Session 31
He had become far too accustomed to the sound of a heart monitor beeping, J.J. thought bitterly as he sat by his mother's bedside. Considering that he'd spent a fair portion of the past several months in the hospital, though, he figured that shouldn't be surprising. Thankfully, at least this time he had little reason to worry about whether someone's life was in danger.
The ride to the hospital had been quick, and the EMTs that had brought his mother in had assured him on the ride over that she didn't seem to be in serious condition, though the doctors did mention that there seemed to be some damage to her left eardrum that they would have to look at. Otherwise, as he had suspected, the soundwaves had merely knocked her out, and his barrier had protected her from the worst of the blast. He was grateful for that much at least, as he knew that a direct attack had the potential to shatter her bones and liquefy her insides. He doubted that even transformed could he have survived an attack from that close without his barrier protecting them. Thankfully, for now all she needed to recover was some monitoring and some rest.
He had also been looked over by the doctors, especially for the ringing in his ears. They explained that he had suffered some inner ear trauma as well, which was why he had been having nausea and problems with his balance. They assured him, though, that he would recover quickly. They had also treated the scratches on his chest with some antibiotics. Once he had been patched up, they'd allowed him to remain in the same room as his mother, to watch over her while she rested, since they figured he would want to stay close to her, and there was no danger in allowing it.
That said, J.J. was still unsure how he felt towards his mother overall. On the one hand, he was touched and grateful that his mother had risked her life to protect him, and he felt a combination of worry and anger that she had endangered herself when there was little she could have done. Beyond that, though… he oddly still felt numb towards her. The resentment and anger he held for her hadn't vanished because of one selfless act. It was a step in the right direction, but nursing a grudge for years left him – perhaps unfairly, he admitted – predisposed towards viewing her in a negative light.
With nothing else to do while he waited, J.J. had pulled out his diary. It hadn't been hard to determine what type of creature he was facing. Nearly everyone had heard the legends about sirens, especially how they used their voices to lure men to their deaths by shipwrecking them on stony shores. It was fitting that a singer was using their powers to enhance her own voice and entrance her audience. The question, though, was what he was supposed to do about it.
Using the information in his diary, he had tried to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the siren. While it did possess a powerful voice, its other stats were rather low. It wasn't even particularly fast, which had been the one thing he had feared – if it had speed that allowed it to maintain distance, it could simply keep running and screaming without fear of reprisal. From what he understood, the siren's only major weapon was its voice. If he could land almost any attack – as he had when he had thrown his dagger – he stood a good chance at beating it.
"The problem, though, is actually hitting it," J.J. muttered to his diary as his quill tapped around an empty page. "You sure you can't give me more of a hand with my archery?"
"You are aware that I can only slightly correct the flight path of an arrow. I can't shoot the bow for you," the quill replied on a blank page.
"Hm. I mean… last time, the siren only disoriented me because I wasn't aware of how much range its voice had. Do you think I'd have a better chance this time if I just stayed further back?" he suggested.
"Even under optimal conditions, with as much power as the Diemon's voice possesses, any arrow could be easily diverted from its course by a scream," his quill replied. "The same with any of the Mage Class's spells. Ranged attacks that the siren is aware of will be rendered ineffective."
J.J. let out a soft "tsk," lightly tapping his fingers against the pages of the book. "So I have to get in close, despite the danger. Maybe Thief Class would work?"
"It would be the best option, given your current skill set," the diary agreed. "However, there is an alternative that is now available to you."
J.J. glanced down at the quill as it scribbled a few lines, and he smiled faintly to himself before nodding once. "That's probably a better idea. Provided we can pull it off."
"Provided you can pull what off?" asked a voice by the door. J.J. glanced around, grimacing as his vision swam momentarily from the sudden movement. Gwen and Tristan were standing by the door, the former walking over and wrapping her arms around his shoulders and resting her chin on top of his head as she gazed at the unconscious form of his mother. "What were you talking about?" she repeated.
"Just discussing strategies for the next fight," J.J. sighed. "This is a tricky one, since the Siren Diemon can control sound. It's not just a concussive attack; she also seems to be able to charm people. She had me in the palm of her hand, and would have probably killed me if my mother hadn't stepped in when she did."
"How's she doing?" Gwen asked, glancing at her unconscious form.
"As well as can be expected. The doctors are doing an excellent job, and aside from some ear damage, she should pull out of it fine. I still want to be here when she wakes up though," J.J. explained.
"I regret that your mother was injured in my absence," Tristan said, looking away. "I shall be sure to accompany you when you fight next."
"Honestly, it's probably better if you don't," J.J. said. Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Like I said, she can control people with her voice. Imagine if she turned one of us against the other. I really don't want to try fighting you, and I doubt you do either. In this case, I think it's a better idea if I solo it."
"Indeed? You have never been so bold before, page," Tristan remarked.
"Well, for one thing, I'm the one with the more versatile power-set," J.J. pointed out. "You're far stronger than I am in a straight up fight, but I have more options available to deal with a more unconventional opponent like this one. Unless you could immediately get in close and land one attack, I feel like you'd be at a disadvantage against her."
"Your logic is sound, page. Yet, I cannot help but suspect that is not the only reason you wish to engage this Diemon. Is it vengeance for your mother that you seek?" Tristan added. Gwen looked down at him silently, waiting for his response.
J.J. sighed, glancing at his mother's form, before shaking his head. "That's not it. Not that I'm happy she got hurt or anything," he added, feeling Gwen frowning at him. "It's got more to do with Callie, though."
"Her? Why?" Gwen asked.
"When we were talking… I almost felt like I was looking at myself, honestly," J.J. explained, looking down. "Her father seems to be pushing her pretty hard in her singing career, and I can't help but wonder how much he's influencing what she's doing. If she became a Diemon because of that, then it almost feels personal for me. While I know that our circumstances are different, I can't help but relate to her, and I want to help her, to assure her that she doesn't have to remain under her father's control just to do what she loves."
"That's a bit presumptuous of you, isn't it?" Gwen pointed out.
"It is," J.J. agreed. "I'm not trying to fight her battles for her, though. At the end of the day, this is about stopping someone who's manipulating the city and preventing her from achieving Apotheosis. It's just that this time, I can't help but empathize with her a bit more than I usually would. I want to help her because I feel like I know what she's going through. Provided, of course, that my instincts aren't wrong and she's indeed in the same situation that I am," he added. "If she's not, then it's just more practical to fight her one-on-one without the possibility of her turning Tristan and I against each other," he said with an apologetic grin at Tristan.
"Hm. Very well, page. I shall not interfere in this battle," Tristan said. "Nevertheless, if you require my assistance…."
"What about finding Susumu?" J.J. suggested. "Do you know where he ran off to? I'm getting worried, since we haven't heard from him in a while."
"Alas, I know nothing of Susumu's whereabouts," Tristan sighed. "He has not contacted me, nor has he returned to his residence. I must confess that I am growing concerned, particularly considering how dangerous this city has become."
"I gotta agree. He's a big boy, though," J.J. added with a shrug. "I'm sure that whatever he's doing, he's got a reason for it, and I trust he can look out for himself."
"Quite. Nevertheless, I shall remain vigilant," Tristan nodded.
