Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil, the characters or anything pertaining to the series. It is all copyrighted to Capcom and I am merely doing this for fun and entertainment.
Chapter Eleven:
An Exotic World
This land of mystery is foreign to all but the Primitive ones. Was it by chance that they were brought here… or was it an act of fate?
The afternoon sun shone down on them as they progressed through the thick brush and trees. Everything about this land was foreign to them. The heat was at times unbearable, and the terrain was incredibly difficult to navigate. They barely managed to penetrate the forest, but that was because of Sherry's injuries.
"This place looks kinda like the Desert Towns, doesn't it?" Sherry spoke, gazing at the sky and observing an unusual bird fly overhead. "Not completely similar but you know, the trees and sand are almost like it."
"We aren't near the Desert Towns." Jake replied, pushing away a thick bush. He slid down a small slope in the terrain and turned to stretch up his arms to catch Sherry. "This place is new. I don't recognize a damn thing about it. And that's odd considering I've been just about everywhere around the world at some point."
Sherry's eyes sparkled, she jumped down into his arms and let him gently lower her to the ground. "You know, you've never really told me anything about your travels, Jake. In fact, you still have yet to tell me where you're from."
He was quiet while they walked on. The wind stirred around them pleasantly and the image of a new landscape came into view.
They had somehow climbed up a mountain when they broke through that first forest, it wasn't surprising considering the unpredictable region. Down below the terrain continued to be a deep stretch of forestry, but a magnificent waterfall was within sight now. Sherry was in awe; water as blue and clear as the ocean cascaded down from the mountaintops to pool into a lake below, and then stream out down a river cutting through the sea of trees.
"Jake, look at the waterfall!"
The hybrid chuckled a bit. "Yeah, it looks…"
"Beautiful." Sherry finished.
Scooping Sherry into his arms, Jake leapt from the mountains down into the thick forest below. When they landed, they were enveloped in darkness. The trees stood tall, blocking out the sun. Upon entry, they were immediately aware of the exotic animals that scurried away upon seeing them.
"Look at these animals," Sherry said, "They're so different, but pretty and shy like the elk back in Raccoon…"
Jake released Sherry and walked ahead with her trailing behind closely. He made sure not to walk too fast considering she was limping in pain. He had offered to carry her, but the willful blonde demanded he not touch her unless absolutely necessary. He tried insisting that it was necessary but alas, she was adamant he keep his hands to himself. But at least she had let him carry her guitar. That gave him some solace.
"Judging from the looks of things, I think we're in Africa."
"Africa?" she repeated, "But how? We were heading to…"
"Depending on your route, you may have to pass by Africa to get to the new world." Jake explained, brushing away a large tree branch and holding it until she passed by. "But you see, of all the continents that were broken apart by tyrants, Africa is probably the least changed. Although over the course of time, the Nile expanded in width, eventually swallowing a great fraction of Africa itself."
"The Nile, as in the river? Sorry, I just –"
"I know, you don't know much about the world. And that's… okay. I don't mind telling you I guess." He scratched awkwardly at the back of his hood and sighed, "But yeah, I'm talking about the river. I don't know how we could've got here. It seems impossible…"
"What do you mean?" Sherry asked.
"To get from the Netherlands to Africa would mean we would have had to travel over land at some point. Unless Kennedy's navigation's went haywire at some point. That said, I can't logically explain how we would be in Africa."
"You said the Nile expanded... how far did it expand? Is it possible that it's current became strong enough to pull us into African territory?"
Jake paused, Heh… that does make sense. He thought, "It still doesn't sit right with me, but maybe you're right. This would be the first time it's ever happened to me. At least I think it is…"
"Are you still having trouble remembering things?"
"Yeah…"
At last they broke through the forest and came to a wide river flowing from the waterfall miles upstream. The water continued down a mighty path that seemed endless. Jake figured it would be a good idea to follow it anyway. Turning to Sherry, he saw her sitting on the ground and massaging her wound.
"How's your thigh?" he asked, kneeling to have a look for himself.
"It feels like it's getting worse…" she replied softly, "Maybe I just need to rest here for a bit."
Jake rolled his eyes, "Or… you could stop being so damn stubborn and let me carry you already."
"Jake, I asked you to leave me alone earlier. And now I'm gonna ask you again. Can you please leave me alone?" she had an edge to her voice; clearly she was upset with him but Jake was growing frustrated with her behavior too.
Jeez what the hell is her problem? Ever since she woke up she's been acting weird and now she's giving me a whole lot of attitude. It's fucking annoying. Jake growled and reached for her but she quickly scooted away, "Sirena, vieni qua, adesso [Siren, come here, now]!" He shouted.
Sherry trembled with rage, "I'm not a damn child! So leave me alone!"
"What the – I never said you were a child! Where the hell are you coming up with this shit?!"
As he spoke, he noticed a massive form surfacing in the water behind her. It was dark with a shiny coat until the water melted away from it, revealing a hairless body…
"You treat me like a child!" She fussed, staggering to her feet, "And dammit I'm sick of it –"
"Look out!"
Jake tackled her out of the way just as an enormous creature stepped onto the land with its mouth wide enough to swallow them both whole. He held onto Sherry as tight as possible, pressing her against his front as they slid on their side to escape it. He sat up and heard the beast groan before turning to them once more, before becoming motionless.
Sherry mewled in pain from the fall before seeing what nearly ate her. She couldn't believe how large it was! And even worse, she hadn't heard a sound! "W-What is that thing?!" She cried.
"A hippo," said Jake. "But look out, we've got other problems…"
The hybrid flipped away with her in his arms just as a spotted feline leapt from the brush. He landed high in a tree, scaring off a few birds in the process. "Oh God! A cheetah!" Sherry shrieked.
"Actually, that's a leopard… but it's cute that you tried." Jake teased. "Strange, they're usually sleep during this time of day. We must've woke him up."
"What are we gonna do?!" Sherry watched the hippo shrink back into the water, but it didn't completely disappear. Meanwhile, the leopard had advanced once again, and started climbing the tree to get to them. "Oh God it's gonna eat us!"
Without warning, a deafening roar echoed throughout the terrain. Sherry was rattled, she nearly fell from the tree but Jake caught her. The blonde's head was pounding but all of that went forgotten once she saw the leopard shrivel up and race away in fear.
The hippo, on the other hand, remained.
"Ah, ballsy little fucker aren't cha?" Jake mused.
"Jake, could you give me a warning next time you're gonna do that?"
"Yeah, sorry." he rubbed at her hair before leaping down, and leaving her in the tree. He removed her guitar, propping it against the bottom of the tree before advancing on the water demon.
It was motionless, staring at him listlessly and waiting for a chance to attack.
"Hey fatso, why don't you just beat it already?" he taunted, "Or do I have to skin you alive?"
His claws came alive. He smirked at the beast as it yawned once more – it was attempting to frighten him. It wasn't working. He had dealt with this creature a many times. Underneath that tough skin, it was nothing but massive blubber – as he put it.
However, before he could jump into the water and go on the offensive, a rumbling on the ground commenced. From the tree, Sherry squeaked and held tightly onto it, praying it wouldn't fall. Jake turned around to the forest behind him and saw a gigantic figure emerging from the shadows. He quickly got out of its way, taking Sherry's guitar with him as he rejoined her in the tree.
"What in the world is that…?" Sherry asked, staring down at the grey silhouette surfacing a few feet away.
"It's an elephant."
Jake saw a twinkle come to her eye, "Elephant?" she echoed in awe, "The gentle giant…?"
"That's the one." he replied.
