kind of girl just can¡¯t be beat ¡­ oh, keep whispering in my ear ¡­ yeah, I know there¡¯s no pleasing you!  C¡¯mon, shake, shake, more, more; a girl¡¯s status is measured by her denier!


    ¡°I see you struttin¡¯ in that pleat; you¡¯re an absolute terrible, absolute terror for Absolute Territory with a checkered pattern on that skirt.  You¡¯re my kind of girl that flips the beat!  Oh, my, my, it¡¯s all about this taunting, ever closing game, come a little closer; I should be dead, but my heart beats too fast, yeah, and she whispers in my ear: take off that fur!¡±


    Moonmor came to a sudden halt, one large foot held in the air as the strange lights, portals, and impossible happenings around them came to a stop.  His lifted foot shifted to beat at his folded down ear with a fascinated hum.  ¡°Oh, is that all you wanted to do?  What a fun game; such random playful mannerisms that girl has!  So many with a peeping fetish, too,¡± he giggled.


    Finally able to move and speak again as they were lowered to the ground, Gisele choked out a gasp; there was no possible way they could survive attacking this insane creature.


    ¡°Wh-What are you ¡­ we want to go!¡±  Gisele croaked.


    Galatea was now rolling around on the sand.  ¡°I¡¯m spinning!  I¡¯m spinning!  Where am I?¡±


    Rabbit started hopping left and right, seemingly still caught up in the thrill of his battle with the invisible attacker.  ¡°Oh, we can¡¯t leave yet; you just won¡¯t do for my lovely Rachel!¡±


    Gisele¡¯s claws tightened against the sand, feathers, and tail falling; she might just be killed for being inadequate to the random Rabbit¡¯s standards.  ¡°I ¡­ won¡¯t do?¡±  The worst part was she couldn¡¯t deny it; she¡¯d failed everything so far.  ¡°... What do you want with my master?¡±  She asked, at least hoping to discover what would become of Rachel.


    He shook his head, appearing in front of her without warning to lift her up a bit, pressing on her back and upper chest to adjust her posture.  ¡°No, no, no, my little Sky Reaver!  We just need to make a few adjustments to that progression route you¡¯re on; what good is a Storm Reaver that will only block out my little Hare¡¯s beautiful moonlight?  So puff up that chest because we need to make you a Lunar Reaver!¡±


    ¡°W-What?  You want to help me ¡­ be more useful to my master?¡±


    Moongmor was utterly immune to her sharp barbs, guiding her limp wings open, poking, and probing her body with what seemed instant teleportation.  ¡°Oh, oh, some fun things this branching seed can do!  It originated with Rachel, so ¡­ we can make some adjustments.  Ho, ho, this will be a bit harder than I thought; how lovely!¡±


    Galatea appeared to finally stop spinning, itching over to them with a thrilled expression.  ¡°That was so much fun.  I want to help my mom, too!¡±


    He did a backward spiral, landing on one foot before doing an aerial cartwheel.  ¡°You¡¯re so cute, Galatea, and we¡¯ll get you on track for super cuteness, Gisele!  Why do I like Rachel?¡±


    Landing on one extended claw, Rabbit gave them a crazed smile while balancing.  ¡°She¡¯s cute!  There¡¯s some fluffy outfits I want to see her wear; mmh, some amazing clothing lines in that one, but how to get it to her?  Ah, it works with that hopping stocking girl¡¯s manipulations; my, my, what an exhilarating performance!  Come, come!¡±


    Gisele¡¯s ruffled feathers wouldn¡¯t relax as she tried to follow, but it was difficult to fly when she was this agitated.  He was going to help her overcome this horrible losing streak she¡¯d been on, yet it could also be a trap.  Then again, why would he need to trick her?  Moongmor had already shown himself much stronger than her.  Could it be to humiliate her more?  That would be horrible.  If she could get stronger, though ¡­ she had to take the risk!


    A groan and sigh left her beak as Galatea squealed with joy; fire birthed underneath her, and she could now swim through the air.  She was kind of dumb, allowing herself to be kidnapped.  Gisele had no choice; she had to follow.


    Rabbit wrapped them in colorful flames while humming and dancing, even when they entered the water; he generated some kind of fiery globe that allowed the two to breathe.


    He led them off the sandy shore shelf and into the depths of what appeared to be an endless void, but the further they progressed down the sloping abyss, Gisele noticed dozens upon dozens of powerful-looking monsters that rushed at their radiant globe.  Every horror that neared caught ablaze, transforming into treasure before floating down to them, but Moongmor ignored all of it, continuing his teleportation dance through the darkness.


    Gisele slowly grew more used to the creature¡¯s antics and found the impossible power of the silly thing comforting.  It was the first time someone had offered to help her, even if only for her master¡¯s sake, which was just how she¡¯d have it.


    ¡°Umm, Rabbit?¡±  Gisele mumbled, eyeing Galatea as she mirrored his dance moves as best her bulky form would allow, humming his odd tune.


    ¡°Mhm, mhm?!¡±  He asked, using the larger chests, golden chairs and elegant ship decorations that fell around them as short platforms for his performance.  ¡°Oh, my heartbeat jumps with every new twist I find she made to the Quest; such a girl is an absolute terror for Absolute Territory!¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ uh, you don¡¯t want to hurt Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Who would hurt such a flirt?  That mind of hers is so cute!  Nope, we¡¯re just plucking and farming the loot table for the proper items; gotta get things set up for my stunning little Hare when they reach the final trial.¡±


    A shiver ran down Moongmor¡¯s fur before spiking a little with his slower twirls.  ¡°I just gotta see how your master will show off that beguiling accouterment; my, my ¡­ oh, she¡¯s such a tease, measuring my intransigence to such a charming and risqu¨¦ design ¡­ she¡¯ll steal my poor soul!  It¡¯s just too much for my little heart; I must see it!¡±


    Again, utter nonsense to Gisele.  ¡°Okay ¡­ eh, so what are you going to do to my master?¡±


    The force moving Gisele and Galatea stopped as Rabbit appeared in front of her, swirling eyes inches from her beak.  ¡°Watch!  Listen!  Scope!  Spy!  Dance unseen with her rise because she¡¯ll come back!  I¡¯m back in heaven,¡± he moaned, doing aerial cartwheels around the edge of the flaming bubble, ¡°such enthralling girls can¡¯t avoid flaunting their charms!  I must take part!¡±


    Galatea laughed.  ¡°This is so much fun; I can fly!  Look, look, Rabbit; I¡¯m spinning!¡±


    ¡°Spin, spin, spin!¡±  Moongmor laughed, flipping in the air with her.


    ¡°Woooh!  Oh, more fish; it¡¯s a big one, Rabbit!  I want it!¡±


    Gisele squawked as she was just tugged along with the pair, racing up to the monstrous plated beast with twelve massive bladed fins, green plates of armor, and twenty reaching heads, jaws filled with nasty-looking teeth.  The sight terrified the Sky Reaver, and the flames pushing a pulsating excitement into her breast didn¡¯t help the confusion running through her mind.


    ¡°Here we go, Galatea!¡±  Moongmor cheered, launching into a kick with Galatea rocketing at the sea creature to deliver an orange fire infused headbutt.


    ¡°Head Smash!¡±  Galatea laughed.


    The creature¡¯s many heads froze before turning into orange smoke as the thing tried to swallow them whole; Galatea and Rabbit smashed into its body, sending a wave of pulsating energy that instantly vaporized the horrifying beast.


    ¡°Victory!¡±  Moongmor roared, dancing with Galatea.


    ¡°We get food?  We get food?!¡±


    Rabbit did a flip before pointing up at the items the corpse revealed, floating down to them.  ¡°The best!¡±


    Gisele was emotionally spent, but the excitement forced upon her body wouldn¡¯t leave with the flames surrounding them in the dark ocean depths.  ¡°... What ¡­ are we doing?¡±  She cried.  None of this made sense to her flustered brain.  Why was this stupidly powerful fluffy creature tugging them around, killing random terrifying monsters?


    Her beak dropped open, muscles going numb as he pointed at the things entering his protective shell.  ¡°Two hyper-speed EXP boosts and Tree expansion accessories; oh, and did I mention this one will help you evolve, Galatea!¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±  The seal cheered, black eyes sparkling at seeing the delicious-looking multi-colored fish hovering toward her; without a second thought, she gulped it down.  ¡°Mmmmmhhmhhh!  It¡¯s so good!  Oh, oh, what¡¯s evolve?  Can I eat it?¡±


    Rabbit winked at them, hopping up and down again in mid-air.  ¡°It¡¯ll make you cuter!¡±


    ¡°Woooh!  I¡¯m cuter; Mom will be so happy!¡±


    Gisele stared at the shimmering leg accessory that hovered down to her.  ¡°I¡¯ll ¡­ be useful to Master?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, mhm!¡±  Moongmor replied, vanishing from her sight, and before she could even try to think about testing it out, the items were around her ankle and Galatea¡¯s neck.


    It felt like something large was growing inside her as a small glow coated her fur.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be a Lunar Reaver in a few days!¡±


    Gisele¡¯s chest burned; if it were possible, tears would be falling from her sunken eyes.  ¡°Master is a Lunar Hare ¡­ I¡¯ll be like ¡­ like Master?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!  Hehe.  We just had to manipulate the loot table in the right places; victory x2!¡±


    Galatea bobbed up and down.  ¡°Oh, oh, what about me?  My evolve thing!  Will I be like Mom?!¡±


    Rabbit chuckled, hands rising to his mouth.  ¡°No, no, silly cute seal!  You¡¯ll be transformed into a Sky Dancer, a seal that can fly and use the Air Element!¡±


    ¡°Did you hear?  Did you hear, Gisele?!  Seals can fly!  Oh, wait, Gisele!!  You¡¯re swimming!  You¡¯re a Swimming Reaver!!¡±


    ¡°Heh ¡­ right, uh¡­¡±


    Gisele was going to ask more questions, but Moongmor gave a start.  ¡°We gotta go!  So much to do, so little time with that cute Hare¡¯s mind!¡±


    Before Gisele could thank Rabbit, they were tugged into a sharp dive at an impossible speed before stopping in front of a large wall of wooden triangle blocks with glowing symbols.  Every blue mark turned green, sliding apart to allow them in while keeping out the ocean.


    They entered a dark space and flew to a large creature; a ship rested on its back as it wistfully floated around the dark, endless room.


    ¡°You two have fun here and wait for your masters!  Oh, gotta drop some food; work to do, work to do!  Oh, my, my, my Hare is so lovely!¡±  He cooed before vanishing into thin air.


    ¡°... Thank you¡­¡±  Gisele whispered, staring down at her feathered thin figure, still glowing.  She lifted her foot to study the item, slowly converting her anatomy.


    He was right ¡­ I would have been harmful to Rachel if I became a Storm Reaver.


    ¡°I get to help, Master,¡± she cried with joy, body quivering with excitement.


    What will she think when she sees me?  Oh, no, what if she doesn¡¯t like it?!


    Her anxious thoughts vanished as Galatea inched toward the edge of the deck.  ¡°I can fly!  I can fly!  Sky Dancer Seal Galatea!¡±


    ¡°N-No, no, no, Galatea,¡± Gisele stammered in panic, fluttering over to stop the hunk of lard from falling to her death.  ¡°He said days ¡­ a few days, Galatea!¡±


    ¡°Ho, ho, but I am Sky Dancer Seal Galatea!  I can fly and swim at the same time!¡±


    Gisele swiftly dropped in front of the utterly confident seal, 100% convinced she could jump off the side of a ship and take to the skies.  ¡°Galatea!  No!¡±


    ¡°B-But I can!¡±  She urged, giving her a big-eyed stare.  ¡°I beat up a big fish; I protected you!  I¡¯m a Sky Dancer; I¡¯m strong!¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­ okay, but in a few days,¡± Gisele pleaded.  ¡°Save it for ¡­ uh, a surprise!¡±


    ¡°Oh!  Yeah, Mom will be so happy; she¡¯ll hug me, and pet me, and feed me yummy fish!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah ¡­ so let¡¯s save it for later.¡±


    Galatea bobbed up and down, nuzzling her,  ¡°You¡¯re so smart, Gisele!¡±


    The Sky Reaver released a soft sigh as the baby seal began humming the rabbit¡¯s crazy funky song.


    * * *


    Molly let her husband guide her into what appeared to be the ship¡¯s kitchen after Rachel had basically kicked her out of the important conversation, and even Elena was being allowed to join.  She had no doubt her daughter was discussing what really happened inside that maze and had purposefully excluded her.


    Angry, hurt, scared, she couldn¡¯t help the turbulent emotions pulsating in her breast.  Sam squeezed her hand while shutting the door behind them, but Molly knew her daughter could still hear her with those big ears.


    Her husband¡¯s calm voice and concerned gaze only incited her.  ¡°Chan-hee ¡­ talk to me.¡±


    Tight lips unsealing, the rolling angst erupted in a Korean tirade; Rachel and Nam would be the only people on the boat that would understand her shouts and Sam¡¯s responses.


    ¡°Why are you so stubborn?!  You keep putting herself in danger, and Scarlet gets dragged along with you; you¡¯re reckless, and never tell me the truth, and hurt yourself!  This isn¡¯t some sports match!  How many times have you almost died in the past two weeks?  How many?¡±


    ¡°I know, I know¡­¡±  Sam soothed.


    Molly retracted her hand, storming to the wall to hug herself against it.  ¡°No, no ¡­ you¡¯re just ¡­ she was always headstrong and competitive, but this is just too much!  You saw what Scarlet looked like before she put on that ridiculous outfit Rachel gave her; how much harm did she take, and Maria even had to heal her because she wasn¡¯t being honest ¡­ why can¡¯t she be honest with me?¡±  Molly cried, nose burning as tears touched her eyes.


    Sam stood close by, hands clasped at his front, probably waiting for her to calm down a bit before moving in, but she didn¡¯t want him to hold her; she wanted him to talk some sense into their daughter.


    ¡°We ¡­ I thought she was dead ¡­ days ¡­ days without so much as a word from the government about where she was or hearing her voice, and then we learned she was fighting terrorists just several miles away from home!  She didn¡¯t call to let us know she was alright, or ¡­ or ¡­ just silence, and all I could do was bake food in the hopes she¡¯d walk through the front door!


    ¡°It¡¯s stupid, she¡¯s stupid, you¡¯re stupid!  Why can¡¯t you see how dangerous all of this is?  You¡¯re a nineteen-year-old girl that hasn¡¯t even finished college or had a boyfriend ¡­ you¡¯ve got so much to live for, Rachel!¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±  Sam whispered.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you tell her?  She¡¯s just ¡­ just going out there, letting the government use her and throw her away!  Then some random hussy shows up with a boat, and we¡¯re in some ¡­ whatever place this is, and in a war zone!  Why are we here?¡±  She yelled.


    Molly¡¯s fingernails sliding across her scalp, running her hand through her black hair.  ¡°What is so¡ªso important that she forces me to live with the fact I¡­¡±  Her throat caught.  ¡°I may need to identify her body in the next few weeks ¡­ days?  I can¡¯t ¡­ I can¡¯t do that again, Gwon!¡±


    Her husband moved in, wrapping his arms around her trembling body, her anger turning to despair, and they slowly shifted to the floor.  His firm grip usually comforted her, but she felt so cold and scared.


    ¡°What do I do ¡­ how can I keep our little girl alive?¡±  Molly sobbed.


    ¡°... I¡¯m scared, too¡­¡±  Sam whispered, and Molly could hear it in his voice.  ¡°Everything¡¯s changing ¡­ so fast, and I¡¯m just trying to keep up with it all.¡±


    Molly sniffed, throat closing up for a moment.  ¡°What ¡­ what can I do?  Gwon ¡­ what do we do?  Scarlet¡¯s so innocent and broken ¡­ she¡¯s finally opening up to me, but ¡­ Rachel keeps taking her into dangerous places.  Nam¡¯s suppressing so much pain ¡­ Alexa¡¯s being drawn into it all ¡­ I feel like we¡¯re breaking apart ¡­ everything¡¯s leading toward¡­¡±


    He pressed his cheek against the back of her head, combing her hair while holding her from behind.  ¡°Rachel¡¯s changed ¡­ and I¡¯m trying to understand it.  I know it¡¯s hard¡­¡±


    ¡°But she hasn¡¯t changed all that much,¡± Molly¡¯s teeth locked for a moment, fingers tightening around his arms.  ¡°She¡¯s just as headstrong and focused as she always was ¡­ it¡¯s just ¡­ the world¡¯s changing ¡­ and she¡¯s changing with it, but it¡¯s not right.


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ just not right.  She¡¯s not a soldier, so why is she acting like one?  She¡¯s never wanted to be in the army ¡­ Rachel was supposed to be a lawyer.  Safe, in Miami ¡­ now ¡­ where will we be in a week?¡±  She swallowed, sniffing back her tears again.  ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯m being pushed away?  Rachel wouldn¡¯t do that to me.  Right?  Why is she shutting me out, and ¡­ and she¡¯s getting Alexa into it ¡­ Scarlet to do it¡­¡±


    ¡°... You¡¯re her mother,¡± Sam whispered, grip tightening around her chest, ¡°she loves you, and she doesn¡¯t want you to worry.¡±


    ¡°Ha ¡­ doesn¡¯t want me to worry?¡±  Molly scoffed, nose burning again.  ¡°Have you been paying attention?  When have I not been worried since we heard groups were hunting down people that changed?  She told us herself ¡­ there are terrorists after her ¡­ she¡¯s a target, Gwon, and yet here she is ¡­ risking her life for what ¡­ a boat?¡±


    When he didn¡¯t respond, she shifted a little.  ¡°Gwon?¡±


    ¡°... Chan-hee ¡­ I don¡¯t see Rachel being a lawyer anymore.  She hasn¡¯t mentioned it once since returning.¡±


    Hearing the words leave his lips was like a blow against her face.  ¡°No, but ¡­ if she doesn¡¯t¡­¡±  It hadn¡¯t all connected in her mind yet; if Rachel wasn¡¯t going down that career path, which would she take?  Until now, her actions had been clear, but the fear wouldn¡¯t allow Molly to link the outcome.  ¡°You can¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    A hot puff of air tickled her ear as Sam shifted her around to the corner of the wall next to them, holding her hands.  There were tears in his own red-stained eyes but a sad smile on his lips.  ¡°I don¡¯t like it ¡­ but Rachel is an adult now¡­¡±


    ¡°Just barely, and she still lives at home,¡± Molly mumbled, fingers quivering as Sam continued.


    ¡°... She¡¯s going to choose to do something that she loves, regardless of what you or I believe she should be doing, and I don¡¯t like where this is heading either.  Our daughter is reckless, at times, stubborn, as you mentioned, and sometimes very temperamental when something isn¡¯t going how she likes.¡±


    Molly¡¯s mind flashed back to Alexa and Rachel¡¯s strained relationship when their daughter-in-law had first come to live with them.  The shouting matches and snarky comments about their conflicting interests, but something had changed in Alexa, too, since The Oscillation and her encounter at the Police Station with Nam.


    The cold, lifeless image of her little niece lying on a morgue¡¯s table suddenly stabbed her heart, mind pulling her back to the loud horn, cracking glass, and the airbag¡¯s violent blow across her chest and face, paralyzing her brain.  The very thought of Rachel, Nam, Alexa, or Scarlet lying in that place caused a panicked quake to pass through her bones.


    ¡°Gwon ¡­ Gwon, I just don¡¯t want to ¡­ I can¡¯t see another¡­¡±


    He reached forward, pulling her down to press his burning forehead against hers.  ¡°I know,¡± he reached up to put pressure on his nose, sniffing back his emotions.  ¡°Things have calmed down for now ¡­ let¡¯s get ourselves put together and talk to them.  We can get everything in the open.¡±


    Molly¡¯s chest fluttered, and she lurched forward, closing her arms around her husband''s body while forcing him to the ground and rolling him on top of her; she wanted to be covered, shielded, protected from the terrifying thoughts and memories prodding her heart.


    ¡°Chan-hee¡­¡±


    The hardwood floor put pressure on her back, but Sam¡¯s hot body on top of her was the only thing keeping her from breaking down.  ¡°... What if she ¡­ is there nothing I can do to keep our family safe?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    She knew Sam couldn¡¯t answer her, but the question wouldn¡¯t be suppressed.  There had to be some way she could ensure her family¡¯s safety; she was the matriarch, the person that was supposed to protect her children from the horrible world, but all she felt for the past two weeks was a terrifying powerless realization that everything she cared about was being ripped out of her hands.


    ¡°I just ¡­ I just got another daughter ¡­ one that needs protecting ¡­ a shelter from the awful things that were done to her.  I heard Nam scream four days ago ¡­ nightmares when he killed those men and women that attacked them.  Alexa¡¯s conflicted and doesn¡¯t know how to help him while Rachel ¡­ Rachel¡¯s bringing all of this back ¡­ what can I do?  What can I do?  My family is suffering¡­¡±


    Sam¡¯s chest pressed against her as he took a deep breath, and he kissed her ear.  ¡°I love you.  We¡¯ll get through this.¡±


    ¡°How ¡­ I¡¯m so scared.¡±


    ¡°... chance, and


    Let¡¯s talk to them.  Rachel knows how much we care about her ¡­ she¡¯s probably scared to talk to us about it.  She¡¯s been avoiding it as much as we have.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s nineteen, Gwon ¡­ she should be worried about school and boys breaking her heart ¡­ not monsters and terrorists.  How did this happen?  Life isn¡¯t supposed to be like this ¡­ Soo-geun, too ¡­ our family is breaking apart.  How do I keep us together?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk to them.¡±


    ¡°... Tell me we¡¯ll be fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Everything will work out, Chan-hee ¡­ we¡¯ll make it through this.¡±


    She tightened her grip around his back, allowing time and her husband¡¯s comforting embrace to calm the storm clouding her mind.


    After several minutes, Molly let him know she was ready to get up; he¡¯d been holding himself up a little to not put too much pressure on her.  They scooted to the wall, holding hands, and she started playing with his gold wedding band.  Her face was puffy and flushed, but she ignored the wet stains, focusing on the ring.


    ¡°I love you¡­¡±


    He smiled, leaning over to kiss her on the head.  ¡°I love you, too.¡±


    Her thoughts momentarily returned to their wedding ceremony; the arranged wedding had a somewhat bitter taste in her mouth at first, but she¡¯d given it a chance, and never regretted it after.  They¡¯d gone through several rough financial spots that their kids weren¡¯t aware of, but Gwon had never once let her down; there had been several significant disagreements, yet disappointment was not something that passed between them in their many years of marriage.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk to them?¡±


    ¡°Together.¡±


    Molly nodded.  ¡°... Do you really think Rachel likes all the danger?¡±


    ¡°... Honestly,¡± he released a low sigh, fingers shifting around to intertwine with her¡¯s.  ¡°I think she does.¡±


    The heat that touched her nose again forced a sharp breath before slowly easing it out, thighs tightening together.  ¡°So ¡­ she¡¯s not going to stop?¡±


    He slowly shook his head against her¡¯s.  ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Trying to clear her thick throat, Molly¡¯s left hand moved to stroke the back of Sam¡¯s.  ¡°Will talking even help then?¡±


    ¡°I believe it will.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±  She whispered, beginning to feel hopeless.


    ¡°... Letting our family know how much we care about them, and how concerned we are about their safety.¡±


    Molly unwound her fingers to lean in and hug her husband, pressing her ear against his chest while listening to his heartbeat; she didn¡¯t want to talk anymore, just be held, and Sam complied.


    Twenty minutes passed, allowing her to regain control of her emotions, and she got up, her back, chest, and butt burning a bit from the awkward positions she¡¯d been in.  She pulled Sam up, guiding him to a bathing area to clean up, struggling with what she might say to the four when they got a chance.


    She smiled up at Sam with loving eyes as he fussed over her, helping to clear away her make-up; she hadn¡¯t broken down so much for over ten years, since the car crash.


    After that, they went into what appeared to be a big bedroom; at some point, the strange bird with the long bone tail started observing them, but Molly ignored it, thoughts stuck on the issues she had with her daughter¡¯s actions.  Sam and her sat on a bolted down couch, pondering the events over the past two weeks.


    It came at a bit of a shock when Rachel walked in to awkwardly inform them that they were coming up to land, and they needed to get off for the pirate woman to upgrade her ship or something.


    Molly gave her a forced smile.  ¡°Thanks ¡­ uh, yeah, we¡¯ll be right up.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Sung,¡± Sam replied.  ¡°... We love you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ love you too, Mom, Dad¡­¡±


    Rachel swiftly exited, the strong pink glow surrounding her long white hair fading as it vanished behind the wooden door.


    ¡­ She doesn¡¯t know how to approach us, either ¡­ I¡¯m so useless¡­


    A long sigh left her lips as she got up, pulling Sam with her.  ¡°Umm ¡­ do you think?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, when we get a chance,¡± Sam replied, giving her an encouraging smile.  ¡°I¡¯ll ask.¡±


    Molly pulled on his neck down to kiss his sweet lips, feeling a weight drop off her shoulders.  ¡°Thanks, Gwon.¡±


    Returning the gesture, his hand reached up to pull her hair back, fingers tickling her skin.  ¡°Always.¡±


    His firm grip against the back of her neck helped to calm her racing heart, and he guided her out by the hand, closing the cabin door behind them.


    Everyone was present on the deck, and the tall African American man appeared to have everyone¡¯s attention.  Once Clay saw them, he motioned for the two to join.  ¡°Mr. and Ms. Park, I believe you¡¯ll wish to hear this.¡±


    A little confused, Molly¡¯s grip tightened around Sam¡¯s hand.


    What now?


    Sam¡¯s expression fell a bit at the invitation.  ¡°Is there more trouble?¡±


    Clay shook his head.  ¡°No, no, nothing like that.  Actually ¡­ I believe it¡¯s about time I explain to you everything that should have been disclosed to your family more than a week ago.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±  Molly mumbled, glancing between Rachel and him, but her daughter was a brick wall, giving no indication as to what was on her mind.  On the other hand, Scarlet¡¯s worried expression was much easier to read.


    Alexa¡¯s piped up from Nam¡¯s side.  ¡°Oh, wait, are you talking about that thing Rachel talked about?  The thing we needed permission to know about?¡±


    Clay nodded.  ¡°That and more.  We can get Cahira up to speed when she returns.¡±


    ¡°Aye, don¡¯t worry about mi feels,¡± the oddly spoken woman chuckled, giving him a wave, ¡°I be off ta spend mi riches!¡±


    It was hard for Molly to follow the woman sometimes with her swift and unusual way of talking; she certainly wasn¡¯t conservative with her choice in clothing, either.  Of course, Scarlet¡¯s crazy outfit brought a frown to her lips, too, and apparently, it was supposed to be for Rachel.  She couldn¡¯t imagine her daughter wearing something like that in a million years; it was hard enough to get the girl in a dress.


    Rachel led them further into town, seemingly avoiding their gaze, but instinctively, Molly knew she was likely panicking a little.  The twitch of her ears and stiff tail had begun to be a tell that she¡¯d picked up on.


    The dirty town they¡¯d entered had rough-looking men, women, and even children working the docks.  Ships were coming in and out of the area with the bustling streets.  They had entered some kind of 1700s trading hub.  Outfits ranged from extravagant to potato sacks, and the tallest buildings only seemed four-stories with a wood and thatch design.


    Yet, magical iridescent globes brightened the nighttime bustle, proving they were still in some kind of otherworldly plane.  She scooted closer to Sam while watching a few fish-like creatures enter the market.  Several other non-human figures could be seen talking to the locals, purchasing supplies, or breaking into fights that no one appeared concerned with.


    Their group did catch several eyes, but no one approached; weapons were commonplace, which had Anthony and Ohan¡¯s out to intimidate anyone seeking a fight.


    Molly barely caught Rachel¡¯s words while leaning over to whisper to Clay.  ¡°Before that, we need money; Scarlet could use some clothes.  There¡¯s an arm-wrestling competition happening a few streets over.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be nice,¡± Scarlet chuckled nearby, and Alexa smirked, giving the girl a critical eye while brushing back her blonde locks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ I think you look pretty cute in that.¡±


    Molly¡¯s lips tightened, directing a glare at the outfit.


    Cute?  Do you really think that¡¯s cute ¡­ it¡¯s so revealing ¡­ there aren¡¯t even any shoulders, sleeves ¡­ forget that, most of her back is exposed, for god¡¯s sake.  Her breasts should just pop out while she moves ¡­ but magic.  The shorts barely hide her butt when she bends over, and what¡¯s up with those puffy accessories and carrot choker ¡­ it¡¯s like someone¡¯s making a joke out of Rachel¡¯s change.


    They made it to the area, and she was a little surprised as Selvaria joined Rachel in the competition, using the dress Scarlet was wearing as an entry bet; apparently, the design must be fairly popular among the crowd because it was accepted.


    Molly felt a little bad about wanting them to lose the first bet; at least the risqu¨¦ article would be less of a distraction for her.


    The two girls went to the center of the large circle, facing the two champions they had to both beat to claim the prize; Selvaria gave her baby seal to Scarlet to hold, which was when she noticed the cute collar around the animal¡¯s neck for the first time.


    A sigh followed, Molly running her free hand through her black locks; she didn¡¯t feel like herself lately, but it was hard not to be negative.  Still, she added a smile to her face and tried to cheer on her daughter.  It wasn¡¯t right to let her fears or outfit tastes turn her against Rachel.


    ¡°Do your best, honey!¡±


    The others gave their own cheers, and on the bright side, winning meant getting her darling Scarlet out of those clothes.


    Silence overshadowed the crowd as the table broke when both parties started, and they were forced to move to a stone fountain; apparently, their opponents weren¡¯t pushovers.  The large men had hands more than twice the size of the two girls.


    The brick fractured at their elbows as it started, and their team won with a resounding crack with the back of the men¡¯s hands breaking a piece of the fountain.  Chuckles and impressed whistles followed before a throng surrounded the girls, looking to gain their favor.


    Selvaria couldn¡¯t handle the number of random men and creatures asking for her to follow them back to the bar to share a drink; it was more than apparent what they really wanted, and she took her seal before retreating to the sea.  Molly was a little taken aback by the sudden explosion of requests the girls got, and the Leviathan was already gone by the time the group whipped the crowd in line.


    Women, men, creatures, it didn¡¯t matter; everyone started getting handsy with the newcomers, but a few twisted arms, bodies tossed into the nearby fountain, and KOs gained the town occupants'' laughter and respect.


    Molly sat in stunned confusion while the whirlwind raged around her; she¡¯d never seen a massive street brawl take place in real life, and the townsfolk were going after each other as much as them.


    Sam guided her to a clear location with Nam and Alexa, their son¡¯s energy figures surrounding them, but in the end, Rachel came smiling over while tossing a large bag full of money in her right hand.


    She ¡­ really looks happy.


    ¡°Are you okay, Mom, Dad?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ are you sure this was okay?¡±  Sam asked.  ¡°There aren¡¯t any authorities that will come arrest us for being in a street fight?¡±


    Anthony chuckled, walking beside Rachel while glancing back at the several dozen knocked out or stunned men and women around them; a few people were helping their buddies with cheers at their group.


    ¡°Aye, was a good brawl, mi fishies!¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡±  Shouted several others with laughter.


    Alexa¡¯s eyes were wide with wonder.  ¡°Wow ¡­ that was intense.¡±


    Molly didn¡¯t understand it.


    We were just having a peaceful arm-wrestling contest ¡­ how did it turn into a fight?  What kind of world is this?


    Sam guided her back to what appeared to be the cleanest tavern in town, which wasn¡¯t saying much compared to Miami standards; she saw large rat-like creatures in the street outside with scorpion tails, but no one seemed to care!


    They all filed into a back room, a serving girl with three pink eyes and a very wide mouth directed them to; on her exit, she noticed the woman only had four nail-like fingers.


    ¡­ How long do we need to stay here?


    She was mystified once studying the heptagram-shaped table that was lopsided with various sized chairs around it; one was built for a baby, but the top of the table loomed 5 feet above it.  Whoever sat there would have had to be very thin and have an absurdly tall body or neck.


    Finding suitable places, Clay began the conversation.  ¡°Okay, the President will be revealing some of this during his address ¡­ which might have already happened by this point, depending on when we return.¡±


    The information he shared next chilled Molly¡¯s soul.


    There were these gateways they called Crystals that brought monsters like the creatures they¡¯d been fighting.  In exchange for a governmental shield, Rachel and her new friends accepted a top-secret mission to explore one and learned how to shut them down.  However, if the information they came back with was true, then this was only the beginning, and dozens of more had already been cataloged or were in the process of being dealt with at the moment.


    The worst bit of news was that currently, only those that had changed during The Oscillation could reliably handle these types of invasions.  A new program was being instituted with government oversight; people could form groups after being evaluated for competence, and restrictions would be put into place to screen the capable level they¡¯d be allowed to handle.


    Rachel would likely be in a group that had no bar; they¡¯d proven themselves so far to be near the peak that they could handle the most dangerous missions, which had to be done, or they would only become more difficult, and eventually, could end all humanity.


    It sounded fake ¡­ fiction, but she was experiencing something similar, a Legend¡¯s Quest.  This trip was supposed to help build their ability to handle those sorts of challenging encounters.  Now they had to worry not only about these Crystal invasions but both foreign and domestic threats from within their own world, such as Cuba, that had recently been taken over by a hostile Demihuman force.


    In short, her nightmare had become a reality.


    Once he finished, Sam asked for them to leave so they could talk to his family, including Scarlet.  Rachel waved everyone off, saying she¡¯d keep an ear out for them.


    Zoe had asked several questions, white hands holding Felix¡¯s for comfort upon learning everything; she was worried about what might have happened to her family.  She thanked Rachel and left with the boy, talking about the possibilities.


    Maria and Elena went with them; the Beastkin girl appeared starstruck by the tale Clay spun around Molly¡¯s daughter.


    Clay and Reed left to explore the island.


    Selvaria and her pet had already taken off, hiding in the sea.


    Cahira was already absent at some hidden cove, and Ohan thanked them before leaving to reflect in private.  Anthony was the last to leave, giving Rachel an encouraging grin while shutting the door behind him.


    Rachel wore a shockingly sad smile, ears falling back while staring at her mother.  ¡°... Well ¡­ that¡¯s it, Mom, Dad.  The world literally is in danger; you all are, and we are in a position to help prevent it.¡±


    Molly was still numb to the news, trying to process it all, but thankfully Sam bought her time.


    ¡°Is ¡­ there no other option?  You know we both love you, and we never want to see you get hurt ¡­ but you could die doing this.¡±


    Tingles shot down Molly¡¯s spine at her husband¡¯s words, and she gripped his hand underneath the table.  ¡°... We ¡­ we wouldn¡¯t even know,¡± she whispered in disbelief.  ¡°You could just ¡­ disappear without a trace.  I¡¯d never know what happened to you.¡±


    Scarlet looked very uncomfortable, playing with the front of her dress while glancing between them.  Nam and Alexa were both silent, and the blonde appeared to be conflicted still, lips pulled in as she held Nam¡¯s hand.


    Rachel slowly nodded.  ¡°Yes ¡­ I know, Mom ¡­ it¡¯s not fair to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± she cried, blinking and wiping her glistening eyes.  ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t have anything happen to you ¡­ to you or Scarlet, or Nam, or Alexa ¡­ we¡¯re a family.  I ¡­ I need you all to be safe, and this ¡­ all of this will¡­¡±  Her trembling lips snapped shut, not even wanting to say it as if speaking it would curse her.


    ¡°Sung,¡± Sam whispered, voice cracking a bit, which caused Rachel¡¯s ear to twitch, ¡°do you have to go through with this?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Molly muttered, shaking her head.  ¡°No, no, she doesn¡¯t have to ¡­ what are you saying, Gwon?¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath, taking a moment to wipe a tear from her own eye.  ¡°Mom ¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but ¡­ I really want to go down this path; I know it hurts...¡±  She whispered, taking a shuddering breath.


    ¡°Gah ¡­ why does Emotional Detachment have to be on cooldown.  Umm,¡± she swallowed, lip quivering, ¡°when I changed ¡­ there was this ¡­ this thing inside me ¡­ like a beast waiting to be let loose, and ¡­ and I just can¡¯t put it back in the cage.  Muay Thai helped me before, but ¡­ it¡¯s not enough ¡­ not now.  I don¡¯t want to see you cry, Mom¡­¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Molly pleaded.  ¡°I can¡¯t have another daughter die,¡± she quaked.  ¡°How ¡­ how can you promise me you won¡¯t die ¡­ that you¡¯ll come back to me when every time you go into one of those things ¡­ could ¡­ could be the last time I ever see you again ¡­ see Scarlet again?¡±


    Tears were now falling down everyone¡¯s cheek as Molly opened her bleeding heart.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t live ¡­ I couldn¡¯t ¡­ not again ¡­ not after everything.  Sung ¡­ you¡¯re my daughter ¡­ I can¡¯t lose you, but ¡­ but ¡­ what did I do to deserve this?  Why is this happening to my family?¡±


    ¡°Mom ¡­ I won¡¯t die, okay?  I won¡¯t, I promise ¡­ I have to keep my promises, okay?  I won¡¯t die,¡± she mumbled, getting up and walking around the table to hug her.


    Molly latched onto her, taking her daughter to the ground while crying into her chest; her skin was on fire, nose stuffed and red, desperately clinging to Rachel as if she¡¯d disappear.  ¡°Don¡¯t leave me ¡­ please ¡­ don¡¯t leave me¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s throat caught with emotion.  ¡°Mom ¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Mom ¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Scarlet came around to join them, voice thick as her icy skin pressed against them.  ¡°I¡¯ll protect her ¡­ we¡¯ll protect each other.  We¡¯ll come back ¡­ I promise ¡­ don¡¯t cry¡­¡±


    The three of them laid on the ground for a while, but eventually, Molly had to accept it, and it broke her heart.  She wasn¡¯t okay with it; there wasn¡¯t a time she would be, but she had to accept it.  Rachel was going to enter life and death situations on a weekly, if not daily, routine.  At least she knew her daughter loved her and would do everything within her power to make it back home for a feast that Molly would prepare for her.


    It took much longer this time to reign herself in, but eventually, she pulled away and made her peace, returning to Sam¡¯s embrace after he hugged Rachel and Scarlet.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be alright with two of my daughters doing something like this,¡± Molly''s voice was faint, ¡°but ¡­ my child, my little girl ¡­ just come home ¡­ and Scarlet ¡­ there will always ¡­ always be a place for you at my table ¡­ return to me.¡±


    Bloody tears fell down Scarlet¡¯s cheeks as she moved to wrap her arms around the crying pair.  ¡°I will ¡­ we both will¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±  Rachel whispered, joining them with Alexa and Nam.  ¡°... just don¡¯t lose faith in us.¡±


    Sam wrapped his arms around them all, kissing Rachel¡¯s forehead.  ¡°... We love you so much.  We¡¯ll never abandon you.¡±


    * * *


    The rest of the trip was a blur to Rachel; the feeling and tone of her parent¡¯s warm embrace and strong emotional voices still burned her ears, and they didn¡¯t even have time to get Scarlet new clothes with the money they¡¯d won, spending the rest of their time in the same room, opening up and telling stories to just be together for a little longer.  Her mother¡¯s voice was like a heartbroken angel, crying over her.


    Gisele, her little Sky Reaver, had been present for the whole thing, and if she didn¡¯t know any better, there had been tears in the bird¡¯s own eyes during parts of the day.  The action made her think a little differently about the odd creature that she¡¯d randomly obtained; perhaps she had been too dismissive of her pet.  There was evident emotion and intelligence within her that Rachel had to recognize.


    When Cahira finally returned to port after her drunken escapades, Rachel had Scarlet guide her family back while getting the others on their own island adventures.


    It was as if a mill around her neck had been loosened, and yet a new pressure was compressing her heart.  Rachel made a promise to herself; today would be the last time she made her mother cry like that again.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 1. Heart Attack

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1: Rachel Park


    Recap:  Rachel gathers the gang to talk about the discovery of Moongmor and the possibility of godly beings interfering with their lives, refraining from mentioning Twilight at all.


    She excludes her parents and her mother breaks down, finally snapping back after holding in so much stress regarding her growing family''s future¡ªshe can''t lose another daughter, and Rachel''s recklessness is bound to land Scarlet and Rachel in danger.  Her heart can''t take identifying another body in a cold morgue ... Rachel breaks down herself, unable to rely on Emotional Detachment since the skill broke, requiring a day to come off cooldown from her experience in the labyrinth.


    Now ... what will come of our Lunar Hair >.> hehe....


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    GreatestSin, Shakango Resident, Thea Nyx Petersen, Stuart Dye, Useless, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel went around the island collecting the rest of their little crew, leaving her family in Scarlet¡¯s care to get back to Cahira¡¯s new boat; she was curious to see how things had turned out with the upgrades.


    Things had been so busy, immersed with her family and emotions, that she hadn¡¯t been paying as much attention to the Pirate Queen as she probably should have been.  Now, she wanted it to be somewhat of a surprise after hearing her family¡¯s stunned reactions about how big and crazy it looked; there were a few mentions by the crews on the dock that spoiled parts for her, though.


    A Dragon Turtle ¡­ how that actually looked, though, was unclear, but Selvaria had swiftly recognized its approach and joined Rachel¡¯s family soon after the vessel stopped off on the docks.


    Rachel¡¯s first stop was to pick up Reed and Clay since they¡¯d been enjoying themselves at a local tavern.  Reed was fairly hammered after just trying a glass of their wine; Clay abstained from exploring to watch over him.  They talked about Reed¡¯s family and how thrilled they were to have his grandson back in the home.


    The bill was covered using Selvaria¡¯s winnings since she¡¯d taken off before getting to split any of it; the Leviathan had met her match once a few men started hitting on her, and retreated to the protective ocean waves with her baby seal.


    Maria¡¯s group explored the town and nearby jungle, but Zoe and Felix had found the leeway to sneak off to make out; they were advancing down the dating route shockingly fast.  Maria¡¯s feelings as Felix¡¯s big sister were difficult to contend with, given her protective, motherly nature surrounding her younger sibling, but Elena was cheering him on.


    No, Elena, the wide-eyed Honey Badger Beastkin, was having the time of her life with Maria, experimenting with the local food that was anything but normal to their taste buds.


    Ohan had retreated into the jungle some ways, but Rachel hadn¡¯t heard of any significant predators on the island within range of the town.  He appeared to be meditating on something, cleansing himself of whatever threw him out of balance during the Quest¡¯s Desire Trial.


    Breaking up the lovestruck pair and guiding them back to Maria and Elena, she sent them back to the ship with just enough of a taste to whet their appetites regarding the new vessel and get them on track.  Ohan and Anthony were the last to retrieve; Anthony was exploring much further into the island, which meant Ohan was her next stop.


    Rachel took one last glance around the strange otherworldly island town before entering the jungle; it was about 90% 1700s vibe with 10% fantasy mixed in, just enough to make you realize this was not reality.


    Between the fish people, strange weaponry that seemed impractical, odd food, and outfit designs, it had undoubtedly been an experience she wanted to enjoy a bit more before leaving.  It was only a passing wish, though.


    Maria and Elena had managed to get shopping done with the chunk of gold they had; the Sunlit Unicorn was an excellent haggler, but Rachel had no doubt the sharp-eyed town occupants had weaseled her out at an above standard margin.  She¡¯d only seen parts of the strange clothes wrapped into a tight ball, which was apparently how they hauled their outfits around here.


    Navigating through the jungle¡¯s dense foliage, Rachel paid close attention to the signs of Ohan¡¯s passing, using his path through the mud and dirt.  She found him sitting on a boulder beside a curved river like some kind of movie scene.


    Rachel¡¯s ears tilted left and right, scanning the minute noises she could only detect within a closer range.  ¡°Feeling a bit better?¡±  She asked, stopped at the bottom of the rock to stare up at him with a smile.


    Ohan opened his eyes with a low sigh.  ¡°A bit ¡­ I didn¡¯t expect to get so emotional.  Sorry for the trouble I caused.¡±  He said, getting to his feet and sending his sheathed sword back into the darkness.


    She appraised his dark, bare-skinned chest as he hopped down; the slightly baggy shirt he wore before hid a bit of how muscular he was.  Ohan wasn¡¯t quite as pronounced as Anthony, but that didn¡¯t mean he was any less striking.  Rachel was an admirer of any well-maintained body.


    ¡°It was because you were so invested that I acted how I did,¡± she shrugged.  ¡°If you hadn¡¯t alerted me to other forces at play, then I don¡¯t think I would have understood as much as I did.  I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s blaming you for anything.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Ohan folded his arms, gaze falling to the clear water and muddy shore of the river.  ¡°Something caught my attention during the end.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears leaned forward a bit, mind cycling through all the information and which ¡®end¡¯ he referred to.  ¡°The creature¡¯s words, it gets torn apart by Moongmor, the items, the way the giant turtle island acted, or something during the escape?¡±


    A small smile lit his lips as he unfolded his arms and scratched the side of his neck.  ¡°I suppose a lot did happen ¡­ yeah, the creature¡¯s words and Moongmor ¡­ all of that, really.  The issue is Moongmor¡¯s power, though.¡±


    Her head tilted slightly, catching the odd calls of otherworldly birds, courting each other nearby.  ¡°Okay ¡­ are you saying it¡¯s different than what you sensed before?¡±


    He slowly nodded.  ¡°The Primal Energy that was manipulating the maze and force within the island ¡­ after clearing my mind, I realized there were four different types, and the type of power released by Moongmor at the end was entirely off ¡­ so unique to the other four that I couldn¡¯t put them in the same category if I wanted to.¡±


    Rachel sucked on her lower lip, glowing clover eyes shifting to the nocturnal birds; the nighttime jungle was teeming with more life than she¡¯d expected, but much of it was taking a backseat to the thoughts running through her head.


    ¡°So,¡± she hummed, ¡°I was right; multiple foreign forces were watching and manipulating the game for or against us.  Moongmor seemed to take the most direct approach, though ¡­ honestly, we shouldn¡¯t have been able to complete this Legend¡¯s Quest.  I get the feeling the trials were actually made easier for us ¡­ the fact it said it couldn¡¯t sense the Warden makes me believe a challenging part was completely negated.¡±


    Ohan¡¯s fingers ran through his curly hair before checking the security of his nappy ponytail.  ¡°I think so, too.  It makes me cautious about doing my next Quest ¡­ without your mental gymnastics; I doubt we would have made it through the maze.  Thank you, Rachel,¡± he smiled.  ¡°The group here in Florida is very different than California.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Rachel waved off his comment, jabbing her thumb back toward town.  ¡°Cahira¡¯s finished upgrading her ship; it¡¯s supposed to be pretty big and crazy looking.  You good to head out?¡±


    ¡°Heh, more than a little ready to head back to reality,¡± he chuckled, walking around her.  ¡°Are you coming?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± she shook her head.  ¡°I still need to grab Anthony.¡±


    ¡°Got it.  By the way,¡± he muttered, brow furrowing and causing her gaze to linger on him, ¡°have you tried to put any more points into your Skills or checked their status throughout each part of the Quest?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears shifted to the opposite side, lips tilting thoughtfully.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ during a few parts of it, but not since.¡±


    Hands clasping behind his back, his glowing dark brown irises fell to the dirt.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I believe we¡¯ve all leveled far beyond where we were before.  I now appreciate the explanation I got from Maria about how these levels work and manually applying them.  I understand that came from you?¡±


    Leveled far beyond where we were ¡­ I can see that, especially if we gained the experience from Moongmor killing that horrifying wooden flesh creature.


    Rachel gave him a short shrug.  ¡°Maria, Scarlet, Fiona, and I all took time to thoroughly explore it over the past few weeks.  I¡¯m learning new things as we go, but it¡¯s really been a group effort.¡±


    He turned away with a smile on his face, heading back to town.  ¡°Huh ¡­ you really do make a good leader, Rachel.¡±


    She watched him go, allowing her smile to fade once he¡¯d gone beyond sight, vanishing into the undergrowth.


    Leader ¡­ I suppose I have been taking on that role, to a degree.  The others follow my lead, but I haven¡¯t set out with that desire.  I¡¯m doing what I want to do.  In fact, a lot of stuff has just been ¡­ no, it¡¯s been less about survival than I¡¯d like to admit.  There really is a beast crawling within me ¡­ trying to push myself ¡­ but for what now?


    She turned and pushed her way further into the island¡¯s nighttime jungle.  The end of their second night in this fantasy world would end in just another few hours, bringing daylight; she could feel it in her bones.  She didn¡¯t know when she obtained an internal clock that warned her about sunrise, but it helped protect Scarlet; it might have even been the reason she could do it now.


    I thrive in conflict, which could have been why I got in so many fights growing up ¡­ academic, physical, turning the smallest thing my parents said or did into a competition with Nam.  Did I ever really want to become a lawyer for anything other than the conflict it would bring while relishing in the pride I¡¯d feel, knowing I was useful to my parents?


    Without a doubt, I want to become stronger, faster, more versatile ¡­ but to what aim?  What¡¯s my end goal?  To be happy ¡­ and my happiness so far has come from competition, challenges that push me forward.  It¡¯s not survival ¡­ it¡¯s fun.  I find fun in seeking out chaos and fighting it, but is that really so bad?  In this new world ¡­ I guess it isn¡¯t.


    The chirping of birds, moaning of small animals, and buzz of insects filled the nighttime air, but they all avoided her; it wasn¡¯t as if she was easy to miss with her faint glow; there must have been something about her that frightened them.


    She found Anthony on top of a large hill with an arching crag, overlooking the northern side of the dark island; the bright starlight overhead should have given enough light to provide a creepy vibe to the jungle, but with night vision like theirs, it was a really romantic view.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t help her heart picking up again as her hyperactive mind pushed conspiracies that he knew she¡¯d eventually find him, which could imply this was all a setup for something else.


    He leaned back, catching Rachel taming her long, faintly pink-hued hair after the wind caught it; with the area being more open and at an elevation, the gust was stronger here.


    ¡°Hey, already time to go, or are you just checking up on me?¡±  He asked with a charming smile.


    She chastised the dots jumping across her brain, connecting possible future events that were more fantasies than what could really happen, all while settling down next to him just far enough to be in the golden zone, not too close or far enough to be awkward.


    ¡°Cahira¡¯s ready to go ¡­ huh.  It¡¯s kind of crazy; the stars really are pretty here.¡±


    Her gut tightened at her absolutely generic, stupid girl ice breaker.


    Stupid ¡­ everything you can think of, and you go for the stars?!


    Anthony chuckled, head leaning back to study the heavens.  ¡°... Not wrong ¡­ this trip has given me a lot to think about.¡±


    Refraining from scratching a horrible itch at the base of her left ear, she turned that way to give him her focus.  ¡°Like?¡±


    ¡°My life,¡± he whispered, a smile turning somewhat sad.  ¡°I went from running away from the U.K. to being obsessed with rushing through school to become financially independent to going full in with Amelia ¡­ then, I kind of lost track of things when she passed away.¡±


    It was an honest answer, but not one Rachel had an answer for.  The only thing she could do was respond with a low hum, acknowledging his statement.  It had been four to five months since his fianc¨¦ was taken by cancer.  He¡¯d known the likelihood of the result, but it couldn¡¯t have been easy.


    After an uncomfortable silence, Rachel asked, ¡°It still hurts?¡±


    A lump dropped down Anthony¡¯s throat, tongue working around his teeth, and he took a deep breath before running his hand through his tossed red hair.  ¡°... It was the worst during the third month ¡­ the air caught fire around me, and the sun died ¡­ I was freezing for days at a time.  It was like she left a blast crater in my chest, and I was left trying anything in my power to fill it in.  I was numb after only a week of that¡­¡±


    He turned to her, wearing an expression Rachel couldn¡¯t place.  ¡°Then you came charging into my life, demanding to spar ¡­ it was the first time since Amelia passed that I felt something in my chest again.  It was like I could feel the life pumping through your veins, reaching me.¡±


    Things were taking a turn she had not expected; even in her fantasies, this swirl of mixed emotions was like a riptide, pulling her under.


    Guilt filled Rachel¡¯s breast; she¡¯d wanted some kind of acknowledgment that she existed but hadn¡¯t expected this kind of confession ¡­ confession, was this a confession?  It was the conflicted confusion in her brain that kept her poker face in check because Emotional Detachment was still on cooldown; why was everything happening while it was on cooldown?!


    W-What?  Okay ¡­ calm down ¡­ why am I telling myself to calm down?  He needs to calm down!  Life pumping again ¡­ well, I mean, I can see why he¡¯d feel that way.  I couldn¡¯t imagine Mom if Dad died.  Well, it¡¯s not like Anthony and Amelia had twenty years of marriage like Mom and Dad; they were engaged, but¡­


    Everything went blank as he leaned in, soft lips meeting hers.


    Body tensing, ears as straight as they would extend, and tail stiff as a board, for the first time in weeks, her mind came to a grinding halt.  It was as if an impenetrable wall inside her chest had been rammed through, a meteorite sending its rushing water pouring out across every fiber of her steaming body.  Every cell in her body was exploding into a chaotic pulse that silenced all thought.  It was a full-blown internal panic attack within half a second.


    She was paralyzed, and when he pulled back with a short, confusing hum, Rachel was even more stunned; that was her first kiss ¡­ nothing could have prepared her for the whirlpool sucking her under.  Worse, the darkness couldn¡¯t hide the heat rising to her face.


    Time went from utterly stopped to light speed as she rose and walked away, ears ringing so much that she wasn¡¯t entirely sure if she was stumbling back into the forest; he probably said something, but her mind was reeling.


    All she could focus on was the heat in his soft lips, the unusual taste it left in her mouth as she licked her own, sampling the residue the connection gave.  Why couldn¡¯t she get his lip¡¯s texture out of her mind?  It was as if they were still pressed up against her.


    He ¡­ he kissed me ¡­ out of nowhere ¡­ he ¡­ why?  It¡¯s ¡­ it¡¯s only been like five months since Amelia died.  No, no, that¡¯s stupid ¡­ how long should a widow sit in isolation before you are comfortable enough to release them from their solitary confinement?  Shouldn¡¯t it be fine ¡­ no, but ¡­ but me?  He just ¡­ did I look ready?  Did I look desperate?  No, that¡¯s stupid!


    What was that look on his face?  Why did he hum?  Am I that bad?  Did my breath stink?  I haven¡¯t showered for ¡­ shut up!  Stupid, stupid, stupid ¡­ you¡¯re an idiot.  What do I do?  Did I run away?


    The black hole inside her mind pulled her deeper and deeper into its abyss, strangling any hope of escaping the vortex; she was free-falling and didn¡¯t know how to stop.  Time had lost all meaning, and at some point, she made it back to the town.


    She couldn¡¯t even appreciate the gigantic turtle taking up the end of the furthest docking area; a wooden staircase was layered off the side, rising to the flat surface several meters above the pier.  A low, black stone wall surrounded the shell edge with eight strange fantasy-like magical guns lining the armored beast¡¯s visible left flank.  Its head was mostly submerged in the water, and he made Selvaria¡¯s monster-form look small.


    Climbing the stairs on auto-pilot mode, she barely noticed the crowd of onlookers, mind in a haze.  The small gate she passed through was open, allowing Rachel to step onto the neatly cut grass on what should have been a deck.


    Ahead of her was a large 8,000 square foot black stone fortress, leaving a decent amount of room surrounding the keep to decorate or have room for activities.  Scarlet appeared out of the shadows with Alexa by her side as she made it halfway onto the lawn.


    ¡°Rachel, isn¡¯t this crazy?!  Rachel?¡±  Scarlet asked, catching sight of her face.


    Alexa had to squint to see her past the night¡¯s shroud, only somewhat penetrated by the floating globes of red fire sprinkled throughout the property.  ¡°Hey ¡­ you don¡¯t look so good.¡±


    Rachel could barely hear them past the ringing in her ears; she didn¡¯t know if she¡¯d run here or not.  Her chest hurt, her body burned, and her breathing was off, but her world was still spinning.  ¡°I ¡­ what do I do¡­¡±


    Scarlet and Alexa turned their confused eyes on each other before returning to her.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±  Alexa asked, moving forward to awkwardly rub her back.  ¡°You look like you¡¯ve been hit by a car or something killed your puppy¡­¡±


    She opened her mouth to answer, but there wasn¡¯t a word she could use to describe the pandemonium churning her stomach and the frenzy stewing within her breast.  Unable to speak, her lips closed, tongue sliding out to taste them again.  She felt powerless yet unstoppable; the contradiction was maddening.


    Her two sisters guided her inside, and Scarlet quickly ran off to grab her mother and Maria.  Alexa ushered her into a nearby private room, asking her what happened or how she was feeling.


    Maria came in with Molly and Scarlet.


    ¡°Yo, what¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡±  Maria mumbled, horn brightening the already warmly lit space.


    Scarlet shook her head with worry.  ¡°I don¡¯t know; she just ¡­ she won¡¯t say anything, but ¡­ I can feel really strong emotions inside of her.  She¡¯s burning up!¡±


    ¡°What kind of emotions?¡±  Molly asked, rushing to her side.  ¡°Honey, Sung ¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Alexa shook her head.  ¡°She won¡¯t say anything.  She opens her mouth and just closes it.  Can she not speak; is she muted?¡±


    Maria shook her head.  ¡°No ¡­ I don¡¯t sense nothin¡¯ like that ¡­ she¡¯s good.  No issues.¡±


    Rachel blinked, hand reaching up to vehemently scratch her stiff ears.  ¡°I ¡­ he ¡­ he kissed me.¡±


    ¡°What ¡­ who?¡±  Maria asked, glancing back as several others started hanging around the door.


    Alexa¡¯s eyes widened at her stammered statement, though.  ¡°Wait, Anthony?¡±  Her features creased for a moment before a small smile lit her cheeks when she nodded.  Glancing up at Scarlet, she asked, ¡°Are her emotions negative?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s left fang poked out, creasing her bottom lip as she slowly shook her head.  ¡°Uh ¡­ not really ¡­ just really chaotic and ¡­ confused, I guess.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±  Molly asked, wrapping her arm around her.


    Alexa giggled, leaning in to whisper.  ¡°Anthony kissed her, and she¡¯s freaking out.¡±


    ¡°Say what?  No way, Liebre Lunar?¡±  Maria asked with a lifted eyebrow and a smirk.  ¡°Rachel, the cool chica?¡±


    Alexa hurriedly dispersed the crowd coming into the room, telling them it was fine and that they needed their privacy.  Scarlet, Maria, and her mother were swiftly realizing what had happened.


    ¡°So?¡±  Alexa asked with an expectant smile.  ¡°How was it?  Was that your first kiss?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s mouth dropped open, mirroring Alexa¡¯s grin.  ¡°Oh!  Is that it?¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Maria shifted over to nudge Scarlet, ¡°Bet you ain¡¯t ever kissed no boy, either.  Huh?¡±


    ¡°W-Well ¡­ I mean, technically, when I was seven,¡± she mumbled, cheeks darkening.


    Rachel was coming back to her senses, but a new concern caused her hangs to bury her face in her hands.  ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Molly giggled, moving closer to pull her in.  ¡°You¡¯ve never even dated before as far as I know ¡­ is this your first kiss?  I mean, Anthony isn¡¯t the worst guy to have your first with,¡± she mused.


    ¡°... I ran away¡­¡±  She groaned, feeling Lunar Pride finally kicking in like a hot iron against her chest.  ¡°Why did he hum, too?  He just ¡­ he ¡­ no-hoo¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, it can¡¯t be that bad,¡± her mother laughed.  ¡°C¡¯mon, tell us how it happened.¡±


    Rachel reluctantly recounted the event; she wanted answers or at least some kind of comfort for her actions.


    ¡°That was ¡­ kind of a strange kiss how you say it, I don¡¯t know¡­¡±  Maria mumbled.


    Molly hummed thoughtfully, rubbing Rachel¡¯s shoulder comfortingly.  ¡°... Actually, it was a pretty important step for Anthony.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Alexa whispered, glancing toward the cold hearth in the corner of the room.  ¡°After when he went through with his last relationship, he was testing if he could come out of his shell again.¡±


    Scarlet pulled in her lips, fangs poking out slightly.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ really?  I mean, wasn¡¯t it only like four or five months ago when she passed away; isn¡¯t that too soon?¡±


    Molly shook her head.  ¡°We can¡¯t judge a man¡¯s heart or what he¡¯s going through.  If he felt comfortable enough to test the waters with Rachel ¡­ he has to feel something.¡±


    ¡°I ran, though¡­¡±  Rachel groaned, leaning into her mother¡¯s warm embrace, and she was a little surprised to find a single tear run out of her eye.  Wiping it away, she released a long puff of air.  ¡°What do I do?  Why did he hum after it, and ¡­ and how do I talk to him about it?  No, should I talk to him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, dear,¡± Molly chuckled, squeezing her shoulders.  ¡°He¡¯s probably just as confused as you are.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not gonna be easy, though,¡± Alexa added with a forced smile.  ¡°It¡¯s going to be awkward, but that¡¯s just how it is.¡±


    ¡°Does ¡­ that mean you¡¯ll start ¡­ you know, dating?¡±  Scarlet slowly asked, not sounding too sure how she felt about the prospect.


    Before she could reply, her mother answered.  ¡°It¡¯s all up in the air at this point.  Anthony¡¯s testing to see if he¡¯s ready to allow himself to move on, and Rachel, my darling girl, is exploring a side of herself she¡¯s never pursued.  Nineteen¡¯s not so bad of an age!¡±


    ¡°I approve!¡±  Alexa said with a thumbs up.  ¡°Whatever happens.¡±


    Her mother squeezed.  ¡°Okay.  Whenever you¡¯re ready, let us know.  We¡¯re here for you as long as you want us.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s tight chest, stiff ears, and taut tail relaxed a bit while cuddling within her mother¡¯s arms.  ¡°... Thanks, Mom ¡­ I¡¯m just ¡­ so confused.  What if¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± her mother chided, grip tightening around her shoulders, ¡°don¡¯t let your mind run wild with questions.  The best thing to do is to calm down and face it head-on; that¡¯s the kind of girl you are, anyway,¡± she chuckled.


    Her mom wasn¡¯t wrong, which Rachel both helped and frustrated her.  Swallowing the saliva in her throat, she took a few minutes to prepare herself.  Anthony returned to the edge of town within that time, ambling through the streets as if engaged with heavy thoughts.


    Steeling herself for whatever might happen, she did her best to take her mother¡¯s advice, keeping speculations and expectations to a minimum.  Rachel went out on deck to wait for him.


    Each passing minute caused an extra beat of anxiety to slam her heart against her ribcage, but eventually, Anthony climbed up the blackwood staircase.  The moment he passed the gates, it seemed the turtle knew everyone that needed to be on board was present, and they took into the air.


    There was no shift in gravity or sharp gust of wind that threw them off balance; a stabilization field seemed to be attached to the inside of the turtle¡¯s upper shell, only allowing a small breeze to enter the safe zone.


    Anthony turned back to see the staircase vanish in blue flames before the gate closed, releasing a slow puff of air before resting his gaze on her with an awkward smile.  Rachel returned it.


    Molly made sure everyone stayed inside, giving her privacy, which Rachel had to admit was a big deal; her mother had been extremely intent on seeing any kind of relationship-building between them since she¡¯d caught the scent of blood.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡±  Rachel mumbled, trying not to blush.  She didn¡¯t know why it was so hard to control her emotions; most of the time, it was simple, but her thumping chest was like a never-ending gong to her sharp ears.


    Anthony¡¯s hand lifted to rub the back of his neck.  ¡°Hey ¡­ uh, yeah.  Wanna talk about it?¡±  He glanced up at the house where Alexa and Scarlet were peeking out of a window; it wasn¡¯t like they could escape her vampiric eyes, but he gestured for them to move to the front of the ship ¡­ if you could call it that.


    She followed him beyond a small opening to rest against the front of the black stone wall; the dampening magic of the shell appeared to lessen rapidly from behind the barrier but was more than enough for them to have a conversation.


    Rachel sat down, tucking her knees up to her chest and hugging her shins; she didn¡¯t know what else to do with her hands.


    Anthony took the space beside her, one knee raised while the other foot extended.


    They sat there in silence for a minute, watching the turtle rise at a perfectly even level, and all they could see from this angle was his black armor-plated head.  Avoiding what she knew would come, Rachel measured the turtle¡¯s shell with her eyes; it began to slope down two meters in front of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I put you on the spot,¡± Anthony finally said before releasing a sigh.  ¡°I just kind of acted ¡­ I know it¡¯s not an excuse.¡±


    ¡°N-No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Rachel replied, interlocked fingers tightening to the point of shakes while trying to not have a shaky voice.  ¡°I, umm,¡± she licked her lips, mind flashing back to the reason for this talk, ¡°I was just kind of surprised.¡±


    Her lips tightened while trying to keep her ears and tail from going stiff, but she pushed through the discomfort, ¡°So ¡­ what did that kiss mean?¡±


    Anthony¡¯s head fell back against the wall, vision lifting to stare at the clouds they were rising toward.  ¡°What did it mean?¡±  He softly repeated.  ¡°... I¡¯d like to say nothing, honestly ¡­ just to make things less complicated ¡­ but that would be a lie.¡±


    It felt like he was stabbing her gut and twisting the knife around.  Was there a worse answer than it¡¯s complicated?  When she didn¡¯t respond ¡­ didn¡¯t know how to respond, he continued.


    ¡°I was thinking of Amelia before you showed up ¡­ thinking of sharing that scene with her and what she might say, and then I started to question if she¡¯d like me thinking that way?  How would she feel ¡­ if she knew how hard it was for me to realize I couldn¡¯t share it ¡­ that she was gone?¡±


    A lump dropped down his throat, and he rubbed his eyes.  ¡°She never ¡­ liked seeing me sad; she¡¯d come up with stupid jokes ¡­ the stupidest puns to try and cheer me up when she was the one that should have been sad.  No ¡­ and then there was this thing she told me that ¡­ I just couldn¡¯t get out of my head.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s thighs were pressed against each other, feet overlapping as her toes curled; she could still see him clear as day from the corner of her vision.  There was loneliness on his face, sadness that she knew she didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°She told¡­¡±  He had to stop, his lower lip quivering a little.  ¡°... She told me that if she passed, then ¡­ don¡¯t let that stop me from finding happiness.  She wasn¡¯t the only special girl in the world, and then you showed up, and ¡­ and I saw that she was right.  I, umm ¡­ I don¡¯t know what that means to you or where that takes us, but ¡­ that¡¯s it.  I¡­¡±


    Anthony¡¯s green eyes lowered, facing her before trailing off.


    Rachel¡¯s chest was on fire, body tingling as she unlatched her tight fingers.  Shifting to her knees, leaned over, pulled back her hair, and kissed him.  Their lips touched, and she could taste the salt of his tears.


    He stiffened, but she leaned in closer for a moment before disengaging.  She was terrible; she pressed too hard, she cut him off, he was in the middle of¡­


    Anthony¡¯s right hand overshadowed her left, and all doubtful thoughts vanished as he followed her retreat, fingers sliding through her hair to tickle her scalp.  His lips closed around hers again, and suddenly her brain was like melting butter.


    It probably didn¡¯t last that long, but to Rachel, time had long since frozen, and the world dissolved into stars.  When he ended the game of back and forth, he gave her a soft, charming smile while licking his lips.  ¡°Heh, I¡¯m a little surprised, I didn¡¯t consider you¡¯d be that aggressive.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Rachel instinctively replied, giving him a forced smile.


    ¡°No, no ¡­ by the way, your ears ¡­ lying back with those rosy cheeks ¡­ you¡¯ve sold me on the bunny look.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help Lunar Pride sticking into her side, shooting a slight glare at him that she knew he probably planned.  ¡°I¡¯m a Lunar Hare, not a Lunar Bunny.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to educate me more on the differences,¡± Anthony winked, causing Rachel¡¯s blush to deepen, but he released a long satisfied sigh, collapsing back against the wall to stare up at the clouds.  ¡°Honestly, though, Rachel ¡­ I can¡¯t remember the last time I had so much fun and felt so scared as the time I¡¯ve spent with you on this quest.  You really do pull something out of me that I want to keep.¡±


    He turned his gentle gaze back to her slight pout.  ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she mumbled, shifting her butt to plop back against the hard wall with a grunt; her entire mouth was still tingling with the memory of contact.  ¡°So ¡­ where do we go from here?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he alternated to his side a little.  ¡°Rachel Park, how would you like to go on a few dates and see where we go from there?¡±


    She was a little shocked he could just so easily come out and ask that with his puffy, tear-stained cheeks.  ¡°Umm ¡­ ahem,¡± she pulled in her lips for a moment; it was hard to look into his bright green eyes, yet nearly impossible when everything in sight was in focus.  ¡°Y-Yeah, that sounds nice, but uh ¡­ when?  I mean, I¡¯m usually pretty busy, and there¡¯s this Cuba thing coming up¡­¡±


    He shrugged, clearing his cheeks with a sly grin.  ¡°Not backing out on me now, are we?  Let him down easy?  Is that it?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Rachel swiftly interjected.  God, why was her face so hot?  She took a few calming breaths before giving him a shy smile.  ¡°Sure.  I¡¯m down for that.¡±


    He chuckled, reaching up to touch her left ear.


    ¡°Hey!¡±  She winced at the pulse that shot mixed singles to her brain on contact, brushing his hand away; it was so sensitive at the moment.


    ¡°Hehe ¡­ I couldn¡¯t help myself; you¡¯re just so cute with your ears pulled back like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a dog,¡± she mumbled, covering her ears protectively.


    ¡°No, no, you¡¯re not,¡± he whispered, leaning in to kiss her again, causing her ears to stick up.  ¡°... You¡¯re just the cutest hare girl I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    After the action, he got up and held out his hand to help her up.  ¡°Ready to head back in?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±  Rachel growled, accepting his help; his powerful grip and pull hit something different inside her chest.  ¡°Look at us?  There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting anyone but Scarlet see me like this ¡­ gah, she¡¯s telling my mom, Alexa, and Maria everything, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he rubbed his chin while glancing beyond the low wall, just below his eye-level.  ¡°I guess you¡¯ll have to punish her later.¡±


    A smile brightened Rachel¡¯s lips.  ¡°Hmm, not a bad idea!  Okay, just ¡­ give me a few minutes to make my stupid face ¡­ gah, yeah, just give me a minute¡­


    He leaned down to kiss her again, but she shied away.  ¡°Gah ¡­ no, it¡¯ll never go away if you keep kissing me,¡± she complained, but her heart wouldn¡¯t stop pounding as he chased her along the outside of the wall; of course, she let him catch her, there just wasn¡¯t any other option.


    For the first time in a long time, Rachel felt like an actual girl, and it wasn¡¯t so bad.


    The time spent on Cahira¡¯s ship was shockingly much shorter than Rachel anticipated; they were back on Earth within thirty minutes with how swiftly the Dragon Turtle flew.


    She met with Cahira¡¯s new crew, which, of course, were all as handsome and fit as a man could possibly be without being overly bulky.  The Pirate Queen made a point out of showing off their flexibility and muscular strength.  The demonstration included the men holding her up in the air by her waist.


    Rachel was sure it was more for her own enjoyment with some fetish of being manhandled by the ¡®dashing lads¡¯ rather than to show her their physical prowess.  Naturally, Cahira could listen in on the conversation and made a few whispered overt remarks about her cabin being free, which Rachel promptly ignored.


    Apparently, her mother had gobbled up Scarlet¡¯s side-by-side commentary like a K-Drama fan on crack, foaming at the mouth for details with Alexa¡¯s side-line cheers.  The oddest part of the peanut gallery was Gisele, which seemed to be joining in with encouraging sounds.


    With Scarlet acting as Molly¡¯s spy machine, she didn¡¯t need to hover close by, and Rachel had to ponder if her newly adopted sister wanted to teleport into the shadows to watch.  She wouldn¡¯t put it past the deviant bloodsucker.


    Her father was still utterly in the dark, along with many of the others on the ship; Selvaria was having a good time playing with her seal in a hot tub on the fourth floor, complimenting her on the cute collar, and the two lovebirds were talking about their family in the living room.


    Maria was asking Elena about her time on the trip, worried about what she was going to tell her mother when they returned; the 16-year-old tried recommending silence, but that didn¡¯t fly with the truthful Unicorn.


    Clay was too busy taking care of Reed; the elderly man took to the island¡¯s alcohol rather badly.  It had been strong enough to make Cahira blackout, which was a feat in itself from what she heard Maria comment.


    Ohan was still meditating on the events that had transpired; something hit him hard in the desire-stage of the quest.


    Entering the docks, Cahira¡¯s men saluted her with laughs at her jokes before vanishing with her ship; it was a bit disappointing to the woman, seeing as she¡¯d invited them to journey back to her room.  As Alexa noted, the men had the perception of a dense shonen protagonist for their captain.


    Clay checked his phone, googled the current date; it was February 27th; three days and five hours had passed since they left.  They still had a bit before the sun rose again, but today would be the day the President would deliver his speech after being delayed when they vanished.  Knowing the President delayed his speech to figure out what happened to them and what she said could change his opinion was something to ponder.


    They each parted ways, planning to meet up the following night.


    Elena, Felix, Zoe, and Maria went home after dropping off Cahira, Anthony, Ohan, and Selvaria at the expensive hotel rooms given to her.  Clay and Reed went together, telling Rachel that he¡¯d be by her house at 6 P.M. to discuss a few topics and what would happen when moving forward.


    When her mother, father, Nam, Alexa, Scarlet, and she arrived home, Rachel¡¯s brain was still mashed potatoes, but her heart was lighter than air.  It was as if she was still on a high, and it wasn¡¯t letting her go down.  She felt exhilarated and exhausted at the same time, which ended in her crashing onto her bed.


    Rachel moaned, stretching a little while getting up; her blurry gaze fell to her unchanged clothes, and according to her bedside alarm, it was 5 P.M.  Somehow, she¡¯d slept over twelve hours, but given the last two days¡¯ events, she could believe it.


    Rolling over, she got up and did a stretching session; her muscles were far stiffer than they usually were, and a smile lifted her lips, remembering the actions Anthony and her had taken earlier in the day.


    Anthony wasn¡¯t technically her boyfriend, but he might as well be at this point.  She¡¯d won; he saw her as more than just an acquaintance or friend, and she couldn¡¯t have imagined how good that felt.  The strange thrill of being vulnerable inside his arms was something weird that had awakened inside of her; she was usually so guarded, but who knew opening your heart up to be stabbed could be so delightful ¡­ if they didn¡¯t actually stab you.


    Testing Emotional Detachment, she found it responded, locking the feelings away for a moment before releasing them.  It was 5:10 P.M. PST, which meant the President¡¯s remarks would be coming on in another 50 minutes, and Clay would arrive.


    Scarlet¡¯s alarm seemed to be the thing that woke her up because she was currently getting ready in her room, teleporting into the bathroom to take a shower.  It was then that she noticed the magical garment that she¡¯d let Scarlet use.  A note was taped above it on her dresser mirror that read.


    ¡°Thanks for letting me use it, Sister!¡±


    Rachel giggled.  It must have been a bit embarrassing for her to write that, and it was probably Alexa or her mother that had pushed it.  Probably her mother with the note underneath it.


    ¡°P.S. Where and why did you get this?  Is it for Anthony?¡±


    Yeah, Mom definitely wrote that after Scarlet put it up.  Anthony, though ¡­ would he like me in this?


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  She picked up the magical piece of cloth.  She knew it would generate an entire outfit when she fastened the buttons together, and it appeared to have changed to fit her size again after Scarlet had taken it off.


    It certainly wasn¡¯t the outfit she would have bought, but at least it had shorts; although, she hadn¡¯t owned a single pair of tights since she was twelve.  The one thing that forced her to recognize it, though, was that it would increase her Stats, and no doubt, had more hidden traits customized for Lunar Hare.


    ¡°Damn you, Moongmor,¡± Rachel sighed.  He wasn¡¯t done with her; she could feel it, but practicality trumped fashion in the end.  If this thing could keep her alive and improve her Skills overall, then it was worth the embarrassment.  It was a little concerning that Lunar Pride wasn¡¯t acting up with that thought.


    Scarlet finished her shower rather quickly, in and out, within 8 minutes, giving Rachel the space.  Going in, she cleaned off her body and, not knowing if the coat would eat her clothes or not, put it on naked.


    She understood why Scarlet had jumped when the two fold-over orange ribbons tightened around her lower back and the front clamped around her breasts.  It was as if the outfit was melding with her skin, but she could sense the rapid spike in strength to her Stats, among many other things.


    She couldn¡¯t help releasing a low groan when seeing her changed appearance as it finished forming around her figure.  Her luminous clover eyes swept her frame in a single glance, shifting left and right to get a better scope of the transformation.


    It was generally similar to the outcome Scarlet had.


    The main article was white, fluffy rabbit fur surrounding the bottom hem of the coat, orange trim-themed, and a decent-sized pink bunny paw-print on the left side.  The backless, shoulderless, and the somewhat revealing front was what probably had her mother screaming the most.  The black bra-line poking up, carrot design cut-out between her breasts, and choker didn¡¯t help.


    It showed her belly button with the reverse V-shape at the coat¡¯s front, displaying the white shorty-shorts with matching orange trim and small pink bunny prints down the side.  The poofy belt around her hips wasn¡¯t particularly to her taste but fit the design.


    The thing looked more like a scanty dress with how the coat flared had not the shorts been added, and the thigh-high black tights with the matching pink bunny prints drew her frown; the whole look it gave was such a confusing mix between sexual and cute.  It was just enough to border on both.


    White, ankle cross-strap ballerina ballet flats with orange ribbons weaving up to her shins with a pink bow tying them off on opposite sides.  Two pink bunny head outlines were imprinted on the two cross-sections the straps met.  The shoes didn¡¯t seem all that practical for running, but she had no doubt they¡¯d grip better than any human material.  The new bow and strap additions should have been expected, though.


    The whole outfit went with the black to white to black design while incorporating orange and pink for flair.


    Rachel¡¯s fingernails had been painted orange, the fingers being cut out of the black gloves to display the change, and her hair was tied into a thick triple-braid by an orange ribbon.


    Her head tilted left and right to see how a pink metal double-cuff earring fit with the aesthetic; it somehow pierced her ears without her feeling it, perhaps tapping into Lunar Deadening.  The two loops bore through small orange pearls and were attached just under the tip of her left ear, dropping a few inches with small pink chains into a stud, housing the same color of pearl, only three-times bigger.


    The part that really set her jaw was when she turned around to get a look at herself in the mirror from behind.  It was clear why the back was left open now.  A faint imprint of a pink, wicked-looking rabbit¡¯s head with thunderbolts for ears and a crown surrounding it glowed across her back.


    It had such a remarkable similarity to the shirt design Scarlet had gotten her to take in Montana that she had to go back to her room to make sure; Gisele flapped over to join her, making it into the room before she closed the door.


    Excluding the Hare Majesty, it was a perfect fit.  Had Moongmor been watching them since that point?  Since they went into the crystal?


    Her focus moved to her little Sky Reaver as she bobbed her head back and forth as if listening to a song.


    Lips tightening, she shook her head.  The buffs the outfit provided wasn¡¯t fair; she¡¯d be stupid not to use it.  Asking The System to elaborate everything she already felt made her fold the back down and slump onto her bed, glaring at herself in her dresser mirror.


    ¡°Moongmor¡­¡±


    Lunar Nia (Level One):  Tool, Living-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Two; the living outfit that wants nothing more than to join her mesmerizing master in battle!


    Living Denier I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: Moonlight; Duration: 1 Full Night; Range: N/A) Reactive, Repair-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank One; Lunar Nia can grow with the wearer, transforming into dazzling displays of fine art that compliment her master.  She¡¯ll work hard to live up to the expectations placed on her at being the best damn piece of fabric in existence!  If damaged, time and moonlight to fix her up!  The longer she is worn, the more her Proficiencies will advance, and the more combat she sees, the more experience and levels she will gain!  Treat her well!


    Flaunt It I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: N/A) Passive Aura, Enhancement-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Two; increases all Stats by 10%, including 3rd party effects.


    Absolute Terror I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: +1 Meter) Passive Aura, Enhancement-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Zero; the max-range of all Curses are increased by a meter and no-longer affects allies.


    Absolute Territory I:  (Cooldown: 1 Day; Cost: N/A; Duration: 5 Minutes; Range: 2 Meters) Reactive Aura, Control-Type, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Zero; can¡¯t be tripped, can¡¯t be stopped, allows bypassing Low-Grade Territory or Movement Impairing Effects for her master and surrounding allies!


    Not Teasing Me I:  (Cooldown: 1 Day Reset; Cost: N/A; Duration: 5 Charges Daily; Range: N/A) Reactive, Control-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Zero; repels all Low-Grade Mind Control Effects.


    The Game I:  (Cooldown: 1 Week Per Item; Cost: Item; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Active Fusion, Enhancement-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Zero; Nia can absorb other pieces of armor and weapons to incorporate them into her designs and strengthen her master!  She can only pull in Low-Grade items at the moment.


    Less Is More:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: Exposed Skin) Passive Aura, Lunar-Type; all areas of exposed skin gain a dampening field equal to Lunar Hair and any damage taken to those areas is linked with the Skill, further leveling it!


    Hotly Contested:  Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: N/A) Passive, Lunar-Type; Rabbit Gang has unlimited duration when Nia is worn!  Although, cooldown applies if the little guys are destroyed; it starts with their destruction.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 2. The Uncertain Future

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1: Rachel Park


    Recap:  Rachel got an incredible new outfit, Lunar Nia, Living Denier that has some possibly broken feats!  Oh, and did I mention she got her FIRST KISS?!  Heh, yup, and she wasn''t even the one that started it, but she was sure to finish it!  ;)  Silly rabb ... *coking sounds* ... hare ... HARE ... Tricks are for kids, but kisses >.> these kisses are for adults!


    Now, what will the President''s message be?


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    Kulep, Wingo04, Paper Rane, Mike Bartter, Thomas Dahl, Karan, Chronicler49, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel got to her feet, twisting to see her back in the mirror; the tattoo-like design was going to catch her mother¡¯s eye ¡­ the whole outfit would.  It wasn¡¯t the worst thing she could imagine wearing, but she hoped it would become at least somewhat more in-line with her own tastes as it grew; although, the powers it added were worth the slight discomfort.


    Activating Lunar Gang by her feet, she watched the cute creatures materialize out of sparkling lights.  They looked up at her with that cute jagged-mouthed smile as they snuggled up to her feet.


    Gisele gave a short squawk that drew the rabbit blobs¡¯ attention, and Rachel chuckled, shaking her head while bending down to poke the nearest white creature.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry; they aren¡¯t taking your place ¡­ gah¡­¡±  She pulled back her hair, gazing between the four.  ¡°Why am I getting so many pets?¡±


    The rabbit crew lovingly rubbed against her hand or thighs, causing Gisele to flap over and hopped up with a concerned look in her deep-set eyes.


    A soft sigh puffed out of Rachel¡¯s lips.  ¡°So ¡­ you want to help more, Gisele?¡±


    Her little bird nodded, tail flicking to thump against the floor.  Rachel was a little surprised; the creature seemed to be frustrated about something.  After thinking back on the bird¡¯s actions since getting her, it was understandable.  She had been somewhat dismissive of her.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she replied, reaching out to scratch her black feathery neck, ¡°I suppose you¡¯ll level, just like these rabbits, so you¡¯ll need to see combat, too.¡±


    Gisele tried to give her a determined look, but it was difficult with Rachel¡¯s searching fingernail, seeking to discover the bird¡¯s most enjoyable spot.


    ¡°C¡¯mon on,¡± she prompted, pointing to her shoulder.


    The Sky Reaver chirped, giving the blobs a victorious glance before flying up to land; it was easy with her hair tied into a braid, and Rachel thought some friendly competition between the two parties might be good.


    Looking at herself in the mirror again, focused on the pink aura surrounding her body, she frowned; her Lunar Pool was primarily filled with the energy from a Flush Moon, dramatically increasing her Skills.  It appeared to be the best out of the three energies, and helped to temper a lot of the heated emotions her change had caused.


    The White Moon was neutral, giving no added benefits, which helped her understand her transformation better over the past few weeks.  Ultimately, it wasn¡¯t the most efficient energy to use, though, which meant it was better to use its energy first instead of the other two.


    On the other hand, the Coral Moon had a fascinating effect; Rachel would go so far as to call it the Cursed Moon.  How the orange moonlight affected her was currently unknown, but the added elemental damage was impressive.  The elements weren¡¯t normal either, having Cursed Ice, Cursed Fire, and Cursed Lunar Elemental Damage.


    She¡¯d need to test it before trying it in combat.


    Breathing out a heavy sigh, she knelt down and studied her carrot-colored squishy ball of joy, adding a soft smile while petting its marshmallow head; its ears pulled back with delight.  Interestingly, the orange and pink was female, according to The System and the white was male.


    ¡°Well, I need to start building up my Coral Energy, and your cooldown activates the moment you¡¯re destroyed ¡­ sorry, little girl, but the next two days are gonna be rough.  Head out into the backyard and absorb all the energy you can and send it over to me.¡±


    Her ears had been following the discussion around the house as they prepared for the President¡¯s address and Clay¡¯s arrival.  Scarlet had let everyone know she was up but didn¡¯t want to be the one to tell their mother she was in the outfit the woman despised.


    Mind momentarily returning to the new moons.  She tested a theory, prioritizing her Lunar Energies with Flush being the last and White being the first to be used.  It worked.


    Before leaving her room, she tried one last thing.  ¡°Lunar Nia ¡­ I know you¡¯re supposed to be living fabric ¡­ if possible, I¡¯d like you to obtain a Skill that will allow you to speak with me, and please try to conform as much as you can to my own clothing taste.¡±


    After thinking about it for a moment, she added.  ¡°This is a partnership, and I¡¯d like some choice in the design, but you should also have a say ¡­ let¡¯s just come up with a compromise for the next outfit.¡±


    Her left ear twitched as the double-cuff accessory released a low pulse of heat, probably its current way of communicating.  Taking it as a yes, she left the room, pondering what to say to her mother.


    Walking into her parents¡¯ room as her mother prepared to change her bedding to be washed, Rachel got the stink-eye from the Korean woman.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ you¡¯re awake,¡± she mumbled, brown irises sweeping her appearance with critical disdain.


    With her wide field of vision, Rachel caught more detail about her mother¡¯s room than she initially paid attention to, noticing quite a few Korean and Japanese light novels on her parents¡¯ personal bookshelf.


    ¡°Mom ¡­ let me explain why I¡¯m wearing it.  You can¡¯t think I¡¯d actually like something like ¡­ well, this?¡±  She asked, and her earring burned a little, probably in protest.


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ okay,¡± she mumbled, wrapping her sheets up in her arms while dropping down on her bed.  ¡°I¡¯m listening ¡­ but those accessories, and when did you get your ear pierced?  The bunny vibes are just ¡­ what is that on your back?¡±


    Rachel sucked in a breath through her teeth while turning around and pulling her braided hair over her shoulder to reveal the wicked, glowing pink bunny mark between her shoulder blades.  ¡°It¡¯s not a tattoo, Mom¡­¡±


    ¡°It sure looks like one,¡± she growled, judging eyes like spears, ¡°and one that shines in the dark ¡­ neat¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a magical outfit ¡­ it will keep me safe.¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±  Molly¡¯s lips pulled in, vision sliding between her exposed back and thigh-high tights.  ¡°I¡¯m sure it will stop a knife from stabbing into your spine ¡­ paralyzing you.  Why can¡¯t you wear something more ¡­ metal ¡­ and covered if you¡¯re going into monster fights?¡±


    Breathing out a long sigh, Rachel turned back around and explained how it extended her hair¡¯s defensive attributes to her whole body.  It would change as it leveled, and it was supposed to be living fabric, which allowed it to change designs.


    Her mother was still dubious.  ¡°Well ¡­ I suppose I value your safety over ¡­ that.  It¡¯s just ¡­ awkward and looks like something in one of Alexa¡¯s manga.¡±


    Rachel forced a laugh.  ¡°I agree, Mom!¡±


    It was getting closer to 6 P.M., causing everyone to gather around the living room and settle into couches.  Words were passed about everyone getting sleep; they had turned into a somewhat nocturnal family with Rachel and Scarlet¡¯s new nature.


    Alexa had been on her laptop, looking at some Japanese magical girl group that had formed recently ¡­ literally having magical powers.  The amount she didn¡¯t know about her step-sister before The Oscillation was staggering.


    She cosplayed, which her brother wasn¡¯t really into by his muscle movement when the topic came up, but he still encouraged her; Alexa wasn¡¯t bold enough to post them online, though; they were solely meant for her husband, and Scarlet seemed to be getting pulled into it.


    Anime was a big thing for her, manga and light novels, which she had gotten Molly into ¡­ mainly the steamy lovey kind from what she¡¯d seen on her parents¡¯ bookshelf in their room.  She¡¯d caught a glimpse of the vanilla love stories when explaining her outfit; at least, she hoped they were vanilla love stories.


    Scarlet fit into the family surprisingly well; the vampire girl and Alexa shared a lot of interests that broke the ice.  Nam was glad his wife had found someone she could hang out with since apparently no one in the neighborhood really clicked with her interests.


    Molly was a bubbling pot of energy, using what blood packs they had left in the fridge to make Scarlet ¡®crimson lemonade¡¯ after discovering the appropriate ratio with her before.


    They would need to go for another blood bank run soon, but after the Legend¡¯s Quest and her body-double taking in the Nightmare¡¯s blood, she¡¯d seen somewhat of a mitigation to her usual thirst, which was new to her.  It also brought up some questions about what transferred to their real bodies during the exercise.


    Her parents and brother were thrilled Alexa and her weren¡¯t at each other¡¯s throats anymore.  There was a sense of depression that Rachel could sense in her sister-in-law when the topic of Demi was mentioned, which was probably felt by a lot of humans that didn¡¯t receive the spirit seed during the event.


    At 5:55 P.M., Rachel held the door for Clay to enter, having heard him miles away and tracked his progress.  He looked more rested, but his tense muscles couldn¡¯t fool her ears; something was going to be said in this discussion that he didn¡¯t like.


    The sun was falling toward the horizon; the test proved well placed as it touched her skin, removing a portion of her White Lunar Energy.  The priority also identified which would be taken first.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± Rachel smiled, closing the door behind him.  ¡°Sleep well?¡±


    He did a quick sweep of her outfit with a pretty good poker face; the army man felt it was out of place on her.  ¡°Yes, actually ¡­ I¡¯ll save the details of my visit until after the message.¡±


    ¡°Fair.  Straight to business, then.¡±


    Clay eyed Gisele on her shoulder as the bird gave him a soft chirp, feathers ruffling; Rachel had no clue how to interpret her actions, and so she ignored it.  The Bunny Gang was currently in the backyard, waiting for the moon to rise.


    He greeted her parents, giving the same response as everyone settled in.  Molly sat with Rachel and Scarlet on either side.  Alexa and Nam shared the loveseat, while Sam and Clay took armchairs.


    Her father and brother would typically go to a 3rd party News commentator but went to one of the Mainstream Networks to get the raw data without the critique, and everyone silently watched the Presidential Seal rotate on the screen.


    President Capell appeared on screen; this was his 3rd year in office, his final year in the Oval Office unless he could win against his next political opponent.  Rachel hadn¡¯t been following it, but how he handled this crisis would contribute significantly to his reelection.


    To any average person, he¡¯d look reasonably well-groomed, and his makeup team was on point, but to Rachel¡¯s enhanced vision, able to catch each small twitch and crease in his face, he was clearly fatigued.  He spoke with a calm and precise tone, which impressed Rachel; it was difficult for her to even guess the stress he was under with what was being transmitted over the speakers.


    ¡°My fellow Americans, it goes without saying that our society has been turned on its head, and we are dealing with things that are so out of the ordinary that we might as well have entered the world of fiction.


    ¡°The Oscillation has changed people, and not only physically, but in the vast majority of cases psychologically to one degree or another.  It is easy to feel hurt, and even that your loved one is betraying you or is now a completely different person ¡­ have patience, I urge you.  If you are having difficulty, then vocalize it and seek professional help at the Department of Oscillation Affairs.


    ¡°Two new federal departments have been created and a few restructured to accommodate this sudden change; the details are on USA.gov for further instruction.  I will now detail a few of the major changes that the United States will see in the near future.


    ¡°I will begin with The Oscillation¡¯s effects on citizens.


    ¡°Congress and the Senate are currently working with their own States and Districts to bring forward all the issues needing reform.  Lawmakers have already applied a Constitutional Amendment with bipartisanship involving all fifty States, Congress, the Senate, and myself to include Demi in its framework.  Demi enjoy all God-given, immutable, inalienable rights given under the Constitution.


    ¡°That being said, going forward, we will need to identify how best to incorporate their powers into our society.  We must be a society that provides order and safety to all citizens, Demi, and humans alike.  Congress will be looking into how we can best deliver that safety to all U.S. citizens through legislation.


    ¡°February 13th will be designated as a national day of remembrance of The Oscillation event, when we lost so many loved ones, citizens ¡­ our heroes, First Responders, our Military, Police, National Guard, Fire Fighters, Doctors, and countless others that stepped up to help the desperate, injured, and traumatized when the world was falling apart around them ¡­ they rose beyond the chaos.


    ¡°I ask for a moment of silence to remember those that gave their lives¡­¡±


    He bowed his head, taking a deep breath for several seconds before continuing.


    ¡°The next topic will not be easy to hear ¡­ our world has become a hotbed of instability.  Nations are crumbling under just the effects of The Oscillation, chaos is gripping many nations less capable than the United States, and we have tried to help those that we were in the position to lend a hand ¡­ too few,¡± he whispered with pain, ¡°but a few countries rose up to aid our efforts.


    ¡°The U.K., parts of the European Union, and Russia have helped to stabilize many of their surrounding nations, and we will keep as close of an eye as we can to be sure humanitarian aid is provided, and these nations will recover.


    ¡°One of those nations close to our border and threatening violence with our great country is a large terrorist organization comprised of Demi called The New Cuban Liberation Front.  The United States has many families that have immigrated from Cuba, and we currently understand the fear you have for your family¡¯s well-being.


    ¡°We hold the southern half of the country, but it has been plunged into a living hell over the past week and a half with roaming bands of various organized cells claiming territory with warlords at their helm.  It has become a lawless zone.


    ¡°The United States will come to the defense of our neighbor, off the coast of Florida.  To all those in Cuba that can hear my voice, have hope.  We will rescue you, and soon.


    ¡°That being said, there is a new, earth-shattering threat that required my administration to consider ¡­ unfavorable options.  With The Oscillation came these Crystals¡­¡±


    The screen changed to images of the various shaped and colored objects worldwide with military personnel around them, and footage of their journey into the other world was added, excluding their presence.  Molly¡¯s hands found Rachel and Scarlet¡¯s, squeezing tightly with worry.


    ¡°These Crystals act as gateways to other worlds, and as far as we¡¯ve been able to understand, require domination of the opposing side to close ¡­ if not, they will expand and become worse until one side is utterly crushed.  Monsters, creatures beyond our understanding, are beyond these portals, and once they close, there is no indication those beyond can return.


    ¡°This is not a joke,¡± he leaned forward, ¡°we are in a continual war with a seemingly infinite number of dimensions and worlds with utterly unknowable creatures waiting to sink their teeth into our planet.  If The Oscillation was sent to prepare us ¡­ I cannot speculate what that actually means.


    ¡°All I can do as your elected President is to offer you my administration¡¯s solution ¡­ we have tried our advanced military weaponry, and while some are effective, most are not, and the adaptability ¡­ literal world-ending powers that can be found beyond cannot be underestimated.  Simply put, even the United States does not have the military strength to hold our own in this now unstable world with fighting a war on hundreds, if not thousands of fronts, that could pop-up any minute.


    ¡°The best solution we have identified ¡­ is to turn to an option I believe will not be immediately popular, but given the information I have, it is our only option.  Our military can help our world and keep us safe from external threats outside the country, but I must call upon the United State¡¯s citizens to take up arms to defend their land.


    ¡°If we are a world at war, then we must adapt, improvise, and overcome this challenge we face with bold action, and so, I am introducing an Executive Order, The Crystal Act, which grants citizens the right to create organizations dedicated to closing these gateways.


    ¡°As of now, only Demi can enter these gateways, and there will be a strict screening process that organizations must follow and submit records monthly to remain licensed, identifying why you deserve to be within or advance to another Crystal Bracket or difficulty level.


    ¡°These organizations are not a part of the U.S. Military and must compete with other groups to purchase the rights of these Crystals from the government.  In short, these are corporations that can bring back resources to advance our civilization to the next level to contend with these rising threats.


    ¡°We are entering a new age.  Perhaps, in time, even normal humans can join this fight to defend our world.  With The Oscillation came Artificers, which can create items that people without Demi powers can utilize.


    ¡°There is much to explore, but we must also be vigilant and keep a cautious eye on what we bring back, which is why everything will be scrutinized by sanctioned agents when returned.  A category list of grade items will be shown on the government website.  We are in the process of combining all of this information and have already shared most of it with other cooperating nations earlier today.


    ¡°Nations like Japan, South Korea, Russia, the U.K., and European Union, with many others, have given their full support of this program after reviewing our intelligence and will be going forward with it in their own nations.  Other countries may also request these organizations for help, and the military will offer defense contracts if needed when dealing with specific types of Crystals.


    ¡°Travel is still unavailable in some regions due to various reasons that will be available with a possible time-frame for when they may open-up.  Do not lose hope; we are rebuilding, and we will not only overcome this challenge but rise above it as the United States always has.  Strengthen your resolve, for we will defend family and country from these invading threats.


    ¡°God be our strength, and God bless America.¡±


    The broadcast ended, and everyone turned to Clay; most of that had been told to her parents the day before, and it could be expected that many citizens would feel exactly like her mother and father.  Although, the organization part was new.


    Rachel was the first to speak.  ¡°So, you branched off Fiona and Maria¡¯s suggestion?  I assumed this was going to happen based on what Tom and you hinted at.  We are already contracted with the government, which means we will be one of the first to form these organizations?¡±


    Molly clearly didn¡¯t like the idea but knew the crystals had to be closed, and Rachel was more than willing to do it; it felt as if her heart was pulling her toward them.


    Clay nodded.  ¡°Not only that ¡­ I am here to inform you that President Capell has personally requested your first sanctioned mission be to Cuba to free the people there.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait,¡± her mother stammered, ¡°that¡¯s not what you said ¡­ you said she¡¯d be fighting monsters, not other people!¡±


    Rachel squeezed her hand, pulling her confused and angry eyes away from the military man.  ¡°Mom ¡­ I¡¯m going to be going into conflict either way, and people do need help.  You¡¯ve met a lot of the people I¡¯ll be with ¡­ Scarlet, Maria, Cahira, Selvaria ¡­ you haven¡¯t met Fiona yet, but heh, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love her.¡±


    Scarlet jumped in, hugging Molly.  ¡°Yeah!  We¡¯ll be saving a lot of people and bringing them back to their families and ¡­ and then we can come back and have a good family dinner!¡±  She said with a bit of emotion.


    There wasn¡¯t much her mother could say to that, lips pulling together with a small tremble while leaning in to return the hug.  ¡°... I just don¡¯t want to see my girls get hurt¡­¡±


    Rachel drew her attention to the hem of her orange-laced white overcoat with a rueful smile.  ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m wearing this, Mom ¡­ you know I¡¯ll be okay.  If you want, you can try to cut my hair,¡± she chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ve already tried.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Scarlet giggled, still in Molly¡¯s embrace, ¡°she literally broke the medical scissors!¡±


    Her brother actually spoke up next, which caused everyone to turn to him in surprise.  ¡°My sister will be going into these deadly places and getting stronger to deal with future threats, I assume?¡±


    Clay took a deep breath, tight hands folded in his lap.  ¡°Yes.  There is evidence to believe larger Crystals with much stronger creatures will arrive in time.  Our strategy is to push forward as hard and carefully as possible to maximize our world¡¯s survival.


    ¡°Unlike our military weapons, Demi are incredibly adaptable.  Most current Demi couldn¡¯t withstand our modern weapons, which must be a factor is why the President is sending Rachel ¡­ something about the Cuban terrorists requires us to be prepared for the unknown.  I was not given knowledge of the operation¡¯s start or specifics since I am not a part of it.


    ¡°I am only here to inform you and her of the request and to ask for her to identify a name for the group.  I have spoken to Fiona and Maria on the topic, and both of them agree that you,¡± he turned to Rachel, ¡°should be the organization leader.¡±


    Rachel slowly nodded, sitting back.  ¡°You agree, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Naturally!  Heh, I mean, you¡¯ve kind of been the brains behind everything so far, and none of us would have made it here without you.¡±


    Her father¡¯s shifting posture caught Rachel¡¯s eye; his gaze was on Nam, though.  Alexa¡¯s confused green eyes were on her husband, too.


    Rachel crossed her legs with a thoughtful hum.  ¡°I think we all played our part, but if you all feel that I should be the head of the group, then I¡¯ll accept it.  A name will be more difficult, though.  When should I have it ready by?¡±


    ¡°By the end of tonight would be appreciated ¡­ the President plans on identifying your group as the front-runner and example of the program.¡±


    Her mother groaned, shaking her head.  ¡°No, but ¡­ that¡¯s so much attention!  There are already terrorists after her.¡±


    ¡°It just can¡¯t be helped, Mom,¡± Rachel mumbled, rubbing her shoulder.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Nam had a serious expression while glaring at the floor.  ¡°Clay, if there really is a chance at our neighborhood becoming a warzone when Rachel is away ¡­ I need to get stronger to protect my family, too.  That Legend¡¯s Quest we went on showed me that I¡¯m not ready for something like that ¡­ something my little sister was able to accomplish.¡±


    ¡°Nam¡­¡±  Alexa mumbled, arms tightening on his thigh and her stomach.  ¡°We ¡­ need to talk about it.  I mean¡­¡±


    He turned to give her a kiss on the forehead and tightened his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in.  ¡°Alexa, I know if you had powers, you¡¯d be biting at the bit to join my sister.¡±


    ¡°W-Well, yeah, but ¡­ I mean, that¡¯s totally different ¡­ you have the company, and¡­¡±


    Her father folded his fingers together across his crossed legs, giving his son a calculating nod.  ¡°I ¡­ understand.  If things are really changing this drastically, then perhaps we¡¯ll move the company in a new direction.  If these Crystals require financial backing to purchase, then it means companies will be expanding to encompass this new market.¡±


    He turned to give Rachel a warm smile.  ¡°It seems our family will be getting involved in aiding our nation¡¯s call.  I assume you will be pushing forward with your own endeavors, with Maria and Mr. Reed having a substantial amount of financial backing.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait, Gwon, we ¡­ can we talk about this,¡± Molly begged, heartbeat rising rapidly.  ¡°If Nam goes into these Crystals, then there¡¯s an even greater risk of losing more of our family!¡±


    Her father sighed, hoisting himself off the couch to take Rachel¡¯s spot; she swapped places with him, allowing him to comfort her mother.  ¡°Chan-hee,¡± he whispered as she took his hand, pleading brown eyes staring up into his, ¡°our world is changing, and we must change with it if our family is to survive.  I don¡¯t like it ¡­ you know I don¡¯t, but that doesn¡¯t change our reality.  The best thing we can do is support our children to become as strong as they possibly can so they have the power to return to us.¡±


    ¡°... But I¡¯m scared,¡± Molly whimpered, tears appearing in her eyes as he guided her head to his chest.


    ¡°I am, too, honey ¡­ but we must have faith in our children.  Nam, Rachel, and Scarlet will always beat the odds; we must believe that.¡±


    ¡°Mhm ¡­ I know, but ¡­ it¡¯s hard.¡±


    On her father¡¯s telling gaze, everyone got up, moving to the study further across the house to let them talk; Rachel passively listened to her father comfort her mother as she dealt with the terrifying nightmares she¡¯d had the night before after learning what was coming.  The Oscillation had really affected her mother, giving her flashbacks of the worst experience in her life.


    Clay released tension in a puff of air as he dropped into a chair with a grunt in the bright study space.  ¡°Yes, Nam, I can streamline your application, seeing as I¡¯ve witnessed your ability first hand, but you¡¯ll need to find a team by tomorrow night to get ahead of the pack.  At least a group of five Demi.¡±


    Nam slowly nodded.  ¡°I¡¯ll work on that.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s lips were tucked in, fangs poking out as she tried to figure out what she should do in the situation.  Alexa was struggling with the adventure and experience of having powers, going to new worlds, and vanquishing evil, or so Rachel imagined, while contending with the fact her husband was putting himself in mortal danger for her, and there was nothing she could contribute.  That was the primary thorn in her heart; Rachel was sure by her bodily reactions.


    ¡°Alexa,¡± Rachel interjected before she¡¯d managed to form a response.


    ¡°... Uh, yeah?¡±  Her bound blonde hair bobbed a little as she shifted uncomfortably to face her, unconsciously rubbing Nam¡¯s knee.


    Folding her fingers, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but empathize with her step-sister; she felt she would be the exact same if Nam had gained powers and she didn¡¯t.  ¡°There are a lot of unknowns with Legend¡¯s Quests, these Crystal Gateways, and The Oscillation itself ¡­ if I come across a way to give you powers to join Nam, I¡¯ll get it for you.¡±


    Clay¡¯s face creased at her replay, but Alexa¡¯s countenance brightened with hope.  ¡°Then ¡­ I could join Nam?  Maybe ¡­ I don¡¯t know, be a healer or ¡­ or a Witch or something?¡±


    ¡°Rachel,¡± the Sergeant Major mumbled, ¡°an artifact like that would be best utilized by a trained soldier.  It would be a precious tool to be used to increase our fighting force.¡±


    Alexa¡¯s thighs tightened at his response, but Rachel turned her unassuming smile to the man.  ¡°Indeed, it would.  However, is not anything besides artifacts capable of overpowering the United States the organization¡¯s property?  There¡¯s the tax, of course, but the cost can be paid through cash, I assume.  It really depends on the item itself, and the President even said, given time, normal humans could enter the fight.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± he reluctantly relented.  ¡°Have you come across something like that?¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°Not at this time, but The Oscillation happened, proving the force is out there; we just need to discover it.¡±


    Besides, Rachel felt it would be much better for their marriage overall, and she could always temporarily join their team to assist them if anything bad happened.  In fact, she almost felt like this was Nam¡¯s attempt to rise to her level and compete, which excited her.  She¡¯d welcome Alexa as a potential rival for Crystals.


    Scarlet scooted forward a bit with a grin.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll keep my eyes open, too!  If what we know about this seed inside us is true, if you get one, then you¡¯ll definitely become a magical girl!¡±


    ¡°That would be so cool!¡±  Alexa squealed; it was as if she¡¯d turned twelve again with Scarlet and her talking about anime.  There was something about cards granting some girl named Sakura that was a Cardcaptor, or something like that.


    Rachel sat back to absorb all the information surrounding their house, gauging how people felt about the President¡¯s message within several miles.  Nam had his arm around his wife¡¯s shoulder, but his gaze was pulled inward, probably pondering on who he knew that could join his organization.


    It was a little distracting with Scarlet and Alexa¡¯s conversation, flipping between Sailor Moon to some show called Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica to Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou.


    Most of the populous had to watch it over a few times to actually get what he was saying, and many were listening to commentators trying to puzzle out how this would affect their personal lives.  It was surprisingly calmer than before, but people had grown more accustomed to a sudden change with The Oscillation.


    The country was preparing for war, but this could bring new technology, make people rich, and revolutionize the entire way they lived their lives.  It was both exciting and scary since the President hadn¡¯t shown the most graphic images; she wondered if he would use the High Rolls, New Mexico Crystal attack during the screening process or save that since they knew the color and shape of such dangerous gateways now?


    There would need to be a guide given on difficulty level, which he had touched on.  It was something she¡¯d have to bring up with him when they next spoke.  Right now, she needed to prepare for Cuba and develop their organization¡¯s structure.


    When Tom called, Rachel wasn¡¯t too surprised; it was getting late enough where the backyard was overshadowed enough by the falling sun to have the quarter moon counter its effects, and she went outside.


    Scarlet and Alexa had moved upstairs to watch a show called Shugo Chara, which had Scarlet kind of embarrassed for some reason.  Nam and Clay talked about his experience with the other gateways and what to expect; although, Clay noted that nothing had been as difficult as the Legend¡¯s Quest as of yet.  Her mother was swiftly calming down.


    Once outside, Rachel examined her three puff-balls, smiling up at her while still absorbing moonlight; it was starting to rise now that the sun was falling below the horizon.  ¡°Details on this mission, Tom?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± his chair squeaked as he leaned back.  ¡°It¡¯s the 23rd today ¡­ Can you be ready by the 27th?  We¡¯ll have all the needed information by that time to give you a list of leading targets.¡±


    Her mind flashed back to her grandfather¡¯s invitation and request to talk to her cousin.  ¡°I do have something that could fill my time.  I need to come up with a name before you wake up in the morning?¡±


    ¡°That would be optimal to have a baseline other organizations can use with how you set up your roster.  Whoever you feel would best fit in with your team; you¡¯re smart, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure out how best to manage the fine details.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I¡¯ll get everyone on a line and figure it out tonight.  You¡¯ve heard of Cahira¡¯s new boat?¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± his serious tone lifted for a moment, ¡°boat?  If you can call it that.  Yes, it could be of use, and she¡¯s got a freaking War Ship fully loaded with magical bullets and the works, from what I¡¯m hearing.  That Legend¡¯s Quest was really something.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head tilted slightly to examine her outfit.  ¡°... You have no idea.  Will there be an app to buy Crystals?¡±


    ¡°There will.¡±


    ¡°Wild ¡­ well, I look forward to the progress and information.¡±


    A confused edge touched his tone.  ¡°Something seems ¡­ different about you.  There¡¯s less excitement in your voice than I thought there¡¯d be.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that would be the effects of a Flush Moon.  I can give you the details another time.¡±


    ¡°Huh ¡­ a Flush Moon ¡­ like a blushing moon?¡±


    ¡°Similar.¡±


    He took a moment to answer.  ¡°... Okay, then.  Anything else I should be concerned about?¡±


    Her developing relationship with Anthony crossed her mind.  ¡°... No, I think that¡¯s it.  I look forward to the trip.  Now, I have some planning to do.¡±


    ¡°Good luck.¡±


    Tom hung up, and Rachel pulled up Maria¡¯s number, sending her a text about the meeting and asking if she had the new guys¡¯ numbers or if they had phones.  The response was quick; they didn¡¯t.  There was a hotel room phone they could link with everyone, though.


    Damn ¡­ Anthony needs to get a phone.


    She messaged her grandfather¡¯s cellphone, which he rarely checked, but she had the entire night to set up a time to spend three days with him.  Rachel debated whether to take Scarlet, but in the end, decided against it with how Soo-geun was acting; she didn¡¯t need the headache of him hitting on any girl she might have brought.  Plus, it gave the girl time to bond with her new family.


    Now ¡­ what to do about our line-up?  Adding every Mythickin and Legendkin that wants to join seems like the best option.  So, let¡¯s start recruiting!


    Rachel linked with Maria and bridged all the calls, having Scarlet put her anime binge on hold for a bit while they sorted everything out.  Fiona even answered; she wouldn¡¯t be back in Miami for another two days, though.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 3. Mythic

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1: Rachel Park


    Recap:  Rachel had some Korean Mom eyes on her and Lunar Nia >_> Molly is not a fan of her daughter''s new outfit, but¡ªshe''ll tolerate ... for now.  She learned a bit more about her step-sister, Alexa, and listened to the President''s address on the News.


    Now, our girl needs to come up with a name for their group to be recognized.


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    Kevin, Wayan-Gwie Lapointe, WeirdWhirl, Don''t_like_to_Talk, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel greeted everyone as they joined the call, getting basic information from each other about how they were doing and getting the pleasantries out of the way.  Introductions came next, which took up a decent amount of time with everyone on the line.


    In the end, Rachel managed to get everyone she wanted on the call; Maria, Fiona, Anthony, Ohan, Cahira, Ma?lle, Kyle, Vasishtha, Selvaria, and Scarlet sitting in a chair across from her on the back patio.


    She highlighted everything Tom charged her to do, between setting up the organization structure, what they¡¯d be doing, including Cuba, since she wouldn¡¯t expect any of them to join unless they were okay with it, and the need for an identifying name.  The moment she finished, Fiona, Selvaria, and Scarlet exploded into discussions about games, manga, and light novels, with questions being asked by the others as they connected the media with the organization structure.


    To Rachel¡¯s surprise, it was actually relevant, and she found herself seriously pondering the points the three brought up.


    Basically, they each filled specific roles inside a unit, and it would be best to organize around that when entering particular areas.  Selvaria brought up primary branches such as Tank, Support, and Damage.  Scarlet commented that range-distance needed to be brought into the equation.


    Rachel passively listened for a moment while studying each person¡¯s voice on the phone, debating their addition to the team.


    Maria, Fiona, and Scarlet were a given; they¡¯d join.  Although, Fiona had a bit of trouble explaining it to her own parents when Tom gave her the green light to tell him about it, and apparently, her sister, Nora, had transformed into some kind of Slime Aberrantkin that could take on the shape of the things she consumed.


    It was a little shocking coming from the tiny fairy, but judging by her tone, it had been an emotional experience.  Much like Rachel¡¯s own parents, Fiona¡¯s family wasn¡¯t happy with it but understood the need.  Her sister even wanted to help, but Fiona was vehemently against it; Nora still had to finish her senior year ¡­ which would be in Miami, and there were only a few months left.


    Fiona was also a bit bummed about missing out on the Legend¡¯s Quest, telling them to wait for her on the next one ¡­ not that they¡¯d want to be doing something as deadly and advanced again.  There was also the factor of outside forces being able to mess with their results; all of the Legendkin were being careful about their quests.


    Rachel figured Anthony would likely join, and they were even supposed to go on a few dates, which almost snatched her mind away before she managed to reign it back in.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t help but be curious about when he¡¯d pop the surprise event on her and knew it would occupy her thoughts whenever he was nearby.  The teasing manner of waiting for him to take the initiative on where their destination and activity might be was an unfamiliar and welcoming form of foreplay that quickened her heart.


    Selvaria seemed all in by just the unusual glee in her voice while talking to Scarlet and Fiona; she was swiftly warming up to the Fairy.


    The Leviathan¡¯s personality was a bit particular, considering how she acted in the group.  When she was low on water, the diminished curves and height weren¡¯t the only differences from her voluptuous form.  Her draconic elements became visible with the shortened stature when starved, but her emotions also turned more inward and reserved.  Yet, it could have also been a defensive trigger from embarrassment, such as when she fell down the hole and into the labyrinth entrance, opting to just lay on her back with a dull, listless attitude.


    She¡¯d have to study her more to be sure, but the girl¡¯s powerful transformation certainly did add a lot to the party, especially on the waters.


    On the other hand, Cahira was entirely on board the moment Rachel explained what was ahead of them.  If anything for the loot ¡­ she had an expensive transformation that seemed to keep on demanding more gold to maintain what she¡¯d gained.


    She was planning on another raiding quest that she¡¯d invited Kyle, Ma?lle, Vasishtha, and Ohan on for later tonight, which appeared to be mainly a sort of mini-game she could do to gain currency.  Although, Rachel wondered if the Pirate Queen simply needed more people to increase the reward, using team bonding and experience as an excuse to get them on her deck.


    Ma?lle and Kyle were still up in the air as to if they¡¯d join, and Rachel still didn¡¯t fully trust the two ¡­ there was just the pure gut feeling that the Succubus and Incubus were not wholly honest with their personalities.  There was also the simple fact they represented some pretty untrustworthy myths, in general.


    The two seemed a little interested in experiencing what this raid might entail with the red-haired pirate¡¯s assurance they wouldn¡¯t need to lift a finger, and the two could also just handle the guns.


    Vasishtha was thrilled to have the opportunity to spend the night with both the Pirate Queen and Succubus nearby, challenging Cahira to see who could take out the most enemies ¡­ Rachel assumed he hadn¡¯t seen her new ships yet.


    Cahira hinted that she¡¯d be using her new war vessel and not her turtle since it was just so bloody expensive to even take for a walk; she needed to build up a reserve fund, and her Dreadnought could use some love.  The Indian Legendkin had no clue what a Dreadnought even was and just took it as a name she gave her old little sailboat.


    Ohan was relatively silent throughout the whole exchange, allowing everyone else to talk, but Rachel had no doubt he was pondering the invitation heavily.


    Once the anime trio began breaking down their explanation for their organization, Rachel zeroed in on several points.


    ¡°So,¡± Fiona mused, taking the conversation away from Cahira and Vasishtha about their adventure, ¡°let¡¯s get all this ironed out so you guys can get on the sea.  By the way, Cahira, I want to go sailing when I get back, too!¡±


    ¡°Mi sails always be ready fer a new adventure!¡±  Rachel didn¡¯t feel like pointing out the woman¡¯s boats no longer had sails, and no one else seemed to care enough, as well.


    ¡°Right!¡±  Fiona chimed.  ¡°Okay, so, let me get all of this out of the way ¡­ tanks are super, super important.  Right, Selvaria?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, mhm,¡± the girl returned, tone much brighter than expected.  ¡°Super, super important, and I¡¯m the tank!¡±


    Scarlet giggled.  ¡°Which means you¡¯re super important.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    Considering what Rachel had heard back in the labyrinth with Selvaria being extremely depressed, she¡¯d been forced to walk the maze alone, which made her behavior more understandable.  She probably had a tough time fitting in with crowds and wanted to feel useful and included in a group, which also increased the likelihood she¡¯d join.


    The Vespertine Reaper pushed the conversation forward.  ¡°You also have good sustain around water, some ranged attacks, and a good monster form to taunt!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I have all that, but ¡­ umm,¡± her bright voice diminished slightly, ¡°my defense is tied to my life force¡­¡±


    A chair creaking caught Rachel¡¯s notice as Maria leaned back in her chair with a short chuckle.  ¡°Welcome to the club, chica.  Yo, but I¡¯m in the healer category shit, right?  I got ya!¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Fiona¡¯s voice strained.  ¡°Well, I mean, you can¡¯t really heal her water dependency, I don¡¯t think, and true, Selv, if we end up in a desert, then you¡¯d probably have to sit on the bench.¡±


    ¡°Aww ¡­ yeah, I know ¡­ but maybe I could get an ability to counter that if I wish hard enough!¡±


    ¡°I mean, probably,¡± Scarlet replied, staring at a lock of her hair as if something was wrong with it.  ¡°That would be cool.  Your physical attacks and defense is tied to your Water Pool, though, so you¡¯d probably want to increase that a ton, too.¡±


    Fiona jumped back in.  ¡°I can summon water to help, but umm¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, wow, really?¡±  Selvaria asked with enthusiasm.  ¡°You¡¯re so awesome!¡±


    ¡°Heh, thanks!  Right, but umm, we can talk about what more we should go for after.  Uh ¡­ Rachel, you wanted to know about the possible organization stuff, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be great,¡± she chuckled, ¡°but I think before we should first figure out who¡¯s going to be joining us.  You¡¯ve heard what it¡¯s going to be about and the President¡¯s speech.  So, who¡¯s up for remaining a group?¡±


    Shifting to her side, Rachel watched her rabbit blobs do what appeared to be mock battles with Gisele; how they got to that activity was beyond her.  It was a good idea; although, her little Sky Reaver was having a tricky time dodging the triple rabbit puffball attack as they used Lunar Steps, coordinating reasonably well-executed attacks in the air while Gisele dodged.


    The little bird tried her best to use her claws, wings, and tail to attack them when they came closer, but the Lunar Step platform doubled as a defensive shell to repel the attack while they jumped away, giving the playful rabbits plenty of time.


    ¡°Well, of course, I¡¯m in,¡± Scarlet swiftly replied, giving her a bright smile before her focus darted to the kitchen window.  Their mother was peeking out at them with a fond smile, and Scarlet gave her a cheery wave, causing the Korean woman to duck back inside to continue dinner with a pleased giggle.


    ¡°Tch, do ya even gotta ask?¡±  Maria snickered.  ¡°By the way, how¡¯d y¡¯all even handle the funds without me; I¡¯m rich bitches!  But yo, I got some sick shit in the pot cookin¡¯ with my homie Reed, my chica.¡±


    Rachel smirked; Maria hadn¡¯t changed.  ¡°Can¡¯t wait to hear about it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ wait, what do you mean you¡¯re rich, and who¡¯s Reed?¡±  Fiona asked.  ¡°Uh ¡­ no, nevermind ¡­ shoot, I¡¯m so out of the loop.  I¡¯m totally in¡­¡±  She paused as her sister piped up in the next room, apparently listening with her feline-like ears after obtaining a Cheetah Beastkin form.


    ¡°I wanna join you, Fi!¡±


    ¡°No, no, no!¡±  Fiona growled.  ¡°Not until you at least graduate.¡±


    ¡°Why does school even matter?  Gah ¡­ you¡¯re as restrictive as Mom and Dad!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The phone muted to allow Fiona time to deal with the issue, leaving the Succubus to casually slide into the opening.


    ¡°Rachel, mon amie,¡± Ma?lle chimed in a fond and clear French accent.  ¡°It has been quite too long since we last saw one another.  What has it been ¡­ two, three days?¡±


    [my friend]


    Not long enough¡­


    ¡°Bah, it matters little; it is nice to hear your lovely voice!¡±  Ma?lle powered through.  ¡°Alas, I am afraid I must disappoint,¡± she mourned, causing Vasishtha to release a low aww.  ¡°A delicate flower such as myself cannot enter such dangerous places; I simply lack the strength of will to engage in such endeavors, ma cherie.¡±


    [i.e., ma cherie - calling a female ¡®my dear¡¯ or ¡®sweetheart¡¯; can be romantic or platonic]


    Rachel was about to feign sadness when the Succubus flipped directions, making Scarlet wince and groan.  Right ¡­ delicate as nightshade.


    ¡°... Although, I could not bear to be so far apart from my adorable Scarlet!  I simply must indulge in my sweet choupette.  So, if I may so remain on a more ¡­ Earthly side of this business, then I would be honored to join, mon amie Li¨¨vette Lunaire; this certainly is exciting!¡±


    [i.e., ma choupette - a female-only term of endearment meaning cabbage (although referring to a sweet and yummy puff pastry) which is usually seen as romantic, although not exclusively; i.e. mon amie Li¨¨vette Lunaire - Lunar Hare friend; erotic]


    Not understanding precisely what the French woman was calling her, Rachel swapped to Korean to mutter, ¡°What a joy¡­¡±


    ¡°Excellent!  How I love multiculturalism,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Right,¡± Kyle sighed, causing Scarlet to sit a bit straighter while listening.  ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ kind of with Ma?lle on this one.  My abilities mainly deal with dreams, which wouldn¡¯t be that helpful in a harsh battle environment like what you were talking about in that Legend¡¯s Quest.¡±


    Scarlet cleared her throat, a slight quiver in the undercurrent of her voice.  ¡°Well ¡­ umm, I mean, you could also gain abilities to, you know, put enemies to sleep or something.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Selvaria mumbled.  ¡°That¡¯d make things a lot easier if we had a control main¡­¡±


    Kyle swiftly interjected.  ¡°Heh, I uh, appreciate the confidence, Scarlet, Selvaria, but jumping into other worlds is just not something I¡¯m really comfortable with at the moment.  I have a lot of ¡­ well, other issues to deal with.¡±


    Rachel lifted an eyebrow at Scarlet as she held up her hands, protesting vehemently as if the Incubus was right in front of her.  ¡°N-No, no, it¡¯s fine, umm ¡­ yeah, that¡¯s fine, uh ¡­ wait, is that good, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°... Yeah, totally fine,¡± Rachel said with a sad shake of her head at Scarlet¡¯s light blush.


    The girl can¡¯t go through a sentence without embarrassing herself when it comes to him ¡­ maybe she¡¯s just really weak versus his passives or something.


    ¡°If you two want to remain on the sidelines for most things, then that¡¯s great, but we¡¯ll probably not be able to pay you much unless you do things within the organization.¡±


    Ma?lle¡¯s bright tone returned.  ¡°Ah, wonderful; it is as if our minds are in sync!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow creased.  ¡°Uh-huh?¡±


    ¡°But of course,¡± Ma?lle replied, seemingly animating something to the others inside the hotel room she currently sat in with the other Mythickin and Legendkin staying in Maria¡¯s ritzy rooms.  ¡°When I saw the reception of our lovely Unicorn on media, I knew my aid was in dire need!  I can be our little organization¡¯s public representative!  Wouldn¡¯t that be exciting?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips swiftly pulled in at the energetic woman¡¯s suggestion, Scarlet¡¯s mirroring the reaction.  True, Maria had laid out a News anchor, but the assault was received relatively well ¡­ in fact, it had gone viral, and she could hear it being shared all around the city with laughs and memes being made from the interview.  Still, if Maria would be busy working on their financial front, they would need someone to represent them, and she certainly didn¡¯t want to be bothered with the job.


    After debating between the options, it was hardly her favorite idea, but possibly her only option, given the people she had to give the task to.  Anthony would be a reliable, absolute chad of a front face for their organization, but the thought of having fangirls swooning over his handsome face set a blaze in her breast.


    One particular cultural shock Rachel had when bringing Scarlet¡¯s clothes and items over  to the house was a very strange full-body pillow of some man that she assumed was a vampire hunter.  Scarlet said his name was Dean Winchester, and the thought of women buying Anthony full-body pillows set her tail on-end.


    ¡­ Maybe Ma?lle isn¡¯t as bad of a representative as I thought¡­


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel took a long breath, watching Scarlet give her a look that said, what are you doing?!  ¡°Well ¡­ if Maria is doing the finances, then we probably should have someone else handle that.¡±


    Maria released a long and loud sigh of relief.  ¡°Yo!  Chica, comin¡¯ in!  For real, though, ya got no idea how shitty that whole gig was.  Ya want it?  All yours!¡±  She laughed.


    Ma?lle seemed thrilled by her new position.  ¡°The media will not be able to keep their eyes off our little group!¡±


    Well ¡­ that could mean a lot of things ¡­ we¡¯ll see, though.  She wouldn¡¯t do anything to embarrass herself.  Can she even get embarrassed?  Probably not¡­


    Hoping she hadn¡¯t made a terrible mistake, she moved on.  ¡°Alright ¡­ Ma?lle¡¯s found a good spot.  What about you, Kyle?¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh,¡± Ma?lle cut in, ¡°he must join me; think about the ratings, the exposure!¡±


    ¡°Kyle?¡±  Rachel asked.  The Succubus wasn¡¯t wrong, and drawing more attention away from Anthony by putting the Incubus front and center could help combat the fangirls.  She had enough problems with Cahira¡¯s wonton gaze.


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ I suppose it would help me,¡± he muttered before releasing a short puff of air.  ¡°Ma?lle¡­¡±


    ¡°I know!  I know!¡±  She giggled.  ¡°No touching!  Mmh .. but aren¡¯t you just a little curious as to how much poison we can take?¡±


    Rachel could practically feel the Succubus leaning closer to the Incubus with a devilish smile on her full lips.


    ¡°... Not really¡­¡±


    ¡°Aww, a shame,¡± Ma?lle pouted.  ¡°Maybe another time.¡±


    Vasishtha bounced into the conversation with gusto.  ¡°Yo, I¡¯m always up for a game of tug-a-war, my little devil!  What do you say, huh?  A feverish dance on Cahira¡¯s deck or on the white beach?¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ perhaps,¡± Ma?lle teased.  ¡°So, mon mignon, what will be your direction on this night?¡±


    The Indian Legendkin released a low hum at her question.  ¡°Eh ¡­ I came to America to party, dance, and serenade the pretty ladies, but I¡¯m never one to refuse a challenge or combat!  Of course, I¡¯ll be your ranged savior; ah, and if you stay by my side, no harm can ever come to that charming tail¡­¡±


    Ma?lle giggled, the bed creaking as she leaned into him.  ¡°I will be in your care, Mr. Legend of Arjuna.¡±


    Ohan pulled the conversation away from the man¡¯s continual attempts to sway the Succubus to give him attention.  ¡°I have my own goals, but if the fastest way to get stronger is to be in a party, and you have a lot of support to enter high conflict situations, then it would be stupid to reject the offer.  Give me a target, and I¡¯ll see it dead.¡±


    Finally, Anthony spoke up.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ good to see everyone getting on-board.  Although, honestly, Rachel¡­¡±


    Her gut instantly tightened.  Are you serious?  No ¡­ he can¡¯t be serious!  Why wouldn¡¯t he join?  He has to join!


    Rachel¡¯s voice was in check, but her mind was reeling, and her heart went from a calm river to a raging hurricane.  ¡°Honestly, what?¡±


    The silence stretched for a moment, and Rachel¡¯s acute ears caught the actions of his left hand running through his thick red pulled-back hair.  ¡°You see,¡± he muttered, ¡°I have this pre-arranged engagement already¡­¡±


    Judging by Scarlet¡¯s expression, there was probably hellfire in her eyes because it certainly was in Rachel¡¯s breast.  ¡°Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he sighed, scratching above his lip, ¡°there¡¯s this rabbit girl that¡¯s asked me to join her team, and heh, well ¡­ you know rabbit girls.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mouth dropped open, mind blanking as confusion and doubt exploded.  Rabbit girl ¡­ rabbit girl ¡­ he can¡¯t mean another girl with rabbit ears ¡­ no hare, hare!  Gah ¡­ uh, no, he teased me about it last night ¡­ it¡¯s a dirty joke!  No, but ¡­ what if it is another rabbit girl ¡­ why am I saying I¡¯m a rabbit girl?!  No, if it is a rabbit girl, he knows ¡­ it¡¯s just impossible!


    Her mind and chest were practically entering hyperspace with the spiraling doubt and second-guessing erupting through her thoughts like a supervolcano; she couldn¡¯t embarrass herself by being jealous, she absolutely couldn¡¯t, but she wanted to know about any rabbit girl that just so happened to be in her boyfriend¡¯s life beside her ¡­ not that she was a rabbit girl.


    Anthony¡¯s roaring laughter pulled her dizzy eyes out of their death coil.  ¡°Wait, wait ¡­ I meant a hare girl!  Haha!  Wow, hehe!  That silence ¡­ that¡¯s so good ¡­ I can just ¡­ I can see your face!¡±


    Sure enough, her face was becoming bright pink as her brain frazzled; she was hiding it by turning away from Scarlet when the girl¡¯s lips curved with entertainment while connecting the dots, bringing up her own phone to take a picture of her and probably forgetting how dark it was.


    To Rachel, this felt like the most embarrassing moments of her entire life, but she had to continue with the meeting.  She couldn¡¯t just get up and walk away to cool her face.  Yet, it was the first time in a while that she actually felt like crying; she felt so dumb falling for such a simple tease and how much she read into it.


    Rachel activated Emotional Detachment, shortly followed by Rapid Mental Acceleration.


    Her cheeks slowly returned to normal as she composed herself, her heart still squirming, but the boxed emotions and clear head only added to the increasingly horrifying realization that was consuming her mind.


    I¡¯m an ultra jealous, stupidly possessive, obsessive girlfriend ¡­ he¡¯s technically not even my boyfriend ¡­ we aren¡¯t going steady ¡­ but obviously, I want it to go in that direction.  Wow ¡­ me ¡­ I¡¯m this tripped up about such a silly joke that I should just laugh at ¡­ I¡¯m pathetic.


    Throughout it all, Lunar Pride was between a rock and a hard place; it was two conflicting actions at battle within her.  The realization about how badly and toxically she wanted to acquire Anthony made her feel a negative way about herself she¡¯d never really experienced before and the embarrassment she felt from Anthony¡¯s little joke.


    However, with Emotional Detachment¡¯s help, she could postpone the battle, yet the self-disgust was being allowed leeway to win since her reasoning mind gave way to critically analyze her emotional state and add more fire to that side of Lunar Pride.  If she put her emotions to form, she¡¯d call it a complete bitch, and she did not want that side of her to escape and 100% ruin a good thing in her life at all costs!


    Rapid Mental Acceleration gave her enough time to compose herself and provide the proper response ¡­ she seriously had to do some self-reflecting, and behavioral corrections after this meeting, and maybe her grandfather¡¯s retreat was just what she needed ¡­ time away to sort herself out.


    ¡°Heh,¡± Rachel giggled, shifting in her seat to hug her stomach.  ¡°Wow ¡­ that was great, but ¡­ rabbit girl ¡­ c¡¯mon, we¡¯ve been over this!¡±  She huffed, leering at the phone.


    Scarlet was chuckling, snapping photos with the flash that wouldn¡¯t show nearly what she hoped, and most of the voices on the call were following the light laughter that she should have seriously felt in her heart ¡­ yet it was filled with raging chaos that the Flush Moon¡¯s energy couldn¡¯t temper.


    ¡°My bad, my bad!¡±  Anthony replied.  ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t have much going on after my boss dropped me.  I need to find some form of employment to keep up with my hobby, and this seems better than most.  Yo, Maria, what¡¯s the pay like?¡±


    ¡°Aye, I got ya, amigo!¡±  Maria assured.  ¡°Don¡¯t be sweatin¡¯ it; we got something in the works!¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.  So, what¡¯s up?¡±  He asked, shifting his posture to glance around at the group at the hotel.  ¡°Anyone else got something to add?¡±


    When no one responded, Rachel picked up the spotlight, wanting to get this over with to deal with the boxed emotions.  ¡°Good.  So, we¡¯ve got eleven on the team.¡±


    ¡°Oh, chica!¡±  Maria piped up.  ¡°Add that catgirl to the gig; she can be my secretary or whatever you were talkin¡¯ about. ¡°  She popped her tongue with a low growl.  ¡°She got screwed over ¡­ hard.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed at the news.  ¡°... Zoe?  What happened?  Did someone try to touch her again?¡±


    Maria clicked her tongue, leaning back to probably stare at the wall to her front room in Little Havana.  ¡°Eh, na, nothin¡¯ like that; mi mafiosos be takin¡¯ care of things locally.  Mmh ¡­ she should probably be the one to tell ya, but my lil¡¯ hermano be comforting the girl ¡­ it¡¯s rough for the chica.  Her family ¡­ tch, eh ¡­ yo, they didn¡¯t make The Oscillation, and uh ¡­ yeah, it¡¯s just not good.¡±


    A frown touched Rachel¡¯s lips, leaning back.  The memories of the first time she met Zoe came flooding back into her memory when she¡¯d changed into a Lunar Hare, and she¡¯d taken the new catgirl by the hand, leading her out of the burning dorm building to then be picked up by the National Guard in hazmat suits.


    ¡°Talk about rough¡­¡±  Anthony whispered.


    Selvaria released a depressed sigh.  ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah, let her know we¡¯re here for her ¡­ even though, you know ¡­ I don¡¯t know her that well.  If she needs someone, then Galatea and I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Ohan seemed to connect to it by the manner Rachel caught his low tone and shifting movements.


    The others gave similar responses, offering support.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ have her call me when she¡¯s feeling up to it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let her know,¡± Maria mumbled, causing an awkward silence after the confession.


    Since she wasn¡¯t elaborating on any culprit or area to blame, Rachel figured it wasn¡¯t something that could have required action.  Fiona had failed to return, seemingly finding it more difficult than she thought to get her younger sister to back down.


    ¡°... Well, in conclusion, from what Fiona, Selvaria, and Scarlet mapped out, we have an alright starting roaster but could pick up a few recommendations from Tom.


    ¡°For Tanks, we have Selvaria and me ¡­ although, can you really call me an Agility Tank?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±  Scarlet and Selvaria chimed in unison.


    The Vespertine Reaper followed with, ¡°Remember the Nightmare thing in that labyrinth?  You were super tanking at the start before Selvaria grabbed aggro!¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Rachel mumbled, ¡°but I was basically ¡­ nevermind, umm, yeah, so, I¡¯m an Agility Tank and a Close-Range Damager.  Scarlet and Ohan also fit that category with a few mid-range attacks.


    ¡°Dedicated Mid-Range Damage, and general elemental nuker, is Fiona, naturally.


    ¡°Long-Ranged Damage is Vasishtha with his bow.


    ¡°Maria is our dedicated Healer.


    ¡°Ma?lle and Kyle are our Control-Support on Earth ¡­ and Cahira, the All-Terrain Vehicle,¡± she smirked, adding humor to not tip anyone off her insides was at war.


    ¡°Aye, what be the ¡­ well,¡± Cahira trailed off, pondering her joke, ¡°I mean ¡­ ye ain¡¯t wrong, but ¡­ gah, do ya gotta say it like I¡¯m a bloody doormat everybody be wipin¡¯ their dirty boots on?¡±


    Everyone laughed.


    ¡°We love you!¡±  Selvaria giggled.


    ¡°Aye, ye better or else ya be thrown ta the sea!¡±  She laughed.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rachel hummed, chuckles fading.  ¡°We got the line-up.  What¡¯s our org¡¯s name?¡±


    Selvaria spoke as if jumping up in class.  ¡°MythBusters!¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ I don¡¯t know, Selv,¡± Scarlet gave the girl¡¯s suggestion a forced tone, ¡°I mean, we¡¯re not really busting myths.¡±


    Vasishtha made a note of objection in his throat.  ¡°Eh ¡­ in some ways myths are quite ¡­ busting, if ya catch my meaning.¡±


    ¡°Not wrong,¡± Cahira replied with a snicker.  ¡°Too bad yer eyes be the only thing that be catchin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Oof,¡± Fiona¡¯s voice responded, finally returning.


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Anthony mused, nudging the chuckling Indian man¡¯s side, ¡°let¡¯s get our heads out of the gutter.¡±


    Ma?lle was next.  ¡°How about ¡­ Succulent Fervour?¡±


    ¡°... Not feeling it,¡± Ohan mumbled.


    ¡°Eclipse ?¡±  Rachel offered.


    Maria hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°The sun and moon, eh?¡±


    ¡°What about Fiona, though,¡± Scarlet asked.


    Anthony popped his tongue a few times to fill the silence.  ¡°Mythic?¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ but what about you guys?¡±  Selvaria asked.


    He shrugged, glancing at the others.


    ¡°Aye, seems fine to me,¡± Cahira grinned.  ¡°Mythic adventures await!¡±


    ¡°I could think of worse names,¡± Ohan nodded.


    Rachel waited, but no one offered an alternative.  ¡°Okay, we¡¯re Mythic.  Well, everyone, we¡¯ve got a mission on the 27th to prepare for.  Rest up, level up, and bulk up.  I¡¯m going to be somewhat unavailable for the next few days.  I¡¯ll be spending time with my grandfather; he asked me to come down.  My phone will be on me if anyone needs to get a hold of me.¡±


    With that, they slowly said their goodbyes, and Fiona added a final note that her lawyer/agent/friend, Erica Kohne, would be going over their Tempest contracts to reevaluate it since it could be argued they¡¯d signed it under duress with The Oscillation.  She¡¯d be able to work out a better deal, and Rachel told Fiona to see if she could also look into the Montana Hare Majesty brand while she was at it.


    Hanging up, Rachel caught Scarlet giving her a small frown, arms crossed under her chest.  ¡°So ¡­ you¡¯re going to go see your grandpa?¡±


    ¡°Yours now, too,¡± Rachel chuckled, ¡°but ¡­ I¡¯ll be going alone on this one because my cousin¡¯s involved, and he¡¯s kind of ¡­ not in the best state of mind right now.¡±  When Scarlet¡¯s frown didn¡¯t lift, she added, ¡°Plus, you get to spend some personal time with Mom, Dad, Nam, and Alexa ¡­ I think she really needs it right now, too.  I think you¡¯re kind of her first friend in ¡­ a while.¡±


    ¡°Gmmh ¡­ fine,¡± Scarlet groaned, relenting while smoothing back her smooth black hair behind her pointed ears and smiling.  ¡°I do have a lot of anime and manga to catch up on.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±  Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Oh, and I¡¯m gonna tell Mom to finalize the adoption papers!  You¡¯re 18, so no need for anything else than you, Mom, and Dad signing the dotted line.¡±


    A lump dropped down Scarlet¡¯s throat.  ¡°... You mean it?¡±  She whispered, trying to hold back bloody tears.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rachel replied, feeling bad the warm feelings she had at the exchange were boxed up with the torrent in her heart as she walked over to lift the smaller girl into a bear hug.  ¡°When I get back,¡± she whispered, ¡°you better be my official sister.¡±


    ¡°... Okay¡­¡±  Scarlet choked, blood leaking onto Rachel¡¯s bare shoulders before rising back into the Vespertine Reaper¡¯s body.


    She held her for a good minute before setting the crying girl down and returning inside while holding Scarlet¡¯s hand.  Rachel told her parents about her plans and what she expected when she returned before seeing the Vespertine Reaper off to Alexa¡¯s room, continuing their bonding night.


    Going to her room, Rachel started to pack for her grandfather¡¯s; she didn¡¯t need much, and now that she was alone ¡­ she closed her doors.  The emotions exploded within her, and Rachel let the bitter, jealous, embarrassed, and hateful tears mix with the warm fuzzies she felt when hugging Scarlet.


    She had to get control of her ego if she ever wanted to get somewhere with Anthony, and this trip was the place to do it.


    The confirmation from her grandfather came during her recovery process, and she snuck off to the bathroom to clean up her face.


    Once finished, she piled into her parents¡¯ car with Gisele and her white bunny blob, the Coral and Flush Bunnies, converting into her Lunar Pool the moment they reached max charge, and she allowed her mother to drive her to her grandfather¡¯s old Korean-style mansion.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 4. The Living Denier

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1: Rachel Park


    Recap:  Rachel got into a big conference call with all her bois and girls to discuss what their new name would be, and the Legends were fine with Mythic because anything longer could sound kind of stupid.  Mythic works for the group, so, now it''s finally time to meet Rachel''s grandfather with his crazy breathing techniques¡ªsigh, and her cousin.


    Wow, how is this going to end?!


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    Rachel sighed, elbow leaned against the side of the door-rest and cupping her cheek; her mother had been giving her glances ever since they left.  She could practically feel her judging eyes and thoughts ¡­ was she really going to go to her grandfathers in that ridiculous outfit?


    It wasn¡¯t like she could disagree with her mother; having Soo-geun see her in this was asking for snide comments, especially when he hated Korean culture so much.  Still, if she wanted to change it, then ¡­ well, she hadn¡¯t really explored other methods to see if the design could be modified.


    She passively watched the freeway¡¯s right side with the many cars traveling through Miami in uncomfortable silence; her mother didn¡¯t have any music playing since she wanted to talk about her outfit further, which was expected.  The conversation had been the same for her gym clothes in the past, but having so much fabric on just annoyed her when sparring.


    ¡°... Mom, the longer I wear it, the sooner it will change.¡±


    A low groan left her mother¡¯s throat before swapping to Korean.  ¡°Sure ¡­ but must you wear it to your grandfather¡¯s?  Your cousin is there with his friend, too, which ¡­ it just doesn¡¯t give a good first impression.  You haven¡¯t seen the girl in a few years.¡±


    The double-cuff earring on the tip of her left ear burned, causing Rachel to sigh and rub it; a friend of Soo-geun went to their grandfathers with him ¡­ and she was a girl.  It was Rachel¡¯s turn to groan.  ¡°... You¡¯re kidding.  I didn¡¯t hear anything about a girl being there.¡±


    Thinking back, one of the reasons Soo-geun went to their grandfathers was his fights with his girlfriend ¡­ why would he bring a girl with him?  One plus one ¡­ Soo-geun wanted to make her jealous, which seemed to be working since she¡¯d gotten ahold of her grandfather¡¯s home phone number.  So petty¡­


    Of course, she couldn¡¯t talk after realizing how possessive she was of Anthony; her own actions over the past week came flooding back ¡­ she¡¯d made it painfully clear to Ma?lle and Cahira that Anthony was her territory.  Scarlet could tell she was interested from the get-go.


    Anthony was being funny ¡­ it was funny ¡­ yet my mind instantly took it way too seriously.


    Just the thought of Anthony hanging out with a rabbit Beastkin set her tail on-edge.


    Molly shrugged.  ¡°It¡¯s that girl he¡¯s been friends with since grade school.  She¡¯s been to grandpa¡¯s before, but she wasn¡¯t really around much when we stopped by.  Still ¡­ they¡¯re going to go back and tell your aunt and uncle that ¡­ well, you dress like that now¡­¡±  She grumbled.


    ¡°I get it, Mom ¡­ I get it,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°That''s why I¡¯m trying to level it as quick as possible.¡±


    ¡°... I guess,¡± she whispered, clearly not satisfied.  ¡°Would it really hurt to just ¡­ not wear it for the few days you¡¯re there?  Just think about it.¡±


    Rachel let the conversation die, and deciding there wasn¡¯t anything better to do during the uncomfortable ride, she tested the waters.


    Lunar Nia ¡­ is there any way you can change ¡­ just a little?


    The accessory flared with a bit more heat, causing a minor twitch to run down her ear.


    ¡­ There has to be a way to speed up the process.  Rachel sighed.


    Rachel¡¯s ears hit the ceiling as a young, teenage girl¡¯s voice spoke into her mind, going on a tirade.  ¡°I¡¯m gorgeous, so stop saying I¡¯m so ugly!  Gah!  What¡¯s with everyone ragging on me the moment I¡¯m born, for real?!  I make you look good; have you seen my curves?  I keep you safe, with my own body, I might add, and all I get is complain, complain, complain!  Just shut up!  Shut up!  Shut up!¡±


    The fabric began to tighten around her form as she heard soft weeping feeding directly into her brain; Rachel shifted in her chair, tensing her muscles against the constrictive clothes.  Hold-up ¡­ you can actually talk to me?


    ¡°Grr ¡­ I¡¯m just ¡­ everyone keeps pushing and pushing and pushing ¡­ I¡¯m not ugly!  I¡¯m not, I¡¯m not, I¡¯m not!¡±


    Her mother¡¯s forehead furrowed while watching her restless movements; the outfit was compressing her chest, stomach, and back as she cried.  Her little white puff-ball of a rabbit hopped up to sit on her lap, looking up at her with a concerned expression.


    ¡°... I¡¯m ¡­ I¡¯m living denier, not ¡­ not some lifeless rag!  I ¡­ I do my best and ¡­ and all you care about is ¡­ oh, look at these tights, they just don¡¯t work ¡­ oh, this coat is so stupid-looking ¡­ geez, just insult my entire existence, why don¡¯t you!¡±


    ¡­ Why didn¡¯t you say anything?  Umm ¡­ could you loosen up ¡­ just a little?  Rachel asked, lips tucking under as she pulled at the bust; the tightening clothes made it hard to breathe.


    ¡°Oh, I tried, and ¡­ oh, really?  Of course, your majesty,¡± she huffed, still sniffing back tears as the fabric eased across her frame.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your inconvenience, your majesty ¡­ I just ¡­ who would be like, hi, I¡¯m Lunar Nia!  I¡¯m so happy to meet you, your majesty!  Oh, I totally get it, your majesty; I¡¯m the ugliest piece of denier you¡¯ve ever seen!  Absolute garbage!  Yes, yes, please, insult me more, your majesty!  Tell me how utterly revolting everyone sees me, your majesty!¡±


    Lunar Nia took a deep breath before shouting.  ¡°I¡¯m not a masochist, so stop abusing me!  Gah¡­¡±


    Rachel winced and took a deep breath, mind racing with questions while rubbing her chest; she could practically see a 13-year-old girl folding her arms and looking away with tears in her eyes from her voice.


    Okay ¡­ I get it.  I¡¯m sorry for insulting you ¡­ can I just call you Nia?  I ¡­ it would be easier.


    ¡°Of course, your majesty,¡± Nia huffed, ¡°cause we¡¯re just so close like that¡­¡±


    The biting sarcasm was a start; at least she was talking to her now.  Nia¡­


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  She huffed, earring still burning Rachel¡¯s ear, and she now understood that was her indignant emotions flaring.


    I¡¯m sorry.


    ¡°...¡±


    Can we start over?


    ¡°Yeah, sure ¡­ while you still think I¡¯m ugly¡­¡±


    Not ugly, Rachel mumbled, moving her white rabbit to sit on the middle armrest, just not my style.


    ¡°Well, excuse me, your majesty ¡­ I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m just not appealing enough for you!¡±


    Nia¡­  Rachel sighed.


    ¡°Ah, right, right, I¡¯m too talkative ¡­ good clothes should shut-up and do what they¡¯re told.  I¡¯ll shut-up now!¡±


    No ¡­ I want to talk to you, Nia.  ¡­ Nia?


    Her earring wouldn¡¯t stop burning her ear, and Nia wouldn¡¯t reply, tearfully pouting in silence.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on ¡­ why do you keep fidgeting?  Uh ¡­ do you need to go to the bathroom?¡±  Her mother tentatively asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Rachel replied in a defeated tone; she could see where Nia was coming from.  ¡°Eh ¡­ remember how I said this outfit is kind of alive and changes¡­¡±  She trailed off as the heat flared for a moment ¡­ change seemed to be a trigger word.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­ Nia is this outfit¡¯s name, and she¡¯s really emotionally hurt right now with how much hate she¡¯s been getting.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s lips pulled in as she thought on her statement, gaze darting over for a moment before slowly pulling off to the side of the freeway to look at her.  ¡°You¡¯re saying ¡­ it has a personality ¡­ clothes?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, because clothes should just ¡­ right, clothes should just shut-up¡­¡±  Nia growled, hurt in her voice.


    Rachel nodded, rubbing her ribs; Nia¡¯s compressions were like an anaconda around most of her body.  ¡°Yes, Nia sounds like a 13-year-old girl ¡­ she really feels attacked by how everyone¡¯s been talking about her.¡±


    ¡°Should I not?!  Gah ¡­ no, no ¡­ be a good rag and shut-up¡­¡±  She huffed, reassuring her moody position.


    ¡°Mom ¡­ what do you like about Nia?¡±  Rachel asked, looking down at her outfit with a forced smile.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I do like the shorts.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah ¡­ do you see how much ass I have to cover up; it¡¯s like, geez, what did they feed you?!¡±  Nia grunted.


    Not exactly the comment Rachel thought she¡¯d get, but a start.


    Molly set the car into park, shifting in her seat with a conflicted expression; folding her arms, she eyed her with tight lips.  ¡°... You¡¯re serious ¡­ uh ¡­ Sung, it¡¯s just too bizarre, but ¡­ if I need to pick something, Nia did braid your hair very well¡­¡±


    Really, Mom¡­  Rachel couldn¡¯t help another sigh; however, Nia wasn¡¯t so thrown off.


    ¡°I did do her hair nicely, didn¡¯t I?!  The orange ribbon looks fantastic if I do say so myself.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ the colors match well,¡± her mother continued.  ¡°Orange fingernails are ¡­ unique, but not bad.  Although, the fingerless gloves are a bit much.¡±


    ¡°... Okay ¡­ I can understand that,¡± Nia grumbled.  ¡°The tights are awesome, though!  Why do you hate them?¡±


    ¡°Wait, turn around¡­¡±  Molly mumbled, reaching over to twist Rachel¡¯s body to look at her back.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°You ¡­ the strange tattoo ¡­ it looks like the rabbit is crying.¡±


    ¡°Duhh!  Gah ¡­ you¡¯re so observant¡­¡±  Nia sniffed back more tears.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ so, Nia can hear me?¡±


    Rachel took off her seat-belt and twisted to catch a glimpse of her back from the passenger-side mirror; sure enough, what had once been a devilish little rabbit¡¯s outline had small tear shapes in them.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ she can hear everyone.  She speaks to me through ¡­ well, in my mind.¡±


    Molly folded her arms under her chest, releasing a low moan.  ¡°So ¡­ Nia ¡­ wow, this feels strange ¡­ when did talking to clothing become normal?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Nia, you¡¯re such an ugly freak!¡±  Nia sneeringly snapped.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not calling you an ugly freak, Nia¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, god, no!¡±  Her mother protested, eyes widening with horror; Rachel couldn¡¯t imagine her mother ever saying those words ¡­ thinking them, probably, but actually saying them out loud ¡­ it just wasn¡¯t in her mother¡¯s personality.  ¡°Nia ¡­ I¡¯m just surprised.  Give me a moment to process this ¡­ I¡¯ve never talked to clothes; this is all new to me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve had much experience with you people, either,¡± Nia returned.


    Pondering her response, Rachel asked, ¡°Nia ¡­ what if we went over each part of the outfit and tried to make you even prettier?  We could ¡­ umm, call it a makeover?¡±


    Her mother¡¯s eyes lit up.  ¡°Oh, yes; I would love that!¡±


    The heat radiating off her earring tempered a little.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I don¡¯t know ¡­ it just sounds like you¡¯re saying I¡¯m ugly and need to change to look better¡­¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t know if you¡¯ll like it unless we try, right?¡±  Rachel pushed, rubbing her throbbing left ear.  ¡°Think about how fun it might be?¡±


    Molly nodded enthusiastically.  ¡°We could even do a few outfits for different occasions!¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ that would be nice, but ¡­ but you¡¯d hate it¡­¡±  Nia mumbled.


    ¡°Why would I hate it?¡±  Rachel questioned, massaging her ribs again; her white puff-ball rubbed against her arm, still trying to comfort her.


    ¡°Because you said ¡­ well, you and Scarlet don¡¯t want me to eat clothes.  You were thinking about it before putting me on, and well ¡­ I need fabric to make changes.  So ¡­ yeah, you¡¯ll always hate me ¡­ it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Rachel chuckled, petting her white rabbit.  ¡°Is that it, Nia?  You just need us to go to a clothing store and buy up cheap fabric for you to eat?¡±


    ¡°Well ¡­ I mean, thread count matters, but ¡­ yeah.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    Molly¡¯s former agitated behavior lifted in an instant.  ¡°We just need to go shopping and feed her clothes to start designing new outfits?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what she said,¡± Rachel replied, setting her bunny back on her lap to cuddle in.  She almost didn¡¯t even notice Gisele on the back left seat, glaring up at the white rabbit blob.  Releasing a low sigh, she motioned for her to hop up and join them.  ¡°C¡¯mon, you can sit in the middle here.¡±


    Gisele gave a chirp as Rachel flipped the armrest up for her to perch on top of it; she was still surprisingly small compared to the Sky Reavers they¡¯d killed.


    Nia¡¯s tone became a bit soft and nervous.  ¡°You ¡­ mean that, umm ¡­ I can eat clothes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Nia,¡± Rachel giggled.  ¡°We¡¯ll take you to a place where you can eat a bunch of clothes, and we can come to a compromise.  Something that we¡¯ll all think looks good ¡­ oh, and thank you so much for protecting me, Nia.  I know my mother is thankful.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s bright rhythm was back.  ¡°That¡¯s something I want to hear more about ¡­ how does Nia protect you again?¡±


    On their way to the nearest clothing outlet that was open, which most were in a city like Miami, Rachel explained Nia¡¯s Skill Less Is More.  Her mother thought it was kind of a silly and somewhat aggravating manner of defense but recognized she couldn¡¯t be picky.


    Upon further investigation, even the Flaunt It Skill that increased all of her Stats had some relation to certain aspects of her outfit.  Rachel hadn¡¯t even considered that The Game Skill also included regular clothing that could be used to change Nia¡¯s form.


    Nia did have high natural resilience and could use Lunar Energy to restore any damage done, but the pure defense bonus of her hair, spaced out across every area of exposed skin, and even a degree of covered, which Nina explained, was just too good.  Not only did it fortify her skin, but even her organs.


    A small loophole was granted for small open sections, such as the carrot design showing her cleavage that acted in a manner to provide that protection to her heart or the belly showing that did the same to her inner organs.  It might not save much of her skin if it bypassed Nia¡¯s cloth, but even if Nia was ripped away, the defense would kick in shortly after her skin was exposed.  There was a delay before activation, though.


    They received a lot of looks when they entered the outlet, and to avoid any trouble, she had her two sad pets stay in the car.  Molly promptly went to the clearance aisle and started loading a cart with outfits to Nia¡¯s excitement.  The living denier was growing more and more talkative as they went, repeatedly making self-conscious comments about how she¡¯d be quiet when clothing wasn¡¯t a topic; it was the main thing that interested her.


    The fact her mother was buying all of these clothes showed how much her current outfit bothered her, and the looks Rachel got from men and women only made her move faster at piling in the sacrifices.


    Luckily, no one decided to be bold enough to approach her, which could have been from her stunning looks, outfit, a glowing Demi, or a dozen other details like her intense four-leaf clover eyes.  They managed to buy all the items for a heavy $1,979.67.


    Making it to the female dressing rooms, Nia walked them through the process ¡­ simply holding up the fabric to her.  The item glowed white before being sucked into Rachel¡¯s outfit like it was a black hole.  Nia revealed more details about her Skills as Molly joined her in the room to help with the design.


    Any hanging cloth didn¡¯t count as covered skin if it was above the knee, which meant skirts were an excellent option ¡­ although not Rachel¡¯s first choice.  The white shorts were fine with her.


    The pink rabbit paw prints also allowed for an area of protection, which was why it went all the way down her tights and shorts.  There were rules regarding lace and exceptions for puff accessories that made it clearly designed for a particular fetish.  An idea suddenly sparked in Rachel¡¯s mind.


    Nia ¡­ what if we have more covered clothes for casual days, and when we get in combat, or it looks like there¡¯s going to be danger, then you turn into a battle outfit?  You¡¯ll be able to show off how awesome you look on our casual days and get less hurt in combat.


    ¡°... Oh ¡­ that actually makes a lot of sense¡­¡±  Nia hummed.  ¡°I mean ¡­ I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d give me so much fabric ¡­ we can make some really pretty outfits.¡±


    Rachel had the internal image of a 13-year-old girl looking at an endless rack of possible clothes with a conflicted expression.  Right?


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ gah, I just don¡¯t want people to hate me anymore!  What if ¡­ what if I show more of myself and people make fun of me again?¡±


    I¡¯ll beat them up for you!  Rachel replied.  We¡¯ll work on an outfit together, and if they insult you, then they insult me.


    ¡°Umm ¡­ okay ¡­ but ¡­ you really do look good with tights.¡±


    It¡¯s all about coming to a consensus.  I¡¯m fine with short-shorts and tights if they¡¯ll match.  We¡¯re talking about the battle outfit, right?


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    Rachel shifted to her left to face her mother.  ¡°Okay!  So, we¡¯ve worked it out,¡± she smiled.  ¡°We¡¯ll have a set combat outfit and then casual clothes.¡±


    Molly breathed a sigh of relief.  ¡°Thank you, Nia ¡­ umm, I don¡¯t hate you ¡­ not at all!  I¡¯d just like something more ¡­ let¡¯s just see where we can get.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Her mother¡¯s released a low groan while backing up against the wall and closing her eyes.  Shaking her head, she mumbled, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, but ¡­ if it really will keep you safe when you¡¯re out fighting ¡­ maybe go with a revealing corset with ribbons tying it together in the back.  Gah ¡­ I feel wrong just saying it¡­¡±


    ¡°A revealing corset¡­¡±  Nia hummed.  ¡°You could look really cute in a corset and lace arm wraps?  Although, the style you like could ¡­ mmh¡­¡±


    Will it hurt to just show me what you have in mind; how many shots do we have to look at different outfits?  Rachel asked; she wasn¡¯t exceptionally versed in clothing to even know what Nia and her mother were talking about.  The corsets that came to her mind came from the really old pictures of places like England.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ well, with all of that ¡­ like three outfits,¡± Nia mumbled.


    ¡°Three outfits ¡­ period?¡±  Rachel asked in shock.


    ¡°Three?¡±  Her mother repeated.  ¡°I spent like ¡­ $2,000.¡±


    ¡°I never said it was efficient!¡±  Nia huffed.  ¡°Look, I¡¯m level 1, okay¡­¡±


    Alright, alright, Rachel sighed, scratching her temple.  You know what I kind of like, don¡¯t you?


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ it¡¯s not cute, though¡­¡±  Nia complained.


    Mmh ¡­ how about this ¡­ you do something I like for battles, and then you can make me a cute outfit to show you off for casual days?  I need something that will protect me and not hurt you so much, and you and my mom really want something cute and not too revealing.  You get to show off more of yourself!  Deal?


    Rachel asked, smiling into the mirror at her earring.


    ¡°... I get to show off more of myself.  I¡¯m kind of scared to, but ¡­ okay, your majesty.¡±


    She spread out her arms with a frown as her outfit began to shimmer and change.  Her hair remained tied back into a triple-braid, but the orange tie was wrapped into a spiraling pattern at the end before being tied off.  Her earring retained its same appearance.  Everything else was like night and day.


    Her overcoat and bra vanished to be replaced by an off the shoulders, black corset, pulled together near the top of her cleavage by a silver carrot insignia with an orange sprout.  It formed around her breasts, holding them firm while revealing her midriff and the top half of her chest.


    The corset ended above her hips, showing signs of wear and tear with orange lace tying the two sides underneath her breast and across her abdomen.  In the mirror, she could see the back was almost entirely open, more lace criss crossing to tighten the piece against her back.  A small, pink reverse bunny paw-print was on either side of the corset, just below her armpits, to provide extra coverage for the covered seconds of her chest.


    Her black short-shorts remained the same color, but multiple rips appeared in them while a black and orange metal belt appeared around her waist.  Her tights ripped, showing far more skin than before, and three black, and orange studded belts tightened around her right thigh.


    An orange Muay Thai bandage wrapped around her left arm from her elbow to palm, leaving part of her hand open to display her orange fingernails.  Her right hand had a pink bandage instead of orange and a silver chain wrapped around her wrist that fed to a crown-shaped black ring with pink trim and tiny orange gems around her middle finger.


    Her shoes vanished entirely, replaced by a black material that left her heel and toes free and held up by an orange tie that made a few crosses up her ankles, and a black and orange carrot-designed choker formed around her throat, somehow aiding in respiration.  Each piece likely had some kind of hidden purpose for being there.


    Rachel turned her head left and right to get a better view of herself; the shorts weren¡¯t ripped enough in the back to show too much, but Nia wasn¡¯t wrong about how much fat she had back there.  Not as shapely as Maria¡¯s, but not that far behind, which was more than eye-catching.


    Her mother gave her a forced smile.  ¡°Well, heh ¡­ at least it is more suited to your style ¡­ you can see so much of your chest, though¡­¡±


    ¡°I did what you wanted!¡±  Nia shouted.  ¡°It feels just ¡­ so uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine, Nia ¡­ no, this is great,¡± she smiled, eyeing her figure.  ¡°The black really pops out with how white I am, and the glow adds to it.  Yeah ¡­ this should be perfect for battle.  Thank you, Nia.¡±


    ¡°... Really?¡±


    ¡°I really do like it,¡± Rachel giggled.  ¡°Why does it feel uncomfortable for you?¡±


    Her mother¡¯s lips pulled in, dark brown eyes darting from her thighs to her shorts to stop on her bust.


    ¡°I know, Mom ¡­ but why are you uncomfortable, Nia?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying ¡­ I know the more skin showing, the safer you are, but ¡­ it¡¯s just wrong ¡­ why would someone make something like that?   And I¡¯m not getting angry at you, Nia ¡­ you didn¡¯t choose that, right?  It¡¯s just the way you were ¡­ born, I guess?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ so stop getting mad at how I look!  Umm ¡­ well, it¡¯s just ¡­ uh ¡­ I don¡¯t find myself cute like this ¡­ at all.  I look edgy, and people will laugh at me and call me names¡­¡±


    Rachel smirked.  I can literally tear them apart with my bare hands.  I think this more or less works to show I¡¯m not a marshmallow ¡­ that¡¯s how I felt with the last one.


    ¡°Marshmallows are cute, though ¡­ I liked the poofies¡­¡±  Nia mumbled.


    This is our battle mode, remember?  Rachel said, turning around to find the glowing orange tattoo still just below her neck.  They won¡¯t be laughing when you look like this ¡­ they¡¯ll be screaming in fear.


    ¡°Edge lord¡­¡±  Nia grumbled, but she sounded happier.  ¡°Okay ¡­ now is it my turn to look cute?¡±


    I¡¯m all yours, Rachel laughed.  ¡°Alright, Mom, it¡¯s Nia¡¯s turn.  Got any suggestions?  She wants to look cute.¡±


    Molly¡¯s eyes lit up.  ¡°Oh, I always liked seeing a colorful skirt on you, maybe light pink or blue, and a puffy white long-sleeve shirt, and maybe a matching color cap, too!  Some heels¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not go crazy,¡± Rachel forced a chuckle.


    ¡°Aww ¡­ umm, okay ¡­ hold on,¡± she went outside and came back with a few articles, showing them off.  ¡°Nia, what do you think about some white flats, you can add a paw-print if you want, and a long, shin-high tiered skirt, maybe put your own flair to it, and a white blouse.  A simple wrist chain-ring and anklet might finish it off pretty nicely ¡­ oh, and a necklace with a carrot on it?¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ kind of like that,¡± Nia hesitantly replied.  ¡°Uh ¡­ a black skirt with a single large pink paw-print and a little uneven on the tiers?  Yeah!¡±


    Rachel watched the item take shape, her hair unraveling before being pulled into a waterfall braid.  She had to admit, she didn¡¯t look that bad; the Hare Majesty logo was on the back of the white shirt when Rachel pulled back her hair to check.  ¡°I like it¡­¡±


    She trailed off, expression dulling upon seeing her mother take out her phone and start taking pictures of her.  ¡°You¡¯re so cute!¡±


    ¡°Ho, ho,¡± Nia chimed with pride; it was as if she were displaying the crowning jewel of her life¡¯s work.  ¡°Aren¡¯t I a genius!  Yes, marvel at my cuteness!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Mom,¡± Rachel mumbled.  She¡¯ll be at it all night if we start getting into a fashion walk.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay with that!¡±


    Alright ¡­ well, you have one more transformation?  Rachel asked, trying to give her mother a decent smile and get into certain poses.  She could feel the positive vibes flowing from her earring; her mother¡¯s reaction was something Nia probably really needed.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ oh, look at my paw-print on the left side ¡­ see how I make it go between the two tiers?  See!  Yeah, so cute!  Oh, and I¡¯m just poofy enough to be just so adorable!¡±


    While her mother and Nia fawned over the outfit, Rachel¡¯s mind shifted to her bra and undies that apparently the living denier fashioned.  Pushing forward her top a bit before pulling up her skirt, her mother put a hand to her lips in a devious smile.


    ¡°Oh, bold choice.¡±


    Her Bandeau bra and panties were both light orange with pink lace.


    ¡°I am bold!¡±


    It was the first time Rachel had ever worn something like it, but ¡­ there was a first time for everything, and she said she would compromise.  Huh ¡­ well, what about the next outfit?


    ¡°Oh, uh ¡­ I have to think about it.  I¡¯ll figure it out in a while, but right now, I am surgery cuteness!  Praise me more, mother!¡±


    Mother?!  Rachel asked, gut tightening.


    ¡°Yes ¡­ that is what you call the woman taking your pictures?¡±


    Ah ¡­ okay, Rachel chuckled.  If that¡¯s it, then I suppose we¡¯re done here.


    Rachel got her mother¡¯s attention by saying they¡¯d have better landscapes at grandpa¡¯s and made their way to the exit.  A store employee stopped them for the suspicious behavior ¡­ buying $2,000 worth of clothes and walking out empty-handed with an outfit she didn¡¯t enter with.  Knowing it would be more trouble than they needed, Rachel told him they were just going out to their car for a minute to grab something ¡­ after which they took off.


    Her mother and Nia were both in excellent moods after they¡¯d worked things out, and Rachel felt more comfortable in her living denier.  It would certainly make talking with the Tempest representatives interesting.


    Arriving at the large stone walls of her grandfather¡¯s old Korean-style mansion, he had it constructed to remind him of home and living in the countryside ¡­ even if it was still very much in Florida City.


    He was more than a little wealthy from investing in property and stocks, in addition to the money the company made.  The 7 acres property was worth a bundle.  She texted his cell phone when they came to the front gate, and he opened it from an app.


    The driveway led to a three-car garage; he always said you never needed more than a town car, a fun car, and a truck.  He didn¡¯t have much fun on boats, so he never bought one, much to her father¡¯s disappointment since he loved fishing.


    From the trees to the wood and tile architecture, her grandfather was a lover of Korean culture, which made Rachel question why her cousin was here.  It was this very mentality and lifestyle he hated the most.


    Taking a deep breath, Molly and Rachel got out of the car to greet her grandfather as he exited the building with her cousin and his friend.  The sight of Soo-geun caused her eyebrows to rise; her little runt of a cousin had become monstrous.


    Standing at least 7? feet tall with bulging muscles and patches of thick brown fur, Rachel could imagine the kind of mental image her cousin had of himself from The Oscillation¡¯s effects.  He had become far more handsome and staying true to his Asian hate; his skin tone had become more Mexican.


    His 5¡±2 blonde friend was tiny compared to the Bear Beastkin and as white as it got.  She wasn¡¯t stunning and seemed to border on the awkwardly cute side, yet it was in appearance alone by her enthusiastic greeting.


    ¡°Hi, Rachel!  Umm, I¡¯m Jessy!  Wow¡­¡±  She mumbled, jumping forward to hold out her hand.  It was a bit of a forced action, judging by her muscle twitches, but the girl certainly wasn¡¯t shy.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Rachel asked, accepting her hand; the strong sea wind forced her to manage her hair with Jessy.


    ¡°Umm ¡­ I¡¯m just shocked at how pretty you are.  I mean, Creed showed me pictures, but they don¡¯t do you justice!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me; I make her super cute!¡±  Nia cheered.  ¡°Oh, oh, sorry!  Shut-up, shut-up¡­¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Rachel mumbled, glaring up at her cousin as he sallied over to her.  There was still a reserve in his movements; it was difficult to forget someone when they kicked your ass, especially when she was a girl.


    ¡°Yo, uh, Rachel ¡­ yeah, you seem kind of different ¡­ dressed like that and all¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she smirked, stepping to the side to hug her grandfather, ¡°Rachel¡¯s a girl, shocker, she¡¯s in a skirt.¡±


    ¡°Yo, I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± he grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.


    Her grandfather wasn¡¯t smiling when he pulled away to look at her.  ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ what¡¯s up, grandpa?¡±  She asked with a forced smile.


    ¡°Your energy is ¡­ not balanced ¡­ chaotic, and there¡¯s a certain wave¡­¡±


    He trailed off, and Rachel refrained from rolling her eyes.  ¡°We can get to some cleansing exercises after we settle in.¡±


    Molly scooted past her to give her father-in-law a respectful bow before hugging him.  ¡°I would love to stay, but I have things I need to take care of at home.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± her grandfather chuckled fondly, ¡°it is always a pleasure to have you, Chan-hee.  Please, tell Gwon to stop by more often.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    With that, her mother left with a final group picture, and Rachel braced herself for what was ahead after those first words from her grandfather.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 5. Trouble At Grandpa’s

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1: Rachel Park


    Recap:  Last chapter we got introduced to Lunar Nia, our cute little living-denier girl that is now inside Rachel''s head, for better and for worse!  Rachel inadvertently further steered her toward Scarlet''s internal tendencies, trying to get her away from Moongmor, but it''s kind of her own fault since she let Nia bond with Scarlet first!


    Now, we''ve got a little girl Scarlet ... like Scarlet''s little sister inside of Rachel''s head and she has a mouth!  How will the time at grandpa''s be ... oh, no, trouble already?!  Sigh ... Well, another day in the life of Rachel!


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    Jan L, Name Pending, Foo, Brandon Stiles, Ianitos, Ryan Devine, Braincase, ASmallFish, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel backtracked to get her duffel bag from the trunk as her mother hugged her grandfather; she had Nam finish up the dinner while she dropped her off.


    She released a low sigh as Gisele flew out of the SUV¡¯s opening back with her bag in claws, giving a chipper noise from her wicked, bony mouth, and her little white snuggle bunny hopped to the ground, rubbing against her leg.


    Sure enough, Soo-geun and Jessy jumped back with horror upon seeing her little pets.


    ¡°What are those things?!¡±  Her cousin shouted, defensive tufts of fur sprouting across his skin, and Jessy¡¯s shoulder-length blonde hair disappeared behind him for protection, giving a short shriek; Rachel couldn¡¯t blame her after the President¡¯s address revealing the information about the crystals only a few hours before, but she expected more from her tough-talking cousin.


    Unlike Creed, her grandfather remained perfectly calm, lips drawing in with a lifted eyebrow while releasing her mother.  ¡°Interesting¡­¡±


    ¡°You look so young!  Hmm?¡±  Molly blinked, turning around to follow their gaze.  ¡°Oh ¡­ that¡¯s Gisele and Rachel¡¯s ¡­ what exactly is the cute little one again?¡±


    Gisele gave an indignant squawk at the two teens¡¯ reactions, hovering a few feet to Rachel¡¯s right, clearly trying to be helpful and feeling bashed.  On the other hand, her little rabbit gave Soo-geun a smug, jagged smile.


    Rachel bent down to pat him on the head, or at least, she felt like he was a guy, causing the chubby bunny¡¯s grin to soften.  ¡°This guy?  They¡¯re called Rabbit Gang, but I haven¡¯t really given them names yet.¡±


    ¡°Rabbit Gang ¡­ for real?¡±  The blonde-girl mumbled, poking her head out from behind the bear¡¯s side.  ¡°Umm ¡­ they¡¯re your pets?¡±


    Her grandfather caught onto a different detail.  ¡°There are more than one?¡±  He asked with interest, rubbing his chin, and Molly hopped back, pulling out her camera; she was running out of time to enjoy dinner with the rest of the family.


    ¡°Sorry, I need to go, but ¡­ yeah, everyone get close together so I can show Gwon; oh, the lantern lighting is so nice!¡±


    Her cousin wasn¡¯t having it, though, fur bristling while taking a step back and forcing his friend to move with him.  ¡°Hold up,¡± her cousin mumbled, ¡°next to those things?  Uh, naa, I¡¯m good; I¡¯ve seen shit like that before, and¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s glare shut him up, swapping to Korean to whisper just loud enough to not embarrass him in front of Jessy or their family; with his enhanced hearing, he should have been able to hear her.  ¡°Dude, don¡¯t be a beta and man-up.¡±


    The comment made the massive 17-year-old bear boy¡¯s jaw slack, throwing his arms out in a ¡®whaa?!¡¯ manner; she didn¡¯t miss the mention about seeing monsters.


    ¡°Yo ¡­ the hell¡­¡±  He grumbled in English, but just loud enough for Jessy and her to hear, and Rachel motioned for her pets to get in line, forcing him to trail off with agitation.


    Ignoring his defensive posture, Rachel picked up her grinning white blob and told Gisele to drop the bag a bit away; her frightening-looking Sky Reaver happily landed on her shoulder, Lunar Nia somehow straightening herself out and adjusting around her body in preparation, yet no one seemed to notice.


    Her mother ushering them to a different location and positions for a better shot; her cousin was a bit reluctant but followed through, keeping their grandfather between them.  She was starting to wonder if he was more intimidated by her than the two pets; although, her smug little rabbit was eyeing him like ¡®I¡¯m ready to go any time, foo; try me!¡¯.


    Jessy hesitantly took the position beside Rachel, probably trying to be a bit more friendly with her, but she couldn¡¯t help judging her cousin, grip tightening around her white blob while leaning forward and giving the disgruntled bear a look that said, ¡®what are you doing¡¯?


    He refused to make eye-contact; this was not the Soo-geun she remembered, and she was beginning to wonder what happened to him in the last two years.  His behavior just didn¡¯t mesh with the foul-mouthed jumpy brat she remembered that wasn¡¯t afraid to show hands to a boy or girl disrespecting him.  She thought he¡¯d be more aggressive, considering what her grandfather led her to believe.


    Jessy seemed a bit flaky but bold enough to put her cousin to shame.


    When did Soo-geun become this whiny featherweight?


    The shoot didn¡¯t last long, and her mother took a few pictures; she commented on Lunar Nia¡¯s cuteness, which caused Jessy and Soo-geun to look even more confused and off-put.  Of course, the living denier teenage girl was squealing for joy in Rachel¡¯s mind at the compliments.


    After a few shots, she got back in the SUV after a hug and headed back home to eat with the family.


    Once gone, Jessy tentatively approached her bunny, bending down to gently pet him; his cheeks blushed a little with a jagged, happy grin, eyes closed at her touch, compressing with her motions.  ¡°Wow ¡­ he¡¯s so squishy,¡± she giggled.  ¡°Umm ¡­ oh, no,¡± her hand darted back reflexively, looking up at her in panic, ¡°is it okay if I pet him?¡±


    Rachel gave her a nonchalant shrug, folding her arms under her breasts with a light chuckle.  ¡°Sure, he likes to snuggle.  So, uh ¡­ what¡¯s been up with you guys?¡±  She asked, glancing between her grandfather and the girl.  ¡°Isn¡¯t it about 11 P.M.?¡±


    Her grandfather nodded, taking a controlled breath that caused Rachel¡¯s brow to shoot up in surprise; his entire muscular motion and circulatory system responded to the action, unlike anything she¡¯d ever heard, stiffening her ears.  ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ll be retiring for the night shortly ¡­ something the matter?¡±


    Jessy and Soo-geun¡¯s focus darted to the top of her head.


    Ears relaxing by falling a bit forward, she shook her head with a soft smile, shifting her posture to the left.  ¡°No, no, I can just hear a lot of strange things from far away.  Anyway, so you¡¯ve got a class tomorrow?¡±


    Her cousin folded his burly arms with a short scoff, sounding somewhat like his usual self.  ¡°Like every day; they¡¯re so loud¡­¡±


    ¡°So you say,¡± their grandfather mumbled, ¡°but I suspect it is just your heightened sense of hearing.¡±


    ¡°Still wakes me up,¡± he grumbled, bear-like ears twitching with agitation.


    Jessy swiftly spoke up, still bending down while petting the happy white bunny.  ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re loud, and you¡¯re always sleeping during the days,¡± she mumbled, giving him a slight glare that sent his gaze elsewhere; there was something passed between that exchange.


    ¡°Right,¡± her grandfather cut the conversation short, motioned for them to enter the entry hall, acting as the gate to the massive center yard and various parts of the mansion.  ¡°I¡¯ll get your futon and pillow while you settle in; will it be fine sharing a room with Jessy?¡±  He asked, glancing back at her.


    Rachel figured he was doing it to help break the ice between them; there were plenty of empty rooms since her grandfather liked to keep a relatively simple, clean, and open furnishing style.  ¡°That¡¯s fine with me,¡± she replied, glancing back at the girl.


    Jessy gave her a nervous smile, cheeks brightening a bit.  ¡°Y-Yeah, that sounds great!  Umm ¡­ I guess I¡¯ll go, uh, get ready for bed,¡± she said, and Rachel noted her blue workout shorts and T-shirt.


    The girl wasn¡¯t particularly fit, hovering on the skinny side, and didn¡¯t work out regularly by the sound of her muscles, but there was evidence of minor stress by how she moved, meaning Jessy was trying to get in the habit.  Judging by where her hazel eyes kept sweeping Rachel¡¯s body and the expressions she made, the seventeen-year-old high school senior was having harsh self-reflective thoughts while comparing their looks.


    She had straight teeth, some minor signs of acne under makeup, but overall decent skin.  Rachel wouldn¡¯t place her at the low 4-scale with other women, but she could probably sit at a solid five among most men, mid-six with makeup, and given a bit more fitness training, she could rise to a 7 while dolled up.


    It felt a little wrong judging her like that, but even if men, and women for that matter, denied it, everyone played into the ranking system, comparing each other on various metrics and for numerous purposes.


    Vasishtha, the Indian Legendkin that was smitten by Ma?lle, was a solid 9.5 if she was just counting his physical attraction, and a bit less for Ohan, possibly 9.3, yet that was only based on their looks, both fell dramatically with various other traits in her dating material category.  Now Anthony was damn near 10 across the board for her personal taste; of course, the three weren¡¯t your average guys, either.


    Rachel scanned the girl while she passed through the long corridor leading to the building¡¯s center yard.  Her wandering mind settled on her cousin as Jessy hurried past, joining her grandfather on the pathway to the commons area; with how slow Rachel and Soo-geun were moving, they were swiftly left behind, finally giving Rachel some alone time with him.


    Reaching the end, Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she blocked her cousin¡¯s path, slamming the sliding door shut to face him.


    He paused a few feet behind her, sour expression deepening.  ¡°What?¡±  He growled, crossed arms tightening against his muscular chest.  ¡°Look, what¡¯s your ¡­ woah!¡±  He jumped back surprisingly quick as her little rabbit pet started hopping around the walls with a devilish grin, forcing distance between them.  ¡°Yo, for real?!  What, do you want another fight or something?  Shit ¡­ guess you haven¡¯t changed much after all¡­¡±


    Her jaw set; his attitude was really getting on her nerves.  ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±  She asked, glowing four-leaf clover eyes digging into his yellow irises.  ¡°Two years ago, you were an alpha dog, yelling at the top of your lungs ¡­ when did you become such a beta?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±  Soo-geun¡¯s nose twisted, fangs bearing, but Rachel stepped forward with a challenging look, and he took a step back, vision falling.


    ¡°Huh?¡±  She asked, swapping to Korean to unload everything that was agitating her.  ¡°What¡¯s up with you?  You¡¯re using a girl that¡¯s supposed to be your best friend to get your ex jealous and acting like a complete pussy ¡­ every muscle twitch I hear screams beta.¡±


    Her push got a slight twitch from his muscles, but it quickly faded as he turned tail and retreated back toward the front of the house.  ¡°Screw off,¡± he snapped, shoulders hunched while skulking away.  ¡°... You haven¡¯t changed¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s glare followed him, arms folded until he slammed the sliding door at the end of the hall; something serious happened, but it had to have occurred within the last several days since he was supposed to be acting really aggressive.  She¡¯d pushed to test him, and her hearing hadn¡¯t been wrong.


    What¡¯s going on with him?  It¡¯s like he¡¯s scared to fight at all¡­


    Her ears and tail were stiff while following his movements to the gate and beyond, grumbling to himself.  ¡°Dammit ¡­ dammit ¡­ dammit ¡­ the hell¡¯s wrong with her?!  She shows up and just starts picking a fight like ¡­ shit!¡±


    He snapped at a trash can across the street, sending it flying several meters to his left before continuing his rant, prowling toward town, a mile away.  ¡°She doesn¡¯t know anything ¡­ and those stupid pets, glaring at me like ¡­ like I¡¯m some ¡­ dammit!¡±


    Figuring he needed time to cool down before pursuing the topic, she let him go; if he stayed away all night, it had to be for a reason.  She¡¯d catch up to him after their grandfather went to bed.


    Gisele and her rabbit looked smug while staring at his retreat, and Rachel figured she should probably give her little rabbits names; her mind flicked through options as she went to meet her grandfather.  He might have answers for her.


    Exiting the entry hall, she entered the yard, located at the center of the three-story house; it was pretty expansive with neatly cut walking stones, a covered deck built into the house design, sturdy, polished beams supporting the structure.


    It dropped to the compact, evenly trimmed grass with a two-section pond, large Korean Bonsai at its center, to the right of the area that her grandfather tended to; one of his hobbies that he¡¯d picked up fifteen years ago.  An adjustable ladder was hidden underneath the deck nearby with the proper tools he used to prune it.


    Various other traditional Korean yard items were spaced around to provide a clean aesthetic to the entrance; her grandfather took great pride in maintaining his property, and judging how his body sounded, he was in phenomenal health ¡­ far better than when she¡¯d last seen him, which probably meant The Oscillation was involved.


    Did he actually become a Champion like Nam¡­


    She released a low growl in her throat, walking up the center path to the deck, slid one of the common space doors open, and entered the Korean-style mansion; it was designed with double-paned glass that had blinds inside to allow guests to view the yard if desired or have privacy, and the doors could be entirely removed if needed.


    Passing into the second kitchen, primarily used to prepare refreshments, Rachel walked through the hallway with the guest washroom, storage room, and into the connecting hallway, using the stairs to the second level.


    Rachel paused when she reached the top, looking at the left end of the long hallway, housing all the guest bedrooms and their facility rooms.


    Jessy was starting a bath before bed, and judging by her tense muscles, the primary purpose was to relax.  Her grandfather was putting new sheets on her futon and pillow; his body was the picture of perfect order.


    She rubbed her neck with a low groan.  What is going on with everyone?  Grandpa wanted me to talk to Soo-geun about relationship advice, but he¡¯s totally off.  Did Grandpa even tell Mom or Dad he got powers?  He has to, with how young he looks.


    Making it to the room she¡¯d be sharing with Jessy, Rachel stood by the side of the doorway, noting a backpack in the corner that probably belonged to the blonde-girl.  Her grandfather had taken out one of his many extra futons from inside the closet, setting it up for her; she used to try to help in the past, but he was very insistent on doing everything himself; his work ethic and investments had made him very wealthy.


    Watching him work on straightening it out, her mind reflected on her grandmother, Gisele, and her glowing white bunny entering to observe their actions.  Her grandmother had been a bit of a fussy woman, from what she remembered; she died of a brain aneurysm when Rachel was 6-years-old.


    Her grandfather never remarried, even though many women had tried to catch his interest, looking for his resources, mostly 30-year-olds; the sad part was when they enrolled their kids into his volunteer community classes to just get close to him.


    ¡°So,¡± she mumbled, arms crossed, ¡°Soo-geun is heading into town ¡­ have you noticed something changed with his personality since I last spoke to him?  He seems a lot different.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond for a moment, finishing up his work before turning to face her.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ let¡¯s talk for a little before I retire for the night.¡±


    She refrained from releasing a low groan, knowing most of the discussion would be on her, and shifted positions to let him lead her to the balcony on the 2nd floor, overlooking the yard and providing an easy view of the Bonsai.


    Once sitting on the cushions, he gave her a warm smile.  Rachel respectfully let him begin the topic; he already knew what she wanted, so she kept a passive expression, waiting for the conversation he¡¯d wanted to have with her.  Gisele landed on the table¡¯s edge, facing the tree, and her blob cuddled up next to Rachel.


    Her grandfather¡¯s gazed upon the tree below, to his left and Rachel¡¯s right.  ¡°... Jessy is taking a bath?¡±


    She nodded.  ¡°Yup.  Soo-geun ran out, too.¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  His serene eyes moved to her pets.  ¡°Gisele was its name, and the other?¡±


    The Sky Reaver gave a happy chirp.


    ¡°Yeah, Gisele¡¯s a girl,¡± Rachel mumbled, passively petting the rabbit pressed up against her shin-high skirt.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I haven¡¯t figured out a name for this guy, but ¡­ he¡¯s a little snuggle-bug; I¡¯ve got two more, but I can¡¯t summon them again until tomorrow.  I think I¡¯ll call him ¡­ Hayan,¡± she smiled, rubbing his side.


    ¡°I see, White, huh,¡± he whispered, swapping to Korean, his mother-tongue.  ¡°They seem to really enjoy being with you, and I assume they came out of one of those crystal gateways the President mentioned?¡±


    Rachel shook her head, agitation decreasing bit by bit as she conversed with her grandfather; she could still hear her cousin fuming, but he¡¯d resorted to doing minor public property damaging over words.  She felt a little bad since it had been her fault for pushing him and determined to offer repairs.


    The thought caught her off-guard.  No ¡­ is Grandpa affecting my judgment?  It can¡¯t be anything to do with mind-control, but ¡­ emotional control?  Unless positive forces aren¡¯t registered to be filtered ¡­ yup¡­


    The System responded with an affirmative; positive buffs weren¡¯t countered.  ¡°... They came from a Legend¡¯s Quest ¡­ umm, Grandpa, you know that you were changed during The Oscillation, too, right?¡±


    His smile broadened with a short chuckle.  ¡°Observant, as always ¡­ you just never turned that focused on herself.  Yes, I was affected in a rather unexpected way, but I¡¯d like to first address the problems I see.¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath before letting it out in a long puff of air.  ¡°... I know ¡­ I¡¯m not perfect, but¡­¡±  She trailed off, feeling uncomfortable with continuing since Lunar Pride was rearing its head, but she managed to maintain eye contact ¡­ or, at least, she blamed Lunar Pride.


    He folded his hands in his lap, eyeing her for a moment, and he suddenly got to his feet, moving to a place to make them some green tea.  ¡°I hear you have taken a shine to this girl named Scarlet?  Your father tells me that she has more or less become a part of the family and that he¡¯s never seen you get so attached to someone.¡±


    The random directions he took were calculated to catch her off-guard, Rachel was sure, and she looked outside, resting her intertwined fingers on the table.  ¡°Yeah, Scarlet¡¯s survived a lot, and she¡¯s been through this change with me ¡­ almost since the start.


    ¡°Gisele and Hayan are from an event Legendkin can activate ¡­ it¡¯s like an artificial world with benefits you can gain.¡±


    ¡°A Legend¡¯s Quest, hmm?  I see,¡± he began preparing the beverage, continuing to speak while Rachel bided her time, ¡°so ¡­ what compelled you to chase off Soo-geun?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips tightened; her grandfather had become even more discerning since he¡¯d been affected.  It was like she was dealing with a supernatural therapist.  ¡°... He was acting strange, and I¡¯ve dealt with enough odd events over the past two weeks, so I was just testing the waters,¡± she replied, following her cousin and Jessy¡¯s movements.


    There wasn¡¯t anything new with Soo-geun, but the blonde was groaning while sitting in the hot bath she¡¯d drawn, fidgeting in the water.  ¡°Why¡¯s Soo-geun acting like this ¡­ gah, and I¡¯m just ¡­ deep breaths ¡­ deep breaths ¡­ control yourself, stupid body¡­¡±  She mumbled, thighs pressed tightly together.  ¡°And why¡¯s his cousin have to be a freaking bunny goddess ¡­ how am I supposed to compete with all these girls¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t exactly shocking to Rachel; her cousin had turned into a complete stud ¡­ at least, physically, but the utter contrast between his attitude and appearance annoyed her.  She wondered if Soo-geun even noticed Jessy¡¯s hints and if he¡¯d given her false signals by inviting her here after breaking up with his girlfriend.


    Whatever buff her grandfather was releasing was surprisingly effective because the unrest in her heart was gradually dispelled.  ¡°Testing the waters,¡± he sighed.  ¡°There¡¯s so much disharmony in Soo-geun and Jessy, yet ¡­ you hold the prize, my overachieving granddaughter.¡±


    Rachel pulled her braid over her shoulder; it was somewhat unnerving, being read without him even looking at her.  She¡¯d dealt with several people trying to dissect her actions, very discerning men, yet her grandfather was practically reading her like a book, which she had not predicted.  The odd part was how his buff helped counter the urge to put up her walls and double down into a shell.


    She¡¯s grown up with his probing questions, breathing exercises, and he¡¯d even been the one to suggest to her parents she pick up a martial art.  He¡¯d been a king at reading people in the business world, knowing who to hire or put his trust into for deals that some thought he was crazy for investing, yet here he was, retired and extremely wealthy while finding fulfillment in his simple volunteer lifestyle helping the youth of Florida City.


    Playing with the tail-end of her braid, she released a soft sigh.  ¡°What are you saying; I¡¯m unstable?¡±


    He returned with a cup of tea, handing it to her from across the table; she dropped her braid to accept it.  ¡°Rachel,¡± she chuckled with a grandfatherly smile, ¡°that is not the word I would use ¡­ your energy is not balanced ¡­ you¡¯re unhappy, and I don¡¯t like to see you this way.  I am always here to listen and help.¡±


    The cup rose to his lips, and he took a short sip before setting it down.  ¡°... However, I understand it might be difficult for you; so, let¡¯s discuss what you¡¯ve noticed.  How is Soo-geun fairing at the moment?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes slid to the tree¡¯s raised platform outside, off the ground to better protect it from bugs.  ¡°How ¡­ do you know I can follow him?¡±


    ¡°Your father brags about you, of course,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°He called me the other day while you were asleep, telling me about how much you¡¯ve grown and your mother becoming surprisingly attached to Scarlet in such a short amount of time.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±  Rachel mumbled, sipping her tea to buy time; she wanted to be tense ¡­ sharp, but the longer she sat with her grandfather, the calmer and more relaxed she became.  ¡°He¡¯s heading to the city, causing property damage along the way ¡­ why¡¯s he so frightened?¡±  She asked, confused eyes shifting to her tranquil grandfather; Hayan appeared to have fallen asleep beside her, and Gisele was actively following the conversation.


    He nodded, features becoming somber.  ¡°Clare, Soo-geun¡¯s girlfriend, has been rather indecisive if she¡¯s alright with dating him after this change, confusing him.  I hoped you would be able to give him some advice since he refused to see reason ¡­ he¡¯s blind to the other prospects in his life,¡± he whispered, dark brown eyes falling to his cup.


    ¡°At first, there was such rage in his heart ¡­ he broke two tables and damaged the 4th guest bedroom wall within the first two days before calling over his friend.  Then ¡­ he changed over two days, and refused to say why ¡­ always deflecting.¡±


    Rachel shook her head, cup to her lips.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ poor girl.¡±


    ¡°What have you noticed?¡±  He asked.


    The direction he was pulling her along felt strange to Rachel ¡­ it was like she was now involved in finding a solution rather than just festering over the sudden change of behavior her cousin had.  ¡°Hard not to with my ears,¡± she said with a weak chuckle; she hadn¡¯t felt this calm in ¡­ a long time.  ¡°... Grandpa¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±


    She gave him a small frown, setting her cup back on the table; the robust and warm liquid coated her throat.  ¡°What are you doing to me?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± he paused, fingering his cup with a passive expression.  ¡°I do not know much about these changes; I have simply continued to live how I always do, and it appears as if I have gained the ability to temper the emotions of others ¡­ however, you are very different,¡± he commented, vision narrowing with concern.


    The way he said it tightened her gut.  ¡°I¡¯m different; how?¡±


    His studious eyes fixed on her¡¯s.  ¡°There is a strange wave being released from you that I can feel, and within are a mixture of imbalanced forces, combatting each other in a tug-of-war, pulling your emotions out of balance.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s focus dropped to the table.  ¡°My Lunar Energy?¡±  She questioned, but the links were falling into place by the time she got the words out.  ¡°... The Flush Moon provides calming energy ¡­ I¡¯m not sure about the Coral Moon, but I think the White Moon is neutral.  I primarily have Flush Lunar Energy inside me¡­¡±


    He put his empty cup to the side, folding his fingers across the table.  ¡°It makes sense ¡­ I am heightening that energy¡¯s effects to combat the others that are setting you on edge.  However, I do not believe what you call White Lunar Energy is neutral.¡±


    It¡¯s not?  Her mind raced with questions, asking about the things her grandfather was explaining.  The System gave her a vague answer.


    White Lunar Energy gave her confidence, fear resistance, and an eagerness for battle.  It was the drive that propelled her to continue to push herself during the South Beach incident.


    Flush Lunar Energy had a soothing effect that heightened her mental focus and capacity; it helped her remain calm, even if afraid, not overshadowing fear like the White Moon.


    Coral Lunar Energy gave her heightened senses, instincts that went beyond intellect and knowledge; it pulled out a monstrous side of her that lived in the chaos of unpredictable combat.


    The three clashing forces were heightening negative traits within her and drawing them out; although, she had to realize that probably wasn¡¯t the only issue she had, considering her reaction to Anthony when she only had White Lunar Energy in her ¡­ the competitive drive to win.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t believe it ¡­ her grandfather wasn¡¯t just a crazy religious believer in some ancient Eastern discipline but could actually accurately read her.  ¡°You¡¯re right ¡­ so, should I only focus on having one type of energy in my Lunar Pool?¡±  She asked, shifting her knees against the cushion they rested on.


    He slowly shook his head.  ¡°I can¡¯t say, Rachel ¡­ all I can say is that your reactions will spike drastically, depending on the situation that interacts with the chaos inside you.¡±


    Her grandfather released a low grunt while getting to his feet with his cup in-hand; the smile on his lips was something she remembered throughout her life.  ¡°I can only offer aid to those that are willing to sit, listen, and apply what I teach ¡­ and, perhaps, there are a few things you can teach this old man about his new metamorphosis,¡± he chuckled.


    A soft sigh moved her grin, and Rachel got to her feet, waking Hayan.  ¡°Thanks, Grandpa; I¡¯ll think about what you¡¯ve said, and yeah, I think there¡¯s a lot I can help teach you, but it¡¯s a bit complicated.¡±


    ¡°As complicated as Neidan?¡±  Her grandfather asked with a curious sparkle in his eyes, referring to the Daoist art of internal energetic cultivation.


    Rachel swiftly shook her head with a weak laugh.  ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t think so, Grandpa.  Umm, thanks ¡­ that actually helped a lot,¡± she mumbled, listening to her calm heartbeat.


    It suddenly occurred to her how strange it was to hear each calm thump since she¡¯d become a Lunar Hare. Typically, the brain filtered it out, which she could with her many skills ¡­ she blocked out a lot of erotic couples within her vast web of perceivable sounds.


    Her grandfather moved to take her empty cup to clean it before heading off to bed.  ¡°I am thankful to have such sharp, talented, and driven grandchildren ¡­ if only Soo-geun would realize what is hidden within himself.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips fell a little.  ¡°... It might be ¡­ hard for me, but ¡­ I¡¯ll apologize to Soo-geun.  Still¡­¡±


    She released a depressed sigh, thinking about Jessy¡¯s conflicted and agonizing actions in her bath; it wasn¡¯t like she enjoyed spying on people, but when they were so close to her, some things were just hard to block out, especially muscle movement since she trained to recognize them in order to protect herself in combat.


    Her grandfather bid her goodnight, and she promised to talk to him again when he had a chance in the morning, telling him about her nocturnal tendencies as a Lunar Hare.


    Jessy was finishing up, so Rachel went to their shared room to wait, sitting in one of the armchairs beside a table, mainly used for guests to read or work on any electronics.  A fair bit of her grandfather¡¯s calming aura had faded, but she managed to keep the vibe through an active will.


    When the girl entered, damp shoulder-length blonde hair tied back into a ponytail, she paused, catching sight of her.  She was wearing some black night shorts and a tank-top.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Rachel greeted, giving her a welcoming smile.  ¡°Have a good soak?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I, umm ¡­ it was nice,¡± she mumbled, vision locking on key points of Rachel¡¯s physique, probably unconsciously comparing herself.  ¡°So ¡­ do you still do Muay Thai?  Oh, and I think you¡¯re really cool ¡­ well, no, I mean,¡± her muscles tightened again, ¡°like, umm ¡­ the ¡­ the glow and stuff you have, and your ears are cute ¡­ mghmmhgh ¡­ sorry,¡± she trailed off with shiny red cheeks that weren¡¯t entirely from her hot bath.


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, I¡¯m just¡­¡±


    She trailed off, vision narrowing while glaring at the wall ¡­ five men that were passing by her grandfather¡¯s outer wall were climbing over the fence, muttering to one another; Soo-geun was still making his way to the city, silently fuming now.


    Jessy rubbed her forehead with a pained expression.  ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ I know I can be a little awkward ¡­ am I¡­¡±


    Rachel held up her hand, Gisele and Hayan noticing her change in demeanor; the little white blob¡¯s jagged grin returned, hopping up and down with anticipation.  ¡°Five men just trespassed onto the property ¡­ they have tasers ¡­ and one probably has a gun stuffed in the back of his pants.¡±


    The seventeen-year-old girl¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Huh ¡­ men with a gun ¡­ uh, you¡¯re just playing with me, right?  Heh, umm, yeah, funny¡­¡±


    She got to her feet, cracking her neck as Nia chimed in her mind.  ¡°Battle Armor time!¡±


    Jessy¡¯s mouth dropped open as her clothes shimmered, changing like she was some kind of magical-girl, yet Nia¡¯s voice was anything but enthused after the transformation.  ¡°Ugh, I forgot how totally edgy this is ¡­ look, look, she totally thinks I¡¯m super edgy!  No-ho-ho¡­¡±


    C¡¯mon, Rachel chuckled, walking to the door with her two pets.  I bet she loves you.


    ¡°Really ¡­ you¡¯d just lie to me like that ¡­ I can read your thoughts and feelings ¡­ rude!¡± She pouted.


    Then you know she might!  Rachel returned, her heart beginning to pound with the thoughts of battle.  ¡°Stay here, Jessy,¡± she replied with a darkening smile, ¡°I¡¯ve got some uninvited guests to question.¡±


    However, Jessy was darting to her side, eyes scanning her body with wonder.  ¡°Woah, woah!  Did ¡­ what happened to your clothes; you look like a video game character!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile became forced as she followed her out of the room.  ¡°Really, you should wait inside¡­¡±


    ¡°No, but really; how did you do that?!  Is it a bunny ability?¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Rachel winced, causing Nia to chuckle.


    ¡°Bunny, bunny, bunny!¡±


    Shut-up, Rachel groaned.  ¡°I¡¯m a hare; seriously, you should¡­¡±


    ¡°Not until you apologize ¡­ wait, you weren¡¯t lying; she really does love me!  Oh.  My.  Goodness!  Yes!  Look at my awesome curves and despair before my majesty!¡±


    Now, who¡¯s being edgy¡­


    ¡°Hey, if they love it, embrace it!¡±  Nia chimed.  ¡°Fu, fu, fu ¡­ I am the ultimate moonlight bastion of the rabid curse; fear my ripped tights!¡±


    Rachel ignored Jessy¡¯s inquiries; she was utterly disregarding her warnings, fixated on magical clothes that could change into different outfits, which only increased Nia¡¯s exaggerated, prideful laughter.


    You¡¯re ridiculous¡­


    ¡°No, I am the black star, cloaked in the coral light; the unseen shield of the destroyer of worlds!¡±


    Teenagers...


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 6. Cute Trouble

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1: Rachel Park


    Recap:  We got introduced to the edgelord Nia as our little Living Denier learns more and more about the world¡ªScarlet imprinted on her, which, I mean, Rachel did kind of shove Nia off to Scarlet at the start, so it''s her fault.


    We met Rachel''s cousin ... who seems to be going through a rough time ... her cousin''s best friend ... who has some deep feelings for Mason and some insecurities about her own looks ... and her grandfather, trying to put everything back together.


    How will this impending disaster work out?


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    Sad Turtle, John Driscoll, Freddie Rash, LifeStatZero, Jukub, Necroma Crowley, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel released a sad sigh while walking through the hallway with Jessy on her heels; the girl was peppering her with questions and Nia embracing her edgy design as if it were her idea from the start.


    ¡°How do your tights stay in place like that ¡­ it¡¯s so cool!¡±  Jessy questioned, hopping down the stairs to the first level in hot pursuit.  ¡°The belts are ¡­ wait, is that a tattoo ¡­ wow, it glows!  Oh, is that how it changes shapes?¡±


    Hayan¡¯s jagged smile showed he was ready for action, jumping down beside Rachel with Gisele following.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rachel mumbled, heading further into the house to the long section her grandfather used as a room for his students.  ¡°I¡¯ll answer you when I deal with this, but are you sure you want to join us?¡±  She asked, giving her a lifted eyebrow.


    The girl slowed a bit, brow furrowing as her gaze fell to the wooden floors.  ¡°You mean ¡­ you aren¡¯t joking; there are really people trying to break in?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ shouldn¡¯t we call the cops, then?¡±  She asked with a nervous laugh.


    A small smile lifted Rachel¡¯s full lips, excitement rushing through her veins again.  ¡°It depends on how good they are at ducking bullets; I might have to call an ambulance.¡±


    ¡°What ¡­ does that mean?¡±  She whispered.


    They entered the room, Rachel leading the way, heading for the sliding door that would take them to the large backyard surrounding the house.  Her blood was quickening by the step, chaotic energy mixing and exploding within her heart.


    Even if Rachel knew what was happening, her will to suppress it was taking a back seat since her White and Coral forces pushed her calming Flush Energy back, even if it was the primary power within her Lunar Pool.  White, its competitive drive, fear suppression, and focus, mixing with Coral¡¯s chaotic, instinctual combat to confront anything testing her.


    Her grandfather had already fallen asleep on the far left side of the house, and honestly, she doubted he¡¯d be able to hear much with how large the building was, and it was well insulated to keep in the cold air in the hot environment.


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about myself, and I don¡¯t care if you really join,¡± she shrugged.  ¡°It¡¯ll probably get ugly, though.¡±


    Jessy was certainly nervous, but her response only increased the turbulent emotions within her breast.  ¡°... You sound like Mason,¡± she mumbled, using her cousin¡¯s American name, ¡°before he asked me to come over.¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±  Rachel unlocked the wooden sliding door and turned to stare at her.  ¡°You know why he¡¯s acting like a total wimp?¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Jessy hesitantly stepped outside with her, continuing to keep pace, but Rachel figured the girl wasn¡¯t even taking her statement about intruders seriously.  ¡°You¡¯re exactly like Mason¡¯s told me ¡­ pretty direct, umm ¡­ well,¡± her gaze darted to her clothes again, seemingly distracted.  ¡°He¡¯s been going out at night ¡­ I don¡¯t know where, but it helps him not be angry when he comes back.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh ¡­ but one night he changed?  By the way, guys ¡­ don¡¯t kill them, or poke out their eyes,¡± Rachel warned with the overhead waxing gibbous moon filling her with competitive life, giving a knowing look at Gisele.  Her two pets lost a bit of their excitement.  ¡°I don¡¯t need another FBI investigation¡­¡±


    ¡°FBI investigation?¡±  Jessy was utterly lost, trying to keep up, but stopped dead in her tracks as they turned the corner of the house, spotting five men on the side of the house with a giant ladder, trying to put it up to one of the 3rd-floor windows.


    Rachel didn¡¯t skip a step, cracking her knuckles.  Let¡¯s go!


    The men were grumbling to one another about being quiet and asking if the tall blonde-guy with a mask climbing the ladder had the tool to open the window.  He was almost 35-feet up, near the top.


    She casually pushed forward with her two pets, Jessy freezing at the corner of the house, not knowing what to do.  ¡°Yo, wus-up?¡±  Rachel asked, giving them a bright smile.


    The men stiffened, hands darting to their pockets for their tasers; the guy above had the gun.  Their eyes grew the moment they caught sight of her, a glowing hare girl greeting them as if it was the most natural thing in the world.


    Richard, the man closest to Rachel, tried to smile.  ¡°Uh ¡­ yo, we¡¯re¡­¡±


    Kevin quickly cut him off, gesturing for his buddy to take his spot holding the ladder.  ¡°Hey!  Uh, I know this looks bad, heh, but we¡¯re just here to fix ¡­ the gutters.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Joseph jumped in, chuckling while motioning at his fellows.  ¡°We¡¯re here to fix some of the problems.  Ya know?¡±


    ¡°What ¡­ are you wearing?¡±  Richard asked.


    The four men were eyeing her body with mixed reactions.  Kevin and Joseph were 100% on-board and probably wondered if they should jump her by their muscular activity, yet upon better judgment, took their hands off their tasers.  Richard and Zabel were more cautious, vision shifting from her to the two pets and Jessy in the background.  Travis, up the ladder, was squinting down, trying to understand the situation.


    ¡°Woah ¡­ you¡¯re crazy hot,¡± Kevin grinned, adjusting his defensive posture while licking his lips and running a hand through his dark hair.  ¡°I could look at you all night, girl¡­¡±


    Rachel took center stage, casually closing the distance and forcing their attention, but the young man soon realized Jessy in the background, her mind and frame frozen with panic, and spotted the faintly glowing blob hopping next to Rachel next.


    Joseph was too focused on her breasts to notice anything else, easily visible in the faintly lit nighttime yard.  ¡°Seriously, like, girl, ya got me shook by the way that body looks; don¡¯t know what your mama took, but damn, sweet and sour like a cook.  Know what I¡¯m sayin¡¯?  What¡¯s your name, girl?¡±


    ¡°Shut-up,¡± Richard growled, ¡°it¡¯s a monster!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­¡±


    ¡°Rachel¡­¡±  Jessy mumbled, muscles beginning to quake with fear as the situation set in, but Rachel ignored her.


    The other two swiftly regained their senses as Zabel and Richard produced their tasers,


    ¡°Oh, I totally get it ¡­ and what do you mean?¡±  Rachel nodded, clasping her hands behind her back while approaching the group.


    Kevin and Joseph were in a similar state as Jessy, but Richard and Zabel were retreating, leaving the ladder unattended.


    ¡°The hell¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡±  Travis hissed, trying not to be too loud.


    Their focus instantly moved from her to Hayan as he jumped aside to drew their eyes away from Rachel, Gisele preparing to attack the unaware man on the ladder.


    ¡°Yo, get back¡­¡±  Zabel growled at Rachel, waving her to run.


    The men grew tense, spreading out to deal with her little blob.


    ¡°Hey ¡­ hey.  Hey!¡±  Travis shouted as Rachel walked right by the distracted men, now activating their tasers to try and scare off Hayan.


    An impish smile lit Rachel¡¯s lips as she set her right foot, left coming out to sweep the ladder¡¯s base, sending it crashing to the ground with Travis¡¯s screams.  Panic insured as Rachel turned back to the four men, positioned to protect her.


    ¡°Welcome to the neighborhood,¡± Rachel chimed, slapping the side of Joseph¡¯s turning face, knocking the man out and throwing him off his feet.


    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡±  Richard shot back, waving his taser around in shock as Gisele popped out of the darkness, snatching the back of Zabel¡¯s baggy shirt and carrying him into the air with a sharp cry and making the dark-skinned man scream, dropping his weapon.


    They all jumped from the sound of the collapsing ladder, Travis¡¯s cries ending with a sharp grunt, coughs, and moans of pain.  Judging by the snap Rachel heard, he¡¯d broken his left leg and fractured his hip on the metal frame; he¡¯d be sore for a while, but it was impressive the man wasn¡¯t shouting his lungs out.


    Richard quickly shook his head, looking up to see Zabel slip out of his shirt with a scream to fall seven feet squarely on his back, arms flailing.  His chest heaved on the ground, body quivering from shock as he tried to fill his lungs with the air that had been forced out of it, and Gisele dropped the ripped shirt, turning her sights on the retreating man.


    Rachel¡¯s glowing four-leaf clover eyes followed her blob as he hopped back and forth, leering at Kevin.  ¡°Go get the other guy with Gisele,¡±  She said, advancing on the startled man.


    He turned his taser on her.  ¡°No, no, no, what ¡­ yo, stay the hell back ¡­ yo, I said¡­¡±


    ¡°Am I still pretty,¡± Rachel snickered, quickly slapping the taser away from the man¡¯s slow-moving lunge attack before swiftly redirecting the back of her hand to tap under Kevin¡¯s chin.  His mind blanked from the snap action, stumbling back in a daze to fall to the ground.


    She released a sad chuckle with a sigh, shaking her head while scratching behind her left ear.  ¡°That was just pathetic¡­¡±


    Keven was blinking, working around his jaw while gathering his scrambled senses.


    Putting her left hand on her hip, Rachel shifted her posture to watch Gisele tease Richard, hoving just out of his jumping swipes, trying to strike the bird¡¯s taunting tail, weaving back and forth like a human dangling a string in front of a cat.  He was trying to make it back to the A-style ladder they¡¯d used to get over the wall, but Hayan was drawing his focus.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna die ¡­ please, no, stop ¡­ just ¡­ just get away ¡­ get away!¡±


    Hayan¡¯s speed increased, closing the six-foot distance in an instant while flipping a little in the air, changing directions with a Lunar Step to dodge the taser, and reangling again to smash into the man¡¯s ear, dropping him.


    She giggled as he landed on the back of the crumpling man, jumping up and down in victory.  On the other hand, Gisele snatched the taser out of the air with her tail before flapping over to Zabel, recovering enough to try crawling away with pained grunts.


    Gisele landed on his back, forcing him to the ground, coiled tail pulling the side mechanic on the taser to zap the man a few times; he jerked and screamed each time it struck, trying to flail around when possible but locking up each time it hit.  ¡°S-Stop!  Stop!  Stop!  Please...¡±


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± Rachel mused, grabbing Kevin and tossing him over by the ladder, ¡°and I wouldn¡¯t reach for that gun if I were you,¡± she warned, glaring at Travis.


    Travis¡¯s body was rigid, breathing heavily with tears in his wild eyes, scrambling back as Hayan hopped over to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±  Rachel growled.


    ¡°Damn ¡­ monsters ¡­ oh, my, god ¡­ oh, my, god...¡±


    His hands fumbled around the grass, looking for the weapon that slipped out of his pants, and he found it, but before the man could raise the gun, Hayan¡¯s mouth opened, tongue shooting out to latch onto the weapon, pulling it out of his grip before it disappeared within the blob.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s new¡­¡±  Rachel hummed, lifting an eyebrow.


    Hayan turned to give her a wicked grin, proud of himself while leering at Travis¡¯s weak whimpers, backing up to the house.


    Zabel was lying flat on the ground crying, arms spread as Gisele fluttered in front of him, sparking the taser in front of his face.  ¡°I¡¯m good!  I¡¯m good!  Don¡¯t ¡­ don¡¯t, please¡­¡±


    Richard and Joseph were out cold, leaving Kevin, mostly unharmed, Zabel with Gisele threatening the guy with a taser if he didn¡¯t comply, and Travis, sporting bone breaks, severe bruising, and a wicked-looking white bunny blob guarding him.


    Rachel closed the distance to Kevin; he was coughing on the grass after rolling to a stop beside the metal ladder.  ¡°So,¡± she said with a bright tone, picking him up by the front of his long-sleeve shirt and shoving him back against the side of the house, ¡°wanna try this again?¡±


    ¡°W-Who ¡­ okay, okay¡­¡±  He gasped, spinning eyes trying to center on her.  ¡°I¡­¡±  One more glance at his friends, and his muscles were tensing to run.


    A chuckle left Rachel¡¯s throat as she grabbed the back of his shirt, choking him with the collar while tossing him to his back.  ¡°Mhm ¡­ get it all out.¡±


    After a few more gasps, he waved his left hand, right rubbing his throat.  ¡°Okay ¡­ w-what do you want?¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ you just sit there and catch your breath,¡± Rachel chimed.  ¡°I want you to have a clear head when we get to talk ¡­ deep breaths, there we go,¡± she urged.


    Jessy was slack-jawed as Rachel smiled over at her.  ¡°I told you it could get a little rough.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but ¡­ are they okay?¡±  Jessy stammered, arms tightening against her chest while shying away a bit.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Zabel cried.  ¡°Please ¡­ save us¡­¡±  He cut off as a sharp crack came from Gisele¡¯s taser.


    ¡°C-Call an ambulance; I ¡­ I think I broke my leg¡­¡±  Travis replied.  ¡°N-No, the police ¡­ for the monsters ¡­ run for it¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ these guys?¡±  Rachel asked head tilting to survey the scene.  ¡°Yeah, they¡¯ll be fine!  Gramps is up, though,¡± she mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck with a forced smile.  ¡°You guys were too loud, screaming like girls.¡±


    ¡°I have a broken leg!¡±  Travis yelled.  ¡°I fell like ¡­ 40 feet!  Shit ¡­ get this damn thing away from me!¡±  He pressed further into the stone-layered concrete base of the house.  ¡°I ¡­ I need a hospital¡­¡±


    ¡°Naa, you¡¯re fine,¡± Rachel shrugged nonchalantly, looking up at Jessy.  ¡°My grandpa is coming down the stairs.  Can you go grab him and tell him what happened?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡±  She mumbled, jerkily jogging back into the house.


    ¡°Now¡­¡±  She aimed a smile down at the cowering man while bending down; he flinched upon catching her glowing eyes.  ¡°Are you going to tell me why you chose this house?  I¡¯d rather not break your kneecaps, Kevin.  Wouldn¡¯t that cause me a bit of trouble?  I mean, heh, I might just as well kill you and have my bunny eat the evidence at that point!  Right?¡±


    Her smile turned into a smirk as she smelled piss.


    ¡°I ¡­ we were just ¡­ Creed, he ¡­ he owes money to ¡­ to Kate, and ¡­ we¡¯re just trying to make some money ¡­ I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Rachel popped her tongue, listening to her grandfather dialing 911 while moving through the bottom level.  Well, this will get a little complicated ¡­ at least it won¡¯t be MPD.


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± she mumbled, vision shifting over to the dark-skinned man.  ¡°Who is Kate, Zabel?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ can I ¡­ can I talk?¡±  He asked, still refusing to look up at the terrifying-looking bird threatening him.


    ¡°I asked, didn¡¯t I?¡±  Rachel returned.


    ¡°Y-Yes, umm ¡­ she¡¯s a loan shark ¡­ we just work on the side to collect, but he¡¯s kind of ¡­ we thought he¡¯d have good stuff here to make up for it¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Her grandfather came rushing around the corner with Jessy behind him.  ¡°What ¡­ are you hurt?  Are ¡­ they dead?¡±  He asked, catching Richard and Joseph''s still bodies.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, grandpa, and no, they¡¯re fine,¡± she replied, turning her smile back to the man that wet his pants in front of her.  ¡°Well, maybe not completely; you might want to tell the officer on the line to call an ambulance.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t get anything more from them with her grandfather there, and she had them line up against the side of the wall to wait for the police.


    Nia was practically singing in her head.  ¡°The darkness consumes you; perish among the lost in the iron abyss!¡±


    Okay, Count Nia the Fourth, let¡¯s go back to the cute stuff.


    ¡°Aww ¡­ I¡¯ve got a really good one, though¡­¡±  She pouted.


    Alright, one more, She sighed, shaking her head.


    ¡°Okay!  Okay!  Heh ¡­ ahem¡­¡±  Her voice became theatrical.  ¡°A lot of people die ¡­ should have had a Lunar Nia; heh, you want my pretty belts around your neck.¡±


    ¡­ Who¡¯s teaching you these things?


    ¡°What?!¡±  She huffed.  ¡°It was perfect.¡±


    I¡¯m not doubting that ¡­ I¡¯m just asking how you¡¯re learning all these things.  Rachel mumbled, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°Well ¡­ there were a lot of edgy things in Scarlet¡¯s head when she wore me, and, well¡­¡±


    Scarlet ¡­ ah, mhm¡­


    ¡°You got a problem with it, well ¡­ well, that¡¯s your problem!  Humph¡­¡±  Nia finished, pouting in silence.


    Hey, I¡¯m the one that wanted you to be a bit edgier ¡­ it is what it is, but ¡­ maybe tone down the belts on necks.


    A grin split Rachel¡¯s lips as Nia finished with an exaggerated short.  ¡°¡­ Okay ¡­ the harbinger of death awaits.¡±


    Nice.


    Nia returned to her casual clothes, and she had Jessy run upstairs to grab her phone, calling Bree to report the incident.  The agent got in touch with the officers on the way, letting them know another agent would be joining the scene to help handle the case since a Demi was involved.


    When her grandfather went in to call her parents to give them an update, it gave Rachel a chance to be alone with her prisoners; Jessy was standing further back, arms folded while silently processing the situation, but Rachel wasn¡¯t that concerned about the girl.


    Squatting to the criminal''s levels, they shivered while eyeing her; the two knocked-out men had regained consciousness.  ¡°Alright, here¡¯s what you¡¯re going to do,¡± she said with a dark smile.  ¡°You five came to rob the house, but don¡¯t mention anything else.  Understood?¡±


    Richard was holding an ice pack to his swollen face, glaring at her.  ¡°Why ¡­ don¡¯t you want us to say anything else?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be thrilled?¡±  She asked, glare turning to him.  ¡°Don¡¯t kick a gift hare in the mouth ¡­ I¡¯m allowing you to keep your street cred.  Do you know why Creed borrowed money?¡±


    Kevin swiftly shook his head, arms folded tightly around his chest.  ¡°N-No, we were only told to get around 10k.¡±


    ¡°I figured ¡­ and tell me where Kate usually hangs.¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t no snitch,¡± Zabel growled.


    He dropped his gaze as she eyed him.  ¡°I have been very tame with what I could do to you ¡­ how would you like to have bad luck for the rest of your life?  One horrible event after another ¡­ day after day ¡­ cursed forever.¡±


    Kevin shook his head.  ¡°I¡¯m done!  She hangs out at Club Balto¡¯s; it¡¯s some new place out of this warehouse ¡­ it¡¯s pretty private¡­¡±


    The mens¡¯ gazes fell with shame at his response.


    ¡°Wonderful.  You¡¯ll never have to see me again ¡­ unless you¡¯re lying.¡±


    Kevin quivered.  ¡°N-No, ma¡¯am¡­¡±


    With that, she played guard until the police arrived to cart them away; Jessy remained silent through the exchange but had heard her inquiry.  She left their ladder and tasers where they had landed, having her pets drop them where they were, and her little blob spat the gun up a ways away, leaving slobber all over it.


    Her two pets drew a lot of attention from the cops, and Rachel spent a good thirty minutes explaining things to a few officers while they took everyone¡¯s story.


    The new agent in the area sent to represent the new Demi branch was a man in his 40s named Jordan.  He asked more questions than the police, being far more thorough; a report was made on her new pets, their threat level, how they were tied or connected to her, why she didn¡¯t report them with her extreme hearing, and why she didn¡¯t notice them sooner.


    Typically, she would have zeroed in on conversations around her long before they came so close, but these guys had no real clue about where they were going until arriving, and they hadn¡¯t explicitly said they were going to rob a place.


    If she could have avoided this, she would have; the exchange was far more complicated than she liked.  She would have instead dealt with the party far from her grandfather¡¯s place.


    However, something pulled her focus away for a moment; during the explanation, she heard Mason get picked up on the side of the road three miles away from the house.


    ¡°... Na,¡± a man mumbled, talking to a girl in the front seat of his SUV, ¡°Lost Boys is a way better song¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, Nate!  Yo, stop the car!¡±  The woman shouted.  ¡°Look, it¡¯s Creed!¡±


    ¡°Yo!  My man!¡±  He rolled over with the woman rolling down the window.  ¡°Bro, what¡¯s up!  You goin¡¯ ta Balto¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we were thinkin¡¯ about checking it out tonight; wanna ride?¡±  The girl asked.


    Her cousin released a low growl.  ¡°Eh ¡­ I was just ¡­ know what, yeah ¡­ yeah, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±  Nate shouted.  ¡°We got the Mad Bear in the coup!¡±


    The girl jumped out of the front seat to get in the back.  ¡°Man, you¡¯re so big, Creed; for real, like I know three girls that want to jump you!  Your girl¡¯s not around, right?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go¡­¡±  He grumbled, causing the car to make some noise as he pulled the seat all the way back and dropped the support to fit.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed.  What have you gotten yourself into, cuz¡­


    She went back upstairs with Jessy after getting through all the questions and seeing her grandfather back to bed, assuring him there wouldn¡¯t be any more trouble.


    Jessy walked into their room, rubbing her arms as Rachel shut the door; the girl was trying to work up the courage to talk to her.


    Rachel patiently waited for her to build up the nerve, dropping into the armchair again while scanning every conversation within ten miles, searching for any information on the club her cousin went to.  It was shockingly scarce, yet after some time, she realized people were using code words to describe it, generally keeping their discussions suspiciously vague.


    ¡°So¡­¡±  Jessy began, continuing to stand, ¡°you¡¯re still listening to things, right?  I heard that agent guy say you can hear super far away ¡­ like, crazy far¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± she responded, giving her a neutral smile.  ¡°These big ears aren¡¯t just for show.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±  She swallowed, taking a deep breath.  ¡°I just ¡­ I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually ¡­ well, be so¡­¡±


    ¡°Brutal?¡±  Rachel offered, petting her white blob with Gisele resting on the chair¡¯s back above her.


    Jessy¡¯s lips tightened; her vision fixated on the floor.  ¡°Kind of ¡­ you were just so comfortable.  How ¡­ how can I be more like you?¡±  She whispered.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±  Rachel¡¯s eyebrows lifted.  ¡°You ¡­ want to be more like me?¡±


    Her posture set, and she nodded, forcing herself to make eye contact.  ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ I try to put myself out there, but ¡­ it¡¯s always so hard, and I try really hard, but ¡­ but every time I¡¯m so awkward, and I start talking too much, but I can¡¯t stop, and then¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s giggle shut her down.  ¡°Look, Jessy ¡­ I can¡¯t tell you how to be like me.  This is just who I am.  Is there a reason you want to be like me?¡±


    Jessy¡¯s fingers slid over the back of her head, scratching her scalp with agitation while glancing away again.  ¡°Well ¡­ I just want to be more ¡­ less ¡­ how do I say it?¡±  She groaned, walking a few steps to her right and stopping.  ¡°I¡¯m just ¡­ I hate how passive I am ¡­ and I just ¡­ I can¡¯t art¡ªarticulate ¡­ I think that¡¯s the word ¡­ see?¡±  She finished in exasperation.


    Figuring what she meant, Rachel rested her arms atop her cute rabbit blob, giving Jessy a forced smile.  ¡°I¡¯ll be direct, Jessy, and I don¡¯t want you to feel like I¡¯m trying to embarrass you ¡­ okay?¡±


    The girl folded her arms under her chest, taking a deep, apprehensive breath.  ¡°Alright.¡±


    Rachel motioned for her to sit in a nearby chair.  ¡°Take a seat.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so calm after all of that?¡±  She grumbled, pulling it to the side with a bit of effort to face her.


    Once the blonde-haired girl was in her seat, Rachel crossed her legs.  ¡°Jessy¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be more direct, confident, and articulate to impress my cousin because you like him and you want him to notice you?¡±


    Jessy¡¯s face was utterly still, mind checking out before her cheeks darkened.  ¡°... I ¡­ umm ¡­ why would you say that?  I mean, yeah ¡­ he¡¯s really handsome and big and tall and strong ¡­ he¡¯s just so ¡­ no-ho-ho ¡­ am I that transparent ¡­ and he doesn¡¯t even care?¡±


    ¡°Jessy ¡­ who do you think you¡¯re talking to?¡±  Rachel asked with a smirk.


    ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t really know you, though¡­¡±  She grumbled, thighs tightening as she played with her bare feet.  Her muscles suddenly locked up, voice becoming a squeak.  ¡°Wait ¡­ you could hear me in the bathroom?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m not trying to embarrass you,¡± Rachel tried to reassure, but Jessy¡¯s legs were pulling up to her chest, burying her face in her knees.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is happening¡­¡±  She cried.


    Rachel drew in air before letting it out in a long sigh.  ¡°You¡¯re a girl ¡­ and you¡¯ve got needs, too¡­¡±


    ¡°No-ho-ho ¡­ please, kill me¡­¡±


    Gisele¡¯s head darted up in confusion, turning down to stare at her.


    Trying to push forward with the conversation, Rachel repeated her question, but it took a moment for the girl to calm down enough to respond.


    ¡°... I do,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°How long?¡±


    Jessy poked her bright red face up, glaring at Rachel¡¯s feet.  ¡°Forever ¡­ well, middle school ¡­ but how am I supposed to compete with someone like Clare?  The stupid hoe ¡­ and when his cousin¡¯s a damn supermodel Demi that can take out men like it¡¯s no big deal¡­¡±


    Well, spread the flames.


    ¡°Uh-huh ¡­ so, you like my cousin, and you¡¯ve been trying to get his attention for a long time, but he hasn¡¯t noticed?¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± she grumbled, hiding her face again.  ¡°He¡¯s always talking to me like I¡¯m one of the boys ¡­ he asks me what to get Clare and ¡­ and I get so mad, but I can¡¯t let him down ¡­ then she hates what I¡¯d like, and he gets frustrated with me!¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m sensing some tension ¡­ look, Jessy, I can¡¯t tell you how to make him like you, but if you want, I¡¯ll help you tell him.¡±


    ¡°No!  What if he says he doesn¡¯t like me?¡±  Her arms tightened around her legs, terror swimming in her hazel eyes.  ¡°I¡¯m not pretty like ¡­ well, you¡¯re beyond pretty ¡­ you¡¯re a freaking anime character ¡­ perfect, and look at me ¡­ I¡¯ve got ¡­ yeah, I¡¯ve got a lot less ¡­ of everything¡­¡±  She murmured, glare sweeping her curves.


    Hayan jumped down to hop over and look up at her with big eyes, wanting to comfort the hurting girl, and Rachel adjusted her long hair across her front, hanging over her left shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s up to you, but it is what it is; either he¡¯ll say yes or no.¡±


    Jessy¡¯s muscles were winding tighter and tighter.  ¡°Do you even have a boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°A potential boyfriend that I¡¯ll be going on a few dates with soon.¡±


    ¡°... So you¡¯re saying I¡¯m a loser¡­¡±  Jessy growled.


    Rachel chuckled, getting to her feet.  ¡°I¡¯m not going to play this game, Jessy.  If you want my help, then I will, and yes, he might not say yes, but you need to sort out your own feelings.¡±


    She paused at the door, glancing back.  ¡°By the way, my outfit¡¯s name is Nia, and she wanted me to thank you for complimenting her; that being said, she¡¯s one of a kind right now.¡±  With that, she left the room, heading for the club.


    Nia wanted her to go back and help her more, but Rachel didn¡¯t have anything else to add; she needed to sort out her own heart, and her being there would only distract the girl.


    ¡°She needs our help!  Why wouldn¡¯t he notice her for so long?  I¡¯d be so, so, so mad if someone ignored me like that!  I¡¯d give him a piece of my mind and tell him he sucked; I¡¯m gorgeous!  Have you seen me?¡±


    Mhm ¡­ you¡¯re awesome, Nia.  The prettiest living denier in the world.


    ¡°Damn right I am; my curves put in work!  Look how much ass I can cover ¡­ look!¡±


    I¡¯d rather not look at my own ass, but yes, you do ¡­ are you calling me an ass again?


    ¡°Hehe ¡­ okay, seriously, though ¡­ What¡¯s his problem?!¡±


    Rachel rolled her eyes.  He¡¯s a dense boy.


    ¡°Duhh ¡­ say something less obvious.¡±


    Teenagers¡­


    ¡°There you go with the ¡­ oh, he disappeared?!¡±


    Rachel paused at the end of the stairs, ears twitching and shifting a little, scanning for her cousin; he¡¯d entered a large warehouse that blasted music, and it was difficult to filter through to hear his voice, but he¡¯d walked down some stairs before entering a room.  The room was sealed ¡­ soundproof.  If she wanted to bypass the dampening, she¡¯d need to get closer.


    Well ¡­ isn¡¯t he full of surprises¡­


    From what she¡¯d discovered, Balto¡¯s was a big club hit that had just taken off within the last week; in fact, it was simply an abandoned factory in a rundown part of town until it was suddenly bought out; renovations were made at insane speeds, but it had been active days before the buyout.


    It was somehow linked to a big gang in the area, drawing in many criminal groups and many Demi.  Money was passing between hands, which drew Rachel¡¯s ears.  Based on what she¡¯d discovered, it was probably some kind of underground fight club.  It made sense; her cousin went out at night and came back satisfied.  He was gaining fans based on the random couple¡¯s reaction to him.


    Rachel smiled, leaving the house.  Okay, cuz; let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve been up to.  Why are you borrowing money when you¡¯re taking part in the fights, betting on yourself?  It¡¯s a lot more interesting than you turning into a complete pussy.


    ¡°Oh, are we going to show them the smoke?¡±  Nia asked with excitement.


    If it comes to that, well, as you said, we¡¯ll put in work.


    Nia¡¯s voice darkened as they stepped into the night.  ¡°I am the storm that is approaching, provoking ¡­ dark clouds in isolation, descending misery that inherits the nightmare ¡­ my crest is the rabbit of death ¡­ and I have awakened!¡±


    A smile brightened Rachel¡¯s lips with the moon¡¯s rays touching her skin.  Keep walking the line between the light ¡­ led astray, I summon the strength of mayhem ¡­ two souls once lost, and now they remember.


    ¡°Oh!  That was awesome!¡±  Nia cheered.  ¡°We¡¯re good at being edgy!¡±


    If you say so, Rachel giggled, jumping over her grandfather¡¯s gate as Nia changed into their battle outfit to begin their journey.  We might just have to become the nightmare prowling in the shadows.


    ¡°Fu, fu, fu ¡­ a phoenix¡¯s ash in the dark divine ¡­ lurking under the veil of night while dancing through the graves of those who stand at our feet!¡±


    A derelict of darkness.


    ¡°Bury the light deep within; an animal emerges; burning chaos in winter¡¯s wind!¡±


    Alright, alright, my little edgelord!  Let¡¯s go.


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Rachel was a little taken aback by how much her speed and control had increased with Nia¡¯s aid; it wasn¡¯t only her stats, but the grip of the flats she wore was better than anything she¡¯d used up to this point.


    Her earring burned with pride with Rachel¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Yes, praise me!  I am the greatest!  Mu-ha-ha-ha-ha!¡±


    No joke ¡­ you really are awesome, Nia, Rachel laughed, playing into the girl¡¯s mirth.


    Gisele flew overhead, trying desperately to keep up, but she would be late to the party; on the other hand, Hayan seemed to teleport to her when she got too far away.  It wouldn¡¯t take her long to reach the club at this pace, and she was excited to discover what lurked beyond those sealed doors.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 7. Causing A Ruckus

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1: Rachel Park


    Recap:  We learned more about what Nia gives to Rachel in terms of her boosts and about Jessy''s crush for Mason and how deep it goes¡ªshe''s fallin'' hard, and not the prettiest girl ... not that horrible looking, either, but she has a bad impression of herself.


    Rachel''s pissed off at her cousin and is done with all his screw-ups.  Time for her to come in and fix everything her cousin messed up.  Let''s Go!!


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    Rachel ran through Florida City, taking a more casual pace to better follow the conversations she was filtering through; her focus was on anything connected to her cousin, Kate, and Club Balto.


    She wasn¡¯t in any particular rush; Mason had been pelted by questions from his two acquaintances before entering the soundproof room, but he didn¡¯t give anything away, simply grunting responses.


    He wasn¡¯t that vocal about anything personal, grunting off their inquiries with general responses about how some people were insufferable and annoying; he just wanted to blow off some steam.


    Nia had calmed down after making a few happy remarks regarding the weather and scenery; Rachel thought she was really just itching for someone else to comment on either of their looks so she could proudly take credit.


    The girl¡¯s enthusiasm was contagious, and she was more than a little proud of what she was.  The Living Denier was certainly impressive, Rachel couldn¡¯t disagree with her.


    A mild sea-scented breeze added to the clear skies, the hovering moon filling Rachel with energy, and in general, the lack of people in the area where she was running gave her a free sensation.  Nighttime jogs had always been a favorite of hers.  The night was much quieter than Miami, but that was a given, considering the Glades were around.


    Still, the swirling energies fighting for control inside her breast were urging her muscles to be used.  The active white lunar light helped push that force into a dominant position and make any reservations melt, throwing her fears into a locked chest.  She was eager for combat, even with most of her Lunar Pool being filled with Flush energy.


    Gisele was able to track where she was, and Hayan continued to occasionally teleport to her location from a pulse of white light when she drew too far away.  Rachel was beginning to conclude there was a max distance the blobs were able to be from her.


    She had learned quite a few things about the local criminal underworld that shocked her, but it only made sense after The Oscillation.  Her cousin had entered Club Balto a while ago to cheers, and more than a few women were still whispering to friends about how wild he was, implying more things than just his fights that Rachel highly doubted, given their friends¡¯ responses.


    The cat-calls several women had made were a bit surprising, though; she didn¡¯t expect him to be so popular.  He didn¡¯t appear to be hurting for female attention with how often the Bear Beastkin was on in their conversations, yet it mostly came down to his looks, height, and muscle.  It made her curious about his decision to call Jessy over and why he was still pining over Clare.  He hadn''t paid any of the whistles any mind or the sour groans that followed his rejection.


    She recalled the events she¡¯d heard when her aggravated cousin walked through the club, giving a grunt to the guard blocking the entrance to what appeared to be some kind of VIP room; she would have had to be far closer than her grandfather¡¯s house to listen to their body¡¯s responses, but the man¡¯s nervous laughed was easy enough to detect.


    ¡°O-Oh, Creed!  Yo, what¡¯s up, uh ¡­ yeah, yeah, give me a second to, umm, yeah¡­¡±


    He held some kind of card to a toll tag access reader, unlocking the door; her cousin stalked through with the man and woman happily following.  A few greets were met on the other side from several men and women.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Creed!  Goin¡¯ down, huh?  I might have to check it out, but the price, yo¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, Creed, I was wondering if you had a girlfriend ¡­ oh, okay, then¡­¡±  She trailed off to a few men¡¯s snickers as he just walked through another door, leading to what appeared to be a basement.


    ¡°Mh-hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Some girls, right?¡±  The woman that followed her cousin giggled.


    The man chuckled.  ¡°Aye, yo, it¡¯s Creed; he¡¯s a beast, ya know?¡±


    ¡°Heh, I know!¡±


    The second guard at the foot of the stairs, popped his knuckles, clearing his throat when catching Mason and his two lackeys.  ¡°Creed ¡­ they with you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±  The girl chimed.


    Another grunt from her cousin and the man was opening the door.  ¡°Aye, sucks I¡¯m on duty ¡­ man, I wanna see what¡¯s up¡­¡±


    Her cousin had then went inside, and all other noise died, indicating the space was soundproof, and judging that there weren¡¯t any sounds when the door opened, there was a secondary padded door.


    Interesting security¡­  Rachel mused, unable to find any noise from the basement, even when drawing closer; however, her attention turned elsewhere as more information fed to her ears.


    Finding Kate, the local loan shark that her cousin borrowed money from, wasn¡¯t difficult.  Based on what she was hearing, Kate wasn¡¯t the type of criminal that dealt with punks or people on Mason¡¯s level, which meant she believed her cousin should have been able to pay back the substantial loan he¡¯d taken.


    Still, everything went back to Club Balto, and no one was saying much about what happened within; yes, there were hints about a fight club, but there had to be more to it with how people side-stepped even talking about that surface subject.  It was the prime criminal meet spot, and the reason for everyone being so tight-lipped soon became apparent with one conversation among the club¡¯s VIP section.


    Online criminal networks and thugs with connections in Miami, no more than 35-miles away from Florida City, had spread the news about sensory-type Demi being pulled in by authorities to crack down on illegal operations and incorrectly labeled her specifically as a threat to their operation, little did they know she wasn¡¯t actively looking to be the natural disaster to organized crime.


    The soundproof areas now made sense since she was a terror to the criminal underground after dismantling Terrell¡¯s empire and devastating the upcomers trying to take his place.  The News anchor¡¯s article about her working with the police to root out the group extorting her friend didn¡¯t help her boogeyman image, either, nor the brutal actions she was willing to take with apparent immunity.


    Although, the extreme soundproofing was kind of a funny alternative; if she was actively helping the police, then she¡¯d know exactly where they¡¯d consolidated their illegal operations.  In all honesty, the best solution would be online communication.


    Every sketchy organization was on their toes after she¡¯d taken the Miami underworld and bent it over her knee; so, with Club Balto being the central criminal hangout in Florida City, having a safe place to discuss things was vital.  They severely underestimated her hearing for the VIP area, but it was impressive that the owner had continued to pad everything beyond that point.


    Rachel had to wonder how Mason kept his family relations with her under wraps with how frightening Scarlet, Maria, Fiona, and she were to the criminals in the area.  A few thugs were currently rewatching some of the leaked footage of Fiona¡¯s raging sun-like fireball that devastated the entire pool area of the resort they fought at.


    They were infamous in southeastern Florida.


    She slowed down in the middle of an empty park when Richard finished being processed by the police and was given his phone call, contacting Kate; it was a bit aggravating that the man had the same first name as the intelligent doctor she¡¯d probably be meeting with soon.


    A smile lit Rachel¡¯s lips as the conversation continued, and her pause gave enough time for Gisele to catch up; she was pushing her little bird with how her small chest was heaving, and she gave an annoyed squawk at Hayan¡¯s jagged grin.


    Rachel changed directions, heading for Saffron Indian Cuisine, where Kate was currently entertaining a potential business deal with two fences, looking for a rare painting investment.


    Gisele gave a tired huff before taking to the air again.  Hayan happily hopped after her, far slower than the bird, but who needed speed when you could teleport?


    Scanning the miles of current topics on the lips of tens of thousands of citizens, Rachel gathered information on the restaurant but learned little in the time it took to reach the establishment.


    The owner nearly became a Bollywood producer but instead opened up the restaurant of his dreams; Kate appeared to be just a good friend.  He wasn¡¯t involved in any shady practices as far as she could tell but simply hosted what he thought were legit business meetings for Kate during after hours, and she always paid well.


    Kate paused her meeting with the men once she got the call, moving to the corner to answer; she wasn¡¯t happy about the interruption.  ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Hey, uh ¡­ yeah, so we are kind of in the cage.  Ya know what I mean?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?  I don¡¯t think I do,¡± she dryly stated.  ¡°Who is this, and why are you calling me?¡±


    ¡°Umm, yeah ¡­ right ¡­ this glowing bunny girl was there, and she messed us up; Travis is in the hospital, and we¡¯re dealing with a bunch of issues.  We¡­¡±


    ¡°Glowing bunny girl¡­¡±  Kate cut him off.  ¡°I¡¯m confused, but let¡¯s play this game.  You¡¯re saying you were trying to do some illegal stuff and this glowing bunny girl shut you down?  Are you talking about Rachel, the Lunar Hare Mythickin that should be in Miami?¡±


    ¡°Err ¡­ yes, I think that¡¯s her; it was like ¡­ her grandpa¡¯s place or some shit, and ¡­ she knows why we were there.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Kate was silent for several seconds.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ you there?¡±


    ¡°Okay, fun¡¯s over; I¡¯m done with this call.¡±  She promptly hung up.


    One of the fences waiting for her to return caught her agitation.  ¡°Something wrong, Kate?¡±


    Kate breathed out a long, frustrated sigh, ¡°... Shit.¡±  Composing herself with an apologetic smile, she walked back to the table.  ¡°I apologize, gentlemen, but we will need to reschedule this meeting.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±  The other man muttered.  ¡°You understand we have many other interested parties.  How soon are we talking?¡±


    ¡°I will get in touch with you when I know.¡±  She replied.  ¡°Something urgent has popped up.¡±


    Rachel jumped over fences and raced across rooftops, closing in on the restaurant; by the time she finished, Rachel was in position.  She totally knew I was listening.  Everything¡¯s connecting in her head; I¡¯m related to Mason.


    The men were somewhat resistant to leave after coming all the way there to meet with her, but after a minute, she managed to see them off.  Walking them to the door to see Rachel standing with her hands clasped behind her back, wearing an innocent smile as they exited.


    ¡°Kate?¡±  One of the men asked with a confused frown, glancing between her provocative fantasy-like clothes and the woman.  ¡°Is ¡­ this the reason you decided to cut our meeting short.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Rachel replied for her.  ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience, Kate.¡±


    The woman¡¯s lips tucked under, brown eyes closing while probably shouting an internal curse.  After a short, calming breath, she nodded.  ¡°Have a nice night, gentlemen.¡±


    ¡°What ¡­ in god¡¯s name is that?¡±  The other man asked, pointing at the bouncing rabbit blob behind Rachel.  Both of their eyes widened and they took a step inside as Gisele fluttered down onto Rachel¡¯s left shoulder, chest heaving.


    ¡°These?¡±  Rachel asked, reaching up to stroke Gisele¡¯s side.  ¡°These are my pets.  Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me ¡­ Kate and I have some important business to discuss.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right, right ¡­ huh ¡­ did they come from those portals the President mentioned yesterday?¡±


    ¡°You could say that.¡±


    Rachel brushed past the two, both eyeing her curves before she went out of sight inside the building; she weaved around the table to sit.  Kate waved the two off, one mumbling, ¡°What¡¯s up with your friend¡¯s clothes?¡±


    ¡°Gotta admit, she makes it work,¡± the other chuckled.


    He nodded, rubbing his tense left shoulder.  ¡°I mean, when you look like that, you can make anything work.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me,¡± Kate mumbled, closing the door on them; she didn¡¯t leave the door, though, probably wondering if she should just try to run.


    Nia piped up with a proud laugh.  ¡°Mu-ha-ha-ha!  My curves strike again!  Did you see them look?  Did you?¡±


    Mhm ¡­ they were definitely looking at you.


    ¡°Humph ¡­ well, when they look at you, they¡¯re looking at me, too!  It¡¯s a package deal; don¡¯t be greedy¡­¡±


    Heh, okay, Nia.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!  I¡¯m cute and edgy ¡­ people like my curves.¡±


    They certainly do like curves ¡­ especially when some parts are showing.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I should cover up those areas so they¡¯ll look at me?!¡±  Nia countered with a glaring tone.


    This outfit is, well, so we don¡¯t get hurt in battle, remember?  We¡¯ve got the casual outfit for people to look at you.


    ¡°Oh, yeah ¡­ yeah, people do like my long wavy skirt and cute top, don¡¯t they?¡±


    Totally!


    ¡°I¡¯m so cute!¡±


    And we¡¯ll make you even cuter as time goes on with lots and lots of outfits that will make me cute, too!


    ¡°Cute sisters!¡±


    Hehe ¡­ you¡¯re precious.


    ¡°I¡¯m super precious; don¡¯t even think about selling me!¡±


    Never.


    ¡°Cause ¡­ cause I¡¯m priceless¡­¡±  She mumbled defensively.


    My cute, priceless, edgy little princess outfit, am I right?


    ¡°No way ¡­ I¡¯m a princess, too?!  Mu-ha-ha-ha!  Yes, bask in my royal presence, peasants!¡±


    Let¡¯s not get too big of a head.  Rachel chuckled.  Now let me focus, edgy little princess.


    ¡°Oof ¡­ right, right, shut-up, shut-up ¡­ shhh.¡±


    Rachel turned her smile to Kate as she slowly walked around the tables to sit across from her.  ¡°You¡¯re not going to run?¡±


    Kate shivered after catching sight of her glowing four-leaf clover eyes, rubbing her left arm.  Sitting down, her cheeks puffed out while breathing, running her left hand through her shoulder-length blonde hair.


    She forced a grin while situating herself across from Rachel.  ¡°I ¡­ can hardly believe the rumors are real; you¡¯re like Batman, showing up out of nowhere once mentioned.  What kind of world are we in now?¡±


    Rachel watched her reach across the table to grab a bottle of expensive wine she was probably saving for when she acquired the painting but hesitated when Hayan hopped up to help himself to the leftover soup.


    A hesitant laugh left her throat as she went through with the action, popping the top.  ¡°Cute pet ¡­ reminds me of some of those Easter treats ¡­ eh...¡±  She trailed off as the white blob opened his mouth, revealing its slick interior, long tongue pulling the entire bowl into its mouth before spitting it out, giving her a challenging glare to say something.


    Wow, you¡¯ve got more of an attitude than I thought, Rachel mused.  I guess you¡¯re reflective of the energy you embody.


    Gisele hopped down from Rachel¡¯s shoulders to help herself to some of her own food, her long, bony tail sneaking over to pull Kate¡¯s creamy dish away from her.  The woman pulled back her chair as the sharp edge neared, taking the open bottle with her.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel leaned back, crossing her legs.  ¡°So, where should we start?¡±


    When Gisele¡¯s tail successfully stole the woman¡¯s food, Kate sighed, grabbing the nearby glass and pouring a drink.  ¡°Want some?¡±


    ¡°Heh, you¡¯re taking this rather well,¡± Rachel laughed.


    Kate shrugged, downing a large portion of the wine she¡¯d just poured.  ¡°When it¡¯s your time, it¡¯s your time ¡­ is it my turn to be brought to justice?¡±  She asked, tone turning bitter.  ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the brutal things you¡¯ve done to Ballesteros¡¯s boys, and I¡¯d rather avoid the painful bits.  So ¡­ what do you want from me?¡±  She asked with a low growl, focused on the red liquid in her cup.


    ¡°Oh, no, you¡¯re mistaken, Kate,¡± Rachel cooed, causing the woman to look up.  ¡°I¡¯m not the Police, and I only work with the government for specific things, such as the portals the President talked about not long ago.  No ¡­ I¡¯m here for personal matters.¡±


    Kate¡¯s lip twitched at the word ¡®personal¡¯ and cleared her throat.  ¡°Creed is what ¡­ your brother?  God ¡­ this was not the way I thought I would die.¡±  She shook her head, looking up to level a somber stare at Rachel.  ¡°Heh ¡­ not at all.  So, how are you going to work this one out?  Are you tracking the two men that saw you to take care of them later?  They did see you with me, after all, and is Adhar in the back going to be added to the hit list?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile turned sinister as she placed her hands across the table, leaning forward.  ¡°You know, I¡¯ve heard reports that South Beach had to use fire hoses to clean up the carnage I left in their streets, just to get the guts and fragmented bones plastered to the second and third story buildings.¡±


    Kate choked while in the middle of her drink, coughing a little while spilling a bit of what was left in her second glass onto her lap, but Rachel continued, causing a shiver to run down the woman¡¯s frame.


    ¡°I¡¯ve turned storage containers to scrap when thrown at me, beat men powerful enough to throw them into paste across the asphalt, shattered every bone in people¡¯s bodies for going after my friends.  Tell me, are you my enemy?¡±


    The woman¡¯s muscles tightened, and a single tear ran down her cheek while staring into Rachel¡¯s emotionless eyes before shaking her head.  ¡°N-No ¡­ I didn¡¯t know who ¡­ I didn¡¯t know you were related to ¡­ to¡­¡±


    A small, secretive smile touched Rachel¡¯s lips as she repeated Nia¡¯s comment; the girl was releasing an evil laugh inside her head.  ¡°The Easter Bunny may be nice ¡­ the Easter Hare is not.  You sent men to attack my grandfather¡¯s house ¡­ do you think your ability to walk is just payment?  No, don¡¯t look away ¡­ look into my eyes.¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ please, no,¡± she pleaded, legs pressing together in a panic, her tightening grip breaking the stem of the glass, cutting her hand, but she didn¡¯t seem to notice, focus locked on Rachel¡¯s indifferent eyes.


    Gisele and Hayan were sending waves of energy, eagerly ready and willing to pounce on the woman.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ that¡¯s what I would do to you if you were my enemy.¡±  Leaning back, Rachel¡¯s sinister expression flipped innocent on the spot.  ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you aren¡¯t.  Right?¡±


    Kate swiftly nodded.  ¡°What do you want ¡­ money ¡­ whatever you want.  Your brother¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Cousin.¡±


    ¡°Cousin¡¯s debt ¡­ umm, it¡¯s nothing ¡­ I¡¯m done ¡­ I¡¯m gone.¡±


    Rachel slowly shook her head.  ¡°Not yet ¡­ tell me about my cousin.  Why did he borrow money from you?  What happened to him within the last two days?¡±


    She released a hiss.  ¡°Okay ¡­ okay ¡­ eh, I try not to get too interested in the new shit in Club Balto beyond the Demi fights and bets; the higher tier stuff is just not something I¡¯m interested in like your cousin!¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ higher tier?  My cousin is involved in more than the cage fights?¡±


    Kate tucked her lip under, noticing the gash in her hand bleeding out onto her blue dress; she felt the pain by her body¡¯s movements, but Rachel was impressed with how much willpower she had to suppress her gut reaction.  Taking a napkin off the table, she wrapped it up with a long puff of air, applying pressure while hugging herself.


    ¡°Yes ¡­ he needed the loan to make it in, but he was supposed to repay it today, and when he didn¡¯t ¡­ I had some boys follow him home and get the address of where he was staying.  I don¡¯t get involved with the club¡¯s cult shit.  Your cousin has a good reputation when it comes to fights and a spotless record.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s hands moved to her lap, leg bouncing a little with anticipation.  ¡°It just takes money to get in?¡±


    ¡°Not just a little ¡­ Creed borrowed twenty grand from me,¡± she whimpered, sagging in her chair while rubbing her left temple.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what happens behind the scenes beyond the fight club ¡­ nothing.  There were just too many red flags for me; I don¡¯t need that kind of trouble.  In fact¡­¡±


    She gave Rachel a nervous laugh, wiping another tear from her left eye.  ¡°After this ¡­ you won¡¯t see me again; I¡¯ll call some contacts and get a flight out.  Whatever hornet¡¯s nest that¡¯s about to be kicked, I want no part in it.¡±


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Good plan.  I appreciate your honesty ¡­ if I heard you were lying,¡± she said with a smirk, pointing at her ears, ¡°then I would have started ripping your toes off.¡±


    Kate¡¯s saliva dried up, and she replied with a weak laugh.  ¡°... So ¡­ are you done with me?¡±


    ¡°I suppose I am,¡± Rachel replied, getting to her feet before stretching left and right, showing her flexibility; Kate hadn¡¯t mentioned Nia once, which had the girl a bit bothered.  ¡°I wish you a peaceful trip.¡±


    Kate nodded, swiftly getting to her feet and motioning to the back.  ¡°I¡¯m just going to say my goodbyes, and I¡¯ll be on my way to the airport.  May I go?¡±


    Rachel gestured for her to go on, turning to leave.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t warn anyone; it doesn¡¯t matter where you go, I can find you.¡±


    ¡°You have nothing to fear from me¡­¡±  She whispered, watching her back.


    ¡°Who said I was afraid?¡±  Rachel snickered in response, but she paused for a moment, considering the woman¡¯s position.  Turning around, she cleared her throat with a bright smile, causing the woman¡¯s eyes to widen with fright.  ¡°You did send some thugs to my grandfather¡¯s house, but it was my cousin that didn¡¯t pay you back ¡­ write down an account and I¡¯ll send you half.  Sound fair?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ you aren¡¯t playing with me?¡±


    ¡°Nope.  I¡¯ll get the money back from my cousin; he was the one causing problems that I need to clean up.¡±  In all honesty, she didn¡¯t want any trouble coming back to bite her grandfather and it seemed like Mason was causing a real mess.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    After taking the sheet of paper with the routing number and account, she exited the building with her pets.


    Kate was already calling a guy with a private jet to get a flight to New York City.


    Rachel raced to the seaside club, and the closer she got, the more interesting things became.  It was shocking to see a basement in Florida with the water table so high, but from what she heard within the earth, the club had a 3rd level basement.


    Considering if you tried to dig more than 10-feet down, you¡¯d get flooding, it was impressive that the original builder was able to get the equipment and materials for it.  It was against city code, and he¡¯d need to bribe a contractor to do it, although, considering he¡¯d recently purchased the place, the 3rd level would have been dug out years before.


    The insulation level was quite impressive; even while standing beside the structure, she couldn¡¯t penetrate the padding.  It was difficult enough to hear the fights happening in the 2nd level.  The ceilings, walls, and doors were heavily insulated for noise suppression, plus the music didn¡¯t make filtering through the vibrations easy; it was as if it was explicitly designed to counter her.


    Whoever had built the place was highly paranoid, and the guy who bought it and increased its security even more so; some criminals were just like that, though.  She figured it was for illegal underground storage; who would suspect a 3rd level basement in Florida City?


    She had to hand it to the designer and the new owner; it was kind of stupid, but kind of genius at the same time.


    Rachel had taken to the alleys and jumped across buildings to not draw attention with her speed, and stopped on the building¡¯s roof.  Lingering by the edge, she followed the crowds of teens gathering out front with a low hum; the kids were hoping to get inside since it was turning into a local hotspot.  If some of the bouncers got paid, they would turn a blind eye if the kids could pass as young adults.


    The fight currently taking place below her was barely audible to her past the cheers and shouts.  There was some kind of wolf Beastkin versus a Champion with the Fighter Tree.  The feral bare-knuckles combat was getting the large crowd hyped, calling for more blood, dodging, or brutal blows while betting.


    Alright, Nia.  Let¡¯s go back to our regular clothes.


    ¡°Huh?!  Wait, but aren¡¯t we going to a dangerous place?  We must float down like the wings of a crimson hawk, ready to pluck them into oblivion!¡±


    Mmh ¡­ I don¡¯t really know what you mean by that.  Rachel chuckled, figuring the girl was just stringing together random words.  We need to look cute and non-threatening; it will better contrast our approach.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ are you sure?  I think people would be like ¡­ oh, snap, belts around her leg!  Ripped tights!  Oh, no, look how wicked her braid is!  We should totally hide; these clothes mean business!¡±


    I want people to see how pretty we are, though.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ well, I mean, yeah, that¡¯s cool, too,¡± She giggled, and her clothes flashed white, changing into their casual outfit.


    Hopping down from the building and into the empty alley leading to the docks, Rachel made her way to the front with a bright smile.  She walked by all the average-looking women and men without clout in line, looking as innocent and gorgeous as she could manage.


    Not one eye within the lot and entrance left her; the men were enamored, and women jealous as the guards took one look and motioned her inside with a chuckle.  ¡°Have a nice night.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡±  She chimed.  ¡°I heard a lot about this place,¡± she giggled, pointing to her ears.


    They laughed while holding the door open; she had left Gisele and Hayan on the roof, much to their disappointment.


    Entering the fancy club, she turned her head left and right, waving at the people that gave her interested looks, but her destination was clear¡ªVIP.  The bouncers should have checked her ID, but being extremely attractive and exotic had many advantages she could take advantage of; of course, she¡¯d only seen girls do things like this in shows, yet it seemed to work in practice.


    She was someone that would rather be in a gym on her grind than in a club when given free time; this was the first time she¡¯d entered a business like this.


    Walking up to the security guard, Rachel said, ¡°Hey, my boyfriend said I should meet him in here.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  The guard mumbled but didn¡¯t budge.  He wasn¡¯t the only one to notice she was not a random Beastkin girl around the area.  ¡°Aren¡¯t you that Mythickin from Miami?¡±  He asked with a shiver running down his frame.


    Rachel sighed as a few local criminals started spreading the word; most of the occupants were fascinated by her glow and looks, but there were smarter thugs in the club.  The bartender to her left was already informing security that she was here.


    Figuring they¡¯d try to escort her out in a somewhat peaceful manner to not make a scene, asking for her ID and the like, Rachel held out her hand.  ¡°So, my name¡¯s Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ hey?  What¡¯s your boyfriend¡¯s¡­¡±  He reached out his hand to take hers, and she latched onto it like a vice, keeping her innocent smile.  ¡°Woah, hey¡­¡±


    He trailed off as she began to increase her pressure.  ¡°Shh ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t make a scene if you want to keep your hand.¡±  She giggled.


    ¡°... Wha ¡­ yo, you¡¯re kidding ¡­ aye, cut it¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± she returned, causing him to almost bite his tongue as her grip tightened.


    ¡°Okay, okay ¡­ umm, yo, I get it ¡­ mmgh¡­¡±  He bit his lip, drawing blood as a soft pop came from his fingers; she¡¯d dislocated a few.


    The bartender made a face, getting ready to come over and see what was up, but the bouncer lifted his free hand with a forced grin, making a gesture that everything was fine.  ¡°I ¡­ hope you know what you¡¯re getting into, girl¡­¡±  He growled.


    Rachel let him go, and he hid his stiff and trembling hand behind his back.  ¡°Oh, I know exactly what I¡¯m doing; I¡¯m here for Creed,¡± she mused.  ¡°Now be a good boy and open the door, or I can just force it open myself.¡±


    His face turned a whiter shade as she mentioned the name, motioning to a few bouncers that came out of a side room.  ¡°Creed ¡­ ahem ¡­ I see, umm ¡­ yeah, have a nice visit.¡±  He used his free hand to put his card to the electronic lock, opening it.


    ¡°I will, and you should get that hand checked out; I hope they give you insurance here,¡± she giggled.


    She received a few whistles when she entered VIP before their expressions fell upon getting a closer look at her.  ¡°... Wow, damn, girl!¡±


    ¡°Yo, come over ¡­ aww, shit.¡±


    ¡°Aye, if you don¡¯t want her, then ¡­ wait, is that the Miami Mythickin¡­¡±


    Rachel halted in the middle of the room, dropped her innocent act to give them an eager smile; two Beastkin thugs were coming through the downstairs doors to escort her out.  ¡°In the flesh.  Tell me, which one of you wants to escort me below?¡±


    The three groups in the room glanced at each other with a grimace.  None of them decided before the female and male Beastkin made it up the stairs and to the door.


    ¡°Ah, too slow,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°I¡¯ll choose one of you in a second; let me just handle some business real fast.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ combat mode?¡±  Nia asked.


    For these weaklings?  No.


    ¡°Okay, so pretty Nia gets to kick some butt!  This will be a first.¡±


    A salamander Beastkin man named Ken, and a raccoon girl named Pepper, opened the door, solemn eyes latching onto her.


    Ken cleared his throat.  ¡°We¡¯re going to have to ask you to leave.¡±


    Pepper didn¡¯t get a follow-up word as Rachel dashed forward without warning; their muscles barely had time to constrict and fur bristle.  The back of her left hand shot under Ken¡¯s jaw, snapping his neck back and causing his brain to blank, right hand palming his chest and sending him flying at the concrete wall.


    Ken struck the wall, gagging as the air in his lungs was forcefully expelled, rattled brain in a haze.


    While he flew away, Rachel lowered her position in one swift motion, swiping Pepper¡¯s feet out from under her before flipping around and snatching her stiff tail as she fell.  Rising, Rachel forced her butt into the air, holding her up by the tail and causing a choked squeak from the woman¡¯s throat.


    Rachel laughed while swinging the stunned and stiff Beastkin in a half circle; she struck the side of a table, snapping its supports.  She sank into the base of a couch, breaking part of it with a whimper.


    Everyone was speechless while the wind whipped through the enclosed room from her rapid movements, women hiding behind the men and the men trying to hide behind the woman after their initial reaction.


    Ken was curled into a ball on the floor, rasping; his lengthy tail curled around to his front, pressing tightly against his forehead.  Pepper was crying softly, clutching the base of her tail and lower back while stuck inside part of the couch a few women were occupying.  Both of the Beastkin had taken a reasonably powerful blow, but she was a little disappointed in them.


    Rachel hissed while shaking her head.  ¡°C¡¯mon ¡­ I know a sixteen-year-old girl that would be on her feet and running at me after that ¡­ pathetic.¡±


    Ken was still gasping, eyes bulging while fighting to find air; his earpiece was going off, asking if he¡¯d taken care of her.


    Her sinister grin and gaze shifted to the paralyzed VIP members.  ¡°Point at someone that has access to go below?  Don¡¯t make me wait.¡±


    A woman pointed at a well-dressed man in a suit.  ¡°H-He does ¡­ Jeff does!¡±


    ¡°Damn you, Kristie!  Uh, wait, wait ¡­ Tod does, too!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t care,¡± she replied, grabbing his arm that tried to shove her back and dragging him across the floor to the door.  ¡°Behave, or I¡¯ll rip your arm off.¡±


    His struggles swiftly faded.  ¡°I¡¯ll pay you ¡­ okay, okay!  Dammit!  Shit!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile turned innocent again, easily lifting the man off the ground and setting him on his feet.  ¡°Let¡¯s be convincing, Jeff!¡±


    Her eyes turned to Ken as he struggled to his feet, still clutching his chest; he failed twice, left knee giving way.  ¡°I¡¯d stay down,¡± Rachel advised, licking her full lips.  ¡°I¡¯m in a rather aggressive mood at the moment with all this fighting going on below us.¡±


    ¡°I got it!¡±  Jeff grunted, straightening his jacket.  ¡°Umm ¡­ heh, you just want me to get you into the room ¡­ right?¡±


    ¡°That a¡¯boy,¡± Rachel smirked, fondly slapping his cheek.  ¡°You see, Creed is my cousin, and I¡¯d like to see what he¡¯s been up to.¡±


    ¡°C-Creed is your cousin?¡±  Jeff mumbled, eyes widening while glancing over at the others.


    Pepper was giving her a tearful glare.  ¡°B-Bitch ¡­ you ¡­ I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    However, the cold grin she gave the woman shut her mouth in an instant.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to make it an official match?  I¡¯ll smear your blood all over the ground and make that face even uglier.¡±


    ¡°Man, you¡¯re getting scary!¡±  Nia mumbled with a forced laugh.  ¡°This whole mixed energy thing can really pull it out of you, huh?¡±


    My blood¡¯s just too hot right now.  Rachel replied.  The White Moon really does put me in a confrontational mood.


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ you¡¯re making my pretty outfit look frightening, though¡­¡±


    Fine, fine, go ahead and go battle mode.


    ¡°Okai!¡±  Nia chimed, voice turning dramatic while changing.  ¡°I am known as the all-consuming light!  Tremble, mortals!  Forever will you rest; eternal lunar night falls upon you ¡­ sink into the endless abyss, scum!  Despair!  Lunar Nia wears the crown of judgment ¡­ the verdict ¡­ extinction!¡±


    Nia may sound close to thirteen years old, but Rachel was beginning to think she was more along the lines of a mouthy nine-year-old.


    The crowd gave her confused looks as her clothes changed, and she opened the door leading to the floor below with the guard.  She clicked her tongue, hearing orders come through his headset about her.  ¡°Well, Jeff ¡­ looks like I won¡¯t need you.¡±


    She walked in, closing the door behind her while adding a passive smile, gripping her hands loosely above her tail.  Descending the stairs, the man gave her a hard glare.  ¡°What did you do¡­¡±


    ¡°To Pepper and Ken?¡±  She innocently asked.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you find out yourself by going upstairs?¡±  He wasn¡¯t standing directly in front of the door, so Rachel took the spot, looking at the heavy metal door.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ well, isn¡¯t this a sturdy door?¡±


    Setting her left foot against the concrete stairs for leverage, Rachel forced her fingers into the side of the door, biting into the wall and bending the folded steel, destroying the locks.


    The guard pressed up against the corner as he watched.  ¡°Holy shit¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± she mused, giving him a cheeky grin, ¡°your door doesn¡¯t work; anyone could get in like this.  Guess I¡¯ll let myself in.¡±


    ¡°Hey ¡­ just take my card,¡± he grumbled, shakily handing her the item.  ¡°Damn ¡­ what kind of monster are you?¡±  He mumbled.


    She chuckled at the comment, taking it and going through the next two doors, making it into the fighting club.  Four more dangerous-looking men, one Beastkin and three Champions were waiting for her on the other side, but a 5¡¯4 man that went by Feno waved them away.


    There was a bar in the corner and a spot for people to do various drugs; four pillars acted as the caged arena at the room¡¯s center.


    ¡°Now, now, heh, let¡¯s see what the Mythickin wants ¡­ I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯re here with a whole Police squad at your back?  I haven¡¯t heard anything from my contacts.¡±


    Rachel ignored the fight club manager, vision shifting over to her cousin across the room, easily visible with his height.  ¡°Creed,¡± she called out in a sweet voice, waving at him with an innocent smile; she knew he could probably hear her voice since he was a Beastkin.


    Mason¡¯s gaze shot to her, nose creasing.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ the hell are you doing here?¡±  He grumbled.


    ¡°Oh, you know Creed?¡±  Feno whispered, following her focus.  ¡°That¡¯s excellent ¡­ hmm, are you planning on¡­¡±  He trailed off as the hallway guard snuck in behind her to speak in his ear.


    ¡°Aye, yo!¡±  He hissed.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°She literally just destroyed the front door ¡­ like bent the steel and tore out the concrete.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Rachel casually walked around the preoccupied crowd, giving the combatants a wry turn of her lips; they were undoubtedly going hard at one another, but Elena could have probably kicked their asses.  Blood of multiple colors splattered across the ring, and there were signs of broken teeth, ears, and even a finger among countless damage to the floor and thick steel chain-link fence.


    Mason waded through the throng, most making room when they noticed he was on the move.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ you shouldn¡¯t have followed me!  The hell are you wearing ¡­ yo, I don¡¯t wanna see your breasts like that ¡­ shit,¡± he grumbled, cheeks coloring.


    A few people called after him, wondering where he was going, but quit once they saw she was his destination; the women were giving her calculating glares.


    ¡°I grew a little interested, is all,¡± Rachel returned, giving him a shrug, ¡°and sure, I get it.¡±  Nia, let¡¯s go back to normal; Mason would rather see us pretty than edgy.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ okay ¡­ let¡¯s see ¡­ ah, I got it!  You are lucky this day, worms!  My darkness lifts ¡­ count your blessings, but know I will return!  Mu-ha-ha-ha-ha!¡±


    With that, her clothes returned to their simple designs.  Bypassing the stunned looks, she gave her cousin an amused smirk, nudging her head toward the ring while gripping her hands behind her back.  ¡°So, a fight club?  What, you didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be interested in something like this?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ I knew you would; I just didn¡¯t want you here,¡± Mason grunted.  ¡°Yo, let¡¯s go¡­¡±


    He walked toward the door but paused upon seeing Feno; the man was thoughtfully rubbing his chin while looking at her.


    ¡°Huh ¡­ Creed, I heard something about her being your cousin ¡­ you didn¡¯t tell me you were related to Miami¡¯s infamous Mythickin Lunar Hare.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±  Rachel cooed with a smirk.  ¡°He must be embarrassed about me.  So, Feno, what would it take for me to throw my hat in the ring?  I could go right now.¡±


    A rumble shook Mason¡¯s throat.  ¡°Rachel¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s too soon, dear,¡± Feno chuckled.  ¡°Let¡¯s line it up for tomorrow, eh?  Of course, you have to at least come with 1 grand entry fee; everyone does,¡± he shrugged helplessly.  ¡°What do you say?  You could make bank!  There¡¯s a ranked competition happening over the next few days.¡±


    A fire lit inside of Rachel¡¯s breast.  ¡°Great!  I¡¯ll have it tomorrow.¡±


    Before Mason could bluster anything out, she grabbed his big arm and forced him to follow her back through the door, waving the man goodbye.  ¡°Later!¡±


    ¡°Rachel ¡­ Rachel!¡±  Mason shouted, pulling away as they made it to the second door leading out.  ¡°What the hell is up with you just ¡­ just rolling in and stealing my shit!  Damn, why do you gotta be all up in my business, and the hell do you mean you¡¯re gonna compete?!  This isn¡¯t a game!¡±


    ¡°Heh, you don¡¯t think I know that?¡±  Rachel giggled, forcing him to keep up with her as she walked up the stairs and into the VIP room.  He went silent for a moment while observing Ken and Pepper recovering on a nearby couch, sending knives with their eyes at her.


    Rachel gave Pepper a wink.  ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow; sharpen those fangs.¡±


    ¡°Bitch¡­¡±


    Ken¡¯s nostrils flared, rubbing his chest.  ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting¡­¡±


    Mason¡¯s nose was twitching, but he waited until they made it onto the street, Gisele and Hayan coming down to join them.  ¡°What¡¯s ¡­ your game?  You can¡¯t just run into a place like Balto¡¯s and make enemies like that ¡­ they¡¯ll kill you!¡±  He shouted as they exited the main crowds.


    ¡°Look,¡± Rachel directed a sympathetic grin up at him.  ¡°If anything, Mason, you don¡¯t belong there.  Have you checked your attitude lately?  You haven¡¯t yelled ¡®catch these hands¡¯ since I got here, and I¡¯ve given you plenty of opportunities.¡±


    ¡°... You know ¡­ you¡¯re right, and I¡¯m getting real pissed at the bullshit, Rach,¡± he growled, rubbing his shoulders.  ¡°Let¡¯s go; you and me, and if I win, then you¡¯ll back out and go the hell away ¡­ shit, I thought you¡¯d be at least a bit more tolerable, but you¡¯re still an ass.  What, you think you¡¯re hot shit after some weak Miami crap?  Yo, and the hells with those skimpy ¡­ edgy clothes you had on, too ¡­ damn, didn¡¯t think you were into all that cosplay shit.¡±


    She lifted an eyebrow, giving her cousin a sidelong look.  ¡°Weak Miami crap ¡­ the hell do you think I did because obviously, you don¡¯t know shit.  If you want me to kick your ass again to prove I¡¯m a real fighter and not some street punk, then I¡¯ll lay you on your back again.  I won¡¯t even go for a low-blow.¡±


    ¡°I wish you would,¡± Mason huffed.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Rachel snickered, ¡°didn¡¯t think you were into that whole S&M shit, and with your cousin?¡±


    ¡°Son of a ¡­ cut the shit!  Damn, okay, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Rachel motioned him to a nearby field.  ¡°Heh, still got the mind of a boy going through puberty.  Hey, I¡¯ll make you a deal, okay, Mr. Beta.¡±


    His large muscles bulged at her taunts; she was really trying and still couldn¡¯t get him to physically lash out.  Something really insane happened to him that had cowed her hot-headed cousin, and she didn¡¯t like it.  He used to be a punk, but at least he had some balls and would stick up for himself, talking about true gender equality.


    He was so mad he couldn¡¯t even reply, so she went on, motioning to Hayan.  ¡°Beat my pet, and I¡¯ll head back home and leave you alone forever.¡±


    Mason bared his teeth, his deep voice coming out in a shout.  ¡°Dammit!  How far are you going to go!¡±  A thick orange glow surrounded his body as he turned to punt Hayan into the stratosphere.  ¡°I¡¯m sick of you, and this¡­¡±


    Hayan hopped up more than twice his foot¡¯s travel speed, creating a lunar disk as a platform, swapping positions to give her cousin an evil, jagged-toothed smirk before charging up his attack.  Her blob¡¯s typically gelatinous form became charged with Lunar Energy, smashing into Mason¡¯s astonished mug and just about sending him into a complete loop, landing hard on his belly.


    ¡°Oh.  My.  Goodness,¡± Nia mumbled in horror.  ¡°Did you kill him?!  Mom¡¯s gonna be pissed¡­¡±


    Mom ¡­ and no, he¡¯s not dead ¡­ just knocked out, she grumbled.


    She bent down to check on her comatose block-head of a cousin; her ears twitched with agitation, scanning to make sure no one was around to see what just happened because Nia wouldn¡¯t have been the only one to think a little pudgy rabbit blob just took a boy¡¯s head off.


    Hayan was grinning up at her with pride while hopping on top of his conquered foe, practically screaming, I am the greatest!


    Rachel puffed out a long breath, scratching her temple; she didn¡¯t think Hayan would flatten her cousin, but considering where he¡¯d come from, she should have expected he could pack a punch.  Well, shit ¡­ uh, we¡¯ll have to wait for him to wake up.


    It took three minutes for her cousin to regain consciousness; she breathed a sigh of relief.  It was time for her to be direct and just ask him what had him so agitated and entirely off his game because his attitude wasn¡¯t sitting right with her.  Something had left him shook, and it wasn¡¯t like him.


    She blinked, catching sight of something colorful beside her cousin¡¯s groaning form; bending down, she smiled at what appeared to be a leftover plastic Easter egg from the previous year, forgotten in a small hole that had been dug in the field.


    Opening it, she giggled at the paper inside that had a Bible verse and old jolly rancher.  ¡°Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.  You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!  Isaiah 26:19.  Hehe ¡­ hey, Mason, it¡¯s about you.¡±


    ¡°Eh?  What happened¡­¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 8. Matchmaker

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1: Rachel Park


    Recap:  Rachel went and cleaned up her cousin''s mess, running a loan shark lady out of the state, tearing up and putting some thugs in prison, and bustin'' in on Mason in the fight club while setting up a date to ''run them hands.''  She''s on a roll, and when she finally ran out of patience, she had Hayan slap the pants of her cousin and made him to a flip to land unconscious on the grass ... Hayan ain''t playin''; he''s jumpin'' on his back showing dominance!


    Something tells me that''s gonna really hurt Mason''s pride ... best not tell the family ... what happens in the field, stays in the field, right?  Snitches get stitches, after all ... unless it''s Rachel, and then if you don''t, you get broken ... real broken.


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    Rachel tossed the egg to the side, watching Hayan dart after it, jagged jaws opening to snatch it with his tongue.  It vanished into his sticky mouth, but this time, he didn¡¯t spit it out, turning to her with a cute smile.


    So ¡­ you can eat plastic.  Interesting.


    Smoothing back her hair as the wind picked up, her gaze shifted to Mason.


    Her cousin rolled to his side with a low groan.  ¡°Ugh ¡­ the hell hit me?  Gah, my face stings ¡­ Dammit, I can¡¯t see straight.¡±


    He rolled back to the ground, muscles tightening up while hugging his elbows against his muscular sides, and Rachel started stretching out to pass the time, waiting for him to recover.


    A few deep breaths puffed in and out of his lungs, blinking his eyes while trying to get saliva back in his throat.  ¡°Yo ¡­ seriously, what ¡­ the hell is on my chest?¡±  He mumbled, looking at Hayan¡¯s evil grin; the blob maneuvered back into position on top of his conquered foe.


    Rachel snickered.  ¡°My little marshmallow there knocked your ass out, a one-hit knockout.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± She balanced to the side to get a better view of his stunned face, ¡°you flipped around like a dolphin before landing smack on your face.¡±


    Mason groaned, still not fully aware of everything she was saying, considering he just saw Hayan on his chest and didn¡¯t even freak out.  He released a compressed stream of air while rubbing his temples and clearing the reactive tears that came from his eyes.


    It took another minute before it finally sank in.  ¡°... Damn ¡­ shit ¡­ how the hell is your pet so strong?¡±  He mumbled.


    Releasing a short chuckle, Rachel pointed to a bench across the field, where the jogging path was located; the area led to a track that went into the national park, but no one was around after hearing the President¡¯s address.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go sit down.  You think you¡¯re good enough to talk?¡±  She teased.


    Mason grumbled a response in his throat while rolling to his side to get up; Hayan hopped off his chest, returning to her side where Gisele stood.  ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, tough guy,¡± Rachel laughed.  ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He went before her, reluctantly running his hands through his hair, but he stumbled to the left a bit before catching himself.  ¡°... I¡¯m fine¡­¡±  He repeated.


    Damn ¡­ Hayan really knocked his brain around.


    She casually followed his progress, and his stability improved by the second, so she turned her attention elsewhere.


    From what Rachel could hear, most people were sleeping, on social media, or on their phones, talking with friends and family about the insane Presidential Address.


    Her gaze lifted to the falling moon; it wouldn¡¯t be up for much longer, and she had to wonder how powerful the effects of the various moons were.  It seemed like they were only increasing in potency as she leveled and engaged in serious situations.


    The aggressive attitude she had when storming the fight club was similar to how she reacted and felt in South Beach, yet it was also very different.  She was far more calculating and thoughtful about their movements at that time, but with the mixture of energy within her, she had been a brazen wrecking ball.


    Perhaps that was the effect of how strong she felt now ¡­ Then again, caution was what kept her alive.  She decided to first try to get rid of all her White Moon energy first; the Flush Moon¡¯s perks were just too powerful to lose, and the Coral Moon intrigued her.


    Her mind pictured an orange moon in the sky, casting an ominous tint across the landscape.  It was basically the cursed moon and would significantly bolster her curses; in fact, maybe she should start working toward that angle for Cuba.  It was certainly a place she could test it out.


    Mason pulled her attention away as he cleared his throat, turning a little to glare at her.  ¡°Ahem ¡­ yo, so ¡­ how¡¯s my face?¡±


    She smirked, skirt fluttering a bit against her legs as she increased her pace.  ¡°Red, but it¡¯s not broken ¡­ I¡¯m a little surprised, actually.  Hayan must have held back a bit.¡±


    His nose twisted, but he didn¡¯t respond, turning away to glare at the bench.


    Rachel let the conversation die, loosely holding her hand behind her back.  Her head and ears shifted to the right, honing in on Jessy and her grandfather.  She couldn¡¯t hear her grandfather¡¯s soft breathing from this far away, but a loud, aggravated groan from Jessy told Rachel she was still awake and restless with how their discussion went.


    Halfway to the bench, Mason finally mumbled, ¡°So ¡­ you think I¡¯m weak?¡±


    It was as if he was looking for her to confirm what he was already thinking, which infuriated Rachel even more.


    ¡°Gah, what¡¯s with you?¡±  She growled, scratching at the base of her left ear.  ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said?  Hayan hit you pretty hard; that would have taken off a normal person¡¯s head ¡­ easily, yet you were just thrown for a loop.  You''re not weak ¡­ I¡¯m just really strong, and Hayan has to be able to do something in the places I go.¡±


    He shifted a little to stare at her, giving a short grunt.  ¡°Have a high opinion of yourself ¡­ as always.¡±


    Rachel shook her head with a short sigh.  ¡°Look, I didn¡¯t come to grandpa¡¯s to get into a pissing contest with you.  Seriously, what¡¯s up with the way you¡¯ve been acting?  I¡¯m concerned about you, okay?¡±


    Mason¡¯s gaze shifted to the houses far across the field, beyond the parking lot.  ¡°... I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    Finished playing around, Rachel increased her pace a bit to catch up to him.  ¡°Let¡¯s cut this shit.  If you don¡¯t let me in on whatever this mess is that you¡¯ve landed in, then I¡¯m going to have to tell Grandpa about everything.¡±


    ¡°Huh?  For real ¡­ a snitch?!¡±  Mason growled.  ¡°I didn¡¯t picture you¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s glowing eyes narrowed as she cut him off.  ¡°You pulled him into this the moment you brought back a tail and put a target on his back.  Did you know Kate sent goons over to shake down Grandpa for the twenty grand you borrowed from her?¡±


    ¡°Wait ¡­ no, but ¡­ how do you know about Kate?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Rachel shot him a glare.  ¡°Is that it?  I went and cleaned up your mess, and that¡¯s all you have to say?  What would have happened if I hadn¡¯t come today and got here tomorrow, huh?  What might have happened to Jessy or Grandpa?¡±


    His lips pulled in.  ¡°I ¡­ I would have been there if you hadn¡¯t chased me out with¡­¡±


    Rachel smirked.  ¡°Right, you would have known exactly what to do and knew the right people to call in order to smooth the whole situation over?  No.  Just because you have powers doesn¡¯t mean you can do anything you want.  I¡¯m cautious with the things I do ¡­ most of the things I do, and have connections to back me up, and you, you¡¯re floundering.¡±


    He slowed to a stop, muscles tightening with concern.  ¡°No, seriously ¡­ what did you do about Kate?  She¡¯s got a lot of protection from criminals that use her¡­¡±


    ¡°I told you, I handled Kate; she¡¯s running for New York as we speak, calling some of those connections to get as far away from me as possible because I know what I¡¯m doing.  By the way, you owe me ten grand.¡±


    Mason¡¯s muscular arms folded across his chest.  ¡°Oh ¡­ you paid her?¡±


    ¡°No, I felt bad for her,¡± Rachel rolled her eyes.  ¡°She gave you money, and it was a shady deal, but you still made it.  I¡¯m sending her the 10k to show I¡¯m reasonable because I can always find her again if I need to use her connections that you were talking about.  I think ahead, but I suppose your actions make a lot more sense considering you¡¯re a Bear Berserker Beastkin,¡± she mumbled.


    He sucked in his lower lip, vision falling to her feet.  ¡°You scared her so bad that she¡¯s going to New York ¡­ what did you do to her?¡±


    Rachel continued walking toward the bench, turning to give him a smug smile.  ¡°I didn¡¯t have to do anything but show up; she knew who I was, as do many of the hardcore gangsters in this area.  Do you really want to know why I can act the way I do?¡±


    ¡°I get the feeling you¡¯re going to tell me,¡± He grunted, following her to the bench.  ¡°You scared off some Miami mobster crew or something, right?  I asked about it when I heard people talking about you, and some of the guys in the club said the story was overrated.¡±


    Her stomach shook with laughter upon getting to the seat, smoothing out her skirt while taking the left side.  ¡°The same ones that pissed themselves when I showed up?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Rachel gave her cousin a side-long smirk.  ¡°Do you know anyone that has ripped a tank apart with their bare hands?¡±


    Mason¡¯s muscles tightened as he took the opposite, eyebrow lifting with a doubtful look.  ¡°Uh ¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think so,¡± Rachel hummed, crossing her legs and folding her arms under her breasts.  ¡°Let¡¯s see ¡­ Do you know of anyone that has survived being thrown into a car that was then carried with them through three buildings and proceeded to kick the man that did it into two bloodied corpses?¡±


    His mouth opened, then shut, mind working to process what she was telling him, and she continued to run down the list of things she¡¯d been through and done throughout the last two weeks.  Most of the things she¡¯d done for Tom would be unclassified, excluding the Azure Frost since it was a world threat item.


    When she got to the part about going through a crystal where there were giant bugs and aliens, his heart rate increased, lips pulling in, but by the time she got to the Legend¡¯s Quest, his face was sheet white.


    Staring up at the falling moon with a smile as she finished, Rachel said, ¡°So ¡­ tell me, am I really overrated?¡±


    Mason¡¯s focus was on his lap, still working through her story and connecting it to his cousin.


    ¡°Yeah, thought so,¡± Rachel mused.  ¡°No, I¡¯d say I¡¯m severely underrated.¡±


    ¡°... So ¡­ you really killed people?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, but only those that really were asking for it.  I mean, I probably could have avoided a bit of trouble if I did kill the mobsters trying to kidnap, rape, and sell my friend instead of brutally crushing their bones to powder, but ¡­ hindsight is 20/20,¡± she chuckled, ¡°and I had a manipulative witch influencing me.  Nope.  I¡¯m not the same cousin you remember,¡± she stated with a grin.


    A weak chuckle left Mason¡¯s throat while ruffling his hair.  ¡°You know ¡­ I overheard my parents once say that you¡¯d eventually kill someone one day.  I, uh, guess they weren¡¯t wrong.¡±


    She frowned at the comment, glaring at the grass.


    ¡°Burn!¡±  Nia laughed.


    ¡°Well ¡­ your parents never really did like me much.  Nam, though ¡­ they loved him to death.¡±


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ don¡¯t remind me,¡± he grumbled.  ¡°They¡¯re still using him as the golden example I should look up to.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so I shared my story,¡± Rachel said, giving him a meaningful look.  ¡°Now, why are you acting like a complete¡­¡±  She caught herself, releasing a sad sigh.  ¡°What¡¯s up with you acting so reserved?  I told you, I¡¯m here to help, but I just can¡¯t get over you bringing in Jessy to make Clare jealous ¡­ it¡¯s not fair to her.¡±


    A puff of air shot through his lips, and he rubbed the back of his neck.  ¡°... Dude, it¡¯s not like that ¡­ how did you even come up with that whole story in the first place?  Look, I just needed someone here to ¡­ you know, support me, and well, she¡¯s the only one that¡¯s always had my back, ya know?  No matter what, she¡¯s there, in my corner, and well ¡­ I just needed that.¡±


    He groaned, leaning forward to rest his elbows against his thighs.  Mason glared down at Hayan, sitting between his spread-out legs to continue sending a challenging stare up at him.  ¡°Yo, now I do sound weak¡­¡±


    Seriously ¡­ he¡¯s as dense as a neutron star.


    Rachel rolled her eyes again.  ¡°Oh, you think most girls would just drop everything and scamper over to comfort you?¡±


    ¡°Wha ¡­ I didn¡¯t say that?  Yo, what¡¯s going on in that head?¡±  He mumbled, straightening while folding his large arms again in a defensive posture.  ¡°We¡¯ve been best friends for like ¡­ ever.  She¡¯s been there for me, and I try to be there for her ¡­ oh¡­¡±


    His eyes widened, and he gave her a sad smile, shaking his head.  ¡°I get it.  You don¡¯t have any friends; look, it¡¯s just what friends do.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s tail stiffened at the passing comment, eyes narrowing.  ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t have any friends, do I?  I have quite a few now, actually, or have you forgotten about the other girls you¡¯ve seen me with on those sites?¡±


    ¡°Wait ¡­ they¡¯re actually your friends?¡±  He asked.  ¡°I just thought they were like ¡­ I don¡¯t know, modeling buddies or something.¡±


    Her expression dulled.  ¡°... Modeling buddies ¡­ okay, let¡¯s do this, then¡­¡±


    She straightened her skirt, shifting positions to show that she was expecting his attention, and she got it.  ¡°How often does Jessy dress up when you guys go out?¡±


    ¡°Yo, uh ¡­ heh, what¡¯s up with this direction ¡­ we went from like, you killing people to talking about Jessy being a girl?  I mean, yeah, she¡¯s a girl, just like you, shocker,¡± he snickered, throwing her earlier comment back in her face.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Rachel lifted an eyebrow; she¡¯d really have to work to smash through her cousin¡¯s thick skull.  ¡°Does she play with her hair a lot?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you noticed, too?¡±  He grinned.  ¡°I guess you are pretty observant.  Yeah, it¡¯s kind of a nervous tick of hers that she does sometimes.  It¡¯s kind of funny, actually.  Sometimes I count to see how often she¡¯ll do it when we¡¯re out eating somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ out eating as friends.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he sat back, becoming more comfortable with the conversation.  ¡°She likes this burger place which is kind of expensive, but she spots me a lot of the time when I¡¯m short.¡±


    ¡°Cool, cool,¡± Rachel nodded with a small smile.  ¡°She buys you things you want.  Does she wear casual clothes or dresses?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a girl,¡± Mason laughed again, ¡°but unlike you, she actually likes wearing dresses, but ¡­ I guess you¡¯ve changed a bit on that,¡± he noted, eyeing her skirt.  ¡°Seriously, though, what¡¯s up with you ragging on Jessy; she¡¯s really cool.  Why should I judge her if she dresses up when we go out or if she takes some time to check on her looks in the bathrooms?¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, he¡¯s talking about me!¡±  Nia squealed before her tone dulled dramatically.  ¡°But yeah, he¡¯s dumb as bricks; c¡¯mon, get to the good part!¡±


    I¡¯m getting there ¡­ it¡¯s like guiding a horse to a spring ¡­ but he doesn¡¯t know there¡¯s water right in front of his face.


    ¡°Poor Jessy ¡­ we must help our sister in arms combat this giant!  Ready the catapults!¡±


    Uh-huh.


    Rachel shook her head with Nia shouting for invisible troops to begin the assault.  ¡°Right ¡­ I bet she likes to playfully slap your arm and is always super peppy and energetic when you¡¯re around, too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, look, Rach,¡± he mumbled, scratching his right arm, ¡°I know she can be a bit hyper and touchy, but c¡¯mon, I¡¯m not going to cut ties with her because of that.  I¡¯m not telling you to quit being friends with those other girls.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that,¡± Rachel groaned, flipping her hair out behind the bench.  ¡°Just keep answering my questions.  What kind of things does she buy for you?¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± he grumbled, ¡°but it sounds like you''re just harping on Jessy for no reason; she¡¯s great, okay?  Umm ¡­ I mean, yeah, she¡¯s bought some games and stuff on steam so we can play together.  I know games aren¡¯t your thing,¡± he noted with a slight glare, ¡°but she likes them.  Well ¡­ she likes them, but she¡¯s not great at them,¡± he forced a chuckle, ¡°and when she¡¯s losing really bad, she gets mad and punches my arm if I laugh at her.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh ¡­ so, she finds reasons to touch you,¡± Rachel finally came out and said.


    ¡°Hold up ¡­ say that again.  Yo, you make it sound ¡­ what¡¯s up with that?¡±  He gave her an incredulous look; Nia was softly chanting some kind of spell in her head, trying to increase his intelligence level, distracting Rachel.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rachel¡¯s shoulders slumped in defeat; she¡¯d never get it past his rock-like brain at this pace.


    Agitation touched her voice as she went on a rant.  ¡°Let me get this straight ¡­ Jessy drops whatever she has planned to do stuff with you or be there when you need support.  Dresses up whenever you go out together.  Is super conscious about her looks when around you.  She finds reasons to touch you and buys you things you like to get your attention.  Does she date?  No, she doesn¡¯t.  Drawing a picture yet because I¡¯ve damn near painted the dropping hints version of the Sistine Chapel!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mason whispered, eyes like saucers.  ¡°You¡¯re not telling me she ¡­ Jessy likes me?  No, no, no,¡± he repeated while shaking his head.  ¡°We¡¯re just friends!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s dull expression said everything she wanted to, but it still wasn¡¯t enough.  ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ impossible.  Look, cuz, Jessy breaks the touch barrier with you ¡­ a lot, right?  She touches on your shoulder, lightly plays with you, pats you ¡­ Listen, Mason, it might come as a shock to you, but women are very particular about touch,¡± she lectured.


    ¡°We don¡¯t like guys groping us, but if a woman is breaking that barrier, nine times out of ten, they¡¯re very interested in you.¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± He looked genuinely stunned.  ¡°You¡¯re not playing with me?¡±  He mumbled, uncomfortably rubbing his shoulder.


    ¡°No!  God!¡±  Rachel glared at him.  ¡°You mentioned that she spends serious money on you, like buying games and other things you like, which is an investment on her part in you.  Those activities help her get closer to you when she could be buying clothes or makeup to attract another guy, which isn¡¯t cheap.  Why doesn¡¯t she do that?  It¡¯s because she¡¯s not trying to impress another guy or get their attention.¡±


    Mason¡¯s muscles slumped, floored by the news, and Rachel drove the nail home.  ¡°She really, really doesn¡¯t like Clare, does she?¡±


    He silently shook his head, eyes pulling inward to reflect on her worlds.


    ¡°No, because Clare is Jessy¡¯s competition.  Gah, guys don¡¯t know the first thing about women,¡± Rachel growled, ¡°especially if the girl¡¯s too insecure to come out and say it.  Although, most women do enjoy the chase,¡± she admitted, ¡°but there has to be a line, c¡¯mon, man¡­¡±


    His voice had gone hoarse with panic.  ¡°W-What should I do ¡­ I just ¡­ I can¡¯t deal with that right now.  I mean ¡­ when she bought those tickets to Disney World for us to go on in two months was ¡­ was that because she wanted to ask me or something?  How long has she liked me?¡±  He asked, directing the question at her.


    ¡°Ask her,¡± Rachel grumbled.  ¡°The real question is, what are you going to do now that you know?  I¡¯m not going to tell you to date her, but it¡¯s really unfair to let her keep thinking she has hope, especially in this horrible situation you¡¯ve put her in.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­¡±  Mason trailed off, taking a shuddering breath while gripping his arms against his abdomen.  ¡°Is this going to affect our friendship?¡±


    Rachel laughed, gripping her own shaking stomach as Gisele hopped closer to examine her.  ¡°You¡¯d be an idiot to think it wouldn¡¯t!  It doesn¡¯t matter what you say to her or what she says back.  The hope that¡¯s grown in her heart is like a balloon, and you¡¯ve allowed it to fly really high over the years; the moment that pops, it¡¯s a long way down.¡±


    A shiver ran down his frame, and he leaned forward, trying to get saliva back into his mouth.  ¡°I just ¡­ I can¡¯t think about that ¡­ I¡¯ve got other issues I¡¯m working through¡­¡±  He groaned.


    Rachel¡¯s mirth died down.  ¡°Okay, what issues?¡±


    He swallowed, filling his lungs with air before blowing it out.  ¡°... You know those crystals you were talking about?¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±  Rachel replied, straightening a little at the mention.


    ¡°Well ¡­ I¡¯ve been in one, and ¡­ look, I don¡¯t know how you deal with it, but ¡­ there were these creatures ¡­ little mushroom people, and well ¡­ I was paid to deal with them.


    Rachel folded her arms, sitting back while linking everything her cousin was confessing; her ears trained on the fight club, but they¡¯d sealed the door again.


    What are the chances that a crystal opened up in a mobster¡¯s 3rd-level contraband basement?  It¡¯s more serious than I thought.


    ¡°So,¡± she mumbled, ¡°the club is a front for the fights, which is a front for criminal merchandise, which is now a front for a crystal gateway?  How did you get involved, and what are the issues?¡±


    He gave her a conflicted look.  ¡°You didn¡¯t ¡­ no, umm ¡­ I was promised a challenge, and at first, it really was.  I got hurt pretty bad, but there was this healer there that patched me up ¡­ I kind of lost my temper and went wild, and then ¡­ I was killing those mushroom people ¡­ they weren¡¯t even fighting back ¡­ It looked like they were begging for mercy, but I just couldn¡¯t stop.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel slowly nodded, connecting it back to her brother¡¯s experience at the Police Station.  ¡°And now you see them in your nightmares.¡±


    Mason closed his eyes, gripping his face.  ¡°They were like helpless people ¡­ big blue eyes pleading for me to spare them as others tried to use their own bodies to cover the little ones.  Now ¡­ whenever I get mad, I can just ¡­ I see them in my head ¡­ my claws ripping through them to spray black blood everywhere.¡±


    Her mood mellowed dramatically at the change in tone.  ¡°... Did it close?¡±


    He shook his head, unable to speak as tears fell down his cheeks, body shaking.  ¡°I stopped ¡­ eventually, and I just c-collapsed.  Dodger, the club owner ¡­ he put them in cages and was getting equipment to try and mine some of the strange rocks around the forest.  Feno told me he wanted a word before I left, but ¡­ then you dragged me out.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s muscles relaxed with a heavy sigh, giving her cousin a somber look.  ¡°... It¡¯s a bad situation ¡­ you guys didn¡¯t know any better, but there are other ways to close it.¡±  She scratched her left rabbit ear as it twitched.  ¡°... Sorry for being so rough on you, Mason.  Let me know if there¡¯s something I can do to help you get through it, but for now, I need to report the gateway.


    ¡°Leaving one of those open opens the door for a lot of scary things to happen; if it¡¯s left open long enough, it can cause a second crystal to form, like the one that I went into, and ¡­ that was bad ¡­ really bad.  So bad that the government was bringing in a nuke.¡±


    He rubbed his cheeks, clearing his throat before sniffing.  ¡°W-What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what the big shots want,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°As for you ¡­ you should go home and talk things over with Jessy.  I know it won¡¯t be easy, but if you really need help, then see if you can get it from her, but don¡¯t play Jessy for it.  If you need someone in your corner, just call me.¡±


    Mason gave her a sad stare.  ¡°You may think you¡¯ve changed a lot ¡­ but you haven¡¯t ¡­ not that much, at least.¡±  He released a long sigh.  ¡°So ¡­ what should I do about Jessy?¡±


    She got to her feet, stretching out a bit; Gisele and Hayan shot to attention, ready to go.  ¡°Be honest with me ¡­ Who¡¯s prettier, Jessy or Clare?¡±


    He groaned.  ¡°Eh ¡­ mmh ¡­ Clare ¡­ by far.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°It is what it is, and if we¡¯re honest, some people are attractive, and some aren¡¯t.  Now, who do you like more?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ what do you mean by like?  As in, who¡¯s more attractive?  Because we already covered that.¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°No, who do you like being around more ¡­ spending time with ¡­ overall, just who do you get along better with?¡±


    His lip tucked under as he sat back, folding his arms again.  ¡°Uh ¡­ Jessy is way more agreeable and easy to be around.  With Clare, it¡¯s always about her, but Jessy pays more attention to what I want to do and doing things we both find fun.¡±


    Rachel chuckled, lightening the atmosphere a bit while lifting a questioning eyebrow.  ¡°Okay, what do you value more ¡­ A pretty thing on your arm that¡¯s bossy and demanding or a girl that¡¯s not so pretty but will be there for you when you¡¯re sick or going through shit?  In fact, who was it that you called when you needed someone¡¯s help to get through those nightmares?¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ see where you¡¯re coming from,¡± he mumbled, staring at the empty seat next to him.  Hayan swiftly jumped into the spot, sending another challenging glare at him, but Mason ignored it.  ¡°... I called Jessy.¡±


    ¡°Right.  Like I said,¡± Rachel repeated, holding up her hands, ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you what¡¯s right or wrong; it¡¯s your life, but it seems to be a pretty obvious choice to me who¡¯s the better pick.  You know¡­¡±


    A forced grin lightened Rachel¡¯s cheeks.  ¡°Jessy¡¯s probably going to be angrier at me than you, but it would have ended horribly eventually had I not smashed reality into your brain.  Although, I¡¯m actually doing this for you, not her.¡±


    ¡°No!!  We girls must stick together!  Traitor, traitor, traitor!  I¡¯ll tell Jessy!  Off with your head!¡±


    That doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t help Jessy out, too ¡­ my little Red Queen.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ okay, but ¡­ I¡¯m watching you¡­¡±  She warned.  ¡°Jessy deserves a prince, riding on a dragon with fire blanketing the sky!¡±


    Mhm¡­


    Mason¡¯s voice fell a few octaves.  ¡°I¡¯ll think about what I should say ¡­ Hey, Rach¡­¡±


    ¡°Sup?¡±  She asked, getting ready to head back to their grandfather¡¯s to get her phone.


    ¡°... Do you think I did the wrong thing ¡­ killing those creatures?¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t help a giggle sliding through her throat.  ¡°Heh ¡­ Cuz, I¡¯m the wrong person to be asking that question.  Honestly, no, I don¡¯t think so¡ªgiven the information you had.  You¡¯re too hard on yourself, but I get it ¡­ in fact, you should call Nam and talk to him about it.  He¡¯s going through some similar stuff, too.¡±


    Her cousin¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, call him and find out,¡± Rachel replied, turning away.  ¡°Alright, I need to go report this crystal; I figure you weren¡¯t supposed to say anything about it and all, but I¡¯ll keep my ears open.¡±


    He gave her a thankful smile.  ¡°... Thanks, Cuz ¡­ maybe you have changed a bit for the better.¡±


    Rachel snorted at the retort before taking off, heading back to the house.  Gisele had no chance of keeping up when she was actually running, and the poor bird was left in the dust; Hayan simply popped up every so often but wasn¡¯t far enough away to initiate it when she jumped over her grandfather¡¯s wall, entering the house through the back door she¡¯d left unlocked.


    Jessy sat up as she opened the door.  ¡°Huh?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cool; it¡¯s just me,¡± Rachel replied, easily able to see within the dark space.


    On her way over to retrieve her phone, Jessy got into a cross-legged position.  ¡°Hey, Rachel ¡­ umm, I¡¯m sorry about how I acted.  I was kind of ¡­ well, really mean at the end.¡±


    Snatching her phone, Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Don¡¯t mention it¡­¡±


    She trailed off as Nia gasped.  ¡°Oh!  Hey, you need to feed me more clothes so I can make you a purse!  It would be perfect!  Umm ¡­ we need to look at a bunch, so I can come up with a good design, though¡­¡±


    Hmm ¡­ would the stuff I put in it stay if you made it disappear?


    ¡°Of course, silly!  He-he-he.  What use would it be if it didn¡¯t?  Aren¡¯t I amazing, spectacular, stupendous?!¡±


    Huh, do you even know what those words mean?


    ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah, of course, I do!  Just ¡­ just don¡¯t ask me about the ¡­ umm, yeah, I know!¡±


    Right.  Right.  Well, I will say, Nia¡­


    ¡°Mhm?¡±


    I will say ¡­ you are the greatest, most fabulous, and liveliest Living Denier to ever exist!


    ¡°Y-You really mean it?¡±  She tearfully asked.  ¡°I¡¯m the greatest?¡±


    Don¡¯t forget the most fabulous and liveliest!


    ¡°You¡¯re the best!  Yeah, I¡¯m gonna make the best purse!¡±


    I have no doubt, my trusty sidekick.


    ¡°Oh.  My.  Goodness!  I¡¯m a sidekick!  We¡¯re supervillains!¡±


    Rachel winced.  Uh ¡­ villains?


    ¡°Mu-ha-ha-ha!  The purse of doom will send the world into an endless dimension of darkness to be swallowed by the abyssal fiend that is Nia, the lurking fabric within the shadows¡­¡±


    Mmh ¡­ yeah, okay ¡­ mhm¡­


    She was still on the edge train.


    Her attention moved to Jessy as she stumbled her way across the room to get to the light, flipping it on; the girl winced as the flash momentarily blinded her.  She was still struggling through her apology.


    ¡°... I was just so ¡­ well, embarrassed, and you picked it up so easily, which then made me think ¡­ well, what if Mason did, too, and he just ¡­ you know¡­¡±


    Rachel released a sad sigh, and just because of Jessy¡¯s train of thought.  ¡°Hey ¡­ you should really consider reality here, Jessy.  Tell Mason you like him, and rip the bandaid off fast; I know it¡¯s scary, but if you do like him that much, then give him the option¡ªI mean, we both know his skull is as thick as a brick,¡± she laughed.


    Jessy mirrored her.  ¡°Brick?  It¡¯s more like tungsten!¡±


    ¡°Right?!¡±  Rachel pointed at her phone, giving her an apologetic smile.  ¡°I need to make an important call for some work-related business.¡±


    The girl nodded, hands nervously tightening against her front as she tentatively asked, ¡°Should I, umm ¡­ dress up or something¡ªyou know, before telling him?¡±


    A small smile brightened Rachel¡¯s lips; things were working out perfectly.  Her prods had put the two on a collision course.  Jessy just needed a nudge to gain the confidence to go after what she wanted for so long; she had no doubt Clare knew about her feelings, too, and taunted her about it.  It just sounded like the kind of girl she was.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ it wouldn¡¯t hurt to just be yourself; if that means dressing up, then do it.  Mason¡¯s pretty far away¡ªI¡¯m a very fast runner,¡± she added, ¡°so he should be gone for another hour at the pace he¡¯s moving.¡±


    Jessy got up with a bright grin.  ¡°Thank you so much, Rachel!  Umm¡­¡±  Her posture turned awkward.  ¡°Can-Can I give you a hug?¡±


    ¡°Hug?!  Hugs!!!¡±  Nia practically shouted.  ¡°Yes, we get hugs!¡±


    Rachel relented with a light chuckle.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    Closing the distance, she opened her arms and allowed the girl to squeeze her.  ¡°I¡¯m just ¡­ I know I¡¯m odd¡ªno, I am strange, and it sounds bad, but you¡¯re like a sister I always wanted.¡±


    Great ¡­ it seems to be a common theme as of late.


    ¡°I know, aren¡¯t we amazing!¡±  Nia huffed with pride.


    Yeah, we¡­


    ¡°Oh, but you should tell her she has the wrong bra size, and her clothes are pretty cheap stuff.¡±


    ¡­ Really?


    ¡°What?!  I¡¯m trying to help!¡±


    That¡¯s not a conversation I can just bring up ¡­ it¡¯s not me.


    ¡°It¡¯s me!¡±


    So, you should develop a mouth.


    ¡°I can¡¯t ¡­ so rude¡­¡±


    Rachel released Jessy with a laugh.  ¡°Alright, well, I¡¯ll be listening.¡±


    Jessy¡¯s smile turned forced while pulling away.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ wish me luck¡­¡±


    ¡°Good luck!¡±  She returned, exiting the room.


    The nervous and excited girl rushed to her bag to grab clothes and products before running to the bathroom, a determined set to her movements.


    ¡°You know, I can see why you have a big ass,¡± Nia pouted.


    Nia ¡­ What is up with your obsession with my butt?  Rachel mused, trying to catch the girl off-guard.


    ¡°Well, duh ¡­ why wouldn¡¯t I be?  I¡¯m the one covering it!  Oh, but no ¡­ someone has stupidly long stupid, stupid hair, weaving back and forth, back and forth, covering up all the work I put in to show it off!  The next outfit needs to have braids.  No!  Pigtails!¡±


    I see ¡­ so that¡¯s why you¡¯ve been agitated ¡­ my hair is covering up your symbol.


    ¡°Stupid hair¡­¡±


    Mhm, and eh ¡­ pigtails?  I¡¯m a bit too old for pigtails, Nia.


    ¡°Nu-uh!  I¡¯m not!¡±


    Uh-huh ¡­ well, we can compromise on the next outfit, too.


    ¡°Pigtails are awesome¡­¡±


    I¡¯m not disputing you ¡­ it¡¯s just not really ¡­ my look.


    ¡°Oh, it totally is!  You¡¯re just too boring to realize it!¡±


    Boring?


    ¡°You heard what I said!  Boring ¡­ B-O-R-I¡­¡±


    I get it ¡­ fine!  If you can get it to work with my mother¡¯s help, then sure, I¡¯m okay with it, but she has to approve.


    ¡°OUR mom!  She¡¯s my mom because I¡¯m a part of you now!  He-he ¡­ I get a cool mom that buys me clothes to eat!  Yes, we need to see mom again!  When are we going home¡­¡±


    In a few days.


    ¡°Aww ¡­ but ¡­ but mom¡¯s going to be lonely, and what about Scarlet¡­¡±


    Nia¡­


    ¡°What?!¡±


    You¡¯re just trying to get me to go back sooner to get more outfits.


    ¡°Duh ¡­ I can¡¯t believe you had to say it ¡­ humph.  Freakin¡¯ hates pigtails ¡­ what kind of girl hates pigtails ¡­ no, with your hair, it would be twin-tails ¡­ drills ¡­ Scarlet had some fun ideas she wanted to do to it ¡­ but no, you¡¯re anti-fun.¡±


    Rachel ruefully shook her head at Nia¡¯s low grumbles while making her way outside.


    She took a deep breath of the nighttime sea air before dialing Tom.


    What approach should we take with this?  Hmm¡­


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 9. A Happy Ending

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1: Rachel Park


    Recap: Nia being Edgy, Adorable Nia, Rachel acting as Matchmaker for her cousin and his best friend, putting them on a crash course!  Now, let''s see how this roller coaster ends!  We also learned there''s a new crystal in town that needs to be dealt with, and so, time to call good ol'' Uncle Tom!


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    Rachel held her phone in front of her as the number dialed, but instead of Tom¡¯s voice that answered on the other end, Clay picked up.


    ¡°Ah, Rachel,¡± he mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re a bit confused by the redirect, but I¡¯ve been listed to take General Dallas¡¯s calls when he is asleep.¡±


    ¡°I see ¡­ That makes sense.¡±  She gave a weak laugh.  ¡°I¡¯ve woken him up in the middle of the night before.¡±


    Clay remained neutral in tone.  ¡°Understandable with the things you can discover with your hearing, not to mention your sleep cycle.  So, what is the nature of your call?¡±


    Rachel explained the situation to the military-man over ten minutes, going into detail about the criminal network she¡¯d discovered so far.


    Once finished, Clay released a low hum, leaning back in an armchair; she assumed he was sitting in front of a hotel room TV.  Maria likely set him up in one of her expensive rooms, or Reed had pulled some strings since they¡¯d gotten closer on the quest.


    ¡°Can you tell me what size, shape, color, and glow the Crystal had?¡±


    Rachel could have slapped herself.  ¡°... No, I didn¡¯t ask my cousin about that.  I can get it from him shortly.  However, judging by his story, it shouldn¡¯t be all that difficult of a fight.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, I can see that, but as you pointed out, the fact that the Gate hasn¡¯t closed means something else is at play.  If they haven¡¯t come up against the actual foes the Crystal opened for, such as the insects in the Montana event, then I suspect we have yet to see the true strength.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Rachel admitted, wanting to just get permission to head right in, but it wasn¡¯t looking like it would be that way.  ¡°So ¡­ you¡¯re saying I should probably get someone to back me up?¡±


    A small bit of humor touched the man¡¯s voice.  ¡°You can¡¯t tell me that the Legend¡¯s Quest didn¡¯t make you aware that even Mythickin have their limits¡ªdare I say you have your limits.¡±


    Rachel puffed out a long breath, running her left hand through her hair, being mindful of the waterfall braids, while staring up at the starry sky.  ¡°Yeah, I get it.  How soon can we go in?  I still don¡¯t know the protocols with the whole selling Crystals thing.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±  Clay paused, adjusting his posture with a low grunt.  ¡°To be frank, I don¡¯t think you can realistically make a move tonight ¡­ at least, not legally, as things are still being constructed.¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­ So, what¡¯s up?¡±  Rachel mumbled, moving over to the side of the covered deck to sit and stare at her grandfather¡¯s prized tree.


    ¡°I need to contact the Gateway Administration Division of the Department of Demi Affairs.¡±


    ¡°GAD, huh?¡±  Rachel mused.  ¡°Does that mean the DDA will be taking over all issues related to the Gateways and Demi?¡±


    She caught a shrug in the movements of Clay¡¯s clothes.  ¡°That¡¯s how the agency and laws are currently shaping up.  GAD may request organized and licensed Demi groups for assistance, but ultimately, it was up to who they think would best work the case when it¡¯s illegal operations like this, and they will have their own teams given time.¡±


    ¡°I get it,¡± Rachel replied.  ¡°I¡¯ll see who¡¯s free.  Scarlet¡¯s having some personal time with my family right now, so I¡¯d rather not call her¡ªmaybe Anthony or Selvaria.¡±


    Clay sucked on his tongue, creating a soft noise.  ¡°Unfortunately¡ªeveryone but Scarlet, Kyle, and Maria is off to the Bahamas.¡±


    ¡°When ¡­ did this happen?¡±  Rachel asked, genuinely shocked, considering she¡¯d just spoken to them several hours ago.


    ¡°Shortly after you finished the call with them, I assume.  Cahira was crying about needing more treasure to feed her pet turtle and pay for her crew.  She said even normal missions given by the military would create the opportunity for loot, as she called it, and so I offered them the opportunity to handle some Demi terrorists causing problems in the Bahamas since they were close.  I needed to send a team there anyway.¡±


    ¡°Great ¡­ I¡¯d rather not call Maria since she hasn¡¯t had much time with her brother, and Kyle ¡­ yeah, he¡¯s refused to do any of the Crystal stuff.  I mean, I could try and handle it on my own,¡± she slowly offered, ears shifting to the left.


    Clay cleared his throat.  ¡°Ahem¡ªI might have an alternative ¡­ Fiona should be back in Miami by early afternoon.  She was getting ready to enter the airport when you called, forcing them to duck into a conference room real quick.  A Military Cargo Plane was in the area and available to return to Miami, bringing back her family and the goods they¡¯ll be transporting to the U.S.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s full lips pulled together.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ so, in the end, I¡¯ll need to wait for tomorrow night to handle the portal.  Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s risky, seeing as it could change in that time?¡±


    ¡°Heh, that¡¯s why I asked you to describe it, but in the end, it¡¯s a risk we¡¯ll have to take.  GAD is brand new, and while they are screened agents to fill key positions, including this one, it will take several hours to get one ready and down to Florida City.  In addition, it¡¯s nearing 4 A.M., which means your operation window is shrinking and swiftly.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t argue with him there, glancing down at Gisele and Hayan as they stared each other down; they seemed to have a complicated relationship that Rachel wasn¡¯t too interested in dissecting at the moment.


    ¡°... No¡ªyou¡¯re right, Clay; I¡¯m just trying to jump the gun.¡±


    A short chuckle transferred through the speaker.  ¡°I get it; you¡¯re itching to get back into the action.  I¡¯ve known plenty of soldiers like you.  Strategically, this is the best play, though, and you¡¯ll agree if you took a second to think about it before letting that spur in your heart push your forward.¡±


    Rachel slowly nodded.  ¡°Right ¡­ If I popped into this new world and there¡¯s some kind of solar event, then I could be screwed.  It doesn¡¯t really identify what time it is when looking at it, and given that it¡¯s a rich forest environment, it indicates a strong likelihood of sunlight.


    ¡°My cousin could overpower me without a doubt if my Lunar Pool was drained and I was under the sun; since he had trouble, it wouldn¡¯t be wise to go in under those circumstances while knowing there are likely unknown enemies still waiting to be discovered.  I could be screwed ¡­ it¡¯s just annoying, knowing there¡¯s a new place with enemies to explore.¡±


    ¡°Excellent ¡­ Now, what about Fiona?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rachel¡¯s head bobbed left and right, debating the scenarios and their combination.  ¡°Honestly, she¡¯s good paired with anyone.  She¡¯s well-rounded with a lot of versatility between her elements, but it is all elemental damage, and that¡¯s where I come in with the raw physical force.  Yeah ¡­ I¡¯ll give her a call.  Umm, what about Bree and Serah?  David said he¡¯d get them assigned to us.¡±


    Clay paused, shifting in his chair while pulling over what was probably a laptop or tablet.  ¡°Give me a moment ¡­ Hmm, are those the two female FBI agents that were with you after The Oscillation?¡±


    ¡°Those are the two,¡± Rachel replied.  ¡°Maria really connected to Bree, and personally, I¡¯d rather have someone more familiar with us than go through the whole process of getting to know them again.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.  I understand that.  Let¡¯s see ¡­ They do seem to have a note that they¡¯re on a priority basis in dealing with your group, but they¡¯ve mainly qualified for local low-level work around Miami, not GAD.¡±


    ¡°Why not?  They seemed to have a lot of experience in fieldwork.¡±


    ¡°Heh ¡­ you can¡¯t have a lot of field experience at their age.  No, they are ambitious and have some things to fill out a resume, but it doesn¡¯t scratch the requirements they¡¯re putting on fieldwork for GAD; we¡¯re talking about government representatives on missions going to new worlds.¡±


    Rachel frowned, motioning for her two pets to chill out after they started looking more menacingly at one another; they swiftly backed down, Hayan jumping up to snuggle next to her left side as Gisele took her right.  ¡°They¡¯ve been dealing with us, though.  Doesn¡¯t that count for anything?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Clay mumbled, ¡°but not GAD, and it¡¯s less to do with what they¡¯ve done in the last two weeks and more with their entire life experience; in short, they¡¯re just too young.  We¡¯re talking about people that have seen real war and made life and death situational decisions, not college kids with a paper behind their name and some Police work.


    ¡°Still ¡­ I¡¯ll recommend their name to be put back in the cycle with a recommendation to handle cases around Miami when dealing with your team.  In truth, the recruiters wouldn¡¯t have seen their experience with your group since General Dallas had almost everything related to you redacted to avoid incidents from occurring in the future¡ªRelica¡¯s breach caused him to tighten everything down.¡±


    Her smile returned; it felt good trying to help the two women.  ¡°Thanks, Clay.  Maria will love you for that, and Scarlet likes them, too.  It¡¯s nicer knowing the people you¡¯re working with than some random agent.¡±


    ¡°That being said,¡± Clay sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee they¡¯ll be drafted.  Since I¡¯ve been working with General Dallas, I have a lot of pull¡ªplus, there¡¯s the fact the DDA falls under DOD jurisdiction, but other political factors are involved.  Keep it in mind.¡±


    ¡°Noted,¡± Rachel pulled one of her locks away from the side of the deck where she was laying; thankfully, it was clean, thanks to her grandfather¡¯s pupils who helped with the household chores as a part of learning to use his controlled breathing techniques.  ¡°I¡¯m thankful for everything Tom¡¯s pulled for us and what I¡¯ve heard you do for Maria.  I don¡¯t expect the world to move for us.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±  Clay¡¯s tone turned more serious.  ¡°We¡¯ve discovered several types of Champion Demi that have interpretation-type abilities, and through them, we¡¯ve been able to discover quite a bit about the Crystals from those birds Fiona rescued.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mind flashed back to the strange toucan-type creatures that came from the world the Azure Frost destroyed.  ¡°What¡¯d we learn?¡±


    ¡°A lot, actually ¡­ a lot more than we hoped,¡± he mumbled with a grave tone.


    ¡°That bad?¡±


    He swiftly went over the information, explaining that there are quite likely much more than what the birds were able to tell them, but they couldn¡¯t handle the Gateway that had ended their world, which speaks volumes on what could come after if they had managed to overcome the rapidly growing ice flower.


    It reminded Rachel that a world-ending item was casually kept in check by Maria¡¯s weak natural solar aura.


    Size of Crystal - Crystal Level


    Crystal Shape - Grade of Crystal


    Crystal Color - Rank of Crystal


    Glow - How Soon It Will Go To The Next Stage


    Events - Things That Can Happen When Moving To The Next Stage


    Clay¡¯s explanation sent Rachel¡¯s mind ablaze with questions, but she knew he couldn¡¯t answer them.


    His tone was low while muttering.  ¡°So ¡­ we¡¯re in a race against the clock to stockpile as much power as we can for whatever comes next.  If we¡¯re going by those rankings, a Level 4, Grade 5 Crystal at Rank 8 was able to utterly destroy an entire world, and High Rolling¡¯s Gateway wasn¡¯t far behind.


    ¡°If those creatures decided to stay and migrate to our world, as seems possible, then I have no doubt they would have been able to destroy humanity, and that is why the President has changed his approach ¡­ We must deal with these Crystals, and take whatever we can get because humanity literally depends on us being able to close them.¡±


    Rachel was silent after he finished; it was difficult to conceptualize.  ¡°... There¡¯s a lot to unpack there ¡­ I suppose; the most pressing questions on my mind is how often do they show up and how do we contend with the ones that are allowed to stay?¡±


    Clay released a low growl in his throat.  ¡°Actually, everything¡¯s not adding up with what the bird¡¯s told us, which Tom pointed out and has my mind pondering what we learned in the Legend¡¯s Quest ¡­ Something you mentioned.¡±


    Her brow furrowed.  ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°The birds explained that Crystals don¡¯t normally start at such high levels, and never high grades or ranks, which typically advance as time goes on.  It makes me think about what you discussed with these God-like beings that were messing with Cahira¡¯s Quest, and that gave you those items.¡±


    Rachel shifted her posture on the deck, glaring up at the polished wooden beams above her.  ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain they don¡¯t have the power to create them, given what I learned there, but manipulating the framework that¡¯s linking this System is possible for them to a certain degree.  I wouldn¡¯t put it past some of them being able to do the same with the Crystals, even to just experiment with it like a new toy ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t put it past it with the personality I¡¯ve seen from a creature like Moongmor.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±  Nia huffed.  ¡°He made sure I was born so I could be with you, though!  He¡¯s like my dad, you know¡­¡±


    Mhm¡­  Rachel blew air through her lips.  So, is my mom still on the list, and what about my dad?


    ¡°Duh!  Geez, you¡¯re so dense sometimes ¡­ like I can¡¯t have two dads and a mom.  Who only has two parents?  That¡¯s so weird!¡±  She laughed.  ¡°Oh ¡­ humans do ¡­ you¡¯re all weird!¡±


    Okay, Living Denier¡­


    ¡°No ¡­ you did not just call me weird!¡±


    Double standards, much?  Rachel giggled.


    ¡°I was joking ¡­ you¡¯re being mean, and after I¡­¡±


    Cover my big ass?  Rachel finished with a smirk.


    ¡°...¡±


    Nia released a pouting huff before retreating to silence.


    Love you.


    ¡°... Whatever ¡­ it is big.¡±


    Clay took her information and pondered it while she had her little internal conflict with Nia; she was a typical moody little girl, and Rachel had no doubt she¡¯d forget all about it in a few minutes.


    ¡°... That is an interesting take,¡± Clay whispered.  ¡°These beings are more interested in the people than the Crystals, though, and their goal doesn¡¯t seem to be to utterly wipe out humanity.¡±


    Rachel slowly shook her head against the pillow she was using.  ¡°I don¡¯t know.  I¡¯d have to meet one and ask to really get a read on it, and I don¡¯t see that happening soon, but if these strong incidents are just a product of their random curiosity, then it should mellow out and allow us to get ahold of it.¡±


    ¡°We can hope.  In any case, I¡¯ll leave it at that; I need to think about this more before bringing it up to General Dallas.¡±


    ¡°Good luck!¡±  Rachel laughed, imagining the man putting out a PowerPoint in a DOD meeting about gods manipulating the Crystals.


    Hanging up, she bobbed the phone against her lips, reaching over with her free hand to scratch Gisele¡¯s neck; Hayan snuggled closer at the action, probably a bit jealous, but she already held him earlier.  It was strange, trying to divide her attention between her pets.


    If they increase their level and power the longer they¡¯re open, couldn¡¯t you purposely wait to get a better experience?  It also means that our group severely out-leveled the content of average Level 1 Gates.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ maybe it won¡¯t be that bad.¡±


    Turning her attention back to her phone, she called Fiona, not having much hope she¡¯d answer on a flight; to her surprise, she did.


    ¡°H-Hold on ¡­ I¡¯m trying to touch the button ¡­ Nora¡­¡±


    Her sister¡¯s voice responded with a light giggle.  ¡°Fi, it¡¯s on.¡±


    ¡°What?  No, I can¡¯t see ¡­ sucking hobgoblins, it went dark again ¡­ it won¡¯t recognize my finger!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too small!¡±


    ¡°Gmmmgh ¡­ Wait ¡­ it is on!  Rachel?!¡±


    Rachel laughed.  ¡°Yeah, I hear you, Fiona.  Are you doing okay?  I hear the sound of those engines in the background ¡­ How are you receiving calls?¡±


    ¡°WiFi!¡±  Fiona chimed.  ¡°Normal flights disable that kind of stuff, but not military ones!¡±


    ¡°Oh, nice.¡±


    ¡°So ¡­ yeah, what¡¯s ¡­ Nora, shhh ¡­ Mom and Dad are sleeping!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Nora mumbled, adjusting her chair.  ¡°I¡¯m not being loud; we¡¯ve just got good hearing.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ okay ¡­ man, yesterday was crazy¡­¡±


    Nora snickered.  ¡°You thought packing was the crazy part this week?¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re flippin¡¯ three inches tall, it is,¡± Fiona grumbled.  ¡°It¡¯s like trying to move a house of giants, and little ol¡¯ me is still the brawn of the operation with my Levitation Spell.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Sounds pretty crazy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ and when it doesn¡¯t work on a safe because it¡¯s too heavy for my Spell ¡­ and people make fun of you for it,¡± she replied with a weak chuckle.  ¡°Oh, right, what¡¯s up, Rachel?¡±


    The next several minutes were dedicated to explaining the situation to Fiona; Jessy finished getting ready in that time and had come downstairs to the gardens, sitting a few feet away in a cute yellow dress that matched her hair.


    Typically, yellow on blonde was horrible and gave Caucasian women an unpleasant, pallid undertone, but Rachel was a little surprised the pale yellow, shin-length dress actually gave her a more bright, statement-making poppy look that fit her personality.


    Rachel gave her a small smile and waved as Jessy hurried across the stone walkway in her yellow thong sandals but continued to talk to Fiona.


    ¡°So, in short, I need you to zip down here and help me take out this Crystal when you get back in Miami.  Sound good?¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ yeah, I think that should be¡­¡±


    ¡°I wanna come,¡± Nora pleaded, and before her sister could interject, she pushed on, fighting for her case.  ¡°I won¡¯t ask again until I graduate in three months¡ªI promise!  I mean, I won¡¯t be able to even enroll for a bit, and Mom said there might be some troubles with Demi and schools, too; so, I¡¯ll just be stuck at home with nothing to do.¡±


    ¡°Shh¡­¡±  Fiona hissed.  ¡°Umm ¡­ ugh¡­¡±


    Rachel smiled.  ¡°I mean, she¡¯s not wrong, Fiona.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Rachel,¡± Fiona moaned.  ¡°The Crystals aren¡¯t a game, Nora¡­¡±


    Nora cut in again.  ¡°Have any of you asked me about my own Slime needs that need to be met?  No ¡­ you just give me a bunch of food and think I¡¯m fine!¡±  She whispered in a frustrated tone.  ¡°No one even considers how I¡¯m feeling inside¡­¡±


    ¡°I get that you have an urge to eat living things,¡± Fiona mumbled.  ¡°I mean, Rachel has her own pride thing, and Scarlet¡¯s got an urge to drink blood.¡±


    ¡°See!¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ What do you think, Rachel?¡±  Fiona asked, looking for support.


    Rachel shifted a little to look at the tree across the yard, forcing her two pets to move with her, full lips pulling together; she released a quiet sigh.  Jessy was trying to look like she wasn¡¯t listening, but she could only hear Rachel¡¯s side of the conversation with how low the volume on her phone was.


    ¡°I get it, Fiona; you want to protect your little sister, but Nora¡¯s needs might be something you¡¯re overlooking.  Maria¡¯s having a bit of a hard time with Zoe and Felix suddenly getting so close.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ heh, yeah, I¡¯ve talked with her about that,¡± Fiona mumbled, probably lying on top of her phone while glaring down at the microphone part.


    ¡°You know, Nora,¡± Rachel hummed, seeing Jessy going over her looks again out of the corner of her vision, ¡°my cousin is having some issues with his own experience with the Crystals; it¡¯s not a simple monster masher game.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Nora returned.  ¡°Is he an Aberationkin?  If not, then they don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like because I need to feed on things ¡­ It¡¯s not something I really like or want to do ¡­ it¡¯s a need.¡±


    There was concern in Fiona¡¯s voice as she asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t the mice that we bought from the pet store working?¡±


    Nora released a long, frustrated groan.  ¡°I told Mom it was to make her feel better, but those things are tiny ¡­ I¡¯ve been surviving off all the stray dogs, cats, mice, lizards, birds ¡­ I ate a hedgehog, badger, and stoat, too.¡±


    ¡°Nora ¡­ you need to be honest with us¡­¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ and have Mom or Dad wince again,¡± Nora grumbled.  ¡°I got enough weird looks from the rest of the family when we got together.¡±


    Rachel could see where she was coming from, and it was rough; she hadn¡¯t expected becoming an Aberationkin to be so hard, but it was probably different for each of them.


    Fiona was silent for a moment, trying to work through it in her mind, and finally gave in.  ¡°Fine ¡­ If you can convince Mom and Dad, and you have to tell us more about what you¡¯re going through.  Okay?  Is that alright with you, too, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±  Nora softly cheered.  ¡°I¡¯d hug you, Fi ¡­ well, if I could.¡±


    ¡°Heh, I¡¯ll hug you, then,¡± Fiona replied with a sad sigh as she moved away from the speaker.  ¡°We¡¯ll talk more about it tomorrow ¡­ Well, we can talk a bit before bed.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Fi; you¡¯re the best!¡±


    Catching the hints, Rachel said her goodbyes and hung up, asking Fiona to text her when they¡¯d get here, sending her the address.


    Rachel¡¯s gaze lifted to the ceiling, listening to her grandfather¡¯s soft breathing; he really had trust in her word that everything would be alright after the police carted off the criminals.  It gave her a bit of joy, knowing he believed in her.


    It also showcased his complete control over his emotions and the abilities he¡¯d gained from The Oscillation.


    Jessy gave her an awkward smile; she really had gone with makeup and the whole nine-yards; she was looking more like a 7 with the level of detail she¡¯d gone over her appearance.  Rachel was impressed.


    ¡°So ¡­ your friends are coming over to help you with something?¡±


    Rachel dropped her phone against her chest with a short chuckle.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ with something.  Umm, Mason¡¯s coming down the street; he should be here in like three minutes.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ okay,¡± she took a calming breath, placing her hand against her breast to feel her own racing heartbeat.  ¡°I can do this ¡­ Just tell him how I feel.¡±


    ¡°I know saying don¡¯t stress out isn¡¯t going to help,¡± Rachel said, giving her a smile.  ¡°It¡¯s a big moment, but just be yourself; Mason likes you because you''re real with him ¡­ mostly.  This part you¡¯ve kept boxed in ¡­ well, kind of ¡­ he¡¯s just really, really dense.¡±


    Jessy scratched her forehead before cursing and worrying about messing up her makeup.  Rachel tried to calm her down as Mason slowly walked up to the front gate, punching in the code.


    ¡°H-He¡¯s here?¡±  Jessy squeaked.


    Nia roared to life in Rachel¡¯s mind.  ¡°You¡¯ve got this!  We¡¯ve got your back, Sister!  Smash him in the face and tell him you like him!¡±


    Uh ¡­ I don¡¯t think you know how relationships work, Nia.


    ¡°Nu-uh!  I know!  I know all the stuff!  You don¡¯t know!  Jessy¡¯s going to kill him!¡±


    She¡¯s ¡­ not a Blackwidow, Nia.  Rachel restrained a laugh that would make Jessy even more nervous.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?  ¡­ Wait, what¡¯s a spider have to do with Jessy?  She¡¯s going after a bear!  You¡¯re supposed to punch them in the nose!  Just like Hayan did, and he got dominance!  Victory lies before you, Jessy!  Hit him in the weak spot!¡±


    Heh ¡­ have you noticed their size difference, Nia?


    ¡°Oh.  My.  Goodness!  You¡¯re right!  We need to give her a boost so she can get in position!  Quick!¡±


    Rachel gave up; Nia would understand as things went on, but her cousin being a Bear Beastkin was mixing her perception of a real bear vs. a Beastkin.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be worth it,¡± Rachel whispered with a wink.  ¡°Oh, and you look super cute.¡±


    Jessy was standing, unable to sit still, and her hands clasped at her front.  ¡°Mhm¡­¡±  Was all she could mumble.


    ¡°Yeah!  Super cute, just like me!  You¡¯ll knock that dead brain bear out cold!  Use the platform to your advantage!¡±


    Leaning over before her cousin could hear her, she whispered, ¡°I¡¯m going to leave you two alone, but I won¡¯t be too far away.¡±


    Jessy blushed.  ¡°Right ¡­ your hearing.¡±


    Jumping to the roof with her pets in pursuit, Rachel hopped to the other side, holding her skirt down as her cousin walked across the driveway.


    Landing, she greeted him with a smile.  ¡°Yo!  Feeling better?¡±


    He shook his head.  ¡°Naa, not really, but ¡­ I think I know what I need to do.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ Okay.  Well, mind telling me a bit about what the Crystal looked like real fast?  I need to get a grasp on how strong the creatures are that we''re supposed to fight on the other side.¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ is that how it works?¡±  He asked with a short grunt.  ¡°Humph ¡­ Well, it¡¯s about as big as I am, cone-shaped, and it was blue; I¡¯m pretty sure it had a green glow the last time I saw it, but all of that was like three days ago.¡±


    A little into Level 1, Grade 2, and Rank 2, huh?  If this Crystal works normally, it should cycle through all of the colors before upgrading its shape ¡­ at least, if it functions like our Skills.  The size or level is increased when the glow finishes its Yellow phase.  If it¡¯s already gone through all the colors to reach Grade 2, then it¡¯s been up for a while.


    ¡°Huh ¡­ Okay.  Thanks,¡± she smiled, jumping back up to the roof.


    Mason almost followed her rise before forcing his gaze down, grumbling about her, jumping everywhere like that in a skirt.


    Rachel settled onto the clay tiles of the 3-story roof with her pets beside her.  Let¡¯s see how they do.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see; my girl¡¯s got this!¡±  Nia chimed with pride; it was like she¡¯d personally mentored her with Rachel as a proxy, and now she was watching her student blossom.


    Mason slid the door open, eyes downcast, but when he stepped through and caught sight of his best friend, he slowed to a stop.  ¡°Jessy?  I ¡­ uh, thought you¡¯d be sleeping ¡­ You¡¯re all dressed up, too.  Is something going on?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ hey, Mason,¡± Jessy replied, sounding a bit breathless.  ¡°So, umm ¡­ I just ¡­ I wanted to say¡­¡±


    ¡°You okay?  You¡¯re not looking too good,¡± he mumbled, getting a bit closer to look at her.  ¡°Well, no ¡­ you look really nice right now, but¡­¡±


    Firming her posture, Jessy took a deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut, and blurted, ¡°I really like you, Mason.¡±


    Her jaw snapped shut, tensing for the trainwreck she knew was coming ¡­ it didn¡¯t come.  She opened her eyes to see Mason standing a few feet away, looking somewhat confused.


    Rachel heard every muscle twitch, drawing her a perfect picture of their responses.


    Jessy was red-faced, voice filled with stress, and the silence only increased the girl¡¯s desperation as she began to word vomit in the silent night, making nervous gestures.


    ¡°I ¡­ I know that kind of came out of n-nowhere, and I just ¡­ I wanted to tell you for so long, but it just never felt right¡ªClare came into the picture, and ¡­ and I know you like her, and I¡¯m not nearly as pretty as she is, but I just ¡­ I had to say something,¡± she swallowed, close to tears as his conflicted stare fell to the sand nearby.  ¡°It ¡­ just felt like my last chance¡­¡±  She finished, shoulders drooping in defeat.