"That said, if you do want to help, I'd appreciate it if you could keep an eye out for Shards," J.J. suggested. "When we first fought, Callie became infuriated when a group of Shards broke some of her equipment, and she obliterated them. Even so, the last thing I need is her figuring out a way to summon a horde of Shards to protect her once she figures out that they don't usually attack Diemons. It's bad enough trying to fight her without an army on her side."
"Ah! An excellent idea," Tristan agreed, perking up slightly. "Very well. That shall be my focus in this upcoming battle. And I shall likewise endeavor to remain outside the range of her voice, lest I fall under her sway."
"Still, if she can control people, how do you intend to counter that?" Gwen asked.
"I've got a couple ideas, don't worry," J.J. grinned at her. "You know me. I do better in the second round after I know what I'm dealing with."
"It'd be better if you could just take a Diemon down the first time for once," she muttered in reply, scowling at him. "I'm tired of you getting hurt."
"Yeah, so would I," J.J. admitted, grinning at her sheepishly. "It's not like I try to let them get away, you know."
"No, though you do hold back more than most warriors," Tristan pointed out. "You still have a tendency to be quite gentle." He glanced over at Gwen and added, "I would recommend we depart. Page, I suggest you rest as well. While your injuries do not appear severe, you should not strain yourself more than necessary, especially if you wish to face this foe alone."
"I'll get some sleep in a bit. I still want to go over a few things for when I face Callie again," J.J. replied. Tristan nodded, and Gwen walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders gently, pressing her cheek to his.
"Be careful," she whispered in his ear.
"Aren't I always?" he quipped at her, lightly squeezing her hand before shooing them towards the door. Gwen's gaze lingered on him for a few moments longer as they departed, and J.J. turned his attention back to his book, trying to ignore the ringing building in his ears again.
A faint rustling noise startled J.J., and he abruptly jerked his head up from his mother's mattress, glancing around warily. He realized that he must have fallen asleep at some point, and he wasn't sure what time it was, as the room was dark, except for a single light above his mother's bed. She was sitting up against the pillows, flipping through his manuscript, and when she saw him awaken, she peered at him over the rims of her glasses.
"I didn't mean to disturb you," she said, glancing back down at the pages.
"You must be doing better if you're up," J.J. replied, yawning languidly. "How are you feeling?"
"My left ear feels like it's been stuffed with cotton, but otherwise I'm doing fine," Kay replied, scowling as she touched the offending ear. "You can go back to sleep if you want."
"Nah. I shouldn't be napping. Besides, sleeping like this is going to leave me with a stiff neck," he explained, rolling his shoulders before frowning at the pages she was rifling through. "What're you doing?"
"Since I don't have much else to do while I'm lying here, I figured I would look over your story again," Kay explained, setting it down on her lap to peer at him through her glasses.
"Oh?" J.J. looked away, feeling awkward. "And what'd you think this time around?"
"For the most part, my opinions haven't changed. Your writing has improved, and the world is deeper and more colorful than your prior attempts. I still don't care for the plot, though," Kay scowled, tapping her fingers on the manuscript. "You can do better."
"So you're giving me a D grade and telling me to see you after class?" J.J. asked bitingly, unable to resist snarling at her slightly. When she glared at him, however, he backed down. "Sorry. I just find it hard to take criticism from you, even if it's constructive."
Kay sighed, glancing down at the pages again. "I'll give you this, Jay. You've put much more of your heart into this book. I can tell that you care about this story. Your past attempts have been hollow, as if you were going down a checklist of 'things one should include in a fantasy story.' This book, though, feels like something that you wanted to write, which is why I'll admit that it's an improvement, even if there are still things you can do better. If you published this as is, it would receive mediocre reviews at best. If you'd like, though, I can go over it and suggest what needs changing."
J.J. gazed at her for several long moments, before looking away. "You'll understand if I'm a bit hesitant to accept your help, considering how that went for me last time," J.J. said softly.
"I wish you'd let that go already," Kay sighed, taking her glasses off and rubbing her eyes. "I was helping you, and yet you fight me about it at every turn."
"Helping me?!" J.J. started to cry, but then he realized that most of the other patients would be asleep, and he quickly lowered his voice even before his mother shushed him. "Mom, you still don't get it, do you?! What you did didn't help me! It was reverse plagiarism!"
"It was constructive editing. And if you had simply accepted credit for it and taken the royalties, you would have been financially secure already! Your generation constantly begs for help, and yet when I offered you all the help in the world, you ungratefully rejected it!" Kay snapped quietly.
J.J. looked down at the mattress for several long moments before asking softly, "Mom, what were the reviews for the first book you ever wrote?"
"They were awful," Kay replied, snorting at the memory. "One critic called my first mystery novel 'a flat railroad with no twists or turns, leading to a predictable conclusion. The ride is so boring that you wish this book was an outright train wreck, because at least that would be more entertaining.'"
"Harsh," J.J. chuckled. "No wonder why you don't talk about it."
"I was utterly humiliated, and that's what I was trying to spare you from," Kay replied. "You don't know how vicious critics can be, especially to new writers."
"Alright, I can understand that you were trying to spare me from that," J.J. conceded. "But did it make you a better writer?"
"Not really, no," Kay replied stubbornly.
"Mom," J.J. frowned, giving her a pointed look. "You're telling me those reviews didn't motivate you to examine your writing more closely, to figure out where you went wrong and improve upon it the next time?"
Kay sighed, rubbing her eyes with her index finger and thumb. "What's your point, J.J.?"
"My point is that you were denying me that chance to learn and grow," J.J. replied. "My first book did suck, but because of the criticism – at least that which wasn't simply bashing my book – I was able to improve upon my work and adjust some things. My second book wasn't much better, but it was still an improvement. What you hold in your hands now is the culmination of everything I've learned so far. I know that I still have much more to learn, but it's gotten a little better each time."
"Yes, but it hasn't put much food on your table, has it?" Kay retorted.
"I've gotten by," J.J. said stubbornly. "I'm not too proud to ask for help when I need it, and I always repay my debts."
"But if you had just stuck with my company, you would have had all the help you needed!" Kay protested.
"And then what?" J.J. countered. "Would you keep writing my stories for me forever? Would you ever let me publish anything of my own?"
Kay scowled at him. "You're being ridiculous."
"Am I, though?" J.J. asked, keeping his tone carefully level. "You've already proven that you're willing to go to those lengths just so that I can live comfortably. What would happen if I went along with that, but you died suddenly one day? Do you really think, in that scenario, that I'd be able to support myself? I certainly wouldn't have the writing skills needed to keep publishing books and keeping myself financially stable. Maybe I would have some editing skills by that point, but there's no guarantee of that either. And would you have taught me how to run a business? You didn't seem intent on passing that torch anytime soon."
The lines around Kay's mouth deepened as she tapped her fingers impatiently on his manuscript. "So you're saying I should have just let you fail."
"Not at all. I'm grateful that you gave me all the tools that I'd need to succeed – paying for my education, teaching me how to write a good story – but I never wanted you to write the stories for me. That's where I stopped having faith in you, mom," J.J. explained. "A mother bird should do everything to ensure her chicks know how to fly, but she can't fly for them."
Kay was silent for several long moments, still staring at his manuscript, before looking back up at him. "Alright. If that's how you see it, then I can understand why you're upset. I'd like to ask you for another chance, though. You said that you won't turn away help when it's offered, so now I'm offering to help you. I'd like to edit this for you, but this time, I'll consult you on the changes I'd like to make and we can discuss them and try to reach a compromise. How does that sound?"
