AN: Originally I wasn't going to write the events in this particular chapter, but then I got a flash of brilliance after reading a few reviews, especially DarkJossy66's call for a wee more fighting…and I admit it isn't very much fighting but it's still there. And there's plenty of Jade and Tori fun too.
You can ignore this next thing, unless you like strangeness:
Contest: Since this is the two month anniversary of this story's publishing, yeah (I know it isn't a big deal to most of you, but this is my first posted story…so yeah) I offer you the opportunity to compete in a silly little quest with the prize being… to have your penname at the beginning of the next chapter. It's just for fun, plus I don't see to many competitors participating, so the prize isn't a new car or anything (I'm not Oprah).
Actual Contest: Now, Tori is going to say something in this chapter that comes right from the mouth of a recently departed character on a certain show about two brothers that might know a little something about monster hunting. All you have to do is tell me the line, character, and show…Good luck, and watch out for Dick, he really is one.
Repost addition to contest: I would like to apoligize for not being clear about what line I was looking for. I should have been more specific in saying I was looking for an exclaimation he uses whenever bad things happen.
The expression also fits the situation that Tori is in it just isn't something she would say. It's only two words.
Four hours earlier:
After leaving Jade's room Tori heads back to her own room to fetch her pants and shoes, but mostly the pants. Once dressed they remerge and head for the kitchen, seeing as Jade has a distinct lack of two things; coffee and food. Much to Jade's delight the coffee Weston has stocked in the small pantry is Lucifer's Brew.
Retrieving a small can of the desired brew she moves along the counter top until she finds the little coffee symbol, a coffee cup with steam lines coming out of it. Once the little button is pressed the coffee maker slides out of the wall. As Jade prepares the coffee pot Tori inquires,
"So what exactly are we going to do?" Finishing adding the water Jade looks back at her,
"We could hit the archive without the others here to annoy us." She motions to the aforementioned room with her head. Jade's suggestion does inspire Tori to take what she feels is a necessary action,
"And in doing so remove the books about Dragoons, so Andre doesn't research them." Half-way through adding the proper amount of the ground bean she looks back at the smiling mage,
"Why?"
"Well, one of them has this illustration in it that looks very familiar to a certain statue at school." Jade sees the value in not letting the others know about Weston's species,
"Right, so where would you like to hide them?" She breaks herself away from Tori to resume the task at hand only to have forgotten how many she added, 'Damn it, Tori! The one thing in this world that brings me comfort and you can even distract me from it… I'll just assume four...five, six, seven, eight…done…wait what did she just say? Crap.' Sensing that Jade wasn't listening anymore Tori repeats herself, quite loudly,
"I said my room!" Pushing the button to start the peculation she takes a seat on the stool opposite Tori,
"And why not Weston's?"
"That's actually a better idea." This brings a very peaceful grin to Jade's face, 'Like I ever have any other kind.' Seeing that Jade is yet again zoning out Tori tries to get her attention by throwing pieces of the pine scented potpourri across the island counter…one hits her in the dead center of the head, calling her back to the room,
"…right, okay then, to the books?" She responds lazily as if she had actually been asleep. Tori shakes her head lightly before proceeding with another concern,
"So what about the archive?" Again Jade answers lazily,
"I'll stay on it every time so he can't use it." Tori can't imagine how she could be so tired, 'Given how long we were in bed together…okay, that's not a thought I should share with anyone…or have again.' Trying to move past her ill-fated scheme she inquires further about this little opt,
"Do you have any idea how many have the picture?"
"And may I ask how I would possess such knowledge?" Despite her drowsy state Jade still answers her with a rather smartass tone.
"I thought you could check the archive, but if not then we can just pray that Andre doesn't discover that the statue is a dragon-kin then realize that it's Weston, then find out that the only way we can talk to him is if we're also dragoons, thus ultimately exposing you as a half-blood." Tori now tries the ever useful fear tactic. Still somewhat full of herself Jade smirks,
"And what do you think the chances of that are?"
"Longshot impossibility." Tori's dead stare forces Jade to remember the term and,
"…right, I'll check the archive." She seems to pep up now that fear creeps in slightly…that or the smell of the brewing coffee is bringing her back to herself.
After retrieving the desired books they make their way out of the study. Tori is capable of carrying the few books herself,
"So just these five then?" Jade nods as she starts toward the full pot of hot coffee awaiting her,
"That's all I could find in the references section. There shouldn't be any more images of dragon-kin in any of the remaining books."