Sherry squealed with delight, taking in its appearance; wrinkled skin, a long trunk, tusks, and big ears just like she had seen in books – only it was cuter in person. They observed the elephant break through the trees and step closer to the river.
It was alone, but upon sight of it, the hippo all the sudden… disappeared. Jake could still smell it within the area, but it seemed to have gone on about its business. Hmph, coward.
"Jake, look…"
The hybrid turned just as the elephant began to drink from the river. He didn't know what Sherry's fascination with the animal was (or how she knew anything about it), but he had to admit, even he appreciated them. Gentle, but strong; they were respected among animals, humans and tyrants alike.
"Why is it all alone?" she asked.
"It's most likely a guy." he said. "They like wandering around alone, until they find other guys to hang with for a while… or girls." he chuckled, tickling her stomach.
"J-Jake cut it out!" he released her, and she straightened out her clothes. "Jeez, male elephants sound a lot like male humans… and tyrants." she narrowed her eyes at him.
Jake shrugged, "Wanna go down there and talk to him?"
Sherry's jaw dropped, "Wha-What do you mean?"
"I can talk to him. Want to?"
He didn't give her a chance to respond. He grasped onto her and jumped down from the tree to approach the benign creature. It stopped drinking water and turned to them, startling Sherry enough to render her motionless. It was huge; Sherry thought she might faint from simply being in its presence. As its trunk stretched out to them, slowly inching closer, Sherry shyly hid behind Jake.
"Would you relax?" Jake whispered.
"I-I'm sorry, I'm just nervous."
The elephant stepped closer. Sherry was quivering with fear of the mighty giant. Jake allowed it to sniff him as it pleased. It then went on to take a whiff of Sherry.
It stopped abruptly.
Jake wondered would it attack…
Instead, it snorted and returned to drinking from the river.
"So… what does that mean?" Sherry asked, staring fearfully at the creature.
"Dunno, but this guy scared off that ugly hippo, so he's no enemy of mine." Jake patted the giant's side and grinned, "Thanks buddy."
It turned to him. Sherry froze once again. However, she was relieved when the elephant extended his trunk to Jake, and he shook it courteously. "Jake, do you think he's used to interacting with people?"
"I'll ask him."
"What? How?"
"A gesture of trust is all it takes…" he quieted down, and listened to the elephant as it communicated to him. Humans couldn't detect a lot of the animals means of 'conversation' but one of the perks of being a tyrant was that he was quite in tune with animals – and even insects, although he rarely found a need for that. Most of them were pretty dumb in his opinion, with spiders being the only exception.
"Can you tell him I think he's beautiful?" Sherry pleaded gently, gathering her hands at her chest.
"He heard you, and he says thanks." Jake chuckled.
"So, what's he telling you?"
"He says these parts aren't safe for humans, specifically you. He also said he spends quite some time around tyrants, although that's not what he calls them."
"What did he call them?"
"Primitives."
Sherry smiled, "So you were right, there are Primitives here after all."
The hybrid observed as the elephant used its trunk to point in the opposite direction of the waterfall. "Yeah, he says they're just past the savanna up ahead. We'll have to cross it, and then there's another brush of trees to the 'foodless' area by the coast."
"He means the beach right?" Sherry giggled, "That's so cute."
"Thanks again buddy." Jake patted its side once again and turned to Sherry, "Come on, we can – Whoa!"
The beautiful blonde shrieked as she saw Jake lifted by the collar and placed on the elephant's back. She tried to back away but the giant wrapped its trunk around her waist and placed her beside Jake. "What's he… doing?"
The elephant stepped into the river and started a slow pace down the current. The water was quite deep, and most of the giant's legs had submerged into it. "He says he's gonna take us past the savanna since he's headed that way for food."
Sherry leaned forward to rub its back, "Thank you, you're really sweet." she sang. She noticed the elephant was holding her guitar in its trunk. "My guitar…"
"He said: 'don't forget this, it might come in handy'." Jake said, leaning back and getting comfortable.
The blonde accepted her instrument and thanked the animal once more. "I never had an elephant ride before…"
"Just relax, it's actually quite awesome."
By the time they arrived to the savanna, the sun had begun to set over the horizon. It glowed brilliantly over the grassy wetland. The animals around here were in groups and coexisting with even the more hostile animals, all seemed to live in harmony here. Sherry and Jake saw a rich variety of fauna ranging from gazelle to ostrich to giraffes and many more. Even the sick cackling of the hyenas echoed throughout the land.
The elephant, who informed Jake that his name was Yamu, lowered them down nearby a herd of zebra. The zebra shied away slowly as they stepped onto the ground.
"Yamu says we can keep straight ahead through that patch," he pointed to the thick brush of trees ahead. "And we'll end up on the outskirts of the village."
"Thanks again, Yamu." Sherry hugged Yamu's trunk and limped towards Jake. "Lead the way, Jake."
"Oh no, I'm carrying you this time." he deadpanned, scooping her up. She didn't fight him, and this caught him by surprise. "You okay?"
"Yeah…" she murmured. "Look Jake, I just wanted to apologize for acting so bratty earlier. You were just trying to help and I shouldn't have been so stubborn."
"Don't mention it." he said, "I bet the bruise has got you cranky, am I right?"
Sherry blushed when he grinned dashingly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nodded, "Yeah… that's exactly why I'm cranky."
What's with her? He wondered. The half-breed didn't understand why she was acting so dole. Sincerely hoping the injury was fully to blame for her demeanor, he left the topic alone.
Thanking Yamu for his assistance, Jake left the elephant be so it could feed on some shrubs for a while. He was certain that the giant was a friend of some of the local tyrants and considering the coming of dusk, he knew they would be awakening soon. He could detect the faint scent of burning wood in the distance.
They proceeded towards the forest just as a gentle drizzle descended from the skies. Jake thought to shield Sherry but she insisted she enjoyed it. The temperature was hot sometime earlier, and they were relieved that with the sunset came a drop in climate. The rain was an added bonus.
Once he was away from the savanna, the hybrid started for the forests…
But a distinct rumbling from nearby sent him into high alert.
"J-Jake…" Sherry whispered shaking violently, "B-Behind us…"
He dashed out of the way just as a trio of lionesses leaped from a patch of brush behind him. Springing for the nearest tree, he landed on a branch and marveled at the height above where the lions slowly pooled beneath them. Sherry had her face buried in his chest, he could hear her pleading for God to save them from the beasts.
Before he could try to calm her, the unthinkable occurred.
The tree branch wasn't strong enough to hold them, and it snapped in an instant.
Jake quickly slammed his claws into the trunk of the tree, holding onto Sherry by her arm. He had managed to grip it at the right height, just enough that the lions couldn't reach her, but she was squirming in terror, gathering her legs to keep the ferocious felines from leaping up and snagging her.
"Shit!" Jake cursed. He had to keep mounted on the tree or otherwise Sherry could get hurt by the lions. He debated tossing her into the air and taking out the beasts while she was suspended… "Siren –"
"Jake!" she interrupted, "Cut the strap on my guitar!"
The hybrid wasn't sure he heard her right, "What?"
"Release the strap and let it fall!"
"Why?"
"Just do it! I'll catch it!" she shrieked as a lioness sprang for her again, "Hurry!"
He had no idea what she was thinking, but he hoisted her up closer his body, "Siren, you'll have to do it – my hands are a little tied up, remember?"
Sherry nodded and reached for her guitar. She succeeded in releasing the strap and held onto her weapon with one hand, "Thanks! Okay, last favor – lower me down back to where you had me before!"
Okay, she's outta her fucking mind. "What the hell do you mean –"
"Just do it!" she demanded.
