A/N Welcome, welcome, welcome! I hope you all are enjoying the various holidays and enjoy this chapter. As always please show your support with reviews, follows, favorites, and the like. Feel free to vote in the various straw polls and FanFiction polls I've made to help me decide how to progress the story and let me know what you all like. I also will answer back to Private Messages and Comments as soon as possible. Enjoy.
Starring: Caleb, Aki, Cathy, Levia, Emilia Leblanc, Cassiopeia, Samira, "San" Gwen, Lulu, and Sona.
While eating a cone of Rocky Road ice cream, Caleb is looking over incident reports. Feeling bored, the Hooded is hoping for some action but finds no recent evil activity. Leaning back into his chair, C decides to check directly with the Sleipnirs and calls a meeting.
"So guys, any news from Ionia after that empyrean incident? Maybe an azakana needs to get owned or some of those Navori Brotherhood assholes?" C asks with a tinge of excitement. The Sleipnirs look amongst each other before just shrugging at the boss.
"Sorry boss, Ionia is kind of chill right now. I mean Yone, Ahri, and the Kinkou are giving it to the demons. Also Akali recently broke off from the Kinkou, soooo that's the Navori Brotherhood getting handled." Mumbles Aki while twiddling his index fingers. Squinting his eyes in thought, Caleb comes up with a new idea.
"What about the Shuriman conflict? I'm sure an ascended or some voidborne might be trying something." Caleb questions with a smile. Aki turns to his squad mates and tells them it's one of their turns.
"Ummm the conflict is more or less a stalemate and is staying contained in Shurima. As for the voidbornes, well between Kassadin, Jax, Kai'sa, Malphite, Pantheon, and a bunch of other people it's being contained." Cathy informs C before the Sleipnirs are dismissed. A minute after they leave, Caleb starts to tap his foot on the ground which eventually gets on Levia's nerves.
'Caleb what's up? I want a fight too but you seem off after hearing the Sleipnirs' reports.' Levia asks while laying her "form" on top of the Hooded's head. Locking eyes with the ethereal serpent, Caleb cups his hands for her to move into.
"It's just I feel a bit... emasculated, I guess. I mean Atreus beat Aatrox, Yone is handling the demons, and I'm not even the only Style champion because of Samira. It's making me feel a bit down in the dumps." C sighs out before slumping onto his desk. Pulling out his communicator, Caleb notices a reminder telling him to meet with Leblanc.
Teleporting to an old wooden shack on the coast of Noxus, Caleb steps inside of the rotting structure. Amidst the dusty spartan accommodations is Leblanc, sitting with two goblets of wine, at an old wooden table. After closing the brittle door as gently as possible, C takes a seat across from the Matron of the Black Rose. Using a Coercion line to pull one of the goblets to him, the Hooded notices Leblanc visibly relax.
"So the rumors of a new Hooded are true. Tell me, what is your power level? Is it enough for the umm task ahead?" The anxious illusion mage asks of the young man before her, as well as the seventh Hooded she will work with. Over the past millennium, she has noted that at least half of the Hooded she has met could handle Mordekaiser should he return.
"Well I'm not the strongest right now. {Oh no!} But I will grow more powerful with time. {Woohoo!} But that is gonna take at least a few more years. {Ehhhhh…}" Caleb informs the sorceress while also trying not to laugh at her interjections. While he knows the illusionist can be cold and cruel, being around the Hooded tends to have an opposite effect on Emilia.
"Before you go Hooded I'd like to ask you a favor. It has been a while and I've yet to hear back from one of our members. Her name is Cassiopeia." Leblanc request of C to which he accepts. She then tells him that he can find her in the Shuriman coastal city of Uzeris before he teleports away.
When Caleb arrives amongst the sandstone houses the sun is already setting and street lamps are being lit. At around the same time, a noxian warship docks in the local port. Stepping off the massive vessel is Samira with a small troop of noxian troops. Her trusted contact, Captain Indari, has informed her that a bounty has been posted for the capture of a local snake monster. Unbeknownst to either of them, a bored Leblanc has set this test up to observe all three champions. An hour passes and with not a cloud in the moonlit sky the hunt begins. While Caleb is on the rooftops keeping an eye open for the gorgon, Samira is on the ground with her troops. The mercenary's plan involves dispersing her troops around the city and using some stolen flares from Piltover to signal the creature's location.
At a granite cathedral on the edge of the city, Cassiopeia emerges from her family's tomb. Knowing that tonight is the night of a troop rotation, the middle Du Couteau sibling heads to the rooftops to stalk the arriving soldiers. Slithering across the city, the gorgon spots on a nearby street a noxian soldier harassing a local woman. Holding back a giggle, Cassiopeia can't help but be glad for her multilingual lessons. It turns out the pair are only making a scene to try and lure her out. Before she can try to isolate the soldier, a shadow descends from across the street and slams him into a nearby wall.
