The other side of the coin
Blade was standing in Cloud Tower a bit lost. She leaned against a wall, she sank in a bit as the Tower gave in. It was cuddling her, at least that's what Blade called it. It actually also was draining a tiny bit of her dark magic. Or rather Blade was so kind to share. "You don't have an idea where I can find something helpful do you?" She sighed. As the Tower flashed up some memories in her brain.
'Do I look like a newspaper… The Police know more than them…'
Blade nodded, "Good point…" She opened her bracelet and read up on the news on that topic and sat down in the cafeteria. She noted down the addresses and everything of importance.
"Uuh, that toy…" Marble the stone Sorceress had snuck up. As always, she was in her flashy Zenith outfit. No one could overlook her. She pulled up a chair.
"Marble, was it?" Blade looked up from her screens.
"Yes… does this-" She reached out to grab Blade's wrist.
Blade pulled back, "What do you want?"
"Ahhh, no fun, I thought glow worms love to share stuff…" She moaned like a little kid.
"We do, with friends, but this has to stay on or I'll never hear the end of it. It's not a toy," Blade stated clearly.
Marble pouted, "I'm sure I can install you some games if I can take a peek at it…"
Blade leaned backwards, "How about a trade?"
"Ohhh," Marble was very much interested, "But you said you can't take it off. Sounds expensive."
"Well, it's tech. While I can't give you schematics, I can give you other specs. No harm in that," Blade proposed. She knew that Marble was way better than she was in techno Magic. A real Zenith ace so to speak. 'She could come in handy…'
"Hmmm…well better than nothing…what would you want in return?" Marble leaned her chin on her hand as she stared at Blade.
"I have a mission, I am sure I could use your hacking skills eventually. And if not this, then another mission," Blade folded her hands together.
Marble tilted her head, "Hmmmm…hmmmmmmm… that's very vague favour."
"And those are specs of a prototype but you know that. You couldn't crack the firewall in class. I know less than you, but I know that much," Blade smirked.
"If you think so low of my capabilities why offer the trade," Marble didn't like to be called out by her at all.
Blade chuckled, "The price tag is right and it's a good offer. Plus, it might open up future possibilities. I am connected to some degree."
"Investment for the future…what do you have in mind?" Marble leaned backwards eyeing Blade closely.
Blade tipped on the table, "My professors said I have joined training sessions. I always can make suggestions. You might be able to get a glance at the Simulator Room."
"Ha!" Marble was very much intrigued now, "Fine, it's a deal. Specs for hacking skills and further fruitful deals." She offered a hand. She slid a card over, "My card, give me a call."
Blade took it, "My pleasure." It was funny this was picture-perfect display of a middle school Zenith trading exercise. 'Haven't done this in ages… Ah, school times…hmm, I wonder what Dana is doing right now...' Blade rose from the chair a few minutes later as she had collected all the information she could get from the newspapers and made her way to Magix City.
Blade had visited all the shop owners and asked around. Like Alfea she had a Cloud Tower badge, but she didn't even need to show it. The owners seemed to be very forthcoming on their own. Plus, her current glamour charm outfit helped a lot to identify her as a Witch to most people apparently. Yet the discussions didn't get her much just as Griffin had predicted. It was a waste of her money. While Cloud Tower also had an ID Card. It was simply for their library and Blade had to pay for her expenses herself, no free trains or busses or Taxis for that matter. She had spent all morning checking the stores, but all damages had been fixed by now. There was no way she would get anything useful from the storeowners. She sat down on a park bench. "Man…the only thing which is sticking out is that a lot of reddish stuff got stolen…Jade, Rubies and such. Red… red…" She was a bit stumped. 'Maybe for red crystals? No way… the haul is too slim. Plus, it is wildly known by now that red crystals are just Jade based…well probably…" She scrolled through her Hoggar notes. "I doubt they send me on a red crystal hunt on my first solo mission. That be crazy and way too dangerous…" She received a call on her bracelet.
"Hey there!" Nebula's voice rang through as several others were in the background. "How's it going?"
"Are you checking up on me?" Blade giggled.
"Nooo, why would we need to check up on you? Pfff, no, just wondering if you're done already," Rise made a really bad job at hiding the fact that Blade's suspicion was true.
"Done? I barely started…" Blade complained.
"What's the mission maybe we can help?" Amber offered.
"Sorry girls, this time around I have to do this myself. As much as I would like a team. This is a Solo mission," Blade puffed. She had no idea how to go about this.
Nebula smirked, "Ahh, hogging all the fun. Well, even if it's a solo mission you always can trade some help from us for some favours. Pretty sure Griffin can't say anything against that."
"Guys! We are continuing the class!" Tasu hollered in the background.
"Ah, shit, well see you soon!" Rise voice faded out.
"You can do it, use your head. Whatever it is, can't be that hard," Amber encouraged her.
