Hola amigos! Long time, no see! Sorry this took longer then expected, this chapter was really hard for me. But anyway, thank you to Jason Chandler and Dragonheart81693 for all the follows and favs!
The air was rancid. It fell like fog and blocked out the sun. The wind howled and tore the ends of clothes and loose hair strands. But it was buried beneath the gregarious growls that resonated from the spirals. The spirals were balls of light that burned against the smogginess like butterscotch. They heaved power that swept rocks and gravel into the air.
Gunshots rang clear and bullets launched for the kneeling Mutant, but it didn't react and kept its head low as the spiral swept up the bullets, eating the projectiles in greedy gulps.
"You—" the Mutant said in a voice like gravel. "—are not my opponents."
The wind thickened and hurled a car that had been parked along the sidewalk. Lila's Dad jumped when it was thrown into the air. He was completely exposed now. Smoke swarmed his face and he covered his nose with his elbow.
"But if you insist," the Mutant continued, still not opening its eye.
The spirals over its shoulders grew even brighter. Mr. Sawyer refused to allow his fear to show and fired away, but his bullets were sucked into the spirals. He grimaced, realising his powerlessness, even as his fellow officers continued to fire.
"Hey, ugly!"
The Mutant looked up as I landed in front of Mr. Sawyer with a thud. Eyes whipped in my direction and I suddenly became aware how ridiculous I looked right now. I bit my lip. My toes throbbed. Apparently, Blue Jay's shoes, heeled or not, were better to jump dramatically in then mine.
Yeah, go figure.
Mr. Sawyer gasped and he jumped back in surprise. Squaring my shoulders, I kept my attention up ahead, where the Mutant narrowed its singular eye.
"Your fight is with me," I declared.
I crunched my fingers around the handle of the trashcan lid that I bore like a shield. In hindsight, I looked extremely ridiculous—you know, dressed as a bee with a trashcan as a shield. Grounding my teeth, I pictured Nel's big, fat, stupid face, yapping on and on about my safety.
'It'll do good,' she said. 'It's better to be sorry!' she said. If I actually managed to get out of this (and not die from the sheer embarrassment of it all), I am so pegging this smelly thing straight at her face.
The wind slowed until it was nothing more than a breeze. The spirals powered down, shrinking and shrinking until they completely faded away. The smoke was still clogged in my throat, but it didn't feel as thick.
The Mutant silently stared at me, scrutinizing every detail of me. Something that gave me the creeps considering how white its eye was. Actually, screw that, the fact that it only had one eye was creepy. It was like I was staring up at the full moon.
"You are Blue Jay?" it finally asked in a voice that reminded me of a straight line. One that held neither elevation nor contempt.
"In the flesh, asshole," I snapped.
It didn't respond right away. But I could see the way its mouth twisted to the side as its gaze darted from the bun in my hair to the worn tennis shoes on my feet.
"You are not what I expected," it noted dryly.
Touché.
"Blue Jay?"
The voice came from behind me. It'd been so quiet that it almost sounded like the wind rather than someone's whispered words.
I looked over my shoulder, expecting to find the hateful glare of a man who saw me as nothing more than a nuisance. But instead, I was surprised to find an expression edged with confusion and eyes brimming with horror.
His face was streaked with dirt, a bruise blossoming over his right cheek, and gravel was threaded in his hair. His gun was by his side in one hand while the other was wrapped around his shoulder, which appeared darker.
"What happened to you?" he asked. I was confused at first, unable to understand why he sounded so shocked, when it hit me.
Right, I wasn't transformed.
I wasn't dressed up like I normally was; there was no tech to distract people, no helmet to hide behind. My mask couldn't cover the small things like the freckles, or the bruises or the blatant lack of maturity that Blue Jay emitted.
And my body, it wasn't that of an adult. I was still sixteen, still Helga, and I didn't stand nearly as tall. Something that Mr. Sawyer had realised. He wasn't the tallest of men, he seemed like he'd only be 5'9", but Blue Jay would've likely have towered over him, as she did with most people. But, me? I barely reached the tip of his chin. And my voice . . . fuck, what if he recognised it?
