"What do you mean you still can't come with us?" Lalu said from his bedroom. He lounged about while frustratingly attempting to get Leana out of her dorm to no avail. It had been a few seasons worth of content and excitement that had passed without her there. At first, it was just his nerdy friend Virto. Then, both he and them were stuck in a world full of hot (and particularly violent) demons and monsters, each one of them having their own character arcs through trials of seduction and fire. Finally, they had one last hurrah together, relying on nothing but smarts, strength, and trust to get them back home. They even had a bit of a hiccup, but after her season wrapped up, they managed to put all the animosity of the portal behind them.
Of course, that's what he would have liked it to be like. Between the IRS, catching an escaped alien, Di coming back then leaving again, fighting a murderous cat girl, and finally that breakup of the friendship, it quickly turned into a messy situation.
"Have you forgotten that fast, dude?" Leana said. "If you have noticed, I am also having my own thing remember?" Leana said. "I can't just abandon my own character arc just because you want to play Assassin's Creed for an entire week."
"We aren't playing AC!" Lalu retorted. "It's just a very good opportunity to be a cool hitman, but with magic and medieval fantasy, and hot people. Come on, just one night, please!" He could hear Leana sigh across the phone. "Fine, I guess it could be a good chance to make it up to me. How about this Sunday?"
"Perfect. I can get Virto in it too. We can do a bounty mission and everything!"
"Right right…Is that all you wanted?"
"Yep." Lalu hung up. He forgot to say goodbye, but who cared, he had a bounty night planned! Now though, it was time to check in on his wife. He put some clothing in a backpack and started to head downstairs. Although he was wondering if he had forgotten something…
"Fola!" he heard his mother call. Right, my mom, Lalu realized, heading downstairs with his backpack full of clothes and a laptop bag. His mom was dicing onions in the kitchen, in full view of Lao as he passed her on the way to the front door.
The first day he came back to the house was one to remember. Thinking he might die the moment they realized he was alive, he had been avoiding knocking on his door, but after a while Virto insisted that he did. "I don't think they would want to find out from someone else," as they put it. "Especially since the IRS might send a letter to your place as well."
Since he brought Virto back with him, it had seemed like he had come from beyond the grave. At least there they restrained from any hurt feelings while he was d- I mean gone. However, nowadays there always seems to be one person hovering around the door when he was about to go out on an outing. Family eyes kept him in sight like a moth to a streetlamp, needing constant reassurance that their son was alive, and wouldn't end up dead for real.
"Where are you heading to?" she asked immediately. Lalu played it cool and held up the computer bag with as neutral of an expression as he could. "School," he said matter-of-factly. It wasn't a total lie. With Virto back in the picture, lively and experimentless, they had less money going towards creating dangerous things in their basement. Money that Lalu is happily using to fund his classes.
"Right, you and your college," his mom said as if completely understanding. "You received that scholarship pretty fast, I'm surprised you couldn't apply for it right after that happened…"
"I needed some time," he responded quietly.
"You're going to the one that your other friend is going to right? What's her name…"
"Leana."
"Leana's school, right…"
The only other sound was the slicing of various layers of onions. Lalu desperately wanted to leave the awkward small talk, but he felt it might only make the tension worse if he slipped at the wrong time. He wondered what was going on inside her head, most of her focus on dicing up the various vegetables she had aside.
"Well enjoy your day," she said, rubbing something out of her eye. "And make sure to call me once you get there, alright?"
"Alright…" he nodded along, walking out and turning the way towards the nearby bus stop. Once he knew he was in the clear, he turned on his heel and made another turn, beelining straight for Virto's house.
"They all definitely feel some time of way, I'm telling you," Lalu said, venting to Virto as they went around giving the house a long overdue vacuum. "Every time I do something, I always get a phone call! The only way I'm able to get them off my back is when I'm at your house, but even then they always send….him."
"I think you can say your brother's name, Olu isn't Voldermort," Virto said, lifting the cord over one of the sofas to reach somewhere. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"
"The course is virtual, I can just listen along," Lalu said, waiving off the stress. "And no, I can't!"
"Why not?"
"That's not important. What is, is that they're breathing down my neck and if I can't get back to Issia, I'm going to go crazy!" Lalu rubbed his temple, reclining back on his chair while groaning.
"I mean, I wouldn't let you roam around too much either after basically going on an adventure for two months without them."
"You're throwing stones in a glass house, mister 'I can't remember to keep myself from falling into a portal.'
"It was in the name of science, and I got pulled through by a dragon. That's different," Virto retorted.
