"Listen, no, I'm not saying you're dumb or something, I just think that we're going about this shit the wrong way," A blue-skinned man laughed, wiping something slick, golden, and vaguely glittery off his chin. "If we're too outright about it, we're going to get wiped out before we can even see the barrels of their guns. Even in chaos, you gotta plan, everybody knows that."
"You're full of it," The woman beside him laughed, leaning back on against the bathroom sink, stretching. "We're stronger than them, you know that right? There are more of us, too- and half of CA is made up of humans. There's no reason for us to keep putting up with what they do- but you're actually being such a buzzkill. We didn't come here to chat, did we?"
Throwing back a shot of something glittery, she leaned back against the mirror, unbuttoning her jeans and sliding them down, kicking the denim away. "Come on, get over here and ruin me."
"Don't have to ask me twice," he chuckled, unbuckling his own belt- but he stiffened, looking up, before he could move closer. "Did you hear that? Gunshots. Suppressed though."
"Eh? Damnit, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, just come here," The young woman sat upright, trying to grab his arm, but he was brushing past her, walking out of the bathroom and toward the door of the hotel room, grabbing the gun from his jacket. "I-Idiot, come back!!" The young woman, so eager a moment before- and perhaps she still was- yanked her clothing back on and tossed a handful of cold water onto her face. Slapping her cheeks, she followed him out into the hallway- it was empty, just as she'd thought. "See? There's nothing here."
"No. It's beneath us, one room at a time, somebody is moving around. They're not shooting in every room-" Before he could continue, there came a sharp chirping from his pocket. "Hello?" The man answered his phone, frowning. "Heard."
"Come on, we need to get out," He spoke immediately, pocketing the phone and looking down at his lover. "To the roof, now. Edmond is already there and gone. Come on."
"What's going on?" She asked, anxiety fluttering in her chest for the first time now, but she trustingly turned and hurried to follow him, trying to keep her breaths steady.
"There's a cop downstairs- he's not an ordinary guy, Edmond said he's a human and he took two of us down hand to hand with just the gun and a knife. I don't want to be around when he comes upstairs, let's not risk it."
"It's just a human, let's just go down there and kill him?! We agree, we're stronger than the humans, so why would we run?"
"Listen, we're stronger than humans, but one with enough training to take down two of us in close quarters? Pick your battles, not everything is about brute strength. Now do you trust me? Or, would you rather stay here and die?"
"It's just one cop; I'm not leaving the others to die. You're a coward, I can't believe I opened my legs for you," She frowned, turning and headed for the staircase while her lover made for the rooftop access, seemingly without a second thought.
"Idiot… one human cop, Edmond just got caught off guard, but I won't," she muttered, jumping the staircase railing and grabbing it with her hands, swinging, and pivoting to land neatly before the door, slipping through and dashing through the lobby, looking around once she'd reached the first floor's bedrooms. There- a noise to her left. Slamming into the room, the demoness ran forward at the police officer, catching him off guard and shoulder ramming him back into the wall.
"Ha. I knew it," She laughed, as the brunette fell onto his knees, panting. To her left, two demons sat cuffed and gagged, looking up in relief at her. "You're catching us off guard with a suppressed gun, not fighting like a real man. Who could blame you, though? I'll put you out of your misery."
"W-Wait-" the agent begged, slowly raising his hands in surrender. "Can I have, last words, please? I've got a girlfriend- would you consider delivering a message for me?"
"Sure, I sure will!!" She laughed, stepping forward. "I touched you once and you're begging for mercy, you know you don't belong here, huh? I won't promise to deliver your message, but I'll be gracious and kind enough to at least hear you out, little runt."
"Yes, I'm sorry for overstepping my place, I haven't killed anybody for fear of revenge. The gunshots were legs only, to cripple and let me run!"
"Good, good, knowing your place in the food chain is a good sign. Go on then, what are your last words, you little rat?" Leaning down, smiling wickedly, the demoness wasn't ready for him to pivot. In a second, she was reeling sideways, head bouncing off the wall, a knife buried between her rips, blood spilling up over her bottom lip- for a moment, she was too stunned even to speak, recoiling for a moment.