"N–Nothing," I tried speaking lower. But my heart was pounding so much that it rattled the rest of my body.
"Nothing?" I heard the Mutant repeat.
I half–turned and gasped; the smaller Mutant had suddenly appeared and climbed up the larger one's limbs. Hanging from its shoulder, it opened its mouth and dropped something in the larger one's hands.
"You have not lost anything?" the large one continued tauntingly. "Like this?"
And there, between its fingers, was an object that made my heart sink to my toes. An object that was detrimental to my getting out of here tonight.
My pin.
"Give it back!"
It simply smirked. "You must fight for it."
The air around me pulled the wisps of my hair. I had tried tying it up and out of my face, wounding it around in a bun at the top of my head, but the wind had already torn strands loose. It wasn't a braid, something that was far more secure, and the likelihood of it escaping my confines and getting in my face were depressingly high.
The hilt in my back pocket felt heavier, like it was an anchor, and I suddenly became aware of how large the Mutant's sword was. A decent chunk was buried in the dirt, but the top of the hilt reached its hip, and the blade seemed thicker than my thigh. And the Mutant itself also seemed pretty tall, although I couldn't tell how tall.
I felt chilled to the spot. My clammy hands were shaking, the trashcan rattling, and I noticed Mr. Sawyer's eyes boring into me like lasers.
Lila is a Guardian—and your ally.
Had I been wrong? Was Nel right, had I been too quick to jump to my decision? The word ally sent chills that travelled down the nape of my neck. Ally—someone I could rely on. Someone that could help me.
My eyes darted over my shoulder, seeking out and finding some of the faces in the crowds. They were well hidden and much lesser than the usual nights. Some poked their heads out from their hiding spots, married with confusion and curiosity. I wanted to scream at them, to demand they get the fuck away from here, what did I tell you buzo's?
Why the fuck were they so curious? Why were we so curious? Shit like that got us hurt.
No, it's your stubbornness that gets people hurt.
It was true and my insides tightened. Was I in the wrong? The idea of burdening Lila made my skin crawl, but this didn't exactly inspire warm, happy feelings in me either. I looked down at my covered fingers, where the scabby bruises were along my knuckles. Injuries that hadn't yet healed. Was this too much for me to handle?
"I admire her for that."
Arnold's voice rung like a bell. His words came back in waves; the nervousness that twisted in his face, the stuttering that clogged his throat as he confessed how he felt towards Blue Jay.
"You may see them as weaknesses, but, to me, they're signs of her strengths—"
She was strong, for fighting even when injured.
"—she got them from protecting everyone—"
She was strong because she protected everyone. That was what set her apart; Blue Jay wasn't just a protector against forces like this, but forces in general. Her entire point was to protect—to protect the citizens of Hillwood.
And that included Lila.
She's one of you.
My eyes snapped back to the Mutant.
"Very well."
It smirked, one that made me shudder, and gave a nod in recognition. The smaller Mutant picked up my pin and leapt from its shoulder, bounding away where the shadows were thickest.
Mr. Sawyer stared at me in horror. "Blue Jay—"
"Get out of here."
My eyes stayed ahead. The Mutant stood straight, rolling back its shoulders, and effortlessly yanked its sword from the ground. I copied its movements and pulled the hilt from my pocket, pressing down on the button. The blade felt light in my hand and its silvery starkness flared against the smog.
Mr. Sayer gasped and stepped back.
"Get everyone out of here and stay safe," were my last words to him.
I didn't wait for his response before I started running. The musty air clogged my ears as the gravel slid beneath my feet. The Mutant's face was perfectly still as its hands clenched around its handle, the muscles flexing in its arm.
A growl ripped between my teeth and I flung the trashcan lid over my shoulder. It spun wildly like a disk and headed straight for the Mutant. But its reflexes were quick and it raised its forearm and—
THWACK!
