A/N: Homina homina homina~ A triple slam! Three story updates on the same day! Now, sadly, the cost for this one it's only half as long as usual. The chapter I wanted to do was entirely too long and had to be cut in half. Technically, I still fulfilled my one Ranger scene per chapter, but this chapter's all build-up and foreshadowing. Enjoy!
Known Outerpol Roster
Basco (S)
Creepox (A)
Flurious (C)
Argus (C)
Tenaya 7 (C)
Moltor (C)
Blaze(?) and Roxy (D)
Crocodai (D)
Sapphiger (D)
Level 9: White Tiger
Flurious continued his trek into the captured campus, following his tracker the whole way. "Where are you, my crystalline beauty?… Ah ha! Got it!" Finally, his device confirmed he had arrived at his goal. "Saban Hall, Administration Building," the iceman read off the sign. "What a charming edifice. Now, to tear it up from the bedrock and find my prize!"
Just as he brought forth his ice staff and began walking to the building, the familiar sound of a rapidly approaching motorcycle set him on edge and forced him to dodge as the Croco-Cycle came speeding into the space he was just occupying. As the rampaging ride came to a halt, Crocodai snapped his fingers in a mocking way. "Missed. Hey, Flurious! If you wanted to go back to school, you need to make an appointment first! Also, maybe don't freeze the offices. Might get your loan revoked."
"Rider!" Flurious snarled stamping the butt of his staff to the ground. "Last time I trust those jackanapes to do anything of use!"
"Okay, man," Crocodai sighed as he shook his head. "I'm a pretty smart guy, but I don't have to use my entire vocabulary in every sentence. It's much shorter to just say 'moron.' Can you do small words- ah. I mean monosyllabic vernacular?"
For an ice-themed villain, Flurious seemed to get very steamed at Crocodai's 'suggestion.' "You wish for simple conversation, boy? Fine! You're here alone, and you're about to die!" As if the universe was waiting for an opening to prove him wrong, it was right at that moment when the ice dome shattered and covered the entire campus in a dusting of winter.
Flurious looked up at the destruction in shock… and right at the snarling leer of the Lightning Liger Zord. "Hey, Ice-hole!" Sapphiger called out as she stood proudly on her Zord's head. "I came to crush ice and chew bubble gum! And I'm all outta gum!"
Flurious' face twisted in anger and frustration. "This isn't over, Riders! Twice you have gotten over on me, and that is twice too many! Rest assured, the next I act, I will break you both!" Twisting on the spot, the villain vanished in a cloud of icy vapor.
"So that's how he does it…" Crocodai hummed as Sapphiger landed next to him. "And where were you? What took you so long?"
"Liger found a new toy!" Sapphiger shrugged. "Tossed it around 'til she broke it. Kinda nippy around here for summer, isn't it?"
Still sniffling in his helmet, Crocodai just looked at his sister. "Yeah, but it's getting warmer…"
The moment the dome broke open, so too did the frigid atmosphere; students and facility poured out of the makeshift shelters of their campus buildings and embraced the sunlight with vigor. Right outside the gym, Cranston walked a little bit ahead of Rocky, who was basking in the sun like most everyone was doing. "Wow, that was wild! Kind of reminded me of hiking up Everest but without the parka or guide. This happens a lot around here?"
"Sort of," Cranston muttered, his thoughts elsewhere. His distracted tone did not go unnoticed.
"Hey, you alright, uh… what was your name again?" Rocky scratched at his cheek, embarrassed that he either hadn't asked yet or had and forgot in all the excitement of summer frostbite.
"Professor Cran… Just call me Bill," Cranston took off his glasses and kneaded the bridge of his nose; internally, he thought, 'Putting the past 30 minutes aside, I need to check on the Command Center and the Prism. Double-check all the dampeners, and make sure it's all masked properly. If it is, then at least I know the enemy wasn't after me… otherwise-'
"So, Billy!" Rocky's casual address startled Cranston into looking over at him. "I know it's been hectic, but about earlier… me running into you, and breaking the tablet-"
"I-it's fine!" Cranston winced at how forceful that had sounded so he cleared his throat and tried again. "I mean… thank you, but I'm alright. Right now, the facility needs to focus on making sure the students are safe. The last time something like this happened on campus, a fair 5-7% of students were pulled out or just left. They'll want us to run damage control, probably convince most students to not jump ship just yet…"
"No, I get ya," Rocky nodded as he caught up to him. "If this happens a lot around here, you guys probably have procedures to follow in all. Welp, guess it'll have to be a rain check!" Rocky patted the distracted man's shoulder and handed him… his own phone! "Dropped this in the gym. Lost mine in there, too. Must be designed to do that…"
Cranston was only half paying attention as he looked at the phone screen… and saw an unfamiliar number on it? "Is this… your number? How did you, er, unlock it?" What the otherworldly man didn't say was that all his devices were heavily encrypted to avoid counter-espionage. Thumbprint, retina scan, body temperature, voice recognition – this phone should be able to be unlocked by-
"Oh, well, I just opened the keypad and since it went from cold to hot so quickly or something, I saw some thumbprints show up on the screen," Rocky grinned. "Just like hiking Everest, actually! Except, you should talk to your phone carrier. I think it's supposed to be more than two tries before it locks down."