Nebula didn't hang up yet and whispered, "And if you find time… don't forget to track Philopa's old footsteps in the city as well as that Shadaka. We can't let their associates get away."
"I know, but I doubt I can find more than the Magic Council…" Blade sighed. Indeed, that was the class's chance to make some investigations on their own.
"The Council is saying squad, so are the grown-ups. They want us nowhere near this. You don't have to find more just a lead," Nebula reminded her.
"I know, I'll try but school comes first," Blade reminded Nebula.
"Of course, it does. We don't need more mighty plushies or snowmen. We need intel."
"NEBULA!" Griselda's voice rang in the speakers.
"Yikes, gotta go! Comi-" Nebula broke off.
Blade facepalmed so hard that people visiting the park stared at her shortly. And made an even bigger loop around her. 'Huh, I hadn't noticed before… but people are keeping their distance, aren't they? This is the best bench to view the flowers and none has joined me…' Blade looked around. She even spotted a police officer at the park entrance pretending to check the parking gravity cars but he was glancing over to her every now and then. Blade frowned, 'That glamour image is sticking out a lot…' There were families with little kids and mostly old people around. She basically was the black sheep around here. There was a certain tension in the air. "Great…" She stood up and called Cloud Tower.
"Are you already in trouble?" Professor Ediltrude's voice greeted her.
"No," Blade answered a bit offended.
"Then goodbye…"
"Wait!" Blade whisper-screamed. "I have an important question I forgot to ask."
A deep sigh, "What?"
"Can I use metamorphoses spells over the glamour spell…or other glamour spells," She whispered real quietly. The policeman was already tailing her.
"…"
"The Headmistress didn't explain much besides I'm not allowed to walk around like myself…" Blade made a left turn into the tree segment of the park.
"…Why don't you simply try and find out yourself. Do you always need so much hand-holding?" Ediltrude was super pissed.
Blade jumped over a bush and left the official path, "I didn't want to break the glamour spell accidentally." Blade tried to talk herself out. She hadn't thought a second about it. Her Professor simply would have answered her question. It was a valid point even if it had come to her after starting the call.
"Figure it out. Glow worms… Goodbye, I have a class to teach," Ediltrude hang up.
"Oh, come on…" Blade rushed through the trees and jumped up one hiding in its crown. 'What's wrong with that policeman!?' She had hoped to transform into a kid playing around, but if the spell would misfunction there was no telling what the police officer would do. Instead, she used her light magic to attune to the trees and hid her presence unless he was a wizard he would surely lose her trail that way.
"Anything?" It resounded from the officer's walky-talky.
"No… she's gone… What would a Witch be up to in broad daylight, in this park? Super fishy…" the officer commented. He brushed aside some bushes and looked around.
"Maybe that was an illusion, go back and keep an eye on the civilians. We don't need some enchanted no-name. Or a lost teddy bear or whatever tricks that Witch was here to play. Want backup?"
"Nah, I'll circle back. Witches… always up to mischief. I tell you…" The officer left again.
"Alright…your choice…"
Blade breathed out and jumped down from the tree after a minute of waiting. "What the heck was that? Enchanting people… as if I would be so dumb to go this obviously…" Blade shook her head. When they had run around as fairies, people had actually approached them to say thank you. Now she was hunted by the police for no reason whatsoever. "Tch. Police…" They sunk even deeper in her opinion now.
Blade made her way out of the park and into a side alley by some restaurants. She tried to put another glamour spell on that of Griffins. Light magic didn't work, she actually zapped herself. "Ouch…" The dark magic on the other hand worked. "Figures… Man, why did our convergence work for a jelly monster but this fails…ahhhhh." Blade dropped the spell again. It would cost way too much magic.
Blade checked the map of how the thief had avoided the police cars next, but there were no clues either. So, she decided to go to the police headquarters. After all, that was the clue if one could call it such, which Griffin had mentioned. How she would get the report or information on the other hand was still a mystery to her.
Blade stood in front of the station. Reluctantly she simply stepped in. Asking never had hurt, and also she had to check security measures there was no point in using magic to gain access if she would be caught. She already had one glamour spell active after all. The policewoman at the counter was a bit perplexed to see a Witch.
"Hello? How can I help you…Ms?" The woman asked eyeing her closely.
"Ms Ashfallow…" Blade stated promptly.
The woman chuckled, "Like in the papers from the hearing. The Fairy that had half the police force running in circles…yeah, I think not." Now she got a bit sterner. "Name? Ms?"
Blade stared at her, 'Shit I forgot… I look differently… stupid me… Well actually wouldn't have been to my advantage…' Blade laughed it off, "It was making the rounds in the Tower couldn't resist. My bad. Ms Ioco."
The woman shook her head, "Well then, Ms Ioco. How can this establishment help you? Lost something? Got a mob after you? Need to meditate by any chance?"