There was a loud crash as the lid cracked against the Mutant's body. It barely blinked as the lid bounced from its arm and flew straight into a nearby car window. It turned back to me just in time to catch my sword defending for it.
Clang!
Sparks raced into the air as our blades slammed together. The sound rumbled in the wind and ran down my back in slithers. The Mutant's eye was a spotlight that pierced over the criss-cross of our swords.
It cracked a smirk then shoved against me, which sent me stumbling. It swung down and I quickly ducked to the side. The air became a slap as the Mutant swivelled in my direction, blade swinging again. Yelping, I propelled myself backwards so my hands flattened against the ground and threw my body into a backspring.
My sword gleamed between my fingers as I fell back onto my feet. I met the heated gaze of the Mutant and a growl ripped from its throat. Strands whipped against my face and I pressed the button, slipping the sword back into the hilt, and tucked into my back pocket.
With another growl, it held is sword in both hands and jabbed at me. Again, I sprung back, feeling the tip glaze my stomach, and threw myself into another back spring. Followed by another, and another, and another as the Mutant kept swinging for me.
Sweat was sliding down my face and nausea tangled in my stomach. Everything was becoming dizzy, it was nothing more than a blur, but I didn't stop.
I couldn't.
Until I smacked against a lamp post and fell on my ass. The world was a spinning carousel of smoke and city lights that made bile rise up in my throat.
Blinking, I looked up in time to catch a blade coming down for me. I shrieked and barely managed to roll out of the way. I watched over my shoulder as the Mutant's sword sliced through the lamppost like it was butter. The light went out and the post crashed into the ground, splattering dirt and gravel over the Mutant's broad shoulders.
Its eye burned against the darkness, piercing between the tendrils falling over its face. The city lights fell across its body from behind, casting its face in complete darkness. It made me realise just how hulking this thing was, it was something I'd expect to see from a comic book.
It made me aware how small, how human, I still was.
My lips pulled back and a strangled noise came through. I sprang to my feet and immediately charged forward. But as I ran, not a flicker of worry or panic touched its face. Its lip dipped low as it dug its sword into the ground and held up its swelling fists.
Teeth clenched, I swung my sword over my shoulder, but the Mutant stepped back and clapped its hands around my blade.
Shit.
Its skin didn't pierce as its grip tightened. My heart thudded when its gaze whipped up to mine, a smirk curving its lips.
It heaved and pulled me from my feet. The hilt slipped from my fingers and I was thrown across the ground. Gravel dug into my skin, something ripped holes through my gloves and into my palms, and the world swooped around me.
My head was knocked against the ground. The impact ran up my leg, leaving a throbbing behind, and I struggled to keep my eyes open, noticing the shards scattered amongst the gravel. The air danced over my skin and my ribs heaved up and down, but there was no benefit.
Shit—the exhaustion was already sagging over my muscles. We'd barely been fighting but I was already tired. I hadn't realised just how vulnerable I still was as Helga.
No.
I gritted my teeth.
You are not vulnerable.
Rolling onto my side, I pressed my palms into the ground, making sure to avoid the glass shards, and forced myself up.
Not anymore.
I bit my teeth, holding back my cries when a pain flashed from my hands. The dirt beneath my palms ran deeper from the blood that soaked it.
A metallic noise caught my attention and I looked up to the Mutant chucking my sword over its shoulder. My heart sank when the Mutant turned and yanked its own sword from the ground.
Panic rushed as the Mutant ran with its blade upheld. My hand closed around the dirt and as it swung, I I shielded my face. The blade came down and slammed into my forearm, but instead of slicing through me, the metal clanged. It was a sound that rattled in my brain. The collusion sent a gust of wind outward, sweeping my hair back, and making my cheeks cold.
I frowned and looked up.
