Hello Scrolls and Followers of Justice, Mr.Bones bringing chapter 20 of my fanfic The One Who Came Back.
In this part we will see Entoma in a new costume and starting investigations.
Comment and help me improve the writing, thank you.
With you.
The One Who Came Back
Chapter 20: Night Shift
"I think we've arrived at my apartment", Entoma announced.
"Indeed, time flies when we're in such good company! Speaking of which, I was wondering if the miss would like to have dinner with me tonight".
"W-Well, I'm flattered, but the day was tiring and..." the maid seemed embarrassed.
"Oh! Forgive my impertinence, I didn't realize how intrusive that could be, I'm sorry for the inconvenience…" Inta now seemed embarrassed.
"No, no, no... it definitely wasn't inconvenient, I was just caught off guard. It's not often that I receive such invitations, I hope you understand that I would be delighted to accompany you, but unfortunately not tonight."
"How about tea tomorrow afternoon? If it doesn't interfere with your outings", Inta suggested hopefully.
"It's a date, Mr. Inta, tomorrow afternoon then."
"Until tomorrow, Miss Entoma."
Thankfully, upon entering the apartment, the silence and anti-divination spells activated automatically, or else…
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!" Entoma screeched, sounding like a teenager.
"I like sugar, but that was making even me sick", Kyouhukou complained.
"Don't be silly, we were just talking. Besides, it's part of my job to investigate."
"I'm sure which parts seemed like they were going to be investigated…" the Duke of Terror murmured almost inaudibly.
"I heard that. Yes, I'm flattered by the attention, but I know we're not compatible, biologically speaking."
"Not everything needs to be biological, my dear, but unfortunately we have other matters to attend to, don't we?"
"Of course, let's start the investigation today by focusing on the highlighted areas marked by the 'watchers'", Entoma said, taking on a more serious tone of voice. After all, she had duties to fulfill and that was the priority.
"Then the miss will head to one of the farthest neighborhoods from the center, I believe a change of clothing would be appropriate."
"Indeed, one of the things we Battle Maids don't have is a very extensive wardrobe. Besides the uniforms, we only have beach and event sets, New Year's, gala party, school uniform, Halloween, Easter, Christmas, whatever those names mean, so except for Solution, who can change her own clothes, we're all deficient in this area."
Entoma then took off her new clothes, carefully placing them on the bed. A series of beetle-like insects began to appear and climb up her legs, covering her entire body.
Armored Beetles: nature led them to evolve into a highly resistant species that lives in deep caves, with a carapace derived from orichalcum, which they feed on.
These insects climbed up Entoma's body and positioned themselves in a way that they clung to each other, forming what looked like a full-body black leotard made of small plates. Above the head, the flatter females of the species formed a hood.
"It looks good. Now you can blend into the shadows, but I think you'll need to change your mask, that light shade could give you away."
"No problem, I can just do this".
The maid touched a specific spot on the Mask Bug, and it instantly turned black.
"Chromatophores, this is new!"
"Yes, lately I have been researching new species and found this variant. It seems that this ability is relatively new, but it doesn't just do that."
Then Entoma did something surprising. She blinked and then smiled, then squinted her eyes and transformed her face into something resembling a cute emoji with its tongue out.
"Incredible, you can print expressions! You're using mental commands like I do with 'Edgar'".
"Yes, that's right. For now, they don't seem natural, but I think with practice, I can even make it seem like I'm speaking," Entoma showed how to open and close the mouth drawn on her carapace, then continued.
"I think it's a new evolutionary step for these insects, to make changes to adapt to other environments and to be able to hunt".
"Do they hunt? I'm sorry for not knowing much about other insects, Miss."
"Yes, they hunt. And don't worry about it, I only know because as an Entomologist, that's my area of study. In fact, having this facial appearance is precisely to attract their prey closer to the colony, then they all attack together."
"So your favorite prey would be humans."
"Obviously, after all, who wouldn't want to eat them?"
"Indeed, but why are your extra legs exposed?"
