Leave the gate open
She was nearing the end, so she tucked in her feet and rolled upon exiting. She came to a stop on her back and stared up at the blue sky. The first thing she noted were the trees, green leaves, and brown bark. That excluded quite a few places she had already been. She sat up and looked around. She sighed in relief when she realized the area was deserted. Slowly climbing to her feet she banished the gate.
Taking a deep breath, she started walking until she reached a strip of black concrete. Izzy smirked, wherever she was they had roads which meant vehicles. She heard the music before she heard the crunch of gravel from the tires. She stuck out her arm thumb raised and hoped wherever she was they had hitchhikers. She groaned when she saw the lights on top lowering her arm too late to avoid him pulling over. She softly swore under her breath when the man got out of the car and walked towards her.
"what are you doing out here? "said the cop
She thought quickly and came up with a plausible lie. She gambled on her looks making her appear younger than she was.
"I got in a fight with my boyfriend and he ditched me on the side of the road," said Izzy
The cop frowned and glanced back at his vehicle for some reason.
"you got an I. D. kid' said the cop
Izzy dug in her bag and pulled out a small flip wallet with a sheet of psychic paper inside. She concentrated for a moment then handed the folder to the man. He frowned down at the paper. "stay right here, I'm going to run this" said the cop
He walked back to his car and leaned over to grab his radio. Izzy watched him with a bored expression on her face. While she was watching the cop, she spotted movement in the back of his car. She sidestepped to get a better look at the other occupant of the cop car. An angry looking boy stared back at her. He looked like someone had tried to beat him senseless. The cop came back a few seconds later with an annoyed expression on his face. The trooper handed her wallet back to her.
"you check out and I'm not going to cite you for what I just saw considering the day you're having, but you need to find another way home miss," said the cop
He paused and looked back at the young man as if trying to decide something. She could almost see the wheels turning in his head and mentally she groaned. He must have been thinking about something when he looked at the paper. She saw the muscles in his neck tense and she quickly schooled her features back to placid and lost.
"I'll tell you what I don't like the idea of leaving a kid like you stranded out here, so since you two are headed to the same place I'll give you a ride as well," said the cop
She firmly resisted the urge to groan and instead deliberately looked around the cop at the boy. The cop saw the direction of her gaze.
"Don't worry about that one, he's cuffed good and tight, if he gives you any lip I'll handle it" said the cop
The boy gave the cop a fierce glare, and she could swear his eyes glowed red for a second.
"Is he dangerous?" said Izzy
She used her scared little girl voice because it always worked. She had to admit the boy was a bit scary looking. The cop snorted and patted his sidearm. Izzy noted absently that he kept the gun holster unlocked. She eyed the cop, now that she looked for it the man did reek of fear and something else. Izzy shrugged.
"I suppose a ride wouldn't hurt he is after all secure as you said, plus it is an awfully long walk' said Izzy
The cop nodded and Izzy followed him to his car. If worse came to worst she could always drop them both down a rabbit hole and take the car. The cop opened the back door for Izzy and she hesitated and looked back at the cop.
"Promise me you'll tell them I'm not under arrest," said Izzy
The cop chuckled
"I promise kid, now hop in I've got to get you two to St Lamia's orphanage before my shift ends," said the cop
She raised an eyebrow at the name. A lamia was a child eating demon. Who in their right mind would name an orphanage after such a creature? Izzy calmly climbed into the squad car and fastened her seat belt. The boy turned to stare at her, so she ignored him. The cop climbed into the front seat and started the vehicle. Izzy concentrated on the cop. Something was off about the man she could feel it.
She narrowed her eyes and triggered her sight. The man's image rippled and revealed a creature disguised as a man. The cop turned his head and met her eyes through the mirror. The cop tensed and the boy next to her did as well.
"You shouldn't have done that," said the cop
Izzy gave him a confused look because she honestly didn't care what the disguised creature was, she was more curious as to why it was hiding. The cop looked nervous for some reason and started to pull over again. Sensing his malevolent intentions she asked a question to throw it off guard. "what are you?" said Izzy
The boy gave her a surprised look. Izzy slowly snaked her fingers beneath the boy. He gave her a wicked grin, which she ignored. Just because he was sitting on the damn cuffs, didn't mean she intended to cop a feel on the boy's ass. Which she had to admit wasn't all that bad an ass but she didn't have time to go there right now.
