Alexandra reaches the main group, still visibly Ill, holding a knife, a severed head, and Riding atop a car. Her Outfit is so damaged as for her to basically be undisguised. Surely, Camilla is amused to see the girl who had bribed her for gossip about her sister come running out of the darkness bearing a weapon and a severed head.
Where's Balor. I lost my thing in the explosion, but... there's gotta be a way we can improv that... f$~+... We need that essence. she says, looking over the Bronwyns and Shayera and Camilla. And, we kinda need a team meeting, You know why. she says, gesturing to the Bronwyn she thinks is the original.
"Hey you," she says with a weak smile. "Still got the a&~+@+@ under lock and key?"
Camila squeezes her eyes tightly shut, muttering to herself, "Fine. I said fine! But don't try anything or- okay." She peeled one eye open, looking confused at Bronwyn's costume change, but she focuses on Shayera instead. "He's not fighting, but he wants to talk to you all. I don't think it's a trick, the chains he came with are gone, and... oh I'll just let him explain!"
Camila's posture suddenly shifts, the tension and fear she'd been bunched up with oozing away as the world around her sharpens. Every jagged piece of rebar, or chunk of concrete, even the cracked lenses of her glasses practically glimmer with hunger.
"Puppy, Fake-Bran, I'm impressed. I didn't think you and yours could take down the Big B- no offense Fake-B -without the help of a real god, even if he was just stuck in an idol.
"So, here's the sitch. I'm not going anywhere. Being Balor's blade wasn't my idea of a good time, but I've gotta say, from what the girl's been sharing with me, there's an awful lot of you interesting types around these days... And that sounds fun," Efnysien pulled Camila's face into a wicked smile, "For both of us, actually.
"Deal's pretty simple. She gets the body, mostly, as long as she keeps things interesting, and I'll keep it safe. Or at least whole. Whenever it's my turn, she keeps a veto over any plans." He sighed heavily, "She's already got a pretty long list of don'ts."
"And I don't have to explain what happens if we don't all get along happy-like, do I?" He gave a slow predatory smile that was abruptly interrupted as he muttered, "Kid, I'm doing a whole thing here. I'm not threatening them and you know- Fine. She wants to talk to you."
Her posture changed again, though it didn't seem as fearful as before. "Yeah, umm like he said. I'm gonna make him fight supervillains!"
Alexandra approached in distress and disarray.
"Is the meeting because Tia Bronwyn is Fake-Bran?
And am I on the team?"
So much for the shapeshifter plan. It should've sent her heart racing in a panic, but knowing there really wasn't anything else to say made Bronwyn feel almost... at peace.
"Uhh, you're gonna have to give us a moment on that 'lita." Especially if you and Efnysien are listening to each other so closely.
"We'll talk about the deal you two cooked up also." She unconsciously fiddled with the shrunken Gae-Dearg. "I have a lot of questions." And some answers I need to double check.
"But uh, yeah Alexandra, still need a fix there, but I think I can do the Gae-Dearg thing again now that we've got the time to get it right. Or maybe the Eyeblighted if you want to go the whole 'Eau du Balor' route? The mechs are broken and buried, and I kept him out of Alexis when he tried to be sneaky...
"We should really get them, huh? And hey, is K- Machina okay in there?"
Wingblade forces aside her pain and exhaustion when Efnysien takes control of Camila to talk. She refuses to show him any sign of weakness, though she could barely stand. She glowers at him, looking for any sign that he may take advantage of the control Camila had given him.
She doesn't say anything back to him; it was taking everything she had to stay on her feet without trembling.
She relaxes when Camila is back, talking about fighting supervillains. She didn't really agree with that, but she wasn't going to make an issue of it right now, either. Though it was clear that both Camila and Efnysien were aware of what was going on, no matter who was in the driver's seat.
And Effy's 'ultimatum' really pissed her off.
She summons a last reserve of energy to put a bright smile on her face. "Like, omigawd!" she says in a bubbly voice. "You're going to be a superhero! That's soo cool! We'll need to get you a really cute superhero outfit, like, with a cute skirt and maybe a short cape... And a superawesome name, like Sparklepunch, or Mighty Lass!" She finishes with a girlish giggle, gives Camila a wink, then stumbles back to the team meeting.
Shayera's legs give out, her last bit of strength just expended. She falls to one knee, like in a football huddle, and leans heavily on Bronwyn. Her ability to keep the pain at bay falters, but she tries to focus on what's being said. "'Eau du Balor'? I don't under--"
She finds it hard to stay upright, as her head swims through an ocean of pain. "I-- I don't feel so good."
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As the car approached the group, it did not stop nor even slow down, forcing Silver Shadow to either jump or fall off if she wished to rendezvous with the group as it continued along to whatever its pre-programmed safe zone was.
Alexandra's face drops as she hears Camila speak in a very Un-Camila voice. Efnysien. We staged a huge rescue for Efnysien. Of f#~%ing course. she gesticulates wildly with what might be Carnwennan
Noticing Bronwyns withering stare, she hastily ammends No, I know, we staged a huge deal escue for Camila. But I was hoping we'd get Ancient Celt Q, and instead we get aweird entitled ancient frat boy.
She puts the knife in what remained of her belt, and surpresses a cough. If you think you can fix me, B. But let's move quickly, I can feel the fever rising again.she gestures to the visible sweat on her brow.
A sudden spark overtakes her, and she holds up the head. Who here speaks welsh, he was speaking earlier...
The ruined scrap of the crane suddenly shifts. Pulling themselves out of the wreckage and off of a particularly sharp edge that had impaled their thigh, Alexis walks out - still cut up and torn, but all of the flesh healing rapidly, their face still Bronwyn's as they approach the group.
"...Hi." They say awkwardly as they look at Bronwyn, before glancing and making a head count. Seeing Kaoru's car and Alexandra and Shayera and Camila, they relax a bit more. The sword and sheathe they had a death grip on are completed, held by their side. "...I'm sorry I stole your face. I didn't mean to."
Then they clutch their stomach as a practically feral growl came from their innards. This had been a stressful fight. Alexis was ravenous. "...Can we go somewhere else now? With food? And make sure everyone is well?"
"Uhh..." Don't encourage her, Shayera! "...Yeah. Maybe a cape. Maybe." Don't pick her up, she doesn't want to be picked up in front of people, but that hand needs a surgeon, and that's not me... She broke out of jail or something, right? How arrested is she gonna be?
"We'll talk later about the face thing, Mercy, but it's... It'll be fine."
She blinks drily at Alexandra's assessments, notably glancing between a very dead severed head and the Silver Shadow's fever-spotted brow. "Good points. A. Yeah I speak a bit of Welsh for in case he starts talking. But just in case he doesn't come back to life, lemme see what I can do."
