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Chapter Text

Aminah gave one last glance over the report she had written, sent a copy to headquarters, and shut down her computer. Like everything else in the apartment she shared with her 'sister ', it was fully waterproofed . It also possessed two separate drives and which one

Farrah's head lie on their shoulder, peacefully asleep and her arms drooped by their side. For a moment she considered waking her up and making her take responsibility for feeding their body, but considering the day they had had, the number of times they had had to switch control, she let her sleep.

Getting up, she walked over to the kitchenette, leaving a trail of salt water behind her. The carpet hungrily absorbed it and, by a system of fine tubes, transferred it to the purifier.

She made some tea and checked the fridge. Clearly, Farrah had been shopping as there was little that was to her taste. She would have to try to make time to get some things next time she was awake. The shopkeepers of Bremis were beginning to accept her as an individual and not as a growth on the pretty girl's shoulders. No, mustn't think like that. The memories before the experiment were the same for her and Farrah, but neither could truly recall it they were Farrah Aminah or Aminah Farrah before they separated.

Eventually, she pulled out a small block of cheese and nibbled on it with some crackers. She wrote a post-it "If you go shopping before I do, get some more cheese and some chicken." and stuck it to the fridge.

Going to the bedroom, she selected some nightwear and carefully undressed. Although practised, this was not an easy task when you had two unresponsive arms and an extra head to deal with. Particularly when you didn't want to wake your other half.

She succeeded in her changing and got into bed. Truth be told, she was every bit as tired as Farrah and their body needed to rest. Maybe they would share a dream and be able to interact like normal people instead of by leaving each other notes. She shut her eyes, lulled by the gentle hum of the water filtration system. "Do our body exude brackish water when we're both asleep?" She pondered but was asleep before the thought could trouble her back into wakefulness.

Chapter Text

The poster on the wall of the abandoned bar was for a boxing match. that never took place. It was a title fight scheduled for May 11th, 2025, and the eyes of the young champion still stared out across the ruins. The day before the fight was due, the Shackled Miracle had arrived and devastated Hazlitt.

There was a whish of steel through the air as a blade cut an X across the poster, the board it was on and into the bricks behind it.

"Feeling better? "

The young woman with the big scythe scowled at the poster as the lower quater of it began to peel away and droop, taking away the boxer's pristine smile.

"He shouldn't have abandoned me. " She sobbed.

"A lot of people got separated that day, not knowing if the others were alive even. And there are still people being found today who have been living as best they can among the ruins. I'm sure he was as worried about you as you were about him. "

"But he should have been there for me. He's my big brother. Instead, he was partying in Gemstone Bay with his promoter and those hangers-on. I thought he was dead. Then to find out he was not only alive but a Union Ops Chief..." She was openly crying now.

The big man pulled her into a hug, wary of her blade. He felt warm and, most of all, solid against her face. He gently stroked her neatly braided hair with his free hand, the one without the puppet.

"Seems to me you found who you needed to be with. You've got Jeanne and me, we'll never leave you.."

Chapter Text

"Jackson. What do you make of this? "

Jackson scrambled down into the trench to where his mentor was working. He had uncovered an inscription on one of the flagstones that had been revealed by the excavation.

"It's not Early Debian. Something older, perhaps? Part of some earlier ruins that Noba was built upon?" The young man seemed to be about to say more but stayed silent.

"You are allowed to say, 'Raya', you know. I don't have a monopoly on it. And yes, it does look like Rayan script, albeit with some Ancient Debian hieroglyphs included. " Cang Ji pointed to a particular section of the inscription. Jackson nodded in agreement.

"Do you think this means that the two societies existed side by side or that the younger Debian culture was borrowing from the declining one?"

"Or that the older culture was taking ideas from the upcoming one in a last ditch attempt to stay viable? " Cang Ji picked up his brush and trowel and replaced them in his backpack, which he put on. "We might get a better idea if we get this up into the light where we can study it better. "

The two men walked up the ramp that acted as a barrow-run out of the trench and stood clear of the edge. Cang Ji gestured in the air, writing characters in his native script . 'LIFT!'

The ground trembled as the slab came free and floated up to ground level. Cang Ji directed it across the site towards the finds' tent and the expedition's vehicles, much to the cheers of the locals employed as labourers.

He set it gently on the ground, not trusting the trestle tables to take its weight and physically sagged. Wipeing the sweat from his brow, he started to walk over towards it, leaning on Jackson for support.

As soon as their backs were turned, the ground started to shake. The two archaeologists stopped in their tracks. In the trench, workers dropped their tools and ran for the ramp and the ladders as the ground opened up beneath them. Other workers and guards came running over to help but were too late for one man who disappeared along with equipment and tonnes of rubble into the sinkhole.

As the dust settled and the excavation crew were either collapsed coughing or trying to aid their comrades, the full extent of the cave in became apparent. the hole was now roughly circular rather than the rectangular trench and about two meters wider.

Cang Ji and Jackson peered into the hole. Cang Ji squinted a little as his glasses adjusted for distance vision, then scanned the debris. A movement near one wall caught his attention. "He's alive!"

Aquafresh, a Tabaton militiaman who was chief guard for the expedition, ran forward to assess the situation. Most of their ladders were now twisted wrecks at the bottom of the hole, and those left were too short to reach the bottom. He shouted at one of his men who ran and started one of the jeeps. Once it was in position, he pulled out the winch cable, used its hook as a stirrup, and ordered his underling to lower him into the pit.

The crew watched anxiously as he made his way to the injured man, probing the path ahead with the tip of his rifle. Twice, he had to hurriedly jump back as the debris settled in front of him, but he reached the man safely and set about examining him.

"Leg's broken. Badly. And his arm's trapped under a boulder, but he can wiggle his fingers, so I think it's okay. Other than that, it's just scrapes and bruises, but I need a better med kit to bind his leg before we can move him and some extra hands to get the rocks clear."

Two of the other guards were lowered into the pit while the remaining one controlled the winch. Between them, they soon had the man free and stabilised. "Doctor Cang Ji? Can you work your magic again to get him out?"

"I'd need to get closer." Said Cang Ji nervously.

They led him to the cable and showed him how to stand in the hook. Then he shut his eyes, grabbed the line above his head, and prayed as the winch lowered him down. After an eternity of twelve seconds, he felt a soft bumb beneath his feet.

"You can let go now, doctor! " Aquafresh called from across the rubble. Cang Ji still clung to the cable as if his life depended on it. Aquafresh rushed over and prised his fingers free, then he lifted him bodily and put him down facing the wounded man.

Cang Ji slowly opened his eyes to be greeted with Aquafresh's beaming smile. The militiaman had used his bandana as a makeshift bandage and was now revealing how he had earned his nickname. Cang Ji carefully followed him across the site and assessed the situation.

The man was no lightweight, heavy set, and well muscled. He must weigh at least as much as the slab Cang Ji had moved earlier, and that had nearly drained him of Devine Power. Still, an Esper has to do...

He lifted his hand and wrote in the air. LIFT GENTLY! The man rose into the air and drifted across the lip of the pit where he was caught by his friends and lowered onto a hastily constructed stretchrer. One of the ground level team gave a thumbs up to Cang Ji, who stopped concentrating and promptly collapsed onto the rubble.

When he came to Jackson was sat beside him, offering a mug of tea. "How are you feeling? "

Cang Ji sat up, swayed, and lay down again. Then he tried sitting up slower, keeping his hands down to support him. When the world had stopped spinning, he accepted the tea and took a healthy gulp. "I've been better."

"Kennan needs proper medical treatment. Aquafresh's prepared the Sand Skiff to take him to Oasis. It'll be faster and smoother than the truck and from there he can be taken to Debia City if the local docs think he needs a bigger hospital. They were just waiting to see if they had to take you as well."

