Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
Note: Been a while, but I'm back with hopefully more frequent updates. Anyway, check out my profile for further details for those curious.
Oh, and before I forget. Hello to the guest reader who leaves kudos around the same time almost every day on this fic. You convinced me to write another chapter.
IIIII
"What do you mean it's not over? I survived, didn't I?" Sally asked while pushing away the thought of the plane exploding. She'd rather not think about that while in the air on said plane. Worrying about the earthquake took precedence over anything else. "It's not as if the quake can reach us in the air, so what's the problem?"
"That would be correct, madam. In the end, however, this plane will land. So because of that, this disaster is unable to end until you survive the next stage."
"Oh great." Sally breathed out, closing her eyes for a moment. "Is that all? Or is there some other news I should know about?"
"There is the book you picked up in the library. It might be wise to use this time to see what skill you can get, madam."
Lifting the book still clenched in her hand, Sally stared at it confused before remembering that she had, in fact, grabbed it during all the chaos. She'd forgotten all about it until Butler mentioned it, and she was a little surprised she hadn't dropped it somewhere. "What is it?"
Not receiving an answer, Sally took Butler's silence to mean to try and see for herself. So she did, opening the book, a window popping up before her face almost instantly, however, unlike previous ones. This window was blank, with no text, images, nothing, at least at first. After a few seconds, as if loading, the screen began to change, flipping through different texts faster than Sally could read before stopping without warning.
Ding!
[You have gained a new skill!]
[Danger Prediction] Lvl.1
Description: While unable to see the future, you can vaguely sense when danger might strike.
"...Is that helpful?" Sally asked Butler, unsure. Sure, on paper, it might be good, and it might come in handy if she ever got attacked should such a thing happen. Still, Sally wasn't sure how she'd use such a skill. It wasn't as if she'd suddenly become spider-man and dodge bullets with a sixth sense.
"It should prove useful, madam. The skill should let you know when a disaster is about to hit. At least, one in your current vicinity, though how far the range reaches I do not yet know."
"Cool," Sally replied, not expecting the answer but finding the result better than her thoughts. Sure, she wouldn't be spider-man then, but at least she'd know if she was about to die or not. The skill didn't mention how much of a warning she'd receive, so for all she knew, it would be right before a car hit her. Still, better than nothing.
Glancing at the curtains blocking her view of the rest of the passengers, Sally not having left the entrance since she'd entered the plane. She paused, briefly playing around with the thought of just sitting down and staying where she was until the plane arrived at its destination. Yet after a quick look around and seeing nothing but hard metal, Sally shot down the idea. Further inside, the plane might be cramped, but at the very least, there might be carpet she could sit on.
Stepping past the curtains to the passenger side of the plane, Sally immediately felt like she was in a zoo, everyone she could visibly see turning their gaze on her and just staring. Not one word was said, so in return, Sally did the same, her eyes scanning over the very well-dressed passengers. Quite a few of them looked like they'd come from some upscale party, not an earthquake that had just destroyed their homes.
Another detail Sally noticed, unable to miss if she tried, was the open seating all over the plane. Dozens of empty seats that could have taken a good quarter of the people she'd left behind in that crowd in the airport lobby. The passengers here weren't nearly as crowded as the soldier had said. In fact, they had plenty of room with a few people in the back going as far as to bend the seating down to become leg rests in front of them.
"Well, no need to stand there, woman. Pick a seat. There's a long flight ahead of us."
Glancing at the man only a row away from where she was standing, Sally nodded and sat next to what looked to be a family of four. An action that got more stares thrown at her from the others on the plane, but Sally ignored them. Focusing her attention on the family, particularly the old, richly dressed woman at the end seat. The three boys beside her didn't really look that approachable as far as Sally could tell, so going for who was probably the grandmother or aunt to ask a few questions didn't seem like a bad idea.