She re-extended the spear, and laid it carefully across Alexandra's brow.
This time she wasn't bleeding, wasn't concussed, except for an ugly new scar that circled her neck she didn't have a mark on her, but drawing Balor's curse from Alexandra was even simpler than she'd guessed. Should this really be easier now that I'm not Bran? What the heck does that mean?
"So uhh... Are there authorities we can call who'll get here ahead of the SCA? Camila, you and me are gonna need to have a chat, a real chat-" "And Wingblade? Wingblade too, right?!"
Bronwyn bit the inside of her cheek in irritation. "Yeah, probably all of us, honestly. Until we do that, are you okay with telling people that you're okay, that uh, Wingblade and Mercy, and Machina and Silver Shadow saved you, but that you don't remember much else? I don't want to ask you to lie, but this is kinda complicated, comprende? We want to figure out how to keep everyone safe."
"So... do we have someone good to call? Would've been easier if we could all just hop in Machina's new... car? Invisi-mobile? Decepticon? But if it's going to be the SCA that's picking Camila up, I think Mercy might be the only one who can go with her..."
Shayera's attention floated in and out of a haze of pain. Did a car drive by, nearly hitting them? That seemed out of place. And she was seeing two Bronwyns, but she could only smell one.
Wait, no... Alexis... looks like Bronwyn now? That made sense for some reason.
Voices, too many voices, were around her. Situational awareness her mentor always stressed. She'd been pushed to her limits before, but this felt like she'd gone waaay beyond. She should listen. Observe. The sickly-sweet odor of disease caught her attention, and then it disappeared. She focused once again and saw Bronwyn using the spear on Alexandra. Should she be doing that? She'll figure out Bron's secret identity.
Her mind played around with that, and with the scent of Bran and Bran's blood that she was picking up nearby. But it didn't alarm her like it should, since Bronwyn was right there.
She tried to focus more, since more words were being said. Something about hopping in a car, and the SCA picking them up.
"What about the van?" Shayera mumbles. "It's ah... over there?" she waves her mangled hand in the direction of the SCA paddy wagon and sees that it's still turned on its side. "Oh. That's gonna be a problem."
"I've got it!" Camila, sprinted towards the van, practically falling over herself as she went much faster than she was prepared for. With a squeeze that made the powered-down van groan, she picked the whole thing up and set it down roughly, a brand new hand-print pressed into its side by her grip.
"Uh, way to go, 'lita." Oh boy. She'd better get better at hiding that...
"Silver Shadow, you up to drive?" Bronwyn hopped into the back, scanning the seating to see where Shayera would fit best. "Might fit better if you can charm your wings away for a little bit. You up for that?"
"Hey Miss Shadow?" Camila had slid into the shotgun seat and was looking at her expectantly. "Do they tell stories about Efnysien that aren't true? He thinks your frat boy joke is funny, but he won't tell me why?"
"...Huh." Shayera says flatly. The pain starts screaming louder in her head as she tries to push herself up to her feet to walk the few hundred feet to the van. It might as well have been a few hundred miles.
Her world blurs and suddenly her cheek is pressed against the rough ground. Huh? Just as she realizes that she had fallen, the agony radiating from her wing presses down on her like a weight.
People are around her. Friends, allies, teammates, (enemies); she can't let them see her like this. She puts a hand to the ground to push against the excruciating pain piling bricks of agony upon her back. It buckles instantly -- wrong hand -- and a new lance of blinding-white pain courses her through her wrist and into her side.
Shayera rolls onto her side. Her eyes fall on Camila and desperately she draws herself up to her feet before Efnysien can sense her weakness.
Her skin is pale and ashen in the distant street lights of Rustside. She tries to keep from trembling but can't stop it. She plants her feet and doesn't make a move toward the van.
"I can't," she whispers to Bronwyn. "I can't let him see me like this. Her too. He did this to my wing."
Her head suddenly whips around and she stares at an area of deep shadow away from the SCA van.
"Okay..." Alexis said as Bronwyn and Camila went to the van. Despite having erupted into a fireball earlier, apparently it was built to endure such catastrophic failure. It was still rather nerve-wracking to see Camila still have the strength to lift and place it down in its proper place. What concerned them more however was how Shayera was still unsteady and unable to walk.
As they knelt by her when she fell, Alexis took her by the arm that she didn't seem to feel such pain in and tried to help her up to her feet. They noticed there's still blood seeping from their own arm - the spear wound Efnysien gave them needed to be dealt with sooner or later, and Alexis was all for later. Shayera was the priority here.
"We need to go. Then we can...do other stuff. People will be here soon," They said, trying to get Shayera to come with them into the back of the van. "What's the plan, Bronwyn?"
Alexandra adjust the car, and snaps on her seatbelt (which would concern any astute teammates, she never wears a seatbelt), and gets moving before talking to Camila. Okay, The Greatly Abridged Second Branch of of The Mabinogi! Once upon a time, three sibling, and their... either step or half brother, I'm sure Effy will tell you. Two boys, brave and bold, Bran the Blessed, and Manawydan, and a girl, young but of the Wise. Her name was Branwyn,a dn until about 15 minutes ago, I was half-convinced your Aunty was hosting her spirit, returned from the mists of time. she stops for a moment to glare at the rear-View Mirror
She raises her voice to be certainly heard.
Sorry, your aunty and I have some history. Back to the story The family, who are welsh, decide to sell the daughter off in marriage to the king of Ireland... which I would have sworn was 4 kingdoms, but I'm s+#$ at that stuff. anyway, the king arrives for a great feast, and the family brokers the deal. an alliance for the low-low price of a wife... people did stuff like that once upon a time. it was horrible. Alexandra pauses to take a long drink of water
then Effy hears about this. and he's mad because he wasn't consulted, and he reacted to his agency being disregarded with far less Grace than his Half/Step sister did. he killed and mutilated the horses of the Irish, and caused a diplomatic incident that was only smoothed over when Manny gave over a cauldron that raises dead people put into it.
anyway, the Irish king is still miffed, and he treats Branwyn cruelly, Beats her and makes her slave away in his kitchens. Eventually, Branwyn ensorcells a messengers, a sparrow, to fly over the sea, and tell her brothers of her plight. and they go to war to save her. but Her husband was kinda scared of the Big guy, and agreed to build him a house big enough to fit him,a nd put Branwyn and His kid on the throne, because they had, in fact, had a kid... which I'm sure was REAL pleasant for Branwyn
So, a bunch of Irish guys dislike this, and try to hide in bags and ambush the Welshmen, but Effy finds them, and crushes their heads, one by one, with his bare hands. and they all have a victory feast to crown Branwyns son... and Effy decided to throw Branwyn's kid in the fire for some f+@&ing reason... Maybe he just hadn't watched everything go to s+@$ enough. anyway, this makes the war flair up, because OF COURSE IT DOES.
