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'krwlng' is performed by Linkin Park
"This here is the total sum of humanity's accomplishments," Gar explained to the entranced pair as he mashed up, twisting his spacecraft and leveling a laser blast at the cruel invaders, wrecking their vessel and filling the screen with a rather brilliant explosion.
"The graphics suck," Rose critiqued.
"Silence, blasphemer!"
Most of the group was gathered in the control room where Gar had managed to jury rig a game console into the central console, accumulating several singed fingertips in the process. Nevertheless, he now sat cross legged upon the couch, flanked by the youths. Alexei and Alya gaped at the display, unused to such marvels within the Colony while Eddie urged the verdant man onward in his quest, shouting excitedly whenever the threats neared. Red Robin, still suited up despite staying the night, looked mildly annoyed but resisted the urge to join in with Eddie's cries and backseat gaming. Rose glared at the projected screen, arms folded across her chest and looking ready, more so than usual, to stab something. After the defeat and banishment of Shadow Walker, Gar had checked everybody's injuries, ensured that Eddie got his rest, and then listened to the siblings' story. They told him of the great caverns that they had been held in, the Colony, where they were forced to carve out an existence, struggling tooth and nail just to see another day, which were only noted by the shutting down of the lights that lit the realm. Their memories were shaky at best and they could not tell when N.O.W.H.E.R.E. had taken them, only that they had been in the Colony for around three years. Upon hearing that they had no idea about the modern conventions of society, Gar had taken it upon himself to educate them against the protests of the mission-oriented Red Robin.
After failing to seduce them to the way of tofu, Gar had ordered pizza for everybody and then began their introduction into modern society, which had lasted until they could no longer keep their eyelids open. Extra rooms had been prepared for the three guests, and the shape shifter had eagerly made good on an earlier promise to a certain former member of off-world royalty. Upon waking, Gar had set to work once again and after an extended internal debate, which had been largely broadcasted, he had opted for showing them the wonders of gaming. Red Robin, distressed about the pause that had been placed upon his investigation, had fought him every step of the way, but his arguments had grown weaker as the console was hooked up and the game was started. Even with the group mostly silent, save intermittent shouts and exclamations, the room was filled with the sound that poured from the game. Therefore, the opening of the doors went completely unnoticed except for the slight twitch of Gar's pointed ears. It was much harder to ignore the leggy beauty that flipped over the couch to seat herself quite snugly in Gar's lap, violet eyes interrupting his focused gaze.
Eyes went wide as she pressed close to him, fingers tracing his jaw while her other hand tangled itself in emerald hair. The controller began to rumble as Gar's ship was fired upon, but his attention was entirely dedicated to the golden woman who affixed him with a stern gaze. She was attired in a slight mauve wrap around shirt, which left her lean abdomen exposed and her toned shoulders bare, and jean shorts with a ragged cut. There was a slight pout to her full lips and emerald eyes fixated on them hungrily as they began to form words.
"Why do you waste your time with this childish game? Surely I can offer you a far more . . . satisfying game to play," she cooed.
He licked his lips, his dark gaze turning predatory, "Oh yeah?"
She smirked lazily up at him as she looped her arms about his neck and let herself slide against his body, the friction between them sending his mind reeling, her chin coming to rest on his chest. "Oh yes. So many . . . buttons to push. Plus, it's two-player."
"Sounds fun," he breathed. The controller lay on the couch, forgotten along with much of the rest of his surroundings, as his hands settled on her hips and both Rose and Red Robin noticed the lengthening of his nails into claws. Hair all over his body turned stiff and thickened and his fangs became more prominent, and it only seemed to excite Blackfire further, her smile growing broader. Her hands slithered down from about his neck, skimming along his collarbone, and then running over his chest. Still retaining some awareness of her surroundings, Blackfire glanced at the gaping youths, and eager Rose, before she murmured to her most recent beau.
"It is. But there is an age restriction. I'm afraid we'll have to go elsewhere to play."
Rejecting the continuation of the rather one-sided banter, he erupted to his feet, encircling an arm about her slender waist as she gave an excited laugh and wrapped her legs about his midsection, securing herself. Seemingly unburdened by the additional weight, he posted his free arm on the couch and vaulted over it before racing out the door. The youths stared after them for a moment before Rose, whose arms dangled over the back of the couch as she watched their retreat, gave a whooping laugh and cast her eye upon the rather astounded Red Robin.