"I'll be fine by the morning. I just need some rest."

"If you're sure." Jackson helped him up and led him to where a series of ladders had been lashed together to reach the surface. As they climbed, Cang Ji's foot struck a protruding rock that fell, revealing a violet glow coming through the crack in the wall. Cang Ji started to claw at the hole, trying to make it larger, but Jackson stopped him. "It can wait 'til morning. Otherwise, you're going to kill yourself with exhaustion."

They continued up the ladder to where Aquafresh was waiting to help them get back on level ground. "You sure you don't want a doctor to check you out?" Cang Ji shook his head and immediately regretted it. "OK. But Kennan would like to see you before we leave."

They walked over to the skiff, and Cang Ji looked into the cabin where a man lay on an improvised cot. "He's asleep." He said, but as he started to turn away a weak voice called "Doctor Cang Ji."

Cang Ji climbed into the skiff and went over to Kennan, who was clutching something tightly in his fist. "Found this when the ground fell in. Thought it might interest you." The man dropped a stone carving into Cang Ji's hand, then succumbed to unconsciousness.

"It's a snake. " Jackson said as he examined the carving.

Cang Ji looked up from the tablet he was trying to decipher. "Not just any snake. Apophis, although you may know it better as Apep!"

"You mean as in the Sentinel Apep?"

Chan Ji nodded. "From what I've been able to read of this, the Rayans built, whatever they built here to hold back the primordial chaos. I must call Narmer."

"If you're calling in academic favours, maybe talk to Pritzker as well."

"Good idea." Cang Ji reached for his communicator. He dialled a number but was met only with static. "Strange. No connection to Debia. I'll try Pritzker in Gyrate." Again, he was greeted with static.

He turned to the laptop on his makeshift desk. "No Internet." He said defeated. "We must be in a dead spot."

"We weren't this morning."

"No. It wasn't." Cang Ji hastily scrabbled a note. "Aquafresh! " The gùard hurried into the tent. "As soon as it's light get this to Oasis and find someone to email it to the addresses at the top." Aquafresh nodded and left with the note.

"Well. Nothing else we can do tonight. Better get some rest."

They waited until Aquafresh had returned from Oasis before venturing back into the trench. He had brought with him a reply from Pritzker, expressing his interest but nothing from Narmer.

In the trench, Cang Ji directed two of the labourers to attack the wall with mattocks. As soon as they struck the point below the crack, a large section of the wall collapsed, revealing a large cavern. The floor was shrouded in a faintly luminescent, violet mist. The walls stretched deep under the desert with no sign of an end.

Aquafresh slung his rifle and picked up a heavy flashlight. The beam cut through the mist revealing ancient carvings. Cang Ji took a step forward through the opening with Jackson and Aquafresh behind. Suddenly, the light went out.

Aquafresh cursed. "Lousy Tangton made crap. I charged that myself last night."

"I don't think it's the torch." Said Jackson. "My phone has just died. "

Cang Ji pulled out his own communicator. "Mine's dead, too." Aquafresh confirmed his was the same.

"So what do we do now? Wait for Narmer?"

"Or we could carry on and scout the cave ready for when he gets here." Said Cang Ji as he wrote LIGHT in the air in front of him.

To be continued...

Chapter Text

"Make it stop! Make it stop!"

The restrained young woman on the gurney continued to thrash and scream as she was pulled out of the elevator and into the Esper Union's medical facility. A ruined headset resting on her chest. A harpy paramedic held her down as a doctor injected a sedative into her arm.

Medical staff came rushing out of their offices and consulting rooms to try to help the distraught girl, to little avail. Another girl, this one apparently wearing a giant snake, stumbled out from one of the side rooms holding her glowing hands to her ears. "Please. Make her be quiet. "

The voice was barely more than a whisper, yet it cut through the other girl's screams and caused all heads to turn towards the newcomer. Then she tripped over and sent a spray of green-brown, foul-smelling sludge from her fingers all over the medical team and their patient.

Ife picked herself off the floor. "Sorry." She squeaked.

Meanwhile, the medical team, those that hadn't succumbed to the sludge bomb , bustled around their patient and their fellows.

"Airways clear."

"Pulse dropping back towards normal. "

"Lauren! Wake up, Lauren! "

"She's stable and apparently sleeping." Clara, the Medical Hub Chief, breathed a sigh of relief and turned towards Ife, who shrank back and tried to hide inside the hood of her serpent. "What did you do? "

"I'm sorry. It was an accident. I panicked..."

"Calm down. You're not in trouble. In fact, you may have saved her life." Clara beckoned Ife over to the gurney and let her see the face of the girl lying there.

"Discboom?" Ife backed away in disbelief.

On the gurney, the final LED on the still intact 'ear' of Discboom's headdress blinked one last time and faded out.

"Meredith! How soon can you get back to Gyrate? We've coaxed Elliot out of his library and he's on his way to take over at the observatory. Can you be ready to leave when he gets there?"

"What's the rush"

"It's Discboom..."

"I'll get packed."

Tentacles flailing, Meredith raced into the hospital wing, where a worried looking older woman was gazing through the window of the isolation ward.

"Alex! How is she?"

Alexandra, one of the top ten of Grandis' most wealthy, turned to her friend. "My little girl." She threw herself into Meredith's arms and started sobbing on her shoulder.

"She's stable." Clara said. "We're keeping her sedated until you can rebuild her headset. That should preserve her physical state. I'm just worried about what's going on inside her head and what damage that could be doing. "

Clara handed Meredith a box containing the remains of the headset, then led Alexandra away. Meredith opened it and sorted carefully through the pieces. This wasn't going to be easy.

Meredith addressed the assembly of Hub Chiefs, Medical Ops Chiefs and other interested parties.

"When I built Discboom's headset, I had nothing to go on. There was no research to back me up, no one with the experience to assist me, no specialised equipment for me to use. I had to make it all up on the fly. It took me best part of a year.

"A year during which she suffered three episodes, when the voices in her head got too much and she pushed back. There's eight people who are still in comas today."

"The soonest with todays technology that I could recreate the Devine Wave blocker is four months, fifteen weeks at the best. That's a roughly one hundred percent chance of her having another episode. We have to find a way to speed this up."

"If we wake her, would she be more or less likely to strike out at the world around her?"

Meredith shook her head. "No idea. She was awake before. A whole year after her transformation before she could control her powers. But now. After she's trapped in her own head for best part of a week? "

The assembly degenerated into frenzied chattering as they bounced ideas off one another.

"Can I say something?" The two headed women sat between Asenath and Ahmed tentatively raised a pale hand.

Then slumped forward as her other, darker head became active. "Never get anywhere, the time it takes you to do things. "

"You have something to say Aminah? " Raven asked trying to take back control of the meeting.

"Yes, I do. There's a women from Utgard who can get inside people's dreams. She, she helped us come to terms with - us. We're sure she could help Discboom now. If the Union isn't too proud to bring in an outsider."

"If you're thinking of calling in outsiders, I know a girl who lives on the edge of town and builds all sorts of gadgets. Maybe she could help Meredith."

Meredith nodded her approval. Raven continued. "OK, Kaylee, see if your friend is willing to help. Aminah,Farrah, whichever of you knows how to contact her, get in touch with this dream walker and try to recruit her to the team. And Alexandra, don't worry. We're going to save your daughter. "

Two figures walked across the yard, between piles of junk to the large roller door of Ain's warehouse.

"Ain? Ain? Are you in there?" Kaylee hammered on the door, hard enough to shake it. "AIN?"

The door slowly opened and heavy mechanical footsteps could be heard coming from inside. A gleaming robotic bull stepped into the sunshine from the dark of the workshop, blocking the entrance.

"Master Ain is indisposed. If you have something that needs fixing please leave a message."

