Chapter 67
Someone nudged me, causing me to jolt up in a mild panic. But upon seeing Domitor’s smirking face I relaxed.
“We’re ready to go, Sleeping Beauty,” he teased as he began to walk for the door to the room.
I let out a groan as I stood up, rotating my upper body to pop my back.
“Do we know where we’re going yet?” I asked as I picked up the Watcher’s vial, putting it on around my neck.
“Apparently we’re meeting up with a guy who will take us into Denmor through some hidden tunnels,” he said as he waited for me to walk over to him before holding the door open.
I walked through and headed for the front door, still getting a few stares from the people in the club. But I just ignored them.
Once outside we regrouped with the other two.
“You snore, Shane,” Vanilla commented, causing me to throw a finger gun her way.
“Snoring means I’m strong as fuck.”
“I think it means your neck muscles are too big,” she replied.
“Thank you,” I said with a smile.
“I… don’t think I meant that as a compliment…” she muttered as she smiled awkwardly at me.
“Anyways,” Domitor interrupted, “are we sure we can trust this guy? He made us wait in that room for hours, and then just gives us directions to a meeting spot.”
“He is trustworthy,” Vanilla assured us. “At least, he has to be, otherwise no one would use his services.”
“There’s a first for everything,” Domitor countered.
“Don’t worry,” I said as I gave him a confident smile, “we have me, so anyone who tries to fuck with us loses instantly.”
They all just rolled their eyes at me as they turned and began walking down the street.
I stood there blinking, expecting them to make a comment or something.
“Oh well,” I muttered as I ran to catch up with them.
ooo000<^>000ooo
Later
Scamp sat at the shop's window, watching the group of Kejtdra walking towards them, seeming to not be concerned with anything around them.
“Don’t play any games,” she warned as she cut the bindings on the large Kejtdra’s arms. He was missing his hands, but there was nothing they could do about that.
“I’ll uphold my end of the bargain,” he assured her as he put his arms into his armor, hiding his missing hands. “As long as you uphold yours.”
She gave a sharp nod and he walked outside, stepping up to the approaching group.
“Yokai ,everything good here?” the lead man asked as they stopped before the large Kejtdra.
“All good,” he replied, shrugging. “Any word from my brother?”
“Yeah, turns out they’ve already made it into the Social District. Rig wants the grandparents killed, and after that he wants everyone to return for a meeting,” the man informed him, causing Yokai to look back at the window where Scamp stood glaring at him. She was out of sight, but he knew she was there.
“Gotcha. I’ll handle the grandparents, you guys head on back and tell Rig I’m on the way,” he ordered as he turned around and began to return to the shop.
“We can wait on you,” the man offered, but Yokai just chuckled.
“Don’t, this’ll take a minute after all,” he yelled back as he stopped at the door, giving them a head nod.
The group turned and began to head back the way they’d come.
“There, just follow them,” Yokai said as he stood there staring at Scamp. “Now your turn. Let my boys go and we’ll stay out of your hair.”
“Do you not care that we’re probably going to kill your brother?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.
“If you knew my brother, you’d understand my indifference to him living or dying,” he said as he shifted from foot to foot.
She held his gaze for a little longer before giving a nod, “your guys are being pushed out the back. Go untie them and then get out of here,” she said sternly, causing him to grin as he began to head for the back door.
“But Yokai,” she called after him as he stopped and looked back at her. “If I see you again, I will kill you. Understood?”
“Yes,” he replied simply as he continued to the back.
ooo000<^>000ooo
“This is a shitty place for a meeting,” I said as we stood in the middle of a gym, empty bleachers on either side of the court. We were in some kind of community center right on the edge of the Social District.
No one had been here when we arrived, which is probably why they chose this place as the meeting spot.
Still super dumb though.
“I’ve walked the entire perimeter,” Domitor announced as he walked back into the gym. “We’re safe.”
“Dork,” I muttered as I sat down on the ground, doing a few stretches.
“Shane, what are you doing?” Vanilla asked as she stood there holding Creampuff.
“Stretching,” I answered as I continued what I was doing. “If we’re gonna be going into the tree here soon, I want to be as limber as possible. Never know what kinda shit we’ll get into once we’re inside.”
Floria laughed as she fidgeted with the bow around her tail, “yeah, she’s got a point. We attract all the bad shit, that’s for damn sure.”
