Wildfire's Bargain
By Mardrena
Faculty members gathered around the table wishing a fond farewell to the retiring elderly dean. Mia wore her formal gown but did not have Ryo in her company this time. All well and good since he would've been bored out of his skull with all the hemming and hawing the dean did. She couldn't help but feel a pang of regret, but old age had crept up on the dean faster than anyone anticipated. Everyone appreciated his leadership and kindness, guiding the faculty through the years rebuilding after the destruction of the original complex. The dean had personally comforted Mia after the loss of her Grandfather and staunchly supported her when she bravely presented herself before the U.N. council. She had to maintain her composure, fighting back tears. He was just retiring after all, he wasn't dying. He'd get to enjoy his twilight years golfing or yachting or whatever wealthy old men did to pass the time, and yet Mia felt sad as if she were losing an elderly relative.
"Now now, everyone! Don't be strangers! I'm just a phone call away if anyone needs a sympathetic ear," the dean beamed and surveyed the tabletop crowded with gifts and a farewell cake. "Now, let's see who this one is from..." the dean picked up a gaily wrapped box. "Ah! Mia! Why thank you!"
"Actually, it's from all of us!" Mia made a face when she heard a woman pipe up and glanced to the side, spotting the same snotty-faced woman with the narrow face that had trash-talked Ryo in full earshot of him the last time they attended a faculty event together. Mia scowled and narrowed her eyes.
"...No...it's from me." The snotty woman glanced at Mia dismissively and waved her hand.
"What she means is it's a gesture of how grateful we are for you."
"The gift is from me," Mia stated firmly, drawing awkward glances from her colleagues and the dean. "I paid for it, I wrapped it, I brought it here. If you wanted to 'thank' him, you would've bought him something yourself instead of trying to mooch credit off of everyone else." Mia kept her voice even but she couldn't deny how angry she felt. The snotty woman said nothing else and sniffed, averting her gaze. The dean chuckled merrily to ease the tension and opened the gift, praising Mia for her generosity. The night proceeded without any further incident as the dean opened each of his gifts, but Mia and the woman occasionally traded glares. Mia had faced down Dynasty goons and demon cats before, but remembering how the woman had insulted Ryo behind his back still made her blood boil.
An hour later, the new dean arrived and everyone in attendance listened to his lofty speech about what an honor it was to be appointed dean of studies and how he had big shoes to fill from the retiring dean. They apparently knew each other from back in the day and were yachting buddies, though the new dean looked a good twenty years younger and much taller. The old dean said his farewells for the evening and after exchanging hugs and handshakes with faculty, departed the ground with a car full of presents. The party continued a while longer as the new dean greeted each staff member personally. Mia didn't go out of her way to introduce herself right away, not wanting to come off as attention-seeking. She looked at the thin watch on her wrist, wanting to return home soon to put Ryu to sleep.
"Ah, there you are! I almost couldn't find you in this crowd!" Mia glanced up, startled when she saw the new dean approach. "So, you must be Professor Koji's granddaughter! I've heard so much about you. It's hard to believe you were just a little girl not too long ago, and look at you now. A striking, rather gorgeous woman!" Mia blinked, slightly caught off guard by the comment, and blushed. "Come now, we're both adults here! You know, I'm glad I got the chance to meet everyone personally, but I think we could get to know each other better one-on-one. Say, how about after everything winds down, you can come over to my apartment and we can spend some quality time together?"
Mia's mind froze, not sure if she heard what she thought she heard. It came so out of left field she had to spend several moments processing the remark. "Um...I...I beg your pardon?"
"I've got a well-stocked wine cooler, but I promise you I won't let things get too far out of hand..."
"...Sir...I'm...married..." Mia replied, her face wrinkling in an awkward grimace.
"Heh, when did that stop anyone? Come on, you'll be back home before anyone thinks otherwise..." Mia glanced around, hoping one of the other ladies could extricate her from this conundrum, but everyone else stood far away either enjoying refreshments or chatting with one another. No one so much as looked her way. Mia fidgeted and fingered her watch.
"I...I have a son I need to get home to...if you'll excuse me," she managed and moved to leave.
"Are you so high-and-mighty that you think you can just brush me off like that?" the new dean hissed and slapped the wall with a palm, his arm blocking Mia's exit. He leaned close, his eyes full of sinister desire and his teeth bared. "So the granddaughter of the late, great Professor Koji thinks she's too good for a crusty old fart like me, eh? You listen to me: my predecessor may have doted on you over the years, even when you made an ass of yourself infront of the entire world, ranting about 'mystical armors', but don't expect me to overlook such infractions!
"That building they named after the old coot...that was an honor bestowed as a courtesy to his memory...but I can think of a dozen donors who would love to have a building named after themselves, and pay out the nose for the privilege. Now, if you don't want me to strip your grandfather's name off the facade, I suggest you think long and hard about my proposal, and choose wisely...for both our sakes," the new dean snarled into Mia's ear. Then he pulled away and appeared like a totally different person, all smiles and cheer.
"I look forward to working with you in the future," he said and raised his wine glass before turning and striding over to the table. Mia remained standing there, wide-eyed with cold shock.
"Already schmoozing it up with the new dean, I see. Typical. That meek and mild act of hers gets grown men eating out of the palm of her hand..." Mia glanced out the corner of her eye when she heard the snotty woman comment out loud as if she didn't think Mia could clearly hear her. On the surface, Mia appeared perfectly calm, but deep down a fire hotter than magma boiled within. Her fingers tightened around her glass and she ground her teeth before composing herself and inhaling deeply. She set the glass down on a nearby table and said goodnight to her colleagues, stating she had her son to see to, and headed for the exit, ignoring the scheming glare of the new dean.
Something unseen observed Mia from the ventilation grate in the ceiling. It saw how she looked cheerful and calm to her colleagues as she took her leave. The second she headed into the hall and strode towards the exit, however, her face contorted with anger...
Faculty staff and university students gathered in the auditorium to listen to the new dean's long-winded introductory speech. She made sure to sit furthest away from him on stage as possible but could sense him glancing at her periodically. As soon as the event ended she left swiftly to her office. She hadn't told Ryo anything about what happened, and he thought nothing of it when she arrived home a few minutes later than expected. He'd had the consideration to put Ryu to bed himself and Mia had returned home to find their son sleeping soundly with Whiteblaze keeping vigil beside his new bed.
He knew better than to question the goings on of university life and trusted her completely, but Mia didn't see fit to bother him with this issue. He had other, bigger things to worry about than lecherous deans. She'd handle things in a calm and professional manner. If things got out of hand, she'd simply file a formal complaint and open an investigation. She still had friends in the community who she could rely upon, both individuals she knew personally and friends of her departed grandfather.
"Hey...Miss Koji?" Mia glanced up, jolted out of her train of thought by the rap on the doorframe. She spotted one of her students, a young man who had very quickly garnered a reputation as a spoiled slack, coming from a family with lots of money and little discipline. Mia furrowed her brow.
"That's Professor Koji, if you don't mind. This is a professional environment. You would do well to keep that in mind," Mia muttered and set to organizing things on her desk.