    ¡°No ¡­ what¡¯s she doing?!¡±  Nia cried.  ¡°She¡¯s not supposed to be crying ¡­ he¡¯s a demon!  We need to save her, Rachel!¡±


    It¡¯s fine!  She soothed.  Mason¡¯s just a meathead and too slow to respond.  Give it a second.


    A long, loud sigh shot out of her cousin¡¯s lungs, lips coming together as he rubbed his neck, likely looking for the right words, which was like a missile striking Jessy¡¯s defensive walls and dropping her into a numb depression to save herself.


    ¡°Hey, Jessy, I¡¯m ¡­ I¡¯m sorry for putting you in this position.  Rachel told me how insensitive I¡¯ve been with the whole ¡­ you know, asking you to come here, and it¡¯s not fair to you.¡±


    ¡°The bear ratted us out!¡±  Nia gasped.  ¡°We¡¯re made!¡±


    In truth, Rachel was a little annoyed he dropped her into it.


    Jessy¡¯s feet pulled together, pawing her toes with her flip-flop; she was smiling while trying to hold back tears.  ¡°N-No, I get it¡­¡±


    Mason shook his head.  ¡°Umm ¡­ no, I don¡¯t think you do,¡± he mumbled, releasing a low growl.  ¡°Why¡¯s everything so complicated¡­¡±


    She looked up at him, eyes moist and on the verge of letting the dam break.  ¡°... What do you mean?¡±  It was hard not to catch the slight choke before she cleared her throat.


    ¡°I talked with my cousin, and ¡­ she¡¯s right.  I hate to admit it, but ¡­ yeah, it took her evil blob smashing my face in, but ¡­ I got it.¡±


    It was Jessy¡¯s turn to be bewildered, eyes searching randomly for answers around the yard as her brain jarred.  ¡°Your ¡­ cousin?  I mean, yeah ¡­ she¡¯s pretty much perfect¡­¡±


    Jessy trailed off as Mason couldn¡¯t help a laugh that shook his chest.


    Poor girl¡­  Rachel sighed.  He¡¯s making this so painful.


    ¡°Rach?¡±  Mason laughed.  ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s far, far from perfect!¡±


    ¡°W-What¡¯s up with the bear and being so, so rude to us?!¡±  Nia snapped.  ¡°We need to punch him in the nose!¡±


    Rachel rolled her eyes as her clothes flashed, turning into her combat outfit.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Chill, girl ¡­ Just listen.


    ¡°Gmmgh ¡­ fine¡­¡±


    She huffed, returning to their casual outfit.


    Mason took a long breath before saying, ¡°I¡¯m gonna be real with you, Jessy, and that¡¯s something I¡¯ve always really liked about our friendship.¡±  He started to pick up steam, shaking his head and smirking up at the house.  ¡°I would complain about all the Korean bullshit my parents put me through, and you supported me in everything I wanted to do since we were kids.  You know, truth, I wouldn¡¯t be who I am today without you.¡±


    Oh.  My.  God.  Just say it, you idiot!  Rachel screamed.


    ¡°H-Hey ¡­ d-don¡¯t yell in my ear¡­¡±


    Jessy¡¯s hands were practically knots, her mouth partially open as she stared at the ground in utter confusion; he¡¯d sent so many mixed signals that she wasn¡¯t sure what to do anymore, but finally, the answer she was waiting for came, drawing her gaze back to his yellow irises.


    ¡°I never thought about you as anything more than my best friend, but ¡­ I¡¯m willing to try and see if we can go beyond that.  I know things can¡¯t be the same now ¡­ Rachel told me as much, and that¡¯s okay ¡­ I think.  Well ¡­ because when I was thinking about it on the way back ¡­ I¡¯d rather lose Clare than you, and I really don¡¯t know what to think about that ¡­ I don¡¯t.  So ¡­ yeah, I¡¯m willing to give it a shot.¡±


    He gave her a weak grin.  ¡°Umm ¡­ so, Jessy, mind going out with me to figure this out?¡±


    Predictably, Jessy¡¯s brain had checked out at this point.


    ¡°Jessy?¡±


    ¡°... Mmh?  Oh, uh, y-yeah, umm ¡­ w-what was that again?  I just ¡­ I don¡¯t know if I heard you right,¡± she mumbled, mind spinning from his awkward delivery.  She was probably still wondering if she should cry or jump for joy.


    Clearing his throat, Mason said, ¡°Jessy¡ªwill you go out with me?¡±


    Rachel could practically see the light in Jessy¡¯s hazel eyes return.  ¡°Y-Yeah!  Umm ¡­ so, uh ¡­ does that mean we can ¡­ you know¡­¡±  Her voice wasn¡¯t the only thing that trembled.


    ¡°We can ¡­ what?¡±  Mason slowly asked.


    Jessy swallowed the lump in her throat, trying hard not to bite her lower lip.  ¡°K-Kiss?¡±  She whispered so softly that it would require enhanced hearing to catch; luckily, Mason had that.


    He released a short chuckle, brushing back her blonde bangs to hold the back of her head, gently guiding it so he could lean down and meet her lips.


    The girl¡¯s body went stiff, and a single tear fell out of her left eye.


    It was relatively quick, but the results had Jessy stumbling to the left in a daze the moment Mason pulled back.


    ¡°Jessy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine ¡­ I¡¯m fine!¡±  She mumbled, eyes swimming.


    ¡°Heh, I¡¯ve never seen this cute side of you,¡± he laughed.


    Jessy tasted her lips, face practically on fire, but she wouldn¡¯t back down at this point.  ¡°... It was my first kiss,¡± she whispered.


    Mason¡¯s left eyebrow shot up.  ¡°Wha¡ªno way!  Wait ¡­ I mean, I guess you¡¯ve never really talked to me about boys or kissing before ¡­ wait, wasn¡¯t there some Jack guy or something?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ I was just trying to see if mentioning a guy would make you jealous,¡± she grumbled.  ¡°I was trying everything they told me to do online ¡­ I¡¯m not proud of it, but umm ¡­ yeah, so ¡­ that was really nice, so ¡­ could we do it again?¡±  She asked with an awkward smile, cheeks likely still ablaze.  ¡°I was kind of distracted by your hand on my neck.¡±


    He complied with a weak shrug.  ¡°Always up for making out,¡± he chuckled.


    Rachel shook her head with a wry smile, thinking back to Anthony¡¯s own strong hands and soft lips; she suddenly realized in shock that that had been her own first kiss.  She was so caught up in the moment that everything melted away.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Nia cooed.  ¡°It¡¯s so sweet!  I like this a lot better than the punching plan; yeah, that plan sucked, Rachel.¡±


    What?  It wasn¡¯t my plan!


    ¡°Uh-huh, trying to shift the blame now, are we?¡±  Nia snickered.  ¡°Oh, they¡¯re so cute!  Stop ruining the moment by thinking about yourself; it¡¯s distracting me!¡±


    ¡­ Okay, your highness.


    ¡°Finally, some peace ¡­ NO, keep listening!¡±


    And who¡¯s the creeper?


    ¡°Not me!  Wait ¡­ am I?!  Oh, no ¡­ What have you done to me?  I¡¯m trapped in a fathomless abyss of misbehaviors, but it¡¯s not my fault, I tell you!  It¡¯s the Rabbit that wears me!¡±


    Rachel sighed.  Nia was in one of those moods.


    Wouldn¡¯t hold up in court; false statement; I¡¯m a Hare.


    ¡°He-he-he ¡­ listen, listen to them!  No, why are they stopping?¡±


    It didn¡¯t last long before Mason pulled back.  ¡°... Hey, Jessy¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±  She asked, clearly still wanting more.


    ¡°There¡¯s just ¡­ some things I wanted to talk about.  Actually, it¡¯s kind of why I asked you to come¡­¡±


    The blonde was certainly disappointed the kissing had ended but settled back to the porch to listen with a smile.  ¡°I¡¯m here for whatever you need!¡±


    Rachel shifted her focus as he told her about the Gateway and why it was haunting him.  Jessy didn¡¯t really understand what he meant by mushroom people since she didn¡¯t watch the Presidential broadcast but let him know she was on his side.  She¡¯d always be there to listen or offer advice if he asked it.


    Mason wasn¡¯t feeling too well, possibly still suffering from the strike Hayan planted between his eyes, and says his mind is still kind of foggy after everything that happened today; Jessy was a bit tense about what that meant for her as he went to get ready for bed, but was happy when he said they¡¯d talk more about all of this tomorrow.


    Both of them went to different bathrooms to get ready for bed; it was reaching 4:40 A.M., and both were feeling drained after the emotionally charged encounter.


    Rachel had half-expected her cousin to jump on the opportunity to push for the next level with Jessy.  However, she reminded herself that the girl wasn¡¯t just eye-candy her cousin was looking to test out but his best friend.  He¡¯d treat her right.


    She spent the following hours of the night pondering the news her cousin gave her; the crystal could be well on its way to the next stage by now, which could mean a few things they had to look out for.  Still, Fiona, and possibly her sister, would be there with her.


    Tonight will be eventful.  I can test out something fun, too.


    Once the sun started to rise, Rachel went inside to escape its rays; Jessy had already fallen asleep across from her bed, and a few of her grandfather¡¯s students were beginning to show up for their morning exercises.


    Nothing of significant importance could be heard from the 24/7 club except some partying that had slowed down.


    Nia used her 3rd transformation that she¡¯d gained from Molly¡¯s shopping adventure to make her final outfit a black bikini and done-up hair to give her safety while sleeping; of course, she added her own rabbit cutesy flair to it, but Rachel didn¡¯t particularly mind considering how happy she was to start building her wardrobe.


    It didn¡¯t take long for her to drift into a deep sleep.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 10. Gisele’s Transformation

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1: Rachel Park


    Recap: Mason and Jessy finally got together and Jessy got her kiss!  Clay answered and explained to Rachel the various stages and levels of the Crystals that they''ve been able to identify.  However, no one is available to assist her but Fiona ... And Nora''s kind of worming her way in to get in on the action.  I mean, she does need to eat ... true.  How will this turn out?


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    Rachel¡¯s tail twitched against her thin blankets as her mind stirred, ears rising to their full length while she stretched with a low groan.  Rolling from her side to her back, she smacked her lips before opening her eyes.


    Nia¡¯s cheery voice greeted her.  ¡°Morning!  Heh, do you know you snore?!¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Rachel groaned, reaching up to rub her eyes.  ... Nice joke, she returned.


    ¡°Aww, be a little flustered,¡± Nia grumbled.  ¡°Jessy kind of breaths a bit loud.¡±


    Mhm.


    Glancing to her left, she caught Hayan on an armchair and Gisele on the back of it, both giving her bright smiles; if Rachel didn¡¯t know any better, she¡¯d say that the little Sky Reaver was practically glowing with excitement.  The only reason that came to mind was the fact they¡¯d be potentially fighting monsters soon.


    ¡°Morning,¡± she mumbled, ears curling a little to listen to everything close by.


    Mason, Jessy, Fiona, and Nora were downstairs with her grandfather; they appeared to be having a lovely conversation.  The fact the Fairy managed to get to the house during the day and her not waking up was a bit concerning to her, but that was only the start.


    Rachel¡¯s lips tightened, shifting her position a bit while examining broken fragments of conversations around the Florida City area¡ªshe¡¯d messed up, and not in a way she expected.


    The President had given his address two hours ago, 6 P.M., explaining to the world what the U.S. government had discovered about the Crystal Event that had come alongside the magical change from The Oscillation.


    He went over their various types, the dangers associated with them, and how they planned to combat it by bringing it into the private market.  The organization structure had been elucidated by using Mythic as an example.


    The issue¡ªRachel reached to her left to pick up her phone, pressing the button to turn it on¡ªit was dead.  She was supposed to get a call shortly after she¡¯d gone to bed, utterly forgetting about the appointment, which wasn¡¯t like her.


    True, she rarely used the device since Tom gave it to her and hadn¡¯t charged it for days, but she didn¡¯t even notice the battery was nearly depleted last night.  One of the other group members must have filled in all the blanks, and if Rachel had to guess, it was probably Maria.


    Breathing out a long sigh while covering her eyes with her arm, she pondered the mistake, but Nia was a little distracting.


    ¡°Oooh, you¡¯re in trouble!¡±


    No ¡­ I¡¯m not, Rachel mumbled.  It just shows Grandpa wasn¡¯t wrong¡ªthere are issues with having multiple types of energy within my Lunar Pool that are around the same strength.


    ¡°Fu-fu-fu ¡­ You¡¯re just making excuses.  I know your brain!¡±


    ¡­ Maybe a little, she begrudgingly admitted, watching Hayan hop down to snuggle next to her.  It¡¯s still the likely cause¡ªI slept for over ten hours, which isn¡¯t typical for me, and there¡¯s no reason why my mind and body did it.  I wasn¡¯t super tired, and I¡¯m not really that stressed¡ªat least on the surface.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ So, it kind of is the Lunar Energy that¡¯s messing with you?¡±  Nia asked with a thoughtful tone.  ¡°Oh!  I¡¯ve got it!  The real moon was the real trigger that added the stress since the Flush and White Energy were competing heavily last night.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrows pulled together as she reached over to pull Hayan up on her stomach to absently pet him; Gisele fluttered down to give her an excited squawk, but she was a little too occupied by Nia¡¯s shocking intelligence.


    Actually ¡­ That¡¯s pretty insightful, Nia.


    ¡°Mu-ha-ha-ha-ha!  Aren¡¯t I smart?!  I¡¯m so smart!  The most smartest, prettiest, and most powerful Living Denier to surface out of the abyssal realms of the underworld¡ªoh, and I work so super hard that I can protect you even while you sleep!¡±


    Heh, Rachel¡¯s stomach shook, making Hayan bob up and down with his jagged smile, praise be to Nia, the ultimate demonic piece of cursed gear that has ever seen the unholy realms of hades.


    ¡°Praise be to me!¡±  Nia cheered.  ¡°My darkness will consume you and swallow the world!¡±


    Huh ¡­ Then where would you be?  Rachel asked with a small smile.


    ¡°The fathomless reaches of¡ªhuh?!  Oh, no ¡­ Where would I be if I devoured the world ¡­ gah, no ¡­ I¡¯d be alone in endless, cruel, empty space ¡­ lost on the star strung trail of eternity until I got picked up by a shooting star to reach the distant corners of the unknown ¡­ forced to travel into ceaseless antiquity¡­¡±  She lamented in a dramatic voice.


    It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯ll stop you, huh?  Don¡¯t want that.


    ¡°Hah,¡± Nia snorted.  ¡°To think such a simple Hare would have what it takes to step to the Mad Rabbit Nia!  I will be awaiting your arrival to my throne room, but you must first prove your worthiness!¡±


    Rachel sat Hayan to the side, getting up with a low groan before stretching left and right, loosening her muscles with her pets watching.  Oh, no¡ªnot the endless hordes of minions.  How will I ever reach you?


    ¡°To think such weaklings would slow your progress!  It is a million years too soon to¡­¡±


    Know what, Rachel mused, vision turning to her duffle bag that she¡¯d brought, I¡¯m gonna throw you in the washer to see how you like it.


    ¡°Eh?!¡±  Nia began to panic.  ¡°I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m just joking with you!  We were having fun¡ªha-ha-ha, umm, yeah, nice joke ¡­ Rachel ¡­ Rachel?!¡±


    She walked over and started getting out a few garments.


    ¡°Why do you need those?!  You have me ¡­ You don¡¯t hate me, right?  I¡¯ll be quiet¡­¡±


    Nia, Rachel giggled, I love you.  I just thought you might like to test it out; do you know what an amusement park ride is?


    ¡°S-So you aren¡¯t going to replace me with those¡ªthose hideous clothes in your hands?¡±  She asked defensively.


    Rachel shook her head at how insecure Nia was but considering she¡¯d learned humans sometimes change clothes multiple times a day, it wasn¡¯t an unfounded fear.


    Can you tell me which clothes would do a better job of protecting me than you?  She asked, looking down at her chest to examine the perfectly fitted white, orange, and pink cut-out cross-shaped halter-top bikini that had the x-section interlinked; it held Nia¡¯s little bunny flair that made her smile.  Rachel had no doubt the glowing tattoo of the Hare Majesty design was present on her back.


    Her earring burned, actually transferring a bit of the girl¡¯s fright to Rachel.  ¡°Umm ¡­ No, I¡¯m really, really good at my job!  Do you¡ªnot like the bikini?  Did I do something wrong?¡±


    No, Rachel sighed, shaking her head.  Think about how I feel¡ªlook a little deeper, she urged, shifting to her left to study the two cute bows Nia had tied on either side of her bikini bottoms.


    ¡°Umm ¡­ oh ¡­ You really do want to know if I¡¯ll like it?  You ¡­ really do like me.¡±


    Mhm.  Rachel smiled while walking out of the room, motioning to her pets to follow.  I gotta say, it was a bit strange getting used to your, eh¡ªpersonality, at the start, but I rather enjoy having you here now.


    ¡°I ¡­ I really like being wrapped around you,¡± she mumbled, squeezing her a little as if giving her a hug.


    Rachel reached up to rub her earring with affection.  Let¡¯s just make sure you never bond with Cahira or Ma?lle¡ªI like you just the way you are.


    ¡°I like you, too ¡­ so, umm ¡­ this isn¡¯t going to hurt or feel weird.  Right?¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  I don¡¯t know; it¡¯s worth giving a try.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get ¡­ well, I don¡¯t get dirty very easily ¡­ I can clean myself.¡±


    She stopped in front of the 2nd-floor washer for guests built into a closet-like space, opening the doors to give Nia a closer look.  It¡¯s just to see if you¡¯ll like it.  I¡¯ll put you through the quick wash and shower really fast.  You¡¯re not chickening out on me.  Are you?  Rachel teased.


    ¡°Humph!  I¡¯m no chicken, and Scarlet had this one show called Kill la Kill¡ªthe Living Denier in there liked it.  But ¡­ But I¡¯m Living Denier too, and I¡¯m not scared of nothing!  I¡¯ll own this washer without getting a tear!¡±


    Oh, big words!


    ¡°Throw me in; I¡¯ll show you!  Watch yourself, washer,¡± Nia released a dark chuckle.  ¡°For today, you meet the abyssal lurker of the hidden supernova, Nia the terrible!¡±


    It sounded like Nia was just throwing together words to make herself feel stronger.


    Rachel chuckled as the bows around her waist, neck, hair, and back loosened, causing her bikini to fall off as the earring faded into light; she swiftly caught the items and dropped them in, leaving Rachel naked; no one was on the 2nd floor.


    Starting the warm water and marking it as a small load and for a short rinse, Rachel walked to the nearby bathroom, going inside to freshen up.


    Fiona, Nora, and Mason could hear her moving around and told her grandfather about it, knowing she was taking a shower since she¡¯d turned on the water.


    She cleaned her body and hair before getting out and drying off as Nia¡¯s quick cycle finished.  The five had remained below, so she walked out naked to check on the Living Denier.


    Opening the lid as the spinning slowed, Rachel watched the two bikini pieces unstick themselves from the wall to flop to the bottom, expelling all the excess water.


    Rachel picked them up, but they began to glow once both parts were in her hand, and she straightened as she rose a bit off the ground, flats enclosing around her feet and pushing her up.


    Nia¡¯s giggling voice entered her head while the casual-style outfit fitted around her form.  ¡°Swish-swish-swish, around, and around, and around we go!  He-he-he, it¡¯s so fun!¡±


    I¡¯m glad you enjoyed it.  Rachel mused.


    ¡°The slippery water passing through my threads tickles a bit, but I don¡¯t have to do any work¡ªlike ¡­ at all!¡±  She gasped in astonishment.  ¡°It does everything for me!¡±


    Yup, like a personal caretaker, huh?  Rachel questioned, stepping back to examine the waterfall braids that her hair had been woven into.  And look at you, all ready to make us look pretty.


    ¡°Yeah!  We¡¯re super cute!  Oh, let¡¯s go down and show Fiona; she hasn¡¯t seen me yet!¡±


    Right.  I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll love you.


    ¡°Everyone loves my bright colors!¡±


    Heading downstairs while laughing at Nia¡¯s cheers and explanation about how the washer treated her, she studied the five people in the living room as she entered.


    Fiona was wearing a pretty yellow dress that fit her slim frame shockingly well; her wings were out, and Jessy seemed enchanted by the tiny girl.


    Nora was an interesting case; her muscles didn¡¯t sound any different than a human, which meant she could basically mimic anything she consumed to a near-perfect degree.


    Her current body was that of a fit high-schooler Cheetah Beastkin girl, and Rachel had to wonder if she could access the abilities, too.  Her large, feline yellow eyes matched a portion of her long black hair, showing the cat markings.  She was pretty, and standing next to Jessy made that all the more apparent.


    ¡°Poor Jessy¡­¡±  Nia mumbled while reading Rachel¡¯s thoughts.


    Mason wore a long black tank top that had been stretched over his large frame; he had matching gym shorts on, and Jessy was dressed up in a new blue skirt and blouse.


    Her grandfather was passively listening to Fiona chatting about some of the songs she liked to cover when she came in, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Fiona, Nora,¡± Rachel gave them a sad smile.  ¡°I overslept.  You have the details on the agent that¡¯s supposed to be meeting us?¡±


    Fiona took one look at her and squealed.  ¡°Rachel¡ªYou¡¯re so cute!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re super cute!¡±  Nia chimed, practically jumping for joy.  ¡°Praise us!¡±


    ¡°Rachel,¡± her grandfather gave her a thoughtful grin.  ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you were planning on bringing over a few friends.¡±


    Mason chuckled.  ¡°Yeah, had me thinkin¡¯ we were getting jumped¡ªthe two of them just floated out of the sky!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they cute, though?¡±  Jessy jumped in.  ¡°Fiona¡¯s so tiny and precious!¡±


    Nora smirked, shooting a glare at her sister.  ¡°Yeah, well, say that when you¡¯re worried about a spider creeping up on your sister in the middle of the night to gobble her up, and the tiny part becomes a real problem.¡±


    ¡°Nora!¡±  Fiona growled, returning the look.  ¡°You said you wouldn''t talk about that¡ªspiders are like my worst enemy!¡±


    Rachel laughed, her smile turning apologetic.  ¡°I can see it.  Yeah, sorry, Grandpa, it kind of slipped my mind yesterday¡ªin fact, a lot of things did,¡± she mumbled, staring at her faintly glowing pink arm, indicating her current primary energy source.  ¡°There might be more to your theory on various lunar forces causing me issues.¡±


    Mason, Jessy, Nora, and Fiona¡¯s expressions said they weren¡¯t following, their focus darting between the two, but Fiona¡¯s attention shifted to her two pets as they came into the room, eyes beginning to sparkle as she hovered down to play with them; someone had obviously broken the news about them to her, and she seemed like a pet person.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±  Her grandpa hummed.  ¡°Do you have a plan to deal with it?¡±


    Rachel leaned up against the doorway and folded her arms, red four-leaf clover eyes following Fiona¡¯s descent.  ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s getting close to the point where I can summon my other two pets.  I¡¯m going to dump all the White Lunar energy and keep a small amount of the Coral to test it while trying to slowly build up my Flush Moon energy.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Mason asked, but Rachel focused on her grandfather; it would become apparent as she went on.


    ¡°After tonight, I should only have about 8% White Moon, stay at my current 20% Coral Moon, and have 77% Flush Moon energy.¡±


    Jessy¡¯s brow creased.  ¡°Umm ¡­ isn¡¯t that 105%?¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I have a skill that increases my cap; if it¡¯s locked, then that reserve goes away.  I managed to keep most of my Flush Energy from being in another world, but I replaced some of it with White Lunar Energy to test out all three.  If the Flush Moon has the majority, then it should help stabilize things.¡±


    Nora didn¡¯t seem to want to butt into the conversation, remaining silent, but Fiona was more than willing to jump in.  ¡°Is the Coral Energy at 20% for a reason?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Rachel replied, chuckling as Fiona played with Hayan¡¯s squishy form.  ¡°Mind if we talk in private about what¡¯s up next?¡±


    Her grandfather rose to his feet with a small smile.  ¡°I understand you have important business to handle with a Crystal in the area, as Fiona described.  It is not something I am currently that familiar with, but if you wish to discuss it in private, then that is fine.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Rachel sighed, walking over to hug him.  ¡°... I¡¯ll spend some time with you after dealing with this.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± he wrapped his arms around her, ¡°no need to rush; I will be here when you return.¡±


    Mason got to his feet, clearing his throat.  ¡°Hey, Rach ¡­ ahem, I, umm ¡­ I wondered if I could join you.¡±


    Rachel lifted an eyebrow, pulling away from her grandfather.  ¡°You what?¡±


    ¡°Join you,¡± he mumbled with a half-shrug before scratching the back of his neck.  ¡°I think ¡­ well, it might help.  I talked to Jessy about it and, well¡ªyeah, it might help,¡± he repeated.


    She got that he was trying not to be blatantly obvious about there being something wrong with their grandfather in the room, but it just came out weird.


    Rachel ran her hand through the back of her hair with a short sigh, minding the braids, and she wondered if this was what Fiona felt for her sister¡ªno, she probably had a lot more reservations.


    She wasn¡¯t technically opposed to him joining; no, the issue was the legal issues that might bring.  Figuring it was something they could discuss in a more private setting, she motioned for him to join her in one of the other entertainment rooms on the 1st floor.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, I¡¯ll hear you out; let¡¯s go to one of the rooms with a couch.¡±


    Jessy squeezed her cousin¡¯s hand with a confident smile; she certainly had a lot more faith in his abilities than Rachel did, but she was comparing him to Hayan, which was kind of an insult to her little blob¡ªshe recognized that was kind of sad.


    Her grandfather ruefully shook his head.  ¡°Mats work just as fine.¡±


    ¡°Maybe for you, Grandpa,¡± she returned with a grin, ¡°but I enjoy sitting down and crossing my legs.¡±


    ¡°To each their own,¡± he sighed, returning to the third floor to focus on more meditation.  ¡°Jessy, would you like to join me?¡±  He asked just before exiting.


    The girl shot up with a bright smile.  ¡°Sure!  I like the things you¡¯ve shown me so far; it¡¯s really relaxing.¡±


    Rachel walked with Nora and Mason behind her, Fiona hovering overhead as they wove through the large mansion to its left side.  Dropping into a couch with Mason across from her and Nora to her left, Fiona took the table, sitting on some stacked coasters.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Fiona asked, kicking her dangling feet.


    Rachel leaned against the side of the sofa, crossing her legs.  ¡°Alright, Mason, I¡¯m gonna be honest with you.  The creatures you killed on the other side probably weren¡¯t the right ones that you were supposed to fight.¡±


    ¡°Wait ¡­ you¡¯re serious?¡±  He mumbled, resting his elbows against his knees while leaning forward.  ¡°But ¡­ those first ones were so strong, and didn¡¯t the President say that we have to conquer the other side for them to close?¡±


    Fiona released a low hum that sounded oddly musical from a person of her size.  ¡°True, but there are a lot of ways we can do that; I brought back some birds in one of our trips through one that told me a bunch about them¡ªyou know, what happened to that family?¡±  She asked, glancing over at Rachel.


    Nora was sitting back with her arms folded, still trying to get a grasp on them, and Nia was asking her to introduce her.


    Rachel shifted a bit to pull her hair over her shoulder to stop sitting on it; it was still a bit out of habit to manage the long stuff.  Just give me a second, Nia.


    ¡°Aww ¡­ Fiona likes me, though¡­¡±


    Ignoring the voice in her head, Rachel¡¯s focus moved to Fiona for a moment as she responded before turning back to her cousin.  ¡°Uh ¡­ Tom found other translators to help get more information out of them; I suspect they¡¯re doing pretty good.¡±


    ¡°More translators, huh?  That¡¯s cool.  I¡¯m not the only one,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Mason,¡± Rachel continued, ¡°there are a lot of creatures through these Crystals, but one of them is the designated target that we¡¯re supposed to go up against; I don¡¯t think it was those mushroom people, which means we have an even stronger foe that we¡¯re up against, and I don¡¯t know if you would help or not.¡±


    Mason wouldn¡¯t make eye contact, working around his jaw as he internalized her response.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I get that¡ªI do,¡± he grumbled, shifting his head to the side, glaring at Hayan on the couch beside him, returning a challenging look.  ¡°I¡¯m not as badass as I thought¡ªstill, I¡¯d like to go into it with you to at least know what we¡¯re up against because¡ªwell, what if I need to protect Jessy at some point, you know?¡±


    Fiona and Nora¡¯s eyes widened, and the Cheetah Beastkin wore a sweet smile.  ¡°Cute¡­¡±


    Nia was in agreement.  ¡°Yeah!  Protect our sweet Jessy!  Go!  Go!  Go!¡±  She cheered.


    Rachel¡¯s lips parted for a moment, tongue playing between two of her teeth as she thought on his declaration.  She couldn¡¯t really deny him after saying something like that; Mason¡¯s cheeks were already red, and she was a bit impressed by her cousin.  It wasn¡¯t something she expected out of him.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ if you stay with Fiona and make sure she¡¯s okay, then that should be fine.  We¡¯ll take some sugar you can carry for her.¡±


    ¡°Aww,¡± Fiona gave his task a sad chuckle.  ¡°You¡¯re giving him sugar duty?  Don¡¯t worry, Mason,¡± she added, countenance brightening, ¡°I bet you¡¯ll go back to Jessy with some awesome story!¡±


    Mason turned his gaze to Nora with a questioning look.  ¡°... What about her?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±  Nora gave him a disarming smile.  ¡°I¡¯m probably more durable than all of you put together.¡±


    Fiona rolled her eyes.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put my money on it, Sis; Rachel¡¯s got a lot more feats to back up that claim.¡±


    Nora huffed.  ¡°I¡¯m a super tanky and can turn into anything I eat.¡±


    ¡°Not like that!¡±  Fiona chimed with a knowing grin.  ¡°You¡¯re thin as paper like that; I could run circles around you, which is why you need to be really careful.¡±


    Nora¡¯s gaze rose to the ceiling while shaking her head.  ¡°Fi, if I need to, I can just turn back into a slime, and what are they going to do?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ zap or melt you¡ªkind of like what I did to that one Slime I told you about,¡± Fiona shot back.


    Nora lifted her hand in a questioning gesture.  ¡°And what monsters have your elemental powers?  It would take a lot to do that anyway; you sure you have enough sugar crack in your system for that?¡±  She asked with a smirk.


    Obviously, the two had been having disagreements about her place in this.


    Rachel slid past the subject before they could continue; Mason had retreated from the conversation entirely, vision darting between the banter.


    ¡°Alright, Fiona,¡± Rachel cut in, drawing the girl¡¯s attention, ¡°what¡¯s happened while I was asleep?¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ he-he-he, well, umm ¡­ yeah, Tom and the President were a little worried when you didn¡¯t answer, but when I got here and told them you were asleep¡ªwell, and that your phone was dead¡ªyeah, they were a bit confused.  You normally are super on point on a lot of things, but I guess that was the energy thing you mentioned.¡±


    She released a low sigh, glaring at her glowing hair.  ¡°Yeah, that probably played a part.  You told them about what we decided?¡±


    ¡°Oh, me?  No, no, no!¡±  Fiona snickered while adjusting her dress.  ¡°No, Maria handled all of that.  Want me to update you on the current plan?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head drooped as Nia started nagging her again.  ¡°... Umm, before that,¡± she gestured at herself, ¡°I got this outfit from the Legend¡¯s Quest¡­¡±


    ¡°Outfit?!  OUTFIT?!  Humph!!¡±  Nia shouted, falling into grumbling silence.


    ¡°... Excuse me, Nia,¡± Rachel sighed, ¡°this Living Denier, or living outfit, is named Lunar Nia, and she wanted me to introduce you to her, and thank you for calling her¡­¡±


    ¡°Us!¡±


    ¡°... Us¡ªcute.  She¡¯s been bouncing up and down in my head, trying to get me to say hello.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Fiona smiled, floating over to scan Rachel¡¯s blouse and skirt.  ¡°You really have a living outfit?  That¡¯s so cool; hello, Nia!  I¡¯m Fiona, and this is my sister Nora.¡±


    Nora gave her a forced smile.  ¡°Eh ¡­ hey, umm ¡­ what exactly should I be¡ªyou know, looking at?¡±


    ¡°Me!  Me!  I¡¯m right here!¡±  Nia groaned.


    Rachel reached up to rub her earring.  ¡°This is kind of the central part of Nia¡ªat least, I think.¡±


    ¡°H-Hey ¡­ no, that tickles!¡±  Nia laughed.  ¡°S-Stop it!¡±


    Her underwear tightened slightly underneath her clothes as Nia squirmed, causing Rachel to ease up her teasing.  ¡°Right.  Well, now that that¡¯s out of the way, what¡¯s up?  Did I miss any new information with the President¡¯s address?¡±


    Fiona floated around her ear with a curious crease to her eyes.  ¡°Eh ¡­ I was wondering when you got a piercing in your ear¡ªI like it, though.  Umm¡­¡±


    Nora was the one to pipe up, though, drawing her sister¡¯s gaze.  ¡°In short, Fiona was told that the agent dude would be here at night because he was getting last-minute instruction and was bringing some people to train¡ªor something like that.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fiona mumbled, continuing once she finished, ¡°but a lot of new stuff came out.  For one, the Crystal acts as a vaccination device; it grants immunities to different pathogens within the Crystals and sterilizes them when they¡¯re brought through, but they can be studied on the other side.  So, no need for hazmat suits or the fear of people bringing back a super virus.¡±


    Mason nodded with an impressed look.  ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t even think about that when I went through; it even makes you immune to like¡ªthe cold and stuff?¡±


    Fiona shrugged.  ¡°I mean, I guess?  The report online just showed that there weren''t any concerns about that kind of stuff.  Uh ¡­ Maria was going to handle all the insurance stuff, too.  There¡¯s going to be a strict guideline for the guilds people create, and recruits have to pass the proper tests proving they¡¯re capable¡ªstuff that doesn¡¯t really apply to us,¡± she snickered.


    ¡°All high and mighty,¡± Nora mused.  ¡°You were crying to me about falling behind everyone since you didn¡¯t go on that one mythic trip or whatever it was.¡±


    ¡°Legend Quest,¡± Fiona groaned.  ¡°I mean, yeah, you got new awesome items and everything, Rachel!  When can I go on one with them?¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Rachel held up her hands defensively, ¡±I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    She paused, ears standing on end as gasps were heard around Florida City.


    ¡°Uh-oh,¡± Fiona hissed, studying Rachel¡¯s expression.  ¡°That doesn¡¯t look good¡ªHow bad is it?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Nora and Mason responded in unison.


    Rachel was focused on hundreds of voices, all talking about the same thing, and the number was rising by the second.


    ¡°Is that¡ªis The Oscillation happening again?¡±


    ¡°Why are we trapped?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the President say this is one of those reverse attacks?¡±


    ¡°Get in the car, kids!  Quick, Joy, grab the 72-hour kits!¡±


    ¡°No, Greg¡ªwe can¡¯t leave ¡­ The President said it a few hours ago¡­¡±


    ¡°Dammit!  Get the shotgun from upstairs; I¡¯ll open the safe¡­¡±


    ¡°Daddy ¡­ you¡¯re scaring me¡­¡±


    All across Florida City, Demi and humans were beginning to panic.  A boat ran into the barrier, and just like what Tom had told her when they went to the other planet, it was teleported to the other side, smashing through an empty house and causing panic in the surrounding residence.


    It didn¡¯t take her long to filter through the noise to find the Gateway Administration Division¡¯s representatives; they were five miles out, and judging by the distance from the edge to the crystal, she determined that everything within seven miles was locked off from Earth.


    She remembered what this event was called from Clay¡¯s explanation, and her countenance darkened.  ¡°It¡¯s a Crystal Break¡ªWe¡¯re being invaded.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±  Mason mumbled.


    Fiona groaned, running her fingers through her shimmering green hair.  ¡°Jumping witches in a pot ¡­ that¡¯s not good.  Have you found the agents?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Nora leaned forward with a bright smile, ¡°does that mean we¡¯re going?  I get to see what these monsters look like?¡±


    Rachel got to her feet; Gisele and Hayan were more than ready by the confidence they held.  ¡°It means a change in plans¡ªMason,¡± she said with a deep frown, ¡°you need to stay here.¡±


    Mason grimaced, vision falling to the table, but he slowly nodded.  ¡°... To protect Grandpa and Jessy.  Right?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s lips tightened, making an agreeing note in her throat.  ¡°Mmh¡ªyeah, that¡¯s a good plan.  The chaos could cause a lot more people to attack other people.¡±


    ¡°Are we going?¡±  Nora chimed, excitedly getting to her feet.


    ¡°Nora¡­¡±  Fiona glared at her.


    The Cheetah-girl spread her arms.  ¡°What, Fi?!  I¡¯m super hungry¡ªsooh-ho-ho hungry!¡±  She moaned, rubbing her stomach with a mournful look.


    Rachel motioned for them to go to the door leading into the center yard.  ¡°I¡¯ve found the agents we¡¯re supposed to be with¡ªkind of crazy, but it seems Serah and Bree were actually brought on,¡± she said with a grin; she was beginning to feel the pulse in her body.


    Checking her Rabbit Gang Skill, she discovered it would still be another seven minutes before she could summon her two extra blobs.  ¡°How¡¯s your sugar levels, Fiona?¡±


    ¡°134%!¡±  She replied.  ¡°I¡¯m ready to go!  Oh, am I flying us there?¡±


    ¡°That would be the quickest route,¡± Rachel nodded, opening the door.


    Gisele darted past her, doing a swift arc in the air once making it to the yard; Rachel, Fiona, and Nora froze as a bright white glow illuminated the Sky Reaver.


    The System instantly notified Rachel of what was happening to the bird; the requirements had been met, and Gisele was turning from a baby Sky Reaver to a baby Lunar Phoenix.


    They watched in stunned silence as her wings grew, bone receded, and frills puffed out; she was a dazzling shade of white and a mix of green and blues.  Her transformation made her look between some fantasy bird and a Resplendent Quetzal.


    Once it finished, Gisele flapped down to the floorboards ahead of them, puffing her chest out with a lovely sing-songy tone to her cry; she was slightly smaller but far more eye-catching.  She¡¯d become a Mythic Pet.


    Gisele - Lunar Phoenix:  Gains a 50% damage output and boost to her skills while under direct moonlight; type of energy changes her attack style.


    Moon Fire (Beam) I:  (Cooldown: 2 Minutes; Cost: N/A; Duration: 3 Second; Range: 5 Meters) Create an energy-based ray of pure lunar fire from her mouth; increases damage the longer the beam is in use.


    Moon Fire (Rake) I:  (Cooldown: 45 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: Contact) Lights Gisele¡¯s talons with Moon Fire that deals physical-type lunar fire damage that has a chance to light the target ablaze.


    Resurrection:  (Cooldown: 7 Nights; Cost: Gisele¡¯s Feather; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) If Gisele dies, after 7 nights, Gisele will be resurrected in a blaze of Moon Fire.


    Blazing Glory:  (Cooldown: 14 Nights; Cost: Destroys Gisele and Drops a Feather; Duration: 5 minutes; Range: 2 meters) Engulfed in radiant Moon Fire, Gisele shoots toward her foe as the phoenix she is, exploding into a combustion of unified Lunar and Fire-based Elemental Damage, leaving behind a blaze that will continue to spread for 5 minutes before dissipating.  All that is left behind is a single feather.


    Lunar Glory:  (Cooldown: 14 Nights; Cost: Destroys Gisele and Drops a Feather; Duration: 3 Minutes; Range: 50 Meters) Blaze like the moon, becoming a beacon of Lunar Energy of whichever type she last absorbed, granting Rachel access to a limited-range lunar object that acts like the Lunar body she bonded with.


    Rachel was blown away by the sudden transformation, but Gisele held her majestic head high, waiting for praise.  Hayan was hopping around her in fascination.


    ¡°W-What just happened?¡±  Nova mumbled.  ¡°Did¡ªit just turn into some magical bird that¡¯s going to carry you?¡±


    ¡°Woah,¡± Fiona rushed forward.  ¡°What¡¯s your name¡ªGisele?  That¡¯s so pretty!¡±


    Gisele¡¯s pride turned to shock as she hopped back, releasing a few chirps and causing Fiona to giggle.


    ¡°Mhm!  I can understand you ¡­ Woah, woah, woah!¡±


    Rachel watched in utter confusion as Gisele hopped over with tears in her eyes, chirping a few times while puffing up her feathers.


    Fiona¡¯s brow furrowed, folding her arms and nodding while listening to the bird.


    ¡°Mhm¡ªoh, wow ¡­ That must have been tough ¡­ A strange rabbit?  Huh ¡­ he was dancing and talking gibberish?  He made things float, and ¡­ Aww,¡± she turned to glare at Rachel.  ¡°You need to be nicer to Gisele; she¡¯s trying so hard to be useful and impress you!¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ we¡¯ll have to go over all of that later¡ªI think the monsters are breaking out of the club because there¡¯s a lot of panic from people running out.  We need to go grab Bree, Serah, and Jim, the guy that¡¯s training them before going down that rabbit hole,¡± Rachel mumbled, knowing Gisele probably met Moongmor.


    She¡¯d been so distracted by Gisele, she couldn¡¯t fully appreciate the shimmering night; sure enough, there was a massive dome reaching high into the sky and utterly blocking them from the rest of Earth.  It was kill or be killed at this point; they were on the defensive.


    Fiona¡¯s lips pursed to the side, green glow increasing as butterflies filled Rachel¡¯s stomach and they were lifted into the air.  ¡°I get it,¡± she mumbled, pulling a flustered Hayan and Gisele along with them, ¡°but seriously, Gisele¡¯s got a pretty incredible story that we need to go over ¡­ a LOT happened when you were down in that labyrinth.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 11. Insatiable Hunger

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Nora White (Fiona''s little Slime sister!)


    Recap: Fiona and Nora came roaring in from the sky with both sisters having some disagreements about Nora''s involvement in her sister''s work.  Unfortunately, Nora had some compelling arguments, and her parents allowed it so long as Fiona looked after her (big sis responsibilities).


    Oh, and Gisele TRANSFORMED!  She''s now a Lunar Phoneix with cool moon-based powers.  Now, it''s time for the feast!  Let''s go with Nora and see how this new Crystal will turn out!


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    Chyra, Morgan McLees, Matt, Darth Mole, Radiant, DeMorr, PorkTenderloin, Vinicius Moreira, and my other Patrons!


    Nora¡¯s body felt weightless as her sister lifted Rachel, Gisele, Hayan, and her into the air; they were heading for the brilliant shimmering barrier in the sky, half-transparency showing the clouds and moon in the heavens.


    Jessy, Mason, and Mr. Park stayed behind, which was probably good¡ªshe didn¡¯t really want more people to see her when she was a Slime.


    It was like a literal fire was blazing through her insides at the very thought of the food to come, making her head feel light and skin tingle to revert back to her true form.


    Her eating habits had been so easy before reconnecting with her family, and it was only when she didn¡¯t give in to her instinctual desires that this ravenous hunger hit.


    Yes, she was still digesting food in her deceptively vast stomach organ; in fact, much of her malleable, see-through innards operated in some kind of pocket dimension manner to consolidate space.


    Of course, there were upsides to it, such as having little storage compartments she could store things in, and she took a measure of pride in keeping them well-organized.


    She separated her food out, had a drawer for the light makeup that her Cheetah body had drawn her toward as a matter of habit which had carried over, and a spot to keep her clothes¡ªshe had a fear of suddenly swapping forms and being naked in public.


    Nora discovered rationing herself helped a great deal instead of just dumping every piece of food into her stomach; there were probably creatures she couldn¡¯t smother that she¡¯d face that she¡¯d have to actively digest, but having a stockpile of food in her portable fridge of a storage space was just practical and logical.


    She glanced to her left to study her sister¡¯s long-eared friend, gaze sliding over her figure; Rachel certainly was a unique kind of beauty¡ªeven more than her Cheetah form.


    The Mythickin was perfectly shapely, had long legs, a stunning face, and captivating eyes.  She had the perfect blend of womanly and teenage features that Nora was a bit envious of; her own body was far more teenage-looking than womanly.  Plus, Nora thought the girl¡¯s tail was super cute¡ªshe felt the same about her own until it kept getting in the way of everyday life.


    According to her sister, Rachel was supposed to be some kind of speedy high-damage tank, but after everything she¡¯d heard, the Lunar Hare seemed like a jack of all trades, master of several.  Her long ears were shifting left and right as they flew, yet her gaze never moved, only her head.


    ¡°That way, Fiona,¡± she stated, directing them to the agents they were meeting up with.  ¡°We should¡­¡±  She paused, focus darting to the ocean in the distance.  ¡°Well, that¡¯s odd¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Nora asked, following her gaze.  She couldn¡¯t see anything particularly out of place in the area, and her hearing wasn¡¯t nearly as good to catch anything that far away.


    ¡°... The door to the downstairs club was broken through, and suddenly I lost all sound in the club.¡±


    Fiona twisted in the air, causing Nora to glare at her fluttering yellow dress that gave Nora a perfect view of her sister¡¯s yellow panties, not something she wished to see.  ¡°A sound-dampening spell or something?¡±


    Nora¡¯s vision tilted down to look at her own outfit, consisting of a black tank top, ripped blue shorts, and sneakers.  She felt horribly underdressed compared to the Lunar Hare¡¯s classy clothes and her sister¡¯s dress.


    ¡°Probably,¡± Rachel mumbled, ears tilting left and right as Nora returned to the conversation.  ¡°... People are saying there are creatures in the fog¡ªyou lose all sound within it, and it¡¯s spreading out into the street.¡±


    ¡°Creepy,¡± Nora mumbled.  ¡°Wasn¡¯t there some kind of mist movie that had something like that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah!¡±  Fiona shivered.  ¡°I remember it was an American science-fiction horror film that Dad rented one time for us to watch a few years ago.¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it, but whatever is in the fog is more than likely dangerous.  Let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    The three of them fell into silence, Nora¡¯s gaze wandering around the area; she spotted Gisele and Hayan doing the same.  Seeing the blob-like rabbit made her curious if it was supposed to resemble a Slime or if it was just a coincidence.


    After a few minutes, Fiona opened up a conversation they¡¯d had before, making Nora sigh.  ¡°Hey, Rachel¡ªso, umm, what do you think Nora should focus on increasing first?¡±  Her sister¡¯s glowing green irises slid to her with a forced smile.  ¡°I mean, I think it should be something to help with her hunger.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Nora grunted.  ¡°I¡¯m not against your idea, Fi, but I need to increase my transformation pool; you even mentioned that.¡±


    Even though Rachel was given the question, she remained silent while following their back and forth.


    Fiona¡¯s lips thinned.  ¡°True¡ªyou were saying you had problems with always feeling hungry, though, and I think that should first be the priority.  It¡¯s cool and helpful if you can transform into some of the monsters¡­¡±  She grimaced, and Nora knew why.


    ¡°Fi!  I can¡¯t help it if I need to eat them,¡± she groaned, reaching up to readjust her yellow and black spotted hair as Fiona¡¯s Wind Shield shifted it a little in her face.


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Fiona mumbled with a sad expression.  ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªit sounds wrong just thinking about you gobbling up otherworldly creatures.¡±


    Nora opened her eyes wide, spreading out her arms to give her sister an unspoken gesture, saying, ¡®And how do you think I feel?!¡¯


    ¡°Goblin monkeys¡­¡±  Fiona grumbled.  ¡°What if you get poisoned by them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a Mimic Slime, Fi,¡± Nora puffed out a long breath.  ¡°My whole thing is eating stuff!  I¡¯ve gone over this with Mom and Dad already.¡±


    Their attention turned to Rachel as she gave them a forced smile.  ¡°Personally, I¡¯d say focus on what will affect your daily life most before moving to the cool stuff.  If you¡¯re starving, then try to find some passive that will help mitigate that hunger, and then worry about changing clothes.¡±


    The world crushing Nora¡¯s heavy chest instantly lightened at Rachel¡¯s suggestion.  Why was her suggestion so much more impactful to her brain than her sisters?  It didn¡¯t take long for a smile to brighten her cheeks as she realized the reason.


    ¡­ Worry about changing clothes ¡­ it¡¯s not what she¡¯s saying, but how she said it that makes the difference!  I¡¯m just changing clothes!  It doesn¡¯t make sense to pay for a new wardrobe before taking care of my medical concerns¡ªyeah, that¡¯s a simple way to look at it!


    ¡°Thanks, Rachel!  That helped a lot.¡±


    Fiona gave her a puzzled look.  ¡°Huh?  So ¡­ what did you decide?¡±


    Nora¡¯s eyes shifted to the houses below, speeding past them as they made their way further into Florida City.  ¡°I¡¯m gonna first deal with my hunger pains.  Why buy more clothes when I need medicine for an upset stomach?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªokay,¡± Fiona mumbled, ¡°you¡¯ve lost me¡­¡±


    Rachel giggled.  ¡°I get it ¡­ Oh, here, Fiona!  Right over there!¡±


    They swiftly changed directions, following Rachel¡¯s directions.


    The three of them dropped out of the sky amidst several dozen individuals, police in the area ushering people to make their way to the border of the enclosed space with the agents directing efforts.


    Fiona had already described both women to her, but the beefed-out man in his early mid-thirties with black hair and a stern expression was new.


    Bree, the brown-haired woman, talked to a few officers about protocols and what they should be doing to keep the public safe; police around the city were relaying the information through short-wave radios, getting things moving.


    Serah, the shorter, blonde agent, caught sight of them after a few bored kids pointed up at their descent; Fiona and Rachel were holding down their dresses as they landed beside her.


    ¡°... Hey, Serah,¡± Rachel greeted with a forced smile.  ¡°Seems things have gotten a bit out of hand; I had a feeling we should have acted sooner.¡±


    The blonde sighed, flipping her blonde ponytail from her front to her back, returning the grin.  ¡°Yeah, well, things don¡¯t normally go our way.  Umm ¡­ hey, mind telling Special Agent Jim what¡¯s happening while I finish up over here?¡±  She asked.


    Rachel nodded, promptly making her way through the gawking crowd, first catching sight of the Lunar Hare¡¯s glow before finding her sister next¡ªNora felt practically invisible, and whispers about Rachel being here swiftly spread through the gathered people, and Mythic, their organization was talked about by a few smaller clusters.


    Nora¡¯s cat-like ears folded down as she scratched them, and Rachel walked off to meet with Jim to give him the current situation; Nora shied away from them, keeping between her sister and the Lunar Hare.


    Fiona had lowered herself to chat with a few mystified children, wondering if she was real or not because their parents said there weren''t such things as fairies.


    A sudden spike of pain rolled through her belly, tightening her muscles; Rachel¡¯s ears and eyes shifted her way for a moment before returning it to Jim as he spoke.


    Trying to look natural, Nora dropped her last piece of meat into her stomach, a raccoon she¡¯d found when she went on a morning run two days ago before everyone got up.  It was like throwing fumes into a gas tank, though¡ªit was actually depressing; she needed an endless supply of living creatures, and it seemed to matter that she killed them or not for some reason.


    What was she supposed to tell her parents?  She sounded like a freak already with all the odd impulsive urges she had in this Cheetah body, mimicking habits the previous owner had that she¡¯d never done before¡ªsuch as cheese ¡­ she hated cheese!  Now, she loved it and having just a little felt like a guilty pleasure since Iuchra Nic C¨¦in had been on a track diet that limited those types of products.


    A low groan rolled through Nora¡¯s throat as she stretched; it was natural to her running obsessed brain, and she wondered if Rachel thought the same way as Iuchra.


    It was so aggravating when her Slime, original, and Iuchra¡¯s instincts would have a conflict; it was like she was a broken robot, walking toward the fridge to get cheese, then walking away, then back again¡ªlike fifteen times, yet if she gave in to one side, other habits would manifest.  It was exhausting!


    She glared up at the multi-colored sky.  Yeah ¡­ first my hunger, then my stupid personality issues.  I need an off button for mimicking!


    It didn¡¯t take long for Bree and Serah to wrap up their stuff and meet with her sister; on the other hand, Rachel seemed to be having a serious conversation with Jim about the expanding fog surrounding the club where the Crystal Break was.


    Nora focused more on the talk about Mythic.  There were only two things at the top of her interest list ¡­ Well, besides her internal struggle.  The organization Fiona had become a part of and not looking like a freak; they were kind of connected, though.


    Fiona, Rachel, Maria¡ªeveryone in her sister¡¯s little group fit in a place, and everyone had something good to say about them.


    All Nora wanted was to be seen and loved for who she was, not because Fiona was her sister, but for the first time, Fiona wasn¡¯t the center of attention.  In fact, her sister was probably one of the least standout people inside of her new group.


    Once more, Fiona¡¯s fans had pointed them to something Nora thought was amazing ¡­ Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated.


    She¡¯d actually binged the first season over the last few days with Fiona and her parents; it really helped lift her spirits, and Nora knew she wasn¡¯t entirely like Rimuru.  For one, she didn¡¯t have an OP Grand Sage feeding her information into her head¡ªinstead, as Fiona put it, they got a knock-off, sewage-soaked brand of system.  It acted like keeping secrets was its job, and its pleasure came from making things more frustrating than they had to be.


    No, Rimuru didn¡¯t have the horrifying side-effects she experienced, nor the insatiable hunger, but it did put a smile on her face to see some of the fun things she might be able to experience¡ªbeing a Slime wasn¡¯t the end of the world.


    Her mother had even gotten into it, wondering if she could use cool abilities like Rimuru, swapping between them really fast.  Of course, she had a limited amount of mimic slots, which stopped that dead in its tracks, but maybe in the future.  It made her hopeful that things could get better.


    Another thing she was envious of Rimuru was his Predator Skill.  Sure, she had a kind of a 2nd Grade version of it, which allowed her to smother her victims and then digest them to mimic their existence, but that wasn¡¯t really the same.


    She had Pain Nullification, High Elemental and Physical Resistances, among many other raw defensive traits, but that was really the extent of her Slime-based powers.  She couldn¡¯t even see while in her Slime form!  Having Rimuru¡¯s sensing abilities would be nice, too.


    No¡ªif she couldn¡¯t dominate her foe, then they¡¯d probably dominate her, which was frightening.  Still, Rimuru was a good role model that she actually kind of looked to, which was kind of sad since she realized he wasn¡¯t a natural person.


    Her distracting thoughts pulled her mind away from her hunger for a bit, but as Rachel moved toward her with Jim, her aching stomach returned.


    Rachel gave her a slight frown before calling Fiona, Bree, and Serah to join them.  The three hurried over as the police began to get everything put together to follow the plan Rachel and Jim worked out.


    ¡°... So,¡± the Lunar Hare started, ¡°it seems we have a bit of a problem on our hands; some looting and panicking around the city that the police are going to get united to handle, and fog is spreading pretty fast.¡±


    ¡°Fog?¡±  Bree asked, folding her arms under her chest; her gaze fixated on the floating blob and bird before dismissing them from her mind.  ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s dangerous¡ªshould we get gas masks?¡±


    Jim shook his head, giving Rachel a sidelong look and sigh.  ¡°No¡ªthere are probably monsters in there, and given what we all know that means¡ªit¡¯s best we let Rachel and her party handle it since we¡¯re nowhere near prepared for something like The Mist.  We¡¯ll stay back and continue to organize local law enforcement, set up a perimeter, and play things by ear.¡±


    Rachel held up a radio.  ¡°It might not work inside the fog, but it¡¯s worth a shot.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Fiona sighed, aura turning bright green as she lifted the three of them back into the air, ¡°and we should get going as soon as possible to keep casualties low.¡±


    Several nearby people¡¯s expressions turned hopeful, and the word Mythic was continuing to spread with information others had missed during the public broadcast that morning regarding the Crystals and Demi that were being organized.


    Once in the air, Nora frowned, folding her arms as her eyes wandered.  ¡°What was the point of going there again¡ªwouldn¡¯t it have been better to just handle the monsters first?¡±


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°I¡¯m 100% with you on that, but it¡¯s not like we can do whatever we want.  A protocol is being ironed out.¡±  She drew Nora¡¯s gaze back the way they¡¯d come.


    ¡°We also need to consider how many lives might be saved by giving the local law enforcement detailed data on areas they should focus on while we contain the monsters.  Yes, a few people might die in the several minutes we¡¯re communicating and organizing, but that could be far greater than the dozens that are killed by panic.¡±


    ¡°I guess¡­¡±  Nora mumbled.  Honestly, she just wanted to eat, which made her feel a little guilty, but it was hard to focus.


    Fiona turned to grin at the Lunar Hare.  ¡°Always thinking ahead, Rachel!  So, uh¡ªdo you know what we¡¯re fighting?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips pulled in.  ¡°Afraid not.  Scarlet could probably pin them all down with her vision¡ªthem being soundless is really annoying, and if it dampens noise inside, then it could cause some problems.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Fiona nodded.  ¡°We wouldn¡¯t know what was happening outside ¡­ holy orc toes¡­¡±  She whispered as the fog came into view ahead of them.


    Nora¡¯s arms tightened around her core, saliva gathering in her mouth; she wasn¡¯t scared¡ªher heart was racing with anticipation.


    What will they taste like?  Are they going to be strong?  Can I eat them?


    All those questions were like fire in her breast, clouding her already enthralled mind.


    Fiona wasn¡¯t so eager as she slowed their progress above the silent mist.  ¡°What¡¯s the plan, Rachel¡ªis everyone out?¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I can¡¯t say,¡± Rachel replied.  ¡°It¡¯s at least a mile wide now, but I think it¡¯s slowing.¡±


    ¡°How are we going to know when we get them all?¡±


    Nora wasn¡¯t nearly as concerned about that topic; she just wanted to go!  ¡°Can¡¯t we figure all that out when we see them?  I mean, unless we know what we¡¯re dealing with, then how can we plan for it?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t appear too happy about her plan, narrowed eyes lifting to glare at the moon in the heavens, remaining silent while examining the scene.


    Gisele chirped a bit, causing Fiona to nod.  ¡°Yeah, I know¡ªyou and Rachel are gonna have some issues without the moon, but I don¡¯t think I can clear out this stuff with my Wind Magic.  It¡¯s just too much, and it¡¯s spreading too fast.¡±


    The bird pointed at a few places, drawing Nora¡¯s attention; the fog was currently creeping ten feet a minute.


    Rachel pointed at the ground.  ¡°Can you burn it away, Fiona?¡±


    ¡°I can try¡­¡±


    Her sister¡¯s aura, hair, wings, and eyes lit with a multi-hued red glow as a small ball of orange flames sparked into existence in Fiona''s left hand.  It swiftly expanded into a massive blazing fireball that sent a wave of heat licking at Nora¡¯s exposed skin and warming her clothes¡ªit was as big as a person.


    This was the first time she¡¯d seen her sister use Fire Magic.


    The inferno¡¯s flickering wisps were pulled to the right with the surrounding wind shell¡¯s current before her sister created an opening to throw it through.  She targeted a section of the asphalt road she assumed was empty by the near vacant street that was still visible, and the blaze was engulfed by the silent white blanket.


    Nora¡¯s ears strained to hear it strike, but the moment the fire crossed the barrier, it was swallowed up without a trace¡ªsilence followed.


    ¡°Hold the phone¡­¡±  Fiona growled, red glow being replaced by more green hues.  She thrust her hand forward but swiftly darted back in the air with shock as the mist exploded below, spreading out three times faster than before.  ¡°Shoot!  Umm ¡­ Wind doesn¡¯t seem to help¡­¡±


    Rachel sighed, motioning for them to go down.  ¡°Figures, it wouldn¡¯t be that easy.¡±


    Fiona reluctantly complied, giving her a worried glance.  ¡°... Be careful, Nora.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡±  she grumbled.  ¡°Geez, worry about yourself a little.  Okay?  You¡¯re the delicate one¡­¡±


    She trailed off as Fiona set them down several feet in front of the advancing white wall; inside was food¡ªthere had to be food, and that wasn¡¯t all¡ªexperience to make her life easier.  The more she killed, the easier her life would become.


    ¡°Keep close,¡± Rachel stated, grip tightening on the police radio she¡¯d brought as her clothing shimmered and turned into some kind of fantasy garb that might as well be strips of cloth.


    This was it!


    Nora walked beside Rachel and Hayan, Gisele protectively sticking close by her sister as they passed into the fathomless void.  The haze swept around their advance, welcoming them into its soundless embrace, and sure enough, all noise slowly died once they were inside.


    It was a little strange hearing her sister¡¯s pretty voice fading away as she worriedly pointed at a few locations where the fog was actually finding its way through her Wind Shield.  ¡°You gotta be kidding me!  Okay, I¡¯ll try water¡­¡±


    Fiona¡¯s green aura was replaced by dark blue, and a barrier of transparent liquid surrounded them, which seemed to protect them from the encroaching mist, causing a smirk to brighten the Fairy¡¯s lips.  ¡°Hah!  I win!¡±


    Their voices soon returned, and Rachel glared around them at the gently swirling water.  ¡°How much air do we have in here?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right, right!¡±  Fiona laughed sheepishly, aura mixing green again.  ¡°I¡¯ll create some, but I don¡¯t know about carbon monoxide poisoning or whatever¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm ¡­ Well, it hasn¡¯t been an issue in the past with your Wind Shield,¡± Rachel mumbled, leading the way forward; some of the liquid Fiona was generating was left on the road to spread out as they went, creating a trail of water.


    Nora folded her arms, doing her best to penetrate the mist.  ¡°How far can you guys see?  I can¡¯t see more than fen feet ¡­ Fi, is that your fireball?¡±


    They slowed upon seeing the blazing remnant of an SUV; part of it had been twisted and melted from the initial impact before the interior caught flame.


    ¡°Snap ¡­ I doubt they have Fairy insurance¡­¡±  She rubbed the back of her neck with a weak chuckle.


    Rachel continued to study their surroundings with a frown, and a shiver ran down her ears to her tail.  ¡°This¡ªfeels wrong,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°I can¡¯t hear anything¡­¡±


    Nora could hardly see the sidewalk nearby.  ¡°At this rate, won¡¯t the fog reach the rest of the city by the time we find all these creatures?¡±


    Fiona flipped back her bangs, spinning in a slow circle to study everything.  ¡°... Let¡¯s just make sure to remember what direction is out.¡±


    ¡°Up?¡±  Nora chuckled.  She just couldn¡¯t feel down, knowing there was something here she could 100% eat.


    ¡°Basically,¡± Rachel whispered.  ¡°You¡¯re right, though, Nora¡­¡±


    I am?!  She hadn¡¯t heard that in a while; Rachel was making a great first impression.


    ¡°We need to start making passes of ¡­ Watch out!¡±


    Rachel took up a defensive posture as Nora searched for the danger; Fiona was much slower to react; what appeared to be fourteen vine-like blurs shot out of the fog, penetrating her sister¡¯s Water Shield and being forced into a circular rotation around her Wind Shield.


    Within seconds, Nora lost track of the wildly spinning objects that were the size of her forearm, and without warning, several found weak points in the current and penetrated it, shooting right for her.


    Rachel¡¯s fist lit with white light, and Nora darted left, activating her Cheetah Skills to drastically increase her speed, but the Lunar Hare was somehow even faster than her, smashing them into fleshy chunks from her kinetic force.


    ¡°Woah, what are¡­¡±  Nora¡¯s words died in her throat as one vine snaked through the lower section of her sister¡¯s barrier to coil around her leg and whip her into Fiona¡¯s wind and water.


    All sensation was a blur as her face smashed through both; soaking wet, nose burning, she tumbled across the concrete toward the fire.  She was sure Fiona was crying, but all noise vanished the moment she exited the water shell.


    Shit!  She cursed, not having the same reservations as her sister; pain wasn¡¯t that common to her at this point.


    Regaining her bearings, Nora extended her claws and dug them into the asphalt, which didn¡¯t really hurt the road itself since she wasn¡¯t that strong, but it managed to help slow her progress and gave her footing to dart away from the inferno.


    Another Wind Shield surrounded her when she left her panicked sister¡¯s shell, but the moment she dipped out of sight the barrier vanished.  Even though Rachel and Fiona were less than a dozen feet away, she couldn¡¯t hear or see them, but what she did see were dozens of more vines shooting out of the fog to snatch her, and now she could see sharp barbs at the end of them.


    Gritting her teeth, Nora grinned; she just needed to follow things back to their source¡ªthese things weren¡¯t dangerous to her when a Slime, but it would take forever to find them in that state, and so she ran toward the creature.


    Her yellow, sharp feline eyes scanned the space ahead of her, time slowing as she activated her skills to better navigate at the accelerated rate.  Finally, it was just her and her meal; her humanity was swiftly shutting off with her Slime instincts taking over.


    Wind rushed past her as she moved, making sure to keep the vines in sight, but they were faster than her, wrapping around to pursue, and in not much time at all, they¡¯d trapped her.


    The fines opened up to reveal more barbs to latch onto their prey and a sucker-like mouth to feast on the victim, but the moments before striking, Nora¡¯s fur and clothes sank into her melting form as she reverted back to a Slime.


    Light turned to darkness as her senses left, yet she knew her gelatinous form was tumbling aimlessly across the asphalt, and suddenly, color-filled her vision again, returning to her Cheetah state with a wicked grin; images of Rimuru using his slippery nature to his advantage flashing across her mind.


    The vine¡¯s vulnerable mouth had closed again, weaving around her in confusion, but the second she darted forward again, it was after her, and that was when she saw the base of the monstrous thing that was attacking their world¡ªit was something out of a nightmare.


    Tentacle-like feelers of various lengths were extending out of its misshapen, muscular form that almost appeared to be fungal growths out of its body armor.  It was green, its long, extended neck like that of a snapping turtle.


    Its skull was protected by a hardened plate on its head, branching out plate on a flat V-shape, and there were long whiskers the color of wine twitching as if sniffing the air, jutting forward jaw showing thin, pointed fangs in its open mouth¡ªno tongue was seen inside of the sticky gums.


    Void black eyes made it impossible to know what it was staring at, and its repulsive extended arms were bent backward, showing five clawed fingers that probably helped support the monster¡¯s two-toed feet.


    A thick, spiked tail disappeared over ten feet behind the thing, and it stood almost eight feet tall in its slumped forward posture.


    Its head turned to her, hundreds of tentacle barbs shooting out to attack, but Nora was already becoming liquid.


    She was penetrated within half a second, stingers sending globs of poison into her, yet Nora happily stored the substance away in a drawer; it could be useful later.


    Nora latched onto the creature¡¯s spear-like vines, ever so slowly pulling herself closer and closer to its body.  Her drool and manic mind were on fire and devoid of thought as she refused to let the tentacles go, inch by inch pulling them into her stomach fluid to be dissolved.


    Nora had no concept of time¡ªall she knew was the gradual struggle of hold¡ªpull¡ªcreep¡ªexpand¡ªdigest¡ªfeast.


    It was far more challenging than she first anticipated; the revolting creature looked so horrifying yet tasted like buttered popcorn mixed with milk chocolate bars and caramel!


    Powerful hands dug into her, but she simply changed targets, sticking to it instead and continuing to envelop the turtle-like thing, dissolving it bit by bit.


    Eventually, she surrounded the whole thing, and it felt so warm¡ªlike she was embracing someone she loved as she smothered the thing¡ªand finally, she¡¯d stretched her stomach wide enough to swallow the rest of it whole.


    A satisfying moan quivered through the trillions of complex connecting parts that comprised her Slime body, massive trembling while rising up and down as she savored the meal¡ªthere were no thoughts of victory¡ªjust ecstasy of finally finding something that filled her with satisfaction.


    So good!  She cried, yet her elation soon turned to dread as the feelings began to subside.  No ¡­ I ¡­ I need more!  More!


    Nora¡¯s self-control was collapsing, but in one last desperate push, the fog clouding her mind started to disperse¡ªshe¡¯d gained the Hunger Control I Passive, allowing her to mitigate her Slime instincts to feed without end if her Satiation Level was above 95%.  It was a high standard, yet if she stockpiled a few more creatures like this, then it wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    A smile brightened her lips as she returned to her Cheetah form, looking back to find Rachel and Fiona eight feet away.  ¡°Oh ¡­ You found me,¡± she chuckled, ending in a cheer.  ¡°They taste like popcorn!¡±


    She blinked, realizing she could hear herself, and noticed her sister¡¯s Water Shield around them, except that it had expanded by over three times its previous width, blocking out the fog.  Nora hadn¡¯t even noticed the liquid touch her as she was feasting.


    Her sister¡¯s expression asked what she¡¯d just witnessed and was soon swapping to maybe she shouldn¡¯t have watched.  Rachel seemed conflicted with what she¡¯d seen, head tilting to see dozens of separated tentacles, each showing signs of being eaten through as if someone dumped acid on them.


    ¡°What ¡­ did I just watch?¡±  Fiona mumbled in disbelief.


    Gisele¡¯s beak was open in shock, and it almost looked like she¡¯d break out in cold sweats at any moment.  Hayan, on the other hand, was bouncing up and down with a jagged grin that said, Yeah!  EAT IT!  EAT IT!  Or, at least, that¡¯s the way Nora interpreted it.


    Rachel gave her a forced smile.  ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Better!¡±  Nora chimed.  ¡°I haven¡¯t felt this happy in years!  Umm¡­¡±  Her gaze shifted to the water-soaked area, littered with twitching lumps of the monster¡¯s vine-like flesh that she¡¯d abandoned to get a better hold on the creature.  ¡°So¡ªwhat did it look like?¡±


    Fiona responded with a weak laugh.  ¡°Eh ¡­ When we came to save you¡ªwe found a giant scary turtle monster struggling with a mass of bubbling water that seemed to be dissolving it all over the place, and then¡­¡±


    ¡°It was as if it had been swallowed into a black void that opened up inside your body,¡± Rachel finished, ¡°it was like¡ªblack, sticky hands lurching around the thing as you grew bigger and bigger.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡±  Nora mumbled in disbelief, trying to find any evidence of what they described, but she was just in her Cheetah form.  ¡°I, umm ¡­ I kind of lost control for a bit and like¡ªblacked out or something?  Everything was just a haze as I ate it¡­¡±


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Well, Fiona, I don¡¯t think we need to worry about your sister.¡±


    Fiona sighed, scratching the top of her scalp.  ¡°Did you¡ªit was like that scene in that Slime anime we watched where he swallowed up that pig monster ¡­ Just less¡ªkind.  Is that what you were going for?¡±


    ¡°Uh, he-he, well¡ªkind of,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°I mean, I was just really really hungry, and when I started tasting it¡ªI kind of lost all sense of thought.¡±  Her eyes widened.  ¡°Oh, but I got the Hunger Control I Passive from it!  As long as I¡¯m above 95% satisfaction, I won¡¯t lose control when I eat.  So ¡­ Yeah ¡­ There¡¯s that¡­¡±  She finished with a smile.


    A frown touched Rachel¡¯s full lips, drawing Nora¡¯s attention.  ¡°Can you go over 100%?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ Let me ask ¡­ ugh,¡± she winced.  ¡°No¡ªbut, if I keep creatures in storage and dump them into my stomach when it drops, then I¡¯ll be able to top it off.¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±  Rachel folded her arms, turning to Fiona as she flew closer to study her sister.


    ¡°Well¡ªhow does she increase its proficiency ¡­ Just by keeping it above 95%?¡±


    Rachel seemed to think on the question for a second before nodding.  ¡°Probably.  Since it¡¯s a Passive, then so long as it is above 95%, it will always be active.  Although, at Grade One, even if she maxes the Proficiency, I wouldn¡¯t think it would drop below 93%¡ªshe¡¯ll need to keep increasing the levels in it to stay in control if it¡¯s lower.¡±


    It was like a massive load had been lifted off Nora¡¯s shoulders.  ¡°That¡¯s fine!  Heh, I¡¯m actually starting to feel like myself again,¡± she laughed.  ¡°So¡ªif I need to get more levels,¡± she held her hands behind her back with a cute smile, ¡±does that mean I get to eat all of these monsters?!  It should last me a bit¡ªoh, maybe even most of Senior Year¡ªeven if it¡¯s only a few months,¡± she finished with a grumble.


    Fiona and Rachel turned to face each other, lips tight.


    ¡°It would help her,¡± Rachel offered, ¡°and I¡¯m kind of at a loss how to find them, in any case.¡±


    ¡°True¡­¡±  Fiona groaned.


    Finding a crack in the near-impenetrable barrier that was her older sister¡¯s overprotectiveness, Nora asked the System that had turned her into this creature for anything to be able to track her prey as a Slime, and sure enough, she¡¯d gained enough Skill Points from killing the monster to achieve it.  Predatory Sense I, Level 5, and with another desire, Hunger Control I went from Level 1 to Level 3, making the requirement go down to 93%.


    I¡¯m making progress!!!  If I get the Proficiency up, maybe it¡¯ll go down to 90%!


    Hopping forward with a spring in her step, Nora said, ¡°Guess what?!  I just got a Skill to track them¡ªso¡­¡±


    Rachel gave her a sly grin.  ¡°I think you¡¯re beginning to like this a lot more than Fiona wants.¡±


    ¡°Right?!¡±  Fiona sighed in defeat.  ¡°Fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, and before I forget,¡± Nora cut in, ¡°these things have pretty crazy poison that I managed to stockpile!  Maybe we can make something out of it later!¡±  She ran further down the street, not really caring if she was going out or in; she just wanted to be on the move.  ¡°I¡¯m going to go eat now!¡±


    Returning to her original, gelatinous state, Nora saw what almost appeared to be a red haze that zig-zagged across the street, which she identified as a unique hormonal compound that the creatures released from their tails as they moved.


    It was a hybrid sense between sight, smell, and taste; even if she couldn¡¯t identify the world around her like she normally did as a human, this sense gave her a clear path to follow¡ªshe was on the hunt!


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 12. Eldritch

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap: Nora, Fiona''s cute slime little sister, found herself in a rather troublesome situation with some rather ... shall we say Eldrich monsters, and seemed to awaken something from that.  Hmm ... yeah, some iffy stuff happening.  Creatures that create a mist that dulls all sound, even to Rachel''s ears, and smothers fire ... What happened there at the end, too?


    Answers ahead...


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    Rachel cautiously followed behind Nora, Fiona by her side; they¡¯d been close behind the 17-year-old girl as she was pulled out of her sister¡¯s protective barriers, dragged into the silent fog beyond, and she prepared herself for the worst.


    Whatever lurked in the impenetrable veil that came from the Crystal Break had to be dangerous, and the soundless nature of the threat made her skin crawl out of instinct¡ªshe feared the fate that might have befallen her friend¡¯s younger sister.


    In a panic, Fiona had extended her water and wind barriers as far as they¡¯d go, burning through her Sugar Pool to find Nora within the ominous mist ¡­ They couldn¡¯t have possibly been prepared for what they witnessed.


    A nightmarish, parasitic creature thrashed into Fiona¡¯s barrier, several dozen tentacle-like attachments writhing in every direction, extended vine-like feelers gaping wide to show countless fangs and jaws, whipping around in a feverish mess, terrifying clicks and gurgles exploding to life in Rachel¡¯s mind.


    Its long, turtle-like neck weaved left and right, split down the center to its mouth, revealing a flared, horrifying maw, several barbed tongues quivering as the invader shifted¡ªa dark liquid mass wrapped around the unearthly thing.


    Worse, Nora¡¯s pulsating, malleable form released a sound utterly unheard by anyone that lacked Rachel¡¯s acute hearing.  A humming resonated through the air, mania deep within the all-consuming black tide, emanating a wicked, scratching choirs of primal fear¡ªa malevolent, reaching, ravaging hollow that wriggled bit by bit over the helpless prey¡ªa festering, growing cancer.


    With all the possibilities running through Rachel¡¯s mind, she hadn¡¯t pictured Fiona¡¯s cute little sister as a black, crazed expanse the size of a bus, cloaking an alien creature in large influxes of overlapping waves to shroud the predatory organism within her fathomless pit, glowing red orbs opening inside the mass before welcoming the invader into an abyssal cavity.


    Rachel wasn¡¯t sure how she should feel because what transpired before her was something out of a horror story.


    The most disturbing part was when the cute Cheetah Beastkin appeared out of the writhing mass, compressing into the small girl¡¯s unassuming frame, a charming smile on her lips upon seeing them.  ¡°Oh ¡­ You found me,¡± she chuckled, ending in a cheer.  ¡°They taste like popcorn!¡±


    Gisele seemed just as shocked as them, hiding a little behind Rachel¡¯s leg, waiting for her orders, but Hayan was bouncing up and down with a baleful smile, cheering the Slime girl on.


    Nora¡¯s current form was nothing like it had been, making Rachel consider if the girl had some kind of hidden Madness State when pulled into a feeding frenzy.  Whatever it was, she had no clue how terrifying the scene had been, nor the sinister eulogy she¡¯d sung for the creature while absorbing it.


    * * *


    The Slime currently tracking the remaining invaders was clear to Rachel¡¯s eyes, without a hint of the blackness Nora released moments earlier.  The girl was barely traveling at walking speed, liquid form moving by crawling over herself in noticeable waves.


    ¡°Rachel¡­¡±  Fiona mumbled, floating near her straight ears.  ¡°Was that just because Nora was eating¡ªsomething like that?¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ It¡¯s possible, but it could just be a hungry state she enters, just like your Warpath State is when you see someone as an unforgivable enemy.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ I was afraid of that,¡± Fiona whispered, elf-like ears drooping a little while staring after her focused sister, tracking their foes.  ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then¡­¡±


    Rachel sighed.  ¡°I get it ¡­ If that¡¯s what she gets like when starved, then she may need to take on a more active role in clearing the Crystals¡ªI¡¯ll have to bring it up with Tom because others might be suffering through similar trials as Nora.¡±


    ¡°At least she¡¯s got the Hunger Control skill, but if it¡¯s only 93% right now ¡­ If it drops below that, then that madness will consume her mind again once anything gets close to her that can satiate the State,¡± Fiona mumbled, rubbing her left arm as goosebumps broke out across her skin, and Rachel did the same.


    ¡°I know,¡± Rachel returned, keeping her focus on Fiona¡¯s little sister.  ¡°Did anything like that happen before?¡±


    Fiona shook her head, pausing after a moment¡¯s thought.  ¡°No¡ªwait ¡­ No, she talked about going into a feeding frenzy in the past, when she first changed.  She kept eating the wildlife around town, prioritizing animals that people wouldn¡¯t miss.¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ Probably subconsciously keeping enough food in stock to keep her Satiation Pool at 100 to 99% at all times after that first meal.¡±


    They fell silent as Nora reverted back to her Cheetah Beastkin transformation to talk to them, expression bright with anticipation.  ¡°Right here!  Three split up, going, uh ¡­ That way¡ªthere, and ¡­ back the way we came.¡±


    Rachel spotted a nearby storefront, vision narrowing.  ¡°We¡¯re near the club¡ªit should be five buildings to our left, along the coastline.  So, we have two left on this side of town, and the one you faced could have been the weakest ¡­ Are there any humans that managed to escape and hide?¡±


    Nora folded her arms underneath her small chest with a thoughtful hum; her tone turned regretful.  ¡°On our way here, I wanted to know more about them, so I was able to grab a Simple Predatory Analysis I, which took the rest of my points¡ªat least, I think it did,¡± she added with a forced smile.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t pick up another transformation slot, so I went with the next best thing¡ªI don¡¯t think we¡¯ll find anything left of the people around this area.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyebrows lifted as she hovered a little closer to Nora, keeping eye-level.  ¡°Wait¡ªDoes that mean you know more about them?¡±


    ¡°Kind of,¡± Nora yawned, rubbing her eyes, ¡°Wow¡ªI¡¯m getting a bit tired, but I¡¯ll be fine in a second¡ªjust need to eat a little more; it was so hard to get around!  Its wiggling, spreading sprouting limbs spread out so much¡ªand it was trying to eat me back ¡­ Next time, it¡¯ll be a lot easier when I sneak up on the rest¡ªthey can hear everything that interacts with the mist, including your shields.¡±


    Rachel rubbed her arm again, feeling more goosebumps appear at how natural Nora merged into her new form, wondering if it was the same for Richard when he first met her.  ¡°You know how to sneak up on them, then?¡±


    Nora grinned, unfolding her arms to press a hand against her breast.  ¡°I can expel a part of their hormones to mask myself as one of their own; they shouldn¡¯t think twice about me, and I can work myself up to the proper size before reaching them to pounce.  As long as I make decent time and get more to replenish the limited stock of the identifier hormone I can extract, then it should be fine!¡±


    Fiona groaned, running her hands through her glowing green and blue hair, vision shifting to the impenetrable swirling fog beyond her barriers.  ¡°They¡¯re adaptable and strong enough to find ways through my shields ¡­ You said it was trying to eat you back?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no!¡±  Nora protested.  ¡°I can regenerate way faster than they can suck me up!  Well ¡­ at least if they don¡¯t know what I am,¡± she forcefully added.  ¡°I kind of took the first one by surprise¡­¡±


    Rachel shook her head, sucking on her lower lip for a moment.  ¡°... I think there¡¯s more to it than that, Nora.  Can you ask the System what your hungry State is called and what it does?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ Sure¡­¡±  Nora¡¯s yellow eyes widened.  ¡°Woah¡ªwhat¡¯s a State?¡±


    Fiona sighed, quickly explaining Warpath to her sister.


    Nora¡¯s gaze fell to the asphalt.  ¡°This is crazy ¡­ It¡¯s called Devouring Hollow I¡ªthe combined and upgraded version of Frenzy III and Insanity III¡­¡±


    Harrowing Disaster Branch:  A survival-based Branch subconsciously gained upon Nora¡¯s distressing transformation, designed to keep her alive during her traumatic transition.


    Devouring Hollow I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: Sanity and Increased Consumption; Duration: Linked With Hunger Control; Range: N/A) Reactive, Eldritch-Type, Level Five, Novice Grade, Rank Seven.  Grants several buffs to Nora¡¯s passive kit as a Slime.


    Rachel was floored by the implication; it had taken her forever to get her hearing to the third rank, only recently reaching it, yet Nora managed to add two to this over the past two weeks and coming into contact with this entity allowed it to combine into a new, much stronger skill¡ªalthough, at a horrible cost ¡­ Her sanity.


    Fiona¡¯s lips were pursed with concern.  ¡°It¡¯s a buff and debuff?  I just ¡­ It drains your Satiation Pool 55% faster while only increasing your digestion rate by 50% ¡­ How can you ever be satiated?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s exactly how it works,¡± Rachel mumbled, drawing Nora¡¯s brooding gaze.  ¡°It¡¯s probably calculating it off her original form; her mouth is increased by 200% with her growth, which is what we saw.¡±


    ¡°The black void-like thing you mentioned?¡±  Nora asked, glancing between them.


    Fiona shook her head, multi-colored hair dancing around her.  ¡°No ¡­ at first, it was like three bright red pulsating globes before the white centers darkened, expanding into this abyss, joining together to swallow that¡ªthat thing whole,¡± she said with a slight shiver.  ¡°... There was this kind of ¡­ I don¡¯t know¡ªfeeling when it opened up, too¡­¡±


    ¡°A noise for me,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t quite know what Eldritch is, but it¡¯s the same sensation I had of that nightmare creature in the labyrinth and the tree-thing underneath it.¡±


    Fiona rubbed both of her arms with a forced smile.  ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah, Eldritch basically means weird and sinister or ¡­ you know, kind of ghostly or unnatural¡ªthat describes that feeling, too.¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a problem, though ¡­ Right?¡±  Nora asked, her expression strained.  ¡°As long as I keep enough food to satisfy it.¡±


    Rachel hummed, folding her arms while glaring down at the floor; her two pets were jumping and flying around Nora, studying her from their various angles.  ¡°It is concerning because it has a Reaction-Type activator, and if for any reason, you don¡¯t have enough food in your storage for the upkeep¡ªthe strange part is how you leveled the previous skills to such a high level¡­¡±


    It didn¡¯t make sense to Rachel; the two could have been linked, which might have helped boost the leveling process.


    Nora puffed out a long breath.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I mean, all last week I was fighting myself¡ªI¡¯ve been having a hard time trying to balance between so many personalities inside of me that it¡¯s been, well ¡­ maddening.  I wasn¡¯t really lucid for most of last week, to be honest ¡­ I feel way better now, though.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s mixed shimmering sapphire and emerald eyes peered through the light green dust her wings generated to the swirling white mist outside.  ¡°I¡¯m kind of worried, Nora ¡­ I think the only reason you were able to eat that thing was because of that State¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll force myself into it when I pounce on the next one!¡±  Nora stated, becoming a bit defensive at the implication her sister was making.  ¡°I can do that¡ªif I work really hard to rush to the next one, burning a lot of energy.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s gut tightened; she didn¡¯t like it either, but they¡¯d wasted a lot of time.  How fast had the mist had expanded since they¡¯ve been fussing over Nora?  The girl was their only tracking hound to even get the catch on the otherworldly entities; it really was a mystery to her, though¡ªhow did they go from somewhat weak mushroom people to these fungal-like horrifying creatures?


    I can¡¯t let those things get to Grandpa and Mason.


    ¡°Jessy, too!¡±  Nia chimed in; the girl had been somewhat speechless herself after witnessing Nora¡¯s nightmare-inducing transformation.


    ¡°We need to check the Crystal first¡ªdiscovering how many came through is important,¡± Rachel swiftly took command.  ¡°Let¡¯s go ¡­ We¡¯ll work things out along the way.¡±


    Fiona wasn¡¯t happy about it but knew that people were dying around them in utter silence¡ªthey could be only twenty meters away, alone and separated from the world in the fathomless veil that had fallen over Florida City.


    In the end, the Fairy was forced to acknowledge that she had to have faith in her sister, and Rachel wasn¡¯t 100% sure of her own chances, which excited her, yet the utter silence was surprisingly a massive mood dampener¡ªmixed with the moon-hiding fog that hung over them.


    She began to see ripped clothes, dresses, pants, skirts, and caps, among other outfits, all without a stain of blood.  Cars had smashed through buildings, and the chaotic mess that the fleeing crowds left only added to Rachel¡¯s muscle tension¡ªit was straight out of a horror flick.


    The club entrance had been decimated by the creatures, ripping through the metal and stone to carve a pathway out, but not a single drop of blood or flesh could be spotted; they were definitely powerful, yet the mist that made them so dangerous to her¡ªit was as if these creatures were specifically designed to counter her.


    In fact, it was a distinct possibility after what she¡¯d learned from the Legend¡¯s Quest from Twilight.  Moongmor was trying to help her¡ªin his own semi-perverted fashion.  There would be others looking to fulfill their own unknown desires, though; she was reminded of Fiona¡¯s comment about Gisele¡¯s story regarding the godly figure her pet had met.


    Making a note of the ruined couches, Nora explained, returning to her Beastkin state, pointing between several articles nearby.  ¡°Mhm ¡­ These things feast on organic material¡ªbone, blood, saliva, fungus, plants, hair ¡­ even dead skin, as odd as that might sound since it¡¯s ¡­ you know, dead,¡± she chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.


    It didn¡¯t last long before she stopped them before entering the club.  ¡°Ten ¡­ there are ten of them in all, and they¡¯ve spread out¡ªthey¡¯re solitary hunters, grouping once finished to split the organic material they¡¯ve gathered.¡±


    A stream of air hissed between Rachel¡¯s teeth as she glanced back the way they¡¯d come.  ¡°Okay ¡­ Fiona, Nora ¡­ we¡¯re going to have to handle this together¡­¡±


    Nora looked excited as she nodded.  ¡°Right¡ªbecause you guys couldn¡¯t find me again if we split up; I¡¯d have to find you both!  So, we fight together?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be the fastest, and it shouldn¡¯t require you to turn into your Devouring Hollow State¡ªFiona and I will keep it trimmed down for you to trap and smother.¡±


    ¡°Awesome!  Uh,¡± Nora scratched her left cat ear, ¡°heh, I don¡¯t know if I can grow big enough to do that without going into that state¡ªThey¡¯re pretty big if we include the tail and arms.¡±


    A smile finally brightened Fiona¡¯s lips as she pumped her arm in the air.  ¡°I got you, Sis!  Rachel and I will take off parts of it for you to swallow bit by bit.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°You need more sugar?  Focus on just the water shield¡ªas big as you can make it to allow Gisele, Hayan, and I to dodge ¡­ in fact, my Rabbit Crew should be off cooldown,¡± she grinned, calling upon her Flush and Coral female Rabbits to join them.


    Hayan and the other two jumped into each other, bouncing off one another as if high-fiving, and they looked up at her with big, expectant eyes; Gisele was less thrilled to see them, hovering a bit above the three.


    ¡°Aww, don¡¯t get jealous¡ªyou¡¯re cute, too!¡±  Fiona soothed, hovering near Gisele to pet her feathery neck.  Gisele turned to give her a happy chirp.  ¡°Oh, and I think they want you to name them¡­¡±


    Short on time, Rachel pointed at each¡ªHayan, Coral, and Rose ¡­ Okay, let¡¯s run in real fast to check out the gate color to report it back and then get to work.  We gotta work as a unit!¡±


    Rushing inside the VIP, leading to the stairs and 2nd-level Fight Club, Rachel noticed the clothes of the two Beastkin bouncers she¡¯d embarrassed earlier on the way down, indicating the pair had been consumed by the nightmarish creatures¡ªit was impressive how swiftly they¡¯d overpowered everyone nearby, considering how many ruined clothing she noted.


    Nia was pining over it all, demanding they suck up every bit for her to rework, and it wasn¡¯t a horrible idea¡ªit wasn¡¯t like they needed it any longer.


    Still, she¡¯d have to take it up with Jim because they were the only identifiers they had of the deceased, which meant the city would likely call in multiple forensic teams from around the area to compile a list of casualties during the attack.


    Nora didn¡¯t pay the host of torn outfits any mind, though, focusing ahead of them.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if any waited behind ¡­ I can¡¯t identify their hormone trail as a Beastkin¡ªwhich is kind of crazy it¡¯s invisible to my nose.  Oh, and I can¡¯t hear you when I¡¯m a Slime either¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine¡ªjust do your thing and keep trying to consume the parts we cut off until you can completely consume it.¡±


    Passing by the steel cage and to the edge of the blasted-out hole in the concrete floor at its center that the creatures made to get out, Rachel got her first glimpse of a Crystal Break, which was much different than what she experienced in Montana with the Double Crystal Event.


    Instead of a whole crystal, they found a fragmented Left-Angled Tetrahedron floating in the air in pieces.  The shattered expansion changed it from 2.3-meters to 4 ¡­ advancing it to Level 2; it explained the sharp increase in difficulty.


    The gateway was now Level II, Grade III, and the purple shade of the shards indicated it was currently Rank III¡ªworse, the blue glow meant the broken gemstone had passed the 50% mark before passing into the next stage, pink¡ªRank IV, which would introduce a new challenge.


    ¡°We need to go¡ªnow¡­¡±  Rachel growled.


    The three of them rushed back upstairs, Nora transforming into a Slime as they made it outside.  They moved as fast as they were able, allowing their tracker to guide them.


    Rachel hadn¡¯t been sure how long it would take for them to reach the first alien entity, which was slightly smaller than the last, but the battle was hard, and without Nia¡¯s protection, she would have left with multiple lacerations.


    The issue came from its attacks against Fiona¡¯s Water Shield, allowing the mist to enter before the tiny Fairy managed to push it back out with her wind.


    Every new fight, they increased their teamwork, executing the entities, and Nora learned just how much of the creature¡¯s identifying hormones that they could sense through the mist, having some form of connection to it¡ªthey were invisible to them by the 4th kill.


    It allowed the group to turn the fights from fierce battles to straight assassinations, with Fiona¡¯s Wind Cutter II cutting off its tail and arms, stopping the initial tentacle swarm.  Rachel¡¯s frontal Lunar Burst II blew a quarter of its front shell apart while disabling the rest of its feelers, allowing Nora unimpeded access inside its defenses, slipping inside to dissolve vital organs.


    Hayan, Coral, and Rose were wrecking balls, flanking their foe to shove it off their feet while Gisele screeched overhead, firing off Moonfire rays from her mouth, searing its unprotected, gaping tongues writhing out of its mouth.


    Fiona separating them from the fog with her Water Shield II allowed them to block off its communication with its fellows, which Nora confirmed after the 9th kill when she finally got her 2nd transformation slot, dissecting the creature¡¯s memories.  It would give them an inside look at the things after she had a few days to analyze them.


    From the surface information she gained, they were dominant predators in the world they came from, and the fungal people were actually no different than human cornfields¡ªthese ten weren¡¯t even warriors of their species.  It was like they were fighting farmers.


    Knowing these entities had far more deadly elites lurking in the shadows just beyond the Gate made their feat far less epic and even more terrifying, but in the end, they managed to clear out the last invader before things could grow worse.


    Still, they¡¯d lost hundreds of people across the 2-mile radius the fog and creatures managed to spread¡ªthis wasn¡¯t a victory but a tragedy.


    Upon slaying the 10th one, the mist quickly dispersed, and a pulse ran through Rachel¡¯s frame, indicating they¡¯d succeeded.  The compressive atmosphere of soundlessness vanished like smoke, bringing clarity to her twitching ears, but the scene around her was sobering as the moon¡¯s glow touched the streets, filling her with strength again¡ªthe multi-hued dome was gone.


    Every ripped article of clothing the three of them passed was another person who would never see their family again¡ªmothers who left their loved ones at home, men who would never see their wives and children again.  Animals weren¡¯t spared, as Fiona noted, dog and cat collars littered across a nearby pet meet-up cafe.


    Nora revealed another chilling fact¡ªthe alien creatures also consumed cotton products, which meant everything they were seeing was the synthetic remnants left over.  They would never truly know how many people died, and this Crystal Break wasn¡¯t even at the Montana or New Mexico Gate level.


    By the rate and volume these things feasted on the helpless people lost in the fathomless fog, even a military strike force might have been powerless to these entities.  A grenade would have little effect against it, and it targeted only organic material with pinpoint precision.


    At the very least, it would take an RPG to break past its armored shell, and that wasn¡¯t even the worst of it; the mist held other qualities that disrupted broadcast frequencies, among other feats that made these creatures a nightmare to deal with.


    Rachel had to wonder if her relatives weren¡¯t present in the area, would this event have even occurred at all¡ªit was a possibility.  Outside forces were working with and against her that were unseen and unknown.  She doubted they would step into the light for a long while, which meant her troubles weren¡¯t over.  At least they weren¡¯t directly going after her family¡ªso long as they kept their focus on her and Mythic¡¯s members, then it was manageable.


    No, the god-like entities weren¡¯t her biggest threat ¡­ Relica and those like her, such as Carter, who had been very quiet since making his escape, were the bigger problems, with law enforcement having far too much to focus on instead of individuals that weren¡¯t making a noise.


    Nia chimed in her mind upon completing the event.   ¡°I¡¯m the coolest, most awesomest, and cutest outfit you¡¯ve ever worn!  Right?  Right?!¡±  she urged.


    Rachel released a tired chuckle; Lunar Deadening may be hiding her sore muscles as Fiona flew them back to the agents, but the damage was weighing down on her conscience with the implications of outside influence¡ªthey were also all reasonably exhausted, both Fiona and Nora complaining as they went.


    The Fairy had gone through at least a pound of sugar to keep the Max Barrier up while doing damage and aiding in maneuverability; her tongue was somewhat raw after consuming so much¡ªher stomach hurt, too.


    Nora was in her Slime state, practically water as Fiona carried her with Levitate; she was too tired to keep up her Beastkin form, but her hunger would be good for at least three weeks.


    Yes, Nia, you saved me dozens of times¡­


    ¡°Sixty-two cuts!  Sixty-two!  Four bad ones would have split your big bum, and I even took a hit on your left boob ¡­ It hurt!  Oh, and I got soooo scared when it almost wrapped around your tail!  Did you see?!  Did you hear it?!¡±


    Mhm!  You swapped to your original outfit to slap it back with the back ribbon.  It was really smart, Nia.


    ¡°Mu-ha-ha-ha-ha!  Yes, I fought, too!  I hit it right in the tentacle¡ªit was gross ¡­ But a worthy sacrifice to dirty my pretty body.  It felt the dark glare of the abyss when it saw my glowing eyes!  I put the fear of Nia in him!¡±


    Heh, I don¡¯t know if it was a ¡®he,¡¯ but you were certainly screaming at times.


    ¡°W-Was not!  I was laughing in its face, daring it to even try to slap that big ass of yours!¡±


    Mhm ¡­ I remember you shrieking like a total girl the moment the feeler grazed your earring.


    ¡°Uh, duh!  I was just ¡­ I was worried about your ears!  Yeah, didn¡¯t think about that one!  I was soooo brave!¡±


    Yeah¡ªit was our real first combat experience together.  Can¡¯t wait for the next one!


    ¡°I ¡­ I did good?¡±


    Amazing!


    ¡°Yeah!  Let¡¯s tell Mom, and Jessy, and Scarlet, and Alexa¡­¡±


    Right, right!  I¡¯ll let them know how brave you were protecting me; you took some good hits.  Are you okay?


    ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah, yeah, I¡¯m fine ¡­ I¡¯ll heal¡­¡±


    Rachel frowned at her tone, looking down at her bust to see a bit of damage on the fabric covering her left breast.  You did get hurt, girl ¡­ You should have told me.


    ¡°Pfft!  I¡¯m no wuss ¡­ I¡¯m a Rabbit Denier Warrior!¡±


    ¡­ Heh, yeah, you are ¡­ Thanks, Nia.  We¡¯ll have a good story to tell the family.


    ¡°In a veil of white, Nia, Living Denier legend, covered the villainous Hare¡¯s delicate, bulky-butt form, defiant of the disgusting slippery tentacle whipper!  Nia protected the poof ball Hare¡¯s tail with her life and was stricken by poison, but Nia is immune!  Mu-ha-ha-ha-ha!  The fool!¡±


    Hehe¡­


    Nia continued to make comments about how awesome they were together while playfully poking fun at her, transforming back to their casual outfit; she was still hopeful for all the fabric left behind, but Rachel was doubtful.


    Jim¡¯s regretful expression told Rachel everything she needed to know about the man; he felt the loss of human life and was likely beating himself up, thinking they could have saved even a few more lives if they¡¯d just left sooner.


    Bree and Serah felt the same, happy they¡¯d been able to close the gateway but knowing another tragedy had occurred, even with two Mythickin handling the situation.  They¡¯d managed to coordinate and organize the local law enforcement, prepared groups, and volunteers with the information Rachel initially gave them, all to try and prevent an even greater disaster, though.


    The mist and creatures had moved to cut off a large section of the escaping populace, but through the efforts of the police, they saved thousands that would have remained in their homes¡ªprey for the entities.


    Tom was informed, and a follow-up presidential address regarding three more Crystal Events over the past week would be touched on in the morning with aid.  Florida City¡¯s Mayor had declared a State of Emergency the moment he¡¯d become aware of the situation and was currently talking to the State Governor to seek support for those he represented.


    The remains of the nightmarish invaders came up in the discussion, but it was soon dropped once they discovered Nora consumed them as food.  However, she offered to release one to them to study if they liked, and Tom agreed, thanking her since he understood she needed to eat and had been the one to do a majority of the work in preventing another crisis, which caused her chest to puff up.


    Fiona was starting to recognize her little sister was more capable than she thought, but she¡¯d never stop worrying about her¡ªthe Slime girl liked that, too.


    Once finishing their report, they returned to her grandfather¡¯s home, Fiona translating Gisele¡¯s experience with Moongmor¡ªall starting with a fish that had the little seal jumping into the water to get, much to Gisele¡¯s horror and exasperation.


    It was a story right out of a fable, yet Rachel saw his power herself¡ªhe¡¯d been the only reason they were able to complete the Legend¡¯s Quest, making her wonder how far these godly creatures could go to interfere with them.


    The fact another divine being had attacked Moongmor drew her attention, and it also concerned her that he enjoyed the life-threatening experience¡ªthe odd rabbit certainly seemed to be an unabashed pervert, through and through.  The Warden he¡¯d talked about had been killed by another, not necessarily the woman that attacked him.


    There was just so much she didn¡¯t know.


    Making it back home, she explained things to her grandfather, cousin, and his new girlfriend before heading to bed, Nora and Fiona staying the night.  Tomorrow, her grandfather had something he wished to show her.


    He had the Instructor skill, granting him the means to pass on his abilities, and there was one he wished to teach her¡ªa technique that might help her control the mixture of her lunar energies.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 13. The Truth Within

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:  We learned about Nia''s intense Slime powers, and now we learn some very disturbing things working in the background.  Exactly why has our girl gained Eldritch powers?


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Exxator, Thomas Bormann, Kyle Markman, GreatestSin, Thea Nyx Petersen, Endo, Jeff, Zep, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel¡¯s eyes cracked open, ears shifting as unknown sounds fed into her awakening brain; it was as if rippling water was all around her, bodies swimming through it.


    She dully stared at the wall of liquid hovering two feet above her bed, filling up almost 3/4ths of the room, Fiona, Hayan, Coral, and Rose inside it, playing underwater football with the Fairy¡¯s powers, likely trying to practice her Spells.


    By the fading light bleeding through the shudders and conversation around the still terrified residents of Florida City, it was 7 P.M.  Families were still trying to leave the area, panicked by the horrors that were coming to light as News stations flooded the room, trying to be the first to uncover the scoop¡ªthe information released only inciting panic.


    Nora was still asleep in her Slime form, resting on folded blankets beside her sister¡¯s folded blanket bed; she hadn¡¯t brought the dollhouse she had bragged about last night.


    Jessy was in the center of the back wall, keeping score with a piece of paper while doodling; Rachel saw a few small sketches of her sleeping and Gisele before they noticed she was awake.  The current score was 5 to 3, Fiona and Coral versus Hayan and Rose.


    Gisele gave a chirp upon seeing Rachel open her eyes, likely giving her a cheerful, ¡®good morning.¡¯  The bird perched on the back of Jessy¡¯s chair, having a good view of the game.


    Rachel¡¯s dull stare moved to Fiona, saying, ¡®You couldn¡¯t have done this outside?¡¯


    Fiona gave her a forced chuckle from inside her Water Shield, hovering inside the liquid; Hayan was trapped in a vortex of water but a Lunar Step and charged tackle freed him of the lower-tier Water Prison¡ªRachel knew Fiona could make it stronger, which meant she was trying to conserve sugar.


    The real question that bothered Rachel was why she hadn¡¯t woken up?  Once again, she didn¡¯t snap back to consciousness when things were happening around her.


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ Why didn¡¯t I wake up?¡±  she asked, watching her pets plop to the floor as Fiona¡¯s deep blue glow brightened, converting the water to mist.


    Jessy opened the window.  ¡°Uh ¡­ Sorry, Rachel,¡± the girl mumbled.  ¡°Fiona said it¡¯s funny, but both Nora and you wouldn¡¯t wake up, even if we did something like this¡ªit¡¯s crazy what kind of powers she has¡­¡±


    Fiona snickered, floating over to wink at Rachel as she got up, managing her long locks.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ I learned in Montana that you sleep like a rock!  Me?  Ugh ¡­ those military boys are so loud!¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  Rachel¡¯s lips tightened, following the dense mist with her eyes as it was blown out with Fiona¡¯s wind, forcing all of their hair to follow the strong current.  ¡°I guess it could be some kind of internal signal or instinct that wakes me up when something triggers danger ¡­ everything else is filtered out to allow me to gain sleep.¡±


    ¡°Totally!¡±  Nia giggled.  ¡°Fiona¡¯s right, your ears are practically mufflers when you sleep ¡­ Oh, he-he, Jessy really wanted to touch them, but she resisted!  Isn¡¯t she strong-willed?!¡±


    She stretched out with a low yawn, blinking a few times while staring down at her cute bra.  ¡°... Morning, Nia¡­¡±  She noticed a bit of stress in her limbs after all the rapid movements the day before.


    Jessy, Fiona, and even her pets mirrored her, making the girl squeal with joy in her head.


    ¡°They know I¡¯m here, too!  Hi!  Morning!¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±  Rachel arched into a back walkover but wasn¡¯t thrilled about her flexibility; although Jessy was more than impressed as she began stretching, Nia kept her bra and panties in perfect position through the process.  ¡°... When did Jim, Bree, and Serah get here?¡±  she mumbled, hearing their sleeping bodies in nearby rooms.


    Jim was in the room Mason used; her cousin was currently talking about his struggles and fears below.  Bree and Serah were sharing another one of the guest rooms, sleeping close to each other, only because Serah had rolled out of her covers and in between the two, lying on the hard floor.


    So ¡­ ugh, I¡¯m sore¡­


    ¡°Obviously!  You had to make snappy moves to dodge all those gross tentacles last night ¡­ Uh ¡­ on that note, can I go into the washer again¡­¡±


    Feeling gross?


    ¡°SO GROSS!¡±


    Heh, I suppose the dark denier of the living abyss can even feel slimy, huh?


    ¡°Eh ¡­ did you see those things?!  Yeah, and who was it that got slapped around?!  Me!  That¡¯s who!¡±


    Yup, yup, Rachel giggled, getting to her feet.  You ready for the spinning agitator of doom?


    ¡°Ho-ho-ho!  It¡¯s not ready for me!  I¡¯ve been waiting all night to enter the crucible,¡± Nia exclaimed.


    ¡­ Just don¡¯t break it.


    ¡°I¡¯d never!  The nerve ¡­ Saying I¡¯d break it ¡­ Then I couldn¡¯t enjoy the contest.  Humph¡­¡±


    ¡°Nia?¡±  Fiona smiled, spinning around her.


    ¡°Oh, yes, yes?!¡±


    ¡°Is she connected with that tattoo?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me!  I¡¯m cute!  Aren¡¯t I?!¡±


    ¡°Is she cute?¡±  Rachel asked, scanning for more information around the city; nothing really stood out, though.


    Jessy flipped her notebook to another page with an eager smile.  ¡°Oh ¡­ Nia, look!  I made a picture of you when you were sleeping!¡±


    ¡°Oh.  My.  Goodness!  I¡¯m adorable!¡±  Nia chimed, earring tingling, making her ear twitch.  ¡°I need that on our wall, Rachel!  Please!!¡±


    Scratching the base of her left ear, Rachel sighed.  ¡°... She wants me to frame it.¡±


    ¡°No!  I wanted it on our wall ¡­ Oh, that¡¯s with the frame ¡­ yeah, yeah!  Frame it for me!  Please, pretty please!¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, sure!¡±  Jessy smiled.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I can make it better on some art paper.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be even cuter?!  Do it!  Do it!  Do it!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s all for it,¡± Rachel translated, twisting her hips left and right.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ so, you two showered yet?¡±  she asked, PJs and bound hair telling her the answer.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Fiona replied.  ¡°I only woke up an hour ago¡ªJessy a bit before me.¡±


    Jessy¡¯s cheer dampened a bit, staring at her sketch of Fiona, flying with her wings.  ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah¡­¡±


    Knowing something was bothering her but not feeling the need to really address it at the moment, Rachel hummed, keeping her focus on Fiona.  ¡°... I need to practice with my grandpa¡ªtomorrow¡¯s the last day for us to prepare before¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, right¡­¡±  Fiona cut her off, glowing green irises darting to her sister with a concerned look.  ¡°Well ¡­ I guess she can¡¯t really hear us when she¡¯s a Slime.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±  Nia gasped.  ¡°We¡¯re traveling in two days!  That means a new outfit!  Right, right?!  I get to eat more and get a new outfit for the new place?!¡±


    We¡¯ll see¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s not a no!  Yes!¡±  She tightened around her chest with excitement as if it was a promised success.  ¡°Wait, why does Fiona''s face look like that?¡±


    Rachel was still focused on her friend; the small Fairy¡¯s arms tightly hugged her sides, giving her sister a sad, studious look.  The jelly-like transparent blob was dead to the world.


    Jessy caught the change in mood a bit late and tried to break the tension.  ¡°... Umm ¡­ Yeah, Rachel, super cute underwear ¡­ Nia did that, too, right?¡±


    ¡°Jessy¡¯s the best!  Can she always tag along?¡±


    No.


    ¡°Aww¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about a few things,¡± Fiona whispered.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Rachel smiled at the teenage girl.  ¡°Yeah, Nia does a great job¡ªUmm, yeah, I am, too, Fiona.  So, wanna hit the shower and talk?¡±


    She held out her arm for Gisele to flap over and perch on.  ¡°Heh, you can join, too, Gisele¡ªyou guys, too,¡± she said, watching the three blobs bounce over to rub against her feet.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Moongmor and Gisele¡¯s story?¡±  Fiona asked.


    ¡°That, among other things¡ªthere was a lot to process last night, and you kind of need help in the shower,¡± She mused.


    ¡°Heh ¡­ you think?  Three and a half inches tall, by the way,¡± Fiona said with a weak laugh while gesturing at her body.  ¡°A toothpick with marshmallows is a workout for me.¡±


    ¡°The puffy kind?¡±  Rachel smirked.  ¡°Dang, girl¡ªgettin¡¯ swole; we should Instagram that.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Fiona muttered with a grin, Jessy soon following with the brightening atmosphere.  ¡°Some morning sugar would be nice, too, I guess,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ uh, me too?¡±  Jessy nervously asked, hands tight behind her back.


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°The bathroom¡¯s huge¡ªshould be fine.¡±  A smirk creased her eyes as she reached behind her back to unclip Nia, but the girl released it before she could even touch the clip.  ¡°I wanted to ¡­ get some more info on what¡¯s going on between you and my cousin, too!  Now that you two are going out¡ªgonna tell us what happened when we left?!¡±


    ¡°Yes!  Look out, agitator, the eternal darkness descends upon you!¡±


    Nia¡¯s voice faded as Rachel slid off her panties.


    Jessy¡¯s pupils dilated with shock.  ¡°W-What about going down the hall?¡±


    Fiona giggled, stripping herself.  ¡°If Rachel¡¯s doing this, it¡¯s to make you nervous; don¡¯t fall for it!  She wouldn¡¯t be caught dead naked by her family.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smiling eyes turned to the tiny woman.  ¡°No one¡¯s awake on the second floor; no big deal.¡±  She motioned for them to follow, sliding the door open and stepping out into the hallway.


    Gisele, Hayan, Rose, and Coral quickly joined her, heading for the bathroom.  Fiona darted down to pick up her pre-prepared items, throwing her dress and underwear on the bed before floating after them.  Face bright red, Jessy brought up the rear, Rachel grinning as she forgot a new change of clothes.


    The Fairy caught up in an instant, giving her a soft glare.  ¡°Although, I am a bit surprised how fast you threw off those clothes in front of her.¡±


    ¡°Meh,¡± she whispered, glancing back at the girl just stumbling into the hallway.  ¡°Knowing where everyone is at all times gives me a lot of confidence, and true, I wouldn¡¯t ever have walked butt-naked through my family¡¯s house before changing.  I was even skittish about changing in front of other women before The Oscillation¡ªit¡¯s whatever, though.¡±


    Fiona nodded, Jessy, catching up to them.  ¡°Same here¡ªafter shrinking to ¡­ this,¡± she mumbled, ¡°I¡¯ve become more accustomed to it, I guess.¡±


    ¡°O-Oh, I get that,¡± Jessy whispered, giving the Fairy a heated but understanding smile.


    Rachel laughed, knowing why the girl really was embarrassed; it would come up soon.


    Sliding the door out to the washer and dryer beside the bathroom, Rachel put her bra and underwear inside, setting it to the heaviest setting with an extra rinse¡ªNia would enjoy this ride even more compared to the last.


    Jessy¡¯s muscles were tight, thighs pressed together while glaring at the floor and trying not to look at her naked body.


    ¡°So?¡±  Rachel asked.  ¡°Need to go to the bathroom before we start?¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±  She released a low groan.  ¡°You knew ¡­ Well, I can¡¯t leave you in the hall¡ªyou¡¯re naked.¡±


    Lifting an eyebrow, Rachel sighed, pointing her thumb at the door.  ¡°Just go; no one¡¯s going to come upstairs.  Besides, Mason is with my grandfather out front getting the mail right now.


    ¡°Oh ¡­ really?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.  The agents are still sleeping, too.¡±


    Jessy moaned before rushing into the bathroom and closing the door, heading for the toilet.


    Fiona watched her go with sad eyes.  ¡°Poor girl¡­¡±  Her arms tightened around her small, folded towel, dress, and new undergarments, giving her a dirty look.  ¡°You could be a little more gentle with her; she¡¯s super shy ¡­ talkative, but shy.¡±


    ¡°Awkward would be the word, but it¡¯s endearing,¡± Rachel whispered with a fond smile.  ¡°It¡¯s kind of what I like about her¡ªshe reminds me a bit of Scarlet¡ªjust way worse.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ Okay, I can see that,¡± Fiona admitted.  ¡°She does remind me a tiny bit of how Scarlet can be¡­¡±  she trailed off, expression softening.  ¡°So ¡­ how is she, by the way?¡±


    ¡°Scarlet?¡±  Rachel¡¯s gaze fell to the floorboards.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ a whole lot better.  She¡¯s become a part of my family¡ªmy mom adores her, and she¡¯s clicking with my step-sister more than I ever did.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s tone lowered, hugging her items closer to her chest while resting her chin on them.  ¡°That¡¯s great ¡­ Family is so important.¡±


    ¡°... What do you think about Nora after all that?¡±


    She paused, releasing a short shudder.  ¡°... I don¡¯t want Nora to join us in Cuba.¡±


    Confused, Rachel¡¯s head tilted to the side.  ¡°No one was suggesting she did?¡±


    A few seconds passed in silence, closing in around them.  ¡°... I don¡¯t want it ¡­ I can¡¯t ¡­ Nora eating monsters and things like that is whatever ¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± she whispered in a short growl.  ¡°Maybe Nora has a right to call me a hypocrite¡ªI don¡¯t want Nora to kill a human.¡±


    Biting the inside of her cheek for a moment, Rachel pulled her hair around to her front, staring at it while leaning against the nearby wall.  Gisele was on the floor with her pets, focus darting between them to follow the conversation.


    ¡°... I get it, Fiona¡ªYou¡¯re just trying to protect your little sister, and Nora¡¯s gone through enough as it is¡ªshe doesn¡¯t need to add that to the bucket list of problems she¡¯s dealing with.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±  Fiona¡¯s concerned green eyes lifted to her.  ¡°That ¡­ the Eldritch thing scares me, too ¡­ Not Nora herself¡ªno, it¡¯s what the seed¡¯s doing to her ¡­ against her will¡ªat least conscious will ¡­ Look what it¡¯s already done and how it¡¯s affecting her.¡±


    Brushing out her hair, Rachel slowly nodded.  ¡°There certainly are ugly sides to The Oscillation that ruined people¡¯s lives¡­¡±


    Her thoughts returned to her promise that, if possible, she¡¯d get Alexa powers¡ªthere were things to consider if that ever became possible.


    The two dropped the conversation as Jessy came out of the bathroom, jumping before staring down at her hand and rushing back to the sink to wash them.  ¡°S-Sorry!¡±


    They chuckled, and Rachel smiled at the washer as it finished filling with hot water, beginning its agitation; Nia was probably screaming with excitement, and she wondered how it truly felt to the Living Denier, bouncing up and down.


    Once inside, Rachel caught Jessy¡¯s narrowed gaze studying key parts of her exposed figure.  ¡°... Do you two even need to go to the bathroom?¡±  Her tone was totally defensive, likely abashed that Rachel could hear her using the toilet; if only Jessy knew what she tried to filter¡ªthe things that happened behind closed doors in a city was enough to make even her shiver and facepalm.


    Fiona settled into the tub, laughing.  ¡°Nope!  We don¡¯t need to use the bathroom ever again; mu-ha-ha-ha-ha!  It¡¯s amazing!¡±


    ¡°... No way¡ªyou¡¯re not joking with me again?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Rachel confirmed.  ¡°We sweat and all that stuff.¡±


    ¡°Thank god¡­¡±


    Fiona smirked, head popping up as Rachel started the tub for her, getting her products on a paper towel to be disposed of later.  ¡°Although, we have been told our sweat naturally smells good!¡±


    ¡°Life isn¡¯t fair,¡± she eventually grumbled, glaring at her own figure while undressing, and in sudden realization, she groaned, pulling her shorts up and throwing her nightshirt back on before rushing back to the room to grab clothes.  ¡°I¡¯ll be right back¡­¡±


    Rachel and Fiona giggled.


    The Fairy talked with Gisele after offering to help her get clean, too, to the girl¡¯s enthusiasm, suggesting she get a telepathic Skill or some other Spell to help her communicate with Rachel.


    Rachel washed down her other three pets before starting on herself, Jessy returning shortly after to take the place next to her.


    Her grandfather¡¯s 2nd-story bathroom was built with a large tub and a dual rain shower head fitted into the ceiling that could be customized to change pressure and temperature for both sides; it was designed for couples.  Two removable handheld wall attachments were also available for both sides to use if needed.


    Jessy, washing out her blonde hair, stared at the wall, refusing to look at Rachel¡¯s naked body.  ¡°Umm ¡­ weren¡¯t you two talking about this Moongmor person?  He sounded kind of strange the way Fiona was talking last night.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Fiona¡¯s small head popped up again as she rose into the air, still helping Gisele out.  ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah, it¡¯s a pretty unbelievable story.¡±  She was using her own water balls and heat spells to speed up the process.


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ in short, I¡¯m not that concerned about Moongmor himself,¡± Rachel admitted, drawing Fiona¡¯s lifted eyebrow.  ¡°His motivations seem fairly evident.¡±


    ¡°Ah ¡­ Okay,¡± Fiona nodded.  ¡°I get that.¡±


    ¡°No¡ªit¡¯s the other hidden creatures that were manipulating things or watching the Legend¡¯s Quest that worries me¡ªespecially that godly woman that attacked him and killed the Warden.¡±


    ¡°Godly woman ¡­ Warden ¡­ Huh?¡±  Jessy mumbled.


    Rachel and Fiona went over the gist of what they could while washing up, and surprisingly, Jessy kind of shrugged it off.  ¡°Eh ¡­ yeah, okay, I¡¯m not gonna even think about that stuff.¡± Her gaze slowly found Rachel¡¯s figure again, lips tight as water rained down her wet head.  ¡°... Rachel ¡­ is there ¡­ you know, any more advice you have to ¡­ yeah¡­¡±  Her vision slid to the floor, likely wondering if her new boyfriend was listening.


    ¡°What¡¯s ¡­ going on?¡±  Fiona asked, clearly lost from her trailing pauses, heat exploding from her hands in a wave to dry Gisele¡¯s ruffled feathers.


    Rachel pulled her hair around, still lathering it up with product.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ What answer are you looking for me to give?  You¡¯re pretty agitated right now by the sound of your muscles.¡±


    ¡°Gah ¡­ that¡¯s so invasive,¡± Jessy growled, hugging herself while turning away.  ¡°Mmrrggrrgrr¡­¡±  She stared in the fogless mirror at her own figure, gaze shifting between Rachel¡¯s back and herself.  ¡°So ¡­ Mason called Clare last night¡ªafter the whole thing ¡­ He broke up with her, and she was pissed.  She ¡­ She said she was going to drive down here to see if he could break up with her to her face¡ªnot over a call.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Fiona popped back up with surprise.  ¡°Mason told you that?¡±


    ¡°Mmh, yeah,¡± She mumbled, shifting comfortably under the water while pinching her love handles.  ¡°... This morning¡ªwhen I went down to say good morning¡­¡±


    Rachel turned to give her a teasing look.  ¡°Kiss him good morning, you mean.¡±


    Predictably, she got a blush from her and glare from Fiona; Rachel had no clue why it felt good to tease Scarlet or Jessy, but seeing the girl¡¯s dark cheeks was so amusing.


    ¡°W-Well ¡­ yes ¡­ But he told me that and ¡­ Well ¡­ I kind of panicked and didn¡¯t know what to say¡­¡±


    ¡°What did he do?¡±  Fiona asked.


    ¡°Shrugged it off,¡± Jessy grumbled.  ¡°He didn¡¯t think much of her saying that ¡­ I hid upstairs until Fiona woke up after that.¡±


    A laugh bubbled through Rachel¡¯s throat.  ¡°So ¡­ you¡¯re worried Clare will steal Mason back?¡±


    ¡°Rachel, it¡¯s not funny,¡± Fiona growled.  ¡°It¡¯s not impossible.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying,¡± Jessy cried, scratching her forehead while getting out to dry off.  ¡°Clare¡¯s ¡­ she¡¯s just so manipulative ¡­ I mean, I don¡¯t want to believe it ¡­ Not now¡ªafter we ¡­ you know.  It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scared,¡± Fiona filled in.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ Shouldn¡¯t I be?¡±


    Finished washing her hair, Rachel began wrapping it in a towel.  ¡°Look, Jessy¡ªdoing a stress workout to try to lose a few pounds or fat around your waist isn¡¯t going to help, and comparing yourself to me or any other girl won¡¯t either.¡±


    Jessy¡¯s arms wrapped around her core, vision shifting to the wall, but her eyebrows came together as Rachel continued.


    ¡°Jessy ¡­ Mason called Clare and broke it off¡ªyou¡¯re in, girl, but to stay there, yes, you can¡¯t just do nothing or else it will fall apart.  Chill¡ªstop obsessing over it ¡­ You¡¯ve been trying to get into shape, which is great because men do judge women by looks¡ªso do we.  It is what it is.  So¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Jessy asked, desperate hope in her eyes, and Fiona looked like she was about to bite her glowing fingernails.


    ¡°... Ask him to join you on a jog when we go down.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±  Jessy asked, not convinced, but Fiona gasped.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s perfect!  Yeah, and ask him to go easy on you; men love that!¡±


    She was really trying not to bite her lower lip.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ You¡¯re sure it will work?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a Beastkin,¡± Rachel added with a chuckle.  ¡°Men are super competitive, and if he feels like he¡¯s got an advantage and you respect and think highly of him¡ªwhich you do, and you can¡¯t keep up anyway, then yes, he will find that super attractive¡ªespecially since his parents instilled a good workout routine in him, which is something he can help you with.¡±


    Jessy¡¯s face brightened.  ¡°Thanks, guys ¡­ I know I¡¯m hopeless¡­¡±


    Fiona started to dry herself off with her magic.  ¡°Naa, we all need help from time to time!  That¡¯s what the girls are for.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s turned to the wall, damp ears bending over a bit.  ¡°Nora¡¯s up ¡­ It¡¯s like she¡¯s drunk.¡±


    ¡°What?  Is she okay?¡±  Fiona worried.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ I think.¡±


    Not soon after, the Cheetah girl came stumbling into the room in half a daze, throwing off her clothes while spouting nonsense; she got to the tub before collapsing into her Slime state, crawling over the edge to soak.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­¡±  Fiona whispered, floating around the top of her sister¡¯s spread-out liquid state.


    Rachel stared down with the others, Gisele landing on the side of the tub.  ¡°I think she¡¯s just exhausted by the rings she had under her eyes when she came in¡ªI guess Devouring Hollow has a lasting effect, and she needs to recover¡ªshe did enter it three times last night when things were looking a bit dicey.¡±


    ¡°This is just the backlash, then?¡±  Fiona mumbled, gently stroking her sister.  ¡°Okay ¡­ rest up, sis¡­¡±


    ¡°Is she sleeping again?¡±  Jessy asked.


    Rachel shrugged, heading outside to grab Nia as the wash finished.  ¡°Probably.¡±


    She only needed to touch the bra before both pieces flashed with light, transferring to her body and becoming her casual wear; the tightening and adjusting were expected at this point as the girl situated herself¡ªall the water had been expelled already.


    ¡°Wow!!  That was wild, Rachel!  It was so much faster than last time¡ªit was longer!  I battled the slippery stuff like a legend!¡±


    Heh, all clean?


    ¡°I am a pure maiden once again!¡±  Nia laughed in her embellished way.


    I¡¯m glad you¡¯re happy.


    Heading downstairs with the others, Rachel opened the door to greet her grandfather, and after a simple exchange, Jessy pulled a confused Mason out of the room.


    ¡°... Jessy ¡­ Where¡ªare we going?¡±


    ¡°Jogging!¡±  she chimed.  ¡°Umm, I have some shoes that I bought that I need to break in.¡±


    ¡°Woah, Woah, Woah!  Jogging¡ªyou?!¡±  he asked in mild confusion, staring down at her shorts, sports bra, and new shoes.  ¡°You never wanted to go jogging with me before?¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Jessy sighed, directing his attention to Rachel.  ¡°Your cousin¡¯s got me all hyped, though!  I want to start working out¡ªRachel¡¯s inspired me.¡±


    ¡°W-Wha, heh-he-he-he¡­¡±  he grinned, scratching the back of his neck.  ¡°Okay, but I hope you don¡¯t take that back, ¡®cause I¡¯m 100% on this train, but, uh ¡­ yeah, Rach is kind of extreme ¡­ don¡¯t go pushing yourself to match her insane regimen.¡±


    ¡°Pfft!¡±  Jessy giggled.  ¡°Are you kidding me?!  No way!  I¡¯ve got no clue how all this works, so, umm¡ªyou¡¯ll need to teach me, okay¡ªoh, and don¡¯t be too hard on me!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, okay¡ªsweet!  Let me go grab my stuff¡­¡±  he said, running upstairs in a bright mood.


    The couple left for the front door shortly after, everyone smiling after them.


    Once the pair were gone, Rachel turned back to her grandfather, lips falling a little.  ¡°So¡ªwhat¡¯s your plan for teaching me a new Skill to control my Lunar Energy?¡±


    Fiona settled on the table with Rachel¡¯s pets surrounding her.  ¡°I¡¯d like to learn some control stuff, too¡ªNora ¡­ Especially Nora.¡±


    Her grandfather nodded, giving Fiona his undivided attention.  ¡°Yes ¡­ I was going to speak to you about your sister when we had a moment of privacy¡ªis this moment acceptable?¡±


    Rachel could hear Nora still in her Slime State upstairs, nodding to the Fairy.


    ¡°... Yeah ¡­ she¡¯s resting right now.¡±


    He took a deep breath, closing his eyes before letting it out in a steady stream.  ¡°... Nora could use my help far more than my granddaughter, yet it is her choice to accept it and yours to convince her, Fiona.¡±


    ¡°Can you help her?¡±  Fiona asked, leaning forward in desperation.  ¡°Anything at all!  She¡¯s been going through¡­¡±  Tears appeared in her eyes.  ¡°She¡¯s been going through such a rough change¡ªstuff even before The Oscillation, but now¡ªit¡¯s so much worse.¡±


    Her grandfather folded his fingers atop the table, expression grim.  ¡°Fiona, your energies are fairly even and balanced already¡ªThere is room for improvement, but it is not a necessity.  Your sister requires it¡ªNora''s entire Core was mixed with uncertainty, pain, and autophobia when the two of you arrived.¡±


    He shifted to Rachel for a moment.  ¡°Rachel will benefit from learning the Emotional Balance Skill I can teach her, which should eventually increase to a stage that she can pick which energy she wishes to utilize¡ªit may be even possible to combine with your Pool, splitting it into various sections that expand it.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears and tail were stiff with excitement; it was everything she could want¡ªan expansion to her Lunar Pool meant an increase in her total % that dealt with each Energy, and she could cycle between them as desired, potentially even combining them.


    ¡°I need that,¡± Rachel breathed.  ¡°Can you teach it to me by tomorrow night?¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ it would be difficult¡ªThe weakest form that you can slowly advance¡ªpossible.  However¡­¡±  His dark brown eyes narrowed, turning back to Fiona, aged lips tightening.  ¡°When the three of you returned last night¡ªsomething changed in Nora¡­


    ¡°Emotional Balance might help her, but it is not a fix after ¡­ There is a horrific force that was unleashed deep within her¡ªI need to teach her an Advanced Skill called To Know One¡¯s Self.¡±


    ¡°Can I learn it?¡±  Rachel asked, eager to gain any advantage she could.  ¡°Would it help?¡±


    ¡°It would,¡± Her grandfather admitted, a shudder rippling through his frame, ¡°but Nora¡ªNora needs it to not lose herself in the future ¡­ There was a sleeping creature hiding within her last night¡ªlike a fleeting glimpse of death beyond a veil just thin enough to see its silhouette.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s face paled, instantly following Rachel¡¯s own mind to Scarlet and Twilight.  ¡°Y-You mean something is possessing my sister?!¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond for several seconds, sitting back with a thoughtful expression, arms folded across his chest.  ¡°Not necessarily¡ªit might not make much sense because I cannot fully comprehend it myself¡ªI do know that this path will work, yet it will only prepare her for what will come in the future¡ªto face this growing thing inside of her that sees to utterly consume her¡ªshe will have a fighting chance.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±  Tears fell down Fiona¡¯s eyes.  ¡°I ¡­ brought her here¡ªI let her come¡ªit¡¯s all my fault¡­¡±


    Her grandfather¡¯s eyes creased with compassion.  ¡°... You cannot blame yourself, child.  Perhaps that decision did lead to this outcome¡ªperhaps not.  In the end, it is no longer relevant, and guilt¡ªtearing yourself apart¡ªwill only serve to hurt your sister more.  A path forward is what is needed, Fiona¡ªhope, and I can provide that.¡±


    He gestured to Rachel, pondering if any of the unseen entities following her could be involved in this change.  ¡°Have Rachel help you call your parents and tell them that she is receiving help with her transformation and will be gone for a few weeks¡ªI will fortify her for what is to come.¡±


    ¡°Nora¡­¡±  Fiona cried, tight fists pressed against her lap.  ¡°Why can¡¯t my sister get a break?  It¡¯s not fair¡­¡±


    The Slime was still knocked out in the tub upstairs, and the sounds Rachel heard from her while devouring pieces of the horrifying invader returned in her mind as she remembered the encounter.  Did those things corrupt her?  Can Maria cure it?  It¡¯s possible ¡­ We¡¯ll have to try.


    ¡°How long will it take?¡±  Fiona asked, face slick with tears.


    ¡°... That depends on her aptitude to adapt¡ªso, I cannot say.  I suspect it is high, but this is one of the most advanced Skills I can teach, involved with gaining a much more profound understanding of who you truly are¡ªit is more frightening than you might think, looking at who you are¡ªunfettered, and learning how to embrace the darkness without losing yourself in the process.¡±


    Rachel hummed, studying Fiona¡¯s fearful expression; this wasn¡¯t what she¡¯d expected when getting up this morning.  ¡°We¡¯ll do what we can, Fiona.¡±


    ¡°... I just want my sister to have a normal life,¡± Fiona whimpered.  ¡°... Is it impossible at this point?¡±


    Her grandfather released another controlled breath, head bowing with a mournful expression.  ¡°Sometimes accepting the tragedy in our lives is the only way to move forward¡ªto begin to heal.  You are not alone, Fiona, and neither is your sister.  It has been my life¡¯s purpose to support those in need¡ªI will do everything within my power to help her through this.¡±


    ¡°When do we begin?¡±  Rachel pushed, knowing they were short on time.


    He rose to his feet, causing Rachel¡¯s pets to jump back in preparation to leave the area.  ¡°First, we fill our bellies, then I start with you, Rachel.  When Nora comes down, Fiona will need to talk to her in private to let her know of her current situation and convince her to accept help.¡±


    The lump in Fiona¡¯s throat dropped, voice very different from its normal lovely tone.  ¡°... Okay¡ªI¡¯ll do my best¡ªNo ¡­ I¡¯ll convince her!¡±


    They entered the kitchen shortly after, eating and further discussing the topic until Nora awoke forty minutes later, slowly finishing her shower, and after ten minutes, she seemed to finally become conscious of her own actions.


    ¡°... Why am I even in the shower ¡­ I don¡¯t need this ¡­ Gah¡ªmaybe I¡¯m going crazy ¡­ I¡¯m so wrecked!¡±  she moaned, absorbing the water, replacing her clothes, and trudging downstairs to join them.


    Fiona took her across the house to talk to her and explain what they¡¯d discovered, Rachel listening in.  It didn¡¯t take long for Nora to become skeptical.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Fi ¡­ I¡¯m dead tired¡ªheh, I don¡¯t have some old god in me or something!¡±


    ¡°What about that Skill, though?¡±  Fiona pushed.  ¡°It said it¡¯s an Eldritch-Type; you know what that means, and Rachel¡¯s grandpa might even be able to help you with your hunger.¡±


    Nora folded her arms, releasing a soft hum.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ it just sounds like you¡¯re trying to keep me from joining you on something¡ªstill, that would help ¡­ starving sucks¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm!  I¡¯m just worried about you,¡± Fiona pleaded.  ¡°Look at how many insane things happened yesterday!  Scarlet had troubles when she changed, too¡ªwe¡¯re still working on figuring all of this out ¡­ Please, Nora, for me?¡±


    ¡°Mmhgh ¡­ Fine,¡± she mumbled, scratching the base of her right cat ear.  ¡°And fighting the ¡®darkness inside¡¯ sounds like a hype thing!¡±  she laughed.


    ¡°Not funny,¡± Fiona growled.  ¡°Mom, Dad ¡­ We¡¯re all worried about you.¡±


    ¡°When have Mom and Dad not been worried about me,¡± Nora grumbled, playing with her hair.  ¡°I said I¡¯d do it ¡­ Chill.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Nora!¡±  Fiona closed in to hug her neck before returning.


    Rachel figured she was using the personality of the Cheetah girl she mimicked to brush past the explanation; she was on board but didn¡¯t really recognize it as dangerous¡ªat least until the agents woke up and came down to interrupt their training.


    After their reports and coordinating with the local Police Force, they came to get some more information from them but were crashing at that point from emotional exhaustion, and her grandfather recognized it, offering them rooms to rest; they could question her when they awoke.


    They asked for a description of the creatures; all the electrical equipment in the entire area had been somehow destroyed by the invaders.


    Nora grinned at the three, jumping up to tell them to follow her.  Confused, they comply, Rachel and Fiona nervously knowing what she was going to do, but she refused to see the issue.


    Stepping into the backyard while leaving Rachel¡¯s grandfather inside, she waved her hand dismissively at Fiona¡¯s worries.  ¡°Fi!  I¡¯m a Mimic Slime; I¡¯ve been copying things I eat this entire time ¡­ It¡¯s no big deal.  I transform, they get the pictures of the ugly things for the record, and we¡¯re done!  Five seconds¡ªno prob, and I¡¯ve been analyzing them, and yeah, they¡¯re super scary, but I ate them, making me even scarier!¡±  she said, puffing up her chest.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed, her arms folded across her chest; the agents had no clue what they were getting themselves into while passively following their conversation¡ªone girl saying it¡¯s no issue while the others were concerned.


    ¡°Have you really dissected them and know how to mimic them?¡±


    Nora shook her head with a short shrug.  ¡°Naa¡ªnot yet!  I gotta first mimic them to grasp the memories that aren¡¯t like¡ªsuper recent.  These guys were on their way to harvest some of those mushroom guys for their people or something.¡±


    The air in Bree, Sam, and Serah¡¯s lungs froze as the cute Cheetah transformed into the parasitic nightmare, phones falling from their hands as Nora opened the hundreds of mouths to reveal its horrific jaws and unearthly sound.


    The mist was naturally forming around the area, and Rachel felt the same dark, subtle fear returning that sought to lull in its prey¡ªa string entangling the heart in a confusing rapture of curiosity and apprehension.  Swiftly snatching Bree¡¯s falling phone, Rachel took as many pictures as she could.


    Only eight seconds passed before Nora constricted back into a Cheetah girl ¡­ stunned expression glazing her eyes as she stumbled to the side, falling to the ground.


    ¡°Nora!¡±  Fiona cried.  ¡°Nora¡ªI told you!  Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°N-No, heh ¡­ I ¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡± she mumbled, stumbling against the side of the house to prop herself up.  ¡°It was just¡­¡±


    The fog that was already starting to dampen all sound around them swiftly evaporated and the agents collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.


    ¡°W-W¡­¡±  Jim couldn¡¯t even get the words out, Bree and Serah unable to speak.


    ¡°Those are what we fought,¡± Rachel replied in a short mumble, carefully watching and listening to Nora¡¯s unusual response.  A shiver ran down the girl¡¯s frame, ears lying back and rising again in confusion.  ¡°What was it like, Nora?¡±  she asked, hoping to probe a little bit of what they were dealing with.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡±  Nora shook her head.  ¡°I ¡­ I saw through¡ªthere was something so far back ¡­ I saw the portal in the last one¡¯s memory ¡­ the Gateway changed¡­¡±


    ¡°Again?¡±  Fiona asked, shooting a worried look to Rachel for a moment.  ¡°If it changed¡ªlike Montana¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rachel mumbled, watching the agents shakily recover.  ¡°Not like Montana¡ªThis was a changed Crystal Break.  What was it like, Nora?¡±


    ¡°Bigger ¡­ a lot bigger,¡± Nora mumbled.  ¡°A weird spiky shape¡ªI don¡¯t know how to describe it¡ªa pyramid on top of a pyramid?  Umm ¡­ it was white, and there was something ¡­ No, I can¡¯t remember it, but there was this feeling.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t horrified¡ªshe was curious, scratching her left arm as her tail flicked and ears twitched.  ¡°A song¡ªonly it was this pull¡ªthat hooked around my¡ªI don¡¯t even know¡­¡±


    Nora blinked before giving them a sheepish smile.  ¡°What were we talking about again?¡±


    ¡°What the ¡­ was that?!¡±  Serah muttered, still shaking on the ground.


    Rachel¡¯s stomach squirmed at the newly discovered change.  If it changed¡ªwhite ¡­ Clay never mentioned that color?  Pyramids on top of each other?  Something¡¯s wrong, and if she can access super recent memories, why didn¡¯t she pick up on it before.  Not only that, it shouldn¡¯t have closed until we repelled all attackers, too ¡­ It doesn¡¯t add up.


    Do I tell Tom about this and get help?  If I do ¡­ Fiona would never forgive me¡ªNo, I can¡¯t betray her, which means I need to discover the answer on my own.  Can I leave her with Grandpa, though?


    A conflict erupted in her chest; something was wrong inside Nora, and it was linked to the Crystal¡¯s sudden change only moments before collapsing after they killed the last invader.


    Trust Grandpa¡¯s judgment¡­ or put off the Cuba Mission to stay and protect him?  There¡¯s no one I¡¯d trust more than me!  Unless ¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be the end of the world if Anthony stays behind.


    Deciding to go with her gut, Rachel would have faith in her grandfather, but decided to ask Anthony for his help; Fiona would more than welcome the additional support.  It was the best option she had.


    Time passed, and she managed to convince the three agents that things were handled; they were too rattled by the creature to even think clearly in any case¡ªRachel didn¡¯t want to know what could have come through that transcended those things and what its purpose was in hiding, potentially in Nora.


    She got a hold of Anthony, running far enough away to give him her fears without Nora hearing, and she spent the next two days in relative peace, learning the Skills, and finally, the time came.


    Anthony drove down in one of the new company cars that Maria bought¡ªa classic cherry 67 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova, of course.  Rachel planned on initiating the moment he stepped out of the vehicle, but he actually beat her to the punch, hand wrapping around her waist to pull her against the car to lean down and kiss her.


    She¡¯d missed the salty taste of his lips, heart picking up at the dramatic action; she shouldn¡¯t have been, she could hear every twitch his muscles made, yet it was a shock that he acted before her.


    By the smirk he gave her once pulling away, he knew what he was doing; as retaliation, she used his shoulders to lift herself up to kiss him back!  The others had yet to come out, giving them privacy.


    Jessy and her cousin were getting along great, and his ex didn¡¯t end up crashing their party, while Rachel was there at least.  Anthony was excited to learn some stuff from her grandfather along with Nora, and she was happy to have company.  The Legendkin could be a pretty good entertainer and martial arts coach.


    The green glow of Fiona¡¯s Levitate Spell enclosed Rachel as she was pulled into the sky, smiling down at Anthony, Jessy, Nora, and her grandfather; her cousin was all for Anthony offering to help him work on some martial arts and sparring¡ªway more excited than her offer.


    ¡°Get stronger, cuz!  Love you, Grandpa!¡±


    ¡°Bye, Nora!  I love you!¡±


    ¡°See ya, Fi!¡±


    Mason grunted, a smirk on his lips as he watched her go.  ¡°Tch ¡­ yeah, I¡¯ll get stronger ¡­ enough to take on that little cream puff next time.¡±


    Hayan was giving him a smug, challenging leer, saying, ¡®Just try, Buddy!¡¯


    Rachel took a deep breath ¡­ They were meeting up with Tom on Cahira¡¯s Dragon Turtle; he was going to be breaking everything down.


    Cuba ¡­ Who do I need to kill?


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


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 B4 — 14. Mission To Cuba

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Selvaria (Our Leviathan with a seal!)


    2. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:  Jessy bonded a bit with the girls, learning more about what it''s like being a Mythickin.  Uh ... Yeah, we learned that Nora saw some intense stuff about these eldritch creatures and something big came through the portal before it collapsed, which is a first, yet it did close, showing they''d conquered the conquerors.  What happened?


    Rachel shared a kiss with Anthony beside his new ''company car'' and promised to stay and keep everyone safe at her grandpas as he teaches Nora how to control herself.


    Now .. Cuba!


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    Emjayw, Kriden, Dantalia, Gordon Freeman, Mikayla, Caleb Bear, Evan Cloud, That_guy, and my other Patrons!


    Selvaria swam through the deep green sea of an alien world; schools of chubby fish-things that were four feet long swam within the deep sea, feeding off the tiny shrimp-like creatures and plant life below.


    They completed the Bahamas Terrorist mission several hours ago.  It was a pretty straightforward job, and since two of the guys were U.S. citizens who had changed, they had to be held in lockup within Cahira¡¯s Dreadnought Battleship.


    The Pirate Queen¡¯s ship was more than a little intimidating to their enemies¡ª22 massive 12-pounder magical guns were undoubtedly a big stick to wave that almost immediately returned a white flag.  The shells were costly for her, but they managed to get more than enough cash by simply completing the tasks Clay assigned them.


    Her magical gold just appeared in her treasure horde from ¡®Quests¡¯ and weekly goals she had; there were mini-quests along the way that helped, too, one of which they were just returning home from.


    Cahira had a quest to save a shipwrecked crew of crab-like people before taking out their pursuers, which were similar, but red instead of white crabs.


    They tasted ¡®okay¡¯ but nothing to write home about; on that, though, she did need to call her mother¡ªlately, things were just so hectic.


    The destroyed wreckage of the ships floated around Selvaria as she wove through the rough waves.  Cahira absolutely annihilated the small fleet of wooden boats¡ªit wasn¡¯t even a contest.


    Since they were acting as a group of counter pirates, Cahira set up beside the merchant crab ship and blasted the pirate crabs from so far away it wasn¡¯t even fair; Selvaria wondered if they knew what was even attacking them.


    She scanned the foreign green-tinted sea, tongue sliding out to taste a bit of it ¡­ it was peppery.  She didn¡¯t mind it but would enjoy returning to Earth¡¯s oceans; this was enough pepper to last her at least a week.


    They looted the crab pirates¡¯ ship before heading out, and judging by how they reacted once hitting the water, the green sea was poisonous to them¡ªbut not her!  She adapted to the strange liquid almost on the spot; it seemed that she purified the water around her; although, she did cough a bit.


    Selvaria shook her head, watching the torn apart remains of the ship sinking to the bottom with the predatory fish snatching whatever they could get their small little teeth around to savage.  They were harmless to her and practically tasteless.


    Almost every crab was blown apart, their guts spreading out across the shifting waters; Cahira¡¯s men were crazy good shots.


    No, everything was pretty peaceful after the whole conflict ¡­ except when some dreadful information fed back to her weaving form¡ªher electro receptive senses caught Galatea entering the waters, falling off the swiftly moving ship.


    W-What?!  No!  What if she can¡¯t survive the¡­


    Sharply spinning around, she watched in horror as one of the fat fish changed directions to intercept the slowing seal, turning through the rough current.  Except, a sharp light exploded around her that blinded Selvaria, but her other senses caught what happened¡ªher little baby seal was changing shape.


    She couldn¡¯t hesitate, though; her little darling was in danger!  Her fin and arms changed directions in an instant, rocketing back to the seal; Ohan was soon in the water, but the ship had moved too far away for him to do anything.


    No!  How did she get out from below deck?!  It¡¯s not safe¡­


    In shock, she slowed as a request popped up in her mind, ¡®Would you like to bond with a Pet Class Unit?¡¯


    The light cleared, and Galatea had transformed into a new type of cute seal she¡¯d never seen before¡ªshe had tight black and white skin, flippers, and the information the system provided her on her change was amazing.


    Galatea - Skyward Seal:  Gains a 50% damage output and defensive boost to her skills while using Levitate.


    Sky Cutter I:  (Cooldown: 2 Minutes; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 5 Meters) Create a Wind-Elemental blade.


    Rapid Swim:  (Cooldown: 45 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: 5 Seconds; Range: N/A) While in the air or in water, she can temporarily increase her speed by 2x, improving her mobility.


    Levitate Other:  (Cooldown: 1 Day; Cost: N/A; Duration: 15 Minutes; Range: 35-Meters) Galatea can levitate one person or thing that weighs double her weight.  Only works if they recognize her as ¡®friendly¡¯ or ¡®neutral.¡¯


    Levitate Self:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 35-Meters) Galatea can levitate herself at no cost to a height, swimming through the air as if water.


    Wind Shield I:  (Cooldown: 1 Day if broken; 1 Hour; Cost: N/A; Duration: 5 Minutes; Range: 2 Feet from her body) She can generate a barrier to protect herself.


    Telepathy:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 2 meters) She can communicate her thoughts to those within range if they recognize her as ¡®friendly¡¯ or ¡®neutral.¡¯


    State:


    Sky Fury I:  (Cooldown: 1 Hour; Cost: Puts Rapid Swim on CD until cooldown finishes; Duration: N/A; Range: 10 Meters) Becoming a streaking angel of the sky, black and white wings materialize on her back, and can enter a quick-moving State that can deliver three Sky Cutter I strikes in succession.


    An amused, insane-sounding voice entered her mind uninvited.  ¡°Finally, it¡¯s come to bloom!  Galatea can communicate with her ¡®mother¡¯ after longing for it with all her heart!  Enjoy!  He-he-he-he!¡±


    Tears began welling up in Selvaria¡¯s eyes as she watched with pride as her little baby seal spun in a sharp circle and cut the advancing fish in half with a slap of her tail which sent a greenish energy blade at her attacker.


    The rest of the creatures scattered as Selvaria neared; of course, she instantly accepted the bonding process, and the moment she was within range, her little girl¡¯s voice sparked to life in her mind.


    ¡°Mom!  Mom!  Did you see?!  Did you see?!  I¡¯m strong now!  I can get all the fishes!¡±  she cheered, voice cracking a bit with her excitement.


    I saw!  she chimed, heart burning within her scaled body at the little seal¡¯s sentiment; Galatea thought of her as her mother.  We need to get you a bunch of fishes!


    ¡°Woo!¡±  she cheered.  ¡°I get lots of fishes!  I want to hunt with you, mama!¡±


    She thought about it, and even though it would probably be dangerous, as long as it was just normal Earth hunting, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem with her new skills, and it would give her a chance to teach her how to defend herself.


    Yeah ¡­ you can fly, too!


    ¡°I know!  I was so sad when Gisele would leave me!  She was always flying around above me, but now I can join her, too!¡±


    Aww!  You¡¯re adorable ¡­ Oh, but make sure not to jump into dangerous places like this, okay?  I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.


    ¡°Okay!  I¡¯ll be a good seal!¡±


    Galatea¡­


    ¡°Oh!  Oh!  Is that my name?!  I¡¯m Galatea!  Gisele had a hard time telling me it, but I get one, too!  I can tell my best friend I really am Galatea!  I¡¯m so excited!¡±


    Selvaria laughed, carrying her above the sea and helping Ohan get back to the boat as Cahira flipped around for them.


    The gang was shocked at her pet¡¯s transformation, and especially when Galatea started practice flying on the way back, Selvaria watching her with pride from Cahira¡¯s deck.  Her little seal was getting pretty good at doing flips, and she had her use Wind Shield on cooldown to help level it.


    ¡°How cute,¡± Ma?lle cooed, leaning against the deck beside her as her tail weaved under her legs.  ¡°She has become quite elegant, has she not?¡±


    Vasishtha hummed thoughtfully, rubbing his chin while pulling back his bow to shoot another one of the small reptilian birds Galatea had been playing with.  ¡°She¡¯s getting good at dodging without relying on her shield¡ªah, bullseye!  I¡¯ve rather enjoyed our little adventure; how about you, my lovely?¡±


    Ohan caught the strange bird as it fell, bringing it below deck for some kind of challenge the pair had; Vasishtha prepared the creature into a pretty good meal beforehand, and Ohan thought he could do better.  The testers would be Cahira, Ma?lle, her, and now Galatea; her hyperactive, childish way of talking had grown on the rest.


    Selvaria¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t leave her baby.  ¡°Mhm!  Although, the seafood could have been better.¡±


    ¡°Ya hear that?¡±  he shouted back at the wind.  ¡°Bring us better monsters to cook up!¡±


    Ma?lle giggled, tail rising up to playfully slap the man¡¯s arm.  ¡°Hush!  I do not need the trouble of their Legend¡¯s Quest; I am here to enjoy myself.¡±


    The man gave her a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his neck.  ¡°Ah, c¡¯mon, Mae!  Ya know I¡¯d keep ya safe.¡±


    ¡°Trouble asked for is trouble that could be avoided,¡± she whispered, gaze shifting to one of Cahira¡¯s crew hands as he cheerily went below deck to check on some of the machines running it.  ¡°Although¡ªthe prizes could be most enjoyable.¡±


    Selvaria leaned forward with a slight frown; she didn¡¯t quite trust the Succubus lady.  The woman was obviously devious, and she could never tell what was really on her mind.  ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re going to be joining us more?¡±


    The woman brushed back her long pink locks, tilting her head a bit with a secretive smile.  ¡°Who knows what the future holds for me?  I simply enjoy the company that Rachel has brought together¡ªit certainly gives me a lot of options.¡±


    Again, Selvaria reminded herself that the woman was sketchy; she just wondered if it was on purpose or not.  The Succubus would be going on a popular television show to discuss Mythic in the coming days, but they¡¯d be in Cuba by that point.


    The rest of the trip went without issue, her cute seal learning to do tricks in the air with Ma?lle and Vasishtha¡¯s input.  Selvaria was a bit leery about the Succubus¡¯s questions about who the seal found attractive, but the baby was far too young to even know what she was talking about¡ªyet, the woman seemed to find her answers all the more thrilling.  She didn¡¯t get her¡ªnot at all.


    Ohan¡¯s dish was more buttery than Vasishtha¡¯s, and he¡¯d tried to deep fry one to test it out, but she avoided that out of habit.  Cahira praised it.  Ma?lle enjoyed Vasishtha Indian-styled fish more, and Galatea just liked it raw, just like Selvaria.


    Once they made it to Miami¡¯s port, Cahira forced a smile, probably worried about her funds, and summoned her Baby Dragon Turtle; the price wouldn¡¯t change by having it out for a short time before really using it.


    Ohan brought the two terrorists onshore to be met by the FBI, who¡¯d been informed of the prisoner transfer by Clay, and they split up to sleep for the day.  Everyone would gather at nightfall on the beach outside of the hotel Maria owned several rooms at.


    Selvaria took the time to go about the shopping districts of Miami, looking for cute clothes to dress Galatea in; they got strange looks, but she was used to it with her long tail that required specific clothing to accommodate.


    She snickered as she heard a woman nudge her sister, pointing at her as Selvaria put a cap on Galatea and a scarf; it was cold in Washington, and she had to show her mother at some point.


    ¡°Hey ¡­ yo, is that a floating seal?!¡±


    ¡°... Is that a Demi ¡­ dressing up ¡­ a floating seal?¡±  her sister returned in shock.


    Selvaria turned their way with a bright smile.  ¡°It is!  Isn¡¯t she the most adorable thing ever?!¡±


    ¡°I am!  I am!¡±  Galatea chimed, causing the women to drop their purses and mouths.


    Finished shopping for winter clothes, she went back to the hotel to chill with Galatea in the pool, drawing even more attention and scaring some.


    * * *


    Rachel returned home way faster than the drive had been since the Fairy could travel without the worry of traffic and fly in a straight line.


    Her mother was ecstatic to see the two sisters, having heard a bit about Fiona from Scarlet already.  She had them stop in to get to know them, and her family gathered to meet more of her friends.


    Alexa was absolutely enthralled by Fiona; her enchanting appearance hit quite a few sweet spots for her sister-in-law¡ªshe couldn¡¯t get over her sparkling dust and glow as Fiona showed off some of her powers.


    Rachel learned that the girls had binged some anime called Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl, which was for obvious reasons that Rachel was leery about, .Hack://sign, and Violet Evergarden to wind down after the Legend¡¯s Quest.  Her mother got her to read some Korean romance series, too, so that they could talk about it.


    Nam even had her help him learn how to level up his skills and train a bit better¡ªin truth, it was more like he summoned the glowing stick figures, and Scarlet showed how much he needed to improve by dominating her brother¡¯s little energy soldiers.


    Her father was busier with work than ever, talking with the shareholders, going over personnel files, and company policies with the lawyers after The Oscillation.  Nam only found a little time to spend with Scarlet since he was swamped helping out their father.


    Molly had a great time with Scarlet, though, and she got Alexa involved with the cooking projects, which was new to her.


    Rachel glazed over the incidents that happened in Florida City, downplaying it a bit, but it was somewhat difficult when the News was spreading terrifying images and propaganda about all the leftover clothing and missing people, presumed dead.  The government was keeping a lid on any sensitive information, gathering all the proper data.


    She hadn¡¯t told Clay about what they discovered about the gate yet, wanting to organize her thoughts more before telling him.


    Nia was ablaze in her mind, and Rachel translated a thanks to ¡®their¡¯ mother for buying her so many outfits for her to eat; she didn¡¯t know how expensive they were, but she learned more after observing human behavior.


    ¡­ Really, Nia?  You want me to ask that?


    ¡°Yes!¡±  she urged, bouncing in her mind.  ¡°I only got to know a little.¡±


    Rachel sighed, giving Alexa and Scarlet a sad smile.  ¡°So ¡­ Nia wanted to join you two watching anime; she wants to feel included.¡±


    ¡°Not just that!¡±


    ¡°... And really has taken an interest in the whole magical girl changing outfits stuff that was on your mind while wearing her, Scarlet.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s cheeks reddened a bit.  ¡°O-Oh!  He-he-he, umm¡ªyeah, she could read my mind?¡±


    Alexa¡¯s emerald irises showed her excitement.  ¡°Really, Nia?!  Maybe I could wear you and we could come up with something awesome for you to turn into, too!  I have a lot of old outfits we can use!¡±


    ¡°Oh!  My!  Goodness!  Yes!  Yes!  Yes!¡±  she squealed.  ¡°Rachel, yes!  I want to see some more!¡±


    ¡°We could watch Sailor Moon,¡± Scarlet offered.  ¡°Of course, it would have to be after we get back from our mission,¡± she said with a forced chuckle.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ she¡¯d like that,¡± Rachel mumbled, ears twitching from Nia¡¯s screams of joy; it was as if it was Christmas day for the girl, and she¡¯d gotten everything on her list.  She could practically see a white-haired girl with orange and pink highlights jumping up and down in her mind.


    ¡°Nia¡¯s so cute,¡± Fiona laughed, hovering over to rub her earring.  ¡°You¡¯re so lucky, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡ªsometimes I feel schizophrenic¡­¡±


    ¡°Rude!  I¡¯m not YOUR inner voice; I¡¯m me, Lunar Nia!  Living Denire Legend!  Bringer of the dark abyss that swallows all fabric like the encompassing void!  Mu-ha-ha-ha-ha!¡±


    Rachel had no clue how Alexa and Scarlet¡¯s tastes in anime would change the girl¡¯s attitude, but she didn¡¯t have much hope for her to become less eccentric, which was fine¡ªshe just needed to get used to it.


    Once everyone finished meeting each other, she had Scarlet get ready to head out; Fiona would fly them to Cahira¡¯s ship, where they¡¯d set off.  Her mother had packed up several dishes she wanted them to bring along, and Rachel confirmed that Cahira¡¯s boat had a fridge¡ªshe had no idea how it operated, but she had several for the crew and another frozen section for other goods.


    Seeing how excited and open Alexa was becoming made Rachel a bit happier for some reason.  Her sister-in-law had always been a thorn in her side, yet now she felt like she could actually get to know her a bit more.  They had wildly different tastes, but that was fine¡ªScarlet and Rachel¡¯s tastes were vastly different, too.


    Fiona lifted their products in bags and flew to meet the crew joining them in the Cuba mission.


    The beach was crowded with onlookers, taking photos of the massive Baby Dragon Turtle as they landed on his back.  Rachel already scoped out who was there, and it seemed like they were the last to arrive.


    Predictably, Selvaria, Galatea, Vasishtha, Maria, Cahira, and her crew were there, making Fiona, Rachel, Scarlet, Gisele, and her Rabbit Gang the last to arrive.  The surprising bit of news was that both Clay and Tom were present; she hadn¡¯t expected the Four Star General himself to make an appearance.


    Gisele and Galatea went into a corner¡ªshe didn¡¯t miss the transformed seal floating in the area.  Obviously, she¡¯d changed around the time Gisele turned into a Lunar Phoenix.


    The gang was already in Cahira¡¯s massive meeting room, which still had room to fit several more people around the large gold-encrusted oval table.  Taking their seats, they waved as everyone greeted them, settling in as Tom began the meeting.


    ¡°... Glad we could make it after the affair in Florida City,¡± Tom smiled at her.  ¡°I¡¯m sure there are more details you wish to discuss, and I¡¯d like to know, but first, let¡¯s discuss business¡­¡±


    His lips fell, motioning to the folders in front of them.  ¡°Inside, you¡¯ll find a map of Cuba and its current status.¡±


    Maria opened it up and hissed.  ¡°Damn¡ªshit ¡­ is that all you¡¯ve got control of?¡±


    Rachel was with her.  ¡°... That¡¯s a lot of territories to liberate.  How long is this campaign supposed to last?¡±


    Tom breathed out a heavy sigh.  ¡°Yes, currently, what you¡¯re seeing is that we control¡ªall of Santiago de Cuba and the Granma regions.  We have some of the Northern Oriente under control, but most of it we just don¡¯t have the manpower to keep guarded.


    ¡°The Ciego de ¨¢vila, Isla de la Juventud, Cayo Largoand, and Camag¨¹ey regions were taken over by local warlords, which have Demi among them and have seized local police and military weaponry.  All of the lower-tier management under them hold sway over their respective areas.¡±


    Maria¡¯s lips pulled in for a moment.  ¡°Aye, yo, check it ¡­ The Cuban Military be havin¡¯ it rough, though ¡­ Shit, only havin¡¯ Artemisa and Pinar del R¨ªo?  What¡¯ve they been doing, Jefe?!¡±


    Tom pointed at Havana.  ¡°The bulk of the problem came with the organized Demi group that centralized from here¡ªthey¡¯ve slowly been taking over the other warlords, moving east.  These Demi are not like the others¡ªif you look at the pages behind the map, you¡¯ll see a few individuals we¡¯ve been able to identify.¡±


    Rachel went through each, as Tom explained.  There were several Mythickin and Legendkin involved, of that they were sure, but identifying what they were was the tricky part, and who were the correct targets to go after.  There were nearly a thousand Demi that rallied across the country to the five ring leaders.


    The only information they had was that two were women and three men; each had a chunk of land to themselves, with one holding Havana while the other four were spreading their influence.


    Rachel knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy, but nearly a thousand people that changed from The Oscillation was a number she hadn¡¯t been prepared for.


    ¡°Heh ¡­ Uh, how do you expect us to deal with those numbers?¡±  Fiona asked with a forced smile.  ¡°I mean, sure, we¡¯re strong, but¡­¡±


    ¡°My Mom¡¯s gonna eat them all!!¡±  Galatea cheered.  ¡°I¡¯ll cut them, too!¡±


    ¡°Shhh¡­¡±  Selvaria said with a bright smile.


    Rachel was a little taken aback by the sudden interruption, and Scarlet¡¯s mouth was open, showing her fangs, yet they seemed to be the only ones confused because everyone else just carried on.


    ¡°I¡¯m all for impossible odds, dude,¡± Vasishtha said with a half-smile, ¡°but this is makin¡¯ even me question this mission.¡±


    Ohan nodded, arms folded while his dark eyes scanned the documents in front of them.  ¡°... And there¡¯s also that Relica terrorist Legendkin group that we must be cautious of since she was the one that gave you this information.  Right?¡±


    ¡°Aye, I¡¯ll just lob down shells at them¡ªthe whole American ¡®shock and awe¡¯ approach!¡±  Cahira replied.  ¡°Man, I¡¯m gonna get so much gold from this!¡±


    ¡°Shit, chica ¡­ Civilians?¡±  Maria asked, lifting an eyebrow at the red-haired woman.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a plan for that, too!¡±  Cahira grinned, jabbing her thumb at Clay.  ¡°We were talkin¡¯ about a few things before everyone got here.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s tail was tingling with excitement.  She sat back, crossing her legs and leaning against the side of her chair, hands folded in her lap.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ a thousand Demi oppressing everyone under them¡ªwe¡¯ll gain levels at an incredible rate.  I don¡¯t think numbers really matter; we¡¯ve got the edge from what we¡¯ve gone through, and there may be a few dozen among them that is somewhat strong, but ultimately, it¡¯s pointless.  We just need to get enough experience to counter them.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s laugh was strained.  ¡°Just make sure there¡¯s a place I can hide for the day, and I¡¯ll be good.¡±


    Tom stretched out his neck, readjusting his position.  ¡°My thoughts exactly, Rachel¡ªmy plan?  Divide and conquer.  Each of you has gone through things that puts you above 99.9% of all Demi currently on the planet; there is the possibility that some will be more difficult to deal with than others, and groups do matter.


    ¡°However, you have the surprise factor on your side and the U.S. Military Intelligence network at your back.  Clay and I have transported equipment onto Cahira¡¯s turtle to act as a broadcasting headquarters that relays to the Situations Room in the White House where the President and everyone needed to provide assistance will be at.¡±


    ¡°Yo, yo, yo, aye¡­¡±  Maria¡¯s arms tightened under her chest.  ¡°We¡¯re gonna be put under a microscope?¡±


    Clay chuckled.  ¡°In a way, yes, Maria; this exercise will show just how effective Demi can be with the proper support.  We¡¯ve planned for specific teams to tackle different problems.¡±


    Tom passed around another document across the table to each of them.


    ¡°Selvaria and Ohan will handle Isla de la Juventud, and Cayo Largo since the two of them can easily travel through its rivers and around the sea in that area to liberate each key location.  A waterproof map of the area and drone case will be provided to you on critical assault points, and once you set up the drone, it will act as Military HQ¡¯s eyes and ears in the sky, which will help further boost your radio¡¯s signal.¡±


    Galatea¡¯s cute, high-pitched voice spoke the moment he paused.  ¡°Me, too!  I¡¯m with Mama, too!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I suppose you will be,¡± Tom chuckled, turning his attention to Scarlet, Rachel, Fiona, and Maria.  ¡°The four of you will first need to secure Northern Oriente before swiftly moving between key regional locations.  Once you¡¯ve assessed and handled the primary threats of each region, we will be sending in strike teams to secure the area and begin our forward march.¡±


    Clay chimed in, hands folded in front of him on the table.  ¡°The three of you have the most maneuverability over long distances, and if needed, Maria can swiftly teleport you to a location across long distances if something drastic happens that requires it.¡±


    He turned to Scarlet, brows furrowing.  ¡°On that note, in the logs from Montana, Rachel wrote that Maria was able to even teleport you¡ªis that correct?¡±


    Scarlet grimaced.  ¡°Yes¡ªbut it was scary.  Heh ¡­ she does utilize Solar Energy for most of her stuff, and ¡­ well, yeah, that doesn¡¯t go well with me.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of Solar Energy,¡± Tom¡¯s stern gaze focused on Maria.


    ¡°What?!  I didn¡¯t do it!¡±  she instantly said.


    ¡°Heh, he didn¡¯t accuse you of anything!¡±  Fiona laughed.


    She brushed back her bright white hair.  ¡°Tch¡ªit¡¯s just the way he¡¯s lookin¡¯!  Yo, what?!  Give a chica some context¡­¡±


    He pointed at her bust.  ¡°The Azure Frost¡ªit might be a good thing to leave it here.  Clay told me there might be a way to do that¡ªat least for a few days.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Rachel asked.  ¡°What might that be?¡±


    ¡°Gah ¡­ uh¡­¡±  Maria pulled around a lock of her hair with a deep frown.  ¡°Eh ¡­ okay, yeah, sure, Clay and I talked about that shit, but, tch¡ªwe haven¡¯t tested it yet, and I¡¯d rather not have the damn thing goin¡¯ crazy during the night.  Get what I¡¯m sayin¡¯?¡±


    Cahira raised her hand.  ¡°Uh¡ªgo crazy how?  It would be on mi ship, fer God¡¯s sake.  What be ya plannin¡¯ on doin¡¯?¡±


    Fiona waved her stiff hand in front of her throat.  ¡°World-ending flower¡ªyeah, I¡¯d rather not have that thing go off again.¡±


    ¡°Enough said¡ªwe ain¡¯t havin¡¯ the shite that be blowin¡¯ up the world on mi new Baby Turtle!¡±  Cahira said, glaring at Maria¡¯s chest.  ¡°What, be it hidden inside dem boulders?¡±


    ¡°For real?  No,¡± Maria grunted, tugging the flower out from between her breasts.  ¡°Not ¡®inside¡¯ ¡­ but yo, it could work, jefe, but I¡¯m a little skittish¡ªif ya know what I¡¯m gettin¡¯ at.¡±


    Scarlet ducked under the table upon seeing it.  ¡°... It¡¯s releasing Solar Energy!¡±


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡±  Rachel asked in surprise.  ¡°You could stand next to it before.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!  My face stung a bit the moment she whipped it out¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ more problems,¡± Maria grumbled, pulling back her shirt top to tuck it back in.  ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡±


    Tom¡¯s eyes narrowed, focusing on the table as he folded his fingers together atop it.  ¡°Would Maria be able to stay on the ship to be back up, or do you think you¡¯ll need her?¡±


    ¡°Woah, jefe, chill!  I¡¯m not a lump of potatoes, yo!¡±  Maria snapped.


    Clay held up his hand.  ¡°We know, Maria¡ªyou¡¯re just restraining the most deadly thing on the planet, and having that anywhere near people that could foolishly try and use it is just not a smart plan.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Tom mumbled.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to sideline you, but you¡¯re honestly doing the most important job on the planet right now¡ªuntil we can figure out how to destroy it because everything you and Clay tried earlier only seemed to agitate it¡ªSorry, Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Ah, dammit ¡­ Was that what made it do the Solar shit?¡±  Maria asked.  ¡°We just tried to torch it a bit¡ªbut yea, my bad, Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Mh-mhm,¡± she slowly rose back up, shaking her head.  ¡°It¡¯s fine!  I was just a little panicked.¡±


    Vasishtha sucked on his lip, glancing between them.  ¡°So¡ªwhere¡¯s the great Vasishtha supposed to go in all this?  Don¡¯t bench your best player!¡±  he chuckled.  ¡°I¡¯m lookin¡¯ forward to all of this!¡±


    ¡°Recon,¡± Clay replied, pointing at Havana.  ¡°You¡¯ll be on the ground gathering the proper information since you specialize in long-ranged combat and stealth.¡±


    ¡°Aye, yo, don¡¯t do me like that!¡±  Vasishtha scratched his temple with a small frown.  ¡°I¡¯m good with close-combat, too!¡±


    Rachel gave him an apologetic smile.  ¡°As good as me?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªcan¡¯t say, Love, we haven¡¯t had the pleasure of dancing!¡±  he returned with a grin.


    Rachel laughed.  ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll teach you some things when we get back.  Until then, it sounds like a solid plan, Tom¡ªsorry, Maria.¡±


    ¡°Whatever¡ªdammit¡­¡±


    Selvaira cleared her throat, holding up her baby seal.  ¡°... What if Galatea could learn a duplicate spell, and we¡¯d drop an army of Galatea on Cuba?!¡±


    Everyone gave her a confused look, but the seal piped up with confidence.


    ¡°Throw me at ¡®em, Mama, and I¡¯ll slice ¡®em like the fishes!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re gonna do so good!¡±  Selvaria cheered, hugging the creature.


    Tom nodded.  ¡°Right¡ªwe¡¯re already on our way to Cuba; I¡¯ll go communicate with HQ and check the equipment.  Rachel, Fiona, Scarlet¡ªyou three are off first.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± Rachel smiled, getting up with the others.  ¡°Let¡¯s hope there is someone worth fighting because I don¡¯t particularly enjoy one-sided conflicts.¡±


    Their group mingled a bit before breaking up and heading outside, but all they could see were clouds with how high they were¡ªthe Dragon Turtle could fly way higher than he could previously.


    Once they got into position over Victoria de las Tunas, Fiona levitated them, and they began their sharp descent; it was time to take back Cuba for its people, and hopefully, it would become a much better place when they were done with it.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 15. Liberation Army

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:  We got a recap on Selvaria and our wonderful baby seal that''s learned how to talk to her mom!  She got some cool new powers and is now getting ready to kick terrorist butt!


    After debriefing, Rachel, Fiona, and Scarlet made the first drop.  Selvaria is to go provide support to some islands, and Vasishtha, our South Indian Legendkin, will be doing recon in Havanah, the main hotspot the Military has identified!


    Let''s get on with this!


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    FL3xus, Hansch, William Brayer, Ryan, Just Dave, Nickolas, Glader, Sinax, Dr. Herb, Spencer, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel¡¯s ears were stiff as Fiona guided them in a rapid descent to the dark jungle below.  The moon was only a sliver in the sky, only providing a small bit of the energy she¡¯d become accustomed to.


    Hayan, Coral, Rose, Gisele, and Scarlet were with her inside Fiona¡¯s Wind Shield, the air being pushed away to hasten their flight and provide them with some comfort.  It was like driving in a car without the ability to shift yourself all that much since the Fairy was controlling their movements.


    Clay gave them next-generation military-grade earpieces that acted as their radio, equipment in a backpack, and drones were being spread out from Cahira¡¯s turtle to create a communication bridging point across the country; currently, it was the Pirate Queen in her ear, though.


    ¡°... Rach, can ya hear me?¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± she smiled at Scarlet, who returned it, ¡°I hear you, Cahira.  What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Okay, just so ya know¡ªeh, mi abilities ¡®av been upgraded since the ol¡¯ Legend Quest stuff, an¡¯ ye monetary loot ya get in mi party be instantly transported back to the ship treasury¡ªwhichever vessel I be usin¡¯ at the time.¡±


    She paused as Selvaria piped up, sounding fairly chipper since she filled up her Water Pool just outside the Cuban border.  ¡°Cool!  So, it¡¯s like an auto-loot function?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡ªye got me there¡ªI suppose it be auto-loot ¡­ I got no clue what a beamin¡¯ shimmer toe is, Galatea¡ªhuh, the more ya know,¡± she mumbled, talking to the recently evolved telepathic seal.


    Rachel¡¯s mind flashed back to what Fiona mentioned on their way over; Gisele was jealous of the flying animal¡¯s new skill, which meant her Lunar Phoenix would probably get some communication ability at some point, but until then, Fiona was her translator.


    ¡°Anywho,¡± Cahira mumbled, ¡°it be workin¡¯ on da cash flow, which is me hope ta feed this dragon, but eh¡ªthe items not be so fortunate ta be endin¡¯ up in mi rig.¡±


    Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Right.  In short, if we find any chests or something, then we should grab it and haul it back.¡±


    ¡°I knew ya¡¯d be catchin¡¯ the drift,¡± she laughed, ¡°but the gems be the important bit.  Mi Daily Quests give me some low-grade junk, but it be like tryin¡¯ to feed ya two peas and callin¡¯ it a meal.  Ya followin¡¯?¡±


    Fiona began spinning Gisele in parallel circles with her, wearing an amused grin while listening to the woman; her bird was carrying the Fairy¡¯s radio.  ¡°Got it, Cahira!  We¡¯ll collect all the loot.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s vision fell to the long island below, tracing the distant view of the mountains in the distance and vast swamplands to their west.  After seeing Cuba from the sky, she relized just how small it was compared to Florida and the U.S. as a whole; sometimes she forgot how large the U.S. was compared to other nations.


    Scarlet cleared her throat.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Cahira, are we going to find clothes and stuff like Lunar Nia as we go on?¡±


    The question had popped up in Rachel¡¯s own mind; she just hadn¡¯t had the chance to vocalize them to the redhead.


    ¡°You know, heh,¡± Scarlet smoothed back her hair from their swift, near windless descent, ¡°get more personal item drops?  ¡®Cause that would be really awesome!¡±


    Cahira¡¯s distracted tone focused on them again as Selvaria tried hushing her hyperactive seal to let them talk.  ¡°Huh, well¡ªstuff like that only be droppin¡¯ on the Legend¡¯s Quest, but it be possible, dough.  Still, don¡¯t get your hopes up on windy weather.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±  Scarlet sighed.


    Of course, Nia couldn¡¯t resist a comment when her name was dropped.  ¡°Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha!  Yes, Nia is the greatest!  Everyone wishes to have the shining black abyss that brings the ¡­ the ¡­ psst, Rachel, what¡¯s a good word,¡± Nia earnestly whispered.


    He-he-he.


    ¡°Stop laughing and help!  Oh, my goodness, this is embarrassing ¡­ You¡¯re embarrassing me!¡±


    No one can hear you, Rachel mused.


    ¡°Duh!  Still embarrassing¡­¡±


    Ahem¡­


    Fiona scanned the countryside as they made it to a beachside town, getting a few more landmarks straight from Tom.


    Rachel wasn¡¯t the navigator, so she mostly ignored it, instead, she took some private time with her precious outfit, and for the first time, Rachel tried to tap into the ¡®edge¡¯ to help Nia; after all, it was appropriate for the combat outfit they¡¯d designed together.


    Studying a large alcove in the distance, Rachel internally gasped.  Nia!


    ¡°W-What?!¡±  she squeaked at her sudden serious tone change.


    I can ¡­ I can feel the power swelling within you¡ªin my breast ¡­ No!  It¡¯s not time, Nia!  You must restrain yourself!


    ¡°Huh ¡­ oh ¡­ OH!  Yes!  I ¡­ I can¡¯t!  Rachel!  It is for my precious dream¡­¡±


    This ¡­ this power ¡­ W-What dream could possibly come from this ¡­ this darkness?  Rachel asked, trying to restrain a smile that brought a curious stare from Scarlet, the Rabbit Gang, and Gisele; Fiona was too focused on the land and small map she hovered in front of her to notice.


    ¡°The ultimate ideal that both villains and legends failed to achieve ¡­ that is...¡±


    Don¡¯t say¡­


    ¡°Yes, my fellow long-eared compatriot¡­¡±


    Rachel could see a white-haired rabbit girl, ears stiff as her own, standing at the edge of a large cliff in the distance as she stared at the falling sun, her orange and pink highlighted locks blowing in the sea breeze.


    ¡°World conquest, Rachel!  Together, my fine threads will drown this planet in the abyss that is Lunar Nia!¡±


    Her imaginary dusk fell, and Nia turned to stare down at her Lunar Hare a ways away on that cliff, fire in her large multi-hued kid-like eyes.  ¡°Take my hand¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±  Scarlet laughed, watching Rachel try to restrain her laughter.  ¡°Eh¡ªheh, what¡¯s up with those expressions Nia¡¯s tattoo is making on your back?  She looked frustrated a while ago, then she was surprised, and now she¡¯s all ¡®dark lady mode.¡¯¡±


    Rachel laughed, trying not to sound a little embarrassed since Nia had pulled something out of her that she¡¯d never do on the surface.  ¡°She¡¯s just being Nia.¡±


    ¡°Nia is supreme!¡±


    Cahira seemed to get into a discussion with Maria about the possibility of tilting the results of drops in their favor by wishing for it, leaving Fiona to puzzle through some of the directions they¡¯d been given and connecting it to sight.  Rachel was too focused on her little edgelord, though.


    ¡­ No, please, Nia!  I¡¯m not ready¡ªit¡¯s too soon!


    ¡°Te-he-he-he ¡­ But it should prove entertaining.  Join with me, my loyal subordinate, and I shall share my body and the world with you!¡±


    Rachel suppressed a snort.  H-Huh?!  Your body?!  What about mine?


    In her internal image of the small girl, she swiftly struck a pose, hand reaching for the dark edge of the fathomless sea.  ¡°It is inconsequential, for my name is Lunar Nia, and I am also known as the leader of the secret society of Denier¡­¡±


    She gasped.  The ruler of the shadow realm, the Lunar Abyss?!


    Nia turned around in her imaginary world with a devious, yet cute smile.  ¡°He-he-he.  Now that you know my secret identity, I can¡¯t let you leave with your life!¡±


    No!  Her quivering stomach now brought Fiona¡¯s curious eye.  You ¡­ you kind of volunteered me to give it away, though¡­


    ¡°Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha!  Will you swear fealty to the Lunar Abyss or die¡ªwhich will you choose?!¡±


    Rachel sighed, emotionally sending the signal she would join the team.  ¡­ Do I at least get dental ¡­ sick days?


    ¡°Dental, yes!  Sick days, no!  My dark dream is to never have sick days!¡±


    Aww¡­


    ¡°Welcome to the secret society of Denier!¡±  she chimed, and a resonation similar to The Oscillation reverberated within her for half a second.


    Rachel¡¯s playful mood fell as Tom got on the call, but the sensation brought her fingers and attention to her head, utterly ignoring the general.  Nia ¡­ What did I just feel happened between us?


    ¡°Yes!  We¡¯ve entered a new bond, secret member Rachel!  Oh, we need to give you a code name, Lunar Abyss ¡­ Oh, Lunula Danger!  No!  The Shimmering Fiend of a Thousand Mini Skirts!  Or, oh! Oh! I know!  Your new nickname will be Lunar Eclipse, the Mad Hare that illuminates the insanity of a million-billion worlds!¡±


    She held out an imaginary hand with a bright grin.  ¡°Welcome to the cause, comrade!  You may address me as, ¡®Your Excellency!¡¯  Let those that hide in the light of the accursed sun fear the hidden society of Denier as we grow!  World conquest!  Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!¡±


    Rachel could feel a certain unexpected pull from the girl¡¯s direction, even if it was all fun and games; whatever just occurred wasn¡¯t imaginary.  By letting a little of the girl¡¯s playful mannerisms continue and trying to bond with her a little, it had caused something to manifest between them, and upon inquiring, she found out what¡ªNia leveled up, and she¡¯d gotten a new Skill.


    Lunar Nia (Level One):  Mythical Tool, Living-Type, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Max; the living outfit that wants nothing more than to join her mesmerizing master in battle!


    Living Denier I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: Moonlight; Duration: 1 Full Night; Range: N/A) Reactive, Repair-Type, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Max; Lunar Nia can grow with the wearer, transforming into dazzling displays of fine art that compliment her master.  She¡¯ll work hard to live up to the expectations placed on her at being the best damn piece of fabric in existence!  If damaged, time and moonlight to fix her up!  The longer she is worn, the more her Proficiencies will advance, and the more combat she sees, the more experience and levels she will gain!  Treat her well!


    Flaunt It I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: N/A) Passive Aura, Enhancement-Type, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Four; increases all Stats by 12%, including 3rd party effects.


    Absolute Terror I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: +1.25 Meter) Passive Aura, Enhancement-Type, Level Five, Novice Grade, Rank Ten; the max-range of all Curses are increased by a set amount and no longer affects allies.


    Absolute Territory I:  (Cooldown: 1 Day; Cost: N/A; Duration: 6 Minutes; Range: 2.5 Meters) Reactive Aura, Control-Type, Level Four, Novice Grade, Rank Seven; can¡¯t be tripped, can¡¯t be stopped, allows bypassing Low-Grade Territory or Movement Impairing Effects for her master and surrounding allies!


    Not Teasing Me I:  (Cooldown: 1 Day Reset; Cost: N/A; Duration: 5 Charges Daily; Range: N/A) Reactive, Control-Type, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Five; repels all Low-Grade Mind Control Effects in conjunction with Nia¡¯s Item Ranking.


    The Game I:  (Cooldown: 1 Week Per 5 Item; Cost: Item; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Active Fusion, Enhancement-Type, Level Four, Novice Grade, Rank Nine; Nia can absorb other pieces of armor and weapons to incorporate them into her designs and strengthen her master!  She can only pull in Low-Grade items at the moment.


    Less Is More:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: Exposed Skin) Passive Aura, Lunar-Type; all areas of exposed skin gain a dampening field equal to Lunar Hair and any damage taken to those areas is linked with the Skill, further leveling it!


    Hotly Contested:  Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: N/A) Passive, Lunar-Type; Rabbit Gang has unlimited duration when Nia is worn!  Although, cooldown applies if the little guys are destroyed; it starts with their destruction.


    Troubled Waters:  Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Rachel Wakes; Range: N/A) Reactive, Lunar-Type; If Rachel ever loses consciousness while in any form of danger, Lunar Nia will take control of her subordinate member¡¯s body and protect her master!


    Subordinate ¡­ but I¡¯m the master¡ªMoongmor and the paradox?  No level¡ªNo cooldown or cost¡ªit¡¯s beneficial, sure, but ¡­ She must have leveled up to create three outfits in a week by the time we created these clothes ¡­ Why didn¡¯t I notice this sooner?


    Nia was practically crying when she learned what both of them had gained.  ¡°Wooh!  I¡¯m the greatest secret society leader in existence!  The abyss protects its own!  Praise the leader!¡±


    Rachel was still stunned at the small changes that made a huge difference in what she¡¯d just learned about her outfit.  After bonding more with Nia, The System told her the status of the denier girl, Mythical Tool, which wasn¡¯t a surprise, but the fact it was hidden was.


    Having her edgy little outfit running around with her body when she was in the most vulnerable state she could be in was somewhat of a double-edged sword to her pride.


    ¡°Hmm?!  Hmm?!¡±  Nia was lifting an eyebrow at her.  ¡°What¡¯s with that response, Lunar Eclipse?!¡±


    Heh¡ªhe-he-he¡­  Rachel was so taken aback by it all that she hadn¡¯t noticed everyone looking at her, Tom asking if they could hear him, and what was happening to her.  I¡¯m glad to have your support, Your Excellency.  It¡¯s just too sudden.


    ¡°Fu-fu-fu!  Understood!¡±


    World conquest?


    ¡°World conquest!¡±


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Scarlet whispered; they¡¯d reached a nearby jungle canopy just beyond the shores of the beach; she could see houses in the distance.


    Laughing at Nia embracing the ¡®edgelord¡¯ mentality she¡¯d learned from the Vespertine Reaper, Rachel ended it with a sigh; in a manner, Scarlet was affecting her through Nia, but it wasn¡¯t all that bad.  She could see the fun in pretending, and Nia was too adorable.


    She waved her hand.  ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later¡ªNia¡¯s just cute.¡±


    ¡°Yes!  You praised me; my unseen evil eyes are awakening!¡±


    ¡°I bet she is,¡± Fiona giggled.  ¡°Tom¡¯s just trying to give us the rest of the plan.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Yeah, uh, go on, Tom.¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ in short, we don¡¯t have reliable intel.  The internet and phones are minimal in Cuba; they rely on quite a bit of older technology.  Discover key points, take out the possible threats that will give our troops troubles, and we¡¯ll target the areas you mark.¡±


    ¡°Roger,¡± they all responded.


    Tom directed them first to Puerto Padre, a coastal city nearby that had the most tourism in the Las Tunas province.  She kept her ears sharp, listening to the chatter to isolate the areas that sounded the most depressed and desperate.


    On their nighttime flight through the areas, Rachel listened to as many conversations she could tap into that were in English, which was turning out to be more troublesome than she liked.


    There were over a hundred thousand voices she could cycle through, but out of those, only a small percentile was in her second language¡ªif only she could use Maria as a translator.


    Stopping above the treelines, Rachel growled, ¡°I can¡¯t understand most of this country ¡­ They¡¯re speaking Spanish.  I can¡¯t really direct anything to you, either¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh, yeah, that wouldn¡¯t help, chica,¡± Maria growled, sitting with Clay, Tom, and Cahira in the communication room they¡¯d set up in one of her mansion¡¯s rooms.  ¡°I hate Cuban Spanish!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±  Fiona asked, lips pursed while studying the thick foliage below them.


    ¡°It¡¯s just annoying!  You have to find a consonant, or to try to figure one out before they stop speaking¡ªEven if you think you¡¯ve got the damn thing, it¡¯ll probably be a butchered ¡®r¡¯ as an ¡®l¡¯ or vice versa¡ªto hell with lookin¡¯ for a ¡®s¡¯, shit¡­¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±  Rachel mumbled, not fully getting her rant.  She soon tuned out the woman¡¯s tirade as Clay and Tom went through reports that were coming in; it seemed there was some frustration from her time in Miami for the West Coast born Mexican.


    Instead, Rachel continued to scan for English speakers, and eventually, she learned what she wanted.


    For some of the rural areas, it was more or less life as usual; however, there were bands of caravans going between small towns to gather soldiers for the local warlord.


    M¨¢ximo Nores had been a ranking official in one of the largest prisons in the Las Tunas province.  He was an ultra patriot for his ¡®ideal country of Cuba¡¯ and from what she¡¯d gathered, he had a decent amount of support among the military and Demi in the area.


    He saw The Oscillation as an act of providence, but he wasn¡¯t Christian or Catholic, it was some obscure religion Rachel never heard of, and that part scared a few people.


    Of course, his followers weren¡¯t so indoctrinated into the religious side of his movement as much as what they were promised.  Some of those men and women used the power they¡¯d been granted to satiate their desires unbeknownst to M¨¢ximo, but for the majority, the place was fairly disciplined and orderly compared to what they¡¯d first thought.


    M¨¢ximo didn¡¯t require subservience to his religious beliefs but did expect compliance with the new regime, and part of that was the relocation to the province¡¯s capital of Las Tunas, which was actually an order his followers were somewhat resistant to, wanting to enjoy the beach and luxuries normally allowed only to tourists.


    In Cuba, there were places the natives weren¡¯t allowed to go under the previous regime, and they wanted to revel in those pleasantries, including the fabled internet.  Most of them had little to no knowledge of basic technology the U.S. took for granted since the internet was extremely expensive for locals and exclusive to the larger cities.


    Las Tunas might have been the capital of the province, and according to Tom, they¡¯d tried to expand their tourist prospects as the ¡®City of Sculpture,¡¯ but had little success compared to the gorgeous beaches of its coastal edges.


    There was a rail system that normally transported many of the rationed goods the previous regime sent them from the other provinces, but it hadn¡¯t operated since The Oscillation, causing a shortage for nearly 150,000 residents trapped in the area, including tourists.


    Much of the climate was a tropical savannah, having distinct wet and dry seasons¡ªcurrently, it was the dry season, and water was becoming hard to come by after using much of what they had in stock by distributing it evenly amongst everyone.


    Cuba did treat their water with chlorine to kill bacteria, but Tom insisted the group should avoid it because of the pollution risks.  Rachel made a note of it; they may have been enhanced, and who knows how their immune system responded now, but it wasn¡¯t worth the risk of getting sick on the mission.


    Rachel stared across one of the small nighttime towns; fewer than four souls were walking around.  ¡°Tom ¡­ these people are close to dehydration¡ªmany of them are sick from the water, as you warned, and medicine was quickly eaten up in the first week¡ªThey need a lot if they¡¯re going to survive the coming weeks¡ªdays for water.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡ªWe¡¯ve been preparing supplies for situations like this; it won¡¯t take long to transport the necessary equipment to provide clean water in the short term.  Anything else?¡±


    ¡°What about communication?¡±  Clay mumbled as Scarlet vanished in shadows to help a boy that was in danger of being eaten by a crocodile.


    ¡°... It¡¯s mostly been cut off.  From what I¡¯ve gathered, the last thing out of Havana was a repeated message to submit to the new regime or come to challenge it¡ªTheir current issue is dealing with the Amancio and Colombia municipalities.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Tom sighed.  ¡°I thought those might be a weak point, given the info we¡¯ve gotten.  They¡¯ve been forcefully taken by the Camaguey province warlord.  Correct?¡±


    ¡°Sad,¡± Fiona frowned.  ¡°What about the people?¡±


    Clay breathed out a long sigh.  ¡°To warlords, they don¡¯t produce anything, but offer to let you live if you follow their rules, which basically means become their servant.  They kill those that resist in brutal ways, and make everyone feel following is the only option.¡±


    Tom leaned back in his chair, causing a creak to echo across the radio.  ¡°Camaguey¡¯s already the largest province in Cuba¡ªHmm, we need more accurate information to make long-term decisions¡­¡±


    He paused, collecting his thoughts or looking at new data.  ¡°... We know the Demi force in Havana have conquered far more land at this point, but what¡¯s the situation like in Camaguey; have you gathered any useful news from the locals?  Is the warlord more humane?  Is it more authoritarian, like where you are, or chaotic?¡±


    ¡°Not humane in the slightest,¡± Rachel gravely replied, vision shifting to Scarlet as she returned, mud on her boots but a smile on her lips.  ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, the guy carving out power in Camaguey is far less structured than M¨¢ximo; it¡¯s basically the Wild West¡ªgive him tribute, and he¡¯ll let you do whatever you want to an area.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ You were talking about troops getting armed?¡±  Clay pressed.


    ¡°Yes, M¨¢ximo¡¯s rallying the men in the area to take back that half of the province ¡­ I think I have a way to at least get a meeting with him¡ªHe¡¯s kind of paranoid with the U.S. to the South, but I¡¯ve got a plan.¡±


    Tom listened to her plan and agreed it would at least get them in the door.  If they could turn the warlord into at least accepting their help, then perhaps they could work things through at a more stable pace.  Knowing his personality through word of mouth from the English speakers, he was far more brutal than the easy-life free cultures they came from, but he got things done.


    After an hour of scouting out the 455 square mile province, Scarlet and Fiona saving a few people from stupid mistakes to gather extra food or water, she¡¯d roughly determined what was the best course of action.


    Traveling to the nearby small town of Majibacoa, shadows enclosed their group as Scarlet teleported them into a small house in the rural sticks.  She¡¯d heard the discussions the Demi pair present had as they spoke in private, laughing at how easy things had become for them.


    Fifteen women and two Faekin were inside, an Auf and an Erlking; the two had used their rank, Demi abilities, and M¨¢ximo¡¯s name as a means to trick families in the town to hand over their young daughters and new mothers for protection from the coming war.


    The Auf may have looked like a small child, but he was a man, and the Erlking was a rather large giant of a creature.


    Rachel was spying on them from the moment they started speaking English about their deeds in private, using the language since it was less widespread than their native tongue.  Many of the hideous activities they were boasting about were done before The Oscillation, and one was the collecting type.


    A company of the soldiers was outside, left in their charge since they showed powers as Faekin that could be useful to the effort in the makeshift militia, and most of Majibacoa had been stripped of their men for the fight to the West and North, leaving the women and children with few people that could handle a threat.


    From what she¡¯d heard from others, M¨¢ximo figured the U.S. wouldn¡¯t cause much of a problem for the people themselves.  The town was close enough to the border of the U.S. controlled area to be fairly protected by that buffer while the warlord in the neighboring province had already shown hostile actions to the other areas, putting them at a higher risk factor and forcing his hand; he needed the manpower, so he pulled most of the able-bodied people from the southern areas.


    However, that left the less savory types to prey on the defenseless that escaped his notice.  It had Fiona and Scarlet¡¯s jaw locked with anger.


    Rachel leaned against a wall as everyone froze.  ¡°Hello, Juanita, Jerem¨ªas¡ªisn¡¯t it a lovely night?¡±


    The crowd swiftly retreated toward the small kitchen the room led to in the small Cuban house;  an elderly woman named Elisabet C¨¦spedes owned it, and she had a granddaughter, Rene Costa, that just gave birth to a baby boy¡ªthe woman was men¡¯s target.


    ¡°Take them out!¡±  Nia shouted.


    In time, Your Excellency.


    ¡°Okay, Your Majesty ¡­ the Lunar Abyss will devour them!¡±


    I thought I was Lunar Eclipse?


    ¡°Well, they gotta be pulled into the Lunar Abyss to be devoured by the Lunar Eclipse!  Duh¡­¡±


    Ah.  Right.  Right.


    The women began speaking Spanish to one another in a panic, shouting for the men outside.  On the other hand, the two Faekin were giving them appraising looks, vision creepily moving down their bodies.


    ¡°Ah¡ªAmerican?¡±  Juanita, the Erlking, said; it was somewhat difficult to understand his English.  ¡°Do y-you know about the combat North?  We are d-defending our country!¡±


    The door swiftly opened for the armed men outside, quick to answer the calls of the women, but Fiona threw it back in their faces with a Wind Wall, blocking the entrance.  They shouted Spanish that none of them understood.


    ¡°Nu-uh-uh!¡±  Fiona said in a strained tone, trying to use her grandfather¡¯s breathing technique to keep Warpath in check.  ¡°We¡¯re having a private conversation!¡±


    ¡°W-What do you want?¡±  Rene whispered in fright; she spoke English fairly well compared to the Faekin, and the other young women and kids all looked to her for support as they pressed further into the corner.


    The Auf hummed, holding up his hands with a forced grin.  ¡°I know I haven¡¯t seen these ones, and¡ªare those blobs of goo¡ªwhat a pretty bird you have¡­¡±


    Gisele sniffed at his statement, head tilting in the air as her long tail flicked to the side on the chair back she rested upon.  Rose, Coral, and Hayan were in a triangle formation around the group, sinister grins on their faces.


    It was Scarlet¡¯s blood that finally triggered their defensive reaction as it left her skin, a dark grin on her black lips.  They tried to jump to the ceiling but were forced into an awkward position by the crimson liquid, wrapping around them in a partial cocoon.


    ¡°Hey!  Hey!¡±  Jerem¨ªas yelled, his small, child-like body trying to outmaneuver the dozens of spikes that closed around him, locking the imp in place.  ¡°What¡ªYou wanna fight¡ªW-What¡¯s your beef?!¡±


    Scarlet popped her tongue, nose twisting with agitation; Rachel knew she wanted to just put a spear through them.


    Rachel smiled, walking closer to stare into both of their confused faces; they obviously never expected to be attacked this far away from the fight.  ¡°Juanita, tell me, how many women have you raped, killed, and taken trophies of¡ªlocks of hair, right?¡±


    The shock of being exposed out of the blue caused his jaw to go slack for a moment.  ¡°How¡­¡±  Sudden realization about why they might be there struck him, causing the lanky, elf-like creature to revert to his more hideous, bearded state, and struggle against Scarlet¡¯s bonds.  ¡°N-No!  It¡¯s¡ªyou¡¯ve got nothing!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Rachel smirked, gaze falling to the black flames that were slowly flowing up his fingertips.  ¡°Awfully guilty.¡±


    Jerem¨ªas, the imp, feigned ignorance.  ¡°Wait!  You¡¯re serious¡ªbro, sick!  You¡¯re sick!  Hey, get me away from him!  Please!  I¡¯m just a kid¡ªI ¡­ I got powers, and¡­¡±


    Juanita swiftly reverted to Cuban while struggling against Scarlet crystalized blood, holding him in place; they were blocked off from the girls¡¯ sight.


    The soldiers broke through the back door, having run around the edge, but Fiona¡¯s second Wind Wall kept them in the next room, struggling against the invisible barrier.  They were shouting at the Fairy, floating in the doorway, unable to see anything else inside, and slight pushes kept them off-balance, unable to aim their guns.  They seemed worried about hitting the women inside because they were being very cautious.


    Rene was white-faced as Rachel continued, too stunned to pose another question until more information started coming out, and she began translating to the shocked and terrified women.


    Rachel¡¯s glowing four-leaf clover eyes moved to Jerem¨ªas.  ¡°Oh?  And you were after Rene, taking women with breast milk in town to pretend to be their babies¡ªnow that¡¯s sick.¡±


    ¡°Woah, there!¡±  he sheepishly laughed, showing the face of an innocent little child that spoke far too fluently.  ¡°That¡¯s not illegal, right?  It¡¯s not like I kill their babies or anything¡ªI just need it to live!  Right?  We all have needs after the whole light thing changed everyone!¡±


    The three women with children hugged their babies close to their breast at the revelation, pressing against the back corner of the house since Fiona blocked off access to the other room to prevent the men outside from interfering.


    ¡°How can you lie so easily like that?¡±  Scarlet growled, nose twisting.


    Fiona¡¯s own countenance darkened at the lie.  ¡°You have an insane appetite¡ªyou¡¯d leave these women as skin and bones, their bodies desperately trying to provide for your hunger¡ªhow many children and women did you kill before The Oscillation.  How many towns for your sick fetish?¡±


    He groaned, rubbing the back of his neck.  ¡°Look¡ªyou don¡¯t seem to be an angel either, honey¡­¡±


    A blood spike cut a small cut across his cheek, with Scarlet losing her cool. ¡°don¡¯t ever compare me to you!¡±  The women flinched at her tone, long past the point of trembling, and Fiona ushered them to the door, telling them they could go outside since the men were all at the back.


    Rachel walked over and grabbed the man in child guise by the throat as they left; his eyes bulged at the sudden action, gagging while thrashing helplessly against her arm.  She pulled him out of the partial cocoon, holding him in the air.  ¡°You see¡ªthe two of you are our access card, which means, sadly, I can¡¯t crush your throat right now ¡­ ¡¯cause I really want to.¡±


    Tossing him against the wall, he gasped as the air left his lungs; he coughed and sputtered for several seconds, tears streaming down his chubby cheeks as Rachel walked over to leer down at him.  ¡°You¡¯re lucky Fiona learned a bit more about controlling her anger¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s close,¡± Fiona whispered, fingers twitching to call upon her fire and roast the imposter.  ¡°... Very close.¡±  A ball of fire the size of a chair appeared in front of her, driving the men out of the house in a panic.  ¡°I want to turn them to ash¡­¡±


    ¡°You see,¡± Rachel bent down and picked him back up by the collar, sliding him up the wooden wall, ¡°she hates anyone that would harm a child, and my vampire friend here is the same¡ªso, it¡¯s either confess to your boss and live, or we kill you here and now.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll do it,¡± he rasped, still struggling with his tiny form; he didn¡¯t appear to be a combat type.


    ¡°Heh¡ªnot me!¡±  Juanita growled, flickering like a strobe-light to escape Scarlet¡¯s blood and launch a surprise attack with a black flame weaving around his hand, at least, that was his plan.


    She slowly turned, bringing the Auf to face the ugly face of his Fae friend; the man-elf¡¯s eyes bugging out, mouth gaping open as over thirty finger-sized spikes of crimson crystal penetrated his chest, stomach, limbs, and head¡ªtwo sharp points slowly slid through his eyes from the back, causing the boy to scream.


    ¡°I¡¯m not complaining,¡± Scarlet shrugged, ¡°more blood for me.¡±


    Jerem¨ªas¡¯s chest convulsed after the sudden panic, and Scarlet lazily held up a hand, drawing all of the Fae¡¯s blood into a spinning crimson sphere.  Her glowing red eyes shifted to the deceiver as she popped it into her mouth, showing off her fangs.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ He really was nasty to the core¡­¡±


    ¡°No fair,¡± Fiona mumbled, hair rising as her aura turned from red to yellow, electricity sparking around her form.  ¡°I want the next one¡ªI gotta unwind somehow after hearing all that; plus, I don¡¯t have to kill him¡­¡±


    ¡°He has less blood anyway,¡± Scarlet replied, extracting her blood from the husk.  ¡°Hey¡ªare those girls going to be okay?¡±


    Rachel dragged the remaining Faekin outside by the collar, body locked up from witnessing his friend¡¯s death.  ¡°Probably not after that¡ªLet¡¯s go check.¡±


    Making it outside, the soldiers all pointed their weapons at her, shouting in Spanish.


    ¡°I don¡¯t speak Spanish, guys¡­¡±  Rachel sighed.


    ¡°The darkness consumes them?¡±


    Not yet¡ªThey¡¯re just scared.


    Most of the men¡¯s legs were quivering, and Rachel gave them a lifted eyebrow as the silence stretched, but eventually, Rene spoke up in Spanish.  The soldiers gave her confused looks, but lowered their weapons as she whispered, ¡°I ¡­ I just want things to go back to normal¡­¡±


    The baby boy in her arms started crying and she hugged him tighter to her chest, breaking down as the other women closed in to hug each other.


    ¡°W-What are you ¡­ Why take him?¡±  one of the older men worked through, having trouble with the English words while pointing at the imp.


    Fiona piped up, pointing her finger at Jerem¨ªas.  ¡°Tell them!¡±  When he didn¡¯t respond, Rachel held the deceiver up, and sparks danced across Fiona¡¯s illuminated figure again.  ¡°Tell them!¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°Tch!¡±  Fiona, nose creased with disgust, and small bolts arched from around her small frame in a controlled shock, somehow not traveling to Rachel¡¯s hand.


    Jerem¨ªas locked up, muscles spasming before Fiona cut the electricity, causing the man¡¯s tiny chest to heave.  Coughing and gasping, his eyes were now bloodshot and wet as he choked through his words.  ¡°I ¡­ I killed babies ¡­ mothers¡ªI did it for the milk!  I just wanted to suckle a little ¡­ just a little¡­¡±


    ¡°In Spanish!¡±  Fiona ordered, threatening to shock him again.


    It took a moment for the men to realize what he was saying, and once Rene confirmed his confession, one man in his sixties jumped forward and punched him in the face, breaking his nose and causing blood to spray everywhere.


    Rachel stepped in and held him apart, but several other men looked ready to do the same; however, two caught her attention¡ªlikely accomplices in the acts.


    Fiona waved her hands up in a panic.  ¡°Hey!  Hey!  We need him!  I know ¡­ I want to kill him, too!¡±


    The rest of the conversation was translated through Rene, but it didn¡¯t get them far; in short, they were afraid all the time and just wanted their families and stability back¡ªfood and clean water.


    ¡°Rene,¡± Scarlet whispered, rubbing her back comfortingly as she contracted hiccups, ¡°can you tell them we¡¯re going to bring him to their leader?  They can join if they want, but they¡¯ll need to see me as a friend.¡±


    When she translated, their expressions hardened and a confident smile lifted most of their faces; the other two in the back weren¡¯t so thrilled at the prospect¡ªthat would come later, though.


    Rene took a shuddering breath after listening to the men, the sounds of insects filling the night breeze.  ¡°Umm ¡­ They¡¯re saying they want to escort the prisoner with you¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡ªhold on,¡± Scarlet mumbled, giving the three a light glare.  ¡°You guys need to stay here and protect them!  They need someone to make sure things stay smooth.¡±


    Rachel pointed at the two in the back.  ¡°The rest of them, sure, but not those two; we need a witness, after all.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I get that, and you¡¯re totally right, Scarlet,¡± Fiona said, scratching her temple with a sheepish smile.  ¡°I got a little too gung-ho, huh?¡±


    The pair of conspirators was hesitant but agreed with peer pressure.  Fiona took that as an invitation, and they were all levitated to the prison M¨¢ximo was operating out of.


    Once inside the intimidating facility, Rachel passed several checkpoints with men far more hardened than the ones they¡¯d left; she could see it in their eyes¡ªthese men had not only seen death but participated in it.


    The walls of the renovated prison were filled with ammunition and weapons; they¡¯d gathered a full military armory, and Demi of various kinds were readying themselves for the war to take back their land and loved ones to the North and West.


    When Rachel first met M¨¢ximo, he wasn¡¯t what she¡¯d expected.  He wasn¡¯t that big of an African man, only as tall as Rachel, but he exercised regularly based on his strong physique, and everyone seemed to respect him by the way they acted and spoke about him.


    He watched her drag in the blubbering bloody mess of an imp and the husk that used to be a Fae.  M¨¢ximo puffed on a cigar, likely using it to cope with the stress his new position gave him; the water supplies had run out days ago, and food was going next.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I¡¯ve been told some American changed people were draggin¡¯ in some scum¡ªI¡¯m pretty sure this one was in charge of a unit, though ¡­ talk.¡±


    Rachel held up the man and told the story, and both the co-conspirators collaborated; once they finished, Rachel turned a threatening smirk their way.  ¡°That¡¯s not all¡ªI believe these two were in on the whole operation.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No!  No!  That¡¯s¡ªumm, that¡¯s sick!¡±


    They trailed off as M¨¢ximo took a few more deep drags of his cigar, vision drilling into the pair.  His gaze shifted to one of the pretty black-haired women standing off to the side of the room.  ¡°Araceli.¡±


    The woman seemed almost dead inside by her hollow dark brown eyes as she smoothly walked over to the men and whispered in their ears, stroking their arms; she spoke in Spanish, so Rachel had no clue what was said¡ªthe response was easy enough to follow.


    Their bodies tensed, likely infected with some kind of hormone by their hearts¡¯ quickening response; soon after, both started to babble.


    ¡°Mhm ¡­ Thanks, Araceli.¡±


    She nodded, returning to her post as the other twelve lieutenants in the room listened with stone-cold faces.


    ¡°Is that it?¡±  he asked, drawing again to breathe out a thick fume that burned Rachel¡¯s nose.  ¡°Ya liked it a bit, huh?¡±


    Both men collapsed to the floor with the sobbing imp; the door behind them was sealed and blocked by a large Water Buffalo Beastkin that was built thicker than her cousin; she couldn¡¯t see much of his face behind the thick hair, but each person here seemed competent in their own right.


    M¨¢ximo smacked his lips, pulling out the cigar to sniff, nose twitching, yet his voice was steady.  ¡°Where¡¯d ya come from?  From our East?  The U.S. by yer tone.¡±


    She nodded, hands clasped behind her back.  ¡°We¡¯re here to help restore order in Cuba.  I have a direct line with a four-star general that is in charge of overseeing this operation.  We¡¯re committed to seeing the people regain their ability to live in a protected society.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ The U.S.?  Doubtful,¡± he snorted, and three of his trusted men chuckled.  ¡°¡­ With the U.S. there¡¯s always some stipulation,¡± he growled, fingering his cigar with a glare.  ¡°I¡¯m not aimin¡¯ to have my people extorted because we¡¯re in a tough spot¡ªCubans would rather die than submit¡ªwe won¡¯t become some kind of vassal state.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s tone was even.  ¡°I never said that you would become a vassal state.  I said we¡¯re here to give this land back to its people¡ªnot you, but the people.  I¡¯m sure you have your own ideas of how this nation should be run, but in this new world, you need unity.  The U.S. can help.¡±


    ¡°Really ¡­ like it helped in the past?¡±  he scoffed, glaring at the three traitors.  ¡°We do things differently in Cuba¡ªthe U.S.S.R. were the only ones that came to our aid ¡­ Where was the U.S. when they collapsed¡ªhuh?  Nowhere, but on a ban list¡ªand you closed your borders when my people needed help!¡±


    Rachel solemnly held up a radio from one of the bags Fiona was levitating.  ¡°I¡¯m not here to discuss the politics of the past.  Speak with General Dallas, and I¡¯m sure things can be cleared up¡ªmending needs to begin somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Heh, right ¡­ Some things cannot be mended,¡± he grunted, angered blue eyes shifting to the three as he got to his feet and walked to them.


    A clump of greenish goo materialized from his palm and he walked over, grasping both man¡¯s fallen faces; they screamed, clawing at his arm, but he took them to the ground, steam floating out between his hands as he melted an imprint into their skulls.  It wasn¡¯t long until they were convulsing, then dead.


    Jerem¨ªas tried to run, but he wasn¡¯t opening the door with the Water Buffalo Beastkin in front of it; the muscular man reached down and lifted him up by the head, screaming and kicking.


    ¡°You¡¯re a disgrace to Cuba,¡± M¨¢ximo snarled, sticky hands wrapping around his throat.  The Demi¡¯s chest heaved, throat flexing as his skin was swiftly eaten away until only his spine remained; he died of the pain long before suffocating.


    Rachel, Fiona, and Scarlet watched, but her two friends were a bit more conflicted by the method of execution.  Still, they held their tongue.


    M¨¢ximo rubbed his palms together, wiping the remains on their clothes for it to be eaten away until the slime vaporized with some of their shirts and stomachs.  He returned to his seat to pick up his cigar again, clearing his nose.  ¡°I¡¯ll listen to what your general has to say¡ªbut I will do things the Cuban way.  I won¡¯t be bullied by the U.S.¡±


    Rachel handed him the device from the backpack they¡¯d brought.


    He glared at it for a moment before looking up at them.  ¡°Stay if you want¡ªI¡¯ll say what I think, and if I sense somethin¡¯ foul ¡­ I¡¯ll do anything to restore order to Cuba.  This is my country, and I will see it thrive again!¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 16. A Tentative Understanding

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap: Rachel and the crew touched down in Cuba and stopped some ... bad stuff from happening when people are granted authority and aren''t that trustworthy.  We found out what that gets them in this new regime, M¨¢ximo, the warlord of this area that took over to keep the peace killed not only the two Demi but even those that were complicit.


    How will our girls handle this group of Liberation fighters O_O


    Let''s find out!


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    Rachel moved back against the wall, leaning against it with Scarlet by her side.  Fiona sat on Scarlet¡¯s shoulder, having a little difficulty brushing back her black locks as they got in her way from the room¡¯s fan; Cuba was a bit different than the Florida weather they were accustomed to, which was odd since it was so close.


    She took a moment to assess each individual, knowing their names already before entering the place.


    The Fairy¡¯s attention was fixated on one individual, though; each of the twelve lieutenants was interesting in their own right, but only one was roughly the size of Fiona.


    In the back corner of the room were two pretty chocolate brown-haired identical twins, and a smirking blonde-haired Pixie-boy sat on the left woman¡¯s shoulder.


    He seemed just as interested in Fiona as she was in him, yet he held his peace as M¨¢ximo talked with Tom.  Yet a single action caught Rachel¡¯s attention above all others¡­


    Her eyes darted to Araceli with a testing smile; warning bells went off in her head, Nia giggling maniacally as the woman failed to enter her mind.  Araceli¡¯s dull eyes widened for a moment as Rachel shook her head, ears tilting to the side with her lips; she wouldn¡¯t try again.


    ¡°The fool! Peer into the depths of the dark abyss and see the cuteness of Nia?!  Nia thinks not!¡±


    Scarlet and Fiona had similar mental blocking skills that they¡¯d gained after Relica¡¯s attack; in fact, everyone in their group had gained mental-resistance skills once they were made aware of the Witch.  She returned her attention to the Pixie, more interested in him than the woman¡¯s internal panic.


    He wore some odd garments and had leaf-like wings that were smaller than Fiona¡¯s, but considering that he was roughly a quarter of an inch taller than the Fairy¡ªhe didn¡¯t have many options for clothes.  In fact, she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he had it custom-tailored to him by one of the local women specializing in sewing.


    Edelira and Isabel were sisters that had grown up in some rough streets and knew how to use a gun, which was why the pair had gained some kind of ability that revolved around it.  Rachel wasn¡¯t aware of the specifics, but they shouldn¡¯t be a threat to her from the feats she¡¯d heard from the tourists that spoke English or the very few that spoke Korean.


    Benedict was the only Mythickin in the Province that hadn¡¯t defected to the far west; he was somewhat close to the twins, having grown up around the same circles.  He was a Pixie and had abilities centered around control rather than straight damage.  Overall, Rachel wasn¡¯t too concerned about his abilities with Nia around.


    ¡°He-he-he!  I¡¯m OP, huh?!  Isn¡¯t the Leader amazing?!¡±  Nia chimed as Rachel thought about her.


    She laughed internally, keeping her features neutral.  OP and ultra-cute ¡­ Shouldn¡¯t that be illegal?


    ¡°They¡¯ll never know the depths of the abyss, nor its cuteness!  Hm-hm-hmmm!¡±  Nia snickered.


    Turning her attention back to the throng, she listened to M¨¢ximo address Tom; things were beginning to hit the turning point.


    ¡°M¨¢ximo, I¡¯ll be up-front and clear with you, and I expect you to be, as well¡­ These are your people that will be affected by the decisions in this meeting after all.¡±


    ¡°Go on¡­¡±  he grumbled before dragging on his cigar; Rachel hated the smell, and it seemed a few others did, too, but they tolerated it.


    ¡°... Do you want to give a voice to your people¡ªdo you care for what they want, or do you wish to dictate what is good for your people because they can¡¯t be trusted to take care of their own needs ¡­ Is your plan to force the stupid masses into doing what¡¯s good for them?¡±


    Pointed question ¡­ Tom¡¯s not mincing words.


    She could still see the bodies of the three men that had their throats melted through by M¨¢ximo¡¯s acidic goo ability.  He¡¯d murdered them without a second thought, playing judge, jury, and executioner, yet in a state like this, and as a warlord, that was the rule of law.  The question will be, would M¨¢ximo give up control?  He had his own sense of justice, from what she¡¯d heard already.


    The dark-skinned man took a long breath, pulling the burning herbs from his mouth to stare at them; his focus settled on Gisele on her shoulder before falling to her happily jumping rabbit blobs.


    ¡°... All I want is for my home country to thrive¡ªfor Cuba to rise again.  What the U.S. wants¡ªwhat others want ¡­ It¡¯s worthless to me.  Cuba for Cubans ¡­ to hell with the rest.¡±


    ¡°He sounds kind of mean¡­¡±  Nia mumbled.  ¡°Scary, too¡­¡±


    The issue is who he sees as a ¡®Cuban,¡¯ to begin with.  Anything he doesn¡¯t agree with or like could be considered non-Cuban.


    Tom cleared his throat, resituating in his chair.  ¡°Let me rephrase the question ¡­ Are you willing to let the citizens of Cuba elect who is the best representative for Cuba and its future?¡±


    ¡°Look¡­¡±  M¨¢ximo leaned forward, putting out his cigar on an ashtray before folding his fingers atop his desk.  ¡°General Four-Star Tom, or whoever you are ¡­ I¡¯m not going to beat around the bush.  How can I expect Cubans to put their trust in anyone outside of our own cities and towns, much less a province?  Do you think any of these people believe some person in the next province will have their best interests at heart?¡±


    His nose twisted as most of his lieutenants nodded their agreement.  ¡°... Right.  People follow me because they know me¡ªthey know I will keep peace and order¡ªlike these scum who preyed on the women and children of my province¡­¡±


    M¨¢ximo jutted his head toward Al, the Water Buffalo Beastkin.  ¡°Take them out front and show them to everyone¡ªanyone that does that shit will get the same treatment, and if you¡¯re harboring criminals like that or participating with them ¡­ You''re dead.¡±


    Al nodded approvingly, reaching down with his massive arms to gather the bodies.  ¡°Word will spread fast, and they¡¯ll think hard about doing something.¡±


    Hot air shot out of the warlord¡¯s twitching nose.  ¡°Right¡ªwe ain¡¯t got no room in Cuba for scum¡ªthese foul creatures are no longer human¡ªthey¡¯re beasts to be slaughtered.¡±


    Scarlet had her hands held behind her back, watching the colossal Beastkin haul the corpses out; she was doing her best to keep her expression neutral, but Rachel knew the girl agreed with M¨¢ximo, to an extent, and she did, as well.  Still, it was the execution and motives behind his actions that were concerning.  Fiona would have torched them alive after Rachel told her what they¡¯d done.


    Tom sighed.  ¡°If you¡¯re not going to beat around the bush, then answer me straight, M¨¢ximo.  I¡¯m talking about governance¡ªgovernance only works so long as the people allow it or they¡¯re forced to submit.  There are only a couple ways this can go down¡­


    ¡°Either someone takes Cuba by the sword, which includes you and your men, or the Demi faction in Havana, or the other warlords struggling for power.


    ¡°The Cuban people submit to that rule and become a threat to the U.S., as explicit messages have already stated, turning Cuba from having bad relations with your neighbors to becoming hostile.


    ¡°The Cuban people revolt, a majority die, and the remaining are left as slaves because they can¡¯t hope to deal with so many organized Demi with abilities they can¡¯t even comprehend.


    ¡°Or ¡­ the people are allowed to discuss how their country will move forward as a collective.  That could mean breaking into smaller territories, like you mentioned, and certain provinces and cities might choose that¡ªbut it will be a collective choice.


    ¡°Which option will you take, and depending on your answer ¡­ the U.S. will respond to keep its own interests intact.¡±


    This was where it all boiled down to.


    M¨¢ximo popped his tongue, withering gaze shifting to Scarlet, Fiona, Rachel, and her pets again.  ¡°... That sounds more like a threat than anything else, Four-Star General Dallas ¡­ You must have a lot of faith in the soldiers to make that kind of statement.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears shifted toward a few of the lieutenants as their muscles shifted uncomfortably, giving their group dirty looks; the eleven that were left knew they were on their guard.


    Liliana, Jhosep, Ernesto, and Alberto were the uneasy lieutenants, and only Jhosep and Ernesto really snatched Rachel¡¯s attention.


    Jhosep was an older gentleman with graying hair and a full suite of white armor; his hair was neatly groomed, was surprisingly bulky for his age, and had a power that could be troublesome for Scarlet, possibly her, depending on the specifics.


    From what she¡¯d heard, he was a Catholic, and some stereotypes were there for a reason.  The man was a little on the zealous side of things, which scared some people after his change into a Champion Spiritualist Templar gave him a full suit of plate armor, sword, and powers that corresponded to the Holy-Element and possibly Solar.


    Ernesto could have been mistaken for some kind of lizard-based Beastkin at first, but from conversations inside the prison headquarters, Rachel learned he was an Aberrantkin Dragonewt, and after learning about Nora¡¯s unusual abilities, she¡¯d become cautious of Aberrantkin.


    She didn¡¯t know much other than the man was strong and could resist bullets, but that was at a dangerous level already.


    Edelira, Isabel, and Benedict were fairly chipper and casual for the tone of conversation; the three weren¡¯t all that close to everyone else, from what she¡¯d gathered.


    Araceli was very connected to M¨¢ximo; in fact, the stoic black-haired woman might have been romantically involved with the warlord¡ªthere was talk amongst his men.


    Freddy was kind of there for the chance to blow things up by summoning cannons of some sort, and Luis was the resident healer; although, he seemed to have some kind of narcolepsy medical condition.  Currently, the man was having trouble staying awake.


    Juan was the second Artificer she¡¯d heard about, the other from Maria when she mentioned her time in California when she¡¯d laughed about intimidating some Legendkin Dwarf.  He was a quiet man that just wanted to see things return to normal.  He crafted special bullets for the twins with a magical piercing affix, but Rachel doubted they could bypass Nia¡¯s defenses.


    ¡°He-he!  Count on the Leader!¡±


    Always.


    Nia squealed at the praise.  ¡°Yes!  What¡¯s up with you being so nice to me now?  Hmm?  Oh!  It¡¯s because we¡¯re in the same club!  We¡¯re club buddies, and I¡¯m the Society''s Dark Leader!  Oh, now it makes perfect sense!  Ha-ha-ha!¡±


    Mmh ¡­ Yeah ¡­ yeah ¡­ Plus, you¡¯re just cute.


    ¡°I¡¯ve cast my cuteness spell of domination upon the masses!  All will know the cuteness of Nia!  Mua-ha-ha-ha!  The Abyss will prevail!¡±


    Wooh¡­  Rachel monotony cheered.  World domination.


    World domination!


    It was surreal, having the lighthearted conversation with her cute little brat of an outfit in front of their current audience, utterly unaware of her inner thoughts and encrypted by not only her mental defenses but Nia¡¯s, as well.


    Although, her combat outfit was drawing Freddy, the Twins, and Alberto¡¯s curious eye.


    Tom¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t amused as M¨¢ximo threw up his feathers at the question.  ¡°Rachel and her group were sent to Cuba because they are possibly the strongest and most trusted Demi in our nation.  I tell you this because it shows how seriously the U.S. is taking this change to Cuba¡¯s governance and the allies Cuba, your land, stands to gain.¡±


    M¨¢ximo¡¯s brow furrowed at his statement, but Tom wasn¡¯t done.  ¡°The world is in turmoil, and predictably, the U.S. is still top-dog on the world stage.¡±


    There¡¯s China, Rachel thought, and a light glare touched her eyes at the thought, considering Korea¡¯s history with the other nation.  According to Tom, the country was amassing their own Demi military might, entirely under the government¡¯s thumb, but M¨¢ximo didn¡¯t need to know that.


    ¡°Think about it, M¨¢ximo,¡± Tom pressed.  ¡°What do you stand to lose by rejecting my offer, and what do you stand to gain from accepting it¡ªeverything I¡¯ve said is not a threat but reality.  The Demi nation forming in your borders have made themselves a threat to the U.S., forcing our hand.


    ¡°Once we handle them, stability can be claimed by Cubans again, and the President has offered to be the first to extend a helping hand to Cuba¡ªa peaceful and diplomatic hand in how many generations?  Are you going to be the one in Cuba¡¯s history to slap it back?¡±


    M¨¢ximo worked around his jaw, thinking hard on Tom¡¯s offer; reaching forward, he picked up his cigar, lit it, and puffed on it for a full minute in silence, thinking in silence.


    His calculating eyes turned to his twelve lieutenants as Al returned from showcasing the corpses.  ¡°You each represent various factions of people inside the province.  What do you all think?¡±


    Jhosep was the first to raise his voice, clearing his throat while turning his critical stare upon Scarlet; he had trouble working through English but managed it.  ¡°I am be uncertain the Americans can be trusted¡ªthey spit in our faces and not allow passage when things bad.  Still, if they offer ¡®elp now to purge our lands of this¡ªthis filth ¡­ I am for it.¡±


    ¡°Hey!  Hey!¡±  Benedict chuckled, speaking rather fluent English.  ¡°Edel, Izzy, and I are chill with the whole thing, and we¡¯re actually kinda interested in gettin¡¯ to know these Americans more,¡± he said with a bright grin.  ¡°We¡¯ve always been looking to learn more about the crazy things we hear are up north.¡±


    Isabel laughed, speaking just as fluently as the Pixie.  ¡°Yeah!  Ya think we can visit to check things out?  It might be fun to see what¡¯s on the internet¡ªI heard it¡¯s wild, Edel!¡±


    ¡°Tch,¡± Edelira gave her a sly smirk.  ¡°You¡¯ve got the brain of a sinner, Sis.¡±


    ¡°Aww, c¡¯mon!  I know you¡¯re curious, too!¡±  Isabel winked.


    Jhosep huffed at the conversation, glaring at the trio.  ¡°Lechery¡­¡±


    ¡°Fun!¡±  Isabel shot back with a teasing grin.  ¡°You should ease up more on the rules, Father!¡±


    ¡°I will stick with the Church¡¯s teachings forever,¡± he muttered, trying to ignore the girls¡¯ expressions.


    Freddy held up his hand; most of the lieutenants seemed somewhat versed in English and used it to communicate to Tom and M¨¢ximo, even if the general could likely speak the language or had a translator present.  ¡°Eh¡ªI just like to see things explode, but my town¡¯s chill with havin¡¯ a say in stuff and the like.¡±


    Araceli spoke in her controlled, monotone manner.  ¡°Whatever you decide is acceptable to me, M¨¢ximo.¡±


    ¡°Typical,¡± Liliana rolled her eyes at the woman¡¯s statement, drawing her dark brown eyes, but Liliana ignored it.  She sighed, brushing back her blonde hair.  ¡°If the women are treated fairly, then I¡¯m fine with taking the U.S.¡¯s offer to help¡ªLord knows we could use supplies,¡± she grumbled, eyeing M¨¢ximo.


    Ernesto, the Dragonewt, nodded.  ¡°I agree, Liliana.  No one is coming to Cuba¡¯s aid but the U.S., and is there even anything left of the old order?¡±


    ¡°There is,¡± Tom replied, causing everyone in the room¡¯s gaze to fixate on the device.


    Here we go¡­


    ¡°Who?¡±  M¨¢ximo muttered.


    ¡°More of a what,¡± Fiona chuckled, drawing their attention.  ¡°The Cuban military.  Right?¡±


    Tom¡¯s voice was firm.  ¡°Yes, Fiona.  The Cuban military has been pushed to the Pinar del R¨ªo and is having a great deal of trouble keeping it at the moment.  We¡¯ve offered help, but the man that¡¯s seized control is a Major¡ªall the other leadership was killed by the Demi invaders ¡­ or so I¡¯ve heard,¡± he stated, throwing shade on the account.


    ¡°A coup within the military?¡±  Ernesto asked.


    ¡°Possible,¡± Tom replied, ¡°but the details are too scattered to know for sure.  In short, they¡¯ve refused U.S. assistance and are suffering greatly because of it¡ªincluding the people of Pinar del R¨ª.¡±


    Ernesto nodded, his slanted green pupils shifting to the floor as his long tail flicked to the side.  ¡°I see ¡­ What are you planning to do?¡±


    ¡°With respect,¡± Tom evenly stated, ¡°I cannot give you a full account of our movements¡ªgiven the threat we face, there is no way of knowing who might be watching and listening.¡±


    ¡°Right, Lilian?¡±  Rachel smirked at Liliana, causing the blonde woman¡¯s arms to tighten around her shoulders.


    ¡°W-What?!¡±  she asked defensively, and Rachel pointed at the window.  ¡°You¡¯re a Champion Summoner type.  Correct?  Specifically, you can summon some kind of eye to spy on things from a far distance.¡±


    ¡°H-how did you know that?¡±  she gawked.


    ¡°Humph,¡± Araceli¡¯s cool stare shifted to the woman; they didn¡¯t seem to like each other.  ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to ascertain, Liliana.  Look at her ears; she can probably hear for miles¡ªI bet they have many sensory abilities to fully grasp a situation before going in,¡± she stated, turning her icy gaze to Rachel.


    ¡°Good on them!¡±  Benedict cheered.  ¡°I like these Americans more and more,¡± he snickered.


    Al shifted his large, hairy arms across his broad chest, turning his head to them; Rachel couldn¡¯t see his eyes behind the mass of fur that fell across his face.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ If Cuban people get to decide what happens to Cuba and the U.S. is fair, then I see no issue.  Luis?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±  the man snapped upright, having fallen asleep against the corner by the door three minutes ago.  A few words in Spanish were passed between them before he rubbed his eyes and yawned.  ¡°... Oh ¡­ uh¡ªyeah¡ªyeah, whatever¡¯s good.  If we¡¯ll get food and stuff ¡­ medicine¡ªlots of medicine,¡± he yawned again, wiping away the tears in his eyes.  ¡°Medical people¡ªstuff and all¡­¡±


    Rachel lifted an eyebrow at the dazed response, and Al grunted.  ¡°Luis uses mental power or something like that to heal people¡ªhe¡¯s been exhausted since this whole thing started.¡±


    Alberto hopped over to Luis, throwing a hand around the surprised man¡¯s shoulders; the birdman¡¯s voice was a bit annoying to Rachel¡¯s ears.  ¡°Indeed, my good man!  He needs rest, and medical personnel would help us dearly!  My own wife is stuck at home¡ªa plague has hit us recently, causing poor Luis to practically drop dead trying to heal everyone!¡±


    Juan, the Artificer, growled, rubbing his temple at the statement.  ¡°It has been ¡­ troubling, to say the least.  Medical supplies would help.  Our doctors also have two to three other jobs to make ends-meet, which means they aren¡¯t able to learn about the latest problems sweeping the world, and we¡¯re not equipped to handle things like this.¡±


    M¨¢ximo took another long drag from his cigar, releasing it in a long puff after hearing everyone¡¯s opinion.  ¡°I¡¯m not so trusting of the U.S., but ¡­ we do need help.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t hope for a better deal than the one our President is offering,¡± Tom responded.


    ¡°Humph,¡± M¨¢ximo glowered at the radio, ¡°then why isn¡¯t he the one talking to me?¡±


    ¡°He wishes he could,¡± Tom evenly replied, ¡°but currently, he¡¯s in a World Leader¡¯s meeting with China, Russia, Australia, the E.U., U.K., North Korea, South Korea, Japan, among every other major nation that is still stable enough to attend.


    ¡°China is threatening to push into Taiwan and India with ground troops after India¡¯s Prime Minister was assassinated.  North Korea¡¯s up to its usual threats, among many other crises ¡­ We¡¯re trying to avoid World War III.  That is why I am managing our southern hemisphere at this moment.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s arms tightened around her body, giving Rachel a concerned look at the reveal; it was news to Rachel, as well.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±  Ernesto mumbled in shock.


    ¡°Oof, yeah, not good, huh?¡±  Benedict mumbled, giving Fiona a forced grin.


    M¨¢ximo grunted.  ¡°... Fine.  I get it, the world is in chaos, but I don¡¯t care about China or North Korea or India ¡­ I care about Cuba, my home, their home,¡± he stated, motioning to the others.  ¡°If you are willing to lend Cuba aid¡ªand not screw us over as the U.S. tends to do, then we¡¯ll cooperate ¡­ But only if Cubans govern Cuba!¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯re done with that part, then,¡± Rachel commented, pushing herself away from the wall with a smile.  ¡°That¡¯s everything you needed to hear.  Right, Tom?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± he paused, probably talking to Clay about some other news.  ¡°... Right, we¡¯ve been canvassing the area while flying above Cuba and been monitoring certain groups¡ªit seems the warlord to your north has gotten word that you¡¯re preparing to retake the west part of your province and has sent an assassination group to take care of your leadership.¡±


    ¡°N-No,¡± Liliana mumbled, eyes hazing over as she connected with her scouts.  ¡°I would have seen any activity by the border ¡­ I¡¯ve set up observation points all across the area.¡±


    ¡°Did you see our big turtle?¡±  Scarlet giggled.


    The woman¡¯s lips creased.  ¡°Your what?¡±


    ¡°Thought so.¡±


    ¡°You heard them coming?¡±  Fiona asked, looking to her.


    Rachel smirked, pointing her finger at the ground as her ears twitched.  ¡°You wouldn¡¯t see them underground.¡±


    ¡°Ah, smart,¡± Scarlet nodded, her eyes turning vampiric as she peered through the building and dirt to find the invaders.


    Jhosep made a cross-symbol in front of his chest.  ¡°Lord save us!¡±  he muttered.  ¡°What are you¡ªa demon?!¡±


    ¡°Vespertine Reaper, to be precise,¡± she absently replied.  ¡°Oh¡ªa Mole Beastkin, what do ya know¡­¡±  her frightening gaze lifted to give the priest a sharp-toothed grin that Rachel thought was cute.  ¡°Nice to meet you!¡±


    Isabel gave her a casual salute.  ¡°Pleasures all ours, love!  Tell me, what kind of men do ya have in America?  I hear they come in all shapes and sizes!¡±


    Rachel assumed she wasn¡¯t talking about their bodies¡ªat least, all of the male body.


    ¡°The food?¡±  Edelira pressed after her sister, expression watering at the thought.  ¡°I heard people bathe in food!¡±


    ¡°Memes,¡± Fiona sighed.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ it happens.¡±


    ¡°Insane¡­¡±


    The trio seemed utterly unconcerned about the assassins sent to murder them because Benedict was all smiles at the Fairy.  ¡°I¡¯m less interested in the U.S. and more into you,¡± he grinned.  ¡°How about we go out sometime?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s tiny frame went stiff as a board at the blatant statement.  ¡°Huh?!¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± Scarlet mumbled, lifting an eyebrow before shifting her halo-like red irises to Fiona to wait for her response.  In truth, even Rachel was shocked at how forward the boy had been.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, what do ya say?  I can be a fun guy!¡±  he pressed.


    ¡°Time and place,¡± Edelira gave the tiny boy on her sister¡¯s shoulder a light glare.  ¡°Ya can¡¯t go springin¡¯ it on a girl like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±  Isabel teased, bumping her hip against her sister¡¯s.  ¡°Life¡¯s short, Sis!  Take every opportunity, like Mom said!¡±


    ¡°Mom was kind of ¡­ Mom,¡± she muttered, lips pulling to the side while glaring at the wall.


    Benedict hummed, studying Fiona¡¯s flustered response.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Alright, I guess I¡¯m being a bit too carefree!  Heh, it¡¯s kind of a product of my change!  Sorry if that came out of nowhere, but yo, I¡¯m totally into you!  Why don¡¯t we handle all this business and go out for some ice cream?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s face turned even more red as he doubled down, and Rachel remembered she still needed to give her Fairy friend the number she¡¯d gotten the previous week.  ¡°I¡ªI, umm ¡­ I guess we could give it a go¡­¡±  she mumbled before swapping to Irish.


    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s that pretty¡­¡±


    ¡°Benedict,¡± M¨¢ximo groaned, ¡°Let¡¯s put the pranks and stuff aside to deal with the issue at hand.¡±


    The boy gave him a dirty look.  ¡°I¡¯m not playing around, M¨¢ximo; have you seen her?  She¡¯s gorgeous¡ªgot an awesome personality, too; I can tell!¡±


    Maria¡¯s gasping laughter drowned out Tom¡¯s voice, making Fiona hide her face in her glowing green hair.  ¡°He¡ªhe just went in like that, chica!  Y-yo!  Yo, I¡¯m dyin¡¯ here, Fi!  Did ya¡ªdid ya go down ta Cuba ta pick yourself up a good novio?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to be her novio!¡±  Benedict chimed, holding up his hand.  ¡°Pick me!¡±


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Scarlet whispered, ¡°another person that can speak Spanish and English at the same time¡­¡±


    Nia even pitched in with roaring laughter.  ¡°... Yes!  Rachel, do you see?!  Do you see?!  Nia is the black abyss that draws people into her fine threads and makes boyfriends and girlfriends out of them!  Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha!  First, Anthony and you!  Second, Jess and Mason!  Third, Fiona and Benedict!  Now, go my black stings of binding!  He-he-he!  Go and ensnare Scarlet and Kyle!¡±


    Eh ¡­ I kind of was going after Anthony before you were even born, kid, Rachel mused.


    ¡°I was there, though!  I was there when he first kissed you!  My power!  Nia¡¯s the greatest matchmaker!  Fear the power of the Dark Leader!¡±


    Okay ¡­ I¡®ll give you that; you were there, but only from Scarlet¡¯s peeping eyes.


    Nia gasped.  ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡±


    What other way would you have seen it?


    The mental image of the multi-color-haired girl shouting at the sky filled Rachel¡¯s head-space.  ¡°Curse you, logic!  Curse you to the abyss!¡±


    Giggling, Rachel motioned to them to follow her out of the room.  ¡°Okay, charm Fiona when we¡¯ve dealt with the mole army.¡±


    ¡°Curse you mole people for getting in the way of love!¡±


    ¡°Fiona¡­¡±  Benedict whispered, tasting the name on his tongue.  ¡°Wow¡ªwhat a lovely name that fits such a beautiful woman¡­¡±


    ¡°Seriously¡­¡±  Fiona moaned.  ¡°Stop!  Let¡¯s go¡­¡± she mumbled, zipping out of the room before Rachel even made it to the door; she could hear the embarrassed girl mumbling in Irish as she waited for them down the hall.


    The others soon fell into step behind her.  ¡°Here¡¯s what I think,¡± Rachel grinned, cracking her neck.  ¡°We take care of the mole people and follow their tunnel back to their base ¡­ What better way to repay this sacrificial gift they¡¯ve sent us?¡±


    Jhosep turned his disturbed gaze from Scarlet to give her a grin.  ¡°Heh, I be like that thought train of¡ªtheir blood will christen the soil for divine purgery.¡±


    Benedict snickered at the mistakes.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m up first!¡±  Isabel chimed, dashing forward to wink at her older sister, and the Pixie took to the air.


    ¡°Aww, c¡¯mon, Sis¡ªyou¡¯re always first¡­¡±


    ¡°Cause, you can¡¯t shoot straight!¡±  Isabel snickered, poking her breast.


    Edelira rubbed her chest, glowering at her twin.  ¡°Because someone¡¯s always yelling in my ear!¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, girls!¡±  Benedict laughed, floating between them.  ¡°I¡¯ll pull their eyes away so it¡¯ll be easy, and then¡­¡±


    Isabel cheered, ¡°Party!  Shots on Luis when it¡¯s over!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Luis snapped awake for a moment, glancing around as Al carried his sleeping form.  ¡°W-What¡¯s goin¡¯ on, Al?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing ¡­ Go back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ right¡­¡±


    Freddy hummed, stroking his unkempt beard.  ¡°If we¡¯re underground¡ªtsk, I can¡¯t blow someone up¡­¡±


    Scarlet pulled her hair back with a small grin.  ¡°Umm, if it helps, Fiona can use Earth Magic to move stuff around.  It should be fine if some parts collapse!¡±


    ¡°Ah!  Excellent!¡±  he laughed, giving her a thumbs up.  ¡°I¡¯m likin¡¯ this partnership already!¡±


    Alberto and Ernesto jogged up to Rachel.  The Dragonewt glanced back at the warlord in the rear with Araceli.  ¡°What was your name again?¡±


    ¡°Rachel.¡±


    They began walking down the stairs leading to the basement, and Fiona kept ahead of them, with Rachel giving visual directions to allow her space from the Pixie.


    ¡°Rachel,¡± he whispered.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ What is your assessment of Cuba?¡±


    ¡°Mmh?  That¡¯s a rather broad question ¡­ In short, your people are terrified, ruled by a small minority of powerful individuals they don¡¯t understand¡ªyou don¡¯t have access to U.S. media, so you have no clue why this is happening.  Things just suddenly collapsed, including government supplies that everyone is sorely dependent upon.  They have no food, tourists are whipping the locals into a state of panic, and warlords are issuing ironfisted laws to keep order ¡­ It¡¯s a mess.¡±


    He snorted, but his expression was painful, he took a moment to collect himself before responding.  ¡°Yes ¡­ We need help.  I want to trust you¡ªbut so many people have betrayed us and taken M¨¢ximo¡¯s kindness for granted ¡­ He wasn¡¯t like this before everything ¡­ everyone changed.¡±


    ¡°Not everyone changed,¡± Rachel evenly stated.  ¡°Less than 1% of the global population, yet that¡¯s enough to cause trouble when they get together.  You¡¯re a very lucky¡ªor unlucky individual ¡­ Have you noticed any strange tendencies?¡±


    Ernesto scratched his scaled neck.  ¡°Strange tendencies ¡­ Like?¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Anything that seems off to you or those around you.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ can¡¯t say I have about myself¡ªI just want to protect my town ¡­ the people I love, and after some town discussions, everyone decided that would be best served here, directing things in the province since I¡¯m this new¡ªwell, Dragonewt, or whatever I am now.¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±  Rachel replied, knowing he wouldn¡¯t divulge any dirty desires he had.  It was possible he didn¡¯t have a craving for human flesh or something of that nature, but she doubted it.  He may be satiating it on the wildlife like Nora, but there seemed to be a pattern for Aberrantkin¡ªeven Selvaria, who wasn¡¯t an Aberrantkin, had a hunger for large sea life, she even discovered a few Kraken inside Cahira¡¯s quests and ate one.  ¡°Just let me know if anything comes up¡ªI might be able to help.¡±


    Liliana and Juan stayed in the room since they weren''t combat-types, and two eye-like creatures the size of a human fist floated to join Al from a floor they passed.


    She listened closely to M¨¢ximo and Araceli¡¯s conversation from their rear, keeping a reasonable distance.  Her chest burned with agitation at their assumption.


    Araceli¡¯s calm tone held little emotion, but Rachel caught a bit of anxiety hidden within her muscles.  ¡°The rabbit girl can hear us.¡±


    ¡°I know ¡­ I don¡¯t plan to hide anything.  How do we know they¡¯re really from the U.S. and that was a U.S. general.  For all we know, this could be a trap.¡±


    ¡°That is my concern ¡­ They¡¯re impervious, and the rabbit knows about me, too¡­¡±


    ¡°Tch ¡­ unfortunate¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nia cooed.  ¡°How very unfortunate!  Slide further into the depths and despair ¡­ the Lunar Abyss is always watching ¡­ te-he-he-he.¡±


    At least they¡¯re being cautious.  Still, it¡¯s not like we could offer any real proof except that we¡¯re fighting on their side.  We¡¯ve made good ground.


    ¡°Until the darkness takes them,¡± Nia whispered.  ¡°Do not look into the secret society of Denier, or misfortune will follow!¡±


    Oh?  The Lunar Abyss will follow?


    ¡°Only if they threaten the cuteness world domination!¡±


    Brought to the world by Lunar Nia?


    ¡°And!  AND!  The Lunar Eclipse!  Right!  Right!¡±


    Right ¡­ I¡¯m your herald¡ªthe bringer of the Lunar Eclipse.


    ¡°All shall be made into the image of Denier cuteness!  Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha!  Rachel!  You¡¯re not laughing with me?!  As a team!  C¡¯mon!¡±


    He-he-he¡­


    ¡°... Why do I feel like you¡¯re laughing ¡®at¡¯ me and not ¡®with me?¡¯  Hmm?!¡±


    Never.


    ¡°Fat ass¡­¡±  Nia huffed, pulled back on her underwear, and smacked her butt, pouting in the corner as Rachel giggled.  Nia was a new light in her serious world.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 17. The Gunslinger Legend

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    2. Edelira (The Gun Twins)


    3. Rachel Park


    Recap: Rachel and company managed to get this warlord''s trust, tentative as it might be, but now they want to go handle this attacking force themselves.  Obviously, Cuba has had a rough history with the U.S. so it''s going to be tough finding some common ground.  Let''s see how they do.


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    Rachel made her way to the basement, Fiona now sitting on her shoulder as she talked to Gisele, which caused a few looks from the others.


    ¡°Yeah?  Is Galatea doing well then?   Mhm ¡­ Mhm ¡­ Oh! ¡­ She does give off that kiddy vibe, but she¡¯s so cute and playful ¡­ You¡¯re cute in your own way, too, Gisele.  No, really, don¡¯t sell yourself short!¡±


    Isabel leaned over to her sullen sister, whispering, ¡°You think she can actually talk to that thing?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±  Benedict asked.  ¡°I can understand them.¡±


    ¡°Wha ¡­ No way,¡± the twins mirrored each other.


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    ¡°When?¡±  Edelira asked.


    ¡°Eh, basically ¡­ since we changed.¡±


    The two women looked at each other with dull looks.


    ¡°Lying?¡±  Isabel asked.


    Edelira nodded.  ¡°Totally.¡±


    ¡°Believe what you want,¡± Benedict snickered.


    The rest of the Las Tunas lieutenants and M¨¢ximo were each engrossed in their own little action as they slowly made it to the basement; a small army of fifty people was digging through the ground, creating a massive hole¡ªthere was even a horse pulling a wagon of goods¡ªthe girl riding it didn¡¯t seem that thrilled to be there.


    Alberto, the bird-type Beastkin, had taken a shine to her pets with the twins; each of them was carrying their own little slime.  Hayan was being smothered in Isabel¡¯s arms; Coral sat comfortably in Edelira¡¯s, and Rose¡¯s ears were pulled back as Alberto stroked her squishy head.


    ¡°Marvelous creatures,¡± Alberto praised, scratching Rose¡¯s ear to her delight.


    Isabel giggled.  ¡°They totally are adorable!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m adorable, too!¡±  Nia huffed.  ¡°Where¡¯s the Dark Leader¡¯s praise?!¡±


    ¡­ In my black heart.


    ¡°Aww ¡­ that¡¯s so sweet,¡± Nia cried, wrapping a bit tighter around her body for a moment.  ¡°The Abyss embraces you with love!¡±


    Are you a snuggler ¡­ Wait ¡­ I think I know the answer to that.


    Nia giggled, hugging her again.


    Once below the prison, Rachel flipped her hair over her shoulder and leaned against the wall to stare at the group, pointing at the floor.  ¡°They¡¯ll probably come out right there.  So, M¨¢ximo ¡­ What do you want to do?  You know, we could take care of the trouble for you?  It could be the first step for our partnership to give Cuba back to the people.¡±


    Her ears tilted to the right, noticing a sudden change in movement from two small groups of people with many Demi among them, possibly another attack group, but they were over five miles away.


    M¨¢ximo¡¯s searching glare wouldn¡¯t leave her, and Araceli¡¯s muscle tension told her the woman wasn¡¯t trusting either.  He scratched his neck, glancing around at the others.  ¡°My lieutenants want me to give you a shot ¡­ However, I¡¯m still not entirely sold on the idea you¡¯re on our side¡ªor these ¡®mole people.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Just one of them is a Mole Beastkin,¡± Scarlet chimed, showing her pointed fangs in a smile¡ªRachel was beginning to wonder if she was doing it on purpose.


    Jhosep shivered upon seeing it, tracing a cross across his chest, muttering something in Spanish.


    Their leader shook his head.  ¡°Whatever it is ¡­ If we¡¯re under attack, we¡¯ll deal with it.¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°We¡¯re here if you need us¡­¡±  her narrowed eyes fell to the floor, fingers tightening against her arms.  ¡°There might be one that will be hard to deal with¡ªone or two. They sent this as a surprise assassination mission after all.¡±


    ¡°I told you,¡± he growled, ¡°we¡¯ll handle it¡ªanyone who harms the future of Cuba will be the bones on which it will rise.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Scarlet replied, trying not to laugh at his seriousness.  ¡°Cuba will rise with the bones of its enemies!¡±


    ¡°Here, here!¡±  Nia cheered.


    Al walked to Rachel, Luis still held in his monstrous arms.  ¡°Rachel¡ªthat was your name?¡±


    She nodded questioningly.


    He sat Luis against the wall beside her.  ¡°Can you protect him? He can¡¯t defend himself.¡±


    A warm smile brightened her face.  ¡°Since you asked so nicely, I will.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered, moving to M¨¢ximo¡¯s side.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Jhosep cleared his throat, still speaking in his broken English.  ¡°I ask¡ªamount of the poppers¡ªporpers¡ªthings below,¡± he said in utter confidence at each mistake.


    ¡°That would be relevant information,¡± M¨¢ximo mumbled.  ¡°If anything is off, then we¡¯ll know you¡¯re not to be trusted.  Well?¡±


    Rachel restrained a sigh, but Benedict, the Pixie, was the one to respond.  ¡°Yo, M¨¢ximo, dude, Fiona¡¯s perfectly trustworthy; look at her face!  You see it?!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up with my face?¡±  Fiona asked, totally not following the conversation as she continued to speak to Gisele.


    ¡°... I can hardly see her face,¡± M¨¢ximo mumbled, clearly not liking the Pixie¡¯s continual comments.


    ¡°Ah, right, right,¡± he sighed.  ¡°It¡¯s just too heavenly for you to see anything but light¡ªshe may be a Fairy, but she could be an angel with those looks ¡­ Wait ¡­ is there a difference?¡±


    ¡°A difference¡ªbig be,¡± Jhosep grunted.


    ¡°Bah, I can¡¯t see it, Jhosep,¡± Benedict laughed.


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  Fiona tried to ignore them, humming a song with Gisele.


    Isabel and Edelira chuckled at the Fairy¡¯s response, and Rachel was a little shocked how shy Fiona was acting¡ªshe was usually the little bundle of energy floating around, high on sugar.


    The younger of the twins poked her sister¡¯s side, holding out her hand with a small grin.  ¡°C¡¯mon, Edel.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ not yet,¡± she whispered, brushing back her blonde hair.  ¡°I¡¯m not ready.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  She poked her side a few more times before Edelira waved it away.


    Alberto was still focused on Benedict as he sat Rose down to hop back over to Rachel.  ¡°Are you joking or serious; I can never tell with you.¡±


    ¡°Joking,¡± Isabel instantly stated as her sister followed with a grin.


    ¡°Serious.¡±


    Both chuckled as Benedict pointed at each of them to say they were both right.  ¡°TRUE!¡±  He ignored the question and hovered over to Fiona, giving her plenty of space.  ¡°So, Fiona ¡­ What¡¯s your favorite food?¡±


    Interrupting her song, she brushed back her hair, sitting on Gisele¡¯s back as she hovered in the air.  ¡°... Homemade, really ¡­ But that¡¯s not the point; there are assassins below your feet.  Shouldn¡¯t you be preparing?¡±


    ¡°Gmmmgh¡­¡±  M¨¢ximo scratched between his eyes at all the antics his people went through, tone blunt.  ¡°That the American Fairy is the one to state that is ¡­ frustrating.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Araceli mumbled beside him.  ¡°We head into combat in a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°Some of us do,¡± Isabel said as an off-handed comment.  ¡°Oops!  Did I say that out loud?¡±  she asked, giving Araceli an apologetic smile.


    M¨¢ximo took a calming breath twisting an unlit cigar around his hands before handing it to the black-haired woman, her deep brown eyes staring at the amused twins.  ¡°Anyway ¡­ Rachel.  How many?¡±


    Scarlet was the one to answer, all smiles; of course, their own group had their fair share of frivolous conversations in stressful situations.  ¡°Umm ¡­ they¡¯re a few meters below the foundation.  Actually, they¡¯re basically ready; there are about ¡­ 48 ¡­ 51 in total,¡± she mumbled, glaring at the ground.


    Ernesto¡¯s eyes widened, gaze shifting to Al with concern.  ¡°Fifty ¡­ If they caught us off-guard with that many changed people¡­¡±


    ¡°Demi, apparently,¡± Benedict corrected.


    Jhosep laughed.  ¡°Demi, or whatever¡­¡± a shimmering brilliance lit the dim basement space as a sword and shield came into his arms, ¡°we shall purge Cuba of her traitors and scum!¡±


    Scarlet shrank away from the white rays; it wasn¡¯t strong enough to really hurt her like Maria might, but it could cause damage that would be slow to heal if she were cut.


    The summoned eye of Liliana¡¯s closed for a moment, sliding up to project an image of two companies of Demi and presumably Champions, walking down a long road.


    M¨¢ximo¡¯s nose twitched, lips becoming a line.  ¡°... Did you know about that?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Rachel replied.  ¡°They¡¯re still five miles out and could have been your own people for all I knew.  To be sure, I was going to wait until you cleared out these assassins.  It shouldn¡¯t take that long.  Right?¡±


    ¡°A likely story,¡± Araceli whispered, her brown irises giving them a dirty glare.


    Al was the only one nearby that wasn¡¯t reacting to the information in a worried manner; his muscles were loose, waiting for orders to be issued.


    Freddy, the explosions guy, had been listening the entire time, but now he raised his hand.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Aye, M¨¢ximo, can I just, ya know, blow the hole in?  Ya rush ¡®em and all¡ªlaunch the first attack?  ¡­ Just seems like the thing ta do.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I like that plan!¡±  Benedict floated over to him.  ¡°The sooner we handle this whole affair, the sooner I can work on making a good meal for Fiona to try!¡±


    ¡°You know, he¡¯s a little sweetie, isn¡¯t he?¡±  Nia giggled.  ¡°Fiona¡¯s still giving him the cold shoulder, though, poor guy.¡±


    Mmh ¡­ He is a Pixie, and Fiona¡¯s Irish ¡­ she probably has a better understanding of their nature than we do.


    Nia gasped.  ¡°No!  Are you jealous she¡¯s getting attention?!¡±


    No?  Rachel mumbled.  You can¡¯t be sensing that ¡­ Am I?  She was starting to doubt her response since Nia was connected to her emotions and mind.


    ¡°Mgmgh ¡­ mmmh ¡­ mua-ha-ha-ha-ha!  I did it!  I made ¡­ I made you doubt yourself!  Nia is the greatest mastermind of the hollow sun of despair!¡±


    ¡­ Why did I even¡­  she released a sad sigh; the little teenage Living Denier had actually got one over on her.


    ¡°He-he-he, umm, heh ¡­ anyway ¡­ so, he isn¡¯t trying to hurt Fiona ¡­ right?!¡±


    I don¡¯t know¡ªI need to study his tiny body more to get a proper read on him.


    ¡°Good!  Nobody hurts Fiona, or Scarlet, or Maria, or Selvaria, or you, or¡ªwell, I can make fun of you¡ªor Gisele ¡­ Nia is the Abyss of Infernal Doom Protection!¡±


    Mhm ¡­ You really got a healthy dose of Scarlet.


    Nia was suddenly glaring at her from her private corner of Rachel¡¯s mind.


    What¡­


    ¡°Why¡¯s that bad?  Who, my bunny, bunny tail fluff machine, was it that let lil¡¯ ol¡¯ junior Nia be worn by the adorable super fang Vespertine Reaper?  Hmm?  Hmm?!  Scarlet¡¯s like my mom!  Kind of ¡­ And I feel like you¡¯re making fun of my mom!  Not cool, Secret Society Member Lunar Abyss ¡­ Not cool.¡±


    Rachel paused ¡­ she hadn¡¯t thought about it in that light before, realizing it was true; Nia first imprinted on Scarlet¡ªalthough, she had to wonder if that was also a part of Moongmor¡¯s plan ¡­ perhaps to even break down a few of her barriers to allow for various other outfits the Rabbit-Moon Deity liked.


    You¡¯re right, Nia ¡­ I¡¯m sorry.  Scarlet is incredible, and so are you.  I love you.


    ¡°Love you, too, subordinate!  Okay, let¡¯s get back to the action!  Shhh!  I¡¯ll miss things¡­¡±  She gasped.  ¡°Oh!  My super popcorn is ready!  Yeeesss!¡±


    Uh ¡­ Super popcorn? She shook her head, if only internally. Okay, back to the important stuff.


    M¨¢ximo, Ernesto, and Jhosep discussed the strategy of their attack, consulting Freddy on how controlled the explosion would be.  Scarlet was roped into the conversation, providing information on the areas the hole was being leveled out at.


    Al was focused on Luis¡¯s sleeping form, Alberto had his attention pulled away by her Rabbit Gang again, while Fiona tried to ignore the Pixie, and Gisele acted as mediator.  The eyes were observing everything in creepy silence.


    However, Isabel stole her attention shortly after Nia went to grab her imaginary snack, or maybe try to make her jealous that she had some kind of snack ¡­ Rachel couldn¡¯t be sure with the kid¡¯s chaotic mind.


    The younger twin scooted over with a questioning smile on her bright face, eyeing her body with a small smile.  ¡°So ¡­ What¡¯s up with your cool outfit?  Is it a modern fashion in the U.S.?  I mean ¡­ those ripped tights, stylin¡¯ belt¡ªoh, and what do you call that top ¡­ It¡¯s so bold!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s talking about me!  I¡¯m bold!  Nia, the ultra-giga-chad that puffs her chest out with pride, proclaiming world conquest to the sheep of every land!  See, Rachel?!  See?!  Edgy is totally in!  Oh!  We should tell Scarlet!¡±


    Rachel ignored the girl¡¯s hype, giving the peppy twin a short chuckle.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not common in the U.S. ¡­ Eh, and this is just a fairly revealing corset, which is nowhere close to popular fashion in the States.¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  the girl continued to eye her.  ¡°Shame ¡­ ¡®cause you¡¯re killin¡¯ it!¡±


    Nia was about to have a heart attack.  ¡°She loves me!  Look!  Look at Rachel¡¯s ass!  Isn¡¯t it big!  I do such a good job!  Cheer Nia and the Secret Society of butt coverers!¡±


    Are you serious?  Butt coverers ¡­ Nia¡­


    ¡°Is awesome!¡±


    She was very glad no one could hear her clothes.


    Isabel was totally into it, though.  ¡°You should help me get something cool like that!¡±


    Edelira walked over, giggling at her sister¡¯s comments.  ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯d make it work like she does, Izzy.¡±


    ¡°Mhm ¡­ You know we have the same body type.¡±


    ¡°Which is why I know,¡± she grinned.  ¡°We¡¯ll never pull something like that off ¡­ Eh, not to be crude, but ¡­ How do you keep your boobs from jumping out?¡±


    ¡°I know!¡±  Nia huffed.  ¡°You really have no idea!  None!  I do such a good job!  Nothing escape¡¯s Nia¡¯s threads; not even Rachel¡¯s big boobs!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes closed, rubbing her temple at Nia¡¯s shameless outbursts.  ¡°My ... clothes are magical.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s eyes sparkled.  ¡°For real¡ªfor real for real?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    The elder twin pursed her lips to the side.  ¡°Like the things Juan can do?  He made us magical bullets, but not outfits.¡±


    Rachel plucked at one of the threads pressing against her core with a forced smile as Nia continued to go crazy in her mind.  ¡°Actually ... a lot more magical than that.¡±


    The girls gave each Rachel impressed looks, Isabel ending in a low cry.  ¡°Aww¡­  Why do Americans get all the good stuff?¡±


    ¡°Aye¡­¡±  M¨¢ximo snapped his fingers, drawing everyone¡¯s attention before speaking in Spanish, telling them to get ready.


    Rachel, Fiona, and Scarlet hung out with her pets as the leader of this rag-tag resistance got together to discuss his plan; there were nods and glances their way when he was probably talking about how distrustful he was of them.


    Araceli, Luis, and Freddy, after he blew up the hole, would be left behind with them from the looks of things.  With Lilian and Juan being left above, that meant the Las Tunas lieutenant attack force would make up eight individuals, including M¨¢ximo.


    The forces below were just about ready to come up, but with their numbers, it was taking too long to organize, and there were more than a few that didn¡¯t seem to want to be there at all, which was odd since, from what she understood, it was a volunteer mission.


    ¡°We can help,¡± Rachel offered.


    M¨¢ximo shook his head, pointing at her to stay behind.  ¡°... I¡¯m trusting you with my precious people ¡­ Prove you are here to help us.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want¡­¡±


    His opinion wasn¡¯t shared among all his people, by their sighs and grunts, but they accepted his decision.


    ¡°Still, if things get out of hand, we can jump in to help out.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t need it,¡± M¨¢ximo growled, giving Araceli a pointed stare that said, ¡®watch them.¡¯


    Scarlet, Fiona, and Rachel retreated for Freddy¡¯s explosion with the others; she had no doubt they would have trouble, but the real issue was when they should intervene.


    * * *


    Edelira¡¯s folded arms were pressed tightly against her body; it was getting to the grit now.


    She glances over at the Americans, standing in the dim basement light.  They didn¡¯t seem all that bad, but looks could be deceiving.


    Benedict had undoubtedly fallen for the Fairy girl; of course, the little she¡¯d heard about fairies from the stories growing up, they went from an innocent chick to devilish fiend.  She didn¡¯t want to see Benedict hurt, but he was a big boy.


    Her sister nudged her side with a slight smirk and wink.  ¡°I called it!¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­¡±  Edelira sighed, bending down and jumping into the air; her world became hyper-focused as she transformed into a Makarov pistol.  She entered a cramped black mental space.


    She released a low groan as her younger sister swiped her out of the air, spinning her around¡ªIsabel was always so rough with her.


    In a mundane fashion, she glared at the bullets hovering before her; everything on her person morphed, so long as it all weighed less than 20 lbs, combined.  The 9mm bullets she hid in her custom bra and around her belt floated before her naked body; Edelira had control over which ammo they used, and if it was standard rounds, she had unlimited, with the caveat that they vanished after doing their damage.


    ¡°Careful, Izzy ¡­ you¡¯ll bruise me if you grip that hard, and don¡¯t get me started on how brutal you are with my trigger.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that rough with you¡ªyou just like being a baby about not being first.¡±


    ¡°Well maybe if I could try it more than twice a week!¡±


    ¡°Fine.  Fine.  You get next time!¡±


    ¡°Heh ¡­ knew you¡¯d break.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I like to be gripped hard!¡±


    ¡°Boo!  Not pulling that on me.¡±


    Izzy giggled.


    Her focus turned to Freddy as he ran back with laughter; he¡¯d summoned a magical bomb, saying he¡¯d been preparing this baby for the past five days, and it should be enough to do the trick.  They all took cover behind a wall as he blew it.  A large hole appeared, eight feet across, as it crumbled below.


    Edelira leaned back to get a better view as her sister cocked her, and Benedict gave the Fairy a thumbs up and bright smile.  ¡°I¡¯ll be right back!¡±


    She played the shy card, but that only made her friend more motivated, darting into the hole at a much quicker pace than Ernesto and Jhosep.  The two tanky men jumped out behind a wall first, roaring at the top of their lungs as they charged.


    Typical men¡­  Of course, her sister was right behind them with her in hand, screaming a ferocious cry of her own¡ªiron grip bruising her butt, as usual.


    A flurry of green mist exploded through the chaos as the Pixie sent his disorienting dust into the cavity; Alberto was humming in his annoying voice, aiming the vocal stream with his abilities to cause physical pain to those below.


    Of course, Araceli, the aggravating woman, was staying behind with the Americans; she was infatuated with M¨¢ximo, which, sure, he was an alright dude, but she was way too into him.


    M¨¢ximo was right behind Izzy, Al by his side; Freddy stayed back to enjoy his little firework as Liliana¡¯s eyes hovered around, trying to catch every moment of the battle.


    Getting ready for battle, Edelira loaded in her enhanced bullets; they were as good as the best Soviet or American armor-piercing rounds and should get the job done.  Edel just hoped her sister wouldn¡¯t overheat her again ¡­ and the first pull Isabel made against her trigger reminded her how harsh Izzy was¡ªit was like she was yanking her hair every so often.


    ¡°Careful ¡­ I¡¯m delicate,¡± she groaned, looking down the narrow sights she had at what Izzy was focused on.  Her twin could see what Edel saw, which made for a much better scope than any standard model; she also had a little power to nudge the barrel in the right direction.


    ¡°Way too delicate,¡± Isabel returned.


    Bullets were fired one after another; she internally cheered every time her sister hit her mark.  They¡¯d entered the hole; it was massive, but they appeared to have built a ramp coming up because it sloped down at least thirty feet and was another thirty across.


    Al was by M¨¢ximo¡¯s side, punches crushing lizard and furry people left and right as poison globs sent others to the floor, screaming in pain.


    Jhosep and Ernesto led the charge, rushing down the center as the Dragonewt slashed and bit the soldier¡¯s arms off as they raised them to cast strange elemental spells at them, which simply deflected off his scales or Jhosep¡¯s armor.


    Benedict was near the ceiling, sprinkling dust across the opposing forces as Alberto caught up to her in the back, singing in a voice that couldn¡¯t even make a mother proud¡ªnot to mention, threw off her sister¡¯s aim even more than normal.


    ¡°One down, two ¡­ He resisted my shot ¡­ Nice, Al got him ¡­ Double-tap, Sis¡ªup a little ¡­ oof, my butt!¡±


    ¡°Stop backseat driving!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the car!¡±  Edel huffed.  ¡°Geez, every time¡ªthose gorilla hands make it so I can¡¯t sit for hours.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know ¡­ Wait, I don¡¯t have gorilla hands!  Ah, YEAH!  Headshot ¡­ Wait, do you see that woman way down there?¡±


    Edelira zeroed in on her sister¡¯s pointed finger; sitting on a horse, in the back of the crowd, was a beautiful caucasian woman wearing blue jeans, a plaid button-up shirt, and a cowboy hat sitting atop her brown hair¡ªher two rifles caught Edelira¡¯s eye, one strapped to her horse and the other across her shoulders.  Her old-fashioned belt had a meat cleaver on one end and a revolver on the other.


    Most of the Demi sent to take them out were getting bodied by the frontal crew, dizzy from the dust and voices in their heads, caused by Benedict, while Alberto made their ears bleed.


    However, the woman in the back was just frowning while twisting her pinky in her ears, glaring at the calamity around her with a dull expression.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ hey, is she riding a horse¡ªunderground?¡±


    ¡°I mean, they did come a long way,¡± Isabel chuckled.  ¡°She is a ripe target at that height, though!¡±  Her twin raised her up, focusing on the girl¡¯s bored expression.  ¡°Bang!¡±


    Just before Isabel pulled the trigger, the girl¡¯s blue eyes shifted to her, and she lifted up what appeared to be a steel flask.  The bullet hit the object, harmlessly bouncing into the darkness.


    ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°Did she just¡­¡±


    Zoomed in, Edelira watched the girl take a long, annoyed breath as the flask fell, using her free hand to pull her bandana over her mouth, gaze shifting across the battlefield.  Isabel shot two more bullets, yet somehow the flask stopped it again, and her frustrated, blue irises returned to them.


    ¡°You gotta be kidding me!  What¡¯s that thing made of?¡±


    ¡°Alright, get her leg and then head!¡±  Edelira offered.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    The woman brushed back her thick brown hair and readjusted her cap as the bullets let loose; this time, the horse hopped out of the way.  Edelira tried to correct her sister¡¯s aim, but the steed was shockingly fast.


    ¡°Okay, I have a bad feeling about that one,¡± Izzy mumbled, backing up a little to look at the others.  Edel kept her focus on the woman as her sister scoped out the battle.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±  she asked, glaring at the impossible to hit woman, standing at least fifty feet back.


    ¡°It¡¯s clearing up¡ªWhy¡¯s she not attacking; almost all her guys are toast?  Benedict¡¯s dodging all the spells and stuff they¡¯re throwing¡ªheh, basically at each other since their brains are mush.  Jhosep, the idiot, is bleeding from his stomach; part of his armor¡¯s broken.¡±


    ¡°Al?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s good; we can¡¯t even break past his skin; remember, when he asked us to try?¡±


    ¡°Idiot¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ Ernesto¡¯s good¡ªhe¡¯s got people running from him, and can Alberto stop that stupid nail-biting¡­¡±


    The woman on the horse released another groan as she unscrewed the top of the seemingly impenetrable flask, took a swig, and tossed it to the side; Edelira was a little surprised as it vanished in red light.  She was a little distracted, but it still wouldn¡¯t have helped¡ªthe woman slung her rifle off her shoulders and took aim in half a second.


    ¡°!!!!¡±


    Her twin instantly felt her panic and reversed their transformation; the in-between phase would grant them a moment of invulnerability.


    Edelira¡¯s eyes came into focus as a spray of red liquid struck the side of her face, and crimson crystal spread out in front of them.  Her focus fell to her right with Ernesto¡ªthe bird-like man¡¯s hellish song still hung in the air as he dropped to the floor, half of his skull missing.


    Looking up, she saw the Americans in between them; a jagged barrier had saved her from the woman¡¯s lightning-fast shots¡ªin fact, without the icy shell surrounding Benedict, the crimson shield protecting her, and the rabbit-eared girl taking a bullet for Jhosep, they¡¯d all be dead.


    The remaining attackers cheered at the young woman¡¯s intervention, but a moment later, a gust filled the space; the Fairy whipped up a dust storm that pulled in what remained of the screaming men before the crystal barrier turned to spears, skewering everyone inside.


    ¡°W-What¡¯s happening¡­¡±  Isabel gasped.  ¡°Is ¡­ Where¡¯s¡­¡±


    Edelira soon found M¨¢ximo beside Al; the massive man fell to his knees, cradling his large, muscular arm that had a large chunk of flesh blown off, but his shaking hands soon moved toward M¨¢ximo ¡­ Their leader¡¯s head was blown clean off.


    ¡°... No way¡­¡±


    ¡°How could she ¡­ Did you even see?¡±


    Alberto and M¨¢ximo ¡­ They¡¯re dead¡­


    * * *


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Nia shouted.  ¡°Y-You¡¯re bleeding!  Who is this lady?!  She needs to suffer in the depths of¡­¡±


    I¡¯m fine, Nia¡­  Rachel returned, cold eyes appraising the young woman as she reached up and dug the bullet out, just below her collar bone.  Her nose twitched at the pain, but the woman had retreated several meters the moment they appeared, shooting during the leap.  She¡¯s a Legendkin ¡­ for sure.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡±  Nia cried.  ¡°Super punch her face off!  I ¡­ I¡¯m supposed to protect you!¡±


    Rachel scratched the base of her left ear before looking at the glowing red slug in her palm, dripping white liquid.  ¡°... You good, Fiona, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±  Scarlet mumbled, rushing over to her as her blood closed around them again.  ¡°Look at ¡­ I can see your blood, Rachel¡ªoutside of your body!¡±


    The woman just watched them from a far distance, vision scanning the swift destruction Fiona and Scarlet had created.


    If she¡¯d wanted to, she could have killed one of the twins during that moment¡ªhell, the sharpshooter could have attacked the same place on her own body and done massive damage¡ªshe was fast enough, and hitting the same place several times probably wasn¡¯t that much of a feat for her.  Fiona¡¯s Ice Shield may have increased in Levels and Grades, but it was still vulnerable to that sort of attack.


    Shit¡­  Her ears twitched with agitation.  M¨¢ximo¡¯s dead ¡­  We were supposed to jump in before casualties happened.


    The woman smacked her lips a few times, obviously not liking the fact they¡¯d successfully blocked her bullets; Rachel was a little taken aback when she summoned a flask to drink from it, mumbling, ¡°gah ... Such a shit job¡­¡±


    Fiona tried to get Benedict to calm down after seeing the bullet in the ice near his head while Scarlet fussed over her.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t hit anywhere else¡ªRachel, talk to me!  Why¡¯d you just take it¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±  Nia cried in response.  ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Nia ¡­ It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Rachel whispered, ¡°and I¡¯m fine, Scarlet¡ªI¡¯m just not at my best underground.¡±


    ¡°R-Right¡­¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s angry, vampiric eyes darted to the young woman as she finished her drink.  The girl¡¯s blood formed a portal right beside the Legendkin, and Scarlet jumped through, her scythe materializing as she exited to land in her hands.  ¡°You¡¯re dead¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed as the woman held up her gun to block it.  ¡°H-Hey!  Hey, there, lil¡¯ lass!  I¡ªoh, shit ¡­ Aww, screw it¡­¡±


    Rachel dashed forward as Scarlet jumped back to dodge her horse, appearing out of red light nearby to attempt a forward kick, but the fanged girl vanished in shadows to emerge behind the woman; crystal blood continuing to attack her front.


    The woman dispersed into red light¡ªnow, on her horse in response; her left hand wielding her pistol as she fired at the back of Scarlet¡¯s head; her crimson blood enclosed Scarlet again.


    ¡°Bad cess to ya,¡± the Legend grumbled.


    [Bad cess to - may evil befall. ¡°¡®Red Slavin, bad cess to him!¡¯ and her eyes regarded her questioner with renewed anxiety.¡± Randall Parrish, Bob Hampton of Placer.]


    Her next shot was at Rachel, and she tried to dodge, but this girl¡¯s aim wasn¡¯t normal; her bullet was on point, right between her eyes as Nia screamed¡ªa thick ice shell enclosed around her, blocking the four follow-up shots and giving her enough time to change directions.


    The moving shield shattered as she leaped in the air, spinning around to kick the young woman, and Scarlet¡¯s scythe closed around her neck¡ªshe dropped her gun, holding up her hands with a forced grin.  ¡°Surrender!  Uh ¡­ heh-he-he¡­¡±


    Lips tightening, Rachel eased the force on her kick and pulled in to flip past her; Scarlet¡¯s scythe turned to liquid, enclosing the young woman in blood.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ I¡¯m kind of shocked that ¡­ oof¡­¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s blood rose to defend her head as a bullet hit between the Legend¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡±  Edelira growled.  ¡°Kill her!¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Hey!  I surrendered!  C¡¯mon!¡±  the woman groaned.  ¡°Gah ¡­ I need a drink ¡­ ugh ¡­ I¡¯m out ¡­ do, uh ¡­ any of you have any?¡±  she asked with a forced grin.  ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ve got this itch behind my ear ¡­ C¡¯mon, Vampy¡ªI¡¯ve got boobs, too ¡­ not so tight!  And did you really have to put that blood around my horse, too?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ Rachel?¡±


    Rachel hissed as Scarlet turned to her for a response.  ¡°... I get it, Edelira¡ªshe killed your leader¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey!  Hey!¡±  the woman chuckled.  ¡°I¡¯m just doin¡¯ a job.  Okay?  I was promised some fun, but ¡­ uh, yeah ¡­ this wasn¡¯t exactly what I signed up for,¡± she grumbled, glancing around at the carnage.  ¡°Not ta mention¡ªy¡¯all crazy strong¡ªya took a straight bullet, Ma¡¯am!  Like ¡­ for real?¡±


    ¡°... I did good?¡±  Nia tentatively asked.


    Great.  ¡°Okay ¡­ Edelira,¡± she sighed as Scarlet blocked another bullet.


    ¡°... That one was Izzy,¡± she mumbled, not happy with how things were going by her muscle twitches.


    Jhosep and Ernesto had retreated to check on M¨¢ximo and Al, the Crusader nursing mild wounds.


    ¡°H-He¡¯s really dead,¡± Ernesto whispered in disbelief.


    The Crusader made a cross and said a prayer in Spanish.


    ¡°Give me a moment with her,¡± Rachel said, rubbing her shoulder blade; her blood was thick and sticky.  ¡°So ¡­ if you want to live, then tell us who you are, what Legend you¡¯re from, and your place in this war.¡±


    The woman¡¯s lips tightened as Scarlet squeezed her.  ¡°C''mon ... The boobs ¡­ Okay¡ªokay ¡­ I¡¯m Grace Alexander.  I was kind of offered this little ¡­ I don¡¯t know, a pamphlet of sorts to come and hang out¡ªI admit, it was kind of shady, but sounded fun¡ªso ¡­ Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Your legend?¡±  Fiona asked, floating down with the hesitant Pixie.


    ¡°... Man, y¡¯all got some insane homies¡ªright, legend¡­¡±  she gasped.  ¡°Gah ¡­ have mercy ¡­ Heh ¡­ I¡¯m the Legend of Calamity Jane!  It¡¯s a pleasure to meet y¡¯all!  Oh, and I¡¯ve got no real part in all of this¡ªthis war, you called it?¡±  Her tongue clicked.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ not a clue!  Now ¡­ Can I get that drink?  My throat¡¯s a little dry.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 18. Bad Timing

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:  Well, crap!  Eh, Boss, our girls just failed their escort mission ... shoot.  Oof ... How we gonna salvage this?  Two dead, including our resistance leader, and things aren''t looking good.  Uh, but hey!  We do have a new Legendkin, Grace, the Legend of Calamity Jane!


    How is this going to work out?


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    Dairyman, Brandon, Florent Baril, William Gillis, Van, MetusZerum, Loki388, Rikhardur Bjarni Einarsson, and my other Patrons!


    A puff of air shot through Rachel¡¯s nose as she glanced between Scarlet and Fiona, both giving her a similar look.  ¡°Do either of you know about the legend of Calamity Jane?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Scarlet shrugged.


    Fiona¡¯s fingers combed through her glowing green locks.  ¡°I¡¯m not American, so I¡¯ve got no clue.¡±


    Grace put on a cute smile, her cowboy hat a little off-center which shifted her dark brown hair to cover a bit of her left eye.  ¡°Heh, umm ¡­ I kind of just stumbled onto something sticky¡ªcan I tell ya, ya know, my side ¡­ I know this is Cuba, and all, but there¡¯s gotta be some kind of thing for trippin¡¯ on some war as a U.S. citizen, right?  I was¡ªumm, I wasn¡¯t told about any of this stuff, and I¡¯m not exactly¡­¡±


    Scarlet groaned.  ¡°Shh!  Just be quiet until we ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Ack!¡±  Grace winced as the blood tightened across her body.  ¡°G-Got it, Boss ¡­ Shutting up, now¡­¡±


    Fiona floated closer to Scarlet, watching Benedict return to the others to inform them that they had the prisoner under control.  ¡°What should we do?  This really is a¡­¡±  Her emerald-gradient eyes shifted to the cowgirl, giving them a stressed smile.  ¡°Yeah, this is a really sticky situation ¡­ Benedict said Araceli¡¯s going to lose her mind when she learns M¨¢ximo died.¡±


    Rachel scratched the base of her ear with agitation; none of this was supposed to happen, but this is what you get in war¡ªthe issue was that she couldn¡¯t detect any lies or even a threat from Grace.


    The carnage across the underground field was beginning to release the scent of death, blood and guts permeating the air of the closed-in space.  Huddled around a M¨¢ximo were his lieutenants, mourning the loss of their leader and comrade.


    Araceli was still blissfully unaware of the horror below; Liliana¡¯s feed to the battle had been cut when the eye below was torn apart; the woman was worried, but seemed to have faith in her people.  Luis was still passed out while Freddy analyzed the work around the hole, mumbling to himself about improvements.


    ¡°Ahem!¡±  Nia¡¯s tone was a bit jarring to Rachel; it hovered between pre-teen and teen, which described her personality to a T.  ¡°The Secret Society demands blood for blood!  She shot you, Rachel¡ªy-you could have died, and ¡­ and then who would be Lunar Abyss ¡­ You can¡¯t die on me!¡±


    Heh ¡­ I¡¯m fine, Nia; it¡¯s only a flesh wound, literally.


    ¡°It almost went entirely inside you!  I know!  You can¡¯t tell me that!¡±


    It was surprising, yes, and means she¡¯s strong enough to cut my hair¡ªthat was also a burst shot.  I think she has a much stronger attack if she¡¯s able to fire while not mid-flight and firing off bullets everywhere.


    ¡°Exactly!  To the executioner¡¯s block!  Off with her head!¡±


    Shh ¡­ deep breaths ¡­ Are you breathing?


    ¡°I don¡¯t ¡­ I don¡¯t wanna!¡±


    Breathe¡­


    ¡°... Mmmghgh ¡­ okay ¡­ I¡¯m doing it ¡­ can we kill her now?  No ¡­ No, we need to call Maria!  Maria needs to heal you!¡±


    Nia!


    ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m just worried, Rachel!¡±


    I know, but I¡¯m fine.  This is the first time something has really penetrated your barrier; we did good at dodging and utilizing your stuff against those turtle-slugs ¡­ They were ugly, remember?


    ¡°Y-Yeah ¡­ I mean, but ¡­ but what do the ugly slug-turtles have to do with ¡­ You¡¯re still bleeding!¡±


    Head drooping for a moment as her hands gripped her hips, Rachel sighed.


    ¡°You okay?¡±  Scarlet asked, eyeing the thick white blood slowly pumping out of her shoulder.


    ¡°Fine ¡­ Nia¡¯s just worried.¡±


    ¡°Quit acting tough and call for help!¡±  Nia pleaded.


    ¡°I¡¯m kind of worried, too,¡± Fiona whispered, floating over to look at the bullet hole.


    Grace¡¯s lips were pulled in, soft features creased with worry as she glanced between them, summoning up the courage to interrupt.  ¡°... You ¡­ kind of jumped in the way of ¡­ shutting up¡­¡±  she squeaked at Scarlet¡¯s threatening glare.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Nia ¡­ See, I¡¯m as good as healed,¡± she mumbled, walking to the nearby wagon and extracting a white towel from the back; it appeared to be from some kind of hotel, and there were multiple supplies like food and water inside.  I told you, she hasn¡¯t lied.


    ¡°That you can detect!  Who knows what magical gobbledigook she has in those deceptive blue eyes!  She¡¯s a fiend in the skin of a cute girl!  Don¡¯t let her bewitch you!¡±


    Oh, my ¡­ I¡¯m not being bewitched, Nia.  She was literally defending herself after Edelira and Isabel tried killing her several times.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive her!¡±  Nia cried.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Fiona pressed, floating closer.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking ¡­ Nia¡¯s just distracting me¡ªbut she cares, and I appreciate it,¡± Rachel sighed as Nia pulled back her underwear and smacked her butt.


    ¡°H-How could you!  I¡¯m ¡­ no, you¡¯re already hurt, and ¡­ and, I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    Nia ¡­ I love you, but calm down.  I need a clear head, and I am fine; I¡¯ve handled much worse.


    ¡°W-Worse than this?!  I don¡¯t know if my little gem heart can take anymore¡­¡±


    The soft tears of her little outfit, weeping into her mind caused Rachel¡¯s ear to twitch with the quivering of her earring.


    ¡­ Nia ¡­ you¡¯re amazing, and you protected me.  Think about it, if I didn¡¯t have you, then it might have blown right through my arm.


    ¡°... Oh ¡­ Oh, so ¡­ so I did good?¡±


    Perfect.  You¡¯re my little awesome, overemotional best bud, ¡®Your Excellency¡¯ ¡­ Well, we can¡¯t exclude the Scarlet Abyss, either.  Right?


    Nia sniffed.  ¡°T-Thank you, Rachel ¡­ Oh, wow!  Scarlet Abyss!  Yes, I like that ¡­ You¡¯re really not in danger?¡±


    Not with you covering my ass ¡­ pretty big, huh?  Look at all that work you did, and that big attack only got that far?  Pfft, good luck, anything else, right?  Nia¡¯s on the case.


    ¡°Y-Yeah!  I¡¯ve got your big ass covered!¡±


    You go, girl.


    The Las Tunas crew were still whispering to one another in Spanish, trying to understand what happened.  Edelira and Isabel were sending vicious looks their way, talking to Ernesto, the Dragonewt.


    Al¡¯s massive water buffalo hand was covering the chunk of flesh in his arm that Grace¡¯s bullet ripped through, sticky blood slowly leaking between his fingers.


    Jhosep clutched his stomach; a piece of his armor had been ripped through.  The elderly man¡¯s wound was worse than it looked, but their healer, Luis, should have more than enough time to repair it before it became life-threatening.


    I knew they weren¡¯t ready for a real battle ¡­ Not with the other group talking about Grace as their secret weapon.  Rachel pressed harder against her wound, feeling the pain with a small smile.  ¡­ If I didn¡¯t have you, Nia, it could have definitely been worse.


    ¡°Shut up¡­ You wouldn¡¯t have gotten in the way of the bullet if I wasn¡¯t here¡­¡±


    Rachel tilted her head with a silent chuckle.  Surprisingly preceptive, Nia ¡­ You got me there.


    ¡°I¡¯m super smart ¡­ Thanks ¡­ you know, for believing in me.¡±


    Always.  Her focus moved to the nervous cowgirl before she shook her head; there was a smile on her lips, but she seemed like the kind of person that would laugh to feel better in a bad situation.  She is a Legendkin, which means we can¡¯t let our guard down.


    Jutting her head toward Al, Benedict, and Ernesto, Rachel whispered to her group, ¡°They probably have enhanced hearing like ours, and in this tunnel ¡­ it¡¯s hard not to be heard.  I can hear something far in the distance ¡­ somewhere between 45 and 60 miles.¡±


    Fiona whistled, rising a bit to stare down the seemingly infinite tunnel.  ¡°Does it really go that far?¡±


    Rachel shrugged, adjusting the rag.  ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure because I¡¯ve never gauged distance in a pipe, but that¡¯s my best guess.¡±


    ¡°What should we do with her?¡±  Scarlet asked, one of her fangs poking through her lips in a thoughtful manner that looked sinister, even if the girl wasn¡¯t trying to be.


    Her gaze centered on the rough walls that had some kind of hardening agent sprayed over them; they¡¯d created this over the past 24-hours.  ¡°We need to call Tom ¡­ Another force is on its way, and we need to figure out how the Las Tunas group will respond.  About Grace?  We need to learn more about her Legend, but ¡­ I can¡¯t detect any lies in her voice or heartbeat.  We¡¯d need Maria here to be sure about anything, though.¡±


    A few tears slid down Grace¡¯s cheeks, drawing in a shuddering breath as best she could with Scarlet¡¯s tight grip.  ¡°I¡ªI was just told¡­¡±


    She trailed off as Isabel and Edelira came storming over; Jhosep was making his way to Alberto with Ernesto to cover his missing face.  Al stayed by M¨¢ximo¡¯s side, but he¡¯d removed his red-stained shirt to hide their former leader¡¯s blown-off head.


    Isabel¡¯s voice increased.  ¡°Who¡¯s side are you on ¡­ Because that whore just killed M¨¢ximo and Alberto!¡±


    Rachel held up her hand.  ¡°Calm down, Isabel, Edelira; we need a cool head.¡±


    When they didn¡¯t slow, faces growing flushed with anger as Isabel transformed into a gun, Fiona generated a Wind Wall between them to keep the pair at a distance.


    Edelira¡¯s voice was just as upset as her twins.  ¡°Y-You three showed up at a really convenient time!¡±


    Rachel sighed as Gisele swiftly joined them below ground, flapping in a wide circle to hover nearby the twins, charged beam lighting at her beak; Hayan, Coral, and Rose were jumping in to get in on the action, too.


    ¡°Stop, Gisele,¡± Rachel ordered, causing the bird to aim the blast across the moon laser across the ground and cause a long line of glowing rock.  ¡°We¡¯re not trying to fight you.¡±


    Edelira held her sister steady, though, aimed at Rachel¡¯s head.


    ¡°Why¡¯s everyone and their sisters trying to shoot you?!¡±  Nia cried.


    ¡°Think carefully,¡± Fiona said, blue mixing into her aura as a shell of ice began to form with a giant icicle.


    Scarlet groaned, scratching behind her pointed ears.  ¡°We¡¯re not the enemies here!¡±


    Benedict noticed as the Rabbit Gang came bouncing off the walls to surround the twins, suddenly looking a lot more sinister than cute, and he shot over to them, holding up his arms.  ¡°Woah!  Woah!  Woah!¡±  He swapped to Spanish, speaking to his two friends.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ben, but to us, it looks like they¡¯re protecting the enemy.¡±


    ¡°... I can just go ¡­ disappear¡­¡±  Grace¡¯s soft voice came trembling out, bringing everyone¡¯s hard eyes, causing the trapped girl to shut her lips.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±  Edelira yelled.


    Scarlet¡¯s expression soon softened as she studied Grace, her eyes filling with pity as she recognised a similar soul.  ¡°... She¡¯s terrified, Rachel ¡­ She doesn¡¯t want to fight us.¡±


    ¡°Pfft, right,¡± Edelira scoffed, ¡°and you can just sense that because you¡¯re what, a vampire?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she can,¡± Fiona shot back, causing Benedict to give them a pleading look.


    Scarlet winked.  ¡°Actually, no, taste would be a more accurate word¡ªhe-he-he, one of the better flavors if I¡¯m honest.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, girls ¡­ We can work this out.¡±


    Al¡¯s deep voice echoed through the tunnels.  ¡°Stand down ¡­ We should listen.¡±  His dark brown eyes lifted to observe the evolving situation.  ¡°A confrontation with those three is not wise.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying!¡±  Benedict moaned.


    Liquid started to form in Edelira¡¯s eyes, and her hand began to shake, but it was the gun itself causing it.  ¡°W-We know, but ¡­ but I have Alb ¡­ I have Alberto¡¯s brain¡ªsplattered across my face ¡­ M¨¢ximo is dead ¡­ Everything¡¯s falling apart.¡±


    Rachel cleared her throat, walking forward.  ¡°... Drop the barrier, Fiona ¡­ Look, this doesn¡¯t have to fall apart.  Let¡¯s go up, call General Dallas, and work through this¡­¡±  Thinking better about her word choice, she said, ¡°this tragedy ¡­ I can only imagine Araceli¡¯s thoughts ¡­ she will not wish to comply, but Grace can provide us with much-needed information, at the very least.¡±


    Her head tilted to the opening, further back.  ¡°Araceli is coming down right now¡ªshe¡¯s heard the shouts, gunfire, and spells have ceased, and with Liliana¡¯s eye no longer feeding her an update on the fight, she¡¯s growing worried.  Who would be the best one to be with her when she finds out?¡±


    Al nodded.  ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll be with her.¡±


    Rachel jogged back and took two more towels from the back, returning to toss them to the Beastkin.  ¡°For you and Jhosep ¡­ It¡¯s worse than he¡¯ll say.¡±


    ¡°... I appreciate it,¡± Al mumbled, grabbing them with his good arm and applying pressure with one.  The Crusader was performing some kind of religious right over Alberto¡¯s corpse.


    Next, Rachel turned to the four that were left in the tunnel with them.  ¡°Right ¡­ Who would be put in command after M¨¢ximo?¡±


    Benedict and Edelira turned to Ernesto, and after a second, she tossed the gun to her left, which transformed back into Isabel.  The younger sister¡¯s trembling arms pressed against her core, her voice shaky.  ¡°... Ernesto ¡­ It would have to be Ernesto.¡±


    A grimace passed across the Dragonewt¡¯s face.  ¡°I ¡­ I get it, Isabel, but ¡­ I¡¯m not fit for that kind of position¡­¡±


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Rachel bluntly stated, walking forward to stare into his doubting eyes while keeping pressure on her wound.  ¡°Someone must take control¡ªthis is no time to be modest or frightened of responsibility.  If the majority of your people will follow you, then take the reins and lead them.¡±


    A shiver ran down the man¡¯s frame, arms crossing to stop the quakes from spreading; he breathed in and released a slow hiss, turning back to see Areceli squinting into the dimly lit underground, only lit by several oil lamps and a single battery-powered flashlight.


    ¡°M¨¢ximo?  Where are you ¡­ Is everything over?  It smells horrid,¡± she suppressed a gag with a cough.


    Ernesto¡¯s head slowly bobbed up and down.  ¡°I ¡­ understand.  We¡¯ll return and talk this over ¡­ It¡¯s just a lot to take in.¡±


    Al met with Araceli, holding out a hand to guide her down the steep decline of loose soil and broken concrete.  ¡°Here ¡­ Araceli¡­¡±


    ¡°My god ¡­ Al, you¡¯re¡ªyou¡¯re hurt?¡±


    ¡°Please, Araceli¡­¡±  he whispered in a soft tone, trying to tell her there was horrible news and to brace herself.


    ¡°What?  Is ¡­ Is M¨¢ximo injured, too?  Was it those Americans?  I knew they couldn¡¯t be trusted¡­¡±  she swapped to Spanish, probably cursing them out by her tone, but her voice soon catches in her throat, asking a few probing questions.


    Rachel¡¯s head lowered as she heard every muscle in Araceli¡¯s chest convulse, lungs releasing haggard breaths, and Rachel turned her glowing clover-eyes to Grace.  ¡°Honesty is the best policy from here onward ¡­ We¡¯re the only thing standing between you and execution.¡±


    Grace was having a bit of difficulty getting her words out, sounding a little breathless as Scarlet¡¯s constricting blood flowed across her body.  ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll do whatever ¡­ whatever you say¡­¡±  Her cheeks were already flushed with strain and shiny with tears.  ¡°I just was ¡­ was here for a good time ¡­ n-not this.¡±


    Isabel shot her a dirty glare.  ¡°What, not having a good time?¡±


    ¡°Eh-heh ¡­ umm ¡­ having my boobs forced into¡ªinto my ribs is not a fun time ¡­ I¡ªI¡¯d normally enjoy a good shootout, but ¡­ not when I have no clue what¡ªwhat I¡¯m fighting for¡­¡±  The twins¡¯ hard eyes caused her to wince with a nervous giggle.  ¡°Oof ¡­ tough crowd ¡­ sorry ¡­ sorry, I just make jokes when scared¡­¡±


    Scarlet scratched the back of her head, features growing more concerned as the events went on, and the sudden cries of Araceli as Al guided her to M¨¢ximo¡¯s corpse didn¡¯t help.  ¡°Hey ¡­ I¡¯m squeezing because you¡¯re pretty strong and struggling¡­¡±


    ¡°H-How can I not?  I¡¯m a compressed ¡­ orange here ¡­ Heh, it¡¯s like you¡¯re tryin¡¯ to squeeze milk outta me, vampy ¡­ And could ya let up on ¡­ on other areas, too ¡­ Gah, worse than a Spanish Horse, if ya catch my ¡­ my meaning¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Scarlet groaned, pushing back her hair with a light blush.  ¡°I¡¯m going to let up a bit; get comfortable, and my blood will form around your skin¡ªPromise not to run away with your horse ¡­ Rachel?¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I think she knows she can¡¯t escape us at this point.¡±


    ¡°Totally ¡­ wow ¡­ you don¡¯t appreciate air until it¡¯s stripped from ya; y¡¯all know?¡±  she chuckled as Scarlet allowed her blood to be somewhat movable for her to resituate herself.  Her horse vanished in red light, causing the twins to give her a sharp look.  ¡°Jim just needs some rest,¡± Grace assured, ¡°don¡¯t need to be cruel to animals, heh, PETA, and all.¡±


    ¡°Just get comfortable,¡± Fiona whispered.


    Scarlet smiled.  ¡°Oh?  Not going to summon ¡­ Jim is his name?  Not going to summon Jim and teleport to him and run away?¡±


    ¡°No!  No!  No!  I saw you three just teleport down here in the blink of an eye; I know when I¡¯m outclassed, y¡¯all, and I¡¯m good to sit in my blood prison ¡­ grossed out a bit, but I¡¯m good and snuggly ¡­ Thanks for avoiding ¡­ ahem ¡­ delicate places,¡± she chuckled forcefully.


    Edelira releasing a low growl.  ¡°... Why?  She should be as uncomfortable as possible.¡±


    ¡°Decency, maybe?¡±  Fiona returned.  ¡°We need to discuss what happened.¡±


    ¡°Please¡­¡±  Benedict whispered, giving the girls a pleading gesture; Rachel was more focused on Scarlet, impressed that the girl thought about Grace teleporting away on her horse.


    Al seemed to be slowly explaining what happened to M¨¢ximo as Araceli collapsed to the floor, looking at Al¡¯s soaked bloody shirt that covered the shapeless lump of where M¨¢ximo¡¯s head should have been.  Her trembling fingers reached over to flinch once touching the man¡¯s hand.


    Rachel walked between the two groups and stared at the twins.  ¡°Who attacked who first ¡­ Grace or the two of you, Edelira, Isabel?¡±  she asked, pointing at her ears.  ¡°I know who.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s face contorted with rage, shouts drawing the others¡¯ eyes.  ¡°What are you ¡­ Are you saying Alberto and M¨¢ximo¡¯s deaths are on our heads?¡±


    Araceli¡¯s pained face slowly hardened, looking up at the two groups facing each other.  ¡°Who killed him, Al ¡­ Was it that girl?¡±


    Al¡¯s lips tightened.  ¡°It seems so ¡­ We should regroup, Araceli¡ªdiscuss what our next move should be.¡±


    The black-haired woman¡¯s tone turned to ice as she smoothly lifted to her feet.  ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious, Al ¡­ We kill the people who did this to M¨¢ximo¡­¡±  They swapped to Spanish soon after, Araceli¡¯s sharp brown eyes fixating on Grace.


    Rachel could guess what was being said, and trying to dissuade the woman would be pointless; one side would have to budge.  However, a few points of issue instantly came to her mind when it came to the Legendkin.


    Araceli didn¡¯t seem to like Al¡¯s answer, which pulled in Benedict, Ernesto, and the twins.  Jhosep made a few heated comments, still beside Alberto, tears on his cheeks but seeming to be in control; his statement made a few of them look away, but Araceli¡¯s cold gaze didn¡¯t flinch.


    As they worked things out with the woman, Rachel turned to look down the seemingly infinite tunnel, whispering, ¡°Fiona, which major towns are to the north, in the Camag¨¹ey Province?¡±


    Fiona frowns, thinking about it real fast.  ¡°I can¡¯t be sure unless we go back up and get the map ¡­ it started with a P, I¡¯m sure¡­¡±


    Grace situated her legs to be crossed, in a sitting position on Scarlet¡¯s blood, hands on her thighs.  ¡°Umm, Playa-sounding,¡± she whispered as softly as she could.


    Fiona¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°Yeah, eh ¡­ Playa Santa Lucia, I think.¡±


    Grace silently nodded, lips pulled in; her cheeks were still wet with tears and a little flushed after Scarlet¡¯s blood-soaked through her clothes to form around her skin for a tighter fit.


    Scarlet gave her a sad smile.  ¡°Sorry, but ¡­ You¡¯re too talkative.  Thanks, though.¡±


    The blood snaked up her neck to close around Grace¡¯s mouth, causing the young woman¡¯s ocean-blue eyes to droop in sadness.


    Ernesto made his way to Rachel, looking troubled.  ¡°Al is bringing M¨¢ximo up ¡­ Jhosep will carry Alberto.  Are you bringing the prisoner?¡±


    Rachel noticed the heated eyes directed at them.


    ¡°They want your butt,¡± Nia mumbled.


    She resisted a smile.  Who doesn¡¯t?


    ¡°Heh!  Oh!  Wait ¡­ Wait, I know ¡­ I know this one ¡­ gah ¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡±  Nia finally mumbled in defeat.  ¡°What¡¯s it mean?  Scarlet would laugh, but why?¡±


    Rachel laughed in her heart.  Don¡¯t think about it ¡­ It¡¯s crude.


    ¡°Dirty rabbit minds.¡±


    I¡¯m not a rabbit!


    ¡°Says the dirty rabbit mind!  I win!  You lose!¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t know why, but boosting the girl¡¯s ego was like Lunar Pride¡¯s kryptonite, or maybe it was just because she didn¡¯t take the girl that seriously¡ªit helped release the stress, though, instead of being forced to use Emotional Detachment.


    ¡°Nia¡¯s the champ!  Let me hear it!¡±


    Nia¡¯s the champ¡­


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am, I am!¡±


    Not a ma¡¯am yet¡­


    ¡°Mhm.  Oldie butt.¡±


    Shaking her head with a wry smile, Rachel motioned to Scarlet.  ¡°Yeah, sorry, I hear a lot with my ears¡ªI¡¯m tracking the next two attack groups, and they¡¯ll make it to a settlement in about forty minutes.¡±


    Ernesto¡¯s brow furrowed, likely recalling the previous image Liliana showed him.  ¡°We cleared out that area.¡±


    ¡°No, a few returned on their own, unable to give up their possessions.¡±


    The man groaned, rubbing the back of his neck while glancing back at the others preparing to move the corpses.  ¡°I see ¡­ Should we be concerned?  Araceli doesn''t believe you¡¯re really with the U.S. Government ¡­ Do you have proof that can convince the others?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s short chuckle put a frown on the man.  ¡°We could call U.S. troops into your province within thirty minutes or less, bringing food, medical supplies, and clean water for the hundreds of thousands of Cubans that need it.  This could be our Forward Post for this operation to take Cuba back from the warlords and give it to its people ¡­ Would that be enough proof?¡±


    Ernesto hesitated at her confident and specific response.  ¡°... Alright ¡­ Just know that they¡¯ll question you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time,¡± Rachel replied, motioning for the others to follow her back through the carnage.


    Scarlet held out her finger, drawing everyone¡¯s eye as she gathered the blood of the carnage in the death circle Fiona and her created, creating a small ball out of it before popping it into her mouth.  She gave Grace a bright smile, licking her lips.  ¡°... Mmh, so good ¡­ I hope you don¡¯t try to run.¡±


    Benedict shivered with Edelira and Isabel, following Al and a severely disgruntled Jhosep up the ramp.  Araceli didn¡¯t bat an eyelash, but Grace seemed to get the message because she swiftly shook her head, mouth still gagged.


    ¡°Just know I can cut you to ribbons before someone could snap their fingers, so let¡¯s be friendly,¡± Scarlet chimed.  ¡°Eh-he-he-he ¡­ ¡®cause, I¡¯d rather not turn you into a drink at this point.¡±


    Fiona hovered closer to Scarlet, hands on her hips.  ¡°Couldn¡¯t you teleport everyone back¡ªnot that I like those creepy portals,¡± she grumbled.


    ¡°Creepy ¡­ C¡¯mon, Fiona ¡­ there not that bad,¡± Scarlet mumbled.


    ¡°No,¡± Rachel shook her head, gesturing for Ernesto to keep going as he hesitated, ¡°we need to defuse the situation and move forward; that ¡­ process could be taken a lot of different ways.¡±


    ¡°You, too ¡­ aww¡­.¡±  Scarlet¡¯s head drooped.


    Araceli continued to whisper to Al in Spanish as they struggled up the unstable ramp; the water buffalo Beastkin was having to support the woman, carry M¨¢ximo¡¯s body, and cradle his damaged arm.


    Benedict flew between the twins as they slowly followed, glaring at the floor.  ¡°Chill a little¡­¡±  he swapped to Spanish, too, but Edelira and Isabel appeared to have calmed down a little, but they were still wary, judging by their tense muscles.


    Jhosep was having difficulty carrying Alberto up the ramp himself with his injuries.


    ¡°Is he okay?¡±  Fiona whispered.  ¡°I can just, you know, levitate him up.¡±


    Ernesto walked beside Rachel, Fiona, Scarlet, and Grace, floating behind them.  ¡°No ¡­ He was close to Alberto; they¡¯ve been best friends since Alberto was young.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s wings drooped a little.  ¡°Ah, okay¡­¡±


    Grace seemed affected by the news, too, gaze falling to the dirt as Scarlet looked at her.  ¡°Oh ... She¡¯s ¡­ really sad it turned out like this¡ªregrets it, even.¡±


    Rachel outwardly ignored the statement, but Scarlet was building a solid case against executing the girl; she appeared to have just been an overly adventurous young woman that had gotten caught up in the wrong thing and defended herself to the detriment of others.


    Ernesto ignored it, too, focusing on Rachel.  ¡°I have to ask, but ¡­ what are you planning to do?¡±


    Her tone was blunt and without sugar.  ¡°I honestly couldn¡¯t care less for Cuba, Ernesto.  My friends and I are only here because the government contracted us to be a preemptive unit to assess the situation, and it fits into our relationship with the U.S. government.  We are here to provide a quick-acting force based upon the information we¡¯ve gathered.¡±


    The man¡¯s face creased, lips tucking under as she continued.


    ¡°In short, it is not up to me but to General Dallas how we will respond.  However, I do not see that your people have many choices in the matter.  You¡¯re dangerously low on drinkable water, severely outclassed by your opposition, it seems, will run out of food in a week, and your people are dying or sick, and without proper supplies ¡­ If you don¡¯t take what the U.S. is offering, then how much hope does your vision of Cuba, much less this province have?¡±


    Grace¡¯s eyes widened the moment she heard they were really with the U.S. government, muscles relaxing a little as she released a slow breath of relief; true enough, General Dallas would likely be very much against executing a 20-year-old U.S. civilian girl.


    ¡°I ¡­ I understand what you¡¯re saying, Rachel ¡­ I know it¡¯s serious, and I¡¯ll take it into consideration.  It¡¯s just ¡­ we¡¯ve been tricked by various groups over the past three weeks ¡­ Pirates offering supplies and taking the money and leaving ¡­ It¡¯s just hard to trust outsiders.¡±


    Rachel smirked.  ¡°Humph, it¡¯s hard to deny the U.S. Air Force fleets flying over your airspace or lines of military vehicles caravans rolling through your towns ¡­ It¡¯s the United States military, not a small parade of 1970s old Soviet Union trucks with ancient technology on them ¡­ but I understand the intentions itself would be worrying.¡±


    She gave him a side-long look.  ¡°You¡¯re not blindly rushing into it and are trying to protect your people¡ªyou¡¯re trying not to be stupid, and I get you¡¯re in the worst spot to be in as everyone looks to you to take control.  Keep your senses sharp and judge General Dallas¡¯s response for yourself.¡±


    He gave her a thankful smile and nodded.  ¡°Even if you aren¡¯t doing this for us ¡­ You saved us.¡±


    ¡°I want to help the Cuban people,¡± Fiona chimed, and Scarlet soon followed, ¡°Mhm!  Those other guys are bullies!¡±


    The others weren¡¯t so keen on their conversation but kept their silence on the way up to M¨¢ximo¡¯s old office.  Fiona picked up a sleeping Luis on the way, and Freddy quickly went to Jhosep¡¯s side, speaking in Spanish to understand the situation.


    Lilian¡¯s remaining creepy eye hovered between them, observing; Araceli and Al reached the office first with the blood-soaked shirt still over his missing head, dripping crimson drops across the tile floors as they walked.


    They drew crowds of nervous and frightened men and women along their path, whispering to one another about the sight of bodies; they¡¯d been told by Araceli and Freddy that everything was fine when they heard the explosion, but this didn¡¯t look ¡®fine.¡¯


    Araceli snapped for the door to be shut once everyone entered, still holding M¨¢ximo¡¯s limp hand, and Juan closed it; Liliana explained to him what happened before they arrived.


    Rachel took the radio from the table and turned it on, calling Tom; static cracked across the connection.


    ¡°Yes ¡­ What is it, Rachel?¡±


    She gave a solemn look at the somber or furious faces of the lieutenants around the room, clearing her throat, she chose her words carefully.  ¡°... M¨¢ximo is dead.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond right away, but a long drawn-in breath fed through the speaker as he started to think; Maria, on the other hand, was as vocal as ever.


    ¡°Damn¡ªshit got real, eh?  Well, this blows.¡±


    ¡°How it be changin¡¯ the deal?¡±  Cahira mumbled, likely scratching her red hair by the sound of her tone.


    There was a pause as Tom seemed to wave for them to quiet down.  ¡°... Give me a full report.¡±


    Isabel heatedly spoke up before Rachel.  ¡°An American cowgirl shot his head off!¡±


    ¡°Izzy,¡± Ernesto and Benedict sighed, before Ernesto continued, ¡°please, let them speak.¡±


    The twins mirrored each other, scowling and posting up near the corner; Araceli sat in M¨¢ximo¡¯s chair, face cold as stone, but her white fingers were shaking in the dead man¡¯s hand.


    Rachel waited for a moment.  ¡°Are you done?  If this keeps up, we won¡¯t get anywhere, and there are more people at risk at this moment.¡±  They diverted their eyes.  ¡°Right ¡­ General, we need information on The Legend of Calamity Jane.  A young woman named Grace Alexander, a Legendkin, has claimed to be a U.S. citizen and had no prior knowledge about any uprisings in Cuba.  I can¡¯t detect any lies from her, but we¡¯d need Maria here to be sure.¡±


    ¡°Pfft, ya think?¡±  Maria huffed, clearly a bit annoyed now.  ¡°What did I tell ya, Liebre Lunar!  What did I tell ya?!  No, leave ol¡¯ Maria on the ship to ¡­ Fine, fine,¡± she grumbled, ¡°but what did a chica say?¡±


    ¡°We weren¡¯t wrong, Maria ¡­ You know why.¡±


    ¡°Humph ¡­ got me benched and shit¡ªI ain¡¯t ever been benched in my life¡­¡±


    ¡°At least ya got pretty men ta look at,¡± Cahira chimed.  ¡°Yo ¡­ aye, get in here¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to look at that,¡± Maria groaned.


    The lieutenants were giving her strange looks, and even Gisele had a questioning tilt to her head, perching on the back of a chair.


    Tom loudly cleared his throat.  ¡°Ahem, girls, please, we are on a mission ¡­ Rachel; I¡¯m looking at the Wiki page right now ¡­ In short, Calamity Jane is a well-known frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and raconteur.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s brow pulled together with the others.  ¡°A what?¡±  the Fairy whispered, and Scarlet shook her head with a shrug.


    ¡°A storyteller with the taste to embellish the tale,¡± Rachel replied.


    ¡°Well shit,¡± Maria huffed, ¡°what are ya talkin¡¯ about?  Ya, basically just put the whole rap scene, hoodrat, and thug life in the ring ¡­ Everyone hypes up their own shit.¡±


    Tom bypassed the comment.  ¡°Historically, Calamity Jane was seen as a bit of a daredevil and a degenerate¡ªeven a con artist, but she¡¯s noted for her compassion to others and taking care of the sick and needy.¡±


    Fiona snickered.  ¡°Eh ¡­ So she¡¯s just Maria?!¡±


    ¡°?Verdadero?  ?El infierno, Hada!¡±


    [i.e., For real?  The hell, Fairy/Fiona!]


    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to her,¡± Tom continued.  ¡°Put her on ¡­ Clay is bringing up her civilian records now¡ªhe had a little trouble narrowing it down, but with the details you provided, it gave him enough clues.¡±


    The others coldly listened in silence as Scarlet removed Grace¡¯s gag; she coughed, giving the Reaper a forced smile.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Thanks for being more delicate with me; I may be a cowgirl, but, heh, it don¡¯t mean I like it that rough, ¡®cause this stuff¡¯s got a grip!¡±


    Scarlet glanced away with a slight frown and small blush as some of her blood returned to her body.  ¡°Can you just quit it with the jokes?¡±


    ¡°He-he-he, I¡¯m just nervous!  Umm ¡­ yeah, Mr. Dallas, uh, I know what y¡¯all are gonna see on my records, but, umm, well ¡­ you see, I¡¯ve kind of been a lone-ranger for a few years now.  Eh ¡­ where to start ¡­ There was some shady guy at this traveling rodeo I had a gig at ¡­ He was goin¡¯ on about these cool cowboy competitions and stuff in Cuba ¡­ They had a boat, and so they¡¯d, ya know, bring me there for a week¡ªfor a price, of course.¡±


    She took a deep breath before rambling on.  ¡°Heh, yeah, umm ¡­ They had a way in, and, boy, I need a drink, Lordie, umm, and with all the stuff goin¡¯ to the bucket with the whole Oscillation thing, by ginger, I needed a break from  all ¡­ well, whatever it did to me, and ...  they offered a ton of booze, which I seem to need in hefty quantities, if ya know what I mean ¡­ and I¡¯m 19-years-old ¡­ Ya see my problem?¡±


    Cahira gasped.  ¡°Lass, I know what ya be goin¡¯ through!  Like ¡­come to Florida, and I¡¯ll floor yer ass in enough rum to drown ya!¡±


    ¡°For real?  Aww-ha-ha-ha ¡­ no-oh ¡­ You have no idea how good that sounds,¡± Grace cried.


    ¡°Your story?¡±  Tom pressed.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ Right, umm ¡­ So, I¡¯ve got trouble gettin¡¯ booze without resortin¡¯ to some underhanded methods here¡ªthere in the States, so ¡­ I was like, what¡¯s the worst that can happen, right?  I get on ol¡¯ Jim, and we head off for these two guys¡¯ boat in Florida somewhere¡ªI don¡¯t know, I¡¯m more of a Western gal, but we make it in good time, Jim¡¯s a fast boy¡ªfaster than a locomotive, haha!


    ¡°Ya know, not as strong, but ¡­ nevermind, umm, aww, I don¡¯t know, it sounded fun and adventurous, and that¡¯s what I¡¯m all about!  So, eh ¡­ Jim¡¯s my horse¡¯s name, if ya didn¡¯t know, eh ¡­ we found the dudes, and got on the boat¡ªproblem was, the ol¡¯ dogs tried to get a bit too touchy-feely across open waters, and,¡± she clicked her tongue, ¡°ehhh ¡­ Yeah, I had to tie ¡®em up in the back.¡±


    ¡°Good on ya!¡±  Cahira chimed.  ¡°Did ye black and blue their balls?¡±


    ¡°I got a few good ol¡¯ kicks in,¡± Grace snickered, ¡°Who¡¯s this, ¡®cause I¡¯m lovin¡¯ ya!¡±


    ¡°The Legend of Grace O¡¯Malley, love!  Cahira, at yer service; ya, got mi legend¡¯s name, lass!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not pullin¡¯ my leg?  That¡¯s great!  He-he-he-he, umm ¡­ Yeah, so, I didn¡¯t know what was north from south on that blue sea, so ¡­ eh, I just crashed wherever I could, ¡®cause I don¡¯t know how to run boats.  Good thing Jim can run on water for a bit¡ªOh, and I brought the two dirty dogs with me.¡±


    Nia gasped.  ¡°She¡¯s so cool!  Okay ¡­ I mean, if you can forgive her, I can ¡­ I¡¯m just saying¡­¡±


    Rachel shook her head as the girl continued to plead her case and tell her story; she was sure the cowgirl would be wildly animated had she been able to move.  ¡°I ran out of booze on the trip, too!  They skimped out on the details ¡­ only a single keg.¡±


    ¡°The rotten scoundrels,¡± Cahira huffed.  ¡°Ya never lie about the booze!¡±


    ¡°So, I carried them to shore ¡­ Well, dragged them, more like,¡± she giggled.  ¡°Dropped ¡®em off on the beach, and what do ya know, I landed on some paradise!  Clearest waters you ever saw, booze, and parties goin¡¯ on everywhere!  It was paradise for the past two days¡ªI¡¯ve been drinkin¡¯ non-stop.¡±


    Cahira was certainly enthralled by the sound she made.  ¡°Psst, we should take a vacation after this ¡­ What do ya say, Maria?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m always game,¡± she mumbled.


    Selvaira cheered from the background in her monotone manner, giving the most hyperactive-emotionless shout that Rachel had ever heard, and could practically see her spinning in a swivel chair with her seal.  ¡°Wooh!  Galatea, we get new bathing suits!  Vacation!¡± she said, with Galatea making cute noises in the background.


    ¡°How many girls do you have on your team?¡±  Benedict mumbled to Fiona.


    Fiona thoughtfully lifted her eyebrow.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Wow ¡­ yeah, a lot, actually, but we got some hot guys, too.¡±


    Rachel had no clue the last part was added as a gut blow by her slight smirk, and it struck.


    Grace kept going.  ¡°Ah ¡­ Then, some big-shot guy came into the town or somethin¡¯, sayin¡¯ some degenerates were lookin¡¯ to attack the place¡ªThey needed help to chase them off.  And so, ya know, I¡¯m about protectin¡¯ the peace and all, doin¡¯ my civil duties ¡­ Well, I am in Cuba, but they fed and boozed me out¡ªso, I drunk another glass, and said I¡¯m in!¡±


    She groaned.  ¡°Hours and hours and hours, I¡¯m in this dark, gloomy pit of Satan¡¯s hole, pullin¡¯ a wagon, which, ya know, Jim¡¯s kind of happy about, but I¡¯m not likin¡¯ the conversations.  It¡¯s gettin¡¯ a tad sketchy, but not many are in English, so ¡­ Some of them look like straight cartoon villains, heh, ya know what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    ¡°Get to the point,¡± Isabel growled.


    Grace¡¯s expression fell upon shifting to the twins, causing them to stiffen.  ¡°And ¡­ there was a big boom, rocks falling, people screaming to kill one another, and I¡¯m in a warzone¡ªI¡¯m just in the back, you know, feelin¡¯ out of place, and missin¡¯ the booze ¡­ I unhooked Jim from the cart, and am all ¡­ ¡®Should I really get involved in this ¡­ I mean, really?¡¯¡±


    ¡°You did,¡± Edelira stated with a snarl.


    Araceli hadn¡¯t pulled her eyes from the girl; it didn¡¯t matter what Grace said; she was already sentenced in her mind.


    Grace rolled her eyes, puffing air through her cheeks.  ¡°Right ¡­ In my mind, I¡¯m thinkin¡¯, if these guys are willing to kill these fellas I¡¯m with, jumpin¡¯ in the hole like demons outta hell, then they might go after all the people back at the city ¡­ Ya catch my thoughts?¡±


    Cahira and Maria hummed to one another from the radio speaker.


    ¡°I¡¯d be thinkin¡¯ the same,¡± The Pirate Queen mumbled.


    ¡°Me, too,¡± Selvaria replied.  ¡°I¡¯d smash the hole ¡­ Run back and tell them to flee.¡±


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Maria nodded.  ¡°Seems like a good plan, but I¡¯d tell ¡®em to grab their guns and prep to shoot the bastards!¡±


    Grace cleared her throat, still staring at the twins.  ¡°Then the weird gun gals in the back, poppin¡¯ people¡¯s heads turn the barrel on me¡ªI¡¯m just mindin¡¯ my own business, thinking what I should do ¡­ One shot, block it with my flash¡ªno problem ¡­ Two, three shots ¡­ block it with my flash again ¡­ Several more ¡­ Okay, this is getting annoying, and the two weirdos won¡¯t give my head up ¡­ I¡¯m like ¡­ stop!  I¡¯m tryin¡¯ to figure out if I should take out my rifle, ¡®cause I don¡¯t know what hell-storm I¡¯ve found myself in, and just killin¡¯ random people ain¡¯t my style¡ªbut eventually, after like, thirty bullets¡­¡±


    ¡°Only several,¡± Edelira mumbled in her defense.


    ¡°Yeah!  You¡¯re poppin¡¯-off on me, and after weighing the scales ¡­ Over fifty people are gettin¡¯ slaughtered ¡­ yeah, whatever ¡­ I pull out my rifle and pop back¡­¡±


    Isabel¡¯s face was bright red.  ¡°You were the enemy!¡±  she screamed, causing Juan and Liliana to flinch.


    ¡°Tch,¡± Grace spat on her shoes with surprising accuracy.  ¡°I didn¡¯t know who the enemy was; I didn¡¯t even shoot back until ya kept blastin¡¯ me!  How many bullets should I eat before I can defend myself?  Ya were tryin¡¯ to blow my head off, and I¡¯m still here¡ªpfft, what¡¯s that say about y¡¯all¡¯s aim?¡±


    The twin¡¯s noses twisted to give her an ugly look.


    ¡°Cool it with the insults,¡± Tom stated, the radio drawing everyone¡¯s eye.  ¡°Rachel, is she lying?¡±


    Rachel shook her head with a frustrated sigh.  ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t tell with embellishments, but I can¡¯t sense a straight lie from her¡ªI haven¡¯t been able to detect any at all, like Ma?lle.  We¡¯ll need Maria, but even her lie detection isn¡¯t perfect.¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±  Maria growled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lyin¡¯...¡±  Grace whispered, features falling again.  ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    Fiona raised her hand while hovering a little into the air.  ¡°Uh, I can fly up and get her real fast.¡±


    A few of the Las Tunas crew looked up with questioning eyes.


    Cahira clicked her tongue.  ¡°Ah, no can do, Love; we¡¯re gettin¡¯ low ta drop the big monster lass off.¡±


    ¡°Hobgoblins,¡± Fiona mumbled.


    Rachel brought the topic back.  ¡°General, what do you make of her story?¡±


    Tom¡¯s tone was neutral.  ¡°Grace Alexander has been reported missing by her parents for ¡­ three years¡ªsince she was sixteen¡ªwhen she took her horse and vanished ¡­ You¡¯re a runaway.¡±


    ¡°L-Legal now!¡±  Grace nervously chuckled.  ¡°I even saved up $2,000!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow creased as she caught the flick in her heart rhythm.  ¡°... That was a lie.¡±


    ¡°Oof¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tom paused for a moment.  ¡°It is¡ªGrace stole $2,340 from her boyfriend at the time, the son of a wealthy family in Texas that struck gold on oil ¡­ She had multiple underage alcohol consumption charges against her during her 15 and 16 years.¡±


    ¡°Ah-he-he-he, well,¡± Grace mumbled, ¡°I mean, he got a weekly allowance of $1,000, so is it really stealing?  Plus, he gave it to me!  He probably said I stole it to save face when I ditched him, and ¡­ heh, I had to get money from somewhere, and I wasn¡¯t gonna take it from my ma and pa.  I bet he started rumors about me, too,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t doubt it,¡± Scarlet, Fiona, Maria, and Cahira commented.


    ¡°I¡¯d be like him ¡­ But yea, he had money, and I had to get some to start my dream.  I¡¯ve always wanted to just travel the old west ¡­ Visit ghost towns and explore old mines, travel the road¡ªthe last three years haven¡¯t been easy, but they¡¯ve been the best ¡­ Although, heh, I had to get smarter after a while¡ªalmost got made a few times in Las Vegas, and I made an honest livin¡¯, pickin¡¯ up side-gigs!¡±


    Araceli¡¯s fists were trembling at this point.  ¡°How ¡­ long are you all planning to listen to her babble?!¡±


    Grace grimaced as the woman got up and walked over with contempt on her face, fist striking out.  ¡°Oof¡­¡±  she winced as Araceli¡¯s fist struck Scarlet¡¯s blood, rising to protect the cowgirl.  ¡°Can I say I¡¯m sorry?  I didn¡¯t come marchin¡¯ here to kill anybody¡­¡±


    ¡°You did,¡± Araceli growled, quaking fist showing signs of cuts and blood.


    Scarlet gave her a dull look.  ¡°You know, pheromones don¡¯t work against me¡ªI¡¯ve dealt with an Incubus and Succubus ¡­ weak.¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ Araceli,¡± Ernesto mumbled.  ¡°Think about what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°I am!¡±  she snapped, turning back to them.  ¡°You¡¯re all cowards¡ªM¨¢ximo is dead, and¡ªand you¡¯re all listening to his murderer slander everyone!  I was waiting for one of you¡ªone to put an end to this farce, but if you won¡¯t, I will!¡±


    She turned to Rachel, hatred, and pain in her deep brown eyes.  ¡°You¡¯re not welcome in Las Tunas ¡­ Leave to your own country¡ªLeave the girl.¡±


    Ernesto stepped forward, drawing everyone¡¯s eyes as he leveled with them.  ¡°... If you aren¡¯t with the U.S. government ¡­ then I¡¯m with Araceli.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  the black-haired woman mumbled in disbelief, glancing around at the others.  Her tone rose until it was a scream in Spanish.


    Maria whistled as words were passed between everyone.  ¡°... She¡¯s got a mouth on her ¡­ Unless she said rice head ¡­ Cuban Spanish is hard.¡±


    Tom cleared his throat when a pause occurred.  ¡°Ernesto, if you want, I could have crates of food, water, and medical personnel there in under fifteen minutes¡ªmilitary protection, dropped in from planes to help keep the peace in your cities¡ªrestore real order, with you leading point ¡­ Fifteen minutes, Ernesto.  I am a 4-Star United States General, and I give you my word; your people will see more freedom and support than you could possibly ask for.¡±


    The woman shook her head in desperation, giving him a pleading look as the man¡¯s face tightened.  He held his breath for several seconds before holding up his hand, speaking in Spanish¡ªeveryone but Al and Araceli raised their hands after a moment¡¯s thought.


    Araceli¡¯s eyes became wild, turning to stare at Scarlet and Grace while mumbling something to Al.  The big man closed his eyes with a frustrated frown, shaking his head.


    Scarlet giggled, giving her a rueful smile.  ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about M¨¢ximo, but ¡­ Do you honestly believe that all of you together could take me ¡­ You can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Mmghgmgh,¡± Grace groaned.  ¡°I need the drink of a lifetime.¡±


    A hot puff of air shot through Ernesto¡¯s nose before he spoke in Spanish to the woman.  Araceli screamed at him, the twins, Benedict, and glared at Liliana before giving a sharp response to her mumble, pointing at the man¡¯s corpse in disgust.


    Edelira and Isabel were crying but pointed at Benedict as he scratched his neck.  ¡°We get it, Araceli ¡­ Scarlet¡¯s not wrong ¡­ And you weren¡¯t there; we were all dead.  I hate to admit it, but ¡­ We owe them our lives ¡­ I owe Fiona my life.  I can¡¯t see why they¡¯d put themselves in harm''s way and lie to us about all this stuff.¡±


    He rubbed his arm, unable to look at her in the eyes.  ¡°It sucks, Araceli ¡­ all of us admired M¨¢ximo, but Grace wasn¡¯t the one that attacked first ¡­ we were, and I can¡¯t deny that ¡­ Neither can Edel and Izzy.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s their fault?¡±  Araceli asked, heated gaze turning to the twins.


    ¡°No,¡± Rachel stated as the girls¡¯ arms tightened around their shoulders.  ¡°It was a bad situation; if you want to blame someone, blame me for not getting there fast enough to save him ¡­ It was bad timing.¡±


    Araceli looked between them, body quivering.  ¡°Y-You all feel that way?  Who¡¯s side are you on?  M¨¢ximo trusted you!¡±


    Ernesto¡¯s lips pulled in, muscles tightening as if a knife dug into his chest.  ¡°... If M¨¢ximo was here ¡­ he¡¯d agree with us ¡­ We need to think about Cuba.¡±


    ¡°And who¡¯s thinking about him?!  No one but me!¡±  Araceli shouted.


    ¡°Araceli,¡± Rachel drew her manic eyes, gesturing at the door.  ¡°You¡¯re fighting a lost battle¡ªif you really want me to put a face behind your hate that you can latch onto¡ªthe person who lied to Grace and put this whole thing into motion?  Who sent you on this mission, Grace?¡±


    Grace frowned, vision downcast.  ¡°... Some fella named the Devil of Camag¨¹ey or something ¡­ I didn¡¯t know¡ªI thought it was just a cool name or something ¡­ like Jane was called Calamity ¡­ you know, to cross her was to court calamity ¡­ heh, yeah ¡­ she was kind of a role model for me in school when I learned about her¡­¡±


    ¡°... Which you dropped out of?¡±  Fiona mumbled, likely thinking about her little sister.


    ¡°Eh, heh, well, yeah ¡­ Have you been to school?¡±  she asked with a forced grin.  ¡°It¡¯s a legal prison for kids!¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±  Maria grumbled.  ¡°Preach, Sister!¡±


    Rachel ignores their conversation and turns to the grieving woman.  ¡°The Devil of Camag¨¹ey is the person that sent the hit squad after you and your people ¡­ Grace was at the right place at the wrong time¡ªfed a story to get people roped in.¡±


    ¡°Well, when you say it like that, I sound kind of like an idiot,¡± Grace whispered with the hint of a pout.  ¡°It just sounded like we were gonna scare off some thugs.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head lifted to the ceiling, pointing to it.  ¡°Look East ¡­ The planes are dropping supplies.¡±


    Everyone but Al, Araceli, Rachel, and Scarlet shot to the window; it took a moment, but soon enough, they spotted the massive planes, dropping thousands of parachutes of crates and soldiers.


    Tom, having bided his time, spoke up.  ¡°... This is only the beginning, Ernesto.  This has been in the works for the past week.  We¡¯ve fixed one of your trains and are currently loading it full of supplies to transport across the railing system; everything you could ask for will be there in a day, and all of this¡ªthis should last you until then.¡±


    Araceli shouted something in Spanish that sounded like ¡®traitors¡¯ before storming out; Al sighed, passing a few words on to Ernesto before following her with M¨¢ximo¡¯s corpse.  The hallways were filled with people, shouting at the supplies and men dropping out of the sky¡ªhundreds of Red Crosses on the parachutes.


    Liliana breathed a sigh of relief as she exited.  ¡°Finally ¡­ she¡¯s such a fool ¡­ lets her heart always guide her decisions.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s tragic,¡± Rachel whispered, turning to Ernesto.  ¡°Will she be a problem?¡±


    He shook his head.  ¡°I can¡¯t say ¡­ She¡¯s going to do things her own way, she says ¡­ Al¡¯s joining her and asked us to take care of Luis.¡±


    Rachel lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Al¡¯s missing a chunk out of his arm.¡±


    Grace hissed.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ he¡¯s lucky that Scarlet¡¯s crystals shielded him and changed the course¡ªI was worried for my life¡ªso I shot to kill once these three showed up.¡±


    Rachel turned to the brown-haired woman with a thoughtful look, Nia branching off the girl¡¯s stories to develop her own fantastical tales in her mind.  ¡°... Do you want to go back to the U.S. or continue with us?¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Fiona crossed her arms.  ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for us to keep an eye on her until Maria can show up to confirm her story?¡±


    ¡°Eh, he-he-he, I have no complaints about hangin¡¯ out with y¡¯all.  Actually, it sounds like a lot of fun, savin¡¯ a nation, and all¡ªit¡¯s not killing random people for nothing, so ¡­ yeah, and umm ¡­ thanks for saving my life.¡±


    Scarlet gave her a tentative look.  ¡°... It sounds like you want to join us.¡±


    ¡°Well ¡­ eh-heh, I don¡¯t have anything really goin¡¯ on, and ¡­ well, at all¡­¡±  She bit her lower lip, looking a bit lost.  ¡°In fact, I¡¯m kinda stuck ¡­ which is why I¡¯m here ¡­ in Cuba ¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do with myself after this change¡ªI just wanna be a part of somethin¡¯ ¡­ This whole business just turned out to be the wrong thing,¡± she mumbled with a weak laugh.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I¡¯m really sorry for killing your friend ¡­ hurting you guys.¡±


    Isabel hissed, releasing a muffled scream while storming out; Edelira stepped after her after giving Grace a teary-eyed look.  ¡°W-Wait, Liz¡­¡±


    Benedict was trying to hold back his own eyes from puffing up.  ¡°T-They¡¯re blaming themselves for everything ¡­ Izzy¡¯s had a lot of trouble with it¡ªshe can¡¯t deny her part in it, and Araceli tossed the blame on them before leaving.¡±


    ¡°Harsh,¡± Grace mumbled, watching him fly out of the room.  ¡°... I just wanted to have a good time ¡­ not get caught up in ¡­ in all of this mess ¡­ heh, just bad timing, huh ¡­ I really am a calamity.¡±


    She cleared her throat, linking a few times while taking a heavy breath.  ¡°So ¡­ If you¡¯ll have me ¡­ I¡¯ll join¡ªfeels good bein¡¯ on the side of justice and all!  I can try and make this guy¡¯s dream of a free Cuba come true, at the very least ¡­ Right?¡±


    The remaining lieutenants'' expressions softened.


    ¡°Do ¡­ Do you really mean that?¡±  Ernesto asked.


    She nodded.  ¡°Yeah!  Yeah!  Heh, how hard can it be?!¡±


    Rachel gave him a dull look, Nia crying in her head.


    ¡°S-She¡¯s such a good person!  Okay, I forgive you, Cow Lady!  I forgive you¡ªj-just don¡¯t shoot us again!¡±


    ¡°... We¡¯re here to help you, Ernesto.  How many times do I need to repeat myself?  We¡¯ll kick out the warlords, but it¡¯s up to you how you live after.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s chipper tone followed.  ¡°Oh, and the U.S., too!¡±


    Everyone looked to Freddy as he broke down bawling, nudging Juan while talking in Spanish.  Liliana smiles a little, looking out of the window at the people and supplies coming to support them.  ¡°... If the U.S. is getting involved ¡­ I guess I¡¯ll go back to my town.  I never wanted to be a part of this whole mess anyway¡ªjust protect the people I love.¡±


    Jhosep¡¯s nose was red as she stepped forward, rubbing the top of M¨¢ximo¡¯s cigar box.  ¡°Perhaps, death of him was not in vain,¡± he mumbled in his broken English.  ¡°... M¨¢ximo will be remembered hero as that brought order¡ªLos Tunas ¡­ rose to a part of this my Crusade for his country!¡±


    Maria made a sound in her throat.  ¡°Wow ¡­ crusade, huh ¡­ okay¡­¡±


    Tom followed.  ¡°Who will speak for your province now that M¨¢ximo ¡­ isn¡¯t around?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Ernesto said, setting his resolve.


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Tom replied, pausing for a moment while pulling something over, probably from Clay.  ¡°... Cuba needs a man like you, and I know I¡¯m asking a lot from you, Ernesto, but I¡¯d like you to step away from this war¡ªfocus on your people and their well-being¡ªdirect the relief efforts within your province, and be a leader that your people can look-up-to and see safety.


    ¡°Help direct the supplies, and I¡¯ll put the Lieutenant Colonel leading the effort in your area under you ¡­ you know your people better than any of us, and millions of dollars worth of goods are being sent from the U.S. citizens and church relief programs to support you.  In fact, the Pope has personally contacted me to organize more aid in the coming weeks.¡±


    Jhosep bowed his head, making a sign while praying, tears now freely flowing down his cheeks.


    A heavy puff of air breathed out of Ernesto¡¯s lungs as he nodded.  ¡°... I understand, General Dallas ¡­ What about Camag¨¹ey.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s sharp-toothed grin met his eyes.  ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯re going next!¡±


    A short chuckle escaped his lips as he walked to the window, gazing out with a somber tone.  ¡°... A bittersweet day ¡­ We lost a piece of our hearts ¡­ but it was for freedom.¡±  His eyes fluttered with his chest.  ¡°... Thank you, General Dallas, Rachel, Fiona, Scarlet ¡­ And you, too, Grace.  Thank you, for everything you¡¯re doing for my people.¡±


    Rachel tilted her head toward the door.  ¡°Alright, we¡¯re going to investigate the group coming to attack on-foot¡­¡±  She trailed off as Isabel, Edelira, and Benedict re-entered the room, faces red and puffy.


    Isabel coughed, rubbing her cheeks.  ¡°Can ¡­ I know we might not be much help, but can we join?¡±


    Grace hummed doubtfully, likely remembering how easy it was to kill them and not wanting to cause further calamity for their group.


    Rachel sighed.  ¡°It¡¯s your life and your country.  Ernesto, what about the rest of your party¡ªI can¡¯t guarantee they¡¯ll come back.¡±


    He looked at each of them as they gave their responses.


    Liliana swiftly shook her head.  ¡°I¡¯m going back home!¡±


    Freddy shrugged.  ¡°Naa, I¡¯ll stay behind and help people get back on their feet.¡±


    Juan nodded.  ¡°I want to help rebuild the places that were damaged.¡±


    However, Jhosep jumped forward with energy.  ¡°I¡¯ll fight on the front¡­¡±  he suddenly collapsed to the floor to his friend¡¯s shock.


    ¡°Blood loss,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯ve been counting each pressure drop.¡±


    Ernesto chuckled after Scarlet¡¯s attitude calmed the atmosphere; he bent down to gently shake Luis.  ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh .. huh ¡­ eh?¡±  he cracked open an eye, quickly finding the collapsed man and grunting; he reached over, put his hand on the man¡¯s armored stomach, and released a soft white light.  When it was over, the wound had at least closed but would take time to properly heal.  On the other hand, Luis waved a tired hand and fell unconscious again.


    ¡°Poor guy,¡± Fiona mumbled.  ¡°He reminds me of a friend I have¡ªnever knows the words ¡®take care of yourself.¡¯


    ¡°Yo, chica, I¡¯m right here!¡±  Maria grumbled.


    Fiona giggled.  ¡°Exactly!¡±


    Ernesto followed her.  ¡°Yeah, heh, Jhosep will want to join you once he recovers.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Scarlet shook her head.  ¡°We¡¯ll be long finished before that¡ªprobably!¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Edelira, Isabel, Benedict, and Grace, then ¡­ Let¡¯s go; we don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    Grace rubbed her chest as Scarlet removed her blood.  ¡°Heh ¡­ at least I¡¯ve still got everything in the right places.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Rachel mumbled, giving her a critical look, ¡°you never know when it comes to Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±  Scarlet glared, cheeks flushing again as Nia rolled around her mind with fits of laughter.  ¡°You were struggling, so I had to squeeze tighter.¡±


    ¡°I was bein¡¯ smothered to death, my gal; heh, of course, I¡¯d struggle!  I¡¯m just sayin¡¯, you looked mighty happy about squeezin¡¯ the blood outta me ¡­ All I¡¯m sayin¡¯¡±


    Cahira, Selvaria, Maria, and even Tom got a short chuckle out of the exchange.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ Anyway!¡±  Scarlet grinned.  ¡°I¡¯m actually starting to look forward to this!¡±


    ¡°Me, too!¡±  Grace said, working around her tight muscles.  ¡°I¡¯m sore but ready to go!  I just gotta look forward to the future, not the past¡­¡±


    Edelira and Isabel gave her distrustful looks but followed Rachel out, heading for the front with the others tailing.  Men and women were still gossiping to one another, spreading rumors.  They flew off on Fairy wings to the north to meet the attackers; her wound had mostly closed once she stepped back


    It¡¯s time to get the ball rolling and meet this Devil of Camag¨¹ey ¡­ Let¡¯s hope he actually can put up a fight, or else this trip will become boring.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 19. Myths Within Camagüey

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:  Well, we''ve got a small fracture happening with our resistance and some decided to split ways after Rachel and party defended Grace.  Still, we got the two gun gals, Benedict, the Mythickin Pixie, and Grace, the Legend of Calamity Jane, on our side now!


