Welcome back guys and gals.
This here is a triple bill, your getting three (You lucky lot)
There is a reason for this, These are a little short, that and there is a bit of a heart breaker for saturday (Bring the tissues)
Enjoy
Once Hidden
"So, we just need to get an Auralite stone around Max's neck and she can turn back?" Kate questioned as the other two girls seemed to be absorbing the mammoth information dump they just heard.
Joyce nodded. "That's right, although I would've thought she would have had one already," she replied with a frown.
"I think she lost it last night at the junkyard. I didn't find anything when I went there this morning," Rachel chimed in.
Max let out a disappointed groan. Kate could feel her discontent hearing that such a valuable item was lost to her, as well as Akira's annoyance towards last night.
"Maybe we can get another one," Kate offered hopefully. She herself really wanted to talk to Max about Akira and try and sort out their differences. She was sure Joyce and Chloe also wanted to talk to her too. Then, there was Vanessa. Something had clearly happened there. Max had all the answers to the gaps in her own and Joyce's past. Well, hopefully, she would. Otherwise, they would hit an information wall with no hope of getting around it. Most of the people who might be able to provide answers were either assumed or confirmed dead. Joyce and Max were the only ones left.
Joyce shook her head. If only it were that simple. "It's not going to be that easy. They're very rare. You see, it's not just Ahri that can use the stones. If vampires wear them, then sunlight doesn't bother them anymore. For werewolves, they become more resistant to silver, as well as being able to fully resist a full moon's forced transformation. Even humans get benefits, like accelerated healing, improved strength, and speed. Not like that of a vampire but enough to almost make them equal."
"Well, it's obvious why the Ahri are being hunted then," Rachel announced confidently. Something so powerful would obviously draw people's attention, especially given its cross-race potential. The question was, who wanted them enough to target the Ahri in such numbers?
Joyce tilted her head towards the young hunter. "We thought about that, and while the Ahri victims' stones were missing, it doesn't make sense. You only need one. What possible benefit would someone gain having more than one? Not to mention that most vampires are very well off. That fact mostly takes away the possibility of a money motive. Besides, there's easier ways of making money for vampires for a lot less hassle."
Rachel thought about this for a moment when something occurred to her. "Joyce, how does a vampire overpower an Ahri? Max handled Chloe with no issue." Before the bluenette could interject with predictable protest, Rachel cut her off. "Sorry, Chloe, she was going easy on you," she said sympathetically, Kate nodding in agreement. "Also, I saw Max handle three vampires last night with ease. Plus, Vanessa handled half a dozen while heavily pregnant," she finished. Something just didn't add up.
Clearly, Joyce was thinking the same thing too as she just shook her head. "I don't know. As you know, every race and ability are given a class. Vampires and werewolves are class A, due to their combined strength speed and heightened senses. Kate here is a class C, her ability is passive and only a sense. Ahri, however, are different. Unofficially, they're class S, in a league of their own, but officially they're class A. Governments don't want to make a class just for one race. It might seem like favoritism or super race. Last thing they want is someone with a Hitler complex abusing it. Our theory was that whoever is behind it is somehow incapacitating or otherwise affecting their ability to defend themselves."
Max let out a small whine as she gently shook her head. Kate got the impression that both she and Akira were clearly disagreeing with Joyce on this one, but given the circumstances, they would have to sit on it for now.
"Um, Joyce, I think Max and Akira over here disagree with that," Kate interrupted, deciding to voice their opinion. It was the least she could do.
Joyce tilted her head towards Max. "Is that so? Hopefully, when we get Max back… well, non-wolf Max I mean, her and Akira can offer their theory. Might actually be able to figure this out at long last," she said hopefully.
"You ok, Chloe? I know it's a lot to take in," Rachel asked sympathetically. She had known Chloe long enough to realize when she was feeling overwhelmed. Silence was usually a good indication.
Chloe brushed a tear off her cheek and faced the young hunter. "No, Rach. I'm far from ok. I have a childhood I can't recall because I was too young. A woman I considered a second mom it turns out I bearly knew. My best friend, who I've known for as long as I can remember, turns out to be my best friend from the day we were BORN. My dad was tortured and murdered in order to find Vanessa and Max. Max has lost her mom, probably Ryan too. She's been running and hiding who she is for fear of being hunted herself... And no one knows why," the young vampire muttered angrily through gritted teeth as she forced back her tears. After some time, she turned to face the black wolf who lay on the sofa next to her, offering a watery grin. "I don't blame you, Max... for my dad, I mean. I don't blame Vanessa, either. I just… wish I could tell her myself. I have fond memories of her," she said reassuringly.
Max looked up at Chloe with sad eyes, her ears suddenly pricking up as though she just remembered something and jumped off the sofa. Using her teeth, she tugged at Chloe's jeans almost dragging the young vampire off the sofa.
"Whoa, what's got into you all of a sudden?" Chloe gasped in surprise, trying to steady herself. Max sure had a strong pull.
Kate let out a giggle. "I think she wants you to follow her."
"I kinda got that," Chloe snickered as she got to her feet and started following Max. She led them upstairs into Chloe's bedroom, her orb emitting a gentle white glow lighting the way.
"That's a handy trick... but why are we up here?" Chloe asked as she flicked on the bedroom light revealing her admittedly untidy room. Clothes and a few takeout boxes littered the floor. On the walls were a few rock band posters as well as several bits of graffiti. Max was over by Chloe's desk, shoulder barging it out of the way. The wooden feet protested loudly as they scrapped the bare floorboards.
"Hey, you've been in here five minutes and you're rearranging my room," Chloe shot playfully. Max turned her head to look at the vampire, gently shaking her head. She then turned back, pawing at the floorboards that were under her desk. "There's nothing there," Chloe pointed out.
Max rolled her eyes, the orb on her tail turning black as she casually flicked her tail sending the black orb smashing into the floorboards. Splinters and dust darted in every direction, causing Chloe to instinctively cover her eyes.
"Max, what the hell?!" she shouted as Max's orb came to rest on her tail, again turning back to its neutral blue. In the aftermath of the damage, Max began pawing towards the hole.
Curiously, Chloe took a step forwards, peering into the new hole in her room. Inside, amongst all the dust bunnies, cobwebs and small bits of trash that had over the years fallen between the cracks, was what used to be a white envelope. It had yellowed, for the most part, browning around the edges where moisture had gotten to it.
"What the hell?" Chloe muttered as she knelt down retrieving the envelope. On the front of it, her own name was scrawled in a very neat hand. "Max, who wrote this?" she muttered, turning to see the wolf walking out of the room. Her question was met with silence, left unanswered.
Turning the letter over in her hand, Chloe opened it, removing the letter as well as a small opaque purplish stone in the shape of a wolf's tooth about four inches long attached to a leather string. Turning it over, she found an inscription running down the center, 'Jiverb'. Shrugging and pocketing the necklace, she unfolded the letter, catching an old polaroid as it slipped from between the pages. It was a picture of three babies, all asleep side by side, with something written on the back. The date was April 11th, 1994. Friends at birth.
Putting the picture to one side, Chloe finished unfolding the letter and sitting on her bed, she began to read.
A message for Chloe, hmm who's it from
onwards :D