She tried to claw, to grab, but the armed officer hiked one of her legs over his shoulder and leveraged her body, pinning her forcefully to the floor. Ripping his knife free of her ribs even as her nails dug into his flesh, drawing blood, the young man plunged his blade down into her temple, putting her down in a second.
"You two are next if you so much as breathe the wrong way," Vilhelm slowly wheezed, standing up, taking his gun from the floor and aiming at the two kneeling demons. "You have my word that so long as you be good, you will be taken into custody and questioned by somebody known for mercy. I do not want any more death than absolutely necessary."
Rolling his shoulders, Vilhelm stepped out into the hallway, sighing, and tapped his earpiece. "Another casualty, that's five dead and counting. Will continue to maximize prisoners for interrogation. I found two bedrooms where it's being produced so far- not sure how long this place has been running but at least six months."
-
"Again!!" Marcus, the combat instructor of Ravenwood's CA academy, snarled, swinging her wooden blade around wide. Lynx was able to follow her movements so much better than before now, parrying with her own blade and stepping in close, twisting, trying to throw Marcus- but the teacher used Lynx's weight against her, landing with her thighs crushing Lynx's head and threatening to twist.
"You're learning fast, cat, but you've got a ways to go before you can stand up to me! Still, I don't get to have this much fun often, so I owe you some thanks," She laughed, opening her legs, rolling away and standing. Reaching down, she took Lynx's hand and helped the blonde to haul herself to her feet.
"I remember the first time we fought, it was, chaos. I couldn't follow your movements at all," Lynx yawned, covering her mouth for just a moment, tail flicking about slowly.
"Well, you certainly follow them fine, now." Marcus readied her blade, slowly, panting. "Let's go one more time and then call it quits for a day. I know you've got a date to get to."
"You wha huh?" Lynx raised an eyebrow, and for a moment she faltered, weapon held loosely at her side.
"Alice doesn't shut up about you, you know that? Even when maybe, she should."
"Okay," Lynx grunted, shifting, color seeping into her cheeks. "Anyway, random question. It's a modern era, and every CA agent walking the streets has a gun. Why do we only train with hand-to-hand weapons?"
"Two reasons," Marcus answered swiftly, taking on a more relaxed posture. "One, there's only so much to teach you when it comes to firearms. Can you use it efficiently? Can you aim well? Can you defend yourself while using one? Second, what will you do when a mage rips it out of your hand? You're a cat, and your body is just as much a weapon as anything you could hold."
"I see. Alright, one more, before I get out of here? I'll give Alice a piece of my mind if she's really running around saying that I'm…" She trailed off, though. Alice isn't doing something wrong, but she shouldn't be proud of me.I'm just… me. Not even really pretty. "Anyway."
"Anyway," Marcus agreed, and readied herself. Lynx did the same, and in just a moment Marcus had spun, leveling a kick with the side of Lynx's head- the cat girl braced her arm, catching the kick, but staggered sideways. Marcus grabbed her neck, and In a second Lynx was on the ground… with her wooden blade pushing along Marcus's throat.
"Ha, good," Marcus spoke with a lazy smirk. "Getting harder to catch you off guard."
"No it's not, I'm just adapting to it before we hit the ground," Lynx huffed, breathless. "You're dead, by the way."
"I sure am. I'm tired though, and I had you all the way, first five rounds. You can take me when I'm tired- we need to get you fighting me on equal footing when I'm not. Same time next weekend?" Marcus grinned, pivoting and launching herself to her feet while Lynx stood more slowly.
"Same time next week."
As Lynx stepped away from Marcus's home, sometime later, she raised her phone to her ears, dialing, waiting.
Sigh.
"Hello. This is Aerendyl, Director of the Ravenwood CA. If this is a work-related matter, please use my work line. If this is not, please leave a message, and I'll be back to you as soon as I can." Ding.
"Hey, Aerendyl- can you get back to me when you get some time, please? I know that you're busy- but it's hard for me, knowing that you're out there making things happen, and I'm stuck here relaxing and taking tests. I want to get involved, I want to be working for the good of the people, and all that jazz. You of all people should understand- so please, when you can. Get back to me, let me help. Go on jobs, something, anything."