"Excuse me, ma'am. Where are we going?" Sally began, keeping her voice low. Not on purpose, but the atmosphere in the plane practically demanded it. The air was almost suffocating, but not from smoke or anything. The best way Sally could describe it was perhaps aura, each person on the plane giving off a vibe that screamed they didn't want to be approached to chat. "I didn't have time to ask before getting on the plane."
"What?" The woman's voice thundered, her eyes widening, shock clear as day to Sally. "You mean you don't have a ticket? Why did you get on this plane then, girl? Is survival for only another day that important to you?"
"I'm sorry? What are you talking about?" Sally asked, trying to keep her words polite, even as she felt more stares burn into her. These ones now changed from curious to a little unfriendly. Whatever ticket meant obviously something important. Something Sally didn't have, and now because of how loud this old woman was, everybody in the plane knew it.
"If you don't already know, girl, then it's useless saying anything more about it." The woman sniffed, disdain clear in her eyes. "You won't be alive tomorrow anyhow. Now go, talk to someone else. I tire of this conversation."
Standing, Sally nodded and quickly moved away from the family to a man sitting alone in the corner. He looked a little unkempt, though still dressed in a suit that probably cost more than all her paychecks combined. Still, the man wasn't glaring at her like one woman was by the left row. So he was Sally's next choice to question about these tickets and their destination.
"Excuse me, sir. I-"
"No need to say more." The man cut Sally off, nodding his head towards the back of the plane, where she could see a sign for the restroom. "I know what you want to ask. We all do, given that old bat's screech. No one here, though, is going to tell you the answer... That said, spouses are allowed to accompany a passenger. How about it. You're cute, the hair looks terrible, but you remind me a little of my third wife. We can spend a little quality time together in the back, and maybe I'll answer a question or two."
Giving the man a disgusted look, Sally turned around and approached the blonde woman still glaring at her. Though at the angle she was now at, Sally wasn't entirely sure if it was truly her being glared at or the man directly behind her. With the attitude he showed, it was possible. No one liked a sleazeball, well, no one she knew.
"Listen, ma'am. I'd really appreciate it if you could answer my questions." Sally asked as she sat next to the woman, a little relieved to confirm it wasn't her the glare was pointed at. The blonde's eyes still pointed toward where Sally had just left. "...Ma'am?"
"Quiet!" The blonde woman shushed, waving a hand at Sally. "I'm busy. Go bother someone else."
Growing frustrated now, Sally got up and walked down the aisle to the front of the plane again, people avoiding her gaze whenever she looked in their direction. No one was apparently willing to give up the information she wanted. It was weird as if this one big secret was worse than the disaster, and she couldn't be told.
Spotting the female soldier next to a dark-haired, middle-aged man, also well dressed, with matching wedding bands visible on their fingers beside their clasped hands. Sally sat down a few seats down from the couple. Not bothering to go up and try her luck with the questions again. The last thing she wanted, besides getting further annoyed, was to make the person who let her on the plane angry. Sure, as they were in the air, she probably couldn't get thrown off, but Sally didn't want to chance it.
"Butler, got any ideas?"
"None, madam. Rest might be the best option at this moment in time, given the unknown destination."
"Yeah, you're probably right." Sally sighed, resting her head against the cotton material covering her seat. Now that her AI friend had mentioned it, she was feeling tired. All the running she'd had to do to get onto the plane wiped her out. "Hey, aren't some stats supposed to help with my stamina? Surely one of them could improve that?"
"That would be your strength stat, madam. All the same, however, increasing your vitality and dexterity almost gives minor improvements to your energy levels."
"Good to know," Sally replied, closing her eyes as she tried to get comfortable enough to doze off. It was a little tricky without a pillow, but she managed and tried to sleep as best she could. The plane ride could range anywhere from two hours to a dozen, so if no one was going to speak to her, rest was, as Butler said, probably the best way to pass the time.
IIIII
"Madam!"
"Huh, what is it?" Sally groaned, sitting forward and rubbing her eyes as she tried to clear away her fuzzy vision. "We there yet?"