Her fingers finally found the cuffs and she made the tumblers vanish. The cuffs slid open as she withdrew her hand. The boy caught her hand and squeezed it briefly before releasing it. The cop swallowed nervously.
"Why don't you ask the boy," said the cop
"because I'm asking you," said Izzy
"He's a lousy shit sucking demon," said the boy
The cop made a hissing noise and pulled over, he shut off the car.
"I've had just about enough of your lip boy," said the cop
Izzy calmly reached through the seat and removed the cop's sidearm without his noticing. The cop climbed out and passed in front of the vehicle to go to the boy's side. It pulled the door open rather violently making the hinges groan in protest. She was fairly certain the creature could pull the doors off if it wanted to. With a roar, it grabbed the boy and pulled him from the vehicle. She watched the creature's fist descend on the boy hard enough to leave a crater in the ground.
Izzy was now certain the creature meant to kill the boy.
The boy to his credit was attempting to fight back using only his fists. Which only served to enrage the creature further. So when the creature slammed him to the ground just outside the open car door, she shot the creature in the head.
It exploded into red goo, so Izzy climbed out to check on the kid. He was slowly climbing to his feet a little worse for wear but at least he was alive. He looked down at the fallen cop and frowned.
"You shot him?" said the kid
She gave him a wary look, uncertain if he was going to turn on her or not. She nodded yes. "Thanks, names Dante by the way," said the boy
"Izzy" she replied.
She walked towards the driver's side of the cruiser.
"What are you doing?" said Dante
She ignored him and pulled open the side panel to the cop's in-vehicle recorder.
"Oh," said Dante, understanding what she meant to do. He hit the back of the cruiser
"pop the trunk will you" said Dante
she debated doing so, for half a second, then hit the release button. The cruiser's trunk popped open and Dante rummaged around in the back. Izzy found what she was looking for. The system was wireless, so she sent just enough power through the feed to crash the system.
"you just about done there babe?" said Dante
"yes," she said and climbed free of the vehicle.
"Good we need to ditch this place, we should probably blow this piece of shit up so they can't track us," said Dante
He raised two huge guns in the direction of the car. She grabbed his wrists and tried to lower them.
"Let me handle it," said Izzy
He snorted but lowered the weapons
"Suit yourself babe but hurry," said Dante
He walked a few feet away and stopped obviously intending to wait for her.
"Go on, I'll catch up to you," said Izzy
She really didn't want him to see this because then she would have to explain it. He stubbornly crossed his arms, pulled out a cigarette put it in his mouth and lit it. She frowned at him. That was a horrible habit but it explained the smell of tobacco on him. She turned back to the car, and silently debated on if she should do this right in front of the kid or just let him blow it up.
Of course with an explosion, there was no way to really ensure that all the evidence was gone. She mentally groaned, her mind was made up and she started to open a gate directly under the car at its center. She spread it until it encompassed both ends of the car then opened the event horizon, the Teranu would enjoy that little treat and would make short work of any evidence, metal eaters were great like that. the car disappeared down the hole and she closed the gate. She slowly turned to look at the boy, who was staring at her in shock.
Well better he should know what he's dealing with, at least partially, it made threatening him that much easier. She started walking towards him. He took one last drag on his cigarette and then dropped the butt and crushed it under his boot heel. She rolled her eyes and started walking past the kid.
"how did you do that?' said Dante
She kept walking and the boy was following her. Great just what she needed a tag along.
"why do you want to know?" said Izzy
As she walked away, she flicked her fingers out to the side and made the cigarette butt vanish as well
"You just did it again, how are you.. "said Dante
She rolled her eyes, this is why she chooses one companion and sticks with them.
"again, why?" said Izzy
She stopped walking and turned to the kid.
"because you can see them can't you," said Dante
She fought the smirk and lost.
"yes," said Izzy
She couldn't see why that mattered.
"Most people can't," said Dante
"Except for you," said Izzy
The kid looked shocked for a few seconds.
"how did you.." said Dante
"Know that you could see them. I didn't you just confirmed it and I remembered you called it a demon. Only someone who could actually see it, would call it something like that." said Izzy
The kid stared at her in shock, so she once again resumed her trek. He caught up to her a few minutes later falling into step beside her. She rolled her eyes as the scent of cigarettes, sweat and something else that smelled vaguely of burning cedar washed over her. She frowned and waved her hand in front of her nose.
"eh gads what the heck was in those cigarettes, they stink," said Izzy
The boy gave her a strange look.
