Summary/Disclaimer: Time for another chapter of The Lioness and the Wolf. Enjoy the 1500-Word chapter. I don't own AGK, Takahiro, Square Enix and a few others do.
(Jace's Cabin)
Something slowly scratched at the door which made Leone and Jace share a look. He knew that this was either a Danger Beast or an assassin. Jace had grabbed the Lupusnal from his room, sharing a look with Leone as the duo stared at the door.
The duo slowly made their way to the door. Leone raised her clawed hands, eager to strike whoever happened to be in her path the second the door opened.
The duo slowly cracked the door opened slightly, they blinked upon seeing the being outside the shack. A small ball of fluff on 4 paws barked at them. They shared a look upon realizing that this was a dog. He hummed and blinked with surprise.
"A… Dog?" Jace stated while he hummed with interest. "I didn't expect to see a dog," Jace stated, looking at the animal with confusion.
Said animal slowly wandered through the open door to the surprise of the duo as they blinked. It ran to the sofa and leaped upon it, taking up the middle as Jace sighed and rolled his eyes in amusement at this.
"Oy…" Jace muttered, bringing a hand to his face as he removed Lupusnal and put the weapon on the counter. "You have to be kidding me. I didn't ask to babysit pets." Jace added as he shook his head.
Leone tilted her head at the animal which settled down upon the couch, completely and utterly indifferent to the dup. Jace sighed and simply walked across the room towards the animal with amusement. Jace cracked his fingers and slowly but surely sat down next to the dog as Leone hummed and leaped onto the other side of the sofa.
"I'm guessing he must not have an owner." Leone stated, running her fingers over the animal's head which was greeted by a growl.
Jace could only hum and shook his head once more as he looked at the lion-like assassin. Her animalistic side could only lash out as an animal. Jace put his hand upon the animal's head near Leone's slowly which made her roll her eyes.
The dog slowly slumped to the ground, tired and bemused by the two animal-like warriors who shared a look. Jace could only ponder what the animal was doing here. Still? He had other issues to deal with besides this dog.
Jace looked at Leone who kicked off her boots and leaned back on the sofa. She hummed and curled up in a cat-like ball. Jace rolled his eyes with amusement as he cracked his fingers once more, deciding to think about the rest of his plan.
Matias had to be willing to go to hide with the loss of a few ships. There wasn't much he could do to try and stop him yet, he had FAR too many resources for Jace to plan a direct attack on him. Matias was MANY things, but he wasn't stupid. He had survived the fall of the empire and the death of Esdeath.
Yeah, it would be impossible to try and track Matias down just by himself. He needed to call on anything he might still have to aid him when it comes down to it.
"She's kinda sweet when she's curled up like that," Jace stated to the woman. "Wait, what?" Jace asked while rubbing at his temples in annoyance.
He sighed and slowly walked to his room. He felt a thousand different thoughts when he thought about it at the moment. He and Leone would probably grow closer, and his thoughts felt… Off, about Leone. He sighed, scared about what Leone might do if she slowly but surely continued to fall to her instincts.
Jace couldn't blame Leone, she had absorbed it. Her instincts were part of her being still which made him scared about what would do when that chain fully snapped. His Tengu was biting at him as he cracked a smile at his memories.
He looked at Lupusnal, the weapon had been around him for years. He had carried it into battle over and over. The nature of the wolf was something that had slowly burrowed its way into him. It had become PART of him.
"Hmm…." Leone muttered which made him turn back to her. "Come here, little wolf. I don't bite… Much." Leone stated which made Jace blink as he hummed.
"That woman is more terrifying than Esdeath," Jace said, crossing his arms as he did so. "I'm going to wake up one day to her using me as a scratching post or something. Still? Shas the best partner I have currently, and the only good one who can kill Matias if he and I ever fight again. I'm just going to pray something stupid doesn't happen when it comes to it." Jace added before slowly sitting down on the sofa.
Leone uncurled slightly, her body seeming to go back and forth between being tall and being her normal height. It convinced Jace enough that she was beginning to mutate more. Still? If Leone was going to absorb said power?
"Well, this is going to be interesting," Jace said, kicking his feet up on the table and shaking his head. "I need to visit my sources. I doubt Matias would have gotten to them all. He's not got the connections or the care to do that to everyone." Jace added as he closed his eyes.
He knew Matias could be killed, but not here. He wasn't going to make Matias a martyr or show them that the rebels were far worse. Still? The man had to be taken down before he caused more undue harm to the rest of the empire.
Leone yawned and slowly woke up, looking at her friend, she blinked as she hummed and stretched out, she blinked and then turned to the side.
"Hmm…" Leone said with a yawn as Jace turned and leaned on the couch. "I'm starting to think your right when it comes down to it." Leone stated which made Jace hum as he cracked a smile.
"Yeah, but you might get more mutated by then." Jace as he cracked his fingers and looked over at the dog. "I still don't know what this super big ball of fluff is doing here. I didn't remember finding a dog or something like that. Little guys got a big ego to just stroll in here like he owns the place." Jace added, pausing to pat the animal on the head with interest.
He kept his attention on Leone even while petting the dog. Leone had become taller when she mutated, and he remembered how she had grown lion-like hands and feet… Now she was beginning to look like a cross between a danger beast and a human.
"Jace?" Leone asked while the colonel looked at her. "Do you think ALL transforming imperial arms mutate their user? Tatsumi got mutated by Incursio and I don't know if Lionel is going to be anything similar." Leone said and watched Jace rub at his chin in interest.
"Well, I'm not an expert on imperial arms," Jace said and leaned against the sofa. "The only records for that are in the Imperial Palace which was almost destroyed…" Jace said, curious as to their answer.
"And the new leader is boss…" Leone said, gaining a nod from Jace as he blinked. "You think we could go visit her? Maybe she could help." Leone said before watching Jace hum.
"Maybe, but she's also busy with things, getting a meeting won't be easy," Jace responded as he sighed and slowly pushed himself up from his position. "And considering I don't want to leave this little guy here by himself?" Jace asked, placing a hand on the back of the dog in question.
The animal looked up at Jace, wagging its tail as he slowly moved his head up and into Jace's hand. He chuckled and allowed the animal to leap down and run around to his side.
Jace could only ponder where this dog had come from. Did he have another owner? Did he choose Jace because of his Tengu? He'd figure that out sooner or later when he figured out his next move. In the meantime, he didn't want the dog to starve or be left alone in this place.
"Ok, let's go, I'll see about getting a meeting with her. Though that also means reenlisting in the army…" Jace muttered, sighing as he hummed.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that I'm going to have bigger battles and such. I'm also going to make a new design for Leone or such at the moment. The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show Leone and Jace talking to Najenda and such. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!
P.S: Next chapter is 1500 words or such.