'That was by design,' Cranston doesn't say as he gaped at this stranger wearing a familiar face. 'With minimal effort, he blew through my crafted defenses!?' Finally, focusing back on the new (and only) number on his contacts, he asked, "I don't understand. Why did you do all of this? What exactly-"
"Just because," Rocky's answer caused Cranston's head to snap toward him, a knowing expression on his face before it was hidden under his usual mirth. "Because I owe you for the tablet! And Rocky DeSantos doesn't owe! He repays! But… if you're supposed to be rounding up a story to stop dropouts…" Rocky's face took on a thoughtful appearance, "I bet Tommy and Jase are doing the same! Better see them before I go!" As he took off, he added, "Don't worry, I got your number, too! Better shoot me a text later! Next time I'm in town, drinks are on me!"
Cranston watched as the energetic traveler barreled away, conflict in his expression. "…I forgot how unpredictable you were," he said to himself. "No matter the dimension, you always-!" Catching himself, the veteran shook off the feeling and glanced back at the phone. For a minute, his finger hovered over the delete button… but as a slew of messages flooded his phone – students asking if classes were canceled, facility calling in meetings to handle the fallout – Cranston pocketed his phone and fell into his role, burying the small moment of understanding he just experienced. However, as he began walking to Saban Hall, he noticed out of the corner of his eye, a very large, armored monkey sprinting on all fours around a building...
"Yes, we're alright… The twins just called me, and said they were off-campus, playing soccer… Kim, it's alright, but I have meetings to go to. Alright, bye. Love you." Oliver put away his phone, turning to Jason and Rocky who were standing near Rocky's new hot rod red convertible. "Sorry about all this, man. As you can see, these days are pretty busy."
"Yeah, it's crazy!" Rocky agreed as he leaned on his ride. "Ice domes, monsters, giant robots… it's like those Saturday Morning shows we saw as kids!"
"You mean you saw," Jason smirked. "Saturday Mornings, I was running laps at Angel Grove High."
"And I was at Karate, working on my Green Belt," Oliver pointed out.
Rocky snorted at the humble boasts. "Please! Like you ran every morning, Jason! And I've seen you fight, Tommy. You were working on your Yellow Belt."
Oliver grinned even as he took a ready position. "Wanna say that again, Rocky?"
"Knock it off, the two of you!" Jason lightly scolded, even as he laughed. "We're too old to be acting like we're teenagers, fighting in the school yard."
"Yeah, guess you've got a point," Rocky agreed. "Then we'll settle it in the ring!"
"The ring?" Oliver blinked. "What, you want an official match?"
"Not between us. Student versus student. Mine against yours."
Jason gave his old friend a skeptical look. "You, Rocky, actually took time to train and be a mentor? As in, an actual teacher?"
"Yeah, it's been keeping me busy," Rocky shrugged. "So busy that I couldn't get away until today. Thankfully, we were in the area, so I could afford to drop by."
"In the area?"
"Next county over, my kids wiped the floor with the MA team there."
As Rocky got into his car, the gears in Jason's head began to grind together. "Wait… but in the paper… Pine Ridge State was just beaten by…"
"Yeah, you might have heard about Stone Canyon's latest match," Rocky said casually, popping in some gum as he took in the pair's shocked expressions. "Next time we see each other, I hope your students give it their all. Wouldn't be a victory for anybody if it's half-assed." With an almost shark-like grin, Rocky pulled off, leaving Oliver and Jason to pick up their dropped jaws.