"Yes, everyone has already left the plane."
"Say what?" Sally felt her mind clear up instantly as what Butler said sunk in, glancing around the plane and, sure enough, seeing its empty state. Sally jumped from her seat and ran past the curtains, stopping in place as she saw the open door and snowy mountains outside the plane. "Where are we? Wait, first, why didn't you wake me up sooner?"
"I tried, madam. But evidently, you were more tired than I anticipated and refused to wake up until now. The rest of the passengers left a few minutes ago. As for our destination, we are in China. The mountains are the Himalayas mountains, and the direction everyone else headed off into."
"Right, okay." Sally breathed, not having expected that answer. Looking behind her, Sally towards the back of the plane, searching for something warmer to wear. Staying in a hoodie, jeans, and sneakers was a fast way to freeze to death in the weather outside the plane. Unfortunately, it became quickly obvious to Sally that no luggage had been left behind. Everything above and below the seats was empty of anything she could use to keep warm.
Going back to the entrance to the plane, Sally glanced outside one more, debating whether to just make a run for the mountain and hope wherever it was everyone else went to was close by or search some more for better clothing. Those thoughts ended when she saw a foot from the corner of her eye outside the plane, by the wheel right underneath the emergency slide that had no doubt been used by the others to leave.
Leaning her head out, Sally grimaced as she saw a frozen, clearly dead soldier propped up against the wheel on the snowy floor. The man was already half buried in snow. However, she could see a pack beside him, one that would hopefully have some clothing in it, or Sally was going to freeze.
Sliding down the cold inflatable ramp, Sally shivered, shoving her hands in her pockets, and quickly walked up to the dead soldier. This time thankfully, not dry heaving as she'd done on the boat during the last disaster. Whether that was a sign Sally was getting used to seeing corpses or because this one didn't look like one in its half-frozen state, Sally didn't want to think about it.
Mentally apologizing for stealing from the dead, Sally unzipped the pack and resisted the urge to shout in joy as seeing the contents of the bag. An oversized winter jacket was inside, one she put on instantly, as well as gloves, a change of clothes, and some rations. Now she didn't know how to cook the rations if they even needed to be cooked. But Sally was sure she could figure it out. If not, Butler would probably know.
"Madam, the temperature is dropping. You need to start moving before the tracks vanish in the snow."
Butler's words pulled Sally from her thoughts of food as she nodded and slung the bag across her shoulder. Leaving in the direction the footprints led, icy chills filled Sally even as she tried to ignore the cold. The jacket kept the majority of her body warm, while her sneakers practically negated it all, snow soaking right through the material of her shoes, numbing her feet.
"Butler, how far do you think they went?" Sally asked after a minute of walking, keeping her head down so as to not get blasted by a wave of snow. Because of that, she couldn't see too far and had to rely on her AI for guidance.
"Not much farther, madam."
"Good, I don't think my toes will last that long," Sally said, trying to smile, and stopped as she felt her already dry lips crack, reminding her that she hadn't drunk anything for almost twenty-four hours. "...How much farther?"
She couldn't picture that rich old woman trudging through the snow for that long, that went for most of the passengers Sally had seen. Many women there had been wearing heels, not snow shoes. So how they could have gotten so far was a little strange. Unless, of course, it wasn't their footprints she was following. It would be just Sally's luck for such a thing to happen.
"You've arrived."
"Really?" Sally lifted her head up in surprise, and after squinting to see past the snow, she spotted a massive open building, if it could be called that. It looked to be a giant concrete base, with three huge ships that looked larger than most buildings she'd seen. "What are those? Spaceships? What type of disaster is coming, Butler?"
"Those are boats, madam. I recommend getting on one as soon as possible.