The blade shook as the Mutant pressed against my forearm. But the vambrace, where the metal made contact, it was glowing. It was a cold, silver toned blue, burning but not letting up. It felt like the air had been stolen from my chest. The roaring of my blood drowned everything out, even the rapid beating in my throat. I don't know what these vambraces were, but they weren't like the armour I was used too. No, these were something different. Something perhaps even stronger.
My chest was tight as I held onto the Mutant's gaze, irritation building up in its eye as the seconds grew. I pressed my teeth together and spread out my fingers, ready to throw out a barrier if I had too.
Then something small but hot whizzed over my head.
We both sprung apart. My gaze zipped back to the crowd, where I took in their pale, pinched faces. But a gut–wrenching feeling lodged into my throat when I recognised one in particular.
Lila stood squished amongst the crowd, her sweltered skin matching her hair. Irritation crept in my chest, why the hell was she here? Why did she keep coming back? Why couldn't she stay away for once?
It calls to her—like it does you.
Then I recognised the stained bag hugged to her chest. Oh, fuck—I'd been in such a rush to leave that I'd left my school bag at hers. Was that why she'd been trying to call me?
I turned away from her and towards the person who had fired the bullet. The gun shook in Mr. Sawyer's hands as he stood several feet in front of his fellow officers. His brow creased as his face pulled tight, his teeth clacking together.
"I told you to get out of here!" I yelled at him,
My hands were trembling.
That bullet, I realised, could've killed me. I wasn't Blue Jay right now. I was barely trained, barely had my powers, and I most certainly didn't have her body. Her strength wasn't coursing through me, her endurance couldn't protect me. If that bullet had hit me, regardless of how quickly I could heal, I would feel those consequences.
My body felt hot, sweat trickled down my neck. I didn't think Mr. Sawyer had been aiming for me, but . . .
My throat burned from holding back tears.
Something flickered across his face. I couldn't identify it, but it made him shut his mouth and slightly lower his gun. For a moment, his face lost some of its tautness, draining and leaving behind the man looking much older than he was.
"Who the hell are you?!" he demanded in an agonised voice.
I stepped back.
His eyes went from my hair and hardened when they trailed to my face and shoulders. A layer of frost settled over my organs, weighing me down with cold, numb disbelief.
He knew.
This stupid costume couldn't hide the shape of my form. The fabric was big in some areas, particularly around my shoulders, and gave me an even smaller appearance. And my face was different, I hadn't yet grown into my features.
I looked like a teenager.
The whispers howled in my ears. People behind him turned to each other as they realised the same thing he had. Blue Jay wasn't who she said she was, she was just some kid. Guns lowered as alarm grew in the cops' faces and doubt clouded the civilians.
Muffled voices filled the air. Was this girl Blue Jay, or a copycat? Had Blue Jay always been this young? Why should we trust a kid?
I couldn't breathe, it was like someone was choking me. I couldn't spot any cameras, but I knew word would spread quickly.
My attention turned back to Lila and for once, I couldn't determine what she was thinking. Her face had hardened, lacking some of is liveliness, and her lips pressed firmly together.
I had to get out of here.
Baring my teeth, I raised my arm above my head and shot out a wire that vanished into the night. Gasps came from the crowd and the cops froze, but their guns didn't raise. I half–turned, catching the last of the stunned Mutant behind me, before hurling myself into the air.
It became a blur as I whizzed above everyone's heads. The air whipped past my face as I landed on one of the buildings. The gravel had disappeared from beneath my feet, replaced with the flat and levelled roof. The smog no longer shrouded me, I looked up at the night sky that hung in a deep blue haze.
The air was so much colder up here, I shut my eyes and inhaled it, enjoying the coolness that fell over my tongue. But a breeze felt like a knife when it hit my palms, I looked down at my gloves. Chunks had been taken from them, leaving behind red patches across my hands. Something that wouldn't necessarily bother me since I could just wrap them up, but considering the situation, I wasn't too pleased about.
A shift in the air alerted me that the Mutant was close behind. My bones were shaking, but I forced myself to run, charging for the other end of the building.