This was the first time she ever raised her voice at him with such conviction. He looked down at her and saw the fire in her eyes, she was serious – the mellow blonde had a plan and she wasn't going to back down until she acted on it.
Damn… she's hardcore. Jake grinned, "Alright… but you better be careful."
"I've got it, you just hang on." she said.
Once he got her lowered enough, the lion leaped for her. Jake almost unleashed his wail again in the midst of a panic, but it was unnecessary.
Sherry whacked the lioness in the face.
The force caused the feline to flip mid-air and fall onto its side. The others quickly rushed to her defense. They tried the same thing as the other but only for the same result. Jake was astounded by Sherry's strength and sudden bravery. She didn't back down once – she continued to swing at the lions until they were staggering.
"Hell yeah, Siren!" he cheered with immense enthusiasm. His little Siren girl had an inner power he couldn't ignore. She was a force to be reckoned with behind that gentle countenance.
She's probably the most fascinating woman I've ever met… For the first time, Jake could see just how capable she was. And it was incredible to watch.
The hybrid was brought back to reality when one of the lions succeeded in knocking Sherry's guitar from her hand. He cursed and yanked her up to him before the lion could harm her.
"Dammit!" she cursed.
"Hang on, I'll get us –"
A sudden rumble of footsteps startled them. The two were shocked to see Yamu racing towards them at incredible speeds. His tusks were straight ahead, his trunk raised and his ears flapped and fanned out when he blew at the beasts like a boisterous trumpet.
The lions were visibly alarmed, but resorted to standing their ground. They gained some distance but didn't retreat altogether. Yamu extended his trunk and pulled Jake and Sherry from the tree, eventually handing Sherry her guitar once again.
Jake was grateful for the elephant's assistance, but for once, he was sick of these beasts challenging him. He slid off the animal despite Sherry's pleas and stepped out in front of Yamu protectively. He was aware of the power lionesses had in groups, he didn't want to risk any harm coming to the giant – no matter how powerful it was.
Drawing his claws, Jake flashed towards the beasts. He slammed one to the ground and kicked the other in mid-leap.
The last one however, tackled him down.
"Jake!" Sherry cried out.
The hybrid struggled on the ground with the beast. One slip up and he could be done for.
But this was the son of Wesker. There was no way in hell he would be killed by a kitten.
Jake gripped the lioness by her bottom jaw. A loud crack rang out in the dark as the heavy lion fell on top of him, dead. He had twisted her neck.
Pushing her off, he stood up and brushed off his clothes before baring his fangs at the remaining felines. They recovered from their injuries quickly, but instead of attempt a fight, they quickly fled.
Behind him, he could hear Sherry sliding from Yamu. She fell to the ground, and struggled to get up without using her injured leg. "Jake, are you okay?" He walked to her, hoping to save her the agony of limping over.
She cupped his face and he took a moment to admire the glow her pearly skin gave off under the moonlight. He placed his hands over hers for a fleeting moment, and then pulled her close for a hug. "You did great, Siren." he whispered into her hair, "You're fucking badass."
When he pulled away, he saw a red hue over her cheeks. "Thank you."
"That was quite a display, young ones."
Sherry gasped and whirled around in Jake's arms to the forests behind them. Jake held Sherry close, an arm around her neck and the other rest on her stomach.
The speaker emerged from the dark sea of trees. It was a tall, burly man with prominent facial hair. Like the many other men gathering behind him, the man didn't wear a shirt, but had a pair of light colored pants on. His many weapons were visible; a spear in his hand, an axe strapped to his back and the belt around his waist had more gadgets to show.
He spoke with a heavy accent, Sherry was able to identify it as Italian – and this intrigued her greatly. She vaguely wondered if Jake was familiar with the man, but judging from the hybrid's vacant expression, she doubted it.
Jake could see women and men looking upon them with interest and caution as well. But one looked incredibly familiar.
I thought I smelled a familiar scent. It's her…
"Manuela?!" Sherry gasped, apparently she noticed the tyrant woman as well.
Manuela came forward, addressed them with a sweet smile and inclined her head respectfully, "Sherry, Mister Tyrant, we have been waiting for you."
The meek tyrant took Sherry's hands and pleaded for her to follow, of course Jake never took his hands off the blonde so he had no choice but to do the same. As they slipped past the leader, he put a hand on Jake's shoulder.
"Welcome to the Land of Wonder, my friends."
An exotic landscape rich in scenery, and agriculture, the village lied in the midst of a tall palm trees, greenery and fields of crops. The homes are made from straw, sticks and even stone; each vary in color with spectacular designs and insignia's drawn upon the outer walls. Some homes have even been carved into the trunk of the largest trees, or even built on top of them.
The village is formed around a well in the center that points directly to a man-made passage to the beach. The sound of ocean waves washing over the rocks and sand echo loudly in the air, as well as the calls of the many animals that avoid the tyrant habitat out of respect and fear.
Manuela led them through the town. Their shoes crunched along the rough, gritty ground as they walked. The villagers looked upon them without fear, more of fascination. Jake carried Sherry, the blonde woman felt quite self-conscious; they must surely look a sight with their filthy, ruined clothes and the dirt on their skin. But judging from the welcomes they were given, she started to think otherwise…
They arrived at a straw roofed abode – much larger than the others in comparison. Cylinder in shape, the same insignia that was all over the colony was present here as well in vivid shades of blue, white and green. The door was a simple cloth which they brushed away for entry.
Inside was an altar for worship, an animal skin rug and an assortment bright candles and traditional knickknacks. Manuela requested Sherry's guitar, and placed it close to the altar after lighting a single candle to brighten the dark around them.
The man from earlier had joined them along with a couple other Primitives. Manuela was incredibly respectful to him, leading Jake to assume he was the leader of this particular tribe. He sat in front of the altar, facing them with Manuela at his side.
"So cadets," the man started, "Have you enjoyed your experience here so far?"
"Sure if you like being attacked by leopards, hippos, lions, and shit." Jake retorted rolling his eyes.
The man chuckled softly, "Take it easy, it was a joke. Please, have a seat my friends." Jake sent Sherry a glance before slowly letting her down so they could sit on the rug, facing the two Primitives. "To ease some of the tension in here, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Parker, I am the leader of this establishment. I take it you're already familiar with Manuela here," the two nodded in her direction. "And the two behind you are Sheva and Krauser..."
Both tyrants nodded according to how their names were called, Sheva is dark-skinned and beautiful with short brown hair loosely pulled into a pony-tail. Krauser is another tall, muscular Primitive with dark eyes and many scars scattered across his face. Sheva seemed like a pleasant woman, she smiled politely to them and waved, Krauser on the other hand carried a cold semblance – he barely spared them a glance.
"These are a pair of our most powerful Primitives, they are here to oversee this conference and ensure that conflict is avoided."
"Heh." Jake mocked, "You sure two are enough to handle me?"
"Ja—Sir!" Sherry quickly caught herself. "Don't be so rude!"
"Trust me, comrade – you're nothing compared to what we've handled." Sherry visibly stiffened hearing the low, raspy voice that was Krauser's. He sounded scary to her.
"You sure about that, Scarface? I mean, we could always duke it out right here and see who the better man is."
"Your move, comrade."
"Jack!" Sheva scolded.
"Sir! Stop that right now!"
"Both of you," Parker started slowly. All eyes turned to him. Sherry's breath caught in her throat when she saw the hardened look he shot in the other men's direction. It was a sharp contrast to the former cheery demeanor. "Be at ease. Krauser, you are one of us. You know better than to behave this way." the hardened Primitive muttered a low apology. "As for you two, you have to understand that maintaining peace is important to our people. We expect the same in return."