    Isabel and Al took off, Al more or less doing it to support her, yet isn''t all that hateful to our girls, and the rest are staying to support their province.


    Grace let us in on some dude named the Devil of Camag¨¹ey ... What could this warlord be like?  Well, let''s deal with these two big groups coming!  Oh, and of course, we had to tease Scarlet a bit!  Big sisters be like that sometimes >.> heh.


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    Dairyman, Brandon, Florent Baril, William Gillis, Van, MetusZerum, Loki388, Rikhardur Bjarni Einarsson, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel led her make-shift group out of the prison, hearing the sounds of mourning from the people that knew M¨¢ximo.  On the other hand, people watching the American Flag raining down en masse had conflicting responses.  Still, they couldn¡¯t deny the supplies, and relief was settling in with some people mumbling about how the U.S. was actually doing something good for a change.  She tuned all of that out once making sure the transition was functioning smoothly.


    There were some questionable mumbles in English that she¡¯d heard after a few groups learned of M¨¢ximo¡¯s death and the split in leadership, but once they saw the number of U.S. troops moving through the streets, that was stamped out.


    Exiting the building, Fiona¡¯s light green aura enclosed all seven of them, carrying them into the air.  Isabel, Edelira, and Grace gasped, hands flailing as Fiona lifted them off the ground.


    ¡°W-Woah!  Woah!¡±  Grace giggled, holding onto her cowboy hat with a big grin on her face.  ¡°I¡¯m floating in the air!  This is wild!¡±


    Edelira squeaked something in Spanish before crying out, ¡°H-help!  I-I¡¯m ¡­ everyone¡¯s floating?!¡±


    Fiona snickered, spinning Isabel in circles which made her brooding scowl disappear; she was likely still blaming herself for M¨¢ximo¡¯s death.  ¡°Hey!  I ¡­ I feel fifty pounds lighter?!  Is this what it feels like to fly, Ben?¡±


    Benedict rubbed his chin, floating beside Fiona.  ¡°Well ¡­ Probably not how it feels to me, but who can say?  You have amazing powers, Fiona!¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she mused.  ¡°The only person I haven¡¯t been able to float is Selvaria ¡­ Sadly, she just weighs too much.¡±


    Grace gave her a wink while fascinating her hat¡¯s strap under her chin.  ¡°Well, go makin¡¯ me feel special and skinny, why don¡¯t ya?  Eh ¡­ I¡¯m guessin¡¯ ya can¡¯t lift Jim?¡±


    Rachel hovered beside a grinning Scarlet, arms folded as something important popped into her speeding mind, but she kept her silence for the women to finish adapting.  One of the two groups they were going to confront was beginning to draw her attention, too; most of the conversations were in Spanish, but one event, in particular, drew Rachel¡¯s notice ¡­ There was something odd at play here.


    Fiona sucked on the corner of her bottom lip, making a soft sound as she appraised Grace¡¯s bright blue eyes.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Jim is your horse ¡­ No, I don¡¯t think I can lift that much, but we can try.¡±


    Nia obviously had to be a part of the one-way conversation, too; she liked feeling a part of the group.  ¡°Yeah, but he can run on water, Fiona!  He¡¯s gotta be super light!¡±


    Mhm ¡­ It¡¯s probably a Skill that allows it; the horse isn¡¯t actually getting lighter.


    ¡°Humph ¡­ Don¡¯t go absently shooting down my ideas when you¡¯re not really even listening!¡±


    I totally am.  What do you mean?  Rachel evenly replied, still focused on key figures in the distant group.


    ¡°Nuh-uh!  You¡¯re making my head hurt with all the wiggle-wobbly talk ¡­ there¡¯s too much stuff ¡­ Focus on our friends!  Not the stupid, not important people.¡±


    Ouch, way to dismiss their existence.


    ¡°Wha ¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it like ¡­ You¡¯re trying to distract me!¡±


    Is it working?


    ¡°Yes!  I can¡¯t focus on all that stuff ¡­ Oh, Fiona¡¯s trying to lift the horse!  Watch!  Watch!¡±


    Mhm.


    ¡°You¡¯re not watching!¡±


    I can see 120-degrees in full focus, Nia; you know I can see it.


    ¡°But you¡¯re not REALLY looking, and pfft, 120?  Ha!  That¡¯s nothin¡¯!  I¡¯ve got 360 you blind hairy hare!¡±


    Hairy hare ¡­ You know all you are is hair.


    Nia gasped.  ¡°You did not!¡±


    I¡¯m just saying.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hair!  I¡¯m Denier!  Magical, super magical amazing¡­¡±


    Hair.


    ¡°Nuh-uh!¡±


    Uh-huh.


    ¡°Nuh-huh!  Oh, she¡¯s trying to do it!  C¡¯mon, Fiona!  Lift that big horse!¡±


    ¡­ You know the saying about being ¡®as big as a horse¡¯ is there for a reason.


    ¡°Rude!  Jim¡¯s not fat!¡±


    The question is¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t!  Don¡¯t you dare say Nia is fat!¡±


    I wasn¡¯t going to say that.  Rachel mused.


    ¡°No!  You just ¡­ You little rabbity hare!  You made me say it!¡±


    I¡¯m just saying ¡­ I wasn¡¯t going to say it.  Rachel smiled, letting the easily swayed girl carry it on while passively watching Fiona sigh and shake her head, telling Grace it was a no-go.


    ¡°Boooo!  Wait, if I¡¯m fat, then that means you¡¯re fat, fat ass!  Ha!  The Abyss prevails!¡±


    Mhm.  Mhm.  Lunar Abyss prevails.


    ¡°No!  No!  Dark Abyss prevails!¡±


    Right ¡­ so, you¡¯re saying Nia is fat because she has to cover my fat ass?


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one that ¡­ No I¡¯m not fat¡ªwait, yeah ¡­ no ¡­ yeah!  Ha!  I win!!¡±


    Mirroring Selvaria¡¯s hyper-emotionless cheer, Rachel gave an imaginary punch into the air.  Wooh, Nia wins.


    ¡°Mua-ha-ha-ha ¡­ WAIT!  You set this whole thing up!  I was distracted!¡±


    I¡¯m still watching and listening ¡­ No big deal, Ms. 360.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Okay, Lunar Abyss ¡­ Okay ¡­ The Dark Leader will give you a pass this time, but we need to talk about respecting the authority of the leader.¡±


    Who¡¯s the master?


    ¡°Who¡¯s the leader?!¡±


    A temporary truce to deal with the fodder and big boss?


    ¡°... You drive a hard bargain, but I must feed!  To the enemy, Lunar Abyss!  Darkness awaits¡­¡±


    In a second.


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Fiona was about to take off when Rachel cleared her throat.  ¡°Hold on,¡± Rachel smiled at Grace as the Fairy slowed them to another stop fifty feet above the ground.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Scarlet asked, hands behind her back as she casually glanced around the night, prison spotlights brightening the sky to watch the next wave of supplies rolling in.


    ¡°Fiona ¡­ Grace is levitating with us.¡±


    Her comment drew a confused look from everyone, but Fiona and Scarlet soon caught on.


    ¡°Is ¡­ that bad?¡±  Grace slowly mumbled, vision darting between them.


    Fiona¡¯s lips parted, and she gave her a thumbs up.  ¡°It means, you see us as friendly¡ªwell, at least neutral!  You don¡¯t see us as enemies!¡±


    Scarlet giggled.  ¡°Actually, better lie detector than Maria.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Rachel smirked, ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not really a ¡®lie detector,¡¯ but you¡¯re not wrong about determining if someone¡¯s on our side.¡±


    Grace¡¯s mouth was open, mind working on trying and piecing together their conversation while Edelira and Isabel were utterly lost.  Benedict seemed to catch on, though.


    The brown-haired girl¡¯s querying eyes slowly rose into a pleasant surprise.  ¡°So ¡­ Oh ¡­ Oh!  So you¡¯re not suspicious of me anymore?  I¡¯m ¡­ not being held at bloodpoint?¡±  she asked, looking at Scarlet.  ¡°No more, heh, squeezing Grace until milk comes out?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s hand smacked her forehead.  ¡°Geez ¡­ Never gonna let that go, are you?¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡±  she laughed, and even Edelira and Isabel¡¯s expressions lightened a bit at her jokes.  ¡°I grew up on a farm, Ma¡¯am, and milkin¡¯ is the norm.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡±  Scarlet hissed, glancing away.  ¡°What kind of farm ¡­ Know what, never mind.¡±


    Grace gave her a toothy wink, ¡°A Milk Farm!  What else?  He-he-he-he.  By the way, did you know you can sell breast milk for, like ¡­ literal bank?!  Crazy, there was this one gal back in Arizona I knew ¡­ Oh, he-he¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Rachel cut her off, causing her jaw to snap shut and pull her fingers across it in a zipping motion.


    Edelira¡¯s head tilted toward her sister.  ¡°... Americans are weird.¡±


    ¡°I know ¡­ Shouldn¡¯t we go?¡±  Isabel returned, but her laughter was forced, not as into it as she probably would have been, had a significant weight not been on her conscience.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, I¡¯m so down,¡± Benedict laughed.


    Rachel took a breath between the discussion, ears twitching a little, and a bit surprised, Scarlet caught the action.


    ¡°Hey ¡­ Something up, Rachel?¡±


    Everyone settled down, their focus moving to her.


    Rachel¡¯s mouth tightened.  ¡°I think one group is being used as human shields or decoys, and the other is the real threat.¡±


    ¡°Scums,¡± Fiona instantly growled, and Rachel couldn¡¯t disagree after their experience in Miami Beach.  ¡°Can¡¯t villains come up with anything better?¡±


    ¡°If it ain¡¯t broke, right?¡±  Benedict¡¯s laughter slowly strained from Scarlet and Fiona¡¯s critical looks.  ¡°... Yeah, it¡¯s horrible.  Eh, what¡¯s the plan, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Her glowing pink-eclipse eyes moved to the Pixy, causing him to stiffen.


    ¡°Y-Yes?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the Rachel special!  Give him the Abyss Stare!  He-he-he!  Make him squirm as my threads pull him into the deep!¡±


    ¡°... Do you have a sleep or a trance-like dust or powder?¡±


    ¡°... Yeah, that ¡­ totally would work¡­¡±


    Combine Fiona¡¯s wind with a little special sleep dust, and what do you get¡­


    ¡°The Wind of a Million Angel-Demon Wings of the Sleeping Abyss!¡±


    That ¡­ is quite the name.


    ¡°Hm-Hm-Hmm!  I know; aren¡¯t I the best namer!¡±


    Fiona¡¯s hand shot to her mouth.  ¡°Woah, actually, that would be so useful, and I could trap them in a wind prison to cycle it inside!¡±


    Rachel nodded with a slight smirk.  ¡°The Wind of a Million Angel-Demon Wings of the Sleeping Abyss, according to Nia.¡±


    Scarlet hid her laughter; Rachel gave her a dull look, wanting to say, ¡®You know this is your fault,¡¯ causing Nia to chime in.


    ¡°Yeah!  The Crimson Cheeks of the Red Blood Sucker that Consumes the Pumping Deeps is to blame!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed, her lower lip pulling in a bit.  I ¡­ Nia, that could be taken in many ways that ¡­ I don¡¯t think you mean.


    ¡°He-he-he!  Nia¡¯s the best multi-meaninger word crafter in the universe!  Praise The Leader!¡±


    Yeah ¡­ Okay.  Rachel gave her an internal chuckle and slow clap.  I can¡¯t say I would ever think of that title for Scarlet ¡­ or tell her.


    Isabel pulled into herself, passively nodding.  Her sister folded her arms, worried eyes studying her sister.  ¡°That would be a¡­¡±  The wind picked up and blew her hair around her face.  ¡°Mmgh-mmgh-hmm¡­¡±  She grunted in annoyance, trying to tame it.


    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± Fiona whispered, creating a shield around them as every other girl beside Grace did the same.


    On the other hand, Benedict¡¯s expression slowly fell as everyone commented on his supposed powers.  ¡°... I ¡­ don¡¯t really have that.¡±


    Scarlet waved her hand.  ¡°No problem; you probably have a bunch of saved points since you haven¡¯t been really using them¡ªI assume, heh ¡­ eh-he-he-he.  Do you?¡±


    ¡°Points?¡±  He looked at his hand, forehead furrowing.  ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.  I¡¯ve just got this powder stuff that confuses people and makes them kind of hallucinate.¡±


    Fiona floated around to give him an encouraging smile, the first she¡¯d given the Pixy, which seemed to have an effect.  ¡°Just do what I say¡ªin your mind, ask for something you want, and if it¡¯s possible, then you¡¯ll get it.¡±


    Edelira giggled softly.  ¡°You ¡­ You can¡¯t be serious?  Just ask my mind for something, and it will give it to me?  Did you hear that, Izzy ¡­ Izzy?¡±


    Isabel jolted a little.  ¡°Hmm?  Oh, yeah, Edel ¡­ What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t our fault,¡± Edelira whispered.  ¡°Are you still upset about¡­¡±


    ¡°No!  No, heh¡ªyou know me,¡± she scoffed, brushing back her hair before swapping to Spanish for a short back and forth with her sister.  Edelira¡¯s worried eyes didn¡¯t appear convinced by her twin¡¯s words.


    They both fell quiet as Benedict¡¯s mouth opened in disbelief, running his fingers through the side of his head.  ¡°No way ¡­ Will that work with ¡­ with anything?¡±


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Scarlet chuckled.


    Rachel motioned to get their attention.  ¡°We need to hurry.  What did you gain?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ How do I explain ¡­ It tells me everything?!¡±  he mumbled in utter shock.  ¡°Woah ¡­ this is awesome!¡±


    ¡°Just like a video game!¡±  Scarlet grinned.


    Edelira nudged her sister as Fiona floated them together, noticing her concern.  ¡°Heh, did you hear that, Izzy?  Video games ¡­ We don¡¯t really have many of those in Cuba; am I right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ yeah ¡­ No, we¡¯ve never seen one.  So, umm ¡­ yeah, you have some kind of new power, Ben?¡±


    ¡°Yo, check it!¡±  He rubbed his hands together, flying close to Isabel and flicking his arms in her direction, causing a burst of sparkling pink dust in her face.


    ¡°W-What ¡­ Hey!  I ¡­ I¡­¡±  Isabel snapped out of her melancholy mood in an instant before her eyes drooped a bit, and her muscles loosened.  ¡°Huh ¡­ uh ¡­ hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Ben, what did you do?!¡±  Edelira gasped.  ¡°Izzy?!  Izzy!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine!¡±  Ben giggled, the twin¡¯s shaking motions waking Isabel.


    The woman twitched, blinking rapidly before holding her head; her eyes darted left and right as if just waking from a deep sleep.  ¡°What ¡­ What¡¯s going on ¡­ I ¡­ I was ¡­ Ben ¡­ Did you just throw some¡­¡±


    She swapped to Spanish with the other two for a few words before giving him a dirty look.  He returned a sheepish grin, turning back to Rachel.  ¡°I can create dust that will make them turn into zombies!  Well, kind of ¡­ basically, their mind checks out, and they freeze where they are¡ªstanding, they¡¯ll still be standing, and the like ¡­ going to sit, they¡¯ll trip and fall on their back or something ¡­ I guess?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°How long will it last?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ five minutes if it¡¯s not reapplied, but it cuts in half every time.¡±


    Scarlet popped her tongue.  ¡°Stupid diminishing returns.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll work ¡­ Fiona, let¡¯s go¡ªBenedict, Fiona¡¯s going to trap them, you spray, and Scarlet, you know what to do when the time¡¯s about to run out.¡±


    The sharp-toothed girl gave her a salute.  ¡°Setup time, ladies and gentlemen!  We¡¯re getting good at it.¡±


    Fiona gradually increased their speed, following Rachel¡¯s fingers on where to go.


    ¡°You can do two barriers, Fiona?¡±


    ¡°What do you take me for, some weak newbie?¡±  she asked with a smirk.


    ¡°Three?¡±  Rachel pressed with a small smile as Nia mirrored her responses.


    Fiona¡¯s glowing green eyes looked ahead.  ¡°Ah ¡­ he-he-he, so, umm ¡­ they¡¯re going to be in a tighter group.  Right?  I mean, we have limited sugar and all¡­¡±


    Scarlet pointed at the small carrying bag she¡¯d taken out of one of the packs.  ¡°Nope!  I got you covered, Sister!¡±


    ¡°Eh-he-he ¡­ great.¡±


    ¡°Two?¡±  Rachel asked, hands folded under her chest with a smirk as they streaked across the sky, glowing bound hair weaving behind her.


    ¡°Two ¡­ geez, someone decided to go on a Legend¡¯s Quest without me,¡± she mumbled, eyeing Gisele and her Rabbit Gang.  ¡°I don¡¯t have cool outfits and didn¡¯t get insane experience.¡±


    ¡°Sorry!¡±  Scarlet said, frowning as she adjusted her white shorts and loosening her belt a bit.  ¡°You know, I swear I get a bit thinner when my blood leaves my body.¡±


    Nia gasped.  ¡°Did she call herself fat?!¡±


    Rachel hummed, eyeing Scarlet¡¯s figure.  ¡°Maybe ¡­ Nia says you¡¯ve got a fat ass.¡±


    ¡°Wha ¡­ No, I didn¡¯t!  I didn¡¯t!  I didn¡¯t!  I DIDN¡¯T!¡±


    Are you saying she doesn¡¯t have a shapely ass?  Oh, I¡¯ll tell her.


    ¡°Y-You can¡¯t do me like this!  I can¡¯t even defend myself!  Meanie!  Meanie rabbit!¡±


    ¡°She said what?!¡±  Scarlet asked, and Fiona snickered while manipulating the levitation to allow her to look behind herself as they flew.  ¡°I mean ¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as big as yours, but ¡­ I did wear her¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh!  My!  Goodness!  She actually thinks it¡¯s true!  What have you done, Lunar Abyss!¡±


    Pulled Scarlet Abyss further into your snare, she innocently returned.  She won¡¯t stop thinking about you now.  Think about it!


    ¡°No!  You didn¡¯t ¡­ mmh ¡­ Why is it suddenly so hard to read your emotions?¡±


    Win-win for both of us!


    ¡°Wait a minute, are ¡­ are you setting all this up so you can tell me you don¡¯t have a fat ass when I call you that ¡­ oh my, gosh, it¡¯s to throw it over to Scarlet!  You devious little hare, Lunar Abyss ¡­ I LOVE IT!  He-he-he-he!¡±


    Scarlet blushed a little, her blue irises shooting to an amused Benedict, but Grace was holding her stomach with silent laughter at the banter.  Edelira and Isabel were passively following the conversation.


    Fiona lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ I don¡¯t know, Nia ¡­ Sure, Scarlet does have a nice caboose but ¡­ heh, but she doesn¡¯t have that Irish butt ¡­ My sister would kill me for saying that,¡± she laughed.


    ¡°Irish butt?¡±  Grace asked.  ¡°Hold on, heh, are you talkin¡¯ about that one saying ¡­ ¡®At least the gal doesn¡¯t have an Irish ass¡¯ because ¡­ heh, I¡¯ve never really thought about it.¡±


    Scarlet seemed to be a little embarrassed by having Benedict there as they casually talked about her rear-end, but it was a part of her charm, and his size seemed to help her treat the Pixy a bit differently than most boys since she kept it going.  ¡°Eh ¡­ What¡¯s that mean?¡±


    Fiona puffed out a sigh, yet a smile moved her cheeks while shifting course a little in Rachel''s motioned direction.  ¡°Well, you see ¡­ Irish girls are known to have¡ªahem, small back-sides, and I was one of the few with a decent trunk, but my sister¡­¡±  She scratched her neck, forcing a laugh.  ¡°Yeah, she didn¡¯t really enjoy that saying, but maybe that¡¯s changed now.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Yeah, her new Cheetah body has a nice shape.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!  We¡¯re all looking good!  Everyone in the Secret Society of Denier has ¡­ oh, what¡¯s the word I learned from Scarlet ¡­ dummy-thick bods!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Everyone looked at Rachel in confusion, but she turned her eyes to Scarlet.  ¡°Dummy-thick bods?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s cheeks flamed.  ¡°S-She did not just say that!¡±


    ¡°She learned it from you.¡±


    ¡°No-ho-ho-ho ¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Nia!¡±  Scarlet cried, burying her face in her hands.


    Edelira seemed to have had enough.  ¡°W-What are you talking about?  Aren¡¯t we going into battle?¡±


    Nia snickered.  ¡°Pfft!  Battle?  Good one!¡±


    Fiona shrugged, watching the rabbit blobs spin in circles with Gisele doing some kind of strange mid-air bird dance.  ¡°Meh ¡­ Rachel doesn¡¯t seem concerned about them ¡­ I like the moves Gisele¡ªoh, Jessy showed you a video of some birds doing it.  Nice!¡±


    Grace clapped.  ¡°Yeah!  Very showy; you¡¯ll get all the boy birds ¡­ she¡¯s a girl, right?  Wait ¡­ do girl birds do dances?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Fiona mumbled, thoughtfully scratching her head.  ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a girl, and she can understand English and Korean since those are the languages Rachel knows.¡±


    ¡°Nice!¡±


    Before Rachel could comment on how her bird knew Korean, Isabel cleared her throat.  ¡°Umm ¡­ You¡¯ve told Ben what you want him to do, but ¡­ What about us?¡±


    ¡°Nothin¡¯, I assumed,¡± Grace replied.  ¡°Rachel seems like she¡¯s the planner of the outfit¡ªI¡¯m just glad I didn¡¯t get squeezed into juice!¡±  She wiped her brow.  ¡°Heh, I had a few close calls there, eh, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Stop it,¡± Scarlet groaned, trying to calm her burning cheeks.  ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve got it, Isabel¡ªpretty easy swoop and stun strat.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Rachel pointed at a wide paved road.  ¡°They¡¯re coming up¡ªthe left side of the road first; we¡¯ll separate them once they¡¯re stunned.¡±


    Scarlet took a long breath before smiling.  ¡°I¡¯ve got a new thing I wanted to try!¡±


    Fiona held a hand to her sly smirk.  ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m a little scared.  Where did this inspiration come from?¡±


    ¡°Anime,¡± Rachel instantly replied.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    ¡°Was it?¡±


    ¡°... Yes.¡±


    ¡°Knew it!¡±


    ¡°Even Nia¡¯s saying anime is always the answer.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s manga, too¡­¡±  Scarlet grumbled.


    Grace hummed, seeming to look right at their target three miles away on the winding dark road; Fiona was already making their descent, moving in from the left side.  ¡°Huh.  Honestly, I have never seen an anime.¡±


    Scarlet pulled back her hair as they dipped toward the ground.  ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve seen this new one ¡­ What¡¯s the U.S. name ¡­ Spirit Eater?¡±  Benedict stated, pointing at the twins.  ¡°They loved the whole thing!¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyes snapped to the Pixy.  ¡°New ¡­ Even I know that¡¯s like ¡­ super old ¡­ Did it just get here?  Oh, here, put a bunch of dust in here¡­¡±


    Benedict flew a bit to the left, able to move through the air without Fiona¡¯s magical aid.  A rush of invisible wind generating into a vortex that sucked in anything that touched, which naturally had the Pixy skittish.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±  he asked, hesitating for a moment before filling the space with his powder; the globe became visible as pink sparkles condensed into a thick sphere of dust.  ¡°I mean, it¡¯s hard to tell sometimes since it¡¯s hard to get¡ªmostly the stuff that gets sold in back streets or passed around between friends since it¡¯s gotta be downloaded and transferred from the internet.¡±


    ¡°Is it that bad?¡±  Fiona muttered, correcting their course to skim across the canopy of the jungle, still following Rachel¡¯s pointed finger.  ¡°Oh, and the second sphere¡ªjust makes it an easy tag-and-drop.¡±


    He sighed.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ The internet''s super slow, and it¡¯s tough to get access to that kind of stuff around our small city.¡±


    ¡°Sad ¡­ Okay, here we go!  Eh ¡­ What are those?!¡±  Scarlet¡¯s red halo irises appeared as they dove on the group.


    They were cruising at such a high speed that both groups had no clue what hit them; Fiona¡¯s Wind Prison expanded to its maximum width to pull the first group of twenty-five and the next of twelve.


    Rachel touched down in the middle of the pitch-black night road as snarls and shouts were heard, but moments later, their muscles loosened, and their eyes glazed.  Only two from the group of twelve managed to resist the dust, yet Scarlet was on point, blood shooting into the prison to wrap around both of their necks, bind their wrists and legs, pulling them into the air.


    Scarlet landed beside her, digging around in her backpack as the two men¡¯s eyes bulged, floating a foot off the ground while choking.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Where did I stick that gum ¡­ I¡¯ve been craving something to chew, and ¡­ Do I have bad breath ¡­ I thought about it on the way over¡ªby the way, these things aren¡¯t normal dogs¡ªovergrown mutated wolfhounds with rabbies?¡±  she mumbled in question.  ¡°We¡¯ve gotta be talking Relica shit here¡ªoh, I found it!  Want one?¡±


    Isabel and Edelira touched down with Benedict, staring at the attacking force coming to destroy their home.


    ¡°Did my dust ¡­ Did it really do all that?¡±  Benedict asked in shock.  ¡°It was ¡­ so quick?  It¡¯s usually so hard to get over them to spread it.¡±


    Smug grin on point, Fiona folded her arms across her tiny bust.  ¡°Fu-fu-fu ¡­ stick with me, kid, and I¡¯ll show you how it¡¯s done!¡±


    ¡°Is ¡­ that a reference to something?¡±  he asked, looking closer at the strange wolf-like dogs.  ¡°They don¡¯t look like ¡­ Is that a wolfman Beastkin?¡±


    Rachel walked to the outside of the wind barrier, still tinted with pink sparkles.  The wolfman and five wolf-dogs were standing around the group of women and children; a single female Moose Beastkin with most of her left antlers and right ear were broken and torn.


    Isabel and Edelira looked somewhat lost as they rubbed their arms, spinning around to examine if there was anything they could do.  Grace summoned Jim to pet him; Hayan, Rose, Coral, and Gisele getting closer to see who the new guy was.


    ¡°Hey!  Seems your pets have taken a shine to ol¡¯ Jim!  Eh, they won¡¯t try to eat him.  Right?¡±


    Gisele gave an indignant squawk, but the Rabbit Gang¡¯s expressions turned sinister while glancing at Rachel.


    ¡°Heh ... no, they won¡¯t.  Coral, Rose, Hayan, go into Fiona¡¯s prison and guard those twelve.¡±


    ¡°My dust!¡±  Benedict blurted.  ¡°It¡ªIt¡¯s not cleared out¡­¡±


    Her little blobs gave him a jagged grin and hopped inside, spinning a bit in the air from the swift current; their ears and tails disappeared while pulling in, and when they landed, reappeared, turning triumphantly as if completing a challenge.


    ¡°... Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ they¡¯re good,¡± Rachel absently replied, keeping her focus on the beasts.  ¡°The wolves weren¡¯t with them at first ¡­ They came later, but I somehow missed it.  There must be some kind of teleporter that got them close when I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡±


    ¡°Talk about mutant dogs, huh?¡± Scarlet mumbled, staying at the center of the road to not be too far from her blood; she eased up on the choking and instead filled their mouths with the liquid, causing their chests to convulse as they hacked.  ¡°I mean, teleporting mutants ¡­ they look like this ¡­ Do you think Relica¡¯s involved?¡±


    ¡°Relica?  No way!¡±  Fiona¡¯s nose creased.  ¡°Is that witch causing us trouble again?¡±


    Rachel slowly shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t think this is her¡ªit¡¯s not her style.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ I guess it isn¡¯t really flashy enough,¡± Scarlet agreed.  ¡°We know she has some kind of stake here, though; she¡¯ll show up eventually, and¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Fiona¡¯s voice dropped a bit, watching the two men struggle in their bonds, one creating bright blue swords of light in the air that Scarlet¡¯s blood absently eviscerated during construction.  ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ You don¡¯t think your Mom is here?¡±


    A shiver ran down Scarlet¡¯s spine as she hugged herself; the short delay allowed one of the swords to form, but it was instantly trapped and torn apart again.  ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t know.  I¡¯d rather not think about it¡ªthese wolves, though¡ªor are they dogs?¡±


    ¡°I could try talking to them?¡±  Fiona pointed out.


    Isabel walked over to them in a daze.  ¡°It ¡­ It can¡¯t be this easy.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Fiona giggled.  ¡°This ¡­ This is nothing compared to the things we normally do¡ªa few days ago, Rachel, my sister, and I were fighting alien mist monsters with thousands of tentacles and eldritch powers.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ You didn¡¯t tell me about that.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t about to tell Mom,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°Anyway, yes, we need answers, and¡­¡±


    ¡°Already on it!¡±  Scarlet chimed, turning and skipping over to the opposite shield where the two men were practically pissing themselves upon seeing her hollow black eyes and red halo pupils center on them.  ¡°Hello, boys!  We have a few questions.¡±


    Rachel followed after her, scanning the jungle for any more surprises, but nothing was jumping out at her.  I suppose these three groups would have probably been enough to handle most of the fighting force they were up against, but ¡­ something¡¯s off.


    Grace walked over with Jim, Gisele perched on his saddle.  ¡°Oh!  Well, eh, he-he-he ¡­ interrogation time ¡­ Umm ¡­ You guys know there are like twelve more of those wolves lurking a few hundred meters away?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears stiffened, scanning the jungle for the slightest sounds and filtering through everything she could to find anything similar.  ¡°What?  No ¡­ I didn¡¯t know that ¡­ I can¡¯t hear them.  Where?¡±


    Grace adjusted her hat.  ¡°Eh ¡­ well, I can¡¯t be certain now that we¡¯ve landed, but when we were up in the air, I spotted a few skulking around small clearings.  Umm ¡­ somewhere in ¡­ that direction ¡­ there ¡­ I think about eighty meters ¡­ that way?¡±  she mumbled.


    ¡°Scarlet?¡±


    Her void eyes filtered out the trees, looking for the wolf-hounds.  ¡°Uh ... Wow ¡­ Rachel ¡­ there¡¯s nineteen ¡­ twenty-one of them within the mile, and umm ¡­ they¡¯re looking this way.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s nose twisted with frustration, but she took a calming breath, letting the sliver of a moon ease her discomfort.  ¡°What is up with the creatures bypassing my hearing lately,¡± she grumbled.  ¡°It¡¯s my highest skill.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s arms crossed under her bust.  ¡°I ¡­ think I have an answer¡ªthey¡¯re like shadows right now; they don¡¯t have flesh and blood, but these ones by the people do.¡±


    ¡°Creepy,¡± Grace whispered.  ¡°Ghost wolves, huh ¡­ Just another day?  What¡¯s the play against shadow wolves?¡±  she asked, spotting the gum partially exposed in Scarlet¡¯s front right pocket.  ¡°Oh, sweet!  Pass me some gum!¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Scarlet absently tossed the pack to her.  ¡°Uh ¡­ I can handle them¡ªyou know how good I am at covering short teleport attacks, but that would leave these guys.¡±


    Edelira released a low sound.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ What do you plan to do with them?¡±


    ¡°Answers,¡± Rachel stated, no longer comfortable after discovering enemies she couldn¡¯t hear coming.  ¡°Don¡¯t bother with them right now, Scarlet; just keep an eye out for their movements¡ªthey¡¯ll likely attack soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Are we dealing with a werewolf?¡±  Fiona asked.  ¡°Shadow werewolf ¡­ that turns other dogs and people into ¡­ werewolves ¡­ Okay, I don¡¯t know, it sounds weird, but we¡¯ve seen stranger things ¡­ Relica¡¯s human mutants, for one.¡±


    Scarlet released the gag on the men.


    Yago, the middle-aged man to the left, coughed and vomited across his front.  ¡°Blegh ¡­ ack¡­¡±  he spat.  ¡°W-Who are you ¡­ What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Grace stuck her stick of gum in her mouth.  ¡°Didn¡¯t Rachel already tell you?  Answers, bud.  What are ya doin¡¯ here with all these people.  Don¡¯t be wantin¡¯ a hard piece of blood bein¡¯ shoved up your ass now, do we?  I mean, some people have that fetish, ya know¡ªheh, gotta ask.¡±


    Scarlet gave her a look that said, ¡®I do not want to stick my blood up some dude¡¯s ass!¡¯


    It seemed to be a good threat, though, because Rachel heard his cheeks reflexively tighten.  ¡°Woah!  Woah!  I¡ªI don¡¯t speak English much¡­¡±


    Edelira dryly spoke in Spanish, causing him to stutter.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ heh, uh ¡­ well¡­¡±


    The second man was younger and suddenly began shouting in Spanish ¡­ until Isabel mumbled, ¡°Is he talking tongues to you, too, or is this some kind of crazy English I don¡¯t know?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s blood sharped into a dagger while darting into his mouth and causing the boy¡¯s entire body to freeze.  ¡°Hmm ... A spell, huh?  A Magus Champion, are you?  Will it work if I cut your tongue into strips?  I know someone good that can patch it back up so we can start over again!¡±


    The elder¡¯s face darkened with a smirk, but there was real fear in his voice.  ¡°Heh ¡­ he-he-he ¡­ We may die, but ¡®The Beast¡¯ will have you!¡±


    ¡°Know English, after all?¡±  Rachel asked, pressing her gum against her cheek for a moment.  ¡°I¡¯m going to make this very clear.  No, no ¡­ I¡¯m talking right now,¡± she said, hushing him.  ¡°You will say yes, or no or I don¡¯t understand, at which, one of these two ladies will ask in Spanish.  Now ¡­ Who is the attacker and who is the shield.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t¡­¡±


    He cut off as arcs of electricity crackled around his head before falling to the earth; his hair stood on end a little from the charged energy.  Sparks danced around Fiona¡¯s yellow and green aura.  ¡°Have you ever felt a million volts of electricity blacken your hand?¡±


    It was a lie, but again, an adequate showing that he believed.


    ¡°I ¡­ Okay!¡±


    Tears were falling out of the boy¡¯s eyes as he tried to shake his head.


    Scarlet removed the knife.  ¡°Got something to add?¡±


    His chest puffed up and down as he hesitantly spoke in Spanish to Edelira.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ he says their families are held hostage¡ªthey cannot talk, or a fate worse than death will befall them.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head turned to the opposite group.  ¡°... Reapply the dust, Benedict.¡±


    ¡°On it!¡±


    ¡°Oh?  Is there someone that can turn people into things like that?¡±  Grace held her hands behind her back, casually chewing her gum while her blue eyes shifted between the two areas.


    Isabel repeated the question, and the answer came shortly after.  ¡°Woah  ... He says they have no choice ¡­ Camag¨¹ey is a living hell¡ªhe¡¯s seen hundreds of skeletons hanging from the houses of those that defy the Demon ¡­ He can¡¯t let that happen to his family¡­¡±


    The boy was sobbing, and the elderly man was mirroring him; Rachel couldn¡¯t detect any jumps that might indicate a lie from their bodies.  Both of them coughed as Benedict reapplied his dazzling pink dust.


    ¡°What should we do?¡±  Fiona asked, concerned green eyes turning to her.  ¡°That sounds even worse than Miami Beach.¡±


    Several shadowy wolves jumped out of the foliage, rushing them, and in that second, they materialized into flesh and blood; Rachel turned to confront them when seven rapid shots lit up the night, and one after the other.  All the wolves tumbled to a dead stop, red light shining out of their skulls as black blood leaked out.


    She slowly turned to see Grace chewing her gum, hands moving away from her smoking revolver to end on her left hip, gun back in its holster.  ¡°Huh ¡­ I was expecting some¡­¡±


    The girl trailed off as the men started to yell something, and the wolves twitched¡ªit only happened once, and then they were still.  Silence ensued, and after ten seconds, the men started to mumble.


    Edelira rubbed her neck uncomfortably.  ¡°They¡¯re wondering ¡­ why they¡¯re not coming back to life.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well¡ªI mean, ya really have to ask?¡±  Grace giggled, posture relaxing again.  ¡°My bullets aren¡¯t just for show!  Got a bunch from this gunsmith I knew back in the States before comin¡¯¡ªhe said he was the Legend of Eliphalet Remington, if ya believe it, ha-ha!  Was in some company I know and said if I¡¯m goin¡¯ outta country, I should bring some decent ammo!  Gonna have to thank him when I get back¡ªgood fella with a heart, heh, but I think he was takin¡¯ in by my pretty blue eyes!¡±


    The information instantly caught Rachel¡¯s notice, but she filed it away.  ¡°Interesting ¡­ Ask them if they know who will cause trouble and who are prisoners.¡±


    Yago answered immediately.  ¡°I will show you, but ¡­ please, please, save my family ¡­ stop the carnage!¡±  he cried.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ I¡¯m letting you go,¡± Scarlet tentatively said.


    Rachel¡¯s jaw locked in agitation as twelve more wolf-dogs shot out of the brush from different angles, mind accelerating.  However, Grace was on point, and now that the cowgirl was in view, she watched her take out her .44 Magnum revolver, swing at lightning speeds, and fire before spinning the chamber while taking aim at the next group with her bullets somehow reloading.


    Red streaks shot through the air, hitting them a second after turning to flesh and blood, and before they could take three steps, all of them were lying limp on the ground, twitching once before going still.  The loud sounds could have woken the dead, though, and Benedict had to hastily reapply his dust again.


    ¡°Persistent buggers, eh?¡±  Grace mumbled.  ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d need more than a few dozen of these bullets¡ªshoot; I¡¯m runnin¡¯ low on the mid-grade stuff,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°Mid-grade?¡±  Fiona asked, covering her ears as she shot.


    Yago was shakily stumbling to each one of the captors, pointing them out for Scarlet to separate with her blood.  Edelira and Isabel spoke with the boy, whose name Rachel hadn¡¯t heard.


    Rachel wanted the whole thing to be finished to get some answers on what was making these shadow-wolf creatures that could bypass her hearing; she suspected this person called ¡®The Beast,¡¯ but that was just a guess.


    Grace shrugged.  ¡°The high-grade bullets are ¡­ eh ¡­ let¡¯s just say not friendly to my gun¡ªgonna figure out how to make them have less kick because it makes my revolver inoperable for like twenty-four hours and, well ¡­ that¡¯s a long time when you need a gun!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can see that¡ªuh, that was awesome, by the way,¡± Fiona mumbled, condensing the prison around the group that Yago pointed out.  ¡°So ¡­ All of those others are good?¡±  she asked, pointing at the group of women and children.


    Yago shook his head, his body still trembling.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I know two of them were kind of ¡­ Well, not friendly with them, but ¡­ I don¡¯t know about that one.¡±


    Grace¡¯s cheeks blushed a little at Fiona¡¯s comments.  ¡°Stop it!  You¡¯re just butterin¡¯ me up; it was nothin¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Just point them out,¡± Scarlet sighed, giving the cowgirl a rueful shake of her head.  ¡°Oh, and you two keep an eye on those other ones, just in case,¡± she ordered, pointing at Isabel and Edelira; it was the first time Rachel saw the girl start giving out commands.


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of her!¡±  Nia cried.  ¡°She¡¯s becoming a big boss!  Oh, but not as big as Nia!  Mua-ha-ha-ha!  I am the Leader of¡­¡±


    The Secret Society of Denier; I know.


    ¡°You gotta let me finish!  Humph¡­¡±


    Nia went into sulk mode, which made Rachel at least a little less on edge.  Still, she had a bad gut feeling with the information they had.


    She motioned for Benedict to come to her as Edelira transformed into her gun, Isabel grabbing her sister out of the air to have at the ready.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ Yeah, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ can you talk to that guy and figure out exactly what¡¯s happening in Camag¨¹ey?  I need to know if he has information on what Mythickin or Legendkin is running the show because ¡­ this seems like mass slaughter on a scale we haven¡¯t seen yet if he¡¯s already this advanced in his abilities.¡±


    He swallowed at her grave tone and moved to talk to the young man, huddling on the ground and quivering while trying to wash his mouth out with his fingers, likely experiencing some after-effects of Scarlet¡¯s blood.


    After putting Benedict on info gathering, Rachel moved to help Fiona and Scarlet with the second group; it wouldn¡¯t be long before the dust lost its effect.  ¡°Grace ¡­ good job,¡± Rachel said with a welcoming smile.  ¡°You might be a good fit after all; keep a perimeter.¡±


    She popped another stick of gum in her mouth with a bright grin before giving her a salute.  ¡°On it, Boss!  Uh ¡­ by the way ¡­ heh, I really, ¡®really¡¯ need a drink soon.¡±


    Rachel waved her hand.  ¡°I understand it¡¯s mandatory like Scarlet and blood or Fiona and sugar; we¡¯ll get you some.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Boss!  Yeah ¡­ on the perimeter!  Nothin¡¯s gettin¡¯ past me, Boss!¡±


    Tail still stiff and ears shifting left and right, Rachel raised her fist as acknowledgment, trying to find anything she might have missed.  Her paranoid mind searched for trouble since something had already been proven to be indetectable to her hearing.


    These shadow wolves aren¡¯t some run-of-the-mill pups ¡­ they¡¯re as big as wolves.  The issue is if this is only the base ability and just fodder¡ªresurrecting soundless shadow wolves ¡­ that can¡¯t be it.


    ¡°How¡¯re things going?¡±  Rachel asked, meeting up with Scarlet, Fiona, and Yago.


    Scarlet scratched her temple, glancing around at the throng.  ¡°I cut the wolves apart ¡­ It seems they can¡¯t come back if there¡¯s too much damage.  I guess you heard Yago say those two women were kind of distant from the others, being allowed to hang back every once in a while to talk¡ªso, I have them in the unknown prison¡ªwolf-dude is totally going to the others.¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±  Rachel mumbled.  Two individuals caught her attention immediately.  A small Beastkin little girl that resembled a guinea pig, the tall moose-lady she¡¯d seen, standing beside the girl, and a small boy holding the girl¡¯s hand.  ¡°None of them are strong enough to counter Benedict¡¯s dust ¡­ at least their resistances aren¡¯t that high, and they don''t appear to have any defensive abilities.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡±  Scarlet¡¯s eyes creased.  ¡°I mean, Glass Cannon is a thing, too ¡­ look at Fiona.¡±


    ¡°I have high resistances!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but a spider could take you out¡ªliterally.¡±


    Fiona shivered, hugging herself.  ¡°Ugh ¡­ don¡¯t remind me!¡±


    The group slowly began to snap out of their daze, stumbling around and falling over; it must have been bizarre, blinking, and suddenly all your captors were either cut to ribbons or locked in a tight pink dust-filled circular sphere.


    Rachel¡¯s ears darted left as she turned to face Benedict, rushing over to her.


    ¡°Hey!  Hey!  Umm ¡­ so, he said there is this big scary blue-skinned demon that¡¯s giving all the orders ¡­ he said something about ¡­ what was the name ¡­ Abezethibou, and the wolves ¡­ eh, how would I translate it,¡± he groaned, ¡°it¡¯s so ¡­ mmh¡­¡±


    ¡°Take your time,¡± Fiona urged.  ¡°I have no clue what an Abezethibou is, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ Okay,¡± he took a few deep breaths, looking at the waking crowd as Scarlet went between them, assuring them they were alright now.  ¡°The streets are ¡­ they¡¯re full of skeletons because ¡­ well, they don¡¯t leave anything but the bones behind, and everything¡¯s sealed off by this massive barrier.  Only those that have the right credentials can go out.¡±


    ¡°Insane,¡± Fiona mumbled, looking at Rachel.  ¡°A barrier that blocks an entire city?  I¡¯m the Fairy with the magical stuff here, and that¡¯s uber impossible for me.¡±


    ¡°Continue,¡± Rachel said, eyes narrowing at the news.


    ¡°Right ¡­ Umm ¡­ there are these hounds that patrol the streets, and ¡­ and they¡¯re controlled by wolf people that look like ¡­ well, that guy,¡± he said with a shiver, watching Fiona float the struggling manbeast to the opposite prison.


    ¡°D-Death will find you ¡­ The Beast comes for your heart!¡±  he snarled.  ¡°I will feast on your¡­¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re done,¡± Scarlet mumbled, filling his sharp-toothed mouth with her blood.  ¡°... It¡¯s always murder rampage with people like you ¡­ geez, chill.¡±


    ¡°Seems like a nice fella,¡± Grace chuckled, waving him off.  ¡°Hi ¡­ Bye!¡±


    ¡°The Beast?¡±  Rachel asked.


    Benedict cleared his throat.  ¡°Eh ¡­ my tongue is getting twisted trying to say it ¡­ umm ¡­ The Beast of G ¡­ G¨¦vaudan?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s muscles tightened at the name.  ¡°G¨¦vaudan ¡­ France Myth G¨¦vaudan?  An unknown monster that killed over five hundred people, G¨¦vaudan?¡±


    He simply shook his head.  ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t know ¡­ maybe?¡±


    ¡°Ho-boy,¡± Fiona hissed, pulling back her hair.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ I¡¯ve heard a few things about that from a Mythology stream I did from some of my French fans ¡­ pretty scary stuff ¡­ and the myths are all over the place.  I mean, I guess if he can create copies or ¡­ whatever those things are, it explains why multiple people claim to have killed it.¡±


    Rachel hummed.  ¡°Scarlet, you have the radio.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ Yeah, one sec ¡­ just need to put him with the rest¡ªare they talking in there?¡±


    A long sigh shot through Rachel¡¯s lips.  ¡°Yeah, but I can¡¯t understand a word they¡¯re saying, and the wind¡¯s too loud for anyone else to listen in.¡±


    ¡°I can change the velocity,¡± Fiona offered.  ¡°I¡¯m just saying, the Beast of G¨¦vaudan sounded like a pretty scary tale from what my chat was saying¡ªI mean, they get a kick out of scaring me sometimes, too, so ¡­ that might play a role.¡±


    Scarlet shoved the wolfman into the wind prison and returned to hand her the radio, glaring at her hovering blood.  ¡°You have no idea how much slobber that dude generates¡ªit¡¯s got a venom in it, too¡ªnasty stuff.¡±


    Grace walked over, hands held behind her neck.  ¡°So, eh ¡­ we dealin¡¯ with the French Werewolf or somethin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Fiona mumbled, but she went quiet to listen to Rachel contact Tom.


    Waiting for several seconds, when he didn¡¯t respond to the ping, she said, ¡°Tom, I need some info on two myths.  Are you there?¡±


    There was a small pause before Maria¡¯s voice came on.  ¡°Chica with a horn on call, long ears ¡­ eh, the dude¡¯s off handlin¡¯ somethin¡¯ with the Clayman.¡±


    Figuring it was her nickname for Clay, Rachel pressed on.  ¡°Can you look up the myth of G¨¦vaudan and search Abezethibou?¡±


    ¡°Woah!  Woah!  Woah!  Chica, what kind of gangster ya think I am?  I ain¡¯t know how to spell no ¡­ Abezgatheros or whatever, and what was that first thing Geneva Convention or somethin¡¯?


    ¡°No ¡­ Okay, I¡¯ll spell it out.  Are you ready?¡±


    Fiona was shaking with silent laughter as they slowly, very slowly, went letter by letter of what Rachel assumed was how the names were spelled.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ heh, ya got it wrong on both, chica!  Fail!  Google, for the win!¡±


    ¡°Maria?¡±  Tom¡¯s voice came on.


    ¡°They be havin¡¯ myth problems down there¡ªyo, you still bleedin¡¯?  Heh, should have brought me!  All I¡¯m sayin¡¯!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening, Rachel?¡±  Tom asked, taking over the call.


    Rachel rolled her eyes; Maria was obviously very bored and feeling a bit left out.  ¡°I need those two names looked up; they seem to be running the outfit in Camag¨¹ey.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I have them.  Let me skim the information¡­¡±


    While they waited, Scarlet and Fiona further narrowed down the victims and perpetrators, using levitate to figure out who needed more convincing or was hiding something.


    The moose lady and the two kids appeared to be related somehow.  The woman volunteered to join the children to try and protect them; however, there was a price to pay for her admission into the hostage group ¡­ breaking off her own horn and ripping part of her ear off.


    Fiona and Scarlet were sickened by the information.  It sounded like some horrible game the Warlord¡¯s people played amongst themselves to see if she¡¯d actually do it, which the lady did to not be separated from the kids, and the female antagonist to the situation kept the woman¡¯s body parts as a souvenir of the moment.


    Tom cleared his throat.  ¡°... You¡¯re sure those are the names?¡±


    ¡°They are.¡±


    Benedict, Grace, and Yago were the only ones close to hear, but Scarlet and Fiona¡¯s enhanced hearing might have been able to pick it up.  ¡°Abezethibou is a demon and fallen angel that¡¯s described in Jewish demonology.  He¡¯s a follower of Beelzebub and lost a wing on his fall from heaven¡ªancient texts say he was the one that hardened the heart of Pharaoh in the bible, convincing him to go after the Israelites ¡­ which God sent a flaming tornado to halt their path.¡±


    He paused for a moment.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ This sounds like an enormous mythological figure.  God imprisoned him in a pillar of water for his deeds.  Beelzebub supposedly claimed he would break free of the prison when the demon returns to Earth.¡±


    ¡°Lovely,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°The Beast of G¨¦vaudan?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ... all over the place, but one description had The Beast having reddish-brown fur with dark ridged stripes down his back.  He resembled a wolf or hyena ¡­ at the size of a horse, yet appeared to be some kind of dog or several other animals.  It¡¯s said that he¡¯s killed over five hundred people ¡­ He sounds like a shape-shifter, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°I see ¡­ look more into it and find me some weaknesses.  You should send some people here to collect these people.  We¡¯re going to scope it out before morning, lay low, and go in at night to take them out.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a plan, and it will give us time to get more information; the relief effort is going well ¡­ we¡¯re making progress, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Slowly, but surely,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°Out.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 20. Understanding The Threat

    AuthorSME


    Author Note:  For the first time in almost 3 years, I am going to be taking a vacation of sorts.  A lot of the patrons have asked me to take a week break and so, I am going to be taking a week to myself with everything that''s happening in my life.  I''ll be back next Tuesday with Pokesync and start releasing chapters again as usual.


    Thanks for being patient!  ^_^7


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:  We learned about the Mythickin and Legendkin that our girls will be up against in the coming chapters ... Okay, as the Author, let me be real here ... I didn''t actually expect this part to go like it did ... This went off the rails fast with the time I gave them to prepare and given the resources and people they had.


    Strap in, boys and girls, this is going to get wild.


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Nickolas, Glader, Sinax, Dr. Herb, Adam Simpson, Johnny2by4, Anonymous, Spencer, and my other Patrons!


    As the others separated to their own tasks, Rachel turned her attention back to studying her environment.  She put Benedict and the twins onto questioning the residents to discover how much they could get about Camag¨¹ey; the more they knew what they were getting into the better.


    Scarlet went on the hunt to destroy the wolves once she saw them heading back northeast to the city, and after a bit of searching, Rachel discovered there was one of the wolf mutated humans four miles away, controlling them.  He was sending the packs to hunt any human settlement nearby.


    Grace was content being on guard-duty with Hayan, Rose, Coral, and Gisele; her pets seemed to be getting along great with Jim, the horse.  In fact, Rachel could practically see Gisele on Jim¡¯s head, pointing the way with a wing while the three rabbits jumped up and down on his back, ready to ride off into battle with Hayan taking point.


    Her focus was momentarily pulled to the cowgirl and her rabbits as they gathered to accept some gummy bears the girl had stored in Jim¡¯s saddle; Gisele wasn¡¯t a fan, but she accepted a few corn nuts.


    Grace had fun tossing the gummies into the air and watching the squishy blobs jump up, using their lunar disk skill to do little tricks in the air.  However, the real interesting part came when her small bag whittled down to two, and without being asked, the three played some kind of game to see who would get the spoils.


    Hayan squared off against Rose first; the white rabbit versus the pink.  Rachel folded her arms with a small smirk while watching the two give each other a confident look, and Grace was getting into it as she caught on and started the contest¡ªeven the prisoners had grown bored of threatening to kill one another to get out of the wind prision and watch with a few of the former prisoners.


    ¡°Ready ¡­ Set ¡­ Go!¡±  Grace cheered, Gisele and Jim observing like referees.


    Hayan¡¯s left ear shot out to slam Rose¡¯s head, but her own blocked it; four ears a blur as they attacked, parried, blocked, and tried to fake the other out.  Rachel already knew who would win, but was learning more about her blob¡¯s personalities by the competition.


    Several seconds of dueling and Rose¡¯s ear slid down Hayan¡¯s to firmly bonk Hayan on the head; his ears froze inches from their own target¡ªRose was the victor.  She gave him a cute smile that he huffed at, but a small smile soon brightened his zig-zag mouth as they shook ears.


    Rose was by far faster and more accurate than the white blob, which likely came from her much higher skill levels with the Blush Moon¡¯s energy cycling through her system.  She took her prize with grace, and it was now Coral and Hayan¡¯s time to square off.


    Coral was leaning left and right to her own rhythm before jumping and spinning into flips while watching the two, doing her little dance.  She looked so cute; however, the moment it was Hayan versus her, the facade dropped to reveal a pumpkin grin.


    In practice, Hayan was slightly faster and far more skilled than Coral, but the little girl puff bunny had her own skills that made a competition like this a bit suspect, yet Hayan wouldn¡¯t back down.


    If she were to put a label on each of them, Rose was the big sister, making sure no one got into trouble, but she could have a little princess attitude.  Hayan was the middle child; the brother with something to prove, and Coral was the mischievous little sister that needed attention at times, such as when she pretended to need help from falling off one of the benches to get their focus.  She liked to be in the background until she didn¡¯t.


    Coral and Hayan¡¯s ears dueled for several seconds with Hayan coming dangerously close to smacking his little sister on the head, but she managed to have save after save, but oddly, her curse skills seemed to be countered by Hayan, and eventually, the boy managed to strike between her cross eyes.


    ¡°Aww¡­¡±  Grace cooed upon Coral¡¯s sad expression.


    Hayan puffed up his chest, jumped up to grab the gummy and caught it with his ear before landing and offering it to Coral with a big smile.  The little girl took it with a teary-eyed smile, ears hugging Hayan like her big brother; Rachel wondered if that was Coral¡¯s plan all along though ¡­ She was a little devious.  Still, Hayan got what he wanted out of it and so did she.


    Rachel walked over to Fiona as she got on the radio with Tom, Edelira helping; the older twin didn¡¯t seem to be enjoying the investigation because she excused herself pretty early on.  Not surprisingly, given the looks on Benedict and Isabel¡¯s faces from what they were learning.


    ¡°Erm ¡­ Tom ¡­ Tom, it¡¯s Fiona.  Are you there?¡±


    Static was heard for a few seconds before he responded.  ¡°Yes ¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ I just wanted to know if the team you''re sending will be strong enough to handle the Demi that are here.  They¡¯ve got some stronger attacks; I have to strengthen the barrier every so often.  I¡¯ve been having to eat sugar periodically while we wait, and I don¡¯t want the soldiers to get hurt.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s sweet,¡± Clay replied.  ¡°However, these are highly trained men, Fiona; we wouldn¡¯t send them in without proper support.¡±


    Tom took a long breath before yawning.  ¡°Yes ¡­ After Rachel explained to us how the System operated, we¡¯ve been able to develop a specialist program and offer it to those that are interested in following that path¡ªtwo of those are a Containment and Enchanter Class that deals with debuffs, restraints, and other control methods, such as imbuing handcuffs that weaken physical strength.¡±


    Scarlet had a tiny earpiece connected to the device, and upon hearing the explanation, giggled, talking to Rachel from two miles away.  ¡°Soooo ¡­ The SCP?¡±


    ¡°Resistances?¡±  Fiona pushed, and Edelira was listening closely the moment they started talking about their powers.


    ¡°Taken into consideration with Penetration.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Fiona breathed a sigh of relief.  ¡°I guess that¡¯s something passing through all the policing agencies in the U.S., huh?¡±


    ¡°Some ¡­ the major details of how the System operates is still being kept in classified circles.  Is there anything else you need?¡±


    ¡°Nope.  I just got a little worried; one has this small penetrating skill that focuses a lot of energy on a single point that is a bit troublesome.¡±


    ¡°Noted, give me the details and I¡¯ll pass them along in the report.¡±


    ¡°Right ¡­ uh, let me compile the information real quick¡­¡±


    When there was a pause, Rachel cleared her throat.  ¡°Tom, have you heard anything else about Camag¨¹ey?¡±


    ¡°Rachel ¡­ Ah, I have, actually, and it¡¯s not good.  The agents I told you about were going to the Ciego de ¨¢vila Province ¡­ Well, they discovered the area was ransacked of its goods.  It¡¯s primarily used for cattle ranching, sugar, pineapples, and other citrus fruits¡ªit¡¯s a major agricultural area for Cuba, but thousands of corpses have been discovered in small settlements.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s horrible,¡± Fiona mumbled.  ¡°Another Warlord?¡±


    Edelira puffed out a long breath.  ¡°Is it The Devil of Camag¨¹ey?  There were¡­¡±  she performed a cross in front of her chest.  ¡°It¡¯s not good, from what I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    ¡°A part of it, most likely,¡± Tom groaned, seat creaking as he leaned back.  ¡°From what we¡¯ve been able to catch and the survivors they¡¯ve come across, attacks came from the east and west; the guys trying to defend the place were slaughtered and put out on stakes, stripped of flesh, demonic symbols carved into their muscle ¡­ all while still alive, and that came from Camag¨¹ey.¡±


    Edelira made the symbol again, looking up at her sister and friend as the two broke away to talk to them; their faces were ashen.  Rachel could see a similar look on those they questioned, eyes distant with horror.


    ¡°What¡¯s it really like?¡±  Rachel asked.


    Tom¡¯s tone became confused.  ¡°I can¡¯t ¡­ oh¡­¡±


    He went silent as Benedict cleared his throat and scratched his neck.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can really even talk about it¡­¡±


    Isabel rubbed her shoulders, tucking in her lower lip with a short nod.  ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ he really is a living devil ¡­ It¡¯s ¡­ it sounds impossible¡ªlike out of a horror book.¡±


    Tom hummed.  ¡°We¡¯ve taken satellite pictures of the area, and from what we can tell, everything is normal.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±  Benedict mumbled, quickly shaking his head.  ¡°No ¡­ no way.  Have you seen a gigantic red barrier over the entire city?  No one can go in or out; they¡¯re trapped without some special thing the devil gives his followers.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me ¡­ a massive barrier?  Clay ¡­ do you have, yeah ¡­ No, there¡¯s nothing like that, and we took images from the drones we have in the sky ¡­ bring them lower, to be sure.¡±


    Isabel went on, vision darting to Grace as she walked a little closer to listen; Rachel could still hear Scarlet massacring the shadowy wolves like the reaper she was, teleporting all across the fields and trees.


    ¡°They said ¡­ his name was Asher, and he came from another country¡ªout East somewhere.  The first week after The Oscillation, the train stopped, and everyone was scared of him at first, but he was the only one bringing back food and water.¡±


    Benedict nodded.  ¡°A lot of people tried to go get help, drive to the neighboring towns when all communication was cut; Armand¡ªThe Beast¡ªhe was causing a ton of trouble, destroying everything, but Asher stopped him ¡­ Well, trapped him, at least.¡±


    ¡°Manipulation tactics,¡± Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°He got The Beast to cut all the communication methods, kill those trying to leave, and allowed him time to set up everything he needed.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s voice went a little hoarse.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ at the end of the first week, a big red barrier expanded to fill the entire city, and he released Armand to kill whoever he wanted¡ªpeople were forced to stay inside, run from the wolves, and they strung up skeletons everywhere ¡­ demonic totems and effigies¡ªpart of the city went up in flames, and no one could do anything but run.¡±


    ¡°They said it was a bloodbath,¡± Benedict shivered.  ¡°Most people stay indoors; they don¡¯t know anything else after that¡­¡±  He pointed at the people in the wind prisons.  ¡°Those guys blindfolded them and took them through the barrier, but they didn¡¯t know why.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyes were wide.  ¡°How many people ¡­ That sounds way worse than Miami Beach.¡±


    Rachel heard Tom intake a sharp breath, likely looking at his monitors.  ¡°The last estimate was over 300,000 people in that city ... Clay, figure out the distance ¡­ shit¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±  Edelira asked, arms held tightly against her chest.  ¡°I have an uncle in that city.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ There¡¯s some kind of illusion cast over the area ¡­ I never expected anything like this.  I need to contact the President.  The company I sent to recover those prisoners will be there in five ¡­ Rachel, make this your priority¡ªif you fail ¡­ we¡¯ll have to consider very drastic options because this is on a ¡­ Get me some answers as soon as you can.¡±


    He got off to speak to the President, Clay getting on in his stead.  ¡°... Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Still here,¡± she replied, the others waiting with bated breath.  ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°In short, our enemy can seal off an entire city and generate some kind of illusion that can trick our satellites; you need to be within 300 meters of the barrier to see it, and the moment we crossed that sky barrier, we were detected, and the drone was destroyed by some flying thing.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Rachel turned her head to the northwest.  ¡°Did you catch anything on the recording before it was destroyed?¡±


    ¡°Only a few images from a small portion of the edge of the city, but it was enough to draw speculation.  It¡¯s big ¡­ big enough to contain over 300,000 people.¡±


    Rachel tucked in her lower lip.  If they were killed indiscriminately for almost two weeks without interruption, then they could be on a level we haven¡¯t seen before.


    ¡°This smells like Relica business,¡± Fiona growled.  ¡°Is this why she pointed us here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Rachel muttered, ¡°but we¡¯ll see soon enough.  Just prepare yourself to step into a warzone.¡±


    Benedict shook his head.  ¡°Warzone ¡­ more like a slaughterhouse.¡±


    ¡°Can we handle this?¡±  Edelira forced a chuckled.  ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we ¡­ You know, let the Americans handle devils?¡±


    Isabel¡¯s eyes shifted to the left, rubbing her arm.  ¡°I ¡­ I have to follow through, Edel; if you want to go back with Ben, then that¡¯s totally fine.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±  Edelira sniffed, gaze hardening.  ¡°What can you do without me?¡±


    Her twin shrugged, still not meeting her gaze.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ have ¡­ have ¡­ Grace shoot me?¡±


    ¡°Eh, heh, sorry, darlin¡¯,¡± Grace laughed, adjusting her hat, ¡°but you¡¯re not the caliber I¡¯m accustomed to.¡±  It was a more polite way of saying she was a lot weaker than her own weapons.


    ¡°W-What about¡ªI can learn a new skill to do things on my own,¡± she mumbled.


    Edelira gave her a dirty look.  ¡°Why are you being so stubborn?  This is way over our heads!¡±


    ¡°Because, Edel,¡± she choked, fighting back tears, ¡°because I have to blame someone for M¨¢ximo¡¯s death, and¡ªand do something about it or I¡¯ll¡ªI¡¯ll blame myself.¡±


    Fiona and Benedict¡¯s ears drooped with emotion, but they kept their mouths shut as the two fought.


    ¡°Yeah, blame them, sure!¡±  Edelira shouted, soon swapping into Spanish.


    They went back and forth with the huddled citizens watching until both women were in tears and hugging.


    Benedict cleared his throat, whispering, ¡°Edel decided to ¡­ to stay and help Isabel, even if she thinks she¡¯s being stupid.¡±


    ¡°You are, too,¡± Edelira growled, clearing her cheeks.  ¡°If¡ªif we¡¯re going to survive this, then we need to get stronger ¡­ Fiona, c-can you help us ¡­ Please?¡±


    Grace¡¯s hand shot into the air with a grin.  ¡°Oh!  Oh!  Me, too!  I want to learn more about this System business.¡±


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ eh-he-he-he, umm,¡± Fiona glanced at Rachel.


    ¡°Go for it,¡± Rachel replied, looking down the road; the lights of the caravan with a helicopter overhead were just coming into view.  ¡°We¡¯re going to be on the move soon, but we¡¯ll have time after scoping it out and retiring for the day.¡±


    ¡°Is ¡­ there a reason we¡¯re not gonna keep goin¡¯?  Oh!  The Vampy!  Heh.  Okay, got ya!¡±  Grace asked, before answering herself, nodding thoughtfully while removing her hat to scratch her head.  ¡°Huh ¡­ I guess y¡¯all are kinda nocturnal.  Cool,¡± she mumbled, studying the moon falling below the treeline.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Fiona sighed, motioning for them to go a bit away to have some privacy from the group, and forty seconds later, Scarlet teleported back.


    The soldiers arrived in three humvees, two military transport vehicles for the victims and an armored prison vehicle.  Benedict shot more dust into the wind prison to pacify them, diminishing returns finally reset, and the two Magus Champions put the enchanted restraints and cast weakening spells on them for transit.


    It went without incident, and the soldiers made a perimeter for the screening and medical team to set up shop; with everything under control, Rachel told the captain running the show that they were heading out.


    Fiona lifted them into the air after eating more sugar, having fallen to 35%, until she was up to 175%, having increased her overstock amount recently with her cost mitigation; it was a good investment, considering it was her literal life-source, and her defense, offense, and utility depended on the pool.


    However, just before they were about to take off, the little guinea pig Beastkin girl came jogging over in a panic with the moose-lady, addressing Scarlet.


    ¡°T-Thuke y-you!  Ferr ¡­ ¡®elping!¡±  she stammered, trying to work through English with the woman¡¯s help.


    Fiona hesitated, dropping them down a little for Scarlet to speak to her.


    ¡°O-Oh, hello, Laritza!¡±  Scarlet smiled.  ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re safe; make sure to stay with Claudia.¡±


    ¡°Oh.  My.  Goodness!¡±  Nia chimed.  ¡°She¡¯s adorable!¡±


    The little boy was hurrying to join them, shyly hanging back a bit as Claudia continued to struggle through English.


    ¡°I¡ªI will!¡±  Laritza said, holding up an old, bent bottle cap that she¡¯d probably found on the side of the road while waiting for the caravan.  ¡°I¡ªI keep to ¡­ to reminderer of pretty Vimpire lady¡ªsave mi cousin and¡ªand auntie!¡±


    Rachel had no clue how holding onto a bottle cap would be a reminder, but she was a child; it wouldn¡¯t be the thing she kept as a reminder.  Claudia was giving them an embarrassed but thankful smile while whispering the words into her niece''s ear.


    ¡°Oh!  My¡­¡±


    Scarlet choked up; Fiona and Nia were right with her.


    ¡°Y-Yeah!¡±  Scarlet smiled.  ¡°You be a good girl and help your aunt with Joel.  Okay?¡±


    ¡°Oki!¡±  She grinned, showing missing baby teeth.  ¡°I¡ªI be strong like Vimpie lady!¡±


    ¡°So adorable,¡± Fiona whispered.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Claudia said, ushering the two kids away while speaking in Spanish.


    ¡°Just think what could have happened to them if we hadn¡¯t shown up¡­¡±  Fiona mumbled in a sad tone.


    Rachel hummed.  ¡°The innocent are always the first to suffer from the strong ¡­ nature is cruel, and under every society lurks monsters seeking to take control¡ªfor good reasons and bad, they tend to end the same.¡±


    Grace folded her arms with a solemn nod.  ¡°Ah¡ªI¡¯ve heard lots of stuff like that ¡­What has more beauty and terror than innocence, and usually, I find heroes are often more villainous¡ªIn the end, how do we know what the difference is?¡±


    Scarlet hissed, scratching the back of her neck while watching the group grow smaller as they rose.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d rather not think about all that stuff ¡­ I have enough on my mind.¡±


    ¡°Agreed!¡±  Fiona sighed, increasing their speed.


    They passed various small communities and towns that, for the most part, were functioning independently.  Some areas were totally unaware of Cuba¡¯s state and seemingly ignorant about the effects of The Oscillation at all.


    Rachel winced, knowing they¡¯d probably believe the U.S. was just randomly invading Cuba.  Who would believe the entire world had been changed overnight by a single global event that rocked every society to its core and changed people into superpowered monsters¡ªthat their entire government had been usurped by a small group of magical men and women that beat their military?


    Grace saw it before anyone else, but she just shook her head when Fiona asked her to describe it, and Rachel could see why when they neared, making excellent time with Fiona¡¯s swift flight.


    Clay spoke through the floating radio by Fiona as the city came into view; the illusion seemed to be only pointed at the sky and not from the side.  ¡°Scarlet, you have an hour before the sun will be a problem.¡±


    Maria soon followed.  ¡°Yeah, so get that pale ass of yours underground!¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m not that pale,¡± Scarlet defensively mumbled.


    Benedict winced.  ¡°Eh, pretty pale.¡±


    ¡°No doubt,¡± Maria followed, ¡°and yo, Clay, and I worked out a way to leave the stupid flower on the ship¡­¡±


    ¡°I helped!¡±  Cahira cut in.  ¡°My idea!¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ aren''t you supposed to be sleepin¡¯?¡±


    She groaned, brushing her hand through her hair.  ¡°I would, but Alistair keeps tellin¡¯ me he can¡¯t join me in bed!¡±


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ Leave the man alone,¡± Maria moaned.  ¡°Any normal woman would have given up by now.¡±


    ¡°I know, isn¡¯t it thrillin¡¯,¡± Cahira giggled.  ¡°No fella would deny this Irish bootie!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh ¡­ anyway, I¡¯ll be back over to join you tomorrow, so get some sleep ta come up and grab me, Fi!  I¡¯m going crazy up here¡­¡±


    Fiona giggled.  ¡°I can see it.  Yeah, I¡¯ll be up to get you; get some sleep, too!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I got ya¡­¡±


    The Fairy slowed, eyes going wide as she caught sight of the barrier.  ¡°... Umm, Twinkle Horn, I¡¯ll need to call you back ¡­ We¡¯re coming up on the town ¡­ It¡¯s insane.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see tomorrow; don¡¯t get caught without me there!  Ya hear?!¡±


    ¡°... One time,¡± she mumbled, referencing Relica catching Scarlet and her by surprise.


    Rachel¡¯s focus was entirely on Camag¨¹ey; there wasn¡¯t a living thing besides insects and tiny rodents within a mile because of the shadowy wolves prowling the perimeter.  Benedict created an illusion around them to obscure them from view, and as they drew closer to the ground, the carnage grew more evident.  It was clear why Tom instantly hung up to contact the President because hundreds of skeletons and bloodstains were visible from outside the barrier.


    It looked like the surrounding townsfolk that saw it in the rural areas came closer to see what was happening, and when enough gathered, the massacre began.  The picture was slowly coming into focus as they continued to canvas the 28-mile circumference of Camag¨¹ey.


    The entire area was enclosed by red lightning that sounded nothing like electricity; a dull hum reverberated through the air and into Rachel¡¯s ears as it exited large crimson masses within the barrier, located at the top of each point inside the elongated pentagon.


    Dozens of floating masses of flesh hovered overhead, the size of a person with monstrous, demonic mouths.  It was one of these things that destroyed Tom¡¯s drone, but Benedict¡¯s magic seemed to be blinding them of the group''s presence.


    ¡°This is insane,¡± Edelira whispered.  ¡°You can¡¯t even see into the city with how bright those flashes of lightning are.¡±


    ¡°Parts,¡± Grace mumbled, sharp blue eyes darting to specific parts.  ¡°They¡¯re only about a foot wide gaps, but you can see inside ¡­ Damn.  It¡¯s not good.  Part of the city looks burned, and blood and bodies are lining the streets.¡±


    Rachel kept silent, taking in the sounds; nothing was heard beyond the veil; it rose 100-meters into the air.  She got a threatening sense from the pulsing energy.  Signs of fleeing people were everywhere; it was clear none of them made it out alive.  Even when accelerating her mind, Rachel couldn¡¯t penetrate the barrier; its walls like fogged glass.


    ¡°Grace,¡± she whispered, ¡°what can you see within¡ªAnd can you teleport inside, Scarlet?¡±


    Scarlet was hugging herself, blood reaching out to touch the barrier as she shook her head.  ¡°No ¡­ I feel living things in there ¡­ it¡¯s a mass of lives, fueling it.  I could try to cut through it¡ªbut I¡¯d be taking lives doing it.¡±


    Grace¡¯s light tone had fallen dramatically, expression solemn.  ¡°There¡¯s some kind of magical circles at the point of each edge ¡­ where the balls of blood are.¡±


    ¡°Those are entirely¡­¡±  Isabel looked like she was going to be sick, unable to complete her sentence.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ over there ¡­ to the northeast, there¡¯s what looks to be a huge airport¡ªthere¡¯s a gigantic pentagram that¡¯s being created, though¡ªtwice the size of an airplane.


    Rachel¡¯s ears snapped to their left as she heard an unnatural wind collect several meters to their right.  ¡°Something¡¯s coming!¡±  She pointed, causing Fiona, Scarlet, and Grace to react on instinct.  The twins were slower due to their transformation but on point, and Benedict was more or less left to hide behind Fiona due to his skillset.


    Magnum pointed, blood circling, and four massive icicles forming, their a preparatory attack formed around black shadows that revealed a smiling witch¡ªRelica¡¯s smug, smiling face appraised them, hands rising with a light giggle as Scarlet instantly tightened her blood around the woman.


    ¡°My, my, my, girls¡ªis this really necessary?  Oh, you have a boy with you!¡±


    Grace¡¯s brown eyebrows drew together, head tilting toward Rachel.  ¡°Eh, is, umm ¡­ this a good guy or bad guy?¡±


    Relica giggled, seemingly not having difficulty breathing from the pressure Scarlet placed on her form, which made sense since this wasn¡¯t the real witch.  ¡°Oh, most definitely bad, my sweet¡ªwell, at least by their rather strict ethics.¡±


    She glanced toward Benedict and the twins.  ¡°I know who these three are, though; I haven¡¯t had the pleasure to meet Benedict yet; I¡¯m always looking for new recruits!  And who is this lovely cowgirl?  I can¡¯t¡­¡±  She rolled her eyes as Scarlet¡¯s blood filled her mouth.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±  Scarlet hissed, but she was really resisting the urge to back away and hug herself.


    Rachel sighed, scratching her temple; when Maria told them to not get caught, she didn¡¯t think it would be the same person that got the jump on them.  ¡°She¡¯s not the real Relica.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°I just hate her creepy voice¡ªI should blind her too¡­.¡±


    ¡°I agree, but ¡­ sadly, we need answers.¡±


    A growl rumbled in Scarlet¡¯s throat as she begrudgingly removed the gag.


    Relica¡¯s tongue slid out to sample her lips, looking thoughtful and entirely in control.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ the taste of life ¡­ Quite delicious if I say so myself.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s eyes twitched.  ¡°Could you bring the creep-level down to ten?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s blood appeared to shiver a little from the witch¡¯s comment, responding to the girl¡¯s discomfort.


    Relica directed a small smirk toward Scarlet.  ¡°I know you agree with me¡ªah, but that is not why I am here, my little darlings.  By the way ¡­ it¡¯s going to be dawn soon.  I wouldn¡¯t want my precious Scarlet turning to ash ¡­ I believe I see the glow in the distance.  I hope you have a plan.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips tightened as Fiona shifted them around in the air to look to the east; she wasn¡¯t wrong.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Let¡¯s go to the cave you scouted out, Scarlet.¡±


    Scarlet groaned.  ¡°You all aren¡¯t going to like it ¡­ but we need to go through my blood portal.¡±


    ¡°Oh, new experiences!  I¡¯m excited,¡± Relica chimed.  ¡°Although, I will promptly leave if you keep treating me in such a¡ªunbecoming manner.  I will not be abused.¡±


    ¡°Abused ¡­ mmhmgmhmm ¡­ right¡­¡±


    A long puff of air shot through Rachel¡¯s lungs.  ¡°If Relica wanted to attack us, then she would have done so in a much more ¡­ flashy manner.¡±


    ¡°You know me so well!¡±  Relica smiled as Scarlet hesitantly retracted her blood to create the large portal for Fiona to levitate them through.  ¡°Oh ¡­ I¡¯ve seen you do this before,¡± she mused.  ¡°I look forward to the journey.¡±


    Fiona pulled them through first, taking a deep, shuddering breath before diving in with tight muscles.  ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ not comfortable¡ªjust tense up and breathe,¡± she advised.


    Passing through the liquid, even Rachel couldn¡¯t help a shiver as the liquid stimulated every micrometer of her skin.  The others took it much worse, including Grace.


    ¡°W-Why ¡­ Why¡­¡±  the Legend mumbled.  ¡°I ¡­ I like being squeezed much more ¡­ Everywhere ¡­ Just ¡­ just why¡­¡±


    The twins and Benedict were speechless at the experience.


    They entered a pitch-black cave room, large enough to accommodate them all, and the moment they were on solid ground, Gisele, Hayan, Rose, and Coral pounced into a diamond formation around the witch as she appeared, of course, she looked to be aroused by the sensation, her cheeks were flushed with a savory grin.


    ¡°My ¡­ Scarlet, you nasty thing ¡­ how ¡­ sensual you are!¡±


    Scarlet jumped back, creep-meter hitting a million.  ¡°J-Just get your stupid thing over with and go away¡ªWhy are you even here?!¡±


    Fiona recovered quickly, glowing bright white before generating a ball of neutral light to illuminate the cave space for the twins, who didn¡¯t have the best night vision.


    Relica ignored them while walking a little off to study the area, expression showing her interest.  ¡°How did you manage to find this little gem ¡­ And with air for those that require it?  I applaud your taste, Scarlet!¡±


    Figuring the woman would continue to stall, Rachel decided to press a little; it wasn¡¯t like she had many friends¡ªnot that they were, but in her mind, who knew.  ¡°Could you get to the point, Replica ¡­ I¡¯m growing bored.¡±


    The witch directed a mild glare her way.  ¡°I may be many things, Rachel, but boring is not one of them.  In fact, it was you that kept me waiting, and for quite some time, might I add.  I¡¯m afraid a rather disastrous outcome is about to happen ¡­ And all because of your sluggish reaction time.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±  Fiona growled, her arms folded tightly against her chest.  ¡°The city?¡±


    Relica waved her hand with a slight huff.  ¡°Honestly, so impatient; I only just arrived, and you cannot rush a proper explanation.¡±


    Finding a nearby rock, Relica hummed, casually flicking her fingers to generate a shadowy cut that made a clean line through the stone, passing a few feet in the wall beyond.  Making another gesture, a hammer-like shadow formed to knock the top off for her to sit, crossing her legs.


    Her gaze shifted between her pets with interest.  ¡°How ¡­ curious.  I did not take you for the leashing type, Rachel.  I wonder what you are into under the sheets.¡±


    ¡°Okay, can we get rid of the stupid dirty witch lady?!  She makes my threads crawl¡­¡±


    I wish¡­


    ¡°Yeah, keep wondering,¡± Fiona grumbled.


    Rachel didn¡¯t respond, knowing it was exactly what the woman wanted.  ¡°Have you been inside?¡±


    Relica waved her hand dismissively.  ¡°Naturally ¡­ Asher and I had a rather lovely chat.  Ah, Asher is a rather smug blue-skinned demon, the Legend of Abezethibou ¡­ Quite a powerhouse in his own right, and ¡­ showed me a rather fascinating way to experience pleasure that I hadn¡¯t even thought¡­¡±


    ¡°Keep it PG-13, at the least!¡±  Fiona cried, violently shaking her head.


    ¡°Yeah!  Yeah!  I don¡¯t wanna hear your horn-stuff!  Eww!  Ewwww!!  Rachel, get it out of my head!  Ease my suffering!¡±


    I think that¡¯s beyond salvation, Nia ¡­ sorry.


    ¡°No-ho-ho ¡­ Send her to prison¡ªFBI friends!¡±


    Relica¡¯s expression soured a bit as she looked away, flicking back her hair.  ¡°Although ¡­ admittedly, I have not been welcomed in for a good week now, and I believe it is for a reason.¡±


    Rachel rolled her eyes.  ¡°We know about Armand, the Beast of G¨¦vaudan, and Asher.  Why are you worried?  What is your purpose here?  Are there any surprises we should look out for?¡±


    The witch¡¯s lips lifted a little.  ¡°Always to the point¡ªI rather like that about you, Rachel.  This makes things so much simpler.  You see ¡­ in truth ¡­ Asher actually frightens me¡ªa nasty fellow that has this fetish¡ªoh, more than one, let me be clear,¡± she raised her hands, ¡°that is even beyond my palate, which is extensive, might I add.¡±


    ¡°Rated-R ¡­ Rated-R,¡± Fiona groaned with Nia.


    Grace slowly raised her hand.  ¡°Eh ¡­ I¡¯m kinda with the wagon here¡ªnot lookin¡¯ to scar my brain for life, if ya get what I¡¯m sayin¡¯.  Ya seem like a fine lady and all, but, umm ¡­ I ain¡¯t got that kind of ¡­ inclination¡ªyou know, to each their own, heh, but uh, yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°Such fragile minds,¡± Relica shook her head in exasperation.  ¡°You see, the fellow has this ¡­ obsession for demons, this biblical figure ¡­ Asmodeus or something, I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never read the book myself.  I don¡¯t believe in such silly things.¡±


    The twins made a cross symbol across their chests, and even Benedict was mirroring her action at the direction they were going.


    Scarlet lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Seriously ¡­ after everything we¡¯ve seen¡ªyou¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°Science is magic, darling,¡± Relica giggled.  ¡°They are one and the same, but ¡­ I have seen some rather ¡­ disturbing sights within those walls.  They¡¯re certainly summoning things from somewhere, and the experiments were ¡­ noteworthy, would be the word.  I will applaud some of their more scientific minds, working with that Armand fellow.¡±


    ¡°Asher?¡±  Rachel pressed.


    ¡°Right!  Right!  So many things to talk about ¡­ Hmm ¡­ He¡¯s convinced he¡¯s been possessed by Abezethibou, and it acts as a sign of his ¡®master¡¯s¡¯ return ¡­ kinky, really.  Asher has a rather ¡­ unconvincing past, rooted in Iraq as a defected Jew of some kind¡ªanyway, he¡¯s been actually making progress on his rituals, which I was very fascinated by at first, yet ¡­ even I have my limits.¡±


    Fiona gave Scarlet a frightened look.  ¡°Eh ¡­ I¡¯ve seen where this goes¡ªyou don¡¯t just summon minor demons and call it a day.  Right?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±  Rachel mumbled, skin prickling with the news; Tom was right to get in touch with the President after seeing the remains of the slaughter.  ¡°What kind of demon is he trying to summon right now?¡±


    Relica gave a dismissive shrug.  ¡°How should I know his plans?  Everything was so disjointed at first, but I could see the manipulation tactics, and using Blood Magic is kind of my specialty, which he was all too happy to make use of.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±  Scarlet barked.  ¡°You helped him in all this¡ªAll that?!¡±


    ¡°Eh, the beginning stages, sure.  You must know how enthralling this was for me¡ªuncharted territory ¡­ It was breathtaking, to say the least, and he is a master!  I gained so much insight from my time here and loved the beginning stages ¡­ Until we moved away from Blood Magic as a whole and into it as a source for this ¡­ this demonic business that I¡¯m not so interested in.¡±


    Her gaze darkened, lips pulling in with a stony look in her eyes.  ¡°I have spent most of my time in Havana, recently, but I wonder if even some of those groups can tackle this challenge ¡­ One of my people, a Seer, had some visions recently¡ªshe needs a lot more time to properly expand the skills, but according to her Lesser Oracle Sight III Skill, he is going to unleash a great calamity on the world tomorrow night¡ªyou¡¯ve come at the best time, it seems ¡­ prophetic.


    Fiona¡¯s expression dulled.  ¡°A demon ¡­ It means he¡¯s summoning demons.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful ¡­ A gate to hell or something,¡± Scarlet sighed, scratching her head.  ¡°We¡¯ve got to stop a gate to hell ¡­ What movie is this?!¡±


    Nia¡¯s scared voice rumbled in her mind, but she was practically eating imaginary popcorn.  ¡°This is getting crazy, Lunar Abyss!  It¡¯s the Abyss vs. the infernal depths!  Secret Society, mobilize!¡±  She was utterly enthralled by the prospect.


    Relica shifted her legs the opposite way.  ¡°Mmh, who can really say?  All I know is that something terrible is happening within those walls, and I can¡¯t get in ¡­ That blood magic has gone out of control¡ªhave you seen how big it is?  It wasn¡¯t always that large, only a small wall so people couldn¡¯t get over it, but now ¡­ humph.


    ¡°Armand is also a big concern¡ªonly two threats, really, but they¡¯re powerful, and they had an army the last time I was there ¡­ You¡¯ve probably met a few.¡±


    Rachel folded her arms, shifting her weight to the opposite hip.  ¡°Why are you telling us this, Relica¡ªthe competition is getting out of hand?¡±


    ¡°Heh-he-he, my dear, everyone is!  When you¡¯re allowed to do whatever you want and kill indiscriminately, certain individuals will rise above the rest.  You see, my plan is quite simple¡ªuse every faction I can, and have your team break them apart, so they don¡¯t grow too much.  A win-win for both of us!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that,¡± Scarlet growled.


    Relica¡¯s hands gripped her knee as she leaned forward.  ¡°Oh, I am very much on your side, Scarlet!  Your mother and I are doing great work, and I have learned so much here that will help in the future.  Sadly, these are a rather paranoid bunch, yet I¡¯ve gotten what I want ¡­ for the most part.  I would be cautious, though, my little helpers ¡­ Asher has put together something even I cannot fully grasp, and it frightens me.  Beat his little wolf enforcer and stop the rituals¡ªplural ¡­ he is a busy boy.  Good luck!¡±


    She waved with a bright smile before vanishing into smoke.


    Grace smacked her lips, glancing between them.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ So, this is a regular for ya lot¡ªAnd, heh, I thought my life was a calamity¡ªshe¡¯s a crazy one.  This is turning into ¡­ Hmm, quite the tale.¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Scarlet brushed back her hair in annoyance, ¡°you have NO idea!¡±


    Fiona hissed, noticing how lost the twins and Pixie were.  ¡°What¡¯s the plan, Rachel?  Are we really going to go in and ¡­ stop a gateway to ¡­ yeah¡ªimp central?¡±


    ¡°Worse than imps, by the sounds of it,¡± Grace mumbled.  ¡°Damn, I don¡¯t know if I brought enough bullets ¡­ oof ¡­ This¡¯ll be rough¡ªmaybe I pick up a bullet salvage skill, hmm ¡­ I¡¯ll sleep on it.  Oh, thanks for the tips, Fi!  I¡¯m excited ¡­ Man, y¡¯all are fun!¡±


    Rachel glared at the floor for a moment, compiling the information as everyone looked at her.  ¡°... We sleep, wake up, update Tom, get his recommendation, and likely use Scarlet¡¯s powers to cut a hole in the wall, slip through, and tear-up the place while protecting who we can.¡±  They didn¡¯t seem too confident in the direction they were going but nodded.  ¡°Rest up ¡­ It¡¯s going to be a rough night.¡±


    Grace¡¯s lips became a line as she glanced around.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ speakin¡¯ of sleep ¡­ what we usin¡¯?  I¡¯ve got a blanket and sack for a pillow, but what about the rest o¡¯ y¡¯all?¡±


    ¡°We use what we can,¡± Rachel sighed, glancing at the small pack Fiona had been hauling around with them; it didn¡¯t have anything for sleeping.


    ¡°We ¡­ can use my blood?¡±  Scarlet hesitantly chuckled.  ¡°I know it¡¯s weird, but ¡­ there¡¯s the option.¡±


    Fiona shrugged.  ¡°I can sleep in the air, and Benedict should be able to, too.¡±


    ¡°That works,¡± Rachel nodded.


    The twins didn¡¯t like the idea but soldiered through it; Relica clearly pushed them outside of their comfort zone, and Rachel couldn¡¯t blame them.  Tomorrow¡¯s brush with hell wasn¡¯t a pleasant thought either, and it might even be comparable to the Legend¡¯s Quest, given the scope Asher had gone in his beliefs.


    Settling into the rather soft blood bed Scarlet made, she was impressed at the elasticity and give it gave to her form; they were extremely thin, given how she had to create four of them, but no less comfortable than a regular bed.


    Rachel took a moment to drift off to sleep with Nia¡¯s excited chatter in her head, talking about the battle between the Abyss and Hell.  Eventually, she managed to drift into sleep, but it seemed the others were having a much harder time.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 21. Two Steps From Hell

    AuthorSME


    Author Note:  Well, I''m back!  Thanks for allowing me to take my first break in almost three years.  I had a blast with my family and actually got to play some D2 Resurrected with my brother and cousin.


    Thanks for being patient!  ^_^7


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:  Oh, boy!  We got Relica here again, and she be as witchy as ever!  Now, it''s time to see exactly what our girls are walking into with this demonic barrier ... It''s about to get intense.  I hope you''re ready because I wasn''t for what is about to go down here¡ªgiving them 3 weeks was more than I planned and given their personality ... They made use of it.


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Puffy, Flaranor, The1bman, Thriarsis, Hpez, Dangling_Participles, Jeff, Stuart Dye, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel stretched out across Scarlet¡¯s blood bed; it formed around her with her movements before she scratched the base of her left ear and swung her legs off the side.


    Scarlet was still out like a light, sleeping on her own small blood bed nearby; it was impressive she could keep it formed while unconscious, but it did act on its own to protect her.  The twins were fast asleep, but Fiona, Grace, and Benedict were up and whispering in the corner of the cave.


    Nia¡¯s tired voice grumbled in her mind.  ¡°Aww ¡­ mmh.  That hits the spot ¡­ Morning ¡­ Can I get some morning fabric ¡­ I¡¯m feeling ¡­ bleh¡­¡±


    Did ¡­ you fall asleep?


    ¡°Duh!  Geez, you know how long I¡¯ve been awake?  I worked my little butt off recently ¡­ Slave driver.  Oh!  I should contact one of those Union thingamabobbers!  Heh, no, I should start one!  Yeah!  That¡¯ll be fun!¡±


    I ¡­ don¡¯t think you know what that means.  Anyway, good morning.


    ¡°You said it!  Oh, tell everyone else ¡®morning¡¯, too!¡±


    I¡¯m getting there; slow down, little cowgirl.


    Nia gasped, eyes illusionary beginning to sparkle.  ¡°We could match Grace!  Yes, we should become cowgirls!  Two verses one!  We win!¡±


    I didn¡¯t even say no?


    ¡°You always say no!¡±


    Not ¡­ okay, I do say it pretty often, and that¡¯s ¡­ I¡¯m not entirely against it, to be honest.    In time, maybe.  Mom will probably love it.


    ¡°MOM!!  We must return to Mom!  Why are you wasting time!  Go!  Go!  Go!¡±


    Hmm ¡­ I don¡¯t think a morning cloth coffee meal will be good for you.


    ¡°What?!  No, it totally is!  I ¡®need¡¯ it, Rachel!  NEED!¡±


    Mhm ¡­ ready to go say hi?


    ¡°Oh, yes, yes!  Let me compose myself ¡­ gotta look shiny,¡± she mumbled as the earring on her left ear burned a little; her ripped tights and revealing corset adjusted a little before Nia took a deep breath as if going to school for the first time.  ¡°Okay¡ªhow do I look?¡±


    The same as always ¡­ I think?


    ¡°Rude!  I totally fixed myself up!  Look at the tights!  Look at them!¡±


    A low grunt rumbled in Rachel¡¯s throat as she leaned left and right; the three noticed her and gave her a smiling wave.


    No, you¡¯re totally right!  You look stunning.


    The girl¡¯s chest puffed up with pride.  ¡°You¡¯re so blind sometimes but I forgive you!¡±


    Thank you, your holiness.


    ¡°Mua-ha-ha-ha!  The Supreme Leader is so generous!¡±


    Returning the group¡¯s greeting, Rachel walked over to sit on one of the rocks they were using; Fiona seemed to have created the items because they weren¡¯t there the night before.  ¡°Morning ¡­ How was the night?¡±  she yawned, allowing Nia to detail her own experience in private.


    Fiona shrugged.  ¡°Fine, but did you notice how Scarlet¡¯s blood ripples up and down ¡­ Heh, kind of threw me for a loop trying to get to sleep.¡±


    ¡°I noticed it, too,¡± Benedict mumbled, seemingly still a bit tired.


    Grace leaned back, supporting herself while giving them a small smirk.  ¡°I slept like a babe; can¡¯t say I¡¯ve shut my eyes in a cave before but now I can!  So, eh, yeah ¡­ I decided to go in on the whole bullet salvaging skill thing¡ªseems it¡¯ll help.¡±


    ¡°Nice!¡±  Fiona flashed her teeth with a thumbs up.  ¡°Yeah, should be good.  I¡¯m just waiting for Scarlet to get up so we can go get Maria; she¡¯s waiting up there right now.¡±


    ¡°Good choice, Grace; for the record, I didn¡¯t feel anything like what you were describing, Fiona¡ªblood ripples?¡±


    ¡°Probably a little-person issue then; I wanted to sleep floating but didn¡¯t want to make Scarlet feel bad so I let her make a bed for me in the end,¡± Fiona sighed, brushing back her glowing green hair.


    Benedict chuckled.  ¡°Same.  She¡¯s pretty sweet.¡±


    Rachel twisted to level a look at the sleeping Vespertine Reaper.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ She probably didn¡¯t fall asleep for a while¡ªRelica really gets under her skin.¡±


    ¡°Yuck ¡­ That woman,¡± Fiona¡¯s arms folded with a grimace.  ¡°Yeah, I can confirm she was still awake when I was drifting off, and I can¡¯t blame her.¡±


    Benedict lifted an eyebrow, scratching his temple as he floated beside the Fairy, cross-legged.  ¡°Eh, what¡¯s up with that lady anyway¡ªyou have some history?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement,¡± Fiona grumbled.  ¡°She¡¯s basically a sorceress-slash-witch that is a psychopath and ¡­ yeah, you saw how creepy she is.¡±


    Grace popped her tongue, lifting a hand to wave stiff fingers in front of her throat.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ She had that, ¡®I¡¯ll molest you while laughing¡¯ vibe¡ªif ya catch my meanin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Not wrong,¡± Rachel sighed as Fiona pointed at cowgirl with a fervent nod.  ¡°So ¡­ Fiona, you can just follow this path to our right to get to the entrance,¡± she pointed out, mapping out the exit with the resounding sounds echoing throughout the cave.


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Fiona¡¯s expression brightened.  ¡°That¡¯s cool.  I¡¯ll go get Maria.  You want to come, Ben?¡±


    Nia gasped.  ¡°The Binding Threads of the Abyss ensure!  Did you hear that, Rachel?  Did you hear?!¡±


    Yeah, nickname level.


    ¡°He¡¯s totally in!  It¡¯s a date!  Nia¡¯s the greatest Living Denier matchmaker in history!¡±


    Mmh ¡­ slow the boat there, girl; let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves.  She¡¯s probably testing the waters.


    ¡°He¡¯s in!  I know these things, Rachel!  Believe in the Abyssal Threads of FATE!  The darkness has spoken!¡±  Her imaginary arms folded.  ¡°I rest my case.¡±


    Okay, Fate Judge Nia, Rachel laughed, practically seeing her smug, childish grin.


    ¡°He-he-he!  Anthony¡¯s waiting back home, too¡ªmore smooches!¡±


    Girl ¡­ I¡¯m starting to wonder if I¡¯m becoming a bad influence on you.


    Nia drew in a sharp breath.  ¡°No!  What are you doing to poor, innocent Nia?!  Rachel needs to go to child danger jail.  He-he-he.  Nia must be protected!  Start the petition, innocent Scarlet!  We demand justice!¡±


    Rachel hung her head.  Noted ¡­ Nia doesn¡¯t get fabric morning coffee¡ªyou¡¯re hyped up as it is when waking up.


    ¡°Booo!  Child abuse!  FBI friends!  Save Nia!  She needs choco-textile-morning-Joe!¡±


    Fiona, Benedict, and Grace watched her with a hint of amusement at her expressions.


    ¡°Nia?¡±  Fiona asked with a small smile.


    ¡°Help me, Fiona!¡±


    ¡°Nia¡­¡±  Rachel sighed, ending it with a chuckle.  ¡°She¡¯s pretty hyper after waking up.¡±


    ¡°She sleeps, huh?¡±  Grace hummed.  ¡°When do we meet the lass¡ªcan we?¡±


    ¡°Yes!  Rachel!  Give me a voice!  Give me life or give me death!¡±


    It¡¯s ¡­ liberty or death.


    ¡°That!  Give me that!  Liberatuit ¡­ how do you do that word?!  Liba ¡­ burton ...erty ¡­ gah!  I give up¡­¡±


    Rachel released a low groan as Fiona floated up, getting ready to go.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I mean, honestly, I don¡¯t know.  She can only communicate inside the person¡¯s head.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s expression brightening, hand darting into the air with a cute smile.  ¡°I¡¯ve got it!  Why don¡¯t you try to get an ability that allows her to fight alongside you for a bit¡ªlike some of those games or anime Scarlet was telling me about a while ago.  They can make like a shadow person or something that comes out to attack with them¡ªthat would be cool.¡±


    Oh, no¡­


    Nia¡¯s mouth was wide open in stunned silence; her mind was spinning with the possibilities.  ¡°I ¡­ Me ¡­ move on¡ªon my own ¡­ my own little body ¡­ help fight with ¡­ Rachel ¡­ Rachel ¡­ I¡¯m getting dizzy¡ªis it hot or¡ªor am I just burning up?  Can we do that?!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head tilted to the side with a thoughtful crease to her full lips; honestly, it might be better than having Nia take over her body¡ªit would be the little rabbit girl embarrassing herself.  However, after thinking about it for a moment, everyone would think she was more adorable than being embarrassed, and she¡¯d probably get her Secret Society of Denier to grow.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I mean, it¡¯s probably possible¡ªI suppose it would be good for her, in the long run, to be able to express herself.¡±


    ¡°Yo-You really mean it?¡±  Nia asked, tears welling up in her eyes and her voice thickening.  She tightened around Rachel¡¯s body while choking up.  ¡°Nia, can ¡­ I can have my own little body to help fight with you?¡±


    A singular thought made her ears stand on end and a big smile to lift her cheeks.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ Yeah, let¡¯s do that!  It¡¯s the next thing I¡¯ll be working toward.¡±  She glanced over at her sleeping pets, each snuggled next to each other, beside her bed.  ¡°Nia will be the Commander of the Rabbit Gang, featuring Gisele.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I get to be the Supreme Leader?!¡±  Nia whispered in astonishment.  ¡°Y-You¡¯d do that for me?¡±


    Of course, Rachel chimed, but it will also pull your consciousness away from the outfit part, which will give me private time with Anthony.  Rachel said with a short evil laugh.  You¡¯ll be able to have personal time with everyone else, and I¡¯ll have my own private time.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ nicely played, Lunar Abyss,¡± Nia slowly nodded with a smug tone.  ¡°Nicely played ¡­ Nia accepts!  Does¡ªdoes that mean I get to see what human food tastes like?!  Oh!  Oh!  What if I can eat clothing¡ªI could go to a store and eat everything!  YES!  YES!  YES!¡±  She cheered, jumping around in circles.


    ¡°Alright ¡­ time to get to work,¡± Rachel smiled, happy to start the day out on a positive note because she knew it would get dark fast.


    ¡°Right!  We¡¯re off to get Maria,¡± Fiona said, giving Nia a big grin and thumbs up.  ¡°Fightin¡¯ for ya, girl!  We¡¯ll have fun together!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Big Sis Fi!  Or, he-he-he, Lil¡¯ Sis Fi!¡±


    Definitely Big Sis.


    ¡°Yay!  I¡¯ll get my own little body!  When?!  When, Rachel?!  Oh.  My.  Goodness!  I¡¯ll get to wear my own cute outfit!¡±  She drooped.  ¡°Shh!  Shh!  Rachel, I need to think about what I¡¯ll make it look like ¡­ Oh ¡­ Oh, it¡¯ll be cute and edgy and awesome and¡­¡±


    Don¡¯t ruin the surprise!  Rachel snickered, causing the bunny girl to zip her lips.


    ¡°Oh!  Yes, you¡¯ll be so dazzled!  I¡¯ll be the cutest edge-lord, the amazing hyper-galaxy bunny villainess of the multi-systems!¡±


    So what ¡­ Goth Lolita?  You do you!


    ¡°I can do me!  I¡¯m so excited!  Thank you, Rachel ¡­ This is the best gift ever, super villainous hare friend¡ªpartners in villainy unite!¡±


    Rachel waved Fiona off as Nia continued to fantasize about her future endeavors as a support for her.  It wouldn¡¯t likely happen that soon, but given the scope of what they were going into, the Skill Points they were looking at earning might be enough.


    Grace sucked on her lower lip with a small frown upon their departure, glancing back at the twins and Scarlet.  ¡°So ¡­ eh, is this the norm for y¡¯all¡ªfightin¡¯ hell and all?¡±


    ¡°Heh, no, but we do tend to get into trouble,¡± Rachel mused, looking up at the ceiling.  ¡°I¡¯m not complaining.  I rather enjoy this kind of life; to be honest ¡­ I get to push and test myself.  What about you ¡­ What¡¯s it like to be Calamity Jane?¡±


    A slow puff of air shot through the girl¡¯s cheeks, and Rachel realized they were the same age; the Legend grunted while reaching up to scratch her shoulder.  ¡°Eh ¡­ I mean, it sucks to be sober¡ªmy eyes are kind of fuzzy right now, and I¡¯ve got this heat in my chest,¡± she mumbled, pounding her breast, ¡°but, uh, yeah, it¡¯s not bad.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips pulled together.  ¡°Ah, yeah ¡­ sorry, I actually completely forgot about that¡ªheh, not like you need it to live,¡± she added with a forced smile.  ¡°My bad.¡±


    ¡°Meh, it¡¯s fine,¡± she snickered, setting her hat to the side to brush out her shoulder-length brown hair.  ¡°I mean, not like ya know me that well¡ªI¡¯m just a useful gun.  Cahira said she¡¯d get me some booze.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Rachel slowly nodded, ¡°Cahira ¡­ Yeah, she¡¯ll set you up.  Also, if you don¡¯t have a place to go, you¡¯re welcome to stick around.  You¡¯re strong enough to hang around if you need work, and we¡¯ve got a lot of hook-ups¡ªwe could always use another long-ranged support, too.¡±


    A small smile lifted her lips as she scratched her neck and glanced at the twins again.  ¡°Huh¡ªthat''s a mighty kind of ya ta offer.  I¡¯ll take it into consideration.  God¡¯s truth, all I seem ta do is bring trouble places¡ªkind of disheartening ¡­ ya know?  Thinkin¡¯ what trouble be followin¡¯ me to this next place, but ¡­ I gotta keep movin¡¯, or it just gets worse.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression fell a bit.  ¡°Is ¡­ that why you ran away from home?¡±  She couldn¡¯t imagine just leaving everything she¡¯d worked for with her family¡ªit was impossible for her to even consider.


    The Legend nibbled at her bottom lip with a low chuckle.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ yeah, I suppose you could see it in that way¡ªalways was somewhat of a screw-up, cousin¡¯ problems for them and everybody else.  Just felt better bein¡¯ on my own ¡­ not havin¡¯ to hurt those around me.¡±


    It sounded lonely, but it wasn¡¯t like she could talk, having isolated herself from friends and relationships through her teenage years; in fact, seeing how her mother took the death of her cousin in the car accident, she wondered if that had played a part in her solitude.


    ¡°I ¡­ can relate a bit¡ªnot in the same way, but I never really got close to someone until ¡­ Well, I think Zoe was the first person I ever really drew a small attachment to¡ªthen Scarlet came into the picture.¡±


    Her frown deepened as she studied the Legendkin from her downcast vision, watching her melancholy expression from the corner of her eye; it felt a bit natural talking to Grace as if sharing stories around a campfire was a matter-of-course.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  she nodded, putting her hat back on.  ¡°Must be nice¡ªit¡¯s easy enough to become acquaintances with people¡ªI don¡¯t know, maybe I¡¯m just scared to settle down in a place ¡­ heh, I think I forgot how!  I just end up hittin¡¯ the road and starting things anew.  Crazy, huh ¡­ Just my muse walkin¡¯ me through a dizzy, drunken dream¡­¡±


    Rachel sighed.  ¡°Well ¡­ if you do want to try and stay a bit, then it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.  You seem like a solid person to have my back so far.¡±


    A half-smile brightened Grace¡¯s cheeks with a soft hum.  ¡°Huh ¡­ Thanks, Rach¡ªif it¡¯s cool to call you that!¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Rachel shrugged.


    ¡°Cool.  Cool.  Hmm ¡­ maybe I¡¯ll stay for a bit and give these two girls some shooting lessons¡ªby God, they need it,¡± she snickered.  ¡°And they¡¯re even helpin¡¯ each other aim!¡±


    ¡°Huh ¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡±  Scarlet mumbled, throwing out her arms with a low groan while slowly rising to sit at the side of her blood bed.  ¡°Is Grace joining us?¡±


    Grace gave her a sly wink.  ¡°Can¡¯t get enough of that BDSM!¡±


    ¡°Wha?!¡±  Scarlet¡¯s eyes snapped open.  ¡°I-I¡¯m not into t-that stuff!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±  Grace lifted her arms as Rachel chuckled at her jokes; she certainly knew how to press Scarlet¡¯s buttons and loved to lighten the mood.  ¡°I¡¯m just sayin¡¯!  I¡¯m just sayin¡¯!  I¡¯ve been gagged, choked, squeezed, and threatened with more¡ªahem, intense activities if I don¡¯t submit.  So, eh¡ªwhat else are we gonna call it, Ms. Master Vamp?¡±  She snickered.  ¡°I know I got a good rack, but geez, let up a little!¡±


    ¡°One time!  Y-You were our¡ªc¡¯mon, cut it out!¡±  She groaned, cheeks more than a little flushed.


    ¡°Ah, got it, got it,¡± she slowly nodded with an understanding smile.  ¡°It¡¯s acceptable ta cop-A-feel an enemy.  Noted!  Noted!  I see how ya play.¡±


    ¡°BDSM?¡±  Nia asked.


    Bad Demeanor Super Moron


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not good,¡± Nia mumbled.  ¡°We need to fix Scarlet Abyss, asap!¡±


    There¡¯s no fix.


    ¡°No ¡­ Is ¡­ Is it¡­¡±


    She¡¯ll live, but ¡­ we just need to be there for her.


    Nia sniffed back tears.  ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Scarlet Abyss!  We¡¯ll find a cure!  Even if we have to search the heavens and underworlds!¡±


    Scarlet hid her tightly wound hands behind her back, putting on a forced smile.  ¡°So ¡­ uh, where did Fiona and Benedict go?  Heh, they didn¡¯t sneak off; am I right?¡±


    ¡°Changing the subject?¡±  Rachel mused.


    ¡°What subject?¡±


    Grace flashed her teeth.  ¡°The extra tight kind!  Heh, I¡¯ll stop!  I¡¯ll stop!  They went to get Maria from some sky turtle or something.¡±


    Isabel and Edelira moaned, stretching out on the bed they shared; Edelira brushing her sister¡¯s hair out of her face while yawning.  ¡°W-What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Her younger twin got off on the opposite side, popping her back with a low grunt.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ ugh, that¡¯s it¡ªwhat¡¯s up with Ben?¡±


    Grace crossed her legs the opposite way, putting her finger to her lips with a devious smile.  ¡°The Fairy and the Pixie went on a little trip together to get the Unicorn!  Wonder what chemistry is sparking in the heavens there, huh?  What a mix!¡±


    ¡°The dark star in the skies collides into a dazzling supernova!¡±  Nia cheered.


    Mmh ¡­ probably not.


    ¡°They¡¯re not making those big firework exploding thingys?  Aww ¡­ I wanna see some.  Oh, maybe Fiona will take me when I can move around!¡±


    That¡¯d be nice, Rachel smiled.


    ¡°C¡¯mon!¡±  A low grunt hissed through Scarlet¡¯s nose, crossing her arms while recalling her blood.  ¡°You¡¯re as bad as Ma?lle and Cahira.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s braid tilted to the side as her head tilted to the side, and her left eyebrow lifted.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ I¡¯d disagree.  I much prefer Grace¡¯s personality.¡±


    ¡°Cheers!¡±  Grace grinned, holding up her hand as a flask appeared in it.  ¡°Or, heh, I¡¯d say that if I had anything to drink, but we¡¯ll put that swig on hold!  So,¡± she leaned back to look at the twins, ¡°Edelira asked me to help the two of ya practice shots.  I hear there¡¯s a way out just down this tunnel,¡± she said, jabbing her thumb behind her.  ¡°We got time to do a few lessons, Rach?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s gaze locked on her as a hiss passed through her teeth, her ears shifting a little to the tunnel exit.  ¡°So, while we¡¯ve been asleep, Araceli and Al have made their way to the barrier.  Al¡¯s handling the beasts, but they¡¯re not having much luck finding a way inside¡ªeventually, they¡¯ll probably be overwhelmed.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s lips and brow tightened, and her focus fell to the floor.  ¡°Oh ¡­ Are they in trouble?  I mean, she¡¯s kind of a bitch, but ¡­ but she was kind of nice to us when we were growing up.¡±


    Edelira rubbed her twin¡¯s back.  ¡°Mhm ¡­ She made sure a lot of the younger girls were somewhat safe in the community.  Is ¡­ are they okay, or do they need help?¡±


    Rachel held her hands behind her neck, twisting to look at the pair.  ¡°I get it, but the woman made her own decision, and so did Al.  The best we can do is offer them a way inside, but I seriously believe it¡¯s suicide¡ªit is their decision to do that, but it¡¯s ours to aid them or not in that direction.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Grace nodded, stretching her arms high into the air while getting to her feet.  ¡°I mean, I¡¯m neutral and all, but if it were me, I¡¯d probably go jump into certain death to avenge someone I loved¡ªjust sayin¡¯, I¡¯d be a hypocrite to say otherwise.¡±


    Scarlet and the twins silently mirrored the Legend, looking at the dusty cave floor.


    Rachel crossed her arms.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I hear you, Grace, and ¡­ I can¡¯t disagree.  So, are we fine with opening a path for them to get her revenge, even if it¡¯s beyond slim she achieves it?¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ I can¡¯t really put in my hat,¡± Grace held up her hands while looking away.  ¡°I¡¯m the one that ¡­ Yeah, it¡¯s not really that fair.¡±


    Isabel looked at her sister and took a deep breath before letting it out in a slow stream.  ¡°I think we¡¯re for it.¡±


    ¡°Me, too,¡± Scarlet hesitantly added her voice.  ¡°I¡¯m with Grace¡ªon this one,¡± she said with a slight glare at the cowgirl¡¯s strained smile.  ¡°I¡¯d go after anyone that hurt m-my new family,¡± she whispered with an embarrassed glance at Rachel.  ¡°My sister.¡±


    Edelira pumped her arm with a fervent nod.  ¡°Well said!¡±


    Rachel stretched her arms out, pausing a moment to consider the direction that this could lead; the things in her mind weren¡¯t pretty, but it was what it was.  ¡°We¡¯re in favor then.  And Grace, yeah, you three can go chill; it¡¯s not quite sundown yet, and Maria should be back here in the next ten minutes or so¡ªFiona¡¯s pretty fast.¡±


    ¡°Sweet!¡±  Grace put her hands behind her back and nudged her head toward the cave exit.  ¡°Let¡¯s go make some noise¡ªeh, I assume that¡¯s cool?¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s nearby,¡± Rachel replied.  ¡°Make as much as you want.¡±


    ¡°Sweet!  I¡¯ve got some things I wanted to run past the gun-gals; heh, what do you two think?¡±  she asked, leading them out of the cave.  ¡°I was thinkin¡¯ the three musketeers, but then I was like, naw, too cringy.  Gun-gals, though!  Anyone cringin¡¯ we can cringe back and be like, ya haters and bigots!  Heh, am I right?!¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t follow,¡± Edelira mumbled, adding a confused chuckle.  ¡°But ¡­ I suppose it works.  We¡¯re guns ¡­ and gals.¡±


    ¡°Right!  It¡¯s perfect!  Now, let¡¯s talk Skills and skills, if ya catch my drift!¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ think I do?¡±  Isabel whispered.


    Scarlet stood beside her while watching them go.  ¡°Man,¡± she grumbled, scratching her neck, ¡°what is up with all the girls we meet?¡±


    Rachel turned to give her a lifted eyebrow.


    ¡°You tell her, Lunar Abyss!¡±


    ¡°W-Well ¡­ Okay, my mind¡¯s been in the gutter a bit¡ªat times,¡± she forced a laugh while playing with her fingers, ¡°but, eh, c¡¯mon!  They¡¯re at it like twenty-four-seven, and why are they always latching onto me?!  Is it¡ªam I just an easy target?¡±


    Nia winced at her question.  ¡°Are you going to tell her?¡±


    Nope.


    ¡°Oof ¡­ Poor innocent Scarlet Abyss.¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Who knows.  So ¡­ How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Goo¡ªnot really,¡± she sighed, leaning over to rest her head against her shoulder.  ¡°... What am I going to do if my¡ªWhat if my Mom¡¯s here?¡±


    She reached around her shoulders to pull her into a hug, pressing her head against her collarbone as a sharp shiver ran down her sister¡¯s frame.  ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it when it comes up.  You¡¯re not alone, though.  We¡¯re going to get through this, and¡­¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ get ice cream?¡±  she asked with a short giggle.  ¡°Blood ice cream?¡±


    ¡°Go where?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s tone softened.  ¡°Go home ¡­ to Mom, Dad, and my new brother and sister-in-law.¡±


    ¡°Watch stupid anime?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not stupid,¡± Scarlet huffed, pulling away a little to brush back her bangs and give her a dirty look.  ¡°Alexa and I have some awesome planning sessions about my abilities and other cool things!  Mom was making blood dishes with me e-every night!  She was so¡ªI was so happy, and your dad¡­¡±


    ¡°Our dad.¡±


    ¡°Heh ¡­ our dad,¡± she whispered, ¡°he ¡­ I overheard him tell Mom to make sure I had everything a vampire girl would need¡ªto take me shopping to get new stuff.¡±


    ¡°So sweet,¡± Nia cried.  ¡°Mom¡¯s the best!  Oh!  Scarlet and Mom are Mom!  Both of you are the best!¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ they really are the best,¡± Rachel soothed, drawing nearer to hug her again.  ¡°You¡¯ve got a family, and we all care for you.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t thank you enough, Rachel,¡± Scarlet¡¯s chest fluttered against her ribcage.  ¡°I was so lost ¡­ broken when we met, but¡ªbut you took me in¡ªshared your family with me ¡­ I don¡¯t feel worth it¡­¡±


    Rachel squeezed her tighter.  ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, First Mom!  Don¡¯t say that!  We¡¯re super villains!  We ¡­  d-don¡¯t cry ¡­ Rachel, do super villains cry¡ªbecause I¡¯m crying!¡±


    Rubbing Scarlet¡¯s back, Rachel chuckled.  ¡°I know you¡¯re scared of the unknown¡ªyou don¡¯t want to be alone, and you aren¡¯t.  Try to think of positive thoughts¡ªwhat we¡¯re going back to.  I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too¡­¡±  Scarlet whispered, tightening her grip.  ¡°Thank you, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Scarlet.¡±


    She pulled away a little, wet blue eyes staring up at her.  ¡°For?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my first real friend ¡­ and now, my sister.  You know ¡­ to be honest, you¡¯re kind of the bridging link between Alexa and me, so ¡­ yeah, isn¡¯t that a good thing because¡ªthe two of us have nothing in common besides you.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°I ¡­ never thought about that¡ªthat¡¯s ¡­ the sweetest thing anyone¡¯s ever told me.¡±


    ¡°Heh, don¡¯t go getting a big head,¡± Rachel winked.  ¡°So, we ready to take this place on?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Rachel jabbed her thumb to the exit with a small smile, watching her four pets slowly waking up.  ¡°Good because Maria¡¯s chilling outside with Fiona and Benedict.¡±


    ¡°Watching the gun practice?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Cool, umm ¡­ heh, mind if I clean myself up a little?¡±  she asked, blood tears returning to her body.


    ¡°No!  You gotta go out there and show them you¡¯re a total baby!¡±  Rachel teased, causing Scarlet to laugh.  ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get our game faces on¡ªremember the High Rolls pictures?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s lips pulled in, taking a deep breath before nodding and taking on a more serious tone.  ¡°New Mexico ¡­ Yeah¡ªwith the rituals¡ªthis isn¡¯t going to be pretty.  Is it sundown?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°No, but give it another twenty minutes, and it should be dark enough.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    The gang soon entered after being introduced to the Unicorn; she wore a military outfit, complete with boots and a green beret cap.  ¡°We ready for war, chicas!  Oh, and Pixie?¡±


    Everyone gave a weak mumble or forced laugh, causing Maria to make a sound with her tongue.  ¡°Tch, c¡¯mon!  Get into it; we¡¯re goin¡¯ against hell and all¡­¡±  She shivered at her own statement, scratching her forehead.  ¡°I¡¯m getting goosebumps just sayin¡¯ it, Rachel¡ªdamn, we¡¯re seriously goin¡¯ against hell¡­¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°What about the Azure Frost?¡±


    Maria grinned, pointing at her hair.  ¡°The Clayman¡¯s been testin¡¯ my hair for two days now, and it holds the solar charge for forty hours, chica!  I¡¯ve just gotta cut a few locks¡ªit grows back right away,¡± she added upon seeing Grace¡¯s horrified look, ¡°and I¡¯m good!¡±


    Rachel hummed.  ¡°So ¡­ that works, I suppose.  Okay, this is what I¡¯ve thought¡­¡±  She paused, eyes closing and lower lip tucking under her teeth as she heard the ominous wind of Relica sweeping through the jungle at a swift pace; she¡¯d learned the unique sound it made.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Fiona asked.


    Maria leaned forward to study her face.  ¡°Ya look like you¡¯ve gotta go¡ªwhassup?¡±


    ¡°Relica¡¯s on her way¡­¡±


    ¡°Shiet¡­¡±  Maria groaned, brushing back her hair.  ¡°We jumpin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I wish,¡± Scarlet shivered, glaring at the cave entrance.  ¡°Of course, she comes right when night falls.¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s a pretty telling time when we¡¯d leave,¡± Fiona mumbled.  ¡°What are we going to do, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°It depends ¡­ We can destroy her clone, but it will probably only piss her off, and we have enough to deal with right now.  She has her own goals; Relica is the only one that¡¯s been inside the city and knows what we¡¯re up against.¡±


    Maria popped her tongue with disappointment.  ¡°Damn ¡­ I wanted to bash her teeth in.¡±


    ¡°Ya might still get the chance, Ma¡¯am!¡±  Grace chimed.  ¡°So, chill until we¡¯re not?¡±  she asked, putting her hand on her magnum at her hip.


    ¡°Yup, play it by ear,¡± Rachel mumbled, not expecting the giggle to come out of Fiona, Maria, Scarlet, and Grace.  ¡°Wh ¡­ oh¡­¡±  she dully said, ears drooping a little.


    ¡°Good one!¡±  Maria snickered.  ¡°Alright, where is the bitch?¡±


    Rachel folded her arms with a sigh, following the whistling noise through the trees.  ¡°Almost here¡­¡±


    When the sorceress formed, she wore business attire with a black tie, gloves, tights, and a skirt; she clasped her hands behind her back to give them a devious smile.  ¡°Hello, girls¡ªoh, the succulent Mexican is here.¡±


    ¡°The what?¡±  Maria mumbled, mouthing the words in confusion.


    Grace slowly nodded.  ¡°On point with the creep levels tonight, Relica.  Nice!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±  Relica laughed, the sarcasm passing right over her head.  ¡°Well, well, well¡­¡±  Her frightening smile rose upon seeing the twins.  ¡°You actually plan on taking them with you¡ªafter I told you about the players?  Bold.¡±


    The twins took a step back, glancing at one another.  ¡°W-What are you on about?¡±  Isabel asked, defensively moving in front of her older sister.


    Rachel¡¯s vision narrowed.  ¡°You ¡­ didn¡¯t tell us anything that would be concerning for twins, Relica.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±  She looked astonished, her hand flying to her mouth.  ¡°Oh ¡­ Oh, well, you can¡¯t blame me; I was so busy yesterday.  You have no idea how complicated it is projecting this far away.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±  Scarlet growled.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Relica¡¯s grin returned.  ¡°Oh, there are three prominent figures in Camag¨¹ey.  Asher, Armand, and ¡­ heh, Wolfgang, a German by descent¡ªhave you guessed it?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s crossed arms tightened under her chest, but she shook her head.  ¡°No¡ªjust tell us!¡±


    Relica rolled her eyes with a sigh upon seeing everyone¡¯s blank look.  ¡°Come now ¡­ German ¡­ attached to the idea of twins ¡­ Mengele!  God!  I¡¯m talking about the Legend of Josef Mengele!  What do they teach you kids in school?  The Nazi known as the ¡®Angel of Death?¡¯  He had quite the fascination with twins, experimentation, among ¡­ many other hobbies and areas of focus¡ªstimulating fellow!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t ¡­ we going there to kill him?¡±  Edelira asked, hugging herself.  ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he be scared of us?¡±


    The sorceress gave her a sympathetic look.  ¡°Darling ¡­ Do you have any idea what it is you are walking into?  How do you suppose Armand has his little wolf army, or Asher could advance his demonic summoning to such degrees so quickly?  Wolfgang has been given full, unrestricted access to as many lives as he can possibly desire for his experimentation, and he is ¡­ good, and for me to say that¡­¡±


    ¡°We get it,¡± Rachel cut in.  ¡°You don¡¯t think we can protect them?¡±


    A long breath shot through Relica¡¯s nose as she maneuvered to one of the rocks Fiona had made to sit.  ¡°How to say this ¡­ I learned many things about Blood Magic from Asher.  Cloning, fusing monster and man, among several other fields of occultic degrees, is what I worked with Wolfgang on.  He is a brilliant and cautious man that has duplicated himself to accelerate his work¡ªsomething I am more ¡­ hesitant to pursue as I can see ¡­ possible issues I am not willing to tackle arising from it.¡±


    ¡°How many?¡±  Maria asked in a low tone.


    ¡°Who can say?  I haven¡¯t seen him for a week, but it is probably something like  five, scattered across the city, pursuing their own specialized interests on¡ªgenetic purity, strengthening the physical form, the occult arts, and the such.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take our chances,¡± Isabel stated.  ¡°If we get captured ¡­ It¡¯s our own fault.¡±


    Edelira didn¡¯t look so confident but reluctantly agreed to stay with her sister.  ¡°Grace helped us get a few new skills that should help ¡­ I hope.¡±


    ¡°Trust in yourselves!¡±  Grace encouraged.  ¡°Just stay as a pack, and we¡¯ll work through it as a team.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what the cowgirl said,¡± Maria grinned.


    Grace leveled a slight smirk at the Unicorn as she eyed her.  ¡°I don¡¯t know, ya seem like a pretty filled-in cowgirl where I¡¯m sittin¡¯!¡±


    Maria looked down at herself with a passive nod.  ¡°Meh, yeah, you could say that.¡±


    ¡°Maria!¡±  Fiona snickered.


    ¡°What?  I¡¯ve got a body; she¡¯s not wrong!¡±


    Grace nodded with respect.  ¡°I like her!  So, we shootin¡¯ through demons to close these portals or somethin¡¯?¡±


    Fiona cleared her throat.  ¡°Yup!  Tom filled me in; he¡¯s preparing a full air raid and mobilizing a ground assault.  The moment we drop the barrier, they¡¯re gonna send in the cavalry¡ªit¡¯ll take them a good two more hours to get everything here, but they¡¯ll be ready.¡±


    Rachel smiled.  ¡°Then we¡¯ve got a schedule to meet.  Let¡¯s go ¡­ You aren¡¯t joining us, are you, Relica?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my long-eared friend.  I wouldn¡¯t miss it for the world!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s after something!  Villain 101!  I know, I took the course!¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes dulled.  ¡°Right ¡­ You¡¯ve just got something you want to retrieve inside.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ possibly,¡± Relica flashed her teeth.  ¡°Still, you¡¯ll need me to shield your entrance from prying eyes.  You wouldn¡¯t want to have the whole armada raining down on your heads, would you, my lovelies?¡±


    Maria¡¯s lips curved into a big grin.  ¡°Actually ¡­ I think I do.  You see, I haven¡¯t been doin¡¯ nothin¡¯ while everyone else has been makin¡¯ gains!  I¡¯ve got a little surprise up my sleeve, and this is the moment to use it.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Rachel hummed.  ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you then.¡±


    Relica seemed interested, too, but was content to be thrilled.  ¡°Invigorating ¡­ In any case, you¡¯ll want time to set up.  Correct?¡±


    Maria¡¯s smile fell with a rumbling note in her throat.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ I suppose.  I don¡¯t like the thought of giving you what you want.¡±


    ¡°Such a tease!¡±  Relica giggled.  ¡°Let¡¯s stop hell on Earth!¡±


    ¡°That you helped create,¡± Fiona mumbled.


    ¡°Details!¡±  Relica dismissively waved.  ¡°I suggest we start near the south-eastern point of the city; it should be the least guarded with the northwestern airstrip being the most¡ªyou are trying to save lives, are you not?  It will have the cattle farm.¡±


    Grace¡¯s expression tightened at the word and connotation.  ¡°Bitch joke.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  She grinned at the cowgirl.  ¡°I thought it would perfectly describe its use; although, yes, I can be a bitch at times¡ªheh, a classy bitch at that.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Rachel growled, and Fiona lifted them into the sky¡ªnaturally, Relica wasn¡¯t affected by the spell and used her own skill to follow.  Luckily, Al and Araceli were nearby.


    The black-haired woman wasn¡¯t happy to see them appear several meters away as Benedict brought her into the illusionary field.  ¡°Ben, Edel, Izzy ¡­ What are you doing here ¡­ Trying to stop me?¡±


    Benedict shook his head.  ¡°No ¡­ If you want a way in, then we can help you.¡±


    Isabel rubbed her wrist uncomfortably.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ We haven¡¯t forgotten what you did for us and our parents, Araceli ¡­ You can leave and go your own way when we get inside.¡±


    Silence followed as the woman¡¯s glare slid to Grace, trying not to make eye contact as she looked anywhere else.  Al broke it; the water buffalo Beastkin had several scars and a bandage covering the damage to his arm.  ¡°Araceli ¡­ we can¡¯t keep killing these things for days without end looking for a way inside.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she hissed, but Maria shut her up, speaking Spanish.


    The woman¡¯s grimace increased at the exchange; however, it changed when Maria¡¯s horn appeared, and all of Al¡¯s wounds were healed along with Rachel¡¯s own.  Maria gave Rachel a questioning look but soon returned it to the Cuban.  ¡°Don¡¯t be an ass and take the help.  If you¡¯re gonna go chargin¡¯ in, then do it at your best, and don¡¯t be an idiot¡ªthat¡¯s not gonna help no one.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ fine,¡± Araceli growled.  ¡°We¡¯re splitting up the moment we¡¯re inside, though ¡­ I won¡¯t help you ¡­ ever,¡± she stated, vision fixating on Grace again.


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Rachel replied, ¡°and we won¡¯t help you after this¡ªdon¡¯t throw away your lives for nothing.¡±


    Her face twisted with disgust.  ¡°Avenging M¨¢ximo is not nothing!¡±


    Rachel ignored her comment, turning her head to Fiona.  ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Nodding, Fiona lifted them up¡ªexcept Araceli didn¡¯t rise.


    ¡°Oh, for God¡¯s sake,¡± Relica made an annoyed sound in her throat before pointing at the woman and lifting her up.  ¡°Can we go¡ªI¡¯m bored.  This is pointless.¡±


    Araceli and Relica got into a heated Spanish discussion that devolved into Araceli¡¯s tearful screams at the sorceress¡¯s snide remarks.  When they reached the barrier¡¯s edge, Scarlet pulled out her blood scythe with a small frown, looking back at the angry, tearful face of the vengeful woman.  ¡°I¡¯m .. This feels so¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Scarlet asked as her hands tightened around the pole of her weapon.


    Relica hummed with a slow nod.  ¡°Ah ¡­ Yes, this barrier is composed of living spirits¡ªused as a fuel to stop all that would try to enter.  Scarlet is going to have to cut through them ¡­ reap ¡­ Isn¡¯t it wonderful!¡±


    Scarlet hissed, closing her eyes before readying herself.  ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t like it!¡±  Her mouth set in agony as she tried to lie to herself, and Rachel knew she was trying to resist the pleasure of the experience as her weapon pierced the red electricity, creating a split in the shield.


    Rachel held out a hand to comfort her, causing her body to twitch.  ¡°We¡¯re here, Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m holding the way open,¡± she whispered, body trembling with the wave of life force coursing inside her.  ¡°F-Fiona, could you¡­¡±


    ¡°Got you!¡±  Fiona quickly replied, lifting her into the air and dragging her scythe higher to broaden the gap; Rachel¡¯s hand slid down her back to fall to her side as the others hurried through, gasping at the sight within.  They¡¯d entered through a major highway, still lined with cars that had tried to run the barrier through or were piled up on the side of the road.


    Al and Araceli hesitated for a moment before rushing through.


    ¡°Hurry!¡±  Scarlet cried.  ¡°It¡¯s¡ªthere are so many people,¡± she cried, bloody tears falling down her cheeks.


    Passing through, Rachel slowed to a stop beside Relica, and Fiona pulled Scarlet inside after floating the rest through.  No one moved as they looked at the stormy, illuminated heavens over the ruined, burning, and crumbling city.


    Skeletons were hung on crosses nearby of children, dogs, cows, and even birds; searing demonic writing was carved across the wood and bone.  Broken skulls and fingers were deposited in small clumps with feet and femurs in another pile, burning with an orange flame.  Pelvises of what Rachel could only think of were women because the still wet uteruses draped across them were lining the road on blazing pyres that refused to burn the items¡ªpulses of red energy crackled across their surface.


    ¡°T-This is evil ¡­ I don¡¯t like it,¡± Nia shivered.


    Rachel took in the entire sight, breath caught in her throat.  ¡°... How could this happen in two weeks?¡±


    Cars were burned like blackened charcoal, buildings crumbling in embers; demonic creatures hovered in the sky of the more significant buildings further into the city.  It looked like Hell on Earth with the massive globes of blood hovering at the barrier¡¯s upper points overhead.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡±  Maria whispered.  ¡°Is there anyone left to save?¡±


    Relica spun in a slow circle, examining the place with a critical eye as tiny purple runes glowed around her, blocking them from detection and creating some kind of symbol in the road.  ¡°Impressive ¡­ Asher has certainly been busy.  The pens should be nearby ¡­ eh, this way if I¡¯m not mistaken!¡±  she laughed, pointing at a concrete facility several hundred meters to their left.


    Araceli asked her a few things in Spanish, to which the sorceress pointed her finger toward the airstrip, and they set off.  ¡°Fool,¡± she snickered.  ¡°We will¡ªvery likely¡ªsee you soon, and not the same.¡±


    She grunted something in return, but Rachel could hear the fear from her trembling muscles; this was not what she¡¯d expected to trek.


    Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°We¡¯re inside ¡­ Maria?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ shit, umm ¡­ let me just ¡­ damn.  Give me a minute.¡±


    Fiona sucked in a breath.  ¡°Yeah, me, too ¡­ this is ¡­ we really are stopping demons, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    Grace took a deep breath before tightening her hat.  ¡°Seems that way.¡±


    Benedict and the twins were too overwhelmed to even speak, which could be expected since they hadn¡¯t faced anything close to something of this scale.


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°We¡¯ll collect ourselves and move forward¡ªrescue who we can, and start taking out this barrier¡¯s power source.¡±


    ¡°This is terrible,¡± Nia mumbled.


    I know¡­


    Relica¡¯s smile was pure and innocent.  ¡°I can help with that!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can,¡± Scarlet whispered, unsteady hands gripping her sides.  ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t like the feeling here ¡­ Something¡¯s¡ªI feel something powerful at the airstrip ¡­ enough to make¡ªto make her stir¡­¡±


    Knowing Scarlet was talking about Twilight, Rachel hissed out a breath; she could hear mumbling in some infernal language that made her ears burn from hundreds of lips in sync.  ¡°Oh ... Perfect.  Let¡¯s be cautious then ¡­ Keep track of it.¡±


    ¡°Hard not to,¡± Scarlet shuddered.  ¡°I think ¡­ I think we should hurry, though.¡±


    Rachel tucked her lip under for a moment, scratching her arm.  ¡°Right ¡­ Maria?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ Let¡¯s, uh ¡­ Can we take down those ¡­ those things first?¡±  She asked, pointing at the pyres.  ¡°The evil in this place is ¡­ Hell ¡­ This is Hell.¡±


    ¡°Oh, honey,¡± Relica smirked, ¡°this is only the beginning.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 22. A Fallen Angel

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    2. Maria (Our Sunlit Unicorn)


    3. Rachel Park


    Recap:  We''ve really stepped in it now, boys ... This place really is a nightmare turned reality.  How is our team going to stop this from breaking out across the globe?  My gut is turning just thinking about what is to come ... prepare yourselves.  Rituals, demons, devils, and gore are light.


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    DoMar, Hpez, Opala, Necroma Crowley, Freddie Rash, ktp, Mike Bartter, Shinigamix, Paper Crane, Tester, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched, Nia quietly listening to everything being processed through her brain; Maria and Relica were having some kind of argument about the usefulness of the disturbing pyres and the Unicorn¡¯s plan.


    Relica destroyed them simply by using a black flame that coated her dagger; all she had to do was tap it, and the fire consumed everything on it.  The Sorceress had some fascination with the connection it had to Blood Magic.


    Gisele, Hayan, Coral, and Rose had taken up a defensive perimeter, looking for danger, with Benedict and the twins joining them to wait for further direction.  The Cubans were visibly shaken by their satanic environment.


    ¡°... I am not convinced by your little plan to expose us with a beacon in the sky,¡± Relica stated with a hand on her hip, ¡°or whatever it is you are spouting.  If you are unaware, I have investments within this city I must obtain.  By the way, these pyres are for birthing those flying demonic fiends¡ªfascinating process of using the womb to¡­¡±


    ¡°Not interested!¡±  Maria and Fiona shouted in unison.


    Fiona created her own fireball to move between the altars and stakes; some crucifixions still showed half-decaying bodies she put to rest.  Everyone else tried to take in and cope with the demonic world they¡¯d stepped into.


    Rachel¡¯s brow pulled together; not a single place of refuge could be found no matter where she focused her hearing.


    ¡°This ¡­ doesn¡¯t sound good,¡± Nia whispered.  ¡°How many evil bug imps are there, Rachel ¡­ How many are there?!¡±


    A lot more than we thought, and they¡¯re everywhere ¡­ On the plus side, we¡¯ll gain a lot of experience on the plus side, but the body count is ¡­ way too high.  Relica knew precisely which place would be least guarded, and I don¡¯t like that.


    ¡°Duh!  She¡¯s the sinister villainous witch, Lunar Abyss ¡­ I¡¯ll keep an eye on her for you, though ¡­ hmm, but she¡¯s such a creepypasta!  I just shiver listening to her voice ¡­ eww, what¡¯s she talking about?¡±


    Honestly, it¡¯s probably best you don¡¯t listen.


    ¡°Yeah!  Gross ¡­ I don¡¯t wanna know why those hearts are pumping!  Stop!¡±  She mumbled, folding down her imaginary ears and crouching into a ball.


    Folding her arms, Rachel took a few steps to the left, scanning the blackened landscape.  The intense, unnatural fire had swept through this part of the city; the infrastructure was damaged beyond restoration.  They¡¯d need to demolish the entire area.


    Crimson bolts of lightning lit the sky with an ominous gale that pressed against her skin and pulled her hair back a little.  The electrified heavens gave the illusion that the entire metropolis had been drawn into hell itself, and a thousand weak, dying voices moaned along the streets a mile ahead of them within the suburbs, likely staked to pikes on the roads.


    Live flames crackled everywhere, releasing some kind of reactive substance into the air that filtered to the sky, and not a blade of grass could be seen; she was forced to filter the noise.  The tapping, snapping of jaws, and guttural sounds the bug-like demons made were making Nia¡¯s fabric crawl; Rachel¡¯s tights were pressing against her thighs with a bit of pressure with her undergarments.


    Relax a little, Nia.  You should be able to block out some of the stuff I hear, can¡¯t you?


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not a baby!  I can do this, too!  I¡¯m strong!¡±


    Just ¡­ don¡¯t push yourself too hard.  Okay?


    ¡°Pfft ¡­ heh, yeah, like the great Black Abyss and Supreme Leader would be scared of ¡­ What¡¯s that big booming we hear?¡±  Her voice trembled a little.  ¡°I-Is it a mecha demon T-Rex with lasers?!  Please, no!¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t help but smile at the girl¡¯s fears, even if they were real to her.  You¡¯ve seen too many weird things from Scarlet ¡­ Where did you even get that thought?  It¡¯s on four legs, not two.


    ¡°It could be a mutant T-Rex ¡­ that¡¯s a demon and robot ¡­ yeah, that has lasers and fire breath, and missiles!  Oh, no, not hellfire missiles!  We¡¯re doomed!¡±


    She shook her head while listening to tremors passing through the ground.  Something massive patrolled the inner city, releasing powerful gusts of air from its lungs, and it wasn¡¯t alone.


    It¡¯s fine, Nia.  We just need to scout everything out and not rush into things since we have the jump on them.  Identifying the major threats is just smart, and then we go into battle and adapt to the chaos.


    ¡°I can be smart ¡­ And brave!¡±  she mumbled while hugging Rachel.


    Her smile softened.  I have no doubt, Supreme Leader.  You¡¯re cute, strong, and no one can match your curves.  Right?


    ¡°Oh!  Heh, well, of course, have you seen me?  Stupid question,¡± she mumbled, ¡°of course, you have!  Your curves aren¡¯t bad, either, Lunar Abyss.  Oh, and my pretty eyes, and maybe I don¡¯t have as long of ears as you¡ªyou know, because I¡¯m a rabbit, but they¡¯re cute, and I¡¯m colorful!¡±


    Rachel put a hand on her hip as she turned to study their environment with the others, still scanning through every sound she could identify to compile a complete picture.  Just wait until you can show everyone how you really look.  Even I don¡¯t really know, but I¡¯m looking forward to it.


    ¡°Wait!  If we kill a bunch of these bugs, then we get rid of them, AND I get more points to get closer to my Lunar Construct ability!¡±


    Is that what it¡¯s called?


    ¡°Mhm!  Oh, and remember Gisele¡¯s trying to learn the mind ¡­ talking thing ¡­ What¡¯s it called?¡±


    Telepathy?


    ¡°Yeah, that!¡±


    Well.  You know, I¡¯m planning on making you Supreme Leader Nia over the pet army?  You¡¯ll be taking control of them while I focus on the primary fight; with you guys supporting me.


    ¡°Oh.  My.  Goodness!  We can get more minions for me, too!  I¡¯m so excited!¡±


    We¡¯ll be unstoppable.


    Rachel¡¯s identified Wolfgang and his clones; one wasn¡¯t too far from them, close to the prison where tens of thousands of people were imprisoned.  He was performing experiments with several children at the moment.


    Several large entities were with him; she couldn¡¯t get a proper fix on the things with how silent they were.  Dozens more of the creatures were overseeing numberless flying demons, swarming various areas of the metropolis¡¯ corners and hiding in its shadows.


    To their northwest, just inside the central city, was another copy of the Legendkin; she couldn¡¯t understand him since he was mumbling in German to a feminine-sounding demonic assistant, but he appeared to be going over research.


    So many other things caught her attention, but two things immediately took priority.


    ¡°What are we going to do?¡±  Nia¡¯s voice had turned serious, rebuilding her confidence after Rachel calmed her down.  ¡°There are so many things we need to stop ¡­ people to help.¡±


    We start with the largest concentration of people in danger and go from there ¡­ We have a lot of issues, though.  Relica was right ¡­ We should have come here sooner.  Even a few days sooner could have made this so much easier.


    Fiona noticed her fidgeting ears and Scarlet¡¯s absent look; she broke away from Maria and Relica¡¯s argument to join her.  ¡°Hey, Rachel, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Rachel scratched the side of her head, drawing in her lips, but didn¡¯t immediately respond.  Her mind was being pulled in dozens of directions while connecting the board they¡¯d stepped onto.


    Maria and Relica finished destroying the last pyre nearby and turned to see what she was doing.  The Unicorn had returned to the debate about using a big healing move to draw people in; Rachel was too distracted to pay it much attention while mapping out the current in their way.


    Grace summoned Jim, jumping up to settle in the saddle; her serious eyes scanned the heavens, likely following small demons flying across the sky.  She rubbed Jim¡¯s neck as he shook his head, and a grimace creased her face.  ¡°Not likin¡¯ what I¡¯m seein¡¯.¡±


    Fiona cleared her throat again when Rachel didn¡¯t respond.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ still listening to stuff?¡±  She turned to Scarlet, spinning around the girl while rubbing her right arm.  ¡°Umm ¡­ Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Scarlet blinked.  ¡°No, it¡¯s just ¡­ I can feel something ¡­ there¡­¡±  She pointed to the northeast.


    ¡°The airport,¡± Rachel hummed, eyes narrowing as she walked to her side.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m still compiling everything, Fiona.  There¡¯s a massive ritual taking place in the field to the south of it ¡­ From what I can tell, over twenty thousand people were forced into some kind of symbol and are waiting for something.  I can hear at least a hundred people repeating the same strange words in the center¡ªsome kind of demonic ritual because I couldn¡¯t replicate those noises.¡±


    Grace adjusted herself on her saddle and shifted her hat with a low grunt.  ¡°Okay, so ¡­ Eh, I know I¡¯m new to this stuff, and all but ¡­ Isn¡¯t that like, movie one-o-one foreshadowing?  We take care of the big shit first like smart people.  Right?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±  Fiona pointed at her.  ¡°That¡ªthat¡¯s totally some future death flags right there!¡±


    Benedict slowly floated back to join Fiona.  ¡°It can¡¯t be that easy, though.  There¡¯s a reason why you level up in games, though, right?   That¡¯s how the few games I¡¯ve played works¡ªthe small stuff before going to the final boss.¡±


    Cracking her neck, Maria leveled a quick glare at Relica.  ¡°I don¡¯t know, I mean, do these bastards think someone can break past their big bad barrier?  Heh, naa.  They¡¯ll be just like every stupid dude and think they¡¯re untouchable.  I¡¯d say we¡¯re good to surprise the whole ritual thing and ruin it all¡ªI can totally just throw out Lighthouse and get everyone to us.  Easy!¡±


    Rachel scratched the base of her left ear with a low sigh; Maria had been arguing with Relica about this topic for the last few minutes.  ¡°What¡¯s Lighthouse?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s bright green eyes lit up.  ¡°Oh!  That¡¯s the Achievement Skill you told me about!  It draws people to you and heals everyone, right?  Wait ¡­ Didn¡¯t you say it kind of sucks because it would melt Scarlet and drain Rachel?¡±


    Well, that¡¯s lovely.


    Nia scratched her imaginary head.  ¡°Is she trying to kill you?¡±


    ¡°Brilliant,¡± Relica rolled her eyes.  ¡°The body and brain of a horse¡ªno, not even that,¡± she mumbled, critical stare appraising the Unicorn¡¯s frame.  ¡°What kind of failed Mythickin are you?  No tail.  No horse ears.  Not even a horn, unless you use your powers.¡±


    Nia was quick to her defense.  ¡°Hey!  You can¡¯t talk to Maria like ¡­ Yeah, you tell her!


    ¡°Shut your witch-ass up!¡±  Maria¡¯s arms tightened around her core.  ¡°What¡¯s that shit even got to do with ¡­ whatever.  Look, Rachel and Scarlet can chill in a building or something; it will give a rallying point for the people to know there¡¯s help.  What, we just gonna save a few here and there and waste a ton of time?  I ain¡¯t got the life force to heal everyone, cons¨ªguelo?  Est¨²pida.  I gotta use this Skill for somethin¡¯ this big.¡±


    [Get it?  Asshole.]


    A smirk tugged at the corners of Relica¡¯s mouth.  ¡°Heh, right, and while Rachel and Scarlet cower from the light, what are you going to do about the ¡®literal army¡¯ chewing all those people to pieces?  You¡¯re powerless.¡±


    Maria¡¯s jaw tightened.  ¡°I¡¯m not powerless.¡±


    ¡°No?  Heh, keep telling yourself that.  So, which people?¡±


    Her eyebrows pulled together, glancing to the side.  ¡°What ¡­ do you mean?¡±


    Relica gave Rachel a look.  ¡°Mhm.  Do you know where these hurt and desperate people are?¡±  Shock suddenly crossed her face as she directed a light giggle at the Unicorn.  ¡°Oh¡ªnot that I care about their lives¡ªthis is just suicide, and I¡¯m not a fan¡ªnot to mention ¡®horse brained.¡¯¡±


    Grace gave her a dull smile from her elevated position.  ¡°Never believed ya cared, to begin with, Ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Excellent!  I am quite serious, though,¡± Relica stated in a cross tone, putting her hands on her hips while facing Maria.  ¡°Are you trying to get us killed?  Rachel, surely you understand just how many creatures roam these streets?  If I hadn¡¯t hidden us, those sentry spells would have activated the moment Scarlet¡¯s blade penetrated the barrier and sent the whole armada down on our heads.  You should be thanking me, but no, never grateful for the help I¡¯ve provided.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips pulled in, still scouring through the thousands of people around the airfield to discover anything else of importance.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Maria, does your skill provide protection?  Would you purify the demons or have some way to defend the people while Scarlet and I are away?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡±  Maira¡¯s gaze shifted to the left, probably asking the question to the seed.  ¡°It ¡­ can purify demonic energy!  Yeah!  Hah!  They¡¯ll be powerless to even move.¡±


    Relica¡¯s expression fell.  ¡°Ah ¡­ well, if that is the case, then it would take care of the small demons¡ªhowever, you are overhyping your skill.  You¡¯d still need to deal with the stronger ones because I highly doubt your little light show will do more than annoy them.¡±


    Maria grinned.  ¡°Lighthouse Five, bitch!  Purify Two, not Lesser Purify, or Minor Purify, but Purify.  Kiss my ass!  Two-Mile radius¡ªlasts for thirty minutes¡ªyeah, I¡¯m just a badass healer!  Get your flat ass outta here!¡±


    A testing smile shifted the Sorceress¡¯s expression.  ¡°Heh ¡­ sure, honey; keep feeling yourself.  Why would you want to save worthless people who are likely to die anyway with a single-use Skill while, mind you, alerting Asher and Armand to our presence?  On the other hand, those two you let scamper off could blow the whistle, in any case,¡± she grunted, glaring at the figures far ahead of them, barely visible between the cars.


    ¡°Pollas en vinagre.¡±  Maria brushed back her hair, ignoring the woman to turn and face Rachel.  ¡°I¡¯m cool with whatever, but we gotta save these people¡ªwould be sweet if I could punch this bitch in the face, too.¡±


    [i.e., Dick in vinegar]


    Fiona and the twins nodded with dirty looks at the Sorceress; Relica dismissed them as not worth her time.


    Grace pulled out her flask and drank a swig before speaking up.  ¡°Mmh ¡­from what you were sayin¡¯ earlier and what I¡¯ve been told about these abilities, these fellas have killed who knows how many people ¡­ Eh, are we even on the same level?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Scarlet whispered, drawing everyone¡¯s gaze.


    Rachel¡¯s fingers tightened at her response, Lunar Pride scratching at her psyche.  If Scarlet was saying that, of all people, then she had to take it into consideration.  ¡°What are you feeling?¡±


    Her fangs pressed down on her black lips as she looked toward the airstrip.  ¡°What do I feel?  It¡¯s ¡­ this entire place is just ¡­ it¡¯s wrong, Rachel,¡± she mumbled, hugging herself.  ¡°There are some really strong things here ¡­ like as strong as the things in the maze.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears rose a little, remembering their time inside the island turtle¡¯s labyrinth, and her tail quivered with excitement.  They¡¯d gotten stronger since entering those halls.


    Keeping her voice even while a fire blazed inside her breast, Rachel cleared her throat.  ¡°You think we¡¯re dealing with something on that scale, huh ¡­ Which trial?¡±


    ¡°Maze?¡±  Relica¡¯s head tilted as she played with her black bangs.  ¡°What are we talking about?¡±


    A quiver ran down Scarlet¡¯s spine as her eyes pulled in, remembering something blood-chilling.  ¡°Umm ¡­ from how I¡¯m feeling¡ªthe one that I drank its blood.  I still feel the power of it coursing through me, and it resonates with this area ¡­ like a predator entering a new hunting ground.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s breath halted for a moment, shifting gazes looking to one another as Scarlet swallowed.  ¡°I get this sense ¡­ a frantic lack of mental clarity that hollows out my heart¡ªthis force rolling around me, making me feel so small.  It¡¯s like the chains holding my fragile reality together are pulling apart.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s bra pressed against her chest as Nia shivered.  ¡°D-Does she mean¡­¡±


    Twilight is restless.  No wonder she¡¯s acting like this.  Something is drawing Twilight¡¯s attention.


    Grace leaned to the side with a blank look.  ¡°Translation?  You, heh, aren¡¯t going to get all inner-demon on us ¡­ Are you?¡±


    ¡°Scary shit,¡± Maria frowned.  ¡°What?  Eh, probably not Scarlet, no,¡± she forced a laugh.  ¡°You took that thing out, though.  Right?  Just cut a bit off the top and drank it dry¡ªcan¡¯t we do that again?¡±


    Controlling the air going in and out of her lungs, Rachel reinforced the Skill her grandfather taught her as it began to slip; she wanted to fight the things ahead of them but didn¡¯t want to kill her friends in the process.


    If they¡¯re as strong as that nightmare creature ¡­ We may have leveled since then, but we¡¯re nowhere near that stage.  We need to get stronger, but I have to know how far we need to bridge the gap, and I have you now, Nia.


    ¡°You really going to do it, Lunar Abyss?  We could die ¡­ Wait!  You mean me?!  Oh, yeah!  Nia¡¯s the Dark Abyss!  The Shadow Leader of Doom!  But umm ¡­ I don¡¯t want you to die.  Okay?¡±


    Sometimes you need to take risks, Nia, and there¡¯s no way I can¡¯t test these monsters myself when they¡¯re right in front of me.


    ¡°Stupid Lunar Pride ¡­ I¡¯m a bunny.  I don¡¯t have that thing¡ªno, thank you.¡±


    Everyone waited for Rachel to speak.


    ¡°Alright, Relica, can you shield us from view if we scope out the airfield?  It¡¯s definitely the place we need to tackle first¡ªif it¡¯s possible, but we may need to retreat and handle the small-scale stuff if this proves too much.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±  Relica hesitated, staring into the distance and releasing a hiss.  ¡°However ¡­ I am burning a lot of energy¡ªDoing this over an extended period of time is not ideal, considering the level of spells I must weave, and ¡­ there could be other issues, as well.  This is not my main body, after all.¡±


    ¡°Can you do it or not?¡±  Rachel bluntly asked.


    Relica grunted.  ¡°Have I not proven how powerful I am?¡±


    Trusting the Sorceress less than she could throw her, Rachel kept an ear on the woman; she wasn¡¯t 100% confident in something, and she wondered how much Relica¡¯s ego was talking.  The fact they were relying on her put a bitter taste in Rachel¡¯s mouth.


    Rachel shifted to the side, facing Scarlet; the girl was practically petrified since coming into contact with the electrified barrier.  ¡°Is it Asher?¡±


    She slowly shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve sensed him yet, but¡ªsomething eerie is being gathered over here¡ªit¡¯s ¡­ beyond words,¡± Scarlet mumbled, pointing at the airfield again.  ¡°It¡¯s like ¡­ like death is circling lower and lower ¡­ every second, and Twilight senses something ¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Twilight is restless ¡­ Not a good sign; we have to get a better grasp of that area first.


    ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah, not a fan of Twilight, myself,¡± Nia slowly chuckled.  ¡°I stayed away from her ¡­ far, far away when Scarlet put me on¡ªshe¡¯s scary.¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°All the more reason we should hurry.  Around twenty thousand people are being kept to our northwest¡ªthat¡¯s the largest group in danger by leagues.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±  Isabel finally found her voice.  ¡°N-No, that can¡¯t be right!  There¡¯s over three hundred thousand people in Camag¨¹ey ¡­ if¡ªif that¡¯s the biggest¡­¡±


    Fiona, Maria, Benedict, and Edelira¡¯s faces turned ashen at the implication as Rachel rubbed her burning left earring.  ¡°Right now ¡­ I can¡¯t hear more than fifty thousand people in the whole of Camag¨¹ey.¡±


    Edelira¡¯s legs began to tremble.  ¡°Then ¡­ two hundred and fifty thousand ¡­ they¡¯re dead?¡±


    ¡°Probably more,¡± Relica hummed, cupping her chin while thinking back.  ¡°You have to consider the surrounding towns and western province, too.  We¡¯re lucky most of them were used as fuel for rituals to get things started rather than killed for the experience; gaining personal strength was never Asher¡¯s goal.  His demon god was the apple of his eye.¡±


    Fiona waved her hands while going between them to get their attention.  ¡°Okay!  Okay!  Let¡¯s hurry!  Wait¡­¡±  Her vision closed as her fingers closed around her head.  ¡°Not the blood portal¡­¡±


    An apologetic smile moved Scarlet¡¯s forced expression as the blood left her body to form the gateway.  ¡°Sorry.¡±  She seemed to be regaining her confidence, but to say she was nervous would be an understatement.


    Unsurprisingly, Relica was the first to go through, giving a short squeal.  ¡°Oh!  I can¡¯t wait for the second trip!  I¡¯ll need to use a lot of my power here¡ªit is the thing Asher was most focused on.  Just be warned!¡±


    Everyone watched her go with a dull look before slowly following.


    The twins rubbed their arms, giving one another a grimace, and rushed the gate to get it over, much to Rachel¡¯s horror.  ¡°We¡¯ll see you on the other side,¡± Isabel mumbled.  Holding hands, the sisters ran inside and vanished.


    ¡°Wait!¡±  Rachel ended it in a low growl as they went inside; she¡¯d been too focused on the various Wolfgang clones to explain they should stay behind and guard the entrance since they were prime targets.


    ¡°She¡¯s such a creep,¡± Fiona shivered.  ¡°Heh, right, Maria?  Wait, aren¡¯t we all going, Rachel?¡±  She asked, turning to give her a confused look.  ¡°Should we not go in?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re just targets,¡± Rachel sighed.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Maria rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes.  ¡°The bitch is twisted¡ªeh, I¡¯ll go after them,¡± she mumbled, tensing while running forward.  ¡°Shit ¡­ Relica should be the one we¡¯re goin¡¯ after, to begin with.  Just ¡­ hold your breath and ¡­ shit¡­¡±  She tried to stifle a scream, jumping through.


    Jim slowly moved forward without prompting, Grace lifting her hat to Fiona.  ¡°I can go next, lil¡­¡±


    The words died in her throat as a colossal pulse of fathomless energy erupted across the entire city, causing Scarlet to flinch; her blood portal fell in on itself.


    Rachel¡¯s ears went on high alert, head tilting toward the origin point.  Of course, it had to be the airfield!  Where¡­


    ¡°R-Rachel!¡±  Nia cried, hands flying to her mouth.


    ¡°Scarlet!  Open the portal!¡±


    Scarlet had collapsed to her butt, looking at the enormous crimson void that exploded in the sky.  ¡°What ¡­ is that p-presence,¡± Scarlet gasped.  ¡°It¡¯s so ¡­ dense¡ªit¡¯s not one person.¡±


    Tingles cascaded through Rachel¡¯s body as twenty thousand muffled cries died, and the chanting reached a new height before hundreds of cultists underneath it just cut their own throats, leaving the chant ringing in the air.


    For the first time, she heard the sophisticated voice of who she assumed was Asher, speaking in Hebrew to Relica before swapping to English; he seemed pleased with his work.


    Grace, Fiona, Benedict, and her pets were following Scarlet¡¯s gaze in shock at the demonic vortex, but Nia was loud and clear.


    ¡°No way!  Relica ¡­ Go!  Go!  Go!  C¡¯mon!¡±


    He appeared out of nowhere!


    ¡°Scarlet!  Get us there!  Now!¡±


    * * *


    Maria shivered as the sensation of countless hands caressing her breasts, spine, down her legs, ears, and lips, causing her to trip while tightening her thighs in protest; she fell flat on her face.


    Biting back a curse, she struggling to her hands and knees as a concussive force raddled through her bones with endless screams that caused either her arms or the ground to quake.  Her mind momentarily blanked, her gaze lifting to see Relica wearing a forced smile.  She stood beside a blue-skinned devil.


    He was somewhat handsome, in an edgy, fallen angel sort of way.  One of his wings was missing, and the other tattered; reflectant black armor covered his long, powerful legs and right arm.  She had no doubt this was Asher, and he was beyond ripped.


    Maria didn¡¯t know what to think as she took in her surroundings; her lips fell open in an instant.  A sea of people lifted into the air and scarlet liquid pulled from their pours to feed the ominous sphere in the heavens; symbols were carved into their flesh, drawn into a demonic summoning circle more expansive than a football stadium that the blood was pulled through before rising to the vortex.


    Asher chuckled as Isabel lifted her transformed sister and shot him in the face six times; the green bullets left a trail of energy that passed right through his head¡ªit was as if he wasn¡¯t there, to begin with.


    ¡°W-What?¡±  Isabel mumbled in disbelief.


    Asher casually waved his hand; the twins faded in a pulse of azure light.


    ¡°Oof, what a shame,¡± Relica said with a short chuckle.  ¡°You have advanced quite a bit, Asher ¡­ oh, dear¡­¡±


    Finding her bearings, Maria stumbled to her feet, charging forward with her horn flaring to life, Lesser Dispel II activating.  ¡°The hell, Reli¡­¡±  Asher¡¯s smile fell as her radiance cut past the blue flames surrounding him.


    Asher¡¯s left hand lifted as Scarlet¡¯s blood portal swirled into existence beside him; Maria blinked, and she was suddenly in a dark dungeon.  Strong hands grabbed her from behind, forcing her to the ground.


    ¡°Oof ¡­ The ¡­ Get off¡­¡±


    Her words cut off as she saw the Gun Sisters beside dozens of other twins; there were kids, teens, the elderly, males, and females.  Five black demonic creatures with deer heads, large antlers, and a thick mane of fur around their necks held her down.  The demons were partially decomposed corpses, crimson gas and liquid dripping off their forms.


    She bit her lip as their wet clawed fingers rubbed against her skin, injecting some kind of corrupting energy her natural abilities were having trouble countering.  No one had grabbed her with more force than these things; it felt like they¡¯d snap her bones any moment.


    ¡°Oh¡ªwhat do we have here ¡­ a Mythickin?¡±  a soft, male voice spoke from the corner of her vision with a German accent.


    ¡°W-Who¡ªdammit!  I¡ªI can¡¯t breathe¡­¡±  Maria gasped, trying to struggle out of the creature¡¯s death grip; her purification was still active, and from her Diagnose Skill, she knew many of the twins were suffering from various corruptions and wounds on a spiritual level.  ¡°What ¡­ did you do to these people?!  Let me go¡ªb-bastard!¡±  It was hard to get words out of her throat.


    A boy in his late teens was sitting in a chair, dressed in a white dress shirt.  His blue eyes appraised her with a critical look in the dark room; he shifted the cream folder in his lap a little to get a better view of her.


    ¡°How fascinating¡ªa U.S. citizen and Mythickin.  Asher doesn¡¯t give me a moment¡¯s break,¡± he chuckled, scratching his cheek and getting up.  ¡°To the chair¡ªI need to examine her spirit ¡­ Something¡¯s ¡­ off.¡±


    Maria grunted, drawing in a deep breath as the pressure was eased off her chest, and she winced as the demon forced her up with overwhelming strength.  ¡°L-Like shit ¡­ Get¡­¡±


    Her throat numbed as he turned to point a finger at her, his other hand in his pocket.  ¡°No need to speak, dear.  I will be gentle.  I can¡¯t have you turning out like the last five Mythickin ¡­ Hmm¡­¡±


    I ¡­ I can¡¯t speak.  Dammit!  Rachel, where the hell are you guys!


    Now on her feet, she saw all of the twins were lined up against a stone wall, hands above their heads while being restrained by some kind of black substance.  She tried to dispel the Disable Effect¡ªher eyes widening when it failed.


    I¡¯m too weak?


    Wolfgang turned to face her, displaying slight displeasure, but his eyes put a chill in Maria that she rarely felt.  Tranquil gears turned behind the boy¡¯s blue globes that didn¡¯t match the horror around her; he was somehow dissecting her in ways she couldn¡¯t begin to comprehend.  ¡°Fascinating¡ªyou¡¯re the first specimen I¡¯ve seen to actively fight their transformation ¡­ What are you hiding?¡±


    What¡¯s that about?  I¡¯m fighting my ¡­ bullshit!  The hell!  This bitch just wants to cut me up!  Dammit!  Rachel!  Scarlet!  Get your asses over here!


    She¡¯d never felt so powerless as her muscles numbed with just a glance of Wolfgang¡¯s calm, glowing eyes.  The demons latched leather restraints around her hands and feet.  ¡°Can¡¯t be too cautious; heh, I apologize for the discomfort.  It will be over soon; I just need a little look ¡­ This is just what I¡¯ve been looking for to better understand the bonding process.¡±


    The frightening part of the whole ordeal was how relaxed and genuinely concerned his voice sounded.  Maria tucked her lower lip under; she wasn¡¯t supposed to be in this kind of situation ¡­ Her, never!  She could fight her way through anything, but at this moment, she felt naked and alone; her powers failed to help her.


    Relica ¡­ Relica had to have betrayed us.  Stupid!  Why would we trust that bitch, but ¡­ we didn¡¯t really ¡­ Did we?  I don¡¯t know.  Fiona ¡­ where are you?


    * * *


    Rachel jumped through the portal to see a blue-skinned demon wave his hand; under the effects of Rapid Mental Acceleration, she saw a blue illumination surround Maria before she vanished.


    The twins were nowhere in sight, and the horrific scene of tens of thousands of people floating in the air, feeding some demonic ritual played out in the backdrop.


    Only Relica and who she assumed was Asher, stood before her, and unlike the maze monsters, he didn¡¯t release an aura that proclaimed his strength, but her instincts told her all she needed to know.


    I¡¯m not strong enough to beat him right now ¡­ Shit.


    ¡°Rachel!  Where¡¯s Maria?  I ¡­ I can¡¯t hear them anywhere!¡±


    I¡¯m listening¡ªgive me a moment.


    His smug yellow irises shifted to Rachel as she exited, and he turned to face them with a smile, teleporting three meters away the moment Rachel decided to rush him.  Relica was standing idly by, looking somewhat annoyed and sheepish at the same time; if this had been her plan, she would be gloating¡ªthey¡¯d all been played.


    Dashing forward with Gisele, Coral, Rose, and Hayan, instantly sensing it was battle time, Rachel threw the first punch as he shimmered with sapphire flames.  Her fist connected with a completely different blue-skinned demon¡ªAsher traded places with a minion.


    Her full force sent the creature stumbling to the right a bit, repositioning the ax in his hand.  Just hitting it hurt her hand, but she continued the blitz, spinning to kick its hard, plated chest.


    Grounding itself, the demon took the full force of her heel with a low chuckle, spitting out blue blood before swinging at her torso to cleave her in half¡ªNia wouldn¡¯t be able to save her if it connected.


    Hayan, Rose, and Coral slammed against the demon¡¯s body, trying to push it away to no avail; he shrugged off the attacks like they were flies, and Gisele¡¯s lunar beam didn¡¯t so much as leave a mark.


    This isn¡¯t even Asher!


    Shifting positions, Rachel flipped back, knowing it was a lost cause; she needed a new strategy.  The minion was could be handled, but it would be a tough fight, and the minimal damage to its chest proved it.


    The black-energy-infused ax missed her by a foot, and Rachel landed beside the portal; her pets took up a triangle formation around the demon, yet it ignored them, realizing she¡¯d backed away.  It grunted while tracing a sharp thumb across his neck with a devilish grin before pounding his chest.


    Fiona, Grace, and Benedict soon came through the gateway, icicles forming around the Fairy.  The cowgirl had her revolver out, sharp eyes studying every inch of the new battlefield they¡¯d entered.


    ¡°Rachel!  W-Where is everyone?!¡±  Fiona yelled, looking around in shock while trying to pick up the pieces.


    Benedict¡¯s eyes scanned for his friends in a panic.  ¡°Izzy, Edel ¡­ Where are they?!¡±


    Scarlet exited last, hugging herself, but she didn¡¯t appear to even notice Asher as her focus moved up to the colossal gateway casting a shadow over them.


    They stilled as Asher gave Rachel and their party a thoughtful chuckle, vision settling on the Sorceress.  The air in Rachel¡¯s lungs froze; the overwhelming dark pressure flowed through her skin in a slow, rising crescendo, a shiver cascading down her spine from the crippling aura.


    This was what Scarlet had been sensing¡ªit wasn¡¯t just Asher but the tens of thousands of lives he¡¯d harnessed to channel into this ritual that was paralyzing her; it rivaled the beast guarding the control room of the labyrinth.


    ¡°I figured you¡¯d return, Relica.  It did not take a genius to discover your aims¡ªunfortunately for you, I have a genius; although, I am somewhat surprised you¡¯d be so arrogant as to think you could hide from my vision with this ¡­ honestly sad excuse of a vessel.  Of course, that is just like you.  Perhaps if you chose to come in person, things would have been different, yet you aren¡¯t that brave.¡±


    She shrugged with a sad laugh.  ¡°Can¡¯t blame a girl for trying!  Heh ¡­ It is too bad, really.  We can go?¡±  she offered with a thoughtful hum.  ¡°Oh ¡­ I see.  You wish to make a game out of this¡ªit is just like you.  It isn¡¯t as if you can really pay us much mind with ¡­ my God, that power is ¡­ intoxicating.¡±


    Fiona was searching the field, frantically looking for her best friend.  ¡°Maria ¡­ Where¡¯s Maria?¡±  she whispered.


    Asher¡¯s wing stretched to the side with his head as a bullet hit his eye.


    ¡°Nice!¡±  Nia yelled.


    Don¡¯t be so sure, Rachel mumbled, activating Emotional Detachment to counter the aura.


    The glowing red casing fell to the ground after hitting Asher¡¯s flaming aura, not even denting it.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ stronger than almost anything I¡¯ve seen besides Armand.  That might have killed you past all your defenses, Relica?¡±


    Grace clicked her tongue while waving her hand as if hurt.   ¡°Shiiit ¡­ Well, damn ¡­ tough son of a bitch¡ªthat was my best shot.¡±  Her gun barrel was glowing; considering her earlier statement, it would be unusable for most of the day.


    Rachel was still scanned for Maria and the twins; if they could make it out of this, there could be a chance.  He was only invincible because of the power he was channeling; she could see the hundreds of Satanists that had cut their own throats to seal the ritual lying dead at the center of the floating throng.


    Relica turned to give Grace a dull look.  ¡°Did you honestly think that would punch through tens of thousands of lives worth of channeled power?  He¡¯s practically invincible.  So, now that they understand, Asher,¡± she chimed, ¡°what¡¯s the game your devious mind is planning?¡±


    Asher spread his arms.  ¡°Honestly, I couldn¡¯t care less for games at this point.  I¡¯ve accomplished everything I wanted.  You could start killing all of these people, and perhaps you¡¯d make a dent¡ªRelica wouldn¡¯t hesitate, but by what I gather from the rest of this group ¡­ there would be dissension.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Relica sighed at the comment.  ¡°A miscalculation on my part with how quickly you were able to prepare your ritual¡ªHow did you carve that many symbols on tens of thousands of bodies?  You must tell!¡±


    ¡°Have you not already discovered the answer?¡±  he asked, lifting an amused eye.


    ¡°Wolfgang, of course,¡± she growled.  ¡°He is very dedicated to his craft.¡±


    Rachel found Maria in the city¡ªshe was with one of the Wolfgang clones, strapped to a table as he casually spoke to her; for some reason, he seemed to be trying to soothe the Unicorn.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ fascinating.  Maria, is it?  I need time to properly identify this power you hold ¡­ How unusual ¡­ Yes, yes!  I can see such wonders emitting from its surface ¡­ It is truly the greatest gift that God could bestow ¡­ Perfection of the individual¡ªyet, you reject part of it.  I am only going to look, my dear ¡­ You are far too precious to touch ¡­ There are others for such experiments.¡±


    He snapped his fingers.  ¡°Bring the five-year-old ¡­ Younger patients have proven to be more,¡± he paused, looking for the proper word, ¡°amenable to the process.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t hear the twins from this distance because they weren¡¯t talking, but she guessed they would be close by.  Everything was falling apart, and Scarlet was still trying to cope with the free-flowing spirits flying toward the sky.


    If she took on her Reaper State, she could probably sever the link, but we need to save Maria first and prepare before facing Asher or it¡¯s suicide.  It¡¯s not even a fight at this point.


    ¡°I found Maria,¡± Rachel confirmed, drawing Fiona¡¯s frantic gaze.


    ¡°Where?!¡±


    Benedict was right beside her.  ¡°Izzy, Edel?¡±


    Asher assessed her, practically ignoring the rest.  ¡°I see your ears are not just for¡­¡±  he trailed off, yellow irises narrowing upon fixating on Scarlet.  ¡°You ¡­ are different.  Hmm.¡±  Asher seemed to be communicating with something that told him unsavory things about Scarlet by the expression on his face.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, dear?¡±  Relica pushed, placing her hands behind her back and spinning in a circle to see the horrors of past rituals surrounding the place.  ¡°I thought we were going to have a little fun.  So far, I haven¡¯t been all that entertained by this ¡­ surprise.¡±


    Is she trying to pull his attention away from Scarlet?


    The Myth of Abezethibou released a low note in his throat before his gaze returned to the Sorceress.  ¡°I leave you to roam freely¡­ as an enemy of Beelzebub.  Survive as long as you can, and perhaps you can become food for the Great Heralds of the Lord of the Flies, Abraxas.¡±


    He vanished in blue wisps, leaving behind his demonic minion.


    The ax-wielding demon chuckled while swinging his weapon in a slow circle, and thousands upon thousands of lesser demons turned their attention to their position.


    A smile lit Rachel full lips as the Legendkin left them to their own devices; he¡¯d regret that decision.  Her ears shifted left and right, tracking the significant threats.  ¡°We¡¯re going to run to Maria¡ªScarlet ¡­ Scarlet!  We have a lot of work to do!¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes?¡±  she squeaked, choking a little while running forward; her vision was practically swimming from the forces rolling around the area.  Even Rachel felt warning signals blaring across her sixth sense.


    ¡°When we get close enough, I¡¯ll show you where she is ¡­ It¡¯s going to be a fight,¡± she mumbled, watching the blue demon advance as swarms of black insect-like entities filled the skies.  ¡°We¡¯re going through all of them.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 23. The Supreme Leader of Hearts

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:  Code Red!  Sound the alarms!  Maria and the twins got yeeted and hopefully not deleted!  Armand, the demon lord in charge of this nightmare inducing place is standing before them and set his swarm of demonic insects on the gang ... Everything''s falling apart.  How will Rachel deal with this cascade of misfortune?  Well, time to think, bulk up, and rise to the challenge ... This is how heroes are born!


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    The actions of everything around Rachel were slowed as she utilized Mental Acceleration IV to scan the evolving battlefield.


    Tens of thousands of people hung in the air, fueling the sacrificial magic that would bring Abraxas to their world; she had no clue who the demon was, but considering the number of lives required to open up a gate for him to come to their world, he was bad news.


    Scarlet was the only one that could weaken and fracture it; without her, it would be impossible for them to stop the summoning, and she would have had to seriously consider killing the city¡¯s innocent citizens to prevent an even greater catastrophe.


    Asher teleported to the center of it, looking up at the abyss above with a smile.  Lunar Pride reared its ugly head, realizing he thought she wasn¡¯t even worth considering a real opponent, yet he¡¯d already constructed the perfect event to keep them occupied just in case, putting Maria in danger.


    In truth, she could abandon the twins; they¡¯d accepted their fate when entering, but she couldn¡¯t lose Maria for dozens of reasons¡ªone being she was among her tiny circle of friends, not to mention the world-ending device she currently was holding at bay with her hair.  She didn¡¯t know what Wolfgang would do to her, and that alone scared her.


    Emotional Detachment II helped keep her emotions in check as she examined their options, but time quickly ran out; she couldn¡¯t think fast enough.


    A sea of wasp-like demons rose from the hellish city, converging on their location, large beetle jaws snapping on their heads.  However, the one thing that caused her gut to churn was the muscular blue-skinned demon blocking their path; he was quick and had incredible reaction speed from what she¡¯d seen.  The creature didn¡¯t even seem to be taking them all that seriously.


    Getting ready to dash forward, Rachel¡¯s eyes widened as he threw back his arm, sapphire flames erupting around his frame as he laughed.


    ¡°Fiona!¡±


    ¡°Already on it!¡±  she shouted, wind flying around them as they pushed forward.


    She launched her two ice spears at the demon, yet they evaporated on contact with the flames swept around them, carried by the wind.  Grace had barely taken two steps in the time it took him to launch his attack and dash forward, ax cutting through Fiona¡¯s barrier like it wasn¡¯t even there with a wicked grin.


    ¡°Rachel!  Duck!  Duck!  Duck!¡±  Nia screamed, biting her imaginary nails.


    Watching his muscles twitch, Rachel instinctually used Predict Motion III as he suddenly matched her speed; her eyes widened in shock as the image of his ax edge cut through the top half of her head¡ªhe¡¯d been hiding his speed.


    Glad she¡¯d put so many points into Lunar Surge, Lunar Reserve, and Lunar Pool, Rachel increased her own speed, spinning while ducking under the swing to land another roundhouse kick against his chest with all the force she could produce given her positioning.  His flames were blasted apart from the sheer kinetic energy her movement generated.


    The stress of his own forward motion struck her back leg, but she managed to maintain her stance, angling him into a rise; he shot into the sky at an accelerated pace, still smiling.


    Spirally over thirty feet back through the air, Rachel¡¯s lips tightened; he hadn¡¯t even released his grip on his ax.


    He¡¯s playing with us¡ªit¡¯s a game to him ¡­ I¡¯m the one being tested to see how far he has to hold back in order to have fun.  If only the moon wasn¡¯t blocked by the lighting barrier.  I¡¯m operating on a handicap.  This plan isn¡¯t going to work with him wasting our time.


    Four streaking red bullet trails hit the demon¡¯s body from Grace¡¯s rifle, but not one damaged the creature; in fact, he covered his eye while spinning in the air.


    Rachel activated Rapid Mental Acceleration IV with the Flush Moon Lunar Energy coursing through her veins; the advanced form of the Skill would only last for eight seconds at its current Grade and Rank, unlike its predecessor that she could hold for a full minute now.


    Wenet¡¯s Light isn¡¯t worth losing my enhanced base Stats from Lunar Surge III.  It wouldn¡¯t even activate Overpowered II since my Lunar Pool would be below 100%, but the Coral Moon¡¯s effects could be useful ¡­ Not worth it without knowing all its effects.  I need to separate my Lunar Pool into different tanks to use Wenet¡¯s Light more effectively.


    Taking in all the information she could in their swiftly changing situation, Rachel realized just how bad of a position they were in.


    Thousands of winged, underground, and land-traveling demonic insects were closing in on them from all sides; the huge, mysterious four-legged body inside the city had stopped, turning its head to face their direction.


    Nia¡¯s voice trembled a little.  ¡°Can you guys fight all of those things and still get to Maria in time?  I¡¯m scared for you guys¡ªhe¡¯s so creepy, talking to Maria like she¡¯s a prize¡ªwhy¡¯s he think she¡¯ll be calmly strapped to a chair?!  Wait!  Is that dude still smiling?!¡±


    We need to adapt.


    A grimace fell across Rachel¡¯s face while watching the demon hit the ground, blue flames leaving a trail on the green grass.  He slammed his ax into the soil, ripping it up to come to a stop.


    Fiona sent a large glob of water at the demon, followed by an ice spear; mist exploded around the area as it instantly vaporized, and her shard disappeared inside.


    Holding out her hand to stop the other¡¯s advance, she yelled, ¡°Coral, Gisele, Hayan, Rose, handle the fodder for me¡ªScarlet, get everyone else and Blood Portal them to the city¡ªfind Maria underground.  It should be easy with your eyes!¡±


    ¡°Shoot, sorry!¡±  Fiona growled.  ¡°Wait, what?!  You want to take that thing on yourself?¡±


    Her pets instantly changed course on her order, jumping past the blue demon to handle the fodder.  ¡°I¡¯ll be fine; I have my crew with me, and Nia¡¯s got my back.¡±


    ¡°Always here to cover your big ass!¡±  Nia cheered.


    She kept her gaze fixated on the demon as he exited the mist without a scratch, blue flames pushing the fog away while flipping his ax around in a playful manner.  All of them paused when he stopped and cracked his neck.  ¡°He-he-he.  Toga-rashu, go¡¯au¡¯ma-ka¡¯usa ra!¡±  He beat his left arm with a smug grin.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Rachel huffed.  ¡°You guys need to get to Maria and the twins; we don¡¯t have time to discuss this, and I¡¯m pretty sure this guy¡¯s fine with just facing me¡ªjust be careful, and don¡¯t fight anything¡ªfind and rescue them and retreat to a safe location.  I¡¯ll find you, but this guy¡¯s too fast for any of you to handle¡ªI can¡¯t protect you.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s brow set.  ¡°No, but I think I can do¡­¡±


    ¡°Get going!¡±  Rachel yelled, running forward to meet the demon as he leaped toward Scarlet.  ¡°Maria needs you more than I do!¡±


    Nia was ready for battle but was a little confused.  ¡°They can help, though?¡±


    She side-stepped his forward thrust, spinning to strike his side, but he set his stand, blocking it with his forearm. Circling back to flip over another slash, she brought her fist down on his arm, forcing it down, yet he didn¡¯t let go.  Landing, she shot back to avoid a grab; if she was going to win, it would be with technique and patience to wear him down.


    I don¡¯t know what he can do, and he¡¯s smart enough to go after them if he can¡¯t hit me.  This is the best plan.


    ¡°You can¡¯t lie to me,¡± Nia sighed.  ¡°Well, not all the time¡­¡±


    Emotional Detachment was holding in the monster within her that hungered to be set free; her appetite for the rush of battle was erupting inside her heart.


    It¡¯s going to break my emotional box soon ¡­ And there¡¯s something I think we need to do to get back into this game.


    ¡°Oh?  Wait, you¡¯re hiding it from me!  Hmm?  I wanna know!¡±


    Give me a second¡ªI¡¯m still thinking about everything we need to do to open the cage.


    ¡°I can help!¡±


    I want it to be a surprise.


    ¡°Eh ¡­ this guy¡¯s getting better at predicting you, though; that got some hair.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fangs bit into her lower lip, still trying to regain her senses while in the eye of the spiritual storm.  ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll get Maria back!¡±


    Rachel used one hand to flip back into a backhand spring as Scarlet threw a few Blood Crescents at the demon while Fiona and Benedict went through her gateway.


    Just before flying inside, Fiona turned back.  ¡°We will save Maria!¡±  she yelled, and her dust flipped to red with her scary eyes.


    ¡°Fiona¡¯s gone hulk mode!  Is that¡­¡±


    Warpath, Rachel replied.  Fiona¡¯s no longer scared of anything; she¡¯ll burn anything to get to Maria.  Scarlet gave us a second to breathe, but¡­


    ¡°Scarlet?!  No, what is she doing?!¡±


    Benedict looked quite frightened but followed.


    Rachel was still retreating from the demon¡¯s last attack as Scarlet vanished in shadows to appear behind him, fangs bared to sink into his neck.


    The demon¡¯s foot slid back, and in a fluid motion, his elbow smashed into Scarlet¡¯s stunned face before laughing and spinning to slam the edge of his ax into the girl¡¯s side.


    No¡­


    What remained of Scarlet¡¯s blood congealed around the area to block the attack, yet her body curved as it bypassed the defense, and Rachel heard a crack from her ribs.  She was flung ten meters away, tumbling across the crass and through a bone pillar that collapsed on top of her.


    Her Blood Portal broke, returning to her body to close around the wound and protect her.


    Changing directions on a dime, Rachel rushed to engage him, preventing him from pursuing Scarlet.  Fist meeting his shoulder, she sent him stumbling to the left before spinning to trip the creature, but he lept back to avoid the attack.


    ¡°Scarlet!¡±  Relica shouted, running to her side.  ¡°You can¡¯t fight this thing; make another portal so we can go¡ªhe¡¯s playing us!¡±


    Running forward to grab the side of his ax and enter a power struggle with the demon, Rachel¡¯s jaw tightened upon feeling the raw strength he executed pressing down on her.  ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡±  she laughed, trying to taunt him.


    His ugly smile widened, pressing his weight on top of her.


    She suppressed a grunt, her arms starting to tremble.


    ¡°You can¡¯t match him like this!  We¡¯re speed punchers!¡±


    I¡¯m ¡­ buying time!  She growled, shifting her pressure up to spin into a throw, using her hips and his force to toss the demon several feet away; he was back on his feet in an instant.


    Scarlet struggled up with a low whimper.  ¡°It¡ªwhy do I hurt?¡±


    Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel could see the left side of her shirt was destroyed, and her blood was trying to separate the blue flames that had latched onto her body.  Sapphire embers were embedded into her skin that her blood was trying to dig out after smothering the fire.


    The Demon pounded his chest again.  ¡°Hoto¡¯roda-emigosh, sharu¡­¡±  His ax rose to defend his face before five red bullets struck his eyes, and one hit him in the chin, lowering it for another to strike the side of his eye.


    ¡°It hit!¡±


    A little.


    ¡°No way ¡­ Did it only make it a little red?¡±


    He grunted, rushing Grace as Jim sped into a galop.  ¡°I¡¯ll stay to support ya, Rachel¡ªJim¡¯s got speed, too!  Come at me, ya cracked leather purse¡ªI¡¯ll make some boots outta ya!  Oh, shoot¡ªhe¡¯s a quick one!  C¡¯mon, Jim!  Little faster!  Little faster!¡±


    Hmm ¡­ they have good Speed, Agility, and Quickness Stats, but Jim lacks the Agility to quickly change directions.  He¡¯ll eventually corner them ¡­ Grace can be a short distraction, though.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let her die!  I like her!¡±


    I won¡¯t, she grunted.  Running over to where the Vespertine Reaper and Sorceress were, she threw the bones off the girl.  We just need to see how Scarlet¡¯s doing.


    ¡°Oh, yeah!  Scarlet Abyss is hurt!  Where¡¯s ¡­ Oh, no, Maria¡¯s captured!  We can¡¯t heal her!  What do we do?!¡±  She started to panic, running in circles in her mind.  ¡°Everything¡¯s falling apart!  What can I do?  What can I do?¡±


    Trust Fiona to rescue her, Nia.


    ¡°Oh-oh, yeah!¡±


    Shhh ¡­ I¡¯m thinking.


    ¡°Right!  Right!  Shut up, Nia!  Shut up!  Oh, no!¡±


    Dammit¡­


    Wolfgang released a loud hum, tapping the side of Maria¡¯s bed as one of the creatures with him brought in a happy child, speaking Spanish.  Excitement bubbled up in his voice upon seeing the other twin captives.


    ¡°Yes ¡­ a new game, Paulino.  It seems we have uninvited guests here ¡­ Friends of yours, Maria?¡±


    ¡°So creepy!  How does he know her name?¡±  Nia cringed.


    ¡°So, we will need to move locations¡ªAsher has informed me that they have many sensory abilities, so we will be moving to a more secure location.  Please, be patient and trust the process,¡± he said, stroking her hair.  ¡°You are the most important link¡ªI need you.¡±


    Rachel could practically hear Maria screaming and crying inside; she was tough, but the Unicorn was in an impossible position.


    He snapped his fingers and made a few gestures before swapping to German.


    Something slid into place, and she lost track of all sound in the area.


    They have some kind of dampening field¡ªI¡¯m guessing they¡¯re going to use some type of burrowed, underground network.


    ¡°How do we find her then?!  She can¡¯t talk!  She can¡¯t move!  She¡¯s probably wondering where we are!  I wanna help her!¡±


    Scarlet won¡¯t have an issue.


    ¡°She won¡¯t?¡±


    No¡­


    ¡°Look, Grace is so brave!¡±


    Rachel ignored her panicked denier¡¯s thoughts, focusing on what they needed to do; Nia was just frantic because she felt useless.


    Grace¡¯s bullets seemed to only annoy the demon, unable to penetrate his tough hide; they were trying to lead him to the barrier.  When he got close, she jumped off, and when he swapped to strike her, she teleported back to Jim, having bought him time to run the opposite way.


    Smart girl.


    Making it to Scarlet¡¯s side, she knelt down to study her wounds; her reaper abilities were the one edge they had that could foil Asher¡¯s plans, and having her out of commission wasn¡¯t an option with the odds stacked against them.


    Gisele, Hayan, Rose, and Coral were already taking out the giant demonic insects emerging around the area.  Her Lunar Phoenix handled the air while her three rabbit blobs took out the initial wave of the swarm that was gathering.


    ¡°How bad is it?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fangs tightened against her lips.  ¡°I ¡­ I haven¡¯t felt pain since that labyrinth thing slammed me into the ground¡ªthis is so much worse.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.  I think I heard your ribs crack; your bones are probably important to you¡ªyou need to get to Maria.¡±


    Relica groaned, running her fingers through her hair while looking between the demon and the ritual, popping her tongue in an annoyed fashion.


    ¡°Heh¡ªright, heal me and save her,¡± Scarlet said in a bitter tone.  ¡°I just¡ªI wanted to help¡­¡±


    Her ears darted to the left as she heard the massive beast suddenly shift course¡ªright for Fiona and Benedict.


    Fiona flew a bit higher into the air, talking to Benedict.  ¡°Where did they go?  Should we go back to get them?  Maybe we should go back; they aren¡¯t showing up, or I could just burn this whole city down!¡±


    ¡°Woah!  Woah!  I think we should wait a little longer!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips pulled in.  ¡°Scarlet ¡­ Can you still fight?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah!  Of course!¡±


    ¡°Wolfgang knows we¡¯re going after Maria, and he¡¯s moving locations.  You need to go after her as soon as possible¡ªI think there¡¯s an underground network the demons created for him.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m so sorry!¡±  Scarlet cried, blood coming from her eyes.  ¡°I messed up¡­¡±


    Relica hissed.  ¡°Yes.  Yes, you did.  That demon is actually from another dimension.  His name is Xazzos, and he is not a part of our System.  I¡¯ve seen him cleave entire buildings in half!  We.  Need.  To.  Go!¡±  she yelled.


    Rachel kept close track of Grace as she used little tricks with her guns, Jim, and a lasso to evade and throw Xazzos off, but he was catching onto her games.  It was when a blue chain formed inside his free hand, dragging behind the demon as he ran after Jim, that Rachel grew concerned; the flames from it blacked the grass without setting it ablaze.


    ¡°Fiona¡¯s confused, trying to figure out what she should do, and something big is heading their way¡ªmassive.  Go get them and run¡ªfind Maria!¡±


    ¡°O-Okay¡­¡±  Scarlet whispered, struggling to her feet while holding her side; the embers were now burning their way into the soil after her blood pushed them out of her skin.


    Relica hesitated after hearing Rachel¡¯s statement, staring at the bloody gateway.  ¡°Something big ¡­ How big?¡±


    It was becoming difficult for Emotional Detachment to govern her raging chest.  ¡°Very big ¡­ Why?¡±


    ¡°Shit ¡­ Shit ¡­ Armand?  We¡¯re safer here,¡± Relica mumbled, biting her thumb.  ¡°I can¡¯t ¡­ eh?¡±


    Done with the whole situation, Rachel put her hand on Relica¡¯s shoulder and shoved her inside, talking to Scarlet.  ¡°Don¡¯t fight!  Just find Maria; Armand has probably killed thousands of people!¡±


    Scarlet nodded and jumped through without another word, setting her brow while fighting through her pain; the portal swirled into nothingness.


    ¡°Rachel!  Grace¡¯s rope is burning; he¡¯s going to kill her!  Save her!  Please, I like Grace!¡±


    She¡¯s more versatile than I thought.  Still¡­


    ¡°Eh¡ªRachel?¡±  Grace nervously chuckled, visibly sweating as she dismissed her rope and summoned it back, looping it around Jim¡¯s saddle and lassoing the chain with the other end to try and enter a strength contest with a laughing Xazzos.  ¡°Don¡¯t know how much we¡¯ve got left here!  Would rather not be evaporated milk!¡±


    Rachel did one last sweep of the area, ears having to filter out the buzzing sounds of an insect army; her pets were doing their best, but it wouldn¡¯t be long before large groups came and overwhelmed them.


    It¡¯s good Grace stayed behind; she can help handle the swarm.  We need to level if we¡¯re going to get through this.  Still, it¡¯s winnable¡ªI know it is.


    ¡°Grace is running out of time, Rachel!¡±


    She turned back with a small smile brightening her lips; Jim was slowly being pulled closer and closer to the happy demon.  They were trapped in his sandbox, and if they ran, he could just hunt them down, which would be even more fun¡ªshe could tell exactly what he thought because it wasn¡¯t that far off from her own mindset.  He was giving them a chance to show him everything they had to have a more enjoyable time.


    Grace had bought enough time, and Rachel activated Rapid Mental Acceleration again, thinking through exactly what had crossed her heart before Scarlet was injured.


    I¡¯ve been selective on what I put my Skill Points into, Nia, and only leveled things in conjunction with my Grades to not waste them on Skills I rarely use.  I¡¯ve primarily relied on my Base Stats, a full Lunar Pool, sensory abilities, and Stat multipliers.


    ¡°Okay?¡±  Nia quivered, watching Xazzos slowly pull the burning rope attached to Jim closer and closer.  ¡°Why aren¡¯t we going?!¡±


    A new path has opened to us, Nia, and I¡¯m just running through everything I¡¯ve learned about this System, making sure I haven¡¯t missed anything.  Two advancements will pull us through this Cuba mission, and I can only do one while in this barrier.


    Nia¡¯s mouth dropped open, hands closing in around her chest as she jumped up and down, finally catching on as they spoke in Rachel¡¯s accelerated brain.  ¡°Is ¡­ Is it time?!¡±


    It¡¯s time, Nia.  Rachel smiled, excitement bubbling through her veins.  She took a deep breath before letting go of Emotional Detachment; the flood of hot fire filled her mind and tightened her chest.  We both have Skill Points leftover from the Legend¡¯s Quest; when you were on Scarlet, and the Crystal Break gave us more ¡­ It¡¯s time for you to have your own body.


    ¡°Yes!  Yes!  YES!  I can help you, and¡ªOh.  My.  Goodness!  I¡¯ll be the cutest, edgiest little girl!  I¡¯ll be a little girl¡ªso awesome¡ªso cool!  I can save Grace, too!¡±


    Rachel giggled.  The cutest, slightly-edgiest bunny girl in existence!


    ¡°How?  How?!  Tell me, Lunar Abyss!  I asked, but it won¡¯t give it to me!¡±


    I need to use my Skill Points to bond to you, meaning you can¡¯t be worn by anyone else.  I need to bind you to the Rabbit Gang and Gisele¡ªyou are their commander, after all, and in order for this to work, we have to make a downside to this transformation¡ªa condition.  If you have a body, you cannot be inside your ¡®previous¡¯ body, Nia.  You must relinquish all control over your threads, leaving it paralyzed¡ªyou cannot micromanage it while in your new body.


    ¡°What?!  No!  That¡¯s ¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can do that!  I-I¡¯m Living Denire!¡±


    That¡¯s not all; you must sacrifice your ¡®original¡¯ body to create this new form¡ªI can¡¯t use it ever again, and it is something important to you.


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ No, he¡¯s laughing at her!  Okay!  Okay!  Let¡¯s do this!  You¡¯re the Lunar Hare, and I¡¯m the Lunar Bunny!  Let the abyss rise!  The Secret Society of Denier takes the stage!¡±


    We¡¯ll be the twin battle legends, Nia!  The rabbit and hare!


    ¡°Forget battle legends!  He-he-he!  We are the twin goddesses of war!  Raise your ears to the heavens and consume the sun!  It¡¯s written in my fables of in-inequiem-or-somethin¡¯, and your bones, Lunar Abyss!  I¡¯m raising the flag; this is our kingdom!¡±


    The greatest, huh?  The Twin War Goddesses sounds pretty nice, actually.  The one they can¡¯t control.


    ¡°The Secret Society of Denier has turned into The Secret Society of Goddesses!¡±


    A fire raged in Rachel¡¯s breast.


    Lunar Goddesses¡ªLet¡¯s go!


    Rachel¡¯s heel dug into the soil, compressing it as she fed power into her legs, Rapid Mental Acceleration returning to its previous stage upon running its course; the wind whistled past her ears while they funneled their desires together and Nia¡¯s unique spirit intertwined with hers as the seed inside Rachel grew roots to wrap around the little denier girl.


    Xazzos jerked the rope as it came into range, throwing a screaming Grace into the air with Jim; the horse vanished in red light, but the brown-haired girl hit the ground hard, tumbling across the grass to land in a crumpled heap, sweat slicking her face as her hat fell off.


    ¡°R-Rachel!¡±


    The demon¡¯s ax pulled back to cut Grace in half as she coughed on the ground, chest frantically searching for air while trying to get to her feet.  However, he noticed Rachel closing in at a reckless speed, causing him to turn the weapon on her with the intent to kill.


    ¡°I¡¯m wishing so hard!¡±  Nia squealed.  ¡°Let¡¯s flatten this guy!¡±


    Laughing while sliding under the demon''s ax and between his legs, shimmering light of coral, pink, and silver rose out of Rachel¡¯s aura to solidify into a little girl that soared above the edge as Rachel went under.


    Nia¡¯s black and red heels settled on the Xazzos chest while the wind her motion generated dispersed his flames; the shocked demon¡¯s right hand lurched out to grab the small girl, but it was too late.


    The girl spoke aloud for the first time with a smug grin.  ¡°The greatest you¡¯ve ever seen!  Nia, the Supreme Leader of Hearts arrives!¡±  Using his chest as a platform, she kicked him into the red electric wall nearby.


    Rachel nimbly adjusted her position to tackle a stunned Grace into the ground as Nia sent him flying overhead.


    Xazzos¡¯s back hit the field, causing his body to convulse as the energy ripped through his frame before ejecting him back; for the first time, he released his ax.  The soil exploded as he struck the wet ground, fingers twitching.


    Flipping into a half-twist tuck, Nia landed with a wicked laugh.  The fourteen-year-old girl had a mix of orange, pink, and silver-colored hair that matched her eyes, puffy tail, and ears.


    Nia¡¯s outfit seemed to take inspiration from Alice in Wonderland¡¯s Queen of Hearts, and of course, it had the Scarlet flair.  Black and red-themed, thigh-high boots encrusted with heart gems, a short, frilly, lace dress, and various accessories adorning her arms and head, Nia was a sight to behold.


    Pointing a smug finger at Xazzos, recovering in the dirt, Nia proclaimed her glory.  ¡°I¡¯m out of your league!  Fu-fu-fu!  You better retreat.  Call me a queen!  Call me a goddess!  You better believe!¡±


    A low growl rumbled in Xazzos¡¯s throat as he spat blue blood on the ground, pulling himself out of the earth to level an intense stare at the sparkling bunny girl.  ¡°Sog-ua¡­¡±


    Nia interrupted him with a laugh, taking a step forward and directing her left hand to the sky, the other on her hip.  ¡°This is my kingdom!  My domain!  You can¡¯t take it from the Supreme Leader of Hearts!  My abyssal threads are of fate, peasant!  You can¡¯t take it from me, I¡¯m the greatest you¡¯ve ever seen!  I rise like the red moon!  I walk through the flames!  You can¡¯t handle the heat; the true legend is me!  Look to the end of time, and what you see is mine!  Mua-ha-ha-ha!¡±


    Grace shakily got to her feet after untangling herself.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Rachel, who¡¯s the kid?  What is happening?¡±


    Asking the System for the time limit on the skill, Rachel was a little shocked to receive the answer.  Thirty minutes ¡­ way longer than I thought.  Perfect.


    She folded her arms and gave Xazzos a smirk while moving to stand beside Nia.  ¡°You¡¯ve heard Nia; this is our domain.  Go help Gisele and the others.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ okay?¡±  Grace mumbled, breathing out a long sigh and shaking her head.  ¡°I¡¯ll just be over here ¡­ doing pew-pew stuff¡ªyou two, do you.¡±


    ¡°Fu-fu-fu,¡± Nia leered at Xazzos; the demon was trying to recover, red marks and blue blood lacerating his back from where he struck the barrier.  ¡°Look, Lunar Abyss, he¡¯s already trembling before our combined power!¡±


    Rachel rolled her eyes with a small smile.  ¡°Are you ready to go, Supreme Leader of Hearts?¡±


    Nia¡¯s cute smile turned sinister.  ¡°He¡¯s already dead; he just doesn''t know it yet!¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 24. Tag-Team Takedown

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:  Xazzos, our super thick dummy blue demon boy, has turned his ax on our girls¡ªyup, Nia now has her own body, and she''ll kind of be out of commission after this fight for a bit, so they gotta make it count!  How will are Lunar Hare and Rabbit tag-team takedown go?!  FIGHT!


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    Davvy Chappie, Bret Cole, Nathan Avery, AbrecanGhoul, Viedu, Dusthurricane, KazukiNero, Martynas Samsonas, and my other Patrons!


    Time moved slowly to Rachel¡¯s eyes from her accelerated viewpoint.  She needed to track everything and make sure things were on point; if she defeated the demon, only to find everyone else dead, then it would be a worthless accomplishment, and since Xazzos had taken a full dose of the charged barrier, it gave her time to process her next move.


    Taking a few seconds to collect the necessary information through hearing alone, Rachel watched Nia jump forward and charge Xazzos; she was fast, but not on Rachel¡¯s level.


    ¡°I¡¯m going in, Lunar Abyss!¡±


    She wouldn¡¯t make it to the demon before she¡¯d compiled everything, and Rachel wanted to be entirely focused on the other-dimensional creature when engaging him.


    Fiona, Scarlet, Relica, and Benedict had escaped into the sewers with Armand¡¯s hounds in pursuit.  The massive wolf was tearing up the city streets in search of the pair, using his wolves to find their path and cut them off; Scarlet was providing the necessary mobility they needed to escape, but Armand had incredible senses, plowing through buildings to chase after the four.  She had to have faith in their ability to evade the beast.


    Maria was still lost to her hearing, which was aggravating.  Don¡¯t they need air?  Did they go to a padded room?  No, I can¡¯t focus on that.


    A smile brightened her lips upon hearing Gisele spiraling through the air, beams of lunar energy melting dozens of demonic insects while lashing out at those nearby with her talons.  She was drawing most of the flying horde¡¯s attention, and if Rachel didn¡¯t know any better, had a strategy to continue pulling in more.  It was time for the elegant Lunar Phoenix to show her strength and speed in the air.


    I¡¯ll have to get her something nice after this.  Stay alive, Gisele ¡­ You¡¯re my contingency plan.


    Rose was tracking the bugs burrowing in the ground with her excellent hearing, taking care of the insects as they burst out of the ground, not giving them a chance to grasp the situation.


    Her younger brother and sister took on the bulk of the hideous crawling creatures, but they couldn¡¯t hold all of their attention; Hayan was sending greenish goo flinging everywhere, dashing about like a maniac.  On the other hand, Coral¡¯s orange flames were especially punishing to the throng as she spread it like a madness-induced pyro.


    Bullets whizzed through the sky and across the ground as Grace entered the fray with her rifle, taking out any of the tougher foes that she saw the pets having trouble with.


    There we go, guys, keep it up.


    Preparing herself, Rachel lowered herself to the ground, ears lying flat as she ran after Nia, gaining on the girl¡¯s puffy triple-colored tail.


    Nia was a small mirror of her in every way, meaning she brought Rachel luck while Rachel brought misfortune to their opponents.  The smiling girl also came with her own Lunar Pool which was exactly what Rachel wanted to get, a separate pool for every type of Lunar Energy and a skill that converted excess gained into the various other categories.


    ¡°This shouldn¡¯t take long, Nia¡ªLet¡¯s go for the high-low-up idea you were dreaming about last night!¡±


    Happy astonishment in her voice, Nia slowed a bit for her to catch up.  ¡°You were listening?  This will be so awesome!¡±


    Rachel swiftly passed her bright, bouncing orange, pink, and silver hair.  ¡°You¡¯re high.¡±


    ¡°Let him burn, burn, burn and luck decide!¡±  Nia chimed, slowing to jump over ten meters into the air as an orange aura erupted around her frame.


    Xazzos¡¯s nose flared upon seeing Nia and her launch at him, diving left to nimbly snatch his ax while in a barrel roll to slide to a stop on his feet.  An enraged roar billowed from his throat and he set a stance to meet them.


    With the Flush Moon¡¯s enhancing qualities, Predict Motion was now linked to Mental Acceleration as a reactive skill, and the moment she neared, Rachel saw his muscle movements before her ears could hear them twitch.


    She had limited maneuverability given her current speed, but that was also bait since she could figure out where he¡¯d attack.  Shifting directions the second his ax arched, the soil compressed while putting pressure on it, and Rachel spun to deliver a kick to his chest, activating Lunar Curse: Misfortune II.


    A sharp explosion of activity sounded from Xazzos¡¯s body, and just as she dodged, he was petrified as a red shell flashed across his skin.


    Rachel¡¯s full momentum struck the demon full in the chest, trying to throw him into the barrier again.  However, a recoil she hadn¡¯t expected returned; most of the force was dispersed against the substance but a portion shot back into her left heel, pushing her back.


    Wincing at the pain, she pressed forward instead of retreating, using her right foot as the anchor to make use of the temporary opening.  Smart, but will take more than that to throw me off my feet.


    The crimson film seemed to paralyze him and only lasted a second, but it had been perfectly timed to her blow; still, he was thrown off balance from the defensive ability, allowing Rachel to twist around the flailing ax.


    Grabbing his head while using the fiend¡¯s chest as leverage, it took nearly all of Rachel¡¯s summonable strength to force it down and throw him into the sky; Rachel¡¯s eyes widened as Xozzas¡¯s grasping free hand reached out, fingers closing around the end of her braided hair.


    You have to be kidding¡­


    Just as Rachel¡¯s braid reached its full length with the demon¡¯s wicked grin in sight, Nia¡¯s hang-time had come to an end, proving just how much luck she brought Rachel.


    The laughing girl came down like a comet, using her own version of Lunar Step that seemed slightly more advanced than Rachel¡¯s, able to be used without moonlight.  Her red heels digging into the demon¡¯s exposed and bloodied back.  ¡°Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!  Ultimate Collapsing Star of the Supreme One!¡±  she screamed upon making contact with the creature.


    Xazzos¡¯s face blanched as his spine curved from the impact, Nia¡¯s spike-like shoes penetrating the demon¡¯s back as her Halloween-flavored flames blanketed the wounds¡ªcursed Ice, Fire, and Lunar elemental damage.


    The crushing energy of Rachel¡¯s throw met with Nia¡¯s much stronger kick, drilling the demon into the dirt and forcing her braid out of his hand.  Rachel didn¡¯t wait for him to recover, and his trembling fist, still tightly held his ax.  ¡°Nia, platform!¡±


    ¡°On it!¡±


    Bending a little, the girl¡¯s thighs tightened as she jumped, causing a pained yell from the demon when her heels left his back; spinning back, ten feet above the creature, Nia created another lunar step and shot back down, but Xazzos shoved himself away, rolling across the ground with his ax held tightly against his body.


    Rachel was already performing an aerial backflip to make use of the lingering luminescent disk of lunar energy, able to direct it herself the moment her foot touched it; few surfaces could handle the pressure they exerted to use their full force.


    Nia struck the ground, dirt exploding around her as she prepared for the next attack.


    Launching off, a devilish smile darkened Rachel¡¯s lips; as she neared his chest, the crimson shell appeared, and he lifted his ax for her to fall upon.  Spreading her legs as she approached, Rachel¡¯s feet dug into the ground, his weapon¡¯s edge inches away from her crotch.


    She twisted her hips to gain balance, snatch his arm as it returned to normal, and lift him over her head to throw at Nia; the girl did a running roundhouse kick to send him flying back into the barrier, face first.


    Another bath of orange flames passed over the fiend¡¯s back as he screamed more gibberish at them; he spun through the air, using his ax to try and ground himself, but it was too shallow given his height.  Head-first, he struck the barrier, yet expectedly, the red shell emerged again.


    Rachel lifted an eyebrow as the electric field shattered it and sent him soaring through the air again, but this time, the demon didn¡¯t twitch while rag-dolling to a stop.


    ¡°Wooh!¡±  Nia laughed with her dispersing flames, hopping up and down while fanning her face.  ¡°I¡¯m just too hot!¡±


    Rolling around her stiff neck, Rachel walked over to the creature; she knew she should probably rush in and finish the job, but a part of her was curious if that was it.  They¡¯d used the beyond powerful crimson electrical grid to do most of the damage, considering his durability and unknown abilities, but that was good tactics.


    ¡°That was brilliant, Nia,¡± Rachel complimented.  ¡°You were practically reading my mind.¡±


    Nia grinned, doing a few acrobatic maneuvers to reach her side.  ¡°He-he-he¡ªnot hard when I do it all the time!  You¡¯re a crafty little hare,¡± she mused, and Rachel jumped a bit as Nia smacked her on the ass.


    ¡°Really?¡±  Rachel mumbled, glaring at the girl; it actually hurt a little, unlike when she did it as clothing.


    Jumping away with an impish wink, Nia snickered.  ¡°I had to beat Anthony to it!  It¡¯s the first time I get to do it outside of my body!  Just as big as I remember!¡±


    Rachel gave the teenager a slightly dirty look, rubbing her rear as they came upon the demon.  ¡°I wonder about you sometimes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just true to my nature, which isn¡¯t my fault!¡±  Nia replied, kneeling down a little to study Xazzos as Rachel neared him.  ¡°Yuck¡ªhe¡¯s smoking a lot ¡­ Eh, I thought his mug was ugly before.  His fist is practically fused to that big¡ªEek!¡±  she screamed like a girl, ears standing on end while hopping back as he twitched.


    Keeping her senses keen, Rachel fed power into her fist, aiming for the center of his skull, yet a chilling pulse of blue energy erupted around the other-worldly entity.  She hadn¡¯t felt something so heavy since Conner sent her through three buildings, but Nia was behind her in an instant, breaking her fall as they both tumbled across the ground.


    ¡°G-Got you!  I¡ªouch,¡± Nia wheezed, voice spotty in Rachel¡¯s mind.  ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t like human bodies ¡­ I mean, I do, but ¡­ oof, you¡¯re heavy¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  Rachel blinked, trying to regain her scattered senses while rolling off Nia, allowing the girl to rub her chest.  ¡°What ¡­ is he doing?¡±  she gasped, finding it hard to fill her lungs with air; her eyes widened upon seeing the electrified barrier feet to their back and a small path of upturned earth from where Nia caught her.


    That was reckless ¡­ I should have just finished him off.


    Nia¡¯s head drooped to the grass with a groan.  ¡°You hit me like a ton of bricks¡ªI swear your ass makes up 40% of your weight, and it hit me right in the chest!  Hmm?  Hmm?  Thanks, Nia?!¡±  she huffed, rolling out of the small hole and tentatively stretching out as Rachel¡¯s rattled mind recovered.  ¡°Medic!  Oof ¡­ spines suck, ugh¡ªjust gotta work it off ¡­ mmh!¡±


    Rachel pressed a hand against her forehead, scanning for Xazzos; clumps of grass and soil were falling around the area.  The demon was still in the same spot, but a wide two-foot-deep crater was in the center of the field, and the aura was still in place.


    Nia struggled to her feet, brushing the dirt and dust off of her back, butt, and arms as she began talking to herself.  ¡°So, Nia, how¡¯d you die?  Oh, nothing big,¡± she snickered, likely referring to her previous outcry, ¡°in fact, I don¡¯t even remember much¡ªjust a big fat ass in my face that knocked me into the next dimension!¡±


    Trying to pull herself together, Rachel mumbled the first thing that came to her mind in response.  ¡°Question ¡­ if you¡¯re a copy of me, with some cosmetic differences ¡­ Does that mean your ass makes up 40% of your own weight?¡±


    ¡°What!?!  Oh, no ¡­ I have a fat ass!¡±  she cried as if the world was ending before glaring at her master and continued her one-sided conversation.  ¡°Sad, did they get the person that did it to you?  No, it was my closest friend.  Can you believe that?  Aww, that¡¯s terrible!  I know, and you know what the worst part is?  She didn¡¯t even say sorry¡ªjust said I had a big butt!¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Rachel growled, struggling up and seeing her glowing skin had dimmed; Lunar Shield II had activated to defend her, consuming 15% of her Lunar Pool.


    Lunar Surge¡¯s base Stat multiplier was cut ¡­ point-eight percent of my Toughness and Power decreased per point.


    After using Lunar Curse and Lunar Reserve II, giving an extra 5% to her Lunar Pool, she was at 90% of its total.  Lunar Surge III gave her a 1.25% multiplier per percent, meaning she¡¯d lost an 18.75% multiplier to her Power and Toughness Stats, making her weaker and more fragile.


    Nia stumbled over to press her arm against her side with a frightened hum.  ¡°Eh, Rachel ¡­ he¡¯s getting uuup!¡±


    Rachel grimaced, watching Xazzos struggle to his side, partially burned off nose twitching as his wild eyes settled on them.  He was releasing an entirely new threatening presence.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s mad,¡± Nia whispered, gripping her arm.  ¡°I¡ªI think my legs are trembling¡ªthat¡¯s not normal!¡±


    Dammit!  He¡¯s not playing around any¡­


    Her thoughts blanked as Grace growled, ¡°I¡¯m here to kick-ass and drink whiskey, and Mr. Devil, I¡¯m all out of whiskey¡­¡±  Stepped back and jumping into a twisting flip, she aimed her rifle at Xazzos.


    For the second time, the afterimage of a red streak exploded from the girl¡¯s weapon, kicking the wincing girl back; accounting for the punch, the bullet passed through Xazzos¡¯s damaged nose as he rose, causing its head to pop like a turquoise water balloon.


    Xazzos dropped to the ground, his missing head leaking out his inner fluids.


    Nia¡¯s hands flew to her mouth.  ¡°No way!¡±


    Grace¡¯s back struck soil hard, her smoking gun dropping a few feet away before vanishing.  ¡°Damn it all to hell,¡± she groaned, holding her shoulder.  ¡°Two in one day?  I might just die.¡±


    The bunny girl ran to her side in worry.  ¡°No, don¡¯t die on me, Milky Abyss!


    ¡°Say wha?¡±  Grace shifted her head to give Nia a questioning look.  ¡°Milky Abyss?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Nia mumbled, kneeling beside her to make sure she was okay.  ¡°You¡¯re the one that¡¯s always talking about milk and cows.¡±


    The cowgirl¡¯s expression lightened as if internally saying, Not wrong.


    ¡°You can¡¯t die on me!¡±  Nia cried, seemingly utterly lost as to what she should do as her hands hovered over the girl.  ¡°I, umm ¡­ I think you need to put pressure on the wound¡ªno, CPR!¡±


    ¡°No!  No!  I¡¯m good!¡±  Grace forced a laugh while using her left arm to scoot away.  ¡°That¡¯s not the right thing!¡±


    Nia slowly followed on her knees.  ¡°No, Scarlet had this anime in her head where you gotta take off the shirt and put pressure on the chest a bunch of times ¡­ There was blood¡ªNo, was that to stop the internal bleeding thing?¡±


    ¡°Nia,¡± Rachel sighed, straightening her posture, ¡°leave Grace alone.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t!¡±  Nia yelled, gesturing at her.  ¡°She said she¡¯s dying!  We gotta save her!  Oh, whiskey, she said she¡¯s out of whiskey!  Is that it?¡±


    Grace¡¯s forced smile instantly brightened.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Yeah!  Whiskey would help a ton!¡±


    ¡°Later, if possible,¡± Rachel said, steeling herself before running to the body.


    Nia jumped up in confusion.  ¡°What are you doing?  Oh!  Double-tap!¡±


    Grabbing Xazzos¡¯s foot, she spun around and threw him at the barrier; an explosion of viscera burst from his missing head, splattering across the ground.


    ¡°Eww¡­¡±  Nia cringed, watching several organs continue pumping.  ¡°Gross!  Kill it!¡±


    Rachel fell to her knees, pressing a hand against her thumping and bruised chest; she felt like she¡¯d been thrown through a building, and she had experience.  If it hadn¡¯t been for Nia, she might really have died, and that was with her outfit¡¯s protective properties.


    Even if I tried to rush in and destroy his head ¡­ It wouldn¡¯t have changed the outcome.  Was it triggered by my presence, to begin with, or was he waiting for the opportunity?  Vicious, and judging by its beating organs¡ªcan it revive still?


    It didn¡¯t seem to make much difference because Nia was going on a crusade, stamping out the twitching and thumping organs with her orange flames.


    Rachel turned her focus to her left leg, rubbing her thigh.  I¡¯m bruised everywhere.  It¡¯s not as bad as what Conner did to me, but Xazzos did it through all my upgraded levels and protections I have in place now.  If he hadn¡¯t taken us for easy prey at the start¡ªwe very likely would be dead.


    The thought didn¡¯t make her scared but proud; they¡¯d defeated a much stronger opponent.  It did come at a price, though.


    Grace had lost the use of one of her two pistols by using her stronger bullets against Asher, and now her more powerful rifle had been taken out of commission.  From what Rachel had seen of her arsenal, she only had smaller caliber weapons left,  which meant the girl was now on fodder control for the rest of the day.


    Rachel¡¯s lunar reserves had been spent in her defense, as well, when she needed every point, yet without it, Rachel had no doubt she¡¯d be dead.


    Getting to her feet, Rachel decided to make sure this was the last they¡¯d see of the demon, tossing his body against the field two more times before it broke into parts.


    Turning to study the battlefield, her lips pulled in.  One enemy down out of thousands ¡­ At least they¡¯re mostly fodder, but there are special cases everywhere.  I doubt they¡¯ll be as powerful as Xazzos ¡­ Still, we need to be careful and level up.


    Her heart burned with protest as she turned her vision to the burning city; smoke was rising into the air from Armand, still searching for Scarlet¡¯s party.  I¡¯m sorry, Maria, but if I¡¯m going to save you, I need to get stronger.


    Turning her gaze to the horde of enemies piling on top of her pets, she jogged forward, motioning for Nia to join her.  ¡°You¡¯re on the clock, Nia, and if he comes back after everything we¡¯ve done¡ªwe can¡¯t waste any more time.¡±


    Nia¡¯s disgusted look as she stomped on a mushy, pulsating blue piece of flesh flipped to excitement.  ¡°Are we power leveling?!¡±


    Not understanding the full context of the term but getting the general gist, Rachel nodded.  ¡°Take command over Gisele and the gang, Commander Nia.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am!¡±  Nia saluted, ears tilting to the left with a teenage smile.  ¡°I won¡¯t let you down; genocide it is, ladies and gentlemen!¡±  she yelled, running to join Rose, Gisele, Coral, and Hayan.  ¡°Show no fear!  Have no mercy!  The Abyss has spoken!¡±


    ¡°Grace?¡±  Rachel asked, brushing back her braid and holding out a hand to help the girl to her feet.  ¡°Can you still shoot?¡±


    The cowgirl giggled, groaning as Rachel pulled her up.  ¡°Mmh!  Eh, he-he-he, thanks for callin¡¯ off the wannabe doctor bunny.¡±  She grimaced while gently touching her right shoulder.  ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be usin¡¯ this arm for a bit, but my left should be good¡ªI just get a healthy dose of the kickback with those bullets.  I can still use my pocket pistol¡ªit¡¯s just slower,¡± she mumbled.


    Red light focused into a small weapon as she brandished it with a forced grin.  ¡°Not the strongest tool at my disposal, but with an arm outta commission, it¡¯s the best I got.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Rachel returned the smile.  ¡°You¡¯ve more than earned your spot on the team; think about it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure will¡ªeh, after we handle the scum of hell, huh?  How do you think these things survive in the place?¡±  she asked, casually turning her weapon on a few insects that made it past the wall of flames as Nia took command of the situation.  ¡°Most of them are super weak¡ªthere¡¯s just a billion of them.¡±


    Rachel stretched out, ignoring the cry from her muscles.  ¡°Same as insects survive in our world, I suppose.  Let¡¯s get killing, though¡ªwe¡¯re going to kill as many as we can, level up your skills along the way¡ªhave something in mind to work toward?¡±


    ¡°You could say that,¡± Grace grinned.  ¡°I¡¯m lookin¡¯ forward to testin¡¯ it out.¡±


    Rachel walked forward a little, flexing her fingers.  ¡°Just know restrictions help to lower the levels, and you might be able to remove them as we grow stronger.¡±


    ¡°Oh?  That¡¯s an interesting topic¡ªHuh.  I¡¯ll just be on ol¡¯ Jim, poppin¡¯ a line through hell.¡±  Flipping her gun into the air, she summoned her hat and put it on before snatching the pistol.  ¡°I can feel my heart startin¡¯ to pound a little!¡±


    She jumped, landing on Jim as he appeared in her place, and she landed on the saddle, expertly inserting her boots into his stirrups and lowering herself against his neck.  ¡°Alright, cowgirls are God¡¯s wildest angels, and our hats are our halos, and our horses our wings!  You¡¯ve all shown me your inner cowgirl, so let¡¯s cause a little calamity, girls!¡±


    Rachel shot forward, clearing a path with Grace and Nia by her side; Gisele, Hayan, Coral, and Rose pulled closer, and they fought through the horde.  Minor cuts and gashes marked their skin from the few that managed to get through.


    By watching each other¡¯s backs, they killed them by the thousands, building up their experience and working for some kind of Achievement to give them that extra boost.


    Rachel kept asking to separate her Lunar Pools, and just before Nia¡¯s 30-minute time limit was up, she managed to get it¡ªNia funneled almost everything into staying out longer, which would take effect the following day after the cooldown; it would be necessary for what was to come.


    The next target they had to deal with was the Wolfgangs and then Armand; if she couldn¡¯t find the one with Maria, then she needed to go to someone that could lead her there, and they set their path to a basement where the German sat going over research with some kind of female demon by his side.


    Nia yawned as her time finished.  They¡¯d only made it to the city¡¯s edge; her body faded into twinking energy in mid-hop, mind returning to her threads.  ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ so tired,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°I don¡¯t think I can stay awake.¡±


    Go to sleep; you¡¯ve saved my life more than once today, Nia.  You¡¯ve earned your rest.


    ¡°No ¡­ I still want to help ¡­ Stupid eyes ¡­ won¡¯t stay open!¡±


    He-he-he.  Do you have eyes?


    ¡°Rude ¡­ I have pretty eyes ¡­ fat ass.¡±


    Mhm.  Hmm?  Nia?  Already asleep, huh?  Thanks, Nia.  You¡¯re awesome.


    Expression hardening, Rachel motioned to Grace as she shot two armored demonic insects square in the eye to bypass their defenses; Gisele¡¯s long silvery beam shot out of the sky to melt the two ant-like demons crawling toward her.  ¡°To our right!  If we get too close to the inner city, Armand will notice.¡±


    We¡¯re coming, Maria.


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


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 Rachel Skill Update

    AuthorSME


    Rachel¡¯s Abilities: The current list of abilities and her understanding of the Skills; all Skills are shown with the Flush Moon advancement, given it has become a part of Rachel¡¯s character to keep it as the primary energy she utilizes. Note that if Flush Moon cannot increase the Grade of a Skill because of the Level, it will Max the Rank.


    Base Mythickin (Type) Abilities: Skills gained through being a Mythickin, which means every person of the same Type can gain these Type-specific abilities.


    True Sight II (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Reactive Skill, Penetration-Type, Level Three, Rookie, Rank Max. The ability to see past lower-tier illusions and deceptive skills.


    Base Hare (Race) Abilities:


    Enhanced Hearing: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 10 Miles) Passive Cluster Set, Physical-Type, Level Four, Novice Grade, Rank Six. Combines Volume, Range, and Filter into a singular skill to level in unison.


    Ear To The Ground III: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 100 Meters) Reactive Proficiency Skill, Physical-Type, Level One, Versed Grade, Rank Two; allows Rachel to hear minute sounds in her environment like muscle movements, but the sharpness of this skill is gradient, reaching its weakest point at 175 meters and minute sounds in the soil up to 65 feet.


    Enhanced Vision: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: 210¡ã) Passive Cluster Set, Physical-Type, Level Three, Novice Grade, Rank One. This includes a standard level of Night-Vision and low-tier darkness invoking abilities that help her navigate in the dark. Absorbed Focus Sight to make it a common enhancement and allows Rachel to identify objects 1.75x her previous visual prowess while in motion to avoid things.


    Enhanced Smell: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive, Physical-Type, Level One, Rookie Grade, Rank Max. Allows Rachel to identify scents far outside the scope of humans.


    * * *


    Base Lunar (Kind) Abilities:


    Lunar Pool III: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 153.9% Weekly Cost of Life; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive, Lunar-Type, Level Five, Intermediate Grade, Rank Six. The energy source that gives Rachel strength and, to a large degree, sustains her. She can go without Lunar Energy inside her pool, but her Health Status would begin to decrease, and given enough time, she would die. Works off % instead of raw numbers. Solar Energy and Lunar Energy counter each other, meaning if hit by an infinite source, like the sun or moon, they¡¯ll keep being drained. 10% Reduced Solar Drain.


    Lunar Surge III: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive Link Skill, Lunar-Type, Level One, Intermediate Grade, Rank Three. Grants a 1.25% Power and Toughness Stat boost, equivalent to Lunar Pool levels.


    Overpowered II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Conditional; Range: N/A) Reactive Link Skill, Lunar-Type, Level Five, Versed Grade, Rank Max. If Lunar Pool is full and Rachel is under direct moonlight, this increases her Power and Toughness Stats by 30.25%. If she uses any ability that drops her pool to 99.999%, then this skill deactivates. As a counter, if at 0% Lunar Energy and in direct sunlight, a negative 24.2% is subtracted from total Stats.


    Lunar Reserve II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive Link Skill, Lunar-Type, Level One, Rookie Grade, Rank Seven; grants a 5% to Lunar Pool, making her maximum pool 105% to help keep Overpowered active for a longer time with a 5% reserve. This reserve pool does not count in the 100% total of abilities such as Overpowered but allows it to remain active.


    Lunar Diversity II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 50% Added Weekly Life Cost Per Pool; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive Link Skill, Lunar-Type, Level One, Rookie Grade, Rank Zero; gives Rachel the ability to increase her Max Lunar Pool from 105% (with Lunar Reserve) to 315%; however, they only accept specific Lunar Energy Types.


    Lunar Hair III: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive Link Skill, Lunar-Type, Level One, Intermediate Grade, Rank Five. Rachel¡¯s hair is infused with Lunar Energy, increasing its Toughness to 400% of her current durability, linked to Nia¡¯s Less Is More Skill.


    Lunar Shield II: (Cooldown: 10 Minutes; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Reactive, Lunar-Type, Level Five, Versed Grade, Rank Four. Rachel¡¯s light glow gives her a Lunar Energy shield that absorbs incoming damage up to 12% of her Lunar Pool outside of moonlight and 22% while under the moon¡¯s rays. Mainly used to allow an initial cushion to deadly attacks and recovery for incoming impacts.


    Lunar Recovery II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Under Moonlight; Range: N/A) Reactive Proficiency Skill, Lunar-Type, Level One, Rookie Grade, Rank Two. Masks physical pain under moonlight and when Lunar Pool and Reserve are full will slowly recover Rachel¡¯s Stamina and heal very minor wounds (Max of 7.5% health per hour in moonlight)


    Lunar Burst II: (Cooldown: 25 Seconds; Cost: 3% Initial and .08% Per Second If Held After; Duration: N/A; Range: Max 4 Feet) Active Charging, Lunar-Type, Level Two, Rookie Grade, Rank Five. A Lunar elemental attack that can strike beyond Rachel¡¯s reach. It is an element attack, which means it can be resisted. Lunar elemental damage is multiplied by the energy % used.


    * * *


    Cerridwen Branch (Lunar Based): A moon deity that seems to embody or represent this section.


    Mental Acceleration IV: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Reactive, Lunar-Type, Level Two, Intermediate Grade, Rank Zero. Accelerates Rachel¡¯s thinking process to give her the time to react while running and in conflicts. Linked to her Constitution Stat.


    Rapid Mental Acceleration IV: (Cooldown: 2 Minutes; Cost: N/A; Duration: 8 Seconds; Range: N/A) Active Link Skill, Lunar-Type, Level One, Versed Grade, Rank Ten. Accelerates Rachel¡¯s thinking process to an even higher degree. The advanced form of Mental Acceleration, allowing her to temporarily boost to a higher skill stage for a limited time. Linked to her Constitution Stat and absorbed Predict Motion.


    Strategic Mind II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive, Lunar-Type, Level Four, Versed Grade, Rank Max. The upgraded version of Risk Assessment. It aids Rachel in seeing and remembering things that will help her achieve the goal in front of her and spot patterns or possible weaknesses within her visual environment.


    Emotional Detachment II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Active Proficiency Skill, Lunar-Type, Level Four, Rookie Grade, Rank Max; helps separate Rachel from her emotions. It isn¡¯t perfect, and almost all of those boxed emotions can break free or will be experienced in whole upon release with a minor mitigation effect.


    Lunar Pride II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive, Lunar-Type, Level Nine, Versed Grade, Rank Max. Affects Rachel on every level, enhancing her already competitive nature and granting her enhanced fear resistance and a stronger focus of will.


    * * *


    Wenet¡¯s Branch:


    Wenet¡¯s Lesser Protection: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 3% Per Minute; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Active, Lunar-Type, Level Four, Rookie Grade, Rank Max; a bright coat made of moonlight that overshadows Lunar Shield, providing a 36% damage reduction that applies before striking Lunar Shield, and requires a set amount of Lunar Energy per minute in use.


    Wenet¡¯s Light II: (Cooldown: 1 Day; Cost: 18% Lunar Pool; Duration: 45 Minutes; Range: 2 Miles) Active, Lunar-Type, Level Six, Rookie Grade, Rank One; a globe of stored Lunar Energy of any ¡®single¡¯ type Rachel funnels into the cost that can be used as a temporary replacement for the moon.


    Lunar Curse - Misfortune II:  (Cooldown: 23 Hours; Cost: 4.4% Lunar Pool Per Minute; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: 4.5 Meters (With Absolute Terror)) Active Aura, Control-Type, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Two; If anyone, including friends or inanimate objects, comes into range, their Luck Stat is reduced and absorbed by Rachel at a constant rate until it falls to a maximum of 86% of the object/person¡¯s total Stat, operating at a gradual rate of 2% absorbed per minute.  Rachel¡¯s maximum absorption amount is a 28% increase to her current Base Luck.


    * * *


    Chang¡¯e Branch:


    Lunar Dash II: (Cooldown: 89 Seconds; Cost: Moonlight; Duration: Six Seconds Between Steps; Range: N/A) Active, Lunar-Type, Level Five, Versed Grade, Rank Max; the upgraded version of Lunar Step. Its cost is negated with the requirement of being used within sight of the moon, allowing Rachel to create twelve lunar disks as a platform. Cooldown begins after the first step is used.


    * * *


    Moongmor¡¯s Branch (No Longer Under Rachel¡¯s Control): Eostre¡¯s mercurial pet bird that she turned into a rabbit, providing gifts of joy. Rachel passed on this Skill by spiritually bonding with Nia; the Skill is now under Nia¡¯s complete control, meaning Rachel cannot sacrifice them for energy unless Nia does it.


    Rabbit Gang I: (Cooldown: 22 Hours; Cost: N/A; Duration: Infinite (See Hotly Contested); Range: N/A) Active Cluster Skill, Lunar-Type, Level Four, Novice Grade, Rank Max; call upon three moonchild helpers to cheer you up or destroy your enemies. Each helper will level up as a unit and gain similar abilities corresponding to their unique type; proficiency levels are negated. All Rabbits¡¯ damage and life force are reduced by half in sunlight, doubled under their respective moon.


    White Rabbit: Absorbs any type of moonlight and converts it into White Moon energy.


    Lunar Step II: (Cooldown: 40 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: Remains for 3 Seconds; Range: N/A) Create three lunar disks to use as platforms.


    Lunar Tackle II: (Cooldown: 30 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: Contact) Uses 1/4th of Rachel¡¯s current Stats, including enhancements, to calculate damage. Enhanced to 2/3th if under a White Moon.


    Lunar Boost I: (Cooldown: 5 Minutes; Cost: Upon Second Use, Destroys the Rabbit, Setting Them On Cooldown; Duration: N/A; Range: Contact) Grants up to 10% of its unique Lunar Energy type peruse.


    Flush Rabbit: Absorbs any type of moonlight and converts it into Flush Moon energy.


    Lunar Step III: (Cooldown: 30 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: Remains for 3.5 Seconds; Range: N/A) Create six lunar disks to use as platforms.


    Lunar Tackle II: (Cooldown: 25 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: Contact) Uses 1/4th of Rachel¡¯s current Stats, including enhancements, to calculate damage. Enhanced to 2/3 if under a Flush Moon.


    Lunar Boost III: (Cooldown: 5 Minutes; Cost: Upon Second Use, Destroys the Rabbit, Setting Them On Cooldown; Duration: N/A; Range: Contact) Grants up to 15% of its unique Lunar Energy type per use.


    Coral Rabbit: Absorbs any type of moonlight and converts it into Coral Moon energy.


    Cursed Lunar Step III: (Cooldown: 30 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: Remains for 6 Seconds; Range: N/A); create five fiery lunar disks that spray out cursed Ice, Fire, and Lunar Elements after being used (loves to bounce around in the air and rain hell on her enemies).


    Cursed Lunar Tackle I: (Cooldown: 30 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: Contact) Uses 1/4th of Rachel¡¯s current Stats, including enhancements, to calculate damage; adds Cursed Ice and Fire Elemental Damage to the attack. Enhanced to 1/2th if under a Coral Moon.


    Cursed Lunar Boost I: (Cooldown: 5 Minutes; Cost: Upon Second Use, Destroys the Rabbit, Setting Them On Cooldown; Duration: 1 Minute Lunar Cloak; Range: Contact) Grants up to 10% of its unique Lunar Energy type per use. Adds a Cursed Ice and Fire Lunar Cloak to the user.


    * * *


    Gisele - Lunar Phoenix (Level 2): Mythical Pet, Lunar-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Max; Gains a 65% damage output and boost to her skills while under direct moonlight; type of energy changes her attack style.


    Moon Fire (Beam) II: (Cooldown: 45 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: 8 Second; Range: 10 Meters) Create an energy-based ray of pure lunar fire from her mouth; increases damage the longer the beam is in use.


    Moon Fire (Rake) I: (Cooldown: 45 Seconds; Cost: N/A; Duration: 5 Second Lingering Burn; Range: Contact) Lights Gisele¡¯s talons with Moon Fire that deals physical-type lunar fire damage that has a chance to light the target ablaze.


    Resurrection: (Cooldown: 7 Nights; Cost: Gisele¡¯s Feather; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) If Gisele dies, after 7 nights, Gisele will be resurrected in a blaze of Moon Fire.


    Blazing Glory: (Cooldown: 13 Nights; Cost: Destroys Gisele and Drops a Feather; Duration: 5 minutes; Range: 2 meters) Engulfed in radiant Moon Fire, Gisele shoots toward her foe as the phoenix she is, exploding into a combustion of unified Lunar and Fire-based Elemental Damage, leaving behind a blaze that will continue to spread for 5 minutes before dissipating. All that is left behind is a single feather.


    Lunar Glory: (Cooldown: 14 Nights; Cost: Destroys Gisele and Drops a Feather; Duration: 5 Minutes; Range: 55 Meters) Blaze like the moon, becoming a beacon of Lunar Energy of whichever type she last absorbed, granting Rachel access to a limited-range lunar object that acts like the Lunar body she bonded with.


    * * *


    Lunar Nia (Level Five): Living Mythical Tool, Soul Bonded-Type, Level Nine, Rookie Grade, Rank Max; the living outfit that is a ¡®little¡¯ too edgy and love-obsessed for her own good that wants nothing more than to join her mesmerizing master in battle! After the brave (and dangerous) task of bonding with her master, she has gained a whole new level of power!


    Living Denier II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: Moonlight; Duration: 5 Hours of moonlight; Range: N/A) Reactive, Repair-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Max; Lunar Nia can grow with the wearer, transforming into dazzling displays of fine art that compliment her master. She¡¯ll work hard to live up to the expectations placed on her at being the best damn piece of fabric in existence! If damaged, use time and moonlight to fix her up! The longer she is worn, the more her Proficiencies will advance, and the more combat she sees, the more experience and levels she will gain! Treat her well!


    Flaunt It II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: N/A) Passive Aura, Enhancement-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Max; increases all Stats by 17.5%, including 3rd party effects.


    Absolute Terror II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: +2 Meter) Passive Aura, Enhancement-Type, Level Five, Novice Grade, Rank Ten; the max-range of all Curses are increased by a set amount and no longer affects allies.


    Absolute Territory II: (Cooldown: 23 Hours; Cost: N/A; Duration: 7 Minutes; Range: 3.5 Meters) Reactive Aura, Control-Type, Level Four, Novice Grade, Rank Eight; can¡¯t be tripped, can¡¯t be stopped, allows bypassing Low-Grade Territory or Movement Impairing Effects for her master and surrounding allies!


    Not Teasing Me II: (Cooldown: 23 Hour Reset; Cost: N/A; Duration: 10 Charges Daily; Range: N/A) Reactive, Control-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Max; repels all Low-Grade Mind Control Effects in conjunction with Nia¡¯s Item Ranking.


    The Game II: (Cooldown: 1 Week Per 6 Item; Cost: Item; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Active Fusion, Enhancement-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Max; Nia can absorb other pieces of armor and weapons to incorporate them into her designs and strengthen her master! She can only pull in Low-Grade items at the moment, but she does have the ability to reshape them to a certain extent to fashion what she desires.


    Less Is More: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: Exposed Skin) Passive Aura, Lunar-Type; all areas of exposed skin gain a dampening field equal to Lunar Hair and any damage taken to those areas is linked with the Skill, further leveling it!


    Hotly Contested (Commander): (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: Until Deactivated; Range: N/A) Passive, Lunar-Type; Rabbit Gang has unlimited duration when Nia is worn! Although, cooldown applies if the little guys are destroyed; it starts with their destruction. Nia now has 100% control and command over the buns and all future buns that show up!


    Right To The Heart II: (Cooldown: 12 Hours (After 24H Initial CD From The First Use When Nia Fought The Demon); Cost: Sleep 6 Hours; Duration: 1 Hour; Range: N/A) Active, Lunar Creation-Type, Level Four, Novice Grade, Rank Four; having absorbed Troubled Waters and bonding with Rachel, Nia has revealed her ultimate form!


    Troubled Waters: (Cooldown: 14 Days; Cost: 3 Days Deep Sleep; Duration: 1 Hour; Range: N/A) Reactive, Lunar Creation-Type, Level N/A, N/A Grade, Rank N/A; regardless of Right To The Heart Cooldown Status or Nia¡¯s current sleeping activities, she will be forcefully awoken and Right To The Heart¡¯s Cooldown will be reset if Rachel is knocked unconscious during a ¡®life and death¡¯ battle; if her life is not in immediate danger, it will not activate.


    Current Day Schedule: A count of the days of the group. 1 Day is 24 hours, meaning active during daylight, too.


    Day 1 (Saturday; February 13th EDT)


    Day 2 (Sunday; February 14th EDT)


    Day 3 (Monday; February 15th EDT)


    Day 4 (Tuesday; February 16th EDT)


    Day 5 (Wednesday; February 17th EDT)


    Day 6 (Thursday; February 18th EDT)


    Day 7 (Friday; February 19th EDT)


    Day 8 (Saturday; February 20th EDT)


    Day 9 (Monday; February 21st EDT)


    Day 10 (Tuesday; February 22nd EDT)


    Day 11 (Wednesday; February 23rd EDT)


    Day 12 (Thursday; February 24th EDT)


    Day 13 (Friday; February 25th EDT)


    Day 14 (Saturday; February 26th EDT)


    Day 15 (Sunday; February 27th EDT)


    Day 16 (Monday; February 28th EDT)


    Day 17 (Tuesday; March 1st EDT)


    Day 18 (Wednesday; March 2nd EDT)


    Day 19 (Thursday; March 3rd EDT)


    Day 20 (Friday; March 4th EDT)


    Day 21 (Saturday; March 5th EDT)


    .


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 25. Unexpected Turn Of Events

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:  Xazzos has been turned to smoking organs and Nia is about to sleep for the rest of the day!  However, our girls are still trapped in this nightmare and Rachel needs to find a way out!  How is she going to overcome the odds that are stacking up against her?!


    Let''s see what Fate brings us next!


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    Rachel broke past the last group of demonic insects with Grace and Gisele trailing behind to clean up those the bunny gang and she missed.  Ears were still scanning for Maria but quick movement dampened her long-range hearing.


    Nia had fallen asleep a few minutes ago, and after breaking past the initial wave, the main group had changed course to hover around the airfield.  Their changing motive made it clear to Rachel that they were following a different order than she was led to believe and that it might have been on purpose.


    Asher made it sound like the swarm would continue to mob them until they were dead, but in reality, they only came to the ritual location to drive them off.


    A small throng still pursued them, but it was far less than it could have been; Rachel wondered if the devilish man expected Xazzos to kill them by the point they arrived.  Being underestimated wasn¡¯t a happy thing for Rachel, but it was acceptable, if only for her to show them how wrong they were.


    Unfortunately, there was one thing that would stop her, and it was causing her heaving chest and burning limbs¡ªfatigue.  Shit ¡­ I know I¡¯m not supposed to be a drawn-out fighter, and Xazzos managed to blast me pretty hard, but I shouldn¡¯t be getting this tired¡­


    Lungs pumping furiously, she guided the group between two closely built houses on the dirt road they were traveling through, trying to still her thumping heart.


    ¡°One ¡­ moment,¡± she breathed, seeing a few spots across her vision; it was then she realized she¡¯d been fighting non-stop for the past thirty minutes.  ¡°Cover the exits and sky.¡±


    Gisele sat near the top of the roof, waiting to strike the flying insects with her beams until they came closer to not draw notice from any of the other packs in the air.  Hayan took the northern opening while Coral and Rose posted up near the south.


    The cowgirl didn¡¯t seem to be faring any better than her, drooping into Jim¡¯s saddle with a low groan and resting her head against his neck.  ¡°Mhm-hmm-hmm-hmm ¡­ My hand¡¯s numb,¡± she cried.  ¡°I¡¯m starting to miss shots ¡­ How many have we even killed?¡±


    ¡°A lot,¡± Rachel whispered, pulling her braided pink hair over her shoulder; the action made her aware of the white and orange streaks going down it.


    Well ¡­ that¡¯s new.


    Sliding down the side of the building to her butt and settling into the overgrown grass between the structures, Rachel played with the end of her hair.  ¡°Take five ¡­ There¡¯s only about fifteen left on our tail¡ªthe others are taking up some kind of formation around the ritual.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡±  Grace mumbled, turning her head the opposite way and adjusting her hat to look down at her.  ¡°So ¡­ hear anythin¡¯ on the horsewoman that doesn¡¯t look like a horse?  Well ¡­ in the ways that count¡ªor should those curves count in that department?¡±  she snickered.


    Rachel placed a hand on her heart, realizing it was beating so much faster than a human¡¯s.  ¡°Nothing yet ¡­ I¡¯ve found six Wolfgangs in total, three of which have gone off the radar.¡±


    ¡°The one we¡¯re headin¡¯ toward?¡±  Grace asked, forcing herself up to rub out her stiff, trembling fingers.  ¡°That¡¯d suck after we fought through that hornet¡¯s nest.¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s still there; in fact, I don¡¯t think he even knows what¡¯s happening outside.¡±


    The Wolfgang she was focused on was inside the basement of what appeared to be a massive complex of buildings, sifting through papers, writing notes, and seemingly organizing thoughts while muttering to the female demon next to him.  Not another soul could be heard in the building.


    Her pets cleared up the remaining bugs, Hayan battling it out with a big worm-like fiend that snaked through the ground like it was water.  The insectoid¡¯s open stomach oozed an acidic spittal from its tongue-like underside that flicked out to snatch its prey or spike it on one of its many twitching fangs; it kept trying to pin the blob, but he simply opened up a hole in himself to bypass the attack method.


    Rachel had no clue how the thing actually ate its food since it had a mouth with dozens of thin, pointed teeth, and she didn¡¯t want to.


    The front end of the structure she was facing was blown in as Hayan sent its upper half flying into it; the buns seemed to be building strength their entire fight instead of exhausting, and Rachel was reminded of the Energizer Bunny, which put a smile on her lips.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡±  asked the cowgirl, her hands working down her left thigh now to get blood pumping into it.  ¡°Hate to say I¡¯m losin¡¯ steam, but ¡­ my train ain¡¯t runnin¡¯ how it should be.¡±


    ¡°I get it,¡± Rachel sighed, leaning her head back against the sheet metal lining the building¡¯s walls.  ¡°Rest for a bit; we can¡¯t rescue Maria if we burn out before getting there, and the¡­¡±


    She rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes as the worm¡¯s tail blew out a wall inside the house, Rose and Coral finishing their targets and slamming through the window to help their brother.  ¡°I haven¡¯t fought this long before ¡­ Let¡¯s pace ourselves to the facility.¡±


    Grace grinned.  ¡°Guess even you have some limits, huh?¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡±


    The girl swung her right leg over her horse, adjusting her hat while dropping to the ground.  Patting Jim¡¯s neck, she dismissed him and sank down the opposite wall to face her.  ¡°Ugh ¡­ Just sayin¡¯ ya seem to be the spark behind your little group that gives the TNT its kick; I don¡¯t know if we¡¯d have made it outta the last fight¡ªheh, hell, I¡¯d probably be dead had ya not stood up for me yesterday.¡±


    Grace puffed out a long, whistling breath while scratching her right ear.  ¡°Crazy to think about, really ¡­ I could be dead right now because I jumped the gun¡ªstill sad about that one M¨¢ximo guy.  Was he a cool dude?¡±


    Rachel lifted her eyes to look at Gisele, protectively keeping a watchful eye on the skies to make sure they weren¡¯t ambushed.  She hummed with a short shake of her head, ¡°He was an ass¡ªalthough, I suppose it¡¯s a product of his environment.  I don¡¯t think we would have been able to get here as fast as we did if he was still around¡ªI don¡¯t know ¡­ I can¡¯t say I¡¯m sad he¡¯s gone, as bad as that sounds.¡±


    Carefully maneuvering her bangs, Grace¡¯s lips pulled to the side.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ I mean, sure, I don''t have the empathy to care about everyone, but I feel bad for taking a man¡¯s life when I didn¡¯t have to.  Uh ¡­ What¡¯s his girl doin¡¯?¡±


    Rachel grimaced, scanning for the pair; her brow furrowed as she sat a little straighter, leaning forward a little to shift her ears with her head.  ¡°I ¡­ can¡¯t hear them ¡­ They might be out of my range or not talking, but I haven¡¯t caught their voices for a while now.¡±


    ¡°Hmh, spooky,¡± Grace mumbled.  ¡°I was hoping they¡¯d be okay.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes shifted to the side and she puffed out a long stream of air; her muscles were still sore from the attack Xazzos made against her but they needed to get going.  ¡°Scarlet¡¯s gang are trying to lay low; I¡¯ve heard Armand running around for a while¡ªhalf the city is rubble.¡±


    Grace gently reached over to grip under her armpit and slowly stretched out her left arm.  ¡°Mmgh ¡­ Okay, so, what¡¯s the plan?¡±


    Getting to her feet, Rachel huffed, leaning left and right herself to get ready to go.  ¡°Not a clue.  Capture Wolfgang¡ªforce him to talk¡ªthat¡¯s all I¡¯ve got.  If that doesn¡¯t pan out, then we figure something else out.¡±


    ¡°Plan Improvise!¡±  Grace laughed, twisting her interlocked fingers around while applying pressure to her elbows and wrists.  ¡°Now you¡¯re talkin¡¯ my language!  Wanna join me on Jim¡ªsave a lil¡¯ energy?¡±  she asked, summoning the large animal and putting one hand on her hip and the other on his side.  ¡°I¡¯m not really the frontline¡¯s type, if ya haven¡¯t noticed.¡±


    Lips parting for a second, her blue eyes darted to the left.  ¡°Eh ¡­ not that I can¡¯t handle a fist to the face ¡­ It¡¯s just not my specialty¡ªgal¡¯s gotta worry about her looks, too.¡±


    ¡°Heh, I get it,¡± Rachel smiled, taking a deep breath before appraising Jim; it would give her time to go over her new passive and Nia¡¯s skill.  ¡°I¡¯ve ¡­ never been on a horse.¡±


    Grace¡¯s teeth flashed as she held out a welcoming hand.  ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it!  You can ride in back, and we¡¯ll take it nice and slow¡ªeh-he-he, I mean, Jim¡¯s kind of tired after that tug-of-war with that stacked blue lump of muscle.¡±


    Her expression turned forced.  ¡°Was ¡­ I, heh, the only one trying not to look between his legs?  Not that¡ªI¡¯m just saying,¡± she ran her hand through her hair and put her hat back on.  ¡°I don¡¯t know, just felt wrong, ya know?¡±


    Rachel looked up, shaking her head; Grace had a way of lightening the mood.  ¡°Can¡¯t say I was too focused on that with his ax swinging at my face¡ªit¡¯s not like there was anything there.¡±


    Grace¡¯s lips tightened, finding too much interest in the wall.  ¡°I mean, do we really know that?  Plenty of animals hide their junk until¡ªyeah¡­¡±  A shiver ran down her frame as she tightened her hat.  ¡°Eh, heh, just me, I guess¡ªif you could keep that between us after all the flack I give Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Just between us; you¡¯re lucky Nia¡¯s asleep¡ªwho knows how she¡¯d react,¡± Rachel laughed at the girl¡¯s red cheeks.  ¡°Anyway, what do I do?¡±


    Flush clearing as swiftly as it came, Grace got up and helped her situate behind.  ¡°There we go ¡­ now ya gotta wiggle your hips with the horse; heh, it¡¯s why they call it ridin¡¯, and not sittin¡¯.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit nervous and uncomfortable with how the process pressed her against the girl¡¯s back and against her rear end; Jim¡¯s rising and falling sides against her legs didn¡¯t help with the sensation.  ¡°I¡¯ve ¡­ never ridden a horse before,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Heh, ya don¡¯t say?¡±  Grace snickered, grabbing the reins and adjusting Rachel¡¯s legs a little to properly straddle the horse and her positioning.  ¡°Just don¡¯t make it weird, and we¡¯ll be good!  Oh, and you¡¯ll need to hug my stomach¡ªwe¡¯re gonna be movin¡¯ kind of fast, but I¡¯ve seen how balanced ya are while runnin¡¯, so it should be fine.¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond, tightening her grip around her gut, causing Grace to wince and tap her arm.


    ¡°Oof¡­¡±


    ¡°S-Sorry,¡± Rachel mumbled, easing up a little.  ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°Heh¡ªright as rain ¡­ Hey, and I thought the Vamp squeezed hard,¡± she wheezed with a chuckle.  ¡°No, problem¡ªjust watch my ribs and follow my lead.  Not wantin¡¯ to throw up everything I drank!¡±


    Relax¡­


    Grace¡¯s abs tightened.  ¡°Ever ridden a motorcycle?¡±  she asked, patting Jim¡¯s side and causing him to walk forward at a slow pace.


    ¡°Mhm-uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Shame,¡± Grace sighed.  ¡°Well, it¡¯ll be slowly picking up the pace¡ªya good to give me directions?  Heh, by the way, ya got really smooth hands for a brawler.¡±


    Rachel gave the back of her head a light glare.  ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t going to make this weird.¡±


    ¡°Just an observation!¡±  Grace defended.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±  Rachel puffed out a long breath, releasing tension while feeling the horse¡¯s powerful muscles work beneath her and its gentle trot press her further against Grace¡¯s soft body.  ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s only a few fields away to our southwest¡ªhuge buildings by the noise of the generators still running there.¡±


    ¡°Alright.  Hold ¡­ eh, not too tight!  Don¡¯t need a pukin¡¯ navigator at the reins.  Let¡¯s go, Jim!¡±


    Hayan and the rest of the crew had been in what seemed to be a game with the demonic worm they¡¯d been fighting the entire time Rachel and Grace rested; they appeared to be seeing who could deal the most damage in a given combination attack, taking turns.  The worm had been split into a few pieces as they tore it apart, but the head still operated, determined to kill the puff bun.


    When they noticed Rachel getting ready to go, all three charged forward and obliterated its head with a lunar charged tackle.  Her brow furrowed upon seeing the creature drop a small chest that seemed to magically appear out of blue flames¡ªCahira was nearing them again, and it put a chilling question in Rachel¡¯s mind.


    If that thing dropped items, does that mean Xazzos wasn¡¯t killed, and he¡¯ll regenerate over time, or has Cahira just come back within range for her passive to activate?


    Somewhat uneasy at the likely answer, Rachel put it to the back of her thoughts to focus on the advancing and new skills she¡¯d gained.  She needed a better grasp of her abilities and identifying what she could advance further.


    Rachel¡¯s mind quickly receded as Jim carried them into a gallop; it wasn¡¯t as challenging to balance as she thought when allowing her instincts to direct her motion with Jim and Grace while focusing on the upgrades she¡¯d just received.


    The hell of seeing bloodied sacrificial altars, crucified people, or the wandering lesser demons in their path faded away, trusting Grace, her bunnies, and Gisele to handle the fodder.


    I¡¯ve certainly come a long way since huddling in a corner with Zoe at college ¡­ Without a doubt, Nia and my maximum Lunar Pool increases are the largest gains.  Lunar Surge mixed with my new cap is going to put my strength on another level¡ªalthough, it doesn¡¯t increase my speed by a significant margin.  Force does have a minor effect on Dexterity, but minimal.  The problem is¡­


    Her gaze lifted to the sparking crimson lightning covering the infernal barrier blocking her access to the moon.  Gisele was spiraling through the air, practically singing by the hum in her voice; she seemed happy with the body count she¡¯d racked up, somehow even larger than all three of her buns.


    The Lunar Phoenix''s brilliant feathers were dimmed by quite a bit and singed in several areas from what Rachel could see with her enhanced vision, but that couldn¡¯t dampen Gisele¡¯s spirits.


    A grimace touched Rachel¡¯s lips as the thought crossed her mind again; she didn¡¯t want to do it, but having Gisele recharge as much of her Lunar Pool as possible might be her only option.


    Focus shifting to the three buns sticking just above Jim¡¯s rear, scanning the landscape for danger to intercept, Rachel discovered the option to absorb them blocked.  Hayan was becoming a bit salty with Gisele because of her increased speed, beating them to the punch.


    I might need to sacrifice them to increase my Lunar Pool ¡­ I can¡¯t?  That¡¯s ¡­ unexpected.  One of the unintended conditions in putting Nia over them was that I relinquished control, and she gained full authority, and she¡¯s passed out.  Luckily, Gisele is still somewhat independent of Nia since she wasn¡¯t attached to my Skills.


    Still, I¡¯ve just increased my max Power and Toughness Stats by over 262.5% at my complete 315% Lunar Pool.  I¡¯ve essentially tripled my output ¡­ I shouldn¡¯t underestimate Xazzos if he was actually fighting seriously.  If he does come back ¡­ No, if I want to fight Asher, then I¡¯ll need to be at my peak.


    It surprised her, but Rachel didn¡¯t want to give up her little pets; they¡¯d been invaluable in allowing her to focus on the primary threat without splitting her attention between two war fronts¡ªshe might not have a choice, though.


    Grace¡¯s belly tightened, showing more muscle than Rachel thought there¡¯d be.  ¡°Hmm?  Something up, Rachel ¡­ No, wait, it¡¯s Lunar Abyss, right?¡±  she snickered.


    Rachel¡¯s fingers tightened around the girl¡¯s abdomen; her mental processing had quickened considerably because they hadn¡¯t gone far by the time she¡¯d analyzed her Skills.


    The reason for her changed hair became clear, though; naturally, Flush Lunar Energy was her main Lunar Source, and her unconscious mind didn¡¯t want to lose its enhancing affixes.  In response, Lunar Diversity¡¯s conditions increased to allow her to set one as primary.  Still, 153.9% a week could be problematic in a lot of circumstances.


    Her weekly cost had taken effect two days ago, which meant she had five days to build it up, but the future was a concern; if she wanted to live, she had to sacrifice half of her Lunar Pool a week and rebuild it.  At the wrong moment, it would drop her Healthy Status into the red, and she didn¡¯t have an immortality Skill like Maria¡ªwhich maybe she should consider working toward.


    Pulling her mind away from the troubling thoughts, Rachel sighed; the secret was out about Nia¡¯s little pranks.  ¡°Nia¡¯s nickname ¡­ Umm, I¡¯m just thinking about our future battles.  Do you have any way to recover your strength?¡±


    A hiss passed through Grace¡¯s teeth as she maneuvered Jim into a faster gallop.  ¡°Eh  ¡­ I wish there was somethin¡¯ nearby, but I¡¯ve been havin¡¯ to increase my stopping power and ability to identify weaknesses to target; unfortunately, my recovery is based on booze¡­¡±


    Looking around at the half-burned and ravaged metropolis, Rachel hummed.  ¡°There might be some bars left standing.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡±  Grace took one hand off the reins to push up her hat a little and scan the demolished farmland and carnage; blood was visible everywhere, from dragged across the roads to pained into warnings or symbols.  ¡°Ya think the locals would let a drop go untouched after livin¡¯ through this for two weeks?  I think I¡¯m outta luck.¡±


    ¡°True ¡­ Let¡¯s hurry, then¡­¡±


    Rachel paused, large ears twitching before refocusing to follow Scarlet, Fiona, and Relica¡¯s conversation.  Their response made her groan, sucking in air through her tight lips.  ¡°Ugh ¡­ Scarlet thinks Armand is guarding the place Maria is being held.¡±


    Making it to a treeline, Jim slowed on Grace¡¯s prompt.  ¡°Should we back them up?¡±


    She took a moment to ponder the rough time Scarlet was having after being injured by Xazzos.  If I did go, we could lose this option, and if she¡¯s wrong, we¡¯d be back to step one.


    Rachel watched Gisele leisurely hovering nearby.  I¡¯d need to absorb her Lunar Energy to restore my stamina before I fight something as strong as Armand ¡­ If Xazzos is some mid-tier demon, Armand is on another level; he¡¯s already basically demolished most of the city just moving through it.  I can make use of his bulk, but if he can shrink down, which is likely, it could be a problem.


    Shaking her head, she shifted her hips, leaning into Grace again.  ¡°No¡ªwe keep going.  They¡¯re working their angle, and we¡¯ll work ours.  Let¡¯s hurry ¡­ It¡¯s just beyond this thicket.¡±


    ¡°On it, boss!¡±


    They shot forward, Jim rushing into a sprint as Gisele weaved through the undergrowth with them; the horse found expert footing with Grace¡¯s guidance, and before long, they made it to a massive facility.


    The partially standing sign outside the massive facilities read Universidad de Ciencias Pedag¨®gicas Jos¨¦ Mart¨ª.


    [i.e., Jos¨¦ Mart¨ª University of Pedagogical Sciences]


    What had been teal colors walls, green grass, well-laid concrete, monuments, or buildings was now a crumbled, half-destroyed ruin.  What seemed to be university professors had been tied to the flag poles by their necks and lifted into the sky with their bellies cut open for what ravens in the area could pick clean.


    A mass suicide by hanging seemed to have been attempted off the roof from what she could see, but by the looks of things, the demons had gotten to them while they were choking.  Spanish phrases could be seen painted across the still visible parts of the wall that Rachel couldn¡¯t read, but she knew enough to know what infierno meant ¡­ messages about hell.


    ¡°Damn¡­¡±  Grace whispered, sliding off Jim after Rachel descended.  ¡°I just realized I can¡¯t even hear insects in this place ¡­ Maybe that¡¯s what all these demon things are,¡± she mumbled, rubbing her left arm while following her into a nearby building.


    Gisele, Hayan, Rose, and Coral protectively jumped ahead of her, but Rachel had already thoroughly scouted the area out with her hearing; then again, she had to remind herself that there was more than one creature as of late that bypassed her perceptive staple abilities.  Still, she could only hear two personages inside.


    Walking into the halls, Rachel¡¯s full visual scope caught every gruesome detail; women, children, men, the elderly, it didn¡¯t seem to matter.  The cult that had given their lives for Asher¡¯s ritual appeared to have made this area a prime example of furthering their devotion to their satanic cause.


    Occult symbols were cut into bodies of people that had been staked to walls or tables in broken conditions; hammers were probably used for crushing bone and stopping escape or resistance, and nails through fingers to boards had been set up for half-finished rituals that seemed abandoned.


    Making it to the stairs, Gisele landed on her shoulder as Rachel descended, heading for the soft muttering of the German man; she moved carefully, keeping her senses sharp to identify any hidden threats, but nothing met them other than the horrors of demonic minds made manifest in hellish artistic form.


    Hayan and Rose rammed the door as she neared, breaking it off its hinges and sending it sliding across the floor; the occupants looked up with mild surprise as Rachel hovered in the dark hallway, glowing eyes and pink hair illuminating the space.


    Wolfgang wasn¡¯t smiling as he set his papers on the side of the desk in front of him.  Leaning forward to place his elbows on the surface and link his fingers, the young man brought the steepled fingernails to his lips and nose in a premeditated look.


    His deep blue eyes were somewhat covered by his mess of sandy blonde hair.  Wolfgang met Rachel¡¯s stare without a hint of fear, seeming to peer right past her and into her soul.


    The silence stretched as Rachel paid close attention to every muscle twitch the Angel of Death¡¯s personification made; Grace shifted uncomfortably behind her, small pistol out.  Her slimes surrounded the pair, and Gisele¡¯s sharp eyes were fixated on the blonde, ready to blast his face with Moonfire.


    A black-haired demonic woman with tattoos, bone-like tattered wings that seemed to be composed of moving blood and veins flared out while generating a gentle wind without motion.


    The sounds her body made were unnatural, similar to Scarlet¡¯s in a way that made Rachel sure she wasn¡¯t human.  Since the area had been isolated the entire time, and Relica knew all the key players without mentioning this woman, Rachel was left to assume this was a real demon, similar to Xazzos.


    Her long, silky, perfect locks framed her smooth face, and monstrous horns branched out from the back of her head to curve into a w-shape.  She wore a low-cut strapless red shirt and black leather pants that clung to her impossibly thin sides and thick hips; in her hands was a large black purse.


    A succulent and secretive smile moved her cherry lips and slit-crimson gaze as her long, reverse-barbed tail curled around her legs; in Rachel¡¯s mind, she could have been Ma?lle¡¯s cousin.


    Wolfgang spoke first, his tone even and perfectly controlled.  ¡°I assume you are one of the figures Asher warned us about.  You seek your friend,¡± he said, sitting back and plucking out a folder from a pile beside him and opening it.  ¡°I cannot help you.  You may leave without closing the door¡ªseeing as you¡¯ve broken it.¡±


    Hayan jumped inside, bravely willing to test the waters with his sisters following shortly after, and when nothing happened, Rachel made her way in.  Grace kept her focus on the silent demonic woman as her laughing gaze moved over them.


    ¡°I think not, Wolfgang.  You will help me,¡± she stated, closing the distance and reaching out to snatch a handful of his folders.


    The woman¡¯s tail shot out like a viper, far faster than Ma?lle¡¯s, but Wolfgang held up a hand, vision still on his file; the demon was fast and would have likely grazed her.  ¡°No need, Yseress ¡­ I¡¯m finished with those reports.¡±


    Calling his bluff, Rachel held her ground and tossed the folders for Coral to open her big mouth and swallow it whole.  ¡°How many do I need to destroy?  Research is your passion.  How much data are you willing to lose?¡±


    Grace was a hair''s breadth away from pulling the trigger and shooting Yseress in the eyes, yet held her gun steady for orders, even if nervous.


    Wolfgang sighed, looking up at her again.  ¡°Do you really think you¡¯ll make it out alive?  I assume you took care of Xazzos¡ªat least for a while, and you believe you¡¯re strong enough to face Yseress?  You know she is a class above Xazzos within their demonic hierarchy?  She is quite mannered, too, unlike the pompous brute.¡±


    The information only told Rachel that she¡¯d need to have Gisele use that Skill.  I¡¯m far stronger than I was, and if I can increase my Lunar Pool to increase my strength and durability, I should stand a chance.


    He looked down at his papers and frowned when she didn¡¯t back down; Rachel put a finger on the desk, and then another, tempting him while slowly moving toward another set of files.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I do admit, you have a certain ¡­ look to your spirit that I find mildly intriguing.  To have an intertwined soul with a living being infusing the clothing you wear ¡­ Seems something Relica would be fascinated in.  Still, the results are what I¡¯d like to know.¡±


    Wolfgang reached over to another pile and pulled out a few papers to flip through the pages.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ I do find English to put me in a better mood at times,¡± he whispered, handing Yseress the paper after a few seconds.  ¡°Escort them to the bunker location, observe, and report.  I know you don¡¯t like getting your hands dirty when necessary.¡±


    Yseress pulled a finger away from her bag and took the file, shifting her hips to the left and releasing a low, harmonic chuckle.  ¡°English ¡­ is this the tongue you¡¯ve moved to?  A curious twist to the tongue,¡± she mused, opening the bag to reveal several clawed, demonic hands that reached out to snatch the item and return it to its depths.  ¡°It should not take long, Master.  You mean for them to deal with Armand?¡±


    Rachel was taken aback by the turn of events, Grace even more so.


    ¡°Wait,¡± the girl¡¯s lips parted in question, ¡°you¡¯re ¡­ going to help us?¡±


    A soft popping emitted from the demoness¡¯s throat.  ¡°No, Earthling.  I am going to lead you to your doom before killing Armand myself.¡±


    Grace¡¯s focus shot back to Wolfgang.  ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s elementary, really,¡± the young man stated, leaning back while moving through more research papers.  ¡°I had a use for Asher and Armand; they had a use for me.  Asher has completed his project; Armand has risen to the heights he will reach within this confined field ¡­ might I add, given his, quite frankly, limited intellect.  Foreseeing this outcome, I utilized both Relica and Asher¡¯s projects to create a perfected one of my own.¡±


    He gestured at Yseress.  ¡°Now, I have more to ponder on our next steps once Asher releases his demon on the world; I have a liaison now, after all.  This particular entity that Asher fantasizes about is far more patient in his plans ¡­ Yseress assures me that conquest will take time.¡±


    The woman smiled amenably.  ¡°Of course, Master.  I follow your every command, and Abraxas is mighty ¡­ far more powerful than I, yet there are creatures even stronger than he lingering beyond sight on this planet.  He will move cautiously and needs allies.¡±


    Wolfgang nodded, leaving the demoness to bow slowly, and walked around the desk while folding her massive wings; the taps of her stiletto heels against the concrete echoed through the room as she leveled a smirk in Rachel¡¯s direction.  ¡°Shall we, human changelings?¡±


    Grace kept her gun aimed at her eye.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Rachel?  We aren¡¯t seriously doing this, right?  It¡¯s like ¡­ red flag city!  Look at her!¡±


    Yseress¡¯s lips fell a bit, glancing down at her outfit.  ¡°I do wear red¡ªalthough, I would call it more salmon-colored from the times I¡¯ve spent in Earth¡¯s other parallel worlds.  None like this, of course; I do find this dimension far more intriguing.¡±


    Rachel had been closely examining Wolfgang; his interest in them had utterly washed away.  Improvise ¡­ A demon woman that comes from a hell-like dimension and has been to multiple Earths.  This place really has been out of our league from the start.  I suppose that¡¯s what you get from massacring nearly two hundred and sixty thousand people and using their lives as fuel.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Grace forced a chuckle.  ¡°Right?  I¡¯m all for improvising, but this, uh ¡­ this feels dirty¡­¡±


    A short huff blew through Yseress¡¯s nose as she glared at Grace, shifting her bag to the opposite side while straightening.  ¡°I am far from dirty, human meat sack.  On the contrary, you are quite hideous and smell atrocious.  Would a dolorgas even lick you?  I think not.¡±


    Her imperial eyes turned to Rachel.  ¡°I was under the impression you two were in a hurry to save some precious soul of yours from being snuffed out.  I suppose you must not care that much after all.¡±


    Rachel kept her ears peaked; she wanted to face this fancy demoness, but Maria came first, and due to the tiny twitches her body made, she was sure something more was happening beneath the surface of this creature¡¯s facade.  Her instincts told her that there was misfortune ahead for Wolfgang, and it intrigued her.


    Turning away, Rachel motioned for Grace to follow.  ¡°If she can lead us to Maria, then we¡¯ll gladly take her guidance, and if she turns on us, we kill her.¡±


    Grace popped her lips and slowly nodded.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ Well, roll the dice, I guess.  Alright, let¡¯s go, ya sassy cow.¡±


    Yseress followed with her pets, watching her from the rear.  ¡°Sassy cow?  How sad, a human that has never witnessed a cow.  The ignorance.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 26. The Devil

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:  Hoh-boy!  We met Wolfgang, and ... We got a villain on our hands, ladies and gentlement!  Probably one of my favorites that I''ve made.  Snap, he''s so good (CALM DOWN!).  We got our look at Yseress ... Basically, for the ATM fans out there, we got Bathin on our hands!  A real devil.


    We''ve got some frightening things ahead!


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    Rachel walked up the stairs with Grace close by her side, but her gaze wouldn¡¯t leave the devilish female creature walking behind them.  Gisele had flipped around on Rachel¡¯s shoulders to keep a close eye on her, and the Rabbit Gang kept a tight triangle formation.


    ¡°Uh ¡­ So, what are we going to do when¡ªyou know, she stabs us in the back?  She¡¯s totally going to¡­¡±


    Yseress giggled, keeping both hands on her purse as she followed.  ¡°Would you rather it be in the chest?  I could strip you naked and let the fiends have their way with you.  You¡¯d be surprised how many men and women on various other Earths took great pleasure in it the first few days¡ªto die in such a manner typically takes quite a long time.¡±


    ¡°Eww.¡±  Grace¡¯s nose twisted, speeding up a little to further distance herself from the demoness.  ¡°Are you a succubus or something?¡±


    ¡°Aww, cute,¡± Yseress said, lifting a little into the air as they made it into the wide hallways, ¡°but I am far more sophisticated than a simple pleasure seeker.¡±


    Rachel glanced back, ears folding forward a little while studying the woman; her perfect, silky black locks flowed around her as she increased her speed to hover behind them.  A malleable, pitch-black neck-guard reflected the dull light of the hallway, and her intricate tattoos were clear to see across her arms and upper chest.


    Something was unnerving about the sounds her body made, yet Rachel felt an unusual uneasiness inside the alluring entity¡¯s voice that made her think she was testing them.  However, the hint of restlessness wasn¡¯t directed toward them, which had Rachel¡¯s mind working in overdrive.


    She¡¯s powerful without a doubt, and if Xazzos is a class below her, then I doubt she was even trying to hurt me; Wolfgang said she doesn¡¯t like to get her hands dirty when it¡¯s even necessary for her to take action.  There¡¯s something more about her that I¡¯m missing.


    ¡°Enlighten me,¡± Grace mumbled, eyeing her appearance with distrust.  ¡°Ya can¡¯t tell me ya don¡¯t got that succubus look that says you¡¯re about to strip a man and milk him dry.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened when Yseress faded into wisps of red smoke before appearing ahead of them, hands clasped behind her back with her tail holding her bag.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she giggled, rose lips tilting with her head.  ¡°What do you know about me?¡±


    Grace and Rachel slowed a little as Gisele squawked and jumped up to flip around, flapping above their heads to glare at the demoness.  Hayan, Coral, and Rose hopped forward to surround her again.


    Rachel¡¯s lips fell.  I couldn¡¯t track her movement at all, and nothing warned me ¡­ I need a better sense for unnatural phenomena ¡­ Misfortune Detection I works, I suppose.  Xazzos wouldn¡¯t have been able to catch me off-guard if I had it.


    Returning to an average pace, Rachel looked into the woman¡¯s bright bloody eyes.  ¡°Nothing.  Why don¡¯t you tell us about yourself?  I find it odd that a demon would have tattoos.¡±


    Yseress brought around her hands while floating back through the next hall that would lead them outside.  ¡°Relics from a time long past¡ªwhen I was still human.¡±


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Grace rubbed her arm as a shiver ran down her spine, ¡°you were human?¡±


    The woman shifted her tail to the opposite side while studying the symbol on her left hand; her purse weaved with the swift motion.  ¡°How do you suppose Demons and Devils are fashioned?¡±  Her gaze lifted to Grace.  ¡°Hell forges those that enter it; Xazzos was another kind of monster that happened to be drawn into Hell when his planet was dragged into the First Ring.¡±


    She was human once, but how much of that is left?  Before I expose Scarlet to this woman, I need to know more about her ¡­ She must be plotting against Wolfgang.  He has to know that, too; it¡¯s common sense.  The issue is her actual goals.


    Relica was currently chastising Scarlet for her brash behavior and trying to heal her bone injury while Fiona and Benedict took to the air, using the Pixie¡¯s illusions to study Armand from the sky.  She threw down a few Ice Spears, but the gigantic beast didn¡¯t even seem to feel them.


    Spotting the front entrance of the school down the next junction, Rachel asked, ¡°What are your goals?  If it¡¯s not simple pleasure, is it preparing the world to be pulled into Hell, like Xazzos¡¯s planet?¡±


    ¡°Ooh!¡±  Grace nodded, pointing at her.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s totally out of the devil''s handbook!  She serves that Abraxas dude, right?¡±


    Yseress¡¯s nose twisted.  ¡°Disgusting ¡­ I am no pawn of Abraxas.  You have no idea what comprises Hell¡¯s hierarchy and world destruction?¡±  Her expression dulled, looking at the horrific rituals that had been done around the school hallways.  ¡°When you¡¯ve been through your second apocalypse, these sights and actions turn ¡­ droll ¡­ much less your seventh.¡±


    Grace hugged her arms, rubbing them while staring at the men pinned to a board by nails through their finger joints, wrists, and skin to keep them attached; symbols were burned into their flesh with what appeared to be car cigarette lighters.  ¡°Seven ¡­ where the whole planet looks like this?¡±


    ¡°This?¡±  Yseress snickered.  ¡°This isn¡¯t even an equivalent to toddlers playing with blocks!  No, I have thralls to do all of the menial platitudes ¡­ I¡¯ve been through dozens of worlds, and the slow corrosion of society tends to be what I enjoy.  The younger crowd can relish in their mindless anarchy.¡±


    The more she talked, the more Rachel became certain this devil was no joke; lies and deception were what she loved¡ªthe leisurely fall of humanity into depravity.  It wasn¡¯t about sexual pleasure but the erosion of morality at her gentle whispers, yet she was powerful enough to manhandle a demon of Xazzos; she was a cult leader.


    Making it outside, Rachel grimaced.  ¡°More bugs are on their way¡­¡±


    Yseress turned around, sitting in the air and crossing her legs to see a small swarm of flying insects heading their way.  ¡°Do you want to fight them?¡±


    ¡°No?¡±  Grace mumbled, calling Jim to jump on his back.


    Yseress turned to put a finger on her lower lip, studying the cowgirl as Rachel monitored the situation, trying to put a finger on exactly what was drawing her attention about the fiend.  ¡°If you let me ride behind you, I¡¯ll send them away.  What do you say?¡±


    Grace grinned, replacing her pistol with her smaller rifle.  ¡°Guess we¡¯re shootin¡¯ our way through!¡±


    ¡°Afraid of a little contact?¡±  Yseress teased.  ¡°I assure you, I won¡¯t bite!  It has been ages since I¡¯ve ridden a horse; they¡¯re a rare treat in Hell.¡±  Cupping her cheek, she sighed, ¡°So few survive the transition.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±  Grace flatly refused.  ¡°You¡¯re not comin¡¯ ¡­ H-Hey!¡±


    Yseress vanished in red smoke to appear beside Grace; her fingers were already stroking the animal¡¯s muscular neck before brushing against the girl¡¯s hand.  ¡°Animals love to please me¡­¡±


    ¡°S-Stop!¡±  Grace mumbled, maneuvering Jim away from her while slapping her hand away, but the creature almost stumbled and fell after pulling away from her touch.  ¡°What did you do to ¡­ to ¡­ Don¡¯t touch us!¡±  she growled, rubbing her fingers with her thumb and pressing a hand against her head.  ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ I¡¯ll shoot you¡­¡±


    Rachel passively watched every playful twitch the woman made; Yseress¡¯s expression curved into a mysterious smile while bringing her pinky to her lips and sampling it before her glowing irises moved to stare at her.


    It doesn¡¯t matter ¡­ I can¡¯t sense any killing intent from her ¡­ Another test?


    Grace was fumbling with her small pistol; her heart was racing as her shaking arm seemed to trace the devil¡¯s figure.  ¡°D-Dammit!  Rachel, what are you doing?!  She¡¯s¡ªshe¡¯s attacking us!¡±


    The girl let off four shaky shots that passed by the devil¡¯s side, shoulder, horn, and through one of the holes in her wings; for the first time, Grace missed.


    Gisele took a deep breath and released a ray of Moonfire once Grace fired, and the Rabbit Gang jumped to hit her.  The Lunar Phoenix couldn¡¯t seem to aim her blast, tracing a small outline of sparkling lights around Yseress, and her Rabbit Gang was attacking the air for some reason.


    She¡¯s playing with them ¡­ Everything Yseress is doing is for some kind of complicated test.  Her focus isn¡¯t on Grace; it¡¯s on me ¡­ She¡¯s more dangerous than Armand and Asher ¡­ Wolfgang brought a real devil into our world, and if I¡¯m reading this situation correctly¡­ This is Wolfgang¡¯s misfortune.


    ¡°Rachel?!  I can¡¯t hit her¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± Rachel commanded; her instincts were on high alert, and this creature couldn¡¯t even be compared to Xazzos.  Not only from how she talked but the presence she brought and the unnatural pulse in her breast.


    Is it Moongmor¡¯s influence on me?  Before entering this hellscape, I didn¡¯t have this misfortune-sensing passive, and it¡¯s so much stronger than the skill should be.  Something unnatural is happening, and it doesn¡¯t seem to be a part of the System.


    Gisele and the Rabbit Gang instantly ceased their attacks; her Lunar Phoenix flew down to land beside Grace, comfortingly patting her back with her wing, and the Rabbit Gang took up another formation around her.


    The insect demons were making their descent, hovering around them in a wide circle; Rachel could see their confusion, yet there was an unusual resonance beating in Rachel¡¯s chest that drew her focus away from Scarlet and everyone else.


    It can¡¯t be Nia¡¯s influence; she¡¯s knocked out.  I just know it, though ¡­ This she-demon is posing as a lower class than she really is ¡­ and there¡¯s no possible way for us to fight her.  Whatever perfected ritual Wolfgang talked about allowed her to slip through in this guise ¡­ Was he guided to it by the other demons ¡­ A devil possessing a devil?  Is it possible because the vessel used to be human?


    Walking forward on instinct to stand before the woman, saliva gathered in Rachel¡¯s mouth; the more she studied the fiend, the more layers were peeled back to reveal something hidden at her Core.   ¡°Let¡¯s cut the bullshit, Yseress; you could kill us all without batting an eye ¡­ You¡¯re far more powerful than Wolfgang let on.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Yseress¡¯s tail shifted a little, slowly removing her finger from her lips.  A curious gleam brightened her eyes.  ¡°Yet ¡­ I still sense the burning intensity within you to fight me.  Wolfgang severely misjudged you, Rachel ¡­ You are the most curious creature I¡¯ve met since coming to this universe.  Of course, he could only see the surface of your Core and not what¡¯s hiding beyond it.¡±


    Grace threw up her hands.  ¡°What?!  Oh, okay, great!¡±  She turned to Gisele, gesturing at Rachel.  ¡°Can you believe this?  I¡¯m totally off the tracks here, Ms. Bird!  So, she¡¯s sayin¡¯ we¡¯re basically screwed, so we should just give up ¡­ Wait, what?  If you want to fight, punch her in the face!  Gah!  First Relica¡¯s creepy-ass and now this¡­¡±


    Yseress¡¯s amusement fell in an instant, and warning bells exploded in Rachel¡¯s ears to her tail, not that she could do anything about it.  A crimson effulgence preceded a radial pressure that compressed all of them into a vice that froze Rachel¡¯s lungs¡ªthe demonic insects imploded into paste.


    Out of the corner of Rachel¡¯s vision, she saw the entity fade in red vapor to appear in the air before the cowgirl; reaching out to place a hand on her cheek, the devil¡¯s voice sharpened.  ¡°Relica ¡­ The Sorceress is inside the barrier¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mind struggled to bypass the numbing force sinking into every pore of her body and spirit, but for once, her brain was paralyzed; all she could do was watch and listen to what happened in the moment.


    In the next instance, the devil was in front of Rachel with a musing smirk in her slitted gaze as she smoothly lowered to stand in front of her, reaching out to press her soft fingers against Rachel¡¯s petrified face; the pressure against her cheeks was like live coals and straight adrenalin pumping into her skin.


    Rachel¡¯s mind washed away with the world while staring into the woman¡¯s searching eyes.


    Blinking, Rachel found herself in a white space, surrounded by complete darkness; it had been what seemed forever since her eyes couldn¡¯t penetrate the black, and Yseress stood behind her, slowly spinning to examine things Rachel couldn¡¯t.  Lying on the glistening floor to her right was Nia, fast asleep with her mouth open.


    Did we¡­


    ¡°Enter your Core,¡± Yseress answered.  ¡°Fascinating¡­¡±


    She smoothly moved to the edge of the platform, looking down.  ¡°You¡¯ve been touched by a divine entity ¡­ I could taste his lingering presence in the air.  Oh, this world is far more intriguing than the others I¡¯ve been to ¡­ Mmh?¡±


    Her tone turned lilting and curious.  ¡°Who¡¯s calling ¡­ Who¡¯s out there?  Come find me, if you dare ¡­ Yes, there you are ¡­ Is that right?¡±


    Yseress brushed back her long black bangs, turning to face Rachel again, and for a moment, her seductive red eyes flashed a burning orange, showing a hint of the true fiend underneath.  ¡°It¡¯s not safe to stare too long, dear.¡±


    Rachel added a forced smile.  ¡°So ¡­ In the end, Yseress said serving Abraxas was disgusting because she serves you.¡±


    ¡°Perceptive,¡± the creature laughed, once again taking her seat in the air while looking at Nia.  ¡°What an alluring child you¡¯ve bonded your spirit to ¡­ How generous of you to give her a place within your Core to rest.  You do not understand the significance of that action; she can now grow with you beyond her previous limitations.¡±


    Rachel folded her arms; the misfortune was clear as day from where she stood.  ¡°You want my help to free yourself from Wolfgang.¡±


    The woman¡¯s smiling eyes narrowed while resting her hand against her cheek.  ¡°To think such an opportunity would arise ¡­ I am more than willing to cooperate with you, Rachel; in fact, I¡¯d like to take advantage of a particularly succulent caveat that will greatly benefit us both.¡±


    ¡°I bet it will be,¡± Rachel glanced back, testing the thoughts that passed through her mind; this was her Core, whatever that meant, which meant she had control over it if she took it.  An armchair from her parents¡¯ house appeared behind her, and she took it, forming a bed for Nia to sleep on nearby.  ¡°I believe I¡¯m getting the hang of this ¡­ So, what¡¯s your goal?¡±


    A charming laugh shook the devil¡¯s chest while shifting her bag to her lap and hugging it to her body.  ¡°I have taught Wolfgang much in regards to the human Core, prompting him with visions through the small portals to Hell that these fools have barely managed to scratch the surface of.  My goal was as simple as having what you might call ¡­ he-he-he, vacation time.¡±


    She gestured toward her.  ¡°What I discovered was a power I have yet to see; a seed of such worth that it could hardly be measured ¡­ Although, it came with a problem that, frankly, many of the deities and other such creatures have discovered.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±  Rachel asked, crossing her legs and resting her hands in her lap; never in her wildest dreams did she ever consider speaking to an actual devil, but circumstances had become extreme since entering this hellscape.  ¡°You can¡¯t expect me to believe you aren¡¯t trying to double-cross me?  You¡¯re practically lying and deception incarnate.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ not entirely wrong,¡± she giggled, looking to their left.  ¡°Although, there is one way you can know me to be telling the truth ¡­ Moon Moon, darling, are you always this shy?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed as a blinding orange, pink, and white light collected into a bunny that was no bigger than her tiny buns.  ¡°Moongmor¡­¡±


    ¡°Moon Moon,¡± he laughed, vanishing and reappearing around them, in the air, on the floor, upside-down; it didn¡¯t seem to matter.  ¡°He-he-he-he!  Such a funny little nickname from you, Izanami.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears stood straight up; even she¡¯d heard of the Japanese goddess that had been killed in childbirth.  ¡°You¡¯re Izanami?¡±


    The woman¡¯s gaze returned to her with mirth.  ¡°The stories you humans tell are most amusing; there is little truth to such a tale, but a degree enough to make me laugh.  To humans, I was once a deity, you could say, yet Hell¡¯s energies can twist even a seventh-dimensional being into ¡­ what I have become.¡±


    Moongmor scratched his ears, appearing beside her.  ¡°Eostre was so sad to hear what happened to you.¡±


    Izanami¡¯s vision moved to the hyperactive rabbit.  ¡°If that is so ¡­ Why don¡¯t you ask her to join our little gathering.¡±


    Moongmor vanished, hiding behind Rachel¡¯s chair.  ¡°Oh!  Oh!  Umm, you have become scary, Izanami!  I liked the little one you¡¯re using a lot better.¡±


    A welcoming smile brightened Izanami¡¯s face.  ¡°I am ¡®she who invites¡¯, Moon Moon.  Could you please go be the little messenger you are?  She has taken an interest in Rachel, after all.¡±


    ¡°Okay!  Okay!  Good death day, Izanami!¡±


    Rachel kept her focus on the fallen deity.  ¡°So ¡­ You honestly want to make a deal with me ¡­ I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever dealt with an actual god or ¡­ goddess?¡±


    ¡°It matters little,¡± she said, looking up at the bright pillar of light overhead.  ¡°I will answer whatever you want, Rachel.  Surly Moon Moon¡¯s influence in your life has shown there are forces at work far greater than you can handle on your own.  In fact, many will make such plans as I am proposing ¡­ Twilight has certainly made her presence known, which has helped keep the rabble in check.¡±


    Folding her fingers together, Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°We can start there ¡­ Who is Twilight?¡±


    Izanami gave her a casual shrug.  ¡°Who can say?  She certainly is above seventh-dimensional beings, and that should frighten you.  I¡¯ve seen the birth and death of entire universes, yet she terrifies me.  Next.¡±


    Twilight is the one keeping these insanely powerful creatures in check ¡­ Why is everyone so fascinated by The Oscillation?


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, really,¡± Izanami replied, casually reading her mind while lifting her bag to inspect it.  ¡°That seed inside of you can grow infinitely, yet its base state begins in the third dimension, which means it is incompatible with all of those powerful creatures you¡¯re thinking linger around.  Which means?¡±


    Rachel tucked in her lower lip.  Which means they¡¯re trying to advance us to the point of being able to take it ¡­ The Crystals?


    ¡°Mmh, off track on that one, darling,¡± Izanami muttered, looping her tail around her bag again to set it on the ground.


    ¡°These ¡®Crystals¡¯, as you call them, are very powerful gateways that could even allow one to travel to a ¡®new¡¯ Hell, which is ¡­ quite a frightening prospect that has shown possible in a few higher dimensions.  Nothing huge, as of yet, but the possibilities are there for an upset unlike any seen in the structured rings¡ªthere¡¯s also a few unknown entities in the mix that are ¡­ concerning.¡±


    Utterly lost in the context, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°There is more than one Hell?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  sighing, the devil cupped her chin with her left hand and created a few flat plains with her right.  ¡°There are nine rings of Hell, which operate to rules of their own; I reside on the seventh, yet it grows ever more extreme as you go down.  How many are there?  One in each multiverse.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrows drew together; the longer she looked at Izanami, the more her features changed.  Her wings filled in, becoming black and more demonic; black locks were replaced by silver, her ears pointed, and the tight clothing she wore shifted into a slit black dress and heels.


    Large, curved obsidian horns extended out of the side of her head, and an extravagant stone throne appeared underneath her.  Succulent red irises turned an ominous flaming orange that held mirth at the situation they were in.


    Izanami was undoubtedly enticing from her shapely figure and partially opened front, revealing the center of her ample breasts.  Soon, Rachel could see the fallen deity in place of the devil she used as a vessel.


    ¡°Multiverse?¡±  Rachel whispered, hands tightening around her abdomen.  ¡°So, you have no idea where these seeds came from?¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice somehow turned more lovely, which contrasted her terrifying beauty.  ¡°Not the faintest clue; however, what I do know is that, given the right circumstances, and by actively working with those these seeds have chosen, we can grow with them.¡±


    A lovely voice released a sad sigh as a radiant rogue-haired woman stood between Rachel and the fallen deity.  ¡°Izanami ¡­ It has been quite some time.¡±


    The woman was accompanied by a few rabbits and wore a surprisingly revealing spaghetti-strap light red dress with flowers circling her head.


    ¡°Eostre,¡± Izanami chuckled.  ¡°My, you have grown.  I find it quite suspect that you would have marked this human.¡±


    Rachel turned to the unhappy goddess.  ¡°I¡¯d like an explanation.  Is that why Moongmor has been manipulating events around me, and I have various deity names for my branches?¡±


    Eostre gave the fallen deity a light glare.  ¡°You always did love your tricks and drama¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it not an honest question?¡±


    The fact two powerful beings were somehow visiting her inside her Core was somewhat perturbing to Rachel, but she shoved the feelings down to get answers.  ¡°You manipulated things for me to get Nia and my bunnies¡ªGisele¡¯s transformation?¡±


    Moongmor popped up in front of her with a short bow.  ¡°That would be me!¡±  The orange, pink, and white-furred rabbit vanished soon after the admission, appearing beside the goddess.


    ¡°Indeed ¡­ Moongmor has his likes, and he¡¯s taken a shine to you, Rachel.¡±  Her green irises shifted to the bobbing rabbit.  ¡°He has been pulling you toward and granting you an enhanced focus in the Misfortune skill to allow for a smoother path through this ¡­ mess you¡¯ve stumbled into,¡± she mumbled, vision darting to the smiling devil.


    The woman¡¯s flaming orange eyes didn¡¯t falter.  ¡°He¡¯s been a little naughty rascal, providing bits of help here and there, I see, but I cannot say I am surprised.¡±


    ¡°My thoughts with you, Izanami,¡± Eostre said, adopting a crisp tone.  ¡°To be precise, the only reason you want me here is to provide an environment without lies so you can convince Rachel to allow you to grow inside her¡ªwith the threat of spreading rumors.¡±


    Figuring it would end like this, Rachel posed her question to the goddess instead of the fallen deity.  ¡°How likely is it that we can handle Asher, Armand, and Wolfgang?¡±


    ¡°None,¡± Izanami snickered, responding before the disgruntled goddess.  ¡°And you still need to deal with Yseress; she can be a handful to get motivated but far stronger than any of the pawns surrounding you.¡±


    Eostre turned a soft smile to Nia as the girl groaned, turning to her side and snuggling further into the sheets Rachel created around her.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid she is right, Rachel ¡­ Nia and you have come a long way, yet as you feared, Xazzos still lives, and nothing you can do will pierce Armand¡¯s fur.  He has taken tens of thousands of lives to make himself immune to nearly all means of harm on this planet.¡±


    Izanami¡¯s smiling wave drew her eyes.  ¡°Which is why you will need me.¡±


    Rachel clicked her tongue.  ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling this pulse inside me ¡­ What can you give me, and be clear with me, Izanami, what price will it cost?¡±


    The silver-haired woman shifted her legs the opposite way while licking her lips.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong about you.  What can I give you?¡±  Her orange irises turned to the goddess.  ¡°Hell energy that mixes with your Lunar energy.¡±


    Eostre folded her arms under her bust, a frown on her rosy lips.  ¡°Basically ¡­ You will gain access to the Hell Moon; although, you still need to fill it up, which will slowly filter through Yseress¡¯s bond with you.¡±


    ¡°Yseress ¡­ not Izanami?¡±


    The fallen deity chortled.  ¡°I am in a very restricted form that allows me to manifest myself on this Earth; the instant I try to access my powers, I will be dragged back to my dimension, which means Yseress will be my proxy.  Basically, she¡¯ll be a roommate to the moon child,¡± she said, gesturing at Nia.


    ¡°That is not all,¡± Eostre grunted, her arms tightening around her core.  ¡°Lunar Hell Energy is extremely volatile on humans¡­¡±


    ¡°Which she is not!¡±  Izanami interjected.  ¡°Rachel is a Lunar Hare with a molding spirit; Yseress¡¯s energy will be absorbed by the seed and incorporated appropriately.¡±


    Eostre shook her head.  ¡°We cannot say that; it¡¯s manipulative to suggest that¡¯s the case when neither of us knows how it will affect the seed.¡±


    ¡°Asher is an example,¡± the devil pointed out, ¡°although I do concede that he was initially changed to accommodate that aspect.  Still, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem this seed cannot handle.¡±


    Rachel breathed out a long breath as the two studied her.  ¡°So, what you¡¯re implying is that I can¡¯t use it for long periods of time ¡­ Will it affect Nia?¡±


    ¡°He-he-he, of course,¡± Izanami gave her an incredulous look.  ¡°She is connected to you, and in a manner, I will be temporarily tethered to you, as well.¡±


    The goddess cut in, her tone cautious.  ¡°For what purpose, though?  You could reverse your death and escape Hell by my influence on the seed, but I don¡¯t see you giving up this ¡­ new side you¡¯ve built your life around now.¡±


    ¡°Hell isn¡¯t all that bad, old friend.¡±  Grin turning mysterious, Izanami rested the back of her hand against her cheek.  ¡°I can make a pact with Rachel in your presence, Eostre¡­¡±


    Rachel could feel the ominous waves pulsing off the fallen deity.  ¡°Rachel, I swear, I will cause no ¡®direct¡¯ trouble to earthlings, nor will Yseress, unless given explicit permission as guests within your world¡ªexcluding certain parameters that need fulfilling, but, heh, I cannot see Relica or Wolfgang claiming your empathy.¡±


    ¡°Humanity?¡±  Eostre asked.  ¡°I don¡¯t need to be dragged into your devilish schemes, old friend¡­¡±


    ¡°Come now, I have no thoughts for humanity as a whole,¡± Izanami scoffed, ¡°other than the minor entertainment value they can occasionally grant me.  No.  My ¡®only¡¯ objective in this union is to slowly siphon off the seed within you that is far stronger than anything I could hope to run dry; in fact, I do not believe it is possible¡ªthe more I draw, the more it will grow.


    ¡°By the way,¡± she gestured at the sleeping bunny girl, ¡°this option is only available to me because of what you did with Nia.  Yseress will be able to squeeze inside the bond that is ¡®still¡¯ taking place.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s gut tightened.  ¡°Meaning Yseress will be a permanent part of this union ¡­ That seemed important to mention.¡±


    A huff shot through Eostre¡¯s nose.  ¡°Not necessarily; Yseress will slowly weaken and eventually dissolve her energy into you¡ªIzanami will kill her subordinate to build this power she seeks.¡±


    ¡°You act as if that¡¯s unexpected of me,¡± Izanami giggled.  ¡°I didn¡¯t mention it because ultimately, it wouldn¡¯t matter, as Eostre stated.  There might be a way to save her¡ªwho can say, but I¡¯m not concerned.  So ¡­ will we have a deal?  You may call upon me whenever you wish, and I¡¯ll be nothing but honest while you can use Yseress until she is a withered husk, so far as I am concerned ¡­ Heh, if you can manage to motivate her, that is.¡±


    A rumble shook Eostre¡¯s throat while glaring at the smug devil, and Rachel looked to her for her view.  ¡°Be warned, she wants this because it means that union will be sealed, and she doesn¡¯t have to think about answering your questions anymore.  Once Yseress is absorbed into the seed, she has access to feed off of it, and you can feed off Hell.¡±


    The devil shrugged.  ¡°I cannot deny it; it is a win-win.¡±


    Eostre shifted her hips to the opposite side; dealing with Izanami appeared to agitate her to no end.  ¡°True, Yseress would allow you to come out of this mess you¡¯ve dove head-first into ¡­ Izanami will not harm you now or in the future, but she will hitch a ride on your progression for ¡­ whatever purpose she has, which might not affect you, but will cause others to mark you as a target.¡±


    Rachel scratched her arm before looking at Nia.  It wouldn¡¯t be fair to force a roommate on her without getting her approval.  There¡¯s also the fact Demi might not be considered humanity¡­


    ¡°Smart,¡± Izanami snickered, ¡°which Eostre was no doubt waiting to spring as a counter-argument.¡±


    The goddess¡¯s lips tightened.  ¡°I was waiting to see if you¡¯d bring it up.¡±


    ¡°Of course you were,¡± Izanami mused.  ¡°You wish to siphon off a little of the hare¡¯s energy yourself, so don¡¯t act so noble.¡±


    Eostre looked away.  ¡°Yes, well, not in the same invasive manner, and providing a guiding hand to help her realize her growing abilities is adding far more than you¡¯re offering.¡±


    ¡°I beg to differ, old friend.¡±


    It was like watching bickering old women that had the power to break galaxies apart.  ¡°A great exchange this has been,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°Since you¡¯re both so kind as to invade my thoughts, would you tell me the answer before I agree?  And I¡¯ll need Nia¡¯s approval, as well.¡±


    Izanami¡¯s legs straightened as she rose to her feet, spreading out her large wings in a stretching manner.  ¡°Wonderful.  I give you my word with Eostre as a witness; by no means will I or anything commanded by me harm anyone you care for nor wish my interference on¡ªlet me be crystal clear in this regard¡ªdirectly or in so much as I can negate indirectly, I am on your side.  My sights are set much higher than a simple universe.¡±


    Pointing at the heavens, Rachel saw a burning globe of radial energy with an occult symbol etched into its surface.  ¡°You take power from the moon?  Allow me to provide a link to Hell for the power you can gain no other way.¡±


    ¡°To be clear,¡± Eostre growled, generating two others, ¡°a Hell Moon is not a Blood Moon or Solar Blood Moon.  You¡¯ll find the force she grants far more damaging to yourself than any natural Lunar source.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you interested in learning how she¡¯ll react to a Hell Moon?¡±  Izanami asked, and catching Rachel¡¯s expression, she snickered while offering a hand.  ¡°We have no idea how you will react.  Will you allow fear to block you or dare to test the unknown?¡±


    Lunar Pride gripped her chest at the taunt.


    ¡°Cheap trick,¡± Eostre growled.


    Rising to her feet, Rachel walked around Izanami¡¯s outstretched hand to Nia.  ¡°Is there a way to wake her?  I¡¯m pressed for time with my friend captured.¡±


    ¡°On the contrary,¡± Izanami returned to her seat, dropping into it and adjusting her dress, ¡°inside your Core, I have accelerated your time relativity through Yseress.  Less than five seconds have passed on Earth.¡±


    Eostre joined Rachel; she wore a fond smile while studying the sleeping girl.  ¡°Nia is such a precious spirit ¡­ I can recover her stamina and ¡­ Izanami is right, by marking you, I am drawing a trace amount of the seed¡¯s unique energy and accelerating your progress in doing so ¡­ I can modify your Lunar Step ability to be used without the sight of the moon, but I can only tamper so much with the seed without causing unintended results.¡±


    ¡°What about my Lunar Pools?¡±  Rachel asked, looking over at her with an edge of hope.  ¡°Can you fill them?¡±


    Izanami made a resonating hum in her throat.  ¡°Look at you, Eostre; you¡¯d best not let any of the others learn about this little meeting and your ¡®direct¡¯ interference.  You know how temperamental some of them can be when someone breaks a covenant.¡±


    ¡°Worry about yourself,¡± Eostre grumbled, reaching out her hand over Nia¡¯s head.  ¡°Rise, little one¡­¡±


    Nia shivered and bolted up in bed, ears darting left and right in a short panic.  ¡°W-What?  Uh ¡­ Rachel?  Why ¡­ I¡¯m in a bed ¡­ where ¡­ I can have a bed now?!  Who are these people?!¡±  She jumped up on her mattress, jabbing a finger at Izanami.  ¡°It¡¯s another succubus lady, Rachel!  How¡¯s she in ¡­ How¡¯s everyone here?!¡±


    Eyes spinning, she jumped off the bed and ducked under it to stare at them.  ¡°Hey!  Hey!  This is my room!  You guys need to¡ªto knock!  It¡¯s rude!  Oh.  My.  Gosh!  Rachel, it¡¯s a break-in!  They¡¯ve breached the walls!  Call the guards!¡±


    Rachel walked around and knelt down to brush back the girl¡¯s spiked-up ears and hug her.  ¡°It¡¯s fine, Nia ¡­ I have some things to ask you ¡­ How would you like a lazy demon girl roommate that you can play with while I do stuff?¡±


    Nia seemed to instantly accept the evolving situation, looking at Izanami.  ¡°Her?  The creepy lady?  I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Izanami gestured to her left, and the confused demoness appeared beside her, red irises sweeping the scene.


    ¡°Lady Izanami?¡±


    Nia¡¯s mouth dropped open upon seeing her.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ She''s a bad girl!  She has tattoos!  Yeah!  Yeah!  I want her to stay!  She can teach me how to be a bad Nia!  He-he-he!  Nia will be the terror of the worlds!  Can I get a tattoo?!¡±


    Glad she was on board, even without knowing all the details, Rachel sighed.  ¡°I guess she¡¯ll need a nickname ¡­ She really does come from Hell.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡±  Nia¡¯s eyes sparkled as she rushed over to grab the confused devil¡¯s hand.  ¡°Welcome to the Hidden Society of Denier!  I¡¯m the Supreme Leader of Hearts, Newbie ¡­ Oh, Lunar Abyss!  Lunar Abyss!¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±  Rachel asked, folding her arms and smiling as Nia pulled the woman in front of her to present her idea.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it!  She¡¯s Infernal Abyss!¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ have a name?¡±  Yseress mumbled, glancing back at Izanami that just gestured for her to play along.  It was a little strange seeing the demoness¡¯s flustered expression as she saw Nia¡¯s big, pleading eyes.  ¡°I suppose I¡¯m ¡­ Infernal Abyss?¡±


    Nia cheered, jumping around in circles with Eostre¡¯s bunnies.  ¡°The Secret Society grows!  Oh!  Umm, yeah, that¡¯s your code name when you¡¯re in public!¡±  she earnestly stated.  ¡°Understand, Newbie?¡±


    The woman glanced at her master before returning to Nia.  ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Mua-ha-ha-ha!  The world will end by the abyss!¡±


    Nia¡¯s ears turned to Eostre before her head followed.  ¡°Uh ¡­ Who¡¯s the pretty lady?¡±


    Rachel shot forward and caught Nia as her eyes suddenly drooped, and she fell to the ground.  ¡°Oof ¡­ I¡¯m guessing you only temporarily restored her?¡±


    Eostre nodded, following Rachel to the bed.  ¡°There¡¯s no way around it; Nia¡¯s Intelligence is what is exhausted, and that needs proper rest.¡±


    She nodded, looking at a very confused Yseress.  ¡°You take care of Nia; I¡¯m now your master, understand?¡±


    ¡°Not in the least,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°Master, what am¡­¡±


    Izanami cut her off.  ¡°Plans have changed, Yseress, and unfortunately, Rachel, she will need to return to the outside world; I will provide her instructions on how we are to proceed ¡­ We have much to do.¡±


    ¡°Alright, but first ¡­ Eostre?¡±


    The goddess smiled at Izanami.  ¡°You knew this was coming; I crossed a line today, which means I am going to make sure you don¡¯t mess things up for me ¡­ old friend.¡±


    Rolling her eyes, Izanami rose to her feet and held out her wrists.  ¡°Bind me, then ¡­ My word as a bond, freely accepting the terms offered to Rachel; a sword to my Core upon my oath broken.¡±


    ¡°M-Master?¡±  Yseress trembled, dropping to her butt in disbelief.  ¡°I do not¡­¡±


    Her jaw snapped shut at the fallen deity¡¯s withering glare.  ¡°We will speak, Yseress.¡±


    Two golden ringlets formed in Eostre¡¯s hands, and she put them on Izanami¡¯s wrists.  ¡°Now, allow the blade in,¡± she said with a devilish smirk unfit for a goddess.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say you had a grudge against me,¡± Izanami grunted, shifting uncomfortably while completing whatever ritual the two were performing.  ¡°There ¡­ It is done.¡±


    Eostre stepped back.  ¡°I¡¯m surprised you actually went through with it ¡­ I suppose you are playing the long game.¡±


    Izanami examined her new jewelry.  ¡°Excellent work, as usual, Eostre ¡­ Sometimes you need to dare to take the risk in order to gain everything you desire.  Now, it¡¯s time to go, Yseress ¡­ much needs to happen for you to escape Wolfgang.¡±


    Her gaze returned to Rachel.  ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡±


    The two vanished, leaving a strange burning sensation in Rachel¡¯s chest.  ¡°Well ¡­ This has been an experience.¡±


    Eostre folded her hands across her front, glancing toward Nia.  ¡°I cannot support you like this again, Rachel; Moongmor will do what he can from the shadows, but this will draw unwanted attention for your group.  Ask Izanami how to further advance their seeds through other routes ¡­ I must go.¡±


    Knowing they were all taking and giving in this relationship, Rachel nodded.  ¡°A partnership ¡­ I can pass you, though,¡± she grinned, feeling the empowering knowledge fill her soul.


    ¡°In time¡­¡±


    The goddess lifted her hand, causing rays of orange, pink, and white to shine throughout the entire area; she blinked, suddenly staring at the hellscape she¡¯d seemed to leave from what seemed twenty minutes ago.


    ¡°She¡¯s cracked¡­¡±  Grace cried, pressing her hat down on her head with a moan.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe I jumped into this mess!¡±


    ¡°Heh, Grace ¡­ you might be right,¡± Rachel mused, feeling an enormous amount of power fill her breast, and her hair took on an even three-by-three split between her lunar colors.


    Looking up at Yseress, she found the woman sitting on the ground in astonishment; it seemed she couldn¡¯t process the information her master was giving her.  ¡°Well ¡­ Let¡¯s get this show started.  Grace, we¡¯ve got a plan.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh ¡­ Can I know the plan?  ¡®Cause I¡¯m kinda freakin¡¯ out here!¡±


    Rachel stretched out her neck and jumped on the back of Jim while Yseress hesitantly explained as they made their way to Scarlet; it wasn¡¯t as complicated as Rachel expected and would be very satisfying in one particular area.


    AuthorSME


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 Tested Positive For Covid

I''m not at the risk demographic and the sent me home from the ER to rest up. I do have my vaccination, but I still need to isolate.


    My airway is good and the doctor said for me to just taking it easy. For more details, go to the discord.


    https://discord.gg/qaU96C6H

 B4 — 27. Break The Mold

    AuthorSME


    Author Note:  I beat Covid and am back, Baby!  Wow, some awesome stuff ahead for our Lunar Hare, and I can''t wait for everyone to continue on with the story!  ^_^7


    PoV:


    1. Scarlet


    2. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare!)


    Recap:  Uh ... Yeah, Yseress turned out to be a powerful half-human devil that had an actual ruler of Hell inside of her, hitching a visual ride to ease her bordom.  Now ... things have gotten real!  Izanami has made a deal with Rachel, and she now has the ability to access the powers of Hell through her tie to Yseress, Rachel''s new slave ... Izanami really didn''t give a second thought to throwing her servant under the rug.


    Moongmor was compelled by the Hell Lord to fetch his master, Eostre, a goddess herself that somewhat unwillingly fashioned the bond between the fallen Japanese Goddess of Creation and Rachel.  Uh-oh ... How is our girl going to use this new power and information because this is a big game changer!


    We''ve got some frightening things ahead!


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Jacob hipes, Error25, Aria Red, DogeDoge, Austin Reff, Qustom, Zestar, TheGeneralPlaysGames, Fraxx, Roni Free, and my other Patrons!


    Scarlet hissed, leaning up against the side of a concrete wall of a building half a mile away from Armand; lips tight, she clutched at her side with closed eyes, trying to pull frantic mind in any other direction than the cracks in her rib.


    It was like someone digging a screwdriver through her teeth and twisting into her gums; dull, pulsating spurs triggered without even her taking a single breath.  Unable to bear it any longer, puffs of air forced their way through her lungs; each expulsion she made released a bit of stress, but the spasms passing into her heart wouldn¡¯t cease.


    Relica¡¯s arms were held tightly under her bust, examining Scarlet¡¯s reactions with calculating focus while Fiona and Benedict hovered nearby.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe how big he was,¡± Fiona growled, green wings radiating red dust as she glared at Relica.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything to him!  You weren¡¯t any help at all!¡±


    Benedict ran his hands through his hair; he¡¯d been hovering beside Fiona in an utter panic since seeing the creature that was four times larger than a whale.  ¡°You¡¯re sure Edelira and Isabel are down there?¡±


    ¡°Likely,¡± Relica mumbled, ¡°but our concern is Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Benedict was utterly lost.  ¡°How bad ¡­ She was moving around a lot¡­¡±


    Reica stepped forward to kneel beside her.  ¡°Shut up ¡­ How bad is it getting ¡­ Are Xazzos¡¯s flames still burning through your bones?¡±


    Great ¡­ Out of everyone that called me out, it was Relica ¡­ This sucks¡­


    The Pixy groaned.  ¡°I¡¯m so ¡­ useless!  We need Maria to heal you, right?  So, shouldn¡¯t we go get her real fast?¡±


    You¡¯re useless?  I jump in every time to help Rachel and mess up, then she has to clean up my blunder.  I¡¯m the worst¡­


    ¡°What?¡±  Fiona asked, fists tightening into fists; her rage was deepening with every passing minute Warpath was active, and she¡¯d needed to consume more sugar to keep her energy up from the draining State.  ¡°I¡¯ll go kill him, and that solves that!  You stay¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, no¡­¡±  Scarlet growled, trying to sound more angry than hurt.  ¡°You don¡¯t know exactly where it is¡ªand I can¡¯t see past whatever magic they¡¯re using; it could be a trap, and we¡¯d be¡ªwe¡¯d be trapped by Armand and whatever¡¯s inside.¡±


    Her crimson irises drifted to her naked side that had long since healed of the damage Xazzos caused.  His blue flames disintegrated a part of her black shirt; luckily, only the very top portion of her belt and white shorts took damage.


    ¡°Besides, we all saw how fast he was; I barely got us out of there alive, and he still chased us all over the place.¡±


    Fiona scratched her forehead.  ¡°I just¡ªI need to kill a few more bugs and upgrade my Ice Spear!  I¡¯ll be stronger then!¡±


    Benedict held up his hands in protest.  ¡°Fiona, he took everything you threw at him without blinking¡ªeven in the eye!¡±


    Fiona was heated.  ¡°I haven''t tried his nose yet¡ªI¡¯ll shove something up his¡­¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Relica signed, ¡°A few bugs aren¡¯t going to help you at all.¡±  Scarlet never expected to receive concern from the woman as she knelt beside her.  ¡°Your little friend is right.  Scarlet, don¡¯t try to act tough¡ªI know Xazzos.¡±


    The Sorceress rolled her eyes while pulling back her hair.  ¡°I helped Asher through the process of summoning him, after all¡ªnot an easy task, I assure you.  So, I know some of his energy is still seeking to eat through your bones to get to your heart.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡±  Scarlet barked, tightening her jaw while brushing away Relica¡¯s extending hand to press against her side.  ¡°I¡¯m healing, so just back off!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to¡­¡±


    ¡°Figure out a way we can get past that wolf or shut up!¡±  Scarlet snapped, drawing on her pain to be more assertive.  ¡°Rachel¡¯s right, we just need to get Maria back ¡­ You¡¯re the one with all the plans; help instead of complaining!¡±


    Relica nibbled on the inside of her lip, eyes narrowing a bit.  ¡°Scarlet, Xazzos should frighten you; that was a playful flick of his wrist, but that energy is something out of another dimension.  You are powerful, but not on his level ¡­ yet.  Let me treat you so we can move forward; Fiona and Benedict can do,¡± she paused, waving a hand in their direction, ¡°whatever they want to distract Armand.¡±


    Fiona didn¡¯t look happy that she agreed with Relica but wouldn¡¯t deny it, given Warpath¡¯s influence.  ¡°Benedict, you should stay here and watch her ¡­ She¡¯s tricky!¡±


    Air shot through Scarlet¡¯s nose at the suggestion.  Not like he can do anything if she does; he¡¯s all about illusions, Scarlet thought with exasperation, but the Sorceress wasn¡¯t wrong.


    Overall, she was doing a lot better than the Legend¡¯s Quest on the outside; however, on the other hand, she¡¯d never cracked a bone before, nor had some foreign force embedded into her body that she couldn¡¯t get rid of.


    Finding no better answer in her pain distracted mind, Scarlet pounded the top of her head three times in frustration before vehemently scratching it; Fiona was going crazy with her skill, which wasn¡¯t helping her concentration.  ¡°Grrgmmm ¡­ Fine¡ªfine, Fiona, just stay super high, and we¡¯ll ¡­ we¡¯ll join you or something a¡­¡±


    The Fairy wouldn¡¯t even let her finish, levitating the small bag of sugar she¡¯d brought and darted to the nearby broken doorway.  ¡°Yeah!  You heal up, and I¡¯ll go take this stupid wolf down; I¡¯ve got plans for his nose!¡±


    Scarlet highly doubted it, given her rage-filled mind, but knew she¡¯d be going crazy in Fiona¡¯s place; Maria was in danger every second they wasted, and she was supposed to be the strong one to protect the Unicorn.


    Relica calmly addressed her once Fiona left.  ¡°Will you let me help you now?¡±


    Scarlet hated it¡ªfrom how Relica smoothed out her black business suit to her slim fingers adjusting her white shirt.  The Sorceress was the definition of a woman that couldn¡¯t take a hint; no one liked her, but she thought she was the most popular girl on the planet¡ªtotally delusional.


    ¡°How?¡±  Benedict butted in.  ¡°Can you heal her, too?¡±


    ¡°Hardly,¡± Relica huffed.  Purple flames ignited in her hands to create an obsidian dagger.  ¡°I can draw strength away from the lingering embers for your regeneration to gain ground and smother them¡ªit¡¯s crude but my only option at the moment.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s focus didn¡¯t move from her naked blade.  ¡°Right ¡­ Like I¡¯d trust you with anything like that?  In what world would anyone allow you to use that ¡­ dirty, unsanitized thing on them?¡±


    A frustrated hiss passed through Relica¡¯s locked teeth.  ¡°Scarlet, I¡¯m trying to help you!  You cannot imagine what Wolfgang might be doing to those twins or your friend¡ªin fact, it¡¯s likely too late at this point.¡±


    Benedict groaned.  ¡°Why ¡­ How can we save them?  They¡¯re tough on the outside, but ¡­ Edel and Izzy are¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Relica yelled, voice cracking a bit and causing him to flinch.  ¡°How long can you last, Scarlet?  Tell me!  Quit being stubborn; I need you alive as much as you want to be alive.  Besides, what would I tell your mother when I return?¡±


    An emotional blaze and chill simultaneously rippled through Scarlet¡¯s frame at the mention of her mother.  She hated it, despised the very thought, yet she knew the Sorceress was right in at least one area.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she seethed, unable to look away from the wicked knife that had been used to perform countless horrifying rituals and acts.  ¡°Get it over with so I can help Fiona.¡±


    Relica¡¯s free hand illuminated a deep purple before pressing against her side.  ¡°Finally!¡±


    The woman¡¯s hands were shockingly warm, and a disgruntled twist lifted her nose.  ¡°Dammit, Scarlet ¡­ It¡¯s more than a third way through your rib; you know your bones act as an invisible barrier to protect your heart, right?¡±


    ¡°I said just get it over with!  I¡¯m stupid¡ªso stupid!  Why am I even doing this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not so simple,¡± Relica growled, putting her blade against the side of her skin.  ¡°Your blood isn¡¯t going to jump out and try to kill this shadow of me, correct?¡±


    Scarlet begrudgingly turned off her automatic protection; it had been overwhelmed and forced on pure defense when it came to the muscular demon.  ¡°I turned it off ¡­ How do you even know about that¡­¡±  Her thumbnail dug into her index finger when her mother¡¯s smiling face came to mind.  ¡°Nevermind.¡±


    Benedict watched in apprehensive panic as Relica slowly eased the weapon into her skin; there was no pain, but there was a sensation to make her aware of the intrusion, and she instantly felt the strength of the embers eating through her bone lag as the point neared the crack.


    ¡°It will take four minutes by my calculation, unless ¡­ We¡¯ll see.¡±


    Scarlet didn¡¯t respond, doing her best to remain strong and not cry; she didn¡¯t want Relica¡¯s help¡ªit was like accepting help from her mother, in a way, yet she¡¯d bear it if it meant saving what pieces of her life she¡¯d been able to stabilize with Maria, Rachel, and Fiona¡¯s help.


    How did this happen?  Why is Relica helping us?!  It doesn¡¯t make any sense!  None!


    She hadn¡¯t needed to level up any skills that often over the past three weeks, which was growing to be a source of confidence for her; she was strong, and Rachel relied on her, but Relica kept putting doubt in her chest.


    She couldn¡¯t deny it, though, from the moment Xazzos¡¯s ax touched her skin; the creature felt like annihilation incarnate.  If it wasn¡¯t for the manipulations Twilight did to her seed and the unique set of abilities she¡¯d given her, the creature would have split her in half without effort.


    It was instinctual; he was playing with them, looking for a bit of fun in the boredom that was his life in this isolated barrier.  He hadn¡¯t come across a single challenge, but she had to trust Rachel because she was the linchpin in grounding her reality.  How could she ever doubt Rachel?


    Over the past few minutes, Scarlet tried to compensate for her weakness; after all, she had a ton of points¡ªor so she¡¯d thought.  The Heart of Blood II Passive, which gave her regeneration, appeared challenging to level up since out of reflex, she¡¯d accidentally poured everything she could into it after her rib cracked.  And yet, it only leveled from one to three; however, Regeneration IV increased to Regeneration VII through her efforts.


    ¡°Is it getting better?¡±  Relica asked, serious gaze unnerving Scarlet a little.


    She doesn¡¯t care about me ¡­ It¡¯s all about whatever Twilight is to her or my mom.


    ¡°A little, I¡­¡±  Scarlet trailed off when a chill rippled through her bones.


    Twilight¡¯s sleepy, entertained hum erupted through her heart as the entity sensed something unusual.  ¡°How bold ¡­ I love it,¡± she yawned, shifting beneath the fathomless ocean she slept under.


    Huh?  What¡¯s ¡­ bold?


    She didn¡¯t respond, but a pressure gripped Scarlet¡¯s gut, feeling a tug that plucked at the edge of her mind; it was as if a crack split the fabric of reality nearby that widened a little.


    ¡°... Scarlet ¡­ Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    She blinked, glancing at Relica¡¯s concerned frown.  ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to get your attention for a full minute ¡­ What happened?¡±


    ¡°A minute?¡±  Looking down, she saw the blade was out of her skin; the force eating through her inner defenses was fizzling out.  ¡°Is ¡­ it done?¡±


    Relica reached out to press her hand against her forehead, causing a tingle to pass through the point of contact.  ¡°Nothing I can sense ¡­ Hmm.¡±  Rising to her feet, Relica didn¡¯t look happy.  ¡°Is it done?  It dwindled sooner than I predicted, which means something else was involved ¡­ I suppose She had something to do with it?¡±


    Ignoring her, Scarlet retreated back into her mind; not even a few seconds had passed for her, as far as she was aware, and Twilight had nothing to do with her rapid recovery.  Her increased Skill was the cause; Relica was likely operating on old data because she could trace what The Reaper had centered on.


    Twilight sensed something happening nearby that ¡­ amused her.


    ¡°You¡¯re okay now?¡±  Benedict asked, floating nearby.  ¡°Do you hear all those crashes?¡±


    Rumbles vibrated the concrete from something massive thrashing across the city, which was likely Fiona engaging Armond.  Her eyes filtered through buildings in a different direction, though, following the unusual tug Twilight had been focused on.


    Hope brightened Scarlet¡¯s heart again; Rachel rode behind Grace on the cowgirl¡¯s horse, yet some demonic woman floated next to them with enormous blood-like wings.


    The provocative figure wasn¡¯t close to human from what little she could see below the surface of her skin.  If it wasn¡¯t for the disgruntled expression the winged-creature wore, Scarlet would have been concerned for Rachel, but at least she survived Xazzos.


    ¡°... What should we do, Scarlet?¡±  Benedict seemed to repeat, trying to catch her attention.


    Rachel was safe, and that meant she had a plan¡ªshe always had a plan.


    Refocusing on the task at hand, Scarlet shakily got to her feet, checking her side.  ¡°I¡¯m healing really fast ¡­ Rachel beat that demon!¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±  Benedict cheered.  ¡°That¡¯s¡ªshe¡¯s coming to meet up with us?  We¡¯re going to look for them again?¡±


    Scarlet grinned.  ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s heading straight for Armand.  We should go join her ¡­ Fiona¡¯s keeping out of reach,¡± she muttered, flipping around to see the Fairy raining electricity down on the wolf like a Sith Lord to no effect.  Armand¡¯s tail was swinging back and forth as if laughing at the tiny Fairy¡¯s efforts.


    Relica¡¯s relieved sigh turned on a dime.  ¡°What?  No, it¡¯s ¡­ That¡¯s not possible,¡± she flatly rejected, drawing Scarlet and Benedict¡¯s gaze.  ¡°Xazzos would have eaten Rachel for breakfast, lunch, and dinner¡ªno, it must be a trap.  We shouldn¡¯t go.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±  Scarlet slowly returned, forehead furrowing.  ¡°I ¡­ Uh, wait¡­¡±  Indignation rose in Scarlet''s breast.  ¡°You thought Rachel would die¡ªand you ran away?¡±


    The Sorceress shifted her weight, glancing to the side with a short shrug.  ¡°Of course, it was a noble sacrifice, for sure, but there was no world where she should have been able to escape that monster.  Look, if Rachel is alive, then something terrible has happened¡ªmaybe a demon is controlling her mind from inside her body; those types are hanging around underground.¡±


    Benedict gave her a look that asked if Relica was really supposed to be on their side; his stress levels were through the roof, and Scarlet could relate.  His best friends were kidnapped by a literal Nazi incarnate, and he couldn¡¯t do anything but tag along and provide minimal support through illusions.


    Scarlet grunted at the Sorceress, finding new grounds to hate the woman.  ¡°Well, whatever; she did it.  Okay?  It¡¯s her.  No one has blood like Rachel, but¡­¡±  Her eyebrows creased a little while looking into Rachel¡¯s veins.  ¡°It ¡­ is a lot more colorful than usual.  I think she somehow got a ton of moon energy.¡±


    Relica¡¯s knife vanished in purple flames before humming.  ¡°I suppose ¡­ that¡¯s a stroke of luck, or maybe Xazzos got bored¡ªin any case, we should abandon Maria and those girls.  It¡¯s fruitless, as you¡¯ve seen,¡± she dispassionately argued.  ¡°That Fairy will likely die soon, too, which will provide us cover to¡­¡±


    Long past listening to the detestable Legendkin, Scarlet created a blood portal.  ¡°Let¡¯s meet up with them, Ben.  Rachel should have a plan.¡±


    The Pixy practically oozed relief when she ignored Relica''s speech.  ¡°Right!  I ¡­ Just tell me what to do,¡± he said, darting through the portal in desperation.


    Scarlet felt terrible for him; turning to Relica, she shook her head.  ¡°You should stay¡­¡±


    However, Relica groaned and stepped into the gateway before Scarlet could tell her to stay behind; she¡¯d had enough of the woman¡¯s defeatist attitude and lack of humanity.


    She¡¯s such a bitch¡­  Scarlet seethed.


    Teleporting a hundred meters in front of Jim¡¯s path, Scarlet¡¯s blood returned to her body; the damage to her bones was mending, showing the lingering energy itself was involved in the pain.


    When Scarlet exited, she was confused to discover the demonic woman was nowhere to be seen.  Turning, she rubbed her arm, unable to find her anywhere else.


    She was right there ¡­ I know I saw her, but ¡­ Was it whatever Twilight did to me?  Maybe we¡¯re being watched from the shadows?


    Stomach turning with unease, Scarlet kept on her guard.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Jim to meet with them, slowing to a stop once nearing, and Rachel jumped off, looking positively beaming with a smile that put confidence back in Scarlet¡¯s breast.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  she cried, running forward to hug her.


    Chuckling a little, Rachel returned the embrace and looked past her.  ¡°Hey!  Looks like you¡¯re feeling better ¡­ Hmm, so Fiona¡¯s trying to fight Armand again, and it looks like things aren¡¯t looking good ¡­ We should hurry.¡±


    ¡°Umm ¡­ No?  She was doing okay, I think?¡±  Releasing her, Scarlet turned to zoom in through the devastated city.


    Filtering out the smoke and dust being blown into a whirlwind, and almost all of the demonic bugs had retreated to the airfield, she saw what Rachel was referencing.  Fiona was darting around the air with hundreds of flying shadow wolves that seemed to have come out of nowhere.


    ¡°Wha ¡­ They weren¡¯t there like a minute ago!¡±  Scarlet gasped.  ¡°Rachel, we¡ªwe can¡¯t hurt him at all, did you¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh!  I heard!  I heard!¡±  Rachel shook her head with a weak chuckle.  ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡±


    Stepping back a little, Scarlet gripped her left arm.  ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really!¡±  Rachel doubled down.  ¡°It¡¯s really fine; we¡¯ve got a plan!¡±


    Grace grunted, draping herself over Jim¡¯s neck.  ¡°You¡¯ve got a plan¡­¡±


    Relica glared at Rachel, keeping her distance; her vision gradually moved to Grace.  ¡°How did you escape Xazzos?¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Grace wiped away the sweat on her forehead and readjusted her hat while straightening.  ¡°Ya wouldn¡¯t believe it if I told ya.¡±


    ¡°Try me,¡± she challenged, catching Rachel¡¯s eye.


    Grace shot Rachel a lifted eyebrow and received a gesture to go ahead.  ¡°Alright ¡­ Well, Rachel just up and tossed him against the big wall, and he exploded ¡­ Heh, it got pretty messy¡ªdisgusting organs flying everywhere, and all.¡±


    ¡°The wall?¡±  Relica¡¯s vision lifted to the sky, lips parting with understanding.  ¡°The ¡­ Oh ¡­ Now, that certainly would be stronger than Xazzos ¡­ I suppose,¡± she mumbled, and her focus drifted back to Rachel.  ¡°There¡¯s ¡­ something different about you, though.¡±


    Grace forced a laugh, fidgeting in her saddle.  ¡°You don¡¯t say?  I mean, heh, have ya seen her hair?  It¡¯s a lot more colorful ¡­ Ya know?  That¡¯s somethin¡¯¡±


    Scarlet was confused; Rachel acted like everything was perfectly under control, but Grace¡¯s emotions were all over the place.  Gisele soon caught up, landing behind Grace, and from what she could see of the Bunny Gang, they were in battle mode.


    What¡¯s going on ¡­ Why is Relica now making sense?  Is a demon possessing her ¡­ Supernatural¡¯s a thing, and we¡¯re talking about demons ¡­ What¡¯s up with her aura, too?


    Something unusual mixed with the feelings Scarlet got from her new sister, an uneasiness that lingered around her that didn¡¯t match.


    Rachel puffed out some air while patting her on the shoulder and walking around to meet with Relica.  ¡°Sorry, Scarlet, but we need to be quick; Fiona doesn''t have much time.¡±


    Relica took a few steps back, fingers tightening against her forearms.  ¡°There¡¯s something ¡­ What else happened because that¡¯s not the direction of the airfield?¡±


    Bypassing her question, Rachel stopped to give the woman space, and a low growl passed through her throat before scratching her left ear.  ¡°Relica ¡­ I actually ¡­ I need your help; something only you can do ¡­ I doubt anyone in the U.S. has the abilities needed for it, and it¡¯s the only way I see to get past this whole Hell arc we¡¯ve found ourselves in.¡±


    The Sorceress¡¯s uneasiness lifted a tad as a small grin lifted the corner of her lips.  ¡°Oh?  You have my interest; I did not expect you to butter me up, but it also makes me suspicious.  I¡¯m flattered, of course,¡± she giggled, ¡°but what ¡­ did you have in mind?¡±


    Grace¡¯s fingers tightened around Jim¡¯s reins; there was disquiet in her emotional state, and Scarlet got ready to restrain Rachel if it came to it.  If there was something controlling her, she¡¯d figure out a way to free her, but she couldn¡¯t tell with how Rachel acted sometimes.


    ¡°Are you okay, Rachel?¡±  Scarlet tentatively asked.


    Rachel dismissively waved her hand back.  ¡°A little tired after that fight.  Nia¡¯s fast asleep, but I had some time to rest while riding Jim ¡­ Anyway, Relica, you have a knife that can disrupt magical forces, right?¡±


    Relica¡¯s dubious smile grew with her intrigue.  ¡°Oh ¡­ Were you listening to my conversation with Scarlet and deduced that?  Naughty Hare, heh, and I thought you¡¯d be too focused on Xazzos to bother checking up on Scarlet and me.  Maybe we are growing more accustomed to one another.  Isn¡¯t that nice?¡±


    A low note reverberated in Rachel¡¯s throat.  ¡°Mmgmm ¡­ One step at a time, but ¡­ I will say, you are more helpful than I first thought.¡±


    What is going on?  Relica¡¯s helpful?


    Scarlet looked at Grace, who gave an unconvincing shrug, and Benedict floated up to her to ask if there was any new information about the twins.  Rachel¡¯s strange behavior continued, though, and after looking beyond them, her fang dug into her lip.


    Fiona was having trouble dealing with the horde of wolves while Armand sat on the ground and watched with amusement.  Rachel has a plan ¡­ She has to, right ¡­ but with Relica?


    ¡°I¡¯m tickled, Rachel!¡±  Relica chortled, holding up her hand; purple flames discharged to reveal the obsidian blade.  ¡°I thought we could get alone at some point, but this is a pleasant surprise in scheduling!  What do you need disrupting?¡±


    Rachel folded her arms and shifted her weight to stare at the wicked object; Relica was flipping it around her fingers in an expert manner while continuing to study the Hare.  ¡°Oh ¡­ so, this is it, huh ¡­ You can disrupt a demonic ritual with it, I assume?¡±


    Relica paused, fingers tightening around the handle and eyebrows coming together.  ¡°I ¡­ can, but that is an odd question ¡­ something like Asher¡¯s little¡ªwell, his huge thing is far too large for even my expertise ¡­ For now, at least,¡± she laughed, pointing the blade in the direction of the airfield.  ¡°Give me a few days, and I could think of something, but we don¡¯t have¡­¡±


    Warning bells exploded in Scarlet¡¯s mind as Relica closed her eyes for a moment to smile, and a red mist seeped out of her body to collect behind the Sorceress.  The same voluptuous, horned demoness she saw earlier formed in the blink of an eye.


    Scarlet couldn¡¯t move; it was happening faster than she could react.


    Runes exploded across Relica¡¯s skin, and violet whips lurched out to enclose the demon, yet in the time it took Scarlet to open her mouth, the woman¡¯s barbed tail lashed out and dug through Relica¡¯s spine, and every defense on the Sorceress¡¯s body died in a torrent of overwhelming force that paralyzed Scarlet in place.


    ¡°I-Impossible,¡± Relica breathed, shadowy from flickering as Rachel calmly watched.  ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t return¡ªyou ¡­ I knew it ¡­ Dammit!  When did...¡±


    Rachel¡¯s calm voice cut the Sorceress off, and in a flash of movement, reached out to take the knife from Relica¡¯s grip.  ¡°I¡¯m not being controlled, Relica, and yes, Scarlet, Benedict, this is all a part of the plan.¡±


    ¡°Wolfgang?¡±  Relica asked in disbelief.  ¡°You made a deal ¡­ with Wolfgang?  No, but this power is stopping me¡­¡±


    ¡°Demonic abilities,¡± Rachel replied, walking around to stand before the disgruntled demoness.  ¡°You can release Scarlet, Yseress.¡±


    The vice imprisoning her was released, and Grace muttered a curse under her breath.


    ¡°R-Rachel,¡± Scarlet gasped, flexing her fingers, but she couldn¡¯t do anything but watch in stunned disbelief as the Hare pulled back the woman¡¯s neck cover to reveal a complicated diagram tattoo that burned with red light.


    What ¡­ happened?


    * * *


    Rachel took Relica¡¯s knife and scanned for the specific anchoring point Izanami instructed to be cut, using Yseress as the intermediary.  It would only be temporary and would require further action to be taken, but that was fine; she had a plan for that.


    She spoke while tracing the uncomfortable demoness¡¯s neck with her fingernail; Yseress didn¡¯t like that Izanami was so casually handing her over to her or the fact she¡¯d be consumed in time, but Rachel wasn¡¯t sold on following that outcome, considering it was what Izanami wanted.


    They were in a partnership, and Yseress was the fusing point that was also Rachel¡¯s collateral over the fallen deity.  Without Yseress, the agreement would be nullified; in essence, Rachel was now a demonic slave owner.


    Yseress¡¯s fingers tightened around her purse, eye twitching as Rachel circled around her wings to pull back her hair and study the nape of her neck.  A demon hated their contracts and binding rituals to be explored, seeing as it was literally the only anchor she had to this reality; if something went wrong, there were numberless horrific outcomes that could await her.


    The revealed weakness was amusing to Rachel; demons seemed so scary, but the higher figures needed much preparation and work to not be dragged back to Hell.  Removing her throat guard was like being naked and vulnerable to the woman, but Wolfgang¡¯s calling card was written into her anchor.


    Finding satisfaction in catching the Sorceress off-guard, as well, seeing as Relica did the same to her and manipulated her emotions to make a fool out of herself, Rachel casually explained what was happening; it was also for Scarlet¡¯s benefit.


    ¡°Did you know that your extensive research with Asher allowed Wolfgang to further modify your work and summon Yseress ¡­ He really is a brilliant man, considering what he was able to do, but there was a miscalculation on his part ¡­ You.¡±


    Relica¡¯s body began to tremble, trying to escape without luck.  ¡°How ¡­ can she stop me from using ¡­ any magic?¡±


    ¡°Good question ¡­ Yseress?¡±  Rachel asked, finding the area and making sure she was surgically careful to split the various layers of complex ritualistic spells interwoven into an artistic masterpiece.


    Scarlet slowly closed the distance to circle the three of them; naturally, her blood came out, and Rachel couldn¡¯t blame her.  It took two godly figures to help her understand what needed to be done, and it would bring her closer to her goal; there was something much higher she could reach for¡ªa power to protect everyone she loved and experience the thrill of a challenge.


    The woman¡¯s voice was solemn, clearly uncomfortable.  ¡°I am disrupting your spiritual tie to your body; spiritual projection may grant you certain feats, especially while molding a temporary physical form around it, but you leave yourself practically wide open for attack.¡±


    ¡°In short,¡± Rachel replied, ¡°Everything you¡¯ve learned while being with us will not return to your mind¡ªor whatever their word for it is,¡± she said.  ¡°All you¡¯ll know is that this version of you died, and that is it ¡­ I just needed your weapon to give me leeway.¡±


    Yseress stiffened as her soon-to-be new owner placed the magical knife against her neck, forcing her black locks to the side, and a few low moans shook her throat as Rachel carefully traced the lines.  ¡°Mmgm ¡­ C-Careful¡±


    Scarlet, Benedict, Grace, and even Gisele seemed utterly baffled while watching the event continue; it was almost over.


    Unexpectedly, Relica began to chuckle.  ¡°I ¡­ can¡¯t say I saw this coming from you, Rachel ¡­ I respect your ruthlessness.  Next time, I won¡¯t be caught so off-guard; I¡¯ll take precautions.  I look forward to working with you again.¡±


    ¡°Of course you would,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°I suspect we¡¯ll meet again in Havana, but for now, I need to kill Armand ¡­ there,¡± she cheered, stopping at the red hexagram with intricate writing too small for the human eye to see.


    Yseress¡¯s shoulders fell with a low groan before rubbing her neck and folding up the cloth again.  ¡°I ¡­ feel so much better!¡±  she giggled, working her left shoulder.  ¡°I¡¯m surprised you managed it, mortal ¡­ I¡¯m free of Wolfgang ¡­ for a time.¡±


    She crossed her arms and turned to look at Rachel.  ¡°I follow my true master ¡­ even to my own destruction,¡± she mumbled, happiness dying with the light in her eyes.


    Rachel rubbed her left ear as it twitched; she¡¯d be lying if this wasn¡¯t a risk in itself, but her grandfather¡¯s ability should help to calm whatever dysfunction the Hell Moon caused, and if not, this was a perfect opportunity to test it out.


    Scarlet¡¯s jaw dropped open as Relica folded inward, collapsing into a small ball before twisting and being ripped apart for Yeseress to float up to her lips and pop it into her mouth.