Kaylee grabbed one of the bull's horns and pulled herself as far round it as she could. "AIN! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! I'VE GOT NEW PHOTOS OF CHILLI BEING CUTE!"

Lights came on in the back of the warehouse almost blinding the two Ops Chiefs. A large shadow, humanoid, monstrous with a misshapen head and hands moved across the floor, and resolved into a short, young woman in a welding helmet and gloves. "Hello Kaylee. Who's tall dark and scaly?"

"May I pleash?"

"Go ahead. I've seen scarier things than you. I've built scarier things than you!"

Daylon unbuckled his muzzle and rolled his jaw stretching the muscles. "Thank you. My name is Daylon, I'm an Ops Chief for the Union..."

Ain cut him off and turned to Kaylee. "So is he a your boyfriend or a new pet. Because if you're getting rid of Wrench, I'll take her back here."

He's a colleague from work." Kaylee stammered, her cheeks reddening somewhat. "And I am not getting rid of Chilli! We need your help."

"Forget it. I can't be seen to be working with the Union."

"Not even to save a woman's life."

Ain stared at her feet. "You could have started with that."

"And I'm sure there are a lot of parts lying around the research labs that aren't needed."

"Well, it is kinda quite at the moment. Wendy! Close up the shop and get your butt out here. We're going into town. "

The girl in the silver jump suit lay curled up in a fetal position with her hands clutching her head. She looked about fourteen or fifteen - the age she was when she got her powers. The room was white. White walls, white ceiling, white floor.

"Discboom." The voice was warm and rich with a sweetness like honeyed milk. "Discboom, will you let me talk with you?"

"Go away. They won't let me. There's too many of them."

Parmi looked around Discboom's dreamscape. The white walls were not solid. They were composed of banks of pulsating white speakers blasting a silent cacophony at the girl in the centre of the room.

"Discboom. I have something for you. From your mother."

"My mother?"

"That's right. She sent me to bring this to you." She held out her hand and a copy of Discboom's headset appeared, the equaliser panels that formed the 'ears' flashing their digital message across the room.

Teen Discboom looked hopefully at the headset but then curled back into a ball. "It won't help. They won't let it."

"Hush." Parmi knelt by stricken girl and placed the headphone section over her ears. The equaliser panels settled on top of her head flashing in time to an unheard beat.

Discboom began to uncurl, and as she did she began grow and age. Long braids fell down across her chest and her jumpsuit became a white mini dress. Eventually she was once again the woman she was in the outside world. She looked at Parmi, smiled and shut her eyes.

"That's right. Sleep now. When you wake up this will all be over."

A flash of electrical discharge lit up the lab where Meredith, Ain and Wendy were working. The younger woman translated Meredith's theories into schematics and her 'Master' turned these into reality.

"Try reversing the polarity..."

"Of the nexus flow." Ain completed. Then she clipped the backs onto the equalisers and stood back.

The headset had been completed in five days with the three women working together. A few components from the original littered the table while the new version sat on a manikin head.

"Shouldn't it be flashing or something?" Wendy asked the two espers.

"Not necessarily. It isn't actively blocking devine waves from a human brain."

"Then lets test it." She lifted it from its stand and moved to place it on her head.

"NO!" The shout came from both Ain and Meredith."

"Devine Wave manipulation isn't an exact or even a repeatable science."

"Put that on and it could trigger an unstable transformation."

"Which could turn you into an Esper,"

"9r even a Miramon."

"Or do nothing at all."

Wendy gently replaced the headset. "So how do we test it?"

Meredith glanced across the room towards the Medical Wing.

"Are you sure that she won't wake up as soon as you stop the sedative?"

"Yes, yes and thrice yes!" Clara said as she answered the question for me umpteenth time. "It could be as long as half an hour but it won't be less than ten minutes after we carry out the flush."

Alexandra came forward and kissed her daughter on the forehead. Then nodded to Meredith and Clara.

As soon as the headset was placed on Discboom's head, the panels started to flash

Clara adjusted the IV. Stopping the sedative and increasing the saline and glucose.

Then they waited.

Eighteen minutes later, first one then the other of Discboom's eyes flickered open. "Mum."

Chapter Text

A cloud of dust and sand marked the convoy of trucks approaching Tabaton. Elaine got up from her position on top of the clock tower and made her way to the town gate.

The convoy turned out to be much smaller than its cloud had suggested, three trucks and a couple of jeeps. The men and women with them carried themselves like soldiers, bounty hunters from Oasis in town for supplies.

All except one man. He was helped from a jeep by two of the hunters and carefully given crutches to support him. His left leg was bandaged tight and splinted with a length of metal pipe. The rest of his body was covered with so many dressings that there was hardly any man visible. He leaned on the crutches and started to make his way towards the town gate.

Elaine ran forward to meet him. "Kennan! What the..." She looked around for Cory bur surprisingly the boy hadn't come out to see the strangers. "What the fuck happened?"

Kennan tried to grin but ended up wincing. "Somebody dropped half of the Noba ruins on me. They wanted to send me to Debia City, " he spat, "but the doc here can fix me up better than any of those quacks."

"Are the others alright?"

"Oh yeah. I was the only one too stupid to run when the ground opened up. Thought I'd found something important. The professor seemed to think so too."

He stopped to cough. There was a spot of blood in the corner of his mouth.

"Everyone else is fine. Aquafresh's in charge, well of the work crew and guards. He'll stop the professors doing anything stupid before more experts turn up."

The man visibly paled as he was talking and Elaine noticed fresh blood seeping through his bandages. She grabbed him to hold him up. "Somebody get a stretchrer. NOW!"

They carried Kennan to Doctor Voli's 'hospital '. The doctor fussed over him, rebinding his wounds and setting his leg in a cast. Then, dosed up on painkillers, he slept.

"Don't you think it's odd that the expedition didn't contact us here directly? His family would have wanted to know about this earlier" Elaine asked the doctor when he was able to rest.

"I don't know. The city folk have never cared about us in the Kush."

"I know. I heard the hunters talking." A small figure yelled as he ran into the clinic. "They couldn't get a signal to me expedition camp. And just as they were leaving, the WiFi and all the phones in Oasis stopped working completely."

Elaine and Voli looked at each other.

"We need to inform the Union. "

"Leora. Thank goodness you picked up Something's happening in the Kush. It seems to be centred on Cang Ji's excavations. All communications are failing, and it's spreading . It's already taken out, Oasis, and we have to assume Tabaton and New Milo are next."

"Hello. Elaine, is that you? The line's very bad. I can barely he - crackle - at all, and there's no vis - crackle..."

"Dead air. Did you manage to get through to Debia?" The doctor shook his head. "Then we're on our own."

Elaine made plans to protect her friends In Tabaton before she went and did something stupid. First, she convinced Aoi to put the militia on high alert. Then she negotiated with some of the hunters to give her a ride to Oasis. Finally, she said her goodbyes, reinforcing to Corry why he couldn't come with her, and got into the jeep headed for the centre of the trouble.

Riding off to save the day. It was such a Leora thing to do.

The jeep died about two klicks out of Oasis. They sheltered in its shadow, drinking strong, sweet coffee until the sun started to set, then prepared to walk the remainder of the way in the cool of the night.

Elaine was satisfied with this. The night was hers, after all. She could see as well in the dark as she could by day, if not better. They had nothing to fear from the night, particularly not the lone Miramon, which quickly fell to her sword and the hunters' guns.

They reached Oasis around midnight. Every piece of equipment, every vehicle that relied on an engine or electricity, was now thoroughly inoperable. Elaine shared a meal with the hunters as they made arrangements to recover the jeep and the supplies it contained by more primitive means.

Elaine and camels were not friends. Despite her time in the desert, she had always kept the beasts at a distance, preferring her own legs or motorised transport. Today, the latter was not an option, and the former would take too long in the emergency. She had to find out what was happening. She had to ride a camel.