"Dude if someone says no at any point then you stop. Hmm, wish that lady would've thanked me instead of running off screaming her head off. Sucks I never learned how to speak Shuriman." The Hooded notes while he uses a Coercion line to hang the soldier. Aside from only wanting to choke him out, Caleb also releases him when he hears a scraping sound nearby.
"What do I have here? I don't believe we've met before stranger, would you be so kind as to come closer?" Cassiopeia's sultry voice echoes out from a nearby alleyway. Underneath his face coverings, Caleb has a look of utter confusion as to how the hell such tactics work on others.
"Okay long, dark, and scaly you can come out. Seriously Cassiopeia I already know how you work, Leblanc filled me in. She wants you to come back to Noxus." Caleb bluntly tells the serpent hybrid woman. In the blink of an eye, Cassiopeia wraps her massive tail around him and starts to constrict the Hooded.
"Oh is that so? What was the plan exactly? Were you going to drag me onto a ship with your scrawny arms? Oh dear, am I squeezing you too roughly? If you look into my eyes and tell me your plan, I promise this will end better for you." The former seductress asks before laughing at her taunts. Her laughter is interrupted however when she hears C say "Harder." and Cassiopeia becomes a bit disturbed.
"Yes, harder! Constrict my body, you alluring anaconda. Rattle me to the core you sexy snake. Flick your tongue all over me you dazzling diamondback. Be my queen you kinky king cobra. Poison me with your affection, you blessed black mamba." Are the type of lines Caleb starts to spout at the confused monster woman. While Caleb uses the distraction to go spectral and escape, the noxian trooper uses it to activate his flare.
Not long after, the serpent hybrid finds herself surrounded by over twenty soldiers armed with pikes. Before Cassiopeia can attempt rushing the soldiers, a dozen gunshots hit around her as the Desert Rose makes her entrance. Reloading her revolvers, Samira takes in the sight of Cassiopeia coiling up and C grappling away. As Cassiopeia's eyes start to glow, the mercenary instinctively looks away but some of her troops aren't as quick. By the time the flash is over, a quarter of their force is turned to stone while another quarter is smashed back by Cass' tail. Blowing a stream of Miasma to her right and spitting several Noxious Blast to her left, the gorgon is able to take down the last of Samira's troops with ease. Daring to look again, Samira is barely able to swing her sword in time to cut apart a statue the gorgon threw. When the massive snake woman tries to throw another pikeman, a bullet manages to hit her in the arm and stops her. With the Desert Rose rushing her, the Serpent's Embrace spews another massive amount of poison in front of her. This Miasma not only slows Samira down but is also sapping her strength enough to keep her grounded. Cassiopeia finds her triumph interrupted however, when Caleb jumps onto her back and slaps her in the eyes. What few living troops left are forced to then scatter as Cassiopeia starts to wildly flail in agony. Her bucking eventually gets so bad that C is forced to use a Coercion line to hang onto her. Teary eyed, Samira makes it out of the noxious cloud and dashes onto the flailing giant. When she tries to slash Cassiopeia however, Samira finds her attack blocked by Caleb's blade. The three way battle ends up making it's way to a new location as Cassiopeia flees onto the rooftops, with a pair of dueling passengers. Taking a kick to the face, Caleb falls off of Cass but uses his former handlebar to take Samira with him. As their target slithers from roof to roof, both hunters follow in their own ways. While Samira is parkouring, Caleb moves by swinging around with Coercion lines. If anyone was asleep during this time, they would find themselves woken up by the sound of gunshots, swords clashing and even at several points explosions.
