Chapter Twenty Five~ Reddish X-Mas
The upper level was bitterly cold with the shambles of worn tiles letting in flakes of snow billowing heavily outside. The gaping holes had already made space for leaves that fell inside early during the autumn months, every inch practically dying from frostbite. Even so, the fortress was unusually active. The Headmaster had some time to fall asleep and entering should have been entirely off limits. Stepping in to perform such an act should have been waited on, when the Headmaster was inactive. But Embry insisted that the plan would be futile without both the Headmaster and HEADMASTER awake.
Concealing himself behind his cloak, Zim walked quietly beside Yuck and Zoe. Protected by the shadowy fabric, their presence easily blended into their partially lit surroundings. Any movements were silent, even the steady breaths being exhaled from each of them. Gir sat concealed beneath Zim's hood, clinging onto the Irken's head for support. Keeping him silent and still was its own challenge but Zoe's promise of a pack of chewing gum if he didn't breathe or move for twenty minutes seemed to be making progress.
Why didn't Zim think of that?
With even pacing down the hall, the group was standing only inches in front of a display of screens, coordinates, and flaring electricity. The Headmaster sat in her usual position-smile small, hand resting on top of Minimoose's back. Minimoose.
Zim had layered his gloves for when he'd attempt to grab Minimoose again. When he was freed from the Headmaster, he'd probably be much easier to obtain. Then he could get behind those markings (without Dib-worm getting involved.) Though not his most formidable idea, letting the tattoo burn through his clothing before reaching Irken technology was the most effective procedure against the mark. It hadn't spread in some time though he highly doubt it hadn't been making progress beyond his skin.
"Alright, she hasn't noticed us," Zoe whispered, hand alighting with purple. "Remember the game plan."
Yuck brandished a sword from behind him. "Your move, Aves."
Zoe nodded and rested her hand against the floor, the magic spreading in vines and crows through the surface until it developed into a curved shell slowly curving in on the Headmaster, system and all. The Headmaster pouted, scratching Minimoose behind the ear as she cocked her head.
"Forbidden fruit, I know you'll do me wonders. Wonderful, forbidden fruit." Another screen came on display then, glowing red and stark compared to the turquoise squares surrounding her. Her fingers fiddled along the white lettering, swerving the words in any way she saw just. From Zim's perspective, it looked like gibberish though by the way the codes seemed to alight themselves on contact, it was clear she was truly activating something. Trailing her index down slowly, she tapped the center and the square flickered away into traveling sparks that embedded themselves into the walls. Whatever effect she had initiated was hardly visible with the murky violet of Zoe's magic swallowing the space around them.
"What is she doing?" Zoe murmured.
"Looks like that Forbidden Fruit thing," Yuck said. "Doesn't matter. Zim, time for you to go."
Zim buried himself deeper into his cloak and scurried behind the Headmaster, a cramped space with the wires, screen and wall still intact but his small stature managed to slip in without drawing attention. Zim nudged Gir in his head and the SIR stared down at him blankly.
"You can come out now but stay quiet."
Gir saluted, made that strange zipper over lips gesture with his hand and jumped down, getting into position with his back facing Zim. Zim pried open Gir's back first to make out a mess of wires and…was that trash? It certainly smelled like it. Never mind.
He took hold of a few wires, disconnecting most but not enough to shut Gir down entirely. He moved onto the head next and repeated the process. Any major coordinates that functioned the SIR's thought patterns and command mode were unbound, stretched long enough to be swapped out into the Headmaster's heavily wired back.
Zim felt his antenna tense as he grabbed a handful, tip toeing over to the glowing android that would soon become aware of their presence. He glanced over to Zoe who only gave him a thumbs up. He nodded and cautiously reached his hand out to grip the silver and gold cords clinging to the Headmaster's back, yanking them out of place with a single rip.
The Headmaster's stature became erect, her hands and the skin that made them tremble as the gaping holes now revealed along her skin devised a magnetic pull that attempted to lure the cords back into place. Something golden branched out from her form and drifted quietly through the hall, electricity sparking behind their movements.
Butterflies. Of course.
"D-D-Do not UNPLUG! N-N-NEVvvvveeer-UN-Unplug!"
"Some sort of defense in the system," Zim said. "I should have expected this."
"D-DDddd-Do not-unnnn-pplll-lug! Never-un-un-pl-pl-pluuug!"
