B4 — 38. Game Changer

AuthorSME

PoV:

1. Rachel (What Is On Her Mind After Falling Unconscious?)

2.  Anthony (Our Main Girl's Legendkin Crush)

Recap:  So, we came to a rather sad end to the Isla de la Juventud mini-story; realistic, yes, but sad ... June had amnesia from the Chaos Energy that Selvaria pumped into her brain, and after a rushed court proceedings, she accepted the death penalty verdict.  Selvaria couldn't be there but Ohan spent time to keep her company before the end.

After some training, they returned to our Dragon Turtle base.  Now, let's get back to Rachel and get to the final act of the Cuba Arc!

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Rachel spent the next three days recovering in her Core with Nia and Yseress; there were certain questions she wanted to ask but didn’t want to involve the teenage bunny outfit in her unsettling speculations, so she restrained herself from focusing on the topics.

It soon became apparent that Yseress had taken an enormous load from Rachel during the transformation; the she-devil was understandably irritable and more than likely in an intense amount of suffering.

Interestingly, the woman refused to show weakness, choosing to isolate herself deep in the shadows of Rachel’s Core.  Nia desperately wanted to get to know who she thought would be a new, cool big sister, yet all she got was Yseress’s whispers and snark remarks that only redoubled Nia’s hopes.

The devil and her tattoos were a huge deal to the Living Denier, which pulled her attention away from Rachel as she silently pondered.  It helped that Rachel was able to convince the girl that her partially decayed spiritual body was cool insead of scary—Yseress shouldering the burden by literally numbing and taking on their pain added to Nia’s playful demeanor in a situation that should have crippled them.

Day after day, Rachel watched her hand regain muscle and skin, Yseress applying some kind of restorative demonic force that was sapping her in ways Rachel couldn’t fathom.  As the devil’s legal master, she was bound to support her in this manner, but that didn’t mean she had to be seen or be totally compliant—Devils may be contractually bound to perform certain tasks yet they could still be fairly stubborn and resistant in every other area, including being social or openly nice.

Nia was starstruck by her new big sister when Rachel explained to her how much the devil was doing for them.  It wasn’t an illusion, Yseress was literally saving them, even if she was distancing herself.

Rachel could understand why, though—the master she adored and served without fail had thrown her away without a second thought.  It wasn’t as if Yseress was surprised, being a powerful Devil herself, but knowledge did little to temper emotional pain.  Rachel decided to let her cope in her own way; she could learn more about the Devil when she was ready to open up.

Yseress also seemed to take great pride in her physical appearance, and whatever she’d done to force the Hell Energy out of her, in addition to the damage she’d taken on from Nia and her, had left its mark.

“Nia,” Rachel whispered, sitting in her chair and flexing her slim fingers, now fully restored, “it’s time.”

Nia hopped over squealing with anticipation.  “I get to go meet Scarlet and everyone?!  I can leave?”

Smiling at the girl, Rachel nodded, tilting her ears forward.  “Yes, but remember…”

The girl’s multi-colored ears bobbed up and down, tight hands held against her breast.  “Mhm!  Mhm!  I know!  I know!  No talking about big stuff until you come up with a plan!  Sis said I should train to get stronger with Scarlet; heh, I mean, she’s kind of like my mom, too!”

The girl’s shimmering red heart-like outfit and fourteen-year-old girl’s teenage charm drew Rachel’s amusement.  Her Alice in Wonderland theme had been a sense of pride for her, but Yseress was having a profound effect on her edgy personality and drawing out a desire to be ‘cool’ in the Devil’s eyes.  In truth, she just wanted to be accepted.

Her mixed orange, pink, and silver hair now had small black streaks from their connection to Hell and its dark flames.  The color had yet to reach her eyes but the new Lunar Pool for Hell’s force had affected them both.

Getting up, Rachel leaned forward to wrap her arms around the girl, making her cheer fall a bit as she hugged her back.  “I know you're nervous.”

“Mmh … What if Scarlet doesn’t like me?  Sis says I’m too kiddish, and people might not like me … I just want to have fun.”

Creating a couch for them to sit, Rachel guided Nia down to let the girl snuggle in next to her.  The cute bunny girl resting her head against Rachel’s breast while fidgeting with the heart bracelet on her wrist.  “You’re basically a teenager, Nia.”

“So?”  Nia grumbled, glaring at her painted fingernails.  “You make it sound like that’s a bad thing … I want to be myself but—but I don’t want people to make fun of me, either.  I thought my Secret Society stuff was fun and cool, but Yseress says it's silly … I don’t want people to think I’m silly.”

Rachel reached up to stroke her ears, taking a deep breath; it was a hard thing to explain to Nia that Yseress wasn’t wrong.  She thought her antics were silly, too, but that didn’t mean she hated her; it was the first time Nia had done a lot of self-reflection on her actions.

“You’re like … a younger—eh, more openly silly version of Scarlet, which isn’t a bad thing.  It can just look silly to more serious, socially proper people that have trouble tapping into their inner kid … kind of like me,” she admitted with a forced laugh.  “It doesn’t mean I hate you.”