"Differently stupid, but I see your point." Lalu paused to take a few quick notes, then turned his volume back to silent. "Still, I'll need a good excuse for our night out this weekend."
"Right, the bounty hunt…" they said, turning off the vacuum. "So what excuse have you cooked up this time?"
"Virto, I'm not that much of a rebel," Lalu said. "These things take time in the oven. It's definitely going to involve you somehow though." Virto nodded along; a large slice of Lalu's plans always involved some innocent kid that could be used to deflect blame, and they didn't need a wild guess as to where Lalu was going to pull inspiration from.
They finished vacuuming around the time they stopped hearing their friend's class playing in the background. After packing up the cords and stuffing the vacuum back in their pantry, they came back and spotted Lalu hard at work, finishing up his homework rapidly. They blinked, slightly off-put by how much his fingers were flying across the keyboard. "Are you okay Lalu?" Virto asked, seeing if he was playing a game. It ended being quite the contrary, as he was on the second page of a report. "Didn't you just finish class?"
"I mean it's just coursework," He responded, switching tabs once he finished his sentence. "Besides, I don't have time to spend all week on this anymore."
"That is, if you are even able to get through the portal."
"Which is why, I have this!" Lalu switched tabs a second time, having prepared a graphic of his master plan. Of course, it was only a bunch of JPEG pictures interconnected with lines on a PowerPoint slide, but it did the job nonetheless.
"First, is Operation Ghost," he started to explain, zooming in on the picture in the top left corner. "Slowly but surely, we'll build up my lack of presence at my house and at your house. Once my brother starts figuring that I keep coming over here, he'll be more chill and will have an excuse where I'm at."
"But how do you know he wouldn't say anything?" They asked. Lalu just smiled and took out his phone, speed-dialing Oluwale. The phone rang a few times before he heard a click on the other end. "Hey bro-"
"Isa Christ, it took you long enough," His brother said on the other end. "I knew your behind was scheming that entire class session. So what dumb line do you want me to use?"
"He is…surprisingly open to this," Virto whispered.
"He missed a meetup at the pool because he had to follow me," Lalu responded back in a hushed tone, before turning back to his phone at normal volume. "Alright, so just tell her I'm studying at Virto's house. If that doesn't work, tell her you took me to Leana's place. Campus, scholarship searching and stuff."
"And what if your two-step excuse doesn't work?" Ola asked. Lalu moved his PowerPoint slide around to see the next steps. "Then…you took me to our aunt's house. But only because it's easier to catch a bus to campus that way. We good?"
"Crystal," Ola said before hanging up. The two of them could hear his engine start outside, waiting until the Lusso pulled away before the two resumed conversation.
"Well that was easy," Virto said. "Now what?"
"Oh, a few major steps, but with my mom and dad out of the way, it's going to be a walk in the park."
The week slowly passed by. Lalu spent almost every waking moment of it working on the various classes he had throughout the day. Part of his plan was that he needed a good buffer of assignments if he was ever going to slip under the radar. Often, he would be caught writing away, whether it was in his room or in the kitchen, finishing assignment after assignment while shoving spoonfuls of cereal down his mouth. In the late nights, his moon would be a blue ring light that he bought online. He knew he would never be this motivated normally, but the thought of missing out on his isekai like it was some sort of one-season show haunted him more.
Friday came, and he had chewed through a month of assignments and projects. It was more like quizbiz had the answers to study from, but the As were in his grade book either way. Virto didn't seem to bother him with the "advanced study tactics" either, although today he began wondering if it was because they had matured as well, or because of some sort of covert relief they felt whenever he pulled up the website of flashcards. With classes done, all that remained was the last hurdle.
He waited patiently over at Virto's house, watching the moon slowly rise, while dampened noises came from the bathroom. He had done a few of his own preparations; shades sat perched on his white tee shirt, and for lowers, he went with a nice royal black dress pants. He kept his blue body coat and revolvers in a backpack for this moment, plus an added vest he could change into once ready. He had brought the backpack home a few times, but after some close calls, while he was in the bathroom, he decided to just keep it stashed in Virto's basement for safety.
He idly ran his finger across the New Order engravings on the handle, pondering in silence. He had hoped Issia hadn't missed him too much over the break, and Melisa hadn't gone back to being a hard case. Finally, he heard the door open upstairs and waited for Virto to come around the corner. They had fitted on a green dress that looked straight out of the 50s, with the way it flayed out around their knees. Their hair was done in a similar era's manner, with green curly glam locks that were bundled up around the top of their back. They wore Irish green lipstick and completed the look with black elbow-length gloves and flat heels. "How do I look?" they said, patting their rolled-up curls like fruit hanging off a tree.
