Queen's note: AAAHHHH-flails–gods I'm getting into some character development and then… grab your ice packs my friends.
Garnets
Chapter Thirty Five:
Too Human
"I regret my life decisions." Lily muttered from where she was sitting off to the side of the new work area. The young woman had her head resting on the heels of her hands, knees drawn up and really, really wishing she had not eaten that morning. Or eaten as much as she did.
She was definitely never eating within the span of two hours before using one of the portals. Never again.
One of the massive forms paused and knelt down beside her, a big hand carefully, awkwardly giving Lily's head and then shoulder a pat. She looked up, smiling half heartedly at Rai's helmet.
"Are you going to be okay, Lady Lily?" Rai asked, sounding genuinely considered.
"Yeah, I will in a few minutes. I'm just complaining." Lily leaned back against the shelf, looking up at it's display of cake mixes. She sighed, "Can you hand me one of the boxes, I might as well be useful while at ground level."
"You can just recover," the young man offered, looking over at where Commander Valen was packing one of the wired carts. Haco and Captain Mila were on guard duty, carefully walking around, pausing just outside of full view of the front windows.
"It'll make me feel better." Lily said, looking up.
Rai nodded, understanding that as he picked up one of the odd boxes. The place they were at was more than just fascinating to him. Ria had seen a few examples of other cultures, remnants of species that the Argenta had concerned, to the ruins he had glimpsed in hell. Nothing quite like what the humans made. Simple and effective seemed to be the theme to their buildings and layouts so far.
Lily was happy to start neatly stacking the food boxes in the bigger one, she was not as fast as she could be right then, but over the next half hour her stomach did settle down. Lily was much faster once she was upright, and was filling two baskets for every one that Valen and Rai were. Moving into the baking aisle and then paused before eyeing the amount of baskets. She switched priorities to start on the freezer section before the next time the portal would open.
"Vega?" Lily tried, tapping a spot on her new mask where she had been told to. Just in case he had not had the new line open.
"Yes miss Lily?" Vega's rich voice answered promptly, making the human smile.
"Is the new freezer room finished up there? And stable?" Lily asked, making sure she was looking at the cold aisle.
"It has just reached freezing temperatures, and is staying stable." Vega reported, and then added as he was able to see what Lily did now. "It should be safe to start packing up there to transport back to the Fortress once the portal is open again."
"...silly question, once things are moved, can we move and convert these freezers to make use of them? Like lining the back sides of the mess hall?" Lily asked, leaning out of the aisle to whistle for attention. She waved at Rai, "Over here! Time to reorganize, cold stuff is safe to move through back home!"
She moved back to start at one side, pulling a large cart to start neatly packing the vegetables first. Bemused, or just a bit awestruck that she was doing this. It had always been trippy to help with getting the larger amounts of food for the Platforms. But to just get everything off the shelves in a survival setting?
"There might be the possibility of doing that, even the shelves to make things easier for storage." Vega was saying as she worked, hearing the others starting over. "I will remember that, but we might find more storage here in the Fortress now that the Argenta are awake."
"We should keep doing this." Lily said, thinking, as she picked out a few things to set aside. "Not just for us but to share with any other survivors groups."
"Are you going to make another sign like in Crescent city?" Vega asked, watching from Lily's point of view as she steadily packed the cart. Being surprisingly efficient with her space. And had it filled even with the top as Rai moved in two empty baskets.
"Yes, long as you don't mind a beacon being left." Lily looked up and brightened, "Thank you, Rai, I can trade you?"
"Of course my Lady," Rai almost chirped, the Argenta man was feeling pretty good as he was able to do something useful, even if he could not fight yet. "Do you think we can get all this before the portal opens?"
"The whole store? No, but the frozen stuff first? Yes. If I saw right, someone set the coolers to freeze so we might get dairy. And some more meat, protein."
Rai tilted his head, but it was still hard for Lily to read the Sentinels when they were in armor. "Then I'll move this and get more… carts?"