On a rooftop overlooking the local authorities as they took statements and doled out relief, Basco watched the scene with mild interest. When he heard a door open and close behind him, his smile grew as he turned to greet the visitor. "Ah, Jack and Jill~ Let me congratulate…"
"Sorry, I don't believe we've met," Cranston cut off the man, Sally dutifully hopping over to Basco's side. "I work with the Riders, though, and I would like to speak to you."
Basco looked the man over in disinterest, hands behind his back. "Sorry, Gramps. You must have the wrong roof. Shoo, shoo! You could break something, falling off a building this high."
To Basco's well-hidden surprise, Cranston laughed lightly at his dismissal. "Is that how you do things? Belittle with the vaguest threat? Not bad, but I have seen scarier…"
Basco frowned a little, but quickly fixed his face to mild amusement. "I'm sorry, Gramps. Who were you, again?"
"Not to be pedantic, but it's who am I."
"Not in this case." Basco snapped his fingers, and Sally sprang into motion, leaping at Cranston. To both Basco and Sally's shock, the man dodged the attack, striking Sally in the neck with a single finger, somehow freezing her on the spot.
"Simarian, if I recall. Different universes, different rules of physics and biology aside, I should be approximately where a pressure point is located." Cranston intoned as he moved his finger, sending Sally into a small spasm, but she otherwise kept completely still as the veteran addressed Basco. "Just like you, actually. While this isn't the world I've come to know, I do know when I'm facing a monster pretending to be above carnage and bloodshed. I've fought those creatures. I've outlived them. And today, I received a grim reminder of what that world is like. Of people being attacked and placed in a situation that they had no idea they would live through. I was told you had the knowledge that could have prevented this from happening at all. I'm here to ask why."
Basco studied the man with new eyes; his stance, his skill, and his very presence spoke of far more wisdom and skill than the criminal had expected. Sally was no slouch, but against certain A-level enemies and most everyone B-level and up, she would have been stomped in 10 seconds flat (7 seconds to laugh at the audacity to attack them, and 3 for the actual stomping). Fingering his hidden pistol, Basco wondered how to handle this unforeseen event-
"Professor/Doc?" two new voices called out, as Jackson and Jill came through the roof access. Taking the distraction, Sally pulled away from Cranston, limp-running over to Basco to hide behind him. Taking in the tense atmosphere, Jackson asked, "What's… going on here?"
Neither of the roof's previous three occupants speak for a minute… until Basco, hand now off the pistol, smiled and spread out his arms in a welcoming manner. "Jack and Jill! So good to see you! I see my tip helped you stomp out the cold!"
"Technically, all your tip did was tell us something was gonna happen," Jill pointed out. "Since we still won, we'll ignore you suck at information gathering and leave it there."
"Not exactly," Jackson said. "Flurious seemed interested in attacking AGU specifically. If you know something, I'd like to ask for that explanation."
Basco tapped his chin in thought. "Ah~ So, his focus is squarely on your institution? Well, that is good information! I suppose that satisfies our deal." Smiling at the group, he said, "I have no idea why he's so interested in whatever's here, but I can tell you that Flurious, and his brother Moltor, have a habit of seeking powerful artifacts. If he believes something of value is hidden on this planet… he won't stop until he gets what he wants." Basco looked at all of their faces as if to gauge their reactions before teleporting on the spot and vanishing.
Jill broke the silence first. "So, there's a secret in-!"
Cranston quickly hushed her, before looking around. "Not here." He then led the twins not to the Admin Building, but to the garage exit for the Command Center… which had the unfortunate measure of being built on the other side of campus to shake off followers. Once they were finally back in their base, Cranston spoke up. "Okay, before we jump to conclusions-"
"It's hardly a conclusion when it's the most obvious," Jackson pointed out. "Flurious invaded, cut the campus off from the world, then tracked an energy source right to Saban. It's not a jump, Professor, it's a straight line."
"You think Frosty's after the ninja star?" Jill asked.
"Nexus Prism," Cranston corrected, "and I'm not so sure. Jackson, you said he tracked an energy signature here? It's not possible that he could have tracked the Prism. I've covered all manner of tracking it, even what little I know of the arcane to mask it from sorcerers."
"But what else could it be?" Jackson pointed out.
"Well…" Cranston wiped his glasses as he thought before putting them back on. "There are two conclusions: Flurious found a way to break my shielding-"
"I don't know if he's that smart," Jill pointed out. "According to what's-her name, someone else made that walking snowblower from today."
"Which leads me to the other option: Flurious was tracking something else…"
"Something else?" Jackson blinked as he thought about it. "He doesn't seem to care about Morph-X. What else could he possibly want from Saban Hall?"