"Like your fanbase is still celebrating a championship from 2008."
"I know it's too much green, but I thought you said we were doing espionage!" Virto said, giving Lalu a pose for their side profile. "Honestly, I think I look hot enough for a damsel in distress. A bit of persuading power would never hurt a soul." They switched accents on the last sentences, trying to sound more like a Southern belle. "Feeling it?"
"I would say the same thing, but you're dressing for a time period three centuries too early," Lalu said. "What if they think you're a mamono?"
"Then we go in loud, obviously." Virto said. "I'm pretty sure that we have enough firepower between the three of us to fight a ballroom."
"Speaking of which, where is our third?" Lalu asked. Luckily, the bell had excellent timing once again.
"Hello?" Virto asked as they opened the door. They almost broke out into a laughing fit as they saw Leana, who had stuffed herself into Viris' old clothing out of laziness. Becky had thankfully spruced it up and repaired any monsterization damage, but she still looked like a nightly courtesan.
"Yeah yeah, laugh it up," Leana said, tugging at the ruffles on her collar. "How did people wear this shit?"
"Oh, relax you'll fit in," Lalu said. "Unless they sense any demonic mana on you. You haven't been touching any suspect demons have you?" Leana just glared, trying to burn a hole into Lalu's precious coat. "Too soon?" he goaded half-jokingly.
"Shut the fuck up."
"Too soon, got it."
In the meantime, the mother of the hour was waiting in the reclining chair of the room while watching the news. Her head turned the moment she heard the doorknob shake, seeing Ola come through, and come through alone.
"Where is your brother?" She asked immediately.
"Aunt's house," he said tiredly. "He wants to go to the career fair this weekend."
"Oh…that's good," She said, absent-mindedly. "I just don't want him anywhere near that portal ever again…never again…"
"He still hangs out with Virto though."
"I would hurt him more than that boy ever did if I did that, but if I could…" She trailed off, sighing before she took out her phone. "I'll call Aunty to double-check with her…"
Ola shrugged and went upstairs, hearing the phone dial on speaker. He smiled a bit when he heard the phone go to voicemail. "Phone must be off, hmm," his mom said, slightly irritated as she put the phone down.
Or, I messed with her wifi a bit, Ola thought to himself, heading off to dose off. This plan better work Lalu….
The moon was nigh, shining it's reflected hollow white down to the patrons at the resort. It was a place of luxury on the waterfront, with giant steam paddles that were turned to power the extravagant lifestyle inside. Chandeliers were in every room. The walls were decorated with pieces bought from only the most authentic of suppliers. The crown jewel of the resort was a steamboat, outfitted with enough amenities to facilitate an entire ballroom concert.
For such a high-brow society, a high-brow plan was needed to get into the party. Lao would double as a fancy aristocrat, while Virto would be a wealthy recluse from the…far lands of the Mist?
"I don't think that's realistic," Lao said. Virto, Leana, and he were all bundled together in the bathroom, going over the plan one last time. "Also, this is the 3rd time today you have changed the story."
"I told you I was workshopping on the fly. And how else can I explain a style 200 years removed from even being invented?"
"At least it's better than 'modest resort worker'," Leana said. "Why do I have to be the lower class person?"
"You're the one that didn't want to spend two hours powdering up," Lao said. They all started bickering with each other, until a grunt and a knock on the door were heard. "Hey hurry up! These ardurves are going right through me!"
"Wait your turn!" Lao called back. "Seriously, it's all about them…"
"Can we at least agree on the important bits of the plan?" Virto asked. The three of them nodded in unison and started to walk out until Lao turned and stopped Leana. "Woah, workers can't come with us, it would look suspicious."
"Oh, so you two are leaving me again?" Leana asked folding her arms. Lao and Virto looked at each other and back, backing off. Sure enough, they did get a few weird glances when all three of them came out of the bathroom together, but once they had split off it was time for business. Virto went to find the power room of the resort, while Lao went to find the target of the evening. Leana would pretend to be serving drinks until she had worked her way up to the balcony for surveillance. If all went according to plan, half of the resort guards would be on Virto, half would be attracted to the balcony, leaving an opening for a nice clean shot on the owner.
"Status report?" Lao said, going to a secluded place in the ballroom and taking out a walkie-talkie from one of his coat pockets. "Had anyone died yet?"
"Ha ha," Leana said into a mic on her dress. "We aren't that trash at a simple bounty."