"Meditate?" Blade was a bit confused. "No, I need information."
The woman laughed out loud, "Sure, who doesn't? So, you come through the front door all polite and everything? Or did you got already zapped by the electric fences on the roof?" She asked half seriously. "Steve, come here, you have to see that." She waved another guy over.
"Yes?" he asked sceptically, while his college was losing it.
"Ms Ioco, I need some information. Who was in charge of…well, actually I think it was Officer…354… What was his name again?" Blade pretended to be dumb, she knew it was Officer William, who had been in charge. That was his squat car number.
Steve raised an eyebrow, "Officer William by any chance?"
"Yes, that one," Blade was super happy her charade worked.
"Ha, sure. Mission… and where are your fake papers, you brought some of those just like the others, didn't you? Come now, we both know you are lying, and just want to enrich your pocket money." He crossed his arms. "As if we would hand out that information to a Witch."
"It's Sorceress. And no, I do not want to enrich my pocket money. It is an official mission to find the stolen jewellery and to bring it back here," Blade protested. 'Fake papers? What kind of papers?'
"Hmmm, sure, as if…because you lot wouldn't just take the haul once you find it and just sell it," he laughed dismissively. "Officer William is busy, why don't you try next week," The Officer simply stated. He would not let her in. And the door to the desks was looked.
Blade couldn't believe this, "Fine, I'll wait…" A bit arrogant she leaned against the door leading to the desks. 'What an ass. I have an official Mission. How can they not know that? Griffin, why didn't she give me anything, stupid? Well…fake papers…the way he acts he wouldn't let me in either way. Just great. I need a new plan…'
Steve turned, shook his head and sat down at a pc at the info point and picked up where he had left off. An hour past and several officers had come and left, yet none were Officer William. She wouldn't get anywhere just waiting around. Luckily for her, a woman with some children and a buggy came in. One kid was screaming, the boy tucked on the girl's hair and the baby was not settling at all.
"I need to check the lost and found…has anyone brought in a pink rabbit plushie…" The mother was simply tired.
Officer Steve nodded and released the door look, "Sure. Just ask the officer third desk from the right."
Blade used her chance to hold the door open as she used a dark magic glamour spell and turned into the little girl and rushed through with the family. She hadn't been sure if it would work. But to her surprise, the police station had next to no magical countermeasures and her transformation stayed undetected. 'Hm… well it's the magic council who works and detains magical threats… as well as the schools. I guess no real need to have big security here for everyday problems.' She also sensed quickly that only a few people around here had above-average magic pools. Then she noticed the little boy staring forth and back at her and his sister.
"Two?" His eyes widened.
"He," Blade grinned devilishly, "Shhhhh, I know what you took from her." Blade intimidated him by randomly guessing.
The boy actually got a bit scared, "Evil sister's shadow…knows…" His eyes even getting wider.
'Ha, didn't think that would work…' Blade passed the boy by. "Better give it back, before I come for you in the night…" She whispered.
"Please don't kill me," The boy started screaming and buried his face into his mother's legs.
"Dear, what's wrong?" The mother asked annoyed but yet concerned.
The boy looked up all snotty, "Evil sister wants to kill me!"
"He tucked on my hair!" The sister protested, "It's all his fault!" The mum just had it and scolded them both harshly, it was an attention magnet, to say the least. That was the last straw and the boy started to cry.
Blade rushed into the toilet close by and used another glamour spell to swap faces again, when she was sure no one was inside. 'Those glamour spells are much easier than metamorphosis… but drain magic over time… I can't stay for long.' She had transformed into an elderly woman, the wife of one of the shop owners, she had seen in a picture. It was a bit ruff and not too detailed but it might suffice. She waddled out of the restroom. A bit lost she looked around, the boy still crying as the mother dragged him along. Blade had to find the desk of Officer William to ask him.
"Madam," the woman from before addressed her.
"What, yes?" Blade answered a bit jumpy.
"My apologies, I didn't mean to scare you, Officer Lena," She replied calmly. "Are you searching for someone specific?"
"I am here to talk about the break-ins. I wanted to know if there were any updates. If we possibly get back those rings that were stolen. We're running a business after all. We haven't heard anything since days," Blade nagged pitching her voice to somehow fit an elderly voice.
The Officer didn't seem too happy about the visit. But stayed friendly, "That is William's case I think…hmmm…" She seemed a bit in thought.
"Would you be a dear, and show me the way. I'm bit short on time. I still have a goose to buy at the market, my nephew has his fourteenth birthday tomorrow and my back won't get any younger, the weather is really doing a number, I think it will rain soon, it always hurts before it rains. And I still have to stuff it and marinade I also need veggies. But I would do anything for my nephew he is such a kind soul, you know that one time…" Blade quickly addressed her with an endless stream of words.