"just tobacco why?" said the kid
He fished the pack out of his pocket and looked it over with a scowl. He then eyed her warily for some reason.
"They smell like a damn forest fire that's why," said Izzy
She crinkled her nose in disgust and started to step away from the kid. She heard a clicking noise that sounded suspiciously like a gun cocking, she turned her head back to look at Dante. The boy was pointing both guns at her head.
"What are you?' said Dante
He looked calm, almost too calm as if he were asking the time of day not pointing two weapons at someone's head. His eyes betrayed nothing, no hint of emotion not even resignation.
"Are you planning to shoot me if I do not answer?" said Izzy
He clicked the safety off on both guns with his thumbs.
"yes," said Dante
She sized the boy up. He definitely meant what he said.
"why?" said Izzy
The boy frowned at her calm reply.
"What actions have I done that you would consider threatening?" said Izzy
The boy hesitated because truthfully she hadn't acted the least bit threatening unless you count shooting the cop.
"Are you a witch? Is that why you could see him too?" said Dante
She shook her head no.
"No, but I have been called something that rhymes with it," said Izzy
The kid smirked at her attempt at humor. She smiled back at the kid and then switched to her sight. The kid was a bunch of swirling energy patterns with the ghost of something monstrous held in check. She pulled back out and the kid stared at her nervously.
She examined him closely. Bravado, covering fear, and deep loneliness. Mingled with just a bit of self-doubt, was what she saw in his eyes now. The kid just needed a friend. Izzy sighed traveling with her was dangerous, much as she liked the kid. she didn't want to get him killed. "Now would be a good time to walk away kid," said Izzy
he snorted.
"I ain't your kid and I'm going nowhere until I get some damn answers, now quit stalling babe or I start shooting," said Dante
She turned back toward him. The problem was, she didn't know if she could trust him or not. Other than his first name she knew precious little about him as a person.
"then you are destined for much disappointment," said Izzy
she started walking away again. Waiting with energy at the ready for the boy to fire. She reached the treeline and he opened fire. She quickly gated each of the projectiles away before they came anywhere near her. He stopped firing and she turned. She leaned against the nearest tree. She smirked at the kid.
"are you through yet ?" she asked.
He got this angry look on his face and resumed firing. She did the same with these projectiles that she did with the others. Bored she examined her nails, while the kid attempted to empty his weapons into her. While examining her nails she noticed an ant trail walking down the tree trunk. She grinned wickedly and placed a microscopic sized gate right in front of the trail, she opened another right above the boy's collar.
The gunfire suddenly stopped and the swearing began. The boy was swatting at his neck and then suddenly he was stripping off his shirt. She giggled and he glared at her. She had to admit he had good muscle tone for a kid. He was shaking out his clothes, obviously trying to rid himself of the ants who most likely were biting him
"you did that" said Dante
"yep" said Izzy
popping the P at the end. The kid winced and reached for his belt buckle.
"would you like me to play some music?" said Izzy
The kid flipped her off and stripped off his pants. She couldn't help it she had to look and if he was going to show it, might as well enjoy the view. He must have noticed her stare because he was smirking again.
"enjoying the view babe?" said Dante
she smirked back
"yes," said Izzy.
He snorted and continued to furiously shake out his pants. She shook her head and started walking away again. It had been amusing but she had places she needed to be. The shot rang out and hit the tree right next to her hand close enough that she had felt the wind from its passage. She stopped walking, she was rapidly losing her patience with this kid.
What greeted her vision shocked her for half a second. The boy was standing there fully nude and pointing the guns at her again. She raised an eyebrow and chuckled, the kid had moxie she would give him that. She considered him for just a second then started walking towards him.
The kid frowned at her approach and looked incredibly confused. She closed the distance quickly and stopped right in front of him.
He still had the guns pointed in her direction, so she ended up stopping right against the barrels. He looked surprised and maybe a little wary.
"you really want answers kid?" said Izzy
"yes and I ain't-a kid," said Dante
She smiled at him.
"to me you are," said Izzy
"its called quantum tunneling, anything more would take a decade to explain," said Izzy
The kid looked confused.
"As to what I am, the closest explanation I can give is an alien, now if you'll excuse me I have business to attend to, "said Izzy
The kid looked completely shocked by her answers. She turned and walked away.
"have a nice walk home kid and put those guns away, all three of them," said Izzy
he stood there staring after her. By the time he had redressed Izzy was gone. She had gotten tired of dealing with the boy and had simply gated into another area closer to her destination, Paradise.