"Whattaya think, birdy boy? You up for a game yourself?"
"Ah, I think I'll pass," he answered, refusing to meet her gaze, and missing the sudden furrowing of Eddie's brow.
Alexei sighed and hung his head, "This is a perplexing world. It is not helping my headaches."
"Are they coming back?" his sister asked worriedly.
He shook his head, "Nothing serious. There's a buzzing in the back of my skull, but I can deal with it."
"Just let me know if it gets too bad."
Like Red Robin, the siblings remained in their suits from yesterday, but in their case it was due to the lack of different attire beyond their suits as well as the lack of clothes befitting their builds rather than a refusal to change. Gar had promised that they would head into town to acquire them civilian attire in the afternoon, but with his new preoccupation, it was likely later than sooner. As the group settled back into their seats, Eddie quickly snatched up the controller and settled himself in, glancing to Alexei as he restarted the game and waited for it to load.
"How long have you been getting headaches?"
"They've been more frequent since we left the Colony. They weren't as bad back then. However, I definitely prefer the freedom," he gave a small, awkward smile, clearly not used to the gesture.
"Well, duh," Rose scoffed.
"Watch your tone," Alya snarled.
"Make me."
"If you two are gonna fight, just do so . . . Or make out," Eddie interjected, adding the last part as an aside.
"What?"
"Say that again."
Alya and Rose turned to glare at the red-skinned boy who was thankful that the game chose then to start and he could dedicate his attention to that. Unfortunately, Rose would not be put to rest so easily and she streaked about the back of the couch, upsetting the siblings, to put the young man into a full nelson. Refusing to release the controller, he struggled with her, barking at her to relax her grip, which she refused to listen to. Her heels dug into his thighs to prevent him from standing and she grinned as she held him in place.
"Come on, repeat what you said. What did you say, Eddie? Come on, you can tell me," she urged.
"Rose! Watch the tail! Let go. It was nothing. I swear," he pleaded.
"Sorry, Eddie, not buying it. You better spill or – Gah!"
The aforementioned tail had slipped into Rose's shirt and as it writhed about against her skin, Eddie quickly declared and held his arms up in a show of innocence, "Own mind! It's got its own mind, I swear! Please leave my organs where they belong!"
Scrambling away from him, Rose yelped as she accidentally toppled over the back of the couch and crashed to the floor. She leapt to her feet, her cheeks uncharacteristically red, but she managed a scowl that caused Eddie to shrink several inches before she turned and stormed out of the room to Alya's barking laugh and Eddie's flood of apologies. As the door closed behind her, the slam prevented solely due to the automatic opening and closing, and Eddie winced out of habit before he gave a defeated sigh and slumped over the back of the couch.
"Smooth," Red Robin noted.
"Thanks," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. He glanced towards the siblings and suggested, "It's probably a good idea to go buy some clothes for you now. I don't want to be around when Rose is done with her scheming."
"Or we could try to find out where the Colony is so that we can take it down," Red Robin urged.
"We don't know where it is," Alya seethed, sparks leaping from her eyes, "We have no memory of arriving at the place and the only time we were out of the caverns was to be experimented on, poked and prodded at. They knocked us unconscious before they transported us. That we got here was – well, I guess we can call it lucky."
"But what about where they were taking you? Do you have any idea-"
As Alya's sparking intensified, Alexei placed a restraining hand on her shoulder and answered calmly, "Don't think we're trying to be uncooperative. It is our friends who are trapped in the Colony. But the fact is, we have no clue where it is. We can't help you."
Red Robin gave a sigh before standing up from the couch, "Fine. Fine. It's fine. I've got a few more leads to trace down. I'll stick around here to do that, but I'm probably going to head out after that."
"You sure? You're welcome to hang out for a bit," Eddie offered to which Red Robin smiled but shook his head.
"I wish, Eddie. But even if something turns up in this hunt, I should probably be getting back to the team. Bart won't stop messaging me. And when you can text as fast as he can . . . well, you know."
"Got it," he grinned and then held out a hand which the other boy accepted with a hearty pump. As they released, he remembered, "Oh, hey. Tell M'gann I said 'hi.'"
"No problem. See you when I see you, Eddie."