"Let's hope, because with our luck…" Standing at the counter Jade turns around to look her in the eye, from across the room,
"I'm aware of our very unique luck, Vega."
"So where do you think we should hide them?" Tori continues toward the master bedroom. Jade begins raising her voice so that it can carry down the hall,
"I'd say closet, but with the elevator in there…"
"Yeah…maybe the bottom of one of the dresser drawers?" Tori turns toward the largest one against the right-side wall. She doesn't hear a response from Jade so she opens the central drawer,
"…uhm, what is that?" And notices something hidden by a few shirts,
"Please God, don't be half-blood porn…" She reaches down with her free hand while still holding the books in the other and moves the shirts revealing the object,
"…looks like a switch." She sighs with great relief and moves to flip the switch. Moving down the hall Jade hears Tori finish and hastens to stop her,
"Tori!" But stops just inside the door when she hears the 'click',
"…crap." The floor at the foot of the bed splits down the middle until the hole is about the size of the bed. Tori castes Jade a smile,
"It just opened a door…in the floor." Then looks at the hole with a stair case leading down toward the bed. Jade takes point, sipping her coffee,
"It's a…another library?" And enters the circular room lined with bookcases and a few tables near the center.
"Well, the books look older…much older." After setting her books on one of the tables, Tori is inexplicitly drawn to the center of the room and an ancient looking tome bound in a strange material. She picks it up and begins running her hands over it before she presents it to Jade,
"This one feels funny." Jade only requires a passing inspection to identify the material,
"I think that's skin." But her second examination reveals the full extent of the binding,
"Human, I believe." Tori was technically still holding the book and consequently drops the book,
"…so gross…" She shakes her hands in a vain attempt to remove the feeling of the leather treated skin on her hands. Setting her coffee down on the table Jade picks-up the book off the floor,
"I kind of like it… besides it not like the guy's still alive. I'm sure he is long dead." The smirk she gives is partially calming for Tori, but,
"But it's still human skin…that's absolutely sick, completely wrong…" Jade cuts her off as she moves toward the stand that it rested on,
"Calm yourself, I'll put it back."
"That doesn't change the fact that it's…" This experience seems to be the one area that freaks her out absolutely. Jade is slightly annoyed not fully understanding why this is so sick,
"Skin, I know. But look at it this way… If Weston has this that means the bad guys don't." But her tone very swiftly takes a reassuring feel.
"I see your point and don't disagree that it's better off here…it's just that it's human skin." She seemed to be getting a little better but reenters the freak zone…or at least she would have if Jade hadn't strode over and hugged her tightly,
"…Tori." And spoke her name softly. Disengaging the hug Tori smiles at her,
"…Thanks, Jade." Jade grins as well,
"Yeah, well don't get used to it, I'm still upset about you molesting me earlier." Jade castes her a playful glare. Tori counters with a shrug,
"You didn't stop me, despite being more than capable of doing so."
"You were peaceful…" Jade catches herself going down a sincerely strange road and changes the conversation,
"Can we move on with the stowing these books and exiting the awesome creepy chamber, despite my desire to stay?" She grabs her cup as Tori takes the lead, gladly leaving the room and the creepy book.
After re-concealing the hidden library and leaving the master bedroom they head down the hall as Tori begins reasoning aloud,
"So, if the secret library is under his bedroom, then the armory must be under the library." Knowing full well that Tori is talking to herself Jade still adds,
"Or the kitchen, living room, war-room, or his office." Tori dead stops and is deep in thought simply standing in front of the bathroom door, then she suddenly shakes her head and resumes walking and talking,
"The war-room is too obvious, and the kitchen and living-room are too open. So either the study or office."
With the study door right in front of them Jade turns and looks down the hall toward the lifts, then nudges Tori,
"Let's try the office. I'd kind of like to see if it's black or white." She heads off without confirming that Tori is even following her, which she is after only a brief pause.
Much too Jade's surprise the office has scarcely any black or white, instead it has,
"Brown and green…that's different." Jade cocks her head as her eyes wander the room adorned with dark brown furniture; large wooden desk with large leather chair, two smaller leather chairs in front of the desk, a few tables with pictures and trinkets on them, and finally a mini-fridge hiding just in the corner, all a deep oak brown. The green came from the numerous exotic plants sitting along the wall opposite the window wall, sitting in the other three corners of the room, and hanging from the ceiling in brown pots attached with green chains. There was also a mature mini-willow tree, standing at only about nine feet tall, sitting at the dead center of the room.