"Sorry, my bad. Um, so...quarterly exams are coming up and I was wondering if you could cut me some slack in the scoring? Dad's putting on me to reach the top percentage and a new car hangs in the balance," the student drawled as he sauntered over to Mia's desk.
"This is a university, not a charity. If you want to make top marks, you need to apply yourself appropriately. The business world is no place for indolence. I'm not known for playing favorites, and I'm not about to start now. If you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to," Mia scowled and rolled her eyes before turning her attention to assignments. She kept her eyes on the desk so much she didn't see the student hook his thumbs in his pockets and work his jaw from side to side.
"...I don't think you heard me right, 'Miss' Koji. My father has very deep pockets and is a very influential donor. I don't want to upset him by scoring poorly, and I don't think you'd want to either..."
"The real world isn't going to care about how much money you think you can throw around, only if you are qualified to do the job you're assigned. Now if you'll excuse me, 'young man'..." Mia shrugged off the implied threat. She had to remain steadfast and keep her cool to deal with entitled punks like him. She refused to so much as spare him a glance.
"YOU LISTEN TO ME, BITCH!" Mia jumped in her seat when the student lunged forward and slammed his palms against the desktop. "Don't think you can cross me or my father and get away with it! All it'll take is one phone call and I can have you thrown out on your fat ass before you know it! And if you think the upper crust is going to protect you, think again. I've got lots of friends among the student body, and all I need to do is give the word and we'll pay you a visit off-hours! I know you're married and got a kid...I'd hate your dear hubby to find out something happened to his precious wife!" the student snarled, completely oblivious to the fact that Mia's "hubby" happened to be the leader of the Ronin Warriors. The student's eyes bulged in his sockets and his knuckles turned white, indicating he fully intended to make good on his threat. "I suggest you 'reconsider' your position, 'Professor' Koji!"
The student leaned away from the table, composing himself and appearing all smiles. "I'll see you after exams next week, 'Professor' Koji," and with that, the student sauntered out of the office confidently. Mia sat in her chair in stunned silence. Her fingers twitched, the nails drawing across the surface. She slowly rose out of her chair and braced her palms against the desktop.
Mia stared ahead into space, face twisted in fury. Everything came boiling to the surface suddenly: the snotty woman, the vulgar dean, this...this little entitled punk... Anger. Mia clenched her fists, unable to simply brush away her feelings like she had in the past. She clenched her fists and tensed her shoulders. Her lips peeled back over her teeth and her breath shuddered in her lungs. Her green eyes glittered with simmering rage as her mind lost all composure.
Behind her, a ventilation shaft in the wall seemed to start leaking faint reddish fog. Mia kept her gaze ahead, not noticing how the fog grew dense and rolled out onto the floor, creeping towards her. Anger filled her mind so much, she didn't see the fog reaching towards her face from behind, seeming to caress her cheeks like fingers.
The new dean opened the door to his apartment, garbed in a loose-fitting silk robe. "Ahh! I see you've come to your senses! Well, this is a pleasant surprise! Come on in!" he greeted and stepped aside, shutting the door behind his visitor. "If you'll just give me a moment, I can bring out a bottle of my finest to get the night started-oh? Oh ho! You're awfully impatient! You-you want to get started right now? Here? Upstairs would be better. The bed is is much more comfortable-Oh! Feeling a bit frisky tonight are we? My goodness...you're... quite...aggressive... Owch! I think you scratched my back... Wait...what...what are you-wait-what? Your-what the-? What are you-no...no! What-what is going-no, NO! NOOO! AAHHHHGH! AAAAAGH!"
Being on such a high floor so late at night, no one in the neighboring apartment units bothered to react or respond to the wails of panic interspersed with growling snarls and piercing inhuman shrieks.
"Did you hear? Some maniac attacked the new dean! In his own apartment no less! Broke into the place and left him with third-degree burns all over his body!" one of the faculty ladies whispered.
"You know what I heard? It wasn't a break-in! Apparently he knew the person, but doctors say he's in no condition to speak. He might never fully recover! The old dean's been called in from retirement to serve as interim until another dean can be appointed!"
"You figure it was a jealous ex of his after all his money? You know what they say, Hell has no fury and all that?" the ladies gossiped between themselves in the lounge. Mia had said nothing to contribute to the morning's hubbub and focused on fixing herself a mug of hot tea.
"Mia! Isn't this terrible news! To happen so soon after joining the university?"
"Hmm? Oh...yes...terrible news..." Mia muttered absently, her gaze distant.
"Poor thing...she's speechless. She and the new dean had only just recently met..." The ladies chatted amongst themselves so much they failed to notice how Mia gulped down the still-steaming mug of hot tea without any adverse effect. Nor did they notice how the corner of Mia's mouth turned up slightly.
Such an insufferable pig...who knows how many women he's duped with such filthy tactics... Men like him get away with it through fear. Women are always too afraid to come forward...too meek, too timid, too worried about his 'power'...years pass and the regret eats at them, but they never speak up, and the cycle continues. Now...the cycle is broken...and he'll never target another woman again...
Students crowded around the bulletin boards and the latest postings for quarterly exams. The arrogant student searched for his name at the top of the list and scanned to no avail. Then his gaze roved lower and lower until he found himself at the very bottom. He growled angrily and clenched his fist, catching mocking laughter from some young women behind him. They quickly averted their gazes when he glanced at them furiously. He stormed away from the crowd and found his cohorts gathered near a display case. "That bitch Koji screwed me over for the last time! She's hosting late courses tonight. Once she's finished and everyone's gone, we'll corner her and make her pay. No one will be around to see us, and even if they are, my dad's money will make everything go away real easy." The student's goons nodded in agreement and they eyed Mia as she walked down the hall on the opposite side, not noticing the distant, detached look in her eyes...
Students departed the building for the evening and most of the faculty soon followed. One of Mia's colleagues said goodnight before leaving the office and Mia remained alone on the floor. She had a few things to pick up before she could head on home. She looked up sharply when she heard a rap on the door frame and saw the arrogant student from the other day. "Hey there Miss Koji...you're pretty brave, staying here so late..." he purred and sauntered into the office. Mia rose out of her seat but paused when several more students filed in behind him. "I don't think I made it clear to you the last time, but it seems you need a lesson in how to respect your betters."
"Really now? I think I'm well versed on the subject, far better than a slack like you," Mia replied stiffly. The student's cohorts chortled and brayed at the retort, but a quelling glare from their leader silenced them. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to be heading home soon."
"Yeah...about that...see...there's been a change of plans...for you..." the students crowded closer menacingly and Mia took a step back, clenching her fists and squaring her shoulders.
Far below in the parking lot, one of the male faculty members frowned and glanced over his shoulder when he thought he heard faint screaming interspersed with sounds like an angry jungle cat. He glanced up at the university facade and thought he spotted movement coming from one of the upper floors, but the room looked dark and the tinted windows made details difficult to discern. It seemed to come from Mia's office. The man shook his head. His mind simply played tricks with him. Probably some loud music from one of the student's cars nearby...
"Nearly a dozen students! All in critical condition! There's some maniac on the loose I tell you!"
"Supposedly one of them started rambling about a monster before he lost consciousness. Poor kids. I bet they tried something illicit and got more than they bargained for..."
"The weirdest part is they were all found together in a dumpster fifteen blocks from here..."
