Chapter 121

Chapter 121

Sonya smiled at the young couple as Lillian broke into a brief dash before scooping Snow up into her arms. She thumbed her nose and walked past, chuckling to herself and patting Chunhua on the arm, “Thanks for playing along,” She said as she winked at Alex and Greg who were both staring at the pair, dumbstruck.

Chunhua shrugged a little while Marta and Carla caught up. “It was fun,” She said with a grin, “Getting involved in your antics for once.”

Carla sidled up with Sonya and Sonya opened her arm for her lover to slide it in. The two walked together while Marta, smiling to herself, took her position at the rear, hands over her lap as always. Carla glanced back over her shoulder at the pair who were talking to one another with bright eyes and bits of beautiful laughter while Alex and Greg scrambled to join them, “Were those her first words?” She asked.

“Since becoming mute?” Sonya asked, “Yes. She didn’t say a word besides offering commentary with her text illusions while we were getting her set up,” Sonya said with a small smirk, “Saving them for her, how cute.”

“The clothes?” Carla asked, “You didn’t go out shopping in the middle of the night, did you?”

Sonya pointed to herself, feigning offense before snorting and shaking her head, “Oh no, they’re mine actually. Marta is stellar with a needle and had them fitted in no time flat. Did her hair too.”

Chunhua glanced back at Marta appraisingly, “Impressive.”

Marta raised her head with a bit of pride and smirked at Chunhua, “Only to be expected of Miss Chernovna’s personal caretaker and bodyguard. I couldn’t call myself such if I wasn’t capable of this,” She said smugly only to get a snort from Chunhua. She narrowed her eyes as the woman turned away and laughed, “What? What’s so funny?”

Chunhua kept laughing, “Would you happen to consider yourself ‘one hell of a maid’?” She asked, putting a little emphasis on the phrase.

Sonya raised her eyebrows while Carla looked confused. The two looked back at Marta who blinked a few times, opened her mouth, closed it, blinked a few more times and then went starry eyed. She hustled over to Chunhua with a delighted smile, “How many episodes?”

“I’ve read it,” Chunhua said with a small laugh, “When I was in high school.”

Marta nearly squealed with delight, drawing a few looks but she couldn’t care less. The two immediately broke into conversation while Sonya ushered a confused Carla away. “There’s two of them now,” Sonya said and rolled her eyes, “Oh boy,” She said with a shake of her head.

Carla pursed her lips, “Marta’s little addiction?”

Sonya nodded gravely, “The same.”

Carla nodded and squeezed Sonya’s arm, going quiet for a moment before glancing at her, “We’re really going back to that beach?” She asked with a small smile, pressing up a bit closer.

Sonya raised an eyebrow, “Why not?” She let out a gasp, “Miss Mint! Are you thinking of something unprofessional?” She said, scandalized, “Now that is quite unbecoming for someone of your position!”

Carla did her best to repress a smirk, “Miss Chernovna, we are not on business, we can let our hair down a little while enjoying the beach,” She said with a refined tilt to her voice, looking up and closing her eyes.

Sonya glanced at her collar, “I’ll let your hair down in a-”

A throat cleared behind the two of them and they looked back to see Chunhua and Marta both scowling at them with their eyebrows raised. Sonya shut her mouth and looked away. Buzz kills. No fun! She grumbled inwardly before huffing and throwing her hair back, marching towards the crowd, “Miss Mint! Let us away from these killjoys!” She announced, dragging a red-faced Carla along with her. Several of the aspirants and a few instructors glanced their way. Sonya brightened and waved, “Hello!” She called, “Excited?”

There was a chorus of agreement that greeted her as she came to a stop. Axel stepped forward from the pack of boys and extended a hand, “Miss Chernovna! It’s been a while!”

She pat Carla’s arm and pulled herself free, extending a hand and shaking his. “We’ve both been very busy! I hear you’re doing a fabulous job in the field combat courses.”

Analyze.

<New Product Acquired: Momentum.>

He smirked at her from behind his sunglasses, he was at least a foot and a half taller than her so she had to peer up a bit. He squeezed her hand back and nodded, “You’re not half bad either, took Black Lotus to task in that spar.”

She released his hand. He can’t resist, can he? That’s brand loyalty for you. She let out a sigh and shrugged her shoulders, “She was obviously holding back quite a bit, but it was still a good match.”

