Dynamic Equilibrium
a Bones/Felarya crossover
Chapter 10: The Militia in the Mountains
7-21-2013
by Greyman
Disclaimer: Bones and all related characters are the property of 20th Century Fox. Felarya is the creation and property of Karbo, and all associated characters are the property of their respective creators.
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"You LEFT Melany back there!?" shrieked Lily, glaring at the human investigators angrily. "For all we know, that flock of brainwashed featherdusters ganged up on her!" The fairy was practically nose-to-nose with Temperance, but she didn't retreat in the slightest. After being assaulted by a slug girl and a flock of harpies, it would take more than one irate fairy to rattle her. Especially if it was a fairy that needed her.
"Exona's wings were injured at the time, so she couldn't follow. Besides, we couldn't wait for Melany. There was too great a risk of that harpy flock returning for the other wagon. It was imperative to get it safely back to the Giant Tree," Temperance replied calmly.
"Melany can take care of herself, Lily," added Léa. "As for Dr. Brennan, she and her team are just doing their jobs. Let's face it: they've made more progress in just one day than we have since you first found Shandra's body."
"Hopefully, we'll get farther tomorrow," said Camille. "The wagon Crisis held onto had only five bodies, but Dr. Brennan held onto all Negav's case files, so maybe that'll give us enough data when work resumes in the morning."
Temperance and her friends were all back in their alcove, standing near one entrance. Hovering over them were Crisis and Anna, the latter's face betraying her impatience with Lily's abrasiveness. Crisis looked shamefaced: whether it was from leaving Melany behind or losing the other wagon, Temperance couldn't tell. Temi, Exona, Léa, Remus and Mezzus also joined them in the alcove.
Sweets yawned suddenly. "If that's Cam's way of saying we all need a break, I agree. We won't get any farther tonight, and the victims' bodies we DO have aren't going anywhere now." He turned to look at the five metal caskets taken further into the alcove.
"Oh don't worry. Kai, Zycra and I will gladly volunteer to take shifts guarding the bodies," said Temi. Temperance heard Lily mutter something under her breath. Camille had already explained how they approached Lily to clandestinely watch all their backs. Now she'd even be expected to guard DEAD humans.
"Not just the bodies. We ALL need to watch each others' backs," said Remus suddenly. "Those harpies got in here once before, and now we find out they've been zombified and made puppets? The stakes are obviously much higher."
"Righter than you know, little guy," came a cheery voice from behind Anna and Crisis. At first, Temperance tensed, not able to recognize the voice right away. But then someone wedged herself between Crisis and Anna. A flash of turquoise hair and antlers made Temperance relax. Ironic, considering what Melany was doing the first time they met.
"M-M-MELANY!? Y-Y-Y-You're OK?" spluttered Lily, flying up to Melany's face. "But…it's been an hour since Crisis's group got back! What kept you? And no offense, but as humans might say…you look like shit."
It was true. Melany's level was disheveled, and looked…a little singed around the edges? Temperance couldn't see much of Melany's body, but she looked to be covered in soot and grime. There seemed to even be slight burn marks on her face and shoulders.
Her mood didn't reflect that. "Go take on a shadow naga and a fellow fairy who armed herself with Isolon Fist weapons, Lily. See how good you look after that," Melany said slyly.
"Shadow naga? Isolon Fist weapons?" demanded Hodgins. "Care to rewind and play from the beginning?" Melany's composure faltered for a moment as he glared down at Hodgins. Obviously, she hadn't forgotten about Hodgins's 'experiment' with that video.
"I'm…sure it'll make for a nice story," Camille said with mock sincerity. "But, if I may be so bold…did you recover the other wagon?"
Melany's slyness faded completely. "Unfortunately, no. That harpy lost me over Nekomura. However, I do have a…consolation prize." She shoved Anna aside a little more, earning the fairy a sharp glare. Then she dropped something into to alcove, which rolled to a stop near Temperance's feet.
It was a person, no, a woman. One sporting strange, lightweight blue armor, and her hair was blue as well. That only fazed Temperance for a moment. Unnatural hair colors on fellow humans…it defied what Temperance knew of molecular biology. Yet, just as Exona had said about her and cosmology, Temperance found herself effortlessly putting it out of her mind.
"Ugh…that's payback for the rough ride in my ear, isn't it?" the woman grumbled as she stood up, turning back to Melany. "Hey, you were the one who thought that'd be a good place to hide after siccing me on Paquxa."
Temperance had no idea what they were talking about, so she focused on the woman's appearance some more. Like Melany, her face, hair and armor sported signs of being uncomfortably close to a fire or explosion. What had these two just endured?
"Ummm, Melany, who is this?" Crisis asked timidly. "She's definitely not a snack, that much is certain."
The blue-haired woman looked up to Crisis, noticing her for the first time. Understandably, she tensed. But though Crisis looked down at her with a slightly hungry look, it went no farther than that. Her bright smile was genuine.
"Judging by her dress, she is an Isolon Fist battlemage," said Mezzus, walking up to her. She whirled around, and suddenly her expression shifted from anxiety to rage.
"FRERIK MEZZUS!? Great, I have the privilege of working with Felarya's most notorious predator AND humanity's biggest traitor!? Talk about surefire career advancement!" roared the battlemage. Mezzus, predictably, was unfazed.
Exona suddenly walked in between them and past them, just as it looked like the battlemage would lash out. The fairy intern glared up at Melany. "Melany, let me get this straight. Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth and I hammer out a shaky agreement with Alastazia Lesona. You know, the current boss of the Ps'isol Magiocrats? And hours later, you go and kidnap a member of the ISOLON FIST!?"
Melany looked down at Exona, confused. "Uhhh, it's not like she was safe in Nekomura. Go ahead and ask her."
Sighing, Exona turned to the battlemage. "I'm sorry. In the confusion, I didn't catch your name," said the fairy, placing a hand on her shoulder.
The battlemage looked as perplexed as Melany, but soon regained her combative composure. "Milia. Milia Moonleith."
"OK, Milia. Allow me to welcome you into our dysfunctional band of crime investigators," said Exona, sweeping her arm to indicate everyone in the alcove, stopping at Temperance. "And this is Dr. Temperance Brennan, the best forensic anthropologist in the known universe. If you have any pertinent information about our murder cases, please share it with her. In the meantime, I need to go find a nice, secluded branch to bash my head against."
With that, Exona fluttered off down the alcove, leaving a lot of confused people in her wake.
"I saw you three earlier tonight. So that's really what you were doing in Negav?" demanded Milia as she turned to Temperance. "These bodies…Lady Lesona authorized them being handed over to you?" she asked, glancing at the caskets.