When I was almost at the edge; I swung out another projectile, but the slickness of the roof made me slip instead. There was a smashing sound, followed by a thunk! which made my chest seize up. I looked up in time to see that my wire had landed far too low and gone straight through one of the windows instead.
A violent jerk pulled me from the roof and sent me hurtling across the large gap between the buildings. The air ricocheted in the shell of my ear and whipped across my eyes. A swirling bubble wrapped tight around me in time to capture the window that exploded around me. For a moment, I was enveloped in a storm of glimmering glass and silence, until I whizzed across the room and straight into the back wall.
THUNK!
"Oh, c'mon!"
A burning pain seared my forehead and nose and I fell back against the floor. Of course, the floor wasn't something soft like carpet, but fucking tiles instead. So now both my shoulders were wracked with pain, my palms were bleeding and—I checked my nose—oh, swell! My nose was also bleeding.
"Fuck!" I howled, curling my fingers around my nose. Something, I realised, may not have been smart considering my palms were also bleeding. Growling, I wiped my palms then dabbed the back of my hands against my nose instead. I swear to God, if I got out of this that I was gluing that stupid pin to my forehead.
I looked around at my surroundings. Since I wasn't Blue Jay, my sight wasn't precise, but I could still make out some odd shapes here and there. It looked like I was in some type of office.
There was a shift behind me.
I turned in time to see a sword coming for me. Yelping, I managed to roll out of the way but a sharpness skimmed my shoulder.
Riiip!
I landed on my knees, my bun slapping against my neck. My heart in my throat, I looked up at the Mutant baring its teeth. I cast a look down my shoulder, the blade had missed my skin but torn clean through the fabric.
Asshole.
The Mutant struck again and I shakily jolted away. Shoving myself to my feet, I stumbled blindly for the broken window. I threw out my arms, prepared to fire my wires, when something small barrelled into my side. The wind was knocked from my stomach as I slammed back against the floor.
"Ow—what the—"
Two rows of jagged teeth suddenly roared inches from my face.
I screamed and slammed my foot into the tiny Mutant's chest. It cried out and flew across the room, smacking the wall an inch away from the elevator. Looking up, I realised the arrows above the doors were blinking and the doors suddenly opened, a familiar figure stepping out.
My jaw dropped.
"Lila?!"
Her eyes widened in recognition when she found me hunched in the shadows. There were dark straps over her shoulders, I recognised that they belonged to my school bag—she was wearing it. And something was clutched tightly in her pale hands, something I couldn't make out.
"Wha—"
"Look out!" she cried, pointing at something behind me.
I turned around and caught the glint as the sword came right at me. I threw out my hand and the blade slammed into another barrier with a noise like thunder. The energy cackled from my fingers and rolled in waves over my skin.
There was hideous growl, I opened my eyes to the Mutant's burning glare. It bared its teeth and pushed its weight against my barrier. I clacked my teeth together, hearing my bones groaning against the pressure and threw my arms forward. The barrier clapped against the Mutant's face an threw it off its feet.
My muscles were vibrating as adrenaline coursed through my arms and I shook out my hands.
"What the hell—" I fell into a defensive stance. "—are you doing here, Lila?"
I could feel Lila frowning and looked over my shoulder at her. "You dropped this!"
She held up an object—my hilt. The blade safely tucked away from my sight.
Shit, I'd forgotten I'd left it behind.
"Well," I blinked, finding myself stunted for some reason. Lila slyly smirked and placed her fist on her hip, which just irritated me. "How the hell did you even get here?!"
She opened her mouth to respond when the small Mutant suddenly scrambled onto its fours. Lila rose an eyebrow, clutching the hilt to her chest as the Mutant's gaze traced up her legs. It let out a loud gasp which turned into a grating shriek when it noticed the hilt. Its clawed paws scraped across the tiles and it launched itself into the air, latching onto her face.
Lila shrieked, her head smacking against the elevator, as she tried prying the creature off.