The Oasis camel master assured her that her mount was his finest riding camel, not onerous like the ones being led out to tow the jeep into town. It was also guaranteed to return home if she should die on her travels and so she could have it at a very reasonable rate.

She left in the pre-dawn before it was full light. The scarf she had tied over her face made her look a little more like a native than the frightened little girl from Neilheim. As she rode towards the ruins, the rocking gait of the beast threatened to lull her to sleep. She jerked herself back into wakefulness and scanned the horizon through her binoculars.

Sun glinted off of glass in the distance, the vehicles of the expedition camp. She spurred the camel foreword towards the camp. Suddenly, an unnatural sound broke the desert silence.

It was a twin engined tiltrotor craft, and it was heading for the ruins. She watched, horrified as the rotors moved to the landing position, and it started its decent.

Silence returned to the desert as the engines cut out, and the aircraft began to fall from the sky.

To be continued...

Chapter Text

"Unit 3, what is your position? Over."

"This is Unit 3. We have eyes on the enemy. Heading seven North East into the ruins. He's wounded by the looks of things, limping. Preparing to engage. Over"

"Negative, Unit 3! We copy your position. Leave it to the Espers. Over."

"No time Control, We're every bit as good as the Espers, and we're on the target. Not gonna let him get away this time. Over."

"Stand down, Unit 3. This is an order. Stand down! Over."

"Sorry. Didn't catch that. Radio's playing up. Over."

"STAND DOWN YOU MORONS!...Over."

"Opening fire. What the? Sand? Yearrgh..."

"Unit 3?"

"..."

"UNIT 3!"

The jackal headed man crawled into the ruined house and propped himself up in the corner of the living room behind the burnt wreck of a sofa. He took a sip from his water flask, then one from his other flask. He let the warmth of the whiskey fill him before turning his attention to his wounded leg.

Gingerly, he loosened the belt that he had tightened around his thigh. A spurt of fresh blood shot across the room, and he hastily retightened the makeshift tourniquet. Not good.

He checked his communicator. Scrambled by the blast that had torn open his leg. No chance of a quick extraction then.

He considered his options. He could stay holed up until his troops found him or until the enemy left the area. He had water, a couple of ration packs, and his powers.

But the longer he stayed, the worse his leg would get. And his associates weren't known for their military savvy and may not have even realised he was missing. Sure, Hyde would be pissed with them if they went back without him, but all in all...

Then he could go on the offensive, take the battle back to them. Odds were he would be captured, but his enemy was honourable. He should know. He used to be one.

But there was always the chance some raw recruit would want to prove themself by taking out the traitor. He'd seen that happen before. Before he changed, when he was still human.

He hoped someone would remember to feed his cat. If he didn't get back.

As the evening twilight grew darker, the calls of raptors started. The birds were quite common in the ruins, making a living off the rats and occasional carrion. Was that his fate? A carrion feast for the hawks?

A hawk. Larger than it had any right to be, flew past the shattered window, screeching as it went. A moment later, a second bird, normal sized, flew into view. It landed on the windowsill and called out to its companion. Sander had the distinct feeling that it was staring directly into his eyes.

As he prepared his powers ready to defend himself should the bird attack, the larger bird returned. It landed in a crouch, on the pavement outside, then stood upright. As it stood, it changed. Its body lengthened, wings became arms until a young man dressed in black was in front of the house.

He nodded to the smaller bird and emitted a hawk like call. The bird took off, circled round its master and landed on his shoulder.

The birdman raised his hands and approached the door. "I know you're in there. I don't want either of us to get hurt."

"It's a bit late for that, Corporal." Sander coughed. When had that started? "You going to take me back then?"

"I. I don't know. I just want to talk. I need answers. I need closure. You won't attack me if I come in?"

"Not sure I could if I wanted to."

Falkan lowered his hands and stepped through the doorway. It was almost full dark, but both men's eyes had been improved by their transformations, and they could see each other perfectly.

"We don't have ranks anymore. Is it bad?" Sander nodded. Falken knelt down beside his former commander. "Do you need painkillers?"

"Already taken more than I probably should have." He stopped, coughed again, and put his hand to his chest. It came away wet and sticky. "Damn. So worried about the leg, I didn't notice this. How did you find me?"

"Your blood trail. Easy to miss on the ground, if you don't have a bloodhound, but with my eyes, it stood out like a sign saying 'He is here' from two-fifty metres."

Sander chuckled. "Same old Falken. Always learning new tricks."

"Who are you calling old, old man?" Falken laughed. Then he carefully put his arms around the other man and buried his head in his face. "I've missed you..."

Sander felt the younger man's tears on his muzzle and realised that his own eyes were getting wet too. "You'll get blood on your coat." Falken straightened up."You said you wanted answers. What do you want to know?"

"Why?"

"Because we're soldiers."

"Look. The Shadow Decree and the Union aren't all that different. We all want to save the world."

"But..." Sander shook a finger at him.

"When the Decree was founded, they were basically a bunch of thugs and terrorists. They were dangerous, to the Union, to civilians, and if we're honest, to themselves. When Hyde joined so he could continue his experiments, he needed someone with him to keep the others in order. I was ordered to do that job."

"By Hyde? He had no authority over the Union Ops Chiefs."

"Not Hyde."

Realisation hit Falken. "Gaius." Sander made no answer. "But you left me. I would have come with you."

"I know. And I would have wanted nothing less than to have you with me. But it would have weakened my position, made it harder for me to do my job. If I brought my lover with me. "

The words said, Falken laid his hands across Sander's and stayed silent.

"So what now? You know of my orders. What are yours? Do you intend on taking me back?"

"Recon. I'm expected to report in if I locate the fugitive. Only they never told me who I was looking for." He paused before asking. "Do you have anyone, over there? "

"Stop trying to change the subject. Hmm. Only a cat. You?"

"No."

Both men sat quietly until Sander was wracked with another fit of coughing.

"You have to get that looked at. I'll call in a medevac."

"No. I've decided. I'm not going back."

"Why?"

"They would keep you from me. To be so close...

"I'll take my chances here. You know the truth now. All these years I've wanted to tell you, wanted to see you again."

He slumped forward. Falken grabbed his shoulder and sat him back up. "Still a bit of life in the old dog." Sander chuckled. "You should go."

"l won't say goodbye!" Falken managed, although tears were forming once more.

"No. When all this craziness is over, we can be together again."

Falken carefully embraced his friend, his lover.

"Go. That's an order."

Falken stood, resumed his bird form, and flew into the night.

"Sander! Sander! "

Sander opened an eye. Leon was shaking him by the shoulder.

"Stay with us, old man! Help's coming."

"How did you find me? "

"We didn't know you were missing. Thought you'd made your own way back while we regrouped. Then some damn bird started pestering Freddy. He took off after it and picked up your scent."

Sander smiled to himself and let his eyes close once more as Freddy led the evac team into the house.

"That was a long patrol, Falken. We were beginning to wonder if you'd forgotten how to change back to a man."

"Hazlitt's a big place Ma'am. When I located the fugitive there was already Shadow Decree unit inbound. As per protocol, I observed rather than engage with superior numbers. They took him out on a gurney."

Raven looked up from her papers. "Well, no doubt we haven't seen the last of him."

"I hope not. I mean probably not, Ma'am." He said quickly trying to cover his slip.

"Falken. You don't have to be so formal. You're not in the army anymore."

"No Ma'am. Thank you Ma'am."

Raven Shook her head in mock frustration.

"Oh...Dismissed!"

Chapter Text

"Jason! What on earth do you think you're doing?"

Jason fumbled the gun he was showing off to his teammates. A blast of pink light shot from the muzzle as it hit the floor, exploding against a pillar, sending a cloud of dust over the assembled unit.