“It’s our specialty,” Domitor added as he stepped up to join us.
“Pfft, yeah, we’ve all got some fucked up backstories,” I said with a flick of my tail, finishing up my stretching. “Especially Vanilla.”
At hearing this Vanilla squeezed Creampuff harder and walked off to sit on the nearby bleachers.
“Shayla!” Floria snapped, startling me. She went after Vanilla, flicking her tail into my face.
“What’d I say?!” I asked, causing Domitor to rub his face.
“Remember when you said you need to learn to watch what you say?” he asked, causing me to frown as I reflected on what I’d said.
It took a moment, but I eventually realized I’d brought up her trauma directly, which probably wasn’t a good move.
“I’m a fucking asshole,” I groaned as I stood up.
“You are,” he agreed as I began to walk over to sit on the bleachers near them, giving them some time.
“It’s going to be alright, Vans,” Floria said in a soothing voice as she knelt in front of Vanilla as she sat curled up on the bench before her. “Shayla is just an insensitive asshole sometimes,” she said, side-eying me hard.
“I just want to stop having breakdowns all the time…” Vanilla whimpered, holding onto Creampuff as he licked her face.
“I know,” Floria said softly as she slowly reached out and placed a hand on Vanilla’s knee. “But it’s not something that’ll just happen overnight. Which is why I’m going to be here by your side to make sure you pull through.”
“I’m not worth the effort,” Vanilla mumbled softly, “I’m broken and worthless…”
“No, if anyone is broke, it’s me, see?” Floria said as she broke off the fake piece of clay over her faceplate. “I’m the broken one here, not you, Vanilla,” she said as she moved her hand up to the other woman’s shoulder. “You are an amazing sweet and caring person, despite all the shit you’ve gone through. I look up to you, Vans.”
“You do?” she asked quietly, making eye contact with the shorter woman.
“Yeah. If I had to put up with what you did, I’d have given up long ago. You’re so damn strong, Vanilla. So let me take some of your burdens, okay?” Floria asked as she put her hand on Vanilla’s cheek.
She leaned into the hand on her cheek, seeming to relax greatly. “You… don’t want to do that…”
“Kinda too late, I’ve already decided I’m going to,” Floria countered, rubbing her thumb against her cheek.
Vanilla reached up and placed her hand over Floria’s, shaking slightly, “Just don't... leave me, please…”
A soft smile slid onto Floria’s face as she gave a nod, “cross my heart and hope to die, stick a knife in my eye.”
“So crude,” Vanilla muttered, a little smile on her face.
I felt a little tug at my heart watching the two, a dumb smile plastered on my face as Domitor sat there looking like he was trying not to cry.
“No matter what, Vanilla, I’m going to make sure nothing bad ever happens to you again. No matter what,” Floria promised in a serious tone as she leaned towards Vanilla.
“I-I…” Vanilla sputtered, blushing hard as Floria leaned in closer. She didn’t try to stop her, just waiting for the moment to happen.
“Isn’t this sickeningly sweet?” a voice suddenly called out from the doors to the gym, causing Vanilla to seize up instantly, eyes wide with fear.
My head snapped to the speaker, rage bubbling up within me the moment my eyes landed on them. I stood up, clenching my sword as Domitor sprang up as well.
Floria growled as she moved to block Vanilla from view, eyes ablaze as she stared at the woman before us.
“You’ve caused a lot of trouble, Vanny,” the woman wearing red nuns clothing called out as she began to stroll towards us, hands behind her back. “Mother is very upset with you this time. I think you’ve finally crossed the line.”
Whatever shock that held us in place ended abruptly as I dashed forward so fast I basically just appeared before her. My sword flashed as I pulled it, not even thinking as I went for a clean cut through her midsection.
My blade clanged loudly as my eyes went wide, as there was now a short armored woman before me, her hand holding my blade, keeping it from reaching the cunt before me.
“You’re a fast one,” Cocoa laughed as she took a step back. “But not fast enough. Meet Amylum, my personal Mai-”
A bang filled the air as Floria fired her rifle right at Cocoa, but the Maiden threw her hand out, somehow intercepting the bullet and sending it flying harmlessly past Cocoa.