"Hold on, Lila!" I shouted and pointed my wrist in her direction. The projectile shot across the room and landed inches from Lila's head. Her mouth stretched as the Mutant crawled over her like and insect and dodged her flailing fists.
But before the wire pulled me to her, something sharp came down and sliced through it. The sudden loss made me stumble and a gust of hot air washed over the top of my head. I looked up at the Mutant towering over me and felt my stomach drop. A muscle ticked in its jaw and its nostrils flared as it glowered at me.
"Your fight—" it declared "—is with me."
It tossed its sword up and held it like a butcher's knife. I yelped and swivelled out of the way when it swiped at me. It growled and swung at me from the side, but the blade cracked against another one of my barriers.
I ground my teeth; the force was so much stronger. The Mutant's eye glared through the blue ripples, cold and unyielding, and it pushed more of its weight. The strain shot from my spine down to my toes and the power behind its sword sent me back, back, back—
Shit!
—until my shoulders were flat against the wall.
Spasms wracked through me and my muscles clamped hard. My head was throbbing, like someone was scrubbing my brain raw. The cackling was so loud, I could barely hear the screaming or even the foul howls. My heart dropped and I spared a quick glance that threw off my concentration enough for my barrier to disappear.
The blade glanced my shoulder and lodged into the wall. A shiver ran down my spine and I looked up at the smirking Mutant, smirking.
"Blue Jay—catch!"
Adrenaline spiked through me. I dropped to the ground and rolled away between the Mutant's legs. The air spiralled in my chest as I was suddenly free to leap to my toes and catch the object in my hand.
There was raucous roar that made me spin back around. The Mutant came at me again and I ducked then slipped to the side. Clutching the hilt, I leapt up onto one of the desks and threw it a taunting grin. The Mutant rose to the bait and struck down again, but I jumped away in time.
And suddenly, everything slowed down until there was only me and the Mutant.
The air sharply twisted around me. Its sword glanced my legs as it came down onto the desk, echoing a sound like cracked skulls. The surface broke from the collusion and splinters burst into the air.
My ears detected my own laboured breaths. The Mutant didn't look angry but bewildered by how quickly it had happened. It met my eyes for the briefest of seconds before narrowing its gaze when I pressed down on the hilt.
Shing!
The sound burned in my ears. Starlight flashed along the blade as I swung it over my shoulder. My ears were pulsating so loudly, but there was a low and sweet humming as I brought the sword down—
Ba–bump.
I couldn't hear when my blade hit the Mutant, but I could feel it. Blood spurted into my face and I landed on my feet with a thud that I felt in my knees. The Mutant fell to its knees and choked on its blood, clutching onto its pumping neck. The colour drained around me, leaving me as a mix of hot and cold, and its sword clattered to the tiles.
There was a grasp and I swung around to Lila. My gut twisted as she watched with wide eyes, her hands cupping her mouth with alarm. I turned my gaze away from hers, I couldn't bring myself to look at her—shit like this was what they kept away from the news reports. It was the stuff that kept me up at night, questioning whether I was any better than them.
Something felt hot and swollen in my throat. I swallowed to wash it away, but it clung to my walls, spreading its poison that weighed in my stomach. I squared my shoulders, lifted my chin an turned to the Mutant standing mere inches behind her.
"You!" I pointed my sword in its direction. "Give me my pin, you asshole!"
It stepped back and glared at me, but its tightly pressed lips vibrated with a ferocious growl.
"Pin?"
Lila turned to me with a questioningly glance. I was surprised by how quickly that had captured her attention. She still looked pale, horror twisting tightly in her eyes, but there was an earnest curiosity there. It surprised me how quickly she adapted in these situations. Or it scared me, I wasn't sure yet.
I twisted my mouth to the side, considering whether I should even explain it to her. She was already far too close with me at the current moment, it was a matter of time until she put everything together. But it just occurred to me that if I did get my pin back, she would probably have to witness my transformation anyway. And regardless, I figured Lila was pretty decent at keeping secrets.