The night long chase eventually ends with all three parties arriving at Cassioepia's den in the Du Couteau mausoleum. Inside of the noxian granite structure, the Serpent's Embrace surrounds herself with statues of some of her past victims. She has allowed large amounts of sand to cover the floor, this forces those with legs to trudge around while she can move freely. In spite of these disadvantageous conditions, Samira blasts apart the massive wooden front doors while Caleb enters in via spectral form from the roof. Using her Blade Whirl, Samira is able to block Cassiopeia's Twin Fang attacks but when it ends C latches a Coercion line onto her. Attaching the other end to Cassiopeia, Caleb slams both women into each other. Having the size advantage, Cassiopeia grabs Samira and starts to drown the smaller woman in sand. Unsheathing Vanquish, Samira pulls the trigger on her blade and uses it's one shot to hit Cass in the neck. Falling backwards with a gash on her neck, Cass is only spared from decapitation when the Hooded flings himself at Samira and punches her in the face. Slamming her tail into her would be savior, the gorgon sends Caleb crashing into a statue of a local priest. Seeing the snake woman's wounds already closing, Samira unleashes a Flair of bullets at her bounty. In spite of having extreme durability, Cassiopeia still screams in agony as bullets hit her in the shoulder, stomach, and tail. Throwing sand into the shuriman's only good eye, she both stops the barrage and buys time for herself to constrict the mercenary. The smothering of Samira is only stopped when a noble's statue is thrown into the back of Cassiopeia's head. Turning around, the serpentine woman witnesses the Hooded don his Dark Armor and rushing at her on all fours. While she is able to catch his first punch, the gorgon is quickly overwhelmed when Caleb goes into Pumpkin Overdrive and beats her down. The last of Cassiopeia's consciousness begins to slip and she desperately tries spitting acid onto C's chest. Despite suffering an intense burning sensation, the berserk C begins punching her harder in retaliation. Roaring in animalistic rage, the Hooded proceeds to pick up the proto ascended and throw her into a nearby pillar. Seeing another monster before her, Samira unloads her pistols into the beast's torso and even draws blood. Now screaming in pain, Caleb slaps the mercenary across the face before picking her up and slamming her down. Looking down at the now unconscious woman, C doesn't notice the makeshift sticky bomb she has placed on his back. As Caleb turns to retrieve Cassiopeia, his Dark Armor takes the brunt of the ensuing explosion but still causes him great pain. All the damage he has taken both forces him out of his armored state and to collapse in agony. After battling all night, each champion is left unconscious in the sand flooded crypt.
An hour later, Caleb snaps awake to see both the sun rising and both women still incapacitated. While Samira and Caleb are still suffering injuries from last night, Cassiopeia seems to have for the most part regenerated. This causes the now burned and tattered looking man to approach her still body carefully. When the Black Rose member doesn't stir, C takes it as a sign to hurry and complete his mission. Before he grabs the mutated noblewoman though, he makes sure to check on the one eyed woman. Making sure she is still breathing, Caleb carries her outside and gently sits her by the entrance. With her now in the open so someone can help if they see her, Caleb teleports back to Noxus with Cassiopeia in tow. Arriving back at the old shack, the Hooded is greeted by Leblanc and the paraplegic Captain Indari. In spite of how sore he feels, Caleb wills his burned and shredded attire to restore itself. Tapping near her eyes, Leblanc let's C also know that his goggles are damaged, with one lens cracked and the other completely gone. If it wasn't for the Hood's aura then both women could have seen how tired his eye was. Wrapping the snake woman in several illusionary chains, Leblanc thanks the Hooded for the transaction and leaves.
"We watched the whole fight from here you know. Thank you for keeping Samira alive; but if she's hurt too badly then you will have hell to pay from me! Got it!" The stern looking noxian woman tells the Hooded. Even in his tired state, Caleb can't help but see some of that famous noxian fiery spirit in the older woman's words.
"Yes ma'am. You know, I might have a different approach to it but she definitely has some style. Even reminds me a little of my sister, she's a badass despite being completely human. Plus from seeing you I can tell she doesn't leave people behind if she can. As a fellow soldier I can respect that." Caleb notes before giving Captain Indari a thumbs up and leaving. Arriving back in the manor, the Hooded quickly calls up Gwen to help him.
"Oh boi, you really had a number done to you. You've got acid and explosive burns, bruises, gun shot wounds, a bit of venom in your system, some fractured ribs, a broken nose and now they're gone. Your welcome." "San" Gwen informs the Hooded before letting him up again a half hour later. Telling him to drink plenty of fluids, the hemomancer prepares to leave but is stopped by Caleb.
"Gwen, do you still have that map of the entrances to the Glade? {Of course.} I need to borrow it for a bit, it's time for Lulu to go home." Is all Caleb needs to tell the medic before she understands. Especially since she knows how C gets around cute and fluffy things.
After a day of recovery, Caleb stops by the Multiversal Mirror Room to change his look. Knowing that the Glade doesn't take kindly to serious things, he ends up picking up a more "goofy" outfit. Donning a pink trench coat with black spots on the back, Caleb is struggling to keep the fake, floppy dog ears attached to his detective fedora. His hair turns pink, a short tail appears at the base of his spine, and both his shoes and gloves gain padding. Finally managing to get his Courageous outfit's ear under control, C teleports to Bandle.