"Of course," Sherry bowed her head courteously. "It is nice to meet you all. My name is Sherry, and this is…" she trailed off, looking questionably at Jake.
He huffed, "It's Jake." he missed the surprised look Sherry sent his way.
Parker smiled and nodded respectfully to them, "I see… So, tell us about yourselves! Where are you from? And how did you get here?"
"Okay, well, I'm from Gerframance, specifically, a small colony called Raccoon city. Jake works for my father, who is also the mayor of Raccoon."
The Primitives were fascinated. "Your father is a human, isn't he?" Sherry nodded. "It's good to see a hybrid that isn't against working to help mankind. That is right up our alley – morals wise."
Jake scowled at the leader, "Tch."
"We were traveling with some friends when we were hit by a storm." the blonde's focus dropped to her palms, vividly she could recall holding onto the crank for dear life when she was suddenly thrown into the air. "Everything about it was strange…"
"We were literally taken here by the ocean itself." Jake finished. "Look, we're not here to stay. We lost our crew and we need to know where we are so we can go find them. After that, we're gone."
"Where will you go?" The leader challenged, "Even if we tell you where you are, there's no guarantee you'll find your friends. This land is a mystery to all who stumble upon it. There's no guarantee that your friends are even here. And most that do make it here don't survive the first night due to the animals, the food and the insects…"
"What do you mean?" Sherry asked fearfully.
"Most people who venture to this land are never seen again." Manuela said somberly, her eyes fell to her lap as she continued, "We find the bones of many foreigners here. Every time I visit this village I am fated to witness death brought upon those who cannot handle this land."
"Jake…" Sherry whispered, "You don't think…?"
"No, Kennedy's pretty tough and that annoying chick has gotta be with him so he'll keep her alive. Don't worry about them." he sent a harsh glare towards Parker but the leader was undeterred.
"Of course your friends have a chance of survival, but we'll never know until they find their way here. This is the only village on this great land of mystery and abundance. Either they wind up here, or they disappear forever."
"Of course, there is the land on the opposite side of the great canyon that your friends could have also found, but that's an odd chance." Sheva proposed.
"Well, what's over there?" asked Jake.
"A city, it is where we go if we need supplies or other modern things." Manuela said.
"Well, why didn't you just say that?" Jake growled, rising to his feet and holding out his hand for Sherry. "Come on, we'll go check there for them."
"I am afraid you can't do that." Parker exclaimed firmly. "There is no way you can possibly maneuver around that canyon. It is a dangerous place, and I don't think it's wise to try that."
Jake and Sherry glanced at each other, and back to the leader, "What is there some sort of monster down there?" he chuckled, mocking their claims.
"I assure you, this is no laughing matter." Sheva said, "If you two venture to that canyon… you may never make it out."
Jake rolled his eyes, "Why?"
"The canyon is so deep, and dark… it is a mystery what it's like down there… but what comes from it is enough to steer even the boldest of tyrants away."
"W-What are you saying?" Sherry asked.
Jake had heard enough. He would be damned if he let some Primitives scare him with their incredulous mythology.
"We'll take our chances." The hybrid swept Sherry into his arms and turned swiftly to start for the exit. However, Sheva and Krauser were there to impede his progress. "Don't test me. I'm fresh outta patience." he threatened.
"Mister Jake, please," Sheva pleaded, inclining her head to him. "We are not lying to you. We have lived here for many years and we know what lies within that canyon. It is an insanely dangerous place to go… unless…"
"Unless, what?" Jake snapped.
"Unless you wait until the day of the red moon."
The hybrid turned back to Parker, whom had remained seated. Sherry insisted Jake release her, when her feet touched the ground, she stumbled a bit but he had his hands around her waist in an instant. "Thank you," she murmured, and then turned her attention to Parker. "What is this red moon you speak of?"
"The day the moon turns red is in the event of a total lunar eclipse. If the two of you will stay here until then, you will be free to cross."
"When is that?"
"It is a few weeks from today," Manuela explained. "When the red moon is in the sky, there's this tremendous flooding that occurs, creating a river for people to cross over and it lasts over the span of a week before completely drying again."
Parker nodded, "Should you wait until then, not only will you be free to leave this village, but you will also see what exactly it is that we're warning you about... and how it is everything but old folklore."
"You've heard of the darker side of humanity, haven't you comrade?" Krauser asked suddenly.
"What of it?"
"A few weeks from now, you will see the darker side of immortality. Much like humans, our kind can succumb to madness as well. You both will be able to witness it for yourselves – once you see them."
"Who is 'them'?"
Manuela sent a worried glance to her leader, "We… shan't speak of it now. Perhaps we will speak more of it later." she stood up and brushed off her dress like a dainty princess. "You may be here for a while, so perhaps you would like to get some new clothing and enjoy a bath?"
"N-No…" Sherry refused, "Please… tell us what's going on! What's coming when the red moon comes?"
Jake saw Sherry trembling violently beside him. Her head dropped and her hands clutched at the tattered remains of her shirt as she choked back tears. He placed a hand on her back, rubbed it soothingly before whispering to her to think positive. She wrapped her arms around him and begun crying into his chest, muttering into his clothes of her worries for Leon and Helena.
"I know, Siren." he told her. He looked to Parker, "Why are we here?" he asked softly. "Just tell us that…"
"Everyone's purpose is different." Sheva intercepted, "Miss Sherry, although I am unable to tell you what you are here for, I am certain you will find out soon. As for you, Mister Jake…" she smirked at him, "You know why you're here."
The Primitives all at once looked at each other. Jake was perplexed by her statement. Sherry pulled away from his chest. Seeing the shared eye contact between their strange acquaintances, she was perturbed. Both Jake and Sherry found the look the Primitives shared to be unsettling.
"This is a spectacular time for your appearance, Jake." said Parker. "To surface in such close proximity to an occurrence that will surely alter everything you've perceived of the world so far."
Claire paced to and fro in Steve's office. She had no real purpose for being here, but she figured she would pay the forever youthful tyrant a visit to hopefully stir up conversation. About what in particular she wasn't sure.
Shyness was not a common characteristic for this fiery redhead, but something about the time that she had spent away from Steve made her hesitant, and more importantly, curious. Specifically, where things stood between them – were they simply friends now, or was there still something left over from their past encounters?
Maybe I can talk to him about the civilians? Or… I don't know…
It was quite different in here than she last remembered, but then again, years had slipped by since she lived among others in Sheena – even the people weren't the same. She also took into account that the island had been attacked by the same barbarians that besieged Raccoon.
Steve sat behind his desk, eyes trained on a pile of documents he'd received from a messenger tyrant earlier in the day. He couldn't believe the irony of the words on each sheet. It made him sick to his stomach to read all of these half-assed excuses for the devastation brought upon his people, but he knew if he wanted some leisure time it was best to just get it all out of the way.
He included dealing with Claire as part of his leisure time.
"Why don't you sit down, Claire?" he suggested, peeking over the paper he held at her restless form. "You don't have to keep pacing, ya know?"
"I know that, I'm just not ready to sit yet. You should worry more about those papers than me right now. I'm only here because I'm bored anyway."
Steve signed the paper and glanced her way once more, "You uh, wanna help me out?" Her brows raised, she sent him a look of disbelief at his request, "What? It would help with your boredom right? Besides, it's technically impossible to be bored in Sheena – there's always something to do."
"I'm not a politician, Steve." she defended, folding her arms over chest, "There's no way I could touch those papers without some sort of repercussions."