“Humph,” Nia glared down at Rachel’s skirt.  “Why didn’t you say you thought I was silly when we were doing so much stuff together?  I feel stupid … I don’t want Scarlet or the others to think I’m stupid.”

Rachel shifted the girl to lay on her back and look up at her from her lap.  “Nia … I wanted you to be you.  You shouldn’t conform to what everyone else wants you to be—I don’t.”

“Uh-huh!”  Nia accused, eyebrows drawing together.  “You’re always putting on an act for people to trick them and make them think something else.”

Ears tilting to the left, Rachel’s lips drew in.  “Mmh … it really depends on the situation, but you’re not wrong.  I act how I need to to get a certain outcome; it’s a part of living in the real world, but I’ll shield you from all that,” she promised, giving her an encouraging smile.  “You’re not even a week old yet, girl … give yourself a break … give yourself time to figure out who you are.”

Head shifted away to look into the darkness, Nia sighed, hands pressed against her belly.  “I’m so happy and so scared … I don’t know what I’m supposed to do when I’m not with you, Rachel.  What if I make a fool of myself … I can’t just hide in your mind and bury my head.”

“You’ll do fine,” she encouraged, scratching the base of the girl’s left ear and causing them to pull away.  “I know you’re scared, but you have three hours you can be out in a day—you’ll be out for the next twenty-one hours after that, but if you want your independence, you need to take that leap.”

“What if I don’t want my independence?” she mumbled.

Rachel glanced left, hearing the girl's tail twitch against the cushion.  “Mmh … You want it.  Now, it’s time for us to wake up, and I don’t know how to get back to this place, so … I can only see you when you’re outside now.  Don’t you want to get more outfits and show off to everyone your fashion?”

“Yeah,” Nia hugged herself, and her concerned, multi-colored eyes drifted up to look at her, “but what if people make fun of me?  What if my fashion actually sucks—Sis says my outfit fits a teenager … What does that even mean?”

“Are you a teenager?”  Rachel asked.

“Maybe…”

Rachel rolled her eyes.  “Heh, yes, you are … So, if you want help, ask Scarlet for fashion advice.  See what everyone else has to say because it’s something you’re passionate about, so learn from everyone what they like.  Who knows, maybe you’ll find something new you like.”

Glancing down at her short dress and high-cut shorts poking out in her lying position, Nia lifted her boots up to glare at the heel.  “Hmm … I guess, but your fashion sucks.”

“Hey!”  Rachel gave her a light glare.  “I have a great sense of fashion.”

Nia snorted, getting up to lean against the opposite side of the couch to study her casual outfit.  “Mom has great fashion sense, but you—you’re all about sports bras, shorts, and tank tops.  Boring!”

“Meh,” Rachel shrugged.  “I can dress up if I want to, but my everyday activities involve working out for a good amount of time and training.  How often have I ever had to doll myself up?  Not often.”

Nia smirked and looked away.  “Heh, you sound like a loner loser!”

Rachel lifted an eyebrow.  “Says an edgy teenager that is having anxiety issues actually meeting people?  I was a lot of things, but socially awkward wasn’t one of them,” she said, returning the smirk, but soon cursed her own brain as one particular incident came to mind.  “Well…”

Unfortunately, Nia was tapped into her mind and was able to use the ammunition Rachel gave her.  “Oooh!”  she giggled, a cat-like smile playing at the corners of her lips.  “Look at my nice legs and ass, Anthony!  He-he-he, awkward!  You’re totally embarrassed looking back at that first date!”

Suppressing a shiver by rubbing her left arm, Rachel grunted, not meeting the girl’s grinning eyes.  “Yeah, well … let's see you try to talk to the first boy you fall head over heels for and come talk to me again.”

Nia’s face blanked.  “Boy … I fall for?”  A lump soon formed and dropped down the girl’s throat as her face brightened just thinking about it.  “N-Nu-uh!  I’m Living Denier … I can’t—I’m not … Oh, my, gosh … What do I do if I like a boy, Rachel?!  Can I?”

Rachel got up and yawned, stretching out left and right.  “How should I know?  Anyway, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.  It’s about time … You ready?”

Taking a deep breath, Nia fanned her face and pulled up a mirror to check her hair and ears.  “Umm … my ears aren’t too on edge, right?  Is my tail too stiff?  What if I drool?”

“Why … would you drool?”  Rachel asked, giving her a confused stare.

“I don’t know!  What if I do?!”  Nia hissed.  “What if Scarlet pets me, and it feels good, and I just slobber all over my chest!  Gah, I’d die!”

“Hey!  Hey!”  Rachel giggled, creating a brush and moving to her back to comb out her hair as the girl started to panic.  “You’re pretty, Nia, and you’re not going to drool all over yourself—heh, it’s like you’re going to your first kindergarten class.  Just take it one second at a time, and it won’t be scary at all.”