"Yes. I was brought to Felarya to solve the murder of a fairy named Shandra. We believe it's connected to the murders in Negav," said Temperance.
"You're righter than you know," said Milia. "I tailed a Vishmital and a Magiocrat aide after overhearing they were plotting something, all the way to Nekomura. I'm still trying to wrap my head around what I heard tonight. But if you're also working on Lady Lesona's behalf, and since you're the forensics genius they're sweating over, you need to hear it too…"
Milia then launched into her account of what she overheard that night, as well as her reluctant team-up with Melany. Temperance listened with interest as Milia recalled the details of her encounters with the Deluran general Garrardo, the rogue fairy Imkza, and the 'shadow naga' Paquxa. But the shrinking and growing Milia described…it was still hard for Temperance to grasp, even after experiencing it herself.
But that wasn't what was relevant. Garrardo and Imkza…both of them were potential murder suspects. And Paquxa was clearly the naga that decimated that Deluran unit, then framed Crisis. It couldn't have been clearer that this organization masterminded the Negav murders, and then killed Shandra when she threatened to jeopardize their plans for a coup.
"And so, after being blown clear by Imkza's rocket grenade, and barely surviving, Melany flew us straight here," said Milia, finishing her story. "Not that I'm particularly thrilled about staying the night in the Giant Tree, but I knew you people were the only ones I could turn to. If that damn fairy got her grimy mitts on Isolon Fist gear, I don't think there's ANYONE I can trust back in Negav."
"By the way, you said that this general's blood got on your staff, and then you retracted it?" asked Camille suddenly. "Could it still be in there, preserved?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Bemused, Milia took out something that had been fastened at the back of her belt. What looked like the bladed tip of a glaive, housing a huge, oval, blue gem. Just like with Léa's staff, it extended, and sure enough, blood remained from where Garrardo had gripped it. And it still looked fresh.
"I'll take that," said Camille simply, plucking the staff from the battlemage's hands. Milia watch with a mix of bemusement and annoyance as Camille took off with her weapon. No doubt she didn't want to part with it, especially here.
"We should also take throat swabs and sputum samples. Maybe I can identify whatever that general used on you," added Hodgins.
Milia's expression grew mutinous. Melany, sensing her reluctance, slyly said, "Believe you me, Milia, his 'tests' on us fairies were much more…unpleasant. Count your blessings."
Milia glared up at Melany, far from placated. But her gaze slowly drifted over to Anna. "And what's gotten into you all of a sudden?" the battlemage demanded, staring up at the pink-haired naga.
Temperance looked up as well. Anna usually had an air of brusqueness. Someone who did not tolerate any nonsense, and was totally focused on her work. But for some reason, that composure had evaporated. She gazed down past the alcove listlessly, her mouth agape, eyes betraying utter disbelief. She even seemed to be shaking.
When Crisis noticed, she darted to Anna's side. "Anna, what's wrong? Are you feeling OK?" she asked kindly, putting her hands on Anna's shoulders.
Anna swatted Crisis's hands away. "Don't, Crisis. Stop pretending you can help with how I feel," she spat. "You never knew who your parents were. For all intents and purposes, Temi is your mother. Imagine if found out she's…s-s-she's…."
Temperance was beginning to catch on. "Anna, do you personally know one of the conspirators that Milia confronted? Paquxa, perhaps?"
"Oh HELLS no. One touched-in-the-head glutton of a blond naga in my life is enough!" snapped Anna. "And this Imkza…she must've ditched these fairies before I showed up. It's General Garrardo that I know all too well."
"YOU know this general personally!?" cried Milia, dubiousness oozing out of her. "Then damnit, spill what you know! If you have that sort of intel…"
Milia stopped when Anna's hand was thrust out at her. Her huge finger was pointed at Milia, her fingertip less than a foot from her face. "Before I say anything about Garrardo and I…your word, Milia Moonleith, that you NEVER reveal what I'm about to spill about myself. To NO ONE, in Negav or otherwise. NO ONE!"
Milia shoved Anna's finger aside. "Don't go pointing fingers at me, naga. This general of yours, whatever you may think of him…he was about to make me neko food, and probably would've had Imkza flatten your fairy friend!" Temperance had just met this 'battlemage', but she already respected how giant nagas couldn't bully her.
However, Anna proved just as willful. She leaned into the alcove, glaring at Milia. "One, ol' hornhead is hardly my 'friend'. And two, old loyalties to army buddies aren't the only thing on my mind. You want my intel? Your word as Isolon Fist that certain details NEVER get mentioned to anyone else!" Anna's yellow eyes seemed to pulsate as she stared Milia down.
Eventually, it was Milia who relented. With a sigh, she said, "Fine. You win. Whatever you reveal stays between us. You have my word."
Sweets had walked up behind Temperance. "If fairies can truly be compared to us…this 'battlemage' is the human equivalent of Lily. There's a resentment of predators that goes beyond what one would except of a soldier charged with combating them."
Temperance had gathered as much herself. But at the moment, she was more interested in Anna. From the outset, Anna billed herself as the one best able to aid the Jeffersonian team. All these predators seemed to have uncomfortable secrets, some perplexing life story. What was Anna's?
"General Garrardo was indeed my commanding officer for many years," said Anna as she withdrew her head. "Since I had practically no family left, you could say he became something of a father figure."
"Yeah, he has a way with predators," spat Milia. "Outside of eating me, that fairy and shadow naga seemed ready to do anything else he ordered."
"Well, back when I knew Garrardo, I didn't exactly have a snake tail. Or outweigh whales," Anna shot back.
Temperance wasn't sure what Anna was getting at, but something dawned on Milia. "Wait a minute…are you saying you were once a human!?" Milia demanded, her dubiousness a palpable thing. "What made you like THIS!?"
Anna pointed over to Crisis, who fidgeted nervously, quickly glancing away from the alcove.
"CRISIS happened to you?" asked Booth. "You can't possibly mean that she ate you, and out popped another naga."
"More or less. All I know is that a few hours after I was liquefied in that stomach of hers, I get reincarnated, looking all big and bad like this," said Anna sourly. "We're still not quite sure how it happened. And frankly, adapting to these new circumstances is still a more vexing priority.
"As for General Garrardo, he actually handpicked me due to my engineering skill, and pretty much took me under his wing. He empathized with my situation: the only reason I joined the Deluran army as a scout was to raise enough money for me and my little brother. He's still back in Delurah, and years later, I still don't have a clue how he's doing back in that shithole. In fact, I'm afraid that if my...CONDITION became common knowledge, my brother could be used in a chess game to blackmail me. So do forgive me of being wary of who I share this information with."