    ¡°Not my finest meal,¡± she sighed.  ¡°Hopefully, it won¡¯t be my last.¡±


    Turning to Scarlet, Rachel didn¡¯t hesitate to even ponder on Relica¡¯s frustrating failure to retrieve what she came to get.  ¡°Now that Yseress¡¯s link to Wolfgang is undone, he¡¯ll know she will come after him; to be truly free, she needs to eat his soul, which means, I need you to get him with everyone else; he¡¯ll have protection.¡±


    Scarlet straightened, left fist held tightly against her breast.  ¡°You ¡­ really are Rachel, right?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Rachel laughed, feeling better than she had in a long time.  Darting forward to hug her, she pulled away and pointed back to where Fiona had been.  ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping track of things, and Fiona pulled out some good new spells, but she¡¯s running low on sugar.  We need to hurry; If you don¡¯t get to Wolfgang, then I could be put under his control.¡±


    Scarlet sucked in her lower lip.  ¡°T-That¡¯s a lot t-to take in!  Umm ¡­ Okay ¡­ and you¡¯re going to¡­¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Kill Armand and give Fiona the chance to head below and get Maria.  We¡¯re splitting up, and I don¡¯t want any of you around while I figure out this new power I¡¯ve got.  Okay?¡±


    Swallowing a lump in her throat, Scarlet nodded.  ¡°Okay!  Get Armand¡ªno, Wolfgang!  Wolfgang!  Get him, and¡ªand bring him back!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll guide ya to where we last saw him,¡± Grace mumbled, but she had a worried look in her blue eyes.  ¡°Just ¡­ don¡¯t be losin¡¯ your way, Rachel ¡­ I just started to like you gals a lot, but ¡­ demons are a bit much ¡­ eh, heh, I¡¯m trying to follow along¡ªbe patient.¡±


    ¡°He-he-he,¡± Rachel stretched side to side.  ¡°Thanks, Grace.  I¡¯ll buy you as much beer or whiskey or whatever you want after this.  Deal?¡±


    The cowgirl returned a strained grin.  ¡°I can drink to that ¡­ heh, if I had a drink!  Alright, Scarlet, let¡¯s get this going and get outta here!  I¡¯ve got some liquor with my name on it, girl!¡±


    Scarlet glanced at Gisele as she jumped up to hover in the air.  ¡°All of ¡­ them, too?¡±


    ¡°No, not Gisele, Hayan, Coral, and Rose ¡­ They¡¯ll be by my side, changing alongside me.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ okay,¡± Scarlet whispered.  ¡°Will we be able to ¡­ you know, see you if you think it¡¯s safe?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±  Rachel grinned, waving her off.  ¡°Alright, get going, and I¡¯m going to go get this dance started; Armand¡¯s going to have his first challenge.  Oh, and watch out for Xazzos; he¡¯s still alive.¡±


    ¡°Damn devils¡­¡±  Grace moaned, head drooping.  ¡°Why¡¯d it have to be devils¡­¡±


    Jim swung around, and Scarlet created a blood portal, following Grace¡¯s directions, and they were soon gone.


    Her pets jumped after her as Rachel backed away, staring at Yseress.  ¡°I know you aren¡¯t fond of this, but my leverage hinges on me keeping you alive.  I might just be your favorite master,¡± she joked, tapping the woman¡¯s arm.


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Yseress whispered, but her mood hadn¡¯t lightened.  ¡°I suppose it¡¯s time¡­¡±


    Tucking under her trembling cherry-red bottom lip, the demoness closed her eyes and dispersed into a mist to enter her Core; it was strange, different from before.


    Nia¡¯s playful, energetic force inside her was upbeat and silly while this creature was smooth, cunning, and deceptive, yet with the master seal of Izanami transferring to imprint on Rachel¡¯s own existence, there was no undoing this binding.  Yseress would serve her until the end of time.


    Something more touched on the back of Rachel¡¯s mind, as well; if Nia was now unbound from her previous limitations by connecting to her and the seed, would that also translate to Yseress if she managed to keep the demon alive, and how would that translate to the future?


    She grinned down at her buns and Lunar Phoenix, feeling the weaving threads of the fallen Diety work her former servant in-between Nia and her to squeeze the Hell Energy out and flood her Core with it.


    Rachel watched in fascination as black flames laced with crimson lightning began tracing around her body, and a calm, welcoming chill filled her breast as the woman¡¯s energies seeped into her being and the seed absorbed them to recreate an end product Rachel desired that also fit with Yseress¡¯s makeup.


    Curses, Hell Fire, foreign, destructive universal energies, and an unnatural spur of intense strength that enhanced her body seeped through her other Lunar attributes, which soon spread to her three buns and Gisele, taking on more demonic, yet elegant figures that matched the devil they drew their power from.


    She raised her arm to watch her skin tint a light purplish-red to match Yseress¡¯s skin tone, and her tattoos surfaced across Rachel¡¯s arms, shoulders, and above her chest; much of it was hidden by the bandages on her arms, and Rachel considered modifying the outfit with Nia later to fit the look when needed.


    Her multi-colored hair became night-black with only a single, spiraling lock that showed her other three Lunar Pool colors; she was sure more would come as she continued to draw upon the demoness.


    Rachel could feel the pain Yseress experienced from the process, yet it wasn¡¯t all that concerning to her but a passing thought.  Her heart was growing colder the more power she called upon, and the abyss seemed endless.


    The world moved as if she had Rapid Mental Acceleration active at all times; she thought it was funny, all she wanted to do was live without being controlled and do whatever she wanted, and unlike most demons, she didn¡¯t serve anyone.


    Izanami¡¯s voice tickled her ears and tail as if pins and needles that left the desire for more.  ¡°You¡¯re not like these other changed humans anymore; revel in Hell¡¯s gift.¡±


    Without taking much interest in how her pets changed, knowing they¡¯d follow her lead as the master, Rachel stretched out her neck, leaned forward, and dashed forward, faster than she¡¯d ever moved¡ªshe was free.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 28. Lunar Hell Hare

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Lunar Hell Hare; here we go!)


    Recap:  Rachel has temporarily transformed into a Lunar Hell Hare, channeling Yseress''s connection to Hell as if she were twisting the half-Devil like a rag, sucking out every drop she can collect.  Now, it''s time to fight like a Devil!


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    The wind whistled past Rachel¡¯s pulled-back ears as she followed the battle Fiona was having with Armand¡¯s minions.


    Warpath seemed to be in effect, which meant her spells strength and cost were increased; she needed to kill the object of that hatred to return to normal.  The issue was that it could be Armand, the Wolfgang holding Maria, or Asher that she needed to kill¡ªit could be all three.


    It was knowledge in Rachel¡¯s brain¡ªan objective that needed to be accomplished, yet the Hell Energy was twisting and enhancing various parts of her personality and skills, including Lunar Pride.


    The Flush Moon put her into a state of serenity, the White Moon would enhance her competitive drives, and the Coral Moon made her more mischievous; this energy took on an entirely different form.


    Typically, when facing a new, powerful enemy, her blood ran hot, and she couldn¡¯t wait to engage them, but currently, that wasn¡¯t the case.  Her mind was calm, methodical, and cold; the pins and needles running down her spine weren¡¯t there from the excitement in victory¡ªthe type of Pride within her was transforming.


    Her black cloak of hellfire and crimson lightning left wisps behind her; the force generated a sort of frontal cone ahead of her that warped space.  Even if she was technically slower than her other lunar empowerments, the cloak gave her a soundless approach and free reign without the air resistance.


    Nia¡¯s current battle form only showed a few of her tattoos across her chest, and Rachel could tell they were far from just decorative; she didn¡¯t know exactly what they did yet since her access to them hadn¡¯t been unlocked, but as she learned about this new force wrapping her in a welcoming embrace it would become available.


    Rounding the corner of a partially collapsed building that blocked half of the road, Rachel got her first look at Armand; the scene moved at a snail¡¯s pace with her hyper-accelerated mind, and without slowing, she used the side of a concrete building as a platform to run.


    Armand¡¯s head was raised, watching Fiona¡¯s fruitless efforts of throwing massive chunks of ice down at him while using an electric field to keep the minions at bay.


    Red fog leaked out of his mouth and illuminated eyes, thick black fur absorbing everything Fiona threw without effort; she hadn¡¯t had a chance to test her nose or mouth theory because of the creature¡¯s speed and the forces attacking her, but her icy spears didn¡¯t even scratch his eyes.


    A slight smirk lifted the left side of Rachel¡¯s lips; Eostre seemed to have kept her promise about Lunar Dash, which was interesting, considering it was in the Change Branch.


    Maybe Eostre¡¯s not acting alone; I¡¯ll have to ask Izanami about it later.


    Lunar Hell Dash II activated, creating a black disk between her and the building she was using for footing; the stone cracked from the recoil of the force, and Rachel shot right at Armand¡¯s ear.


    Flipping in midair, Rachel¡¯s bare feet slammed into his ear.  A choked gurgle released from Armand¡¯s throat as he stumbled to the side to regain his balance.


    Creating another disk as Armand absorbed the blow, Rachel launched into the air, using the remaining ten platforms to barrel into the remaining shadow wolves surrounding Fiona; it became a battle of resilience versus her hellfire cloak and momentum¡ªthe creatures didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    By the time Fiona and Armand figured out she¡¯d entered the battlefield, all of his minions were falling chunks of shadowy meat and liquid.


    Landing on the ground, Rachel turned her head to Armand, left hand on her hip; he was still looking at her in confusion after stabilizing, likely wondering why he didn¡¯t hear her approach until her heel was digging into his ear.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Fiona cried with joy, flying down to join her.  ¡°Woah ¡­ black hair and ears¡ªwhen did you get tattoos, too¡ªis this a new State?  No, umm ¡­ he¡¯s blocking¡­¡±


    Rachel pointed at the mostly destroyed building to their left.  ¡°The second basement¡ªthere¡¯s an entrance to get to the tunnel that leads to the bunker; I¡¯ll stay here and deal with the puppy.¡±


    Armand¡¯s nose creased, and his growls shook the air, generating a sharp gust; the intimidating aura he released only increased her amusement.


    One lucky thing about Warpath, Fiona didn¡¯t hesitate at the order, darting toward the structure to make her own path using Earth Magic.  ¡°Thanks, Rachel!  I¡¯ll save ¡­ Woah!¡±


    The wolf got up and shot forward, monstrous teeth lurching for Fiona; Rachel darted forward to meet him, swiftly pulling Armand¡¯s attention as she made no sound again.


    He was quick, but this was her field, and he only managed to partially turn his head before the back of her heel spun around to connect with his red, drooling mouth.  His head snapped to the right, but only a few feet, which wasn¡¯t much considering his size; the shock was enough to allow Fiona the time to dart around his jaw and enter the building.


    Rachel wasn¡¯t particularly eager to hasten the battle, so she darted back.


    Armand worked around his lower jaw, rising to his full height; he towered over her at thirty meters.  His glowing red eyes narrowed, clearly disarmed by the actions she was taking.


    Casually dusting off a sizable broken chunk of a building, Rachel sat down and smiled at the massive predator; she crossed her legs and folded her hands in her lap with a giggle.  ¡°Well, look at you; so big and intimidating!¡±


    He genuinely looked confused, glowing eyes darting to the hole Fiona created; she was still working her way through the rubble with her powers.


    Snapping her fingers, Rachel popped her tongue.  ¡°Hey!  Hey!  Mhm ¡­ I¡¯m still here, Mr. Alpha!  So, where do we go from here?¡±


    Armand snarled at her lilting tone and struck out with a paw, devastating the area and sending the blocks smashing through more structures.


    Rachel vanished in a cloud of red mist with the new devilish tricks blooming in her mind, reappearing from the crimson fog ten feet to her left to altogether avoid the attack.


    ¡°He-he-he.  Really, was that your worst?¡±  Rachel asked, feeling oddly comfortable with the instantaneous movement; it was as simple as projecting a linked invisible stream of Hell Energy to a location and swapping with it.


    Armand spun into a frustrated whirlwind, paws, tail, and teeth lashing out to rip her apart; Rachel twisted around his swipes, teleported away, and casually jumped over his fast but bulky and predictable attacks.


    The kicked-up dust hung in the air, blocking his vision, and she felt his pain, unable to track her through sound; it was delicious.


    Swapping places with her projected Hell Energy again to sit on a crushed car hood, Rachel yawned, working out her neck.  ¡°Such power and devastation ¡­ If only you weren¡¯t blind or that huge mass of meat; you''re handicapping yourself at that size.  Hmm ¡­ Is it to compensate for something?¡±  she teased, using the twisted bench on top of the car as an elbow rest to lean her cheek against the back of her hand.


    He was going through a noticeable change as his frustration grew, eyes becoming globes of red energy as a reverse cross shone between his eyes; the wolf was drawing upon a tiny bit of the Hell Energy he¡¯d absorbed from the fiends he¡¯d consumed.


    The orbs of crimson force made her laugh as he prowled through the dust storm he¡¯d made.  ¡°Oh ¡­ I¡¯d be careful how you use that, Armand ¡­ We aren¡¯t built the same¡ªoh, when did you all get here?¡±  she mused, spotting Hayan, Coral, and Rose gathered nearby, surrounding a fourth little blob.


    Her Hell Bunny had formed at some point, but she wasn¡¯t paying much attention to them since they were now somewhat disorderly by nature.  Nia was their commander now, and they weren¡¯t all that scared for Rachel¡¯s safety.  Gisele was doing her own thing a bit further away, taking out demonic insects; overall, it was chaos in the ranks without Nia at their helm, which was a product of the Hell Energy since they¡¯d be at least a little more organized otherwise.


    Armand only had eyes for her at this point, though, and he jumped forward, trying to predict where she¡¯d go, but it was impossible, really.


    Jumping into the air to bait him, he opened his jaws to swallow her; moments before they closed around her torso, she vanished into mist, and a new idea wove through Rachel¡¯s mind that sent a shiver down her spine to her tail.


    Doing a backflip to land on a nearby building, Rachel studied the frenzied wolf; everything around them was either swept away with such force it was sent to disintegrate against the barrier or turned to dust by the weight of his lunges.


    From her first blow, Rachel knew she wasn¡¯t strong enough to get beyond his coat without an exhaustive effort, and she wasn¡¯t about that; it was much easier putting on a facade and letting her enemies do the work for her.


    If he¡¯s going to be a brute about it; why not kill two birds with one stone?


    ¡°Ooh, you¡¯re so obsessive; no, means no, Armand, but you are the biggest bitch living.¡±


    Nonchalantly walking away from the fight while evading his attacks with exaggerated movements and lilting taunts, Rachel conserved a great deal of energy; it didn¡¯t cost more than a fraction of a percent of her reserves to teleport if it was within a ten-foot radius.  Armand was also learning her efficient range¡ªnot that it mattered since it was simple to predict his bulky actions.


    She danced away from the bunker, leading him toward the airfield and leaving a path of destruction in their wake; there were a few living humans still suffering from the various tortures and rituals in the area, but it was a passing thought in her mind¡ªArmand was her focus and humiliating him gave her pleasure she couldn¡¯t explain.


    Two minutes into the fast-paced fight, they exited the town; unfortunately, it was here that Armand stopped, chest heaving and red spittle leaking out of his gaping mouth.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Rachel spun in a short circle, offhandedly kicking straight through a demonic insect before coming to a stop to look up at the colossal wolf.


    Asher must have noticed their changing locations because his minions were now heading her way and Armand¡¯s head went from her to the field of twenty thousand floating ritual sacrifices.


    It wasn¡¯t that big of a deal.  One plan¡¯s failure is another¡¯s success.  The question is, will the pieces move to my strings?


    Holding her hands behind her back, Rachel casually walked forward to stand before the growling beast; his nose was twitching with agitation upon lowering to her, and to her shock, he spoke.


    Voice deep and monstrous, he snarled, snapping his jaws.  ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a fly; I won¡¯t be tricked by your games!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head tilted to the left with her smirk.  ¡°Is that right ¡­ Are you looking for a compliment?¡±


    ¡°Bitch!¡±


    She vanished into smoke as his paw sank into the soil where she¡¯d stood, infuriating Armand.


    ¡°Hare, actually,¡± Rachel ran up his leg and grabbed a fist full of his hair as he thrashed about, trying to get her off.  ¡°Did you want a treat, little puppy?¡±


    ¡°You ¡­ slippery whore!¡±  he screamed, sliding his paw across his forehead as she used his fur as purchase and teleporting ability to dance around his nails.


    Rachel giggled, maneuvering to whisper into his ear as her Rabbit Gang and Gisele took to the area to handle the fodder for fun.  It seemed her new blackish-red streaked bun was getting along with her new family.  ¡°Beauty Queen, Goddess, Devil, any of those would be much better¡­¡±


    Her black eyebrows pulled together as he started to shrink, and she kicked off a lunar platform to land a dozen meters away to watch him take on a werewolf-like form.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± she hummed, ¡°so, there is more to you than just an oversized wolf?¡±


    She watched his gradual transformation, knowing there would be limitations to him taking on this form compared to his previous; this seemed like a more agile transformation, which meant he was sacrificing something in another area.


    A grin lifted Rachel¡¯s lips as sharp bones protruded out of his arms and knees, causing crimson blood to flow out from the penetrated skin; his paws turned to large, clawed hands, and his bulky back bristled with muscle and fur.


    Veins bulged across his rippling forearms as Armand released a sound somewhere between a roar and growl, fingers ripping into the soil.  ¡°I will eat you, finger by finger¡ªarm by arm!¡±


    Rachel put a hand on her hip, shooting out a depressed sigh through her teeth.  ¡°Why do you feel the need to take claws to a fistfight?¡±


    Armand launched forward, clawed feet ripping up the soil as he accelerated; it was fast, and Rachel had to actually try ducking around his talon-like nails¡ªit was pointless attacking him when in his large wolf form, but this might be different.


    Pulling her braid out of the way as they passed each other, Rachel spun to a stop and threw it back with a light laugh.  ¡°Not willing to take your leash off, Armand?¡±


    He darted back, spit flying back from his gaping jaws as his blood began to glow; it collected around his claws, extending into a five-fingered slash that cut through the air.


    ¡°Humph!¡±  She extended her Hell Energy forward and bypassed the strike, spinning in a circle to meet his charge.  ¡°If you like licking boots so much¡­¡±


    Her heel connected against the side of his head, shifting his jaws as she carried him in the broad sweep to rag-doll across the ground, tearing it up.


    Dodging his bones and claws while spinning to a stop, Rachel hummed.  He¡¯s not as tough as before ¡­ Still more than strong enough to rip me apart, though.


    Armand jumped back up with a howl.  ¡°Dammit!  Stop jumping and running around!  I¡¯m ¡­ I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  C¡¯mon, find your words,¡± Rachel taunted, ¡°It¡¯s not hard to speak ¡­ Well, I suppose you aren¡¯t the picture of civility ¡­ Really, you¡¯re quite hideous.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as a new voice and presence entered their conversation.


    ¡°Fascinating ¡­ What has happened to you?¡±


    Slowly turning around, Rachel hissed, lips drawing in; Xazzos stood next to Asher, but it was the demon that spoke.  Yseress¡¯s influence must have given her the ability to understand other infernal creatures.


    Laughter rolled through her mind.  Like moths to flame ¡­ It¡¯s beautiful.


    ¡°Asher, Xazzos ¡­ I¡¯d say it was a pleasure ¡­ It¡¯s not,¡± Rachel grunted, dodging Armand¡¯s projectile claws with a side aerial.


    Asher held up a hand.  ¡°That¡¯s enough, Armand¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡±  Armand yelled, ripping up the ground and causing the demonic creatures to look at the beast.  ¡°No!  She¡¯s mine, Asher!  I¡¯m done!  I¡¯m done with this shit!¡±


    The edge of Rachel¡¯s lips curved as she smoothly stepped back, clasping her hands behind her back.  ¡°Hmm?  Well, by all means, if you boys have business, don¡¯t let me get involved!¡±


    Xazzos¡¯s grinning face was back on her in an instant.  ¡°Is that ¡­ Yes, I see Yseress¡¯s influence.  He-he-he!  Excellent!¡±  He slammed his fist against his chest, brandishing his ax.  ¡°Now!  Now you are a challenge!¡±


    Asher rose into the air with narrowed eyes as five red streaks of crimson light tried to turn him into ribbons.  ¡°Armand!¡±


    ¡°I said she is mine!¡±  he screamed.


    Her buns were nudging a giant, dead demonic insect over to munch on while glancing between them, enjoying the show.  Gisele swooped down with her own catch to add to the small pile they¡¯d gathered.


    The Rabbit Gang had cracks of red and black that ran through their bodies; it sparked from time to time, illustrating Hell¡¯s influence on them.


    Gisele had grown little horns, and her feathers were now more metallic while swapping to a red and black theme; she was bobbing up and down, excitedly cheering her on with a few musical notes.  Her buns soon joined the soft chorus, only breaking their shouts to eat the bugs like popcorn.


    Asher¡¯s large abs tightened with the aura surrounding him.  ¡°Do not defy me, Armand!¡±


    Armand¡¯s ears pulled back, and he shrank away a step at the pulse of colossal force the Mythickin was channeling, but their focus was pulled to Rachel as she snorted.  ¡°You¡¯re nothing but his hounding ass bitch after all¡ªhow¡¯s it smell up that blue crack?¡±


    A quiver ran through Armand¡¯s muscles.  ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    ¡°A bitch?¡±  Rachel asked with a sad shake of her head.  ¡°The copium¡ªdidn¡¯t I say it before ¡­ Heh, the biggest bitch living; how does his cleats taste?¡±


    ¡°Armand ¡­ I said, that¡¯s enough,¡± Asher repeated, but a curious smile lifted his lips.


    Rachel snickered, giving the wolf a half-smile.  ¡°Do I smell a retreat ¡­ I¡¯m speaking politely when I say you¡¯ve become a bitch clown.¡±


    ¡°Asher¡­¡±  Armand growled.


    The demonic man chuckled, holding out a hand to condense Hell Energy around her as he did before to trap all of them; Rachel simply shrugged it off with a yawn, flicking the back of her hand across her shoulder.


    ¡°Asher, does this mean he¡¯s my little toy now since you¡¯re having trouble with him?  He can be my favorite monster!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Asher¡¯s brow creased.  ¡°Are you ¡­ manipulating the Hell Force?¡±


    Rachel ignored him, knowing the curiosity would eat at the Mythickin and that he¡¯d want to preserve her to understand what happened; Armand¡¯s pumping chest showed how much effort it was taking to work himself up to defy the Myth of Abezethibou.


    It soon became apparent that he couldn¡¯t understand his bodyguard as Xazzos erupted into laughter.  ¡°Yseress¡¯s influence is strong, creature.  To absorb such a fiend ¡­ Fight me!  Prove to me you deserve Hell¡¯s power!¡±


    Her trilling tone moved back to Armand; the dam was about to break.  ¡°Aww, how cute; look at you!  C¡¯mon over here, little bitch¡ªlick my feet like a good puppy to get a treat ¡­ Say, ahh!¡±  she snickered, lifting her foot and gently weaving it back and forth, ¡°Or will you knuckle up?¡±


    Hot air steaming through Armand¡¯s nose, he roared, body quaking with rage; running on all fours, he launched toward Rachel as she left herself open to attack, a smirk in place.


    ¡°No!¡±  Asher¡¯s smug expression was gone; his yellow eyes were daggers on the wolf while waving his hand¡ªArmand vanished in a pulse of blue light.  ¡°Gah, he¡¯s so emotional.¡±


    ¡°Mmh?  Don¡¯t rush me, Xazzos,¡± Rachel said, ears tilted to the left as she turned to face the noise.  ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be enough, Asher.¡±


    A horrifying howl shook the air as Armand reverted back to his massive wolf form and plowed through the landscape to return to their location.


    ¡°What are you?¡±  Asher whispered, glowing yellow irises searching for answers while scanning her figure.  ¡°There¡¯s ¡­ so much different ¡­ Are you the same person as ¡­ So convoluted¡­¡±


    He trailed off as Armand jumped over three hundred meters into the air, aiming to land right on top of her; Rachel simply watched the strings she¡¯d manipulated into place.


    ¡°I said, no!  My patience is running thin, Armand!¡±


    ¡°Asher!¡±


    Flexing his fingers, Asher¡¯s face screwed up with effort; a massive pulse of light enclosed the colossal wolf before he vanished again.


    Rachel¡¯s ears rose a bit, head turning left and right.  ¡°Huh ¡­ I can¡¯t hear ¡­ Oh?¡±


    Her eyes widened, attention moving to the east as a sharp crack of electricity radiated across the whole area; Armand¡¯s quivering head slowly pushed through the crimson barrier, releasing snarls as sparks flashed throughout the entire wall and the orbs powering it above turned a dark yellow.


    ¡°Really?¡±  Asher muttered, watching the wolf gradually force his way back through.


    Large, jagged gashes ripped through his flesh, scarred his face, and burned long streaks of fur away, but Armand was beyond reason; upon making it a quarter of the way through, a large opening momentarily parted for him to rush in, likely reaching a safety protocol in the ritual¡¯s design to keep the barrier stable.


    Xazzos snickered, giving her a knowing smile.  ¡°Well played, my lady; I¡¯ll be with you shortly.¡±


    ¡°Do we have to?¡±  Rachel asked, rubbing her eyes; it was actually reasonably exhausting even using this much Hell Energy.  ¡°I can think of countless other things I¡¯d rather be doing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re that determined from just ¡­ taunts?¡±  Asher growled.  ¡°You¡¯re worthless at this point.  Fine, Xazzos, handle him.¡±


    The blue-skinned muscular demon gave her a thoughtful glance, readying his ax.  ¡°Working your strings to play your charms on me now, are you?  You have a lot to learn from Yseress.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile turned sinister.  ¡°Do your best, dear, and maybe we¡¯ll talk¡ªif you live.¡±


    Expectedly, Asher¡¯s crude Hell Energy closed around her to transport them to a new location; in the next instance, she found herself near the ceiling of the barrier¡¯s center, hovering beside the primary ritual control seal for the spirit-infused shell.


    Asher¡¯s force enclosed her, keeping them afloat; she could tell with her personal devil¡¯s influence, his manipulation of the Hell Force was all brute force¡ªthere was no elegance in its use.


    Rachel calmly held her elbow behind her back, watching Asher with amusement; the madness she¡¯d made, plucking at the events that spiderwebbed around them, was like the taste of sugar.


    Her tongue glazed over the surface of her lips to lick the sweet flavor off; it was so surreal¡ªan actual substance she could identify, pull in, and feed on¡ªit was turning her into a fiend.  It helped when she could follow the strings of misfortune to a tinkering design of wit that twisted and tempered her feral mind.


    ¡°I can see a devil in those eyes,¡± Asher whispered, looking directly into them.  ¡°What ¡­ You¡¯re bound into a contract¡ªyou¡¯re a devil¡ªyet not ¡­ It¡¯s beautiful.  How were you made?¡±


    A chordal shook Rachel''s chest as she tilted her head to stare at the sphere of spirits next to her, lifting her hand to brush against it; her fingernails extended into pointed claws, leaving black lines down its length from her hellfire.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want an answer¡ªheh, you only want to look.¡±


    Rachel wove her hand against the globe; Asher simply wanted to bring her somewhere Armand couldn¡¯t reach, and that would shield them from his senses, but he didn¡¯t know that any of these spheres was more than enough to pluck the following string on the web.


    ¡°Are you enjoying the show so far?¡±  she asked, using her free hand to gesture to the ground where Xazzos and Armand danced; the demon was using the wounds caused by the crimson lightning to further dig into Armand¡¯s fur.


    Asher was too entranced by studying her to even notice the fight below, his forehead creased, fingers cupping his chin.  ¡°I can¡¯t analyze your spirit like before ¡­ Such a mystifying force ¡­ What are you doing?¡±


    His eyes widened, jerking his hand to the left to pull her away from the sphere as Rachel hummed.  ¡°Oh ¡­ You are more perceptive than I gave you credit for; when did you notice the manipulations I did to the ritual?¡±


    ¡°How ¡­ It was already in progress¡­¡±  Asher muttered in a panic, turning to examine the shifting symbols above.  ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ No.  If the spirits are centered that closely, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Reflux!¡±  Rachel snapped her fingers with a laugh.  ¡°I¡¯m just terrible!  I¡¯d rather it do my work for me.¡±


    ¡°This ¡­ can¡¯t be happening¡­¡±


    He growled, flying to various points and trying to use his crude scribing skills to create a bypass point, but it was painfully evident that Wolfgang and Relica were the fine-tuners of the operations.


    The dagger she¡¯d gently inserted into Asher¡¯s confidence and security was coated with poison as he desperately tried to correct her subversion; it wasn¡¯t Rachel herself, but Yseress¡¯s instinctual influence that guided her hand¡ªonce she ceased wringing the female devil like a rag and sucking out her essence, the knowledge and aptitude would fade.


    Driving her most potent weapon deeper, Rachel followed his frantic movements.  ¡°A shame you don¡¯t have the talent Wolfgang has, Asher; perhaps you could have fixed it.  What does it really matter, though?  This won¡¯t affect your other ritual¡ªonly the barrier will fall, and you¡¯ve already accomplished everything else.  Isn¡¯t that right?  No?  Is there another reason this field was created ¡­ Hmm ¡­ Focusing the Hell Energy into a single space, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Shut up¡­¡±  he growled, losing another path as it became flooded with spirits.


    ¡°Oh, that might affect the overall outcome.  Huh ¡­ A pity, for all that work to go to waste, and for what ¡­ to look at a pretty face?  Although I am quite gorgeous, I must say.  Oh, the mistake, Asher, the mistake¡ªand to think this could have all been avoided by just taking me somewhere¡ªanywhere else!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±  he screamed, flailing his hand to send her rocketing to the ground as she snickered.


    Flipping around, she used her lunar platforms to ping-pong back to the city, looking up to see the crimson electricity fading and patches opening up.


    I hope you¡¯re outside with the cavalry, Tom.


    The shell began to disintegrate, breaking apart as the spirits were released back to their natural journey, wherever that may have been, and the first thing that caught Rachel¡¯s widening eyes was the colossal floating turtle hovering over the city.


    Her smile grew as the sound of jets, tanks, and foot soldiers erupted around her, but Cahira¡¯s voice was what snatched her attention.


    ¡°Ready the cannons, lads!  Any demon ya see, fire at will!¡±


    ¡°Cap¡¯an!  There be that massive wolf we be seen before¡ªit be fightin¡¯ a demon, Cap¡¯in.  Orders?¡±


    Tom answered.  ¡°That should be the Beast Mythickin; green light, men¡ªwatch your aim on those people!  Shred anything that¡¯s not human.¡±


    ¡°Ya heard the man, ya scalywags,¡± Cahira shouted.  ¡°We got ¡®em with their pants down; fire on sight!¡±


    Clay coordinated with the U.S. military as jets lowered to add to the mix.


    Silence fell across the demons; helicopters were rising into the air with the sound of music on loudspeakers¡ªFortunate Son in some vehicles and Ride of the Valkyries screaming above.


    ¡°Let¡¯s fuckin¡¯ go, boys!¡±


    ¡°Mission a go!  I repeat; mission a go!¡±


    ¡°GO!  GO!  GO!¡±


    ¡°Dammit!  Make it loud, boys; we¡¯re huntin¡¯ demons tonight!¡±


    ¡°Hope you said your prayers tonight, Tony!¡±


    ¡°Aww, shit!  Here we go again!¡±


    Asher cursed, abandoning the spheres and teleporting to the main ritual to rush his progress; it was her next destination.


    Her pets were transported to her side, randomly dumped below her at some site when Asher changed their locations; they seemed eager to stay close by.


    Rachel laughed, feeling the Hell Energy leaking out into the world fizzle out and the cacophony of sound released from Cahira¡¯s powerful cannons that peppered Xazzos and Armand as they tried to run.


    Whimpers leaked from Armand¡¯s throat with the wounds the demon inflicted, mixed with the damage from the barrier¡ªnow exposed, he was taking significant damage.


    Her plan hadn¡¯t been so grand, but the misfortune was almost palpable in every direction, making it difficult to track, and she reveled in it; she was dancing through a chaotic buffet that tickled every fiber of her being.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 29. Walking Through Uncertainty

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Grace (Our Legend of Calamity Jane that just got pulled into this mess!)


    Recap:  Hell Hare Rachel went full manipulator mode and followed the strings of misfortune to play on Armand''s pride; now, she''s turned him against Asher since the Demon wants her alive and Armand wants her dead.  They''re playing to her strings as Hell''s Energy floods her spirit.


    How are our other girls doing on their part in getting Wolfgang before Rachel is dragged to Hell with Yseress?


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    D.P., Ryan Tschke, AmberStar, Flaranor, Ty Tuttle, Zazuu, Mansikamarja, Mark, Beoraoga, Lord Lucifer, Rui Fung Yip, and my other Patrons!


    A quiver ran down Grace¡¯s bones as Jim and she slid through Scarlet¡¯s portal of blood; she¡¯d never get used to the feeling of countless freezing fingertips stimulating every fiber of her body, but at least she was getting some breathing room from whatever insanity Rachel had jumped into ears first.


    Scarlet could only transport them to a relatively close area from the former university, given her limited visual range.


    Benedict soon exited after her, hugging his shoulders.  ¡°D-Does that ever get easier?¡±


    Grace discharged a tight stream of carbon dioxide, shivering herself, Jim following as they slowed to a stop to wait for the vamp-girl.


    She took a moment to rub her arms and flex her throbbing, stiff hands; she wasn¡¯t doing too well after firing the second high-tier bullet, yet they were still fighting for their lives¡ªnot much she could do about it.  ¡°One can hope¡­¡±


    Sucking in her dry lower lip, she coughed, experiencing the scratch in her throat that was likely there from the stress of this whole operation.  Her gaze lifted to catch the arcs of crimson lightning that erupted across the heavens beyond the brim of her hat.


    Grace, what have you gotten yourself into?  It¡¯s Hell ¡­ literally Hell ¡­ figures I¡¯d end up here outta everywhere on the planet.


    Their focus darted to Scarlet as she popped out of her gateway for the liquid to return to her body; oddly enough, the girl¡¯s muscles gave their own involuntary quake as she glanced around, swiftly locking onto the university behind the apartment complexes blocking their view.


    ¡°I got it ¡­ Yeah, I see Wolfgang¡ªhe doesn¡¯t seem too panicked, but he¡¯s packing things up into a briefcase ¡­ Gah, why do all Legendkin have to be hot ¡­ even the evil ones,¡± she grumbled, scratching her left arm.


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Grace gave a strained chuckle, ¡°I mean, humph¡ªas a Legend-thingy, I can¡¯t be complainin¡¯ myself!  Still, I get what you¡¯re sayin¡¯.  Woah,¡± she hissed, fanning her face as her blood pressure rose, ¡°I¡¯m just a bit overwhelmed by all of this stuff¡ªhow ¡®bout you?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s lips pulled in, vision turning to the northeast.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I¡¯m freaking out, really ¡­ We need to get Wolfgang, though¡ªI can¡¯t lose Rachel to ¡­ whatever this thing is¡ªI don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on,¡± she mumbled, and her voice cracked a bit.  ¡°I¡¯m just trying to do what I can to help.¡±


    Benedict¡¯s chest fluttered, arms tightening around his chest.  ¡°I feel ¡­ I¡¯m so useless!  Why can¡¯t I do anything to help?!¡±


    Emotion filled Grace¡¯s chest, forcing her to puff out hot air through her cheeks.  ¡°Ahem ¡­ Yeah ¡­ Yeah.¡±  She wiped a tear away from her eye before it could fall.  ¡°Lord almighty, this has been the most stressful thing I¡¯ve ever gone through, but¡ªhow could ya not want to help at least one person after seeing ¡­ something like that¡­¡±


    Scarlet tried to compose herself, blinking a few times to likely hold back her tears.  ¡°Benedict ¡­ Actually, maybe you should use your illusion powers to go around and¡ªyou know, help all these people that are still live ¡­ there are hundreds, and you could make an immediate difference.¡±


    Trying to put on a brave, encouraging face, Grace nodded; she certainly wasn¡¯t in the condition to protect him against any of the higher threats they might go up against when confronting Wolfgang.  ¡°Yeah, you can just go find the people that need help and keep them hidden from the demons.¡±


    His jaw locked as he hovered in the air, teeth binding together as he glared at the street.  ¡°What about¡ªno, maybe I should go help Fiona ¡­ Help her get Izzy and Edel.¡±


    ¡°No!  No!  No!¡±  Scarlet protested.  ¡°I¡¯ve been with Fiona when she gets like this ¡­ She¡¯s a powerhouse on her own¡ªshe¡¯s a natural disaster.  I know you¡¯re worried¡ªI am, too, but we need to have faith in them.  Right?  And you can help so many people ¡­ Please,¡± she asked, knowing they were on a clock.


    Closing his eyes, Benedict cursed.  ¡°Fine ¡­ I¡¯m ¡­ I¡¯m just so useless!¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±  Grace sighed as the Pixie Mythickin shot into the sky to help the suffering; he vanished in shimmering light.  ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    The vampire¡¯s halo-like red eyes creased with pain while following Grace¡¯s gaze to the partially eaten remains of a tortured teenager, riddled with markings on his naked corpse¡ªif Benedict could help anyone still in torture, then it was worth it.  ¡°How could it get this bad in just two weeks?¡±  she whispered.


    Grace looked down at the concrete, adjusting her hat to block the scene of at least a dozen more sacrificial offerings; she understood how Benedict was feeling.  ¡°You saw those cultists in the field¡ªkind of the same thing at the college ¡­ Once you get the ball rollin¡¯, people would rather be doin¡¯ the torture than bein¡¯ on the other side¡ªmy guess, anyway.¡±


    Scarlet brushed her hair back and shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±  She paused, nose scrunching up a bit in frustration as her fingers tightened around her elbow.  ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m not back to a hundred percent yet¡ªIt¡¯s taking longer than I thought to heal from ¡­ yeah.  How are you?¡±


    Still not raising her eyes to the horrors around them, Grace replied with a humorless chuckle, holding out her shaking arms¡ªshe had to force them still by holding onto Jim¡¯s reins for dear life.  ¡°Honestly¡­¡±


    A grimace shifted Scarlet¡¯s vision away from her trembling fingers.  ¡°So, you¡¯re not doing too well either ¡­ Still, we have to get Wolfgang before he can get away.¡±


    Grace forced herself to smile; ever since she was a girl, she¡¯d been told to laugh when things get tough because it can give you the strength to press on.  ¡°Mud, blood, guts, and glory¡ªam I right?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s expression lifted a little.  ¡°Where do you get it, Grace?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  A sparkle brightened her blue eyes as she tried stretching out her stiff arms and fingers.  ¡°My Ma always said, ¡®Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, and work like a dog¡ªlife ain¡¯t always candy, cowboy boots, and horses, Gracy, but every gal should put hot lead in her belly and dirt on her pants ¡®cause this world ain¡¯t pullin¡¯ no punches!¡¯¡± she laughed.


    Just thinking about her tough as nails mother gave her strength; in part, it was her mother¡¯s advice that set her down this road¡ªshe¡¯d been a bit headstrong and how she left home probably wasn¡¯t the best way to go about it, but after all of this, she was determined to make things right with her folks¡ªif she made it out alive, that was.


    Scarlet gave a reluctant snicker, focus returning to the university.  ¡°I like that.  Hmm ¡­ I think he¡¯s getting ready to leave.¡±


    Grace let the jitters quake through her bones, shaking herself out, throwing back her messy brown locks, and adjusting her shirt and tight pants.  ¡°Okay!  Let¡¯s do this, Lil¡¯ Miss Vampy!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get to Wolfgang ¡­ I can¡¯t have anything happen to Rachel.¡±


    The path she¡¯d taken the last two days of being with the Lunar Hare flashed through Grace¡¯s mind; she drew in her lips while watching Scarlet form the gateway.


    What do I know about these gals?  They¡¯re risk-takers, which is all fine and dandy, but Rachel appears to be the driving force behind all of that ¡­ They certainly got big-gun support from the government ¡­ That¡¯s not always a good thing, though.  I hope this turns out on the right side of dawn.


    Grace called her small pocket pistol to her right hand, looking at it in her grip; Scarlet seemed to be having trouble getting all the blood together, which was likely still being used in some manner to heal her.  Her hand was still in a rough spot.


    We¡¯re such a mess ¡­ Rachel was too, after that big demon fight, yet she just jumps right back in ¡­ She¡¯d make a good cowgirl.  I just wanted adventure, not a trip to Hell¡ªthere¡¯s no way I can use a rifle like this¡­


    She tightened her thighs, glaring at the inescapable carnage around them; hundreds of thousands of people that had continued to fight and struggle in this nightmare made reality.  A few men nearby showed pained but defiant and accusatory glares up to their final moments.


    You aren¡¯t quittin¡¯ here, Gracy.  If there¡¯s somethin¡¯ in your way, it¡¯s there to see if what ya want is really worth fightin¡¯ for ¡­ You¡¯ve been lost for a while¡ªwanderin¡¯ through the desert ¡­ Well, it¡¯s time to saddle up, buckle down, put yer spit where yer mouth is, and face the demons.


    Tightening her hat, Grace gave a reassuring grin to Jim as he shifted his muscular neck to stare at her; she chuckled in return, patting his neck and puffing out a heavy breath.  ¡°Another storm to ride, Jimmy¡ªlet¡¯s see her through.¡±


    Hot steam shot out of his nose; Fiona seemed to think he was a rather serious fellow, which Grace got, but he could have a sense of humor¡ªthere just wasn¡¯t much to set the mood.


    Scarlet¡¯s portal formed, and Jim lurched forward, coming out the other end to instantly grasp the terrain and prepare to land in the large office.  Catching sight of Wolfgang¡¯s calm, frowning royal blue eyes following her exit, she lifted her shaking gun.  ¡°Keep where ya are ¡­ Shit.¡±


    The sandy blonde-haired man smoothly slid his hand into a file and held up a paper; a flash of red light projected off the parchment with several ruby-like spheres attached to various points expanding in black flames.


    Jaw tightening, Grace tried to steady her aim, firing a shot between the ritual as the paper flared black and Wolfgang dropped it to the floor, already moving toward the door¡¯s exit with his jacket on, briefcase in one hand, and folder in the other.  The projectile struck an invisible force as the design shielded most of his body and blocked the door¡¯s exit.


    Crimson energy arched out to form a rip in space within the blink of an eye, releasing a six-eyed bloody red hound, spikes jutting out of its back, and horn-like appendages on its forehead.  It landed on the ground, and in one fluid motion, leaped at her face; it was the size of a giant wolf.


    She fired another round, but her hand jerked at the last second, missing the creature¡¯s head and bouncing harmlessly off its shoulder to dig into the floor.


    Screw these weak rounds!


    It tucked into a tight circle to spin like a saw, releasing a horrific clicking noise that made her wince; Jim danced back, carrying her out of danger as it sailed through the air, ripped the concrete wall, and moved up to the ceiling, changing directions to follow.


    Grace raised her weapon, trying to focus on its eyes, but she was exhausted; never had she fired so many bullets in a single day and in such a short time.


    Jim side-stepped again, but this time a sharp array of bloody spikes shot out from the corner of the room to impale the hellspawn; its rapid motion caused the hound to be ripped apart by its own kinetic energy, spraying blackish goo across the desk.


    The bubbling blood would have struck Jim and her, had the crystalline spear not expanded on the other side like an umbrella, blocking the eruption.  Everywhere the goo struck instantly started to fizzle with a chemical reaction that broke down whatever atomic structure it settled on.


    She caught Scarlet moving at a swift pace with a frightening look in her blazing halo irises, and her blood soon followed.  ¡°I think he¡¯s trying to activate a teleport¡­¡±  Shadows engulfed the vampire as her crystal liquified and surrounded her.


    ¡°Dammit!¡±  Grace cursed, biting her lower lip to draw crimson and hopping off Jim to follow on foot since her horse couldn¡¯t go through the doorway.  ¡°I¡¯m practically useless now!¡±


    Taking care to not touch any of the bubbling black blood splattered across the ceiling, floor, and back wall, Grace dashed after Scarlet; Jim faded in red light to return when she needed him.  Her muscles and throat burned, body breaking down after using so much focus without recuperating its pool; until she had another taste of alcohol, her shakes would only get worse.


    Her chest heaved while jogging up the basement stairs, following the path Rachel and she¡¯d taken not too long ago; heart thumping, she skipped to a stop upon making it to the hallway¡ªWolfgang was between her and Scarlet¡ªthe girl had her blood wrapped around the young man¡¯s body, and across the floor were scattered pages that had fallen out of his folder.


    Grace¡¯s eyes darted to a floating rectangle enclosed by the crystal liquid; Scarlet had pursued the Legend, subdued him, and protected her in seconds.  Wow ¡­ I need to step up my game.


    She closed her fingers around her chest with a breathless chuckle, experiencing her blood pumping through her veins.  ¡°N-Nice!¡±


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Wolfgang said in a composed manner.  ¡°You underestimate my own knowledge, girls¡ªif you wish for Relica¡¯s prize to be destroyed, I would be more accommodating.¡±


    Scarlet smirked, walking forward to resituate her blood around the man¡¯s frame to keep the Legend in place.  ¡°What makes you believe we¡¯re after whatever Relica wants?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Grace groaned, tugging off her bandana from around her neck to send it to storage and unfastening two buttons on her pleated top to fan out her collar; she was burning up.  ¡°We aren¡¯t simping that witch.¡±


    When she stepped to the man¡¯s front to join Scarlet, Grace saw Wolfgang¡¯s cool machiavellian brain processing thoughts far beyond what she knew her simple mind could link, and instantly knew she was in over her head¡ªthis wasn¡¯t your typical man, and his subsequent statement proved it.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t with Relica¡ªwhich means you betrayed her after using her dagger to disrupt Yseress¡¯s seal ¡­ oh, how unusual,¡± he whispered, astute gaze wandering to Scarlet who was trying to look for Rachel back the way they¡¯d come.  ¡°What creature sleeps inside you?¡±


    Seriously?!  This guy¡¯s so creepy ¡­ Hold up...


    Scarlet stiffened.  ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about; just shut up and¡ªwhat?!¡±


    Grace¡¯s drawn eyes darted to the vampire when her blood peeled back from Wolfgang¡¯s chest.  ¡°Huh?¡±  A black sigil was illuminating below his white shirt.


    ¡°Stop it!  No!  Stop!¡±  Scarlet barked, fingers darting out to grip his throat; there wasn¡¯t a smile or fear on Wolfgang¡¯s face as he became paralyzed.  ¡°Why are you ¡­ Stop!¡±


    ¡°What?  What¡¯s he doing?¡±  Grace asked, stepping back and holding her hands against her chest in case she needed to dive and roll out of the way, expecting some kind of bomb.


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes were bugging out as her blood ripped into Wolfgang¡¯s chest, trying to carve out the symbol or disrupt it, but the force seemed to repel her blood; she looked lost.  ¡°H-He¡¯s killing himself!  No!  Stop it!¡±


    The intensifying light soon diminished, and Scarlet breathed a sigh of relief, taking her hands off of his throat; Wolfgang wasn¡¯t finished.


    Clearing his airway, the German worked around his jaw a second before leveling a cool stare directly at Scarlet.  ¡°Now ¡­ are we going to be civil?  I have little regrets about ending my life here to bring about a demonic calamity.  Did Relica not warn you about this failsafe?  It will activate every thirty seconds unless I disable it; knocking me out or putting me to sleep will do no good.¡±


    Grace hissed, reaching up to tighten her loose hat after she ran up the stairs.  ¡°We aren¡¯t gonna just let ya go; we¡¯d rather ride it off the edge than let ya surrey off!  At least, I hope we¡¯re not¡­¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s teeth were bared, showing her fangs; if Wolfgang killed himself, then Grace only assumed it meant Rachel would be dragged to Hell with Yseress.  ¡°I¡¯m not letting you escape,¡± she growled.


    ¡°What she said!¡±  Grace added, lifting her shaking gun.


    Stupid arm ¡­ Stop moving!  Focus ¡­ Focus!


    Grace tracked his gaze to a nearby classroom; he never lost his composure.  ¡°I don¡¯t intend to escape.¡±


    Silence followed his ridiculous statement as both of them worked through the confession.


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Grace scoffed.  ¡°Eh, heh ¡­ You seriously believe we¡¯d fall for that, bud?  That¡¯s like the oldest trick in the villain book!¡±


    For the first time, Wolfgang¡¯s lips lifted into a tiny smile that was directed at Scarlet.  ¡°I do, and I wouldn¡¯t consider myself a villain¡ªI¡¯m more of a utilitarian.  In fact, I have accepted my fate to have this portion of my soul devoured by Yseress for her to remain in this world.¡±


    Mind reading loser!  How are we supposed to fight against that?!  Utilitarian ¡­ bullshit!


    ¡°What ¡­ Eh, and why would you do that?¡±  Scarlet groaned, rubbing her forehead.  ¡°No, seriously?!  What is with you bad guys and always playing mind games¡ªwhat even is utilitarian¡ªspeak English!  You people never¡ªnever give up!¡±


    Wolfgang seemed to believe the questions were pointless and moved on.  ¡°You have two options.  Be civil, and allow me to choose the last few however minutes I have to live, or I take my life here and now, thereby disrupting this deal you¡¯ve made with this higher entity.  Make your choice within the next twenty seconds, or all hope is lost.¡±


    The sigil¡¯s flaring light illuminated again; the Legend of the Angel of Death wore an expression that dared them to call his bluff, but it only took eight seconds for Scarlet to grunt a furious scream before removing her blood¡ªnot without ripping at his jacket and pants to remove whatever items were on his person.


    ¡°Fine!  You have¡­¡±  she trailed off, glancing toward the wall as distant booms and roars filled the air; Rachel had begun her battle with Armand.


    Wolfgang didn¡¯t appear too put off by his damaged clothes, vision following Scarlet¡¯s blood as it brought all of his items, including the scattered papers and folder on the ground, back as a clump to her side.


    Scarlet pointed a finger at a room two doors down, likely not trusting him with the one closest since he¡¯d looked at them, but Grace was sure this man could run circles around them in the mind game department.  ¡°No funny business!  Just ¡­ What do you want?!¡±


    The man rubbed his throat and rolled his shoulders while slowly making his way to the area, taking deliberate steps.  ¡°Simple.  I¡¯d like answers ¡­ A player far more capable than I thought possible has entered the field ¡­ As a utilitarian, I am intrigued and alarmed.¡±


    Grace snorted.  ¡°Right, and how does all of ¡­ that ¡­ all of this,¡± she asked, waving her hands at all the demonic rituals, gore, and horrific tortures around them, ¡°fit in line with that?  Isn¡¯t utilitarianism that religious thing about whatever you do is right if it¡¯s for the benefit of all of mankind or something?¡±


    Wolfgang adjusted his shirt and pants before taking one of the thrown-over chairs and setting it upright to drop into it; he motioned for them to do the same, rolling back his sleeves and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, fingers steepled against his nose and mouth.


    Scarlet and Grace glanced at each other before hesitantly standing before him with crossed arms.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re good, bud,¡± Grace mumbled.


    ¡°Suit yourselves ¡­ Do you know the number of scientific advancements that were made by the National Socialist German Workers¡¯ Party that pushed the fields of physics, biology, zoology, medicine, psychology, vaccine science, anthropology, genetics, nutrition, and engineering¡ªto name a few?  Much of that has been used as a basis which pushed humanity forward by decades¡ªperhaps centuries, we¡¯ll never know since it was used as the base for much of what you know.¡±


    His stunning blue eyes shifted to Grace, causing a chill to run down her spine.  ¡°The needs of the many outweigh the suffering and hardship of the few¡ªlook at me.  From this work¡ªwhat is in those files and briefcase could end world suffering¡ªadvance us by millennia, and usher in a golden age for humanity ¡­ Only at the cost of a few¡ªoh, tens of millions of lives.  Is not a perfect future worth such a minor drop in the bucket for the whole?¡±


    Grace wanted to say no, but it was a compelling argument at first thought.  ¡°And ¡­ what if it doesn¡¯t work?¡±


    Wolfgang¡¯s chuckle didn¡¯t reach his eyes.  ¡°They said the same thing about Socialism, Capitalism, and a host of various other systems of governance among countless inventions that were said to be impossible.  I propose what feeble and weak-willed people cannot grasp and therefore deny out of fear and feigned moral superiority ¡­ Such as you,¡± he said, vision settling on Scarlet.


    ¡°What about me?¡±  Scarlet growled, lips tight and speaking through her teeth.


    He went silent, studying Scarlet in ways Grace didn¡¯t even want to think about.  ¡°This is insane, Scarlet!  Are you sure he¡¯s not bluffing?¡±


    Scarlet hissed.  ¡°I wish ¡­ I could feel his spirit being pulled into some kind of ¡­ I don¡¯t even know ¡­ Some kind of black hole or something¡­¡±


    ¡°The Ender Beast ¡­ Not of Hell, but a Nether Dimension that is contractually bound to destroy my killers and all those that they hold dear for the price of my soul¡ªYseress would be disappointed ¡­ That being said, let¡¯s get to the topic of why I¡¯ve accepted my death ¡­ Who gave you the means to unlock Yseress¡¯s restraints ¡­ Was it that fathomless entity inside of you?¡±


    ¡°Bastard,¡± Scarlet spat.  ¡°I still don¡¯t trust you¡ªwow, I feel stupid even saying that aloud!  Go to Hell!¡±


    Wolfgang bypassed her remarks.  ¡°No ¡­ How strange ¡­ You¡¯re worried about your friend and what might happen to her if I ¡­ Oh ¡­ Oh, that¡¯s fascinating¡­¡±


    Screw this guy¡­


    His focus darted to Grace, making her skin crawl.  ¡°That Hare Mythickin that was with you had another soul she was bonding with ¡­ Is she using that process to insert Yseress?  I can¡¯t imagine she¡¯d be happy about it, yet she does serve a higher master, as do all devils ¡­ You¡¯ve made a deal with a Hell Lord?  A dangerous game you¡¯re playing.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, stepping to the side to stare at Grace.  ¡°What ¡­ Rachel made a deal with who?¡±


    Grace took a step back, holding up her hands.  ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know nothin¡¯ about Hell Lords or anythin¡¯ of the like!  All I know is that we were over our head and that sketchy devil diva hog-tied us like a pig for a feast, and then we¡¯re all friends or ¡­ Gah, I should just shut up!¡±  she groaned, pushing down on her hat.  ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    Wolfgang sat back with a hum, vision narrowing as a frown touched his smooth lips.  ¡°Still, the question is ¡­ How did you draw the attention of a Hell Lord?¡±


    His attention slid to Scarlet again.  ¡°This is exactly what I wished to build a defense against ¡­ Entities like that which inhabit you ¡­ Too horrifying to even peer past the fog, and ¡­ to think you¡¯d use that seed¡¯s weighted potential as a sealing mechanism for such a creature was ¡­ brilliant, I must say¡ªeven more, that you¡¯d accomplished it.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s arms were trembling, eyes closed as she took deep breaths to control herself.  ¡°You¡¯re a monster!  I don¡¯t care about whatever it¡¯s called ¡­ It¡¯s wrong!  These people ¡­ they didn¡¯t deserve this,¡± she yelled, and Grace felt bad while following her gesture to a man¡¯s silhouette in the corner, his legs and arms chopped off to allow his blood to leak out across the floor.  ¡°It¡¯s sick!¡±


    Wolfgang didn¡¯t blink at the sight.  ¡°If it benefits the majority, the sacrifice is worth it, but you seem to be shockingly limited by your morality, considering what inhabits your soul¡ªperhaps it is a counterbalance or some needed condition of its stay ¡­ trauma ¡­ I see.  Hmm ¡­ This changes everything ¡­ I¡¯ll need to adapt my plans.¡±


    ¡°What plans; you¡¯re dead!¡±  Grace shot back.  ¡°You¡¯re going to be eaten by that devil girl; what¡¯s the point of this then?¡±


    The blonde man crossed his legs and sat back, rubbing his chin before looking at the items Scarlet collected.  ¡°It is not my fault you cannot comprehend the full scope of the plan ¡­ Although you have been most helpful in bringing several flaws to my attention ¡­ I am no longer needed¡ªadjustments will be made.  It is as simple as that.¡±


    ¡°I hate people like you!¡±  Scarlet seethed, spiked blood surrounding the man in an instant but refrained from striking.  ¡°You, Relica, my mom!  You¡¯re all sick¡ªtwisted!¡±


    Wolfgang didn¡¯t flinch, practically ignoring her outburst, and a thought crossed Grace¡¯s mind; releasing a sad sigh, she walked over and slumped into a seat.  ¡°Ah¡ªwell, shit ¡­ You have some kind of mental link with your other doubles or whatever, don¡¯t ya?¡±


    ¡°More intelligent than I thought for a farm girl,¡± Wolfgang stoically stated, ¡°but it didn¡¯t take a genius to discover.  I could end my life and force this plan to fail, yet I don¡¯t know the details of the exchange, which would be premature to make a rash decision, and if what I¡¯ve concluded is true, then Yseress is more than capable of turning this entire play on its head¡ªah, right on time,¡± he smiled.


    They glanced toward the window¡ªthe red-tinted sky grew black as night fell over the city, Scarlet¡¯s lips falling open in shock.  ¡°The shield ¡­ It¡¯s down?¡±


    ¡°Predictably,¡± Wolfgang stated, rising to his feet as Scarlet withdrew her blades.  ¡°If I¡¯m correct, we¡¯ll be meeting your friend Rachel in the heart of Asher¡¯s ritual soon ¡­ Oh, and as an added bonus, the U.S. military ¡­ opportune timing.  Shall we go?¡±


    Grace didn¡¯t know what they should do; her brain checked out about an hour ago.  She didn¡¯t know what to believe or do¡ªshe needed alcohol.  ¡°Scarlet¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  she asked, mind racing to come up with a decision; Wolfgang was offering to willingly go to Rachel and Yseress, which was what they wanted¡ªit just didn¡¯t seem right.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not the best time,¡± she groaned, ¡°but ¡­ can you see any alcohol anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Scarlet snapped but soon hissed, pounding her head in frustration.  ¡°Gah!  No!  No!  I know, it¡¯s like Fiona with sugar ¡­ Sorry, I¡¯m just ¡­ I hate this devil¡ªhe¡¯s not human!¡±


    ¡°And you are?¡±  Wolfgang returned, playing with his sleeves.  ¡°Personally, I find such statements childish.  Are you going to yell at me and panic for the remaining fifteen minutes ¡­ God, I hate American music,¡± he growled, hearing the songs from the military vehicles softly playing from loudspeakers as they neared and what sounded like missile attacks struck not too far away, making Scarlet and Grace flinch.


    Grace couldn¡¯t help the pit growing in her stomach at Scarlet¡¯s outburst; she felt useless enough but had to press on, drawing upon her mother¡¯s words.  ¡°Sorry, Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Gah!  No, it¡¯s not you ¡­ It¡¯s like we¡¯re playing into everyone¡¯s hands!¡±  She cast her eyes around, scanning for anything alcohol-related.  ¡°Ah, got a hidden barrel under some rubble ¡­ You¡¯ll be better after drinking?¡±


    Grace tried to put on a smile.  ¡°Yeah.  I should be able to whip out my rifle and help¡ªyou know, if I¡¯m needed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll gladly take the help,¡± Scarlet sighed, crafting the blood portal.  ¡°No funny business, Wolfgang!¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it; I¡¯m on a schedule, and I need to see if my metrics are correct.¡±


    He walked through with Grace¡¯s shaky hand holding a gun to his back.  Rachel better have a damn good explanation after all this is over, because dammit ¡­ I don¡¯t know what to think anymore, and what¡¯s up with this whole ¡®entity¡¯ thing in Scarlet?!


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 30. Humanity’s Hope

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Wolfgang (Our German Angel of Death Legendkin)


    Recap:  Grace and Scarlet went after Wolfgang at Rachel''s request; if they can''t get him, Rachel will be dragged back with Yseress to Hell.  Unfortunately, Wolfgang is a man of plans in plans, and was ready with his own countermeasure, ready to feed his soul to bring an inner-dimensional being out to exact vengeance.


    However, he is a patient and thoughtful man, and after deliberating on the information the girls were forced to give him, les they lose Rachel, he decided to willingly accept his death.  Grace is just done with everything¡ªshe wants this over¡ªand now the pair are bringing the Legendary Nazi to a devil to devour.


    Now, let''s see things from our Germanic Angel of Death...


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    Gabbeldor, Walden Tolbert, Michael Mooney, Skorno, NopiSoul, William Brayer, Hansch, FL3xus, Ryan, Just Dave, and my other Patrons!


    His fingers tightening around his back, Wolfgang turned to examine the Mythickin woman Asher had dropped into his lap; the demonic fool of a man had no idea how important she was.


    Maria breathed in and out with calm, deep breaths that her body was forced to produce, yet her mind filled with dread while the otherworldly fiends complied with Wolfgang¡¯s orders.


    His demonic helpers weren¡¯t the strongest¡ªnowhere near the same realm as Yseress, yet the portion of his spirit that bound the alluring devil to this plane was in another splinter of his Core.  Still, these creatures were adequate enough to follow instructions and be capable of handling the subjects he dealt with.


    A suspicious hum rumbled in his throat as he took a seat in front of Maria; the demons had propped the restraining table up for him to examine.  To think such an opportune chance would arise and in the final preparations before Asher¡¯s surprise ¡­ It¡¯s too convenient.


    He¡¯d projected a degree of paralytic energy into her Core that was tied to the Hell magic Yseress had taught him.


    As the original, he had been the one to specialize in Core manipulation and research on the seeds that led to their splintering, allowing them to center on various fields to advance their plans.  Everything was for the betterment of humanity, and he was so close to testing his hypothesis after 467 unique Demi experiments¡ªrepeats had to be made at times to be sure of the same results.


    Relica was the one to coin the term¡ªDemi¡ªwhich he¡¯d accepted; although he found it a rather simplistic identifier¡ªit served its purpose, though, and he wasn¡¯t going to argue with the stubborn woman.


    At a population of nearly 300,000 people, Camag¨¹ey offered a decent sample size to determine the beginnings of a theory on the Demi transformation statistic.  Yet, more data would be needed to be cited for crafting a more accurate thesis¡ªafter counting, there were 1,952 identified Demi inside the city¡ª1,843 of which were able to be rounded up for his use and 1,805 that were now unusable.


    He¡¯d saved the very few twins that changed, and unsurprisingly, when a twin became a Demi, their counterpart was also gifted with the seed¡ªhis working theory came from the spiritual and Intelligence split they shared, which granted twins a very weak metaphysical bond that resonated with the object and acted as a split, much like what happened in the womb.


    Ultimately, twins were the key to copying the seed without end, yet that would require extensive knowledge in a few fields that he¡¯d worked tirelessly to explore.


    Wolfgang leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees while pressing his steepled fingers against his lips and nose; the now unconscious boy next to Maria drew his illuminated blue eyes.


    In its simplicity, and at first glance, the seed can be taken as an item used to grant the user¡¯s desires, yet that would be a premature conclusion, given further study.


    He pondered the information he¡¯d gathered over the past three weeks of tireless study; not once had he felt the effects of sleep, sustained by the seed and his desire to accelerate his goals.  The aid Relica had given on several fundamental discoveries, including the unique abilities she possessed and individuals at her disposal, accelerated his projects by years, which put him in this current opportune position.


    Yseress¡¯s insights have been the key to unlocking this path ¡­ Unfortunately, there is only one of her, and her focus is split between our programs.  Obtaining the vision to peel back a person¡¯s spirit and grasp the depths of what makes up their essence ¡­ I need to further increase my Levels and Grades in that area, but given this woman¡¯s instability¡ªshe¡¯s so unguarded.


    Hot air shot through Wolfgang¡¯s nostrils, fingers tightening against one another.  Desires, hopes, and dreams play a significant role in the post-seed transformation, yet children are so malleable that if caught early enough, the progression can be halted ¡­ Yet, as an adult, Maria has forcefully restricted her own metamorphosis.


    Subconsciously, perhaps?  No, it¡¯s impossible to halt it with a mere desire, as has been observed ¡­ Her very nature is the defining attribute without a doubt.


    Maria¡¯s mind sank further and further into despair,  cycling in panic while Wolfgang continued to penetrate her spiritual network to see the effects of the seed.


    Even while entering a manic state, her Oltera Nexus is still resisting ¡­ It¡¯s opened, reaching into her Core like a golden path for me to follow.  Still, I need time to trace its route.  To see the raw glory of its bloom is ¡­ phenomenal.


    He lost himself for a moment, picking apart every fiber he could observe from the tight orb of fathomless information, power, and radiance.  Time was nonexistent to the object; it seemed to operate in a sphere of its own.


    It wasn¡¯t a dominating force, which mesmerized him; gentle, flowing tendrils of elegance defined washed through Maria¡¯s entire being in such a loving embrace.  Wolfgang was reminded of his youth, held protectively against his mother¡¯s breast.


    Mercy, benevolence, clemency, and divinity beyond that of any conceivable god invoked a benediction so enthralling it brought tears to his eyes.  In contrast, a blinding, hallowed reckoning carried redress in glorious and terrifying retribution that Maria resisted¡ªit was unable to sink into her Oltera Nexus to solidify her transformation, granting him this view.


    A human¡¯s Oltera Nexus can be like a stone, deflecting the delicate touch of the seed¡ªit will not force itself into a place it is not welcomed, but once accepted, the change cannot be reversed.


    To most of these Demi, the seed is practically falling through empty air through their Core, allowing it to instantly take root ¡­ A comet to erupt in a climactic radiance, and yet ¡­ there is an extraordinary case where it is neither stone nor free, but sand ¡­ gently easing its way, bit by bit ¡­ Why are there so few samples and the only two cases I¡¯ve found are in children?


    Two special children out of hundreds of thousands of souls are ¡­ troubling odds; pure seeds, untarnished by want, desire, and nature.  It only grants me two chances to make this work, yet there are numberless other options to consider ¡­ If this succeeds, I can see the process in its entirety that could provide the answer.


    A sad sigh rushed through his lips, vision narrowing as he rubbed between his eyes; one of the demons next to him provided updates regarding their intruders from Asher.


    So, the summoning has started ¡­ And instead of prioritizing the calamity, they¡¯re making Maria their objective ¡­ Disappointing.  One woman taking priority over tens of thousands.  Not your standard heroes.  In any case, I cannot be interrupted at this delicate stage.


    Rising to his feet, Wolfgang rubbed his neck and sent silent commands to his demon escort to prepare to enter the bunker; considering the instability of Camag¨¹ey, it was only natural to fortify a place to escape.


    Wolfgang took out a small deck of cards from his back pocket, sliding out the last one and feeding a tiny amount of the demonic force Yseress infused inside his Core; it didn¡¯t take much to activate, yet the price was great¡ªhe only had a year to live, given the experiments he¡¯d conducted, yet his clones could carry on the work¡ªhis life was more than adequate for the results his research promised to bring about.


    Armand was notified through the small ritual engraved into the card, and he took out another, using it to initiate one of his trump cards.


    The room began to hum with an ominous note as the runes carved into the stone drew upon the spirits he¡¯d gathered in its central design¡ªall sound would have instantly been blocked, blinding the Hare Mythickin Asher spoke of.


    Pressure closed in around Wolfgang¡¯s frame with everyone else he¡¯d identified to be drawn into the ritual; the twins and Maria couldn¡¯t so much as move from the paralytic agent freezing their spirit from interacting with much of their body.


    Darkness enveloped the space, and when it lifted, they were inside the bunker, teleporting all of the necessary supplies related to his work.  His exact location was blocked by relatively weak devil¡¯s magic, which was more than adequate, given the stages most seed bearers were at¡ªArmand was a distinct exception¡ªthe dull-minded brute had dumped everything into a single field, which showed his insecurity.


    Lifting his head, Wolfgang observed their new area; Maria was made a part of it by being strapped to the table.  The boy and various twins carried with it the same concept due to their bonds.  All but one of his demons had made the trip¡ªone laid dead next to him, smoldering ash.  It was a necessary sacrifice for such a spell.


    ¡°Well, back to work,¡± he calmly stated, sitting in his chair to look at the Mythickin again; nothing could interrupt his thoughts.


    Silence fell upon the large underground room, which used to be a secret underground bunker for Castro.  It was long forgotten, given those that were a part of the project had been executed to keep its secrecy; of course, it wasn¡¯t difficult for the insectoid demons to come across and for him to repurpose¡ªthe documents left behind certainly were interesting.


    Wolfgang retook his seat and glanced between the tools at his disposal.  The second child is still isolated in her room a few doors to our right, which means my one obstacle is Maria herself ¡­ If this is going to work, I need her complaint ¡­ Why is everyone so focused on the limited individual?  Small minds that cannot see the picture of peace and prosperity my actions bring.


    Sitting back, he crossed his legs and gestured for Maria to move her head, giving her access to motion again.  ¡°I understand two of these young women arrived with you to enact your heroic rescue of Camag¨¹ey.¡±


    Maria¡¯s lower lip tucked under, tears welling up in her eyes while following his hand to the chained women that were now bound to an identical demonic mechanism that held the sixteen remaining twins in Camag¨¹ey suspended in the air by their wrists.  The two known as Isabel and Edelira were as subdued as were the rest of the men and women, vision vacant after the teleport had enacted a more restricted protocol.


    ¡°No need to fret,¡± he assured, swapping to Spanish to further ease her nerves; it typically helped frightened individuals when speaking their native language, and it put a sense of familiarity into the conversation the person tended to be unaware of.  ¡°I am not here to hurt them, Maria.¡±


    He gave her a compassionate smile, taking a deep breath; Maria¡¯s face was swiftly flushing with emotion, and her frame began to tremble.  ¡°I understand you are frightened, but panicking will do little to help your situation.¡±


    Applying another dose of demonic aura to her exposed Core, Wolfgang waited for her body to calm again.  ¡°I only need you for one purpose, and in the end, I will release you, Maria¡ªif you comply, I promise to do the same for most of these twins.  Surely, their lives are worth your composure?¡±


    A full minute passed before he could sense her Core stilling; she was frightened, as would any person when even their ability to control their vision was taken from them, but the woman¡¯s hero complex was strong enough to pull her back.


    Shifting his legs to cross the opposite direction, he rubbed his stiff left shoulder; everything he¡¯d dreamed of was moments away.  ¡°Good.  Now, allow me to further clarify my position, so you aren¡¯t taken unaware.¡±


    He returned her movement faculties again, pointing her toward the twins.  ¡°I only need three pairs of twins to test my theory and begin Project Eve.  Who those twins are matters little to me since this is a blind experiment and requires the results to be measured across multiple subjects.¡±


    Knowing how indecisive and brutal of a question it would be yet posing it nonetheless, Wolfgang asked, ¡°Do you wish to choose who takes part and who remains exempt?  If you do not choose, I will choose for you.¡±


    Opening her airway, he watched the woman cough, struggling to regain control over her disrupted breathing.  ¡°Y-You ¡­ sick ¡­ I ¡­ mmgh ¡­ Dammit!¡±  she screamed.


    Wolfgang ignored the tantrum; it was expected and calculated.  ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t want to save them?¡±


    Maria hissed, chest heaving against her restraints as she glanced at the motionless teenagers, adults, children, and elderly twins.  ¡°No ¡­ You¡¯re messin¡¯ with me!¡±


    ¡°On the contrary,¡± Wolfgang stated, retaining a calming presence to further accelerate her compliance, ¡°I am very serious, Maria.  These are important individuals that I¡¯ve gathered for specific purposes, and I will personally see you through the barrier myself if you comply.  Although¡­¡±


    Lips tightening, he nodded.  ¡°I can see why you might have trouble selecting which should stay behind.  Should we ask them who you should pick to save?¡±


    Deactivating the runic seals restraining the twins, Wolfgang expelled a sad sigh as tears, screams, and pleas escaped in a torrent from each of their mouths; a few went so far as to curse Maria for not jumping at the opportunity to save them.


    The Mythickin was paralyzed by their responses, and with a single snap of his fingers, silence entered the room again; he allowed the throng to listen this time and could see the Champion Demi twins trying to be brave while grasping the situation.  How interesting; the younger is willing to take another¡¯s place.


    Before Maria could collect herself, he released Isabel¡¯s gag.


    ¡°M-Maria ¡­ If you need to p-pick someone,¡± the girl¡¯s voice fluttered with her chest, ¡°t-then I¡¯m good ¡­ There¡¯s children here¡­¡±


    ¡°Dammit, I know!¡±  Maria spat, nose twisting as she glared at him.  ¡°Do ya think I don¡¯t?  Yo, me for everyone else.  Good?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Wolfgang immediately shot down, causing the hope in a few of the twins¡¯ eyes to shatter.  ¡°I told you, Maria.  I need your cooperation and six twins.¡±


    The woman¡¯s silver irises shifted to the child on the table next to her.  ¡°What about this boy, huh?  Is he counted in this shit, too?¡±


    ¡°Let me be clear, one last time, Maria.¡±  Leaning forward, Wolfgang looked the woman dead in the eyes.  ¡°I need your cooperation, and it will happen one way or another.  We can move to the torture of these people, or you can do a few straightforward steps and walk away with those that remain.  Any more lip and one of these demons will carve a gash in one of your friend¡¯s bellies until they reach their womb.¡±


    Maria¡¯s mouth snapped shut, visually frightened, and he soon learned why while continuing to study her; she could tell if someone was lying.  Excellent.  This will make things much easier!


    Rising to his feet, Wolfgang held his hands behind his back.  ¡°I do this for the betterment of mankind, Maria.  My work here may look heinous ¡­ Indeed, it is, by most standards, had I not the talent and ability to gain the means to launch humanity into the age of gods!¡±


    Walking forward, he gestured toward the demons.  ¡°Do you suppose devils are the only threat we face?  No, and the moment I learned of Asher¡¯s plots and that what he sought was indeed real, I knew action had to be taken to protect the whole.  Creatures beyond our understanding lie in wait, manipulating our destination and playing their games, but I will be no one¡¯s pawn.¡±


    He grunted, hard vision sliding to his workforce as they laid in wait to rip him apart the very second his hold over them slipped.  ¡°My place is to support humanity against those that would seek to use and enslave us, but there are rules they must abide by or else civil war would break out among them, and they are far too cowardly to invoke such odds, which gives us time.¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyebrows pulled together, vision falling to the floor as she processed his words; every one the unequivocal truth.  ¡°How ¡­ Yo, that¡¯s twisted!  You think you¡¯re the good guy, dude?  You¡¯ve killed ¡­ How many people?  An entire city, bastard!¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± a smirk lifted his lips, ¡°and how many would one of these god-like fiends kill if allowed to enter our world?  Every human that doesn¡¯t possess a seed would be fodder¡ªworse than even what you have seen outside of these walls!  You act the hero, but what do you have to show for it?¡±


    The woman¡¯s tongue was on the roof of her mouth as he continued; emotion was what would snap this woman into helping, and he knew exactly how to do it.  ¡°At this very moment, hundreds still suffer and die around you¡ªtens of thousands of lives are having their spirits turned to pump to feed a devil¡¯s aspiration to take these seeds for himself¡ªand where are your friends?  Are they saving these people?  Stopping this ritual?  No, their only concern is you,¡± he snarled.


    Maria bit her lip, causing rays of light to shine through.


    She¡¯s close, but doubling down will be worse than honey.


    Taking an audible breath as if trying to calm himself, Wolfgang ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head.  ¡°I don¡¯t do these things to hurt people, Maria ¡­ I do it to save more lives in the future ¡­ More than can be counted so long as the human race survives, and that is my goal.  I want to save humanity from enemies you cannot comprehend, and the only way to do that is to unlock the secret of these seeds and spread them.¡±


    Eyes widening upon realizing his sincerity, she shook her head.  ¡°I ¡­ how the hell can you believe that ¡­ After everything I saw outside ¡­ This is helping humanity?  What do you mean you want to spread the seeds to save us?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see?¡±  he whispered.  ¡°These seeds are the key to everything¡ªhumanity¡¯s advancement, the right of gods, and rising out of the mud to take our place beyond the stars¡ªinto a higher state of being.  Yes, these seeds can accomplish that, Maria, but only for the select few ¡­ What if I said I could grant this gift to everyone ¡­ All of humanity, armed to fight these creatures leering down from on high like ravenous wolves.¡±


    He looked away, showing the weight of his actions that pressed in on his psyche.  ¡°Am I perfect¡ªno, Maria, and will I rot in the hell I brought upon this city?  Without a doubt.¡±


    Speechless at his conviction, she watched him unbutton his shirt to reveal a ritual Yseress had carved into his body, from neck to feet.  ¡°I am willing to risk my everything ¡­ My soul will be dragged to Hell, and there is no reprieve.  To gain the power I needed to make this a reality, I sacrificed my own seed ¡­ An offering to Yseress¡¯s master to give humanity the edge in this eventual war ¡­ I am damned.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± Maria muttered.  ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why else?¡±  he laughed, buttoning his shirt back up with a satisfied smile.  ¡°I wish to take humanity beyond that which confines us ¡­ to transcend the limits we¡¯ve been placed under and be the catalyst to bring us to a golden era.  Are my methods cruel?  Yes.  Yet, it is the only way I could make this happen given my limited time frame and the resistance you no doubt know I would get.  When the product is finished and passed on, there will be no putting it back.¡±


    Standing before the woman, he paused to let the information sink in; all of the others heard his declaration, yet none of them could understand the weight he felt or the truth therein like Maria.  ¡°So ¡­ Will you help me, Maria?  You know the depth of my conviction and what lengths I am willing to go to.  I don¡¯t want to hurt a single soul that is not required.¡±


    He could feel the hot puff of air that shot through her teeth; she couldn¡¯t look at him.  ¡°Will ¡­ this hurt any of them?  How many have to suffer?¡±


    An intelligent and compassionate woman.  She knew where this led next and chose to sacrifice her own morals to keep them safe.  It¡¯s time.


    ¡°So long as you corporate ¡­ I only expect the boy to suffer a spiritual collapse.¡±


    Maria¡¯s dead eyes slid from him to the sleeping child on the table next to him.  ¡°One child, to save dozens of lives ¡­ Why do I have to make that decision?¡±


    ¡°Thus is life,¡± Wolfgang lamented.  ¡°Reality is cruel, and progress has never been achieved without sacrifice of one form or another.  It is the holier-than-thou morals of those who were never placed in that position that will set their scornful eyes upon you¡ªthe life of the revolutionary is a hard one.¡±


    ¡°I take no pleasure in this,¡± Wolfgang muttered, gesturing to the demons behind him.


    The dozens of twins suspended in the air wiggled and squirmed in terror as the fiends closed in around several.  ¡°How many need to die before none are left, and it is their lives you have sacrificed for your morals?¡±


    Defeated, Maria slumped against her restraints.  ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±


    Happy he¡¯d guided the conflict down the proper path to avoid further bloodshed, Wolfgang¡¯s knees felt weak, causing him to return to his seat with a low sigh.  A tear slid down his cheek as chemicals flooded his veins.  ¡°Finally, everything I¡¯ve worked for has begun flourishing.¡±


    Running his fingers through his hair, he felt a weight lift off his breast upon looking at the heartbroken woman in front of him; stripped of all the layers she used to protect herself, vulnerable, Maria was ready to accept the part of herself she feared the most.


    Steepling his fingers, he leaned forward, and every harmful act he¡¯d done flashed through his mind as he prepared himself for this last experiment¡ªhe was betting everything on it being a success, and it was all because of Maria.


    Voice clear and distinct in the ensuing silence as the throng waited with bated breath to hear what would come, Wolfgang said, ¡°Maria, I need you to kill me.¡±


    Maria¡¯s downcast eyes slowly lifted, confusion swimming within while her forehead creased.  ¡°Kill you?¡±


    Slowly nodding, he chuckled.  ¡°There is a part in you that you resist even now ¡­ Even with so many people¡¯s lives on the line¡ªthe things I¡¯ve done¡ªyou refuse to take a life.  The moment you saw your father shoot a man¡ªit scarred you to the very Core, and you¡¯ve put on all of these masks and walls to help your brother survive¡ªto make it through your cruel world in one piece that chews up little girls and spits them out.¡±


    He could practically see the chills running down her spine as he brought back the buried memory in the depths of her soul.  ¡°The one lie you told in your life was to your brother ¡­ You don¡¯t love your dad¡ªyou fear him, and you resent yourself for being unable to do what Rachel can, and that is the reason you cannot accept this offensive side of your Mythickin transformation which is injecting itself into your Oltera Nexus¡ªyou resist with all your might.¡±


    Walking to the side of the room, he extracted a PM semi-automatic pistol, positioning it to show her the gun.  Taking out the clip and removing all but the bullet in the chamber, he¡¯d already concluded what needed to happen and sent further instructions to the appropriate clone¡ªnothing trumped this experiment.


    Wolfgang returned to her side; her silver eyes were wide in shock, still stuck on his order while her mind relived the past trauma.  ¡°Shoot me square in the head ¡­ If you don¡¯t, these demons will kill every one of these people.¡±


    His vision wandered to the boy beside them.  ¡°Oh, and while I know you wouldn¡¯t dare, I have a replacement for the boy in case you decide to turn the weapon on him instead.¡±


    ¡°Do ¡­ I have to?¡±  she mumbled in disbelief, fixating on the steel in his hand as he fiddled with her restraints and made sure she could still stand.  ¡°I don¡¯t think ¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Wolfgang silently extended the weapon to her; she was too stunned to cry.  ¡°This is your only option, Maria.  Kill one man¡ªone evil man, and save fifty-six.  It shouldn¡¯t even be a question in your mind.¡±


    She flinched, recognizing his calculated lie.  ¡°I am an evil man that has committed atrocious crimes against humanity.  Correct?  Shoot me down, Maria ¡­ End this nightmare for these people.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too much¡­¡±  she coughed, clutching her breast.


    He released the gag on the other prisoners, but not one person had a wet enough throat to voice their opinion on the matter while watching Maria.


    The demons took another few paces toward the men and women, causing them to cry out, and the children soon broke into quiet sobs, driving Maria on¡ªshe hesitantly reached forward and grapes the butt of the gun.


    It shook in her arm as she slowly raised it to his head, shaky vision darting to the demons and people for a split second.


    A smile touched his lips.  ¡°Know you will be sending me straight to Hell ¡­ No guessing required.  The demons won¡¯t attack you or anyone else for killing me, Maria.  Be the hero they need.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    The cold barrel of the weapon pressed against his forehead; he could feel her quaking muscles as it bit into his skin.  ¡°Kill a ch¡ª¡±


    His vision went black as the sharp sound of the gunpowder blew out his ears; his fading mind fell with his body as the last vestiges of his consciousness began to fade and heat rose in his chest¡ªrelief filled his soul, and in the next, lance-like barbs that penetrated his entire being as black flames injected into his veins, pulling him to Hell.


    It was worth it¡­


    * * *


    A grin lifted Wolfgang¡¯s lips as he opened the door to see his own brain matter explode across the nearby chair, floor, and Maria¡¯s front; Maria collapsed to her butt in disbelief, the gun falling from her quaking fingers as it spread throughout her entire body.


    Hands clasped behind his back, Wolfgang examined his original body; the importance of this discovery had drawn his entire notice the moment the original brought it to his attention.


    He had his own plans, yet this could alter their entire vision of the future, pulling him away from his work at the prison in an instant when it was concluded what it would require.


    It was simple enough to push Maria into the position that would allow the seed to sink the rest of the way into her Core, and among all the clones, only he was skilled enough in Core Detection and manipulation to accomplish what was required.


    Taking one of the seats a demon offered him since their binding had transferred to him as to the contract hierarchy, Wolfgang sat to observe the Unicorn¡¯s transformation, looking beyond her physical alterations.


    Maria¡¯s elf-like ears receded instantly, her hair covering the area, and as was initially intended, given her Myth, pure white horse ears took their place with a thick tail that extended across the floor.


    Her body did change, but more importantly, her spirit and Intelligence went through similar transformations as the seed burrowed within her Oltera Nexus, allowing Wolfgang to follow its incredibly long path to its settling point.


    He licked his lips, keeping track of the tendrils that wove through the seemingly infinite expanse that comprised the complex inner-workings of a living being¡ªhe found it.


    It won¡¯t be in the same place, but this is the starting location¡­


    In the next instant, it was gone, dispersed in ways he couldn¡¯t even begin to comprehend, yet that was fine¡ªhe just needed to know where it was, and now, he could extract the boy¡¯s and test his theory.


    The most critical part of the experiment was about to unfold.  Can I feed my own desire into the seed before it latches onto a new host ¡­ Can I make it replicate as a condition of activation for the new user, allowing it to spread across the planet?


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 31. Retribution

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Maria (Our Mythickin Unicorn that now has a horse tail and ears!  Wooh!)


    Recap:  Wolfgang is a true believer in his cause, as we learned very well in the last chapter when sentencing himself to be tortured in Hell for all eternity ... He forced Maria to face a trauma in her past regarding her father ... to kill him.  He was willing to slowly torture those twins until she did it, and so, she was backed into a corner.


    In the end, she did it, only to be met by his clone and transported away ... A grave mistake on Wolfgang''s part ... or calculated?  Who can say with such a man?  In any case, it''s time for retribution!


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    Philipp Schmalz, Katie May Mackenzie, Reshi, Hristiyan Delisyarov, DP, AmberStar, MeliMeliDH, Thriarsis, Dante Thomas, and my other Patrons!


    Maria¡¯s heart rattled against her ribs as if trying to break free when lifting the gun Wolfgang had given her.  She could hardly hear his muffled voice past the pounding in her ears and it felt like someone rubbed sandpaper against the back of her throat¡ªthe only thing in focus was the cold steel in her trembling hands.


    I can¡¯t do this ¡­ Kill him?  He¡¯s insane!  Why¡¯s he making me do this¡ªwhy can¡¯t I?!


    Her blurred vision darted to the demons silently hovering behind the defenseless children and women that were tied to the ceiling hooks by their wrist restraints¡ªshe couldn¡¯t take it¡ªevery person¡¯s pained and terrified eyes pleaded for her to take the shot.


    Why me?


    Wolfgang¡¯s following smile and words were a knife in her gut, twisting the situation up to her flaming breast.  ¡°Know you will be sending me straight to Hell ¡­ No guessing required.  The demons won¡¯t attack you or anyone else for killing me, Maria.  Be the hero they need.¡±


    The memory of Rachel taking immediate action three weeks ago flashed across Maria¡¯s brain as her nightmare continued to escalate¡ªthe Lunar Hare¡¯s fist and legs ripping terrorists apart and painting globs of blood and guts across the pavement without a hint of remorse.


    In a way, she admired Rachel for that¡ªthe world needed people like her¡ªshe wasn¡¯t like that though.


    She¡¯d hung around killers and gangsters all her life, been in fights, broken bones, and death itself never really affected her, but taking a life wasn¡¯t something she could do.  It was always about bringing people together for her, avoiding the conflict if possible, and having parties with the crew.


    Maria flinched as the sound of the gun in her father¡¯s hand echoed through her brain from her past¡ªshe¡¯d watched the altercation as a little girl through the back of a door crack¡ªsome lowlife and her father arguing over money from a job they did that he desperately needed for something; no matter what she did, she would never forget the splatter and dead eyes of the man as he fell.


    ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡±  she stammered, blood thumping in her ears and making her dizzy as she pressed the barrel against the skin of Wolfgang¡¯s forehead.


    It terrified her, looking into the calm, almost compassionate smile Wolfgang showed her; she heard every word he spoke¡ªit seemed impossible, but he believed it with every fiber of his being.


    He was the unsung hero that would be labeled the villain for humanity¡¯s moral hypocrisy to push it into a golden age of Demi supremacy.  He would be the catalyst that would free society of its fear by giving everyone access to the seed inside them.


    The truly horrifying part was that he honestly didn¡¯t want to do this but concluded it was the best path forward; he didn¡¯t want to kill or hurt these people¡ªit was for the betterment of the future that he had to live with and was more than willing to shoulder the consequences for humanity to see that brighter future¡ªproven by this very action that would damn him to Hell.


    Wolfgang didn¡¯t offer lip service but true belief; he saw an end to humanity and the powers that they were up against when meeting Asher and developed a counter plan.  He had no fear of where he was going, and even if he had clones of himself that didn¡¯t mean this version of Wolfgang wouldn¡¯t suffer the consequences of making a deal with a devil.


    A shiver ran down her spine at the balls of steel on this man; he took the lead, volunteering to be damned to agony in the pits of Hell for his vision.


    Worse, he genuinely thought he was helping her in forcing this choice¡ªshe¡¯d never met anyone like him and hoped to never again.


    Ultimately, the time came as Wolfgang took a soft breath, knowing she needed a final push.  ¡°Kill a ch¡ª¡±


    She didn¡¯t think¡ªcouldn¡¯t.


    The trigger pulled back in one fluid motion that was both terrifyingly slow and fast in Maria¡¯s mind.


    Sound died in her ears as the bullet ripped through Wolfgang¡¯s skull, projecting globs of blood and gray matter back to speckle across Maria¡¯s hand and arm; the muzzle flare burnt the man¡¯s skin and the kinetic force pushing through, his brain erupting out of the back and sending its contents spilling out.


    White noise pressed against Maria¡¯s ears while falling to the ground with Wolfgang¡¯s corpse; the gun fell from her hands¡ªshe didn¡¯t notice the kickback.  The only thing she could see was the man she¡¯d killed in front of her.


    He¡¯s dead ¡­ I killed a man.


    The sound of gunfire repeated in her brain on repeat, mixing between the shot from the memory of her father¡¯s discharge to the one she just initiated.  Body numb, she didn¡¯t feel anything other than the cold void spreading through her hollowed out heart.


    She didn¡¯t know how long she sat at the unmoving feet of the man she¡¯d executed, but it didn¡¯t take long for a warm flame to spread across her core; burning, uncomfortable¡ªunnatural¡ªchilling poison flooding her bones and heat surging through her veins¡ªthe duality pulled her out of the mental spiral.


    It was as if she were just coming out of a labor-filled nightmare; muscles tense and exhausted, mind dull and sluggish.  Eventually, as her mind slowly started to pull itself together, Maria realized she had new appendages on top of her head and above her butt, yet it didn¡¯t connect for a moment.


    Her shaking silver eyes wandered from Wolfgang¡¯s corpse to her quaking arms, holding them up to fixate on the dark liquid splattered across them¡ªshe had blood and brains on her¡ªagain, Rachel¡¯s bloody arms and legs from the Miami incident returned to Maria¡¯s mind, which surprisingly helped her focus.


    Christ, I killed him ¡­ I killed¡ª


    Dry heaves shook her stomach as she lurched to the side, nothing exiting her burning throat while coughing, but she couldn¡¯t grasp her neck out of fear of spreading the liquid¡ªit was then that she saw a second Wolfgang, rising from his seat to bend down beside his dead copy.


    The man¡¯s calm voice was like hot tongs in her ears as he pushed the corpse to the side and extracted the deck from his back pocket.  ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate humanity¡¯s future required you to go through such a tragic experience, Maria.¡±


    He rose to his feet and opened the pack to extract a card, releasing a mournful sigh.  ¡°You might even call it Christ-like.¡±


    Maria¡¯s jaw locked, nose twisting in fury as a fire erupted within her breast, chasing away the frigid feelings.  ¡°Christ-like?  What about any of this is Christ-like, you son of a bitch?!¡±


    Newfound power welled up within Maria¡¯s bosom that was utterly different from the Skills she normally used¡ªa hand of reckoning that brought retribution.


    Wolfgang flipped the card around, which caused a projection of demonic symbols; a vice closed around Maria¡¯s entire body; it was as if someone was holding every fiber of her being to the point she couldn¡¯t even twitch her tongue.


    No!  Move!  Move, dammit!


    A solemn sigh left his lips as he turned to face the boy on the bed.  ¡°I really am sorry, Maria.  There are ¡­ Hmm?¡±


    Maria¡¯s seething eyes caught a faint red glow surrounding the man, and his movements became sluggish; her horn radiated a similar light, bathing the scene in the light tint.  It soon spread to the demons around the room¡ªshe had no clue what it did but just had one thought on her mind.


    Leave the kid alone!  I have to save them!


    Wolfgang¡¯s lips tightened, muscles tensing while shifting through the cards in the deck, yet a small smile was on his lips.  ¡°Congratulations, Maria.  You¡¯re gaining access to Skills you¡¯ve suppressed, and they¡¯re surprisingly strong given you¡¯ve never used them before ¡­ A reflection-type aura, is it?¡±


    Stop!


    He selected a card.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Soon, your more offensive abilities will manifest, which I hoped to see.  Still, I¡¯ve achieved what I needed from you, and such interference is problematic; I¡¯ll need to act before these new Skills can fully manifest.¡±


    His blue eyes wandered between the paralyzed twins, likely renewing their paralysis restraints.  ¡°There¡¯s no need to be concerned about my double¡¯s promises being broken¡ªI expect to release everyone here with the exception of the boy.  We will need people like you in the coming war, as well ¡­ Good luck, Maria.¡±


    A bright blue light extended from the card, permeating Maria¡¯s body, and in the blink of an eye, she was staring at a concrete brick wall¡ªshe¡¯d been teleported.  The power restraining her collapsed with the aura she was emitting.


    ¡°Dammit!¡±  Maria stumbled to the side, supporting herself by using a nearby metal bed.


    Mind reeling, her vision penetrated the pitch-black space; she was in a cell.  Steel bars were fastened into the concrete floor and ceiling, and a few other empty compartments were shown on the left and right.


    ¡°Dammit!¡±  she screamed again, fist coming down on the mattress to erupt into flames as it diffused solar radiation.


    A little stunned at the sudden explosion, she stumbled back, falling to her butt; her horn hadn¡¯t disappeared, and the strength quickly filling her brought an uncomfortable heated edge¡ªshe was pissed.


    Hot air shot through Maria¡¯s nose while getting to her feet to watch the flames quickly spread across the bed; she wasn¡¯t powerless anymore, and she felt it¡ªhated it.  She didn¡¯t want this part of what it meant to be a Unicorn.


    Words wouldn¡¯t form in her mouth; Wolfgang forced her to choose between her morals and children¡¯s lives, and she broke¡ªhe knew she¡¯d break, and that was the most frustrating part.


    Maria turned to glare at the thick white tail which had sprouted out of her rear-end¡ªforcing her shorts lower¡ªit was in a similar area as Rachel¡¯s.  Her ears twitched with agitation once focusing on them.  She was officially a horse, which she hated since it was a common trope jealous women called her while in her teens.


    The change within her mind was swiftly molding to Maria¡¯s internal desires, and she could feel it.  Her thoughts chilled, purpose swelling inside her breast.  She didn¡¯t want to let this part of her out because she feared it, but now it was released, there was no putting it back.


    Maria breathed in deeply, stretching her neck left and right as her glowing tail followed the motion.  If Wolfgang wanted her to accept this side of her, then he¡¯d learn why she resisted it so hard.


    Asking the seed what new skills she had, Maria smirked, vision shifting to leer at the demonic symbols carved on the floor and wall.  ¡°You hear me, Wolfgang?  If you wanna fight, we can do some slug trades.¡±


    A reddish-yellow effulgence erupted from her horn, chasing away the darkness¡ªSolar Radiance II¡ªeliminating everything she didn¡¯t see as friendly.


    The blood and brain across her front evaporated as the air pressure in the room quickened in the flash heat; fire erupted everywhere, and the bars began to glow with every second she held the solar radiation.


    Maria stood in front of the door, letting the metal expand.  It didn¡¯t take long for the beds, chairs, and other materials around her to become a raging inferno.


    Lifting her hand to her horn after a minute, she felt the appropriate amount of energy had built and condensed the flare to her index finger¡ªSolar Focus II¡ªholding the spark to the lock, it shot into a beam that melted through the mechanism within.


    She tugged the sliding door open and walked out as a fire alarm sounded.  A sprinkler system went off; Maria ignored it, leaving the room for the water to douse the flames.


    Entering the long hallway beyond the cells, Maria¡¯s Night Vision penetrated the darkness while the siren went off, but it wasn¡¯t long until it was silenced; the passage led to what appeared to be a large central room.


    She checked every opening for Wolfgang and to make sure she didn¡¯t leave the little girl he¡¯d mentioned¡ªher wet clothes and hair stuck to her skin, yet that didn¡¯t concern her.


    I can¡¯t save everyone ¡­ I know that, but justice isn¡¯t dead.  I¡¯ll send you to be judged by God, Wolfgang.  Not these fake-ass gods you¡¯re so scared of.


    Wolfgang¡¯s voice traveled via the ventilation system with her advanced hearing, but she couldn¡¯t be sure where he was through hearing alone; he talked to the various twins while working on the boy.  Every word ground against Maria¡¯s brain while swiftly moving between rooms.


    ¡°I find twins so fascinating¡ªeven more so after gaining this ability to peer into the spirit.  You are all proof of the subtle bond that unusual separation causes.  In fact, one of you will be the catalyst to bring about a new dawn to human evolution ¡­ Ah, I see it.  It¡¯s lovely when everything you¡¯ve gathered comes into one complete picture.¡±


    Maria lost track of his voice as she entered the main sitting area of the shelter; a long ladder rose up to her left and three branching hallways she had yet to explore.


    Bypassing the bunker¡¯s couches, TVs, and other visual luxuries, Maria went down the central hall since the ventilation system would likely operate in that direction.


    Hurriedly passing through two more doors to find a large bathroom and bedroom, she paused; a tiny 5-year-old girl¡¯s head shot up, causing her bound black hair to bob a little.


    Her big brown eyes widened as she dropped her play dolls and pointed at her, speaking Cuban Spanish.  ¡°You¡¯ve got a horn!  Unicorn!  Wow!  Who are you?¡±  she asked, pushing herself up and bouncing over to her with a big grin.  ¡°I¡¯m Yasmin!¡±


    Maria took a deep breath and smiled at the girl.  ¡°Hello, Yasmin.  I¡¯m a little lost; do you know where the man that took you here is?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Wolfgang?¡±  she asked, blanking and looking past her.  ¡°Umm, I don¡¯t know.  He saved me from a big bad place and gave me lots of cookies and stuff; he¡¯s gonna take me to my parents soon.  Isn¡¯t he nice!  Oh, did he save you, too?  You can play with me!¡±  she cheered, knee-length dress bouncing up and down.  ¡°I¡¯ve been so lonely!  Heh, you speak funny, too!¡±


    Maria bit her lower lip, knowing what that statement likely meant¡ªshe¡¯d be murdered for his experiment.  ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ afraid I need to go for a bit, Yasmin, but I¡¯ll be back real soon to get you.  ¡®Kay?¡±


    ¡°¡®Kay!  Will you bring cookies?  Can I have a piggyback ride?  Oh, and can we go outside, too?!  It¡¯s so quiet here ¡­ I don¡¯t like the bad place, though,¡± she mumbled, eyes falling for a moment.  ¡°Oh!  Oh!  But you¡¯re a Unicorn!  You can protect me from all the bad stuff!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Maria forced a smile, but the coals in her gut flared.  ¡°My name¡¯s Maria, okay, ni?a?  We¡¯re gonna have lots of fun on a big floating turtle!¡±


    [Ni?a- Spanish term of endearment, roughly translated as ''little girl'']


    Yasmin¡¯s lips parted in disbelief as a squeal shook her petite body.  ¡°A big floating turtle?!  Can I feed it?!  Can I pet it?!  Where?!  Where?!¡±


    ¡°Heh, in a bit, ni?a, but first, I need to go handle some business¡ªcan you play a little bit longer, and I¡¯ll be back soon?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!  Mhm!  I¡¯ll get my play pants on!¡±  She puffed up her chest.  ¡°See, I¡¯m resposeboble!  I can dress myself and everything!  Mama taught me!¡±


    Maria couldn¡¯t help feeling a hidden smile at the innocent girl¡¯s mind; she was already hopping off to a dresser.  ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon¡­¡±


    She closed the door and locked it from the hallway, making sure she wouldn¡¯t be too curious for her own good and wander after her.  When it shut, her silver eyes hardened, knowing this girl would more than likely be forced to learn she¡¯d become an orphan.


    Wolfgang ¡­ God¡¯s judgment or Hell through your dealings ¡­ I¡¯m glad you¡¯ll suffer for eternity for this shit.


    She tried to open the door; it was locked from the inside.  Maria tightened her grip against the nob and forced the lock to snap with some effort; Rachel was far stronger than her, but she wasn¡¯t weak.


    The wooden frame swung in, and Maria entered what appeared to be a waiting room.  Continuing to the next door, she ran and kicked it in, feeling power in her legs she didn¡¯t experience before.


    It broke off the upper hinge while flying in to reveal Wolfgang in front of a small ten-year-old girl that hung next to her twin sister.


    Maria¡¯s jaw tightened upon seeing the boy¡¯s still body on the table¡ªDiagnosis made it very clear he was incurable.  If a jungle was his spirit, Wolfgang had stripped it of all nutrients, pulling out all the trees to find the ore buried beneath.


    Her focus centered on the small ring-sized box in Wolfgang¡¯s hand that he¡¯d fashioned out of the boy¡¯s spirit to be a vessel to transfer the object as the man turned to give her a slight frown.  ¡°Well, that was sooner than I anticipated.  I gave you a chance to leave, Maria.  A pity¡ªI told you if you got in my way, people would get hurt, and I didn¡¯t want that.¡±


    Cracking her neck, Maria¡¯s frame illuminated a dark red and light yellow as a demon flickered; the fiend¡¯s jagged movements were out of a horror movie, but she wasn¡¯t concerned¡ªeveryone mirrored the aura she was radiating.  ¡°Step away from them, Wolfgang.¡±


    He was about to turn away when the demon shoving its clawed fist into a paralyzed elderly woman¡¯s chest; the woman felt no pain as it pierced her shirt and stopped at her skin¡ªLesser Aura of Retribution III¡ªthe demon convulsed, darting back as a reflection of red and yellow marks penetrated its chest where it had struck her.


    ¡°Stronger than I anticipated,¡± Wolfgang mumbled, vision flicking to her again as he sent the demons after her since the twins were all protected from physical harm.


    Maria¡¯s hand shot out at the closest one; she grabbed it by the throat, lifted the creature into the air, and sent Holy and Solar-Type Elemental Damage radiating through her hand.


    White light cascaded down its pulsating veins as she evaporated the fiend from the inside out¡ªLesser Holy Smite III¡ªthe process only lasted two seconds.  A shrinking howl accompanied a soft hum that sent the other demons shrinking back as the creature¡¯s essence was eradicated¡ªit wasn¡¯t returning to Hell.


    Maria¡¯s cold silver eyes found Wolfgang through the dissipating fog that was all that remained of the demon; her flaring horn was more than enough to transfer her thoughts.


    With the demons now focusing on her, Maria swapped auras¡ªLesser Aura of Holy Radiance II¡ªthe demons faltered, stunned by the blast of disorienting energy.


    Bypassing the throng, Maria went right for Wolfgang; she only made it four feet before he tossed the entire demonic deck at her¡ªblack flames detonated from it, which created a wall of fire that cut off a portion of the room, and twelve more demons exited the mix, shielding their faces from her shining aura.


    Shadowy chains, black darts, and floating inanimate weapons clothed in the fire exited after; the attack was too quick¡ªbound, she felt the heat of the darts strike her belly and chest while the weapons surged forward to deliver their death blow.


    A smile brightened Maria¡¯s lips; Wolfgang was throwing the whole kitchen sink at her, and his wall may have protected him from her, but it also protected the twins from her.


    Deactivating her holy aura, she ignored the weapons trying to burn their way through her regenerating body.  It was difficult not to cry, but she didn¡¯t let a single tear fall while glancing at the spiritually dead child.


    I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t strong enough.


    Her mind centered on the small army advancing on her, eyes illuminating a raging yellow and deep crimson.  What¡¯s my Solar Pool at, asshole?


    The seed¡¯s response made her snort, enraging the fiends.


    24%, huh?  Well, I guess auras are expensive.


    A demon jumped forward, claws raking at her back; its shadowy appendages could phase right through the chains binding her.  The pain caused her to bite her lip, and a chuckle rolled through her breast as the others jumped in, stabbing, tearing, and gnawing on her side, arms, breast, and neck.


    She closed her eyes, bearing the agony that fed back to her mind; her powers kept her alive, healing every injury.  This is nothing ¡­ Is that it? I¡¯m only down to 16%, idiots ¡­ 10% ¡­ 6% ¡­ 2¡­


    A wave of reprisal radiated from Maria¡¯s core as she opened her flaming eyes; a sword cut through her neck and severed her hair, delivering the death blow¡ªLesser Reckoning I.


    The Skill allowed every point of damage she took while in the Retribution State to be mixed with the prayers and hopes of those affected by the Guardian State, collecting them into a pool.


    If a death blow came within ten seconds of activation, all energy expended would be returned with the desperation of those nearby that she was protecting to be funneled and converted into power to deliver a final reckoning.


    A spark of white splendor grew into a sphere of pulsating Holy, Purity, Healing, and Solar elemental waves; the demons shrank back as a rejuvenating aura dazzled around Maria¡¯s frame¡ªclothes barely decent enough to look at, her bare skin radiating a majestic luster.


    She laughed, shrugging off the failing chains.  ¡°Game over, boys.¡±


    The spinning sun of elemental forces detonated with the equivalent of the energy injected¡ªSequence Pulse IV: Holy, Solar, Healing, Purify¡ªthe air superheated, chairs evaporated, demons purified, flames neutralized, and once the pulse passed, only people remained in the space.


    All of the twins were freed from their demonic restraints, healed of any pain or physical ailments that affected them, and left confused on the scorched floor; Wolfgang had his back turned to her, but despite everything she¡¯d just thrown at him¡ªenough to fracture and yellow concrete¡ªhe only sustained severe burns across his back.


    Damn his protective magic shit ¡­ Oh, I¡¯m at 65%.  Nice.


    Wolfgang¡¯s back was blackened, and his posture had saved much of his head from the blast.  He coughed, hugging himself, legs unable to function.  ¡°Heh ¡­ Too late, Maria¡ªalthough ¡­ that was¡ªmagnificent.¡±


    Maria¡¯s nose twisted in disgust while grabbing the back of his neck and forcing him out of the room, leaving the twins to pick up the pieces.


    Either Isabel or Edelira called after her.  ¡°Maria ¡­ Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Mmgh,¡± she grunted, ¡°just help them.¡±


    Wolfgang struggled in her arms as she brought him into the next room, which was more than a little damaged from the radial forces that broke past the wall.  She didn¡¯t stop until reaching a private bowling alley room across the hall, closing the door and throwing him before her.  ¡°What did you do to them?¡±


    He wheezed on the ground, fighting for air; all of his defensive magic seemed to be used to protect him from the combined elemental attack.  ¡°W-What?  I actually d-did it!  It¡¯s done!  The twin girls¡ªthe seed duplicated and¡ªheh, oof, eh, heh¡­¡±


    Wolfgang spat out black blood.  ¡°I¡¯m actually ¡­ A vicious tactic, destroying the magic Relica used to protect me from Hell¡¯s energy¡ªI¡¯m dying, yet I am fulfilled!¡±


    His wild eyes rose to meet her while collapsing to his side.  ¡°Those twins¡¯ seed ¡­ for them to bloom¡ªthey¡¯re ¡®wish granters¡¯¡ªonly by passing it on, can they live.  Their spirits cultivate and help the seed¡ªit adapts to the next person through their own wish, eh-heh,¡± he coughed out more blood, gripping his chest.  ¡°Humanity is saved!  Oh, heh, and if these ¡®wish granters¡¯ fail to do so¡ªin twelve days, they will die.¡±


    Wolfgang choked a laugh as Maria glared down at the hateful man.  ¡°Humanity will live on¡ªno matter the cost!¡±


    Maria had heard enough, and not wanting to take the chance he had anything else up his sleeve, she gathered more solar energy from her horn and sent a beam of focused radiation through his skull¡ªhe remained laughing until the end.


    Is it really killing someone or just sending the same filth to meet their maker?


    She spat on his corpse and returned to help the others, doing her best to adjust her ripped shirt and damaged bra to remain somewhat decent.  I need to talk to Clay and Rachel about this seed transfer business.


    It was a bitter taste in Maria¡¯s mouth; being able to share the seed to the world was a dream for many¡ªof that she was sure¡ªbut the cost that Wolfgang used to achieve it was beyond heinous, leaving them little choice but to comply with his twisted vision.


    She brought the excited five-year-old girl out to hang with the others¡ªshe was happy to have a ton of new friends to play House with¡ªand moved what remained of Wolfgang¡¯s skeleton out of the room to not scar anyone¡¯s minds further.


    Fiona broke through the central entrance ceiling several minutes later; naturally, a hot mess and ready to put a few icicles through Wolfgang¡¯s chest.  Although, again, as to her Fairy friend¡¯s nature, the girl became a blubbering mess upon seeing her and latched onto her throat the moment she saw her.


    ¡°Maria!  I¡¯m so-so sorry I came so late!  There was this big, stupid wolf!  I just¡­¡±


    ¡°Yo, girl, I¡¯m fine.  Yo!  Chill, girl.  I¡¯m good ¡­ Well, no, I¡¯ll tell you later, but yeah¡ªwanna help me get these people to Cahira¡¯s floating boat?  I got a lot to talk about with Tom, ya know?  Oh, what¡¯s goin¡¯ on with Rachel and the crew?¡±


    Fiona shook her head, Warpath ending after discovering she was okay and Wolfgang was dead¡ªMaria wanted to see her face when learning there were two that she¡¯d killed herself in this bunker.  ¡°Uh¡ªI don¡¯t know; Rachel¡¯s gone all goth-girl or something and is fighting off that one dude¡ªArmand, I think?  Yeah, and uh¡ªyeah, I don¡¯t know ¡­ sorry.  I was just trying to get to you¡ªno, look at your clothes!¡±


    ¡°Heh, clothes can be fixed ¡­ Is it safe to bail?¡±


    Fiona wiped her tears away and gave a nod.  ¡°I¡¯ll blast anyone trying to come after us!  Umm, are Izzy and Edel okay?¡±


    ¡°Eh, yeah, we¡¯re good!¡±


    Fiona breathed a sigh of relief as the twins poked their heads around the corner to see what the noise was about.  Maria still didn¡¯t know who was talking as they bounced off each other.


    ¡°Is Benedict okay?¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    Fiona waved her hands earnestly.  ¡°He¡¯s off helping Scarlet and Grace, I think¡ªmy mind¡¯s kind of fuzzy ¡­ Maria, you have a tail!  It¡¯s so cute!¡±


    ¡°After!¡±  Maria groaned, feeling her face flush a little.  ¡°C¡¯mon, girls, let¡¯s get these people outta this hell hole!  We got lots to do!  Go!  Go!  Go!¡±  she ushered, moving to push the twins back inside to get everyone ready to depart.


    When is all of this going to end?  C¡¯mon, Rachel, do what you¡¯re good at and finish this shit!


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 32. Triggering Misfortune

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


    Recap:  Maria incinerated Nazi butt, and saved the little girl and dozens of twins, but at a price to her own heart.  Two of five Wolfgang down, three to go!  Maria now has a tail and ears; she''s also got some awesome offensive abilities now, too!


    We return to Rachel ... It''s time to end this and show Asher which direction misfortune flows.


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    Pandemonium fueled Rachel¡¯s composed demeanor, guided by the instinctual essence of Yseress towards the wooden houses near Camag¨¹ey airfield, the bubbling heart of where everything would come to a conclusion.


    Gisele and her four Hell buns took up positions on either side of her, using the rail guard of a nearby porch to gaze upon the descending U.S. military.  The forces were told to keep clear of the mass of twenty thousand human sacrifices floating in the air and focus on clearing out the demons throughout the city or rescuing any survivors.


    A slight smirk moved Rachel¡¯s eyes as her black-furred ears slowly shifted to scan the battlefield, drawing in information.


    Asher floated in the center of the sea of paralyzed humans; the people were completely aware of the horrors surrounding them and unable to so much as blink an eye to relieve their stress.  The ritual sucking out their life essence would have felt like ice expanding through their veins, cutting every cell in slow, agonizing waves.


    Much of the agony they experienced would have been eased after the dissolution of the barrier that compressed the Hell energies Asher had gathered over the past three weeks.  However, it would still leave every individual scarred from the experience in more than just the mind and body.


    Yseress¡¯ innate aptitude in the devil arts gave her a rough prediction on how such a situation would play out, and a small number of those used in this summoning would endure the collapse if she stopped it.


    There were ways Rachel could maximize the survivors, yet doing so risked the plan¡¯s success, and she was more inclined to go with what would work rather than put their hopes on something that wouldn¡¯t, killing everyone involved.


    Rachel''s toes flexed against the blackened ground on which she stood, charred by the Hellfire cloaking her frame; she was in the front yard of a home just outside the airfield, hands loosely held behind her back and above her tail.  Several ongoing events kept her from confronting Asher, the most important being her own unusual change.


    Her illuminated red pupils and void-black clover irises lifted to Cahira¡¯s baby Dragon Turtle as he maneuvered in the air, continuing to bombard Xazzos and Armand.  Tom¡¯s not taking any chances, helping those they can but putting them in isolated medical centers under guard if there is the chance of demonic possession.  A logical precaution, given his knowledge.


    Music, bullets, shouts, and missile explosions erupted around her from various angles; the demonic army had lost all interest in her the moment she began channeling Yseress, yet that didn¡¯t stop her pets from hunting them for food.


    Overall, Rachel¡¯s thoughts and body were processing something far more pressing than the chaos that surrounded her or the threads of misfortune tugging in every direction¡ªher light purplish-red skin tone drew her notice as she caught sight of her bare left bicep.


    Yseress¡¯ influence on her was on Rachel¡¯s mind.  It stands to reason Izanami is using me and knew I would change by taking in Yseress¡¯ essence.  I cannot deny it was the only way for me to deal with the current situation ¡­ I¡¯m not a slave; in fact, I¡¯m the master, yet at the same time, I cannot say I¡¯m the same after accepting that deal.


    Her amused full lips didn¡¯t falter upon transferring her weight in the opposite direction, shifting to follow the path she¡¯d taken.  Fiona must have reached Maria, yet she closed her hole behind her to hamper any pursuit.  Maria should be safe, considering Wolfgang¡¯s motivations, and the twins have a high chance of surviving.


    No¡­  Rachel released her grip, bringing around her Hellfire encased hand.  The concern isn¡¯t Yseress or even Izanami.  I can more or less count on a Hell Lord¡¯s end-game¡­


    A vision of the lovely woman hosting radiant rogue hair and a revealing spaghetti-strap light red dress.  Eostre and the other moon deities have their own plans to empower themselves.


    Izanami made her intentions and motives known without much of a fight, offering to aid me in my own pursuits, yet the lunar gods have been subtly manipulating my Seed and powers from behind the scenes.  How many others are being supported without their knowledge?


    Fingers closing into a tight fist, she hummed.  I won¡¯t last much longer¡ªmy body won¡¯t adapt to Hell¡¯s energy for some time since it wasn¡¯t incorporated into my Seed¡¯s design from the start.  Maria will help speed up my recovery ¡­ I need to identify these hidden agendas while I have Yseress¡¯ insight into higher planes.


    Turning her back to the field, Rachel was pleased to discover Grace and Scarlet bringing Wolfgang; they¡¯d presented the proper answers and given him the right questions to draw him in.  It appeared that something he¡¯d been working toward had been accomplished, and not soon after, the remaining two Wolfgang clones within the city vanished from her hearing.


    Yseress¡¯ experience with the man told Rachel he was formidable; simultaneously, she found him rather foolish in motive and overstretching his hand.  If anything, he wasn¡¯t finished with his projects, but if they killed the original body, he wouldn¡¯t be able to continue to produce more clones of himself¡ªFiona was going after the actual Wolfgang, and she doubted he would be able to survive her onslaught while empowered by Warpath.


    Asher was an essential item on her list to deal with.  Ultimately, he would be consumed by the power he sought, which put a smile in Rachel¡¯s eyes.  She couldn¡¯t get close to him as it stood, in any case, which was why she remained at the edge of the airfield¡ªsituations needed to play out before she could reveal her hand, and that gave her time to deliberate.


    Rachel looked to the heavens, scanning the starless expanse; dozens of aircrafts passed in arcs above the warzone.  A lot of pressure will be put on me after this is over ¡­ I can¡¯t hide my transformation given the number of surveillance drones currently sweeping the city.


    Tom will be on my side, I¡¯m sure¡ªthe information I have to give will be isolated to him and the President alone.  There isn¡¯t much we can do about gods and goddesses interested in the seeds ¡­ at least, not yet.


    It¡¯s a dangerous game.  These creatures can¡¯t allow us to become stronger than them but need us to further their own agendas and powers.  At some point, we¡¯re going to have to butt heads, and given the line of logic, I¡¯ll eventually need to become a lunar deity myself, or some equivalent.


    Her vision deviated to the west, toward Havana.  Relica must know at least part of that knowledge¡ªWolfgang¡¯s given a few hints about it to Grace and Scarlet, and they were working together on a lot of these projects.  Her obsession with Scarlet could be in response to that, and Twilight is a more significant threat than even Izanami and the lunar deities.


    Entities far beyond our understanding are engaged in a convoluted game behind the veil.  We can¡¯t center our efforts on fighting something we don¡¯t have the slightest idea how to even conceptualize, which is why Izanami has attached herself to me.


    Eostre is beholden to a power structure that Izanami isn¡¯t, and that gives her the opportunity to offer me more.  Without Moongmor, I would have died a few times at this point.


    Although, could all of those circumstances have been orchestrated so that I rely on the lunar deities and Moongmor?  Is Nia just an innocent tool they¡¯ve used to draw me in?


    Eostre might not necessarily be evil ¡­ Izanami may not even be evil¡ªeveryone has their motivations and reasons.  How can I use them to get what I want?  I need to keep Yseress alive somehow to counter Izanami, yet in doing so, I put my family in danger of more than just the general public.


    It¡¯s foolish to think this will remain under wraps forever, and Hell coming to Earth with the U.S. defending all humanity is too big of a compelling story to not display to the world.  Leaks will get out, given the number of soldiers involved.


    Her lips fell slightly.  Richard¡¯s psych evaluation will likely come up after this mission¡ªit¡¯s the perfect time and motive to analyze us.  Things are going to get complicated, but it isn¡¯t impossible to manage the optics.


    Rachel¡¯s fingers found her elbow behind her back as she turned in the direction of Armand and Xazzos; the muscular blue-skinned demon used an opportunity Cahira¡¯s continual magical cannon fire provided to cut a gash through a small wound in Armand¡¯s throat, expanding it to the point of bathing in the wolfman¡¯s blood.


    It¡¯s over.


    The lesser demon¡¯s laughter caused Rachel¡¯s ears to tilt to the left a little in amusement as his ax absorbed the liquid; empowered by the strength it drew, Xazzos leaped into the air, weapon expanding with its master until he was large enough to bring it down on the terrified man turned beast, separating the rest of his neck from his body.


    Armand¡¯s corpse fell limp against the soil as his head tumbled across the ground to plow into a half-ruined building; his spirit soon left, and the blue demon reverted to his original size, the channeled power spent.


    Cahira¡¯s men shouted in panic at the expanding demon, the Dragon Turtle lifting further into the air and swinging around in case Xazzos turned his attention to them, but they weren¡¯t even on his radar¡ªXazzos¡¯ orders were clear to Rachel¡ªprotect the ritual and kill Armand, in that order, which was one of the reasons why she currently held her position.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes slid to the space ten feet ahead of her as a demonic gateway split space, peeling back like a person ripping open a banana peel¡ªXazzos emerged with a thrilled smile and still covered in Armand¡¯s blood.


    Deep gashes from Armand¡¯s claws and puncture marks from the beast¡¯s colossal teeth could be seen healing as she watched him sally forward; obviously, he¡¯d restricted himself by a great deal when facing Nia and her, but that was the combative nature of a Lesser Blue Demon from the Silian Planes.


    Xazzos was among the ordinary warriors of the Silian Order¡ªa demonic kingdom within the first level of Hell.  Proud, and boasting of their military might, Demons were in a rather brutish category, unlike Devils, which Yseress numbered among.


    ¡°He-he-he-he!  Ah, what a fight!¡±  he laughed, sweeping his ax in a long sweep while facing her.  ¡°Is it time for us to bond in battle, possessor of Yseress?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Rachel lifted a black eyebrow, giving him an incredulous look.  ¡°Does it look like I¡¯d like to fight you?  I haven¡¯t moved past the border marker you¡¯re contracted under.¡±


    Swinging his weapon back to rest the shaft against his brawny right shoulder, he grinned.  ¡°I could feel your thirst for battle when we first fought!  Heh, pity Yseress¡¯ influence is suppressing that fierce fire in your gut.  Are you really so inveigled that the Devil has tamed your warrior¡¯s resolve?!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s vision narrowed, grip tightening around her elbow; his words stung, as he knew they would¡ªLunar Pride was affected by the Hell Energy drawn from Yseress, yet she was only borrowing the means to absorb it, which meant there was a part of her that was riled up by the comment.  ¡°You and I both know you were seeing just how far you could push me in our last encounter¡ªyou could have cut Nia and me to ribbons.¡±


    Her new senses tightened her gut while viewing the flow of Hell that surrounded the Demon.  ¡°I see the regeneration the Silian Order boasts of isn¡¯t exaggerated.  Still, you¡¯ve spent a great deal of your strength in fighting Armand ¡­ What would happen if an integral piece of your stabilization link to this plane was destroyed?¡±  she asked, a wicked smile glinting in her eyes.


    ¡°I see!  As expected of a Devil.¡±  Xazzos¡¯ mirth only escalated, chest shaking with laughter.


    Rachel gave a nonchalant shrug, following his gaze to the blood portal that materialized to their left, revealing Scarlet, Wolfgang, and Grace.  ¡°There¡¯s a reason Devils rule Hell with Demons as their tools.¡±


    Her lips became a line when Xazzos pounded his chest, wielding a grin she hadn¡¯t expected.  ¡°I hear change is coming!  Trog''drannod will break The Order¡ªit will crumble beneath the might of the Hellraiser!¡±


    The statement didn¡¯t mean all that much to Rachel, but an unusual shiver ran through her frame nonetheless; Yseress didn¡¯t like his declaration.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Scarlet tentatively walked forward with a reluctant Grace, glancing at her bouncing Hell-infused blobs as they cheered at their appearance like watching a live-action movie.  ¡°We ¡­ got Wolfgang, but he said something weird ¡­ Is everything okay?¡±


    Grace made a noise while sucking in air through her teeth.  ¡°Lord help us¡ªhoped we got rid of this demon fella ¡­ Eh, are you talkin¡¯ to it?¡±


    Rachel scratched the base of her left ear, still feeling the discomfort of Yseress.  ¡°He won¡¯t attack since we aren¡¯t presenting a threat to the ritual at the moment ¡­ Ah, Wolfgang,¡± she smiled, turning to face the man.


    The man¡¯s calculating blue eyes shifted from Xazzos to the ritual to her.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ I was wrong about our meeting destination, but I can see why¡ªbefore you take my spirit, I¡¯ll ask one thing¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Rachel pivoted her hips and posture to face both Xazzos and the group Scarlet brought.  ¡°I have my own question; a trade is appropriate given both our answers are true.¡±


    His face tightened, knowing what she was suggesting.  ¡°You predicted I¡¯d set it up where key information inside my Intelligence would be destroyed before you swallow my spirit and want to trade for the important bits ¡­ expected.¡±


    Grace ran her fingernails through her hair while growling, ¡°What is up with you and all this 4D Chess bullshit!  Gah, why does everything need to be a part of some grand plan!  Can we just get this shit over with ¡­ I want out of this nightmare, Rachel¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±  Scarlet hugged herself, biting her lower lip for a moment while staring at the grinning blue-skinned demon that listened.  ¡°This has gotten crazy, Rachel¡ªI don¡¯t know who to trust anymore.  You¡¯re like a totally different person.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face softened, not that she felt it.  ¡°Scarlet, I know this has progressively gotten worse and worse, but we¡¯re near the end¡ªI¡¯ll explain everything.  I¡¯m limited on time, though; if I don¡¯t hurry, my soul will start breaking down¡ªNia, Gisele, and my Rabbit Gang¡¯s included.  It won¡¯t be much longer.¡±


    Xazzos rolled around his neck.  ¡°Even if you send me back to Hell, possessor of Yseress, I will return to fight you in time.  I look forward to feasting upon your entrails and bathing in your guts to taste that half-blood¡¯s essence!¡±


    Half-blood?  Rachel¡¯s calculating clover eyes shifted to the Demon as the others blankly stared at the nonsensical figure; the comment made her tail stand on-end¡ªYseress was becoming pissed at his jabs, which interested Rachel.  So, you¡¯re a half-blooded Devil?


    It made her wonder if Yseress¡¯ mother or father was the human, but it didn¡¯t matter to the current situation, and she filed the information away, doing her best to ignore Xazzos¡¯ insults, but given she was fighting against Lunar Pride, it was challenging when the Devil agreed with the passive skill.


    Tail stiff and ears twitching, Rachel kept her vision trained on Wolfgang; the man was perceptive enough to realize the tension between them.  ¡°If you wish to make that deal, considering I am still linked with Yseress¡¯ contract while you are not¡ªalthough, you are channeling a Devil and appear to be bound by the contractual requirement of their nature¡­¡±


    He trailed off, pondering her deal, and after a moment of uncomfortable silence, nodded.  ¡°Seeing as you are bound by the equivalent exchange, I will go first, and any follow-up question will be added to the payment, which ends with my spirit being consumed¡ªdo you agree to this contract?¡±


    Scarlet and Grace¡¯s heads were practically producing steam; it was nice they were worried about her, but everything was singing to the strings of misfortune she tugged upon.  This was a battle unlike any Rachel had experienced¡ªyet Yseress excelled in Devil versus human.


    ¡°I do,¡± she replied, making Xazzos chuckle.


    Wolfgang took a deep breath and let it out, intense blue irises peering at her as his mind turned, trying to look into her Core which was a mass of energy¡ªhe could do nothing more than see the Hellfire cloak she released.  ¡°Who¡¯s side are you on, Rachel?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips became a line, her focus moving to Scarlet and Grace; Wolfgang was intelligent, and his morals would shockingly align with many if they were aware of his pursuits while others couldn¡¯t stomach the methods he was willing to go for his beliefs.  ¡°Who¡¯s side?  Myself.  I am motivated by the connections I have and will fight for those I love.¡±


    She shifted her hip to the other side, tilting her head as her smile returned.  ¡°My family, and selfishly, I will fight to keep my loved ones close, unlike you.  The Trolley problem, without exception, I would save my loved ones while you would sacrifice them for others.¡±


    Scarlet and Grace¡¯s vision dropped to the ground as they thought on her answer; Rachel knew his methods and motivation.


    Wolfgang didn¡¯t react to the declaration, but the next question put a shiver through Rachel¡¯s mind; he knew how to elicit a response and get results.  ¡°What if your family was tied to humanity?¡±


    Her eyes narrowed as Xazzos roared with laughter.  ¡°Are you sure he is not a Devil?¡±  he asked, rolling around his shoulder.  ¡°I have never met a human such as he.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s he saying?¡±  Scarlet whispered, arms tightening around her core.


    Rachel¡¯s ears tilted forward a tad while staring at the convicted man.  ¡°Your clones are connected to you ¡­ You¡¯re threatening to somehow make the world¡¯s problem my family¡¯s.¡±


    A small smile lifted Wolfgang''s cheeks that didn¡¯t touch his eyes.  ¡°Is not your family a part of the whole?¡±


    ¡°He has a point, possessor of Yseress,¡± Xazzos mused, changing his ax to the opposite shoulder.  ¡°What devilish plots has Lady Izanami put in your skull?¡±


    Rachel ignored him again; Wolfgang and Relica were a threat she couldn¡¯t ignore¡ªshe¡¯d have her own turn to question him.


    ¡°Snake,¡± Grace huffed.


    Wolfgang¡¯s gaze momentarily slid to Scarlet as her brow set; of course, Scarlet wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to harm her new family, which Rachel loved about the girl.  ¡°Your response?¡±


    ¡°I would protect my family,¡± Rachel returned.


    Nodding with satisfaction, his blue irises slid over her figure.  ¡°You have made a deal with a Hell Lord ¡­ What are the specifics?¡±


    Grace and Scarlet¡¯s attention was instantly snatched by the question, but Rachel didn¡¯t hesitate to answer; he didn¡¯t know about the Lunar Deities or Moongmor.


    ¡°Consensual and mutually beneficial growth.  She has no interest in humanity and will not cause trouble to it; her sights are much higher¡ªI was assured through a contract that no harm from her nor her followers will come to humanity.¡±


    A glint appeared in Wolfgang¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Wonderful.  Do you intend to keep helping humanity?¡±


    ¡°So long as it falls in line with my own goals.  You don¡¯t care if a few people die if I am stopping threats that can pose a risk to a greater number of people, which is what closing crystals and working with the U.S. government accomplishes.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Wolfgang muttered.  ¡°Do you ¡­ have control of this energy ¡­ and of Yseress?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t immediately respond, causing Scarlet¡¯s anxiety-filled face to deepen.  ¡°... I am Yseress¡¯ master now ¡­ As to Hell¡¯s Energy, I have control.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Wolfgang¡¯s eyebrows lowered.  ¡°You have control, but you are not the same is what you are saying.  Yes?¡±


    ¡°What does he mean you¡¯re not the same?¡±  Scarlet whispered.  ¡°What¡¯s different?¡±


    Wolfgang slowly nodded.  ¡°Indeed.  What is different, Rachel?¡±


    She could hear the fear in the girl¡¯s voice.  ¡°Less than you think,¡± she stated.  ¡°I approach problems more indirectly¡­¡±


    ¡°Like a Devil,¡± Xazzos snorted.


    ¡°Yseress is a lazy Devil,¡± Rachel explained, ¡°and I inherit a part of her attitude when using her connection to Hell.  She works off efficiency and the path that will require the least amount of effort on her part.  I am the one in control of the motivations, but the methods seem to be influenced by her personality.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Wolfgang hummed.  ¡°Will you attempt to make Yseress more human as her master?¡±


    It was an interesting question, and given what she¡¯d learned from Xazzos, it was something she could see herself doing¡ªshe was more human than he knew.  His inquiry was for an entirely different purpose, though; Yseress influenced her, and if she grew more human, so too would she in this channeling state.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rachel answered truthfully; of course, Wolfgang was missing context.


    A relieved sigh shot through Wolfgang¡¯s nose.  ¡°Excellent.  I would ask you if you are going to save the people to our left¡ª¡±  he cut off as Xazzos laughed, narrowed vision watching the creature, only continuing when he stopped.  ¡°Yet, I know if you answered in the positive, Xazzos would have confirmed you were a credible threat under contract and would attack¡ªhis inactivity shows how careful you¡¯ve been and a deep knowledge of how contracts operate.¡±


    ¡°He-he-he, yes!  Tell me you intend to stop the ritual, Devil possessor!  Give me an overt reason to see you as a threat to my purpose!¡±


    ¡°My turn then?¡±  Rachel asked; she wanted to finish this as soon as possible and rid herself of the insufferable Demon¡ªYseress¡¯ feelings, of course¡ªshe couldn¡¯t stand his disrespect and disregard for her power since he knew he was far stronger than Rachel.  Never had she been insulted by a Lesser Demon.


    Grace was practically biting her nails at this point.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I¡¯m going to pee¡ªbe back¡­¡±  she mumbled, watching the helicopters spot them and change directions to circle their group.


    Scarlet didn¡¯t know if she should be scared or happy when the flying machines started circling them and Grace hurriedly jumped up the stairs, past the Rabbit Gang, to use the house¡¯s toilet¡ªof course, if Rachel remembered correctly, Legendkin didn¡¯t have to use the restroom like Mythickin, so it was more or less to just cool off.


    Wolfgang followed the brown-haired girl¡¯s retreat, probably noting the same thing.  ¡°Yes, Rachel, I am content.  Let us finish this while time remains.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t hesitate to begin.  ¡°You¡¯ve been conspiring against Asher and Armand this entire time?¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± Wolfgang smirked.  ¡°An easy one that you should have gained from listening to my conversation with your friends.  So, your actual question here is to what ends and with what methods¡ªtesting to see if I would see the subtly in the inquiry.¡±


    Oh, no, Wolfgang, I didn¡¯t quite ask that question¡ªthanks for the discount.  Your imagination that everyone is less intelligent than you is a weakness you need to overcome.


    He tightened his grip behind his back, studying Xazzos¡¯ entertained expression.  ¡°When this seeding event occurred, and information started arriving, Relica came into the picture.  It was when Relica tried using us to further her own powers and understanding that I decided on a course of action¡ªthe proof that there was Hell and that it could be brought to Earth ¡­ I had to act.¡±


    Rachel nodded, moving her hand to her hip; if she didn¡¯t ask, she didn¡¯t have to pay.  An intelligent man was not always a wise man, and often, those that knew too much wanted to share too much, given a chance.


    Wolfgang grunted, turning to the heavens.  ¡°I offered what Asher wanted and was allowed to do whatever I wanted in return.  Yseress was an answer to everything¡ªmore powerful than all of them, and after I convinced Asher to expel Relica from the barrier, no one had the means to disrupt my bond to her ¡­ until you stuck her back inside¡ªbrilliant really ¡­ or by design,¡± he mused.


    ¡°In any case, I made the grand ritual summoning in the most roundabout way, which would give me as much time as possible to accomplish all my goals until I needed to leave.  Now, having safeguarded much of my research, I can die.  Slow, fast, I care not.  My purpose is fulfilled.¡±


    Xazzos looked impressed by Wolfgang¡¯s declaration of betrayal; of course, who would doubt the man¡¯s loyalty, given the actions he¡¯d taken thus far.


    ¡°Your specialty¡ªall of you have one?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Wolfgang unclasped his hands to scratch the back of his ear, ¡°a decent question¡ªdemonology, summoning, as you might have guessed.


    ¡°My main body was focused on the cloning of our Intelligence into sustainable host bodies, reshaping them to our image.  He also focused heavily on obtaining spiritual eyes¡ªthe third eye, as some cultures call it, which allowed him to peer at the Seed¡¯s progression and the ability to transplant it ¡­ Many sacrifices were needed for such a task¡ªa tragedy, but necessary for the whole.


    ¡°As for the others ¡­ Seed tampering and the study of adding elements to its development.  A dive into the obscure occult artifacts that could be generated and manipulated, and a focus on divining the divine¡ªhow to combat their rising influence on humanity.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±  Rachel¡¯s ears tilted the opposite way as she followed his gaze to the heavens.  The occult artifacts were likely what Relica was after, given what she knew about the various objects around us ¡­ A mix between Hell and the occult.


    ¡°What about Maria?¡±  Scarlet piped up, trying to ignore the helicopter that watched them; Tom was given her location, and Cahira was in the process of swinging the turtle around to close in on their coordinates.


    Rachel was getting there but given Scarlet¡¯s fragile mental state, putting her significant concerns at rest was something she prioritized.  ¡°If you are connected to your clones, you know the reason Maria was taken.  What¡¯s become of her?¡±


    A strange sense of pride entered Wolfgang¡¯s voice.  ¡°Ah ¡­ right, right, your Unicorn friend.  She lives, as I¡¯m sure is your primary concern.  As to how you phrased the question¡ªshe was the foundation in our greatest accomplishment¡ªshe provided a firsthand observation as to what happens when a seed bonds to its host.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fists tightened.  ¡°She¡¯s alive is a lot different than if she¡¯s safe!  Is she okay?  What did you do to her?  Rachel asked what happened to her!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Wolfgang¡¯s vision slid from her to Rachel.  ¡°I should ¡­ have asked you about the entity inside this girl¡ªfoolish of me to skip that detail.  Unfortunate.¡±


    Xazzos¡¯ grin washed away upon centering on Scarlet.  ¡°Entity inside ¡­ What is that?¡±  he asked, muscles flexing in agitation while taking a hurried step back.  ¡°It is not from Hell¡ªsomething greater ¡­ How can you contain such a ¡­ thing?¡±


    He was intimidated, which Rachel could understand¡ªif she saw Twilight, she had no doubt she would lose her mind given the horror the entity seemed to embody.  It put her thoughts back on Relica; there was a subtle motivation shift within the sorceress ever since touching Scarlet¡¯s mind.  It would have to wait, though.


    Wolfgang folded his arms, vision snapping between Xazzos and Scarlet; she had no idea why the Demon was frightened, yet Wolfgang caught the implication.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Perhaps we will need some form of deity aid for what is to come,¡± he whispered.  ¡°Something to ponder.¡±


    Composure returning, Wolfgang focused on Rachel again.  ¡°Maria was forced to relive a past trauma in order to pave the way for her seed to be fully accepted¡ªshe shot my original Intelligence in the head and killed my clone that is adept at manipulating the Seed.¡±


    Scarlet stiffened, empathizing with Maria.  ¡°You¡ªY-You made her remember¡ªrelive her past trauma ¡­ That¡¯s¡ªThat¡¯s unforgivable,¡± she yelled, likely putting herself in Maria¡¯s shoes and being forced to repeat the moments of The Oscillation where she discovered her parents¡¯ fanaticism.


    Wolfgang calmly appraised her enraged demeanor and the twisting blood that left her body, struggling to keep it under control.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Maria served humanity; I have nothing but the utmost respect for her.  Without her, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to give such a marvelous gift to the world.¡±


    ¡°Gift?  What gift?!¡±  Scarlet yelled.  ¡°What is any of this¡ªHow is any of this a gift?!  You¡¯re a monster!  Everything out of your mouth makes me want to vomit!¡±


    ¡°Scarlet,¡± Rachel whispered, ¡°I need him alive¡ªalthough my time is running short¡ªjust give me a bit longer.¡±


    ¡°I know¡ªI know!  I just¡ªhe¡¯s such a devil!  A real devil!¡±


    He closed his eyes, a content smile lifting his cheeks.  ¡°The perspective of the weak-willed and cowards.  Maria will go down in the history books as the savior of humanity¡ªthe blueprint that allowed every woman, man, and child to partake in the gift of the Seed.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡±  Rachel asked, gut tightening at the implication.


    His clone is researching the divine ¡­ He¡¯s trying to figure out where the Seed came from to further enhance it.  There are no limits when it comes to his ambition for humanity.


    A long sigh streamed out of Wolfgang¡¯s lips as he shifted his gaze between them, settling on Xazzos¡ªthe Demon was still fixated on Scarlet, seemingly entranced by something.  ¡°I am the only real bastion of hope this world has against what is to come, but I do have a growing faith in you, Rachel.¡±


    She didn¡¯t exactly find that encouraging but let the comment slide; Grace was taking sharp puffs of air in front of the mirror, trying to mentally prepare to come back out¡ªthe water wasn¡¯t running, so she couldn¡¯t splash any cold water on her face, much to the girl¡¯s annoyance.


    Licking his lips, Wolfgang ran his fingers over his scalp.  ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I¡¯ve done, Rachel¡ªI¡¯ve saved us¡ªI¡¯ve developed a way for the Seed to be transferred through all of humanity!  It won¡¯t be a perfect match, but everyone will be affected, if only in a small way, given their limited compatibility.  I¡¯ve turned humanity into gods!¡±


    He suddenly shook his head while laughing, shoving a fist at the heavens.  ¡°No!  We¡¯ll transcend gods!  Humanity will be the master of our own fate!  We will surpass all limits and become perfect; the Seed brings out the perfection in each of us, and all will receive its blessings¡ªequity of every unique transformation¡ªtranscendence of humanity has been achieved!¡±


    Wolfgang spread his arms in a welcoming gesture.  ¡°Name me a villain¡ªI will happily take on the blame of the weak, but as this Seed spreads, the real strength of humanity will take shape, and we will move beyond such uninspired titles as evil and good¡ªthe whole of humanity will become perfect!¡±


    Rachel figured he had a few screws loose for having the ability to literally call Hell to Earth in the pursuit of his research.  She couldn¡¯t understand him in that regard but needed to know the goals he had¡ªif what he said was true, though¡ªshe could keep her promise to Alexa.


    I need to play my cards right and question Maria about this further ¡­ I¡¯m running out of time.


    She could feel her spirit starting to corrupt¡ªif this continued, she¡¯d become a Devil for a short time before her spiritual essence would incinerate from its unfamiliar strain.


    Rachel held up her hand to Scarlet¡¯s confused and angry blustering before she could clear up her words¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t hope for The Oscillation to happen to her worst enemy, given her experience and given Nora¡¯s reaction, Rachel knew all too well that this Seed was far from a blessing yet not necessarily a curse¡ªit affected everyone differently, and it wasn¡¯t always pleasant.


    This was the last question available to her by the contract; she needed confirmation.  ¡°What are the short-term goals of your two surviving clones?  How are you going to communicate with a deity, and what will you do with the artifacts you create?¡±


    Wolfgang took a few deep breaths to calm himself.  ¡°Oh¡ªhmm ¡­ I think you know the answer to the first.¡±  Rachel wanted to hear it from his mouth¡ªshe suspected it since the moment he told Scarlet and Grace about her making a deal with a Hell Lord.  ¡°You ¡­ Of course, I¡¯ll need to make many preparations, but I cannot guess what those are based on my current knowledge.¡±


    ¡°The second?¡±  Rachel pressed.


    He groaned, working around his neck.  ¡°Unfortunate that this information needed to be divulged ¡­ I¡¯ll be going to the U.K. ¡­ To the World Tree that has been named the Eighth Wonder of the world.  I require many things to develop weapons to combat even the divine ¡­ I need someone more ¡­ stable than Relica to aid me in their crafting, and a few candidates I¡¯ve become aware of sympathize with me in the region.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be doing it right away¡ªyou¡¯ll need to lay low, which means bouncing around other countries.¡±  Not posing a response as a question to gain further insight, Rachel stretched out her arms across her chest.


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Wolfgang smiled.  ¡°How long do you think Josef Mengele evaded the allies?  I do not intend to let my predecessor down by being caught so easily.  I wish you luck in defense of humanity, Rachel ¡­ Are we done?¡±


    His toothy grin made Rachel want to roll her eyes; he certainly wasn¡¯t a boring adversary, and she knew his clones would use the bits of information he was able to pass on through their conversation to change up their plans.


    Stepping forward as Grace exited the house, Rachel plunged her outstretched fingers into Wolfgang¡¯s skull, causing Scarlet and the Gunslinger to stiffen in shock¡ªno blood escaped as she instinctively dug around the Legend¡¯s unguarded spirit to reach his Core and yank out the immaterial substance.


    To her companions, it would look like emotion drained from Wolfgang¡¯s ashening face while falling to the soil, but to Rachel¡¯s Hell enhanced senses and Yseress¡¯ influence, she could see the man¡¯s spirit.


    Her energy lashed out to compress the spirit into a tight ball, effectively killing it while turning it into a form of juice for herself to drink¡ªit was somewhat sweet as it passed into her body and the Devil soaked in his essence, completing the contractual conditions for her freedom.


    She didn¡¯t wish to sift through the lingering emotions and memories of the Legendkin¡ªyet one thing that did surprise her was the actions of her own Seed¡ªshe couldn¡¯t tell from where but it was as if a void opened up within her to gobble up the item, pulling it out of the pulp before Yseress could get her teeth around it.


    Do these have a life of their own?


    She heard the soft laughter of Izanami tickle her mind¡ªobviously, she wanted her to question it when they met later.


    ¡°W-What did you do?¡±  Scarlet gasped, hands clasped over her mouth.  ¡°I¡ªI could feel his life just¡ªjust be,¡± she gulped, ¡°smashed ¡­ Did you really eat it?¡±


    Xazzos seemed to be coming back to his senses, focusing still on Scarlet.  ¡°Possessor of Yseress ¡­ heh¡ªhe-he-he, I will see you in time for our real battle.  Do not forget the fear of my presence because when I return, my brethren come with me!¡±


    Grace¡¯s mouth went slack as a tear in space ripped open behind Xazzos, sucking the Demon in like a vacuum that didn¡¯t touch reality around them¡ªRachel could feel its pull, though, and had Xazzos the chance, he could have grabbed her and dragged her with him back to Hell.


    Rachel coolly followed his exit¡ªWolfgang had another safeguard in place¡ªif the summoner that anchored the Demon were to die, he¡¯d be sent back to Hell.  Killing Wolfgang was really the safest path to clearing the way to Asher.


    She watched him struggle against the portal¡¯s pull, showing a hellscape beyond of black flames and red lightning sparking across a desolate, horror-filled plane, filled by hordes of colossal entities that could rip her to pieces.  ¡°I¡¯ll remember that, Xazzos¡ªI¡¯d get stronger if I were you.  If we meet again, I¡¯ll utterly annihilate your essence.¡±


    Xazzos¡¯ chest roared with laughter as his feet were pulled out from under him, and the rift swallowed him.


    Silence fell as the rip in space sealed, yet it wasn¡¯t for long.


    Grace coughed, grasping her chest.  ¡°Did¡ªOkay, I think I need to go retake a break, but ¡­ gal, can we just be done with this?¡±  she cried.  ¡°Just tell me what I need to do¡ªlet¡¯s end this and get back to some normal monsters¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, please¡­¡±  Scarlet muttered.  ¡°I just¡ªI want to know you¡¯re okay, Rachel!¡±  Scarlet whispered, jogging over to her.  ¡°Tell me you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Rachel sighed; she couldn¡¯t blame them¡ªif she hadn¡¯t gone through what she had, and Scarlet was the one seemingly possessed by a devil, then she¡¯d be concerned, too¡ªthe Labyrinth Trial of the Legend¡¯s Quest was evidence enough of that.  ¡°It¡¯s almost done ¡­ Let''s end this.¡±


    Without another word, Rachel turned and walked through the field as her pets joined them; the helicopter followed her actions, reporting and recording everything they saw.


    Military vehicles were swarming around the floating human demonic symbol, awaiting orders, and most of the fiendish insects or shadowy hounds had been dealt with by the various infantry.


    Two companies of hard-looking soldiers started running out of their defensive perimeter to meet up with them; the two captains leading them were issuing orders to be on alert, watching the ground, sky, and the back of their heads.


    A captain named Thomson moved forward through the ranks to join them; Grace and Scarlet were happy to see the mass of military support.  ¡°Ms. Park, we have orders to follow your lead¡ªan unseen barrier above is blocking any aerial assistance over the ritual¡ªwhat¡¯s the plan, Ma¡¯am?¡±


    Rachel took a long breath and let it go.  ¡°Fall back¡ªunfortunately, the ritual is going to partially complete.  There¡¯s going to be a lot of casualties near the center, but at least two-thirds of these people can live at least several years of their lives before their spirit fails them.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Scarlet squeaked, vision lifting to see the massive, twenty-thousand-person ritual.  ¡°We can¡¯t¡ªsave them all?¡±


    ¡°Damn ¡­ Would it have helped if we were quicker?¡±  Grace asked, and the nearby soldiers grimaced at the news.  ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s going to be completed ¡­ Are we gonna have to deal with the boss?!¡±


    Thomson hissed, puffing out his cheeks at the news.  ¡°Retreat is your order?¡±  He wasn¡¯t looking for an explanation but a deciding action to take, which Rachel appreciated.


    ¡°There¡¯s going to be destruction, and a lot of people will be flung away¡ªthe center will be like the eye of a storm as a ring to Hell is created.  It won¡¯t remain open for long, but Hellfire will incinerate many that could have been saved.  Prepare for a mass rescue and lesser demons exiting the gate in the wake of things¡ªuse the helicopters¡ªthe shield will break.¡±


    The men¡¯s lips tightened, but the captain nodded, pressing his hand to his earpiece.  ¡°Declare an immediate retreat of ground forces and prep for disaster and rescue!  Coppers, ready for hostile engagement from the center ring¡ªwe¡¯ve got incoming!¡±


    Swearing and prayers were heard around the field as orders were issued by Tom as he questioned the retreating captain; he gave what little he could gather from her conversation, causing the general to snarl a curse and issue urgent commands to his officers.


    Rachel was happy she could focus on what was to come because she wasn¡¯t exactly sure how bad it would be¡ªAbraxas was going to be released in an incomplete ritual, which would severely limit his projection into this world and force him to retreat.


    She was sure he wouldn¡¯t be up for a fight, even against them.  She wasn¡¯t convinced she¡¯d be conscious for his arrival, either¡ªher chest was beginning to hurt, which was a bad sign.


    Her vision shifted to Scarlet.  ¡°Hey¡ªI¡¯m going to disrupt the ritual, but there¡¯s going to be a backlash that¡¯s probably going to knock me out¡ªthe same for the bun gang and Gisele ¡­ I might look grim after that, but it will be fine¡ªjust keep me safe from any Demons.


    ¡°How grim?¡±  Grace squeaked, shaky fingers closing around her second rifle as it appeared out of red light.  ¡°Big boss?  We gotta face the final demon dude?  C¡¯mon, give us a little more, Rach!¡±


    Scarlet reached out to grab her arm and winced, recoiling as the Hellfire burned her fingers.  ¡°Rache¡ªouch!  Hey, I just ¡­ I want to know you¡¯ll be okay!¡±  she hissed, waving around her hand and suppressing the reactionary blood that circled Rachel.  ¡°You¡¯ll return to normal?¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±  Rachel sighed, rubbing her arm and studying the ripped-away flesh on Scarlet¡¯s fingers as it slowly regenerated; it took longer than expected.  ¡°All I know is that Abraxas is going to be released¡ªit¡¯s going to be like he¡¯s being flung against the sides of the walls on a really bumpy ride out of Hell, smashing a ton of the Demons he¡¯s bringing with him¡ªhe shouldn¡¯t be able to stay active on Earth for long given the energy he¡¯ll gain from the broken ritual.  That¡¯s all I can say.¡±


    Grace¡¯s cheeks puffed out, eyes going wide while adjusting her hat.  ¡°Big boss time,¡± she breathed, smacking her lips a few times, ¡°okay¡ªokay ¡­ time to saddle up¡ªMama, I¡¯m sorry¡ªI¡¯ll call after this, umm ¡­ yeah, so¡ªshoot the little dudes and run from the big baddy?  Am I right?¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°Scarlet¡­¡±


    ¡°Portal us out¡ªI know!¡±  she hastily replied.  ¡°Just¡ªyou¡¯ll tell me everything when you wake up?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rachel grinned.  ¡°I promise, but make sure you stand in that spot¡ªthere under that symbol¡ªthe same for you,¡± she directed at Gisele, and she quickly moved to comply, knowing instinctively something terrible was coming.  ¡°Now, are you two ready for the last ride?¡±


    Grace¡¯s lips pulled in as she glared at her, and the two made their way to the spot.  ¡°You know that¡¯s a one-way trip kinda line, Rach!  I ain¡¯t ready ta die today!  Let¡¯s ride to live!¡±


    ¡°Right!  Right!¡±  Rachel giggled, showing a bit of laughter to ease their moods; her four buns jumped to follow her.  In truth, she was worried Abraxas had other options once actually making it to this world¡ªmisfortune was still in her favor, though, if by a thread.


    Grace and Scarlet¡¯s brows set as they passed the illuminated infernal circle at the ritual¡¯s center, showing intricate devilcraft symbols of power.


    Asher came into view as the canopy of floating bodies opened up before them, face twisted with agitation and concentration.


    A forced smile lifted his lips upon seeing her and his voice was somewhat hoarse from the rushed channel of energy he was directing¡ªa child trying to do calculus, in Yseress¡¯ view, given the scope he was seeking to activate.  ¡°Rachel¡ªI can¡¯t wait to get my hands on you after¡ªit¡¯s too late!  Abraxas will arrive!¡±


    Rachel studied the design, following the intricate patterns and directing bridge points that Wolfgang had carefully crafted¡ªa flaw so glaring it made her smile popped out like a sore thumb.  ¡°What¡¯s this, Asher¡ªif this area isn¡¯t sealed and something were to get inside¡ªsay, a little Hellfire¡ªwhat would happen?¡±  she asked, projecting her energy to instantly vanish and appear below the spot eight feet away.


    Asher followed her gaze, unable to do anything while channeling the power, yet nothing could be done to him¡ªany flaws in the shielded ritual, however, were free game.  ¡°No¡ªI checked every inch myself¡ªthat wasn¡¯t ¡­ Wolfgang ¡­ No, stop!  Do you have any idea what that will do!?¡±


    Scarlet and Grace shifted nervously, blood and rifle scanning the area for any threats as the military swiftly retreated.


    ¡°I pointed it out, my dear fake little devil,¡± Rachel sighed, ¡°of course, I know ¡­ What will Abraxas do when you botch his welcoming party?  He¡¯s not that forgiving, unfortunately¡ªI have seen it first hand!¡±  she paused for a moment, gut tightening as her chest spasmed; Hell¡¯s energy was beginning to force its way past the protections the Seed provided at her low resilience threshold.


    Asher¡¯s eyes darted to various points along the ritual; after Rachel drew his notice to the flaws that were opening at the slightest flow shift¡ªlike phosphorous when exposed to air, the forces being channeled reacted to this universe¡¯s energies to generate a feedback loop, causing a chain-reaction that would distort the summoning circle.


    The issue, she needed to be under one of the weak points to inject the acceleration compound, leaving her exposed to the recoil.


    Giving Asher a departing wave, she giggled to infuriate him one last time.  ¡°Goodbye, Asher; I doubt we¡¯ll meet again.¡±


    ¡°Why is a Devil undermining me?!¡±  he screamed.  ¡°This is for Hell!  You should be on my side!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile turned into a smirk as the energies began to mix and expand.  ¡°Clearly, you don¡¯t know what the Hell Lords actually want¡ªmaybe you¡¯ll learn by going there yourself.¡±


    He screamed as the ground shook and his muscles bulged, seeking to control the impossible to contain gale of spiritual force she¡¯d corrupted¡ªraising her arms, she released her draw upon Yseress¡¯ power at the last second, ears falling back as her strength failed her¡ªshe was falling unconscious.


    Hell Energy leaving her body, she activated all of her defenses; Nia¡¯s Less Is More, Lunar Shield, and Wenet¡¯s Light to give a light source for her Lunar abilities to initiate, such as Lunar Recovery and Wenet¡¯s Lesser Protection.  Finally, she used Lunar Boost, absorbing all four of her Rabbit Gang buns to boost her Lunar Pool up by 45% to gain the raw physical stats Lunar Surge and Overpowered gave her in the initial impact.


    Black flames swallowed her as the world went back, and all she remembered was Asher¡¯s screams of pain and despair¡ªshe¡¯d done all she could, and misfortune would follow for her enemies.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 33. Hell’s End

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Scarlet (Our desperate new step-sister!)


    2. Rachel (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


    Recap:  This is it, ladies and gentlemen!  It''s time to see if Rachel has really discovered a way to ruin all of Asher''s plans; brace yourself because help is on the way, people!  It''s time to close Hell''s gate and stop the apocalypses!


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    Scarlet could only watch in fright as black flames bathed across the inner circle, evaporating the corpses of the cult members lining it; a flash of pink moonlight illuminated Rachel as a lustrous globe birthed in front of her.


    Sound dying in Scarlet¡¯s ears, she screamed for Rachel, praying to anyone who was listening to save her sister¡ªthe one girl who was kind enough to make her a part of her life when the world was collapsing around her.


    She hoped¡ªdesperately wanted to believe Rachel wouldn¡¯t sacrifice herself.  She always found a way to overcome the odds, yet everything had spun out of their control when she opened the way to this nightmare.


    It was her power that allowed them to get inside, and if Rachel died because of that, she didn¡¯t know how to go on¡ªhow she would face Molly, Alexa, Nam, and Sam¡ªher new family that depended on her to keep Rachel safe.


    Grace¡¯s trembling hand was clasped around hers as Scarlet¡¯s new sister¡¯s gothic appearance faded¡ªher protection against what was to come¡ªand all Scarlet could see was a fatigued sickness passing over her.


    It only lasted a moment as Rachel¡¯s strength redoubled, looking up in defiance while her knotted muscles lifted her hands up to stop a sea of hellfire.  Scarlet stood frozen, vision totally blocked by the raging inferno.


    All she felt was misery, anguish, and torturous spiritual wreckage leaking out of the substance, paralyzing her mind in a mixed baggage of pleasure and horror.  A current so strong that it shoved Grace and her together, it created some kind of natural shell that blocked out the world, repelling the torrent.


    Eight seconds was an eternity as the sheer volume of released afflicted spirits spilled out in the corrupted wave that shook the very physical plane and rattled Scarlet¡¯s bones.  The colossal pressure forcing Grace¡¯s chest against her back eased in an instant, dropping them to the ground¡ªScarlet hadn¡¯t even been aware they¡¯d been carried into the air.


    Grace hit the hard ground beside her, coughing and sputtering with tears in her eyes, yet when Scarlet¡¯s hand touched the igneous, blackened rock, all she felt was a pulsating chill.


    Shaky vision rising, her hand closed around her mouth.  ¡°No¡­¡±


    Two feet of topsoil was eaten away, leaving vivid demonic symbols inscribed across the charred zone; the asphalt and concrete of the airfield had been replaced by the hellscape Asher had called to this world¡ªRachel was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±  Grace wheezed, following the hellfire rotating around the outer ring of the devil¡¯s circle, spread out over eight hundred meters.  ¡°I-I don¡¯t see her ¡­ Is she still alive?¡±


    A whirlpool of flames rotated around the ring that had burrowed into the earth, leaking out dull, red light and crimson electricity sparked around the edges.  Scarlet¡¯s lips parted while scanning the silent atmosphere¡ªblack smoke hazed the heavens, making it seem as if they¡¯d been isolated in the epicenter of the world¡¯s end.


    No words left her throat; everywhere her frantic eyes settled, all that met her was rosen brimstone, black flames, and Hell¡¯s sigils, pulling in the light to give the illusion of an unholy, charcoal radiance.


    Her fangs bit into her shaking lips, bloody tears leaking out of her eyes as she saw what circled the satanic halo¡ªskeletons stripped of flesh, encased in an onyx-like substance that kept their spirits compressed into their bones.


    Overwhelming emotion stabbed Scarlet¡¯s chest when she saw a lone pinkish sphere hovering among the thousands of trapped souls¡ªone body-sized shard that released a faint rosen light.


    ¡°Rachel¡­¡±  Scarlet whispered in disbelief.


    Grace followed her gaze, swiftly finding Scarlet¡¯s trapped sister.  ¡°No, is¡ªis she¡­¡±


    Swallowing the bit of blood that entered her throat, Scarlet shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± she cried, crimson leaking from her eyes as they fell to the hellfire.  ¡°She¡¯s just trapped!  We need to get her¡­¡±


    Her tongue latched to the roof of her mouth; an ocean of hellish force slowly rose out of the soil, causing gravity to reverse and her stomach to do somersaults¡ªthe Hellfire was feeding into the outer ring¡¯s demonic language, scorching the earth and sustaining the devil¡¯s gateway as something rose within.


    Scarlet wasn¡¯t sure if it was the air, her, or reality itself that inaugurated the arrival of Abraxas, but she had no doubt something far beyond anything they could imagine was reaching out of Hell to claw his way into their realm.


    Far above them, floating in the center of the unhallowed pylon was Asher, crimson arcs of lightning dancing off a translucent shell around him that met with the various sides of the sacrilegious aureole.


    ¡°H-Hey!¡±  Grace choked, cowboy hat only remaining in place by the string around her throat.  ¡°Didn¡¯t Rachel t-tell you to snatch her and b-bounce?!¡±


    Snapping out of the terror gripping her chest, Scarlet reminded herself that no matter what, nothing would be more frightening than the devil inside her.  ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Blood exiting her skin and lifting off her cheeks, Scarlet formed the portal above them, allowing the reverse pull to lift them into it.  Coming out the other end under Rachel¡¯s imprisoned figure, another wave of dread and inadequacy struck her thumping heart¡ªshe wasn¡¯t dead, Scarlet could feel the spirit within her but it was faint and something beyond words was drawing upon her strength.


    I¡¯m so sorry, Rachel ¡­ You always need to save me.


    Forming her blood into another portal, Scarlet squinted her eyes, doing her best to find some way to escape the hellscape, panic  settling in as all she saw was darkness; she couldn¡¯t see through the clouds and fire of Hell, leaking out of the open gateway.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t we going?¡±  Grace screamed, looking down while clinging onto Scarlet¡¯s waist, Rachel¡¯s crystalized form at their back.  ¡°I think¡ªI think something¡¯s coming out!¡±


    Jaw locked together, Scarlet wanted to shriek.  ¡°There¡¯s no way¡ªI can¡¯t see past the smoke!¡±


    ¡°Do you have to see?!¡±  Grace returned, arms quaking.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Scarlet randomly selected a far off place, generating the portal as fast as she could while  Grace and her watched in stunned silence¡ªgiant red clouds radiating malevolence lifted out of the ring to close around hundreds of soul-trapped humans ¡­ Unfortunately, the first came for them.


    In desperation, Scarlet tried to complete their escape, but the demonic force created a barrier between her blood, trapping them in two different spaces before she could blink¡ªall the strength in her body swiftly left as it separated.


    Scarlet and Grace watched in horror as the incorporeal hand split, pulling them away from each other.  Fear set in¡ªtheir one available safety line stolen¡ªher power rejected, blood boxed in next to her.


    No!  No!  Stop!  she cried, unable to use any of her other Skills as a force somehow blocked her from taking any action.  Rachel!  I can¡¯t ¡­ Why can¡¯t I do anything right?


    It had been so fast to interrupt her, but now every second was an eternity; Grace¡¯s paralyzed figure floated away with Rachel beside her, brown eyes pleading for help while hundreds of others were taken into the infernal maw below.  It¡¯s not fair!  Why does everything hate me?  I¡¯m so slow!  So stupid!  Move, dammit!  Move!  I have to save them!  Move¡­


    A warmth filled her bones that she hadn¡¯t experienced since a child; a golden white hue pierced the black and red Hell around them, chasing away the night.  A reassuring peace calmed her frantic mind at the thought of sunlight; this was something different.


    Rays of purifying energy dissipated the demonic forces to bask her in a protective radiance that freed her blood¡ªa globe of iridescent light chased away the devil¡¯s hands, and a resplendent sphere rose out of the ruined city, bathing it in a rejuvenating blaze.


    Maria¡­


    Lighthouse, the Unicorn¡¯s Achievement Skill, sent the woman¡¯s familiar, hope-filled promise across the landscape, beaming her calming guidance across ten miles to pull the weary, hurt, and desperate to her side while offering her purifying protection against the armies of evil.


    Creatures rose out of the gateway only to be driven back as the powerful purifying skill took hold and the illuminated backdrop of dozens of helicopters used the opening Maria had provided to enter.


    Scarlet¡¯s gaze turned to Rachel and Grace, more tears coming to her eyes upon seeing the hard case of obsidian being eaten away by Maria¡¯s cleansing star in the heavens.  A portion of the trapped souls dangling above Hell¡¯s mouth were freed from their chains, released to continue their journey while their empty skeletons shifted course, falling below.


    Even Maria¡¯s level forty ability couldn¡¯t completely purify the raw corrupting power of this tiny portion of Hell leaking into their dimension, only acting as a counterforce to offer aid where she could; two-thirds of the circle were pushed back and purged before resistance slowed its advance.


    Thank you, Maria¡­


    Gravity returning, Scarlet vanished in her own shadow to appear behind Rachel¡¯s unconscious body when the light hit her the right way to fulfill the skill¡¯s requirement.


    Arms closing around Rachel¡¯s chest, Scarlet sent her blood to the side, pulling in Grace as she laughed and cried.  ¡°A-Are we safe now?  Please, tell me we¡¯re done!¡±


    Scarlet arms tensed, half-afraid she was holding Rachel too tightly, but she wouldn¡¯t let her go; her blood pooled below them as they fell into the mouth of Hell¡¯s gate; far below, a giant serpent¡¯s head the size of a plane snaked up.  ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here!¡±


    They passed through the blood, landing on soft, neatly trimmed grass¡ªCahira¡¯s turtle¡ªhovering below Maria¡¯s sphere.


    Shouts sounded around them as Tom, Maria, Fiona, and a host of random people she didn¡¯t know crowded her¡ªthey¡¯d made it back.


    Gasps and screams brought her attention to the exposed inner circle where the demonic green snake shot out of the portal to the center, glistening saliva visible from even this distance as it opened its gaping mouth to show deadly fangs.


    The hiss it released made Scarlet wince and every human around them collapsed to the ground, passing out on the spot; helicopters wavered as the fleet fell to the ground, and only by Maria¡¯s healing globe did they regain consciousness in time to correct their course, but it was over by then.


    Grace¡¯s wide eyes were fixated on the scene as the serpent¡¯s jaws snapped shut, and it retreated below.  ¡°It ate him¡ªAsher¡­¡±


    Black flames, laced with crimson electricity, erupted out of the ring before a red cyclone filled the space; the presence that was birthed within seemed similar to the horrific sensation Scarlet had felt before, but this was on a whole different level.  Not a sound was heard, everything giving way to the Hell fiend.


    The blood mist departed, revealing an abomination of solid darkness, standing over two hundred meters in the air, tendrils of shadow writhing off of its form as it turned sinister red eyes on the Dragon Turtle.


    Mouth opening, crimson liquid belched out of its jagged maw to collect into a thin, tongue-like appendage as blood rain fell to the scorched earth.  An unearthly clicking noise resonated in Scarlet¡¯s skull, making her blink, yet an agitated groan soon silenced the noise in Scarlet¡¯s mind¡ªTwilight.


    Missiles fired from the helicopters and tanks volleyed rounds with many other military weapons taking aim at the colossal figure¡ªhowever, the moment Twilight rolled over in her deep sleep within Scarlet¡¯s core, the devil dispersed into blood mist¡ªit was gone.


    Explosions resounded across the soaked, desolate rocky plain that used to be for planes, but apprehensive silence followed; Tom was by the edge of the wall, holding his head and looking for where it might appear next, screaming orders to look for smaller targets in case it had shrunk or taken to the sky.


    Scarlet had the distinct impression the devil was gone the second Twilight began to stir¡ªthe devil within her seemed to just snuggle further into her imaginary blankets, which painted a picture Scarlet didn¡¯t want to associate with the horrible deity that her parents had obsessed over.


    Breathing a sigh of relief, Scarlet gently shifted Rachel¡¯s sleeping form to the side and rested her head against her breast, listening to her steady heartbeat.  You¡¯re alive ¡­ Thank God.  Please, please don¡¯t do that to me again ¡­ I honestly thought you¡¯d died for a minute.


    ¡°No!¡±  Fiona screamed, zipping in closer to hover around them.  ¡°Is¡ªIs Rachel dead?¡±


    Her outburst drew quite a few eyes, but Maria soon put the Fairy¡¯s worried mind at rest; the Unicorn knelt down, horn blazing light as her soft radiance burned Scarlet¡¯s skin, but she refused to let go of Rachel.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ No, she¡¯s alive¡ªYo, shit, though ¡­ What did she do, Scarlet?  Aye, uh¡ªack, yo, Rachel¡¯s super messed up,¡± she groaned, distracting herself a little.  ¡°It¡¯s like she¡¯s scorched herself from the inside out¡ªonly like, spiritually.  It¡¯s kind of like Wolfgang, but ¡­ It¡¯s so much worse.¡±


    Scarlet tensed.  ¡°Spiritually?¡±  Brushing back her messy black bangs to look at the Unicorn, she cleared her throat.  ¡°What do you mean?  She looks alright on the outside ¡­ I¡¯m not sensing anything bad!  H-Her spirit¡¯s still there¡­¡±


    Maria hissed, scratching the side of her forehead, and it was then Scarlet noticed her new ears and tail.  ¡°Shit, big difference between her spirit bein¡¯ there and the state of it, chica.¡±


    ¡°You can fix her, though, right?¡±  Fiona pressed.


    Grace nodded, sitting cross-legged beside them.  ¡°Yeah, Rach like¡ªlike set everythin¡¯ up so we¡¯d win.  What can we do¡ªcan I do anythin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Shhh¡ªlet me think, dammit,¡± Maria grunted, folding her arms and glaring at the Lunar Hare.  ¡°Shit ¡­ I mean, she¡¯s healin¡¯ slowly from Lighthouse¡ªI think it¡¯ll be good, but it¡¯s not gonna last the time she needs.  I¡¯ma need ta keep trying to purify and heal her spirit, which isn¡¯t the same as wounds, mis amigas.  I only recently started bein¡¯ able to sense this kinda stuff, so¡ªyeah.¡±


    Cahira jogged over, tied back ponytail bobbing.  ¡°Aye¡ªyo, sup with Rachel?¡±


    Fiona grimaced, letting Cahira catch up as she pressed Maria.  ¡°Eh, so you¡¯re saying it¡¯s just going to take time?  How long?¡±


    Maria shook her head and popped her tongue.  ¡°Dammit, I don¡¯t know¡ªgive me a break, I think she¡¯ll be good given a few days, but it depends on how much work I can put in ¡­ She¡¯s my chica de casa, but I gots a lotta peeps to heal, ya know?¡±


    Scarlet took the information as positive.  ¡°She¡¯ll recover, though¡ªeven if it means we need to take it slow.  I mean, I don¡¯t think we can move on to the next area¡ªnot just yet after all of this,¡± she muttered, watching Tom continue to keep his soldiers on their toes, looking out for danger and helping those that were flocking to the Dragon Turtle; medical camps were being set up around the giant creature.


    ¡°Got a point,¡± Maria muttered, examining everyone looking to them in the area.  ¡°You have no clue how many people are tryin¡¯ to get here ¡­ Not enough, though.  This slaughter ¡­ Can you think of anything that comes close to this Hell¡ªit¡¯s insane.¡±


    Scarlet couldn¡¯t worry about them; she was too focused on Rachel.  ¡°Okay, umm.  So we just need to take care of Rachel while she recovers.  I can do that ¡­ Yeah, I can do that,¡± she repeated, trying to bolster her confidence.


    I¡¯m sorry, Rachel ¡­ You¡¯re always taking everyone on yourself.  I want to get stronger.  Please, I want to get stronger.


    A shiver ran up her spine as if someone were looking at her from within, but it soon passed, and she dismissed the sensation to focus on making Rachel comfortable, bringing out a bed with her Blood Portal to give Rachel a place to rest while Lighthouse was still active.


    Eventually, Maria, Fiona, and Grace convinced her to use her powers to aid in the rescue efforts; there were still people broken and buried underneath the rubble after being flung away from the ritual.  Grace offered to stay by Rachel¡¯s side, and a few Cubans jumped in to support her.


    It hurt to leave her side, but Scarlet knew Rachel would have encouraged her to do it, too, if she were awake.  In the end, they¡¯d survived due to the unusual deal Rachel had been forced to make with a Hell Lord, and it twisted Scarlet¡¯s gut knowing she¡¯d been a part of the reason Rachel took it.


    Rachel was their leader¡ªthe one that made sure everything came together and worked out, and every time Scarlet knew she could have done more to assist her sister¡ªshe had to do more.


    I have to get stronger.  Don¡¯t feel sorry for yourself; get up and do something!  Rachel buckles down and finds a way when there is none.  I need to be a support, not a burden.  I need more power¡­


    * * *


    Rachel opened her eyes, ears twitching¡ªshe was really awake.


    Pivoting on her heel, she shifted to look behind her; Nia was still soundly asleep in her bed, and someone else lurked beyond the overhead light shining down on the platform she stood on.  ¡°I¡¯m in my Core ¡­ or whatever you call it, Izanami.¡±


    Her head tilted to the left to see the throne and Hell Lord appear, toned, supple legs crossed while gently bobbing her right-heeled foot up and down.  Her demonic wings were spread in a flexing manner before pulling in slightly.


    ¡°Quite the first act,¡± the woman snickered, silky white hair covering her right eye, while she rested her cheek on the back of her hand.


    Rachel cracked her neck as she scanned left and right, looking for Yseress; the moment she started to look, the answer came since she was the master¡ªthe half-devil was sulking in the shadows after the traumatic experience of being wrung out like a rag for Rachel to soak up her essence.


    Dismissing her from thought to center on Izanami, Rachel crafted a more Lunar Empress-inspired replica of the woman¡¯s throne since she figured it might annoy the goddess turned devil, promptly sitting down in a manner she hoped spoke confidence.  ¡°So, how did it work¡­¡±


    Her lips tightened as she crossed her own legs, pausing for a moment to see the scorch marks and damage done to herself¡ªvisually, she could have been a zombie because no one should be able to survive and look how she currently did.  ¡°What ¡­ is this?¡±


    ¡°Oh, just noticing, are we?¡±  Izanami taunted.  ¡°Did you really believe your spirit could handle Hell for that long, even with that Seed¡¯s aid?  Not only Hell but Yseress¡¯s powerful connection to it ¡­ stalwart enough to allow me to use her as a scrying tool.¡±


    The devil¡¯s long, lustrous fingernails tightened against her stone throne as her bracelets shifted.  Her full, faint purple lips were tilted in her usual superior smirk, and her dress folded back a little with her back and wing¡¯s movements to expose even more of her ample bosom.


    ¡°Heh, no, you may not have known the effects, but you knew the misfortune was not over your head¡ªmanipulated matters in a way to make sure of it.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t fold her broken and burnt-away fingers, so she settled to rest them in her palm in her lap, noticing the light pink aura surrounding her arm.  ¡°Lunar Deadening is masking the pain?¡±


    ¡°Pain?¡±  Izanami scoffed.  ¡°Yseress is mitigating your spiritual pain by using her human half as a buffer to take it on herself.  Hmm-hmm-hmm, a tricky bit of manipulation on her part that is more proactive than she typically is.¡±


    Yseress¡¯s harsh voice escaped the darkness.  ¡°Shut up!  I¡¯m not doing this because I want to¡ªI don¡¯t!¡±  she growled, clearly suffering by the tone of her voice.  ¡°I¡¯m not your slave anymore.¡±


    A devious smirk brightened Izanami¡¯s dully burning violet irises.  ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so bitter, Yseress; you¡¯re only showing how deep your loyalty runs.  You can¡¯t live without me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±  she mumbled in return.


    Rachel frowned at the small quiver in her usually succulent and beguiling voice; it could have been from the pain of losing her connection to Izanami or the suffering she was taking on for Rachel.


    In any case, Rachel was impressed and thankful for the devil¡¯s unrequested action, and it did cause a few questions to skate across her mind.  However, it wasn¡¯t a topic she wanted to bring up in front of her condescending former master, knowing words of appreciation would only feel like belittlement to Yseress.


    Rachel let out a soft breath, grateful Nia wasn¡¯t awake to see how damaged they both were.  It took a second to notice since the teenage girl was covered by a blanket and had her back to Rachel, but it wasn¡¯t only her that had sustained injuries from their transformation.  It also meant Yseress was taking on Nia¡¯s pain, allowing her to rest in peace, which could have been a ploy to get on her good side, and by all means, it worked.


    Keeping her attention on Izanami, Rachel gave a thoughtful hum.  ¡°How did it turn out?¡±


    ¡°Better than it should have,¡± Izanami mused, crossing her legs the opposite way and scanning the darkness.  ¡°Abraxas sensed my and Yseress¡¯s influence in you and tried to make a meal out of you two to gain the needed power to fully manifest himself¡ªas much as it annoys me to be used as bait.  Yet, Scarlet managed to zip you away with Maria¡¯s help¡ªquite the thread you pulled to make that happen, by the way.¡±


    The Hell Lord¡¯s glowing eyes snapped to Rachel, the corner of her lip twitching with mirth.  ¡°The price is Yseress¡¯s pain, given the added damage it puts on your spirit to end things in this manner.  Asher¡¯s trip to Hell was secured by Abraxas himself, and as you predicted, he rejected Twilight out of fear¡ªthe manifestation of his avatar was so starved he could barely hold himself together.  Now, he waits, watches, and builds his strength.¡±


    Rachel slowly nodded, cupping her fractured chin.  ¡°If Maria used Lighthouse, then I should be stable enough to begin recovering.  It was also the greatest counter against Abraxas, which put the needed stress on him and the ritual that tipped the scale.  It¡¯s settled and done.¡±


    She didn¡¯t have to have fully functional eyes to see, given whatever Yseress was doing to further stabilize her spirit; the half-devil was becoming invaluable to Rachel the more she learned about her.  ¡°Now, to the important bits.  Are the other Lunar Deities scheming something, or is it only Eostre?¡±


    Izanami¡¯s smug leer shifted to another point in the darkness behind her.  ¡°Oh, every one of them has their own little machinations.  I can see some being more beneficial to you than others, but the path you choose to walk and the gifts you take from them will determine where you take your final step as a mortal.¡±


    Her left eye narrowed, smile rising ever so slightly.  ¡°Contemplate on that devilish thought, and as to your next question, what you seek will be within the World Tree in London,¡± she finished with a casual wave of her hand before fading into the darkness.  ¡°Be firm if you wish to give your sister a place in your future¡ªit is that decision that will most shape your path.¡±


    Rachel receded into her own thoughts as the Hell Lord¡¯s entertained laughter faded into a silence that stretched around her; Izunami wasn¡¯t always with her, but when she was, Rachel felt it.


    Vision sliding to where Yseress hid, she realized the woman was embarrassed by how she looked; the half-devil took great pride in her appearance, and their exchange had marred that beauty for a time.


    Letting the weight of the situation slide through her, Rachel studied her legs as they slowly healed; it was unusual, having the ability to be conscious while not being awake¡ªanother one of Yseress¡¯s gifts.


    After a time, a sad smile lifted Rachel¡¯s eyes as she leaned against the side of her throne and stared into the darkness.  ¡°How long until you¡¯ve recovered, Yseress?¡±


    ¡°...¡±  It took a moment for the woman to respond, likely preparing her voice to not show weakness.  ¡°Depending on your view of ¡®recovered¡¯,¡± she answered in a sullen tone.  ¡°If you are asking how long it will be until you can use my powers again ¡­ five days, if Maria continues her treatments and I decide to sustain you.¡±


    Tattered ears falling forward for her to examine the restoring skin and muscle, Rachel giggled.  ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking about that.  How long until you are recovered.¡±


    ¡°...¡±  A low growl rumbled in Yseress¡¯s throat.  ¡°Why does that matter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you,¡± Rachel evenly replied.  ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you to sit with me until you feel that you¡¯re presentable.  So, I¡¯ll ask again; how long until you are recovered?¡±


    Yseress cleared her scratchy throat.  ¡°I ¡­ ahem ¡­ I can¡¯t be positive, given your implication that I am the judge of my recovery status.  Who knows what scars this will have on me ¡­ certainly not I.¡±


    Chuckling at the light lip she gave, Rachel took a deep breath and let it go in a long stream.  ¡°Well, when you do feel like talking, I¡¯d like to know more about your time outside of Hell¡ªbefore being chained to Izanami.¡±


    ¡°Is that ¡­ necessary?¡±  Yseress asked, showing a hint of the pain in her soft voice.


    Rachel hummed.  ¡°Necessary?  Not really, but I want to learn more about you.  Nia would, too, I have no doubt.  I can see you being like a cool big sister or aunt to her; we can start anywhere you like.  Think about it.¡±


    The ensuing silence as Yseress deliberated put a small smile on Rachel¡¯s heart; eventually, she reluctantly said, ¡°... I will.¡±


    With that, Rachel sat back and pondered on the future; she needed time to think, and this provided the perfect opportunity.  My sister, huh, Izanami?  Devious cow, that could be Alexa or Scarlet ¡­ Perhaps both.  Hmm ¡­ when I leave mortality ¡­ That has so many implications and questions that shake me to the core.  What will happen to my parents?


    A sigh left her lungs while resituating herself to look at Nia.  My little dark leader, we have quite a road ahead of us, don¡¯t we ¡­ At least we¡¯re not alone.  Huh?  You know ¡­ sometimes you need to become the monster.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 34. Fools On The High Sea

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Selvaria (Our Big Leviathan!)


    Recap:  Rachel and company have beaten back the devils!  It came at a price, but we''re victorious!  Now, let''s go on a short trip to see how Ohan and Selvaria are doing in their liberation efforts!


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    Selvaria floated in the sea between what Tom called Cayos Alacranes and Isla de la Juventud, the large province they were supposed to be exploring.  Their mission¡ªsee how aid could be offered to the populous.


    Technically, Tom wanted them to avoid direct conflict, but Selvaria saw that as more of a suggestion¡ªRachel certainly would have, and it was hard for her to feel noticed in the group she¡¯d found herself in.


    Hot steam puffed out of her large nostrils while looking up at Cahira¡¯s super-awesome, baby Dragon Turtle as it rose back into the heavens.  Its sleek shell, shiny magical cannons, spacious mansion, and its big, cute head made her want to squeal.


    Cahira gave the monstrous titan of a turtle the most adorable name, too¡ªZippy; the turtle was fast, and proud of it.  He¡¯d gotten along pretty well with Galatea  over the brief time they¡¯d been able to know each other, and her baby seal kind of saw herself as his big sister.  She had to be cool now because he was looking up to her!


    Selvaria wanted to help her gain amazing new skills to show her little brother when they met again, which meant they needed to level up!  The problem ¡­ leveling was hard.


    Her longing eyes were on the powerful guns on the Pirate Queen¡¯s boat.  Wouldn¡¯t it be awesome if I evolved into a mecha-girl, super space exploring laser blasting Leviathan?  I could get a big cannon I can hold¡ªfire planet exploding rays from my hands ¡­ Such cool stuff.


    She was honestly debating how to spend her points after hearing Fiona and Maria¡¯s explanation about the System; she loved it!  If she wanted something, she needed to build up enough points, and that meant saving, which meant she needed to think smart like Rachel¡ªalthough, she wasn¡¯t quite sure how you got points outside of combat¡ªthey were a bit vague on that part.


    ¡°Selvaria?¡±


    Her jaw tightened, neck swinging around to look at the very small dark-skinned man sitting cross-legged on her back.  ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The words came out in a terrifying low rumble, but he seemed to catch her meaning.  ¡°I know you can¡¯t communicate while in this State.¡±


    He repositioned the long ponytail he wore around his front, settling in while scanning the lapping waves and bright, starry heavens above them.  ¡°You still know which way we¡¯re supposed to head?¡±


    She swiftly nodded, doing her best to put off a positive attitude; he couldn¡¯t understand her, but she said it anyway, hoping he¡¯d get the point.  ¡°Mhm!  Mhm!  I¡¯ve got really good directions since I know where North and South and stuff are.¡±


    Galatea floated up, doing small twirls in the air; she was a seal, so she couldn¡¯t tell by her adorable, big-eyed stare how the animal was really feeling, but the tone in her mentally translated thoughts made it clear.  ¡°Mama¡¯s the best with directions!  We get to eat soon, right?  Right?¡±


    ¡°You already ate a bunch,¡± Selvaria giggled.  ¡°You gotta make sure to have a healthy diet; we looked up plans, remember!  Seals need the right nutrition.¡±


    ¡°Aww ¡­ Okay,¡± Galatea huffed, plopping down on her head.  ¡°I¡¯m gonna take a nap.¡±


    Ohan somehow translated their one-sided exchange, only able to hear Galatea¡¯s thoughts.  ¡°Right.  I might rest, too.  When we get to the island, we don¡¯t know what will be waiting for us, and given our numbers, the three of us need to be careful.¡±


    Selvaria silently grunted in agreement, looking back up at Zippy¡¯s speedy retreat.  I have to save my points ¡­ Well, unless we can get a good crafter person.  We need a crafter person to make mecha gear!


    ¡°Galatea,¡± she sighed, pointing with her tail, ¡°I need to put my head in the water, so you¡¯ll need to sleep by Ohan.¡±


    ¡°Okai!¡±  Galatea yawned, rising a little to settle down in front of the swordsman.


    ¡°You¡¯re such an obedient girl!¡±  Selvaria chimed, releasing a rumble that made Ohan¡¯s head and eyes snap to her.  ¡°Oh!  Sorry, I¡¯m just praising Galatea.¡±


    The seal snickered, settling in around her scales to find a comfortable spot.  ¡°Mama sounds scary to people¡ªMama¡¯s super strong!¡±


    Ohan hummed, eyebrows pulled together while loosening up his shoulders.  ¡°Let me know if anything big comes up.¡±


    Selvaria gave a bright nod in response.


    He closed his eyes again as she swung her massive body around, head dipping into the sea; she swayed in the water, weaving her tail back and forth in long, even motions.  She could see a shocking distance compared to ordinary fish, spotting various travelling sea life around the vast blue.


    It would have been nice to gaze at the stars, feel the nighttime salted breeze on her face, and enjoy the uninterrupted sounds of the surface, but she had a mission to do!  She was their transport after Zippy dropped them off, and it was her job to make sure there weren¡¯t any threats nearby.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if it was highly likely¡ªher intimidating aura pacified everything in the oceans; who would attack a colossal dragon?!  She was awesome, without a doubt, and no one could hurt her tough scales, but there were so many other things she wanted, too.


    Rachel had Nia, and Cahira had an incredible arsenal of tools at her disposal¡ªSelvaria salivated over her Dreadnought.  She wished she¡¯d turned into a Fleet Girl, like some of the anime she liked; in a way, she had, becoming an uber powerful Leviathan, yet that didn¡¯t scratch her itch for so many other genres she loved.


    Selvaria hummed one of her favorite songs from a series she adored in the gentle stream of sonar receptive pulses she analyzed around her ¡ªXenosaga.  She had so many things to be grateful for that came from The Oscillation; healing her brain was massive, yet there were so many other things she needed to improve on ¡­ communication for one.


    She was self-conscious about herself and how others viewed her, which she tried not to be, but it wasn¡¯t so easy.  It sucked being lonely¡ªeven more to be made fun of or feel stupid, so she didn¡¯t like to talk much.


    It was a weakness she wanted to overcome, and knew not being able to speak in her Leviathan form likely stemmed from that after Fiona¡¯s explanation.


    Her mind flashed back to the time they¡¯d entered the ruins¡ªout of all of that, of course, her brain went to the one, uber embarrassing moment where she¡¯d fallen down the ladder and landed flat on her back.  So lame ¡­ No, think of a better memory!  No one even laughed or brought it up ¡­ They were nice to me.  What do you think, Mika?


    Of course, her seed didn¡¯t answer her back, but it was nice knowing she had some little friend inside her that healed her and brought her into a group that didn¡¯t judge her.  The little seed was kind of like the Ancient who helped support Emilia in Phantasy Star Portable 2¡ªthat didn¡¯t mean she was always happy with the little helper, though.


    Pondering on how her new life was turning out, Selvaria slowed her motion through the waves.  Hmm ¡­ I¡¯m a trusted member of the group.  Even if we haven¡¯t known each other for that long, they don¡¯t make me feel less than normal like so many other people did ¡­ I might not have the same way of socializing, but they don¡¯t push me.  Can I really do this mission, though?


    The edge of doubt creeping into her breast was swiftly stomped out.  I can do this!  I¡¯m an ultra-strong Leviathan that can punch walls down and cast judgment on the wicked organizations of the world!  Although ¡­ Mika, just so you know, I¡¯d also really, really love to be like the humanoid CASTs as we grow together.  I¡¯m not a good human ¡­ I guess I¡¯m not human anymore, though.


    A smile lifted her terrifying mouth.  I¡¯m a scary monster that makes people jump, which is fun, don¡¯t get me wrong!  I¡¯m cool and cute, and I can be sexy and super pretty ¡­ Thanks, Mika, really¡ªI¡¯m not trying to complain, but I just ¡­ I¡¯m a monster, which is incredible¡ªit really is!  I¡¯d just like to be kind of more¡ªyou know, humanoid-like!  My heroes¡­


    Her focus returned to the sea, eyes darting to a specific target to her right; the passive sonar pulses she sent out returned an exciting find.  Oh!  Put that on hold; gotta go, Mika!  I just found a big ship!  Cuba¡¯s kind of a hot spot right now, so why is a ship sailing in the same direction we are?  Let¡¯s go find out!


    Correcting their course, Selvaria went a bit off-target; they¡¯d been shown a map of the area by Clay, and she¡¯d done her best to memorize it.  It wasn¡¯t difficult to know which degree shift would change their destination using her atmospheric navigation sense.


    She wasn¡¯t surprised when their own sonar caught her approach; Selvaria couldn¡¯t believe it; BP-391¡ªa Cuban patrol vessel¡ªwas scanning the water with complicated instruments as she approached.  Where are they aiming that light?  That thing should have noticed me so far away!


    Looking around, she couldn¡¯t see anything particularly dangerous and let out a low rumble to wake up Ohan and Galatea; if they were looking for her, they couldn¡¯t read their instruments well.


    The ship wasn¡¯t in view yet, given the rise and fall of the waves and their low entry, but Ohan seemed to pick up on the fact they were coming up on something.  Selvaria had looked through the U.S. data book on the Cuba ships before coming down with a few other things during her downtime¡ªshe loved ships¡ªand this was certainly something the Cuba Military owned.


    From what she knew, it was armed with some giant artillery that could probably do some damage to her.  If worse came to worst, she could have Galatea float with Ohan for a bit or have him swim while she sank the vessel, but the Cubans weren¡¯t their enemies¡ªalthough, Tom did warn her to be careful because there might be a military coup with various leaders trying to seize power.


    Taking the safer route, Selvaria approached slowly; however, when they neared, the spotlights they were using seemed sloppy, and the dozen or so people on deck scanning the dark while manning the mounted machine turrets were anything but trained.


    Well ¡­ It¡¯s clearly acting strange; I expected to at least have to try and dodge or cut some rounds in half or something ¡­ Where¡¯s my cool fight scene?!


    They knew something was out there, but they couldn¡¯t even coordinate properly as she circled around the ship to the opposite side.  She should have never gotten this close to a recon vessel without being spotted, much less pull up beside it.


    Shouts in Spanish could be heard above, making Selvaria¡¯s stomach tighten; they sounded nervous.  ¡°Oh, no, we can¡¯t talk to th¡ª¡±


    She slapped her two webbed claws over her mouth as the ominous rumbles of her voice reverberated through the still night air, causing the men up top to freeze.  Ohan was close enough to jump to the lower deck, and Selvaria swiftly ducked under the water, causing ripples and waves to crash against the ship with her swift movements.


    Air bubbles flowed past her as Selvaria shrunk down to her human size, slower than in her monster State but more than capable of free movement within the ocean; she grinned, watching Galatea spinning around in circles from the shifting current.


    ¡°Woaah¡ªWoaaah!  Mama!  He-he-he, I¡¯m dizzy!¡±


    Coming to a stop, she looked up at the underside of the ship.  ¡°You ready to go up?¡±  she asked, grinning.


    ¡°Mhm!  Mhm!¡±


    Selvaria pointed up and put a finger to her lips.  ¡°We gotta be shhhh!¡±


    The seal¡¯s eyes widened, whiskers twitching fervently.  ¡°Shhh!  I¡¯ll be quiet as a crab!¡±


    Not knowing if crabs were actually quiet or not, Selvaria let the comment go; her little girl was so cute!  Water flowed past her lips as she breathed and spoke at the same time.  ¡°Okay, just make sure to stay close to me; we can¡¯t be too careful!¡±


    Weaving through the sea with her thick tail, Selvaria shot up, water flowed past her thick, night-black hair; her tanzanite, inlaid, highlighted locks released a fierce glow with the red spikes along her back¡ªshe was fully charged and ready to go!


    Launching out of the water, Selvaria aimed perfectly, having practiced her leaps on Cahira¡¯s ship¡ªthe problem, her weight was in full force.  Her feet caused a ring of sound as they slammed into the steel; it held, of course, but she hadn¡¯t done the best of jobs at calculating her landings.


    Momentum carried her into a summersault, tumbling across the deck to strike the wall; a hollow thud rang through the boat.  Head spinning from the motions, Selvaria groaned, gathering her wits.


    Wha ¡­ No-ho-ho ¡­ Not again!


    Her cheeks darkened as shouts and frightening voices sounded in the night, but given the other sounds people were making, luckily, they couldn¡¯t pinpoint the area or knew what caused it.


    Flicking her plated tail to the side before curling it around to press her vertical fin against her calf, Selvaria groaned.  No one was nearby since there weren¡¯t that many people that seemed to be on the ship, to begin with, but Ohan stood like a ghost by the wall, blending into the shadows like a ninja¡ªhe was so much more relaxed.


    Steadying herself, she jogged up beside him, easing her steps as the low pounding of her feet sent reverberations through the metal.  The samurai¡¯s raised hand made her halt, though, and unfortunately, as was expected when in a social environment, her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth.


    He pointed to an area where the cargo was strapped to the ground; they were on the floor below deck.  ¡°Your glow stands out too much; hide between the crates.¡±


    His eyes snapped to Galatea as the seal silently floated up to join Selvaria.  ¡°Can she listen and translate?¡±


    Flustered after the fiasco, Selvaria¡¯s large aquamarine eyes darted to the seal; a proud tone was in the seal¡¯s hushed voice.  ¡°Mhm!  I know all the words!  They¡¯re saying a big scary snake might be on the ship; he-he-he, fear Mama!¡±


    Selvaria straightened herself, trying to take deep breaths to calm her hot face and ease the tightness in her muscles.  Cool off, Selv!  Be cool!  Just ¡­ I need more scales ¡­ Oh, not that I¡¯ll use points, Mika!  We had a talk about me putting it off auto mode, right?!  Heh, I¡¯ve got the wheel!


    Ohan¡¯s eyes narrowed at the explanation but nodded; he was as chill as a cucumber, making Selvaria a bit jealous.  ¡°Listen for a second and tell us if anything important comes up.¡±


    Now hidden in the dark shadows of the inner cargo bay, cast by the bright lights around the edges of the open slots, Selvaria noticed her changed appearance.


    When deprived of seawater for a day or two, she got a much more cute and petite figure, but when totally full¡ªit wasn¡¯t only translated to her Seawater Pool.  Her figure was quite curved, and as usual, she was naked after returning to her original form; it wasn¡¯t like she could take her clothes with her.


    Her skin-tight black plated bra and shorts were more than a little showy of her physique, which she was super proud of¡ªin the right circumstances, of course.  The change in size also helped craft some fantastic cosplay and gave her versatility¡ªnot where her mind should be at the moment, yet there it was.


    The water she carried with her was swiftly pulled into her body, skin drying almost instantly.  Cool ¡­ be cool ¡­ breathe.


    Galatea snickered, whispering, ¡°They¡¯re afraid Mama¡¯s gonna eat em.¡±


    ¡°I do have a big mouth¡ªhe-he-heh¡­¡±  Selvaria whispered, quiet laughter slowly fading out.  Wait, why am I even hiding?  I can totally just walk out and ask them stuff myself!  I can¡¯t speak Spanish, but maybe they speak some English¡­


    A soft hum rolled through Ohan¡¯s throat, vision narrowing.  ¡°Are they talking about a sea serpent or a snake?  I don¡¯t think they spotted you, Selvaria.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s mind halted.  ¡°They didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Her thoughts swiftly accelerated.  How can they know a snake ¡­ No, I¡¯m not a snake.


    ¡°Umm ¡­ Mama, why are they calling you June?¡±


    Oh!  They¡¯re talking about another snake ¡­ Is there a snake Mythickin in the ocean?  Oh, that could be my big arch-nemesis!  I wanna know more!


    Excitement boiled up in her chest.  ¡°I¡¯ll go ask,¡± she whispered, voice subdued; she hated the crippling self-conscious nature that came out when around people.


    Ohan stepped out of the shadows.  ¡°Right.  I¡¯ll back you up and follow your lead.¡±


    My lead!  My lead!  Oh, my gosh!  Yes!  I love you, Ohan!  Okay, my mission!  I¡¯m a tank, so I take the front!


    Building up her confidence, Selvaria left the safety of the crates, stepping around the ropes; she didn¡¯t trip on a single one on the rocking boat.  Boldly walking through the hall, she found all the men and the few women hovering around the top of the staircase.


    ¡°June?¡±  a few muttered, fixating on her figure.


    ¡°Selvaria.¡±  They flinched as she took each step, sending a ringing sound from the pressure that struck the metal.  ¡°You¡¯re not Cuban Military?¡±


    They shouted in Spanish, running back to take defensive positions while Selvaria continued to advance.  Ohan kept to the shadows below, somehow fading into the darkness; she lost track of him completely¡ªhe¡¯d do his thing, though.


    Galatea spoke while coming up.  ¡°They¡¯re saying you¡¯re not June¡ªheh, they¡¯re so dumb, Mama.  You¡¯re Mama, not June.  Right?¡±


    Selvaria broke into a jog as the first gunshot went off, bouncing harmlessly against her tight stomach; her seal took cover behind the boxes.


    ¡°Eat ¡®em, Mama!  Use your big teeth and claws to ¡­ Oh, or do that!¡±


    Screams soon followed as Selvaria let the bullets be redirected off her body like they were tiny bugs, catching up to the first retreating woman and grabbing the back of her jacket.


    Ohan appeared behind the one in front, glowing red aura illuminating his frame as he snapped his sword back into its scabbard¡ªas if in some kind of anime, causing Selvaria¡¯s eyes to sparkle as the weapons and radios were cut in two.


    I gotta ask him how that works!  Selvaria thought, holding the stunned woman in the air; she almost appeared to have given up, tears and hiccups shaking her body.


    Two men jumped overboard with cries, and more shouts from others higher on the deck could hear.  Selvaria gently sat the dark-haired woman down and brought her against the deck as Ohan motioned for the others to take a seat by the wall.


    ¡°Do you speak English?¡±  Selvaria asked, glowing eyes causing her to lock up.


    ¡°Eh¡ªEh, n-not well ¡­ little¡­¡±  she stammered, pointing at a man who yelled something back at her.


    Galatea gasped.  ¡°Mama said we¡¯re not supposed to use those words!  Bad man!¡±  she chastised.


    Stop teaching my little girl terrible words!  Selvaria glared at the terrified man, showing a few of her sharp teeth¡ªhe wet himself.


    Selvaria scratched one of the spikes on her neck before pointing at him.  ¡°You, answer our questions.  No curses.¡±


    Ohan leaned against the side, looking up at the high walkways above the deck as shadows ran along it.  ¡°Are any of you Demi?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  the man asked, glancing at the others, repeating the question.


    Giving them confused looks, the group shook their heads.


    Figuring the unusually jumpy people didn¡¯t know what they were talking about, Selvaria jumped in.  ¡°Powers¡ªdo any of you have any?¡±


    ¡°Oh!  Uh, please, no, I just¡ªwe were forced into this!  I swear¡ªit was all June¡¯s plan!¡±


    The others all started babbling their own stuff.


    Ohan and Selvaria glanced at Galatea as she floated back.  ¡°Woah!  She eats people, too, Mama!  Maybe we can be friends!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t eat people, Galatea,¡± Selvaria sighed.


    ¡°Hmm?  We eat a lot of fish and stuff, Mama?¡±


    ¡°People are friends, Galatea¡ªnot food.¡±  Her brow furrowed upon returning to the shivering men and women.  ¡°Most people are friends.¡±


    ¡°Some food?¡±


    ¡°Heh ... Maybe,¡± she smiled, showing her fangs.


    Ohan smirked, tapping the hilt of his sword.  ¡°Your friends don¡¯t seem so keen on getting involved.  In fact, as far as I can tell, they¡¯re all held up in the hallways, waiting to ambush us.  Not military tactics or bravery, so ¡­ Who are you, and what happened to the military on this vessel?  Were they eaten by this June person?¡±


    The man swallowed, sweat visibly on his face as the sea lapped against the side of the boat, throwing them against each other; a storm seemed to be blowing in.  ¡°I¡ªwe just want to live!  Please!¡±


    ¡°Survivors?¡±  Selvaria pressed, folding her arms and leveling a threatening stare at them; she always wanted to be interrogating bad guys!


    He hesitantly nodded, pointing below deck.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I¡ªI can take you to one if you¡¯ll spare my life¡­¡±


    The others began shouting, and one man even punched him in the face before tackling him.  Ohan just watched, studying their reactions; the women eased away, trying not to get involved while the rest of the men seemed conflicted.


    Selvaria calmly walked over and forced them apart.  ¡°You can¡¯t kill each other until I get answers¡ªI¡¯m in control.  Understand?¡±


    Keeping both at arms¡¯ distance, they didn¡¯t even try to punch or resist after seeing her tank fully auto bullets.


    Compliantly, the man that started the fight cleared his throat, showing a black eye and bloody lip.  ¡°He¡ªnot good¡ªI show you!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t put that blame on me, Roger!¡±  the English speaker spat at the man, hitting his neck.


    Roger¡¯s nose flared, but he kept his composure, raising his hands in submission.  ¡°Ander ¡­ Heh, you worship June¡ªdo whatever she tell to do¡ªsick.¡±


    Selvaria caught the other men and women frantically nodding at the statement.


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Ohan whispered, almost covered by the sound of the crashing waves.  ¡°So, it doesn¡¯t look like your friends are coming down; we¡¯ll have all the time in the world.  Explain your stories to the seal as we¡¯re going¡ªI¡¯d be truthful,¡± he growled, murderous intent causing a few of the men and the women to thoroughly piss their pants at the skill.


    Selvaria was impressed; she could do it, too, but was afraid she might give them a heart attack¡ªhers was really strong, so she didn¡¯t use it too often.


    It took two minutes for them to regain the strength to get moving, but Selvaria was sure they were telling her seal their life¡¯s story¡ªGalatea was eating the attention up.


    ¡°Woah ¡­ No way!  She ate their fingers?  How does that taste ¡­ The private parts gone, too¡­¡±


    ¡°Clean ¡­ Don¡¯t scar my little girl¡¯s mind!¡±  Selvaria threatened.


    They flinched, licking their lips before going on.  Along their short route to the prisoner, they learned quite a few things; Alejandro took on the role of spokesperson and translator for the others.


    Liam, a woodcutter by trade in the pine business of the island, took the reins of the conversation as Alejandro explained his story; he was one of the few men that hadn¡¯t lost his bladder.


    Passing through the metal hallways, Selvaria held her arms underneath her bust, glaring at the cowardly simp of a man¡ªshe wanted to throw him over the boat already.  ¡°Ahem, I¡ªumm ... most of us were forced into military service¡ªpolicing the streets for this woman¡ªJune Angel Coll¡­¡±


    Alejandro hugged his coat and rubbed his arms, shooting back something in Spanish; Selvaria was quick to thump him on the back of his head¡ªhe stumbled forward with a few curses she¡¯d heard from Maria, prompting a second beating.


    ¡°O-Okay¡ªI¡¯m sorry!¡±  he cried, cupping his red ears as she sent him stumbling against the wall.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry!  I¡¯ll stop!¡±


    ¡°Humph,¡± Selvaria grunted, watching him tuck into a ball as the others glared at him.  ¡°Get up, and continue!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±  Galatea said in a relatively bright tone for the mood.  ¡°Oh, do you like fish?  I like this!  Fishtails taste good!  I like to nibble on them.¡±


    He¡¯s not a fish¡­  Selvaria sighed; Galatea had a hard time differentiating anything from fish.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting up!¡±  he cried as the sharp point of her tail darted out, cutting into the metal wall beside him.  ¡°P-Please¡ªspare me!¡±


    Ohan hadn¡¯t spoken a word since they began, listening and studying everything they were doing; Selvaria suspected he was also keeping track of other people on the ship¡ªhe was sharp like that.


    Alejandro hissed as his fingers closed around his puffy ear and cheek; Roger had gotten some good cuts below his eye that refused to stop bleeding.  ¡°Some people¡ªlike me, joined her and became her favorite¡ªegh ¡­ pets,¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡±  his words caught in his throat as her tail slapped against a rail guard, bending it in.  ¡°Uh¡ªI-I think¡ªshe¡¯s a Mythickin¡ªshe called herself divine ¡­ the incarnation¡ªwhatever that means¡ªof Madre de aguas.¡±


    Ohan¡¯s jaw tightened.  ¡°A Cuban myth of a giant boa that is as thick as a tree and whose skin can deflect bullets?¡±


    Oh!  Selvaria turned to give him an impressed smile.  He must have been reading up on all the legends and myths of Cuba¡ªthat¡¯s pretty smart!  I got the directions, and he¡¯s got the info!


    Turning back to Alejandro as he took a few calming breaths, he nodded, following the others down another flight of stairs that brought them into the 2nd-level of the ship¡¯s underbelly.  ¡°June was known in our community as a domestic abuser¡ªbeating her husband.  She¡ªshe confessed to Sastre here that she took a liking to human flesh months before the lights changed her¡­¡±


    ¡°A cannibal?¡±  Selvaria asked in shock.  That¡¯s insane!  She was really a cannibal¡ªis a cannibal?!  Is she if she¡¯s now a snake ¡­ I DON¡¯T KNOW!!!


    Galatea floated near him, eyes big and whiskers twitching.  ¡°I don¡¯t eat seals¡ªshe eats seals?!  That¡¯s not good!¡±


    ¡°N-No?¡±  Alejandro muttered.  ¡°Humans ¡­ not seals?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re weird,¡± Galatea hummed.  ¡°That¡¯s what I said!  Mama, I¡¯m confused¡­¡±


    ¡°No!  I¡¯m just¡ªI¡¯m¡­¡±


    Selvaria put her fingers to her lips.  ¡°Galatea, shhh ¡­ We¡¯re listening to the story.¡±


    ¡°Aww ¡­ it¡¯s boring¡­¡±  she growled, spinning in the air.  ¡°I wanna eat¡­¡±


    ¡°In a little.  Be patient.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Turning back to the panicking man, Selvaria gestured for him to continue; they were being led deeper and deeper into the ship¡¯s underbelly; it seemed pretty disorganized by each room as if it hadn¡¯t been maintained in a while and had far more people that should have operated it.


    ¡°Umm,¡± Alejandro looked at Galatea in detest.  ¡°Right, eh ¡­ June ate her husband when he challenged her¡ªwell, after she started eating teens.  She took over Abel Santamar¨ªa, a division within Nueva Gerona¡ªate all the police, and¡ªyeah, umm, started to expand.¡±


    They stopped at a room near the back of the boat, in a mechanical storage area; it was a little crazy to see not a single spot of blood, but if she¡¯d eaten the whole crew, there wouldn¡¯t be signs of a mess¡ªexcept for the dented steel from her impacts.


    He rubbed away his wet tears before finishing his story.  ¡°I don¡¯t know who it was, but¡ªbut June was pushed out of the rest of the city by another man¡ªsomeone she hates and won¡¯t say his name ¡­ No one can say his name¡ªwell, none of us know it,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Get on with it,¡± Ohan growled, dark brown eyes fixating on him.


    A shiver ran down his spine as he coughed.  ¡°R-Right, umm ¡­ she¡¯s being contested, and he was¡ªwas able to hurt her.  So, she caught wind of this ship and¡ªwell, two days ago, she swam out here and took it, bringing back a helicopter to bring us here to bring it back¡­¡±


    Ohan¡¯s gaze drifted to the closed door.  ¡°And the man behind this door is the captain of the vessel that you¡¯ve used to navigate, huh?  Well ¡­ I guess we¡¯re off to a good start.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 35. The Legend of Yasuke

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Selvaria (Our Big Leviathan!)


    Recap:  We learned about Selvaria''s social anxiety, a few interests of hers, and how she wants to change to be better!  She''s trying her hardest to be the cool, big monster girl that people can rely on!  She also wants to dress with with the girls; I bet Scarlet and Alexa will love that!


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    Selvaria waited for the others to follow after Ohan as the man opened the door and went inside; it didn¡¯t take long for him to find the switch and turn on the lights.


    The storage space was filled with uninteresting mechanical devices that could be set in the lower bays for use if needed.  Crates with numbers on them and various other supplies were secured using straps, and across from the door was a tied up, beaten and bruised man in his early forties.


    He straightened, purple left eye and bloodied right cracking open as the bright overhead lights blinded him; yellow crust from the wounds flaked away when he started to move, hands looped between a heavy-duty military supply strap.


    The man grunted something, chest starting to heave a little in confusion, mumbling in Cuban Spanish, and Ohan darted to his side, quick to support him into a more comfortable position.


    ¡°Woah,¡± Galatea mumbled, floating beside her as they stepped inside, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a human like that, Mom!  Is he a special one with all the colors on his face?¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s tight expression went to Alejandro, who flinched, swiftly shaking his head.  ¡°N-No¡ªI didn¡¯t do that¡ªJose did it while June watched!  They needed to know what to do to get the boat moving¡ªshe ate his¡­¡±


    He trailed off as Ohan knelt down and gently lifted the captain up, muttering, ¡°Hold on¡ªI¡¯m not here to hurt you¡­¡±  he soothed, defending against his bound hands and legs.


    The man¡¯s dry-throated mutters pulled at Selvaria¡¯s heart, wild blinded eyes flailing as he tried to defend himself.


    ¡°Here¡ªcalm down.  Let me get this gag off of you¡­¡±  Ohan said, carefully fidgeting with the tight cord, revealing the redness and tie-marks.


    The captain coughed as it was removed, cracked throat bringing blood to his cut lips.  ¡°A-Agua ¡­ agua, por favor¡­¡±


    Even Selvaria knew that meant water, and without even being asked, one of the women jerked back, making pleading gestures.


    Figuring the prisoner wouldn¡¯t do anything stupid after seeing her casually eat bullets, Selvaria let her by.  ¡°Quick,¡± she prompted, knowing there wasn¡¯t anywhere they could really go on the isolated vessel.


    ¡°Ooh¡­¡±  Galatea hummed, floating around the area and examining all the strange equipment; her seal nature soon surfaced, sniffing her little whiskers and getting sidetracked by all the new things around her.


    Selvaria let her little baby pet do her thing, pondering what their next move should be as Ohan helped the man understand they were there to save him; she wasn¡¯t good at that sort of thing.  What would Rachel do ¡­ Take the ship back and take the boat to the city?  Beat up the bad guys, I suppose.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  A rumble shook her chest, which drew Liam¡¯s concerned gaze.


    Should I leave Ohan to do his thing and just go take out all the other guys?  Wait ¡­ weren''t there two guys that went overboard?  Oof ¡­ yeah, that¡¯s not good, and in this weather ¡­ Yeah, they¡¯re probably dead.  Shit.


    Her luminescent aquamarine irises shifted to the cowering men and women who were so frightened, they¡¯d wet themselves; the smell was distracting her a little, and she wanted to be at least a little humane.  ¡°You all, go take a shower¡ªand change your clothes ¡­ You stink.¡±


    Galatea chuckled, spinning back into the conversation.  ¡°They really stink; I smell lots of other stuff, too!¡±


    Relief and embarrassment crossed their faces, including Alejandro, but they all froze as she held up a hand to stop the English speaker from passing.  ¡°Not you¡ªOhan, does the other guy speak English?¡±  she asked, using her staple semi-monotone voice to not come off too emotional.


    The man¡¯s throat constricted before struggling to get the words out.  ¡°Y-Yes ¡­ Who¡ªwho are y-you?¡±  he croaked.


    Nodding with satisfaction, Selvaria stepped aside with the departing words, ¡°Do anything else¡ªyou¡¯ll walk the plank.¡±


    She was amused by her light humor but a shiver ran down their frames as they swiftly bobbed their heads; Selvaria figured they¡¯d long since lost any loyalties and would take whatever command someone with power gave them.


    They shuffled off, happy to have at least a bit of time to collect themselves.  Liam was the only one who stayed, arms crossed and looking conflicted at her action¡ªSelvaria just hated the smell, and it was distracting her.


    Ohan was practically ignoring their prisoners, focusing on the beaten captain.  ¡°Is anything serious, or will temporary medical care suffice?  Can you give us your name?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡±  he winced, rasping again before shakily rubbing the back of his hand against his mouth to wipe away the half-dried and new blood leaking from his wounds.  ¡°I?igo¡ªI?igo Sallent, Captain of the¡­¡±


    The woman that had left soon returned, shakily holding out one of the five bottles she¡¯d gathered.  Selvaria took one before tossing the item to Ohan, who plucked it out of the air and opened it.  ¡°It¡¯s okay, I?igo¡ªhere, take a sip of water ¡­ not too much¡ªpace yourself,¡± he eased, helping the dehydrated man with the bottle.  ¡°Take your time to answer.¡±


    Selvaria caught the woman¡¯s shifting glance back down the hall and grunted, gesturing with the back of her hand.  ¡°Shower, change, and come back¡ªfunny business gets the boot.¡±


    ¡°T-Thank¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Selvaria interrupted, giving her a critical eye while pointing at the man.  ¡°Bottles first.¡±


    ¡°Oh, heh-he¡­¡±  she nervously made her way across the room to set the four remaining containers beside the man; the swaying ship threatened to send them across the room, but Ohan kept them in place by boxing them in between him and the crate.


    Selvaria watched her quick exit with Liam and I?igo, focus soon sliding to her before returning to Ohan to sip at the water he offered.  Am I really needed here?  I¡¯m not good with people ¡­ Rachel¡¯s always pretty direct, but should I be?  Should I wait and see if there¡¯s any new things we need to look out for ¡­ Ah, Rachel has her ears for that¡­


    She caught the captain¡¯s hard look and sighed.  I¡¯m not like the snake lady ¡­ Why¡¯d it have to be a snake lady that gives me a bad image?  I¡¯m not even really a snake!  I¡¯m a super Leviathan¡ªI¡¯m a dragon ¡­ way better than some stupid tree-sized snake.


    Her eyes widened as a thought crossed her mind.  Would it be cannibalism if I ate her?  Wait ¡­ stupid thought!  Don¡¯t think about that!


    Selvaria turned her back and stepped past the door to stare at the wall, face flushing a little.  Cool down!  Be cool!  I¡¯m not gonna eat anyone and there are bad people here!  Chill ¡­ ocean breeze ¡­ a calm lake ¡­ What if I start craving meat like that story about Fiona¡¯s sister and needing to eat things?  No, but I already eat sharks and orca and stuff ¡­ That¡¯s not cannibalism, though¡­


    ¡°Mama?¡±  Galatea questioned, floating over.  ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±  she mechanically replied, doing her best to get her spiraling brain back in the game.  I mean, if the snake lady wants to attack me¡ªno, snake lady is too polite, snake woman ¡­ snake girl to be a little demeaning?  Maybe just snake ¡­ oh, that might be good.  Mind!  Chill!


    Rubbing her temples, Selvaria took a deep breath and let it stream out; it was always so hard to keep her brain on track when things started to go down the rabbit hole.  It¡¯s so hard to turn off my brain!  Should I call it a hare hole now because of¡ªoof, NO, that sounds dirty!  Okay, game face!


    Selvaria returned to the room, rolling around her neck to loosen up her tense muscles.  I can do this!  You¡¯re a hero!  I can save everyone ¡­ except for those guys who decided to jump off the ship because they¡¯re way gone now.


    Galatea floated at eye level as she entered.  ¡°Ooh!  Mama, is it time to kill fishes?!¡±


    Confused, she caught Liam¡¯s frightened twitches as he pressed back against the crates, hugging his shoulders.  Oh, c¡¯mon!  She screamed in her mind.  I¡¯m not that scary!  I¡¯m a hot Leviathan woman when I¡¯m full of water ¡­ not a terrifying sea monster.  Geez.


    ¡°Is he okay?¡±  Selvaria asked.  ¡°No fish until we¡¯re finished¡ªsoon, Galatea.¡±


    ¡°Aww¡­ Okay,¡± she said, turning around to passively enter a staring contest with Liam.


    I?igo took a minute to get down the rest of the bottled water as Selvaria calmed her raging head.  He coughed out blood and spit while trying to work the liquid into his dry mouth¡ªseemingly without water for a little more than two days.


    Once he¡¯d regained his senses and Ohan freed him of his bonds, the captain glared up at Liam.  ¡°H-He was with them¡ªthat monster ¡­ the p-pirates ¡­ The rest of my crew?¡±


    Liam broke eye contact with Galatea but was unable to look at the man in his eyes.  ¡°Dead ¡­ June feeds lots,¡± he mumbled in his unrefined English.


    ¡°No¡­¡±  I?igo''s broken nose twitched and he coughed again, slamming the crushed water bottle against the wall to spay the last bit across the floor.  ¡°She¡ªshe said she¡¯d spare the¡ªthe crew women, at least¡­¡±


    The man pulled his hate-filled eyes off Selvaria, but she knew his real animosity was for the snake woman.


    Ohan sighed, drawing his attention.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your crew¡ªI am.  That being said, you¡¯re still alive right now, and we need to know how hurt you are.¡±


    The captain tossed the empty bottle to the side, grabbing another with newfound strength, yet struggling a bit to open it before guzzling a quarter of it.


    ¡°Mmgh,¡± he grunted, working around his stiff back.  ¡°I¡¯m fine ¡­ They needed me to tell them how to dock, in any case¡ªnot that it¡¯ll be possible without a competent crew, but she seemed to think it could be done by farmers ¡­ idiot,¡± he grunted, letting a tear fall down his puffy cheek.


    Selvaria felt bad for him; for all of them, really, but felt he was placing a bit of that blame on her.  It twisted her gut, yet she could understand why he¡¯d think it.


    From what Liam said, most of these people were forced into doing June¡¯s bidding; if they didn¡¯t, she¡¯d eat their loved ones.  She couldn¡¯t imagine being put into a situation where someone told her to choose between being their slave or watching her mother be eaten and slowly digested by a giant snake.


    Of course, Alejandro appeared to be a different case.  Evil people would always join at the drop of a hat when someone offered them authority over others.


    Honestly, she¡¯d rather her mother live in the hopes they¡¯d both be saved, which was what position he was in at this very moment.  How do we stop her, though ¡­ I¡¯ve never killed anyone ¡­ Those two guys basically killed themselves.


    I?igo struggled to his feet as Selvaria pondered her conundrum.  She knew some people deserved to die, but by her hands?  For Rachel, it wasn¡¯t even a thought, or at least, it didn¡¯t seem like it was; she just took action and got shit done.  Selvaria wanted to do that¡ªshe just didn¡¯t know if she could without them doing something evil in front of her.


    The captain¡¯s shaking legs found enough strength to prop himself up, finally conscious enough for his brain to start functioning.  ¡°Who are you¡ªyou¡¯re one of the changed¡­¡±  he muttered in distrust, vision centering on her.


    Selvaria''s skin prickled.  ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ I¡¯m not like them,¡± she slowly replied, rubbing her left arm.  ¡°We want to help.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±  Galatea defended, floating near the man.  ¡°Mama¡¯s a good mom!  She feeds me fish, and protects me from bad fishes!¡±


    Ohan positioned to support him.  ¡°Calm down a little, I?igo ¡­ I know you¡¯ve been through a lot, and this could look like we¡¯re trying to trick you, but we¡¯re really here to help.  We¡¯re from America; humanitarian aid is being sent all across Cuba¡ªwe¡¯re trying to restore order to your country.¡±


    I?igo snorted, half-smile on his bloodied lips.  ¡°Heh, yeah¡ªonly the United States people call themselves American so brazenly¡ªlike South America can¡¯t claim the same.¡±


    I?igo rejected the Legend¡¯s stable arm, stumbling to the side to lean against a supply crate.  He spat on the ground, mumbling some curse and leveling a heavy glare between Liam, her, and Ohan.   ¡°The U.S. h-have wanted Cuba for generations ¡­ What is this, huh¡ªa hostile takeover in disguise of peace, eh?  Rid yourselves of the thorn in your sides that is Cuba while we struggle?¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s mind blanked.  Wha ¡­ How could he think we¡¯re here for something like that?  We just helped him!


    Liam seemed to be questioning their motives now, taking a step back to give them a dubious stare, but Ohan chuckled at the response, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention.


    Reaching down to pick up one of the bottles as the ship swayed, sending them scattering across the room, the Legendkin opened it up and took a swig.  ¡°Ahem ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t blame you for thinking that, I?igo ¡­ Not in the least with the messed up things the U.S. has done in the past.¡±


    He puffed out a long stream of air, ruefully shaking his head.  ¡°I had the image of a buddy back in Chicago when you said that¡ªRay was always telling me about that stuff.¡±


    Sliding his fingers through his bound black hair, Ohan shook his head.  ¡°He¡¯d probably be telling something about how you never know; the CIA might have paid all these warlords to pop up and start causing trouble so we could have a reason to invade.¡±


    Selvaria didn¡¯t exactly know what to say; she didn¡¯t think about those kinds of things because it hurt her head.  Of course, she didn¡¯t really like the government that much from what her mother told her, but Tom seemed to be one of the good guys.


    A hiss of air shot through Ohan¡¯s teeth as he knelt on the floor, placing the samurai sword in front of him before scratching his light scruff on his neck.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit and talk, I?igo.  I¡¯ll be straight with you, and you be straight with me.¡±


    His smiling dark brown eyes shifted to Selvaria, and it took everything in her to not give an awkward twitch in the tense atmosphere.  ¡°Care to join us, Selvaria, Liam?¡±


    Be cool ¡­ Why is it so hard to talk to people I don¡¯t know¡­  Selvaria growled inside, slowly walking over and sitting down.  It wasn¡¯t just I?igo that followed her thick, blade-ended tail snake around herself; Galatea cheerfully floated down to put her head on Selvaria¡¯s lap.


    Thanks, Galatea.


    Selvaria breathed out a long sigh, petting the seal¡¯s head and looking between them as I?igo started.  ¡°What is this¡ªa negotiation?¡±


    Ohan¡¯s relaxed posture helped Selvaria¡¯s nerves; she loved being in the water, not talking to people.  ¡°Of sorts.  We need to clear the air, and if we are going to make a difference, we need to start on an individual basis.  Actions speak louder than words,¡± he finished, directing the words at her.


    The words oscillated inside Selvaria¡¯s breast.  He¡¯s right!  I don¡¯t need to talk but show I want to help by helping!  Thanks, Ohan ¡­ Man, I¡¯ve been a bit of a mess lately.  Maybe I should see if I can take lessons to help with my public speaking.


    I?igo grimaced, vision darting to Liam.  ¡°What¡¯s your relationship to these pirates?¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t necessarily pirates,¡± Ohan returned.  ¡°Just as you were forced to put your crew¡¯s life against the general operation of your ship, they have their own people to protect.  Not all of them, but most, I¡¯d say.¡±


    Ohan was her hero, acting as their voice, yet I?igo''s reply made Selvaria pause.


    ¡°Even so, I fully expect to be court-martialed for my decisions¡ªfor giving up my ship to those that could cause severe harm with it, and face the full extent of Cuban law.  Even if many of these people are innocent, who can really say?  They stood by while a monster devoured men and women to save their own loved ones.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Ohan evenly replied, ¡°but there isn¡¯t a law for such a circumstance, and what would you have them do against, as you said, a monster, who was able to single handedly cripple your entire crew?  In this case, I would say it is better ten guilty persons walk free than one innocent man suffer.¡±


    Liam¡¯s eyes were low.  ¡°Are¡ªI innocent?¡±


    Ohan rubbed his chin.  ¡°We¡¯re often our worst accusers.  We¡¯re not here to argue whether you are worthy of being free or behind bars.  Selvaria, Galatea, and I are here to save lives.¡±


    ¡°As a United States agent?¡±  I?igo snapped, fingers quivering in his lap, but Selvaria wondered if it was from rage or just his exposure and treatment.


    ¡°An agent?¡±  Ohan mused.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t classify us as agents.  We were given the opportunity to aid people in need, and we came.  As to the specific plans the U.S. has for Cuba ¡­ I¡¯ll be straight with you, I?igo, I have no clue.  However, let me ask you a serious question as a military officer ¡­ Can you guarantee the safety of your citizens?¡±


    The answer was obvious to Selvaria.  Uh, no.  Clearly, these guys have lost all control.  There¡¯s a giant red barrier with literal demons inside of it!  Yeah, no, forget Cuba, the whole world is probably in danger with what¡¯s happening here.


    Liam¡¯s confidence surged out of nowhere, face filling with strength.  ¡°Yes¡ªCuba be strong!  We fight back as one!¡±


    ¡°No, nosotros estamos rotos!¡±  I?igo snapped, causing the man to jump.  His frame was shaking but this time with rage.  ¡°Our military fights each other¡ªdemons have crawled out of the pit of Hell itself to use us a cattle!¡±  he screamed, pointing a finger at her.


    ¡°Me ¡­ I¡¯m not a devil,¡± Selvaria mumbled in shock.  ¡°I¡¯m a Demi ¡­ Rachel¡¯s handling the devils¡­¡±


    Ohan held up his hand.  ¡°He¡¯s not talking about actual devils¡ªalthough, yes, there are those in Cuba, too ¡­ I?igo,¡± he sighed, giving him a sad but hard stare, ¡°I said I¡¯d be real with you, and I¡¯m going to tell you how I see it.¡±


    Picking up his sword, he tossed it toward the backpack that had slid toward the corner, perfectly angling it; landing upright, he called it back, causing the hilt to snag on the strap and pull it to him.  ¡°Allow me to show you what I¡¯ve seen from the documents the U.S. has gathered for this operation.¡±


    Everyone went silent as he laid out a map of Cuba, pointing at various parts.  ¡°So far, we¡¯re looking at the possibility of over a million casualties across your country¡ªand that¡¯s low balling it from projections, and if Camag¨¹ey is as bad as they predict, maybe even two million.  Can you tell me how bad Havana has gotten?¡±


    I?igo and Liam¡¯s faces paled.  ¡°No ¡­ No, that must be some mistake.  Two million,¡± I?igo choked, ¡°that¡¯s roughly twenty percent of the population¡ªin three weeks?¡±


    It was so large of a number, Selvaria couldn¡¯t even picture it.


    Galatea seemed to be falling asleep but she found the strength to mumble.  ¡°How many fishes are two million, Mama?¡±


    ¡°... A lot,¡± she whispered.


    Ohan nodded, pointing at various locations.  ¡°As you can see, the Ciego de Avila province has been utterly wiped of life by what we assume is now occupying  Camag¨¹ey.  Our main force is tackling that location now, and Las Tunas hasn¡¯t been spared from its own casualties, but nothing like western Cuba.¡±


    ¡°Sancti Sp¨ªritus?¡±  I?igo asked, throat dry again as he reached for another bottle of water that rolled nearby as they stabilized themselves.  ¡°There was a force holding out there a week ago.¡±


    Ohan closed his eyes, shaking his head.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid satellite imaging shows major parts of the city have been overgrown by what appears to be mushrooms.  We don¡¯t have confirmation yet as to what caused it, but given the damage, it seems grim.


    ¡°Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, and Matanzas seem to be fine from satellite, but so did Camag¨¹ey before we discovered some kind of illusion over the entire city.  I¡¯ll ask you again, what is it like in Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, and Havana?  The Cuban forces were pushed back but the General overseeing this operation is unsure of their exact conditions because they¡¯re refusing aid.¡±


    I?igo¡¯s eyebrows knitted together.  ¡°Refusing?  No¡ªno, we would accept support from the U.S.¡ªnot an invasion, but support ¡­ I¡¯ve heard nothing about that.¡±


    ¡°Espionage?¡±  Selvaria asked, eyes wide as she continued listening to their conversation.


    Ohan tilted his head, catching sight of the other men and women as they hovered at the door, waiting for further orders.  ¡°Possible ¡­ Given the powers Demi possess, it¡¯s not unthinkable that the Cuban military leaders are being manipulated¡ªespecially given some of the players we know are in the mix.  I¡¯ve read the report on Relica, and the sorceress tried to control Scarlet¡¯s mind when they first fought in Miami.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±  I?igo sank against the crate behind him.  ¡°No, if¡ªif what you are saying is true ¡­ How can I believe you?  This could all be a ploy by that snake woman!¡±  he growled, heat rekindling in his eyes.


    Selvaria was fixated on the mind control angle.  How many nations around the world could have their leaders mind-controlled right now?  Scarlet can teleport; although, people like Scarlet are kind of rare, given the global population ¡­ Still, there could be messed up stuff happening everywhere.


    ¡°Granted,¡± Ohan smiled, folding up the map again to return it to the bag.  ¡°To prove we are on your side, we¡¯ll restore order to Nueva Gerona with your help, and our actions will prove to you that we want to save as many lives as possible.¡±


    His eyes hardened upon returning to the captain.  ¡°When I changed, I was fashioned after the Legend of Yasuke, a historic retainer of the legendary Japanese Daimyo, Oda Nobunaga.  I¡¯m a big fan of Oda, and will ask you that question again¡­


    ¡°Even if the U.S. is invading, which it might be¡ªI don¡¯t know General Dallas¡¯s full intentions¡ªbut if it means the safety of your citizens against the threats facing you¡ªreal demons and monsters¡ªis it worth joining hands with the U.S. or submitting to extinction by all of these creatures?


    ¡°Nobunaga¡¯s conquest was far from bloodless, yet it was his actions that united Japan in the end.  Indignation is for those that are in power, and history is written by the strong¡ªconquerors.  If a nation falls, it¡¯s always its own neglectful fault for falling behind its neighbors.¡±


    He rose to his feet, picking up his sword and tossing the backpack to Liam.  ¡°There will always be those that hold power over others; it¡¯s biology¡ªhuman nature¡ªas every other thing on this planet seeks to dominate.  You must have the strength to defend what it is you hold dear, and if you don¡¯t have it, you only have yourself to blame.  A victim will never win in the end.¡±


    Selvaria felt tingles, Ohan¡¯s words resonating within her.  He¡¯s right ¡­ I don¡¯t want to lose what I love.  I need to get stronger ¡­ to talk to people and punch them in the face.


    Nudging Galatea to get up with her, she followed his short walk around their circle, the two men¡¯s frustrated expressions fixated on the steel floor.


    Her baby seal blinked, floating up a little.  ¡°I¡¯m up!  I¡¯m up, Mama!  Food time?¡±


    Ohan¡¯s towering presence was like a beacon of crimson light as an intimidating aura surrounded his frame, eyes glowing red.  ¡°If you want to make your own decisions¡ªto be men¡ªthen follow me to the helm where we¡¯ll take this ship back.  Not with words, but by the strength of your arm because when words fail ¡­ that¡¯s all you have left.¡±


    His flowing braid whipped behind him as Ohan exited the room, walking with a purposeful pace; Selvaria went after him, excitement in her thumping heart while Galatea lazily hovered beside her, still rousing from a dozy sleep.


    She could see the set faces of the men and women she¡¯d sent to wash up, looks of awe, wet hair and military uniforms that didn¡¯t quite fit them making them look out of place.  Liam soon brought up the rear, backpack on his right shoulder, and I?igo on his left¡ªit was time to return him to his station.


    Selvaria marched through the halls, watching Ohan¡¯s swaying braid and sheathed sword on his right shoulder; she couldn¡¯t help but smile, and she had to wonder if he had some kind of rallying speech skill because there was a confidence in her she longed to have¡ªin fact, she felt like she could actually talk to some of these people now!


    They went floor by floor until reaching the level before reaching the open stormy skies; whispers were being passed through halls, impossible to detect except for her somewhat enhanced hearing¡ªsure, it wasn¡¯t the best above water, but superior to what it used to be before The Oscillation.


    Ohan soon became a red streak, and Selvaria jumped after him, hearing each thump her feet made against the steel, but there was no way she could keep up with the African American Samurai.


    By the time she made it up the ladder with the others, five men were cradling their bloodied faces, throwing up on the ground, and whimpering against the wall.  Their weapons had been tossed into a pile, including assault rifles, pistols, knives, and a few dried goods.


    Pumping herself up, Selvaria turned and adopted a commanding voice¡ªshe was like Ohan¡¯s lieutenant!  ¡°Alright, men and women, tie them up and arm yourselves, and make sure to eat a little if you¡¯re hungry!  Eh, unless you¡¯re squeamish¡ªyeah, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Ohan chuckled, sheathing his sword on his left shoulder and hand on his right hip.  ¡°Hold up a second, Selvaria.¡±


    Their little brigade paused halfway to the stunned men, and Ohan directed an appraising glare at the prisoners.  ¡°I¡¯ll give you one shot to join us.  Take back your lives¡ªthe dignity and self-respect of knowing you fight for a just cause.


    ¡°Will you grab fate by the hair and drag her in the direction you want to go?  Will you join us to rid your homeland of the tyrants and fiends that have tore your loved ones away, or ¡­ will you remain cowards, quivering in a dark, cold holding cell to see what fate has in store for you next?¡±


    Shakes cascaded through Selvaria¡¯s bones again¡ªit was like taking another shot of adrenaline; be it just Ohan¡¯s words, cadence, or a skill, she didn¡¯t know, and saw the others felt it, too.


    I?igo came up the stairs as the men dropped to their knees, tears running down their faces as they cried in Spanish; Selvaria already knew by their tone the shame and desire to find their inner strength again.


    Ohan took a long, deep breath before letting it out in a slow stream.  ¡°You may feel guilty for everything you allowed to happen ¡­ Hmmgh, the things you were a part of.  There isn¡¯t time for guilt¡ªonly redemption.  Guilt won¡¯t save your loved ones, and the weapons in your hands will eventually fail you.¡±


    He grunted, brandishing a hand at the guns and knives he¡¯d piled on the floor, gently sliding with the ship.  ¡°Strengthen your gut and find the weapon inside your minds and hearts that can stand up to the real threat¡ªface the fear that woman set in your souls and rip it out.  Stand on your feet, and fight!  Not just yourself, but those that are crying out for your help.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s hand went to her pounding chest, feeling each thump; Ohan was a beacon of strength that radiated with his every word.  ¡°We can do this!¡±


    Galatea was now fully awake, capping above her.  ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re gonna win and get all the fishes!¡±


    A low rumble shook in I?igo¡¯s throat.  ¡°Are you going to do this for every person?¡±


    Ohan smirked, turning to face the limping captain.  ¡°Only to get the crew you need to dock this ship; I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll come across the real threats soon.  The cowards holding these men¡¯s strings would never send down their trusted members.¡±


    Selvaria put her hands on her hips, feeling the ire rising in her own chest for their sake.  ¡°Do you hear that, Crew!?  They think you¡¯re all puppets and expendable!  They sent you down here to die, but look at you now!¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±  one muttered, shakily reaching down to grab one of the pistols and stabilize the pile.  ¡°We can take back our land¡ªour families.¡±


    ¡°They have my daughter,¡± one of the woman¡¯s eyes darkened, picking up an assault rifle.  ¡°Yeah¡ªI saw what she did to those poor men and women ¡­ That¡¯s not going to happen to my daughter!¡±


    Ohan gestured to a room beside him, I?igo¡¯s calculating gaze still on him.  ¡°A bathroom¡¯s here if any of you need to throw up or do your business.  What comes next is only for soldiers ¡­ You have something you¡¯re fighting for.  Now, take back control, and follow me.¡±


    Two men used the restroom and a woman threw up in the sink, more than likely on her period than anything else in Selvia¡¯s eyes.  They soon caught up while two more men returned loaded up with more weapons, pulled from somewhere, and started handing them out.


    Somehow, Ohan had done it¡ªthey had their own little revolutionary army, which used to be their enemies.  How did he do it?  He¡¯s just so good with words¡ªknows exactly what to say¡­


    She walked after him, entering the sharp storm while changing areas; Ohan seemed to know exactly where to go.  The black night and harsh wind were picking up, and shouts could be heard higher on deck, but they had a mission, and she wouldn¡¯t get distracted.


    ¡°Stay behind me, Galatea.  It¡¯s gonna get loud, so hang back.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mama!  Use your big tail again¡ªno, do the big chompy attack!  Chomp!  Chomp!  Chomp!  He-he-he!¡±


    Selvaria climbed the floors with their little band of woodcutters, housewives, and taxi drivers, fire in her gut.  I¡¯ll get more confident in speaking to strangers, but first, it¡¯s time to kick some tail!


    Shouts rang out as they neared, and she ran ahead, acting as the battering ram and shield; there was a sneaking suspicion that Ohan let her draw all the attention to give her a shining moment, but that was okay.


    Bullets bounced off of her thick scales and half as strong skin, yet she was far too durable for something like this¡ªshe had a power contest with a disgusting tentacle monster in the Legend¡¯s Quest¡ªflies like these were nothing!


    Using her thick tail, she batted people away, doing her best to be gentle and not hurt them too badly; their soldiers charged after her, yelling and bringing cords to bind them in place.  If Selvaria was being honest, for all of Ohan pumping everyone up, it was a rather quick and eventless charge¡ªat least, until she entered the control room.


    Ohan stood in front of her, having run ahead, sword at his hip while staring down a rather chubby dark-skinned man¡ªa gun pointed at the head of a child, and suddenly the mother¡¯s words below started to click¡ªthey had her daughter.


    ¡°Eso es lo suficientemente lejos, amigo¡­¡±


    [i.e. That¡¯s far enough, friend¡­]


    ¡°N-No!  Itziar!¡±  the woman cried, coming up behind Selvaria.


    What can I do?  Should I try to shoot a water jet at him¡­


    Ohan¡¯s voice was cool and even, the Legend¡¯s red aura calming into a gentle sway.  ¡°I¡¯ll give you one chance to let her go.  In three seconds, your answer will be made.¡±


    Tension struck Selvaria¡¯s chest as the man sneered.  ¡°American, you know not¡­¡±


    A blur hazed Ohan as he seemed to appear in two places at once, sword sheathed in front of her, and behind the man, sword drawn.  The figure in front of her vanished, and the gun cut in half, falling with most of the man¡¯s hand.


    The man¡¯s tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth before Ohan smoothly flipped the blade around and jabbed upward, piercing the back of the man¡¯s spine to the top of his head before twisting sharply.  He jerked, body going stiff and a loud cracking noise lingered in air as the girl screamed, running to her mother when the arms around her spread in shock.


    Ohan just ¡­ took that dude out in like half a second ¡­ He¡¯s incredible.


    Turning to the crowd that were gathering behind him, Ohan gave them a confident smile.  ¡°The first battle is won, but our war has only begun.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 36. Snake In The Grass

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Ohan (Our Dark-Skinned Samurai!)


    Recap:  Our Leviathan Girl and Samurai lead a revolt against the pirates!  Ohan gave a pretty epic speech, and now we got control of the vessel, it''s time to hit land!  Okay, let''s see the world through our Samurai''s eyes!


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    Ohan stood at the bow, a storm raging around him as I?igo captained his ship once again.  Selvaria was in the ocean, cutting a path ahead as the Cuban military man directed his new rag-tag crew on how to perform simple operations.


    Galatea was resting beside Ohan, taking her usual burst sleep as seals often did; Selvaria had gathered a cooler full of fish for the white and black animal to eat, and now, she was plump and sleepy.


    He glanced over at the large animal¡ªcuddled up in the soggy pillows she used as padding¡ª the seal asked Selvaria for them so she could weather the storm because she wanted to be ¡®strong¡¯ and show she was tough in the open.


    Ohan turned his dark brown eyes back to the sea, scanning the horizon while rubbing his neck.  Water flowed down his dark skin, reflecting the sharp flashes of lightning that streaked across the heavens.


    He¡¯d removed his drenched shirt and pants to place in a dryer, finding military pants as replacements; ripped from the knees down, he¡¯d chosen the damaged piece out of practicality.  If he was going to be in the downpour, he didn¡¯t need the cloth getting in his way, and it wasn¡¯t as if he feared contracting a cold or the weather particularly bothered him.


    A small smile lifted his lips as the rumbling thunder echoed through the air after a bolt struck the sea to their left¡ªhe loved thunderstorms.


    Taking in a deep breath to taste the crisp air, Ohan practiced his balance on the rocking ship.  We went from one boat to another, he mused, thinking about the sudden departure Cahira made after Tom explained the possible emergency.  What¡¯s Vasishtha doing in Havana?


    Laughter shook his chest while imagining the South Indian Legendkin finding the nearest club¡ªif they had that in Cuba¡¯s biggest city¡ªand hitting up the ladies for ¡®information¡¯ disguised as having a good time.  He certainly was a character, and he wasn¡¯t afraid to be goofy, which was why he never had issues finding female companions.


    Ohan centered on Selvaria¡¯s swaying motions in the water, colossal monstrous form practically a trailer for a Godzilla movie; it brought him back to ponder the contrast of life before and after The Oscillation and meeting Maria.  The Miami crew certainly do know how to step things up.  It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll be here forever, though.


    He took the time he¡¯d gained to find answers in the whirlwind, whipping back his thick ponytail behind him.  I haven¡¯t heard from anyone back home in a while, and it¡¯s not like I really want to be a part of anything going on there ¡­ Everything became so hectic after Chiku was killed.


    Ray was the only one that had been there for him, and even his father couldn¡¯t be bothered to come out of his company meetings¡ªof course, he expected it, seeing as the man hoped distance would bring him back to take an interest in his growing empire.


    A wry smile moved Ohan¡¯s eyes as they wandered over the waves.  His father originally got him into reading old Japanese literature since many of his partners came from the country, and it brought the interest in swordplay from a young age.


    Now, his father hated the obsessive drive Ohan had in practicing the blade when science was supposed to be his future.  There wasn¡¯t much money in owning your own kendo school, but enough to make a living off of, separating himself from his father¡¯s influence.  It was something he shared in common with Anthony that drew Ohan to want more time with the man.


    Moving over to a flattened area of the ship¡¯s bow to his right, Ohan dropped down into a sitting position, once again working on his balance and discipline.  He closed his eyes, pondering the decisions that had led to his current lot in life.


    Concentrating on the waves and wind, he blocked out the yelling men and women, who were working on following the captain¡¯s orders.


    Mind clearing, Ohan took calm, even breaths, looking for a path forward.  Chicago has nothing left for me, and I haven¡¯t heard anything from Jay yet.  What if I start a dojo with Anthony?  He said he enjoys teaching.  Vasishtha loves to drag me along to his various parties as a wingman, and Selvaria does need friends.


    Glassed over eyes opening, he sensed the reactions the girl¡¯s bulky form generated in the water, focusing further to sense the ki found inside the individuals on the ship.  It came in two variations, generated ki from a soul and radial ki from your surroundings¡ªso far as Ohan understood, it was a spiritual force that infused everything.


    It allowed him to see things normally invisible to the naked eye, and was something he had over Anthony.  Although neither of them had been able to score any direct hit on each other, Ohan was sure he could overcome the man if they were both at their peak¡ªstill, that had yet to be proven.


    Selvaria was a mass of power, though, and given her extreme durability, Ohan wasn¡¯t sure he had the destructive force to cause significant damage to the girl, not that he¡¯d want to.  She was standoffish, and sensitive, but there was a happy little girl in there that was bouncing to come out if she conquered her social anxiety.


    In short, she needed help, and Ohan was always a sucker for helping people; that didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d be walked over, though.  Right now, Selvaria and Vasishtha needed a friend, and he fit that bill.  On the other hand, Rachel was another story entirely.


    Ohan¡¯s lips tightened while thinking about the beautiful, exotic girl.  There¡¯s a wildness inside her that she hides from most ¡­ A recklessness that thrives on conflict instead of resolutions.  Somehow, she always ends up finding the shortest path to a fight, proven by how much violence she¡¯s been a part of in the past three weeks.


    His fingers tightened against his thighs, staring up at the sky.  If I¡¯m going to make myself available for this team she¡¯s building, I need to know more about her character ¡­ I won¡¯t follow someone blindly.


    Mulling over the decisions he had to make after this Cuba mission, Ohan watched the storm as the hours went by, and by the time they¡¯d entered the Rio Sierra de Casas to dock the ship, there was only a light drizzle hanging over the green landscape.


    Selvaria returned to the ship, playing some kind of card game with her seal and a few uncomfortable women that had joined them.  The people that refused to comply were few, only twelve, but had been treated humanely and locked below deck¡ªit was a problem for the law.


    Unexpectedly, a small crowd of people was waiting for them along the crowded dock, holding weapons or appearing to have some form of powers.


    ¡°Selvaria,¡± Ohan called, holding his sheathed sword in his right hand.


    The tall, curved woman turned her dull eyes to him, currently full on seawater and in her protective mask up mode after the rush of the battle had passed.  ¡°Mhm?¡±


    ¡°We have company.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ I guess that¡¯s it,¡± she said, looking up at the women.  ¡°I lost two to four.  Good game.¡±


    Yawning, she got to her feet with the others, coming over to observe the crowd.


    Patting down her wet Cuban military garments she¡¯d taken, Selvaria absorbed the liquid before airing them out again and squinting down at their foes.


    ¡°Who is it, Mama?¡±  Galatea asked, nose twitching.  ¡°Oh, lots and lots of people.  Are you going to do the bowling thing you showed me?¡±


    Ohan had the mental image of the woman tucking herself into a ball and rolling out to topple the group like pins¡ªthen it changed to the size of a five-story building.  ¡°I think it¡¯ll be good to just talk.  Why don¡¯t you protect these people, Selvaria?¡±


    ¡°Mmh!  Mmh!¡±  she puffed out a hot breath, more enthusiastic than Ohan would have guessed, and motioned for Galatea to keep her position.  ¡°I¡¯m gonna become a big wall.¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Ohan¡¯s left eye creased, ¡°Selvaria, as cool as that may be¡ªwe want to talk to them, not intimidate them yet.¡±


    Galatea lifted a bit into the air.  ¡°Mama¡¯s good at that, though!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying she¡¯s not,¡± Ohan returned, seeing Selvaria¡¯s down expression, ¡°but ¡­ let me offer you this ¡­ If I hold up one hand, you come down¡ªif I hold up two, you jump into the water and become a big sea monster.¡±


    Her glowing eyes became serious, and she gave him a fervent nod.  ¡°I¡¯ll roar, too.¡±


    Not knowing exactly what was going through her anime-infused mind, Ohan figured it was the best he could do.  She¡¯d told him she wanted to take on a more active role in the fights because she wasn¡¯t good with the talking stuff.


    Hopping up on the side of the ship, he scanned the crowd for their centerpiece; their ride had slowly come to a stop alongside other boats since the port was full.  Once a decent enough gap closed, he jumped to a nearby vessel and swiftly ran across the slick deck to jump down to the concrete.


    His bare feet made a splash as he landed, entrance drawing everyone¡¯s attention.  Straightening, Ohan calmly walked forward, sword held loosely in his grip to clarify that he wasn¡¯t helpless.


    Spanish mumbles swept the crowd, and a few threatening gestures were made, but Ohan didn¡¯t halt his slow walk through the soft rainfall.  It wasn¡¯t until he¡¯d made it halfway to the throng when they moved to surround him.  He couldn¡¯t help but notice the chainsaws and woodcutting axes in a few of their hands.


    Interrupting their chatter, Ohan fixated on a smug, black-haired man in front of him.  ¡°I assume you¡¯re their leader.  We come in peace.¡±


    The word ¡®English¡¯ came to a few lips before an older man cleared his throat.  ¡°You¡¯re with June!  There is nothing for you in Isla de la Juventud!  We know you are here to take over this place¡ªthe homes we have!¡±  he stated in somewhat slightly-off English.


    Ohan shook his head, still focusing on the leader¡¯s quizzical smile.  ¡°We are not with June.  I am from the United States¡ªwe have liberated the ship of June¡¯s influence,¡± he slowly and carefully stated, gesturing to the vessel as men and women lined the edge to peer across the gap to them.  ¡°My friend and I wish to liberate you from those that have destroyed your way of life.¡±


    His words appeared to have gotten through to a few people, but most of them just turned to the lanky man across from Ohan.  ¡°Ahem¡ªmy Engrish in¡¯t that good, bu I say you is a spies!  You prove not?¡±


    Expecting this, Ohan nodded.  ¡°Take me to June, and if she¡¯s really been committing the crimes we¡¯ve heard, we¡¯ll kill her ourselves.¡±


    The man¡¯s jaw snapped shut, inquisitive brown eyes peering through the rain to see if he was serious or not.  ¡°You ¡­ think killing June be easy?  She monster!¡±


    Ohan gave a casual shrug and smirk.  ¡°I have a monster of my own.¡±


    Turning to the ship, where Selvaria eagerly waited, Ohan held both hands in the air.  Show them what you got, girl.


    It took a bit for Selvaria to catch his signal, unlike how Ohan figured it would look from a movie standpoint.  After several awkward seconds of people glancing between his bare-chested posture to the ship, the woman finally jumped.


    The water bowed with the ship tilting back as the Leviathan rapidly expanded into her Sea State, forcing the military ship they¡¯d come on backward.  Her wicked, blade-like tail thrashed out, grating sounds generated from ripping into the earth and creating a wave as her spikes shot out of the surface, illuminating bright red and turquoise while the beast forced her way between the two ships.


    Not a single person could utter a word as the men and women around him lost the ability to stand, and the crashing wake surged over the side of the pier.  It shoved the people back before the incline brought the water back, carrying them along to witness the nightmare-inducing figure erupt from the sea to loom over them.


    The Leviathan¡¯s massive claws bit into the concrete, fracturing parts of the dock and sending a hail-like spray down on the occupants, but it wasn¡¯t the flashing colors, bulk, or even her webbed hands flexing to push herself out of the ocean that attracted the petrified populous.


    Steam hissed out of Selvaria¡¯s savage mouth before she sucked in a deep breath, rearing her head before screaming at the heavens.  Throat-plates quivering and her ferocious maw revealed, the loudest, most gut-churning visage Ohan had ever seen let out an ear-shattering roar that rippled through his bones in a way he¡¯d never experienced.


    Ohan braced himself against the tide, unsheathing his sword to stab into the ground; the flash flood she¡¯d formed by pushing back the two ships on the dock to make room for herself passed, leaving the people scattered.


    He had no doubt that everyone on the island had heard the new monster¡¯s arrival, much less the Fear Aura she¡¯d produced that likely swept through several city blocks.


    Almost everyone present was hugging themselves where the current had sent them, quivering in shock.  Only two men were left standing, Ohan and their scrawny leader, but that was all the Cuban could do, staring at Selvaria as if dumbstruck.


    A low hiss passed through Ohan¡¯s throat as he watched the colossal Leviathan promptly retract her aura, and the girl was quite proud of herself by the smug movements she made, leaning against the ships to make room for their military vessel to dock.


    Ohan stood in silence after sheathing his sword and giving his companion a light glare while maneuvering their boat into place with her weight.  Ten minutes passed as the populous recovered, and Selvaria played Tetris with the ships.


    When she was done, the girl returned to her beautiful human state, shaking out her wet hair after jumping out of the water¡ªthere was a spring in her step that told Ohan she¡¯d wanted to do that for a long time.


    ¡°Selvaria¡­¡±  Ohan mumbled, his muscular arms crossed while directing her gaze to the still-recovering mob with his head.


    No one around them, she grinned, holding up two fingers in a victory pose.  ¡°I was going for the Godzilla movie effect!  Total victory, right?!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you shaking your head, Ohan?¡±  she asked, taking a step back to study her handiwork.  ¡°I knocked it out of the park!  Didn¡¯t I?  You wanted me to come in with a bang¡­¡±


    Ohan rubbed the seawater from his face.  ¡°No ¡­ it worked, but could you tone it down a little next time when we¡¯re dealing with normal people?  You know what I made the guys on the ship do ¡­ Yeah, they¡¯re all going to be going home and changing their pants.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s proud sidelong smirk said it all.  ¡°I mean, you can¡¯t judge a book by its cover.  Who would think I was a giant monster when I look like this?¡±


    ¡°Keep that confidence as we go meet with their leader ¡­ if he¡¯s not comatose while standing.¡±


    The ¡®terrifying¡¯ Leviathan¡¯s expression tightened, jogging after him.  ¡°W-Wait, I need to prepare myself ¡­ oof¡­¡±


    Her face quickly pacified as they drew near to the man¡ªhe had yet to turn away from the place Selvaria had been.  Selvaria, the intimidating goddess of the sea, was crippled by social interaction.


    Touching his shoulder, Ohan felt a bit sorry for the man as he flinched and stumbled back; landing hard on his butt, he held up a hand, fixating on Selvaria.  ¡°N-No¡ªa-a-a ¡­ por favor¡ªp-please¡ªI ¡­ Don¡¯t me eat!¡±


    Ohan shook his head, bending down to place both arms on his knees to get on his level.  ¡°She¡¯s not going to eat you ¡­ Calm down a bit.  As I said, we¡¯re only here to bring back some order.¡±


    The presence of a new individual soon entered Ohan¡¯s receptive field.  Above?


    Darting back, he summoned his blade into his hand to see an armored suit of gold and red slam a fist into the spot he¡¯d just been standing, creating a concussive force that turned the concrete to powder in a small area.


    Selvaria either didn¡¯t care to or couldn¡¯t react as the person flipped around at a speed he hadn¡¯t seen since watching Rachel and angled an elbow at her face¡ªthe blow landed, causing the Leviathan to take a step back to stabilize herself.


    For a moment, all of them were frozen in place, Selvaria¡¯s confused illuminated eyes soon turning to rage as they moved to the full-armored figure.  Darting back to pick up the scrawny man, the person landed several feet away to appraise them.


    ¡°Can I kill him?¡±  Selvaria asked, rubbing her cheek that showed no signs of damage.  Galatea cried out as she made her way onto the dock, but Selvaria held up a hand to her.  ¡°Go back ¡­ It could be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°B-But, Mom, I wanna help¡­¡±


    ¡°Go back, Galatea,¡± she said in a sharp tone that made her retreat.  ¡°He hit me, Ohan¡­¡±


    Studying the new figure, Ohan took a deep breath before letting it out in a steady stream.  ¡°Did it hurt?¡±


    Selvaria worked around her jaw, rubbing it a little.  ¡°I felt it, but ¡­ no.  Still, he hit a lady¡¯s face!  I want to punch him back.¡±


    The helmet slid back to reveal a dark-haired woman in her late thirties.  ¡°I ¡­ believe there has been some misunderstanding,¡± she whispered, having decent English.  ¡°Are you attacking our city?¡±


    Ohan cleared his throat, stepping forward to put a hand on Selvaria¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°We¡¯ll listen if you apologize to my friend.¡±


    ¡°And tell me where you got that cool armor!¡±  Selvaria huffed, folding her arms under her bust.  ¡°You better really mean it, too ¡­ Just attacking me out of¡­¡±


    She trailed off, focus drifting to the recovering people, trying to crawl into nearby buildings to escape.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Okay, maybe I do deserve a¡­¡±  she coughed, rubbing her throat and looking away.  ¡°Just tell me about the armor¡­¡±


    ¡°A name would help, as well,¡± Ohan pressed.  ¡°Are you in law enforcement?¡±


    Rubbing her eyebrows, the woman slowly nodded.  ¡°You ¡­ could say that.  My name¡¯s Nerea, and I¡¯ve been trying to keep the order with a few other community members.  Eh, as for this suit ¡­ I don¡¯t know how it works.  I just use it.¡±


    Selvaria seemed hooked after that, vision slowly moving down the sleek design¡ªenough to know a female wore it but not enough to look bulky.  ¡°Where did you get it?¡±


    Knowing the girl wanted to get her hands on it, Ohan had to reign the conversation back in.  ¡°We¡¯ll worry about that later, Selv, but right now, we need to deal with June.  Can you take us to her, Nerea?¡±


    The woman gave them studious looks before speaking to the quivering man behind them in Spanish.  After a short exchange, she slowly nodded.  ¡°You¡¯re here to kill June, huh?  It won¡¯t be easy.  Only Kevin can fight her one-on-one, but ¡­ if you¡¯ve got someone like her¡­¡±


    Nerea stared at Selvaria for another moment and nodded, helmet sliding back into place like some kind of movie; her voice wasn¡¯t even muffled.  ¡°She¡¯s a scourge against our community.  If you¡¯re here to help us, we¡¯ll take it, but after that, I think you should meet our community leader and hash things out with him.¡±


    Feeling far more optimistic about the direction things were going, Ohan nodded.  ¡°I look forward to it.¡±


    Ohan took some time to return to the ship and explain the situation to the frightened people, and Nerea¡¯s group took those that confessed to crimes or refused to cooperate into custody for a later date.


    The captain decided to go with them and see if he could use the communications equipment on the island to call his superior after June sabotaged the equipment on the ship.  He voiced his concerns about the city¡¯s status, and Ohan assured him that he would be cautious.


    Before parting, I?igo gave him a hard stare and held out his hand.  ¡°You kept your word ¡­ That means something in Cuba.¡±


    Ohan grasped it, returning the somber expression.  ¡°We¡¯re here to help.  Keep your ear open; if something sounds fishy, hide out until we come back ¡­ We will.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I¡¯ll count on it.  If this is really being community-governed, I¡¯ll find out.¡±


    He did the same to Selvaria, and Ohan was a little surprised when the Leviathan had a sit down with Galatea.  She asked the telepathic animal to stay on the boat to protect the few women who felt unsafe to return to their old homes.  The seal proudly accepted the mission, and Selvaria presented a secret bucket of fish she¡¯d been hiding, much to her thrill.


    Departing, they followed Nerea through the surprisingly normal-looking city, noticing some points of destruction, but clean-up was being handled.  He didn¡¯t find many sullen faces¡ªalthough some frightened whispers and voices called out to the armored woman as they went, likely asking about Selvaria¡¯s roar.


    Ultimately, Ohan came to two conclusions; either these people were just living life as best they could, or there was some kind of mass mind-control at work, which wasn¡¯t impossible.


    Nerea took them to a truck on the side of the road to talk to the man loading it with what appeared to be fertilizer.  After a short exchange, they were motioned to sit in the back with her.  The man gestured at Selvaria and her, likely wondering if they wanted to ride inside, but Nerea refused with a sad shake of her head.


    The second Selvaria gingerly pressed down on the lip of the truck, the shocks groaned, causing the man¡¯s head to dart out of the window to look back at them in question.


    Releasing a few weak chuckles, Nerea hesitantly asked if they could remove the fertilizer.


    He solemnly agreed, and they unloaded the bags before getting inside; they had to take it at a slower pace because of the Leviathan girl¡¯s weight, and Ohan was a little worried for the man¡¯s construction vehicle, but it was being a champ.


    Sitting in the back, Ohan leaned against the cabin, left arm on the side while looking at the wet streets; the storm was still overhead, dropping a gentle veil over the island.  To him, Nerea seemed to be showing them what the city was like, and after several minutes of cruising speed, they passed over a bridge.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±  Selvaria asked, using her hands to keep her hair out of her face.


    Nerea gestured to the northeast.  ¡°We suspect after Kevin scared her off, she went to a small community around a former prison called Presidio Modelo.¡±


    Ohan knew of the place political prisoners had been sent to during a previous regime during his study of the island.  ¡°Do you have a plan to smoke her out?¡±


    She smirked, thumb pointed back at herself.  ¡°She hears I¡¯m all alone, walking around a big open space; she¡¯ll take the bait.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Selvaria mumbled, unable to take her eyes off of the golden and crimson armor.  ¡°Sounds stupid.¡±


    A giggle shook Nerea¡¯s covered frame.  ¡°You could say that.  She¡¯ll scope it out, sure¡ªbut in the last three days ¡­ I bet she¡¯s been feeding and growing even more.  By the way,¡± she turned to face the Leviathan, ¡°I tried to kill you with that attack¡ªyet you barely even flinched.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t flinch at all,¡± she huffed, glaring at her.  ¡°It was like a fly landing on my face.¡±


    Nerea¡¯s eyebrows shot up as she laughed.  ¡°Wow!  Well, okay then!  If you think you¡¯re up to the task, I¡¯ll just run and watch because seriously¡ªI can¡¯t touch her, even with my armor.¡±


    Ohan shifted his legs a bit.  ¡°Mhm ¡­ So, the only thing keeping you in the fight is a crafter that can make these battle suits for you?¡±


    A hint of worry touched Nerea¡¯s voice.  ¡°How ¡­ did you guess that?¡±


    Selvaria smirked, looking away while trying to look cool.  ¡°We knew a stinky dwarf that does that kind of stuff¡ªno biggy.  Maybe your crafter person can make me some cool armor.¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but ¡­ we¡¯ve only been able to make this stuff because of this crystal that appeared ¡­ there was stuff inside he was able to use.  A lot of good men and women died, using their powers to try and defeat those rabid dogs that were inside to get the rest of the materials we needed.¡±


    Pouting a little, Selvaria grunted.  ¡°Okay ¡­ I¡¯ll ask Rachel to get us materials¡ªshe does that kind of stuff.¡±


    Ohan interjected to not confuse the woman.  ¡°Still, it¡¯s brave of you to do this as a normal human.  That kind of technology ¡­ heh, or whatever it is, could be used to help a lot of people¡­¡±


    He hissed, thinking back to Jay and his perspective on things.  ¡°Or ¡­ it could be used by the military, government, or corporations to make an army of Iron Man clones.  Ugh, the world has gotten complicated.¡±


    A small giggle came from Nerea.  ¡°You¡¯re pretty funny.  I¡¯m glad I took those English classes ¡­ If you can help us get rid of June, we could finally restore order to the island.  We¡¯re trying to figure out what¡¯s going on, but no one on the mainland has been answering our calls for help ¡­ Well, I guess there was I?igo, but a single ship like that?  I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Ohan could feel the concern she had for her neighbors; it sounded sincere.  ¡°So long as you really aren¡¯t oppressing the people on this island, we¡¯re on your side.  I hope I¡¯m right about you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered, head tilting to stare at her gold-enclosed thighs.  ¡°It means a lot that random people from the United States would come to our aid ¡­ really, it does¡­¡±


    Continuing their path, they fell into silence and eventually exited the truck, Nerea sending the man back for his safety while they made their way onto a large open field.


    Ohan scanned the area, looking for signs of life, but there was nothing.  Walking further into the structures, the three explored the open halls, yet all that met them was an unnerving stillness.


    ¡°Unusual¡­¡±  Nerea whispered as they exited the compound.  ¡°To not find a single person here ¡­ no food or signs of people huddling for protection.  You don¡¯t think she could have eaten all of the people here in three days?¡±


    Ohan shook his head.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t say ¡­ Let¡¯s move to the¡­¡±


    He held up a hand, hearing something rubbing against dirt and stone; she drew them to a nearby window of a guardhouse to stare around the corner.  A trail as wide as a car had been carved out of the soil that hadn¡¯t been there before; it curved around the compound, and not soon after, a woman wearing a snake-skin dress walked out from behind a building.


    ¡°Nerea,¡± she cooed, hand on her hip while strolling further toward the buildings.  ¡°I could smell you drawing closer in the wind ¡­ Who are your new English friends?  He-he-he, I won¡¯t let you escape so easily this time.¡±


    This time?  Has she tried to fight her on her own before?


    Ohan was about to step forward when Selvaria held him back, puffing up her scaled chest.  ¡°I got this!¡±


    Her confident voice seemed to attract the woman¡¯s attention because her focus shot to them.  ¡°Oh?  You wish to be the first sacrifice ¡­ Nerea, did you play the ¡®I need help¡¯ card again?  Just because you brought two more doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t gobble you up, too!¡±


    Somewhat disappointed in himself for believing the woman had played him, Ohan¡¯s arm darted out to snatch Nerea¡¯s wrist and bring her around into a bear hug.  ¡°So ¡­ the reason things are safe is because of these sacrifices.¡±


    ¡°N-No, you don¡¯t understand!¡±  Nerea pleaded, struggling to get herself free, but the force she¡¯d shown before was very lacking, making him conclude it needed to charge in some way.  ¡°We can only defend so much of the city ¡­ so we offer her criminals for a truce¡­¡±


    Selvaria had already strode out to meet the woman, cracking her knuckles.  ¡°I¡¯m about to make some snake armor!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it after,¡± Ohan muttered.  ¡°Just wait and watch.¡±


    June sneered at Selvaria, body radiating green light before elongating to stretch into a giant serpent.  Her big tongue slid out as she reared back, fangs opening side to reveal venomous fangs and thin fangs.


    Selvaria calmly kept on her path, now rotating her arm.  Spreading her legs and throwing her fist into the air with a confident smile, she extended one finger into a pose.  ¡°I am the hero hidden in the sea, monster!  I will give you this one chance to repent of your ways!¡±


    Hissing laughter shook the ground as the green serpent lowered to leer at her.  ¡°What are you spouting?¡±


    Turning to her side, Selvaria chuckled, returning the look.  ¡°You couldn¡¯t take a single punch from me weak¡­¡±


    June lashed out in a split second, tongue sliding around Selvaria before pulling her inside and causing Ohan to wince.  No ¡­ She isn¡¯t going to¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±  Nerea whimpered, but it was drowned out by the sudden gurgle and thrashing head of June as a quiver ran down the snake woman¡¯s frame.


    Mouth opening and eyes rolling back, Ohan lifted an eyebrow upon seeing Selvaria delivering a single devastating punch against the roof of the woman¡¯s mouth, rattling the snake¡¯s brain into a coma¡ªOhan was sure there would likely be brain damage once the crack reached his ears and blood sprayed across Selvaria¡¯s shrinking figure.


    The colossal head tore up the soil for Selvaria to summersault out and smoothly raise to her feet.  Walking forward, a small smile on her lips, fist in the air as her more child-like figure took shape, the Leviathan looked up to declare her victory.  ¡°One punch, fool!¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 37. Securing Isla de la Juventud

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Ohan (Our Dark-Skinned Samurai!)


    Recap:  Eh-heh, Selvaria kind of One Punch Man''ed our big scary snake lady, and we learned of Nerea''s sad compromise with June in feeding her criminals.  Now, let''s see how things play out, and don''t worry, we get a big monster battle in this volume ... It''s just, after the last arc, we needed something a bit more light, and this filled that content for me, at least.  xD  Still, real-life isn''t sweet, and there are always consequences that our characters might not like.


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    Ohan ruefully shook his head at the cartoonish exit of the Leviathan, but the various shades of violet, cobalt, rose, and black energy dissipating around her body made him frown¡ªshe¡¯d used a Chaos skill, which, as she said, came at a price.  It was truly a sight when seen in the light rainfall misting the area.


    Nerea stopped struggling when Selvaria rolled out of the gaping snake¡¯s mouth, fixated on the serpent, so he let her go.  Unable to support herself, the Cuban woman collapsed to her butt, mumbling, ¡°How ¡­ did you do that?¡±


    Selvaria gave her a grinning, lifted eyebrow, more than a little proud at her handiwork, and placing her hands on her tiny hips, she stopped in front of them.  ¡°Did you not see my awesome performance earlier?  Pfft, that snake wasn¡¯t even that big.  You should have seen the jellyfish crab thing I fought,¡± she boasted.


    Her small, thrust-out chest and shrunken size didn¡¯t do her any favors, seeing as she had transitioned from a filled-out woman to a reasonably thin teen.  ¡°I¡¯m just that cool.¡±


    Ohan hummed, folding his arms while scanning June¡¯s body¡ªa twitch ran down its length as she began to shimmer, shrinking down in the following emerald effulgence.  ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, Selv, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±  the girl flipped around to glare at the still woman that emerged from the light.  ¡°You gotta be kiddin¡¯ me!  I freakin¡¯ sent a blast of Chaos energy into her brain!¡±


    Nerea was still trying to come to terms with what she¡¯d just seen, but Ohan wasn¡¯t too concerned about the opposition on the island if they had to negotiate with June.


    He moved over to the woman, Selvaria by his side.  ¡°I wanted to talk to you about that,¡± he muttered, his inquisitive stare causing her lips to tighten and find her elbow behind her back.  ¡°That can wait for a minute, though.¡±


    Ohan grimaced while kneeling beside the woman; the light mist-like rain and damp soil caused June¡¯s green snake-skin dress to shine.  She¡¯d shrunk to her current state around her head, and the trail of blood leaking out of her mouth had lessened with it, creating a path of crimson liquid to her current position.


    Reaching down to check a pulse, he found it, albeit weak; her eyes were rolled back, and upon further inspection of her mouth, she saw the lingering colors of violet, cobalt, rose, and black against the roof of her mouth, yet it appeared to be trying to heal.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Selvaria hovered behind him, ¡°don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s healing?  Really, after that super big attack?¡±


    Ohan shook his head.  ¡°My guess is that a Reactive Skill came into effect to help her recover, but as far as I can tell, she¡¯s on a thin wire.  Your Chaos Energy blocks the tissue and bone from healing, making her continue to use whatever energy she has to restore lost blood.  It¡¯s a fight between how long your energy lingers and if she can keep herself alive.¡±


    A short sigh shot through the Leviathan¡¯s teeth as she turned to Nerea.  ¡°Alright, so ¡­ Are you going to finish her off or bring her to trial or something?¡±


    Clearing her throat and trying to stop her shakes, Nerea struggled back to her feet.  ¡°N-No, I, umm ¡­ she¡¯s a total monster ¡­ I don¡¯t think we can hold her if she does recover.¡±


    ¡°A fair point,¡± Ohan whispered, sweeping back the woman¡¯s olive green locks to stare at her face; she looked more black than Hispanic, but only by a bit.  ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll need to discuss all of this with Kevin.  He¡¯s who¡¯s been running your community.  Right?¡±


    She seemed conflicted, rubbing her throat and fixating on the unconscious woman.  ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be ¡­ easier to just kill her now?  We don¡¯t know how long it will be until she wakes up¡ªor if she heals?¡±


    Selvaria grunted.  ¡°Humph!  Not all that worried; I can just pound her again.¡±  Her cheeks swiftly colored, glancing at the ground, ¡°Oof, phrasing ¡­ Uh, yeah, you know what I mean.¡±


    Ohan shifted to stare at Nerea¡¯s armored face, considering a few points that needed to be addressed¡ªbut that could be handled in front of Kevin.  ¡°Selvaria or I can handle June if that happens, and I doubt she¡¯ll be in any state to resist after using so many resources to keep herself alive.¡±


    The two women watched in confusion as he adjusted her dress to keep June¡¯s modesty before carefully lifting the Mythickin into a princess carry.  ¡°Well, let¡¯s find an abandoned truck or if there are any survivors around here.¡±


    Selvaria was right on board, walking toward the gate, where they¡¯d seen houses on the opposite side of the compound.  ¡°Sounds good.  Umm, wouldn¡¯t it be nice if Rachel was here to tell us where everyone is?  Scarlet talks about her a lot.¡±


    Not knowing how the girl¡¯s brain got onto Rachel, Ohan looked over at the Cuban woman, glossed eyes still fixated on June.  ¡°Rachel certainly has that leader mentality¡ªable to take charge and develop a plan.  We need to function on our own, though ¡­ Coming, Nerea?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  Oh, yeah, uh ¡­ I just¡ªshe¡¯s killed so many people.  She needs to die!¡±


    Ohan didn¡¯t like the desperation in her voice; he was beginning to develop his own idea about the relationships of the groups.


    Selvaria dismissed her words with a backward wave.  ¡°Isn¡¯t that why we¡¯re bringing her to your boss?¡±  Her cheeks pulled to the side while glancing back.  ¡°And isn¡¯t saving people more important right now?¡±


    The woman lifted a hand to the side of her head, taking a few deep breaths to calm down.  ¡°I¡¯m just saying¡­¡±


    Figuring she would follow, Ohan pressed on, making Nerea trail off.  The island dynamic evolving in his mind was more than reasonable¡ªunderstandable, even¡ªbut this wasn¡¯t his community.  ¡°We¡¯re here to help, not be the judge, jury, or executioner¡ªgiven we were able to subdue her, June¡¯s fate should be decided by your governing body.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ suppose that makes sense,¡± Nerea whispered, trailing behind them; there was an edge of frustration and fear in her voice.


    Wandering through the town, Selvaria discovered a standard-type truck, and seeing as she¡¯d lost tons of weight¡ªliterally¡ªthey would be fine to use it, luckily there was a spare key hidden in a rip in the sun visor.


    Not trusting Nerea, Ohan laid her head against the seat and placed her legs on his lap before operating the vehicle¡ªSelvaria had never driven before.  The Leviathan and armored woman sat in the back, and Ohan had to smile at the girl¡¯s ability to always stay dry since she just absorbed the water.


    Turning on the air conditioning unit to defog the windows, Ohan pulled the car into town, listening carefully while scanning for signs of life¡ªunfortunately, the area didn¡¯t show much.  Just about when he was about to abandon the search, a gunshot split the soft pattering of the rainfall against the truck.


    ¡°That way!¡±  Selvaria called out from the back, pointing near a church.


    Well aware of the direction, he increased their speed.  Selvaria jumped out with Nerea to investigate, Ohan staying with the truck.  They disappeared inside, leaving him alone with June.


    Dark brown eyes shifting to her, Ohan breathed out a long sigh, watching the gentle stream of blood pushing out of her tilted mouth and soak into the seat; he¡¯d angled her head to keep her lungs from filling with the liquid.


    He didn¡¯t have much sympathy for the woman¡ªyet there was a little; she¡¯d dug her own grave, yet he also had to wonder if her story was somehow related to Fiona¡¯s sister, Nora.  From what he¡¯d learned on the trip to Cuba, The Oscillation had turned her into a feeding fiend, unable to stop herself from devouring life, and it took some doing to get it under control.


    The world¡¯s not so black and white ¡­ Although Nora didn¡¯t have full control of her hunger or mind¡ªshe also managed to go after animals.  Then again, given what we do know about The Oscillation ¡­ this woman might have actually been a cannibal, so ¡­ It¡¯s really not the same, but who knows?


    Selvaria soon exited, scratching her head while glancing around, and Nerea came after, pointing her to the side of the building.  The Leviathan followed the woman over, soon returning with several people, hugging themselves and looking scared.


    Exiting the truck, he took one last look at June to make sure she wasn¡¯t going to choke and closed the door.  Making his way over, he met up with the girls.  ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Scratching the base of the left illuminated horn on her head, Selvaria made a low note in her throat.  ¡°They were locked in a basement or something¡ªthey had a shotgun, but only five shells.¡±


    Ohan nodded.  ¡°They tried to blow open the door?¡±


    Selvaria grimaced.  ¡°It was metal, so the guy hurt himself trying.¡±


    Getting the people into the back of the truck, Ohan took them to the city, opening the small back window to listen to their explanation; Nerea translated.


    From what she said, they used to be in June¡¯s gang, but her hunger grew more and more with everything she ate until all the food in town was gone.  Now that there wasn¡¯t anything left, they were locked away for a later snack¡ªit sounded like June was literally changing into a monster, and it made Ohan wonder if Selvaria didn¡¯t supplement her diet with water if she¡¯d be the same.


    Again, his mind was brought back to the issues regarding The Oscillation; sure, it provided fantasy-like abilities and amazing feats, but given the knowledge Rachel brought about gods or higher-entities being a thing, he had to think practically.


    Life wasn¡¯t going to return to normal; sure, companies and humanity would flourish, as it always had, but the change was evident.  If a Demi could take over an entire country like Cuba, even if they were just unprepared for that kind of threat, it meant any nation, except the more militaristic and capable ones, would fall into chaos.


    Naturally, the U.S. had the most powerful military, and it would retain the most order, but other governments like the EU, UK, Middle East, and Asian countries would be the leaders in how the world was shaped.


    He didn¡¯t have anyone he was particularly close to, other than his students, but he always kept it at a professional level.  Again, he was reminded that he needed to think about his future; Ray was the closest friend he had, yet Ohan didn¡¯t see himself joining the man in his current goals since they had differing approaches to life.


    Clearing his throat, he watched Nerea do her best to support the people they transported; she cared¡ªhe knew she did.  Life could be cruel, and even if people thought they were making the right decision, there were always consequences; he wasn¡¯t to be that judge, though.


    The drive back took longer since they were hauling normal humans to be treated, but it didn¡¯t take more than fifty minutes on the dirt road.  They passed the bridge, and the people were dropped off at a clinic using Nerea¡¯s directions.


    He would have had June checked, but it was a moot action; if she did survive, it wouldn¡¯t be from modern medicine.  However, the amount of blood now pooling on the floor mat would make even a tolerant man queasy.


    Glancing back at Selvaria as the last of the group entered with Nerea, he drew her attention through the slid-open window.  ¡°Hey, how long will your Chaos Energy last?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡ªI don¡¯t know,¡± she mumbled, leaning over to stare at her.  ¡°Oof!  Is she still bleeding?  How much blood does she have?¡±


    Ohan wrapped his arm atop the steering wheel, watching the dribble leak out of the woman¡¯s open mouth.  ¡°You did knock her cold before she had a chance to use any ability or skill.  Hmm ¡­ by the way, what did you do to get that strong?¡±


    ¡°W-What do you mean?¡±  Selvaria forced a smile, looking adorable in a way only teens could do when trying to avoid a question.  ¡°Haven¡¯t I always been strong?¡±


    ¡°Mhm ¡­ But not that strong, Selv.  That was something I¡¯d expect from Rachel, not you.  So, spill¡ªwhat was the cost?¡±


    A tight chuckle rumbled in her throat as she played with a lock of hair.  ¡°Well¡ªyou know like, eh¡ªShuckle from Pokemon?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he flatly stated.


    ¡°Shoot, uh¡ªhey, what¡¯s with you and not knowing like ¡­ anything cool.  Umm,¡± she grumbled, trying to deflect for a second, ¡°you see ¡­ I know I¡¯m not very strong outside of my Leviathan State¡ªland sucks for me¡ªbut using my Chaos Branch, I can convert like ¡­ only 75% of my defense for like ¡­ a huge 25% boost to my strength.  Mix that with funneling all my seawater into this Chaos Burst attack¡ªcool sounding, by the way¡ªand BOOM!¡±


    Ohan reached up to wrap his knuckles against her forehead, making her dart back.  ¡°Hey!  That was mean ¡­ Oh, is it an Itachi reference!¡±  she asked, eyes lighting up again.


    ¡°Who?  No,¡± Ohan growled, glaring at her.  ¡°That was dumb.  75% of your defense for a 25% attack boost, and you dumped your full Pool on a single attack?  No wonder you talked about one punch because you weren¡¯t throwing another.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s lips bunched to the side, pouting a little.  ¡°Look, I knew I could stomp her, even without my Leviathan form¡ªI¡¯m a freakin¡¯ Leviathan!  I¡¯d like to see her survive the Legend¡¯s Quest ¡®cause she¡¯d get eaten by that creepy tentacle thing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not even going to ask,¡± Ohan sighed.  ¡°How long does your swapped attack and defense last?¡±


    Her aquamarine eyes shifted to the left.  ¡°Umm ¡­ Well, heh, you see ¡­ The buff is like a full five minutes, which is insane!  I mean, most fights would be over by then.¡±


    ¡°The debuff?¡±  Ohan pressed.


    ¡°I mean, twenty-four hours, but ¡­ think about how cool I looked.¡±


    Ohan sucked in his bottom lip and slowly nodded; she had no sense of danger, which might have been something to do with her Leviathan nature.  Although, to be fair, it was a rather devastating attack, even if it came at a price¡ªhitting Rachel-levels of stopping power was impressive, but who could say how much stronger the Lunar Hare had gotten after hearing what they were walking into ¡­ Who knew if they were still alive?


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±  He hummed, scratching his forehead.  ¡°So, after this, we get you filled up on seawater¡ªyour defense is based on multipliers involving your seawater.  Right?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Selvaria swallowed, unable to hide her nervous smile.  ¡°I mean, Leviathan State me is on a whole ¡®nother universe on defense, but yeah ¡­ I get bonuses for it when out of water.¡±


    Not turning away from the girl, eventually, she broke under his gaze.  ¡°Okay!  Okay!  Yeah, so ¡­ Chaos Blast may cap 20% of how much of my total Pool I use for an hour¡ªpercent wise.¡±


    Ohan sucked in air through his teeth before letting it hiss out.  ¡°Great ¡­ We need to have a talk after all this is over, Selvaria.¡±


    ¡°Eh-he-he,¡± Selvaria shrank back to lean against the side.  ¡°I¡¯ve gotta use my Skills to keep getting the proficiencies up, though.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± he returned, ¡°so the best practice would be to do the capping and debuffing skills on off-days so that you won¡¯t be in danger¡ªonly using them when you need to.  I¡¯m worried about you, Selv.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±  she whispered, playing with her hair again.  ¡°I just wanted to show off because she had a super cool power suit.¡±


    Relenting a bit, Ohan reluctantly said, ¡°Okay, yes, Selv ¡­ I was impressed, and it did look pretty cool.¡±


    ¡°I know!¡±  she chimed, soon falling into a sad mood.  ¡°I hear you, though.  Umm ¡­ I am still really durable ¡­ just not invincible.¡±


    A half-smile lifted his lips; her quirky nature was something he liked, and in a way, she reminded him of his best friend growing up¡ªonly a female version.  His mind pulled back to those days Ray, Arris, and he used to practice Kendo together; they loved it because of various media references that he never got¡ªit was the only time he had to really hang out with kids his age.


    ¡°We¡¯ll work on practicing together when everything dies down.  You¡¯re one of the few things I can¡¯t cut.¡±


    ¡°Ho-ho!  Finally admitting it?!¡±  Selvaria snickered, but Ohan¡¯s attention was snatched by June¡¯s sharp quiver.


    He glanced over at her as a low whimper shook her chest; the blood seemed to have stopped.  She¡¯ll wake up soon, huh?


    Selvaria pulled herself up to look through the window.  ¡°Is she waking up?¡±


    ¡°Soon, I¡¯d guess, but not immediately; she¡¯s probably beyond the danger zone, though,¡± Ohan predicted.  ¡°Her deadly wound is closing, and now she¡¯s probably repairing the damage you did to her brain ¡­ She may even wake up as an entirely different person.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±  Selvaria nodded.  ¡°So, I damaged her brain, and now it¡¯s repairing it so ¡­ amnesia?¡±


    He shrugged.  ¡°Maybe, or certain things are forcefully being rewired in the recovery process.  It¡¯s just something I thought of.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ Umm, can you still go to jail if you kill someone but don¡¯t remember it?¡±


    Ohan snorted.  ¡°In the U.S.?  No doubt.  I don¡¯t know about Cuba.  Even if she has forgotten everything, it doesn¡¯t change the fact of what she¡¯s done, I suppose.  It¡¯s one of those sticky situations.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Four minutes passed as they thought in silence about what could be in store for the snake woman, and when Nerea exited, her helmet was down.  There was a mixed expression on her face that told Ohan she¡¯d calmed down and had time to think.  She was scared but wouldn¡¯t run away.


    Selvaria began peppering her with questions about her power-suit when they were alone, not telling her about the recovering Mythickin.  Ohan wanted to wait and see how she¡¯d react when the result of June¡¯s renewal was completed.


    Nerea didn¡¯t have much to tell, yet he figured it helped the woman cope with what was to come.  Stopping off at the bridge to fill up Selvaria¡¯s Pool, Ohan was forced to leave the truck to carry June on foot.


    The Leviathan had regained much of her feminine figure, but there was a noticeable fade to the typically lustrous scales and sheen she normally boasted.  On foot, they took the Cuban woman¡¯s tentative directions to a government-looking building.


    ¡°Here¡­¡±  she whispered, arms folded under her armored chest.  ¡°Kevin should be inside with some of the others.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you want to go through with it?¡±  Ohan asked, studying her expression.  ¡°You¡¯ve brought us here.¡±


    A somber smile touched her pained face before she shook her head.  ¡°I should stand by my actions.¡±


    Nodding, he walked through the door as she held it open for him.  ¡°A brave decision; I respect it.¡±


    A woman behind a reception desk jumped the moment she noticed them.  ¡°O-Oh!  Umm¡­¡±  she promptly broke into Spanish.


    Nerea waved, giving her a short chuckle, returning a few words before gesturing for Ohan and Selvaria toward an elevator.  Two big men wearing tactical police outfits hounded their progress to the device, but Nerea didn¡¯t pay them much attention.


    Once they were inside the elevator, Ohan¡¯s lips tightened upon hearing it struggle to rise and caught Selvaria¡¯s forced smile.  However, given the decrease in her Water Pool, it managed to reach the third floor, and Ohan shifted to study the Leviathan.  ¡°I¡¯m surprised people are still working at 3 A.M.¡±


    Selvaria nodded.  ¡°I was thinking the same thing¡ªand those police guys were giving you looks, Ohan.¡±


    ¡°He is carrying a woman that looks practically dead,¡± Nerea muttered.  ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah, there¡¯s always something that needs to be handled lately, so we tend to get sleep when we can.¡±


    ¡°It must be challenging,¡± Ohan commented.


    She smiled.  ¡°Heh ¡­ You have no idea.¡±


    Following her through the hallways, they stopped in front of a door before Nerea knocked.


    ¡°Ingresar,¡± said a deep and tired voice.


    [i.e. Come in.]


    Proceeding through, Ohan saw a gray-haired Hispanic man in his late fifties.  His black and red power-suit looked awkward while sitting in a rather unimpressive black chair that showed various rips in it¡ªlikely from the armor itself.


    ¡°Erik told me two United States monsters¡ªhis words¡ªlanded on our island.¡±  His unguarded head lifted to observe them, but Ohan was a little surprised when he simply breathed a sigh of relief and sat back, hands crossing atop his lap.  ¡°Hello, I am Isla De la Juventud¡¯s governor.¡±


    His brown eyes shifted to June.  ¡°By the movement of her chest, I assume she isn¡¯t dead ¡­ Consider me enthralled.  Please, have a seat,¡± he gestured to the chairs in front of him.  ¡°If you wish, you may place June on the couch.¡±


    Finding the exchange a bit suspect, Ohan slowly complied, pondering the angle.  ¡°I do not recall someone named Kevin being in charge of administration in this special municipality ¡­ a Kevin Biescas was on the line of succession list, though.¡±


    A sad sigh moved his tired face, eyes closing in what seemed a silent prayer.  ¡°Luca Biescas, God rest his soul, was killed during a monster attack, and ¡­ there have been quite a few unfortunate incidents that have shaken our community.  So, I look forward to hearing what you have to say because much of the infrastructure we have was destroyed by a coup attempt ¡­ If you could call it that.¡±


    He shook his head, bringing his fingers to his forehead as Ohan placed June on the couch and took his seat next to Selvaria¡ªthe Leviathan tentatively curled her tail around to try and sit, but the light press of her body caused the base to give a loud crack.


    ¡°Oof ¡­ I¡¯ll just stand,¡± Selvaria said, forcing a chuckle.


    Ohan leaned against the side, supporting his head with the back of his hand.  ¡°The first week was rough?¡±


    ¡°Without question,¡± he replied, gesturing to the woman beside the door.  ¡°We lost three hundred and eighty seven people due to various reasons ¡­ including Nerea¡¯s husband ¡±


    Nerea¡¯s voice cracked a little.  ¡°We ¡­ managed to get the materials Sergio needed.¡±


    ¡°Is that the Artificer that made those suits?¡±  Selvaria asked, showing how much she was interested in the topic, as she bypassed her social fear.


    Kevin licked his lips and sucked in a sharp breath.  ¡°One of my closest friends ¡­ Unfortunately, June got to him two days ago, sneaking into the city at night.  It was an inside job, but we don¡¯t know who helped her yet.  I¡¯m hoping we can get answers.¡±


    Selvaria hissed, glancing at Ohan with a low hum.


    ¡°Something the matter?¡±  Kevin asked, his vision moving from her to Ohan.


    A short pause ensued as Ohan¡¯s focus shifted to the snake woman.  ¡°Selvaria damaged June¡¯s brain, and she only survived because of her recovery abilities ¡­ She may not know anything when she wakes up.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±  Nerea mumbled, drawing Kevin¡¯s gaze.  ¡°No, that¡¯s not ¡­ She really won¡¯t remember anything?¡±


    Ohan¡¯s teeth clamped down on his bottom lip as the dots connected; it was worse than he thought.  ¡°Nerea ¡­ What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ not following,¡± Kevin said, studying the unhappy woman.


    Selvaria¡¯s tail whipped out subconsciously, accidentally sending her damaged chair flinging against the wall as her hands jumped to her mouth.  ¡°No!  You didn¡¯t!¡±


    Nerea¡¯s hands tightened, vision falling to the ground, her teeth grinding was practically audible throughout the room.  ¡°... I ¡­ have something to confess.¡±


    A low groan rolled in Kevin¡¯s throat; he brought up his hands to rub his eyes, sinking further into his chair.  Voice haggard and hurt, he whispered, ¡°Please, God ¡­ Please, tell me you are not a traitor, Nerea?¡±


    Nerea¡¯s hand closed around her bicep, unable to make eye contact.  ¡°I ¡­ never wanted to be, but everything spiraled out of my control.  June was stronger¡ªshe kept growing stronger, and I tried to fight her, but¡ªbut she threatened to do hit and run tactics ¡­ Kill in the night and vanish into the forest ¡­ She had Angel¡¯s son, and¡­¡±


    Ohan puffed out a breath.  ¡°One small favor after another ¡­ step by step, she brought you into her web until you couldn¡¯t get out.¡±


    Kevin took a moment to collect himself, but there was only pity in his gaze.  ¡°Did you know Sergio was her target?¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°No ¡­ No, and I would have never¡­¡±  Tears fell down her cheeks as she choked.  ¡°I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°I see ¡­ So, that¡¯s why June¡¯s been leaving us alone ¡­ I wish you would have come to me, but it¡¯s something you¡¯ll need to explain in court.¡±


    Nerea nodded, unable to speak between hiccups.


    Kevin¡¯s gaze returned to him.  ¡°I cannot ¡­ ahem, thank you enough for the swift support you have lent our community ¡­ My, I don¡¯t even have your names yet.¡±


    ¡°Ohan,¡± he promptly replied, ¡°and this is Selvaria.¡±


    She gave him an encouraging smile.  ¡°Sorry about what happened to your friend.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kevin took a shuddering breath and nodded.  ¡°Right, work to be done.  If you two can tell me your reasons for coming to our island, then ¡­ it would help to understand how we can proceed.  Clearly, you¡¯re strong enough to probably destroy our entire population from the testimony of those on the pier.  Please, tell me your story.¡±


    Ohan recounted the tale and their reasons for coming.  Kevin was happy to take whatever support the U.S. government could provide; they were already running quite low on many supplies since imports had been non-existent for the last few weeks.


    They took over guard duty over June, and just as he concluded, the woman had lost quite a few memories of her life, including the last three weeks.  An emergency assembly was held to present the state of the world, delivered by Ohan, which followed the selection process for the jury on June¡¯s trial.


    Later that night, Tom reached out to inform him about what occurred on their side, putting a quake through Ohan¡¯s bones.  Compared to what they¡¯d dealt with, Selvaria and he were practically in heaven, but it made him realize how much work he had ahead of him.


    He decided to push his training and join Rachel¡¯s group; if he could be a part of a movement that went against things like this, he couldn¡¯t in good conscience turn it down.  Selvaria thought they¡¯d both already joined.


    Two days passed before they could find a selection of jurors that could be impartial, having not heard of the woman since they lived in a small community on the other side of the island.  She was found guilty, and sentenced to death, to Ohan¡¯s disappointment.


    He felt somewhat bad for the woman after spending time with her; she was horrified by the testimonies given against her by dozens of individuals she¡¯d known throughout her life.  In the end, she accepted the punishment herself.


    Kevin delivered the crushing blow that would end the woman¡¯s life¡ªSelvaria couldn¡¯t be present for the bulk of the proceedings, connecting a bit with June¡¯s innocent love for Galatea, and spent time with her seal helping on the dock.  The Leviathan was a hit among the children, giving them rides and proving to be an excellent sea jungle gym; although, the parents were understandably cautious of the giant sea serpent at first.


    Nerea pleaded guilty and was sentenced to community service work with fifteen years in prison¡ªshe accepted the verdict without complaint.


    Ohan had hoped for lighter punishments, but he¡¯d come to help a free people return to normalcy, and this came with that decision.


    He trained with Selvaria, preparing to meet up with Rachel and the others; the Lunar Hare was still unconscious after her daring gambit but Maria thought she¡¯d wake up soon.  Using the captain¡¯s military ship to meet up with the group, Selvaria and he had new tricks up their sleeves.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 38. Game Changer

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (What Is On Her Mind After Falling Unconscious?)


    2.  Anthony (Our Main Girl''s Legendkin Crush)


    Recap:  So, we came to a rather sad end to the Isla de la Juventud mini-story; realistic, yes, but sad ... June had amnesia from the Chaos Energy that Selvaria pumped into her brain, and after a rushed court proceedings, she accepted the death penalty verdict.  Selvaria couldn''t be there but Ohan spent time to keep her company before the end.


    After some training, they returned to our Dragon Turtle base.  Now, let''s get back to Rachel and get to the final act of the Cuba Arc!


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    Swwu, Rexi Boi, Tisolon, Ryan Teschke, Ezekiel, Bret Cole, LukerBelow, Drehaszar, Brian, Lars Sprenger, Aria Red, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel spent the next three days recovering in her Core with Nia and Yseress; there were certain questions she wanted to ask but didn¡¯t want to involve the teenage bunny outfit in her unsettling speculations, so she restrained herself from focusing on the topics.


    It soon became apparent that Yseress had taken an enormous load from Rachel during the transformation; the she-devil was understandably irritable and more than likely in an intense amount of suffering.


    Interestingly, the woman refused to show weakness, choosing to isolate herself deep in the shadows of Rachel¡¯s Core.  Nia desperately wanted to get to know who she thought would be a new, cool big sister, yet all she got was Yseress¡¯s whispers and snark remarks that only redoubled Nia¡¯s hopes.


    The devil and her tattoos were a huge deal to the Living Denier, which pulled her attention away from Rachel as she silently pondered.  It helped that Rachel was able to convince the girl that her partially decayed spiritual body was cool insead of scary¡ªYseress shouldering the burden by literally numbing and taking on their pain added to Nia¡¯s playful demeanor in a situation that should have crippled them.


    Day after day, Rachel watched her hand regain muscle and skin, Yseress applying some kind of restorative demonic force that was sapping her in ways Rachel couldn¡¯t fathom.  As the devil¡¯s legal master, she was bound to support her in this manner, but that didn¡¯t mean she had to be seen or be totally compliant¡ªDevils may be contractually bound to perform certain tasks yet they could still be fairly stubborn and resistant in every other area, including being social or openly nice.


    Nia was starstruck by her new big sister when Rachel explained to her how much the devil was doing for them.  It wasn¡¯t an illusion, Yseress was literally saving them, even if she was distancing herself.


    Rachel could understand why, though¡ªthe master she adored and served without fail had thrown her away without a second thought.  It wasn¡¯t as if Yseress was surprised, being a powerful Devil herself, but knowledge did little to temper emotional pain.  Rachel decided to let her cope in her own way; she could learn more about the Devil when she was ready to open up.


    Yseress also seemed to take great pride in her physical appearance, and whatever she¡¯d done to force the Hell Energy out of her, in addition to the damage she¡¯d taken on from Nia and her, had left its mark.


    ¡°Nia,¡± Rachel whispered, sitting in her chair and flexing her slim fingers, now fully restored, ¡°it¡¯s time.¡±


    Nia hopped over squealing with anticipation.  ¡°I get to go meet Scarlet and everyone?!  I can leave?¡±


    Smiling at the girl, Rachel nodded, tilting her ears forward.  ¡°Yes, but remember¡­¡±


    The girl¡¯s multi-colored ears bobbed up and down, tight hands held against her breast.  ¡°Mhm!  Mhm!  I know!  I know!  No talking about big stuff until you come up with a plan!  Sis said I should train to get stronger with Scarlet; heh, I mean, she¡¯s kind of like my mom, too!¡±


    The girl¡¯s shimmering red heart-like outfit and fourteen-year-old girl¡¯s teenage charm drew Rachel¡¯s amusement.  Her Alice in Wonderland theme had been a sense of pride for her, but Yseress was having a profound effect on her edgy personality and drawing out a desire to be ¡®cool¡¯ in the Devil¡¯s eyes.  In truth, she just wanted to be accepted.


    Her mixed orange, pink, and silver hair now had small black streaks from their connection to Hell and its dark flames.  The color had yet to reach her eyes but the new Lunar Pool for Hell¡¯s force had affected them both.


    Getting up, Rachel leaned forward to wrap her arms around the girl, making her cheer fall a bit as she hugged her back.  ¡°I know you''re nervous.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ What if Scarlet doesn¡¯t like me?  Sis says I¡¯m too kiddish, and people might not like me ¡­ I just want to have fun.¡±


    Creating a couch for them to sit, Rachel guided Nia down to let the girl snuggle in next to her.  The cute bunny girl resting her head against Rachel¡¯s breast while fidgeting with the heart bracelet on her wrist.  ¡°You¡¯re basically a teenager, Nia.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±  Nia grumbled, glaring at her painted fingernails.  ¡°You make it sound like that¡¯s a bad thing ¡­ I want to be myself but¡ªbut I don¡¯t want people to make fun of me, either.  I thought my Secret Society stuff was fun and cool, but Yseress says it''s silly ¡­ I don¡¯t want people to think I¡¯m silly.¡±


    Rachel reached up to stroke her ears, taking a deep breath; it was a hard thing to explain to Nia that Yseress wasn¡¯t wrong.  She thought her antics were silly, too, but that didn¡¯t mean she hated her; it was the first time Nia had done a lot of self-reflection on her actions.


    ¡°You¡¯re like ¡­ a younger¡ªeh, more openly silly version of Scarlet, which isn¡¯t a bad thing.  It can just look silly to more serious, socially proper people that have trouble tapping into their inner kid ¡­ kind of like me,¡± she admitted with a forced laugh.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean I hate you.¡±


    ¡°Humph,¡± Nia glared down at Rachel¡¯s skirt.  ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say you thought I was silly when we were doing so much stuff together?  I feel stupid ¡­ I don¡¯t want Scarlet or the others to think I¡¯m stupid.¡±


    Rachel shifted the girl to lay on her back and look up at her from her lap.  ¡°Nia ¡­ I wanted you to be you.  You shouldn¡¯t conform to what everyone else wants you to be¡ªI don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh!¡±  Nia accused, eyebrows drawing together.  ¡°You¡¯re always putting on an act for people to trick them and make them think something else.¡±


    Ears tilting to the left, Rachel¡¯s lips drew in.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ it really depends on the situation, but you¡¯re not wrong.  I act how I need to to get a certain outcome; it¡¯s a part of living in the real world, but I¡¯ll shield you from all that,¡± she promised, giving her an encouraging smile.  ¡°You¡¯re not even a week old yet, girl ¡­ give yourself a break ¡­ give yourself time to figure out who you are.¡±


    Head shifted away to look into the darkness, Nia sighed, hands pressed against her belly.  ¡°I¡¯m so happy and so scared ¡­ I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m supposed to do when I¡¯m not with you, Rachel.  What if I make a fool of myself ¡­ I can¡¯t just hide in your mind and bury my head.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll do fine,¡± she encouraged, scratching the base of the girl¡¯s left ear and causing them to pull away.  ¡°I know you¡¯re scared, but you have three hours you can be out in a day¡ªyou¡¯ll be out for the next twenty-one hours after that, but if you want your independence, you need to take that leap.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want my independence?¡± she mumbled.


    Rachel glanced left, hearing the girl''s tail twitch against the cushion.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ You want it.  Now, it¡¯s time for us to wake up, and I don¡¯t know how to get back to this place, so ¡­ I can only see you when you¡¯re outside now.  Don¡¯t you want to get more outfits and show off to everyone your fashion?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nia hugged herself, and her concerned, multi-colored eyes drifted up to look at her, ¡°but what if people make fun of me?  What if my fashion actually sucks¡ªSis says my outfit fits a teenager ¡­ What does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°Are you a teenager?¡±  Rachel asked.


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    Rachel rolled her eyes.  ¡°Heh, yes, you are ¡­ So, if you want help, ask Scarlet for fashion advice.  See what everyone else has to say because it¡¯s something you¡¯re passionate about, so learn from everyone what they like.  Who knows, maybe you¡¯ll find something new you like.¡±


    Glancing down at her short dress and high-cut shorts poking out in her lying position, Nia lifted her boots up to glare at the heel.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I guess, but your fashion sucks.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±  Rachel gave her a light glare.  ¡°I have a great sense of fashion.¡±


    Nia snorted, getting up to lean against the opposite side of the couch to study her casual outfit.  ¡°Mom has great fashion sense, but you¡ªyou¡¯re all about sports bras, shorts, and tank tops.  Boring!¡±


    ¡°Meh,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I can dress up if I want to, but my everyday activities involve working out for a good amount of time and training.  How often have I ever had to doll myself up?  Not often.¡±


    Nia smirked and looked away.  ¡°Heh, you sound like a loner loser!¡±


    Rachel lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Says an edgy teenager that is having anxiety issues actually meeting people?  I was a lot of things, but socially awkward wasn¡¯t one of them,¡± she said, returning the smirk, but soon cursed her own brain as one particular incident came to mind.  ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Unfortunately, Nia was tapped into her mind and was able to use the ammunition Rachel gave her.  ¡°Oooh!¡±  she giggled, a cat-like smile playing at the corners of her lips.  ¡°Look at my nice legs and ass, Anthony!  He-he-he, awkward!  You¡¯re totally embarrassed looking back at that first date!¡±


    Suppressing a shiver by rubbing her left arm, Rachel grunted, not meeting the girl¡¯s grinning eyes.  ¡°Yeah, well ¡­ let''s see you try to talk to the first boy you fall head over heels for and come talk to me again.¡±


    Nia¡¯s face blanked.  ¡°Boy ¡­ I fall for?¡±  A lump soon formed and dropped down the girl¡¯s throat as her face brightened just thinking about it.  ¡°N-Nu-uh!  I¡¯m Living Denier ¡­ I can¡¯t¡ªI¡¯m not ¡­ Oh, my, gosh ¡­ What do I do if I like a boy, Rachel?!  Can I?¡±


    Rachel got up and yawned, stretching out left and right.  ¡°How should I know?  Anyway, we¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get there.  It¡¯s about time ¡­ You ready?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Nia fanned her face and pulled up a mirror to check her hair and ears.  ¡°Umm ¡­ my ears aren¡¯t too on edge, right?  Is my tail too stiff?  What if I drool?¡±


    ¡°Why ¡­ would you drool?¡±  Rachel asked, giving her a confused stare.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!  What if I do?!¡±  Nia hissed.  ¡°What if Scarlet pets me, and it feels good, and I just slobber all over my chest!  Gah, I¡¯d die!¡±


    ¡°Hey!  Hey!¡±  Rachel giggled, creating a brush and moving to her back to comb out her hair as the girl started to panic.  ¡°You¡¯re pretty, Nia, and you¡¯re not going to drool all over yourself¡ªheh, it¡¯s like you¡¯re going to your first kindergarten class.  Just take it one second at a time, and it won¡¯t be scary at all.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡± Nia whispered, trembling hands held tightly against her breast.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to embarrass myself ¡­ embarrass you, and ¡­ and I feel like I was kind of embarrassing when I first came out¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone has embarrassing moments,¡± Rachel soothed, shifting positions to show the panicking girl her reflection.  ¡°I¡¯m not the proudest of my actions when I was hiding in the bathroom ¡­ Oof, Lunar Pride hates me even thinking about it,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°Anthony brought out something in me I haven¡¯t felt before, but we gotta live with our actions, and if someone says they¡¯ve never done embarrassing things, they¡¯re lying ¡­ Everyone is cringy at times.¡±


    Taking deep breaths, Nia tried calming herself.  ¡°Okay ¡­ Just be cool ¡­ H-Hello!  I¡¯m Nia,¡± she said, practicing in front of the mirror Rachel held, adding a nervous, adorable smile.  ¡°I like dressing up, and protecting my wearer, and ¡­ and ¡­ psst!  Rachel!¡± she hissed, ¡°I don¡¯t know what else!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the commander of the Bunny Gang and Gisele,¡± Rachel said, poking her head around to give her a reassuring smile.  ¡°You like cute things, fighting, and laughing.  You want to learn new things and have a lot of friends.¡±


    ¡°Umm, yeah ¡­ yeah, I want a lot of friends,¡± she mumbled, fidgeting with her tail behind her back.  Taking time to lick her lips before pulling them in, the girl cleared her throat.  ¡°Eh ¡­ I want to be useful to you, too, Rachel, so ¡­ is it okay to ask Scarlet to help me get stronger?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rachel said, tossing the mirror away for it to vanish in colorful sparkles.  ¡°You¡¯ll do great ¡­ Okay, I¡¯m going to leave this place; see you on the outside.¡±


    Determination setting in, Nia nodded.  ¡°Okay!  Umm, okay ¡­ deep breaths ¡­ We can do this!¡±


    Looking into the darkness, Rachel could feel the Devil resting there; for the past few hours, the woman had fallen unconscious, exhausted from her labor.  Thank you, Yseress.  Even if you¡¯re a Devil, there¡¯s a part of you that¡¯s still human ¡­ I can sense it.  We¡¯ll get to know each other soon enough.


    Closing her eyes, Rachel did what the Devil had instructed, easing her mind and letting herself drift away; she was carried out of her Core on the waves of spiritual energy that it radiated, returning her to the outer world.


    Her ears twitched as the heavy sound of rainfall and thunder filtered into her brain.  Vision clearing, the majority of the room came into focus, giving her a wide field of view.


    Selvaria and Ohan were back from their mission, seeing as they sat in the dining room with Galatea, Fiona, Cahira, and most of the Irish woman¡¯s crew.  Cendric, her Dragon Turtle caretaker, was out in the storm, using the weather to help him clean Zippy¡¯s skin.


    Grace sat with Isabel, Edelira, and Benedict in what might have been a study; the mansion on the turtle¡¯s back had expanded since she¡¯d been unconscious, showing Cahira¡¯s growth from the Hell incident.


    The four were having what appeared to be a serious conversation about their future; a lot had happened since they¡¯d left to join them, including the deaths of most of their family from a random act of violence that occurred when they were away.


    One of the escaped criminals in Las Tunas had hidden in the jungle for weeks, only to go on a killing spree once cornered by the U.S. military, and out of pure misfortune, the area he¡¯d run happened to be where most of their remaining family had gathered.


    It hit them pretty hard, and the twins seemed to have grown closer to the cowgirl since.  The three didn¡¯t know what they should do, and it was confirmed now that their relatives in Camag¨¹ey weren¡¯t among the survivors, which was another big blow for the gunslinger girls.  Benedict was in a similar position, seeing as he¡¯d basically been adopted by Isabel and Edelira¡¯s mother.


    Clay was currently asleep, and Tom was in the communication room receiving reports from around Cuba.  They¡¯d confirmed something suspicious was happening with the country¡¯s military, but it had been radio silence for the last thirty hours, which had the four-star general pondering their next course of action.


    Rachel was sure he was waiting for her report to pull the trigger on several objectives, yet she had some serious things she needed to deliberate on before presenting her thoughts to everyone.


    The first person to catch her attention was Scarlet, breathing softly beside her in the bed they were sharing; she seemed to have stayed with her the entire time.  It was something Rachel expected of the emotionally attached girl.


    Scooting back to the headboard and moving her pillow up to use as a cushion, Rachel turned her gaze to Maria.  The woman¡¯s soft solar glow and white horn illuminated the dark space, but she kept a distance that wouldn¡¯t affect either her Lunar Pool or Scarlet¡¯s weakness to the element.


    ¡°I figured you¡¯d wake up soon,¡± she muttered, somber silver eyes fixated on her.


    Rachel could sense the caution in her voice; ears tilting forward, she studied the Sunlit Unicorn.  The woman had grown a horse''s tail and ears; in addition, her presence was somewhat different than what she¡¯d come to expect from the Mexican gangster.


    ¡°Uh-oh, why¡¯s she looking at you like that?¡±  Nia apprehensively hissed.  ¡°Wait ¡­ you think it¡¯s because of Yseress?  She¡¯s a good devil, though!  I¡¯ll vouch for her!¡±


    Shh ¡­ Let her speak first.  Just wait a bit.  Okay?  Maria¡¯s reaction isn¡¯t unexpected.


    ¡°Okay ¡­ I¡¯ll wait a bit before coming out,¡± she sighed, antsy to meet with everyone.


    Maria worked around her jaw, clearly disgruntled by her silence.  ¡°Damn ¡­ you can be creepy sometimes, ya know?  Shit.¡±


    Rachel repositioned her butt-length hair, tied into a braided ponytail, to lay it across her front; it seemed someone helped her keep clean while unconscious because all of the sweat and grime she¡¯d built up through the various fights had been removed.  ¡°What have you told everyone?¡±  she asked, keeping her voice down to hopefully not wake Scarlet.


    The Unicorn grunted, vision drifting to the sleeping Vespertine Reaper.  ¡°I ain¡¯t a snitch ¡­ Scarlet doesn¡¯t see it the same way, though.  She¡¯s worried about you, so yeah, Tom knows about the devil woman and you transforming into that black-haired fire bunny shit ¡­ I didn¡¯t say shit that she¡¯s basically possessing you ¡­ Should I have?  ¡®Cause damn, what I¡¯m sensin¡¯ ¡­ It¡¯s some satanic dark shit, Rachel ¡­ Seriously, and it¡¯s coiled around you like a freakin¡¯ hellish parasite.¡±


    Puffing out a long stream of air, Rachel¡¯s focus fell to her lap, fingers tightening against her thighs.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Thanks for keeping things as discrete as you could¡ªand watching over me to make sure you can stop me if I go crazy ¡­ protecting everyone.  I have a lot on my mind, and yes, I do have a very powerful devil named Yseress that¡¯s inside me.¡±


    ¡°No shit,¡± Maria whispered, folded arms across the back of her reversed chair, making the wood creak with the pressure she put against it.  ¡°Yo, just so you know, that Yseress devil was ¡­ The only thing stronger I¡¯ve felt is from that huge ass demon that came from Hell ¡­ Not even the Legend¡¯s Quest shit.  I can¡¯t purify it¡ªperiod.  Aye, I¡¯m kind of freakin¡¯ out here¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears lowered to enter her vision, and she caught the snow-white fur, showing her Hell energy wasn¡¯t in effect.  ¡°Has she weakened over the last three days?¡±


    Maria¡¯s eyebrow furrowed at her question, and Nia made sounds of recognition while reading her thoughts and feelings.  ¡°Now that you mention it ¡­ yeah, she has; although, it¡¯s like not even a wish¡ªit¡¯s impossible¡ªthere¡¯s no way in hell I can purify you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not concerned about that,¡± the Lunar Hare muttered, tilting her hand up to make a fist.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ Look, Maria, I¡¯ll explain everything, but I need to be alone to think about some pretty serious things ¡­ I need to order my mind on what to prioritize because a lot has changed since we went into that hellscape.¡±


    The woman pulled in her bottom lip, sucking on it while listening to her, and after a few seconds of silence, decided to get straight to the point.  ¡°Are you still on the crew ¡­ We good?¡±


    Knowing she could detect lies and wanting to be as honest as possible, Rachel tried to put her mind at ease to get to her real goal.  ¡°I¡¯m Yseress¡¯s master ¡­ I have control over her, and a literal goddess did the binding¡ªshe¡¯s not a concern to anyone.  I¡¯ve learned a lot that changes things, but I¡¯m still your friend, and I¡¯m not plotting against any of you ¡­ We¡ªNia and I, are still fully on board this team.¡±


    A low rumble reverberated in Maria¡¯s throat before nodding.  ¡°¡®Ight ¡­ I¡¯m glad to have ya back, but damn ¡­ somehow ya always give me a heart attack, chica.  Shit ¡­ Aye, but if ya need time ta think, I¡¯ll run interference for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Rachel smiled.  ¡°Nia¡­¡±


    The room was illuminated with pink, white, and orange light as the teenage girl separated from her actual body to meld her consciousness into its temporary bunny girl form.


    Maria hummed as Nia nervously held her hands behind her back, ears shyly pulled back while doing her best to present herself.  ¡°Eh ¡­ yo, so this is Nia?¡±  the Unicorn asked, scrutinizing the heart-like Alice in Wonderland outfit she wore.  ¡°Heh, Grace nailed the description.¡±


    ¡°I-Is it too much?¡±  Nia asked, frowning down at her red heels and white thigh highs tights.  ¡°I¡¯m not quite as curvy as Rachel¡ªI know, and I look younger, too¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey,¡± Maria held up her hands with a short chuckle.  ¡°Yo, I ain¡¯t sayin¡¯ shit!  You¡¯re cute, okay, eh ¡­ but I mean, the dress length¡ªis it a dress or just a shirt?¡±


    Nia poked at her frilled hem, lifting it slightly to show the white and red patterned booty shorts underneath.  ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be kind of deceptive,¡± she muttered, ¡°but umm ¡­ I can see that people might be put off by it ¡­ I just thought I had nice legs, and I wanted to show them off.¡±


    The girl¡¯s skittish multi-colored eyes drifted across Maria¡¯s very curvy figure, from her tight pants to the black tank-top she wore; her thoughts were practically telegraphed.  ¡°Even Rachel doesn¡¯t have a body like that¡­¡±


    Maria shrugged.  ¡°Aye, I¡¯m not one to judge; if ya like it, then own it.  I¡¯m just gonna say ya look like a teenager, so it¡¯s just a bit off for me ¡­ Walkin¡¯ around the hood like that gonna get yourself jumped, but hell, from what Grace said, heh, ya¡¯d be doin¡¯ the world a favor sendin¡¯ them to an early grave.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±  Nia chimed, perking up a bit at the compliment to her abilities.  ¡°I¡¯ll fight for justice!  Oof, umm ¡­ Sorry,¡± she mumbled, ears falling back a bit as her cheeks colored.  ¡°I just ¡­ I want to help people,¡± she finished, shifting her heels a little while staring at the polished wooden floor and wool rugs.


    Scarlet groaned at her small outburst, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to the black-haired girl.  ¡°What¡¯s ¡­ going on?¡±  she asked through a yawn.  Blinking a few times, it took a second for her to realize Rachel was up, soon followed by Nia¡¯s apprehensive wave and Maria¡¯s smirk.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ Huh?  Is¡ªNia?¡±


    ¡°Hey¡ªoof, no, that¡¯s for cows,¡± Nia self-chided, fingers stiffening for a second.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Hello ¡­ No, too stiff ¡­ ugh¡­¡±  she moaned in despair, folding down her ears.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ªI thought about this for, seriously, like days¡­¡±


    Rachel giggled, sliding out of bed; she currently wore her bikini/swimwear Nia had designed at her grandfather¡¯s house.  Adjusting the strap a little since Nia couldn¡¯t keep it in a comfortable position, she went behind the rabbit girl to put her hands on the girl¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Scarlet, this is Nia.  She¡¯s a cute teenage girl that wants to have a lot of friends¡ªshe loves a ton of stuff you like because you were the first person she imprinted on.¡±


    Nia¡¯s red face deepened at the introduction.  ¡°R-Rachel!¡± she cried, pulling away to give her an agitated glare.  ¡°Imprinted on sounds so ¡­ ugh, embarrassing!  Why¡¯d you do me dirty like that?¡±


    Scarlet giggled.  ¡°Umm, hello, Nia, and I think you look adorable¡ªno, really cool!  I love the Alice in Wonderland look¡ªoh, Selvaria and Alexa would die!  We should try on a bunch of different outfits sometime.¡±


    A shiver ran from Nia¡¯s tail to her ears as she held her hands against her breast, practically quivering with sudden excitement.  ¡°Y-Yeah!  I''m Living Denier, so¡ªso I absolutely love changing my looks and stuff!  I¡ªoh, calm down, Nia,¡± she whispered, taking deep breaths, ¡°Don¡¯t chase people away like Yseress said ¡­ be cool¡ªbe cool¡­¡±


    Maria had a half-smirk in place as they watched the rabbit girl hold her hands in front of her and give Scarlet a shy smile.  ¡°I¡¯d¡ªumm, yeah, I¡¯d like that, Scarlet.¡±


    Rachel could feel Nia restraining herself from adding comments like Scarlet was practically her mother, trying to follow the surprisingly helpful advice the devil had given her.  Although, she¡¯d likely done it to just distract herself from the pain the woman had taken on.


    Nia¡¯s so new to talking to anyone but me ¡­ She¡¯s learning how to be more social, though, but who knew ¡®the dark leader¡¯ was so awkward and shy once on her own?


    Scarlet¡¯s cheer fell a bit while turning to Rachel.  ¡°So ¡­ are you really okay?¡±


    Rachel reached over to pull Nia close with one arm, causing the girl to stammer in protest while hopping on one foot.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ Nia¡¯s been keeping me company.  Maria?¡±


    Maria sighed, staring at her.  ¡°As far as I can tell ¡­ She¡¯s still the same scheming Liebre Lunar Rachel always was.  She¡¯s got somethin¡¯ dark in her, but she asked for some time to think about how to explain it.  I think we can give her that.  You?¡±


    Scarlet cleared her throat, shifting in the bed to sit criss-crossed; her hair was done up, and she was wearing a blue tank top and jogging shorts.  ¡°You kind of scared me ¡­ really bad, Rachel¡­¡± she whispered, causing Nia to look up at her with fear.


    ¡°I know,¡± Rachel returned, voice low as she held up her braided locks.  ¡°A lot of things have changed, Scarlet, and I want to share it all with you ¡­ I just need time to organize my thoughts.¡±


    Nia¡¯s eyebrows drew together, looking down at Rachel¡¯s bare feet; her tone was a bit crestfallen.  ¡°She means without me listening in ¡­ I know she has a lot of big things to think about, but she didn¡¯t want to worry me, so she waited to really focus on them until I was out of her head.¡±


    Rachel reached up to fold back her ears.  ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be mean, Nia.¡±


    ¡°I know ¡­ I just can¡¯t help it,¡± she whispered, and Rachel felt a little bad, watching her hold back tears.


    Nia¡¯s biggest purpose was to aid her¡ªto be someone she could rely on, much like Scarlet, but there were things Rachel had to deal with on her own, and there were reasons for that.  Ultimately, Rachel had to consider things Nia never would because of her innocence.


    ¡°There are a ton of ways you can help me,¡± Rachel soothed, pulling the girl¡¯s head in against her chest.  ¡°You can cheer up Scarlet and everyone while I think about the serious stuff ¡­ We¡¯re a team.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ I guess I can do that,¡± she hummed, not totally game, but glad to be at least a little bit of help.


    Turning her around, Rachel looked up at Scarlet, still unsure how to feel about everything that happened in Camag¨¹ey.  ¡°I need to think about Wolfgang¡¯s plan of making all of humanity into Demi and a lot of other things.  I¡¯ll explain my thoughts on the path we should take in a bit, but can you show Nia a good time¡ªintroduce her to everyone?  She can only be out for another two hours and fifty-three minutes.¡±


    Scarlet puffed out a long sigh.  ¡°Okay¡­ Oh, not that it¡¯s a drag, Nia!¡±  she quickly added upon seeing the bunny girl¡¯s pained expression.  ¡°No, I¡¯d love to spend time with you ¡­ I¡¯m just worried about Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Me, too¡­¡±  Nia mumbled, playing with the frills at her front.  ¡°I can¡¯t tell you everything, but ¡­ but she said I can share some things, too.  She doesn¡¯t want things to be taken a certain way because I might mess up or something ¡­ Ack!¡±


    Nia hopped forward, gripping her left ear and pivoting to look at her in disbelief after Rachel pinched it.  ¡°W-What was that for?!¡±  she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.


    Rachel scowled at the girl, drawing both Scarlet and Maria¡¯s confused gaze.  ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re a burden, Nia.  You have your strengths, and you¡¯re working on your weaknesses; one of those happens to be explaining things, which is fine, but you need to realize where you¡¯re lacking to get better at something.  Again, I¡¯m not being mean ¡­ I want you to get better¡ªand I¡¯m not perfect, either.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±  Nia grumbled, rubbing the sore spot.  ¡°Geez, but did you have to pinch me so hard ¡­ That hurt¡­¡±


    Scarlet reached out to hug Nia from behind, pulling her in.  ¡°Heh, Rachel¡¯s pretty brutal sometimes, huh?¡±


    ¡°You have no idea!¡±  Nia huffed.  ¡°You know, one time, she totally body-slammed me¡ªknocked all the air out of my lungs!¡±


    Rachel rolled her smirking eyes and shook her head.  ¡°As I remember it, you jumped behind me to stop me from becoming a pile of smoking meat¡ªsave my life when a demon blew up in my face.¡±


    ¡°He-he-he, I did, didn¡¯t I?¡±  Nia grinned; of course, she¡¯d brought up the incident to try and cheer herself up and remind herself she did a good job.


    Taking a step toward the door, Rachel glanced down at her swimsuit, figuring it would be a decent garment for where she was going.  ¡°I¡¯m going to sit out in the rain to think.¡±


    ¡°Weirdo,¡± Nia mumbled, settling in between Scarlet¡¯s open legs as the Vespertine Reaper pulled her back against her chest.  ¡°Why not do it where it¡¯s warm?¡±


    Scarlet chuckled.  ¡°Rachel¡¯s just silly like that.¡±


    Getting up, Maria pushed out her chest while stretching, retracting her horn, which dimmed the room.  ¡°Umgh ¡­ Meh, I get it¡ªshe needs space.  ¡®Ight, I guess I¡¯ll go see if Clay¡¯s up.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not,¡± Nia instantly replied before Rachel could.  ¡°He¡¯s sleeping in a bed above us.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Maria sighed.  ¡°Well, guess I¡¯ll see what Fiona¡¯s up to ¡­ You two comin¡¯?¡±


    Scarlet released the rabbit girl to look down at her own outfit.  ¡°Eh ¡­ give me a second to get dressed.¡±


    ¡°Oh, let me pick out the outfit!¡±  Nia said, already moving to the wardrobe as Rachel slipped out of the room.


    Cahira¡¯s popping bones and muscles indicated she was glancing her way, likely knowing she¡¯d woken up; Rachel figured the woman would find a chance to excuse herself from the dinner to meet up with her at some point.


    Rachel was a little surprised by how few bodily responses Ohan made, indicating he knew she was on the move, but she still caught his slight unease.  It seemed news had spread about her actions that ended with her unconscious recovery.


    Walking down the second-floor hallway, she went to the ground level; the sound of the heavy storm outside created reverberations across the stone structure. The mansion now stood three stories with a single basement, which likely held the vault.  It was lined with wood to provide insulation and various artistic touches, and carpets lined the corridors.


    She passed one of the twin little girls in the hallway as an older boy escorted her to the bathroom; they gave her big-eyed stares, focusing on her oversized ears, and whispered in Cuban Spanish.


    No-one stopped her, and she left the manor to enter the storm.


    Small inlet gutters were between the stone walkway that branched off to various places on the vast back of the Dragon Turtle, carrying the water off the creature¡¯s sides; it had practically doubled its size from the time she¡¯d shared her first kiss with Anthony.


    Heavy droplets struck the top of her head, seeping into her hair and wetting her ears; it was cold, and her skin was soon slick with moisture as it ran across her body.  It was nice to finally have some peace and quiet¡ªnot that she hated sharing her mind with Nia, but solitude was enjoyable when she needed to think about serious topics.


    Yseress still slept, deep within her Core, but Rachel knew her privacy would more than likely be interrupted soon by the one person she welcomed during this solemn reflective time in her life.


    Her head tilted to the side as bright streaks flashed across the sky, redirected to the Dragon Turtle¡¯s tail, acting as a lightning rod.  By the noise surrounding them, they were high in the heavens; she couldn¡¯t hear anything on the ground.


    Bare feet sending short splashes from the flowing water along the stone path, she went down a branching road to a cannon area; steps led up ten feet on the much higher wall to a place where people could use two of the magical weapons to fire projectiles below.


    Rachel leaned against the parapet to watch the swirling clouds, weeping heavens, and roaring lightning; she took in a deep breath before letting it out in a stream of mist.  The thoughts she¡¯d been suppressing washed over her chilled mind.  I¡¯ve been manipulated, but for how long¡­


    Her focus snapped to the rising parapet to her left as the flash of lightning framed the invisible figure of a devilish woman, sitting on the stone¡ªIzanami.  The Hell Lord wasn¡¯t really there, but using the connection they shared through Yseress, she could project herself anywhere she liked around her.


    Ironically, the woman could make her appearance entirely real to Rachel.


    Izanami¡¯s curved black horns and enormous demonic wings were as slick as her light purplish skin.  Her crossed legs and obsidian heels were wet, shimmering in the faint moonlight and stars that passed through the stormy clouds and lightning, easily visible with Rachel¡¯s improved night vision.


    Rachel¡¯s wide field of vision couldn¡¯t help but take in her shapely figure and damp black open dress that left an imprint against her sensuous breasts.  Her hands were held in her lap as the devil¡¯s ominous flaming orange irises wandered in amusement while observing their environment.  ¡°I have not felt rain against my skin in eons.¡±


    Another sharp crack of thunder left a short imprint of the corrupted visage Izanami hid behind illusions, showing the rotten corpse of a divine woman; it was a calculated move on deity¡¯s part to reveal the truth of her appearance, Rachel was sure¡ªthey were bound at this point, and there wasn¡¯t much Rachel could do to get out of it¡ªthis was the debased Japanese Goddess of Creation, turned into the Goddess of Death.


    Keeping her lax position against the wall, Rachel watched the dampened wind of the storm pull the deity¡¯s soaked gown against her frame and reveal her gorgeous face, yet it was likely nothing close to the beauty she held when at the height of her uncorrupted power.  Twilight manipulated Scarlet to come into contact with me ¡­ It¡¯s the only explanation I can come up with ¡­ Why?


    ¡°He-he-he.¡±  Rachel could practically feel Hell on Izanami¡¯s succulent voice as her flaming irises shifted to her.  ¡°Even if I were still the goddess I was before my death, I could not answer such a question with certainty, and I am bound to only speak the truth when speaking to you.  That being said, without a doubt, Scarlet was delivered to you with a silver bow.¡±


    It soon dawned on Rachel that the Hell Lord could skirt her questions if there was a level of doubt because of the contract.  Sighing, Rachel grunted, watching the droplets splash against the woman¡¯s horns.  You can¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t have a speculation.


    ¡°Of course, my dear little Lunar Hare,¡± Izanami snickered.  ¡°However, I am very limited in my current state.  I may be a seventh-dimensional being, but the highest ring of Hell I can make my home is in the seventh ¡­ Even fallen deities of my degree have their limitations, and I cannot see creation as I once did.¡±


    What can you tell me?  Rachel pressed, looking to trap her into answering at least a hint of the concerns on her mind.


    Izanami looked up at the rumbling clouds swirling overhead, adopting a slight smile that didn¡¯t touch her titan-colored eyes.  ¡°I can only tell you that the things I see through Yseress and your experiences.  I cannot penetrate the veil of Hell that traps me¡ªnot on my own.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s arms folded under her bust, holding tight against her body while listening to Cahira¡¯s caretaker go about his chores tending to the Dragon Turtle.  So ¡­ you¡¯re saying I have the answers in my head ¡­ I just need to connect the dots.


    ¡°In part,¡± Izanami nonchalantly shrugged.  ¡°You may have the details, but I have the knowledge to expand on those points and draw far-reaching conclusions.¡±


    The Hell Lord¡¯s smirk lifted with her chin as she studied the heavens.  ¡°Although, my advice would be to focus on the other forces surrounding you instead of Twilight.  Attention is best served on those things you can change and do something about.¡±


    Her lilting tone grated against Rachel¡¯s psyche as the fallen deity¡¯s entertained gaze drifted to her, flashing in the storm¡¯s light.  ¡°You cannot cut Scarlet out of your life¡ªface it, Twilight has already won.  What good will come of kicking against the pricks?¡±


    Nose twisting with agitation at her response, Rachel glared at the figure, mind racing to follow the breadcrumbs she was dropping.  You¡¯re saying I should be focusing on the Lunar Deities that have taken an interest in me?  Can I do something about them?


    ¡°Ah,¡± Izanami hummed, unfolding her legs and cupping her fingers to catch the falling liquid in her hands.  ¡°Much like the tempest around us, a storm has followed you since your change ¡­ Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s gaze drifted to the black clouds and falling haze.  You¡¯re not wrong ¡­ Who was the first Lunar Deity to catch notice of me?  Eostre and Moongmor?


    The Devil Lord¡¯s mirthful laughter as she released the liquid across her thighs made Rachel turn back to the woman.  ¡°If I could tell you, I would ¡­ It shouldn¡¯t be this challenging to determine the order of ¡®their¡¯ addition to the party, though.¡±


    Eostre clearly set into place unseen conditions of her own in the contract that restricted Izanami¡¯s answers; of course, her redirection from Twilight to the Lunar Deities could be a ploy in itself to distract her from the real threat.  Rachel didn¡¯t know the woman¡¯s end goals.  Still, the fact Izanami was leading her in the direction that could give her answers on how deeply Eostre and her compatriots had their nails in her was a worthwhile pursuit.


    A crack of lightning split the heavens overhead, yet Rachel didn¡¯t flinch, brushing her soaked, braided hair over her shoulder.  If we¡¯re going off of events ¡­ Twilight manipulated Scarlet into a position to meet me, and ¡­ No, the most considerable change to my mental state was Lunar Pride ¡­ At nearly the start of The Oscillation.


    ¡°Dear,¡± Izanami taunted, ¡°you shouldn¡¯t focus on that right now.¡±


    Oh?  Rachel questioned, wiping away the water from her brow and angling her ears to not drip onto her forehead.  What do I need to put my attention on right now?


    The fallen deity¡¯s smile became sinister.  ¡°He-he-he ¡­ Moongmor manipulated quite the items for you during the Legend¡¯s Quest¡ªNia is quite lovely, in her own right, but I¡¯d argue the other items could bring you to a rather succulent realization if crafted into the proper ¡®key¡¯¡ªby the way, there so happens to be a rather wondrous location I¡¯ve mentioned before that has all kinds of properties¡ªhe-he-he, including the fundamental tools to reach the divine.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened as the dots connected in her mind; Izanami hinted at various things to draw her to the answer.  The Nymph¡¯s Tree in the U.K. that you talked about in our last discussion?  The pink and orange crystal I got from the Legend¡¯s Quest, can I have them crafted into something that opens a gate to the Divine Realm?


    Izanami lazily gestured with her left hand, studying the magic cannon across from her.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it ¡®the¡¯ Divine Realm, as there are many little sanctuaries for various deities, but it is certainly possible to craft a lunar pathway to ¡®a¡¯ Divine Realm with such a material.  Heh, of course, it wouldn¡¯t be the thing MoonMoon would have given to you ¡­ If you had managed to find the proper artisan to work with them, you could have made quite the weapon to compliment Nia and you.¡±


    Hmm¡­  Rachel¡¯s eyebrows pulled together.  Is it worth losing a practical weapon to just open a gate to one of the deities?  What if they just threw me out the moment I went in?


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly possible,¡± Izanami absently replied, visually following the Dragon Turtle¡¯s caretaker across the yard as he happily went to work on the tail next.  ¡°Eostre wanted you to ask me about ways to increase your friends¡¯ potential ¡­ I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t have this in mind,¡± the Hell Lord snickered, ¡°but it isn¡¯t just you that can use such a gate.  Consider it a branching point to other figures that can make their presence known when between dimensions.¡±


    Fiona, Maria, and the others ¡­ Can other deities strengthen us?


    ¡°Mmh, I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± Izanami laughed, ¡°but it¡¯s foolish to believe you are the ¡®only¡¯ ones receiving divine aid.  Do you suppose Asher came up with such a grand ritual on his own?  No, powerful devils whispered in his ear.  Wolfgang and his little Seed plan?  My gentle song plucked at his mind.  If I can do such things all the way from the Seventh Ring of Hell, what can deities that aren¡¯t held by such restrictions do?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s full lips pulled in, tasting the rain on them.  So ¡­ we really are in a game of gods ¡­ Although, they¡¯re just as clueless as us regarding the Seeds.


    ¡°You¡¯re priceless,¡± Izanami chortled.  ¡°There is plenty I, and they, can discover about such a fascinating thing that you couldn¡¯t hope to understand.  I believe that knowledge is worth more than some insignificant weapon in the grand scheme of things.  Have you discovered your first contact with the divine?¡±  she asked, hellish orange eyes fixating on her.


    Rachel took in a deep breath before letting it out; it had come to her only a moment ago, and there was a reason she wanted her to focus on it.  My mental state ¡­ Each Branch on my Tree directly references a goddess, and the moment they touched my Seed ¡­ Eostre is the most vocal because you pulled her in, but in reality, she was the last to touch my life.


    ¡°Mhm?¡±  Izanami pressed, looking for more.


    Hand pressing against the base of her left ear, Rachel¡¯s jaw tightened.  It¡¯s no coincidence my mind and goals changed so drastically after The Oscillation changed me ¡­ Lunar Pride, Strategic Mind, and Mental Acceleration ¡­ The most significant skills that have affected me are all in Cerridwen¡¯s Branch.  She wanted me to reach this point ¡­ Did she even see your interference?


    Izanami smiled at the sky, letting the water blanket her face, yet she refused to blink.  ¡°Cerridwen is a rather crafty woman ¡­ She is a goddess of creation, inspiration, knowledge, beauty, transformation, regeneration, renewal, fertility, and the herbal rituals that impressed upon Witches and Druids at the dawn of antiquity ¡­ The Keeper of the Cauldron of Intelligence.¡±


    The Hell Lord¡¯s tone turned acid.  ¡°She indeed is powerful but was one of the few that took a small part of my station after my death, and I am not a fan of her.  No, she could not see my addition because this parallel world has become a blot of ink on parchment.¡±


    Meaning?  Rachel asked, looking for any insight she could gain about the figures.


    The woman smirked, focus falling to stare at her ears.  ¡°What you call The Oscillation did more than just give you new abilities, Rachel ¡­ These Seeds are singular existences, meaning they warp the fabric of Existence itself, and they have become a part of you.¡±


    Her long fingernails drew Rachel¡¯s attention as Izanami directed her to the house¡ªCahira had just risen from her chair, excusing herself from the laughter as the group got to know Nia.  ¡°Think about what we¡¯ve discussed ¡­ I look forward to when I get a chance to see this evolving world again¡ªjust know, there are things far more frightening than gods and goddesses in this game¡­¡±


    The Hell Lord¡¯s ominous laughter lingered in the air as she vanished in a flash of lightning, leaving Rachel to wait for the Pirate Queen to meet with her.


    Rachel turned her head to look down at the fathomless ground, obscured by the storm.  So ¡­ not even these gods and goddesses can look into the future and predict much because of The Oscillation ¡­ We¡¯re all trapped in this game, dancing to the strings of some unknown thing behind the veil.


    * * *


    Anthony¡¯s eyes snapped open as a haunting ballad caressed his ear, but all that met him was a wall of fog.  Pushing himself up, his glowing green irises scanned the dense haze, making it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead of him.


    Rachel had left the night before, and he¡¯d spent a good day with Nora, Rachel¡¯s grandfather, Jessy, and Mason; nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, except for possibly the elderly man¡¯s somewhat absent mind, but he was old.


    Throwing off his blanket, Anthony squinted, barely able to see the wooden floor of the three-story mansion; he was still in the house, yet it was only a faint reflection of his mind projected to his faculties.


    He summoned his spear, but no matter how he flipped it around, it didn¡¯t disperse the fog, and opening the window did nothing.  More ominous than anything else, all sound had died, including his own voice.


    Taking calming breaths, he recalled the account Rachel had given of the creatures Nora had eaten, turning his stomach; she¡¯d been right to be concerned.


    Anthony used his spatial memory to navigate the room, exiting it to make his way to the girl¡¯s sleeping area two doors down¡ªsomething was caressing his mind in an unnatural, oracular way that put a haunting choir¡¯s melody in his soul¡ªthere was a shapeless, shifting void observing him and he knew on instinct, there wasn¡¯t a hope of escape.


    A source of untold fears beyond his understanding unnerved his legendary resistances¡ªten thousand eyes opening inside his Core; the curse of the wise, causing him to hesitate with every step, yet into the madness he stumbled¡ªinto a world of sleep, he was summoned by a being he couldn¡¯t know, yet nevertheless felt as familiar as his own hand, the Harbinger of the Mecroaf.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 39. Shifting Course

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (It''s time to send it!)


    2.  Anthony (Oh, no ... Where is this going?!)


    Recap:  We met with Izanami again O_o the fallen goddess had a lot of little hints to give Rachel ... Oh, on a brighter note, Nia can now slip out of her Denier and become a real girl =D for a little bit, at least.