“Promise?” Nia whispered, trembling hands held tightly against her breast.  “I don’t want to embarrass myself … embarrass you, and … and I feel like I was kind of embarrassing when I first came out…”

“Everyone has embarrassing moments,” Rachel soothed, shifting positions to show the panicking girl her reflection.  “I’m not the proudest of my actions when I was hiding in the bathroom … Oof, Lunar Pride hates me even thinking about it,” she chuckled.  “Anthony brought out something in me I haven’t felt before, but we gotta live with our actions, and if someone says they’ve never done embarrassing things, they’re lying … Everyone is cringy at times.”

Taking deep breaths, Nia tried calming herself.  “Okay … Just be cool … H-Hello!  I’m Nia,” she said, practicing in front of the mirror Rachel held, adding a nervous, adorable smile.  “I like dressing up, and protecting my wearer, and … and … psst!  Rachel!” she hissed, “I don’t know what else!”

“You’re the commander of the Bunny Gang and Gisele,” Rachel said, poking her head around to give her a reassuring smile.  “You like cute things, fighting, and laughing.  You want to learn new things and have a lot of friends.”

“Umm, yeah … yeah, I want a lot of friends,” she mumbled, fidgeting with her tail behind her back.  Taking time to lick her lips before pulling them in, the girl cleared her throat.  “Eh … I want to be useful to you, too, Rachel, so … is it okay to ask Scarlet to help me get stronger?”

“Of course,” Rachel said, tossing the mirror away for it to vanish in colorful sparkles.  “You’ll do great … Okay, I’m going to leave this place; see you on the outside.”

Determination setting in, Nia nodded.  “Okay!  Umm, okay … deep breaths … We can do this!”

Looking into the darkness, Rachel could feel the Devil resting there; for the past few hours, the woman had fallen unconscious, exhausted from her labor.  Thank you, Yseress.  Even if you’re a Devil, there’s a part of you that’s still human … I can sense it.  We’ll get to know each other soon enough.

Closing her eyes, Rachel did what the Devil had instructed, easing her mind and letting herself drift away; she was carried out of her Core on the waves of spiritual energy that it radiated, returning her to the outer world.

Her ears twitched as the heavy sound of rainfall and thunder filtered into her brain.  Vision clearing, the majority of the room came into focus, giving her a wide field of view.

Selvaria and Ohan were back from their mission, seeing as they sat in the dining room with Galatea, Fiona, Cahira, and most of the Irish woman’s crew.  Cendric, her Dragon Turtle caretaker, was out in the storm, using the weather to help him clean Zippy’s skin.

Grace sat with Isabel, Edelira, and Benedict in what might have been a study; the mansion on the turtle’s back had expanded since she’d been unconscious, showing Cahira’s growth from the Hell incident.

The four were having what appeared to be a serious conversation about their future; a lot had happened since they’d left to join them, including the deaths of most of their family from a random act of violence that occurred when they were away.

One of the escaped criminals in Las Tunas had hidden in the jungle for weeks, only to go on a killing spree once cornered by the U.S. military, and out of pure misfortune, the area he’d run happened to be where most of their remaining family had gathered.

It hit them pretty hard, and the twins seemed to have grown closer to the cowgirl since.  The three didn’t know what they should do, and it was confirmed now that their relatives in Camagüey weren’t among the survivors, which was another big blow for the gunslinger girls.  Benedict was in a similar position, seeing as he’d basically been adopted by Isabel and Edelira’s mother.

Clay was currently asleep, and Tom was in the communication room receiving reports from around Cuba.  They’d confirmed something suspicious was happening with the country’s military, but it had been radio silence for the last thirty hours, which had the four-star general pondering their next course of action.

Rachel was sure he was waiting for her report to pull the trigger on several objectives, yet she had some serious things she needed to deliberate on before presenting her thoughts to everyone.

The first person to catch her attention was Scarlet, breathing softly beside her in the bed they were sharing; she seemed to have stayed with her the entire time.  It was something Rachel expected of the emotionally attached girl.

Scooting back to the headboard and moving her pillow up to use as a cushion, Rachel turned her gaze to Maria.  The woman’s soft solar glow and white horn illuminated the dark space, but she kept a distance that wouldn’t affect either her Lunar Pool or Scarlet’s weakness to the element.

“I figured you’d wake up soon,” she muttered, somber silver eyes fixated on her.

Rachel could sense the caution in her voice; ears tilting forward, she studied the Sunlit Unicorn.  The woman had grown a horse's tail and ears; in addition, her presence was somewhat different than what she’d come to expect from the Mexican gangster.

“Uh-oh, why’s she looking at you like that?”  Nia apprehensively hissed.  “Wait … you think it’s because of Yseress?  She’s a good devil, though!  I’ll vouch for her!”

Shh … Let her speak first.  Just wait a bit.  Okay?  Maria’s reaction isn’t unexpected.

“Okay … I’ll wait a bit before coming out,” she sighed, antsy to meet with everyone.

Maria worked around her jaw, clearly disgruntled by her silence.  “Damn … you can be creepy sometimes, ya know?  Shit.”

Rachel repositioned her butt-length hair, tied into a braided ponytail, to lay it across her front; it seemed someone helped her keep clean while unconscious because all of the sweat and grime she’d built up through the various fights had been removed.  “What have you told everyone?”  she asked, keeping her voice down to hopefully not wake Scarlet.