"All I'm asking is if maybe you would file these for me? That way I can breeze through the rest of this and then you and I can talk."
Claire made a face. She wasn't too pleased with the idea of being his secretary for the day but he was right, it sure beat standing around with nothing to do. With a sigh, she joined him over at his desk. "Fine."
Silence weighed in as they completed the paperwork. As Steve signed each document, Claire stored them in their appropriate location. Gradually the high stacks of papers shrank down to smaller piles until finally they were no more. At last, they were finished.
"Well, that's the last of it, right?" Claire asked while perfectly lining a few files to store them.
"Yup." Steve chimed, spinning in his chair before rising from his seat and stretching. "Man, I feel like I've been here forever!"
With a smile, Claire patted his back a few times. "Now that you're done, I just wanted to say thanks again for helping everyone in Raccoon."
Perhaps she imagined it, but she could've sworn she saw a faint blush ghost over his cheeks, "Uh yeah, no problem."
"I hadn't expected the tyrants here to be so accepting of them. Sheena's really changed over the years… I remember when Leon and I first arrived; those tyrants looked at us like we were insects."
"I never did." Steve quickly said, almost defensively.
"I never said you did, Steven." Claire laughed, "Relax, I'm just saying that I see a change among the people here and it makes me happy. It's good to see everyone getting along. I never thought I'd see the day that humans and tyrants would be… at peace."
"Well, I dunno about 'peace' but I think there's a sympathy factor at play here."
Claire tilted her head curiously, "What do you mean?"
"Both Raccoon and Sheena were attacked by the same people. Now, most people wouldn't believe it, let alone understand it, but… I think Sheena's tyrants know the devastation Raccoon went through and want to offer some solace to the humans who have nothing left."
But… tyrants aren't supposed to understand emotions. They can't possibly… "Are you proposing that tyrants can feel… emotions?"
Steve smiled, "Well, yeah, I think so. I believe tyrants can feel just like humans do, it just takes a special person to bring that out of them."
"It seems so… surreal." she whispered.
"Does it?" Steve asked softly. Claire looked at him with a combination of fascination, and maybe even a hint of doubt. He cupped her cheek. "Does it really seem surreal that we can feel things? I mean, we have the same senses as humans do… We hear and listen, much like you. We taste things and know the difference between gross, edible and delicious. We see things… and we can smell too."
His thumb started to feather over her porcelain cheeks. Claire was trembling, but she was too caught up in his spell to realize it. "We can feel, you know – like a touch…" he said so softly it was like a whisper, "We can feel sensations – like the agony of a flesh wound… and the softness of a woman's skin…"
Steve… what are you…?
She was startled when he abruptly withdrawn his hand and turned away to leave, stopping in front of the door to his office. Claire took in air – suddenly realizing that she had been holding her breath. For a moment, she was blasted to the past, reminded of times they had shared the same bed and he whispered things into her ear.
During those times she thought he was lying to her. She was certain that he was merely telling her what she wanted to hear just to keep her close. My God… Sherry, you may have been right all along. Maybe tyrants can actually learn to…
But Claire couldn't believe that just yet. She had trust issues. An event from the past that continued to haunt her had recently shown up on her doorstep only to once again, leave her feeling unloved.
She had trouble believing in love ever since she was young, ever since that day she was left behind.
If she didn't believe in love, it certainly wouldn't be easy to believe that a tyrant could love – let alone feel emotions…
Her cerulean hues traveled to her copper haired 'acquaintance'. His back was to her at first, but as if he could feel her eyes on him, he glanced over his shoulder at her and grinned brightly, "Ya know Claire, tyrants' senses are much stronger than humans. We smell, hear, taste, and see better… So who's to really say we can't feel emotions?"
"Steve I –"
"You never know… we just might 'feel' stronger than humans." the smile slowly left his boyishly handsome features.
His implication went unsaid.
We might love stronger than humans.
The Primitives had left them in their temporary abode long ago. Jake sat on an expertly weaved rug in front of the small fireplace. Behind him, Sherry slept peacefully on a large makeshift bed made of animal fur. Jake was satisfied with the heavy silence. After such a hectic day, he was relieved that Sherry was able to get some rest comfortably, and he could have his time to think.
They were set up in one of the tree houses. With a frontal view of the beach, it offered a gorgeous view and the interior was cozy and simple. A long curtain was drawn in the corner. When the sun would rise, this curtain would be drawn to shade all the windows and envelope the home in darkness.
Jake could hear the villagers continuing with their outdoor activities. The sound of music traveled through the windows along with the random chatter among the civilians, and whistling of wind blowing through the trees. The rain from earlier had be on and off. Now, it was completely gone.
As he replayed the events of their day, he was constantly reminded of the things the Primitives disclosed to them. He just couldn't grasp why it was that everywhere he and Sherry went – trouble always found them. He wanted to rebel against them and leave, but they were right. He had no idea what else this terrain had to offer… and that would mean putting Sherry's life in danger – something he refused to put at risk. Not to mention all this funny business pertaining to the canyon. He hadn't an idea where it was, and he oddly enough, believed them.
What purpose would these guys have in lying to them about anything? He knew Primitives could be overbearing and made little things seem to be of larger relevance than normal – but in this case, he decided to cut them a break. Especially when he took the strange storm that brought them here into account.
Glancing over his shoulder at the blonde sleeping beauty, he sighed. Balled up in layers of cover, she looked so serene. He appreciated the Primitive's hospitality towards them although he hadn't expressed it.
They had shown them where to bathe and given them clean clothes that made the climate easier to bare. Much like the others, he and Sherry wore clothing of a lighter shade. He had pants and a long sleeved shirt, simple, comfortable. Manuela was even considerate enough to knit an extra piece of cloth to his shirt so that he had a hood to cover his head. Sherry was given a long sleeveless dress with slight v-neck, showing off that necklace she treasured so much. It was a miracle it had remained on her after all they'd been through.
This comfort he and Sherry had did little to quell the strange discontent within. He thought about Leon… and that crazy tyrant hunting girl a bit too. With no clue as to their current predicament, he found it hard to relax. He wanted to go find them – but knew that was quite impossible without the Primitive's assistance.
"Jake?" The hybrid turned to Sherry. She had sat up in the bed with the covers pulled up to her chest.
She looked exhausted.
"Go back to sleep, Siren."
She shook her head, "Not until you join me."
"You know I don't sleep at night." Turning away, he heard her shuffling around behind him.
"You're tired too. And besides, I think we both could use some rest after today, don't you think?"
"I can't."
"Please?"
"Siren, I told you to –"
A gentle tapping came to the door.
Jake sent Sherry a look before going to answer. He slid the door open and came face to face with none other than Krauser. The stony tyrant stared him down indifferently, his hands joined behind his back. Jake raised a brow, ready to go to blows with this Primitive if the latter was here to uphold the challenge from earlier.
"Parker wants to speak with you," he eyed Sherry in the background and added, "Alone."
He was prepared to protest, but Sherry spoke up. "It's okay, Jake. I'll wait here for you."
Looking to Krauser and then back at her, he hesitated. "Are you sure?" She nodded. With a sigh, Jake returned his gaze to Krauser. "Fine. Let's go."
Jake met Parker on the beach. The primitive leader had laid a tarp over the sand to watch the calm waters. Upon seeing Krauser arrive with Jake, he offered the hybrid a seat but Jake declined, vying to lean against a tree instead. Krauser stood behind his leader; his sharp eyes never left Jake's form.
There was a long stretch of silence until Parker finally broke the ice.
"I know what you are." he said, and then added for clarity: "I know who you are."