"Classes are being let out early today so students can cope and counselors are being called in."
"Mia? Did you know any of those kids?"
"Hmm? Oh...sorry, my mind's in a different place at the moment. If classes end early today, I've got some shopping I need to do for my son..."
"I don't blame you! I couldn't think straight either with all this going on!" Mia contributed nothing further to that day's gossip aside from treating herself to another steaming mug of hot tea. Her lips peeled up in a slight grin. Across the lounge, the snotty-faced woman eyed her contemptuously...
It felt good...didn't it? To release it all...to cut loose...to deliver unto them what they planned to do to you...they didn't care about your life...your son...your husband...all they cared about was their 'grades', their money. If not you, they would have targeted one of your colleagues. Now they'll never trouble you or anyone ever again...don't deny it...you enjoyed it...they deserved it!
Mia pushed the shopping cart down the aisle. Little Ryu sat in the top seat, his legs dangling idly as he glanced at his surroundings. He wore a little pair of shorts held up by suspenders over a red shirt. A small knit beanie crowned his head, his thick curly hair poking out under the edge. Even though the estate had ample supplies of food thanks to Bak's hydroponics array and donations from Thanged, there were still items the household needed that could only be found at the grocery store. Aside from burbling absently, Ryu remained quiet for the most part as Mia searched the shelves. She looked at the tag listing his favorite food but the shelf looked empty. On a hunch, she crouched down and spotted a few jars pushed to the very back. She rolled her eyes and fumed under her breath. Weren't store employees supposed to keep these shelves organized? She kept one hand on the cart and reached down with the other trying to grab some of the jars.
"AHEM!" Mia glanced up when she heard a voice. Her heart sank when she saw the snotty-faced woman from work. Apparently she wanted to pass by and felt Mia needed to scoot out of her way.
There's plenty of room for you to pass... Mia scowled and ignored her, trying to get the jars. The woman sniffed and rapped her fingers against the cart handle obnoxiously. How about you just go back the other way...there's nothing you'd need in this aisle... Obviously the snotty-faced woman felt it was beneath her to be patient and wait, or at the very least go down another aisle. Mia could probably get a better angle to reach if she knelt on the floor, but that would just be embarrassing...
"Ugh! Some people shouldn't even bother having children!" The woman shoved her cart past, bumping into the cart roughly and startling Ryu. Mia remained leaning down for several moments and gripping the edge of the cart tightly. She grit her teeth before relaxing and sighing heavily. Not now... Ryu didn't know what to make of the whole situation and swung his legs to and fro, too young to understand the insult given. He waved a hand at Mia, who glanced back at him warmly. She swallowed her pride and knelt down to fish out as many jars as she could reach and stood back up, depositing them in the cart. She ruffled his hair playfully and continued shopping.
Mia noticed Ryu burbling and fidgeting and staring off to the side. She followed his gaze and spotted one of those small rides just right for tiny tots like him. "You want to go up?" Mia asked. Ryu nodded eagerly and Mia gently picked him up out of the seat and set him on the floor. He wobbled a bit before steadying himself. "Go on, go up," she encouraged, the moment of cheer helping to erase the gloom from earlier. Ryu approached the ride and reached for the handlebar.
"NO! I'M GOING UP!" Out of seemingly nowhere, a much older girl dashed over and nearly shoved Ryu over, rushing past him and clambering atop the ride, swatting his hand away from the handlebar. "WheeeEEEEEeeeEEEE!" The girl squealed, not caring about what she had done to Ryu. Ryu stood there looking disappointed and confused. The girl continued rocking back and forth giddily.
A strong grip seized her by the arm, pulled her off, and flung her away several feet. "WAAAAAHHAAAAAA!" the girl bawled as she landed on her butt and skidded a few inches before springing to her feet and clenching her fists. "HOW DARE YOU! I'LL TELL MY MOM! I'LL-"
Mia seized the girl's plump cheeks with one hand and knelt down, leaning close. "you so much as utter a word about this and you'll have to answer to me, got it?" Mia growled firmly, her glare fixed upon the girl's bewildered eyes. For some reason, Mia's eyes looked darker with no pupils. The girl nodded dumbly and Mia released her grip and stood up and walked back to Ryu, setting him atop the ride. Ryu sat in the saddle awkwardly, feeling uneasy about the situation, but set to rocking to and fro.
"I heard shouting! Did something happen?" A woman approached with her shopping cart, presumably the girl's mother.
"She just slipped and fell, that's all. She really needs to be more careful. It's irresponsible of her to run around a store like this with these slippery floors. ...Isn't that right?" Mia asked of the little girl.
"Uh huh...Mommy, let's go!" the girl spoke in an almost robotic tone, her eyes looking blank.
"Okay then, whatever you say sweetie..." the woman agreed and the two left. Ryu watched the girl leave and glanced up at his mother, who stared after the girl. No one else nearby witnessed the incident. Overhead in the ceiling, however, a bulky security camera hidden behind a large reflective fishbowl mirror loomed over customers. The grainy feed recorded the goings on below, including Mia and Ryu. Mia turned her gaze upward, directly at the camera, and all of a sudden the feed distorted. The security tape sparked and fizzled, melting out of the VCR slot in a puddle.
Mia glanced at her watch. If she checked out now she could get home before sundown. She headed for an open lane, but before she had a chance to approach the checkout, another woman all-but dashed infront of her, glancing over her shoulder and smirking at Mia before unloading her groceries on the belt. Oh! Thank you for letting me cut infront of you! the woman's spiteful eyes seemed to say. She had far more in her cart than Mia, she could have had the decency to let her go ahead. Mia stared at her, appalled. She clenched her fist, inclined to grab her and teach her a lesson like she had with the girl, but too many people stood nearby. She inhaled deeply to calm herself then resigned to waiting even longer.
After several minutes, the rude woman finished checking out and walked away. She threw a glance over her shoulder at Mia, smirking as if she expected Mia to just stand there and not feel anything. ...maybe another time... Mia scowled and glanced at her watch again. More daylight lost... Now she had to go through checkout herself, and as usual the clerks took their sweet time scanning everything.
The clerk at the cashier stand finished ringing everything up on the register. "Okay miss, there's your total. Now, before I go to the pay screen, would you like to make a donation to the Feed the Hungry Children Foundation?" the cashier chirped in an almost expectant tone. Mia said nothing and stared ahead into space. The cashier fidgeted in place and toyed with the front of her apron.
Just finish checkout already...
"Um...Miss?...Miss?"
I don't care about your stupid charity, okay?
"...Miss?" the cashier pressed again, apparently content to hold Mia's groceries hostage.
You can't take a hint? Do I have to shout it for you? I just want to get home and spend some time with my son... People in the line behind Mia started to get impatient and mutter under their breaths. Mia's brow furrowed slightly and she set her jaw.
"...Miss?!"
"If I'm not saying anything, then that means no, okay!?" Mia snapped abruptly and narrowed her eyes. Ryu looked up at her, puzzled by her outburst.
"Oh wow..." someone said in the line behind her.