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    Thunder rolled through the dark heavens as Rachel¡¯s back rested against the tall parapet, her vision centered on the weeping clouds.  Cahira casually made her way through the manor, checking up on her men while adding playful comments that the rugged pirates smoothly dismissed¡ªRachel figured the woman simply loved expressing her sexuality.  However, the more straight-laced martial artist¡¯s solemn thoughts were far from the gutters.


    She frowned while comparing the divots beside the walkway, funneling the gathered liquid to expel it off the Dragon Turtle¡¯s back.  Izanami revealed an ominous truth of their lives that significantly impacted her family and the way she conceptualized her future.  All the Hell Lord had to do was present facts and allow her to connect the dots¡ªshe didn¡¯t even have to present an argument since the information alone drew a compelling conclusion.


    Rachel¡¯s left ear twitched with agitation, and she adjusted her fitted white, orange, and pink cut-out cross-shaped halter-top bikini; the rain pounding against her skin was only an absent thought in the back of her mind while glaring at the flashing lightning that streaked across the clouds.


    The influence of various deities¡ªand the entities beyond them¡ª not to mention demons, Izanami¡¯s impact alone on Wolfgang created the Seed expansion ¡­ the lunar goddesses nudging me along ¡­ and there¡¯s Twilight; she¡¯s the most concerning.  All the ¡®basic¡¯ stuff too, like these Seeds ¡­ the Crystals ¡­ and all of the individual human interests¡­


    A pulse ran from her soggy tail to the tips of her ears as a shiver ran through her bones.  The moment The Oscillation occurred, Cerridwen analyzed the situation in an instant before coming to the conclusion that to achieve her goals, she needed me ¡­ needed my mind to develop in a way to grasp the scope of this battlefield.


    Rachel¡¯s tongue slid out to taste the salt on her full lips, swallowing the liquid that gathered in her mouth.  Twilight knows Cerridwen¡¯s goals and manipulations¡ªso she acted as the puppeteer to connect Scarlet to my family ¡­ For all I know, the proximity of Scarlet to me and the various personality traits she had were a factor in Twilight selecting her.


    I¡¯m in the middle of a chaotic game, and every action I take will lead the people around me¡ªmy family¡ªdown a dangerous road.  Cerridwen likely contrived events that connected me to Maria, which Twilight hijacked, bringing me into contact with Tom, putting me on a global scale to reach this moment¡­


    Her fist tightened, pressing against the cold gray stone at her back as the rain weaved through her damp hair and down her neck.  I¡¯m not the only one being pulled along to get stronger as soon as possible, and while Cerridwen began this plan, it¡¯s far outside of her control at this point ¡­ Twilight is the absolute puppet master.


    Dammit!  Rachel¡¯s jaw locked, scowling at the sky.  She wanted me to know ¡­ Was the Legend¡¯s Quest a part of her plan to begin with, or was it Cerridwen¡¯s, and she just utilized it?


    The unnatural visage of Scarlet¡¯s possessed image flashed across her mind as Rachel recalled her time with Twilight¡¯s limited copy, her mocking and paramount demeanor like barbed hooks digging through her ears to ensnare her brain.


    No ¡­ Am I reading too far into Cerridwen¡¯s plan?  Perhaps it was another deity that manipulated events for Selvaria, Ohan, Cahira, and Vasishtha to enter our party¡ªsabotaging us¡ªforcing us into an impossible situation that even Moongmor found challenging to support us through.  Yet, Eostre brought the Flush and Coral Moons to help me, and Twilight saw it coming to give me advice on this very topic ¡­ Gods and Goddesses ¡­ All while placing herself in a superior position.


    All deities aren¡¯t equal, and Izanami explained that dimensional boundaries separate them on a power scale ¡­ This changes my entire life ¡­ my family¡¯s life.  I¡¯m in a race against time, and Izanami hinted that all Seeds are not equal, which makes sense ¡­ Wolfgang¡¯s program is flawed because it¡¯s only good as its base ingredient.


    Cahira exited the house, and Rachel took a deep breath to calm her agitation, pacifying her features; she¡¯d come to a conclusion¡ªthere was really only one direction she could go, and she hated how easily she¡¯d been played, yet that pride also came from Cerridwen¡¯s Branch, or it had become a part of it as she enhanced it.


    Head lowering, Rachel¡¯s illuminated four-clover irises drifted to the curvy Pirate Queen as she nonchalantly made her way through the heavy storm.  It¡¯s ironic, really ¡­ Cerridwen and Twilight may have played me like a fiddle, but the goal was to make me aware of the higher game and bring me to the table ¡­ I¡¯m indebted to them.


    She wanted to scream at the checkmate position, yet it wouldn¡¯t help.


    The red-haired Irish woman gave her a half-smile while checking her braided hair; the gale and rain had already soaked her tight blue jeans and loose red shirt, forming an outline around her bra.


    ¡°Aye, heh¡ªwell, damn,¡± she mused, cupping her chin while looking her up and down, ¡°I ¡®aven¡¯t be seein¡¯ so much skin on ya, and here ya be lookin¡¯ like ya jumped outta ah playboy cover.¡±


    Strolling up the steps, the Irish Captain squinted at her through the haze, snickering as her gaze drifted between her slick bust and butt.  ¡°Be tryin¡¯ ta steal away the hearts of mi crew, are ya?  I won¡¯t be goin¡¯ down without a fight, ya ¡®ear!¡±


    Rachel chuckled, masking how she felt about the uncomfortable position they were in.  ¡°I¡¯d rather not get my casual outfit wet, and it¡¯s not like the chill bothers me.¡±


    Cahira waved her hand dismissively, tone disappointed she wasn¡¯t playing along.  ¡°Bah, I be messin¡¯ with ya, but in all sobriety, heh¡ª¡®av been trackin¡¯ ya as ye¡¯ve been up¡ªseem¡¯d tense,¡± she said, raising her voice as thunder rolled around them, not that Rachel couldn¡¯t hear.  ¡°Wanna join me fer a drink¡ªloosen yer shoulders¡ªmaybe some straps?¡±  she winked, gesturing back in the exact direction of Ohan.


    Rachel sighed; every answer was sex with this woman¡ªMa?lle was a classy tease while Cahira sat on the exact opposite side of the spectrum.  ¡°I¡¯d love to have a drink¡ªunfortunately, we need to have a meeting, but after, I¡¯m all for a little alcohol,¡± strain entered her voice, ¡°eh ¡­ minus your bedroom antics.¡±


    Curiosity glinting in her green eyes, a low rumble shook Cahira¡¯s throat.  ¡°Savin¡¯ yerself fer yer fire-haired lad, huh?  I can respect it!¡±


    ¡°Eh ¡­ sure,¡± Rachel laughed.  ¡°I just have so many other things in my mind all the time.¡±


    Cahira¡¯s grin faded as a blinding ray of electricity danced overhead, drawing her focus, and silence passed between them.  After several seconds, Cahira ran her hand over her wet forehead.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ ¡®A¡¯ve never met a person so driven ¡­ It¡¯s like ya be a machine.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brain stilled on the comment.  ¡°A machine?¡±  she whispered, solemnly holding a smile.  ¡°In a way ¡­ I suppose there is some truth to that.¡±


    The sound of pattering raindrops filled the air as they looked into the void of swirling clouds, and after a time, Rachel walked past the Pirate Queen.  ¡°Just came to check up on me?¡±


    Descending the stairs behind her, Cahira fanned out her soaked red shirt.  ¡°Kinda¡ªdamn it be a typhoon ¡­ Eh, ah also wanted ta let ya in on the spoils¡ªheh, I heard a lot of lasses concerned ya turned into some frightenin¡¯ demon, and it sorta made sense.¡±


    Her ears flicked to the side, sending liquid flying as she slowed and turned around, eyebrows drawing together.  ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    Cahira hissed, motioning for her to stop.  ¡°Hold up a moment ¡­ Mmh, they be tricky things,¡± she grumbled, giving her a searching stare while scratching the back of her neck.


    It didn¡¯t take her ears to see that the woman was nervous.


    Rachel sighed, flexing her toes against the soft, evenly trimmed grass.  ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    Her gaze drifted to the side, left arm rubbing her right.  ¡°Eh ¡­ We got some items from completin¡¯ the whole Hell thing, and ¡­ Yours unsettles mi stomach, but Tom be wantin¡¯ ta talk to ya first before armin¡¯ ya up, so ¡­ I¡¯m in a rock and ah hard place¡­¡±  she grumbled.


    ¡°Items?¡±  Rachel repeated, left arm tightening under her chest as her right cupped her chin.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Alright, I¡¯ll if you¡¯re uncomfortable, let¡¯s hurry¡ªthe sooner I clear things up with Tom, the sooner you can get rid of whatever it is.¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡±  Cahira wiped the rain from her brow and forced a smile.  ¡°Heh-he, yeh be an unpredictable one¡ª¡¯tis never a dull moment.  Eh?¡±


    Rachel leveled a smirk at the third-story second window; Tom stood in the dark room, brooding scowl on his face while studying them.  ¡°You have no idea.¡±


    Tom worked around his jaw and went to the door, likely moving to meet her.


    Proceeding inside, she willed her outfit to swap to her casual attire and was half surprised when it changed, radiating Nia¡¯s standard pink, orange, and white hues.  Her wet skin, which should have dampened her new garments, appeared utterly dry and immune to the water already clinging to her skin, ears, and hair.


    Well, I suppose that settles it ¡­ Nia¡¯s waterproof ¡­ yet she enjoys the washer and dryer.


    While heading for the way up, she swapped back to her bikini to discover the water rejected from the cloth; confirmation assured, she returned to the skirt and blouse.  Her grandmother¡¯s emerald pendant settled between her breasts as the pink metal, double-cuff earring took its place on her left ear.


    She passed various groups of children or teenagers that paused to stare at her, paying them no mind; only a small group of individuals would hear this explanation, and seeing what she¡¯d put Grace through, the gunslinger deserved some information.  Rising up the stairs, she met Tom in the 3rd-floor hallway, silently waiting for her to begin.


    Rachel put a hand on her left hip, ears, and neck tilted to the right as she smirked.  ¡°Well, come to see if I¡¯ve fallen prey to a devil?¡±


    Tom grunted.  ¡°You can drop the act ¡­ Maria would have informed me if it was serious.  Clearly, she trusts your judgment ¡­ How bad is it?¡±


    She followed his focus to the stairs as children crept up to eavesdrop, hanging behind the corner; unknown to him, two other parties were listening behind the closed doors, having seen her enter through the front.  ¡°Meet me in the conference room¡ªI¡¯ll gather everyone needed.¡±


    The general¡¯s large chest puffed up and fell as he released a long breath.  ¡°I¡¯ll wake Clay and draw a direct line to The President¡ªhe¡¯s left orders to wake him when you¡¯re ready to report ¡­ We should all be on the same page.¡±


    Nodding, Rachel turned and left, soaked locks swaying behind her.  She first went to the dining area to gather Scarlet, Fiona, Maria, Selvaria, Ohan, and an excited Nia; the Leviathan motioned for her pet seal to follow Cahira as she led the way.  Nia nervously followed Scarlet out of the room, giving Rachel a happy wave; the girl was soaking up the attention.  Grace was the last one that needed to be informed.


    She watched them go, Galatea reminding her of her Lunar Buns and Phoenix.  Lips tightening, Rachel glanced toward the large windows that displayed a garden patio for special events¡ªit wasn¡¯t the class she expected out of the Pirate Queen.


    Figuring she needed to start rebuilding her reserves as soon as possible, Rachel summoned her buns, causing Nia¡¯s ears and head to dart in her direction.  However, her excitement about holding the four soon fell as Rachel bent down to stare at the black blob, insides sparking with red energy.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Rubbing her head, she chuckled at her cute yet troublesome smile; the female bun¡¯s essence was created from Yseress¡¯s energy.  ¡°I think I¡¯ll call you Persephone, and one day, you¡¯ll be the ruler of the underworld,¡± she snickered.


    As planned, Nia squealed at the comparison, likely drawing reference to the deity from Scarlet¡¯s impression.


    She explained her actions to Scarlet before Rachel snatched the girl''s attention again, but this time in a gloomy way.  ¡°I¡¯m going to need to convert your energy as soon as I can, so go find a place to soak up some moonlight.¡±


    The buns gave her a salute with their ears before hopping away to find their way into the storm¡ªit would take a while to see any light in the typhoon, but the sooner they could convert the white moon¡¯s rays, the quicker she could rebuild her Lunar Pools.


    Looking at a nearby painting of Cahira, striking a heroic pose on a ship, Rachel hummed.  How soon until Gisele recovers ¡­ Eleven days?  I suppose it''s to be expected after busting Lunar Glory.  Where¡¯s her feather?


    Rachel¡¯s hand pressed against her breast¡ªsince it had been swept out of range, the item was nesting inside her¡ªit would reappear an hour before the Lunar Phoenix¡¯s rebirth.


    Questions answered, she moved through a branching hallway to enter the study Grace, Benedict, Isabel, and Edelira were using.  ¡°Ah, Rachel¡­¡±  Grace muttered, lips pulling in a tad.  ¡°Ya not gone full devil on us yet.  Right?  ¡®Cause, gah, I¡¯ve had enough to last me a lifetime, and I hope I never see that succubus again!¡±


    Isabel lifted her hand in a short wave.  ¡°Hey, eh ¡­ Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡±


    Her twin cleared her throat, giving Benedict a thankful smile as he put his tiny hand atop her thumb, and she cleared up her cheeks; they¡¯d been discussing memories of their deceased family.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I suppose you¡¯ve heard about the damage ¡­ ahem, damage done to Camag¨¹ey and the surrounding provinces?¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±


    The cowgirl caught Rachel¡¯s focus on her and adjusted her hat.  ¡°Got business with me?¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±


    Twisting her hips left and right, several pops sounded from Grace¡¯s lower back as she moaned; she stood to stretch out her stiff muscles¡ªit seemed they¡¯d been sitting for a while.  ¡°Okay¡ªYou three good?¡±


    ¡°Totally fine!¡±  Benedict replied, but Rachel could feel the hesitation in his voice; the Cuban trio had suffered a major mental blow from all the events.


    Grace gave them a small, reassuring smile.  ¡°You can tell me more about your Uncle Gasper when I get back.¡±


    ¡°Hmm-heh,¡± Isabel closed her eyes, fingers sliding through her thick black locks before scratching her scalp.  ¡°Thanks, Grace ¡­ you know, for listening¡ªI know we¡¯ve been a bit of a mess.¡±


    Edelira retracted her hand to hug herself and shiver, careful of the small Pixie.  ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ been nice having someone else to talk to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon¡­¡±  Rachel saw the hesitation in Benedict¡¯s face as they moved to the door¡ªby his shifting muscles, the boy wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t get it out.  Sadly, they left before he could express himself.


    Closing the door behind them, Rachel led the way as he finally got a whisper out.  ¡°Izzy, Edel ¡­ Where do we belong now?¡±


    Isabel held out her fingers for him to rest on, snuggling closer to her elder twin.  ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ben ¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    The three got into a solemn discussion soon after, trying to work through some complicated topics now that Grace had left¡ªit didn¡¯t seem like they wanted to return home, yet the thought of joining her put a quake through their frame¡ªthe experience changed them.


    Silence ensued as Grace took up the rear, brown eyes studying her, and Rachel let the sound of the storm rage in the foreground.  Her gaze drifted to each hallway as they made their way to the conference room; Clay had been alerted by radio and was making his way downstairs.


    Not one child, woman, or man in the hushed mansion let them go without watching their passage; most were survivors of the hellscape, injured to the point it took two days for Maria to finish restoring their bodies.  On the other hand, their minds wouldn¡¯t recover so quickly.


    Tom had brought three military psychologists in session with various groups, each discussing different experiences.  Overall, the ordeal had been far greater than the man had anticipated, and the humanitarian aid was pouring in from the short whispered conversations a few children had.


    No one appeared to be over the hushed phase, jumping at the sounds of the storm while coping with the memories of insectoid demons scurrying under their feet, flying in the air, or crawling through their walls.  To some, mutters about nightmares and rambling gibberish marked their self-imposed solitary confinement, unable to hope that this wasn¡¯t some horrifying torture to spark hope in their hearts again.


    Rachel¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t immune to compassion, but she compartmentalized it to handle what needed to be done; everything depended on how Tom and the President took the news she brought.


    Twisting the knob to enter the decent-sized room, she let Grace close it, taking her place at the back of the area, where everyone faced.  Nia sat on the edge of her seat, trying not to bounce as everyone gave Rachel somber looks, waiting for what they¡¯d already determined was grim tidings.


    She waited thirty more seconds, keeping a loose posture to lessen the group¡¯s agitation, and once Clay found his seat beside Maria and Tom, Rachel''s weighted voice became the only sound.  A TV was in the corner of the room, showing President Capell¡¯s calm and collected expression, folded hands resting against his mouth as he waited for the report.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all heard Scarlet¡¯s story about a female Devil and me being possessed¡­¡±  The chilled temperature in the room reflected a funeral service while scanning the grave creases on the gathering¡¯s faces as she continued.  ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you ¡­ I made a deal with a Hell Lord that opposes Abraxas, and it was by becoming an equal partner with her and the master of one of her slaves, a half-human Devil named Yseress, that I was able to shape this outcome.¡±


    Nia¡¯s hushed voice broke in.  ¡°She¡¯s actually pretty nice ¡­ Kind of¡­¡±


    Rachel watched the girl flinch as everyone turned their attention to her, making the Living Denier rabbit¡¯s ears fold back.


    Retaking the conversation, Rachel cleared her throat.  ¡°Allow me to explain in full before you ask questions¡ªTom, Clay, President Capell, if you could write notes if anything comes to mind.¡±


    After they nodded and Scarlet snatched a pencil and paper Cahira extracted out of a cabinet, passing the military-provided items around, Rachel continued.  ¡°The Hell Lord¡¯s name is Izanami¡ªa being very similar to the Japanese goddess of creation that was killed in childbirth and sent to Hell.¡±


    Eyes narrowing, Rachel made her voice sharp and clear.  ¡°Make no mistake, she is a Fallen Deity and a true Hell Lord; I don¡¯t think anyone here will question the merits of what I¡¯m saying¡ªthis is more than what we speculated on the Legend¡¯s Quest.  I¡¯ve had direct contact with multiple beings beyond my ability to accurately describe ¡­ Far more powerful than anything we have to contend with.¡±


    When no one interjected, she went on, watching Tom, Clay, and the President write on the paper in front of them.  ¡°Hell, gods¡ªcreatures even above them are trying to use The Oscillation to their advantage ¡­ Yes,¡± she said at the hard look Tom gave her, ¡°¡®some¡¯ of the Seeds that we¡¯ve gained from The Oscillation can outstrip even creatures that claim to be from a seventh-dimensional plane.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly what that means in terms of actual tactical data on power-scaling,¡± Rachel sighed, ¡°but Izanami has told me about several deities interfering around us so far and made references that they are not quite as strong as she was at her prime, yet given her current state, she is heavily restricted.¡±


    Gesturing to a nervous Nia, Rachel took a deep breath.  ¡°Nia, you remember Eostre and Moongmor?¡±


    Nia swiftly nodded.  ¡°Mhm!  Mhm!  Eostre was so pretty, and I wanted to hold Moon-Moon in my arms and pet him!¡±  she added in all seriousness.  ¡°He was so colorful and cute, and happy!  Umm ¡­ I-Izanami was ¡­ was really scary¡­¡±


    Rachel restrained a shiver by folding her arms, damp ears falling forward a tad.  ¡°There are a few Lunar Deities that have manipulated me ¡­ Our meeting, Tom,¡± she said, eyeing the tight-lipped military man.  ¡°The Crystals, the deities, The Oscillation, and the rest of the powerful entities converging on our planet are connected¡ªhowever, the gods aren¡¯t the cause¡ªso far as I can tell, The Oscillation was the catalyst given to us to combat The Crystals¡ªa balancing force.¡±


    Again, more writing occurred.


    She paused, allowing them time to jot down their thoughts.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Izanami cannot lie to me.  The deal we struck was sealed by one of the Lunar Deities, and it¡¯s pointless for me to even doubt the validity of it so much as it is I can doubt my ability to think.¡±


    Clay and Tom scratched an item off their list, rumbles in their throats.


    ¡°Ultimately, it doesn¡¯t matter who these goddesses are ¡­ What does matter is they¡¯re not alone.  Various factions seem to be working amongst specific, powerful Demi in order to build us up to the point they can fight us for our Seed¡ªit is only transferable¡ªmmh, maybe a better word would be compatible¡ªafter we reach their dimensional level.¡±


    She nodded at the President¡¯s grimace, mirrored by Maria, Clay, Tom, and Ohan.  ¡°Yes, the importance of this is that we¡¯re not just at war with the Crystal intruders, but these entities, individual Demi following their whispers, and the manipulations they whisper across the nations of the world.¡±


    Rachel let the news sink in for a moment, everyone¡¯s gaze on the table in front of them, and after several seconds, shook her head.  ¡°No matter how I do the math, if we don¡¯t take their help, we¡¯ll fall behind¡ªthe hellscape we just left is proof of that ¡­ Even that advanced Legend¡¯s Quest barely prepared us for this, and I¡¯m not saying that in itself was random.¡±


    The Pirate Queen¡¯s fists tightened against her thighs, a lump dropping down her throat as she thought on her words.


    ¡°Yes, Cahira, I don¡¯t think your addition to our party, including Selvaria, Ohan, and Vasishtha, were accidents.  My Lunar Deities used it to their advantage, but someone is behind the four of you that drew us together.¡±


    ¡°Ya don¡¯t know who?¡±  Cahira whispered, her vision on her lap.


    Selvaria sighed.  ¡°I hope they¡¯re good.¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ Not right now, at least, but I¡¯m sure it was meant to try and form some kind of alliance¡ªor force one.  In any case, again, it doesn¡¯t matter in the end but paints a picture of the overall board, but there¡¯s a silver lining.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Tom hissed, hands white as he put pressure against the table, mind likely spinning to find a tactical solution¡ªaliens were one thing, but dimensional transcendent gods were a whole different ball game.  ¡°The Seeds?¡±


    ¡°A long term solution,¡± Rachel nodded, ¡°but Izanami explained to me that¡ªfor whatever universal law or reason¡ªsome of these Seeds can make what she calls ¡®singular existences,¡¯ which basically means they warp the fabric of reality, or something similar, and even Izanami cannot see this timeline¡¯s future because of it.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± a strained grin split Tom¡¯s lips.  ¡°So, even the gods are blind ¡­ I assume they can still project and plan, though ¡­ And they get in each other¡¯s way?¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Rachel confirmed, shifting her weight to the opposite hip.  ¡°Izanami and I are bound together through Yseress ¡­ She grants me a link to use Lunar Hell Energy; although, as Maria can attest, it¡¯s very harmful to me ¡­ I need to slowly adapt to it over time.¡±


    Maria snorted.  ¡°Harmful?  You¡¯re joking!  Your spirit was being corrupted, Rachel¡ªyou weren¡¯t dying¡ªI think it was turning you into an actual devil.¡±


    ¡°For real?¡±  Scarlet squeaked, big eyes darting to her out of concern.  ¡°Over time¡­¡±


    She swiftly retook command of the conversation.  ¡°No¡ªso long as I keep it under a certain level ¡­ Hmm.¡±  Rachel closed her eyes and rubbed her left temple.  ¡°My ability to recover is reflected by how long I use Yseress¡¯s powers.  I know how I react to it now¡ªwhat happened before won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Before anyone else could butt in, she pushed forward, trying to get the discussion over.  ¡°We have leeway because of me, but Wolfgang¡¯s dream of a utopia was flawed from the start¡ªIzanami didn¡¯t come out and say it, but she strongly alluded to the idea that not all Seeds are created equal ¡­ or can bond equally to their host.  These deities are only interested in those that can.¡±


    Straightening her back, Rachel scratched her neck, glaring at the wall.  ¡°Tom, we need to prepare for a trip to the U.K. after this¡ªthe giant tree that¡¯s there can transport us to a higher dimension to get proper answers and for Fiona, Maria, Selvaria, and everyone else to find a powerful entity to support them¡­¡±


    Tom¡¯s deep chuckles drew everyone¡¯s gaze as he studied her.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ If I didn¡¯t know how much you hate something like this, I¡¯d be far more concerned by what you¡¯ve told us.  How do you really feel?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s fists slowly knotted, and she took a slow, calming breath before she answered; her jaw tightened, forcing her to pry it open as the heat rose in her breast.  ¡°I¡¯m pissed¡­¡±  she snarled.  ¡°Hmm-hmgh ¡­ What agitates me the most is that I was manipulated down this path from the start ¡­ Meeting Scarlet, Maria ¡­ so many events and changes to me ¡­ my own personality has slight deviations I¡¯m slowly picking apart every time I think about it.¡±


    Her cold eyes centered on the general.  ¡°I¡¯m indebted to these goddesses¡ªdespite the conflicted emotions in my chest¡ªI can¡¯t deny that they have helped ¡­ In so many ways, yet it doesn¡¯t change the fact I was played like a puppet, which, heh, is also in their calculations.¡±


    ¡°Rachel¡­¡±  Scarlet whispered, clearly wanting to help her and not knowing how.


    She turned away, taking in a long draw of air to ease her thumping heart before releasing it.  ¡°I want answers ¡­ These goddesses of mine want to be partners, and Izanami has injected herself between them.  We¡¯ll have other nations that have their own godly help, which means we need to stay ahead of the curve.¡±


    Still feeling the sting of being a pawn, likely influenced by not only Lunar Pride but Yseress¡¯s pained heart at being thrown away, leaking into her, Rachel fought past the discomfort.  ¡°We need to start making preparations now to go to the U.K.¡ªget permission from their government, or whatever it takes since I¡¯m guessing not just anyone will be able to hang around that massive tree.


    ¡°In addition,¡± her focus drifted to Selvaria, making her sit straighter.  ¡°I suspect we need a Legendkin artisan to craft the keys required to open a divine gate¡ªI have the crystals from the Legend¡¯s Quest that will provide the base material.¡±


    Tom crossed most of the things off his list, either not essential to discuss, or he¡¯d found his answer from her speech.  ¡°In short, The President will deliberate on how this information should be used for the nation and prepare negotiations with the U.K.


    ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯ll task Clay with searching our databank on Demi for a list of artificers to narrow down a possible candidate to bring into the operation¡ªof course, I¡¯ll have you vet them since you are the key to all of this,¡± he assured, receiving a nod from the dark-skinned man next to him.


    The general paused, vision shifting to the U.S. President as something passed between their stare.  ¡°For now, I¡¯ll go over the details in greater focus with you as we arrange everything to crush the final pieces holding Cuba hostage ¡­ Is that acceptable, Rachel?¡±


    Having one of the most powerful men in the world ask her helped her wounded pride.  ¡°I can do that¡ªhowever, I ask that when we return, you allow my family to be the first to receive a Seed from the twins.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes lit up at the news, overjoyed for Alexa¡¯s wish to be granted so soon, but Tom sat back with a frown, pondering the request; of course, Maria¡¯s presence helped to convince him of the words she spoke, knowing the Sunlit Unicorn would balk at any lie.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Didn¡¯t you say these Seeds are inferior?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing they are from the cryptic message of a Hell Lord,¡± Rachel groaned, running a hand through her damp locks.  ¡°Quality could be dependent on the individual, the twin with the replicated Seed, or possibly the original has a stronger nature¡ªthere are a lot of ways to interpret her words, and certain things she cannot say because Eostre didn¡¯t want it divulged so soon¡ªconceivably because it might change our perception ¡­ maybe.¡±


    President Capell grunted.  ¡°Enough to pull us forward but enough to make us cautious ¡­ I¡¯m thankful for the aid you¡¯ve given your country when you were called upon, Rachel¡ªand I know there is an incentive, but you are here, nonetheless.  I have a lot to think about; I need to decide how to water this down for the Pentagon.  Tom, have a detailed report for me in the next two hours.¡±


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    He cleared his throat, giving Rachel a long stare.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ Tom, I¡¯ll approve her request, but I can¡¯t hold off your group¡¯s psyche evaluation once you¡¯re finished with this mission.  Congress and the Senate have tied my hands.¡±


    Breathing a long sigh, she accepted the eventual meeting with the doctors she¡¯d met what seemed ages ago.  ¡°I understand.¡±


    She was a little surprised as he promptly cut the feed, yet given the short heave he made before it ended, she assumed it was to vomit; between the images he¡¯d been shown of Camag¨¹ey and the possibility of that coming to the nation under his watch must have been an enormous amount of pressure, and now she¡¯d added gods and Hell Lords to the mix.


    Turning to her friends after the political leader left, her party revealed that Vasishtha had infiltrated one of the main factions that controlled a chunk of Havana and its surrounding provinces, and he¡¯d be reporting soon, yet before that could happen, Cahira was bouncing on her toes to unveil her unique ability¡¯s reward.


    Rachel settled down with everyone else, including Tom, who seemed just as curious as the rest to see how she¡¯d react.  Keeping her expectations in check, Rachel could feel her heart thumping¡ªthe last time the Pirate Queen¡¯s Passive gave her a gift, it had been Nia and powerful lunar crystals.


    A short hiss passed through her teeth as the snickering, sharp-eyed woman gestured to the table for blue flames to expose the items¡ªa pair of black demon-hooved boots with Hellfire heels, showing red sparks of electricity down their blazing length.


    Rachel took the full outfit in with narrowed eyes following the barbs that shot out of the boots¡¯ back; it would tear and penetrate anything she kicked, and given the devil¡¯s flame lacing the spikes, they¡¯d leave quite an aftertaste in her opponent¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Oh!  My!  Goodness!¡±  Nia cried, jumping onto the table to pick one up and study it.  ¡°I love it!  I love it!  I¡¯ll make it a part of the outfit ASAP!¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Cahira mused, eyeing her.  ¡°What be yer thoughts on the those lil¡¯ beasties?¡±


    Rachel hadn¡¯t missed the indication, lips pulled in as she watched the Living Denier fawn over the boots.  ¡°Honestly, I wonder how they¡¯ll react to walking on the carpet¡­¡±  she grunted, staring at the burning heels.


    Maria leaned forward, arms crossed across the table.  ¡°Heh, aye, what¡¯d I say, Scarlet¡ªRachel¡¯s the practical type; extra twenty in the bank!¡±


    ¡°Aww,¡± Scarlet shot a light glare her way.  ¡°C¡¯mon, I thought you¡¯d be totally like Nia¡­¡±


    ¡°Pfft!¡±  Nia smirked, colorful eyes drifting to Rachel.  ¡°Her?  Please, I¡¯m totally the fun one¡ªall Rachel thinks about is the best way to kick someone¡¯s face in.¡±


    Giving the girl a shrug, Rachel returned the smile.  ¡°Mhm, and who¡¯s the one that was freaking out about the washer and dryer before finding out it was like a roller coaster?  Of which, you¡¯ve never been on one, by the way, and besides, you¡¯re waterproof.¡±


    Nia¡¯s face turned bright red.  ¡°H-Hey!  Besties aren''t supposed to say that stuff!  And, eh, of course I¡¯m waterproof ¡­ You never asked,¡± she grumbled, returning her attention back to the boots.  ¡°Erm ¡­ thanks, Cahira ¡­ I love them!¡±


    Knowing she was trying to pull everyone¡¯s attention away from her embarrassment, even if she shouldn¡¯t be, Rachel¡¯s chest shook with laughter; teasing the girl did improve her spirits, and it wasn¡¯t like it was difficult.  ¡°Considering they¡¯re not burning up the table¡ªknowing what it is¡ªI suppose it has some kind of safety mechanic.  Thanks, Cahira.¡±


    Maria nudged the Pirate Queen.  ¡°Aye, show her mine!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Rachel leaned forward, intertwined fingers resting under her chin as she waited; since Cahira had them in storage and the woman wasn¡¯t wearing them, she figured the gangster wanted to surprise her, as well¡ªit was show and tell time.


    More blue flames formed into a pair of white-hooved boots.


    ¡°Unicorn-themed, huh?¡±  Rachel asked, watching brilliant white light mold into its heels as the white luster of the leather shimmered.  ¡°Pretty cool.¡±


    ¡°I mean,¡± Maria shrugged, trying to play it off.  ¡°They¡¯re cool, I guess¡ªnot really my style, but at least it does match the tail and ears stuff¡ªnot that I wanna look like a horse¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°So, I got some battle boots from Hell, huh?¡±  Her curious clover-eyes drifted to the cat-smiling pirate.  ¡°Why do I get the feeling you¡¯re saving something for last?¡±


    Her inquisitive stare turned to suspicion when a secretive smile spread among the room¡¯s occupants, and Cahira¡¯s half-smile twitched while snapping her fingers to divulge the final artifact.  ¡°Heh, so, what do ya think?  Now, what would Anthony think about ya with this, huh?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s jaw and muscles tightened as the blue flames dissipated, and Nia¡¯s eyes became saucers.  These girls would love to see me in something like this ¡­ Overall, it¡¯s not terrible; far better than how Nia first looked, but ¡­ Mmh, why do I think this is intentional by Yseress?


    ¡°Ehh?¡±  Nia gasped, ears mischievously falling forward as she directed an impish gleam in her direction.  ¡°Oh¡ªshould I add this to our battle outfit¡ªwould Big Sis approve?¡±


    Another sharp hiss passed through Rachel¡¯s teeth, eyes closing while everyone giggled.  ¡°Let¡¯s not go down this path all of you are thinking¡ªI don¡¯t even know how to use that weapon ¡­ Thank you, Cahira, and Nia, I¡¯m going to have to think about this because as far as I¡¯m aware, it¡¯s a Set.  Correct?¡±


    ¡°Not gonna look at the powers it''s got, huh?¡±  Maria hummed, trying to hide her slightly red cheeks while looking at the primary item that averted Rachel.  ¡°We don¡¯t know since it¡¯s yours, but uh¡ªwho knows.  Right?  I can see it, he-he.¡±


    Rachel puffed out a long breath, vision opening to settle on her gift¡ªCahira¡¯s comment about Anthony told her everything she needed to know about how everyone else saw it.  ¡°Can you all get your minds out of the gutter ¡­ Of course, I¡¯ll keep it ¡­ After all, I kept Nia.¡±


    ¡°Wait?!  W-What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±  Nia choked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she smirked, ¡°but why does everything I get not compliment my style ¡­ at all¡ªnot that this is terrible¡ªI¡¯ve seen far worse around Miami¡­¡±


    Tone bright, Scarlet jumped in.  ¡°Uh, eh-heh, have you ever considered this ¡®might¡¯ actually be the style you like?  I¡¯m just saying!¡±


    ¡°Mgmgh-hm-hmm,¡± Rachel shook her head.  ¡°Nice try, Scarlet.¡±


    Attempting to put the thought in the back of her mind, Rachel grimaced as Nia took the items, giggling while running out of the room.  ¡°Big Sis is gonna love them!¡±


    It¡¯s totally Nia¡¯s style, mixed with Yseress, I bet ¡­ Gah, maybe Cahira¡¯s ability is cursed ¡­ Moongmor?  Maybe¡­


    She dismissed the jabs everyone made, getting back into the details of the serious situation they were in; changing locations to sit beside Tom, she buckled in to get into some of the finer details down.


    Selvaria, Galatea, and Scarlet went to hang out with Nia with what time they had, the three expressing their relief that she was doing better; Rachel was more than willing to move beyond her new Set pieces considering what was on her mind, but secretly, she couldn¡¯t deny she¡¯d look good in it, despite the two questionable additions.


    Redirecting her mind, she helped the general write everything down, answering what questions she could from the remaining group, much of which was about her personal safety.


    * * *


    A shudder quivered through Anthony¡¯s muscles with every step he took¡ªrunning, walking, standing still¡ªno direction or waiting helped to ease the foolish and enlightened visage of the mass surrounding him in the elongated hall.  Time was meaningless, yet when he turned around, he wondered if it was really the way he¡¯d come; hooks eased into his mind, drawing him in whenever his numb legs faltered¡ªa ruinous melody that whispered visions of hidden futures and innumerable paths.


    He paused as one of the wooden doors pulled open, releasing a mesmerizing torrent of shimmering fog; he stumbled inside.


    Nora¡¯s long, cheetah tail swayed in a spellbinding motion as she stared out of an open window, hidden behind her gradient yellow and black locks¡ªno one else could be seen but the narrow way that had opened up, leading to the seventeen-year-old girl.  However, the voice that compressed his withering soul forced his spear from his hands, ice shooting through his veins.


    Low, clicking roars that drifted to him on wonton clouds¡ªa whisper in a gentle breeze¡ªhovered just below the surface of Nora¡¯s solemn and haunting voice ¡­ The Harbinger spoke.  ¡°You wish to save this vessel, yet she teems with the resonance of the Mecroaf¡ªhums seep into your hollow mind, drawing you to the harrowing abyss to await her¡­¡±


    A monstrous, gnawing inflection came between the words, sinking into his skin to fracture his bones; brittle psyche cracking as a coiling mass weaved through his chest, making Anthony forget how to breathe.


    ¡°Nora is the specter¡¯s scar, so pure¡ªa holy horror¡ªa glimpse of obscurity ¡­ Are you strong enough to transcend the summoned guise; alas, what is courage to The Sinking Deep?¡±


    Paralyzing tendrils wove around through his marrow as the floorboards left his feet¡ªhe fell into the liquid mist¡ªthe source of untold fear shifting around him as The Harbinger in Nora¡¯s form faded in the distance.


    ¡°Uncover the keys to the unknown and unlock the veil¡ªlearn from the lost what awaits you in the dark to entreat the forbidden realm of dreams, and pay the cost of a soul¡¯s entry beyond the wall of sleep¡­¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 40. An Introduction To Havana

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Luka (A Esper Champion Demi of Havana!)


    2. Anthony (Rachel''s Boyfriend!)


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    Luka pulled down his hood as the chilled rain fell around him; he swore he saw his breath for a moment, but it was probably his mind since it was seventeen degrees celsius.  A solemn frown touched his lips while glancing to his left, where a gray and brown earthen wall stood sentry, running down the length to cut off a fourth of Havana.


    The lingering hurricane came out of nowhere, causing even more trouble for the city¡¯s depressed occupants, and Luka felt it in his daily interactions.  He shivered while watching the liquid run off the eight-meter earthen barrier, the pool of rain around his feet setting his mood.  At least they were at the tail-end of the storm, but it could loop back.


    A rumble shook in his throat as he peered through the wet veil to the damaged road of Arroyo; the heavily traveled, four-lane highway used to be on his daily route, but now, all he saw was the remains of the tall buildings nearby.


    Riots, chaos, and terrorism were rampant the first week after the lights cracked the sky, changing a portion of the population and granting them supernatural powers¡ªhe¡¯d been among those affected, which gave him insight into how it transformed others.


    He wasn¡¯t a murderer or instantly wanting to use his new gifts to harm and take things from others, which meant it was just human nature taking its course in those already willing to partake in the violence once anarchy started.


    Thunder rumbled across the sky; it was the first he¡¯d heard in a while, making him grip his arms and stare at the black, low-hanging clouds.  Please don¡¯t get worse¡­


    It might have been his imagination, but the soft wind seemed to pick up a few degrees, and unsurprisingly, near ten at night, no one was near the northeast part of Noah¡¯s territory; there were rumors that if you got too close to the wall, the creatures or people with powers on the other side would pull you over.


    Luka wouldn¡¯t be here at all if it wasn¡¯t for his mission to follow after the mysterious foreigner that was involved in a few scuffles throughout the week.


    His brown irises illuminated, peering into the past to see the boisterous Indian man walking down the road with a large table umbrella over his head; Luka had no doubt there were a few women by his side, but he didn¡¯t want to expend the extra mental energy to expand his past-sight.


    Releasing his gift, Luka sighed, nervously glancing up at the wall; he couldn¡¯t see anyone manning the thick ramparts built into the structure, but that didn¡¯t mean it was unguarded.  Noah sent a few strong men with their own powers to check out the other side, and none of them responded, their radios cutting out without warning.


    It was about to be the beginning of the 26th day since the world turned on its head and twisted his life into a living hell.


    ¡°March 11th, huh?¡±  he whispered, thinking about how he should have been helping his older sister clean up her baby shower party¡ªit had been planned for months, but now, she was trapped within that stone cage.


    He wanted to rush in and get her out, but Noah convinced him to wait a bit longer; they were gathering their forces, but at the same time, most of the manpower they¡¯d gained had been sent off into the bordering provinces to bring order and supplies back to Havana.


    When can we finally rescue my sister?  I don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s alive, but Thiago would die before letting anything happen to her¡ªhe¡¯s a good man ¡­ There isn¡¯t much he can do against thousands of people with abilities, though.


    Luka sucked in his lower lip, tasting the rain; he was getting distracted, yet it happened every time he saw the growing wall¡ªit began construction three days after the start of the riots, and most people stayed inside their homes or businesses, hoping to escape, but the fires claimed a few blocks in the city¡ªhe could still smell the burning flesh that made him want to vomit.


    Hector Collado, the President of Cuba, had been swiftly assassinated by some local revolutionary group that was soon killed in the following military raids, seeking to instill order, yet with so much disorder, the other state officers were killed before evacuating.


    He¡¯d heard much of this a week after the incident, stumbling into Noah¡¯s rallies to bring order to their city again¡ªthe Bronze Titan took control, forcing out other factions and creating a safe zone by stationing armed and supernatural powered men in key locations to carve a place for the women, children, and elderly.  Although many women rose up to join where they could, yet sadly, they didn¡¯t have the munitions to provide better training.


    Today, he¡¯d been struck by an even worse bit of news; Pau Arroyo, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, had been found tied to the wall¡ªpartially eaten¡ªfor them to see this morning.


    It seemed the northeast terrorists had their fun with him before displaying the naked political dignitary to them as a statement; there was no returning to normal.  What had become of his sister and her husband if they did that to Pau?


    Please, Aina, keep your head down, and stay safe ¡­ I''ll get you out ¡­ Just be safe¡­


    Luka could only hear the pattering of rain as he cautiously traveled past Arroyo and San Joaquin, occasionally using his strange ability to see past events of those he¡¯d seen in a twenty-four-hour time.  It advanced over the weeks as he used it, to the point where now he could expand it to a small area to see those around his target and their environment, yet it still made his head hurt.


    He walked around Vasishtha, studying his face to see his typical charm had faded, and he was now looking to his right, scanning the wall as he stood in the downpour.  Despite Luka studying so closely, he knew there would be no response since the image was from twenty minutes ago; he liked to keep his distance as to not be discovered.


    Still, it made him wonder what the foreigner thought when studying the prison¡ªit made Luka ask himself many questions he didn¡¯t have answers for.


    How are they getting food?  Are they using the boats or fishing to the north?  Why is there so little information ¡­ Is everyone just too scared to watch the other side?  Noah evacuated the right side of the bay since there was poisonous gas lingering around ¡­ Is the water going to flush it away or bring it to us ¡­ What more can I do than babysit this guy?!


    Rubbing his forehead with his wet hands, Luka growled; he could be so much more helpful, yet couldn¡¯t think of anything to bring to any of Noah¡¯s lieutenants¡ªhe was best at spying, yet he needed to see a target to lock onto their past movements¡ªit was so aggravating.


    He glared at the wall, recalling the whispers he¡¯d heard among the other soldiers keeping their little safe section in order.


    A large, scarred man raised these walls ¡­ He¡¯s increased their size every day.  If I could just see him, then maybe we could kidnap him and force him to break it down¡ªtell us what¡¯s happening inside¡ªif I could just see anyone, but they¡¯re just hiding behind that stupid wall!


    Forcing his gaze away from the barrier, he brushed off the liquid sticking to his white and blue jacket, returning to his task at hand.  He¡¯d been tailing a man the local women called Vasishtha, and if it hadn¡¯t been for his unusual radio calls, he¡¯d be prime material for Noah to bring into the fold.


    Luka activated his ability again, discovering Vasishtha left his stationary observation of northeast Havana after a minute, and it struck him.  Why would the women not force him away¡ªthey¡¯re terrified of the wall?


    Expanding his past vision with some effort, he paused.  The women¡ªwhen did they leave?!  Did he somehow throw them over the wall between the stills?


    He backtracked real fast, scanning each action he took in more detail; his sight into the past didn¡¯t extend beyond an hour, so he had to be sure now.  Up until now, he¡¯s always been surrounded by women!  Sleeping, drinking, showing him around the neutral areas¡ªdammit!  He¡¯s been grooming them for¡­


    Luka¡¯s hurried movements slowed as he saw the bright-eyed Indian man smile and wave¡ªat first, he¡¯d thought it was him bringing in more girls that had become infatuated by the handsome man, but after broadening his scope, he saw that wasn¡¯t the case¡ªhe¡¯d sent them off with another man that he¡¯d seen in the area plenty of times.


    He had one of the soldiers escort them back into the heart of the southeast district?  Why is he choosing to be alone, now?  What¡¯s he plotting?


    Quickening his pace, Luka returned to the path, trying to catch up to Vasishtha.  The man had a routine that made Luka¡¯s blood boil, and it only increased over the six days he¡¯d been following his journey through the city¡ªit was always the same¡ªbooze, swooning women, dancing, eating a ton, and mingling with his harem of girls until it was time to sleep, at which many joined the handsome man.


    Yes, Luka admitted he was very attractive and had a forward personality that many women would find appealing, yet he had to wonder if there was some kind of foul play at work, as well.  Although, the one thing that made him pause, and caused Leonardo Valerio, a lieutenant of Noah, to keep him observing the man, was his bizarre behavior.


    If he had just been a womanizer, then women could choose who they liked, and many went for that kind of man, but if there was some manipulation involved, there was something to be done.  However, Jaume sent inspectors to talk to the women, and not a trace of power could be sensed influencing them.


    Not only that, but he¡¯d stood up for every girl that ran to his side, unless she was in the wrong, at which he¡¯d scold her¡ªdozens of abusive men had been laid out by the man, though¡ªwith or without abilities.


    Luka could understand why he attracted such a following of women that just wanted to feel safe; men, as well, but he was more of a strict older brother, whipping them into shape to have more courage in that sense.  In a way, he was a more soft version of Noah¡ªa leader that rallied support¡ªyet he never claimed to be over any particular area.


    Vasishtha seemed to just do what he wanted and protect the weak; Luka just wanted to know who he talked to on that radio he used after his nighttime activities.  Once the women were exhausted in bed, of which Luka blushed just thinking about those images, the Indian man would go to the balcony to speak to someone.  It only happened three times, and it was reasonably quick, but it was still suspicious.


    Hissing out his frustration¡ªboth sexually and with feelings of inadequacy¡ªLuka powerwalked through the falling rain until he arrived at one of the more classy neutral bars.


    The establishment was between the southeast and southwest district¡ªtechnically on the Lion King¡¯s territory¡ªyet the beastman was the only agreeable tyrant.  Luka would actually put him in a similar category as Noah, but no one would beat the Bronze Titan in his book; the Golden Lion of Havana had even acknowledged Noah as a worthy opponent, and every night at eight P.M., he waited for their leader to enter his stadium.


    Estadio Latinoamericano¡ªHavana¡¯s famous baseball stadium¡ªhad been turned into a sporting event for the Cuban citizens under his protection.  He had turned into a sort of god figure to those that used his overpowering guardian in his district.


    Thousands had challenged him, including various strong ability users from other districts, in that stadium¡ªgroups, alone¡ªit didn¡¯t matter.  He¡¯d heard rumors that he stood atop three hundred bodies two weeks ago, and it was two hundred the next.


    Three days ago, he¡¯d heard the roar from the Lion King, followed by cheers.  He¡¯d turned his section of Havana into ancient Rome, and shockingly, people loved it.  Of course, he¡¯d heard the whispers that he used to be a slave to an African Warlord¡ªa Greek man, parents killed during a humanitarian aid mission to the country and forced into the fight pits for sport¡ªyet now, he was the master.  It was survival of the fittest, and he was the king without question.


    Luka always felt nervous going on this side of town, even if it was among the most prosperous; their ability users dedicated their skills toward producing food and water since so few even considered challenging the Golden Lion.  He could taste the conflict that would eventually rise¡ªno lion stayed in his kingdom when there was no challenge to be had¡ªthe king would soon roam, and he wasn¡¯t the only one that could feel it.


    He paused outside the bar, focus wandering between the dark street lights¡ªelectricity had been restored, but the bulbs were all destroyed in the riots.  In the darkness, he could see several beast people hanging around, muttering to one another.  Order was strictly kept inside the beast kingdom, and even if it had many types of power users, those that had turned beast-like or monstrous swarmed to the area to partake in the arena to fulfill some bloodlust.


    I can¡¯t just hang around outside¡­


    Obviously, the beastmen knew he was there¡ªit was stupid to think they wouldn¡¯t sense him if he could see them.


    He hurried inside, brushing off his coat and taking a moment to scan the interior; the sound of the falling rain diminished as the door closed behind him.  The booths and tables weren¡¯t packed, but there were a decent number of people inside.


    Of course, his focus was instantly snatched by the cat and dog-like waitresses the business employed; it was a new world, and he even spotted a woman with elf-like features from the movies.  The servers were giving their full attention to the back corner where Vasishtha sat, sipping a beer¡ªagain, alone, and with the longing gaze the women gave the man, he¡¯d garnered quite the reputation from his last visit¡ªstill, he seemed to have refused their company.


    Luka felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up while going to the bar; it didn¡¯t sit right with him.  Why is he rejecting his harem of attention-seeking women?  He has to be waiting for someone¡ªthe person he¡¯s been talking to on the radio?  It looks like a military model¡ªadvanced¡ªso it could go pretty far, but he could be working with the terrorists from the north.


    Despite the shivering chill down his spine, the atmosphere was warm and inviting; soft music played in the back from local musicians that relied on their skills to eat in the slowed economy.  Luka had seen the Indian man boast of his strength more than once to an enthralled bar, challenging beastmen to wrestling contests, and always seeming to win by a hair''s margin for entertainment, yet Luka knew the man was holding back.  He long suspected this stranger was of the special changed humans, like Noah.


    Most of the women couldn¡¯t even understand his English or whatever Indian language he used¡ªhe didn¡¯t have a clue what they spoke and heard there were many variant languages in the country.  Everything he knew from shadowing Vasishtha over the past six days screamed that this was something serious.


    Taking a seat across the room at the bar, he motioned to the bartender, ordering the cheapest beer¡ªthere wasn¡¯t much pay in his work since Noah practiced the public service approach, giving back as much as possible to the people in these challenging times¡ªit was challenging for everyone in the southeast¡¯s stalled economy.


    At least some trade was being made with the Lion King¡¯s territory, which helped.  Unfortunately, people saw a greener pasture across the fence and sought to make the southwest their home, but from what he¡¯d heard, everything was merit-based¡ªthere were no free meals in the west.


    Even so, it showed in the bright smiles on most of the residents'' faces; yes, the Lion commanded respect and had killed thousands that opposed his reign¡ªmany times in large groups of power users, yet he¡¯d never once lost, building people¡¯s confidence in the peace¡ªthe Golden Lion of Havana was becoming a symbol.


    Five minutes passed, and Luka continued to discreetly watch Vasishtha¡¯s silent wait; by the glasses of alcohol the women were happily bringing to his table, he was expecting company, and naturally, there were sour looks from some girls he politely sent away.  Of course, not toward him, but whoever was stealing his time.


    What¡¯s your game?  Luka thought, sipping at the bottle he¡¯d been given.  Who¡¯s important enough for you to stop chasing skirts and asking questions about local politics?


    His heart picked up; it looked more and more like Vasishtha was meeting with his boss¡ªperhaps a new contender vying for power in Cuba¡ªthere¡¯d been rumors of Camag¨¹ey expanding their territory.


    Luka¡¯s eyebrows pulled together when an unlikely woman entered the bar¡ªexotically gorgeous, wearing a pretty, well-designed violet skirt and white blouse; she drew in the umbrella she¡¯d used in the storm, shaking it off¡ªa shimmering white-haired bunny girl entered alone.


    Her unusual pink four-leaf clover eyes scanned the stilled room before closing the door and cutting off the storm¡¯s sound behind her.  The girl¡¯s full rosy lips displayed a pleasant smile as she spotted Vasishtha¡¯s big grin and wave, yet her focus drifted past the handsome man to settle on Luka.


    A nervous twist squeezed his gut as she bypassed the Indian man¡¯s easy atmosphere to weave through the tables and chairs to stand before Luka; the room was silent as they watched the long-haired beauty approach the bar, purple heels tapping against the wooden floor.


    Luka couldn¡¯t help but swallow upon seeing the colossal emerald pendant between her bust, swiftly trying to redirect his focus as she neared.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she cordially started.  ¡°Do you speak English?¡±


    Trying to clear his parched throat, Luka licked his lips, unable to pull his gaze away from her hypnotic presence¡ªa faint pink aura surrounded her lustrous white skin, making her seem straight out of a fairytale, and her large curved-forward ears only enhanced the look.


    ¡°Uh¡ªyeah, yeah, a little¡ªheh, there are classes for those in the tourist business and stuff¡ªI mean, grab ten people off the street, and at least one of them will speak English.¡±


    Her smile brightened, directing his attention to Vasishtha¡¯s table in the back corner.  ¡°Would you mind joining us?¡±


    A quiver ran down his spine as his gaze wandered to the handsome man¡¯s bright, welcoming grin.  No¡ªof course, he¡¯d have some exotic girl like this with him, but ¡­ why hasn¡¯t she shown up until now, and how did he know I was tailing him?


    His mind snapped out of its hesitation as the girl rested both hands on her umbrella and placed the tip against the floor.  ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªeh, I guess, but umm ¡­ No, is there something you need?¡±  he stammered, noticing the women that usually had Vasishtha¡¯s attention glaring at the foreign bunny girl.  ¡°Do I know you¡ªno, I, heh, definitely don¡¯t¡­¡±


    She giggled, long hair swaying against her shoulders while gently shaking her head.  ¡°No, we¡¯ve never met, but I believe we can help you with something¡ªit should only take a minute.¡±


    Dammit¡­  Catching the looks that many of the men were giving him, including the bartender, it would be very suspicious if he turned down her request, and in neutral territory, he didn¡¯t want to make a scene.  ¡°Sure, eh¡ªI don¡¯t know what I can do for you¡ªor, wait, umm, you can do for me?  Uhrm-mm-hmm, just give me a second,¡± he muttered, forcing a smile and scratching above his right ear.


    ¡°Wonderful.  I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± she said, and his mouth filled with saliva again upon seeing the light red tint touch the girl¡¯s smiling cheeks as she turned away.


    The man behind the bar hummed, following her path like everyone else in the room, and Luka couldn¡¯t miss her puffy tail swaying with her thick locks of sparkling pinkish-white hair as her body swayed; there was a black streak he caught after a second, too.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the bartender leaned against the counter next to him, wearing a curious grin.  ¡°Now, what¡¯s a girl like that comin¡¯ to a guy like you?¡±  he mumbled, cupping his chin and clearly not understanding English.


    ¡°I wish I knew,¡± Luka returned, taking a breath to ease his thumping heart and finishing off his beer.  ¡°Grab me another one.¡±


    ¡°For the woman, I assume?¡± he smirked.  ¡°I¡¯d suggest something a bit more classy, my friend¡ªdon¡¯t go cheap on a girl like that.¡±


    One of the serving cat women inched closer to listen, turning her acidic stare to him while hissing in Spanish.  ¡°Who is she¡ªwhat¡¯s her relationship to Vasishtha?¡±


    ¡°Woah, yeah¡ªI can¡¯t tell you?¡±  he shrugged, trying to remain calm in the turning atmosphere.  ¡°Eh¡ªno¡ªyeah, I guess, get me a beer and her ¡­ something a girl would like?¡±


    ¡°Something a girl would like,¡± he repeated, ruefully shaking his head while scanning the shelf behind him.  ¡°Guys like you ¡­ Eh, maybe something a bit more refined?¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±  the serving girl cut in, moving closer to hound him with a dirty look¡ªthe others weren¡¯t far behind.  ¡°You can¡¯t tell me, or you won¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Seriously!  I don¡¯t know them¡ªat all¡­¡± he hissed, digging through his pocket to take out some money.  ¡°Eh¡ªwhat¡¯ll this give me?¡±


    Luka took out the rest of his food allowance for the next two days, causing the man to grimace and take his hand off a dark brown bottle to select another.  ¡°That¡¯s funny, but ¡­ Gah, for a guy with your looks¡ªI¡¯ll help ya out and start a tab, son¡ªyou¡¯re in Noah¡¯s part of town.  Right?¡±


    Damn, I¡¯m not that ugly¡­  Luka internally grumbled, watching the man take all of his money.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Yeah,¡± he sighed, ¡°fine, fine¡ªI¡¯ll get it back to you ¡­ Do you know anything about them?¡±


    They turned their attention back to the pair as the rabbit girl sat across from Vasishtha, smiling while speaking softly to one another; the two appeared to be well-acquainted by their attitude, yet there was a clear difference between how he talked to this woman compared to the beast girls.


    An unsettling thought turned his belly.  ¡°Is she with the Lion King¡¯s group?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t surprise me,¡± the bartender muttered, but the cat woman swiftly protested, her braided black hair shifting to lean against the side of the counter.


    ¡°Absolutely not¡ªI¡¯d know her if she was¡ªno, she¡¯s totally new!  What if she¡¯s from the northwest?  She could be trying to lure Vasishtha into some trap!¡±


    The bartender chuckled, filling up a glass with a dark brown rum, showing Havana Club Anejo 7-Year, on the bottle.  ¡°You¡¯ve read too many of those mystery books, Cloe.  News would spread fast about a woman that looks like that¡ªand speaks English, hmm ¡­ I don¡¯t know¡ªsounds like she¡¯s from the States.  Another contender wanting to face the King?¡±  he offered.


    Luka¡¯s eyebrows drew together.  ¡°Possible ¡­ thanks for the drinks.¡±


    ¡°Tell her to leave Vasishtha alone,¡± Cloe hissed¡ªactually sounding like a cat¡ªshe was practically grinding her teeth while snarling at the exotic beauty.  ¡°He¡¯s a good man¡ªshe can keep her grubby paws off him.¡±


    Likely given her younger age, Luka wasn¡¯t surprised to see her jealousy, and given what Vasishtha had done for many women around Havana¡ªgetting them out of dire circumstances¡ªhe could see why they¡¯d quickly grown attached to the Indian man.  However, it could be an act to be accepted in the neutral territory.


    Taking the item with him, Luka sat the drink before her, cautiously sitting between them on the four-person table.  ¡°Heh¡ªeh, do you drink?  Maybe I should have asked what you liked¡­¡±


    The white-haired rabbit girl hummed, leaning an arm against the wood while resting a hand against her cheek; she seemed oblivious to the visual daggers many of the women sent her.  ¡°You¡¯ve been tailing Vasishtha for quite some time, it seems.  I know enough Spanish at this point to recognize that you¡¯re from Noah¡¯s faction.¡±


    Luka¡¯s blood ran cold; he hadn¡¯t expected her to be so forward, yet she took his mild shock as acceptance and pressed on.


    ¡°My name is Rachel; Vasishtha and I are with the U.S. government, and we¡¯ve been liberating Cuba, province by province.  I¡¯m sure Noah will hear about it within the next few days, but Guant¨¢namo, Santiago de Cuba, Holgu¨ªn, Granma, Las Tunas, Camag¨¹ey, and Isla de la Juventud have all been freed from terrorist control¡ªtragically, everyone in Ciego de ¨¢vila was killed by the Camag¨¹ey devil before we arrived.¡±


    His lips felt dry, shaking brown eyes fixating on the gorgeous beast girl¡¯s casual demeanor as she explained the state of his country.  ¡°The U.S. military has¡ªhas invaded Cuba?¡±


    ¡°Oi,¡± Vasishtha frowned, clicking his tongue, ¡°liberated¡ªshe said liberated, my man.  The U.S. is gonna be doing the whole helpin¡¯ ya get back on your feet thing¡ªprovide peace for you to get order back, so all these women don¡¯t have to be afraid anymore,¡± he grunted, waving at the glaring servers that changed tunes on a dime as he looked at them, returning pleasant gestures.


    Rachel¡¯s focus fell to the drink he¡¯d given her, voice low as her ears shifted to the left.  ¡°I¡¯m being straight with you, Luka; I don¡¯t have time to waste here.  These big ears aren¡¯t for show, and I¡¯ve been listening closely to what is happening throughout Havana.  Yes, Noah has brought a semblance of peace to a great many eastern provinces, yet his forces are spread thin, and it shows.¡±


    Luka¡¯s jaw locked as Rachel lifted the glass to sip the dark liquid, smacking her lips once flavoring it; the worst part was that he agreed with her, but he couldn¡¯t say it.  ¡°A few days?  You don¡¯t know anything¡ªthis is the closest to normal things have been since everything went insane, and Noah has thousands of ability users protecting other provinces¡ªwe have the most territory!¡±


    He glared at the pair.  ¡°I¡¯m sure the U.S. invasion will be better than what I saw before¡ªI pray it is¡ªso, you brought more than half of Cuba¡¯s provinces under your control, and that tells me a lot, but we have people everywhere too.  We¡¯ve brought peace to Sancti Sp¨ªritus, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, and Mayabeque!  We haven¡¯t been doing nothing!¡±


    ¡°I never said you weren¡¯t,¡± Rachel whispered, glowing eyes returning to him.  ¡°You do have people there yet haven¡¯t regained control in all of those areas; we have reports you overran Cuba military in a city¡ªmind explaining that?¡±


    Luka snorted.  ¡°Yeah, tell me you don¡¯t know anything without saying it!  Those weren¡¯t Cuban military¡ªthey were soldiers of the Puppet Master using them¡ªhow much do you really know again?¡±  he scoffed, forcing down most of the beer in his hand.


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Rachel evenly hummed, folding her fingers under her chin.  ¡°Admittedly, our information isn''t complete, which¡ªmmgmh ¡­ She¡¯s found me already¡­¡±


    Vasishtha groaned, running a hand through his thick black hair.  ¡°That Witch woman you were telling me about?  Lord Shiva, help me ¡­ Please, don¡¯t be hot.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±  Luka asked, glancing back at the door; no one was coming in, yet they were generating a lot of attention, even if speaking low enough to not be overheard; although, he had to wonder with a few of his outbursts, and the beast women might have good hearing by their twitching ears and worried eyes.  ¡°What Witch woman?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s pleasant tone turned cold and commanding.  ¡°If you value the lives of the people here, keep quiet, Luka¡ªRelica has a temper.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡±  he cut off as a stream of black smoke drifted through the closed window to gather behind the free chair across from him; within seconds of appearing, a seductive dark-haired woman formed out of the smog.


    ¡°Rachel,¡± she cooed, smirking eyes drifting to Vasishtha.  ¡°Consider me impressed by the aftermath of Camag¨¹ey¡ªalthough something went wrong with my double¡ªmight you fill in the blanks?¡±


    Vasishtha popped his tongue with a short groan.  ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    Rachel straightened, smoothly shifting her drink to the woman.  ¡°I figured you¡¯d show up soon; it¡¯s not my flavor, but you might enjoy it.¡±


    Relica giggled, absently waving her hand.  ¡°How sweet!  Unfortunately, I cannot eat in this form, but I so appreciate the offer!¡±


    Her thoughtful gaze narrowed.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Did something good happen in Camag¨¹ey?  I feel you¡¯re warming up to me!  Wolfgang paid me a short visit, but sadly, our dealings were just business¡ªalthough I did get what I wanted,¡± she added with a devilish grin.  ¡°It¡¯s unlike you to let prey escape, though¡ªI¡¯m curious.¡±


    Luka swiftly concluded that Rachel was likely Vasishtha¡¯s superior, or at least held a degree of command he respected, and by the current conversation, she wasn¡¯t just a pretty face.  Whoever this new woman was, Rachel, at least, thought of her as a dangerous enemy.


    Not wanting to step into something that didn¡¯t concern him, he took the rabbit girl¡¯s advice to listen and learn; the more he heard, the more panicked he became, and more than a few people promptly exited the bar, sensing the tense storm brewing.  Surely, someone was going to inform the Lion King.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± Rachel smirked, meeting the woman¡¯s gaze while crossing her leg.  ¡°Everyone had a part to play, and you were helpful, without a doubt¡ªthis, however, is causing me some trouble¡ªcalculated on your part, I assume.¡±


    A sharp clap came from the dark-haired woman, yet most of the bar¡¯s occupants were already out the door.  ¡°Heh-he-he, well, when I noticed you, my friend suggested I make a swift entrance; he¡¯s a smart cookie like you, but I¡¯m so happy to hear that we were all helpful to stop such a calamity¡ªI was so worried!¡±


    Relica¡¯s focus wandered between the few cautious individuals that were left, including the serving beast girls and bartender¡ªthe beastmen outside entered soon after, posting up by the bar to mutter to the girls¡ªshe was practically ignoring the guards.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my lovely Scarlet, Rachel?¡±  concern on her tongue.  ¡°I was so worried about you two after my double was destroyed without returning her memories¡ªalso ¡­ there¡¯s something ¡­ off about you ¡­ Mmh, an unease I only felt when in that hellscape.  Did ¡­ you carry something out?¡±  she tentatively asked, vision narrowing.  ¡°Devils are quite frightening.¡±


    A secretive smile lifted Rachel¡¯s lips as she leaned back and crossed her legs.  ¡°What fun would I be telling you such savory details¡ªwouldn¡¯t you enjoy the surprise?¡±


    Relica leaned in, a playful smile returning.  ¡°Oh, you know me so well¡ªI¡¯m jealous because it¡¯s so challenging to tell what is going on in that speedy brain of yours, so I decided to try and recruit a smarty, too.  Although ¡­ You¡¯ve given me the shivers since the last time we met.  Hmm¡­¡±


    Luka was utterly lost as the woman sighed with disappointment.  ¡°Mmh, but I don¡¯t want to leave yet ¡­ You know Rachel¡¯s ears can totally hear you right now¡ªmhm!  She really is a troublesome opponent, and let me tell you about her team!  Oh¡ªsorry, Rachel,¡± she giggled, ¡°but it seems my brain says I need to go¡ªof course, you know that, he-he-he!¡±


    A short pause fell as a rumble shook the building from a thunderbolt that struck nearby.


    Rachel¡¯s ears turned to the front, easing slightly as she smirked at the woman she called a witch.  ¡°Tell Alan Piedrabuena that I¡¯ll return in kind ¡­ Don¡¯t give him too much information, Relica; you wouldn¡¯t want to make it easy on your mastermind ¡­ but before you go¡ªwho¡¯s your friend?¡±


    ¡°Quite true,¡± Relica laughed, mischievous grin shifting to the alley.  ¡°Miora!  Maybe you shouldn¡¯t provoke our Rachel so early; you have plenty of toys back home.¡±


    Luka¡¯s heart stopped as a shadowy figure seemed to seep through the floorboards to level a regal leer at them; it materialized into a tall, dark-skinned woman dressed in a royal gown.  Her dead brown irises and thin frame highlighted her uncomfortable beauty.  ¡°I¡¯m bored, Relica ¡­ You promised me decent servants, yet I have not seen the quality you bragged of.  Hmm?¡±


    Her stone-cold eyes drifted to Rachel and Vasishtha.  ¡°I stand corrected.¡±


    ¡°In time, Miora!  In time!¡±  Relica giggled, rising to present the woman.  ¡°Myth of the Lunar Hare, and Legend of Arjuna, meet her royal Legend, Queen Ranavalona the First.  A friend of mine from overseas has joined my little group¡ªshe was so interested in meeting Asher, but regrettably, time constraints, and well¡ªI suspect you killed him,¡± she mused.


    Miora¡¯s imperious gaze slid over Rachel like a prized dog in a show.  ¡°I look forward to her performance.  Now, entertain me, Relica¡ªthe quality of this place is dismal.¡±


    Luka¡¯s mouth dropped open as both vanished in shadow, and Rachel promptly rose to her feet.  ¡°Let¡¯s go¡ªVasishtha.¡±


    ¡°I got it,¡± he muttered, walking over to the bar to wink at the women and drop a healthy wad of cash.  ¡°My apologies for the loss in business, Antonio.  Cloe, Africa, Aroa, Uxia, I look forward to drinking with you again; some business stuff!¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah!¡±  Cloe whispered, and Luka saw each blush as he kissed them on the foreheads.


    Rachel was already halfway to the door, turning to give him an expectant stare.  ¡°I don¡¯t think you want to stay¡ªI do, but it would cause problems, and we need to meet with Selvaria¡ªshe¡¯s lost in the wrong area.¡±


    Rising to his feet, Luka saw the exotic bunny girl¡¯s closed fist shaking as if in rage, tail, and ears stiff, yet her voice and expression were calm; it seemed like she was fighting something.  Still, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.


    * * *


    A rumble shook through Anthony¡¯s chest and spotted psyche as a dualism of crashing yet calm waves met his mind, blinking in and out of existence; he floated in a pool of solemn voices that flowed through him in harmonic whispers.  All thought was forfeited in the surf, and scenes of his childhood filmed to the surface while drifting through the void.


    His vision cleared to reveal the front entrance of the U.K. manor he¡¯d grown up in; it seemed enormous, and as he ran forward, it was as if he were a stranger in his own body.


    Anthony¡¯s fervent eyes flitted between entrances, nervously expecting one of the hired maids or butlers to pop out of the well-decorated walls.  The familiarity of the event was uncanny; his uncle was over¡ªa master of the spear and the black sheep of the family¡ªAnthony¡¯s favorite person in the world.


    Climbing up the colossal front staircase to the second landing, he squinted at the enormous window that granted a sight of the cliff and ocean; it was too bright to see beyond.


    Not interested in seeing the grand view regardless, Anthony raced across the floorboards but slowed once nearing the party room so as to not cause the wood to creek; his mother didn¡¯t like him interacting with his father¡¯s brother, and he feared her wrath.


    His heart elevated, thoughts only partially questioning the unseen surf foaming around him; he¡¯d heard stories about his uncle from Father, and the man was a legend.


    Peering through the gap in the door, Anthony eagerly waited for what he¡¯d heard pass between his caretaker and a maid when getting ready; his uncle always performed his daily exercises in the morning.


    Bright light momentarily blinded him, beaming through the open terrace doors and large windows; an assortment of mirrors strategically placed in the spacious room further enhanced the radiance and made the chic floral carpet gleam.


    The scent of the apricot trees his mother loved was carried in by the moderate spring breeze, bringing the flavor of salt to his parched lips; he hadn¡¯t even noticed the lack of water.


    Expectedly, all of the room''s tables and chairs had been moved to one side and covered when not in use, making space for other activities.  He¡¯d spent some time here on various occasions, but never before had it been so magical.


    In the center knelt his uncle, and Anthony¡¯s sparkling green eyes fixated on the spear lying on the carpet beside him; the man was meditating, breathing deeply as the ocean-side estate was assaulted by the rich smell of the sea.


    Saliva built in his throat as the curtains rustled and the bright, warm day elevated his body heat, yet at the same time, he was cold, and an unease tugged against Anthony¡¯s breast.  Wait ¡­ Why am I here?


    The world shrunk¡ªor did he grow¡ªand he stumbled back to look down at his younger self, lips pulled in while eagerly awaiting the performance that would set him on the path of the spear and forever draw a rift between him and his mother.


    Anthony¡¯s heart skipped a beat, vision falling to the wooden hallway he knew so well; the long antique carpet of his grandfather¡¯s was meticulously maintained by the hired help, but his disjointed thoughts eventually separated from the younger version hiding by the door, leaving questions.


    I¡¯m home ¡­ No, that sound¡­


    Stepping to the side, he took one last look at the boy he used to be before hesitantly moving away.  A tug against his ears brought him to a guest room, and swiftly opening the way, he halted at the window, fingers hesitating against the drawn curtain.


    The sound of the sea echoed through him¡ªencompassed him¡ªyet a fear to discover the source kept his hand from pulling the curtain aside.  Chills cascading through his marrow, he had the distinct feeling to retreat with every rise and fall of the unseen surf resonating in his ears.


    What is this?


    Mind calming, Anthony¡¯s apple green irises drifted to his quivering fingers against the thick fabric; a sheen of light could be seen from around the edges, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to peer through the gap.


    Anthony slowly took a step back, gut squirming as an invisible presence crawled through the room; he could feel something infinite and vast just beyond sight, and if he listened closely, indistinguishable whispers hung on the ethereal ocean sounds.


    Dry lips pulling in to bite at the dead skin, he scratched the base of his ear as it itched, followed by several other areas.  It¡¯s all in my mind ¡­ It has to be, but ¡­ Why am I here ¡­ What was I doing?


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 41. A Sprinkle Of Christmas

    AuthorSME


    A Late Christmas Surprise Inside:  I hope you enjoyed the Holidays ... heh, like 3 months ago!


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hare)


    2. Anthony (Rachel''s Boyfriend)


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Kyle Markman, RedWolf17, Edward O''Neill, Morgan McLees, Vantimiglia, Lyndwyen, Darth Mole, Richard Doss, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel unfurled her umbrella and stepped partway into the falling rain, ears curved forward a tad to not brush up against the top, but she paused as a reptilian Beastkin by the name of Jairo walked forward to stop her.


    ¡°Yo¡ªbe here, the stop for King,¡± he demanded in his broken English, paying more attention to Vasishtha as the man gave a depressed sigh; it was obvious that he thought the muscular southern Indian man was more of a threat than her.


    Great ¡­ My misfortune¡¯s practically doubled¡­  Rachel dryly growled to Nia.


    The girl¡¯s absent tone hummed in her mind, popping back up as if in a little burrow dugout in her mind.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Are you going to fight them?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s full lips pulled in, head tilting to the side to look at Luka as the young man paused, facing going white as the three Beastkin spoke in Spanish.  ¡°?Por qu¨¦ vendr¨ªa aqu¨ª?¡±


    [i.e., Why would he come here?]


    I didn¡¯t want to make a scene here¡ªwe were only supposed to make a quick appearance.


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Nia ducked further into whatever little hole she¡¯d been searching around inside their shared spirit space; there were cracks all over the place where Yseress had shown her.  ¡°You sound kind of frustrated right now¡ªme, too ¡­ Big Sis hasn¡¯t been talking to me.¡±


    Keep at it, Rachel mumbled, scratching her arm.  Relica has a knack for throwing a wrench in everything I do.


    ¡°Yeah, dumb witch face¡ªI wanted to box her ears.  Wait!  Big Sis ¡­ No, it¡¯s just another decoy¡ªshe¡¯s so good at hiding!¡±


    That¡¯s not the only concern¡­


    ¡°I know!  I know!  I¡¯m trying to make Big Sis feel better,¡± Nia groaned, running her hands through her hair and disappearing from Rachel¡¯s internal image of the girl.  ¡°She¡¯s been playing hide and seek with me, but I think she¡¯s still hurt ¡­ She loved the new outfit, though!  Fu, fu, fu.¡±


    I¡¯m sure she did, Rachel grunted, ears twitching as she looked to the west.  We weren¡¯t supposed to draw this much negative attention ¡­ Anyway, go on and see if she¡¯ll teach you about her fashion.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s cool!  You should¡­¡±


    No, I¡¯m fine for now, Nia¡ªthis new piece is enough to make me want to kill myself.


    ¡°Hmm?  I know you love it!¡±


    Think what you want ¡­ Now, get out of here.


    ¡°Going!  Big Sis!  Are you here?  No¡­¡±  Her voice settled in the background, filtering out.


    Yseress had been utterly silent to Rachel over the past two days; in a way, she thought the woman might be pouting, considering the stress she¡¯d put the half-human Devil through, she could see it.


    In the end, Rachel decided to let her demonic servant take her time in recovering; if it made Yseress feel better teasing Nia, then it was fine by her¡ªin fact, it was nice having someone else to split the hyperactive bunny¡¯s attention up.


    Half out of the open door, Rachel¡¯s fingers tightened around the base of the umbrella, doing her best not to crush it; Jairo was now standing a few feet away.


    Rachel added a bright smile to catch the men off-guard, noticing the glaring serving women, and waved at the weary men.  ¡°Luka, if you could be so kind as to translate for me.¡±


    Luka shivered, after watching Vasishtha look to her for what their next play would be.  ¡°Woah, woah¡ªuh, they¡¯re saying we need to stay because the Lion King is probably going to come ¡­ For real, why would he come himself, though?¡±


    ¡°Luka,¡± Rachel repeated, brushing back her hair with a strong note in her voice, ¡°can you translate for me?¡±


    He grimaced, shooting a side-long look at Vasishtha as he threw an arm over his shoulder.  ¡°Yeah, be a pal, my friend; we¡¯re on the same side.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I¡¯m not your friend,¡± he grumbled, pushing away from the much larger man.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to get caught up in any of your trouble¡ªI¡¯ve got enough as it is.¡±


    An annoyed hiss ran through Rachel¡¯s teeth, her happy facade fading while scratching the base of her left ear; the wrong dominos were falling into place and she needed to get ahead of them¡ªwhy Night¡¯s Conquest pulled her to this guy was utterly beyond her.


    ¡°Do you want to rescue your sister or not, Luka?  I can help.¡±


    The young man¡¯s focus snapped to her.  ¡°What do you know about my sister¡ªare you from beyond the wall?¡±


    Her misfortune increased.  Everything¡¯s falling apart¡­


    His question seemed to spark the Beastkin¡¯s full attention, cautiously spreading out to face them.  One bad interpretation to the next ¡­ What did they even understand from that?  I suppose it can¡¯t be helped.


    Her fingers left the umbrella as she launched forward, the wooden floor creaking from the pressure her feet placed against the boards; none of them could react as she lightly tapped the reptile man¡¯s chest, transferring a bit of her momentum to him.


    Spinning to the next to flick the bottom of his chin, she grabbed the Crocodile man named Pol¡ªtheir leader¡ªby the throat, lifting him into the air.


    In the flash of motion, her slipstream caused a gale to erupt around them as Jairo was blown against a few chairs and table, sending the objects flying.  The leopard Beastkin¡¯s neck snapped up, eyes rolling into the back of his head while the Crocodile¡¯s hands closed around her arm, gagging in his struggles to free himself.


    The girls and Antonio cursed behind the counter, trying to comprehend what just happened as Luka tripped, landing on his butt in shock.


    ¡°For once, I didn¡¯t want to fight,¡± she hissed, watching Pol¡¯s eyes bulge, claws doing nothing against her lunar cloak.


    Vasishtha puffed out a long breath while watching the event unfold, rubbing the side of his neck.  ¡°By the gods, did it really need to come to this, Rachel?  I liked these guys.¡±


    Ignoring him, Rachel gaze drifted to the quivering young man practically pissing himself.  ¡°Translate for me, Luka¡ªI¡¯m not here to cause a problem, but I have places to be, and I am not in the best mood to be playing games.¡±


    Luka stumbled to his feet.  ¡°Hey!  Hey!  I¡ªokay!  Okay!  Umm¡­¡±


    Rachel tossed Pol atop Jairo to send the struggling reptile back to the ground; the Crocodile was gripping his throat, tears in his eyes and snot in his nose while Jario wheezed, clutching his pumping chest.


    ¡°Translate, Luka!¡±


    ¡°O-Okay!  Okay!¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she sighed, rolling around her stiff neck while observing the bartender fumble with a shotgun from behind the bar.  ¡°We¡¯re not here to cause trouble for you, Antonio¡ªand I know this is technically neutral territory, which is why I¡¯m perfectly in my rights to defend myself from their forced stay ¡­ but if you¡¯re going to join the conflict, I¡¯ll act in kind.¡±


    Africa, an older female cat server, stepped forward to put a hand on the bartender¡¯s shoulder, seemingly asking for him to comply after seeing her easily handle the three.


    ¡°Oi, oi, Antonio¡­¡±  Luka hastily said, translating her words.


    The man sniffed, taking a few deep breaths while looking at her¡ªRachel could tell he was suffering from some kind of PTSD, which could have come from the riots and anarchy that swept Havana after The Oscillation, but after a second, he hesitantly sat the weapon on the counter and held up his hands.


    ¡°W-We be bad¡­¡±


    ¡°Oof,¡± Nia said, popping up from her labyrinth.  ¡°I know you were going easy on them, but that was still kind of rough.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ear twitched, catching everyone¡¯s eye, as a succulent voice inside her spoke for the first time in days.  ¡°On the contrary ¡­ Perhaps you should have broken a few bones for wasting your time ¡­ Master.¡±


    ¡°Big Sis!¡±  Nia chimed, looking around.  ¡°Big Sis?  Hmm ¡­ Gone, huh?  More games?!  Okay, I¡¯m coming!¡±


    Masking the joy at finally having the Devil acknowledge her, Rachel promptly spun on her heels to return to the door, picking up her umbrella.  ¡°Now, let¡¯s go, Luka¡ªyour sister doesn¡¯t have all the time in the world.¡±


    Vasishtha jogged over to the counter, pulling out another wad of cash from his back pocket and placing it before the wary man.  ¡°Again, sorry, Antonia, Cloe, Africa, Aroa, Uxia¡ªcould ya see the boys get a bit for the trouble¡­¡±


    Rachel stepped out into the downpour, still listening to the group; several things were already happening that she hadn¡¯t anticipated, and it traced back to Relica¡¯s corner of the city.


    Uxia, the dog serving Beastkin, cleared her throat while the Legend prompted Luka to follow him.  ¡°Vasishtha ¡­ Is everything okay ¡­ Are you really from the United States?¡±


    He gave them his big, charming grin that made Rachel roll her eyes.  ¡°Everything will be fine, and no, heh, I¡¯m from India, ladies; this was just a big misunderstanding, and we¡¯re in a rush¡ªno hard feelings, guys?¡±


    No hard feelings?  Rachel mused, listening to the grumbles and curses the Cuban Beastkin gave while collecting themselves.  I don¡¯t know about that, but I can¡¯t meet with the Lion King right now ¡­ even if I want to.


    Her head tilted as she slowed, watching the rain haze the surrounding buildings; many of the establishments showed signs of damage, yet repairs appeared to be in progress, delayed by the hurricane.


    A spur in her tail shot it on end as she turned to stare at the coliseum where the Lion King watched an ongoing match; so far as she could tell, he hadn¡¯t left the spot for most of the day, accompanied by three others that seemed to be his generals.


    Currently, two different groups from the bar were heading in that direction to report on the strange behavior, and those with good hearing knew what they¡¯d discussed¡ªa U.S. invasion alone would likely spark his interest¡ªwhich was why Relica made a point bringing up specific topics.


    Relica made it seem that we¡¯re connected to her faction, and it won¡¯t be hard for rumors to spread because of how I look ¡­ We need to kill that vexing woman, but she¡¯s so guarded.


    Rachel stopped on the sidewalk; the heavy rainfall collapsed around her as a few people hurried to their destinations, not wanting to get caught up in anything along the way.


    Working with chaos was her specialty, although a few new mysteries and outcomes had diminished and made her question her supernatural senses.


    Misfortune Detection had increased to the second rank after the Camag¨¹ey incident, yet after waking and making plans with Tom, it was obvious when Moongmor stopped enhancing the perception.


    An achievement had been gained when she set in motion the events that forced Hell¡¯s Gate closed¡ªa powerful one¡ªand certain feats were granted because of it, yet currently, they weren¡¯t so physically evident.


    One of the mysteries was a new passive and had it been in one of her Goddess Branches, it would have made her suspicious, yet this was placed in her base¡ªNight¡¯s Conquest¡ªwhich the System gave little information on.


    All she knew about the passive was that it had shown up at some point between when she¡¯d awoken and when she last checked her abilities, which could have been before meeting Wolfgang.  It might have had something to do with the Goddess¡¯s manipulations or even Izanami, but until she had a chance to question one of the two, she was in the dark.


    It acted similarly to Misfortune Detection, except it was far more precise with the gut feeling it gave her, but she only had two instances where she¡¯d felt its effects thus far¡ªto delay a day and to focus on Luka when his voice entered her ear¡ªfor some reason, the young man was necessary for something.


    Still, it didn¡¯t make sense; she was a Lunar Hare, so why wouldn¡¯t it be Lunar Conquest or something similar instead of the board encompassing night?  It bothered her, especially the unusual sensation that this boy was needed.


    A pulse passed through her ears and tail as misfortune tickled her gut; the scales weren¡¯t tipping her way, and she needed to find out how to shift the balance.


    Luka hesitantly walked out of the building with Vasishtha by his side; the Legend grabbed a giant table umbrella just outside the door, cranking the lever to open it up to block the rain.  Sharp gusts tried to pull it away, but he stood firm, sheltering Luka as they made their way toward her.


    ¡°What did she mean about helping me get my sister?¡±  Luka asked, squinting through the hail of water to where she stood.


    Vasishtha shrugged, frowning at her as they neared.  ¡°No clue, ma man¡ªRach is the one with the plans.  So, what¡¯s next, Captain¡ªwe really goin¡¯ to Selvaria, or was that just an excuse to get out of there¡ªour monster girl doin¡¯ okay?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t respond for a moment, pensive eclipsed pupils and shimmering, pink four-leaf clover petals centered on Luka as he shifted uncomfortably in the chilling storm gale.  Why can I see a shadowy aura only around him¡ªas if cloaked by night¡¯s shrouding?


    Nia halted her search at the thought.  ¡°Oh, thinking about that strange dude again?  He can see past stuff, right?  Maybe he needs to get stronger.¡±


    Maybe, Rachel muttered.  Relica ruined my chance at the slow and cheerful approach, though.  Perhaps it¡¯s actually his sister that I need to rescue, and I need to do it through him?  Agh, I don¡¯t know¡ªwe need to move, though.


    ¡°What?¡±  he asked, fidgeting under her stare.


    Turning away, she continued down the stormy street.  ¡°Selvaria is fine, Vash; she¡¯s preparing for her part¡ªwe need to be careful what we say aloud¡ªwe don¡¯t know who might be listening.¡±


    Vasishtha snickered.  ¡°Got a new nickname for me; huh, Rach?  Well, Vash has got a nice ring to it, and the ladies have it hard speakin¡¯ Hindi¡ªoh, is that why you don¡¯t go by your Korean name?¡±  he asked conversationally.


    ¡°K-Korean?¡±  Luka studied her as Vash¡¯s umbrella overshadowed hers.  ¡°She doesn''t look Korean.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re an expert,¡± Rachel dryly muttered, hearing Nia laughing in the background.


    A flush crossed the young man¡¯s cheeks as he looked away.  ¡°My bad¡ªI¡¯m just nervous¡ªI mean, you took out those guys in a flash.  Why do you need me ¡­ If you¡¯re with the U.S., then there are way better people to introduce you to Noah.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s gaze lifted to her covered umbrella as a crack of lightning flashed across the sky, followed by the long rumble.  ¡°Does it matter?  Questions will only complicate things; we need¡­¡±


    She paused, lips parting in question as a creature of some kind entered her perceptive airspace at extreme speeds; it was heading straight for their long, cleared-out street.


    A low, jolly voice that held a steel undertone whispered in the animal¡¯s ear from its back.  ¡°Somewhere around here, Dasher¡­¡±


    Ears swiveling to the side, she held out a hand.  ¡°Quick, back away from the road!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªhey?!¡±


    Vasishtha was swift to react, grabbing Luka by the waist and leaping into an alley with Rachel¡ªthe temperature zeroed in a whirlwind¡ªand to her surprise, the heavy rain turned to flurrying powder.


    ¡°Mmh¡ªyes, there¡¯s a clue in this city, but ho-ho-ho ¡­ What an unsettling place.¡±


    Rachel waited in the alley as the man dismounted, and just barely seen through the snowfall, she caught hot steam shooting out of the nose of a colossal brown-furred reindeer.


    Beside the beast was a tall, 6¡¯6¡± semi-chubby man, dressed in a Santa outfit, but Rachel wasn¡¯t fooled; underneath the layers of clothing and long, snow-white beard was a body built for a barbarian.


    A big checkered bag was strapped to the back of the reindeer as the pair glanced around, and his bright glowing sky blue eyes scanned the storm turned blizzard, yet it was only in a hundred-meter radius of the two.


    ¡°What ¡­ Is this snow?¡±  Luka gasped, spinning around in a small circle.  ¡°I-I¡¯ve never seen it!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±  Vash asked, fixating on the two newcomers.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t believe it herself, studying the figure a little further away down the street as the watery ground iced over.  Really, it has to be the Myth or Legend of Santa, but why is he here¡ªhe¡¯s fast, though¡ªhe covered miles in seconds ¡­ I¡¯ve never heard anything like that, and had he not slowed for me to catch the trailing sound¡­


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  His twinkling irises shifted to center on them, a rosy grin lifting his cheeks as he reached up and removed his bag from the reindeer''s back.  ¡°C¡¯mon, Dasher; let¡¯s not be shy!¡±


    Rachel loosened her neck and shoulders; she didn¡¯t know what to expect¡ªwho would in this scenario¡ªbut she had to be prepared to move if needed.  Nia¡­


    ¡°IS THAT ¡­ SANTA?!¡±  Nia squealed!  ¡°Oh, my, GOSH!  Are we getting presents?!  Is it¡ªno wait, it¡¯s not Christmas?¡±


    Nia!  Battlesuit!


    ¡°Oof, yeah, don¡¯t want to do Battle Suit #2 in front of Santa¡ªWAIT!  Battlesuit?  B-But he¡¯s Santa!¡±


    Nia¡­  Rachel pleaded, jaw locking as the man strutted forward without a care in the world, big smile in place.  He¡¯s strong ¡­ Incredibly strong.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±  Nia whispered.  ¡°But I don¡¯t want to get on the naughty list!¡±


    Her casual outfit swapped to her original combat version with the addition of her Demon Boots; Vasishtha noticed the changed demeanor and readied himself for a fight, but the man stopped two meters away, holding up a hand.


    ¡°Ho-ho-ho, no need for a fright, young lady, young man!  I¡¯m just passing through¡ªoh, and who¡¯s this?¡±  he asked, sparkling gold light touching his fingers to materialize some glasses to perch on his nose while studying Rachel.  ¡°My, my, my¡ªwhy aren''t you a rather cute little girl¡ªNia, is it?¡±  he questioned.


    Rachel¡¯s gut tightened.  He can see you?


    ¡°He sees me!¡±  Nia screamed in delight.  ¡°I¡¯m here, Santa!  It¡¯s me!  Hi!  Do we get presents?!¡±


    Luka shrunk behind Vash, watching in silence as the man¡¯s cheery features slowly fell, still focusing on her.


    Wanting answers, Rachel cleared her throat.  ¡°So, am I to assume you¡¯re the Legendkin based on the historic Santa¡ªthat toymaker?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, the Myth of Santa Claus, actually¡ªnot the Legend of Saint Nicholas; although, a fine lad he is,¡± Santa whispered, looking down at a rolled-up sheet of paper that appeared in his hand that fell to the snowy floor, seemingly expanding into eternity since it continued to unravel until touching the ground.  ¡°My dear Rachel ¡­ Now why do you have someone with sins like this in you ¡­ Troubling ¡­ and such a tragic past.¡±


    Yseress¡¯s cautious and semi-pained voice spoke from the darkness in her mind.  ¡°Be careful, Master ¡­ This person is unlike any you¡¯ve met before¡ªmystical power brims within him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Nia cried, ¡°No, he¡¯s a good guy!  Scarlet has good memories of Santa!  He¡¯s happy and gives gifts to good girls!  I¡¯m a good girl!  Oh¡ªoh, but Big Sis is a bad girl¡ªoof¡ªwhat about Rachel?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±  Rachel bluntly asked.  ¡°We¡¯re in the process of freeing Cuba.¡±


    He slowly nodded, rolling back up his parchment for it to vanish in twinkling light.  ¡°I¡¯m well aware of your activities¡ªyou tread a fine line between intent and deed, Rachel ¡­ Hmm, and you¡­¡±


    The big man sighed, turning to give a solemn look at Vasishtha.


    ¡°Me?¡±  he asked, forcing a laugh.  ¡°I¡¯m clean as white!¡±


    ¡°Not in sheets like yours,¡± Santa returned, vision drifting back to Rachel.  ¡°A complicated life you live¡ªviolence, yet good deeds done¡ªa pained existence forced onto another that seems to have taken a turn for the fortunate.  In any case, I am not here to judge you tonight¡ªto tell if you are worthy of karma¡¯s gifts, but to continue my quest.¡±


    A rumble shook in his voice while taking off his glasses and smiling at her.  ¡°Still, it would be a shame to leave without a small reward for your deeds.¡±


    ¡°No way!  No way!¡±  Nia was practically foaming at the mouth.  ¡°Santa¡¯s totally real!  I¡¯m gonna tell Scarlet, and she¡¯s gonna be so impressed we met Santa!¡±


    Yeseress grunted, pulling back into the shadows of Rachel¡¯s spirit.  ¡°Keep your eyes to yourself ¡­ You know nothing.¡±


    A small, compassionate smile touched the man¡¯s red cheeks.  ¡°Perhaps not enough, my lady, but there can be rewards for even one such as yourself¡ªeven if I do not understand the reason.¡±


    Rachel was somewhat taken aback as he put a hand in his big bag and pulled out six candy canes, three standard and three a shimmering gold.  ¡°You can¡¯t expect me to take that¡­¡±


    Santa winked, letting the items go to float into the air to each of them.  ¡°It¡¯s not Christmas time, and I¡¯m only losing strength by the day, but I can do at least this much for you¡ªenjoy!¡±


    His entire body dispersed into shimmering gold light before sweeping up to reform on the back of Dasher, and in a single bound, they were rocketing back into the sky.  ¡°Ho, ho, ho!  I have faith that you¡¯ll make wholesome decisions by the time Christmas comes, Rachel¡ªuntil we meet again!  Now, on, Dasher¡ªto rescue your sisters!¡±


    Nia was in awe.  ¡°No ¡­ way!  Santa¡¯s reindeer are all female?!¡±


    The unusual comment brought back a rather vague memory of a conversation she overheard the previous year¡ªmale reindeer lose their antlers during the winter; therefore, Santa¡¯s had to be female¡ªyet what reindeer could fly.


    ¡°What an insensitive fool,¡± Yseress grumbled, but there was the hint of a smile in her voice.


    ¡°We get treats?  I want to lick it!¡±  Nia salivated, watching the floating items lingering in the snowy flurry.


    ¡°Eh¡ªRach?¡±  Vash hesitantly asked, snapping her out of the absurdity that had just occurred.  ¡°What¡¯s up with that?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head tilted, still scanning miles of ground, searching for the Mythickin, yet just as fast as he¡¯d come, he was gone.  ¡°I don¡¯t ¡­ know¡ªhe¡¯s gone, looking for his other reindeer, it seems,¡± she mumbled in disbelief at her own words.


    Yeseress¡¯s smirking tone entered her mind again.  ¡°Master, they aren¡¯t dangerous¡ªin fact, the one left for me is a spiritual item that will not heal me but alleviate some of my lingering pain.¡±


    It was all Rachel had to hear, reaching out to gather the floating food, and the moment her finger touched the golden candy canes, they turned to fading dust; only one of the four treats remained solid as she gripped it.  ¡°They appear to be fine¡­¡±


    She trailed off when Nia squealed.  ¡°It¡¯s right here!  I have it!  Oh, my, gosh!  Santa¡¯s the best!  Mmm¡ªpeppermint!  Thank you, Santa!¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± the Legend examined it for a second before biting into it¡ªit was swiftly spat out.  ¡°Yuck¡ªtastes coalish ¡­ What about you, Luka?¡±  he asked, still chewing the bits.


    The young man hesitantly sampled it and smiled.  ¡°Wow¡ªit¡¯s sweet ¡­ like cake!¡±


    ¡°Humph¡­¡±  Vasishtha grunted, licking what was left in his free hand.


    Rachel¡¯s narrowed eyes fixated on the candy in her hand.  I understand he was following the prompts Mythickin have ¡­ Similar to my Lunar Pride ¡­ but why four if there¡¯s only three of us?


    ¡°MoonMoon?¡±  Nia offered, happily bobbing back and forth.  ¡°I didn¡¯t get an extra one.  Did you, Big Sis?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Yeseress hummed, ¡°I did not¡ªand I do not know where the other went, but it was certainly taken.  Now¡ªmmgmmgh¡ªI will enjoy this spiritual sleeping tonic.¡±


    Sleeping what?  The Devil didn¡¯t respond, but it seemed Nia was soon affected.


    Rachel waited a few more minutes as the snow gradually returned to pounding rain and roaring thunder filled the heavens once again, yet after a time, she concluded it was something unique to the golden candy canes.


    Her eyes widened when hearing Selvaria chomping down on a gigantic candy cane while kicking her legs against the docks where she waited for Rachel; she was waving off another reindeer and figure.  ¡°Bye, Mrs. Claus!  Thank you for the treat; I¡¯ll see you on Christmas!  I hope you get Rudolph back!¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice was lush and young.  ¡°Thank you for listening, sweetie, and enjoy yourself.¡±


    ¡°Sorry I couldn¡¯t help; umm, can you give one to Galatea, too?  She¡¯s up in the turtle.¡±


    ¡°I can make a quick stop.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    It was odd hearing the quiet Leviathan girl so cheery and vocal; the Mythickin woman took to the heavens, and Rachel lost track of them.  No ¡­ I¡¯m being distracted!  We need to ¡­ Damn.


    The Lion King rose from his chair; he¡¯d just received the report about a majestic, glowing white rabbit girl from the U.S. that claimed their military was on the way¡ªhe was heading to the bar, alone.


    Not knowing if the candy cane had any hidden properties, she decided to save it for later, just in case; tossing the object to Vash, she adjusted her umbrella and briskly walked back into the rain.  ¡°Hold onto that¡ªand we need to go¡ªnow!¡±


    She brought their path to meet with Noah, finishing up a meeting on how the various areas were faring.  If we can make it into his territory, it should make him back off¡­


    Rachel slowed to a stop on the icy road, Vasishtha and Luka jogging over to meet her, still mumbling about the Christmas myth.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we in a hurry?¡±  the Legend asked, vision wandering.  ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t tell me that big guy¡¯s comin¡¯ back?¡±


    Her nose twisted with agitation as she shifted to look west; the second the Lion King had left the room, he¡¯d jumped down through a back balcony to run their way.  He¡¯s fast, and with his sense of smell ¡­ This is why I didn¡¯t want to draw his attention this early!


    The umbrella handle snapped in her grip, falling to her feet as the weather struck her open skin and dampened her braided hair.  ¡°Vash, take Luka back to Noah¡¯s territory ¡­ I¡¯ll meet you there when I can.¡±


    The Legend hissed, following her gaze.  ¡°Eh¡ªwant me to call for backup?  Scarlet should be able to get here.¡±


    Rachel shook her head, leaning left and right to limber up as her heart beat like a happy drum; in the end, this was everything she wanted¡ªnot that it was in line with her initial plans, but adapting was a part of the fun.  ¡°No¡ªshe needs to be in position¡ªwe don¡¯t want to miss our chance, and I don¡¯t want to ruin it for her.  I¡¯ll be fine.  Go.¡±


    He didn¡¯t need to be told twice, hoisting a blustering Luka over his shoulder to dash into the night.  ¡°Don¡¯t go dyin¡¯ on me, girl¡ªAnthony would have my balls!¡±


    She snickered at the joke, and Nia blushed inside her little hole, trying to fight the sleep to finish her candy.  I¡¯m not my best without the moon, but at least my Lunar Pools are nearly full.  Now, come on; I¡¯ve heard your bored sighs¡ªlet¡¯s see how strong you really are¡ªbecause I don¡¯t see this ending without at least a few blows.


    Flexing her fingers, Rachel made an inventory of her gained skills from her encounter with Hell; nearly everything had been improved, and she even had a few new tricks, including the Hellfire boots she wore.  However, if she could help it, the other item would remain buried from sight for eternity.


    * * *


    Puffing out a long stream while rubbing his eyes, Anthony blinked; the strange feeling of being between restlessness and fatigue filled his muscles.  A hook in his thoughts directed his gaze to the door, prompting him to leave.


    He was about to follow it when a feminine voice he didn¡¯t recognize grazed his mind; soft and compelling, she lulled his attention back to the curtains.  ¡°Look to the inside to break the seals¡­¡±


    Steeling his turbulent stomach, Anthony walked forward, dipped his fingers into the folds, and threw back the veil; an effulgence dazed him, forcing him to shield his eyes¡ªthe backyard steadily came into view as they adjusted¡ªthough, nothing of significance drew his notice.


    ¡°What am I doing?¡±  he muttered.


    Unlatching the lock, he opened the window to be met by the strong sea breeze, carrying with it the familiar scents of his home¡ªhis home¡ªyet he hadn¡¯t called this place his home in some years.


    Anthony glossed his tongue over his lips, distinguishing the salt, and a short cough shook his chest; leaning forward, he held up his hand to hack up a spray of water across it.  He choked a bit, clearing his throat as his eyebrows drew together while staring at the liquid.


    ¡°What¡ªis going on?¡±  he grunted, wiping his mouth with the back of his free hand.


    It was like he¡¯d swallowed seawater; the sharp fishy taste was heavier than saliva on his tongue, and upon looking up, he noticed an abrupt change in the atmosphere; a mist had formed in the distance.  Fog wasn¡¯t new to him¡ªhe¡¯d grown up in the U.K., and by the ocean at that¡ªbut there was something ominous about the sight that tugged at his hazy mind.


    His focus wandered to the backyard; nothing out of the ordinary caught his notice, but the spine-shivering sensation of being watched kept him sober.


    Examining the perfectly trimmed trees, hedges, luxury aesthetic of his parents¡¯ estate, Anthony¡¯s jaw tightened, focus ending on the pale wall moving toward the manor; a wordless jolt in his muscles told him not to exit the house.


    Anthony stood at the window for another minute, trying to push past the pull; he knew something was out there, just beyond sight, and he had to know what, even if every fiber in his chest told him to let it be.


    Turning around, he made his way to the back door, folding the long sleeves of the flannel shirt he wore to the elbow; he was dressed for a casual day, but not a thing about this gave him the impression of an average start to his morning.


    Why can¡¯t I remember where I was or what I was doing?  If there are answers ¡­ it¡¯s outside of this house.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 42. The Lion King

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Nemesis (The Lion King of Havana!)


    2. Anthony (Rachel''s Boyfriend!)


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    Nemesis sat in the VIP glass observation box of Estadio Latinoamericano, leaning against the side of his massive leather armchair while peering through the lingering hurricane.


    Water fell across the battle-scarred stadium as he watched a fight between random Beastkin looking to show their worth to the masses; many people used the area to escape the downpour while also providing entertainment.


    His sharp yellow eyes drifted down to stare at his ripped and blood-stained brown pants, showing clear signs of the fights he¡¯d been in that morning, to fixate on his gold-furred thighs.  When the lights spread across the heavens, his entire body grew thick fur as he transformed into a lion.


    Khewzi, his former master, thought it hilarious¡ªhe was a beast before the metamorphosis¡ªthe champion of the African warlord¡¯s favorite sport, and now he¡¯d truly become one.


    All he¡¯d known from the age of eight was how brutal and cruel the world could be; Khewzi and the others like him had a blood sport in the lawless zones of Africa¡ªa sport that involved training boys in a similar manner to cock fighting but with humans.  Of course, there was a female competition, but it was segregated unless the match was being treated as an execution for some crime.


    He was Greek by birth and had found himself in the jaws of the vicious warlord during an African humanitarian aid mission done by a small group his parents were in.  They¡¯d gone to a wartorn area in the country to help provide advanced scientific help to the community, and it was supposed to be safe¡ªof course, that¡¯s always the story until it¡¯s not¡ªand another uprising took place.


    They didn¡¯t make it out in time, and the result?  His parents were abused and butchered¡ªhe and his older sister, used in the human cock games¡ªhe couldn¡¯t even remember his childhood before that point.  All he¡¯d known was the struggle to live and eat, and if you wanted medical attention or painkillers from the vicious battles, you had to win.


    He didn¡¯t know what happened to his sister; she was long dead in all likelihood.  It was possible she still lived, but he couldn¡¯t even remember her face past the mountain of corpses he sat on.  Life was simple¡ªno need to learn anything but how to be more efficient at surviving and killing.


    The biggest prize of the fights was to knock out the opponent without much physical injury to steal him from his own master¡ªmany disputes carried that condition¡ªknocking out the other transferred ownership.


    It was a brutal game, and glory came with many benefits to incentivize the fighters to reach the top; you received women, good food, clean water, comfy living quarters, and what most relished, longer breaks between matches.


    He¡¯d long forgotten his birth name; it didn¡¯t matter.  Nemesis earned his title through eighteen years of battle¡ªhe was the king of the ring¡ªKhewzi¡¯s Nemesis was what other warlords called him, and he¡¯d earned the man a great many friends and contacts through the popular underground sport.


    Wealthy individuals from many countries made friends with the warlords to have access to the illegal sport, and it was from those criminal empires and corporate fiends that his master learned about the plan to make Cuba their own little stomping ground.


    His illuminated cat-like irises drifted to his lustrous golden hand, flexing his claws while watching the colossal muscles bulge; he¡¯d taken countless lives, and these new powers gave him the one thing he¡¯d constantly desired¡ªfreedom.  He¡¯d started with nothing¡ªeven his own body wasn¡¯t truly his¡ªyet now, he had everything.


    However, all he knew was a life of violence, and killing Khewzi hadn¡¯t been an act of vengeance as much as taking over the throne; it was all he knew.  Kindness was a death sentence, and he¡¯d seen it countless times.  Foolish women or men that thought themselves saviors would be brought in and try to offer help; he¡¯d never bought into the idealistic people brought up in first and second-world countries.


    It was endless, the humanitarian aid workers implanting hopes in the hopeless, only to see their savior¡¯s morals crumble in the face of adversity¡ªeveryone had a price, be it a level of violence, money, or pleasure¡ªand he¡¯d seen countless enslaved kids betrayed those that they foolishly believed.


    Nemesis subscribed to something tangible, something that worked, and the only thing he could rely on was himself¡ªpower was the only thing that mattered in the world.  He was the Myth of the Nemean Lion, and all he responded to was power.


    He glanced left to see Jaume Esparraguera¡ªThe Legend of Jos¨¦ Mart¨ª¡ªgiving him a slight frown.  The intellectual man was an excellent tactician yet lacked the strength to take control; still, he¡¯d maneuvered himself into an ideal position to act as a regent of sorts over the empire Nemesis had built over the past month.


    It was fine by him; Nemesis had no issue with him keeping the city and people functioning in a free and prosperous manner so long as they worked.  Nemesis had no patience for the lazy and leeches of society¡ªchildren, teens, the elderly, it didn¡¯t matter¡ªeveryone had to contribute, or they were thrown out.


    Jaume worked with the simple rules Nemesis gave to develop a relatively sound system, even if he didn¡¯t like the punishment paradigm.  There were no prisons; if you broke the law, you forfeited your freedom and were subject to entertainment to the masses.  You fought until you died¡ªof course, there were methods of regaining one¡¯s freedom¡ªalthough none had achieved it thus far.


    He was an idealistic man, much like the woman beside him; Ana Isabel Tudela¡ªthe Legend of Juana In¨¦s de la Cruz¡ªwho worked with Jaume to support the effort of giving the women of Cuba more of a voice while acting as Nemesis¡¯ primary healer.


    Ana had gained some form of flame-like healing abilities that named her the Phoenix of Havana by the people; she¡¯d been instrumental in organizing the surviving medical professionals, the changed people that could heal, and charitable work in general within his growing empire.


    Naturally, the two were far from happy with him, but he didn¡¯t care; they kept things functioning, which was important when he didn¡¯t have the best grasp on how societies were governed¡ªhe was smart enough to surround himself with people that could do what he could not.


    They had no problem using him as the power behind their movement, and he had no issues using their understanding of a structured economy to keep things in motion.  Every pack needed a decisive leader to enforce the law and help direct affairs in the finer details.  In the end, he was the king, though, and what he said was law.


    Mara Moliner¡ªthe Myth of Iara¡ªwas the final individual present at the end of the night; she currently sat beside him, fine copper legs crossed while combing through her lush green hair as she observed the battle below.


    In water, the woman could grow a tail and had increased water combat potential but was generally a manipulator by ability¡ªstill, Nemesis admired her military mind and combat skills, despite her specialty¡ªAna and Jaume weren¡¯t fans of her more brutal tactics that were more aligned with Nemesis.


    Clearing his voice, Jaume picked up a long discussion he¡¯d been on about over the past few days; they spoke in English since it was the only language they all shared.  ¡°Do you still plan on fighting Noah to the death?¡±


    A small smirk lifted the side of Nemesis¡¯ black lips, showing his glistening white fangs while brushing out his golden mane.  ¡°If I knew any better, I¡¯d say you were actually concerned I wouldn¡¯t come out on top?¡±


    Mara giggled, shimmering light-brown irises drifting to the uncomfortable man.  ¡°Honestly, Jaume, the Bronze Titan certainly is strong, but we¡¯ve all seen Nemesis kill every contender without difficulty.¡±


    ¡°Without difficulty?¡±  Ana grunted, dark eyes peering down at the exotic myth.  ¡°Who do you think patches up his wounds?  I¡¯m the one who sees him bloodied and scarred after each fight¡ªhe¡¯s not invincible¡ªand we all know he¡¯s the only one keeping this place in order.  If Nemesis dies, do you think Noah will be able to keep the peace?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Jaume grunted, walking to the window to stare through the tinted glass at the crowds of people seeking shelter in the stands as cameras sent the battle to the large screens around the stadium.  ¡°Noah¡¯s spread himself thin¡ªyes, he¡¯s helped a lot of areas, but he¡¯s expanding too fast, and corruption comes from haste.¡±


    His lips pulled in, arms tightening against his chest.  ¡°As much as I hate your tactics, Mara, I¡¯ll admit it¡¯s effective¡ªbut only if there is a symbol to represent it¡ªyou and Noah can¡¯t both be the iron fist that holds stability in your palms.  Yes, Noah¡¯s strong, and he¡¯s a symbol in himself, but it¡¯s not strong enough without proper communication.¡±


    Mara snickered, adjusting her light brown thigh-high dress while leaning against the opposite side of her chair to stare at the concerned legends.  ¡°You act as if I¡¯m not aware of the circumstances.¡±


    She played with a green lock of her hair, a slight smirk lifting on her plump lips shaded by sky blue lipstick.  ¡°Noah certainly has a symbol in the works¡ªthe Bronze Titan¡ªheh, which fits his giant look, and you¡¯re worried he won¡¯t have the power to maintain such a large area because it¡¯s already showing cracks as it is.¡±


    Her glowing eyes drifted to Ana.  ¡°I understand your worries, and they¡¯re somewhat grounded¡ªI admit¡ªconsidering win or lose, there will be consequences.  Yet, you¡¯re missing one critical point, my dears.¡±


    Nemesis did love to hear them bicker¡ªin a way, it was another type of battle he¡¯d never been able to be a part of, and with every conversation, he learned much.  So, he continued to ponder and soak up the grains of wisdom and knowledge each party added.


    Jaume ran his hands through his somewhat messy brown hair with a sigh.  ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s no escape from the ensuing anarchy, and we¡¯re being naive?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Ana sniffed, glaring at the smug green-haired woman.  ¡°There must be a way we can unify without pointless bloodshed!  Yes, examples need to be made, but that¡¯s entirely different than plunging a few provinces and areas back into complete anarchy.  Why can¡¯t we work with Noah instead of fighting with him?  It¡¯s stupid¡ªmen are stupid¡ªit¡¯s needless bloodshed for the sake of flexing whose muscles are bigger!¡±


    ¡°Mmh-he-he-he,¡± Mara held her fingers up to her mouth as she held her shaking belly.  ¡°C¡¯mon now, Ana, don¡¯t be sexist¡ªmen aren¡¯t the only ones vying for power.  How many women have tried to kill you to get rid of Nemesis¡¯ healing hand?  Of course, not that you¡¯re all that needed anymore in that regard¡ªI myself am guilty of being in the camp of what you would term needless bloodshed for the sake of flexing whose muscles are bigger.¡±


    She directed her smirking gaze to the wall.  ¡°Although, I like to go about things in a more¡ªrefined manner regarding my flexing, as you¡¯d call it.¡±


    ¡°Humph,¡± Ana leered at the myth, ¡°as if I¡¯d consider you a woman¡ªyou¡¯re every bit of a man excluding the tiny bits between your legs.¡±


    Mara pressed a hand against her breast, her tone turning lilting.  ¡°Sure, I may gain a tail, but Sweetie, I believe you forget my other genteel feminine traits.  Surely I¡¯m more womanly than say ¡­ others that occupy this room,¡± she mused, vision lingering on Ana¡¯s more petite figure.


    ¡°Right,¡± she sneered, looking at the woman¡¯s exposed legs.  ¡°You¡¯re more of a fish than a woman or man.¡±


    Nemesis chuckled at the visual daggers Mara sent the legend, enjoying the banter more than the mediocre fight below.


    Jaume groaned, rubbing his forehead.  ¡°Ladies, can we please stay on topic¡ªas you pointed out, Mara¡ªI¡¯m troubled by what will happen regardless of the outcome.  You may think Ana and I are naive, but we can¡¯t help it; if the Golden Lion of Havana or the Bronze Titan of Havana fall, then it will cause chaos in one of the two territories¡ªboth if there is significant damage to the remaining leader.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Ana huffed, still glaring at the green-haired woman.  ¡°Who is going to suffer most if that happens?  Women!  We¡¯ve gained a level of freedom we¡¯ve never had, which I¡¯m grateful for, Nemesis, but that can change at the drop of a needle.  You have a solid image and rule so far from Havana to the western border, and in less than a month¡ªit¡¯s amazing; it really is¡ªyet as Jaume said, we shouldn¡¯t expand recklessly like Noah.¡±


    She moved a bit forward for him to look at her.  ¡°Noah has good intentions¡ªI sympathize with them, and I can¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t do the same¡ªbut there are serious cracks in the fragile society he¡¯s put together, and the slightest pressure could break it ¡­ such loss in confidence from your conflict, which you said yourself,¡± she swallowed, clearing her throat, ¡°he¡¯s a worthy opponent.¡±


    ¡°He is strong enough to make my blood pump,¡± Nemesis shrugged, yellow irises lifting to look at the open center of the colossal stadium to follow the roaring heavens.  ¡°I can¡¯t say he¡¯s my equal, but he¡¯s the closest thing to it that I¡¯ve met in this city.¡±


    Mara rested her elbow on the chair, the back of her hand coming up to her cheek.  ¡°Precisely, my King¡ªin the end, it doesn¡¯t matter¡ªyour philosophy stays true; the strong will survive.


    ¡°Yes, it will be sad; many will die in the chaos that is humanity, but unless Ana and Jaume want me to lull everyone into a perpetual state of bliss and subvert their free will, their dream of a world without conflict is moot.  If there is free will, there will be violence¡ªit is without question, and you cannot point to a single point in history to contest such a utopia¡ªthe definition of which is fantasy.¡±


    Her mocking gaze settled on the pair.  ¡°Noble as the two of you claim and seek to emulate, I see you as no more than innocent children living in luxury with their heads in the clouds.  It is easy to believe in people when you have not lived with them at their worst; give an inch to the depraved, and they will take your neck.¡±


    Ana returned the look.  ¡°You act as if we¡¯ve never experienced hardship, Mara¡ªwe both know Cuba was no paradise, and I am far from hopeful when it comes to a perfect world when men live in it.  So¡­ yes, I know my hopes for women to live in peace is a dream, but it is one I can push forward to.¡±


    The Legend¡¯s nose twisted while glaring at the smiling copper-skinned Myth.  ¡°Much less when we have women that choose to take on so many masculine characteristics like yourself.¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Mara smirked.  ¡°Could it be that your whole paradigm is just flawed, to begin with, and it¡¯s just some kind of coping mechanism?  Heh, I could get you a pipe to smoke some more if you wish because you seem to have the product in spades.¡±


    Jaume¡¯s head pressed against the cool glass; he¡¯d acted as a buffer between the two women for weeks.  ¡°Nemesis, I¡¯m just asking for you to wait just a bit longer¡ªstrategically, we should focus on the northwest first¡ªa smaller area that can easily be absorbed and a people willing to come under your rule.¡±


    A hot puff of air shot through Nemesis¡¯s dark nose as his whiskers twitched; he understood each of their points, and all of them were valid from a ruling view.


    Ana wanted time to funnel in and spread the news about safety to the women of the other warlords¡¯ areas to prepare for an exodus in case of chaos.  It was something he¡¯d seen many women seek to do in Africa until met with real opposition and their life was on the line; there¡¯d only been a few willing to die for what they claimed to believe¡ªand they did.


    Still, he¡¯d judged Ana to be in that latter camp, and she certainly would have fallen to more than a few men or women who stood in her way.


    She¡¯d been instrumental at the beginning of his campaign when his body wasn¡¯t so sturdy, and there had been at least a dozen in the thousands that challenged him to mortal combat who had posed a severe risk as he climbed the physical hierarchy until standing at the top.


    Not a scar was left on his body through her tender care, which was shocking considering how vehemently she hated this violent part of their society¡ªshe never let him down, and there were times when Ana could have easily swapped sides, yet she stayed true.  There was also some past trauma he suspected involved a man; she often commented how foolish the opposite sex was yet wouldn¡¯t turn them away.


    Jaume was a pillar of sound wisdom when it came to navigating the political scene and building him to be a symbol of strength to keep the peace; it had been the only option to him when hundreds of gangs erupted out of the chaos.


    On the other hand, Mara was a vicious war strategist; in fact, the siren was originally his rival until she¡¯d witnessed him slaughter a large chunk of her opponents when they¡¯d gotten in his way.  Since then, she merged her group with his, choosing to follow by his side instead of lead, which he wasn¡¯t opposed to.


    She was the one that suggested the stadium to Jaume as their base of operations and as a physical outlet for the many Beastkin that had trouble releasing their pent-up instinctual urge to fight.


    In addition, it would serve as an excellent stage to challenge any gang that aimed to take his swiftly growing empire.  The bait was too much for the power-hungry fools; it was easier when they came to you in mass, the woman advised, instead of hunting them down in their dark allies¡ªespecially when they had Ana to heal him.


    Glancing down at his muscular, gold-furred chest, scratching the place where an arrow had pierced his unbreakable fur.  A week ago, an assassination attempt occurred while in the stadium; so far as he could tell, a South American Mythickin that¡ªhe was told¡ªlikely resembled the myth of Mapinguari.


    It was annoying, but the Myth was one of the few people he couldn¡¯t track; his scent vanished, which actually made him laugh, considering he was a massive, twelve-foot-tall hairy ape-man that carried a bow so big it felt impossible to miss, yet he¡¯d escaped all notice.


    There were still enemies worth facing in Havana, and he was nearing the point of restlessness, which was the primary concern for Ana and Jaume.  He was a lion, and he accepted that¡ªa challenge was what he craved¡ªand if his kingdom was peaceful, then it was wonderful, but that meant he needed to expand.


    Not only was he a lion, but he was also a king, a fighter, and a human that craved competition.  Over four weeks, he¡¯d felt more at home than ever before¡ªhe thrived in the chaos of battle, and just by sitting here, he could feel his claws dulling.  Still, the king and human side in him knew there were benefits to biding one¡¯s time.


    He¡¯d long made up his mind.


    Getting to his feet, Nemesis stood before the glass to see his reflection in the dull light; he towered over the others at 7¡¯8¡± tall.  He now had the head of a fierce lion, a thick golden mane that matched the fur across his muscular body, and talons that could rip into just about anything.  He could fight with many weapons but primarily used his own strength¡ªhis claws, knees, elbows, teeth, head, and powerful grip¡ªNemesis¡¯ own body was usually the only thing given to him to use when growing up in the mud pit arenas.


    Yes, he was powerful, but his true strength was in his resilience and stamina; he could go without sleep for a week, fight without rest for hours at peak performance, and absorb or deflect savage blows as if thrown from toddlers.  Bullets had long lost their sting, and it took specialized ammunition¡ªmagically enhanced¡ªto even try to bruise his skin, and much of that was due to Ana¡¯s continual support.


    He didn¡¯t have rapid regeneration or advanced healing factors like many other people; his most effective attribute was his defense.  Although, that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t have power; he was confident enough to bite into the Bronze Titan, at the very least, and the last attack that penetrated his defenses wouldn¡¯t so much as tickle now.


    ¡°I get it, Ana, Jaume¡­¡±  The two grimaced at each other before returning their gaze to him as he continued, watching his pink tongue slide across his black lips.  ¡°I fight whoever stands before me, and if Noah steps into that ring, I will meet him, but for now, I¡¯m willing to wait until he¡¯s at his best ¡­ It seems there¡¯s something else that requires our attention.¡±


    A sigh of relief came from Ana and Jaume as Mara giggled, likely knowing how he¡¯d respond.


    He turned to the side as he heard two individuals running down the hall toward them, hands resting behind his back; there seemed to have been a commotion passing between a few guards earlier that was finally reaching his attention.  Personally, he didn¡¯t want the security but had it primarily assigned to Ana, with whom he was currently with.


    Salvador, her verbal meat shield that was used to listening to her tirades, came panting in with a Beastkin tiger he¡¯d spared with at the start of the change; he¡¯d been a good fight early on and helped to push him a tad when attacking as a group.


    ¡°What is it, Youssef?¡±  Jaume asked, noticing the concern in the tiger man¡¯s green eyes.


    ¡°M-My King¡ªI came as fast as I could¡ªthe U.S. military has made a play for Cuba!¡±


    The news quieted the room as everyone digested the information, and after a moment, a chuckle rolled through Nemesis¡¯ gut.  ¡°It¡¯s about time things were shaken up again.  Give me the short version.¡±


    Youssef recounted what he¡¯d heard from the radio report and confirmed a woman claimed to be a part of the U.S. military; it was all he needed to know¡ªbefore anyone could shout out, Nemesis leaped over the pair and was halfway down the hall, passing air pulling his mane back.


    The U.S. military and some gorgeous bunny girl heading much of the operations?  It¡¯s too much to take in without meeting her myself!


    A big smile tilted his mouth, peeling back his lips as he ducked into a branching room to leap out of the open terrace to the ground three stories below.  Rain followed his fall, mixing into his coat and elevating the pulse in his veins.  Finally, a new opponent!


    All he needed was one sniff of her scent to know the woman¡¯s worth; certainly, a changed person in the United States military would be a good challenge, but he had to be sure.


    Water-soaked his fur as the crack of lightning sounded overhead; few people were out in the pelting rain, but in the veiling tempest raging around him, he wouldn¡¯t be recognizable at the speed he moved.


    The bar mentioned wasn¡¯t far from the stadium, and he¡¯d made a point to travel every street of his territory, memorizing every alley, which was why he traveled through the bridging paths to arrive at his destination, yet his progress halted just before reaching the side entrance.


    He slowed, the whistling wind dying down in his pulled-back ears as they straightened, water dripping down his thick pelt while staring down at the ground.  Who is this scent ¡­ A woman by the perfume and lingering hormones; although, the rain muddles the finer details.


    Taking in a long sniff, his fingers tightened into fists.  Is this the person they mentioned?  No, but I don¡¯t smell rabbit, and even if they don¡¯t have the exact same scent, Beastkin are similar to their counterpart at a fundamental level ¡­ This is entirely human.


    A low rumble shook his throat as he looked ahead, liquid running down his long nose, making it tickle.  Strong¡­


    Proceeding to the side door, he opened it up, trailing water as the few occupants stiffened upon seeing him.


    ¡°K-King!¡±  Antonio muttered, taking a quick bow as the other Beastkin girls mumbled various things in Spanish.


    Nemesis¡¯ focus first went to the three Beastkin working security in the area, recovering after what seemed a scrap, and by the looks of things, they were easily overpowered.  However, that soon swapped to the back corner table, breathing in deeply¡ªhis heart practically stopped for half a second.


    Strong ¡­ They¡¯re all strong.


    Sticky saliva filling his throat, he grunted, ¡°Who sat at that table¡ªmake it quick.¡±


    Uxia, the dog serving girl, cleared her throat and hurried over.  ¡°U-Umm¡ªa bunny-girl¡­¡±


    ¡°Hare,¡± Nemesis corrected, instantly differentiating the scents; he was a bit disappointed the Beastkin hadn¡¯t varied her senses to do the same.


    ¡°R-Right, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she forced a smile, ¡°umm, the hare girl seems to be the leader of some U.S. military operation that is gathering information in the area.  She has a good man that frequents the bars and helps local girls with their issues,¡± she swallowed, ¡°ahem, his name¡¯s Vasishtha¡ªa man from India.¡±


    The other girls were nervously trying to listen, likely not understanding English as well as Uxia as she gestured to the sullen guards lined up to face him.  ¡°They tried to stop them, but¡­¡±


    ¡°There were two others,¡± Nemesis growled, intense yellow eyes darting to stare down at her, ¡°tell me about them before continuing.¡±


    Her throat constricted, ears pulling back as she backed away, head lowering.  ¡°Y-Yes, umm¡ªthe hare¡¯s name was Rachel, a-and she seemed to know the dark-haired woman named Relica¡ªthey didn¡¯t seem to be friends.  Although¡­¡±


    She glanced back at a cat woman in her early twenties who hastily spoke up, having a bit of trouble with English.  ¡°Mhm!  Rachel w-warned the man¡ªt-that h-he would¡ªno, the Noah man¡ªhe was being searched for by Rachel to do something¡ªwarned him not to talk¡­¡±


    Recovering her voice, Uxia clarified as the others mumbled in Spanish to the bartender to help them translate; Uxia couldn¡¯t take her focus off his dripping mane, trying to avoid his eyes.  ¡°Rachel seemed to believe Relica would kill indiscriminately if she was upset and told one of Noah¡¯s men to let her do the talking¡ªit seemed she had some power that allowed her to be at Camag¨¹ey during the U.S. invasion, and she didn¡¯t remember how it concluded.¡±


    He frowned, watching the woman fidget with her dress front while doing her best to not stumble across her words; the language barrier was annoying.


    ¡°Umm¡ªRachel appeared to want to kill her, but I don¡¯t think she was real¡ªor that she was some kind of projection of some kind¡ªI don¡¯t know.  I just know that she was frustrated Relica showed up to interrupt their meeting, and the new person she brought seemed to put her on edge¡ªI think.  Both of them vanished, and Rachel ushered them to leave¡­¡±


    The bartender cleared his throat, smacking his lips as he hesitantly shifted his vision from the solemn Beastkin to him.  ¡°E-Excuse me, King, but eh¡ªthey be sorry¡­¡±


    Uxia ran a hand through her hair, hissing out a long breath before snapping something that sounded like they should shut up since they can¡¯t speak English well.  Turning back to his patient gaze, her nervous tone returned.  ¡°S-Sorry, King, but¡ªumm, they tried to stop Rachel from leaving, but she moved like a whirlwind¡ªnone of us knew what happened and t-then she had Pol in the air¡ªchoking him, and he couldn¡¯t do anything to stop her¡­¡±


    His gaze lifted to the frustrated Crocodile man, quivering arms shaking at his side.  He¡¯s afraid of Rachel ¡­ yet she leaves them relatively unharmed.  Interesting.


    The dog Beastkin gestured to the counter where two wads of Cuban currency rested.  ¡°Relica introduced her friend as her royal Legend, Queen Ranavalona the First¡ªI think, and Rachel as the Myth of the Lunar Hare, and Vasishtha as the Legend of Arjuna ¡­ They paid a huge amount for the trouble and left¡­¡±


    Having heard enough, Nemesis took one more deep breath and walked past the group, exiting the bar to follow the scent; the storm embraced him again, but this time, he took his time, long tail swaying behind him.


    He made it several yards before a shiver ran through his body, yet he pressed on.  All Legends and Myths ¡­ Vasishtha is the weakest of them, but I get the feeling he could still put up a fight ¡­ Rachel, on the other hand¡­


    Nemesis stopped in the middle of the street as something overwhelming attacked his senses.  Who ¡­ some beast I¡¯ve never smelled before and this man ¡­ I can¡¯t win.


    Never since changing had he felt so small than the sudden spark of potent raw force that seemed to have only passed through this area several minutes ago, yet it was only in this area and with Rachel¡¯s party.


    Narrow vision rising to stare through the weeping heavens, he spotted a lone figure, a woman holding an umbrella against her shoulder while observing him¡ªRachel.


    She stood out like the moon against the dark sky, sparkling pink, white, and orange hues that gave her shapely figure an almost mystical allure.  One look at her large, slightly bowed ears told him she could likely hear everything in Havana, and she was as strong as him¡ªpossibly stronger¡ªyet an unease he¡¯d never felt twisted his gut.


    He typically would have charged right in, but at this moment, he just sat in the heavy rain, returning the elegant beauty¡¯s pensive stare.  There was something magical about the way she looked, despite the unusual outfit that revealed much of her skin and the hooved boots she wore, emanating an unsettling flame.


    Rachel¡¯s hypnotic, eclipse-like irises were framed by pink four-leaf clovers, drawing him in and making him wonder what the woman was thinking; she was without a doubt a Mythickin but radiated a far more stunning aura than Mara.


    A mental or hormone attack?  No ¡­ I¡¯ve trained to be heavily resistant to all of those ¡­ This is just natural elegance and beauty ¡­ poise ¡­ powerful, confident, yet reserved and controlled.  She¡¯s allowing me to size her up and determine the next move ¡­ masterful.


    He hadn¡¯t realized the saliva sticking in his mouth; swallowing the liquid, he rolled around his neck to loosen up his muscles.  In the veil of rain pattering against the buildings and road, he momentarily lost himself in what he could only describe as a fateful meeting.


    At first, his blood was hot, but after seeing the Lunar Hare, his flared emotions had settled; Nemesis took the first step forward, closing the distance between them while breathing in her scent on the moderate gusts.


    Calm and serene, yet I can sense a pulsing thirst to do battle ¡­ There¡¯s a duality in her¡ªsavage yet dignified¡ªharmonious yet chaotic¡ªthe cold night yet solemn moon guiding the lost¡ªshe¡¯s worth more than just another opponent ¡­ far more.


    He came to a stop two meters from her, unsure exactly what to do next, which was new, so she took the first words, somehow sensing the unusual atmosphere he was in.


    The lunar woman¡¯s full pink lips turned into a small, pleasant smile as she spoke in a cultivated tone he hadn¡¯t experienced; her voice was lovely and soft, knowing he could hear well with his acute ears.


    ¡°Hello, Nemesis.  I¡¯d hoped to meet you in a more, hmm ¡­ he-he, a more suitable environment.  Although, consider me surprised; I thought you would immediately attack me once becoming aware of my existence, but it seems misfortune is still in my favor¡­¡±


    She paused, and he caught every movement of her figure as she turned to the side, ears straightening a tad.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ Why don¡¯t we walk and talk?¡±


    Her eyes turned somewhat mischievous as they returned to him.  ¡°Unless you¡¯d like to test out whatever you''re sensing about me that clearly unsettles you¡ªyou needn¡¯t restrict yourself¡ªI won¡¯t hold it against you.¡±


    Nemesis took one breath, closing his eyes and searching the mixed emotions swirling inside his breast; after several seconds where only the rain met his ears, he slowly shook his head.  ¡°Perhaps once we¡¯re finished, but for now ¡­ I¡¯ll listen to what you have to say.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Rachel smiled, gesturing for them to walk down the partially flooded streets; she didn¡¯t seem disturbed in the least, which showed him just how much of an advantage her wide range of hearing was.  ¡°I sent the others ahead so we can have our privacy.  Now, where to begin?¡±


    Nemesis didn¡¯t know exactly why this woman stilled his urge to test his strength against her¡ªin fact, he did still want to¡ªhe was just more intrigued by the mysterious cadence she delivered.  No one had captured his attention in this way, and the confusing part was that he knew it wasn¡¯t magic¡ªit was just her¡ªhe wanted to learn more about her.


    * * *


    The colossal window of the backyard came into view as Anthony reached the second-landing staircase; he slowed to a stop to peer past the magnified light, the rise and fall of the sea in his ears increased, and in a moment of confusion, he realized the sun wasn¡¯t in view to cast its rays.


    Four fingers in each pocket, his thumbs tightened against his jeans.  None of this makes sense ¡­ Did I lose my memories ¡­ Amnesia?  Is that why I¡¯m back home ¡­ No, but that doesn¡¯t explain why everything¡¯s so bright ¡­ A concussion ¡­ maybe?


    Blinking, he hissed out the air trapped in his lungs, catching sight of the advancing fog; still, there was an unusual tug against his chest to stay inside.  On the other hand, there was that woman¡¯s voice that had spoken to him inside his mind; it sounded crazy, but he couldn¡¯t deny it.


    He snorted, a half-smile lifting his lips as the unease sparked a degree of curiosity that helped push him forward.  ¡°Let¡¯s see where this leads,¡± he mumbled.


    Descending the stairs, Anthony turned the corner and proceeded through the hallway to the kitchen; it didn¡¯t take long to see the double doors leading to the back.  Again, the light was so bright that it made it difficult to peer beyond the glass.


    A frown darkened his expression as an unseen current gradually flowed against every cell, attempting to slow his progress; typically, he¡¯d find that a red flag and retreat, but now, at this moment, it felt like something was trying to keep him from answers.


    Hand reaching out as he neared, Anthony struggled forward and grasped the metal; he winced as an invisible force dug its claws into his mouth and nose, trying to shove him back, but he wouldn¡¯t be denied.  ¡°What ¡­ are you keeping me from?!¡±  he growled, and the instant the handle turned, the pressure vanished.


    Stumbling forward, he somersaulted before rising back to his feet to be met by a warm sun and welcoming, nostalgic breeze.  Saliva thick, his eyes darted around the large field of statues, fruit trees, garden, and neatly trimmed grass; not a thing was out of place.


    Chest heaving, Anthony took a few breaths to relax his thumping heart.  It didn¡¯t take long to discover there was something that changed; the roar of the ocean collapsing around him had strengthened.  Smacking his lips, he tasted salt again.


    Anthony cautiously moved onto the stone patio, rubbing his throat; the part of the ocean he could see from the slight rise and path leading to the cliff bowed up and down from the wind¡¯s currents.


    ¡°Hello?¡±  he called, finding it strange he hadn¡¯t met a single person other than his younger self and uncle; on second thought, he¡¯d seen a double of himself¡ªa child version¡ªand he hadn¡¯t even lingered to ask questions.


    Arms folding across his chest, he shifted to stare at the manor for a moment.  Should I go in ¡­ And why is the ocean so loud?  None of this is making any sense.  Maybe I should¡­


    His vision flew open, hands closing against his ears as a bell reverberated against his skull; it was exactly like the curfew signal to the boarding school he¡¯d attended in his early teens.


    When it passed, his spinning vision cleared to discover the backyard hedges; he¡¯d fallen to the earth.  When¡­


    A shiver ran through his spine as a murmur carried into his mind, an invisible woman¡¯s voice floating across the sea¡¯s crashing waves.  ¡°Can you hear it?  Voices fill the spires ¡­ I hear them again¡­¡±


    Wincing as the bell returned, Anthony struggled to his feet; the mist rolling off the sea was practically right on top of him.


    ¡°Hello ¡­ Is someone there?¡±  he called out, spinning in a circle and looking for the voice, but his knees buckled as a dark decay reached his soul and sunk its claws into his core; a dark cloud hung over his family manor, now rotted and decayed.


    A pulse shook every fiber of his being while a heavy breath filmed over his damp frame¡ªyet his skin and clothes weren¡¯t wet¡ªand maroon-tinted lightning flashed through the blackness overshadowing the heavens; the spark illuminated a mutating tar-like void as the clouds lowered to consume his childhood home.


    The twisting mass of flaming electricity glinted,  making perverted, shapeless horrors, yet his mind gave form to them in any case, overtaking his thoughts to sink unholy fangs into his eyes; a soft feminine voice pulled him out of its jaws.


    ¡°Can you hear it?¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 43. A Heart Is Stronger Than The Fist

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Nemesis (The Lion King of Havana!)


    2. Anthony (Rachel''s Boyfriend)


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    Nemesis scanned the area with his enhanced senses as he followed Rachel through the monsoon, searching for the faintest hint of a trap, yet the only smell of any interest that graced his sharp nose was the Lunar Hare¡¯s sweet natural scent that he couldn¡¯t quite place.


    A hail of rain pelted the earth and sharp gusts pulled at the umbrella the Mythickin held, but she didn¡¯t appear strained or bothered in the least by the weather. After a moment, he didn¡¯t care if this was a lure.


    He¡¯d never experienced these feelings in anyone¡¯s presence; it was the first time a competent fighter calmed him instead of turning his heart into a drum. At the same time, an enticing allure about her refined demeanor excited a surge in his veins; the contradiction was mystifying.


    Saliva sticking to his tongue, Nemesis swallowed it while stepping a few feet away to see Rachel under the shelter of her umbrella; there were various things on his mind, making him anxious and twisting his stomach. ¡°Who was the man and beast you met with?¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ so, that¡¯s where you want to start?¡± Rachel softly replied, twirling her umbrella a little as her head shifted to look at a teenage girl jogging through the streets with what seemed to be her little brother, searching for shelter. ¡°It may sound far-fetched, but it was the Myth of Santa Claus.¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ eyes narrowed, fingers running through his mane and cracking his neck. ¡°Another Myth ¡­ What is your connection to this Santa Myth and who is the beast?¡±


    ¡°Dasher, his reindeer?¡± Rachel said, umbrella lifting a tad to level a questioning eyebrow in his direction. ¡°Do ¡­ you not know who Santa Claus is?¡±


    Whiskers twitching with his nose, a low growl rumbled in his throat while shaking his head; all he could focus on when passing through the storming area was what King¡¯s Instinct told him, and Santa affected his self-assured pride in a powerful way¡ªthe man was greater than any warrior he¡¯d faced by leagues. ¡°I do not know what a reindeer is, either ¡­ Where do they come from?¡±


    ¡°Interesting. Hmm ¡­ I noticed your accent isn¡¯t like anyone I¡¯ve listened to from Cuba ¡­ I believe I heard a similar inflection in Miami but I can¡¯t place it. Where are you from?¡±


    He had no clue what inflection meant, but unlike what he¡¯d expect from others he¡¯d met, her tone wasn¡¯t condescending or amused at his lack of knowledge; she was adapting to him, which made him restless¡ªKing¡¯s Instinct told him there was a mind, ambition, and power behind this Myth, and that deepened his thirst for more of her.


    ¡°Somalia,¡± Nemesis grunted, flexing his fingers; Rachel didn¡¯t seem bothered by his agitation. ¡°No, I do not know who this Santa is, but I can sense his prowess; was he a great warrior in some¡­¡±


    He trailed off as thunder rolled across the sky and the wind increased, pressing against Rachel¡¯s umbrella, yet it¡¯s unusual resilience wasn¡¯t what made him slow to a stop. Rachel¡¯s revealing foreign outfit shimmered before transforming into a skirt and white shirt; her braid remained, but everything else changed in an instant.


    ¡°What ¡­ is that?¡± he mumbled, tail flicking to his right.


    A small smile lifted her lips. ¡°Since you aren¡¯t going to attack me, I decided to return to more comfortable attire ¡­ I suppose you must have had a rough life in Somalia. Although, I heard you were Greek; is that true?¡±


    ¡°By birth,¡± he returned, eyes scanning the fabric pressing against her shapely figure; there had to be something special about it but he couldn¡¯t tell if it was her ability or some item someone had crafted for her. ¡°I can¡¯t remember much before I was kidnapped¡ªmmgm¡­¡±


    His heart rate increased, shrugging his shoulders as a spur of unease cascaded over his arms; he needed answers to why he felt so restless around this Myth. ¡°You work for the U.S. military?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t respond right away, keeping her illuminated eclypse-like four-leaf clover eyes on him, yet he could feel her taking in every twitching muscle across his body; in turn, he smelled the pulsing rush in her veins hiding a desire to engage him in battle.


    Tempest raging around them, he waited with bated breath for the whirlwind of emotion she¡¯d generate, but in perfect control, Rachel leashed the instinctual desires and gave him a knowing smile as her long ears eased forward. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I work for the U.S. military; I¡¯m more of a contractor that¡¯s helping them because our goals currently align.¡±


    She stepped further into the center of the street as the flood began to rise, and he noticed her outfit didn¡¯t hold a drop of water or mud. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me why we¡¯re doing this? You¡¯re nervous¡ªI hear it in every breath you take¡ªthere¡¯s a rush in your blood to rip me apart, yet despite everything I expect, you restrain yourself. What is your goal?¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ fist tightened, applying pressure against his palm yet his claws didn¡¯t puncture the skin. That¡¯s what I want to know¡­


    Silence stretched as his glowing topaz irises fixated on the Lunar Hare and she returned it with a thoughtful muse that highlighted her beauty; the sound of falling liquid, howling wind, and rolling thunder filtered into the foreground, but again, all his senses focused on her pleasant scent, captivating presence, and the incredible thrill of the moment hazing his mind; a million thoughts blurred together, running circles around each other.


    Several seconds passed before she chuckled, entertaining eyes turning to the west and breaking the tension. ¡°Some group two miles in that direction are trying to cast a hex on you using some hair from your mane they were able to acquire; this is seemingly the fourth curse they¡¯ve placed on you in the past two weeks¡ªthey¡¯re adding up.¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ vision narrowed, tongue sliding out to sample the rain water sliding down his nose. Is she trying to distract me from her?


    ¡°It won¡¯t change the outcome,¡± he muttered, loosening his shoulders. ¡°I want to know why you¡¯re here ¡­ What is your purpose¡ªto take my crown?¡±


    ¡°Crown?¡± Rachel giggled, head tilting to the left while smiling at him. ¡°My job is to bring order back to Cuba and cut out its potential risks to the United States¡ªmainly the warlords trying to gain power by massacring the people of this country ¡­ My desire is simple though; I want to grow stronger to protect what I hold dear¡ªamong other things.¡±


    She paused, hypnotizing eyes narrowing slightly, and Rachel¡¯s searching irises appraised him. ¡°What do you want? You were kidnapped as a child, and from what I¡¯ve gathered, you were an enslaved prize fighter, but you broke free¡ªnow that you are free, is this really all you want¡ªto fight in some arena until you finally meet someone that can kill you, or stand at the top of the world as its king¡ªmaybe more?¡±


    The woman¡¯s probing interest unsettled his tight gut, forcing his vision to the muddy streets with the wind and rain beating against his fur; no one had ever asked him that question.


    His jaws tightened before he swallowed more sticky saliva and licked his jowls, muscles loosening as the query hit him harder than any blow throughout his life of violence. ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± he finally muttered.


    Rachel¡¯s pink full lips fell with her own gaze; it was rare someone spoke so freely to him without a hint of fear. ¡°Hmm ¡­ By the tone of your voice, maybe it¡¯s something you should think about.¡±


    Nemesis stared at his ripped pants, showing the impact of the day¡¯s savage battles by the mud and blood caking the wet rags he wore, and he walked away, Rachel watching him leave without a word; eighteen years of memories passed through his mind as he aimlessly trudged through the collapsing heavens.


    The enchanting Lunar Hare was right to question his path; yes, he was the Myth of the Nemean Lion, a beast, yet he was also a man, and after meeting the mythical woman, something he hadn¡¯t felt in all his eighteen years of life-struggling combat surfaced. What is my purpose?


    He¡¯d never felt so vulnerable; ears pulled back and tail sliding over the surface of the gushing flood he trekked through, Nemesis surveyed the buildings, spotted with lights from those that still had electricity.


    Laughter could be heard in several Spanish voices, mothers and fathers spending time with their children as they prepared them for bed. Men and women sharing tender moments that he¡¯d never experienced or seen in all of his years in his war-torn country.


    What do I want?


    Some of the conversations Ana had with Mara filtered back into focus regarding the Legend¡¯s fight for a good life for the women of Cuba. He had no idea what this country was truly like, nor did he really care, but after meeting Rachel, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how the Lunar Hare¡¯s life was¡ªwhat went into making her into the indomitable woman he sensed.


    He blinked as water dripped down his soaked fur, looking at his open palm while turning down random alleys and roads, lost in thought.


    Rachel is more than just a prime challenge ¡­ there¡¯s something more that I can¡¯t explain ¡­ What is it, though? Is it the drive I sense ¡­ fearlessness ¡­ I don¡¯t know, but there¡¯s something there I want.


    A chill ran through Nemesis¡¯ bones, the frustration eating at his heart, causing pain he¡¯d never experienced and forcing his hand to hover over his breast, yet no matter how long he deliberated on his meeting with the Lunar Hare, answers didn¡¯t come.


    Losing track of time and his environment, eventually, he found himself back outside of Estadio Latinoamericano; mutters shot across the crowds of people in the lobby, taking shelter from the lingering hurricane as he moved up the steps to enter the stadium.


    Nemesis couldn¡¯t focus on the hushed cheers and gibberish Spanish they spoke to him, likely thanks for his protection; Rachel¡¯s words stung and left his muscles feeling weak. What do I want because this¡­


    He slowed after moving into the private hallways, Beastkin keeping the area clear by posting themselves outside the zone to the locker rooms; he was operating on instinct at this point, and naturally, it led him to the place where Nemesis was most at home¡ªin the pit¡ªyet upon realizing where he was, he shied away from the idea.


    The crowds at his back, shining eyes fixating on him with hope, thankfulness, and many Beastkin¡¯s admiration at the powerful image he cast. Why does this feel so empty now?


    A low rumble shook in his throat as he felt a weight pressed in on all sides, trying to hamper his movements¡ªthe curse Rachel mentioned¡ªinstinctively sensing his defenses decreasing, but he just shrugged off the discomfort; it couldn¡¯t compare to the heavy emotions battling inside his mind.


    Entering the locker room, he ripped off his pants with a low growl and started the overhead water to stand under the hot spray, head tilting to the ceiling while closing his eyes for the liquid to wash off the storm¡¯s grime.


    In the well-insulated and thick walls, he found peace in the rattling of the spray for once. All I¡¯ve known is this life, but is there something more ¡­ something better?


    His solitude didn¡¯t last long; Mara walked into the men¡¯s locker room, and he heard the shifting fabric of a new pair of pants in her arms.


    Eyes opening, he turned to spot her through the steam slowly filling the enclosed room; the cool air she let in caused the mist to swirl while revealing her amused smile. The woman¡¯s green hair and bronze skin shimmered as she casually moved to a bench and dropped off the item before promptly inviting herself to sit.


    ¡°Well, you returned sooner than I expected,¡± she chuckled, her lovely musical voice holding a smirk while examining his naked body in the haze. ¡°I assume you tore a few people to pieces¡ªfeeling better¡ªno?¡± she questioned, lips tightening upon catching his expression. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    Reaching down to grab a shampoo bottle, Nemesis could feel her probing verbal magic bouncing off the walls, analyzing various things to better understand what mood he was in. ¡°Meh, I¡¯m alright ¡­ I just have some things on my mind.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Mara mumbled, getting up while stretching out her back and holding her arm behind her back. ¡°I can help with that if you like?¡± she asked, showing an innocent smile while her green locks swept to the left, partially covering her stunning light-brown eye, sparkling with an invitation, yet he wasn¡¯t feeling it.


    Hands working the suds into his fur, Nemesis shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in that right now.¡±


    Mara blinked, a melodic hum in the mythical siren¡¯s throat as she moved into the showers to lean against a wall to face him, her left arm held across her stomach. ¡°I suppose it must be serious then ¡­ I¡¯m sorry, did I cross the line?¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ snout creased while grabbing more conditioner; there were three people practically screaming their presence while creeping through the hallway toward them; Mara would be able to sense them through the rippling soundwaves in the environment. He wasn¡¯t concerned for her safety¡ªshe could handle herself¡ªit was just a poor time for another assassination attempt.


    Ignoring them, he sighed. ¡°You¡¯re fine ¡­ I need a little time to think ¡­ A little time away from the screams, blood, and guts ¡­ But no, I¡¯m not bothered by you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy about that; I wouldn¡¯t want our friendship to sour,¡± she said with a small smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to press, but it sounds like something¡¯s eating you up inside ¡­ If you need someone to talk to, who better than your rival; am I correct?¡±


    He smirked, moving to the conditioner as the three would-be assassins calmed themselves to ready the assault. ¡°I¡¯ve been searching,¡± he muttered, glaring at his cleaned, gleaming golden fur.


    A puzzled look crossed her curious light-brown irises as her studious gaze examined him. ¡°What does that mean, Nemesis?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been learning.¡± His vision dulled with exasperation as the door flew open, letting out the hot air and steam for the two men and woman to burst through, armed with machine guns and several explosives.


    ¡°?Vete al Infierno!¡±


    [i.e. Go to Hell!]


    Mara sighed, snapping her thumb and middle finger while muttering, ¡°I¡¯d rather not¡­¡±


    The woman let off a single bullet that ricocheted off Nemesis¡¯ skin to a tile before they all locked in place.


    Mara¡¯s vocal spell paralyzed the group, leaving them entirely aware of what was happening while experiencing the stress of their muscles being forcefully strained in the tight position; it would persist so long as they weren¡¯t strong enough to overpower the magic, and she could just renew it with a word.


    ¡°Go on,¡± Mara invited, practically forgetting about the sorry group; they weren¡¯t the first people without powers to try to kill them today. ¡°Learning what? To me, it sounds like you¡¯re growing bored with your kingdom, my king, and that concerns me.¡±


    ¡°Mmgm,¡± Nemesis ran the conditioner over his ears, rubbing it in. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± he grunted, cracking open his eyes to see the tears leaked down the woman and two men¡¯s red faces from the agony of being denied the ability to breathe while their muscle tension increased. ¡°Everything¡¯s a blur right now ¡­ I¡¯m restless, and everything goes back to Rachel.¡±


    Mara¡¯s smooth forehead creased. ¡°Rachel ¡­ I believe that was the name of the Lunar Hare, or so I recall from the rest of that report before you rushed off to tear her in half ¡­ Did she escape?¡± the woman tentatively asked, pushing herself away from the wall; every word she spoke could be used to reinforce her magic.


    He didn¡¯t respond for a few seconds as her eyes hounded him. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t fight her ¡­ We spoke, and then I left.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± The enchanting green-haired myth¡¯s vision absently turned to the three quivering people, a harmonic note in her throat; he could practically see the gears turning in her head. ¡°Was she weak?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ Quite the opposite.¡±


    ¡°Mh-hmm,¡± Mara¡¯s left hand rose to play with a lock, focus slowly returning to slide up his legs, torso, and arms. ¡°Let me get this straight ¡­ You, the Lion King¡ªlover of competition¡ªmet a woman that could offer you a desirable fight, yet ¡­ you talked ¡­ and it was you that broke away to sit in the shower, hazy-minded, and trying to work through a form of emotional crisis. Am I correct?¡±


    He didn¡¯t have any issues or embarrassment about expressing what was true or how he felt, and after internalizing the woman¡¯s words, Nemesis nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t explain why ¡­ I¡¯ve never felt this way before.¡±


    A confusing smirk lifted Mara¡¯s plump lips that made him frown. ¡°Cute ¡­ My king has a crush.¡±


    His left eye narrowed at the word, not understanding the English implications. ¡°Crush ¡­ I don¡¯t know how turning her to pulp would answer how I feel.¡±


    ¡°No, darling,¡± Mara snickered. ¡°You like her¡ªpuppy-dog love, as the English call it!¡±


    Still bewildered, Nemesis folded his hands across his chest, whiskers twitching under the spray of water. ¡°I have made love to many women from my years as a child¡ªKhewzi insisted it be a way to train our minds against pleasures other warlords might tempt his prized possessions with¡ªthis is not that.¡±


    Mara rolled her eyes, but there was a wry look that crossed her face. ¡°Yes, you are quite practiced in sex, but I¡¯m not talking about that¡ªby the way, the more you tell me about Khewzi, the happier I am to know you gutted the pig¡ªno, my friend,¡± she muttered, taking a long breath, ¡°you find her more interesting than on just a physical level¡ªyou sense a connection¡ªa commonality, and you want to explore it.¡±


    His focus fell to Mara¡¯s long legs, searching his heart as her words resonated inside him. ¡°Is that the word for how I feel? I don¡¯t know any other, but what I do know is that I want her by my side ¡­ for what, I can¡¯t really tell, yet I can¡¯t deny it, and not in the manner Khewzi taught me ¡­ which frustrates me ¡­ What do I need to do to rid her from my mind and chest?¡±


    Mara fell back against the wall with a short chuckle while shaking her head against the wet tile. ¡°I cannot wrap my head around how helpless you are right now ¡­ I could squeeze your heart to paste if I put my voice to it¡ªsomething¡¯s weakening you considerably, and I doubt it¡¯s just this¡ªbut I can¡¯t believe how attached I¡¯ve become ¡­ Mmh, it¡¯s like I¡¯m watching my younger brother bloom¡­¡±


    She grimaced, ¡°Although, egh, that could be weird if considered in the light of our past engagements ¡­ Hmm.¡± She shook her head, ¡°Whatever! Whatever! Fine! I suppose we¡¯ll have to invite her over for dinner!¡±


    The thought made his gut tighten; Mara wanted to bring them together again, and he wasn¡¯t sure if he should trust her or not, yet he¡¯d confided in her this much, which was unusual for him. ¡°If ¡­ that¡¯s what you think will help.¡±


    She clapped her hands, causing the sound to echo off the walls. ¡°I¡¯m actually starting to get excited! We do need to be prepared for the worst, though,¡± she sighed, eyeing the three assassins; they wanted to release their bladders yet couldn¡¯t from the stress.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ In any case, you have some challengers from the northwest that stopped by; I¡¯ll clean up here¡ªmy, this is going to be a long and amusing journey,¡± she chimed, walking up to the near-comatose woman to study her unfocused eyes. ¡°You can die now.¡±


    Blood leaked out of their ears, eyes, and noses as the three collapsed, brain hemorrhaging from the focused sound she guided. ¡°Such a shame; she had a sweet face.¡±


    Leaving Mara to clean up the corpses, Nemesis tugged his pants on and stepped over the man in front of the door to exit and head for the field. Why does this suddenly feel like a chore ¡­ Because there¡¯s someone so much more enjoyable I¡¯d rather be with right now, but at the same time ¡­ I don¡¯t?


    He smashed the side of his fist against the wall as he went, crushing the concrete and causing cracks to spiderweb out of the impact. I want to see her again, yet I was the one to run ¡­ It¡¯s so irritating!


    * * *


    Only the sound of the swelling surf came through as his throat convulsed, sputtering as tears leaked down his cheeks; his heaving chest seemingly trying to expel some foreign entity, Anthony clutched at his breast while writhing on the ground.


    There was no pain, yet he couldn¡¯t rid himself of the thought of something wriggling through his guts and veins, seeking to find a nest; without warning, it ended, replaced by a woman¡¯s warm voice in his mind. ¡°Can you hear it?¡±


    A current of dread flowed through his blood nonetheless as Anthony rubbed his chest, and through the haze of tears, he caught sight of a stone woman; wisps of shadow flitted like the wind as her gray frame fractured to reveal tanned skin underneath.


    He couldn¡¯t look away as a chunk of her left eye cracked, falling away to show a glowing mixed iris of yellow, pink, and white; it was as if her pupil was a swirling, mesmerizing galaxy.


    At a glance, he knew this creature could wave her hand, and he¡¯d cease to exist, yet instead of crushing him, her unmoving stone lips repeated her question. ¡°Can you hear it?¡± This time it was as if spoken aloud.


    ¡°W-What?¡± Anthony¡¯s tight neck lifted to follow her gaze as it drifted to the fog that swept over them. ¡°Is ¡­ Where am I?¡±


    ¡°Come¡­¡± she hummed, exposing her back to him to walk toward the unseen path that would take them to the beach. ¡°Perhaps together ¡­ I can finally find it.¡±


    Cold sweats broke across Anthony¡¯s skin as he hugged himself, jerkily stumbling after the creature while shifting to view the ruined manner; his quakes only increased as the slow-moving mist met him¡ªyet his perfectly maintained home had returned¡ªthe shapeless horror was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Is that thing¡­¡± he stammered, hesitantly looking after the tall stone woman; more rifts were collapsing down her shoulder blades, revealing unblemished skin as it broke away. ¡°Who are you?¡± Anthony questioned, gut churning at the implications.


    The entity met his decreased pace, head tilting to view the fog thickening around them. ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t know who I am ¡­ I only know that ahead is the secret ¡­ the answer ¡­ the end.¡±


    She fell silent, and Anthony didn¡¯t have anything left in him to respond; a hollow opened in his stomach as his legs operated on their own. They continued, and the fog drew them closer together¡ªor did he move closer¡ªthe bell rang in his ears again when they arrived at the stairs.


    ¡°It¡¯s close,¡± she apprehensively whispered, ¡°the road to ruin.¡±


    Anthony coughed, tasting water in his mouth and salt on his lips again; it was as if a veil was lifting from his mind, and at the same time, a crying fear echoed through his bones with every step, yet he descended into madness nonetheless.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 44. When Sound Dies

    AuthorSME


    Note:  Now, I''m going to put all of Anthony''s chapters in their proper place at the end of the chapters so future readers will go through the tidbits little by little in the creepy path to the end of Anthony''s journey in the World of Dreams.  =D


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (Out Lunar Hare)


    2. Anthony (Rachel''s Boyfriend)


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    The wind howled past Rachel¡¯s ears, skirt whipping against her legs; she stood in the middle of the street as the dying typhoon expelled its final breath of fury above.  Her thumping heart mirrored the weather while watching the Lion King¡¯s muscular back.


    He backed down?  Why is he walking away?


    Everything she¡¯d planned and tried to predict was collapsing around Rachel, but that wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing; although, it did confuse her.


    Head tilting to the left slightly, Rachel¡¯s eyebrows drew in, listening to every twitch Nemesis¡¯ body made.  He¡¯s not scared of me ¡­ If anything, he seems as bewildered by his actions as I am.  Are the layers of hexes weighing him down or changing his emotional state?  Relica used some Taunt Skill against me in Miami ¡­ Is this similar?


    It didn¡¯t really matter in the end, but she really wanted to test his strength out.  Nemesis didn¡¯t appear to have any ulterior motives; he¡¯d come to see what she was about, and all logic pointed to them exchanging fists, yet here she was, watching him walk away.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Her thoughts turned elsewhere, looking for any other answer to the behavior; naturally, Relica was the first suspect.


    The Sorceress was currently in a conference with Alan Piedrabuena; the northeastern warlord that hid inside his walls was a puppet master¡ªa troublesome opponent, but, in theory, it made him personally not all that hard to deal with.  Her only concern was the hostage situation that was bound to occur.


    Still, there was no negotiating with such people if she¡¯d learned anything from pop culture and movies.  As soon as someone was willing to use that method against you, they¡¯d practically already pulled the trigger.


    Her best option was to handle him before there was a chance to play that card.  Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t have safeguards in place to counter that strategy.  It was for this reason she¡¯d sent Maria out to investigate Noah¡¯s population with Fiona and the twin pistol girls and draw even more attention while having someone that could speak the language; Maria got annoyed with Cuban Spanish at times, and the twins could correct any misunderstandings.


    Grace and Scarlet were in the shadows, using the Vampire girl¡¯s blood to protect them from the storm and Benedict to keep them concealed.


    The Pixie, and his two friends were still recovering from the mental trauma of knowing what happened to their family, but they wanted to forget about it in the mission.  So long as they weren¡¯t alone and had competent enough people to support them if they froze up, Rachel wasn¡¯t opposed.


    She¡¯d kept occasional tabs on their movements, and Maria confirmed several of Rachel¡¯s suspicions.  Things should go in their favor, but there was an unease in her stomach; misfortune continued to bounce around like a ping-pong ball for and against her.


    Selvaria and Ohan were beside the docks and northeast wall; the swordsman missed Miss Claus, much to Selvaria¡¯s disappointment, when he was doing a sweep of the area.  The Leviathan seemed to be having a jolly time explaining to him what he¡¯d missed and the fantastical quest the northern pair were on to stop Jack Frost from turning the world into a winter wasteland.


    Leaving the two to their discussion, Rachel honed her hearing on Alan¡¯s group; Relica and Miora were inside a large gathering room, filled with alcohol, food, and soft classical music playing in the background.  Three other men were present, each having their own powers; however, one named Fulgencio seemed to be fairly drunk.


    It was the drunk man¡¯s powers that Alan was using to view the entirety of Havana as some kind of game board; it seemed to compile information and give specific statistics on each player involved.


    Rachel had been especially keen on understanding what few details she could gather through the previous night on the city¡¯s current state, but one critical detail kept biting her in the tail, the language barrier.


    Relica could speak Spanish¡ªshe seemed to be able to speak many languages¡ªwhich had Rachel pondering the woman¡¯s skills.  It might be possible to acquire multiple languages through the System.


    Unfortunately, the moment Relica told Alan about her hearing, he¡¯d gone silent, opting to use a notepad and pass it around to talk.  If she were closer, she might have been able to trace the motion of the pen¡¯s sounds to piece together what was being said, but she knew it was only a matter of time before her hearing was discovered and measures to counter it were taken.


    What she hadn¡¯t anticipated was Miora¡ªRelica¡¯s friend and the Legend of Queen Ranavalona the 1st¡ªshe needed to get a better understanding about who she was patterned after to make a proper plan moving forward.  The woman was all but silent after the initial interaction between Relica and her.


    Relica¡¯s foreknowledge about their abilities and personality made even minor mistakes deadly.  In addition, Alan would likely accelerate his plans with her prompts knowing the United States military was closing in.  Rachel figured this was the the Sorceress¡¯ test to draw more talented people into her expanding terrorist network.


    A few bits of information regarding Wolfgang became clear as the day went on; he¡¯d managed to bargain his way into getting a boat by giving Relica what she wanted.  A few of Alan¡¯s men weren¡¯t happy about the loss of good transportation.


    Relica made it clear they could go after it if they so choose; as could be expected, and, much to the Sorceress¡¯ amusement, the pair never returned after going after the intelligent German Legendkin.


    Fingers flexing around Nia¡¯s practically invulnerable umbrella, Rachel turned and walked through the storm to meet Luka and Vasishtha; she¡¯d sent the two to the young man¡¯s residence to play a recording of his sister¡¯s wedding.  She needed a good sample to pinpoint her location by voice, and for some reason, they needed him.


    Rachel¡¯s teeth locked together, eyes drifting to the left as she spotted multiple eyes peering through the windows; people were still frightened, and while the hurricane had stopped most criminal activity, they still skittishly looked out for marauders, despite Noah¡¯s protection.  It was to be expected, given the experiences they¡¯d had in the anarchy following The Oscillation.


    She had her own concerns, which laid at Relica¡¯s unpredictable goals; at least there was one thing Rachel could expect from the woman, even if it turned her stomach¡ªher fascination and unhealthy attachment to Scarlet.


    It was bad enough before Twilight touched the Sorceress¡¯ mind, and while that meant the woman wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to their little vamp girl, it also made her a target by the dangerous terrorist.  At the same time, Relica¡¯s unnatural obsession made her approach unpredictable, and sending Scarlet in without more information could lead to her capture.


    Rachel learned a great deal over the past month about her damaged foster sister, and the most pointed weakness the powerful Vespertine Reaper had was her own mother; the girl was traumatized by her mother¡¯s true colors, which Rachel could sympathize with¡ªshe didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d do if her own mother had hidden such a side from her.


    To make matters worse, Rachel didn¡¯t have that good of a grasp of Adele¡¯s voice to gauge if she was in the city, nor the real purpose for her distance and Relica¡¯s connection to the insane woman.  The last thing Rachel wanted was Scarlet utterly shutting down and leaving herself open at a surprise visit; as much as the girl would deny it, Rachel was sure Scarlet wouldn¡¯t be able to harm or run from her mother.


    There were also the unknown elements about Adele¡¯s possible powers from The Oscillation; it wasn¡¯t impossible that the intense fanaticism of her cult had led to drawing Twilight into the woman¡¯s daughter.  Twilight may not even be a real entity but the creation of Adele¡¯s.  Even if Rachel heavily doubted the reflected thing she met was simply Adele¡¯s crazed imagination brought to life, there was the chance.


    Rachel¡¯s attention returned to Relica as giggles came from her throat from time to time during their written conversation.  Her friend¡¯s satisfied hum after a second of studying the message made Rachel¡¯s ear twitch; the note seemed off-putting for the dark-skinned woman.


    There were quite a few issues that plagued this city under the surface, and most of it stemmed from Alan¡¯s manipulations as a puppet master.  It corroborated what Luka had said about the military being operated by an unknown force, but it caused Rachel to wonder why they weren¡¯t being more cautious with that knowledge.


    She slowed as Relica¡¯s body vanished in dark magical wind, flowing out to find its way through the building and join the storm; not only was the body in the bar a double but the one with Alan, too.  Her path was clear upon passing over the wall¡ªshe was going to the northwestern warlord.


    Relica¡¯s welcoming tone combined with her magic to meet the large Cuban man as he drank a cup full of deadly poison.  ¡°Hola, Salvador G¨®mez Gomis.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips drew in; she was sure the Sorceress was going to speak in Spanish just to annoy her, and it wasn¡¯t the first time her agitation on the subject made her fist tighten.


    Ever since coming to Cuba, the realization had been a thorn in her side, and it only dug its way further into her skin by the day; she may be able to hear miles away and eavesdrop to her leisure, but that meant little if she couldn¡¯t actually understand them.


    Making the decision, Rachel used some of her unknown number of Skill Points gathered from the previous days into a translation ability; at some point, it would probably be worth investing into further for other creatures.


    Her experience with the orange aliens taught her that communication was necessary at times when dealing with the Crystals, and in the end, they could gain far more out of being a bit civil with the rival worlds than purely antagonistic, but that would come much later.


    A few possibilities on the topic had passed through her brain over the mind-numbing hours of being forced to listen to basically gibberish.  One such thought stuck out; what if a group of languages or a bundle was overall less expensive than a single one?


    Ticking them off as she went could actually be quite detrimental and costly overall; she wouldn¡¯t know the results without testing, but that also risked hampering future investments.


    Rachel sighed and used her first attempt to go for the bundle package; if she didn¡¯t have enough, it wouldn¡¯t fulfill the request, which told her something at least.  Allow me to understand whatever human language I am listening to and for them to understand me.


    Relica and Salvador¡¯s words changed to English¡ªher most practiced tongue¡ªand she was glad she had, even if she wasn¡¯t entirely happy about the use; it was necessary for the future, and it gave her a way to catch people off-guard.


    Salvador¡¯s voice was more profound than most men¡¯s and held a gravelly tone to it.  ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your games, Relica; the last time I gave you some of my men, they ended up traumatized by the things your friend had them do ¡­ Even things I¡¯d find disturbing, from what they told me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come now, Salvador!¡±  Relica cooed, walking around to examine the room they were in.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t that only mean they weren¡¯t worthy of your attention in the first place?  I know you¡¯ve been having your little pets running around and bringing you more and more people to level up your skills; the men you speak of are already fodder for your strength.¡±


    A pleasantly occupied note entered his voice.  ¡°You do have a rather observant eye, Relica; I¡¯ll give you that ¡­ If they aren¡¯t useful to me, then Experience is always an option.¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡ªby the way,¡± Relica muttered, looking out of a nearby window at the gruesome sight of some multi-headed serpent eating a crowd of terrified elderly men and women Salvador deemed unproductive, ¡°how is your pet?  It seems you are feeding him well.¡±


    Salvador got off his makeshift throne and podium to join her by the window; by the elevation of his voice to hers, Rachel guessed he was around seven-foot-tall.  ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase ¡­ You only ever come to ask for something.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act as if you don¡¯t get anything in return,¡± the Sorceress mused, her smiling tone sharpening.  ¡°I¡¯ve made you a powerful man, Salvador, and we both know I can take that away¡ªI made you¡ªdon¡¯t forget you were on the verge of death when I found you.  A lowly Champion-Fighter without a clue how your ability could be utilized.¡±


    A low rumble shook in Salvador¡¯s throat, no longer entertained.  ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°There we go; can¡¯t we be civil with one another!¡±  Relica giggled, playfully slapping his arm and moving to take his place on the throne.  ¡°I¡¯m rather fond of you¡ªmmh, as my little experiments go, I¡¯d say.  So, how are the preparations?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s tail shifted with agitation as the rain increased, forcing her to adjust her filter; never had her ears been pushed so hard as in Havana.  The constant drizzle, number of buildings, thunder, and heavy winds were challenging to filter out, given its current level, diminishing her sensitive range significantly.


    Unluckily, or perhaps on purpose, Nemesis went into the depths of the colossal stadium.  Between the tens of thousands of people that had taken shelter in the facility talking and the amount of steel and concrete absorbing sound, he was blotted out.


    She centered her full attention on the Sorceress to catch the finer details the man gave.  ¡°Everyone¡¯s ready ¡­ You still haven¡¯t selected which target we¡¯re going after first, though.¡±


    Relica hummed, tapping her cheek.  ¡°Oh, my pesky little Hare ¡­ I have no doubt you¡¯re listening to every word.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Salvador muttered, turning to face her.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she waved off, making Rachel¡¯s fingernails dig into her palm.  ¡°Fetch me a pen and paper.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a reminder,¡± Salvador growled but moved to a nearby desk anyway.  ¡°You promised to put me on top if I did what you said¡ªwhy do I feel like you¡¯re playing Alan¡¯s side more than mine¡ªwhen can I crush his scrawny neck?¡±


    ¡°He-he-he, patience, Dear¡ªpatience ¡­ Who are the biggest threats¡ªhmm?  Answer me that.¡±


    He pulled out a sheet of paper and tested a few pens before bringing them to the Sorceress like her pet dog.  ¡°Noah and the Lion King; all Alan does is hide behind his wall and use his puppets like a coward.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be careful of cowards,¡± Relica snickered, writing down a few instructions.  ¡°There¡¯s nothing they won¡¯t do to save their own skin ¡­ So, I need these things done¡ªimmediately¡ªand do not worry that bald head of yours; you will have your moment of glory.  The stage is almost set, and let me reiterate our agreement¡­¡±


    Rachel could practically feel the shiver run down Salvador¡¯s spine at her cold words.  ¡°I did not promise to put you on top ¡­ I said you had a shot at the crown if you followed all of my instructions, which you have, and I am so delighted at the progress you¡¯ve made¡ªbut do not underestimate the opponents you will meet.¡±


    Salvador sucked on his lip, turning back to the window.  ¡°I won¡¯t ¡­ Are we moving tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Silly man,¡± Relica laughed, rising to reach up, even on the pedestal, and put her fingers against his cheeks; naturally, Rachel figured he was paralyzed by the woman.  ¡°Everything happens tonight!  I need to see exactly how far you¡¯ve come, Rachel ¡­ Salvador, be careful of the pretty bunny girl prowling the streets¡ªshe has a rather obscene amount of good luck¡ªor should I say misfortune follows her enemies,¡± she pondered.


    He cleared his throat as she moved past him.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ a Beastkin?¡±


    ¡°A Myth, Dear¡ªone that has surprised me every day¡ªand I suspect she is far, far more than I initially planned.  So, we need to try and even the odds.  Don¡¯t disappoint me, Salvador; you¡¯re nearing your crown.¡±


    She vanished, returning to Alan¡¯s study to join Miora, her overjoyed voice breaking the silence.  ¡°What did I miss?¡±


    A low growl shook Alan¡¯s throat, and the drunken man chuckled.  ¡°Oh, yeah¡ªuh, he really doesn¡¯t like it when you just disappear¡ªhicc¡ªI love the you in the whoosh!¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Alan grunted, tapping his pen against the notebook.


    ¡°Hicc¡ªoh¡ªoh, yeah¡ªshhhh ¡­ Why do you look so¡ªhicc¡ªgreen¡­¡±


    He seemed to pass out, making Alan curse; she assumed the board vanished in front of the man because one of his other men quickly began to administer some kind of healing magic to sober him up and bring him back.


    Rachel sighed while turning down an alley that would take her to Luka and Vasishtha; the rainwater was a bit deeper in this area, rushing by her flaming boots¡ªNia being asleep gave her a surprising amount of personal control over the outfit¡ªclearly, Nia was holding back a little for some reason.


    The pair were fumbling around in Luka¡¯s apartment, trying to find an outlet that worked; apparently, some were blown.  By the time she made it to the stairs, they¡¯d found the wedding video and put it on, revealing his sister¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Yeah¡ªumm, this was about two years ago¡ªis that fine?¡±  Luka asked, looking at the Legend beside him.


    Vasishtha shrugged.  ¡°I don¡¯t know how Rachel¡¯s ears work.  Eh ¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s nearby, though.  Just keep playing it¡ªumm, you got some beer in the¡ªbro, woah¡­¡±  he grunted, waving his hand in front of his face upon opening the fridge.  ¡°When was the last time you checked this thing?¡±


    Luka was focused on the recording of a happier time.  ¡°Umm ¡­ Yeah, I don¡¯t have anything in there ¡­ Hey, Vasishtha¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±  he asked, looking at the cupboards.  ¡°Man, I¡¯m starved¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you really think we can get my sister back?  No one¡¯s ever come back from the other side of the wall¡ªpowerful people.¡±


    Vasishtha shut a cupboard, a heavy note in his throat.  ¡°Aye, buddy¡ªI don¡¯t know¡ªthings have been bad, and a lot of people have died ¡­ Don¡¯t give your hopes up, or it¡¯ll crush you to dust.  If she¡¯s okay, great!  If not ¡­ find out how to get justice and move on because it¡¯s what a loving sister would want for her brother.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks ¡­ I guess, for not being as positive as everyone else,¡± he whispered.  ¡°I, umm ¡­ I thought you were a totally different kind of person.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ world¡¯s rough kid ¡­ Sometimes, you gotta lose everything to realize there¡¯s something else in you.¡±


    Rachel stopped at the top of the apartment complex¡¯s second landing; Christian, the current lookout for the place, eyed her from his bundled-up place against the wall a little more than halfway down the hallway.  Luka had given him a rough description of her¡ªbeautiful long hair, white, glowing, and big ears.


    A frown touched her full lips as she turned and brushed her braided hair to her back after the strong wind caught it; Luka¡¯s sister was to the northwest.  Her cheerful voice could be heard speaking to a small hex group she¡¯d tracked earlier.  So much for the theory that no one leaves the walls.


    A solemn puff of air shot through her lips; at least Selvaria and Ohan were laughing because things were swiftly becoming complicated.


    Just before reaching the door to Luka¡¯s apartment, her heart came to a stop, ears rising straight into the air; a shiver ran down her spine as her wide eyes darted left and right, head following the movements¡ªan ominous degree of misfortune had flooded her way¡ªsomething disastrous was happening.


    What changed ¡­ Which action caused it?


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Vasishtha laughed, jogging to the door; he¡¯d likely sensed her a while ago, but she wasn¡¯t versed in all of his abilities; turning the knob, he eased it open as the wind sought to shove him back.  ¡°Hey, what¡¯s ¡­ Mmh, trouble?¡±  he muttered, eyebrows lowering as he saw her alarmed expression.


    She ignored his question, scanning the city for anything that would bring anyone she knew a disastrous result, yet nothing stood out.


    Maria and her group talked to one another about Fiona¡¯s worries involving her little sister.  The twins sympathized with her, offering their two cents on how to move past the division she felt as two of Noah¡¯s tails tried to keep hidden in the crowded mall-like area they walked to observe them.


    Scarlet had an absent-minded conversation with Grace involving YouTubers she liked, looking for commonalities while watching over the Unicorn from the shadows.  Benedict was enthralled by the variety of things they could access on the internet he hadn¡¯t been aware of, coming from the restrictions in Cuba.


    Ohan and Selvaria were still on the Christmas topic, and the Leviathan was wondering if her seal had gotten her candy cane to the swordsman''s chagrin, wondering if the creature could have sweets.


    Selvaria hadn¡¯t thought about that possibility, making her worry a little and use the radio to ask Tom about the topic; he had no clue, but Cahira confirmed she¡¯d met the stunning Christmas lady, drawing further conversation.


    No group member seemed to be the trigger, so she turned elsewhere.


    Relica was silently plotting with Alen¡¯s group, but nothing noteworthy appeared to be in motion from them.  Her creepy friend hadn¡¯t moved at all in the time Rachel listened.


    Salvador had gone into the room adjacent to his throne room, left the note Relica gave him on the table, and quit to the halls; his men saluted him like a general in his passing, to which he absently returned.  He sounded focused, but nothing else sparked her interest.


    Noah was in a war council with his lieutenants; their goals were to strengthen key locations where civilians could be in danger if attacked.  Not quite the catastrophic feeling she¡¯d gotten, but it was when she turned to the Lion King that her gut churned.


    Nemesis was heading for the arena from what she could hear from the crowd, and Mara had just exited the underground, cheerily meeting with Ana in the halls.  It was challenging to filter through the white noise, but she caught the conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be heading out, Ana!  We¡¯re going to be having a guest for a late-night party, so don¡¯t overeat,¡± she teased.


    Ana snorted.  ¡°A guest ¡­ Who?  Is Nemesis back¡ªdid he kill those two U.S. military people?¡±


    ¡°Mmh, he-he, I wonder about that,¡± she mused in a mysterious way meant to draw the other woman in.


    A tired groan slid through Ana¡¯s throat.  ¡°It¡¯s late¡ªI¡¯m tired, Mara¡ªjust skip the games.  Wait ¡­ was there another assassination attempt?¡±  she sighed, watching Beastkin carrying a few corpses pass by.  ¡°No-ho-ho ¡­ When are they ever going to stop throwing their lives away ¡­ You didn¡¯t have to kill her,¡± she whispered, likely looking at the dead woman.


    ¡°They got what they dealt¡ªanyway, I¡¯m not all that interested in them,¡± Mara dismissed.  ¡°No, I¡¯ll be going to snatch up that Hare Mythickin to see if she¡¯ll have dinner with us!  Won¡¯t that be nice?  You¡¯ll have another woman to talk to that isn¡¯t me!¡±


    Ana scratched behind her ears, not responding for a moment as she thought about the words.  ¡°Okay ¡­ but why?  You¡¯re far too happy about this ¡­ Nemesis knows?¡±


    ¡°Of course; he¡¯s really excited!  He loved the idea!  I offered to make the arrangements,¡± she said in a grinning tone.


    ¡°Uh-huh ¡­ Now, I¡¯m really concerned.  You never do things like that ¡­ I¡¯ll just go ask Nemesis about it myself.¡±


    ¡°Aww,¡± Mara¡¯s voice held a pout.  ¡°Don¡¯t spoil anything for yourself; just wait and have a glass of wine or something¡ªhe¡¯s got a few matches lined up anyway.¡±


    ¡°Whatever ¡­ I don¡¯t like this, though,¡± Ana grumbled, changing directions to talk to Jaume.  ¡°Don¡¯t make me worry about you.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Mara snickered, ¡°don¡¯t make me think you care; oh, and don¡¯t get too drunk¡ªyou can be a handful¡ªyou¡¯ll leave the wrong impression.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself.¡±


    They parted ways.


    Rachel continued to scan the city for anything else of significance, but nothing came.  It felt like that conversation ¡­ Mara coming to see me?  Is the meeting going to be the cause of a misunderstanding?  Should I avoid her¡ªshe shouldn¡¯t be able to find me¡ªbut she¡¯s banking on me going to her.


    Rachel leaned forward to the railing, Luka and Vasishtha in the doorway as the Legend kept it open.  ¡°What did she find?¡±  Luka whispered.  ¡°Is it my sister¡ªis it bad?¡±


    She worked around her jaw for a second, ears pressing against the top of her umbrella.  ¡°We need to see Noah as soon as possible.  Vash, the radio.¡±  She took it and swapped to a common channel that everyone could hear.


    Selvaria and Cahira quit speaking as she came over the speaker.  ¡°We have a problem¡ªI¡¯m not sure exactly why it is an issue, but Maria¡¯s unit, I''m going to give you some instructions on where to go.  You¡¯ll be meeting a woman named Mara and giving her the radio so we can talk; I¡¯m heading to Noah now.¡±


    ¡°That sound girl?¡±  Maria asked, and Rachel couldn¡¯t help but feel a wave of relief as her Spanish additions were translated.  ¡°Yo, I thought she was a dangerous one; we gettin¡¯ into some beef?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Rachel returned, motioning for Luka and Vasishtha to follow her, and she paused, another surge of misfortune reaching her.


    Pausing, her glowing Eclypse-like irises darted to the man bundled a little ways away, and in a quick dash forward, she twisted the stunned lookout around and put him into a sleeper hold.


    ¡°Wha¡ªyo!  Yo!  Stop!¡±  Luka gasped, running forward, but Vasishtha grabbed his shoulder to pull him back.


    ¡°Aye, Rach, is he one of their puppet spies?¡±


    Once the man fell limp in her arms, she picked him up and jogged back into Luka¡¯s apartment; it was a little awkward to carry the scrawny guy and twist the doorknob.  ¡°I believe so¡ªor a spy in general.¡±


    Her wide field of vision swiftly caught sight of yarn in a basket by Luka¡¯s bed.  ¡°We can come back with Maria later to free him of any control effects if that¡¯s the case.¡±


    The radio buzzed with Maria¡¯s voice.  ¡°Hey, Lunar Hare, I¡¯m still here¡ªwhat¡¯s the problem¡­¡±


    Vasishtha took the radio from her as Rachel began tying the man up.  ¡°Just a little trouble¡ªuh, here,¡± he muttered, holding the device up to her side as Luka hovered nearby.


    Rachel gave her directives, and after quickly hogtying the lookout, she took them in the direction of Noah, materializing Nia¡¯s umbrella once outside.  ¡°Don¡¯t make any aggressive moves; there¡¯s something important involving her soon ¡­ I just don¡¯t know what it is.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Scarlet said, jumping into the conversation.  ¡°It¡¯s that misfortune-sensing stuff, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ Just be prepared.¡±


    ¡°Roger!¡±  Grace said, nudging Scarlet.  ¡°Should we lose Maria¡¯s tail?¡±


    The Unicorn clicked her tongue, clearly not appreciating the joke, and Rachel heard her tail flick to the side in annoyance not too far away.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d be best¡ªScarlet¡¯s got us.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s gut churned as the feelings didn¡¯t leave.  ¡°Don¡¯t go right away¡ªwait for her to come to you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make it look nice and casual,¡± Grace giggled.  ¡°Just randomly bumping into her in the middle of a hurricane.¡±


    ¡°Mmh, just do what you can,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°Tom¡­¡±


    The general¡¯s serious voice came soon after.  ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Trying to track both Mara and Relica¡¯s friend, spoke up as the wind increased.  ¡°Look up Queen Ranavalona the 1st¡ªRelica brought a Legendkin with her that we weren¡¯t aware of.¡±


    Clay¡¯s voice instantly responded, making Rachel slow her pace.  ¡°No need¡ªQueen Ranavolona the First was a tyrant¡ªsome historians say she was insane.


    ¡°She ruled over the kingdom of Madagascar in the early 1800s and killed tens of thousands of her own people in the name of isolationism.  As far as I¡¯m aware, she was a rather nasty piece of work that enjoyed watching the suffering of her own people.¡±


    ¡°Any clue on what her powers could be?¡±  Rachel pressed, hearing the thunder pick back up in the following silence as Vasishtha joined her, table umbrella creaking in the heavy winds; Luka¡¯s vision narrowed while straining to hear the explanation past the storm.


    Clay hissed.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t really say¡ªTom¡¯s consulting some historians through text right now; if we get anything, we¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Cutting off the conversation, Rachel handed the radio back to Vasishtha to stick in his shoulder pouch.  ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    Luka struggled to push against the wind at the pace Rachel set, so Vasishtha angled his umbrella in a manner to relieve some of the pressure for the young man.


    ¡°W-What about my sister?¡±  he shouted, seeming to forget she could hear him just fine.


    Rachel breathed in and out, slowing to join the pair behind the umbrella.  ¡°... Keep moving¡ªthings aren¡¯t playing out like I want right now,¡± she explained, trying to bridge the examination to his question.


    ¡°Understand that there are a lot of players in this game we¡¯re playing, and the slightest action could spell disaster¡ªI¡¯m trying to read minor flows that shape that disaster to use it to our advantage.  Right now, your sister is fine, but if we don¡¯t hurry, she could be in danger ¡­ I can¡¯t tell you why right now¡ªyou¡¯ll need to trust me¡ªshe isn¡¯t in danger at the moment.¡±


    Luka hugged his blue and white jacket, looking at the spraying water at their feet.  ¡°Okay ¡­ I¡¯ll trust you, but¡ªbut she¡¯s alive?¡±


    Rachel nodded.  ¡°She is, and it sounds like she¡¯s being well-fed.¡±


    ¡°What about her husband?¡±


    ¡°That, hmm¡­¡±  Rachel¡¯s ears shifted, scanning again.  ¡°I can¡¯t hear him, which doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s not alive ¡­ Still, as Vasishtha said¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know ¡­ Don¡¯t give my hopes up.  I¡¯m glad she¡¯s okay, though,¡± he smiled, swallowing the sticky saliva in his throat.  ¡°It¡¯s more than anyone¡¯s been able to tell me.¡±


    Before he could continue spilling his heart, Rachel positioned her umbrella and separated to retake the lead; they needed to make more plays to change the current course.


    Three minutes later, she realized why misfortune had changed; it wasn¡¯t mainly centered on Rachel herself but by proxy.  Vasishtha and Luka jumped as Rachel¡¯s umbrella vanished in a spray of color; she sprinted back the way they¡¯d come, demonic boots finding perfect purchase against the poorly maintained asphalt.


    Why her ¡­ No ¡­ Why didn¡¯t I think about the possibility?!


    Rain and wind gushed around her head as she tried to sustain her ability to monitor the situation; it was difficult at her pace with forced-back ears.


    Mara had just left sight of the stadium, turning into an alley as she moved down a similar path Nemesis took to the bar¡ªthe woman wanted Rachel to find her.


    She held her hands behind her back, humming softly and giving Rachel a clear picture of the environment by the unusual soundwaves she produced that generated a semi-malleable force field allowing everything but the strong winds and water to pass.


    Rachel jumped to rooftops, cracking tiles and leaving impressions of her boots in the wood while using her hearing to test just how much pressure she could place on the structures.  Just buy me time!


    Maria and Scarlet¡¯s groups were casually waiting five streets down, but she couldn¡¯t contact them; it might even bring further misfortune to involve Scarlet.


    Mara¡¯s casual stroll came to a stop as Relica and Miora surrounded the Mythickin Siren on either side of the alley; somehow, the Sorceress had generated her own shield to combat the elements, and a man beside the Tyrant Queen held a similar table umbrella Vasishtha utilized.


    ¡°Why hello, Mara!¡±  Relica cooed.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Rachel could hear the Siren¡¯s happy notes fall into a cautious ring as the pulsing sounds bounced around the area.  ¡°Do we know each other?  Typically, my friends don¡¯t tend to ambush me on both sides,¡± she whispered, voice perfectly audible while shifting to examine Miora.


    The Queen¡¯s throat reverberated with interest.  ¡°I do love this one ¡­ She has a charm about her, and that voice ¡­ is soothing to my ears.  Excellent choice, Relica.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t take all the credit,¡± the Sorceress chortled.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ No, Mara, I don¡¯t believe we have met, but it is my pleasure!  You have such a powerful gift, and the voice can be so captivating.¡±


    Mara chuckled.  ¡°I appreciate the compliment, ladies, but what is your business with me?  The cadence of your words and beat of your hearts tells me you¡¯re not here to simply chat.  Am I to assume you come from one of the northern territories ¡­ I haven¡¯t seen you, though,¡± she mused.


    Relica cleared her throat and reached into a side back to extract something and show it to the Siren.  ¡°I have a little gift for you.¡±


    Disgruntled by the show, Mara whispered, ¡°Interesting choice of gifts ¡­ A tongue split down the center ¡­ Is this a metaphor for something?  I¡¯m not amused ¡­ Mmhm ¡­ That barrier that surrounds you is something unusual¡­¡±


    Less than a minute away, Rachel¡¯s gut twisted as all sound died inside the alley.  No!  I should be able to still stop this, but ¡­ If she¡¯s muted by a curse, then she¡¯s basically helpless!¡±


    Reaching the alley, she came to a stop, all noise dying as she entered the area; it was empty; skipping back to regain her bearings, she searched and found Mara¡¯s voice, disbelief in her words.


    ¡°How ¡­ I can¡¯t hurt you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm!¡±  Relica giggled.  ¡°A Sorceress is always prepared; I have so many little trinkets!  Now, you¡¯ll conceal our movements from Rachel.¡±


    Miora laughed.  ¡°She only obeys me, Relica.¡±


    ¡°Yes.  Yes.  Let¡¯s get going, though¡ªI don¡¯t want to taunt Rachel too much¡ªheh-he, she can have a temper, and we wouldn¡¯t want her charging in here ¡­ or would we?  Hmm-hm-hm-hm.¡±


    Dammit¡­


    Rachel¡¯s ear and tail twitched as she looked into the alley, sound returning, and dropped on the dirt floor was the burned tongue Relica used to capture Mara.


    Miora has some kind of puppet ability, as well ¡­ Does that mean even Alan is under her control?  What is her end-game?  How did she even know unless ¡­ Spies?  The game board ability?  Can they use both together?  Mara is a direct counter to my hearing ¡­ Scarlet¡¯s vision is my only option to track them.


    Against the woman''s will, a soft hum pulsed through the air, and Rachel''s world spun¡ªshe hit the ground, rain collapsing atop her as she lay in the muck and grime of the alley.  So long as she scanned for sound in the vicinity of Mara, she¡¯d be paralyzed.


    * * *


    Something was at the edge of Anthony¡¯s thoughts, mocking his feeble attempts to grasp knowledge just outside his reach as the entity in woman¡¯s guise followed the staircase that parallelled the cliff.


    He couldn¡¯t deny the terror he felt in this creature¡¯s presence, yet there was sorrow that gradually worked its way into his heart¡ªa longing to reach something untouchable¡ªand an endless path of wandering in darkness.


    Voices and noises echoed in the mist, screaming for aid in an unseen labyrinth that trapped them, and with every step, new clarity decayed a wall blocking an inner sight he couldn¡¯t explain¡ªat first, it was curiosity and frustration that drove him out of the manor, but now, there was something he couldn¡¯t understand¡ªa treasure he¡¯d lost just beyond the sleeping veil.


    Anthony¡¯s throat constricted as they came to a fork, and it was here the entity stopped; much of the stone encasing her had chipped off, leaving a trail behind them, and it was then he saw the uncertainty in her face.


    The black smoke hiding her naked figure mixed with the gray mist enclosing them, and her frightened galaxy-like eyes turned to him, apprehension in her words.  ¡°I¡¯ve ¡­ never been so far into The Deep ¡­ To leave all that I know ¡­ Where do we go?¡±


    Sucking in his bottom lip, Anthony¡¯s focus moved from her to the path ahead; forward would take them to the boathouse, while the right was to the shore.  I don¡¯t know¡­


    A reminiscent voice floated through his brain, advice from what seemed another time and reality.  ¡°... Learn from the lost what awaits you in the dark, and entreat the forbidden Realm of Dreams.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to go to the boathouse or the seashore?¡±


    He spoke without realizing, but hope bloomed in the woman¡¯s single uncovered eye, arms pressing tightly against her hidden breasts for more stone fragments to fall along the path.  ¡°Oh, I do so wish to see the shore¡­  To feel the sands of time and the winds of fortune on my face again!¡±  she pleaded.


    Vision falling to the concrete platform they were on, Anthony¡¯s jaw tightened; he was becoming more accustomed to the entity¡¯s unsettling presence, yet it was only after that he realized a black, pulsating membrane crept across the stone they walked along, and the mind-numbing gong of the bell rang again.


    The further he went with this creature, the more at peace he felt; it was as if he was reaching some conclusion to a nightmare.  ¡°Why can¡¯t I remember?¡±  he mumbled.  ¡°Why am I here?¡±


    His focus returned to the woman as the lower half of her face broke away to reveal a pained smile.  ¡°Many ages I have lingered, lonely; in this blindness asking the same questions ¡­ I¡¯ve wandered, waiting for one to intervene.¡±


    Multihued tears slid down her cheek.  ¡°These questions you ask I have brought to many¡ªnumberless is the choir of liars and fools I have pondered.¡±


    The anguish and remorse on the creature¡¯s lulling voice pulled at his heart as she moved to place cold stone-covered fingers against his cheeks; he lost himself in her cosmic gaze.  ¡°I have been lost forever, and learned but a single way to free one¡¯s self from this amaurosis ¡­ You descend into The Deep¡ªenter The Dream outside your mind¡ªand unite with the neurosis ¡­ To partake in the curse of the wise, and peer beyond the veil,¡± her pearly white teeth flashed with anticipation and dread, ¡°to know what lies beyond what exists.¡±


    Air filled his paralyzed lungs as she broke away, shadowy wisps leaving a hot tingle against his skin, and he knew what he needed to do, but before that, he wanted some way to identify the creature.  ¡°Do you have a name?¡±


    A nail dug into his gut with the sweet smile she gave him, masking the horror hiding underneath.  ¡°You may call me Jaenona.¡±


    Anthony stiffly nodded and moved to lead them to the shore, each step sinking further into the abyss and setting their path to the Realm of Dreams.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 45. Accelerating Plans

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (Out Lunar Hare!)


    2. Nemesis (Our Lion King of Havana!)


    3. Anthony (Rachel''s Boyfriend!)


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    In the split-second Rachel fell to the wet and muddy earth, her mind accelerated, the momentary shock quickly passing; there had been times where she¡¯d considered sound could shoot her in the foot, especially once learning about Fiona and the possibility of her gaining vocal magic, the thought had crossed her mind when learning more about the Fairy, despite their allegiance.


    However, of all people, she hadn¡¯t expected the weakness to be exploited by Relica, and then for her to teleport away after seemingly catching her in checkmate?  It didn¡¯t make sense; yes, the Sorceress was intelligent, in her own twisted way, and figuring she¡¯d have something up her sleeve was fine, yet this¡ªthis wasn¡¯t her style.


    Manipulation of others?  Sure, the Sorceress loved to twist people around her little finger, but running instead of gloating over her victory¡ªno, her instincts told her something was wrong.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t even blink as she struck the ground, yet instead of using the Skill Points she¡¯d saved up for situations like this or the other option available to her, she remained on the dirty asphalt, welcoming the paralysis to listen to what would come next.


    Mara¡¯s melody lingered in a set distance, resonating around the woman even when she closed her mouth, likely an ability that gave her the chance to lace multiple effects, yet instead of adding a second, she backed away from the kidnappers.  ¡°Ugh ¡­ My mind is¡­¡±


    ¡°A stubborn one,¡± Miora cooed, and the Siren grunted after the tyrant tugged on something that sounded like a chain, forcing the woman to stumble forward.


    ¡°Mmgm ¡­ I won¡¯t be a slave!¡± she choked, coughing a few times.


    ¡°You can¡¯t escape my grasp, my little note; soon, only my favor is what you¡¯ll seek ¡­ He-he-he, yes, you may struggle on when I¡¯m not using you, but give it time¡ªthe pain sinking into your veins and the hunger in your belly or thirst on your tongue will bring you to heel.¡±


    A disappointing sigh passed through Relica¡¯s lips while observing them.  ¡°Aww, don¡¯t be too rough on her, Miora¡ªwe need her, and I don¡¯t want to see another broken toy after all the work I did to get¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±  Alan snarled, rising to his feet and drawing everyone¡¯s gaze; even the drunk man drawing pieces of art on the table seemed to sober up a little at the warlord¡¯s tone.  ¡°Everything went so smoothly,¡± he growled.  ¡°She¡¯s paralyzed, her team hasn¡¯t zeroed in on her location yet because of my puppet, and no other person aware of the situation was in position to make a move!  Rachel should have been under my control!¡±


    Miora¡¯s cold voice returned after the thrill of capturing Mara passed.  ¡°My control, Alan ¡­ And as much as I despise this man, Relica¡ªmmgm, for once, I agree with him.  Why did we leave the Lunar Hare when I could have another capable servant?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too late,¡± Alan grunted.  ¡°She¡¯s still statused; go back and take her if she¡¯s as dangerous as you implied, Relica.  She¡¯s the perfect pawn; I put you into that position to take her with this woman!¡±


    ¡°My, my, my,¡± Relica mumbled, and Rachel could tell she was trying to constrain her anger while shaking her head, ¡°have neither of you been listening to me at ¡­ Rom¨¢n?¡±


    With the exception of Mara, still struggling with something around her neck, their attention moved to the Champion Mage Demi that crafted the barrier surrounding the warlord¡¯s district.  ¡°Please, Relica, could you tell us why you strayed from the plan¡ªis it really enough that she cannot listen to us?¡±


    The drunk man shifted on the sofa, giggling to himself while using crayons to draw on a stack of papers; Alan seemed to be keeping him placated with whatever he wanted to keep his gaming board.  ¡°He-he¡ªhic¡ªit¡¯s been forever since I could do art¡­¡±


    His laughter caused an agitated groan from Alan as he dropped back into his seat, vocal direction showing him facing the drunk.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ No, I can work with this¡ªeven if you messed things up¡ªand I suppose I should have expected you¡¯d prioritize your own life over the potential benefits.¡±


    Relica sniffed.  ¡°I¡¯m not going to underestimate Rachel¡¯s ingenuity and adaptability; I¡¯ve seen too many examples in such a short time to think it¡¯s merely luck ¡­ And might I add, that is a rather unsightly thing you¡¯ve created, Jose,¡± she grumbled, likely staring at the man¡¯s crayon drawing.


    Alan¡¯s composure returned, rubbing his chin and looking at his board.  ¡°She¡¯s still paralyzed ¡­ Which means she¡¯s listening to us right now ¡­ Perhaps your instincts were on point, Relica ¡­ a tad disgruntled, but overall, she¡¯s calm.  Hmm ¡­ Some plans need to be altered.¡±


    He snatched a paper off the table and began to write instructions again, a chuckle in his throat.  ¡°Let¡¯s keep this going, Rachel ¡­ Relica is afraid of you, so show me why.¡±


    ¡°Humph, I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m afraid of her.¡±


    ¡°Then why did we run, Friend?¡± Miora asked, yanking on the chain again and forcing Mara forward, and after a few grunts of pain, she refreshed her siren song.  ¡°Continue to struggle, and you¡¯ll only fracture your mind¡ªheh-he, but I can still use you like my little pet here.¡±


    ¡°Gara-maga ¡­ I wuuh, lob-b-b-b¡­¡±  Mumbled the man she¡¯d used to hold her umbrella.


    Mara hissed, and to Rachel¡¯s surprise, a wave of color bloomed in her mind, giving her the clearest image of the area she¡¯d ever had from sound; it was as if she were actually there.


    The Siren stifled a scream, falling to her knees and holding her head soon after, but with the lingering note, Rachel had seen everything in crystal clarity.


    ¡°What did she try to do?¡±  Alan asked, glaring at the woman.


    The beautiful green-haired Mythickin was on her knees, damp from the short stay under the stormy sky when muted; her forehead was creased with pain, and around her throat was a black spiked collar with a ghostly chain that extended to Miora¡¯s tight fist.


    Not soon after, Rachel saw every muscle fiber in the woman¡¯s abdomen, and sweat appeared on her skin as her blood was accelerated; the Legend was forcing her body to use resources, dehydrating her, and given the usual mythology surrounding sirens, she assumed she functioned off a similar ocean pool as Selvaria.


    However, her mind centered on one thing in the colorful mirage feeding into her brain; what appeared to be a large chess board sat on a table in front of Alan.  Instead of the normal game she was accustomed to, this one had a holographic display of the city with various key players across it.


    She memorized everyone in the short few seconds Mara had given her, and another important bit of information came from the vision¡ªa few of Jose¡¯s pictures were of her¡ªa crude drawing of her ripping the Siren¡¯s collar off and both of them killing the two women.  He was already working on another that showed her getting up, but one crucial detail was missing¡ªsomething she¡¯d never ordinarily consider.


    ¡°How should I know?¡±  Relica sighed.  ¡°Anyways, hello, Rachel!  I hope you¡¯re not getting those adorable ears and tail too dirty.  What would Anthony say if he caught you lying in the dirt and mud, hmm?  I don¡¯t think he likes weak women.  Right?¡±


    Weak attempt, Relica ¡­ Hold on, Mara; I hear your cry for help, and I owe you now.


    Air locked in Rachel¡¯s stunned lungs, she glared at the dirt in front of her; staying calm and taking the risk had paid off in more ways than one.


    Relica had been right to be cautious of her; there were a few options to handle the Siren¡¯s song¡ªeven if she didn¡¯t like parts of its appearance¡ªin the end, no points used meant more options later.


    Her casual skirt and blouse illuminated with Nia¡¯s colors before transforming into a black, skin-tight belly shorts and lace-up corset that molded with her movements like liquid; Devil¡¯s Ward II instantly activated, freeing her of the hypnotic song.


    Rising to her feet, Rachel held up her hand, black fingerless glove enclosing them as her fingernails were painted blood red with a cursed devilish poison; on instinct, they grew into shimmering claws before returning to normal.


    Fishnet tights birthed from her toes to weave up her feet, shins, and thighs; she¡¯d studied the outfit extensively the previous day, and, although it wasn''t her style, she could appreciate the detail.


    Threads of Hellfire braided her hair to reveal the open lace back of the corset and tattooed devil wings that rose out of Nia¡¯s demonic bunny sign to spread across her shoulder blades, a tiered pentagram tracing down her spine.


    At the same time, she forced its passive to activate; vein-like crimson liquid flowed out of the illuminated emblem, and she flexed the ripped devil wings that stretched to either side of the alleyway.  At their current level, she couldn¡¯t fly with them, but they could slow her descent.


    They faded into a ruby mist, going on cooldown for the next two minutes since she was already touching ground, and electricity sparked around her throat for demonic wording to burn a choker into her skin that radiated powerful Hellfire to, ironically, prevent choking.


    The devil¡¯s script burned under the skin on her forearm into a complicated symbol as another formed on the outside of her left bicep.


    If only this were it¡­  she internally mused, and tightened her fist around the obsidian leather shaft that formed out of flames, laced with shimmering red images of the infernal language; Hellfire leaked out of the end to wrap around her arm to form the whip.


    To complete the outfit, her hair, tail, and ears dyed night black, with the pink, four-leaf clover sections of her eyes following the shade as an ebony masquerade mask enclosed her upper face, activating Lesser Devil Sight IV.


    Shifting her hips to the side while smirking at the whip, Rachel shook her head.  Honestly, if it wasn¡¯t for the mask and whip giving the dominatrix look, this wouldn¡¯t be that bad.


    She glanced down at the tight lace exposing a line from her bust to her belly; deciding it was time to pull the trigger, she used her authority over Nia while the girl slept to combine her combat outfit with this Set¡ªall of her Skills would be reset because of the combination, but considering what she gained, it was worth it to link the outfits.


    Naturally, since Lesser Black Demon¡¯s Touch was made of far superior material, her combat outfit couldn¡¯t keep its appearance, being replaced by these pieces, though Nia¡¯s Less Is More ability could still be used to a great extent given the areas of exposed skin.  If she were being honest, it would be a decent club outfit if she was into that scene.  As a battle outfit?  Meh, it worked.


    Tapping her demon-toe boots against the ground, she watched all filth vanish in the invisible cloak of heat radiating off her figure; it was only a minor passive protection that kept the rain and other elements at bay.


    Her Ice, Fire, Curse, and Water Resistances skyrocketed, but the attire could be devastated by the Holy Attribute, which was a weakness Nia gained when she wore this outfit, yet if in motion, she gained Lesser Hellfire Cloak VI, which came with the Selective Target III passive to mitigate most of its effects against things she didn¡¯t want to harm.


    Against people she didn¡¯t want to hurt, it would only feel like they were in a hot shower, while inanimate objects were less resistant.  The Hellfire couldn¡¯t be compared to the active version she gained when channeling Yseress, but it didn¡¯t sear her spirit, considering it was the outfit producing it and not herself, which was a plus.


    A shame you two are asleep when I chose to link the outfits, she snickered, knowing her two internal companions would likely be sad.


    ¡°What is that?!¡±  Alan asked, getting to his feet.  ¡°Immune to mental manipulation and movement impairing effects¡ªwhere did she get that gear?¡±


    ¡°Mmh-he-he-he,¡± Relica giggled.  ¡°What did I say?  That girl has a devil¡¯s mind¡ªoh, you naughty girl, Rachel!  What deals did you make in Camag¨¹ey ¡­ Are you working with Wolfgang, I wonder?¡±


    Alan folded his arms across his chest as Rachel¡¯s ears moved left and right, tracking every place he had units; she couldn¡¯t find two, and both were supposedly positioned on top of the stadium where Nemesis was finishing up his massacre.


    Having a full scope of his key players now, Rachel dashed back to Vasishtha to use his radio, black flames and crimson electricity surrounding her; it would be slightly faster to go to Maria by distance, but trying to calm them down and the jokes was actually a net negative overall.


    Her pulled-back black-furred ears caught things much easier and her speed increased by a decent margin since the Hellfire negated the dying hurricane¡¯s wind resistance entirely.  The rain didn¡¯t touch her as she jumped across roofs, leaving demonic hoof prints in the tile like a silent ghost¡¯s passing¡ªnormal physics didn¡¯t operate against her while wrapped in the fire.


    The items she wore had an eerie description when asked; devils had flayed Lesser Black Demons alive, using their hide as a medium to craft the outfit.  Then again, considering what she¡¯d learned about the hierarchy in Hell, Devils were high-class and Demons low-class playthings of the upper echelon.


    Nia¡¯s wardrobe didn¡¯t give all clothing equal reign with her abilities that weren¡¯t connected to her primary Set; her base outfit¡¯s Set Effect needed to be absorbed into or eat the attributes of another Set.


    Quality of material made a massive difference, and considering her previous Battle Gear was of lower material value, this overrode it, meaning, this was her new permanent Battle Outfit.  Then again, she wasn¡¯t sure which her mother would rather see¡ªthe previous extremely revealing option or the devil look¡ªbut without a doubt, this would keep her safer.


    Outlined images of peoples¡¯ spirits lit like torches in the buildings she passed, and out of everything these items gave her, there was one more negative; a ramping curse flooded her bloodstream¡ªDevil¡¯s Heart¡ªchilling her mind and drawing out the darkness within her breast that dampened Lunar Pride¡¯s presence.


    The winds of misfortune were heavily pressed against her passage in time, but Rachel smiled despite the ominous sensation; she loved the needles running down her spine when the odds were stacked against her.


    Vasishtha contacted Maria and Scarlet about her sudden action, which had the girl jumping over the city looking for her, but given her limited range of sight compared to Rachel¡¯s ears, she managed to avoid her.


    Her tongue slid over her full, now rose-colored lips as she saw the jogging men, trying to follow her path since they didn¡¯t know what to do.  Silent as a phantom in her cloak, Rachel hopped down from a building to land in front of the men, Hellfire cloak dispersing.


    The Legend noticed her the moment she¡¯d jumped, which was pretty impressive.  ¡°Radio,¡± she demanded, holding out her hand.


    ¡°Woah ¡­ You okay, Rach?¡±  Vasishtha asked, clearly taken aback, but expectedly, he reached into his bag and tossed the item to her.


    ¡°Perfect ¡­ Scarlet, do you hear me?¡±


    ¡°R-Rachel?  I¡ªVasishtha said you just took off¡ªwhat happened?¡±


    She turned to the northwest, lips pulling in and to the right a tad as she allowed herself to be absorbed by the flow of Misfortune; examining it while influenced by Hell provided insights somehow impossible when not connected to the energy, even if only by proxy from the outfit¡¯s Set Effect.  ¡°Interesting¡­¡±


    ¡°Yo, girl, what are ya talkin¡¯ about?¡±  Maria cut in.  ¡°We were gettin¡¯ to the spot, and then you just go runnin¡¯ off¡ªwhat¡¯s up?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s wings flapped to quickly get closer to the radio.  ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s changed?¡±


    ¡°A lot ¡­ It¡¯s time for war, girls.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s tail slapped against the wall she sat next to, cracking a chunk off and making Ohan sigh.  ¡°Me, too?!¡±


    ¡°Yup ¡­ Fiona, Benedict, Isabel, Edelira, Grace, and Scarlet¡ªnorthwest border¡ªan army is gathering; they have a giant monster that sounds like a Hydra by what people are saying about it.  The main guy is basically just a meathead with a ton of strength; he drinks the Hydra¡¯s poison.¡±


    ¡°Cool, and pretty crazy,¡± Scarlet mumbled, ¡°but what about you?¡±


    ¡°We all have our tasks, and yours is to keep the army distracted for Tom to get some of his stealth OPs units in place for what we planned earlier.  Are they ready, Tom?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re ready,¡± he said, ¡°but we haven¡¯t negotiated with Noah yet.  I assume that¡¯s where you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±  Selvaria jumped in, tail wagging now.  ¡°Ohan and I are going to the northeast¡ªI get to break the wall and be the big monster?¡±


    ¡°He-he, yes, Selvaria,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°Maria will be coming to back you up¡ªOhan, protect her because there are a lot of mind-controlled people in that area.¡±


    ¡°I can do that,¡± Ohan returned, ¡°but what kind of threats are we facing?¡±


    ¡°In a second.  Scarlet¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    ¡°I have a special extraction mission for you¡ªa man¡¯s sister needs to be taken to safety¡ªshe¡¯s with a group of Hexers ¡­ You can¡¯t miss her; grab the woman, and have Benedict and the twins escort her to the stadium to take shelter.¡±


    Fiona forced a chuckle.  ¡°Eh¡ªI assume I¡¯m on apocalypse duty?¡±


    ¡°You are the most flashy,¡± Rachel mused, ¡°and be as destructive as you can; Scarlet is on rescue duty, evacuating the area where all of Salvador¡¯s men are.  Most of them are fairly cowardly; act like a rival warlord that will take them under your wing, and they¡¯ll flip sides.¡±


    ¡°One on one combat with the beefy guy?¡±  Fiona snickered.  ¡°That¡¯s pretty mean, Rachel¡ªI¡¯m like the dude¡¯s worst nightmare if all he can do is throw punches.¡±


    ¡°Heh, I never said it would be hard; are you fine acting the villain?¡±


    ¡°I can make a great villain!¡±


    ¡°Pfft, he-he-he.¡±


    ¡°Why are you laughing, Maria?  I can!  I can totally pull off the evil warlord.¡±


    ¡°Mhm ¡­ It¡¯s not one of those anime, girl; these guys are probably killers.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean they won¡¯t pee their pants at a car-sized fireball hanging over their heads.¡±


    ¡°He-he, she¡¯s got a point,¡± Grace laughed.  ¡°So, I¡¯m taking out the Hydra?¡±


    Rachel hummed.  ¡°Maybe ¡­ I heard you recently got your hands on Anti-Magic bullets.  Correct?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah ¡­ Tom had them made from some military contracts or something.  I¡¯ve never used them, though.¡±


    ¡°I know how they work from the explanation Tom had with the crafter yesterday; you have the sharpest eyes¡ªlook for anyone wearing a magical black chain or an invisible puppet hanging over them and destroy it¡ªFiona will keep you in the air.  Oh, and Scarlet, bring that woman to Grace before leaving¡ªjust to be sure.¡±


    Sounding a little overwhelmed by her mission, Scarlet cleared her throat, and Luka''s expression tightened with anxiety as she went on.  ¡°Umm, o-okay¡­¡±


    Maria hissed.  ¡°Yeah, those puppet things are freaky¡ªcan you even see them?¡±


    Scarlet answered.  ¡°Mhm!  We were talking about it while watching you destroy them; both Grace and I can see them.¡±


    ¡°I get you, Scarlet,¡± Maria mumbled, ¡°but Grace, too?¡±


    ¡°Lesser Magic Eye II, baby!¡±  Grace cheered.  ¡°Eh ¡­ yeah, that being said, I can do that, but I only have like eighty bullets ¡­ How many are we talking?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say ¡­ Can you chain-shot them to hit multiple targets?¡±


    ¡°If ¡­ I don¡¯t plan on shooting anything too far apart, I can, and trying to use my bullet recovery Skill, I could extend it to like ¡­ between one-twenty and one-thirty?  I won¡¯t be much help with anything big, though; it takes a lot of alcohol for me to do that many high-precision skill shots.¡±


    ¡°Fiona will handle the bulk of it.  I¡­¡±


    She paused, ears flicking to the stadium, and screams soon erupted through the stands, another dose of misfortune flooding her way.  No ¡­ that shouldn¡¯t be right ¡­ This should bring trouble to one of the northern warlords.  Why ¡­ oh ¡­ shit.


    A smile lifted her lips as she thought on the looming clouds swirling above her head, lightning practically dancing around her by the calamity cycling.  There¡¯s another manipulator in the mix because Alan didn¡¯t craft this wave.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Tom asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re speeding things up.  Scarlet, take Maria to Selvaria now and get into position; I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to find the army when you get back to take Fiona¡¯s group.  Tom, center the Army on keeping the peace to the northeast and dump your Magical Dispel units in the areas Maria scouted out.¡±


    She sucked in her lower lip for a moment, tasting the salt on them as a savage lion¡¯s roar vibrated from her brain to her bones, cutting past the storm to be heard throughout the city.


    ¡°Selvaria, go Godzilla-mode and get to the tallest building inside those walls with Maria to free Mara¡ªRelica and her friend captured the Mythickin Siren¡ªMaria can dispel any status effects and give you guys support.  There is a teleportation user with the dark-skinned Legend; don¡¯t let her put a collar around your throat.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±  Selvaria cheered.  ¡°Best job!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t gotta remind me who this bitch is,¡± Maria grunted.  ¡°We¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    She felt the unnatural aura was meant to bring attention to the king of beasts from atop the stadium.  ¡°Hurry, and Tom, be prepared to negotiate with Noah.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±  Scarlet hesitantly questioned, taking the Unicorn to her team.  ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that roar ¡­ Are you going to¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Rachel chuckled, anticipation flooding her veins.  ¡°You just teleport around and save people so Fiona can go all out.  I need to go.¡±


    Tossing the radio to the Legend next to her, she grinned.  ¡°Vasishtha, take Luka to Noah¡ªpick him up and run.  Nemesis is coming for your head.¡±


    Vasishtha¡¯s eyebrows pulled together.  ¡°Eh¡ªme¡ªwhat did I do to the big cat?¡±  His face turned white.  ¡°Oh, no ¡­ Was one of the women I slept with his wife?  They all told me they were single; I swear!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be worried about that¡ªI¡¯m going to see if I can calm him down, but keep your eyes sharp ¡­ Someone¡¯s going to come after Noah next, and I don¡¯t know where they are.¡±


    Vasishtha rolled around his neck, dropped his table umbrella, and picked up Luka.  ¡°Got it!¡±


    ¡°W-What about my sister?¡±  Luka winced as the pouring rain fell over him.  ¡°Is¡ªIs she being controlled?¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯d save her,¡± Rachel whispered.  ¡°Get going, Vash.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, lil dude, but we need to get on the movin¡¯!¡±  Vasishtha chuckled, running at a respectable speed to what Rachel expected.


    * * *


    Lights filled the stadium; mud and water falling around Nemesis as he held up the last struggling Demi from the northeast by the head, raising him higher for the audience.  Shouts for his blood filled the stadium, crying for retribution for what this group had done to three of the Beastkin contenders that had previously taken them on.


    Only sparking embers flashed out of the man¡¯s fingers, mana utterly spent as the veins on his neck bulged, smashing his fist against Nemesis¡¯ wrist to no avail; most of his clothing was once again utterly destroyed¡ªit happened every time he entered the ring.


    He caught the charred corpses and severed limbs of the female and two male Beastkin who had been made a spectacle by the confident three Magi Champions.


    A hyperventilating woman struggled at his feet as he held her down with his weight, trembling eyes fixated on the lacerated man he held above her; his blood mixed with the rain, dropping onto her face.


    The claws on his toes eased out, sinking into her breast and forcing her trembling lips open to taste the rustic liquid from the man.


    ¡°P-Please¡ªack¡ªstop¡ªI¡¯m sorry ¡­ I¡ªhe made me¡ªwe were p-paid to¡­¡±  she gagged as he put pressure on her chest, forcing the air out of her lungs.


    Next to her were a dark-skinned Magi woman¡¯s dead eyes, fixated on her healer, gashes across the wind-user¡¯s face and chest¡ªat least, the upper half of her body was beside the breathless healer¡ªthe rest laid two meters away.


    ¡°I asked if you could heal her?¡± Nemesis coldly asked.  ¡°You seemed to be fairly competent, but you just stood there in shock ¡­ And you step into my arena?  Pathetic.¡±


    His fingers flexed, crushing the man¡¯s skull and sending brain matter, bone, and blood raining down on the horrified woman; after a good fifteen seconds to let her tremble, lungs fighting against his weight to be filled, he rolled his foot to the side¡ªcracking ribs, and her screams were drowned out by the crowd, crying for vengeance for their beloved Beastkin upstart contenders.


    ¡°Try to heal yourself,¡± he grunted, really not feeling it but knowing his subjects wanted blood.  ¡°Go on.¡±


    Her chest heaved, trembling fingers hovering over her side, but there was no longer any mana left for her to utilize at this point.  Soon after, she took her last breath, snot, brains, blood, half torn-off hair across her bruised face, staring up at the heavens for help.


    Nemesis stood in the mud and gore, vision drifted to study the battlefield; dozens of corpses littered the stadium from the matches that occurred.  There were a lot of challengers from the northwest today.


    A rueful smile touched his lips as he heard someone approaching, making his ears twitch a tad.  ¡°Heh, what could bring you out into what you¡¯d call a sausage fest?¡±


    Ana sniffed, wearing her boots to wade through the mud; Jaume stood beside her, roped into holding her umbrella, he assumed¡ªnot that there weren¡¯t two other women beside them to combine their own to fight the stormy weather.


    ¡°I was going to wait, but you took forever!  Ugh ¡­ I hate this gore and guts and sweat smell ¡­ It¡¯s somehow worse in the rain.¡±


    Kicking the bodies to send them tumbling away, he smirked.  ¡°Better?¡±


    ¡°Hardly¡­¡±


    Jaume cleared his throat.  ¡°Umm, no, but Mara said something to Ana that has us both concerned.  Did the two of you conspire to bring that United States military Lunar Hare in for dinner?¡±


    Nemesis began using the rain to clean the blood and brain off of his fur, giving a short shrug as the crowd mumbled and talked to themselves about the fight; there hadn¡¯t been an announcer for this one since he had to rush to the bathroom.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t conspire; Mara simply wanted to ask her over to talk about some things.  She¡¯s interesting.¡±


    ¡°That is what concerns me,¡± Ana muttered, eyeing him suspiciously.  ¡°We both know you¡¯re not the type to get wound up by a woman¡ªas unusual as that is for a man¡­¡±  she grimaced at the corpses of the two women.  ¡°Ahem ¡­ Anyway, what¡­¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ fur stood on end as danger cascaded through his skin; glowing yellow eyes darting to the left as a glint shone through the storm, he saw a streak of white¡ªan arrow.  He dove forward, fingers barely missing the tail¡ªhe was so much slower than he should have been¡ªmid-sentence, the illuminated tip passed through the umbrella and plunged into Ana¡¯s chest.


    Carried off her feet, Ana struck the shoulder of the woman standing next to her; he watched in slow motion as a bright light erupted through every vein, and before she touched the ground, he knew she was dead.


    Stumbling to catch his balance, he darted back in the slowly stilling atmosphere as realization struck the crowd from the massive display showing their group.  Dropping to her side, he watched the energy arrow fade, but one scent put a quiver through his frame.


    The man ¡­ Vasishtha ¡­ Why would Rachel¡¯s man kill Ana?


    ¡°Ana!¡±  Jaume cried, falling to her side with the stunned and stumbling women.  ¡°What ¡­ Nemesis¡­¡±


    ¡°Take care of her,¡± Nemesis returned, knowing it was hopeless after seeing the effects.


    Wind bombarded his ears as he launched forward and jumped up the stands, and power flooded his legs; he leaped to the rafters to punch a hole through and reach outside.  Crawling through, he scanned for scents, using all fours to rush to the spot he¡¯d seen the assassin.


    He came to a halt when confirming the scent.  Rachel¡¯s man killed Ana ¡­ Was it all a trick?  No, but why¡­


    His tail and ears flicked with agitation as he barely heard the women and Jaume¡¯s emotional voices below.


    ¡°N-No, Ana, but ¡­ but she can come back, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t she called the Phoenix?  She can¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Jaume whispered, and after studying the seared mark that had destroyed much of the dress front, he shook his head.  ¡°Whatever it was¡ªno, Ana doesn¡¯t have that kind of power¡ªshe put everything into healing others ¡­ She¡¯s not a Phoenix, it¡¯s,¡± he took a deep breath, ¡°it¡¯s just what people called her.¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ she can¡¯t be gone ¡­ She can¡¯t be ¡­ She was going to heal my husband¡¯s ¡­ She was such a good person¡­¡±


    ¡°Why¡­¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ fingers curled into fists as the wind and screaming crowd drowned out their voices.  If I had done something about these curses ¡­ Was Rachel warning me about it for this, or was it a taunt ¡­ I need to know why¡­


    A golden aura wrapped around his body, breaking all restraints on him as he activated Pride of the King VI.  Nemesis¡¯ natural defenses returned to normal before multiplying by three, and he shrugged off the curses, now immune to such things, and his offensive stats increased by fifty percent.  Ana was under my protection ¡­ Vasishtha, and whoever helped him kill her will suffer.


    * * *


    The shifting fog swirled into unsettling patterns as Anthony pressed forward, Jaenona followed in silence behind him; he knew these paths like the back of his hand since the beach was one of his favorite places as a kid to escape his overbearing mother¡ªalthough, this place was a twisted visage of his memories.


    Tingles prickled his forearm as his eyes wandered to the path¡ªno longer was there concrete or stone¡ªthe ground twitched, a fleshy mass of muscle that liquified, crept forward, and solidified again.


    Various sections bubbled and released a haze of gray that mixed into the mist, but instinctually, he knew there was no turning back.  A realization came once reaching the stairs; there was a purpose for him being here, and he needed to recall why, yet maddeningly, it remained just out of reach of his thoughts.


    A shiver ran through his bones as a hiss of wind or some otherworldly being passed above, and various shapes took form only so close to be masked by the haze; still, he felt the need to press forward.


    After an unknown period of time, Anthony cleared his throat, glancing back to see the serene smile on Jaenona¡¯s partially hidden face; only a quarter of the stone remained, hiding an eye.


    Strangely, he wasn¡¯t that panicked now, and he figured it was something she was doing to him.  ¡°What¡¯s out there?¡±


    Jaenona¡¯s cosmic gaze shimmered while scanning the quivering masses in the void.  ¡°The Lost ¡­ The Broken ¡­ seeking home, yet you are a specter, slipping through their fingers as you pursue the call they long to hear.¡±


    Tucking his bottom lip under his teeth, Anthony breathed in and eased it out.  After her explanation, the clicks, eerie screams, and whispers became melancholy and heart-wrenching.  ¡°Is there nothing I can do if I have the map to guide them?¡±


    The woman¡¯s somber expression tilted to the left, a piteous tone moving her voice.  ¡°Unfortunately, these brothers and sisters have been taken by the Fallen One¡¯s Bane ¡­ If they were to find you ¡­ the madness would take hold.¡±


    Anthony slowed, peering into the veil.  ¡°Who is this Fallen One?¡±


    ¡°I do not know myself ¡­ It is a pained scar burned into my soul,¡± she whispered, flaking stone fingers rising to press against her hidden breast.  ¡°One such as I require a vessel to escape these cursed lands ¡­ I can hear the lingering whispers of The Sinking Deep surrounding you,¡± she smiled, eye closing in solace.  ¡°My prayers to enter the secrets of ages past ¡­ the Dream I wish to experience once again.¡±


    Swallowing the sticky saliva in his throat, Anthony realized she meant he was her vessel.  ¡°What happens when we get to the shore?¡±


    Jaenona shook her head.  ¡°I do apologize, Anthony, but I can only cut a path as you direct¡ªI do not question¡ªI have faith in the melody of your Dream.  We pass through time and space, twisting in the weave to slip between the fissures of war and carnage long past ¡­ An enemy creeps forward in the shadows¡­¡±


    Hugging himself as a sudden chill passed over him, Anthony slowed to see a large shadow hover just beyond reach before retreating as Jaenona¡¯s gaze centered on it.  ¡°Should we ¡­ stay here?¡±  he shuddered.


    ¡°No need to be concerned,¡± she reassured, filling his core with warmth and security with her smile.  ¡°We are slipping back into the fold, and a lingering army brushed against us ¡­ Their capricious response was inevitable once realizing their folly in approaching my aberration to their Existence ¡­ Sadly, their loss was great.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s focus went to the rumbling stone falling away from her hair and the black fog shrouding the rest of her naked figure; however, for a moment, he saw the harrowing, void-like entity he¡¯d come to realize this lovely illusion was.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ We should go.¡±


    It was irrational¡ªinsane¡ªto calmly continue knowing this thing was using him as a car, yet his heart became tranquil with the knowledge.  An inevitability filled him that pulled him to the sea; answers awaited him.


    However, a strange scene soon opened up as the fog parted a tad to reveal several paths, and one had two people inside¡ªa devil and a teenage rabbit girl.  The way blocked by the rifts, Anthony stopped, eyebrows pulling in to shift between the destinations; each was of something he recognized, except for the two girls.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    Jaenona halted beside him, hands held behind her back.  ¡°Passages your subconscious was drawn to for safety ¡­ What will you do?¡±


    Her questioning gaze tightened his mouth; the demonic woman hidden in a pocket of shadow from the searching girl was burned and sickly, yet a smile was on her face.


    In the next instance, a shimmering candy cane appeared out of nowhere for the two to take, making the girl squeal with delight; even more unusual was a third that floated through the rip to him, and upon grasping it, an exotic woman with long ears flashed across his mind.


    He pulled courage from the item, fixating on the image, and upon bringing it to his lips, he recalled a thrilling sensation that returned a kiss before it slipped away.  Blinking, he looked up to see the tears in space closing.


    Anthony caught the nervous look on Jaenona''s face as she waited for his decision, and without knowing why, he tightened his grip and walked around the lifeline when the others faded¡ªa promise returned in the short exchange¡ªhis commitment to someone just beyond remembrance, yet he knew what he needed to do.


    I have to rescue someone ¡­ She¡¯s at the shore.


    Pressing forward, he stepped onto gravelly sand, causing the fog to part and reveal two people, an elderly man, and a teenage cheetah girl; both were unconscious.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 46. The Lion, The Witch, And The Hare

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Nemesis (Our Lion King of Havana!)


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    The fur along Nemesis¡¯ arms bristled as he walked through the dying tempest, peering through the golden hue of Pride of the King and curtain of rain that surrounded him; the glow cast a reflection on the flooded streets and made him the center of attention.


    Every roar in the heavens and step Nemesis took, helped temper his feral rage.  His irritating, rational mind continued to gain ground in the storm that tried to beat against his protective aura and robust defenses, but it wasn¡¯t until he made it to the bar Vasishtha and Rachel met at, that he came to a stop.


    Hot air puffed out of Nemesis¡¯ nostrils, liquid dripping off his twitching whiskers as a rumble reverberated in his throat; closed fist quivering at his side, he forced his emotions under control, and after a moment, his luminous, topaz irises fixated on the spot he¡¯d first seen Rachel, hazed far ahead of him on the long road.


    Being a Lion, naturally, it was his duty to challenge anyone who would threaten his reign and authority, yet as a human, the possibility of deceit ebbed its way into his brain.  He wanted nothing more than to break into a run and rip into the man that killed Ana, but the questions pressing against his chest were nastier than any wound.


    The whistling wind and pounding rain came into clear focus as the blood pumping in his ears lessened, and a gut-churned sensation brought his narrowed vision to the left; Nemesis¡¯ narrowed vision found an illuminated figure sitting on top of a building, but this wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d expected.


    ¡°Starting to think again?¡±  Rachel asked, her voice cutting past the gale to his twitching ears; there was an unusual twist to her tone and expression that he hadn¡¯t detected when first meeting the hare girl.  ¡°Let me guess what you¡¯re thinking¡­  What if this whole thing was a ruse to get me away from the coliseum¡­  Did this little hare trick me?¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ heart stilled, intense stare riveted on the changed figure.  He wasn¡¯t sure if it was Rachel¡¯s black hair, altered eye color, or new outfit design that made his saliva sticky and a chill run down his spine.


    Due to his innate Lion instincts, he sensed an unnatural vibe radiating from Rachel¡¯s clothing that almost seemed to infuse her words and mannerisms¡ªan unhallowed lullaby that darkened everything he¡¯d initially drawn from the woman.


    He wasn¡¯t scared¡ªhe didn¡¯t know the word¡ªbut the eerie feel of the hare¡¯s words, spoken in Somali, his most familiar language, was more than weird.  An ominous pulse embraced her casual posture, expressions holding almost a natural draw like Mara.


    Shifting positions to look up at her, Nemesis returned to the tongue he was familiar with.  ¡°Where¡¯s Mara?¡±


    A short pause ensued as she crossed her legs the opposite way, leaning back on the flat roof¡¯s edge to look to her left; her tongue slid across her rosy lips, her vision drifting back to him.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ You want to punch your way to answers, but I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ve both been pushed into a rather uncomfortable position, Nemesis.¡±


    Tight chest drawing in another deep breath, he hissed it out through his bestial teeth, ¡°Where is Mara?¡±


    She answered with a short chuckle, but Nemesis only sensed ice in her bright eyes; the pink four-leaf clovers had blackened, and every second he studied Rachel, he became more convinced, it wasn¡¯t her¡ªthe girl¡¯s entire cadence had taken a sharp curve.


    ¡°Do you want to get vengeance against the person that killed Ana?¡±


    It was his turn to fall silent¡ªher entrance, her tone, the questions she asked¡ªit was as if every action was meant to disrupt his emotions and put him on edge.  His focus wandered to various parts of her body, looking for his next move; he¡¯d been in countless fights, but nothing had prepared him for this style of mind games, and he was sure that was her intention.


    Every piece of her attire was form-fitted to her figure, a leather-like material that molded to her every curve.


    His vision started with her spiked boots, cutting into the side of the building as she bobbed her legs, showing some kind of net-like fabric covering her thighs.  It led up to some of the most revealing shorts he¡¯d ever seen on a woman and some type of vest that left much of her ample upper breasts and navel exposed.


    She wore fingerless gloves, and her now raven black hair had been drawn into a thick braid that curved over her left shoulder, but it was Rachel¡¯s new tattoos that caught his gaze; these were the things that ruffled his fur.


    Is she just distracting me?  No, I didn¡¯t even sense her approach until that sinister aura caught my attention ¡­ Water doesn¡¯t touch her ¡­ The wind acts as if she isn¡¯t even there¡­


    As if to counter that train of thought, Rachel snickered and pushed off the edge to land on the sidewalk, causing a spray, yet the liquid curved around her feet as if blocked.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re in quite the bind, Nemesis ¡­ Mara is missing, you unsure if others are waiting to cause panic in your kingdom while you¡¯re away, and Ana was murdered.  Clearly, you¡¯ve come looking for me because you can¡¯t follow the person¡¯s trail ¡­ Hmm, and now you find me completely different ¡­ Quite the troublesome spot to find yourself in, and while actively suppressing your instincts to go wild.¡±


    Nemesis did want to slam his fists into something and tear it apart, but he regained a more dignified posture, albeit with effort.  ¡°Are you the same woman I met ¡­ It¡¯s as if you are possessed¡ªlike some of those Catholic people speak of.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s white teeth flashed in a smile, left hand coming to her hip.  ¡°You¡¯re more knowledgeable than I thought ¡­ Do you want to find the person that killed Ana or go after Mara?  I¡¯ll help you accomplish whichever you choose.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  Caught utterly off-guard by the declaration, Nemesis¡¯ internal walls redoubled.  ¡°Is this some kind of game to you?¡±  he growled.  ¡°So, the U.S. government took Mara hostage?¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk,¡± Rachel giggled.  ¡°There you go, jumping to conclusions again ¡­ Let your brain puzzle that out instead of your brawn.  Why would we go through something so roundabout in a collapsed nation with warlords running around everywhere?


    ¡°There are a plethora of examples the U.S. could use to invade at this point and have the whole broken world¡¯s support.  Does the U.S. fear you?  No, don¡¯t flatter yourself, Nemesis.  Why would Vasishtha murder Ana just after we met?  What would we gain by drawing you here ¡­ an ambush?¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ tail flicked with agitation as his gaze drifted around the empty street; there were no hidden assassins, which was something he found unusual.  People attempting to trap him had become almost a casual event for him in a day, yet that didn¡¯t seem to be the goal.


    ¡°Nothing about this makes sense to me,¡± he growled.  ¡°Is Mara safe?¡±


    His gut tightened as Rachel¡¯s head eased left and right.  ¡°No, she is not, which is why I have sent a party to rescue her ¡­ What would you say if I told you there was an army gathering to your northwest ¡­ Shortly, normal people in Noah and your area are going to start killing each other out of nowhere and to top it off, you were sent to disrupt me?¡±


    He stood in the rain, pondering her question, and his somber tone rumbled Nemesis¡¯ chest.  ¡°Nothing about this makes sense ¡­ including your new appearance and vibe.¡±


    ¡°On the contrary,¡± Rachel¡¯s smile fell a tad as she shifted posture to look to the northeast, ¡°it makes perfect sense ¡­ A true puppet master is pulling the strings in the shadows that I wasn¡¯t aware of ¡­ It¡¯s obvious now.¡±


    ¡°Ggh-rrr¡­¡±  The deep rumble in Nemesis¡¯ throat brought the hare¡¯s ears and narrowed gaze.  ¡°I¡¯m not about to trust you, even if all of this feels off.  Your comrade killed a person under my protection; I don¡¯t care why ¡­ I want his blood, and I¡¯ll go through you if I need to.¡±


    ¡°Precisely ¡­ Yet, are you sure it was Vasishtha?  He was with me when she was killed ¡­ Two people were there, but maybe he has some kind of body-double ability.  Right?  You can never be too careful.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying he has gone rogue?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that we both want answers.  If Vasishtha really has gone rogue, I have no issue with you doing what you feel needs to be done, but I have my doubts, personally.  So ¡­ do you want my help?  After all, if what you believe is true, it is also my problem, and I¡¯ll leave every possibility open.¡±


    Nemesis glared down at the woman standing several meters away as the storm did her best to rain hell down on them to no avail; Rachel was just as enchanting, yet there was an unsettling chill now that made him cautious.


    His rage tempered by her unorthodox approach, he asked, ¡°Say I believe you ¡­ Who has Mara?¡±


    ¡°You know the woman that interrupted my meeting with Vasishtha?¡±


    ¡°Relica or the other one?¡±


    ¡°Both, essentially ¡­ Miora has put some kind of slave collar on the Siren to counter my hearing ¡­ I responded by using this outfit, which grants me immunity to Mara¡¯s songs, not that they¡¯ve let her cease her melody.  However, I owe your girlfriend for giving me information at the cost of torture.¡±


    Bypassing the comment about the Siren being his woman, Nemesis¡¯ muscles bulged.  ¡°Torture ¡­ What are they doing to her¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand; be calm, though ¡­ Rushing into things will only cause trouble.  I have, heh ¡­ You¡¯re about to hear the assault¡¯s start.¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ brow furrowed, but before he could ask, a frigid atmosphere bit into his enhanced resistances as a hair-raising rumble vibrated through his chest from a colossal creature that drowned out the hurricane.


    An oppressive aura radiated through the atmosphere as a shockwave was felt through the ground, and a cacophony erupted out of the northeast.


    ¡°Selvaria seems to be having fun,¡± Rachel giggled, bringing Nemesis¡¯ focus back to the Lunar Hare.


    ¡°That was¡­¡±


    ¡°The rescue party I sent ¡­ Heh, as you can hear, they¡¯re making their way toward Mara, and Relica shouldn¡¯t have much information on our newer members.  A gigantic sea monster is sure to unnerve her kidnappers, and I have someone there to heal and free Mara ¡­ A battering ram to stun and cause panic, a defender, and support for her health ¡­ Are you willing to listen now?¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ vision returned to the veiled direction of the monster Rachel had set loose on the northeastern warlord; by the weight of the thuds he felt shaking the ground to the noise of the creature plowing through buildings, he was sure this thing was formidable.


    If she has subordinates as powerful as this¡­


    ¡°You said you wanted to help me find whoever killed Ana ¡­ What are your intentions for Mara, though?¡±


    ¡°Smart question,¡± the woman praised, giving him a small grin.  ¡°I never said what I would do with your woman after I¡¯d rescued her.  My plan?  Free her, and let her decide what she wants to do.  She¡¯s being used as a weapon against me at the moment, but I could care less about her once that obstacle is handled.¡±


    ¡°My territory?¡±


    ¡°The plot against it is being handled by my¡­¡±  she paused as another explosion sounded to the northwest with roars from multiple creatures.  ¡°Ah, it seems Fiona is making herself known now, and I have a fairly powerful person holding position at the stadium if you¡¯re concerned.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Are you prepared for everything?¡±  Nemesis growled, his tail flicking to the opposite side as he followed her explanation.


    The Lunar Hare¡¯s amusement diminished, black ears folding down a tad.  ¡°Have I gained your trust to at least take me up on my assistance?¡±


    In the end, he had hit a wall; Rachel was his only lead, and the story she¡¯d spun seemed too wild to believe, yet chaos was now happening in every direction.  ¡°I have two more questions ¡­ Where is Vasishtha?¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ He is going to protect and warn Noah of the plot I suspect is targeting him next, which is the direction I want to go.¡±


    ¡°Convenient ¡­ And lastly, what is your goal here?¡±


    ¡°Heh, isn¡¯t that obvious ¡­ I¡¯m here to provide assistance to the U.S. military during their operation in restoring peace to Cuba.¡±


    His instincts told him she wasn¡¯t totally sincere for the first time, which helped confirm his suspicions.  ¡°That¡¯s not your only goal.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Rachel reached up to scratch the base of her left ear, left eye narrowing as she scrutinized him.  ¡°Do you have something similar to Maria ¡­ Mmh, maybe not so refined, but I suppose it¡¯s not my full desire.  Ultimately, this is a means to get stronger, and helping people isn¡¯t so bad ¡­ I may not seem too into the idea right now, but there are reasons for that.¡±


    A sharp smirk lifted her pretty face.  ¡°That being said, what do you say about a friendly fight after all this is finished ¡­ Although, I suppose we¡¯re bound to face one another if you want to keep this little kingdom of yours when this is all over.¡±


    At last, Nemesis felt like smiling at the challenge, but Ana¡¯s death kept him sober.  ¡°I¡¯ll make you a proposition ¡­ Help me find the person who killed Ana and free Mara to do as she pleases, and then I¡¯ll face you in the arena.  If you win, I¡¯ll acknowledge you as taking my throne to do as you please.¡±


    A glint appeared in the girl¡¯s unique eyes.  ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that, Nemesis ¡­ Follow me.¡±


    She turned and walked down the same path where they¡¯d first met, and Nemesis couldn¡¯t be sure why, but only his gaze kept pace for a moment; her body had a natural, hypnotic sway to it that pulled his vision from her slim back, tattoos shifting to various symbols as he watched to the small black tail above her shapely rear.


    Again, he was reminded about the mysterious attraction this Lunar Hare held that didn¡¯t correspond to her abilities; now, he wanted to learn more about this change in demeanor that had thrown a curve at him in more ways than one.


    Picking up his pace, Nemesis slowed to match her tempo.  ¡°What changed you so drastically ¡­ It¡¯s as if you¡¯re a different person entirely?¡±


    ¡°Mmh, I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯ve changed that much,¡± Rachel mused, finding her hands behind her back as she tilted her head to give him a sidelong look.  ¡°In fact, I¡¯d say you¡¯re seeing a part of myself I rarely show.  To put it simply, this is a part of my personality I suppress, but it is still me.  Why?¡±


    A lilt touched her voice, and she gave him a wink that confused him.  ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re falling for me, Nemesis; I won¡¯t tell Mara.  She does seem like the type to go a little crazy.¡±


    Nemesis cleared his throat, pulling his gaze away from the enchanting woman.  ¡°No need to concern yourself.  Mara isn¡¯t my woman, and I don¡¯t know how I feel about you.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened a tad, a cat-like smile moving her lips.  ¡°Mmh, so honest; I wasn¡¯t expecting that ¡­ consider me pleasantly surprised.  I do have a boyfriend, though, and I¡¯m not the cheating type.¡±


    ¡°Humph¡­¡±


    He fell silent at the news,  playful looks she kept sending him gave mixed messages, however.  What am I even thinking right now ¡­ How can she make me doubt myself ¡­ I¡¯ve never doubted myself.


    If he felt anything, it was frustration; Rachel confused and unnerved him, which he didn¡¯t like but he couldn¡¯t get away from the fact he wanted to understand the sensation, pulling his focus back to her¡ªthe loop was vexing.


    A low growl resonated in his chest while glaring at the smug woman walking beside him; she kept her eyes ahead, yet he had the sneaking suspicion she could still see every detail of his study and seemed entertained at the prospect.


    Her long, black-furred ears shifted as they walked, and the contrast of the white inner section pulled his vision.  White and black ¡­ It''s as if there are two parts of her.  She was confident before, but this is nothing like the pride I first sensed¡­


    ¡°Keep staring like that, and I¡¯ll think you want to make a snack out of my ears,¡± Rachel snickered.  ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    Puffing out hot steam through his teeth from his rising body heat, Nemesis forced his golden eyes to the street.  ¡°We¡¯re taking our time.  Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not convinced that is why you were so fixated on my ears, but I¡¯ll play along.  Why are we having a casual stroll through a hurricane as monsters roar and a Fairy causes panic?  I need to have a clear picture of the battlefield.¡±


    She made a circular motion, drawing Nemesis¡¯ focus to her blood-red fingernails.  ¡°The person we¡¯re after can completely hide their presence; an annoying ability that can bypass my ears and your nose, it seems, but the fascinating part, I think, isn¡¯t the person themselves ¡­ It¡¯s how they executed it.¡±


    Mind syncing with her implications, Nemesis¡¯ nose twisted.  ¡°Using me to distract you ¡­ I¡¯m a distraction?¡±


    ¡°Mmh, I¡¯m not so sure, to be completely honest,¡± Rachel smirked, sounding more entertained by the second.  ¡°This isn¡¯t new ¡­ Pieces have been lining up for quite some time, so far as I can tell.  It may appear on the surface that they¡¯re trying to force us into a conflict ¡­ I doubt that¡¯s the case.¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­ If this isn¡¯t a distraction or to get rid of you, what is it?¡±


    The cat-like curve to her lips returned to him.  ¡°Not going to question my hubris, hmm?  Yes, I think this is all about me ¡­ It¡¯s a test.  Victory isn¡¯t intended for this small conflict; there¡¯s a bigger game being played.  Nemesis?¡±


    He slowed to a stop, lips peeled back as he glared at the muddy water rushing past his feet, temporarily illuminated by his golden glow.  ¡°You¡¯re saying ¡­ Ana¡¯s death was just to test how smart you are?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s grin vanished, and a cold dagger entered her eyes and tone.  ¡°As hard as it is to hear, people have died for much less.  War is won before the first move is ever played, and in this battle, I¡¯ve already lost¡ªthere¡¯s no use in denying it, as much as I want to.  I noticed too late.¡±


    ¡°So ¡­ Who is this puppet master that killed Ana to be a pawn in his game?¡±


    The Lunar Hare looked up at him as thunder rolled across the sky, rainfall coming back into focus as they stared at one another; the gears turning in her head seemed to be deliberating on how to answer him.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I have a suspicion ¡­ It¡¯s too obvious ¡­ Then again, that could be the charm in it, making me overthink things ¡­ I¡¯m done being civil, though.  When I¡¯m certain, I¡¯ll let you know, but for now, I need to prove to you that we¡¯re on the same side.  What other bow-user have you met in Havana?¡±


    Jaw locking as he placed a hand over his stomach, remembering the pain he¡¯d experienced a week earlier.  ¡°The man covered in hair ¡­ So, this was also retribution against Ana for healing me?¡±


    ¡°Meh, it is likely that played a role in him accepting the job,¡± she shrugged.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less about that Demi ¡­ I can¡¯t have an enemy that can bypass my hearing.¡±


    He could understand that motivation; she was destroying a risk to her plans.  However, a weight pressed against his heart as a realization came¡ªAna¡¯s death was entirely his fault¡ªhe¡¯d allowed the archery Mythickin to have another attempt at him out of pride.  His pride was to blame for everything; if he hadn¡¯t been cursed, he could have saved her.


    Nemesis lifted his hand to see Pride of the King¡¯s aura diminishing; confidence in his ability was a part of his power, yet he¡¯d failed his position as patriarch of those under him.


    Rachel¡¯s vision narrowed, unique irises drifting to his bare torso.  ¡°A lot of that murderous intent left, Nemesis ¡­ I hope you do not think any of this was your fault.  Let me be clear, someone is orchestrating all of this, meaning they set things in motion for you to doubt yourself, and I assume lions need to have pride in themselves¡ªheh, Lion¡¯s Pride and all that¡ªso, don¡¯t fall for the trap.¡±


    Her smug expression returned as her attention went to the sound of pandemonium to the northeast that made it past the storm.  ¡°As I said, this is a test for me ¡­ And if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll do my worst ¡­ Why show finesse when it¡¯s expected, and I have a hammer that can do the same job?¡±


    Nemesis trudged through the stream they¡¯d entered, watching the splashes he created get repelled by Rachel¡¯s invisible heat field; it was as if he could see the Lunar Hare playing with a dagger, spinning it around the air while scanning for her next victim.  Still, she was right.


    If I want to restore my pride ¡­ I need to act, and I can¡¯t do that while doubting myself.


    ¡°He-he-he,¡± Rachel¡¯s teeth flashed; he sensed a shiver run from her ears to her tail.  ¡°Got you ¡­ Are you ready, Nemesis?  I know where your shooter is ¡­ He can¡¯t hide from misfortune.¡±


    ¡°Whatever ¡­ Where is he?¡±


    ¡°Keep up!¡±


    Crimson static sparked off Rachel¡¯s figure as black flames enclosed her; launching forward, the Lunar Hare cut a path through the storm.


    Jaw locking, strength flooded Nemesis¡¯ legs while darting after her.  She¡¯s so fast!  Is she ¡­ She¡¯s cutting a path through the storm for me to follow¡­


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel a little insulted, yet a smile finally lifted his black lips.  She really is unlike any woman I¡¯ve met¡­ Interesting.


    A feral focus returned, golden aura brightening; the animal within Nemesis eased out its claws, and he accelerated, centering on the Lunar Hare¡¯s back as she allowed him to catch up¡ªthe Lion chasing the Hare.  Ana ¡­ I will rip everyone involved in this plot into chunks of meat ¡­ You deserve at least that much for supporting me.


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 B4 — 47. The Legend Of Arjuna

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    1. Vasishtha (Our Legend of Arjuna!)


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    The water and wind beat against Vasishtha''s soaked shirt and face, but a grin split his lips while hauling Luka through the storm; life had been interesting since coming to the U.S., and he was happy to forget the drama back home¡ªstill, he knew he couldn¡¯t leave it be forever¡ªeventually, his exile would come to an end.


    Turning down a side street to find a bit of cover in an alleyway, he set down the wheezing man he carried.  ¡°Heh, sorry, my man; I know bein¡¯ tossed about on my shoulder isn¡¯t the best, but¡ªah, here we go!¡±


    ¡°W-Wha ¡­ Hold up!¡±  Luka protested as Vasishtha unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it to him before sweeping the guy into a princess carry.  ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡±


    ¡°Your face!  We¡¯re gonna pick up the pace, and I don¡¯t need ya drowning while getting peppered by rain; ha-ha, ya heard the girl¡ªwe gotta be movin¡¯!¡±


    Starting his jog, he steadily accelerated back to the road.  Luka pulled his hood strings tighter and tried to keep the shirt bunched in front of his face to defend against the gale and downpour.  ¡°Why am I here?¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha-ha!¡±


    Vasishtha¡¯s smile fell a little after tasting the liquid spraying into his mouth; he raced through the stormy night, sharp brown irises cutting past the hazed environment as if it weren¡¯t even there.  Rachel insinuated someone was out there, and he needed to watch for an assassin.


    The Lion Warlord¡¯s interest in him smelled of foul play, as well¡ªhe¡¯d been set up¡ªbut by who and what, he couldn¡¯t say.  Over the past few days, he¡¯d been meticulous in tracking everyone he came across and kept close tabs on those spying on him.  Naturally, he expected to draw attention¡ªit was his style¡ªbut someone had found some way to incriminate him.


    Nemesis was a man of honor and a warrior at heart.  Sure, he wasn¡¯t against dirty tactics but didn¡¯t feel the need to employ them, so far as he could tell, and Vasishtha considered himself an excellent judge of character.


    The Lion was protective of those under his umbrella and had a great deal of pride in his abilities, which had caused some scares, or so some of the women he¡¯d slept with had insinuated.  A Legendkin was doing great work fighting for her fellows in the district, pulling the women in that needed it, and Nemesis seemed perfectly comfortable holding the banner.


    In truth, Vasishtha had gained a degree of respect for Nemesis from the way the women in his area talked about the beastman; yes, he was brutal, yet such methods were often the only answer to those that offered the same hand¡ªleverage, in some form or another, was always required, and raw power was hard to challenge.


    Vision narrowing, his abs tightened upon darting between the tiniest hint of human interaction with the environment he passed; Vasishtha had seen a lot of things in Cuba that reflected in the inequality of his own home.


    Of course, a lot was different, and he couldn¡¯t understand most of the locals, yet he could see the pain in people¡¯s eyes.  The U.S. was much the same¡ªnowhere was free from suffering.  Perhaps Sumit was right, but I cannot go back on my word ¡­ Be safe in Krishna''s hands, my friend.


    It didn¡¯t take long to bypass Noah¡¯s security detail; he¡¯d scouted everything days in advance.  Throughout his time in Havana, he¡¯d gotten to know enough of his people to understand their habits from the bars he frequented.


    Vasishtha arrived in the cluster of houses they were using as their base of operations¡ªNoah¡¯s original living residence¡ªand set Luka down just out of sight from the guards, peering out of the windows.


    ¡°You good?  Hey, heh, keep your footing, Man,¡± he whispered, glad the rain and wind were masking their voices from anyone short of godly-level, such as Rachel¡¯s hearing.  Vasishtha held onto him until his shaky legs found themselves.


    Luka¡¯s teeth chattered, arms closed around his shoulders while shaking his head.  ¡°N-n-no¡­¡±


    Vasishtha playfully slapped him on the back with a chuckle, forcing him to put more attention into stabilizing himself.  ¡°C¡¯mon, Man; ya got a jacket on and everything!  You ready to get inside, though, hmm¡ªmaybe find a good breast to lay that head-on?  Woah¡ªhe-he-he!¡±


    ¡°Mgmgm¡­¡±  Luka stumbled forward again, almost falling as the wind struck his side had not Vasishtha steadied the Cuban.


    The men peering into the night instantly latched onto them, showing their sharp sight, and Vasishtha could tell they would cause a ruckus by his bare chest in the roaring tempest.  ¡°We should get goin¡¯; don¡¯t want them to have too much time to think about us¡­¡±


    Helping the man forward, he swiftly swapped to the opposite side as he threw up, coughing a bit while likely cursing in Spanish.


    Making it to the door, it was cracked open for them to enter, which was nice of them; not so nice, the dagger at his throat as it shut and the two men pointing offensive spells in his face.  Gibberish was tossed around as Vasishtha held his hands up a tad before pausing when the knife pressed against his Adam''s apple.


    A woman rushed forward to pull Luka away, speaking to him with concern while her pretty brown eyes hounded Vasishtha.


    ¡°Hey, hey¡ªlet¡¯s not get carried away!¡±  he chuckled, tilting his broad chin up to talk only for the edge to rise with him.


    ¡°Stand down¡ªhe¡¯d kill all of you if he really wanted¡­¡±  Everyone fell silent as a deep voice cut through the space, and a bronze-skinned colossus of a man walked down the stairs with two men following him.


    Noah was at least eight feet tall, head brushing the ceiling of his house, which showed marks that were probably accidentally made by his passing through the weeks.  He wore a baggy shirt that seemed to have been roughly stitched together to accommodate his growth, and his hard eyes showed an inner power that excited Vasishtha.


    He was strong but in a far more controlled way than what he¡¯d come to expect from seeing the Lion King, and Noah wasn¡¯t as practiced in physical altercations; he was sure if the two met, it would be this man¡¯s defeat.  Still, that didn¡¯t mean he was a pushover.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Vasishtha greeted, chuckling a little as the man with the knife promptly withdrew his knife but cut his shoulder bag strap in the process, retreating with it.  ¡°No need to be uncivil; I come in peace!¡±


    ¡°A random person from India, that from what I hear, fornicates with a lot of women,¡± one man grunted.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t women allowed to be with whomever they please?¡±  Vasishtha asked, lifting an eyebrow.  ¡°It isn¡¯t as if they are your possession.  Am I right, my ladies?¡±


    His grin turned toward the three women in the room who frowned and glared at him, probably not knowing what he said¡ªmaybe.


    The man that had taken his pack unzipped it and tossed a few things to his buddy while muttering, ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t like him ¡­ Eh, what¡¯s this, Raul?¡±


    A man holding a water-like spear in his direction closed his fist and pulled the liquid into a jar attached to his belt, moving to look at the device.  ¡°A radio ¡­ So we were right, he¡¯s working for a rival faction¡ªLeonardo?¡±


    ¡°Give it back to him, Martin¡ªyou heard Noah.¡±  The six-foot-tall panther Beastkin nudged his head to the corner of the room where a group of chairs had been placed.  ¡°I assume you came here to talk¡ªEnglish is fine?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, my friend,¡± Vasishtha laughed, taking the bag back from the reluctant men.


    Luka puffed out a long breath, rubbing his shoulders upon getting control of himself.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Yeah, yeah¡ªno, I¡¯m fine, Tal¨ªa¡ªbrrr ¡­ I¡¯m just cold ¡­ N-Noah, I, umm ¡­ That¡¯s a radio to their leader¡ª¡±


    ¡°Calm down and rest, Luka,¡± Noah interjected; his studious gaze hadn¡¯t left Vasishtha, and he knew the man was trying to gauge his response to the men and women to better understand him.  ¡°Victoria, can you warm him up a little?¡±


    He stepped to the side of the stairs as a beautiful brown-skinned woman descended, arms folded under her chest while studying the scene.  ¡°Of course ¡­ Come, Luka, sit with us by the fire,¡± she soothed, and Vasishtha felt an atmospheric wave weave through the room that settled around the man, causing the liquid to steam off him and his clothes to dry.


    ¡°Th-Thank you, Victoria,¡± Luka mumbled, smiling at the woman as Tal¨ªa guided him to the couch.


    In the manner she guided and fussed over him, Vasishtha could see him having a shot with her; she wasn¡¯t unattractive, but maybe a few years older than Luka, which was fine in his book.


    Vasishtha followed the others to the couches, acting as if the tense atmosphere hadn¡¯t existed.  ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point, my friends¡ªugh, this has a good bounce to it, heh¡ªhmm, so ¡­ Someone is on their way to assassinate you, Noah, and I¡¯m here to stop it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Everyone froze, some mid-sit, and gave him a stupefied look¡ªeveryone but Noah, that was.


    ¡°What makes you say that ¡­ It isn¡¯t like assassination is new to us,¡± he calmly stated, taking up much of a sofa himself and making it creak a little.  ¡°I know you¡¯re strong, Vasishtha; I¡¯ve had reports sent back to me about your actions through my area ¡­ I want to thank you for the help you¡¯ve offered the many women and men in need.  Can you be a little more specific?¡±


    Spreading his arms out on his lonesome, Vasishtha¡¯s lips bunched to the side, a little disappointed none of the women sat next to him; although, the unnamed woman and Victoria got into a whispered Spanish conversation after Noah¡¯s remark that piqued his interest.


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ speakin¡¯ about this radio ¡­ Here!¡±


    Vasishtha tossed it to the man to catch, causing tense muscles again.


    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon; lighten up!¡±  he snickered, dropping the back to the side.  ¡°So, uh, I¡¯m currently chillin¡¯ with the U.S. Military, and the big-shot general wants to speak to ya.  I¡¯m here to say or do nothing else but relay that message and make sure your heart stays pumping!


    ¡°On that note¡ªyuup-ugh¡ªthere we go¡­¡±  He got back to his feet, winking at the women and moving to one of the windows to peer through the rattling window, but there seemed to be a protective film some Demi used to reinforce the sheets.  ¡°I¡¯ll just be by my lonesome, waiting to play the hero!  Of course, I¡¯m not against a little company,¡± he added, directing his flashing teeth to Victoria.


    She smiled and chuckled, turning back to the other Cuban woman, but a second glance told Vasishtha she¡¯d likely come over to chat soon enough.


    Leonardo cleared his throat.  ¡°Noah, if there is a threat¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I know.  Raul?¡±


    He reached forward to take a much older and smaller radio off the table, speaking Spanish.  ¡°?Algo sospechoso?¡±


    [Anything going on?]


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°?Nada del Norte!¡±


    [Nothing from the North!]


    ¡°He visto a una pareja movi¨¦ndose para cubrirse, pero nada m¨¢s all¨¢ de eso.¡±


    [Seen a couple moving to cover, but nothing beyond that.]


    Several reports came in, but Vasishtha figured nothing of importance came because Raul growled.  ¡°Se astuto; ?te perdiste a dos personas que llegaron a la caba?a!¡±


    [Be sharp; you missed two people that got to the cabin!]


    ¡°Ehh?¡±


    ¡°?Necesitas respaldo?¡±


    [Do you need backup?]


    ¡°No, estamos bien. ?Estate atento!¡±


    [No, we''re fine.  Keep a lookout!]


    Noah sighed, focus shifting to Luka as Tal¨ªa moved to the kitchen to make a hot drink after bundling the young man in a blanket.  ¡°What do you make of him, Luka?¡±


    ¡°Ahem ¡­ Noah, I¡­¡±  His focus drifted between them, a lump dropping down his throat.  ¡°They promised to help my sister¡­¡±


    ¡°Fool,¡± Leonardo snapped, making him flinch and Victoria glance back at him.  ¡°Don¡¯t you think they¡¯d promise the sun if you¡¯d do what they want?¡±


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Noah muttered, leaning forward to look at the boy.  ¡°Continue, Luka¡ªdon¡¯t worry about what anyways says¡ªI want your honest opinion.¡±


    ¡°Umm, it¡¯s ¡­ it¡¯s crazy ¡­ Insane.¡±  He licked his dry lips, hugging the blankets tighter around his frame while staring into the lit fire.  ¡°This Mythickin Lunar Hare girl seems to be running the show ¡­ She¡¯s kind of terrifying but really pretty.¡±


    ¡°Hermosa?¡±  Tal¨ªa asked from the kitchen.  ¡°?C¨®mo es eso?¡±


    [Beauitful ¡­ How so?]


    ¡°Eh ¡­ I don¡¯t know how to describe it ¡­ It¡¯s like the moon, really, but ¡­ but she¡¯s also intimidating ¡­ She has this look and feel about her that makes you¡ªI don¡¯t know, nervous about what she might do¡ªyou just don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Vasishtha snorted, drawing their attention.  ¡°Heh, sounds about right¡ªRachel¡¯s one of those women you don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking¡ªand she be thinkin¡¯ a lot!¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡­ She¡¯s confronting the Lion King right now¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡ªyou¡¯re joking?  No, wait ¡­ We heard his roar not too long ago,¡± Leonardo muttered, tail stiffening and nose creasing.  ¡°She¡¯s going to kill the Lion King?¡±


    Vasishtha popped his tongue once.  ¡°Naa¡ªnot the feeling I got from her, which is a bit strange ¡­ he-he, another one of those Rachel mystery-moments; she¡¯s a fighter¡ªa real puncher of a gal, but my guess, she had something else in mind.  Still, I bet she could.¡±


    The throng glared at his statement, drawing into themselves to ponder his words as Luka shook his head.  ¡°Maybe ¡­ She¡¯s from the U.S. and already started¡ª¡±


    Everyone froze, a shiver running down their spines as a colossal beast¡¯s cry shook them to their marrow, causing a grin to spread across Vasishtha¡¯s face.  ¡°Seems Selvaria, Ohan, and Maria just started their attack on the Northeast.¡±


    Raul fell to the floor, quivering as the girl¡¯s Fear Aura spread across the city, forcing residents to flee from the sea monster¡¯s path; rumbles shook the ground as something massive moved its way onto land, and even the storm couldn¡¯t blot out the sounds of destruction from the north.


    Victoria rubbed her left arm as goosebumps cascaded down her skin.  ¡°This¡ªis the U.S. assault¡ªwhat is it¡ªwhat creature do you have?¡±


    Noah took a deep breath, eyeing the device in his hand; gasping and horrified voices broke across his small radio as reports flooded in.


    ¡°?Monstruo!  ?Un monstruo vino del mar!¡±


    ¡°?Ayudar!  Alguien, ayuda!¡±


    ¡°?Correr! ?Correr!¡±


    ¡°?Godzilla! ?Es Godzilla!¡±


    [Monster!  A monster came from the sea!


    Help!  Someone, help!


    Run!  Run!


    Godzilla!  It''s Godzilla!]


    He reached forward and handed the device to Leonardo.  ¡°Direct the evacuation from anyone near the North¡ªVasishtha, am I to assume you aren¡¯t attacking the people under my protection?¡±


    ¡°Not according to my knowledge.  Rachel¡¯s been in this little game with someone from the North, and they¡¯ve forced her to accelerate her plans.  All I know is that General Dallas has some urgent instructions for you, and I¡¯d make contact soon¡ªI¡¯m just sayin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Leonardo, I leave the defenses and retreat to you ¡­ Hello, am I speaking to General Dallas?¡±


    ¡°You are,¡± the general¡¯s deep, sober voice returned, ¡°and let me preface this discussion with a quick warning¡ªyou have people under the influence of a puppet master Demi in your midst.¡±


    A knife flashed as Martin¡¯s blade glinted in the firelight; Noah shot forward to defend Victoria, the woman¡¯s eyes widening in shock as the edge went for her throat¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t make it¡ªnot a hint of intent was behind the thrust.


    He didn¡¯t make it a foot to her slim neck before Vasishtha¡¯s fingers clasped his wrist, pulling it to the fireplace as a thread-like flame shot out to hit a log, causing a combustion to lick the stone and lift into the chimney.


    ¡°Tsk-tsk-tsk,¡± Vasishtha hissed, freehand forcing the weapon out of his hands before drawing him into a chokehold.  ¡°To go after such a beautiful woman is a sin, my man¡ªyou should really watch where you point such a thing ¡­ Women are a gift from Brahma.¡±


    Noah¡¯s tight expression softened as he slowly relaxed, watching the struggling man soon pass out and Vasishtha release him for the Bronze Titan to take.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Thank you ¡­ Raul, tie him up¡ªwe¡¯ll try to handle this in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªwhy would ¡­ Y-Yeah, okay, but Martin¡ªhe was a spy?¡±


    ¡°Controlled, I assume,¡± Victoria whispered hoarsely, rubbing her throat as the woman nearby teared up and pulled her away, trying to take the vocal Demi to the opposite room while looking uncertainly at the others, but Noah¡¯s hand blocked their path.


    ¡°No, Ximena ¡­ We don¡¯t know who¡¯s been affected ¡­ Vasishtha, if you could keep her close¡ªit seems someone¡¯s after her life.¡±


    ¡°No, pero Noah, yo¡ªyo no quiero que le pase nada a ella; ?No podemos confiar en ¨¦l!¡±  Ximena fearfully hissed, breathing heavily.  ¡°Martin¡­¡±


    [No, but Noah, I¡ªI don¡¯t want anything to happen to her; we can¡¯t trust him!]


    Victoria leaned in to hug her, whispering, ¡°Ximena, qui¨¦n fue el que me salv¨®?  Estar¨¦ bien.¡±


    [Ximena, who was it that saved me?  I¡¯ll be fine.]


    Vasishtha hadn¡¯t planned for this sort of duty but was more than obliged.  ¡°By all means, my good lady!¡±  He gestured for her to join him by the window, ¡°Allow me to pull up a chair for you; I need to remain vigilant in my other tasks, but I see no harm in pleasant conversation!¡±


    He turned his attention away from Noah and Tom¡¯s renewed conversation as they swapped to Spanish, losing interest with a beautiful face in front of him.  Naturally, he selected a comfortable armchair Raul had previously occupied to move for the lovely dark-haired woman, drawing a deep frown from the man as he restrained his friend.


    Luka fell into nervous silence after the sudden incident as Leonardo relayed the information about everyone being careful to watch each other as he informed them about a new order, taking steps to not trigger any puppet orders.


    Posted by the window, Vasishtha smiled while looking off into the night, peering beyond wood, stone, and water to see the various individuals around them; he had a similar feat of vision to Scarlet¡¯s, if not so laced with bells and whistles involving clothing or internal organs, but he enjoyed the consensual type of stripping, not the other way around.


    Victoria shifted her chair away from him toward the others, crossing her legs as she sat, adjusted her dress, and began the conversation.  ¡°So, Vasishtha is the name you prefer, or is there something else that is easier on unfamiliar tongues?¡±


    ¡°Heh-he, Rach recently called me Vash, which has a certain ring to it¡ªI think she¡¯s starting to take a liking to me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  the beauty giggled, watching Ximena glare at him; Tal¨ªa did the same, rushing back in to question the disapproving middle-aged Cuban woman.  ¡°Are you involved with her, as well?  I¡¯ve heard many interesting things about your ¡­ exploits over the last few days.¡±


    ¡°All good, I hope!  As for Rachel, eh-heh-he-ehrm ¡­ No, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m particularly her type.  I¡¯m a little too free, and she seems like the possessive type¡ªnot that that¡¯s bad, heh, just not me¡ªbesides, she has a rather handsome red-haired man back home.¡±


    ¡°Lucky girl ¡­ And, hmm-hmmm, I¡¯ve heard quite a few possessive women speak about you, yet somehow they can¡¯t seem to stay mad at you for getting so much attention from other ladies¡ªmight that be one of your powers?¡±


    Vasishtha¡¯s grinning eyes moved to a rather fascinating shift five buildings away in the downpour.  ¡°Natural charm, I¡¯d like to call it!  I do what I please, and I¡¯m not shy about expressing how I feel¡ªspeaking of which, I can¡¯t imagine I am the first man to point out your stunning beauty.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you see?¡±  Victoria asked, and he knew it was a test by her tilting lips and inflected tone.


    Continuing to center on the displaced atmospheric conditions, Vasishtha hummed.  ¡°Well ¡­ Men are creatures of sight, you see¡ªwould you not agree?¡±


    Victoria snickered.  ¡°Women are no less attracted to appearances, as well, and it isn¡¯t as if you are lacking that department, but there has to be something more.¡±


    ¡°You flatter me!¡±  he returned, noticing the grumbles from the couch as Ximena complained to Tal¨ªa.  ¡°It is to be expected we would be instantly drawn like moths to a flame¡ªthe fire of your beauty melting the ice around our cold hearts ¡­ It is the qualities you possess after the first glance that is the harpoon which plunges into our chests and compels us into the magical allure women possess.¡±


    ¡°You act as if we are sirens?¡±  Victoria¡¯s laughter made Vasishtha join her.


    ¡°In a way, you are right¡ªespecially with a voice as lovely as yours¡ªhaha, you drove the chill away from young Luka in an instant, filling the space with warmth.  I was moved by the gesture ¡­ What more could a man ask for but lay his head on a woman¡¯s tender breast to act as a shelter from this cruel life that takes all it can from us, leaving barren and broken vessels for the machine?¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ You are an interesting one, Vasishtha.¡±


    ¡°Kali is such a cruel mistress¡­¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°I must go,¡± he whispered, depressed he had to depart her company.  ¡°Luka, my boy, take this¡­¡±


    A red sword that pulsated with fervent energy shimmered into existence as he called upon it and tossed the weapon to the man; hands shooting out of the blankets in shock, he caught it by the hilt, or more like it had slid into his grasping hands.


    Astonished at the blade¡¯s movement, he stiffened as energy sparked down to his arm, ripping his jacket apart to expose his arm and causing tattoos to illuminate down its length.  ¡°W-Why are you giving me this ¡­ Uh, what is it doing to me?!¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha, don¡¯t be so alarmed; live a little!  I need to be the hero, but I also need a wingman to guard the ladies; I can¡¯t go in good faith without leaving them in capable hands!  Will you back me up, Luka?¡±


    ¡°I, uh ¡­ Woah, I ¡­ I kind of feel good right now¡­¡±  He grinned, getting up to stretch out his neck and shoulders.  ¡°It¡¯s like¡ªwow¡ªelectricity running through my veins.¡±


    ¡°Aye, ya gettin¡¯ the spirit, my man?  Ain¡¯t ya gonna protect Tal¨ªa if somethin¡¯ bad happens?¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyebrows pulled together upon looking between them.  ¡°I¡ªyou, what be doing to Luka ¡­ Luka¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡ªNo, I feel great!¡±  he said, flipping the blade around as it gave him a minor degree of natural enhanced aptitude; it was Vasishtha''s current best supportive weapon.  ¡°Uh, yeah, no, I got this ¡­ Woah, I could go save my sister with this sword¡­¡±


    ¡°He-he, let¡¯s not get carried away; ya got a mission right now.  You got me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded, face hardening as the others gave him hesitant looks.  ¡°Yeah, no, I got it!  You do whatever, Vash; I¡¯ll hold things down¡ªI won¡¯t let anyone have their way like before¡ªI¡¯m gonna take out anyone that tries to hurt the people I care about!¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­ You care for Tal¨ªa?¡±  Vasishtha asked, mentally cycling through his available weapons for the best choice.  ¡°I think she¡¯s a pretty woman; what do you think?¡±


    Raul and the other women¡¯s mouths dropped open in surprise as Luka nodded.  ¡°Tal¨ªa?  Yeah!  She¡¯s pretty cute.  I won¡¯t let anyone put a scratch on her face, Man; don¡¯t worry ¡­ I said I got it¡ªgo¡ªmmgm!¡±


    ¡°What ¡­ did you do to him?¡±  Victoria mumbled, wide-eyed as the young man moved a bit away to begin practice swings with the weapon.  ¡°He was such a timid boy, and now¡­¡±


    ¡°Bah,¡± Vasishtha rolled his left shoulder, ¡°Luka¡¯s always had a fightin¡¯ spirit in him, I could tell, but I think everyone kept holdin¡¯ him back.  All that sword does is enhance the welder''s internal desires¡ªheh, it can only influence what¡¯s actually there!  Alright, Luka, keep the girls safe.¡±


    ¡°I said I got it, Man¡ªwhy are you doubting me, huh?!  They think they¡¯re gonna walk all over us because we aren¡¯t as strong as them¡ªthink again!  I¡¯m here now, and I¡¯m gonna toss ¡®em out!¡±


    Noah ducked in from the kitchen to look inside; he¡¯d moved into the space some time ago to discuss positioning and the future of Cuba with the U.S. general, and Leonardo had gone upstairs to coordinate their men.


    ¡°Everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Noah,¡± Luka puffed up his chest and brandished the sword.  ¡°I¡¯m not gonna let the North take anyone else¡ªTal¨ªa, Victoria, all of us¡ªI¡¯ll protect us!¡±


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Vasishtha cleared his throat and gave Victoria a smiling wave before making his way to the Bronze Titan.  ¡°Noah, I¡¯ve spotted our pair of assassins¡ªthey¡¯re pretty tricky with their camouflage, but you don¡¯t need to worry about them.  Be prepared, though; I¡¯m sure this isn¡¯t their only plan.¡±


    Noah¡¯s expression hardened as Tom spoke over the radio.  ¡°Speaking of which, my intelligence network tells me Sancti Sp¨ªritus has fallen¡ªmushrooms took over the entire area¡ªno survivors.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±  Raul mumbled, dropping to his knees.  ¡°Hermano mayor¡­¡±


    [Big brother¡­]


    Tal¨ªa¡¯s vision fell to the carpet, tears welling in her eyes.  ¡°?Nadie sobrevivi¨®?¡±


    [No one survived?]


    Luka¡¯s jaw tightened, hands trembling with rage as she hid her face and started to weep.  ¡°Her cousin was in that group¡­¡±


    The veins popped out on Noah¡¯s neck, a threatening aura growing around him as he growled.  ¡°I had a lot of good men and women there ¡­ You¡¯re sure¡ªwhat happened?¡±


    ¡°So far as our on-site personnel report, fungus overgrowth took the population and sucked out their nutrients, leaving nothing but bones.  We spotted a single Cuban military vehicle leaving and tried to intercept it ¡­ My team went MIA just before making contact.


    ¡°I did a targeted drone strike next, but it appeared to have escaped into some kind of underground tunnel just before impact and cushioned the blow with mushrooms ¡­ Another skeleton was found when it split open, and the fact they had prior warning about the missile shows some kind of sensory member.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re telling me this because they were heading here, and the southeast is right in their path ¡­ The area we¡¯re evacuating everyone?¡±


    ¡°Yes.  I suggest you focus on that while we take care of the city; we¡¯re trying to discover where they are, but it¡¯s going to be difficult given our unit placement, and I expect this user requires some kind of sacrifice to use their powers, likely a Witch-type enemy from our current data.  If she gets her hands on the tens of thousands that you¡¯re pushing to the southeast¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand ¡­ I¡¯m trusting you, Tom ¡­ A free election as we dictated; I want it sealed in writing and made public.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re taking a huge risk and leap of faith right now, Noah, but it puts the power back into the Cuban people¡¯s hands ¡­ It¡¯s a huge gamble on everyone¡¯s part.  Out.¡±


    Conversation ended, Vasishtha headed for the door yet stopped with his hand on the knob.


    ¡°Vash¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  He turned to Victoria as she gave him a weak smile.  ¡°Stay safe.¡±


    ¡°Heh, I can¡¯t die; I have a promise to keep, and I always keep my promises.¡±


    Entering the cold night, Vasishtha¡¯s lips fell into a slight smirk as he tracked the pair, and a new point of interest came into sharp clarity, causing a deep chuckle to shake his belly.  I see that beautiful brain of yours working ¡­ Clever girl.


    A shower of radiant light encompassed the space, pushing back the rain into a shimmering rainbow around him as he called upon Divyam, one of the celestial bows that he¡¯d practiced with the most in the trials he¡¯d undergone in personal quests.


    Time slowed as if Kali stood over him, and he drew in a deep breath that locked in his lungs; drawing back one of the three arrows that resembled a Brahmana curse, he took aim.


    Droplets of rain glinted in their delayed fall while dark energy gathered around the scripted shaft; he could see a golden path cut through the haze, his target¡¯s veil ripped away from the divine light that instantly cut through the dense storm to illuminate Vasishtha¡¯s target.


    Heart slowed, he felt every pump passing through his veins that twitched against the delicate, drawn sinew of the holy artifact.  Wind and rain became a whisper, his focused sight centering on the widening eyes of his target as the light stripped his concealment¡ªa gray-haired man in his early fifties¡ªhis companion was revealed to his side, but Vasishtha only cared for his chosen target.


    All sound died as time came to a halt, the great Kali wrapping her cold fingers around Vasishtha''s throat, daring him to utter a single breath, sharp fingernails pressing against his skin, yet he remained still with the world until her chilled breath caressed his ears before fading away.  ¡°I will have you in the end, Legend of Arjuna.¡±


    Not this night.


    A sonic explosion ripped through the air as he released, cracking the windows of the houses; the beam of dark light trailed after the quivering feathers on the arrow¡¯s shaft in a helix pattern, passing through wood and stone unhindered to meet its target.


    The tip of the barbed arrow met a wide blue iris, the man mid-leap, unable to even blink before the metal absorbed into its target and activated its curse; blackness took the organ, the bane instantly taking effect as the projectile¡¯s full length disappeared, swallowed by the oculus.


    Rain blanketed Vasishtha as he watched his mark leap away from his companion for a streak of unholy flames to streak through the storm; a dark disk formed at the back of a stunned hairy giant of a man, a savage grin lighting Rachel¡¯s full lips as she kicked off to roundhouse kick his back, curving the shoddily dressed man¡¯s spine and causing it to arch from the pressure.


    A conflagration of dark fire engulfed him on impact, air leaving his lungs as he was launched ten meters for luminous gold-furred fingers to close around the figure¡¯s throat, Nemesis¡¯ rage-filled nostrils flaring as he instantly stopped the man¡¯s acceleration and took his body into a building with a bestial roar.


    Rachel used another platform to jump after, sparkling through the air with the dark fire and light surrounding her, but Vasishtha didn¡¯t miss the smirking wink she gave him on the way down.


    ¡°He-he-he, c¡¯mon, Girl¡ªyou gonna do him like that¡ªoof¡­¡±


    Vasishtha turned his attention back to the gray-haired man, breaking into a run and jumping to the rooftops to reach the point his arrow had struck.  Stopping, he shifted his bow to bend down and fish the blackened organ out of the dirty water on the flat roof, a smirk lifting the left side of his mouth.


    So ¡­ you ripped your own eye out to stop the curse¡¯s spread ¡­ Not bad, but unlucky for you, it seems Rachel¡¯s given me the task of taking care of this on my own.


    Rising to scan the faint traces he¡¯d left against the mud along the roofs and alleys as he¡¯d retreated to collect himself, Vasishtha scratched his thick eyebrow.  Well, I suppose we¡¯ll have to see if you¡¯re only good at hiding ¡­ Still, your friend¡¯s ability to take some of my old sheets and amplify my scent to spread around was impressive.


    ¡°Huh, I think this might be a little fun,¡± Vasishtha muttered, pulling back his bowstring for an illuminated white arrow to form.  ¡°How good are you at dodging something that¡¯s not nearly instantaneous?  Because you can¡¯t hide from my eyes.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 48. Warlord Fiona

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Nemesis (Our Lion King That Likes Rachel!)


    2. Fiona White (Our Lil'' Warlord Irish Lass!)


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    Nemesis¡¯ hands closed around the throat of a twelve-foot-tall giant of a man, fingers flexing around his muscular neck and stopping his momentum; the hairy giant gagged, body jerking at the sudden shift in direction as they fell back to the earth.


    Vasishtha¡¯s scent permeated the bulky, gorilla-like figure, causing Nemesis¡¯ teeth to grind before releasing a savage roar; he finally had something to blame in his grasp.


    Crashing through the building, the man¡¯s hand smacked Nemesis¡¯ arm to no avail before he was carried into the store¡¯s floor; fragments of tile exploded around them as the aisle rack crumpled under the falling giant¡¯s weight.


    Nemesis¡¯ tail snaked around the imposter¡¯s wrist, forcing it away while tucking his legs around the giant¡¯s chest; the gorilla¡¯s free hand pounded against his face, but he couldn¡¯t even feel it as his fingers tightened around the hairy man¡¯s throat.


    Muscles straining, the gorilla-like man gurgled and spat, feet shoving the other racks away in his struggles.  ¡°F-Filthy beast!  You, gngag¡ª¡±


    Whiskers twitching in frustration, Nemesis¡¯ black lips peeled back to show his fangs as he growled.  ¡°Why ¡­ Who ordered you to kill Ana?¡±


    The only answer he got was a black-tipped arrow that appeared in the giant¡¯s free hand that he tried jabbing into Nemesis¡¯ left eye; his aura stopped it, not that the organ was weak enough to be penetrated by an arrow of this quality.


    His ears twitched as the whistling wind, rain, and thunder came into focus, Rachel dropping into the store to lean against a counter two meters away; she didn¡¯t say a word, observing him pin and choke the giant.


    Why was she right ¡­ Why couldn''t I think that it could all be a smokescreen?  Without Rachel¡¯s level-head, I would have played right into their strings ¡­ Mara¡­


    ¡°Where is your man?¡±  Nemesis snarled as the gorilla-man continued to try and stab him with the arrow to no avail.  ¡°Is the other one important¡ªthe one that conceals the scents of others?¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Are you satisfied?  I told you I¡¯d find the real killer; this is him.  Hmm, and the other ¡­ I can¡¯t see him giving us any information, and I don¡¯t have anyone that could extract it in the time we¡¯d need it.  Vash can have his fun and kill him.¡±


    ¡°How can you be sure he won¡¯t talk?¡±


    ¡°Heh, he ripped out his own eye without hesitation when Vash cursed it with something; he¡¯s a professional¡ªnot worth my time.¡±


    But I am¡­  Nemesis hissed out a long stream of hot air that passed over the purple-faced giant; his struggles became sluggish as his brain was starved for oxygen.  ¡°Grmgrr¡­¡±


    She was a target because of me¡­


    Fingers easing a little, the giant¡¯s chest heaved, taking in air before coughing.  ¡°Y-You¡ªanimal ¡­ I am¡ªhunter!¡±


    His whiskers twitched as a low hum came from the Lunar Hare.  ¡°I heard you only survived his first assassination attempt because of Ana ¡­ It was probably revenge for taking what he saw as his prize; that, and the other man¡¯s cooperation, shows this was a plot by a specific party.¡±


    She¡¯s right ¡­ Everything she¡¯s told me has been right ¡­ If I cared more about those I protected than my own pride, I wouldn¡¯t have been cursed ¡­ I could have saved Ana.


    Nemesis¡¯ claws eased out against the man¡¯s broad chest as he stabilized himself; his golden aura diminished slightly from his internal struggle.  I should have known better ¡­ I¡¯m my own worst enemy.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s white left eyebrow rose as he put pressure against the man¡¯s chest and launched himself back, allowing the twelve-foot-tall gorilla man to chuckle and spit while leaning to the side.  ¡°F-Fool¡ªhe-he¡ªyou pretend to be man, Beast!¡±


    ¡°Huh ¡­ I thought you would have killed him by now,¡± Rachel muttered.


    Nemesis¡¯ luminous yellow eyes fixated on the giant as he pushed himself back, summoning his colossal bow; he needed to rebuild his confidence, or Mara and the rest of the people that relied on his protection would be next.  ¡°You believe yourself a hunter ¡­ I am more than just a ¡®beast¡¯ ¡­ Prove yourself stronger than a king.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t move, her tongue pressed against the side of her cheek while watching the events play out; once again, the Lunar Hare showed herself more than confident in handling her own safety as the giant jumped into action.


    His arrow and bow vanished as he leaned to the side, using his free hands to flip upright, displaying incredible flexibility; the creature¡¯s ugly face creased with animosity, bow reappearing in his left hand.  Nemesis had to admit he was somewhat impressed by this gorilla man¡¯s dexterity in maneuvering the colossal weapon inside the store¡¯s confined space, not built for his height.


    A black arrow notched and pulled back in an instant; a misshapen, toothy grin broke across his ugly man¡¯s face.  ¡°Foolish beast!¡±  A shadowy aura drew in the light to obscure his weapon, making the projectile invisible before he loosed the shot.


    Nemesis didn¡¯t budge, allowing his aura to strengthen from the pride he felt in his invulnerability; the arrow struck his muscular left breast, causing the shaft to shatter.


    On the other hand, Rachel¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, seemingly able to follow another, invisible projectile¡¯s trajectory; shifting her head to the left, Nemesis felt on instinct that she¡¯d dodged the cloaked missile, whizzing past her left cheek.


    An agitated note resounded in her throat while smoothly pivoting to the side, a hidden second shot forming from the arrow¡¯s butt to pass under her chest and penetrate the wall, leaving a fist-sized hole.  ¡°Can you leave me out of this?  I have places to be, as well, Nemesis.¡±


    Ignoring her prompt, he stepped forward, making the giant shuffle away in surprise.  ¡°Is that what you expected to kill me with, Hunter?  More!  Show me you have something stronger!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±  Jumping back without regard for obstacles, the gorilla-man¡¯s back broke through the cinder blocks and iron, drawing another shimmering white arrow from nothing upon entering the storm.


    ¡°Hmm?!  Is that the arrow that killed Ana?  Come on!¡±


    It sparkled through the air and dispersed against Nemesis¡¯ glistening fur.  ¡°Pathetic!¡±  he roared, launching after him.  ¡°Show me you are the hunter you claim!¡±


    Voice now quivering, the man tried to retreat to the roof.  ¡°Stupid beas¡ª¡±


    Claws fully extending as the image of Ana falling to the mud flashed across his mind, Nemesis roared, ¡°Weak!¡±


    Fingers ripping into the foul man¡¯s ankles, Nemesis whipped him forward, snapping his tibia and arching his back.  The giant screamed out of panic more than fear, but it turned into a grunt when driven into a pallet, shattering the wood and forcing him into the pavement¡ªblood to mix with the running water, spear-like pieces embedded into his gut.


    ¡°I may be a stupid beast,¡± Nemesis whispered, sharp teeth bared as his fingers twisted the giant¡¯s leg, snapping more muscle and bone, yet not a sound left the unconscious man¡¯s lips, ¡°but I¡¯ll kill all of you¡­¡±


    A slight frown appeared on Rachel¡¯s lips as she posted herself just outside of the rain, arms folded under her chest as her head tilted to the side.  ¡°Done venting?  I¡¯d like to set my ears on something else, but I need to know where you stand before we go any further ¡­ I brought you to Ana¡¯s true killer, as I said I would.¡±


    ¡°Mmgm,¡± his gaze drifted back to the bleeding-out giant.  He knew Rachel was right; the assassin wouldn¡¯t give them any meaningful information.


    Walking around the giant¡¯s still frame, Nemesis¡¯ foot came down on his skull, sending blood splattering in all directions and dying his wet fur red.  ¡°So long as you keep your end of the bargain, I¡¯ll follow you wherever the next target is; I want Mara back, the responsible party dead, and a clean fight for my kingdom.¡±


    ¡°In that order ¡­ I suppose that shouldn¡¯t be too difficult; things are already in the works¡­¡±  she trailed off, a deep frown touching her full lips, and he noticed a slight twitch in her left ear.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to give me a minute to double-check the battlefield, though.¡±  A shiver ran through her bones as she read the flow of misfortune, ears tilting to the left.  ¡°Something bad is coming¡­¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡±  Nemesis questioned, golden aura dimming slightly as he moved to join her, vision scanning the direction she was observing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    The Lunar Hare became a blur, and he was reminded how fast this girl was as black flames and red lightning traced around her figure, using the unique platform that appeared to maneuver to the roof.


    Following her, Nemesis could hear the monstrous cries of a massive creature tearing up the city, and several other unnatural calls met it from the western warlord¡¯s area.  ¡°You don¡¯t seem happy.¡±


    A sharp hiss passed through Rachel¡¯s perfect teeth.  ¡°Something terrible is about to happen ¡­ I can¡¯t stop it, but I can mitigate some of the damage.  Nemesis, are you willing to trust me?¡±


    Thunder rolled overhead as the wind and rain took a turn for the worst.  ¡°That depends on what you ask.¡±


    ¡°I want you to go to the northeast¡ªthe scent of those two women I met with¡ªyou remember them?¡±


    ¡°Yes?  Did they set Ana¡¯s assassination?¡±


    ¡±Mmh ¡­ They are involved, without a doubt.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±  He took a step forward but paused as she cursed.


    ¡°Dammit ¡­ If you find a man with a chessboard, kill him¡ªthe owner of the chessboard ¡­ Capture him.  He may be drawing pictures and appear drunk ¡­ I¡¯m not so sure.¡±


    Feeling a tad confused about the request, Nemesis nodded.  ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to stop what I fear is the real plot ¡­ I¡¯ve been a step behind this whole time, but I think I see the full picture now.  Be careful, Nemesis, and whatever you do, do not let Miora put a collar around your neck.¡±


    ¡°Miora?¡±


    ¡°The black woman dressed like a queen; she is mentally torturing Mara, enslaving her body to do her bidding.¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ aura brightened at the news, lips peeling back as his own claws bit into his palm, drawing blood.  ¡°What direction?¡±


    ¡°Maria, the white-haired Unicorn woman, should be able to dispel the choker and heal Mara¡ªMiora also has a slave that can teleport¡ªagain, don¡¯t let her collar you.¡±


    ¡°Where,¡± he repeated, a snarl touching his tone.


    Rachel pointed, and he launched in that direction, mind drawing him back to the conversation he had with the woman in the locker rooms not too long ago; everything he¡¯d built was crumbling around him, but if there was one thing he¡¯d do right, it would be to save the first woman that had put her trust in him.


    I¡¯m coming, Mara; hold on just a bit longer!


    * * *


    A smile brightened Fiona¡¯s face as she spun around in the air, supporting her crew as she took them to their destination.  Benedict chuckled as she turned around and stuck her thumb up.


    ¡°Okay, gang; we can¡¯t let Maria¡¯s group have all the fun!  Let¡¯s finish this with zero casualties!¡±


    ¡°Eh, he-he, you really think we can do that?¡±  Grace tentatively asked.  ¡°I mean, I¡¯d like to think it will be that easy, but experience¡­¡±


    Isabel and Edelira¡¯s vision fell to the dark city below, and the younger sister sighed.  ¡°After Camag¨¹ey ¡­ I¡¯m with you, Fiona!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±  Benedict pumped a fist into the air.  ¡°We need a happy ending!¡±


    ¡°That would be so nice,¡± Scarlet mumbled, nervously scanning the buildings.  ¡°Why is Rachel rushing things, though?¡±


    ¡°No need to sweat,¡± Fiona encouraged, knowing the bloodsucker was having doubts about her own abilities after the last time she went in scythe blazing.  ¡°Rachel¡¯s our leader, right?  She may be Devil Rachel now, but she¡¯s a good Devil¡ªon our side!  We trust our friends.  Right?¡±


    Grace adjusted her hat, a forced grin in place.  ¡°Eh-I mean, I don¡¯t know, Fiona, Devil Rachel makes me nervous¡ªany Devil thing after that Hell hole.¡±


    ¡°Well, I trust her!¡±  Fiona returned.  ¡°I haven¡¯t known Rachel for long¡ªeven if it feels like I¡¯ve known her for years¡ªbut she hasn¡¯t steered us wrong yet; she got us support and recognition.¡±


    ¡°She did save your life,¡± Isabel pointed out while looking at the cowgirl.


    ¡°True ¡­ Can¡¯t deny that¡­¡±


    Fiona twirled as they neared their destination.  ¡°You see them, Ms. Fangs?¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ Yeah, a lot of ¡­ Woah, that Hydra looks intense ¡­ Oh, my¡­¡±


    ¡°Scarlet?¡±  Fiona slowed as the girl¡¯s eyes widened in horror, hands rising to her mouth as shadows embraced her.  ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­¡±  Grace¡¯s sharp blue eyes darted to the buildings, scanning for her.  ¡°I don¡¯t see her ¡­ A ton of Demi, though¡ªwow, they have full-on shield supports to cut the weather down.  I can¡¯t ¡­ Is that¡ª¡±


    She yelped as Fiona felt a friendly enter her radius again, bypassing her Wild Shield; reapplying Levitate, her hands went to her mouth upon seeing the woman in Scarlet¡¯s arms.  ¡°What did they do to her?¡±


    ¡°Are those burns?¡±  Benedict hissed.


    Edelira shook her head.  ¡°That¡¯s horrible¡ªit looks like they branded her¡­¡±


    Fiona hovered closer to better look at the dark-haired woman; Scarlet had wrapped her in a curtain since she appeared to be naked.  A living fire seemed to slowly sink into her flesh on her visible skin, carving occult symbols.


    Herbs showing similar patterns were tied around her wrist, ankles, and neck, while black needles seemed to be stuck into her ears and nose.  Fiona wasn¡¯t sure if she was too traumatized to speak or even alive.


    ¡°Is she¡­¡±


    Scarlet shook her head.  ¡°No ¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Fiona, but¡ªbut I had to kill the horrible people doing this to her ¡­ They were still shoving those needles into her ears.¡±


    ¡°No loss,¡± Grace darkly grunted.  ¡°They weren¡¯t human anyway¡­¡±


    Fiona nodded.  ¡°To do that to someone ¡­ Yeah, umm, Maria ¡­ Mmgm¡­¡±  she hissed as Selvaria¡¯s roar shook through their bones, and it may have been Fiona¡¯s imagination, but the wind and storm seemed to pick up.


    Benedict followed her gaze.  ¡°What should we do?  Can we do anything?¡±


    ¡°Rachel should have known about her condition.  Right?  She still wanted us to go to the stadium and keep her safe, so ¡­ is she not in danger?¡±


    Scratching her scalp, Fiona puffed out a long breath.  ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ I said we should trust Rachel.  Mmh ¡­ Scarlet, what do you think¡ªhow is she?¡±


    Black lips pulling together, the Vespertine Reaper used her blood to better support the woman in the air.  ¡°So far as I can tell, her life force is draining ¡­ but it¡¯s a lot slower than it should be.  I think she has a self-healing ability ¡­ She still has two days before she dies.¡±


    Satisfied with that answer, Fiona put her hands on her hips.  ¡°Okay.  We follow Rachel¡¯s plan, guys!  Ben, Izzy, Edel, you guys are on protection duty, as planned; I¡¯ll put a Levitate spell on her that should last at least an hour¡ªthat should help you.  Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Already on it¡ªthis portal will take you to the stadium; just find a safe place.¡±


    Fiona moved Isabel into place to transfer the girl into her arms.  ¡°I don¡¯t know why Rachel wants us to save her, but she needed it.  Good luck, Guard Team.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, and stay safe,¡± Edelira urged as she sent the twins through the blood.


    ¡°Sure thing!¡±


    Benedict hesitated, rubbing his arm to look back at her.  ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be okay, Fiona ¡­ I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you.¡±


    ¡°Aww, aren¡¯t you sweet!¡±  Grace cooed.  ¡°Is this the part where you kiss?¡±


    Fiona glared at the cowgirl¡¯s forced smile.  ¡°Oh, shush!¡±


    ¡°Just a joke!¡±


    ¡°Mhm ¡­ I¡¯ll be fine, Ben,¡± Fiona lifted her arm to flex, showing no muscle whatsoever.  ¡°I may not look it, but I¡¯m not just a little firecracker; I¡¯m a warlord tonight!¡±


    ¡°Just ¡­ take care of yourself,¡± Benedict whispered, smiling at her.  ¡°You¡¯ve really helped me after everything I saw ¡­ I do care for you.  Be safe.¡±


    Fiona smiled at the confession, waving him off.  ¡°You, too, Ben.  I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±


    Nodding, the Pixy shot into the blood, allowing Scarlet to close it.


    Glancing to the northeast, Fiona hummed.  ¡°You good after killing those people, Scarlet?   Eh, I ¡­ know you don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Scarlet rubbed her left arm, glaring at the blood that floated around her.  ¡°I do, actually ¡­ That¡¯s the problem.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªyeah, you know what I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahem, anyway, umm ¡­ I¡¯ll start teleporting out the hostages I see.  You do your thing, Fiona ¡­ I¡¯m, heh, sure you¡¯ll be a good warlord.


    ¡°Thanks; see you soon!¡±


    With that, it was only Grace and her left, floating in the air.


    ¡°Found the collars?¡±  she asked, peering through the darkness with her night vision to track the large group of over two hundred people that were gathering.  ¡°No Hydra slaying for you, either.  Right?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah ¡­ I¡¯m still feeling it in my hands ¡­ You got it?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, who do you think you¡¯re talking to?¡±  she asked, giving the girl a peace sign.  ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t blame you guys; you haven¡¯t seen me go all out, but there¡¯s a reason Rachel gave me this mission.  You can call me pure magical destruction!¡±


    ¡°Eh-he-he, I hope so, my little barbie girl, because what I¡¯m lookin¡¯ at¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  Where?¡±


    ¡°There¡­¡±


    Following the cowgirl¡¯s fingers, Fiona grinned; a weaving spinal fin waved in the heavy winds, poking up just above a few houses.  She couldn¡¯t see its heads yet, but she realized there was a shrill call carried across the gusts that weren¡¯t the wind.


    ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve got a party to ¡­ Uh ¡­ Huh?¡±


    Mouth parting in question, she watched eight draconic heads suddenly rise into the air as a blast of what Fiona could only describe as an electrified ice beam illuminated the night, showing an outline of Selvaria¡¯s Leviathan form; the discharge slammed into the tallest building in the northeast before swinging around to strike two of the Hydra¡¯s heads¡ªthey exploded on impact.


    ¡°Did she just¡­¡±


    Grace nodded.  ¡°Uh, it¡¯s raining frozen Hydra brains?   Uh-oh, they lost control.¡±


    Fiona rolled her eyes as the monster thrashed around, screaming in pain and rage; it broke away from the golden ropes fastened to the other six heads and tore through the stone wall down the main street, heading for Selvaria.


    ¡°Look at that, ten heads, now,¡± Grace dryly muttered.  ¡°More isn¡¯t always better¡ªoh, it also grew in size a bit.  Well ¡­ Not our problem anymore.¡±


    Fiona giggled.  ¡°Selvaria gets her big monster battle¡ªeveryday madness, like it¡¯s a habit¡ªyou know what it is!  Alright, let¡¯s do this, Milk Girl!¡±


    ¡°Hide and seek?¡±  Grace asked, sighing at the nickname that had stuck.  ¡°How will they ever find you, Ms. Shorty.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they¡¯ll notice me.  It¡¯s time to party¡ªhere you go¡ªonly Level I Fly, so you¡¯ve got five minutes to be Peter Pan!  Don¡¯t waste all my dust in one place!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Tinkerbell a Pixy?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe!¡±


    Breaking away from the Legend, Fiona zipped through the sky like a green lantern until she stopped in front of a rather grumpy-looking elderly man that didn¡¯t look like a Cuba native.  ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°Stupid storm, mak¡ªwoah¡ªthat the¡­¡±  He jumped back, glancing around at the other men and women, oblivious to her entrance.  ¡°You, uh¡ªI¡¯m not drunk or drugged, so ¡­ Why am I seeing a tiny girl with wings?¡±


    ¡°Good question!  Do you have a megaphone?¡±


    ¡°Eh-he-he, why do¡ªno, heh, never mind,¡± he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck and looking to his left.  ¡°Uh, maybe you should go, little fairy girl.¡±


    ¡°He-he, I can¡¯t do that!¡±  She puffed up her chest.  ¡°I¡¯m going to be the new Warlord of Cuba!  You can be my subordinate.  Good deal, huh?  We¡¯ll have a party!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­¡±


    ¡°Aye!  Ronnie, what are ya doin¡¯ over there¡ªwe¡¯re gettin¡¯ ready for the boss; eh, what¡¯s that light ¡­ Where do I get ¡­ Yo, wha¡­¡±


    Fiona caught sight of a megaphone held by a bird-type Beastkin; a sad-looking boy seemed to have been forced into creating a shield for her to remain dry.  Darting over to her and leaving the man in a stupor, Fiona stopped a few feet in front of her.  ¡°Hey!  What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°?Qu¨¦ la ni?a?!¡±  the woman gasped, jumping back as her feathers flew on end.


    [That the little girl?!]


    ¡°Hmm, let me just take that real fast¡­¡±


    ¡°Ehh?!¡±


    Levitating the loudspeaker out of the stunned woman¡¯s hands, she also stole her shoe, making the bird cry out as her feet were pulled out from under her to land flat on her back in the mud.  The boy jumped up in shock, following her rise into the air as Fiona giggled and used the shoe to hold the button down.


    Her voice projected across the solemn space, drawing everyone to her glowing green light.  ¡°Ahhhem!  Hello!  Pad-dump-pa-pum!  Is this on?!  Ah, hehehe, hello!  Yup, it¡¯s Lil¡¯ Miss Warlord here!  I¡¯m about to pop-off, so grab your friend and gather around; we¡¯re about to go to Neverland!¡±


    She blinked, smiling down at the confused crowd.  ¡°Eh, hmm ¡­ What was it ¡­ Loco Hada esa-cabesa ¡­ con el roho?¡±


    [Crazy Fairy that-head ¡­ with the soul?]


    ¡°Uh ¡­ Who is this girl?¡±  the man next to Ronnie asked.


    Fiona brushed out her hair and laughed.  ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry!  I forgot to do the first thing a warlord¡¯s supposed to do!¡±


    ¡°See, look, mmh, I mean, it¡¯s pretty straightforward,¡± her finger lifted to the sky, ¡°I told you, I¡¯m about to bang!  Level one, level two¡­¡±


    The crowd¡¯s jaws slackened as the night lit red, a ball of flames igniting as she charged Conflagration III, each charged stage increasing its size until it hit the size of a tank, and finally, compressed into a blue-colored basketball.  ¡°I¡¯m Overlord Fiona!  Who wants to fight?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s grin rose as a blue-haired man that looked jacked on roids stepped out of a nearby building, a big hammer in his hands.  ¡°My challenger?!  Are you the leader of this place?¡±


    He responded by running forward and throwing his mallet at her.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Fiona¡¯s lips pushed out as she followed its path, shattering the door. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s with that aim?!¡±


    It flew back to his hand, and he spun it around like a wannabe Thor.  ¡°If you do not leave, little girl, I will crush you like that wood.¡±


    Fiona¡¯s left eye narrowed, smile widening as she weaved the basketball-sized blue fire in a circle, causing steam and a wave of heat to swirl around its vortex.


    She had to make a scene to keep their focus away from Scarlet and the people from scattering¡ªmaking light of the situation seemed like a good strategy; plus, these people were planning on killing people¡ªif she needed to get heavy-handed, she wouldn¡¯t feel that bad.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    Tossing it to the side, it struck the road and blinded the throng as a pulse of superheated air ejected the earth as the pressurized moisture left burn marks on the nearest men and woman¡¯s skin and pelted them with heated stone.


    Screams echoed through the night as at least ten ran, but a string of random attacks launched toward her in the next instant.  Fiona yawned, crossing her legs, feeding her Wind Shield, and pulling a plastic bag of sugar closer to snack on.


    She started humming a song Maria had shown her earlier.  ¡°Hehehe, c¡¯mon ¡­ Do you guys think you can actually do anything with those kinds of attacks ¡­ Did you just throw water at me?  Here, this is how you really take a bath.¡±


    The attacks slowed to a stop as she hummed, feeding Water Ball III until it was the size of a swimming pool.  ¡°I hope you can swim!  Heh, see, I¡¯m kind of a big deal; you can¡¯t even touch me!¡±  She dropped it on a group, washing them out.


    ¡°Bossman!  Where are you?¡±  Fiona called, yellow aura sparking around her as she sent bolts of electricity down to act as a taser, zapping the fleeing army.  ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon, guys!  Look at it this way, I am a boss¡ªI am the boss of your freaking boss!  Who wants to join me¡ªthrow your hands in the air and start singing and dancing if you don¡¯t want to die?!


    ¡°T-The hostages are gone!¡±


    ¡°What happened to the East group?!¡±


    ¡°The slaves are free!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s fire everywhere!¡±


    ¡°Help!  Help!  It¡¯s the devil!¡±


    Of that which Fiona could understand, she giggled, and the twelve men and women she¡¯d been chasing threw their hands in the air and started doing their best to dance and sing, tears and welts on their cheeks.


    ¡°Pad-dump-pa-pum ¡­ Hehehe!  Okay, if you¡¯re on my team, get to the middle of the street and start dancing together!  Bbbbthhhrou!  I¡¯m coming for you with shocks and burns if you don¡¯t dance!¡±


    The street lit with lights as fires erupted across the street; the strong currents swept the evaporated water into the sky, and after three minutes of utter destruction and taunting, Fiona had over a hundred people in tears as they danced to her melody and the twelve that refused locked in earth prisons¡ªnot only trapped but in embarrassing positions for everyone to see.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!  Sing with me!  I say quit it if you¡¯re tryin¡¯ ta cuddy!  Tonight, we Pad-dump-dump.  Grab somebody and keep it poppin¡¯ after dark-da-ta-da!  I don¡¯t wanna go!  Alright, time for a beat switch¡ªwe¡¯re the revolution!  Who wants to be a part of my dance revolution?  Can you hear the sound?!  Are you cold?  You need to dance harder!¡±


    ¡°I hear the sound, Overlord Fiona!¡±


    ¡°I-I hear it, too, Overlord Fiona!¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m not cold, Overlord Fiona!¡±


    ¡°Please, Overlord Fiona; Mercy!¡±


    Spanish voices filled the night, mixed with the English as Fiona lit the storming night with multi-colored lights and forced them into a dance, snacking on sugar and floating fire, ice, electric, and earth spheres around them.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the revolution!¡±


    ¡°Good!  Okay, now, we¡¯re moving locations to ¡­ Hmm?¡±


    Fiona blinked as a sharp object struck her Wind Shield unlike any previous, almost penetrating her defense.


    ¡°B-Boss!¡±


    ¡°Save us, Boss!¡±


    A grin lifted Fiona¡¯s lips as she ceased her other spells, emerald shine encompassing her frame as she spotted the person they recognized; Salvador, the Warlord Rachel had scouted out the previous night, stepped forward with a man and woman on either side of him.


    ¡°Finally, so you¡¯re the guy I need to beat to officially take over this area?¡±  Fiona asked through the megaphone, legs crossing the opposite direction while studying him from her lofty position.  ¡°Not going to welcome me?¡±


    Her teeth flashed as the woman next to him cursed, creating another icicle shard for Salvador to use; the group was shouting his praise and cursing her.  ¡°Ice, huh ¡­ I¡¯m something of a Frozen fan myself,¡± blue light mixed with the green, ¡°but let me show you what real Ice Magic looks like.¡±


    The woman¡¯s angry eyes soon widened in disbelief as they finished at the same time, and Salvador growled, ¡°Give it to me¡­¡±


    ¡°W-Warlord, that¡­¡±


    ¡°Gggmmgm¡­¡±


    Fiona giggled, spinning her twelve-foot-long shard of condensed liquid in a drill-like fashion¡ªIce Lance II¡ªand leaned forward to place her elbows on her knee.   ¡°I¡¯ll be straight with you, Mr. Warlord.  You can¡¯t win.  Why don¡¯t you become my subordinate?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather die.¡±


    ¡°Shame,¡± Fiona mused as he threw the javelin with shocking speed.


    Fiona¡¯s met it in an instant, making the man and woman beside him scream and dive to the side; Salvador didn¡¯t budge an inch.  Her lance obliterated it to graze the Warlord, cutting a gash across his skin that leaked green liquid.


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ Right, a poison man!¡±  Fiona casually pointed at the three for a swirl of dirt to encase them.  ¡°I¡¯ve heard you''re a meathead.  Are you¡ªoh?!¡±  She clapped when he snarled, veins pulsing out as his body grew like the Hulk, complete with the green-tinted skin, shattering the first-stage Earth Prison.  ¡°Not bad.¡±


    He puffed up his chest, smacking his chest.  ¡°If you want my position, you¡¯ll need to kill me!¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Fiona hummed, aura tinting yellow for sparks to dance around her shield as he ran toward her.  ¡°I bet you have Elemental Resistance ¡­ How much?¡±


    A bolt shot out, bouncing off his skin.  ¡°A non-charged Shock I is a no-go ¡­ Shock II?¡±


    Fiona lazily spun around his attempts at throwing things at her.  She truly was his biggest counter¡ªa mage¡ªthe spark at her fingertips bounced to each finger until it reached all five.  A flash of light and Salvador was sent tumbling across the ground.


    ¡°Ug-argh!  This is nothing!  You lot,¡± he screamed, ¡°don¡¯t stand there and watch¡ªattack the stadium¡ªkill anyone you come across!  This is war!¡±


    Fiona¡¯s smile fell, golden aura intensifying, lightning vaporized Salvador¡¯s head¡ªBolt IV¡ªand the scale of Warpath eased just before activating.  Voice turning cold, the men and women dropped to their knees in disbelief as their leader fell to the wet pavement, corpse charred.


    A bitter taste filled her mouth; she really didn¡¯t want to kill anyone, even if these were bad people, but Warpath had been about to activate with Salvador¡¯s declaration, and if that happened, every one of these murderers would look exactly like their former leader.


    ¡°If I see any of you take a step beyond my sight, I will kill you¡ªI¡¯m done playing games¡ªwho doesn¡¯t want to be a part of Warlord Fiona¡¯s side ¡­ Hmm?¡±


    Electricity encircled the speechless pack of murderers and criminals, the discharge feeding into the pools of water to bring the throng to their bellies, gagging and crying.


    ¡°Oh, really¡ªno one¡ªthat¡¯s good ¡­ Now, let¡¯s go make it official with the rest of the gang in the area ¡­ You¡¯re under new management,¡± she muttered through the megaphone and levitated the charred corpse to show proof of position.


    ¡°I really hope no one else wants to anger the Overlord Fairy¡ªlet¡¯s go, people!  Oh, can¡¯t walk yet?  Hmm ¡­ Any healers?¡±  Her gaze fixated on a crying woman with burn marks across her face from the shock; a green glow illuminated her frame as she healed herself.  ¡°You!  Get goin¡¯!  We got places to be¡ªget everyone on their feet!  Yup, there we go!  No rest for the wicked!¡±


    Grace soon joined her to inform her that she¡¯d run out of bullets, and the remainder of the collared Demi were heading for Selvaria¡¯s group¡ªover three dozen; Fiona had her own group to handle, and looking up at the sky, she grinned upon seeing Cahira¡¯s ship descending with eight helicopters that had used the Dragon Turtle as a Carrier.


    Lines fell around them as the U.S. military descended upon the city.  ¡°Maybe we can go help out our girls!  You still good, Milk Girl?!¡±


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ Is that ever going to go away, Jim?¡±  Grace cried, cheeks darkening as she glanced to her trusty steed.


    Fiona hovered over to pat his head.  ¡°Hehehe, nope!  Never!  By the way, where¡¯d Scarlet get off to?¡±


    ¡°Mmgm ¡­ Can¡¯t tell you.  Should we go look for her?¡±


    ¡°Scarlet?  Pfft!  The Vampire girl that can teleport anywhere, see miles¡ªX-ray vision through clothes, he-he-he¡ªshe¡¯s probably looking for Rachel after getting everyone out.¡±


    Grace sighed.  ¡°Probably.  Man, it¡¯s hard to hear anything over those monster roars, though!  Looks like things are wrapping up, though ¡­ Tom¡¯s launched the Special Demi Units.¡±


    A forced smile lifted Fiona¡¯s cheeks while watching the teams of Spec-OPs units immediately take control of the situation; it was a secret group he¡¯d been putting together, and it took a while to transport them here, but they¡¯d bought enough time¡ªCahira had some serious air miles over the last week.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 49. A Puppet’s End

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Selvaria (Our Cosplay Loving Leviathan!)


    2. Alan (Our Puppet Master!)


    3. Maria (Our Unicorn!)


    4. Ohan (Our Samurai!)


    5. Relica (Everyone''s Hated Sorceress!)


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    Selvaria¡¯s tail pounded against the wall, cracking pieces of stone with every strike as it weaved back and forth, excitement bubbling up in her chest as Ohan rubbed his slowly growing beard; he hadn¡¯t shaved for a few days.


    ¡°I get to go Godzilla-mode?!  Yay!  Oh, what kind of roar should I do, Ohan¡ªthe deep one that shakes people¡¯s bones or-or the really loud one?  Should I look up at the sky¡ªoh, shoot off a big blast that everyone can see?  Be like, I¡¯m back!¡±


    A soft chuckle shook Ohan¡¯s chest as he glared at the wall.  ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you need to be here at some point to say that?¡±


    Her cheeks colored a little.  ¡°Yeah, uh¡ªbut they can¡¯t understand me!  It¡¯s kind of an inside joke!¡±


    ¡°Not one I¡¯m in on.¡±


    ¡°Eh-heh ¡­ Oh, maybe I¡¯ll shout, ¡®Target sighted.  Engaging!¡¯  Ominous, huh?  No, I got it!  The hunt begins!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say they couldn¡¯t understand you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just excited!  Rachel¡¯s never said I could go crazy!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh ¡­ Which has me thinking there was a lot more being said from her directions.¡±


    Selvaria shifted to rest her spikes against the stone, her weight causing the points to sink into the rock and create a grating noise, but she wasn¡¯t afraid to destroy it; she loved not having to worry about the little stuff like her spikes ripping into whatever she leaned against or how hard she swung her tail.


    ¡°Like?  Hey, Maria, Scarlet!¡±  She grinned, showing her monstrous teeth as the busty Unicorn appeared out of shadows with the vamp girl.  ¡°Oh, you¡¯re still cool with cosplaying with Alexa when we get back?¡±


    Scarlet forced a smile, showing her pointing fangs.  ¡°Hehe, I haven¡¯t changed my mind¡ªI don¡¯t know about some of your choices, though ¡­ If all of you want me to go with these fangs, then I want to be one of the Hex Girls!  Eh-he, we can all be Witch Girls; I liked them growing up.¡±


    ¡°Oooh!  Spooky!¡±  She struck a pose.  ¡°Heh, I like that; I was thinking I could be KOS-MOS, too; I can have blue hair and everything!¡±


    ¡°You and Xenosaga,¡± Scarlet snickered.  ¡°Maybe we can find one of those blacksmith Demi to make you a robot suit or big guns like her.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s illuminated turquoise irises widened, practically drooling at the thought.  ¡°Yeah!  Yeah, I asked Rachel about it yesterday, and¡ªand she said we could look¡ªoh, and maybe an anchor weapon with chains!  I could steal one from a sunken ship to have it reforged!  Wouldn¡¯t that be a cool story?!  I could have my ranged and melee weapon¡­¡±


    ¡°Woah, Chica,¡± Maria laughed.  ¡°We got some fools to smash; let¡¯s talk about accessories and blowin¡¯ up mountains after, eh?¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    ¡°Aye, I ain¡¯t promisin¡¯ anything related to your anime talk¡ªI got no clue.¡±


    Scarlet nudged her side and winked.  ¡°She¡¯s talking about a game, horse butt.¡±


    ¡°Yo, don¡¯t¡ªyou can¡¯t just say that, wink and teleport out ¡­ Gah, the horse jokes,¡± she grumbled, Selvaria giggling as the Unicorn¡¯s tail flicked to the side and her ears twitched a little.


    ¡°I think you pull off the hot horse look, Maria!  Hehe, maybe you¡¯ll grow the other parts, too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t curse me!  Aye, so we doin¡¯ this or what?¡±


    Happy to have girls to joke around with that didn¡¯t judge her, Selvaria nodded; it was nice, not second-guessing herself with her friends and that they accepted her.  Clasping her hands at the base of her tail, she turned to the Samurai.  ¡°I¡¯m starting it off.  Right?¡±


    Ohan had that look on his face that said she was rushing things again.  ¡°Once we start, it¡¯s going to get chaotic; there¡¯s no way for Maria to free everyone, and what if this puppet master uses these normal people as suicide shields unless we stop¡ªyou can¡¯t do that huge mass purification ball like before?¡±


    Maria popped her tongue against the roof of her mouth and hissed.  ¡°Naa, Hombre; that was a one-use thing.¡±


    ¡°Which means Rachel knows it¡¯s impossible to purify them all ¡­ Heh, basically, Selvaria¡­¡±


    Her head tilted to the side, not following.  ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Remember when I said to hold back your Fear Aura?¡±


    ¡°Mhm ¡­ Oh ¡­ Oh, hehehehe,¡± a devilish grin split her lips.  ¡°Go wild, meaning really go wild?!¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t kept up your Leviathan State for long outside of the ocean; how long can you hold it¡ªyou¡¯ll need to do it for at least twenty minutes.¡±


    Selvaria crossed her arms.  ¡°Eegh ¡­ Not gonna happen, buddy; three or five at most without being in a water source, and I¡¯ve been trying to build that up!¡±


    Stroking his chin again, Ohan sighed.  ¡°Rachel is good at seeing the full picture, but what I got from her message was that we need to take care of the little details ¡­ Selvaria, to keep your Fear Aura up and level it in a fight, can you pull the Hydra she talked about to the ocean and fight it there?¡±


    Electricity ran through her bones, and flames lit in her eyes.  ¡°Kaiju battle¡ªI get to have a kaiju battle?!  Yes!  My time to shine!¡±


    A grin moved the man¡¯s face as Maria lifted an eyebrow glancing between them, arms folded.  ¡°What better way to clear the way for us¡ªthese are normal people that are being controlled¡ªthrow out a super-wide Fear Aura from your Leviathan State, and they¡¯ll be fleeing, no matter what the puppet master tries to do.¡±


    The Unicorn hummed.  ¡°Will that really work?  Here, let me make sure before we go terrifying the whole population¡ªthrow up a small one for me to check out.¡±


    Selvaria quickly complied, activating Lesser Fear Aura I; she could go to the second stage outside her Leviathan State but figured she just wanted a smaller dose.


    The only reaction she got from her friends was Maria¡¯s narrow left eye.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ It is a Status Effect, which ¡­ yeah, should work ¡­ Huh, operates in five-second pulses, and seems linked to distance from the source for its strength,¡± she muttered, walking away a bit.  ¡°Sweet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± Ohan forced a laugh.  ¡°So, Selvaria, Maria, and I will go straight to rescue this Mara woman and take care of our Sorceress problem.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope,¡± Maria grumbled.  ¡°That terrorista has nine lives, I swear¡ªeh, how fast can ya run, by the way?¡±


    ¡°Not as fast as you, heh, I¡¯ll tell you now.¡±


    ¡°Aight¡¯, let¡¯s go on the hunt; eh, Girl?!¡±


    Selvaria chuckled as the Unicorn smirked and smacked her shoulder with the back of her hand.  ¡°Operation Fear Tactics, begin!¡±


    Selvaria dove off the concrete walkway into the surf, lapping against the walls, tail propelling her away from the shore with a single beat.


    Diving down a tad to make a swift loop, she shot for the sky, pulse quickening as a brilliance encompassed her figure until her spiked back erupted out of the sea, powerful clawed fingers digging into the sand to penetrate the ocean floor.


    Waves surged over the pier and nearby docks as ship ropes snapped at the pressure; Selvaria¡¯s long neck lifted out of the water, shifting the shades of her scales to be black and luminous turquoise.


    Blade-like tail scraping against the earth and sending a rush of water to the opposite shore, Selvaria chuckled, releasing a bounding rumble that transferred from her body to the ground and water.


    Waterfalls fell from her head and neck as she rose out of the sea to look into the sky and release her presence in all its glory; a resonance rippled through her body and into the ground as she chuckled, and upon rising to her full height, her jaws opened, liquid shooting out of her mouth as her voice cut through the wind, rain, and thunder for the lower frequencies to vibrate the earth people stood on.


    Weight coming down on the wall, she saw crowds of fleeing people stumbling over one another and running out of buildings.


    Taking a deep breath, a jet of water exploded from her maw to devastate a long path along the high stone barrier in an area Ohan and she¡¯d already scouted beforehand, knowing no one lived in that area.


    Selvaria laughed while dragging herself onto land, her claws ripping into the widest highway she could find as she peered through the night, raising her voice to the heavens with lightning flashing across the sky.  ¡°Where are you, ya big smelly Hydra?  Hmm ¡­ Fufufu!  I see you ducking behind buildings over there!¡±


    Pushing herself up more, she stretched her neck up to see the eight-headed creature was actually pretty big, but it had shiny ropes around its heads while being pulled.


    Sticky tongue sliding out of her mouth, just thinking about how she wanted to fry up this monster made her saliva thicken, but she quickly remembered this was a Mythickin like her.  Aww ¡­ I can¡¯t eat it!  Still, battle of the monsters!


    ¡°Wait ¡­ Are you ignoring me?!¡±


    Feeling a little indignant after all the work she¡¯d done crawling up onto land, she breathed in and activated her new skill; shimmering lights condensed in Selvaria¡¯s mouth¡ªFrost-Lightning Breath I¡ªelectricity sparking across her illuminated spikes as her energy built to release a ray of hyper-pressurized air, mixed with electricity.


    The beam passed through the top half of the building the beast hid behind, passing through it before temporarily stunning the beast in place, sparks dancing around his body, and the frost soon penetrated its resistances for the lightning to fracture into tiny shards.


    Two heads down, she puffed up her chest and roared again.  ¡°C¡¯mon!¡±


    A shrill scream split the air as its six remaining heads whipped upright, snapping its restraints; they locked eyes, making Selvaria grin.


    ¡°Yeah, I did that!  Come get some!¡±  she shouted, smacking her chest and sending a jet of pressurized water at the beast, accidentally clipping a huge building, but the Hydra¡¯s heads weaved around them to barrel through the buildings separating them, toxic fumes, ice, fire, and other elements sparking from their mouths.


    That¡¯s it, she snickered, backing toward the ocean; however, her Water Pool was unexpectedly now only sixty percent¡ªshe had to be above fifty to remain in this State.  Oof ¡­ Can I not even last a minute after using my breath¡ªshoot!  I didn¡¯t think about that!


    She started to shrink, but the Hydra was still coming.


    Much of her weight lost, Selvaria promptly turned and ran for the sea; the wind was practically a non-issue for her, yet she could feel the booms coming from the monster gaining on her.


    ¡°Yikes!¡±  she gasped, a glob of acid the size of a small car landing in front of her; it was soon carried along the streams of water running down the road.  Dancing around it, she continued to jog.  She was pretty good with endurance; speed, not so much.


    ¡°Just hold up a bit!¡±  she yelled, and passing the crushed wall she¡¯d pulled herself over, Selvaria just managed to reach the water as its heads dove in after her tail.


    Accelerating, she twirled around the searching heads while rebuilding her resource.  ¡°Haha!¡±  she cheered, bubbles floating past her face while watching ice creep around her from the frost-head.  ¡°Jokes on you; I love ice!¡±


    A pulse shook through her body, the Leviathan in her being rereleased; erupting out of the ocean, she smacked her head against theirs, thick ice cracking around her as she prepared to fight.


    Reaching around its body as it recovered, Selvaria¡¯s jaws snatched its flailing tail.  Muscles straining, she pulled back and whipped the Hydra through the nearby buildings to tumble into the river bay, sending waves crashing in the already turbulent storm.


    ¡°Round two!¡±


    * * *


    Alan Piedrabuena leaned forward, left elbow resting on his knee as his knuckles pressed against his upper lip and nose; the board in front of him showed him a massive amount of data, depending on where he looked.


    Fulgencio had given him full access to his game, which had so many uses that the man had squandered and didn¡¯t seem to understand at all.  Everyone was stupid and cowardly, which was why things were going badly.


    Relica, Khariton, and Miora sat nearby; naturally, the Sorceress and her snobbish friend were drinking wine and chatting about some job she¡¯d done for Miora that had brought the two together¡ªAlan didn¡¯t care.


    Everything always fell on his head to get people to actually do what they should have done in the first place; everyone was incompetent.


    If Relica had done as she was told and captured Rachel¡ªwho she had said was their biggest wildcard¡ªthen everything would be fine right now.  Sure, the woman had information and had been more than a little helpful, yet she also had many faults.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    He glared at the pieces moving across the board; Spiro, the Lernaean Hydra Miora had brought as her pet, was currently being made ready to assault the stadium, and Salvador was doing as he was told.  Relica had done well to make him compliant.


    The letter she passed to the play Warlord had been placed in the spot for Khariton Osipov, the Legend of Ricardo Marales Navarette, and nearly four-meter-tall Mythickin buffoon of a giant that couldn¡¯t even say what type he was, to launch his grand scheme at having Rachel and Nemesis gut each other.


    He sighed, glaring at the pieces Rachel had placed across the city; it was strange.  A black man and monster girl had just been chatting by the river for some time; he¡¯d been very concerned when two random people showed up out of nowhere, but they were there and gone in no time at all, and the military equipment around the city had confirmed they had exited Havana airspace.


    A larger group was heading around Noah¡¯s territory, and he suspected they were documenting his puppets, but it was useless; he had thousands under his little finger alone, dancing to his tune.


    By using his puppets with Fulgencio¡¯s board, he could grasp far more data than the stupid drunk ever could.  He¡¯d slowly worked his way into checkmating his opponents over the past three weeks, and the biggest thorn in his side had been Nemesis and Noah.


    The two were far too strong individually for his pawns to handle, and while Noah could be swayed by hostages, it was made clear early on that was not the case for Nemesis.


    So, he¡¯d been working on getting the pair to fight, yet specific control detection types around Noah had to be dealt with, which had taken some time.  Noah wasn¡¯t brilliant, but at least he had the brain to surround himself with powers that could sniff out deception and manipulation.


    A small smile lifted his lips while glaring at the tall bronze-skinned man¡¯s piece; through careful positioning, he¡¯d managed to snag every one of his detection-based ability users earlier this night, and if it hadn¡¯t been for Rachel¡¯s inopportune appearance, the game would look totally different at this point.


    Still, some of his men had finished destroying one of Noah¡¯s protected cities without word getting out and was now on their way back with his duped team.  Using his puppets, he¡¯d brought the idea of moving all of his people to the southeast, planting reports that Nemesis was preparing to have a wide-scale battle with him should he not come to the stadium.


    Everything had gone according to plan without a hiccup, that was, until now.


    He glanced at Fulgencio, snickering and creating more crayon pictures of the people he saw on the table; sometimes he wondered what went on in his mind, but the man drawing Rachel killing Relica certainly had him in a slightly better mood¡ªanything that upset the seemingly unshakable sorceress was a win for him.


    Reaching for the pen and pad, Alan wrote down his question and had one of Miora¡¯s slaves carry it to the pair.


    You¡¯re sure Rachel can kill Nemesis?


    Relica sighed, scribbling back a remark and shooting a glare at him.


    Yes!  Rachel must have killed FAR stronger in the last city.  Once that¡¯s over, she should be weak enough that you can send one of your puppet gang in ¡­ She¡¯s proud; she won¡¯t have people there to help her.  Rachel can¡¯t turn down a fight.


    He didn¡¯t understand why this Lunar Hare couldn¡¯t turn down a challenge but considered it must have something to do with Nemesis being the same way; it could be a Beastkin thing for all he knew.


    Still, he had his doubts about Ana¡¯s death while in the presence of Nemesis; Relica¡¯s tie to Salvador had paid off due to the string of curses and challengers they could send to him, thereby gauging their effectiveness, but the fact Nemesis met with Rachel and then left, and slowly, didn¡¯t make sense.


    Writing on the paper again, he sent it to the agitated woman as he interrupted their conversation again.


    Why did Nemesis and Rachel not fight when they first met?  Why did Mara leave for us to ambush her?


    Relica looked at her friend, who grunted at the struggling Siren she¡¯d recently captured, still releasing her vocal magic and trying to fight the Madagascar woman¡¯s control.  A pained grunt shot through Mara''s throat as Miora snapped her fingers and pointed at the sheet.


    To all of their mild surprise, she resisted; the lovely woman¡¯s face was already red and slick with sweat from the torturous methods Miora employed to her slaves, yet she locked her trembling thighs together, refusing to rise as tears stained her cheeks.


    Rising from her chair and adjusting her old-fashioned dress, Miora walked over and slapped the woman, forcing her to the ground.  ¡°You actually refuse me, you filthy fish?¡±


    Heel pressing against the woman¡¯s cheek, she applied a bit of pressure, making the other slaves either whimper or blush, their temperature increasing while more than likely wishing to be in Mara¡¯s place.


    ¡°I¡ªI am not¡ªa filthy fish, you disgusting bit¡ª¡±


    Miora promptly kicked Mara in the gut, sending her tumbling four feet from her enhanced strength and making the woman cough and sputter on the ground, veins popping out across her body as the Legendkin¡¯s powers worked on her.


    ¡°Answer my question.¡±


    ¡°Ugh ¡­ I ¡­ I was just¡ªmmgm!¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Alan, does she have family here?  Sometimes the first two hours can be ¡­ difficult, but I like to see them struggle¡ªto see them hurt their loved ones.¡±


    Alan hissed, knowing Rachel was still likely listening.  ¡°No¡ªall of them died, so far as I know, which was why she went after all those that killed them.¡±


    ¡°A shame, but I can make you relive those tragic memories¡­¡±


    The Siren¡¯s eyes glazed, seeing something in her past.  ¡°No¡ªplease, don¡¯t ¡­ don¡¯t show me ¡­ No, Brais, don¡¯t!  Don¡¯t leave¡ªack!¡±


    ¡°Too late, Dear ¡­ You must learn your lesson,¡± Miora cruelly smiled while kicking the woman against the wall.  ¡°Follow orders.¡±


    Alan was even creeped out by this person, and Relica struggled with keeping her under control, but she did bring results.


    After a few minutes of watching Rachel run through the city, returning to speak to the Legend and Noah¡¯s man, the Siren broke down, snot, saliva, and blood running down her cracked lips; the woman bit them during the struggle, and her eyes were still glazed over with whatever Miora showed her, hands covering her ears in protest for whatever she heard.


    ¡°I ¡­ I just suggested we bring her to dinner¡ªto talk¡­¡±  she cried.


    ¡°There, was that so hard?¡±  Miora whispered, bending down to force her up against the wall and hold her cheeks as she quivered.  ¡°You shouldn¡¯t sully your pretty face ¡­ Such things can be important if I ever need to trade you or let someone use you for their pleasure.  Carles, heal her lip and clean up the filthy fish¡¯s face.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, Ma¡¯am!¡±


    Turning, Miora sniffed while glaring at him.  ¡°There you have it.¡±


    Relica had been frowning the entire time but didn¡¯t seem too satisfied by the answer.  ¡°Wasn¡¯t she resisting a bit too much for just that ¡­ Hmm?¡±


    Alan¡¯s paranoid mind spun while watching his assassins take aim at the infuriating Legendkin that kept Nemesis alive throughout the weeks of unending battle.  ¡°True ¡­ See if she¡¯ll elaborate.¡±


    Mara quivered, focus coming back as Miora¡¯s dark smile turned to her.  ¡°Well?¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I just wanted to¡ªto see if they¡¯d get along ¡­ They seemed to¡ªI thought maybe they could team up¡ªmove against the other Warlords f-from what he told me.¡±


    Nodding with a bit more understanding, Alan rubbed his chin, a smile brightening it as the idiotic giant took the shot¡ªit actually landed¡ªNemesis was too slow, and the infuriating Healing Phoneix, or whatever the people called her, was dead.


    ¡°I can see why she¡¯d try to hide them trying to team up.¡±


    ¡°Humph.  Well done, my filthy little fish,¡± Miora encouraged, making Mara wince again from another pulse the collar sent through her body.  ¡°See, you¡¯re learning!  Continue your song.¡±


    Returning to her seat with satisfaction, the slaver renewed their conversation, yet Alan saw the thoughtful look in Relica¡¯s face that he associated with her pondering something troubling.


    Mara hugged her bare legs to her chest to hold them, hiccuping a little while a few more tears leaked from her eyes, likely recalling whatever Miora had tortured her with.


    His attention was snatched by the thrilling event of Nemesis looking for Rachel, yet the Lunar Hare was doing something strange; it could have been just as Relica surmised, and she wanted to meet the lion in single combat, but the others¡¯ movements made him question it.


    Things were already in motion, and he was on the verge of pulling the trigger on all of his puppets; there was room for error and so many moving parts that it would take a miracle to stop it at this point, yet there was an unease in his belly upon looking up at Fulgencio¡¯s drawings¡ªit showed Nemesis in the same room as them.


    The picture was odd¡ªa fuzzy golden scribble¡ªbut it was when his eyes narrowed for a moment, crayon hovering over the paper, that made Alan suspicious.  Could he be using us?


    ¡°Mmgm!¡±  Fulgencio got up and stretched, patting his abdomen with a grin.  ¡°Hehehe, whoops¡ªalmost slipp¡¯emed, Boss¡ªeh, heh, I gotta head ta da little boys¡¯ room!  Yo, eh¡ªif I get, mind a¡ªa, eh, ¡®nother ditter, Boss?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡ªgo ahead, but the cheap stuff¡ªyou¡¯ve gone through a lot of good stock recently.¡±


    ¡°Boss!  I¡ªI got bored¡ªI¡¯m a good guy, Boss!  Please!¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Wooh!  Party¡ªJoe, ugh¡ª¡±  his face went green, and he vomited all over his drawings, spraying chunks like a hose.


    ¡°Really ¡­ Someone help him.  Did he piss himself?!  Gah, the board¡¯s gone¡ªslap him awake¡ªdon¡¯t look at me like that!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s got shit all over him,¡± Khariton grumbled, getting up to order another guy outside to handle it.


    ¡°Relica!¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye,¡± she dully muttered, snapping her fingers for a charm on his body to illuminate and force his eyes open.  ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he stays awake this time.¡±


    ¡°Wugh¡ªI feel¡ªBoss?¡±


    ¡°Stupid alcoholic,¡± Alan growled while sitting back and looking at the rematerializing board; Rachel had met Nemesis, yet as he watched and Fulgencio and Relica left the room, he noticed something strange.


    Why aren''t they jumping into a fight ¡­ Nemesis seems to be calming down by his current status marker ¡­ Are they joining forces?!


    A minute passed where Alan sat on the edge of his seat, Miora glaring at the board with him.  ¡°Was something supposed to¡ª¡±


    Alan¡¯s skin prickled as a colossal figure appeared to the left of the table¡ªa sea monster¡ªrising out of the ocean; it was one of the girls Rachel brought, and her people were quickly on the move.


    His thoughts blanked as a pulse of terrifying energy rippled through his body, making him lock up¡ªnearly every puppet in his control was hit by the Terrify III Aura¡ªthey were unusable.


    Hair stiffening on the back of his neck, Alan¡¯s throat went numb as Ohan and Maria ran toward their base of operations.  The giant monster sent everyone in the district running in the opposite direction as she crawled onto land to reveal her massive girth.


    Vasishtha to Noah¡ªMaria and Scarlet to¡ªno, Scarlet is joining Fiona, heading for Salvador¡¯s area, and Rachel ¡­ Why are Nemesis and Rachel running for Noah?!  If they all team up, it¡¯s over¡ªRachel is on the attack¡­


    ¡°What is that?¡±  Khariton gasped, staring at the board before running to the window to see a bright flash of light blind the night, a laser streaking across the sky to hit something in the city.  ¡°W-Why is there a colossal monster attacking the city?!  It broke my walls!¡±


    Activating every puppet he could, Alan yelled, ¡°Miora, they¡¯re coming¡ª¡±


    The board in front of him faded, Miora looking as confused as him; his heart stopped¡ªthe thousands of military officers he told to prepare his escape died¡ªall of them.  Falling back into his chair, Alan¡¯s mind pushed past the fear of the rampaging creatures as the Hydra joined the chaos, Khariton running to his side and shaking his arm, telling them they needed to move.


    How did ¡­ thousands of my soldiers die?  Only Relica knew I¡¯d taken over the Cuban military¡ªare the tens of thousands of the military that followed my orders dead, as well ¡­ How?


    A quiver ran through him as the building shook, and he heard a room down the hall explode, more dulled screams adding to his addled brain.