"JASON!"

"It slipped. My hands are sweaty. It's so hot here compared to Utgard."

Gabrielle shook her head to express her anguish at the Onirii. This wasn't his first mishap since joining the Union after his years serving in the Raine Wall Guard. It probably wouldn't be his last.

"Look, it's not badly damaged." He took a swing at the pillar with his fist to prove his point. Chunks of concrete fell from the hole his weapon had caused, and cracks started to form in the body of the pillar. Soon, more debris was falling as the rebar struggled to contend with the weight of the building above.

Gabrielle stretched up to place her hands against the ceiling and shouted to her unit. "EVERYONE OUT! NOW! "

It took two hours before Nick and his crew were ready to begin reinforcing the building. In that time, it had been evacuated while Gabrielle had stoically held her position.

"Are you sure your powers come from Njord, not Atlas?" Nick joked as he directed the placement of support props."Maybe I should just box you in and pour concrete around you."

"Very funny." She could no longer feel the muscles in her arms, and her legs were threatening to give way.

"Let me help." A voice called as Taylor ran into the stricken room. Nick nodded his approval, and Taylor reached up to help take the weight. Gabrielle sighed in appreciation but found that her limbs had locked.

"Can't move."

"Okay. Nearly done." Nick said as a ring of props was assembled around Gabrielle and the pillar. "Finished."

Taylor rushed over to Gabrielle and gently eased one of her er arm back down to her side. She grimaced as her joints and muscles complained to the treatment.

"It's alright. Let it out."

Gabrielle screamed.

"Ready for the other one?" Gabrielle nodded, and Taylor started to move her other arm. As the load was taken off, she screamed again, and her knees buckled, letting her fall unconscious into his arms .

Dear Commander. I am writing to ask you to consider reinstating Jason in the RWG. The climate in Gyrate disagrees with him, and he is concerned that he can not do his best in the fight against the Miracles while in this state. Please let me know when it would be suitable for him to return.

Yours Gabrielle, Esper Union Ops Chief.

Xuan Pin put down the letter and sighed. She would have to scan it and send a copy to Mateo. It had been a quite couple of months, but as they say, 'all good things...'

Chapter Text

The car drew up to the hotel forecourt.

"Are you sure you want to go to Tangton? You've just had a funeral for your old life, and now, here you are, back where you got hurt most."

Hailey stretched her prosthetic out of the car door. "Yeah, I know. But just because I got my heart broken doesn't mean I can ignore my job. Look. The reason I was in Utgard in the first place was to do an inspection of a Shadow Decree facility. That one's done, now I have to check one here."

Hilda's acceptance of her allegiance was something she had become grateful for over their road trip. She asked no questions, made no judgement, and preached no sermons.

For her part, she had come to see her friend's cold demeanour as nothing personal, simply the way she was. In both her professional and everyday life.

"You go park the car, and I'll get us a room."

Hilda nodded and drove off behind the hotel.

To say the hotel was not Tangton's finest would be an understatement. True, it was upmarket from the flop houses of the Lower City, but it would do. Neither Esper wanted to draw too much attention to themselves.

Sadly, even here, Hailey's Shadow Decree funds would not stretch to separate rooms, so she took the cheapest that was available. She would be able to get extra funds from Jin Yuauo when she had finished her inspection.

She went and collected Hilda and their baggage from the car park. However, when they reached the room, both women were dumbfounded to find that the room had a king-sized double bed rather than the twin beds Hailey had requested. Not only that, but the decor gave the impression of somewhere a businessman might bring a lady of the night.

"I'll get it changed." Hailey stammered. But Hilda just sat on the bed and laughed.

She was laughing. That was good, right.

"It's fine. I've slept in worse places. Mostly the back of the car."

Hailey kicked off her boots, shrugged off her coat and apron, and sat next to Hilda. The smaller woman leaned against Hailey's chest and put an arm around her. "You're the only person who can make me laugh again, You know that?"

Hailey put her arm around Hida's shoulder and pulled her closer. "I do. " She said quietly.

They cleaned up and put on fresh clothes. Hailey was sitting, playing with her Rubik's Cube when Hilda finished in the bathroom. She tossed it in the air and let it fall onto the bed. "Might have to find something else after being so close to the Cube Miracle yesterday."

"That's another thing. How do you drive so fast?" Hilda looked across in puzzlement from where she was checking her makeup in the wardrobe mirror. "I mean, one day we were in Utgard, the next in Hazlitt. Then, after a couple of days there, we went to Graywater. Another day on the road. Accro. And now, a day later, we're here. Do you see a patern?"

Hilda thought for a moment. "Now that I think of it, it never takes more than a day for me to get where I need to be."

"So you need to be here?"

"I need to be somewhere where I can get rid of you."She stuck her tongue out. "I haven't received a single commission apart from the cat since you started riding with me."

Hailey looked like she had been kicked in the face. "I thought you liked me."

Hàilda grabbed Hailey and pulled her up straight. "I do. You make me feel more alive than I any time since my transformation. That's why I feel I can tease you a bit. Now, how about dinner?"

One look at the hotel dining room decided the girls that they would eat elsewhere.

"I know a great place. If it's still open. Come on." Hailey took Hilda's hand and pulled her towards the street.

"The car's that way." Hilda pointed towards the car park.

"Can't take a car where we're going."

On reaching the street, Hailey started waving her hand in the air and whistled.

From out of nowhere, a small vehicle that appeared to be the bastard offspring of a motorcycle and a wheelbarrow bounced into view and pulled up at the curb beside them. Hailey pushed Hilda onto the seat in the back of the contraption, climbed in beside her, and jabbered an address at the driver.

Hilda hung on for dear life as they sped into the traffic.

"What is this thing?"

"A tuk-tuk, or more properly a sān lún chē. They use them all over Debia as well as other places where the streets are too narrow or too crowded for bigger vehicles."

As if on cue, the tuk-tuk took a sharp left and disappeared into a cobbled alleyway. Hilda nearly went through the canvas roof, much to Hailey's amusement.

Eventually, they stopped outside a small restaurant. Hailey steadied Hilda until she regained her land legs and paid the man. He and his machine disappeared into the evening.

The food, as Hailey had promised, was excellent. Assuming you could tolerate Tangton's spicy cuisine.

After the meal and a couple of beers. they went back onto the street. It had been transformed, with traders selling their wares from brightly lit carts and people, shoulder to shoulder haggling for the best bargains.

"The tourists never get to see this side of Tangton. The council won't allow it." She spotted a one-eyed cat moving between the legs of the throng. "Just keep a tight hold on your wallet."

They spent about an hour wandering around the market before Hilda noticed that Hailey was yawning. "Should we look for another one of those things to get back to the hotel?"

"No. We can walk. It's not far. We're only on the edge of the Lower City. Besides, you can't even get a tuk-tuk through here when it's this crowded."

"How far is not far?"

"About ten, twelve minutes."

"But it took longer than that to get here!"

"I told him to take the interesting way. To give you the full Tangton experience and to make up for you being so rude back in the room."

Soon, they rounded a corner and saw the hotel less than a block away.

"Race you back!"

"You're on."

Hailey prepared to sprint after the aldeady running Hilda but found that vines had grown up through her prosthetic pinning her to the pavement.

"Come back here, you little witch! " Hailey forced her Devine Power into her leg, and the vines began to smoulder. She went to push herself off of the neighbouring building but stopped. The wall was covered in wanted posters hoping to attract the attention of passing bounty hunters.

The last time she had been here, such posters would have been for Espers charged with trivial crimes. There were still some, but it was a non Esper that caught her eye.

"Oh, Sasha. What have you done. "

***

Click, click, click, click.

Hilda stirred from her slumber.

Click, click, click.

Hailey was sat up against the headboard, playing with her Rubik's Cube.