"'Oh wow' yourself!" Mia bellowed and whirled around to glower at those standing in line. "These big brand grocery chains make billions in revenue because they keep marking up their prices year after year, and yet they try to bilk customers even further trying to guilt-trip us with 'charity'?! If they want to solve the world's problems they can pay for it with their own money and stop trying to wheedle every spare penny out of parents like me! I work hard for every cent I earn! If I want to help someone I'll do it on my own time at my discretion, not feed money into the pockets of shady charities where a tiny percent actually helps and the rest the leadership squanders on itself! Finish ringing me up, NOW!" Mia growled. The cashier looked outright terrified and put in the final total and Mia all-but threw her payment on the counter. Ryu looked troubled but kept quiet.
"Preach!" Mia thought she heard a young man crow in the line. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the snotty-faced woman standing in line a few spaces behind where she'd been. The woman sniffed disdainfully and wrinkled her face. Mia scowled but continued on her way to the parking lot. The sun had already started going down and she wanted to be on the road before it got too dark. Mia lifted Ryu out of the cart and set him in his car seat and buckled him snugly then set to loading up groceries. As she pushed the now-empty cart to the retrieval bay, she noticed the snotty-faced woman walking down the lot the next row over. Mia grit her teeth and scowled before relaxing and smiling slightly. The sun had already set and the spotlight in the area apparently didn't work, leaving the spaces dark.
"Ryu...here, why don't you listen to some of your music for a few minutes," Mia leaned over the seat and pulled out a CD player and gently placed the headphones over Ryu's little ears. "Mommy's got something she needs to take care of right quick..." Mia calmly stated and shut the car door, turning towards where the snotty woman had parked.
The woman had finished loading her groceries into her car. Bags crowded the floor of both the rear seats and passenger. Clearly money was no issue for her with the amount she'd purchased. The snotty woman shut the passenger-side door and turned to walk around to the driver's side. She recoiled and yelped when she saw Mia standing infront of her. "What the hell do you want?!" the snotty woman sneered, completely oblivious to the curious look in her eyes and her strange smile.
Inside the jeep, Ryu flipped through one of his bulky picture books idly, the earphones snug on his head, the peppy music drowning out any sounds like screams, thumps, or crashes. He remained so engrossed in his colorful book he couldn't see shadows moving behind the car violently. He couldn't hear the hysterical shrieking or the snarls like that of a furious jungle cat.
Don't lie to yourself...she had it coming...how many years have you had to put up with her? You never did anything to hurt her in the past...she hated you for no other reason than you're happy and she was always miserable. You liked it...the tearing of flesh...the whimpering she made...you've taught her a lesson she'll never forget...she'll never bother you or your family ever again...
Ryo wandered into the kitchen where Cye had already started preparing food. Mia had yet to return home so he figured might as well get an early start. Ryo fished out a stack of plates to carry to the dining table and passed by the little television on the counter top. He paused when he heard a news report about police on the scene of a brutal attack on a woman at a grocery store parking lot. Cye apparently didn't hear over the hiss and bubble of his cooking, but Ryo could hear the newscaster mentioning how security cameras failed to catch the perpetrator and witnesses heard screaming but could not identify the attacker. The camera panned to the front of the store and Ryo's blood ran cold when he recognized it as the store Mia frequented.
Just then the front door opened and Mia came inside cradling Ryu in one arm and a pair of grocery bags looped over her other wrist. "Oh! Thank goodness you're safe! Did you know someone was attacked at the store just awhile ago? News is talking about it now?" Ryo asked. Mia glanced at him and raised her eyebrows and shrugged absently.
"It must've happened just after I left. I didn't see anything...Oh thanks so much for getting everything started Cye! Here's some things you might need..." Mia held out her arm and Cye strode over and retrieved the bags from her arm, whispering thanks. "I'm going to go upstairs and put Ryu to bed. The day got away from me faster than I thought...You go on ahead, I'll be back down shortly," Mia insisted and patted Ryo on the shoulder. Ryo still held the plates in his arms and watched Mia go upstairs to Ryu's room without a further word. He glanced back at the little TV but the report didn't give any further details aside from the woman suffering third-degree burns and lacerations before abruptly switching to a completely unrelated subject. Ryo stood there, an unease nagging at his mind, but the growing clamor in the dining room drew his attention and he resumed his earlier task. Things seemed quiet for a change, and group dinners like this were far and few in between.
Mia got Ryu dressed in his dragon onesie and set him down on the blankets gently. Whiteblaze brought his nose close and sniffed inquisitively and Ryu patted him reassuringly. Mia tousled the reddish hair and turned off the bedroom light, leaving Ryu in Whiteblaze's care. She headed downstairs to assist Cye with final preparations for dinner. No evil emperors or marauding aliens to deal with this time around. No worldwide peril or existential crises on other planets. Tonight they could just enjoy a cheerful dinner together. Most everyone had seated themselves and Mia could catch bits of conversation around the table.
Sage inquired about little Darius and Danae replied that he was doing well as long as he stayed away from bright lights. Kento suggested maybe they could arrange group dinners for Bak's crew and Trakar to help them bond while Rowen pointed out Trakar might not share his enthusiasm. Michelle talked about planning a visit back to Arizona to check up on her friends at home. Cale encouraged her to go while the going was good and mused maybe he could pay Shannon's aunt Jacqueline a visit in Utah. Dais teased whether it was business or pleasure and Cale shrugged and said it could be both.
Cye and Ryo took main dishes to the table while Mia finished cutting some cooked meat. The kitchen door hung ajar slightly and through it she caught a glimpse of Sehkmet sitting beside Michelle. Mia tried to keep her eyes focused on the meat platter, but her gaze kept straying to the knife blade. She finished cutting and set the knife aside just in time for Cye to come and retrieve the plate, thanking her. Mia took the knife to the sink and rinsed it off under the tap. She moved to step away and leave the kitchen, only to find she still held the knife. Her gaze strayed to Sehkmet again.
...he's here...sitting in my chair...eating my food...he's here...and...and Grandfather isn't... Mia set the knife on the counter but hadn't taken her hand away from the handle. Because of him...Grandfather is... Mia's fingers closed around the handle again. She bared her teeth.
You could do it...he wouldn't see it coming. Just quick in and out...through the neck...he'd be gone before anyone would realize what happened... The scenario played out in her mind: of her walking over to the table, knife behind her back...lashing out as she passed by his seat..."She just snapped", they'll say. After so many years, everything came back in one moment. "She couldn't take it any longer..." Who could blame you? Who has he lost? Who loves him?
Just then, Sehkmet glanced in Mia's direction, smiling cheerfully. Even though he still had that unusual countenance, his face had lost that sinister edge he'd worn during the Dynasty Wars. There was an eccentric warmth behind those strange beady black eyes that had probably never been there before when he was still a Dark Warlord. Mia suddenly remembered the time she'd bandaged the wounds he suffered from his own weapons during the first duel with Mal Daggur. How they'd spoken so calmly, so amiably to one another, and how genuinely contrite Sehkmet seemed. He noticed her lingering behind the door and waved at her, beckoning her to join them at the table.
Mia whirled to the side out of line of sight and dropped the knife on the counter. She braced her back against the cabinet doors and slid down until she sat on the floor, burying her face in her hands. She sobbed softly, keeping her fingers clamped over her cheeks as if trying to shove tears back inside.
...What's wrong with me...?