Anna was as vehement as ever, but Milia…her resolve had waned. Her eyes had widened, Anna's story affecting her on some level. Temperance couldn't blame her. Going for years and years, while the fate of a loved one remained a mystery…for Temperance, it hit too close to home. To find that her mother's remains were in the Jeffersonian before she was ever hired there…
"So…is there anything more you can tell us about General Garrardo?" Milia pressed on, though her voice was inflected more tactfully. It was as close to an apology as Anna would get.
"He never put it in words, but he empathized with how I felt about the government back home. That is, the greedy plutocracy that runs everything behind the scenes, and leaves little for everyone else. Like my brother and I," said Anna, her own composure faltering. "In a way, it's not surprising he's working with malcontents from Negav. But if he ordered this Paquxa to eat fellow Delurans…it wasn't a decision he made lightly, I can promise you that. You said those Vishmital victims were targeted because they'd be too loyal to the Vishmital leaders in place, according to this Rnokoll guy, right? No doubt Garrardo targeted those in that unit for the same reason. And he's cunning, patient…definitely the type who'll wait years before all the chess pieces are ready."
Temperance kept looking up to Anna. She hadn't given the pink-haired naga much thought until now. Anna was quite abrasive, yet seemed to think she could work with them merely because she didn't eat their kind. It hadn't really worked out that way, but now…was it any wonder Anna could be so grouchy and standoffish? If anyone understood what it meant to work against those you considered family, it was Temperance. Temperance's own father had done…questionable things to ensure her safety, to say the least.
And turned into a creature of such monstrous size…PERMANENTLY?
Temperance fervently hoped she could avoid that fate.
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Hours ago, Alastazia Lesona ventured into the Hanging Garden of the Golden Spires to contact her Saidakin agents. Not only was it a relatively discreet place to do so on the sly, but the garden's irresistible beauty always helped to soothe her nerves, to aid her in focusing her thoughts.
Until tonight. Now, as Lesona stared out across Negav, there was no hope of maintaining her usual focus. There would be no easy way to bring order to either her thoughts…or the chaos erupting in the other two tiers.
"The reports were accurate. Some sort of riot is breaking out. The light from the fires…I see it, all the way in the Lower Tier," Lesona muttered in disbelief.
"Tensions are escalating faster than we thought," said Gramon Baltazhar, a fellow Magiocrat and close friend…or as close a friend as Lesona would allow. He wore a white mage's tunic that nearly touched the floor, along with a tall, wide-brimmed purple hat. His short, sandy blond hair fluttered a bit in a breeze that brought with it the acrid smell of smoke. "We should have seen the warning signs. It's usually impossible to provoke Vishmitals. Vishmitals picking a fight with our aides and Isolon Fist was a clear indication things are spiraling out of our control."
"The important thing now is that we move swiftly to contain the violence," said Lesona sternly. "Those fires…they're in the vicinity of where our other security forces regularly meet and store their equipment."
"It could be more Vishmitals that reached their tipping point. Or it could be anxious peasants fearful of getting crushed when rival forces clash," said Gramon.
"In any case, this cannot go unanswered." Lesona spun around to address the captain of the Magiocrats' personal guard, her silvery-white dress gliding through the tense, gloomy night. "Captain, organize with the Lower Tier's police force and lock down that sector of the city. And put the word out that a sufficient number of healers are to join you, in case of mass casualties. Come to think of it, I'll send any Magiocrats proficient at healing."
"Also, any available Isolon Fist should be put on alert, regardless of whether they are on off-rotation. Though discreetly, so as not to instigate any Vishmitals further," Gramon suggested.
The captain glanced dubiously over at Gramon, then back to Lesona. Lesona nodded stiffly to show her approval. Then, quick a quick salute, her captain departed.
"We should consider going too, Alastazia, whatever the danger," added Gramon. "We may not be top-notch healers, but at least we can get a first-hand…"
Gramon was interrupted by a strange ringing. Gramon and Lesona looked around for the source of the noise; their eyes fell on Lesona's dress pocket at about the same time.
"Alastazia, what's this? That noise sounds almost…mechanical? Is there something you're…"
"Not now, Gramon!" snapped Lesona. "Go ahead, get to the riot site and tell me what you find. There's something else I must attend to."
"More important than our city falling apart!?" demanded Gramon. "Alastazia, my friend, what could…"
"That wasn't a suggestion! That was a direct order from the head of the Magiocrats' Council! Now go!" Lesona commanded. Knowing when to drop the matter, Gramon bowed and promptly exited the garden.
Once Lesona was certain he was out of earshot, Lesona pulled out Booth's phone. A huge, flashing rectangle had appeared, with a word Lesona couldn't quite make out. Felarya's magic ensured all spoken language could be understood, but written languages took a lot longer to decipher. Still, the flashing rectangle beckoned to her. For a moment, Lesona's outstretched finger hovered over the screen. Then, she timidly pressed the icon. A second later, Lesona heard some soft, incoherent mumbling. Also, an icon with Dr. Brennan's face appeared in the top corner.
The mumbling continued, and Lesona held the device closer. The voice became almost intelligible. It sounded like another woman, possibly Brennan. Figuring it was some sort of radio, Lesona held it up to her ear, her patience nearly exhausted. "Dr. Brennan, if that's you, please understand that you cannot simply contact me whenever you wish. Not only is it after dark, but there's a, for lack of a better word, CRISIS here in Negav that may necessitate Isolon Fist involvement!"
There was some confusing muttering on the other end, to the point of timidity. Nothing like the cool-headed anthropologist who could stare down a slug girl, Lesona thought to herself. But then the other person finally spoke up. It wasn't Dr. Brennan at all.
"Ummm, in that case, Lady Lesona, it's a good thing I'll be returning tomorrow." It was a woman's voice. Probably a younger woman like herself, and speaking with her, even across a great distance, obviously filled her with anxiety…
Lesona put all the puzzle pieces together in seconds. "Milia Moonleith!? What are you doing with Dr. Brennan's communications device!?" demanded Lesona.
"We're borrowing Bones's phone. Whatever's going on in Negav, you also need to hear this." It was Booth, speaking to her with a boldness that Milia lacked when addressing Magiocrats.
Lesona wasn't sure if Milia's meekness around her, or Booth's temerity, annoyed her more.
"It's true, Lady Lesona. I've uncovered vital information…stumbled upon spies in our midst conspiring to overthrow the Ps'isol Magiocrats," said Milia. Before Lesona could cut in, Milia began explaining what she went through that evening. More than once, Booth's phone almost slid out of Lesona's hand.
"The Vishmital named Rnokoll and an aide of ours named Amj? They're the two conspirators you know of?" demanded Lesona. "No doubt they had a hand in tonight's near-riot. I'll have them detained at once."