"Tch." Jake scoffed. "And who might I be?" he asked, scrutinizing the elder tyrant.
"You are Albert Wesker's son."
Another thick deathlike stretch of silence emerged, longer than the first one.
"So?" Jake's eyes were trained on the endless ocean, "What will you do? Will you turn me in to my father?"
"Of course not!" Parker chuckled lightly. "I merely wanted to say how honored we are to have you here. The fact that you are alive is a blessing within itself."
"Why?" Jake asked. It sounded more like a question for himself than for Parker. "Why does everyone keep making it out as if I'm so goddamn important? If it's because I'm a half-breed, I'll happily tell you there's a shitload of other hybrid's out there. And if it's because I'm Wesker's kid – he has others, you know? There's Jiru for one, as for the rest, I don't know and don't care. I'm tired of everyone looking at me like I'm some fucking hero or something."
Parker sighed, "It's always the young ones that are so stubborn…" he came over to the hybrid and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're right. There are plenty of hybrid's out there in the world – but you are different from the rest. You were born from the most powerful immortal, and you took that title from him when you came of age. Your sister did not."
"Not to mention the fact that you are the ace in the hole for your father's 'rule of dumb' dream. I mean, I don't care if he wants to hop on a one way train ride to hell – I just don't think I should have to go with him, ya know?"
The hybrid chuckled at Parker's joke. "You're really somethin', for an old ass tyrant that is."
He grinned, "It's good to see you laugh, my friend. So, do you understand where I'm coming from?"
"Yeah, I know what you mean. But as long as he can't find me, you guys have nothing to worry about." he shrugged, "So that's all there is to it…"
Before he could walk away, Parker stopped him. "It's not that simple, I'm afraid." the hybrid looked at him with narrowed eyes, "You see… there is more in motion here than just the hell your father seeks to unleash. There's a bigger threat in the event that he succeeds… And you will see that threat when the red moon arrives."
He really wasn't in the mood to deal with that stuff again. "He won't. He'll never catch me and I'm never going back to his kingdom…" but suddenly, his demeanor changed from irritable, to focused. "Not yet at least."
"What do you mean?" Krauser asked.
Jake sighed, "You guys want me to stay here right?" they nodded. "Alright, well I will do just that. I will stay here and see this red moon and whatever – and in exchange, I have two favors I will ask of you."
Parker tilted his head, "What are your requests?"
"After this is all said and done, you have to help Sherry and I find our crew."
"Alright, what's the second one?"
The hybrid walked past them, moving closer to the water and shoving his hands into his pockets. He kicked at a rock and quietly watched it fly out into the ocean. "Sherry does not know who I am, and I want it to remain that way."
"To protect her?" Krauser asked.
"That's one reason."
"What's the other?"
"I can't remember some things from my past, but the things I do remember are deathly violent images… of carnages I committed." his eyes downcast, and the Primitives could see his shoulders sink. "Whenever I wander into a tyrant colony, I hear of the so-called great accomplishments that the Young Master did and all those things I swore I would leave behind come rushing back and suddenly, I'm drowning in my own misery."
"That was 100 years ago, comrade." Krauser said. "You've established a new life since then. If that's the other reason you don't want her to know who you are, then that's sad. You shouldn't keep that a secret from your gal like that. Besides, most ladies love a man with battle scars, mentally and literally."
"Oh yeah, single me out the equation." Parker said with a sigh.
"They also like top dogs in charge, sir."
"And now I feel better!"
Jake ran his hand down his face in frustration, "You don't get it. Sherry's different, she's so… new to the world. She hates a lot of violence and shit. She's not like most girls who frolic to a dude for power and shit… she's looking for something deeper…"
"You sure she's like that? Or have you just told yourself that?"
"I know that's who she is. And I'm positive she won't like what she learns about me… I was a monster. He made me into a cold-blooded killer and used me to gain momentum over mankind. I was a killing-machine for him – he never saw me as his son, just as a weapon for his army."
"I remember the day I walked away from that hell… that was the day I swore I would never return." When he turned back to them, the two tyrants were humbled by the strength radiating off his person. "I swore I would never return… until the day I was prepared to bury him in hell for good."
"You are an honorable man, my friend."
"Tch... sure, whatever. I mean though; Sherry doesn't need to know about my past." he insisted, returning to his previous thought. "She doesn't need to know anything about my shitty dad or how fucked the world is if I run into him, or the battle I'm fated to have with him. Just keep it to yourselves… I'll tell her eventually, but now's a bad time."
"Understood."
"Good. Because I'll raise hell if any of you utter a word to her about it."
"Steve, wait! Where are you going?"
Claire tried keeping up with the tyrant leader, but he was quick on his feet. He wasn't even running and yet he still was ways ahead of her.
He told her to stay behind but it was the haste he shown that had her worried. They were in the middle of a slight debate over their next move for the Raccoon civilians when he abruptly cut them short and insisted he must leave.
Something was wrong.
Steve walked out onto the outskirts of the city. Claire was right behind him. The rainy season was no more; in its place was a thin layer of snow covering the terrain; more akin to a field of slush. Steve nearly slipped on a patch of ice, but Claire was there to grab him and help him regain balance.
"Take it easy!" she teased. "If you'd slow down you wouldn't be falling all over the place."
"Claire, I told you to stay in the city." Steve said, clearly embarrassed by his blunder.
"And leave you running out of the city all by yourself? When have I ever been comfortable with something like that?"
Steve sighed but didn't argue any further. He kept Claire's hand in his and continued his course. They came to the edge of a cliff. From this height, the water below was impossible to make out, only a thick fog was within sight over a bed of rocks.
"What's going on, Steve? Are you looking for someone?" Claire asked.
Before he could respond, a voice sounded out behind them.
"Mayor Burnside."
The duo standing a few feet away from them were not present a moment before. It was a male and female; the man had shocking red hair and impressive bone structure to his face, the woman was voluptuously curvy, with blonde hair cascading over most of her features.
"Raymond, Rachel," Steve acknowledged them, albeit not cheerfully. "What do you want?"
Raymond's narrow gaze drifted from Steve to Claire and back, "We bring a message from the Supreme overlord."
"That's nice."
"Yes, it is." Raymond walked forward, and Steve quickly pushed Claire behind him.
"Ah…" Claire's heart nearly stopped when he saw the mysterious blonde tyrant paying particularly close attention to her. The way her head followed her every movement was incredibly daunting. "She looks tasty… Hehe, what a yummy looking human…"
"Don't even think about it." Steve said. "I'll rip out that freaky tongue of yours – no hesitation."
Rachel pouted her bottom lip, "Raymond… he won't let me taste the girl…" she whined.
"I thought I was enough for you?"
"Sometimes I want something more…"
Steve snorted in disgust. "What does the overlord want with me?"
"Oh yes, about that…" Raymond crossed his arms, "The overlord sends his apologies. He didn't intend for Sheena to be in the crosshairs, however, the overlord's son was here, wasn't he?"
"I heard his excuses. You know, especially after all letters he sent. And his son? Nope, he was never here."
Raymond and Rachel looked at one another briefly before turning back to Steve. "Lying is considered treason, Burnside. You know this."
"I don't really give a shit. You have no proof that he was here, or that he was in Raccoon, but that didn't stop the troops that ransacked the cities. My job as mayor of Sheena is to protect my people and help them prosper. So excuse the hell outta me if I'm not okay with the overlord destroying by brother colony's way of life and bringing the same devastation to mine."
Steve… Claire was touched. You've come a long way…
"Oh well," said Rachel, "It's just collateral damage. That's what happens when liars are caught."