"Mia! You finished in there? Food's getting cold!" she heard him call. Mia gulped several times to compose herself before nodding and reaching up for the counter edge shakily.
"I-I-I'm coming! Just a second!" she shouted and walked to the door swiftly, leaving the knife sitting on the counter top. She finally seated herself at the head of the table and everyone set to eating and talking, sharing food and conversation like the patchwork family they had become over the years...
She felt strange that night...She lay in bed alone since he had yet to come upstairs, more than likely handling some matter or another. An energy coursed through her. It felt good...she felt like a part of herself had been unlocked somehow. And yet, at the same time, she knew something felt different. She had no idea why she had gaps in her memory, but the euphoria washed everything away.
"She got ambushed in the parking lot of a grocery store! Police say it was a mugger but they didn't steal anything? How does that make sense?"
"Her face got all burnt and scratched up! It's a serial wacko I tell you! And security cameras didn't catch the perp at all! It's like the entire store's network went down at the same time!"
"This is hitting way too close to home. First the dean, then those students, now this? Any one of us could be next!"
"Mia! Mia, did you hear what happened? Did you happen to run into her there while you were shopping?" Mia barely registered the other ladies talking while she had her morning tea.
"Hmm? Oh, no, I didn't see her at all. Very sad to hear..." she turned away, her lips turning up in a smirk. ...very sad indeed...
"I don't see how she can stay so calm during all this..."
"Mia's a rock. Nothing fazes her! She's been through so much, she knows how to compartmentalize things. She's always been cool as a cucumber, even under pressure...It's just the way she is..." Mia stared at the wall, her eyes looking slightly darker and her pupils seemingly having vanished.
Mia walked down the hall and noticed her assistant standing by the wall next to one of the older male faculty members. At a glance it seemed as if they simply chatted, but Mia noticed the young woman seemed uneasy and the man a bit too insistent. Mia paused and watched the two, noticing the man used the same posture the dean had with her that one night...
"Look, all I'm saying is we're both adults here. There'll be no impropriety or anything to speak of, just two colleagues in a professional relationship..."
"I'm not too sure I should...I mean..."
"Take it or leave it. I can help you move up the ladder, but you need to put out for me-"
"Ahem..." the two glanced to the side and saw Mia standing a few feet away. "Don't you have work that needs to be done?" she said to her assistant. "And you've got other things to do than flirting."
"Oh, it's just you. Hey, Mia, we're just having a discussion, so if you don't mind-" Mia grabbed the man by his arm and pulled him away roughly. "OW! OW OW! Hey! Not so rough!"
"I don't think she's interested..." Mia growled firmly, the dangerous look in her eyes alarming the man. She shoved him away and he staggered a few steps before catching himself and straightening his tie and jacket. Mia placed herself between him and her assistant.
"Okay, fine! We can finish our discussion later..." he grumbled before leaving.
"Th-th-thanks for the save, Professor Koji!" the woman stammered awkwardly.
"You need to be more assertive."
"Huh?" the woman glanced at Mia meekly. Mia held her shoulders straight and clenched her fists.
"Don't let weasels like him think they can take advantage of your polite nature. His type don't know how to treat women cordially. All they see is a pair of breasts with a mouth. If he tries anything again, you let me know, okay?" Mia stated. The woman nodded shakily and scurried away to Mia's office. Mia glanced at her out the corner of her eye then back at the man. ...he's not worth it...
The day proceeded with a slightly truncated schedule due to counseling sessions concerning the latest spate of incidents. Mia's evening course had gotten postponed, so if she could finish up everything on time, she might be able to get home and spend time with Ryu...
"Professor Koji?" She looked up when she heard her assistant and saw her poking her head in through the door. "Hey...I'm not feeling too well. I think I might've eaten something that didn't agree with me. I need to head home early..." Mia's face fell.
"What? No! I need help me with these papers if I'm going to get home today! I have a son I need to tend to! I had plans made for the evening!" Mia argued.
"I-I'm sorry, but need to get home and take some medicine..." The woman made a show of coughing and Mia could tell right away she was shamming, but she didn't have the heart to make demands.
There's medicine in the lounge... Mia sighed and relaxed. "Okay, fine. No need to take chances with everything that's been going on. Just be careful, okay? Get well soon. Just because quarterlies are done doesn't mean we can afford to fall behind."
"Thanks a ton Professor! I'll make it up to you, promise!" With that, the woman ducked out of the office. Mia rest her elbows against the desktop and buried her forehead in her palms, raking her fingers through her hair. Just because she liked burying herself in her work didn't mean she wanted to drown.
Ryo sat at the kitchen counter skimming the newspaper for a change, preferring the warm lighting of the estate to the dim glow of the comm. room. He paused in taking a sip of his juice when he spotted a headline: "CAMPUS CARNAGE! SERIES OF ATTACKS ROCK REBUILT SHINASHA UNIVERSITY!" Ryo frowned as he read through the article. The newly-appointed dean, nearly a dozen students, and just recently an instructor had suffered serious injuries from an unknown assailant. ...These...these are some of Mia's coworkers...why hasn't she said anything about this? Ryo looked at the clock. Mia hadn't come home yet or called...she might be running late, but worry pecked at him...
There...finally got everything taken care of...now I can get home and have some peace and quiet... Mia walked towards her car with her bag slung over her shoulder. She made her way over to the jeep and fished around her pocket for the keys. She looked up when she heard chatter and glanced to the side. She froze in place when she saw her assistant walking arm-in-arm with the man from earlier in the day, the same weasel she'd gone out of her way to defend her from in the first place...
"Oh don't get me wrong, I like Mia, but she can be such a killjoy sometimes!" the woman giggled, apparently not noticing Mia. Mia slowly set her bag and keys on the hood.
"She'll be none the wiser, trust me. She's just upset she doesn't know how to have fun like the rest of us in the trenches. I guess that husband of hers isn't home enough to satisfy her..." the man scoffed. The woman threw her head back and laughed richly, and in the process, turned her head to the side. She caught a glimpse of Mia out the corner of her eye and looked surprised at first then smirked mischievously before returning to fawning over the same creep Mia tried to warn her about.
Mia set her jaw and waited for them to move a bit further away before following after them. They didn't head for a car, more than likely they'd either take the subway or find a restaurant nearby where they could enjoy some time together at her expense... I'm going to be late getting home because of you...after everything I did, sticking my neck out for you...this is how you repay me? Mia flexed her fingers and bared her teeth. The woman didn't look behind her again but Mia could still hear them talking about her, making all sorts of lewd comments with her as the butt of their jokes. Go ahead...laugh it up...you won't be laughing for long...either of you... Mia didn't register someone calling her name from behind, her eyes remained locked on the conniving lovebirds.
"MIA!" Mia blinked, startled when she heard her name and felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Ryo standing there. "What were you doing? I tried to find the car but I just saw your bag and the keys. Why'd you take off like that?"
"Huh? Oh, uh...I was trying to catch someone..." Mia glanced over her shoulder and sure enough the two had walked out of sight. Great, now I lost track of them...