In the same building but a few doors away from Cranston's own office, Dr. Oliver unlocked his office door and entered the room. Glancing around cautiously, he scanned for any sign of his careful order (read: mess) knocked out of place. "Okay… coast is clear. No one's been in here." Satisfied, he swiftly made his way over to his small, unassuming bookcase. This piece of furniture did take up one wall, but every novel or knick-knack was meant to make people lose interest in that side of the room. The less they focused on it, the better, as was Oliver's intentions.
As he walked to stand in front of it, he lifted the top of a bust of Howard Carter. Underneath, hidden in the neck, a scanner popped out and swept a laser over Oliver's face vertically and horizontally. "Profile recognized," intoned the scanner bust, before a microphone extended out of it.
Oliver spoke aloud the password the device sought, then stepped back as the bookcase separated and swung outwards. A glow of unearthly nature graced Oliver's eyes, yet despite its overwhelming brightness, Oliver was unfazed by the shine. "It's still here… good." Oliver sighed in relief before a stray thought invaded his thoughts. An eerie whistling echoed through his head, carrying the cold memory of fear and terror as he had laid there, listening as the footsteps got closer…
Swallowing, the older man took in a deep breath to steady his nerves and closed the hidden door. "And as long as I breathe, that thing will never find it!"
As life in Angel Grove had become, the events of Flurious' assault on the university began to fade into the background and made way for the mundane and usual. Days passed swiftly until it bled into the next meet for the AGU MA Team. There were several matches in the bout against Oakdale College, but the only one the Oliver Family (as well as Ronny, Flynn, and Dillon) was focused on was Jill's match.
As said teen stood on the mat opposite her opponent, she gave her a quick once-over. She was fit, about the same body type as her own, with long hair tied in a bun. While the Hispanic girl looked like she was in good shape, she held herself as a novice; her wrists were at a slant, and the few strikes she sent out were just short of over-extension. Honestly, at her level, she should have been fighting Mack.
Choosing to ignore that, she proceeded with the match; despite not having a decent strike, Jill's adversary was very quick on her feet. Jill's punches were dodged with a lot of space between her foot and the other's torso. The fact this match had not ended in the first minute like she was aiming for annoyed Jill, and had it been her first match she might have tried going all out to end it quickly. But that was one match and Robo-Wench fight ago, and she knew better now.
So, when the Oakdale fighter overshot her attack again, rather than go for the flashy finish, Jill grabbed the extended arm, swept the leg, and brought her down to the mat. The crowd erupted with applause at the match point, the Olivers and friends the loudest supporters. Jill got up and wiped the sweat off her brow, before offering a hand to her downed opponent. The rookie was taken back at first before Jill shot her a bright smile; matching it, she accepted the help up.
"And the Winner!"
"Winner… winner…"
"The next White Tiger!"
"Tiger… Tiger…"
"Jilllllll Oliver!"
"Knock it off, you two," Jill shoved Flynn into Ronny, earning a snort from both as the group walked out of the gym. "It was a team victory."
"No need to be modest, Jill" Kim chided. "You did a fantastic job. We're just proud of you."
"Kim's right," Oliver said, arm wrapped around his wife's shoulders. "Keep it up and you'll almost be at my level."
"Hey!" Jill barked as some of the group giggled at her expense.
"Now, who's in the mood for pizza in the face of victory?" Oliver asked. Both twins' hands shot up in response.
Dillon, walking toward the back of the group, scratched idly at his ear. "Well, if that's the case, we'd better head out and leave you and family to it-"
"Like hell!" Jill grabbed Dillon's arm and dragged him to the front, once more surprising him with her strength. "I refuse to celebrate my victory without my friends! Besides, Uncle's paying, so it'll be fine."
"What?" Dillon, trying to ignore Jill's proximity, looked away. "No thanks. Besides, Flynn… needed help with homework, and-"
"Nonsense!" Flynn said. "Nobody turns down free pizza! Plus, when have I ever needed help with that?"
Dillon shot him a look that said help me out, man. Flynn shot a cool gaze back that said pull your own arm out of that trap. The large teen frowned but, notable to most, did not pull away from Jill dragging him along.
Lamenting the sudden attack on his pizza budget, Oliver's attention was drawn to his pocket as his phone alarm rang. Suddenly very nervous, he stepped away and checked his phone. "Hm? Tommy, what's wrong?" Kim barely walked over to him when he hastily pocketed his phone.