And they Welsh are losing the war, because the Irish are resurrecting their dead with the Cauldron. so Effy gets an Idea. In the one decent thing he ever did, he pretends to be dead, and gets put in the cauldron, and destroys it from the inside, sacrificing himself to do so. and then the Welsh win, though only Bran, Branwyn, and seven Welsh soldiers survive, and Bran is hit with a poisoned arrow, and is beheaded so his head can be buried under the Tower of London or something like that. and Branwyn dies of grief for everyone she;s lost, which is basically just her son and Bran cause everyone else was an a&!$@$~ or a redshirt.
Two boys, brave and bold, Bran the Blessed, and Manawydan, and a girl, young but of the Wise. Her name was Branwyn,and until about 15 minutes ago, I was half-convinced your Aunty was hosting her spirit, returned from the mists of time.
Camila loosely suppressed a laugh at Alexandra's yelling, and probably at whatever Efnysien was telling her, "He says your pronunciation is- I'm not gonna swear He says it's, uh, bad. Also, that Branwyn sounds like a boy's name anyways."
The family, who are Welsh, decide to sell the daughter off in marriage to the king of Ireland...
Camila cocked her head, "He says she wasn't sold, and the cauldron was Bran's not Manawydan's. Though you're right that he wasn't asked about the alliance with the- I said I'm not gonna swear!"
After that, Camila listened attentively and without interruption for a while, tapping her foot along with a tune that only she could hear when Alexandra talked about Efnysien crushing skulls with his bare hands.
But when the discussion turns to the death of Branwen's child, her face contorts, her hands shake, and Gae-Buidhe suddenly expands, tearing a hole through the passenger door before she re-shrinks it with a strangled sob.
She turned her face to where Bran's severed head was tucked away, and after a quick nod, her sorrow redoubled, covered over with a jagged rage.
"Fran? Fran? Agorwch eich llygaid ar hyn o bryd Bendigeidfran! Nid wyf yn poeni am y Gyfraith; rydych chi'n siarad â mi ar hyn o bryd, damniwch chi. Dyna beth rydych chi'n gadael iddyn nhw gredu? Fy mod wedi lladd fy nai fy hun er gwaethaf?"
The head remained silent.
"So... why did you kill Gwern?"
Camila smashed through the seat as Efnysien flung her body straight for Bronwyn, clawing with all her strength at the startled hero before suddenly curling up into a fetal ball, clutching at her head.
"-m'not gonna let you. I'm not gonna let you. I'm not gonna let you. I'm not... Okay. He stopped trying to kill you." She straightened, but her body was still tense, adrenaline practically pouring off of her like she'd just avoided a car crash.
"I think... He's not talking, but I think Gwern was like me. There was something else in him that even Branwen couldn't get out." Her voice shifted, sliding out of her as though it was being dragged across broken glass. "That's my gift, all the Children have one. I can kill anything. Even things that would be too hard for anyone else."
***
Wingblades head suddenly whipped around and she stared at an area of deep shadow away from the SCA van.
"Hey, you should stay with us. Stronger together and all that, right? Plus, do you really want him to know all your tricks if things do go bad?" Probably better if you're around people who want to keep you out of the Red for now too.
"Hey, you should stay with us. Stronger together and all that, right? Plus, do you really want him to know all your tricks if things do go bad?" Probably better if you're around people who want to keep you out of the Red for now too.
Shayera shakes her head desperately. "No. It's a predator thing. You'll be safer without me there." She swallows hard, fear touching her eyes. "He could kill me on a whim. I don't want to put that temptation in front of him."
She glances over to the area shrouded in darkness. "It's fine. He won't know. They'll take care of me. Get me back home." She leans in for a kiss, but it's more like falling forward lips-first. Whether she finds a suitable spot on Bronwyn to kiss or not, she gives her a pain-laced smile. "Take care of your niece. I'll see you tomorrow."
She peels off and laboriously makes her way to the area of deep shadow.
"Wingbl-" Alexis tries to get to her, but is too slow to do much of anything. Their vision swims in front of them for a few moments as they get another hunger pang. They blink several times and try to keep themselves together as their friend disappears into the shadows.
There was a lot to unpack tonight. A lot they wanted to continue to talk about. Wingblade having gone, they looked over to where Kaoru's car had driven off into the night. Realizing something that made things a bit more awkward.
"...My armor is in his car still." They pointed out to Bronwyn. "I can't be Mercy without it. I guess...um, the armor is my Bran?" They suggest based on what Alexandra had been saying. Showing that they understood the highlights. "...This is confusing. I'm sorry. I really need to eat."
The car smoothly pulled into what appeared to be an abandoned alleyway. It sent out a short burst of energy, prompting part of the grungy brick wall to slide open to show an old-looking room. It entered, sending out a second brief pulse that closed the secret entrance once more and started the elevator's smooth, silent descent. After only a couple of minutes, the elevator halted, opening up into a short hallway that lead to what appeared to be a small parking garage. Here the car came to a silent halt.
A moment later a pair of arms clad in sleek, black armor pulled the door open, unbuckling the seatbelt from the still unconscious driver. They effortlessly lifted the small form and began carrying him away, down more hallways and through more doors until coming to a room with a capsule-like structure. There was a puff of dust as the top half was rolled back to reveal a padded interior. Placing Kaoru inside, the figure quickly patted his form down, pulling his cell phone from his pocket. He then snapped open a briefcase, taking a syringe gun from it and injecting a blue liquid into the side of the boy's neck. A faint pulse seemed to travel down his veins from the injection site outwards before the top of the capsule was rolled back, sealing him inside.
The figure moved over to a nearby computer, turning it on with a few button presses before blowing the screen clear of yet more dust. The machine booted slowly, like a child reluctant to leave the warmth of their bed on an early school morning. As the machine went through its launch list, the purloined phone was plugged into another device taken from the briefcase. This time the loading bar that popped up filled in a matter of seconds before the phone was unplugged again and put to one side.
A few minutes later, the computer finally finished booting. There was a low hum as the capsule powered on and this time only a few moments later, a diagram of a human form popped up along with a variety of notes. A few clicks and keystrokes later, comments detailing severe internal bleeding, swelling of the frontal lobe, and a punctured lung were added below the generated comments on a couple of hairline fractures and severe bruising. Another click and an old printer was wearily printing the document out. A bit more interaction and the low hum of the capsule intensified as the machine started to do its work.
Frustration tugged at the corners of her eyes. You and K are really gonna dump this whole thing on me, huh?