Pursing her lips, Sally's mind flashed back to the article that had vanished, one about a flood and then the name of the quest. The word tide practically screamed at her now. Those two things, combined with the boats, weren't painting a pretty picture of the disaster to come. The last thing Sally wanted to deal with was another water disaster. The first had been bad enough. She'd only survived because of Percy in that one. Somehow, Sally didn't feel she'd get as lucky this time around should something similar happen.
Picking up speed, Sally tried not to focus on her numb feet and made her way to the base. Thankfully whoever had built, it had the foresight to place concrete flooring down on the outside. Probably for trucks or deliveries, but whatever the reason. It was helpful. Sally now walking on a light layer of snow above the concrete that let her move faster.
After another few minutes and a hill to reach the top, she entered the base and found herself standing in front of an abandoned gate. It kind of reminded Sally of an old toll gate, one that should have been guarded. Not left defenseless, which was a worrisome sign. If she was right about the disaster being a flood, everyone might already be on the boats, leaving her alone outside.
Going past the gate, Sally continued further into the base, relieved to find it warmer than the outside. Nevertheless, she still didn't see people anywhere. Gradually losing hope and growing more nervous with every minute that went by. Sally turned a corner and almost froze as she saw a crowd in the distance, people entering glass doors and walking through a line leading up to the boats as if it was a ferry.
"Butler, you don't think I'll need a ticket to get on there, do you?" Sally asked as she jogged down the hall towards the line, a sick feeling filling her body as she thought of the passenger's reaction on the plane and the old woman saying she'd be dead the next day. "They'll let me on, right? I mean, if this disaster is bad enough that it can reach here and let these boats get on the water. They're not going to leave me alone to die... Right?"
"I do not know, madam."
Standing at the back of the line, Sally followed everyone else, eyes locked on the soldiers collecting a ticket from each person as they walked through. A board in one soldier's hand that appeared to hold a checklist, the man marking off every ticket collected. Looking around herself and seeing nothing but the doors allowing access to the boats in front. Sally stuck with the line, unable to think of another way to get past except hope she'd be let through.
That hope was dashed as her turn came up, and Sally noticed the man holding the checklist was Rob. The same soldier who'd pointed a gun at her at the airport and tried to stop her from getting on the plane. Nick, the other soldier, the one who'd been collecting the tickets, both men now staring at her. Rob with a smirk as he unholstered his gun, and Nick with a resigned look on his face.
"Well, I didn't expect you to make it this far." Rob chuckled, the gun now pointed directly at Sally once again. "Now, what should we do with you. We can't let you on the boat, and we can't let you go..."
"Rob-" Nick started, then stopped after a sharp glance from Rob.
"Go on out of here, Nick. I'm going to have a chat with our stowaway. It'll only be a minute."
"Wait, can't I get on the boat? I know what's coming. Surely one more passenger can't hurt." Sally said, hoping Nick might help after hearing her words. From what she could tell, the man was far more compassionate than Rob, who made Sally's skin crawl. Unfortunately, Nick didn't seem to hear, or perhaps didn't want to listen, and walked off. Leaving her alone with the other soldier, the man's gun now cocked back. Needed all but the lightest press to fire.
"Butler, I could really use some help right now," Sally whispered under her breath as she stepped back, Rob taking a step forward simultaneously.
"I'm sorry, madam. Running or trying to fight are your best choices right now. But both come with great risk."
"Great." Sally groaned, those words not what she wanted to hear. Running was out of the question. Her feet were too numb to truly take her far. That and Sally was sure she'd be shot before getting far. As for fighting, her opponent was a soldier, so both choices were terrible.
"Hey, quit the mumbling," Rob ordered with a growl, moving closer until Sally could feel the cold steel of the gun press against her neck. Unable to step back anymore, the wall behind her stopping her retreat. "You probably won't believe me, but I'm sorry about this. Orders are orders, and I can't risk my family for you... It's just the way things are."
"Madam!"