“Feisty little friends you’ve made, Vanny,” Cocoa giggled, turning her overjoyed gaze to me as I tried to pull my sword out of the Maiden’s grip. “Especially this-”
The Maiden suddenly yanked me to the side and slammed me into Domitor as he pulled himself through the air, trying to go for Cocoa. We crashed to the ground as the short Maiden clapped her hands together and slammed them onto the ground, green lighting flashed around her hands as a pit opened beneath us. Domitor shot his tendril up at the roof and grabbed me as he pulled us up just as the ground slammed shut, almost trapping us down below.
I snarled as I broke from his grasp and landed on the ground, flexing hard enough to completely shred the clothes I was wearing. I needed my full range of motion and wings for this bitch.
Ripping the scarf from my face I pulled my wooden sword with my left hand, now wielding both at once.
Floria fired a few more times, keeping herself between them and Vanilla, who was curled up in a ball on the bleachers.
Each of her bullets were easily redirected by the Maiden as green lightning kept flashing out of her hands as she used her Alchemy Thorn to great effect. Domitor threw his shadowy tentacle at Amylum and pulled himself towards her as I used my wings to dash around them, going straight for Cocoa.
She didn’t look worried at all as I neared her, but I didn’t focus on that as I planned to slice her to pieces!
However just as I neared her that damned Maiden appeared between us, her hands flashing as she threw a punch. I came to a grinding halt as I raised my swords, taking the hit right on my block. There was a massive explosion that sent me flying backwards.
I easily used my wings to recover and dive right back at them, taking notice that my wooden sword was now broken in half and my longsword looked severely damaged.
This is not good.
“Focus on the Maiden!” Floria yelled out as she fired away with her rifle, eyes burning with rage.
Both Domitor and I shifted to attacking just the Maiden, but she seemed to be ambidextrous as she used both hands to perform different tasks, keeping us both at bay and also stopping the incoming bullets from striking her.
This woman was a beast! I desperately needed my Ego!
“My, three on one, that’s a bit unfair, don’t you think, Amylum?” Cocoa asked in the sweetest tone I’d ever heard.
The Maiden did not respond as she continued to deflect our attacks.
“Oh Vanilla,” Cocoa called out in a sing-song voice, “which of these three is your least favorite?”
Vanilla did not respond.
“Oh come on, baby sister! I’d hate to break your favorite little friend,” she laughed as she turned her gaze to me as I attacked the guard of the Maiden.
Domitor yelled with rage as he picked up his attack speed, trying to use his ability to gain the upper hand. But no matter what we tried to do, this woman just reacted almost perfectly to it. It was like fighting a wall that would not break.
“Last chance, Vanny,” Cocoa called out as her smile widened. When she didn’t get a response she just laughed. “Then I’ll do it for you. Amylum, take the Kejtdra’s eyes.”
It happened so fast I couldn’t even react as the Maiden blew Domitor away and turned her full force on me. I went on the defensive, ready to block whatever attack she threw my way. But then everything went dark as a massive pain blasted through my skull. I was then sent flying backwards by whatever had hit me in the face.
I crashed into the bleachers, and collapsed in on myself.
“Shayla!” I heard Floria scream as the fighting picked back up. I forced myself to roll over, trying to clear my eyes with my hand. But as I rubbed at them I realized something, something horrible.
“No…” I gasped as I began to shake violently. Panic rose within me as I vomited before myself, my breathing going out of control.
My eyes… were gone.
ooo000<^>000ooo
Floria’s faceplate was covered in sweat as she fired her rifle, watching as Cocoa giggled loudly while Domitor struggled against the Maiden.
“Oh baby Vanny,” Cocoa called out as she looked towards them, “you’re hurting your friends by disobeying your sister. Why don’t you just get up and come to me, like a good girl.”
There was movement behind her as she heard Vanilla getting up.
“Do not,” Floria growled as she stepped back and pushed the other woman back down, “do not listen to her, Vanilla.”
“If I go she’ll leave you all alone…” Vanilla whispered as her whole body trembled.
“That ain’t happening,” Floria snapped as she looked to the bleachers to see Shayla thrashing around in a rage. She wanted to help her, but she wasn’t going to leave Vanilla alone. Not with that monster in here.
“Just let me go, Floria,” Vanilla whimpered as she reached up and placed her hand on Floria’s back. “Please… I don’t want you to get hurt…”
“I told you,” Floria growled as Cocoa smiled right at her. “I’m not letting her take you again!”