Zim pressed the wires beneath his boot before they could escape and continued his work, plugging in the gray and yellow and violet and red into any pore he could find. "Gir, I'm going to need a favor from you."
"Hm?"
"Before you get your gum, I'll need you to eat this…uh, licorice? Yes, the licorice that is squirming beneath my foot. Can you do that?"
"Licorice!"
"What's going on?" Zoe craned her hands, her fingers spider like as she ordered the magic to sweep down on the Headmaster, forcing her body into a paralysis as the violet seeped into her. The golden magic seemed to grow feral then, pulsing a light that seeped deep from within the Headmaster.
"Looks like ET is dealing with warfare back there." Yuck said, shielding his eyes from the onslaught of light fighting against Zoe's power.
Zoe grit her teeth, planting her foot down into the floor with a grunt. "She's much stronger than I thought…I-I won't be able to keep her down for long. Yuck, don't attack until Zim gives the signal."
Electricity and the streams of golden light began to spark into Zim's eyes but he squinted against it as he filled in the last few open pores. The burn of the mark ate through his third glove right before he finished, releasing the pressure off the wires. "Gir, eat this like your life depends on it!"
"Okay!" As the wires instantly began to spiral in on the Headmaster's back, Gir took hold of them and began to chew away into the rubber and steel until they were salivated bits in his mouth.
"D-D-Do Nottttt Un-PLLLug! Nevvveer UnnnPlug!"
"She's really…freaking out," Zoe said, panting. "Do you…think she'll self-destruct?"
Yuck rolled his eyes. "And leave me without something to do? No way."
Gir bit another mess of wires helplessly trying to fight their way out of the robot's mouth and surprisingly strong grip. "Mmmm, chewy."
"I've never been so proud of your strange tastes." Zim said, feeling an honestly satisfied grin forming.
A bead of sweat was starting to flow along Zoe's forehead, her knees buckling as though they could give out at any second. "I can't keep this up. She's really fighting me."
Belching loudly, Gir gave a dumb grin as he swallowed down his meal. "All done!"
"Any defenses available are down. Yuck, go!"
Zoe released the paralysis, collapsing to her hands and knees immediately as Yuck closed in on the vulnerable Headmaster. He was speeding forward in an instant, sword drawn but body blurry against the cloak. The long and slender blade drove into the Headmaster's gut. The strike put an end to the chaotic swarm of butterflies and light and the room returned back its same eerie, cold silence. With the paralysis removed, the android was able to process the fear and possible pain her now limited programming allowed.
She was barely able to crane her neck to see her killer until Yuck drew his sword up, yanking the blade through the chest, neck, and head that was sliced in half with a feral swoop. Yuck drew his sword away to flick off a strange substance that dripped slowly into murky puddles on the floor.
The Headmaster didn't truly bleed, only seeped a grayish fluid too thick and runny to preserve any purposeful function. The first to come undone were her arms that limply released Minimoose from her grasp. He fell and rolled to a stop at Zoe's fallen body. The Headmaster soon fell down herself, crumpled and twitching in the pool of liquid sticking to her ashen face. Sparks flew off the curve of her fingers and inward knees, every fragment of her body unable to retain its own functions with the mess of wires stringing out of her skin.
Zoe merely grimaced as she stared in disgust at the forming puddle. "I honestly would have preferred blood to this mess. This stuff smells worse than you, Yuck." She laughed weakly before coughing into her fist.
"Nyah!"
Zoe stared down at Minimoose until shifting her eyes over to Yuck. "Zim's fashion statement barely survived this. Wanna do the honors?"
Yuck merely shrugged and curled his fingers, encompassing Minimoose in a green orb he hovered over to his hand. "Embry did wanna see this thing for whatever reason. It'll be a nice Christmas gift."
"Certainly not," Zim retorted.
Gir walked calmly towards the fallen Headmaster, the wires of his own system still tightly worked inside of her. "Is she taking a nap?"
"Whatever floats your boat." Yuck said, leaning against his sword.
"Can I have my gum, purple lady?" Gir asked, hands already out for his prize. Zoe half smiled and dug in her pocket, tossing the pack over.
"Merry Christmas,"
Zim quickly unlaced Gir from the deceased Headmaster. It was a grimy mess, having to stand in the sludge the woman had excreted during her death, which only gave Zim more motivation to hurry and give himself a paste bath when he returned to his dorm.