"Carts," Lily nodded, holding back that there were a few names. She glanced to the front, where some now empty shelving frames had been moved to slowly start blocking the windows. "Have any other survivors been spotted?"
"Not that I'm aware of." Rai shook his head before moving to push the current basket into the current staging area. With the other carts already full.
Not too long after he left, Valen showed up, looking around and then paused as if listening to something. Likely Vega. It was probable was, as he started to move with purpose, his helmet turned to either side to look at the strange things in the freezer. At least to him.
"Where should I start?" Valen asked, coming up to Lily and sounding amused.
"Think you can get the bags on the other side?" Lily asked, motioning to the bags of uncooked meat, then to the precooked things. "If you can get the bags there I'll work on this side and work into the boxes. We should have most of the cold things done by the time of the portal open. That way the baskets can just get pushed into the new freezer area. At least until we can sort shelves or storage."
"That's going to be something we should do," Valen agreed as he started to get the requested things.
"...probably should look at the room first." Lily admitted, hearing a soft chuckle. "...Valen?"
"Yes girl?"
"You think the big guy found anyone yet?" Lily asked as she worked. Thinking of John going to Australia on his own.
"If he did not yet, The slayer would likely be on the trail or hunting by now." Valen considered, thinking. He glanced over and saw Lily lingering a moment over something. Her thumbs smoothing over a bag as it clearly reminded her if something.
Lily took a breath, packing the zucchini and other assorted squash noodles in the bag. Tilting one bag to be on its side to help mark the basket to find later. She was back to that quick but efficient pace again. Despite clearing the freezers mostly on her own. Though Valen had to step over to reach the top most shelf that Lily was struggling with.
They soon had a good pattern because of that. Valen would start at the top on his side, while Lily on the bottom, and by the time she needed help he was stretching his back. Or Rai was back to swap a cart.
Valen resisted stepping in as he was noticing something. Stooped to carefully reach in the freezer and grasp a half box with the bags inside. He had heard Rai coming this time, and gave no indication that he was watching as the lad took the chance to linger by Lily. The talk was nothing really flirtatious, just what the current vegetables were good for. Valen was, however, very much a father as well as mentor. He could spot the subtle and not so small things when the younger responded and reacted to each other.
Ages, had stasis not been involved, where very much similar. Perhaps mental ages?
Lily barely came up to Rai's chest like the other Argenta. Had she really been Argenta Valen would very swiftly put Rai in his place about someone else so young…
Valen hesitated though. He was Lily's guardian now, and as much as his mind played tricks she was not exactly a child. Young? Very much so in Valen's immortal perspective. But so was Rai. Rai would likely have a long life as their race did but he would age and die if not in old age then possibly fighting.
A well trained, honorably disciplined and sensible Sentinel was not a bad choice of a possible suitor…
Valen very well might be biased about that, but he did not know much about humans on a whole. He had already let himself get attached to Lily and would like to see her keep growing in her life. Not become stagnant like some (like himself, like other immortals).
"Confused?" Lily asked after a minute, looking over as, to her, it seemed like Valen was baffled as he stared at one of the bags he held. "It's a type of fish, salmon."
"...is it supposed to be pink?" Valen asked to keep his thoughts to himself. Perhaps he had stood back up too fast though as his head seemed to pulse and his inner balance wavered for a few moments.
"Yep! Means it was healthy." Lily laughed, "Should see lingcod, true lingcod that is. It's blue!"
"That is at least normal," Valen snorted, shaking his head and finally glanced over. Smiling in his helmet at least, seeing Rai once again helping Lily with the top shelf.
"Really? That's fascinating, it's a rarity here." Lily considered as she started on another cart. She wondered how long the ice cream would last, at least to herself. Then if it would be acceptable for her to have some stashed away.
Lily wondered what food was like on the Argenta words. It was trippy too that they were widespread enough to be spread out on a few worlds. As well as able to adapt to those living words?
Lily knew that those on Mars struggled with allergies. What was the Argenta immune systems like?