As Red Robin gave his farewell and turned his attention to the computers, his fingers streaking across the interface, Eddie headed for the door, calling out to the pair, "Come on. We're gonna check in with Gar and then head out."
"I'm still figuring out regular interactions, but it looks like that shifting friend of yours didn't want to be bothered," she noted.
"Nah, he'll be fine," he assured her, then winced as he admitted, "Blackfire though . . . she's a different story. Though if the same thing happens as yesterday, it'll be better to interrupt for a second now than a minute later."
They offered no further protests as they followed him down the halls, watching him with eyes that while not unfriendly, suggested that they would not hesitate to take him down in a second if he presented a threat. He was slowly getting used to the untrusting gaze, Alexei's subtle reservation and Alya's blatant suspicion along with her general prickliness. The attitudes of his female team members had provided him with some familiarity with such dispositions, but their wariness was overwhelming at times. During a venture for a late-night snack, Eddie had passed a drowsy Alya standing at the door of the room they were sharing, her eyes fixed upon him as he had stumbled down the hall. On his return trip, her brother had taken over her position, relieving her from her post and permitting her to sleep. At breakfast, they had been cautious of the food they were offered and remained on guard, never straying far from each other, and watching every possible angle for a surprise attack that never came. It reminded him of Rose in a way, though to a disturbingly extreme level.
Arriving at Gar's room first, Eddie paused to listen in, to confirm that they were in there he told himself, and caught the sound of a pleased sigh followed by a deep, masculine chuckle. Soft whispers passed between them and then the sheets rustled and the bed squeaked before there was a feminine moan. Thankful, not for the first time, for his crimson skin that hid the effects of a blush, he gave a small guilty jump backwards and gave a rather weak knock upon the door. It was enough for them and the sounds made by the bed ceased though there was a small mutter followed by a sigh from Gar.
"I get you're still struggling with the whole 'hero' thing, but put the starbolt away. I've got this."
There was a grunt followed by harsh footsteps across the carpet and the door was ripped open though only enough to admit a stony green eye.
"Eddie, you're my favorite red-skinned, horned teenager, and strangely not the only one I know, but if you don't go away now, you will be pulling Toxopneustes pileolus spines from your ass for the next month. You got that?"
"Um, yeah, I totally get it, but I was kinda thinking we'd maybe go out to grab them some clothes," he offered anxiously, giving a weak smile.
The gaze softened and a smile started to pull at the corner of Gar's mouth, "Oh, okay. That's perfectly fine. Give me a second though."
He disappeared from the doorway for a second, returning with a small scrap of paper that he passed through the crack of the door to Kid Devil who glanced over the short list of bricks, mortar, and Brick Laying for Numbskulls. Gar's claw tapped on the list, "Make sure you pick this stuff up. I need it for a project I'm working on."
"Got it," Eddie nodded before looking up to meet Gar's gaze, "Anything else? Or are we good to go?"
His mouth opened to offer a response when he was suddenly hauled back into the dark room and Blackfire's face appeared for a second as she hissed, "You're good. Now go away."
The wall trembled as she slammed the door shut and the red-skinned youth decided the most prudent course of action would be to vacate the premises. Loping down the hall, he slowed when Alexei asked, "We saw such interactions back in the Colony. They usually weren't as . . . mutual."
"Well, at least you're out. And trust me – I'm not sure it gets much more 'mutual' than Gar and Blackfire there," he smirked.
"What about you and the white-haired girl?" Alya mentioned as she caught up to stride alongside him.
Eddie made a choking sound, blinking at the bicolored haired youth as he managed, "I – wha – you – Me and Rose? Eheh. Yeah, she'd get a laugh out of that."
"I don't hear you denying anything," she noticed.
"Okay, look: I'm a fifteen year old male. By definition, I'm ruled by my hormones. Heck, I got a thing for the lamp from A Christmas Story. I've . . . just been around Rose a bit longer. I'm used to her – kind of," he admitted, shrugging his shoulders
"But you two aren't a -" Her brow furrowed as she sought the correct term, something lost in the fog that was before the Colony.
"A couple?" Eddie offered and then gave a short wistful chuckle, "Nope."