Arriving near Norra and Yuumi's house, Caleb makes a Coercion line and ties one end to the front door. From there he walks into the nearby woods and, without thinking, arrives in the Glade. It's at times like this that the Hooded is glad he has goggles on, if not then he might have been blinded by all the bright colors swimming around him. Taking this time to check his tether, the Hooded finds it holding firm. This is very good news for him since if it were to break then he would quickly become subject to the Glade's alien temporal properties. Not too long into his journey, Caleb already starts to notice the trees dancing and even a couple of faeries flitting about. An hour later, walking upside down on a cliff made of yellow obsidian, C tries to think about where Lulu could be. Whilst watching some crabs having a rave on a nearby cloud, he remembers a few details about how the yordle child came here. Letting go of all thought again, Caleb plummets until eventually he lands feet first in a new part of the Glade.
Here the sky is a dark purple, a mist makes it hard to see too far, and the trees are bare, extra twisty, and like all the plants of the Glade, have faces. Looking down at some local tulips, the Hooded makes the mistake of looking them in the eyes. In retaliation for his accidental disrespect, the flowers start to blow literal raspberries at him. Taking cover from the fruity barrage and avoiding further eye contact, Caleb begins to hear mumbling from nearby. Heading towards the sound of snoozing, C finds a blonde yordle mage sleep flying on faerie wings. It's not until several pinkish purple, furry imp creatures begin to appear that the Hooded remembers who this is, Trevor Snoozebottom.
"We're free!" "Hehehe!" "Stupid yordle." Are among the various chants the mischievous mumblesprites squeal out. It doesn't take them long to notice the bright pink Hooded and, taking a page from his Courageous self's book, Caleb runs away screaming.
The swarm of familiars quickly pursues the fleeing Hooded and starts trying to bite him apart. Their attempts at fly by chomps are only denied since Caleb is using Spectral Form to let them pass through him. Several minutes of this pass and the hordes efforts are eventually rewarded. As C is forced to take a breath and leave his defensive form, he attempts to use a Pumpkin Beam on the creatures. However they quickly prove to be too erratic and dozens of the cretins latch onto him. While one of their bites doesn't do too much damage, the horde is able to force him to his knees. Feeling them all over, the Hooded lets out a pained yell before going spectral again. This time though, he moves body to where the confused sprites are and materializes them again, telefragging the creatures in his body. Upon returning to spectral mode again, plenty of the small creatures' bodies fall apart before turning into dust. This maneuver also leaves Caleb feeling a bit numb before he continues fleeing from the now rallying creatures. Eventually he is chased towards a cliff, it is here that the mumblesprites pick him up before throwing him off. Instead of plummeting to his doom, the Hooded is just sent flying forward until he lands in a pond of purple juice. Waiting for the swarm to fly away, Caleb emerges from the strange pond and lets out a hoarse laugh before collapsing.
"I'm so glad that I didn't hate to deal with those little tooth fairy knuckleheads last timeline. Oh hey Levia, I found some purple. Lulu has to be close." Caleb remarks before hefting himself up and continuing his search. He also takes this time to check the Hood and finds that the entire section below his waist has unraveled.
Needing to hurry or become subject to the Glade's properties, Caleb eventually finds a strange scene. Several humanoid eggplant creatures are relaxing in various pools similar to the one C landed in. When the Hooded tries to get closer to ask questions, he steps into a puddle and is sucked down into it. Eventually he is spat out in a cave behind an orange waterfall, which is also where a massive octopus and whale fusion resides. After hearing the great creature let out a snore, Caleb attempts to sneak away but it turns in it's sleep and sweeps him closer. With a tentacle wrapping around him, Caleb prepares to go spectral but stops when he hears giant footsteps. The resounding sound soon disappears as the waterfall parts and Lulu enters with Pix.
"Kracktopus it's time to wake up silly! The tulips said there is a new friend in the Glade and you can't meet them if you're asleep. Hmm, what's that Pix? Oh hi there new friend! Looks like you're in quite a bind, hmm... oh I got it! Adoribus!" Lulu shouts before the Hooded stranger starts to grow smaller. A few moments later, a purple squirrel emerges from the mess of tentacles and is picked up by the yordle.