J.J. swallowed, feeling a lump form in the pit of his stomach. Part of him still wanted to refuse. Although she sounded sincere, he still didn't fully trust her. He feared that if he let her walk away with his manuscript, she would once again shred it and write his name on a book she wrote. Yet, she was also one of the best editors in the business, and an accomplished author. She was offering him an opportunity that other, more established writers would give their left arms for. She was even doing what he had said he wanted – offering him a tool to succeed without doing the work for him. Could he really turn her down?
"I want Agni with me so that we can draw up a proper contract in writing, and I want it signed," J.J. said firmly. "Until then, I'd like to hold on to my drafts."
Kay smiled at him thinly. "You're covering your bases. You really have grown up since the last time I saw you. That's smart. Alright, once I'm out of the hospital, we'll have a meeting with your agent, and we can go over a contract. Then, you can come home with me, and-"
"Ah… yeah, I can't do that," J.J. interrupted her. Kay's smile dropped immediately.
"I'm really trying to compromise here, J.J., but you have to meet me halfway," she growled.
"That's not it," J.J. said quickly. "It's just that I can't leave this town right now. There are people here who still need my help, and there's more at stake than my own writing career."
Kay stared at him, then lightly touched her ear. "You're talking about that… thing from earlier."
"Yeah. People are getting hurt, even killed, because of those monsters. I have to stay here to help until the attacks stop," J.J. explained.
"Why, though? Why not just let the police handle it? Or, hell, call in the national guard or something," his mother said. "You're not a fighter."
"I wasn't a fighter," J.J. said with a bleak smile. "If the police could handle it, I would have let them by now. I didn't want to get wrapped up in all this, but at this point, I'm one of the few people who stands a chance at stopping it." He paused for a second as Kelsie's face flashed through his mind, and he added in a softer voice, "And I intend to see this through to the end."
Kay stared at him for several long moments, the silence lingering between them. "I barely recognize you anymore," she said finally. "And I don't mean that in a bad way. You're much stronger than the boy I remember."
"I've had to be," J.J. replied modestly.
Kay sighed, holding up her hands. "Alright. If you need to stay here for the time being, I won't pressure you. I'd encourage you to stop by your hometown at some point once this is all over, though. We have a lot to discuss."
"I'll… try," J.J. said hesitantly. "But in the meantime, I'm glad you're feeling better. I should probably head out if you don't need me here, though. I think there's someone else who needs my help a lot more."
"Callie, mm?" Kay asked. "Do what you need to do. But you're not going to be able to find her at three in the morning, you know."
"Yeah…." J.J. said, looking away awkwardly. Truthfully, he was still uncomfortable around his mother, and he had wanted to head out as soon as he was sure she was alright.
"Stay with me for a bit," Kay insisted, leaning back in her bed. "It's been years, and I barely know anything about what your life here has been like. Why don't you tell me about it? Start with that blond girl that was clinging to you. Are you dating her?" she asked with a malicious grin.
"Mom!" J.J. cried in protest as she giggled. He grinned at her ruefully as he sat back in his chair, folding his arms. "Alright. Her name is Gwen, and she's part of this aristocratic family…."
By nine in the morning, J.J. was yawning as he drove down the open streets of the entertainment district of Marville. He'd stayed up with his mother for a few more hours, but had passed out around seven, managing to sneak in another couple hours of sleep before his mother had shaken him awake about an hour ago. Overall, he estimated that he was running on about five hours of sleep – not ideal, but enough for him to function. He wished he could have gotten more, but he needed to hunt down Callie and her father before they had a chance to leave town.
Of course, he had no idea where she and her father were staying, and until the D-former was activated, he couldn't track them through the book. Which was, in his opinion, a design flaw, he thought irritably. He wouldn't invade someone's privacy, but it would have made tracking Diemons much easier.
After stopping by a convenience store and downing a cup of coffee like it was medicine – while also picking up something else he thought might be useful for dealing with the Diemon – he had sped to the stadium. It was early and hardly anyone was there, save for a couple members of the stage crew that were still picking up pieces of equipment that had been left scattered around the night before. J.J. parked his bike and jumped off, walking over to the entrance. A dark-skinned girl noticed him approaching and held her hand up.
"We're closed right now," she said abruptly.
"No, I understand," J.J. said quickly, holding up the backstage pass from the night before. "I was just wondering if you knew where Callie Tso was. I wanted to get her to sign something for me."
The woman stared at him suspiciously, and J.J. smiled at her uneasily. "We have a strict policy against just letting random people in to see a performer outside the show," the woman explained coldly. "If you want an autograph, you can get another backstage pass at her next performance. She's got one more set tonight. You can try to get a ticket, but they're sold out by now."
J.J. quirked his mouth in annoyance. However, he thought, at least they weren't going anywhere for another night, so he still had time. He nodded in thanks, wondering if he could get Gwen to secure him another ticket somehow, when a scream pierced the air. The woman turned around, looking behind her at the gate, and J.J. hopped off his bike again to peer inside as well. When he saw what was causing the disturbance, he narrowed his eyes.
Two security guards were wrestling with a pair of Shards, but the rocky monstrosities were clearly too much for them, and they got tossed aside like ragdolls, landing heavily in the seats. The monsters then turned towards the stage, where a few figures were staring at them, paralyzed with fear. Slowly, they advanced, their claws outstretched.
"Damn," J.J. muttered. The security guard glanced over at him as he backed off a few steps, then took a running start and jumped at the ten-foot high brick wall surrounding the stadium. His fingers caught the lip of the wall, and he heaved himself over it before the guard had time to stop him.
"Hey!" she shouted, making a grab at him, but J.J. had already vaulted to the other side of the wall and landed lightly on the ground. Snapping his fingers, his quill flew out of his pocket and into his hand. He snapped it against his palm, extending it out into its sword form as he charged towards the advancing Shards.
Before the Shards could climb onto the stage, J.J. slashed one across the back of the neck, reducing it to dust. Though it wasn't particularly sporting, he had little interest in playing fair when lives were at stake. The other one managed to get up on the stage, but as it started towards the members of the band, J.J. grabbed it by the back of the neck and dragged it to the ground. The Shard responded by lashing out at him with an outstretched claw that nearly tore through his clothing, but J.J. was able to step back in time. The Shard, however, had managed to regain its footing, and J.J. noted that its right hand was extended into a long shaft ending in a sharp point, like a spear.
The Shard jabbed at him twice, and both times J.J. was able to parry the blow while retreating across the stage. His heel touched something behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder for a split second to notice that he had hit the edge of the stairs. Struck with an idea, he parried the next incoming blow, before starting to circle around the Shard. The monstrous construct matched his movements, following him while watching him intently, until its back was to the stairs. The Shard jabbed at him again, but this time as J.J. knocked the attack to the side, he stepped in and delivered a hard kick to its chest. Of course, without his suit on he had even less strength than the security guards, but the Shard was close enough to the edge of the stage that it stumbled back a half step, which was enough to send it tumbling down the flight of stairs. As it crashed unceremoniously into the bottom, J.J. pounced on it and drove his sword into its throat. The monster collapsed into a heap of ash while J.J. pulled his sword back and swung it once to remove the dust still clinging to the blade.