"Here, you seem like you've had a rough day. I teleported here but if you want to take it easy, I can drive you home and let you relax for a change," Ryo offered and put his arm behind her back, gently guiding her back to the parking lot. Mia didn't resist and remained quiet as they arrived at the jeep. Ryo took the keys and set the bag in the back seat while Mia seated herself in the passenger side and set her elbow against the door, bracing her knuckles against her cheek. Ryo started the car and glanced at her worriedly. She didn't seem in a talking mood as they left the university and headed out of the city.
"Why didn't you say anything about people from the university being attacked?" Ryo asked softly.
"I'm sure the police can handle things just fine. They're not that inept," Mia replied indifferently, gazing out the window all the way home. "You've got bigger things on your plate, protecting the Mortal Realm and all. A few teachers getting mugged is beneath your concern..." Ryo glanced at her, alarmed by the tone in her voice. He glanced at the horizon. Distant storm clouds rolled over the sinking sun. There'd be rain moving through in the evening...
"Except they weren't mugged. News reports say nothing of value was stolen. It might not be the Dynasty, but someone is targeting your colleagues, and you might not be the target, but you could still be in danger. I don't want anything to happen to you and I'm not there to protect you!"
"Since when have you been so concerned about the college life? We're all just a bunch of stuffy old professors with nothing else to do with our lives. We don't know how to have fun..."
"I didn't say anything like that? Where is this coming from all of a sudden?" Ryo protested as they pulled up to the estate. Ryo cut the engine and got out of the car while Mia left her bag in the back seat and shut the passenger door behind her. Ryo walked around the front and over to Mia, reaching out for her shoulder gently. She brushed his hand away and turned away from him and towards the car. "Mia...was...was one of the victims someone you know? If something's bothering you, you know I've always been here. You can talk to me if you need."
"Oh, so now you care all of a sudden? Is it because you're not traipsing around on other planets getting into debates with gods or aliens for a change?" Mia braced her palms against the hood and hunched her shoulders, letting her head hang.
"Mia...this isn't like you... You've been acting off lately. Maybe you need some time off from work. If it's something I've said or done to upset you, please let me know, but you haven't been yourself these past few days..." Ryo argued softly and took a step towards her. Mia drew her fingernails over the hood.
"...I haven't been myself...I haven't been myself? Heh...heh heh...oh you have no idea..." Ryo frowned when Mia started laughing in a way he'd never heard from her before. Her shoulders shook as she cackled in an almost sinister manner. The storm clouds rumbled miles away, blotting out the sun. "Heh heh heh...HAH HAH HAH" Mia tilted her head back slightly and curled her fingers. Ryo blinked when he thought he heard the squeal of metal and glanced down where Mia's fingers seemingly dug into the metal, clenching folds of it between her fingers. They looked different somehow...thicker...and dark... It happened so subtly he hadn't noticed at first, but Mia's hair appeared brighter despite the darkening evening sky. Instead of auburn it looked more of a red-orange.
Ryo's heart froze in his chest in dawning horror, and the world seeming to contract around him. "I told you I'd come back when you least expected." Ryo's eyes widened as Mia turned to face him. It had her face, it spoke with her voice, but all he saw was a black-skinned flame-haired horror. It chuckled with her voice tinged with a slight echo and bared inch-long fangs.
"YOU!" Ryo gasped and tensed for battle, shedding clothes as he switched to Lion sub-armor.
"Being bad never felt so good..." the demon purred and brushed its thick black claws through the red-orange hair, strands falling away to reveal the two tiny white horns.
"What have you done to Mia! Where is she?" Ryo demanded.
"Why, she's right here! Now come, give your wife a kiss..." the demon taunted and raised its arms, splaying its claws. Ryo could still see the wedding band around its thick finger.
"Mia would never allow herself to be possessed by you!"
"Oh, she didn't have to! While you were so occupied fighting the forces of evil, she's been suffering in silence at work. She never felt comfortable telling you about her worries, she thought she was being so petty, but everything reaches a boiling point, everyone reaches their breaking point... I watched and waited for weeks, preparing for just the right moment...then it happened: oh...such anger she felt...I was able to waltz right in! I slipped over her like a warm, comfortable sweater...
"Now, she's been blissfully unaware of the messy details. She knows something is off, she just has no idea what. I've kept her consciousness stashed away neat and tidy. I'll have to admit, possessing a mild-mannered housewife wasn't necessarily my first choice. I thought I'd be bored silly, but it's actually been quite fun. All the workplace drama...and the scandals! Oh, such scandals...I could've kept hidden for weeks before anyone noticed. Even that child of yours couldn't feel my presence. Oh, he senses something isn't quite right, but even with his power, he can't tell for sure."
"Pack up your bags and leave, Arnurhazaedron! You're not welcome here!" Ryo stated.
"That won't work on me anymore...you haven't been using the proper incantations. We know each other far, far too well...we're like old flames, you and I..." Mia's voice teased in a sultry tone.
"Get OUT before I MAKE you get out!" Ryo reached for it, but the demon crouched and sprang out of his reach, vaulting high into the air and landing on a thick tree branch.
"You have to catch me first, lover boy!" the demon taunted and bounded deeper into the forest and further from the estate. Ryo gave chase, knowing it wanted to draw him away from the others. He flicked a glance at the horizon when he heard the first distant rumble of thunder. The storm moved slow, the clouds laden with rain. He glanced back ahead at the fleeing demon, brow furrowing in worry. He raised his wrist-com to his mouth but hesitated. If he called the others, something might go wrong. They might use too much force if everyone came out at once. Too much risk of things spiraling out of control... He lowered his arm and reached behind his belt for the specialized cartridges designed for his clawncher darts, fishing out a blue-colored one and inserting it into the slot on one dart.
Normally he could easily have overtaken Mia, but in her possessed state, she moved much faster, the demon's agility sending her springing from branch to branch nimbly like a jungle cat. Ryo could easily keep pace in Lion sub-armor, but he needed to slow her down before the downpour reached the area... He waited for a window and good line of sight before firing a dart. The tines struck the demon's left arm close to the shoulder and it paused, standing up on the branch and staring at him scornfully.
"Silly boy, I've got magma running through my veins! You think tranquilizer is going to slow me down?" it grinned and raised its arm, curling its claws.
"Who said it was tranquilizer..." Ryo said and held up another blue cartridge. The demon looked at its left shoulder when it heard hissing and saw steam rising from the sleeve. The arm hung limply and the demon started to sway as the cooling agent spread up and down its veins.
"Clever...clever boy..." the demon sighed and toppled off the branch. Ryo dove beneath Mia and caught her in his arms, setting her down on the ground gently.
"Mia! Mia! Can you hear me?" Ryo powered down to normal wear, worried he might startle her if she saw him in Armor. "Please answer! I know you're in there!" Ryo begged.
"...R-R-Ryo..." He heard her voice and the red eyes gazed up at him sleepily. "What...what's going on?" Her voice came out of the fanged mouth.
"Listen to me, you have to fight it. You have to drive it out of your consciousness while you have a chance! You can do it! I know you! You're strong! Fight it!" Ryo urged and stroked her face.
"I...I'm...I-I-I don't think I...can...Ryo...what's happened?" Mia reached up and placed the tips of the claws against her brow.
"It's the fire demon! It's taken ahold of you and subverted your mind. That's why you've been acting strange lately. Try to focus. It only has power if you let it! Fight! Fight it! Push it out!"