"Okay. If this is what you want to do, I won't stop you." And if they use this moment to take you, I **will** find you. Unconsciously she scratched at her new scar. "I've gotta check in with Mary-Beth, and my parents, but I'll be by later tonight. Abacus is still down, right?"
***
"...My armor is in his car still. I can't be Mercy without it. I guess...um, the armor is my Bran? ...This is confusing. I'm sorry. I really need to eat."
"Yeah, uh, we'll get you some food soon, okay? Can you hold out for a little bit though? We've gotta get Alexandra back to her people for some medical attention, and bring Camila-" Ugh! Without their armor to show they're Mercy, there's no one to drop off Camila safely with the cops. Well, no one who didn't get themselves arrested by the SCA at least. Thanks for driving off, Kaoru! Great leadership! "-back to her parents. Then we'll get you home for some food." And to figure out what the heck is going on with your face!
Shayera manages to recognize the look Bronwyn was giving her. There's a moment when she looks over at the van and tries to summon whatever reserves she's got left -- and fails. "I-- It hurts."
Breathing becomes really hard for her. "I don't have my charm. It's home. Maybe it'll..." Shayera twitches her head to indicate her wing behind her.
"I'll see you," she whispers, then half-sways, half-staggers her way to the deep shadows and disappears.
====================
She feels familiar hands gather her up. The pain is a loud, ringing noise in her head and dancing colors in her vision. She senses a moment where something is pulled over her face, but the pain is too much for all of them. She's suddenly herself again.
Xiu Ying drifts in and out of consciousness, and dreamlike visions assails her. She sees tiger masks and cauldron-born, angry red eyes lost amongst a red-rimmed world and through it all, she feels a stabbing pain shooting from her back and radiating throughout her whole being.
She can't tell how much time had passed, or how she was moved. She just knew darkness and felt a series of moments of being awake and knowing only pain. They came fleetingly, but they lasted far too long thanks to the screaming agony from her back.
At last, the greatest of mercies happens when something is pulled over her head. The agony ceases almost instantly, and Xiu Ying's vision clears as she feels the familiar weight of the Chinese charm around her neck. Though still exhausted, the sudden absence of pain wakes her up and clears her thoughts. She looks around her at the three blank and expressionless tiger masks as one by one, the girls wearing them reach up and lift them away from their faces.
Faces that are wet with tears.
Shu Zi scowls at her. <Do not do something like that again.>
Xiu Ying blinks, looking around. She sees that she's in her overlarge bed at her apartment, surrounded by her sisters. Shu Zi huffs and storms out of her cavernous bedroom, leaving her with Yin Ying and Yu Hiu. They both look at her sternly.
She smiles weakly at them. <Thank you.>
Yu gives a pointed glance at Yin, who rolls her eyes and heads out of the bedroom. Several minutes later, she returns with a piping hot bowl of instant ramen. Xiu tries to take the bowl and chopsticks, but her current one-handed state makes it difficult. Yu Hiu sighs and takes over the duties of holding the bowl in front of Xiu, who ravenously starts devouring the noodles.
Yin Ying stays in the bedroom while Yu steadily holds the bowl of broth and noodles in front of Xiu Ying. <We need to talk,> Yin starts.
She pauses, noodle-laden chopsticks halfway to her mouth, and gulps. <I--> Xiu begins.
Yu Hiu interrupts. <Actually, you need to listen. Then think. Then give us an answer.> At Xiu Ying's wide-eyed stare, she motions to her. <Keep eating.>
Yin Ying walks over the the door and calls for Shu Zi. After a couple moments, she shows up in the bedroom, arms folded and scowling.
Yu begins. <You really scared us tonight. We thought you were going to die. First this chase after Bronwyn's relative, then the attack against Omega, and then this,> she gestures to her hand and overall injured state.
Xiu Ying swallows the last of the noodles in the bowl, though her stomach twisted in guilt. <I didn't have a choice. It's hard to explain, but-->
<Oh, we understand. You're a 'super hero.'> Her voice drips with contempt. <You use us for our powers. You pretend you're not a Daughter unless you need us. You use us to attack your enemies, then forget about us. We're tools to you, 'Wingblade,' nothing more.>
Xiu Ying looks up at Yu with wide, guilty eyes. She then meets the harsh stares of her other sisters. Silence fills her bedroom with tension as the truth in Yu Hiu's words hits her as hard as any shot she'd taken this evening.
They were right. She'd kept them at arm's length, letting Whippoorwill's mistrust and Bronwyn's feelings of betrayal drive a wedge between her and her sisters. Even though she'd shared their very thoughts and knew that there was nothing to be concerned about.
A tear rolls down Xiu Ying's cheek, stinging the cut still there. Her shoulders slump and she looks down at her lap. <You're right. I... I guess I just took you all for granted. Like you're all just a gift I received, something I could pull out and use when I needed, and put you back in the box when I was done.> She leans forward further in her bed until her lowered head was nearly touching her thighs. <I'm sorry. You probably don't want me as a sister anymore, right?>
Yin Ying's head tilts. <What? No! Xiu, the other girls who won the tournament in the past, they weren't good for anything. They'd been trained so hard they didn't know anything else.>
<Except Min. She was a psychopath,> Shu Zi mutters, still looking at her phone.
Yu gives her a look then lifts Xiu Ying's head up gently. <What they mean is, we like you. But we can't tell if you like us. You've got this life here, and you don't share it. You keep us away from the people you care for.
<We're your sisters, not your soldiers.>
Alexandra ruffles a little at the pronunciation jab. Effy can bite me. she says And I'm not surprised he wouldn't consider her sold. He's not a nice person, Cammy.
and then... Camilla launches herself at Bronwyn, and started shouting, before tearing up and saying how Effy had stopped.
Brilliant, just what this team needed. Not that she's on the team, But she's our responsibility regardless, Another super with a super-powered evil side.
She stops the car suddenly, pulling over, and turns on Camilla as she starts talking about killing. No. Just no. That's not on your shoulders. That's not your job. You're a child, and new to this, and for f$~@s sake, what do you mean Your power? Who are "The Children"?
Camila screws her eyes shut and shakes her head to clear it. "Not... not my gift. His. And he means Bran and Branwen, and Nysien and Manawydan... You know, the, uh... gods."
Alexandra offers a flask to Camila, hastily snatches it away, and then proffers her flask of Espresso. That might make you feel a little better. and your Tia probably has something to help too, unless she's the one athlete who doesn't carry Ibuprofen in her bag/
Okay. So Effnisien was the slayer. Branwyn the sorceress, Manny the enchanter... what is Bran, here? How does this happy little family do their thing? she says, watching as the girl internally converses with Effnisien, watching for his tells as she needles old wounds.