"So when can we get rid of that thing?" Yuck said, pointing at the system's monitor.
"Embry says breaking it now will only make the whole school collapse," Zoe said, standing up. "She would know. Anytime a witch went for that first over the years, the entire academy was trash in seconds. But the system's practically useless without something to give its commands to…"
Zoe nudged the Headmaster's head with her boot, smirking. "Aren't we such kind people?"
The room smelled of apples. No, they were nuts. Sweet, roasted peanuts or maybe walnuts. But no, it wasn't that. The smell was so sweet, like apricots. But apples were also sweet. So, so incredibly sweet. Frida laughed at her own train of thought as her hands clumsily grabbed for a glass of half drunken punch from the table. It was challenging task, considering that she was sitting Indian style on the floor, dress bending from the tension and stained from the sticky filth already clinging to the tiles from a previous incident. She also chose not to look at the table.
This was part of the game. Maybe she actually would find her glass, maybe she'd spill it on herself again, maybe she'd get extra points by grabbing a finger sandwich, maybe-"Frida! Frida!"
Her name. Her simple two syllable name. Her simple two syllable name being chanted by a voice she recognized. It had to be a boy though there was a slight crack and certain rasp that implied it belonged to someone of her age. Maybe younger.
She turned her head and squinted and the blur of brownish skin in a black suit luring towards her. The blur wore nice shoes and curly hair and dawned a deep cut along his eye that had already healed into his skin. The blur was so handsome. The blur had a lovely voice.
"Frida," the blur said. "Get up. Get up."
"Nooo…" Frida wined though it sounded like music coming from her slacken mouth. Like harp strings if she were to put a certain noise to it. She turned opposite of the table and rested her back against the hanging cloth only to collapse, painfully knocking her head against the floor. "Ow!"
She felt sparks billowing behind her eyelids as the blur gripped her by her wrist, crushing the rose corsage with his tense hands. He chuckled, patting Frida's head. "You are so pretty, pretty Frida."
He kissed her forehead, then her cheek, and then he pressed his mouth against her lips, tongue hungrily lapping along the inside of her teeth. She could taste his gingery, sweet colors and the bits of paprika that made up his freckles. It made her giggle and he hummed pleasantly at the vibration that rolled into his open mouth.
His hands gripped her hips and she was lifted off the floor to be placed down on the table. The blur with the familiar face and a name she couldn't quite remember leaned in closely, kissing along her exposed collarbone with exquisite tenderness. It set off a flurry of heat beneath her skin and she bit her lip to suppress the growing fire building in the pit of her belly. She rocked her legs back in forth, grinning as she gave an eager, snort of a laugh, "Manny-Manny? Yeah, Manny, can I try something?"
"Not yet," Manny murmured against her neck. His arms were coiled tightly around her waist, his strength impressive even in his human form. Moving from the spot would be impossible and Frida could only find herself slipping into utter bliss at the idea. She wanted this.
She wanted to be held and be touched like this forever. She wanted to kiss with that slimy appendage in her mouth more and see how the inside of Manny's mouth tasted. It might be chocolate. Or maybe cinnamon. She shivered at the idea, kissing Manny on his batch of curls in excitement. There was a deep noise in the back of his throat, like a satisfied purr.
"Holy hell," Another voice came into focus. There were a lot of voices in the room, not that Frida paid any mind to them, but this one was too grating to ignore. Like a screech, like a snake being ripped in half and dipped in hot vinegar.
There was a clicking noise growing louder, then an abrupt pull and tug that sent Frida down on the floor and Manny stumbling backwards from the hand sent into his chest. The white skinned…thing being followed by dark clouds was gesturing wildly, pointing a lot with sharp nails and looking distressed with her distorted face. "What are you doing? Wh-What is anyone doing?"
Manny stared at her for a while, blinked slowly and rubbed his temples before responding, "Zoe…no, no I need to get back to-"
"Back to making your first child?"
"What? No." Manny said though his eyes weren't entirely focused on her. Instead, his sight drifted else ware, beyond Zoe's dark presence that was clearly filling the room with storm clouds.
"Ugh, this must be what the Forbidden Fruit thing is," Zoe sighed and looked down at Frida's fallen body with a disgruntled look. "Have fun, Suarez. Be sure to use protection."