Officer Lena was a bit overwhelmed as the old Lady started to ramble, "Yes of course," She had no time to listen to it. So she moved the old Lady along the hallway. "You know there was a young Witch here, who asked for William as well."
"Ah, yes, I heard some shop owners wanted answers. But if you ask me those brats are just too rude. They give me a shiver and I mean, Sorc-" Blade coughed loudly, "Sorry… Witches are always up to something. Can't trust the lot, yes, that's what I said to my Bun-bun. He has such a good heart but sometimes he just…"
"Here we are," Officer Lena halted. And knocked at the door.
"Yes?" It resounded from inside the mini office.
"Ms …eh?"
"Ms Gordon, from Baker Street," Blade answered at least she knew those things, having talked to the owners had at least done her some good.
"Ah, the robberies…" There was a silent sigh, "Let her in."
Blade waddled in. The Officer pulled a chair back for her and kindly offered a seat, "So kind of you, Officer William was it?"
"Yes, how can I be of service, Ms Gordon?" William asked. "Some water?"
"Yes, please. I came here to ask if there is any news about the stolen goods. Have you found whoever gave the contract?" Blade asked directly.
The officer squinted his eyes, "Contract?"
'Shit…old people wouldn't phase it like that… fuuu…. What do I do?!' Blade got a bit nervous. "Yes, a young Witch came by and asked weird questions. I thought it was just a robbery, but she said, there is a bigger plot. And you know, Officer William, if something is afoot… I'm not sure if my Bun-bun's heart can take it. When the thief was threatening him… if something were to happen. If they come back…" Blade tried to cover her nervousness with her worried grandma's speech and breathed heavily.
William stayed calm and reached for her hand but Blade pulled away and held the hand up to her mouth. He used his charming voice instead to calm Blade down, "I can reassure you, there is no bigger plot. That Witch probably just wanted to earn some money. A scam. Scaring the elderly is not beyond them. It is truly sad, but since the Desertia Coop de' tat they have only gone bolder. They are so desperate more than normal. Do you have a description of said Witch? We can make sure she won't bother you or other owners again." Officer William asked intrigued. He was obviously trying to hide a lie.
'Probably doesn't want to rile me up more… or maybe I overdid it,' Blade thought about it. There was no way he would give the records to an old lady. 'Shit should have come in as some magic Council member… or worker…' She glanced at the water. "Yes, I would like to file a report." She took the glass and trembled a bit as she drank from it. 'Need to get him out… if I spill the water, yes…' They sat there and Blade described basically Misery. 'That'll teach her…'
"Great, I need you to sign here and there…" The Officer handed over the paper as he quickly input some data into his pc.
Blade was about to sign as she reached out for the glass and with probably the worst acting spilled it as she let it slip through her hands. It even shattered and splashed all over. "By the Great Dragon, I am so, so, Sorry, I'm such a klutz."
"No, no, all is fine. I'll just get a towel quickly," William rose up from his chair. He was a bit upset as the water had splashed over half the table, but the old granny seemed out of it herself, trying to fix the problem with shaking hands. "Have you cut yourself? Please, be careful with the glass shards. Just don't touch anything. I'll get something to clean up here." The man stood up and left the room for the kitchen.
Blade breathed out, as the door closed behind her. Quickly she jumped over the table and pushed the chair aside. 'So lucky he didn't shut off the pc…' Blade hammered into the keyboard pulling up the folders and opening the documents related to the case. "Come on, where are the reports…" She first found the interviews, which she had conducted herself as well. 'Ahhh, that man's desktop is a mess.' Hurriedly she opened up everything. "There!" She used her bracelet to make a video as she simply scrolled through the info on the screen, that way it was the least obvious that she would have gotten anything. Blade's heart was pounding. She could hear other officers talking in the hallway and her time was running out. "Shit… I have to leave… if anyone sees me here." She noticed that two shadows stopped in front of William's door. 'Oh, crap!' hurriedly she tried to get what she could and hammered down on the closing buttons. The door handle pulled down. There wasn't enough time. 'I'm so screwed!' Blade ran around the desk and next to the door.
The door opened, "Huh, I thought William was here with the old Lady…" Officer Lena stepped in. She had some more papers to hand in. She saw the mess on the table. "Ah, that's why." She placed them atop a stack so they wouldn't get wet and turned around again. "Why does he have two?" She stared at two paper bins. Irritated she shook her head and left and closed the door behind her. "Ah, William, I put…"
Blade looked to the computer and back to the door, 'Shit.' If she would get caught closing more tabs it all would be over. Blade had to really hurry, 'Shit, shit, shit, as what do I leave!? The toilet!' Blade swapped into the granny again and opened the door just a gap wide, the woman was distracting William. She nearly ran as Blade fast walked way too fast for a granny to the toilet.
William had finished his talk and had the towel from the kitchen. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, yes, I just, my bladder…" Blade stuttered.