When Tori finally steps through doorway into the room, the thing that most catches her attention is the mini-brook that is flowing about the glass floor, snaking about the various plants that were in fact planted in the floor with a reasonable amount of dirt inside the glass. Jade had mistaken the brown for wood, which makes her feel a bit foolish…but not letting that be shown she moves over to the desk,
"And yet another lovely chair for me to own." She swiftly sits in the chair mounted to the floor, 'Weston has a mild obsession with super comfy chairs…not that that takes away from his decoration style, which is without question weird as hell.' Having finished her coffee she leans back with her hands behind her head.
Tori has come to expect strange from the veteran hunter, but has to admit, 'This is a little much, I mean a freaking brook…then again it does seem kind of neat and definitely not boring.' But not wanting to dwell on the 'green' room looks across the desk,
"Any secret switches or lever under the desk?" There is almost no chance the armory is in the floor, but that still leaves a wall. Leaning forward to comply Jade doesn't even consider the 'dirt' floor as she begins running her hands underneath the desk, even opening the drawers…and,
"…none that I can feel."
"Well maybe you should look, maybe it's visual." Tori suggests, only half sure there'll be anything now.
"Worth a shot…" Jade slides out of the chair and lays on her back as she begins a very thorough inspection of the underside of the desk,
"Oh, well look at that…" She notices a small panel. Once she opens it, it reveals a little blue button, and without thinking she presses it. Her reward is to have the chair move back along a rail as the floor beneath where it was gives way. And since her body was mostly over the hole,
"…ahhhhhhh…" She falls down the chute. Tori drops her head, 'This is what it must have been like for Jade at the manor.' Knowing full well what comes next she exclaims,
"Oh, balls… Look out below!" And leaps in after her friend. The chute arcs left and then right multiple times in order to slow down the traveller, since it is an eleven story drop to the basement. After the rather fun ride Jade drops onto a large pad on the floor. Then her fun ends when her friend lands on top of her, forcing her to say,
"Owh, that hurt." Tori hops up,
"Yeah, payback is a bitch." Then looks down smirking…which was pointless considering the absolute darkness of the room. Rising carefully Jade asks,
"Where are we?" Tori involuntarily smirks again,
"And may I inquire how would I possess such knowledge?" She hates that Jade can't see her awesome smirking. But Jade does feel them,
"Really helpful there, Vega." Tori sighs before whispering,
"Huyet duier torchesa igneitas foluiyo." As commanded by the mage the little golden fireball appears hovering several feet in front of her, illuminating the room rather nicely. Tori asks cheerfully,
"Better?"
"Yeah, so another spell then?" Jade looks at her as if she had been keeping a big secret from her. Tori shrugs,
"I wasn't too sure you'd be all that in love with a torch, so I didn't mention it." Jade considers this, 'Should I be concerned that she knows me so well? …nah.' before answering,
"…Yeah, it isn't exactly fierce is it?" With Jade's snippiness gone Tori smiles as she looks at the little orb,
"Helpful though…" Jade notices a switch on the wall,
"And unnecessary with this light switch." Then flips the aforementioned switch, illuminating the room many times as much as the fire-orb, and looks at Tori,
"…so you can get rid of that thing." She motions to the torch with a dismissing wave.