"Yeah, uh, we'll get you some food soon, okay? Can you hold out for a little bit though? We've gotta get Alexandra back to her people for some medical attention, and bring Camila back to her parents. Then we'll get you home for some food."
Alexis paused, thinking for a few moments and realizing that perhaps they didn't have a home to go to right now. Not the penthouse where the Triakosia knew to look. Not Hex's place. Certainly not on the street of the past couple days either, without their armor. It was more complicated than they would have liked.
"...Okay. I'm glad that Camila is safe," They tell Bronwyn. "...Do you think Wingblade and Machina are going to be okay?" Compartmentalize the problem, set it aside, look at something else for now.
"It's not Dungeons & Dragons, Shadow. Overclassification can get you into trouble."
***
"Yeah, Shayera will be okay; she's tough, just needs a chance to shake things off. And Machina didn't get hurt did he?" I probably freaked him out again with the whole death-defying thing... No wonder he left. "Tonight's been kind of a lot, I'm sure he'll be ready to take the lead again tomorrow."
The first thing Kaoru was aware of was the rhythmic schhhhck schhhhck sound of metal scraping against something. Then he became aware of the gentle whirring of a fan. Then the memories of the fight hit him in all one go, and he tried not to panic. Where was he? Had he been captured? Slowly he tried to crack his eyes open to get a look around, hopefully without being not-
"May as well stop pretendin' kid. I know you're not still out. I can hear it yer breathin'."
He immediately jerked up and away, hoping to put whatever he had been laying on -- a bed -- between himself and the man. The older man with the close-cropped silver hair and tight black armor who hadn't bothered to look up from where he seemed to be sharpening a very dangerous looking sword. Katana? No, similar but not quite right.
"If I were gonna kill ya, I would've done it while you were dead to the world. Now, don't get me wrong, I'd absolutely kill ya, kid or not, for the right price. But that weren't the the job."
"What was the job?" He didn't trust him. But the guy had a point. At the very least, he could have tied him to the bed or something if he were meant to be a prisoner. Unless the guy was cocky enough to think himself faster and smarter thus making restraints unnecessary.
The man shrugged. "If the emergency beacon went off, to meet ya here, deal with anyone following ya, patch ya up, and send you back on yer merry way. Oh, and ta give ya that letter ya managed ta knock on the floor with that flurry of movement."
Kaoru looked around, quickly locating the envelope on the floor, picking up it, and ripping it open to read the neatly typed letter within.
Cal -
The man across from you is Will Grayson. I have hired him to keep an eye on you and step in where appropriate to ensure your safety. Though I hope it will never come to that and that you will not read this note, heroing can be dangerous work. If you are, however, reading this, you at least trust that for now, he is on your side.
It was signed with a small mouse image followed by a little pyramid of woodchucks. While the fact that the letter had been sealed meant nothing, those little signs were enough to convince him on its authenticity.
"Gotta be honest, kid, wasn't expecting ta ever have ta go through on this particular job. 'Specially not so early. P told me you were on some hero team, so likely my services wouldn't be needed."
He looked up from the letter, frowning. "What do you mean?" He asked carefully. It probably wasn't a good idea to confirm that.
Grayson had now stopped sharpening his sword as was carefully examining its edge in the light. "Oh, I mean, I'm a merc. Wouldn't save my own ma if she weren't payin' me for it. But heroes, they're different, y'know? They go outta their way ta save total randos, forget about other members of their actual team. Thought for sure they'd keep you safe long before that car of yours had to activate its emergency protocol." Apparently satisfied that his blade was sharp enough, he sheathed in on his back. "Guess that's my fault fer assumin' that a 'hero team' in Halcyon City of all places meant a team with some high powered people. Guess you drew the short straw, gettin' saddled with a team of mundies who couldn't protect ya proper." He turned his steely blue eyes in Kaoru's direction.
It was Kaoru's turn to shrug, eyes darting away. "Well, it's not like I was badly hurt or any-"
He was interrupted by Grayson short bark of laughter. "Not badly hurt? Kid, ya almost died."
Kaoru looked back at him, face confused. He felt fine. Definitely not 'almost died' level of trauma. Wait, shouldn't his ribs still hurt? And there had been that wave of pain that had totally overwhelmed him and made the world go black....
"Yeah, I know. It don't hurt now. That was part of the contract: ta patch you up. It's kinda old tech though, so while ya might feel fine now, it'll take at least few days ta set properly and be permanent." Grayson snapped open a briefcase and pulled out a piece of paper. "This is the technical report. I was gonna send it ta P."
Warily, Kaoru took it and looked it over. He certainly wasn't pre-med or anything, but he could get the general gist of the laundry list of symptoms. And he was pretty sure brain swelling was always serious. Not to mention a punctured lung sounded pretty bad.
"I know this is gonna sound weird, but yer actually lucky yer team was too distracted by their own s@+& ta look fer ya. Those kinda injuries would be pretty rough in most hospitals. Short of knowing someone tight with th' Defenders, this was actually yer best option."
Kaoru remained silent as he handed the paper back.
"Though listen kid, let an old coot like me give ya some free advice: find a new team. One who thinks yer a valued member and not some disposable cannon fodder."
"They don't--"
Grayson cut him off. "Kid, you almost died. And in all the hours I've been sitting here, that phone of yours ain't rung, ain't vibrated once."
His mouth snapped shut as his gaze was drawn to his phone sitting darkly on a table next to him. Slowly he reached out for it and placed it in his pocket, refusing to check up on what the man had said. At least while here, in this strange place.
Grayson shrugged again. "Now, it's possible whatever mess you got yourself into took all of them out too. If so, my condolences. But if not, I suggest you find a new crew. My services don't exactly come cheap, so while I'd love ta keep collecting a pay day from P, you'd be better off with people who'll actually watch yer back for ya."
Kaoru was silent for a long moment before finally speaking up. "Are we done here then? Or do I need to stick around for more observation or whatever?"
Grayson stood. "Yeah, yeah. You should be good ta go. Clean bill of health and all that. Just remember ta take it easy while the healing sets, and I'll show ya to yer car."
Maybe. I notice you've dodged the question. But you didn't correct me, about any of it. She shakes her head violently. Sorry, Power does that sometimes. and as you'll be team-adjacent, call me Alexandra in private. The Silver Shadow is SO 1940's. and my power id hype-intuition, with some weird physical effects. she says
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Wavy line of "Later that night".~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Kay gets home, Alexandra is already in his bedroom, a pot of hot green tea and two cups beside her. So, we've been doing this a month now, huh. Probably should talk about that. she says
Bronwyn's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. If I ever needed another example of why I played things close to the chest identity-wise, that was sure it. With a note of weariness in her voice she rose to Alexandra's bait. "Just because I disagreed with your premise doesn't mean it was a dodge. Besides, Manawydan wasn't the one who enchanted everything he bestowed. He was always a giver, not always a forger. It's not all in one box."