"Hmmmm," she mused to herself, attracting her brother's sharp gaze as they exited the building. With the seclusion of the base, the easiest means of transportation to and from it was flight. When that was unavailable, the best option was a series of tunnels that weren't connected to the structure but were equipped with tracks and swift vessels along them that delivered their cargo to obscure places – the obsolete phone booth in the grungy alley, the dumpster behind the abandoned building that Dayton Industries had been saying that they would develop for years. Leading the way into the cavern that housed the tunnel he needed, Eddie led the pair to the egg-like vessel and pressed his palm against the scanner, triggering the door to hiss open. Holding out his arm to gesture them within, he clambered in after them and pulled the door closed before the light embedded in the ceiling flickered blue and displayed a 3D map of the city, complete with red dots signaling where the transports' doorways were. Upon determining the closest to the shopping district, he pressed a finger to the scarlet glow and the map shimmered then dissipated. His hand wrapped about the bar above his head that circled around the interior of the craft, woefully lacking in seats, and he gave a slight chuckle as it lurched forward, startling the others.
The ride quickly smoothed out as it zoomed through the dark tunnel and the siblings watched the shadows outside apprehensively, still not trusting them. Sparks danced between Alya's fingers as her cerulean eyes scanned the surrounding obsidian until her brother's large hand captured her own. She gave a slight jump before breathing out most of the tension with a large breath and a grateful glance to him. He gave her a smile and a nod before turning to regard Eddie.
"We never thanked you for fighting Shadow Walker for us."
He winced and shrugged, "Lot of good I did. Pretty much knocked myself out."
"Yes, but you stood against him," he returned, "That's something Alya and I couldn't have done. Not without your conviction, your bravery."
He directed his gaze towards the ground and rubbed the back of his neck as he responded, "It's – it's what any hero would have done. Probably with greater success, too."
"The Colony was sorely lacking in anything resembling heroes. You have our thanks."
A soft smile, not entirely sure of itself, spread across his face and he gave a nod to the expression of gratitude though he was thankful when the craft slowed and the door popped open. He hopped out and put some distance between him and the siblings, mulling over the words in his head. Even when he had only worn the costume of a demon, the people he'd saved had not been particularly forthcoming with thanks and praise. After his deal with Neron and his transformation into an actual demon, he counted himself fortunate when those he saved didn't run screaming from him. He appreciated that most members of the hero community weren't so judgmental, but there were times when he missed being able to interact with the rest of the world without incident.
As though to prove his point, the civilians intrinsically shied away as he emerged onto the main sidewalk. He tried to reassure himself that it was not a question of faith, not a true fear or distrust of him, but that his form was a fear that had been carved into mankind's mind since ancient times, a figure to be treated with revulsion and horror. Their terror was something instinctive, a response left over from their primordial ancestors. At their shrinking away, he gave a small sigh and tugged the hood of his sweatshirt over his head; glancing back and signaling for the uneasy Alya and Alexei to follow after him.
He wasn't sure which drew more stares; the casually clothed demon loping down the street or the pair of uniformed siblings who moved with tactical precision, turning suspicious eyes on every passerby. Maintaining a bright smile and giving a greeting nod to those he passed, he guided his two bizarre wards to a rather large store that had, upon noting the swell of the metahuman population, begun to cater to such a crowd. It wasn't stocked with the suits used by super heroes and villains alike but everyday clothes, casual wear meant to fit bizarre physiologies and stranger abilities. Gar fully supported the store, largely due to the fact that it not only serviced metahumans, but also because he seemed familiar with the owner of the small franchise, a man by the name of Neil Richards. While not very forthcoming about the old acquaintance, he spoke his name with a certain wistfulness coupled with aged annoyance. Understandably, it had become Eddie's go-to place when he needed new attire.
Pushing into the store, he relaxed with a long breath and turned to the siblings, spreading his arms, "All right. Gar's got some sort of account worked out here. You each have 500 bucks to spend. Take your pick."
They stared across the vast array of attire, and some of the more unique shoppers, with slightly dumbfounded expressions. Every sort of style had been gathered under the roof and then multiplied in massive amounts of variants to suit any sort of being who would purchase the garments. Shirts with slits in the backs to provide an exit for large wings, shorter and tougher shoes to house saurian feet or hooves, hats of all shapes and sizes for the horned individual. There were shirts that Eddie could have used as a tent, and pants of which he could fit his entire body into one leg. Custom attire for truly deviant body designs could easily be ordered and was surprisingly inexpensive – at least in comparison to other stores that catered to such needs. All was contained in a warehouse-like area with vaulted ceilings that were in use, hanging clothes from the crossing beams to attract those gifted with the ability of flight.