"Movement," Haco called from the front of the store drawing the attention of everyone inside. Mila was trotting over as Valen promptly set a bag down and also started to the front of the store. Glancing at Rai, who picked up the unspoken command to stay near Lily.
Not that Lily was inclined to go running forward to investigate. She paused to listen and then kept packing the frozen. She waited a minute before looking up at Rai as he stood at attention. "Any word if it's demons or survivors?"
Rai lifted a hand to the side of his helmet, listening to what was said. Then pointed off to the side of the front of the store, "I think… humans down the road-way. Sunrise?"
"Coming from the east…southeast." Lily thought of that, that was following one of the main roads if she remembered the map that Vega had shown of this area. "They might be coming up to get away from the higher concentration of demonic activity."
That too was part of the whole reason Vega had picked these two to start salvaging surviving food stores. And likely finding any survivors.
"Vega, can you tell if there's anyone out there?" Lily asked, remembering the open channel the AI had with her.
"There is at least one, possibly two human lifeforms and a Demonic one in the area." There was a slight pause, "I think it may help once I get some more systems up and going in the Fortress. Valen mentioned the celestial locator? Do you think we can move that to a priority once everyone is back?"
It took all the control Lily had not to laugh, suddenly realizing how very aware Vega was. As polite as he was, he now had something that the Fortress bound AI seemed to actually want something now. That was amazing to Lily.
"I think it would be a good idea," Lily took a few deep breaths, Rai looking down at her worried as she got her breathing under control again. The Sentinel reached out to pat her back with surprising care. She hit the button to get some of the medicine so not to have a full attack with that.
"...are you alright, miss Lily?" Vega asked, sounding worried as he focused fully on his smaller human. "I can open a portal for you to come back if you are still feeling ill, or if you are worried about the danger."
"I think I'm okay for now," Lily looked up, smiling as Rai hummed back, reflexively tilting to bump her shoulder against his side reflexively. Trying to see what was happening at the font of the store.
Vega saw it, as Rai looked down in surprise at the small motion. Then followed close behind Lily as he checked the shield on his left arm. The young Argenta man looked confused as they saw Valen holding Haco's shoulder as they and Mila were watching out the windows. "...Commander?"
"Shu," Valen glanced back, and then made a face as he saw Lily beside Rai. "Take her back, there's hunting demons."
"What are they hunting?" Lily narrowed her eyes at Valen and then looked at the main windows as she caught a glimpse of movement. Of someone running from around one car to another awkwardly carrying something on their front and a bag on their back. "Shite, person, how are we going to help them?"
"We are not doing anything," Valen said, frowning as he hauled Maco back, "We are not a full strength unit."
"If its one demon you can handle it," Lily said, looking shocked, "Valen, someone needs help. We should help them, even if these three can't, you said you can handle most demons on earth on your own."
"I will not put you in any additional risk, nor the weakened Sentinels." Valen scowled, turning to glare at Lily.
"It's a hound sir, we can handle it together," Mila said as she glared at next when trying to shift to the door. "Lord Valen, please, I can send my wolf out to at least distract it so the human can get over here."
"No." Valen growled, but looked conflicted as Haco finally shrugged him off and started for the door only to be hauled back by the slightly shorter Valen. "No, I will not lose any more of you. We are not going to risk Lily either. Once the Demon loses interest we can see if that other human survived."
"Valen." Lily flexed her hands, suddenly feeling not so oddly angry at what she was hearing. But at the same time hearing an edge of…fear in his voice? "This is part of the whole reason we are here. Is to help any survivors as well as get supplies. We need to help them. Please."
"No." Valen came over, his voice expressing emotional pain as if it was stabbing him in his stomach. "Lily, my girl, I have just been given you to protect. Your life is already so young and short. I will not risk you any more than what time will do to you. I've already lost one child, twice over, I will be damned again if I am to lose another after being given another."
"Valen, I will not stay in a glass box for my life. My world is burning, it's a mass extinction event as it is here." Lily walked forward, but was blocked by her larger guardian. "Please help save who we can, Valen. My people might be going extinct as it is, we can't lose any more."