"NO!" roared Booth, as if he could give orders to the head of the Magiocrat Council. "These conspirators will be on edge, not knowing if Melany and Milia survived. But with any luck, they'll assume they got fried, and be less careful. You'll need them tailed, and also need to dig up everything you can about Rnokoll and Amj. Where they've been going, who they've been talking to. I got a nasty feeling you're dealing with more than two moles."
"Agent Booth is right. The general's fairy lackey, Imkza…she had Isolon Fist weaponry at her disposal," added Milia. "Until we know just HOW that fairy got it, we have to assume all Isolon Fist are potential subversives."
Lesona's free hand went to her forehead, a splitting headache coming on. "I don't suppose you have any proof of this treason?"
"I'm sorry, Lady Lesona, but the directional mic and the recording…that's what Imkza destroyed," said Milia apologetically.
Lesona sighed with annoyance. "But Brennan still has some of the bodies, correct?"
"Bones and Cam are doing some preliminary work now," said Booth. "We won't get much from them now, but by morning, Shandra's skeleton will finally be ready. Then Bones can do what she does best."
"And we'll see if Brennan lives up to her legend," mused Lesona. "In the meantime, I've got fires raging and a potential outbreak of mob violence in and around police and military installations in the Lower Tier. If this General Garrardo's aim is to have Negav rip itself apart, he's succeeding. But even if we had proof, attacking the Deluran base directly would yield no results. It's almost as well-defended as Negav. Any recommendations, Agent Booth?"
There was silence on the other end for a while, until a third voice spoke up. Lesona inwardly cringed upon hearing Exona. "Sounds like it's time to use the Saidakin."
"Who are the Saidakin?" asked Booth.
"And how do you know of them, fairy?" spat Lesona. The existence of the Saidakin wasn't exactly public knowledge. Among Negav's citizens, they were considered mostly myth and fearful rumor, and Lesona wanted it to stay that way.
"This fairy has learned quite a bit over the course of four hundred years," Exona replied slyly. "Still, I'd love to know if you got the idea for the name 'Saidakin' from Frank Herbert's Sardaukar. It wouldn't surprise me one bit."
"Anyway, whoever these Saidakin are, they sound like your equivalent of black ops," Booth cut in. "If you can deploy them to spy on the Deluran base and tail what spies of Garrardo's we know of, then yeah. I'd DEFINITELY recommend doing it."
"And Lady Lesona, please be careful," urged Milia, almost in a whimper. "Garrardo spoke of capturing the queen piece or something, and Imkza bragged about stalking a human for years. She wasn't affected by the Nekomura Eyes, so they could mean you."
Suddenly, the garden felt decidedly unsafe. Exona already made a show of being immune to the Isolon Eye, strutting about in this very garden. Now there was ANOTHER who could do the same!? Lesona looked among all the rows of exotic plants. Even with her skill as a Magiocrat, a skilled fairy could be hiding among them, suppressing her magic and waiting for a chance to strike…
"Your warning is greatly appreciated, Milia Moonleith," said Lesona.
"And I shall try to return to Negav tomorrow, with one of these investigators and allies of…'friendly' predators." It couldn't have been plainer, how hard it was for Milia to spit out those last two words together. Hopefully, that meant time in the Giant Tree wouldn't blind Milia to the predators' true nature. "I'll have to be incognito, but I'm determined to help them get answers in Negav. And I'll be at your beck and call if you need me, Lady Lesona."
"Do what you feel is necessary, Moonleith. You've done admirably so far. Call me again tomorrow," said Lesona. Looking at the phone again, Lesona saw another rectangle flashing. After she pressed it, that seemed to sever contact with Milia.
Then Lesona took off, aiming to rush to the arson site. How disgustingly ironic, that the epicenter of an outbreak of violence was the SAFEST place for her to be…
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Temperance groggily crawled out of her sleeping bag, which was generously provided by other visitors from Earth, housed in this 'Safe Harbor'. Tiny rays of sunlight filtered into the alcove, miraculously peering through all the leaves in the Giant Tree. Temperance was amazed by how soundly she slept. Facing giant harpies and a slug girl, creatures that defied all known tenets of physics and biology, should have taxed her hyper-rational mind to the limit, making it impossible to sleep.
But it didn't. She was in full possession of her faculties, and felt surprisingly refreshed after only a few hours of sleep. Temperance looked around, noticing that Angela and Camille were still in their sleeping bags, fast asleep.
"Ah, the mighty anthropologist awakens," came a tiny, curt voice. Temperance whirled around, and spotted the source. Perched on the post of a hastily-constructed crib for Michael was Lily, shrunken to her minimum height of around three inches. Light had yet to fully penetrate into the alcove, so it would have been easy to miss her. And doubtless that was how Lily wanted it.
"How…long have you been there?" Temperance asked delicately.
Lily glanced down at the sleeping baby. Surely, this fairy's vendetta wasn't so great, she viewed the son of an artist and a scientist as a threat? "The last few hours. Once the sun's risen fully, and the predators outside the alcove take over, I can finally get some sleep myself," she replied stiffly.
Maybe it was the size difference, but Lily's voice sounded far less venomous than from last night. "T-Thank you, Lily, for standing watch all night," said Temperance.
"Shandra's bones were ready hours ago," Lily said nonchalantly. "Thank me by doing what you do best."
Temperance didn't know what else to say. She was still clueless as to why Lily loathed her kind, so Temperance simply nodded and began her trek across the alcove.
Over the years, Temperance heard many people claim she was passionate about her work, putting long hours into investigations with little thought of anything else. Temperance simply saw it as staying focused and doing her job. But as she walked across the alcove, it was obvious she was hardly to first to rise. Near the entrance where Anna had set up shop, the pink-haired naga was hard at work, staring at the huge television screen. If last night's revelation still rattled her, Anna didn't show it. Meanwhile, at Dr. Hodgins's own nearby workstation, a truly passionate scientist was hard at work.
And had drawn quite a crowd. Xanthe, the wingless fairy she had met back in D.C., stood beside Hodgins as he ran one of his tests. Behind his workstation was a tall, silver-haired girl Temperance hadn't met. Lastly, and to Temperance's amazement, the neko Calina hovered around his workstation, and Hodgins didn't seem the least bit perturbed.
Curious to see if Hodgins had any new findings, Temperance walked over to them. Unsurprisingly, Calina's head turned first, before Temperance was even within fifty feet. "Ah, the Bone Lady awakens!" she cried as Temperance walked up. "You're in luck, Doctor. The first skeleton is ready, and Exona has a tent set up for an examination room."