"Seriously, who dies in the first minute?" Virto whispered, yanking their hand away from their watch and wearing their best smile. "Hi! It's such a pleasah to meet you, Mister…"
"No need for names, mademoiselle~" Went a man who oddly reminded them of Ulysses S Grant. "I just saw you out the corner of my eye, and couldn't help but see the beautiful jasmine green that had been bestowed upon me. And such peculiar adornments too!" He said, eyeing the novel watch on their wrist.
"Oh how I'm charmed!" Virto responded, taking his hand with both of theirs. "My people do say green is the luck of the Irish, so I suppose this clover doesn't fall far from the tree."
"No way are they going full D&D right now," Leana said, having procured a tray full of wine bottles.
"Bro was too ready for that," Lao said, chuckling.
"Shut up!" Virto hissed sharply into their earpiece. The Grant-looking person only blinked in confusion. "Mademoiselle, I didn't say a word."
"Oh, I didn't mean you!" Virto said, laughing loudly. "Sorry, my lands have…quite the unique vernacular."
"I see," he said, Regaining composure. "I suppose it only makes you more exotic than your…exciting appearance lets on. Who is your article maker? Taylor? Sean?"
"Louis Vutton," Virto said like they were sharing a secret.
"How niche~ I must know more about this…Vutton~"
"Well I would simply love that, but…" Virto looked around, seeing all the guards at their post. "There are just simply too many eyes around. You wouldn't happen to know anywhere more…private would you?~"
"O-o-of course!" They could almost see the mustache twirling on his face. "I'm close friends with the owner! I know every inch of this resort like the back of my head!"
"Did he just say what I think he said?" Lao radioed in from his walkie.
"Virto, ask him about the room!" Leana said, being asked what was speaking off by on one of the wealthy. "Nothing, I was just speaking out of turn."
"Why you better not do it again, pagan," a puffy-looking woman said. "You're lucky you're even still alive right now to apologize to us!"
"Remember when that other servant got us water instead of wine?" Another, lanky man in a penguin suit said. "He had him drawn and quartered for weeks!"
Your clothes don't even match the century, why are you talking? Leana thought to herself.
"And don't even get me started on those sultry monsters- ugh!" Said another one at the table. "The only thing worse than those pathetic bounty hun-"
"Woops," Leana went lamely. Her hand slipped and she let the open wine spill out onto the table. Her table and the surrounding ones gasped, some of the wine even flowing into unsuspecting and expensive laps. "It seems this incompetent worker has made an oopsie daisy. How unfortunate."
"I want her lashed until her skin is dyed red!" Screamed one of the patrons. Leana made a dash for it. She took another dish of goods and threw it to a guard approaching her. She made it into the hallway before she started talking into her microphone. "So my part of the plan kind of blew up, but at least I am kiting guards!"
"Damnit," Lao said, having made his way back to the front of the house. I hadn't found anything on the guest of honor either, so now I'm heading towards the garden. Virto?"
"10-4, they said in character. "Oh Grantyyyy~"
"What a coarse yet invigorating vernacular!" He said particularly to no one. "Oh, the electrical room is going to live up to its name!"
"Of course, since when has anything bad ever happened in electrical?"
"In all the years of records this family keeps, I don't recall a single incident!"
"Then let's keep it that way unless you're into stuff that's…naughty~" They could hear him sigh in bliss, and felt the grip on their hand slip a bit as his legs started to tremble in anticipation. Just to rope him further, they pressed on his back, putting an arm over his shoulder. "Although, since you seem to know a lot about this man, do you know if he would be arriving this evening?"
"Of course! This is the anniversary of him opening the waterfront. If I knew any better, he is probably in the garden preparing his speech!"
"LALALALALALALA!" Went a running Leana, with a large assortment of guards chasing after her. Virto and their fancy man watched the chase around another corner.
"What a racket!" He went. "Glad I have such a lay like yourself instead."
Virto could only mildly hide the cringe, but smiled the best they could. "Southern Mistian belles like myself have a reputation I suppose."
Overhearing Virto's mic, he walked over to the garden. He found it completely secluded, yet all the plants looked freshly tended too. The moon gave each one a shine on the edges of the petals. The sound of softly flowing water can be heard over yonder. Masked by the shrubbery between Lao and the water.
"Do not be afraid; our fate cannot be taken from us; it is a gift," a disembodied voice came. Lao followed it, going deeper into the scenery until he found a man sitting down at a shaded picnic table. He could see the moonlight that got through the wooden crisscrossed pattern on his body as he stared lonesomely into a mirror. Not knowing where the quote came from, however, he slid a quick question to seem smarter than he was.