The Unicorn grunted, vision drifting to the sleeping Vespertine Reaper.  “I ain’t a snitch … Scarlet doesn’t see it the same way, though.  She’s worried about you, so yeah, Tom knows about the devil woman and you transforming into that black-haired fire bunny shit … I didn’t say shit that she’s basically possessing you … Should I have?  ‘Cause damn, what I’m sensin’ … It’s some satanic dark shit, Rachel … Seriously, and it’s coiled around you like a freakin’ hellish parasite.”

Puffing out a long stream of air, Rachel’s focus fell to her lap, fingers tightening against her thighs.  “Hmm … Thanks for keeping things as discrete as you could—and watching over me to make sure you can stop me if I go crazy … protecting everyone.  I have a lot on my mind, and yes, I do have a very powerful devil named Yseress that’s inside me.”

“No shit,” Maria whispered, folded arms across the back of her reversed chair, making the wood creak with the pressure she put against it.  “Yo, just so you know, that Yseress devil was … The only thing stronger I’ve felt is from that huge ass demon that came from Hell … Not even the Legend’s Quest shit.  I can’t purify it—period.  Aye, I’m kind of freakin’ out here…”

Rachel’s ears lowered to enter her vision, and she caught the snow-white fur, showing her Hell energy wasn’t in effect.  “Has she weakened over the last three days?”

Maria’s eyebrow furrowed at her question, and Nia made sounds of recognition while reading her thoughts and feelings.  “Now that you mention it … yeah, she has; although, it’s like not even a wish—it’s impossible—there’s no way in hell I can purify you.”

“I’m not concerned about that,” the Lunar Hare muttered, tilting her hand up to make a fist.  “Mmh … Look, Maria, I’ll explain everything, but I need to be alone to think about some pretty serious things … I need to order my mind on what to prioritize because a lot has changed since we went into that hellscape.”

The woman pulled in her bottom lip, sucking on it while listening to her, and after a few seconds of silence, decided to get straight to the point.  “Are you still on the crew … We good?”

Knowing she could detect lies and wanting to be as honest as possible, Rachel tried to put her mind at ease to get to her real goal.  “I’m Yseress’s master … I have control over her, and a literal goddess did the binding—she’s not a concern to anyone.  I’ve learned a lot that changes things, but I’m still your friend, and I’m not plotting against any of you … We—Nia and I, are still fully on board this team.”

A low rumble reverberated in Maria’s throat before nodding.  “‘Ight … I’m glad to have ya back, but damn … somehow ya always give me a heart attack, chica.  Shit … Aye, but if ya need time ta think, I’ll run interference for a bit.”

“Thanks,” Rachel smiled.  “Nia…”

The room was illuminated with pink, white, and orange light as the teenage girl separated from her actual body to meld her consciousness into its temporary bunny girl form.

Maria hummed as Nia nervously held her hands behind her back, ears shyly pulled back while doing her best to present herself.  “Eh … yo, so this is Nia?”  the Unicorn asked, scrutinizing the heart-like Alice in Wonderland outfit she wore.  “Heh, Grace nailed the description.”

“I-Is it too much?”  Nia asked, frowning down at her red heels and white thigh highs tights.  “I’m not quite as curvy as Rachel—I know, and I look younger, too…”

“Hey, hey,” Maria held up her hands with a short chuckle.  “Yo, I ain’t sayin’ shit!  You’re cute, okay, eh … but I mean, the dress length—is it a dress or just a shirt?”

Nia poked at her frilled hem, lifting it slightly to show the white and red patterned booty shorts underneath.  “It’s supposed to be kind of deceptive,” she muttered, “but umm … I can see that people might be put off by it … I just thought I had nice legs, and I wanted to show them off.”

The girl’s skittish multi-colored eyes drifted across Maria’s very curvy figure, from her tight pants to the black tank-top she wore; her thoughts were practically telegraphed.  “Even Rachel doesn’t have a body like that…”

Maria shrugged.  “Aye, I’m not one to judge; if ya like it, then own it.  I’m just gonna say ya look like a teenager, so it’s just a bit off for me … Walkin’ around the hood like that gonna get yourself jumped, but hell, from what Grace said, heh, ya’d be doin’ the world a favor sendin’ them to an early grave.”

“Yeah!”  Nia chimed, perking up a bit at the compliment to her abilities.  “I’ll fight for justice!  Oof, umm … Sorry,” she mumbled, ears falling back a bit as her cheeks colored.  “I just … I want to help people,” she finished, shifting her heels a little while staring at the polished wooden floor and wool rugs.

Scarlet groaned at her small outburst, drawing everyone’s attention to the black-haired girl.  “What’s … going on?”  she asked through a yawn.  Blinking a few times, it took a second for her to realize Rachel was up, soon followed by Nia’s apprehensive wave and Maria’s smirk.  “Rachel … Huh?  Is—Nia?”