"I can't see how hurting innocent people can be wrote off as something as cold-hearted as collateral damage!" Claire raged.
"You don't have any say in this, human." Her stomach twisted into knots. The cold look that Raymond gave her sent a chill down her spine, rocking her to the core. "In the coming years, your kind will be nothing more than a thing of the past."
"Well I don't know about that, Raymond. The overlord said he has plans to use human girls for mating, didn't he? That's great too, because I can taste as many of them as I want." Rachel added, she spoke like she was talking about candy…
"That won't happen." Steve asserted with a grin, "Because the overlord can't find his son."
"Oh, but that's why we're here. We have found him."
Steve's blood ran cold. "W-What…?"
"We identified him and the Supreme Master has sent out his finest to return him to the kingdom. Any day now, he will be within our grasp."
"And that's where you come in, big boy Steve. It's only fitting since you and the Young Master were once best friends… Tell us, can you be absolutely certain that the hybrid who stayed in your city at the time was or was not the Young Master?"
His fists balled at his sides. He felt his blood start to boil, he wanted to crush them both, but he knew they were formidable tyrants. Rachel specifically was outrageously powerful – good thing she wasn't too bright. She had the mentality of a child.
"We already know the answer, so we're just waiting for you to tell us the truth."
"What are the consequences of me saying 'no'?" he trifled. "What if I told you it was him and it turns out it wasn't? How do you know that lies haven't been flourishing because everyone's so desperate for his return? He could very well be dead. Remember the Great Hunt 90 years ago? You found me, but he completely disappeared."
"The overlord has his suspicions that you were responsible for his salvage, Burnside. That is why we don't expect a straight answer from you."
"Yep, we were told to take your words with a grain of salt. But we must warn you, honey bunch – if you don't tell us the truth, the repercussions will be fatal."
Claire clung tighter to Steve's coat. These tyrants were terrifying but she refused to show weakness. The stillness from Steve was what unnerved her. It wasn't like him to behave this way. He seemed calm, yet she could tell by his clenched fists that he was boiling with rage. "Steve…?"
"No." he said aloud. "Tell the overlord… my answer to his question, is a big, fat 'NO'. Just like I said 90 years before – and if you want to, lock me up and throw away the key just like you did then. I'll just keep gettin' set free because even the overlord knows how important I am."
Claire gasped, "W-What are you —"
"Nothing you say or do is going to break me down, and more importantly, I know he'll never take my life because he knows how vital I am in finding the Young Master. So go on, send my message to him. Tell him how disappointed I am that he fell for a half-assed 'identification' once again. The man who was here in Sheena, was not the Young Master. And if he mentions prison, tell him I ain't scared of chains and I never will be."
The two tyrants glanced at one another once again and then back to Steve. "We have all we need, so your feedback is quite unnecessary. But nonetheless, you can expect to see us again very soon."
Rachel tilted her head at Claire, and waved childishly with a grin on her face. "We'll be back."
With that, they disappeared.
When Jake returned to the house, he heard a loud shuffling from the inside. Quickly, he slid the door open and was prepared to murder… only what he saw was more comical than anything else.
Manuela was wrestling down Sherry.
The entire abode was loud with Sherry's pleas for the tyrant to leave her be and said tyrant begging her to remain calm so she can help her...
"Mister Jake!" Manuela signaled him over. She was clearly restraining herself when it came to the thrashing beauty on the floor. The sandy-haired woman used one hand on her stomach to hold her in place and the other to hold her arms. "Please, assist me. I am trying to remedy the wound to her thigh but she is not easy to settle and I don't wish to hurt her…"
Jake walked over. He knelt down to look Sherry in the face. She had sweat on her forehead, her blonde hair clung to her face. "Siren, what's the matter?"
"I don't want anyone to touch it…" she whined. "It's so sore…"
He brushed the hair away from her lovely face, "I know, babe. But you want the aching to stop right?" she nodded, "Then stop giving Manuela trouble."
"Mister Jake, if you would hold her, I could work on her thigh without trouble, I am sure."
The hybrid hesitated, but the doe-eyed Sherry was practically pleading for him to concede. "…Sure…"
Jake sat down and crossed his legs. Manuela released Sherry, allowing the woman to crawl into Jake's lap. Once Sherry seemed comfortable, the meek tyrant lifted her long dress over her buttocks to see the bruise and went to work, washing the wound first.
The hybrid was suddenly stiff as a board.
Sherry lied on her side with her face on Jake's strong thigh so Manuela could study the bruise. Whenever the meek tyrant caused her to flinch, she would bury her face between his legs to muffle her whines. Manuela noticed that every time this happened, Jake would twitch.
She would ignore it for the time being so she could focus on her job.
"Hold on Sherry," she said, stroking the woman's thigh. She was aware of Jake's gaze drifting back and forth from the blonde's buttocks to her. And by touching Sherry's thigh, she earned a heated glare from him. Clearly he is taken with Sherry. I wonder is she aware? "I can use my power to heal you, but this may sting a little. Are you going to be able to handle it?"
Sherry raised her head from Jake's lap to look hesitantly in the lady tyrant's direction and then to Jake, "Can I… grab you if it hurts?" she asked shyly.
It took him quite some time to finally respond. He brushed her short, messy tresses with one hand. Manuela noticed that twitch had returned. "… I don't mind."
She smiled sweetly and mouthed a thank you to him before telling Manuela she was ready.
The sandy haired tyrant waved her hand over Sherry's wound and her palms started to glow red. Sherry cried out loud in pain. Jake rubbed her back to calm her while he shot the tyrant a dirty look. She apologized but continued to work. Sherry's agony only lasted a few minutes before she finally settled down and took deep breaths, relaxing on Jake's lap again.
At last, the bruise was completely gone. The performing woman's pearly skin had returned to normal. She saw Jake's astounded expression and felt proud of herself. Now, all she had to do was test it.
"Sherry, I'm going to apply a little pressure, tell me if it hurts okay?"
She nodded. As Manuela pressed on the location where the bruise once was, Sherry didn't budge. The pain was completely gone. "I-I can't believe it, you healed me!"
Sherry threw her arms around the tyrant woman and thanked her repeatedly, "It was not a problem, Sherry." Manuela explained with a smile, "I'm glad to help."
Jake narrowed his eyes at the tyrant. His hands came to rest on his knees, "How'd you do it?" he demanded.
Manuela peeked over Sherry's shoulder. She wasn't comfortable with that look he sent her; seething with rage – but why? "I was taught."
"Not what I asked you. I asked you how did you do that, you know, considering you're a power tyrant."
"Power tyrant?" Sherry repeated, releasing the woman.
"Yes, I am a fire tyrant, but every tyrant can be taught to heal others. As people born from the earth itself, we are blessed with its natural ability to restore, just as much as we can destroy." she bowed courteously and rose to her feet, "I must go now. I wish you both a good evening."
The woman was desperate to get away before Jake attacked her. Whatever his problem was, she wasn't ready to be bothered with it, nor did she feel she deserved to be punished because he couldn't control his hormones.
Once she left, Sherry stared dumbly at Jake. He saw her brows furrowed and he knew what she was thinking. That statement Manuela gave was new to him as well. In all his time on this earth, he had never heard anything like that before.
"Did she say… tyrants are born from the earth?"
"Yeah, she did."
Sherry yawned and stood up to go to the bed. "Okay, I think I've used enough brain power for one day. I'm definitely not in the mood to ponder any of this tonight." curling up into the covers, she looked over her shoulder at Jake. "Are you… coming?"
"Why?"
"I need you… to sleep better."