William nodded, "Not to worry I have to print it out again anyways."
Blade rushed into the restroom, 'FUCK!' Blade panted heavily. 'How do I get out?! He'll see… oh, man, what was I thinking?!' Blade took a deep breath. 'Whisper of creation...' She scouted the hallway. 'All clear, yes!' She turned into Steve and rushed out of the women's bathroom. She nodded and smiled at the other police officers and people coming in. She opened the exit passing by the info point.
"Good luck on your patrol," the real Steve muttered as he stared into the pc and caught the reflection of himself leaving the station, "He?" He was perplexed for a second there.
"A WITCH! Get her!" William's scream could be heard from inside. Suddenly there was an uproar in the whole police station.
Blade didn't wait for a second, she infused dark magic into her every muscle and darted out.
"HOLD IT!" Officer Steve had to rush around the counter first and was joined by a group of officers.
Blade was first out of the door. 'Oh, crap!' Her glamour spell dropped as her concentration was out of the window. Her red hair flashed up. 'Shadion!' She wanted to fly away but a barrage of stun shots cut her off before she could get high enough. Blade let herself drop out of the air and a stun shot passed by her left cheek. Blade took a roll to feather her fall and took cover behind a squad car. She glanced around. "There!" She eyed a side alley close by and in a zig-zag ran from cover to cover as a horde of officers followed Steve and William outside.
"FREEZE!" They all shouted.
"Cut her off!"
"Don't let her escape!"
Blade ignored them of course, no way she would stop. She dashed around the corner another stun shot hit the wall behind her. She noticed the family from before the mother somewhat startled by the commotion. 'SHIT! If those kids get hit…' She eyed a tree and jumped and swung up the branch to land on it.
The boy watched her as she landed on the branch and the red-haired witch turned into a pigeon. His jaw dropped open.
Just a few seconds later the police ran around the corner.
"Get down! Take cover Miss!" They shouted as the police flooded the side alley.
"What's wrong?!" The woman pulled her children close like a hawk she looked around. Some officers came to guard her.
"A Witch!" Officer William was so pissed, "Damn it, where did she go?! Fan out! Watch the sky."
Blade bid her lip. She wasn't sure if they would be able to see through her disguise as she noticed the boy staring at her tugging at his mother's pants, "Mummy, mummy…"
Blade glared menacingly at the boy.
The boy stared at the pigeon he knew to be the culprit. A death glare hit him. His voice gave out.
Officer Steve ran further along the street with some other policemen.
"No worries, dear, no harm will come to you," The mother simply tried to calm her kids.
William on the other hand noticed the boy's fear. He kneeled down and whispered, "You saw her, tell us, we'll get her."
'Fuck!' Blade hopped up the tree branches and up to the first balcony she needed to escape pronto.
"She's that pigeon!" The boy shouted out loud pointing in her direction.
Blade halted. 'Do I run or stay?!' She turned her head rapidly. The only way now was to go above the building.
Officer William squinted his eyes staring at the pigeon aiming his gun.
Blade held still as she balanced on the balcony railing. It was an awkward staring contest of who would lose his cool first. 'Crap…Whisper of creation.' Blade dared to use another spell to check up ahead she needed to know where to go once she reached the roof. As she noticed that another person rushed towards them from inside the apartment building. 'AHHH!'
A tenant from some stories higher stormed out to see what the commotion was about and hit his railing a bit too hard and nearly tipped over. It was a balancing act on the stomach.
"Stay inside!" Officer William shouted as he saw a shadow rush out.
"There!" Another younger officer shot as his attention was drawn to the hasty movement. Blade knew him from her prior mission.
"NO!" William exclaimed in shock.
Blade looked up as the shot upset the tenant's balance. "FUCK!" Blade shouted and her glamour disguise dropped as she flew upwards to catch the man as a shot grazed her. It stung, but she tanked it, and stayed awake, but her wings stopped flapping. 'Really?!' She caught the falling man. She turned and grabbed onto another railing. A jolt ran through her shoulder, Blade held onto it as her knuckles turned white. But the strain was immense, the dude was out cold in her arms and there were still some trigger-happy officers in the alley.
"Hold your fire!" Officer William screamed half scared half annoyed. That guy would have been dead if the Witch hadn't caught him.
Blade used her chance as she felt her wings start to move again. "AHHHHHH!" She used some more magic and swung the guy upwards onto the balcony she was dangling from. In the same go, she catapulted herself upwards, landing on a balcony higher. Her wings were back to normal, so she made a high jump to the side to get a clear path between the balconies and like lighting she raced upwards and over the roof. "That was way too close…" Blade kept going.
"Quick don't let her escape!" Some officers screamed in the distance.
"No use!"
"ARE YOU CRAZY SHOOTING ON CIVILIANS?!" William's voice thundered absolutely furious.