"Do fairies ever get any sleep?" Temperance wondered aloud. "In any case, it shows I chose the right Felaryan to be an intern."
"It's a trait shared by fairies who are driven," said Xanthe. "I recall going many sleepless nights, hunting for humans and nekos already being hunted…" Temperance wasn't sure, but she thought she detected a hint of sadness in Xanthe's voice.
"Oh please, you still drive Daddy nuts sometimes, all those restless nights staying up for no reason…" The silver-haired child was playfully teasing Xanthe, but it seemed to make Xanthe's mood worse.
"Excuse me, but I don't think we've met," said Temperance.
"Oh, the name's Ciel. Dad told me all about you and Booth already." Ciel went around from behind Hodgins's workstation. She moved with astounding swiftness, and before Temperance knew it, she was face-to-face with the girl, shaking her hand. She wore a tight-fitting blue T-shirt, and around her neck, a chain with some sort of silver scale attached. Suddenly, Ciel looked apologetic. "Dad didn't want to drag you and Booth here, really. If anyone knows how lethal Felarya can be for humans, it's him. He just, well…didn't see any other option."
"Wait, are you saying Remus is your father?" asked Temperance, quickly piecing the clues together. "I guess it's no surprise to learn that humans and fairies can interbreed, but he hadn't mentioned having a child of his own."
"Well, not his own BIOLOGICAL child," Hodgins cut in with a smirk. "Look down."
Temperance's gaze drifted down. Emerging from underneath Ciel's shirt…was the tail of a naga. Silvery-blue scales with a pearly-white underbelly. Despite herself, Temperance jumped back a little in surprise. "I-I-I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting a naga our size," she immediately apologized. "Exona hinted at the existence of nagas that only grew to human proportions, but I had yet to see one."
"Well, technically, I AM a giant naga," Ciel said. There was no mistaking the sullenness there. "Give it a few more years, then I'll be able to wrestle Crisis to the ground. Or knowing our luck, even Malika."
"Well Dr. Brennan, now that you've met Remus's charming adopted daughter, you'll be happy to know we're going over Paquxa's hair one last time," said Hodgins. "Thanks to some other new friends, we'll easily yank out particulates I missed."
Temperance wondered what Hodgins was talking about, but then she heard voices…faint, indistinct voices. Her eyes drifted down to the workstation, and she received yet another shock.
Four tiny people, as small as Lily had made herself, were casually strolling away from naga hair wound up like rope! Three of them were idly chatting amongst themselves: an anxious-looking brown-haired boy and two blonde girls. One of the girls sounded sprightly and boisterous, but the other, with her hair cut short, seemed more reserved. The last little person, who had long, raven-black hair…looked even more nervous than the boy. She stayed close to the others, and never uttered a word.
The tiny girl with long, blond hair noticed Temperance first. "Oh, hello! You must be Dr. Temperance Brennan. The name's Joanna. Dr. Hodgins and Xanthe told us all about you." Temperance was shocked by outgoing she was, betraying no anxiety about being around people so much bigger. Temperance was sure her own stoic veneer had slipped more times while in Felarya than she'd care to admit.
"Yes, I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan. So…you helped Dr. Hodgins retrieve particulates?" she asked anxiously. "Is that why you were brought here?"
"Nah. They asked to tag along with me out of curiosity. Some of the Alsumi make regular trips to Safe Harbor, but hardly ever the Giant Tree," explained Calina. The neko leaned over the workstation on her elbows, glancing down at the four little people Temperance could only assume were 'tomthumbs'. The race of 'tinies' hunted by nekos.
Again, Exona's mention of them hadn't prepared Temperance for actually seeing them. They defied Temperance's understanding of physiology as much as Felarya's giant races. With their small volume in relation to surface area, how did these tinies not freeze to death?
As she pondered this, Temperance suddenly feared for them, seeing as how Calina never took her eyes off of the Alsumi. But just as Exona said, Calina did nothing else. There was no hungry glint in the neko's eyes. Something Crisis hadn't quite managed yet.
"So when Milly asked me to stay here in the Giant Tree, so I can give her all the juicy details in this crime drama later, some of the Alsumi begged me to take them too," Calina went on.
"Tan here can't stand to be separated from Calina too long, anyway," said the other blond girl flatly. It wasn't exactly an innocent tease.
"Tina, will you get over it already?" Tan asked dismissively. Joanna, likewise, shot a withering look at Tina.
The black-haired Alsumi still had yet to speak. Taking the plunge, Temperance said, "And…what's your name? You've been awfully quiet. I thought Alsumi felt safe around when Calina was around."
"This one, well…she's a special case," said Calina. "I don't think she's ever uttered a word around me."
"Or me. And I'm the one who brought Meringue all the way to Milly's for Remus." Temperance turned to see Subeta walking toward them, still wearing those clothes from before. She was smiling, clutching a box full of soil, pollen and water samples. "Anyway, here's another delivery, fresh from the southeast Ascarlin Mountains." The canopy fairy carefully set the box down about a foot from the four Alsumi.
"A mineralogist's work is never done," said Hodgins. Instead of annoyed, he sounded giddy. As if each new delivery from a different part of Felarya was like a Christmas present. "Take five, little guys. Hopefully this batch of samples is a match for something…"
"Sure thing, Dr. Hodgins! And nice meeting you, Dr. Brennan," said Joanna cheerfully.
"Err, likewise, Joanna," said Temperance, at a loss for words herself.
"Come on, Dr. Brennan. I'll show you where Exona set up shop," said Xanthe. She led Temperance away from Hodgins's workstation, toward the other side of the alcove. "I remember the first time Remus and I saw Milly's tomthumb friends. It's impossible not to love those Alsumi, isn't it? Especially Joanna. She can become friends with anyone, and never shows any fear. She was probably the first one to accept Calina. Well, besides Tan of course…"
As Xanthe kept talking, Temperance couldn't help but feel there was something else on her mind. Sweets, of course, would know for sure.
However, their psychologist was otherwise occupied. Temperance and Xanthe passed where Sweets had set up shop, and Booth, Milia and Temi were with him. Rough sketches of the three conspirators Milia faced (Garrardo, Imkza and Paquxa) were nailed to the alcove wall, along with other documents beneath them.
"From what Anna and Milia told me about this Deluran general, it's possible that he could have been driven to kill Shandra. I'm not certain," Temperance heard Sweets say. "He clearly has the physical prowess. Plus, Anna insists he's pragmatic enough to do it if he felt there was no other choice, and Milia told us how eager he was to fight her after Imkza went down. But does that willingness to settle a score for a friend translate into a willingness to kill another friend liable to betray him? I can't say for certain."