“Hey—oof, no, that’s for cows,” Nia self-chided, fingers stiffening for a second.  “Eh … Hello … No, too stiff … ugh…”  she moaned in despair, folding down her ears.  “I’m sorry—I thought about this for, seriously, like days…”

Rachel giggled, sliding out of bed; she currently wore her bikini/swimwear Nia had designed at her grandfather’s house.  Adjusting the strap a little since Nia couldn’t keep it in a comfortable position, she went behind the rabbit girl to put her hands on the girl’s shoulders.

“Scarlet, this is Nia.  She’s a cute teenage girl that wants to have a lot of friends—she loves a ton of stuff you like because you were the first person she imprinted on.”

Nia’s red face deepened at the introduction.  “R-Rachel!” she cried, pulling away to give her an agitated glare.  “Imprinted on sounds so … ugh, embarrassing!  Why’d you do me dirty like that?”

Scarlet giggled.  “Umm, hello, Nia, and I think you look adorable—no, really cool!  I love the Alice in Wonderland look—oh, Selvaria and Alexa would die!  We should try on a bunch of different outfits sometime.”

A shiver ran from Nia’s tail to her ears as she held her hands against her breast, practically quivering with sudden excitement.  “Y-Yeah!  I'm Living Denier, so—so I absolutely love changing my looks and stuff!  I—oh, calm down, Nia,” she whispered, taking deep breaths, “Don’t chase people away like Yseress said … be cool—be cool…”

Maria had a half-smirk in place as they watched the rabbit girl hold her hands in front of her and give Scarlet a shy smile.  “I’d—umm, yeah, I’d like that, Scarlet.”

Rachel could feel Nia restraining herself from adding comments like Scarlet was practically her mother, trying to follow the surprisingly helpful advice the devil had given her.  Although, she’d likely done it to just distract herself from the pain the woman had taken on.

Nia’s so new to talking to anyone but me … She’s learning how to be more social, though, but who knew ‘the dark leader’ was so awkward and shy once on her own?

Scarlet’s cheer fell a bit while turning to Rachel.  “So … are you really okay?”

Rachel reached over to pull Nia close with one arm, causing the girl to stammer in protest while hopping on one foot.  “Yeah … Nia’s been keeping me company.  Maria?”

Maria sighed, staring at her.  “As far as I can tell … She’s still the same scheming Liebre Lunar Rachel always was.  She’s got somethin’ dark in her, but she asked for some time to think about how to explain it.  I think we can give her that.  You?”

Scarlet cleared her throat, shifting in the bed to sit criss-crossed; her hair was done up, and she was wearing a blue tank top and jogging shorts.  “You kind of scared me … really bad, Rachel…” she whispered, causing Nia to look up at her with fear.

“I know,” Rachel returned, voice low as she held up her braided locks.  “A lot of things have changed, Scarlet, and I want to share it all with you … I just need time to organize my thoughts.”

Nia’s eyebrows drew together, looking down at Rachel’s bare feet; her tone was a bit crestfallen.  “She means without me listening in … I know she has a lot of big things to think about, but she didn’t want to worry me, so she waited to really focus on them until I was out of her head.”

Rachel reached up to fold back her ears.  “I’m not trying to be mean, Nia.”

“I know … I just can’t help it,” she whispered, and Rachel felt a little bad, watching her hold back tears.

Nia’s biggest purpose was to aid her—to be someone she could rely on, much like Scarlet, but there were things Rachel had to deal with on her own, and there were reasons for that.  Ultimately, Rachel had to consider things Nia never would because of her innocence.

“There are a ton of ways you can help me,” Rachel soothed, pulling the girl’s head in against her chest.  “You can cheer up Scarlet and everyone while I think about the serious stuff … We’re a team.”

“Yeah … I guess I can do that,” she hummed, not totally game, but glad to be at least a little bit of help.

Turning her around, Rachel looked up at Scarlet, still unsure how to feel about everything that happened in Camagüey.  “I need to think about Wolfgang’s plan of making all of humanity into Demi and a lot of other things.  I’ll explain my thoughts on the path we should take in a bit, but can you show Nia a good time—introduce her to everyone?  She can only be out for another two hours and fifty-three minutes.”

Scarlet puffed out a long sigh.  “Okay… Oh, not that it’s a drag, Nia!”  she quickly added upon seeing the bunny girl’s pained expression.  “No, I’d love to spend time with you … I’m just worried about Rachel.”

“Me, too…”  Nia mumbled, playing with the frills at her front.  “I can’t tell you everything, but … but she said I can share some things, too.  She doesn’t want things to be taken a certain way because I might mess up or something … Ack!”

Nia hopped forward, gripping her left ear and pivoting to look at her in disbelief after Rachel pinched it.  “W-What was that for?!”  she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

Rachel scowled at the girl, drawing both Scarlet and Maria’s confused gaze.  “I’m not saying you’re a burden, Nia.  You have your strengths, and you’re working on your weaknesses; one of those happens to be explaining things, which is fine, but you need to realize where you’re lacking to get better at something.  Again, I’m not being mean … I want you to get better—and I’m not perfect, either.”

“Okay, I’m sorry…”  Nia grumbled, rubbing the sore spot.  “Geez, but did you have to pinch me so hard … That hurt…”

Scarlet reached out to hug Nia from behind, pulling her in.  “Heh, Rachel’s pretty brutal sometimes, huh?”

