I'm expecting subterfuge, but Penny walks into the Archives like it's any other day at work.
With that, she approaches the front desk and slips behind it, shuffling papers and stealing glances around. It's strange seeing it all from this odd bottom up perspective, but I am enjoying the view. A few of her coworkers make snide or sarcastic remarks about her being back but she ignores them entirely, which makes me proud. I'm not entirely sure what she's doing, but she spends several minutes sorting through returns, noting what goes where, and updating the monthly checkout schedule.
I'm about to risk asking what she's doing.
But I don't have to. The answer is here.
Zip has arrived at the Archives.
And, as per usual, she has brought the party. A couple dozen other racers and delinquents are just behind her, though they quickly spread out and disperse into the library. With a two-toned whistle, Zip saunters over to the desk and leans over it with a smug smirk, giving Penny a hungry leer that's dripping with salacious desire.
"Hello, gorgeous. Damn, look at you. Sweet little thing, huh? Has anyone told you how drop dead adorable you look today? Braided hair, powdered wings, and those round glasses? So fucking cute. Wings, girl. I'd take you on a ride for sure."
"Hiii, Zip-Zap," Penny blushes and giggles a little, her antennae lighting up brighter. "Did you miss me?"
"Oh, only every damn minute, Peps. Did you miss me?"
"Yes…" Penny circles around for a hug, slipping something into Zip's pocket. "I missed you so much…"
"Well, hey, we're back together now, right?" Zip glances down at me, and I half think she can see us. She definitely knows we're here at least. With a kiss to Penny's forehead, she starts brushing Penny's hair with a lopsided grin. "When do you get off?"
"Oh, I'm not scheduled, so I'm only here for a moment." Penny's antennae stop in place. "In fact, I was just about to leave."
"Hm. Lucky me. Think I can persuade you into a quick browse through the stacks?"
"So long as it's with you…"
Penny takes Zip's arm and the two wander off, bringing Graves and I with them. I knew we were all good friends, but I had no idea the two of them were so sweet on each other. Seeing them smiling and giggling and enjoying each other makes me happy. Penny deserves to be loved by everybody.
"Wait," Penny hisses, turning to her right. "I just remembered. There's one thing I have to do before I go. It's down in the actual archives."
"Oh. Um. Am I allowed down there?"
"It'll be our secret…"
Penny takes the lead and brings us all downstairs into the lower levels beneath the library. I've never been this way and I don't know what to expect, but so far it looks like a relatively normal underground basement area. The hallway we're in is lined with white torches burning with heatless flames, casting odd shadows at every angle. It's then that I realize I can't smell or feel anything. Vision and hearing, that's all I have. I guess I don't have an actual body right now that can take in other sensations.
After a few turns, we come across some other draconids. One of them greets Penny by name and the other gives Zip an odd look before chiding her for being in a restricted area, and Penny too for bringing her. I don't know what the plan is, but Graves' tail appears as if it's sticking out of my chest, whipping two whistling quills which stick into each drac's neck."
"Shhh." Graves retracts her tail. "Sleep."
Zip points down at them. "I hope she doesn't mean asleep as in dead."
She and I are floating on the same cloud at all times.
"They're unconscious," Penny mumbles, hurrying past them. "Miss Umbra intends to spare the civilian noncombatants. Graves intends the same."
"Ohh." Zip steps over them and follows along. "And the combatants?"
"Case by case. In order to join us undetected, Graves had to kill the militant Fables at the facility. Except for Hilde, who she sedated. And all the civilians too."
"Slipstream. Damn, drac, isn't that Miss Umbra something? Goes out of her way to avoid needless deaths. Can't believe I thought she was evil. You know, in hindsight, it makes sense. When you look directly at light, it hurts. But when you look directly at darkness, it doesn't."
I quietly demand, "Zip, are you high right now?"
"Look, I didn't exactly receive substantial notice here, so really it's your girl's fault, but wings, Crim. I ripped that green less than five minutes before I heard any of this was happening. And I'm fucking soaring."
"I love you, Zip. So much."
"Aw, wings, drac. I love you to death."
Penny hushes us and stops at the end of the hallway, which forks left or right. "No more talking. We cannot get caught doing this."
"Wings."
"Slipstream."
"Thank you."
Graves slips out of the shadow and takes form.
"Fuck! Hello, gorgeous! You–Ah! Sorry! Sorry."
After giving her the side eyes for a brief moment, Graves uses her tail around my waist to bring me up and out too. Zip catches my balance and Graves steps out into the junction, looking left then right. I'm about to ask something but I'm immediately distracted by Zip pushing me up against the wall and kissing me with fire.
By the time she's done, I'm weak in the knees.
"Fucking missed you, beautiful." She slaps my backside and moves along. "What's next, Peps? Where to?'
I touch fingers to my lips, still regaining my composure.
"So sweet," Umbra hisses through Graves with an uncanny smile. "My dear little pet, reunited with her playmates…"
I blush even harder, breath catching in my throat.
"We need to reach the archive first," Penny murmurs, peeking her head out and checking both ways. "Once we're there, I know a handful of secret passages that branch off from it. One of which, I'm almost certain, holds Longevity. The quicker we get this done, the better. If someone stumbles across any of the draconids Graves has handled, they will raise the alarm."
"Right, right." Zip follows her to the left, tail swaying. "Then let's drag it, girls. Straight and fast."
Graves remains in place, staring down at me.
I gather my wits and stand up, passing her–
Now Graves is kissing me. Hells, am I popular?
With a grin, Umbra whispers, "Mine."
My heart twists. Do I tell her right now?
"Protect." Graves touches a hooked black claw to my chest. "Go."
"O–Oh. Okay. Um… S–Sure…"
I follow Penny and Zip, clenching my teeth hard. Why didn't I tell her? Am I keeping this secret? Am I lying by omission? I'm too scared of how she might react. It could be fine. Or it could be very, very, very bad. I don't want to find out. I'm scared to find out. It would be easier to say nothing and suffer this guilt than it would be to tell her and face the possibility of ruining everything.
Is that what I'm going with? I don't know.
I'm waiting for the right time. Maybe.
Now is not the time for this discussion.
Yes, that's what I'm going with.
It doesn't make me feel any better.
It makes me feel worse.
"Sss!" Penny hisses up ahead. "This way."
I keep my mouth shut and follow.
I'm starting to think I'm a bad person.