"Hmm, after the ABs join together, it's hard to get an opening to expose them, but I think if I bend them like this... there! Now they won't attract attention and are ready to act", Entoma showed.
The spider-like legs protruded from her back and were crossed over her chest, forming an X of a slightly different color than the rest, which, aesthetically speaking, looked very good, Kyouhukou thought.
"I think it's dark enough now, no one will see me leaving. Let's begin," announced the maid.
Entoma climbed up to the window and launched herself into the void. Her fall was only stopped by a swing of a web that came from her leg, where a String Spider was attached.
The maid could emit her own web, but she wanted to use her entomancy as much as possible. Outside of training, she had few opportunities to do so, and for the same reason, she wasn't using Fly, "only in an emergency," she thought.
"So, which way?"
"Follow the lights."
"What li-… oooh! I see, well thought out! Are they collaborators?"
"Yes, my relatives are already forming a network using the inhabitants of the city, most are responding well to our requests."
Below Entoma, there were several luminous dots coming from a series of fireflies that were only visible to someone who was above the buildings.
As most buildings were not very tall, Entoma soon had to jump from building to building. Part of Entoma's night was spent directly evaluating points of interest. Well after midnight, the opportunity arose to approach one of them.
"Miss Entoma, our target is moving a few blocks away from where you are, the watchers will guide you."
"How will I identify the target?"
"He was previously marked with pheromones, you will be able to see him easily."
"I've arrived at the location, it's really easy to see."
Down in the alley, a woman was being chased by a brute who held a knife as big as his forearm.
Cornered, she tried to defend herself, only managing to receive some cuts on her arms. The attacker apparently liked to play with his prey, but now he had grown tired and his victim had nowhere else to run.
Crista saw the knife lower to pierce her chest, but the pain never came, only a slight pang. What she saw next was the killer being swept up into the air and up there, among the buildings, there was a huge spider web where the man was being wrapped up by someone much smaller than him.
The person or creature turned their face to Crista and then began to descend on one of the silver threads. Upon reaching the ground, they initially remained in a crouched position that made them look like a Black Spider ready to attack. Then she stood up and walked towards her – small and slender, her silhouette betrayed that she was a woman under a black scale suit.
"Are you okay?"
"Y-Yes, thank you for helping me, I don't know how to thank you for saving my life. T-that's the Arwintar Butcher, a killer, and he kills women from the streets…"
"You don't have to worry about him anymore... Crista Azules."
"How do you know my name?"
"I know a lot about you, I know you're a 'girl from the streets,' but I also know you have a very reliable information network. Your friends seem to have access to all kinds of gossip".
"Did you send him after me?"
"No, absolutely not! But I couldn't let you be killed before talking to you. I need your help." Crista was suspicious, but the situation didn't seem to have been staged. The knife had touched her chest before the man was dragged away.
"I believe you, my services are at your disposal."
"Great. I'm looking for a person, a storyteller, talkative, who is in town or has been here in the last few months, this is a portrait of him. Gather information, his name is Telcontar, but he may be calling himself Lovecraft, or even changed his name".
"How can I get in touch with you?"
"Just leave a message right here, there's a loose brick in this wall."
Crista looked back and saw nothing.
"There are no loose bricks."
Then, a black hand hit the wall and ripped out one of the bricks that had been firmly fixed in the wall until then.
"Now there is. Just put the message there and someone will come and get it. Don't worry, no one else will harm you."
The girl dressed in black then did two somersaults backwards and jumped onto the web, where she grabbed the Butcher of Arwintar and carried him up onto the rooftops, disappearing into the night.
Crista looked at the huge web for a while as she stroked her belly. She had many tattoos, some without specific meaning, others quite personal, but there was one in particular that she always liked, a Black Spider on her ribs, small but deadly, a predator, a symbol of strength and overcoming for her.
"The Black-Spider…" murmured Crista, smiling.
As dawn was breaking, Entoma headed back to the hotel. As soon as she entered through the window, she found Kyouhukou and his family who had been cataloguing all night. Throwing the Butcher of Arwintar onto the floor of the room, the maid announced:
"Snack tiiiiime!"