Blade flew until she reached the streets, landed quickly and glamoured herself as random people and took many turns and vanished into shops coming out as different people yet again to surely lose any tail. 'I nearly killed that guy…' She stopped at a plaza and leaned against a wall. She was trembling and sweaty as the adrenaline subsided. She shook her head, 'No, I didn't, they did. But if I hadn't… damn it. If I had help. Why wouldn't they just not let me see that officer?! Urrrggh!' She stomped her foot. Her fear and guilt turned into anger and frustration. 'I just wanted to talk, get some info. What the heck is their problem!?' She looked up and caught the reflection of her altered appearance in a window. Could her new appearance and just some clothes truly change people's behaviour so much? 'It's not like I am trying to rob or steal something that isn't mine… gesh, why is the police stonewalling me… I did nothing.' She growled displeased. This had gone off the rails so fast. And the fact that she was alone without a team didn't sit well with her. Sure, if there had been more Witches the chances were higher that someone would have gotten caught or that she would have to secure their retreat. But on the other hand, that man falling would never have been such a close call. 'Marble could have hacked even from outside, shit, totally forgot… Dusk would easily have infiltrated that station without a hick-up and chaos. Even Misery… she could have put them all under or something… man, working alone is such a bother… what the heck am I doing? How am I supposed to get that jewellery back? I have no leads. And it's already late in the afternoon.' She sighed and looked into the crowd passing by on the busy street. It was a busy day, truly. 'Is that?' She spotted Dahlia in the crowd as well as Rise they were together with a boy. 'Is that Zenith court wear? Oh, right they have an escort mission today…' Somnia and Rose were with them as well and completed the escort team.
"I see her…" a police officer on patrol had spotted the Witch in question. He recognised the description. "Requesting back up, moving in." Suddenly several girls and some older boys scattered.
Blade was perplexed by the abrupt motion that came into the so-far peaceful street. Her gaze wandered and fixed on the officer, "Shit…"
"Hold it right there!" The officer screamed as he noticed he was made. Not that the young man was inconspicuous.
Out of the blue, a guy around the corner dashed into the crowd as if he had seen a ghost.
"What the?!" Blade already was ready to fly off again when she lost the guy in the crowd and a scream halted her. It was Rise.
"STAY BACK I'M WARNING YOU!" a hysteric voice echoed.
The policeman was as confused as Blade. A stampede broke lose. People screaming, shouting pointing. That guy held a phanto-knife to her classmate's throat. 'Rise!' Blade was shocked unsure what to do, she froze, she couldn't just rush him, she would be too slow.
The police officer glared at her, "Are you insanely enchanting someone to take a hostage!" He hissed as several bystanders rushed into the side alley and bumped into them. He had bigger problems now and rushed to the hostage situation.
"But I didn't…" Blade got knocked off her feet by the masses. It was pure chaos.
"I SAID STAY BACK!"
"Woah!?" the Zenith boy got dragged along as the other fairies froze in place. They completely lost their charge out of sight.
Dahlia stared wide-eyed at Rise, "Let her go! Fairy of stones!" She activated her Winx.
"STAY AWAY!" The guy escalated.
"You scoundrel!" Rose squeaked.
Somnia wanted to flare up some magic but the blade simply pressed harder on Rise's neck, "Tch. What now? How could you let yourself be captured?" She complained.
The Zenith official searched for his backpack as his life depended on it and nearly got his head trampled., "No, no, no, Lordy Calculus will have my head…" he mumbled. He was pale of worry.
Blade got pushed back against the wall as an endless horde of people stormed away from the chaos. She spotted the backpack. But there was no way through, 'Ahhh, if I only had stun spells!' She cursed as more people were falling or stumbling. She was out of her element here. "Stop and calm down!" She tried to calm the masses. But no one would listen to a Witch of course.
"That was your doing,"; "Fuck off,"; "Queen killers…"; "Good for nothings…" were some comments she reaped instead.
'Great…' She saw an opening and grabbed the bag and threw it upwards on the rooftop.
"NO!" the Zenith boy looked shocked at the redhead. "Thief!" He scrambled somehow to his feet.
Blade forced her way to him and clawed into his coat and pulled him upwards. And earned a slap into her face, which she ignored with a twitching eyebrow as she sat him down on the rooftop. "Chill…" She hissed at him. She watched the boy go straight for the backpack which was on the same roof.
"You're not getting the crystals!" He hissed.
"Crystals?" Blade tilted her head as she kneeled down to stay out of sight. "You mean like red crystals?" She spied down. Rise was still in a bind and the others had no way in.
"Wait…" The boy calmed down. "You're not after them. You didn't even know I had them!"
"SHHHHH! You want that dude to spot us up here. This is our one advantage. Shit, I could snipe shot him with my bow maybe… no… if I miss… if he notices…" Blade bit her lip.