"Oh, that? That was… an email from a student, asking about last week's notes," Oliver answered, his glance aimed across campus toward Saban Hall. "I, uh, better handle this now. We do have an exam in a few days, and I wouldn't want a student to be underprepared."
"Tommy-"
"It'll be quick," Oliver gave Kim a quick peck on the cheek. "Promise. Order ahead for me, because I will be there." Before anything else was said, Oliver quickly began walking toward the admin building, a look of fear and dread etched on his face. Pulling his phone out again, he checked the proximity alert on his phone, almost hoping it would change to a false alarm. 'It's fine. It's fine. Maybe it's just a student? I mean, who else could be in my office at this time?'
"Come on, where is it?" Ryan frowned as he looked around the office, goggles firmly over his eyes. What may have looked to most to be a bold fashion accessory was scanning and x-raying every inch of the office. "He must have the Gemstone close by, so why can I not find it!?" Ryan cocked his head to the side as if he heard someone talking. "No, you do not need to help! I've got-! Wait…" Tapping the eyewear, he focused his gaze on the bookshelf. The visual on the goggles switched from tracking alien energies to latent heat signatures. Using the new setting, he noticed fingerprints trailing over the bust. "Interesting…"
"What are you doing in here?" Startled, Ryan turned around suddenly, taking his goggles off in the same movement.
Smiling in his usual charming mask, he waved at his newest interruption. "Why, Kendall! Fancy meeting you here!"
Standing in Dr. Oliver's office, Kendall glared at Ryan with her arms crossed. "That's miss Morgan to you."
"Why so formal?" Ryan smiled affably. "Are we not peers at this fine institution of higher education?"
"I am," Kendall snorted. "I'm not sure what you are, but you should not be here, in Mr. Oliver's office!" Kendall's expression shifted, as she began to smirk triumphantly. "Once I mention this weird stalkerish behavior to the higher-ups, you can kiss Angel Grove University goodbye."
"I… see," Ryan looked down, looking ashamed. "I don't suppose I could explain my actions before you do this?" Behind his back, Ryan's hands began charging with energy, crackling with electricity.
"Try it!" Kendall snapped as she turned away from him, and headed for the door. "I'd be shocked if there was anything you could do to stop me!"
"Poor choice of words," Ryan's voice dipped into a raspy baritone, a stark difference from its usual light alto. He raised his arm-
Just then, the door opened, surprising both of the room's occupants. Ryan quickly reabsorbed the building blast, grimacing behind his mask as the backlash caused a spasm in his arm. By the time the door opened completely, Dr. Oliver only saw two surprised intruders and nothing else. "What are you two doing in here!?"
Kendall's tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth; the anger present on the archaeologist's face was something she had never seen before – not even when one of his former TAs had been selling his test answers and got expelled. "I… I…"
"The fault is mine!" Ryan spoke up, gaining the attention of the room. "I… admit, I had heard you had a one-of-a-kind signed copy of Digging Up A Legacy by its author. I was compelled to come to your office. Kendall found me, perusing your dust-free shelves, and had convinced me that to intrude on such a personal area was not a great idea. Right, Miss Morgan?"
Kendall looked over at him, his bald-faced lie enough to loosen her tongue. However, before she could say her piece, Oliver spoke again, suspicion evident in his gaze. "The door was locked. How did you get in?"
"It was?" Ryan feigned ignorance. "I opened and entered just fine. Wasn't locked when I arrived."
Oliver's accusatory look scanned over both teens for a minute. "...my office is off-limits. I sent an e-mail that if anybody needs something, I'm available after or before class."
"I know!" Kendall blurted out. "That's why-"
"Why she was so adamant I not loiter in your office," Ryan cut in. "I… must have missed the e-mail. Don't use it a lot, your see."
"That's not-!"
"Enough!" Oliver snapped. "Both of you, out! Now!" Efficiently cowed, both teens stepped outside, with Dr. Oliver following and locking the door. Just for good measure, he double-checked, then turned to address his TAs. Taking some breaths to calm his expression, he finally said, "Ryan, my office is unavailable if the door is closed. Even if it's unlocked, you are to never go inside when the door is shut. Clear?" When the young man nodded, Oliver turned to Kendall. "Kendall, you should know better. If there is someone in my office, don't go in and engage them! Call campus security and stay away for your safety. If Ryan had been somebody else, you could have gotten hurt!"