"I'm...not a warrior...like you...oh Ryo...Ryo..." Ryo recoiled when he heard an echo creep into the voice and heard the demon's mocking laughter. "Oh Ryo, save me, Ryo of the Wildfire!" the demon tilted its head up at him and grinned wickedly. He wondered if he'd actually heard Mia at all or if it simply toyed with him using her voice. Ryo backed away but it made no move to attack as it stood up, still favoring its left arm. The thunderclouds crept steadily closer.
"You won't get away with this! I'll call the Mystics...they'll exorcise you!"
"Do that and I'll tear your precious wife's mind to shreds! They might be able to pull me out, but I'll go kicking and screaming, the damage left behind would destroy her. I already told you, I've kept her in the dark while I've been behind the wheel. If she knew just how vicious she'd been, it would just devastate her..." the demon warned and placed its right knuckle on its right hip.
"Why are you doing this!? What's the point of all this? Why her?!"
"'Why'? Why not is a better question. But you're right...she's not my target...you are."
"What? You're still after me? Can't you find someone else as a host and leave us alone?"
"Well if you're going to be stubborn about it, I could just stick around here, I suppose. I could protect her in ways you couldn't. I was there for her when you weren't. Maybe I'll introduce myself to her and we might come to like each other..." the demon suggested and raked its claws through the hair once more. "What do you think would have happened if I hadn't been there for her? She could have been beaten, or robbed, or assaulted! She never told you anything because she knew you were always too busy! It's always the next enemy for you, the next crisis, the next battle!" Ryo stared at it, horrified to hear these things. He'd always tried hard to be reciprocal. He always did what he could to help out around the house, to make sure she didn't shoulder all the burdens of raising Ryu. Was it not enough? Was there more he could have done? Doubt licked away at his mind like flame.
"She's always been there for you when you needed her the most, but you can't be everywhere all the time. You think she doesn't feel angry, that she doesn't feel guilt or sadness! You think these things don't eat away at her mind at work, that she just goes through the day-in, day-out like a happy little robot? That she's content to be the quiet, meek, mild-mannered sidekick when it suits you?
"You think she didn't notice the look on your face at the Blood Dawn? That it didn't make her the slightest bit jealous? That even...even after all these years...after everything we've been through together...even after having a son together..." The echo in the voice faded slightly and for a brief period he heard Mia's voice. "Even after all these years...YOU'RE STILL PINING OVER THAT DEAD AMERICAN GIRL!" The demon clenched its fists and Ryo heard the hiss of steam as tears ran over its cheek, bubbling like water on a skillet. "Here I thought you would try communicating with your father, but you wasted time trying to reach her?!" Ryo flinched as if struck and grit his teeth.
"No...no, it wasn't like that at all! I just-there were things I never got to say to her! Things I wanted to tell her...I wasn't trying to relive the past, I just wanted closure!" Ryo sputtered then furrowed his brow. "Wait, I see what you're doing...you're trying to manipulate me! You're just saying that garbage to throw me off! The real Mia would never think that way!" Ryo lashed his arm to the side.
"How would you know? How can you be so sure?" The demon snapped, the echo wavering slightly. The demon raised its index claw and pointed at Ryo, having regained use of its left arm. "Remember, Ryo, I've never forced anyone to act against their will. All I do is take what already exists and draw it to the surface. Nothing you did while possessed the last time wasn't already there. Try as I might, I couldn't force you to turn Mia the second time around. You fought back that urge, but it was always there to begin with!" the demon accused. Ryo growled softly and clenched his fists.
"...You know...it's strange..." the demon folded its arms over its chest, grasping its upper arms with the thick black claws. "She thought nothing of it...getting even with those creeps from the university...they got what they had coming to them...but the one man she's suffered so much grief from...she couldn't bring herself to hate him. In any other situation, with any other person, they would've been totally justified in exacting vengeance...but no matter how hard I tried, how hard I pushed and prodded...she just couldn't bring herself to do it..." the demon's expression softened. "Even when he took what she cherished most...she couldn't spill his blood...She really has forgiven him..."
Ryo stared at it, puzzled as to who it meant. The two of them looked toward the horizon as the storm front loomed in the distance. "So? What will it be? You? Or Mia?" it stated and smirked.
"Why are you so obsessed with corrupting me!?" Ryo demanded and clapped a hand on his chest.
"I already told you, you're useless to me corrupted. I need you just the way you are..." the demon declared and pointed a claw at him. Ryo stared at the ground, mentally scrambling for options. "Time...is...ticking..." Ryo gasped, startled when he heard the demon speak up from behind him and glanced to the side, seeing its face close to his where it leaned against his back, its claws rapping against his shoulders gently. He whirled around and staggered away, but the demon stood there calmly. It made no move to escape or revert to human as the storm approached. A droplet of water wouldn't hurt her...but a torrential downpour might kill her... Ryo struggled to think. The Dekahedron? No...the Staff of Ancients? No...Mia's friend, Reiou Kenji? No... Ryo fumed and stood there, fists clenched and shaking. He let out a heavy sigh and relaxed, letting his arms hang at his sides and closing his eyes.
"...okay...I'll do it..." Ryo muttered. The demon raised both eyebrows in surprise.
"Oh? Just like that? No last ditch effort, no passionate speech or fiery last act of defiance?" the demon closed its eyes and folded both arms over its chest, shrugging absently.
"What choice do I have..." Ryo lamented. The demon sniffed and turned away.
"Don't be silly. There's always a choice..."
"Well you're not giving me one...you're asking me to choose between my freedom and Mia's sanity...and that's just not something I'm willing to put her through..." Ryo croaked and inhaled deeply before letting out a shuddering sigh. "...just do it." The demon looked back towards him.
"...You really do care for her...don't you..." it said, genuinely surprised. Ryo kept his gaze to the ground but he grunted when he saw the demon move infront of him, placing a claw tip beneath his chin and pushing it up gently. "...And that is how I knew I could finally have you," the demon declared. Ryo squeezed his eyes shut, defeated.
"Now...before we seal our bargain, these are the terms," the demon stepped to the side and pressed one fingertip against Ryo's shoulder and paced around him in a circle, drawing its finger across his shoulders and back while avoiding digging the tip into his jacket and tearing it. "You'll be able to transform and revert back at will whenever you choose, and you'll have full access to all of my powers to use at your discretion. I don't care if its to save a cat out of a tree or fight an alien invasion. We'll remain completely separate, so I won't be trying to fully merge with you or take you over without you knowing. You'll be in complete control of your actions on the condition that the Demon Ryo persona remains dominant most of the time." The demon poked him in the shoulder slightly. "Have to keep things interesting, after all... And I do expect to be taken out for more than just a Sunday drive every once in awhile." The demon paused and closed its eyes briefly. "If any I violate any of these terms, you are free to nullify the bargain. Are we in agreement?" the demon came to a stop infront of him.
"...sure...whatever..." Ryo sighed and stared ahead listlessly.
"Oh chin up," the demon curled its index claw and flicked it against Ryo's chin playfully, irritating him slightly. "You never know, you might come to like it."
"But...will I still be human...?" Ryo whispered. The demon placed a hand on his shoulder and averted its gaze briefly.