“You have no idea!”  Nia huffed.  “You know, one time, she totally body-slammed me—knocked all the air out of my lungs!”

Rachel rolled her smirking eyes and shook her head.  “As I remember it, you jumped behind me to stop me from becoming a pile of smoking meat—save my life when a demon blew up in my face.”

“He-he-he, I did, didn’t I?”  Nia grinned; of course, she’d brought up the incident to try and cheer herself up and remind herself she did a good job.

Taking a step toward the door, Rachel glanced down at her swimsuit, figuring it would be a decent garment for where she was going.  “I’m going to sit out in the rain to think.”

“Weirdo,” Nia mumbled, settling in between Scarlet’s open legs as the Vespertine Reaper pulled her back against her chest.  “Why not do it where it’s warm?”

Scarlet chuckled.  “Rachel’s just silly like that.”

Getting up, Maria pushed out her chest while stretching, retracting her horn, which dimmed the room.  “Umgh … Meh, I get it—she needs space.  ‘Ight, I guess I’ll go see if Clay’s up.”

“He’s not,” Nia instantly replied before Rachel could.  “He’s sleeping in a bed above us.”

“Damn,” Maria sighed.  “Well, guess I’ll see what Fiona’s up to … You two comin’?”

Scarlet released the rabbit girl to look down at her own outfit.  “Eh … give me a second to get dressed.”

“Oh, let me pick out the outfit!”  Nia said, already moving to the wardrobe as Rachel slipped out of the room.

Cahira’s popping bones and muscles indicated she was glancing her way, likely knowing she’d woken up; Rachel figured the woman would find a chance to excuse herself from the dinner to meet up with her at some point.

Rachel was a little surprised by how few bodily responses Ohan made, indicating he knew she was on the move, but she still caught his slight unease.  It seemed news had spread about her actions that ended with her unconscious recovery.

Walking down the second-floor hallway, she went to the ground level; the sound of the heavy storm outside created reverberations across the stone structure. The mansion now stood three stories with a single basement, which likely held the vault.  It was lined with wood to provide insulation and various artistic touches, and carpets lined the corridors.

She passed one of the twin little girls in the hallway as an older boy escorted her to the bathroom; they gave her big-eyed stares, focusing on her oversized ears, and whispered in Cuban Spanish.

No-one stopped her, and she left the manor to enter the storm.

Small inlet gutters were between the stone walkway that branched off to various places on the vast back of the Dragon Turtle, carrying the water off the creature’s sides; it had practically doubled its size from the time she’d shared her first kiss with Anthony.

Heavy droplets struck the top of her head, seeping into her hair and wetting her ears; it was cold, and her skin was soon slick with moisture as it ran across her body.  It was nice to finally have some peace and quiet—not that she hated sharing her mind with Nia, but solitude was enjoyable when she needed to think about serious topics.

Yseress still slept, deep within her Core, but Rachel knew her privacy would more than likely be interrupted soon by the one person she welcomed during this solemn reflective time in her life.

Her head tilted to the side as bright streaks flashed across the sky, redirected to the Dragon Turtle’s tail, acting as a lightning rod.  By the noise surrounding them, they were high in the heavens; she couldn’t hear anything on the ground.

Bare feet sending short splashes from the flowing water along the stone path, she went down a branching road to a cannon area; steps led up ten feet on the much higher wall to a place where people could use two of the magical weapons to fire projectiles below.

Rachel leaned against the parapet to watch the swirling clouds, weeping heavens, and roaring lightning; she took in a deep breath before letting it out in a stream of mist.  The thoughts she’d been suppressing washed over her chilled mind.  I’ve been manipulated, but for how long…

Her focus snapped to the rising parapet to her left as the flash of lightning framed the invisible figure of a devilish woman, sitting on the stone—Izanami.  The Hell Lord wasn’t really there, but using the connection they shared through Yseress, she could project herself anywhere she liked around her.

Ironically, the woman could make her appearance entirely real to Rachel.

Izanami’s curved black horns and enormous demonic wings were as slick as her light purplish skin.  Her crossed legs and obsidian heels were wet, shimmering in the faint moonlight and stars that passed through the stormy clouds and lightning, easily visible with Rachel’s improved night vision.

Rachel’s wide field of vision couldn’t help but take in her shapely figure and damp black open dress that left an imprint against her sensuous breasts.  Her hands were held in her lap as the devil’s ominous flaming orange irises wandered in amusement while observing their environment.  “I have not felt rain against my skin in eons.”

Another sharp crack of thunder left a short imprint of the corrupted visage Izanami hid behind illusions, showing the rotten corpse of a divine woman; it was a calculated move on deity’s part to reveal the truth of her appearance, Rachel was sure—they were bound at this point, and there wasn’t much Rachel could do to get out of it—this was the debased Japanese Goddess of Creation, turned into the Goddess of Death.