So fuck it.
"It's what transforms me from this—" I gestured to myself "—to what you see on TV."
I expected confusion. I expected more curiosity. Hell, I expected some type of outrage at how stupidly nonsensical that sounded. Because really, it didn't make that much sense. But instead I got—
"Oh, so like a mahou shoujo?"
—well, that.
I blinked at her, not sure how to take the way she stared at me. Her expression had shifted from one of curiosity to something a lot dryer. She rose an eyebrow and tilted her head, like she already knew my answer.
And I just stared at her. "What?"
"A mahou shoujo," she repeated with a shrug. But I kept staring, so she added, ". . . you know, a magical cute creature approaches you, says you have potential and you have to defeat the bad guy. Then gives you a device to transform into a superhero so your identity remains a secret. Sound familiar?"
"Um—" I blinked, again. "Yeah, actually. Pretty much identical."
She nodded then twisted to the side with a grin. "I knew it."
What was with this girl?
A part of me realise how downright comical this situation was—me, dressed in a torn bee costume, conversing with a potential insane girl about something related to anime as the Mutant behind us was on the floor and still dying.
When had my life been reduced to a corny sketch on an SNL program?
I gaped at Lila for a little longer then decided focusing on the Mutant next to her was much more preferred.
"So, where's my pin, you little twit?!"
The Mutant looked up at me like it was a child I'd caught eating the chocolate I'd been stashing away for my designated time of the month. Lila looked over her shoulder as the Mutant scrunched up its face then stuck out its tongue. I reeled back, covering my mouth with my hand at the golden gleam that peeked from underneath the thick layer of salvia.
"Aw—gross," I shuddered.
Jesus, why me?
Lila suddenly gasped. "Oh, no."
I snorted. "You're telling me."
"No," she pointed over my shoulder. "That!"
I followed her line of sight over my shoulder and gasped. The large Mutant was propped up on its knee's, its eye shut, with its hand rested over its wounded neck. But that wasn't what made me gasp, what made me gasp was the slithers of light that slipped beneath its palm. Odd rolls of flesh moved beneath the skin and, before I knew it, the light simmered away and it moved its hand.
And my stomach dropped.
The wound—it had healed up. There was no sign of any cut or a drop of blood, it was like I had never injured it in the first place.
Its eye opened and immediately settled on my form. I shivered, goosebumps rolling over my body, and it grabbed its sword, standing back to its feet.
Oh, shi—
The Mutant charged with its sword upheld. I scrambled to raise my sword and horizontally met its blow. The hit was powerful, our two blades banged together, and I grimaced, staggering backwards. The Mutant gritted its teeth and swung again; I quickly jolted to the right and slashed downwards onto its sword.
The air around my face was burning. I looked up to a dark shape flying for my face. Heat seared my cheeks as my body snapped back and stumbled in a direction I couldn't register. The pain swept over me and dark spots ate up my vision.
A shout rang out—I think it was Lila—and I turned to see the sword plunging down again. I jerked backwards, the air twisting in my lungs, when its foot sank into my stomach. The wind was knocked from me as I fell even further, clutching my stomach as salvia slipped between my teeth.
It attacked again and again, and each time I struggled more and more to evade its strikes. The force behind them was sending me back, back, back when a cold gust of wind hit my back.
I bit my tongue—shit, I was almost dangling out the window.
"Blue Jay!" Lila suddenly shouted. "Look out!"
I looked at her, registering the twisted worry on her face, when the Mutant swung wildly with a force that twisted the blade from my hand. It flew away and I heard it clatter somewhere although I couldn't see where.
The Mutant bared its teeth then stabbed its sword at me and I stumbled back. The floor disappeared from beneath my feet and the wind pushed up against me.
Lila's scream rattled through me.
But then there was nothing.
Eyes shut, I frowned against the darkness. There wasn't any pain, or even a rush of air as I plummeted to my death.
Because I wasn't falling.