"So, Dante's Inferno?" Lao said, taking his seat across from the man. He could get a closer look at the extravagant green suit, lined with golden outlines. He kept a monocle tucked into his breast pocket and always had his left hand at rest under the table. On his right, he held a mirror, staring into his polished face and dirty blonde hair. "Actually, Sasha's Inferno," he said. "One of the final great literary works of Sasha Fullmoon, before she was unfortunately dragged into the throes of debauchery."
"Sad," Lao said uncaring. "Either way, I'm going to have to bring you in now, mister…"
"James Rocifeller," he responded, staring into Lao's eyes with cold resolve. "I own this beautiful resort, now. It would be a shame if it fell into uncertain hands…the tenants would miss me, don't you agree?" Lao cocked one of his revolvers, but his eyes narrowed when he heard a click all the same. James looks positively serious, not even looking up as more footsteps approached Lao. A hand landed on his folder, rough but large like a baseball mitt. A second hand landed, this one not as big and brutish but squeezing with more force.
"I suppose if this cheap Dante of yours is a copycat, then you will know immediately that something is off with what I am about to say," James said. Standing up, Lao could now see his pocketed hand deep into an unusual pocket on the side of his pants. "I have had 33 different…incidents, you would say. 33 times, I have had put down a petty complaint of me ruining someone else's endeavors with my business. I swear, I would for once like to see the real requester if they would ever grow a pair and settle this man to man."
"But I am getting sidetracked. You see…out of those 33 complaints, only 32 have not lived to see the bounty be cast aside." Lao cocked an eyebrow, grunting when he was suddenly boosted up by the men pressing into his shoulders. Lao heard a click come from James' waist, feeling something cold and round press against his side. "Luckily, I am about to make 34."
"Dumbass, there is only one of me," Lao said. James gave a small grimace, confusing Lao a slight bit as he did a little chuckle. "Oh, bounty hunter, are you sure that is the case?" Lao's concern was ethereal. He panned his eyes around rapidly, but nowhere in his vision could he anyone around other than him and the man he swore he was going to assassinate in cold blood.
"I can see you're quiet," James said, adjusting the entrails of his coat before snapping his fingers. "Maybe this will liven you up. Bring the girl!"
From behind the foliage, another man came out, holding a fairly dressed servant from behind her back. She was muffled with her head put under a small burlap sack, brought up right in front of Lao's eyes.
"So what?" Lao said. "I don't see anyone but one of your party servers."
"Oh really, then let us just uncover the hood!" James yanked the sack off. The servant turned out to be Leana, who squinted as the light hit her eyes for the first time in a moment. She had bloody patches on her dress, and her left eye was an odd shade of purple. Lao's blood started pumping as he saw the damage on her person, turning back to James with increasing anger.
"Now that's more like it~" James said, roughly kicking Lao toward the ground. Before he could scramble up, he was pinned under the boot of one of James' henchmen, with a crossbow pointed straight down his eye. "Look at you. Pinned, hopeless as a nun in the scope of a demon. And worst of all….you let your poor, poor maiden suffer." He tried caressing Leana's chin to rub it in, but she promptly chomped hard on his slender fingers.
"Yikes! How dare you do that you whore!" he yelled, slapping Leana also to the ground. "You are nothing! You two, are nothing, do you hear me!" His voice reverberated throughout the surroundings, almost reaching to the other side of the resort. "Peasants…" he said, calming himself down before he attracted any more attention. He straightened out his jacket and recombed his hair, getting his state back to before he had been so riled up.
"Trust me, when I get up from here, you're going to pay!"
"Yeah, you and what army, am I right men?" a chorale of laughter followed. Lao and Leana couldn't do much other than find each other's eyes, Leana staring back at Lao queasy.
"Ha! Yes….alright get rid of these two, lads," James said, starting to walk away. "I have a party to attend."
"You won't get away with this!" Lao said, trying to goad him on for just a moment longer. "Your bounty is only going to get bigger!"
"Quite the contrary, it seems I have," James said, giddy at his two new captures. "Besides, what is it that you even need me for? I have my friends here that can keep you company just fine!" he said, gesturing wide to the resort. "For I, James Rocifeller, will never lose my way!"
Woosh. A sudden wind flowed through the garden, whisking all of the candles out. Clouds quickly rolled over the shiny glimmer of the moon. In an instant, Mother Nature had moved everything into near-total darkness.
"Head, what is going on!" one of the henchmen said, immediately confused.
"I-I don't know! They must be magic or something, shoot them before they escape!" Two shots immediately rang, but no metal had hit Lao or Leana. Pockets of purple mana had suddenly formed before their faces, catching the bullets like balls into a baseman's mitten. The silhouettes of the luring big men were pulled out of visuals, never to be seen ever again.