Keeping her lax position against the wall, Rachel watched the dampened wind of the storm pull the deity’s soaked gown against her frame and reveal her gorgeous face, yet it was likely nothing close to the beauty she held when at the height of her uncorrupted power.  Twilight manipulated Scarlet to come into contact with me … It’s the only explanation I can come up with … Why?

“He-he-he.”  Rachel could practically feel Hell on Izanami’s succulent voice as her flaming irises shifted to her.  “Even if I were still the goddess I was before my death, I could not answer such a question with certainty, and I am bound to only speak the truth when speaking to you.  That being said, without a doubt, Scarlet was delivered to you with a silver bow.”

It soon dawned on Rachel that the Hell Lord could skirt her questions if there was a level of doubt because of the contract.  Sighing, Rachel grunted, watching the droplets splash against the woman’s horns.  You can’t tell me you don’t have a speculation.

“Of course, my dear little Lunar Hare,” Izanami snickered.  “However, I am very limited in my current state.  I may be a seventh-dimensional being, but the highest ring of Hell I can make my home is in the seventh … Even fallen deities of my degree have their limitations, and I cannot see creation as I once did.”

What can you tell me?  Rachel pressed, looking to trap her into answering at least a hint of the concerns on her mind.

Izanami looked up at the rumbling clouds swirling overhead, adopting a slight smile that didn’t touch her titan-colored eyes.  “I can only tell you that the things I see through Yseress and your experiences.  I cannot penetrate the veil of Hell that traps me—not on my own.”

Rachel’s arms folded under her bust, holding tight against her body while listening to Cahira’s caretaker go about his chores tending to the Dragon Turtle.  So … you’re saying I have the answers in my head … I just need to connect the dots.

“In part,” Izanami nonchalantly shrugged.  “You may have the details, but I have the knowledge to expand on those points and draw far-reaching conclusions.”

The Hell Lord’s smirk lifted with her chin as she studied the heavens.  “Although, my advice would be to focus on the other forces surrounding you instead of Twilight.  Attention is best served on those things you can change and do something about.”

Her lilting tone grated against Rachel’s psyche as the fallen deity’s entertained gaze drifted to her, flashing in the storm’s light.  “You cannot cut Scarlet out of your life—face it, Twilight has already won.  What good will come of kicking against the pricks?”

Nose twisting with agitation at her response, Rachel glared at the figure, mind racing to follow the breadcrumbs she was dropping.  You’re saying I should be focusing on the Lunar Deities that have taken an interest in me?  Can I do something about them?

“Ah,” Izanami hummed, unfolding her legs and cupping her fingers to catch the falling liquid in her hands.  “Much like the tempest around us, a storm has followed you since your change … Wouldn’t you agree?”

Rachel’s gaze drifted to the black clouds and falling haze.  You’re not wrong … Who was the first Lunar Deity to catch notice of me?  Eostre and Moongmor?

The Devil Lord’s mirthful laughter as she released the liquid across her thighs made Rachel turn back to the woman.  “If I could tell you, I would … It shouldn’t be this challenging to determine the order of ‘their’ addition to the party, though.”

Eostre clearly set into place unseen conditions of her own in the contract that restricted Izanami’s answers; of course, her redirection from Twilight to the Lunar Deities could be a ploy in itself to distract her from the real threat.  Rachel didn’t know the woman’s end goals.  Still, the fact Izanami was leading her in the direction that could give her answers on how deeply Eostre and her compatriots had their nails in her was a worthwhile pursuit.

A crack of lightning split the heavens overhead, yet Rachel didn’t flinch, brushing her soaked, braided hair over her shoulder.  If we’re going off of events … Twilight manipulated Scarlet into a position to meet me, and … No, the most considerable change to my mental state was Lunar Pride … At nearly the start of The Oscillation.

“Dear,” Izanami taunted, “you shouldn’t focus on that right now.”

Oh?  Rachel questioned, wiping away the water from her brow and angling her ears to not drip onto her forehead.  What do I need to put my attention on right now?

The fallen deity’s smile became sinister.  “He-he-he … Moongmor manipulated quite the items for you during the Legend’s Quest—Nia is quite lovely, in her own right, but I’d argue the other items could bring you to a rather succulent realization if crafted into the proper ‘key’—by the way, there so happens to be a rather wondrous location I’ve mentioned before that has all kinds of properties—he-he-he, including the fundamental tools to reach the divine.”

Rachel’s eyes widened as the dots connected in her mind; Izanami hinted at various things to draw her to the answer.  The Nymph’s Tree in the U.K. that you talked about in our last discussion?  The pink and orange crystal I got from the Legend’s Quest, can I have them crafted into something that opens a gate to the Divine Realm?

Izanami lazily gestured with her left hand, studying the magic cannon across from her.  “I wouldn’t call it ‘the’ Divine Realm, as there are many little sanctuaries for various deities, but it is certainly possible to craft a lunar pathway to ‘a’ Divine Realm with such a material.  Heh, of course, it wouldn’t be the thing MoonMoon would have given to you … If you had managed to find the proper artisan to work with them, you could have made quite the weapon to compliment Nia and you.”

Hmm…  Rachel’s eyebrows pulled together.  Is it worth losing a practical weapon to just open a gate to one of the deities?  What if they just threw me out the moment I went in?