He heard applause resounding around him, and he looked over his shoulder to see the band cheering for him. He grinned sheepishly before his eyes fell on Callie, and he winked at her.
"You've gotta do something about these fans of yours," he quipped, pushing himself up and dusting off his jeans. "Are you all alri-?"
Before he could finish his question, Callie suddenly bolted towards the back of the stage, disappearing into the black velvet curtains. J.J. was left staring after her silently, and the other members of the band traded looks of confusion.
"…Okay, but why, though?" J.J. asked rhetorically. A moment later, he took off after Callie, chasing her as she fled from the stadium.
Callie was faster than he'd expected her to be. By the time he had followed her through the curtains surrounding the back of the stage, she had already jumped off the platform and was making a beeline for her SUV. J.J. immediately took off after her. While he wasn't closing the distance, he was able to keep pace with her, so she didn't get too far ahead of him. When Callie saw that he was following her, she changed her mind and turned towards the woods behind the stadium instead, disappearing into the foliage. J.J. assumed she was just trying to lose him before doubling back to the parking lot. While he figured he could just wait for her in the parking lot, he also worried that security might catch up with him if he loitered around. His best chance of catching her was to follow her, he decided, trying to suppress his annoyance.
After diving into the treeline behind her, he struggled to keep pace with her. He was in good shape, but since he was significantly taller than her, he had to duck under branches and leaves that she was able to avoid effortlessly. He noticed, again, that she was a surprisingly skilled runner. As a singer, she obviously had a good set of lungs, but he also suspected that she had some experience running cross-country. She was able to nimbly dodge around trunks and over fallen logs. It was only because of his own conditioning that J.J. was able to keep pace.
The chase continued for about five minutes, by which point J.J. was convinced they were both completely lost. At last, she came to a halt on the bank of a small lake that had been buried deep in the woods. Callie turned around, still panting, as J.J. approached her with his hands up.
"Stay away from me!" she shouted at him.
"Relax!" J.J. replied, stopping where he was to show her that he wasn't trying to threaten her. "I just want to talk! Why'd you run from me?"
"Those monsters didn't start showing up until you did!" she cried.
"That's just a coincidence," J.J. replied, lowering his hands. "They should have been appearing around you long before now. And they'll continue to do so as long as you rely on that jewel."
Callie's eyes widened, murmuring, "How do you know about that?"
"I told you, I've been dealing with this sort of thing for months now," J.J. replied, walking towards her with his arms folded over his chest. "Let me guess – you've been using the power of that jewel to enhance your singing abilities?"
Callie swallowed, looking away from him uncomfortably. "It… wasn't my idea, you know," she murmured.
"Why don't you tell me how this all started?" J.J. suggested, taking a seat on a fallen log while looking up at her.
Callie continued to look away from him, chewing on her lower lip. "It began about a month and a half ago. My father and I were approached by a man in black who said that he'd heard we were having problems getting a record deal. He told us that he could provide a way to enchant anyone who listened to us, and that our sales would go through the roof. That I would finally get the recognition that I deserved as a singer. I… honestly, I didn't want to go through with it, but my dad insisted. He told me that he'd sunk too much money into making me a star to let this chance slip through his fingers. So… we ended up taking the deal."
"Mm. That sounds like the Black Seraph," J.J. commented, sitting back slightly on the log. "And that jewel worked for you, didn't it?"
"It did. Every song I played, the crowd loved. It didn't matter how bad it was, they reacted like I was singing an opera or something," Callie said. "It was only a couple of weeks before we were given our first record deal. From there, my father was able to book gigs no problem, and I became a local star."
"How come you didn't leave for the big cities, then, then?" J.J. asked.
"It takes time for even the best artists to get noticed. You need to start small. As I'm sure you're aware," Callie added with a wan smile. "Plus, my father's not exactly rich, not with all the money he's sunk into this project. He couldn't afford to book us in any of the major cities, so instead he's been trying to convince the big-name producers to come watch me here. It sounded like he was coming close to sealing a few deals, but nothing's been signed yet."
"I see. Still, a month and a half is a long time to have one of those jewels and not fully succumb to its powers," J.J. added thoughtfully. He gazed at her with a piercing look. "Callie… do you even want to be a singer?"
Callie turned bright red, starting to walk away from him. "Not… not really, no," she sighed. "Look, my dad always told me that I had talent. Just because you're good at something, though, doesn't mean it's what you want to do. He encouraged me – pressured me – into doing it because he thought it would be good for me to do something that I'm good at. Even so… I can't say that it's my dream to become an idol. It's too much stress, too much pressure. I hate even the small amount of fame that I've received."
"Yeah? And I'd ask you why you don't confront your father about that, but that'd make me a hypocrite," J.J. said with a wry grin. "I know how hard it can be to stand up to your parents about that sort of thing."
Callie nodded bleakly. "So if you understand, will you let me go…?"
"Nuh-uh. Just because I understand doesn't mean that you're off the hook," J.J. said, though he grinned slightly at her boldness. "Nice try. You need to confront your father about this. I can't do it for you. Like I said, I know how hard it can be, but you have to have a talk with him. Otherwise, parents like that will keep pushing you down a path you don't want to follow."
Callie let out a shy squeak. "I really don't want to…"
"I know. But if you don't, you're going to remain miserable. And it can't be any worse than constantly running from monsters, can it?" J.J. pointed out.
"I dunno. My dad can be pretty scary when he gets angry." Callie sighed, her shoulders slumping. "But… I see your point. I should at least try, right?"
"Right," J.J. nodded, pushing himself up and dusting himself off. "First thing's first, though, from my end at least. If you don't have any more use for that jewel, why don't you give it to me? I can destroy it for you."
Callie blinked at him blankly. "I… don't have it."
J.J. stared at her silently for a long moment. "Are you serious? Everyone I've spoken to who was given a D-former – one of those jewels – hasn't wanted to be more than two feet from it. Even those that didn't want to use it. What, did you leave it in your bag or something?"
"No, I mean I wasn't the one given the jewel," Callie replied.
J.J. felt his blood run cold. At that moment, footsteps approached them from behind, and J.J. swung around to see Gen standing before them, still dressed in his crisp business suit and wearing a look of utter disgust. "Callie, what are you doing out here?" he sighed. "Running off like that without even a bodyguard? What if you'd been hurt?"
"I'm fine, dad," Callie assured him. J.J. noticed her backing away from him slowly. Gen glanced towards J.J., his eyes narrowing and his expression turning hostile.
"What're you doing with my client?" he snapped.
"Your client?! That's your daughter!" J.J. snarled in reply.
"She's also my client, and I'll thank you to not interfere with my business," Gen insisted as he approached Callie with his hand extended. "Now let's get out of here. We have a meeting with-"
"I'm not going, dad," Callie said softly. Gen paused mid-stride, staring at her in disbelief.
"I beg your pardon?" Gen growled threateningly. "You signed a contract. You have an obligation to fulfill. Besides, this is your dream-"
"No, dad, seeing me become a singer was your dream! And the only reason why you want me to be a singer is because your own band couldn't cut it! You're just living out that fantasy through me!" Callie snapped at him.
Gen raised his hand, as if to smack her, and Callie flinched away from him while J.J. stepped between them. As if realizing what he was about to do, he lowered his hand, but growled, "How dare you? After everything I've done for you to help you succeed!"