Click, click, click.

Only it wasn't the Rubik's Cube.

Click, click.

It was a hand sized replica of the Sentinel Phobetor.

Click, click, click.

And its spines were piercing her flesh, causing pinpricks of red to appear all over her hands.

Click, click, click.

"Hailey! HAILEY! " Hilda shook her friend's arm until she dropped the model and started to come round. The miniature Phobetor continued its clicking dance until the red glow within it faded and died completely. Only then did it stop.

"I'm awake. I'm awake, honest. Ow!" She looked at her hands and began to lick the blood off.

"What happened? "

"Couldn't sleep. I'd been meaning to finish that toy for a couple of weeks. So I got it out and started tinkering."

"You could have asked me. I could have given you sleep."

"No offence, but you were dead to the world. You know you do look sweet when you're asleep."

Hilda scowled back at her. "We could have talked." Hailey went quiet and stared at her foot. "Hailey. has something happened?"

"You were right. I shouldn't have come back here."

Hilda put her hand in Hailey's, ignoring the blood. She'd had to deal with much worse.

Hailey reached over to where her coat sat in an untidy heap on the bedside table and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. It read "WANTED. for connections to the murder of 12 people..." There was a photograph of a young woman attached and a reward for capture alive and a much smaller amount if dead or injured.

"Is that..."

Hailey nodded. "I wasn't completely honest with you. She did something stupid, and I walked out on her. It was only when I tried to reconnect that she blocked me."

Hilda gave her friend a hug and looked at the poster again. "That's a lot of money."

"But only if she's brought in unharmed. It's almost as if someone is trying to protect her. Maybe you should make me sleep now."

"You don't have to come with me. It's not like you've got any allegiance to the Decree."

"But I seem to be getting attached to you." Hailey beamed but kept her smile hidden from Hilda. "I just want to be sure you don't go off and do something rash."

They arrived at the factory in the early morning to find it in full production. It, and the workers, were pristine, more like a hospital than a factory.

The workers, most of whom Hilda noted seemed very young, sat at rows of desks assembling circuit boards.

"Shouldn't they be in school?"

"Their parents couldn't afford it. Here, they get two hours of classes every day and get a wage to help support their families. And we get workers with small enough hands to do the detailed work."

"What are they making?"

"Here. It's motherboards for personal communicators. The Decree has to get funding somehow. Don't worry. It's all legit, no hidden extras. I designed them myself."

"What happens when they're too old or too big?"

"Generally, they're offered work in one of our other factories, with continued education included. We make all sorts of things, clothing, electrical goods, we've even started a factory producing environmentally friendly tuk-tuks. Otherwise, they're free to do whatever they want. Some go back to their families' businesses, others go on to college. Last year, one of our 'graduates ' got a job as an aide in the council offices. Now, I'm not saying the Decree would ever pressure someone but having someone who remembers who their friends are..."

She suddenly went very still and quiet.

A young woman in a lab coat was collecting finished pieces from the child workers. Hailey stared at her.

"Is that..?" Hailey nodded.

The two followed Sasha through the shop floor on the pretence of continuing the inspection. When they caught up with her, Hailey placed a hand on her shoulder. "Long time."

Sasha took off for the nearest fire exit, knocking desks and children over in her hurry.

"Shit!" Hailey pumped Devine Power into her legand, in a leap that would have been the envy of a prima ballerina, sailed over the debris to land at the door in front of Sasha. She grabbed her arms and pinned them to her side. "Miss me?"

Hilda came rushing over as did one of the child labourers.

"What are you doing to Miss Sakura?"

"Beat it, kid. I just need to have a talk with an old friend."

SCHNIKKT!

Well. That was unexpected.

Yu Xu bound the three women, led them into a nondescript van and drove them on a circuitous route through the city. Soon, even Hailey was thoroughly lost. At their destination, she got them out and placed hoods, which she obviously kept a ready supply of, over their heads and walked them into an elevator.

After being marched out, the hoods were removed, and they found themselves in a rather luxurious office. The only other occupants were a red-headed woman and a man in a white suit who had his back to them. Oh, and he had antlers.

"Su Jue. Please make our guests comfortable. I do hope Yu Xu wasn't rough with you." He turned around, holding a trio of files.

Su Jue untied Hilda and Hailey and offered them chairs. She offered a third to Sasha but left her hands bound.

"Sorry about this. She can be a bit enthusiastic at times." Indicating Yu Xu.

"Councillor Yu, if I'm not mistaken. You had just been elected when I left here last time."

"I do make an impression." The sylvan Esper stated. He glanced at one of his files. "Miss Hailey. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm a fan of yours, in a way." He waved his communicator in her direction. "I must say I do appreciate the work your organisation is doing in the Lower City. I don't fully agree with their methods in other things..."

"And Hilda. The travelling undertaker. What brings you to my city?"

"Your city?"

"Well. Perhaps not. Yet." He paused. "And Sasha the terr...no, alleged terrorist. What to do with you? "

Sasha, for her part, appeared to be on the point of hyperventilating. Being in the presence of so many Espers was making her beyond uncomfortable, given her beliefs that Espers were responsible for the Miracles and Miramon attacks.

Yu Ran walked across the room and knelt in front of Sasha.

"Promise you won't try to kill me or run away. I don't believe Yu Xu would allow either of those, but I'd like to keep this polite."

When she didn't answer, he bent forward and untied her. She sat, rubbing her wrists as he stood up.

"Twelve people died in the explosion at the station. You were filmed running from the scene directly afterwards. I know people have jumped to conclusions, but I just want to hear your side of the story."

His voice was calm and soft, and surprisingly reassuring. Sasha looked up into his face and started to cry.

Su Jue brought her a tissue. "Please, talk to us. Tell us what happened."

"Those people. The ones who died. Most of them were my friends. We'd been invited to a meeting, somewhere public, with a Councillor who claimed to be sympathetic to our cause. I was late because somebody tripped me up when I was going down the stairs into the station. When I heard the explosion, I ran."

"They said one of us had a bomb and was trying to kill the Councillor because of the greater tolerance towards Espers the council was promoting. None of us would do that. We were a peaceful group." She started crying again.

Hailey came over and put an arm around her.

"One more thing, and then you can rest. Who was the man you were supposed to meet?"

Sasha looked from Hailey to Su Jue, who both nodded at her to continue.

"Councillor Ren Xian."

Yu Ran stroked his beard and turned to Su Jue. "The pieces are coming together, but we still don't have the evidence we need." Then to Sasha. "I'm sorry we caused you so much anxiety, but you must believe me. Your life is in danger if you stay in the city."

"To be honest, I thought you brought me here to silence me. There's nobody left who'll miss me, so I'll leave."

"Brave girl. We can get you new papers, a new identity, but we still need to clear up some loose ends. Su Jue, if you would be so good..."

Su Jue rolled her eyes. "Here we go again."

A woman walked into the Marshall's office in a better off part of town. She led another woman whom she roughly pushed into the desk.

"I thought you were my friend." The woman wailed.

"How could I be friends with Esper hating trash like you?" Then to the Marshall. "I believe you're looking for her." She handed the reward poster to the Marshall.

The Marshall examined the poster and compared it to the woman in front of him. "The wanted terrorist. I heard she was dangerous."

As if on cue, Sasha pulled a gun from her jacket and pointed it at the man behind the desk.

"Shit!" Yelled Hailey and summoned her hammer. There was a very audible crack as it connected to the side of Sasha's head. Her eyes went blank, and her head lolled over to one side, just as her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground.

"Damn. I forget how fragile normies are!"

The Marshall stepped back out of Hailey's reach. "You realise you only get a fifth of the bounty now she's dead."

"I believe you have a collection for me."

The Marshall looked the sombre young woman up and down as she handed him her papers. "This way, miss."