"That's an ill-omened name then, doomspeaker. I haven't ever known a prophet to be of much use in the end."
Alexis is quiet for a few more minutes as Bronwyn argued with Camila...who was also Efnysien. They were told to wait, and with Wingblade gone and Machina gone, Bronwyn was in charge. Though they were worried about Kaoru and Shayera and wanted to go and check on them, Alexis also knew they were only a few steps away from being crippled by hunger pangs.
Since they were introducing themselves to Camila properly, Alexis decided it would be all right to do so. "I'm Alexis. I'm not Bronwyn. I just look like her until...stuff happens," They tell her. "...Um. I have a couple questions. Can you fix this?" They ask as they lift up their arm where the spear wound is still bleeding. "Do you have anything to eat? And do you think of yourselves as a boy or a girl or something else?"
You're just mad that I have a source of information for your little ride-along.she says Either because youve been playing it close to the chest so long you instinctively guard, even from allies, or because the mirror of "My teammate already trusts Effnysien's word more than mine" is a crappy mirror to look in.
She turns back to Camila The use is in pronouncing doom upon your foes. We'll need to train Cammy up on Hand-to-hand, I'll show you then. she smiles.
After her sisters donned their masks and dissolved into the shadows, Shayera's apartment grew quiet. Tired as she was, she still slipped into the shower to scour off the blood, sweat and grime from her skin.
Finished, she just about stumbles into bed, but the throbbing in her hand claims her attention. Better get this taken care of. Otherwise it'll be worse in the morning, she thinks. She estimates her snapped radius and ulna were mostly healed correctly, but the bones in her crushed hand needed to be reset and realigned.
She activates the med bay and sticks her hand in the X-ray machine to survey the damage. Then she gets ready for surgery on herself.
"I'm Alexis. I'm not Bronwyn. I just look like her until...stuff happens."
Camila's light returned to her eyes, "What kind of stuff would have to-" "¡Cosas privadas, 'lita!" Bronwyn cut in, "Elles van a permanecer así por un tiempo. ¡No seas entrometida!"
"Yo se, yo se... Sorry Alexis," Camila begrudged. "But uh, I'm a girl, and Efnysien's a boy. Fine, fine. Efnysien's a full grown man who happens to be living in the head of a surprisingly suitable host. Probably the best host he could've found. Otherwise he wouldn't be as strong. I don't know how to close an unhealable wound though," she paused, "Efnysien either, he says 'that's not the point of an unhealable wound.' Oh! Umm, if I pulled off your arm, we could make that hole stop bleeding instead?"
Bronwyn's eyes widened "There are some stops along the way before amputation!" She stared hard at Alexis, "And don't you try it either, you are way too chop-happy with your own body." She reached into the pouch that usually hung from Bran's baldric, and pulled out a small first aid kit. "We'll just stitch and superglue it for now. That way even if it doesn't heal-heal right away you won't be bleeding out in the meantime. Then... I dunno, maybe a skin graft if we need a longer term solution? Pull over a sec, Alexandra? And maybe table our chat until we're not in a top-10 worst time for it?"
And like heck are you going to train Camila in how to be **more** dangerous in a fight.
"...Hmm. Actually..." Alexis had a thought about it as they looked at the wound. Gauging how deep it was in their forearm. "I don't need to cut off the whole arm. I can cut off just the tissue that was pierced. It should grow back whole after I've eaten," They say.
"...I'm too hungry right now though. Need to eat before I try that," Alexis tells the group in the car as they lean back for a moment and close their eyes. "I'm tired. I think that was the worst fight I ever had and I didn't even die."
Bronwyn looked a bit unconvinced, but still nodded after a moment. "Okay, but lemme at least glue it shut for now...
"Okay. Plan. Let's swing by my place, my, uh, parents' place. I bet they're not there. We'll get Alexis some food, Alexandra a Silver-Shadow-looking-enough coat, and then you get Camila here back to Anna and Danilo - I'll touch base with them later.
"Sound good?"
Kaoru's drive home was uneventful and now he sat in the driveway, not yet having worked up the energy to enter the house yet. It was already almost 3am, and somehow despite having slept a full night's rest already, he still felt exhausted. He wasn't sure if it was the fight or some side-effect of whatever machine had healed him. Probably a bit of both. Certainly the energy required for his body to repair itself in such a short period of time was a lot, right? Unless the machine had also provided that? Or- He cut that thought process off. It didn't matter.
He sat for a moment longer until he finally forced himself to pull out his phone. The lock screen didn't show any new notifications but he typed in his passcode anyway. A quick glance at the messaging app confirmed what Grayson had said. His brain tugged in several dark directions that he tried not to explore. It wasn't working, so he at least shot off a quick text to Alexandra.
> Hey, must've passed out after the fight. Woke up not long ago and drove home. Are you ok? What happened?
Before he could think too much about what response would be worse, he closed the app, only then noticing the unread badge on his secure messaging app. Tilting his head slightly, he opened it. It was a few messages from Chloe -- which made sense since she was the only other one with the app installed -- starting off as a casual 'hey, I've reached the hotel for the night. How are you doing? Did you make sure to eat?' to a few increasingly worried 'Why aren't you responding' texts.
He gave a soft, slightly-watery laugh before shooting back a quick 'I'm fine. Sorry, went to a healer and that kind of knocked me out for a while' message. Had Chloe really been here just this morning? It felt like months ago. His chest tightened uncomfortably as he was filled with a sudden sense of longing to be with her. Was she the only one who cared if he was alive or dead? Certainly his mother didn't; she seemed to actively try to spend as little time around him as possible. He suppressed a sudden wave of bitterness. It was irrational; he had known the lie as soon as he had heard it, especially given what ridiculousness it had been couched in. But he still couldn't help the small flare of anger at Mr. Elmohtar for having confidently proclaimed that he saw him happy and surrounded by new friends in Halcyon City. 'Seen it in the stars' indeed. He had though school counselors were supposed to be more grounded in reality. Feeling sad and alone, he finally trudged wearily into the dark house, ready to just collapse on the bed and sleep for a few hours before he had to get up for school.
It seemed Alexandra had other plans about that though. His head flicked through a series of emotions so quickly it almost gave him whiplash. "Oh...I guess...ignore the text then?" He responded lamely. A quick glanced seemed to answer the first question. The second could probably wait for morning. He flopped face first onto his bed, his voice coming out muffled. "Can't talking wait until morning?" He could still smell Chloe's perfume. Briefly he wondered if he could drag Alexandra into bed to cuddle for the five seconds before he passed out. But all relationship stereotypes suggested wanting to talk wasn't a good thing, so maybe that was a bad idea.