"Including singing for your daughter?" J.J. chimed in. Gen's eyes widened as he turned towards J.J.
"How could you possibly know about that?" he whispered.
"Doesn't take a genius to figure out, since Callie said she doesn't have the jewel," J.J. replied with a simple shrug. "You've been using the jewel the Black Seraph gave you to alter Callie's voice. Or… has she just been lip-synching her lines?"
Gen stared at him, then started chuckling in a slightly deranged fashion. "I guess there's no point in hiding it. No, Callie's been singing. She can at least do that much properly. I've just been… helping her a little bit. Slight modifications to her songs so that she her voice is a bit more appealing. It's amazing what this jewel can do," he added, holding the aquamarine gem up to the light. "It gives me remarkable control over sound. In fact, it's how I found you two this deep in the woods. I heard you talking from the edge of the forest."
"And you don't think that you're committing fraud, manipulating her music like that?!" J.J. barked.
"Of course not! It's just another tool to help make her sound better. After all, a lot of singers use auto-tuning these days, so this isn't much different in my opinion. Besides, parents should help their children in any way they can, shouldn't they?"
J.J. felt cold anger rising in his chest. "I can see why you and my mother get along so well," he hissed. "You two are so alike. Still, there's something I don't get. If becoming a famous singer is your dream, why not just do it yourself and leave your daughter out of it?"
"Please. Think about the marketing angle, boy. What do you think is going to draw more of a crowd, a middle-aged man past his prime, or a cute teenage girl? Plus, she'll have much more longevity than I would. Her music career could last her the rest of her life."
"And conveniently, you'd be raking in all her earnings and managing her profits for her, while setting up a nice little retirement fund for yourself, right?" J.J. added, folding his arms. His left hand gripped his arm so tightly it was shaking.
"I am her manager, after all. It stands to reason that I'd make a little bit myself, sure," Gen admitted. "But at the end of the day, I'm doing this for her."
J.J. buried his face in his palm for a moment. Then he began chuckling bitterly. "You know… I owe my mother an apology," he said, lowering his hand as he glared at Gen. "Although she acted rather like you are now – passing off something she did as my own while claiming she was doing it for my benefit – at least I wanted to write for a living. I thought there was no way someone could sink any lower than her, but you've managed to surpass her by forcing your daughter to pursue a career she doesn't even want."
"Unfortunately, your opinion doesn't matter. This is between myself and my daughter," Gen snarled.
"Normally, yeah, I should stay out of it. But since you're using a D-former, it's my business. Now… I'm sure I know how this is going to end, but I'm going to ask you once to hand your jewel over quietly. Otherwise, I'm going to take it from you," J.J. said.
Gen smirked at him gripping the jewel tightly, and J.J. covered his eyes as the man was enveloped in a flash of teal light. When the light faded, J.J. was once again faced with the feminine form of the siren. "Your mommy isn't here to save you this time, boy," the siren sneered at him, its melodic voice echoing off the trees.
J.J. glanced over at Callie, who was already fleeing through the trees. He realized that the reason he had thought she had been the siren at first must have been because she was used to her father becoming the siren Diemon, and she had bolted from the stage while J.J. had been blinded before. J.J. turned his attention back to the siren and reached into his pocket, pulling out something he had picked up from the drugstore. "Things'll go a bit differently this time, though, I think," he said as he held his hands up to his ears for a moment. "I have a couple more tricks up my sleeve."
"Show me," the siren laughed, leaping backwards and landing with a splash in the pond. J.J. grimaced as he slipped his hand into his pocket again, this time pulling out his diary and flipping it open to his stats page. He held it up to his left cheek and shouted, "Henshin!"
At once, his Fantsay Driver materialized around his waist. J.J. snapped his book shut and slipped it into the belt buckle, before giving the amber D-former in the front cover a quick spin. "Adventure: Begin!" his Driver shouted, and as trumpets played, he was surrounded by an amber crystal, which spun around him as his body was encased in his brown leather armor. When the spinning stopped and he was fully suited, he held his hand out, and his quill flew into his hand, which he immediately snapped out into its sword form.
The surface of the pond began bubbling, and J.J. dove to the side as a sonic wave exploded near where he had been standing a second earlier. Branches and leaves were sent flying as the soundwaves tore through them, opening a trail that looked as though a small tornado had landed in their midst. J.J. decided not to give Gen the chance to fire off a second blast like that. Though he didn't have an aquatic form to fight Gen on an even footing, he did have a way to deal with an opponent submerged in water.
His gloved hand dropped to his black D-former, and J.J. gave it a spin. "Reroll! Class: Mage!" his Driver shouted, and chimes clanged in the air as he was surrounded by an ebony crystal that began spinning around him. His brown armor softened into a black tunic, and his quill elongated until he was holding a black staff. Once the die had dissipated and his transformation was finished, he pointed his staff at the pond. Gen let out another scream, but J.J. began running, keeping just ahead of the blast of sound while he channeled his cold, simmering anger through his staff.
A sleet-like mixture of frigid water, ice, and snow erupted from the end of J.J.'s staff as he ran, trying to avoid confronting Gen in a head-on clash. He acknowledged that, at their base level, Gen's screams were more powerful than his own magic, and while he might have been able to overwhelm Gen with a Critical, he didn't want to pour all his energy into one attack. Besides, he had a different target. He focused his spell on the surface of the pond, which began to crackle loudly as it slowly froze over, creeping towards the cluster of bubbles indicating Gen's position in the center of the pond. Gen suddenly realized the danger he was in and jumped out of the water, landing on the three-inch sheet of ice that had almost completely covered the pond. When the surface was completely frozen, J.J. let up his attack. Taking advantage of the lull in combat, he did a mental check. He hadn't been dazed, thankfully, nor had he expended as much energy as he had feared freezing the water. He was still in good shape, he thought, a pleased smile crossing his lips.
The siren shook himself off, scowling as droplets of water froze in his long, green hair. He eyed J.J. standing at the edge of the lake, then smirked and beckoned to him. He opened his mouth, speaking in an enchanting voice… but J.J. didn't move.
Gen's smile faded slowly as it noticed that J.J. was unaffected by its power. He opened his mouth again, encouraging J.J. to approach it, but still J.J. remained on the edge of the frozen lake staring at the siren silently. He decided to taunt Gen a bit, cupping his hand to his ear as he called out, "Speak up!"
Gen let out a short yell of frustration. "Listen to me dammit! Why aren't you doing what I tell you?!"
"Oh, that?" J.J. chuckled. He tapped his helmet where his ear was, replying calmly, "You might want to reread the myth of Odysseus. See, the sirens had enchanting voices, but when his men stuffed their ears full of wax, they were rendered immune to their songs. I figured I would take a page out of mythology and do the same. It's amazing how effective earplugs are, huh? And yeah, I can still hear you when you're talking, but I noticed that when you were trying to enchant me, your voice became low and soothing – too low for me to hear with my ears blocked, in fact. You can keep calling me all you want, but I'm not gonna listen, Gen," he said smugly.
Gen's eyes smoldered with fury, and he opened his mouth and let out another burst of sound, which J.J. dove out of the way of. Gen stood, panting, on the edge of the lake, as he roared, "I can still blast you apart, you know!"