“It’s certainly possible,” Izanami absently replied, visually following the Dragon Turtle’s caretaker across the yard as he happily went to work on the tail next.  “Eostre wanted you to ask me about ways to increase your friends’ potential … I’m sure she didn’t have this in mind,” the Hell Lord snickered, “but it isn’t just you that can use such a gate.  Consider it a branching point to other figures that can make their presence known when between dimensions.”

Fiona, Maria, and the others … Can other deities strengthen us?

“Mmh, I wouldn’t go that far,” Izanami laughed, “but it’s foolish to believe you are the ‘only’ ones receiving divine aid.  Do you suppose Asher came up with such a grand ritual on his own?  No, powerful devils whispered in his ear.  Wolfgang and his little Seed plan?  My gentle song plucked at his mind.  If I can do such things all the way from the Seventh Ring of Hell, what can deities that aren’t held by such restrictions do?”

Rachel’s full lips pulled in, tasting the rain on them.  So … we really are in a game of gods … Although, they’re just as clueless as us regarding the Seeds.

“You’re priceless,” Izanami chortled.  “There is plenty I, and they, can discover about such a fascinating thing that you couldn’t hope to understand.  I believe that knowledge is worth more than some insignificant weapon in the grand scheme of things.  Have you discovered your first contact with the divine?”  she asked, hellish orange eyes fixating on her.

Rachel took in a deep breath before letting it out; it had come to her only a moment ago, and there was a reason she wanted her to focus on it.  My mental state … Each Branch on my Tree directly references a goddess, and the moment they touched my Seed … Eostre is the most vocal because you pulled her in, but in reality, she was the last to touch my life.

“Mhm?”  Izanami pressed, looking for more.

Hand pressing against the base of her left ear, Rachel’s jaw tightened.  It’s no coincidence my mind and goals changed so drastically after The Oscillation changed me … Lunar Pride, Strategic Mind, and Mental Acceleration … The most significant skills that have affected me are all in Cerridwen’s Branch.  She wanted me to reach this point … Did she even see your interference?

Izanami smiled at the sky, letting the water blanket her face, yet she refused to blink.  “Cerridwen is a rather crafty woman … She is a goddess of creation, inspiration, knowledge, beauty, transformation, regeneration, renewal, fertility, and the herbal rituals that impressed upon Witches and Druids at the dawn of antiquity … The Keeper of the Cauldron of Intelligence.”

The Hell Lord’s tone turned acid.  “She indeed is powerful but was one of the few that took a small part of my station after my death, and I am not a fan of her.  No, she could not see my addition because this parallel world has become a blot of ink on parchment.”

Meaning?  Rachel asked, looking for any insight she could gain about the figures.

The woman smirked, focus falling to stare at her ears.  “What you call The Oscillation did more than just give you new abilities, Rachel … These Seeds are singular existences, meaning they warp the fabric of Existence itself, and they have become a part of you.”

Her long fingernails drew Rachel’s attention as Izanami directed her to the house—Cahira had just risen from her chair, excusing herself from the laughter as the group got to know Nia.  “Think about what we’ve discussed … I look forward to when I get a chance to see this evolving world again—just know, there are things far more frightening than gods and goddesses in this game…”

The Hell Lord’s ominous laughter lingered in the air as she vanished in a flash of lightning, leaving Rachel to wait for the Pirate Queen to meet with her.

Rachel turned her head to look down at the fathomless ground, obscured by the storm.  So … not even these gods and goddesses can look into the future and predict much because of The Oscillation … We’re all trapped in this game, dancing to the strings of some unknown thing behind the veil.

* * *

Anthony’s eyes snapped open as a haunting ballad caressed his ear, but all that met him was a wall of fog.  Pushing himself up, his glowing green irises scanned the dense haze, making it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead of him.

Rachel had left the night before, and he’d spent a good day with Nora, Rachel’s grandfather, Jessy, and Mason; nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, except for possibly the elderly man’s somewhat absent mind, but he was old.

Throwing off his blanket, Anthony squinted, barely able to see the wooden floor of the three-story mansion; he was still in the house, yet it was only a faint reflection of his mind projected to his faculties.

He summoned his spear, but no matter how he flipped it around, it didn’t disperse the fog, and opening the window did nothing.  More ominous than anything else, all sound had died, including his own voice.

Taking calming breaths, he recalled the account Rachel had given of the creatures Nora had eaten, turning his stomach; she’d been right to be concerned.

Anthony used his spatial memory to navigate the room, exiting it to make his way to the girl’s sleeping area two doors down—something was caressing his mind in an unnatural, oracular way that put a haunting choir’s melody in his soul—there was a shapeless, shifting void observing him and he knew on instinct, there wasn’t a hope of escape.

A source of untold fears beyond his understanding unnerved his legendary resistances—ten thousand eyes opening inside his Core; the curse of the wise, causing him to hesitate with every step, yet into the madness he stumbled—into a world of sleep, he was summoned by a being he couldn’t know, yet nevertheless felt as familiar as his own hand, the Harbinger of the Mecroaf.

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