"Likewise, I'm stumped about Imkza," said Temi. "Before she vanished, Imkza had a reputation for being the absolute sneakiest fairy out there. Stealthier than even Lucilya, more devious than Melany. I'd like to say she'd never hurt a close friend, but who knows how much she's changed since joining this general?"
"Possible corrupting human influence aside," Milia cut in, deftly brushing aside Temi's implications, "I'd say Imkza is physically less able than Garrardo to kill another fairy like that. I got the drop on her twice, and she only turned the tables when she fetched an Isolon Fist-grade RPG."
"True, Imkza was hardly a Crimson Maiden," Temi said in agreement. "And we know even LESS about this Paquxa. You'd think there'd be at least RUMORS about a shadow naga out there…"
Booth, however, stayed surprisingly silent as they bandied about suggestions and theories. But Temperance could tell his mind was at work, fitting all the puzzle pieces together. As much as he blustered about the importance of gut feelings and leaps of faith…in his own way, Booth was as methodical as she was.
Right now, Sweets and Booth were both in their element. It was time for Temperance to delve into hers.
"'Hardly a Crimson Maiden'," Xanthe repeated testily. "No doubt Temi's referring to hand-to-hand combat, not pyrokinesis. It's the only Maiden trait I have left, really."
"Xanthe, I'm surprised. At first, it seemed that the loss of your wings hardly affected you," said Temperance, taking the plunge.
Xanthe hesitated for a moment. "I lost my wings saving Remus, and in turn he saved us both. And recovered Ciel. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'm perfectly happy with them, but sometimes…I miss how gratifying it is, having the power to save humans and nekos from ravenous predators, and teach the latter a hard lesson. The feeling's been nagging at me more lately, for some reason…"
"It could be related to your pregnancy," Temperance said. Xanthe's eyes widened; clearly, Xanthe thought no one else could tell. "Your gait has already shifted, due to minute anatomical changes in your pelvic girdle. My own gait has changed as well, so it was easy enough to spot, given a basis for comparison. To be honest, I'm amazed at all the physiological similarities between fairies and humans. First the analogous brain functions, and now…"
"Could you PLEASE keep your brilliant deductions to yourself?" Xanthe hissed through gritted teeth. "I haven't told Remus yet."
It was Temperance's turn to be surprised. "Why not? I told Booth about my pregnancy days after our child's conception. What reason would you have to…"
"It's just, I-I-I just, well," Xanthe began, struggling to find the right words. "Like I said, I sort of miss being a rebel Crimson Maiden who does whatever she feels is right, everyone else be damned. I'm sure it's part of what made Remus fall in love with me in the first place. But having his kid…don't get me wrong, I won't regret bearing Remus's child one bit. But having a child, settling down permanently…it's like admitting my old life is gone for good. That I'll never be a force for good again, like with Jade and Safe Harbor."
Temperance said nothing at first. Xanthe was right: it wasn't her place to dig too deeply into this, not when she was still sorting out her own feelings about having a child with Booth. "Very well, Xanthe. This stays between us."
"See that it does," said Xanthe dryly. "By the way, we're here." Temperance looked ahead. A small, blue tent had been pitched, and the hum of a portable air-conditioning unit could be heard just behind it. Clearly, Exona had made every attempt to create a place for bone examination that was as sterile and climate-controlled as possible.
Temperance stepped through, and almost bumped into a metal table. It seemed to give off some faint illumination, possibly via an enchantment. A swinging arm with a magnifying lens and light attached hung over the table…Exona seemed to have thought of everything. And Exona herself was busily moving the bones around. By the time she looked up, Shandra's skeleton was perfectly arranged.
"Ah, Dr. Brennan, welcome to our 'bone room', as Booth calls it," said Exona brightly. "Looks like I finished articulating Shandra's remains for examination just in time."
Temperance glanced at the skeleton again. It was as if one of her regular interns had arranged everything. "Excellent work, Ms. Exona. When you said your time in Kortiki Town prepared you for this sort of work, you certainly weren't exaggerating."
"And I'm just getting started," Exona added. She swung the arm around so that the magnifying lens hovered over the ribs and vertebrae. "Clean nicks on T11 and the posterior portions of ribs eleven and twelve, just like you predicted."
Temperance nodded in approval. "We should get to Hodgins to swab these soon. At the moment, he only has one sample box to work through."
"Yeah, at least we can learn what the murder weapon was MADE of," Exona mused.
The fairy continued to glance over the remains of her friend, no doubt hoping to spot something. Exona had such an air of confidence about her, Temperance was ready to believe she could.
"Exona, you clearly learned a lot during your time in Kortiki Town," said Temperance. "Were biology and anatomy the extent of your studies, and did your work encompass much more?"
"Oh, stuff pertaining to biology was certainly what I loved most. Frerik Mezzus and I…we worked together a lot to explore that frontier," said Exona airily. "I assume you met the Alsumi this morning?"
"The, well, the little people that Milly protects? Yes, I met them."
"And no doubt you wondered how they can possibly keep sufficiently warm, assuming they don't have a metabolism faster than yours," Exona went on. Temperance suddenly felt uncomfortable. Just who was the doctor here, and who was the intern? Who was instructing who?
"Yes, I did wonder about that," said Temperance. "If they indeed possess metabolisms comparable to a human's, it would fly in the face of everything I know about physiology and anatomy."
"Would it? Would it really?" Exona asked airily. "Well, some of the work Mezzus and I have done – on willing tomthumb volunteers, mind you – suggests their adipose tissue has a rather unique composition, which insulates far better than yours."
"Is that so?" asked Temperance, her dubiousness palpable.
"We also tried to answer the question of how humans shrunken and enlarged via fairy magic can resist freezing and overheating, respectively," Exona went on. "Well, in the former case, all the evidence we found points to lingering fairy magic providing the insulation. Makes sense. When the fairy magic dissipates, the human grows back to normal, and the insulation vanishes, all with no change in metabolism. If you were wondering where some of the rumors of Mezzus's experimentation on humans stemmed from, well, there you go."
Temperance took a moment to let this sink in. "Intriguing. But is there any reason you're mentioning all this?"
"Felarya's fantastic nature…it still seems to trouble you," said Exona. "You've probably adapted faster than any other human from your world, but these aspects clearly still bother you. I'm just trying to show how everything you thought you knew need not be discarded."
Temperance sighed. "It's not easy. Not when I'm right in front of someone who can pretty much violate the First Law of Thermodynamics at will."
"What, you mean size-changing with fairy magic? Not really," Exona protested. "Just think of my wings as solar cells. They allow me to channel the ambient magical energy of Felarya, and redirect it elsewhere. If the wings are damaged…no harnessing that energy, no manipulation of matter. It's really that simple."