Continuing on with her day, Lulu decides to head towards the Squirrelly Grove to introduce the new mammal in town. It'll also give her a chance to check in on the faerie babies growing in the lake of lilies nearby. During her trek there, she stops upon hearing her tummy rumbling and finding no snacks in her satchel. Pulling out her trusty doodad, which currently looks like a forty two sided die, the fae sorceress tickles it and teleports. Arriving at the tasty faefolks' pools, the sorceress pulls out a gourd and fills it with the tasty purple contents. Saying a quick hi bye, Lulu then performs a handstand and ends up in a field of giant vegetables. Shrinking down a twenty foot parsnip to a more edible size, the magical child then covers her eyes with her hat and starts spinning. Stopping only when she gets dizzy, the Fae Sorceress arrives in the Squirrelly Grove. Here the sun shines like in the prime realm, oak trees grow tall, and there are plenty of other squirrels for Lulu's new friend to play with. As Pix goes off to check on the newborn faeries, Lulu pulls some acorns from her satchel. From the nearby treeline, dozens of the purple critters eagerly accept the treats provided. Putting down her transformed buddy amongst the other squirrels, Lulu sits down and starts to munch away at her lunch. Feeling something moving beneath her leg, the Fae Sorceress investigates and finds a small pink string. Deciding to tug on it, to her surprise the transformed squirrel ends up dragged towards her. Staring at the now dazed squirrel, Lulu considers changing him back to ask some questions when she hears Pix screaming for help. Using a zippy spell, the child mage quickly arrives near the lily lake and sees Pix in a dog fight with mumblesprites. Needing to help her bestest friend, but also not hurt the newborn faeries, Lulu shoots a Glitterlance near the impish creatures to draw their attention. With that accomplished, the Fae Sorceress quickly flees from the vicious creatures. Eventually she arrives back near the meadow but trips and scrapes her knees. Looking down, she sees the same pink string from earlier just as a squirrel tackles a mumblesprite midair. Slapping the familiar silly with his little paws, the brave little mammal puts himself in front of Lulu and the arriving swarm. Realizing the little hero needs some help, Lulu unleashes a "Tremendo!" spell on the purple critter.
Even in his current form, Caleb still feels a deep need to protect the yordle child. While he was able to give a mini Betwixt Beatdown to one mumblesprite, he doubts he can last long against a whole swarm. It's at this time when a warm breeze suddenly surrounds the Hooded and everything starts to look smaller to him. The breeze soon turns into a gale which knocks up the impish creatures. Several of the local squirrels then gather and admire their now swole comrade. Feeling Lulu jumping onto his back, Caleb turns to face the mumblesprites with his new and improved form.
"Okay you muscular munchkin, show these baddies what for!" Lulu tells her mount before starring in awe at his now glowing fist. While he might not be able to speak, Caleb does notice he can use abilities again in this newer form.
With that in mind, the transformed Hooded begins to charge an energy attack just as Pix arrives.. Thanks to Lulu's Wild Growth, the mumblesprites are slowed down enough for him to get a clean attack. Combining Glitterlances and Pumpkin Beam, the three amigos unleash a destructive wave that ends the impish menace. A minute later, Lulu transforms Caleb back into his normal form but comes across an issue, Wild Growth hasn't worn off yet.
"Oops, looks like my spell hasn't ended yet. Well this isn't good, we can't talk if you're a giant. Too tall, much too tall. Transmogulate! There we go, thank you for helping earlier mister. You were one brave squirrel and a fun play mate. If you want we can keep playing together and be friends?" The Fae sorceress enthusiastically asks of the Hooded. Caleb meanwhile is only half listening as he both tries to not glomp Lulu and check the Hood's status. After all that has transpired, he now only has a left sleeve connected by a strip of cloth to the hood remaining.
"I would love to be friends with you but I can't stay here, in the Glade I mean. I have to go back home and have other adventures; but if we go together then I'm sure we can play more." Caleb tells the yordle child to convince her to leave with him. While he's doing this, the Hood itself is preparing to pull him out of the Glade.
"But what if people don't like me? Everyone back home always thought I was too much of a weirdo. Then I met Pix and I had my first real friend. We've had so much fun together but sometimes, I feel a little sad. Why do you think that is mister?" The little yordle asks Caleb while starting to look a little teary eyed. Picking her up and carrying her towards a nearby tree, Caleb sits down next to her.
"Maybe it's because you miss home. I get that feeling sometimes too; it's part of why I have to go. If I don't then I wouldn't be able to see my friends, my sister, my parents, and all the people I've come to know. Also you're not a weirdo, you're quirky and I like it. Besides Lulu, the world is already too serious anyways." Caleb confesses to the five year old before she falls asleep. Pulling her hat down to shield her eyes, C tugs on his string and feels it start to pull him back to reality.
Back on the outskirts of Bandle, Tristana and Teemo are now hanging around Norra's house. While investigating the recent disappearance of the yordle mage, the pair were told of a figure appearing near the house. When they reached the house to see if the two events were related, all they could find was a pink string going into the nearby woods. Trying to find where the line leads proves fruitless however, as eventually they would end up going in circles. Heading back to the house, the pair perform some tests and learn that the line won't snap. Still needing some answers, the two decide it would be best to just wait for it's owner to return. Their patience is eventually rewarded when they hear someone shouting "Weee!" and the voice is getting closer.