    Miora calmly got up and moved to the window, and Alan followed her path, mind frantically looking for solutions, but more than a minute passed; Selvaria shrunk before taking their fight to the ocean, and all he could do was come to the same ridiculous conclusion.  It¡¯s impossible ¡­ It¡¯s utterly impossible.


    A low hum rumbled in the slaver¡¯s throat as she went to the hall with her lapdogs following; Mara struggled, but Miora¡¯s teleporter picked her up, which seemed to force her resistance to stop since she couldn¡¯t hurt him.


    Shakily getting to his feet, he choked, ¡°Khariton¡ªw-we need to get to the helicopter¡ªthe military¡ªthey¡¯re all dead.¡±


    His friend had been following the incredible struggle between monsters, utterly lost with what they should do next.  ¡°W-We don¡¯t have air support¡ªcan we make it to Venezuela?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªno, we need to get to the western military base!  My controlled pilot is still alive¡ª¡±  Stumbling forward, he ran to the hallway; Alan froze, seeing one of the giant Hydra heads fly across the open corridor, Miora calmly standing at the end to observe it roll in the parking lot below.


    His mouth went dry as Khariton muttered.  ¡°The stairs¡ªwhere are the stairs?  The hallway¡­¡±


    Rachel planned all of this ¡­ How long¡ªno, it had to be Relica, but why!?


    Miora sighed, watching lights spark across the city to their west and the lumbering monsters, her hands held behind her back with her slaves surrounding the Legend.


    Alan lurched forward; it should be safe around her since the woman¡¯s enslaved people would defend her.  ¡°Miora!  Miora, Relica betrayed us!  She¡¯s killed all of my military pawns!  You need to get us to my helicopter!¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Interesting, I was unaware of a military trump card, Alan.  Why would Relica betray me?  We have known each other for quite some time, and it seems rather counterproductive, considering I know a great deal about her.  It was she that brought me to this backwater place.¡±


    Hovering near her man that could teleport, just in case he could snatch a ride out, Alan forced a laugh as the giant sea monster bit off one of the Hydra¡¯s heads; the further they went out to sea, the more his control returned.


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know what Relica is thinking¡ªm-maybe she¡¯s controlled by Fulgencio!  He must be pulling the strings¡ªhis ability is like a chessboard¡ªmaybe he¡¯s smarter than he¡ªhuh¡­¡±


    Smoothing turned around, Miora reached out, closing a collar around his throat before he could process what was happening, given the state of everything happening, and a small smile lifted her lips.


    ¡°It seems Relica is finished with this forsaken land¡ªit¡¯s a little vexing she left me in the dark, but she did promise me you would be mine, in the end, my little puppet.¡±


    ¡°No¡ªn-no¡­¡±  Alan stumbled away, feeling the collar digging into his skin, fusing with his muscle to send tethers to his brain.  ¡°Y-You can¡¯t do this to me!  K-Khariton ¡­ Khariton?¡±


    Turning for support, he saw an invisible collar slowly taking shape around his best friend¡¯s throat.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alan ¡­ I grew careless,¡± he muttered, eyes falling to the carpet.


    Tears gathered in Alan¡¯s eyes; he knew what would happen if he tried to attack her or had any ill intent, and Mara showed how far even incredible resolve could take you.


    ¡°Now,¡± Miora cooed, stepping in to cup his cheeks, ¡°why don¡¯t I have a little fun and test out my new¡ª¡±


    Alan¡¯s lips parted, gut churning as a golden light shot into the corridor from above¡ªa seven-foot-tall golden lion landed beside them¡ªthe terror that gripped his chest buckled Alan¡¯s legs as the others began to grasp his presence.  ¡°Nemesis?¡±


    Savage jaws opening, a roar shook the hallway, or it could have been his bones, as the lion¡¯s clawed hand swiped at the teleporter¡¯s head, but a scream from the woman he held created a barrier that countered the beast¡¯s savage blow.


    ¡°Nemesis!  Nemesis, save me!¡±  Mara cried, attacking her ally while pleading for his help.


    The teleporter vanished, appearing beside Miora with Mara still in his arms as the slaver smoothly placed a hand on the man¡¯s shoulder; Nemesis blurred from Alan¡¯s vision as a thick wall shot out from a string of light Khariton created to shield the three¡¯s escape.


    Shattering rock from the impact was all Alan heard, flying chips digging into his numb flesh as he shakily turned to see Nemesis¡¯ illuminated, enraged figure, blood dripping off his talons; the three had escaped, but the lion appeared to have connected with someone.


    ¡°Ragah!¡±


    The Lion¡¯s fist flew back as Khariton sent a pillar of stone at him; they met, and it wasn¡¯t the lion that broke.  Dust filled Alan¡¯s lungs with the corridor, blackening out the lights.


    He felt a tug on his mind, prompting him to go below and save his master, yet he couldn¡¯t move, even as he struggled; so instead, he sent all his puppets still under his control to support her.  I can¡¯t feel my body¡­


    When his senses returned, he looked down to see a colossal fragment of Khariton¡¯s pillar pinning him to the floor, blood running down the edges of the carpet to fall off the fractured building to the levels below.  Is that ¡­ my blood?  I can¡¯t feel my legs ¡­ my legs ¡­ I don¡¯t have my legs¡­


    To his right was the bloodied mess of his best friend since childhood, a shard of stone stuck into his face while his body was half held in place by a section of the pillar he¡¯d sent at the Lion King.


    How did it turn out like this ¡­ I¡¯m not a puppet; I¡¯m smart ¡­ I did everything right ¡­ Everything ¡­ Everyone else messed up ¡­ So why am I dying ¡­ I¡¯m dying ¡­ I don¡¯t want to die¡­


    ¡°H-Help ¡­ Help ¡­ Someone ¡­ Help¡­¡±


    He cried for a time, but no one came, and the torturous prompts of the collar only grew stronger; soon, not even that pricked his mind, and a rumble from the clashing titans brought the ceiling¡¯s collapse to seal his tomb.


    * * *


    Maria stood beside Ohan, the storm at their backs; she was bundled up in a rain jacket, like the Samurai, but it was still tricky to navigate in the stormy weather.  ¡°Gah, how does Rachel do it?¡±


    A chuckle came from the man, slick face glancing back as they felt the earth quake from Selvaria''s movements.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you ¡­ I can¡¯t go much faster than this, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  She couldn¡¯t have heard him if not for her enhanced hearing beyond the wind and falling rain, much less see without her sharpened vision; everything had become insane since The Oscillation.  ¡°How are we going to get past the wall?¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°How are we going to get behind the wall?!¡±


    ¡°Ah, heh, don¡¯t worry about that¡­¡±


    Roars and growls came from Selvaria, her monstrous sounds vibrating through the storm to put pressure against Maria¡¯s chest.  Damn, Girl¡ªya really can¡¯t judge a book by its cover ¡­ Got me feelin¡¯ like we¡¯re in a movie, and ¡­ Shit, Terrify Aura III?!  Forget ordinary people; if she wasn¡¯t on our side, we might be sent running¡­


    They hadn¡¯t made it far, Ohan only able to keep a maximum speed of fifty-six km/h, where Maria could accelerate far past that; albeit, her turning game wasn¡¯t the best, but she¡¯d been working at it.  She was currently still in walking-mode as far as her body was concerned.


    She screeched to a halt, forcing Ohan to follow her; fifteen meters in front of them, a jet of hyper-focused water shot out of the sky, pulverizing the thick wall they ran beside and carrying parts of buildings with it.


    ¡°The hell¡ªshe tryin¡¯ ta kill us?!  Wha¡ªhey!¡±


    ¡°Haha!  No, we planned this while you guys were doing your purify business,¡± Ohan returned, scooping her into a swift princess carry and darting to a nearby alley to jump up a few obstacles to the roof as the debris and water flooded the area.  ¡°Oh¡ªsorry, Maria, but we don¡¯t want to be carried back into the river.¡±


    ¡°Yo, just¡ªgive a girl some warning first¡ªshit,¡± she grumbled, trying to use her arms to guard against the spray of rain as a gust blew it back in their bundled faces.  ¡°Ooh, hear that?  It seems like she caught the attention of the Hydra.¡±


    He set her down on the backside of the roof; it was angled, allowing a bit of reprieve from the cutting wind; her sight was focused on the streak of light that illuminated the monster girl¡¯s colossal figure and that had shot into the city.  ¡°Eh¡ªI wonder why¡­¡±


    It didn¡¯t take too long for the streams of water to start being pushed to the west with the strong wind, rather than rushing in all directions, and they jumped down, running to the opening.  Selvaria had blasted it down to the dirt underneath some sections, causing small muddy craters where the pressure lingered the longest.


    Maria only made it to the nearest street with Ohan inside the walled area when she saw the crowds of screaming and fleeing people¡ªin alarm, she saw some of them didn¡¯t even have clothes.  ¡°Ohan!  We gotta stop.¡±


    ¡°What ¡­ Maria, our target won¡¯t stay still forever.¡±


    ¡°I know, but look at those people¡ªthey¡¯re naked, running through a hurricane!¡±


    The weather may have been dying down throughout the night, but it was still dangerous, and she couldn¡¯t leave people like that.


    ¡°Mmgm ¡­ Okay, can you quickly free the ones that could use our help¡ªI count fifteen that aren¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Maria wasn¡¯t going to wait around.  ¡°You go scout things out; I¡¯ll help the ones that need it and take them to a building south and catch up!¡±


    Catching concerned eyes, Maria hissed impatiently.  ¡°Look, I know you¡¯re thinkin¡¯ about the things you heard from Rachel yesterday, but I¡¯m seriously not the same girl that was helpless.  Okay?  Go!  I¡¯ll catch up!¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ Okay, be safe, Maria, and if we¡¯re going to save Mara, we need your power.¡±


    ¡°I got it!  Go!¡±


    Maria rushed to the children and naked women first, showing scrapes, gashes, and malnourishment from their weeks under the warlords¡¯ occupation.  Dammit!  Why¡¯d the world have to turn to shit¡­


    * * *


    Ohan didn¡¯t like leaving Maria alone; she had her new boots, which helped her offensively, and added some mitigation effects for her at night, but it boiled his blood listening to everything she¡¯d gone through only a few days ago because no one could protect her, having been caught up in other events¡ªthe woman had to rescue herself.


    Maria had a strong personality and a soft heart when it came to people¡¯s suffering, probably because of how she¡¯d grown up; he hated seeing people struggle like that when he grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth.  Of course, everyone always wanted him to play the victim or looked down on him because of his skin color, which was frustrating.


    He wanted to help others that were really suffering, not cry about useless things that didn¡¯t even matter in the end; people had real issues, and he could support them.


    The situation was bad; he¡¯d seen it on the bodies of those Maria went to, yet that was a losing game.  Their real problem was the puppet masters; Selvaria¡¯s Fear Aura only needed to be in effect as long as the people could be manipulated, which made taking them out their top priority.


    He didn¡¯t have time to argue the logic of the situation Rachel had foreseen, though; Maria would give the shirt off her back to those in need and couldn¡¯t turn away from the people suffering in front of her, and he had to respect that of her.  Ohan only hoped Rachel hadn¡¯t expected him to be more firm in directing her to the root.


    Catching sight of the two colossal monsters to his right, he frowned, noticing Selvaria shrink.  Dammit, Girl ¡­ You said you could last five minutes.


    Ohan took a deep breath and closed his eyes, letting the flow of the spiritual forces around the city stimulate his inner senses as he ran; it took time to find the right visual waves, but he could still be on the move after his training in the Labyrinth and island.


    Tens of thousands of frantic lives rushed past his mind in a stream of chaos as he tried to synchronize with the storm''s rhythm; it wouldn¡¯t give a complete picture of the people, which was part of the issue with the reactive skill that required a tempered mind, spirit, and body.  His time with Rachel¡¯s party had proven he still needed a lot of training.


    The sounds of the wind, thunder, and rain became clear as time slowed, every droplet sending a pulse that reverberated against many spiritual phenomena to draw him a spotted map of the city.


    Selvaria is okay ¡­ She¡¯s cutting it close, though.  So far, she¡¯s been careful to not run over houses, and the gap of people around their battle is widening.  She¡¯s doing good ¡­ What¡¯s ¡­ Something¡¯s moving incredibly fast, cutting a line through the storm¡­


    He pivoted, running to jump up a nearby truck and use it to make it to the rooftops; it slowed him a tad, but he now saw a streak of gold running along the buildings far ahead of him.  Is that Nemesis?  He¡¯s heading straight for the building Mara was last seen in ¡­ I need to hurry.


    Knowing the Lion would reach the site before him, Ohan leaped off the building and redoubled his efforts.  When he arrived at a large parking lot, he slowed; dozens of figures were present in the storm, several messy corpses left on the ground as what appeared to be a bright green force field surrounded Nemesis.


    Great ¡­ She has an army of ability users, but it looks like they¡¯re at a stalemate.


    Ohan calmed the blood thumping through his veins, preparing himself to die; he very well might in this situation.  Sucking in air, he released it in a slow stream and stepped forward, summoning his weapon at his side.


    Heart stilling, with every step, the storm faded from his mind, a battle instinct impressing on his relaxing muscles.  Sword slowly exiting its sheath, Ohan fixated on his targets, erasing his presence by melding with the fury of the storm; their attention was centered on the raging Lion as he pounded against the shell, and by the shaking arms of the woman holding her hands against the barrier, she was having a difficult time maintaining the defense.


    A red aura coated his blade as he instinctually noted his targets; by the scouted information given to them, Mara was a green-haired Siren Mythickin of sorts, which was standing beside the legendary tyrant who had control over these Demi.


    He took time in his slow advance to gauge his opponents and the current state of the battle; Nemesis¡¯ distraction only afforded him one opportunity for a surprise attack.


    Focus centered on the group, Ohan listened, stopping at the edge of the lot; Ohan¡¯s figure shrouded in shadow¡ªSpider¡¯s Dance II - Intermediate¡ªthe storm filtering out as the dark-skinned slaver studied her trapped target, dress drenched with the falling rain.


    ¡°You are among the finest specimens I have come across ¡­ Every one of my servants is quite skilled, yet you¡¯ve managed to kill quite a few in an instant ¡­ You will make a wonderful addition to my collection.¡±


    Her head tilted to a man writhing on the ground beside her, throat ripped out, and a bit of annoyance touched her voice.  ¡°However, you will need punishment for killing my precious teleporter ¡­ You cannot imagine their rarity or the challenge it is to collar them.  I do have a spare back home, though.¡±


    Silence ensued as the Lion gave soundless roars from inside the shimmering prison for a minute to pass; Ohan was patient, making a note of every position and form he would need to perform¡ªhe seldom got to use this style outside of the few personal quests he¡¯d done the previous day.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡±  the woman holding the shell shakily questioned; she was Arabic by her accent.  ¡°I can¡¯t¡ªI can¡¯t hold him for much longer¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ll fail me, Aini?¡±


    ¡°N-No!  Ma¡¯am¡­¡±  she cried, body beginning to quiver as she redoubled her efforts.


    ¡°Good ¡­ Reda is almost here, and he will handle pinning my next prize.¡±  She turned to the trembling green-haired Siren beside her, generating a protective field around the two of them with her voice.  ¡°Such a pretty voice when frightened, Mara ¡­ You may become one of my favorites.  I look forward to the many performances you¡¯ll gift to me.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ would rather die.¡±


    ¡°Mh-hehe, my dirty little fish, you say that while begging for your lion protector to save your filthy life ¡­ Your voice and fortunate looks are the only things of worth you have to offer.  Mara, you should be happy I am putting your few talents to proper use.¡±


    ¡°S-Screw ¡­ mmgm!¡±


    Ohan took one step forward, blade glazing past muscle and tendon as flashes of his afterimage blinked between his maximum of four targets, crippling three by severing their ability to use their limbs, and the back of his sword struck Aini¡¯s lower neck, just under the collar, creating a sharp crack from her fractured spine, paralyzing her.


    Gasps of surprise or shock came from the group as he appeared out of nowhere, Aini¡¯s mouth loosening while falling to the pavement, her barrier broken.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    A wave of danger made Ohan jump back, spinning to cut the air as Mara spoke.  ¡°Please, run!  I¡ªI can¡¯t control who I attack!¡±


    ¡°Mara!¡±  Nemesis roared instantly, taking the disorder to leap forward and grabbing two confused men by the throat to act as shields as he rushed for her.  ¡°I will save¡ª¡±


    Landing after cutting through the rhythmic blast Mara had generated, Ohan¡¯s attention snapped to a tear in space that opened up behind Miora¡ªRelica stepped out, a small smile on her lips as a large man in a fitted trench coat with slicked-back black hair exited with a dull expression and a beautiful black-furred fox woman with a long, single shimmering tail.


    The shapely Chinese woman had characters painted on her ceremonial clothing, and the large man had tattoos of occult symbols burned into most of his visible skin; both put off a threatening vibe that rivaled the sorceress, and the skull on the woman¡¯s forehead left an impression on Ohan¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Miora, you seem to be having trouble.¡±


    Ohan halted immediately, jaw tightening as the Sorceress¡¯ eyes flashed a deep purple; all sound died, a nova of energy erupting from the woman that vaporized the men Nemesis held while throwing him back.  Black energy coating his blade, Ohan slashed upward; the flow of the force was unlike anything he¡¯d felt before, cold and corrosive, yet he managed to create a small opening.


    Miora turned, a smug smile on her lips.  ¡°Relica, must you destroy my toys?¡±


    Retreat is the only option; we¡­


    All thoughts blanked in Ohan¡¯s mind as the fox woman stepped forward and plunged her clawed hand into Miora¡¯s chest, making the woman¡¯s muscles lock.


    ¡°W-What is¡ªLifen ¡­ Relica?¡±


    A blue spiritual wave swirled around the pair, forcing Mara back as a cruel smile lifted her glowing sapphire eyes; the Legend¡¯s shaky hands closed around the fox woman¡¯s arm, trying to pull it out, yet Ohan didn¡¯t see any blood.


    What¡¯s happening?


    ¡°Darling,¡± Relica sighed, a somber smile moving her lips.  ¡°My old friend, you see, as I feared, I needed a powerful Legendkin¡¯s spirit¡ªI really tried to find another way, but ¡­ unfortunately, time is up, and well ¡­ You do meet all the requirements.  Sorry.¡±


    ¡°How ¡­ could you¡­¡±  Miora muttered, all of her slaves seeming to be just as paralyzed as their slaver, Chinese characters illuminating on their foreheads.


    Relica shook her head.  ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing personal, Miora¡ªI liked you a lot¡ªcircumstances just weren¡¯t in your favor, and I couldn¡¯t protect you for such a simple reason as friendship!  Lifen?¡±


    The fox woman¡¯s Chinese accent was evident as her lips curled, showing fanged teeth.  ¡°It will do nicely.¡±


    A deep grunt came from the man as he snapped his fingers, causing the pyramid on his forehead to brighten and a yellow field to separate them from any interference; his accent was British.  ¡°Could ya hurry it up, Lass¡ªI¡¯m hungry, and we¡¯re on a clock.¡±


    Miora¡¯s eyes were starting to dim as all of her slaves fell to the ground, Nemesis rushing in to grab Mara and leap away.


    ¡°Be patient, Aleister,¡± Lifen sniffed, ¡°she¡¯s fighting my influence, slowing the process.¡±


    He huffed.  ¡°How hard is it for a H¨²li J¨©ng to do the one thing you¡¯re good at?¡±


    ¡°Relica, could you tell the ugly old man to watch his words if he doesn¡¯t wish to be next¡­¡±


    ¡°Heh, good luck with that, Love, but I¡¯d be interested to see you try.¡±


    Nemesis landed beside Ohan, a low growl in his throat.  ¡°Where is your woman that can remove this thing from her neck?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s coming.¡±


    ¡°Gmgmm ¡­ They betrayed their own?¡±


    ¡°It seems that way.¡±


    Relica turned her gaze to them as the spiritual force surrounding Lifen strengthened, Miora¡¯s eyes rolling back, skin paling, and breath becoming ragged.  ¡°Oh, I almost forgot about the lot of you¡ªhehehe, I am sorry to ruin your fun, but on the off-chance, you actually did kill Miora, eh-heh, I couldn¡¯t let that happen.¡±


    ¡°What are you planning, Relica?¡±  Ohan asked, not expecting an answer but throwing it out there just in case.


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ Well, that¡¯s complicated, and to be honest, I don¡¯t fully understand it,¡± she laughed.  ¡°So, count your many blessings, Ohan, and congratulations on getting your girl back¡ªisn¡¯t it a win for everyone!  Well, except for my old friend,¡± she sighed, grimacing at the woman as Lifen extracted her hand to show a swirling nexus of fathomless spiritual depth in her palms.


    ¡°Done.¡±


    ¡°Finally,¡± Aleister mumbled, pulling back his sleeve and running his fingers down a set of occult symbols to generate another fissure in space.  ¡°What I wouldn¡¯t give for some fast food¡­¡±


    Unsure what to do next, Ohan watched them go, and the protective barrier Aleister created faded with their exit.  Did Rachel see this coming ¡­ No, our priority was to recover Mara, and that¡¯s done.


    Maria caught up, missing the event by nearly a minute, and to Nemesis¡¯ sigh of relief, the Unicorn was able to purify and heal the Siren of the compelling force; she then moved to the dozens of comatose enslaved Demi, unresponsive after whatever Lifen had done to the Slaver.


    Tears came to Mara¡¯s eyes as she buried herself into Nemesis¡¯ dry, fluffy mane, protected from the water by the radiance surrounding him.  ¡°Y-You came for me¡­¡±  she choked, unable to speak while her body quivered, and the Lion¡¯s comforting arms held her.


    ¡°Hey ¡­ Hey, of course I did¡­¡±


    Maria choked up a bit while moving between the others to revive them, the freed slaves breaking down into tears and thanking her as they huddled together in the raging storm.


    It seemed to be some kind of spiritual separation magic that the H¨²li J¨©ng had employed, using the slaver¡¯s spiritual connection to her slaves as a medium to spread it and neutralize the possible threat the Legend posed.


    Ohan couldn¡¯t believe it; Miora, the Legend of Queen Ranavalona the First, was more than likely dead and by the hands of someone she¡¯d called a friend.


    What is Relica¡¯s game?  This wasn¡¯t a new plan; she baited Miora here for a purpose, no matter what excuses she made, and who were those people with her?  I¡¯m sure Rachel is on the move to intercept her, wherever she is.


    Not having any answers to go on, Ohan saw Cahira¡¯s Dragon Turtle descending upon the city with the helicopters and Special Demi Units Tom had been making.  I suppose the next best option will be to see how we can help the rescue and support effort.


    * * *


    Relica puffed out a long breath, walking through the rift to the emptied military hanger they¡¯d chosen for the ritual; it was a little disheartening to stab a friend in the back, but all was for the cause.


    Aleister pulled back his sleeve to check his watch, lips creasing.  ¡°I suppose I should snatch our final component; it feels weird leaving her unguarded.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what she wanted,¡± Lifen snickered, walking to the center of the room as he generated another crack in space to retrieve their patron.


    Not feeling like talking to the two, Relica found her elbow behind her back, gazing around the meticulous work Aleister and she had gone through over the past two weeks; her time studying Hell¡¯s ritualistic principles was a stepping stone for this since the design that had been given to her to craft was far beyond her reach at the time.


    The entire area was dyed red, occult symbols totally foreign to her spacing the area as Lifen carefully placed Miora¡¯s essence and Seed into the Soulstone Wolfgang had crafted for her¡ªeighty thousand spirits cycling within¡ªshe hoped all her efforts would be rewarded.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll come?¡±


    Lifen gazed around the space, lips tightening.  ¡°Everything we¡¯ve been promised is a step away ¡­ I don¡¯t see what good will come from questioning it, Relica.  It was you that convinced me to join this little project, so it isn¡¯t comforting hearing that from you.¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ I suppose not.  Perhaps I am just a little off after what I just did.¡±


    ¡°Heh, imagine, you showing emotion.¡±


    ¡°Imagine, indeed¡­¡±  Relica repeated, face softening.  ¡°Let¡¯s prepare the incantation for when Aleister returns with the final ingredient¡ªhopefully, everything went according to plan, but knowing Scarlet and Rachel ¡­ it is unlikely.  Still, a mother and daughter reunion¡ªI wish I could be there to see it.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 50. A Dream Of Mist And Blood

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Scarlet (Our Vamp Girl!)


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    Scarlet swiftly teleported into buildings like the predator she was meant to be, emerging from the shadows for her blood to encase her unsuspecting victims without having to walk through a stationary field, transporting the guards and the victims to random houses far away enough from the conflict to ensure safety.  Unsure if the guards were being manipulated or controlled, she included them.


    She¡¯d prepared extensively to be of use in this assault over the last few days.


    Since her fiasco in Camag¨¹ey, she¡¯d been doing her best to hone her skills to be more useful to Rachel and not hamper her efforts.  One of the results was the additional transfer method of Blood Portal; of course, she¡¯d gone through practically five elephant''s worth of blood that Tom had stored aboard Cahira¡¯s ship for her in doing so.


    All Scarlet wanted was to help the girl that had opened her heart and let her into her home; to make sure she was able to come home to the woman that had so selflessly taken her¡ªa total stranger and terrifying monster¡ªinto her arms.


    Her biggest fear was having to go back to the welcoming house that had accepted her to report Rachel¡¯s death; she¡¯d do anything to avoid that outcome.


    By the time Fiona had begun her assault¡ªas unorthodox and funny the approach was from what Scarlet could observe¡ªScarlet had already forcefully teleported out the majority of households; it wasn¡¯t too challenging since all of the hostages in the area had been centralized in five locations.


    Blood acting as a wave, spreading out to engulf the various groups, she applied a condensed Fear Aura to freeze them in place and make the controlled individuals think she was a hostile force instead of a rescue party to counteract any pre-assigned orders.


    Her reserves were swiftly being diminished, but she managed to get everyone out before the small army of Demi were able to check.


    Shadows shrouded her for Scarlet to appear high above the dark city, sitting on a disk of her own blood while it curved around her to block the tempest.  Selvaria¡¯s roar penetrated the sounds of the storm, chasing it away as a section of her blood parted to see the colossal figure of the fun Leviathan girl scream at the sky.


    You go, Girl!  We¡¯re doing good.  Nice, destroying the wall.  Hold up¡­


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s spikes and eyes blazed, flaring turquoise as energy gathered in her snarling throat and bolts of lightning arced up her spine.  Scarlet instantly knew her target upon following the Leviathan¡¯s gaze to the Hydra, being guided down a path.


    Uh-oh ¡­ I didn¡¯t know we were supposed to clear that area!  Hold up, Selv!


    Luckily, the girl took at least thirty seconds to charge the beam, allowing Scarlet to zip in and transport out the several groups.  It must have been a new skill because the Leviathan had been teasing she had something new up her sleeve; a decently long charge time, but more than powerful.


    Scarlet returned to her aerial perch to witness the elemental ray of ice and electricity devastate everything in its path.  Happy to have made it in time, she watched the girl¡¯s massive Fear Aura¡ªmuch more extensive than hers¡ªsend the puppeted and uncontrolled citizens alike into a panic, fleeing in any direction the two rampaging monsters weren¡¯t.


    Okay ¡­ Should I help Fiona and Grace now?  Rachel didn¡¯t give me any more orders after clearing everyone.


    Blood spinning in the air to shift positions, she watched Benedict and the twins in the very crowded auditorium, seemingly getting help from some people to try and cure the sister Rachel wanted them to save.


    I should help them out, because I doubt Fiona will need help ¡­ I am running low on blood, though¡­


    Lips tightening, her vision filtered out everything, including people, to look for any blood bank or reserve she could use; non-expired blood, she¡¯d learned her lesson last time.


    Nothing showed up in the area, but after teleporting to the northeast a little, still scanning for a place to restock, she found a place called Banco de Sangre Provincial, which appeared to have plenty.  Three women were inside, cowering in a corner because of the titans clashing to their south.


    Since it was the only place left that she¡¯d found for miles that didn¡¯t involve sucking from a living vein, Scarlet made her way to the location; her blood wrapped around her figure, allowing her to stay seated while appearing outside of the chilled area where the majority of the bags were kept.


    Legs crossed, she smiled at the crying Cuban women.  ¡°Hello!  Just allow me to¡­¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s skin prickled as symbols illuminated across the entire room, bathing it in light; she hardly had time to look up at the crimson effulgence before the women snagged her attention again.  Two flickered, and upon closer inspection, the blood holding Scarlet up quivered, sliding past her as she firmly planted her rear on the tile floor.


    ¡°No, it ¡­ Mom ¡­ W-What are you doing¡ªhow did you get to Cuba?!¡±


    In the dull glow that lingered with the obscure symbols, Scarlet¡¯s mind chilled, suddenly identifying the chicken scratch¡ªthe same ridiculous, made-up language her mother used in the rituals¡ªyet at this moment, she recognized the itching power that plucked at her still heart.


    The illusion her Mythickin Passive had partially penetrated slid away to reveal her smiling mother, black hair swept back and in one of her black, knee-high Sunday dresses.  Legs crossed with her hands in her lap, Adele smiled, sending memories flooding back to Scarlet¡¯s stunned mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s been more than a month since I¡¯ve last seen you ¡­ My, how you¡¯ve grown, Sweetie.¡±


    Mind unable to process her mother¡¯s words, she tried to enter the shadows to escape¡ªher attempt was blocked¡ªand frozen in fright, all Scarlet could do was watch her blood collapse to sink back into her skin against her will; every skill she had didn¡¯t respond to her desire to run, and neither would her body.


    Her mother¡¯s legs unfolded to rise, moving as if in slow motion to smoothly kneel before Scarlet and wrap her arms around her.  ¡°My precious daughter ¡­ I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±


    Scarlet began to tremble in her mother¡¯s warm embrace; she couldn¡¯t pull away, but this wasn¡¯t due to some magic.  What do I do ¡­ I can¡¯t run ¡­ What do I do ¡­ Rachel ¡­ Help me.


    Adele pulled back, but Scarlet couldn¡¯t see a monster in her mother¡¯s deep brown eyes; kneeling in front of her was the woman that gave birth to her¡ªthe crazy, occult obsessed woman that annoyed her yet did everything in her power to provide her with everything she needed in life.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±  she mumbled, throat somehow sticky and shaking muscles tight.


    Brushing back Scarlet¡¯s black locks, her mother¡¯s smile softened.  ¡°I know, Sweetie ¡­ I know.  Won¡¯t you allow me to explain?  Scarlet, Honey, you are my world, and there is nothing I wouldn¡¯t do for you.¡±


    Scarlet pushed herself back a little, feeling as cold as the night she¡¯d seen the insane look her parents and their friends had given her, but this, this wasn¡¯t the fanatical vision she¡¯d pictured in her nightmares ¡­ This was her mother.


    Arms closing around her shoulders, Scarlet shook her head, bloody tears falling from her cheeks.  ¡°Mom ¡­ Why ¡­ I killed Dad, and you acted like¡ªlike it was a good thing ¡­ Why are you here ¡­ Why are you blocking my¡ª¡±


    She froze, mind returning to the night she¡¯d become the host for Twilight¡ªthe spikes of blood penetrating her father¡¯s body¡ªand the horrific sight of the same happening to her concerned mother made her shake her head and hurriedly retreat to the door.  ¡°No¡ªMom, I don¡¯t want to hurt you!  Mom, please¡ªplease, Mom, let me out ¡­ I don¡¯t want to hurt you!¡±


    ¡°Scarlet¡­¡±


    Eyes closed, tugging on the immovable knob, Scarlet cried, her previous strength failing her before Adele¡¯s hands slid around her belly and gently pulled her into a hug.


    ¡°Scarlet, you don¡¯t need to worry about hurting me ¡­ Please, come, sit down, and we can talk; I want to tell you everything ¡­ I¡¯m sorry it took so long.¡±


    Unsure what to do, Scarlet¡¯s trembling fingers slid from the knob to her mother¡¯s arms, feeling the familiar pounding of her heart through her welcoming embrace as her back pressed against her mother¡¯s bosom.  ¡°Mom ¡­ I¡¯m scared¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay ¡­ Take your time.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    Turning around, her mother took out a handkerchief to rub away the blood on Scarlet¡¯s cheeks; it wasn¡¯t pulling back into her body or responding as it should, staining her mother¡¯s shirt as Adele held her.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    Two minutes passed before she pulled away and tried to clean bloody tears; she felt a little dehydrated, and as if expecting it, her mother gestured to a small fridge that seemed to not be a part of the building¡¯s typical operating containers.


    ¡°I know this is all confusing, I know you must be thirsty; please, take as much as you want¡ªall of this was taken from willing participants¡ªI know you¡¯ve had a hard time transitioning; you¡¯ve been such a strong girl¡ªno, a strong young woman.¡±


    Scarlet swallowed the sticky blood filling her mouth, Adele lifting her face a little to present an encouraging countenance.  ¡°I understand things have not been easy ¡­ Hmm.¡±


    Adele followed her mother¡¯s gaze to the door a few feet away.  ¡°It seems you¡¯ve found a wonderful friend, Sweetie.¡±


    ¡°Mom?¡±


    Scarlet stepped to the side in confusion as her mother pulled away to place her hand on the door, similar symbols transferring across her visible skin before opening it.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you join us, Rachel?¡±


    Slowly shaking her head, Scarlet backed away as the girl she called a sister calmly walked through the doorway, wearing her new demonic hide outfit.  ¡°No¡­¡±


    Did ¡­ Was all of this just a ploy ¡­ Did she send Rachel to be my friend?  It can¡¯t be true!


    Rachel¡¯s luminous eyes fixated on Adele as she came between them, not facing her.  ¡°Are you okay, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Why ¡­ is everyone here ¡­ Is this some kind of trick?  Why would you let Rachel in, Mom?  I don¡¯t understand!¡±


    Big ears twitching, Rachel¡¯s voice was calm and even.  ¡°I felt something ominous happening here and made my way over as soon as I could ¡­ This barrier repelled my outfit¡¯s Hellfire and any other attack I made, but then your mother opened the door ¡­ Why?¡±


    Her mother smoothly closed the exit and walked to four chairs positioned across from one another, taking the back left.  ¡°You are an intelligent young woman, I hear, Rachel, and so far as I am told, your family has taken excellent care of my daughter in my absence.  Please, take a seat; there is much to discuss.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s focus drifted to the chair beside Adele¡¯s.  ¡°Who else are you expecting?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, someone who can explain some of the finer details you require much more than I.  Scarlet, please, I know this is sudden, but you must be parched ¡­ Considering your great power and how it reacts, I had to take precautions¡­¡±


    Her tone became somber.  ¡°I realize my reaction to ¡­ I do not pretend to understand the depths of the shock and trauma you experienced on the night of your ascension ¡­ I failed you.  Please, allow me to correct at least a small number of my mistakes and explain things to you in detail.¡±


    Scarlet knew the Lunar Hare¡¯s field of vision was wide enough to see everything in front of her, and with her nearby, she started to calm down.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ What do you think?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s jaw tightened, and from her position, she saw her tail flick a little.  ¡°Careful, Scarlet ¡­ I don¡¯t know if you are real or an imposter and neither do you¡ªlearn from our past¡ªremember the Legend¡¯s Quest.¡±


    Hope filling Scarlet¡¯s breast, she smiled, fingers closing against her palms.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t¡ªyou knowing about the Legend¡¯s Quest means you must be Rachel, r-right?¡±


    ¡°No ¡­ Remember, there were a lot of people with us who knew those details.  So far as I am concerned, based on what we know, Relica and your mother have been working together, which means¡ªas much as I hate to think about it¡ªthey could have extracted information from anyone close to us when we weren¡¯t around.  Keep your guard up.¡±


    A crack in space appeared beside the chair, revealing a rather well-dressed man in a pinstriped suit; he cleared his throat, adjusted his neatly fashioned tie, and sat beside Adele.  ¡°Very astute, Rachel.  I have been impressed by your performance.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s eyebrows creased, mind going totally blank as the man crossed his legs, and Rachel hissed, fists shaking with frustration.  ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Fulgencio Batista ¡­ You were manipulating everyone behind the scenes.¡±


    Adele forced a smile and held out a hand to introduce him.  ¡°Rachel, Scarlet, this is the person I spoke of¡ªFulgencio Batista, the Legend of Jos¨¦ Ra¨²l Capablanca.¡±


    ¡°Is that ¡­ okay to just say?¡±  Scarlet hesitantly muttered.  ¡°Is that a trick?  I¡¯m so lost¡­¡±  She cried again.  ¡°Mom¡ªwhat is going on?!¡±


    Rachel cleared her throat, vision fixated on the young man.  ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve heard of you or your legend ¡­ Scarlet, how do the blood bags look to you, and what¡¯s happened since you¡¯ve been inside?¡±


    She¡¯s looking for answers to fill in the blanks!  That¡¯s the¡­


    ¡°Ugh!¡±  Scarlet scratched the side of her head in frustration.  ¡°Rachel¡ªI can¡¯t question everything ¡­ I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re a trick or not ¡­ I can¡¯t use my powers; I¡¯m feeling dehydrated, and I just¡ªI don¡¯t know!¡±


    Rachel slowly nodded, motioning to the seats.  ¡°The second I stepped into this room, Nia and my abilities seemed to be sealed ¡­ If you could explain that first, Adele or Fulgencio.¡±


    Hesitantly following Rachel, all she could think about was how cool and collected her best friend was; the moment she entered, she¡¯d been scoping out everything.  Gah!  Get yourself together!  I¡¯m supposed to be a support, not a hindrance.


    Her resolve strengthening, Scarlet sat down and glanced at the cooler.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom, but ¡­ but I don¡¯t know if I can trust you.¡±


    Rachel hummed, possibly questioning her answer, but Scarlet was still thirsty, and her eyes wouldn¡¯t work right.  ¡°My passives regarding my natural faculties still work, but a lot of the higher-functioning traits aren¡¯t responding as they should, including my ability to contact or rouse Nia ¡­ You¡¯ve cut us off from our Seed, which helps translate between spirits.¡±


    Blinking, she realized the Lunar Hare was saying her basic smell and instincts should still work, yet Fulgencio answered.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already deduced this ¡­ ward, I suppose you could call it?¡±  he asked, glancing at Adele for her to nod, her smile returning.  ¡°Right¡ªyou¡¯ve deduced this ward has the ability to cut those with these Seeds of Power within us off from their skills, meaning, we are all basically normal humans¡ªwith a few tiny enhancements given your naturally changed physiology.¡±


    Scarlet slowly got up to go to the fridge and extract a blood pack to sniff and examine it as the two squared off; she didn¡¯t really want to mess anything up for Rachel but listened for anything she could interject in.


    His smile appeared genuine.  ¡°In short, you¡¯re telling Scarlet the instincts and support you¡¯ve gained from outside influences has been halted ¡­ Only the details about the ¡®Seed¡¯ and ¡®translation between spirit¡¯s¡¯ tells me you understand, at least in part, the more intricate parts of this transformation ¡­ your spirit, Intelligence, and physique remains untouched, which means ¡­ You¡¯ve been in contact with something divine, or someone who has.¡±


    Adele¡¯s eyebrows lifted.  ¡°Really¡ªwell, that certainly explains a lot in regards to the phenomenal pace their party has been growing in strength.  How have you managed to obtain such direct influence when they are so restricted?¡±


    Rachel sat back, crossing her legs and holding her hands in her lap.  ¡°Surely you understand at least something about that without me telling you.¡±


    ¡°Hehe,¡± Fulgencio stretched out his fingers.  ¡°She¡¯s fishing for answers, Adele ¡­ Perhaps she¡¯s looking for more information or trying to determine how much we know about the state of the divine.  I suggest we move on from the gauging portion of the discussion for time''s sake.¡±


    Adele cleared her throat.  ¡°Scarlet, how does it smell?¡±


    ¡°Mmh ¡­ It smells fine, I guess ¡­ I don¡¯t know why it smells so sweet, though,¡± she mumbled after holding the broken seal to her nose again.  ¡°I¡¯m worried about the invisible ward thingies, though.¡±


    ¡°Not a terrible concern,¡± Fulgencio chuckled.  ¡°If you want, I could offer you some of my blood; I¡¯m sure you will find it perfectly acceptable.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you ¡­ I think I¡¯ll just get some later ¡­ If there is a later.¡±


    Rachel puffed out a long sigh, ears tilting to the side.  ¡°Let me see if I have this straight ¡­ You used everything in Havana to test my ingenuity; using both macro and micro strategy in order to better predict what my next move would be, employing Alan as the literal puppet master dancing to your strings?¡±


    Her eyes narrowed.  ¡°In short, you used people as pawns in your game ¡­ I¡¯ll be frank: what ritual are you in the middle of conducting that killed all the Cuban military¡ªRelica¡¯s work, no doubt.  Something she probably learned through the genocide of over five hundred thousand people¡ªwhy set up this elaborate ruse to test me unless ¡­ It was a distraction to keep us away from Western Cuba.


    ¡°Did you plan everything, from opening the gates to Hell to the time we¡¯d take to move across the country to reach you ¡­ No, some things were impossible to predict¡­ unless¡­¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s wide eyes drifted between the Lunar Hare and grinning Legendkin.  ¡°Unless?¡±


    Fulgencio¡¯s teeth flashed.  ¡°Unless I had information that transcended even the divine.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s full lips pulled in.  ¡°Transcended the divine ¡­ Twilight?¡±


    Scarlet almost jumped as her mother clapped her hands together in excitement.  ¡°You know our mistress¡¯ proper name!  Most impressive.  Hehe, Fulgencio, it seems I didn¡¯t need you to explain things¡ªyou were right, my darling daughter¡¯s new friend is most impressive!  I only wonder who¡¯s dead essence your Seed passed through to bond to your Intelligence during The Oscillation because there¡¯s something special about¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ahem, Adele,¡± Fulgencio interrupted.  ¡°Remember, we are on a clock.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears stood up at Adele¡¯s slip and pounced on it before Scarlet could even process what had just been said.  ¡°Let me get this straight ¡­ Our Seeds traveled through the essence of someone dead, collecting information before attaching to our Intelligences.  Hmm¡­¡±


    Scarlet shifted uncomfortably.  ¡°Me, too?¡±


    ¡°No!  Absolutely not, Darling!¡±  Adele earnestly protested.  ¡°You are as pure as snow, Scarlet ¡­ A true vessel for Twilight, using the collected essence of Marvok as the medium to draw her in¡ªplease, will you listen now?  I want to explain, Honey!¡±


    Scarlet shrank back at her fervor, causing a light sigh to pass through Fulgencio¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°I know this is important to you, Adele, and getting her to understand her part, but fangirling out about the tale is only going to push her away ¡­ I should go.¡±


    Her mother reigning herself in with a touch of frustration she¡¯d seen many times on her mother¡¯s pretty face, Adele ran her fingers through her thick black hair.  ¡°I apologize, Scarlet ¡­ My whole life has been dedicated to this¡ªyour father and I¡ªand¡­ and we¡¯ve finally reached the final step.¡±


    Rachel watched Adele as Fulgencio entered through a split in space after fiddling with something in his pocket.  ¡°Adele ¡­ Can you give me a straight answer¡ªI understand it might be hard to swallow¡ªbut it¡¯s about Scarlet?¡±


    The Legend paused before entering, and Rachel¡¯s ears twitch, vision still on Scarlet¡¯s mother; she¡¯d bet a million dollars the Lunar Hare was listening to what lay beyond.


    ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°If Scarlet says she wants nothing to do with you or Twilight, what would you do ¡­ force her into it?¡±


    Adele¡¯s back straightened against her chair, a soft puff of air passing through her lips as Fulgencio hummed and stepped through the rip before it closed.


    ¡°I never anticipated she wouldn¡¯t accept such a gift once being touched by Twilight ¡­ I wanted to explain for this reason.  Scarlet,¡± she whispered, earnest brown irises centering on her, ¡°I want you to understand our goals.¡±


    Rachel sat back to listen, utterly quiet during the exchange.


    Scarlet shivered, disgust filling her belly just thinking about the horror Twilight was.  ¡°Mom¡ªno, you don¡¯t understand!  She¡¯s terrible¡ªbeyond that, I-I don¡¯t know how to even say it, Mom ¡­ She¡¯ll kill everyone¡ªtake me over, and ¡­ I had to bury her beneath the Seed or else she would have made me do¡ªdo things I never want to do ¡­ She told me she killed Dad¡ªshe did it because I felt scared¡ªI didn¡¯t want that!¡±


    Her mother closed her eyes, appearing to try to calm herself.  ¡°Scarlet ¡­ When I was seventeen years old, I was a rocker¡ªheh, I chased after the musicians in our small town in Kentucky, but one night ¡­ one night I had a dream.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°Allow me to tell you ¡­ Maybe you¡¯ll understand how I feel ¡­ My entire life was changed by that dream.¡±


    Scarlet rolled her eyes, thinking back on all the religious shows she¡¯d seen where someone says they¡¯d been touched by a god of some kind and went all in.  ¡°Uh-huh, so you had your awakening moment¡ªheh, in a Blood Goddess?¡±


    ¡°Oh, My Sweetheart, how ignorant I was ¡­ I saw war, Scarlet¡ªwar, unlike anything I¡¯d ever imagined¡ªan infinite spectrum of conflicts throughout eternity.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s vision defocused as if reliving the experience.  ¡°Numberless lives lost in the sake of supremacy across vast cosmos ¡­ Every night, for months, it was the same, but different¡­


    ¡°So vast I could never fully comprehend the scope.  Deities rise and fall¡ªentire universes burning in the conflict until one sought guidance and answers, speaking to a Star of Blood that she found in a secret path¡ªone that transcended all.


    ¡°She dared to reach beyond a great wall¡ªjourneying into a mist all feared¡ªto find power within to shatter the essence of her Existence itself and reforge it into something more ¡­ to take it into herself and raise a new place for the chosen!


    ¡°Peace, at last¡ªan end to my nightmares¡ªuntil the Blood Star betrayed her and the formless horrors within the Great Deep came for her, shattering the peace and bringing about the end to everything ¡­ The Great Deep stripped her of what she¡¯d rightfully earned and brought about a creeping chaos that infests everything ¡­ A solution came, though¡­ I could be the spark to stop the coming corruption!¡±


    Adele rose to her feet, unable to sit any longer, and Scarlet was unsure if her mother was insane or if she¡¯d really been chosen¡ªmaybe both¡ªall she knew was the horror that resided within her.


    ¡°A path was laid out for me¡ªa career, a boyfriend, a husband, a ¡­ daughter,¡± she choked, tears coming to her eyes as she smiled at her in a way that made Scarlet¡¯s throat catch, remembering moments she¡¯d shared with her mother¡ªwhen they¡¯d cried in each other¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I saw the moment of the great collapse!  I saw the spark that would rain the Seeds onto this planet¡ªI was shown everything ¡­ It felt so real,¡± she whispered, closing her eyes and hugging her bosom, ¡°the warmth of your tiny body cradled in my arms after giving birth¡ªthe heat of your father against my skin¡ªthe struggles we would have as parents.


    ¡°Scarlet, I experienced all of it until the point of the ritual that would see you born anew ¡­ As time went on, the dreams would return, teaching me new ways to understand how to manipulate this universe to the needed designs ¡­ How to funnel the Seeds onto this planet out of the countless it could have gone to ¡­ Your father had them, as well!¡±


    She swallowed, trying to constrain her excitement.  ¡°Everything came true!  I was skeptical¡ªa little¡ªit was just so¡­  I don¡¯t know¡ªit was written into the fiber of my bones.  I couldn¡¯t deny it, and neither could your father.


    ¡°We did it,¡± she laughed, ¡°we actually did it ¡­ We caused The Oscillation¡ªour ritual¡ªall of our practice over years of learning and study ¡­ It happened.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s skin prickled.  ¡°Mom ¡­ did you actually see Twilight ¡­ Do you even know what kind of ¡­ of creature she is?  She¡¯s terrifying ¡­ All she talks about is reaping souls ¡­ Killing ¡­ She¡¯s not some savior.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s thrill died down as she looked at the floor, taking a deep breath and returning to her seat, a sad smile on her lips.  ¡°Scarlet, interacting with anything beyond our understanding is terrifying at first ¡­ I was terrified during those first months¡ªhehe, I wet the bed more than once ¡­ many times more than once¡ªas a seventeen-year-old girl.  Can you imagine my embarrassment, hehe¡ªwhat I told my parents?  Naturally, they thought I was having a psychotic break ¡­ hah, I did myself ¡­ at times.¡±


    Adele¡¯s vision lifted to center on her.  ¡°I only want to protect you, Scarlet ¡­ Things are happening behind the veil ¡­ So many things that I can¡¯t quite see in the new visions I¡¯ve obtained, but one thing is clear ¡­ Scarlet, you are the key to everything¡ªto saving everyone in universes beyond count.¡±


    ¡°Mom ¡­ I don¡¯t want to be the savior for universes beyond count ¡­ I want to be me¡ªyour daughter¡ªheh, to have boy troubles and have dress-up contests with my friends ¡­ Your visions¡ªdid they show me killing Dad?¡±


    Her mother swallowed, rubbing her left arm.  ¡°No ¡­ Only you becoming Twilight¡¯s vessel ¡­ We only did what we thought we had to, to protect you¡ªto protect everyone ¡­ Not one thing was wrong ¡­ Still hasn¡¯t been wrong.  Scarlet, I¡¯m doing this for you¡ªand I know you don¡¯t understand, so¡ªso I¡¯m trying to explain it to you.¡±


    Conflicted, Scarlet held her upset stomach, the stress of her mother¡¯s sincerity and the knowledge they¡¯d gained so far from Rachel¡¯s interactions with Hell Lords and Goddesses coming to mind; her mother hadn¡¯t been crazy¡ªnow, it was only who was right and who was wrong¡ªwas there even a side or was it more complex than she could ever fathom to make a decision?  In the end, she fell back on the one thing she knew.


    Vision rising to her fervent mother, Scarlet took a deep, shuddering breath and let it ease out.  ¡°Mom ¡­ I love you¡ªI don¡¯t think I ever couldn¡¯t ¡­ You¡¯re my mom, but ¡­ but I don¡¯t want to be the centerpiece in some giant game played by gods or whatever is above gods¡ªI just want to live my life.  I don¡¯t want to have Twilight inside me¡ªto be her avatar or whatever you call it.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s shoulders slumped, tears coming to her eyes.  ¡°I didn¡¯t want to believe that vision ¡­ Again, it proved to be right ¡­ Just this once¡ªjust for this¡ªI hoped it wouldn¡¯t ¡­ Scarlet, I am your mother ¡­ And because I¡¯m your mother, I have to protect you¡­ I can¡¯t lose you.¡±


    Rachel stood up, drawing their attention.  ¡°In short, something big is coming, and it¡¯s not something we can handle without Twilight?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s chest seized.  Does¡­ Does Rachel agree with her?  I mean, if I am the only one that can stop this big calamity ¡­ I suppose that includes the death of her own family ¡­ Molly, her dad, brother¡­ Alexa¡­


    Adele breathed out a long stream of air.  ¡°You ¡­ You really are a good friend to my daughter, Rachel ¡­ Heh, like the sister I always wanted her to have ¡­ I never wanted Scarlet to grow up as an only child, but I could never conceive after giving birth to her.  Yes, something is coming that not even the deities of this universe can match.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face saddened, turning to her.  ¡°Scarlet, do you mind if we explore this a bit more ¡­ There¡¯s so much we don¡¯t know, and we need the facts to make a decision.¡±


    In all honesty, Scarlet did mind¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to be this messiah¡ªshe wanted to be Rachel¡¯s friend¡ªher sister¡ªand go on adventures with her, but Rachel was the smart one that thought everything through.  She¡¯d put her life in Rachel¡¯s hands more than once, and she had nowhere else to turn.


    ¡°I ¡­ suppose.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s lower lip began to tremble as she stepped forward to lean down and hug her.  ¡°Oh, Scarlet ¡­ I¡¯m happy you¡¯ve found such a loyal friend.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Pulling away, Rachel tried to chuckle, stepping forward to hug her.  ¡°I¡¯ll do anything to protect Scarlet ¡­ She is like a sister to me.¡±


    ¡°I know¡ª¡±


    Scarlet stood up in surprise as Rachel drew back, placing a hand on her mother¡¯s chest to shoved her back.  ¡°Rachel?¡±


    Rachel held up a small black stone¡ªlikely taken from her mother¡¯s pocket¡ªand rubbed it for a crack in space to appear.  Free hand snatching Scarlet¡¯s, she grinned, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be Twilight¡¯s host, you should have just said so instead of having to make me interpret everything¡ªthings aren¡¯t adding up¡ªso let¡¯s see if we can force some real answers!¡±


    She pulled her through the rift.


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 B4 — 51. Fatal Flaw

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    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


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    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed while waiting outside the room housing a blood clinic¡¯s stock, gut churning as the ominous waves of misfortune circled around her like vipers coiling to strike.


    She tilted to the left, ears twitching upon hearing Relica betray her friend and the information that passed between Aleister, Lifen, and Relica; it came entirely from left field, agitating her.


    A great many pieces were being taken off the board; even as Rachel accelerated her plan to a degree she couldn¡¯t follow to the end.  The haste had been necessary, though; if she didn¡¯t speed things up, she knew something calamitous would happen to herself or someone she cared for.


    All misfortune collected to this location, and she¡¯d been too late to stop Scarlet from entering the trap; it was infuriating how even after all the information she¡¯d collected the day before, things were flying off the rails.


    Balling her fist, she lashed out once more, Hellfire coating her body with the movement for it to disperse against the shimmering enchanted door.  The recoil tightened her jaw as she backed away, fingers shaking a little; nothing she¡¯d tried had shown the slightest chance of breaking the barrier.


    Left hand reaching for the black leather stick attached just above her tail, she swung it around for the Hellfire whip to slide across the glimmering wall to no effect.  Useless¡­ not that I know how to use a whip in the first place.  I know if I wait here, I¡¯ll be invited inside, but why¡­ It has to be a trap.  Relica and her people are handling Miora¡¯s spirit extraction, so who¡¯s here?.


    The answer was obvious; she just didn¡¯t want to recognize it¡ªAdele¡ªScarlet¡¯s mother that Relica had broken free from her military confinement.  All the pieces were lining into place, and with this writing that resembled in some degree the colossal Hell Gate ritual, she was left with one conclusion.


    I¡¯ve been dancing to someone¡¯s strings¡­ but is it Adele, Fulgencio, or Twilight herself¡­ Someone else entirely?  I have to¡­


    Her thoughts broke as the door slowly swung open for Scarlet¡¯s voice to meet her ears, and, as she anticipated, Adele had been the one to open the sealed space.


    Knowing it could be a trap but having no other option but to enter, Rachel didn¡¯t allow this opportunity to pass her by, and the instant she walked inside, the entrance was sealed.


    She froze at the snap of the door; Nia was separated from her consciousness.


    Not allowing her internal shock to show, she tried to activate Emotional Detachment to no avail.  I¡¯m locked out of my Seed?  How is that even¡­


    Remaining calm, she checked Scarlet¡¯s mental state and responded to their inquiries, assessing the disconnect as best she could.  Not long after, another surprise came, Yseress¡¯ soft moan as she began to wake.  Nia is locked away, but Yseress isn¡¯t ¡­ That all but confirms it; these symbols are a Hell design.


    Ice raged through Rachel¡¯s veins as a black rip appeared in space, and Fulgencio stepped through, yet the chill wasn¡¯t from the fake drunk; a demonic figure stepped out of another fissure of red sparks beside Adele, the room¡¯s occupants oblivious to the intruder.


    ¡°How¡­ exquisite,¡± Izanami¡¯s rotten visage materialized as her stone throne rose out of the fracturing floor between the symbols; the Hell Lord¡¯s illusions slowly filtered into place


    Rachel kept her focus on the two humans, and it took everything she had without the Seed¡¯s support to not quake from the horrific entrance of the fallen deity as reality shattered around them.


    The room crumbled to the occupants¡¯ blissful ignorance, leaving the writing in place as the smallest drip of unnatural pulses fed through the shell; the knowledge that beyond this protection¡ªthis collapsing structure¡ªfathomless agony and endless torture awaited.


    A horn unlike anything she¡¯d heard, low and guttural, bellowed across the hellscape, making her tail stand on edge and ears twitch against her will.  Hellfire leaked out of the yellowing concrete, crimson lightning sparking to life to rip the building apart and dance around them to reveal what lay beyond.


    Scarlet was just as unaware as the others while the apocalyptic sensations rippled through Rachel in such ferocity that she had to lock her jaw for a moment to prevent them from chattering.  They¡¯d stepped into Hell¡ªcloser even than the Gates to the infernal plane¡ªIzanami was just beyond the veil.


    Trying to support Scarlet and discover what she could about the insanity unfolding around her, Rachel divided her attention to get answers.


    What¡­ is this, Izanami?  Why can¡¯t they see you¡­ feel this?


    ¡°Hehehe,¡± the Hell Lord¡¯s voice caused her tail to flick and ears to fold a tad, despite her attempts to restrain them.  ¡°My darling little Hell Hare, you are connected to Yseress, and she is a denizen of Hell ¡­ Naturally, you would perceive the truth of what these words of power attempt to hide.¡±


    The woman¡¯s revealing dress fluttered as she floated to caress the ceiling, yet it was vaporized long before she neared it, only leaving the lettering.  ¡°How¡­ beautiful,¡± she whispered, black tongue sliding across her lips as her infernal irises drifted to observe the glowing scribbles and symbols connected throughout the space.


    We¡¯re in Hell?!


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ A bridge to draw upon Hell in a way I have never experienced ¡­ to mitigate the needed cost to achieve that which these humans tend to employ.  A barrier has been constructed to provide a temporary ground between the mortal plane and the First Ring of the Seventh Circle of Hell.  Hehe, how brazen.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lungs locked for a moment as a colossal entity of magma-like skin rose from a sea of flames for its four-fingered hand to come down nearby, except the fiend raising out of the ocean was over five hundred meters tall, releasing a low growl that dwarfed Selvaria¡¯s.


    Armies of demons and devils came into focus as they filled the ashen sky, creatures of such power that Rachel could see all of humanity being destroyed had a single entity stepped foot on their planet, and some so massive they could likely cleave the entire sphere in two.


    Doing her best to respond to the inquiries and process the hellscape taking shape around her, Rachel responded to Fulgencio while dealing with the greater issue collapsing around her.


    Are they going to open a gate to the Seventh Circle?!  It¡¯s all connected; the things they learned in Camag¨¹ey were for this.  We were being distracted by picking up the pieces they went through¡­ Adele and Relica have used over a million lives to achieve this final goal; it¡¯s already in motion.


    ¡°Not entirely accurate,¡± Izanami mused, finished with her inquiry of the symbols and taking her throne beside Adele, engaged in listening to Rachel and Fulgencio¡¯s discussion.  ¡°Think, Rachel, even if you do not have the same aptitude while disconnected from your Seed, you have the information to still cause significant harm.¡±


    The Hell Lord grinned, flashing her perfect teeth while gesturing around them.  ¡°So you are aware, I myself could not have developed something of such elegance myself, nor could the other Hell Lords, and you are to believe they achieved this with a poultry million souls?  It isn¡¯t in the power that this display is profound but in its efficiency and knowledge.¡±


    Her blazing orange irises wandered to Fulgencio as he spoke.  ¡°Above the Divine, he says?  Hmm-hmm-hmm, why do you suppose I can be here when your little Goddess protection squad would be up in arms with us being so close¡­ Hmm, where are Eostre and Moongmor?¡±


    The longer Rachel sat in the overwhelming presence of the Seventh Circle, the more accustomed she became as Yseress¡¯ connection to her grew; it was as if the energies cycling around them were hastening the effects of their bond, yet it wasn¡¯t the devil drawing closer to her but the opposite.


    The Divine is being blocked ¡­ Hell is being barred from entering inside, she muttered, noting the horrific legions of ungodly entities hovering nearby.  Heh, you have a backdoor because of the connection we share with Yseress.  A flaw in their design?


    ¡°Mistress, mmh ¡­ Why have we returned to Hell?¡±  the confused voice of the deviless came through as she woke.  ¡°No, this ¡­ The Seventh Circle?¡±


    Izanami glanced at the Legendkin as he opened a rift to exit the conversation.  ¡°Ooh, how wonderful you are, Rachel ¡­ What do you sense, Yseress?¡±


    Rachel spoke to make him pause, listening intently; she heard Relica and Lifen speaking, but her disgust came from Aleister Crowley.


    The Mythickin fox sniffed.  ¡°I¡¯ve inserted her spirit, Aleister, what more do you want¡ªI gave you over two hundred thousand spirits for whatever it is you write and eighty thousand for your little jewel¡ªdo you know how hard I had to work for those?  I have done my part.¡±


    ¡°You could be a tad more helpful, Love,¡± he grunted in a deep voice, the sound of several corpses being dragged to pools following.  ¡°Adele and I have worked without rest¡ªweeks I have performed heated erotic and esoteric rituals¡ªyou could at least take part in some since I¡¯m running short on men and women¡­ Relica keeps sacrificing them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all a part of the plan,¡± Relica sighed, ¡°and you¡¯ve already accomplished the needed activation sectors with your sex magic; you¡¯re just trying to blow off steam.  Be patient!¡±


    ¡°You say while slitting the throat of my last woman,¡± Aleister grumbled.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t my fault we¡¯re running low on bodies and need blood.¡±


    Rachel felt Yseress shiver.  ¡°Wolfgang¡¯s Soul Stone¡­ It¡¯s fully charged.  A ritual is underway to a grade I have never felt.¡±


    Considering the deviless has seen multiple apocalypses, Rachel took that as meaning something.  What is the ritual?


    Fulgencio left but not before Rachel noticed his means of transportation and memorized the motion of his fingers in activating it.


    ¡°I cannot say without being there to study it, Mistress,¡± Yseress responded.


    I see¡­


    Rachel¡¯s mind settled, now focusing on the things Adele was explaining; seeing as she had met Twilight and received her interpretation to the lullaby, Rachel found similarities popping up between the two, and the devil in her began to smirk.


    Izanami, you¡¯re not allowed to tell me certain things because of some restriction placed on the Divine that you are not bound by, which is why Eostre wove that law into our contract ¡­ So, this is one of the things they¡¯re hiding.


    Scarlet¡¯s Lullaby ¡­ Blood of gods and blood of men, meet in union to ascend; fate has chosen, and your fading light is at its end ¡­ I am no longer fully Rachel and not whoever my Seed passed through but something combined.


    The Hell Lord giggled, crossing her legs the opposite way to look at Adele¡¯s fervent story.  ¡°What an interesting tale ¡­ So many odd deviations to the story Twilight told.  How many are you noticing?¡±


    Rachel eased back, arms folding under her bust; her Hell-enhanced mind quicked to process the information and cross-referenced it as the woman told her tale.


    Twilight said her story was lost to time, and by Adele¡¯s account, the entirety of this place called ¡®Existence¡¯ was broken down and reforged, yet¡­ Twilight and Adele¡¯s versions have different connotations.


    Adele sees it as a spark of hope to find peace ¡­ Twilight says her story is the sins of judgment, born of blood, which heh, doesn¡¯t sound like peace.


    She took a name from the one profaned¡­ Twilight isn¡¯t her real name but a guise she took on, and the chosen know of this darkness or void that she entered, but let it rest¡­ Twilight didn¡¯t.


    Adele¡¯s side starts with her seeking help from this Blood Sun, but not what advice she received ¡­ She speaks to this thing, which is interesting since she talked of a ¡®dark sun¡¯ that was hollowed by something called ¡®the fade.¡¯  I have a sneaking suspicion they aren¡¯t the same.  One is similar to her, you could say, the twilight of a star.


    Twilight entered beyond this great wall, journeying into a mist that everything feared, and she did it to find power ¡­ Hmm, which sounds a lot like her second verse¡­ Born of graves and left below, painted ashes, painted snow; when the dark¡ªor in Adele¡¯s version, the Great Deep¡ªawakens, the fires of your last hopes are burning low.


    Izanami¡¯s head tilted against the back of her hand as she watched the elated mother, finally able to speak her truth.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t it sound like Twilight discovered a Seed herself in this Great Deep and used the dying deities in her Existence¡ªperhaps using the corpses of all those she killed in that shattering¡ªto rise above all?  Could your Seeds not be the same but a replica of what she¡¯d first accomplished?¡±


    Yseress chuckled, floating in Rachel¡¯s mind while examining it herself and Rachel pondered on the information, mind accelerating; Hell¡¯s energies became more comfortable while passively feeding off the deviless¡¯ natural attunement that invigorated her, thereby strengthening Rachel.


    Are the verses broken up into past, present, and future?  It seems that way ¡­ Also, I would trust Twilight¡¯s account over Adele¡¯s version, even if hers is more clear¡­ Although, it does give some insights.


    ¡°Such delightful inner workings,¡± Yseress whispered, ¡°Adele assumes Twilight was betrayed by this Blood Sun, yet what she found lurking below the Great Deep was something overlooking or watching a dark star, hollowed by the fade¡ªimprisoned, no doubt¡ªa debt this hollowed-out blood star lives to repay.  This silhouette is the blackness that Twilight saw, promising to spare the chosen that let it rest.¡±


    It was beginning to click as Rachel listened and compared.  Twilight took the name of that which was imprisoned¡ªthe hollowed-out blood star had been profaned¡ªshe became the Reaper of Blood and stole something from within to gain her power ¡­ A pact embraced, a road unsought¡ªthe present, a blight upon the light, a terror for the night, she became the bringer of twilight¡­ The name and power she¡¯d taken.


    Vengeance is her only ward; beware the blood-red rose¡¯s thorn, for it will end with Scarlet ¡­ Is Adele the blood-red rose¡¯s thorn¡­ Scarlet¡¯s mother?  Twilight must do what she¡¯s contracted to do ¡­ Is she hiding in Scarlet to escape her fate?


    A snicker from Izanami brought Rachel¡¯s gaze as Adele was pleading to her daughter.  ¡°With flowers and my love, both never to come back, her wrath is known within the black ¡­ She assaulted the Great Deep ¡­ the tide within it stole away her grace, but the depths would not claim her¡­ hehe, she lost her fight.


    ¡°Twilight took on the name and power of this hollowed-out Blood Star, escaped, reforged her Existence, reaping all within, and when the toll came, she fought and lost.  She was betrayed and the betrayer ¡­ undone; all is black.


    ¡°Alone with her visions, or her past ¡­ Alone with the sound; her collapse of everything around her ¡­ Twilight sought for an end; she saw the darkest night and brightest day that was lost to the pages of antiquity¡­


    ¡°The history of this Existence¡ªAdele¡¯s tale¡ªtainted, and the cycle of death returns as was her punishment in taking the name of Twilight, hovering above gravity¡¯s lure ¡­ In other words, unable to be torn down, leading to¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mind stilled, hearing the uncertainty in Adele¡¯s voice mirrored by Scarlet as she confessed her feelings to her mother.  Born of graves, left below, no time for rest, nowhere to go ¡­ She released a storm with tear-stained eyes ¡­ The Oscillation ¡­ Come down to the red sea, swimming with me; she¡¯s made us a part of her story.


    A wretch bound to the harvest, born of the shadows, or the Great Deep¡ªbetween the Hollowed Blood Star and Darkness Below¡ªwho will save you now?  Incinerate our shackles¡­ It¡¯s a cry for help ¡­ Twilight is crying for help.


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Yseress finished the lullaby.  ¡°The Maiden of Death will tend to her fields if she is loosed, as is her unsought contract ¡­ Although, I wonder about the specifics regarding her punishment and why she would be wrathful following her theft and loss?  Eternity will fall into silence¡­ hehe, Heaven or Hell, Rachel ¡­ Where do you land in the red sea?¡±


    Returning to the beginning, Rachel muttered, rising while preparing to reject Adele¡¯s offer and side with the girl she had begun to see as a sister.  I have a tale that time has lost ¡­ sins of judgment, initiated by the Hollowed Blood Star, perhaps Twilight¡¯s lover and betrayer¡­ Now, she is a wretch, bound to the harvest, and how this Blood Sun fits ¡­ Who can say?


    Knowing things were not as they seemed, Rachel carefully took Adele¡¯s stone from her pocket, eyeing the restless fiends hovering just beyond the veil of mortal eyes.


    Izanami¡¯s left eye narrowed in a smirk.  ¡°Have you finally come to the correct conclusion?¡±


    Arms tightening around Adele¡¯s more petite frame, her ears scanned every twitch she made, still on high alert.  Heh, Twilight is bound to Scarlet, or she would be tending to her fields ¡­ If she is asleep¡ªor at least hovering at the edge of it¡ªwho is giving Adele her current visions?  An imposter.


    My question is if Twilight gave Adele the visions in the first place and this entity commandeered her devotion or if it was all a trap for Twilight to trap her in Scarlet?  Still, hehe, Twilight introduced a flaw when touching Relica ¡­ Relica is the unknowing mine that tripped all the right wires.  Twilight truly is a mystery to have even planned for even this once Scarlet and Relica met¡­


    Releasing Scarlet¡¯s mother, she shoved her away and grinned at Scarlet, reaching out to take her hand and pull her in and rubbing the black occult stone; Rachel created the rift and pulled them through.


    Rachel reversed the motion on the transportation artifact as she¡¯d heard done, closing the rift to trap Adele; she felt the ominous waves of misfortune everywhere, stumbling into a vast military aircraft hangar that had been repurposed.


    Blood pooled in various holes drilled into the ground, and crimson lettering like the previous room painted the entire empty space.  In its center was a brilliant ruby shard the size of a 2-liter bottle with lightning and fire encircling it.


    ¡°Wha¡ªRachel?¡±  Relica stammered in confusion as red lights encircled them, locking their muscles in place.  ¡°How¡ªAleister¡ªAdele!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Fulgencio sighed, running his hands through his hair and looking at the chessboard in front of him.  ¡°I was afraid something like this would happen, but Adele refused to listen to reason; she had to hear it from her daughter herself.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t speak or move, and she suspected Scarlet was the same as the trigrams hovered above them, but a smile was on her lips nonetheless; Izanami was already at the Soul Stone, a dark smirk twisting her alluring devilish features as she slowly walked around it, tail swaying with her hips and her bat-like wings folded slightly.


    Partially ignoring the proceedings that followed around her, Rachel passively watched Fulgencio rise and walk over with a forced grin.  ¡°What did you think you were going to do, Rachel; did you not think I had a plan for if you managed to strong-arm Adele into bringing you back here?  I have countermeasures sent in place for just about everything.¡±


    ¡°Fulgencio,¡± Adele whispered, showing puffy red cheeks, still wet with tears while walking through a rift Aleister had created for her.  ¡°Can we skip the gloating?  Yes, you were right¡­ My vision was right¡­ My daughter will not rise to be the hero we need.¡±


    Fulgencio forced a chuckle.  ¡°I did tell you, Adele, based on everything I¡¯ve learned through the spy network Relica gave me to utilize, she¡¯s a standard trauma patient; our savior was too much for her to handle, which is why she¡¯s given us an alternative.¡±


    Aleister grinned, walking forward while adjusting the ceremonial robes he¡¯d just put on, and Rachel made a note of dozens of naked women and men by the pools of blood that had likely been used in his sex rituals before their lives had been taken for the cause.  ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t tell me they were so pretty, Adele.¡±


    Adele¡¯s eyes narrowed as she turned to him.  ¡°Aleister.¡±


    ¡°Ho-ho, I meant it in the highest regard!  Why don¡¯t we see what they have to say?  I want to know why the Lunar Hare is still smiling.¡±


    ¡°That ¡­ is concerning,¡± Relica hissed, shivering a little while keeping her distance.  ¡°What is your devious mind plotting in this situation, Rachel?¡±


    Lifen¡¯s luminous sapphire eyes went from Rachel to Scarlet before swiftly returning to Rachel, vision and lips narrowing as she studied her.


    The occultist snapped his fingers, and Rachel¡¯s voice returned, yet their Seeds were still blocked by the cryptic writing and symbols; clearly, they¡¯d written in an exception to the rule for themselves.


    Scarlet¡¯s eyes were already watering, blood leaking down her cheeks.  ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, my angel,¡± Adele choked and cleared her throat.  ¡°Twilight knew you would not be ready ¡­ I, eh-heh, I suppose I put too much pressure on you too soon¡­ I apologize.¡±


    She weakly held up a handkerchief, stained red.  ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry ¡­ With your blood, we can bring back someone capable of handling the threat that is coming¡­ Ravilla, Twilight¡¯s holiest apostle.¡±


    ¡°But Mom¡ªthis is wrong¡ªit feels wrong¡­ Stop, please!¡±


    Adele¡¯s hand clutched her breast as pain crossed her face.  ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry, Scarlet, but ¡­ this is the only way I know how to protect you from the horrors I saw¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She turned away as Scarlet cried, but Aleister, Relica, Fulgencio, and Lifen were focused on Rachel¡¯s snarky expression; she couldn¡¯t help it, the hilarity in their flaw was monumental, and she continued to speak to the two devils as the figures talked amongst themselves.


    I can taste the misfortune ¡­ Hehe, for you, as well, Izanami.  Why is that?


    ¡°It is better to show you,¡± she mused, infernal irises drifting to look at Rachel.  ¡°Yseress, relinquish control.¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm ¡­ No, ¡®Izanami,¡¯ ¡± the devil laughed in a savage, gloating, bitter tone.  ¡°Oh, how the mighty have fallen ¡­ And who was it that didn¡¯t need me, my ¡®former¡¯ mistress?¡±


    Mmh, you need to control her, as you did in Camag¨¹ey, but I am her master now.


    ¡°Indeed, my new mistress,¡± Yseress relished.  ¡°Hehe, and as my ¡®former¡¯ mistress knows painfully well, you are far too proud to make use of me in combat and will not force me to do something I do not want to ¡­ Heh, because you value free will where ¡®Izanami¡¯ does not, which is a reason she also gave me to you.¡±


    Rachel could feel the deviless¡¯ spite at being thrown away as if a tool to bind a contract, gradually expunging her life in the process.  I see, hehehe, quite the mistake, Izanami.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the fallen deity turned to face her, amusement still in place, ¡°are you so sure, my little Yseress?  My little Yes Girl that will do anything for my attention?  Hmm-hmm, do you think I do not know you and what you desire?¡±


    ¡°I will not fall for such a trick from you, Mistr¡ªmmh-Izanami!  You have no power to grant it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not¡­ Rachel certainly can, though, and I can show her the process.¡±


    Lifen walked a tad closer, shimmering black tail flicking to the right in irritation.  ¡°Relica¡­ Why is there a corrupted human spirit inside of her ¡­ It¡¯s¡­ chilling¡ªunnatural ¡­ An abomination.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Relica¡¯s eyebrows pulled together.  ¡°A corrupted human spirit¡­ Not her own?  What are you talking about, Lifen?¡±


    Fulgencio''s face turned ashen as Adele wiped the bloody handkerchief on the Soul Stone, causing the room to shine a radiant ruby hue; the Seventh Circle of Hell began breaking through the walls, an anchor to the plane connecting the spaces, yet the throng was again, utterly oblivious.


    ¡°Explain, in detail¡ªnow, Lifen!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡ªit¡¯s repulsive¡­ similar to how the Soul Stone makes me feel¡ªthis room, when interacting with it ¡­ A mutation of purity, yet this is something twisted beyond recognition¡­ I couldn¡¯t recognize it for a moment because it¡¯s hard to see beyond the rotten scent of that outfit she wears that resembles the sensation ¡­ I need to go throw up,¡± she growled, holding her stomach and moving away.


    ¡°Stop!¡±  Fulgencio shouted, drawing their attention.  ¡°Relica, is she saying¡­¡±


    Rachel laughed as Izanami gave her the thing Yseress most wanted, shocking the deviless at how serious the fallen deity was to find her way into this ritual.


    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Yseress defensively muttered.  ¡°It will weaken your ability to channel Hell ¡­ No one ever gives up power.¡±


    Relica took a step back.  ¡°A Devil¡­ She actually made a contract with a Devil in Camag¨¹ey¡ªno, that doesn¡¯t ¡­ Rachel would never relinquish control.¡±


    Yseress, I promise you, on everything I hold dear ¡­ If you wish to purify yourself and become a Nephilim again, I will do all that is within my power to grant you that right.  No longer will you have the ax hanging over your head of being dragged back to Hell.


    A long sigh came from the Devil within her.  ¡°Rachel ¡­ I can feel the binding nature of your words ¡­ Do you mean it?¡±


    Is that really the question you want to ask?  Haha, I was sure your greatest desire would be to regain total freedom, but you¡¯re okay with me being your master so long as you don¡¯t have to return to Hell?


    ¡°I¡­ do not have any aspirations, my mistress ¡­ I couldn¡¯t,¡± Yseress mumbled.  ¡°I was born during the apocalypse on a planet¡­ A union of angel and devil ¡­ Not of free will but the torture of the captured ¡­ corrupted before my mother¡¯s eyes¡ªan angel¡ªforcing her to fall after she¡¯d carried me.  My Mistr¡ªmmhg ¡­ Izanami bought my contract as I was a tainted Nephilim¡­ considered the scum of devils.¡±


    Even past Hell¡¯s energies numbing her heart, Rachel¡¯s emotions went out to her after knowing the woman¡¯s backstory.  Yseress, I already told you, if you die, I hold no leverage over Izanami, and I said I would become your favorite mistress ¡­ And you¡¯re right, I won¡¯t void your free will; although, I can see why me boasting how great I¡¯ll be may be difficult to believe when Izanami took you from Hell¡¯s gutters and lifted you into the proud devil you are today¡­


    Rachel¡¯s leery eyes shifted to the slight smile on the fallen deity¡¯s lips as Fulgencio sought for more details, and Adele noticed the upset.  It makes me wonder if you really are the Hell Lord you appear to be, Izanami.


    ¡°I welcome all to join me in my sorrow,¡± she whispered, fingers caressing the Hell Stone.  ¡°It will not be easy, Rachel, but you are capable of it ¡­ There has been a seldom number of times in my long existence that I have felt fear, and whoever these humans have been tricked into summoning, be it this Ravilla creature or something else¡­ I may not be able to stop its resurrection, but I can block its complete revival.¡±


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Scarlet choked.  ¡°What are we going to do¡ªI¡¯m sorry¡ªI want to help!  I can¡¯t do anything¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fine, Scarlet,¡± Rachel reassured in a low tone that made their captors pause to listen.  ¡°They made several flaws but one so significant, I can¡¯t believe you missed it, Fulgencio.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?  No!  Aleister, Relica, prepare a devil bind¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hehe, who made your Soul Stone, Relica, and what was his primary concern and life¡¯s goal, hmm?  Was it to leave humanity¡¯s fates to the Gods or to bring power to humanity to rise above the Divine ¡­ You should have never underestimated Wolfgang.¡±


    Relica¡¯s face drained of color.  ¡°No, but¡­ He knew nothing about the purpose¡ªwe needed someone that could craft it, and¡ªand it¡¯s beyond his understanding for its purpose¡ªtoo complex¡­ Wolfgang couldn¡¯t have sabotaged it.¡±


    ¡°Sabotage?  What is she talking about, Fulgencio?¡±  Aleister growled, pulling up his sleeve for several tattoos to cause several pentagrams to appear above Scarlet and her.  ¡°What kind of demonic bonding am I performing here?  Bloody Hell, give me some context, boy!  What are we dealing wi¡ªoh, shite¡­¡±


    Black flames encompassed Rachel, large crimson arcs of lightning branching off to shatter the magical wards and blackening the occultist¡¯s arms as fire spread across them.


    Straightening, Rachel rolled around her neck with Scarlet hesitantly recovering beside her; the inferno split away, taking the form of Yseress.  The corrupted Nephilim set one foot on the floor, time practically standing still as she relinquished control for her features to change further.


    ¡°May I introduce the fallen Japanese deity of life and death, now a Lord in Hell, Lady Izanami.¡±


    The room was silent as the illusions masking Hell¡¯s presence collapsed, revealing the horde of ungodly fiends that blotted out the burning heavens; an audience roaring their unearthly screams that deafened the mind and made Rachel shiver, welcoming their overlord.


    Brushing back her silky silver hair, Izanami¡¯s wings extended to their full length, flaming orange irises opening as her bare feet hovered off the ground.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ won¡¯t this be fun?  Rest assured, I won¡¯t interfere, Rachel; I leave you to your wrath.¡±


    In the next instant, she had teleported to the Soul Stone¡¯s side, fascination in her gaze as she slid a single fingernail down the Soul Stone¡¯s length, ignoring the humans, and a grin spread across Rachel¡¯s full lips as she felt her power return; Izanami had broken the link binding their Seeds.


    Skin illuminated with her Lunar Energy, Rachel looked up at the sky as an unholy force filled her¡ªthe Hell Moon shining overhead¡ªhair darkening, empowered by Hell itself instead of her connection through Yseress, she¡¯d never felt stronger.


    ¡°Are you ready to end this, Scarlet?¡±  she laughed, looking right at Relica, the sorceress¡¯ face ashen.


    Scarlet puffed out a sharp hiss of air, blood forming into her scythe.  ¡°Right behind you!¡±


    AuthorSME


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    I hope you''ve been enjoying the free entertainment!  The internet is divided into different echo chambers; you have a specific group that only hovers around specific sites/content.  So, by recommending my serials to others, you give it more exposure to different echo chambers and help it grow.  Ratings are excellent, Trending is terrific, but it only will appeal to a specific echo chamber.  If you like my content, then please share it in your own unique way.


    Thank you!  ^_^7


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    Support me with Merch or on Patreon for up to:


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    Chapters In Mystic:  My First Attempt At A Male Protag Isekai


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 B4 — 52. A Pathetic End

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Adele (Scarlet''s Mother)


    2. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Ifeanyichukwu Emeagwali, Walden Tolbert, Michael Mooney, Gabbeldor, Pltergeist, Nissarin, Harukain, Boris, Eodon, Drinko, and my other Patrons!


    Adele turned in confusion as Fulgencio screamed for Aleister to construct a demonic binding.  She¡¯d just started the ritual; now was the time for them to kneel to meet Twilight¡¯s holiest apostle¡ªRavilla would greet them shortly.


    Her stomach swirled with apprehension and anticipation as the pools of blood lurched over the edges of their pits, sweeping the sacrificed men and women¡¯s corpses into the swirling mass; their contribution was worth it to save countless lives, including her own daughter.


    It¡¯s finally time.


    The powerful cuneal writing that symbolized Revilla flared to life, the blood writhing as if something burned underneath, and a stitch broke into her side; she recalled the horrific nightmares that were worse than anything she could ever imagine.


    Please, understand, Scarlet¡­ I know this is wrong, but this is our only¡­


    Adele¡¯s legs locked up as a foreboding pulse shook her to the core, a shiver running through her spine; vision snapping back to Rachel and her daughter, she couldn¡¯t breathe¡ªthe binding circles Aleister created shattered¡ªcrimson lightning and black flames erupted from the Lunar Hare¡¯s body.


    No¡­ this¡­ I didn¡¯t see this?


    Catching herself, her lips parted in disbelief as dark energy leaked out of Rachel to condense into an alluring devil, only for something that only brought terror to take its place; this wasn¡¯t Revilla¡ªthis wasn¡¯t their holy avenger¡ªthis was something evil.


    Aleister cursed, and Fulgencio screamed for him to lock Rachel down, but the occultists¡¯ arms were now engulfed in Hellfire, leaving her in utter shock.


    ¡°No,¡± Adele whispered.  ¡°No, I didn¡¯t¡ªI didn¡¯t see this?¡±


    Numb to what was happening before her and beginning to tremble, the devilish woman released a soft hum that temporarily muted all noise and drew all attention.  All that filled Adele was dread as her raven-black wings extended to their full length, fingers sliding across her neck to sweep back her silver locks, and flaming eyes opened to reveal Hell.


    How¡­ It¡¯s impossible for this thing to be here?


    Rachel¡¯s voice was thorns, taking the air from her lungs.  ¡°May I introduce the fallen Japanese Deity of life and death, now a Lord in Hell, Lady Izanami.¡±


    The walls fractured, a horrific vision of numberless titanic fiends spread across a hellscape so vast it felt like she was reliving her night terrors, yet the mind-chilling screams that followed sent her stumbling to the ground.


    She blinked, staring at her quaking fingers as the stone beneath Ravilla¡¯s lettering broke away, boiling with unholy magma.  No, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not right¡­ This isn¡¯t right¡­


    Fighting past the dismay and trepidation twisting her gut, Adele stumbled back to her feet, reality setting in as she frantically scanned the evolving nightmare; it had to be a nightmare.  She¡¯d seen beings like Izanami, but that was only in her sleep.


    She stopped upon seeing the Hell Lord suddenly at the Soul Stone, and tears welled up in her eyes; she needed help.  ¡°This isn¡¯t¡ªthis isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to be!  No, stop¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lifen!¡±  Aleister shrieked, the H¨²li J¨©ng still collecting herself from the infernal drums beating against their breasts.  ¡°Cut my arms off¡ªspirit and all, rrgrah¡ªnow!¡±


    The woman¡¯s jaw tightened, blue fire lighting down her tail¡¯s length as she flipped to the side, whipping the inferno the five meters between them, eating through both his outstretched biceps to amputate the corrupting force moving down its length.


    ¡°What is happening, Adele?!¡±  she screamed, fur bristling as she looked at the hellscape.


    Adele had lost her voice, though, mind reeling from the madness creeping into the space as the voices of Hell dug into her mind¡ªher husband¡¯s¡ªa dagger digging into her heaving breast.


    ¡°You failed, Adele¡­ You couldn¡¯t make the sacrifice¡­¡±


    ¡°No!  No, I didn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Adele!¡±


    ¡°I did everything!  Everything¡­¡±


    ¡°I died for nothing¡­  Scarlet will die for nothing.  You are weak¡­¡±


    ¡°Ack¡­¡±  She winced as something hot seared into her shoulder, burning away her shirt and right bra strap; Aleister¡¯s sweating, panting frame came into focus through her tear-stained eyes.


    Her trembling fingers closed around the occult symbol the man had somehow branded into her flesh, her vision wild; Adele didn¡¯t know how long she¡¯d been trapped in her own mind, but everything had changed.


    Aleister¡¯s ceremonial robe had been burned off, showing his ripped pants underneath; the man¡¯s arms were now charred stumps and grotesque appendages sprouting out of his shoulder blades to act as replacements, most of his tattooed skin lit to counter the baleful energies somehow leaking through the wards.


    Vision shaking, Adele looked through the pyramid barrier the man had crafted around them only to see devils and demons¡ªRachel, her daughter¡¯s friend, was a devil¡ªshe¡¯d brought devils inside of her.


    Fulgencio fumbled with the stone in his pocket to transport himself to Aleister as Rachel sent her demons loose, Relica doing her best to keep the strategist alive and engage Rachel.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t happening¡ªAleister, we have to stop¡ª¡±


    His misshapen hand struck her face, forcing her to the ground and stunning her.


    ¡°Bloody Hell, Woman!  Do you not see what¡¯s happening around you!¡±


    Face stinging and cheeks wet, Adele¡¯s body locked up as the rip in space Fulgencio used closed, the man collapsing to the ground; his left forearm to fingers gone, Hellfire slowly licking up its length to char his spirit and flesh.


    ¡°A-Aleister¡­ Aaghhgh!¡±


    ¡°Dammit to Hell!¡±


    Aleister¡¯s two abnormal hands reached around his back, blood leaking from his eyes for yellow lightning to arc between the misshapen appendages.  He brought his knees down on the man¡¯s chest, pinning his writhing figure with a bust of strength before bringing the sparking energy to the strategist¡¯s upper arm, blowing it off and sending the corrupted limb out of his shell.


    ¡°The bloody mess this is turning out to be, Love¡ªha!  Stop that thing?!  Ya obviously don¡¯t know the damn lick Hell what you¡¯re talkin¡¯ about if you think I can do shit to that god she-devil, ya mad woman!  Shit!  Hold still, boy¡ªI¡¯ll take the pain away!¡±


    One of the occultist¡¯s left claws swiftly carved a pattern in the convulsing Legend¡¯s chest, tearing away what remained on his suit shirt, and slowly he calmed down.


    Adele flinched as a demonic black blob smashed against the barrier to her right, savage mouth open to spit electrified flames across its length, three more attacking each side; they were surrounded.


    ¡°Aleister,¡± she swallowed, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself before looking up at the Hell Lord studying and caressing the Soul Stone at various angles, cyclones of blood merging above her as the artifact shimmered with Ravilla¡¯s symbols, sending a beam into the maelstrom of guts, bone, and blood.  ¡°No, hehe, it¡¯s too late¡­ It¡¯s started!¡±


    Fulgencio coughed, throwing up to the side as he gripped his smoking stump, tears in his eyes.  ¡°What¡ªno, this¡­ this wasn¡¯t what you said would happen, Adele¡­ It¡¯s not what you showed us.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right, but we can¡¯t be worrying about that right now, Lad,¡± Aleister growled, spitting out blood to the side as his nose twitched, and Adele followed his bloodshot eyes to the fight happening outside.  ¡°If Ravilla comes or not¡ªI don¡¯t care much if I¡¯m already dead, but so long as the ritual is in progress, we can¡¯t leave.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll save us,¡± Adele whispered, cupping her inflamed cheek as she tried to follow the frenzied conflict outside.  ¡°She¡¯ll stop this insanity¡ªRevilla will make Scarlet understand me¡ªshe¡¯ll know I¡¯m doing this for her¡ªfor everyone!¡±


    ¡°We gotta survive first, Love,¡± Aleister growled, glaring at the demonic blobs assaulting his field, and Adele noticed the blood leaking from the pyramid tattoo on his forehead, running between his eyes.  ¡°All I can do at this point is maintain this barrier¡­ Ravilla better come soon.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll come¡­ I believe in her!¡±  Adele cried, hugging herself and looking up at the army of ungodly fiends practically blotting out the burning heavens, the only gap showing a hellish moon.  ¡°She has to come¡­¡±


    * * *


    Waiting for a moment just like this, Rachel chuckled, launching forward as a single obsidian down-curved horn grew from the left side of her skull¡ªDevil¡¯s Heart State activated¡ªher Seed drinking in the Hell Moon.


    It continued to grow the longer she was exposed to the Hell Moon, curling to frame her face while acting as a hairband of sorts while guarding the side of her skull, and Rachel¡¯s eclipse irises crossed into a star, surrounded by black clover leaves.


    Luminous white skin tinting light purplish-red, crimson arcs and a cloak of Hellfire embraced her; the devilish script on her arms and tattoos from her black, devil-hide outfit shimmered a deep ruby hue along her lace-exposed back.


    Air currents rushing past her folded black-furred ears, braided hair swaying with her instant acceleration, Nia woke; Rachel had been saving everything for a moment like this.


    ¡°Mmgm¡­ Woah, Rachel, I feel really¡­ good?  That was such a good nap!  Where¡¯s Big Sis?¡±


    She¡¯s fighting, too.  Want to join?


    ¡°Mhm!  I wanna play, too!¡±


    Activating the Rabbit Gang as she sprinted, time drawing to a crawl while Fulgencio tried to escape through his crack in space; Rachel reached the man in a split second, left fist aimed to connect with his skull.


    Relica¡¯s shadow met her there, panic in her gaze as she threw his trajectory off in an attempt to save him.


    Grin splitting Rachel¡¯s lips as her punch missed¡ªshe¡¯d figured as much¡ªinstantly pivoting, her hips and momentum twisted her into a half-barrel roll, Hellfire encased leg meeting the strategist¡¯s hand; it vaporized it on contact and scarred his soul before meeting the shade¡¯s chest.


    Landing and using her new Lunar Hell Slide Skill¡ªevolved from Lunar Hell Step¡ªto reposition while in motion, Rachel shot into the sky as a wave of soul-flaying blue flames tried to swallow her.


    Order the Gang to not harm Scarlet¡¯s mom.  You¡¯ve got the fox girl, Nia; Relica is for Scarlet and me!


    ¡°Roger!  Fox coat coming up, Lunar Eclipse!¡±  Nia internally saluted, unholy fires branching off as Rachel landed on the rippling blood barrier separating them from the Seventh Circle of Hell.


    Nia¡¯s infernal Alice in Wonderland appearance and darkened fur took shape to launch at the retreating fox woman, attempting to make it to Aleister¡¯s barrier to stop the Rabbit Gang¡¯s assault.


    The Living Denier Hell Rabbit wasn¡¯t about to let that happen, allowing Rachel to focus entirely on something that should have been done a long time ago.


    Events moved at a crawl against the ceiling from Rachel¡¯s hyper-accelerated mind, her wide, illuminated crimson irises fixated on Relica, still trying to get a grasp on the situation.


    Scarlet appeared beside Rachel from a veil of shadows, cold determination in her vampiric eyes, now realizing their target.  Fingers tightened against the shaft of her scythe, no words passed between them as darkness retook her, and Rachel blurred, launching at the Sorceress.


    Relica bit her lower lip as the bloody scythe emerging from shadows at her back to slide through the tight, lilac barrier protecting her; angled in an upward arc between the woman¡¯s legs, it cut a clean line through her black skirt, passing into her dress shirt, between her breasts, neck, eyes, and out through the top of her head.


    Landing like a meteor at the Sorceress¡¯ back and gliding across the molten, magic-infused ground, Rachel¡¯s calf cut Relica in half, Hellfire burning the woman¡¯s severed outfit to nothing before it could touch the ground.


    They passed right through Relica as if she weren¡¯t even there, yet with her new eyes, Rachel could see many of the woman¡¯s spiritual proxy-lives die; she¡¯d tried to make herself immortal by linking and consuming spirits.


    Spinning around and creating a platform to stop herself, Rachel smirked at the look of disbelief on Relica¡¯s face at the unrestrained assault.  Scarlet was already twisting her scythe around to twirl to the side, black hair whipping with the motion while ripping through her waist two times.


    ¡°Enough!¡±  Relica screamed, naked skin brightening with amethyst-colored symbols to release a pulse of energy.


    Scarlet hopped back, blood spreading out to defend her as Rachel dashed forward to meet it, cloak and momentum breaking through, yet the woman hazed, glowing knife in hand while appearing behind Rachel.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Her enhanced blade ripped through the black flames, Rachel swapping places with the Hell Energy she projected behind the woman.  ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Just before her fingers closed around the Sorceress¡¯ neck, a purple force field enclosed Relica¡¯s bare skin, but Rachel didn¡¯t care.


    Throwing the woman on the ground, she mounted Relica, pinning the Sorceress¡¯ arms to her sides with her thighs to pound her skull; she struggled, her shell taking on a more solid form with every strike, cracks running down its length.


    ¡°R-Rachel¡ªplease, stop¡­ This isn¡¯t supposed to happen!¡±  she cried.  ¡°Stop!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile fell as a wave of energy shot around them, four spirits leaving the host imprisoned inside the woman to take the shape of alien creatures¡ªmalformed Champion Demi, no doubt¡ªhuman souls twisted into mindless brutes.


    Steam hissed off of the red-skinned one as it launched for her at surprising speed, tackling her off the Sorceress; Scarlet exited the shadows and her blood to wrap around two, drawing them together as she latched onto the back of one and bit into its muscular neck.


    Unfortunately for Relica and her spawn, Scarlet and her new sister were not the same girls back in Miami Beach.


    Rachel toppled across the flaming ground to land on top of the beast, Hellfire cloak already ripping it to shreds as her fingers tightened around its throat, crushing it; a gurgle came from it, chest heaving and clawing to tear into her skin, only to have its nails eaten away by Hell¡¯s force.


    The last one sent a ball of fire in her direction that dispersed harmlessly against her cloak, and a grin lifted her full lips while tossing the spiritually disintegrating brute to the side; her right horn began to grow.


    ¡°Relica, hehe, is this the best you¡¯ve been able to do?  All of those experiments and lives ¡­ Did you save all of them for this ritual?  Because, hehe, this is pathetic!  I guess your strength was really in preparation, utility, and networking, avoiding fights you couldn¡¯t win.¡±


    Brushing away the monster¡¯s slash, fingers closing around its windpipe upon trying to bite her, Hellfire spread over its writhing muscles as it attempted to use its bulk to crush her; Rachel simply lifted the struggling beast up and threw it on Relica, purging her flames by expelling the affected spirits.


    ¡°I¡ªRachel, I don¡¯t want to fight you!  Y-You know I wouldn¡¯t hurt you¡ªheh, we were¡ªwere just playing games¡ªugh!¡±


    She reabsorbed the twisted creature before it crashed on top of her retreating figure, glancing around for help for Rachel to slowly shake her head.


    ¡°No help is coming, Relica¡­ Lifen has her hands full with Nia, and Aleister is in a pretty pathetic state as he tries to protect the useless ones, which means¡­ oh, no!  The little troublesome Sorceress is all on her lonesome.¡±


    Relica¡¯s messy black hair weaved back and forth while shaking her head.  ¡°No¡ªNo, I¡¯m not alone¡­ I followed Twilight¡ªI did everything I was supposed to!¡±


    She released her hound, crimson electricity and black flames still breaking it apart as it tried to tackle Rachel; hopping forward, she spun, putting only enough pressure into her kick to hear bones crack and snap the beast¡¯s neck before sending it tumbling twenty meters to their left.


    Not slowing, she continued toward Relica¡¯s backward retreat and Scarlet¡¯s glowing halo irises lifted to the Sorceress after draining the life force from her last monster.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±  Rachel liltingly asked.  ¡°I¡¯m giving you the chance to run and escape, Relica¡­ Oh, hehe, can¡¯t because we¡¯re linked to Hell?  Now isn¡¯t that a shame?¡±


    ¡°Rachel¡­ I-I can help you¡ªack¡ªno, please, Scarlet!¡±


    The girl exited the shadows behind her, spikes of blood flying out to penetrate the naked woman¡¯s body, breaking past her shield to spread her arms and legs out in the air.


    ¡°Please?¡±  Scarlet snarled.  ¡°You killed a little girl in front of me the first time we met¡­ Remember?¡±


    Rachel could only laugh and move to Scarlet¡¯s side; she placed a hand on her right hip and leered at the naked quaking woman.


    Blood suspended Relica before them as the Vespertine Reaper slowly turned her around, crimson liquid crawling up her face to gather inside the Sorceress¡¯ eyes so they couldn¡¯t close.  Nose flaring, Relica cried, seemingly unable to escape the magic binding blood; soon, her pain inhibitors would likely wane from Scarlet¡¯s skills.


    ¡°I¡­ I can change¡ªI-I made mistakes¡­ Please, I¡¯m not ready to die!  Help!  Please, Adele, Aleister¡ªhelp me!  It hurts¡­ If you keep¡­ I could die, Scarlet!¡±


    Eye narrowing, Rachel sneered at the stripped and pleading woman.  ¡°How many people were crying like you in Camag¨¹ey¡ªwhen Hell came for them?  It¡¯s your turn, Relica, or¡­  Aren¡¯t you a ¡®devout¡¯ believer of Twilight?  Isn¡¯t this an honor, hehe¡ªyou get the privilege of meeting your messiah!¡±


    A dark smile finally moved Scarlet¡¯s black lips, displaying her teeth, and a platform of blood gathered under her feet to bring her near.  ¡°You¡¯re right, Rachel ¡­ She deserves to meet Twilight after ¡®everything¡¯ she¡¯s done for her.¡±


    ¡°No¡ªno, no¡ªplease¡ªplease¡­¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fingers slid over Relica¡¯s tight belly to her side, the other hand gliding over the woman¡¯s flexing neck as the Vespertine Reaper leaned in, mouth opening to sink her fangs into the Sorceress¡¯ carotid artery, drawing blood for the first time.


    A small trail leaked out of the holes in Relica¡¯s skin before being pulled back in, and Rachel watched the fluttering motions of the woman¡¯s exposed chest weaken with her breathing; Scarlet didn¡¯t make it quick, gradually drawing every drop as she screamed the pain the Vespertine Reaper stimulated.


    It wasn¡¯t as long as Rachel would have liked, but Scarlet dropped the shriveled husk to the ground after three minutes.  ¡°Such a pathetic end for such a pathetic woman.¡±


    ¡°Humph,¡± Scarlet¡¯s nose twisted, luminous halo irises showing disgust.  ¡°To her, it lasted weeks ¡­ She was a pathetic, vile demon ¡­ She wasn¡¯t a human.¡±


    Rachel snickered.  ¡°I would have taken offense if you said Devil but Demon¡­ heh, Demon¡ªeh?¡±


    Her horns cracked, eyes opening wide as she looked to the heavens to see the army of godly Devils veil the Hell Moon; the electricity running through her bones sparked out, fire leaving her veins.  Wincing, she fell to a knee, gripping her breast as she felt a hand close around her heart and squeeze.


    ¡°Rachel!  Are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Heh, fine¡ªI¡¯m fine¡­ It¡¯s just the after-effects ¡­ Way better channeling the Hell Moon than Hell itself through Yseress.  And, hah, at least I¡¯m not as dusty as this thing!¡±  she tried to joke, forcing herself up to kick Relica¡¯s husk away.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°Totally fine¡­ Just feeling like I pulled every muscle in my body, hehe ¡­ I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Your horns¡­ Eh-heh, cool design choice, by the way¡ªit doesn¡¯t clash with your big ears¡ªoh, and they¡¯re breaking apart now!  Does that mean you¡¯re not Devil Rachel anymore?¡±


    ¡°Heh, basically, yeah¡ªimagine that!  Uh¡­ How¡¯s Nia doing?¡±


    Looking up and tilting her tittering ears to look at the fourteen-year-old Living Denier, Rachel saw her glaring at the huffing and puffing fox woman; it seemed she¡¯d managed to slip by Nia and get into Aleister¡¯s barrier.


    ¡°Should we go¡­ Umm¡­¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to see your mother hurt, Scarlet,¡± Rachel whispered, glaring at the mumbling kneeling woman, eyes closed as she prayed.  ¡°Your mother¡¯s done terrible things, but, unlike all the others¡­ I don¡¯t think she¡¯s a bad person ¡­ I don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s right or not.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s blue eyes returned, sadness crossing them while looking across the colossal room at her mother.  ¡°I know she¡¯s done unforgivable things¡­ You think she¡¯s been manipulated, though?¡±


    ¡°Since she was seventeen years old,¡± Rachel sighed, accepting Scarlet¡¯s shoulder with a thankful smile as they walked to what remained of Adele¡¯s group.


    One the way, she noticed Izanami now staring up at the contorting mass of flesh, blood, and bone; cracks spiderwebbed down the Soul Stone, and Rachel wasn¡¯t sure if that was a good or bad thing, but there wasn¡¯t a damn thing she could do about it.


    AuthorSME


    SME''s Request:


    I hope you''ve been enjoying the free entertainment!  The internet is divided into different echo chambers; you have a specific group that only hovers around specific sites/content.  So, by recommending my serials to others, you give it more exposure to different echo chambers and help it grow.  Ratings are excellent, Trending is terrific, but it only will appeal to a specific echo chamber.  If you like my content, then please share it in your own unique way.


    Thank you!  ^_^7


    Normal Plugs:


    Discord Link - Growing Community =D


    Vote on Top Web Fictions


    View and help contribute to the Wiki


    Support me with Merch or on Patreon for up to:


    10 Chapters ahead in A Tail''s Misfortune.


    11 Chapters in The Oscillation.


    10 Chapters in Undying Empire.


    10 Chapters in the Pokemon Fanfic


    Mystery Wednesday Patreon Exclusive Chapters:


    + 8 Chapters in The Power Of Cuteness And Positivity


    + 28 Chapter in Soul''s Requiem (Volume 1 Finished!)


    Chapters In Mystic:  My First Attempt At A Male Protag Isekai


    All pictures are up for free download on Patreon with the artist I commissioned listed.

 B4 — 53. Call For War

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Alex, Ifeanyichukwu Emeagwali, Sinax, Adam Simpson, Johnny2by4, Anonymous, Spencer, TY Tuttle, Mansikamarja, Mark, and my other Patrons!


    Rachel sighed once reaching Nia; upon closer inspection, the girl showed several cuts on her outfit and fair skin, leaking white blood, and a light burn was on her thigh.


    There was a level of discontent in her, seeing the damage to the teenage bunny girl; still, despite Rachel¡¯s quivering insides¡ªreeling from the price of using the Hell Moon¡ªshe tried to keep a light tone to ease the crushing demonic pressure around them.


    ¡°Let her escape, huh, Lunar Abyss?¡±


    ¡°W-What?  No, Lunar Eclipse, look, I was doing great, okay?¡± she pouted, pointing at the growling woman behind the barrier.  ¡°I had her on the ropes!  I was pushing and kicking, and then she tricked me!  Stupid fox; illusions are cheating!  I don¡¯t have your illusion eye thing, Rachel!  I need them!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh, and the crew?¡±  Rachel asked, glancing down at the ravenous Rabbit Gang, no longer empowered by the Hell Moon; of course, Persephone was as wicked as ever.


    ¡°Oh, uh¡­ they¡¯ve been smacking the barrier thing¡ªI tried a few times but got bored,¡± she mumbled, holding her hands behind her neck.


    Her ears suddenly stiffened upon seeing a giant Demon the size of a four-story building giving the rabbit girl a wicked smile.  ¡°H-Hey, Buddy!  I¡¯m not your eye candy!  Look away!  S-Stop it!¡±


    Rachel and Scarlet giggled to try and fight the pressure of the colossal host of Demons and Devils that could easily rip a planet apart.


    ¡°Have they said anything?¡±  Scarlet whispered as her melancholy tone returned, eyeing her mother, still praying on her knees.


    ¡°Gibberish mostly¡ªyeah, I see you lookin¡¯¡ªgood, keep those eyeballs off me, Bub!  Brrr¡­ they¡¯re so creepy.  Umm, let¡¯s see¡­ they¡¯re all about the ¡®oh, no!  None of this should have happened!¡¯ ¡±  she melodramatically acted out.


    Dancing to the left, she continued her one-sided reenactment, firm and serious glare taking her cadence.  ¡° ¡®That doesn¡¯t matter, idiots!  I¡¯m the strongest wibbly-scribbly guy!  I can write words real good, and this cute, devil-bunny girl can¡¯t possibly destroy my barrier.  Mua-hahaha!¡¯ ¡±


    Figuring the bunny was spiritually resistant to Hell because of her tie to Yseress¡ªlike herself¡ªit helped to have her dramatic mannerisms; although, Rachel wasn¡¯t sure about the exact wording the girl was supposedly repeating from the cast.


    ¡°And, and I¡¯m like¡­ ¡®ho-ho!  You think so?!  Well, I¡¯m just playing around¡ªyou haven¡¯t even seen my final transformation, foolish mortals!  I¡¯m just feeling a bit hungry, or I¡¯d destroy this entire realm!¡¯ ¡±


    She suddenly pointed at the big Demon as his three eyes drifted to her again.  ¡°Yeah!  Including you, Buddy!  Ugh, being a powerful damsel that hasn¡¯t eaten in over twelve hours¡ªRachel¡­ when''s dinner¡ªcan we leave?  I¡¯m losing power by the minute¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I love you, Nia!¡±  Scarlet giggled, trying to restrain her tension at the horrifying host surrounding them.  ¡°Uh, probably when we stop this whole Hell thing?¡±


    Fulgencio and Lifen opened their eyes, making Nia jump back and take up a fighting posture, yet they smoothly rose to their feet, and only the fox was looking at the teenager.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Rachel lifted an eyebrow, giving him a condescending half-smile as the man stepped up to the barrier wearing a grim expression.  ¡°Got something to say?¡±


    Her focus shifted to the dark-furred woman when a sharp stream of air passed through her nose.  ¡°I¡¯ll rip that tail off your tiny¡ª¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡±  Nia cut her off, leering at the fox.  ¡°You¡¯re so weak, you couldn¡¯t even handle this little tail of mine, and now you¡¯re acting all big!  I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯m still a teenager, you old lady!¡±


    ¡°Grggg¡­¡±


    The Mythickin snarled, stroking her patchy tail, having taken a few hits from Nia¡¯s Hellfire, it seemed; the two had traded flames, and the damage appeared fairly even, yet that was still a significant accomplishment for the Living Denier rabbit girl.


    The strategist pulled Rachel¡¯s attention as his vision drifted to Izanami.  ¡°It¡¯s too late for your Hell Lord to stop Revilla¡¯s resurrection, Rachel.¡±


    Shifted against Scarlet¡¯s shoulder to look at the swirling mass and symbols, her expression became a line.  The liquid, bone, and flesh hovered in the air as the cuneiform patterns twisted, expanded, and pulsed to their own rhythm; the fluid mirrored some of the scripts to enter the broiling mess.


    Izanami held her hands behind her back, devil tail swaying a tad while observing its progress, and Rachel recalled what the Hell Lord had said concerning the ritual.


    ¡°I knew that already, Fulgencio¡­  Heh, but she can stop whoever this is from completely resurrecting; should we call this a draw?¡±


    Adele¡¯s jaw tightened, vision opening as she struggled to her feet, wincing while putting her palm against the smoldering hieroglyphic in her flesh; her cheeks were puffy, and a bruise, as if she¡¯d been struck.


    Concern crossed Scarlet¡¯s face at the pain her mother seemed to be in, and Rachel could empathize; if her own mother was standing in Adele¡¯s place, she didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d do.  Adele totally believed in her cause to save countless lives, including her daughter.  It was certainly a more complicated issue than she wanted it to be.


    ¡°Why¡­  Why won¡¯t you believe me, Scarlet¡ªRachel?  If you just¡­  If you allowed me some time, I could have shown you what I saw¡­  The destruction¡­ universes without end.  Scarlet¡­ nothing will be left if Twilight or Revilla does not stop the creeping oblivion!¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±  Scythe still in her hands, a line of crimson returned to her cheeks to leak out of her eyes.  ¡°There has to be another way¡­  There must be.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s hand tightened around her friend¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Scarlet¡­ there¡¯s no use in trying to convince her¡­ as much as there is a chance in convincing us.  We¡¯ve taken different routes.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to,¡± Adele said, chest fluttering and tears dripping down her cheeks.  ¡°Why would you trust a Hell Lord¡­ someone who only wishes destruction to this universe over¡­  Over me, Scarlet¡­ I love you¡­ I love you so much it hurts¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not¡­  I know Scarlet isn¡¯t what you believe¡ªshe¡¯s inside me, Mom!  Why can¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    ¡°Scarlet¡­ what I¡¯ve seen¡ª¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯ve felt, Mom!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s hands tightened around her shoulders as Scarlet sniffed back the blood in her nose; all that would follow would be more torment for both of them.  ¡°We should leave them for now, Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Gah,¡± Aleister groaned, ¡°why it be the bleedin¡¯ Hell Hare the only one I can agree with here; it be what it be, Lasses!¡±


    His giant misshapen finger scratched his nose before folding the two back appendages across his muscular stomach.  ¡°So, why don¡¯t we take a seat and wait for the show¡­  Aye?  Ya seemed to have a grudge against Relica¡ªmeh, I can respect it¡ªbut don¡¯t we all got bigger problems?¡±


    Aleister nudged his head up.  ¡°Like, hehe, what might happen if this bridge were to snap and we were left stranded in Hell.  Am I right?!¡±


    Lifen¡¯s oriental accent thickened.  ¡°It might not be such a bad thing for these things¡ªthey seem to be demons already.¡±


    Nia puffed up her chest.  ¡°Yes!  Hmm-hmm-hmm!  Fear me, Fluffy One!¡±


    ¡°Grrr¡­¡±


    Fulgencio shook his head, and a stressed sigh exited his lips, grimacing at his raised ruined limb for them to see.  ¡°I¡¯ll return the favor eventually¡­ Rachel,¡± he spat.


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Rachel returned, guiding Scarlet away from the barrier.  ¡°Heh, I look forward to taking your other arm, and don¡¯t feel too safe; Scarlet could probably cut that barrier in two and kill you all.  Count your blessings, Fulgencio¡­ heh, or pray to your goddess.¡±


    Scarlet gave her a forced smile while the Rabbit Gang and Nia stuck their tongues out at the group, hopping after them.  ¡°Do you¡­ really think we can capture them after this?¡±


    Vision darkening, Rachel¡¯s gaze drifted to the Hell Lord.  ¡°My skin itches when I look at that bloody mass¡­  What about you?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­ I know it sounds weird¡­ I think Twilight is laughing in her sleep, and it¡­  I don¡¯t know, it makes me feel¡­ conflicted?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  Rachel slowly nodded, more concerned than before now.  ¡°Anyway, we will have bigger problems than them, and you need to be strong enough to handle anything that comes our way.  Relica was their main agent drawing support; I get the feeling some of them are having second¡­¡±


    She trailed off as a resonance rippled from the writhing mess, the Soul Stone rising to meet it as a flash of white light came from Izanami; a three-dimensional sphere of devilish script spun from the Hell Lord to weave into the floor and encompass the horrific amalgamation.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Nia hissed, running to her side to hide behind her.  ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­  It''s scary.¡±


    Hayan boldly jumped in front of them, gesturing with his ears for his sisters to get behind him for Rose to slap him on the head and hop beside him, glaring up at the cyclone.


    ¡°I got you, Nia ¡­  You want to go back into your outfit?¡±


    ¡°N-No, I¡¯m brave¡­  I¡¯m here to help¡ªeek!¡±  quivering, she hid behind her shoulder.


    Rachel winced as the Devils and Demons roared, clicked, and pounded their chests, yet Izanami took a step away, flaming eyes narrowing when the Soul Stone touched the liquid.


    This is it¡­


    The mass compressed in a fraction of a second before expanding into a mangled mess of horrific contortions that silenced the forces of Hell, an outbreak of titanic pressure causing all to feel the same¡ªoverwhelmed.


    Izanami¡¯s half-smile lifted a tad, yet to Rachel, and it seemed like she was questioning her own decision to face the resurrecting entity; fissures ran through the barrier the Fallen Deity made to contain the rising pressure, causing Rachel to grit her teeth, muscles tensing as tight as they could manage.


    Soft, feminine laughter rang inside Rachel¡¯s mind, followed by the cry of numberless tortured creatures writhing in the amalgamation before transmitting to all through a beat of soul-shattering rhythms that rubbed against her soul.


    ¡°What a¡­ cute welcome.¡±  An attractive female figure settled into being as the air hummed and space cracked like glass for a metallic throne to force its way through.  ¡°You are far out of your depths, Dear.¡±


    Pale, smooth skin came from the blood and bone to display an amused lilac-haired woman, right knuckles resting against her cheek.  The figure¡¯s revealing white dress was practically transparent, showing a well-endowed physique.


    The unusual ornaments gracing her body tilted in her casual posture; if it weren¡¯t for the undeniable chill passing through Rachel¡¯s bones, or the screams of countless trapped souls quaking against her ears, she would have laughed.  As it stood, she couldn¡¯t move.


    Even from this distance, she couldn¡¯t so much see but feel the entity¡¯s callous silver-blue irises lingering on Izanami, and in a gap of time, her vision was on Scarlet, a wave of death flooding Rachel¡¯s paralyzed brain.  ¡°Finally¡­¡±


    The colossal outline of a draconic head instantaneously appeared around them, savage rows of fangs twitching in the writhing mass as an infernal beam erupted within, and Rachel couldn¡¯t act; lungs locked, she wasn¡¯t sure when it had even come into existence, yet the corrupting fumes it released seemed sealed in space.


    ¡°An¡­ unorthodox method for a Hell Lord,¡± the unearthly woman mused.


    In the next second, the abomination receded, allowing Rachel to see it be dawn back into the entity¡¯s arm; her other was still boredly placed against her cheek as she stared at Izanami, and it was then she noticed the golden lettering circling the figure and sinking into her flesh.


    ¡°Mmh¡­ hehe, a Divine Binding, and far beyond the ordinary¡­ in Hell?  No¡­  A fake Hell Lord.  Fascinating.¡±


    ¡°M-My Lady Revilla!  Please, I do not recall this in the visions from the Revered Goddess!¡±  Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as Adele¡¯s voice cried out.  ¡°Please, help me understand what I did wrong!¡±


    Izanami¡¯s wings flexed, the Hell Lord having remained utterly silent through the exchange as she studied her opponent, yet Revilla¡¯s countenance suddenly lightened, compassion entering her voice while turning her attention to Adele¡¯s party.


    ¡°Be not concerned, my faithful priestess¡­  I will show you what needs to be done.  My voice will not reach you for a time; the fiends from Hell, and Rachel¡¯s taint in your beloved daughter¡¯s mind, will be a difficult challenge to overcome.  We shall prevail against these plots.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s fingers tightened into fists as the creature in human guise blamed her.  She couldn¡¯t defend herself since her tongue wouldn¡¯t leave the roof of her mouth, and it was all she could do to remain standing in this horrific thing¡¯s presence, even with the protection Izanami provided.


    A short chuckle left Izanami, yet it was so diminished even Rachel had to strain her ears to hear it.  ¡°Still playing the savior¡­ and dampening all sound so no one can counter your narrative¡­  Humph.  Revilla, was it?¡±


    The entity¡¯s entertained smile hadn¡¯t diminished, left arm gradually splitting apart to reveal terrifying creatures of bone, flesh, and liquid that radiated a pulsing sound more frightening than anything she¡¯d heard thus far from Izanami¡¯s legions.


    Gradually, the golden script swirling around her was breaking down; there wasn¡¯t a doubt in Rachel¡¯s mind that this thing could wipe out everything she knew with a blink of her eye, yet Izanami was finding a way to hamper her restoration.


    ¡°Why should I bother engaging with such a¡­ pathetic wretch as yourself¡­  Hehe, hiding your shame behind so many layers of illusions.  What are you trying to hide¡­ terrified I will discover who you really are?¡±


    Izanami¡¯s lips tightened, lifting a hand for more golden letters to form and weave toward Revilla as gruesome elk, fish, and raven-like entities eased out of the swirling mass the ungodly entity¡¯s arm produced to resonate a pulsing thump, making the Fallen Deity wince and Rachel¡¯s fingernails dig into her palms.


    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm¡­  Ah, so that¡¯s it¡­  A Fallen Creation Deity?  My, you¡¯re even more of a pariah than I thought.  You must be utterly miserable, locked to the 6th Dimension, yet¡­ I recall one of this universe¡¯s creators being named Izanami.  Hmm¡­ is that you, heh, masquerading as a ¡®Demon¡¯ to not feel so pathetic?¡±


    ¡°You are¡­ quite the piece of work,¡± Izanami countered, composure fracturing slightly as Revilla attacked her false image.  ¡°A Hell Lord that has found her way to even greater heights, I assume¡­  I have to admit, your mastery over the natural forces of Hell is¡­ rather imposing.¡±


    Ripples in space followed the creature''s clicking hum, cracking Izanami¡¯s barrier more and causing a layer of her illusions to shake before ripping away; Adele bit her lip, looking hopeful as Revilla seemed to be breaking free of her bindings.


    ¡°Hmm?  My little Fallen Creation Deity¡­  Oh, no, no, no¡­  I have never seen a more pathetic thing than you in the dozens of multiverses I have consumed.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened while watching Izanami¡¯s revealing gown, night-black wings, and even her tinted skin color torn apart to reveal a gorgeous, silver-haired woman with a black, flaming crown and curved, elegant horns.


    The Fallen Deity wore an exquisite shoulderless black and gold dress, neck guard, and emerald jewelry more refined and bright than any she¡¯d seen.


    ¡°Still holding onto that image are you, Izanami; the way you looked before partaking of Hell¡¯s fruit?  Hehe, self-conscious of the hideous mess you¡¯ve become?  I¡¯d expect nothing less from such a self-righteous, vain wretch.  Embrace your true self¡­ oh, but you¡¯re ever so lonely¡ª¡±


    A lump appeared in Rachel¡¯s frozen throat, Revilla¡¯s head straightening in alarm as she seemed to notice something.  ¡°No, you¡­  How?  A fallen Creation Deity¡ªin a corrupted Nephilim?  Twilight¡­¡±  she growled, shimmering vision narrowing while darting to Scarlet.


    Time moved to a crawl as the Hell Lord half-turned to smile at Rachel, an unstressed voice entering her mind, yet in Izanami¡¯s lovely, burning orange irises was desolation and heartache she hadn¡¯t seen until now¡ªsomething beyond age and space¡ªunending.


    ¡°Rachel, take care of Yseress for me¡­¡±


    A wave of radiant beams swirled around the woman, chaining Revilla as she snarled, and a warm breeze forced her upward to smash into the barrier barring the Seventh Circle.


    ¡°You¡¯re only delaying the inevitable¡­¡±  Revilla hissed, and Adele cried out in panic as fissures materialized in the shell from the uplifting and angelic hum that filled the space before slowly melding the entity through to the other side.


    Izanami¡¯s illusions vanished, leaving Yseress¡¯ yellow-skinned and sickly body collapsing to the floor; whatever pressure Revilla exuded gone, allowing air to fill Rachel¡¯s paralyzed lungs, and fighting through the pain, she winced as Scarlet transported them under her to be caught in the girl¡¯s cushioning blood.


    ¡°Big Sis!¡±  Nia cried, tears leaking out of her eyes as she leaned against the bed Scarlet made.  ¡°Rachel, is she okay?¡±


    ¡°I think so¡­¡±


    Gut tightening, she looked up; in the same instant Izanami left Yseress, the Fallen Creation Deity¡¯s true self met the outer-universe Hell Lord beyond the barrier, yet this was the first time Rachel had seen Izanami¡¯s unfiltered image.


    A horrific, mutilated naked corpse of a once glorious woman hovered before the snarling fiend, picking herself up off the shell she¡¯d been forced through.


    ¡°You¡­ hehe, clearly overestimate what divine powers you once held¡­  Ugh¡­¡±


    The Fallen Deity looking down on her, celestial orbs of pure light taking shape around her, and utterly emotionless in sight and tone, Izanami held up a hand for a snake to slither into existence, matching the necklace she wore, whispering, ¡°Lucifer¡­ Amaymon¡­ ¡±


    A tremor shook the barrier Rachel stood on as crevices split the space around Revilla in a wide triangle for a muscular, glorious black-winged Angel to float through; the other side, a ghastly red-armored Devil, wielding an ungodly spear and riding a colossal dark horse.


    Rachel bit her lip, minty blood touching her tongue.  Don¡¯t die, Izanami¡­ I¡¯m actually beginning to like you.


    A proud smirk lifted the Fallen Archangel¡¯s smooth lips, his voice like honey on wine while exiting the fissure.  ¡°My, look at you, displaying your true, ¡®divine¡¯ self.  Bold, Izanami, to leave your gates open and call my name¡­  Hmm, although¡­ it seems we have a rather¡­ hmm-hmm, appalling, and might I add, boorish, uninvited guest in Hell this fine evening.¡±


    Amaymon spoke with the voice issuing numberless screams for war.  ¡°An invader, hmm?  He-he, are you asking for our help, Izanami?¡±


    Izanami¡¯s voice was as cool and uninterested as her desolate cadence.  ¡°I can only keep her weakened for so long¡­  You must stab her before I lose what strength I have left.  Can you handle that?¡±


    Vicious laughter came from Revilla as she rose into the air of the Seventh Circle, Izanami¡¯s armies roaring for war as the Fallen Deity¡¯s shimmering divine lights left holy script on the entity¡¯s figure.  ¡°Ah-heh¡­ friends?  Cute.¡±


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 B4 — 54. Sacrifice

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Izanami (Our Fallen Creation Deity!)


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    Izanami stood before the odd entity a tad perplexed, channeling forces she hadn¡¯t used since time antiquity, yet in the fires raging around her, it took on an entirely different tune; she¡¯d spent much of the time gauging precisely what stood across from her, which brought her wandering thoughts to the artifact it used in its resurrection.


    The Soul Stone had been of curious design, its workings somewhat unfamiliar to her extensive knowledge of the Infernal Realm, yet the cuneal writing this ritual employed had a distinctive Hellish resonance to it; the efficiency and method used made her want to vomit.


    There was no doubt; Revilla came from the pits of Hell in an alternate multiverse, and judging by her mocking taunts, the foreign entity was here to feed off Twilight.  The itching laughter that rang from the sleeping Reaper quivered at the very prospect within Scarlet¡¯s Core, at least from what she could tell when possessing Yseress.


    Still, Izanami couldn¡¯t believe an entity like Twilight, who was so far beyond her ability to grasp¡ªmuch less the desire to gaze upon¡ªwould allow Revilla to do as she pleased.  No, Rachel, the other deities in the fathomless heavens; all of them were playing to her plucking song, and it was foolish to believe otherwise.


    The smirking outerversal Hell Lord had planned to consume the Seeds that had implanted themselves in humanity and would then use that collective power to sink her teeth into The Reaper, yet the unthinkable enigma had her own agenda.


    Unequivocally, Twilight¡¯s side was the only possible option forward; she¡¯d laid out the pieces for those with ears to hear and directed things down a path that would counter all opposition.  Izanami¡¯s involvement at all was proof of this, considering she no longer had access to the Bead Of The Universe or the universal sight she enjoyed in her infancy.


    Frigid hatred crept through Izanami¡¯s cold, corrupted veins at what she was currently engaged in; seizing Yseress¡¯ Core via Rachel¡¯s link, she squeezed every drop of holy energy she could wrench out of the helpless girl.


    Even if she was corrupted, Yseress was a Nephilim, holding innate powers integral to her survival, and the girl had carefully cultivated the little divine dominion she could piece together for centuries.


    Stealing all of that painful, laborious effort was not something she enjoyed¡ªof course, joy was something she¡¯d long lost, in any case¡ªyet, this was the only choice given to her outside of ripping the poor angelic half from her Core and absorbing it.


    Meeting Revilla¡¯s snarling physical presence in her true body above the bridge to the mortal plane, Izanami instantly reinforced the bindings she¡¯d created by possessing Yseress; it had nearly killed the hapless Nephilim, yet without the initial bonds placed on Revilla, Izanami couldn¡¯t reinforce them.


    Unlike Yseress, she didn¡¯t have a single line connecting her back to her divinity; every door was sealed to her by Izanagi¡ªher husband and brother¡ªeven now, they were eternally linked, despite his efforts to lock her away, and for ages, she¡¯d only felt numb anguish.


    All she could do was funnel what hallowed energy her ruined celestial body had left into the initial sublime weaves she¡¯d crafted with Yseress¡¯ hands; as a former Creation Deity, her knowledge of the Divine was only equal to a few and beyond most in this 7th-dimensional sphere.


    Then again, Izanami¡¯s fingers hadn¡¯t touched such holy forces for so many ages, she¡¯d nearly failed, stinging fingers twitching and flesh blistering against the pure energies they¡¯d just handled.


    She abhorred Twilight and Revilla for compelling this fate upon her, yet again, perhaps there was some space in her dead heart for pity¡ªa connection of sorts¡ªregarding The Reaper¡¯s obscure story.


    There was no other way, and, at the same time, never did she think anyone could rival the way she felt toward her husband and brother; yet again, she¡¯d been proven wrong.


    The outer-universal being drew out an agitated hiss, and Izanami¡¯s corrupted celestial spirit itched under the immense weight of Revilla¡¯s chaotic flood of Hellish strength¡ªto compare the entirety of Hell to a Creation Deity would be laughable, unthinkable to her before meeting this¡­ thing¡ªat most the 6th dimension.


    How many times am I going to be proven wrong in my assumptions?


    Somehow Revilla transcended the entire Seventh Circle¡ªsoon all of Hell would know about her presence¡ªand only by the grace of combating her with the creatures¡¯ natural enemy, divinity, was she delayed in her complete resurrection.


    Izanami had managed to bind her Core before the entity¡¯s defenses fully formed, and it was only by that backdoor that she was able to separate Revilla¡¯s Intelligence from accessing the vast majority of her immense power.


    Every second bought her time she needed, yet as she feared, her merciless presence would soon fill all there was; nothing would be left if Revilla managed to break out of the cracking shell that contained her reviving essence.


    As could be expected from an entity of the 8th dimension¡­  She must be, and to have confirmation of what possibly lies beyond is¡­


    Izanami constrained a shiver as the titanic internal beats of the entity¡¯s confined Core slammed against death¡¯s hold; higher existences than the aspect of death currently gripping her bound Core, and this colossal 8th-dimensional body of death was reaching into their universe, desperately trying to keep Revilla in its jaws.


    Every tiny time beat sent a picture of dread into Izanami¡¯s breast.  It wasn¡¯t just her fighting this creature, and that knowledge terrified her¡­  All of them would die¡­ be absorbed into this Hellborn aberration.  The reality of it was without question if things were to continue as they are, and even the alternative made her question if Revilla¡¯s end would be better.


    All my life, I have never met something of greater power than me outside of my own son¡­  Never have I felt fear until I was chained to Hell¡­  Yet now, I understand fear as mortals do¡­


    Her grotesque, emotionless, unchangeable face couldn¡¯t express the odium she¡¯d felt for an eternity as she reached up to touch the serpent collar around her throat, determined to do something she utterly despised¡ªthe only chance she had, given the limited time Yseress¡¯ many sacrifices had bought her¡ªand the anxiety of knowing where this would lead almost made her give in to whatever Revilla would bring.


    Lowering the gates sealing off her hard-fought kingdom in Hell¡ªat the closest point to the Infernal Realm¡¯s exit that she could possibly draw near¡ªIzanami allowed his snake to slither out of its now unsuppressed cage.  She wanted to bite her own rotten tongue out as the bitter name she swore would never touch it again left her throat, followed by another she knew would answer.


    ¡°Lucifer¡­ Amaymon¡­ ¡±


    Repulsion itched across her decayed skin as the Fallen Archangel ripped through Hell¡¯s Circles in delight at her open invitation, arrogantly crossing over from the Ninth Circle to observe the situation in his typical self-righteous manner.


    Amaymon¡ªa glutton for conquest¡ªcouldn¡¯t help but hear the chimes of war from the armies she¡¯d gathered since her fall, and the warmonger laughed that she was actually looking for an alliance, considering she¡¯d rejected all parties in Hell to keep to herself and invited all those wishing to join her to stay by her side.


    Izanami tried to ignore their brazen introduction, so self-absorbed and arrogant they somehow managed to miss Revilla¡¯s barely contained presence.


    She wanted her tone to be dry, yet her illusions failed her under the titanic force she was contending against.  ¡°I can only keep her weakened for so long¡­  You must stab her before I lose what strength I have left.  Can you handle that?¡±


    Lucifer and Amaymon finally felt the threat pass through them as Revilla gave a snide snicker, words so baleful they could even brand a Hell Lord¡¯s corrupted soul.  ¡°Ah-heh¡­ friends?  Cute.¡±


    The entity adjusted the left strap of her dress with her right hand while rising into the air to give Izanami a half-smile, throne breaking through dimensions to offer her a seat; it was another entity in itself that she had to contend with once its master was handled.


    ¡°What is this¡­  Izanami?¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±  Looking slightly entertained after taking her place on the metal throne, she directed a mocking grin in Lucifer¡¯s direction, Izanami¡¯s last remaining vestiges of divinity supplying the bonds with fuel as she searched every corner of her Core to give everything she had.  ¡°If it isn¡¯t daddy¡¯s little shining boy!  No, you couldn¡¯t let someone be brighter than you¡­  How pathetic have you become in this universes¡¯ iteration.¡±


    Amaymon roared with laughter, spinning around his spear as his Nightmare neighed, spreading its corruption wide.  ¡°I rather like her!¡±


    No longer entertained, Lucifer¡¯s baleful leer quieted Izanami¡¯s forces, causing silence to fall over Hell as light radiated around him and a flaming sword seared through the Circles to his hand.  ¡°You will explain this when we are done, Izanami¡­¡±


    ¡°Ooh, how frightening, hehe,¡± Revilla mocked, studying her left fingernails.  ¡°Well, Lucy, Lucy, Lucy¡­  Maybe I would be if you had actually accomplished anything in a ¡®single¡¯ universe I¡¯ve consumed¡­  Just a scared little boy with an over-inflated ego and daddy issues.¡±


    Izanami couldn¡¯t even feel the desire to snicker at the insult; she had to wonder if this was a ploy to try and get them to turn on each other by her agreeing.  ¡°Are you scared, Lucifer?  Maybe I should have called Satan.¡±


    A stillness came as Lucifer¡¯s shimmering six black wings stilled, focus on Revilla, and his response came from the risen holy blade in his hand, untaintable by his Perdition, to leave a spatial cut of golden rays that split the fabric of Hell¡ªthe reason she¡¯d called him.


    Amaymon thrusting his spear in the infernal heavens, causing fissures to split all across her realm for the Hell Lord¡¯s legions¡ªhundreds¡ªpouring through like supernovae, and her own forces flooded forward to assault the invader.


    Izanami held her hands in front of her, coldly observing the scene below as she floated above the woman, and Revilla¡¯s focus was solely on her¡ªthe one who had the cords around her essence¡ªseeking to find the spark that would return her to power that she was keeping just out of reach.


    ¡°Haaa¡­  How annoying¡­¡±


    Shifting to the side of her throne, Revilla rested her head against the back of her right hand and lifted her other; neigh instantaneously, even to Izanami, a torrent of ungodly fiends of colossal proportion and power erupted from her limb, rising to meet the onslaught.


    The mass of bone, guts, and flesh collided with the holy flames called by Lucifer, eating it; fire erupted on the many corrupted creatures that took the blow, yet more pulsed into being, countering the force by numbers alone and forcing Lucifer to retreat.


    To face some of Hell¡¯s strongest legions, dragons, elk, wolves, ravens, gods, and things Izanami had never considered birthed from the woman¡¯s appendage to ravage the hellscape.


    Amaymon laughed at the challenge, diving into the flood and destroying a dozen of the titanic entities for dozens more to take their place; the wall of horror closed around Izanami, yet as it drew near, the fiends withered and died from the last breath of divinity within her.


    Black tears created a line down her cheeks to slide down her neck, breast, and thighs until they dripped from her toes to the writhing mass below, seeking to devour Hell; she lost track of time and the fight behind the writhing ribs, mouths, and tentacles attempting to find a way beyond her united field of decay and divinity.


    All the while, Revilla¡¯s half-smile remained on her, slowly rising in her throne to meet her just outside of the dualistic aura only a fallen divine could produce.  ¡°What do you hope to gain from all of this, Izanami?¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond, skin burning with the holy forces scarring her corrupted body even beyond its current state.


    ¡°Haaa¡­  Still, hmm¡­  You may be the most intriguing version of Izanami I have had the pleasure of tasting¡­  Mm-hehe, the pain of being born of such strength that even your brother¡ªthe one supposed to be the equal yoke that mirrored your essence¡ªwas lacking to the point ¡®he¡¯ needed time to prepare for the creation process you initiated.¡±


    Izanami wanted to spit in her face as her lilting eyes drifted to the right, showing the multiversal double of her concerned husband that materialized out of the amalgamation of sinister fluid and bone.  ¡°Please, Izanami¡­  Unite with us¡­  We can be whole¡­  Your sons and daughters miss you¡­¡±


    Tone as dead as her corpse, she kept her vision on the entity before her.  ¡°Do you believe such tricks will work on me¡­  Me¡­ Revilla?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  I¡¯m only having fun,¡± she chuckled, looking up for a dozen more to exit and call her name in the way he used to¡­ when they were young; it was followed by a vision of her previous beauty, displaying slight deviations to various degrees.  ¡°Not one of these¡­ could match you, which I find most enthralling.¡±


    Her lips tightened as a beam of incandescent light pierced the mass for a moment before being met by a large antler, the corrupted, godly moose entering the fissure for it to reseal; clearly, it wasn¡¯t as one-sided as Revilla wanted it to appear¡ªLucifer was doing his part¡ªyet without her bindings and Amaymon¡¯s distractions, he would have been as helpless as a newborn babe.


    ¡°Your weakness is showing, Revi¡ª¡±


    Izanami¡¯s words caught in her decayed lungs as a brilliant, handsome, and grinning young god formed beside Revilla; she rose to caress his cheek, making a dormant fire rage inside Izanami¡¯s breast and cause her fingers to tremble as she whispered, ¡°Kagu-tsuchi¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­  You never got to see your beloved son grow into a man¡­  A shame¡­  A tragedy for a Mother of Creation¡­  And to think the reason for his death¡­ was his father¡­  Your brother¡­ husband, and for what?  To throw you away the second you¡­ hehe, well, lost your beauty.¡±


    For once, someone had managed to get emotion from her cursed celestial body¡ªpain¡ªas the long-distant memories returned, unforgettable to her ageless mind.


    ¡°Oh, and the guilt you feel for allowing yourself to be tricked by Lucifer¡­  After all, he could not have someone as bright and beautiful as you in Hell, so¡­¡±


    Her Core trembled while remembering how innocent and naive she was, believing a fellow Creation Deity¡¯s beloved son would aid her back to the surface, only to guide her to a tree; its fruit binding her eternally to Hell¡ªher Hell¡ªcorrupting her celestial body, and then to have the betrayal of her husband, which she could handle, yet¡­


    Izanagi did something she never dreamed of nor conceived as a possibility¡­  He destroyed.  As her fellow mirror in Creation¡­ he¡¯d taken that labor and cut their son to pieces.  Of course, he could not create again without her essence, which was why he salvaged what little of her was left, destroying any possibility of her resurrection and leaving her to rot because she¡¯d allowed herself to be tricked.


    She wanted to close her eyes as all of her children¡ªslightly different versions of them¡ªthat had come from her essence emerged from the mass to confront her, Revilla watching from her throne.


    ¡°You already know, but Izanagi has already tainted the minds of your beloved offspring¡­  They believe you to be the witch and fiend of Hell, cursing your continued survival, and there is nothing you can do to correct it.  Hahaha!  Truly, you have been used and discarded as the wretch of a deity you now display¡­  Shunned in Heaven and Hell¡­


    ¡°Forced to carve a place for yourself, and so¡­ you decided to remain the thorn in Lucifer¡¯s side by forcing your Underworld into his¡­  Poetic, is it not, for the barren, pilgarlic scum you¡¯ve become¡­  You are a pariah, unable to attain pity from all but your distant granddaughter.¡±


    Izanami¡¯s eyes tightened.


    ¡°Mmgm, yes!  I have scouted many of this universes¡¯ most succulent secrets in preparation to consume Twilight, and¡­ some rather powerful foreign entities had already broken into this universe, but you wouldn¡¯t know the state of your shambled heavens, now would you?¡±


    The outerversal Hell Lord smirked at the figure that rose out of the blood swirling around Revilla¡¯s throne, making Izanami¡¯s fear redouble and almost slip in her balancing act, allowing a tentacle of flesh to reach an inch from her face.


    ¡°Not an exact replica¡­  To be honest, it is the first I¡¯ve seen of her in the many universes I have consumed¡­  Yseress¡­  A Nephilim that has family ties with you¡­  Distant, yet an intermingling between your children and the angels.  Now isn¡¯t that an interesting combination¡­  Deity, Angel, and Devil¡­  No wonder you were able to make such bindings and manifest through her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think yourself untouchable¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  Gotten attached, have we¡­  Mmh, what would happen if I let slip such a succulent morsel of information to¡­  Lucifer?  He does seem like quite the petty type, and¡­  Haaa¡­  Hmm-hmm-hmm, so am I.¡±


    Izanami¡¯s last vestiges of remaining divinity left her, causing her discolored eyes to close in defeat; she¡¯d expended everything she had, and without her former godly support, Izanami¡¯s aura of decay was not enough¡ªbone, flesh, and meat wrapped around her tormented corpse¡ªthe entity¡¯s essence ripped out of her grip to unite with her Intelligence.


    An intense hollowed pulse seared her skin, and in mild surprise, Izanami¡¯s vision opened to see a sublime sword of fierce incandescent flames piercing the back of Revilla¡¯s throne, a chilling edge in her luminescent turquoise eyes as the squirming mass lit with a holocaustic sea of divine fire.


    Lucifer came into focus beyond the incinerating amalgamation and fiends with a host of black-winged angels around him, showing harsh signs of battle, his voice like thunder.  ¡°Do your job, Izanami¡­¡±


    Not missing the opportunity before her, she shot forward, left hand closing around the tip of the holy artifact as Revilla¡¯s mask dropped to show the eerie specter within; fingers trembling while holding onto the divine weapon¡ªforeknowledge on how to handle such sublime forces keeping her fingers and corrupted spirit from being destroyed¡ªshe instantly redirected its power into the still functioning seals she¡¯d crafted, solidifying them.


    ¡°You have not won, Izanami, heh¡­  As I said¡­  I have something in common with Lucifer.¡±


    Just as she let go of the blade, seal complete and sword drained of its divine essence, Revilla¡¯s throne fissured space and carried the outerversal Hell Lord through before Izanami could react, porting the fiend back to Adele¡¯s group to be sheltered.


    Still, locked out of her powers, Revilla may be immortal, yet she could not enact her plan until breaking what Izanami put into place.


    Breathing a sigh of relief, her vision closed, strength utterly spent, she fell, waiting for what inevitably came next¡ªspikes drilled through her hands and feet, pulling her naked corpse taut¡ªLucifer¡¯s voice descending upon her.


    ¡°I told you, Izanami¡­  Heh, you would be answering my questions when this was done.¡±


    Vision opening to slits, she stared at the infuriated fallen Archangel, unable to express her hatred, which was actually something the smug man despised himself.


    Resigned to her fate, her fatigued mind and eyes drifted across her former Realm, ravaged by Revilla, and what remained of her armies were currently being slaughtered by Lucifer¡¯s vanguard¡ªstanding back until the last minute¡ªas she figured they would.


    Amaymon hovered in the distance; the warmonger was missing his right arm, parts of his immaculate armor devastated as his remaining forces retreated into the Sixth Circle, with Lucifer¡¯s relatively unharmed armies filling the skies.


    His deep voice displayed his disgust as he exited.  ¡°Your conflict with Izanami should have ended by your own hands instead of relying on our shared enemy to weaken her¡­  You always were a coward.¡±


    Lucifer¡¯s glorious wings spread out as he shifted to look at the fracturing barrier underneath them, where Revilla had escaped to.  The outerwordly Hell design collapsed, causing the link between their two worlds to be broken, returning Rachel and Yseress to safety.


    The fallen Archangel¡¯s gaze fixated on the Nephilim as she retreated into Rachel¡¯s Core.  ¡°Hmm¡­  Well, don¡¯t you have the dirtiest secrets?¡±


    Izanami didn¡¯t say a word, knowing she¡¯d left her distant descendant in capable hands; the link shattered as figures bearing the seal of the Templar Knights rushed into the area to meet Revilla¡¯s cult and Rachel, yet there was nothing she could do now.


    After eons of inactivation due to her powerful defenses, Lucifer activated the Hell Collar around her throat that he¡¯d placed on her much younger and innocent self so long ago, binding her now utterly exposed Core before dragging her back to his palace in the skies of the Ninth Circle.


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 B4 — 55. Knights Templar

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    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


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    Rachel¡¯s legs gave way, Scarlet following as the horrific battle raging above them began, Revilla¡¯s monstrosities filling the heavens; the barrier protected them, but that didn¡¯t stop the terrifying visions of the hellish visages clashing above them.


    Yseress was as overwhelmed as them, watching the amalgamation of the outerversal entity slaughter the hosts of Hell, every single denizen capable of utterly destroying Earth, yet their mind-numbing size or power was insignificant to Revilla.


    All it showed Rachel was the gap she was trying to fill; these were beings not even on the scale of the higher deities of their universe, and someone as powerful as Hell Lords, Izanami, a Fallen Creation Deity, struggled to simply contain the creature that had invaded their reality.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if Izanami was dead or alive in the frenzied chaos that somehow compressed time itself; the battle lasted for an eternity and the blink of an eye, and once white flames lit the colossal plane of the Seventh Circle, it was clear who had won¡ªIzanami¡¯s rotted, naked corpse came into view in the disintegrating mass of horrors.


    Lucifer¡¯s divine blade had penetrated the woman¡¯s throne to exit through her chest, Izanami¡¯s trembling figure coming into focus, fingers gripping the sword¡¯s edge; Revilla¡¯s titanic presence receded in the blink of an eye, yet Rachel¡¯s focus was swiftly drawn elsewhere as Adele screamed her horror at the sight.


    ¡°Mother¡­¡±  Yseress¡¯ trembling hand reached up, fevered eyes drawing Rachel to a host of black-winged angels now filling the burning heavens, slaughtering what remained of Izanami¡¯s armies.


    Behind Lucifer¡¯s lustrous beams of light floated a legion of four-winged fallen angels, and not too far to his left was one particular beautiful woman that had drawn the Nephilim¡¯s interest.


    Clothed in a war-like armored black dress, Yseress¡¯ mother¡¯s gaze was on them for a short time before spreading out to invoke Lucifer¡¯s orders.


    Amaymon appeared to be in retreat as Revilla¡¯s threat passed for the Archangel to take its place.  Rachel¡¯s ears twitched upon catching the Hell Lord¡¯s scathing remarks toward Lucifer as bloody tears came to Yseress¡¯ eyes.


    Revilla escaped through a fissure in space to be sent tumbling across the ground by Adele, who rushed to her side in a panic, the entity¡¯s throne sinking back into the earth.  However, the golden chains emerging from rippling space to drill into Izanami¡¯s hands and feet caught Rachel¡¯s attention.


    ¡°No¡­  Mistress¡­¡±  Yseress whimpered, sickly yellow skin taking on a worse shade as she tried to struggle to her feet, bloody membranes around her ruined wings practically non-existent on her back, showing her loss in strength.  ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ let him take¡ª¡±


    Cracks spiderwebbed up the barriers¡¯ sides, forcing everyone inside to shift their heads in a panic; yet, the fading sounds of Hell and new voices from outside the hangar caused Rachel¡¯s mind to go on high alert for their safety.


    Rapid Mental Acceleration activated.


    From the center of the ritual outward, Rachel concluded Earth¡¯s link to Hell was fracturing; the concrete that had fallen away returning in a fractured mess of decay, moving to the edges of the military hangar Adele had used for her ceremony.


    Aleister¡¯s shield lowered, growling, ¡°We gotta be goin¡¯ Adele¡ªgrab the¡­  Shite!¡±


    The rip in space he created shattered, and just beyond the repairing shell, Rachel¡¯s new universal translation ability interpreted French words.  A skin-tingling chant filled the room, causing holy light to brighten the dark area, and the connection to Hell was severed.


    Yseress hissed as the brilliance and voices of four men near the hangar¡¯s massive gates.


    ¡°Yseress, I order you back inside!¡±


    The evident desire to resist came from the Nephilim as her pained crimson eyes watched the world above them vanish; chains came from Izanami¡¯s collar to be gripped by Lucifer, a wide grin on his handsome face being the last thing they saw.


    Unable to disobey, Yseress became a ruby mist that settled around Rachel.  ¡°I must stop him!  You don¡¯t understand what Lucifer will do to Lady Izanami!¡±


    We have our own problems right now¡­


    Three dozen well-armored men bearing red crosses on their white overgarments ran inside, French on their tongue.


    ¡°Do not resist!¡±


    ¡°By order of France and the Knights Templar, you are under arrest!¡±


    Concern crossed Scarlet¡¯s eyes as she turned to her.  ¡°What do we do¡ªare they enemies?¡±


    Rachel struggled to her feet, Nia, the Rabbit Gang, and her friend doing the same.


    The knights rushed in from every exit except the colossal aircraft doors they stood by, where three figures were trailed by four robed priests in song.


    At their center was a man in his early thirties, clothed in white robes, a closed Bible in his left hand and intricate staff in his right; a hum was in his throat, matching tune with the black-robed priests behind him.


    A man roughly 190 cm tall stood to his right, wearing similar attire to the men currently surrounding Adele¡¯s group, yet showing clear signs of higher leadership by the four-segmented coat of arms on his kite shield of a cross and diamonds of red and yellow.


    To the man¡¯s left was a female knight by the shape of her armor and height of about 160 cm; her thick braided blonde hair shimmered as it swayed with her movement, practically as long as Rachel¡¯s.  In her right hand was a down-pointed spear, doubling as a banner by the waving flag of fine white linen, fringed with silk that she bore.


    Drifting back in the breeze, the image displayed a white field, patterned with lilies, and at its center was the world, being either judged or supported by the shimmering heavens¡ªRachel couldn¡¯t tell¡ªand two glorious, armed angels were situated on opposite sides of the banner.


    ¡°We need to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s blood scythe whipped around as cries came from behind them; a hiss resonated from Revilla while the entity struggled to her feet, a tight smile on her lips as she looked right at the Vespertine Reaper.


    Adele helped her up.  ¡°What do we do, Lady Revilla?!¡±


    ¡°Aye, don¡¯t be lookin¡¯ at me, Love,¡± Aleister growled, glaring at the men pressed in on them from every angle.  ¡°This hymn be blockin¡¯ anythin¡¯ occult-related¡ªif I didn¡¯t just feel those holy waves from that, eh-heh, Hell Lord¡ªmmh¡­ yeah, I¡¯d say it were the strongest thing I¡¯ve encountered¡­  No way I¡¯m doin¡¯ anything to these lot¡­¡±


    ¡°Useless¡­¡±  Lifen muttered in Chinese, patchy tail lighting with blue flames as she prepared for a fight.


    They stiffened as Revilla''s laughter caused the knights to slow and take a more cautious approach, shields raised while cutting off their exit.  ¡°Hehe, be patient, Adele.  Our Holy One¡­ Twilight¡­ has simply put obstacles in our path to show us worthy.¡±


    ¡°O-Of course¡­¡±


    Rachel could hear the entity almost want to gag, essentially calling Twilight her master, and it was then she noticed the symbol of a half black and white Shinto torii gate imprinted between her breasts, where the sword had struck; the wound was no longer there, and a shimmering collar of silver deistic script shone around her throat.


    ¡°Hmm-hmm¡­ Do not think I am powerless because of these¡­ paltry seals and chants¡­¡±


    Fatigued muscles tightening, Rachel prepared for a fight, stumbling to the side a little to keep both parties in view as the closest group to them drew near at a gradual walk, assessing the situation, she guessed.


    Knights Templar¡­  As in the Christian order that was said to be devil worshipers?  They certainly don¡¯t look or feel like it¡­ Yseress is practically clawing at her skin with the holy forces pressing down on us.  The question is¡­ are we considered friend or foe?


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep out of their way¡­¡±


    Nia jumped behind her as the Rabbit Gang spread out to act as a buffer with their retreat, Scarlet keeping close to her side, yet the jittering instinctual feelings running through Rachel¡¯s tight gut told her these Knights Templar were not weak in the least¡ªfrom those surrounding Adele to the ones approaching them¡ªthese Frenchmen were powerful.


    Her teeth locked as the knights surrounding Revilla held up their shields to form a bright shell around the group, trapping them and tightening the dome, yet her worry came from their commander.


    The man¡¯s shield vanished in shimmering light as he drew his longsword from his hip, gripping it in both hands, voice deep and low.  ¡°Saint Jeanne, protect Saint Bernard¡­ I will baptize the corruption that has taken this unhallowed ground.¡±


    ¡°May the Lord guide your sword, Sir Robert,¡± Bernard whispered, holding his staff against his body while making the cross sign.


    Robert¡¯s deep brown eyes glowed from within his helmet, holy rays brightening his countenance as the blade he now gripped with two hands shimmered.  ¡°O¡¯ Lord, I pray thy divine arm strengthen this weak vessel¡­¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s muscles tightened in their slow retreat as Revilla held her arm to the ceiling.  ¡°Show me what else you have placed in my path, O¡¯ Lady Twilight¡­¡±


    Lifen, Aleister, Adele, and Fulgencio dropped to the ground as a wave of bone, blood, and guts jetted out, causing the knights to mutter prayers of their own; the ribs punctured sections of the shell, forcing several men to back away.


    A giant demonic crow emerged from the bone to launch at a knight for two men nearby, not participating in the barrier, to jump forward to defend their comrade¡ªbloody feathers penetrated their shields and armor¡ªmore shouts followed as four ran in to help.


    The corpses of the fallen men bulged, flesh bubbling past their cracking armor for more amalgamations to emerge, making Revilla laugh at how pathetic their attempts were at stopping the spread.


    It¡¯s no use¡­  It didn¡¯t matter if the knights were strong; Revilla was a literal deity beyond their own multiverse.  Her pulsing amalgamations ripped through two more men, only adding to her power as their holy blades hacked at the mass.  If she targets¡­


    As she feared, a line of tentacles reached for them the moment an opening came¡ªScarlet vanished in shadows the millisecond Revilla targeted them¡ªthe writhing chaos froze as the Vespertine Reaper¡¯s fangs sank into her neck.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    The horrific being stiffened, utterly paralyzed as Scarlet¡¯s throat moved, gulping down gallons of blood; whatever the Vespertine Reaper used, Revilla couldn¡¯t blink.  However, Rachel¡¯s concern had now flipped to the other side as Nia cried out.


    ¡°... Though I am but your unworthy servant, allow me the privilege of cleansing these unsanctified grounds with thy merciful waters, O¡¯ Lord¡­   Amen.¡±


    Liquid flowed across Robert¡¯s naked blade to spread over the blistered concrete, and at speeds Rachel would find impressive, even when not utterly fatigued¡ªhe dashed right for her, and with Scarlet totally focused on keeping Revilla locked in place¡ªshe was on her own.


    Trying to jump away as Nia lurched forward to tackle Robert, Rachel¡¯s feet barely touched the ground, and he easily avoided the rabbit girl¡¯s lunge for his shimmering sword to pass through both of their bellies.


    Warmth flooded her instead of pain, a hot wave of holy water crashing over her in his passing as Robert¡¯s sword split Revilla¡¯s tentacles; surging rush overtaking them, Rachel lost track of the battle¡ªher little Hell Hare and outfit dissolved in the blessed liquid¡ªcombat outfit destroyed and needing to be repaired, ironically, her bathing suit took its place.


    Tumbling over the cracked floor as the waters dissipated, Rachel¡¯s spinning vision centered on Revilla; the barrier was down, knights picking themselves off the ground while the influx washed everything to the sides.


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrow lifted upon seeing Scarlet¡¯s frantic body in the surf, trying to stay afloat with the rest of Adele¡¯s gang.


    All of Revilla¡¯s horrors melted away; the sealed deity gnashed her teeth, figure steaming as she appeared to be countering the holy water, and her semi-disintegrated skin showed a squirming glob of feathers, scales, claws, and ribs inside, clumps of thick blood falling out to dissolve in the settling holy pools.


    ¡°You¡­ worthless¡­¡±


    Jeanne spun her spear in a sharp circle, banner wrapping around its shaft.  ¡°Bless my aim, O¡¯ Lord, and strike this foul creature with your heavenly arm!¡±


    Five fleshy claws erupted from Revilla¡¯s melting back to pierce Robert as Jeanne pulled back her arm and hurled her projectile with such might, it caused a short concussion of wind and sound, penetrating Revilla¡¯s breast for the banner to unfurl and release holy chains to latch onto the deity.


    Unable to scream, her throat caught as the flaming banner waved to the side; the only sound following was the priests'' gentle chants, the robed figures now entering the devastated hangar.


    A stillness followed, and Rachel picked herself off the ground to see Nia nearby, coughing and crying as she ran to latch onto her chest.  ¡°I¡ªI thought you were dead!  He¡­ hicc¡­ he just cut us¡­ hicc¡­ in half!¡±


    A frown touched Rachel while rubbing her back in comfort while glaring at Jeanne.  It was the right call to have Yseress return to safety; if she had been hit by those kinds of attacks, and while in such a drained and damaged state, she very well might have died.


    ¡°I¡­ did, too¡­  Bernard and Jeanne, was it¡­  What do you plan to do with us?¡±


    Scarlet jumped out of the shadows, scythe in place as she got between them.  ¡°S-Sorry, Rachel¡­ I¡¯m just¡­ feeling a little light-headed¡­¡±


    ¡°S-Scarlet¡ªhe tried to kill us!¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Bernard gave them a small smile while gesturing to Jeanne to meet her and moved onward to Revilla, a somber atmosphere returning as his priests¡¯ chants continued to fill the air.


    The woman removed her helmet to show bright blue eyes and glimmering hair, highlighting her shining face; she was beautiful yet had a fierce demeanor, and her voice soft while speaking fluent English in a light French accent.  ¡°Excuse our abrupt actions, but we must be sure the corruption has been dealt with¡­  Erm¡­  Might you have anything¡­ else to wear?¡±


    Nia crossly folded her arms under her bust.  ¡°Humph¡ªyou tried to kill us, destroyed one of my precious outfits, and now, you¡¯re all about how my bathing suit looks!¡±  She shouted, pointing at Rachel.


    ¡°Hmm?  Your¡­ bathing suit?¡±


    ¡°Rachel¡­¡± Scarlet hissed, raising her scythe threateningly for the woman to hold up her hands in a forced smile of peace.  ¡°Did she try to kill you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nia growled, pointing at Robert as he directed his knights to take Adele¡¯s recovering group into custody, returning to Bernard¡¯s side to meet the trapped deity.  ¡°He did!¡±


    ¡°Nia,¡± Rachel sighed, mentally swapping to her casual wear, ¡°Let¡¯s be honest¡­  I was wearing Demon hide, and if they didn¡¯t act as fast as they did, Revilla might have gotten away with the others.¡±


    Jeanne flashed her bright teeth, holding her hands behind her back as she kept her distance.  ¡°Sorry, Nia.  Oh, and that new one is an adorable outfit, Rachel!  What an impressive ability to swap clothes so fast; quite convenient.  Uh-heh, the other one was¡­ mmgm.¡±


    ¡°I.  Am.  Beautiful!¡±  Nia shouted.  ¡°Humph.¡±


    ¡°Mmh-huh?¡±


    Scarlet swallowed, glancing at Revilla as Bernard and Robert reached her trembling frame; the creature¡¯s single remaining eye could kill.  ¡°W-What are you going to do?¡±


    Sober tone returning, she turned to glare at Revilla.  ¡°Mmh¡­  I¡¯ve never sensed a devil so powerful¡­  I can feel her influence ripping my binding, attempting to tear it apart¡­ even after Sir Robert weakened her¡­  Mmh, before anything, we need to understand more about the situation.  When Saint Bernard completely subdues her, we will ask for your cooperation in explaining the Devils¡¯ presence in Cuba.¡±


    Lips pulling in to show her fangs, Scarlet cleared her throat.  ¡°You don¡¯t think¡­ I¡¯m a Devil?¡±


    Jeanne¡¯s bright sapphire irises flashed with a thoughtful and reserved look upon turning to Rachel.  ¡°Mmh¡­  You, no¡­ we have been briefed on those working with the U.S. government, and Mythic has become quite popular online.  Although¡­ I am a tad surprised at¡­ some things since meeting you in person¡­  There are certainly things I would like answers to.¡±


    Knowing this group was with France and was aware of their connection to the U.S. made it an easy choice for Rachel.  ¡°Heh, I would be happy to sit down with you to chat¡­  I question if you can completely seal Revilla, though.  I¡¯m sure my account will be hard to believe¡ªshe puts fear in gods and Hell Lords¡ªshe is basically above anything you can conceive in terms of power¡­  A lot was sacrificed just to weaken her this much.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Jeanne¡¯s blonde eyebrows came together, shifting to observe the pair confronting the infuriated outerversal being.  ¡°If Saint Bernard cannot do it¡­ we are all in trouble.¡±


    The four black-robed monks slowly spread out to form a square around Revilla, her nose twitching and locked jaw revealing her teeth as the white chains Jeanne bound her with started to fracture, yet Bernard didn¡¯t appear worried.


    The man continued his hum, holding out his staff for the holy liquid to spontaneously start dripping down its head; he traced a cross on the center of her half-rotted forehead to create a black mark, then made a floating circle of the liquid over her head, and opened his scriptures.


    Revilla¡¯s strained voice bubbled with laughter.  ¡°How¡­ pathetic.  You¡­ all¡­ are¡­ to rely on such¡­ beings.¡±


    ¡°Exodus 39:30¡­  And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold¡­ and wrote unto it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet¡­  HOLINESS TO THE LORD.¡±


    Golden flames erupted in the shape of a crown of thorns from the holy water, the mark on her forehead illuminating with similar divine light.


    ¡°Ack¡­ grrghhg¡­¡± Tiny droplets of liquid gold glittered in the glorious rays that filled the space as they fell atop her head.  ¡°I¡­ will take pleasure in consuming your¡­ entire Order!  Your niece¡­ Natalie, hehe¡­¡±


    Closing his bible to hand it to a priest with his staff.  ¡°O¡¯ Lord¡­¡± Giving his staff to one of the priests, Saint Bernard¡¯s fingers lightly touched the shimmering crown to lower it onto her brow.  ¡°May thy light forever punish the wicked¡­¡±


    ¡°AHHHH!¡±


    Revilla¡¯s eye bulged, chains shaking with her writhing internal mass as the thorns were pushed into place, and after a few seconds, her vision faded out.


    Breathing a long, slow stream of air, Bernard bowed his head, closed his eyes, and made the cross symbol with the other knights.  Rachel saw Adele collapse to the side, fainting on the spot at hearing Revilla¡¯s screams.


    Bernard accepted his staff and bible from the nearby priest, still in chant, and turned to Robert, head still lowered in prayer.  ¡°The brothers will renew the sealing prayer every hour now that it is in place, and ceremonial cleansing will be required of all places she is taken; be vigilant, Sir Robert¡­  I place her in your change.¡±


    ¡°I will not fail in this calling, Saint Bernard,¡± Robert reverently whispered, rising to take command of her transport.


    The Saint turned to them, a peaceful smile touching his lips as he walked their way; the chanting priests remained with Revilla.


    Once nearing, Bernard greeted them with a short bow.  ¡°Word has reached us of your accomplishments in the hellish scenes of Camag¨¹ey, Rachel of Mythic.  Please, shall we find an acceptable room to further discuss what is to come?¡±


    He turned to level a slight frown at Revilla.  ¡°However, before we go, Saint Jeanne, might you remove your own seal so I may determine the effectiveness of her bonds?¡±


    She instantly responded by holding out her hand for the spear to shimmer and return to it in a flash of radiant light.


    ¡°Mmh¡­  It holds.  Sir Robert will be sure to bring her to the prison I have prepared in advance in France.¡±


    ¡°France¡­¡±  Scarlet¡¯s vision defocused for a moment before drifting to her fallen mother.  ¡°What about¡­ my mom?¡±


    Drawing in a deep breath, Bernard¡¯s sad gaze followed the woman held in a young knight¡¯s arms as Aleister, Lifen, and Fulgencio were bound by what appeared to be blessed handcuffs.  ¡°We may discuss such topics¡­  Please, follow me.¡±


    Rachel nodded at Scarlet; honestly, this was probably the best option, seeing as these Knights Templar appeared to be experts in handling fiends of Hell.


    Entering a nearby building, they couldn¡¯t help but notice the hundreds of spiritless bodies used in the ritual littering the military base.  Jeanne and Bernard said a few words of prayer as they passed in an apology for arriving too late to save them.


    Once situated in a room without corpses, Bernard took the seat across from them, Nia still antsy and the Rabbit Gang pissed their sister was destroyed; of course, Rachel could summon her tomorrow.


    On her way here, Nia explained to her surprise, the combat outfit wasn¡¯t ¡®destroyed,¡¯ per se; well, it was, but given enough moonlight, it would be repaired.  The issue came with the Hell Moon involved; regular moonlight would be far slower since the clothing was connected to corrupting energy.


    It would require a two-month recovery; still better than never being able to re-access it.


    ¡°My mom?¡±  Scarlet asked, playing with her feet a little and looking sullen.


    A sympathetic tone was in Jeanne''s accented voice.  ¡°To help you understand, allow me to explain how we have come to be here¡­  Archangel Raphael appeared to me in a vision on the same night he visited Saint Bernard.


    ¡°A great calamity will befall humanity as the great Devil¡ªAbraxas¡ªwill be unleashed upon our world¡­  A madman in heated pursuit to surpass God reigns unchecked, and an evil unimaginable shall make her appearance.


    ¡°To our dismay, Archangel Raphael instructed us to make haste in gaining approval from our government to engage not Abraxas¡­ but this entity we just met in combat.  We were told to bring our best, and prepare for the worst¡­  Honestly, most of us expected to die on this trip¡­  I am grateful for the lives you have managed to save Rachel, Scarlet¡­  Ahem, allow me to introduce myself,¡± she said with a beaming smile.


    ¡°My name was originally Esme, yet upon becoming the Legend of Jeanne d''Arc, I have taken up the name as a mantle to shine hope for France.  As for my presence, I have been sent as an advisor on request of the Prime Minister to watch and support the Knights Templar.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s gaze drifted to her hair.  ¡°Umm¡­ you look exactly like I thought you would from all the fictional stuff I¡¯ve seen with Joan of Arc¡­  You look so beautiful.  No, eh-heh, sorry¡­ it throws me off a little with you looking so much like an anime character come to life.¡±


    ¡°Mmhm-hmm-hmm¡­  Yes, I have gotten that many times in the month past, but the true Jeanne d''Arc had more auburn or brunette hair, so far as historians are aware, showing we are somewhat of an amalgamation of the true myth and pop-culture.


    ¡°Eh-hehe¡­  It has its ups and down sides, I assure you.  Such images that are generally a play on fiction rather than reality can be¡­  disconcerting to me, personally, when people have certain¡­ expectations, I suppose.  Not to say I do enjoy these lovely blue spheres and gorgeous golden locks I now have...¡±


    Scarlet winced.  ¡°Oof¡­  Yeah, I know a thing or two about misconceptions people might have.¡±


    A low hum rumbled in Rachel¡¯s throat; she¡¯d thought pop-culture had less of an impact than the historical accounts, yet it seemed to be on a spectrum.  Apparently, Jeanne d¡¯Arc had a very popular following to the point it had changed the balance.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Bernard smiled.  ¡°Returning to the topic at hand, Saint Jeanne¡­  Chronicles 13:1¡­ In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.  We were warned of great evil awakening across the European Union and Cuba, and Prime Minister Ives Salmon obtained approval from the Senate and National Assembly to officially induct the Knights Templar into its military.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±  Rachel sighed.  ¡°So, you¡¯re officially here as a military presence on behalf of France, and by extension, the E.U.  Is this considered a Holy War of sorts¡­  Is Adele being treated as a prisoner of war?  Can¡¯t she be extradited to the U.S. since she is a citizen?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t so simple,¡± Jeanne returned, seeing the hope in Scarlet¡¯s eyes fall.  ¡°From the intelligence recently shared by the United States, we are to believe the women known as Adele and Relica have orchestrated crimes against humanity¡­ leading to not only the deaths¡­ but the corruption of over a million souls¡­¡±


    Pain touched the woman¡¯s face.  ¡°We cannot be certain about the precise numbers, yet it is assumed thus far to reach millions¡­  I can understand your desire to¡ª¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s doing!¡±  Scarlet interjected, desperation in her voice.  ¡°Tell her, Rachel!  My mom was tricked¡ªRevilla¡ªit¡¯s all her fault!  My mom¡¯s trying to save everyone, but¡­ but Revilla has been sending her visions and stuff since she was younger than me!  She¡¯s confused¡­¡±


    ¡°Scarlet¡­¡±  Rachel scooted in to hold her friend as she cried.


    ¡°She¡¯s not evil¡­  Relica¡¯s evil¡­  My mom¡¯s trying her best¡ªit¡¯s Revilla¡¯s fault¡­¡±


    Bernard scooted forward to place a hand on Scarlet¡¯s trembling knee.  ¡°Scarlet¡­  I want to know the whole story, so I may be able to present all the facts before the U.N. and the ICC when she is brought on trial¡­


    ¡°Please, help Saint Jeanne and I see what you have so that we may offer all the details so each nation¡¯s representative and the justices of the International Criminal Court can deliberate and make an appropriate decision.¡±


    ¡°Rachel¡­¡±  Fear touched Scarlet¡¯s voice as the reality of the situation began to set in.


    Closing her eyes and sitting to the side, Rachel rubbed her friends back, pondering the situation; Yseress was crying somewhere in her soul for her imprisoned former mistress, and the topics this involved could branch into many top-secret areas, yet at the same time, she had to offer enough details to allow Adele a shot at not appearing crazy.


    In addition, she couldn¡¯t implicate Scarlet in any of this by exposing Twilight¡¯s existence; it was a challenging task to explore without there being many holes in the story, yet she had to do her best for Scarlet.


    Coming to a conclusion on what to explain, Rachel started with Relica¡¯s path to paint the woman with the means and connections to make Adele¡¯s beliefs a reality.


    The topic of the Devil with her came up and Izanami¡¯s involvement since there was no other way to explain the threat of Yseress without mentioning the Fallen Creation Deity.  To her surprise, Jeanne and Bernard weren¡¯t too shocked by the news and took it at face value.


    They weren¡¯t happy about her involvement with the infernal realms but could understand why she¡¯d taken the deal and recognized their efforts would have been impossible without the Hell Lord¡¯s intervention¡ªto learn that Izanami was about as much of an enemy of Lucifer as you could get also went a long way with the two.


    Learning that the Fallen Deity had been taken prisoner after the battle left them saddened, especially considering Bernard did confirm the existence of divine forces beyond his understanding, already holding the horrific entity in unimaginable chains of hollowed power.


    Wolfgang was a point of great interest to them, primarily for Jeanne, which was noteworthy; the Beast of G¨¦vaudan, the Mythickin from her own country, seemed far less important compared to the German, causing even Saint Bernard a little bewilderment.


    After obtaining all the information they could on the now internationally-hunted Legendkin of the Angel of Death, including his part in Revilla¡¯s downfall, Bernard was of a mixed opinion, while Jeanne held barely constrained contempt, especially given his methods to achieve his goals.


    In the discussion, they learned that the Legendkin had taken the names of their representatives to bring order, hope, and security to their motherland after the chaos The Oscillation brought; they were symbols the people could look to for support.


    Hours went by with many questions, and when Cahira arrived with her colossal Dragon Turtle, they parted ways; not to Rachel¡¯s surprise, Revilla and her cult had already left with the Knights Templar, returning to France.


    Something was nagging in Rachel¡¯s mind until seeing the happy Pirate Queen, enthusiastically exclaiming she had racked up so much riches on this venture; Rachel¡¯s thoughts were back on one particular golden lion¡ªshe still had that promising challenge to fulfill¡ªalthough, she had to wonder what he would do when she inevitably won.


    Then again, she didn¡¯t have her battle outfit now¡ªthanks to Sir Robert¡ªso if she wanted to battle him, it would be without Nia¡¯s attributes since she definitely wasn¡¯t going to do it in a skirt or bikini.  She did have a lot more points she could use, though; the issue was how to use them.


    Tom wasn¡¯t happy the French had swooped in to steal their prize, but considering they had warning and he¡¯d only recently filled them in on the current operation details when they entered the airspace, had to admit they¡¯d pulled one over on him.  Not long after hearing her account, he was on the phone with the President, giving his report.


    Scarlet had hope for her mother to receive a fair trial¡­  Rachel wasn¡¯t so sure, but that might be the pessimist in her.  They¡¯d won, but at what cost¡­  Cuba was in utter ruin, millions dead, and their result¡­  Relica¡¯s death, Adele¡¯s capture, and preventing the end of the world by binding an ungodly entity¡­  Someone always had to pay the price.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 56. Ending A Hard Night

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Selvaria (Our Cosplay Loving Leviathan!)


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    Water embraced Selvaria, growing to her monstrous size while reentering the ocean to beat her tail, distancing herself from shore as fast as possible; a blast of electricity followed her, absorbed by her scales and resistances.


    Rising out of the sea, she grinned at the advancing Hydra; she was bigger than him, yet he kept growing heads of various elemental types.


    ¡°C¡¯mon!¡±  She goaded, motioning for him to enter the water, and of course, the dumb thing almost tripped, taking the first step into the bay while carrying a ton of debris with it.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± she roared, colossal rumbles making her own heart quiver with monstrous delight.  ¡°Give me delicious XP¡­¡±


    Moving to grapple with it, she forced a smile as its fangs came down across her body, water slopping all over the land in their struggle; it was strong enough to be like a kitten, having a little bite to him, yet her thick scales acted like a sock as she rolled around with it in the bay.


    Teeth chomping down on the heads, she couldn¡¯t help but coo at the flavors that graced her rough tongue; every new appendage was like killing a monster¡ªshe¡¯d found the ultimate EXP farm!


    Eat your heart out, Rachel!  I¡¯m catching up!  I¡¯ll show Cahira, Scarlet, and Galatea how strong I¡¯ve become, and they¡¯ll praise me, and I¡¯ll be a superstar!  Oh, maybe I can get my own acting job as a super badass monster in Hollywood!


    Lost in her own internal daydreams, there was the itching scratch at the back of her mind that there was some moral dilemma she should be facing¡ªeating another transformed human¡ªbut for the life of her, she couldn¡¯t really think about it with so much experience and proficiencies rising all at once.


    Mmhmmm¡­  So good¡ªit¡¯s like spicy curry!  Ohh, cold with berries¡­ ice cream?


    A flood of elements ran down her shimmering turquoise spikes and black scales.  Fire licked the ocean surface, chunks of ice, the poison that sadly killed the fleeing sea life¡ªshe ate that one quickly; plus, it had a sriracha flavor, which she liked¡ªtime didn¡¯t really matter; right now, she was on the grind!


    She looked cooler in black; of course, sometimes she liked to change her scales to white and gold, but it depended on the situation.  If someone was filming her, she was sure to go viral¡ªshe was amazing¡ªand if she could change colors, she¡¯d look even more awesome!


    When talking to her new best friends, one being Scarlet, she proposed her concerns about her appearance; sure, she was a giant monster now, yet that also came with some cosplay issues.  If she wanted to be a vampire, well¡­ she¡¯d be a vampire Leviathan.  If she wanted to be a witch¡­ the same.  As a base human, she could pull off all sorts of amazing outfits and cosplay, now¡­ not so much.


    Scarlet suggested she could start by trying to put points into her appearance¡ªcamo stuff; nothing big¡ªand that was a good option that allowed her to pull off a ton of clothing styles; it didn¡¯t help the Leviathan base.


    Although, Sevlaria did have a lot of other benefits, such as being able to be a mature, sexy woman or a petite cute little girl by altering the amount of water in her Pool, which let her pull off some incredible things she couldn¡¯t before.


    She blinked as his teeth sank into her head, teeth struggling to get through her fabulous, and might add, frightening eyes.  Rude¡­  Obviously, I super boosted my vulnerable organs first.  I don¡¯t want to be a one-eyed woman!


    Scales now weaker than her organs, such as her eyes, Selvaria pried the mouth away to chomp down on it, wicked teeth dripping poison as she licked her lips and continued to chow down on the fiend.


    Now in the water, her Seawater Pool was filling up like crazy, so no matter how much damage he did, her defenses were at their peak, allowing her to basically turn him into an all-you-can-eat buffet.  He looked so much stronger than he turned out to be, but that could be because each head had its own level.


    Grabbing one of the heads to pull him around to look into his snarling flaming mouth, she grinned.  ¡°Hmm¡­  Tell me, do you fight with your brothers over food?  I bet you do because you¡¯re the strongest¡ªack¡ªbad Hydra!  Don¡¯t breathe fire on my face!¡±  Chomp.


    ¡°Mmgmm¡­  You do give the most EXP, and why are you losing heads¡­  No¡­  You can¡¯t be running out of power.  I need my EXP farm!¡±


    Unfortunately, her mind was pulled out of its preoccupied thoughts as her dinner began losing size and strength to struggle against her grip; she wanted it to be a monster fight but quickly realized she was just too good.


    Hehe¡­  Man, if I¡¯m in the water, it¡¯s no fun¡­  I¡¯m basically invincibl¡ª


    A shiver ran through her frame, claws digging into the 3rd to last choking Hydra head upon recalling the horrific crustacean she¡¯d faced in the Legend¡¯s Quest; if it hadn¡¯t been for Anthony and Scarlet, she would have died.


    Sobering up a little, she suddenly wondered if one of these heads had a sort of status effect that affected her mind because she hadn¡¯t started thinking like this until eating the heads she tore off.  Still, her stomach was endless; her appetite wasn¡¯t ¡®filled¡¯ per se, but she was ¡®satiated.¡¯


    ¡°Humph¡­  Huh?¡±


    In surprise, she watched the Hydra swiftly shrink into a draconic man that now sat in her big hand¡ªnaked¡ªand having a naked man in her hand was not something she wanted as he stirred, the collar around his neck shattering.


    Swiftly finding a big floating piece of debris nearby, she carefully placed him on the wood, unsure what to expect, and reverted to her smaller form.  Scanning the furious sea, it took longer than she expected to find a blanket that had been blown into the water.


    Tail propelling her out of the water with the item, she heard the man give a start behind the wall between them.  ¡°W-Who¡¯s there!  I¡­  I don¡¯t¡­  Remember¡­¡±


    Not peeking around the side of the half intact wooden wall on the floating piece of a second-story building, Selvaria waved her hand to him.  ¡°Hey!  No need for a fright!  Uh¡­  maybe?  You good¡ªI have a blanket¡ªeh, it¡¯s wet, though¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­  Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Selvaria¡­  Umm, a super cool heroine¡­  Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­  I can¡¯t¡­  It¡¯s so quiet.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  I don¡¯t know¡­  Wind is pretty loud, and I don¡¯t expect this place to last long above water¡­  Uh¡­  Mind taking the blanket?¡±


    ¡°Umm, yeah¡­  I don¡¯t feel cold, though.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re naked!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­  I am.¡±


    Selvaria tapped her feet as she waited, cheeks slightly red until he pulled on it, and she let go.  ¡°Tell me when you¡¯re covered.¡±


    ¡°... Done.  Selvaria¡­  Why are we here¡­  What happened to the city¡­  To me?¡±


    Inching her head around the corner, she saw his bright yellow eyes widen in shock upon seeing her.  ¡°Uh¡­  Woah, you¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Cute.  Beautiful.  Scary pretty?¡±


    ¡°Not¡­ human¡­ like me?¡±


    ¡°Humph.  I prefer my, umm¡­  So¡­¡±


    Anxiety began to take over as the battle calmed down; her vision moved over his bare red-scaled shoulders and more human-like face; he held his blanket around his biceps.  What are you, an embarrassed maiden, holding the blanket like that¡­


    Silence followed as they stared at each other, the man blinking a few times until a wave rocked them a little, forcing Selvaria out of hiding.


    ¡°Oh¡­  You have a tail, too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­  Mine¡¯s cooler, though¡­  Not that yours isn¡¯t¡­  Just saying.¡±


    He laughed, showing his shiny white fangs.  ¡°You¡¯re pretty funny, Selvaria!  Umm¡­  So, can you tell me a bit about what happened?¡±


    A little less embarrassed after he seemed friendly enough and innocent, she motioned him to the only corner left so they could get out of the wind¡¯s path.  ¡°What do you remember?¡±


    Sitting down and letting his blanket slide down to his waist to bundle in his lap, he took a deep breath and shook his head.  ¡°I don¡¯t¡­  I had so many voices in my head.  I think¡­  I had some kind of problem¡­ because I was in a hospital, but they¡¯d never tell me why I was there.¡±


    Voices in his head like that Split show?


    ¡°The voices are gone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­  It was like I was in a haze¡­¡±  he muttered, gripping his head and wincing while thinking back.  ¡°So many people were pulling me in so many ways¡­  I can¡¯t remember much, but when I changed into this¡­  Someone kept hurting me¡­  It was so painful.  I couldn¡¯t think, and then¡­  I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    He looked around at the devastated area of the shore that they could see through the veil of rain, tears welling up in his eyes.  ¡°Did¡­  Did I do this?  I know¡­  I know I could be a little violent at times, but¡­  Did I hurt anyone?¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s head tilted to the side.  Were all those heads I ate different personalities, and I killed all of them¡­  Woah¡­  Crazy.  So, all that EXP started to go away when I finished the final ones, and then they took out the puppet master?  Talk about good timing!


    She studied the confused and anxious man, trying to make sense of his life after so much of it had apparently disappeared; in a way, she¡¯d been eating his memories, and the various emotional temperaments likely had specific elements attached to them.


    ¡°Umm¡­  I don¡¯t know how to say this, but you¡¯re a Hydra¡ªoh, and you can speak English!¡±


    ¡°I, well¡­ I lived in Greece¡­  I¡­  Yeah, I am a Hydra.  I don¡¯t know how I know that, but¡­  When I think about it, I can¡¯t deny it.  How did I turn into a Hydra?¡±


    ¡°Mmgm¡­  Buddy, that¡¯s a long story,¡± Selvaria hissed, folding her arms under her bust.  ¡°We¡¯ll be here for hours if we go through all of that, and I need to go help out my friends.  So¡­  let me speak real slow and clear to tell you what I think.  Can ya listen?  By the way, Hydra really suits you!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, uh¡­  Thanks?  Please, tell me¡ªjust, please make it easy for me to understand¡­  I feel so lightheaded and weak.¡±


    Leaning back, the dots started connecting in Selvaria¡¯s head.  ¡°So, you probably had a ton of personalities¡ªlike a real disorder; I understand, I had brain stuff too that The Oscillation fixed¡ªwhen a ton of people changed, I became a Leviathan, and you¡¯re a Hydra.  We¡¯re monsters!¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­ more voices than personalities¡­ I think¡ªI don¡¯t know.  A Hydra¡­ I¡¯m a monster¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an awesome monster; I beat up bad guys and get to do all sorts of cool stuff with my new friends!  I got a sweet baby seal, and my mom can do all the things she¡¯s always wanted¡ªI do need to call her¡ªhmm, it¡¯s so hard to find a time we can both connect.¡±


    ¡°Selvaria¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Did I hurt people?¡±


    ¡°Oh, most definitely!  I mean, you were like this monster dog these Cuba warlords were using to gobble people up.¡±


    His face turned white, and he lurched to the side, throwing up.  ¡°I¡­  I ate people¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­ yeah, not good, Man, but on the bright side, I¡¯ve cured your problem!  Aren¡¯t I amazing?!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!  When you turned into a Hydra, I guess all of those heads were your different voices, and I ate them!  You were delicious, by the way, and gave me so much food.  If you ever start hearing voices again¡ªoh, I¡¯ll give you my number, and you can call for me to come eat your extra heads again!  Deal?¡±


    ¡°I ate people, though¡­  How can I go on living after¡­¡±  He hacked, tears leaking out of his eyes.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ you kind of did, and I don¡¯t know exactly if you were in control, or whatever¡ªI mean, the collar bimbo lady probably had something to do with it¡ªbut you should feel responsible for the pain and suffering you did cause¡­  You should try to make up for it by helping people!¡±


    Fingers tightening in his lap, he gave her a confused look.  ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be killed?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±  Selvaria flatly denied, anger flashing through her eyes while thinking back to Isla de la Juventud and June¡¯s execution.  ¡°You can¡¯t help anyone if you¡¯re dead!  You should live to make people happy¡­ not cry.  Be a good monster.  I¡¯m a good role model!  Look at what I¡¯m doing, liberating Cuba and stuff.  Monsters aren¡¯t evil; it¡¯s all about who you are on the inside!¡±


    I¡¯m so good at speeches!  Talk-no-Jutsu wins again!  If only those people would have listened to me about June¡­  She was so sweet after I knocked some sense into her.


    ¡°How can I forgive myself, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Easy!  If you¡¯ve made someone smile that day and improved their life, you¡¯re forgiven for another day!  Shine like a beacon for those that need help, and look cool while doing it.  If you need someone to talk to, you can call me, and we¡¯ll tell stories about the awesome stuff we¡¯ve done that week.  Monsters stick together.  Right?  Just remember to call me if you ever start hearing those voices again!¡±


    A somber chuckle shook his chest.  ¡°You¡¯re so positive, Selvaria¡­  I want to make people happy, and¡­  It feels so peaceful to not have so many voices in my head¡­¡±


    Tears gathering in his eyes, he laughed and cried.  ¡°I¡¯ve never felt so free and horrible at the same time¡­  I¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­  I¡¯m here for you,¡±  Selvaria mumbled, her heart going out to the broken man as she scooted closer to pat his scaled shoulder.  ¡°Live in the present, not the past¡­  Find a new purpose and show people how much you can shine like a flame!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­  I¡¯ll do my best¡­¡±


    ¡°And if you hear those voices?!¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­  I¡¯ll call you immediately.¡±


    ¡°Good!  I think I know a great guy that can help you get back on the straight and narrow.  Ohan is good at that kind of stuff.  I think you¡¯re ready to go meet some new people¡ªoh, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t remember.  It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve just¡­ been me.  I have so many blank places in my memory.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lil Sis will get you all shaped up and in order!  A name¡­ name¡­  Ooh, Wilkin¡­  No, Luther¡¯s a pretty strong name!¡±


    ¡°Luther¡­  I can use that¡­ I guess.¡±


    Selvaria looked him up and down; he was probably in his mid to late twenties, and from his serpent yellow eyes, various red scaly skin that moved to smooth like her own, he wasn¡¯t a terrible looker.  She wasn¡¯t interested in him at all but could see him catching some girls¡¯ eye; Luther would do alright, and Ohan could figure something out.


    ¡°Okay!  So, wrap that blanket tight because I¡¯ll swim you to the shore.  I think the battle¡¯s over¡­  Ooh, yup, you see all those helicopters shining lights.  Looks like we¡¯re good!¡±


    Transforming into her Leviathan State upon entering the choppy waters, Selvaria swam him to shore and followed Ohan¡¯s scent to a parking lot; however, they didn¡¯t stay long as they got a transmission from apparently the Knights Templar.


    Galatea cheered with her as they celebrated their victory with fish; Selvaria couldn¡¯t wait to meet up with the Lunar Hare¡ªshe always thought it was Templar Knights, but whatever¡ªand excitement grew upon learning they were going to meet the real Legend of Jeanne d''Arc!


    Images of the legendary figure across the various anime and manga she¡¯d read flashed across her mind on their journey, and after checking up on everyone, Selvaria retired to the kitchen with some pencils and paper from Tom to draw her new dream home in peace as her little seal watched from the air.


    The various events and discoveries molded around her brain while passively pondering how she should spend all her new points; she was sure everyone else was thinking about it.


    Vash had something to do with Noah¡ªSoutheastern Warlord¡ªinvolving a personal Quest or something, going south to help take care of the mushroom man; at first, it sounded interesting, but considering all the other stuff going on, she decided to try and convince Chaira to fund her dreams.


    The big muscular lion Warlord and his Siren girlfriend stayed behind¡ªat least she guessed she was his girlfriend by how close the woman stuck to the man¡ªyet had some kind of business with Rachel.


    Their return instantly calmed the panicking masses at the stadium and would have joined if not being needed to keep people pacified; both had been fascinated by Zippy, the baby Dragon Turtle, and who wouldn¡¯t be by the fantastic floating island.


    Fiona remained with Izzy, Edel, Benedict, and Grace to support the military and lion dude instill order, meaning she didn¡¯t have one of her anime buddies to talk to or the little Fairy to sing one of her soothing songs.


    Of course, when she introduced Luther to Ohan, he was a little resistant at first, but she knew he couldn¡¯t resist helping someone and soon took him to another room to get cleaned up and better grasp his needs.


    As it turned out, according to him, the voices were more a product of psychosis rather than his DID, but he¡¯d need to go to a professional to get an accurate assessment.


    Cahira was practically bouncing on her toes with all the rewards she¡¯d gotten from the completion of this long quest chain she¡¯d been on involving the liberation of Cuba; she was no longer a broke busty red-headed pirate lady but a laughing rich busty red-headed pirate lady.


    Selvaria wondered if she could get her to invest in an underwater base for her, maybe with a teleporter, so her mother could move in; sadly, the unabashed Pirate Queen said she would spend it all on herself.


    Maria jumped aboard with some woman and her brother; it took a ton of the Unicorn¡¯s remaining energy to break the curses and links on her, but Maria just recharged with her little solar flower in the end.


    All thoughts vanished when she learned her new friends had been transported away to fight some insane outerversal Hell Lord in the Seventh Circle of Hell¡ªarmies everywhere¡ªand with the Fallen Deity Izanami, the accursed Lucifer, and a war-hungry Amaymon.


    Not only that, they totally kicked that super baddy¡¯s ass, and now France had her in custody.


    Selvaria was scared about what might happen to Scarlet¡¯s mom, and she didn¡¯t exactly know all the complicated circumstances surrounding the woman, but Selvaria loved her mother and knew Scarlet must, as well; Adele had done such terrible things¡ªenough where she deserved to die¡ªyet apparently it was more convoluted than she was just evil, and if it was her mom, she¡¯d want the chance of redemption.


    When they finally met Rachel and Scarlet, Selvaria was disappointed they¡¯d just missed the Saint, yet it was then she learned the whole story about Adele, which made her stomach sick, and it brought back memories of what she was doing when she was seventeen.  If this had been her mother, how would she react?


    Since 17-years-old, Adele had been receiving visions that always came true, showing the destruction of the entire multiverse, and it was only by following the path these dreams sent her that utter annihilation could be averted.


    She didn¡¯t enjoy the heinous acts she committed or the people she associated with¡ªshe was trapped in her own nightmare¡ªand only tried to protect her daughter from the coming apocalypse.  Essentially, she¡¯d been groomed and brainwashed since she was a teenager to the point of marrying who she was told, taking the jobs the visions directed, and naming her daughter after this Reaper of Salvation.


    Selvaria hoped with Scarlet this vision not coming to pass exactly as she¡¯d seen might bring a little doubt into the indoctrinated woman to see she was being manipulated; in fact, as Rachel theorized, she may already question the motives yet the fear of the alternative¡ªespecially after the power she¡¯d witnessed.


    Adele might believe Scarlet was in danger at this point if she didn¡¯t comply.  It was a challenging position to put yourself in when dealing with an immortal 8th-dimensional entity, and coming out with any positive solution seemed impossible.


    It hurt Scarlet to hear Rachel say it, but the girl understood she was trying to curb her expectations; a price always had to be paid, be it the mob mentality of the masses or the verdict of judges that could never truly understand her position, her mother¡¯s chances weren¡¯t good.


    Adele had sacrificed everything for this cause, and if it turned out to be false, Rachel questioned if anyone could have the strength of will to overcome that horrifying revelation; all she had left was Scarlet, and she knew her daughter utterly abhorred what she felt was her only option.


    Ending the night on a low note from the price they¡¯d paid on this adventure, Selvaria retired to the kitchen as the others tried to sleep, morning coming; Galatea slept on a cushioned chair nearby, and to her surprise, Cahira went in a few hours into the morning.


    ¡°Mmgm-haaaa¡­¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡±


    ¡°Aye¡­  Ah, what be this ya craftin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­  It¡¯s just the underwater base I want to make¡­  Look, I even put a place for your ships¡ªyou know, like if they can eventually go underwater and stuff like Zippy.  I also wanted to have a space teleport for the moon base and your eventual spaceships¡­  I don¡¯t know¡­  Just trying to distract myself, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­  No, I like the design.  Keep at it, Lass!¡± she grinned, ruffling her hair.  ¡°If ya keep refinin¡¯ it, maybe I¡¯ll take a closer look; it gotta be mobile an¡¯ quick¡­ hehe, in case we run inta hot waters and gotta be movin¡¯ the operation!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say Zippy was the big base?¡±


    ¡°Aye, he be a good portable fortress on wings, but a Pirate always be needin¡¯ a secret place on the low, and if ya find a good crafter ta bring in on the project¡­  I¡¯ll see how the funds be lookin¡¯.  I be nabbin¡¯ a plenty o¡¯ resources to spend on somethin¡¯ big and be needin¡¯ some inspiration.  Hehe, ya seem to have it in spades, mi Lass!¡±


    Smiling at the compliment, Selvaria swiftly nodded.  ¡°Mhm!  I¡¯ll make it even better¡ªjust give me a little time!¡±


    ¡°A spaceport ya be thinkin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°A ginormous one for a huge mothership to even dock!¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I like a girl that dreams big¡­  Let me know when ya got something worked out!¡±  she finished, waving on the way out as her First Mate smiled at her in the doorway and ushered her back to bed like a babysitter.


    A crafter¡­  I gotta find an awesome one¡­  A Legendary one!  A crafter that can build the biggest and coolest things like a spacesuit and superweapons I can use in my Leviathan form!  Hmm¡­  Where to find them, though¡­  Tom should know!


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 B4 — 57. Follow The Leader

    AuthorSME


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    1. Rachel Park (Our Hot Blooded Lunar Hare!)


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    Rachel settled into bed in one of Cahira¡¯s empty rooms; it was a little challenging with the number of people they¡¯d collected over Cuba that needed support or the children needing shelter¡ªat a certain point, she stopped correcting the kids that called her a bunny girl.


    After devouring direct rays from the Hell Moon, she was utterly spent, and it was only by sheer force of will that she¡¯d been able to keep going, yet she was having trouble letting go of her mind.


    Nia fell into a deep slumber hours ago, the second they stepped foot onto the baby Dragon Turtle; it was the first time the rabbit retired before her time limit ran out, but it seemed whatever Sir Robert did to her combat outfit had severely drained the girl and she¡¯d just been trying to put on a brave face.


    She expected the Living Denier might be a bit low on energy over the next month as the demonic clothing was repaired, and that was if she made a conscious effort in absorbing moonlight.


    ¡°Huu-haaa¡­¡±


    Ears twitching while shifting to the side of the bed and repositioning her pillow, she listened to the sounds passing through the breaking dawn of morning.


    Tom was briefing Clay on the current state of things as the man prepared to relieve him with more of his military officers on the call; the general had been up for over three days and needed at least some sleep.


    President Capell had been briefed on the results of liberating Cuba, which felt more like picking up the pieces of an already ruined nation; it was a heavy topic to listen to, but Rachel wanted to know all the elements on the board and where things could go.


    Given the current tally, Cuba had literally been through Hell, losing its military, government, and infrastructure personnel in critical fields such as energy, agriculture, and many other areas that came with the loss of well over a million citizens.


    It was impossible for much of the country to recover, given the number of slain people, and there was little when it came to remaining local governments.  Cuba was ruined by the Warlords, the initial chaos that had overwhelmed local forces, and Relica¡¯s invasion.


    The topic of foreign aid came up, yet most nations had their own internal problems, and they expressed their sentiments, but tensions between Russia, China, North Korea, the Middle East, and many more minor scale threats, such as the Legend of Blackbeard, were consuming resources.


    It wasn¡¯t the same relatively stable world it had been two months ago, and they had their own citizens to be concerned about.  Everyone was noble in their desires until their own safety, way of life, and community were in danger, which Rachel more than understood.


    Mexico appeared to be making massive changes with some kind of Magitech various Artificers were popularizing, helping some of the smaller South American countries between Guatemala and Ecuador.


    Columbia was more or less handling its own issues, but few countries were accepting any kind of refugees with the threats each was already facing.  Brazil tried and was met with a massive influx of foreign soldiers disguised as refugees that rallied to the Legend of Quonambec, attempting to conquer the territory; now, it dealt with the uprising and local criminal organizations.


    Venezuela had been utterly taken over by some Mythickin council of historical monsters that they still didn¡¯t have much information on, which might have connections to Relica¡¯s group; it seemed the woman had been strategically using all of her criminal contacts to wage a campaign across the world.


    The Pentagon had been quick in identifying internal threats via local police, FBI, and other organizations across the nation, which was how they discovered Legendkin and Mythickin in the Native American reservations before anything could really escalate.


    However, it seemed the Legends were more or less rallying support to uplift their nation in their given land, and the unique tribal craft they employed could bring them a lot of wealth, or so Tom received a report on.


    President Campell was currently meeting with many of the tribal leaders across the U.S. to hear their thoughts and desires to see how everyone could come out on top, but the convention had to be interrupted for the Joint Chiefs to have an emergency conference over satellite with the French Prime Minister to discuss the threat of Revilla.


    News about deities being real was still kept on the need-to-know, and when it came to someone beyond them, there were many more issues to consider; Rachel was impressed by Tom¡¯s deduction and forethought when he spoke to the Joint Chiefs.


    The issue of how secure Revilla was in France was also something the EU would likely question, considering the dangers it brought with Russia planning to push into Ukraine for ¡®peacekeeping.¡¯


    To Tom, it was an excuse to strengthen its borders and stop NATO from gaining further ground since the U.S. had recently won the oligarchy war in the nation; however, there was a lot going on in the country¡ªsuch as the Legend of Anastasia rallying many people to her side.


    There wasn¡¯t a lot of information about her backstory yet, but just like Jeanne d''Arc, Anastasia had noticeable differences compared to her historic counterpart, such as an affinity for ice.  Blonde haired and stunning blue eyes, her image was plastered over the internet, urging for peace and a more diplomatic solution.


    Unfortunately, as was confirmed by Tom, Russia¡¯s government had been infiltrated by shadowy figures from their past, and their currently puppeted President was about to enter into a hot war with its former territory.


    Nobody wanted to test the northern bear to start World War 3, given the current state of the world, which put Ukraine in a difficult spot, especially when some supported the return of the USSR, and that was the big turning point¡ªthe USSR Legendkin in the background.


    It was a complicated situation since Ukraine wasn¡¯t a part of NATO, and it wasn¡¯t as if the Russian people had the same kind of say the EU or the U.S. citizens did in what their leaders did¡ªspecifically when USSR tactics were being employed¡ªsuppression was already being seen from the protests in the nation and its leaders disappearing in the night.


    It didn¡¯t help that Russian and Slavic Mythickin were in a territory war with various parties of the old USSR supporting each to gain its own upperhand.


    In some of the underground circles Tom had ears in, there were rumors that the old Bratva leadership had returned, and there were many Demi being brought into the Brotherhood as it expanded its influence.


    Sides were being taken, and when so many other problems were flooding the world¡¯s nations, the planet was a powder keg waiting to explode; no one had the time or resources to support Cuba¡¯s crumbling infrastructure.


    After Tom got some rest and Noah finished handling the southern attack with Vasishtha involving the mushroom Demi, the warlord and general were going to discuss the future for his country.


    The President presented several options, giving Tom an insane amount of authority, including President Campell¡¯s support in admitting Cuba to the Union, yet ultimately, that would be up to Congress.


    He couldn¡¯t see much of a problem in the motion passing the Senate and House, but if they went down that route, it would need to be a majority of Cuba¡¯s remaining citizens that decided to enter into the Union.


    If Cuba was inducted into the United States, it would gain the full support of a State of the Union, from financial to infrastructure for its citizens; of course, it would need to abide by the U.S. Constitution and rebuild its local governments.


    President Campell didn¡¯t pretend to think it would be an easy change, and they had a substantially rocky history to contend with, yet he guaranteed they would have seats in Congress and the standard two Senate positions.  States were also independent bodies that cooperated with the U.S. government, meaning they could still hold themselves up as Cubans, as much as Californians or Texans held pride in their state.


    Overall, it would be a challenging thing to come to a compromise, and Noah agreed that they should hold an election across Cuba to understand the desire of the people; Tom expected Russia would also be vying to offer a similar deal, yet as he could imagine, the U.S. would go to great lengths to have them on their side rather than Russia¡¯s.


    Cuba was in a location that Russia would jump at obtaining, and they did have a past; Tom hoped the promise of what the U.S. could bring to the Cuban people would be worth more than what the Russian Federation could contribute.


    When it came to France and Revilla, there was also the issue of gods exerting influence over those that might follow them to go after the ungodly immortal, and no one wanted to find out what might happen if they tried to kill the entity, seeing as it could release her from her bindings.


    Still, the outerversal threat¡¯s security was assured by Ives Salmon, the French Prime Minister, and Tom surprised both Rachel and Ives by informing the leader that he was aware the Templars had a secret pocket dimension, and it would likely be where she would be imprisoned, yet it wasn¡¯t as if it didn¡¯t see many people going in and out.


    Tom explained that he knew the acclaimed corruption of the Knights Templar in the past was historically a political move by King Philip IV since he was broke and the Knights held far too much wealth and power; threatened by the order, he forced false confessions via torture to obtain their wealth and rid himself of a thorn in his side, but he didn¡¯t want to say Revilla couldn¡¯t turn the order to her side.


    Ives had many more Legendkin, famous historical figures of his nation, that had sworn themselves to France, and it would not only be the Templars that guarded the entity.  Through Rachel¡¯s explanation he¡¯d seen they have the power to handle her, and if gods were real, one was with France and was interested in keeping her bound.


    Further discussion led to Tom figuring each of the other EU nations would demand to have some of their own forces involved once grasping her threat, and as much as each country was trying to look out for their own self-interests, it would compromise security.


    So, if France was going to cave to the other nations in the EU, he wanted some U.S. forces to be involved, as well.  Ives said they would play it by ear, but at this moment, France had her in custody, including her accomplices, and it would stay that way.  They had their own experts handling research looking for answers.


    Abraxas became the next topic of discussion; apparently, he was a Demon servant of Beelzebub, who Yseress described as a ravenous Hell Lord of the 8th Circle that wasn¡¯t too fond of Izanami, yet kept his peace since they didn¡¯t have to interact.


    Tom shared with the French Prime Minister the information her melancholy Devil had given them; Abraxas was from the 5th Circle and hadn¡¯t been able to manifest entirely into their Realm, so he¡¯d created an avatar that would need to gather malicious desire to complete a solidified form.


    Many Demons and Devils would flock to him and do his bidding as he prepares the way for Beelzebub to enter the world himself; he would select an isolated place to bring his dominance about without the great nations being made aware.  It would take months and feed on the negative emotion of hundreds of thousands in utter misery to build himself up¡ªTom had a few theories, but Rachel had one place on her mind¡ªthe north of her family¡¯s home country.


    With the business regarding Revilla and Abraxas hitting a roadblock, they turned to Blackbeard and his somewhat troublesome crew hitting port cities, which Tom assumed was a part of his Legend¡¯s Quest.  He came from fog or underwater, showing multiple areas of attack, and had enough power to take out Eurofighter Typhoons.


    In the past month, his crew had already killed thousands along the Faroe Islands, UK, Norway, Belgium, and Spanish coasts; there were sightings of his flags as far as Liberia.  It was only a matter of time until they hit France.


    Ives rebutted that there wasn¡¯t much they could do about a ghost at this time; they¡¯d keep their ports guarded and fire on sight if the flag was spotted¡ªMI6 had forwarded the information to DGSE.


    Coming to a close, he wanted to thank them for taking care of the Beast of G¨¦vaudan; he murdered several dozen people in Loz¨¨re the first week after The Oscillation.  He wanted the soldiers involved, Rachel and party, to have a public ceremony to bolster France¡¯s morale.


    Tom said he¡¯d pass it on, likely knowing she was already listening if not asleep.  At this point, he¡¯d already told her he expected she¡¯d know everything discussed; it was better to assume she had heard, to Rachel¡¯s amusement.


    More discussions followed with the UK Prime Minister Teddy Green, involving their visit to the World Tree, but the government was very protective and secretive about the colossal object right outside of parliament.


    It sounded like negotiations needed to be had since they were dealing with their own internal problems, which Tom could respect; the UK suddenly demanding access to Oregon or some other part of their land would undoubtedly be met with a Hell no!


    Therefore, Rachel had some time to relax in Miami with her family after all of this was over; it felt weird to think about going back to a normal lifestyle.  Then again, there were the Crystals, which were another point of discussion among the various leaders, but ultimately it ended with each nation wanting to hoard the potential resources in each and refusing aid or information.


    There was talk about World Security involving Crystals in nations that didn¡¯t have a government to handle the gates or set up an emergency line for invasions of extreme degree, which was why the U.S. shared its knowledge Rachel¡¯s party obtained from the otherworldly birds, now living the highlife on taxpayer expense for their contribution.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Rachel¡¯s lips lifted in a slight smirk as Selvaria got up to find Tom just exiting the command room to retire for some rest.


    ¡°Oh!  General Tom!  Hey!¡±  she cheered as softly as she could.  ¡°I wanted to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Mgmm¡­  Selvaria, uh¡­ can it wait?  It¡¯s been a¡­ long night, and we just narrowly postponed two world-ending events in the last three days.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry, uh, I just wanted to know if you knew where I could find a really good Artificer, you know, to build a moon base and underwater home.  I¡¯ve been drawing some plans and stuff and need someone who can actually make all that stuff¡ªCahira said she might fund it!¡±


    ¡°Eh-heh¡­ a moon base¡­  Go talk to Clay and see if he can add it to my list,¡± he muttered, waving her off while trudging to a closet he was using as a bedroom, not too picky about where he rested his head.


    ¡°Okay!  Thanks, General Tom!¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±


    Rachel figured he was joking, but the Leviathan happily walked down the hall to speak to the man.


    Rolling to her back to stare up at the ceiling, Rachel sighed.  There was so much going on in the world, and much of what she¡¯d heard was likely only scratching the surface, yet it put things into perspective.  The world was a big place with many cultures and competing interests.


    She didn¡¯t want to get pulled into the political stuff Tom dealt with; all Rachel wanted to do was to¡ªto what?


    Sitting up as Scarlet groaned in her sleep in the second bed next to her, Rachel¡¯s tired eyes drifted to her own lightly glowing white thighs; she was wearing her bikini for bed since it wasn¡¯t restrictive and provided protection.


    Ever since I became a Lunar Hare, I¡­ wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯ve necessarily changed that much¡­  My appearance and powers, sure, but my personality itself?  No¡­ my direction has changed, but I haven¡¯t.


    I¡¯m as competitive as ever¡­ looking to win and finding a challenge, as the lawyer world would have been for me, yet instinctively, I knew it wouldn¡¯t fulfill me after physically changing.  I¡¯ve been searching for conflict ever since meeting Scarlet, and that can¡¯t be coincidence.


    Twilight guided Scarlet to meet me, which changed both of our paths.


    ¡°Just coming to that conclusion, Mistress?¡±  Yseress mumbled, voice doing work in showing how unhappy she was.


    Heh¡­  Done sulking in the corner?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sulking, hngh, Mistress¡­  I¡¯m plotting to get Lady Izanami away from Lucifer¡¯s accursed black wings.¡±


    Mmh¡­  Come up with anything?


    ¡°Not¡­ as of yet, but I am working on a plan of action¡­¡±


    Hmm¡­  I thought you hated Izanami for abandoning you¡ªbeing used as a battery for me?


    ¡°Yes, well¡­ I was¡­ confused, and it was so abrupt that¡­  Mmgm¡­¡±


    Lying back down, Rachel smiled up at the sickly Deviless as red sparkles pulled away to materialize the woman above her; somehow, she still maintained the alluring visage that could snap a boy¡¯s neck on the second glance.


    Yseress still wore her red tube-top and skin-tight jeans; Rachel settled into her pillow to look up at her glare at Scarlet.  Only the Lunar Hare could see the Nephilim woman, similar to what Izanami did through her.


    ¡°Yes, Twilight has used you, Mistress¡­  She has used us all for her goals, yet¡­ I cannot conceive of a way for us to overcome Lucifer without her.¡±


    Oh?  What about the Lunar Gods we are going to meet?


    ¡°Hah!  Them?!  What could compel them to save a Fallen Deity that would instantly overshadow them and take a superior position in the Heavens?  I think not.  No, I am on my own.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s teeth flashed as she gave Yseress an innocent grin.  Why exclude your new Mistress?  It sounds fun, and it¡¯s not like you can go too far from me.


    ¡°Humph¡­  You underestimate the enemy I face, Mistress.¡±


    Mmh¡­  I saw that six-winged fallen angel the same as you, Yseress, and our goal isn¡¯t to go after Lucifer but rescue Izanami.


    ¡°Why would you help her?¡±


    Because I kind of like her¡ªhehe, she went from menacing Hell Lord to a softy in such a short time.  Can you see the memory of her gazing at me with that knowing look, understanding she wouldn¡¯t make it out, and asking me to take care of you?  Talk about a good master, huh?


    What Rachel took as a blush touched Yseress¡¯ face, which is something she suspected was scarce for the Nephilim.


    ¡°Yes, well¡­  I do not understand why Lady Izanami has suddenly been so¡­ personable when meeting you.  She is not typically like this, which makes me think she knows more about you than I.¡±


    Pfft!  I could have told you that!


    ¡°What is it she sees in you?  At first, I thought you were a means for her to regain her position or achieve her revenge, yet¡­  How does getting captured by Lucifer do that?  Can she still communicate to you via the Seed?¡±


    How should I know?  All I know is that she never intended for you to die or be absorbed by me¡ªshe knew me at least that well before making the deal¡ªnow, I get to see what non¨Ccorrupted Yseress will look like.  I bet you¡¯ll look stunning with real wings instead of those gnarled bony branches sticking out of your back.


    ¡°Bony branches¡­ the insult¡ªyou do not have taste¡ªcan you not see these elegant curves¡­ the precision points that overflow with power?¡±


    Hehe.  You do look¡­ pointy.


    ¡°Pointy¡­¡±  Yseress muttered, blood-red eyes lifting as if unable to believe what she was hearing.


    Nia loves you, and I can¡¯t make her cry by seeing you sulk all the time!  So, how long until you look healthy again; she¡¯ll be pestering me about medicine and all sorts of things when she wakes up.


    She crossed her arms under her bust, ruby lips pulling in as she refused to make eye contact, clearly not used to people treating her like she was a part of a family or team.  ¡°The rabbit kid is¡­ too clingy.  I will be fine.  We should focus on Izanami¡¯s rescue¡­ if you plan on supporting me, Mistress.¡±


    Mhm¡­  C¡¯mon, out with it¡ªwhat can I do to get you better¡ªbecause we both know you¡¯re of better use to the mission recovered than looking as if you caught the plague.


    ¡°I do not look so¡­ undignified!  My skin may be a tad yellow, and my wings¡­ sparse, but I could easily tempt any mortal.¡±


    Not that you¡¯re a succubus or would stoop to such tactics, Rachel mused, adding a smirk and lifting an eyebrow.


    Her bony tail flicked to her right in agitation.  ¡°Naturally!  Such uncouth tactics are far beneath me.  Humph¡­  As for my health¡­  It is not so easily fixed.¡±


    Seriousness returning, Rachel crossed her legs and arms.  Go on.


    ¡°I have not mentioned it because I know you will not be able to accomplish the relief I require¡­¡±


    Souls?  What you did with Wolfgang?


    ¡°It could be spirits¡­  Not a full soul, but¡­ yes.¡±


    I mean, we¡¯ll probably have some Crystal events and stuff we can buy for you to go suck up a bunch of monster spirits.  That would work.  Right?


    ¡°Hmm¡­  Yes, that would work.¡±


    Sweet.  See?  All you had to do was just trust me to find a solution.  I¡¯m on your side.


    ¡°It is¡­ not something I am accustomed to, Mistress.  My master being so¡­ helpful.¡±


    We don¡¯t know each other too well, Yseress, but you¡¯ve been there for me, and¡­ heh, you¡¯ve basically turned into Nia¡¯s babysitter.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    No, but you¡¯re having a good influence on her.  She¡¯s getting better at communicating with people as she interacts with you.


    ¡°She¡¯s so innocent that I cannot even make fun of her without the bunny taking it as a lesson to be ¡®cooler¡¯¡ªher words¡ªand she is beyond hyperactive.¡±


    I share your pain!  Rachel laughed.  All she wants is to be accepted, and you¡¯re doing wonders for her.


    ¡°It has not been of my free will,¡± Yseress growled.  ¡°Nia is, in a manner of speaking, an extension of you, by how you have woven her spirit with yours, which means I am bound to her, as well¡­ to a lesser degree, but bound nonetheless.¡±


    Oof!  Don¡¯t tell her that!


    ¡°I do not plan to¡­  I do not need to be ordered to play her silly games.¡±


    Okay, an order from me, then!


    ¡°Hmm?!¡±


    You get to be Nia¡¯s big sister and show her how to be a proper girl.


    ¡°Big sister is a bit¡­ much, no?¡±


    I think it fits well, and Nia can brag about having a Nephilim older sister; she¡¯ll want to make you proud.


    ¡°I¡­ suppose having someone wish for my approval would be nice, and in this relationship, I have power over her?¡±


    So long as it isn¡¯t nefarious¡ªwell, heh, beyond teasing her in a fun way that would make me laugh.


    ¡°I can work with that,¡± she muttered.  ¡°What is your plan to rescue Lady Izanami?¡±


    Eh-hehe¡­ one step at a time, Yseress.  I said I¡¯d do it, and I plan to, but I need to gain a better grasp of this godly game.  How much time do we have to rescue her¡ªwhat¡¯s the timeline from us to the 9th Circle¡ªand be honest.


    ¡°Any time spent in that defiling angel¡¯s presence is too long!¡±  Yseress heatedly responded.


    I understand¡ªI¡¯d be the same way if my mother was trapped by Relica¡ªbut let¡¯s think critically here.


    ¡°Mmgm¡­  Time isn¡¯t so¡­ finite in the Circles of Hell; a second is an eternity, yet Izanami is no mortal¡­ she is very strong in will¡ªas strong as a deity can be¡­  And she is not my mother!¡±


    Rachel frowned, pondering the Devil¡¯s response; in a way, Yseress did think of Izanami as her mother, or so it seemed that way.  Yet, she had seen her mother among Lucifer¡¯s fallen angels, and she appeared to be a powerful one, having four wings.


    Yseress¡­  Do you want to attempt to rescue your mother with Izanami?  If they are in the same place, I do not see why it would be an issue.


    The woman¡¯s jaw tightened, vision falling to the corner of the room.  ¡°It is¡­ too late for my mother.  She is no longer who she once was¡­ ensnared by Lucifer¡­ in ways I cannot begin to understand.  I wouldn¡¯t know how to save her if I wanted to, but all I know is her tortured screams from the centuries in Asmodeus¡¯ camp¡­ until Lady Izanami came to pay for me during an auction the Hell Lord held¡­  She bought me to spite Lucifer, who was looking to pay for my mother and me as a pair.¡±


    I can see that.  Rachel¡¯s skin crawled just hearing the Nephilim talk about her mother¡¯s experience; centuries of torture as your daughter was used against you.  So¡­ what do you mean by break?  Did she not break by the time she was being auctioned?


    ¡°Just¡­ forcing an angel to fall does not break them but causes them to be barred from entering the celestial realms or accessing that power.  You must¡­ you must shatter their halo¡­ the symbol of their free will, and when I saw my mother¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t have a halo, like many of the angels around Lucifer, Rachel muttered.  Hmm¡­


    Not wanting to give Yseress false hope after the tragic life she¡¯d led, Rachel decided to ask the deities if she had a chance; the Nephilim had been corrupted since a child, meaning she¡¯d never experienced her angelic side, and had only known Hell.


    ¡°What is with that look you are giving me¡­  I do not need pity.¡±


    Heh, what about me looks like pity?  I think you¡¯re strong, Yseress, and we¡¯ll get Izanami back; after all, we have a deal¡ªI don¡¯t go back on my promises¡ªeven with a Hell Lord.  Eh-heh, excuse me, Fallen Creation Deity.


    ¡°You are¡­ a strange one, Rachel.¡±


    Not really.  I owe Izanami, and I don¡¯t like owing people favors; not only did she give me access to the Hell Moon, but she gave me something so sweet, I couldn¡¯t tell you how it felt¡­  Relica is dead.


    ¡°Hehe.  I can understand that emotional satisfaction well, Mistress.  Hmm.  What of this Lion King you are to face?  You do not have your combat outfit.¡±


    Excitement burned in her blood.  In a way, I¡¯m glad I don¡¯t.  Hehe¡­  It will be me versus him¡ªno tricks¡ªno special buffs¡ªa straight brawl.  I gained so much experience through all of this¡­ I have to spend them somehow, and when fighting Nemesis, I¡¯ll find out where I¡¯m lacking.


    ¡°A trial run to see your progress?¡±


    He is strong, and there¡¯s no doubt about it.  Now you have me excited, heh, when I need to sleep.


    ¡°Hmm¡­  I can force you into a dream if you wish.¡±


    Giving her a half-smile, Rachel snickered.  Are you sure you¡¯re not a succubus?


    ¡°Humph!  Do you wish me to aid you or not, Mistress?¡±


    Hehe, that would be great.  Thanks, Yseress; welcome to the team.


    ¡°Team¡­¡±  Yseress whispered, yet the world blurred as she felt gentle hands wrap around her chest¡ªthe Nephilim vanished¡ªand in the next instant Rachel was being embraced from behind, she was carried into a deep, dark ocean.


    Heated combat filled her dreams, Yseress always somewhere present, and when she awoke, only flashes of the experience remained, yet she felt more rested than she had in a long while.


    ¡°Feeling refreshed, Mistress?¡±  the woman asked with a small smirk.  ¡°You have quite the imagination when it comes to Anthony.  Hmm-hmm.  Such foreplay was rather¡­ amusing.¡±


    Ears instantly standing up at her teasing snickers, Rachel¡¯s vision narrowed.  You¡­  Why can¡¯t I recall any dreams involving Anthony?  Did you just watch everything passing through my head?


    ¡°I need to keep entertained somehow.  Hehe.  I knew there was a Devil in you, but I didn¡¯t take you for a Demon; a savage woman in you demands conquest, Mistress.¡±


    Mmgm¡­  I¡¯ll let myself be surprised by my latent desires in that regard.


    ¡°Ooh, wish to experience it with Anthony yourself?¡±


    Haha¡­  We can stop the teasing and hints, she grumbled, trying to not let the blood run to her ears or face.  I won¡¯t pretend to know much about romance¡­  Anthony is my first boyfriend, and I want to experience that ¡®with¡¯ him and not as some pleasure fantasy you can invoke.


    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.  Who said I invoked it?¡±


    Uh-huh.  Stretching out, she found Nia still fast asleep.  How¡¯s our edgy rabbit teen?


    ¡°Holding herself together; this is the first time she has sustained so much damage¡­  That Sir Robert fellow¡¯s strength was quite formidable; he was skilled enough to only cut the demonic force he saw, leaving you untouched.¡±


    Hmm¡­  Yeah, the French seem to have some pretty strong Legendkin.  How would you fare in their attack on Revilla?


    ¡°Ha!  Revilla was laughably weak for a Devil such as I to handle, yet¡­  If I were fatigued¡­ they may have caused me moderate damage, given those they brought.¡±


    What Circle of Hell would you be on if you returned?


    ¡°The 3rd¡ªif I were pushing myself, 4th¡ªit is because I am a Nephilim that I could be summoned in ways Devils and Demons cannot; similar to how Lucifer can appear on a planet with far fewer requirements than other Hell Lords.¡±


    Interesting.  Well, we will continue more on that in a while.  For now, it¡¯s time to see what everyone is up to.


    ¡°Mistress¡­¡±


    Mmh?


    ¡°I¡­  Don¡¯t let the Lion stomp on your chest.¡±


    Heh.  Thanks.


    Getting up, she mentally swapped to her casual clothes, turning to see Scarlet gone; Yseress had helped her sleep until 10 P.M.  Maria appeared to have come in to heal her because she felt terrific.


    They were back over Havana, and it seemed between Noah¡ªclose-combat¡ªand Vasishtha¡ªlong-ranged¡ªthe pair had utterly demolished the crew burrowing up from the ground.  Two women had been injured from the initial breakout, yet, as Rachel assumed, Vasishtha wasn¡¯t having that and had protected anyone else from getting harmed.


    Selvaria was fast asleep, continuing on her drawings until 4 P.M., and when she walked into the kitchen, she was bombarded by people wanting her attention.


    Scarlet was waiting for the contest between her and Nemesis; the whole stadium would be packed for the fight.  Fiona excitedly proclaimed she¡¯d be levitating a ton of people from the air to witness it.


    Maria would be nearby if she needed to step in and heal one of them; the Unicorn now had a forcefield she could employ¡ªalthough, she doubted it would work on their level until it got boosted up a bit more.


    However, before that, Ohan and Grace wanted to talk to her after the competition; they had something important to discuss with her.  According to the Samurai, the Southern Indian Legendkin also had some things to discuss with her but was currently occupied, and she could hear with what.


    Scarlet excitedly proclaimed that it had been confirmed, Relica was dead, and they¡¯d even cremated her before sealing the ashes in twenty cases to be spread around the world¡ªjust to be sure¡ªno one was taking a chance with the woman that had almost caused two apocalypses, and that they hadn¡¯t even stopped but postponed.


    The hurricane was over, and Noah had taken a short nap after making sure everyone got back into the city.  Currently, rebuilding was taking place with a census of the current population in preparation for a country-wide vote.


    It would take about a month to set everything up, but in the end, all the options Tom had given, including if people were more favorable to Russia¡¯s help, would be on the ballot.  It consisted of checkboxes with everything the Cuban citizen wanted.


    Tom couldn¡¯t attend the contest since he was required to oversee other operations, so Clay would be present to confirm the outcome.


    After a light workout and combat preparations, Rachel put on some high-quality workout equipment Cahira somehow had on her Island Turtle¡ªshe had an unusual assortment of everything¡ªthen again, she was a Pirate Queen.


    Rachel wondered what she¡¯d think about Blackbeard but had other things on her mind as she focused on the fight, and at 11:45 P.M., Scarlet teleported her to the locker rooms to meet Nemesis before they clashed.


    Arriving in the hallway so Nemesis could hear them coming, Rachel walked with Scarlet the rest of the way to meet the Lion.


    Mara was with him, her muscle twitches telling an entirely different story than her smooth voice and calm expression.  ¡°Rachel!  You look wonderful after, well¡­¡±


    Rachel chuckled, flashing her teeth as Nemesis rose his full height to face her.  ¡°No need to worry, Mara; I¡¯m not going for the kill¡ªit¡¯s like a UFC match¡ªwe go until we can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about,¡± Scarlet hissed, eyeing the big man that towered over two feet above her.  ¡°In UFC, they have refs and stuff that will stop you¡ªI know Vash and Ohan will be watching it, but¡­ it just doesn¡¯t feel the same.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s pulse quickened as she saw the look on Nemesis¡¯ face, a small smile on his black lips.  ¡°Nemesis wanted to do it tonight instead of later because it¡¯s a clear sky¡ªfull moon bright in the sky¡ªI¡¯m not going to hold back because I know you¡¯re strong.  What were the conditions again?¡±


    ¡°Unable to move,¡± Nemesis responded, anticipation making his veins throb.  ¡°Any damage your Unicorn friend can take care of¡­  I win¡ªthe U.S. leaves Noah and me to decide the fate of Cuba, and you stay by my side.¡±


    Heh¡­  Well, they¡¯re already acting as if I¡¯ve won, but he doesn¡¯t know that yet.


    ¡°And, heh, if I win?¡±


    Mara flinched, shifting to give Nemesis an unsure look.  ¡°Well¡ªnothing has been decided yet, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I made my choice, Mara,¡± Nemesis¡¯ lips peeled back to show his teeth in a grin.  ¡°If you win, I follow you¡ªwherever you go, I follow.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears tilted to the right with her head, question crossing her brow.  ¡°Come again?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!  What?!¡±  Scarlet barked.  ¡°What do you mean wherever she goes, you go?  You can¡¯t just stalk Rachel because you lost!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the agreement?¡±  Nemesis laughed.  ¡°If I lose, Rachel takes my kingdom and does with it what she will.  I will follow you.¡±


    ¡°She has a boyfriend already, Bub!¡±  Scarlet fumed, face reddening.


    Bewilderment crossed Nemesis¡¯ face as he turned to a sighing Mara.  ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°She is seeing someone in preparation for marriage or courtship¡ªeh, he doesn¡¯t understand English perfectly¡ªshe is having sex exclusively with someone.¡±


    ¡°Odd¡­ but I don¡¯t see the problem with that,¡± he said with a casual shrug.  ¡°If she grows bored with him, then there is no issue.  I can prove myself far superior, and I have not found a single opponent to offer me the same feeling in my chest that Rachel gives me.  If I must share her, I am not opposed.¡±


    Rachel was totally thrown off by what she¡¯d just heard; Scarlet was practically tapping out by the heat in her face.  ¡°Woah¡­  Let¡¯s just take a step back here.  What¡­ brought this on?  Y-You, like me, as in¡­¡±


    ¡°Haaa!¡±  Mara scratched her lush green hair.  ¡°Nemesis grew up in the African slave trade; he doesn¡¯t understand Western norms but the lifestyle he was given by his master, who was¡­ a terrible human being.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad,¡± Nemesis muttered.  ¡°I ate, had shelter, water, and whatever else I required¡­  You¡¯re just too picky, Mara.¡±


    ¡°See?¡±  she hissed, gesturing at him.  ¡°He¡¯ll do what he wants¡ªhe always does¡ªand if he goes to the U.S. with you, I¡¯m going to!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  Scarlet called for a timeout.  ¡°Hold up!  Why are you acting as if it¡¯s decided?¡±


    Laughter shook Rachel¡¯s chest as she doubled over, silencing the two.  ¡°This is¡­ so weird!  Still, I¡¯m fighting for my pride on the line¡ªeverything I am¡ªI can¡¯t tell you I¡¯ll love you, Nemesis¡­ pfft-haha¡­ but if you want to hang out with us back in Miami, spar every so often, I¡¯m fine with that.¡±


    ¡°For real, Rachel?  I mean, he¡ªhe practically said he wants to sex you¡­  He just totally confessed to you like he was talking about lunch!  And you guys are about to punch each other to death¡ªI don¡¯t¡­  Bah!  No, I guess this is totally like you¡­


    ¡°Haaa¡­  Okay, I¡¯ll just pretend none of this happened because it is insane!  Gah, I¡¯ll have to deal with it later because¡­  Gah¡ªRachel will win, so he¡¯ll be hanging around¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure!¡±  Mara interjected, now defending Nemesis.  ¡°How do you know Nemesis won¡¯t win¡ªRachel could be stuck here¡ªand then what would you do?¡±


    ¡°Not gonna happen, Sister!  Rachel is going to mop the floor with your Beast Daddy!¡±


    ¡°My what?!¡±


    ¡°You heard me!¡±


    Yseress¡¯ dull voice echoed in her mind.  ¡°What am I listening to, Mistress?¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t stop laughing while guiding an infuriated Scarlet out of the room.  ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the coliseum¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Rachel.¡±  Nemesis grinned and made her shake her head at the absurdity of how things were turning out.  ¡°You are the first woman that has stolen my mind and heart.  I will have you, and if I cannot, I will follow you.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±


    Wow¡­


    ¡°He seems nice.¡±


    Really¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s no different for Devils.  You take what you want.¡±


    Ridiculous¡­ heh, but funny.  If he wants to be my Miami battle buddy, then I have no problems with it, and it should keep him out of trouble.


    ¡°Mmh-hmm-hmm¡­  How noble, yet I can feel the beast within you scratching to be free.¡±


    Shut-up.


    Her fingernails were itching to touch skin and heat flooded her veins.  Yseress wasn¡¯t wrong; a monster was inside, rattling its cage to be set loose, and she was tired of holding it in.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 58. Lion Vs. The Hare

    AuthorSME


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    1. Rachel Park (Our Hot Blooded Lunar Hare!)


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    Fingers flexing, Rachel stared across the destroyed field from the stadium¡¯s concrete hallway entrance, Scarlet by her side; it wouldn¡¯t be long until Ohan and Vasishtha showed up to referee the match, and every second was agonizing.


    The crowd already chanted for their Lion King, which wasn¡¯t surprising, considering she was practically a nobody to these Cubans; they might even wonder why this was a big deal.


    In a way, Rachel felt a little bad; the people had lost so much and had placed their hopes in the one measure of stability that had risen up in their community; she didn¡¯t want to crush that.  Still, she had her pride on the line and a job to do in paving the way for the country''s future.


    Tom had made a compelling argument to President Capell, not wanting to repeat the mistakes of past administrations; a devastated country needed sound leadership and support, which also had to be voted in.


    Just liberating Cuba from its warlords wasn¡¯t going to solve anything when they didn¡¯t have a framework to rebuild, security, or know the direction of their country; the survey and vote provided them with something to look forward to.


    It had to be Cuba¡¯s choice, and the U.S. was never going to have a positive impact in restoring the nation in the current world climate¡ªthe government¡¯s hands were tied in many ways unless Cuba became a part of the Union¡ªresources didn¡¯t come from nowhere, and many areas in the U.S. required a lot of attention.


    The political powers wouldn¡¯t be too happy, and it was justifiable that each side would be concerned with how it would change the political landscape, yet if they genuinely wanted to help this nation, there wasn¡¯t any other option in the current state of the world.


    Of course, none of that was possible with someone like Nemesis standing in direct opposition and a figure that could divide Havana¡¯s population; he was good in the short term¡ªwithout a doubt, instilling order that had been lost¡ªbut it was tyrannical order, and the Lion King would do whatever he wanted.


    Rachel didn¡¯t think Nemesis was a bad guy; in fact, in her opinion, people like him were necessary in a society that had utterly broken down.  However, Nemesis had faults that could easily lead to a terrible future for the people of Cuba.


    Nemesis didn¡¯t care too much about governance¡ªhe was a king, but his only desire was to be at the top¡ªand that was brutally apparent in how he conducted Havana.  All of the decisions that didn¡¯t involve him forcing peace as a one-man military went to Mara and his lieutenants, which had also abused their powers in many regards.


    Not that those directly under him had terrible intentions, such as Ana or Jaume, but it simply gave room for bad actors to use Nemesis¡¯ disinterest to harm the population, and with the Legend of Juana In¨¦s de la Cruz¡¯s death, things were bound to change in the regime.


    In the end, Rachel could respect the direction Tom was going, and that was all she needed to participate in this show; she had her opponent to test how far she¡¯d come in Cuba.


    If Rachel was being honest, she didn¡¯t particularly have that much interest in Cuba; sure, it was a sad circumstance, but unfortunate things happened all the time, and she couldn¡¯t cry about everyone.


    Countries rose and fell¡ªlife wasn¡¯t fair; there would always be suffering¡ªyet it still continued.  There were a million injustices in the world, yet all she could do was focus on her small life and circle¡ªto ease things for those she loved¡ªand she felt this path was more than acceptable.


    Rolling around her neck, Rachel threw back her shoulders to stretch out her chest and lower back, moving to other positions to keep limber while checking her current condition.


    Each of her Lunar Pools were full, excluding her Lunar Hell Pool since it was cleansed by Sir Robert¡¯s attack, yet she¡¯d managed to get it back up to 40% by sacrificing the Rabbit Gang, who had advanced to Level Four since their time at Camag¨¹ey.


    It gave them a new attack and quite a few increased Stats, but Rachel didn¡¯t want anyone¡¯s involvement in this fight¡ªshe had to know how far she¡¯d come on her own¡ªwithout Nia, Yseress, or the rest of the crew.


    ¡°You are outclassed at your current level, Mistress.  I suggest using the many available Skill Points and Stats you¡¯ve gained throughout your stay in Cuba.¡±


    Hmm¡­  Thanks for the advice, Yseress, but we¡¯ll see once I stand before him.  Hehe.  He has a tradition that will give me an accurate assessment of what I need to do.


    ¡°Oh?  You have me curious, but I am a patient woman.¡±


    Haha!  I can practically smell you cooking popcorn.  Nia would be right next to you if she could.


    ¡°I am quite happy without the girl¡¯s incessant commentary.¡±


    Probably a good thing she is sleeping, to be honest.  She can look at the recording when she wakes up¡ªI bet Scarlet will be keen to watch it again with our¡­  Maybe we can make a movie night out of it with my family!  Hmm¡­  Although I don¡¯t know if Mom would like to see such an intense fight that this will probably be.  Mmh.


    ¡°Look at you, all cute and cheery, ready to bloody someone¡¯s face!¡±


    Hehe.  Sure.  I haven¡¯t had an actual match in a ring since The Oscillation changed me¡ªwell, other than Anthony and me sparing¡ªoh, I wonder if he¡¯d like to watch the match with me, too.  A battle where it¡¯s just to see who comes out on top¡­ and where I know I am currently the underdog without Nia.  I¡¯m getting excited!


    Scarlet was giving her a partial scowl, and Rachel could tell her new little sister was concerned about her; the Vespertine Reaper had only recently started to accept her place in their family, and naturally, she didn¡¯t want to lose an important connection like that again.


    Nemesis was extremely powerful, having killed thousands of people¡ªmostly Demi, which Rachel was sure made an enormous difference in Exp¡ªand the Mythickin was the last thing keeping them from returning home to see their mother¡¯s face.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t make her precious mother worry about her safety much longer and had no doubt there would be a kitchen full of baked goodies for them when they returned; her mother¡¯s stress cooking was likely in full swing at the moment.


    Her vision shifted to her sister as the eighteen-year-old girl took a deep breath while staring across the muddy field.  ¡°I can feel your emotions¡­  I know you can win, Rachel, but just¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±  Leaning forward in her splits on the floor, Rachel brought herself into a sitting handstand to do a front walkover and hug the vampy girl.  ¡°Thanks, Sis.  Ohan and Vasishtha are just about here.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­  Sis¡­  Why am I so stressed out!  Gah!¡±


    Watching the smaller girl shift a little in her arms, Rachel snickered.  ¡°I think it¡¯s less about this fight and more about Nemesis returning to Miami with us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!  Humph!  He¡¯s totally not normal.  You heard what he said¡­  Like, who says that kind of stuff?  It¡¯s not funny to me¡ªhim just butting in¡ªsaying all that!¡±


    ¡°I know.  I know.  Haaa¡­¡±  Pulling away, Rachel¡¯s tone turned thoughtful.  ¡°I can¡¯t say if Nemesis really does like me.  Honestly, I thought that entire conversation was ridiculous, but looking at it from his perspective¡­  What does he have when I win?¡±


    Scarlet blinked, blue irises drifting to the opposite side of the bright field where the Lion King waited.  ¡°I uh¡­ didn¡¯t look at it like that.  Mmgm¡­ I guess he doesn¡¯t really have anything.  Right?  At least, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard.  He was a slave¡­ killed the dude enslaving him¡­ and took over the city.  If he doesn¡¯t have this, then¡­ then what does he have¡­   Grgmgm¡­  He wants you.¡±


    Rachel flashed her teeth in a forced smile.  ¡°See?  It¡¯s not too hard to understand where he¡¯s coming from.¡±


    ¡°Still unacceptable!  He wants to turn you into a slave¡ªwhich, sure, okay, is like normal for his kind of life or whatever¡ªstill not okay!  Oh, and what about Mara?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  Rachel leaned against the wall, turning her head to follow the woman¡¯s musical voice, trying to convince Nemesis to not be so hasty or give her the same opportunities he typically did to his opponents.  ¡°I think she almost sees herself as his big sister or something¡ªwanting to look out for him.¡±


    Scarlet lifted a black eyebrow, arms crossed under her bust.  ¡°Uh-huh¡­ she¡¯s just as weird as him¡ªshe had s-sex with him¡­  Sister, huh?¡±


    ¡°Mmhm¡­  Not wrong,¡± Rachel forced a smile.  ¡°Definitely not your¡­ typical foster sister-like relationship.¡±


    ¡°You can say that again,¡± Scarlet mumbled.  ¡°They should just get together and leave you alone.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Aww, you¡¯re so adorable, Scarlet!¡±


    ¡°Hey!  I¡¯m serious!  I¡¯m worried about you¡­  I don¡¯t want to have this crazy, super-strong, stalker lion-dude that¡¯s always following us around¡­  That¡ªthat just says he¡¯s down to have s-sex like¡ªlike it¡¯s nothing¡­  He and Mara should just go elope somewhere or something!¡±


    Pondering her train of thought, Rachel slowly shook her head, cupping her chin.  ¡°Mmh¡­  I don¡¯t think Mara gives Nemesis the same feelings as he gets from me¡ªheh, not that I¡¯m trying to sound cocky¡ªbut he clearly wants someone who will challenge him, and I¡¯m that someone¡ªMara can¡¯t give him that.¡±


    ¡°Gah!  Rachel, you look at things too logically!¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªdo I?¡±


    ¡°Yes!  Yes, you do!¡±  Scarlet glared.  ¡°Humph.  You can just detach yourself from stuff¡ªhe seriously said he would follow you, and it was cool if¡ªif he was a boy toy on the side!  Like, really?¡±


    ¡°Haha!  I don¡¯t think he quite added that boy toy part!¡±


    ¡°He totally said it!  He¡¯s all¡ªoh, yeah, I¡¯m cool with just being the dude on the side¡ªlike you¡¯re some¡ªsome girl that can just use him like a tampon or something!  I¡ªI don¡¯t think your mom would be cool with him¡­ is all I¡¯m saying,¡± she mumbled, cheeks bright red.


    ¡°Our mom, and heh, I don¡¯t know¡­  Eh, after looking into the things my mom¡¯s been reading¡­  Ehm-heh, I¡­ didn¡¯t know my mom as well as I thought I did.¡±


    ¡°Wait, huh?  What do you mean¡ªwhat else does she read besides her K-Drama stuff?¡±


    ¡°Eh-heh, you wouldn¡¯t understand¡ªit¡¯s a Korean thing¡­¡±


    ¡°What?!  C¡¯mon, tell me!  Mmgm!  Worst timing ever!¡±


    From down the hall, they turned to see Ohan and Vasishtha making their way toward them; both wore replacement clothes, mainly black shorts and a T-shirt.


    ¡°I really do want to know, Rachel,¡± Scarlet huffed.  ¡°I want to know everything about my second mom¡­¡±


    ¡°See.  You¡¯re so cute; our mom would be all over you!¡±


    ¡°S-She¡¯s amazing¡­¡±


    Laughing, she winked, leaning in closer to whisper, ¡°Mom has a secret library stash in her room behind a few books on the shelf; I grew curious when I heard her moving things around to get to them, and she only reads them in the tub.  Hmm?  What do you think?¡±


    ¡°You really are a Devil!¡±  Scarlet hissed, and Rachel knew her mind was on fire with the possibilities.


    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.¡±


    She¡¯ll be thinking about that until we get back.  Heh.  What is innocent, pure, motherly Molly reading in the bath, hmm?  I wonder what she¡¯ll think once she discovers our mother¡¯s dirty secret?


    Vasishtha chuckled as they came into earshot, interrupting their conversation.  ¡°How long did it take you to figure that one, Scarlet?  Haha!  Rachel is quite the charming Devil; I¡¯m a bit jealous of Anthony, having you all to himself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but for how long?¡±


    Shut up, Yseress¡­


    ¡°He-he-he.¡±


    Ohan shrugged.  ¡°Not surprising; she literally has a Devil inside of her.¡±


    ¡°Present,¡± Yseress mused.  ¡°Ah, but back to the original topic, quite a fascinating fetish regarding your mother; women can have the most tantalizingly obscure fantasies.¡±


    Shh!  Don¡¯t bring it up to Nia.


    ¡°Oh, the girl couldn¡¯t handle it.  Still, she must be exposed to such things eventually¡­ hehehe.¡±


    Shifting her attention to Ohan as the pair made it to them, Rachel tried to keep her thumping heart in check; it was almost time.  ¡°I heard you two wanted to talk to me, but it can wait until after¡­ right?¡±


    ¡°It can.  Heh-eh.¡±  Ohan rolled around his neck, giving her a quizzical stare.  ¡°So far as Fiona told us, you want to go until one of you can¡¯t stand.  Anything goes except death?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s lips tightened, but Rachel nodded.  ¡°This has to be satisfying for everyone in the stadium to recognize Nemesis lost.¡±


    ¡°Tall order,¡± Vasishtha grunted, arms folded across his chest.  ¡°Noah told me he wasn¡¯t sure if he could take this guy in a straight fight, and the dude¡¯s no joke himself.  How are ya gonna beat him when he¡¯s practically invulnerable?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to find out!¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Alright, Boss.  Whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Promptly turning to Scarlet, she let her heart still with the prospect of battle drawing near.  ¡°One last thing, Sis, how is my braid?¡±


    The Vespertine Reaper sighed, stepping around her to check the security of the weave.  ¡°Mmh¡­  It¡¯s tight, and I used a few bands to ensure it stayed that way.  Rachel¡­  Please, be careful.¡±


    Giving her one last hug, Rachel kissed her forehead and set her sights on the stadium''s center.  ¡°No interfering, Scarlet¡­  Even if it looks bad, have faith in me.  Ohan and Vasishtha are refereeing.¡±


    The Indian Legendkin gave her a thumbs up.  ¡°I¡¯ll be watchin¡¯ carefully to every twitch her little tail makes!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­  Eh, but did you have to phrase it like that?¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    Shaking her head with a smirk, Rachel muttered, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Taking slow, even breaths, she moved into the bright lights for shouts and cheers; Nemesis saw her and made his own appearance, causing all other noise besides the throng to be drowned out as it assaulted her.


    Ears twitching a bit as they adjusted, she only barely heard the two announcers speak from the box as Ohan and Vasishtha took up positions on opposite sides of the stadium, where two women were waiting with earpieces so they could interrupt if needed.


    Scarlet stayed by the Samurai, determination on her face while watching Mara join Vasishtha; the woman appeared nervous, attention wholly centered on the Nemean Lion.


    Moonlight filled her with strength from the full lunar sphere in the heavens, shining onto the field, illuminating her opponent.


    It¡¯s finally time.


    ¡°Break a leg, Mistress.¡±


    Mine or his?


    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.¡±


    Ears standing up, Rachel came to a halt three meters from Nemesis, rolling around her neck with the casters speaking in the background.  She could care less what they said; her concentration was taken by the man in front of her.


    Probably around 240 centimeters tall compared to her 175, he was a giant, and a big grin on the Lion King¡¯s face; a golden aura surrounded him, long claws easing out and in with Nemesis¡¯ flexing fingers, and his pink tongue slid across his black lips in anticipation.


    I knew it; he¡¯s way stronger after going to rescue Mara¡­  Miora¡¯s slaves he killed were far more powerful than I thought.  Haha.  I can¡¯t beat him in a typical brawl without Nia¡­  My stamina won¡¯t outlast his, which¡­ will make this a shorter match than I wanted, but I don¡¯t think I can win by holding back or giving him time to recover.


    ¡°Prepare for combat, Ladies and Gentlemen!  I¡¯m told this will be a match to decide the fate of Havana¡ªRachel Sung Park represents Noah¡¯s faction, and if she wins, there will be great change ahead.¡±


    ¡°Booo!¡±


    ¡°Glory to the Lion King!¡±


    ¡°Stomp her out!¡±


    ¡°Mmh.  Quite the crowd, Mistress.  What are you going to do?¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ yellow, glowing feline irises drifted from her to the throng.  ¡°My heart hasn¡¯t beat like this for¡­  I can¡¯t even recall.  My skin is hot¡­ the saliva in my mouth thick¡­ and my blood is on fire.  Do you feel the same?¡±


    ¡°Aww, you two are adorable.¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to give me the same shot as all your other opponents?¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t, it would only disgrace every other victory I¡¯ve had in this arena.  Show me what my instincts tell me!¡±


    ¡°Combatants!  Engage when ready!¡±


    Nemesis opened his arms, and Rachel darted forward, a lunar disk appearing under her grounded foot to offer suitable resistance as she twisted, foot landing square against his sternum; a gale exploded around them as the lion left the ground to promptly flip back in his momentum to dig his claws into the blood-soaked soil¡ªit didn¡¯t even force the air from his lungs.


    A smile curled his lips.  ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s the best¡ª¡±


    Strategically funneling points into critical skills, Rachel ran several centimeters off the ground on lunar platforms as the beast came to a stop and rose to look at her, wind resistance pushing heavily against her acceleration.


    Becoming a streak, Rachel twirled for her bare, white luminous heel to strike Nemesis in the jaw, sending him flying to the left¡ªit still wasn¡¯t enough.  Grinning, she funneled more points into her skills.


    Barrel rolling to create more lunar disks, having had the cost reduced to nothing by Eostre, and increasing the time and number by levels and use, she shot after her opponent; the bewildered crowd fell silent as she continued her blinding assault, leaving a trail of lunar light in her wake that only grew.


    Increasing Lunar Reserve and Lunar Surge to increase her base Power and Toughness while funneling more Stats into Toughness and Dexterity to give her body the resilience to handle the pressure of her ever-rising power and speed, Rachel sprinted after the lion.


    With the higher base pool, mitigation, and full moon, Lunar Burst IV was practically free and allowed Overpowered III to remain in effect, bolstering her Power and Toughness further by 35%.


    The world was practically at a stand-still, eyes wide and following Nemesis¡¯s trajectory; Mental Acceleration IV had been increased to VII to compensate for her boost in speed; if Maria hadn¡¯t healed her the previous night, movement like this would have been impossible, and she disregarded curses all-together, knowing it would be a waste against his resistances.


    Faster¡­


    Circling around Nemesis, her foot connected with his stomach as he tried to recover, throwing the man high into the sky for Rachel to rocket after him using her platforms¡ªLunar Grace I; her newly enhanced and upgrade Lunar Dash Skill¡ªnow without a price, she could keep it up indefinitely while under moonlight, and with Eostre or Chang¡¯e¡¯s influence, it was her first skill to have reached the Adept Grade, showing how many levels it took to achieve no cost under the lunar sphere.


    Keeping the Flush Moon as her Active Effect to further increase her skill levels, she stopped above the Lion King and launched for his face, spinning for her shin to connect.


    Nemesis struck soil, causing an eruption of dirt to fly in all directions as Rachel landed on her feet, chest pumping with her breathing a little heavy; that had been the fastest she¡¯d ever run, and she needed a little time for Lunar Recovery IV to catch up.


    Silence filled the stands as they tried to grasp what just happened; the high-speed cameras were now taking a wider shot to follow her actions, dramatically slowing the pace.


    ¡°U-Unbelievable, folks¡­  All I saw was a white blur¡­  Is that¡­ Yes!¡±


    A smile lifted Rachel¡¯s full lips as a golden glow filtered through the falling dust and dirt, Nemesis standing in the small crater she¡¯d made with his body.  Tough bastard; I might have only bruised his jaw.


    Nemesis stepped forward, rolling around his neck and brushing off his fur.  ¡°Hehe¡­  I felt that last one, Rachel.  Is it just me, or were you getting stronger with every hit?  Still testing to see how much I can take¡­  I gave you that one for free.  Let¡¯s begin!¡±


    Taking a deep breath¡ªa Fear Aura washed over her¡ªand she added points to Lunar Pride for it and the White Moon overhead to bolster her resistance against such tactics; it didn¡¯t affect her.


    She allowed him to be the first to attack this time, giving Lunar Recovery as much time as possible while debating if she needed to add more levels to it; speed was better than her defensive abilities since not getting hit was better than the opposite.


    He shot forward, golden hues mixing with crimson; it didn¡¯t take him five seconds to reach her.


    Cartwheeling out of the way to aim for his feet, Rachel was forced to pivot away as his tail lashed out¡ªhe was faster than she anticipated¡ªand it nearly looped around her ankle.


    Obsidian claws lashing out, five streaks of red cut through the air to eviscerate her, and Rachel took to the sky for him to follow; in her rise, she saw his attack rake the earth and rip it to shreds, leaving a glowing imprint that told her there was an effect to it.


    ¡°Mistress, you don¡¯t seem to be faring well.¡±


    Hehe.  I¡¯m having fun!  I guess I can¡¯t win without going all out¡­ I¡¯m confident he has some kind of State like Fiona if he is in actual danger or takes substantial damage.


    ¡°Oh¡­ bold.  Mmh, but being attuned through me and your recent exposure in the 7th Circle, it is now possible¡­¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ movements were instinctual rather than thought, showing his automatic System placement was naturally using his rarely used points to try and counter her speed with a 6th sense, similar to her Misfortune affinity; even if she was far faster, he would likely close the gap by reaction speed¡ªhe was adapting to her fighting style.


    Dodging the wide aerial crimson slashes, Rachel held out her hand for a shimmering spark to illuminate her palm, 40% becoming 22%  as she threw the sphere of ruby light to tint the heavens¡ªa miniature Hell Moon came into view¡ªWenet¡¯s Light III.


    Her hair highlighted black, rather than completely changing; the catalyst was far weaker than the real thing, but the solidified and charged energy activated her Lunar Hell Hare abilities, her left horn sliding down the left side of her head from the demonic force.


    How long?


    ¡°Mmh¡­  Hard to say, but I¡¯d give your safe use at¡­ around a minute.¡±


    It will have to do¡­


    Hellfire embraced her; luckily, her clothes were excluded from being affected due to her desires.  With both the White and Hell Moons feeding her with the atmospheric resistance a non-issue and the active Flush Moon energy increasing her levels, she darted through the air to meet Nemesis, feeding points to both Lunar Surge and Overpowered until it went to the next stage.


    Lesser Hell Shift I swapped her position to the Nemean Lion¡¯s back, foot connecting with his neck to plow him into the ground, creating another crater.


    Hmm-hmm-hmm¡­  He actually took that!


    Kicking off her Hellfire platform, black lightning sparking over her skin and hair, Rachel¡¯s eyes widened as she cut through to rising earth for her foot to meet a glowing hand¡ªNemesis¡¯ fur was now white¡ªcombatting the Hellfire seeking to sear and paralyze his soul.


    Interesting.


    Instantly retracting her foot moments before his clawed fingers could close around it, Rachel used another platform to reposition and strike his head, yet it only caused the Nemean Lion¡¯s right foot to sink into the ground a tad, a counterforce suddenly repelling her foot.


    As Nemesis¡¯ face became clear¡ªher blitz and cloak dispersing the haze¡ªshe saw the liquid gold running down his mouth and burned mane; she¡¯d finally caused him damage, beyond all of his increased defenses¡ªthis was it¡ªyet she still had more to spend.


    His hand closed around her ankle¡ªLesser Hell Shift teleporting her a short distance away¡ªshe launched back, not having too much time remaining to bring this fight to a close.


    Nemesis pulled his arms in defensively, trying to weather her blows as she launched a flurry of attacks against him, and with her Soul Sight, she could see precisely which areas were most vulnerable.


    Kidney¡ªHell Shift¡ªback kidney, jaw as he struggled to turn; now stunned, Rachel could feel the stress eating at her own soul from channeling the Hell Energies¡ªit was time to end it.


    Hell Shift took her slightly above Nemesis¡¯ unprotected face while stumbling back from her supersonic punch¡ªfist tight and the recoiling pain blocked by Lunar Deadening¡ªRachel funneled a healthy amount of her remaining stats into Power and Toughness for her abilities to enhance them further.


    Hellfire broke past part of his resistances with all of her multipliers and targeted the weakest point that Rachel¡¯s soul-penetrating vision highlighted; she brought her knuckles down on the man¡¯s temple¡ªNemesis¡¯ body sagged, and he collapsed.


    Hellfire cloak dispersing as she ceased channeling the force, Rachel took a shuddering breath while landing on the ground next to him, chest pumping to fill with air that had escaped her in the frenzy of blows.


    Nemesis landed on one knee, arm resting against the ground, a stream of air passing through his black lips.


    No way¡­


    ¡°Haaa¡­  Hmm-hmm-hmm¡­¡±


    He swayed for a second, catching himself before struggling to his feet, and Rachel stumbled forward to punch him again before he drew to his full height and out of reach¡ªshe missed¡ªbody not responding as it should, despite not feeling the pain she should.


    ¡°Dammit¡­¡±


    Catching herself and locking her jaw while trying to defend herself from the blow that was about to come, she waited¡ªit didn¡¯t come¡ªears twitching with her tail, Rachel had to catch herself while shifting to see why Nemesis wasn¡¯t attacking.


    She blinked, seeing Nemesis standing in a locked position¡ªhe no longer had his white aura¡ªthe lion¡¯s fur back to his golden hue.  Mane partially burned, nasty scorch marks eating past his fur from the areas she¡¯d struck with Hellfire and eyes vacant of life; it took a moment for her to realize what had happened.


    ¡°Heh¡­  Hehehe¡­  Did you really pass out from a concussion while standing?  Unbelievable.¡±


    Lurching forward, she placed a hand on his chest to push him over¡ªwhich still took far more effort than she would have thought¡ªand as his back struck the ground, Ohan appeared by their side, smacking the mud as Vasishtha enthusiastically counted.


    ¡°One!  Two!  Three!  We have a¡ªoh?¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ entire body flinched as his vision returned, coughing as he pushed himself to get up, likely still suffering a concussion.  ¡°Mmgm¡­  I¡­¡±


    Stopping at his hands and knees, his eyes rolled to look around, possibly not seeing too clearly by the squint he gave the tinted light from the miniature Hell Moon overhead.


    ¡°I¡­  What¡­¡±


    Mara came running over to put his arm around her neck and force him up with a strained grunt; the lion¡¯s arm looked like it was draped over a child.  ¡°It¡¯s okay, Nemesis¡­  Just rest a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°No, but¡­  I just¡­¡±


    As Rachel watched, his vision focused, and he seemed to somehow recover.  ¡°Did I¡­¡±


    ¡°Passed out, Bud!¡±  Vasishtha said with a forced laugh, taking his other side to help ease Mara¡¯s load.  ¡°Rachel clocked ya good at the right time, and the lights were gone!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s lights out,¡± Ohan corrected, giving him an impressed grin.  ¡°You¡¯re tough, Nemesis.  I can honestly say¡­ well, I don¡¯t know anyone who could have taken a beating like that.  It looked like Rachel was trying to kill you.¡±


    Rachel forced herself to remain standing, even if she wanted to collapse, her horn and black highlights remaining so long as the miniature Hell Moon stayed overhead.


    ¡°Hehe¡­  If I didn¡¯t give it my all, I don¡¯t know if I would be the one standing¡ªheh, well, not that you were down long¡ªand I did hit you with everything I had¡­  Nemesis, you¡¯re the first person to not only survive but remain standing after I gave it my all.  Respect.¡±


    Holding out her hand, Nemesis stared at it before grinning and taking it to the crowd¡¯s unsure mutters and a minority of cheers.  ¡°So¡­  I hear you¡¯re from Miami¡­  Is it nice there?¡±


    ¡°Nemesis¡­¡±  Mara hissed, tears in her eyes.


    ¡°Haha!  I guess you¡¯ll find out.  Eh¡­  Where¡¯s Maria?¡±


    Scarlet soon appeared out of the shadows with the woman.


    ¡°Damn, Girl¡ªya were a bullet of light just flyin¡¯ everywhere!  Shit¡ªthe hell, you always gotta ruin yourself every fight¡­  Dammit, you¡¯re a mess¡­¡±


    Scarlet glared at her, hands on her hips in a way that made her think of their mother.  ¡°Rachel!¡±


    ¡°Sorry!  Heh, sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°No you''re not!  Maria?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a lie.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Rachel groaned, glaring at the Unicorn as her horn illuminated.


    ¡°Is what it is, Girl; you¡¯re the most reckless chick I know¡ªand you know my lifestyle!¡±


    It was a little strange not hearing Maria¡¯s curses or partially mixed Spanish after her translation ability; she might need to see if she could make an exception because it was a little off-putting.


    ¡°Nemesis?¡±  Mara pleaded as the Unicorn¡¯s horn illuminated.


    ¡°Shit, talkin¡¯ like I ain¡¯t gonna heal a man that¡¯s been soul scarred¡­  I ain¡¯t Lil¡¯ Miss Devil over there,¡± she joked, giving Rachel a wink.  ¡°By the way, horn looks good on ya, girl¡ªthat hair is badass, too.  Damn, you get all the cool looks.¡±


    ¡°Haha.  Thanks.  Well¡­  I guess that¡¯s that.  Heh, I just woke up, and I want to collapse again.  So¡­  Want to get something to eat, guys?¡±


    ¡°Think you¡¯re forgetting something.¡±  Ohan handed her the mic as the crowd went dead silent, trepidation almost palpable with the announcer¡¯s words.


    ¡°Nemesis¡­ lost.  What does that mean for Southwest Havana?¡±


    Clearing her throat, Rachel forced a smile at the cameras before directing them to the bronze-skinned giant of a man jumping down from the stands.  ¡°Don¡¯t look at me¡ªI¡¯m going to grab some breakfast with Nemesis and my friends¡ªNoah, I guess I¡¯m done here¡­  All you.¡±


    Maria healed a lot of the fatigue and internal damage the Lunar Hare had done to herself, giving Rachel the coordination to toss the device to the man.


    ¡°Thank you, Rachel.  People of Cuba¡­  You know who I am, and I stand for a free Cuba, yet we have a long road ahead of us.  Every one of your voices counts, and in a month, we will decide, as a nation and proud people, to where our futures will lead.


    ¡°Do not fear; you are safe, and I, Noah Bolea, will make sure every person¡¯s concerns are abated.  If you have questions, I will answer them; please, let your voices be heard¡ªa microphone will be passed around¡­¡±


    Letting him do his thing, Rachel motioned to Scarlet.  ¡°Mind taking us back to Cahira¡¯s to grab a bite?  I¡¯m starving, hehe¡ªeven though I don¡¯t have to eat¡ªit¡¯s just kind of a tradition after my matches.¡±


    Her foster-sister gave Nemesis a side-long look.  ¡°You mean¡­  All of us?¡±


    Maria snickered, slapping the Vespertine Reaper on the back.  ¡°C¡¯mon, Scarlet, no need to hate; the guy put up a good fight.  If ya can, best to resolve things and be friends than stay enemies.  Am I right, or am I right?¡±


    Fiona swooped down shortly after with a big grin and sparkling eyes.  ¡°That.  Was.  Amazing!  You were all over the sky¡ªand is that the Hell Moon?  It¡¯s so crazy, look!¡±


    ¡°Haha.  I¡¯ll tell you about it as we eat.  Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­  I hate wanting to tell Mom you¡¯re so reckless but also not wanting to worry her.  You¡¯re the worst sometimes, Rachel¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Sorry!¡±


    Nemesis laughed at their antics, checking his healing wounds and rotating his jaw.  ¡°I¡­ rather enjoy the atmosphere you bring, Rachel.  I will be joining you in Miami.¡±


    ¡°Then I will, too!¡±  Mara huffed, throwing Fiona and Maria for a loop.


    The Fairy held up her hands.  ¡°Hold up!  What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the hell?¡±


    ¡°Breakfast, then story!¡±  Rachel demanded with a grin, forcing Scarlet to sigh and open up a Blood Portal; naturally, Maria flinched at the prospect but was getting used to the feeling.


    Finally, their work in Cuba was done.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — 59. Leaving Cuba

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Hot Blooded Lunar Hare!)


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    Hopping through Scarlet¡¯s blood portal without a second thought, Rachel slid through the liquid¡ªsomewhat desensitized by this point to the uncomfortable sensation¡ªyet as she landed inside Cahira¡¯s mansion kitchen, she paused.


    ¡°Mmgm¡­¡±


    In the split moment she interacted with the gateway, she could have sworn there was a voice, which instantly made her think of Twilight.


    ¡°Rachel, how¡¯d ya big match go, eh?¡±


    Vision coming into focus, she stepped aside for the others to file through, the portal shifting to the side to allow the rest to walk instead of jump.


    ¡°Cahira¡­  Yeah, I won; heh, did you have any doubts?¡±


    ¡°Naa, tis why I didn¡¯t join ya lot.  So, eh, what be the reason everyone be pilin¡¯ in¡¯ta mi kitchen?¡±


    ¡°What else?  I need something to eat after that workout; oh, looks like you¡¯re already getting stuff ready, too.¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± Cahira gave the increasing party a slight glare, motioning to Wilkins, her Quartermaster, ¡°get some more ingredients.¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye, Cap¡¯n.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Fiona asked, floating inside while trying to support a shivering Maria.


    ¡°Never again¡­¡±


    ¡°Te-he, you always say that!¡±


    ¡°I mean it!¡±


    Cahira waved her hand and flashed her pearly whites.  ¡°If ya be gonna moochin¡¯ off mi hard work, ya gonna have to join in the cookin¡¯!  We got a lot of kids to be feedin¡¯, and I could use some vegetables cut¡ªye catch my drift?¡±


    Rachel gave her a short salute as she moved to the door.  ¡°Got it, Captain Cahira; I¡¯ll be right back¡ªjust need to grab Nia.¡±


    ¡°Ah, how¡¯s the little energizer bunny; still feelin¡¯ blue?¡±


    ¡°Yup.  I left her out to get some moonlight, so I wanted to see if she¡¯s feeling better.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I know ya be hearin¡¯ me, bunny lass¡ªwe be wishin¡¯ the best for ya!¡±


    Rachel gave her a thumbs-up as she heard Nia¡¯s weak grumble from the rooftop.


    Leaving the party as Wilkins got everyone rounded up for the meal, Rachel passed through the halls to a lot of childrens¡¯ chatter; they were all over the place, from the rooms to the large surrounding land around the mansion, and more than a few kids had caught sight of Nia on the roof.


    It was a bit late for dinner, but considering everyone¡¯s sleep schedule was more or less around night due to Scarlet and her being nocturnal, excluding Maria, and the operations, the children still had another few hours before most would be rounded up for bed.


    She waved to a few of the kids that greeted her, whispering about how funny her ears were, that she had a tail like Selvaria¡ªnot that they were in any way similar¡ªor how pretty she looked while glowing in the moonlight.


    Creating a few lunar platforms to easily reach the top of the now five-story mansion, Rachel landed on the tile roof, the high-altitude winds cutting past the weaker upper-atmospheric barrier of the Dragon Turtle, catching her braided hair.


    Rachel made her way to Nia, wide field of vision passively letting the clear night stars pull on her gaze; naturally, Ohan, Vasishtha, and Grace now all wanted a word with her when she was back inside.  Life is so different¡­


    ¡°Yo, what¡¯s up, Supreme Leader?  Still feeling gross?¡±  she teased as she came upon the lunar bathing rabbit girl.


    ¡°Ugh¡­  Yuck, I feel terrible,¡± Nia groaned, lying next to her laid-out actual body.  ¡°I hate that Robert guy¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh-heh, yeah, he caused you quite a bit of trouble,¡± Rachel returned, sitting beside her to stare up at the moon.  ¡°You were sleeping the last time I checked on you.¡±


    ¡°Mmgm, I woke up feeling¡­ bleh¡­  Oh!  How¡¯s Big Sis doing?¡±


    Their vision darted to the sickly-looking Nephilim as she impressed herself into their minds, hovering just below the moon with her hands behind her back, at the base of her wicked tail.  ¡°You needn¡¯t be concerned about me, Nia.¡±


    ¡°B-But you look worse than me!¡±


    ¡°Rachel and I have already discussed a plan to bring me to a more healthy state; you should focus on getting yourself in order before concerning yourself with others.¡±


    ¡°Really, Rachel?  Can I help?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Nia, you can barely move.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡­¡± she weakly mumbled.


    ¡°Stop acting tough and take care of yourself¡ªheh, isn¡¯t that what you wanted to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Humph¡­  Why should I listen when you never listen?¡±


    ¡°So you can be there to support her when she ¡®inevitably¡¯ fails, and you are all she has left to rely on,¡± Yseress teased, making Rachel¡¯s tail twitch.


    ¡°Inevitably, huh?¡±


    Nia was totally on the train, though.  ¡°Oh!  Okay¡­ yeah, I get to be there for both my big sisters when they need me!¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­ I wouldn¡¯t say¡ª¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Rachel smirked, ¡°because as we know, Nia, Yseress has a problem with not taking care of herself.¡±


    ¡°Do we?  Oh, I guess you¡¯re right!¡±


    ¡°What evidence is there of that¡­¡±


    Rachel laughed at the Nephilim¡¯s pointed, red-eyed glare; there wasn¡¯t any specifically, but just like her, she knew the woman was very independent, or a better word would be distrusting of goodwill, which was totally understandable, given her past.


    ¡°So, moving past all of that, I¡¯d like Maria to take a look at the two of you¡ª¡±


    ¡°The holy Unicorn¡ªare you insane, Mistress?  She would take one glance at me and seek to purify my very essence¡­¡±


    Nia rubbed her left arm.  ¡°Big Sis, Maria likes to help people¡ªshe won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    ¡°I know, Yseress, you¡¯ve only dealt with Nia and me, but will you let Maria at least try to see if she can heal you?¡±


    The Nephilim¡¯s narrowed eyes showed nothing but contempt.  ¡°If it is my choice, Mistress¡­  Not on her life.¡±


    ¡°Haaa¡­  Alright.  What about you, Nia?¡±


    ¡°She already tried when you were asleep,¡± Nia mumbled.  ¡°The part of me that is broken isn¡¯t a normal piece but composed of Hell Energy; she said she can¡¯t do anything about that.¡±


    ¡°Shame,¡± Rachel sighed.  ¡°Will it help if we feed you energy via the Hell Bunny?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    Yseress shifted in the air to cross her legs and fold her arms under her bust.  ¡°I can help Nia if my health is restored.  So, I suggest you find one of these ¡®crystals¡¯ soon.¡±


    The fourteen-year-old girl¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°We need to go to one of the crystal things¡ªlike the mist monsters Nora and the rest of us fought?  Oh, I totally want to show Nora and Jessy I have a body¡ªugh¡­ my stomach¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.  Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves, Little Bunny; I¡¯ll talk to Tom about it.  Yseress¡­ does that mean you want it to just be us?¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t they join?¡±  Nia asked, glancing between them.  ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to handle them as a group?¡±


    The Nephilim¡¯s deep ruby eyes illuminated a tad, a small curve to her bloody lips twisting her alluring expression.  ¡°I don¡¯t need nor desire help; besides, genocide isn¡¯t something most humans enjoy witnessing.¡±


    Rachel forced a smile while noticing the woman¡¯s gnarled wings displayed thin patches of vein-like blood.  ¡°Anyways, we¡¯ll talk about this later.  I¡¯ll leave you to moonbathe, Nia.  Rest up.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­  Haaa¡­  It¡¯s so boring, though, and I hear so many kids playing.¡±


    ¡°Sick girls get to rest in bed.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­  Stupid Robert¡­  I¡¯m gonna punch him!¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I''m sure you will.  I¡¯ll come check on you in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Rachel¡­  For not abandoning me when I¡¯m broken¡­¡±


    ¡°Like I would!¡±  Rachel gave her a dirty look upon getting up.  ¡°Who do you think I am?  I mean, I keep Yseress around, hehe.¡±


    ¡°Charming¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­  Don¡¯t say that, Rachel; I love Big Sis.¡±


    ¡°Still,¡± Rachel bent down for her braid to fall across Nia¡¯s chest, ¡°don¡¯t ever think I¡¯ll abandon you; you¡¯re my awesome, Living Denier partner.  Okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Nia giggled, cheeks flushing a tad.  ¡°Partners!  Ugh¡­  Save me, partner; I¡¯m dying!¡±


    Laughing at her melodramatic reach, Rachel waved her goodbye and hopped off the roof to land on the grass; Yseress vanished into twinkling lights.


    ¡°You are not like most mortals, Mistress.¡±


    Heh.  Tell me something I don¡¯t know, and¡­ ugh, I¡¯m going to have to go through a psych evaluation when we return.  Not fun, but at least it¡¯s someone who should be more understanding than a stranger.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Oh, by the way¡­


    ¡°Yes, Mistress?¡±


    Rachel walked into the house, hands behind her back as she passed laughing and playing children.  Could you clarify something for me?


    ¡°Mmh¡­  It involves your connection to Hell?¡±


    I no longer have to suck Hell Energy out of you to use it, right?  Now, I¡¯m using you as more of an attunement since connecting to the Hell Moon itself in the Seventh Circle?


    ¡°A far weaker draw, Mistress, but you are not wrong.  If you were to tap into my own connection, it would be far more potent¡­ similar to the effects you had while in the Seventh Circle.  Why do you ask?¡±


    Hmm-hmm.  If that¡¯s the case, I promise not to force you to go through what you did for me the first time.


    ¡°I¡­ do not understand?  It is the bargain you struck with Lady Izanami.  Why would you limit yourself to the fruit you have achieved through your agreement?¡±


    I¡¯ll let you think on that one, Rachel mused.  In any case, I¡¯d like to give you one task, and I don¡¯t expect you to fight for me or do anything you¡¯re not comfortable with¡ªother than be Nia¡¯s big sister, hehe.


    ¡°Mmh¡­  We will see if you keep that promise.¡±


    Really, hold me to it!  I already promised to uncorrupt your angel half, but can you promise me one thing?


    ¡°A catch, heh, of course.  What do you desire, Mistress?¡±


    Smiling, Rachel stood in the doorway and motioned to the three that wanted to meet with her; it was really something, seeing Cahira fuss over Mara and Nemesis in how they were making the bread¡ªthe lion was also wearing an apron¡ªquite the sight.


    I want you to search for our connection to Izanami.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    By the deal we made, you have some kind of connection to Izanami that allows her to leech off of my Seed, and I suspect what she had been able to pull from the Seed helped in her battle against Revilla.  I want you to try and put your attention on following that back.


    ¡°Why¡­ would you wish to get into contact with a Hell Lord?  If anything, I would be rejoicing in the payment being unachievable and forget about her.¡±


    C¡¯mon, Yseress, you might think I would do that, but you wouldn¡¯t dream of abandoning your former Mistress.  Can you do it?


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Wonderful!  Now, I have other things to handle.


    Rachel pushed away from the wall to walk down the hall as Grace, Ohan, and Vasishtha followed; she knew somewhat what the three wanted to discuss, and in a way, she found it a tad funny that she was now in this position.


    Nemesis glanced after her, Mara surprisingly engrossed in listening to Maria and Cahira work out their own methods of making bread from scratch; Fiona was using her wind to whip various ingredients together in a pan to saut¨¦ them, Benedict nearby keeping her company, while Selvaria cut vegetables with Isabel and Edelira.


    That the gang was all engaged in making a huge soup and a ton of bread, trying to feed so many orphans was really something, especially when most of them couldn¡¯t even speak to the Cuban kids.  It was a wholesome scene after they¡¯d just come from a battle to decide the possible fate of their country, and that their Lion King was now trying to knead bread was all the more hilarious.


    Entering one of the few empty conference rooms, excluding all of the sleeping bags that would be filled with children in the coming hours, Rachel sat down and crossed her legs.  ¡°I have a gist of what you all want to talk about, but give me the details.¡±


    Grace strained a thankful laugh as Vasishtha allowed her to go ahead of her before closing the door.  ¡°I, eh¡­ can go last.  It¡¯s just somethin¡¯ that also affects the others.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Ohan promptly responded, sitting across from Rachel with a pleasant expression.  ¡°Rachel, I¡¯ll get to the point¡­  I wish to leave Mythic to join a friend¡¯s group based in Atlanta.¡±


    Vasishtha groaned, rubbing the back of his neck as he took the seat beside the Samurai.  ¡°Eh-heh¡­ you didn¡¯t have to make it sound so cut and dry, my friend!¡±


    Rachel chuckled and shook her head.  ¡°No, I appreciate the bluntness.  You got a call from your sister, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and I wouldn¡¯t say we have the closest relationship.  Do you want me to explain?¡±


    Rachel leaned back, folding her hands in her lap as Grace fidgeted with her pleated shirt, a lot clearly on the cowgirl¡¯s mind.  ¡°If you want to, but honestly, I didn¡¯t figure you¡¯d stay with us long.  Although, Selvaria seems rather convinced you¡¯re all going to be staying.¡±


    ¡°Ah, poor girl,¡± Vasishtha sighed.  ¡°She¡¯s afraid she¡¯ll end up alone, and I don¡¯t want her to be torn between us¡ªwow, heh, don¡¯t I sound like a parent discussing divorce¡­  Oof.  My bad, Ohan,¡± he winced, glancing at his friend.


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± he muttered.  ¡°In short, my family divorced when I was four due to my mother cheating and my father being unable to forgive her.  She took custody of my half-sister, and he raised me.  I haven¡¯t had too much contact with that half of my family, and I¡¯m curious as to why she is suddenly in this new Crystal raiding team that my best friend growing up put together.¡±


    Rachel leaned to the side, knuckles resting against her left cheek.  ¡°His name is Raymond, correct?  I heard you speaking to Tom about running a background check, concerned that something might have happened since you split ways with him in your late teens?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t on bad terms,¡± Ohan shrugged, ¡°but I did want to know if there were any other circumstances involving him contacting me.  So, I assume you also know he is setting up a group, and my sister joined him after she contacted Ray to connect with me.  It¡¯s an unusual string of events, but I¡¯d like to see what he has planned.¡±


    Her slight smile drifted to the Legend of Vasishtha.  ¡°And you want to join this new and rising group of Legends and Myths in Atlanta?¡±


    Vasishtha shifted a bit, a fairly jaded smile on his lips as he glared at the wall.  ¡°It¡¯s nothing against you, Rachel¡­  I rather love the group you¡¯ve gathered¡ªheh, so many lovely ladies I get to interact with¡ªbut unfortunately, I cannot draw too much attention to myself.  I am¡­ in exile, I suppose you could say, and there are certain promises I¡¯ve made.¡±


    A tad curious but knowing not to press, Rachel nodded.  ¡°I get it and know you¡¯ve asked Tom to keep you out of any reports; being a part of Mythic will certainly draw a lot of attention considering what is going to come of this¡­  Heh, but you don¡¯t need to ¡®leave¡¯ Mythic, per se.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Ohan asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no rule against Mythickin or Legendkin being a part of multiple groups,¡± Rachel grinned.  ¡°Heh, so if you want to go off and do your own thing for a while, know you¡¯ve got a spot and friends here.¡±


    Vasishtha laughed.  ¡°You always surprise me, Rachel!  I like the way you think.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±  Ohan pressed.  ¡°What if the group Vasishtha or I end up in causes problems that then reflect onto Mythic?¡±


    ¡°Pfft.  I could care less about most of that at this point.  I¡¯ve been stacking aces up my sleeve since becoming a Lunar Hare to live how I wanted, and I know more than most the dangers we¡¯re facing, which is far greater than some political scandal or whatever you may cause.


    ¡°You two have been through the Legends Quest with me and liberated Cuba; I may not have known you long, but you get to know what people are about in those kinds of circumstances.  I trust you, and I can¡¯t say that about everyone.  You have a place in Mythic if you need it or my number if you need help.  That¡¯s that.¡±


    Ohan chuckled and rose to his feet to hold out a hand.  ¡°Rachel, it¡¯s been a pleasure, and I¡¯ve learned a lot from you.  Until we meet again.¡±


    Rising to take his firm hand, Rachel returned the Samurai¡¯s smile.  ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re finding your own path, and heh, you¡¯re having that Hydra guy join you, right?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Nothing seems to escape your ears.¡±


    ¡°They certainly do help,¡± she returned.  ¡°He needs a lot of help.¡±


    ¡°Not wrong, and I learned of someone in Atlanta that could probably help stabilize him.¡±


    Releasing his hand, Rachel shifted to Vasishtha as they did the same.  ¡°And you plan on joining him, Vash?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­  It¡¯s a direction for now,¡± he grinned.  ¡°Who can say where the winds will take me, but my man¡¯s correct; you¡¯ve taught us a lot about this change and peeled back the curtain a bit.  If you need support, Rach, don¡¯t hesitate to call¡ªI¡¯ll be there in a heartbeat.¡±


    Exchanging a few more pleasantries, she saw them off; they¡¯d be heading back to the States by the morning since Vasishtha already said his goodbyes to the many women that he¡¯d protected and aided.


    Retaking her seat as they left to break the news to Selvaria, Rachel¡¯s ears shifted to listen in on a 3rd-story room where Luka sat, looking over his big sister; she didn¡¯t know why he was still so important, but misfortune surrounded him in a miasma that seemed to bleed over Revilla¡¯s group.


    Considering France had already taken them into custody, the omen made Rachel¡¯s objective mind think there was something further to their connection to the creature, meaning she needed him nearby.


    She had to somewhat lie to him about her being okay, which she technically was, being a bastion of life-energy, yet the rituals the many witches and shamans had done were half linked to the Seventh Circle¡¯s initial ceremonial preparation and Nemesis¡¯ curses¡ªthe woman was a powerful resource for such people.


    They didn¡¯t know how her mental state would be, but that also helped to keep Luka close; in fact, it could be his influence with his sister that would bring about the misfortune.


    Once alone with Grace, the fidgeting girl sighed.  ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you know why I¡¯m here?¡±


    Rachel turned her attention to the Legend of Calamity Jane.  ¡°Hmm, partially, I think.  I¡¯ll let you explain yourself, though, because I think you want to.  Am I right?¡±


    ¡°Eh-hehe¡­ as usual, you¡¯re pretty scary, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re like that woman in the movies who just knows everything¡ªI don¡¯t know, it¡¯s like¡­ you¡¯re always the one with the plan.¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  I don¡¯t like to be caught off-guard, which happened more than I¡¯d like across Cuba.  Anyway, what¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    Tight fists in her lap, Grace tucked in her lower lip.  ¡°Mmgm¡­  I really don¡¯t like what I¡¯ve seen over the last few days, Rachel¡­  What I took part in when we first met¡­  Camag¨¹ey, too¡­  So many people suffered and died.¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­  You feel guilty for M¨¢ximo and Alberto¡¯s deaths?¡±


    ¡°I should have been¡­  I don¡¯t know, looked into it more before running off¡ªgung ho in correcting some perceived justice I¡¯d only heard about.  It¡¯s like going to a protest without knowing a thing about it, I guess, and then learning I oppose it later¡­  I feel stupid¡­  Guilty¡­ yeah.  I started to think about what I believed in, and all I could think of was¡­  I gotta find a better way.¡±


    ¡°I can resonate with that,¡± Rachel smiled.  ¡°I can¡¯t say I have the same moral compass as you, but I get it.  What are you planning to do¡ªleave Mythic?¡±


    ¡°Am I even a member?¡±


    ¡°That you have to ask that would make more than a few people in the group concerned.¡±


    ¡°Heh, okay¡ªbut, no¡­ nothing like that, umm¡­  I wanted to maybe start like¡­ a Cuban branch,¡± she mumbled, trying to work through her words.  ¡°Be someone they can rely on¡ªat least until I know they have a solid framework to handle these Crystals and stuff.¡±


    Rachel''s cheeks bunched to the side as she thought about the proposal; it wasn¡¯t the direction she initially thought Grace would go, yet things were falling into place now that she knew more about how the cowgirl felt.


    ¡°A Mythic branch, hmm?  It¡¯s¡­ not a bad idea, but that implies there will be other members.  Is that what Benedict, Edelira, and Isabel have been talking about?¡±


    ¡°We have,¡± Grace mumbled, playing with her hands.  ¡°I know I¡¯m not even really a member, heh¡­ I¡¯m actually more like a prisoner¡ªright?¡±


    ¡°Meh,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°You¡¯ve more than proved to me you¡¯ve got your heart in the right place, and yeah, you made some mistakes¡ªpersonally, I don¡¯t see the problems in what you did.  In fact, I thought you were rather collected at the moment; Isabel and Edelira kept attacking you as you just took it, working through what was happening.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I still killed people they care about¡ªI would have killed all of them if you didn¡¯t stop me¡­  I hurt the community they cared about.¡±


    ¡°Haaa.  Look, Grace¡­ you don¡¯t have to get my approval.  To me, bad stuff happens, and anyone who wants to throw the first stone, as the saying goes, is more than likely hiding a lot of skeletons in their own closet.


    ¡°Bottom line, the world isn¡¯t fair, and I don¡¯t pretend it will ever be like some delusional first-world narcissist who thinks they can fix everyone¡¯s problems; life sucks, and we have to make the best of it.  Revenge, hate, and the like, sure¡ªI¡¯m on board with a lot of that¡ªbecause the world is cruel, and if it doesn¡¯t interfere with my life, I don¡¯t care what most people do.¡±


    Grace removed her hat to run her fingers through her brown hair.  ¡°I¡­ kind of figured that was your stance on things.  You can detach yourself from a lot¡­  I can¡¯t really do that.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rachel hummed, resting her knuckles against her cheek again.  ¡°I told you that I couldn¡¯t care less about Alberto or M¨¢ximo¡ªsure, it was sad¡ªI have to move on with my life and protect what I do care about.  Grace, you¡¯ve done enough with me that I consider you someone I would care about.  So, tell me what you want, and I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    ¡°Heh, that simple, huh?¡±


    ¡°Life is rough but not all that complicated,¡± Rachel muttered.  ¡°Everyone has a tolerance level and empathy circle that can only extend so far¡ªif they¡¯re being honest and not delusional or disingenuous.  Am I callous?  Sure, I¡¯m sure people with easy lives will say that, and when life comes knocking, their moral superiority will fall around their heads.  Overall, I¡¯d say I¡¯m generally neutral to most people.¡±


    ¡°Umm, what about, you know, that saying about responsibility and power?¡±


    ¡°Pfft, haha!  I take responsibility for my own life, and trying to do the same for others is a recipe for disaster; people are their own agents and will reap their own rewards.  I¡¯d say you¡¯ve done more than enough to liberate Cuba, and in a way M¨¢ximo couldn¡¯t hope to replicate.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact he¡¯s dead¡­¡±


    ¡°No, he was temperamental and authoritarian, killing many other people he didn¡¯t like, and you could justify it or condemn it all you want¡ªI don¡¯t care¡ªto me, you made a mistake.  We¡¯re the same age, nineteen, and you¡¯ve got your whole life ahead of you.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it, so we don¡¯t keep going around in circles; Grace, find redemption however you see fit.  If that means serving the people of Cuba, then go for it, but don¡¯t throw your own sense of self-guilt on those around you.  I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll find a single person in our group that would condemn you.¡±


    ¡°No one?¡±  Grace mumbled, tears gathering in her eyes as she pressed her hat against her abdomen.


    ¡°No.  In fact, I think Maria, Fiona, Scarlet, and Selvaria would cry, hearing the emotion in your voice¡ªespecially Nia; heh, the girl would be all over her ¡®milk girl.¡¯ ¡±


    ¡°Eh-hehe,¡± she rubbed her red cheeks, ¡°will I ever live down that name?¡±


    Rachel laughed.  ¡°Probably not.  You want to make a difference in Cuba, then go for it, and as a Mythic member, because you¡¯ve earned my respect after literally saving my life and quite a few others.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten what you did, shooting Xazzos while making one of your hands useless for a while basically in Hell¡ªso, a big deal handicapping yourself for me.  Actually¡­  Heh, I haven¡¯t even thanked you for that, I don¡¯t think.  Thank you, Grace, for helping us when you were completely freaking out!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ kind of totally was!  Haha¡­ that place was unreal.  Umm¡­  You mean it, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°I said it, didn¡¯t I?  Grace, welcome to Mythic, and I¡¯d be delighted if you put together a Cuban branch for the short term, but¡­¡±


    Brown eyebrows pulling together, the cowgirl cleared her throat.  ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°I expect you to join us back in Miami in time because, heh-eh, we kind of just lost our best long-range member.¡±


    ¡°Oh, haha!  Yeah, okay¡­  Umm, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Can I¡­ can I hug you?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­¡±


    Rachel walked over to hug Grace, holding her as her chest heaved against hers, and the cowgirl broke into tears.


    ¡°T-Thank you, Rachel¡­ f-for accepting me.¡±


    ¡°Anytime, and we¡¯ll live-chat¡ªif we can, I mean, we have military phones, and we can set you up with one¡ªsound good?  Keep in touch.¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    Waiting until she calmed down, Rachel took the seat beside her and cleared her own throat.  ¡°So, Benedict, Isabel, and Edelira?  Oh, one second¡­¡±


    They paused as Rachel drew Grace¡¯s attention to the door for it to open up for two twelve-year-old girls to run inside, screeching to a halt.


    ¡°Oh, uh¡­ sorry, we were just going to, umm, hide here for¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sorry¡­¡±


    Rachel chuckled and pointed down the hall.  ¡°Second closet¡ªin the back left corner, near the ceiling is a secret switch to a hiding place where Cahira stores some of her secret bottles.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you, Miss Rabbit Lady!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thank you!¡±


    ¡°Mmgm-hmm-hmm¡­ Mhm¡­¡±


    Grace giggled as they waved and ran out.  ¡°You really held back, huh?  You hate being called a rabbit.¡±


    ¡°Huu-haaa¡­  I let the kids have a pass.  Anyway, so, are you going to bring this up to Tom next?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and I wanted to bring Benedict, Izzy, and Edel into it because¡­ yeah, they¡¯ve lost a lot more than they ever thought they would¡ªand need something to help them look forward to tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s noble,¡± Rachel nodded, crossing her legs again.  ¡°It¡¯s not something I really find ¡®necessary,¡¯ but this is about you, not me.  Do what you need to in Cuba, and expect to have access to Mythic funds¡ªbe responsible with them!¡±


    ¡°Uh-heh, I don¡¯t want to get a mad Unicorn on my ass.  Thanks, Rachel.  Really¡­ thank you for giving me another chance.¡±


    Standing up and stretching out, Rachel grunted.  ¡°I half wonder if I should give this leadership role thing to Anthony because¡­ bah, never mind.  I¡¯m just talking aloud.¡±


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I think you¡¯ve done a great job,¡± Grace affirmed.  ¡°I mean, if you don¡¯t want to handle the day-to-day stuff, heh, maybe give him the hard stuff because¡­ without your leadership¡­¡±  Rachel grinned; the Legend didn¡¯t have to finish her statement.


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s it, I did want to talk to Tom, and right now seems to be the best chance¡ªhehe, he¡¯s just getting out of the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Ambush!  Hehe.  I¡¯ll go see what Izzy, Edel, and Ben think.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.  I¡¯ll let Maria and the others know.¡±


    She let Grace hug her one more time, wondering why so many people in their group were huggers and left to find Tom on the second floor, halfway to his temporary command center.


    ¡°Got a minute?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Rachel.  Eh-yeah, actually.  Impeccable timing, as usual.¡±


    Joining him and Clay, she informed them about the state of their group and the fight.


    Clay¡¯s lips drew in at the news that Nemesis and Mara would be joining them in Miami.  ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to bring someone so dangerous to your home city?¡±


    ¡°Not a bad counter,¡± Rachel chuckled, ¡°better than what Scarlet could come up with.  Hmm¡­  It¡¯s true; he is fairly volatile and proved to be at least on equal ground with me.  If I had Nia, it wouldn¡¯t be nearly as difficult to keep him in check if he did go crazy, but it is a risk.¡±


    Tom¡¯s cheeks puffed up while streaming out a breath of air.  ¡°The issue is¡­ what do we do with him?  To be frank, I think having you near would be beneficial.  Can he hear us from downstairs?¡±


    Rachel shrugged.  ¡°Probably best to think he can.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.  If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll be candid; Nemesis is certainly a credible threat, and if he is willing to follow your leadership, no matter how strange his behavior is, I don¡¯t find that a negative.  He can support you in the Crystals¡ªalthough I wanted to have you take a well-deserved break after this incident.  Everyone needs to unwind after something like this.¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­  General, I do need at least one high-rank Crystal for Yseress to recover.¡±


    Clay frowned.  ¡°The Devil in you?¡±


    ¡°Nephilim, actually,¡± Tom muttered, thoughtfully leaning back.  ¡°She offered to take care of a high-ranking Crystal herself?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty simple, really.  She needs souls to recover, and we need them closed.¡±


    ¡°True, and I assume she is very powerful?¡±


    ¡°I have no doubt she could basically solo anything you throw at her,¡± Rachel muttered, making the woman giggle at the compliment.  ¡°If one shows up, let me know, and I¡¯ll drop everything to handle it; by the way, she¡¯s not the trusting type and wants no one involved but me.¡±


    ¡°Understandable¡­  Okay.  I¡¯ll see what I can do; the higher the Crystal level, the longer we¡¯ll have to gather a reasonable force, so it shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡±


    Recalling some of the earlier reports she¡¯d heard him receive, Rachel¡¯s interest prompted her to ask another question.  ¡°What about Blackbeard?  We could handle that.¡±


    Clay leaned forward, fingers folding in his lap.  ¡°Mmh¡­ actually, while you were fighting Nemesis, the topic came up.  We can possibly use it to get you into the U.K., but we need to negotiate further with the Prime Minister.¡±


    ¡°Grah¡­¡±  Tom ran his fingers through his messy hair.  ¡°I¡¯d rather not use it as a political bargaining chip, but we need access somehow for you to actually get answers from these Lunar Goddesses, and there¡¯s no way we can come out with that information to the U.K. government without them demanding unreasonable things.


    ¡°Let us work on it.  In the meantime, I¡¯m serious, Rachel; relax a little back home and prepare for the psych evaluation; the President pushed it back because of everything happening here, but there are some members in Congress and the Senate who are getting impatient about getting to know this Mythickin and Legendkin group that wasn¡¯t just involved in the Montana Crystal, but Cuba.¡±


    ¡°I understand, haaa¡­  Give the President my thanks for pushing the evaluation back¡­ again.  Heh, are we keeping Yseress¡¯ existence secret?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Tom instantly responded.  ¡°We need to get a more complete picture of what is happening with all these deities before giving a comprehensive report about the future, and currently, the U.K. is barring our access to that.¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm, what about the Artificer?  I hear Selvaria is interested in one, too.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­  I¡¯m working on a list.  I¡¯ll keep you in the loop.¡±


    ¡°Right, well¡­  I suppose we¡¯ll be leaving soon since you¡¯re preparing to transfer leadership to another general to focus on other areas that need your attention.¡±


    Tom nodded gravely.  ¡°I¡¯d love to oversee the whole thing, but a lot is happening between Russia and the UN; plus, there¡¯s the topic of Revilla that¡¯s about to hit the EU discussions and everything she can bring.¡±


    ¡°The end of existence.¡±


    ¡°Basically¡­  What a time to live in, heh, and my wife told me to retire six months ago.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re the one President Capell put his trust in; you¡¯ve certainly changed my life for the better.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Rachel¡­  Still, it¡¯s hard¡ªyou can¡¯t help but think there were other moves you could have done to save more lives.  Well¡­ I have work to do.  Have a good night, Rachel; you deserve it.¡±


    Waving him off, she left, releasing a long puff of air.  That¡¯s it¡­  This will be our last night in Cuba before returning to Miami.  I wonder how Anthony is doing.  Heh, I bet he and Grandpa are getting along great¡ªMason¡¯s probably eating out of his hand, trying to get Anthony to train him.  Nora¡­  I really hope everything is all board games and meditation talk.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — Anthony’s Journey Pt. 1

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    PoV:


    1. Anthony (Our Abducted Boyfriend!)


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    Anthony rushed forward to check on the girl and elderly man, gravelly sand kicking around him in his haste, yet Jaenona¡¯s voice calmed him as he neared.


    ¡°Sleep is all that ails them.¡±


    They were breathing; he sighed in relief, casting his eyes around for answers.  There were no footprints in the sand; it was as if the pair had simply fallen out of the sky to collapse where they laid.


    What did meet his gaze was the deep mist, hiding a primal fear, writhing just beyond sight, and when he looked at the ocean again, he noticed a deep crimson tint just below the deceptively clear surface, an unheard pulse within.


    ¡°What is this place?¡±


    A melancholy expression took Jaenona as she moved to meet him, stone fragments continuing to fracture away from her tanned skin, and her fingers dug into the gravel-like sand to let the grains rise into the air rather than fall when let go.


    Anthony¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, watching them vanish above.  ¡°How¡­¡±


    ¡°We are at the Wall of Sleep¡­ one of many edges of the Outlands.  Resist, Anthony!¡±


    Her galaxy-like shimmering eyes darted to the sea, and a familiar voice touched his soul as he followed it to see the ruby tint floating to the surface, dyeing the mist around them red.


    ¡°Anthony?¡±


    Saliva drying in his throat and lips parting in disbelief, a woman stumbled out of the thick fog, water dripping down her slick skin.  ¡°Amelia?¡±


    Everything vanished from his mind upon seeing his fianc¨¦¡ªthe thought that he¡¯d buried her not too long ago evaporated as if plucked from his brain; the sound of her voice, her expression, there wasn¡¯t a flaw¡ªand in this unusual dream, it was one of the few things he could latch onto.


    Her light brown eyes darted around in confusion, arms wrapped around her shivering shoulders.  ¡°Anthony, where am I?  I¡­  I can¡¯t remember¡­¡±


    Seeing the pain in her face and voice, he stumbled forward; it was so difficult to walk on this beach for some reason.  ¡°I thought you¡­  No, I¡¯ve had trouble remembering, too¡ªwait¡­¡±


    He slowed as she waited in the ankle-deep rising and falling tide, giving him a pleading look; yet, an itch in the back of his mind brought his thoughts back to the unusual situation, and again, a smiling girl with bunny ears popped into his mind¡ªno, not a bunny¡ªa hare, which was an interesting distinction that his brain fixated on.


    ¡°Jaenona, what¡­  Jaenona?¡±


    Anthony¡¯s vision drifted to the three he¡¯d left¡ªno one was around¡ªthe crimson mist closing in as he scanned the obscure beach; none of this was right, and a shiver ran down his spine as Amelia called to him again.


    ¡°Anthony¡ªw-why can¡¯t I move?  Help me¡­¡±


    The draw of her voice was a weight against his chest, never had he hesitated to respond to his love¡¯s cries; when she was in pain from cancer, he¡¯d hold her hand for hours and read her novels to try and pull her mind away from the agony, yet, seeing the woman that had filled his dreams for years again, he knew something wasn¡¯t right.


    ¡°Your cancer¡­  Rachel¡­¡±  he muttered, suddenly realizing who the girl and elderly man were as if a bubble popped in his mind; Nora White and Philip Park¡ªRachel¡¯s grandfather¡¯s American name.


    The conversation he¡¯d heard earlier involving the rabbit girl and demonic woman caused a flood of memories, inquiring eyes receiving answers as they fell to the candy cane he now held in his hand.  ¡°This isn¡¯t¡­  No, Amelia is¡­¡±


    Soft, wet fingers touched his, drawing Anthony¡¯s focus to Amelia¡¯s trembling lips and irises.  ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t forget me!¡±


    ¡°Amelia¡ªno, I¡­  Why¡­¡±


    Memories starting to fade again with the gentle, warm touch of her skin against his, he noticed the candy cane turning black and instinctively stepped away, only for her to reach out and grab his wrist.


    ¡°No, Amelia¡ªthis isn¡¯t¡­¡±


    The shimmering ruby mist surrounding him in a frenzy, a quiver struck his heart as his fianc¨¦ leaned in to kiss him.  ¡°Don¡¯t you love me?¡±


    ¡°Resist, Anthony!¡±


    A fraction of a second before their lips met, Jaenona¡¯s hand pressed against Amelia¡¯s chest to throw her into the crimson fog; she dispersed into it, and then he caught a glimpse of the cuts across the otherworldly entity¡¯s smooth skin, now leaking silver liquid.


    Cheeks flushed, her hidden chest heaving, Jaenona forced a pained smile.  ¡°You mustn¡¯t¡­ listen to the madness of the Crimson Tide¡ªit is all-consuming, and I cannot save you from its pull if you enter its riptide.¡±


    * * *


    Coughing with tears in his eyes, Anthony clutched at his pounding chest, the sensation of Jaenona¡¯s soft yet strong hands leaving his body, and it was then he saw himself only a meter from the rushing tide.


    Knees hitting the gravel, he tried to control the rasp in his voice; the red sea was in a rage, crashing liquid gradually settling back into the ocean to provide distance between them.  ¡°What¡ªwas that?  It¡­  I felt like it was Amelia, but¡­ but it wasn¡¯t the Amelia I knew¡­¡±


    Jaenona knelt down beside him, taking his hand to pull Anthony¡¯s attention to the partially blackened candy cane he still held.  ¡°Listen carefully¡­  Do you hear them calling out?  Do you feel its pull¡ªthe whispers of the Sinking Deep just beyond the veil?¡±


    Breathing deeply, his fingers trembled at a wicked string of fate wove through him¡ªthe tolls of madness ringing just beyond sight¡ªlulling him away from a nightmare; a different yet similar writhing evil he could not know, lest he be buried within, and he was called back through the captivating dream he¡¯d walked.


    Blurry vision opening to the partially destroyed candy cane¡ªthe blackness broken away¡ªhe shifted to see Jaenona completely free from her stone-like bindings, yet in their place were clear signs of a struggle.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt?¡±


    A pretty smile lifting her rosy cheeks, Jaenona chuckled.  ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about my safety.  It is my burden to be the vessel by which you achieve our greatest goal, and not even those born of the darkness, nor granted sight from the Great Beyond, can survive the festering tide of the Scarlet Thorn.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why I¡¯m¡ªno¡­  Rachel¡­  The Oscillation.¡±


    First tightening until the candy cane broke in his hand, Anthony¡¯s mind flooded with memories, hardening his brow.


    Instantly letting go of the entity¡¯s fingers to stumble back and glare at it, he swiftly ensured Nora and Philip were alright; they appeared to be in the same condition.  ¡°What¡¯s your game¡ªyou show me Amelia, now you give me back my memories¡ªleading us here¡­  What¡¯s the goal?¡±


    Joyful expression becoming somber at his sudden change, Jaenona rose to her feet; the gravel sticking to her shins and feet floated into the sky while the darkness covering her chest and waist shifted around the sandy clumps.  ¡°Anthony¡­  I am not your enemy.¡±


    Her fingers lifted to trace the silver liquid freely flowing from the wound in her shoulder, the blood being drawn toward the ocean.  ¡°I did not show you anything of the sort; that was the Crimson Tide, attempting to lure you like a fish to a light in the darkness¡­ I led it away,¡± she whispered, directing him to the damage she¡¯d sustained.  ¡°It was unsafe for you to enter at this time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  He couldn¡¯t deny her honesty, which frustrated him.  ¡°What about the other stuff?¡±


    ¡°I am only attached to you, Anthony, as my host, which I require¡­  The others, I do not know how they came to be here, nor their purpose.¡±


    ¡°Your objective?¡±  he hissed, spear forming in his hands as he took a defensive position between them.  ¡°Quit being so cryptic, and answer my questions!¡±


    Breathing out a long stream of air, she held her hands in front of her and stepped back a few paces, keeping just in sight without vanishing in the fog; there was misery in her he knew he couldn¡¯t fathom, but he wouldn¡¯t let himself be distracted.


    ¡°I care for you, Anthony¡­  My only dream is to hear the song of my youth¡­ to shoulder the burden of moving through the Red Sea.  I want to return home¡­ to feel the concord of chaos uplift me one last time.¡±


    ¡°If you care about me, why kidnap and lie to me?¡±


    ¡°Haaa¡­  Unfortunately, being injured while in this state¡­ I risk attracting the Reapers.¡±


    ¡°Reapers¡­  Who are you talking¡ªdon¡¯t leave me without¡ªgrrargmm¡­¡±


    ¡°You have a choice to make, Anthony¡­  Be well.¡±


    She directed him to Nora and Philip, the elder beginning to stir, before the black smoke surrounding Jaenona thickened, and she was gone.  Of course, she wasn¡¯t truly gone but somewhere inside him.  This wouldn¡¯t be the last time he¡¯d see the entity.


    * * *


    A hard lump dropped down Anthony¡¯s throat while scanning the imperceptible veil that only gave a confined view of the beach he¡¯d played on as a kid; once again, he could feel himself drifting in a pool of liquid, flowing around his skin to gently push him along an unseen current.


    Jaenona had vanished, and all he felt was the frustrating confusion she¡¯d left him with; he couldn¡¯t sense any malice or deception from her, yet he¡¯d been deceived into following her all the way here.


    Pondering his path, questions regarding Rachel with the bunny girl and demonic woman came up.  If that had been true, the first was probably Nia, but the other he didn¡¯t have a clue, making him consider she would have met Rachel on her Cuba trip.


    He wanted to deny everything he¡¯d been through as some kind of illusion or manipulation¡ªhe couldn¡¯t, though¡ªit was burned into his mind and chest, and to deny it would be like saying the sun didn¡¯t exist.


    ¡°Dammit¡­¡±


    Keeping his spear in his hand, Anthony jogged to Philip as the man stirred in the sand, sending more of the grains into the fathomless milky heavens.  Still, from what he knew of this place, so long as the fog didn¡¯t turn crimson, they were safe, and there was a real threat lurking nearby he didn¡¯t understand, but he couldn¡¯t deny it was unrelated to the paranoia he felt.


    He was in some kind of combative realm of madness, and his fevered, fragile psyche disturbingly connected the dots as fast as it could; a shapeless horror slumbered in the mist, and to be in it was to draw it near.


    With the visuals Jaenona gave him, they were at the edges of some kind of crimson sea, and a monster shifted in the void was attempting to stop him from leaving; he was already in the jaws of a nightmarish creature, and the thought of it using Amelia to compel him burned Anthony¡¯s blood.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Philip groaned, thin body quivering as his mind roused.  ¡°Ack¡­  Eh¡­  Anthony?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here.  Are you in pain¡ªMr. Park?¡±


    He shoved him away, stumbling back with wild eyes.  ¡°No!  No¡ªyou don¡¯t get it!¡±


    Giving him a bit of space, Anthony¡¯s focus followed his unsettled irises to the cheetah girl.  ¡°Nora¡­  She¡¯s¡­  We are not safe!  No one is safe, Anthony!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±  Holding up his hands, his gut tightened as the elder neared the mist and instantly recoiled as if burned.   ¡°You¡¯re going to have to¡ªstop!¡±


    Not needing to tell the man, Philip circled around to curl into a ball, tears running down his inflamed face and holding his hands over his ears.  ¡°I hear it¡­  It¡¯s just out of reach¡­  Claws sinking into my ears¡ªI can¡¯t follow¡ªI can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Philip!¡±  Anthony prompted, moving over to try and jolt him out of his shock.  ¡°You need to calm down if you¡¯re going to explain anything to me!¡±


    At his touch, the elder seemed to settle down.


    ¡°There¡­ are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!  Don¡¯t let go!¡±  Philip pleaded, latching onto his hand.  ¡°You¡ªI can¡¯t hear it when you¡ªI see¡­  It makes sense¡­¡±


    Waiting for him to regain his faculties, Anthony couldn¡¯t believe the disciplined and tranquil man he¡¯d been studying meditation under had become so skittish and terrified.  ¡°Take your time¡­¡±


    ¡°I just¡­  We don¡¯t have a lot of time¡ªyou don¡¯t know¡ªyou can¡¯t hear¡­  The concord of dualistic madness permeates Existence¡ªthe nightmare is already here¡ªevery life¡­ every stone¡­  Everything is in the tide¡­¡±


    ¡°Focus, Philip¡­  Help me understand so I can fight our way out.  Do you know how we get back?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ right¡­  I apologize,¡± he muttered, palm pressing against his sweat-slicked forehead.  ¡°It¡¯s just¡­  No!  No!  You can¡¯t go back!  Anthony, you don¡¯t get it!  Two forces are attempting to consume us¡­  No-hehe¡ªno, it¡¯s impossible¡­  Medium¡­  We need a medium¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. Park, you¡¯re not helping me grasp what¡ªmmgh¡ªremember, breathe¡­  Just breathe,¡± he urged as the elder gave him a quizzical look.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand after¡ªafter coming this far¡­  No, something is protecting you from the madness¡­  I feel it flowing into me¡­  It¡¯s taking everything I have to just¡­ to not give in to the tide¡­  They¡¯re all-consuming¡­ calling to me.¡±


    Recalling his spear, Anthony cupped his aged cheek to try and bring his quaking eyes to meet his glowing green irises.  ¡°Focus on me, Mr. Park¡ªI saw my dead fianc¨¦¡ªbut I know she wasn¡¯t real.  This isn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Gah!¡±  Philip cried, liquid once again leaking down his wrinkled, flushed cheeks, and a shock ran through Anthony¡¯s bones like electricity as he reached up to grasp his own face.  ¡°No!  No!  No!  You really don¡¯t understand!  They are real, Anthony¡­  They all are¡­  It¡¯s them, but¡­ but they¡¯re caged¡ªforced into the red sea!  That!¡±


    He directed his head to the obscure cliffs behind them and not the sea.  ¡°That¡­ that surrounds us all!  This mist we see¡ªthe Abyss sends it¡ªthe dream to guide us¡­  We¡¯re in the Outlands!¡±


    Anthony did his best to remain calm, using the basic breathing technique the Neidan Master in front of him had taught.  ¡°Outlands¡­ Jaenona said that, too.  What are the Outlands, Mr. Park?  How do we leave them?¡±


    ¡°Hah¡ªhahaha!  Leave?¡±  Philip cackled.  ¡°Anthony¡­ we¡¯re in the Outlands of the Red Sea¡­  We¡¯ve always been in it!  We can¡¯t escape¡ªRachel, Molly, my sons¡­  We¡¯re all trapped in the maw¡ªthe epicenter¡ªand now we¡¯re at the edge¡ªwe¡¯re at the edge, Anthony!¡±


    ¡°I just¡­  I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying?  What are we supposed to do if¡­  Are you saying Rachel is in danger?¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡±  Philip shook his head, making Anthony more concerned by the second as he pulled back a tad to claw at his head, ripping his skin before drawing blood from his lower lip.  ¡°Mmgm¡­  I need to return¡ªI can¡¯t last long here¡ªnot after he left.  Even with all I¡¯ve done to get here¡ªcarrying Nora, and¡ªand all I¡¯ve suffered¡­¡±


    ¡°How do I help, Mr. Park?  Tell me what I need to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Anthony, you must go the rest of the way!¡±


    ¡°To where?!  What am I supposed to do?¡±  Anthony yelled.  ¡°None of this makes sense!¡±


    ¡°Remember what The Herald instructed!¡±  Anthony stiffened at the name that left his throat; The Herald¡¯s chilling words, spoken by Nora returned.


    ¡°You wish to save this vessel, yet she teems with the resonance of the Mecroaf¡ªhumming seeps into your hollow mind, drawing you to the harrowing abyss to await her¡­


    ¡°Nora is the specter¡¯s scar, so pure¡ªa holy horror¡ªa glimpse of obscurity¡­  Are you strong enough to transcend the summoned guise?  Alas, what is courage to The Sinking Deep?¡±


    ¡°Uncover the keys to the unknown and unlock the veil¡­  Learn from the lost what awaits you in the dark, and entreat the forbidden Realm of Dreams¡­  Pay the cost of a soul¡¯s entry beyond the Wall of Sleep¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡­  What do I need to do to transcend?  I unlocked the veil to find Jaenona¡­  I followed the lost to get here, entreating the Realm of Dreams to reach these Outlands.  Why is Nora so important to these creatures¡ªwhy do I need to go beyond this Wall of Sleep?¡±


    Philip pointed at the red waves, drawing away while shaking his head with sobbing laughter.  ¡°You must go beyond¡ªI can¡¯t¡­  I can¡¯t survive any longer¡­  You are the only chance, Anthony¡ªyou must transcend The Wall of Sleep with Nora¡­  Enter the Sinking Deep¡ªescape the Red Sea¡­  Find the answers!¡±


    ¡°Philip, I don¡¯t¡ªPhilip!¡±


    Fear gripping his gut, he lurched forward to grab the elder¡¯s wrist as he scurried into the fog, laughing and crying for the veil to take him back to sanity; Anthony was too slow to catch his fanatical flight, fingers only meeting the mist, and Rachel¡¯s grandfather¡¯s voice faded away, leaving him stunned with the deafening sounds of the surf.


    * * *


    In the wake of Philip¡¯s flight, Anthony pulled back to the center of the sweeping vapor, where Nora laid; its white, abyssal sheen gradually tinted a salmon shade, bringing a sharp sense of danger to his chest as he beat down to check the girl¡¯s vitals.


    Blood pumped through her veins, skin cold and clammy due to her Slime-like physiology; the most irritating and gut-wrenching part about this entire situation was the total ambiguity of what he¡¯d been forced into.


    ¡°Dammit, Jaenona¡­  I know you¡¯re there.¡±


    Her charming, mournful voice caressed his mind.  ¡°I cannot continue to hold back the Red Sea from around you, Anthony¡­  I have drawn the notice of The Madness due to my injuries.  We do not have long.¡±


    ¡°I get that, dammit!  I just want a few answers before I go through with this¡ªand I get I don¡¯t have much of a choice¡ªare you forcing me to hurt Nora by taking her out of this¡­ Red Sea¡ªfog¡ªor whatever this stuff is?  What will these Mecroaf do to her?¡±


    The coloring fog closed around them as he picked the cheetah girl, her blonde and black spotted hair sliding against the sand to send a flurry into the veiled heavens; she was shockingly light, even compared to Rachel, in the brief time he had held the Lunar Hare on the night of their first kiss, and the memory gave him strength.


    ¡°The Mist is the call of the Sinking Deep that obscures your existence from the Red Sea and Specter¡¯s Scar¡­ that which all passes through, yet the path we are on is closing.  As to this entity, you call Nora¡­  She has the capability to change¡­ to go beyond that which is known to the foolish and enlightened¡­  To bypass the fleeting glimpse of Death.  My understanding ends there¡­¡±


    Of course it does, Anthony internally grumbled, goosebumps breaking out across his skin with the deepening crimson fog and rising tide.


    ¡°Will you promise me one thing if I do this, Jaenona?¡±


    Her voice became almost fragile, a tremor running through her being that transferred to him as he took one step into the liquid, and he understood her at that moment.  ¡°I will pledge myself to any cause that sees my purpose through.¡±


    Wading into the crimson ocean, he did the best to keep Nora¡¯s head above water while moving further and further away from the hidden horrors at his back, twitching in the fog, things unseen attempting to find him in their blindness.


    ¡°Always be on my side¡ªno matter what the Mecroaf says or what happens after this¡­  You will always do what is best for Nora and me.¡±


    Anthony could practically hear her thinking before she quietly responded, ¡°¡­With the Mecroaf as my witness, I give you my oath, I bind myself to you, in the pursuit of your interests, Anthony¡­¡±


    Drawing in air as the tide pulled him in, he wrapped his arms around Nora¡¯s chest and held her in a tight embrace, allowing the current to sweep him under.  His psyche faded, a rushing inner peace filling every corner of his being as they were carried through the Wall of Sleep.


    * * *


    Visions flitted through Anthony¡¯s wandering thoughts, the sway and madness below bringing him closer to the home Jaenona dreamed to return to¡ªMagthera awaited them¡ªthe place of twisting nightmares and divine aberrations.


    Time was nonexistent¡ªmeaningless¡ªa concept bending from front to start in One Eternal Round, not having beginning nor end, that which cycled as a crooked helix of untold madness, foretelling the secrets of the great abyss it encompassed.


    A sinking, boundless specter of death that enshrined the decaying and transforming phantom at its core; an esoteric aberration that intrigued and horrified.  Lunacy brought shapeless form to speak only truth to those with ears to hear and show visions to those with eyes to see¡ªthe Sinking Deep sang their neurotic choir¡ªthe Necrosis Below, beckoning all to the amoebic omen of the manic visage that was the Mecroaf.


    From days of old¡ªa time unsung in the Red Sea¡ªJaenona joined those voices, molding, decaying, morphing to reach and touch all that was¡ªto unify, or corrode¡ªto transform, and to the crazed blight that infected the purity of their cause.


    In Anthony''s subjective sense of beauty and disgust, various versions of the eldritch figure took terrifying and lulling forms.


    Flashes of monstrosities Jaenona had faced in her isolated existence bloomed in the maelstrom of the corrupting liquid, scarring her¡ªforcing her to expand in an ever-growing abnormal manner to survive¡ªand for an atypical entity such as her to be pushed to such limits spoke of the pervasive force that had been unleashed.


    The soft crash of waves gradually gained volume, bleeding into Anthony¡¯s fractured mind until the liquid sliding against his skin caused him to shiver¡ªabruptly turning to his side, water jetted out of his mouth as he hacked and sputtered.


    His vision going wild, light assaulted him with a rising and falling surf that met his gaze; ice flooded Anthony¡¯s veins as he saw nothing but water above him, gradually floating away¡ªan ocean filled the heavens¡ªand no matter where he looked, nothing but a crimson sea raged.


    Storms could be seen, roaring in various directions, and below him, a hurricane of clouds, pulling him in, casting a red sheen on everything as tornados and thick, aquamarine bolts split the atmosphere, causing eruptions of mist from the tidal waves¡ªthe world was upside down.


    Glancing around in a panic, all that met his ears were the cataclysmic forces, crashing against his psyche, and not too far away¡ªbarely visible through the hail of blood¡ªNora floated, now in her Slime state.


    Anthony¡¯s mind, heart, and time itself¡ªall that he knew¡ªhalted, two colossal, eldritch entities emerged from the storming clouds, taking over the parting heavens.


    Tens of thousands of stone-like limbs pulsated, each formed from sapphire and gold liquid, in rigid, time-lapsing manners as a vast slitted eye opened to bath him in shimmering light; its presence was titanic, and cyclones spun out of the ocean for it to effortlessly disperse them with its monstrous appendages.


    His brain was paralyzed, body frozen, and claws dug into every atom of his being; the other impending threat exited soon after on the other half of the tempestuous sky, an entity of crustacean-like tentacles, white lightning dancing around its writhing mass and countless eyes beaming lilac lights across the ruby clouds, it emerged to make its existence known.


    In the next instant, solid black tar¡ªJaenona¡ªflared out of the Red Sea; an effulgence of crimson hooks ripping away from the liquid, spraying silver liquid into the ocean as she encircled Nora and him.


    Anthony blinked for his surroundings to morph; they¡¯d been transported away.  The titanic pressures faded, and darkness filled his vision of the new, obscured sky, pillars of jagged wood jutted out of the dark clouds to the unusual earthy gray ground below.


    * * *


    Floating in the heavens, Anthony¡¯s focus drifted between odd entities that flowed through the air, blinking in and out of existence, changing shape and color with every spark, and the roots around the ground generated a bio-illumination that flashed and dimmed.


    In the next instant, he was sitting in gray dirt without warning, fingers digging into the gray soil; struggling to rise, he saw Nora nearby, still seemingly unconscious in her Slime body.


    Coughing and breathing in for the first time, he wondered if he even really needed to¡ªhe hadn¡¯t tried since entering the waters¡ªputting it in the back of his scattered brain, he stumbled over to her and picked the small blob up, finding it a little challenging to keep her in his arms.


    Anthony swallowed and removed his shirt to wrap her in it.  Okay, I¡¯m here, Jaenona¡­  Jaenona¡­  What should I do next?


    Rubbing his forehead as it began to rain emeralds from the sky, somehow turning into liquid on contact with his skin, he scanned the landscape of thick glowing roots until he saw the woman.


    ¡°Jaenona?!¡±  Trying to keep balanced while carrying Nora, he ran to the eldritch creature in human guise, kneeling beside her to examine her mangled body.  ¡°What¡­  How can you¡ªI don¡¯t know what I¡¯m supposed to do!  How can I make sense of this place¡ªhow do I help you?¡±


    A soft chuckle came from the woman, darkness no longer covering her figure, yet when there was a hole through her breast, ruptures across her partially intact stomach, and missing lower half, he wasn¡¯t concerned.


    One eye remaining, a fraction of Jaenona¡¯s face ripped away to show a network of weak, incandescent multicolored fibers, Anthony couldn¡¯t help tears coming to his eyes.


    He¡¯d felt a sliver of her anguish and solitude that extended beyond the measurement of time in the struggling pull of an endless wasteland; the desire to finally make it home, only for her to die once arrived, and The Herald¡¯s words reminded him there was a sacrifice required.


    ¡°Hmm-hmm¡­  I hear it,¡± she cried, her eye leaking silver liquid, a pained smile on her damaged lips, cracks cascading down her body as if porcelain.  ¡°I made it to Magthera to die¡­  Thank you, Anthony¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­  How am I supposed to navigate this place¡ªI don¡¯t know what¡­  Didn¡¯t you bind yourself to my interests?!  How is this in my interest?  You¡¯re the only thing that¡¯s given me answers in this damn nightmare!¡±


    ¡°I am sure the Herald will send another¡­  I have fulfilled my duty¡­¡±


    ¡°Screw that!¡±  Anthony yelled, desperate to have something familiar if he had to go through with this.  ¡°Tell me how I can save you¡ªyou¡¯re a damn eldritch entity!  Like hell you¡¯re going to die¡ªwhat even did this to you?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­  You are kind, Anthony,¡± Jaenona mumbled, unable to do much beyond that, and he noticed a crimson light running up her veins.  ¡°It is too late¡ªI have been tainted by The Madness and¡­ will be purged soon.¡±


    ¡°Tell me how!¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm¡­  What an obstinate creature you are.  Yet, as you order¡­  The only possible chance I have left of rebuilding myself is for you to take my eye and¡­ and if you are not pursued by the cleaners¡ªI may have a chance, but you should not concern yourself with something such as I.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s gut tightened as the ground trembled, and her last galaxy-like eye shimmered before rising into the air for him to take, the corruption swiftly overtaking her.  He carefully took the organ¡ªit felt more like stone than flesh¡ªbefore backing away in fear of the toxin destroying her; Anthony could do nothing but listen to Jaenona¡¯s last words.


    ¡°Oh, how I¡¯ve longed to feel the heat of Magthera against my spirit¡­  The Crimson Tide may have corrupted me, but not before I managed to hear the Song of the Abyss.  If I return¡­ I will not be the same, Anthony¡­ and I will need a host.  Farewell.¡±


    He retreated with Nora, swiftly climbing up one of the trunks as the soil rose up to create an oscillating, golden cocoon to surround the tortured eldritch entity, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.


    I leave some insane corrupting ocean to have my guide sacrifice herself for me to escape¡­  And now, I¡¯m back to square one.  Shit.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — Anthony’s Journey Pt. 2

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    PoV:


    1. Anthony (Our Abducted Boyfriend!)


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    The unnerving hum that resonated through Anthony made his stomach squeamish as he sat in the hailing emeralds, watching what he assumed was a ¡®cleaner¡¯ that had encompassed her dying body; every gem that turned to green liquid on contact with his skin bypassed his clothes without resistance as if he were naked¡ªand he might as well be in the alien environment.


    Even with his Legendkin resistances and aptitudes keeping him calm in the unsettling environment, he heard a somber melody just outside of perception¡ªhe knew it was there, like eyes in the darkness¡ªyet it came in more of a sixth sense than anything tangible.


    It made him want to scan for the source, but he resisted, keeping his attention on the pulsating golden cocoon that had surrounded his guide, and in the tantalizing silence, he pondered his next move.


    The veins pumping that ebbed and flowed on the outer casing darkened and brightened with his thoughts; surrounding, stone-like trees molting and spreading a light haze that settled over the gray soil.  Not soon after, more cleaners made their appearance, bubbling into existence as the emerald rain created a thin layer before melting.


    Pools of liquid green gravitated to one another to form into uneven spikes across the floor and down the trees; jellyfish-like golden entities sparked to life in the haze of pollen and gems, flitting in and out of existence.


    Environment ever-shifting, Anthony refused to breathe, seemingly immune to the effects of suffocation in whatever place he¡¯d entered; there was a method behind the madness¡ªhe knew by Jaenona¡¯s explanations¡ªand a purpose was hidden within that couldn¡¯t be grasped by a brain like his.


    So far as he was aware, everything he saw was simply a means for his fragile psyche to make sense of what happened around him; his faculties weren¡¯t attuned to this type of existence, and it was that which most concerned Anthony¡ªwhy he so desperately wanted his guide to remain¡ªhe was a guest here, and he wasn¡¯t meant to stay.


    Jaenona¡¯s stone-like eye held firmly in his left hand, Nora wrapped in his shirt on his lap, Anthony couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how bizarrely beautiful the chaotic scene was.  It reminded him a bit of the eldritch entity that had forced its way into his spirit.


    He didn¡¯t understand her initially, but now he felt pity for the creature¡ªshe could destroy universes without end¡ªyet that wasn¡¯t her desire.  She was beyond any concept of power he could imagine, moving through a nearly endless, tainted sea where one mistake could have cost her everything¡ªwhat a horrifying existence to live for so many ages.


    One lingering dream had kept Jaenona fighting¡ªsomething so grand it couldn¡¯t be put in song nor visual¡ªreturning home to the place she belonged.  Here, Magthera, a place so foreign in abstraction, this was the best Anthony¡¯s mind could conceptualize.


    Lilac and rose rays shimmered from overhead, changing the gems to black petals, falling in a gentle rhythm that left outlines of the various creatures invisible to his naked eye, gathering around Jaenona and the cleaners as if in some kind of funeral.


    It was strange; he couldn¡¯t perceive the emotional atmosphere that ran through the area like electricity, stone trees crumbling around them to turn into sapphire dust that settled on the ground.  He got the impression of a lost sister returning home and long distant memories shared of vast periods of time in mere moments between them.


    Sadness wasn¡¯t necessarily the thing he felt but a sense of purpose fulfilled¡ªbeautiful futility and fragility of the ebb and flow of life¡ªand the serenity of acceptance in it.


    Anthony couldn¡¯t quite connect with them, and ultimately, it was curiosity that lit in his breast, uncertain how to even proceed; entities far beyond his mental capacities lingered all around them, and for the first time, his gaze drifted away from the cocoon as Nora stirred in his lap.


    Unsurprised, Anthony moved the small Slime to his right side for Nora to take on her cheetah figure; hands clasped behind her back, neutral expression on the ever-changing cocoon below them, The Herald spoke through the girl he was supposed to have protected.


    ¡°Well done, Anthony¡­  You have transcended.¡±


    ¡°Humph¡­  What does that mean exactly?¡±  he mumbled, his focus returning to the funeral while bringing the hand holding Jaenona¡¯s eye into his lap; if he had to speak, breathing was a must, so he gave up that self-restriction.


    ¡°To move beyond one¡¯s own Existence and experience another in its entirety; Jaenona changed your course to be more than you were.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°You will affect Fate.  How that is to be, the choice is yours¡­¡±


    * * *


    Silence took Anthony in the wake of The Herald¡¯s declaration; he wasn¡¯t the type to freak out and act without thinking.


    The forces he was dealing with transcended anything he could possibly comprehend, and there wasn¡¯t a chance he could protect Nora from them, which meant he had to understand the game he was playing.  If he couldn¡¯t win by pushing against the pricks, he needed to learn what they wanted and shift things in a direction where all parties could be happy.


    Watching the cleaners and invisible eldritch entities hover around their dying and corrupted sister, Anthony drew in a long breath and let it out, only for orange flames to exit instead of air.  Not allowing himself to be distracted by it, he spoke the first question he needed answers to.


    ¡°Can Jaenona be revived¡­ or do I need to give this to the cleaners?¡±  he whispered, holding out her shimmering eye.


    The Herald¡¯s passive gaze drifted to his hand.  ¡°You would spend more time than is necessary here¡ªwhere every moment leaves a lasting imprint on your soul¡ªto see her resurrected?¡±


    ¡°Then it is possible?¡±


    ¡°Anything is possible, Anthony, but there is always a price for the things we seek, and you cannot choose the consequences.¡±


    The only thing filling Anthony¡¯s breast was the solemn nature of his circumstances; not a shred of amusement or anger but a determination to see Nora returned, among other duties he promised his girlfriend.


    ¡°What are my options?¡±


    ¡°In this¡­  Allow Jaenona¡¯s Intelligence to decompose and reconstitute, and take another guide that will lead you to the Edge of the Abyss¡­  Or give her a place in some piece of you to act as your attendant, as she has sworn.¡±


    ¡°How long?¡±  Anthony asked, staring at the cleaners shrink and disappear; the other entities soon vanished, golden liquid falling out of the sky to fill all that could be seen.


    The pools rose swiftly to overtake him, yet Anthony allowed it to wash over him; the only effect it had was to deliver a sweet taste to his tongue that spread throughout his body, and various plant life rose out of the now emerald soil to deliver dazzling rays of light across the fields of blooming pink flowers.


    ¡°Jaenona spent all she had on your journey out of the Red Sea¡­  She is a shell of her former self and requires another soul to bind with to reconstitute; if you wish to have her as your guide and for her to survive long enough to reach your destination, a symbiotic bond must be forged¡­ for as long as your spirit remains intact.¡±


    Breathing in the liquid, Anthony let it stream out in a swirl of tiny gray cyclones that fizzled away in the glistening water.  ¡°I would have someone I know will be on my side rather than taking the simple route of getting a new one I know nothing about¡­  What will be the consequences of me overstaying in your world by making that decision?¡±


    ¡°A mutation to your soul and Seed.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful.  Is that the best explanation I can get?¡±


    ¡°Not one entity with your unique soul essence has been changed by Magthera; circumstances being as they are, I can only say you will not progress as your Existence and Seed originally dictated.¡±


    ¡°What about Nora?¡±


    ¡°She is naturally attuned to Magthera by virtue of her adaptability, owing to those she consumed from a lower entity from our Existence.¡±


    ¡°Why do you need her?  Also¡­  Is Philip dead?¡±  Anthony asked, his gut knotting at the thought he didn¡¯t want to entertain.


    ¡°I am merely a spokesperson for the Mecroaf, listening to the shift in the dream and interpreting it to reality; to grasp such notions, you must communicate with them yourself.  As to the entity you call Philip, he will remember none of this, as is the fate for those that do not cross the Wall of Sleep.  Although, there will be lingering scars.¡±


    Not happy with that answer but knowing there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it, Anthony released a hissing breath.  ¡°What did Philip mean when he said we¡¯re in the maw or epicenter?¡±


    ¡°Your answers will come from the one you care for as you explain to her your journey.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­  So, Rachel will have the answers, or I can connect them with her?¡±


    ¡°Many truths will be unveiled upon reuniting.¡±


    ¡°Fine.  What do I need to do to revive Jaenona?¡±


    The Herald directed his attention to the ground.  ¡°Bury her last vestment in the soil of Magthera for her to bloom, and then you must choose how to form your union¡­  It could be your base spirit itself or a fragment, such as one of your weapons.¡±


    A bit more interested in this distinction, Anthony¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Would that¡­ also mean she is connected to my Seed?¡±


    ¡°Your spirit is connected to the Seed, so she will be added to that in any manner you select; it could be minor in the beginning, but Jaenona will grow regardless, and if you do not outpace her, you will be consumed, whether she wishes it or not.¡±


    ¡°Damn¡­  So, you¡¯re saying Jaenona will be a permanent part of my life that could be a cancer.  Humph, and I have no doubt she would kill herself, much like what she did in bringing me here if it ever got to that point¡­ and she said I was the stubborn one?¡±


    Eyebrows drawing together, she looked up at him with a deep frown.


    ¡°Fine.  I understand¡­  I only have one more question.  Does Nora have a choice in how this ends?¡±


    ¡°There is always a choice to be made when dealing with the Mecroaf¡­  Cause and effect; sacrifices and rewards.  Only those who can hear their voice are chosen, Anthony, and you are no exception; the Mecroaf called, and you answered.¡±


    ¡°We may have different views on what consent and answering are, Herald; this was not by my choice.¡±


    ¡°You may find you do not know yourself as well as you would like, Anthony¡­  This was a call accepted.  Understanding will come in time.¡±


    Nora gave a short start, blinking as her ears twitched and tail stiffened.  ¡°Eh¡ªwhat in the¡­  Anthony¡­  Where the hell are we?¡±  Her panicked hand went to her throat, glancing around the golden liquid she stood in.  ¡°I can¡ªbreathe underwater¡ªis this water?


    ¡°Wait¡­  That sound¡­¡±  She paused, loosening up and closing her eyes to focus on whatever she was hearing.  ¡°It¡¯s so¡­ somber and beautiful¡­¡±


    Anthony forced a chuckle, happy to have the girl actually conscious now, and if these creatures only spoke the truth, an unsettling pit pressed into his stomach at that implication.  ¡°Here, sit down, and I¡¯ll explain everything.¡±


    * * *


    World shifting and reconstituting as Anthony discussed the path that led them here, they were forced to move with the changing environment.  It would sound crazy had not both been through unbelievable circumstances over the past month, and being in this place of madness only strengthened the circumstances.


    After answering what questions he could, Anthony sat on the glass floor, reflecting horrific monstrosities shifting in the blazing sky above them, acting as if they didn¡¯t exist, much like ants or bacteria to humans.


    ¡°Insane¡­  Literally insane,¡± she mumbled, more intrigued than frightened by the eldritch entities.  ¡°Fiona would be freaking out right now, hehe!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kind of freaking out,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°So¡­  Do you think Mr. Park will be okay?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what The Herald meant by scars that will remain, but according to him¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this is all voluntary,¡± she whispered, spinning in a circle to look at things Anthony figured he probably couldn¡¯t see.  ¡°To be honest, yeah¡­  I had this thing come into my dreams and ask me if I wanted to save my sister in the future.  I guess this is a part of that.¡±


    Anthony hummed.  ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything like that, but my memories were locked at the start¡­  I don¡¯t know; it¡¯s all so confusing.  In any case, I would rather have someone like Jaenona help us than some new eldritch being I know nothing about.¡±


    Plopping down on a big spike, Nora¡¯s long tail weaved back and forth.  ¡°What if she lied to you about her past and everything?¡±


    He shook his head.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.  So far as I¡¯m concerned, that¡¯s a waste of thought because I can¡¯t doubt it¡ªliterally, I know it as much as I know I¡¯m lifting my arm right now¡ªnothing will come of trying to question something that deep¡­  I trust her.¡±


    A half-smile lifted Nora¡¯s lips, and Anthony couldn¡¯t believe how nonchalant the girl could be about everything, but then again, considering her own Seed and change had adapted her to this type of reality had to play an effect.


    ¡°Okay, riddle me this¡ªyou¡¯re dating Rachel, right?¡±


    Anthony could instantly see where this was going and shut it down.  ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying!¡±  She snickered.  ¡°I don¡¯t know Rachel that well, but I know if my boyfriend had some eldritch honey embracing my man¡¯s spirit, heh, I¡¯d be a bit jealous.  You feel like she¡¯s as much a part of you as your own arm, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Nora¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha!  I¡¯m just trying to have a bit of fun in all of this madness; I don¡¯t know, the sounds of this place just make me happy¡ªit¡¯s hard to explain¡ªlike I¡¯ve found a place I kind of belong after feeling so lonely the last few years.¡±


    Anthony looked down at the eye in his hand, a rueful smile forming.  ¡°Rachel is pretty logical and practical¡ªa bit of a realist, I suppose¡­  I think she¡¯ll understand, even if she¡¯ll most definitely be uncomfortable with the circumstance itself.  I know I¡¯d be.¡±


    Deciding he didn¡¯t need to let this place leave any more of an imprint as it otherwise might have, he scooped out a chunk of the floral-laced amber grass to bury Jaenona¡¯s eye inside and covered it.


    ¡°Now¡­ we wait.¡±


    ¡°Aww¡­  Hmm.  I¡¯m getting a little hungry,¡± Nora mumbled, making Anthony¡¯s focus snap to the Slime; Rachel had warned him about her manic and uncontrollable feeding frenzy.


    ¡°It¡¯s so weird,¡± she mused, a ravenous gaze wandering as if searching for pigs to slaughter.  ¡°I¡¯m not really consuming more¡­  It¡¯s more like my stomach keeps growing as we¡¯ve talked.  Maybe, hehe, I¡¯m leveling up a lot just by being here or something, but¡­ my Satiation value seems to be dropping rather fast now.¡±


    Anthony slowly got to his feet, seeing the look in her feline eyes like a cat on the hunt.  ¡°Would this place turn on us if you start eating things?  I can¡¯t even see what you¡¯re looking at.¡±


    ¡°So much little stuff¡­  I think we¡¯re in a weaker area,¡± she hummed, more saying things on instinct than knowledge, Anthony assumed.  ¡°Everything is alive around us¡ªgrowing, molding¡­  It¡¯s all so¡­ fascinating.  Haha!  I think I do need to eat¡ªsorry, Anthony, but I don¡¯t want to try to eat you!¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    * * *


    Anthony¡¯s lips tightened as Nora turned into her Slime form, transparent color dyeing black as she began to expand around the stones and plants of the field they were in, growing by the second.


    Luckily, she moved away from him, finding hidden prey like she was born in this environment, and as she grew, shining red beads formed in her black body, white streaks occasionally flaring into life and fading.


    Anthony couldn¡¯t do anything but wait, and eventually, he saw a small bud¡ªa new flower¡ªthat remained when the plain began to rise into a mountainous terrain filled with topaz light and crystals.


    Nora was growing to the size of a twelve-story building in the distance by the time the flower reached Anthony¡¯s full height, and it bloomed to reveal a sleeping snow white-haired child with elf ears that couldn¡¯t be older than five.


    Utterly shocked at the change from the woman he¡¯d known previously, he had not expected her to be this different when she had warned him.


    A black rose was placed into a bow on either side of her hair, keeping her long locks back and wearing a cute white blouse and skirt that fit her perfectly; Anthony didn¡¯t know how to react¡ªhis mature, eldritch guide had turned into a little girl.


    ¡°Aww, she¡¯s adorable!¡±  Nora cried, Anthony not even noticing when she¡¯d moved the hundreds of meters between them to sneak up behind him.  ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me Jaenona was this deadly cute!  Look at these,¡± she gasped, looking up at him with a small, knowing smirk, ¡°no¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  he asked defensively after the teen had fallen to her knees, nightgown creasing under her legs while looking between them.  ¡°She wasn¡¯t like this!¡±


    ¡°No, but I think she¡¯s connecting to your psyche to take on this form, hehe¡ªRachel has white hair, so¡­  Thinking about kids?¡±


    Only in the context if Rachel and I can even have them¡ªof course, I would be curious, but I¡¯m not going to tell you that!


    ¡°I¡­ am not going to dignify that with an¡ª¡±  he cut off as her resting expression furrowed in pain, curling tighter into a ball.


    ¡°Oh, no!¡±  Nora cried out, hands not knowing what to do.  ¡°Her face is turning red, Anthony¡ªshe¡¯s having a hard time breathing¡­¡±


    ¡°I can see that,¡± he returned, summoning his red spear¡ªthe strongest weapon he owned¡ªand knelt beside her.  ¡°I have to let her bond with me, or she¡¯ll just die again, but how¡ªjust put the spear to her¡­¡±


    ¡°Do something¡ªoh, it worked!  Yes!  Victory!¡±  Nora cheered, mirroring her elder sister more than Anthony thought she realized.


    Unlike the black tar she¡¯d taken on before, this time, black rose petals flowed around his weapon before the crimson shade turned obsidian and alabaster; the second the shaft touched Jaenona¡¯s body, her struggles ceased, and Anthony glanced down at his hand as he felt small hands close around his for only a moment.


    Jaenona?


    ¡°Anthony, she¡¯s waking up!¡±


    Big galaxy-like eyes peeking open, Jaenona blinked, cosmic gaze lifting to give him a smile much older than her appearance suggested.  ¡°I told you I would not be the same¡­  Mmh¡­  My mind is hazy¡­¡±


    ¡°Jaenona!¡±  Nora cried as she fainted.  ¡°Anthony¡­¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯ll be fine,¡± he said with a sad chuckle.  ¡°We just need to wait for her to recover.  How are you now?¡±


    ¡°Totally full!  Oh, but I love her outfit¡ªwho knew you had a fashion sense?!¡±  she laughed, slapping his arm.  ¡°She¡¯s a doll!¡±


    ¡°Eh-hehe¡­  A growing, eldritch doll.¡±


    ¡°Yes!  I want!  Oh, but I¡¯ll settle with spending time with Jaenona, too¡ªlook at her face¡ªI don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen a cuter little girl; it¡¯s like she came straight out of an anime!¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    I go into an eldritch dimension with a tar-like entity that takes on the appearance of a woman, and now I¡¯m going to leave with a little girl¡­  No, maybe Jaenona taking on this form is even more insidious and terrifying than anything else¡­  Luring her prey in.