Alexandra sits on the edge of Kays bed, still in fairly tattered clothes, breath still a little heavy, though the worst symptoms have abated. A small jar of Tiger Balm Comes to her hand,and her left hand goes to her shirt buttons as she turns away from Kay, handing over the jar. Sorry, I promise I'm not trying to... Could you just put some of that on anywhere that looks like it got hit with a sledgehammer. she says, tossing her shirt onto a bedpost and showing Kay a fascinating pattern of bruising.
three hours... That's how close to death I came. maybe closer. she says, a little half-sob as the stinging, soothing ointment goes on her wounds. I... that corruption all but had me. and the Eye-blighted... actually triggered my Failsafe. she gestures to Injuries About a third of that is from the explosives. I need a better failsafe. she offers.
Alexandra is quiet for a minute after the conversation dies down, Just trying to breath deep and enjoying the Balm and Kays fingers on her back. We shouldn't be doing this. In three days, the month is up. we should quit. she says, blunt.
Kaoru slowly pushed himself up. He was tired but this was a fairly familiar task; he had been asked many times by either Chloe or his mother for a back rub after a long day. This was just a bit more medicinal than normal. He moved to sit cross-legged behind Alexandra, scooping some of the balm into one hand. The consistency wasn't all that dissimilar from the lotion he sometimes used. He let the material sit in his hand just long enough to pick up his body temperature, so it wouldn't feel doctor-y and cold when he began spreading it across her back.
He gently rubbed it into the bruised areas, maintaining contact across the healthier patches of skin so that she would always know where he was and wouldn't get startled by an unexpected touch. Not that he was really sure he could startle her like that, but it would at least hopefully be more relaxing that way. He frowned slightly where his hands were impeded by cloth. "This would be easier without your bra on. Do you want me to just go around? I'm not sure how this balm interacts with fabric." Admittedly staining her undergarments probably wasn't high on her list of concerns, but it's what came to mind. As he waited for a response, he used his non-ointment-y hand to rub circles by her shoulders, finding areas unlikely to be tender and gently searching out knots to try to work away. It was easier than trying to think up the right words to say. Simple touches to ease away tightness, encourage blood flow, and just send the message that he was here and she was here and they were both alive and together.
It sounded like neither of them had exactly had an easy time of things. His tired brain idly wondered if he could try throwing her in whatever medical pod he had been in, but most likely Grayson had already left, and it wasn't like he knew how to operate the machine. And with the state he was in, he was likely just to make it worse. "If you want to quit, I will follow you." He wasn't sure if she meant quit heroing entirely or just quit the team. He supposed the distinction didn't really matter to him. It's not like it changed his answer. He was basically only here out of a combination of wanting to be close to her and because Whip was a monumental ass. He suspected the latter was the main reason Alexandra had agreed to join the team. But as far as he could tell, being "on the team" or whatever hadn't really bought them anything.
Alexandra nods as kay massages her shoulders, a little taken aback by the question. well, statement. she had left the garment of for his comfort but, she shucks it readily. crafty way to undress me, though I suppose a massage is a classic. she smirks. Humour in the face of terror. You're your fathers daughter. she leans into Kays fingers, breath coming slow and heavy as she just enjoys herself for a moment.
I should. We should. Wing's been inconsistent. Bronwyn's been lying to us both, for months. and Mercy... i'e heard her tlak about the Triakosia. if she thought they would take her back... if we fought them, I don't know she'd side with us... she shakes her head. G#&+~#nit, this is what I've always wanted, and I've been doing it for 4 months, and I'm throwing in the towel? Was I really not good enough? She turns to face Kaoru, taking one hand in hers. But, well, Wing has died, so has Alexis. I had Bran's severed head in my hand earlier today... though that was just a weird artefact thing, with the dagger and all that. My point is... unlike them, we don't come back.
How bad could Delphi Screw you?
Kaoru paused briefly in his slow ministrations before giving a low, surprised chuckle. He hadn't been thinking about undressing her when he made the comment. But...should he have been? This was his girlfriend after all. He had to admit, he did enjoy feeling her smooth, warm skin under his fingers and the way she was obviously enjoying the attention. He had always found a sense of satisfaction in feeling knots slowly coming undone when he had worked on Chloe, but somehow this felt slightly different, though he couldn't quite place how and didn't have the energy right now to puzzle it out. He filed it away as something to think about later though.
He leaned forward to place a soft kiss at the base of Alexandra's neck before fiercely murmuring. "You're more than good enough." It was perhaps this additional proximity that made him aware enough of her turning to pull back his hands and look up, thus avoiding both accidentally ogling and groping his now-completely-topless girlfriend. Though some part of his brain idly commented that it wasn't like he hadn't seen topless women before; would the fact that now it would be Alexandra really make that much of a difference? Though being respectful still trumped the thin thread of curiosity about it.
He blinked in surprise as she talked, brow knitting in confusion. "Wait, what's this about Bran's head? What exactly did I miss? I was buried in rubble soon after I distracted Balor Bot with music." He hated the giant, but that didn't mean he thought he deserved to die. Well...unless he would just come back, which seemed somewhat likely given his recurrence throughout history and Alexandra's last statement. If that were the case, then at least it would literally take him down a few notches.
He tilted his head as his brain then caught up that she had ended with a question directed at him. He thought a moment. "Delphi could screw me pretty badly. But...." A slow smile started too spread across his face. "I recently got back in contact with a friend who I could get to run interference long enough for them to get bored of their weird obsession with me."
"Sounds good..." Alexis says as they drift off for a bit. It might take a while to get to the house and they wanted to conserve their energy as much as possible. The glue was working at least to stop the bleeding temporarily. They didn't think it would work for long.
"...Camila? Did any soldiers help take you? Did they hurt you?"
Alexandra almost laughs as Kaoru goes full "eyes forward, Soldier". it was sweet, if a little disappointing. She could almost see the conflict in Kay's eyes, and decides not to cover herself to alleviate that conflict.
It wasn't Bran-Bran... or rather, it probably was, but it wasn't the Bran that we've been fighting alongside for a month. That's... I'm strongly considering sucker punching B next time I see her... she trails off Can the team make it without u? are we being selfish? Is it alright to be selfish?
When Bronwyn steps into Shayera's apartment she immediately sees the large medical suite open in the floor of the main level and the interior white lights blazing. The smell of disinfectant hits her nose, along with the coppery scent of blood.
Shayera is sitting at an operating table, pendant on so no wings presently, head turning back and forth at two large screens each showing X-rays of a skeletal hand. The one on the left is clearly damaged with just about every bone broken between the wrist and knuckles, while the screen on the right shows like a normal hand from what Bronwyn could tell.