Frida stumbled up, sticking out her tongue. "Stupid Aves,"
"Can't you see it, Frida?"
"What?"
"The flowers…and the vines. Can't you see the butterflies too? Pretty…" Manny held his index finger out and kept it there as if beckoning the air itself to respond. He gently lowered his hand, smiling down at the imaginary insect perched there. "They're gold."
Frida squinted, hoisting onto Manny's arm for support-her legs were so clumsy today. If only she could settle on the clouds Zoe had left in the room. "I don't see it, Manny. Don't be stupid too."
"No, I promise-Oh, you scared it away!"
Frida pushed back her bangs with an unamused shrug. "I don't see it."
"Come on, there's more outside," Manny said, though his words sounded as though they were being funneled through pouring water. "Come with me. Come with me…outside…"
They headed out the nearest doorway, Frida being dragged by her arm through a blinding haze. The clouds faded out behind her to be consumed by the snow and the butterflies Manny was talking about. They felt comfortingly warm as they settled into the flowers of her dress and hair. They were in front of the school then, close to the hand statues that were attracting the attention of most of the insects. "Pretty,"
"The song is still going," Manny said. "It must be a harp, and there's singing. You understand music, what do you think it's saying?"
Frida pursed her lips as she contemplated the noise she could finally hear. "It sounds kind of sad."
"Why?"
"I dunno," Frida said, sitting down in a pile of snow with crossed legs. "It just sounds like somebody died."
The suit had turned out to be a perfect fit. It was beyond him how Embry managed to get his precise measurements without him knowing, but he would set it aside and claim it was on behalf of her witch powers. He stood, arms crossed against the curve of the balcony's gate, overlooking the city alight with reds and whites in the distance. The snowing had ended for the night and left behind an untouched blanket coating the academy and melting into the unfreezing waters that surrounded the land.
The chill of the air wasn't exactly soothing but it was better to be outside than take part in the orgy about to commence. Zoe had given the details via text message, saving her breath to avoid accidentally taking in the fruit scented gas while she retreated to somewhere safe. Apparently, the entire party was overrun with students letting their hormones aid them through their own perverse fantasies. But this proved to be difficult for most as the gas left them so disoriented they could barely manage a sentence or walk in a straight before engaging in anything sensual. For the rest, well, they had no problem slipping into the bathrooms or settling for the floor itself to handle their business.
Woo Foo warriors were naturally equipped with strong lungs but he wouldn't take his chances. He'd wait it out and count up the baby bumps during March. He had no idea why the Headmaster had released the Forbidden Fruit and, no one ever would now, but he figured it was like a last laugh on behalf of the Elite for distrusting her. Now they had to face the wrath of their own unstable urges and deal with the consequences that followed. Not the best trick up her sleeve but certainly worth a few good inside jokes on Yuck's end of the spectrum.
He heard the clanging of the closed stain glass door, jumping involuntarily at the noise. The gas had little chance of seeping out but even a small whiff could do similar effects. He cursed himself for not placing a shield on the door sooner and held his breath as he prepared himself to teleport. The doors were thrown open then, abrupt and ungraceful despite the girl who did it. Holding the doors open with her hands, Yin cocked her head, smile teasing the corner of her mouth. "There you are!"
Pink strands of magic shut the doors then as she sauntered over, narrow hips moving in a sloppy attempt of a strut. "Why did you run away? The party's inside."
"Wow, it got you too," Yuck said, unable to help his chuckle.
"What got me?" Her eyes looked dreadfully glazed, lightly gold around the whites with enlarged pupils and the scent of apples washing out her natural strawberry scent (not that he would know). As promised, Yin was dressed in lilac-it was in the folds of her gown and the oversized bow that cinched tightly at the waist. It didn't end in straps, only clung to her chest, shoulders revealed and barely supporting a shawl that now barely clung to her forearms. Her lips and cheeks were pinker than usual, any revealed part of her body looking sweet and rosy behind the doll like gown and pantyhose.
"That Forbidden Fruit thing, not that it matters if I explain it to you now. At this rate, you're about as dumb as Yang. Speaking of which: I could use the satisfaction of seeing that bozo humping a plant."
Yin laughed then, a high pitched snort that made her noise wrinkle and cheeks redden. "You've always been so funny. I like that about you."
"Maybe that gas gave you a sense of humor."