"W-what is happening!" James said, starting to back up as he put his hands closer and closer to the. "What are you two doing?"
"They aren't doing anything." Long claws grabbed at James, almost cutting through his clothing with how jagged they were. He wanted to turn around, but the immense aura that sporadically sprung up behind him made him fear for his life to even dare consider facing the entity. Lao and Leana were looking up just past James, looking on with horror that confirmed his suspicions. "P-please…" James said, his hands quivering as he switched between pulling and not pulling his trump card from his pocket. "W-what is…against my back…"
"I…" Leana couldn't put a finger on it. She felt hopeless against the jaunty red flames covering the canine creature. Its facial features were obfuscated by the burning mana, but its eyes glowed a hollow dim red. Wherever its jaw opened drops of purple-red unknown material would drip down like mineral water off of a cave stalactite onto James's vest and hair. For a moment that felt like an eternity, all three of them stood still, almost forgetting to breathe as they anticipated something gruesome. James was the most unfortunate, the once hubris-field resort owner now sweating like it was the hottest day on record.
Yet, Lao's fear slowly started to retract as he got over the initial shock effect. He started to recognize the color scheme and the little orbs of yellow that decorated what would be the canine's chest. Instead of fear, Lao started feeling an unsettling amount of concern. "M-Ma'am?" he suddenly asked. "Wait, are you Virto's mother-in-law?"
"Vir-what?" Leana said. She also looked closer, but having only been here for a day, it did little to help her. She did, start wondering where Virto was, however…
A little while ago…
"It looks like we reached a room fit for such a lucky catch like yourself, madam~" the lovestruck man said, showcasing the door to the electrical room like it was a grand closet made for the two of them only. They nodded and went to turn the door, only to be stopped when the man got in between her and the door. "Wait! The gentleman is supposed to open the door," he pointed out. "I wouldn't allow such exquisitely preserved fingers to do such dirty work!"
"Oh, rest assured the culture in the mist has "door opening order" very low in its list of…priorities."
"Well the culture down here urges the act of politeness! Now hush, I must exchange vows with you quick!" He yanked the door in excitement, eager to get both of them into the privacy of the power room. Instead, he saw a mass of tails ominously waving like tall grass on a windy day. They stopped as his eyes locked on them, pointing towards the gazing courter curiously.
"Oh my word, madam wait here, I must- ouaho!" he made a weird sound as he was pulled into the mass of tails, screaming desperate pleas for help as he was taken deep within the floof, never to be seen again. Virto started to back up but backed into a tall wall of olive skin torso. They looked up, seeing the frustrated and confused face of Vargas staring down at them. His body cast a shadow against the light, hiding Virto in an uneasy column of darkness as they came face to face. "Vargas! Did not...expect to see you here…"
"I didn't expect you either…" he said, his words wavering. He stood like a statue, but his hands were very obviously shaking back and forth in ballooning distress. "...much less with an escort…"
"Oh, that? That isn't what it seemed like."
"Well, it seemed like you were able to engage in something sexual in the electrical room!" Vargas finally blurted out. "I knew something fishy was going on when I saw smelled another scent following you!"
"I promise, I only wanted to use him for the mission!" Virto said, putting their heart over their chest. "This Irish green soul would never lie to you!"
"Well, I'm not believing it until you show me the mission!" Vargas said. Virto immediately started tugging on Vargas' kimono sleeve, pulling him away from the electrical room to where Lao was last heard from. They stopped right before rounding the corner to the garden, pointing to the corner for their husband to go see. "Check yourself."
"I will!" Vargas said, still feeling betrayed. He started stomping his way around the corner, but then stopped when he saw the back of Lao's coat, and small whispers of a quiet yet boisterous voice. Quickly, he hid back behind the corner, listening in…
"James Rocifeller. I own this beautiful resort, now. It would be a shame if it feels into uncertain hands…the tenants would miss me, don't you agree?"
"Rocifeller…that's the name mother keeps mentioning!" He whispered to himself, his wears wiggling and facing the sound for a closer listen…
"33 times, I have had put down a petty complaint of me ruining someone else's endeavors with my business. I swear, I would for once like to see the real requester if they would ever grow a pair and settle this man to man…"
Varags silently nodded and slunk back down to the corner, picking up one of his tails as he began to dial it like a cell phone. "The real requester, he wants? Then I suppose Mother wouldn't mind conducting a night visit…"
"I have tried being nice, JAMES," the canine of fire commanded impatiently. James could only meekly nod along. He wasn't sure if bullets would still be a factor against the spirit, but he had the sneaking suspicion that the act would only put him in more peril. "Yet your refusal to move this resort has resulted in harmful effects on the dwellers. You have refused to cease your actions, and as punishment for your crimes, your conclusion is….DEATH!"