As if everything was going in slow motion, Sally heard Butler's yell in her mind and felt a tingling warning shoot through her spine before she looked to see Rob's finger begin to squeeze the trigger of his gun. Unable to look away, the realization she would be shot hit Sally. Dying from a weapon instead of a disaster, a scenario she'd never imagined till now. At the same time and Sally wasn't sure what possessed her to do it, but as if she wasn't in control of her body, or some instinctual reaction was dug up from her psyche. She threw herself into the man, shoving her feet against the wall and wrapping her arms around Rob's neck in a choke hold or some weird bear hug.
Hearing a bang and feeling pain flare in her shoulder, Sally fell to the floor with Rob and lay on the ground, staring up at the ceiling, breathing deeply. Her shoulder aching, though not as much as she'd thought a bullet wound would. Regardless resigned to her fate no matter how much she didn't want to. Sally stayed still, waiting for the next bullet to hit her, Percy's face appearing in her mind.
Her son would no doubt wonder where she'd vanished to. But hopefully, even if he might not believe it. When he grew up, Percy would remember their boat trip and the magical way they'd teleported. Maybe he'd even put together the dots and understand that his mother had probably died doing something similar to that and not intentionally abandoned him.
"Madam, are you alright?"
"Huh?" Sally frowned, confused as to why she was still alive. Sitting up, she glanced at Rob and realized he was still on the ground. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Sally felt around but didn't feel a bullet hole as she'd first thought was the cause of the pain in her shoulder. Still staring at Rob, Sally picked up the gun and, moving the man's clothing a bit, saw a bloody wound on the man's neck. The hole from the bullet looked to have gone straight through to the other side.
"What just happened, Butler?"
"A miracle, madam. Your luck improvement was a wise decision. When you startled Rob, he still pulled the trigger but accidentally shot himself. Something that would have been impossible, but your shoulder hit his gun at the right angle, making it happen. A miracle for all intents and purposes."
"...Thank you, Tyche," Sally said after a slight pause, her voice shaky. She didn't believe really the goddess was the reason she survived, however, even if there was that one percent chance. Sally was going to thank the goddess of luck for what had just happened. Getting up and pocketing the gun. Sally shoved down any thoughts of what just happened and quickly began jogging past the gate to the boats. At least, that's what she tried to do.
Sally had barely taken a few steps before she threw up, the mushy cracker she'd eaten that morning spilling out all over the floor. The reality that she'd killed a man unable to be ignored. She'd just taken a life, killed a man, even if incidentally. Nothing would change that, no matter how she could try and justify it. And really, Sally couldn't. Outside that, she had no choice. But that didn't change anything, nor make her stomach stop twisting or her heart quit pounding.
"Madam, you need to get moving!"
"I... I know." Sally croaked out, holding her stomach, unable to help herself as she glanced back at the body of Rob, bile climbing up her throat. The image was never going to leave her mind. Even now, despite being unable to see the bullet wound, Sally could see it in her mind as if she was looking right at it. However, after another minute, and now dry heaving, no food left in her to spill onto the concrete ground. Sally forced herself to move again, the numbness in her feet spreading to accompany her entire body now, a buzz in Sally's ears that seemed to make her footsteps sound louder than she knew her steps should be.
"Madam, hurry before it's too late!"
"What?" Sally's brows furrowed, confusion filling her face as to what Butler was talking about. That confusion and the buzz in her ears evaporated as she saw the dock doors to the boats, huge slabs over a hundred meters tall, thick wire pulleys it closed, and crowds rushing towards the soon-to-be-sealed entrance. "Butler, did they just shut the doors?"
"...Yes, madam."
It didn't make any sense. These people had tickets. There should be plenty of time to get on board. Yet the doors were shut, which meant she and everyone else here was going to die by the flood. All the traveling, running, and even killing a man all for nothing. She was going to die. There was nothing she could do now. The boats were far too high to even think of climbing up them. Worse, even if she managed that, from what Sally could tell, the tops were sealed like a submarine. So, really, outside the doors, she could do nothing. This was it.
"I'm sorry, Percy."
IIIII