“You are a bad sister, Vanilla. And an even worse friend,” Cocoa declared as she looked at AmyLum. “Take his right arm for me.”
The Maiden exploded into action as she very easily grabbed and ripped Domitor’s right arm off, then kicked him right into the bleachers, causing him to crash into Shayla.
“Now for you,” Cocoa giggled as she and the Maiden approached them. “The one who’s tainting my baby sister with her commoner filth.”
Floria snarled as she turned the gun towards Cocoa, but the Maiden sprang forward and grabbed it by the barrel, then before Floria could retract it back into her Vacuole, she yanked it out of her grip and pulled it into her one Vacuole.
Now without her gun she took a step back, eyes locked with Cocoa’s.
“If you want this… thing to survive, baby sister, then I suggest you come with me. Now,” Cocoa said in a smug tone, standing just behind the Maiden.
“She’s not going with you, cunt,” Floria declared, standing defiantly before the Maiden who was the same height as her.
“Amylum, I want a little keepsake of today. Give me her faceplate,” Cocoa said with a sadistic smile.
But just as the Maiden moved forward, two items appeared in Floria’s hands as she threw them at the ground. Smoke instantly filled the area, obscuring everything in a thick wall of white.
The Maiden flashed her hands a few times and clapped them together, causing the smoke to quickly suck towards her and form into a ball before her.
Once the smoke fully cleared they found themselves standing alone in the gym. The only give away were two sets of doors slamming shut, one on either side of the gym.
Cocoa took notice that the first two had run as well, but she paid them no mind.
“Follow that Kejtdra. Kill her and bring me my sister,” Cocoa demanded as the Maiden took off in the only direction they could have gone.
ooo000<^>000ooo
“Fuck fuck fuck!” Floria hissed as she ran down the long hallway, carrying a sobbing Vanilla. Creampuff was running alongside them.
“Please, just let them take me!” Vanilla cried, completely useless now as she wailed loudly.
“They’re not taking you!” She growled, running as fast as she could.
But far down the hallway came a sound, causing her to groan. The Maiden was coming.
“We can’t outrun them, Cocoa always gets what she wants…” Vanilla sobbed, burying her face into Floria’s neck. “Just lay me down, go on, live, for me! I’ll… be okay.”
“Nope!” Floria answered as she turned suddenly and kicked open a door. They stepped into a laundry room, filled with dirty laundry baskets and massive dormant machines.
“We can’t hide from them, they’ll look everywhere for me,” Vanilla choked out, her face a mess with snot and tears.
“Trust me, I got this,” Floria said with a pained look on her face.
“What are you going to do?!” Vanilla asked as Floria made her stand up before her.
The sound of the Maiden stomping down the hallway caused them both to panic.
“Do you trust me?” Floria asked seriously, putting both hands on Vanilla’s shoulders.
Still crying, she gave a nod, “I do.”
With that Floria pulled her down into a passionate kiss, shocking Vanilla. She broke it and leaned back, the most pained look ever on her face. “I’m sorry, Vans…”
“For wh-” she didn’t get to finish the sentence as Floria used an item to knock her out, causing her to collapse onto the ground.
“This is the only way…” Floria muttered as the Maiden got even closer.
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The Maiden kicked burst through the door, eyes locking onto Vanilla as she stood there, waiting for her.
She didn’t speak as she dashed over and latched a hand onto Vanilla’s shoulder, holding her firmly as she looked around for the other one.
“She… abandoned me,” Vanilla said softly, eyes looking down.
“Oh?” Cocoa giggled as she strolled into the room. “You stupid brat. I’ve warned you for years, to only listen to me.”
Vanilla didn’t answer her as she kept her eyes on the floor.
“Hm…” Cocoa reached over and grabbed her sister by the chin, forcing her to look into her eyes. “It’s over, Vanny. You’re mine once the family is finished with you.”
Hate flashed through Vanilla’s eyes, causing Cocoa to laugh loudly, “So! There’s still a spark in there after all!” A sinister look befell her face as she gently stroked her sister's cheek, “good. That makes the coming punishments so much more… enjoyable.”
With that she took a step back, nodding to the Maiden, “Amylum, do not let her escape. We’re heading home.”
As they dragged her out of the room, they failed to notice the little Reng peering out of a full laundry basket.