He didn't respond. With a soft sigh, she settled into the covers and gradually began to doze off.
Just as she shut her eyes, the covers lifted behind her. She blushed hotly when she felt Jake slip onto the bed. She didn't dare turn to him, instead, she tried to doze off again. But before she could, Jake shifted, and to her surprise, his arm snaked around her waist. She gasped when he pulled her close. His body was as warm as ever; she felt her heart beat speed up but she quickly convinced herself to calm down.
It had been a long time since the two slept so closely together. Let alone like this.
She fell asleep feeling his warm breath on her nape, wrapped in the comfort of the man who'd stolen her heart and for once was pleased to let her feelings flourish.
She's so soft… Jake's fingers traced along her hip bone. I should stop… she won't like it if I force myself on her. Dammit… why is it so hard for me to leave this woman alone?
Whenever he was close to her, things just felt right. She gave off the allure of forbiddance. And that's exactly what drew him to her.
The sea was calm. In the distance, the sun had begun to set over the horizon. It's reflection on the water was exaggerated by a ripple effect. Steve sat in the same location where he last saw off Leon, Jake and Sherry; on the wooden bridge stretching out over the waters.
In his hand was a carton of cigarettes. He pulled one out and then safely tucked the rest of the pack into his coat pocket while retrieving his lighter. He lit it and then tossed it into the sea. He had no more use for it, he would only smoke one.
Steve took one long swig of his cigarette, and slowly blew out smoke into the air. His head dropped, he clutched it with his free hand before releasing a sound of relief.
"I thought you quit smoking?"
He didn't turn to Claire. He kept his focus on the water. "I did… but I thought it was necessary for the moment." He heard her steps come closer, "Go back to the city, Claire. It's cold out here and you can get sick."
"I'm wearing layers." she sat beside him, throwing her legs over the edge and leaning her head on his shoulder. "So… you were best friend's with the overlord's son? How long before you were planning to tell me that?"
The tyrant flicked his cigarette out into the water and watched it float away. "It isn't something you should trouble yourself with. That was 90 years ago when he and I last seen each other."
"No it wasn't, it was the day he left with Leon and Sherry."
Steve quickly scrambled to his feet away from Claire. She looked at him, her face torn up with confusion. "You… how did you –"
"William told me long ago who Jake is."
"The mayor…?"
Claire nodded, "He and Jake had established an agreement where as long as William kept him hidden, he would protect his family."
"So William told you the truth… why?"
"Because I'm the only person in Raccoon he knew could be trusted with that. William gave me a task, and that was to help him raise his daughter so that she could be prepared for the future. And that gained his trust in me."
Steve was in shock. "So… you knew all along." she nodded, "Does Sherry know?"
She shook her head, "No. All she knows is that Jake is important for the world. Her father has trusted her with a great task as well. But again, the details of that aren't… well, I can't go into them right now."
"Claire, if there's something you know, you have to tell me." he advanced on her, and grabbed her shoulders to shake her. "Please!"
She shrugged him off, "Get your hands off me! You kept your friendship with Jake a secret from me –"
"To protect him!"
"That's fine – but now you have to let me protect them!"
"You mean Jake… and Sherry?"
Claire nodded, "Listen Steve, I'm sorry the situation is like this, but I have to uphold my end of the bargain to a man who trusted me with everything, who treated me like family. You know how important family is to me – so please don't make this any more difficult than it already is…"
He sighed, "Okay… I'm sorry."
"It's okay… come on," she stood up and reached for him, "Let's get back to the city so we can –" she gasped.
"What?"
The redhead pointed out to the sea. Steve whirled around just as a dark silhouette broke through a thick cloud of fog. With the sun completely gone from the sky, it was hard to make out the details of the mass closing in, right up until Steve was able to identify the colors; white with a dark bottom.
"They're back?!"
Claire and Steve waited outside of the room where Leon and his friend were being cared for. Steve's mansion had an infirmary in its left wing. He had taken the two here to avoid causing a disturbance in the hospital far across the city. His best nurses, Rebecca and Cindy were already in the residence, so this seemed like the best option either way.
The two found Leon and the woman in a weak state. They were littered with injuries and appeared to be almost comatose.
Steve held onto Claire's hand as she wept quietly. He knew how emotional she could get when it came to her loved ones. He was just as concerned as she was, but he was trying to remain calm for the both of them.
"Oh God, please let them be alright…" she hiccupped. "God… Steve? Why aren't Jake and Sherry with them…?" she sniffed, looking at him with puffy red eyes and tear soaked cheeks.
"Leon's job was to get them far away from here. He must have found somewhere and tried to come back… but something must've happened on the way back. Probably a bad storm judging from the damage."
Claire nodded slowly, wiping the tears from her face. "Leave it to Leon to pick up a lady on his way back. Him and his issues with women…" she tried to joke but quickly lost momentum.
Steve put an arm around her, "It's gonna be okay. I promise."
Hours passed by before Rebecca came out of the infirmary. She wiped sweat from her forehead and let out a sigh. Claire jumped to her feet. "Can we see them? Are they okay?"
Rebecca held up a hand, "They're fine. Surprisingly, besides their injuries, they were in mint condition. No fatal wounds…" she shook her, clearly in disbelief herself. "Nothing…"
"But they were so…" Steve trailed off.
"I know, I was ready to expect the worst. But they're alright… only, there was something that struck me as odd…"
Claire bit her lip, "…What?"
The petite brunette glanced back at the door, "There was… some sort of… device on their chests."
"Device?" Steve and Claire chorused.
"Yes. Almost like a big red squishy… jelly bean or something." she smiled sheepishly, "Clearly I'm terrible with describing it. I would show you but it shattered on the floor."
The damage to the boat… their cryostasis-like behavior… and a device on their chests; I've seen that once before. "Let me inside. I need to see it." Steve ordered.
"Of course, sir…"
Rebecca stepped aside and allowed him to enter the room with Claire close behind. There were five beds in the room, the two in the farthest corner occupied by Leon and the woman. Cindy was in there, scribbling down some notes on a clipboard. Ashley was behind her, alongside a tall, olive skinned beauty wearing glasses. She went by the name of Ingrid Hunnigan; an expert who was responsible for much of Sheena's technological advances over the last few years – she was also a close friend of Leon's.
Steve acknowledged the women before looking down to the floor, noting the weird specimen that was scattered across the tile, shattered into particles of nothing. It was definitely familiar. Once Leon and his friend awakened, he had quite a few questions for them.
Jill… you've done it again. So what's the big deal this time?
A/N: Yeah I know it took me forever to get this done, even though I promised I would be faster… :( My line of defense? This is a very special arc for this story. I want to be extra careful with what I write down because it's going to impact the rest of the story for sure.
However, I can be absolutely sure when I say that I am REALLY almost finished with chapter 12 as I post this chapter. That's a promise. I can honestly say that it will be posted by next week. I was going to combine this chapter and 12 but the bits that I removed from this one have a special focus. In particular, this mention of the red moon/eclipse, if I jammed it all into this chapter, it would be very forced and I don't want that.
But I'm not lying this time. I can post the next one much quicker than I have with this one.
Okay, so moving on past my excuses… Happy late New Year's everyone! Thanks for the lovely reviews, favs and alerts. You guys/girls are awesome! So, how was the chapter for you? I hope you liked it because I'm so excited for the next coming chapters. We've got some JakexSherry lemon in the midst! And also, some dark pasts to be unveiled – and even some good ole juicy thrills(remember those dark themes? They're coming!).
Please Review! Remember, if you have any questions or concerns feel free to message me and I'll happily respond!
See ya around!
-Vio