"...Humanity...is a matter of perspective. Now...you might want to brace yourself...this part always hurts like hell...no pun intended..." The demon hinged Mia's jaws open wide as it drew close. Ryo tensed up as he felt the hot breath against his skin. He clenched his fists, his body quaking with indignation. He felt the tips of the fangs touch his skin ever so slightly. He briefly considered shoving it away, rejecting it completely, refusing it as he had in the past. Thunder rumbled close by. They'd run out of time. Ryo let out a deep breath and relaxed, resigning himself to his fate.
The fangs pierced his flesh and he threw his head back in agony. He could feel it seeping inside of him, filling his body, coursing through his veins. It felt different from the last time. He felt guilt, pain, euphoria, sadness as the demon essence permeated every cell, ever fiber of his being. He whined softly. He could feel his fingertips throb as the claws formed and the fingers thickened. He felt the twitching at the top of his ears. He opened his mouth in a silent cry and his gums tickled as the canines lengthened into large, long fangs. As it flowed into him, Mia slowly began reverting to normal, her eyes closing and her body slumping against him from exhaustion. His scalp itched from the tiny horns growing up through the hair as it brightened from black to red-orange. He squeezed his eyes shut in shame, unable to watch as his skin darkened to pitch black. He reached up with both arms to catch Mia as she let out a sigh, now fully human. He heard a bubbling hiss, like water splashed onto a skillet.
The eyes-now red with yellow slit-shaped pupils-opened slowly. He stared ahead sadly but blinked when he felt a stinging sensation down his cheek as fresh tears dribbled from his eyes. He still wept human tears... Enough of him remained Ryo Sanada to weep for what he had done. Enough of the monster remained human to feel sorrow. He heard the hiss coming from his hands as the first few droplets landed from the incoming storm. He stood there hugging Mia, steam rising from his face where he cried and from his hands wrapped around her tenderly.
"Uhh...wha-what...what's going on?" Mia slowly came to when she heard the sounds of water bubbling and boiling faintly. Her vision came blurry at first when she tilted her face up, and she thought she saw something black and red. Droplets of rain struck her face and she blinked several times to focus, seeing Ryo infront of her, his arms wrapped around her gently. "Ryo...where are we? Why are we out in the middle of the-" Everything came to her all at once and Mia's eyes snapped open in sudden realization. "...no...no...Ryo...tell me you didn't! Please, tell me you didn't!" Mia demanded desperately and reached up with both hands, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him slightly.
The sad look in his human eyes told her everything and confirmed her worst fears. Mia's face contorted in grief when the full realization hit...what she had done...what he had done... "No! No! NO! RYO! How could you!? How COULD you! Why!? Why?! Why would you do such a thing to yourself?" Mia shook her head and thumped her fists against his chest futilely. Ryo said nothing and stared back at her sadly. "Not for me!...Not for me..." she sobbed and rest her head against his shoulder. They stood there together in the forest as rain sheeted down on top of them, plastering their hair against their scalps, unable to completely wash away their tears.
AOD Soundtrack
1. Boiling Anger-The Trick is to Keep Breathing-Garbage
2. Not Quite Herself-Slow, Love, Slow-Nightwish
3. About to Snap-Feel For You-Nightwish
4. When Least Expected-You Look So Fine-Garbage
5. Enough of Him Remains Ryo-Phantom of the Opera-Nightwish
6. Not For Me-See Me Fight-Two Steps From Hell (feat. Linea Adamson)
She spotted the headlight of an approaching motorcycle in the rear-view mirror. She scowled and waved her hand off to the side dismissively. If he wanted to pass her he could. If he wanted to pick a fight, he was more than welcome to. The lamp blinked once, twice, signaling her to move over. She veered the Condor to the left lane and waited for the rider to approach from the right side. It could be some highway punk or some over-ambitious newbie motorcop who thought he could take her on.
She caught glimpse of a white front plate decorated with a stylized black-and-gold samurai helm emblem. Her eyes widened in disbelief. She hadn't expected to see a man clad in silver armor with red accents and a flaring golden crest adorning the helmet. He took one hand off of the handlebar and pointed off to the side briefly, indicating he wanted her to pull over. She scowled and shook her head firmly. Why the hell should she listen to him? Her eyes popped wider when he reached down and pulled an ornate sword from one of two scabbards. Evidently he meant business.
Plight of the Raven
Author's Notes
I originally intended to have this chapter out for Halloween 2023 as a bonus special but ended up getting sidetracked, on top of the ongoing issues with FFN's notification system. But I figured I could do it for a Christmas special, because sometimes the world needs a Christmas devil.
This officially adds Demon Ryo as a regular in AOD, and as one of the most powerful supernatural beings, he serves to balance out the more sci-fi elements of the narrative. Although I wouldn't really categorize him as a "superpowered evil side". He's not evil...just an asshole.
The scene where Ryo finally surrenders and accepts the fire demon was inspired by Londo's sacrifice in Babylon 5 Season 5 where the Drakh try to pick up where their masters the Shadows left off. In retribution for his betrayal by nuking parked Shadow vessels, they threaten to use bombs to blow up huge chunks of Centauri Prime. It's a common argument that 'there's always a choice', but in this instance, Londo HAD no choice. Either millions of innocents get killed or he becomes the Drakh's slave. It was a heart-wrenching scene portrayed in only the way Peter Jurasik could.
The scenes with Mia in the supermarket are based off of real experiences. I had to stop eating at one of my favorite restaurants years ago because instead of having the donation jar out like they used to, they started basically extorting you for donations. I even conducted an experiment to see how long they'd pester me if I said nothing and sure enough they expect you to fork over cash before letting you pay for your meal. I've gotten pretty much soured on big-name charities, because too often you see it happen where 10% goes to actual charity and 90% to "operating costs" and then you got founders getting gourmet meals delivered to their doorstep in a limousine or buying five mansions for themselves. If I want to be charitable I'll give directly to someone in need rather than some silver-tongued devil with a billion-dollar mega-church who thinks its beneath him to let the unwashed plebs in during a once-in-a-century storm with floodwaters at his very doorstep.
NOTICE December 2023: Aftermath is now available on the Age of Defiance page on World Anvil. As much as I tried to avoid doing a rewrite of the rewrite, I realized I hadn't touched AM since 2007, and it seemed some word gremlins raided sentences. I couldn't simply copy-paste the old text as-is due to formatting issues, typos, and grammatical errors, so I ended up doing a complete re-edit. Plot beats are identical to the current version on FFN with some tweaked and trimmed sentences and dialogue. I used the scene system to add in a limited amount of artwork, and my goal is to have each scene with full-color illustrations of both the guys and characters specific to AOD. These are brand-new self-drawn pieces and all-new cover art exclusive to World Anvil. Check it out if interested!
Foes From Another World is next on the agenda, but I aim to finish Spacequake first since it took over a year to fully proof Aftermath and finish the new cover pic. Eventually I plan on posting mirrors of all AOD seasons on WA. FFN's notification issues have been getting on my nerves recently and it's not fair to readers who have stayed with me from the beginning that they miss out on new stories because of a buggy bot. New chapters will always be posted on FFN until all seasons are up on WA.