"Mn… sending love, Aerendyl, bye." Lynx swallowed and hung up, tucking her head against the wind and continuing.
===
"Nn, sorry, cat, but you enjoy your lessons as long as you can," Aerendyl sighed, as well, tossing his phone aside once he'd read her voicemail transcript, turning off of the main roads and taking a shortcut through an old backroad. The sun was setting, now, casting long shadows over the road from the right. At least the sun is out of my eyes, here…
Relaxing and leaning back, a bit, Aerendyl looked up as a dark car turned off a side road, following him, now, probably having come from one of the old farmhouses. Shrugging it off, having expected to be followed, he continued, soon turning into a small border town and looking around for a gas station. Before thirty seconds had gone by, he found one and turned, pulling up to one of the pumps and turning off his engine, stepping out. As expected, the dark car behind him pulled up on the other side of the pump he'd chosen, and as Aerendyl stepped inside to pay, a demoness with red hair was following him in.
Huh. Pretty, he mused, admiring her soft lips, and the black tattoos along her neck and arms- she wore dark pants and a plain black tank top. All in all, she might have been normal- but the small, pretty ones were used as informants. He knew that. After all, if they stood out, they were bad scouts, right? Hiding in plain sight as flashy as they get. Remember, the enemy could be anybody, or something…
"Thank you, have a nice day," Aerendyl smiled, tucking his medallion back into his pocket after paying and stepping outside with the redhead on his heels. Ignoring her for now, he began to fuel up, listening to the girl behind him putting her information in, paying at the pump itself.
"You do know, I hope," Aerendyl spoke once the fuel was running, and turned to his stalker. "I won't be trying anything. If I wanted to, I could level the entire house- nay, the entire city here. It's not even a big one. I don't need a tail."
"I'm just doing my job," She shrugged, not even trying to hide it, and Aerendyl smiled, stepping forward, smirking as color flooded her face.
"Listen," She spoke hotly, looking away. "I don't want any trouble, okay? Doing my job, that's all. It's not like I could fight you, I know that." Rather than edge away, though, her back arched, maybe unconsciously, bringing her a bit closer to Aerendyl. Laughing lightly, he leaned down, bringing a hand up to cup her cheek.
"Just so you know, if you ever want to get out of the crime scene, my agency does hire felons, with proper training."
"L-Listen, you don't need to worry about t-training me, gods, please," The redhead whispered at the end, melting into his touch and looping up at him, so obviously enamored there may as well have been hearts in her eyes. "I hate you, you're a horrible angel, you know that…?"
"Yeah, yeah, sorry. Just having some fun," He smirked and stepped back, chuckling lightly. "Now, we have places to be, don't we? Let's head out," He added, putting the fuel pump away and closing his car's gas tank, getting back in and starting the engine. When he glanced up, the redhead was glaring at him, still panting and leaning against her car on unsteady legs.
"Come on, I'm about to leave! Wouldn't want to fail to do your job, would you? Then, you'd need trained even harder," He added, with a wink, and peeled away, laughing.
"Looks like I lost my tail," He muttered quietly to himself, continuing toward his destination.
===
"Hey, Nara?" Lynx asked quietly, peeking into the dorm room. Nara was in her own, for some reason, and peeked up at Lynx through the crack in the door with a nervous, shy smile. "Is everything okay? Alice and I were getting worried, since you never came back to the room."
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," She smiled. "You have a good night with Alice, now." It sounded like a dismissal, but Nara made no effort to close the door, and so Lynx crossed her arms, confused.
"Nara, may I, pretty please come in? I know I can be a little too blunt, but I just want to understand what's on your mind. Clearly, it's something."
"Mn, well… okay," Nara admitted, stepping back, and Lynx gently pushed the door open, stepping inside and closing it behind her. "Are you, upset with me, Lynx?"
"No, that's not it. I promise. Just worried," She added, looking around slowly, blinking. The room was messy, which struck her as a strange contrast with Nara's perfect, prim appearance. "Is there anything I can help with? Are you weirded out by myself and Alice both flirting with you?"