"Lord Valen, if it is just a hound, we can manage it." Rai said coming up behind Lily, holding his shield arm up, "We are still Night Sentinels, my Lord. Trust us."
"I will not lose any more of you." Valen almost snarled as there was a scream outside.
"Valen, please help them," Lily begged, desperately looking at the windows as she reflexively moved. The others tensed as they reacted to Valen's shifting and coiling muscles. That building anger in her own chest suddenly froze, before Lily went very still at the sudden desperate thought.
Her mind got very quiet and still as the young woman focused on Valen. Looking between him, the window and the Sentinels and back. Something very dangerous suddenly happened.
Lily had just realized her value, so to say.
She was not as big or strong as the Sentinels around her. No where near anything like the Slayer, but…
But.
Like the Slayer, Lily was still human.
Unlike the Argenta, humans were a devious sort of endurance predators. Unlike Argenta, humans seemed to come up with brilliantly stupid ideas that should not work… but would.
"Valen, help them," Lily spoke clearly, her voice not emotionless but filled with it. "Or I will make you help them."
"I have no issue restraining you, my lake lily," Valen said, stepping forward with a low growl and staring down at the human, "I will protect you, even if I have to make you pass out. There's nothing you can do, child. We will wait until the threat is gone."
The demonic creature suddenly warbled as it caught the fresh scent.
Haco spun at the sound, and Valen was reflexively on him again. Mila snarled something as she stepped forward as well on her own reflex in defense of one of her brothers in arms.
Rai's almared shout made the three freeze. "Lily, wait!"
"No!" Valen lunged but he was tangled with Haco and Mila for that critical few moments for Lily to get out of the only working door that they had come into the store through.
It was sudden desperation that helped him get his feet back under him and launch after the human. Her slight figure overlaid with the much younger version of his own son when hell first invaded Argent D'nur. Then they were outside, Lily was backing away from him as the world suddenly snapped back into reality.
It was not his scared son, but a scared, angry and determined human that was glaring at him. In the wide open and exposed parking lot… Valen looked behind her at the movement of a hulking red and pink monster as he suddenly understood that it was no empty threat from before.
"No… Lily…" Valen shook his head, conflicted with his own emotions and past trauma.
"I will make you help them." Lily said, her voice betraying her desperation.
"Don't do it… please-" Valen stepped forward and she backed up several paces, he looked behind her. Seeing two large heads lifting to sniff at the air.
"Help them." Lily almost snarled back, and at the hesitation she saw, the woman turned. Giving a long piercing whistle that she had learned and developed within on the sea. Something to draw attention of fellow mechanics on other docks of her home platform.
Valen lunged for her as several things happened. Starting to curse humans, while the two demons lifted their heads to look over as the other hunted human did too. Lily was calling out as Valen was almost run over as Rai's lean frame was charging forward. Rai had his shield extended out as he covered the distance to the demons, Haco hot on his heels with his energy sword drawn.
Valen was almost shield-bashed by Mila, who spun him around with a hit to his shoulder. "Lord Commander! Snap out of the inner fear that's holding you!"
Mila hauled him around to force her Commander to look up at the top of the building at the dark, almost oil-shined form crouching on the roof.
"It's an Elder Wretched! It's feeding off you Valen! Snap out of it!" Mila yelled as she understood what was happening first.
Valen could only stare at the dark form that was slowly, almost languidly stretching leathery wings. Brightly glowing, almost unfittingly beautiful sapphire eyes opening to look back down at the Sentinel it was holding his attention and fear. Triggering it to feed off him as chaos was starting to happen around Valen as he was rooted to the spot as the noble class demon smiled in its own darkness.
reviews!
XFireStoneX: Look up the fireboats in the coast guard to get an idea of what I was thinking XD
RavenShichiyou: Friend no! get sleep! I might be an insomniac but you need your rest! My thing here can wait for you! I'm so happy you do like my silly monster story though.