The boy with the greenish blue hair bound together in a bun calmed down and sighed, "What a mess…But why would you try to help my Fairies? You're a Witch." He asked intrigued and eyed Blade closely.
"As if I needed a reason to help…" Blade rolled her eyes. 'Shit….'
"Calm down, please put the knife down," The officer tried to start a conversation.
"SO, YOU CAN BLAST ME!? I THINK NOT!"
"Hm," the boy commented, "Have we met before? What an idiot…" The boy glanced at her bracelet and stayed low as he set down next to her at the edge of the roof. "You don't have a stun spell by any chance, some Hex-Rune?"
"No… if I had," Blade was a bit annoyed. Although the boy was super polite to her.
The boy nodded "Right, already would have used it. What was that about sniping?"
"Nothing, too dangerous. Not without backup…" Blade shook her head. "Besides, I don't want to kill him…damn, that knife…"
"Backup?" He inspected her closer. "Amal, Zenith Court, and you are?" He asked intrigued as he clipped the straps of the backpack together.
Blade side-eyed him. He was genuinely nice. "Lucia…" She answered with her aunt's name as nothing better came to mind.
"Hm, nice to meet you, Lucia," Amal smiled at her. That was one fascinating girl.
"What's wrong with you?" Blade was staring at the scene below, but nothing came to mind. Still, his behaviour was weird. No one had been nice to her all day, besides the shop owners who wanted something from her in return.
Amal had pressed a button on his gauntlets and it blinked up red, "Is being nice a crime?" He smirked.
"No…" Blade hissed tensely. 'How do I help them?' She noticed the blinking, "Call for backup?"
"Of course, we can't let the red crystals fall into the wrong hands. Magic Council will dispatch someone shortly," Amal grinned.
Blade sighed, "Smartass… no one is stealing them though. And don't you dare use me as a black sheep." She sounded like a true Witch without even trying.
Amal chuckled, "They don't know that and they won't know until the interviews." Concerned he looked to Rise. "I'm just not sure if they'll be in time, though. He's not calming down. You sure, there isn't anything you can do?"
Blade closed her eyes, "Not with him moving so much. If I shoot and miss…"
"Hmm…" Amal understood, "The Fairies are too obvious and in his field of vision." He looked around, searching.
"Got an idea?" Blade asked as she followed the moves of the police officer closely. "Mercyshot," She built her dark magic bow. She ducked away on the roof and created her bow for the worst case. She wasn't keen on shooting someone. But even less at the possibility that Rise would get her throat cut without her even trying.
Amal nodded to another rooftop, "There, another Witch? Maybe she has a stun spell."
"Eh," Blade squinted her eyes, "That's Dusk…"
"From Eventide? The Queen?" Amal tilted his head. "Oh, right, she's a Cloud Tower student as well."
"As well?" Blade was surprised at how much that young boy got from so little.
Amal waved at Dusk, signing her to come over, "Sure, a normal Witch would not risk getting into a feud with the police over this. Besides, your Cloud Tower badge…" he pointed at it. It was dangling out of her pocket.
"He, cheeky," Blade couldn't help but smirk, it was such a Zenith thing to analyse everything and plan ahead, searching for the best solution no matter how unlikely. Blade watched as Dusk disappeared on the other rooftop. "Ah… of course she'd run…"
Amal thought about it, "What if we do a distraction?"
"No, in the worst case he jumps the gun, well knife… and even if he's distracted… I'm a good shot but it's still a long way and a very small target. Unless I aim for the head," Blade elaborated quietly.
"Hmmm, what has he done anyways? To take a hostage…" Amal played with his fingernails trying to figure out a solution.
"No, clue. The officer was after me I think…" Blade mumbled she was so tense. She tried to control her breathing.
"After you?" Amal seemed a bit surprised. "Why?"
"None of your concern, right now," Blade dismissed the question.
Amal stared at her bluntly, "What did you do?" He seemed a bit surprised.
"Nothing… they weren't willing to talk like normal humans, so I got what I needed…" Blade shook her head there was no time for this. Even worse she had no idea why she was telling him of all people.
Amal seemed a bit saddened, "So another police Witch confrontation… these are getting more and more. Tension is at a high since Desertia… what a mess…"
"Since Desertia? But the Witches were clearly proven innocent," Blade bickered. The officer was trying to step forward as he talked.
"I SAID STAY BACK! BACK!" The guy pressed the knife against Rise's throat.
"Rise!" Dahlia flared up her magic, she was losing her cool.
"Shit…" Blade readied her bow.
Dusk appeared behind the two teens as she rose from a shadow puddle, "Put that thing away. You'll kill her."
"Dusk!" Blade pulled her down.
"Hey!" She squeaked quietly. "Hands off."
"Stop, bitching, both of you. We have to hurry. You, can you use a stun spell? Or restrain? We need that knife destroyed," Amal refocused the two Witches.