"That's… that's part of it. It's more than that, though," Nara admitted quietly, looking down at her lap. "For that part… I understand, in my heart. I find you attractive, and it does not inherently bother me for Alice to also have feelings for you. I find you attractive, but I do not feel a need to stake you out as myself and mine alone," She shrugged, quietly sitting down on the edge of her bed while Lynx leaned against a wall, arms still crossed.
"However, I remember my life before- and things were not so very… open? The kind of relationship that we are… sort of… involved with, it was not one that would be accepted, and so I feel constantly as if I am doing something wrong for considering it. While I am aware that people can love differently… sharing you with Alice is, an odd subject to come to grips with, if that makes sense."
"It does. Sharing me with Alice though- not being with me and Alice? Are you not attracted to Alice?"
"I… I find Alice attractive, but would not be with her of my own volition." Nara nodded, lacing her hands together in her lap. "I am attracted to you, and yet I don't desire to make you, as they say, mine? Is that odd? It feels an odd notion- to love somebody so must that you must suffocate them and not let them see anybody else. However,… is it not also toxic, if I am not enough for you? If you cannot be satisfied by me alone, and must find another? It is… confusing. I do not know how I ought to feel."
"Well. May I sit?" Lynx asked, gesturing to the bed, and when Nara nodded, the blonde woman took a slow, careful seat beside her, pushing a few strands of hair out of her eyes.
"I think," Lynx spoke gently. "Well, I think that I'm not great at words. But, I think that it's important to put your needs above those of others. If you won't be happy with myself and Alice, then let's have that talk. Let's figure things out before we're even more invested in each other. Let me lay your fears to rest though- it's not that you're not enough, so I'd need Alice, not like that at all."
"How do you mean?" Nara asked quietly, angling her head.
"Well, think. Alice has shown me her deepest, darkest secrets. She's fed me and helped me to get on my feet; we've bonded and formed a connection. I don't know how love feels, per se- but I feel something for her. Then, there's you. Bonded with me, you've seen my soul and I've seen yours- we've seen each other blood crazed and calm, happy and sad, so to speak- in such a short time, we've gone through a lot together. I'm attracted to you, and have some sort of feelings for you, for sure. I'd be sad if you died tomorrow, and that can't be said for a stranger, so that's something? I dunno I'm bad at words," She added, glancing away.
"Anyway," Lynx sighed, when Nara did not speak. "I have feelings for you both. If I have to choose, then I'll need time and space to think. I swear though, you're more than enough, and it's nothing like that."
"I…" Nara looked down, quiet. "I… will need some time to think, and sort through my own feelings. I appreciate your kind words and your reassurance, though, Lynx."
"Never need to thank me for the truth," Lynx answered with a slow shrug, rolling her shoulders. "Is there anything else that you want to get off your chest, though? You said there were a few things bothering you."
"Yes, that is true. It is just, that I… feel, overwhelmed, I suppose," Nara yawned, shrugging slowly. "I mean, when I died, the world was a simpler place, and now I come back- I understand how to drive, or operate a computer, and it makes me feel as if I am drowning. It's like, the information is being injected into my head from somebody else's, and I am confused, and overwhelmed, and tired," She admitted, sheepish. "I just… I just need time, that's all. To adjust."
"Is there anything that I can do? And don't worry- stay, or go away, those are valid answers," Lynx asked gently, leaning a bit closer, worried.
"No. I need time, to adjust, but I appreciate your kindness, and your reassurance." Nara nodded, smiling.
"I'm not kind, idiot. I'm a bitch."
"I prefer a bitch with a good heart and a conscience than a 'kind' woman with venom in her heart, I think," Nara replied quietly.
"Mm… so about you needing time to think," Lynx mumbled, glancing away. "Do you want me to treat you as a friend or a lover? I want to respect your boundaries, I guess I'm a bit conf- nn- mn…" She sighed, as Nara slowly kissed her, melting into it and closing her eyes. As Nara pulled away, her fang caught on Lynx's bottom lip, and the blonde blushed lightly, eyes unfocused now.
"I-I see…"
"No, you are completely blind, as it happens," Nara smiled wider, now, giggling. "If you don't mind, I would appreciate some space to decompress. We are good, though, and I appreciate you. Um. Love, you."
"Um. Ditto," Lynx muttered awkwardly, standing up and walking slowly to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow," Nara spoke around a yawn.