    A lump formed in Anthony¡¯s throat as he glanced down at the snow-white-haired child; if she were weak and needed to rebuild her strength, there wasn¡¯t a more deceptive form she could have taken to drop people¡¯s guard.


    AuthorSME


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 B4 — Anthony’s Journey Pt. 3 – End

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    Author''s Note:  Well, Crew, we''ve reached the conclusion of Volume 4.  What a volume Cuba was!  Now, we''ll see about Volume 5 on Wednesday!  Cheers!


    PoV:


    1. Anthony (Our Abducted Boyfriend!)


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    DarkS_22, Shannon Livingston, Kriden, Sicarian, C. Beck Harbinson, N, Johnnyboy 117, Aron34, and my other Patrons!


    Anthony sat on the ground, soft earth somehow receding into hard, sapphire stone that flecked like black granite; the sky hazed, darkening with a somber mist that swirled in gentle patterns as he waited, but Nora shivered, ears pulling back while studying the changing phenomena.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you feel it?¡±  the girl whispered, hugging her shoulders as Anthony followed her gaze to a sky; deep ruby rocks fractured to float into the heavens, radiant white plants birthing out of the rising boulders.  ¡°Everything¡¯s fleeing¡­¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­  All I sense in this place is uneasiness and confusion¡ª¡±  he cut himself off as the world¡¯s colors saturated before fading.


    A humming rumble quivered in his breast; clarity in the rhythm of madness drifted into his being as he glanced at Jaenona, resting peacefully¡ªshe was helping him peel back the layers of this ever-changing reality.


    The ominous feeling of something Jaenona respected took place in Anthony, and a thin, neon-green halo flared into existence to announce the presence of a humanoid monstrosity that filled the horizon.


    A skeletal ribcage bled through space, flaring tentacles weaving in the still firmament, flowing down to take the place of legs; its thin arms were as long as its body, two insect-like wings draping down its back like a cloak.


    Skin somehow a shade between gray bark and tissue, Anthony couldn¡¯t help but fixate on its disturbingly long hands and nails before watching the emerald light at its core brighten for a single thin eye of the same color to illuminate its hollow head.


    ¡°Do you see that?¡±  Nora mumbled, unable to step back as a crescent moon grew from the eldritch entity¡¯s neck.  ¡°It¡­ doesn¡¯t feel threatening, but¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I get it,¡± Anthony returned, trying to calm his thumping heart; it was overwhelming.  ¡°Are you here for Jaenona?¡±


    He jumped as a soft hum came to his right, and a handsome man with shoulder-length black hair was now kneeling beside the little eldritch girl¡ªan illusion the unimaginable entity had created¡ªand his semi-impassioned face showed a slight degree of judgment.


    ¡°What a state you have assumed, Sister¡­¡±


    Anthony cleared his throat, trying to pull his eyes away from the titanic being to focus on the man.  ¡°You¡¯re¡­ related to her?¡±


    ¡°Oh!  Hehe, you¡¯re her brother, huh?¡±  Nora asked, trying to put on a forced smile and not shake.  ¡°Coming to see if¡ªif she¡¯s okay?¡±


    His tone was as chilling as his presence.  ¡°We were born from the Sinking Deep as one, yet¡­ she has been scarred and disfigured beyond recognition.  Hmm¡­¡±


    Not knowing what to say in return, they watched him reach out to slide his gloved fingers across her face, tightening the sleeping girl¡¯s expression, and a resonance rippled through Anthony¡¯s core.


    ¡°I will do what I can to bring her back to the point of renewal¡­  In her current state, Jaenona will suffer significantly in shedding¡­ what you might call scar tissue.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice¡­¡±  Nora mumbled, hiding her trembling hands behind her back.  ¡°You must have been worried about her.¡±


    ¡°I believed her extinguished,¡± he replied, reaching down to lift her in his arms, and Anthony experienced the cold ice of this entity¡¯s disturbing touch flowing into him as this strange entity touched their sister.  ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Not having any other option, they looked at each other and did as instructed; there was a purpose for them here, and as much as Anthony wanted to reject this and return, he did find himself concerned by what Rachel¡¯s grandfather had said.


    Madness from the forces they were caught between or not, he needed answers, and he instinctively knew it could only come from this Outsider.


    * * *


    Minutes passed¡ªthen again, perhaps it was decades¡ªthe scenery grew, decayed, receded, and emerged.  What Anthony guessed was Jaenona¡¯s twin escorted them through the twisting madness of a place beyond concept or shape, and Nora confirmed what she saw was entirely different than his own senses.


    They walked in a world of dreams and nightmares brought shape, but he was anything but in control.


    Creatures of colossal scale and terror flowed around them, and given any circumstance of this being on earth, Anthony would have considered all life meaningless before their presence, yet it had a different sensation within this sphere.


    Humanity wasn¡¯t a thing in Magthera¡ªit was only the ebb and flow¡ªan ecosystem utterly foreign to him, and after what seemed a short time, Anthony cleared his throat, looking down at his alabaster and obsidian spear.


    ¡°Can you¡­ tell me more about Jaenona and yourself?¡±


    The entity turned its head, crimson-slitted irises as unnerving as they had been at the start.  ¡°You could not grasp her nature had you eternity in this Existence¡­ as you are, that is¡­  Jaenona has been significantly affected by this bond, and now it is I who does not understand my sister.


    ¡°As to my identity, I am Skra¡¯ner Ysgthelra She¡¯agrht, Chain of the Beyond.¡±


    Nora opened her mouth and then closed it, pondering how best to phrase her thoughts.  ¡°Uh¡­  Cool, eh, can I call you Skra¡¯ner?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you desire.¡±


    ¡°Mmh.  Okay.  Ysgthelra sounds better.  So¡­  Wasn¡¯t her most precious desire to return here, right?  She must have really loved it¡­ her home¡ªa place she belonged.¡±


    Anthony looked back on their conversations, seeing the titanic entity¡¯s true body to their far left as the sweeping white fog pulled away to reveal Ysgthelra¡¯s shimmering emerald eye.  ¡°She talked about a Crimson Tide¡­  The Red Sea and its corruption.¡±


    Silence ensued as they continued to walk, and without an answer, he stopped and turned to give Jaenona to Anthony, his touch receding.  ¡°You are a spark in an existence of flames¡­  Innocence and ill-begotten trust¡­ the Dark Sun rattles his chains; a design long tainted.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡±  Nora mumbled, looking to him for answers, not like he had any.


    Taking the small child, he frowned while looking at her resting expression; Anthony hadn¡¯t noticed it at first, but there was a purity now with the girl that didn¡¯t reflect how he¡¯d felt until now.  ¡°She¡¯s healed?¡±


    Instead of responding, the disguised entity directed them to his titanic visage, materializing through a sea of shimmering lights; Ysgthelra¡¯s long fingers slowly raked the sky, black lightning and pink rays ricocheting off unseen objects to cause fissures to split everything around them.


    ¡°The way is open¡­  Though it is the last I will see of my sister, she has made her choice, and you, yours.¡±


    Eyes widening as a sheen of glass split between them, he saw his reflection through it.  ¡°You can¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Anthony¡­  Why do you look like that?¡±  Nora whispered.


    The entity¡¯s voice echoed in their minds, a sharp wind rushing around them with the scent of the sea, yet snow fell around them.  ¡°No longer the Legend of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne¡­  You now sing with the Sinking Deep, Eldritch of Dre¡¯jna Jaenona Le¡¯thrga¡­ The Whisper of Oblivion¡­¡±


    Dressed in a black and white that both had the appearance of metal, leather, and cloth, his features had somewhat changed to show a radiant sun, his green irises now a flaming orange, and his base hair black were inflamed with copper to auburn highlights.


    A curious harmony came from seeing his new human features awed him, yet at the same time, he felt that he should be alarmed and terrified with what it hid; behind him was Anthony¡¯s true form¡ªa colossal eldritch entity of Magthera¡ªhe stood in the background, and similar to Jaenona¡¯s twin, Anthony had his own halo of flames that cast a bone-chilling scene.


    A peace unlike anything he¡¯d heard resonated throughout the Existence he occupied, and in his infant state, he couldn¡¯t hope to grasp it; The Herald¡¯s words hummed in his ear, bringing clarity:  ¡°Are you strong enough to transcend the summoned guise?  Alas, what is courage to The Sinking Deep?¡±


    His purpose was to protect the things he cared most for, and subconsciously, that desire had drawn him onto this path; Anthony had traveled a blind road to find the way forward.  He was no less himself than when The Oscillation had changed him; in the reverse, the Sinking Deep had remodeled his Seed, and this was the Herald¡¯s meaning in his decision to save Jaenona.


    No longer did he feel the uncomfortable allure of this holy Existence, and it was liberating to feed into the madness.  The unity and melody of the choirs were sublime, and with the Seed as his medium, Jaenona and he could coexist.


    She was him, and he was her; the eldritch woman would help him with all that she was as she had promised.  To become the man he sought to be, Jaenona had given him all that was hers¡ªto the point of infusing her very existence into the Seed¡ªand committing to it without a second thought to feel this aberrant divinity of her home one last time.


    * * *


    Peace came over Anthony, vision drifting to his armored, flexing fingers; a question bubbled out of his throat, almost curious as to its proposal.  ¡°Nora¡­  Do you wish to save your sister?¡±


    ¡°What?  What about Fiona¡ªis she in danger?!¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm¡­  It may sound insane, but we all are¡­  All of our Existence.  Nothing is as it seems.¡±


    Ysgthelra faded into The Dream, melding to the choir around them, and the glass that showed what Anthony would become, was, and had been, shattered to reveal an abyss of endless darkness¡ªthe Song of the Deep.


    Nora studied him with a slight frown.  ¡°You know, honestly¡ªyeah, heh, all of this is pretty insane¡ªbut, uh, I haven¡¯t had this¡­ this feeling in my chest for all of my life, and¡ªI don¡¯t know, it feels right.  So¡­ Fiona is in danger?¡±


    Anthony shifted Jaenona in his arms as she stirred, waking up after the restoration her twin had done that had helped to unify them, manipulating the Seed itself in ways unknown to Gods and Deities alike.


    ¡°We won¡¯t remember all of this, Nora¡­  We can¡¯t; it will be a dream we cannot deny, yet changes will be made to our Seeds that could be done nowhere else.  Hmm-hmm.  What do you think Rachel will think of how I look now?¡±


    She grinned, giving him a thumbs up.  ¡°Eh, heh, I don¡¯t know about the whole titanic eldritch look I saw in that mirror, but personally, I think you¡¯re hotter now than you were before, so¡­ I think she¡¯ll faint!¡±


    ¡°Really?  Haha!  Well, I can hope for that to be a positive reaction and not horror.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­  Eh, if you¡¯re some over 100-meter tall creature¡­ probably the latter.  Hehe.¡±


    Jaenona¡¯s big, galaxy-like irises opened, and a half-smile lifted the corner of her lips as he set her on her feet; for a five-year-old, her way of speaking would undoubtedly cause people to take a second look.  ¡°It seems things have moved in a rather intensified direction, Anthony.  I have received direction from The Herald.¡±


    Nora breathed in before hissing out a stream of air.  ¡°What¡¯s the deal?  Am I gonna become something like Anthony because, eh¡­ heh-heh, I¡¯m not looking forward to being undateable.¡±


    ¡°Ouch!  Tell me how you really feel.  Haha!¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªI mean, I¡¯d have second thoughts about my boyfriend if I looked in a mirror and saw he was actually some eldritch thing.¡±


    ¡°Not even seen as human anymore, huh?¡±  Anthony teased, giving her a lifted eyebrow.


    ¡°Too harsh?  Mmh, probably, but I mean, you got a sweet bodysuit!  Eh, if that is what it is?¡±


    They smiled at Jaenona as the girl giggled, small body quivering at the action.  ¡°I do find this style of banter amusing in ways I would have not in my previous incarnation.  As to your concerns, you will not appear as the form you take in Magthera, yet when you do channel the totality of that which you are, mmh, as is said¡­ the veil lifts.¡±


    She turned to the thoughtful Slime.  ¡°Nora, are you prepared to meet the Mecroaf¡­ Sagdrag¡¯misdra, Bringer of the Mist?¡±


    ¡°Mmmh¡­  I suppose it¡¯s why we¡¯ve come.  Right?  There are a lot of Mecroaf¡ªdifferent ones?¡±


    ¡°I neither know of one nor many¡­ all is one¡­ one is none¡­¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±  An impish smile bloomed on Nora¡¯s cheeks as she nudged Anthony.  ¡°Oh, what do you think your kids would look like now, huh?  Hehehe!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­  Questions for another time, and not something I¡¯d like to bring up to Rachel at the moment¡­ or until I have to, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Understandable, but I¡¯m just saying!  So, do we just jump in, Jaenona?¡±


    Jaenona stepped to the edge of the abyss, cascading light still throwing fissures across the landscape to fall into the emptiness; she turned around, smiled with her hands behind her back, and leaned back.  ¡°We listen and invite¡ªinto the mist we are carried¡­¡±


    Looking at each other, they chuckled and fell after the little eldritch girl, consciousness blinking in and out as they entered the void.  Mist engulfed them¡ªthey were surrounded, inside, around, and through an endless expanse¡ªunlike anything he¡¯d ever dreamed possible.


    * * *


    Blinded by a fog that was less mist and more a veil of indescribable energies that permeated every aspect of space, mind, and spirit, Anthony floated, Jaenona holding his hand, and for once, they were totally equal¡ªa wave of serenity that both were of so small to whatever brushed against their united being.


    A heavenly cadence of falling snow touched him like his mother when he was young, a time he¡¯d long buried in his infancy that was pulled back to grace his skin.  ¡°Anthony, Jaenona¡­  I have volunteered to bring you to a state of awakening¡­  Into the madness, you descend.¡±


    Ten thousand eyes opened inside to give Anthony sight to see a flash of events, more than experience¡ªa written reality within their very soul¡ªand truth was laid bare; voices filled the void, choirs singing the lullaby of chaos.


    A war unlike any, a decay spreading throughout eternities¡ªFate and Destiny above all¡ªan innocent girl seeking answers, brought to the edge of an endless abyss to fall into the void.  Lost and without hope, she journeyed into the depths of madness to be lulled to the Hollowed Sun, crossed through the Rift of Ethereal Gift in the Song¡¯s Blindness to meet The Chained¡­ The Black Star.


    Eons of events flashed by, Anthony unable to keep up in even this state, timeless, yet the spark had been laid by these unhallowed entities, and Existence shattered within this sweet girl¡¯s hands, awakening forces she could not comprehend¡ªthe Red Sea was unleashed.


    Anthony blinked, awakening eyes closing to find the ceiling he¡¯d seen what seemed ages ago, and pushing himself up, he found a waking little white-haired girl beside him¡ªit hadn¡¯t been simply a dream.


    The last thing he remembered seeing was Nora, and it was firmly fixed in his muddled mind; radiant long snow-white hair, braided and adorned in symbols of power that represented her dominion, yet her figure was utterly black, devoid of all.


    Thumping could be heard down the hall before the Korean sliding door to his room was thrown open, Nora¡¯s cheetah eyes falling on him.  ¡°Anthony!  Anthony, I¡ªI¡­  Put a shirt on!¡±  she growled¡ªliterally, like a cat¡ªand turned her back to lean against the door.  ¡°Geez¡ªpeople will get the wrong idea if they see you¡­¡±


    ¡°Nora?¡±  Jessy called out, running after her.  ¡°Why¡¯d you¡ªjust run away squealing like¡­ Eh¡­  Eh?!  Anthony¡ªwhy do you have¡ªthere¡¯s a little girl!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Jess!¡±  Nora jumped in, trying to block her sight as Jaenona giggled and Anthony groaned, leaning over to grab his discarded shirt.  ¡°It¡¯s not what it looks like!¡±


    ¡°I¡ªthat you have to say that is¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugrm¡­  What are you guys yelling about?¡±  Mason yawned, his large bear-like frame stretching out as he pushed himself up.  ¡°Some people like¡­  Hmm¡­  Hmm¡­¡±  He blinked, dull vision drifting between Anthony, Jaenona, and the two girls¡¯ bright red faces.  ¡°I¡¯m still dreaming, aren¡¯t I?  Humph¡­  Weird.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s chest shook with silent laughter as he pulled the blanket back over his head, and in a strange, pulse-like way, he could feel the spiritual presence of Rachel¡¯s grandfather as he walked down the stairs to meet them.


    ¡°Mmgh¡­  I see I was not the only one to have had¡­ horrific nightmares.  Were these some form of attack, Anthony?  Would you mind¡­¡±


    ¡°G-Gramps!¡±  Jessy called out.  ¡°Anthony has a little girl in his room?  Did¡ªyou didn¡¯t kidnap her¡ªdid you kidnap¡ªGramps, your head?!¡±


    Sinking into the seat as Jaenona walked over to take Jessy¡¯s confused hand, the little eldritch girl smiled up at her.  ¡°Hello, my name is Jaenona, and I am bonded with Anthony.  I hope we can get along.  Jessy, is it?¡±


    ¡°B-Bonded?¡±


    ¡°Jaenona¡­¡±  Anthony groaned, rubbing his head and trying to clear his fragmented mind; the path he¡¯d been on was insane yet written into the fiber of his bones.  ¡°People will get the wrong idea if you say it like that¡­  Why don¡¯t you all come in so we can talk about this¡­  We have a lot to talk about.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay?¡±  Jessy stammered, allowing Jaenona to draw her into the room with Nora, eyes still spinning with her own experience.  ¡°Not a kidnapper?¡±


    ¡°Not a kidnapper; she¡¯s actually an Eldritch Entity¡ªbelieve it or not.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm¡­¡±  Mason mumbled, his grandfather hovering in the doorway as he studied the situation.  ¡°I¡­ really don¡¯t know if this is just a dream, but¡­ I thought the same about The Oscillation.  Damn, well¡­ lay it on us, Anthony.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s eyes narrowed while seeing the fingernail damage done to Philip¡¯s head, self-inflicted and still wet with the blood dyeing his gray hair, yet he was totally focused on him for answers¡ªhe had a lot of explaining to do.


    Preparing for a long day attempting to figure everything out, Anthony suddenly realized something, summoning his black and white spear to see the unusual designs he¡¯d had on his eldrich form.  Naturally, the others eyed him cautiously at the action, and after a second, he sighed, releasing it.


    My Abilities, Stats¡­  I have a new State, I suppose¡­  They¡¯ve all changed.


    Jaenona¡¯s soft, cheery voice whispered into his mind as the snow-white-haired girl turned to smile at him.  ¡°I can help you, Anthony¡­  Your previous Legend Quests are still active, giving us a place to expand and grow.¡±


    Hehe.  Wow¡­  So much has changed.  I wonder what Rachel will think¡ªeh-heh, what she might surprise me with herself!


    The eldritch creature gave him a secretive look and giggle, turning to give Nora and Jessy her attention as the cheetah girl happily introduced her to the nervous teen.


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 0. Hand Behind The Curtain

    AuthorSME


    Author''s Note:  Here we go; big reveal to kick off Volume 5!  I''ve been mulling this chapter around all week in my head, and I''m unsure if it should be at the start of this novel or at the end of last.  Give me your opinion in the comments!


    PoV:


    1. Wolfgang (Our Legend of the Angel of Death!)


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    The roar of thunder and pounding rain outside flashed with lightning, an image of Wolfgang¡¯s shadow imprinting against the fashionable marble walls of the Caracas capitol building in Venezuela as he walked through its hallways.


    With a low hum in his voice and hands clasped behind his back, the Legend of the Angel of Death smiled as he paused in front of the glass window; water trailed down the panel, the trees below bending with the lingering effects of the passing hurricane, gradually dying down over the past few hours.


    He¡¯d remained in Cuba long enough to feel the trigger of his Soul Stone and Rachel¡¯s triumphant return from the predicted battle against the outerversal entity known as Revilla; the entire exchange had been most educational due to the foreknowledge he¡¯d been granted.


    Wolfgang¡¯s calculating, light-blue irises lingered on the sections of the road below that showed signs of damage, and much of the once lustrous city was now in a state of repair.


    Everything had proceeded as he¡¯d been told, yet going through the process himself provided a means of molding further progress that could be made.  Naturally, he didn¡¯t agree with everything he¡¯d been a part of, but that was the cost of evolution and advancement¡ªgrowth always came at a cost¡ªscience demanded trial and error.


    His studious gaze drifted over the city, still hunkering down from the internal conflicts that had shaken the democratic socialist structure to its core; the previous leadership and the majority special interest groups that had overseen its previous administration were more or less crushed in the end.


    Venezuela¡¯s democratic socialist structure had been soundly crushed by the totalitarian regime of Legendkin and Mythickin currently holding all power in the country; from what he¡¯d been told, it wasn¡¯t really much of a fight, considering the conditions the lower-class citizens were under that rallied behind the various totalitarian revolutionaries.


    Now, the three leading factions had come to an arrangement because of a single individual at the center of their rather diverse group of influencers.  Mind drifting back to the start of his journey, Wolfgang waited for the nucleus of their little cell to meet him.


    Three days after The Oscillation, he¡¯d been approached by a woman that offered such a groundbreaking proposition, he had no choice but to accept.  In the wake of that decision, he¡¯d accomplished much in Cuba¡¯s collapse, and everything had more or less gone according to plan, yet the results were somewhat lackluster compared to his predictions, as he¡¯d been warned.


    Progress requires sacrifices, and the experiment certainly yielded results¡­  Tweaking is required.  Breakthroughs never come without risk, conflict, and naysayers, seeking to stifle progress due to their subjective bias on morality.  What a fascinating time to be alive.


    A familiar female voice tickled his ears from down the previously empty hallway, drawing his attention.  ¡°Hmm-hmm.  You performed your task flawlessly, Wolfgang¡­ as I expected.  How was your flight?¡±


    Features becoming unreadable, Wolfgang took a step to the side to survey the crimson-cloaked figure several meters away; this was the creature who had orchestrated Cuba¡¯s collapse like a conductor directing a symphony of sound.


    Unable to perceive her features from behind the cloak, Wolfgang let his mind play around the information he¡¯d received from his time in the collapsing country, yet he knew what her cowl hid.  ¡°A rather turbulent trip, given the weather, yet the pilot you utilized was marvelous, hehe, and someone from my homeland¡­ The Black Devil.¡±


    ¡°He is a rather interesting fellow,¡± she mused, moving to stand beside him, and Wolfgang¡¯s focus returned to the recovering city outside.  ¡°Did you find your answers?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­  You were correct in the diagnosis regarding the Seeds; they are not all the same, and while the process of extending their potential to humanity will certainly give rise to an evolutionary advancement not seen since the divergence of our mental faculties from that of the common animal¡­ it will not exceed the Divine, as you call it.¡±


    His vision drifted to the small girl¡¯s face as she pulled back her hood, revealing silky black locks, pointed ears, and fangs; Twilight¡¯s illuminated crimson irises shifted to him, reflecting the same face as the girl he¡¯d met in Cuba, of which Wolfgang knew was no coincidence.


    So far as he could tell, Relica¡¯s Seed had been infected by coming into contact with the entity who had manipulated her into gathering this very council surrounding Twilight¡ªshe¡¯d been Twilight¡¯s plant from the beginning¡ªit wasn¡¯t as if this was Scarlet herself, but the artificial body the splintered entity was able to take in her fragile state.


    In the end, the Sorceress could not be trusted, which led to her memories being wiped, seeing as she would side with Revilla out of self-preservation.


    This being was neither Goddess, Divine, nor Hell Lord, but something else entirely; in fact, she hated them so far as he could tell.  As could be expected, she wasn¡¯t above working with those who espoused their gods, yet something enticing about her drew the most unlikely of people together.


    ¡°There are ways to uplift humanity to such heights, Wolfgang, and naturally, given the proper nutrients, these Seeds can break into that sphere, which is why we can exploit these Gateways.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­  The policies you¡¯ve been advocating for to give these forming Guilds more leniency to act without oversight,¡± Wolfgang nodded.  ¡°My experiment to bring humanity beyond imagination may have been too¡­ rushed, I suppose.  It will give the majority a means to compete with those naturally granted these Seeds.¡±


    The twist of Twilight¡¯s lips told him she didn¡¯t entirely agree, her bright eyes wandering to the end of the hallway as he felt the elevator come to a stop, a powerful spiritual presence within.


    ¡°Just as in any evolutionary process, nothing is fair, Wolfgang, and it never will be; no genetic imprint¡ªbe it spirit, Intelligence, nor physical¡ªis the same, and as not every person can become a bodybuilder, just because someone has a Seed or muscle, it doesn¡¯t mean they can exercise it to the same degree.¡±


    Wolfgang nodded, understanding the comparison.  ¡°Yes, well, I am satisfied that they have the option to exercise it nonetheless, which has brought humanity one step closer to the Divine¡­  Speaking of which¡­¡±


    Predicting how this scenario would turn out, Wolfgang kept his posture lax, light-blue irises shifting to the beautiful woman in a light-blue dress; her braided, shimmering golden hair that fell to her rear swayed with her swift movements.  ¡°Jeanne.  How did you manage to slip¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wolfgang¡­¡±  Her closed fist met his jaw, dislocating it as his feet left the floor, shoulder striking the wall as he slid across the smooth marble floor.


    ¡°Bastard,¡± she growled, Twilight stepping off the side with a small smile as the Legend turned her sights on the red-robed girl.  ¡°I was not told you would not only open a gate to Hell itself but murder millions!¡±


    Twilight held up a hand, voice still calm as the woman¡¯s spear-like flag appeared.  ¡°You are understandably angry, Jeanne, and I will explain this decision to you personally when we are able.¡±


    ¡°Explain what?¡±  she challenged, glowing blue irises filled with disgust and indignation.  ¡°The slaughter of millions¡ªreleasing a powerful devil into our world to cause havoc?¡±


    Wolfgang rose to his feet and expertly reset his dislocated jaw, healing via the contracts he¡¯d made with various Hell entities, yet the overreacting woman didn¡¯t need to know such details.  ¡°I believe we can act with a tad more civility.  Hmm, Chief Joseph, M¨¡ui,¡± he greeted as the pair exited the nearby room, calling them by their Legend and Myth to make things simple.


    The tall Native American chief paused with an even taller, 230-cm Polynesian man, three extra tattoos on his body depicting more achievements since they¡¯d last met.


    Chief Joseph sighed, glaring between him and the enraged woman.  ¡°Saint Jeanne, we should leave acts of violence out of these gatherings; if we are to start now, nothing but more unnecessary bloodshed will result from the others that join us, and we will get nowhere.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard¡ªdid you know?¡±  Jeanne spat, glaring at Wolfgang.  ¡°Millions tortured, souls torn to shreds by the forces of Hell that some of the members on this council had a direct hand in.  I want answers, Twilight!  Justice!  Why were specific details left out during our previous briefing?¡±


    Fixing his clothes, Wolfgang kept his composed posture, eyeing the dangerous golden glow around the holy woman; he certainly hadn¡¯t been left in the dark since it had been in private that a few of their compatriots discussed topics a person such as Jeanne would only hamper.


    His focus was drawn to M¨¡ui as the giant folk hero worked around his neck, narrowed dark brown eyes moving between them.  ¡°Let¡¯s hear the report, and then we can decide what to do next.  Revilla was handled?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jeanne replied, heat still in her voice.  ¡°She has been sealed and locked away, which did not come without considerable sacrifices¡­ unneeded sacrifice.  We could have avoided so many casualties had I been aware of what Wolfgang had planned!¡±


    Twilight moved past the Chief, and human turned Demigod to linger in the doorway, scarlet irises shifting to the Saint.  ¡°You knew what you were getting into when meeting who would be required in stopping Revilla, and did not Raphael warn you this was a difficult decision that had to be made¡­¡±


    ¡°Do not try to guilt me, Twilight!  I am filled with indignation at being treated as a child.  Yes, I knew some sacrifices needed to be made when dealing with something as powerful as Revilla, yet the tragedy could have been minimalized.¡±


    Wolfgang worked around his jaw and followed Twilight into the room, not amused by the emotional outburst.  ¡°It is precisely this reason why you were excluded, Jeanne.  Humph, and why didn¡¯t your precious Archangel warn you, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Incorrect, Wolfgang,¡± said another woman as the others followed them into the large table many individuals waited at.  ¡°Jeanne was simply unavailable when final preparations were made.¡±


    He rolled his eyes.  ¡°A difference of opinion, Scheherazade; you agreed there was no other way,¡± Wolfgang muttered, taking his seat while crossing his legs.


    ¡°I agreed only because the other options were far more cataclysmic, and Twilight assured us this Mythic group would be able to stop the summoning, which she did¡­ with a few caveats.¡±


    Jeanne stormed into the room, banner vanishing in radiant light as she glared around the room; taking her seat, she directed her focus on two particular men.  ¡°Surely you both have heard by now, Arthur, Solomon.  Were you aware?¡±


    A tanned man with a mane of white hair and light, topaz irises leaned against the side of his large chair, seemingly not happy with the outcome and he hadn¡¯t been a part of the discussion, but Wolfgang knew better than to think he hadn¡¯t puzzled out how things would evolve; he was a tad surprised he had stayed somewhat silent on the topic.


    Cupping his chin while returning the Saint¡¯s stare, he puffed out a long stream of air.  ¡°I figured as much; if my information is correct, the only possible solution was to involve Izanami from the discussion Twilight had on the current state of the heavens.  Naturally, to pull the eyes of such a Fallen Creation Deity would come at an extreme cost.¡±


    King Arthur leaned forward, yet he wasn¡¯t currently at the location; being a member of Parliament made it difficult for the fabled UK hero to leave his spotlight, much like many of those present.  So far as Wolfgang knew, Merlin was behind the magic that brought him to this meeting.


    The handsome blond Legend creased his green eyes, his hands folded across his armored chest, a frown on his lips.  ¡°I was left in the dark the same as you, Saint Jeanne, but I suppose it may have been the process of unavailability; of course, such an excuse could have been planned on, seeing the minds we have around this table.¡±


    ¡°What does it matter?¡±  a harsh voice spoke out, drawing many of the silent onlookers to center on the smirking shirtless man; his black hair had red streaks, chest marked with tattoos, and a symbol imprinted on his forehead.


    His ruby eyes and fangs glistened in the dim atmosphere, no one present having difficulty seeing in the dark.  ¡°It¡¯s done; the bitch is locked up, and before I could plant my fist through her chest,¡± he growled.  ¡°I¡¯m still questioning if I should even come to these remote meetings, seeing as nothing involves me.¡±


    ¡°On the contrary,¡± Twilight smoothly interjected.  ¡°There will be quite the opportunity for your participation as we move forward, Asura.¡±


    Jeanne promptly cut back in.  ¡°This isn¡¯t about you, Asura.  After confronting Revilla myself, I can understand the need for Izanami¡¯s aid and appreciate the transparency regarding the heavenly realm, Twilight; however, was it purely to strengthen Mythic to handle the threat, and what of the reason for excluding me from the finer details?¡±


    M¨¡ui ran his thick fingers through his wavy, black hair.  ¡°I can see why you''re mad, Jeanne¡­  Millions dead is no joking matter, and that Wolfgang could be a part without blinking an eye shows why Twilight directed us to other important conflicts and issues that could use our attention rather than distract us.¡±


    Wolfgang folded his fingers across his lap and chuckled.  ¡°It is simple, Jeanne; Twilight has gathered us because we have influence and abilities unique to us¡ªfor you, it is your position in France and the holy affinity you possess.  When such things are not required, your services are not needed; this council is here to prevent humanity from ending, which I am by all means for that goal.¡±


    Naturally, Arthur came to her defense, causing Wolfgang to sigh at how narrow their morality confined them.  ¡°It isn¡¯t a matter of what was required but the lack of empathy and transparency that Saint Jeanne and I agree on.¡±


    A lovely Chinese woman wearing an extravagant dress tried to be the voice of reason.  ¡°Little is being accomplished, and we are all very busy people¡ªnot that I am diminishing your concerns, Saint Jeanne¡ªI reflect your position, and we can be certain who was kept within the loop of Cuba¡¯s fate.  Can you illuminate us on what that is since the U.S. has gotten involved?¡±


    Jeanne gave the Legend of Wu Zetian, the only legitimate female Empress of China, a pointed stare that amused Wolfgang; as could be expected, there was tension between the EU and China, which meant there would be suspicion.


    So far as Wolfgang was concerned¡ªthe CCP had relinquished all governing rights to the enigmatic philanthropist earlier this week¡ªand China would be his next destination; from the conversations he¡¯d had with the woman, there were opportunities to be had in furthering humanity¡¯s next stage in their evolution within the nation.


    ¡°I appreciate the financial aid you have personally given to many suffering around the world, Empress Wu Zetian, but I cannot give you confidential information the U.S. government has divulged, as it would be a betrayal of France.  I can recount a brief summary as to the state of Cuba and the humanitarian efforts many are preparing.¡±


    The Chinese ruler nodded.  ¡°Completely understandable.¡±


    Wolfgang sat back, answering questions as many around the table¡ªincluding the Venezuelan rulers¡ªrefrained from comment, choosing to enjoy the company of some of the world¡¯s most influential figures that Twilight had brought together.


    Queries came of Wu Zetian regarding the unusual movements revolving around the Chinese military, including the questionable move of resources being sent to Taiwan in its time of crisis, which the U.S. was keeping a tight watch over, yet she elegantly danced around them from the few that engaged her¡ªit did take some of the focus off him, at the least.


    However, Wolfgang¡¯s thoughtful mind turned to the legendary figure of Israel; Solomon rarely spoke during these meetings, listening and only replying when spoken to.  Almost an air of mystical wonder came from his presence alone, which hinted he knew far more than he let on.


    As luck would have it¡ªever the vocal one to guide the conversation when present¡ªJeanne brought everyone¡¯s attention to the enigma.  ¡°Solomon, what can you tell us about Abraxas?¡±


    Leaning forward and steepling his fingers to listen, Wolfgang rested his chin on them, studying every movement the man made.


    His somber, topaz irises drifted to Wu Zetian.  ¡°Abraxas is powerful, yet from the report you have given, and the information I have acquired through 3rd-party sources, his entry into our plane was interrupted.  He will need to solidify his link to this world¡­  I would look to North Korea for that and Hell¡¯s presence to increase where there is strife.  His presence alone draws Hell closer, making it easier to form contracts.¡±


    Brilliant, Wolfgang hummed.  Solomon didn¡¯t give any advice but remained entirely neutral to keep opinion away from himself; he answered the question with only facts.


    Several eyes drifted to a teal-haired young man, shockingly proficient at hiding his true identity as the Myth of Haetae and an emerald-haired man with a similar shade of bunny ears.


    Both Myths remained silent, and Wolfgang wasn¡¯t sure who the Jade Rabbit represented, being a rather mercurial addition to their party, yet he had made comments regarding the area.  Although, in past meetings the rabbit also expressed interest in Rachel, which was what Wolfgang found amusing.


    ¡°Hehe.  So, I can expect to have more demonic skulls to crack?¡±  Asura laughed.  ¡°I dealt with a cult on my way here, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Smart,¡± Arthur growled, ignoring the Indian representative while also centering on the Chinese Empress.  ¡°None of us have the authority or a means to interfere, except¡­¡±


    ¡°Haaa¡­  I can reach out¡­ again.  But North Korea has been rather¡­ how should I put this¡­ minimalist when it comes to communication in the past month.  I doubt Russia has had any luck, Yulia?¡±


    She brought their attention to a typically upbeat and brilliant woman who had no reserves about showing off her voluptuous figure in the thin, diaphanous gown of water that she wore; with her incredibly long blonde hair, deep blue eyes that matched her lips, and fair complexion, she was instantly a distraction when present.


    The Myth of Vila, a Slavic myth and Russia¡¯s representative favorable to the Legend of Anastasia, gave her a gentle shake of her head.  ¡°I fear such discussions would not be aligned with the faction I am party to.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I should have known,¡± Wu Zetian sighed.  ¡°I will attempt to reach out¡ªah, and to curb your heartache, Jeanne, I will be doing the same for Cuba and discussing options with the U.S. ambassador.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Empress Wu Zetian,¡± the Saint smiled; Wolfgang knew better than to trust either when it came to an opinion of each other.  It was a drama, which much of this initial stage came to, and while enjoying the show, he did not like to participate.


    Several had no interest in the topic at hand; they were simply here for what would come after, and Twilight was the one who brought everyone back to the purpose of this meeting.


    ¡°I will discuss the details with you after, Jeanne, and I am sure you will agree that this was a far better outcome than what we could have anticipated otherwise.  Now, onto the importance of this gathering, as many of you do not have much time left¡­¡±


    Her crimson irises drifted between the many individuals who had spoken and kept their peace for various personal reasons.  ¡°Revilla has been stopped, which gives us a bit more time to prepare for the next stage; due to her¡ªand others¡ªinterference, we are fortunate that many incarnated High Deities have been forced into a conflict of their own.  However, that does not mean we are still safe from their lingering host.


    ¡°Many versions of Hell prepare across the Omniverse to struggle for supremacy, and our universe is the meeting point, which includes the scattered heavens, many left without higher leadership.  It is a power struggle, and their influence will soon be felt.¡±


    Her annoyed gaze shifted to a few members around the large table.  ¡°Haaa¡­ Some of you fight on behalf of such figures, yet your factions are¡­ understanding¡ªto an extent¡ªwishing for neutrality and peace rather than war or chaos, only interfering in realms that pertain to their sphere of influence.  It is an acceptable position.


    ¡°That being said, the War of Lesser Deities is about to begin, and to prepare for that, you must convince your nations to accelerate the legislation for fewer restrictions regarding incentives involving the Crystals.  Squeezing a little more government profit from individuals will mean little when the titans descend upon your planet.¡±


    Rising to her feet, she moved to the door, likely to rest or drink more blood, considering her constitution was very weak, Wolfgang assumed.  ¡°Discuss amongst yourselves ideas as you are able; we will solidify a plan in three months, and Jeanne, I will be in the room down the hall to address your concerns.¡±


    Conversation between parties quickly erupted, many arguing that their own nation wasn''t in a position to push out far beyond their own governing scope as they brought things back into alignment; the sphere of influence each of them provided would ripple across the world.


    Uninterested in the initial peacocking, Wolfgang left the room, remaining just outside the door to remove himself from unnecessary debate while pondering his next project; the storm drew his eye as he passively listened, trying to glean useful information.


    Twilight¡¯s group was composed of influencers, powerful entities that commanded respect, and people who could provide a unique service, such as himself.


    His vision shifted to a rather dangerous woman that exited soon after him, bored with the proceedings; her shimmering, light-brown eyes and smirking smile drifted to Wolfgang; a thick, muddy tail trailed after her, and his focus was drawn to her wild, caramel locks, framed by two large horns.


    Wolfgang didn¡¯t want to get involved with this hotblooded Mythickin; this draconic girl was nothing but trouble from her boots, tights, and leather-like top.


    ¡°Delphyne¡­  What do I owe the pleasure?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­  I heard a little tale about a Leviathan girl in Cuba that could take on the actual form.  Is it true?¡±  she innocently asked, hands held behind her back at the base of her spiked, weaving tail.


    ¡°Selvaria is her name.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­  I heard Germany had their own little spitfire of a dragon that has been making waves.  Maybe I¡¯ll see about paying her a visit!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know since I haven¡¯t been home in a month.¡±


    ¡°True.  Hmm-hmm.  I wish I had more time, but Twilight has been a slave driver!  She keeps sending me to close these specific Crystals when they pop up, and they¡¯re getting boring.  Hopefully, she sends me to something a little more challenging.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe I¡¯ll go play with M¨¡ui or Cipactli¡­ at least they¡¯re fun.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    He watched her swaying tail disappear into the room to gather the powerful crocodile Mythickin and folk hero.


    Wolfgang had shivers, recalling the last time he¡¯d met Cipactli after he¡¯d taken on his monstrous, colossal crocodilian State to manhandle and play with Armand; even then, the Myth of the Beast of G¨¦vaudan had been practically immune to missiles, yet Cipactli swiftly showed his dominance.


    Twilight was cultivating an impressive, small army of individuals by bridging interests, even when it seemed impossible, such as bringing a Saint into their circle; it was a delicate balancing act that she somehow managed to maintain, despite all the disagreements, and perhaps that was the key, giving each party a chance to talk and come to some modicum of a conclusion.


    A small smile lifted his lips as the meeting came to a close, and the holy woman exited with Solomon, likely going to discuss things in private.


    ¡°Jeanne.  Might I compliment you on your left swing?  Quite the power for your size.¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem amused by his compliment, but at least Solomon laughed.  ¡°Jeanne was holding back, Wolfgang¡­ considerably.  If her intention was to kill you, you would be dead.¡±


    Scoring points with the woman while stating facts¡­ impressive.


    ¡°I have no doubt.¡±


    Not addressing his statement, Jeanne squared off in front of him, intense blue eyes showing no humor.  ¡°You will answer for your crimes, Wolfgang.  I do not care for the reason; you butchered tens of thousands for your personal gain and experimentation.¡±


    ¡°Haaa¡­  Ironically, the religious types always see so little in the value of short-term suffering or loss of life for the larger good it will cause.¡±


    ¡°The results don¡¯t justify the cost!¡±


    ¡°A difference of opinion,¡± he shrugged.  ¡°Hmm-hmm.  At least you can be satisfied my soul will join all those I sent to Hell within the year.¡±


    ¡°No one had to suffer that fate, to begin with,¡± Jeanne growled, braid whipping past him as she left to meet with Twilight before making another scene, ¡°including yours.¡±


    ¡°Ever the righteous one,¡± Wolfgang muttered, seeing the tail of her blue dress and golden hair disappear into a room at the far end of the hallway.


    The German frowned as the enigmatic, white-haired man paused at the door, imperceptible topaz irises lingering on him for a moment before following the Saint.


    Hmm¡­  What do you see in that mysterious brain of yours when you look at me, Solomon?  Interesting.


    Delphyne exited with a skip, Cipactli and Yulia by her side; the crocodile man wore a fitted suit that looked surprisingly good on him as the Earth Dragon goaded them into sparing with her in the open sea and dying hurricane.


    ¡°Oh, hehe, isn¡¯t Jeanne so forward?  I think she likes you!¡±


    The two other myths laughed at her joke as they made their way to the elevator; Wolfgang¡¯s focus went to the Chinese Empress as she exited.


    ¡°Ah, we had business to discuss, Wolfgang?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.  I am quite excited to share the details with you, Empress.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­  We will continue on my jet.  I must return to China.¡±


    ¡°I can hardly wait; this will be my first time in your country.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­  Well, I¡¯m sure it will be a memorable one.  Although, aren¡¯t you troubled by how the others are receiving your actions?¡±


    ¡°Results are all that matter in the end, and I deliver.  Do I not?¡±


    ¡°You certainly did,¡± she whispered before giving him a soft smile.  ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    He gestured for her to take the lead, flashing his teeth at the prospects before him.  ¡°After you, Empress.¡±


    Silence ensued as he walked beside the beautiful woman to meet her escort in the lobby downstairs; they would take a Gate that would teleport them to the airfield¡ªfar more efficient than the method he¡¯d taken, and he was eager to share in the lavish accommodations working with the Chinese ruler afforded.


    So much happening¡­  Now, if the Seeds can be enhanced by killing, essentially, they are feeding off of the strength of other beings, stretching to accommodate as best the host can receive.  What if you captured a Deity and continually funneled their power into it?


    ¡°Hmm-hmm, so much to explore.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 1. A Tense Reunion

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (Our Lunar Hare Girl!)


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    Rachel laid next to Nia on the roof of Cahira¡¯s Dragon Turtle mansion, staring up at the bright, full moon with her little bunny girl; it felt right to take a step away from everyone and everything after what had happened to be there for the Living Denier.


    The Lunar Hare did want to eat something, as was customary, then again, technically, she was eating under the bright, white globe, and her little bun needed her.  Nia was having a rough time being separated from her, and for the first time, she hadn¡¯t been worn during a fight, which was huge for the sensitive clothing-turned-rabbit.


    Listening to the rest of the crew as she held Nia¡¯s hand, lunar-bathing next to her, she smirked at how animated things had gotten below.


    Scarlet had plenty of people pulling her attention to be concerned about what she was doing; for one, Nemesis and Mara were asking questions regarding their time in the Seventh Circle, and as much as the Vespertine Reaper didn¡¯t like the pair, she enjoyed the attention.


    Their newest additions were enthralled by the tale, Nemesis cursing that he hadn¡¯t been able to test his strength against some of the people involved.


    ¡°Yeah, so the whole place kind of crumbled, and there were Demons and Devils the size of¡ªof like skyscrapers¡ªbigger!  There was this creepy eye dude that kept looking at me, too.¡±


    ¡°Eww¡­¡±  Mara mumbled.


    ¡°Grrag, I wanted to pay them back more for what they did to Mara.  How strong were they?¡±


    ¡°Dude!  They were the size of skyscrapers!  What more do you want me to say?¡±


    Fiona, Selvaria, and Maria joined the conversation while aiding the Pirate Queen in her soup and bread dinner, that further helped to pull Scarlet¡¯s focus away from the new Mythickin.


    On the other hand, Ohan, Vasishtha, and their new Hydra friend were getting to know each other to not make the confused man feel out of place, and they weren¡¯t alone; the children supported the effort by involving them in many of their games, which he seemed to enjoy.


    From what Rachel had heard from Clay¡¯s discussions with many State officials, all of the orphans¡ªand there were many¡ªhad been accepted by a not insignificant number of supporters from the U.S. who pledged to adopt them.


    It appeared to become a hot-button issue in the media, or so she¡¯d parsed together, since there were people throwing shade at why these high-profile individuals wouldn¡¯t adopt needy children around the U.S. that needed help, accusing them of doing it for a PR stunt.


    Stunt or not, it was nice that these kids would have a place to go, at least in Rachel¡¯s view; she could care less about the politics behind it since it didn¡¯t concern her, and she had enough to think about it.


    Time passed slowly, and Grace broke the news to everyone after getting Benedict, Izzy, and Edel on board; they¡¯d be starting their own little Mythic group in Cuba, and they were getting ready to leave, which brought most of the gang together.


    After leaving them, the crew came up to say goodbye to Nia and her.


    Nia forced herself up to hug Grace.  ¡°Do¡­ you really have to go?  Maybe you could come and¡ªand help like¡­ remotely.¡±


    The twins gave each other small smiles and giggled.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy,¡± Grace chuckled.  ¡°There¡¯s a lot that needs to be done in person.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ you''re the Milk Girl,¡± Nia mumbled, breaking away.  ¡°You¡¯re the only one that doesn¡¯t get mad at me for making fun of you¡­ we laugh¡­¡±


    Rachel wasn¡¯t so sure Grace felt the same way, but it got the Legend to sigh and laugh, Benedict and the twins joining her.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be back in a bit,¡± Ben assured, hovering over to hug Nia¡¯s finger, which she thoroughly enjoyed seeing the little guy do.  ¡°She¡¯s just supporting us until we can get things organized.¡±


    ¡°Eh-heh, yeah¡­ but it¡¯s a lot,¡± Grace defended, and as could be expected, Nia pounced on his statement.


    ¡°Not long!  So, like two days?  I can wait that long!¡±


    ¡°No, hehe,¡± Izzy puffed out a long breath.  ¡°Probably a while longer than that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll all come, right?  We can go shopping, and I can show you all the cool places in Miami!¡±


    Rachel lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Do you know any good places in Miami?¡±


    ¡°Mom knows!  She¡¯ll help us, and I¡¯ll know when they get back,¡± Nia huffed, shooting her a light glare.  ¡°You should know, too, but you¡¯re too much of a muscle head!¡±


    ¡°I mean, I was going to tell you where some were,¡± Rachel shrugged, smirking eyes drifting to the side, ¡°but I guess I¡¯m just a muscle head.¡±


    ¡°Eh?!  You totally don¡¯t even know!  When did you ever go shopping?¡±


    ¡°When I needed clothes?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ eh, I guess that makes sense,¡± she mumbled, unable to come up with a rebuttal.  ¡°Erm¡­ but you¡¯re not good at it!¡±


    ¡°Ouch, that hurt,¡± she said, putting on fake tears.


    ¡°Wha¡ªno, I was joking, Rachel!  I¡¯m not¡­ you¡¯re making fun of me again!¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so mean!  I thought I hurt your feelings¡­¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have been worried at all!  Fatass!¡±


    The others burst into laughter.


    ¡°Been a bit since you¡¯ve called me that,¡± she snickered.  ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Humph¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears tilted to the left, following Cahira as she sent orders to her gang to start preparing to return to the States, which her little bunny girl heard, tears forming in her eyes when realizing the four needed to go.


    It made Rachel chuckle a tad; the girl had been ready to execute the Legend of Calamity Jane when they¡¯d first met, and now she was shedding tears, but that was Nia.


    She¡¯d been in a delicate emotional state since Rachel woke up; it was the first time Nia had sustained so much damage that it physically affected her¡ªshowing just how powerful an attack was needed from Sir Robert to damage Revilla¡ªNia¡¯s Demon Hide outfit had been practically destroyed to the base, requiring extensive restoration.


    For the first time since putting her on, Rachel had been in a battle Nia wasn¡¯t, and that was a big deal for the girl.  It wasn¡¯t so much for Rachel, yet she had to remind herself that Nia was pretty young and carried with her parts of Scarlet¡¯s personality; that self-image issue seemed to be deep.


    Clouds moving around them as the giant Dragon Turtle swam through the heavens, Rachel donned Nia once her time limit ran out, knowing she¡¯d feel more comfortable being worn.


    She utilized the casual apparel, and Rachel assured the girl her mother would be all about taking her shopping again when they got back; the news boosted Nia¡¯s mood.


    The Living Denier¡¯s focus jumped between topics, eventually settling on Fiona and Benedict, giggling as she asked if the Pixy liked the Fairy; it was undoubtedly something Nia would center on.


    It was obvious to everyone Benedict liked Fiona, and perhaps there was a future for that, but right now, the Pixy had to overcome his own internal struggles by supporting his country.


    The response got a huff from Nia, mirroring Scarlet¡¯s answer that she was far too serious and practical when it came to things; Rachel couldn¡¯t argue with that, but looking at the position she was in, could Nia blame her?


    Nia pivoted to Isabel and Edelira, commenting about how the twins wanted to join them in the U.S. at first, so why did they choose to stay?


    It was a complicated discussion; a lot had happened since the pair had joined them; many people they knew¡ªfamily members included¡ªhad been slaughtered.  The world wasn¡¯t the same, and Cuba''s collapse would go down as one of the worst points in history¡ªmillions were killed in under a month¡ªthe horrors involved went far beyond physical.


    As the night went on, Nia¡¯s focus was pulled to Yseress as the Nephilim sensed Rachel wanting to ponder more serious topics; the woman had been warming up to them, which was a positive development.


    With her mind her own again, thanks to everyone else giving her space, Rachel finally had time to look back on the results of their efforts in Cuba.


    Glaring at the lunar sphere overhead, a shiver ran down her spine; without a doubt in her mind, there was someone else pulling the strings behind the scene¡ªsomeone powerful¡ªthat had a vested interest in thwarting Revilla and the interdimensional entity¡¯s own words were pinned in Rachel¡¯s mind.


    Revilla had far more of a visual scope of the board than anyone else, and when Izanami got involved, she didn¡¯t blame the fallen creation deity¡­  She blamed Twilight.  Scarlet also said Twilight was laughing in her sleep¡­  I¡¯m missing something.


    The scattered dots in Rachel¡¯s mind sought to connect, many little comments or actions spinning to find some kind of complete tapestry she could come away with, but it was like taking a giant puzzle and attempting to match pieces without the box art.


    Our involvement was directly tied to Twilight¡¯s manipulations, yet it should be impossible.  The only chance she should have been able to have any direct influence would have been during the Legend¡¯s Quest, and things were already in the process of putting us on the board.


    Fingers tightening against her belly while studying the twinkling firmament, she brought the dots into alignment, seeing each star above and putting a figure or event to them to better visualize her restless mind.


    The result was taking Revilla out¡­ the Camag¨¹ey calamity was a part of that ultimate plan, yet at the same time was used to bring her back?


    Wolfgang was at its center, and it could be seen that he orchestrated the entire thing, considering his Soul Stone was the binding trigger that sealed the conflict between Revilla and the Hell Lords.


    None of it would be possible without Yseress, and Wolfgang only barely managed to draw her out of Hell before we arrived in Camag¨¹ey; the sacrifices needed were not few, which shows how powerful the corrupted Nephilim is, and she was very important to Izanami, drawing the attention of a being that would typically have no involvement¡­  Not a coincidence.


    It may have been the influence of the Hell Moon or her recent exposure to Hell itself, but Rachel¡¯s mind was unnaturally fixated on the masterful manipulation executed; yes, Wolfgang was formidable and a very dangerous advocate for humanity, in his own unique way, yet she couldn¡¯t see him plotting all of this.


    Mars jumped out at her in the heavens; the red planet drew upon her thoughts as Venus shimmered within her broad field of vision, and the dots closed around one individual¡ªthe key piece revolving around everyone¡ªthe bitch of a Sorceress Mythickin herself, Relica.


    Wolfgang, Armand, Asher, Adele, us¡­  Everything goes back to Relica¡­


    Strings crossed and split apart, all surrounding the dead woman, and for a moment, Rachel entertained the idea it was all her plan; that line of thought was swiftly discarded.


    Relica was clearly on Revilla¡¯s side, and if she¡¯d put Wolfgang on the path to make the Soul Stone to resurrect the woman, stopping Asher¡¯s plot to summon Abraxas could have been handled without our involvement¡­


    Revilla could very easily destroy anything Asher summoned, and not involving the U.S. or me would have been in Relica¡¯s best interest, seeing as she was already terrified of me¡­  She had to be manipulated by Twilight¡­  Not a plant, or she would have betrayed Revilla when I was about to kill her, unless¡­ she didn¡¯t know she was placed in that position?


    Sitting up to glare at the dark ocean they flew over, a lump dropped down Rachel¡¯s throat.  There are only two possibilities that lead to the same scenario.


    Yseress had been listening to her thoughts, multi-tasking while keeping the depressed bunny girl company, and whispered the conclusion Rachel had come to.


    ¡°Mmh¡­  Relica had her memory wiped and was made a pawn, or she was a part of it, is not dead, and either gave her life to the cause¡ªunlikely, given her ego¡ªor was wound up like a musical box and let go to dance to the tune¡­  I suspect the latter.¡±


    An unnatural chill caressed her forearm as she looked into the dark clouds overtaking the night that would soon embrace them; following that melody back over the course of the month brought a single bone-shivering event to recollection.


    Relica tried to take control of Scarlet, possibly utilizing some form of spiritual spell, and in the process¡­ opened herself up to Twilight¡­ The Red Sea.


    Scarlet explained it was like being in the middle of a colossal storm¡­ a raging crimson ocean around her, and she was pulled out of it, but she never saw what happened to Relica.


    ¡°Ominous, Mistress,¡± Yseress muttered.  ¡°You believe Relica was taken into those waves instead of carried out, protected, as Scarlet was; we have all been puppets to this creature with Relica as the string?¡±


    There¡¯s no other explanation, and only one person seemed to have all the details in this venture¡­ possibly a second.


    ¡°Wolfgang,¡± Yseress mused, ¡°hmm-hmm, and the other¡­ France.  You do not buy their Archangel reference?¡±


    Pulling her knees up to lean against them and search the silent fog advancing toward them, Rachel steepled her fingers to rest her chin; cold, rational thought brought her mind to this conclusion, yet it wasn¡¯t something necessarily that needed to be shared until she had more proof.


    Cuba¡¯s downfall was required to stop Revilla, an entity so powerful that she could bypass every Divine safeguard, and the only one with the oversight to see that happen would be Twilight, yet she would need someone on the ground to prompt things in the right direction.


    We were pulled to Cuba through Relica when she specifically targeted me to inform us about the gathering criminal underworld in the country, going so far as to use Lunar Pride against me¡­  Twilight¡¯s influence, no doubt in knowing how to draw me in.


    I cannot believe Twilight would not take on a physical form outside of Scarlet if she were able, and it is probably a very tiny portion¡ªit¡¯s possibly not associated with the complete desires of Twilight herself¡ªbut a fragment that was able to escape¡­  We can¡¯t know what her true purpose is.


    Clearly, she¡¯s willing to go as far as she did in Cuba without batting an eye to frustrate her rivals, and if France is also working with her, it show¡¯s her political influence is far greater than my own.


    The Nephilim chortled.  ¡°As you confirmed when speaking to them, Saint Jeanne and Bernard weren¡¯t lying, yet¡­¡±


    Yeah¡­  Jeanne¡¯s phrasing and how she centered on Wolfgang more than the Myth associated with her own country, such as what Bernard wanted to know¡­  She probably knew to some degree what would happen in Cuba but was kept out of the finer details, which showed in her reactions during my report to her.


    ¡°It is a stretch, Mistress.¡±


    It is, but not by that far.


    ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡±


    Nothing, for now¡­ there¡¯s nothing I can do, but if true, Twilight can reach Revilla whenever she wants.  Naturally, she¡¯ll have a vested interest in Scarlet, which means we¡¯ll see another attempt at manipulating our next move, and we need to be on the lookout for other sides coming into the picture.


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  A dangerous game you play, Mistress.¡±


    It depends.  We don¡¯t know where Twilight truly aligns or if this version has different goals than her primary consciousness.


    ¡°Wise, and without fully understanding the process of Intellectual Constructs or Spiritual Constructs.  Would you like my opinion?¡±


    Haha!  I don¡¯t think I need to respond.


    ¡°Heh, I suppose not¡­  Be careful, Mistress.  An unconscious Intelligence that splits their consciousness is unpredictable; it could be closer to the Persona or Shadow, and of the two, there are numberless splinters of goals or desires that could influence her cause.  If she is gathering political powers, it is for a reason and for her own benefit.¡±


    Vision narrowing as the mist closed in, Rachel puffing out a long stream of air.  I don¡¯t doubt Twilight is in this for herself¡­  My only question is if it can be bridged with our own desires¡­ or if we¡¯ll eventually clash.


    Chuckles fading, Yseress left her to stew.  ¡°Only time will tell.¡±


    Indeed¡­


    Rachel focused on the high-altitude winds in the clouds they moved through, troubled thoughts returning to grandfather, Nora, and Anthony; at their pace, they¡¯d be traveling all day to arrive in Florida, stopping off in Miami City to pick up Nora and Anthony since it was closer than Miami.


    She only hoped nothing else had happened, but if her boyfriend was there, she was sure he would have handled the situation; still, she¡¯d left her grandfather¡¯s on March 3rd, Thursday, and she¡¯d return at midnight, the 13th, and as she¡¯d learned, a lot could happen in ten days.


    Mulling over the information she¡¯d puzzled out and narrowing down more connections¡ªof which there were too many to be a coincidence¡ªeventually, light broke, and she retired to bed; when she had more, she¡¯d bring Scarlet into it but didn¡¯t want to worry her as it stood.


    Given the possibilities, it was a little harder to fall asleep, but she drifted into dreams after an hour.  Midnight drew closer, and Rachel awoke at 10 P.M.


    Getting ready to meet her family, she showered and did the usual routine, yet as the Dragon Turtle neared the coastal city, one particular voice made Rachel¡¯s ears twitch; it wasn¡¯t just the tone but the context of the conversation she¡¯d stumbled onto.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Scarlet asked from across the breakfast table, a blood bag falling from her lips.


    Maria, Fiona, and Selvaria were present; Nemesis and Mara were still sleeping as everyone else was busy doing their own thing.


    Selvaria put down her big chunk of fish that she¡¯d personally gathered earlier that day.  ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.  Hmm-hmm.  What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± Maria groaned, leaning forward to help Fiona get another small pinch of sugar into her small bowel.  ¡°Damn, don¡¯t be tellin¡¯ me someone¡¯s goin¡¯ crazy again the second we get back home.  We good?¡±


    ¡°Nora¡­¡±


    Fiona¡¯s spoonful of sugar instantly fell back to the pile.  ¡°What about Nora¡ªis my sister okay?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­  Fiona, can you take us down?  I just need to make sure¡ª¡±


    She didn¡¯t have to finish; a green aura surrounded the Fairy as she cast Levitation, picking Rachel.  ¡°We¡¯re close enough?¡±


    ¡°Can I come?¡±  Scarlet asked, getting to her feet as the Leviathan and Unicorn¡¯s gaze drifted between speakers.  ¡°I¡¯d like to meet your grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­ yeah, sure, Scarlet, but, umm¡­  I need some time with Anthony.¡±


    ¡°Ooh¡­  Is it bad?¡±  she hissed, looking at the other girls.


    Unable to articulate the discussion she was listening to, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­  We¡¯ll see.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for Fiona to have them out of the mansion and spinning under the Dragon Turtle to soar over Florida City; they flew for several kilometers to reach her grandfather¡¯s estate, dropping into the open center of the house, where everyone was congregated.


    Rachel¡¯s gut tightened upon seeing the adorable little five-year-old girl sitting on the wooden steps to watch Anthony train Nora; she didn¡¯t miss her bright white locks, glowing red eyes, and pointed ears.


    ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡±  Scarlet and Fiona asked in unison, looking between Rachel¡¯s grandfather, Nora, Mason, Jessy, and Anthony.


    ¡°Fi!¡±  Nora called, jumping forward to greet her sister.


    ¡°Hey, Nora!  You look okay.  Everything good?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­  Mmgm¡­¡±  Nora¡¯s expression fell, vision turning to Anthony.  ¡°Well¡­  A lot kind of happened.¡±


    ¡°Like?¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­ I kind of¡ªit¡¯s hard to explain.¡±


    Arms crossing across her small bust, Fiona¡¯s lips tightened.  ¡°Hmm¡­  Just tell me if you¡¯re okay or not.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah!  Heh, I¡¯m totally fine!  In fact, I¡¯m like, super strong now; Anthony and I have been doing a lot of training!¡±


    Rachel was firmly fixated on the smiling little girl as she rose and walked over to stand beside Anthony, drawing their attention¡ªshe¡¯d heard Nora complain that her boyfriend wasn¡¯t using the child as a weapon¡ªher unnaturally sophisticated cute voice ringing against her agitated ears.


    Scarlet stepped forward with a nervous smile, giving Rachel a look that wasn¡¯t too reassuring; Twilight was probably growing restless in this entity¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Umm, hello little girl¡ªI didn¡¯t know Anthony had a daughter¡ªis that what you were, eh, ahem, never mind.  What¡¯s your name?¡±  she asked, brushing her black locks behind her pointed ears and trying to give her a toothy smile.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Rachel, Scarlet, Vessel of Twilight.  My name is Jaenona, and I am¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±  Scarlet instantly took a step back, hands pressed against her breasts in shock.  ¡°What do¡ªI, eh¡­¡±


    ¡°Twilight?¡±  Fiona asked, having only heard Scarlet¡¯s creepy song; her confused shimmering emerald eyes drifted between Rachel and her.  ¡°Vessel of what, Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Anthony interjected, a strained smile in place as he stole the spotlight and tried to take the focus off the fanged girl.  ¡°Let¡¯s put that away for now, er¡­ I suppose you want to talk about¡­ well, yeah¡­¡±


    Fiona was utterly lost, Scarlet now more than likely wondering if she should pull her scythe on the innocent-looking white-haired child.


    Rachel took a deep breath, Emotional Detachment activating to regulate uncertain and swirling emotions; it was worse than she thought.  ¡°Mind¡­ if we walk a bit?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course, and¡­ would you mind if Jaenona joined us?  It might be better that way.¡±


    Nia squealed upon seeing the girl¡¯s bright smile, but Rachel could feel Yseress¡¯ alarm bells like sirens in her mind that Nia wholly ignored in her excitement, colors flashing as the teen popped out to engage the entity in child-form.


    ¡°She¡¯s adorable¡ªso cute!¡±


    ¡°Rachel, why does she know¡­¡±


    She held up a hand to stop the panicking girl, even if she wanted to demand the same, and Yseress was not helping to calm her nerves.  ¡°It¡¯s fine, Scarlet.  Why don¡¯t you talk with Mason, Jessy, and Nora; see how things have been.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ okay?¡±


    Nia plowed right through, excited beyond words at something Rachel couldn¡¯t identify, but it was quickly revealed.


    ¡°Oh, hello, Anthony!  I¡¯m Nia, Rachel¡¯s clothes¡ªso, so, Jaenona is like your version of me?!  I¡¯m not the only one anymore!  You¡¯re his weapon, Jaenona?  That¡¯s so cool!  I can be a weapon, too¡ªa whip¡ªoh, but gah!  I¡¯m kind of, eh, broken on that, but I¡¯ll have it back soon!¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± she cheerily replied as Nia bent down to shake her small, extended hand and study her outfit.  ¡°I am a part of Anthony¡¯s soul¡­ mmh, similar to how you are, Nia.¡±


    ¡°Woah, what?¡±  Fiona and Scarlet muttered, seeing Nora¡¯s unphased nods.


    Yseress was a mess inside Rachel¡¯s mind, recoiling at the small child¡¯s studious and unguarded stare.  ¡°She sees me, Mistress¡­  This entity is¡­ very, very dangerous.  We cannot win¡ªwe cannot stay.  She will consume you¡ªus all, if she is released¡ªI have heard tales of such creatures¡­¡±


    Calm down a little, Yseress.


    ¡°You do NOT understand the¡­  Huu, haaa¡­  She is beyond Lady Izanami¡ªweakened, but I cannot fathom the smallest sliver of the horror beneath that skin¡­¡±


    What are you sensing from her?


    ¡°It isn¡¯t just her¡ªAnthony is the same¡­  He is no longer human¡ªat all¡ªif he is the same person, to begin with, and the thing you call Nora is¡­ worse!¡±


    A shiver nearly breaking out of her viced emotions, Rachel¡¯s short pause drew uneasy looks from everyone, Jessy nervously looking at Mason and her grandfather, yet her narrowed vision didn¡¯t leave the nervous disguised nightmare.


    Pointed stare shifting to the Legend, keeping Jaenona in vision, she asked, ¡°Are you Anthony?¡±


    Her grandfather rose to his feet¡ªshe didn¡¯t miss the damage to his forehead¡ªsomething regarding the eldritch had happened since they¡¯d been gone, and this little girl was at its center.


    ¡°Haaa¡­  Calm yourself, Rachel.  He is Anthony; I can vouch for it.  A private talk would be advised.¡±


    ¡°Fiona,¡± Rachel said, remaining skeptical.  ¡°Scarlet.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Mhm?¡±


    ¡°Watch them¡­ carefully.  Jaenona is an eldritch entity, and¡ªI don¡¯t know what happened, but be careful.  Yseress says Nora has changed.¡±


    ¡°Nora?¡±


    ¡°Woah!  C¡¯mon, Rachel,¡± Nora hissed, putting her hands on her hips as her ears pulled back.  ¡°I¡¯m still¡ªFi, I¡¯m still Nora!  Grarrgm,¡± her cat-like rumble drew eyes.  ¡°I¡¯m me, Fi!  Don¡¯t push me away again¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, Nora¡ªno, it¡¯s just¡­ we¡¯ve dealt with a lot of, eh, bad stuff, and I just want to be sure¡­  Talk?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Nia!  Leave¡ªdo not touch it¡ªno, you¡­ mgmm¡­ Are you trying to destroy us?  She is an abomination!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±  Nia cried, eyes tearing up a bit.  ¡°I think it¡¯s cool we¡¯re kind of the same¡­¡±


    Just hold yourself back a bit, Nia¡­  We need to know what happened.


    ¡°Okay¡­  I still like her, and she dresses soooo cute!¡±


    Anthony forced a chuckle at the cheetah girl¡¯s exasperation, catching the bunny teenager¡¯s gaze as Yseress shouted at the girl to get away from Jaenona.  ¡°Nia, huh?  Ah¡­ Is that a¡ªno, we can talk about it in a second,¡± he muttered, scratching the back of his head.  ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Mason cleared his throat.  ¡°Yo, Cuz, he¡¯s cool.  Okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Cautiously exiting with Anthony through the front, Nia and Jaenona bringing up the rear as the girl animatedly asked questions without a concern, Rachel flexed her fingers.  ¡°So¡­ the eldritch stuff returned?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, umm¡­  It¡¯s a long story, but heh, it seems you have your own, huh?  A corrupted Divine Nephilim that connects you to Hell, huh?  Wow¡­ so, you can have horns and stuff?¡±


    How would he know all that?


    ¡°Divine?  Why would he claim I am Divine when I am half Angel and Devil¡ªa Nephilim?¡±


    Is that the critical part?


    ¡°Yes, it is quite the distinction; Divine and Angels are the same by no stretch of the imagination.  I do not trust this¡­ thing.  Be careful, Mistress.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care¡­ she¡¯s still super cute.¡±


    ¡°Think!  I do not want to see you eaten!¡±


    ¡°Big Sis¡­ why are you being mean to her?¡±


    Ignoring the pair, Nia clearly not fully listening to the Nephilim; Rachel wondered if it was the girl¡¯s fault or if she was enamored by some kind of ability.  ¡°Did Jaenona tell you that?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­  Yeah, she is¡­ well, you could call her an eldritch goddess, I suppose.  It isn¡¯t quite the same distinction, but she is far weaker after giving her life to help us escape the Red Sea.¡±


    ¡°The Red Sea?¡±  Ears standing on end at the mention, Rachel was fully invested; no one but Scarlet, Maria, and Fiona knew that phrase in their group.  ¡°Tell me the story¡­¡±


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 B5 — 2. Pending Calamity

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    PoV:


    1. Rachel (Our Lunar Hare Girl!)


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    Uneasiness gripped Rachel¡¯s muscles, ears twitching as she glanced back at the adorable little, white-haired child that was Jaenona, a weakened, eldritch entity with bows and black roses managing her snowy locks.


    With Emotional Detachment keeping her paranoia in check, she listened to Anthony¡¯s story as they made their way onto one of the Everglades National Park trails close by her grandfather¡¯s mansion.


    They drew eyes from other hikers or couples, and by their whispers, Mystic was gaining popularity from the Presidential Address, propping them up as an example of the first Guild; luckily, no one was brave enough to approach them, but there were a few lazily disguised selfies attempting to catch Nia and Jaenona or Anthony and her together.


    Ignoring them, Rachel only asked a few questions about Anthony¡¯s tale, keeping close track of the disguised horrors; Nia was enthralled by the little girl¡¯s mature way of speaking, cute appearance, and the unreserved manner she was willing to engage with the teenager.


    Rachel grew weary as Anthony was clearly guiding them down specific paths that would take them away from any of the general public; it was something she¡¯d do, yet that he took the initiative put her further on edge.


    Anthony didn¡¯t remember much, and what he did was somewhat hazy, something he claimed was due to the nature of Magthera¡ªThe Grand Existence¡ªhis mind couldn¡¯t process much of it, giving him a splintered glimpse at the unusual place.


    Had Nora not had something called the Mark of the Archon, they would have been utterly devoured, and with Jaenona and Skra¡¯ner Ysgthelra She¡¯agrht, Chain of the Beyond¡¯s presence¡ªher brother¡ªopening the way, they would have been lost to the madness.


    Once he concluded, Rachel¡¯s mind was already alight, connecting dots and pondering several possibilities.


    Entering a denser portion of the swamp on their wooden pathway, she let the atmosphere be taken by Nia¡¯s inquiries about things the eldritch horror wanted to try, such as food.  Yseress was practically shaking with anger inside Rachel¡¯s Core at how carefree the rabbit was being, yet kept her peace and guard up while joining her in the finer details of Anthony¡¯s reveal.


    ¡°Hmm¡­  So, you¡¯re not the Legend of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne anymore, which is why you look a bit¡­ different?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, eh, no.  Huu-haaa¡­ I told Nora you wouldn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°No, the long hair suits you¡ªeh-heh¡­  I¡¯m just a little taken aback, and the sun symbol is¡­ interesting, but I have a tattoo of Nia on my back.  You have armor, too?¡±


    ¡°Mmh,¡± he ran his fingers through his feathered, copper hair, burning eyes drifting back to Jaenona.  ¡°I do¡­  I just need to do the Legend¡¯s Quests to build it out; I told Nora we wouldn¡¯t start any without first explaining everything to you and her sister.¡±


    ¡°Wise choice,¡± she forced a smile, her emotions still boxed.  ¡°It¡¯s pretty crazy, though¡­  Eldritch of Dre¡¯jna Jaenona Le¡¯thrga.  Did I say that right?¡±


    ¡°Yup, eh¡­ The Whisper of Oblivion doesn¡¯t give a very positive light.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cool.  Still, umm¡­ yeah, it¡¯s pretty scary sounding.¡±


    He slowed, showing concern in his orange irises.  ¡°So?¡±


    Rachel puffed out a long breath, trying not to let herself be drawn in as she puzzled everything out.  ¡°All you remember is being in your old home as a kid, no memory, and then realizing something wasn¡¯t right¡ªthis Herald?¡±


    Folding his arms across his chest, Anthony nodded.  ¡°Want me to summarize?¡±


    ¡°There was a clear order, and you saw me before going to this¡­ Magthera, which is¡­¡±


    Picking up where she tailed off, he scratched his eyebrow.  ¡°These particular eldritch beings are beings of¡­ not necessarily dreams, but it is like¡­ air to them, I suppose?  When they appear in our Existence, it¡¯s as if they bring a waking dream that bends reality, yet they¡¯re more creatures of chaotic order, which sounds contradictory, I know.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re one of these things now?¡±


    He gestured at her ears.  ¡°It¡¯s somewhat similar to being a Mythickin¡ªa hybrid of sorts¡ªSelvaria, for instance, still has her human form but can transform into her Leviathan State.  I chose to have Jaenona be my bridge to the eldritch because she promised to always be on my side, and this was necessary for her to survive after taking me through the Red Sea.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go back to the beginning, but this time, explain each part in detail; I want to know locations, how they connect with the Red Sea and this Crimson Tide¡­  Everything.¡±


    ¡°Okay!  Okay!  Heh, give me a second, Rachel!¡± he protested, holding up his hands.  ¡°Uh, you wanted a shortened version of the journey first¡­¡±


    She scratched her neck, noticing all the nearby animals running from them.  ¡°I get I¡¯m being paranoid, but can you blame me?  I go to Cuba for like two weeks, and I come back to my boyfriend being turned into some kind of¡­ well, I don¡¯t know¡ªsomething else¡ªnot that I¡¯m blaming you.¡±


    ¡°No, I know.  It¡¯s a¡­ haaa, a tough situation.  It¡¯s been challenging to me, too¡ªI¡¯ve been having the strangest dreams, which, eh, is where it all starts.  Basically, I was put into a deep sleep¡ªdeeper than your typical dream¡ªlike, I think the only way I can describe it is a coma dream that you don¡¯t recall?


    ¡°It was surreal; I couldn¡¯t remember almost anything, which was kind of needed for the process¡ªthe Herald of the Mecroaf prompted me in the right direction, but it was my choice to keep going¡­  I knew I had to protect Nora, as I promised, and she was in danger.¡±


    ¡°From the Mecroaf?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not¡­  Mmgm, we can get into that later, but there is so much¡­¡±  he trailed off, glaring at a corner post as if it would attack them.  ¡°So much going on that you¡¯re not aware of¡­ that any of us are.


    ¡°Anyone can enter Magthera¡ªthe Mecroaf have never closed their doors, and many entities¡­ powerful entities, worship them.  To hear the song, I needed to uncover the keys in my dream¡ªto find a backdoor out of the Red Sea, where I met Jaenona, one of the Lost.¡±


    The little girl giggled, jogging forward with Nia to walk beside them, small hands behind her back as she scanned the everglades with interest.  ¡°Anthony saved me when I was nearly overtaken; I was able to bud again in Magthera thanks to him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ nice,¡± Rachel mumbled.  ¡°You helped him through this place you called The Dark?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­  It is a corruption in the Red Sea¡ªthe taint of another Grand Existence that seeks to overtake all¡ªa place devoid of song and light.¡±


    Anthony cleared his throat, trying to pull them back to the topic.  ¡°The fog I told you about is The Dark; it can be used as a means to escape the Red Sea, which is how I made it to the Outlands or the edge of this conglomerate of Existences.¡±


    ¡°Right.  Where this forbidden Realm of Dreams is¡­ Magthera, and¡­ is it forbidden because of The Dark?¡±


    ¡°In short,¡± Anthony shrugged.  ¡°Just because it is open doesn¡¯t mean everything can enter; consider there being an open club with gangsters out front with bats attacking anyone who tries to get in.¡±


    ¡°Rude!¡±  Nia huffed.  ¡°If it¡¯s free to get in, why are they being mean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated, Nia,¡± Jaenona soothed.  ¡°To move beyond the Wall of Sleep, which separates our Existences, you must run past or fight these gangsters, and in my weakened state, to do so means death.¡±


    ¡°Sad¡­  Why would anyone want to hurt you when you¡¯re so cute?¡±


    Letting Nia get pulled into another conversation with the eldritch child, Rachel shifted her focus to Anthony.  ¡°I can understand why you¡¯d choose to trust someone you knew and promised to be on your side, but as Yseress just pointed out, how could you be sure it wasn¡¯t a lie?¡±


    He shook his head.  ¡°I knew it in my bones; it¡¯s¡­ hard to explain.  I couldn¡¯t deny it, and questioning that certainty was pointless; Jaenona can¡¯t lie¡ªall entities of Magthera are creatures of truth¡­ sometimes only giving riddles or vague visions, but truth nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°What about this Fate and Destiny?¡±


    ¡°I only know they¡¯re overlooking everything.¡±


    ¡°The Red Sea¡­ Twilight?¡±


    ¡°Possibly.  I don¡¯t know anything about this Twilight person other than the obscure answers Jaenona gave me.¡±


    ¡°I said what I could,¡± she piped up before returning to Nia.


    ¡°I know¡­  It can be aggravating, yet she has a particular way of giving information due to her nature.¡±


    A thought came to Rachel.  ¡°Could¡­ Twilight have entered The Dark¡¯s Grand Existence to meet this Hollowed Sun, and is he the same as The Dark¡ªI¡¯ve never heard of this Rift of Ethereal Gift or the Song¡¯s Blindness?  It implies it relates to a place without sound.¡±


    Anthony yawned, seemingly fighting sleep.  ¡°Can I ask a question?¡±


    ¡°You can ask,¡± Rachel mused, giving him a slight smirk while trying to act more natural.


    ¡°Hehe.  So, this Twilight entity is inside Scarlet?  Has she been there the entire time I¡¯ve known you?¡±


    ¡°Mmh.  I don¡¯t know if I can trust you yet to answer that.¡±


    ¡°Fair¡­  Eh, let¡¯s see¡­  Nia?¡±


    The girl raised her hand with a big grin, looking between them.  ¡°So¡ªso, are you like the H.P. Lovecraft kind of stuff¡ªno, you¡¯re the good guys, and this Darkness stuff is the bad Lovecraft thingys.  Am I right?  I¡¯m totally right!¡±


    Broad chest shaking with laughter, Anthony nodded.  ¡°I thought you were like¡­ living clothes¡ªhow do you know who H.P. Lovecraft is?¡±


    Rachel wasn¡¯t surprised, and the answer was obvious.


    ¡°Scarlet!  She had a friend that liked to tell her spooky stories about them online.¡±


    ¡°How do you know so much about Scarlet?¡±


    ¡°Because I first imprinted on her because SOMEONE didn¡¯t think I was cool enough to wear!¡±  Nia said, giving Rachel a pointed stare.  ¡°Oh, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Eh-yeah, kind of¡­¡±


    Jaenona held out her hand with an innocent smile.  ¡°If you let me experience what you know about it, I can tell you how they would relate.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it, Nia¡ªNia!  You ARE going to KILL us!¡±  Yseress snapped, and Rachel held a similar concern; she didn¡¯t have the same in-depth understanding of what the child was that made the Nephilim so skittish, and still, she was a tad freaked out.


    The girl¡¯s ears fell back, looking scolded as Jaenona took her hand; Rachel felt an unusual hum caress her mind that stiffened Yseress.  ¡°I think she¡¯s a nice, eldritch little girl, Big Sis¡­  She can be our little sis¡ªyou could have three little sisters¡­¡±


    Realizing Nia was placing her in the category of the little sister, Rachel couldn¡¯t fault the innocent rabbit girl; it seemed Jaenona had gained a sense of the situation with her sad smile.


    ¡°I apologize for being so forward, Yseress, Rachel, and please do not be angry with Nia; she is a curious child¡­ and there is fault to be had with how I am perceived by such Intelligences.¡±


    ¡°Mmgm¡­¡±


    Anthony gave her a small frown.  ¡°You okay, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Yseress?  Rachel asked, eyeing the slowing little girl and depressed teenager while feeling the Nephilim hugging herself, rolling around in her Core.  What¡¯s wrong?


    ¡°It¡­ is trustworthy, Mistress.  Gragh¡ªI hate to admit it¡ªI hate it, but I cannot deny it in this second interaction.  How is something¡­ so beyond comprehension this pure?!  It makes no sense, Mistress!¡±


    Rachel hummed, taking a step back to keep both Anthony and Jaenona in sight.  You¡¯re positive?  You¡¯d be confident enough to come out and greet her yourself?


    There was definitely reluctance, yet in answer, the woman emerged from shimmering ruby lights to reveal the shapely, corrupted Nephilim.  ¡°Explain to me what you are,¡± she demanded, begrudgingly directing their attention to the surprised Living Denier, ¡°as¡­ my little sister, Nia, has explained to me.¡±


    Realizing Nia must have talked to Yseress about this Lovecraft stuff before vocalizing it, Rachel listened; anything they could learn about these new players was huge.


    Jaenona charmingly looked up at Anthony, fingers clasped behind her back as she asked,  ¡°Can I, Master?¡±


    ¡°Master?¡±  Rachel sighed, and Nia squealed.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can continue to take this seriously, Anthony.  Ugh¡­¡±


    Yseress shifted in the air to give her a dull look.  C¡¯mon, Mistress is¡­


    ¡°Yes, Mistress?¡±


    Really¡­ even when you¡¯re creeped out by Jaenona, you¡¯re willing to throw me under the bus.


    ¡°It¡¯s a defensive mechanism,¡± she smirked, looking away.


    Nia wouldn¡¯t allow anyone else to speak as she pointed at them.


    ¡°Oh!  Oh!  So, Rachel has Big Sis as her little bondservant, Anthony has adorable little Jaenona, and I¡¯m Rachel¡¯s Big Boss¡ªwe have Scarlet and Alexa, too!  Yes, we¡¯re a growing family; we¡¯re getting so big!¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Anthony chuckled, glancing between the floating Half-Devil and her, clearly looking for answers.


    Yseress¡¯s barbed tail curved around to scratch her leg.  ¡°I think you have a strange view of family, Nia¡ªIn any case, I want to know why I can¡¯t deny your honesty¡ªI have never been compelled in such a way,¡± she heatedly accused, confronting the eldritch entity.


    ¡°Go ahead, Jaenona,¡± Anthony gestured, breathing out a long stream of air as things calmed down; luckily, they were completely alone on this path.  ¡°Tell them more about yourself, Jaenona, interests, and the like.¡±


    She blinked, giving him a bright smile.  ¡°I¡¯m interested in Anthony; we are soul bound.¡±


    ¡°Ack¡ªI didn¡¯t mean like that!  We¡¯re pretty similar, Rachel¡ªwe both have entities inside of us¡ªyou have two!¡±  Anthony hissed, swiftly giving Rachel¡¯s lifted eyebrow a strained grin.  ¡°It¡¯s not what it seems¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  she mused, trying to relieve tension as Yseress snickered and Nia winced.  ¡°Let me see if I can articulate this properly¡­  Jaenona, an eldritch entity powerful enough to transcend Existences, whatever that encompasses, has taken on the visible form of a little, five-year-old girl¡­¡±


    She gestured at her own glowing, pink-hued snow-white hair and shining red irises.  ¡°That looks similar to me¡ªoddly with Scarlet ears¡­¡±


    ¡°I noticed that, too,¡± Nia mumbled, looking between them.


    ¡°It makes a girl wonder why she would choose to look like this¡ªbecause, obviously, it is her choice¡ªand for this child to call you Master?  Sure, Yseress and Mistress is¡­ more of a slight annoyance against her than anything else, but what is your excuse for Jaenona?¡±


    She could practically see her boyfriend sweating, hand rubbing the back of his neck as he tried not to look away from her.  ¡°I¡­ thought it was a little strange, too, but then I thought it was to¡­ you know, lure in people¡­ heh, make her seem vulnerable.¡±


    ¡°I am vulnerable,¡± Jaenona innocently said, and Yseress had to ask the direct question.


    ¡°Has Anthony asked you why you took on that appearance, hmm?¡±


    Her thick snow-white locks shook around her small frame as she shook her head.  ¡°He has not.¡±


    ¡°Very well, I will ask for him,¡± she mused, never missing an opportunity to dig at someone.  ¡°Why do you look like that, Jaenona?¡±


    Rachel crossed her arms and waited as the girl politely responded without reservation, making Anthony¡¯s face drain of color, which helped alleviate some of her worries, but her response did put his line of thinking into her own mind.


    ¡°While on our journey, and when I was resurrecting, we passed through many dreams and spaces filled with Anthony¡¯s innermost world¡ªthe base of his Intelligence¡ªand among those daydreams was a question in if the two of you could proliferate, which came to him thinking about this image of a little girl.¡±


    ¡°No, but¡ªI¡¯m a Chemist¡ªnaturally, eh-heh, my scientific mind would ponder how that would work¡­ if she¡¯d share the aspect of Legend and Mythickin¡ªit was just a thought experiment¡ªI know we haven¡¯t even been on our first date, so¡­  Haaa, I know it sounds weird.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, I¡¯m thinking about it, too!¡±  Nia nodded eagerly, ears going up and down.  ¡°You don¡¯t think she¡¯d have hare ears¡ªbig ones like Rachel¡ªmmh, ¡®cause I think that¡¯d be cute, too!¡±


    Feeling like teasing him a little as she figured it was pointless to further play into her paranoia, Rachel clasped her hands behind her back and pressed down on her stiff tail.  ¡°Hmm¡­  Well, Nia, you see, Anthony told me he¡¯s not the biggest fan of bunny ears.¡±


    Eyes going big and ears folding back, Nia looked at him as if he¡¯d personally attacked her.  ¡°You don¡¯t like¡ªlike my ears,¡± she mumbled, hands pressing them down.  ¡°W-Why¡­ are they too small¡ªI know bunny ears aren¡¯t as big as hare ears, but¡ªbut I can¡¯t change that I¡¯m a rabbit!¡±


    ¡°No!  No¡ªRachel¡­  I said I wasn¡¯t a fan of Rachel¡¯s ears!¡±


    ¡°Oof¡­ tsk, tsk, tsk,¡± Yseress playfully hissed as Nia¡¯s colorful eyebrows pulled together.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Rachel¡¯s ears?  I think they¡¯re really cute¡ªI even put earrings in them¡ªsee¡­  They''re big and fluffy, and the gold helps draw attention to them¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Anthony,¡± Rachel challenged, leaning forward a bit with an accusatory smile, ¡°what¡¯s wrong with Nia and my ears?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­  I¡¯m always going to be the bad guy here, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°You dug your own hole.¡±  Yseress waved a hand.  ¡°In any case, I despise not being able to doubt the authenticity of the people I deal with¡­  Explain, if you could.¡±


    Anthony managed his unbound lion¡¯s mane of copper hair that reached his shoulder blades as the warm Florida wind picked up, whistling through the trees.  ¡°It¡¯s as I said; I couldn¡¯t deny that she was honest.¡±


    They turned to Jaenona as she stole the spotlight, large shimmering eyes like a child¡¯s.  ¡°I do not quite understand the context, Big Sister.


    Yseress choked.  ¡°B-Big¡­  I am not your sister¡ª¡±


    Jaenona blinked, turning a questioning gaze to Nia as the teen blushed.  ¡°I was told it was a proper way to address you.  Is it not?¡±


    ¡°For an all-knowing and powerful eldritch entity, you are quite dense,¡± Yseress grumbled, glaring at the rabbit as she played with her hair, refusing to make eye contact but not backing down from her position; she¡¯d have her big family¡ªlikely another product of Scarlet¡¯s influence.  ¡°I am not your friend.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Jaenona chimed, and Rachel wasn¡¯t sure exactly how much this creature grasped their culture, or perhaps this was her way of being awkward for all she knew.  ¡°Please, ask your questions, and I will answer to my best ability.¡±


    Rachel jumped on it before Yseress.  ¡°Do you know what lying is?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Have you lied to any of us?¡±  Yseress inquired, and Nia shifted nervously as the atmosphere took on a heavier tone.


    ¡°I have not.¡±


    ¡°Can you lie?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ suppose?¡±  she muttered, confused vision drifting to Anthony.  ¡°Lies only conceal the truth, which is counterproductive to the purpose of the Mecroaf.  If Anthony were to order me to lie, I would, but it is not something I take lightly.¡±


    ¡°Shoot,¡± he grumbled, everyone¡¯s focus going to him.  ¡°I guess that means I¡¯m the bad guy again¡ªshe¡¯ll only lie if I tell her to¡ªeh, Jaenona¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master?¡±


    ¡°Disregard me telling you anything besides telling the truth to Rachel and Yseress.¡±


    ¡°Okay!  What do you wish to know next?¡±


    Nia threw up her hand again.  ¡°Oh, remember my question¡ªthe Lovecraft stuff!  You know what it is now?¡±


    ¡°I do!  It corresponds heavily with what you¡¯d call The Dark, yet now that I have an understanding of this concept, I can see their influences in the hearts of men¡ªthey are the very same that you have shown me¡ªthe Outer Gods corrupt the Red Sea and devour all they come into contact with.¡±


    Nia shivered, hugging herself.  ¡°You mean¡ªt-they¡¯re real?!¡±


    Rachel made a mental note to read up on the entities when she had time.  ¡°You¡¯re similar to them?¡±


    ¡°Quite similar to those of us in Magthera, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Jaenona whispered, for the first time shifting uncomfortably.  ¡°The Outer Gods have lost the song and extend their influence, which draws my brothers and sisters into their web to fight against what they once found harmony in.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s lips tightened as the little girl grew melancholy.  ¡°They¡¯re your opposites?¡±


    ¡°In some respects¡­  We could distinctuate ourselves by the label Extratemporals; although we are the same type of entity as the Outer Gods, we have a different purpose.¡±


    Yseress sat in the air, hugging the bag she¡¯d summoned to her breast.  ¡°What equivalent to these Lovecraft entities are you?¡±


    Jaenona tilted her body to the right, looking thoughtful.  ¡°Hmm¡­  It is challenging to honestly place myself in a hierarchy with the others within Magthera and the Outer Gods.  I can answer in this way, but Anthony¡­¡±


    He hissed, puffing out a long stream of air.  ¡°Rachel, the reason I changed the subject was that naming these entities while in Jaenona¡¯s presence draws their influence closer¡ªshe¡¯s like an unwilling resonance rod¡ªare you willing to see exactly what we¡¯re dealing with?¡±


    ¡°Will they attack?¡±


    Jaenona¡¯s locks weaved with her head.  ¡°Not since they do not know I am severely weakened¡ªI could be slain by some of the Lesser Servitor Races¡ªit will be a warning.¡±


    Yseress¡¯ gnarled wings folded closer, vision narrowing.  ¡°Will it not draw them to us¡ªdo they know you live?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, they do; it is in the song within my essence that they seek to destroy.¡±


    Rachel thought on it for a moment, everyone waiting for her response as she scanned the worried little adorable girl¡¯s face.  ¡°What are the pros and cons of summoning this servant?¡±


    ¡°Can we not, Rachel?¡±  Nia quivered.  ¡°They¡¯re really, really bad news!  Like, like worse than Revilla!¡±


    Her jaw tightened at the comparison.  Revilla¡¯s extra powers¡­  So, she¡¯s a product of the Outer Gods; she appeared to have eldritch abilities.


    ¡°Hmm¡­  Do you know which of these Outer Gods is the Hollowed Sun or Black Star?¡±


    ¡°I am afraid they are not of the Outer Gods, Rachel¡­  So far as I am aware, it and its followers were trapped within their unhallowed figurehead.¡±


    She can describe them, and we could look them up later¡­


    Yseress¡¯ eyes widened as a thought came to her mind.  ¡°If you are of such power, Dre¡¯jna Jaenona Le¡¯thrga, Whisper of Oblivion, can you break into the 9th Circle of Hell?¡±


    Nia gasped.  ¡°We can rescue Izzy!¡±


    ¡°Lady Izanami,¡± Yseress huffed to the teen¡¯s bobbing head.


    ¡°Mhm!  Izzy is in trouble.  We can go save her!  Right, Anthony?¡±


    Jaenona fidgeted a little, depression setting into her voice.  ¡°I am afraid¡­ I am at an extremely vulnerable stage; their cults are already here.  Anthony is the only thing keeping my essence from decaying, from being swept into the Great Old Ones¡¯ hands¡ªto be devoured where they wait in the Red Sea¡ªtheir cults prepare for their return.¡±


    Rachel bit her thumbnail, emotions a mass of chaos; she hadn¡¯t upgraded Emotional Detachment in some time, and it didn¡¯t have the highest rank since not much had bothered her since feeding off of Yseress and the Hell Moon.


    There are far more sides than I initially planned; we really are caught in a maelstrom of conflicting interests and parties, each after their own agenda.  We have two opposing Grand Existences of eldritch entities, Twilight, the gods, Hell, the Hollow Sun, potentially this Black Star, and these Destiny and Fate people¡­ possibly more we aren¡¯t aware of yet.


    Revilla and Scarlet¡¯s mom weren¡¯t entirely wrong.  The issue is we can¡¯t rely on anyone else but ourselves, which is why someone gave us these Seeds¡ªthe Crystals are there to force civilizations to advance¡ªthey either die to each other or to the creatures looming overhead, preparing to attack¡­  Twilight is the dam.


    Obviously, she has her own agenda, and she may not be a part of these Seeds but using them to her advantage¡­  We need to get stronger.


    Vision shifting to Anthony, she steadied her thoughts.  ¡°If they are preparing their cults across the world¡­  We don¡¯t know who is the closest, so we should try to figure out what scale we¡¯re dealing with.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Yseress crossed her legs.  ¡°It is best to know who is the summoner; you would be able to determine what things are needed for the ritual to track it down.¡±


    Not only that,¡± Rachel added, ¡°but I think we should spook them for a time by showing Jaenona is here, which might hasten their ritual to bring their god into the world, but give us a chance, as Yseress said, to identify them.  Also, correct me if I¡¯m wrong, Jaenona, but you can describe them without naming them directly, right?¡±


    ¡°I can.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s cheeks puffed out, yawning again while stretching out.  ¡°Ugh¡­  I have to sleep soon to recharge¡ªI feel like a narcoleptic.¡±


    ¡°Apologies, Master¡­¡±


    ¡°Heh, it¡¯s not your¡ªwell, heh, I guess it kind of is your fault, but it¡¯s par for the course.  What do you think, Rachel?  I¡¯m down if you want to summon it; I think it will cause a lot of things to back off for a while.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good point¡­  Still, before that, can you tell us how powerful you are, Jaenona, and describe the entity?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  she looked worried, rubbing her chest as if recalling a terrible memory.  ¡°I suppose to put it in perspective¡­ the one who delivered the fatal blow that slew me¡­ was who I call the Crimson Tide, yet you¡­ you call it the Crawling Chaos.¡±


    Nia squeaked, ducking behind Anthony and looking around to see if he¡¯d show up.  ¡°Bad¡ªreal bad!¡±


    Yseress shook out her shoulders, glancing down at her tattoos.  ¡°Indeed.  You were weakened?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ had recovered greatly using the song in my Master to leave the Red Sea; still, even at my strongest, I would be hard-pressed to match that particular Outer God.  Currently, they are forced to the Outlands due to the many barriers placed in their way¡ªmany by the one you call Nodens¡ªyet their forces are gathering.¡±


    Nia¡¯s fear calmed.  ¡°Wait, I mean¡­ I guess he¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    ¡°There are paths that Nodens helped to fashion to support my brothers and sisters,¡± Jaenona vouched, ¡°which is why I was able to survive as long as I did.¡±


    Having come to the same conclusion as Anthony, Rachel smiled at a brooding Yseress, trying to figure out how to get Izanami free, Nia, frightened at the prospect of summoning an absolute terror, and Anthony just hoping she wouldn¡¯t shove him away.


    ¡°Hmm.  Okay, let¡¯s poke the bear and see which bear it is¡ªwho would we test¡ªwould any do?¡±


    The girl nodded.  ¡°It would resonate across the Red Sea like sonar in water, and any like me would feel its ripples; they do not know my name, so they cannot understand the resonance.¡±


    Rachel turned to Nia.  ¡°Feeling brave?¡±


    ¡°NO!  These things are uber-scary¡ªlike, wet the bed scary!¡±


    ¡°Chickening out?  I didn¡¯t know you were a chicken,¡± she teased.


    ¡°I¡¯m not; I¡¯m a rabbit Living Denier!¡±


    ¡°So you can say it?¡±


    ¡°Mmgm¡­  Why are you having me do it?  Have Big Sis do it!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t blame her, Rachel,¡± Yseress soothed, floating over to stroke her head and make the teen blush.  ¡°Rabbits are sensitive and easily frightened.¡±


    ¡°Am not!¡±  she cried, brushing the Nephilim¡¯s hand away to Anthony and Jaenona¡¯s chuckles.  ¡°I can totally do it¡ªNyarlathotep¡ªsee!  Eep¡ª¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart stilled, the air on the back of her neck standing up as mist bubbled up from the water around them, and a large, fish-like frog entity rose out of the haze, guttural sounds rumbling the air as it flexed its bloody spear, clearly coming from battle, and all sound outside faded.


    Its thick, tarp-like cloth that draped over its slick head dripped with black liquid, staining the swamp and mist as the sound of a storm in the distance yet unseen brewed.


    Rachel¡¯s gut churned as it stepped onto the dock, Anthony taking a step forward to be beside her; it was powerful; despite its fat belly, the creature was more than a little intimidating, and there was a gleam in its black, prodigious bulging eyes as it surveyed them.


    Nia and Yseress were nearby, the Nephilim seemingly defending the frightened rabbit, trying to summon her courage; it would be a tough fight if they didn¡¯t have Yseress to face it, but in the next instant, her ears twitched, hearing several more rising out of the frothing depths to surround them.


    Shark-like wide jaws snapping, the leader spoke in a cryptic language she couldn¡¯t understand, pointing its spear at the stalwart little girl between Rachel and Anthony.


    ¡°Gek-gek-gek¡­  God-raga moshi thra ti ga dro-Dagon shuuu-raaa¡­¡±


    With that ominous phrase, it smashed the butt of its spear against the bridge they stood on, causing a wide-ranged pulse that turned everything to splinters; Rachel jumped forward to meet it just before the blast, forcing her way through the wall-like barrier as the mist swirled, yet her leg only connected with what seemed an afterimage as their connected worlds faded.


    Using another lunar platform to reach the in-tact bridge several meters away in the hail of ice balls it had generated, she looked back to see the fog clear, Anthony carrying a black and white spear, the little eldritch girl nowhere to be seen.


    Nia was crying.  ¡°D-Did you feel that¡ªbrr¡­ they came out of nowhere!  Literally, the mist just showed up¡ªso, so creepy!¡±


    ¡°Calm yourself,¡± Yseress mumbled, glaring at the area they¡¯d vanished while setting the frightened teenager down.  ¡°They can bridge dimensional space¡ªpowerful stuff¡­  What did they say?¡±


    The spear melted out of Anthony¡¯s hands to rise into Jaenona, a somber look on her face.  ¡°They were laughing at our folly¡­  Prepare for the Ruler of the Deep Ones¡­  Father Dagon will rise from the sea to consume this world.¡±


    Nia¡¯s fingers balled into a fist.  ¡°S-So we need to find the Esoteric Order of Dagon and take them out?¡±


    Rachel rolled around her shoulders; she¡¯d been prepared for a fight, and this was a tad disappointing, but it would have been a rough battle¡ªdozens more were hidden nearby.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back home and fill everyone in.¡±


    ¡°You trust me?¡±


    She gave him a sly smirk, releasing Emotional Detachment to contend with the swirling chaos, playing it off as a joke.  ¡°Let¡¯s say¡­ as far as I can throw you!¡±


    ¡°Haha!  Okay, so pretty far?¡±


    Yseress looked thoughtful at the turn of events, returning to Rachel¡¯s Core without further comment as Nia latched onto Rachel¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go!  I¡ªI don¡¯t like being near the water now¡­ or sharp edges¡ªgah, these eldritch things could come from everywhere!¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 3. Rebuilding Trust

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (Our Lunar Hare Girl!)


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    Taking their time returning to her grandfather¡¯s house, Rachel took the opportunity to learn more about her now part Eldritch boyfriend and the unusual disguised little girl.


    Yseress begrudgingly introduced herself, still not entirely on board with the whole conclusion, but Anthony made a valid point in that Rachel had dealings with Hell; he was willing to listen and come to understand how it happened, which branched into the topic, Nia chiming in to illustrate her own daring, somewhat embellished part in the adventure.


    Coming into a more populated area, Yseress returned to Rachel¡¯s Core; at first, she thought it was because the Nephilim didn¡¯t want to cause a scene, but it didn¡¯t take her long to realize she was just self-conscious about her sickly appearance.  She was fairly vain, Rachel pondered, then again, all she¡¯d known was Hell, literally, from the moment she was born, and self-image meant a lot there.


    On the other hand, Nia was a bubbling teen, excited to meet the first person she could identify with.  Jaenona¡¯s attentive and indulging personality only further served the Living Denier to instantly feel a connection; although Rachel was a little leery that it was simply a defensive tactic of the severely weakened entity.


    Still, she was surprised how willing to accept certain things since Cuba.  Sure, it had heightened her paranoid mind in some ways¡ªas having a living connection to Hell might¡ªyet it also brought a new level of understanding that not everything is as black and white as it seems.


    Whatever reservations she might have, Anthony seemed shockingly normal¡ªself-conscious and frightened about how she saw him¡ªand she could understand that far more than most.


    Few people would give him the benefit of the doubt and, after what happened to him after The Oscillation¡ªhaving lost his job and been seen as a threat¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t want the few people that did accept him to turn away.


    Self-reflecting on that line of thought while in conversation with her boyfriend brought a new perspective that Rachel appreciated.  Her own team and friends had been extremely considerate of her own changes; naturally, they¡¯d been skeptical and reserved when she took Izanami¡¯s deal, yet they¡¯d also been in a desperate situation that helped.


    Of course, her over-analytical mind cast back to their own issues¡ªmost of them had something that they were nervous about sharing¡ªand accepting one another with their flaws was a part of what drew them all together.


    Was Anthony any different?  When Mythickin were being compared to the Seattle Vampire, he hadn¡¯t batted an eye in seeing her as an individual, rather than grouping her in a group identity.  She didn¡¯t know anything about Eldritch beings, and while a degree of distrust was healthy, there was a spectrum to everything.


    She could give Jaenona a fair chance to show who she truly was, which sparked another thought in Rachel¡¯s mind, one she both was terrified of and begrudgingly felt was necessary if she was to trust Anthony again¡ªhe and Jaenona would need to pass the family test.


    As Rachel questioned and laughed at Anthony¡¯s little jokes and melancholy responses to the tragic fate of Cuba, she built up her courage, trying to rationalize it against the gut-wrenching possibility of opening up one of the few things she truly cared for in life to potential danger¡ªyet if she didn¡¯t take the step, anything she did would be hollow and a feigned effort.


    In the time she¡¯d spent with him so far, she saw he really hadn¡¯t changed that much; in fact, he was pretty fearful she would reject him outright, causing guilt to flood Rachel¡¯s chest.


    Rachel hadn¡¯t even anticipated Anthony would reject her¡ªtaking his own opinion or concerns for granted; displaying her own ego and skewed view¡ªshe had to check herself.  She¡¯d almost jokingly thought how funny it would be to see how he reacted, which showed how arrogant she¡¯d become, and she couldn¡¯t totally blame it on Hell¡¯s energy.


    Ears tilting to the left, Rachel hummed, tail stiff and expression tightening as she gave him an inquisitive stare.  ¡°What¡­ do you think about me being connected to Yseress¡ªme being connected to Hell?  I¡¯ve been the one judging you, but we haven¡¯t talked about that yet.  Thoughts?¡±


    Nia¡¯s cheer fell as she trailed off, fingers tightening against her stomach to listen to the conversation; both she and her new friend looked to Anthony, waiting for his answer.


    The Eldritch of Dre¡¯jna Jaenona Le¡¯thrga took a deep breath before letting it stream out, looking off to the side to follow a somewhat enthralled family of four, Rachel and Nia having the hearing to listen to the very honest children whisper excitedly to their parents about the unusual group.


    ¡°Hmm¡­  I don¡¯t know if I want to address that yet, to be honest.  I¡¯ve been too panicked as to how both you¡ªmost importantly¡ªand the rest of the world would feel if they found out about me.  What are they saying?¡±


    Nia giggled at his question, apprehension vanishing; she would be a girl that would love the assumptions they made.


    Rachel ran her fingers through her hair with a forced smile, waving at the couple who returned the awkward gesture across the pathway docks.  ¡°Obviously, they¡¯re wondering if Jaenona is our kid and Nia is my sister¡ªthey know who I am because, well, I¡¯m the face of the government¡¯s push on the guild scene¡ªand they¡¯re debating if we¡¯re married.¡±


    ¡°Mmh-hmm-hmm-hmm!¡±  Nia snickered, skipping forward to nudge Rachel¡¯s side, and she glared down at the teen as she tried to teasingly flick her tail, blocking the action.


    ¡°Stop¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  We¡¯re a happy family!  I¡¯m your adorable little sister¡ªthey¡¯re wondering if The Oscillation changed families to be similar, too¡ªhehe, they think you¡¯re an old lady!¡±


    ¡°Thirty or thirty-five isn¡¯t that old,¡± Rachel mumbled, voicing what the couple was talking about; ironically, they hadn¡¯t even considered they¡¯d be able to eavesdrop from their distance.


    ¡°Oh!  The lady wants to thank Rachel for shutting down that Montana Crystal since her little brother lives there.¡±


    It was supposed to be kept a secret¡­  Wow, life has gotten complicated.


    Jaenona chuckled, instantly snatching Rachel¡¯s focus.  ¡°You have quite a peaceful world.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be surp¡ªwell, I suppose considering the kinds of places you lived, I guess we are pretty peaceful.¡±


    Nia circled around to nudge Anthony next.  ¡°Oh, Rachel thinks you¡¯re pretty hot stuff, too!  Hehe.  A lot of girls have commented on your looks as we¡¯ve passed.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±  Rachel gave the fire-starting bunny a dull look; she was shameless when it didn¡¯t concern her.  ¡°Nia¡¯s not wrong.¡±


    ¡°Even with this thing?¡±  he mumbled, vision rising as if he could see his own forehead¡ªof course, he might for all she knew¡ªto bring her attention to the sun-like flaming tattoo.  ¡°These patterns on the side of my eyes, too?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­  I mean, you were always hot before, but eh, yeah¡­ yeah, heh, you do have that¡­ almost dangerous vibe¡ªin a good way¡ªalthough,¡± she snickered, recalling his comment about her ears, ¡°if you could get rid of the sun mark it would help to not distract from your smoking eyes, hair¡­ jawline, yeah¡­ yeah, it is a bit distracting, to be honest, but totally not a deal-breaker.¡±


    He laughed, rubbing the mark.  ¡°A call back to me not liking your ears, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±  Nia suddenly huffed, accusatory multi-colored eyes glaring at him.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you like her ears?!  They¡¯re so big and cute¡ªI wish mine was as big as hers¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Taste,¡± Anthony shrugged, ¡°but as Rachel said, some things are more than acceptable, even if you¡¯re not the biggest fan.¡±


    ¡°Humph.  What do you think, Jaenona?  You like my ears?!¡±  she questioned, clearly taking personal offense, as a teenager would.


    ¡°I do find them quite fitting on you, Nia.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!  Someone has taste¡ªhumph.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s broad chest shook at her flipping hot and cold attitude, yet his vision fell to the planks as they slowly progressed, fingers still over the symbol.  ¡°It¡¯s not a sun, by the way¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Rachel mused, lifting an eyebrow.  ¡°Looks pretty sun-like to me.  What¡¯s it mean?¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­  it¡¯s kind of, mmh¡­  Jaenona?¡±  he asked, seeking further clarification.


    The soft breeze picked up, forcing the little girl to manage her thick hair, her bright, cosmic eyes shimmered with the cheery note touching her rosy cheeks.


    ¡°It is, in essence, the mark of my principality¡ªconsider it the actualization of my power¡ªmy little brother, Skra¡¯ner Ysgthelra She¡¯agrht¡ªChain of the Beyond¡ªand I share a duality that was broken and reformed with my Master; he was my anchor.¡±


    She skipped ahead, hands clasped behind her back as she walked backward, forcing them to slow a fraction.  ¡°I expand, bringing new growth, and my brother keeps me stable; that was shattered when I was forced into this monolithic maelstrom of an Existence, destabilizing me, yet Master has become my ballast, thereby growing with me.¡±


    Directing their attention to his mark, she showed a toothy, gleaming smile, which was far too perfect for her age, where teeth would be missing.  ¡°It is a new, more unified expression that we share than my brother¡ªOne Eternal Round¡ªand the representation of that is the flaming halo, or, at least, that is what your perception perceives.  Hmm-hmm!¡±


    It was a little hard to conceptualize for a moment, yet the lengthy explanation did solidify it in Rachel¡¯s mind, and then she threw a left hook to shatter the entire conversation, displaying an innocent smile.


    ¡°If it is troublesome, Master, I can conceal it until you use our powers.¡±


    Nia¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°You can do that?¡±


    ¡°Certainly.  If you prefer, I can also move it to a new location.¡±


    A specific image bubbled to the surface of Rachel¡¯s thoughts, causing a teasing smirk to lift the corners of her full lips.  ¡°Anywhere, Jaenona?¡±


    Nia blinked.  ¡°Like on his chest, or¡­  Wait, Rachel¡ªyou can¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  You¡¯re far off, My Little Bunny¡­¡±


    ¡°Phewww¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worse.¡±


    ¡°Ehh?!  Rachel!  How much worse, Big Sis?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately¡­ it is unspeakable.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    Anthony¡¯s uncertain eyes wandered between the gasping, animated bunny and Rachel¡¯s lifted eyebrows.  ¡°I¡¯m¡­ a bit afraid to ask what you mean by that look.¡±


    Jaenona¡¯s bewildered smile shifted between them.  ¡°Mhm.  Anywhere.  Are you inquiring about the¡­¡±


    ¡°We can let the imagination fill in the blank,¡± Rachel grinned.  ¡°Where do you want it, Anthony, hmm?  It would look¡­ heh, interesting in a few places; it could really turn a girl on¡­  Eh¡­  How old are you, Jaenona,¡± she hesitantly asked as Nia stumbled a little, face turning bright red; Yseress was enjoying herself again in their private conversation.


    The little girl looked thoughtful.  ¡°Well, I died, so¡­ technically, I am a little over a week¡ªtime works differently in many mediums, yet roughly so.¡±


    ¡°Mmh, better question,¡± Rachel followed up; ¡°how mentally old are you?¡±


    ¡°A challenging thing to answer,¡± she giggled.  ¡°It would depend on the culture of this planet, as I assume you are alluding to, and such an examination would be flawed, as I am not well accustomed to it.¡±


    Anthony sighed, rubbing his head while trying to process her dirty-minded implication as they went on.


    ¡°Not even using Anthony¡¯s past experiences?¡±


    Her snow-white locks danced around her face.  ¡°Mmh-uh.  I am only privy to my Master¡¯s mind as to what he allows, and he has made clear that despite our unity, we are to remain separate individuals, which will affect our evolution.¡±


    Anthony cleared his throat, trying to get back on a less inappropriate topic.  ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily.  It is just¡­ unpredictable.  I have nothing to base my presumptions upon, and therefore, it excites me!¡±


    ¡°Aww,¡± Nia cooed, rubbing her head, ¡°you¡¯re so adorable!  You can¡¯t taint her, Rachel; she¡¯s all mine¡ªhisssss!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  I apologize, Nia, but I am all Master¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be your master; we¡¯ll be friends forever!  Better than big fatass over here; she¡¯s always so mean to me!¡±


    ¡°Boo-hoo,¡± Rachel snickered.  ¡°I oppress you so much.¡±


    ¡°You totally do!  Hah!  Big Sis said I can start a union; we¡¯ll be the last ones laughing then!  Mua-ha-ha-ha!  You¡¯ll be powerless in the face of the dreaded Union!¡±


    Knowing she had no clue what that actually meant, Rachel chuckled.  ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do great with all the paperwork.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  Paperwork?  What paperwork?¡±


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s so much, but you¡¯re a smart bunny¡ªI¡¯m sure it will be no problem for you!¡±


    ¡°Eh-heh, yeah¡­  Yeah¡­  I¡¯m smart¡ªreally smart¡­¡±


    She swiftly started questioning Yseress for the Nephilim to happily spin her brain around in circles, giving Rachel more time to pursue her own topics.


    ¡°Anyway, heh, what are you going to do about the mark?¡±


    He gave her a short shake of his head.  ¡°Just curious?¡±


    ¡°Intensely!  Hehe.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­  What do you think about my chest?¡±


    ¡°Ohh, kinky!¡±


    ¡°Not like that,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°Besides, if you really wanna go there, Jaenona can change it to anywhere you want whenever you feel the need to do so¡ªthe power is in your hands!¡±


    ¡°Ooh, bold!¡±  Rachel mumbled, but he did get her cheeks to color at the liberty he¡¯d given her; he¡¯d got her there.


    ¡°The chest, Master?¡±


    ¡°For now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Rachel watched the mark fade; he truly was a stunner, and the heat in her ears and chest increased with her beating heart as he gave her a charming grin.


    ¡°Thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Ahem¡­  Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know your ears could turn red!¡±


    ¡°They totally aren¡¯t¡ªthey can¡¯t unless¡ªoof¡­ dirty,¡± she mumbled, a small accusatory smile directed at his laugh, forcing her ears back a bit; it was as if a universe-threatening warning hadn¡¯t just been given to them.  ¡°So¡­ where do we go from here?¡±


    Anthony puffed out a long stream of air.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­  I, heh, wasn¡¯t even sure we¡¯d get this far.¡±


    Rachel scratched her neck, looking away to make many other pedestrians avert their interested gazes.  ¡°I went hard on you about Jaenona¡­  It¡¯s only fair you get the same shot at me; let me have it.¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  His expression softened.  ¡°Honestly, I was so concerned how you¡¯d feel about me changing into, well, this¡­ that if I were to turn around and shun you, I¡¯d be a total loser and hypocrite.  I want to understand, though¡­  Want to take one more path and tell me how you feel?  That path goes in a short loop before returning to the street.¡±


    Ears and tail relaxing, Rachel nodded.  ¡°I¡¯d like that.  I want to know more about how you feel with Jaenona, too; I don¡¯t know her that well¡ªwell, I don¡¯t know you that well,¡± she corrected, turning to speak to the entity, ¡°or where things go from here¡­ but I want to learn more.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a plan¡­  Haaa-hehe¡­  I guess that¡¯s the hard part out of the way.¡±


    ¡°I guess so!  Hmm-hmm.  Can you feel her inside you?¡±


    ¡°Eh-heh, smooth¡ªwhat about Yseress?¡±


    ¡°Oh, totally!  She¡¯s a total babe; I mean, you¡¯ve seen her¡ªwell, she is kind of a bit sick at the moment, but I¡¯ll fix that¡ªit¡¯s like you¡¯re getting three girls for the price of one!¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Nia hissed, holding up her arms in an X.  ¡°Nein!¡±


    ¡°Where did you learn German?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Mistress, speak to your own infernal desires.¡±


    ¡°Who said it was my desire?¡±  Rachel defended, realizing she¡¯d backed herself into a corner she couldn¡¯t get out of.


    ¡°Mmh!¡±  Anthony mused, giving her a well, you said it note.


    ¡°I¡¯m underage, Rachel!¡±


    ¡°I may be a slave, Mistress, but I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d use me for such carnal desires¡­  You¡¯ve changed,¡± Yeseress expressed melodramatically.  ¡°Escape while you can, Nia; she has embraced the Devil within!¡±


    ¡°No!  Big Sis, I¡¯ll save you from her tyranny!¡±  Nia jumped in, taking on the heroine role in this mental play they were crafting.  ¡°I would never abandon you!¡±


    Jaenona clapped.  ¡°Oh.  So am I to be the villain manipulating things?¡±


    ¡°Gah!  You weren¡¯t supposed to say that,¡± Anthony gasped, drawing their eyes and making Rachel give an internal sigh; she figured he was bailing her out by becoming the villain.


    ¡°How could you manipulate poor, innocent Jaenona, Anthony!¡±  Nia cried.  ¡°Bad man!  Poor, poor Jaenona, Big Sis, and me¡ªwe do need a union!  Join us, Lil¡¯ Sis!  We will conquer our oppressors!¡±


    ¡°I see¡ªso I am on your side now?  Wonderful!  We will certainly win this conflict, Big Sister Nia.¡±


    Nia stepped back as if shot through the heart, eyes watering with emotion.  ¡°B-Big Sister Nia¡­  I¡¯m a big sister!¡±  she squealed, jumping forward to wrap the giggling little girl in her arms and swing her around.  ¡°We¡¯ll be bestest sisters!¡±


    ¡°I look forward to¡ªmmgm¡­ it is¡­ challenging to breathe, Big Sister¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh!  Oh!  Sorry!¡±


    Nia was caught¡ªhook, line, and sinker¡ªif Jaenona was secretly going to devour her, she didn¡¯t stand a chance; of course, it didn¡¯t take much to get on the girl¡¯s good side¡ªa certified sucker.


    Letting the Living Denier be taken in by her new big sister role, teaching Jaenona all about their surroundings, concluding by describing her perception of people, what they wore, activities, and parts of houses, Rachel had a more serious conversation with Anthony.


    She told him how she felt about her recent transformation, that there was the potential that she may completely change into a Lunar Hell Hare, and the other risks she took in Cuba.  It was different from just recounting the events, like earlier, allowing her to expand her personal attachment to them.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t get into details regarding Twilight until obtaining Scarlet¡¯s permission and wanted to have another walk to discuss what she¡¯d puzzled out with her before asking if they could bring Anthony in on it; in fact, the topic might be good to express in private to the whole inner group at this point.


    Anthony was far more perceptive than she gave him credit for, noting how close she held her cards; he knew she was keeping things from him and, to her surprise, he wasn¡¯t angry or hurt.


    He knew she had a lot of weight on her shoulders, being the selected captain of Mystic, and had to balance the trust of all of their members.  If she thought it couldn¡¯t be shared yet, he understood, and that being said, he did want to share what load he could.


    Once again, she was reminded how good and caring of a guy Anthony was; he could call her out of her BS while also being kind enough to realize there were likely reasons, yet offer his support for whatever she needed.


    Nearing the house again after the dark streets had cleared, night overtaking the evening for people to return home, Rachel gave her boyfriend a nervous smile.  ¡°Anthony¡­  I¡¯m scared, which is, heh, obviously something you know I¡¯m not great at expressing¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­  Heh, we should work on that¡ªhow else am I going to know something is wrong that I can help you with.¡±


    ¡°True¡­  Umm¡­  Can¡ªcan Jaenona spend the week at our house¡­  You can join, eh¡­ if my parents are comfortable with it, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­  Wow, that¡¯s¡­ a lot more trust than I thought you¡¯d give me.  Are you concerned about yourself?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­ less so about my Nephilim problem.¡±


    ¡°Tactful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more about consistency¡­  My mom will literally freak when she sees Jaenona, hehe¡­  She loves little girls, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll want to instantly adopt her¡­ especially¡­ because of her looks.¡±


    Mom might not believe she¡¯s not Anthony and my child with the insane tale we¡¯re going to tell her¡­   It¡¯s like, why wouldn¡¯t she be?  I have a Nephilim in me¡ªliving clothes¡ªand a creature from another Existence is in Anthony¡­  Surely, a daughter isn¡¯t beyond question.  Ugh.


    Gut tightening at the thought, Rachel nodded.  ¡°Yeah¡­ she¡¯ll freak for sure, and Nia having a body¡ª¡±


    ¡°And Big Sis¡ªoh, Scarlet and Alexa, too!¡±  Nia chimed.  ¡°We can all go shopping!  Oh!  Oh!  Alexa gets her powers, too!  Woooh!  Hehe.  She¡¯s going to faint on the spot!¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±


    Anthony stopped in front of her with a soft smile.  ¡°I can see it¡ªshe¡¯s an amazing woman from what little time I¡¯ve spent with her.  Eh¡­ but are you sure?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the only thing I can do to prove to you and myself that I trust you,¡± Rachel admitted, rubbing her left arm and looking away.  ¡°Is it uncomfortable?  Absolutely.  As you said, though¡­ I¡¯d be a hypocrite if I didn¡¯t attempt to extend a hand.¡±


    ¡°Eh-heh, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the same¡­  I¡¯m not opening up my family to you, which¡­  Again, are you sure, Rachel?  I went to an entirely different Existence¡ªbrought something back,¡± he mumbled, glancing at the unperturbed little girl.  ¡°I mean, sure, Hell is pretty intense, but Jaenona is¡­ far more dangerous than anything Hell can offer.¡±


    ¡°To be fair, Master, not in my current state;,I am bound to obey and follow, whatever you choose to do.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed, recalling the Deep Ones¡¯ warning.  ¡°You are a being of truth, Jaenona, and the others are your opposite?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.  Indeed.  Our Existences spin in opposites; lies and deceit are their blood, yet you could make the argument we are the liars and deceivers.¡±


    Anthony shook his head.  ¡°Perhaps to others, but I can feel it in my bones and muscle; haha, not that anyone has to believe me¡ªI, eh, could be tainted, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Yes, Master; we are in quite the predicament.¡±


    Rachel forced a stream of air out.  ¡°Right¡­ which is my rationalization; the only way to be sure is to open myself up, and if I¡¯m going to do it¡­  I might as well go all in¡­ heh, as reckless as that is¡­ it¡¯s kind of on-brand after what I told you.  Am I right?¡±


    ¡°Mmgm¡­  Not something to be proud of,¡± Anthony groaned, stepping in to bend down, grasp the back of her neck, and kiss her; tail standing straight up, she couldn¡¯t believe how naive she was as he pulled away with a small smile.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even put up a fight¡ªgah, what am I going to do with you¡ªyou had Nia on lock with that tail slap.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±  Nia giggled, cheeks as flushed as Rachel¡¯s, more than likely hearing her thumping heart.  ¡°You were totally on guard with me, but you let Anthony kiss you without even blinking!¡±


    ¡°In her defense,¡± Yseress snickered, ¡°she couldn¡¯t from the shock; you see her ears.¡±


    ¡°Te-he-he¡ªas stiff as a board¡ªshe¡¯s gone, Big Sis; we¡¯ve lost her!¡±


    Rachel released her frozen lungs, saliva becoming sticky in her mouth after tasting the salt on his lips.  ¡°Ahem¡ªwell, I suppose you¡¯ll need to discipline me, hmm?¡±  she mumbled, giving him a playful smirk.  ¡°Good luck.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  You¡¯re wild sometimes,¡± he mused, following her up the driveway to her grandfather¡¯s house; she really shouldn¡¯t overthink it or she¡¯ll only make herself crazy, and it felt so good to have his eyes on her rear end again.


    That¡¯s right, follow my tail like a swaying coin.  Hmm-hmm-hmm.


    ¡°Leave me out of your dirty thoughts!¡±  Nia hissed, staying back with Jaenona.


    Rachel gave her an elder-sister-like, side-long smirk.  ¡°Maybe you should keep to your own mind then, hehe¡ªleave big girl stuff to the big girls.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m grown up!¡±


    ¡°Of course you are, flatass.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean!  A-Are you blind!¡±  Nia huffed.  ¡°No I¡¯m not¡ªI¡­ I!  F-Fatass!¡±


    Anthony was trying to keep to himself and pretend not to hear their back and forth, likely wondering what dirty thoughts were going through her mind, which only heightened Rachel''s amusement; let him guess.


    Playfully throwing insults at one another with Yesress amusedly watching on, mood brightening as things returned more to normal, they entered the building; her grandfather, Fiona, Scarlet, Jessy, Mason, and Nora were all wrapped up in the adventure the Fairy and Vespertine Reaper told.


    Gesturing for Scarlet to go out and have a chat next, she assured everyone things had calmed down and that Cahira¡¯s ship would be arriving soon; it seemed they were getting impatient.


    ¡°Oh!¡±  Fiona grinned, ¡°Hehe, the horse butt¡¯s gonna join us, huh?¡±


    ¡°Not nice, Fi!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re cool like that,¡± she dismissively waved.  ¡°She can heal Mr. Philip¡¯s scars.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips tightened upon seeing her grandfather¡¯s patched-up head.  ¡°Mmh¡­  No, I¡¯m afraid Maria probably won¡¯t join us.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±  Nora asked, stretching a little as her big tail swung to the left.  ¡°Fi¡¯s been hyping her up this whole time¡ªI¡¯m cool going up there, though, heh¡ªa giant Dragon Turtle sounds awesome!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Soon,¡± Rachel chuckled.  ¡°There¡¯s some stuff involving the orphans she¡¯s interested in.¡±


    ¡°Oh.  Okay, yeah, that sounds like Maria,¡± Fiona cooed.  ¡°She¡¯s got such a big heart.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going, Cuz?¡±  Mason muttered.


    ¡°None of your business, Cuz.¡±


    ¡°Harsh¡­¡±


    Fiona and Nora winced, glancing at one another, possibly reliving one of their own fights as sisters, or so Rachel assumed; she wasn¡¯t serious, of course.


    ¡°Hehe.  I¡¯m playing.  Just going to talk to Scarlet.  Need something?¡±


    ¡°No, but, umm¡­  I wondered if I could hitch a ride with you to, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh!  You wanna come over for a bit?  Eh¡­  I guess, sure.  Did you get my mom¡¯s permission?¡±


    ¡°Do I need to?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±  Jessy hissed, punching his arm.  ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go call her.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­  I guess¡­¡±


    Her grandfather gave her a thankful smile; this might even be the trigger to help bridge the divide between her father and brother.  After all, it had been Rachel¡¯s fault, in a way, even if Mason antagonized her.


    Things aren¡¯t so bad, I guess.


    Turning to Scarlet as she walked over, Rachel grinned.  ¡°Ready to go?¡±


    ¡°Umm, yeah¡ªwhere too?¡±


    ¡°Just some empty path near the Glades.  See one?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­  Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Alright.  Ugh¡­  Let¡¯s go!¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 4. Infectious Courage

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


    2. Cahira (Our Legend of Grace O¡¯Malley)


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    Rachel¡¯s ears tilted to the left as Scarlet double-checked to make sure the area was clear, naturally being a bit self-conscious about how the public viewed her.


    In the meantime, she gazed into the heavens, where Cahira¡¯s baby Dragon Turtle caused quite a ruckus among Florida City¡¯s population; a massive turtle in the sky¡ªyeah, it would frighten people to seek shelter¡ªit was a bit of a problem Clay and Tom were dealing with.


    Her grandfather drew her attention as he went to bring out more chairs and refreshments with Anthony, the others quickly offering to help; Rachel had to giggle at the sisters¡¯ playful banter.


    ¡°Help, Fi?  Pfft!  You¡¯re like seven and a half centimeters tall!¡±


    ¡°Eight!  Eight centimeters!  And, hmm-hmm-hmm, I bet you five bucks I can lift more than you!¡±


    ¡°Euros, Sis!  You know I don¡¯t have U.S. currency; plus¡­ I¡¯m broke!¡±


    ¡°I guess I win by default then, hehe.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works; how about a favor?¡±


    ¡°Ooh¡ªlike when we were kids?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡ªscared what I might have you do¡ªon stream?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid at all; you should be scared of my diabolical audience!  You¡¯re on; loser does what the winner says for a day.¡±


    Scarlet laughed as shadows surrounded them, leaving the pair after they entered the hallway, following Anthony and Nia to her grandfather¡¯s storage area; the Vespertine Reaper¡¯s skill had grown, making it so they didn¡¯t need to be so close anymore from all the levels and use it had gotten in Cuba.


    Arriving at one of the nearby, empty routes at the National Park¡¯s border, Scarlet¡¯s halo-like crimson irises wandered, nervousness rising a tad by her two visible fangs pressing against her bottom lip.


    Wanting to draw her thoughts away from her typical mental death spiral, Rachel leaned in and snapped her teeth beside her ear, making her jump.  ¡°Think I¡¯m going to bite you?¡±


    ¡°Eh?!  No, eh-hehe¡ªwhen did you become so¡ªno, I guess you are a Hare; it¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm?¡±  Rachel smiled, managing her glowing locks and adjusting her grandmother¡¯s emerald necklace from her previous action.


    ¡°Umm¡­  I heard you wanted Anthony and Jaenona to join us back home.¡±


    ¡°Oh!  Your hearing is getting better,¡± Rachel congratulated, holding out her hand to let the girl take it, a thankful smile on her dark lips; Scarlet did well with touch.  ¡°Mhm¡­  It wasn¡¯t an easy decision, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s another way.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?¡±


    Rachel slowly shook her head, fingers tightening around Scarlet¡¯s corpse-cold skin.  ¡°No¡ªmmh, sort of¡­  What I wanted to talk to you about is kind of serious.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that serious?¡±


    ¡°Mmh-hehe, absolutely, but it¡¯s more of a personal thing I¡¯m dealing with¡ª¡±  Catching Scarlet¡¯s furrowed brow, she added, ¡°No, I know it affects everyone; I¡¯ll talk to everyone about that when we get back home, but this is mainly about you.¡±


    ¡°And this?¡±


    She sighed, rubbing the back of her tense neck, unwillingly remembering Anthony¡¯s strong hands tightening in the location to draw her into her first kiss in almost two weeks.


    Fighting the blush upon recalling the recent engagement, Rachel tried to get her thumping heart and instinctual urge under control, which she¡¯d need for the conversation at hand.


    ¡°Mmh¡­ give me a second to figure out how to word this.¡±


    Naturally, a frown touched the girl¡¯s mouth at the statement.  ¡°Is it that important?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­  If it¡¯s true, then yes.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not sure?  Okay, I¡¯m confused.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.  Eh¡ªI get that¡­  I wasn¡¯t going to tell anyone about these thoughts until I had more proof, but¡­ we¡¯ve got a problem brewing in the future, and I don¡¯t think I can afford to be reserved with what¡¯s coming, even if some of this is reaching a bit far.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Rachel let it out, studying the starlit heavens as she pulled Scarlet¡¯s arm toward the asphalt walkway and began connecting all the dots for her adopted sister.  As she¡¯d figured, the Vespertine Reaper¡¯s already pale face turned whiter as she elaborated on the world forces moving events in the background.


    She added the potential dangers Anthony had expanded on his end, illuminating potential other players in this big multi-Existence game they were trapped in the middle of, and Scarlet¡ªa worrywart to begin with¡ªwas already shivering.


    ¡°So¡­ how many sides are we talking about here?  And¡­ and Twilight¡­  A part of her actually escaped in Relica¡ªbut we killed her?  What if Twilight comes for me¡ªwhy hasn¡¯t she, or Relica is still alive¡ªwhat would we do?¡±


    ¡°Calm down a little!  Hehe.  As I said; I don¡¯t know if this is entirely accurate, Scarlet¡ªit may be just Wolfgang and France¡ªthen again, maybe this is a part of Twilight that doesn¡¯t agree with her primary consciousness¡ªwe can only guess¡ªbut without a doubt, we both heard Revilla blame Twilight.  Right?¡±


    ¡°She did¡­¡±


    ¡°Right.  So, all of this¡ªmy entire train of thought¡ªhinges on the person with the most information¡­  Revilla was a threat to even top-tier gods in our universe, which is probably small scale in the overall picture, and she seems to be just the first thing that could get to us, rushing and brute-forcing her way in.¡±


    Fingers shaking, she tried to strengthen her courage to not freak out.  ¡°So¡­  Twilight is¡­¡±


    ¡°In my thoughts, probably not the biggest player or side¡­  She¡¯s created a stop-gap, so far as I¡¯ve been able to puzzle out, in an attempt to buy time for something.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s insane¡­  How can she not be the one pulling the strings?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± Rachel muttered, prompting Scarlet further down the path as they moved along the nighttime trail, ¡°I am grasping at straws here, and I¡¯m only laying out the empirical evidence¡­ developing theories of where it leads.  Make no mistake, Twilight is pulling many strings, but she is not the only one.¡±


    ¡°B-But if a part of Twilight is¡ªis manipulating things¡ªreally, why hasn¡¯t she come for me¡ªeven if she doesn¡¯t want to wake the rest of herself¡­  Ugh, my head hurts thinking about this stuff.  I can¡¯t keep it all straight; there¡¯s a part of her that¡¯s awake, but she doesn¡¯t want to wake all of herself up, but eh, she leaves me alone for maybe that to happen?  I don¡¯t get it!¡±


    A thought seemed to spark in the girl¡¯s mind that caused her fingers to tighten around Rachel¡¯s.  ¡°Wait¡­ what if we get close to her¡ªwill she be sucked back in?¡±


    Knowing her thoughts were probably on some pop-culture stuff, Rachel giggled and shrugged.  ¡°That¡¯s a stretch beyond anything I¡¯ve concluded¡ªpure speculation with the only connection being she hasn¡¯t gotten near you¡ªat least, so far as we¡¯re aware.¡±


    ¡°If she exists?¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re getting it.  It comes down to two interpretations, Scarlet; either Revilla was truly pissed, and cursed Twilight¡ªbecause she connected that all of this was due to her direct or indirect interference, or¡­  Revilla could have said that as some clever trap to put me on this line of thinking.¡±


    ¡°No-ho-ho¡­  So it could be a trap by Revilla?  My head is going to explode!¡±


    ¡°Heh.  Scarlet, who do you think you¡¯re dealing with¡ªI¡¯m paranoid as it gets right now¡ªand yes, it could totally be a trap, but it could also be her trying to get back at Twilight by ruining her anonymity.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be pissed at that¡­¡±


    ¡°No doubt!  I¡¯m guessing here based on the scattered data I¡¯ve been able to collect, and Yseress agrees with me¡­¡±


    ¡°To an extent, Mistress.¡±


    I know.  I know.


    ¡°Ahem¡­ which is why I didn¡¯t want to bring it up without more evidence; I¡¯m only laying out what I¡¯ve been able to connect, and Anthony¡¯s story brings a lot more clarity to the scope we¡¯re dealing with¡­  I know this is terrifying to you, Scarlet, and I wouldn¡¯t be telling it to you if we weren¡¯t dealing with this Dagon thing, which would definitely be on Twilight¡¯s radar.¡±


    ¡°Brrr¡­¡±  Scarlet¡¯s shaking hands were already squeezing tight enough to destroy a normal person¡¯s bones.  ¡°Dagon¡¯s no joke in Lovecraft, Rachel¡ªlike¡­  You don¡¯t beat those things¡ªyou just go mad and die or kill yourself.  You think Lovecraft actually saw these things and tried to warn us about them?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you, because I don¡¯t know any of that stuff; Nia was the one to inform us from the knowledge she gained from you.¡±


    ¡°So insane¡­  Does that mean¡ªNyarlathotep is real¡ªan Outer God that can¡­¡±


    Rachel gave her a look that made Scarlet trail off.  ¡°When you¡¯re around Anthony and Jaenona, you cannot say those powerful Eldritch things¡¯ names.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about that guy, but yes¡­  Jaenona said one with that name killed her, which means he probably isn¡¯t here, unless¡­¡±


    It was Scarlet¡¯s turn to vehemently shake her head.  ¡°It¡¯s no different from Twilight!  He can take on the appearance of like anything, and he could be using an avatar like Twilight is with me¡ªI wouldn¡¯t be surprised if that story you talked about her going into the Great Deep was actually in this other Grand Eldritch Existence.  Twilight could be working with them!¡±


    Puffing out a long stream of hot air, Rachel¡¯s ears twitched, hearing several groups in Florida City playing Call of Cthulhu; all it could take would be someone mentioning the wrong word at the wrong time in Anthony¡¯s presence to draw something terrible to the scene.


    These Outer Gods and Great Old Ones were truly a threat to be taken seriously, and if the Deep Ones were powerful enough that a single one would have been a tough fight for her, much less the numbers they¡¯d brought¡ªthey might have even been weaker warriors of their race¡ªand had Jaenona¡¯s presence not frightened them off, Rachel might not be having this conversation with Scarlet.


    The frightened Vespertine Reaper brought her attention back from the memory of the frightening, fish-like frogs, who were already conquering alternate worlds in the name of their dark god.  ¡°How many things are we dealing with, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­  You¡¯re not wrong that Twilight could be working with these Eldritch¡ªthere¡¯s some connection¡ªbut I get the feeling she¡¯s trying to escape something from her story, which again, could be manipulation.¡±


    She stopped at the edge of the docks as they reached the swamp area of the Glades, searching the murky depths for the creatures she¡¯d met not too long ago with Scarlet¡¯s terrified gaze on her; Anthony¡¯s wandering, wary eyes was understandable now, and he could probably sense things she couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°So far, I see eight factions.¡±


    ¡°Eight?¡±  Scarlet choked.


    ¡°The competing Eldritch, these Fate and Destiny factions, the Gods¡ªpotentially nine or more if we¡¯re breaking them into sides¡ªTwilight, Humanity, and well¡­ us.¡±


    ¡°B-But isn¡¯t Jaenona on our side?¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm¡­  Not necessarily, Scarlet; we have to make an important distinction, which Anthony made very clear¡­  While she is on our side, we don¡¯t know these Mecroaf¡¯s end goal.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a lot.  What can we do?¡±


    ¡°Heh.  Right now?¡±  Rachel scratched her forehead, brushing off the goosebumps running down her arms.  ¡°Relax, go home, see Mom, and let her shower us with kisses and hugs¡ªallow  her to freak out about Anthony and Jaenona staying with us.¡±


    Scarlet bumped into her with a short giggle.  ¡°I seriously don¡¯t understand you¡ªhow can you just not be affected by this stuff?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    ¡°But you have no problem confronting it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you; I¡¯d rather fight than not.  Okay, what do you think about Mom?¡± she asked, trying to draw her thoughts away from the unsettling topic now that the first part was laid out before dropping the big bomb.


    ¡°Hehe!  Yeah, Mom will totally freak.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s going to die!  Erm¡­  Hopefully, Dad doesn¡¯t totally shut it down, and if you¡¯re okay with it¡­  Scarlet, can we talk about Twilight with everyone?¡±


    Totally caught off-guard, Scarlet pulled her hand away to press against her breast in fear.  ¡°E-Everyone?!¡±


    ¡°No!  No!  Not everyone!  Eh, I¡¯ll clarify¡­  The family¡ªincluding Fiona and Maria¡ªnaturally, as they¡¯ve kind of become family.¡±  Scarlet took a deep breath, and Rachel added, ¡°Obviously, I¡¯m on your side¡ªI can explain it all.¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­  I¡¯m scared, Rachel¡­ b-but if you''re brave enough to bring Anthony home¡­  I want to be brave, too.  Erm¡­  So the family is on the same page¡­  Umm, what¡­ about Tom?¡±


    A little surprised at the hesitant addition, Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Do you trust him enough to bring him in on something this big?¡±


    ¡°He can help us if Twilight really is out there, right¡ªand all of the Lovecraft cults?  I¡¯m terrified of her, Rachel¡­ I really hope she¡¯s not¡ªdo you think Tom¡¯s trustworthy?¡±


    Taking a few seconds to thoroughly process it in an attempt to show Scarlet she was taking it seriously, Rachel folded her arms, glaring at the somewhat dim heavens from the light pollution of Florida City.


    ¡°Hmm¡­  I can see why you¡¯d want to bring him in, Scarlet.  Uh¡­  Yeah, I think he¡¯s proven to us multiple times he¡¯s willing to work with us to remain in the loop and take what we say seriously.  Although we have to consider that his entire job is the safety of the U.S.  He¡­ probably can¡¯t keep all of it a secret from the President if we bring him in.¡±


    ¡°We can ask, though¡ªfor him to tell us if it is getting too much¡ªwhat he would need to share?¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s a good enough guy to do that, but it is a risk.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­  I think I want his help.  He¡¯s been really good to us¡ªand is really trying to help Cuba, too¡ªand if France, and¡­ and I can¡¯t believe Jeanne d''Arc would work with Twilight¡ªhow could she work with something like her?!¡±


    ¡°To be fair,¡± Rachel slowly whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t think she had the full picture, Scarlet¡­  We can probe her for information if we come across her again.¡±


    ¡°Tom could set that up, too?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Good.  I just¡­ she seemed like such a good woman¡­  She said she¡¯d fight for my mother to live¡­  I want to think she¡¯s a good person.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±  Rachel stepped forward to ruffle her hair, forcing the girl to glare up at her while attempting to fix what she¡¯d messed up.  ¡°I can¡¯t always be your voice of reason and doubt, Sis; don¡¯t trust people so easily.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­  I¡¯m being honest, though.¡±


    ¡°Me, too, and I¡¯m worried about you.  Can you promise me to build up some skepticism?¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright.  We good?  Ugh¡­ really¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± she grumbled, ears twitching and forcing her to scratch the left one as she shifted to look at the big turtle, hanging over her grandfather¡¯s house and barely visible from where they were.  ¡°Just Nemesis trying to intimidate Anthony.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­  I hate that guy.¡±


    Rachel was happy to hear Scarlet¡¯s haughty tone return at Nemesis¡¯ mention.  ¡°Oh?  I couldn¡¯t tell!  Hehe.  Are you good?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ but I know I have you to help me through it¡­  Thanks, Sister,¡± she smiled, closing in to hug her, and Rachel returned it.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Ahem¡­  Let¡¯s get over there before the dumb Lion starts something¡ªno, maybe we shouldn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Think about it!¡±  Scarlet giggled, black lips parting to show her fangs.  ¡°If things escalate, Jaenona can eat him, and that will be that¡ªno more annoying lion dude!¡±


    ¡°Haha.  Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ why did you even allow him to come to Miami; he¡¯s not even a U.S. citizen!¡±  she growled, trying to distract herself from the bombs Rachel just dropped on her.


    ¡°Er-heh, well¡­ not yet, but we will see what happens to Cuba¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmgm¡­  I¡¯ll correct myself; he¡¯s not even a Cuban citizen!  Mara can stay; she¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Haha.  You¡¯re great!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m totally serious, Sis¡­¡±  she grumbled.


    Shadows surrounded them, and when they left, Rachel mirrored her vocal exasperation, dully looking at the massive lion towering over a confused Anthony and defensive Nia; the giant, over-seven-foot-tall beast¡¯s fur was bristled, muscles tight as Jaenona curiously stood behind her master, bewildered by the Mythickin¡¯s intense glare.


    ¡°Erm¡­  Rachel, back already¡­  You know this dude?¡±


    ¡°Nein¡ªbad lion!¡±


    Mara had a hand on his stomach, trying to guide him away.  ¡°Nemesis¡­ let¡¯s not be rude¡ªwe¡¯re guests¡ªchill.  Eh-heh¡ªsorry, Rachel¡­¡±


    Hot air shot through the beast¡¯s black nose, blowing back Anthony¡¯s flaming, copper hair.  ¡°Hmm¡­  You are powerful, boyfriend of Rachel¡­  I can see why she would choose a man like you, but I will not be intimidated by your unsettling scent and presence.  Fight me!¡±


    ¡°Cut it out,¡± Rachel growled, popping the tense atmosphere as she stepped forward and forced him back¡ªNia taking it as an open invitation to help¡ªhe had a pretty firm stance, requiring a bit more strength than she would have liked.


    ¡°Back!  Ten feet¡ªdon¡¯t you intimidate my little sister!¡±


    ¡°Haaa¡­  This isn¡¯t Cuba, Nemesis; if you want to start shit, then go back.  Anthony¡¯s my boyfriend, deal with it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Stupid!  Plus, Jaenona is precious and adorable, and you can¡¯t hurt her!  You gotta go through me¡ªand Rachel!¡±  Nia shouted, sticking her tongue out at the disgruntled lion.


    ¡°Hmm.  Can I not fight for the right?¡±


    ¡°Stupid!  You¡¯re so stupid; Rachel, get your whip out¡ªdammit; it¡¯s still recovering¡ªgah!¡±


    Anthony gave Rachel a look that said, is this guy serious?  ¡°What the hell is this guy even talking about¡­  He wants to fight me to be your boyfriend?  What, is he in junior high?  Because that¡¯s some wack shit.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s from Africa,¡± Mara interjected, forcing a laugh.


    ¡°Like that explains it?¡±


    One hand on her hip, Rachel glared up at Nemesis, making the man¡¯s tight expression falter.  ¡°Listen, Nemesis¡­  Learn more about my culture before trying to make a move; that¡¯s an order!¡±


    ¡°Humph.  Understood¡­¡±


    Anthony and most everyone else breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped away, tail flicking with agitation as he sat on the side of the raised, wooden floor.  ¡°I understand¡­  I will observe your culture since I am your slave.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s left fingers curled into a tight fist at Anthony¡¯s mystified expression upon the Lion King¡¯s reveal; she wanted to punch the beast so badly¡ªit¡¯s the only thing that got through his thick skull¡ªbut knew it would only further cause a misunderstanding.


    ¡°Come again¡­  Slave?¡±


    ¡°From Africa, Cuz?¡±  Mason mumbled in shock, catching Jessy¡¯s uncertain look, totally wanting to be left out of the conversation as she backed up.


    ¡°Ugh¡­  Way to set the mood and make Rachel look terrible,¡± Scarlet growled.  ¡°Basically, he wants to be Rachel¡¯s plaything¡ªhe¡¯s an idiot.¡±


    Glad Scarlet was sticking up for her, but internally groaning at the connotation that could be drawn from her statement, Rachel tried to shut it down.


    ¡°We can talk about that later.¡±


    Fiona giggled.  ¡°He used to be one of the Cuba Warlords; Rachel beat him, and so he¡¯s now like¡­ her follower or something like that¡ªleader of the pack and whatnot.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Nora snickered, eyeing him, and Rachel wondered if her Cheetah form would naturally be attracted to him; the thought was quickly brushed away.


    ¡°Weird dude,¡± Anthony mumbled.  ¡°Anyway¡­ what¡¯s up, Rachel?¡±


    Only Nemesis, Mara, and Vasishtha had come down and, as could be expected, the Indian Legendkin had only laughed at the confrontation in the corner; he¡¯d made a few moves on Mara over the trip, to no avail.


    Rachel breathed out a long sigh, noticing all the work they¡¯d done to prepare for the new guests.  ¡°Sorry, Grandpa, but we¡¯re going to have to cut our stay short.¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course; please, go see your mother¡ªhmm-hmm, she¡¯s been a mess since you left, as you could have guessed.¡±


    ¡°Eh-heh, it does sound on brand.¡±


    Of course, she hadn¡¯t always thought that way, but so many things had come into perspective since her change; her family wasn¡¯t perfect, but they tried.


    Mason got up, stretching out his big, bear-like arms before turning to his girlfriend.  ¡°We should get our stuff ready.¡±


    ¡°E-Eh¡ªme?!¡±


    Nia giggled, playing with Jaenona¡¯s hair and showering her with affection; Rachel knew she was being overprotective with Nemesis still nearby¡ªor using it as an excuse¡ªwhich was completely in line with her personality.


    ¡°Mhm!  I heard everything; Mom¡¯s totally hyped to have everyone come over.  She¡¯s making a big feast!  Hmm-hmm.  She was practically in tears¡ªso happy everyone¡¯s back and safe¡ªMom¡¯s the best.¡±


    We¡¯ll see what they think.


    * * *


    Cahira leaned back in her chair, legs crossed as she glared at the letter and map on her desk; it had been dropped from a seagull, according to Wilkins, her First Mate, and inside was something grand, yet she had to wonder if she should bring the others into it.


    All of us nearly died the last time we went on a Legend¡¯s Quest¡­  And this is a Linked Legend¡¯s Quest¡­  Whatever that means.  We were way underleveled before, and a lot¡¯s changed since then¡­  Still.


    This wasn¡¯t some expedition to fight random pirates or ships as she¡¯d done with Selvaria; the sender of this letter and map brought chilling memories of one particular disguised legend to her mind.


    Rachel and her little sleepover group had left ten minutes ago, and she could sense the children in a gloomy state since as Clay put into action the plan Maria and him set up to screen the people trying to adopt the children.  All of that was in the back of Cahira¡¯s mind, though; trouble was brewing.


    Lifting the open letter with a low growl in her voice, she mumbled the name of the fancy cursive at the bottom.  ¡°Raguna¡­  What voyage are you sending me on?¡±


    The dark laughter of the ancient Pirate Lord¡ªhidden at the back of some old, unassuming pub on a distant island¡ªrang through her apprehensive mind.


    Ta mi aspirin¡¯, shapely Pirate Queen¡­  Ol¡¯ Raguna has come by a story ta fit yer fancy.  The sunkin¡¯ temples be stirin¡¯ and the black fiends of the Great Deep be risin¡¯ ta break inta the Island of the Singin¡¯ Lefay¡­  I owe the finned lasses a favor from times past, an¡¯ left word I be sendin¡¯ a capable crew in their times o¡¯ need, hehe.  If ya got mi map, ya should be up to ol¡¯ Raguna¡¯s task¡­  Remember mi words, Lass?  Adventure awaits ya!


    Cahira didn¡¯t like the timing; the Deep Ones from the tales told by Lovecraft made an appearance to Rachel and Anthony, and now she got this message.  It felt like a trap.


    Fingernail tapping against her desk, Cahira reached over to grab one of her bottles to take a swig, only for her mouth to be met with air¡ªempty.


    Growling at the inconvenience, she moved to the second¡ªempty, as well¡ªshe didn¡¯t recall finishing them, but whatever; she had plenty stocked up from the island she¡¯d obtained her crew of four from.


    Getting to her feet, she went to the door and opened it to find a total stranger in the process of knocking, yet the thing that stunned her to silence was the uncanny resemblance to the most popular pop-culture pirate of her generation.


    ¡°Ah, brilliant, Love¡ªyer ol¡¯ boys kept a tight ship; actin¡¯ as if ya be too busy to be acceptin¡¯ guests, mi Pirate Queen!¡±


    ¡°Who¡­¡±


    Long dreads shifting around his shoulders, an amused half-smile on his lips, the Jack Sparrow impersonator sallied forward, causing Cahira to step aside as he shamelessly went to her wardrobe to browse through it.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ ya be smellin¡¯ rum as I, Captain Cahira¡ªadventure on the breeze?  Aye, a nice belt ya be havin¡¯ here¡­¡±


    Cahira hadn¡¯t even sensed him board her ship and had no clue if this was an imposter or some event in preparation for the Legend¡¯s Quest.


    A pistol emerging from flames in her palm, she directed it at the man with a snarl.  ¡°Could ya get yer grubby hands off mi merchandise, ye scallywag!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±  He backed away, belt dropping to the floor as a grin split his handsome face, hands rising in surrender instead of going for his gun or sword; the cosplayer didn¡¯t seem too perturbed though.  ¡°No need ta be so forward, mi sweet, hehe¡ªwe could get to the rough play later, if ya fancy!¡±


    ¡°Who ya be, sneekin¡¯ onta a lass¡¯ ship and makin¡¯ yerself at home, eh?  Ye give a gal the wrong impression, aye?!¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±  Hands still high, the man pointed to himself with a charming smile.  ¡°Ye be inquirin¡¯ ta know of me that I be that ya fail to see that I am?¡±


    ¡°Aye, I be askin¡¯ fer ya ta claim to be!¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± her pistol followed him to her desk as he grabbed a bottle with a wry grin.


    ¡°Why ya temptin¡¯ me ta put a hole through that fine cap?¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  A shame it be empty¡­  As to me, tis¡¯ be the sparrow on the winds with a bottle on mi breath and hair on mi chin, Lass.¡±


    ¡°Yer playin¡¯ me fiddle ta think I believin¡¯ ye be Jack.¡±


    ¡°Aye, ya be a fool to be thinkin¡¯ such, and a fool ye be not, Legend of Grace O¡¯Malley,¡± he took his hat off, hand flaring back as he took a bow before swiftly rising, a pistol flashing into existence in his grip to grin at her.  ¡°The Legend of Jack Ward, Love.  Savvy¡ª¡±


    She fired, sending the man off his feet and on his back, yet no blood showed as he groaned, right hand grabbing his hat and lifting it into the air with a chuckle, the glint of a gold medallion showing where his heart had been.


    ¡°Hehe.  Luck o¡¯ O¡¯Malley, eh-hehe¡ªya got a shot on me!¡±  Rising to his side, he gave her a smirk as her crew came running at the sound, ¡°Mind havin¡¯ a drink now?¡±


    ¡°And who be havin¡¯ the luck?¡±  Cahira grinned as he pulled out a bottle from underneath her bed; one from her private stash.  ¡°Ye got mi ear, Jack¡­  Best ye be playin¡¯ nice.¡±


    ¡°Gotta have a tad o¡¯ trouble in a good man, Love; hehe¡ªya need a little devil in ya, aye?¡±


    ¡°Aye!  Wilkins, fetch another chair!¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 5. Escalating Events

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


    2. Cahira (Our 24/7 Horny Legend of Grace O¡¯Malley)


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    E.W., Nunction, Nsixtyfour, Innes, Bryan Wiggins, Patrick Frake, Le Sparkle, Mark, Ty Tuttle, Sinax, and my other Patrons!


    Saying goodbye to her grandfather, Rachel hugged him, whispering, ¡°Thanks for Gran¡¯s necklace; it¡¯s gorgeous.¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  It looks lovely on you; your natural glow appears to make it shine¡­  She would be proud to see the woman you¡¯re becoming.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come visit when I can¡ªheh, I¡¯m sure Mom would love having you come up to Miami, as well¡­  Are you sure you¡¯re okay, Grandpa?¡±


    Nia jumped forward to take her place, making the elderly man chuckle.  ¡°Yeah, Gramps; are you okay?  Maybe you should come with us!¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t impose on Chan-hee and Gwon, with so many guests already staying at their place it will be crowded enough as it is.¡±  He reached up to press his fingers against the self-inflicted wound on his forehead.  ¡°I will not lie and say I was not affected by this Eldritch experience¡­¡±


    Nora fidgeted with her first front, ears pulling back as she looked away.  ¡°Sorry, Mr. Park; I didn¡¯t want to cause trouble when I came here.¡±


    Breaking away from Nia, he held a hand up in protest.  ¡°It was not in your control, Nora; we only concern ourselves with things we have the power to change, and I am content to know you are not hurt.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t really know what they did to me, though,¡± she mumbled, eyes downcast.


    Fiona floated down onto her sister¡¯s shoulder to rub her neck.  ¡°Whatever it is, we¡¯ll deal with it together!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Fi¡­¡±


    Her grandfather turned his soft gaze to Nia and his granddaughter; Rachel wondered what her grandfather thought about the hyperactive girl.  ¡°I will redouble my own personal training, and if anything, this experience has shown me I have much work ahead of me.  How could I not push forward when I have such wonderful grandchildren as examples?¡±


    Mason grimaced, scratching his shoulder and looking away.  ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯d even put me in the same universe as Rach¡ªshe¡¯s a freaking monster.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Cuz!¡±  Rachel snickered, jabbing his side with a grin.  ¡°Alright, Grandpa; I¡¯ll see you later.¡±


    Nemesis and Mara sat awkwardly to the side, the mossy-haired Mythickin more than a little embarrassed at her friend¡¯s behavior, trying to keep him silent.  The Lion King seemed engrossed by observing Rachel¡¯s culture¡ªas he¡¯d promised¡ªnot starting any more conflicts, and Anthony kept a watchful eye on them both.


    Their attention shifted to Jessy as she gave a short squeak, almost tripping as she rushed down the stairs with her suitcase; Mason only had a light gym bag with three pairs of clothes, which was typical of her cousin.


    ¡°Everyone ready?¡±  Fiona asked, floating down to her sister¡¯s two suitcases.  ¡°Sure you got everything, Nora; you tend to leave¡ª¡±


    ¡°I double-checked, Fi; I¡¯m not twelve any¡ª¡±


    ¡°Got your toothbrush?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±  A small pout came over her face as she jogged back upstairs, clearly forgetting something.


    ¡°It was your toothpaste, huh?¡±  Fiona snickered.


    ¡°It¡¯s mostly gone, but whatever¡­¡±


    The mood lightening, everyone made sure they had everything before Fiona levitated them back up to the hovering Dragon Turtle.


    Jaenona was an instant hit among the children as they landed, the girls commenting on her dress and the black roses in her hair.  It didn¡¯t take long for them to drag her away to see Maria so they could show her off¡ªAnthony went with them to explain things if she sensed anything off about the disguised Eldritch girl.


    Mara, Nemesis, and Vasishtha had been the only ones to sneak down without anyone noticing since everyone else was too busy with their own issues to keep an eye on them, and the Indian Legendkin had grown bored.


    Now returned to the ship with a clear direction in mind, Vasishtha guided the two to the living room to show them more about U.S. culture; Rachel figured he had found a way to get on Mara¡¯s good side by distracting Nemesis.


    It was hard to know what the man did to get points with women or if he was doing it purely out of the goodness of his heart, which had an appeal to many women, she was sure.


    Maria was entirely taken in by the Cuban orphans and¡ªas Anthony expected¡ªshe was a bit hesitant about Jaenona; all it took was Rachel vouching for her to abruptly accept the shockingly mature and clueless five-year-old.


    The Sunlit Unicorn had become somewhat of a big sister or mother figure for many of the Cuban orphans, seeing as she was the only one here who spoke Spanish fluently¡ªeven if they thought her Mexican dialect was funny.


    It didn¡¯t take long for her to usher them off to bed, Maria growing tired herself with how split her attention had been between the various age groups vying for her time.


    Ohan was busy talking to Arya, his half-sister, catching up a bit since she¡¯d just gotten off her flight from Atlanta with Ray, Ohan¡¯s childhood best friend, and the leader of this new Atlanta guild he was setting up.


    The pair were hailing a cab to take them to their hotel, and were making plans to meet up later with Vasishtha and Luther.  Rachel lifted an eyebrow when Ma?lle¡¯s name was brought up¡ªthe Succubus seemingly somehow being acquainted with Arya; they¡¯d be having dinner that night in South Beach.


    Luther, the Hydra Mythickin, was just along for the ride and had no clue about the plan since Selvaria currently babysat him, showing him the various moonbase designs she¡¯d been making over the last few days.


    He probably didn¡¯t know much since he wasn¡¯t talking, but Luther seemed to enjoy her company and liked Galatea a lot, petting the baby seal on his lap; the discussion ended when the cosplayer Leviathan got a very important call¡ªher mother¡ªand had to drop everything, leaving Galatea to watch the amused man.


    Apparently, her mother would be on a flight to Miami in 24 hours and wanted to know what her plans were; as could be expected, Selvaria was excited to introduce her new friends and the future development of their super-secret lunar and underwater bases.


    Fiona broke away with several of the ten-year-old boys, enthralled by Nora since they¡¯d only seen pictures of cheetahs and wanted to race her; Nia naturally got pulled into it, but the girl was running low on steam and had to return to Rachel not long after to have enough energy for home.


    Rachel smirked at Tom¡¯s phone call as he tried to assure the National Guard that they weren¡¯t a hostile monster from an alternate dimension¡ªtrue story.  They heard reports from the frantic police, who were playing a game of telephone with panicked Florida City residents.


    Their paranoia was more than understandable after the Crystal Break Mist incident two weeks prior, which claimed hundreds of lives.  Life was tough in the city right now, and things were just getting back to normal¡ªthen suddenly, a monstrous baby Dragon Turtle suddenly appeared over the city.


    To not disrupt the population further, Tom assured them they¡¯d be returning to the sea and exit the airspace as soon as possible.  Rachel was sure that traveling by sea would still cause panic, but they could more easily be tracked and have the Coast Guard act as intermediaries, contacting local law enforcement to warn them of frightened calls.


    Clay would be taking over to direct things in Tom¡¯s place soon and, wanting to inform him before the shift change, she kept Anthony and Scarlet close for when they could intrude on the overworked four-star general.  Sighing, she thought of Tom; he never stopped, and before they could get to him, he got a call from his wife, it was clear she was concerned for his health.


    Hanging around the outside of the Command Room, Rachel chuckled upon hearing Selvaria finish her call with her mother¡ªwho was busy preparing to leave Washington¡ªand leaving Luther with Vasishtha¡¯s group, watching YouTubers interviewing people in California.


    Since they were about to enter the sea, she wanted to stretch her fins and further increase her proficiencies while playing with Galatea.  Rachel smiled, it seemed the tough monster had a soft heart¡ªsomething that was already evident¡ªand she liked the kids waving and pointing at her when she was in her Leviathan State.  Giggling to herself, Rachel thought about the real reason¡ªone Selvaria likely wouldn¡¯t tell the orphans¡ªit certainly didn¡¯t have to do with her being hungry and wanting a nighttime snack.


    Luckily, they were going far enough out to sea that the dark skies helped to obscure their passage along the Florida shore, minimizing panic.  Of course, from what Rachel could see from browsing social media with Scarlet, Selvaria was becoming somewhat of a hit, being listed with a ton of other giant Mythickin¡ªshe was currently one of the largest on the rankings.


    Figuring Tom would be a bit longer with his wife, Rachel motioned for Scarlet and Anthony to follow her out; she wanted to compare Selvaria to some of the other monsters on the list that Scarlet was having a good time browsing through¡ª#RealKaiju


    Rachel smirked upon seeing Mason and Jessy sharing a tender moment on the battlement, hiding behind a cannon; of course, there was no escaping her ears, and she could hear their mushy conversation.


    Leaving them to their romantic tale, she led her party up the wall steps¡ªthe battlements were getting bigger by the day; in fact, the mansion itself would likely become more of a castle soon¡ªand gazed across the sea to spot Selvaria with Galatea.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to see that the fashion-loving Leviathan was changing her physical characteristics with her ever-growing size; she was actually becoming a real kaiju after all the experience she¡¯d gained during Cuba.


    Noticing that she was able to change her scale color now, Rachel pondered the reason for some of her recent modifications.  Selvaria was becoming far more elegant than frightening, opting into more pink, purple, and glittering pearlescent shades, and her tail was growing fluff that could stiffen into hundreds of blades if she wished.


    There were a few dragon-themed giants making their presence known around the world, and among the top of her rivals on the forums was the rising Germanic superstar, Eiragosa, the Myth of Lindworm; she seemed a very photogenic draconic woman with a proportionate body, horns, long ears, and a rather suggestive garnet-hued scale placement¡ªapparently, she had a temper.


    While Eiragosas ranked six, Selvaria made it into the top five by most contributors, and it was a war to determine who took number one.


    Rank five: the Myth of Cipactli; a monstrous crocodile with multiple mouths and tentacles, who appeared to dress rather well in his more human state.


    Rank four: Selvaria, having been moved up from rank five after the recent Hydra vs. Leviathan battle flooded the internet¡ªsomeone in the U.S. army recorded the fight and uploaded it.  The video was all over the media with people questioning what the Hell was happening in Cuba; in it, Selvaria casually treated the mythical monster like an all-you-can-eat buffet until he couldn¡¯t regenerate heads.


    Rank three: the Myth of Delphyne; there was less information about her other than the colossal draconic serpent form and long-haired female human form she took.  Everywhere she went, a Crystal was said to spawn and destruction left in her wake; she appeared to be more of a menace, but nations were giving her a pass due to her closing the gates.


    Rank two: the Myth of Bahamut¡ªlocated in Palestine¡ªthe enormous dragon had become a symbol of power and stability as he rose to dominance in the region.  Many argued if he was Bahamut at all, considering he should be a fish or whale, but clearly, pop-culture struck again.


    The current rank one: the Myth of Jormangandr, the world snake dragon of Norse mythology; he was on shaky grounds with the Nordic countries, unsure if he was on their side or not as he did the same as Delphyne, moving from Crystal to Crystal as if knowing their exact location.


    Scarlet was enthralled by the gigantic monsters, reading down the information, yet Rachel focused on that last detail¡ªit was no coincidence that they knew where these gateways were¡ªit wasn¡¯t that far of a stretch to think they had direct help from one of the major players to keep ahead of the curve.


    Other huge Kaiju-class Demi included the Myths of Fenrir, Surtr, Roc, Kraken, and there were rumors about Charybdis and Hecatonchires being spotted, yet the search was still new; there were likely many not yet photographed.


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as Tom finished up his conversation with his wife, but just before turning away from the massive Leviathan, she noticed a bright shimmer in the dark; Galatea was illuminated by twinkling stars.


    Squinting a little as Selvaria paused in her motions, Rachel muttered, ¡°Scarlet¡­  What¡¯s happening to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wow!  She¡¯s changing into like¡ªlike a little Selvaria¡ªhehe, just with a cute seal face!¡±


    Selvaria spun around her with glee as the floating creature tried to mirror her; it brought a question to Rachel¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Is her collar gone?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  Yeah, you¡¯re right!¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Anthony nodded.  ¡°Do you think that was the end product of the item Gisele and she had from the Legend¡¯s Quest?¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­  The one Moon-Moon gave them,¡± Rachel mumbled; she was now somewhat afraid of what might come of her little Lunar Phoenix.


    Considering Moongmor¡¯s personality¡­  What is going to happen to Gisele when she completes her transformation?  When Galatea could speak telepathically, she clearly wanted to become like Selvaria, and now she has¡­  What does Gisele want?


    The event brought her thoughts back to her own pet; it should be just about time for her to resurrect¡ªthen again, maybe she needed to be hit by moonlight for it to trigger.


    Motioning for Anthony and Scarlet to follow her, Rachel sent the two to let Tom know she¡¯d be there in a moment and went to revive Gisele.


    Returning to the room where she¡¯d left the feather, she paused just outside the door, realizing three more living spaces had been added since her stay; Cahira¡¯s Dragon Turtle was growing faster than she expected.


    Fortunately, the kids hadn¡¯t discovered the illuminated item and, taking it to the window, she opened it and hung out to find the right angle to catch the lunar rays.


    Her eyes snapped shut with the effulgence that blazed out of the feather, the firm yet gentle grip of Gisele¡¯s talons closing around her wrist, and when she opened her eyes, her puffy bird gave a cheery chirp.


    ¡°Welcome back!¡±


    The Lunar Phoenix blinked, scanning the floor as Rachel brought her inside.


    ¡°Nope.  Hayan, Coral, Rose, and Persephone are on cooldown right now.  Persephone?¡± she questioned at the bird¡¯s quizzical, tilted head.  ¡°She¡¯s our new Hell Bun; hmm-hmm, I think she¡¯s trouble.  Mind helping Rose watch her?  Coral is trouble enough for her big sister!¡±


    Getting a happy nod, Rachel transferred the Lunar Phoenix to her shoulder and went to meet Tom; the three were already seated around a table as she entered.


    The general gave her an exhausted smile.  ¡°I assume this has something to do with Anthony suddenly looking even more of a supermodel than before?¡±


    Anthony chuckled, showing a half-smile.  ¡°Partly, yes, but this is less of a formal discussion on the topic and more of a heads-up.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Scarlet cleared her throat, drawing their focus as she glanced at Rachel for support.  ¡°Umm¡­  There¡¯s something¡ªreally big we need to talk about, but¡­¡±


    Leaning forward to fold her arms across the table, Rachel sent her an encouraging nod; if Scarlet didn¡¯t voice it, she wouldn¡¯t grow herself¡ªenabling her overreliance would only hurt her in the end.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping a huge secret, and¡­ and I think I have to let the people I care about know.¡±


    Tom lifted an eyebrow, shifting positions to show he was listening.  ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t think we were that close; sure, I¡¯ve relied on you a lot over the past month, but I wouldn¡¯t say we¡¯re friends, Scarlet¡ªnot that I¡¯m trying to antagonize you.¡±


    ¡°No!  No!  I get it,¡± she mumbled, hastily waving her hands in protest.  ¡°I just¡­ it¡¯s big¡ªworld-changing big¡ªand I want your h-help¡­  I¡¯m terrified¡ªsomething far scarier than the Crystals is out there.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­  I see.  I assume it¡¯s also quite personal,¡± he concluded, folding his arms as his vision drifted to Rachel.  ¡°I¡¯m sensing there are conditions since this is simply a warning that you¡¯re preparing to reveal these secrets.  Correct?¡±


    Scarlet instantly looked at her, making Rachel sigh; it was progress, slight as it was.  ¡°Haaa¡­  Basically, we are looking at an ever-ramping conflict that will bleed into conflicts with gods and things even more terrifying than them, and we want your support, but we also can¡¯t have you spilling certain details¡ªthis is bigger than the U.S.¡±


    Lips pulling in, Tom sat back, pondering the various paths this may go, and after several seconds, his eyes went to Anthony.  ¡°Is your evaluation the same?¡±


    A long stream of air discharged from his mouth.  ¡°It¡¯s so insane, I doubt anyone would even really believe you¡­  Even after The Oscillation.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡±  He rose to his feet, focusing on Scarlet, recognizing it had been her decision to involve him in this discussion.  ¡°We recently stopped the end of the universe, caging some outerversal entity, and I¡¯ve had my doubts about how we were even able to accomplish that¡ªwe¡¯re talking about the entire universe here¡ªand it couldn¡¯t be a coincidence a Hell Lord was involved¡­¡±


    Tom¡¯s glare fell to the table, jaw tightening from the thoughts rolling through his head, and Rachel expected his wife¡¯s own safety was taken into consideration.  ¡°It¡¯s no coincidence we¡¯ve been brought together¡­  I¡¯d be stupid to believe your file coming across my desk was anything but some grand force¡¯s machinations at this point¡­  Dammit.


    ¡°The more I think about this and draw all the connections¡ªeven with the limited knowledge I have¡ªI can see myself as a puppet in this scheme to take down Revilla¡­  Fate vs. Destiny.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears stood up at the statement, and Anthony shot her a look.  ¡°What¡­ do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  What specifically?¡±  Tom asked, searching them for clarification.


    ¡°Fate and Destiny,¡± Anthony hesitantly replied.  ¡°Why did those comparisons come up?¡±


    Mind in overdrive, Rachel¡¯s thought shot back to Anthony¡¯s discussion with one of the most powerful entities they could fathom¡ªthe Mecroaf; Sagdrag¡¯misdra, Bringer of the Mist¡ªa creature with a scope either equal or greater than Twilight herself, had painted Fate and Destiny above the war and decaying eternities.


    Why would Tom bring up that comparison after we just learned about it?  Who would he have learned it from?


    Tom rolled around his neck, spasming muscles telling Rachel he was agitated, yet she was locked onto every twitch as he answered.  ¡°Erm¡­  It was a cryptic question Empress Wu Zetian, the new Chinese ruler, posed to the President regarding her actions¡­  Why?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s breath caught; any Asian worth their salt would know that name¡ªone of China¡¯s most influential historical figures¡ªand the implication was chilling; China had information beyond even Izanami, which meant it was in bed with someone powerful, possibly Twilight herself.


    * * *


    Cahira sat across from Jack Ward, eyeing him up and down as he did the same; Wilkins sat uncomfortably between them on the table that had been brought, vision darting at every movement they made.


    Fingernail tapping the wood, she watched him take the third swig of ale before sliding it across the table for her to snatch, drink the same, and toss it back.


    Once the bottle was gone, Cahira snapped, ¡°Another, Wilkins.¡±


    He ran out to fetch it, and when they downed the second, Jack roared, ¡°Another, Wilkins!¡±


    He shot an inquisitive stare at her as a half-grin lifted her bright green eyes, rolling the empty spirits in a small circle.  ¡°Ye be orderin¡¯ mi man, Jack; be ye thinkin¡¯ ya be the Captain of this ship?¡±


    ¡°Ah, but ya see, mi cherry lass, a Captain be needin¡¯ a proper drink, and be yer man really yer man when a man not be gettin¡¯ a drink a Cap¡¯n be needin¡¯ when a spirit be gone a yonder before the askin¡¯ be asked?  Savvy?¡±


    A sly smirk tilted her lips as she let the empty bottle roll off the edge to sway across the planks.  ¡°Aww, ya be tryin¡¯ ta talk me sweet, but we know ya not be here for me undies, Jackie boy.  Let¡¯s dispense with the ol¡¯ pleasantries and be gettin¡¯ to the wine and honey.¡±


    ¡°To the sweets then, mi Queenly Fire!¡±  he mused, a paper flashing into his hands from pale green flames to twirl once around his fingers before sliding it to her.  ¡°How sound a hunt ta ya; I hear ye got yerself an ol¡¯ beastie that acquirin¡¯ I be seekin¡¯ ta fer a task I be requirin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Mi crew be filled with many a beasties, Jackie¡­  What adventure of sort be ye tryin¡¯ ta wrap an¡¯ butter a lass of the sea in?  Mmh¡­¡±


    Her eyes narrowed as she caught the cursive L signet in the top left of the map she¡¯d been shown, and the second paper behind it drew her lips in.  ¡°Ya be tryin¡¯ ta do a Quest outside yer tier; ya be takin¡¯ me fer a fool?  Why ya tryin¡¯ ta get me involved in yer Legend Quest, Jack¡­  Lookin¡¯ fer us ta do yer heavy liftin¡¯ and pine us off ta the ocean floor when ya get yer treasures?¡±


    ¡°Why ya impugnin¡¯ mi character?¡±  he laughed, feigning indignance.  ¡°I simply be knowin¡¯ mi limits, and seein¡¯ as ya be among the leadin¡¯ Pirate Legends in these fine seas, I be lookin¡¯ fer some support from your fellow brother!¡±


    Cahira leaned her chair back to pull out a drawer and take out the phone Tom had given her, flipping on the pictures to slide it to him; the general had asked her opinion on a few notable Pirate scuffles and sightings from the U.S. intelligence network, Navy, and satellites.  ¡°So¡­  This isn¡¯t what it seems to be?¡±


    A wry smile lifted his cheeks as he swiped through the photos, well past the images meant for him, which she hoped he would.  ¡°Ya caught mi with mi pants down, Love¡ªhehe, much like these angles ya found¡­  What a sight ya be.  Hmm.  Ya seem ta be more stacked than mi sources gave ya credit¡­  And, yer shapely sight beholden, might I add in more ways than one¡­ mmh-hmm!¡±


    ¡°Aye!  Mi stern do be rather plump and tight,¡± she mused, not embarrassed in the least by him admiring the selfies she¡¯d taken; he was trying to throw her off.


    Leaning forward with a twinkle in her eyes, Cahira licked her lips, practically tasting the succulent sense of danger the man brought.  ¡°Ya be lookin¡¯ fer protection, Jackie?  No need ta be shy; all ya needed ta say was, ¡®Mi beautiful queen, let this dirty dog jump inta yer sweet embrace, and lass be swooned off her feet.¡¯  Haha!¡±


    He took off his hat to give her a gentlemanly bow.  ¡°Mi poor fate be needin¡¯ a lady luck, and a lucky lady be found!  Will ya accept the winds at mi back, mi queenly prize?¡±


    ¡°Aww-haha!  You¡¯re full of shit, Ward, but ya got mi ear, and I happen ta be a sucker for a pretty face.  Ya must tell me, Jack; what was it like stealin¡¯ ol¡¯ Blackbeard¡¯s flagship, hmm?  What price ya be tryin¡¯ ta negotiate fer mi to cover that fine bum of yours, ¡®cause, hmm¡­¡±


    A gleam came from her flashing teeth.  ¡°...It may be sore when I be done with it.  Hehe!¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 6. The Chinese Empress

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


    2. Cahira (Our 24/7 Horny Legend of Grace O¡¯Malley)


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    Thoughts reflecting on what she knew about Wu Zetian, including a Chinese show of a historical drama her mother had watched.  Even if she wasn¡¯t particularly fond of dramas¡ªas her mother seemed obsessed with¡ªshe¡¯d heard a lot about it nonetheless.


    Born in the year of a total solar eclipse, many believed the cosmological display was a sign an important historical figure would rise out of those brought into the world that year, causing many to watch for the destined child.


    Born into a very wealthy family, she had the fortune of dedicating herself entirely to the pursuit of education; Wu Zetian was engrossed in the arts, writing, and historical record of China that was available at the time.


    Naturally, being of exceptional beauty, standing, and phenomenally intelligent¡ªeven in her early teen years¡ªshe was chosen as Emperor Taizong¡¯s concubine,  and had an affair with Gaozong, his successor within the five years between her marriage and the Emperor¡¯s death.


    Once the Emperor died, having secured an attachment to his successor through her affair, of which some historians believed both premeditated maneuvers, highlighting Wu Zetian¡¯s intellect¡ªshe may have had a direct role in Taizong¡¯s death¡ªpositioned herself to be brought into the next court instead of pushed aside.


    Whether true or not, she rose to power by pinning her children¡¯s deaths on the current Empress, yet those claims and rumors were called into question since they rose four-hundred years after her death with future generations muddling down the record in opposition to a female ruler.  Deceptive or true, the Emperor believed her, and she was taken on as the new Empress of China around the age of twenty.


    At this point, she became the barely-veiled, ruthless ruler over the evolving dynasty, and she founded her own secret police force, further clipping opposition.


    Eventually, she shed the curtain and claimed her son was too weak to rule¡ªeither by her carefully controlled upbringing or natural temperament didn¡¯t matter¡ªsuccessfully ejecting him from the throne, Wu Zetian took control of China, and Rachel had no doubt this woman had done the same in modern day.


    The story her mother had told played in her head; a devout Buddhist¡ªironically once a lover of Wu¡¯s¡ªannounced he¡¯d discovered a scroll detailing the next Buddha, or enlightened one, would be a woman¡ªthe sign of the solar eclipse¡ªand with the heavens on her side and many more than willing to believe the charming woman, she secured her reign with the people.


    Part of her allure in history¡ªaccording to her mother¡ªwas that she was utterly merciless to her opponents and the enemies of China, but kind to her people; lowering taxes on farmers and increasing production further solidified her support among the citizens.


    A prodigy in politics, history, and artistic callings, her primary initial goals were the complete restructuring of State administration, thereby creating criteria for people to hold office that she had direct influence in, in an attempt to have China governed by the educated and not nepetistic dynasties, founding a meritocracy.


    Although, not all parties were happy with her overpowering entrance and authority, especially since she took a hard stance against Taoism and Confucianism; mainly because they stood firmly in her way as a woman in power and moved to make Buddhism China¡¯s primary religion.


    She was by no means a femenist in that stance, yet dedicated herself to supporting the women of China, again garnering great support, and used her extraordinary looks and figure as a hot blade.


    Unlike many authoritarian leaders, she did not see herself as the arbiter of all fact and truth, or above all others intellectually.  She often sought counsel from both the affluent and common folk, setting up a suggestion box for their voices to be heard; she went so far as to have a means for even illiterate parties to have a scribe in order to have their ideas or complaints heard.


    Taking all of that information into account in the short silence that ensued as they processed the information, Rachel took the seat beside Scarlet, folding her fingers to rest against her nose; much of what she¡¯d heard from her mother could have been over fantasized, yet her mother enjoyed finding differences between historical fiction and fact.


    One famous note Rachel recalled from her mother¡¯s rants was her blank tombstone, Wu proclaiming history would decide her true legacy, and so it had.


    Scarlet had her phone out, looking up information as she scanned for things in her own way.  ¡°From what I understand, she¡¯s like¡­ super ruthless, haughty, and hates anyone who tries to question her¡ªshe hates men, and made them like¡­ second-class citizens¡ªonly women had basic human rights.¡±


    She pulled up a strange pixelated video of a game, making Rachel sigh, but then again, pop-culture did play some role in this change.  ¡°She has powers that can take you into another dimension, and totally torture you to death!  She can fight in hand-to-hand and fencing styles, too, and supposedly can torture any truth out of someone.¡±


    Tom gave her a look that Rachel constrained.  ¡°Erm¡­ sure.  Anyway, what I do know is she¡¯s an incredibly competent woman who was somewhat of a philanthropist and by no means disrespectful or haughty¡­


    ¡°Has she used ruthless tactics against companies or withheld funding from countries that violate human rights?  Yes.  But torture isn¡¯t something I¡¯ve been briefed on; that¡¯s not to say it doesn¡¯t exist¡ªas we learned in Cuba¡ªa hidden cannibal became a giant snake without anyone the wiser until she turned into the Mythickin.¡±


    Anthony hummed, rubbing his chin and giving Scarlet¡¯s fidgeting fingers a small smile.  ¡°In short, we should do our research and keep a watchful eye out.  What do you think, Rachel?  You seem to have your own opinion.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Rachel mused, a sly smirk lifting her full lips as she leaned back in her chair.  ¡°What gave you that idea?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Let¡¯s just say, in my experience, you rarely drop a topic and go internal analysis mode unless something specific reorganizes your priorities.¡±


    Tom rubbed his eyes as a chuckle shook his frame, making his chair squeak.  ¡°Good observation; I¡¯m so tired, I didn¡¯t even notice how focused you were on the topic¡­  Something critical you¡¯ve connected or heard mentioned about her?¡±


    Ears drooping forward a bit, Rachel looked to the side, expression falling into a mild brood while folding her fingers across her stomach.  ¡°Surprisingly¡­ no.  My Mom got into a Chinese drama about her¡ªshe loves those kinds of things; from what I understand about these Seeds from what Scarlet¡¯s mother let slip, and connecting the dots, she could be a Buddha, although¡­¡±


    Anthony¡¯s mouth tightened.  ¡°I have no idea what that means, but it sounds like it could be a problem.  What are you questioning?¡±


    Scarlet was already looking up the term, but Rachel continued to explain her thoughts, making her shift her attention away from her phone, and Tom was entirely centered on her.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t see how she could be a Buddha, considering part of the Five Precepts is to not kill, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or drugs; according to what my mother told me about her life, she at least broke two of those rules.


    ¡°I only wonder if she used Buddhist teachings as a means to gain power rather than actually believing in the religion itself; she was a woman, and couldn¡¯t hold political office under the other religions at the time, and so used the one that would be favorable to her¡­  I¡¯d say she seems to have the historical track record to do whatever it takes to make her vision a reality.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Tom hummed, glancing at a document on his desk.  ¡°I already have people going through all the historical accounts, and the President has ordered specialists to get together and determine their own views on his Legendkin based on her lore but, as we¡¯ve learned, pop-culture also needs to be added to the mix.¡±


    He sighed and shot Scarlet a weary smile.  ¡°Maybe there could be some nefarious stuff happening behind the scenes; I wouldn¡¯t doubt it¡­  And she may have done everything for China but, without a doubt, she had her own personal soldiers and political hit-squads.  She¡¯s not someone we can take lightly.¡±


    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±  Rachel got up a second to brush her hair over her left shoulder.  ¡°I have a lot more thoughts on her, General, but it will need to wait until tomorrow night; I¡¯ll do my own research¡ªheh, my mom will certainly love me asking her opinion on something she¡¯s interested in, as her drama likely plays a role in this Legend of Wu Zetian¡¯s character.¡±


    Tom rose to his feet, prompting them to do the same.  ¡°Glad you brought it up¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, before you go,¡± Rachel interjected, ¡°could you tell me a summary of her¡ªat least what you currently know?¡±


    ¡°She is the de facto Empress of China now; what happened to the CCP?¡±  Anthony added.


    Stretching out as Anthony and Scarlet intently listened, the blue-eyed girl showing her own interest by taking notes on her phone, a low rumble came from Tom¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Yes¡­  All of our spies went silent or underground three weeks ago in the country, which seems impossible, and the CCP relinquished control to her¡ªwithout a fight and in the midst of other conflicts in the country¡ªas far as we¡¯re aware.¡±


    Interesting.  So, she has the support of some high-player, and that person could be helping her keep control.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°So there are still internal conflicts happening in China; she¡¯s winning on the world stage, but there are still parties attempting to fight for control?¡±


    ¡°Eh-huu-haaa¡­  We simply don¡¯t know, Rachel,¡± Tom groaned, working around his neck.  ¡°Maybe Scarlet¡¯s thought on her being able to discover the truth about spies or opposition is true¡ªtorture or not¡ªfrom what I¡¯ve heard historically, she was extremely clever and intelligent politically; without reserve, I can tell you she does speak for China, or is at least their figurehead.¡±


    ¡°Where are her interests¡ªher movements?¡±  Rachel pressed, looking for any dots she could connect to her already scattered map of data.  ¡°Which countries is she in contact with or reaching out to?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Basically¡ªwhat do we know?¡±  Tom yawned.  ¡°She¡¯s an enigmatic woman¡­  We have no idea who she was before The Oscillation, but suspect she was someone of great influence within China.¡±


    He took out his phone and played with it as he spoke, shooting her over some files to browse.  ¡°These are naturally top secret, and few have seen this information beyond the President, so don¡¯t transfer them or show them to anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°There is a small army of powerful Legendkin and Mythickin we¡¯ve been able to catch from spy satellites and planes¡ªsome of these were only recently able to get when we picked up her listed flight to Venezuela¡­ scheduled to leave around the time we were preparing our final mission in Cuba, and landing a short time after.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears pricked up at the connection.  There were plans to have a helicopter leave Cuba for Venezuela, showing there was communication between at least one of the Warlords, and Relica¡¯s group likely had connection to that¡­  It seems like the most likely place Wolfgang would have gone, as well¡­  They may have reached out to Nemesis.


    Filing it into the back of her brain, her ears twitched as he went on and she swiped through the photos.  ¡°We can¡¯t tell who specifically many of these Legends or Myths are¡ªwe suspect a few, but it''s only speculation¡­  Yeah,¡± he mumbled as she hovered over one of the grainy pictures.


    ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fangs pressed against her lower lip, whispering, ¡°That has to be the Myth of Cipactli¡ªa giant crocodile¡­ fighting a giant spiked viper¡­  Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s Delphyne?¡±


    ¡°Our spy satellites caught that battle as the hurricane was dying down¡­ off the coast of Venezuela, and we suspect there was another water Mythickin involved, but we couldn¡¯t get a proper shot, considering the unnatural way the waves were moving¡ªit could have also been one of their abilities¡ªbut we don¡¯t know what happened in Venezuela¡­¡±


    Rachel slowly nodded.  ¡°Something big happened¡­  Wu Zetian was there, too?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and we suspect several others, but we don¡¯t have much proof since the hurricane masked a lot of things, in addition to Cuba drawing most of our resources.¡±


    Cipactli and Delphyne could be in competing factions, and they were clashing over getting to Wu Zetian, or whoever she was meeting¡­  Maybe Venezuela was being pulled to their side?  I have to figure out who we¡¯re going up against¡­


    ¡°What are your thoughts?¡±  Tom asked.


    ¡°Honestly,¡± Rachel hissed, rubbing her left ear as Yseress chuckled in her mind, not offering her own interpretation to annoy her, ¡°I¡¯m agitated¡­  I can¡¯t believe China¡¯s political structure was totally uprooted without me noticing at all¡­¡±


    She trailed off, jaw tightening at how behind they were; the Mecroaf¡¯s intervention may have been more than a little invasive, yet at the same time, they¡¯d provided a glimpse behind the curtain¡ªit could have been their intention all along, and she had to know the specifics of what Tom thought about Wu Zetian¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Tom¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmh?¡±


    ¡°What is your take on her question to the President?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­  So, the Fate and Destiny comparison is vital to your thoughts¡ªshit¡­ I was hoping it was just her being a bit cryptic in strategy or stonewalling instead of an actual critical distinction¡­¡±


    Anthony forced a chuckle, giving her a wink.  ¡°To be fair, reading too much into it could draw too much of your focus away from the important tasks at hand.  You have detective Rachel to handle the future speculation and connection so you can do your job and not be stuck inside, questioning everything that crosses your desk.¡±


    ¡°Haha.  True, thanks, Rachel¡­  You really have gone above and beyond for your country, even if that¡¯s more or less just you wanting to keep things stable for your family.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mutually beneficial,¡± Rachel mused.  ¡°Fate vs. Destiny?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­  Give me a second to organize my thoughts.¡±


    Vision closing, he leaned against the desk and puffed out a long sigh.  ¡°It¡¯s¡­ pretty obvious to me; Fate is an inevitability, set in stone¡ªthere is no choice or decision that can overcome the outcome¡ªfor instance, the sun¡¯s future expansion is a fact and there¡¯s nothing we can do to change that fate.


    ¡°Destiny, on the other hand, depends on your choices in life¡­  A person may be¡ªoh, heh, Wu Zetian, could be an example,¡± he laughed, now connecting the dots.  ¡°She was born in a privileged position that could lead to an incredible future¡ªdestined for greatness¡ªbut any wrong mistake could have blocked her, yet she pushed forward, exercising her options wisely to achieve that destiny.¡±


    His expression fell again.  ¡°In essence, she is asking us if we believe we have a say in the future or not¡ªhow we react to her actions in Taiwan will affect the future¡ªand will we be wise about it, or are we fated to clash; are we simply puppets to our nature, characters in a predetermined novel, or able to rise above the dictates of Fate.¡±


    He turned to Anthony and Rachel.  ¡°What are your thoughts on that?¡±


    She let her boyfriend go first as he stepped back against the wall and rubbed his chin.


    ¡°Mmh¡­  I can see what you¡¯re saying.  Let¡¯s see¡­  The way I see it, Fate is what happens when you don¡¯t take responsibility for your life¡ªin a way, they are connected¡ªFate can be seen as the journey toward a set destination¡ªthe journey being our destiny¡­  Maybe not exclusively connected.


    ¡°Eh, Fate is outside of our control¡ªactions taken against us by others or the universe¡ªit is seen as a negative aspect of the cruel nature of Existence, I suppose.


    ¡°On the other hand, Destiny is seen as more positive, as it is something we choose to follow¡ªour goals in life we set¡ªwe shape and alter it.  Personal qualities¡ªcourage, compassion, willpower¡ªand even negative ones; your attitude and perseverance in your goal define your future or set your fate.¡±


    Rachel hadn¡¯t put a lot of thought into such philosophical topics, but she believed she understood the context from Tom and Anthony¡¯s musings.


    ¡°In short, does the future act on you, or do you act on the future¡­  If that¡¯s the case, I lean on the side of Destiny.¡±


    She had to puff out a short chuckle as Scarlet, as always, had to mentally bridge it with pop-culture.  ¡°Oh!  So¡­  Like our big, purple alien!¡±


    Her voice deepened, trying to add a bit of humor to the dark conversation.  ¡°I am inevitable!  Hehe, he¡¯s saying he is Fate, and the heroes were Destiny, and Destiny won!  Eh, in the end¡­  After half the universe died¡ªbut umm, it all worked out because of hard work!¡±


    They all laughed at the comparison, and Tom rubbed the back of his head, exhaustion in his voice again.  ¡°You¡¯ve already given me a lot to think about¡­  So much¡­  How long do I have to consider your invitation and be content with your undisclosed conditions?¡±


    Scarlet hissed.  ¡°Eh-heh¡­  A few hours, maybe¡ªwhen we go home?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°Not that soon, Scarlet!  Hehe.  We can do it tomorrow evening; it gives us time to settle down and for everyone to rest.  Sound good?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡±  Scarlet breathed, happy it was pushed back at least a bit.


    Tom got to his feet, paused for a second, and chuckled before rubbing between his eyes.  ¡°This scale is¡­ insane.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t know the half of it, General,¡± Anthony constrained a chuckle, rolling around his neck.  ¡°Not even the half of it.¡±


    ¡°Heh, I bet.  I appreciate the consideration you¡¯re showing me; this must not be easy, and I won¡¯t take your trust lightly¡ªRachel, Scarlet¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm?¡±


    A shiver ran through Tom¡¯s body, the atmosphere darkening as he looked up at her, a mixed tone in his voice making the hair on the back of her neck rise as he posed a question that she honestly had never considered, which made a glint of fear settle into her chest.


    ¡°Rachel¡­ can you at least tell me it isn¡¯t you manipulating everything behind the scenes?¡±


    Anthony and Scarlet gave her confused looks as she paused, full lips half-open as Yseress leaned forward in her Core to laugh; Rachel took a moment to even conceptualize that chilling thought.  It was silly¡ªimpossible¡ªthen again, was it really impossible?


    ¡°Mmh¡­  Your paranoia deepens, Mistress.  Hmm-hmm-hmm, but I cannot lie that it has been a tantalizing itch in the back of my mind.¡±


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Scarlet whispered, sliding an out-of-place lock behind her ear.


    ¡°¡­Honestly¡­ I can¡¯t answer that, Tom,¡± she finally muttered, completely caught off-guard by the realization.  ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±  the general roared with laughter, popping the tense atmosphere.  ¡°That!  That tells me I¡¯ve put my trust in the right person¡­  Who would actually suspect themselves but someone who truly wishes to find the answers, even if everything leads to themself?  You¡¯re amazing, Rachel!  Goodnight!¡±


    Hesitantly waving him off, Rachel wasn¡¯t smiling like the others; it really was a probing and enlightening question to pose that hadn¡¯t even been in the realm of thought.


    Adelle asked me what entity my Seed passed through when connecting to my spirit¡­  I¡¯m not a specific Myth like Selvaria¡­  Could that mean I¡¯m an amalgamation of many lunar entities, which is why the Lunar Goddesses are interested in me¡­ or am I something else entirely, and that Myth was the only thing that fit?


    Gisele nuzzled the base of her ear, causing her to absently reach up to scratch her neck, having almost forgotten about the bird, as she exited with Scarlet and Anthony; her new sister broke into pop-culture references of Fate and Destiny, having totally tossed aside the idea she was some super agent, yet Rachel couldn¡¯t get it out of her mind.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t stop, you may drive yourself insane, Mistress,¡± Yseress warned, observing Nia as she slept in her imaginary bed.  ¡°Be mindful of where your mind goes; as you told Scarlet, a healthy dose of skepticism is good, yet too much internal doubt can pull you to a Hell that I, in fact, quite enjoy seeing and manipulating people into.¡±


    Heh, way to tell me you''re an expert on the subject.  Still, I may just¡­  Was it Twilight that guided me to Scarlet, or did I manipulate it myself somehow¡ªor this Seed inside of me?  I need answers.


    ¡°So¡­ heh, nothing¡¯s changed; as I said, Mistress, this is a hole you should not delve into unless you intend to go all the way and, in the end, it doesn¡¯t change anything other than opening the possibility of self-destruction.¡±


    Shut up.


    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.¡±


    Ugh¡­  A corrupted Nephilim who thrills herself in manipulating souls to internally implode is trying to be sweet¡ªto save me.  What is even happening to me?


    ¡°No thanks for the angelic devil on your shoulder?  Such a rude mistress I have,¡± Yseress mused, feigning a tragic tone.  ¡°Alas, I must endeavor to be the voice of¡­ mmh-hmm, good, I suppose.¡±


    Rachel snorted, making Anthony and Scarlet pause.  When I uncorrupt you, I¡¯m going to miss this snarky side of you, Yseress.


    ¡°Who says Nephilim, or angels, for that matter, aren¡¯t snarky?¡±


    Fair point.  Hmm-hmm.  You do add a layer of spice to Nia¡¯s antics.  Haaa¡­  I suppose it really doesn¡¯t matter in the end.  If I am manipulating things, I can only hope I¡¯d agree with the outcome, then again¡­


    ¡°Ah, hehe; indeed, Mistress¡­  Self-doubt is not a healthy path, yet possible internal manipulation, on the other hand¡­¡±


    If this Seed is merely enhancing who I already am, then that¡¯s not a huge deal¡­ but if it is someone else trying to force themselves on me¡­  You¡¯re right, Yseress; nothing has changed.  I need to get to the bottom of what these Seeds are.


    ¡°It was my pleasure, Mistress!  Always of service to poke and prod.  Now, I must find a corner to rest without your¡­ incessant thoughts rudely awakening me from my much needed¡ªand might I add, deserved¡ªrelaxation.¡±


    Hearing Maria telling the kids to get ready for bed, Rachel heard Jaenona returning to Anthony, and she motioned for them to go out of a side route to not give the children a reason to defy Maria¡¯s orders; when they awakened, they¡¯d be meeting their new families, and as could be expected, they didn¡¯t want to let go of their pretty unicorn.


    I¡¯m glad I can poke back!  Hehe.  Anyways, sweet dreams, Cupcake.


    Yseress¡¯ flavorful voice came to a dead halt.  ¡°Cup-what?¡±


    Oh¡­  A smirk lightened Rachel¡¯s face.  I found something you don¡¯t know¡ªa shocking revelation, Yseress, but I suppose living in Hell¡­  Mmh-hmm-hmm-hmm!


    ¡°I am not amused, Rachel.  What is a cupcake¡ªwhy am I a cupcake?¡±  Yseress indigently demanded.  ¡°It sounds like an insult¡­  A cup¡­ cake?  What is a cake and how does it relate to cups?¡±


    No way¡­  Actually embarrassed¡ªthe great deviless Yseress doesn¡¯t know what a cake is, much less a cupcake? Mom would ¡®love¡¯ to learn this weakness of yours¡­  Nia would die to learn her big sister doesn¡¯t even know what a cake is.


    ¡°Rachel!  Mmgm-hmm-hmm.  Mistress, if you could please¡­ quit stalling, and inform me of what this word represents, I would be, heh¡­ greatly appreciative.¡±


    Mmh-no.


    ¡°No?¡±


    No can do, Pancake.¡±


    ¡°Another cake¡­ with a pan now?¡±


    Hehe.  This is great!


    ¡°It really is not!  Obviously, these have to do with cakes, yet¡­  It has a connection with holding something?  Cup and pan; both hold things yet one is for cooking and the other is for drinking?¡±


    Such a smart cookie!  Rachel congratulated and she could practically see the Nephilim¡¯s red face and defensive posture.


    ¡°Cookie?  Rachel, stop making up words; this is ridiculous!  What in Lady Izanami¡¯s name is a cookie, and how does it connect to a cake¡­  Do cookies relate to cooking?  A pan and cup could be¡­¡±


    Laughter bubbling up, she waved Anthony and Scarlet¡¯s confusion off.  ¡°I¡¯m just¡ªjust talking to Yseress; let¡¯s go to the front of the turtle.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re having a great time!¡±  Anthony chortled.  ¡°Good to see you smiling; it always looks stunning on you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really not having a ¡®great¡¯ time; this is quite vexing, in fact.¡±


    For one of us!


    ¡°Aww, thanks, Anthony!  Yseress and I are having a wonderful time,¡±  she grinned at her lie and Yseress¡¯ rolling eyes, cheeks actually hurting a bit with how much fun she was having with her internal half-devil.


    ¡°Unbelievable.¡±


    Scarlet giggled, holding her hands behind her back.  ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been a bit since we¡¯ve all been able to unwind and just have fun.  I look forward to seeing Mom again.¡±


    ¡°Mhm!  I¡¯m sure Mom will love hearing all about the new experiences she can bring to our little, sick Nephilim.¡±


    ¡°Not amusing!  I am not sickly looking; I have an absolutely dazzling body.¡±


    The yellow skin does suit you more than the purple.  Is that what you¡¯re saying?  Rachel taunted with a grin.


    ¡°Haaa¡­  Will you stop this game, Mistress?¡±


    I think I¡¯ll ride this train to the cliff!  Will you cave and ask Nia?


    ¡°¡­¡±


    No, of course not; you couldn¡¯t handle the embarrassment of learning something ¡®groundbreaking¡¯ from our little rabbit teen.  Her big sister is the ¡®biggest¡¯ hoecake in the universe!  Hmm-hmm.


    ¡°H-Hoecake?  What do you mean by that, Rachel?!  How am I¡ªwhat does being a hoe have to do with cakes and me?  Nothing!  Nothing at all!


    Nothing?  I think Nia would disagree!  Hmm, but will you ever learn what it is until I spring my trap?  I think not!


    ¡°Humph!  Mistress¡­  Why are you doing this to me?  Was I not helpful?  Why must you provoke me with this¡ªthis cake business?  What do hoes, cups, and pans have to do with these cakes?!¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know, my internal Hotcake!¡±


    ¡°Mmgmh!¡±


    Huu-haaa¡­  Little Teacake, perhaps one day you¡¯ll know, but for now, I¡¯ll let your mind strew in a fluffy, creamy imagination of uncertainty; may your dreams be light and sweet!  Night.


    ¡°I¡­ regret having this devilish influence on you, Mistress, and yet¡­ there is a level of pride I feel at this moment.  How utterly bizarre¡­ this dualistic emotion.¡±


    Good talk!


    Yseress stormed into her own internal room within Rachel¡¯s Core, and she knew the Nephilim wouldn¡¯t get a wink of sleep as she puzzled over all the different types of cakes she¡¯d strung together to come up with an answer.


    This is going to be so much fun!  How long can I keep it up, though?  Hmm-hmm-hmm.  At least enough time to thoroughly enjoy it!


    * * *


    A short pause followed Cahira¡¯s statement, Jack leaned to the side to examine her long legs, pondering her playful words; she kept a close watch on the Pirate, knowing he was as unpredictable as he was handsome.


    He blew out a short sigh and he replaced his hat.  ¡°I¡¯d be lovin¡¯ a tumble in the sheets, Love, spillin¡¯ mi stories ta a fine watery lass like yerself¡­  Yet I be on an unfavorable clock, and it not be long before ya be in hot waters, and bein¡¯ the gentlemanly kind I ¡®appen ta be¡ªnot wantin¡¯ ta cause strife where it not be had¡­¡±


    Cahira gave him an incredulous smirk.  ¡°Did I say ya be full of shit, Jack?  I believe I was bein¡¯ too kind on ya!  Heh, if it not be to run yer dirty paws down mi britches or ta start a spiff between ol¡¯ Blackbeard and mi crew ta see ya protected¡­ what be yer end goal in bringin¡¯ the Queen Anne''s Revenge ta mi shores?¡±


    She tucked her lip under as Bastian, her Epic-Grade crewhand, ran through the closed door.  ¡°The Jolly Roger on the horizon, Cap¡¯in; they be closin¡¯ in on the port!¡±


    Not taking her eyes off Jack¡¯s forced smile, Cahira hummed, snapping her fingers for Wilkins to grab her another bottle.  ¡°Hmm¡­  Not Edward Teach, I assume, considerin¡¯ the Coast Guard would be breathin¡¯ down their necks if they showed their face ¡®round these waters.¡±


    Leaning forward to glare at Ward, she muttered, ¡°Ya safely hid Teach¡¯s flagship in a place nearby, no doubt, Jackie¡­  So what be yer angle?¡±


    Jack lifted both hands, pivoting to point at Bastian and making Wilkins pause at the door.  ¡°Ya can¡¯t be tellin¡¯ me yer man don¡¯t know the flag that the wind be holdin¡¯, and ya call yerselves pirates, lads?!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Cahira lifted an eyebrow as she turned an eye to Bastian.


    ¡°Erm¡ªa goat with bones, Cap¡¯in?¡±


    Eyes widening and fingers tightening into a fist, Cahira popped her tongue with agitation.  ¡°First it be you, Jackie, and bringin¡¯ Teach¡¯s eye on me, and now ya be tellin¡¯ me ya got somethin¡¯ happenin¡¯ with Sadie Farrell, eh?  Why the Manhattan Goat be sailing ta Miami?¡±


    Jack shrugged, shuffling to the side of her dresser to find another one of her hidden alcohol stashes¡ªas seemed to be his gift¡ªfor when Wilkin denied her the spirit¡ªthere were time she may get a tad ¡®too¡¯ drunk¡ªyet no one would would tell her that, and she¡¯d drink if she wanted!


    ¡°Ah!¡±  he pointed with a big grin at the bottle tucked behind her collection of fancy underwear, not accidentally looping a rather flashing purple-laced specimen around the neck before expertly popping the cork and taking a swig.  ¡°Mmh!  Ya get the good stuff, Love¡ªno, but why don¡¯t we find out why the Little Obsidian Goat be comin¡¯ ta pay respects to the great Pirate Queen, Grace O¡¯Malley, no?!¡±


    Rising to her feet to stretch out her chest, Cahira¡¯s teeth flashed as she walked over to snatch the bottle from his grip and take a swig before handing it back, excluding the panties.


    ¡°Indeed, mi little, tweeting Sparrow!  On our way out, I can see ya joinin¡¯ me in meetin¡¯ the New Yorker Pirate; it be good gettin¡¯ ta know the neighbors, no?¡±


    Throwing her arm around his waist and bringing it close to hers, she gave him a wink and tucked the purple-laced treasure into his pocket.  ¡°Ya be sayin¡¯ ya need some luck, Jackie¡ªwhat else be luckier, hmm?¡±


    He grinned, throwing his arm around her shoulders as they swaggered toward the nearest exit.  ¡°It be as if we be fated!  Hehe!¡±


    ¡°Now don¡¯t be goin¡¯ romantic on me,¡± Cahira scolded, snatching the new bottle of spirits from Wilkins as they passed and slapping Jack¡¯s stern.  ¡°I only be entertain¡¯ ya fer yer looks; once I get ya tied down on mi bed, I¡¯ll be bootin¡¯ ye off the plank first light!¡±


    ¡°Hehe!  Understood, Love; I best be gone by noon, hmm?  A lass of fire be the warmest bed when a kiss be had, yet a southern wind¡¯s lick can put a mast aflame if a man not be treatin¡¯ her right!¡±


    ¡°Haha!  I like the way ya talk, Jack; maybe we can have a little fun with Sadie if she be willin¡¯ ta have a little tumble, eh?¡±


    ¡°And rum!¡±  he shouted with a laugh, pulling Mara¡¯s questioning head out of a doorway to see what the commotion was about.  ¡°Lots and lots of rum!  Ah, a mossy lass of the sea!  It be a pleasure,¡± he boasted, hand swiftly darting back as Nemesis hovered behind her.


    Cahira chortled as he brought them in a spinning circle to redirect their momentum in an attempt to hide his reaching hands before returning her slap, making her rear burn.  ¡°And¡ªah, ya not be lyin¡¯ ¡®bout her beasties!¡±


    ¡°Cheers!  Nemesis, Mara¡ªwe lookin¡¯ at havin¡¯ a night of pleasure, huh?  Hehe!  Why don¡¯t ya join us?!¡±


    Nemesis huffed.  ¡°I do want to better understand this¡­ culture Rachel is in.¡±


    ¡°Culture¡­¡±  Mara hissed, eyeing them uncertainty as they continued to stumble in lock-step down the hall.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that, but¡­ it could be interesting.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful!¡±  Jack shouted.  ¡°Rum!  Wilkins, bring the rum!¡±


    ¡°Captain?¡±


    ¡°Rum, Wilkins!  Bring the rum!¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Captain¡­¡±


    ¡°A pirate''s party!¡±


    ¡°Aye, mi Queenly Beauty¡ªno finer ruby on the seas, ya be!¡±


    Working her fingers between some flesh on his bum, she added pressure, causing a short jump and chuckle from the Legend.


    ¡°I told ya sore when this be over, Jackie; don¡¯t be regredin¡¯ yer choices ¡®cause ya be stirin¡¯ up a storm in me!¡±


    ¡°Never, Love!  A Pirate¡¯s Banquet we have!  Haha!¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 7. The Path To Uncorruption

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


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    Now outside of the large mansion, with Nia asleep and Yseress trying to keep her distance, Rachel had a decision to make¡ªa few, in fact¡ªand she had to make them in the next few hours they had left on their turtle ride back from Florida City to Miami.


    Zippy, Cahira¡¯s Dragon Turtle, seemed to have slowed to a more casual pace in the sea, rather than its blitz from Miami by air; considering it was typically a bit under an hour¡¯s drive, it appeared that the large creature needed his rest.


    Coming to a halt, she released a soft sigh that drew Anthony and Scarlet¡¯s gaze.


    A curious grin brought Scarlet¡¯s left fang into few.  ¡°Yseress again?  Hmm-hmm.  The more you talk about her, the more I want to meet her.¡±


    ¡°Just thinking about a few things I need to address.  As for my little Nephilim, heh, she¡¯s shockingly shy, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s ever had a real social circle and is trying to cope with not manipulating or watching her back all the time.¡±


    Anthony rolled around his neck, managing his hair; he didn¡¯t do the best with it, considering he¡¯d likely never worn it to its current length.  ¡°It makes sense, coming from Hell.  What¡¯s on your mind, though; is it something that needs to be dealt with right now?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.  Probably, to be honest,¡± Rachel muttered, folding her hands behind her back to play with her braid.  ¡°I think I¡¯ve put it off long enough, and I¡¯m just worried about the implications.¡±


    Scarlet jumped ahead of her to walk backward in their slow stroll around the side of the mansion.  ¡°Who does it affect?¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯m thinking about right now¡­  Possibly a lot of people.¡±


    ¡°Heh, so nothing new?¡±  she giggled, shooting Anthony a look.


    ¡°Not wrong!  Rachel¡¯s so independent that she¡¯ll do everything herself; it¡¯s a part of what makes me love her so much¡ªshe doesn¡¯t just think things through¡ª she acts, getting things done.¡±


    ¡°Right!?  I don¡¯t know how she always does it!  Rachel always has the answer; isn¡¯t it amazing?¡±


    ¡°Eh-heh,¡± Rachel hissed, pulling down on the top of her hair a bit.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say always, Scarlet, but yeah¡­  For loving the chaos of battle so much, I ironically like a rather orderly life, if that makes sense.¡±


    Her vision fell to the soft grass as she stopped, making Scarlet and Anthony give her their full attention.


    ¡°Alright¡­  Give me your thoughts on this¡­¡±


    She began organizing her thoughts, the pair folding listening, arms folded; Rachel kept careful track of the little girl walking their way¡ªshe still wasn¡¯t totally sold on Jeanona.


    ¡°Izanami told me how to purify Yseress, and I plan on doing it, but I¡¯m a bit hesitant on the possible after-effects.¡±


    ¡°Your connection to Hell, or are you talking about what it would do to her?¡±  Scarlet asked, eyebrows pulling together.


    Anthony motioned for them to move to a corner of the mansion to lean against the stone foundation.  ¡°I think we¡¯re getting ahead of ourselves, Scarlet; let¡¯s hear the full story and Rachel¡¯s own thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, sorry, Rachel.  Heh, sometimes I do kind of assume stuff.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Rachel chuckled, taking her boyfriend up on his offer.


    Pulling her braid over her shoulder to play with it, Rachel puffed out a long stream of air.  ¡°There are so many things I have to take into consideration¡­  If I want to purify her, the best way to do it is through the Seed.¡±


    ¡°Mhm?¡±  Scarlet nodded.


    Clearly not understanding what she meant, Rachel leaned her head against the stone; to be fair, she hadn¡¯t done an excellent job explaining it.  ¡°Not my Seed; she¡¯s ¡®between¡¯ Nia and my Seed, but she isn¡¯t a ¡®part¡¯ of it¡­  I mean, in a way, I guess¡ªIzanami can feed off it through her, but that¡¯s proximity thing, I suppose.


    ¡°What I need to do is have one of the twins Wolfgang manipulated give her a Seed, and as you know, Scarlet¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­  Your promise to Alexa.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, but my worry is how the Seed will be affected by coming into contact with a Nephilim that can then be passed on.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s arms tightened around her knees.  ¡°Ooh¡­  Yikes.  Uh, I didn¡¯t think about that.  It was supposed to be used for humans, right?  Will it even work with Yseress since she¡¯s not half-human?  And what about what Jaenona said¡ªher being Devil, Angel, and Divine?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s full lips pulled in; that hadn¡¯t even crossed her mind¡ªthere were so many dots and information swirling around in her head, she couldn¡¯t keep everything straight¡ªand that was a problem.


    ¡°Anthony?¡±


    Arm resting on one of his knees, a low hum rumbled in his throat.  ¡°Jaenona sees the world¡ªeverything, really¡ªin a completely different way than us, and she can¡¯t lie¡­  If she says Yseress are all three, then I believe her.


    ¡°Now, what that means, I can¡¯t say, but I think we should get her opinion since she has the most insight¡ªstrange as it might be¡ªof these Seeds.  Although, heh, I understand if you still don¡¯t trust her.¡±


    Letting his own opinion weigh on her mind for a second, Rachel let the ensuing silence go on; whether she liked it or not, the little Eldritch girl would be here soon enough.  In the end, she settled on her previous judgment in dealing with the ambiguous entity.


    ¡°If I am trusting her to be around my family¡­  I guess until I have reason not to, I¡¯ll trust her.  It¡¯s just hard when she seems so sure of such cryptic things without explaining her reasoning, and it¡¯s insane how just mentioning a name can draw city or country-ending threats to our location¡­¡±


    A low growl reverberated in her throat as she scratched the back of her head, seeing the cheery, white-haired five-year-old casually walk around the corner more than a dozen meters to their left.  ¡°Mmgm¡­  I suppose it is just her nature.¡±


    ¡°Master, I have finished entertaining the little human growths,¡± she happily replied, sitting across from them.  ¡°There were many questions as to my parentage and our relation, but they were puzzled by my origination in The Dream.¡±


    Scarlet forced a smile.  ¡°I¡ªheh¡ªbet they were.¡±


    ¡°Did you have fun?¡±  Anthony asked, a soft, almost fatherly smile on his face as he looked at the child; in a way, she was somewhat of an innocent child regarding their Existence and way of life.


    ¡°Indeed.  I was quite proficient in their game of hide and seek, yet my advantage of transformation was nullified in this powerful word they used called cheating, as they named it, and thus I became quite terrible at the exercise.¡±


    A mix of a laugh and sigh bubbled up in Rachel¡¯s chest as she leaned against Anthony¡¯s side to rest her head against his shoulder, and he accommodated her, earning a victory herself.


    ¡°What was this ¡®Queen of Tag¡¯ and how you were too overpowered?¡±


    ¡°Mmh.  Yes, they had a game wherein the goal was to be a hunter or prey¡ªan infection game of concept that was quite entertaining¡ªand I was the only one to not be afflicted by this disease.  I became the anti-virus, uncursing those stricken until I stood victorious.¡±


    Scarlet giggled.  ¡°I¡¯ve never played a tag game where you could reverse tag and win.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Jaenona brushed back her locks in the light breeze, glancing to her left as if following the movements of something interesting only she could see.  ¡°It can only be achieved once there are less than ten unaffected left, and, as I was told, we are to be the saviors of this place called Cuba, returning those taken to their loved ones.  Is not that a place you were at Rachel?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s amusement tempered at the context; she hadn¡¯t followed that particular storyline, but it made sense the children would come up with a game to express their inner turmoil and hopes.


    ¡°It was¡­  Jaenona, can you give me an answer about these Seeds?¡±


    She sat a little straighter, yet her smile didn¡¯t falter.  ¡°If I can be of assistance, I will.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s brow set, leaning forward to listen intently.


    ¡°There are twins that have Seeds which can be duplicated to others.  What would happen if it was given to Yseress?¡±


    Leaning it open for her to explain however she saw fit, Rachel waited, but it didn¡¯t take long for the girl to give a response.


    ¡°Indeterminable.¡±


    ¡°I see.  Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Anthony¡¯s fingers tightened against his thighs.  ¡°That¡¯s not what she means, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Go on¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Jaenona blinked, lips falling a tad as she glanced between them.  ¡°It is indeterminable since I have not been able to identify these Seeds as I have seen Yseress; if I am to understand the effect of something, I must first experience it.¡±


    Rachel rubbed her forehead; perhaps she had too much on her mind recently, but that was no excuse¡ªshe needed to be at the top of her game.  Yet, ever since meeting the Deep Ones, things were somewhat spinning beyond the scope she could see¡ªno, maybe it was after connecting everything in Cuba.


    ¡°Haaa¡­  Naturally,¡± Rachel grumbled.  ¡°If I brought you to them, could you give me a determination¡­  As well as what might happen if Yseress were to transfer it to a human.¡±


    ¡°Ah-eh¡ªRachel¡­¡±  Scarlet stammered, visibly linking the train of thought.  ¡°I mean, yeah, it would mean the twins wouldn¡¯t need to come to your house, but¡­  Mmh, I guess this is why you¡¯ve been worried, because¡ªright, she¡¯ll need to send it to someone else, too.¡±


    Figuring there wasn¡¯t a better time to do it than now, Rachel got to her feet, prompting the others to do the same.  ¡°Let¡¯s see Clay, since he¡¯s taking over for Tom¡­¡±


    Rachel led the way to the high-ranking military man, being the closest to their group, thus granted a lot of clearance to handle the many top-secret missions and information they brought; he had all of Tom¡¯s authority while acting in his place, which meant he might just turn their request away until the man awoke.


    However, upon explaining the situation to him, he would allow it so long as they¡¯d share the analysis; anything regarding the Seeds was of top priority to the military.


    Heading up to the top level of Cahira¡¯s mansion, where the twins had been isolated, only able to have contact with their Demi caretakers to not transfer the Seeds unknowingly.


    The military couple that watched them were both Champion Demi and wanted to adopt children; as such, they¡¯d been hand-selected by Clay to have the opportunity to become the orphans¡¯ parents since all the cards seemed to align.


    Clay had some reservations about the two new parents being excluded from the transfer, to which they pleaded to be present, and, with Anthony¡¯s interjection, the man was swayed in their favor.


    In any case, they¡¯d need to give the Seed to someone today because of Wolfgang¡¯s killswitch, forcing it to be spread or kill the host, and being the initiators of the Seed, they showed no other ability than this.


    The two young twins¡¯ eyes lit up upon seeing the smaller silver-haired child that happily greeted them, and the encounter didn¡¯t take long as Jaenona took both of their hands for a moment.


    Once finished and waving the disappointed kids off, they left to converge on the end of the hallway, looking out at the grounds from the window.


    ¡°Well?¡±  Clay asked, seeing Anthony¡¯s tight expression; he¡¯d likely gotten an internal sneak peek into her investigation.


    Rachel¡¯s stomach had experienced cramps the entire time the Eldritch entity performed her examination; it was hard to know if the girl was a master at deception or utterly free in her expression.


    Jaenona¡¯s cheer had diminished while moving between the twins'' hands, and her vision was still distant.  Arms folded, her grip tightened around her elbows upon giving her diagnosis.


    ¡°Mmh¡­  I understand you have difficulty in grasping the abstract concepts of the Eldritch, so I have worked through a proper example with my master¡­  You see them as Seeds or plants, and I can express it as such:


    ¡°What I have noticed about these Seeds is that not all of them are of the same plant¡­ tree¡­ or bush, if you will, but two sources.  Some are riper than the others, and the nutrients each have obtained are not of the same quality¡­¡±


    She held up her hands to illustrate her points.  ¡°Consider it in tiers or levels¡­  dimensional boundaries and the functional barriers each expansion can break through.  Some trees can only grow so tall or wide, and some, no matter the care, will never reach a certain peak¡ªthey are not all equal.


    ¡°As to the source, one was deprived of nutrients while the other was brimming with life¡ªthe lesser is greater, the greater is lesser¡ªthe husk of a higher Seed offers a greater return than the fully nourished lesser Seed.¡±


    Yet another thing I have to add to the puzzle!  Rachel internally snarled.  Two Trees that offer different degrees of Seeds.


    ¡°Which are we?¡±  Scarlet spontaneously asked, hands knotted behind her back.  ¡°Did mine come from the weaker tree?¡±


    Jaenona giggled.  ¡°That is funny, Scarlet.  No, I suspect Twilight had an initial role in the Greater Tree¡¯s decay, and in its end, it spread its unripe fruit into the maelstrom, either with help from Twilight or without I cannot say, nor if another being played a role.  All Legendkin and Mythickin fall into that Unriped Fruit category, or so far as I have seen.¡±


    Clay ran his hands over his bald head.  ¡°Ugh¡­  So, all other Demi are from the Lesser Tree¡­ meaning what?  Do they not have the same opportunity to grow as those with the Higher Seed?¡±


    Jaenona¡¯s body shook with laughter.  ¡°You humans have such odd ways of viewing things!  Opportunity is before all, and it is in seeking what one wishes that brings release to these Seeds, yet their path will not be easy, but as they feed on your dreams, anything is possible, which is why the Crystals create the chance for advancement¡­


    ¡°Oh!  Hmm-hmm, my apologies, Master,¡± she bowed to Anthony as he gave a short chuckle, ¡°not what you believe dreams to be, but what I live them to be.¡±


    Rachel only half followed her odd wording; not in the typical dream but The Dream that completed and unified her Eldritch race.  ¡°Does that mean these Seeds are from The Dream?¡±


    ¡°My goodness, Rachel,¡± she smiled, having a rather annoying look on her face that made Rachel feel like she was a school child.


    ¡°The Dream is present in all Reality¡ªthat which is, hmm, simply is¡ªI experience but a small sample of its chorus in our Existence, and that The Corrupted Dream follows the same counterbalanced hymn.  I can express no more than the root of what I see.  I see what you are thinking, and, no, Clay, there are those among the Aberrant that same Greater Tree has touched.¡±


    Knowing they could get into more detail later after she processed the repeated revelations that were coming, Rachel bypassed that to discuss the fundamental question this latched onto.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the twins¡¯ Seeds are from a lower-dimensional tree, and they have a high Rank, as we could say, but their Grade is low, or capped.  Where is that cap?¡±


    ¡°Divinity,¡± she instantly replied.  ¡°Essentially, the 7th dimension is barred to them without a mutation; they could never combat the Eldritch.¡±


    Then what was the purpose of this Lesser Seed, and how did they get mixed together¡­  Did she hint that the Crystals were a direct response to the Lesser Seeds?  Was someone trying to limit the number of people or block the Greater Seeds from connecting to more compatible candidates?


    ¡°Is that the type of Seed that the Twins have?¡±


    The little girl nodded, a frown touching her lips again as she seemed to penetrate Rachel¡¯s very soul.  ¡°Very minor in terms of nourishment, and, as you say, Grade, yet the complexities are what you are concerned with¡­  How such a union would affect Yseress?¡±


    Everyone went silent as they waited for an answer, the girl holding her hands behind her back and puffing out a drawn-out sigh.  ¡°I have been attempting to bridge the convoluted mess that such an action would bring with my master, and¡­  It is¡­ challenging.¡±


    Her vision wandered a little, creasing her left eye.  ¡°The issue is not the Seed itself, and even Yseress herself would not have much of an effect on its design¡­  No, the entanglement comes in Yseress¡¯ resonance with you, Rachel.¡±


    Jaw tightening a tad, Rachel internally cursed as the illusionary smirk of the fallen Creation Deity came to mind.  Izanami¡­  I should have known you were working your own angle, even with this, and you wouldn¡¯t have given me all the information.


    ¡°What did Izanami leave out?¡±


    Jaenona gave an uncharacteristic shiver.  ¡°If you were to have Yseress take this Seed, it would be given a slight initial, mmh¡­ bump to its initial Grade by her connection to Divinity and the Infernal, thereby enhancing the effects of whoever it next was transferred to, yet the true mess comes when it corresponds to the Greater Seed in Rachel, which will thereby affect the linking Dream¡­¡±


    Anthony shook his head as she looked to him for help.  ¡°I can¡¯t make sense of what you¡¯re trying to say to me internally, Jaenona!  Erm¡­  Are you saying it will become a pseudo-greater Seed for a short while when sparked with Rachel¡¯s Seed, but it will swiftly decrease in Grade as that link goes out further?¡±


    A bright smile lifted her cheeks.  ¡°I believe that is the answer!¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±  Scarlet¡¯s eyes were practically glowing.  ¡°You mean, if¡ªif we do this, then Alexa can get a Super Seed!¡±


    ¡°Super Seed,¡± Rachel chuckled, glad she¡¯d asked for the Eldritch girl¡¯s recommendation.  ¡°Already giving them names.¡±


    ¡°It makes sense!¡± she defended with everyone¡¯s smirks.  ¡°We have the ¡®Normal Seeds,¡¯ ¡®Super Seeds,¡¯ which are just the typical enhanced or supercharged stuff, and then you have the ¡®Mega Seed¡¯ we have!¡±


    ¡°I guess that works.  Hehe.  I¡¯ll wake Yseress to do the Seed transfer just before we go; sound good, Clay?  It will mean that the subsequent power will increase after my step-sister, which I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like.¡±


    Anthony cleared his throat.  ¡°Oh, and¡ªeh¡ªJaenona wanted to make sure you knew that your resonance to the one Seed would have a slightly lesser effect on its twin, so¡­¡±


    Clay glanced out of the window with a deep frown.  ¡°It¡¯s a steep decline, so far as I understand, so we¡¯d probably want to select SEALs to receive this enhanced Lesser Seed first.  How strong of a bump are we talking, Jaenona?¡±


    The girl looked up at Rachel with a wry smile on her lips.  ¡°Rachel is connected to the Source Dream that passes through hidden paths of the guiding force, which directed the Seeds here¡ªa string of sorts¡ªand that reverberation will bring a new failing Essence to find a new home to fulfill its fading wish.¡±


    ¡°Translation, Anthony,¡± Scarlet muttered.  ¡°Eh¡­  Mythickin or Legendkin¡ªcan Alexa be a Mythickin or Legendkin?!¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­  Yes, I believe so?¡±


    Jaenona ran her fingers through her hair before checking her roses.  ¡°Mmh.  It will be a challenging transition, and I suspect the Seed¡¯s rapid growth will have some initial adverse effects on her spirit or health, yet she may grow into it with resolve.¡±


    ¡°Alexa can do it!¡±  Scarlet adamantly stated.  ¡°I believe in her!¡±


    Now having her answers, Rachel put a hand on Scarlet¡¯s shoulder to pull her attention.  ¡°Can you go talk with Fiona to see if she can fly us home when we get back to Miami and explain the details about stopping by tomorrow?  I wanted to spend some time with Anthony.¡±


    A big grin came to her voice.  ¡°Mmh-heh, time with Anthony, hmm?  Yeah!  Unless she''s still out in the ocean, it gives me time to see what Selvaria is up to¡ªunless she¡¯s still out there too?¡±


    Rachel nodded.


    ¡°Oof.  Yeah, she¡¯ll love to see what happens to Alexa; we¡¯re gonna surprise her by doing a bunch of cosplaying and dress-up.  Nia came up with¡ª¡±  She swiftly snapped her lips shut.  ¡°Eh, anyway!  Hehe.  I¡¯m going to go see Fiona and Nora!¡±


    Watching her rush off, Rachel figured Nia wanted to keep it a secret because Nia was afraid she¡¯d make fun of her.  She had no issues with cosplayers; Alexa just so happened to be one¡ªnot that she¡¯d even known until recently¡ª it just wasn¡¯t Rachel¡¯s thing.


    Maybe I¡¯ve got a bad rap for not liking that stuff with how I reacted to Nia and our outfits¡­


    Putting it in the back of her mind, she broke away with a few words to Clay as he went to ponder some of the things they¡¯d just learned; Anthony walked after her with Jaenona beside him, assuring the new parents of the twins they¡¯d be back before leaving to take one of the Seeds.


    Understandably, with this being the last day until Wolfgang¡¯s threat of killing the holder unless they transferred it, they were antsy for the kids to be rid of the responsibility.


    Casting her hearing like a net to get an update on things, Rachel didn¡¯t say much to Anthony as he took him to the place they shared their first kiss, the head of the turtle, behind the walls.


    She smiled, Maria¡ªUnicorn mama-bear¡ªwas getting the many children ready for bed, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but laugh silently at the difference of temper when kids were in the equation.


    As for the owner of their all-terrain-vehicle, Cahira, the Pirate Queen had been somewhat distant and help up in her luxurious room after learning about the Eldritch encounter and receiving a message in a bottle from a passing seagull; her First Mate ran intermediary between anyone attempting to talk to her.


    From her mumbles, Rachel knew the woman had gotten another map and Legend¡¯s Quest that might be just what Yseress needed to recover, especially to feed the Seed for purifying her, meaning they wouldn¡¯t need a Crystal.


    She had to talk about it with the Pirate Queen, yet her hesitation was a tad worrying; it could wait until she wasn¡¯t so preoccupied.  It was at least evident there was something unique about this adventure that had her agitated, and, eventually, Rachel figured the woman would come to her about it.


    A new conversation did catch her ear, though¡ªFiona and Nora¡ªthe sisters were getting to know Mara and Nemesis more, to Scarlet¡¯s ire; Nora more interested in Nemesis, Fiona ecstatic to find another person who could sing¡ªperhaps better than her.


    The Fairy had a theory that as they practiced, she might be able to unlock her Singing Branch; ability use or doing things in relation to said skill tended to free more features in their Seed, and she had plenty of points to distribute after Cuba to work with.


    Attempting to get her mind straight, Rachel turned a long sigh to Anthony that had him giving her a half-smile.


    ¡°Rough night, huh?¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s gotten so complicated.  I just want most of this to fade into the background for at least a week or two to let myself chew on all this meat that¡¯s been put in front of me.¡±


    ¡°Fair!  If you need help with the load, I¡¯m here.  You got something on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Too much!¡±  Rachel laughed with her boyfriend as they jumped over the wall to sit against it¡ªthe place they¡¯d shared their first kiss had Rachel¡¯s tail twitching¡ªand not soon after, Jaenona popped up beside Anthony out of mist.


    Rachel wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about the creature being near; she was essentially a parasite.  On the one hand, she did recognize there were things Jaenona knew that she wanted answers to, yet on the other, she wanted personal time with her boyfriend.


    After some thought, she figured her mother would provide plenty of opportunities in the days to come; Jaenona had no clue what she¡¯d done to herself when taking on the body of such an adorable little girl.


    Giggling at the internal thought, Anthony leaned over to nudge her side.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?  Share the joke!¡±


    ¡°Just thinking about what awaits Jaenona when we get home; between Scarlet, Alexa, Nia, and my mom¡­  Hehe.¡±


    The girl¡¯s head cocked to the side.  ¡°I am looking forward to learning more; your way of life is so¡­ simple and yet convoluted that it piques my interest.¡±


    ¡°Way to say we¡¯re stupid monkeys,¡± Rachel mused, staring out across the dark, choppy waters of the starlit Atlantic Ocean; the moon filled her with energy, helping to restore her resting Living Denier¡¯s reserves, all in preparation to thoroughly enjoy being spoiled once back home.


    Jaenona pulled her legs up to her chest, happily observing Selvaria¡¯s playful jumps and tricks with her new mini-Leviathan; she was teaching her the ropes and seemingly in the middle of an imitation game with her pet.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t help but momentarily take note of the Eldritch entity¡¯s little maid outfit, complete with suspenders, skirt, stockings, and perfectly ironed white shirt¡ªit really did give her an adorably bright appearance for what she was.


    ¡°Hmm¡­  C¡¯mon, share the load!¡±  Anthony urged, holding out his hand for her to interlink her fingers; Scarlet apparently wasn¡¯t the only one who enjoyed touch, making Rachel giggle at the realization.


    ¡°I suppose I do hold everything tight to my chest¡­¡±


    Which isn¡¯t good for a relationship, but we all have our problems!  she internally rationalized.


    ¡°Hmm.  Thinking about Yseress, what is going to happen to Nora?  I didn¡¯t want to push when Fiona was near, but you skimmed over going into detail with Nia awake.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s sleeping?¡±


    Preparing herself, Rachel nodded.  ¡°She gets really attached to people, and I suspect you saw that.  She¡¯s the type to accidentally blurt secrets out; Yseress is sulking, too.  Hehe.  She doesn¡¯t do well with being poked and prodded for living as a she-devil all of her life.¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­  I couldn¡¯t tell, haha!  Both of them seem great.  Although, I wouldn¡¯t call it a secret, and heh, Nia is a living outfit, so it makes sense she¡¯d get attached.¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.  Nora?¡±


    ¡°Right.  Right.  Let¡¯s see if we can answer your really deep questions.  To make it clear, I¡¯d need to consult my tiny partner,¡± he said with a sad smile.  ¡°I don¡¯t think I could give you a concise answer.¡±


    Jaenona breathed a short sigh, arms tightening around her shins as her smile fell.  ¡°So many questions; is it not better to experience¡ªmmh, no, I suppose it is my failure to adapt to your way of life.


    ¡°Let me see¡­  Nora is¡­ what you could call a Holy Horror, but in truth, your understanding of the Eldritch and its connection to terror comes from your inability to grasp the unknown and, as you call it, the abstract.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Rachel whispered.  ¡°I¡¯m not so afraid of the unknown but want to understand it so I can decide how to handle the situation.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t so simple, Rachel¡­  The Greater Seed within Nora had an essence of the Crimson Taint, which was how she could manifest the Eldritch forces your kind so fears; it provided a unique scenario where we could purify and expand its weave with The Dream beyond its intended purpose.¡±


    ¡°DNA resequencing, or are you talking about it being weaker than it is now?¡±  Anthony questioned, still seemingly trying to put together the puzzle.


    ¡°Uncomparable, and yes, all these Greater Seed or Lesser Seeds are not equal, as I explained¡­  How to expand it?  Mmh¡ªhow challenging this is!¡±  she huffed, showing a tad bit of haughtiness Rachel had seldom seen before¡ªshe couldn¡¯t help but think that it was rather cute.


    ¡°This was something not on the spiritual or physical level but the Intelligence, which is a concept you cannot fathom in the slightest.


    ¡°The mind is a function of Intelligence, but such a comparison is like¡­ mmh, a grain of sand in a universe; it is a complex system of conceptualization that transcends your limited grasp of Existence¡­  Meaning: evolution, purpose, identity, reflection, a spark of the higher oscillation of what is beyond Existence¡ªI cannot say it clearer, and still, my example is tainted.¡±


    Rachel rubbed her throat, knowing they were coming to an impasse and possibly not even on the same page.  ¡°Let¡¯s not focus on Intelligence then and focus on Nora¡¯s direction¡­  I know Fiona is worried, and I want some way to assure her when she does come to me in private.  Is Nora a puppet of the Mecroaf¡­  Fated to do their will?¡±


    Smiling softly at the word, the little girl rose, looking at the giant head of the submerged baby Dragon Turtle before walking around Anthony¡¯s legs to move beside Rachel.  She placed a hand on her breast.  ¡°We do not succumb to the dictates of Fate, Rachel¡ªallow me to show you a glimpse of The Dream.¡±


    An image of what Anthony saw flashed across her mind; an itching against her mind that plucked an unusually lulling tune made her stiffen.  Braided, snow-white hair, even longer and thicker than Rachel¡¯s own, flashed into focus with many ornaments laced between.  Nora¡¯s body was as the void¡ªnot black¡ªdevoid of something fundamental.


    ¡°The song is clear¡ªNora is on a journey of ascension unlike any I can express, yet all is within her choice to reach out and grasp; opportunity is what the Mecroaf offer¡ªthe Eldritch path is but a half of the equation¡­  I am not frightened by the unknowable; I rejoice in the maddening chaos that transcends Fate¡¯s dictates.


    ¡°What is she?¡±  Jaenona giggled.  ¡°Unknowable to all but the Mecroaf and Outer Gods, which terrifies Fate and Destiny¡­  Karma¡¯s revenge¡­  Yet, one uninvolved in this conflict will save her from the Path of the Broken¡ªShe is breaking free¡ªharmony once again restored.  Past, Present, Future¡ªOne Eternal Round¡ªall-in-one, all-is-one, the one to illuminate the way; Nora will bridge the divide within the cycle.¡±


    The cosmic-eyed girl¡¯s fingers were about to leave her chest when Rachel¡¯s own voice bubbled through as Jaenona explained; a being of darkness whispered through the girl¡¯s words, making her pause¡ªan ethereal fight against some powerful foe¡ªand she refused to lose.


    ¡°More¡­  Not enough.¡±


    A ringing¡ªalmost precisely like The Oscillation¡ªpulsed within her for half a second; it was as if the girl was a tuning fork drawing out something profound within her.


    Pausing while listening to the haunting shadowed echo that she couldn¡¯t be sure was her Seed, her, or something else, yet it was as frigid as ice on her thigh; a haling shower of a hurricane, needle-like rain dancing over her skin as someone stood across from her, yet she was alone¡ªabove all, all below her; alone again¡ªonly a torturous path no one appreciated until she was gone.


    ¡°Oh¡­  How unexpected,¡± Jaenona whispered, her head tilting to the left as she removed her hand.  ¡°An echo in your Dream¡ªso pretty and unique¡­  Chaos.¡±


    Rachel was forced to reach out and snatch her as the girl sagged, eyes defocusing.  ¡°Jaenona?!¡±


    ¡°Listening to the song¡­  I am no longer so unified with Magthera¡­¡±


    Heavy cosmic eyes closing, Jaenona fell into a deep slumber.


    ¡°Anthony?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡±  he chuckled, reaching over to take her and lay the resting child beside him.  ¡°She really is weak, and trying to do even the simplest tasks like listening to the lingering song the Mecroaf left with us takes a lot out of her.  She should be fine by the time we get to your house.¡±


    His tone grew more serious after making sure she was resting beside him.  ¡°What did she mean by an echo in your Dream?¡±


    Pulling her own legs up, Rachel brought her hair over her shoulders and leaned her head against the stone wall to scrutinize the semi-clouded night sky; the moon would dip behind cover soon.  ¡°I¡­ couldn¡¯t tell you.  Jaenona brings so many answers and questions that it¡¯s maddening; all I know is that it was as if I was saying I needed more of something to beat something else.¡±


    ¡°Is what you two see in that song sure to happen?  It almost seems like Fate¡­  Those plucking strings and the notes she played.¡±


    Why do I feel so hollow after that echo¡­


    Anthony shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯d say it is less a certainty and more a map as to the Mecroaf¡¯s goals, or¡­ maybe it¡¯s more how they see the melody¡¯s sway, but I honestly couldn¡¯t tell you for certain; I¡¯m just happy to have you back¡­¡±


    Filing away the information¡ªunable to release the emotions¡ªRachel let her mind go blank while leaning over to kiss him.  Their intertwined grip tightening as she melted into his soft lips; it steadily progressed until their tongues met and, satisfied with that, she settled into his arms, letting the stresses of her complicated life fade for at least a few hours.


    Nothing good lasts forever, and it was a delightful trip to Miami Beach¡¯s pier, all things considered, but eventually, she was forced to leave her boyfriend¡¯s gentle but strong arms to gather their group; Fiona accepted the task of being their taxi since it was a quick air trip.


    On their way out, she suddenly realized her mother¡¯s food would be the first she had eaten in quite a while, mostly living on a lunar diet; Rachel licked her lips, trying to rid herself of the echo.


    Typically, she could detach herself from most things, but this time it touched in a way she couldn¡¯t shake, and all she could do was try to overshadow it with whatever was happening around her; hopefully, her mother¡¯s amazing cooking could fix that.


    Rousing Yseress, Rachel held her breath as she met with the kids, allowing them to come out into the hallway to peek around the corner to not be too scared of her; the others were forced to not be present since the deviless was shy, so Rachel and the kids¡¯ parents were the only ones present.


    Rachel bent down as the older of the twins grew brave enough to take her third peek to see if the sickly Nephilim did her best to remain patient beside the window and hide her barb-like tail behind her legs.


    ¡°Psst.  She doesn¡¯t know what a cake is!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±  the little girl whispered back.


    ¡°Yeah!  She totally doesn¡¯t.  Ask her to describe a cake as the password so you can come out.¡±


    The girls looked at each other with amused curiosity, seemingly willing to test the unbelievable claim that anyone didn¡¯t know what a cake was.


    ¡°U-Uh, Ms. Yes-lady!¡±


    ¡°Yseress¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes-lady¡ªyou gotta tell us the password, s-so we know you¡¯re not a bad devil lady!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±  She shot a light glare at her off-handed smirk.


    ¡°Rachel, I wasn¡¯t told there would be¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±  The younger called out, still behind the door.  ¡°Describe a cake to us!  Devils don¡¯t know about cakes; s-so you got to tell us about cakes!¡±


    ¡°W-What?!  Cakes!  Rachel¡ªwhy would you tell these children a devil¡¯s weakness!¡±  Yseress blustered, cheeks darkening their original purple tint with her embarrassment.  ¡°I do not know what a cake is¡ªhow can I describe it, Rachel; humph, are you wasting all of our time for your entertainment!?¡±


    The girls were utterly baffled at her exclamation and flustered tone and began to giggle.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know what a chocolate cake is?¡±  the younger laughed.


    ¡°Chocolate?  How does a pancake and chocolate cake differ?!¡±  Yseress demanded, now making the parents laugh at her seriousness.  ¡°It makes no sense¡ªhow does a pan and chocolate and¡ª¡±


    ¡°What about a carrot cake!¡±  the older snickered, nudging her sister.


    ¡°Carrots?  How do you have a sweet chocolate mix with carrots to make cakes¡ªare they connected?  This is infuriating, Rachel!  I don¡¯t care for this¡­ this running joke you have.  I live in Hell; I do not know¡ªhmm?¡±


    ¡°Shhhh!¡±  the older girl hissed, peeking out to glare at Yseress.  ¡°You can¡¯t say that word; it¡¯s a bad word!¡±


    ¡°What?!  How¡­ else am I supposed to say where my home¡ªprevious home is?¡±


    ¡°Heck!  Mom and Dad say heck!¡±  the little sister matter-of-factly corrected.  ¡°Say it, too!¡±


    ¡°Heck¡­  Ugh.  Please, kill me, Rachel¡ªI am not made for this world of¡­ cakes.¡±


    ¡°Haha!  Isn¡¯t she silly?!¡±  she teased, making the girls laugh.  ¡°Can you help us now?¡±


    ¡°I-I can!¡±  the elder offered, bravely stepping forward to match up to Yseress.  ¡°L-Lady yellow demon¡­ give me your hand!¡±


    ¡°I am NOT yellow¡ªis she ordering me like one of those dogs Nia wants?!¡±


    Shake!  C¡¯mon, hehe, play along!


    ¡°I¡­ hate you, Mistress¡­  With a passion.¡±


    My job as a mistress is secure!


    ¡°Hmm!¡±  she sassily responded, giving her a quick, pointed smile before taking the twin¡¯s hand as her little sister peeked around the corner.


    Rachel¡¯s gut tightened as Yseress began to change as she¡¯d heard her own transformation described, flashing in and out, yet with her hyper-accelerated mind, she could see thousands of minor variations flaring with each before returning to the original every other flash.


    When it settled, Rachel¡¯s ears tilted to the left as the girls ogled the devilish fallen angel; their parents quickly drew the older daughter back.


    Yseress retained her tattoos, yet the woman¡¯s horns had slimmed, curving up more elegantly, and her wings filled in with black feathers instead of the blood-like webbing they had before.


    Rosy lips parted to show small fangs as she looked down at herself, fingers sliding over her horns and pointed ears, and a slight tremble ran through her bones.  ¡°Mistress¡­  I have never felt¡­  I cannot express the feelings I¡ªI can sense the dew from heaven just outside of my grasp.  How is this possible?  There¡¯s something more¡ª¡±


    She winced, stumbling to the side of the hallway.  ¡°So much¡­ noise.¡±


    Moving forward, Rachel chuckled.  ¡°You can explore all the new stuff later; maybe you should rest.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ that is wise¡ªthe pull of Hell is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Heck!¡±  the little sister shot from the doorway.  ¡°Angels should know that!¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Indeed, we should¡­  I am a naughty angel, though.¡±


    ¡°Ooh!  I didn¡¯t know there were naughty angels!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad, Yseress,¡± Rachel laughed, helping to support her trembling legs.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest; my mother will want to know everything about how to take care of these new wings.¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­ count me in that query.¡±


    Oddly compliant for the smartass Nephilim she typically had known, Rachel let her disperse into feathers, this time that shimmered with a red light before combusting to collect into her body; there was an unusual bell sound made her ears twitch once pulling into her Core.


    Brushing it aside, she thanked the two girls and assured them the naughty angel would be okay and she¡¯d do her best to fix her cursing problem.


    Mason, Jessy, Anthony, Jaenona, Scarlet, Fiona, and Nora waited out front, questioning if it had worked as the Fairy took them to the sky.


    The Unicorn barely made it in time to wave them off after getting the last child to bed; unlucky for her, he would be sneaking out with some buddies soon to test her patience.  Tomorrow night she would be joining them for the big talk about Twilight.


    With that, they flew into the Miami night, and Rachel found a new sense of anticipation and dread unlike any she¡¯d faced in Cuba¡ªher mother.


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 8. A Magical Girl’s Sacrifice

    AuthorSME


    Today (technically yesterday) was my birthday!  Wooh!  One year older and hopefully wiser, too.


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


    I want to thank my patrons for continuing to support me:


    Skia, JaPB, love, Lishmael, Fadzanatas, Philipp Schmalz, Reshi, AI Simpson, Flaranor, Bugou, and my other Patrons!


    Stomach a tad uneasy as they neared her parents¡¯ house, Rachel directed Fiona down the familiar streets, listening to her family happily busy in the kitchen, pulling out the mountain of dishes her mother had crafted.


    Scarlet, Fiona, Jessy, and Nora were engaged in a conversation about Disney World; Fiona hadn¡¯t been since she¡¯d moved to the United States, shocking Scarlet.


    It was around a three to four-hour drive from Miami, and, with the Fairy¡¯s swift flight, they could get there in under thirty minutes if they brought a bit of sugar for her to recharge.


    As Rachel expected, her boyfriend got pulled into the discussion by her new Vespertine Reaper sister, anxious to see if he could join them.  To her delight, the new Eldritchkin¡ªScarlet''s self-appointed name¡ªwas just as ignorant about the amusement park as Fiona.


    Jessy was all for it if Mason was going, and Nora asked about Nemesis¡ªprimarily to goad Scarlet; the slime-turned-cheetah hadn¡¯t been the only one to recognize her animosity for the lion¡ªbut, primarily, Scarlet wanted to bring her new parents.


    Unlike the others, happily chatting away, Rachel could see Mason was nervous¡ªlike her¡ªabout this upcoming meeting; it had been a few years since their families met, and, as much of a rebel as he was, he really did care about his father¡¯s opinion, and this was likely crossing a line for him.


    Rachel gave him a playful nudge, trying to ease her own tension as the others went off into their own little world, nighttime Miami a buzz below them; she swapped to Korean to make their conversation more private.


    ¡°You good, heh, Creed?¡±


    ¡°Mmh?  Oh¡ªdammit¡­  The hell you always gotta make fun of me?¡± he grumbled, rubbing his thick, bear-like arm.  ¡°Just call me Mason if you¡¯re going to be a bitch.¡±


    ¡°Dude, I¡¯m playin¡¯, man.  Lighten up!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ you always sound so full of yourself¡ªI don¡¯t know¡­  Maybe it is just me.¡±


    Rachel sighed, scratching her neck and looking away.  ¡°No, you¡¯re right¡­  I can be a bit of a bitch to you at times.  My bad.¡±


    He smirked, looking a little more like his old self.  ¡°The hell¡¯s gotten into you?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ª¡±  Having missed a street, Rachel swapped back to English for a moment.  ¡°To the left, Fi.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªwhoops!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Fi,¡± Nora snickered, ¡°eyes on the road; you always were a bad driver!¡±


    ¡°Says who?  I¡¯m an amazing driver!¡±


    Scarlet grinned at Nora, both lifting their eyebrows and making the Fairy¡¯s cheeks redden.


    ¡°How would you know, Scarlet?  I¡¯ve never¡ªare you two making another joke about my size?!¡±


    Leaving them to play, Rachel turned her attention back to her cousin, returning to Korean.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­  A lot has changed since I¡¯ve become a Lunar Hare.¡±


    ¡°Mmgh¡­ tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°So, why are you nervous about coming over¡ªafraid your dad will disown you or something?¡±


    ¡°What?  No, nothing like that¡­  It¡¯s been a bit awkward, is all¡ªever since you kicked the shit out of me¡­  I don¡¯t know.  It just sucks that our dads kind of had that¡­ whatever.  It just sucks¡ªand with my mom, it just¡­¡±


    Eyebrows coming together, Rachel¡¯s expression fell.  ¡°What about your mom?  Does she want to strangle me or something for hurting her little boy?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­  It¡¯s more about what happened with Seo¡­¡±


    The hair on the back of Rachel¡¯s neck stood on end at the mention of his younger sister; a moment that had changed her mother¡¯s life forever.


    Lips pulling in, she tried to shrug off the unsettling feeling.  ¡°What about Seo, your mom, and my mom¡­  Does¡­ she blame my mom now for that drunk driver?¡±


    He looked away.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­  It¡¯s just¡ªwhenever her birthday comes around, or the date of the accident¡­  Somehow our fight always comes up.¡±


    Rachel swallowed the saliva gathering in her throat, recalling her mother''s broken and empty look after the crash.  It¡¯s probably her deflecting to cope¡­  Still, I hope she doesn¡¯t blame Mom¡ªit wasn¡¯t her fault that the drunk driver hit us.


    The next statement brought Mason¡¯s concerns more into focus, putting guilt in Rachel¡¯s gut.  ¡°I just¡­ don¡¯t know if seeing me will bring back those memories or something¡­  I don¡¯t want to do that to Aunt Chan-hee.¡±


    ¡°Soo-geun¡­¡±  Rachel whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder and trying to smile.  ¡°I don¡¯t think you coming over is going to hurt my mom¡­  In fact, heh, she hates how stubborn our dads are¡ªneither of them could put their pride aside to talk about it¡­  Eh-heh, mmgm¡ªI couldn¡¯t either.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you were in the wrong?¡±  Mason chuckled, trying to move beyond the depressing conversation.


    ¡°We were wrong,¡± she clarified.  ¡°You were still a little shit!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Not wrong.  My bad, Rach.¡±


    ¡°Aye, it¡¯s in the past¡­  Huu-haaa¡­  Ready to put it all behind us?¡±  she asked, Scarlet being the first to point out the house to Fiona.


    ¡°No¡­  Eh, I mean¡­ I guess¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha.  Sounds about right.¡±


    Jessy stumbled to a stop in the front yard.  ¡°Umm¡­  What¡¯s so funny, Rachel?¡±


    Nia stirred inside Rachel¡¯s head, stretching out and smacking her lips.  ¡°Mmm¡­  Are we there?  Mom!¡±


    ¡°Ugh!  Nothing¡­  Hehe.  My mom sent the security cameras up to alert them when someone walked up to the porch,¡± she mused, waving at the camera as she heard her mother rushing to the door.


    Sudden misfortune twisted Rachel¡¯s gut, causing her to jog forward as the door swung open for Molly to rush out.  Rahcel couldn¡¯t help but notice the flurry of tears upon seeing them in the bright porch light.  ¡°Rachel!  Scarlet!  You two¡ªyou¡¯re in one¡ªS-Soo-geun¡­  Eh¡ª¡±


    Her mother tripped on the last step to land in Rachel¡¯s open arms.  ¡°You okay, Mom?¡±


    Shimmering lights sparkled into Nia¡¯s frantic face and stiff ears.  ¡°Mom!  You¡ªyou almost died!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­  Rachel¡ªtwo¡­  Who¡­¡±


    Her mother choked as the black and white rose spear materialized into Jaenona¡¯s cute, smiling face.  ¡°This is the woman that gave birth to your consort, Master?¡±


    ¡°J-Jaenona?!  That¡¯s not the right word!¡±  Anthony gagged, not knowing what to do with his hands.


    ¡°Little¡­  Rachel¡¯s¡­  What?!  Rachel, what¡ªwho are these girls?!¡±  her mother demanded.  ¡°No, why¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom¡ªcalm down a little,¡± she urged, Nam appearing in the doorway.  ¡°Hey, Bro, mind helping me with Mom?¡±


    ¡°No.  I¡¯m fine!  I¡¯m just¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me¡ªIt¡¯s Nia, Mom!¡±


    ¡°Nia¡­  But¡­¡±  Her mother¡¯s gaze went to Rachel¡¯s outfit.  ¡°Your grandmother¡¯s necklace?¡±


    Molly¡¯s focus drifted from her to a bashful Scarlet, the waving Irish sisters, Anthony, Jaenona, an awkward Mason and Jessy, and finally settled on a grinning Nia.  ¡°Living Denier, Nia?¡±


    ¡°You remembered!  Mhm!  It¡¯s me¡ªI have my own body now?!  Aren¡¯t I cute?¡±


    ¡°Really cute¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mom,¡± Rachel sighed, guiding her mother inside, the woman¡¯s head practically steaming from overstimulation; she needed a little help as her knees almost gave way from a temporary lack of strength.  ¡°Let¡¯s move one step at a time.¡±


    Her mother leaned into her rather than pulling away, resting her head against her shoulder.  ¡°Okay¡­  I¡¯m just happy you¡¯re home¡­¡±


    All anxiety melting away, Rachel gave her brother a thankful smile; she didn¡¯t even really know why, but it felt right and, walking inside, memories of growing up bubbled past all her internal plight for the future.


    ¡°Is Mom okay?¡±  Alexa asked, stepping out of the kitchen.


    Her father soon joined behind the blonde.  ¡°Molly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡ªhehe¡­  Rachel saved me from myself.¡±


    ¡°She almost tripped and died!¡±  Nia chimed in, causing his confusion to double.


    ¡°Who¡­ is this, Rachel?¡±


    Molly giggled, tears falling down her cheeks as she reached over to pull Nia in closer.  ¡°Another daughter; everyone has a place at our table!¡±


    The little bunny girl sniffed, multi-hued eyes growing to the size of saucers while returning the hug and making their passage into the kitchen challenging.  ¡°Mom!¡±


    Rachel wanted to laugh and cry upon reaching the formal dining room across from the kitchen.  It was lovingly loaded with all sorts of food, including carefully labeled blood dishes for Scarlet.  Mom¡­  Always going overboard.


    Bending down to kiss her mother¡¯s forehead, she let her take control once seated, pointing everyone to their places around the extended family table; she¡¯d pulled out all the stops, and for her careful mother to have even taken out the fancy china Rachel¡¯s grandfather got her parents for their wedding gift, this was an important occasion.


    Sitting next to her mother, Scarlet on the opposite side, their mother holding her two daughter¡¯s hands, Molly couldn¡¯t wait for introductions.  ¡°Please, don¡¯t hesitate to eat, and while going around, can everyone introduce themselves?


    ¡°Oh, and, Rachel, don¡¯t bother explaining anything yet¡ªlet¡¯s just¡­  hmm-hmm, enjoy ourselves¡­  I want to just forget about everything and have all of you here.¡±


    Fiona cleared her throat, flying down to hover in front of Molly.  ¡°Hello again, Miss Park; Nora and I would love to stay, but we need to get back to see our own parents.¡±


    ¡°Right!  Right!  Of course¡ªumm, do you want to bring some stuff home with you?  I have plenty more!¡±


    Nora chuckled, doing her best to make sure her long, wagging tail didn¡¯t bump anything as she held her hands behind her back.  ¡°I think Mom and Dad would like that, Fi.  I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯d want to meet you sometime, too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love that!  Here, let me get some things out; they¡¯re already packaged and sealed.  Umm, Nia!¡±


    Weaving back and forth in her seat beside Rachel, the girl¡¯s ears stood straight into the air as she was called.  ¡°Yes, Mom?¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  I can¡¯t believe how many gorgeous daughters I¡¯m being blessed with!¡±


    ¡°Aww, thanks, Mom!  I get a gorgeous mom, too!¡±


    Rachel leaned over to nudge the bunny girl, trying to contain her hyperactive shakes.  Psst¡­


    ¡°Haha.  You¡¯re so sweet!¡±  the gushing mother chuckled while scooting out of her chair to bustle to the fridge with Fiona and Nora.


    ¡°What?  Why are we whispering?¡±


    We don¡¯t want to be too loud, or we¡¯ll wake up Yseress.


    ¡°Ooh!  Secrets?¡±  she hissed, an impish grin lighting her eyes.


    You think you can bully Yseress into dressing up with you guys when you go out?


    ¡°We¡¯re going to go out?!¡±


    Shhh!


    ¡°Sorry!  Quietly¡­¡±


    She gave her a toothy wink as Molly glanced back at their actions, and there were questioning glances from the others.


    ¡°Nia?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, Mom!?¡±


    Don¡¯t sound guilty.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Do you want to start the introductions?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah!  Hello, I¡¯m Nia,¡± she promptly pointed at Rachel.  ¡°I¡¯m her outfit¡ªLiving Denier¡ªand Rachel was kind enough¡­ not that she¡¯s typically kind¡­¡±


    ¡°The shade!¡±  Nam chuckled, drawing a mirror reaction from Mason, Scarlet, and Alexa.


    Rachel gave her a dull look.


    ¡°What?  I¡¯m not wrong; you can be a total pain in the a¡ªash¡­ eh-butt, sometimes!  Did you know she makes fun of me all the time?!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Her father questioned, helping himself to the mashed potatoes Anthony passed to him.  ¡°Do tell.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!  She¡¯s so¡ªmmgm!  Rachel always makes fun of my fashion sense, and she makes fun of my ears!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a total lie!¡±  Rachel shot back.


    ¡°Well¡­  I guess it was more her boyfriend, but yeah¡­¡±


    Anthony¡¯s hands went into the air at being dragged into the conversation.  ¡°What?  No.  I just said ears weren¡¯t really my thing¡ªin general¡ªI didn¡¯t say anything about you; I was talking about Rachel.¡±


    ¡°We both have ears!  Plus, I¡¯m part of Rachel¡¯s soul, so¡ªoh, thank you, Lil¡¯ Sis,¡± she said as the Eldritch child emulated Anthony and the others by blindly picking up a ketchup bottle to pass it over.  ¡°Hehe.  You¡¯re not supposed to do that with the conde¡­ conde¡­¡±


    ¡°Condiments,¡± Rachel corrected, leaning over to steal the fruit salad bowl Jaenona innocently handed over next and having a short ear battle with Nia to distract her.  ¡°And¡­ I win.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªRachel¡­  Huh¡ªno!  I wanted that!¡±


    ¡°Too slow, short-ears.¡±


    ¡°You said it!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    ¡°See!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m playing.  I¡¯m playing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not playing if it¡¯s true¡ªn-not that they¡¯re bad!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it!¡±


    She saw her mother give her a slight frown.  ¡°Rachel, don¡¯t bully her.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mom!  See what I have to deal with?!¡±


    I¡¯ll give you that win, Rachel internally teased, giving her a wink.


    ¡°What win?  You totally made fun of my shorter ears!  I¡¯m a rabbit; that¡¯s like¡ªlike telling a person to get taller!  It doesn¡¯t work!¡±


    Like having a nice, plump rear and silky-smooth tail?


    ¡°Oh, shut up!  No one likes a show-off!¡±


    ¡°Having fun?¡±  Scarlet laughed.  ¡°By the way, they can talk to each other in their heads, Rachel told me earlier.¡±


    ¡°Cool,¡±  Nam nodded, going first for the normal salad without dressing.  ¡°Mind telling us a bit about the, eh-ahem, little girl that, umm, kind of looks like you, Rach?¡±


    If her mother had hare ears, they would have been piqued.  ¡°Mmh¡ªI also caught on that Anthony has changed¡­  I didn¡¯t know it was possible for you to get even more handsome, but consider me impressed!  Way to go, Rachel!¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Thanks, Miss Park.  Umm¡­  Actually, Jaenona is¡­  It¡¯s a bit complicated.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡±  Jaenona blinked, cosmic eyes catching quite a few people¡¯s attention.  ¡°I am what you call an Eldritch entity that is being sustained by Anthony¡¯s¡ªMaster?¡±


    ¡°Master?¡±  Sam muttered between bites.


    ¡°Ahem¡­  Basically, she¡¯s somewhat like Nia.¡±


    Alexa¡¯s mouth opened a second, but it took a second to find the right words.  ¡°She¡­ is your clothes?¡±


    ¡°No!  No!¡±  Nia protested, bending down to nuzzle the giggling girl¡¯s cheek.  ¡°She¡¯s Anthony¡¯s weapon¡ªa super bad-a¡ªI, eh, mean a super cool spear!¡±


    Rachel forced a smile as she got up to see Nora and Fiona off, carrying the many dishes from their second fridge.  ¡°Mom¡­  I think I need to go into a bit of detail if we¡¯re ever going to get everything straight.¡±


    ¡°Haha.  I guess so.  I was just so stunned¡ªoh, not that I don¡¯t want to see you or have you here, Soo-geun¡ªI¡¯m glad you decided to come over.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.  I¡¯m happy to see you, Aunt Chan-hee,¡± he said, getting up to scoot around everyone and hug her as the conversation pivoted.  ¡°I, umm¡­ do you remember¡ª¡±


    ¡°Jessy?  Of course!  How are you, Sweety?¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­  Jessy and I are kind of, umm¡­ dating now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s lovely!¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Rachel sighed, shutting the door behind Fiona and heading back into the dining room.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re deflecting.¡±


    ¡°I just¡­  I know.  I just don¡¯t want to talk about anything that might pull you away again¡­  Do we have to do it¡ªtonight?  Can¡¯t we do it tomorrow?¡±


    Rachel shook her head and jabbed her thumb at Alexa.  ¡°We can for the big stuff, but there is something we do need to handle tonight, and I think you¡¯ll love it.¡±


    ¡°About me?¡±  Alexa choked, her hand shooting to her throat.  ¡°What¡ªack¡ªabout me?¡±


    Catching her brother¡¯s concerned gaze, Rachel let out a stream of air.


    ¡°It¡¯s not bad!¡±  Scarlet swiftly interjected, and Nia¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°Oh!  The Seed!  We have a Seed for you!¡±


    ¡°A¡­  seed?¡±  Alexa mumbled, looking to her husband for him to shake his head.


    Wanting to put everything behind them, Rachel folded her arms over the back of her chair, looking at her blonde sister-in-law.  ¡°I made you a promise that if it were possible to give you powers, I would do it, and¡­ we found a way.¡±


    Silence ensued as the information sank in, and naturally, her mother was the first to pose the question, followed by her brother.


    ¡°Is it safe?¡±


    ¡°What will it do to her?  There are a lot of different changes that came from The Oscillation, Rachel.¡±


    Rachel stifled an involuntary yawn that came out of nowhere.  ¡°I¡ªdidn¡¯t say you had to do it; I said we found a way.  Are there risks to it?  Sure.  Heh.  Do you think I planned on being a Lunar Hare?  No, but so far as we currently understand, these Seeds within us connect to some kind of network that resonates with¡ª¡±


    She paused; Dream had a specific connotation when it came to the little Eldritch child that had explained it to them, and it was a loaded word.


    ¡°Let me rephrase this¡­  It basically takes whatever your innermost dream or desire¡ªalmost an instinctual, subconscious way you wish to become¡ªand,¡± she chuckled while looking at the fruit salad Nia had stolen back, ¡°and it takes the recipe you give it, which is influenced a bit by the pop-culture, and uses what ingredients it has to simulate it.¡±


    Scarlet¡¯s fingers tightened against her abdomen.  ¡°It¡¯s not always pretty; Nora, for instance¡ªthat cheetah girl you saw, Alexa?¡±


    ¡°Mhm?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­  She actually got turned into a Mimic Slime; she¡¯s not really a Beastkin, but taking that form, and it was really hard for her at the start of The Oscillation.  It¡¯s not just a wishing Seed¡­  It brings out the good and the bad.¡±


    Molly crossed her arms beside Rachel.  ¡°You¡¯re saying we shouldn¡¯t risk it!  Perfect.  We can just move past¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Rachel leaned over to draw her into a hug.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scared.¡±


    ¡°Of course I am.  It¡¯s not a risk we need to take; we should just move on.¡±


    Nam set his utensils down, giving his conflicted wife a sad smile.  ¡°I think what Rachel is saying, Mom, is that it isn¡¯t up to us; it¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not entirely,¡± Rachel cut in, ¡°but you are her husband, Nam; I¡¯d expect it to be something the two of you would want to talk over.¡±


    ¡°Completely,¡± Alexa whispered, fingers moving to her belly as she glared at her half-stacked plate.  ¡°Umm¡­  We can finish dinner, and then Nam and I can go on a walk and talk about it.  If it does carry risks, I¡¯d like to know more¡­  Can you come with us, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°To answer questions?  Sure.  Mom¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­  I know¡­ I need to let go and¡ªand let people make their own decisions.  I just¡­ don¡¯t want to see anyone else in our family get hurt¡ªour growing family,¡± she cried, shifting over to hug Nia from behind and rub her head against her ears.


    ¡°Hehe¡ªMom¡ªthat tickles!¡±


    ¡°I think your ears are adorable, Nia¡­  We¡¯ll have a good, long shopping session this week.¡±


    ¡°With Big and Lil¡¯ Sis?¡±  Nia gasped, practically frothing at the mouth.


    ¡°Big Sis?¡±


    Rachel motioned for her to take a seat.  ¡°Sit!  Eat!  Let me talk so this doesn¡¯t take all night, and, Mom, you know I wouldn¡¯t be putting this out there if I thought it would only hurt our family.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±


    Her father got up to pry his wife away from Nia and let her cling to him instead.  ¡°Let¡¯s have some faith in our daughter.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­  I¡¯m just an overreacting mother.¡±


    Scarlet giggled, pulling everyone¡¯s attention.  ¡°Not at all, Mom!  Haha.  When you have a daredevil like Rachel for a daughter¡ªI do my best, Mom!¡±


    ¡°Good!  Hehe, keep your sister out of trouble!¡±


    ¡°Sure will, Mom!  Eh, well¡­  I¡¯ll do my best; she¡¯s tricky!¡±


    ¡°Oh, how I know!  I¡¯m so thankful to have you, Scarlet¡ªyou help ease my heart when Rachel¡¯s with you.¡±


    ¡°Pfft!¡±  Nia cracked up inside her head and almost choked.  ¡°Y-You¡¯re the trouble daughter!  Hahaha!  The rebellious teenager, and we¡¯re the good daughters!  Poor, poor Mom and Dad!¡±


    She had trouble speaking aloud.  ¡°I, heh¡ªI¡¯ll do my best, too, Mom, Dad¡ªRachel¡¯s a naughty bunny, but we do our best!¡±


    Maybe in your dreams, and what kind of insult are you playing at?


    ¡°Revenge!¡±


    Fair¡­


    ¡°Totally fair¡ªyou make fun of my ears; I call you a fat-ass psycho bunny!¡±


    Woah!  Let¡¯s not go overboard here.


    ¡°The Law of Escalation!¡±


    Settling Nia down, Rachel brought her family into a knowledge of Yseress; the Nephilim was somehow still fast asleep with Nia¡¯s cries and shouts.  Her mother and sister-in-law were enthralled by the idea of having a new member of the family that was a Devil, Angel, and Divine.


    Thrilled at the prospect of seeing her, they finished eating fairly quickly, and as Rachel remembered, her mother was a fantastic chef; she had years to perfect her craft with the community events she often participated in.


    Leaving the boys to finish cleaning up and putting the dishes away, her mother, Nia, Jessy, Jaenona, and Scarlet went to the living room to plan their future shopping venture while Rachel shut the door behind Alexa and Nam to follow and answer questions. It was time to fulfill her sister-in-law¡¯s dreams, which is something Rachel never thought she¡¯d do.


    The night breeze was reasonably warm for the season, and keeping her hands behind her back¡ªcasting her hearing wide to passively take in the general mood of Miami¡ªRachel spoke when their conversation shifted to her.


    Scarlet let the family know about not mentioning anything in the Lovecraft universe around Jaenona, which was met with utter bewilderment; her mother wanted to know why they needed to not talk about love, showing how much her family knew about that avenue of pop-culture.


    After twenty minutes of branching topics, the decision came to a head.  They had circled their block twice already, waving to the nightlife neighbors as they went, many of whom she¡¯d known much of her life.


    Slowing to a halt, Alexa puffed out a long breath.  ¡°Nam¡­¡±


    Nam stepped in to bring her into a hug.  ¡°Your dream of being a magical girl, fighting for justice, huh?¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s silly¡­  I¡¯m a sheltered rich girl that had too much time on her hands¡ªeh-heh, that still has too much time on her hands¡­ thanks to all the work you put in to give us a good life¡­¡±


    ¡°And you want to do something worthwhile.¡±


    ¡°Something more than just passing the time with your mom¡ªnot that I hate all the time I get to spend with her¡ªI know I¡¯m privileged to not have to work, but it¡¯s just¡­ not enough to help around the house with all of her projects.¡±


    Rachel had known Alexa was a sheltered daddy¡¯s girl that hadn¡¯t had to work for anything a day in her life but hadn¡¯t expected her to have such pent-up frustration about it.  In a way, marrying Nam was another way for her father to watch over her; he had a lot of financial influence over the company, making her ask the question that popped into her head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say this turns out bad¡­  You turn into a furry monster.¡±


    Alexa forced a laugh.  ¡°Eh-heh, you mean the way you¡¯ve always seen me¡­  You forgot lazy at the front.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be rude, Alexa.¡±


    ¡°Haaa¡­  I know.  You¡¯ve been making a real difference in the world, Rachel¡­¡±  She pulled away to brush back her blonde bangs before hugging herself.  ¡°I won¡¯t say I¡¯m not jealous¡ªI am¡­  I want to do something¡­  Anything really.¡±


    Hmm¡­  Mom is just like her Dad; I didn¡¯t hear their conversations behind closed doors, but I bet Dad was the reason I was even able to do anything dangerous after the accident¡­  They always keep everything behind closed doors, so I didn¡¯t see any of their fights¡­  I don¡¯t know if that was good or bad.


    ¡°You¡¯re a caged bird, and you want to be free?¡±


    Her vision narrowed to the side and a short hiss shot through her teeth.  ¡°I¡¯m not trying to score pity points¡ªand I hate that comparison.¡±


    ¡°Rachel,¡± Nam muttered.


    She held up her hands.  ¡°I¡¯m being blunt, okay?  I¡¯m not trying to be facetious.  You feel caged in, and you want to make a difference like me¡ªwell, let me tell you how I feel¡­  I couldn¡¯t care less about the world or making any sort of difference in it.¡±


    Alexa scratched her collarbone, shifting to the side to look at her.  ¡°Really?¡±


    Nam reached out to shove Rachel away a little, and she let herself be pushed off-balance to give him the playful satisfaction.  ¡°Rach has always been like that¡ªselfish to the bone!¡±


    ¡°Heh, I¡¯m honest about it.¡±  Leaning to the side with the force he used, she flipped back upright, her skirt flaring around her long legs.  ¡°Why did I do all of that stuff¡ªsave South Beach, work with the military, and do all the stuff that will come out about Cuba?  I did it because it would benefit me; give me control.  Don¡¯t think of me as some savior; I¡¯m not so holy.¡±


    ¡°Mmmmh¡­  Mmm-hmm, not so holy, Mistress?¡±  Yseress giggled.  ¡°If only they knew how devilish you truly are.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±  Rachel scoffed, pointing at herself.  ¡°I literally have a corrupted¡ªwell, semi-purified, corrupted Nephilim inside me.  I am far from perfect and¡ªdefinitely¡ªnot a role model!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  I guess I¡¯m not so pure, too,¡± Alexa sighed.  ¡°As much as I want to be¡­  I¡¯m selfish, too¡ªhehe, probably more than you¡ªwho knows what I¡¯ll end up looking like?  I certainly¡ªI do not want to be ugly¡­  I want to be super cute¡­ A magical girl.¡±


    ¡°You are cute, Honey!¡±


    Alexa gestured at her face with disdain.  ¡°Not this kind of cute¡­  I have man shoulders, I¡¯m not all proportional, and¡ªgah, every time I¡¯d see Rachel in her workout stuff, I was reminded she has longer legs than me, and¡ªsee!  I¡¯m super vain!  My hair is bland¡ªmy nose is too sharp¡­  Even if it¡¯s just a short transformation, I want to be as cute as I dream!¡±


    Nam leaned in to kiss her forehead and brush back her blonde locks.  ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re always so hard on yourself.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not the most charming young woman,¡± Yseress commented.


    Rude, Rachel internally glared.


    ¡°Deny reality all you wish if it makes you feel better, but she is aware of her faults; there is nothing wrong with that.  Show me a woman that lacks envy, and I¡¯ll name her a saint.  Humph¡ªhehe, we met one, in fact.  You cannot tell me there is a ¡®stark¡¯ difference between Jeanne d''Arc and your little sister-in-law.¡±


    Go back to your hole.


    ¡°Until you need me.  Hmm-hmm.¡±


    A thought struck Rachel that made a smirk twist her lips while Alexa and Nam worked through her self-image issues.


    Hold up¡­


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    If the Seed gives us an inner vision of our true desires¡­  You ¡®hated¡¯ those gnarled, decrepit wings you used to have.


    ¡°The nerve!  I would¡ªI could never¡­  Dirty, Mistress¡­  Jeanne d''Arc, you are not!  Humph!¡±


    Pleasant sulking!


    ¡°What are you grinning at, Rachel?¡±  Nam mumbled, drawing her out of her mind.


    ¡°Making fun of Yseress.  Anyway, hehe, I was distracted.  What¡¯s up?¡±


    Alexa¡¯s brow was set, and, looking her straight in the eyes, blurted, ¡°I want to join Mythic!  I know I¡¯m selfish¡ªI know it¡¯s dangerous¡ªand I know Nam will be worried about me, but¡­  I want to do something more with my life!¡±


    Rachel wanted to roll her eyes but refrained.  If you want to do something more with your life, go start a charity, work in the community, or go to school and get a job¡­


    ¡°And who is harsh?  She¡¯s spilling her heart to you!  Bleh¡­¡±


    You¡¯re still here, yellow skin?


    ¡°At least I am not what Nia refers to as a ¡®furry on the heat!¡¯¡±


    Face turning Scarlet, Rachel barked.  Take that back!  Nia said what about me?!  She doesn¡¯t have the spine to say that!


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Alexa whispered, determination faltering.  ¡°Am¡­ I reaching too far?¡±


    ¡°Aww, look at what you¡¯ve done; she¡¯s crushed.  Hehe.  I will need to learn what this ¡®furry¡¯ word means if it gives me this reaction!  Most enthralling.¡±


    I¡¯ll talk to Nia about that comment later!  Rachel hissed, returning to her sister-in-law.


    ¡°Ugh¡­  No, Yseress is just being the devil bitch she is.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, is that the best you have?¡±


    ¡°Anyway¡­  I still want to know if you can handle the negatives, Alexa¡­  I¡¯m sure there will be some.¡±


    ¡°I promise!  I know my dad may get mad, and you¡¯re worried about your¡ªour family¡­  I¡¯m my own woman¡ªI¡¯m an adult, and I¡¯ll handle it like one.  If my dad doesn¡¯t like that, then that¡¯s his problem; I¡¯m not his little girl anymore.¡±


    ¡°Huu-haaa¡­  Nam?¡±


    ¡°I support her, Rach,¡± he smiled, pulling Alexa against her side.  ¡°I¡¯m not a fighter, and I might even be able to make these energy clones. I have to help with the business somehow.  Not everything has to be punching someone in the face.¡±


    ¡°True¡­¡±  Ears tilting to the left, Rachel folded her arms under her bust.  ¡°Okay, Alexa, but as I said, I¡¯m going to be blunt, and¡­  Mythic is composed of some of the strongest Demi in the U.S., potentially the world.  You can¡¯t just up and join because you¡¯re my sister-in-law.¡±


    ¡°I know I have to prove to you I¡¯m worthy¡­¡±


    ¡°No.  This isn¡¯t a popularity contest, Alexa.  Nam couldn¡¯t join us if he wanted to, and it has nothing to do with me not wanting him in Mythic; this Guild business is more than just a job.  We handle life and death combat scenarios that put anything you can imagine to shame.


    ¡°Tough people¡ªreal war, veteran soldiers¡ªcouldn¡¯t handle the things we dealt with in Cuba.  It¡¯s not pretty rainbow magical girl stuff¡­  This is real, filthy, bloody, and evil¡ªHell¡ªyes, we literally stood in Hell.  We are sent to places that no one else can handle¡ªphysically and mentally.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t say I¡¯m prepared,¡± Alexa shot back, fire in her eyes.  ¡°Were you prepared when you went?¡±


    ¡°She has a point, Mistress.  Hehe.¡±


    ¡°No¡­  I did go through many things that did harden me before that, but no, I was not prepared for what evil I saw in Cuba.  I¡¯m not going to say you can¡¯t do it, Alexa¡­  I promised you I would get you powers if I could, and I hold to my promises; for that reason, I cannot promise you a spot in Mythic, yet¡­  If you are strong enough after bonding to the Seed, I¡¯ll give you an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Rachel!  Now, I just need to focus on my wish for this Seed¡­  I know how it sounds, and I know you said you¡¯re not a role model, but¡­  I want to be more like you, Rachel.  I want to be strong¡­  To be able to do what I want no matter the obstacles¡ªit¡¯s what I¡¯ve most admired about you.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Rachel chuckled, shaking her head as they turned the corner of her parents¡¯ street.  ¡°So¡­  You¡¯re going to go through with it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Okay.  We can do it with everyone present; I need to introduce Yseress anyway.  Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±


    Guiding them back, Rachel could hear the nervous twitches in her brother¡¯s muscles; he wanted to support his wife, yet it was obvious to Rachel that he wasn¡¯t sold on the idea.  Still, it was probably rare for Alexa to be so adamant about something, and he didn¡¯t want to hamper this budding, bold part of her.


    This will likely affect her transformation.


    ¡°Likely.  Do you wish to take bets that she will become a hideous monster?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°She was the one who said it; although, to be fair, heh, you added one particular part, Mistress!  Hairy and all.¡±


    Leading the way inside, Alexa made her decision known, and Rachel sat on the couch with Scarlet; the fanged girl was biting her lip, which was healed by her regeneration.


    Puffing out a long stream of air, Rachel had her mouthy Nephilim reveal herself in a swirl of black feathers¡ªalways the show-off¡ªto Nia and Jaenona¡¯s claps; she was sure the little girl was just mimicking Nia.


    Awe was sparked by her appearance, and if Rachel didn¡¯t know any better, with Scarlet across from her, the Nephilim could have been her big, dark-winged, angelic sister; there was a blood-red hue to a few of her raven locks that Rachel hadn¡¯t noticed before.


    With an amused smirk on her rosy lips, and elegant two curved horns gleaming in the overhead light, she flexed her wings a little.  ¡°Greetings, Mortals.  I am Yseress, the enslaved, lovely, and tragic Nephilim that has been chained to Rachel¡¯s spirit.¡±


    ¡°Just call me a monster; it¡¯s shorter,¡± Rachel grumbled.


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Indeed, you are quite the heated beastie, my hot-blooded Mistress.¡±


    ¡°Typical.¡±


    ¡°I do enjoy this new¡ª¡±


    Hmm¡­ should I talk about the pan or corn issue you have?


    Nia¡¯s ears pricked up.  ¡°Corn and pan issue?¡±


    Yseress choked, giving her a smirk a hard glare that said, don¡¯t you dare bring up cakes!


    We have an understanding?


    ¡°Crystal¡­¡±


    ¡°Aww!  Big Sis,¡± Nia whined.  ¡°What about pans and corn¡ªwhat issue?  Ohhh!  Do you want to learn how to cook?¡±


    Molly¡¯s eyes sparkled.  ¡°I would love to teach you how to cook, Yseress!¡±


    ¡°No-eh¡­  Ahem¡­  Excuse my earlier statement.  Mmm¡­  Rachel,¡± she asked, a tight smile on her lips, ¡°you called me for a task?¡±


    Alexa couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Yseress¡¯ fluttering wings, agitated by Rachel¡¯s threat.  ¡°All I need to do is¡­ touch you?¡±


    ¡°Mmh, and for me to wish to pass along the gift.  Haaa¡­  Let us get this over with; I am growing tired.¡±


    Not having fun?


    ¡°Bite your ear.¡±


    Orders¡­ for your Mistress?  Rachel gasped.


    ¡°Mmgm-hmm-hmm¡­  Apologies.  You must have misheard me.¡±


    Mhmm.


    Dully holding out her hand, further illustrating the image of Scarlet¡¯s sister by her black fingernails, Rachel had to wonder now that they were so close together.  Everyone held their breath as Alexa stepped forward and took it.


    Rachel¡¯s ears stood up as the resonance struck; Scarlet had a similar reaction, and Jaenona put her hands over her mouth.


    ¡°Oh?!  How unique!  I see¡­¡±


    Sharp light blinded them, and when it cleared, Rachel shot back, only for her chair¡¯s legs to snap; smoothly using the momentum to enter a reverse somersault, she blinked upon seeing her stunned sister-in-law.


    Alexa radiated a dazzling white light that made Yseress hiss and back into the fireplace, knocking over the items on the shelf above it.


    A first for Rachel, her outfit had changed¡ªlikely due to her Magical Girl vision¡ªand the thigh-length, shoulderless dress reflected her alabaster shine with gold trim.  Wearing elegant boots and a garter belt, she had a yellow ribbon tied around her neck and sleeves that only went up to her biceps.


    The thing that most drew Rachel¡¯s attention was her large, golden irises with white four-pointed stars at their center, the aurelian halo above her head, and the modest wings protruding from her lower back.


    Fingers rising to pull around her thick, twinkling white hair, Alexa muttered.  ¡°I¡¯m¡­ an angel magical girl¡ªdid you all¡­ get bigger?¡±


    Nia squealed.  ¡°You look as young as me now; you¡¯re sooo adorable¡ªpretty¡ªI can¡¯t¡ªall the words!¡±


    ¡°Younger,¡± Rachel mumbled in disbelief.  ¡°I think¡­ it made you thirteen?¡±


    ¡°Huh?!  T-That¡¯s not what I meant by¡ªI wanted to be cute¡ªnot thirteen!  I¡¯m married!  How¡ªhow can¡­  This has to be temporary¡ªa transformation¡­  It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not¡­  What am I now¡­  A Mystickin Angel Magical Girl?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s gaze instantly went to Jaenona; the Eldritch girl had a fascinated look on her face as she studied the haloed teenager.  Mystickin?  That¡¯s a totally new classification; she¡¯s turned into the Race Angel¡ªan actual Angel¡ªby coming into contact with Yseress¡­  Will that continue to the others when she passes it on?  I need answers!


    Alexa¡¯s legs gave way, and she fell to the rug.  ¡°Am I¡­ stuck being thirteen forever?¡±


    Yseress folded her wings together to scoot toward the kitchen and escape her holy glow.  ¡°Hehe.  Well, such is the price of power, Dear.  Welcome to the life of adolescence!¡±


    ¡°Teenagers!  Teenagers, Big Sis; we¡¯re not kids!  Oh!  Can we go to school, Rachel; I want to try it, and Alexa can show me around how to do all the stuff!  We could be school buddies!¡±


    ¡°This¡­ can¡¯t be my life now!¡± Alexa cried.


    Her mother seemed to have seen heaven in Alexa¡¯s rays because she was seeing stars.  ¡°I have¡­ so many cute daughters now; I might just die!  You¡¯re so¡­ angelic, Alexa!¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 9. Trouble Ahead

    AuthorSME


    Today (technically yesterday) was my birthday!  Wooh!  One year older and hopefully wiser, too.


    PoV:


    1. Rachel (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


    2. Cahira (Our Thirsty Pirate Queen!)


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    Stephen Whiting, Casey, Payen Hell, Cass, Turtle, Matt Lewis, James Dutton, Connor, SirToyJet, and my other Patrons!


    Tension easing as she watched her sister-in-law stare at her shimmering dress in disbelief, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but feel a tad bit amused; it had been Alexa who said she was ¡®a grown woman¡¯ and could make her own decisions.


    ¡°What can I do, Rachel?!  I don¡¯t want to be stuck being thirteen forever!¡±


    Nam looked like he was about to collapse, and she didn¡¯t blame her brother; having a 13-year-old angel as a wife was bound to get him looks.


    A Mystickin was something else entirely, and so far as Rachel could tell, this was Izanami¡¯s plot in response to Twilight and Revilla.  Having been forced into plans against her will, the Fallen Creation Deity had acted; it gave Yeseress a path forward yet also caused this mess.


    ¡°Let¡¯s calm down,¡± she coolly prompted, crossing her arms under her bust, using Emotional Detachment to keep a straight face.  ¡°Jaenona, what happened?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s focus shot to the thoughtful 5-year-old, watching the crystal tears that formed from Alexa¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Mmh.  Chaos sparks new growth.¡±


    ¡°What does¡­ does that mean?¡±  Nam mumbled.  ¡°Will Alexa be able to¡ªwhat happened to my wife?¡±


    Molly got up to guide the angel back to sit between them but had trouble with her fluttering wings.  ¡°It¡¯s not all bad¡­ umm, can you¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­  I don¡¯t know how these things¡ªn-no, don¡¯t touch them¡­¡±  she winced, backing away and almost tripping.  ¡°Wha¡­  I¡¯m so light¡ªI can¡¯t even feel my own weight!¡±


    Scarlet held out a hand before retracting it.  ¡°Eh¡ªmmgm¡­  Guys, give Alexa some room; she needs to get used to her body¡­  I had a lot of trouble when I first changed, too.¡±


    ¡°B-But you¡¯re not thirteen!¡±  Alexa cried, quaking as she reached up to poke her halo.  ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ a part of my body¡­¡±


    Yseress hovered by the door to the kitchen with a half-smile.  ¡°Do you know nothing of angels, Darling?  You¡¯re a little flutter bug now; damn, you¡¯re bright, too.¡±


    ¡°No!  I don¡¯t know anything about angels!¡±


    ¡°Look at the benefits!¡±  the Nephilim snickered.  ¡°You don¡¯t need to brush your teeth or use the restroom anymore, and¡ªas the rumors elicit in Hell¡ªyour husband will have a, heh, radiant time between the sheets!  Should I mention your youth, as well?¡±


    ¡°Yseress¡­¡±  Rachel growled, shooting a disapproving glare her way.


    ¡°I only speak the truth, Mistress!  Heh, but silence me if you wish.¡±


    Nia was practically having a heart attack at how adorable she was and the fact they were now around the same age; Nia looked a year older, giving her the sugar rush of big-sister vibes.


    Her father rubbed his mouth with a calm demeanor that Rachel inherited from him, thoughts working through the future possibilities this brought in regards to their family¡ªboth negative and positive¡ªwhile her mother tried to deal with the flood of emotions she felt.


    Anthony leaned against the side of his chair, a low hum in his throat as he likely talked to Jaenona in private while studying Alexa, and after a pause came between Alexa trying to understand her flaring emotions, he carefully spoke up.


    ¡°Yseress¡­¡±


    Rachel shifted her feet to see both parties as her boyfriend addressed the Nephilim; she wasn¡¯t particularly concerned about what Alexa was but how it happened and the new branch.


    Feathers covering much of her body in the doorway to block out Alexa¡¯s glow, her now-gradient neon-blue and red irises drifted to him in the small gap in her wings; the Nephilim''s black appendages were far thicker than the petite angel''s.


    ¡°That is my name.¡±


    ¡°What are you?¡±


    A small smirk creased her eyes.  ¡°Have we not gone over this?  I am a Nephilim¡­ although,¡± her leer wandered to the smiling little girl, ¡°your little pet seems to believe I have Divine in me.¡±


    Jaenona covered her giggle with a hand, cosmic gaze swirling with nebulae, stars, and planets.  ¡°As I understand it, you must question this Seed to obtain such an answer¡ªit would not be wise to assume such is the same¡ªmuch like Alexa¡¯s transformation!¡±


    Rolling her eyes in a patronizing way, Yseress gave the girl a pointed half-smile.  ¡°I will entertain you, creature¡­  Seed, what am I¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears twitched as the woman¡¯s lifted lips slowly fell.  ¡°This¡­ must be a joke.¡±


    Interest piqued as the woman¡¯s wings shivered, opening up enough to see her upturned strong horns and pointed ears sticking out of her obsidian locks, Rachel''s eyebrow lifted with interest.


    Is it that bad?


    Her tight-lipped expression said it all as she asked the same question over and over again to likely get the same response.  ¡°It is impossible!  I refuse to be¡­  Ugh¡ªwhy did I not see it before?!¡±  she hissed, reaching up to run her fingers down the ebony horns.  ¡°The Myth of Lilith¡­  How is this possible, Mistress?  I refuse to be Satan¡¯s partner!¡±


    ¡°Wow!  Big name,¡± Scarlet gasped, chuckling nervously.  ¡°Uh¡­ do you, umm, steal babies?¡±


    ¡°I have never done such a sport in any of the worlds I have taken part in destroying!¡±  Yseress barked, making Alexa, her mother, and Scarlet jump as she crossed her arms and adopted a scowl.  ¡°Neither am I this ¡®wanton¡¯ sex fiend that is Lilith; I stayed quite clear of such crowds in the Infernal Pits, so do not lump me in with those Devils!¡±


    ¡°Sorry!  Sorry!  I was just, heh, wondering.¡±


    A mischievous lilt touched Rachel¡¯s tongue while she cocking her head and ears to the left; snickering, she asked, ¡°Are you sure, Yseress?  I believe you¡¯re being called out by the Seed; do I need to open up a Tinder account for you?¡±


    ¡°A what account?¡±  the Nephilim squawked, made more hilarious by her ruffled feathers and indignant tone.  ¡°I do not know what that is, and refuse whatever you are insinuating!  My Lady, you have slid into the role of ¡®Imp¡¯ far too easily, Mistress, and I am no ¡®night hag¡¯ and will not be characterized as a ¡®screeching owl¡¯ like¡ªlike some heinous tramp!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smirk fit the Nephilim¡¯s characterization perfectly as she looked to the side with a helpless shrug, humor making the others giggle.  ¡°If the Seed fits.¡±


    ¡°It does not fit!¡±


    ¡°Delusion doesn¡¯t look good on you, Yseress, and to think you don¡¯t even know what Tinder is.¡±


    ¡°A made-up word, no doubt¡ªknowing your track record¡ªNia¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh-heh¡­ it¡¯s real, Big Sis¡­¡±  the bunny girl whispered, sinking into her cushion at the woman¡¯s open-lipped stare.


    ¡°It¡­ does not prove your point, Mistress, even if this was not one of your silly games to confuse me with pointless human practices!¡±


    ¡°An old woman are you now?  So sad,¡± Rachel sighed, ¡°we may need to start looking for retirement homes soon, Nia.¡±


    ¡°No!  Big Sis!¡±  she forced a laugh; the bunny didn¡¯t do well in these circumstances, so she just went along with whatever was directed of her.  ¡°Ack¡ªn-not that I think¡­ Big Sis¡ªdon¡¯t go¡­¡±


    Rachel internally snickered as the embarrassed woman vanished in a flurry of black feathers that gradually burned away, and not into her Core this time; the Nephilim had teleported into the sky to pout.


    ¡°Way to go, Rachel,¡± Nia growled, ears standing up as she glared at her.  ¡°Why do you always tease Big Sis?  It¡¯s mean.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hardly one-sided, Nia,¡± Rachel mused.  ¡°It¡¯s just too simple to get under her skin like this; she¡¯ll wise up¡ªprobably, hehe.¡±


    ¡°Still mean¡ªbut what did I expect of your fat¡­ mmh, butt!¡±  she stuck her tongue out before jogging outside to try and be there for the woman she admired.  ¡°Sorry, Alexa; I¡¯ll be back in a second.¡±


    ¡°No¡­  It¡¯s fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Big Sis¡­  Where are you?¡±


    Nam didn¡¯t seem happy with her by his expression.  ¡°Is that really where your mind is right now, Rachel?¡±


    Holding up her hands in her defense, Rachel backed up to lean against the wall.  ¡°Hmm¡­  To be honest, it does help curve a bit of my tension, and Yseress is the type to get hung up on comparing her Seed to whatever Lilith she knows; we can¡¯t be sure it is even the same person or entity.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Anthony hummed, his focus still on the innocent Eldritch girl.  ¡°As we learned, there¡¯s far more to this Crystal and conflict than we originally thought.  Could you explain to them what you told me, Jaenona?¡±


    Everyone went to the edges of their seats to listen to the blinking, white-haired child.  ¡°Mmh¡­  Part of the allure of these Seeds is their attribute to absorb, resonate, and evolve to the Essence they are interacting with.¡±


    She played with a lock of her hair, her smile falling as she studied the fibers.  ¡°It is¡­ challenging, as I previously stated, to express this in a way you can understand my experience, yet Master has aided me in this sliver of truth.  Much of this is of the surface level that has many intricate helical unities¡­


    ¡°The duplicate function¡ªas he calls it¡ªharmonized with the Lesser Seed spreading in Yseress Essence to spark with Rachel¡¯s Greater Seed, thereby causing a unification of duality that joins into a pairing¡­¡±


    Seeing many of their blank looks, Anthony cleared his throat.  ¡°Rachel¡¯s Seed shared some strands of DNA, I¡¯m guessing, to create a somewhat clone of the Greater Seed.¡±


    ¡°Why make it so complicated?!¡±  Alexa cried, wings fluttering with agitation from her standing position, still unable to bend them like Yseress.


    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±  Rachel scratched the base of her ear.  ¡°Jaenona doesn¡¯t try to¡­  She has a hard time grasping the way we think or experience things, but yes, it doesn¡¯t make it any less frustrating.  Go on.¡±


    ¡°My apologies,¡± Jaenona whispered, ears drooping along with her eyes, making Alexa and Molly lurch forward in guilt.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault!¡±


    ¡°No¡ªyeah, I¡¯m sorry, Jaenona; I didn¡¯t know¡­  It¡¯s just hard¡­ to feel these weird whispers and¡­ quivering I guess¡­  Oh, heh, now I¡¯m having a hard time describing it!  I guess I can relate now¡­  Yeah, this sucks¡­¡±


    The girl¡¯s vision lifted to Rachel.  ¡°When Yseress and Alexa¡¯s spirits touched, there was a reflux in the pulse that attuned her Seed to the Greater Seed¡¯s source; it is still not of the same grade as yours but it has reached¡­ a middle ground of sorts¡­  I cannot seem to find an easier way to express it.¡±


    Alexa bent down to pat the girl¡¯s head with a small smile, seeming to have calmed down.  ¡°It¡¯s okay, Jaenona; it means a lot that you¡¯re trying to help us understand¡­  So, what does that mean, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ correct me if I¡¯m wrong here, Anthony, but what I got from that is, well¡­ a Seed that can be boosted into higher tiers for a short time.  Right?¡±


    He nodded, stretching out his arms.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I got.  Mystickin is an enhanced Lesser Seed that got super-charged by whatever our Seeds came from.¡±


    Alexa glanced at her small, left wing with a frown.  ¡°Does that mean¡­  What does that mean when I need to pass this Seed to someone?  Will they become an angel or magical girl too?¡±


    Rachel tapped her side.  ¡°Good question.  Yseress¡¯ Seed absorbed what it could from my Seed, which then passed onto you, but unlike us, which have a basis around some particular Myth or Legend¡­¡±


    She paused, a low growl in her throat.  Then again¡­  Selvaria is a ¡®specific¡¯ type of Myth¡ªa Leviathan¡ªwhile Fiona, Maria, and I¡­ a few of us, actually, don¡¯t have that classification but are more general, like Lunar Hare.  There has to be a difference in that, as well, considering Adelle¡¯s comment about our Seeds absorbing other entities¡¯ Essences.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±  Nam prompted.


    ¡°Hmm¡­  Just thinking through a few things.  Unlike us, who have a key foundation for our Seeds to collect around, your Dream was probably totally without base; you saw how pretty Yseress was, and that combination of angelic and magical girl collided into¡­ that.¡±


    Her father¡¯s focus shifted to his daughter-in-law, hands now folded in his lap.  ¡°So, if she were to pass that on to Molly accidentally, would she become some drama character she¡¯s obsessed with?¡±


    ¡°I could?!  Ooh, interesting,¡± she mused, making them quickly attempt to discourage her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait, Mom!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we don¡¯t know enough¡ª¡±


    ¡°It could be way worse; I know you like cute things like me¡ªwhat if you turn 8 years old?!¡±


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be so bad,¡± she playfully chuckled.  ¡°Think of all the fun we could all have!¡±


    Rachel shook her head.  ¡°Mom¡­  We should perform a few experiments before putting this Seed anywhere near anyone else in the family, and, yes, she has to get rid of it within the week or it will kill her.¡±


    ¡°What kind of experiment?¡±  Anthony asked, folding his legs and looking at Jaenona.  ¡°Do you think it will make the next person an angel or devil?  It could have an effect based on Yseress herself that changed the Seed to make everyone devils or angels.¡±


    Nam hissed.  ¡°It certainly sounds possible¡ªof course, anything seems possible at this point¡­  Will Alexa remain¡­ this young?  I don¡¯t know if we can sleep in the same bed if she¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Nam!  It¡¯s still me¡ªeven if I¡¯m¡­  I totally get where you¡¯re coming from¡ªheh, it¡¯s just¡ªdon¡¯t leave me sleeping alone!¡±


    Molly promptly jumped into the conversation.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what she looks like¡ªnot when we know the truth, Nam¡ªand none of us are going to think bad things we know aren¡¯t true.¡±


    Scarlet got up to hug Alexa, starry eyes watering again as she looked up at her husband.  ¡°We¡¯re here for you, Alexa; it was really hard for me to accept¡­ how I am now, but Rachel was there to help me through it.  You¡¯re not alone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ out of everything I imagined¡­  How could I not have thought this could have happened?¡±  she cried, burying her face into Scarlet¡¯s shoulder as they came together.  ¡°Magical Girls are always young, or teenagers at best, but¡ªbut I thought I¡¯d just have cute transformations¡­ not actually turn into a teenager again¡­


    ¡°And we don¡¯t even know if I can grow older or if it will take thousands of years!  Nam¡¯s powers don¡¯t make him immortal¡ªI don¡¯t think¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he mumbled, voice a tad hoarse as he put a comforting hand on her back.


    ¡°So¡­ so he could grow old and die and¡ªand leave me alone¡­  It¡¯s just too much to think about¡­¡±


    Rachel puffed out a long breath and pushed away from the wall.  ¡°I figured it wouldn¡¯t turn out totally happy, and, to be honest¡­ this is better than the worst-case scenario I thought up, but why don¡¯t Nam and you take some time to sit together upstairs¡ªcool off a bit.  Other than your age¡­¡±


    ¡°Which is a big deal, especially when married¡ªI¡¯m worried about Nam!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying it isn¡¯t, I see what you¡¯re saying,¡± she returned to the red-faced angel.  ¡°I¡¯m suggesting we don¡¯t need to rush things.  Talk it over with Nam, and figure things out between you; General Tom is coming over tomorrow with Fiona, Maria, and Nora for the big talk.¡±


    Her mother rubbed her temples before brushing back her bangs.  ¡°You¡¯re right, Rachel!  Let¡¯s all cool down a bit; let¡¯s get everyone set up in rooms and the inflatable mattresses out for the living room.  Want to help me, girls?¡±


    Jaenona nodded with a beaming smile.


    ¡°I have looked forward to this part; I learned well from Master Park, so it would be my pleasure, Lady Park¡­  Is that wrong, Master?¡±


    ¡°Ugh-heh¡­  No, but you don¡¯t need to call her lady.¡±


    ¡°I should call Master Park by the title but not his daughter-in-law?  I am confused¡­  Hmm?¡±


    Her mother stood to pick up the little girl and hug her.  ¡°You¡¯re too adorable!  How can you be so mature and innocently clueless at the same time?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  It is because of what I am, Lady Park.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s work on names together!  Scarlet, Rachel, will you help me with the clothes?  Umm, Honey, you need to get ready for bed, right?¡±


    ¡°Haaa¡­  Yes, there is a lot of work to do tomorrow, and it goes without saying Nam will need time away.¡±


    Her brother rubbed his forehead before reaching down to take Alexa¡¯s hand and guide her toward the hallway to get to their bedroom.  ¡°Thanks, Dad.  I¡¯ll always be here for you, Alexa¡­  I just don¡¯t want you to feel awkward.¡±


    ¡°Looking at myself as a kid does make me feel awkward,¡± she mumbled, vision centered on the wooden floor.  ¡°I don¡¯t care what I look like¡ªI¡¯m still an adult.¡±


    Keep thinking that, Rachel internally sighed, knowing there would be many who, no matter what was said, would judge Nam for having an underage wife.  Good luck, Bro, and now, heh, she¡¯s her dad¡¯s little angel again¡­  Oof.  Yeah, that could be trouble.


    She followed her mother, Scarlet, and Jaenona out of the room while Anthony was left to stew in his own thoughts; he appeared to be pondering something regarding the Seeds, so Rachel left him to it.


    Besides, her mother was operating on a high that was concerning; she was overwhelmed and torn between so many girls now coming into her house while trying to process the rapid changes that were happening.


    Pausing at the foot of the stairs to see Nam helping his embarrassed wife take each careful step up¡ªsideways since she couldn¡¯t bend her wings¡ªRachel instinctively knew she would likely have what it takes through this to take part in Mythic.


    That was if she got over the age issue, and a smile lifted her lips upon thinking about child labor laws; then again, Nia and Jaenona fell into that category, but she still filed away the comment for poking fun later.


    Life is always sending me curveballs, but at least I can laugh at them.


    * * *


    Swaggering out of the house with Jack, Nemesis, and Mara, Cahira purposefully maneuvered along a hallway that didn¡¯t have Maria¡¯s little kids snoozing.


    She shot a half-smirk at Wilkins with a wink.  ¡°Best be keepin¡¯ ol¡¯ Speedy and the tikes sound an¡¯ sleepin¡¯; ya never be knowin¡¯ what a Pirate be hidin¡¯ behind her back.  Eh, Jackie?¡±


    ¡°Aye, ya be speakin¡¯ truth, Love!  Never too careful!¡±


    The undies-stealing pirate made a wide gesture with his free hand as they exited the manor.  ¡°So, we steerin¡¯ yer lil beastie ta meet our little, northern lass of an upstart?¡±


    Cahira smoothly spun away from him to put a hand on her hip, bottle in the other as she downed the content and dropped it to the grass.  ¡°Ya not be havin¡¯ the Queen Anne''s Revenge on ya, hmm?  Was hopin¡¯ to catch a ride on the famed Bloody Lady of the Sea!¡±


    ¡°Haha!  A fool I¡¯d be, Mi Sweet, if I be thoughtless enough to bring such a prize inta open seas; she be restin¡¯ safely with mi trusted crew!¡±


    ¡°Ooh!  Who ya got workin¡¯ with a dog such as yerself, Jackie?¡±


    Nemesis and Mara watched their back and forth with furrowed brows as they silently trailed after their slow amble to the gated exit ramp that opened on Cahira¡¯s desire-fueled prompt; Zippy truly was her greatest treasure as a Legendary-Class Ship.


    ¡°What did ya sneak ta Miami on if ya didn¡¯t¡­  Eh-hahaha¡ªthat tiny ship, Jack¡ªya be pullin¡¯ mi leg if ya be thinkin¡¯ I¡¯d trust ya to sail this cute thing ¡®cross the Atlantic!  Did ya steal the Queen Anne with this prize?  Where ya hopin¡¯ ta steal ol Zippy, as well?¡±


    Jack hopped down to put a proud hand on the small wooden railing of his black and yellow-striped ship, hosting a strong four cannons on the right side of its uncomfortably small deck-level dual cabins.


    ¡°Why ye be burnin¡¯ mi stalwart princess?!  She got me safely ¡®cross wind and sea ta be stealin¡¯ yer rum, so I would caution ya not ta judge ''er by the size of ¡®er mast!¡±


    Mara took one look at the vessel and shook her head.  ¡°This¡­ can¡¯t sail on the ocean¡ªno shot.¡±


    Nemesis grunted, looking it up and down.  ¡°I could do it.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­  You¡¯ve never been on a boat in your life.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough, Jack, and, Mara, be forgettin¡¯ Zippy be coutin¡¯ a ship, as well!¡±


    The mossy-haired lass shot a finger to the head¡ªwell over six times larger than Jack¡¯s entire ship¡ªpoking out to wish her a happy trip away.  ¡°That¡­ is not a ship¡ªhe¡¯s a turtle¡ªa cute turtle, but a turtle nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°Aye?¡±


    Jack and Cahira looked at one another like she was crazy.


    ¡°Be seein¡¯ what ya please, Lass!¡±  Jack roared.  ¡°Ya be willin¡¯ ta test mi princess¡¯ speed, Mi Fiery Queen?¡±


    Cahira gave him a smug half-smile, right hand on her hip as she snapped with her left for a roar of displaced water to make Jack grab his railing in thrilling surprise as blue flames erupted to the left of his small ship to reveal the monstrous Dreadnought-Class vessel she¡¯d gotten as a bonus for the Legend¡¯s Quest; it seemed a good enough time to use it as Sadie¡¯s approaching pirate ship swiftly threw down its anchor at the surprise appearance.


    Jabbing her thumb up at the iconic coat-of-arms lit up with the bright spotlights on deck in the gentle breeze, displaying the seahorses, heart, boar, and phrase¡ªYe Loyal Krewe Of Grace O''Malley¡ªplastered for all to see.


    ¡°I think we be takin¡¯ mine, Jackie Boi.¡±


    Mara clapped at the intimidating steel vessel, and Nemesis somehow whistled.


    ¡°That is what I call a ship, Nemesis.¡±


    ¡°Not wrong.¡±


    Jack held his hat in the short torrent of displaced wind that rocked his boat against Zippy¡¯s side, leveling an impressed stare up at the behemoth.  ¡°Hehe¡­  Well, damn the ships to the sea, ya be as fierce as yer legends say, Love; where¡¯d ya find a fleet such as these¡ªya be hoggin¡¯ all the spoils from yer seafaring brothers?  And ta be able to hide ¡®em with a snap of yer fingers?  Got anything more up yer britches?¡±


    Cahira jumped onto his deck to slide past the pirate with a twinkle in her eye while moving to climb up the metal ladder welded to the side.  ¡°A lass worth her time don¡¯t be given away all ¡®er secrets, Jackie; ya best be packin¡¯ a healthy supply o¡¯ gun powder ta wet mi appetite if ya be lookin¡¯ ta see what be hidden beneath mi blouse, ya savvy-dog!¡±


    ¡°If it be the powder ya be after,¡± Jack laughed, ¡°then all ya had ta do was blow mi a kiss!¡±


    ¡°Too easy!¡±  Cahira roared, swinging a foot off the ladder to smirk down at him.  ¡°Why would I be the one ta be chasin¡¯ the tail when I got the finest on the seven seas!  Savvy?¡±


    He stared up at her rear with a toothy half-grin as she stole his line.  ¡°I can¡¯t be arguin¡¯ there, Love!  I best be steppin¡¯ up mi game if ya be open for the hunt, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Mi sails are plump with wind, belly filled o¡¯ rum, and an appetite fer adventure, so ya best be quick if ya be hopin¡¯ to snuggle next to this fine ass, Jackie!¡±


    ¡°I be settin¡¯ full course, Mi Sweet; best be keepin¡¯ a close eye on yer stern, or it may be catchin¡¯ a¡¯flame!¡±


    Cahira hopped on-deck with a laugh as Nemesis jumped the full height with Mara sitting on his muscular arm, making her jealous.  ¡°Ya had room on yer left arm, ya know?¡±


    Mara gave her a testing grin.  ¡°There¡¯s a line of being too thirsty, Cahira.¡±


    ¡°Haha!  Tis be a joke¡ªhmm-hmm¡ªunless it be not!  Do I lie, Jackie?¡±


    ¡°Not from where I be standin¡¯, Mi Queen!¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡±


    Joking and laughing with Ward as she used her earned Legendary Feat to pilot her ships without being at the helm, Cahira kept a sharp eye on the two newcomers.


    Jack wouldn¡¯t betray her since he needed her for multiple things, and he didn¡¯t have the pirating level to steal something as grand as Zippy by the Quest Level he had, which meant he was looking for a hand to get him back in the game.


    He¡¯d have to had put a ton of points into Ship Theft to have gotten Teach¡¯s ship, yet it had been a rather hectic battle with the U.K. at the time, and so far as she could tell, in the heat of battle, he¡¯d tricked the crew into boarding a navy vessel to take it before running off when Blackbeard was busy fighting on a neighboring ship.


    It must have given him a ton of Achievement Points, yet it was clear he didn¡¯t want to spend those on Teach¡¯s ship or the tiny one he had, which meant this Legend¡¯s Quest was for his own, and she could guess the name.


    Her flaming eyebrows came together while studying Sadie¡¯s small vessel¡ªa giant compared to Jack¡¯s¡ªand that said something.  Ward was a cunning man, and he¡¯d played a risky game, but it seemed to have worked out so far.


    Sadie wasn¡¯t a big-shot like her or Teach, and Cahira could see the girl playing all sides so long as she was paid; the question was why she was here.  It could be in pursuit of Jack, and it could be for something else, yet a big grin came on as the man next to her cursed¡ªa new ship was coming into view on the moonlit horizon.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we the popular ones?¡±


    ¡°Eh-hehe¡­  I brought ya a bit of trouble, hmm?¡±


    A smirk lifted Nemesis¡¯ black lips.  ¡°Is it a fight?¡±


    Cahira patted the Lion King¡¯s muscular arm, sampling the unbelievably soft fur with a curious hum in the process; he would be the best cuddle bug.  ¡°Hehe.  I wouldn¡¯t go so far as to say that, but¡­  He certainly isn¡¯t a friend¡ªa pirate hunting pirate¡ªwell don¡¯t we have a gathering!¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±  Mara sighed, glaring at the swiftly approaching ship.  ¡°Is that¡­ a skull under a bone¡­ with a heart and dagger?¡±


    ¡°Be the Legend of Stede Bonnet¡­  The U.K.¡¯s bootlickin¡¯ scum.¡±


    Cahira snickered.  ¡°I take it ya got a history?¡±


    ¡°Ye could say as much; the sod has been tailin¡¯ me fer weeks ta fetch mi bounty, and be wantin¡¯ ta take the Queen¡¯s Anne ta sell ta the highest bidder, includin¡¯ ol¡¯ Blackbeard himself.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t we have a good ol¡¯ group o¡¯ cut-throats¡ªmmm, Jackie?¡± Cahira cheered as she pulled next to Sadie¡¯s ship to see the pale-faced girl eyeing the colossal cannons on the Dreadnought.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a bit of fun!¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 10. Gods Of The Sea

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Cahira (Our Thirsty Pirate Queen!)


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    Summoning a rope out of blue flames, Cahira latched the snake-like whip onto the railing of the smaller ship before hopping down to meet Sadie on her modest little vessel.


    Bonnet wouldn¡¯t dare pull up on them and unload his cannons¡ªnot that she was particularly concerned¡ªthanks to aligning herself with Rachel; she was among the strongest pirates on the sea with the trouble the hare-girl had brought.


    Swinging down, Cahira nimbly landed in a roll to straighten a few feet away from the black-haired woman, adding a toothy grin; she didn¡¯t miss the lass¡¯ missing right ear.


    ¡°Sadie!  What brings a northern doe like yeself to mi waters; ya aren¡¯t gonna break mi heart and say it be fer Jackie, hmm?¡±


    Ward was close behind her, with Mara using Nemesis as her ride down; Cahira vowed to have her own turn in time.


    Sadie¡¯s small crew of nameless New York wannabe pirates couldn¡¯t take their eyes off the colossal cannons of her Dreadnought; they were far from the typical guns with their magical enchantments.  Adding to that, the moment Nemesis landed, they knew any attempt at a fight was impossible.


    ¡°Ah-heh-he¡­¡±  Her New Yorker accent came through as right as rain.  ¡°No, eh-Lady Queen, Ma¡¯am.  I-eh wasn¡¯t made aware ya knew the ol¡¯ Sparrow¡ªho there, that be mi merchandise!¡±


    ¡°Aye, it be!¡±  Ward mused, sallying toward a crate to check the contents.  ¡°Ya be one of the messenger pigeons of the seas, hmm?  I be hearin¡¯ ¡®bout yer services¡ªah, and I see, heh, ya be stealin¡¯ a bit of ol¡¯ Japan¡¯s goods¡ªsake¡­ don¡¯t mind if we do!¡±


    ¡°Mmgm¡­  Heh, of course, help yourself,¡± Sadie mumbled through tight lips as he tossed a bottle to Cahira, Nemesis, and Mara before helping himself, much to the crew¡¯s displeasure.


    Catching it in one hand, Cahira couldn¡¯t help a chuckle.  ¡°Yer gonna squeeze mi influence for all I¡¯m worth.  Hmm, Jackie?¡±


    Ward¡¯s mouth twisted with a gleam in his eye, and Cahira could guess why.  ¡°A bottle or two be a trife for an audience with the Queen of the Sea!¡±


    ¡°And yet, heh-he, it be ye that be stealin¡¯ mi bottles an¡¯ hospitality, Ward!¡±  she accused, cutting the top of the bottle off with a stiff slice of her hand before letting the relatively mild liquor¡ªat least compared to her mythical rum¡ªslide down her throat.  ¡°Ye be too pretty o¡¯ a dog¡ªcurse yer fine face!¡±


    ¡°Aye!  A face of pearls, heh, some might say!¡±  Jack laughed, lifting his bottle in a toast.


    Sadie¡¯s twitching lips were centered on the casual pirate, his face half-obscured by the fashionable and decorated dreads he wore.


    ¡°Excuse my rudeness, Captain Cahira, but¡­  I don¡¯t want to get wrapped up in Ward¡¯s trouble.  Can I deliver my message and go?  Ol¡¯ Teach has a bounty on his head for the Queen Anne, and I try to keep my nose clean when dealing with the big fish.¡±


    ¡°See, Jack,¡± Cahira pointed with her bottle and grinned at Mara and the Lion as they observed the show between drinks of their own liquor.  ¡°Sadie be a right upstandin¡¯ lass, unlike yerself!¡±


    ¡°Be requirin¡¯ me ta be a lass, Love!  Savvy?¡±


    ¡°Ya may be, Jack, when I be done with ya!¡±  Cahira roared, causing Mara to giggle a bit at her joke.  ¡°In any case, be showin¡¯ our one-eared goat some courtesy!  She be a dog o¡¯ the sea as much as the next, and she be comin¡¯ a long way ta deliver somethin¡¯ important, no doubt.  Do I be talkin¡¯ straight, Sadie?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± the girl swiftly nodded, evidently keen to cut their meeting short and to be on her way.  ¡°I, eh¡­  I don¡¯t think Ward should hear about this¡ªat least not from me¡ªcan we, umm, go into my cabin to talk?¡±


    Cahira¡¯s eyes twinkled with entertainment as she smirked.  ¡°A lass be invitin¡¯ me ta her room, hmm?  Hehe.  Understandable, though!  Hehe.  Jack be the type o¡¯ man that always be bringin¡¯ a storm on his heels¡­  Eh, Selvaria?¡±


    Everyone jumped as a splash came from the opposite side of the ship for the well-endowed woman¡¯s immense weight to crack many of the planks she landed on; in both hands were two men that appeared to have seen the devil and lost much of their life in the process.


    Selvaria¡¯s shimmering horns, hair, and scales tempered as the water slicking her skin was absorbed into her body.  Cahira laughed as her unexcited, glowing turquoise irises shifted between the group with a little dragon pet Cahira hadn¡¯t seen before; her mirth continued as it hissed in the men¡¯s petrified faces.


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  The Leviathan¡¯s unimpressed, even tone was on point as she sent the two men tumbling across the deck to a white-faced Sadie.  ¡°I found these two trying to sneak onto Zippy.  Are these bad pirates, Cahira¡ªwant me to cut the boat in half¡ªI can do it?  I smell some good fish inside, too.¡±


    Sadie flinched at the girl¡¯s tone and the more-than-likely near-drowned men; some of the crew shot forward to perform CPR to try and bring them back.


    ¡°I¡ªit ain¡¯t what it looks¡ª¡±


    Jack clicked his tongue in disappointment.  ¡°Rookie mistake.¡±


    Cahira puffed out a long stream of air before taking a swig of the sake.  ¡°Sadie, Sadie, Sadie¡­  Ya breakin¡¯ mi heart, Dearie; a message and a thief for me, is it?  Ya gonna throw some sod under the hull?¡±


    Jack leaned against the barrel of spirits with a wry smirk.  ¡°What do ya be expectin¡¯ from the lass, Love; she be hearin¡¯ the rumors a bounty o¡¯ kings within yer lil¡¯ boy.¡±


    Nemesis flexed his fingers while staring at the tense crew, and the two soaked men gave a start, choking up water as their friends brought them back from the edge; the threatening aura the Lion King released¡ªno doubt not even intending it¡ªmade sweat slicken their foreheads.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never destroyed a ship before.  Do I start in the center or back so it can¡¯t steer, Mara?¡±


    ¡°How should I know?  Break it in half, and it doesn¡¯t matter about the steering.¡±


    Selvaria nodded at Mara as her little Leviathan sprayed water in the face of one of the resuscitated men.  ¡°She¡¯s right.  I can cut it in half in one tail swipe, too.¡±


    Sadie held up her hands as she backed away, hoop earrings and thick black locks swaying with her head¡¯s motion as the girl¡¯s thick tail smashed a hole in the deck with a casual beat.


    ¡°Cahira!  Haha¡­ I didn¡¯t come here to steal from you¡ªwhy would I¡ªI¡¯m a messenger!  I just needed some way to try and reach you, so I sent my boys out to see if you would be cool with me pulling up.  That¡¯s all!¡±


    Is that the best ya can do?  Cahira thought while running her fingers through her flaming locks and sighing.


    Selvaria lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Should I go get Maria?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Cahira snickered, walking a step closer to lightly tap Sadie¡¯s cheek and making the girl stumble and fall.  ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll make the discourtesy up to us.  There be no need ta overreact an¡¯ dirty this here fine port with yer broken ship.  Hmm¡­¡±


    Mara tilted her head to the side while glancing at the other Miami ships at the dock.  ¡°True.¡±


    ¡°Aww,¡± Selvaria crossed her arms under her bust and turned to glare at the new vessel sailing toward the opposite side of Sadie¡¯s ship.  ¡°What about that one, Cahira?  I can pull it out into the ocean and cut it in half; Galatea needs to practice her tail slashes too.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±  Cahira hummed, eyeing the little spinning Leviathan as she made flicking motions with her tail.  ¡°Lil¡¯ Galatea evolved into yer lil¡¯ Leviathan baby, huh?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!  Isn¡¯t she adorable?¡±  Selvaria cooed, one of the rare times emotion lit up her voice.  ¡°She can turn into a seal again, too, for a limited time, well¡­ whenever she¡¯s on dry land, and when she¡¯s flying¡ªboom¡ªLeviathan Mode!¡±


    Nemesis gave the pet a nod.  ¡°If she has potential like yours, I can see her becoming a fine companion.  I would like to gain a lion pup myself at some point.  What do you think, Mara?¡±


    ¡°I think you just want something to cuddle up with at night,¡± the moss-haired woman smirked.  ¡°I¡¯m sure we can find something to satisfy you.¡±


    ¡°So long as it can kill a man,¡± the Lion King grinned.


    Selvaria presented her puffed-up little Leviathan.  ¡°Galatea can totally kill a man!  Show them your super beam!¡±


    Sadie scrambled to her feet, waving her hands in a panic.  ¡°P-Please, not on my ship¡ªthe cost for repairs is¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see it, Love!¡±  Ward cheered, holding up his second bottle.


    Galatea breathed in deeply, white light collecting in her mouth before releasing a thin beam that cut deep into the deck.


    Sadie seemed to be on the verge of tears.  ¡°Mmgm¡­  At least¡­ it¡¯s not on fire.¡±


    ¡°Cool, huh?  Oh, we can do that, too!¡±


    ¡°No!  Please!¡±


    Cahira couldn¡¯t stop laughing as she closed the distance to throw an arm around Sadie¡¯s shoulders.  ¡°Let¡¯s quit teasin¡¯ the lass!  Nemesis, Mara, Selv, ya mind keepin¡¯ Jack company and an eye on ol¡¯ Bonnet until I get back?¡±


    ¡°Boo!¡±  Ward roared before averting his eyes and holding up his hands when the Lion King looked at him.  ¡°Eh-heh, I be mindin¡¯ mi fingers, just¡­ another bottle, and heh, I be good!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good boy, Jackie!  Selv?¡±


    ¡°Will I get to eat something soon?¡±  she yawned, illuminated vision moving to Stede¡¯s approaching vessel.  ¡°I¡¯m getting hungry.¡±


    ¡°I, heh, imagine there will be a buffet in the future for ya, Lass.¡±


    ¡°Ooh!  Okay.  But if he makes fun of Galatea, I¡¯ll blow his ship up.¡±


    ¡°Fair,¡± Cahira chuckled with Nemesis, and giving the girl next to her a pointed grin, she guided her to the captain''s cabin not far to their left.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we be havin¡¯ a nice chat.  Hmm?¡±


    ¡°If you swear you won¡¯t damage my ship any further¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t know if I be able to make such a promise.  Hehe.  Yer crew best be behavin¡¯ themselves!¡±


    Entering the room, Cahira closed the door and slapped Sadie on the butt as she passed, examining the room with a wry smirk.  ¡°Ya brought yer troubles on yerself, Sadie; mi crew be a wylin¡¯ bunch, and if ya be steppin¡¯ outta line, ya bound to get her panties twisted, Love.¡±


    Sadie rubbed her rump with a disgruntled grimace as she sat on the small table across from her.  ¡°I just wanted a peek to see what a true Legend¡¯s store looked like; I didn¡¯t mean nothing by it.¡±


    ¡°Come now,¡± Cahira sighed, kicking her boots up on the table and noticing the brand-name items strewn atop the dresser, bed, and floor.


    ¡°Ya want ta be seen with the sharks, but ya don¡¯t got the Legend for it, Sadie; I be gettin¡¯ yer motives¡ªI get it¡ªye just need ta remember the pond yer swimmin¡¯ in.  Miami and Boston are not in the same ballpark with Mythic based here.  Savvy?¡±


    ¡°I get it.  I get it,¡± she grumbled, wiping away the sweat on her brow.  ¡°I messed up.¡±


    Cahira tapped her mostly full bottle between her thighs as she pressed her chair and back against the wall, a small, compassionate smile following a sigh.  ¡°I have a soft spot for mi lady pirates, Sadie¡ª¡®tis a hard life for a lass¡ªand I know ya be a fine thief when ya got the details right.  Water under the bridge?¡±


    One arm over the back of her chair, Sadie picked at her bottom lip for a moment while studying her.  ¡°Mmh¡­  I admired Grace O¡¯Malley¡¯s legend growing up, and you don¡¯t disappoint, being her incarnation or whatever¡­  What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not be hasty,¡± the fire-haired Pirate Queen hummed, her vision falling to the maps on the table.  ¡°Ye want ta play with the big names, huh?  Well, I be quite a grown, lovely, lucky lass, Sadie, but ya see, I be havin¡¯ a bit o¡¯ a problem.¡±


    The dark-eyed woman¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Ward?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  One among many, yet I can deal with a crafty man as Ward.  No,¡± she said, tapping the table with her fingernail and drawing her gaze.  ¡°I be needin¡¯ a canary that sings, and ya seem ta have a lovely voice, Love.¡±


    Sadie¡¯s gaze drifted to the door, possibly thinking about the warship and monstrous Mythickin outside it.  ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not a snitch, Cahira.¡±


    The seductive woman dropped her chair¡¯s feet to hit the planks, placing her elbows on the table to rest her chin and smile at the nervous girl with a twinkle in her emerald eyes.


    ¡°I can draw mi own conclusions, Sadie, and all I need ya ta do is give me an overview of the playin¡¯ field.  Mi sources tell me a great many pirates be comin¡¯ together to discuss somethin¡¯ big Blackbeard be plottin¡¯, and I can guess it be this that is yer message, Love.¡±


    ¡°Who¡­  The U.S. military?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be underestimatin¡¯ the Intelligence Departments of the Great Nations.  Do ya think yer little¡­ escapades have gone unnoticed; what if I were ta tell ya, I had some, he-heh, information regarding yer return ta Boston?¡±


    Sadie¡¯s hands tightened in her lap as she stared at the file Cahira summoned to place in front of her.  ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°While mi friends have been tearin¡¯ up warlords in Cuba, what do ya think I¡¯ve been doin¡¯, hmm?  The sea has been a show of entertainment, and now that we be havin¡¯ some time on our hands, I be thinkin¡¯ it be well ta fill in the gaps.  Yes?¡±


    Cahira¡¯s vision fell to the woman¡¯s chest, where a golden chain hung, hiding something between her breasts before sliding the folder forward to open the folder and making Sadie¡¯s face turn ashen.


    ¡°Where did you¡­¡±


    Shutting it, Cahira leaned back and hummed.  ¡°I wonder¡­  I be havin¡¯ some suspicions from yer activities, but there be a reason ya were able ta nab a ship as ye have on such a poultry record in Boston.¡±


    She winked, waving a hand at the girl¡¯s nervous twitches.  ¡°I suspect it be havin¡¯ somethin¡¯ ta do with yer fine rump.  Hehe.  No need to be so frightened, Sadie!  I be a good Queen o¡¯ the sea.¡±


    ¡°How¡­ did you get those pictures, Cahira?¡±


    Seeing her flushed face, she felt a little bad for the woman.  ¡°Did ya think governments don¡¯t be employing Demi with exceptional abilities, Love?  Ya be a slippery one¡ªfair enough¡ªbut ya got caught at the wrong time, is all.  Hehe.  Still, I be havin¡¯ mi suspicions as to how ya got on the trail of such a horde.¡±


    Not looking at her, Sadie glared at the folder she was tapping.  ¡°What do you want¡ªmy body¡ªthe loot¡­  All of it?¡±


    ¡°No need to paint me as such a deviant, Love!¡±  Cahira protested, snapping her fingers for the folder to vanish in blue flames.  Her voice softened.  ¡°As I said, I have a soft spot for a lass on the sea; I¡¯d like ta help ya, Sadie.  Ya had a harsh life, no doubt, and a woman needs to help her fellow.  No?¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t telling me what you want,¡± she growled.


    ¡°Haaa.  I suppose not¡­  Give me the names of the main players gettin¡¯ Blackbeard¡¯s invitation, heh,¡± Cahira smirked, ¡°and tell yer man I send mi regards; he best be comin¡¯ himself next time he be wishin¡¯ ta check out mi fine tail.¡±


    ¡°Blackbeard is not¡ª¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it be Blackbeard,¡± she winked.


    ¡°Mmgm¡­  Is that all you want to know?¡±


    ¡°Did ya think you would meet the Legend of Grace O¡¯Malley without mi gettin¡¯ the better of ya, Love?  Know I be a reasonable woman and always open for a little fun an¡¯ adventure.  Hehe.¡±


    Arms digging into her sides, Sadie seemed to give up as she closed her eyes and puffed out her stress.  ¡°You just want to know who is getting the invitations?¡±


    She leaned back again.  ¡°Hmm.  On second thought, give me everyone invited to this Pirate Summit and who you think will crash the party!  Isn¡¯t that more fun?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Sadie laid out the major player across the seven seas, making Cahira¡¯s mouth water with the anticipation of who would be present.  It went without saying Edward Teach would be the centerpiece, and the word was that he had an extraordinary Group Legend¡¯s Quest that required all hands on deck.


    Blackbeard had been the one to give Sadie the task of inviting Mythic since they were both in the U.S., but the big names across the seven seas were said to make an appearance to see what the Legendary firecracker had to offer.


    Bartholomew Roberts of Wales had a fleet ready to sail, as did the elusive William Kidd, and both had allied as the Welsh pirate was slated to offer his rules of engagement in the Pirate¡¯s Round Table.


    Francis Drake had caused quite the waves along the U.K. coast, and Bonnet seemed to disdain the English hero, who was at odds with Black Bart due to his widespread fame in dispatching a few seafaring Crystal attacks with his fleet.


    Anne Bonny was a name that piqued Cahira¡¯s interest since the lass had been a close second for her compared to Grace O¡¯Malley in terms of female pirates, and as could be expected, she captained a ship in Calico Rackham¡¯s small fleet, which, alongside another female legend on the seas, Mary Read, had a leading role in his modest group of united scalawags.


    Sadie speculated that Rackham would try to muscle his way into the meeting with the pirates he¡¯d managed to pull under his banner, but he wasn¡¯t big enough of a name to receive an invitation himself.


    On the other hand, Zheng Yi Sao made Cahira sit a little straighter; in all the meetings she¡¯d sat in with Tom, listening like a fly on the wall, she knew there was so little that the U.S. could get out of China that anything regarding the newly reformed Empire around their glorified Empress made her ears prick.


    Zheng was a colossal pirate figure, having taken over the massive Chinese pirate confederation after the death of her husband and leading it with her adopted son, Zhang Bao.


    Word was that she sailed under the banner of Empress Wu, having a flood of Mythic and Legendkin within her ranks; an invitation to the Chinese Empire was not something Teach would pass up, considering their influence.


    Rumor would have it they¡¯d already conquered a powerful Legend¡¯s Quest themselves, and the Pirate Queen of China sailed on a flying dragon.


    The living vessels had many crews calling for the title Pirate God to be given to the current Lords of the Sea, and Zheng was on that list with Cahira herself; she couldn¡¯t help but grin at the revelation.


    As for Japan, their waters had become infested by the rapidly growing Noshima Murakami Pirates, a family-run group of marauders that had built a very strategic and capable crew of Demi with Murakami Takeyoshi as the family head.


    There were rumors of the infamous Japanese pirates having the ability to come and go without notice; potentially being close to completing their first Legend¡¯s Quest soon.  They weren¡¯t on the greatest terms with his home country¡ªmuch like Blackbeard¡ªby the raids and requirement of fidelity to the family as new lordship over Japan¡¯s shores.


    When it came to divenire pirates that had women swooning, few could match the Netherland¡¯s Laurens de Graaf, in service to France and seen with its legendary figures, such as the famed Jeanne d''Arc.  He had the support of the E.U. and had, as some might say, the devil¡¯s charm, which only served to wet Cahira¡¯s lips at the chance of meeting the fellow.


    Sadie didn¡¯t know how such a backed-by-the-state pirate would be given a place in Blackbeard¡¯s infamous assembly.  Still, Laurens was among the Seven Lords of the Sea that Teach sent a messenger to, and there were rumors of special backing because everyone seemed to love the devilish man.


    No one knew if he was at the level of a ¡®Pirate God¡¯ or if he¡¯d completed a Legend¡¯s Quest, and that was only another reason to add to the mysterious addition of the enigmatic man.


    As for the third ¡®definitive¡¯ Pirate God, Cahira¡¯s stomach squirmed with internal delight as Sadie let a mythical figure for once touch her lips¡ªSinbad¡ªthe famed figure in the stories told in the One Thousand and One Nights tale by Queen Scheherazade.


    The hero had already undergone his own Legend¡¯s Quest to obtain a massive Roc that acted as his ship, much like Zippy to Cahira.  Cahira couldn¡¯t wait to meet the man, but it also made her ponder a few things she¡¯d connected and learned through all the top-secret meetings she¡¯d sat in on with Clay and Tom.


    To top it all off, it went without saying that Jack Ward would be making a flashy entrance as his legend always portrayed, and having the ability to not only pull from his own history but the pop culture surrounding him, Cahira wondered what trouble he¡¯d land her in.


    Cahira stood to give Sadie a half-smile and salute.  ¡°Much appreciated, Love!  Best be takin¡¯ that tail back to be paddled, hehe, or¡­ ye could stay and let me do the spankin¡¯, hmm?¡±


    ¡°I had my fill with our earlier slap, thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°Shame!  Why do ya think I seem to run off all the pretty men and girls?¡±  she thoughtfully whispered.  ¡°Too bad yer already marked by another, Sadie¡ªquite literally, might I add¡ªhaha!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re, heh¡­ not exactly how I envisioned, Cahira.¡±


    ¡°Right, ye be!  I be a wylin¡¯ lass ah¡¯ready fer adventure wherever it may be!  Now, do ya wanna join mi side fer a little o¡¯ fun, or do ya need to be gettin¡¯ back to yer handsome fellow in waiting, hehe?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to stay, but¡­  I honestly don¡¯t know how safe I¡¯d be around you, Ms. Queen,¡± she added with a forced smile.


    ¡°Ho-ho.  I¡¯d keep you nice and safe between mi legs!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure¡­¡±


    Half-turning to give her a tight smile, Cahira¡¯s light, joking tone sobered.  ¡°Careful, Sadie.  Be wise in who ya be targetin¡¯ in this here dangerous landscape¡­¡±


    A coin flamed into existence before she flipped it to the woman to catch.


    ¡°What¡¯s¡­ this for?¡±  she muttered, studying the mark with Cahira¡¯s winking grin printed on the front.


    ¡°Heh, a little insurance for ya since I like a lady with brass; if ya land yerself in hot water, kiss mi gold an¡¯ I be there in a blaze ta bail ya out.  I suspect ya may be needin¡¯ it with the luck ya seem ta have, so let yer ol¡¯ Irish Queeny be yer lucky charm!¡±


    Cahira exited the cabin with laughter and a wave, her grin turned predatory upon catching the well-dressed man in a suit standing in wait, and by his nervous, shifting eyes, quite uncomfortable with Selvaria¡¯s watchful gaze, her swaying, club-like tail creating wood shavings as it waved left and right.


    Ward appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the presence of Nemesis and Selvaria¡ªtwo Mythickin that could easily be the make or break individuals in a Legend¡¯s Quest alone by their unreasonable power¡ªNemesis was the only thing to date that had stood against the night fiend that was Rachel and survived.


    ¡°Bonnet!  Hehe.  And what might you want with one o¡¯ the Pirate Goddesses, hmm?  Mi time don¡¯t be cheap, Man.¡±


    He cleared his throat and gave her a courteous bow.  ¡°I expect not, Lady Goddess of the Seas!  My only purpose is to relieve you of this sodden dog that hopes to hide behind your skirt.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t seem to be wearin¡¯ a skirt, Stede¡­  Do you see one, Jackie?¡±


    ¡°I do not, Mi Fiery Goddess!  Do my ears deceive me; you¡¯ve been dubbed a Goddess?  It seems word of your exploits has traveled the seas swifter than expected!  A celebration is in order, hmm, Nemesis?  Rum all-round!¡±


    ¡°Aye, is the correct term, Mara?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­  Don¡¯t encourage him, Nemesis.  He¡¯s trying to use you.¡±


    ¡°By a party¡­  I suppose English does hold many hidden meanings,¡± he mumbled in confusion, making Ward and her laugh.


    ¡°Hehe.  Celebration, indeed, and mine, no doubt, Jackie,¡± Cahira snickered.  ¡°Ya be a broke lad beggin¡¯ fer scraps!¡±


    ¡°That, I be, Mi Queenly Sweet!  Yer hospitality has displayed no bounds for this troubled soul, and, ya know I be willin¡¯ ta make it up in¡­ other ways that might suit yer fancy!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be teasin¡¯ a girl, Jack; she may just take ya up on yer offer, and ya not be knowin¡¯ the fire ya be startin¡¯ beneath yer ass!¡±


    The corners of Bonnet¡¯s mouth twitched with agitation at their banter, fingers without a doubt tightening around his wrist at his back; Sadie drew his attention when she exited the cabin, but Cahira soon snatched it again as she gestured at her ship.