He led Hilda into a back room that served as a makeshift morgue.

"Not going to be an open casket, is she."

Hilda commandeered some Marshalls, and together, they brought in a folding coffin from the back of her car.

"Looks like she'll fit. Good,. My employers want her disposed of as soon as possible."

Hailey rushed out to meet Hilda when she pulled up at the rendezvous point. A cemetery on the outskirts of town.

"All this time travelling with you, and I never realised this was a hearse. I always thought it was a fancy station wagon."

"What did you think I'd drive."

They opened the back, and Hilda slid out the coffin on its trolley. She quickly removed the lid to reveal Sasha's disfigured corpse.

Which sat up. Hailey audibly "Ewwed" as the neck twisted back into position, and the head settled into its usual place.

"The things I do for that man."

Hilda helped the newly resurrected Sasha out of the coffin while a second Sasha climbed out of a nearby car. For a few moments, the two circled each other, then one shimmered and took on bulk, returning to Su Jue's normal form.

Hailey tossed the keys to Su Jue. "Are you sure you can get her to somewhere safe."

"Yes. She just has to decide where she wants to go. I'm sure Yu Ran can call in favours wherever she decides, but I don't expect that'll be necessary."

She put an arm around Sasha and led her back to the car.

"You were incredible. You looked just like me."

"Think yourself lucky you didn't see me in the coffin."

Hailey returned to where Hilda was stowing the refolded coffin. "Where to now?"

"I don't know. I still haven't had any new commissions, although the money from Yu Ran for hiring the hearse more than makes up for it."

"And I've still got the bounty money. How about we go back to Utgard and blow it in a decadent weekend?"

Hilda shook her head, not sure how serious her friend was. "Don't you have to get back to work?"

"Eventually. I think I'm owed three months' leave at the last count."

Hilda shook her head again. "Get in. Maybe I'll just drive, and we'll find out where we're meant to be when we get there."

Chapter Text

"Ife!"

"Eeeeeep!"

Ife contracted in on herself and tried to hide inside her locker. "Bardon?"

She turned round, slamming the locker door behind her. "Er. Hi." She started to blush and tried to retreat into her hood. It flicked its tongue out at Bardon.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeh, yes." The blush deepened.

"It's just you seem more jumpy than usual, today."

"No. Er. I'm fine."

"Good. I got you these."

"What?"

Bardon produced a gift box secured with a big bow. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Um. Err." The blushed deepened further. It looked like her face was about to explode.

"Go on. Open it."

She opened the box. "Jellybeans?"

"Try the speckled white ones."

Ife reached into the box, picked out a sweet, and popped it in her mouth. Her eyes went wide. "Popcorn flavour!."

"I hope you enjoy the rest. See you at the mission briefing."

As he turned away, there was a rustle from behind him. "Bardon!" There was a certain desperation in her voice.

He turned back. Ife stood before her open locker with a card in her hand. "Ha, happy Valentine's Day. "

Now it was Bardon's turn to blush.

Chapter Text

It was the day of the match between the Union Untouchables and the Graywater Globetrotters. Both teams assembled on the diamond for the pre match pleasantries.

The captains shook hands, and Jin-Hee introduced her team, which included several Ops Chiefs.

"So. Are you going to introduce your team?" Jin-Hee indicated the motley collection of lower ranking Espers lined up behind Triki.

"But of course. Hoo's on first, Watt's on second, Eydunno's on third"

"You don't know his name?"

"Yes. I do."

"Then, who's on first base?"

"Yes."

"What's his name?"

"No. Watt's on second. Hoo's on first."

"What are you asking me for? It's your team."

"I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. Hoo's the man on first base."

"I dunno."

"He's on third."

Jin-Hee was starting to get wound up. She took a deep breath before starting again.

"Have you got a man on first base?"

"Yes."

"Then who is he?"

"You got it."

"All I'm trying to find out is what's the guy's name on first base."

"Oh no. Watt's on second base."

"I'm not asking who's on second..."

"Hoo's on first. "

"That's what I'm trying to find out. What's the guy's name on first base?"

"Watt's the guy's on second. Hoo's on first."

"I dunno."

"He's on third. We're not talking about him."

"How did we get on third base?"

"You mentioned his name."

"If I mentioned his name? Who did I say was on third?"

"Hoo's on first."

"Stay off of first. What's the name of the man on third?"

"Watt's on second."

"Then who's on third?"

"Hoo's on first."

"I dunno!"

"Third base."

Jin-Hee's Esper was flaring up, and steam was visibly coming out of her ears.

"Look, your pitcher. You must have a pitcher." A young Harpy waved from behind Triki. "Can you please tell me her name?"

"Tamarra."

"Why won't you tell me today???"

In the end, Jin-Hee's game was decidedly off- and Graywater won the match by two runs. They then went on to win the series.

Chapter Text

"Koharu! Can I have a word?"

"Of course, Eira san." Koharu gave a very elegant bow to the other woman. "What do you need me for?"

"I was wondering if you might be free on Sunday evening?"

Koharu thought for a moment. "I am, Eira san. What do you want me to do?"

"I was hoping I might borrow your Jingling Johny for the concert we're performing."

Koharu looked confused. "My what?"

"Your Jingling Johny, Turkish crescent..." Eira's eyes glanced up and down the lengths of Koharu's staff.

"Oh. My shakujo. Why would you need that in a symphony orchestra?"

"We've been doing a series of concerts highlighting the different families of instruments. Last month, Sally performed Mozart's fourth horn concerto. This month, we will be focusing on percussion."

Koharu still looked blank.

"We want to do Beethoven's Turkish March. It was one of the first orchestral works to include a percussion section. And, one of the instruments used is the Jingling... stick with bells on."

Koharu thought. "But I use my Shakujo when I'm dancing. I've never played it just as an instrument, or with other people."

"Please." Eira pleaded. "We're rehearsing this afternoon, and I know you don't have any urgent duties. I checked with Raven before asking you."

"You can be really insistent. " Koharu replied, but she was wearing her number seven smile, which showed she was warming to the idea. Eira nodded, her eyes wide and a smile on her own face. "OK. I'll come to the rehearsal. But if I don't get on, you'll have to find someone else."

The rehearsal room was filling up when Eira and Koharu entered, with musicians taking their places and starting to tune up. Eira led her to the back of the orchestra, where she was introduced to the other percussionists. Then, she returned to the podium.

Less than half of the orchestra was present, but Eira didn't seem to be worried. The oboeist played an A, and the other players finished their tuning.

Eira lifted her baton. As she conducted, ghostly images of the missing instruments appeared, floating in mid air, to add their voices to the piece.

Koharu shut her eyes and beat the Shakujo against the floor, making the bells ring loudly across the room.

Eira tapped her lectern. "Koharu!"

She was too late. Koharu ended her pirouette by colliding with the frame of the tubular bells. There was an almighty crash.

"Five minutes, everyone."

Koharu was still apologising when the rest of the orchestra was ready to start again. "It's no good. I can't play the Shakujo without dancing! And why do you need me anyway, when you can just summon the instruments to play? "

A handsome, dark skinned man, got up from his position as first cello and took her free hand.

"Because, sweet lady, for a musician, the true joy is in performing. If our performance can bring joy to others, even better." He kissed her hand. "Let me get you a drink after rehearsal, and I can explain it more fully. My name is..."

"FABRICE! PUT. HER. DOWN!"

Fabice let go of her hand and sheepishly returned to his seat.

"He does have a point, though. I could summon an entire phantom orchestra, and there are times when that's the right thing to do, but when we play together, we all add part of our souls to the piece so that it becomes greater than any recording or simulation. That's the magic of live music.

Several heads were nodding in agreement. Fabrice raised his hand. "When Sally did the Mozart, she had a podium next to yours, Same when I did the Elgar. Why not highlight her part in the performance by letting her have a small stage beside you?"