As much as Temperance hated to admit it, a lot of what Exona said made perfect sense. The scientific truths she held dear…they still applied in Felarya, albeit in a bizarre, new light. Temperance glanced down at the victim's bones. "I don't suppose you and Mezzus formulated a theory as to why Crisis and the other giant predators can defy the Square-Cube Law, too."
Exona shrugged her shoulders. "Not as if any predators are lining up for muscle and bone biopsies. Or humans once enlarged with fairy magic, for that matter. We suspect specific anatomical adaptations of muscle and bone tissue are at play, but never found a reliable way to put any hypotheses to the test."
It wasn't exactly relevant at the moment, but it was still disconcerting. If Exona was right, that meant it wasn't some unknowable magical effect in Felarya that kept Crisis's skeletal system from collapsing. Theoretically, Crisis could show up on Earth with no ill effects…
Preferring not to dwell on that, Temperance looked to the remains again. "In any case, enough idle speculation. Time to uncover some verifiable facts."
"Oh, I agree," said Exona brightly. "I've got some new theories about Shandra just from handling her bones, and was waiting to see if you felt the same." Exona tossed Temperance a box of gloves. After she put them on, Exona tossed Temperance Shandra's right femur.
Temperance was about to chastise Exona for being so careless with evidence, but she immediately sensed what her new intern was hinting at. "This femur, its density…" She held the femur up close as her fingers gently felt along its surface. "Just from the density and gradual remodeling due to physical activity…Shandra certainly did not rely on her wings alone. In humans, femurs like this are typically seen in highly-trained athletes."
"And that's not all. Have a look at the victim's metacarpals. See if you can make sense of these markings," said Exona.
Temperance walked over to the table. After setting the femur back down, she leaned over the bones of Shandra's left hand, and immediately saw what Exona spotted. A whole host of injuries. To most other people, such markers would be indiscernible, but to Temperance's trained eye, they stood out like the Giant Tree. "Remodeling of the fifth metacarpal's dorsal side…" she muttered to herself. Such faint signs on a tiny bone lit up in Temperance's mind like a flare.
After turning her attention to Shandra's carpals and phalanges, even more minute signs of remodeling practically sang out to her. A chorus of markers and clues that elegantly told of who Shandra was and how she lived. Temperance's gaze traveled up Shandra's arm. More infinitesimal signs of remodeling. Then her eyes fell on the head of the humerus. The wear on the domed surface was telling, but soon Temperance's discerning eye fell on something far more overt.
"There's been substantial remodeling of the greater tuberosity of the left humerus," Temperance said evenly. Her gaze then spread outward, and she noticed even more telltale signs along Shandra's clavicle. "Judging from the humerus's proximal end…the evidence is consistent with a severe longitudinal rotator cuff tear."
"Yeah, I saw signs of a nasty fracture at the top of her humerus, too. Of course, with no soft tissue to observe along with it, I couldn't be sure as to what it meant," said Exona in a measured tone. Temperance was impressed. She easily kept up with medical terminology, and betrayed little uneasiness with pouring over her friend's remains. Temperance doubted even she was so detached when examining her mother's bones. "So…are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"There's evidence of remodeling in the clavicle as well, as if someone delivered a blow like a chop with the hand." Temperance's gaze briefly swept over the entire skeleton. Even with a quick glance, other signs sang out in chorus as well. "A severe rotator cuff tear, a metacarpal fracture commonly seen in martial artists, and a host of other fractures… If your hypothesizing that Shandra was involved in some sort of brutal martial arts training, Exona, that would be a logical assessment."
"And from the looks of it, none of these injuries happened in her childhood. Shandra must've taken up martial arts in recent years," Exona added. "This may fit with the timetable of Garrardo's fairy recruitment drive."
"That's still a somewhat hasty supposition, Exona," Temperance chided. Human or otherwise, Temperance didn't like her interns jumping to conclusions.
However, as Temperance looked over Shandra's skeleton some more, all sorts of theories and possibilities danced in her head. The nature of the remodeling…somehow, it suggested a person pushing herself too hard. Someone who devoted herself…and would doubtless feel conflicted when realizing her leaders were about to go too far themselves…
Her thoughts were interrupted by the noisy rustling of the tent's flaps. "Oh, Dr. Hodgins. I guess this saves us a trip with the nicked vertebrae and ribs," said Exona.
"Well, why not? I'm more or less done with giving Subeta's samples a once-over," said Hodgins, smiling. "And we have a match."
"To trace evidence left on the victim?" asked Temperance.
"On Paquxa's hair," replied Hodgins. "The particulates our little Alsumi friends retrieved…they're a perfect match for the mountain soil Subeta brought back. Our mysterious 'shadow naga' spent of LOT of time there. And that gives us a slew of new suspects."
Exona's eyebrows rose. "How so, Dr. Hodgins?"
"Turns out there's a small army of 'adventurers' or whatever that set up shop in the Ascarlin Mountains," said Hodgins. "And best of all, they have two predators on their roster. One's a jumping dridder called Nikita, and the other's an ice naga called Aniya."
"How is having two potentially lethal predators in the employ of possible allies of General Garrardo the best part?" Temperance asked, confused.
"It simply means we're going in the right direction," said Hodgins. "Wasn't Zycra bushwhacked by someone with ICE magic?"
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The wind swept past Temperance's face, a constant reminder of the speed at which they were traveling. Thankfully, the view of the ground far below was effectively blocked. The sensation of huge, blond hairs whipping at her face, however, made Temperance look down anyway.
Hairs from Jora's ponytail were being blown up all the way to Exona's pocket. Exona was holding Jora close as she flew them even further south than yesterday. Given how far they had to travel (almost the same distance as to Negav's south end) , it was quickly decided that going on foot would take far too long. Fortunately, Exona seemed strong enough to carry another giant predator great distances.
Jora was even less enthusiastic about the trip than Temperance was. "Hey! Watch it, Exona, watch it! Jagged edge at twelve o'clock!" cried the giantess. Exona pulled up just in time, and Jora lifted her legs, barely avoiding getting cut on some sharp rocks jutting up from the mountain range.
Temperance had been gripping the top of Exona's coat pocket, and the sudden lurch nearly made her fall all the way in. Booth, however, caught her and hoisted her back up. "Yeah, your interns' coat pockets aren't exactly FAA-approved, I know," he quipped.
Temperance said nothing as she worked up the courage to look past Jora's head. She could only get glimpses beyond the left side, but she could tell they would be traversing a completely different environment from yesterday. The Ascarlin Mountains seemed to stretch on like the Rockies, and the air already felt more arid. Remembering Paquxa's hair, Temperance knew this was most likely where the shadow naga was for moths at a time.