She laughed again, though less of a snort and more throaty. Her finding him funny? She clearly lost it. Yin leaned up against the gate, perching herself on her tiptoes that he realized were lacking shoes. The bottom of her pantyhose were moist against the cold and wet surface of the floor. "Mmm, isn't it pretty?"
"I guess,"
"I could fly there if I wanted to," Yin said. "I can fly anywhere-above and below and beyond but I'm not in the mood. Much too tiered."
Yuck was prepared to ask when Yin could fly but he shut his mouth quickly. The Darkness clearly had a part in that. "Do you wanna know where else I can fly?"
"Where?"
Yin stepped forward, cupping her mouth as she whispered into his ear. "The graves…" She whispered. "Of dead children flayed open and wired."
Yuck furrowed his brow as he gently pushed her away. "What are you talking about?"
"The Vision," she said, a cheerful tune to her voice. "The one about the Mother and us being Saviors? It sounded important. Remember?"
Yuck nodded stiffly. "Yeah, so, you saw that? When you were flying?"
"Uh huh,"
"And you didn't tell anyone?"
"I haven't told anyone a lot of things," She said, poking Yuck's chest with her finger. "It's all a secret. I'm too nice to make everyone sad and scared, unlike you."
Though the words may as well have been gibberish, there was clearly some truth to what Yin was saying. The Visions had some truth behind them: the nothingness, the New Eden, the… graves. Yuck suppressed a shudder as he started to reconsider his plans of leaving. He'd send Zoe a text for a meet up, cloak included. With the Headmaster dead, his only source of information was Embry who's clearly been something of a spy to the city for Foo knows how long.
"Okay, you have fun with whatever it is you're doing out here. I have to go."
"No, you can't leave! Stay here," Her voice took on a desperate tone as she gripped his arm, pulling it close to her chest. "Don't leave."
He felt another shiver crawling up his body, not from the cold or fear but something else entirely. She was so warm and that apple smell, it wasn't exactly bad. He honestly preferred her natural scent, but he could see himself getting use to this for the evening.
"Don't you want to stay? You look so lonely," Yin shifted her position in front of him, hands resting on the rail until he was entirely closed in. "And no one wants to be lonely this time of the year."
Yin's lips were against his then, her arms wrapping around his neck before he could think of moving. She started off gentle, similar to the Brett kiss in terms of intensity and taste. But soon her tongue found its way to his mouth, running thoroughly along the inside of his cheek. As she drew away, a line of saliva breaking off from their lips, he felt himself going limp in seconds. He gripped the rail of the gate before he collapsed, knees still buckling beneath him.
Yin shivered, grin wide across her mouth in a daze of triumph. "Mmm, I've wanted to do that for so long, but I bet you're much better at it than I am. Come on, I know how much you like a challenge."
Yuck could only stare at her, his voice somehow lost during the kiss. He clung onto the railing and forced himself up, avoiding the gaze Yin was giving him only a few inches from his face. "Y-Yin-"
"Hmph, you're much more timid like this. It's so adorable." She felt along the small of his back, trailing he hand slowly to his churning stomach until she began to edge her way down.
"I need to go." he replied hastily, gripping her wrist.
Yin shook her head, pouting childishly. "No one will be watching us, Yuck. Even Embry is polite enough not to stare during my personal time."
"That's not the-"
Yin's stare became all the more empty then, head cocking to the side out of genuine curiosity rather than intoxication. "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"That song? Kind of like a piano…there's something else there," Yin said. "Can't you hear it?"
Yuck rolled his eyes but, by some circumstance he had to comprehend, started to hear it himself. Perhaps Yin's presence had caused him to be influenced by the gas, but, no, that couldn't have possible. And the song was so deep within his mind, never echoing beyond his own ears.
He couldn't decode whatever language it was or what was triggering the rhythmic chime of bells and certainly not the piano claimed to be hearing, but music was undeniably there. "Actually, I do."
"Look, down there! I swear I know them." Yin worked herself out of Yuck's grip and scurried to the balcony, leaning over to get a better look of the snow banks. Yuck came over to her place and nodded.
"Yeah, that's Manny and Frida."
"They look happy, we should join them." Yin said, but Yuck could barely hear her above the music or the audible flapping of gold winged butterflies that were flying their way through the snow and onto the balcony.
"Uh, later," Yuck said, feeling his phone vibrate to see Zoe's name appear along the screen. "I have somewhere else to be."