"Yeah, and that's going to be a problem. Thankfully, I've got a new way to counter it," J.J. replied smugly, putting his fingers on the blue and black D-formers in his diary. Taking a short breath, he gave the dice a quick spin.
"Reroll! Multiclass: Bard!" his Driver shouted, the loud voice echoing off the trees. Two holographic die, blue and black in color, coalesced around him, spinning together briefly before merging into a single amethyst die. As the crystal spun around him, a violin played several notes as the black tunic surrounding J.J. changed shape once more. When the violet die stopped spinning and faded away, he was garbed in an entirely new outfit.
Most of his outfit consisted of a deep violet longcoat studded with silver buttons along one side, which covered his arms and most of his torso, but opened in the front to reveal his black bodysuit, and which fell to halfway down his thighs. His Driver was strapped over it around his waist, allowing him to freely access it without the coat hindering him. His thighs were likewise still covered in his black undersuit, but dark purple riding boots covered his shins, calves, and feet. His helmet had also turned violet, with stylized eighth notes embossed over his ears. The trapezoidal eye plates had likewise turned a sparkling amethyst color, and with the silver sword bisecting them, his faceplate now resembled a shield bearing the heraldic device of a purple book with a sword resting in the center.
J.J. glanced down and noticed that his sword had become a long, elegant rapier, with the bell-guard vaguely reminding him of a hexagonal die, beaten into a semicircle designed to fully protect his hand. While he was pleased that he was finally wielding a sword long enough to take advantage of his tall stature, he also regretted that the blade no longer seemed to have a proper cutting edge. His attack options were limited to thrusts. Still, he mused, it would be better for defensive maneuvers and parries, especially since it felt lighter than most of his arsenal. It was a good weapon, if imperfect, he decided.
Gen stared at J.J.'s new form, before letting out a dismissive scoff. "So what? You changed colors again. How exactly is this supposed to be your trump card against me?"
J.J. smirked lightly, raising his rapier and using it to point at a spot behind Gen. "Maybe you should look behind you," he replied.
Gen frowned, turning around slowly, before yelping and stumbling back across the ice. A duplicate of J.J. stood ten feet away from him, pointing his rapier at the siren. Gen slowly turned back around towards J.J., who was unable to keep from grinning. He nodded to the left and right of Gen, and the Siren glanced to either side of him, only to realize that he was flanked by two more duplicates, both of which likewise had their blades pointed at him.
"S-so you can clone yourself," Gen said, trying to sound confident, though J.J. noticed the slight waver in his voice. "That just means I have a couple more targets."
The siren turned his head to his left and bellowed a piercing wail at the nearest copy. J.J. could see the air bending around the soundwaves, and the image of the copy distorted slightly as it was struck head-on by the blast. The shrieking wail lasted for fifteen seconds, but when Gen finally closed his mouth, the copy stood stoically before him, completely unfazed.
"Wh-?!" Gen sputtered, just in time to turn and see the real J.J. thrust his rapier at him. Gen managed to sway out of the way, but J.J. stabbed at him two more times, forcing him backwards. Gen slipped on the ice, losing his balance, and J.J. took advantage of his unsteady footing to strike him directly in the chest. Sparks flew where the blade impacted him, and Gen slid across the ice, landing ten feet away. The copies surrounded him on all sides, pointing their blades at him. Gen struggled to sit up, scrambling away from the copies.
"You're wrong," J.J. said quietly to himself as Gen continued to back away from his copies. "They're not clones. They're illusions."
"Bard Class?" J.J. frowned at his diary. "I dunno, the stats seem rather low for this one. It's fairly quick, but otherwise, it has low defense and only slightly more attack power."
Do not neglect its special ability, his quill pointed out, jabbing at the words "Illusion Casting." Because this form draws upon the abilities of the Lich Diemon, it can likewise utilize the element of shadow to project images. Although the lich you faced was not physically powerful, you should recall how difficult it was to fight. Were it not for Paladin Class being especially effective against shadow elementals, you may well have been defeated by an otherwise weak opponent.
"I'll grant you that. But they're just illusions," J.J. countered. "The lich's ghosts could inflict damage. It doesn't look like I'll be able to in this form."
No, because I can only adapt powers. I cannot copy them, hence why the end result is often diluted compared to the Diemons you received the powers from, the quill admitted. Nevertheless, I am certain you can think of more than one utility for illusions.
"Well… yeah, I do like misdirection," J.J. admitted thoughtfully. "But what's the trigger for casting? With fire spells it's anger, with ice it's cold fury, and with light, it's determination and resolve. What is it for shadow? Negative emotions?"
Unlikely. After all, the Lich Diemon did have somewhat altruistic motives, his diary pointed out. Rather, he seemed to draw his power from the tales that he was spinning. The more elaborate the tales he told, and the more information he had, the better his illusions seemed to be. Perhaps that is the key.
Fortunately for J.J., the key to casting illusions was just as the diary had suggested – creativity. All he had to do was focus on what he wanted an illusion to do, and it would act out his thoughts without him needing to manually direct it. In a way, the Bard Class was perfect for him, as it was no different than deciding how he wanted a character in a story to act. It was easy for him to direct multiple illusions to perform realistic actions, further selling their deception as physical copies.
Gen glanced around him furtively, then yelped shrilly and jerked out of the way as one of the images jabbed at him with its rapier. This drove him directly backwards into J.J., who stabbed him once more with the rapier, sending him rolling across the ice again. Gen picked himself up more quickly this time, and tried to make a beeline for the trees, but J.J. glanced at one of the trees, and another image of him in his Ranger Class appeared from around its trunk, pointing its bow at Gen. The siren skidded to a halt on the dead leaves and began backing towards the ice again as the green figure kept its bow trained on him.
With his back turned, J.J. stepped off the pond and focused on the surface of the ice. The light around it began to bend, and the surface shimmered for a moment before it apparently took on its previous appearance as a still pond. Almost immediately, J.J. felt his head beginning to throb, and he realized that projecting that illusion was about the limit of what he could do. He would never be able to trap someone in a pocket dimension of illusions, and he would have to be judicious in choosing what images he created. Nevertheless, Gen turned around and noticed the apparently melted pond, and seeing his chance to regain the upper-hand, he dove headfirst from the bank of the pond onto the surface of the ice. He slammed into the three-inch layer of ice with a dull crack, and he let out a groan as he slid across it, dazed. J.J. smirked to himself, dispelling that illusion, and immediately the throbbing in the back of his skull dissipated.
As Gen groggily began picking himself up, he noticed J.J. approaching him, flanked by his copies, and he growled, "These tricks are annoying, but that's all they are, you know."
"Really? But they seem to be working rather well," replied the image behind him. Gen whirled around to attack the image, at which point the real J.J. jabbed him in the spine with his rapier. Gen let out a cry and swung his fist around, but J.J. danced out of the way as another image of him took his place, making it seem as though Gen's fist had passed right through him.
"Dammit!" Gen snarled, glancing at each of the clones. He opened his mouth again and let out a piercing scream at the nearest one, which – fortunately for J.J. – was to his left, leaving him out of range of the attack. J.J. took the opportunity to stab him once again with his rapier, the tip of his blade piercing the siren's shoulder. Gen turned towards his attacker and screamed at him, but J.J. danced aside once again.