    ¡°I ¡®ave a little apology fer ya, Sadie.  Nemesis, might I bother ya in grabbin¡¯ the gift just there on the deck?¡±


    Nemesis followed her gesture to the Dreadnought above them before bending down and jumping the entire distance in one bound.


    ¡°What¡¯s your game?¡±  Sadie mumbled, but Cahira could feel her coin in the woman¡¯s back pocket; she¡¯d taken her up on the offer of support, which made her happy.  ¡°You couldn¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    Bonnet¡¯s hungry eyes fixated on Nemesis as he hopped back with a medium-sized chest in his hands to set down on the shiny planks.


    ¡°This?¡±


    A thoughtful smile lifted Mara¡¯s full lips as she pulled back her thick, green hair to open the box.  ¡°Wow¡­  Filled to the brim with gold.  What did she deserve to get this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to owe you a favor, Cahira,¡± Saide hissed, crossing her arms, but she was struggling to keep her eyes off the horde that would make any small-time pirate¡¯s knees weak.


    Cahira held her hands behind her back, adopting an innocent grin.  ¡°Trade me your soul, and I¡¯ll trade you my heart!  Sound like a deal?  Haha!  I¡¯m joking!  I¡¯m joking!¡±


    Expression becoming more serious, she moved to her side to whisper, ¡°Don¡¯t report back to Blackbeard, and it¡¯s yours.  Upgrade your ship, pay your crew, and return to your man to have a nice dinner.¡±


    Bouncing back, she laughed.  ¡°Sound good!?¡±


    Bonnet desperately wanted to know what she¡¯d told the girl by his attentive stare, and after a few tight-lipped seconds, Sadie pointed at the chest and one of her men.


    ¡°Benjamin, get that below deck, and get ready to shove off; we¡¯re headin¡¯ for Scotland, boys!¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye, Captain!¡±


    Sadie gave her one last unsure stare before nodding, confirming what Cahira had already assumed.  Kidd, ye lucky bastard.  She¡¯s a fine woman; ya best treat her well and teach her how to play in the big leagues, or I¡¯ll be findin¡¯ another sizable chest ta shove up yer ass.


    Her vision shifted to Bonnet as Jack quietly drank in the corner, glaring at the man; a small piece of her offering to Sadie had been for Ward stealing her goods, but that was her softer side talking¡ªthey were pirates, after all¡ªpower was everything.  As such, it was time for a power move.


    She tilted her head to Bonnet.  ¡°We¡¯ll be speakin¡¯ on my ship.  Heh.  If ya be gettin¡¯ outta line, don¡¯t be thinkin¡¯ you¡¯ll get off unscathed, Mr. Gentleman Pirate.¡±


    ¡°Naturally,¡± he muttered, eyes still on the chest Benjamin was trying, unsuccessfully, to lift, requiring three other men to help bring the heavy booty below.


    Cahira hopped the gap between their ships to start making her way up, Jack taking her tail to watch it sway, no doubt, and shouted back, ¡°There be 350,000 gold coins in that there box, Lads¡ªbest be knowin¡¯ I¡¯ve counted every last one, lads¡ªhehe.¡±


    ¡°Bet your mothers on it!¡±  the Boston lady returned.


    Letting the girl return to her Scottish man, Cahira guided their group to the strategy room of her colossal, metal behemoth and sat at the head of the table to face Bonnet, settling in across from Jack to her right, with the Mythickin wondering when things would get exciting for them.


    Well¡­  It¡¯s time ta earn back mi gold, Jackie, she internally mused as she sat back to address the two.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point, Boys!  Bonnet, ya be wantin¡¯ hard cash and somethin¡¯ ta brag about, and Jackie, ya be wantin¡¯ the means ta secure yer own Legend¡¯s Quest ta have a seat at the table.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, Goddess of the Sea, might I¡ª¡±


    Her side-long look made Bonnet¡¯s mouth snap shut.  ¡°Haaa¡­  Ya don¡¯t even be havin¡¯ a Legend¡¯s Quest, Bonnet¡ªye don¡¯t even know how to get one goin¡¯¡ªso stay in yer own league, mi man, and don¡¯t be gettin¡¯ greedy.  Ya be givin¡¯ me a hefty favor at the end o¡¯ this venture.¡±


    A lump dropped down his throat before he nodded.  ¡°Understood, Lady.  I will hold my place, but¡­ might I ask what favor this is I am to do.¡±


    ¡°Do ya want in a Legend¡¯s Quest or no, Bonnet?¡±


    ¡°Favor it is, Lady.¡±


    ¡°Good.  Now, let me check with mi own boss on the details, so shut yer traps¡­¡±


    Ward had been quiet while sitting in his chair as he studied Cahira pulling out her phone to dial the Lunar Hell Hare herself; it had been more than a few hours since the Mythickin had left, and she expected enough time had passed to allow disrupting her.


    Still, Cahira¡¯s stomach squirmed with every ring the phone made; Rachel was a frightening person to deal with because she never knew quite what was on the girl¡¯s insane mind¡ªa mind that contemplated gods and the eldritch¡ªand that was a terrifying person to deal with when they were your boss.


    The call connected, making Cahira¡¯s breath catch at Rachel¡¯s even tone, giving nothing as to her mood away.


    ¡°What is it, Cahira?¡±


    ¡°Bad timing, Boss?¡±


    ¡°As good as any.¡±


    Give me something, Girl!


    ¡°Hmm¡­  I just learned I¡¯ve been named a Goddess of the Sea¡ªone of four Pirate Gods, currently¡ªincluding¡­  Zheng Yi Sao, who serves Empress Wu of China, and I¡¯ve been invited to a Pirate meet-up by ol¡¯ Blackbeard ¡®imself.¡±


    She paused for a moment, muttering, ¡°It, umm, may involve some of the things you were discussing earlier, and I got the Legend of Jack Ward here wantin¡¯ some help with his own Quest.  He¡¯ll owe me, and Jack always keeps his word, so, heh, it may come in handy down the line.¡±


    Selvaria, Mara, and Nemesis were fixated on her as she spoke to the head of Mythic, and the two pirates beside her could sense the tension in the air.


    The low hum in Rachel¡¯s throat only told Cahira she had already spun the information around, dissected it, chewed it up, and spat it out.  ¡°Who will join you?¡±


    ¡°Jack, another pirate crew interested in fame, and the Beastie Crew, Mara, Nemesis, and¡­  Selvaria¡ªyou in for a late-night snack?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  the Leviathan rubbed her chin with a frown.  ¡°I can¡¯t miss my mom¡ªshe¡¯ll be in Miami in two days¡­  We have to complete it before then.¡±


    ¡°Speedrun then!¡±  Cahira laughed.  ¡°Selvaria¡ª¡±


    ¡°And Galatea,¡± the Leviathan interjected, causing the little flying monster to cry for fish''s blood.


    ¡°Heh, yeah, Galatea and Selvaria are in.¡±


    ¡°Mara¡¯s got a tactical mind¡ªgive her the information regarding our Legend¡¯s Quest¡ªand between Selvaria and Nemesis, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a pretty neat battleship, too!¡±  Cahira defended.


    ¡°You do.  It shouldn¡¯t be a problem since the numbers of Demi will be¡­  The combined Seed Level might be a consideration.  Remain on guard, and don¡¯t bring Zippy; he may trigger a much larger event.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Boss!  I¡¯ll give ye a detailed report when we¡¯re back to shore!¡±


    Rachel hung up, and Cahira gave them a big grin.


    ¡°Boss gave the green light¡­  So, we shove off ta greatness, mi ragtag crew.  Let¡¯s go¡ªon to adventure!¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 11. A Pirate Queen’s Plot

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Cahira (Our Thirsty Pirate Queen!)


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    Good to set off on their adventure, Cahira stood and motioned for those around the table to do the same.  ¡°We be preparin¡¯ ta leave¡ªBonnet, get yer crew ready ta shove off in thirty!¡±


    He pursed his lips and nodded, vision shifting to Jack for a moment with a look that said he¡¯d love to get his hands on the man at the end of their journey.  ¡°We will be ready to sail.¡±


    She stopped at the door with the others behind her and shot a side-long glance at the Gentleman Pirate.  ¡°Ah, and lighten yer ship as best ye can; I don¡¯t need ya slowin¡¯ us down.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s suspicious glare made the man shiver.  ¡°Yeah, we need to make this trip quick; I don¡¯t want to be on a two-day dinner trip¡ª¡±


    Her expression darkened further as a thought seemed to pop into her head.  ¡°Cahira¡­  Will I need to tow them if they¡¯re too slow?¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± she waved behind her, heading for the exit while subconsciously swinging her vessel around to run parallel to Bonnet¡¯s boat.  ¡°If they¡¯re too slow, we¡¯ll just leave ¡®em fer the monsters.¡±


    ¡°Haaa.  That¡¯s a relief,¡± Selvaria smiled, reaching up to pat Galatea¡¯s head.  ¡°Who¡¯s ready for their first big battle?  Mhm!  You¡¯re gonna eat lots of fishes.¡±


    A short hum came from Mara as she examined the fairly bare-bone interior of the Dreadnought on their way out.  ¡°Fiona mentioned some events involving the previous quest you did, and I¡¯ve heard about¡­ less intensive tasks Ana had back in Cuba, but what exactly are we supposed to be dealing with?¡±


    ¡°It sounds like they¡¯re supposed to be a challenge if nothing else!¡±  Nemesis grinned, tongue sliding over his glistening teeth.  ¡°It¡¯s been too quiet the last few days, and I¡¯m eager to have a fight.¡±


    Ward slapped the Lion King on the back with a hardy laugh.  ¡°A fight be awaitin¡¯ ye, Friend; there be glory and riches for all!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  I could care less about the riches and glory,¡± Nemesis muttered, claws easing out as they walked, muscular fingers flexing.  ¡°Give me something I can rip apart with my bare hands.¡±


    ¡°Aye, haha,¡± Jack hesitantly stumbled to the side.  ¡°There be a plenty o¡¯ things ta wet yer thirst; I be sure of it!¡±


    The nighttime, warm Miami sea breeze caught Cahira¡¯s hair, forcing her to tame it while stopping at the side of her rail guard; snickering internally, she shot a sly grin at the confused Gentleman Pirate.  ¡°Yer time aboard mi vessel be up, mi man!¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    He took a step back and tilted her head in a telling gesture and jabbed her thumb to the side.  ¡°If ya could send our good man Bonnet back ta his crew, Nemesis, Love?¡±


    ¡°You must be¡ªCahira!¡±


    A savage grin split the Lion King¡¯s black lips as Selvaria and Mara giggled, and without hesitation, Nemesis¡¯ swift hand closed around the back of the man¡¯s coat before effortlessly tossing him off the rig.


    ¡°Excellent show, Man!¡±  Jack clapped, watching Bonnet surprisingly snatch one of the rope ladders on his vessel in passing, skillfully swinging around to roll across his deck.  ¡°Perhaps ya should consider hangin¡¯ up the Jolly Roger, Stede, and joinin¡¯ the circus!¡±


    ¡°I am not amused!¡±  Bonnet shot back with a disgruntled huff.


    Cahira chuckled as she moved to the area she could jump off the Dreadnought, pulling away from the disgruntled small-time pirate crew.  ¡°I do appreciate ya, Nemesis; havin¡¯ a man of yer particular skillset be a song to this lass¡¯ heart!¡±


    Mara lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t planning on exploiting Nemesis to fulfill all your wild fantasies; he has enough trouble trying to understand Rachel.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to understand?¡±  Ward hummed, nudging the Lion King¡¯s side.  ¡°If ya be wantin¡¯ ta know how to be stealin¡¯ a lass¡¯ heart, I got a wonderful ten-step program that¡¯ll catch any of the fish ya fancy!¡±


    Cahira shot a thoughtful look his way while moving her vessel to settle alongside Zippy, and caught Selvaria¡¯s lifted brow that said he clearly didn¡¯t know who he was talking about.


    ¡°Jack, I¡¯d love ta see ya try to woo Mythic¡¯s lovely Lunar Hell Hare, but I be expectin¡¯ yer intestines ta be on display across the mast the first night when ya inevitably try ta coppafeel!¡±


    ¡°Oof!  A violent lass, be she?¡±  Ward questioned with interest, but his smile faltered when Mara directed his attention to Nemesis.


    ¡°Think for a moment¡ªwhat kind of girl do you expect someone like Nemesis to move countries for, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Ah-heh, point taken, mi Lovely Emerald Beauty!¡±


    ¡°Not a chance.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ chest shook with entertainment.  ¡°Rachel¡¯s underlings certainly are fun; don¡¯t you think, Mara?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­  I liked the stability we had in Cuba more than the chaos, but it is indeed more¡­ lively, which is something I never thought I¡¯d say, considering your daily stadium routine.¡±


    Cahira chuckled as they began to banter a bit; Mara certainly did come off as a protective big sister, making her more curious about their past relationship.  Clearly, there had been some kind of flame that passed between them, at least from Mara¡¯s end, that was.


    Nemesis had that cute, innocent, killer cat vibe that made her knees weak, but if he was after Rachel, she would need to play her cards carefully.


    The Lunar Hell Hare came off as reasonable, yet Cahira had had an instinctive shiver when first meeting the young woman that put goosebumps through her, which only escalated after all the events they¡¯d gone through.


    Rachel had some kind of luck power that brought everything into her favor while either draining or nullifying anyone elses¡¯ around her, and, if she perceived a threat, then there were storm clouds to follow her target.


    It could be Moongmor¡¯s obsession with her, having the eye of the gods, but Cahira would have bet it was the opposite; they were trying to ride the wind in her sails, and Cahira had undoubtedly done the same since she could sense the fountain of duality¡ªLuck and Misfortune¡ªthe girl oozed.


    Mind turning inward as Mara and Jack got into it, Cahira transferred to Zippy to tell Clay and hopefully recruit Maria; it never hurt to have a healer on deck.  Selvaria stayed on the ship to examine the guns and educate her little transformed seal on the topic, with Nemesis exploring the levels.


    Leaving the moss-haired woman to roll her eyes at Jack¡¯s advances, testing the man to see how good his advice was, Cahira wondered how far he would get as she walked up the ramp to Zippy¡¯s open gates.


    She waved at the giant turtle when the not-so-little guy lifted his head to look at her, and she pondered for a moment if she should keep with her nickname of Zippy or go with Largo, the first name she¡¯d picked out.


    Zippy was easier and had already caught on, so she decided to stick with it.


    Cahira¡¯s lips tightened as she received a report from the Dragon Turtle that came in the form of downloaded knowledge rather than words, and she changed her direction from the control room to one of the bedrooms on the first floor.


    Opening the door, she peeked into the dark room where the Sunlit Unicorn was sleeping between a dozen or so little girls.  Damn.  Guess she¡¯s a bit preoccupied.  I suppose she wouldn¡¯t be up for it in any case, what, with the adoption stuff and carin¡¯ enough to see if they find good homes.


    She gently closed it and went to the control room, informing Clay of the expedition.  He was more than a little happy she was leaving Zippy behind since it acted as a great controlled space; her Dragon Turtle had also¡ªby some bizarre twist of fate¡ªbecome an orphan shelter.


    Exiting after briefing the military man, Cahira hummed on her way out, a lightness in her step; as she saw it, Mythic was more or less an organization with a lot of benefits she could utilize, and having a fun group of people¡ªthat happened to be incredibly strong¡ªallowed a lot of leniencies in the rules and oversight many crews feared.


    She rubbed Zippy¡¯s slick cheek in goodbye, summoning a few tasty gems she¡¯d gotten through her time in Cuba to give her good little boy a snack, and jumped on her ship to start the propellers.


    Snatching Mara away from Jack¡ªto her entertainment¡ªCahira summoned a table near the bow as the others broke away to talk amongst themselves.  Nemesis spent some time with Ward as she explained their previous experience with this type of quest with the Myth of Iara.


    The woman tied her lush, green hair into a braid while listening, only asking her to clarify a few points of interest until the end of her tale came, which didn¡¯t take long with how swiftly Mara comprehended the experience.


    ¡°Hmm.  It certainly sounds as if it was quite a trial, and without Rachel, none of you would be here.¡±


    ¡°Eh-hehe, yeah¡­  I be a tad bit nervous without the quick-witted boss on mi ship, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯re up to the task!  What be on yer mind?¡±


    Mara held her arm behind her back, looking into the open sea they were entering with Bonnet¡¯s ship tailing.  ¡°Feats of strength I don¡¯t think will be too concerning, but yes, Rachel¡¯s concern about our Seed level may be a concern; is that why you thought bringing Bonnet¡¯s crew would help to level things down a tad?¡±


    She blinked in response, making Mara sigh.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even consider that.  Did you?¡±


    ¡°Nope!  Haha!  I just knew that he had some connections we be needin¡¯.  So¡­¡±


    The woman¡¯s shimmering light-brown irises drifted to the dark ocean, a slight frown touching her plump lips.  ¡°Mmh¡­  There are a few possibilities that crossed my mind in your tale, and so far as I can tell, the trials were ¡®tailor-designed¡¯ to contend against those you had on your crew.  It wasn¡¯t just level, but type, and the interference by these demi-gods or¡­ a rabbit the color of Nia¡¯s hair?¡±


    ¡°Moongmor,¡± Cahira shrugged.


    ¡°As if that means something to me.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Uh, Selvaria likes to call the dancin¡¯ bunny Moon-Moon¡ªapparently.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±  Mara folded her arms as she turned to stare at the exact place Selvaria, Nemesis, Jack, and Galatea had converged near the stern.  ¡°Do you believe this Moon-Moon will interfere again?¡±


    ¡°Probably¡­ not, I think?¡±  Cahira puffed out a sigh, pondering it for a time.  ¡°I can¡¯t be sure, hmm, but I be believin¡¯ he be more attached ta Rach, if nothin¡¯ else¡ªseein¡¯ as he be a pet of that ol¡¯ Celtic Goddess Eostre.¡±


    ¡°It would seem that way¡­  We¡¯ll see how things compare as we go.  I think it¡¯s safe to assume our challenges will be more water-based, considering we have Selvaria and I, who can take on aquatic forms.  Nemesis, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, hehe, let¡¯s hope we don¡¯t meet somethin¡¯ as strong as yer man!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not my man,¡± Mara instantly shot back, giving her grin a dirty glare.


    ¡°Of course!  Of course!  Hmm-hmm.  Ya just love ta be his lil¡¯ songbird outta the warmth of yer bleedin¡¯ heart.  Makes sense ta me!¡±


    ¡°Humph.  Until I can get more information, I¡¯ll keep my speculation to myself.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Ms. Mossy!¡±


    Mara¡¯s vision somehow narrowed further.  ¡°You¡­ did not just call me that.¡±


    ¡°I think it fits ya pretty well!¡±  Cahira returned, eyeing her dress that highlighted her shapely figure before settling on her bound locks.  ¡°Hehe.  I heard ya got a tail, too, when ya get in the tub; I¡¯d like ta see a bit of tail miself if ya be willin¡¯ ta humor a sea lass!¡±


    A small smirk lifted her lips as Mara gave her a backward wave and walked away with a laugh.  ¡°Keep shooting your shot; I¡¯m sure it will land eventually.¡±


    ¡°Aww!  No fun.  Hehe.  I truly be wantin¡¯ ta see it!¡±


    She slowed to look back and wink.  ¡°Maybe you will one of these days.¡±


    Shaking her head, Cahira watched her go, and, before long, Jack took her place.


    With the taste of adventure on her tongue, Cahira smacked her hand against the wooden table with a beaming smile at the man¡¯s reflected face; naturally, the scallywag had shot his own bullet at the Myth that missed its mark.


    ¡°Alright, Jackie!  Let¡¯s see this map of yers!¡±


    ¡°Aye!  The winds be blowin¡¯ in our favor, Love,¡± he laughed; his map and letter emerged from green flames as he flaunted them at her.  ¡°Eh-heh, except the love part be hangin¡¯ low, eh?¡±


    ¡°Ya don¡¯t be alone in yer troubles, Jackie!  Want ta raise a bottle and drown our sorrows on the hope fer a nice body to share at the end of our tale?¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye!  Captain Firelocks!¡±


    She snatched the rolled-up papers out of the air at his toss, sending back a bottle of rum, and he popped the cork as she spread the parchment out, yet she didn¡¯t take the spirits back as the clouded portions of the blank map began to fill in.


    Cahira¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Jack¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh!  Now don¡¯t this be a twist¡ªa riddle be had, hmm?!¡±  He downed a mouth full of the fiery liquid.  ¡°What says the winds of the sea, Love?¡±


    The L on the parchment shimmered before words burned into the paper, thick mist rising out of the ocean to swallow them with Bonnet on their tail.  Yet, Cahira now realized something wrong was afoot as she read the note aloud, Selvaria and Galatea joining them as they entered the wall of fog.


    ¡°How can one find what cannot be found?  How can one fight what cannot be seen?  How can one kill what is already dead?  Earn a Legend¡¯s support to capture the Heart of Darkness and sail through the deepest of seas to reach Isla de Marda.  The Island of the Dead awaits your soul.¡±


    ¡°Spooky,¡± Selvaria grinned, stroking the back of her seal-baby, back in her animal form, but the girl¡¯s smile faded as she read their map¡¯s revealed destination.  ¡°Eh-huh¡ªwait, haven¡¯t we already been there?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡±  Jack whispered, stroking his braided beard while staring at the map in a knowing way.  ¡°Pirate¡¯s Cove¡­  Hehe.  Somethin¡¯ be tellin¡¯ me ya know far more than¡­  Woah!¡±


    Cahira stepped forward, pistol flaring to life in her hand as she grabbed the man¡¯s collar and brought the barrel to his throat.  ¡°What aren¡¯t ya tellin¡¯ me, Ward?  This be no coincidence!¡±


    The recollection of the island where she¡¯d obtained her Dragon Turtle and met a rather terrifying Pirate Lord fixated in her mind; they were en route to enter the secret base of the experienced criminals of the sea.


    ¡°Speak straight with me, Ward; what games ye be playin¡¯?¡±


    Mara and Nemesis strolled through the fog with curious looks, having no doubt heard the conversation with their excellent hearing, and Jack glanced between their suspicious glares with a forced smile.


    ¡°Hehe.  It seems mi suspicions be correct, Love.  Savvy?¡±


    Cahira grunted while shoving him back and returning to the map.  ¡°Bloody hell, Jack; what kind of devilish plot have ya entangled us in?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Selvaria mumbled, tail lifting to hold its bladed edge against the man¡¯s nervous throat.  ¡°Should I throw him overboard¡ªwalk the plank¡ªdo you have a plank?¡±


    A low chuckle came from Jack as he backed up a little for Selvaria¡¯s tail to follow the retreat.  ¡°I think ya be a tad too fixated on this here plank idea, Lass!¡±


    ¡°Well, we are pirates right now.¡±


    ¡°Mara?¡±  Nemesis asked, following her to the map as she crossed her arms under her bust.


    ¡°Hmm¡­  Would this be an extension to your previous quest, Cahira?¡±


    ¡°It certainly seems ta be that way,¡± Cahira growled, keeping her pistol on Ward¡¯s face.  ¡°No¡­ perhaps it be a branching connection?¡±


    Fingers sliding across the parchment with words, she sighed.  ¡°I believe I know what it be askin¡¯ us ta do, and¡­ how does this affect mi own follow-up Legend¡¯s Quest.  Hmm¡­  Look here, Mara.¡±


    She put away her gun now that Selvaria was keeping the pirate submissive, her seal taking on its Leviathan form to hiss in his ear, and summoned her own parchment to show the Myth.


    ¡°Ah¡­  You said the L was gold before?¡±


    ¡°It indeed was, but now, ya see its change?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.  Only a tad of red at the bottom, where your Legend¡¯s Quest L is totally red.  So¡­ Ward¡¯s quest was linked with your own, but only slightly; he was looking to have a larger reward than he could have had.¡±


    Jack tried to tilt Selvaria¡¯s tail away without success as she brought it closer at his touch.  ¡°Yikes!  Hehe.  Let¡¯s, uh, not overreact here!  I thought yer aid would strengthen mi standin¡¯, and I happen to have been right!  Treasures abound!  Don¡¯t it be a good thing we all be gettin¡¯ a little somethin¡¯ extra fer our troubles, hmm?  It don¡¯t think wanting the best for mi crew be a bad thing, Love!¡±


    ¡°Your crew¡­¡±  Cahira hissed, shaking her head as the fog lifted to show the island in the distance.  ¡°You used me to reach a checkpoint, Jack; a smart lad, yet stupid beyond belief.  Perhaps this will be skippin¡¯ a few steps and get us home quicker, yet mi gut tells me we have a storm awaiting us in the waters ahead.¡±


    ¡°Drink?¡±  Jack offered, holding out a bottle that Selvaria refused, but Cahira took it to lighten the edge.


    ¡°Haaa¡­  Jack, ya best be keepin¡¯ close to mi ass if ya want ta be makin¡¯ it outta this place in one piece.¡±


    Selvaria read the atmosphere and withdrew her tail.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry.  I¡¯ll eat anything that tries to eat us.¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡±  Nemesis¡¯ fist met his palm, causing a small shockwave.  ¡°The Island of the Dead?  I¡¯ve never fought the dead.¡±


    The Leviathan''s head tilted to the side, a small twist coming to her lips as she licked them.  ¡°Bones are nice and crunchy, and the marrow is actually pretty good.  Even if they can¡¯t die, they can¡¯t do much if they¡¯re little shards, boiling in my stomach acid.¡±


    Jack shot his hand in the air.  ¡°That¡¯s what I like ta hear, crew!  Oh, Cahira, do we have a tavern on this island?¡±


    ¡°There do be one, Jackie, hehe, but you and I, unfortunately, be needin¡¯ ta visit another place.¡±


    ¡°Right!  We got places to be, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Mara,¡± she grinned, summoning a bag full of tinkling gold and shaking it temptingly in front of the pirate before tossing it to the woman and asking, ¡°mind stockin¡¯ us up as we¡¯re occupied?¡±


    ¡°Sure.  Hmm.  What is this place like, Selvaria?¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up.  ¡°Oh.  Can Galatea and I get some food, too, Cahira¡ªNem-Nem, and Mara, too?¡±


    ¡°Knock yourselves out!¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±  she unemotionally cheered, lifting her hands up for the dragon seal to clap them.  ¡°Food!¡±


    Cahira eyed Jack as he laughed the tension off, and she had to wonder if someone had put him up to this; few knew how the System worked like Rachel, and this seemed like blatant exploitation by the man.


    Setting her ship on autopilot to the docks, Cahira grabbed Jack by the collar to her companions'' surprise, and dragged him inside.


    ¡°Woah, heh¡ªLove, eh¡­ at least buy a man a bottle o¡¯ spirits!  Aye?¡±


    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±


    Entering an empty cabin, she tossed him onto the bed to sit on the bunk across from it, leaning against her knees and folding her fingers under her chin.  ¡°If ya don¡¯t be straight with me, Jack, yer gonna be locked in here for the foreseeable future, and¡­ I can¡¯t be tellin¡¯ ya what happens ta the people in mi ship when I dismiss the vessel¡­  Savvy?¡±


    Jack straightened himself, eccentric demeanor tempering as he summoned a bottle to toss in her direction.  ¡°A desperate man does things he be wishin¡¯ he didn¡¯t, Love.¡±


    Catching it, Cahira popped the cork and extracted the paper, vision narrowing as she read its contents.


    Hello, Jack Ward.  I am sure you are in quite a troubled state after finding your precious Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge and crew vanished into thin air.  Where are they?  Safe, for now.  What must you do to recover your stolen treasure?  It¡¯s simple, really!


    Travel to Miami and convince Cahira, the Legend of Grace O¡¯Malley, to start the Legend¡¯s Quest you¡¯ve recently received from your heist of Blackbeard¡¯s vessel.


    That is all!  Start the quest, and enjoy the spoils and status earned; the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge will be in the Miami Bay when you return.


    Happy hunting, and welcome to the rank of Pirate Lord!


    Now, Cahira, I expect you to read this letter once Ward has completed his end of the bargain, and you are intelligent enough to see the results of a Pirate Lord Candidate that enters another pirate¡¯s Legend¡¯s Quest.  I am confident you would have heard of me by now, and I cannot wait to meet you in person.


    Parchment crinkling in her hands, Cahira let a hot stream of air pass through her teeth.  ¡°Mmh-hmm-hmm¡­  Zheng Yi Sao¡­ said to be the most successful female pirate in history, hmm?  Haaa¡­  Alright, Wardie.  How do I know ya ain¡¯t just spittin¡¯ shit?¡±


    He leaned back to stare up at the bunk with a dark frown.  ¡°I can¡¯t be provin¡¯ I didn¡¯t forge such a scheme, but it be the livin¡¯ truth.  Sao be a vicious woman, and word be she sails with the full weight of China at her stern¡­  I don¡¯t know how she caught wind where I stashed mi prize¡ªit be possible a traitor be on mi small crew¡ªthat be mi own trouble, though.¡±


    Cahira¡¯s focus wandered back to the letter.  ¡°Heh.  Bonnet doesn¡¯t know you don¡¯t have the Queen Anne?¡±


    ¡°The sod doesn¡¯t know a stern from a bow, Love.¡±


    ¡°Haha!  I don¡¯t doubt you on that, Ward¡­  Fine.  Quit givin¡¯ mi ship that puppy-dog stare¡ªyou¡¯ll make ¡®im blush¡ªHaaa¡­¡±


    She gave the man a wry smirk as he grinned and sat up.


    ¡°I can quiver mi lip if it makes ya feel something special, Mi Queenly Rose!¡±


    ¡°Follow mi lead, Jackie¡­  This don¡¯t be a place to be foolin¡¯ around.¡±


    Taking off his hat to bow to her in a somewhat playful, mocking gesture, he cried, ¡°Aye, aye, Cap¡¯in!¡±


    Throwing a pillow at his laughing face, Cahira rose to her feet and exited the cabin, Mara, Nemesis, Selvaria, and Galatea outside.  ¡°We be reachin¡¯ shore!  Can ya show our new crew around the place, Selv?¡±


    Her tail swung up in a salute.  ¡°Aye, aye.  And food!  Lots of food.¡±


    ¡°Ehhh¡­¡±  Cahira summoned a second bag of gold and tossed it to her.  ¡°Figure ya might need a little extra?¡±


    Galatea nodded hastily as Selvaria held out her other free hand, making Cahira laugh and throw her another.  ¡°Don¡¯t go spendin¡¯ it all in one place, and we be shovin¡¯ off within the next few hours, mi glutinous beasties!¡±


    ¡°Arrr!¡±  Selvaria responded, holding up her clinking bags in bliss.  ¡°To the foodery, ye scallywags.¡±


    Mara and Nemesis followed after her in utter confusion at the made-up word, English not being their first language.


    ¡°Foodery¡­  Are you talking about a bar?¡±


    ¡°I could go for some alcohol,¡± Nemesis returned.


    ¡°The foodery awaits, scum of the seas!¡±  Selvaria repeated, directing them down the hall like a staff sergeant.  ¡°Food!¡±


    Cahira giggled, motioning for Jack to join her.  ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s go meet a retired Pirate Legend¡­¡±


    She shivered at just the thought of her previous encounter with the old, devilish-eyed lord of the sea in the run-down bar at the edge of town.


    ¡°Raguna should be waiting with a bottle of the worst spirits ye ¡®er damn had the displeasure of touchin¡¯ yer lips¡ªya best drink all of it, Jackie¡ªwe be in his part of the sea, and ya not be wantin¡¯ ta disrespectin¡¯ a¡­ creature like ¡®im.¡±


    ¡°Oh, joy¡­  How bad can it be?¡±


    ¡°Heh.  You¡¯ll taste it yourself soon enough, and Bonnet can be the ¡®gentlemen¡¯ he is and take mine!  Haha!¡±


    ¡°Cheers ta that!¡±  Ward laughed, taking a swig of the already open bottle she offered him.  ¡°Rum be rum, no matter the bottle!¡±


    Cahira exited her already docked ship, Selvaria leading Nemesis and Mara down the dock with many pirates coming and going; Bonnet was just making it into the port, the well-dressed man wearing a new suit jacket after Nemesis had ruined his last.


    A nervous jitter touched Cahira¡¯s tight stomach as she collected the man and made her way up the streets to both pirates¡¯ fascination at the port town.  Will Raguna bring up the quest he¡¯s already given me?  If I have to complete the next one without Rachel and the rest of the crew¡­  We could really be in trouble.


    Vision lifting to the shabby establishment as they neared sooner than expected, Cahira took a deep breath and held it for a second before easing it out.


    A lot had changed since she¡¯d left this bar, and perhaps Rachel¡¯s warning about leaving Zippy behind had been the right choice; his presence alone might have sparked something far greater, which could have been Zheng Yi Sao plan, wanting to test what came next.


    The door squeaked in the silent part of town as she led the way into the bar.


    I bet the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge won¡¯t be the only thing waiting for us when we finish.  Still, what an adventure this will be!


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 12. Legends Meet

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Cahira (Our Thirsty Pirate Queen!)


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    Entering the half-broken-down shack, Cahira noticed it hadn¡¯t seemed to have changed much since her last visit; she reflexively swallowed with the same heart-pounding sensation she¡¯d felt when meeting Raguna the first time.


    Fingers balling into a fist, her pulse quickened as she saw three people gracing the obscure establishment; the tall, black-haired man made her heart stop and armpits sweat.


    No way¡­


    Clearing her throat, she glanced at the two pirates with her and muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, boys.¡±


    They nodded after hearing the guarded note in her voice, and Cahira added a bit of pep to it as she waved at the barkeep¡¯s wry smirk in her direction; he knew what was up.


    ¡°Gennaro!  How ya been, mi good man?¡±  she asked, ignoring their guest as best she could.


    ¡°If it don¡¯t be the pretty lil¡¯ Pirate Queen herself, Boss; ya came at the perfect time!  Hehe.¡±


    Jack¡¯s smile became strained as the two men shifted in their seats, and Cahira confirmed her fears as the guest rose to his feet in a cold rage.


    ¡°Ward¡­¡±


    ¡°Teach!¡±  Jack paused mid-step, no doubt wondering if he should flip around and flee.  ¡°Hehe¡­ fancy seein¡¯ ya here.¡±


    Shit.


    Nearly 2-meters tall with muscles flexing under his leather coat, likely made from something he¡¯d killed himself, the man¡¯s grizzled beard was braided and hung down to his chest.  His intense blue eyes hounded the thief, yet the tense atmosphere only pressurized as the retired pirate legend threw his arm behind his chair to appraise them.


    ¡°Ah, be knowin¡¯ each other, fellas?  Hehe.  Good.  Good.  Come¡­ sit with Raguna¡ªthere be no bloodshed in a sacred place such as this, Teach.¡±


    Cahira focused on Gennaro¡¯s entertained expression while cleaning a dirty glass.  ¡°Heh-hehe.  Well, isn¡¯t this a meeting, Raguna?  Comin¡¯, Jackie, Bonnet?  We don¡¯t be wantin¡¯ ta be rude.¡±


    Bonnet moved to put a hand on Ward¡¯s shoulder, trapping him inside and now probably feeling like he had the upper hand.  ¡°Hmm.  Won¡¯t this be interesting?  Of all the seas, Blackbeard, how did you end up here?¡±


    Cahira had already walked over to sit at the table, throwing her weight into the chair beside Raguna.  She held her hands behind her head while appraising the hostile Pirate Legend, as he reluctantly did the same, showing how frightening this shabby, old entity next to her was to temper someone like Edward D. Teach.


    ¡°You¡¯re a lucky man, Jack¡­  Where is my ship?¡±  Blackbeard evenly demanded, not needing to raise his voice to deliver the weight of his words.


    Jack reluctantly took the opposite side of the man¡ªhe clearly wanted to leave¡ªand Bonnet used the chair between the two to face Raguna, enjoying Ward¡¯s squirms.


    ¡°You know it wasn¡¯t personal, Teach!  Heh.  Ya just were the best target givin¡¯ the circumstances¡ªI didn¡¯t have a choice, man¡ªtry to understand mi position.¡±


    Cahira found opportunity rising in the dispelling atmosphere; it would take someone like Raguna to create a neutral ground for the pair.  Her casual posture drew the furious Legend¡¯s attention as she jumped into the conversation; Bonnet enjoying the simmering heat under Ward¡¯s ass that made him fidget.


    ¡°There be some¡­ complications, Teach; why don¡¯t ya be showin¡¯ him the letter, Ward?¡±


    Raguna lifted his fingers to snap them at the bartender, signaling him to bring them booze¡ªlikely life-saving rum¡ªand she was a bit surprised when he selected one of the better bottles.  The elder apparently wanted to see how things played out, returning to his more shabby disguise.


    ¡°Ugh¡­  Just so ya know,¡± he mumbled, summoning the article to toss to the intimidating pirate, ¡°mi initiative Legend¡¯s Quest requirements were ta steal a famous vessel¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t respect a reputation such as yours?¡±


    Blackbeard ignored his excuses as he took the letter, Bonnet unsuccessfully tried to sneak a peek, and Teach¡¯s fingers bit into the paper after scanning down the content.


    ¡°Mmgm¡­  Zheng Yi Sao stole my ship from you¡­ when?¡±


    Bonnet stiffened.  ¡°What¡ªyou don¡¯t have the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge, Jack?¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    He flinched as Blackbeard didn¡¯t even look at him while speaking.


    ¡°Aye,¡± Ward grumbled, picking at his left ear to distract himself.  ¡°Mi prize was captured with mi crew shortly after gainin¡¯ the Queen Anne, and I¡¯ve been searchin¡¯ for a time ta get the Firehaired Queen here in mi pocket ta get ¡®er back.¡±


    Black flames engulfed the parchment, Blackbeard storing the item no doubt for later as he sat back to study her.  ¡°Hmm¡­  What¡¯s your connection to Ward, Cahira?¡±


    Knowing she needed to play her cards right, she kept her focus away from Bonnet; things could get sticky if he tried to leverage Sadie¡¯s visit.  Of course, he didn¡¯t know the details of her reason for wanting to meet her, which meant she had to keep things vague to not land the girl in hot water.


    Teach had a massive fleet of eager youngster Demi willing to point their guns at anything that went against their idol, and while Kidd could handle that heat, Sadie couldn¡¯t afford a spotlight like that in her neutral status and trade.


    ¡°Call it curiosity, and I be hearin¡¯ many a thing from birds across the seven seas regardin¡¯ yer exploits¡­  Includin¡¯ the talk of this here Legendary gatherin¡¯ ya be settin¡¯ up fer many of the major factions.  Ya be wantin¡¯ Mythic¡¯s help, hmm?  Hehe.  Ya know we be walkin¡¯ a delicate line, mi man, and ya be makin¡¯... unsavory waves?¡±


    Blackbeard¡¯s temper simmered as they continued, and he relaxed in his chair to cup his chin, index knuckle pressing against his nose.  ¡°Levels and treasure aren¡¯t cheap, and sanctioned raids, such as your Cuba venture, are few and far between.


    ¡°Speakin¡¯ of a thin line, I¡¯ve heard of your¡­ extensive connections and exploits¡ªthe lads be callin¡¯ ya the Fire Goddess of the Sea, and the news from Cuba shows yer not one to pull punches¡­¡±  he trailed off, mirroring Cahira, much to her amusement.


    She chuckled to herself as Jack sighed, Bonnet¡¯s sharp eyes darted between them, muttering, ¡°What is this, Teach; a gathering?¡±


    A wry smirk lifted Blackbeard¡¯s mouth while appraising the man.  ¡°You can always buy your way in, Bonnet¡­  If ya have the booty.  Maybe you can get the U.K. to finance ya to hear what I have planned?  I¡¯m sure MI6 would love to employ someone of your Legend.¡±


    It was a mild insult, but Bonnet didn¡¯t seem to mind; the well-dressed pirate sat back, folding his fingers in his lap.  ¡°And the price would be the same as others?¡±


    Cahira snickered.  ¡°Don¡¯t be foolin¡¯ yerself, Stede; ya don¡¯t got the weight ta be throwin¡¯, so ya best be usin¡¯ this opportunity I¡¯ve given ya to build yerself up instead of flappin¡¯ yer gums¡ªsome good crew members ya could hire here¡ªif ya got the bounty.¡±


    Jack slapped him on the back with a laugh.  ¡°In short, be careful where ya spend your fortune, Man!¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡±


    Blackbeard ignored the man after that, but Cahira knew they¡¯d have their own private dealings after this; such was the way of the pirate.  ¡°Back on topic¡­  Jack, do ya think you can outrun me forever?  I¡¯ll offer a one-time deal¡­  Ya listening?¡±  he questioned, gaze telling Ward he had no choice in the matter.


    ¡°Aye!  Mi purpose was always ta return yer sweet Annie to ya.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure¡­¡±  Blackbeard puffed out a long breath, free hand tapping the table as his gaze shifted between Cahira and Raguna with a suspicious gleam.  ¡°I can make my own idea as to ya having already made it to this island, and I¡¯d love the details of that tale, but unfortunately, I¡¯m a very busy man.


    ¡°If you can lay claim to a Pirate Lord¡¯s token of your own Jack¡­ and return the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge to sail under my banner¡ªeven for just for what I have planned¡ªall grudges return to Davy Jones¡¯ Locker.¡±


    Cahira didn¡¯t allow her frown to show as Jack grinned, throwing his hands wide as Gennaro brought each of them a carefully selected bottle on a tray.


    ¡°We sail as one, Brother!¡±


    Bonnet wanted the same deal by the greed in his eyes, but Cahira was leery of the hidden message in that statement; she shifted her bottle around to stare at the label, a fire-haired lass smiling at her¡ªFire Queen¡¯s Brandy.


    So, Blackbeard needs us to have the Pirate Lord¡¯s token, which is likely what he and his crew are currently on; they¡¯re probably in the cave after completing their own challenging Legend¡¯s Quest to reach this point.


    She silently glanced between the two Legends, Jack laughing while recounting the story that would be sung from the events that transpired¡ªenemies turned brother¡ªyet this was far from the end of that tale.


    Peace until Ward¡¯s aid is no longer required, then¡­ Davy Jones¡¯ Locker is where their grudges will end.


    The retired pirate legend chuckled, deep-set red eyes illuminating while leaning forward to rub his unlabeled bottle.  ¡°Ol¡¯ Raguna be keepin¡¯ an eye on yer fates¡­  Now, if ya would be so kind as to leave, Teach; ya already be hearin¡¯ Raguna¡¯s advice in yer troubles.¡±


    Blackbeard¡¯s expression brightened as he stood, holding out his hand to shake the elder¡¯s firm grip.  ¡°It¡¯s been my pleasure, and I look forward to seeing you on the seas again, Old Man.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe.¡±


    Teach shot one more enigmatic look at her, tilted his hat, and went to the door; he paused for a moment, head shifting to look at Bonnet.  ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I was busy, man?¡±


    ¡°Right!  My apologies, Queen Cahira¡­ Ward, I won¡¯t be absent long.¡±


    Rising to his feet, likely feeling foolish after chasing Jack for over a week when he didn¡¯t even have the prize he sought¡ªanother testament to his status as a try-hard pirate that never got anywhere¡ªyet he struggled to change his fate nonetheless.


    When they were alone together, Cahira popped the cork on her bottle and took a swig¡ªit brought back memories of her previous visit, if a tad bit milder¡ªfire burning her throat, yet she could feel power swelling within her breast.


    ¡°Ack¡­ heh¡ªthe good stuff, hmm?¡±


    Jack¡¯s smile fell with a growl.  ¡°The sodden lout¡­  What be your thoughts, Raguna?¡±


    The man¡¯s sharpening demeanor left a buzz in the atmosphere.  ¡°Raguna thinks you should be careful who you make an enemy, lad¡­  Dark clouds follow yer soul¡ªthe gods have it out for ya, Jack¡ªbest be cautious.


    ¡°Now,¡± he grinned, red eyes appraising her curves, ¡°what brings mi shapely young Pirate Queen ta Raguna¡¯s humble isles¡ªya must have gottin¡¯ mi message?¡±


    Cahira took two more swigs of her bottle, noticing the lump that fell down Ward¡¯s throat.  ¡°Haaa¡­  I didn¡¯t intend ta stop by¡ªas painful as that may be ta hear¡ªit be the truth.¡±


    ¡°Haha.  Raguna be havin¡¯ a sharp eye, and yer wee Gem Crusher be not in mi waters, so it would seem¡­  Ya here to help this poor soul complete his mission, no doubt, but what does this have to do with Raguna¡­  Ya don¡¯t be expectin¡¯ a man of mi age ta be sailin¡¯ out fer glory?¡±


    Jack forced a chuckle, summoning his Legend¡¯s Quest to toss across the table at the man.  ¡°We be lookin¡¯ fer a means to find somethin¡¯ that can¡¯t be found!¡±


    ¡°A many a thing can¡¯t be found by yer typical¡­¡±


    The crimson-eyed elder trailed off, Cahira¡¯s gut swirling as the fathomless void in front of her drew in the light around the room, vision fixating on Ward¡¯s petrified posture.


    ¡°Ya be seekin¡¯ Raguna¡¯s most valuable treasure, boy¡­  Bold¡­ and foolish of ya ta be seekin¡¯ what just returned to mi hoard.  Hmm-hmm, but ya don¡¯t be comin¡¯ empty-handed¡­¡±


    His dark presence and flaming irises shifted to her, and Cahira could figure out what was coming next¡ªearn the support of a Legend to capture the Heart of Darkness; Raguna had taken a shine to her¡ªgathering her courage, she met his searing gaze.


    ¡°Fine, dammit!  I¡¯ll take up yer quest, Raguna¡­ tit for tat; I¡¯ll save yer pretty Lefay from this Great Deep and return yer map when done.¡±


    ¡°Ah-haha!¡±  Flashing his teeth, many missing from adventures past, Raguna summoned his map to hand to her.  ¡°And be sure ta return with a bottle o¡¯ song from the finned lasses; ol¡¯ Raguna be needin¡¯ somethin¡¯ ta put himself inta The Dream!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see ya sleepin¡¯ soon¡­¡±


    She took the map, looking down at it with a deep frown; Rachel would probably be pissed she¡¯d agreed to it, but, in a way, Raguna had forced her into this from the start, and she wondered if he was the fashioner of these Pirate Legend Quests, to begin with.


    This better be worth it, Ward¡­  You don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve entangled me in.


    Jack swallowed, the fear the man invoked dissipating with his laughter as he took a drink from his obsidian bottle.


    ¡°Good!  Good!  A celebration ta be had on yer return!¡±


    ¡°Eh-hehe,¡± Ward interjected, feeling the spirit of adventure rising within him, but Cahira was more concerned about her promise to clash with the Eldritch.  ¡°What can ya tell us about Isla de Marda?¡±


    Raguna sat back and stroked his wild beard, vision still on her with that knowing, predatory gleam that showed the shadow of the devilish fiend underneath.  ¡°There be many paths ta the infamous Island of the Dead if ya know the seas, Lad, but Raguna¡­  Raguna would take the Rok¡¯s Tempest route.¡±


    Cahira hissed out a long stream of air; naturally, he¡¯d be putting her on the most challenging path.  ¡°What secret be hidin¡¯ in this predator-filled storm, I wonder?  Mi crew already fought a tempest of such creatures in our first voyage.¡±


    ¡°Mmh-hmm-hmm.¡±  He gave her a sly grin.  ¡°Ya may find somethin¡¯ lost within that not be belongin¡¯, and it be best to save ¡®er before Davy Jones finds the lass ta make a prize of her skull.  She may be of help ta ya in the future, mi Fiery Queen, and a friend ya have ta offer the help she be needin¡¯.¡±


    An escort mission¡­ at the start?!  And Davy Jones is real, eh?  Ominous revelation, but I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised, Raguna¡­ after you set up this meeting between Jack, Teach, and I.


    Knowing it would be the best option and probably the hardest, Cahira got up to stretch out her back.  ¡°Ugh¡­  Why do I be feelin¡¯ this be helpin¡¯ ya more than me, Raguna?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  What greater tragedy be there than a lost child¡ªrejected and cursed by the gods, and thrown to be a sacrifice ta the deep by her lover¡­ lost in a world unknown, with no hope of rescue nor return.  Does Raguna not know the heart of a queen?¡±


    Cahira¡¯s lips tightened, narrowed vision lingering on the table in front of her as she thought about her life before becoming the gorgeous redhead she now enjoyed, and her focus drifted to the darkness gathering around the dangerous pirate elder.


    What do you see in me with those flaming eyes?


    ¡°Hmm¡­  We be off, Jack!¡±


    ¡°Adventure!  Eh¡­ yer spirit seem ta be down, Love?¡±


    She slapped his shoulder with a light glare that made him force a chuckle.  ¡°And why, pray tell, do ya think that be, ya fool?  All ya seem ta do is be bringin¡¯ me trouble¡ªand not the pleasurable kind!¡±


    Raguna laughed as they moved to the exit, parting words making them pause.  ¡°Mi aged mind may be gettin¡¯ the best of me, but I recall a dark secret below that isle of death¡­  Careful, Love; even your fine crew may have trouble with what ya might find, but it be sweeter than fruit after a month at sea¡­¡±


    You couldn¡¯t help yourself¡­  Cahira growled, grabbing Jack¡¯s shoulder and marching him out with the bartender and elder¡¯s snickers.


    ¡°Ooh, a secret!¡±


    Cahira¡¯s fingers closed into a fist before jabbing the man in the side.


    ¡°Ack!  What be the trouble, Love?  Yer luck, heh, be as legendary as they say!¡±


    ¡°Idiot!¡± she snarled, crossing her arms.  ¡°Yer ungodly misfortune be draggin¡¯ me ta hell, Jack!  Ya got no idea what those words mean¡ªtrouble for mi crew¡ªmi crew, Ward¡­  Not a part, mi full bleedin¡¯ crew.  We best be hopin¡¯ there be somethin¡¯ ta help balance the scales, or we ain¡¯t goin¡¯ near that secret.  Savvy?!¡±


    ¡°Aye¡­  Aye.  Eh¡­ whatever ya need, hehe, Jackie be here for ya; so, what¡¯s the plan, Boss?¡±


    ¡°Haaa¡­  This was supposed ta be a simple Low-tier Legends Quest, yet the difficulty be rampin¡¯ up every meetin¡¯; ya best put on yer big-boy pants, Jackie,¡± she growled, marching toward the main pub they¡¯d likely find the gang at.  ¡°We may actually be needin¡¯ all hands on deck.¡±


    She marched to the bar, finding Bonnet sitting in a chair at what seemed like as fine of a restaurant as you could get on the pirate¡¯s paradise, deep in thought.


    Calling him to join her, they found Selvaria stuffing her face with the other two Mythickin; Mara was as hardy as the rest, but, naturally, no one could match the Leviathan.  However, her seal appeared to have gotten a similar appetite as the voluptuous Mythickin, fully charged on water.


    Retreating to a private room, she explained the clouds looming over their heads and finished gathering supplies; Selvaria was firm on completing it at ¡®any cost¡¯ before the three-day deadline when her mother would arrive in Miami.  Still, she was eager to level and eat new prey¡ªplus, she wanted a unique treasure of her own like Maria and Rachel.


    If they could all get back in one piece, Cahira would be glad; more and more, she couldn¡¯t help but wish she had more hands on deck.  Once back on the ship, Mara found her at the bow, everyone else taking the items they¡¯d bought into the hull after depositing them on the deck.


    The moss-haired woman held her elbow, a slight frown on her full lips as she surveyed the open sea they were moving into; Blackbeard appeared to have left before they could see what ship he¡¯d brought.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had time to ponder the information you gave us, and a thought came to me.¡±


    Cahira puffed out a long sigh, pressure only building in her chest.  ¡°Tell me it¡¯s good news?¡±


    ¡°I suppose it is¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank the sea!¡±


    Mara didn¡¯t divulge her thoughts for a time, more than likely working over the data¡ªshe didn¡¯t have Rachel¡¯s insanely fast mental state, after all¡ªand nodded.  ¡°I don¡¯t think this hidden area is as hard as you believe.¡±


    ¡°Can I be so lucky?¡±  Cahira questioned, hoping the woman was right.


    ¡°If everyone was here, then it would ramp up a ton; so far, I think each phase of our journey contributes to the next difficulty; there are multiple routes we can take, meaning there will be different results in how things change toward the end.


    ¡°So¡­  If we find someone new to join us while inside the Legend¡¯s Quest, their addition won¡¯t be counted until the next trial, and if that¡¯s the case, we should try to prolong this Rok¡¯s Tempest until we get to the island and bypass any kind of ¡®bonus level¡¯ for competing it too quickly.¡±


    Cahira¡¯s tension eased.  ¡°Haaa-haha¡­  Rach letting me know ya got a mind on ya and ta listen to ya certainly makes me feel better.  Somehow the bloody Lunar Hare always finds the route to win, and havin¡¯ a stand-in helps the team a lot, I¡¯d say.¡±


    Mara giggled, pulling around her braided hair to play with the end as she studied the sea on their massive war vessel.  ¡°I¡¯ll say I think Rachel is far ahead of me in many ways after hearing everything she planned and adapted to in Cuba, but she certainly has a way of pulling interesting parties together.¡±


    ¡°That she does!  Hmm¡­  What about this lass we¡¯re supposed to save?¡±


    Silence took them for several minutes as the Mythickin considered the question, and Cahira sighed as she had to slow her vessel down for Bonnet to keep pace; if she didn¡¯t want to impress Rachel by using him, she¡¯d have told him to take a hike long ago, but she had to pull her own weight, too.


    After pondering the options, Mara shook her head.  ¡°Someone the gods hate and who was used as bait by her lover?  I have no idea, but it implies this lover was a pirate of sorts or found her inside his adventures before abandoning her, and¡­ that she is surviving in this imaginary world¡ªor whatever this place is¡ªspeaks to her power, yet obviously, her luck is coming to an end.¡±


    ¡°Until ol¡¯ Grace O¡¯Malley swoops in ta¡¯ save the day!  Haha-haaa¡­¡±


    A twinkle came to Mara¡¯s shimmering brown irises.  ¡°The real question is why this legendary old Pirate Lord cares for her rescue¡­ and a few answers come to mind¡ªmany of which might overlap.¡±


    ¡°Oh!  Spill,¡± Cahira grinned, rubbing her arms as the breeze chilled, indicating a coming storm; she¡¯d been following the map to the location it showed for Rok¡¯s Tempest.  ¡°What are Raguna¡¯s secrets?!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s much of a secret,¡± she mused, eyeing Cahira¡¯s curves.  ¡°By the way you described things, he¡¯s certainly smitten by you, despite his status, and he has a similar temperament for a pretty face.¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡ªguilty as charged!  Speaking of¡­¡±


    Mara caught her wandering eyes.  ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No fun¡­¡±


    ¡°As to Raguna, hmm¡­  I think this ¡®Davy Jones¡¯ may be a sort of ¡®force of nature¡¯ in this world from your explanation.¡±


    Cahira ran her fingers through her flowing locks.  ¡°Mmh¡­  I can see that.  If ya be tryin¡¯ ta play the system¡ªlinger too long, and¡­ the bringer of death ¡®imself appears, eh¡ªa reaper ta collect?¡±


    ¡°Something like that, and I¡¯d be careful about these ¡®gods¡¯ interfering.  Moongmor may have been with Rachel, providing his own form of protection, but I wouldn¡¯t count on that this time around¡­¡±


    ¡°Aye, and if these gods have it out for this lass, and Jack, curse his luck¡­  We best be on our guard.¡±


    Cahira began to feel the pulse of adventure again after the woman¡¯s hopeful outlook, and the wind picked up, thunder and lightning appearing in the distance as it moved swiftly toward them.


    Selvaria soon joined her with her pet, and Cahira had to do a double-take as she saw the girl hop up on the bow.


    Her head held high and glaring at the approaching omen, somehow obtaining an oversized trench coat on her shopping spree that was blowing back in the increasing gale, with her little Seal-Leviathan floating beside her, she put her hands on her hips with a sigh.


    ¡°Aww, shit.  Here we go again.¡±


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 B5 — 13. Relica’s Envy

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Selvaria (Our Cosplaying Leviathan!)


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    Illuminated teal-blue irises appraising the raging storm, ominous clouds, and flashing lightning in the distance, Selvaria balanced on the Dreadnought¡¯s bow with Galatea beside her.  The open trench coat she¡¯d bought at the island blew back in the increasing gale, yet she wasn¡¯t moved by such trivial things as the weather.


    ¡°Onwards, to the next challenge, Second Lieutenant Galatea,¡± she slowly chuckled, hearing her baby leviathan-seal¡¯s telepathic voice roar with vigor.


    ¡°To battle, First Lieutenant Mama!  Arg!  Our battle against the fishy fishes continues.¡±


    ¡°It does indeed, Lieutenant.  Keep your senses about you; I smell dark clouds ahead.¡±


    Galatea paused, working through her words with a few blinks.  ¡°Hmm.  Smell dark clouds?  I see them¡ªwith the flashy-flashy booms¡ªI¡¯m not scared!  It should run from the Grand Fleet of the¡ªoh, is it time to go, Mama?¡±


    They turned to see Cahira motion at Nemesis, Jack, and Mara, shouting, ¡°Prepare for battle, mi fair-faced crew!  Jackie, I be on the guns, so I be needin¡¯ a helmsman.¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye, Love!¡±  He gave her a salute, half-smile, and wink.  ¡°Strap in fer a rough ride, mi ladies, but I think ya may enjoy such a treat!  Eh, mi beasties?  Hehe.¡±


    ¡°Shut yer pipe!¡±  Cahira laughed, summoning a bottle to throw at him.


    ¡°Ooh!¡±  He caught it and popped it open to take a swig before racing off in his funny, wobbly jog.  ¡°Always with the gifts, Mi Queen!¡±


    Selvaria sighed as his other hand waved the woman¡¯s panties she¡¯d given him previously.  Cahira¡¯s such a pervert.


    Mara shifted to the railing with a wry smirk.  ¡°I¡¯m guessing Nemesis covers you with his ¡®large¡¯ muscles while Selvaria and I¡ª¡±


    Cahira stumbled to the side as the rising waves and wind tilted the ship a little, carrying her right into Nemesis¡¯ hands.  ¡°Hehe¡ªwhoops!  Thank ya, Nemmy.¡±


    Mara¡¯s eyebrows raised as she finished her thoughts, ¡°¡­oh, really now¡­¡±


    Selvaria rolled her eyes; the woman was hopeless.  ¡°Let¡¯s go, Galatea.¡±


    ¡°Carnage!  Blood!  Fishy meat!¡±


    Selvaria tossed her coat onto the deck in a dramatic fashion and turned around to give the others a short wave; leaning back to slide down the outer hull, allowing the turbulent winds to be replaced by sea as her tail propelled her into the deep, activating her Leviathan State.


    She spun in a circle with the ships above appearing to shrink with her growth, and she giggled at her little sea dragon frantically weaving her body to keep up, yet a pulse and rumble caused her to pause¡ªa crying girl.


    Selvaria frowned as she felt something nearly as large as her far ahead in the murky, storming sea, yet there was a pulse from those noises that twisted her stomach, telling her to be cautious.


    ¡°Mama?¡±


    Scanning the large fish fleeing toward them, she had flashbacks of their first Legend¡¯s Quest and the huge crustacean jellyfish that had almost killed her; it was because of that fight that she¡¯d been able to take the Hydra venom¡ªwith her far higher level advantage, no doubt.


    ¡°Stay close to the ship,¡± she growled, deciding to push on ahead; the sea life didn¡¯t feel dangerous, but that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t for her little seal pup.  ¡°If you know you can¡¯t fight something, run up to Nemesis.¡±


    ¡°Okay, First Lieutenant Mama, I hope the slaughter fills your belly!  And, umm¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Yup.  I¡¯ll bring you back a treat.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    Increasing her pace, she weaved through the building tide toward the danger ahead, noticing hundreds of smaller predators rising out of the seemingly bottomless depths; they were fixated on the blood Selvaria smelled.


    Don¡¯t worry, Lady, I¡¯m coming!


    Breathing in deeply, she released a low rumble through the waters.  ¡°Just hold on a little¡ª¡±


    Her words caught in her throat as the blurred mass in front of her cleared with over a thousand oversized great white sharks, acting in unison to swarm a mass of flesh, tentacles, and bone-like draconic heads.


    Black blood oozed out of small rips in her thick hide¡ªat least, Selvaria assumed she was a girl by her voice¡ªbut she couldn¡¯t be positive as the titanic, writhing horror battled the massive black eagles overhead and swarming sharks below.


    Twelve tentacle-like legs wrapped the monsters into a death grip, crushing or swatting them away; the creature didn¡¯t seem to know whether it wanted suction cups or jagged spikes on each as some cleaved through whatever they came into contact with.


    A long, furry appendage¡ªlike a cat¡¯s tail¡ªraged above with the six dragon heads, snatching birds out of the air to swallow, and from what Selvaria could tell, she healed by consuming.


    If all of that weren¡¯t enough to put a shiver through Selvaria¡¯s petrified mind at the amalgamation, wolf-like tumors grew out of the mass, snarling and snapping at anything that came by, yet even those weren¡¯t the crowning piece that made the Leviathan stop in her tracks.


    Screaming at the top of her lungs, a bald, grotesque face with hollow, black pits for eyes with a tiny, red, inner glow darted around the fleshy lump as if not even attached; ghastly jaws spread wide, its red tongue slithered like a snake with the bloody tears running down her body.


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    Selvaria instantly did a one-eighty and rocketed back to the Dreadnought; sharks were now circling it¡ªMara was keeping a sonic barrier in place¡ªyet upon her approach, the mossy-haired mermaid froze in her song and scrambled to the side of the ship as Selvaria shot out of the water as if going to body slam the vessel.


    Shrinking to her normal size, she landed on the deck with a loud, resounding thump with the cry of the birds and roaring monsters in the distance, veiled by the curtain of rain.


    ¡°What the¡ªSelv¡ªwoah?!¡±


    The wave she brought engulfed them, tilting the massive warship to the side as Jack tried to fight the rapid current; Nemesis swiftly snatched the Pirate Queen out of the torrent as she failed to hold tight to the rope she¡¯d summoned.


    Once the rush passed, Nemesis sat the shaking woman down, coughing and sputtering.  ¡°T-The hell, Selvaria?!¡±


    Jack¡¯s choked voice came through the speakers.  ¡°Best be holdin¡¯ tight, loves¡­ it be rainin¡¯ monster ladies.¡±


    ¡°Nope!  No!  No!  NO!¡±  she flatly refused, circling her hand in the air.  ¡°Around¡ªturn around¡ªwe¡¯re going back home.¡±


    ¡°What did¡ªdid you see ahead?¡±  Mara asked, using the wave she¡¯d caused to make it to the deck; Selvaria was happy to see her baby seal in her arms.


    ¡°An Eldritch thing that no one should see!  It¡¯s as big as me, and I¡¯d rather see Hell than that thing again¡ªJack¡ªretreat!¡±


    Nemesis chuckled.  ¡°Now I really want to see this Eldritch thing; I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d fight the creatures so early.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Mara growled, crossing her arms under her exposed breast as she glared at her.  ¡°She¡¯s saying it¡¯s ¡®Eldritch-like,¡¯ but I don¡¯t believe we can escape these Legend Quests, or at least as I understand them.¡±


    Cahira breathed out slowly, looking up at the shower that blanketed them; all of the cannons on her ship swiveled to the approaching Rocs.  ¡°We¡­ can¡¯t leave, Selvaria.  You¡¯re a freakin¡¯ Leviathan!  How can you¡ªack¡­ be scared of something like that?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see it!¡±  She shot back.  ¡°It¡¯s¡ªeww¡­ wiggly movements¡ªand its head!¡±


    The Pirate Queen sighed, her jaw tightening.  ¡°I told you, Selvaira, we need to befriend and rescue some lass that be in trouble; seems we found ¡®er, huh?¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s gaze went to her baby seal, pulling in her lower lip as the cute thing gave her a big-eyed stare.  ¡°Are you scared of the big, crying monster lady? She sounds sad.¡±


    Gut tightening at the question, she tried to gather her courage; she hated playing games with unnecessarily ugly and horrifying monsters.  How she ended up as a Leviathan and not a fantastical, pretty android woman was beyond her.


    ¡°Ugh¡­  Mmgm!¡±  Scratching her head, she felt the agitation with how everyone was looking at her.  ¡°Fine¡ªI¡¯ll talk to her, but¡­ you guys will totally agree with me when you see her.  Wait¡­¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s eyes lit up as a thought crossed her mind while recalling the backstory Cahira told her; this woman had been turned into a monster and abandoned by her lover.  She was the frog and the prince story, but she was supposed to be the prince¡ªnot that she¡¯d be kissing that thing¡ªnever in a thousand-million years.


    Jogging to the side of the rocking boat while smiling, she jumped over the side again.  ¡°Oh!  I have an idea; I¡¯m going to go talk to her¡­¡±


    Cahira threw up both hands with an expression that asked: what are you doing?


    Not giving an answer¡ªnot enough time¡ªshe transformed again as the dull pounding of artillery shells beat through the water; they¡¯d engaged the Rocs.


    Selvaria kept her distance as she approached the conflict, not caring much for the sharks that could do absolutely nothing to her thick-plated scales.  ¡°Hey¡­  Hello, umm¡ª¡±


    She fought the gut-churning urge to run again; whoever this was, she was just so hideous¡ªterrifying¡ªeven if it was mean, it was totally true.


    ¡°Mmhmm-hmm¡­ I just want to die¡­ but it hurts¡­  Everything hurts¡­¡±


    Selvaria swallowed as the swiveling head stopped, jaws stretching an uncomfortable degree to wail.  ¡°I¡ªI know how to make you pretty again!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so¡­  Who¡¯s there?  I can¡¯t see anything¡­¡±  Her tentacles twisted in a sharp circle as she pulled them in to defend herself, creating a maelstrom that sucked most of the sharks into its current.  ¡°A-Are you here to hurt me?  I just want to be left alone¡­¡±


    Selvaria cheered, drawing in her water as she charged her laser; she sent an electrifying blast of freezing energy through it, creating a pillar of ice that fractured moments after, destroying most of the current wave.


    ¡°Yes!  One-shot!  Umm¡­  No, I just¡ªcan you talk to me for a second?  I can help you!¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t look at me¡ªjust¡­ just go¡­  No one can help me,¡± she wept, covering her fleshy center with her dragon heads and tentacles.  ¡°I¡¯m hideous¡­¡±


    Selvaria noticed Cahira¡¯s ship nearing, though she was a little surprised that Bonnet¡¯s was nowhere to be seen. She swiftly shoved it from her mind, and, gathering her courage, she swam through the raging storm to approach the woman.


    Please, don¡¯t be a trickster monster that lures in your prey¡­


    ¡°Umm¡­  I can help you.  Really!  I¡¯m sure¡­¡±


    ¡°Glaucus tried¡ªhe tried everything¡ªnothing worked.  I¡¯m cursed by the gods¡­  How can you help me?  I¡¯m only good for fish bait with these¡­ these things,¡± she whispered, flexing her tentacles.  ¡°No one can love me ever again¡­  Why would Relica do this to my sister and me?¡±


    Selvaria''s jaw tightened at the name¡ªthe Myth of Medea¡ªthe evil woman had likely used some connection to the Goddess Circe¡ªMedea¡¯s aunt¡ªto curse this creature sometime before her death.  So far as she knew, Relica was one of Rachel¡¯s enemies she¡¯d killed a few days ago.  The woman that had had a hand in everything in Cuba¡¯s armageddon was also responsible for this girl¡¯s tragedy.


    ¡°Relica¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°I was so¡­  What?¡±  Her tentacles parted to show her black eyes, shining with a tiny, inner red light that probably meant her eyesight wasn¡¯t that good.  ¡°Relica is¡­ dead?  Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Selvaria,¡± she returned, closing her eyes to not look at her terrifying, wriggling arms and heads while praying they didn¡¯t go around her; she didn¡¯t want a repeat of the jellyfish.  ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°M-Melissa¡­  Selvaria is an unusual name.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, hehe.  I get that a lot.  Umm¡­  Ask your Seed to make you more beautiful if you want; look¡ªI did it¡ªI look pretty and scary!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve asked for that¡ªso many times!¡±  she cried, and the pulse of water shooting past her told Selvaria her tentacles were flexing with agitation.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t work!¡±


    ¡°No!  No!  Grarg¡­  Calm down, dammit!¡±


    ¡°S-Sorry¡­  I don¡¯t feel the beaks or teeth anymore?¡±


    ¡°Nope!  You scooped them all up, and I blew them away!  Hehe.  So¡­ you need to be specific¡ªyou remember Ursula?¡±


    ¡°The Little Mermaid?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh!  I know it may not be the most flattering image, hehe, but work with me here!  Try to make just your body more human-like; maybe you just don¡¯t have enough points for turning back to what you used to look like.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Selvaria shot back as a cyclone encircled the woman, and when it lifted, a blue-skinned woman with monstrous tentacles and wild black hair remained; her serpent heads had grown scales to look more dragon-like, which now seemed pretty cool.


    ¡°Wooh!  Nice!¡±  Selvaria cheered, flipping in a circle as she lifted her hands to stare at them.  ¡°Eh-hehe, but maybe you should try to get a bra next?¡±


    Melissa didn¡¯t seem to be listening now, enthralled by her arms as she twisted them around.


    ¡°I¡­ I have normal hands¡­ fingernails¡­  My hair¡ªI have my hair¡­¡±  Sniffing back tears, the woman¡¯s bare chest quaked while hugging herself.  ¡°I have a body again¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­  Yeah, it¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    Selvaria swam forward a bit, reverting back to her human form to illustrate the next step with the wolves around her waist and dragon heads paying close attention to her; it was a bit challenging to keep in place without her vast body.


    ¡°Can you hear me?!¡±  she shouted, feeling sounds from the dark depths below as the next wave of monsters gathered to assault them.  ¡°Do you see how small I got¡ªyou can¡¯t look like your old self¡ªyou have to take it one step at a time.¡±


    Melissa frowned as she stared down at her horrific lower body, mixed with hounds, tentacles, and the bulging lump of flesh that kept her almost entirely immobile.


    ¡°What do I do¡­  Please, help me, Selvaria!  What should I do?¡±


    Her heart went out to the woman, and ideas spun through her mind.  ¡°See if you can separate your Branches¡ªyou should have a ton of points after fighting for so long in there¡ªso we can do anything.  Do you believe in me?¡±


    The monster-turned-girl swiftly nodded, desperation on her face.  ¡°Tell me what I need to do!¡±


    Beating her tail to swim to the side of Melissa¡¯s head, Selvaria scanned her form with a critical eye; she could work with this.  It was makeover time, and boy, did she need it.


    Getting her to focus on destroying the new monsters¡ªrepeat crustacean jellyfish¡ªSelvaria warned her to be careful of their poison; Cahira sailed around the big blue monster lady, blasting Rocs since Melissa couldn¡¯t move more than a kilometer a day in this bulky form.


    Selvaria grinned as she completed explaining everything she envisioned.  ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing?  You¡¯ll be adorable, and the best part is that it should totally work!¡±


    Melissa gave her an unsure look.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­  Do I have to look like¡­ that?  I promised my parents¡­¡±


    ¡°Bah!  You have to have restrictions, Melissa.  Okay?  It¡¯s how these Seeds work.  We¡¯re wasting time¡ªDavy Jones is coming for you!¡±


    Melissa hissed, scratching both sides of her head in fright.  ¡°Mmh¡ªI know!  I know!  Okay, don¡¯t yell¡­  Do I have to do the ears?¡±


    ¡°It will look terrible without them!  Trust me, I¡¯m a cosplayer,¡± she grinned, throwing a confident thumbs-up.  ¡°I know what I¡¯m talking about, and you can totally join us.  I¡¯ll talk to our boss, so you¡¯ll have a job and a place to stay¡ªMaria can¡¯t let a sick puppy go by without healing it, so she¡¯ll love a cute little sister like you.¡±


    ¡°Huu-haaa¡­ haha.  Thanks.  I have a big sister, but¡­  I don¡¯t know where she is.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find her, but we gotta go!  C¡¯mon!  C¡¯mon!  Transform!¡±


    Hugging herself, Melissa squeezed her eyes shut, tentacles wrapping around her body as the thousands of sharks and dozens of crustaceans surrounding them shot forward at their dropped guard.


    ¡°Please work¡­  Please¡­  I don¡¯t want to be a monster!¡±


    Selvaria kept stable as a maelstrom encircled them, yet this time her view of the woman wasn¡¯t obscured, and she grinned at the 18-year-old, naked Mythickin woman that she compressed into.


    Tail slamming the water, she dove to scoop up the stunned woman, eight tentacles trailing behind them, the other four being converted to tattoos, and she carried the woman to the surface; Selvaria darted past a shocked Mara, leaping into the furious wind and rain to land on Cahira¡¯s deck.


    The massive, horrific monster was gone!


    Helping Melissa to stand on her shaky, human legs, Selvaria giggled at the girl¡¯s cry.


    ¡°I have legs¡ªSelvaria¡­ I have legs!  Real legs!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  A lot more than just two, but yeah¡­  Look!¡±


    Melissa¡¯s rosy red lips fell as she stumbled to support herself against the railing; her miniature, crimson-lit irises in their void were filled with melancholy by the creases in her face as her gaze settled on the mass of tentacles protruding out of her back and between her black locks.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ still a monster¡­¡±


    Selvaria leaned next to her, causing the metal to groan under their combined weight.  ¡°Welcome to the club!  It looks like my tattoo idea worked.¡±


    They followed the wriggling tattoos that marked her white skin, Melissa¡¯s fingers brushing the areas.  ¡°It actually worked¡­  Can I do it to my tentacles, too?¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Selvaria shrugged.  ¡°You have four tattoos on your back, but you probably ran out of points to make the rest into tattoos¡ªooh-mmh¡­ yeah, the tattoos are moving all over the place.¡±


    ¡°The tentacles are a bit¡­ bulky,¡± she whispered, reaching under her arm to press her fingernails against the mass that started just above her cat tail and between her shoulder blades to branch into eight wiggling limbs.  ¡°These wolves, too¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm.  You can summon them out to fight for you, because¡ªyuck¡ªattached to your waist¡­ yeah, no thank you!  Now you get cute wolfies and scary dragons to attack your enemies!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  You¡¯re¡­ so positive, Selvaria.  Thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    Selvaria leaned a little closer to see the snarling, moving tattoos of her six dragon heads and wolves with four of her twelve tentacles compressed into the animated pictures on her bare skin, yet one thing drew a small smile from the girl.


    ¡°I¡­ heh, really am a cat girl now, huh?¡±


    Selvaria pointed at the long black tail in the same spot as Rachel and Maria¡¯s appendages.  ¡°To be clear, you¡¯re a wolf and dragon summoner, tentacle, cat girl!¡±


    ¡°Eh-hehe¡­ quite the mouthful,¡± Melissa mumbled, working her many appendages to get used to them.


    Cahira whistled as she neared, looking her up and down.  ¡°Nice work, Selv!  I knew you had it in you.¡±


    ¡°Mama!  New friends?¡±


    Selvaria glared at the smirking red-haired pirate, examining Melissa as she blushed, hiding her front with her tentacles.  ¡°Don¡¯t be a creep, Cahira!  Get her something to wear.¡±


    ¡°Tough luck, Darlings,¡± Cahira snickered.  ¡°I don¡¯t got squat that can accommodate those ¡®meaty¡¯ things!  Hehe.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­¡±  Melissa whispered, keeping herself covered while staring down at the bubbling waters.  ¡°Should we go help her?¡±


    Selvaria followed her gaze.  ¡°Mara?  Mmh¡­ yeah, probably; she can¡¯t hold them back forever, but are you good to fight?¡±


    ¡°Like this¡­  If I can be a human again¡­  Absolutely!  I just want out of here!¡±


    The determination in her ominous, black irises made Selvaria puff up her chest; she had to be the big sister to protect this abandoned girl who had no one to rely on.


    ¡°Okay!  Full speed ahead, Captain Cahira; let¡¯s blow this joint.¡±


    Cahira¡¯s gaze wandered between the hundreds of chests and loot falling out of the sky, with Nemesis ripping the Rocs to shreds above.  ¡°Don¡¯t have to tell me twice; we¡¯re not getting the best of loot here anyway, an¡¯ Bonnet, keep yer men below deck.  Ya can¡¯t do nothin¡¯ but get in our way with yer ship torn ta hell.  Let¡¯s go, Jackie!¡±


    Selvaria hadn¡¯t even seen the man¡¯s ship go down, but apparently, it got totaled somewhere along the line; a frown came on as she caught Jack peering through the windows above to catch a peek at Melissa.


    ¡°We pick up a new dame, Love?¡±  he called through the speakers.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get to gawk at the lass later, ya scallywag; punch it!¡±


    Knowing what he was looking for, and catching a glimpse of him aiming his spyglass their way, she glared up at the control room¡¯s windows and shouted, ¡°I¡¯m going to punch you for looking down at her!¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye, Cap¡¯n¡ªeh?!  Mi eyes not be seen a thing, Love!¡±


    ¡°Maria will find out if you¡¯re lying or not, so we both can punch you!¡±


    ¡°Eh-hehehe¡­ let¡¯s be reasonable!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not eating you; I am reasonable!¡±


    Cahira snickered.  ¡°She¡¯s got a poin¡ªack!¡±


    Selvaria lightly smacked the Pirate Queen¡¯s shoulder, sending her stumbling several meters away to hit one of her cannons.  ¡°That¡¯s for being a creep!¡±


    She smiled at Melissa¡¯s forced chuckle, seeing her hands still trembling while examining her new body with tears and rainfall streaming down her cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯m human again¡­  I¡¯m human.  I¡¯m not a monster¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Selvaria scooted over to stand beside her, bringing a peppy Galatea over, who¡¯d been a good girl and waited to be introduced, ¡°and if your sister is out there somewhere, we¡¯ll find her, too!¡±


    ¡°Selvaria¡­¡±


    She stiffened as the girl¡¯s tentacles and arms wrapped around her, drawing them together; Selvaria couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous at the slick appendages drawing her into a shockingly powerful grip.


    ¡°W-Woah!  He-hehe, calm down a little¡­  There, there,¡± she whispered, patting her head and making her cat ears twitch in their back-turned position.  ¡°Everything¡¯s okay now.  Big Sis is here to make sure no one hurts you again.  So¡­ what Mythikin are you?¡±


    Regaining control, Melissa drew away, building her courage while covering her privates again.  ¡°I¡¯m the Myth of Scylla¡­  I used to be a beautiful Nymph¡­ before Relica dumped that horrible potion onto my beach, changing me into¡­ into that horrifying, ugly thing.  Thank you, Selvaria¡­  Thank you for helping me.¡±


    ¡°Aww¡­ I can¡¯t say no to that,¡± she laughed, seeing her cat-like, pleading stare, and she opened her arms to allow herself to be pulled into another strong hug; head pats always helped.  ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be okay.  You¡¯re not alone anymore¡ªyes!¡±


    Melissa¡¯s head lifted in question as Selvaria pulled away, spotting the previously tossed aside item stuck on a hatch.  ¡°What¡­ a coat?¡±


    ¡°A coat!¡±  Selvaria repeated, returning to hold it up in the powerful gusts that did nothing to phase her.  ¡°Carefully poke your tentacles through the back.¡±


    Cahira¡¯s smile became strained, tittering at the big welt beginning to show on her arm from where Selvaria smacked it.  ¡°Imagin¡¯ that¡­ heh, I suppose that could work¡­¡±


    ¡°Undies, too!¡±  Selvaria expectantly demanded, holding out her hands knowing the woman had plenty of spare clothing. as Melissa tentatively swiveled the appendages around to test the fabric.  ¡°Humph¡­ creeps.  Better?¡±


    Melissa tentatively accepted the item from the rueful red-haired woman.  ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°Aye.  My bad, love; I let the¡ªoh, I happin¡¯ ta also have some shorts in mi storage on this here beastie.  Here we go!¡±


    The Myth forced a smile after putting on the items; it was a bit disturbing that Cahira knew Melissa¡¯s sizes by just eyeing her once, but that was the type of pervert she was.


    Once dressed, Melissa hugged her again, eliciting another head pat.  ¡°Thank you¡­  Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°See,¡± Selvaria whispered, ¡°I told you I¡¯d help; I¡¯ll save you from all the perverts.¡±


    Yes!  Score, little sister cat girl¡ªsurprise¡ªtentacle, dragon, and wolf summoner, cat girl!


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 B5 — 14. A Part Of The Crew

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    PoV:


    1. Melissa (Our First Look At Our New Tentacle Mythikin!)


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    Melissa hugged herself as the storm raged around them, cat ears twitching while adjusting to all the chaos around her; she didn¡¯t know what to do, but for the first time in what seemed an eternity, something good had happened to her.


    Her deep-lit, ruby irises shifted to Selvaria as she stumbled to the side, something rocking the ship to the left, but Melissa¡¯s adhesive skin kept her perfectly stable on the deck.


    ¡°Damn jellyfish,¡± the Leviathan growled, showing her sharp teeth.  ¡°Oh, Mara!¡±


    Melissa backed away a little when a mossy-haired woman jumped out of the raging sea to land on the deck; she didn¡¯t know who to trust.


    ¡°Selvaria, there¡¯s too many¡ªoh, you did help her change into something cute.¡±


    The Leviathan directed her to a small, duplicate sea monster that floated out of the air.  ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll handle it.  Uh, Melissa, this is Galatea¡ªMara and she¡¯ll make sure no one messes with you.¡±


    ¡°I can behave miself,¡± Cahira huffed, shooting Melissa a cheery grin before moving away to continue directing her cannons at the swarming black eagles.  ¡°Don¡¯t mind the noise, love!¡±


    Looking after the redhead as Selvaria dove back into the ocean to handle the monsters, she looked toward the woman the Leviathan had left her with.  ¡°What are we doing?¡±


    Mara slid her fingers through her wet hair while Galatea fired pressurized water jets at nearby birds, but Cahira and the rampaging lion seemed to be handling things above just fine.  ¡°Huh.  Well, I don¡¯t think we need to be out in this weather; Nemesis and Selvaria should be fine.¡±


    Relief flooded Melissa¡¯s breast as Mara motioned for her to follow her inside.  ¡°We can talk inside while you get cleaned up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­ heh, it seems all I¡¯m able to say recently,¡± she mumbled, pulling around her tentacles to stare at the uncomfortably long appendages, but she had legs and arms again, and that was enough for now.


    ¡°Uh-huh.  Just through here¡­  Gah, I hate weather like this,¡± the green-haired woman sighed, full lips smiling back at her.  ¡°So, why don¡¯t we tell each other stories to pass the time?¡±


    Stomach swirling as she heard men grumbling further down the hall, she was glad Mara took her down an opposite corridor.  ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    The brown-eyed woman took her into a female-designated showering area and motioned her to go ahead, halting Galatea, who seemed to understand with her nods, posting up outside the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure we can both hear each other while giving you privacy, and I¡¯ve already heard most of what you said to Selvaria.¡±  She pointed to her ears at Melissa¡¯s questioning gaze.  ¡°I may not have cat ears, but, heh, my hearing may be better than yours, dear!¡±


    ¡°Wow, umm, so¡­ who are you guys?¡±


    Melissa started to feel more comfortable as she carefully undressed, examining herself in one of the mirrors while talking to Mara; the Myth of Iara told her a story she apparently hadn¡¯t shared with anyone besides Nemesis¡ªthe lion that had scared her, who was currently ripping apart the large birds outside.


    She¡¯d been a part of a troubled family in Cuba, which ended in her accidentally killing her brother in a conflict where he had tried to murder her; it split the family, and she was forced to leave, even if she was cleared of charges.


    Melissa couldn¡¯t keep her eyes away from the mirror as they continued, studying every inch of her new body.


    Testing her new and expanded powers in the safety of the bathing room, she summoned one of the wolves and was shocked when the tattoo flashed, breaking away from her smooth skin to become a nearly 2-meter-tall canine; he felt as much a part of her body as her toes or fingers.


    She summoned the other five shortly after, smiling up at the tall, protective hounds while petting their necks; it brought a sense of peace to her to have them guard the door, which allowed her to shift her attention to the wriggling four tentacle tattoos.


    They curled and coiled over her back, breasts, stomach, and thighs; at any point, she could peel them away to take on a terrifying visage for any onlooker, including herself.


    The more she heard about what happened to Mara¡¯s homeland, the less horrific her own tragic story seemed; they¡¯d literally experienced Hell on Earth.


    As the tale came to a close, she wanted more information about herself now that her nightmare was coming to an end, hopefully, to fill in the brief explanation Selvaria gave.


    ¡°Mara¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm?¡±


    ¡°Why did Selvaria have me make these tattoos instead of getting rid of them?  I¡¯m grateful, don¡¯t get me wrong, but¡­ I¡¯d rather all of this be gone.  You have a tail that you can hide, right?¡±


    Her ears twitched as the moss-haired Mythickin leaned her back against the wall to slide to her butt outside of the room; the turbulent vessel had evened out a lot over their conversation.


    ¡°Hmm¡­  You remember me telling you about Rachel?¡±


    ¡°The leader of that Mythic group?¡±


    ¡°The same one.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.  She¡¯s the one that killed Relica?¡±  Heat rose in her chest at recalling the woman¡¯s face.  ¡°I¡¯m glad she¡¯s dead¡­ just scared of what¡¯s happened to my little sister.¡±


    ¡°I bet.  Do you¡­ know where she is?¡±


    She was silent for a moment, staring into her own void-like eyes.  ¡°No.  Unlike me, she was far less¡­ conscious of what she¡¯d become.  Glaucus told me if I fought off the monsters attacking our ship, he¡¯d make sure to find the cure on the island we were sailing toward to get it¡­  I hope he did find it.¡±


    A haughty snort came from the hallway, making Melissa¡¯s tail and tentacles pause in their motion.  ¡°You don¡¯t think he will?¡±


    ¡°Do you love Glaucus?¡±


    Melissa scowled at her reflection.  ¡°What¡ªno?!  I said whatever I had to to find a cure for my sister and me; I didn¡¯t have a choice but to accept his help¡­ no one else was going to help us.¡±


    Mara didn¡¯t respond right away, giving Melissa time to turn her attention to the draconic heads she could summon away from her chest to branch into massive jaws that snapped their teeth at being confined; now that she was paying attention to it, the experience was pretty uncomfortable, and it was like they had a sort of mind of their own.


    ¡°Hmm¡­  I can relate to that.  I¡¯ve got nothing back home; my family is all dead, not that they¡¯d be happy to see me, and most of the friends I had died¡­ one way or another.¡±


    Drawing the heads and tentacles back into her body, Melissa cleared her throat as she sat on the bench, staring at the large hole in the back of the trench coat.  ¡°You have Nemesis.  Don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Hah!  Well¡­ yeah, I don¡¯t know what Nemesis and I are.  A couple of troubled misfits that happened to find each other¡­  I sometimes wonder if I¡¯m more of the lioness on a rock in his territory, just trying to not get jumped by other lions.  I mean, I¡¯m protective of him, too¡­  Gah, emotions are confusing.¡±


    ¡°Haha.  Tell me about it!  You¡¯re living your life in the EU one day, and the next, you¡¯re some pretty Nymph¡­  Only to discover your Myth is that of a monster, and sure enough, Relica came knocking to make sure that prophecy came true.¡±


    Mara giggled and released a melancholy puff of air.  ¡°Still want to know why Selvaria told you to make them tattoos?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s okay¡­  Umm, with whatever else I can do to get rid of the others.¡±


    ¡°No problem.  I¡¯ll be out here the whole time¡ªhehe, and you have your wolves¡ªso you don¡¯t need to feel scared about taking a shower¡­  Oof¡­  I¡¯m sorry; I didn¡¯t think how you might feel¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine!  No, really¡­ I, uh¡­¡±  She tucked her lip under while looking at the shower head of one of the stalls across from her.  ¡°I just¡­ need a bit more time.  The last time I took a bath¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah.  Totally understandable!  Eh¡­ I can go first if you want¡­ or we could shower together¡ªnot that I¡¯m trying to be creepy like Cahira¡ªit¡¯s just an option.¡±


    Melissa¡¯s chest shook at the comment.  ¡°Hehe.  What is up with your group and talking about perverts?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  I suppose that suggestion would be in poor taste.¡±


    ¡°No!  No.  Not you¡­  I feel like you really do want to help me, which¡­ is so nice I want to cry¡ªgeh-heh¡­ maybe I already am¡­ but it¡¯s just funny¡ªfor some reason.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, I think Cahira does it mainly to throw people off and break the ice; I don¡¯t think she actually plans on anyone taking her up on the offer¡ªdespite what she says¡ªand mainly just wants to lighten the mood.  From what I¡¯ve seen, she does care for people, such as what she did with the Legend of Sadie.¡±


    ¡°One of those kinds of women, huh?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.  I couldn¡¯t say.  Hmm, but who knows, maybe she is lonely and just looking for the first person that offers to share her bed; it¡¯s hard to get a read on that woman.  She is a Pirate Queen, I suppose, and guile is her forte.¡±


    Melissa couldn¡¯t recall the last time she laughed like this with someone.  Still, the jovial Pirate Queen¡¯s slight advances had put her on edge¡ªshe¡¯d always been more demisexual¡ªyet that didn¡¯t stop her from experiencing embarrassment at being seen naked or lusted after.  Unfortunately, that was likely one contributing factor, according to Mara, that caused her to become a Nymph.


    Thoroughly examining her eight tentacles and canines as their journey went on, Melissa listened to Mara explain what Rachel called ¡®The System;¡¯ the Lunar Hare had apparently discovered many secrets regarding its use over the many weeks since The Oscillation.


    Adding restrictions or undesirable aspects to one¡¯s desires helped to mitigate some of the cost of developing the Seed without them, and apparently, since she was a Mythickin, she had a Greater Seed, which granted her more power than the lesser version.


    Because she¡¯d spent so much time fighting the monsters in this sea, she¡¯d gained a ton of Skill Points and leveled up many of her abilities to their maximum; after reaching the peak of what she needed to continue her fight, her points just continued to pile up until Selvaria told her how to use them.


    Melissa took Mara¡¯s advice on flipping off the automatic switch that came on by default since she wanted to save whatever more she gained on further adjusting her appearance, and she hoped by the end of this journey that she¡¯d be 100% outward tentacle free.


    Unlike the quest she was on before to recover some mythical flower of renewal, they were on a Legend¡¯s Quest to sail to a place called Isla de Marda¡ªthe Island of the Dead¡ªand it was for the Legend of Jack Ward.


    She didn¡¯t care about the goals of the mission, but if it could help her at least somewhat fix her monstrous appearance, she was all for it, and if they proved they weren¡¯t just trying to use her, then maybe, just maybe, she would have found the people that could help her little sister.


    Eventually, Melissa worked up the courage, stood up, and marched to the shower, yet her hand hesitated on the knob.  Do it!  Just do it!  What¡­ is Cahira tricking me, and she really wants me to destroy her ship?  No!  This is just an ordinary shower¡­ normal water¡­ please, be normal water¡­


    She tensed as she turned it¡ªseconds passed, her eyes squeezed shut¡ªand nothing happened.  Frowning, her brow furrowed as she peeked at the spout, yet no liquid exited.


    ¡°Hehehe.¡±  Mara¡¯s chuckles echo through the room from her sitting position outside.  ¡°It¡¯s the pull kind.¡±


    Melissa blushed as she followed the instruction, and the tips of her tentacles to her toes tensed when water fell over her head, slicking her dry skin, and she waited.  Several seconds, a minute¡ªfive¡ªand after a time, the squirming of her stomach and tentacles eased.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a trap¡­¡±


    She heard laughter down the hall as Cahira stopped in front of Mara.  ¡°Ya havin¡¯ the longest shower in history, Lass?  How are ya¡ªaye!  No need ta be sprayin¡¯ water all over me, Galatea¡ªI¡¯m not here ta cause trouble¡ªblah, fish breath!¡±


    Mara chuckled.  ¡°How¡¯s it looking?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ uh, we¡¯re pullin¡¯ away from the storm; Selv is clearing out much of the beasties below and bringing back some items.  I bet the girl found somethin¡¯ in the horde for ya to wear, love!¡±  she called to her.


    ¡°Sounds like something Selvaria would do,¡± Mara mused.  ¡°She probably found some cosplay piece for herself while she¡¯s at it.¡±


    Shutting off the water, Melissa carefully brushed her ears with her fingers, uncertain how to treat them.  ¡°Umm¡­ that would be great.  So¡­ we¡¯re going to see this Isla de Marda place soon?¡±


    ¡°Yup!  Jackie¡¯s steering us there.  How ya feelin¡¯?¡±


    Melissa smiled, examining her perfect white teeth in the mirror with the water dripping down her slick black hair to puddle across the tile.  ¡°Mmh¡­  I¡¯m feeling a lot better¡­  Wait, how can you hear me?¡±


    The Pirate Queen giggled and slapped the metal wall.  ¡°I can hear everything on mi boys!  A perk of gainin¡¯ an unreasonable amount of Skill Points off the back o¡¯ Mythic.  Hehe.  I get ta go after all sorts of fun skills!  I bet you¡¯ll fit in great with the crew.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!  I¡¯m actually feeling a lot better¡­¡±  she trailed off as a thump reverberated through the hull, followed by more pounding¡ªSelvaria¡¯s return¡ªand the girl burst into the hallway.  Galatea made chirping noises as she weaved away to retrieve her master.


    Cahira soon followed.  ¡°I gotta go tell the glum, unluckiest pirates on the seven seas that we¡¯ll be arrivin¡¯ soon¡­  Heh, bet they¡¯ll be askin¡¯ for a boat at the end of this voyage!  Hmm, what¡¯d I say, Selv¡¯s got some prizes for ya.¡±


    Melissa could hardly believe her words.  No one could be nice to a monster like her¡ªeven another monster.  Tears welled up in her eyes; not even she thought she deserved love¡ªshe was utterly unlovable.


    She heard a few cracks as Mara stood, throwing her hands over her head, leaning left and right with a yawn.  ¡°I¡¯m¡­ yaaa¡­ going to check on Nemesis; this probably wasn¡¯t even enough to whet his appetite.  You good with just Selvaria?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.  Thank you, Mara¡­  You don¡¯t know how much all of this means to me.  I¡¯m¡­ terrified¡­ what if this is all just a nightmare, and I¡¯m still in the middle of the ocean¡­ fighting those things.¡±


    ¡°Well, I know it doesn¡¯t mean much, but it¡¯s real, and if you need someone to slap your face, I can make that happen.¡±


    Melissa giggled as a sharp gust of wind blasted into the room, blowing back her hair and ruffling her wolves¡¯ black fur, likely caused by Mara¡¯s powers.  ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to remember it.¡±


    Selvaria skidded into the corridor with Galatea, the Leviathan causing a resonating reverberation by colliding into the wall in her haste, making Cahira hiss.


    ¡°Ya tryin¡¯ ta run holes in mi ship, girl?¡±


    ¡°Humph¡ªI still haven¡¯t forgiven you,¡± Selvaria huffed, promptly walking past her.


    ¡°Haaa¡­  I was joking!  Can¡¯t I be playful and joke around every so often?¡±  she grumbled, stomping off.


    Mara waved at Selvaria as she passed, chuckling at the Leviathan¡¯s returned response.


    ¡°Not when a girl¡¯s terrified¡­  She doesn¡¯t need to feel like she¡¯s surrounded by predators¡­ we¡¯re friends¡ªright, Galatea?¡±


    ¡°Gyuuu!¡±  she chimed.


    ¡°Uh¡­  Melissa, I have some gifts for you!¡±


    She walked forward with a curious smile as the Leviathan held her hand through the cracked door, propped open by some kind of separator, and in her grip was a slightly oversized snow-white sweater with a giant turtle neck.


    ¡°Try this on,¡± she said in a monotone, unexcited way¡ªdespite her eager movements¡ªthat Melissa was starting to like.


    Moving forward to take the item, Melissa lifted it up for inspection.


    ¡°How?  Do you want me to poke a hole through the back again?¡±


    ¡°No.  No.  It¡¯s a magical sweater.¡±


    ¡°Gyuu!¡±  Galatea confirmed.


    ¡°I killed all sorts of stuff and inspected them before bringing the stuff back to Cahira; if you ask what features it has, you¡¯ll get a rundown of its abilities.¡±


    Her saliva became sticky as the apprehension gripped her belly while studying the article, and, while her hounds sniffed it, she internally asked the question.


    What do you do?


    A flood of information made her black eyes widen.  ¡°Internal dimensional storage?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Selvaria returned, hand darting back to produce green underwear and black winter tights that looked like they were adorned with real snowflakes, blowing down the sides of a dark backdrop.  ¡°The bra has a ghost hold, so it will work with the tentacles, and you can make the back of the sweater release the goods inside, so¡­¡±


    ¡°My tentacles can just¡­ pop out if I want?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.  Cool.  Right?  They¡¯re pretty weird for most things, but Cahira¡¯s treasure skill is upgrading a ton, so we get lots of weird stuff¡­ just like her.¡±


    ¡°Haha.  Maybe you¡¯re being a bit too hard on her; she seems nice.¡±


    ¡°Just be careful,¡± Selvaria warned, wagging a finger soon followed by Galatea¡¯s wagging tail in the door crack.  ¡°You can¡¯t trust pirates¡ªeven if they¡¯re cool¡ªespecially when they¡¯re cool.¡±


    ¡°Gyuu-gyuu-gyuuuu!¡±


    The woman¡¯s glowing spikes poked through as she leaned forward to whisper, ¡°I don¡¯t trust her fully, either; she¡¯s kind of sketchy sometimes¡ªespecially when Jack showed up!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be careful.¡±  She looked down at the items in her hands, a smile on her lips and tears in her eyes; no one had been so kind to her since she¡¯d transformed, including her short time as a Nymph.  ¡°I¡¯ll put them on and be out in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Oh, let me get a brush¡ªwe can pull your hair up in a braid¡ªyou can do mine, too.¡±


    Lip tucking under as she remembered doing the same with her little sister, Melissa held the items against her burning breast.  ¡°Yeah¡­ that will help with the wind.¡±


    One of her wolves nuzzled her shoulder, and she decided to keep that one out, returning the others to her waist as she dried off; it was a little awkward using her tentacles to wipe herself down, but she gradually got used to the movements and unpleasant imagery.


    Once dry, she carefully slid her eight tentacles into the sweater and was shocked to feel empty space meet her tips as she pushed the entire length into the clothing; it really did have internal storage space.


    Pulling it off, she tested out the bra¡ªit worked as advertised¡ªand it phased right through her tentacles yet provided plenty of support for her bust and was practically weightless against her shoulders.


    She dawned the rest of the outfit first, and she¡¯d never had more comfortable feeling clothes which the sweater was the crowning jewel; it was fluffy as a cloud and allowed her to even spread out her dragons and restricted four tentacle tattoos without breaking, but she did start to feel the edges of the space, showing it wasn¡¯t infinite and she couldn¡¯t stretch out far.


    Still, it provided a decent comfort zone that was pleasant enough to not be bothered by.


    Melissa exited with a smile and was met by Selvaria¡¯s emotionless thumbs up.  ¡°Looking good.  Winter¡¯s the best month, too; I want to bring snow to Miami.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.  I told Mrs. Claus I want snow on Christmas, and she said she¡¯d put in an order.¡±


    ¡°R-Really?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.  I met Mrs. Claus in Cuba, and she was really nice¡­ strong, too.  They¡¯re on a quest to free all their reindeer¡ªSanta and her, that is¡ªSanta¡¯s kind of a badass like that.¡±


    ¡°Oh.  I didn¡¯t know,¡± Melissa giggled, wondering if she was joking or not.  ¡°Want to help me with my hair¡­ it¡¯s kind of a mess¡­¡±


    ¡°Yup.  Makeover time.¡±


    Moving to one of the side rooms, the wolf and Galatia were outside the door, making sure no one interrupted or got any funny ideas; she was a little surprised when the Leviathan reached into a random drawer to extract brushes and ties.  Cahira¡¯s ship supposedly functioned as a repository that released its goods on request to those with access.


    Having her locks bound by a girl she just barely met and wearing magical clothes she¡¯d fought monsters for felt like a total dream or fantasy, yet here she sat, a Leviathan Mythickin carefully brushing out her locks to be fashioned.


    Selvaria gave Melissa a tight hug, reminding her how strong the woman was before pulling back and patting her on the head¡ªshe just realized how odd the action was¡ªbut when the fervent Leviathan said she¡¯d protect her and be her older sister, she felt a pull at her heart.


    Older sister¡­  It would be nice to have someone to look after me for once¡­


    Content with the braid, Selvaria guided her outside to see where they were in their journey; the Leviathan had a tight appointment to keep with her mother, who she was assured would be excited to meet Melissa.


    The wind was gentle when she exited the ship¡¯s interior, and she squinted as the blazing sun met her eyes; they were on the open sea, and more than a few men kept far on the back left of the massive deck.


    Mara noticed her gaze as she stood with Nemesis near the bow and gave Melissa a wink.  ¡°Ah, I told them you were a terrifying monster that crushed men¡¯s bones to drink their marrow; it seemed to work like a charm since they saw part of the battle through the windows.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Are they¡­ not friends of yours?¡±  she asked, giving the lion a nervous smile as he appraised her narrow-eyed wolf that walked beside them.


    Nemesis was a giant, towering over seven feet tall¡ªwhich was ironic, considering her own colossal size¡ªthere was something ominous and frightening about the lion, yet he only laughed at her question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have friends; I only have a master.¡±


    Mara¡¯s head drooped against her palm as Melissa turned her quizzical gaze to her at the comment.  ¡°Ignore him.  He¡¯s from the African slave trade.¡±


    Not knowing why that was supposed to make sense, she took the advice and brushed it from her mind.


    ¡°Are we nearing the island?¡±


    ¡°We are!¡±


    Everyone turned to spot the grinning redhead as she strode toward them with Jack Ward by her side¡ªa bottle in both hands¡ªMelissa had no idea why he didn¡¯t use his actual name, or maybe it actually was Jack.


    ¡°Aye, mi fiery beaut,¡± he swayed, pink in the face, ¡°we be outta troubled waters and onto the trail o¡¯ the mist, as they say; we strike shore at eventide!  Until then¡ªrum!  Rum all ¡®round!  Ah-haha!¡±


    Cahira snatched one of his bottles to throw it in the air.  ¡°Rum ta steel the belly!  Party¡ªgrilled Rok for us all¡ªJack¡¯s treat!¡±


    Mara held up her hand at the revelation.  ¡°Not eating it then,¡± she flatly denied, followed by Selvaria and Galatea, but everyone paused as Melissa¡¯s stomach growled at the thought of food.


    Saliva gathering in her mouth, she forced a chuckle.  ¡°I-uh¡­ haven¡¯t had a lot to eat today, and¡­ yeah.¡±


    Spotting one of the birds on a pile Nemesis had created, Selvaria grabbed one with a small grin.  ¡°I¡¯ll be cooking for Melissa and myself then.  Oh, and any funny business while I¡¯m cooking, and you won¡¯t even be fish bait!¡±  she growled, poking a finger at Jack.


    ¡°On mi fine name!¡±  Jack roared, lifting his bottle.  ¡°So long as there be a rum flavored!¡±


    ¡°Always rum with you,¡± Nemesis laughed.  ¡°Have you tried seasoning it?  Maybe I¡¯ll try some cooking.  What do you say, Mara?¡±


    She thoughtfully tilted her head.  ¡°You¡­ cook?  Huh.  Sure.  I¡¯ll help out.¡±


    Jack summoned two cooking knives into his hands, flipping them around in the air.  ¡°Poultry tonight, loves; allow me to show ya how ta prepare a feast fit for a king¡ªhehe, and beasties alike!¡±


    A little curious as to the process and how they¡¯d even go about defeathering the birds, she was a little surprised at how versatile Mara¡¯s voice was, shredding them with a melodic tone and separating the meat from the waste.


    Cahira used some of her points to upgrade her kitchen to handle the orders, which she said was a wise investment for a vessel of the sea, and she experienced the first joyful day in what seemed ages.


    Selvaria bustled her to their own part of the area for a cooking competition, grabbing salt, pepper, curry spices, oil, and a big chef pan.  ¡°We¡¯ll win.  I¡¯m an amazing cook.  Right, Galatea?¡±


    The baby seal¡¯s head bobbed up and down.  ¡°Gyuu!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to eat anything,¡± Melissa giggled, but Selvaria didn¡¯t seem to be having it as she lifted a knife into the air as if proclaiming an already won war, and she guessed it fit, considering the ease these people had after such a storm.


    ¡°Every girl deserves a good, hot meal after a battle.¡±


    She then put the spices into a deep broiling pan, followed by the defeathered bird, deboning it with surprising skill, and then started to massage the spices onto the meat.  Selvaria then put the pan with the wrapped bird into the giant oven, preheated to 260 degrees Celsius for 30 mins for the big birds.


    A further enjoyable exchange came when the Leviathan guided Melissa through putting the bird bones in a giant pot with boiling water to make a bone soup with the slew of vegetables¡ªthat apparently Selvaria bought at the last island they went to¡ªwhich the Pirate Queen produced from her fridge.


    As nightfall fell, Melissa enjoyed the laughter and comedic banter between the crew members; the food was wonderful, and Selvaria wasn¡¯t joking that she knew how to cook, yet the festivities died down when they were met by a thick fog, causing the pirate named Bonnet to poke his head out from the back to whisper to Cahira a ways off.


    Melissa listened to their conversation, cat ears twitched at the soft slosh of the waves against metal.


    ¡°Cahira, my men are wondering how safe they¡¯ll be under your protection when you couldn¡¯t safeguard our ship¡­  You said this wouldn¡¯t be a challenge when we followed you.¡±


    ¡°Ya came of yer own free will, Bonnet; don¡¯t be gettin¡¯ shaky boots on me¡ªheh, or do¡ªI don¡¯t care either way.  I promised you a reward if ya pulled yer weight, and so far, you¡¯ve only been a hindrance.  Now, put yer big boy pants on because a lass wearing panties be havin¡¯ more balls!¡±


    He hissed out a long stream of air.  ¡°We better come out of this with something to show Parliament¡­ for both our sakes.¡±


    Jack and Cahira watched him retreat as Melissa listened.


    ¡°Charming bloke, eh?¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± the redhead sighed.  ¡°Ya know he¡¯ll be wantin¡¯ ta set ya up after this be done?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m five steps ahead of ya there, love.  Bonnet¡¯s nothin¡¯ but a puppet to his desire for fame, and it¡¯s not hard ta see the downfall of a man of such¡­  Blackbeard isn¡¯t one to be crossed.¡±


    ¡°True, be that, Jackie¡­  The destination.¡±


    Melissa¡¯s braid shifted at her back as she hugged her sweater tighter and leaned against the railing to see what the Pirate Queen spotted; black sand, trees, and glistening rocks opened up to reveal the haunted island, and she suddenly realized the sounds of the waves had become almost a whisper to her feline ears.


    Isla de Marda greeted them with a silence fit for the grave.


    Cahira breathed a long sigh as she stopped beside her, glaring at the hazy obsidian beach that showed no signs of life ever disturbing its dunes.  ¡°Do ya be reckoning you¡¯ll join us, Lass?¡±


    Lips tightening, she nodded as Jack, Nemesis, Mara, Selvaria, and Galatea joined them to observe the still place without breeze, yet the swirling, ethereal fog cared little for logic.


    Fingernails pressing against her palm, she nodded.  ¡°I need points¡­  I¡¯m going.¡±


    Cahira grinned.  ¡°Hehe.  Alright, loves¡­  Let¡¯s see what Isla de Marda has in store for us.¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 15. Isla de Marda

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Melissa (Our New Tentacle Mythikin!)


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    Melissa swallowed the sticky saliva in her mouth, cat ears twitching at the silent atmosphere that met them in the misty environment; the ominous black sand and murky water left her stomach tight and upset.


    To make matters worse, Selvaria motioned for them to jump into the water together as the waters became choppy, indicating something unseen hidden below.


    ¡°We¡¯re¡­ going in first?¡±  she tentatively asked, edging to the side to glance over.


    Cahira chuckled, glancing between Nemesis, Mara, and Jack.  ¡°Ya kind of be the big beasties that be the muscle of the operation, love.¡±


    The Leviathan nodded, giving her a thumbs up before flexing her left arm¡¯s slight but firm muscles with such confidence it made Melissa¡¯s chest tighten in unexpected envy.


    ¡°We¡¯re strong; no problem.  I¡¯ll protect you if anything scary comes.¡±


    You¡¯re perfect¡­  Why can¡¯t I be so confident?  I want to be like you¡­ but how can I be happy about myself when I hate what I am?


    Mara amused hummed, drawing her gaze; the mermaid was a vision of beauty like she¡¯d been as a Nymph.


    ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, Melissa, but don¡¯t you need to take the lead in destroying these monsters to obtain the figure you want?  Perhaps you could even hide the tattoos in time; it¡¯s possible.¡±


    Perfect¡­


    The giant, muscular lion man roared with laughter, jumping onto the railing to lick his black lips and expose his sharp teeth; his lust for battle and a challenge made her hug her shoulders.  ¡°Only if she can beat me to the prey, Mara.  The first challenger?¡±


    Melissa shook her head, falling to her butt in disbelief as Ward lifted the brim of his hat while eyeing the glistening white teeth of a monstrous skeletal shark that moved to take a chunk out of the ship.


    ¡°Oh, heh, quite the beastie.  Megalodon, eh?  No flesh to cook, though.  Shame.¡±


    Bonnet stumbled back as he approached, catching sight of the terrifying calamity.  ¡°Cahira!¡±


    ¡°Put your balls back on, boys,¡± Cahira laughed, massive cannons already swiveling to intercept.  ¡°Looks like we got a welcome party!¡±


    Melissa winced, hands clamping over her ears as the ship reverberated with the shots, yet a touch against her shoulders brought her gaze up to Selvaria¡¯s smiling face¡ªher idol showing a thumbs up¡ªand, out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Nemesis jump into the water.


    Mara soon followed, giving her a half-smile and salute before diving after him; the look said: See you below, girl!


    She didn¡¯t understand; her time with the heroic group Glaucus guided through their own quest was nothing like this group of brash, fearless Mythickin.


    Mara, Selvaria, Nemesis¡­  They¡¯re perfect monsters¡­  Looks, confidence, power¡­  I hate it.  I hate it.  I want to be more than a pathetic little girl.  I have to be more than this!


    Selvaria picked her up with an understanding smile, and her even, always unperturbed tone put a strange fire in Melissa¡¯s breast.  ¡°I¡¯ll be here to help you if you need it.  Don¡¯t be scared.¡±


    ¡°Gyuu!¡±  Galatea chimed, spraying rays of icicles into the air for some reason.


    The Leviathan nodded.  ¡°Yup.  It¡¯s time for the massacre, Lieutenant.  You with me, Private?¡±


    Realizing Selvaria was talking to her, Melissa¡¯s cheeks darkened at Cahira and Jack¡¯s chuckles.  ¡°I-uh¡­  I guess.  I need to get points?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡±


    Shifting to her side, Selvaria pointed at the big, bony fins now circling the ship.  ¡°We go to battle, Private.  No need to hold back; they¡¯re already dead¡­ he-he-he.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Cahira shook her head with Jack¡¯s chuckles at the Leviathan¡¯s joke.  ¡°Just make sure they don¡¯t hurt mi fine boy.¡±


    ¡°Cahira!¡±  Jack cried, putting his hat over his heart.  ¡°Ya do care for a sea dog!¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talkin¡¯ about yer stern¡ªas fine as it may be¡ªmi boy will always take mi eye!¡±  she returned, patting a big cannon next to her with a sly grin.  ¡°Unless ya got somethin¡¯ similar in hidden places, eh?¡±


    ¡°Aye, with the gunpowder ta match!  Hehe.  What, ya doubt a face like this?¡±  Jack laughed with a gesture.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see yer prowess before this journey ends!¡±


    Selvaria guided her to the edge while rolling her eyes.  ¡°It¡¯s always sex with you.  Get a room already¡­ not like you¡¯re needed.¡±


    ¡°Oof!¡±


    Jack stroked his beard as he lifted an eyebrow at the Pirate Queen.  ¡°Ya ready ta prove the lass wrong, Love?¡±


    ¡°Aye!  Find a cannon yerself and make yerself useful, Jackie!  Get the boats ready, boys, or I¡¯ll ¡®ave a fire in yer arses; we¡¯re goin¡¯ ashore!¡±


    ¡°Ready, Mel?¡±  Selvaria asked, pointing at the choppy sea, where more fins could be seen.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Thrown off a bit by the nickname, Melissa¡¯s belly tightened again, feeling tongue-tied.  She was happy with her new amazing sweater, but Mara was right about gaining more Skill Points; being able to have other options while not being constrained by her repulsive form would be amazing.


    Drawn out of her momentary shock, she nodded.  ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!  Uh¡­¡±


    Noticing her downward glance at her own clothes, Cahira snickered, stopping beside her with the others moving to jump to get the smaller boats ready to lower.  ¡°Aye, mi special gear be waterproof, Dearie; I¡¯m a pirate¡ªgettin¡¯ wet, heh, is a part of the job title!¡±


    ¡°Aye!  Who be wet now?¡±  Jack jumped in, fingers pausing on the release of a boat while grinning at Cahira¡¯s dry smirk.


    Selvaria rolled her eyes, but Melissa rather enjoyed the open nature of the crew¡¯s discussions; everyone seemed to say what was on their mind¡ªsex or not¡ªmaking her less nervous about what was said behind masks and platitudes.


    So perfect¡­


    Letting herself fall into the water, cool waves slid over her skin, and her breath locked in her chest as she felt the urge to return to her colossal state, yet resisted it.


    However, the air trapped in her lungs flooded out in panic as she saw Selvaria¡¯s smiling wave underwater¡ªstill a human¡ªand a massive set of jaws looming behind her.


    ¡°S-Selvari¡ª¡±


    Her tentacles lurched out of the back of her sweater to carry them away and use the drifting ship to propel them away from the skeletal megalodon, yet she was too late; the glistening rows of teeth of the 25-meter-long shark snapped shut.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    The teeth dislodged and cracked on impact, and her tentacles enclosed her protectively as the bony creature barreled into her and put pressure against her and her ship.  Her jaw locked from the force, but her squishy appendages took the brunt of the assault, cushioning her, and Melissa felt her wolf leap down to confront the shark, growing to 15-meters tall.


    Cahira¡¯s armored hull seemed to have taken the tackle well, but there was a small indentation; the sudden tug against her body drew her attention to her unconscious action of attaching herself to the undead shark.


    Selvaria was still in its jaws, looking unperturbed as she gave her another thumbs up while they were carried away; the megalodon shook his head as it tried to work into the girl¡¯s body to no avail.


    ¡°I¡¯m good.  You gonna grow and turn them to dust?¡±


    Melissa couldn¡¯t help a short chuckle in the rapid, zig-zag motions they made, repeating what she kept telling herself inside.  ¡°You¡¯re perfect¡­  I hate it.  What should I do?¡±


    Selvaria was unresponsive for a few seconds until catching sight of Galatea desperately chasing after them while sending icy blasts at the ribs of the skeletal shark.  Blinking a few times, the Leviathan smiled.


    ¡°Me¡­ perfect?  Ha.  Ha-ha-ha.  I¡¯m the commander; I don¡¯t have time to be anything less, Private.¡±  Lifting a closed fist, she smashed it against the silent killer¡¯s mouth to fracture the bone and wiggle herself free.  ¡°C¡¯mon.¡±


    Releasing her suction against the undead creature, she spun in circles after being batted away by the shark¡¯s swaying tail; it didn¡¯t hurt that much, but she sucked at swimming.


    Luckily, Selvaria was right behind her to stabilize her, and the woman¡¯s comforting embrace filled her with security.  Melissa couldn¡¯t believe the woman had survived being bitten by a 25-meter-long, skeletal megalodon; these people were insane!


    Casting her gaze about now that they were free from the rapid acceleration, she witnessed Mara and Nemesis engaging their own flood of either skeletal pirates or fish underwater; one cry from the mermaid shattered the schools to dust, and Nemesis¡­  Nemesis was ignoring them entirely on his casual swim to the black shore as if these weren¡¯t worth his time.


    Five circling megalodons were now moving to attack Cahira¡¯s ship as she lowered her pirate-filled boats; the giant sharks seemed able to cause slight damage to Cahira¡¯s hull, yet the moment the boats were in the water, the ship turned to crimson flames and vanished.


    ¡°T-The ship?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Selvaria hummed, eyeing the confused sharks.  ¡°You gotta be strong, Private.  Ready to kick ass?¡±


    Steeling her resolve, Melissa¡¯s fists tightened underwater; she saw her wolf being targeted by the circling sharks now, without his pack or help.


    Selvaria¡¯s unconcerned face helped to stabilize her pounding heart as she held out her hand to recall the wolf; it turned into black ink just before meeting the advancing megalodon before rushing back to be absorbed into her skin.


    Melissa made herself a promise with the powerful presence of this legendary group that had rescued her.  If they lived as and reveled in being monsters, then so could she.  Besides, they¡¯d shown her a path that would let her become whoever she wanted to be; she wasn¡¯t helpless.


    I¡¯m done being scared!  I won¡¯t back down anymore.  I¡¯m not weak!  I¡¯m a monster too!


    She yelled, ¡°Selvaria, keep these safe for me!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  Oh!  Yeah, good plan,¡± the young woman nodded, helping to keep her still as Melissa quickly removed her clothing; the sharks spun around to spot them, rushing forward to sink their fangs into them.


    Things are different, she smiled, feeling a pulse of excitement finally bloom in her heart as the world grew smaller.  You¡¯re not my nightmare¡­ I¡¯m yours.


    Her skin tinted blue as her twelve spiked tentacles filled the sea, wrapping the advancing creatures into tight balls before six draconic mouths roared their fury as Melissa let everything she suppressed loose; her remaining five wolves broke free from her to find prey.  She was free.


    Melissa¡¯s back broke the surface as she grew too large, and her bulb-like bottom dug into the sandy earth; she sent a light rain on the stunned pirates in their tiny boats as she towered over them, and her giant 15-meter-tall hounds propelled themselves through the water as if they had fins themselves, seeking prey now that she was released.


    For the first time since her change, the white faces that met her were exhilarating.  Rolling around her neck, Melissa reached her many arms out to seek the prey of her barbed grip; she was done being the victim.


    The three rows of grisly teeth on her dragon appendages crushed the bones of the ensnared megalodons¡ªwho seemed unable to respond to her multi-angled attack¡ªwhile her larger tentacles sent sharp currents to bring Cahira¡¯s crew onto land and the undead fish away.


    Was I always this terrifying?  she internally questioned.


    Finding Selvaria keeping her head above the churning ocean, whipped up in her wake, she lifted the human Leviathan out of the water with one of her arms; the young woman was far heavier than she appeared as Selvaria passively kicked her feet in the air, observing the chaos Melissa instantly brought.


    Nemesis was somehow already at the shore, scanning for prey as Mara protected the speeding boats; using motors, they¡¯d reach the black sands soon.


    Melissa bit her lower lip as more sharks came from the mist, each a tad larger from their previous counterparts she¡¯d just devastated, but each tentacle, wolf, and dragon had their own brain that acted as a receiver for her instinctual desires and extension of herself, which intercepted them.


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    She could hardly hear Selvaria, so Melissa brought her closer to her left ear.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said nice!¡±  she returned.  ¡°Oh, and cover your boobs more¡ªcreeps are near¡ªcan¡¯t be too careful.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Melissa glanced down at her soaked black locks sticking to her bust and gingerly adjusted it to comply; it was so strange how at ease this group made such an extreme situation, such as skeletal megalodons, seem.


    ¡°So¡­ I just¡ªouch¡­¡±


    She frowned as one shark, hiding in the fog, lurched out to chomp down on a tentacle.  Melissa reflexively lifted it out of the water to glare at the wriggling monster, attempting to further dig into her spiky hide; it actually drew a bit of black blood.


    Whipping it back, its teeth were dislodged for it to soar overhead and land somewhere on obscured, forested island, creating a distant crash.


    Her gaze went to Selvaria¡¯s tiny figure in her hand as she popped her tongue a few times, shaking her head.  ¡°Tsk.  Tsk.  Tsk.  You have a way to go, Little Grasshopper.  You gotta become an invincible tank, like me.  No one hurts the unbreakable skin of Commander Leviathan.¡±


    Chuckling a little as the woman referred to herself in the 3rd person, Melissa lifted her damaged tentacle to show the bite healing and dislodged teeth.  ¡°I recover pretty fast.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s expression said she wasn¡¯t impressed, though, and Melissa leaned closer to hear her words as her horde continued to savage the waters: six dragons, six wolves, twelve tentacles, and a swaying cat¡¯s tail; she was a monster, alright.


    ¡°You gotta worry about poison if you can be cut; I learned the hard way.  Now, my plates are indestructible.  If they can¡¯t hurt you, they can¡¯t win.¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Words of wisdom, but what if it¡¯s poisonous smoke?¡±  she smiled, seeing the writhing waters and desperate struggle the undead creatures had as she slid them across the ocean floor, whipping up sand and mist all around them.  ¡°Is¡­ it supposed to be this easy?¡±


    Selvaria dismissively waved her hand, pointing at the shore.  ¡°Looks like everyone¡¯s clear, so we¡¯re good to go.  Oh, yeah, I forgot to say, Cahira probably just didn¡¯t like her boat being beaten up, so she returned it to storage.  How are things going underwater?  Too much sand to see.¡±


    Melissa scanned the stormy sea, whipped into a frenzy by her swift appendages that had the mission to search and destroy.


    ¡°Good¡­ but they keep going after my tail,¡± she growled, twisting her hips to lift it out of the ocean to show the woman; hundreds of tiny, skeletal piranha were wriggling while gnawing on it, but they couldn¡¯t penetrate her thick fur.


    ¡°Oof.  Is it your weak point?¡±


    Jaw tightening, she stiffly nodded but soon giggled at the little transformed baby seal as the mini Leviathan roared and set off to cleanse the dead fish, blasting them with her frost breath.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±  Selvaria lifted herself up to stand on her hand, changing positions to survey the battlefield like a commander while safeguarding Melissa¡¯s precious outfit.  ¡°We first get you looking cute¡ªmost important¡ªand then we build up your defense.  Sound good?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  I guess.  Umm¡­  I can¡¯t move, by the way,¡± she said, glancing down at her bulky bulb of a lower half that was stuck in the mud.  ¡°I gotta transform back into a human if we¡¯re going to leave.  Should we?¡±


    ¡°Mmh.  Probably.  Looks like the big boys are all broken bones now, and we¡¯re only interested in the big fish.  Shrink down, and I¡¯ll protect you while you change underwater.¡±


    Heart burning at the woman¡¯s thumbs up and reassuring smile, Melissa returned her wolves into her body and shrunk; they¡¯d sustained some injuries, but they¡¯d quickly heal.


    Entering the swirling currents, she frowned at how bad she was at keeping herself stable in the raging tides she¡¯d created, yet, not soon after, Selvaria¡¯s fingers closed around her bare shoulders to keep her from being carried away.


    ¡°I got ya,¡± she reassured, clothing still held in her left hand.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Galatea joined them to fend off the smaller fish as Selvaria handed her the articles; once the transfer happened, the Leviathan transformed into her titanic form to carry her above.  The mist now blocked their view of the shore, twisting Melissa¡¯s gut.


    Don¡¯t tell me we¡¯re not going to be able to find them¡­  It¡¯s totally going to be that stupid trope!  C¡¯mon!


    Melissa kept herself from falling off by using the natural suction of her tentacles against Selvaria¡¯s thick plates, and after the Leviathan ceased her movements, Melissa tentatively asked her Seed¡ªas they called it¡ªto turn more of her appendages into tattoos.  It worked!


    Her now six tentacles shot her up and down with her squeals of delight as two receded.  ¡°Yes!  Yes!  Yes!¡±


    Her black tail weaved back and forth while reaching around her side to feel the smooth skin.  ¡°It¡¯s working¡ªeven if I¡¯m a cat girl¡­  I¡¯m not an ugly bulbous, tentacle monster anymore!¡±


    A low rumble from Selvaria made her bones quake from the reverberation, yet she could understand her.  ¡°Nope.  You¡¯re a cute cat girl that gets head pats and has a protective big sister.  I¡¯ll help you find your little sister, and she can be my little sister, too.  Oh.  Are you done?¡±


    ¡°No!  No, sorry!¡±  Melissa yelled back, hurriedly slipping her bra on before carefully maneuvering her six remaining tentacles inside her sweater.  ¡°Just a second!¡±


    Perfect¡­ if a little weird, she had to admit to herself with some laughter, but that¡¯s what makes them so amazing, too.


    Finishing by sliding her panties and shorts on, Melissa¡¯s appendages exited through the spatial divide of her sweater to support her along the Leviathan¡¯s spine to reach her head.


    ¡°Okay!  I¡¯m good.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s tail weaved with her body as the sea monster went to the shore, Galatea still blasting undead fish jumping out of the water to get her; she seemed to be baiting them and having fun while doing it.


    ¡°Gyuuu!¡±


    Melissa sat on Selvaria¡¯s shoulder while searching for their party beyond the thickening mist, yet they couldn¡¯t spot anything on the shore when they neared.  ¡°Uh-oh¡­  Mmgm¡­  Hmm?!!?!¡±


    Selvaria rose to her full height on the shore, creating rivers of trailing water to be carved along the black sandy shore as she breathed in deeply, sucking in the foggy mist before releasing a deafening roar that parted the vail in an instant and blew back trees.


    ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry!¡±


    Melissa¡¯s blood ran cold as colossal 30-meter-tall, black-boned giants rose out of the parting mist¡ªstill smaller than Selvaria¡ªtowering over the trees.  Alongside them were thousands of ghostly lights dotted across the island; yet, further in, there were sounds of Nemesis¡¯ roaring laughter as he engaged the undead army that marched to meet him.


    ¡°Huu-haaa¡­  I¡¯m going to have to get undressed again.  Huh?¡±


    Selvaria chuckled, lowering her hand to set Melissa on the ground to stare at the slowly advancing horde.


    Bending left and right, she smiled and stripped, bundling them on the edge of the Leviathan¡¯s massive hand before joining her; it was then that she realized she wasn¡¯t quite as tall as the older woman, yet her tentacles were extremely long.


    Vision tilting to the shoreline as the flood of corpses rushed them to try and climb up their bodies, Melissa loosed her own monsters on the throng but hesitated to engage the fanged giants, dressed in plated gold and carrying massive swords.


    ¡°Uh¡­ remember what you said about defense, Selvaria?¡±


    ¡°Mhm?¡±  the Leviathan returned, low rumbles from her throat quivering the hazy air at their attitude as it settled back in.


    ¡°I, umm¡­ I think they¡¯re going to cut off my tentacles.¡±


    ¡°Tactics, Private!  Bait and switch,¡± she instructed, crossing her arms across her chest as steam shot through her nose.


    ¡°Yikes,¡± Melissa hissed, deciding to play along with the roles, but she really did not want to know what it would feel like to have a limb cut off, even if it would grow back.  ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll try, Commander.¡±


    Extending her tentacles to weave through the large trees like snakes at the slowly approaching undead giants, unphased by the monsters in front of them, Melissa sent her snapping draconic arms out to taunt them from above.


    Luckily, they seemed to not be the brightest tools, and Selvaria was right; her tentacles sprung up to lock the six skeletons in place as her other six tentacles restrained their sword arms and dragons snapped around their skulls.


    Unfortunately, Melissa underestimated their strength; skulls only cracked from the surprise attack, and an unholy aura they released drained her strength.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Her wolves came to her rescue, jumping out of the undergrowth with undead clinging to their fur to latch onto their legs and snap their bones, forcing them to the ground.


    ¡°Good puppies!¡±  Selvaria praised, and another reposition and snap from her dragons broke the monstrous giants¡¯ skulls.


    Puffing out a relieved sigh as they crumbled to dust, Melissa retracted her tentacles; whatever the big monsters did had weakened her thick skin to the point some of the undead in the forest were able to penetrate her defenses with spears.


    However, she couldn¡¯t help a short jump as Selvaria leaned back, chest puffing up again and making Melissa panic about what she was going to do next; her appendages rose up in defense as her wolves and dragons retreated.


    Lightning and blue mist coalesced in the Leviathan¡¯s mouth, and, some short seconds later, she released a large beam of electrified ice that cut a straight line from the beach to the smoking volcano in the distance, leaving a trail of frostburn.


    Melissa¡¯s jaw hung open as Selvaria gave a satisfied huff and a clawed thumbs up.  ¡°Made a path.  Maybe we can beat Nemesis and the gang there.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ heh-hehe.  Yeah¡­  Maybe.¡±


    She nudged her head while holding out her hand.  ¡°Want to get dressed and ride on my back to the end?  It¡¯s faster than walking as humans, and I want to finish this so we can go see my mom.  Oh.  How many tentacles now?¡±


    ¡°Give me a moment,¡± Melissa mumbled, a bit overwhelmed and glad the woman hadn¡¯t seen her as an enemy when they first met.


    She shrunk down and accepted her clothing as Selvaria lowered herself to her belly to lazily flick the undead that exited the forest to come after them.


    Taking a deep breath, she breathed out a heavy stream of air and asked her Seed for the change; retracting her tentacles, only two remained.


    ¡°Two!  Selvaria!  Selvaria!¡±  Melissa cried, darting over to hug her nose as her massive head turned her way.  ¡°I only have two left!  I¡¯m so close!¡±


    ¡°Wooh,¡± Selvaria cheered in her monotone voice that Melissa loved, clawed fist pumping in the air before slamming down on some mounted undead charging out of the forest.  ¡°Maybe we can do something about the tattoos if you¡¯re getting experience like this, but¡­ it is a Legend¡¯s Quest.¡±


    She rose up a bit to stare at where the fallen pile of bones had ended up.  ¡°Heh¡­ hehe.  I could see Rachel totally just one-shotting those things with one kick or something.  Fi would just turn them to ash, and Maria¡­  We really should have brought Maria.  They¡¯re going to be sad they missed the fun and experience.  You snooze, you lose.¡±


    Melissa giggled as she finished sliding her clothes back on, turning around to see piles of treasure washing up on the shore.  ¡°Oh¡­  Selvaria.  Selvaria!¡±


    ¡°Mmh?  Oh, our reward from the sharks.  Let me just scoop that into a pile¡­  Good.  Hmm.  Let¡¯s go see what reward we get from the skelly bosses now; we can come back and sort stuff later.¡±


    ¡°Could there be even better clothes that can transform with me¡­ or is that asking too much?¡±  Melissa forced a laugh while getting on the Leviathan¡¯s sandy hand, using her tentacles to keep upright before transferring to her shoulder.


    ¡°Who knows.  Maybe an android.  That¡¯d be cool.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± she shrugged, no longer surprised by the woman¡¯s unusual ideas; Melissa smiled at her new sister, and together they set off to discover whatever items the undead giants had dropped.


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 16. A Nightmare Lifted

    AuthorSME


    Note:  My grandpa is doing much better. I should have half of UE Volume 4-1 out tomorrow, and everything should return to a normal schedule this week. Thanks for hanging in there, guys!


    PoV:


    1. Melissa (Our New Tentacle Mythikin!)


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    Joshy14-06, AJ, Zel, Max Mustermann-34615, x51t2, John Driscoll, Anskelis, Brian Barrett, Dylan K, and my other Patrons!


    Melissa sat cross-legged on Selvaria¡¯s gigantic head, Galatea zipping left and right around her, seeing to the swarming undead that tried to stop the colossal monster¡¯s trail of destruction.


    The island of fog and death was now filled with the thuds of the Leviathan¡¯s giant legs and arms as she pulled herself over the ancient trees and creatures¡ªmany of whom didn¡¯t seem to be terrified in the least.


    A horde of bony fiends mindlessly charged to their deaths, crushed by the sea monster¡¯s girth.


    Huh, were they really killed when they¡¯re already dead?  Melissa couldn¡¯t help thinking, then giggled a little bit; it had been a while since she¡¯d had the space for such silly thoughts.


    It was oddly uncanny, passively watching a baby seal¡ªturned baby Leviathan¡ªblast the undead that managed to climb up Selvaria¡¯s body, sending them tumbling to the ground as Galatea chirped her conquest.


    She could see stronger, ghostly monsters gathering around the scar the woman had made to the volcano, seemingly knowing they¡¯d eventually use it to reach the smoky destination, yet Selvaria¡¯s first agenda was to identify the loot left by the skeletal titans Melissa had slain.


    Her teeth locked together upon seeing the crushed piles of dissolving bones the size of a four-story building¡ªshe¡¯d killed them¡ªand they had dropped treasure like some video game.


    What kind of world is this¡­  Everything was so torturous before, but this¡­  How can I have fun in a place like this?


    Unlatching her tentacles from Selvaria¡¯s plates after the Leviathan created another scarred path between the six giant boneyards, she propelled herself off to land on the damaged forest area.


    Selvaria shrunk down a hundred meters to her left, making Melissa blink in confusion at how small she¡¯d become; the older, mature woman looked like a teenager as she jogged over, plowing through the undead that broke through the ground as if they weren¡¯t even there.


    ¡°Hey¡­  What did we get¡ªanything cool?¡±


    ¡°Gyuu!¡±


    Glancing around as weaker undead soldiers spawned, Melissa sent her six wolves out from the back of her sweater back to clear out the rabble¡ªthey really felt like rabble¡ªweak and brittle.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve fully dissolved yet¡­  Is that how it works; they dissolve into treasure?¡±  she questioned, absently watching her giant black wolves grow to only a fraction of their previous size when she was in her Scylla State.


    I should probably name them at some point¡­


    ¡°Huh.¡±  Selvaria put a hand on her hip as she slowed, lifting a foot to pluck off a skeletal hand that refused to let go of her leg.  ¡°Eww.  Creepy undead.  Oh, good puppies.  Have you named them yet?¡±


    Laughing at how at ease they were in a graveyard of skeletal monsters, Melissa shook her head.  ¡°I was just thinking about that.  We can do it later, but¡­ they¡¯re really helpful.¡±


    They turned to watch the overgrown wolves plow into and crush the skeletons like dogs gnawing on cheap bones, yet the specters gathering at the edge of the forest tightened her gut.


    ¡°Uh¡­ what do we do about those guys?¡±


    ¡°Meh.  Galatea can blast them with her elemental breath.  Good Exp for her.¡±


    ¡°Gyu, gyu, gyuuu!¡±


    The little Leviathan gave a funny salute to her master¡ªsomething she couldn¡¯t do as a seal with her short fins¡ªand flew off to chase the ghosts away, spewing electrified frost at them.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    They returned their focus to the bone pile with her wolves and Galatea handling the small fries when a hissing scream pierced the night¡ªhundreds of cries¡ªfrom the giant bones that cracked, releasing dark energy.


    Melissa shivered, remembering the cursed feeling of weakness that came over her when wrapping her tentacles around them, but after several seconds, all that remained of the devastated area were broken trees, upturned earth, and a single treasure chest.


    ¡°No gold or gems?¡±  Selvaria huffed, walking forward with her.  ¡°Cahira¡¯s gonna be big sad.  Welp, what¡¯s the loot?¡±


    The teenage Leviathan kicked the chest, making Melissa jump as it popped like a balloon, releasing black smoke to reveal a green sleeveless, roll-neck sweater and tight black pants.


    Selvaria threw her hands in the air for her to high-five.  ¡°Wooh.  Fashion.¡±


    Slapping her palms with a short giggle, Melissa used a tentacle to scoop them up and held them up to examine.  ¡°These will have special properties, too?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.  Let¡¯s see, System, be nice and tell us what these do¡­  Oh.  Cool.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Leviathan smiled and held it out for her.  ¡°Not as good as Nia since she was the end-of-quest reward, I think, but these can act as a wardrobe changer of sorts.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t follow.  Nia?¡±


    She held up the top and bottom, asking the System to impart its seemingly boundless wisdom on her, and her eyes widened at the information granted.


    ¡°It can absorb a piece of clothing and take one attribute from it?¡±


    Selvaria pointed at the bottoms.  ¡°It has a ten-item limit and only takes one attribute from the item, but that¡¯s ten items sacrificed to create your own personal outfit.  Cool, huh?  It can transform on the spot, too.  Hmm.  We just need something with the attribute to morph into your body when transformed¡­¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­  Is this normal for you?¡±  Melissa asked, holding the sweater to her white top for it to suddenly be drawn off her body and into the item.  ¡°Eh?!¡±


    She stood in momentary shock while looking down at her ghost bra and writhing tattoos moving across her skin.  ¡°It just¡­ ate my storage sweater!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Rookie mistake,¡± Selvaria chuckled, pointing at the item.  ¡°Did it absorb the right affix?¡±


    Checking real fast, she sighed in relief.  ¡°It has the pocket dimension thing¡­ wait, can it¡­ it can,¡± she mumbled as it transformed into the baggy white sweater.  ¡°So¡­ ten items, including bottoms and underwear?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s test it out,¡± Selvaria hummed, pointing at the jeans.  ¡°What do those do?¡±


    Hesitantly bringing the two together with her two remaining untattooed tentacles, she jumped again as it was absorbed, making the Leviathan giggle.


    ¡°It applies a curse to anyone that touches me I view negatively¡­ sapping their strength and has increased durability and defenses.¡±


    ¡°Curse.¡±  Selvaria instantly nodded as if it was the only option.  ¡°Definitely the curse.  Needed.  Totally needed.¡±


    Excitement bubbled up in her breast as she slipped her tentacles through the item to pull it over her head, feeding the appendages into the storage; it automatically absorbed her bra, bottoms, and underwear when touched to reappear in shimmering black light.


    ¡°No way¡­  This is amazing,¡± she whispered, staring down at her now green top and black pants.  ¡°Ghost features that allow my tentacles, ears, and tail to go through from anywhere, internal storage, a weakening curse, waterproof, and the ability to change colors?¡±


    Selvaria counted off on her fingers.  ¡°Five of ten, huh?  Do the attributes stay if you feed it more clothes?¡±


    Melissa asked the question, and a big grin spread across her lips.  ¡°Uh-huh!  It can only store ten items¡ªand it destroys them¡ªbut I can add new clothing to it.¡±


    She gave a thumbs up.  ¡°Nice.  Looking cute, too.  Want to check out the others?  I¡¯m still holding out hope for an android or super-suit¡ªI¡¯ll have my super-suit¡ªit¡¯s the main reason I came!¡±  Selvaria determined, throwing a fist in the air.


    ¡°Haha.  Okay.  Uh¡­ does it matter I killed them, so it will be what I want?¡±


    Selvaria shrugged, leading the way to the next area¡ªa decent distance away¡ªas Melissa¡¯s wolves returned from their defensive slaughter to take up a diamond formation around them; Galatea continued to use her breath attack against the ghosts, and the stronger ones seemed to be strong enough to have a mini aerial battle with the flying Leviathan.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how Cahira¡¯s ability works¡ªit¡¯s weird¡ªbut it seems to have things appropriate to what we want in one way or another.  I think it¡¯s getting stronger.¡±


    She looked back at her with a wry smirk.  ¡°She¡¯s pretty bad in a normal fight, but she makes up for it in other areas¡­ if only she weren¡¯t such a pervert.  Right?¡±


    ¡°Heh.  I¡¯ll take your word for it¡­  Is it really okay just to walk through this place so carefree?  What if it¡¯s cursed¡ªif we get cursed¡­ look what happened to me because I wasn¡¯t careful,¡± she fretted, gesturing at her two tentacles.  ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Selvaria snickered at her fearful tone, flipping around to gesture at herself.  ¡°Oh, no!  Look how small I¡¯ve become¡ªmaybe you¡¯re right¡ªam I cursed?¡±


    ¡°I, uh¡­ I didn¡¯t want to say anything, but¡­ you don¡¯t seem that concerned you¡¯ve, uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Aged backward?¡±  Selvaria grinned, showing her fanged teeth with a beaming smile yet retaining her monotone voice that Melissa was sure had to be a curse with how animated the woman seemed to be.  ¡°Aren¡¯t I cute?¡±


    ¡°Umm.  Y-Yeah, I suppose you are?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  You¡¯re such a worrywart, Melissa!¡±


    Her cheeks darkened at the comment as she gestured at her wolves, chowing down on skeletal horses and riders, hosting small cuts in their fur from the stronger undead they took down in the unceasing assault.


    ¡°Umm, yeah?  We¡¯re on a literal island of death!  Those giants would have probably totally destroyed me if I didn¡¯t surprise them, too.  You¡¯re like¡­ never worried!¡±


    Melissa breathed a short puff of air through her nose as Selvaria slowed to reach up and pat her head, forcing her ears to fold back.  ¡°It¡¯s okay to be scared sometimes, Mel.  You¡¯ll get strong like big sis soon enough, and then you won¡¯t be scared of anything.  Follow us, and I¡¯ll make you a tough girl that no one will mess with, just like me!¡±


    ¡°If you say so¡­  What about your size?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?  Oh, hehe, I just need to dip myself in some water on our way to the volcano.  No biggy.¡±


    Not quite getting what water had to do with her small size, but, recognizing she seemed to be just as invincible as she was before by her fearless march and comments about how cute her wolves were, Melissa let her concern settle down again.


    Her hounds were taking damage, yet just like her, they had incredible regeneration from her endless battle against the giant eagles and sea monsters; it was worrying¡ªespecially after Selvaria¡¯s comments on poison, which was a valid point¡ªbut the Leviathan truly seemed unstoppable.


    Walking with her to the second chest in the middle of the devastation, Selvaria cheered upon seeing three large rubies lying around it.


    ¡°Food for Zippy!  I¡¯m gonna steal him from Cahira someday,¡± the woman whispered with a joking wink.  ¡°Turtles love food, so I¡¯m gonna be his favorite.¡±


    ¡°Zippy?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll meet him soon¡ªbig turtle island¡ªkind of our home base until my sea temple is done.¡±


    Melissa wasn¡¯t even going to try to understand what she was talking about and just nodded.  Her heart began to thump again as she kicked the chest, yet, this time, it was sent sailing several meters away to tumble across the ground.


    ¡°Oops.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked as one of her wolves ran after it to pick it up in his jaws and return with it.


    Selvaria patted his head.  ¡°Good boy¡ªor are you a girl?¡±


    ¡°Half and half¡ªthree boys, three girls,¡± Melissa responded.  ¡°This one¡¯s a boy.¡±


    The wolf made a low, joyful note and wagged his tail as Selvaria scratched behind his ear before running off to chow down on more self-delivered chew toys.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good number.  Hmm¡­ looks like we gotta break the lock,¡± she mumbled, bending down to present it.


    ¡°How¡ªokay then¡­  It didn¡¯t work?¡±


    Selvaria tugged down, yet nothing happened.


    ¡°Hmm.  I¡¯m too light, probably¡­  You try.  Ooh, what if it¡¯s locked because you are the key?¡±


    ¡°Like it¡¯s meant for me?¡±


    Selvaria nodded.  ¡°Mhm.  Give it a shot.¡±


    Tapping her tentacle against the top, a wry smile lifted her cheeks as the lock fell away and it popped open.  ¡°So weird¡­¡±


    The Leviathan reached in to produce black gym shorts and a white scoop-neck t-shirt with a thin black line around the collar and sleeves.  Melissa took the offered items before the woman next produced a pair of small hoop earrings and a hair clip.


    ¡°Ooh.  Probably Epic-Grade stuff, huh?  Pretty good?¡±


    Melissa couldn¡¯t help a chuckle as she drew out two more tentacles to receive the jewelry.  ¡°An epic t-shirt and gym shorts?  I think this shirt is a belly shirt, too¡­  Eh¡ªsleepwear?¡±


    Selvaria pumped her fist into the air.  ¡°Sleepwear!  Cool.  What buffs?¡±


    ¡°What kind of buffs are these?  The shirt has a forcefield that blocks out light¡­ it provides minor healing to light wounds while sleeping, and soothes an afflicted mind¡­ like if I have a headache or anything that¡¯s preventing me from falling asleep.¡±


    ¡°Oh.  Jealous.  I want something that stops headaches; definitely go with that one.  What about the shorts?¡±


    Melissa tossed the shirt against her sweater, absorbing it with the soothing effect.  ¡°Temperature control to remain comfortable in any weather, danger sense, and shocks anything that tries to touch me?  These combinations are a bit weird.¡±


    Selvaria scratched her neck.  ¡°Humm¡­ hard choice on this one.  Temperature control is so nice, but danger sense?  Tough.¡±


    ¡°Umm.  I think I¡¯m fine without danger sense since I kind of already have something like that?¡±


    ¡°Cool.  Temperature control.  You¡¯re making me jealous!  Earrings?¡±


    ¡°Haha.  Sorry.  Uh, earrings¡­¡±  Her eyebrows lifted while holding the loops up; this was almost like shopping and finding awesome clothes but with superpowered perks.  ¡°It can camouflage me, heh, stops snoring and drooling, and makes anything uncomfortable feeling vanish when trying to rest.¡±


    ¡°Oof.  Not snoring and drooling is big,¡± Selvaria growled, arms crossing under her small bust.  ¡°Hard choices again.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±  Melissa tucked under her lips as a thought came to her, and she asked the System.  ¡°It can!¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s head tilted.  ¡°It can do what?¡±


    She instantly held the gym shorts and earrings to her chest to be absorbed and appear on her cat ears, making them wiggle; her outfit shimmered before showing her sleepwear, and all of her tattoos faded to be replaced by her white skin.


    ¡°Oh my gosh!  Yes!  Look!  It camouflages my tattoos!¡±  she squealed before concern crossed her eyes, and she looked up at Selvaria.  ¡°Uh¡­ was I too hasty?¡±


    Selvaria swiftly shook her head, giving her another thumbs up.  ¡°Super cute.  It turns your eyes an amber color, too.  Camo¡¯s pretty cool.  Try the hairpin, too; it can help keep your bangs out of the way.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh!  Umm¡­ it blocks out sound, lets me breathe underwater, and makes my clothes really durable, so they don¡¯t rip.¡±


    ¡°Definitely the latter,¡± Selvaria sighed, glancing down at her plates; they acted as a bathing suit.  ¡°I kind of gave up on clothes when I go into battle because I always destroyed them; we need to find an item that pulls your clothes into your body for your last affix, but the durable one is awesome.  No heroine losing parts of her clothes for fan service.  Approve.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  You have a funny way of looking at things, Selvaria,¡± Melissa mused, holding the clip to her breast and adding the ninth affix to her outfit.  ¡°To the next chest?¡±


    ¡°Onward!  March, soldiers.¡±


    They went from chest to chest, yet in the third and fourth, all they found was a heavy club with electric powers and a hammer that could shrink down into a charm bracelet and had a Slow Spell attached to it to not let nearby enemies escape.


    There were a few fashion choices like lilac-hued sunglasses, studded earrings to replace the hoops, and at the fifth chest, she got a new, dark cream boat-neckline sweater¡ªCahira¡¯s ability loved giving her sweaters¡ªthat wasn¡¯t exactly what they were looking for, but it worked.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±  she asked, presenting her new outfit combination for inspection.  ¡°The new sweater transforms my outfit into a single larger piece of clothing that fits on my Scylla State.¡±


    Selvaria hummed while giving her two thumbs up this time.  ¡°Super cute.  We need to get you a sports bra then¡ªdefinitely a sports bra.¡±


    ¡°Haha.  Thanks, Selvaria.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.  Gotta look out for my lil¡¯ sis and keep the creeps off ya.  Haaa¡­¡±


    Adding a forced smile while putting her hands in her pockets, Melissa glanced toward the last area.  ¡°We got almost everything I wanted, but no super-suit?¡±


    ¡°Nope.  I¡¯m hoping, but maybe I¡¯ll need to wait until the final reward.  Actually, yeah, I¡¯d rather have it be one of the big prizes¡ªhear me, System?!¡±  she shouted to the heavens.  ¡°I want a super-suit.  Help me out, Moon-Moon!¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ that a nickname for Rachel?¡±  Melissa asked, having heard a bit about Mythic¡¯s Lunar Hare leader now.


    Making their way to the last chest, Selvaria sighed and shook her head.  ¡°A demigod rabbit that I play chess with sometimes and talk about Rachel.  He¡¯s scared of Yseress.¡±


    ¡°Her¡­ inner demon?¡±


    ¡°Devil.  Big important, apparently,¡± Selvaria educated.  ¡°She¡¯s super finicky about it.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±  The more she heard about Mythic, the crazier it sounded.  ¡°And Nia is her¡­ sentient clothing?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.  She can take on a body now, too; she¡¯s cute and likes to dress up like me.  Oh, we should all get together and have a fashion show.  Well¡­¡±  Selvaria glanced toward her wolves and Galatea, still blasting undead, but they¡¯d become a lot more scarce as time went on.  ¡°Maybe we should wait for the fashion show until my mom goes shopping with me.  You should join.¡±


    Melissa shrugged.  ¡°I don¡¯t think I have anything else really planned¡­ besides looking for clues about my little sister.¡±


    Selvaria slowed to put a hand on her shoulder.  ¡°We¡¯ll find her.  I got contacts with government big shots; we¡¯ll get my people working on it.¡±


    From what she¡¯d gathered, most of those ¡®contacts¡¯ came from Rachel more than anything else, but it meant a lot that she seemed to care so much for helping her; Selvaria had literally changed her life, and so easily, too.


    Sure, it came from Cahira¡¯s ability to find treasure, and Melissa assumed the definition of ¡®treasure¡¯ played a role in what they got, which was why clothing was so prevalent from the things they were killing, yet Selvaria¡¯s guidance and example was an anchor for her.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Silence ensued as they turned into their own thoughts, and Melissa absently watched her wolves tear into the small groups of undead that exited the soil or devastated forest; Galatea was growing tired, so she returned to Selvaria to hold the back-to-normal baby seal, falling asleep in her arms.


    No starlight fed through the obscured heavens, and their path ended when they came to a black river; the swirling mist cast an eerie silence over the settling island again after Selvaria¡¯s roar had parted it, struck by their titanic mayhem more than an hour ago.


    ¡°Now that¡­ that looks cursed,¡± Melissa mumbled as her six wolves stood nearby, heads scanning for danger.


    ¡°Yyyup¡­  Let¡¯s see.¡±


    ¡°Selvaria!¡±


    She stepped forward to stick a foot in the black goo without an ounce of fear.  ¡°Uh¡­ salty.  I can drink it, and uh, yeah, it¡¯s cursed, but whatever, I can shrug it off with my resistances.  Want to ride on my back?¡±


    Melissa huffed while glaring at the fearless Leviathan.  ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about you than me!  You keep doing dangerous stuff.¡±


    ¡°Meh.  I¡¯m tough.  If it¡¯s not scary looking, I don¡¯t really care.¡±


    Not grasping the last bit¡ªhow scary would something need to be to frighten the fearless Leviathan¡ªso she chalked it up to another incomprehensible statement.


    Tightening her lips, Melissa tentatively dipped her tentacle in the water, shivering as a shock ran up her frame; it was difficult, but she retracted her trembling appendage to choke, ¡°Gah¡­ i-it paralyzes you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.  Looks like you need to work on your defenses, Mel.  Here, let me go in and bring you and Galatea over; I don¡¯t remember how big it is¡­  It can¡¯t be too big¡­ unless it grew¡ªit probably grew,¡± she nodded, matter-of-factly.


    ¡°Are you sure?  What if there¡¯s a monster in there?¡±


    ¡°Probably is¡­ I¡¯ll just eat it,¡± she smiled, chomping her sharp fangs.  ¡°Oh!  Do you want to try out your clothes to see if it works?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ right¡­ the only issue is¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah.  Yeah¡­ you can¡¯t really move well when you transform.  We need to fix that.¡±


    Melissa shrugged.  ¡°It¡¯s a part of my myth¡ªScylla can¡¯t move¡ªor that¡¯s what I know about her myth.¡±


    ¡°Everything can be fixed with experience points,¡± Selvaria cheered.  ¡°Praise the almighty System!  We just need to get you more points.  Okay.  Stand back.¡±


    Taking Galatea and accepting one of her wolves¡¯ backs as he offered her a ride, they darted away, weaving between small packs of weak undead; she heard a diminished splash followed by an eruption of water before snapping trees and upturned earth with Selvaria¡¯s low chuckles.


    ¡°Gnawing on steel isn¡¯t good for your teeth, lil¡¯ guys¡­ oof, see, I told you.¡±


    The wind blowing Melissa¡¯s locks back eased as her wolves slowed, turning to see a colossal shadow in the dissipating mist; the Leviathan¡¯s girth and sweeping hands created a sharp whirlwind that pushed the fog away as she waved.


    ¡°Mel¡­ I know you went this¡ªthere you are.¡±


    It was a little apocalyptic-looking, seeing the gigantic Leviathan reaching down to place her fingers nearby.  ¡°Whenever you''re ready¡ªthe stupid river really did grow¡ªtalk about a cheating island.  It almost washed our prize away.¡±


    Who¡¯s cheating?  Melissa internally laughed as her wolves jumped onto the monster¡¯s hand.


    The Leviathan shifted in the shin-deep river, her tail dragging along the bottom of the river to send a wave of the tar-like liquid back the way they¡¯d come.


    Selvaria set them on the other side before the giant monster plopped down in the middle of the cursed river to clump up earth and create a bridge with holes for the river to run under.


    ¡°There we go¡­ just like at the beach¡ªadd a little frost¡ªand we have a bridge to slide across, so I don¡¯t need to keep being the ferry.  Oh, add a railing so we don¡¯t go tumbling in, and we have an ice skating ring!¡±


    You¡¯re ridiculous!


    Waiting as the Leviathan put the finishing touches on it, Melissa¡¯s eyes widened as the woman shrunk and jumped out¡ªshe¡¯d filled out¡ªSelvaria was a grown woman again.


    Stretching left and right, she huffed.  ¡°Mmgm¡­ there we go!  Nice and full¡ªI got a treat, too¡ªstupid slime thing thought it could try and eat me¡ªme¡ªthe nerve.  So, I ate it back.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  I bet.  The last chest?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!  Let¡¯s see what we get.¡±


    Making their way to the final area, Melissa wondered if this ease was always present in this group¡¯s adventures.  Mara and Nemesis seemed to be able to manhandle the undead from what she could see, as well, but according to Selvaria, they kind of out-leveled this area; their first Legend¡¯s Quest was insanely difficult, plus they kind of knew what to expect now.


    It didn¡¯t take long to reach the chest since the river had almost expanded to the area, and kicking it open like the rest, Selvaria was disappointed to find another set of clothing.


    Melissa happily added to her growing collection, trading out her color-changing affix for black and white striped, thigh-high stockings that gave her the expanded ability to store more clothes in her pocket space.


    She didn¡¯t care too much for the item abilities of the other items but was happy to put a teal sweetheart-necked sweater and scoop-neck black tanktop into her wardrobe.


    Wearing the new outfit as they returned to the bridge Selvaria crafted, Melissa cycled through a few of her options.  ¡°This has been¡­ amazing, Selvaria.¡±


    ¡°Huu-haaa.  I¡¯m happy for you,¡± Selvaria returned with a sad smile.  ¡°They¡¯re all really cute, and you now look like a totally normal, adorable cat girl¡ªhehe, with fluffy pets,¡± she said, stroking the side of one of the big, black wolves.


    Melissa¡¯s chest burned a bit as she examined herself; her tail slid right through her outfit with the ghost-like affix from the bra Cahira had given her.  ¡°I feel like a normal eighteen-year-old girl again¡­  It almost feels like a dream.¡±


    Selvaria shifted over to hug her for a moment before giggling and pointing up at Galatea, sleeping with her belly up on one of her wolf¡¯s backs.  ¡°Happy days ahead with me as your big sister.  Hehe, my baby works so hard.¡±


    A ghost floated out of the fog, only for Selvaria to breathe in and shoot an electrified beam from her mouth, vaporizing the creature without a second glance.  ¡°Gah¡­ so annoying.  Ready to go to the volcano?¡±


    ¡°Sure¡­ one second,¡± Melissa mumbled, glancing at one of the wolves who she singled out as the leader; deciding it would be best to invest her points in some kind of elemental-based attack if they were dealing with the ethereal so she wouldn¡¯t have to rely so heavily on Galatea and Selvaria.


    She clapped her hands in excitement as flames lit in the beast¡¯s mouth.  ¡°Yes!  It worked.  He can now breathe fire.¡±


    ¡°Nice,¡± Selvaria held up a thumb; it was quickly becoming a trademark image in Melissa¡¯s mind.  ¡°I don¡¯t have fire, so that covers another base for us.  Now, onward to the volcano!¡±


    Their path became far easier as they mounted her hounds¡ªSelvaria keeping her sleeping pet stable¡ªher wolves had to go a bit slower than Melissa expected due to the Leviathan¡¯s weight, yet still kept a decent pace, and eventually, they made it to the scarred black ground, following it as a guide, to reach the veiled volcano.


    The nightmare that had been Melissa¡¯s life had lifted as she smiled at her new ¡®big sister¡¯ riding beside her.  Everyone she¡¯d known had either shunned, abandoned, or used her since her change¡ªas a Nymph and Sylla.  Yet a complete stranger had been the one to save and guide her to a state where, at this moment, she could look at herself and not be utterly revolted.


    Thank you, Selvaria¡­


    Zig-zagging to their destination at an accelerated speed, they stopped just outside of a cavern¡ªunearthed from Selvaria¡¯s blast¡ªbut it hadn¡¯t been the opening that gave them pause.


    Melissa¡¯s lips parted as she pointed at the frozen men, but she couldn¡¯t get the words out; luckily, Selvaria wasn¡¯t so speechless and confused.


    ¡°Uh¡­ trouble, Jack?¡±


    ¡°Aye!  ¡®elp!¡±


    With a clear destination being the cavern, Bonnet stood with ten of his crew; Jack tied to a branch and lifted on the shoulders of two big men.  A feather-hatted skeleton was leading their way, glancing between their parties in apparent confusion.


    Bonnet stepped forward, tightening his loose tie and adding an unconvincing smile as the gagged and hog-tied man squirmed to speak past the cloth wrapped around his mouth.


    ¡°Ahem, Ladies¡­¡±


    ¡° ¡®elp¡ªmutiny¡ªmutiny, I tell ya!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±  one of the men growled from behind the captured pirate, likely jabbing him with a knife, making him yelp.


    Selvaria hopped down from her wolf, allowing him to stretch out his strained muscles as the woman released a long sigh, rolling around her own neck and cracking her knuckles.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we have ourselves a good ol¡¯ chat?  What¡¯d he do?¡±


    ¡°Ehh?!¡±  Jack cried, nudging his head toward the skeletal chief with telling eyes that said:  Can ya not see mi plight, loves?!  Turncoats, the lot o¡¯ them!


    ¡°No!¡±  Bonnet hissed as the chief held up a black staff with carved symbols on it.


    Tendrils of black smoke lifted from the earth to wrap around all of them; it was made of some kind of ethereal magic that her tentacles had difficulty ripping, yet, naturally, Selvaria shrugged them off like it was nothing.


    Selvaria puffed out another long stream of air.  ¡°Big mistake.¡±


    Jack¡¯s rolled his eyes and lifted his eyebrows in an ¡®I told you so¡¯ manner as the fog overhead parted only so slightly to show the crimson moon; Bonnet and his men turned into zombified versions of their former selves.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Melissa sighed, slumping against the back of her growling alpha wolf, her other five breaking free of the shadowy vines to cut the zombies off.  ¡°Let me guess.  Cursed treasure¡­ everything¡¯s cursed on this stupid island.¡±


    The Leviathan flexed her fingers as the men began to run toward the hole, yet Galatea and her fluff dogs closed them off; the seal shot a ray of frost in their path, forcing them to come to a stop as Selvaria walked through the dark magic the chief sent at her without care, slamming her fist into his skull, sending it soaring into oblivion beyond the fog.


    ¡°Shall we try this again, or should I start chewing on some bones?¡±


    Bonnet backed into another one of his men as Jack waited with a dry expression that said:  You¡¯re royally screwed, mate.


    ¡°Selvaria, correct?  This has been a huge misundersta¡ª¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.  Jack?¡±


    ¡°Cut him free!  Dammit!¡±  Bonnet turned and lowly hissed, likely not expecting their sharp hearing to catch it.


    Bonds cut, Ward hopped up and snatched his hat from one of the zombie pirates¡ªseemingly stolen¡ªbefore rubbing his wrists and giving them a golden-toothed girn as if they were long-lost cousins.


    ¡°If it isn¡¯t the beastie crew; ya be a sight fer sore eyes!¡±


    ¡°Jack¡­¡±  Bonnet snarled through a strained smile.


    ¡°Aye!  Aye, Bonnet!  We be gettin¡¯ ta ya in a moment, but it be such a fine night.  Hehe.  Fog, the undead, and backstabbin¡¯ mates¡ªI thought we were on closer relations, man.¡±


    Selvaria sighed at the performance as he taunted the undead pirate, frowning as the headless chief ran into the mist to retrieve his head.  ¡°What do you think, Melissa?¡±


    Resting against her wolf¡¯s shoulders, Melissa hummed, two draconic heads exiting the back of her shirt to hover over the ironically terrified undead men, snapping their jaws.  ¡°I think this is becoming ridiculous.  Well, I suppose we should hear the story¡­¡±


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 B5 — 17. When Luck Strangles You

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Jack Ward (Our First Look At Our Chaotic Pirate Captain!)


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    A low hum passed through Jack¡¯s throat as he stood next to Cahira on her small, self-propelling boat with Bonnet¡¯s crew of twenty behind them; the beastie gals were like titanic monsters of legend to their right, sending large waves that the Pirate Queen managed to navigate them over expertly.


    His life since The Oscillation had been filled with ups and downs, betrayals and pacts forged, yet nothing could have prepared him for the chaotic thrill this crew brought.  It said a lot that Blackbeard didn¡¯t plan an ambush against them straight after the port.


    Bonnet was more than likely a spy for Teach, but that was to no one¡¯s surprise; the man was all about fame, which was a fool¡¯s game.


    Renown or infamy came from the way one lived and the envy others placed on being in your shoes; Cahira¡¯s dispersed crew of individuals came to mind when thinking along those lines¡ªhis lines¡ªand Ward felt like he could get used to the pure freedom this crew promoted in its day-to-day dealings.


    Rachel was more or less this group¡¯s captain, yet it was more of a formality than anything else, so far as he could see; she offered a flag of freedom to live as one pleased¡ªwithin reason, of course¡ªwhich was something worth fighting for.


    Ultimately, this crew fought for their own individual ideals under the same chaotic banner of personal desires fulfilled; a true crew worth their salt as pirates.


    A short chuckle came from the fire-haired beauty beside him as Cahira grinned at the lovely mermaid circling under them, breaking waves and undead fish alike to provide a safe journey to the shore.


    ¡°Beastie crew through and through,¡± Jack mused, stroking his bound beard.  ¡°What think you, love¡ªa cursed island be a place ta find treasure, but we both be knowin¡¯ the risks of such a horde, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Heh.  Right ya be, Jackie,¡± she flashed her pearly whites while directing him to the shore, just coming into view as they neared the black sands.  ¡°Don¡¯t be touchin¡¯ a thing until the end; we¡¯ll collect what we need on the way out, or, heh, it will be floatin¡¯ on the waves when the island is carried away.¡±


    Imagining the island growing fins and swimming away put laughter into his chest.  ¡°Oh?  That would be a sight ta see!  I be of the same opinion.  I only be here for what¡¯s ta be had at the end, but¡­ I can¡¯t say the same for our rag-tag groupies in tow.  Savvy?¡±


    Cahira followed his wry smile to Bonnet¡¯s scared-shitless crew; it seemed they didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning of Island of the Dead by the looks on their pale faces in the three boats behind them.


    ¡°Meh.  If they die, then it will be their own fault¡ªeh, but I doubt those that get a sword through their bellies in this place stay in the ground if ya catch mi drift.¡±


    ¡°Ah, love, yer a lass after mi own heart,¡± Jack laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulder as she looped her own around his waist before summoning a bottle of rum from his own stash.  ¡°To adventure!¡±


    Taking a swig before handing it to the woman beside him, he grinned as she finished it off and tossed it into the shallow waters¡ªthey struck sand.


    Boots sinking into the gravely surface of the rising and falling water, he broke away from her to tip his hat to the bikini-wearing mermaid as she exited, feet returned.  ¡°Much appreciated, mi sweet!¡±


    ¡°Humph.¡±  The note wasn¡¯t only meant for him as the sonic wave fractured the bones of several swordfish that jumped after her to skewer the moss-haired woman, causing fragmented pieces of their bodies to bow around her.  ¡°Seems Nemesis is having fun.  He¡¯s not too far away.¡±


    Cahira held her hands behind her back as if this was a casual stroll through a popular island resort and she was a tourist on vacation.  ¡°What special treat will this place offer¡ªeh?!¡±


    They all flinched as a sharp wind pressed against their bodies, blowing much of the fog away as Selvaria and Melissa came to the shore, colossal figures parting the veil; it was something out of a kaiju movie¡ªmagnificent when the beasties were on your side.


    Bonnet and his party were swift to jump out of the dangerous waters as bony noses stabbed their way through the hole, looking for victims, and Cahira returned her vessels to storage to prevent further damage.


    ¡°L-Lady Cahira, could we speak about the protocols revolving around this island?!¡±


    A few of his men mumbled and nodded, drawing Mara, Cahira, and Jack¡¯s dull gaze.


    ¡°What did ya expect, man?¡±  she huffed, following Mara as the woman promptly left to join her lion friend; no one waited to be outside of her protective, humming field of influence.


    Jack snickered, keeping close to the Mythickin while summoning a fine sword to his side and twirling it around his fingers.  ¡°It isn¡¯t that hard to understand, Bonnet!  Stay outta the way and follow orders.  Hehe.  Maybe a crewmate or two of yers will live out the night.  Eh?¡±


    Mara smirked, her illuminated, amber irises flashing in the darkness as she glanced back at the shivering men.  ¡°Haha!  If they¡¯re not stupid, then they¡¯ll survive.  So¡­ I¡¯d say a 30% survival rate is acceptable odds.¡±


    ¡°Reasonable,¡± Cahira nodded.  ¡°It¡¯d be a flat zero otherwise.  Consider yourselves lucky, boys!  You¡¯ll be one of the few pirates to boast of taking part in a Legend¡¯s Quest this hard.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±  Bonnet mumbled, feverish eyes drifting to the giant monsters to his right.  ¡°Huh?  What¡¯s¡­ she doing?¡±


    They paused near the forest, still following Mara¡ªwho was still destroying the advancing skeletons with ease as they entered her musical dome¡ªas she followed the sounds of her friend to meet up with the Beast King.


    Jack lifted an eyebrow upon seeing the Leviathan breathing in a deep breath.  ¡°A roar¡­ a blast, maybe, Cahira?  Whatever it be, it¡¯s sure to be a show¡ªand my¡­ isn¡¯t Melissa a monstrous beaut¡¯ ta see on the open sea.¡±


    Mara grimaced and placed her hands over her ears, followed by Cahira and prompting Jack to do the same.  ¡°Don¡¯t run if you want to live, boys.¡±


    A thunderous roar reverberated through his entire frame as a pulse of wind made him stumble to the side, causing the trees to bow, sand to whip their face, and fog to utterly disperse from the ferocious cry that split the veil.


    Waves of fear followed¡ªproduced by the titan¡ªbegging his mind to turn and flee, despite being on the same side as the Leviathan, yet his Legendkin resistances stopped the impulse to run, fortunately.


    Five men attempted to flee, yet a recovering Bonnet ordered those that hadn¡¯t pissed themselves at the malevolent aura the Godzilla-like produced to tackle them.


    Jack rolled his eyes at the sight of Mara leaving them, looking at the forced men as they regained their bearings to remain in the musical safety bubble.  ¡°Steel yer balls, boys.¡±


    Ignoring those who followed or failed to keep up, he listened to Mara and Cahira talk, the woman¡¯s words shredding foliage and undead.  ¡°There¡¯s something¡­ big¡­ further in¡ªNemesis crushed one just a moment ago¡ªI could feel the tremors of its fall¡­  I think Melissa just destroyed six more, as well.¡±


    ¡°How many undead are we dealing with?¡±


    The woman ran her fingers through her hair.  ¡°Heh.  How many aren¡¯t we dealing with is more the question¡­  It¡¯s as if this entire island is composed of corpses.  Hmm?¡±


    She paused as a scream sounded behind her, and the jungle began to move around them, trees pulsing like living organisms.


    Jack grimaced upon seeing the wriggling vines and trees that folded to smash into the crying men behind them; it was all centered on one individual near the back that stumbled and fell.  ¡°Blood?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stop focused attacks like this,¡± Mara sighed as a trunk exploded from her vocal attack in its hammer-like acceleration toward the cut man, sending splinters into his skin while the others retreated to the opposite side of the field.


    Cahira forced a smile and held her hand to the left, summoning three cannons from blue flames.  ¡°Got anythin¡¯ ta help, Jackie?¡±


    ¡°Right behind ya, love!¡±  he returned, green fire generating his own that sent magically laced projectiles to assault the trunks, devastating the immediate area of greenery.


    Mara tore apart any smaller vine or fern that attempted to go after the crying man, who was tucked into a ball on the ground; the gashes across his skin soaked the black dirt, prompting more attacks, yet it didn¡¯t take long for them to create a circle of fire.


    The enchantress used her vocal prowess to spread Cahira¡¯s sapphire and Jack¡¯s emerald flames in a controlled way, keeping them from reaching beyond her sphere of influence in case it prompted further attacks.


    After the smoke of their cannon fire lifted, only charred ground remained as Mara continued to destroy the continual waves of undead that sought to enter their circle or shoot projectiles at them.


    ¡°Huh,¡± Jack hummed, one foot on the butt of his cannon while observing the devastation.  ¡°So, bleeding be a problem¡­ eh¡­¡±


    ¡°H-Help!¡±  the trembling man screamed, causing the others to shrink back as Bonnet joined Mara¡¯s side to glare at his crewman.  ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s inside my skin¡ªI can feel it!¡±


    Tone cold as the grave, Bonnet pulled out his gun, pointed it at the man, and shot him through the skull; black vines were beginning to worm their way out of his skin.  ¡°It seems blood will trigger some kind of reaction from the jungle.¡±


    Grimacing at the still wriggling man, Jack wasn¡¯t so much disturbed by the merciful act and more that it hadn¡¯t been for respect sake; he could respect a man that cared for his own skin¡ªhe was one of those men¡ªyet when they had no respect for those that put their faith in them, it put a bitter taste in his mouth.


    He turned to look at the fear in Bonnet¡¯s crew¡¯s eyes; of course, these men weren¡¯t comrades¡ªsome, no doubt, were friends¡ªyet there was no respect shared among them.


    Jack was the practical type, and his code was fairly simple; in this world of lawlessness, one should live in a way by what they can do and what they can¡¯t do.


    One couldn¡¯t survive alone in this harsh world, which meant he needed comrades that could live in a similar manner as them and whose decisions he could respect; Cahira was a shining example of that code.  She knew what she could and could not do and stuck to a group that could compensate for her shortcomings.


    Bonnet was a man that couldn¡¯t accept his own failings and inability to accomplish the dreams of grandeur he envisioned, and such a man was a bad omen to have by your side.


    The slain crewman began to twitch and rise as a large man entered their circle¡ªthe Lion King had returned¡ªcausing mumbles from the nineteen remaining of Bonnet¡¯s crew.


    ¡°Haha.  I¡¯ve never seen so many enemies, Mara.  How¡¯s your throat?¡±


    Mara shot a side-long glance to the giant beast as he joined her, arms crossed under her bust.  ¡°A tad parched; I haven¡¯t used my voice for this long and to this extent before.  How was the big undead you killed?¡±


    ¡°Strong enough to take me a few hits,¡± he laughed.  ¡°What¡¯s up with the vine-zombie?¡±


    ¡°Incompetence,¡± Cahira grunted, sending a cannonball to destroy the corpse and set it ablaze on the burnt soil.  ¡°How¡¯s Selvaria and Melissa?¡±


    ¡°They seem to be having fun,¡± he shrugged.  ¡°The tentacle girl stole all the big ones, so now I¡¯m bored.  Where should we go from here?  All I¡¯ve found are packs of the same weak undead.¡±


    ¡°An endurance trial,¡± Cahira muttered, producing vitamin water to hand to the siren, who accepted it to wet her throat.  ¡°Can you hear them, Mara?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.  Let¡¯s start heading toward the volcano; I¡¯ll explain along the way.  I can feel the remains of a path ahead of us that seemed to have been forged long ago; there¡¯s a road about a meter underground.¡±


    Bonnet and his crew had grown far more comfortable after the lion rejoined them, radiating a golden wave of courage by his presence alone.


    The unlucky pirate captain chuckled, putting away his pistol.  ¡°You are quite versatile, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Humph¡­¡±


    Jack scanned the night as they continued their path forward, with Nemesis handling the larger opponents to lessen the stress on Mara¡¯s voice.


    The mist began to grow thicker as the thunderous tremors the two titans made faded; it was their movements and actions that had provided Mara a clear image of the haunting island via her soundwave perception.


    She and Cahira got into a pleasant conversation about how it compared to their Lunar Hare leader¡¯s hearing prowess that he listened in on; the more he could learn about this motley crew, the better since he wished to deal more with them going forward.


    Unlike Rachel, the songstress required a mass of powerful sound waves to compile where the Lunar Hare could just stealthily eavesdrop on just about anything within her massive perceptive radius.


    Nemesis recounted a rather fascinating story involving a fight the two had in Cuba where the female scrapper had taken the win; it was this that pulled the lion under her banner, much like how Mara had come to follow Nemesis.


    It was an interesting retelling of a curious crew dynamic; he¡¯d enjoyed himself so much he¡¯d lost track of time when Mara came to a stop upon arriving at a large, grassy field.


    Grinning, Jack wondered what hidden danger awaited them that had caused the woman to halt.


    ¡°What cursed dead waits for us in those reeds?¡±  Jack asked as the siren¡¯s eyes narrowed, vision scanning the obscure, swirling mist that had enclosed them again; the silence was only broken by the rattling bones and gently swaying trees.


    ¡°Nothin¡¯ good,¡± Cahira smirked.


    The moss-haired woman got on her knees to place her hands against the ground.  ¡°The ground¡¯s moving¡­ the island¡¯s changing, and it¡¯s deep¡­ very deep.¡±


    Bonnet cursed.  ¡°How much longer are we going to wander through this jungle of death?¡±


    ¡°Want to venture underground already, Bonnet?¡±  Cahira snickered, yet her smile fell as Mara started giving instructions.


    ¡°Take out the fodder while I concentrate, Nemesis¡ªJack, two steps to the left.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am¡­  Oh, tricky bastard, this island!¡±


    A hole opened up in the ground, attempting to swallow him.


    ¡°Cahira, three steps ahead¡­  I¡¯m not going to fall,¡± she muttered as a fissure opened up to follow the siren, only for her to hover over the gap.


    Nemesis laughed, dodging the attempts to carry him below the surface while destroying the ghosts, ghouls, and skeletons that tried to kill their protective songbird.


    Jack danced left and right while defending the right side with Cahira, flaming sword cleaving through bone and ethereal vestige; the potholes grew more rapid by the second, and two men failed to follow the woman¡¯s explicit instructions, yet Nemesis managed to get to them in time to grab the screaming fools and toss them out of the closing earth.


    After a full minute of the island¡¯s new tactic, it ceased, causing Cahira and him to end back to back beside the green-haired woman as she sighed.


    ¡°Have another water, Cahira?¡±


    ¡°Always got some kind of liquid,¡± she winked, recalling her weapon to produce a bottle of wine and vitamin water.  ¡°Poisonous fun or the healthy route?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  I¡¯ll save the celebration for the end,¡± Mara mused, taking the vitamin water.


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± the Pirate Queen snickered, popping the cork to take a swig before tossing it to Jack.


    ¡°Aye, never too early for the devil¡¯s drink!¡±


    Bonnet was sweating bricks as he adjusted his jacket.  ¡°I am NOT amused by the constant danger we have been under.  How much further until the¡ª¡±


    A sly smirk lit Jack¡¯s brown eyes and lips as his inner demon surfaced.  ¡°Aye, loves¡­ is it just me, or is there a buzzing little insect in yer ears?  That constant whirring and whining, I might just¡­ slap it!¡±  his hands came together beside Bonnet¡¯s head, making him jump.


    ¡°Heh.  Not wrong, Jack¡ªshut up, Bonnet,¡± Mara hissed, glaring into the fog as Nemesis strode out in front of her.  ¡°The island¡¯s moving again¡­ this time, something¡¯s coming to the surface.¡±


    Silence came across their group as Nemesis led them forward, and Mara continued to inform them about what she¡¯d discovered.


    ¡°There¡¯s a sort of maze below us, but¡­ the core can¡¯t change locations¡ªit¡¯s in the center of the volcano¡ªand it isn¡¯t actually a volcano.  Interesting¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±  Cahira slapped her fist.  ¡°It¡¯s like the first Legend¡¯s Quest then!  It kept changing in this endless maze that had these kinds of secret symbol language to manipulate them.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Jack nodded, looking left and right as they left the jungle to enter the endless field of reeds, surrounded by walls of fog.  ¡°Love, what¡¯s the end plot for this venture¡ªfight some big bad boss?¡±


    Cahira shrugged.  ¡°If it be like the last one, the island is the boss, and everythin¡¯ else is bonus points.  Reach the core and destroy it¡­¡±


    Mara held up her hand for them to halt again as an obsidian-boned tribal man came into view.


    ¡°That thing¡¯s next?¡±  Nemesis mumbled, not impressed by its jittering bones as it danced around, cutting the reeds by waving a black staff.


    Mara¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at the ground.  ¡°Nemesis¡ªthe whole field!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Jack¡¯s stomach went into his throat when the earth beneath their feet folded inward, like a curtain pulling back, leaving a fathomless abyss below as the dancing bones continued his strange rattling.


    Vibrations quivered through his bones as Mara generated a shaky, sonic floor for them to stand on, and a horde of ghostly hands rose out, specifically targeting the siren.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hold this forever, Nemesis,¡± she rasped, clutching her throat as the lion promptly lifted her up, and the pirates panicked at seeing the chasm below them.  ¡°Stop his dance or¡­  Nemesis!¡±


    Twenty giant skeletal hands reached out of the depths to enclose them, and a sudden weight struck Jack¡¯s chest as Mara shouted, directed at a precise angle to escape the ghostly appendages.


    ¡°Return to the coast and defend against the packs until we destroy the core!¡±


    ¡°No¡ªlove!¡±  Jack cried out as Cahira grinned and summoned a rope to toss back at Nemesis, wrapping around his arm to attempt to tug him back with her momentum, yet a hand closed around her waist, making her grimace.


    ¡°Sorry, Jackie, but I¡¯m in it for adventure!  Mind babysitting?¡±


    ¡°Hell no!¡±  he returned, throwing his own tether to her for a ghostly hand to knock it aside as the skeletal fingers closed around Nemesis and Mara; the lion held the woman protectively with a small frown yet didn¡¯t seem too concerned as the bones encircled and pulled them into the abyss.  ¡°Shit!¡±


    The pulse the siren created threw the twenty of them back to the edge of the field, and it was then he realized that the peeling background showed a pattern cut into the reeds.


    Nine of Bonnet¡¯s men didn¡¯t make it to solid ground, the ghostly fingers gripping the screaming men and dragging them below.


    In the flash of a second, the siren made the snap decision that they hadn¡¯t been in the position to escape the trap; whatever was below, she probably concluded it would be too dangerous to try and protect them from.


    The whole event lasted less than fifteen seconds, and the ground unraveled to act as if nothing had happened, yet a clear-cut line was between them and the now still, obsidian tribal skeleton, resting on one foot.


    Struggling up, Jack summoned his flaming sword to twirl it around and loosen his neck.  ¡°Well¡­ a good a day to die as any, I¡ªeh, Bonnet¡ªthe hell, man?!¡±


    Bonnet tackled him, fear in his eyes with his other men dogpiling on him.  ¡°You¡¯re the only one that matters in this quest!  Dammit!  Blackbeard warned me¡­¡±


    ¡°What are ya sayin¡¯, man?  Get off¡ª¡±


    ¡°We offer Jack Ward as a sacrifice!¡±


    Jack froze at the declaration, soon followed by the others in his crew.


    ¡°Come again?!  Have ya gone mad?  Can a man have a last meal¡ªa dash of rum even¡ªbefore ya put a knife in his belly?!¡±


    Disarming him and hoisting him up, two of Bonnet¡¯s largest men latched onto his arms to hold him still as the ghosts and skeletons stopped in their tracks.


    ¡°Eh?¡±  Head darting left and right, Jack couldn¡¯t see a soul move¡ªliterally¡ªno ghost or bones twitched; a stillness came around them with the now silent night of the dead closing in on them.  ¡°It worked?¡±


    ¡°Of course it worked, idiot,¡± Bonnet forced a grin.  ¡°Their freedom comes from your death¡­  That incompetent ¡®Pirate Goddess¡¯ is to blame for this fiasco¡­  W-What do you want?¡±


    Jack hummed, mind working frantically now that the tables had turned.


    He could try to escape and fight his way out, but¡­ there were things he could do, and there were things he couldn¡¯t¡­ fighting his way out of a cursed island of the dead alone?  Not one of the things he could do.


    A big, toothy grin slit his lips as the shaky, obsidian tribal skelly jumped toward them, colorful mask tilting left and right.  ¡°Well¡­ eh, pleasure ta meet¡ªack¡­ dammit!¡±


    Bonnet smacked him across the face, making him roll around his mouth with a sudden frown.  ¡°Shut your trap, pirate¡ªah, I assume you wish to have this man, to¡­  What is this for?¡±


    Jack lifted an eyebrow as the only mobile undead pulled out a knife from the black soil to hand to him¡ªhe expected the bony finger to point to him¡ªinstead, it went to each of the crewmates before pointing at its own neck and making a line gesture.


    ¡°Uh¡­ mate, I think it wants ya ta, heh, off yerselves¡ªexcellent plan, Bonny¡ªuh, lads, if ya could kindly release a man, I don¡¯t be thinkin¡¯ ya can use that while holdin¡¯ me.  Savvy?¡±


    ¡°Shut up¡ªshut up¡­¡±  Bonnet growled, teeth grinding together, and Ward figured the poor, helpless sap was thinking Blackbeard never told him about this part of the deal.


    The chieftain made a more frantic gesture for him to take the knife, making Bonnet reluctantly step forward to grab the knife.  ¡°Okay!  Eh¡­ what do you want us to do?¡±


    ¡°Bonnet,¡± one of the men hissed.  ¡°I¡¯m not going to cut my own¡ª¡±


    Jack could swear he could feel the chills that ran down the crew¡¯s spine when a scimitar cut through the air from behind the man to sever the man¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Eehk¡­¡±  Jack winced.  ¡°Poor sap.  Look, chaps, I¡¯ll help ya get ta the coast if ya join me.  Aye?  Good plan?  Better than follow Bonnet¡¯s crazy ass¡ªol¡¯ Jackie will get ya home¡­  Oof!¡±


    One of the men holding him punched his gut.  ¡°Bonnet said to shut up!¡±


    ¡°Eck¡­ hehe, suit yerself¡­  Happy deathday¡ªI suggest a clean cut at the jugular.¡±


    Bonnet wouldn¡¯t take his eyes off the wicked, ceremonial dagger in his hand before turning and handing it off to one of the men.  ¡°Chris, it looks like we¡¯ll need to become a part of this skeletal crew to¡­ survive this.¡±


    The other members gave each other grim looks, and Chris took the knife, surprisingly calm as he ran his finger along the side of the weapon.


    ¡°You¡¯ve always been free with money, Bonnet¡­ and the money¡¯s good¡­ but dying isn¡¯t something I¡¯m good with¡ªwho¡¯s with me?!¡±


    Chris lurched to the side to stab the blade into the man¡¯s throat that held Jack, making him grin.


    ¡°That¡¯s mi man¡ªeh, heh, why are ya holdin¡¯ a blade to mi throat?¡±


    Grabbing the back of his coat to drag him near as the large man fell to the ground, choking on his own blood, Chris held him close and placed the edge against his neck.  ¡°If you move, I¡¯ll kill him¡­  You need him alive¡ªI heard your speech, Bonnet!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this, Chris!¡±  Bonnet roared, taking out his sword.  ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool¡ªJeff, Peter!¡±


    Several others joined Bonnet, leaving only ten that took their captain¡¯s side as the others unsheathed their weapons, squaring off back-to-back against them as Jack forced a chuckle.


    ¡°Ah¡ªah!  Good plan, lads!  Don¡¯t move!  He¡¯ll kill me, and then you¡¯ll be trapped here for all¡­¡±


    The chief¡¯s head and mask tilted at a sharp angle as he held his staff, symbols illuminating across its surface; bone lances¡ªattacks Mara had no doubt defended them from before¡ªerupted from the soil to pass through their heads.


    ¡°Well¡­¡±  Jack puffed out a long stream of air as the knife loosened around his neck, and the man hung limply on the rod behind him, blood spurting out of the back of the fissure.  ¡°That ended as well as I expected¡­¡±


    Putting his hands on his hips, he stepped forward to look left and right at the army of undead.  Yup¡­ impossible.


    He grinned at the apparent ruler or chief of this dead island, who had come out himself after the motley crew of monsters had run amok on his land unchecked¡ªof course, there may be a bigger bad than him¡ªand held up his wrists.  ¡°Parlay?¡±


    An uncomfortable ritual of blood and chanting came with the fire dance of skeletons and ghosts that Bonnet was forced to go through with those that remained, turning the lot into intelligent undead that only revealed their truth in the view of moonlight.


    Bound head and foot on a pole like a hog for slaughter, Jack was hoisted up on the men¡¯s shoulder and carted off through the jungle, following the dancing skeleton; to add insult to injury, one of Bonnet¡¯s men had the nerve to take his hat!


    A curious skeletal monkey found them on the bouncy journey, following their path and screeching for food¡ªJack was sure it was for food¡ªthe poor animal probably hadn¡¯t had anything to fill his empty stomach¡ªif he had a stomach¡ªfor ages.


    Exiting the brush, Jack duly accepted his current fate¡ªya won some, and ya lost some¡ªyet, lady luck was once again on his side; the confused, lifted eyebrows of the monster girls caused utter silence and stillness to cross his captors.  Angels come to save the day!


    Like a bolt of lightning, the plated valkyrie of the seas¡ªthat monotone Leviathan of justice¡ªcast judgment on the obsidian-boned chief, sending his skull spinning into the void with a single punch.


    Freed from his bindings as the chief ran after his lost head¡ªwhich he had to admit was fairly durable, considering who¡¯d just batted the item out of the park.  Adjusting his clothes, retrieving his hat, and offering the two bemused girls a showy bow, Jack grinned.


    ¡°If it isn¡¯t the beastie crew; ya be a sight fer sore eyes!¡±


    ¡°Jack¡­¡±  Bonnet snarled through a strained smile; the coward actually wanted him to cover for him!  Still, it was a tempting thing to hold over the man¡¯s prideful head; well, not that he was a man anymore.


    ¡°Aye!  Aye, Bonnet!  We be gettin¡¯ ta ya in a moment, but it be such a fine night.  Hehe.  Fog, the undead, and backstabbin¡¯ mates¡ªI thought we were on closer relations, man.¡±


    The Leviathan turned to the tentacle lass who was on one of her massive wolves to ask her opinion¡ªthe beasts had grown since he¡¯d last seen them¡ªshe now wore a rather fitting outfit for dames that feared nothing, including the circling dead; black pants and a double sweater.


    ¡°I think this is becoming ridiculous.  Well, I suppose we should hear the story¡­¡±


    Rolling around his neck, Jack pointed his thumb to where the chief ran.  ¡°Ya may wish ta take care of the chief before he opens up another chasm ta swallow us whole¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Melissa¡¯s gaze drifted to the side as one of her tentacles shot out of the back of her shirt in a blurred rush as her dragons snapped their jaws above the trembling skeletal crew of Bonnet.  ¡°Will this work?¡±


    Selvaria chuckled softly and held up a thumb as the appendage returned with the chief¡¯s skull stuck to the tentacle; the obsidian man¡¯s body ran back to jump up and down, trying to get back his head.  ¡°Nice.¡±


    Back in business!  Jack internally laughed, pointing at the monkey nearby.  ¡°Follow me, Monkey!  Trust in ol¡¯ Jack, and I¡¯ll get ya a banana; on mi life!¡±


    ¡°Ooh-ooh¡­¡±


    The undead creature ran over and jumped on his back, making him grin; he¡¯d always wanted a monkey pet, and it didn¡¯t hurt to ask the seemingly intelligent animal.


    Jack pointed to the cave.  ¡°Aye, a nice night fer a stroll.  Let¡¯s be movin¡¯, Bonnet.  Hehe.  We need ta be findin¡¯ what happened to mi drinkin¡¯ buddy, the siren, and her lion knight!¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s lips pulled together, showing a distrustful glare.  ¡°What happened to Mara, Cahira, and Nemesis?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell ya along the way, mi sweet; we be needin¡¯ ta get ta the core ta stop this madness.  Savvy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in favor of ending this nightmare,¡± Melissa sighed, raising her hand.  ¡°I could go for something greasy when we get back.¡±


    Selvaria nodded.  ¡°Yeah.  Mara and Nemesis can take care of themselves.  Cahira¡¯s resourceful, too¡­ a resourceful pervert.  Okay.  Where to?¡±


    ¡°The center!¡±  Jack grinned, pointing at the volcano.  ¡°Mara said it isn¡¯t a lava horde at all!  It be a fake!¡±


    The Leviathan pursed her lips and leered at the cave.  ¡°We could go through there¡­ or¡­¡±


    A grin spread across Ward¡¯s face.  ¡°Or?¡±


    Melissa sighed and shook her head.  ¡°You¡¯re going to blast your way inside.  Huh?¡±


    ¡°Keep that guy busy for a bit, Lieutenant!  I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Selvaria grinned, directing her transformed seal to hold onto the skull and continue taunting the frantic chief who seemed powerless without his symbol-carved head.


    Bonnet moved closer to whisper in his ear as Selvaria stomped off to transform.  He kept a watchful eye on Melissa; the young woman seemed to have changed dramatically since first coming aboard Cahira¡¯s vessel, and it showed in her confident, lying posture on her wolf as the beasts destroyed the undead attempting to help their master.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal, Ward¡­¡±


    The cowardly pirate captain backed away as the monkey hissed in his face, but Jack leaned in to put his arm around the man¡¯s zombified shoulder, pulling him in.  ¡°Hehe.  I gather ya found a sour taste for adventure after this venture, mate.  No?  How about I try ta get you and yer backstabbin¡¯ mates breathin¡¯ fresh air again?¡±


    His tattered face creased with a grimace.  ¡°What will it cost me?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  What¡¯s yer life worth, man?¡±  Jack asked with a savage grin.  ¡°We can work out the details later, eh?  Who knows, maybe ya will end up in our gal¡¯s jaws¡ªa chew toy¡ªif ya step outta line.  Got anythin¡¯ good on ya¡­ hmm?¡±


    ¡°Haaa¡­  I should have never followed Cahira.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be blamin¡¯ others for yer own choices, Bonnet; we all dig our own graves, eh¡­ hehe, some more literally than others.¡±


    He pulled away to look up at the monstrous titan that caused a wave of wind that sent a chilling thrill through him.  ¡°Hehe.  I think I¡¯m in love with my demons.  Ya don¡¯t feel life in safety, Bonnet¡­  Let¡¯s follow this path ta the depths of the sea!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mad,¡± Bonnet muttered as the colossal sea monster drew in a deep breath and sent a drilling beam of concentrated force that sent a chilling thrill through Jack¡¯s spine as Selvaria created a frozen slide right to the core of the volcano.


    ¡°Ya wouldn¡¯t understand, mate¡­  When lady luck has her fingers around your throat, you never want to wake up¡­  To hell and back.  Hehe.  Nothing else matters but the joy of a blank map and the sword a hair¡¯s breadth away from your throat.  Nothing beats a night on the gallows, eh?  Haha!¡±


    Striking forward to meet the Leviathan with Melissa and the rest of the terrified, undead backstabbers, Ward had to laugh at the absurdity of the dead having more fear than the living, and he slapped the frantic obsidian chief¡¯s headless, bony back.


    ¡°Sometimes ya get got, and sometimes ya do the gettin¡¯, mate; you¡¯ll need more luck than that to pull mi ol¡¯ lover off mi neck!  Hehe.  Savvy?¡±


    AuthorSME


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 B5 — 18. Death’s Coffer

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Cahira (Our Fire-Haird Pirate Goddess!)


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    The dim, fog-filled sky above was pulled further away as Cahira laughed; her gut tightened with the cold grip of death, drawing her into oblivion and on to another turn in their adventure.


    Jack called for her, yet it was far too late for anything to be done, and the earth around them folded back in to shut out what little light passed through the haze¡ªno laughter or sound followed in the tomb that had drawn them in.


    The pit looked endless due to the enhanced, shadowy mist that leaked out of the walls.  Nemesis and Mara had been dragged below quicker than her, but she wasn¡¯t going to just wait for this ghostly hand to take her without a fight.


    Teeth flashing in the dark, her body lit with sapphire flames¡ªshe could call a weapon or cannon, but that didn¡¯t seem appropriate for this trap-like occasion¡ªa 160-meter-long blue fire erupted below her as Cahira screamed, ¡°Take me if ya can!¡±


    Bright-red hair flying above her in the swift descent into the grave, the light cast by her summoned Dreadnought gave her a glimpse at what Mara had sensed below¡ªdozens of cursed, skeletal giants, drawing them in with their ethereal powers.


    As if the entire island¡¯s army had been called to contend with them, the ground seethed with movement, yet they were still only halfway to the moist earth below with the various-sized undead goliaths army waiting to swarm them.


    Seeing the hands pulling the Lion King and Mermaid in with the few men that hadn¡¯t escaped the ghostly hands, she took the gloves off and prepared to dump every bit of treasure she was worth¡ªall 43 guns entered Destroyer Mode¡ªher ace in the hole.


    Before touching the soil, four tubes unloaded torpedoes, bathing the monsters below in fire as five Maxim machine guns unloaded 7.92mm rounds into the sky, ripping the ethereal hands to shreds.


    Ropes shot at each of Bonnet¡¯s crying sailors to pull them onto the screaming warship, and the grip around her waist vanished as all attention went to her lovely behemoth.


    In auto-mode after her sacrifice, Cahira watched the show in awe as, for the first time, she saw what her Dreadnought could do when fully activated, lighting up the space like fireworks.


    Her hull struck the earth, making her wince at the price it would take to repair, yet the cost was well worth the show; ten 12-inch, magic-infused twin turrets maneuvered into position as her twenty-four 3-inch quick-firing guns spun the opposite way¡ªshockwaves rippled through the air and through Cahira¡¯s frame as the giant shells unloaded.


    The goliaths¡¯ arms were shattered in the volley as hellfire rained down on the sea of the dead, and Cahira was drawn to the deck, swinging to break her fall before sliding across the smooth metal; she could feel the vibrating steel shake her bones.


    Leeway given to the Mythickin, and her spotlights illuminating the dark space, she saw Nemesis break free of the weakened hands¡ªmost of the arms holding them being devastated by her bombardment¡ªand Mara created a vocal stepping point for the lion to leap to her ship.


    Shakily getting to her feet, she summoned a remote radio to her hands to yell over the loudspeakers to Bonnet¡¯s men, but it was still hard to hear past the volleys.


    ¡°Get yer ass¡¯ up, lads¡ªthey be comin¡¯ over the sides soon¡ªpick up a weapon from any crate and fight fer yer lives!¡±


    Smile brightening her lips as the monster duo landed several meters away, Cahira pulled out a pistol and took aim at a skeletal bird of some kind, destroying its skull; her machine guns and 3-inch armaments were handling the flying, wyvern-like fiends, who were using some dark force fo fly with their bony wings.


    ¡°Hehe.  Quite a day, eh?¡±  she shouted, flaming rapier appearing in her left hand as her ship used ropes to whip undead off its sides.  ¡°Mi boy has a bit of a temper, eh?¡±


    Nemesis¡¯ black lips peeled back to show her a grin, ears flicking a bit as he sat the shaky-legged mermaid down.  ¡°Mind watching Mara?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t need¡ªack¡­¡±  the moss-haired woman croaked, clearly having problems with her throat after overusing it.


    ¡°Leave the emerald beaut¡¯ ta me, mi fine-maned friend!¡±


    Jogging over to help stabilize her on the rocking ship, frame under stress from the continual fire of the enormous projectiles sent from its surface, Cahira¡¯s eyes widened when a black miasmic mass seeped through the soil from around the few fallen giants, pulling in five others to create a skeletal abomination.


    ¡°Well, damn¡­  This place always has ta one up me!¡±


    Nemesis laughed as he rolled around his neck, eyeing the new undead horror¡¯s ten arms and bony sickles.  ¡°I¡¯ll handle the big one.¡±


    Forcing a chuckle while moving to guide Mara to the interior, Cahira winced as it somehow ate her 12-inch guns¡¯ rounds, seemingly only causing minor damage.  ¡°All yours, love!¡±


    The Lion King roared with excitement before jumping off the side to plow through the advancing army, paying no heed to the enchanted flames that charred their bones.


    Shooting the few enemies that managed to make it past her ship¡¯s continual barrage, Cahira took the sweating Mythickin into the ship and shut the door; she didn¡¯t much care how Bonnet¡¯s men were faring, but she¡¯d given them a fighting chance, and they¡¯d probably draw most the attention.


    ¡°Ack¡­ my throat burns,¡± Mara mumbled, fingers trembling at her throat.  ¡°I probably contracted¡ªargh¡ªsome kind of curse from those hands.¡±


    Not liking the sounds of that, Cahira shifted her weight a little in supporting the woman to brush her hair out of her face.  ¡°I don¡¯t have any curse-breaking things¡­  Got a plan?¡±


    ¡°I can handle it¡­  It¡¯s not going to be fun, but¡­ get me to some water.¡±


    Fingers catching on the Mythickin¡¯s bikini strap to help keep her grip around the woman, Cahira redirected their path to the nearest bathing area that had an adequate bath.


    ¡°Heh, just so ya know¡ªI be plum outta firepower after this show¡ªcost every copper coin I got ta get this beast operating on its own ghostly crew; a special feat from our time in Cuba!¡±


    Mara forced a smile, not wanting to use her voice, which was understandable.


    Making it to the area, she helped the woman into the tub and started the water; cold or hot didn¡¯t seem to matter with the Mythickin.


    ¡°Anything I can get ya ta drink¡ªvitamin water, warm water with lemon and honey, ginger tea?¡±


    Mara waved her hand, telling her whatever, so Cahira summoned a grounded table that would remain still during the barrage; magical items were useful.


    Cahira placed the ginger tea, lemon-honey water, and vitamin water¡ªalong with chamomile tea, peppermint tea, a berry smoothie she quickly whipped up, and a chicken noodle soup to cover all the bases¡ªon the table, filling almost every little space; she¡¯d have to thank Selvaria for stocking everything up before they left port.


    Once done, she realized the outside sounds of battle had dampened with a gentle, semi-strained hum that vibrated from the glowing pool of turquoise water; Mara seemed to be utilizing some kind of recovery method that required her to be submerged.


    In fascination, Cahira watched the woman¡¯s bikini bottoms rip away as light masked her lower half with her long tail curling in the large bath; the big tub was meant for multiple men to use, not to waste water.


    Deciding she¡¯d be safely locked in the area if placing the hull on lockdown, Cahira summoned another pair of bikini bottoms and placed it on the side of the table with a bright smile and nod; they wouldn¡¯t match her spotted green top, but the new solid-style pair was close enough in shade.


    She exited through the multiple hatches to reach the outside, sealing them along the way, pausing once again as she set foot on the deck again.  Bones lay scattered around as many of Bonnet¡¯s crew had rallied together near where she¡¯d exited.


    It was mildly impressive at how serious and reliable they seemed to be, now they had decent magical gear that could cause damage to the fodder undead her guns allowed past, focusing on the bigger game.


    Flipping around her rapier, she sliced the neck of a climbing assailant to send its skull plummeting below with the host of zombies and skeletons using the ladders to get up the vessel¡¯s steep sides.


    ¡°How ya be fairin¡¯, boys?!¡±  she called out with a wry grin.


    ¡°Dammit!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no end to ¡®em!¡±


    ¡°George, Nick, get to the other ladders¡ªif we can create a choke point, we can manage it!¡±


    ¡°What if they start making a pile to get up here?!¡±


    ¡°We deal with it!  Go!¡±


    Cahira chuckled and cut her way toward the men as they split up to find the places they were coming up.  ¡°Good luck, boys!¡±


    They didn¡¯t seem to hear her with blood running through their ears, fighting their way through in pairs to defend their one place of safety.


    Clear from attackers with the boys¡¯ efforts against the fodder¡ªthanks to them using magical shotguns and rapiers¡ªCahira leaned up against the side to stare down at the clearing field of death below them.


    Her ship was clearing out the heavy hitters like the wyvern riders and mounted undead, yet she could feel her ammunition depleting fast; her 12-inch guns were ripping into the giant, black-boned skeletons, but her powerful Dreadnought was practically shooting BB gun pellets at the titanic, skeletal abomination.


    Luckily, Nemesis had taken its focus; golden aura flaring around his bright fur, he broke it apart bit by bit, shrugging off its undoubtedly potent curse.


    ¡°Damn,¡± she whispered, feeling the rush of the sudden ambush fading as her machine guns finished taking out the aerial units and started working on the ranged attackers peppering her ship¡¯s hull.  ¡°Ugh¡­ this is going to cost so much to fix.¡±


    Vision drifting up to the dark ceiling above as the ropes on the deck deflected any cursed arrows sent toward her, she puffed out a long sigh.  ¡°You better be alive, Ward¡­  I¡¯m gonna charge ya big for this favor.¡±


    A part of her hoped Bonnet lived, too, even if he was likely plotting against them in some way with Blackbeard; she needed his connections to the UK government to show Rachel she was more than just some convenient, all-terrain vehicle.


    She jumped as something shot past her face, distracted in her own mind; wind whipped her hair back as she spun around to see Nemesis pulling himself out of a not-so-nice indent in her wall.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  This thing doesn¡¯t hit as hard as Rachel,¡± he grunted, crinkling his nose a few times while flexing his fist.  ¡°It still has a hefty weight behind it, though.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re here¡­  Shit¡­¡±


    Turning around, she grimaced as she saw the skeletal behemoth¡ªroughly the size of Selvaria but now with 3 arms left¡ªlooming over them.


    A blurred sickle curved to cut the lion in half, forcing Cahira to scream and dive right.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡±  Nemesis laughed, catching it with both hands as his feet sunk into her steel.


    ¡°Get the bleedin¡¯ thing away from my ship¡ªdammit!¡±


    Nemesis dove at its second attack, causing yet another dent in her precious, damaged ship, but redirecting its slash to carry just over the top of her vessel; unfortunately, the third destroyed one of her dual-gun turrets.


    ¡°Kill it already!¡±


    She could see a few of Bonnet¡¯s men to her left practically piss themselves and collapse to the ground as the giant stumbled back to continue contending with the Lion King as he moved to crush the inside of its last head, not caring about the noxious fumes and red flames inside.


    Jogging over to defend the unconscious men, she soon felt the weakening wave that the giant emitted¡ªthe real reason they probably passed out¡ªand one of many abilities Nemesis was likely combating.


    Damn¡­ this must be the last thing this place has to attack us¡ªhopefully, it is.


    Fighting through the noxious sensation gripping her belly, Cahira cut the next four undead before falling to her knees with the next wave of skeletons as thousands of horrific screams made her head spin.


    She thought her whole ship trembled¡ªor maybe the ground and air¡ªbut when her mind cleared, she saw the beautiful, large golden lion standing over her with a big, toothy grin.


    He held out a hand to hoist her up.  ¡°Hehe.  That¡¯s more like it!¡±


    Cahira¡¯s hand felt like a child in his as he pulled her up; her legs shook a bit, prompting his strong grip to close around her waist, making her body heat like a girl in love.  ¡°Hehe.  A little weak on the ankles right now¡­  Wooh!¡±


    Without hesitation, he scooped her up with one hand to lean against his furry chest, making her heart sing; this was a worthy reward!


    Leaning her head against his neck, she released her pent-up air.  ¡°Haaa¡­  Mara should be healing inside; I made sure to lock everything tight so she wouldn¡¯t be bothered.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a strong woman,¡± Nemesis hummed, focus wandering across the now silent field; black mist lingered on the ground and seeped out of the giant bones of the fallen abomination, showing a large, claw-shaped gash in its skull.  ¡°Hmm.  Was that the end?¡±


    ¡°Nope!  Umm.  Now, we need to find the exit, and I¡¯m totally tapped on goods¡ªunless¡­¡±


    Lips drawing in, she scanned the battlefield; the dead were slowly converting to treasure.  It probably wouldn¡¯t cover the cost she¡¯d spent unless the bigger abomination had something extraordinary, but that would more than likely be more attuned to Nemesis¡¯ treasure.


    Not wanting to indulge too much in the lion¡¯s care, she tapped his muscular pec as a sign to put her down; plus, she didn¡¯t want to appear too weak¡ªthere was a healthy balance a girl needed to keep.  ¡°I¡¯m better now.¡±


    Once on the floor, she summoned a large crate.  ¡°Uh, mind helpin¡¯ ta gather up the loot?  All ya gotta do is toss things into this crate, and it¡¯ll be transported to mi hull¡ªeven if mi boy isn¡¯t in the best of shapes,¡± she mumbled, examining her vessel and wondering if it would still float to get them back to Miami.


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he sighed, lifting the box with one hand and tossing it over the side to splinter apart.  ¡°Oops¡­¡±


    Cahira leaned over the side of her ship to glare at the broken transportation crate before shooting a dull look at the sheepish lion.  ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ I have one left.¡±


    Summoning it, she added a strained smile.  ¡°Please don¡¯t break this one!¡±


    ¡°Sure thing!  Uh¡­ what about that chest from the big one?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±  She followed his claw to the skull, practically the size of a small ship.  ¡°Bring it over, and we¡¯ll see what booty ya got!¡±


    A gleam of excitement touched the Lion King¡¯s yellow eyes.  ¡°Mara said the big ones will drop the best stuff.  What kind of stuff, though?¡±


    He jumped off with the crate, making Cahira hold her breath; he landed safely to set it a ways away, and she eased out her pent-up anxiety.


    Too much power can disconnect people, I guess.  If this were Zippy, that¡¯d be something else, but my stuff isn¡¯t invincible, people!  she internally grumbled.


    Cahira¡¯s attention swapped to the shaky pirates to her right as they gathered, some praying or crying that they made it through the gauntlet; to be fair, they had kept attention away from her and her inner ship.


    Nemesis leaped back up sooner than she anticipated, bringing a big chest.  ¡°What do I do¡ªsmash it?¡±


    Glad he wasn¡¯t acting impulsive or rashly after his earlier mess up, Cahira nodded.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to go crazy.  Just tap it or touch the lock¡ªseems specific to you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.  What¡­ is this?!¡±


    When the lid opened, Cahira peeked inside, shoulders drooping as the lion gasped in awe; she couldn¡¯t believe what she was looking at when the muscular beast man removed the two articles of clothing.


    Shorts that probably wouldn¡¯t rip or be destroyed so easily, and to Cahira¡¯s chagrin, a fitted tank top, tailored to him in more ways than one¡ªthe devilish, smirking face of bad-girl Rachel showed across the front.


    Mmh¡­  What will the hare fiend herself think of this when we get back?  Cahira wondered as the lion slipped the tank top over his bare chest; it matched pretty nicely with his fur, almost looking like a tattoo of the girl.  I hope she doesn¡¯t blame my ability for this, but it proves my theory¡­  Treasure is tailored to the individual¡¯s definition.


    The thought brought interesting questions regarding Nia¡¯s addition to Rachel¡¯s party, but the devilish outfit seemed close enough to home; then again, Moongmor had been involved in their first Legend¡¯s Quest.


    Her head hung as she groaned, scanning the empty interior before it vanished.  ¡°No gold, gems, or precious goods to be sold¡­  I¡¯m in the red!¡±


    Recruiting the men to help gather her treasure as Nemesis went to go check on the mermaid, Cahira tried to find some joy in the things she had been able to get.  It was probably enough to repair the Dreadnought with everything that washed up on shore and restock her nearly depleted artillery.


    If she were lucky, maybe at the end of this, she¡¯d be able to upgrade her Dreadnought again, but this was Ward¡¯s quest, which meant he¡¯d likely get a good vessel.


    As much as she needed to find some way to restore her coffers, she couldn¡¯t take Ward¡¯s first shining hope at getting freedom; Cahira cursed her good heart.


    Cahira approved of the Lion King¡¯s cream shorts that didn¡¯t leave much to the imagination at first glance but couldn¡¯t get over seeing the devilish hare¡¯s unnerving, eclipsed, multi-mooned eyes with their four-leaf clover.


    The bottoms were resistant to just about everything¡ªgiving him moderate Infernal resistance for obvious reasons¡ªwhile the top provided decent defenses but was mainly more in line with Rachel, increasing his strength and speed a great deal under moonlight.  It was tailored for a fight against the Lunar Hell Hare.


    It took a good thirty minutes to gather all the goods together since they combined together into more valuable items after a time; she had the men do the labor while studying the damage to her baby boy.


    It would probably still sail, but she¡¯d need to seal off a few areas.


    Mara felt better after her soak and underwater cleansing song, but her voice was still feeling the stress; she was good enough to read sound waves and guide them, though.


    Sighing after everyone exited her ship, Cahira snapped her fingers to return it to its internal storage dock.  She¡¯d need to go to a Pirate¡¯s Cove to enact repairs, which would have varying prices, depending on how lucky she got in navigation¡ªalthough, she did have the mythical map that would take you to a desired destination, and that could be quite useful in finding a discount.


    Mara stretched out her chest, pulling her elbows over her head and leaning left and right.  ¡°Mmh¡­  I¡¯m feeling much better.  Humph.  It took nearly an hour to remove that ridiculous Decrepify Curse.¡±


    Cahira smiled as the pretty, moss-haired woman gave her a thankful look.  ¡°The soup and teas were wonderful; there was even a place to brush my teeth after, and your ship accommodated my desires superbly.¡±


    ¡°No problem!  I¡¯m glad ya be feelin¡¯ sweet as honey!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  I wouldn¡¯t go that far, but I¡¯ll be fine.  Now¡­ let¡¯s see we find our way to the center of this nightmare.¡±


    The men behind her mumbled their agreement, showing a few cuts on their skin, yet they didn¡¯t seem cursed since they¡¯d only faced lesser undead.


    Nemesis was too focused on examining the face plastered across his chest to listen as he mumbled, ¡°It even has her left ear lower than her right in that testing smirk she has¡­  The accuracy is amazing!¡±


    ¡°Haha.  I¡¯m happy for you,¡± Mara mused.  ¡°I don¡¯t know how Rachel will see it, but it does¡­ come off strange, Nemesis.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±  he asked, scratching past his silky mane to get at his neck.  ¡°I saw many men and women wearing faces of people they admire in Cuba.¡±


    Mara waved her hand to dismiss the topic, and Cahira couldn¡¯t blame her for not wanting to explain the nuances.  ¡°We can discuss it after¡ªhmm¡­  A sealed trap,¡± she muttered, scanning the colossal space of stone walls and dirt floor.


    ¡°Nemesis, smash through that wall,¡± she directed, pointing a few meters to her right after placing a hand against the black, rocky surface.  ¡°I should be able to discover a route once we get to a more open tunnel.¡±


    Complying with the mermaid¡¯s instructions, the lion smashed through wall after wall, bypassing traps and monsters with her echo-location and wave-sensing abilities; a consistent ripple soon created enough of a disturbance to give her a view of the maze¡¯s core.


    Busting their way through, they were met by a chilling mist and a massive hole above them; a thick sheet of ice layered the long, angled shaft, electricity still sparking around the surface.


    ¡°I wonder who this is,¡± Cahira snickered, hearing the reverberation of voices rebounding off its slick walls.


    ¡°Selvaria!¡±  Melissa came sliding down with a short scream as Nemesis jumped forward to catch and cushion her fall.  ¡°Oh¡ªh-hey!  You guys are okay?¡±


    Cahira was impressed by her new outfit, and she seemed to be a totally normal cat girl with black ears and tail; well, except when Nemesis sat her down for a tentacle to sprout out of the back of her sweater to catch mini-Selvaria and wolves followed to guard their rear.


    Bonnet and the rest of his men were next; Jack behind them, who tumbled across the rough stone floor, yet somehow jumped to his feet without a mark on him.  Curiously, a monkey followed him, climbing up his shoulder.


    Galatea floated in after the company, holding the black, masked skull of the skeleton that had tossed them into the abyss; the body came soon after, dashing into pieces on the ground before inching back together as their group recovered.


    Melissa sat the child-like figure of Selvaria down; the Leviathan had probably used a lot of her water reserves on making this incredibly long tunnel.


    ¡°How was your adventure?¡±  Cahira chimed, jumping forward.


    Selvaria brushed herself off as Mara eyed them critically.  ¡°Pirates turned into zombies, backstabbings, curses, slime monsters¡­ monkeys,¡± she mumbled, looking up at Jack¡¯s gold-toothed wave and grin.  ¡°Just the typical.  You?¡±


    ¡°Giant abomination skeletons with sickles, an army of the dead, zombies, skeletal wyvern knights¡­  curses¡ªlots of curses¡ªyeah, the normal.¡±


    ¡°Cool.  Boss room?¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Cahira pushed her lips to the side while examining the undoubtedly important area they¡¯d come to the entrance of.  ¡°My ship¡¯s wrecked, you¡¯re tiny-Selv, and Mara¡¯s got a stressed voice¡­  What could go wrong?¡±


    Selvaria marched over to the 18-year-old tentacle girl to put a hand on her shoulder and give a thumbs up.  ¡°My lil¡¯ sis is strong now; she¡¯ll be as bad as me in no time with my training.¡±


    Melissa returned a strained smile.  ¡°Hehe.  I don¡¯t know about that, Selv; you¡¯re really something else.¡±


    ¡°Humph.  I know.  So, if I¡¯m saying you¡¯re hot stuff, it means you¡¯re something else, too.¡±


    ¡°Aww!  Sweet,¡± Cahira cooed, eyeing the trembling bones of the chief as it tried to reconstitute itself.  ¡°What¡¯s up with this dude?¡±


    Jack hopped forward with an arm around Bonnet¡¯s back.  ¡°Bonnet can test out the room¡ªhe do be the immortal type, after all!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Cahira lifted an eyebrow as the gentleman pirate hissed in a low voice to the pirate legend, making her laugh when Jack steered him toward the bloody altar at the center of the room, yet the man dug in his heels.


    ¡°Ward!  I won¡¯t be your guinea pig!¡±


    Seriousness coming over Cahira, she studied the space with a deep frown with the others.


    Around the blood-painted altar were rotten body parts of nameless beasts and horrors¡ªfull skeletons that would obviously reanimate¡ªgibberish signs, created with brush-like strokes of a dull, neon-green color decorated the walls.


    Dozens of sickle-fashioned effigies of multi-headed skulls hung from the ceiling, but the ominous aura of the place didn¡¯t stop the Lion King.


    Nemesis grunted and strode forward, yet the moment his feet touched the black ash that littered the floor, black energy passed between the effigies, lifting the dust into a whirlwind and creating a prison, locking the man inside its prison.


    Galatea cried out when the force exited to connect with the black skull of the chief, pulling it in to connect with the swirling corpses of the horrors; it fused over the altar, releasing a horrific, furious roar that caused everyone but Nemesis to freeze.


    ¡°Too much talking,¡± Nemesis sighed, arms crossed while waiting for it to complete its ritual.  ¡°What¡¯s your deal?¡±


    ¡°Nemesis!  Don¡¯t be impulsive!¡±  Mara cried out, yet her soundwaves didn¡¯t seem to reach him as the dark force fused to create a semi-transparent barrier, locking them out.  ¡°Shit.¡±


    Selvaria punched her fist into the shell before it repelled it, making her shake out her arm.  ¡°Ack¡­ I could get through if I had more water¡­¡±


    Cahira hissed, knowing she couldn¡¯t do a damn thing.  Jack smacked Bonnet on the back, sending him into it.


    ¡°Wha¡ªno¡­ eh?¡±


    ¡°Figured,¡± Ward muttered as he passed through without an issue, showing the undead creature the man now was that made Cahira smack her forehead.


    Idiot!


    Nemesis turned to see their panicked faces and laughed.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.  I like this, actually.¡±


    ¡°Nooo!¡±  Selvaria emotionlessly cried, seemingly just realizing something.  ¡°I need my end-of-quest reward¡ªI need my super-suit¡ªNemesis, get me a super-suit.¡±


    He shrugged as dark pulses of energy radiated from the amalgamation that revealed itself from the rotting flesh and flaming-eyed mask.  ¡°Sure.  Whatever that is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Space stuff¡ªlasers¡ªinfinite water storage¡ªuh-oh.¡±


    ¡°Nemesis!¡±  Mara cursed.  ¡°Melissa, force your way in!¡±


    ¡°W-What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Cahira¡¯s folded arms tightened under her bust.  ¡°Shit.¡±


    Haunting laughter and a deep, demonic echo rattled in their skulls.  ¡°You shall never leave this place¡­¡±


    Nemesis looked down in surprise as his golden aura began to dim with the powerful necrotic force that filled the space, beginning to blacken his fur, yet the Lion King¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t on his failing resistances¡ªthe tank top with Rachel¡¯s face on it began to disintegrate into black dust.


    ¡°No!  No!  Stop!¡±


    The air in Cahira¡¯s lungs caught as a red pulse erupted around Nemesis, dying his fur and removing the decaying effect against his body; the furious aura didn¡¯t extend to his clothing, and in a matter of seconds, the smirking face of the Lunar Hell Hare was scattered dust on the wind.


    Nose twitching and tight fists shaking, the low rumble of Nemesis¡¯ growl sent chills down Cahira¡¯s spine as he walked forward; floating sickles struck, giant skulled heads bit, cursed hands gripped his limbs, and beams of necrotic force emanated from the mask¡¯s hate-filled eyes, yet the Lion King would not be stopped.


    Meeting the other-worldly abomination at its altar, Nemesis¡¯ foot split it in half while throwing it against the opposite wall to crumble; shaking off its attacks, decaying skin and fur regrowing with his rage, the Lion King¡¯s fingers entered its eye sockets to smash it against the floor and disrupt its ethereal, floating form.


    Free fist pulling back, it came down with a thunderous blow as he bludgeoned the masked skull¡ªone, two¡­ seven¡ªevery strike only increased in power.


    ¡°I¡ªshall never die!¡±


    Nemesis seemed beyond words.


    ¡°Give¡­ me¡­ another¡­ SHIRT!¡±


    Cahira grew more frightened by the hit as the whole cavern started to quake with the ramping blows of the Lion King.


    ¡°You¡­ cannot kill DEATH!¡±  the mask cracked with the obsidian floor, releasing screaming wisps of trapped souls underneath.  ¡°Impossible¡­¡±


    ¡°I will break this island in half!  Give me another shirt!¡±  Nemesis roared as his fist drove through the mask and skull, creating a fissure that split through the entire room, freeing tens of thousands of spirits to release wails of relief at their release.


    Chest huffing and puffing as the red aura began to dissipate, Nemesis struck the earth one last time, splitting his knuckles.  ¡°I¡­ just got that shirt¡­¡±


    Selvaria fell to her knees with a depressed huff.  ¡°There goes my power suit.¡±


    Trying to ease the chills running down her spine, Cahira saw glimmering light far below in the fissure and recalled Raguna¡¯s tip about going below the final room.  ¡°Heh¡­  I wouldn¡¯t be so sure.¡±


    Nemesis gave a weak cheer as he opened the chest to pull out a duplicate shirt.  ¡°Yes!  It¡¯s even better than the last¡ªRachel¡¯s face on both sides.¡±


    ¡°Congrats¡­¡±  Mara sighed, chuckling as she strode past the broken barrier to put a hand on his back; he¡¯d likely expended as much energy as he had fighting Rachel.  ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous.¡±


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 B5 —19. Raguna’s Secret Mission

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Cahira (Our Fire-Haird Pirate Goddess!)


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    Cahira tentatively stepped past the barrier with Jack as she scanned the room, previously inhabited by evil spirits; the tribal markings and voodoo appeared to be lifeless after the Lion King cracked the floor.  ¡°Huh.  Feelin¡¯ anythin¡¯, Jackie?¡±


    The man stroked his beard, each eyebrow lifting up and down as he looked left and right, seemingly expecting the skulls to spring to life and start hovering again.  ¡°There do be a tingle below mi belt¡­  Byaa!¡±


    Mara and Nemesis gave weak chuckles as the man jumped at the fractured pile of bones before poking it with his sword; Monkey¡ªhis new skeletal companion¡ªcovered his face and shook his head.


    Melissa, Selvaria, and Galatea¡¯s attention were on the light below that Mara had pointed out to them; Bonnet and his remaining men seemed to be sticking close to the two monster girls as an act of protection but only remaining close enough not to draw their notice.


    ¡°What do you see down there?¡±  Melissa whispered.  ¡°It¡¯s so far down.¡±


    Selvaria grunted, starting to chip away at the sides to make an entrance.  ¡°Secret ending loot¡ªextra boss?¡±


    The tentacles on Melissa¡¯s back curled around to lift the child-like Leviathan up.  ¡°Selvaria!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You need water, right?  It could be dangerous!¡±


    ¡°But the power suit¡­¡±  she groaned, tail hanging limp as she stared longingly at the fissure.  ¡°I¡¯ve been so patient¡ªbut it¡¯s nice you¡¯re worried about me¡ªno, Galatea¡­ I don¡¯t want you to turn into a skelly seal.¡±


    Cahira chuckled as Galatea darted down to squeeze through the fissure but paused at the worried Leviathan¡¯s tone.  ¡°Haaa.  Well, loves, I suppose our only answer is ta go down.¡±


    Bonnet cleared his throat, but her glare shut him up, forcing his hands up in compliance.


    ¡°I be gettin¡¯ ta you in time.¡±


    Her lips tightened as she saw Mara helping the Lion King slide on the tanktop he¡¯d earned; in the end, they had stressed themselves more than she¡¯d like to admit, but it was a hell of a lot better than their first Legend¡¯s Quest.


    ¡°How be the King?¡±  she asked, sallying over with Jack; the man appeared to be trying to get a better peek through the widest gap in the floor.


    Mara forced a grin, rubbing her raw throat as Nemesis examined Rachel¡¯s face with a half-smile.  ¡°Nemesis, you¡ªoh, damn you¡­¡±


    She sighed as the man¡¯s eyes rolled back, and he fell back, yet the mermaid managed to hold him steady, showing she was more than just eye candy.  ¡°He overexerted himself, I think¡ªhe should be fine, but when he gets like that, he just¡­ does¡­ he doesn¡¯t think about the stress on his body.¡±


    ¡°Reminds me of his fight with the boss,¡± Cahira snickered.  ¡°I got the 8k, slow-mo recordin¡¯ sent ta me, by the way¡ªtough stuff¡ªI can¡¯t be makin¡¯ a place for him to rest just yet, so¡­¡±


    Cahira¡¯s vision hardened as she turned to point at Bonnet¡¯s shifting men; most were as cowardly as their captain, yet she saw the few that had survived the fall and battled the undead horde on her ship¡ªthose that weren¡¯t dead themselves¡ªhad shaped up a bit, stepping forward to salute her.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°Help mi man here ta the side,¡± she ordered, producing two pillows and a blanket out of flames before placing them beside Mara.  ¡°Afraid ¡®tis the best I can do given the state of mi ship and mi, eh¡­ lack of funds, hehe.¡±


    Mara nodded, showing a thankful smile.


    Once the sailors helped the pair, Cahira settled down beside Jack as the monster girls came closer to peer through the split in the earth.


    ¡°Aye, mi sweet, a bounty of treasure be seen¡ªmountains of booty be a-shinin¡¯!  Hmm¡ªwhat¡¯s that?¡±


    Monkey screeched from his shoulder, causing Jack to rub his chin and hum.


    ¡°What¡¯d he say?¡±  Cahira questioned, following its jabbing finger.


    ¡°Hmm?  Oh, heh, I don¡¯t speak monkey, love!¡±


    ¡°Useless,¡± Selvaria sighed, turning to Galatea as the seal seemed to translate to her master.  ¡°Uh¡­ apparently, there are instructions below, and we shouldn¡¯t touch anything until you read them¡ªcool¡­¡±


    Melissa glanced between the chatting pair.  ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Monkey used to be the great god of this island before he was cursed; he¡¯s supposed to be pretty big stuff, but a group of people sailed here on canoes and claimed the island as their own.  He wasn¡¯t having it, but they placed a curse on him, calling on their great death god or something.¡±


    She huffed before chuckling.  ¡°Heh-he-he¡­ idiots.  Obviously, it didn¡¯t work out for them in a few generations, and when the pirates started using this as a base, they made another deal¡ªone that got them super-cursed.  Never good to make deals with a sneaky death spirit.¡±


    Cahira pushed out her lips with a nod, and leveling a dirty look in Bonnet¡¯s direction, she gestured to the puffed-up ape.  ¡°There it is¡ªMonkey God¡ªsound advice¡­  Don¡¯t touch anything!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t touch any damn curse,¡± Bonnet growled.


    ¡°Aye!¡±  Jack sneered, tapping the side of his head.  ¡°Ya willingly jumped inta bed with the ol¡¯ death spirit.  And ya wonder why ya don¡¯t be cut out ta be upgradin¡¯ yer quests, man!¡±


    ¡°Mmgm¡­¡±


    Cahira pointed at Jack but could see Selvaria¡¯s impatient bounces and scowl, saying she was ready to go.  ¡°So, we got a puzzle or somethin¡¯ to crack below¡ªany more advice from our local Monkey God?¡±


    Monkey¡¯s excitement died down before looking at Galatea and muttering something that Selvaria translated.


    ¡°Uh¡­  Don¡¯t sit on the throne.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough!¡±  Cahira laughed.  ¡°Okay!  Eh, Melissa, would ya mind, love?¡±


    The girl¡¯s ears pulled back while glaring at the cracked floor.  ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯ll try, but I¡¯m kind of a¡­ ugh¡ªfleshy¡­ kind of bludgeoning power,¡± she winced at the word, glaring at her extended tentacles.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m cut out for beating in floors like Selvaria.¡±


    Selvaria pounded her chest¡ªkind of cute as a little girl¡ªand pointed at the floor.  ¡°I¡¯ve got this¡ªcatch me, lil sis!¡±


    ¡°Eh?!¡±


    Jumping into the air Selvaria stomped on the edges of the fissure, causing small ripples to run through the ground; she still had a decent amount of weight for her size, and with a few saves from Melissa, the mini Leviathan made an opening that they could get through.


    Cahira chuckled at the hanging girl¡¯s thumbs up as Melissa lifted her back up, and Ward was already in the process of tying his rope around the destroyed altar; the first ones to rush in were the Myth of Scylla¡¯s wolves, having some kind of slow fall ability.


    ¡°Wow,¡± the 18-year-old girl whispered, bending over the edge with Selvaria and Galatea.  ¡°There¡¯s so much treasure.¡±


    Jack was about to jump in when the Leviathan stood in his path and held out her hand.  ¡°Nope.  I¡¯ll go first¡ªI will have my power suit.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough, love!¡±  he chuckled, handing her the rope, but Cahira stopped her.


    ¡°Woah there, Selv!  Heh¡ªlet¡¯s get a second¡­ just to be sure.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.  Okay¡­¡±


    Throwing her own cord through for Selvaria to use, it soon became clear the Leviathan couldn¡¯t get down without falling, and after the 3rd attempt, Melissa offering to carry her down; Selvaria eagerly agreed, jumping into the girl¡¯s tentacle arms to be princess carried down with Galatea joining.


    Yet, Cahira had to come to their new Mythickin¡¯s rescue as the girl hadn¡¯t climbed ropes since her school gym days; guiding her through it, the girl managed it with her sticky tentacles, sliding at an even pace down the rope.


    The others seemed to be fairly versed at the activity as they each shimmied down.


    On her descent, Cahira took a quick look around; everything was covered by coins, jewels, chests, and alien artwork.  It would have been impossible to fit a sliver of the horde, even if she filled both Zippy and her Dreadnought to the brim.


    Not far away from where the rope ended, she spotted the elevated, golden dais that radiated with an inner light; after joining the others and getting a closer look, she saw symbols etched on the glimmering surface.


    Ten long layers rose to the center, where a grand throne was situated with a skeleton wearing a crown, adorned with lavish robes and jewelry.  On each of the six corners of the dais were altars, making over sixty, and every other one held an orb of swirling colors.


    Bonnet¡¯s men, now dropping into the chamber, gawking at the mountains of gold; this wasn¡¯t the type Cahira had¡ªfunny, system gold¡ªthis was real, and items of power were seen all over the place.


    Jack walked around the dais with Selvaria, the most invested in it, as Melissa waited for something to happen, playing with Galatea; the monkey had grown surprisingly quiet while staring at the orbs.


    From what Cahira could tell after several minutes of silent study, the people worshiped a great skulled-king that sat on the throne, placing the treasure on the black altars to remove the curse before leaving with the items to sail away.


    The Gentleman Pirate was the first to break the silence as they all studied the etchings.  ¡°To me¡­ it appears we can only take what we can fit on a pedestal¡­  Damn, it can purify the undead,¡± he muttered, vision shifting between the skeletal drawings that became whole by lying on the broad objects.


    He turned to his nervous crew that hadn¡¯t taken part in his death deal.  ¡°It seems we¡¯ll have to split your share¡­¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Hell no!¡±


    Glares passed between the human and undead members of the man¡¯s crew, yet Jack interrupted the growing tension.


    ¡°Lads, I¡¯m afraid ya are the daftest of minds.¡±  Before the men could balk at his comment, he bent down to take the back of his sword, striking the butt against the bottom step; it crumbled away like brittle clay to reveal black stone underneath.  ¡°Savvy?¡±


    Selvaria nodded, arms crossed as she pointed at the bottom edge of the altar, where chips and cracks could be seen in the coating.  ¡°Obviously, someone coated it¡ªthe tribal people or pirates were trying to hide something.¡±


    Monkey grunted from Jack¡¯s shoulder as he continued to chip away at the object, and Cahira jumped around, holding up a sword as a husky voice sounded behind her.


    ¡°I can help¡­¡±


    Mara had joined them at some point when she¡¯d been studying the podium.


    ¡°Oh¡ªeh, how¡¯s Nemesis?¡±


    ¡°Resting,¡± she returned, accepting the bottle of water Cahira summoned and handed her.  ¡°Thank you for the blanket and pillow.¡±


    Melissa and Selvaria frowned as they joined them.


    ¡°Are you sure¡ªshouldn¡¯t you rest your throat?¡±


    The Leviathan crossed her arms.  ¡°You should.¡±


    Rubbing her neck while releasing a few low, testing hums, Mara directed them toward the platform.


    Cahira followed the gesture, discovering the layers of gold cracking from the gentle vibrations.  ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­  It isn¡¯t difficult.  So far as I can tell, something is disrupting their atomic bonds, weakening its structural integrity.¡±


    Selvaria¡¯s mouth tightened.  ¡°Makes sense¡ªthe thing doesn¡¯t like being covered.¡±


    ¡°Like¡­ it¡¯s alive?¡±  Melissa hissed.  ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ going to curse us¡ªis it a trap to lure people in?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out,¡± Mara rasped, coughing a second before humming again; she took her time to walk around the platform, yet her voice acted as tiny hammers and wind, sweeping the covering away.


    Cahira¡¯s eyes widened when the first section was removed, and Jack laughed before jumping up the levels to stare at the black throne, where the displaced skeleton still sat; the songstress had been careful not to disturb him too much.


    ¡°Hehe.  Well, everything falls into place, eh?¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± she mumbled, eyeing the forest of symbols¡ªa host of monkeys dancing around their crowned king on a throne.  ¡°The Isle of the Dead is actually the cursed land of the Monkey God¡ªRaguna, you dog¡­ putting us onto this.¡±


    Rolling around her mouth, she wondered if the famed pirate legend of the seas had come to this place at one point when young and discovered its secrets.


    ¡°What about the purification?¡±  Bonnet growled, fingers tight as he stared at the solemn monkey on Jack¡¯s shoulder.


    Laughter rang out from the golden-toothed pirate as Ward turned to the man; Mara finished removing the dust to reveal the full story of the destroyed civilization of monkeys.


    ¡°The previous tale be one of truth, Bonnet!  We each get a wish from the Monkey God¡¯s Throne.  Take what ya wish¡ªtreasure, weapons of power, tombs of great knowledge, or¡­ life¡ªa wealth of riches to last millennia is before you.  As it shows¡­¡±


    He gestured to the blue markings in the obsidian stone.  ¡°Speak what ya desire to the Monkey God on an altar¡ªit will be given¡ªbut you may only keep or ask one thing.


    ¡°Hehe.  Be it a massive chest full of gems, such as this man shown in the picture, that met with the god of this island, or some item ye seek.  What will ye choose, men?¡±


    Cahira closed her eyes and forced a chuckle, knowing how this would end by Jack¡¯s pure curiosity, and she had her own reason for partaking in this quest.  She remembered Raguna¡¯s words to her at the end of their first Legend¡¯s Quest, streaming out a forced grin as the undead pirates rushed to get their humanity back.


    So, Raguna¡­  There is a task I have to do to get the Pirate Lord¡¯s Token¡­  Remember, red be your color for life¡­ but green¡­ green will grant me something eternal.


    Selvaria seemed to catch onto what Cahira and Jack had puzzled through after seeing the markings because she didn¡¯t try to take anything from the piles around them; this wasn¡¯t the greatest prize¡ªas grand as this place of riches was, it was a trap of sorts, set by the tribal people.


    All of Bonnet¡¯s undead men sucked up their pride and moved to the altars to return to life, yet Bonnet himself didn¡¯t partake, a suspicious gaze drifting between her and Ward, no doubt wondering why they hadn¡¯t rushed to do the ritual.


    The Monkey God dully watched the men pray for life, and the spheres of power around the dias shimmered with light before granting their wishes, and Jack grinned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be wishin¡¯ ta live, Bonnet?  It may be yer last chance, man¡ªwho knows what I might do¡ªhehe.¡±


    Bonnet growled and ran his fingers through his illusionary hair.  ¡°I hate how you pirates live¡­¡±


    ¡°Which is why you¡¯ll never be one of us, Bonnet,¡± Cahira laughed.  ¡°Take yer medicine and spin yer own tale that you can tell all the fellas back home¡ªfame can still be yers¡ªI¡¯ll collaborate with yer story to the U.K. Parliament.  Hehe¡­ to an extent.¡±


    ¡°Haaa.  Fine.¡±


    He was the last one to jump onto an altar and make his wish, yet he surprised Cahira in his specification.  ¡°Make me a living, human legend!¡±


    The orbs flared to life as everyone laughed, and when the swirling colors left him, there wasn¡¯t anything that had changed about him.


    ¡°Bah¡­ a scam,¡± he growled.


    Selvaria snickered.  ¡°Poor choice of words, stupid¡ªyou¡¯re already the Legend of Stede Bonnet.¡±


    ¡°Huh?  That¡¯s¡ªnot what I wanted!¡±


    ¡°Ya can¡¯t say it didn¡¯t give ya what ya wanted,¡± Ward mused, glancing around at everyone that was left.  ¡°Everyone be good for mi gamble?¡±


    Cahira gestured for him to go ahead with Selvaria and Mara; Melissa seemed to care less since she¡¯d already gotten much of her wishes granted by Selvaria¡¯s guidance and Cahira¡¯s treasure ability.


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    Jumped forward, the monkey squawked as he reached out to take the crown off the man¡¯s skull, smacking his head, but Jack only laughed before throwing the skeleton off the platform and putting the infuriated ape on the seat.


    He instantly ceased as Jack rubbed his head and lifted the crown with a sly grin.  ¡°I be expectin¡¯ ya wish ta be wearin¡¯ yer crown again, yer godly majesty?!¡±


    ¡°Hoo-ooh-ooh?¡±


    The monkey glanced at them as Bonnet¡¯s teeth ground together.


    ¡°You want to free the God Monkey¡ªare you mad¡ªwhat will he do?!


    Jack turned and winked.  ¡°I promised mi man here he¡¯d get ta taste a nice banana, and I be a man of mi word, Bonnet.¡±


    Mara, Selvaria, and Cahira nodded as the pirate promptly sat the crown on the confused monkey¡¯s head before bowing and stepping away.


    Bonnet ducked behind the pillars with his terrified men as the black stone flared a bright red, and the monkey began to transform to appear more humanoid, growing to the size of a large, hairy man.


    The ominous vibes of the island were chased away in the steam of fiery clouds that burst out of the little, undead monkey, melting the gold and moving the gems to fashion a grand, underground temple of glistening, glorious riches, artwork, and sculptures, depicting the great God of Apes.


    Heat passed through Cahira¡¯s body as if ethereal, and, when it lifted, the monkey was replaced by a handsome humanoid primate wearing extravagant silks; the embellished crown had become far less showy, representing a circuit of simple, tiny jewels.


    Leaning against the side of his red-stone chair, the man¡¯s half-smile was centered on Jack.  ¡°You have done well in your trials, humans¡­  To think you had the strength to banish the Spirit of Shadows, even if I had severely weakened him, is¡­ impressive.  Your trust in me, when I was stuck in such a humble state is even more astonishing.¡±


    Jack lowered himself in a bow.  ¡°I am but a humble man of the sea, God King of Apes.¡±


    Cahira drew their focus with her laughter.  ¡°Shut up, Jackie; he knows you did it for a reward.¡±


    ¡°Pleasantries, love!  Hehe.¡±


    Bonnet nervously stepped out to bow from the bottom step.  ¡°God King of Apes, do we each receive your gifts for this release?¡±


    ¡°Idiot,¡± Selvaria sighed.


    The Monkey God tilted his head with a leer.  ¡°Rewards do not come to cowards¡ªbe gone.¡±


    He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture that had his crew cry out in fright, throwing their hands over their heads; the flaming clouds the Monkey God released overshadowed only those that had taken the deal from the god¡¯s oppressor.  When the haze left, the cowardly men were nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°As¡­ much as I disdain men like that,¡± Cahira said with a strained laugh.  ¡°I, uh, do need Bonnet, yer Godly Majesty.¡±


    He hummed, glaring to the side with a thoughtful expression as his tail swung back and forth by his left leg.  ¡°I merely sent the rabble to the shore; you may pick them up when you leave.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful!¡±


    Selvaria seemed to have had enough as she jumped forward, turquoise eyes shimmering with anticipation.  ¡°Can I have a power suit¡ªone with an arm cannon, can go into space, and store water, and grab onto stuff, like Samus¡¯ suit¡ªoh, and it has a Hyper Mode that grows with me, and I become a Super Suit Leviathan Destroyer¡ªoh, with death balls I can make, and fly?!¡±


    ¡°S-Selvaria,¡± Cahira stammered, but the Monkey God was laughing at her request.


    ¡°You were certainly fun to watch, young lady; the mockery you made of the Spirit of Shadows brought me great joy.  For entertaining me so, and the guidance you showed toward this conflicted soul,¡± he whispered, motioning to Melissa and making her straighten.  ¡°You shall have your desire.¡±


    Selvaria squealed in one of her rare, non-monotone moments as he waved his hand for an advanced-looking, sleek space suit themed in red, gray, and black metal to appear.


    ¡°I¡¯m a space Leviathan¡ªmua-ha-ha-ha¡ªnow I¡¯m my own ship, Cahira; Starfleet General Selvaria, Leviathan Destroyer!¡±


    Melissa giggled as Galatea cheered, floating forward to give the Monkey God a big, seal-eyed, shiny stare.


    ¡°Hehe.  Yes, I saw your bravery, as well, Galatea.  You may have a large fish¡ªheh, yes, it can float with you¡­ and won¡¯t give you fish breath.¡±


    She sang as a plump, delicious-looking fish emerged from a cloud of smoke to hover over to the seal, wiggling in the air with excitement.


    The Monkey King rose to his feet, patting the animal on the head, and in a surprise turn of events, causing Jack to step aside as Selvaria and Galatea floated off to do their own thing in the air; the Leviathan was still the size of a small preteen.


    Cahira watched with a lifted-eyebrow smirk as the Monkey King¡¯s tail swung left and right as he stopped before the surprised mermaid and offered a sweeping bow.  ¡°My Lady, I could hear your lovely voice throughout the island, and it pains me to hear such stress in it now.  You opened my ears again to bliss¡­  What is it you desire?¡±


    Well, heh, consider me jealous!  Cahira internally laughed.  Still, can¡¯t fault his taste.


    She whispered as a small puff of steam rose from his hand to enter her mouth, healing her throat.  ¡°Oh¡­ uh, thank you.  Umm, hehe, I don¡¯t really want anything in particular.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Cahira and Jack choked.


    ¡°Nothing?¡±  Cahira pressed in disbelief.


    Mara gave a helpless, somewhat girly shrug for the badass she was.  ¡°Hehe.  I¡¯m honestly fairly happy with how my life is¡­  Umm, well, I suppose you could heal Nemesis.¡±


    The Monkey King chuckled.  ¡°You truly are a pearl in the sea¡­  Consider it done, and can I make a request and offer you a gift?¡±


    ¡°Haha.  I suppose,¡± Mara chuckled, her lovely voice returned to its luster.  ¡°If it¡¯s something I¡¯m comfortable doing, I don¡¯t see why not, and you¡¯ve already granted me two gifts, in the form of my healed throat and friend.¡±


    Friend, she calls him, Cahira mused, but, in all honesty, her relationship with the Lion King certainly was an odd one to classify.


    A loud boom behind her made Cahira jump as the grinning Lion King broke through the floor above to land amid the rubble and gold.  ¡°Haha.  Who¡¯s next, Mara?¡±


    ¡°Nemesis¡­¡±  Mara laughed.


    The Monkey God didn¡¯t seem perturbed by the large beastman¡¯s entrance; in fact, he flashed his teeth at the lion, stretching out while approaching him.  ¡°I¡¯d like you to sing a song of the heart, wearing this amulet that will record it so I may hear your heavenly voice again.¡±


    Mara lifted the exquisite ruby necklace up, and a somber look crossed her eyes, yet a smile was on her lips as she nodded.  ¡°I can do that before we leave.  I¡¯m flattered a god would be interested in hearing my voice again¡­¡±


    ¡°It is only natural,¡± he returned, offering another bow as Nemesis stood nearby, arms folded and a grin showing his sharp teeth; he wasn¡¯t radiating his typical fierce aura, showing he didn¡¯t sense the Monkey God as an enemy.  ¡°You have the voice of a goddess of song infused into your very essence.¡±


    ¡°I will do my best to meet your expectations.¡±


    Cahira was impressed by the interaction, filing it away to give the devilish hare when they returned.


    The Monkey God next addressed the Lion King, and Cahira couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he grew to meet the giant, 230 cm beast¡¯s height.  ¡°I can already guess what you desire, but speak it, brave warrior.¡±


    ¡°Single combat.  Show me the strength you possess, and let me feel the joy of a thrilling fight.¡±


    Cahira¡¯s hand came to her face in exasperation¡ªRachel and Nemesis truly did belong together¡ªshe could see the wicked Lunar Hare doing the same thing, but at least Rachel could value the information he could give her, which would probably be what she wanted.


    Then again, her intimidating boss would likely try to weasel out as much information as she could for free.


    The Monkey God nodded with a half-smile.  ¡°You¡¯ll get your wish when I have finished here.¡±


    ¡°Haha!  I¡¯ll prepare then,¡± he grinned, licking his black lips.  ¡°Show me my limits so I can surpass them!¡±


    ¡°Careful what you wish for,¡± the monkey chuckled, moving away to address the wishes of Bonnet¡¯s men that had fought on Cahira¡¯s ship, showing their bravery.


    The nervous men showed respect and wished for pretty standard stuff¡ªnaturally, wishing for more wishes was off the table¡ªsuccess, wealth, and attractiveness seemed to be the standard.


    Three were left after the exchange¡ªMelissa, Cahira, and Jack¡ªafter the Monkey God sent the pirates to the shore to wait for their ride with Bonnet; they barely invoked the Monkey God¡¯s notice by their actions, rallying to Cahira¡¯s call.


    Stopping in front of Melissa, she chuckled at the girl¡¯s nervous shifting, unable to make eye contact.  ¡°I am aware of a great many things, young lady¡­  It¡¯s not hard to see the growing courage you¡¯re building.  Hard work and effort are rewarded.  What is on your heart?¡±


    Selvaria floated down, shiny helmet peeling back as she showed a soft smile.  ¡°I bet I know what.¡±


    Galatea chirped, falling out of the sky to land on the Leviathan¡¯s back.


    Melissa took a deep breath, hand held against her breast, and Cahira wondered if she was going to ask to be turned back into a human or get rid of the Seed inside her.


    ¡°Can¡­  Can you bring my little sister here?  We were separated, and¡­ and I need to help her.¡±


    Right¡­


    The Monkey God¡¯s vision softened, yet he shook his head with a sad shake of his head.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid my reach cannot extend beyond my realm of influence.¡±


    Melissa¡¯s ears and tail drooped with her gaze.  ¡°I see¡­  I suppose that makes sense.¡±


    Her eyes lifted to look into his bright blue eyes as the Monkey God lifted her chin to retain her focus.  ¡°Just because I cannot bring her to you does not mean I am powerless.¡±


    Opening his palm, a compass appeared in his hand.  ¡°Take this¡­ you are resonating souls, and so long as you touch this, it will point you toward your counterpart.¡±


    Melissa took the item, a shiver running down her spine as she stared at the spinning pointer that stopped to the southeast; it took a moment for it to sink in before tears came to her eyes to drop onto the glass.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    The Monkey God produced a golden pear, offering it to her.  ¡°I empathize with your situation, young lady¡­  I was trapped and cursed, the same as you; give this to your sister, and her pain will¡­ at least become bearable.¡±


    Lower lip beginning to tremble and unable to speak, she nodded and accepted the gift as Selvaria hugged her from behind.


    Giving her a reassuring smile, he broke away, finally stopping in front of Cahira with a short huff.  ¡°Pirate Queen¡­ leader of this expedition that facilitates my release.  I will replenish what you¡¯ve lost and restore your vessel in order to continue your journey¡­¡±


    Cahira caught the underlying tone, looking at Melissa¡¯s soft cries as Selvaria and Galatea comforted the healing Myth of Scylla.  ¡°Ya really are a kind fella, huh?¡±


    The Monkey God puffed out a long stream of air as he looked between her ragtag crew of Myths and Legends.  ¡°When you spend as long as I have, longing to feel emotion and life again¡­  Heh.  Let¡¯s say you cherish what you lost more when reclaimed than what was never taken.¡±


    ¡°I can get behind that,¡± Cahira whispered.  ¡°Thanks fer being a swell god¡ªnot many of ya, huh?!  Haha!¡±


    He shrugged, showing a wry smirk.  ¡°Just as there is a small subset of mortals that ruin the whole¡¯s reputation, it can be said the same for deities.¡±


    ¡°Fair.¡±


    ¡°Your wish?¡±


    ¡°Haaa.  A Pirate Lord¡¯s Token.¡±


    As if expecting the request, he turned and gestured at the altars, where shimmering coins appeared.  ¡°These are those that remain unclaimed¡­ select one you desire.¡±


    Cahira gave him a short bow before moving to look between the red, yellow, green, and blue coins, showing a skull with crossed swords and a bandana on each; Jack paid close attention to each one.  She reached out and took the green.


    The others vanished, and the Monkey God chuckled at the golden-toothed pirate.  ¡°Unfortunately, Jack, such a reward is only given to those who have handled a quest with their own crew.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  I wouldn¡¯t want to rob myself of the adventure!¡±  he cheered.


    Cahira swallowed as the god addressed her again, tone one of warning.  ¡°You may have the coin, Queen of the Sea, but you must prove yourself to it by meeting with its previous owner and gaining their blessing.¡±


    She grinned and flipped the coin in the air before catching it.  ¡°I assume I know who the previous owner is already.  Hehe.  He be a slipper-tongued devil¡ªred be his color fer life, but green be offerin¡¯ somethin¡¯ eternal¡­¡±


    ¡°You have your wits about you,¡± the Monkey God mused.  ¡°Now, for the one who gave me my freedom.  What is it you desire?¡±


    Jack¡¯s glistening smile flashed as he gave another bow.  ¡°The finest banana, Lord Monkey, sir!¡±


    Laughter came from the god as he held out his hand for the golden fruit to appear.  ¡°You are a strange human, Jack Ward.¡±


    ¡°A man of mi word¡ªbe it a person I respect I be given¡¯ it to¡ªhehe!  The finest banana, mi Lord Monkey.¡±


    ¡°Huu-haaa¡­¡±  The Monkey God accepted the returned banana and tucked his bottom lip under while admiring the fruit.  ¡°It has been too long.¡±


    His vision closing to enjoy it in darkness, he took a bite of the first food he¡¯d had in who knows how many ages, tears coming to his eyes to fall down his cheeks.  ¡°Taste¡­  I can taste again¡­¡±


    Savoring each bite, they patiently waited until he finished and cleared his cheeks.  ¡°Jack Ward.  You¡¯ve claimed your reward.  Now, I¡¯ll offer you a gift.¡±


    Cahira held her breath in anticipation as he gestured to their right, where steam billowed from the floor; Jack¡¯s big reward¡ªlike Zippy was for her¡ªbut this time, he actually completed the positive side of the bonus quest where MoonMoon had killed theirs.


    ¡°What every pirate most prizes¡­  A vessel to carry them on their adventures; a token of my appreciation¡ªThe Ebony Pearl.¡±


    A black galleon, equipped with powerful magical cannons, much like Zippy¡¯s powerful armaments; the interesting part, a crew of howler monkeys, outfitted with weapons, screaming their welcome to their new captain.


    ¡°The finest crew from the Monkey God¡¯s Isles, and below deck, a pocket dimension with living quarters and space fit for a Pirate Lord.¡±


    Jack stumbled forward to eagerly shake the god¡¯s hand, bowing repeatedly before running off in his fish-legged way to run aboard his new vessel to claim as his own.


    ¡°Thank ya¡ªyer too kind, mi lord¡ªtoo kind¡ªMonkey Crew!  We sail fer glory¡ªglory, and rum¡ªlots of rum!  Rum fer glory!¡±


    Cahira giggled as steam rose around him, and her Dreadnought was filled with gold¡ªincluding quality gems for Zippy to enjoy on her return¡ªand restored to health.  ¡°Much appreciated, Monkey God.  I, uh¡­ heh, expect Nemesis¡¯ request will take some time, yes?¡±


    He smirked, a twinkle in his blue eyes, the empty banana in his hand vanishing to appear on the top of his throne like some trophy.  ¡°Not as long as you might think.¡±


    ¡°No offense, heh, but I¡¯ll believe it when I see it; mi mans over there be the King of Beasts, after all!¡±


    Nemesis roared with laughter at her comment, just finishing his stretches.  ¡°Show me the power of a god!¡±


    Cahira would have loved to watch, but the Monkey God transported them to another part of the island after moving them to the shores; Mara began preparing her voice for the song.


    She was a little stunned when after a minute, the god was back with a grinning, passed-out Lion King; Mara laughed at the satisfied look on the knocked-out lion before transporting him to a bed to rest on Cahira¡¯s ship.


    On the deck of her ship and with the soft push of the waves, Mara began a somewhat somber song about keeping little secrets; the tone showed an internal conflict and how it was better to keep it from the person she cared for.


    Cahira assumed it was about the Lion King but wasn¡¯t quite sure if it was at the same time; the musical mermaid continued to be an enigma, even when singing a song from the heart.


    The Monkey God was enamored by the songstress¡¯ powerful and pure voice as she revealed a piece of her heart; Cahira was impressed the woman could do it so openly in the first place, showing how content the Mythickin was with herself, which contrasted her song she sang at the same time.


    Such a mystery¡­  It doesn¡¯t need to be love, but secrets she knows will hurt someone she admires and wants to be around.  Man, way to get a girl enticed¡­  You vixen!


    Galatea had one last request, which amused the Monkey God and confused Cahira;  apparently, she wanted him to teach her how to play chess because Moongmor always beat her, and to play with her mom.  Selvaria had mentioned it in the past, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be true, but the Monkey God entertained the request.


    Bonnet and his disgruntled men were still trying to argue with the men who did receive a reward to split some of the profit, but Cahira was done with that and left them to fight it out in the belly of her ship¡ªthey were afraid of the Monkey God.


    As Selvaria and her went through a crash course on God¡¯s Chess, Cahira took a speedboat to Jack¡¯s ship to check it out.  She was shocked to find the interior was gigantic; a massive, roomy mansion that was filled with full master bedrooms for his loyal monkey crew.


    Another stunning revelation was that she could understand the monkeys¡ªnot in speech but intent¡ªas they guided her around.  Jack was already getting hammered in the kitchen, raising a bottle with a cheer, when she showed up.


    ¡°L-Love!  Ya gotta try bottle mi rum¡ªmi bum be numb, and flying stars!¡±


    Laughing, she didn¡¯t turn down the offer and took the bottle; it was sweet as honey yet left a pleasant burn that made her moan while dropping into a seat across from him.


    ¡°Ya got yer dreamboat, eh?¡±


    ¡°All thanks ta ya, love!  Code de¡ªhuh¡­ sticky the rum¡­ no¡ªrum, rum¡­ rum is good¡­  Sticky the code!  Aye!  Mi heart be aflutter, hehe¡­  Adventu¡ª¡±  he tipped back, passing out on the floor as her monkey escort snickered, bringing more of the boys over to haul him off.


    ¡°Adventure, indeed¡ªwell, time ta be headin¡¯ home.  We got a tale to tell, hehe.¡±


    After returning to her own ship and seeing the Monkey God off, they returned to Miami; it was time to report to Rachel and see what she wanted to do about Melissa and her sister, Blackbeard, Bonnet''s link to the U.K., and see if the girl thought they were in the position for her to bring the token to Raguna, but whatever it¡¯d be, the intimidating Lunar Hell Hare would stir up a whirlwind, she was sure.


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 B5 —20. Finding A Way Forward

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hell Hare is BACK!)


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    Laying in bed, Rachel stared up at the ceiling in the still house as 7 p.m. passed; her father had left to handle business since Nam was still in bed with his passed-out wife.


    From what she understood¡ªshe¡¯d tried to respect her brother¡¯s privacy¡ªAlexa drifted into bliss soon after getting her in bed, and she¡¯d slept much of the day; he hadn¡¯t left, taking breakfast in his room.


    Their mother had been totally enthralled, having Jaenona, Nia, and Scarlet to smother with attention; she was too wound up to sleep, so she¡¯d been mingling and prepping the house to be sunproof.


    Molly had ordered all the materials to make retractable, totally safe blinds while they were in Cuba and waited for them to return so she could make a project out of it with her new adopted daughter¡ªbonding plots.


    It was nice seeing this bubbly side of her mother take the foreground again, but it was a tad overwhelming for Rachel.  After a few hours, she¡¯d excused herself to isolate, cool off, and be the fly on the wall, listening to the joyful conversations rather than being an active part.


    Her mother had made breakfast in the morning with the girls, Mason, and Anthony, sending her boyfriend up with giggles to deliver it; to their disappointment, Rachel was asleep¡ªmore accurately, she was pretending to be asleep¡ªwhen he came to drop it off; she didn¡¯t know exactly why, but she did.


    Not ten minutes ago, her mother finally ran out of steam and begrudgingly went to take a nap¡ªshe¡¯d be out until the morning, Rachel was sure.


    Scarlet and the others had entertained her, but after Molly retired, they followed; their sleep schedule would be totally off for the next few days, which wasn¡¯t good for the vamp girl, who would be homebound during light hours.


    Anthony was still experiencing the effects of his transformation, and Jaenona still suffered from her weakened constitution, causing the pair to sleep in one of the guest rooms with Mason.


    She had to chuckle at how cramped the full-sized mattress must be with the Bear Beastkin and tall Legend in the same bed; they hadn¡¯t really made any complaints, though, which saddened her expectations.


    Jessy had taken Jaenona into the bathroom to get ready for bed, introducing her to the concept of cleaning yourself¡ªmuch to the eldritch girl¡¯s entertainment; Scarlet had already collapsed in her bed, mentally and emotionally spent.


    Gisele rested on the footboard of her bed, head tucked under her wing as her chest rose and fell; whether she¡¯d been a tad overwhelmed by the initial attention as well or just wanted to be with her, Rachel didn¡¯t know.


    She wasn¡¯t sure when her dad would get home, but she was happy to have at least eight to ten hours to process things.


    Finger¡¯s touching her breast, she let guilt escape her lungs.


    How in the world can I reconcile Mom¡¯s anxiety and what I need to do¡­  Mythic isn¡¯t just some small thing anymore; things are blowing way out of proportion.  I can¡¯t keep tearing her heart to pieces¡­ but leaving this scene isn¡¯t an option.


    Nia trudged up the stairs, yawning and ready for bed; this had been her second time out since returning home.


    ¡°Yaaahhammgh¡­¡±  Nia smacked her lips.  ¡°Lazy ass¡­  I¡¯m going to bed again.  How¡¯s Big Sis?¡±


    Still mad?  Rachel returned, shooting the girl a half-smile as she opened her door without knocking.


    The 14-year-old girl glared at the untouched food on the dresser Anthony had left for dinner.  ¡°Yes.  You totally bailed on Mom¡­  What are you even doing, sulking up here all day?¡±


    Thinking.


    ¡°Humph¡­  Why¡¯d I even ask¡­¡±  Nia mumbled; she seemed too spent to even argue, which was new for the hyperactive bunny.  ¡°What about Big Sis?¡±


    Watching her dissolve into sparkling colors to return to her original body, currently, in the form of Rachel¡¯s nightwear, Rachel¡¯s gaze returned to the ceiling.  She¡¯s still invisible.


    ¡°On the roof?¡±


    Mhm.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you talked to her?!¡±


    She needs time, Teacup.


    ¡°H-Huh?!  No¡­  You heard that nickname?¡±


    Rachel unconsciously rubbed the girl¡¯s ears inside her Core with a short giggle.  I think it¡¯s cute, and Mom saw how much you liked the whole tea party thing.


    ¡°It was fun¡­  You should join next time.  Anthony did it with me,¡± she whispered, getting into bed to sleep.  ¡°Why do you feel guilty?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips drew in, cursing the fact her living outfit could discover certain things if she went snooping around since they were spiritually connected.  I don¡¯t like hurting Mom, and¡­  I¡¯m just trying to figure things out.  Have fun?


    ¡°Mhm¡­  It would have been more fun if you were there.¡±


    Next time, Rachel sighed, mentally tucking her in.


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    Yup!  Go to bed so we can have more fun.  Okay?


    ¡°Alright¡­  I¡¯ll hold you to that promise!  Let¡¯s go shopping¡ªit¡¯ll make Mom happy.¡±


    Rachel kissed her head before turning out the lights in Nia¡¯s imaginary room within her Core.  Hehe.  Not just her, I bet.  Sleep tight, Teacup.


    ¡°Night.¡±


    Jessy guided the little snow-haired girl to their room to snuggle next to Scarlet, and once everyone was resting, Rachel lifted herself up to stare at her dinner; it was way more than she needed.


    Gisele¡¯s feathers ruffled as she got up and transferred to her shoulder as she left, taking the dish downstairs to warm up and eat in solitude; she shared a bit of the cooked steak with her mythical bird.


    Taking time to study the orderly and clean kitchen¡ªher mom¡¯s special place¡ªRachel let the tide of memories carry her through the depths of her past.  In this room, her mother was the goddess of her domain, wielding a wooden spatula like a weapon, and god forbid you broke one of her many etiquette rules.


    There were a few options that passed through her mind throughout the night, but the most likely option made her hesitate, and she hated it; the sweet honey pot of these Seeds carried with it a looming devil, asking for you to sign the dotted line, as Alexa had discovered.


    Rachel shifted her violet skirt as she crossed her legs and closed her eyes to run through the connecting dots she saw branching into the future; she heard her brother walking down the stairs, likely figuring she was up due to her door¡¯s slight squeak.


    ¡°Am I interrupting?¡±


    Vision opening, she smiled and shook her head, rising to her feet to go to the fridge; opening it..


    ¡°How¡¯s Alexa?¡±


    Nam ran his fingers through his messy black hair, watching her four little buns hop across the floor as she summoned them and took out the food her mother had prepared for the gang.


    ¡°Not like you don¡¯t know, Sis.¡±


    Gisele and the four see-through bunnies acknowledged each other with leery eyes; Rachel wasn¡¯t sure when they¡¯d developed this rivalry.


    Ears spreading out to draw his focus, she chuckled.  ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to keep these to myself.¡±


    Closing the fridge and uncovering the plates to place on the table for the excited Rabbit Gang, Rachel motioned her brother toward the front door.  ¡°I¡¯ll keep an ear on Alexa in case wakes up; want to go on a walk?¡±


    Debating it for a second, he nodded, and Rachel smiled when he slipped on his jogging shoes rather than his typical footwear.  Leaving her buns to feast, Gisele and Nam joined her outside.


    Their jog took them on a wider path as she listened to her sister-in-law¡¯s gentle breathing and waited for her brother to voice what was on his mind.  Neighbors waved, and she heard more than a few comments from people that recognized her, which wasn¡¯t all that difficult when you glowed in the dark.


    Nam returned a gesture from another jogging couple, forcing a smile.  ¡°Is¡­ this what it¡¯s going to be like for Alexa now?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Rachel studied the rising moon on its slow rise into the sky.  ¡°I can see her being popular in the media if she does join Mythic, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you really want to ask¡­  You didn¡¯t expect her to meet the requirements to join, did you?¡±


    His eyes lowered to the sidewalk, centering on each line in their casual pace.  ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know what I expected, to be honest.  Maybe¡­  I didn¡¯t change much, but bypassing all the jokes¡­ this is harder than I thought.¡±


    ¡°A 13-year-old wife¡­  I can¡¯t imagine what you¡¯re feeling right now,¡± she mumbled, knowing it would be some men¡¯s dreams, but her brother wasn¡¯t one of those men.


    Being married to an anime and cosplay lover, she was sure Nam knew at least something about the lolicon trope, yet reality was very different than fantasy; her brother was spiraling into thoughts about their future and how this could tear them apart in the long run.


    Nam couldn¡¯t hide the doubt, pain, and fear in his voice from her ears as they continued to progress to each new street spotlight.  ¡°Alexa wants kids at some point¡­  We¡¯ve talked about it, and I was excited¡­  How does this change that?  Can she even have kids as an angel?


    Yseress¡¯ tragic story regarding her own mother¡¯s hellish capture and torture made her believe the answer was yes, but the magical girl aspect of Alexa¡¯s transformation put an edge of doubt on the possibility or even if she would ever age again.


    Progressing to a walk as her brother began to breathe harder, Rachel¡¯s ears drew back to stare up at the black veil of the light-polluted heavens, and Gisele landed on her shoulder to nuzzle her head.


    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for answers, Nam¡­  I don¡¯t know how useful I¡¯ll be.  I¡¯m here for you and Alexa, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ you¡¯ve always been more of a realist.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can have kids,¡± Rachel shrugged.  ¡°I don¡¯t let it keep me up at night because, well, I don¡¯t know, and I¡¯ll cross that bridge whenever it comes.  Alexa knew the risks and tossed the dice.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­  Can she join your organization?¡±


    Rachel gave him a slight smirk and nudged his side.  ¡°I don¡¯t know, stupid.  She¡¯s only been conscious for a good few minutes before passing out in bed.¡±


    Nam swallowed and rubbed his forehead, likely experiencing a headache since he hadn¡¯t been able to sleep.  ¡°If you were to guess?¡±


    ¡°Huu-haaa¡­  It¡¯s possible.  When it comes to holy-type damage dealers, we¡¯ve only got Maria, and she¡¯s more of a support healer¡ªshe fills a niche we need¡ªand that¡¯s all I can say for sure.¡±


    ¡°What about Yseress?¡±


    ¡°Pfft!  She¡¯s far from a holy-type, bro.  No, she¡¯s going through her own identity crisis right now, I think, after that enhanced Seed fused with her¡­ it seems to be a pattern, which has me questioning a lot of things.¡±


    A melancholy twist came to her brother¡¯s mouth.  ¡°Everyone¡¯s so focused on how she looks and how cute Alexa is now¡­ but I¡¯m worried about what this means for our future.¡±


    Rachel forced a chuckle.  ¡°That¡¯s like you¡­  I can relate.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Something we got from Dad?¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± she sighed.  ¡°What am I going to do about Mom?¡±


    Nam fell silent after looking at her expression, and it took several minutes for him to break the stalled conversation.


    ¡°The Oscillation only gave us problems¡­  Mom was killing herself after you left for Cuba¡ªthe news was always on, increasing her anxiety, as the news usually does, and she wasn¡¯t getting much sleep the first week, thinking she¡¯d miss something.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­  I figured.¡±  Hearing the note in Nam¡¯s voice, Rachel closed her eyes and tightened her left fist.  ¡°And you¡¯ll be the same if Alexa goes into those terrifying situations¡­  I know that attack at the Police station had an effect on you.¡±


    Nam¡¯s fingers pressed against his breast with a sad smirk.  ¡°Alexa took it like a champ¡­ as if it didn¡¯t affect her at all¡ªseeing dead bodies¡­ arms ripped off and faces split open¡­  The screams¡­ the smell¡­  I don¡¯t know.  I¡¯m not cut out for that kind of thing¡ªnot like you, Rach¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±  Rachel stroked Gisele¡¯s head, making her chirp.  ¡°You¡¯re scared Alexa will be the same?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m terrified of a lot of things,¡± he mumbled, staring up at the crescent moon.  ¡°Selfish or not¡­ you can¡¯t say our family is being slowly pulled apart.  I did hope you wouldn¡¯t find a way to give Alexa powers¡­ and though I support her decision and reason to be more¡­ I didn¡¯t need her to be more.¡±


    ¡°I get that¡­  Especially since this has so drastically shifted things.  Heh, last night I contemplated contacting the President to get you a presidential pardon.¡±


    ¡°A pardon?¡±  Nam questioned, eyebrows drawing together as she snickered.


    ¡°Well¡­ you are married to a minor now, and there are laws against that.  I don¡¯t know¡­ it¡¯s messy¡­ everything¡¯s become messy, but I¡¯m trying to work things out¡­ make things work.  I¡¯m trying, Nam.¡±


    Her brother slowed to pull her into a hug.  ¡°I know¡­  I can¡¯t imagine how hard your life is¡ªjuggling everything¡ªand it¡¯s not as if you wanted to get in bed with the government.¡±


    Keeping her ears spread to not slap him in the face, she rested her forehead against his chest.  ¡°I made my own bed¡­  I¡¯m responsible for my own actions; besides, it gives me liberties others can only dream of.  Yes, there are challenging parts to it, but I¡¯m content with what I have going.¡±


    Emotion touched her brother¡¯s voice as Gisele fluttered into the air.


    ¡°What can I do?¡±


    ¡°Accept it¡­ live another day¡­  We¡¯ll figure it out.  I won¡¯t let anything bad happen to her¡ªand, heh, she hasn¡¯t even joined or gone on a test run.  Unless I know she¡¯s capable of handling herself, I¡¯m not going to put her in a position that I¡¯ll regret¡ªI try to think things through.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­  I know.  Mmh.  You don¡¯t know when she¡¯ll wake up?¡±


    ¡°Not a clue.¡±


    ¡°Alright.  I should head back.¡±


    Breaking away, Rachel tapped his chest with the back of her hand.  ¡°I¡¯d make you a snack, but Mom¡¯s got it covered for at least a week after everything they did last night.¡±


    Nam laughed, helping to relieve the tightness in her chest.  ¡°You, cook?  Right¡­¡±


    ¡°You know I can make a mean grilled cheese!¡±


    ¡°Naaa.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Watching me make you a grilled cheese doesn¡¯t mean you know how to make one,¡± he mused.


    ¡°Mmh¡­ fair, but I worked at a restaurant for a bit in Miami¡­ before, heh, totally ghosting it after I changed.¡±


    Nam patted her back.  ¡°If I need a table waited, I¡¯ll let you know, sis, but I¡¯ll be doing my own cooking or sticking to mom¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.  Nia would squeal at the opportunity,¡± she snickered, wondering if she should intentionally burn it to see how the girl would react.


    Halfway back, Nam whispered, ¡°How soon until you take her away for the trial?  I know she¡¯ll want to distract herself from all the hard questions¡­ forget her troubles by distracting herself with her new powers.¡±


    A shiver ran down Rachel¡¯s spine as she felt Yseress finally move, flying into the night to hover above them¡ªshe suspected the cold finger running down her back was the nephilim¡¯s prank¡ªit seemed it was ¡®find comfort in Rachel¡¯ hour as she prepared to meet the woman.


    ¡°Unfortunately¡­ again, I can¡¯t say.  Part of my group is off on a pirate adventure, exploring new avenues and getting answers.  I¡¯d like to have a few days to spend with Mom until I can figure things out myself, and who can say how time will operate for Cahira and those she took with her?


    Until they return, I¡¯m just killing time and giving it to Fiona and Maria¡¯s families to spend time with them; they deserve a break after everything we went through in Cuba.¡±


    Nam tucked under his lower lip as she came to a stop, realizing she was going to remain outside.  ¡°Heh¡­  You don¡¯t count for that¡­ deserving a break¡ªyou really can¡¯t stand still, can you?¡±


    ¡°Guilty!  Haha.  Well, I got other things I need to take care of, and your wife¡¯s still sleeping.  Like I said, don¡¯t sweat the things you can¡¯t change, Nam.  All we have is what we¡¯re leaving behind, so¡­ build what you can with Alexa and try to find something positive about this.¡±


    Seeing his strained expression, she chuckled.  ¡°I know¡ªit¡¯s hard to find a silver lining when your wife turns into a little girl¡­ possibly forever, but¡­ at least you don¡¯t have a 5-year-old eldritch child living inside you, or your mother unconvinced she¡¯s somehow not your daughter!¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±  Nam hissed.  ¡°Poor Anthony¡­¡±


    ¡°What about poor Sis¡ªc¡¯mon!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Well, thanks for hearing me out, Rach.  Catch you later?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.  Oh, and, heh, take the buns up to snuggle; I¡¯m sure Alexa will love the extra bodies, and they¡¯re nice, squishy, and warm.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.  Haaa¡­  I love her, Rach.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±


    Waving him off, she held her arm behind her back as the devilish woman descended from the sky to land behind her, still invisible to any onlookers.


    ¡°What a silly man,¡± the black-winged nephilim huffed.


    Rachel gave her a side-long smirk.  ¡°Oh?  Enlighten me, and you can reveal yourself to the public; we need to get the neighborhood used to seeing us, so we don¡¯t spook them at random.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­  If you insist,¡± she growled, feathers ruffling as she dropped her cloak of shadows.


    ¡°Mmh?  Is someone shy of being seen like an angel?¡±  she snickered, moving over to examine the woman¡¯s puffy feathers.


    ¡°Stop!  You can¡¯t just¡­ touch a woman¡¯s wings¡ªthe nerve¡­¡±


    Laughing, Rachel held her hands behind her back while returning the way she¡¯d come on her random stroll, not caring which direction she went.  ¡°What a shy devil you are.¡±


    ¡°Well, excuse me,¡± Yseress grunted, crossing her arms under her bust.  ¡°I am not¡­ accustomed to living in a non-apocalyptic world, where humans do not hide like insects, starving and tortured until their mortal frame fails them and their corrupted spirits are pulled into Hell.¡±


    ¡°Way to kill the mood,¡± she sighed.  ¡°How is Nam silly¡ªhave some insight as a corrupted nephilim?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.  Does he not understand the benefits of drawing an angel¡¯s heart?  The health benefits of an angel¡¯s kiss¡­¡±


    ¡°Blegh, he¡¯s practically wearing anti-evil perfume by sleeping next to that toxic aura¡ªI can smell it on the wind¡­ disgusting, and I haven¡¯t even gotten to the forbidden fruits of pleasure she could enthrall him in with only a puff of air in the, heh, proper places¡­¡±  the black-winged woman described teasingly.


    ¡°Tactful¡­¡±


    Yseress brushed back her black, ruby-highlighted locks to wave at the fearful or curious groups of people that lingered at a distance to see the horned, black-feathered angel.  ¡°Am I not?  I have censored myself greatly when in your presence, Mistress.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears shifted to various positions in their walk as she waited for the woman to open up; she hoped she wouldn¡¯t have to wait all night for her pride to break down.


    Thirty minutes went by in total silence; the nephilim was probably hoping she¡¯d grow bored or impatient, but so long as she could move, Rachel was perfectly content with waiting for her walls to break down¡ªshe could distract herself with the multitude of events happening within her audible range.


    Her home was buzzing with talk about various topics around the world, between giant monsters like Selvaria, the pirate troubles overcasting the seas, and national conflicts, such as Russia and China¡¯s latest actions.


    She learned a lot from the public think-tank, but there were a lot of conspiracies cast by all kinds of people, from corporate to government.


    The ebbing flow of crawling, opiate-laced mediocrity she heard from the multitudes, complaining about various meaningless problems, left her feeling numb as the tide of her turbulent mind pulled her into a maelstrom of complications compounding her life.


    ¡°Troubled mind, Mistress?¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  You could say that¡­  Done going in circles yourself?¡±


    Yseress¡¯s fangs poked through her lips, reminding Rachel of her unofficially adopted little sister, sleeping back home.  ¡°I never dreamed of the day I would feel so¡­ free.¡±


    ¡°Free?¡±  Rachel scoffed, glad to have something to distract her from the ridiculous problems of the local population.  ¡°You¡¯re my slave.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well¡­ you wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± she whispered, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips.  ¡°You think you have these feelings in your head of slavery and evil deeds¡­


    ¡°Oh, you arrogant mortals.  Humanity¡¯s penchant for self-importance and a need to have everything revolve around their little worlds really is a knife against the wrist.  Heh¡­ lip-service platitudes until their bubble pops.¡±


    Rachel followed her gaze to the couples and joggers that now gave them a wide circle, mumbling to one another about a demonic angel.  ¡°What has you ruffled?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  The nephilim¡¯s smirk shifted to her.  ¡°I¡¯ve witnessed the true end of days for you mortals¡ªtook part in more than a few such calamities, and now¡­ now I feel as if I am in a morphine-dipped fantasy.¡±


    ¡°None of this feels real?¡±


    ¡°What a large house of glass,¡± Yseress snickered, clawed fingers lifting to the heavens.  ¡°When true devastation strikes¡­ all that envy and greed give way to hopelessness.  Envy is a person in luxury¡­


    ¡°What a funny way to live, breeding in self-righteous desires that lead to nothing¡ªwhat slow death mortals cling to¡ªneeding someone to forgive them and make it all disappear¡­ leading them to the Hell they deny while killing time in this indulgent world by seeking that which you cannot grasp once passing on, or¡­ at least, heh, not as one wishes.¡±


    Twirling around, she giggled, seeing something Rachel could not as the woman relived her time in the infernal pits.


    ¡°He-he-he-he.  A pack of good deeds for the entry fee into Hell, all dressed up for judgment day in your thin cloth of self-righteous causes for your sins to strip it away.  Humanity views themselves as such powerful creatures, yet they are the lowest of demons¡­ falling into line like whipped dogs, yet everyone sees themselves as gods until they enter the pits.  This life is an audition, then you die.¡±


    Rachel closed her eyes and hissed out a long breath as everything clicked.  ¡°Well played¡­ reading my own state of mind to distract me.  From whose honey pot have we been stealing, hmm?¡±


    Yseress¡¯ twinkling irises drifted to her.  ¡°You know, the funny thing is that everyone ends up where they¡¯ll be the most comfortable.  Do you suppose killers will be happy in a place filled with saints?  No, they¡¯re sent to a place where they are in like company¡­  I don¡¯t belong here, Mistress.¡±


    Puffing out a long stream of air, Rachel¡¯s mouth became a line.  ¡°I think you¡¯re going through a midlife crisis, of sorts¡ªheh, mid-purified crisis¡ªall the paint on your walls is peeling off, showing you what you don¡¯t like, so you¡¯re hiding it behind flowery words and metaphors, throwing stones at your glass house from the inside.¡±


    A bitter hollow replaced the mask inside the woman¡¯s gaze.  ¡°The slow pain¡­  If the air you breathe was given¡­ all your sins are forgiven¡­ right?  I never expected to go down this path.  How much of a joke is Existence as a fallen angel who seeks redemption, hmm?¡±


    Rachel followed her hum.  ¡°When was the last time you felt right and in line with this other half of yourself¡­  Never, because you never had the chance.  You were born into sin in a fallen world that tore you apart before you even had a chance to make a decision.¡±


    She leveled a vicious glare at her black-winged angel.  ¡°I¡¯m not so kind as to let you give up on something you wanted but could never start the path; your previous mistress used up every drop of that divine force you¡¯d¡ªin her words¡ªso carefully cultivated¡­  Do you think she felt guilty for that and proposed this deal because of what she needed to do?¡±


    Yseress stopped, seemingly unable to process what she¡¯d just postulated.


    Rachel winked.  ¡°Something to chew on, but we¡¯ll have to ask her when we storm Lucifer¡¯s fortress and rescue your poor damsel of a fallen goddess.¡±


    ¡°You are¡­ so brash,¡± Yseress chuckled.  ¡°Haaa¡­  I have had more of an effect on you than I believe you realize.¡±


    ¡°Have you?¡±  Rachel pondered, tapping her lower lip.  ¡°I could see it being the other way around¡­ but the truth¡¯s more likely in the middle.  Haha!¡±


    ¡°What a mistress you are¡­¡±


    Silence stretched for a time as she stopped to stare up at the moon, and not willing to voice the thought in her mind¡ªher heart quivered¡ªand she posed it to her troublesome nephilim servant.


    Yseress¡­


    ¡°Ooh.  Secrets?¡±


    Should I ask my mother if she wants a Seed?


    The woman paused, wings pulling in as she dissected her shocking question.  ¡°You want to bring your mother into Mythic to mitigate the guilt you feel by giving her a chance to be a part of this section of your life?¡±


    Teeth clamping together, her tight chest locked air in her lungs.  I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m thinking¡­  I can¡¯t think of any other way to at least bridge the gap between us to a slight degree.  Tell me there¡¯s a better way.  Do you have any devilish ideas?


    ¡°Hmm.¡±  Yseress studied her for a time.  ¡°It¡¯s a selfish desire, but done for a righteous cause, or so you believe.  I¡¯d say be careful, Mistress.  You¡¯re trapping yourself in a prison, yet there is a world on the outside.  Speak to your mother, and, rather than going into it with any motive¡­ express your needs, let her reveal hers, and find a compromise.¡±


    Vanishing in a flurry of burning feathers, the nephilim returned to Rachel¡¯s Core.  ¡°This is not something I believe your overactive mind will solve but rather damage.  It isn¡¯t a question of practicality but a collision of hearts, and it must be solved by the heart.¡±


    The overshadowing moon above her lifted Rachel¡¯s head.  Hmm-hehe¡­  You always surprise me.  Have a good night.


    ¡°Goodnight, Mistress, and I hope you find your bed soon.¡±


    Shaking her head at the helpful nephilim¡¯s dualistic nature, Rachel looked up as Gisele returned from her nighttime hunt.  What a ride this life has become.


    Returning home to rest, she only had five hours of sleep before Cahira¡¯s voice roused her mind; the redhead was speeding in a car, driving at least ten miles over the freeway speed limit.


    Rachel rolled around her neck before getting to her feet; everyone was still asleep, Gisele not even lifting her head from her wing as she stretched.


    Five hours was plenty for her, and Rachel decided to meet up with the pirate before they got to the house¡ªin order to not wake anyone up¡ªespecially after hearing a woman named Melissa speaking in the car; part of Cahira and Melissa¡¯s conversation sparked her interest.


    By the restless movements of Alexa, the angel would likely rise soon, although Nam was now the one out cold, lying under her wing.


    Rachel almost made it out of her room without anyone noticing; Anthony was rolling out of bed soon after with his living, child weapon becoming an inchworm to escape the clutches of her two teenage jailors.


    She had to giggle upon seeing Anthony¡¯s pleading, puppy-dog eyes while presenting the grinning eldritch 5-year-old; naturally, he wasn¡¯t comfortable helping her change clothes, seeing as she was so unaware of such concepts, and Jessy had been the one to help her the night before.


    Not wanting to waste time, she dug into the very well-organized shed outside to extract the clothes she¡¯d had as a little girl; she put the little girl in a yellow shirt and skirt, and a simple ponytail worked for her hair.


    Leaving the house to breathe in the night air, she kissed her boyfriend, happy to mix a new memory of her house with his lips.  Holding his hand on their first casual night in what seemed forever, she guided them to the car Cahira used.


    The Pirate Queen had been expecting her at some point and pulled over to let them in the SUV; Melissa was an interesting cat girl with her void-like black eyes that held a deep crimson light¡ªthe fact she was the Myth of Scylla shocked her even more, along with the tale behind her rescue.


    Selvaria¡ªto her great displeasure¡ªhad been forced to remain on Zippy, considering her weight had increased significantly over the month.


    Rachel listened to the woman¡¯s exciting story, asking a few questions as she processed the information.


    Melissa fidgeted the entire time as if in the middle of an interview, but so far as Rachel was concerned, they were getting closer to being able to form two actionable groups with her addition.


    Anthony mostly took everything in without comment yet could understand her desire to quickly go to her sister¡¯s rescue; it would provide a means to also test Alexa¡¯s potential.


    Rachel nibbled on her lower lip, putting herself in Melissa¡¯s shoes for a moment; she¡¯d race off alone¡ªscrew what anyone else thought¡ªshe¡¯d get her brother, mom, or dad back, but Melissa wasn¡¯t her.


    ¡°Huu-haaa¡­  Melissa.¡±


    The girl swallowed, shifting in the front seat to give her a nervous look.  ¡°Mhm¡ªw-will you help me get my sister back¡ªsave her?  I know it¡¯s asking a lot¡­¡±


    Cahira, Anthony, and Jaenona¡¯s focus were on her, and a new idea came to Rachel; if there was one thing that could spur her mother into action and get her to understand the need to take action, it was in defense of a family member¡ªat the very least, it could break the ice.


    ¡°I believe we can help, Melissa, and I suspect the web she¡¯s connected by has something to do with someone we¡¯ll need to deal with at some point anyway, but¡­¡±


    The hope in Melissa¡¯s widening eyes filled with apprehension.  ¡°But?¡±


    Anthony forced a chuckle, jabbing his elbow into Rachel¡¯s side as he revealed the condition.  ¡°You¡¯ll need to meet the family, I¡¯m guessing.  Molly¡¯s going to love her.¡±


    Rachel rubbed the sore area, punching Anthony back and making him laugh.  ¡°The struggling girl¡ªin need of help¡ªand only one place to turn to rescue her beloved sister?  I think I¡¯m going to kill my mother with a sugar overdose before the stress gets to her.¡±


    ¡°To home it be!¡±  Cahira cheered, stepping on the gas.


    AuthorSME


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 B5 —21. Sun Touched

    AuthorSME


    Author Note:  I KNOW the ending is a, eh, bit of a tease... cliff, but you have to understand, I need the proper time to flesh this stuff out.  D=  I can''t rush it.  These are things I have prepared to reveal for so long, leaving little hints along the way that will slowly start to click with people, and am so excited to get to.


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


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    Cahira pulled into the driveway, and Rachel got out to invite them inside; most of her family would be asleep, but her angelic, magical girl sister-in-law was lying in bed, wing draped over her husband as she watched him sleep.


    Rachel figured she was taking in the fact the other day hadn¡¯t been a dream and thinking over her decision to go through with the transformation.


    Ushering the throng inside, she scanned the city to find her father preparing to come home after pulling an all-nighter at the office; he¡¯d probably get to spend a decent amount of time with her mother before she was fit to get up.


    She left Anthony and Jaenona to entertain Melissa and Cahira; the 18-year-old Myth of Scylla had taken a shine to the cute, articulate, and clueless eldritch girl.


    Snatching her phone off its wireless charger, Rachel did a quick scan of the messages, spotting Tom¡¯s text; he¡¯d had to push back the meeting for today, and their other friends confirmed they¡¯d be able to stop by in the evening on the group chat¡ªit was time to reveal Twilight¡¯s existence to everyone.


    A light groan rumbled in her throat as she dropped onto her bed to stare at her screen.  Why is there always so much going on?  Every day since The Oscillation has been crammed full of things¡­  Never a dull moment, I guess.


    She stretched out and went to Nam¡¯s room to softly rap her knuckles against the door, peeking inside when she heard Alexa shift in bed.  ¡°You up¡ª¡±


    ¡°G-Give me a second!¡±  she hissed in return, and Rachel saw glowing bare skin before closing the door; Alexa seemed to only be wearing panties and a loose sports bra.


    Shuffling came from within as she stood up, puffing out a long stream of air while studying herself.  ¡°Mmgm¡­¡±


    After a minute, she came to the door; Alexa exited with a light scowl, wearing her magical girl outfit.


    ¡°Rough night?¡±  Rachel chuckled, ears tilting to the side as she backed up.


    Alexa¡¯s small wings fluttered a little before bending with effort for her to enter the hallway.  ¡°I¡¯m¡­ getting used to things¡ªalmost nothing of mine fits anymore, and it¡¯s not like I kept clothes or training bras from when I was a teen¡­¡±


    ¡°Oof.¡±


    Making sure to leave without making too much noise, she crossed her arms, and Rachel had to admit the semi-annoyed teenage angel look was cute on her.  It helped when your hair, halo, dress, and wings¡ªjust about everything¡ªsparkled as if enchanted.


    ¡°Want to talk?¡±


    ¡°Sure¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t sound too convinced it would help but followed her downstairs to introduce the angel to Melissa and Cahira; the redhead couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter at seeing the change, but the Myth of Scylla had an understanding, forced smile as she waved them off.


    Starting off on yet another walk, Rachel jumped straight into the heart of the conversation in the pre-daylight hours of the morning.


    ¡°How are you managing?¡±


    Alexa reached up to pull down her halo and play with it in her fingers.  ¡°You know¡­ this will just teleport back into place when I let go?  It¡¯s pretty cool, and it¡¯s a part of my body¡­ heh, I thought it could be thrown like Sailor Moon, you know?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d that work out?¡± Rachel chuckled, knowing she was just trying to find her way through her thoughts.


    ¡°Eh¡­ yeah, I think my halo is more like a power source, of sorts, and¡­  Well, let¡¯s just say it¡¯s as sensitive as some¡­ other parts of my body,¡± she mumbled with a blush.  ¡°Nam was so¡­ uncomfortable last night.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s full lips drew in as her own gut tightened at the topic.  ¡°No offense, Alexa, but I¡¯d rather not talk about the things you and my brother do behind closed doors.  I get you¡¯re trying to explore new¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!  No!¡± Alexa groaned, letting her halo flash back above her shimmering hair.  ¡°Gah, I¡¯m not trying to¡ªI don¡¯t know what I¡¯m trying to say,¡± she cried, gesturing to her wings.  ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Nam treated me like a piece of delicate glass that would shatter at the slightest touch¡ªhe¡¯s put off by how young I look, and I hate it!  I hate it!¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±


    Alexa¡¯s shoulders drooped, lifting a wing to draw Rachel¡¯s attention to it; of course, she could see everything in focus.   ¡°Haaa.  I hoped all of this would have been a dream, but now I hear whispers¡­ sounds so heavenly I want to listen¡­¡±


    Intrigued, Rachel slowed their pace a tad.  ¡°Heaven?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what else it would be¡­  It¡¯s a war we can¡¯t see¡ªI don¡¯t know against who¡ªbut that¡¯s the feeling I get.  I¡­ heard a voice last night.¡±


    ¡°A voice¡­  Not one of these whispers?¡±  Rachel asked.


    Rubbing her arm, Alexa nodded.  ¡°He showed me a vision and¡­ and he said I should seek out Jeanne d''Arc¡­¡±


    Mind returning to the blonde-haired saint, the Lunar Hare¡¯s eyes narrowed, seeing the light start to touch the horizon with morning¡¯s arrival; she hadn¡¯t talked to her family about their entire mission in Cuba or the part France had played.


    The trouble was the suspicion she had toward Jeanne¡¯s involvement with Twilight; that was, if her theory about the creature having a piece of herself free was correct.


    ¡°What was the vision?¡±


    Alexa¡¯s muscles tightened at her serious tone.  ¡°He showed me a great walled garden with a shining woman inside¡ªtons of knights, queens, and kings on the walls¡ªand a giant ocean outside.¡±


    She held out her hands in a sweeping gesture.  ¡°A massive hidden monster that sucks in water three times a day hid nearby¡ªoh, and it spits it out, too¡ªI don¡¯t know how it stays hidden if it spits water out,¡± she added, rubbing the back of her neck.


    ¡°It¡¯s stupid¡­  Know what,¡± she laughed and brushed out her silver hair, ¡°It was probably just some silly dream¡ªI don¡¯t know.¡±


    If an angel sent Alexa a vision since she¡¯s now close to their network and directing us to Jeanne¡­  Charybdis has to drink water and spit it out.  Is Melissa¡¯s little sister near France¡ªis that the wall?


    ¡°Hold that thought¡­¡±  Rachel muttered, slowing as she pulled her phone out of the folds of her violet skirt, hearing Nia groan and flip over in bed.


    Accessing the special military data network Tom had given her access to, she searched the high-profile Legends of France they¡¯d discovered so far; a few names stood out.


    The Templar Knights, Saint Jeanne, her right-hand-man, Gilles de Rais, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the famous alchemist Nicolas Flamel, Charles-Henri Sanson, Second Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, Raymond du Puy, Queen Margaret of Anjou, Holy Emperor Charlemagne, and his twelve paladins, to name a few.


    She was a little surprised to see the legendary emperor be the head of a reformist party in France with Saint Bernard; it appeared there were quite a number of developing organizations and factions building in France, yet all of them seemed to be playing well with each other.


    There were questions about Raymond du Puy¡ªif he was secretly a serial killer, considering the Legend¡¯s past¡ªyet by all records, he was as honest and upstanding as they come, not to mention a decorated military general.


    Some historians believed the accusation made against the historical hero had been the same ill-fate as the Knights Templar, having been falsely convicted for the crime of being more wealthy than the Church and being closely associated with the famous slain female saint, who had taken a major stance and image in the hearts of the people.


    Although, there had been a renowned extremist group that had been making waves in the country recently¡ªone connected to Blackbeard¡ªand who Jeanne had personally confronted two weeks prior.


    The Legend of Jeanne de Clisson, who had been involved in bombings and assassinations in a radical group, seeking justice for alleged political corruption within the French government, yet little in the way of evidence had been given by the terrorists.


    Having met face to face with France¡¯s pillar of a blonde saint in her attack on Palais Bourbon¡ªwhich Rachel found more than a little stupid, considering the forces guarding the government building¡ªshe¡¯d sustained grave injuries after launching some kind of powerful explosive that Jeanne reflected.


    Her crew retreated and met with Blackbeard after escaping; the collateral damage had forced the saint and others to prioritize civilian lives.


    ¡°Something¡­ interesting?¡±  Alexa forced a chuckle as she scanned through the cliff notes of what was happening in France.


    ¡°One second¡­  I want to hear how this ends.  Just doing a bit of thinking¡­  Go on.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really¡ªis it important?¡±  she asked, star-like eyes lighting up even more than they already were.  ¡°Am I like¡­ like an oracle or something?¡±


    Rachel giggled, waving for her to continue.  ¡°Hehe.  Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Cool.  Umm¡ªhuh?!¡±


    An annoyed hiss shot through Rachel¡¯s teeth as her ears shifted to her left, catching wind of something she should have expected; grabbing Alexa¡¯s hand, she redirected her to a jogging path.


    ¡°A social media reporter caught wind that my parents¡¯ home is near this neighborhood and is snooping around¡­¡±


    Alexa¡¯s wings tightened against her back for the first time.  ¡°Yikes!  Eh¡­ what if she doxes us to get her story¡ªyou know, threaten to spread our information online?¡±


    ¡°Pfft!¡±  Rachel gave her an incredulous look.  ¡°Alexa, I literally stood in the Seventh Layer of Hell a few days ago¡ªa social media chick who¡¯s out for clout is not an issue.  I¡¯ll handle it later; my mind¡¯s on bigger things.  Keep going.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­  Umm, so, there was this locked greenhouse with, uh-heh, a lot of rotten trees inside,¡± she shrugged.  ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what that¡¯s about, but the angel showed me the biggest one¡ªa huge black thing¡ªand a snake was, heh, get this¡­ whispering to the tree and the tree whispered back, sending the green snake out to deliver messages.  Crazy, huh?¡±


    Revilla¡­  Rachel internally hissed.


    Coming to a complete stop and no longer caring about the clout chaser, Rachel put her hand on Alexa¡¯s back to guide her toward the house.


    ¡°Are¡­ we going back¡ªam I a prophetess?¡±


    ¡°If you want to call it that,¡± Rachel absently muttered.


    The Knights Templar¡¯s cage is compromised¡­  Revilla has someone inside, and since Melissa¡¯s sister was shown in the vision, she¡¯s probably involved in whatever this is¡­ willingly or not.


    Walking straight to the parked car on her road, Rachel tapped on the window, making the woman inside jump out of fright since she¡¯d used a blind spot to approach.


    The window rolled down to see an excited, thirty-year-old woman inside.  ¡°An angel?!  Oh, I figured you¡¯d be able to hear¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy,¡± Rachel bluntly returned, tone and illuminated crimson and four-leaf-clover irises causing a lump to form in the woman¡¯s throat.


    ¡°I just¡ª¡±


    Her body heat increased, and she bit her tongue as Rachel interrupted again, moving around to the back of her jeep to pick it up by the hitch; dragging it to the road, she sat it in the middle of the street before going back to the window.


    ¡°Get a hotel in the city and stay there for¡­ however long it will take for my schedule to clear up¡ªI don¡¯t like unannounced people showing up at my place¡ªunderstand?¡±


    Choking an unintelligible response, the woman nodded, and Rachel waited, making the woman fidget a few seconds in panicked confusion until Rachel pointed at the road.


    ¡°Leave.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay!¡±


    Alexa seemed to be trying to make herself look smaller than she already was as Rachel returned, still mildly annoyed that someone had been able to track down her address¡ªlikely using the college.


    ¡°You¡­ always were intense and didn¡¯t give a crap, but¡­ damn,¡± she shivered.


    Rachel waved her hand dismissively, not wanting to give the incident any more brain power than was absolutely required.  ¡°That vision you had was important¡­  It seems we have a heavenly messenger that can feed you information.¡±


    She came to a sudden halt as all her agitation vanished in the light beams that shot out of her sister-in-law¡¯s brilliant glow.


    ¡°I can be useful then¡ªwas my transformation worth it?¡±


    Rachel chuckled, rubbing her head and realizing how hard Alexa must have had it; Yseress was hissing from within her Core about the holy energy waking her up.  Opening her arms, she motioned for Alexa to close the distance.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±  she whispered, hesitantly stepping forward before Rachel hugged her.  ¡°Did I just¡­ hypnotize you¡ªbecause this is weird?¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± she mused, positive energy flooding her veins.  ¡°Alexa¡­ you¡¯ll have the opportunity to show me if you have what it takes to join Mythic, but don¡¯t think you¡¯re useless if I say you aren¡¯t ready.  I¡¯m sorry if I made you feel that way.¡±


    Alexa¡¯s younger voice dropped to a whisper as her wings and glow fell.  ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡­  I¡¯ve never had a great example, and I just feel guilty¡­ with how active Molly, Nam, you¡­ everyone in the family has so much energy and motivation.  I don¡¯t want to see myself like a lazy bum anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad, but don¡¯t go jumping into the deep end if I¡¯m not there to bail you out.  Got it?¡±


    Pulling away, she saw the bright smile and countenance return to the 13-year-old-looking woman.  ¡°So¡­ you do care about me¡ªhehe¡ªam I actually a part of the family?¡±


    ¡°Yes!  Stupid,¡± Rachel huffed, jabbing her elbow and making her titter while hopping off-balance.


    ¡°Ack¡ªthat hurt!¡±


    ¡°Sorry!  Hehe.  I just need a few more test jabs¡­¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡±  Alexa cried as she jogged toward the house with the Lunar Hare in slow pursuit, amused she ever thought she could escape but letting her keep ahead in any case.


    Returning inside, she heard Nia stretching out and smacking her lips within her Core, greeting Yseress, who appeared to be getting ready for the day in some spiritual shower¡ªno curtain¡ªand making the little bunny girl balk in embarrassment.


    Entering the house, Rachel gathered everyone together to talk about the new development, much to Melissa¡¯s horror.


    Alexa helped to calm her down, reassuring her that Rachel had promised to help, and if there was one good quality about her, it was her reliability¡ªwhich sounded more like a diss to Rachel than a compliment, but it did help Melissa.


    Cahira had her own opinions of the extremist privateer in France and how she¡¯d adopted a scorched earth strategy; she wasn¡¯t a fan, and she suspected a few acquaintances or people she could contact had the means to set up a meeting.


    Anthony was more interested in the vision, going further into detail with Alexa.  Rachel left him to probe for more information when her father came home.


    Welcoming him in, she smiled as he hugged her and went to the stairs; Rachel followed, knowing he¡¯d want to know her plans for the day so he could plan accordingly before bed¡ªhe was the type to have everything in order before relaxing.


    Filling him in on the schedule of the coming psych evaluation, tonight¡¯s important discussion, and another essential topic she wanted to talk to him about, he paused at the foot of the stairs.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare for you to be nervous,¡± he muttered, showing bags under his eyes but a sharp mind.  ¡°How long will it take¡ªit isn¡¯t about this Melissa girl¡ªis it?¡±


    Rachel steamed a long breath, nervously rubbing the side of her neck and shaking her head.  ¡°It¡¯s about Mom.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±  Glancing up the stairs, he worked around his jaw before nudging his head to the backyard.  ¡°Or do you need the garage because of the sun rising?¡±


    ¡°The garage is good¡­  You never know when I might need all my strength,¡± she joked, her laughter strained; naturally, she¡¯d talk to her dad before bringing the topic to her emotional mother.


    He led the way to the door, opening it for her and shutting it behind them; once leaning against a car, he silently waited for her to explain, and Rachel ripped off the bandaid.


    ¡°I think¡­ it will be beneficial to Mom¡¯s mental and physical health if she took a more active part in Mythic¡­ even if there are obviously safety risks.¡±


    Rachel held her breath as her dad closed his eyes, breathed in, and released the stress that had gripped his lungs; he remained quiet for over five minutes, being one of the few people in Rachel¡¯s life who could make her fidget while awaiting his verdict.


    Brown eyes opening, he didn¡¯t look apprehensive, but she could hear it from his body and the slight inflections in his voice.  ¡°Be specific.  What kind of active part¡­  Are you suggesting she take one of these Seeds like Alexa?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not entirely sure,¡± Rachel forced out, rubbing her arm and looking away.  ¡°It would depend on what she decided, but¡­ I do think it would help her bridge the gap she¡¯s feeling with us.  You could take one, too,¡± she mumbled, unable to look him in the eye as her ears pulled back.


    Her father¡¯s silence was a hammer against her heart, smashing it with every beat as she prayed he wouldn¡¯t be pissed at her for suggesting it, which he was within his rights to be; they¡¯d seen the effects of what happened to those that took it, and it was chaotic.


    Another five minutes of meticulous thought went by before her father sighed, running his fingers through his dark hair.  ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about this since yesterday.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears stood up.  ¡°You have?¡±


    ¡°Heh.  Don¡¯t look so surprised.¡±  A melancholy smile creased his eyes.  ¡°From what you explained, everyone will eventually need to take it, and Alexa needs to pass it on to someone.  The question is, do we put it off until later, or do we take it now¡­ or stubbornly refuse and be the eventual minority that will trigger the end result where the final Seed holders will die¡ªunable to pass it on.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t thought about that possibility, showing how far she¡¯d tried to keep this eventuality in the back of her mind.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°Huu-hmmm¡­  How long has your mother been asleep?¡±


    A shiver ran through her bones, head lifting to look at the ceiling; she was scared¡ªher father was actually considering it.  ¡°Umm.  I think it¡¯s been more than eight hours now.¡±


    He nodded and put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it for support.  ¡°Let me go get her.  I think it would be better if she made the decision; I¡¯ll do whatever she does.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s nose burned as he left to fetch his wife, and she didn¡¯t exactly know why tears were attempting to escape her eyes; she didn¡¯t think he would be so understanding.  She¡¯d severely underestimated her father¡¯s forethought and love for her mother.


    He¡¯d probably been thinking about this since the moment she offered the choice to Alexa, knowing his wife better than anyone and where this would lead.


    She choked, forgetting to breathe as Nia and Yseress exited.


    ¡°Don¡¯t die, Rachel!¡±  Nia mumbled, using her ¡®cool¡¯ and ¡®coded¡¯ telepathic link, which Rachel could do without at times.  ¡°Is¡­ is Mom really going to get powers?!¡±


    Yseress¡¯ wings tightened around her body to not brush against the cars, scanning the space with its well-organized tools and items.  ¡°Obviously.  Mortals can¡¯t deny power, Nia; it¡¯s baked into their very genes.¡±


    ¡°Big Sis!  Hehe.  Moms aren¡¯t mortals.  That¡¯s silly.  Moms are superhuman!¡±


    ¡°In what world?¡±  Yseress asked, lifting an eyebrow.


    Rachel chuckled and waved them off to join Melissa, Anthony, and the others.  ¡°Go teach Alexa more angel stuff, and, Nia, I bet Jaenona would love your attention¡­ or the other way around.¡±


    ¡°Right!  Jaenona was wearing those super cute clothes.  Where did she get them?¡±


    ¡°My old ones in the shed,¡± Rachel responded without thinking and instantly regretted it.


    ¡°You have old clothes from your school days!  I want!  I want!¡±  she salivated, jumping up and down in excitement as if a little sister getting a whole new wardrobe from her big sister to show off.


    ¡°Right¡­  I¡¯ll help you with them later.  I¡¯m sure Mom will want to get in on that.¡±


    ¡°Yes!  I gotta let everyone know!¡±


    She rushed off as the Nephilim lingered behind, glaring at a grinder.  ¡°Must I be in that¡­ that godly presence, and what would you have me teach her¡­  Unless¡­¡±


    ¡°Yseress¡­¡±  Rachel warned, eyes narrowing at the twinkle in the devilish fallen angel¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Nothing too licentious, and why are you speaking through my spirit?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, no, no!  I wouldn¡¯t dream!  Also, I simply like to keep a low carbon footprint; is that the proper word?  Hmm-hehe,¡± she chimed, vanishing in a flurry of black feathers that instantly caught flame.  ¡°The licentious ways of the Infernal would be far too harsh for such an innocent, mortal mind¡­  Hmm-hmm-hmm.¡±


    ¡°Also,¡± Rachel interrupted, wanting to mark her bases, ¡°we are talking about MY view of licentious¡­ not yours or a Succubus¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Aww¡­ you¡¯re killing my fun, Mistress.  Should not she be the one to decide where to draw the line?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push it¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  I shall be nothing but accommodating to¡­ the flavors of mischief she finds most¡­ appetizing.  A girl¡¯s body cannot lie¡ªangel or not!¡±


    Rachel wondered if she should toss Yseress off to Cahira but realized there was no fun in an easy mark, which was why the Nephilim wanted to tease Alexa; Cahira was far too thirsty of a woman to tickle the devilish woman¡¯s satisfaction.


    Once again alone, she closed her eyes and released her ponytail to brush out her hair, letting it fold neatly around her back as it always did; she played with her grandmother¡¯s emerald pendant while following her father and mother¡¯s conversation.


    It was quick and the reunion sweet, their morning kiss making Rachel smile with the sleep mumbles of loving words while stretching out under her sheets.  After a few minutes, he told her their daughter was waiting in the garage to speak about an important topic in private.


    Rachel¡¯s ears and head tilted to the side as her mother released a long sigh, sucking on her lower lip before nodding, smiling, and giving him a third kiss.


    She swapped to Korean, and it fascinated her that her translation ability converted it to English; yet, it was also a little saddening to learn she was more proficient with English and wondered if she should force everything she heard to be in Korean to exercise her parents¡¯ main language.


    ¡°Thanks for letting me know, Honey; I love you.¡±


    ¡°Love you, too.¡±


    ¡°Sleep well¡ªwhen would you like dinner?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.  I¡¯ll take a short two-hour sleep; I have more business to attend to before our guests arrive¡ªand Rachel drops another bomb on us¡ªI¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  Oh, I totally expect our darling daughter will have quite a surprise for us¡­  She¡¯s such a wonderful daughter.¡±


    ¡°She is¡­  Good night, Chan-hee.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have breakfast ready in two hours.¡±


    The exchange was fine, but the bewildering part of it was the underlying tone in her mother¡¯s voice¡ªa melancholy, begrudging sigh that said she didn¡¯t want to speak to her¡ªthe first time she¡¯d heard such a cadence from her mother.


    Chewing on her inner cheek, Rachel tried to breathe out her stress and internal questions if she should even bring up the topic until her mother hesitated at the garage door before opening it with a forced smile; she¡¯d bypassed everyone in the front room without saying good morning.


    Her mother stepped into the space and closed the door behind her, dressed in silky white pajamas with pink frills.  ¡°Your father said you wanted to speak to me?¡±


    ¡°Do¡­ you want to speak to me?¡±  Rachel mumbled, eyebrows furrowed and ears pulled back.


    Totally blindsided, Rachel¡¯s tail stiffened as her mother leaned to the side and, without hesitation, pressed the garage door opener, causing the three doors to rise, letting sunlight reach inside the proofed area.


    A million alarming questions flashed through Rachel¡¯s accelerated mind, yet her body was paralyzed with fear; had her mother been impersonated by someone¡ªwas she being mind controlled¡ªwhy spring such a trap at this exact moment?


    Yet, all those terrifying thoughts came to a blinding crash when the sun touched her skin, and her Lunar Energy didn¡¯t start to drain.


    Was she in an illusion?  Had she been mind controlled¡ªpast all her mental resistance and Nia¡¯s abilities¡ªnot likely?  She was at a total loss.


    Utterly stunned, all she could do was watch her smiling Korean mother descend the stairs and take her hand.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a short walk.¡±


    ¡°In¡­ your pajamas?¡±  was the best Rachel could return with, despite Hyper Mental Acceleration giving her the time to process¡ªit wasn¡¯t enough¡ªshe was unsure how else to respond as the world and all logic flipped on its head.


    ¡°Hehe.  Oh¡­ I don¡¯t mind, and it¡¯s nice to feel the sun on your skin every once in a while.  Right?  Coming?¡±  she lightly prompted, tugging her hand as if she were a little girl again and guiding her to the sidewalk.  ¡°Wow¡­  So, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve concluded I have a Seed like you, huh?¡±


    ¡°No?!¡±  Rachel breathlessly choked as all the voices in the house and around her suddenly ceased; only they moved as if time had paused.  ¡°What do you mean you have a Seed¡ªsince when¡ªhow?!  What¡¯s happening?!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­  Hmm.  It¡¯s an interesting tale¡ªmore of a fable, really.  Hehe.  I told it so many times, but I guess it¡¯s been a long time since I would tell you stories at bedtime¡­¡±  she whispered, but all Rachel heard was pain in her voice, despite her smiling face.


    ¡°I know this is a lot to take in, but¡­ I promise I¡¯ll try to make this quick.  Just¡­ just give me one more walk around the block.  You used to love my stories when you were a little girl¡­ let me relive that for a bit.  Please?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s skin tingled at the implication as her mother¡¯s brown eyes flashed with welcoming, warm flames, making her heart quiver; it sounded like her mother was saying goodbye.


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 B5 — 22. Day To Night

    AuthorSME


    PoV:


    1. Rachel Park (Our Lunar Hell Hare!)


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    The thump in Rachel¡¯s chest felt like someone was trying to beat a punching bag as the morning Florida beams bathed her in light, warming her skin and leaving her utterly thoughtless for the first time in what seemed forever.


    Her mother squeezed her hand, leading the way on the sidewalk; it didn¡¯t feel real¡ªhow could her mother have a Seed¡ªhow could she not reveal it for over a month?


    All Rachel could do was continue down the sidewalk, expecting the world to return to normal every second or to be somehow hit by any piece of reality that would bring her sky-bound thoughts back to earth, yet all that met her was an unnerving silence.


    ¡°You¡­ can stop time, Mom?¡±  she whispered in complete shock, observing every piece of her vision in full focus; nothing could grab her attention, though.


    It was as if she¡¯d stepped into a still framed picture¡ªmorning joggers, flying birds, barking dogs, and bees on their mission for pollen¡ªlife had been put on pause.  Yet, her mother continued their stroll, wearing nightwear she typically wouldn¡¯t be caught dead in outside.


    Her mother¡¯s soft hum drew her into a spiral as they kept a gradual pace around the block; the warm, wistful flame within her illuminated irises displayed a torturous vision of her mother¡¯s world falling apart, but there was a smile on her lips.


    Molly cleared her throat.  ¡°At the spark of light, a shadow was cast¡ªthe beginning of Existence¡ªand from that effulgence came a rabbit!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears tilted to the left.  ¡°A rabbit?¡±


    ¡°Not just any rabbit,¡± her mother chided.  ¡°A rabbit of such blackness that it swallowed the brilliance it was born from, and within the shadows cast by that initial beacon was born his sister¡ªa hare so burnished, the darkness was chased away; light from darkness, and darkness from light.¡±


    That her mother was so casually talking about Existence and the beginning of something so large it boggled her mind made her tail stand on end, but she wasn¡¯t going to let her rest as she continued the story.


    ¡°The gods and goddesses that came after fought over these two precious creatures¡ªthe dark rabbit that carried light and the white hare that held darkness¡ªLuck and Misfortune; brother and sister.  And thus, the Pure Onyx Rabbit and Limpid Jade Hare were born¡­¡±


    A shiver ran through Rachel¡¯s spine.  ¡°Wait¡­  Are you talking about me¡ªmy Seed¡ªthose bedtime stories you made up about the Limpid Jade Hare when I was little¡­ those couldn¡¯t be about me?¡±


    The dots connected in Rachel¡¯s brain like a supernova, embracing everything she¡¯d learned thus far.  ¡°Scarlet¡¯s mom was given visions from Revilla¡­  You saw visions about your future?  Have you been in contact with¡­ from which goddess¡ªthe lunar goddesses¡ªwho told you to manipulate everything so all this would happen?!¡±


    Her mother sighed with a soft chuckle, lifting her hand to kiss it.  ¡°Patience, Rachel¡­ don¡¯t jump to conclusions.  Just listen and let me enjoy this¡­  Please?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like that!¡±  Rachel hissed.  ¡°How can I enjoy this?¡±


    ¡°You will,¡± she returned, a somber hope in her mother¡¯s flaming eyes.


    Grip tightening, unsure her mother wouldn¡¯t drift away with every passing second, Rachel shook her head.  ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re saying goodbye¡ªyou can¡¯t do that to me¡ªto Scarlet, Nam¡­ you can¡¯t do that to Dad after telling him you¡¯d make him breakfast!¡±


    A vice gripped Rachel¡¯s chest with the emotion that hit her nose as her mother stopped them in the middle of the neighbor¡¯s sidewalk driveway and gave her a doleful look; the panic began to set in.


    ¡°What do I need to do¡ªMom, tell me¡ªif there¡¯s not much time, tell me how to save you!  I don¡¯t care why or what happened, just¡ªjust tell me how to stop whatever this is from happening!¡±


    ¡°Oh, Rachel¡­  You are so stubborn and hasty¡­  Hehe.  My little fighter,¡± she whispered, moving in to push up onto her tippy-toes to kiss her forehead and embrace her.  ¡°If you want to save me¡­ then listen.  I¡¯ve both feared and looked forward to this moment for an eternity.¡±


    Rachel shook her head, choking, ¡°I can¡¯t lose you!¡±


    Her misfortune-sensing ability was useless right now, and the fact this Jade Hare was some archetype for bad luck put a mirror in Rachel¡¯s mind¡ªthere had to be a connection¡ªyet, at this moment, when she needed it the most, it wasn¡¯t working, and she couldn¡¯t understand why.


    She should have felt something like this coming, yet the threads of misfortune weaving around them bowed as if there wasn¡¯t a thing Rachel could do to stop whatever was coming, and that scared her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lost, Rachel¡­  Will you listen to your mom¡­ let me be your mother?¡±


    ¡°What does being my mom have to do with¡ªwith¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  You don¡¯t know, do you?¡±  her mother snickered, tapping her on the nose like she was a little girl again.  ¡°So, let¡¯s continue our walk, and I¡¯ll explain it.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t resist as she was drawn back into their gradual stride, the slow pain and dread digging into her chest wouldn¡¯t let up.


    The warmth of the passive sun somehow heated Rachel¡¯s skin, and she couldn¡¯t grasp how any of this was physically possible or how she could see at all¡ªthe light wasn¡¯t reflecting off her eyes¡ªyet the impossibility of the time stop was entirely overshadowed by her mother¡¯s ominous tale.


    ¡°Gods, heroes, villains¡­¡± she sighed.  ¡°Every creature envied, feared, or hated the all-encompassing ability of the two powerful embodiments of Luck and Misfortune.  Yet, there was one Supreme Goddess that was the Limpid Jade Hare¡¯s greatest nemesis¡­ Seonangsin.¡±


    The name triggered her memories, linking dots of the shimmering white-gowned woman that her mother told bedtime stories about, always chasing the mischievous Jade Rabbit¡ªa goddess of village protection, boundaries, and war¡ªthe pious defended against disease and misfortune, bringing luck and plenty.


    ¡°I¡­ fought Seonangsin¡ªI was the mischievous¡ªack¡­  Mom!¡±  she cried as she pinched her tail.


    ¡°Shhh!  I¡¯m telling a story,¡± she huffed, pulling her lips in that cute, motherly way that made Rachel quiet down on instinct, trained from a little girl.


    ¡°Ahem¡­  Seonangsin battled and drove the Jade Hare away, hunting her since the dawn of time.  Misfortune¡ªthe Jade Hare¡ªfought endlessly against those who sought to claim everything she was¡­ yet the one foe she could never beat or rest from was Seonangsin, for the Pure Onyx Rabbit¡ªthe Jade Hare¡¯s brother¡ªthat embodied the luck in all Existence rode with the protector¡­¡±


    Rachel had liked the story as a little girl with the heroine always stopping the bad stuff that happened wherever the Jade Hare went and her trusted black-furred companion, but now it took on an entirely different meaning¡ªshe was the hunted¡ªand it wasn¡¯t like the Jade Hare wanted to cause bad luck.


    Her mother trailed off, downcast eyes falling to the sidewalk; Rachel frowned as her mother¡¯s story took a turn she hadn¡¯t heard before.


    ¡°¡­until Luck¡ªthe protector¡¯s companion¡ªabandoned her, and an unknown, powerful outside force absorbed him.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember that?¡±  Rachel muttered, thinking back through all the small, bite-sized tales she¡¯d been told as a little girl.  ¡°Onyx always was with Seonangsin, saving her from all the traps Jade made?¡±


    ¡°Haaa¡­ that¡¯s the trouble with a personification creature¡ªone that hasn¡¯t been gifted an Intelligence and is without thought¡ªit went to that which most took after itself¡­ the luckiest being was always invincible because they had the personification of natural luck with them.


    ¡°Unfortunately, maybe by some unwilling design of Jade herself¡­ this invader to our Existence now took hold of Onyx the Rabbit and created a fiend so untouchable that no hero or deity could stand in its way¡­  Onyx the Lucky became the Beast.


    ¡°And, one by one, all life was swallowed by this Beast that had once been their personification of luck, and thus, The End of Eternities began.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s marrow ran cold; Jade¡ªshe¡ªcould have caused the destruction of an entire Existence.  Obviously, as her mother explained, it wouldn¡¯t have been her fault, but simply performing a function of Existence.


    Still, it was horrifying to contemplate the scale of such an act¡ªshe¡¯d turned her brother into the destroyer of Existences.  She couldn¡¯t imagine doing that to Nam, yet there was a keyword her mother used that stuck in her mind.


    ¡°Our¡­  You lived in that Existence¡­  Unless¡­  Is this Existence ours¡ªthis maelstrom the Eldritch and Anthony talked about¡ªwhat are you saying, Mom?!  Did Seonangsin give you these visions?  Adele did mention I had multiple essences in my Seed¡­¡±


    ¡°Shhh¡­  Hehe.  You never did let me finish my stories without always asking so many questions,¡± her mother scolded, giving her a loving glare.  ¡°The only rules you followed were in my kitchen.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help a short snort at the redirect, remembering how frightening her mother could become in her personal space.  ¡°That¡¯s because you turned into a bear with a wooden spatula whenever that happened¡ªpretty much literally.¡±


    Laughter shook her mother¡¯s frame.  ¡°Not wrong.  A kitchen is a sacred place which brings life and nourishment¡­ it should be respected.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  I guess¡­  Umm, doesn¡¯t Jade disappear before the Onyx is eaten by the monster¡­ wasn¡¯t he saved?¡±


    ¡°You remember!¡±  her mother chimed, but she shook her head.  ¡°Yes, Jade disappeared, but my happy ending with Onyx¡­ wasn¡¯t what really happened.¡±


    Rachel tried to breathe out her anxiety.  ¡°So¡­ he¡¯s still in¡ªno, he is the monster?¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­  Let¡¯s go back to Jade, though; I like this part a lot more!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Slowing to a halt, her mother looked at her with a short puff of air.  ¡°Well¡­ I sort of like this part a lot more.  Misfortune followed Jade¡­ was Jade¡ªinescapable¡ªand she always felt incomplete without her double, yet was always chased away from him.¡±


    ¡°Caught in a perpetual cycle of conflict, never able to sit still or relax, there were some who grew to pity Jade¡­  Of course, there was also a building threat she posed to everyone.¡±


    ¡°The Beast?¡±


    ¡°Hehe.  I suppose you could call Jade the first Beast,¡± her mother mumbled, brushing back her hair and looking into the still heavens.  ¡°And so, after yet another battle where Jade was once again chased away, a certain goddess came to her¡­


    ¡°This kind and lovely goddess knew misfortune would follow her without Onyx¡¯s protection, such as Seonangsin claimed, yet couldn¡¯t bring the protector goddess into her plan or else it would be ruined.¡±


    Rachel wanted to rub her arm at the prickles that cascaded down them but restrained herself; she was seeing herself as this unfortunate character now.  ¡°Even if someone wanted to help Jade, they¡¯d still be cursed?  That sucks¡ªhow¡¯s that fair?¡±


    Her mother chuckled.  ¡°Jade is the embodiment of Misfortune, and all fortunes come at a price, including her own invincible protection¡ªa balance¡ªwhich Chungkyun Moju accepted.  She knew it wasn¡¯t Jade¡¯s fault; the hare had been cursed since her birth as the personification of Existence¡¯s catastrophe.¡±


    She instantly recognized the name her mother had dropped.  ¡°The Empress Mother of the Rightful View¡­  One of Sungmo¡¯s titles¡ªthe mother goddess in Korean shamanism.  She was the one who gave you the visions?¡±


    ¡°Patience, my speedy little Lunar Hare,¡± her mother mused, reaching up to flick her ear and make Rachel wince.  ¡°Remember, this is my story!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­  I just don¡¯t want to lose you,¡± Rachel mumbled, rubbing the spot that surprisingly hurt a lot.  ¡°Just let me know I can save you.¡±


    Her mother winked with a toothy grin.  ¡°Maybe you¡¯d know if you listened to my tale!¡±


    ¡°Huu-haaa.¡±  Rachel drew closer to press her shoulder against her mother¡¯s, looping her arm around her waist in a way that said she wasn¡¯t going to let go.  ¡°Fine.  You know how stubborn I am¡­  I won¡¯t lose you¡ªever.¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.  I love you too,¡± she giggled, leaning her head over.  ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªheh, I¡¯m happy my early years teaching you Korean tales didn¡¯t go to waste!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Rachel responded, still unsure how to process all of this as her mother went on.


    ¡°Sungmo knew Jade would be needed; Seonangsin¡¯s pride made her believe her true purpose in life was to one day slay Jade.


    ¡°The mother goddess foresaw the result of the protector monopolizing Onyx¡¯s luck would eventually put so much power in Jade¡¯s paws to balance the scales that an insurmountable price would have to be taken, and it would be by Existence itself¡­  We were creating our own destruction in spurning Jade.¡±


    Starting them back on their slow walk around their block, her mother¡¯s words drew into a thoughtful whisper as if looking back at some past vision.


    ¡°The Holy Mother of Heaven was born in the light of that first divide which created the two aspects of Existence, and in her wisdom, gave Jade and Onyx the same offer that would decide the fate of everything¡ªonly one would take it¡ªExistence was our judge, setting our ominous path.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s full lips drew in as she recalled bits and pieces from her childhood story, painting a terrifying picture.  ¡°Onyx rejected it, and Jade embraced the offer¡­  becoming a beautiful woman.  Me?  There¡¯s no way.¡±


    ¡°Not quite¡­¡±  The secretive and melancholy look in her mother¡¯s flaming irises only escalated the fear twisting Rachel¡¯s gut.  ¡°Sungmo used it as a test, measuring the current state of our Existence, and the result was clear, but it was also a means to overcome the inevitable disaster.¡±


    Her mother brought Rachel in a short spin, grabbing her other hand while locking eyes and smiling.  ¡°Reborn, Jade saw things through mortal eyes and lived among humans; the Jade Hare became a human girl named Gameunjang-agi¡ªthe dark bowl baby¡ªwho would become¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mind fixated on one feared and venerated name in Korean culture.  ¡°Samgong¡­ the sweetest goddess ever¡­¡±


    A gentle sigh caused her mother¡¯s lips to fall with her gaze and shoulders.  ¡°Even as a mortal, Jade could not escape the misfortune that was her very essence¡­


    ¡°Hehe.  Yet¡ªunlike her previous manifestation¡ªgiven this new mortal form through the mother goddess, she gained a gift she was never meant to have¡­ Misfortune was given Intelligence.  She could learn and grow, allowing Jade to channel her great power to become more than what she was.¡±


    This can¡¯t be real¡­  Rachel thought, trying to process and remember everything her mother told her throughout her early life.


    Before the drunk driver had killed her cousin, Rachel had to wonder if her mother actually had been shown a vision of her niece dying.


    Did Mom take it so hard because¡­ she knew in advance and didn¡¯t¡­ or couldn¡¯t prevent it?  Could it have been my misfortune¡ªno, I can¡¯t think like that!


    Her mother pulled her closer.  ¡°Misfortune is a lonely life, filled with sorrows¡ªJade was simply the embodiment of Existence¡¯s weaving threads¡ªbut reborn as Samgong¡­ she could perceive those ripples to direct them.¡±


    It was all coming together; her ability to curse people and sense the bad luck of others or cause it, and maybe her Seed had passed through another lunar deity or something similar, but she was getting answers from the person she least expected it from.


    ¡°Suddenly, Samgong became one of the most important and implored supreme goddesses in Existence¡ªcalled upon as Karma itself¡ªcreating a new path for Jade that usurped the previous order.


    ¡°Battle was all Jade knew, and battle Samgong did, yet now she had will¡­ which came with a search for purpose.  The Jade Hare became a God Maker¡­ and destroyer; a new person that people honored rather than hated, and she became a rival to Seonangsin, who couldn¡¯t protect against a balancing force like Karma¡ªJade won, and all because of the Mother Goddess¡¯ sacrifice in exposing herself to misfortune.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t keep up; now, her mother was mentioning Karma, which the eldritch entities that abducted Anthony had spoken of in the conflict between Fate and Destiny¡ªit was too much.


    Her mother began recounting various parables and tales from Korean culture, linking them to the transformed Jade Hare.


    ¡°A lesser goddess of childbirth pleaded with a powerful deity of disease to have mercy¡ªif only on the children¡ªyet, he had no obligation to heed the word of a lesser goddess.  He refused, and for her hubris in believing she could even speak to one as great as he, the god mocked her for being a weak woman and disfigured the children to prove his point.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s teeth locked together, recalling the bedtime story that she¡¯d been told when ten years old.  Had all of it been real?


    Her mother squeezed her side.  ¡°Grieving for the pained children, the childbirth goddess curses the disease god¡¯s wife¡ªa powerful goddess herself¡ªso that she could never give birth, causing her unimaginable pain until the god begs on his knees for her to lift the curse on his wife.


    ¡°How do you suppose a lesser goddess of birth could have the power to do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°¡­me?¡±


    ¡°So presumptuous!¡±  her mother chided with a smirk that said she was such a hopeless child.


    Feeling like a scolded little girl, Rachel couldn¡¯t help herself; it felt like she was losing one of the most critical pillars in her life, yet her mother only continued in the same bitter-sweet tone that made her want to pull her hair out.


    ¡°All those that called on Samgong were given the power to curse those that had wronged them¡ªno matter their station or place, be it god or mortal¡ªand when the fated day came that Sungmo feared¡­ our Existence¡¯s embodiment of fortune was turned into the Beast of Oblivion.¡±


    A tear fell down her mother¡¯s cheek, and Rachel pulled her closer; there was nothing she could do to comfort the woman that had given her birth, and it was killing her¡ªso she listened as her mother had asked.


    ¡°Upon becoming the Beast¡­ his first encounter was Sungmo¡­¡±


    Rachel bit her lower lip, heat filling her face as emotion began to crack through her walls.


    ¡°The Holy Mother that gave Jade her first act of kindness¡­ a form that others wouldn¡¯t only associate her with misfortune,¡± Rachel whispered, ears twitching with agitation as she connected herself to the incident.


    It could have been the essence her Seed passed through, or she could be the goddess herself¡ªshe wasn¡¯t sure¡ªbut everything her mother said resonated within her like the pulse of The Oscillation.


    By helping the Jade Hare, Sungmo had set into motion the thread of misfortune that ended in being face to face with the Beast of Oblivion¡ªRachel hated it¡ªit sounded like Fate, and she refused to believe another played with her strings.


    ¡°Did she have to die¡ªlike some prophecy?¡±


    Her mother gave her a sad smile that said she was so young.  ¡°That¡¯s for you to decide.¡±


    Rachel sniffed back the tears threatening to escape her watery eyes; if Sungmo had willingly accepted this path, foreseeing the coming doom to the Existence she¡¯d been born to, then she had chosen to walk a sacrificial destiny that would give all she loved a chance to survive while bestowing the gift of choice to the Jade Hare.


    The Mother of Existence¡­ faced her death with compassion¡ªa victory in sacrificing her life for mine?


    Her mother cleared her own throat, bottom lip trembling for a few minutes before getting her emotions under control and continuing their path.


    ¡°Naturally, after the beloved Holy Mother had been swallowed by the Beast, it shook the other deities to the core, and who do you suppose everyone turned to in order to contend with this insurmountable threat?¡±


    ¡°Samgong¡­¡±  Rachel mumbled, glaring at the cement cracks they walked over.  ¡°They called on the hare they¡¯d cursed, hated, and hunted since the dawn of time¡­  to punish the Beast¡­ her twisted brother.¡±


    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  No.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°Mmh-uh,¡± her mother confirmed.


    ¡°Who¡ªSeonangsin?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±  her mother chirped, bumping hips with a gloomy giggle.  ¡°The greatest warrior and hunter of the Heavens¡ªa goddess of villages, boundaries, and war¡ªyet¡­ she knew after Onyx abandoned her for this new entity and was transformed, she was no match for this Outer Existent threat.¡±


    Her mother turned to give her a grin and wink, causing Rachel¡¯s gut to churn.  ¡°It was Seonangsin that turned to Samgong for support¡ªher bitter rival¡ªand that was when their beloved goddess of Karma turned into the same Limpid Jade Hare that Seonangsin had hunted since her youth¡ªthe karma of pride, greed, and prejudice had come full circle.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s fingers tightened into a fist as she put herself in the place of Jade, glaring at the halted sun in the illuminated heavens, and heat filled her breast.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have helped them.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±  Her mother whispered with a heavy smile and puffy, red cheeks as she stopped near their house again to look up at her.  ¡°You couldn¡¯t¡­  Not even to repay my mother for her sacrifice and gift?¡±


    A quake ran through Rachel¡¯s bones as the connection rippled through her veins like ice, and everything that personified her mother drew one name from her lips.  ¡°Jowangsin.¡±


    The warm, motherly glow in her flaming eyes and the stress cooking¡ªher mother was the goddess of fire and the hearth¡ªthe goddess of the kitchen; her grandmother was the Holy Mother of Heaven.


    Lifting herself up on her tippy-toes, her mother kissed her forehead and brushed back her hair with a proud, pained smile as she concluded her tale.


    ¡°My mother and father told me that even with the Jade Hare¡¯s aid, we could not face what was coming¡ªwe only had one part of Existence¡ªour own misfortune, greed, and fears could not overcome the twisted light that balanced it, yet Karma could bring hope.


    ¡°So,¡± her mother straightened her blouse, ¡°Seonangsin knelt before her life-long prey with many others, offering their own essence to correct their wrongs¡­ to restore balance, and I was given the task to oversee the unification¡­ the honor of being your mother.¡±


    Jowangsin¡ªher mother¡ªdrew Rachel in to lean her head against her chest as it felt like she was ripping out her heart.


    ¡°Unfortunately¡­ Fate wouldn¡¯t allow that, so¡­ I acted as a decoy after your birth, creating a spiritual double that could only exist so long as no one knew who I was.¡±


    Lower lip now trembling, Rachel couldn¡¯t stop the liquid falling down her burning cheeks.  ¡°Mom¡­  You can¡¯t do this¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what I¡¯m doing, my little fighter¡­ it¡¯s what I did to protect you.  The moment you pursued the topic of a Seed, everything would unravel, and the only way for me to keep you safe from Fate knowing¡ªfrom your brother coming¡ªis to let myself return to my spiritual core¡­ where I¡¯ll be caged within the Beast to empower him.¡±


    Shaking arms holding her mother close, Rachel coughed, the golden rays of the sun beginning to slowly drain her Lunar Pools as her mother¡¯s powers faded, yet all she could feel was the hearth of her mother¡¯s warming love filling her breast.


    All the memories of her mother came flooding back, from her smile that served every day at the kitchen table, filling her family¡¯s bellies with healthy, life-giving nutrients, to the devastating torture she¡¯d felt after her niece¡¯s death to learning about her secret bathtime romance addiction.


    ¡°Mom¡­  I can save you¡ªI will!¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±  she whispered, the pressure against Rachel¡¯s back weakening.  ¡°You aren¡¯t just the Limpid Jade Hare, or Dallim, Seonangsin, Pali Kongju, Magu, Eopsin, or Josang¡­  You¡¯re my Rachel¡ªmy daughter¡ªand you¡¯re strong.¡±


    ¡°I just have to kill this Beast of Oblivion¡ªFate¡ªwhoever; I¡¯ll do it¡ªI promise!  Please, don¡¯t go, Mom¡­  Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Be strong for my little teacup¡ªand, and my precious Scarlet¡ªshe needs you,¡± her mother cried.  ¡°The threads of my Existence are being unraveled to keep you safe¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Mom!  No!¡±


    ¡°Only those like you¡ªScarlet, Nia, Yseress, and Anthony¡ªwill be able to remember me¡­  Obviously, heh, Nia¡¯s going to be crushed since she¡¯s connected to your soul, and after I promised to take her shopping¡­  Tell her I¡¯m so sorry¡­  Rain check?


    ¡°B-But I know they¡¯ll be fine with you here, but¡­ but I¡¯m just glad you have Anthony¡­  I¡¯m so sorry, Rachel¡­  I love you.¡±


    Unable to keep her mother from leaving, Rachel¡¯s knees hit the sidewalk as her nose and cheeks burned, arms slipped through her mother¡¯s frame; her clothes fell to the ground, and Rachel¡¯s fingers closed around her mother¡¯s shirt as it also began to fade away with every thread of the woman that birthed her pulled out of the weave.


    Nia ran out of the house as emotion flooded through Rachel¡¯s core, with Yseress not far behind Anthony, yet she couldn¡¯t talk to the alarmed girls as she stumbled to her boyfriend.


    ¡°Rachel¡­ what¡¯s happening¡ªwhere¡¯s your mom¡ªwhat happened?!¡±


    ¡°Mom?!  Wait, where is Mom?!  Mom,¡± Nia shouted, causing joggers to pause in confusion.  ¡°Rachel, where¡¯s Mom?!¡±


    Alexa made it out of the house, glancing around at the chaos unfolding before locking onto them in utter confusion.  ¡°Nia¡­ who?  Who¡¯s your mother¡ªwait, Scarlet¡ªshe¡¯s inside?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s world spun as Anthony picked her up, glancing back in bewilderment¡ªshe couldn¡¯t process this¡ªit couldn¡¯t be real.


    ¡°Scarlet¡¯s not¡ª¡±  Anthony turned to Alexa.  ¡°Molly¡ªyour mother-in-law?¡±


    ¡°Who?!¡±


    Jaenona appeared beside him, bending down to run her fingers through the place her mother had been only moments before.  ¡°Hmm¡­  I cannot feel the warm hum of her song¡­  She has left the maelstrom to places unknown.¡±


    Clinging to Anthony¡¯s chest, Rachel ripped his shirt while crying into it, and the worst part was she was too stupid to not leave this alone, but her mother knew she wouldn¡¯t stop digging, which was why she¡¯d chosen to reveal everything while she still could.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­  I have to get stronger¡ªwe have to save her,¡± she babbled, latching around Anthony¡¯s torso and taking him to the ground.  ¡°I have to save her!¡±


    ¡°Breathe!  Rachel¡­  Talk to me¡­¡±


    Emotional Detachment was worthless, shattering in an instant, and all she could do was cry for her mother; she had been the biggest threat to her mother, which was why she¡¯d tried to steer her away, and the emptiness she felt after her mother¡¯s warmth left made her want to rip at her own chest.


    She didn¡¯t have time to cry, yet she couldn¡¯t stop; she had an enemy¡ªa true enemy¡ªthat had something she couldn¡¯t live without and wouldn¡¯t lose.


    Author Note:  Possibly one of the most critical chapters in the series to date that shows why the Lunar Goddesses are interested in Rachel.  Let me know what you think!


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