"What the, oh shoot Teemo take cover!" Tristana yells to the scout before a pink ball of fluff slams into the door. The massive pile of string eventually reforms and Caleb stands before them in his reformed Courageous outfit..
"Woo! The plan worked Levia. Oh hey Tristana, hey Teemo. What are you two doing by Norra's house?" The Hooded innocently asks while the Hood takes on it's classic form. He then barely has time to go Spectral when both yordles fire at him.
"Hey wait, aren't you that human that showed up a bit back asking for this place? {Yeah} Well then do you know what happened to Norra? Also don't even think of lying either, I'll be able to tell." The gunner question of the Hooded while trying to be intimidating. Knowing how Tristana is though, such a plan fails but Caleb doesn't see a reason to lie here.
" I'm sorry to tell you guys that I don't know where she went. I was just using her house as a reference point so I wouldn't get lost in the woods." Caleb answers the yordle pair honestly before teleporting away. He arrives back at the mansion and notices it has transformed while he was out.
Multiversal Shorts: Conflation Multiverse
At an orc office stationary company in Silver City, Gruut Snarl the boss of the place has received a threatening letter. This ultimatum comes from a newly risen "purge" cult that targets nonhuman owned locations, it requests that he burn down his business or they will for him. Knowing he can't rely on the local police, who aren't interested in playing cat and mouse with cultists, or gather enough boyz to flush out the creeps himself before sundown, Gruut Snarl decides on a different approach. Picking up a flier that also came in the mail, he makes a call to a new company.
About two miles outside of the city built around winding rivers and silvery skyscrapers, sits a homey two story brick building. On the side of a long dirt road and at the edge of a forest, Fleetfoot Mercenary and Investigations Enterprises is officially opening for business. On the second floor which serves as the living quarters, Mercenary Mage Caleb has just started his morning. Heading into the kitchen, he starts to brew coffee before being reminded of the lack of furniture in the house. Fixing up his black suit and clearing his throat, the cofounder heads downstairs and into his office befitting of a private investigator. The fairly recent college graduate barely has time to sit with his cup before the desk phone rings and he eagerly answers it.
"This is Fleetfoot Investigations and Mercenary Enterprises. Caleb Fleetfoot speaking, how may I help you? No sir I'm not a git. Yes sir we do provide defensive services. Payment plans are determined and to be paid within one standard day upon completion of the tasks given. Thank you for choosing us, we will arrive within the hour." Are the rehearsed lines Caleb says before hanging up. Via some spatial magic in his suit, he pulls out a bottle of champagne and pops it to celebrate their first mercenary type job.
From a crack in his office's ceiling, a human sized blob of red slime emerges and undulates next to him. Having been listening to Caleb the whole time, his fellow cofounder spits out a photo of a brunette child and reminds him of the investigation job she got them. Apparently several children have been disappearing from the area and a local florist contacted them to find her daughter. Putting his hand on the pile of ooze, Caleb promises her that they'll completely commit to looking for the young brunette after this job. With that settled, the pair gather weapons and go to meet with Mr. Snarl.
After spending all day surveying the area and constructing a plan, Fleetfoot's duo prepare for the upcoming siege. The five story glass and steel office building they find themselves defending is located close to one of the city's riverbanks. With a river covering the northern and eastern flanks, a decent sized lawn separating it from the street in the south, and an open parking lot to the western flank, the building proves a decent defensive position. Watching the last of the employees leaving earlier, Fleetfoot Mercenary and Investigations Enterprises start setting up defenses. While Caleb releases an octopanda into the river and sets up several Cecil Beam Turrets on the ground floor, his ooze partner leaves "presents" for the cultist all over the southern lawn. Taking up a position in the southwestern corner of the building, Caleb sits down behind a flipped desk and his partner undulates next to him.
"I'm glad you decided to come in your true form, really made that old orc relax seeing another non-human. Welp sundown is here. Be ready to make your move and be careful." The young man tells his companion while he is petting her "head". As she slips away, Caleb opens several portals to check his weapons. In front of him is his chempunk chainsword, a silver and steel zweihander, and a blessed revolver paired with an inferno pistol.