He couldn't help but grin mischievously behind his helmet as Gen glanced from image to image, trying to find some indication about what separated the real thing from the illusions. J.J. lightly flicked his rapier as Gen's eyes fell on the clear surface of the ice, and the siren's eyes suddenly widened with recognition. A smirk spread across his face as he slowly turned, his mouth opening for another scream. He unleashed the attack exactly where J.J. had intended him to – at the image that had a reflection in the ice.
The image Gen screamed at staggered backward, covering its ears and cowering under the force of his attack. Gen gleefully pressed the attack, all while J.J. stood behind him, patiently watching him attack the image while struggling not to laugh. At last, Gen stood over the "wounded" image triumphantly as it knelt on its hands and knees on the ice, no longer able to stand.
"Like I told you, you're just using parlor tricks, and every trick has a tell," Gen commented smugly, folding his arms over his chest.
"Really?" J.J. replied. Gen swung around just as J.J. jabbed his rapier into his throat. Gen's eyes widened in pain as the blade struck his windpipe. J.J. had pulled the attack so that he wouldn't pierce Gen's neck, but it still did enough damage that the siren held its hand to its throat, choking as it doubled over in pain. J.J. stood over him, and as he snapped his fingers for dramatic – if unnecessary – effect, he canceled the illusion he had cast, letting his own reflection return while his clone's dissipated.
"That tell is one of the oldest in the book when it comes to discerning illusions. You didn't think I would take it into consideration?" J.J. asked smugly. The siren glared up at him, still doubled over in pain and clutching its throat. J.J. pointed the tip of his rapier between the siren's eyes and sighed. "Now, if you like, we can keep doing this, and I'll continue to be three steps ahead of you. Your voice is harmless now, and fighting any more will just cause you more pain. So I'll ask you one more time: please, give me your D-former."
Gen glowered up at him, and he managed to rasp, "Bite… me…." He suddenly took a swing at J.J., who stepped back to avoid it, but the siren took the opportunity to straighten up, still rubbing its throat. "I will… continue… to fight… as long… as I must," Gen added between ragged breaths. He slowly sucked in air as he massaged his throat, trying to clear it enough to allow him to keep screaming.
J.J. sighed and inclined his head. "Fine. Alea iacta est," he replied, putting his fingers on his blue and black D-formers as his images surrounded the struggling siren. Gen's eyes flitted from one to another, sneering at the illusions closing in around him.
"They're just reflections," he said confidently, his voice losing its raspiness. "I have no reason to be afraid of them."
"Well… you're partially right," J.J. replied, giving both the blue and black D-formers a quick spin.
"Critical!" his Driver shouted. J.J. was briefly encased in an amethyst crystal, which spun around him once, before breaking into three smaller dice, which flew to the trio of clones and buried themselves in their chests. The clones began to glow with a violet outline of energy, and J.J. took his place in front of Gen as the four figures cocked their blades back at the same time. Gen stood in the center of the formation, bringing his arms up just to guard against J.J.'s attack, when all four struck him at the same time. Gen screamed as the images' now-solid blades pierced him at the same time, impaling him on all sides. The Critical only gave J.J.'s illusions solid form for a few moments, but it was more than enough time to land several serious blows on Gen's helpless body.
As the attack subsided and his illusions faded, J.J. turned around and pulled his diary from his belt, reverting to his Adventurer Class. He flipped the diary open to Gen's stat page and watched his health bar dwindle until it was empty. Behind him, he could hear Gen's siren form cracking as aquamarine lines spread from the impact points of the solid shadow swords. With the sound of shattering glass, the siren's form broke apart and faded, and Gen collapsed on the ice, as J.J. snapped his diary shut and turned back around.
Before he could move to retrieve the fallen gem, a figure came darting out of the woods. J.J. was able to react in time to swing his blade, but the attack was caught on the edge of the Fool's own wooden sword. The clown cackled as he scooped up the fallen aquamarine gem, and before J.J. could swipe at him again, he bounced out of the way, landing nimbly on the bank of the pond.
"Well now, that's a fun little trick it's learned!" the Fool giggled. "We didn't expect it to be one to share the stage. Of course, when it plays all the parts, is that really sharing the stage? Either way, it was fun to see it play multiple roles at once for a change!"
"What can I say? A good actor should know how to portray multiple characters," J.J. replied sarcastically. "As a reward for my performance, why don't you leave that gem with me?"
"Ah, we think not," the Fool cackled, holding the gem up to the sunlight streaming through the trees and admiring it. "A good performance does not always end with the audience throwing flowers, after all. Thus, we will take our prize and bid it farewell once more. Keep putting on shows for us though! We do so love the entertainment."
The Fool cackled as it sped off into the woods before J.J. could react, and he snarled to himself as he pulled his D-former out of his belt. Gen groaned and slowly pushed himself up on the ice, as J.J. walked over and held out a hand to help the man up.
"Ugh… sorry," Gen coughed, rubbing his throat with one hand as he took J.J.'s arm with the other and pulled himself up. "I feel like I've got a case of strep right now…."
"I can imagine," J.J. said coldly, pausing to pick up his fallen stats page and shove it into his diary. He then motioned for Gen to walk in front of him. Gen, too exhausted from the fight, began moving without complaint.
"I suppose… the record deal isn't going through now, is it?" Gen asked cynically. J.J. rounded on him, glaring at him furiously.
"Is that really all you're thinking about?! What about your daughter?!" J.J. snapped.
"My daughter… oh no. How's Callie going to take this news?" Gen groaned. "It's what she's wanted…."
"Seriously, have you even once talked to her about this?" J.J. sighed, rubbing his eyes as he walked with the man. "I don't think she'll be as broken up as you think."
Gen stared at J.J., unable to hide his surprise. A rustling sound drew his attention however, and both men turned to see Callie hurrying towards them. She looked utterly relieved when she saw them together. "Oh, thank goodness. I was worried you might have killed each other," Callie stammered. Her knees buckled, and her father caught her before she collapsed on the ground.
"No… no, we're alright now, sweetie, don't worry," Gen said, glancing over at J.J. for confirmation. J.J. quickly nodded.
"I thought you would have left the forest by now," J.J. remarked, worry starting to creep over him. "You might have been hurt if you stayed too close to where we were fighting, you know."
"I hid until I heard the sounds of fighting stop," Callie replied. "I… wanted to make sure you were both okay."
"We are. But we should have a talk when we get out of here," Gen said. Callie looked at him apprehensively, and he quickly added, "It's about your future, and what you want to do."
"Oh… yeah, we can talk later," Callie agreed. "But before that, I have an important question."
"Anything," Gen insisted.
"How… do we get out of here?" Callie asked.
J.J. and Gen suddenly glanced at each other, both realizing that they hadn't thought of a way to leave the forest yet. They both grinned sheepishly, as J.J. pulled out his phone.
"It'll be alright," he said, trying to keep his voice calm. "Let's see if I have a signal…."
A few days later, J.J. was in the local airport with his mother, who was fussing over her bag, double-checking to make sure she had the notes she had written about his manuscript.
"This is why you need a laptop, mom," J.J. sighed. He had his arms crossed, and he was tapping one of his fingers impatiently against his bicep.
"The last time I used a laptop, the hard drive got corrupted and I lost all my work. You should start printing out your work as well. You'll regret not keeping hard copies for yourself, you know," his mother said impatiently.