Shayera's arm is propped up at a medical work station with bright lights shining down on her right hand. The skin is peeled back, exposing bone and tendons and her left is covered in blood. She has an IV running into her right arm at the elbow while she works at her hand. There's an audible snap! and she grunts in pain, but she keeps working at her hand. "Still... finishing up..." she says in a strained voice without turning around. "Don't freak, but I needed to fix this before the bones set any more than they already have. It's not -- ngh-- as bad as it looks."
Bronwyn swallows heavily and nods before realizing Shayera can't see her do so. "Need any help?" she asks without looking directly at Shayera's hand. She smells different. She's still in the now-musty clothes she'd worn earlier, but she's managed a shower before running over here. She doesn't smell of Tropical Passion though, or the Clean and Simple scent of what she'd been using at the Brownes'. Instead a slightly too blunt strawberry scent floats along, not well blended with the smells of exercise and battle that Shayera knew much better.
"I don't think so. It's like a puzzle. Just make that--" Shayera nods at the left screen-- "look like that one." Her head nods to the right. There's another couple wet, unpleasant-sounding snaps.
"Okay, okay. Umm, can I get you anything from like the kitchen or something? Not, not while you're, uh, operating of course. But maybe for after? I know you don't have Alexis's appetite, but you've been through kind of a lot..."
"I had some ramen earlier. But yeah, anything you want to... nnngh! ... make will be great."
"Okay, okay. I'll umm... I'll be right back." The smells and sounds of sizzling meat and veggies wafted back into the room, almost masking over Bronwyn's return. Gently she hopped back up on the table, leaning so that her back rested lightly against Shayera's, her hand stretched out behind her to give Shayera's hip a comforting squeeze.
In a bizarre reenactment of the end of The Empire Strikes Back, Shayera flexes her hand and fingers while studying the exposed bones and tendons, then closes the flap of skin. She grabs a handful of cotton swabs and wipes off her hand while the skin heals. She pulls out the IV of Novocain and slowly releases the tourniquet to let the blood start flowing back in earnest.
She puts her hand into a plastic mold to keep it immobile, closes it, and turns to look at Bronwyn. Her brow is damp with perspiration. "It's no biggie," she says, gesturing to her hand. "It's not the first time I broke my hand. Had trouble setting it. So I practiced. Never busted it this bad, though." She smiles weakly.
"This was a rough night for both of us, looks like."
"Yeah, Camila having that kind of strength is... A bit scary."
Shayera studies Bronwyn closely, trying not to think about the scar around her neck. "What happened to Bran?"
"Bran's..." She brought her hand up to her neck, but after her thumb touched the unfamiliar scar tissue she quickly busied herself finding a cloth for Shayera's forehead. "Well he's... I mean, you saw it, right?"
Shayera swallows hard despite herself, then gives Bronwyn a tight nod. "Yeah. Legends are sometimes true, huh?"
Kaoru made a face. "Wait, so there are multiple Brans now? Did Bronwyn summon more? Is that why you're punching her now? Though I suppose that'd be an interesting reversal of the harem trope..." He made a slight face at her next question. "They probably wouldn't even notice I'm gone. It's not like they really need a tech person, especially one with zero powers or fighting ability. Besides, we're not some tools to be used until broken and then thrown away. We have just as much a right to try to live our lives and be happy as the next person."
"They took me, but it wasn't them that hurt me," a thought visibly struck Camila, "Is Qamra okay?! She was with me and-"
"Yeah, she's fine, just frightened," Bronwyn replied, her voice a little too tight to be soothing. ...Okay, here it is."
Crime scene tape was still coiled around her home, and the smell of burnt wood and insulation hung in the air, but it was still mostly intact, and the police had cleared out.
"Silver Shadow, call me if anything happens. Okay? Alexis, doesn't look like anyone's home, so food and clothes and stuff should be easy to find."
She walked forward, lightly hopping over the tape to let herself in with her key, but the door swung loose on its hinges as soon as she pressed on it at all. She blinked, and kept moving. There were little standing placards near different objects in the hall- a baseball bat, brass casings, a brownish smear with red still pooled in the center -she stepped around them; she kept moving, heading first to the kitchen, then taking a quick detour to find a couple chairs that were still standing.
"I uh... I forget if you can cook."
No... Bran's always been here as a guardian spirit... He needed a host, Bronwyn, to take physical form. I knew that already. except the Bronwyn part. But I think that was a part of the original Bran. Called ehre because she... channeled a lot of him, or something. she scowls She LIED to us. For months... well, Month for you. How in the hell can I trust her after that?
They would notice if we left... those three are the powerhouses, but without us... G!+%+&nit. Why couldn't I just be good at this? she wonders.
Food. FOOD.
Alexis had been a little groggy as they entered Bronwyn's kitchen. They missed most of the crime scene markers until they realized that they were in arm's reach of sustenance, and honed in on the cabinets as they flipped open the first one.
They grabbed the first can that they found, punched their fingers through the metal and tore off the cap before gulping down its contents, barely tasting what seemed like a bean in some sauce. Once it had been emptied they tossed the can into the sink and grabbed another one, doing the same and finding sliced mushrooms to chew briefly before swallowing. This pattern repeated itself for two more cans (refried beans and corn) and a box of spicy cheese crackers before they slowed down enough to turn on the faucet and drink as much water as they could before coming up to breathe.
After about of minute of hydration, they felt better. Stronger. Still hungry but not starving like they had been. Alexis turned to Bronwyn and they looked healthier, despite the glue keeping themselves from bleeding all over her house. "I do not know how to cook. This is enough to keep me going for now," They promised. "I will get some clothes. But, I do not know where your room is..."
Bronwyn nodded quietly and led them upstairs. "It's the one that smells like smoke."
***
The firefighters had gotten to it before the whole room had gone up, but that just meant that everything was still soggy wherever it wasn't burned away.
Her armorer's chest was blackened, but as long as the hinges were still good, should still be reparable. Her bed, her dresser, the photos on her bedside table, they hadn't been as lucky.
She crouched low on her haunches as she looked to see what might still be okay, vaguely gesturing to a walk-in closet across the room from the worst of the burning.
"Anything from in there."
About half of a gorgeous red coat was hung on the door to it, but inside the clothes were mostly untouched except by the smell. They were a lot fancier and, well, girlier than what Bronwyn normally wore, mostly dresses, skirts, and blouses for dances and church.
"Why aren't you angry, Alexis?" She didn't look at them; her eyes were squeezed tight against tears as she held a simple, expensive looking frame with heat-shattered glass and only a corner with canary yellow legs and a sword-shaped pinion held inside it.