"This is also where Milia's previous deployment was, and those harpies we keep encountering…it's likely that they were the same ones constantly pestering the miners here," Temperance thought aloud.
"And she said they suddenly vanished one day," added Booth. "Milia was actually unnerved by that. Considering we now know why the harpies up and left, she had good reason to be."
"Well, you folks can have all the harpies you want. It's the sap with the ice magic I'm after," came a wicked, teasing voice from below. Zycra flew up from Jora's shoulder and past Exona's pocket. "Hey Exona, you were looking a little winded back there. Time to switch."
"If you insist, Zycra. Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, brace yourselves," said Exona. Temperance turned her head to get a better look. Once more, the handoff was underway. Temperance saw Zycra enlarge herself, and then the succubus slid her hands under Jora's shoulders. Exona let go once Jora was secure, then took her two passengers from her coat pocket. She flew down to Zycra's head as she shrank down. They touched down on Zycra's head when she was at Temperance's height, and they could easily grasp Zycra's horns for support.
"Ahhh, feels good to give the wings a rest," said Exona as she sat down on Zycra's head.
"I heard that. Is that your way of saying I'm fat?" demanded Jora.
Exona ignored Jora and leaned against one of Zycra's horns. Booth, predictably, looked anxious every time Zycra took over. He was getting used to being around a demon, Temperance supposed, but relying on one at such altitudes would unnerve anyone.
Booth decided to occupy his mind with something else. "So Exona, let's go over this again. What's this group that's probably in cahoots with Garrardo's factions?" he asked, raising his voice to be heard over the roaring wind and Zycra's beating wings.
"They're a militia group called the Spetz, operating out of the southeast Ascarlin Mountains," said Exona. "Nekos and humans and elves, soldiers and mages and engineers, their group has grown considerably from what I understand, and they operate like a well-oiled machine. Plus, they have two predators on their side."
"But how did the Spetz get started? Who started the group?" asked Temperance.
Exona searched her memory for a moment. "I think his name is Yuri Nikalavich."
"Nikalavich?" Booth repeated.
"Why, Booth? Do you know that name?" asked Temperance.
Booth shook his head. "I'm not sure. It DOES sound familiar."
"Well, that didn't take much longer. This looks like the spot Subeta said she last saw Nikita," said Zycra, her voice booming. The succubus's wings beat even harder to steady her descent. Moments later, from the way Zycra's body jostled, Temperance knew she had touched down.
Temperance saw Jora stumble away and fall to our fours, panting heavily. Temperance looked down from Zycra's head. The environment was just as Hodgins predicted: the edge of an ancient mountain range, with surrounding forests considerably less lush than the jungles they ventured through yesterday.
Temperance took a deep breath as Exona lowered her and Booth to the ground. Upon touching down, she inspected the ground. At once, she noticed what could only be described as imprints left by an enormous spider. And even for a spider so massive, it must have struck the ground with considerable force, upturning the rather rocky soil.
Exona noticed the same thing. "Nikita…she was definitely here. Hopefully, we can find a way to track a jumping dridder, because…"
A scream from Jora cut Exona off, making the three of them look up. Jora was stomping around, letting out screams of fury and confusion. Only when she stayed still for a moment…Temperance finally saw it. Around her midsection, binding Jora's arms to her sides, were thick, white cords. Spider's silk.
"Zycra, hurry up and burn this crap off of me!" Jora demanded, in a panic. "Get this…"
Again, it happened before anyone knew what was going on. A purple, grey and black blur shot out from the adjacent forest and slammed into Jora, pinning her to the ground.
The dridder…she was far shorter than the usual predator. She couldn't have been any taller than fifty feet! Yet she had Jora pinned. Before Jora could throw Nikita off, she produced a curved knife at least ten feet long. Temperance feared Jora was about to join her list of murder victims, but Nikita then flipped the knife around, striking Jora's neck with the handle's base instead.
Jora convulsed, and Temperance could hear the crackle of electricity over her scream. The knife had a built-in taser. Jora suddenly stopped twitching and fell still. The dridder stood triumphantly over her fallen victim. "The supremely awesome Nikita, one! Clumsy-ass giantess, zero!" she cried with glee as she danced a jig over her captive, acting very much like a giddy teenager.
"So that's Nikita," muttered Booth. Unlike Noxcia, Nikita's spider half was quite fuzzy, sporting patterns of black and greyish-brown fluff. She had long, brown hair, her bangs flowing over the huge goggles on her forehead. Unlike most predators, she had some clothes: a purple T-shirt and a belt that had her knife's sheath. Another telling feature was her tattoos: a red fang under both eyes, and a band of triangles on both upper arms. A predator clearly influenced by human friends.
"And I'll even the score," spat Zycra, who Nikita had apparently ignored. "Or did you not see the supremely awesome fire demon read to…ACK, NOT AGAIN!"
Looking back up to Zycra, Temperance froze as she saw a huge blast of turbid mist rush past Zycra. A moment later, the succubus toppled over, forcing Temperance, Booth and Exona to run. The tremor from Zycra's body crashing to the ground knocked them off their feet.
Coughing from the kicked-up dust, Temperance stood and looked up. A different predator was now looming over the fallen succubus. Again, she was short for a giant predator, scarcely bigger than Nikita. Her skin was an eerie shade of icy sky-blue, and her long hair was like crystalline, blueish ice. There was a pink-and-red striped ribbon around her forehead, which also went down and wrapped across her breasts and her waist. Temperance could see a little bit below her waist. A naga's belly scales.
"The name's Aniya, and I don't like you very much," she said flatly, without the slightest hint of emotion.
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Felarya character credits:
Crisis, Anna Demorah, Temi, Léa, Lily, Belletia, Melany, Subeta, Aya, Frerik Mezzus, Alastazia Lesona, Zil and Gramon Baltazhar belong to Karbo
Milly, Isham, Elia, Calina, Lucilya, Yemic, Jissy, Roshan, Ajab, Tina, Joanna, Tan and Pal Sebrit belong to FrenchSnack
Remus vir Patstriker, Xanthe, Ciel and Meringue belong to NickInAmerica
Jora Fenderen, Jade and Tanny belong to Ravana3K
Nikita and Aniya belong to Tora044
Katrika and Velvet belong to Zoekin3
Milia Moonleith and Zycra Zordford belong to vaderaz
Seliky Serela belongs to kikijonson
Fiona belongs to rcs169
Noxcia belongs to turboman500
Kai Roga Mayin belongs to JiroKatsu
Exona, General Garrardo, Paquxa, Imkza and Shandra belong to yours truly, Grey-X