"I keep backup hard drives," J.J. said shortly. Over his mother's shoulder, he could see Gwen smirking at him. She'd decided to come with him to see his mother off as well, once she had introduced herself properly.
"Fine, fine. I'll email you the details of the contract when I get back. Go over it with that agent of yours and sign it, and then I'll start working on editing your book," Kay said. She frowned for a moment, lightly rubbing her left ear, where she'd had a new hearing aid installed.
"Stop picking at it," J.J. admonished her. "You're going to make it itch more."
Kay frowned at him. "The day I let my son scold me…!" She sighed, glancing over her shoulder at the gate. "In any case, I expect to see you at Thanksgiving this year. Understand?"
"…I'll try to make it," J.J. said slowly.
A faint smile crossed Kay's lips. She reached out for him as if to hug him, hesitated, and then squeezed his arm instead. "Take care of yourself, Jay," she said softly. She glanced over at Gwen, adding, "And you make sure he doesn't get hurt."
"I'll see to it that he behaves, ma'am," Gwen nodded smugly. J.J. scowled at her playfully. Kay glanced between the two, then clicked her tongue, picked up her bags, and walked through the gate to board the plane. J.J. silently watched her depart, before unceremoniously turning around and walking away. Gwen frowned at him as she hurried to match his pace.
"What, that's it?" she asked, frowning at him. "No hugs? No declarations of familial love? That was kind of a cold farewell."
"I've resented that woman for a couple years now," J.J. replied as he walked with her, though his tone was conversational, indicating that he wasn't upset. "She's half-admitted that she wronged me, I agreed to let her look over my story, and we've had a couple civil conversations since. But yeah, things are still going to be tense between us. Over two years of bitter history between us haven't been magically resolved. Things look like they're improving, though. Let's leave it at that."
Gwen continued to gaze at him quietly for a few moments, before shrugging and continuing to walk beside him. J.J. glanced at her, smiling slightly. "While we're here, want to get some coffee or something?" he offered.
"That'd be nice. Good change of pace from what Gary pretends is coffee," Gwen replied.
"Hey, I like what Gary calls coffee!" J.J. protested.
"Of course you do, you drown it in a half-pound of sugar and milk!" Gwen grinned at him.
J.J. grinned back at her, but then something caught his attention. A girl was hurrying towards them, weaving her way through a crowd surrounding her, and as she emerged, J.J. realized that it was Callie, pushing her way through her fans. She jogged up to them and smiled pleasantly.
"Hey! I'm glad I caught you before my flight left!" Callie exclaimed. J.J. and Gwen traded glances.
"Where're you headed?" Gwen asked. "Off to L.A. to sign some big record deal or something?"
"Nope. I'm headed to Seattle to see about attending a tech school there," Callie replied. "There's not going to be any record deal. I'm retiring."
J.J.'s eyes widened, and Gwen's jaw dropped. "You're giving up your career, just like that?" J.J. asked, stunned. "I mean… even without your dad… helping you, you're still a good singer."
"Yeah, but it's not what I want to do with my life," Gwen replied. "I'd rather become an audio engineer. I always found mixing music to be more fun than just singing, and I'm really interested in what computers can do to modify sounds. My dad wasn't too happy, but he reluctantly agreed that it's a good behind-the-scenes career to get into. We're going to go talk to a friend of his who handles that kind of engineering and see if he can get me in on a scholarship next semester."
"Huh! Well… I'm glad things worked out, at least," J.J. smiled. "I'm just sorry you had to suffer through all that."
"Don't be. Without your help, I never would have been able to talk with my dad in the first place," Callie said cheerfully. "It's a shame you had to literally beat it into him, but at least it's taken care of." She paused, glancing over her shoulder, before adding, "That said, my flight leaves soon, so I've gotta get back. I just wanted to thank you. Can we exchange information, though? Because… I'd like to know as soon as your next book comes out," she added with a smile.
J.J. shrugged, ignoring Gwen pouting behind him, as he gave Callie his social media tags, and she did the same for him. The first call for her flight resounded through the airport, and she glanced over her shoulder before letting out a sigh. Glancing furtively up at him, she suddenly leaned in. J.J., startled, backed away, and Gwen quickly stepped in and grabbed her by the back of her collar, half-dragging her away from her boyfriend as the singer choked on her collar.
"Nuh-uh! I don't care how famous you are, he's mine!" Gwen snarled.
Callie let out a squeak and meekly nodded before beaming at J.J. "I'll see you around!" she called.
"S-sure," J.J. said uneasily, and as she bounced away, he saw Gwen glaring at him. He began backing away from her slowly. "Gwen…!"
"And as for you…!" she growled, stalking towards him and raising her hand. J.J. flinched and closed his eyes, but then he felt her lightly patting his cheek. "You did good, shying away from her like that. I'm glad I can trust you," she smiled.
"…Huh. And here I thought you were going to get mad at me," J.J. commented, blinking.
"For what she did? Psh. I'm not going to blame you for someone else making a move on you," Gwen shrugged.
J.J. smiled at her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, but as he did, his phone began to buzz. Frowning, he answered it, and was surprised to hear Tristan on the other end.
"Page!" Tristan shouted, sounding out of breath. "I require your assistance! There is a disturbance near the local smithy!"
"The… what? The hardware store?" J.J. asked, guessing at Tristan's terminology. "Wha-?"
"Come quickly, page!" Tristan insisted. The knight hung up suddenly, leaving J.J. looking baffled. He stared at his phone, then glanced up at Gwen, who had been listening in, and who was looking equally worried. The two exchanged a silent nod and began running for the exit to the airport, making a beeline for his motorcycle.
In a crude underground chamber beneath his shop, Susumu stood in front of a metal workbench beneath a single bare lightbulb. Behind him was a junk pile of metal, glass, and rubber, and on the bench in front of him was a strange device that looked somewhat like a stopwatch with a brass, stylized face with two large, round eyes, overlaying the glass casing, through which gears could be seen. He was lightly prodding the exterior with a screwdriver when a clattering sound behind him made him swing around.
The liquid metal form of an Irise's servant sauntered towards him, its long, needle-like arms extended in an offensive posture. It lurched towards him, but Susumu effortlessly countered its initial strike by bringing his cane up, knocking the attack to the side, and jabbing the tip of his cane into the computer chip lodged in the center of its face. Wordlessly, he flipped the top of the cane and pressed a button. An electric shock jolted the creature, short-circuiting the chip in its face. The creature fell, lifeless, to the ground, the scent of burning ozone filling the air as it lay there, twitching.
Susumu turned back around silently, lifting the pair of goggles he had been wearing as he examined the stopwatch device a bit more closely. After a few moments, he sucked on his lip and knelt down, pulling something out of a footlocker at his feet.
"Well… it's a jury-rigged rush job, but hopefully you'll hold up for a couple runs. At least until this last remnant from my past is dealt with," Susumu said to himself. He kicked the footlocker closed, and on the table, he laid out an unusual belt. The straps of the belt were made of segmented pieces of brass, looking somewhat like the metal bands of a stretchable metal wristwatch, and in the center of the belt was a circular slot covered with circuitry and more gears. It was a belt that he had once worn a long time ago, and one that he had been hoping he wouldn't have to try to repair, given the sorry state it was in. It was a belt that felt unusually heavy to him, given his history with it, and it brought a bittersweet smile to his face as he gazed at it.
It was the belt of a Kamen Rider.