Clouds rapidly began forming over James' resort, with bolts of lightning cracking aggressively through the rolling lumps of purple and grey. James could only watch as the forecast transformed into an immense downpour. Lao and Leana had to keep their heads down, the wind making it near impossible to do anything aside from staying down to the ground. The trees shook with a scary amount of bending, but even over the commotion, James could hear the complaints of his lavish associates from across the facility. He was the only one who wasn't wet, but the heat from the sharp teeth searing his throat posed something scarier than drowning. "Please!" James said. "This doesn't have to be done! W-we can cut a deal! If nature is what you want to preserve, I can expand my garden!"
"Your flowers are preserved with the unnatural, they are a disgrace." the wolf said a-matter-of-factly. "Once mother nature is altered, it would do everything to return back to balance." A crash was heard uphill, shaking the ground as powerful as an earthquake. James' head turned, seeing birds fly away as trees started to be parted away.
"What the fuck!?" Lao said as well, realizing quickly that he and Leana were in the path. Leana had already started desperately to get the rope binding her arms off. Lao did as well, but the bindings were refusing to slip off. "Urrrk!" he growled, his heart dropping when he heard that last crash right on top of them. A thin stream of water passed around him and Leana swiftly. Hit with the cold rush, Lao was forced to look up, seeing the tidal wave that was only one treeline away from crashing over them. He tried one last time, a glow forming around him as he did his best to concentrate all his power into his wrists to break the bindings apart, but the flood was too fast. In an instant, the sounds of crashing water were flooding his ears, the wave falling on them like a crumbling building with no time to escape.
He started at the water in the eyes, awaiting his certain death as collateral. Millions of gallons fell on top of him, but then, crashing against a faint blue outline, parted around his body like a divot. Everything else:
The screams of Leana beside her,
The useless shouts of James,
Everything, was gone in an instant. He could only see the water in front of him, flowing around him like he was under a clear-cased shell on the ground. He could barely see the water as well, the only light coming from the glow of adrenaline-fueled mana around his body. He was in shock, he thought. He had died, and now his brain was crashing as his mind shot the last streams of neurons he had for his soul to process in slow motion.
The flood around him continued for some time. Thinking he might as well, he undid the last of his bindings, snapping them off once his body had caught up with the shift in his mind. His shell seemed to move with his body, still covering him as he got up in front of the rushing water. He fully expected to be washed away the moment he tried to get up, but his body stood as if no force was acting on him. A tree suddenly appeared in his vision, but it was obliterated into smaller bits as it crashed into whatever shield was protecting him. It broke into oblivion, and was washed away before he could put his hands up and scream.
He saw his shield start to stretch away from him. Like a bubble, it jumped out and started creeping back towards him, bringing with him a dark outline. It jumped for the light around him before he could pull out his gun, but the moment it embraced him in a hug, he could feel Leana's hair brush against his face. "I MADE IT! I….oh," Leana said, her excitement replaced by disappointment. "I just found you."
"No no, keep that same energy," Lao said, looking around them. It seemed like they were both protected in a larger bubble, shell, thing. More rocks came at them out of nowhere but were also obliterated and sent on their way as little pebbles and sediment. "Maybe I'll throw you out of this shield."
"Ha, yeah right…" Leana trailed off. "Just to make sure, are we dead?"
"No, if you're still here, then Amaterasu must have protected us somehow while the resort got flash flooded…" Lao said, reaching to the barrier. The top did not let his finger graze outside, raising itself so that nothing broke through. "Surprisingly, this is not the craziest thing I have been a part of on one of these bounty hunts…"
Leana tried the same thing, seeing the barrier flex away as well. "Does this stuff happen often?"
"I wouldn't say too often…"
"Well, if we manage to get out of here alive," Leana started, taking out her phone and turning on the flashlight. "When do you think we're gonna do this again?"
"W-wait, what?" Lao said. Leana was able to see the sudden concern on his face, and Lao was able to see the small smile on hers.
"You heard me. I know we almost died, twice…but this was the most fun I had with you two in ages. Besides, you still owe me, you got that?" Leana dug into her dress, rifling around until she took out her friendship ring. She slide it back on her ring finger, holding it up to Lao. "Friends?"
Lao couldn't help but smile, showing the ring on his finger as well. "Friends."