Once the sun finishes setting, four transport trucks filled with dozens of cultists and two roundabouts with six each launch their assault. Much to Caleb's surprise, the group of xenophobic killers appear dressed in suits of their own but with bowties. Theorizing it as a way for the group to appear more civil than they actually are, the magus readies his handguns. The casual arson for the xenophobes quickly turns into a massacre as one of their boats is capsized. A creature with the body of a bear, the beak of an octopus but with teeth, and eight furry, muscular tentacles in place of arms proves to be the culprit and sets upon the crew. While the omnivorous beast starts to eviscerate it's prey, a rocket destroys the other boat before it can even react. Hearing the carnage from the front of the building, Caleb is glad his partner stayed long enough to help wipe out the last rear enemies. With their enemies panicking and rushing the building, it doesn't take long for them to find a surprise "gift". While several of the xenophobic mob succumb to landmines, the mercenary mage activates his turrets to start mow down the rest. This combination of lasers, explosives, and even orbs of lightning quickly proves to be too much for the panicking invaders and they begin to retreat. As only one truck's worth is able to escape, Caleb runs towards the street and undergoes a transformation. Growing several feet taller, Caleb's head turns more canine and skull like before growing sprouting large, dark horns. His clothes disappear only to be replaced by a cloak of steel blue feathers with flailing tendrils running down his spine. Finally, his arms and hands become elongated enough to allow quadrupedal movement while becoming covered in wispy gray hairs. In his Dark Self form the mercenary mage is greatly physically enhanced but at the cost of his social skills. Stalking after the fleeing vehicle, Caleb is able to follow with ease thanks to a slime trail it leaves behind.
Eventually both parties arrive at an old meat distribution center located underneath a highway. Turning back to normal, Caleb sneaks inside and locates a map. Wanting to see who could be funding this operation, the magus starts making his way to the overseer's office on the third floor. When he arrives on the second floor, he is immediately hit by the smell of decay. Opening a door to the room where the smell is coming from, he comes across a terrible scene. Several mounds of corpses lie around the room, each in various states of being looted or disposed of. Hearing voices getting closer to him, Caleb panics and decides to hide among the bodies.
"Come on guys, even if that orc chased us off this time we can always try again some other time." A pale and tall man tells his companions in a vain attempt at cheering them up. As punishment for failing to destroy the greenskin's business, the leaders of the assault are placed on corpse disposal.
"This is such bullshit! How the hell did he set it up? There is no way he could've gotten all of that set up in time, not to mention we monitor anyone coming into the city." A blonde woman notes before taking a drag from her cigarette. Together the pair pick up a dark elf's body and hang it on a hook.
With his cover about to be blown, Caleb gets ready to make a move but stops. An older man has stumbled into the room and fallen. When the pair of killers go to check on him, a stream of crimson erupts from his mouth. They aren't even given a chance to react before it's completely encased their heads. The next few seconds are filled with a hissing noise mixed with gurgling as two decapitated bodies drop. Emerging from the pile of bodies, the magus gently puts his hand on the pool of blood and slime. Casting his reform spell, the magus' companion takes on the appearance of a naked woman slightly younger than him with red hair and pink highlights. Stepping over the blonde's body, Sona points to her clothes and Caleb starts to prepare another spell. Several minutes later, the slime girl is in a magical replica of the cult's attire and steals the older man's bowler hat for herself.
"Ugh, I've never really cared for acidic based attacks. Oh don't look at me like that, besides did you plant the explosives as planned?" Caleb asks his room mate before she spits a detonator into his hand. Patting her on the head, the pair then sneak up to the third floor and begin searching the cult leader's office.
Eventually the investigators manage to find a safe hidden behind a filing cabinet. After Sona burns it open, she goes to keep watch while Caleb reads through the documents. In a moment of irony that makes the magus almost laugh, he discovers that the xenophobic cult is funded by a demon. Apparently the higher ups in the group look for children with magical potential on raids before giving them to the fiend. Finding the location of said fiend, the pair make a call to the local police and take their leave. Heading out of the back loading bay, the pair are confronted by a pair of guards. While Sona flings a piece of herself to burn a hole in one, the other is shot in the head by Caleb's revolver. Casually walking away, the investigators get a nice view of dozens of police cruisers arriving and a massive firefight breaking out. Before her partner can forget, Sona wraps her hands around his and activates the detonator. With the hideout erupting into flames and the sun rising, the Fleetfoot investigators teleport away.
Arriving at a scrapyard just outside the city, the duo begin searching the mounds of metal for their target. Eventually locating a dilapidated trailer, Caleb decides Sona should wait outside on overwatch. Heading inside the dark residence, it doesn't take long for him to realize he's now in a pocket dimension. Appearing as any other average house on the inside, the mercenary mage isn't fooled. Especially since the constantly warping shadows, breathing floorboards, and constant sounds of misery nearby give it away as a den of evil. After closing the door behind him, which unsurprisingly disappears, Caleb notices a flicker of candlelight heading into a nearby room. Following the light into the dining room, he spots a terrified young girl in rags dart underneath a table. Approaching her slowly, the magus senses a spell being cast and finds a terrified mouse. Realizing that the brunette is a druid, he decides to extend his own magic towards her. While it could be described best as a storm, the girl is still comforted by it and nuzzles his hand.