Kendall had the decency to look ashamed, eyes looking back up at one of her idols (right behind Professor Cranston) but mute at her being told off. Massaging his temple, Oliver stated, "Considering you might not have known the new protocol because changing it like this is very unexpected, I'm willing to let this slide and not report this. There are... strict responses to students that are seen breaking any rules or laws on-campus. I don't want to see such bright futures wasted by something that could have been avoided. So, e-mail or call before you come near my office again, okay?"
After their brief agreement to his leniency, the older man dismissed them. As they exited Saban Hall, Ryan dropped his 'punished student' act, turned to Kendall and smiled. "And… you're welcome for pulling us both out of the fire."
Kendall gave him an incredulous glare. "What?"
"Had it not been for me taking the blame, you would have blurted out something unfounded and dragged us both through the mud until any shred of what you uttered could be proven," Ryan shrugged. "Which, I suppose, it wouldn't. As I said, I was in Dr. Oliver's office for a book. Had you proposed your 'idea' of what was going on, I highly doubt anybody will find anything of me anywhere on Earth."
Kendall blinked as Ryan pasted an innocent, unassuming smile on his face. "Are… are you implying I owe you one?"
"Great! We're in agreement!" Ryan clapped. "So, I hope we can put this whole manner between us to bed, Kendall. After all… all you're doing is stalking a perfectly innocent student whose only problem is can be over-enthusiastic about things. Deal?" Smiling warmly, the mysterious boy extended his hand.
Kendall responded by reaching out… and slapping it away. "As my incredibly annoying roommate might say 'Take your deal and shove it!'"
Ryan frowned at the slap, holding his hand behind his back. "I… don't know who that is."
"And I don't know who you are, thinking you can charm everyone, but blackmail and threaten me!" Kendall stomped past him. "Whatever it is you're doing, I'm gonna find out! And if puts anybody in danger, I will relish calling the police on you! Heck, maybe I'll call The Silver Guardians – just to see you squirm!"
As she left the area, Ryan walked to a secluded walkway before his mask fell. Grimacing in pain, he grabbed his arm – the same one that absorbed the energy blast and that Kendall smacked. "Chaos, that freakin' hurts!"
"Should have done it my way…" Ryan grumbled. "Oh, shut up!" he snapped at himself as he walked off to get some rest.
In a parallel dimension, under a grim and gray sky, stood a foreboding mountain. Carved right into the mountain was a temple, humming with activity. Like ants in a hive, creatures known as Rinshi ran throughout the hollow base, either training or heading to their next raiding mission. For them, it was just another day at the Anti-Beast Temple. In the throne room, massive doors swung outward to allow a single-person entrance. She approached the throne, bowing her head in respect to the man who sat on it. "Greetings, my King. You summoned me?"
"That I did, Camille." The man got up from his chair, taking a few steps down from the dais. "Do you know why?"
Camille swallowed nervously but did not look up from the floor. As he got closer to her, she bit out, "I-I'm not sure… is there something wrong?"
The daunting footfalls stopped in front of her, giving her ample time to look down at her master's boots. Silence hung in the air for a moment, until Camille watched as the boots walked past her. With a snap of the domineering man's fingers, a holographic screen appeared between the two pillars on the right side of the room. What played was a recording of the Rangers' fight with Buffalord from weeks ago. Camille's head raised just enough to watch as Buffalord fell to Sapphiger's attack.
As the footage went on to show the battle of the monster against the Zords, the tall man addressed Camille, her head dipping down in reflex. "Why was I not told of Buffalord's defeat? This is disgraceful, Camille. We can not spread fear in His Name if we are being taken out by children." Despite his voice never raising, the quiet growl in every word set the small hairs on Camille's neck standing. "Also… this one." The video rewound to the point of Sapphiger right after the final clash between her and Buffalord. "She shows… promise. And since we find ourselves with a vacancy…"
Camille glanced at the video, frowning at the obviously female warrior the male figure had indicated. "...Of course, my liege. I'll send out the Rinshi to-"
"This one had far too much spirit to be regulated to fight initiates," the broad-shouldered boss rebuffed as he made the short journey back to the throne. "Take one of the graduates. And I expect results, Camille. Do not come back without something to show for it."
"By your order, Yamion." With a quick bow, the young woman walked out of the room at a fair pace, leaving her master to watch the video in silence.
A/N: For anyone keeping score, that's three villain factions in a single chapter with only half the content! Not to brag, but I feel pretty good right now. Don't forget to leave a comment with your thoughts, 'cause I thrive on critique. Peace out!