“Would you mind doing me the honor of going a few rounds?” He said with a toothy grin.

She looked him in the eyes, “After the beach I’ll show you what it really means to be a knife fighter, Axel.”

Like them. He thought.

He cast his gaze over the rest of the expansive beach. Young men and women were out at play. A volleyball net had been set up, people were diving and splashing. Laughter everywhere. He crossed his arms and let out a breath. Perhaps relaxation is healthy.

“Not a big swimmer?” A voice popped up behind him. He blinked and rotated his body, who on earth had snuck up on him? He paused when he saw Miss Chernovna approach, sipping at what clearly was a fast food drink cup. Where had she gotten it? Did she just keep them at her beach house? She shifted those mechanical eyes and looked at him with a raised eyebrow, “You’re overanalyzing again,” She said, “Bad for conversation.”

He cleared his throat, “Apologies. Ma’am.”

She stood next to him beneath the tree, she was an inch shorter than himself but she cast a wide shadow wherever she went. It was eerie. “I didn’t get to tell you,” She began, “I spoke with Bluestar about what we had talked about.”

He turned her way, “Good news?”

“She’s willing to give you a shot,” She said with a shrug, “It’s up to you if you impress her. I only fund the ASTA Guild, I don’t make decisions for her, especially when it comes to giving heroes dual responsibilities.”

He nodded, “I see,” He said flatly, “Surpass expectations, then.”

He fell silent for a moment, watching the others have fun as the CEO slurped her drink next to him. She gave him another sidelong glance, “John?”

“Yes, ma’am?” He mumbled, his eyes still fixed on the surf.

“Don’t make me order you to go have fun,” She said and turned away, walking across the beach and waved back at him, “I might start rethinking things! I like a lively office!”

He felt his lips twitch, an expression forming. A small microscopic downward tilt as his stomach twisted. He swallowed hard and looked back at the retreating figure that stopped to greet the mythic boy who made him uneasy. He let his arms fall to his sides and after glancing around a bit, let out a heavy sigh. “...I suppose it wouldn’t hurt,” He mumbled, and stepped out of the blessed shade. She’s scary.

–

“Miss Chernovna! You look wonderful today, is that a new swimsuit?” Otis asked, grinning ear to ear as he approached her. She glanced at him and with every ounce of strength and self control she had she returned his smile. He extended a hand to her and she took it, her abilities providing her with enough physiological control not to shudder in revulsion as his hand touched hers.

Try again? Analyze.

<Error: Target is immune.>

Her lip twitched, “Why yes it is!” She said brightly, “Thank you for noticing Marc.”

“Certainly, I try to stay abreast of such things,” He said with a small grin before releasing her hand and looking out over the beach, “This is very nice.”

“Yes it is,” She said, keeping up the act and looking out over the water. “I’ve heard you’ve been doing better with socializing.”

He frowned a little, “It is... difficult, but I am managing,” He said with a small nod, “I don’t want to let you down, Miss Chernovna. You said that was what I was lacking in order to be considered, so that is what I will improve on.”

Sonya sipped at her drink, resisting the urge to refill it next to him. She glanced his way and took a small gamble, “What’s got you so fixated on joining team ASTA anyway? You could join the International Team with your ability alone.”

He tilted his head and crossed his arms, “That’s the ultimate goal, yes,” He said, “But something tells me that I need to work my way up with ASTA first,” He admitted, “A true hero has to start somewhere, right? Work their way up and rise to the occasion when it matters. Make their legend from scratch. I like stories like that.”

“You like stories, do you?” She asked, committing his words to memory.

“Yes, I’m rather fond of Greek myths. Like Odysseus,” He chuckled, “Are you familiar?”

Something about the way he said it sent a chill up her spine, “I am,” She said, “Lost at sea after Troy, had many adventures along the way home. Do you see yourself as Odysseus?”

He smirked, “Something like that, I have my own story to tell, though, a goal.”

“What’s that?” She asked.

He turned his head and looked up at her with those cold blue eyes, “I’m going to bring Ishtar down and become the world's greatest hero, ma’am.” He paused and looked back out to the sea with that cold smile she remembered from his dying day, “Then, who knows? Might start my own team, Seven guys should do, I like that number.”