Dusk eyed him, "Pfff, I'm not here for them."
"Your Highness, this is not the time…" Amal addressed her anew. "Can you do anything?"
"Tch. Yes, I got shadows… but if I am too slow the glow worm dies," Dusk wasn't convinced.
"NO! I SAID NO! YOU NEED A LESSON DON'T YOU!" The guy poked ever so slightly into Rise's throat. She was frozen in fear unsure of what to do.
"All you need is more time? I'll get you that…we're doing a feint," Blade aimed as she created an arrow.
"But, hey!" Dusk was slightly panicking. "Ahhh, Shadow binds!"
"Run, man!" Blade called out to the guy below and shot her arrow at a bin and it shattered. Next to the policeman
"Shit!" The officer had jumped for cover.
The fairies were in disarray they had not expected an ambush.
The guy relaxed for just a second as he had found some new allies. And saw the shadow strings rush past him and at the fairies.
"Stone Volley!" Dahlia shot and defended herself without hesitation.
The guy smirked oh so sure of himself as out of the blue he was grappled by the shadow strings wrapping around his hand and pulling away his hand from the fairy's throat. And not a second after that a burning arrow shot the phanto-knife to pieces and evaporated.
"BLINDING LIGHT!" Rise used her chance and got away as she hurled the dude over her shoulder. They had learned that in combat class from Avalon. She spotted a red-haired witch next to their ward, "LET HIM GO!" She dashed towards them as she transformed.
"Yes!" Blade rejoiced together with Amal, but it was short-lived as all the attention shifted to their rooftop.
"Damn it, run!" Dusk saw the Council Guard on the other side of the street aiming some spells from their roof. She vanished into the shadows of some powerline and was gone.
"Oh, come on…" Blade dispersed her bow and ran jumping off the rooftop.
"Hey, wait!" Amal shouted after the two Witches but got overtaken Rise who was chasing Blade.
"Hold it right there!" Rise was at the ready to defend Amal, "Light beam!"
"No!" Amal watched as the red-haired Witch got hit and crashed into the next building.
"Fuck," Blade glared at Rise, 'Shit, that hurts…'
"What do you mean no?!" Rise was so confused another beam at the ready. "She's working with that dude. Didn't they try to-"
Amal shook his head, "She saved your life. It was a feint. I swear."
Blade got back up, there was no way to simply escape her beams in close quarters without creating a weapon. And that would take too much time. "Oh, for crying out loud, Witches aren't all evil. Trust me! I saved you. Give me some credit."
Rise glanced behind her the Council Guard would catch up any second now, they were detaining the guy at the moment as others rushed towards her. She lowered her arm, "I can't believe I'm doing this…fine, go." She shook her head, 'This is crazy! Am I really trusting...Blade that's all your fault…uurgh.' Rise felt a rush of magic as she gazed at the alleyway behind the witch. A tingling sensation as her powers grew and her Charmix appeared out of the blue.
"What the?!" Blade stared at Rise as she achieved her Charminx, 'Oh, come on! That was her fear to overcome trusting a Sorceress?! What a cheap skate' Blade was a bit lost for words, but she could hear the guards shouting. "Thanks," Blade smiled hastened and turned on her heels and ran like the wind.
Rise watched as the redhead vanished around the next corner. "Wow, amazing," she could feel that she was stronger now. "Never thought I would need to thank a W-Sorceress…"
"Where are the culprits?" The elven Guard asked concerned as he caught up and landed on the roof. But visibly relaxed as he saw the Council arrant boy all well and the bag still with him.
"That way…" Rise pointed in the opposite direction as the Sorceress had run. And earned a raised eyebrow from the guard. He wasn't buying it.
Amal held the guard back, "Please, forgive, they just tried to help."
The elf eyed him, "Hmm, fine. Ballsy for a Witch…" He commented. "The package is safe? All there?" he asked concerned.
"Yes," Amal nodded. "Let's get this to the headquarters… enough detours." He looked over his shoulder and smiled.
"Very well then," The elven Guard nodded in agreement and the group turned around as the guard took Amal under his arm and jumped from the rooftop with him to the main street.
Blade had run like the wind and didn't stop. It was such a great feeling of adrenalin rushing through her system. She came to hold as she noticed no one was pursuing her. "Way too close! Oh, man! Charmix! Can't believe it…" She smiled so brightly. Her bracelet was buzzing as the class chat was on a rampage of excitement. 'Congrats!' Blade tipped in. "Boy, I can never tell her that was me… she might lose her Charmix. Wait, can one lose their Charmix?! Ahhh." She ruffled through her golden Dreadlocks. She would have loved to write more with them, but it was getting late and she had not found a lead yet for her own mission. She needed to get off the streets and read all that info she had stolen. After thinking about it, she went to the big library. It would be big enough to hide in and still get some work done.