"I…can't." Tori drops her head eyeing the floor. Jade stares at her,
"What do you mean you can't?" Tori lifts her head to meet Jade's gaze,
"The last time Irot scarred me, which broke my concentration…but, well now…" She now motions to the orb still floating there innocently. Jade chews on her lip for only a second before she steps in front of Tori and promptly slaps her. Tori hastily reaches up to cup the impact spot,
"What did you do that for?" Her voice bares more hurt than anger. Jade smirks,
"Is the orb still floating?" Tori looks over to the former location of the fireball to find it gone,
"No… but really, a slap?" Then sharply turns to glare at Jade, who shrugs,
"I could have kissed you, but you would have enjoyed that too much." Then grins devilishly. Tori rolls her eyes,
"Let's just get out of here and go see Irot and Edaj. I'm sure they missed us." She starts feeling fairly crappy for not allowing either of them the chance to drink a little mana…but she is very rapidly brought back when Jade opens the only door in the room,
"…Oh God! What is that smell?" The odor that infiltrates the room steals away Tori's breath for she begins gasping for air. Jade on the other hand smiles,
"Sewer… nice. It must be a secret escape route." She turns and looks at Tori, who is now supporting herself on the wall,
"It smells horri…" She then vomits up her Frosty Flakes. Jade chuckles,
"It's not that bad." After spitting Tori looks up with some of her hair over her face,
"It's disgusting…completely sickeni..." She again vomits. Jade shakes her head lightly,
"It's a sewer, not a mountain spring. Come on, this looks like the only way out." Jade heads out without another word… until she sees what happens to be adorning the rack just outside the door,
"Look, flashlight helmets." Tori staggers out of the doorway, looking a bit pale.
After twenty minutes of walking 'north' as Jade called it, Tori feeling much better after somewhat acclimating to the odor stops walking. As she stops she places her hand in front of Jade to stop her as well,
"Do you hear that? It sounds like heavy breathing." Jade holds her breathe to listen more intensely,
"Now that you mention it… yeah, I do." Jade starts looking around, and the light on her head begins darting back and forth as she does. Contrarily Tori simply turns around…and swallows nervously,
"J-J-J-Jade! Trolls!" Her shout causes Jade to whip her head around. Now with both of their lights shining on the tall mossy green bodies of several brutishly ugly giants only a few yards away Jade shouts,
"Shit! Shit! Shit! Run!" As instructed they both take off running down the sewer away from the monsters. Almost immediately they can hear the sounds of many large heavy footfalls following.
As the footsteps are getting louder Tori castes back a hand and begins,
"Huyeturi vejhu duier…" Jade's eyes widen as she attempts to stop her,
"No, Wait!" But her warning isn't registered as Tori continues the spell,
"…torchesa igneitas koliyu!" As the blue orb leaves her hand the air around it ignites in a massive explosion that rapidly fills the tunnel. The trolls are thrown violently back down the tunnel as the shockwave rolls outward from the ignition point. Because Tori and Jade were even closer and far lighter they are flung even further up the tunnel than the heavier trolls were down.
Currently floating face-up in sewage Tori looks over to Jade,
"You okay?"
"Yeah, that was awesome!" Jade castes her arms in the air as she sits up effortlessly.
"You sure? It sounds like you might have some brain damage." Sitting up Tori can't even register being soaked in sewage.
"Tori, I just survived a freaking near point-blank explosion in a sewer. I'm doing great." Her joy seems to be growing as she rises to her feet. Jade helps Tori up, who starts to think about how powerful that explosion must have been,
"How did we survive that?" Jade hands her her helmet quickly,
"No time, our friends are getting up too." She points to the trolls that are starting to get up as well. They bolt further down the passage they had been taking.
After five minutes of running at near full speed Tori points ahead toward a rather large door,
"An exit." Jade puts her hand on Tori's back and pushes her forward faster,
"Hurry!" Tori swiftly opens it upon arrival, allowing Jade to run right past into the room. Turning around Jade shouts,
"Lock it!" Tori turns around to face her,
"Uhm, the lock's broken." Jade sighs,
"Then let's keep moving." They continue down the damp hall.
Coming upon another large door Tori notices the padlock,
"It's locked." Jade frowns,
"Oh, the irony… Blast it!" Jade surveys down the hall as Tori complies,
"…Huyeturi vejhu duier torchesa igneitas koliyu." The cheap lock falls to the floor as semi-molten slag. Swiftly moving into the room Tori can make out five separate tunnels leading off in different directions,
"Which way do we go?" Not noticing the several doors around the large room that lead to a Legion safehouse above them Jade picks one,
"…this way." While they are heading 'east', Tori realizes something,
"Shouldn't we be fighting them, as hunter guardians?" Jade actually sees that as a fair question,
"…do you know how to kill a troll?" But their lack of knowledge gives her pause.
"Fire." Tori holds up one hand.
"If they survived that explosion I doubt a little fireball will do it." Jade starts to recall the explosion as they pass through a doorway, but she is brought back by Tori stopping,
"Well, we're about to find out." She motions to the lit room with several trolls loitering in it. Jade drops her head,
"Frag me."