"That might just work. Koharu. Would you be prepared to dance and play in front of a packed auditorium?"

"It's what I live for, Eira san."

OK. Let's try it. Strings. Move your chairs one row backwards while I move the podium."

The concert was a huge success, and Koharu's dance got a standing ovation. Afterwards, when they were having drinks in the bar, Eira asked Koharu how she'd enjoyed it.

"Fabice is right. Much of the joy is in the performance and feeling it come together with the other players."

"Now you're starting to understand how I feel about conducting. You're not after my job, are you?"

Koharu returned smile number fifteen. "Well. I do have a stick."

Chapter Text

It had been raining non-stop for nine days, and on and off for weeks before. People's moods were starting to match the grey of the skies.

Daylon carried his tray across the cafeteria to an empty seat, careful not to knock anything or anybody over with his tail. As he sat, he noticed that his neighbour was looking somewhat down in the dunps.

"What's the matter, Chang Pu?" He asked the delicate Esper, as she picked at her meal. "Chang Pu?"

"Oh. Daylon. I was miles away." She dropped her chopsticks beside her plate and looked forlornly at her salad. "I'm alright. "

"You don't look alright. You look like someone's taken away your favourite toy and flushed it down the toilet."

"Almost." She sighed. I have some special plants growing in one of the greenhouses. They only flower once every seven years, and they should be flowering now. Only it's too dark for them. I've tried using lamps, but it's no good. They need proper sunshine."

Daylon took a bite from his burger and thought as he chewed. "Maybe we should bring the sun to them."

A heavy bass riff rang out through the accommodation block as Daylon and Chang Pu entered. Daylon rapped on one of the doors.

"Lucas. LUCAS!"

The music cut off, and the door opened just enough for a head to poke out.

"Man! Please don't say you're going to complain. I didn't expect anyone else to be here, that's why I use this time to practice."

"We're not here to complain. We've come because we need your help." Daylon said.

"Although it was a little loud." Chang Pu added.

Lucas opened the door fully and stood, wearing only an unbuttoned shirt and his boxers, looking at the two other Espers. He raised an eyebrow. "You need my help? What is this, make fun of Lucas on his day off?"

"We're serious." Daylon said, and he and Chang Pu explained the problem in the greenhouse.

"Well. I suppose I'd better put some pants on."

The rain was even heavier when they left the accommodation block, and a small river flowed along the path to the greenhouse.

Lucas carried a large multicoloured umbrella, protecting himself, Chang Pu, and his guitar, which was concealed in its case across his back from the downpour.

Daylon, on the other hand, had taken off his jacket and was enjoying the feel of the water on his scales.

Chang Pu opened the greenhouse, and they went inside. The air inside was warm and humid and hung with the heavy aroma of vegetation. But it was dark to the eyes, as if the clouds were a physical barrier that kept out any light. The dim fluorescent tubes overhead did little to brighten their way between the plants, nor Chang Pu's mood.

"These are the ones." She said, indicating some pots containing small, bushy herbs. While they were covered buds, their leaves were starting to turn yellow from lack of light, and they looked distinctly unhealthy.

Lucas nodded and unslung his guitar.

"Are you going to play to them?" Daylon asked.

"Might as well." Lucas replied as he took the guitar from its case and put the strap over his shoulder. "It lets me focus my powers, same as my bow. I feel stronger with one of them in my hands."

He plucked at the strings, retuning them to the moist atmosphere. Then he started playing a slow, almost mournful tune.

"I know that!" Chang Pu exclaimed. "I've heard Eira play it."

"Air on a G string. I adapted Eira's transcription for bass guitar." As he played, the light from the sunburst on his chest intensified and spread across his body until he was glowing like a miniature sun.

Chang Pu and Daylon had to turn away as the music fugued slightly, and he began to sing.

"We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor..."

As his light spread throughout the greenhouse, the plants began to react, becoming greener and turning, with accelerated phototropism, towards him. The herbs lost their yellow tinge, and their buds slowly started to open.

"...her face, at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale."

As he completed the chorus, he used his Devine Power to reconfigure his guitar into its bow form and fired an arrow of pure light into the heavens. It burst against the cloud bank like a Tangton New Year firework.

The greenhouse was quiet, save for the gentle pattering of rain. After a pause, Chang Pu began to clap, and Daylon quickly followed suit. "That was amazing!" She said as she spun around, taking in the improvements to the plants around her. There were tears of joy in her eyes. Her special herbs were in full bloom, and she was back to her normal, happy self.

"You did good, man.." Daylon added, giving Lucas a high five.

"If ever you need a place to practise, I'm sure the plants would welcome your playing."

Outside, the rain settled into a mild drizzle, and the clouds began to part, and the sun shone down on Gyrate for the first time in almost a month.

Chapter Text

Mona was rifling through a box of back issues at her local comic shop, looking for anything that might fill a gap in her collection. Her eyes suddenly fell upon a near mint copy of Sunflower Warrior #12. "Yessss!"

A customer who had been chatting quietly to the proprietor turned to face the source of the outburst.

"Are you OK, miss?"

Mona bolted upright, somewhat taken aback.

"Sorry. I just found something I've wanted for a long time." She gave the man a puzzled look. "Don't I know you? "

"I'm not him. You're mistaken. You'd be amazed how many people make that mistake."

"No. "I'm sure I know that voice. You were the VA for Seedling in the early Sunflower Warrior video games."

The man, caught out by her comment, replied softly. "That was a long time ago."

"I knew it." Mona sprinted round the tables to get to the cash desk and the man.

The man sighed, removed his hat, and bowed theatrically. "Alas. I am undone. Guilty as charged."

The shop owner's jaw dropped, and he only managed a awe filled "Ikki?"

Ikki groaned. "More fans. I hoped that I'd been forgotten by now."

"Ikki?" Mona was trying her best not to appear too starstruck. "That wasn't the name you used for the games."

"Ah. I was just starting and needed the work before I got my break in movies. Once I had made my name, I no longer had time for voice acting."

"So that's why the character sounded different in the anime. Whoever it was wasn't as good. Why did you stop acting."

"I stopped making films for...family reasons. But I have never stopped acting!" He regarded the young woman in front of him. "Well. You know who I am but who are you?" His tones matched those of the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. All he needed was the hookah.

"Oh. I'm Mona."

He took her hand and kissed it. "And what does a Mona do when she's not harassing has-been actors?"

"I play video games, collect comics and other merch. I sometimes watch old movies. And I'm an Ops Chief for the Esper Union."

Ikki lifted an eyebrow. "The Union? You need to watch out for the Shadow Decree. They could be anywhere."

"Oh, I've handed them before and will do again if I have to."

"Such confidence in one so young."

"But what about you? There are a lot of new games being made that would really appreciate being able to call upon a voice actor of your calibre. You could always go back to your old VA name if you wanted to remain incognito."

Ikki thought for a second. "You know, you're might be on to something there. But alas. I must depart ere I am inundated with fans."

"Would you sign this? Before you go? And maybe a selfie?"

"Of course."

Ikki signed the cover of the comic book that Mona presented to him, and the storekeeper took a photo of the pair of them in front of a poster from one of his films.

As he turned to leave, he took a couple of signed, publicity photos from his pocket. "One for you, good sir. May I suggest that you auction or raffle the other amongst your clientele and give the profits to a worthy cause. Adieu. Parting is such sweet sorrow. "

Thrn he was gone.

Mona began to get her things together. "Oh. I nearly forgot." She handed over the comic and reached for her purse.

"That'll be 65.99."

"What?!?!"

"Well. It's a signed copy."

Mona glared at the man. He cringed back behind the register.

"Only for such a loyal customer, I suppose I could put it back to the original price.