"This is a tad overwhelming," Alexei muttered.
"All the colors hurt my eyes," his sister grumbled, crossing her arms across her chest.
Eddie arched his brows and gnawed on his upper lip before sighing, "Right . . . cause there was no way this was going to be easy."
For the next several hours, he dragged the siblings through the aisles, searching for attire to suit their tastes and after compiling appropriate piles within budget, they had finally headed to the changing rooms. Eddie patiently waited outside, leaning against the wall and admiring some of them women who emerged to model their choices for their companions, when a feminine shriek sliced the air and his instincts roared forth. Ignoring the sign of the figure in a dress, he charged forth even as he heard the sound of wood and plaster splintering. He burst through the door, smashing it off his hinges and demanded, "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
It was only after his query that he registered that Alya was without a shirt and he hoped Gar wouldn't be too disappointed to know that it had distracted him from noticing much else about the scene. Fortunately, Alexei's arrival and responding shout at the situation managed to shock him from his frozen admiration. Alya hugged her arms about her body as her large brother strode into the small room, already outfitted in a dark shirt and jeans. Eddie finally noted the glowing blue lines that flowed under her skin, echoing the design of her dark suit, and the look of disgust in her eyes as she regarded them. Tears were starting to form at the corner of her vision, sorrow and rage dancing about her face, as her brother gathered her up in his arms, stroking the top of her head in an attempt to sooth her. A tear ran down her cheek as she growled, "Look at what they did to us. They've branded us. Marred us for life."
At her mention of the designs permanently imprinted upon her skin, Eddie noted the similar markings running along Alexei's exposed flesh. The stern set of his countenance suggested that they had not escaped his notice either, but he remained calm as he tried to placate his sister's rising ire, evidenced by the electricity that began to arc about her body. He continued to stroke her hair as he assured her, "It's all right, Alya. We're free. They're not taking us again. We're going to be all right."
"They've marked us!" she screamed into his chest. The dressing rooms had quickly become vacated following the outburst and the employees lingered several yards away, cautious about treading any closer. Eddie offered an apologetic shrug before looking to the siblings as Alexei continued to murmur to his sister who seemed to refuse appeasement. Rubbing the back of his neck as he blew out a tired breath, he took a small step forward and tried to assist.
"Hey, um, I can't exactly make any claim to have known what you've gone through, but you can't let what's on your skin decide your life. Trust me, that I do know. You can rage about it, sure, but that doesn't really get you anywhere," he gave a self-decrepitating chuckle and stuck his hands in the pockets of his cargo shorts. "If you really need to let off some steam, we'll blast some dummies to cinder. Or look around for somebody dumb enough to commit a crime."
She calmed and glanced at him from the corner of her eye before muttering, "I like that second one."
"Awesome," he smiled and she gave a briefest one in return before Alexei cleared his throat.
"While I thank you for the help in calming my sister, I'd prefer it that you'd leave so that Alya can get dressed," he directed, shielding as much of her bare body as he could.
"Heh. Yeah, right. Got it. I'm gone. I, uh, I should probably handle the employees and such," he offered, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder and then turning with it and scurrying off. Alexei's hard stare followed him even as a small smile bloomed upon his sister's face, and she watched the red-skinned boy attempt to deal with the employees and explain the incident.
So we managed to pump out this next chapter pretty quick. Hope you all enjoyed it.
I Be Sporks: Thank you for the reviews. We do appreciate them. If you have trouble finding the story, type 'one eyed psycho chick' in the search bar. This is the only story that pops up. And the cake (marble with vanilla frosting) was delicious. We're gonna have to rank it above duct tape.
To those of you who may be upset by a lack of him, sorry that there hasn't been a lot of Gar in the last few chapters. And don't worry. We've got plans for our little Changeling. Big plans. We hope you all enjoyed the chapter and continue to enjoy the story. Have a great Thanksgiving, indulge in copious amounts of food, and revel in the aftereffects of tryptophan. But then review!
Oh, and first person to tell me who Neil Richards is gets to demand a character to make a cameo. To those of you who have done this and your requested character has not appeared yet, have faith. There is a plan.