Tori raises a hand and incants,
"Huyeturi vejhu duier torchesa igneitas koliyu." The orb flies forth and strikes one of the mossy green giants in the chest; flames wash across his torso and face searing away a few layers of flesh, but ultimately doing little more than a second degree burn and pissing off the troll.
"That's not good." She grimaces as it roars. Jade watches them begin to take a more aggressive stance,
"This would be an excellent time to transform." Tori agrees whole-heartily,
"Yeah… Irregardless I'm not going down without a fight…Huyeturi vejhu duier torchesa igneitas koliyu!"
"I'm with ya'…Huyeturi vejhu duier torchesa igneitas koliyu!" These fireballs seem to pack significantly more of a punch as the targets are relieved of not only skin but also muscle. Their screams of agony cause the others to step back and begin rethinking this engagement.
However the respite is brief before one of them decides to charge anyway. The lumbering giant drops his shoulder and rams forward. Tori releases one fireball before he impacts her with his shoulder, sending her flying across the room. With fury in her eyes Jade charges at him and punches his exposed back, about where a kidney should be. She doesn't expect the creature to stagger sideways before collapsing to one leg, but he does. Recovering quickly he charges at her.
Instead of dodging or rolling aside she grabs his blistered arm, which took Tori's earlier fireball, as it impacts her. Despite her pain she holds on until he stops and prepares to grab her with his free arm. She releases him and before he can react begins pummeling his chest with a rapid series of wild, unrestrained punches; each one seems to have almost no effect as she delivers them. But once she jumps back and prepares to avoid any future hits, he staggers backward and begins coughing up blood.
Jade doesn't get to enjoy the little victory as another troll blindsides her and sends her rolling across the room. Unfortunately for the troll his victory is cut short as well when he receives a punch from Tori to his back that sends him reeling forward. His sloppy footing caused him to trip over his own feet and fall face first onto the floor.
Yet another tries to catch Tori off-guard…only to have her side-step and trip him, sending him tumbling forward into his downed comrade. Jade has now recovered and quickly takes up her place beside Tori,
"Nice one." Fighting the urge to fist-bump.
"Thanks… and thanks for earlier." Tori gets the feeling that the saving each other thing is going to be a big part of their future, but she doesn't seem to mind. And neither does Jade,
"No problem, partner." She winks at the dragon-mage before refocusing on the enemy still surrounding them.
"Aim for the legs...Huyeturi vejhu duier torchesa igneitas koliyu!" Tori's ball of fire finds the left leg of one of the uninjured circling them…well he was unharmed until the orb stripes away several layers of muscle and causes him to fall against the wall, unable to support his weight on the damaged limb.
Not waiting to see the result of Tori's attack Jade launches her own and hits the ankle of another, the intensity of the flames and the small mass of muscle results in the troll's foot simply not coming up with his leg when he lifts it. Jade grins to herself for having successfully preformed an amputation. The creature howls in pain as he falls against the wall opposite of his leaning kin.
The remaining three charge at them recklessly in a vain attempt to finish them off. The tactless assault is met with rapid-fire firebombs hitting key joints, forcing them to halt their attack or risk fatal injury. One even falls from a lack of feet, he crawls back to the tunnel doorway where two others pick him up and head off down the tunnel, that Jade and Tori had originally ran down. The limping three and one-foot also withdrawal from the room, using each other for support.
Only one remains to face them, but he is noticeably larger and wearing some kind of armor…
AN: Okay, so how was that, don't you just love cliffhangers? (grinning innocently)
Contest: If you got the answer to my contest then put it in a review or send it to me in a PM…but the contest will only last until I release the next chapter…Monday (barring any unfortunate events that would prevent this.)
Strangeness: And as for the human skin book, yeah I recently watched Army of Darkness, staring Bruce Campbell as Ash (which is a continuation of the Evil Dead series) and if you've seen it then you know all about the Necronomecron Ex Mortis… If not then I would kindly recommend you watch it, but don't expect a Hollywood Blockbuster.
Fun: Oh, and as for the little coffee fixing/drinking thingy, it wasn't necessary but it could be a lovely little glimpse into what it would be like if they lived together, as a couple?;{)
Clarity: Tori is the Dragon-mage and Jade is the Dragon-knight, just making sure no one is confused by those references from here on out.
-MDwoy-