Once the dust settled, they saw the barren landscape on the waterfront. The giant water mill was gone, and along with it the entire resort as a whole. A huge path was created through the forest, turning the wide river into a clearing. A small level of water still rose halfway up their shoes, small fish swimming past them in the shallow wathe. James was gone as well; neither of them had a clue what had happened, but the only sure thing was that whatever was left of his death was washed away into the valley.
"Guys!" Virto called, running into the clearing. Lao and Leana turned around, suddenly realizing that they had forgotten about Virto in the panic. "Virto!" they screamed back, all of them crashing into each other as they hugged.
"Yo, where were you!?" Lao said, looking at them up and down for any broken bones. "An entire tidal wave came through!"
"Vargas wanted to talk somewhere else, partly because I used that resort owner's friend to find the electrical room…" Virto said, rubbing their neck and sighing. They looked around, seeing the flattening of the landscape. "I'm guessing this was his mom's doing though…"
"Oh no, I had no part in this destruction," Amatusaru said, back to her human-like form. The three of them jumped, since the god of the sun had appeared out of nowhere. "I told that Ryu to be careful with the trees, but she must have been too eager…Mizuki!"
Out of the tree foliage far away, a yellow dragon girl came out. Her lower half was of a lamia, yet her ears seemed to instead have fins, with horns protruding from higher on her head. A loose-fitting kimono flowed against her torso. Her hair was tied up into asymmetrical buns, with pins keeping everything together.
"Didn't I tell you to treat this landscape with care? You turned this place into a river!..." Amaterasu berated Mizuki, lightly flicking her forehead.
"Owi! Yes, I did my best, but the resort just wasn't budging! Maybe I overdid it though…" she said, rubbing her forehead. "Oh, Virto, we meet again!"
"You know her?" Leana said, turning to Virto and Lao. Loa shook his head, but Virto said yes. "Hey, Mizuki! How is the temple doing?"
"Oh, it's now a tall fortress! Also, I think I have a spiritual daughter! Isn't that exciting?"
"How do natural entities have a family?" Leana whispered to Lao. Lao shrugged back, not having the slightest clue either.
"Well, regardless, the job is done. Although we now have to discuss how this river is going to work now…" Amaterasu sighed, rubbing her head. "I may just delegate this to Ganan, I do hate the politics of terraforming…right. Mizuki, let's go."
"Yes, my liege." A portal of fire opened before them. Amaterasu walked through, the Ryu holding up the empress' long clothing so it wouldn't be dirtied by the moist marshy ground. The three of them watched them leave, until Lao suddenly put his hands on his head in panic. "Wait, we forgot to get the reward from her!"
"Do you think Fola can still get his scholarship back?" Lalu's dad asked while they watched a movie. "I know it has been a while, but…"
"I'm sure his college has a walk-in tryout. I wouldn't mind too much about it though, I'm sure whatever he does, he won't stop until he's done it," his mom responded back. "Maybe a bit too much…" They both sat in silence for a bit, watching the music in the romcom crescendo up to the big scene of the movie.
"I think I should check on him," his father said.
"Oh, don't worry. Oluwale said he was with his aunt. I have made it very clear to him to know what his brother is doing at all times." The father nodded and dialed the aunt's number. It run for a bit on the other end, until he heard the phone being picked up on the other end. "Oh thank goodness, the line finally worked!"
"Who is that?" the mother said. "Can I see the phone?"
"Yeah, we are doing fine," the father said, getting into a conversation. "Yeah, we recently got a new provider as well…yeah, is Fola there?"
"Oh yes, I believe he went to bed pretty early," the aunt responded. She started walking to the bedroom, knocking on the door. "Ohya, your dad wants to speak to you!" When she didn't hear him stirring, she just opened the door. The bed looked full, but she didn't see any signs of a person in the bed. "Fola…" she whispered, going over to the bed. "Wake up…"
She nudged him, but then saw what was at the top of under the blanket. There was no head, only a pillow.
"Hello? What's going on?" his parents repeated, but his aunt's blood pressure started to rise. She began lifting the blanket, seeing pillow after pillow until….
"Ah!" she said, "I had never seen him do something like this!"
"What, what's going on!?" his parents jumped, hairs on end."
"He curled up in his sleep," his aunt responded. Like a shell, he had wound himself up. He only had his t-shirt and underwear on, and off the bed on the ground, his laptop was open, still playing rap music. On the screen, was a paper nearly completely covered in math scratch work.
"You need to tell your son to sleep early, I swear-o, he's gonna be an insomniac!" his aunt said, chuckling. His parents relaxed, sinking back into the bed. They supposed he was just too studious for his own good…