"Are you Ryleigh? Your mommy hired me to find you and bring you home." He calmly tells the brunette before gently picking her up. Not seeing an exit, and failing to teleport, Caleb decides to ask the seven year old what's happened to her.
"Well I found out that I had magic and I-I got scared my mommy would find out and be mad; so I ran away. Then these people in suits grabbed me and took me here. There were a few other kids and then we met her. She was nice at first b-b-but then she said she wanted to play hide and seek. When Timothy said he didn't want to play she…" The druid girl is unable to finish before turning back into a human and crying. Hearing a scuttling noise, she stops and screams upon looking up.
On the ceiling is a large demonic humanoid with eight arachnid legs lining it's sides, a pair of reptilian hind legs, no face, and strands of flesh covering it's body. When attempts to drop down and latch onto Caleb, he is barely able to transform his arms in time to catch it. Throwing it into a nearby wall, the investigator then uses his enhanced limbs to beat it into a daze. With the creature downed, Caleb quickly picks up Ryleigh and runs away with her. Recovering shortly afterwards, the fiend notices the child druid's dying candle and swats it to extinguish the light; burning itself a bit in the process.
Outside of the trailer, Sona senses that Caleb is in trouble and tries to head inside after him. When she tries to open the door however, it doesn't budge no matter what she does. Needing to help her partner, the slime girl increases her acidity to drill her way inside. While her attack would easily melt a normal trailer, this den of evil is magically protected. Even when she is actively absorbing the surrounding magic, Sona's progress is still slowed drastically by the regenerating residence.
Back inside of the trailer's foyer, the mercenary mage fires a lightning bolt at the fiend but it successfully dodges. Despite missing his target, Caleb does notice the demon flinch in pain during the flash. Summoning his zweihander, the magus channels lightning into the blade to create a makeshift torch. Making sure that the fiend is keeping it's distance, Caleb is able to notice a hole appearing in the nearby wall. With an opening to the outside forming, he orders the druid child to leave him and escape. Turning into a mouse again, Ryleigh leaps out of the gap and into a blob creature. Gently ejecting the tiny being from her form, Sona starts to make a bigger gap for Caleb to escape. Instead of doing that, the mercenary covers the growing exit with a barrier of shadows. Unleashing slashes of lightning all around him, Fleetfoot starts to ignite the inside of the building. With the flames spreading, the creature is forced out of hiding and with a taunt of "Come and get me!", rushes Caleb. As it charges towards him, the F. M. I. E. cofounder quickly dashes away from the gap and disperses his shadow magic. Caught between sunlight and the flames surrounding it, the demon is quickly charred with severe burns. Unloading several shots from his handguns, Caleb finishes off the fiend by drawing his chainsword and cleaving it in half. With the demon's death, he quickly evacuates the pocket dimension before it collapses.
The next day at Fleetfoot Mercenary and Investigations Enterprises HQ, Caleb finishes up a call when Sona walks into his office with snacks. Heading upstairs to their newly refurbished living room, the pair cuddle together on their new purple couch and relax.
"Mmm this feels good. I know it wasn't personal when we got all those cultists killed but between their two million bounty from the cops and the new stationary from that orc, I am so glad they're dead now." Caleb confesses before he gets extra cozy and tosses a chocolate in his mouth. Sona, who did take it personally as a nonhuman, is also glad they successfully completed their jobs. She's also happy that they didn't charge Ryleigh's mother anything for finding her.
Laying her head down on his lap, the slime girl enjoys it as her partner starts to stroke her. After feeling the ooze purring against him for a solid five minutes, Caleb gets an alert that their mail is arriving. Heading back downstairs to the reception area, the members of Fleetfoot Mercenary and Investigations Enterprises find a letter asking for their help. Opening it up, the pair learns that a local noble family is currently having a haunting based problem. Looking at each other, Sona and Caleb quickly get dressed and head out on this new job.
A/N Let's hope next year won't suck as hard. Do let me know what you all like since support motivates me and I can add more. Btw if you are wondering about the background for the Conflation timeline, "This pocket of the multiverse is an amalgamation of the dreams of various beings throughout the multiverses, allowing for strange combinations and interactions.". It is in truth based off of various lucid dreams that I have had and the storyline that played out in them, so yes this timeline came to me in a dream. xD