The breeze shivered across my eyelids, but it wasn't rushing past my body. Blood was pumping in my fingers and a warmth shot up in my arms. Something was buzzing in my ears and I slowly opened my eyes—
Holy shit.
—and gasped.
It was like time had completely halted. My body was suspended in the air, like I'd been caught in a freeze frame before falling, and my toes were still planted on the floor inside. Looking down, I realised what was keeping me here; two barriers were wrapped around my fists, shimmering against the dark with a pulse that matched mine. Cackling whispered in my ears, clouding the doubt in my mind and filling me with relief.
The light that rolled from me washed across the Mutant's face, revealing the shock in its eyes. Silence descended over everything, no one dared to move or speak. Lila watched with wide eyes, her fingers covering her mouth, and the smaller Mutant stayed crouched near her.
And suddenly, looking back at the larger Mutant, a douse of fury raced through me.
"You shouldn't have done that," I bit out through gritted teeth.
I lifted my foot and knocked the sword from its hands. The Mutant's face contorted, but I shot a wire from my right hand into the wall above me. Kicking from the window, I slammed my feet into the Mutant's chest. It flew backwards and, snapping the wire back into my brace, I landed in a crouched position back inside.
The wind swooped from behind me, shoving my escaped hairs over my shoulder, and the lights died from my wrists. There was still a burning pressure that pumped in my brain and a dripping that I wiped away from my nose.
Lila snapped out of her daze, turning her attention to the Mutant at her feet, and hurled her foot into the back of its head. It howled and flew forward, its lips splitting apart as it spat out a familiar shape onto the ground.
"Blue Jay!" Lila shouted as she quickly scooped it up. The little Mutant tried latching onto her foot, but she gritted her teeth and kicked again, this time harder. The force this time was enough to send it across the room with a loud shriek.
Her gaze met mine and she threw the pin into the air. The starlight sharply rebounded from its surface as it soared across the room. My heart was pumping as I charged for it, jumping from my toes and stretching out my hand.
"No!" the larger Mutant cried out.
But it was too late.
The pin shot into my hand, wrapped up in my fingers, and my body suddenly sprang to life.
I smirked.
"Blue Jay: Exorior!"
The humming pin in my hand sent out jets of blue that swooped around me. A heat coursed through my veins that elongated my limbs and swept the hair from my face. And soon, I was standing tall in my opalescent uniform with my braid fluttering behind me.
The first thing I noticed that the bands around my arms were hot. Not warm, hot. I glanced down and frowned. They weren't the vambraces that normally appeared when I transformed into Blue Jay. They were golden, the ones from before. They pumped against my skin, syncing up with my heartbeat, but although they were warm against my wrists, they didn't hurt. Rather, they almost made me feel stronger, faster even. I could feel my heart racing. It felt like my body would crack open from the surge of warm, tingling energy. I could feel it in rippling waves sinking until it was in my bones, and suddenly, everything seemed even easier than before.
I stared at them. What was with these things?
I shook my face, turning my attention back to the Mutant. Panic rolled over its face. It was subtle and if I hadn't just transformed, I probably wouldn't have seen it. But, with Blue Jay's eyes, I recognised the slight gap between its lips and the tremor in its fingers.
"Definitely shouldn't have done that," I said.
Before it could retaliate, I spun on my toes and swept out my foot. There was a loud crack! and the Mutant was knocked to its side, cradling its temple.
"Lila!" I shouted, and when her eyes found mine, I flashed her the hilt. "Catch!"
She frowned at first, unable to tell the object that was hurtling for her, but her eyes widened when it gleamed in the light. She sprung forward and caught it easily with her right hand.
"Thanks!" she smiled before spinning around to the smaller Mutant.
Its bulging eyes burned hot with alarm as it realised her intentions. She pressed down on the hilt and slashed the emerging blade through the air. The Mutant howled then bolted for her, turning into a streak of magenta. Lila grit her teeth and swung wildly, I watched as with one slash, three fingers splattered to the ground in a pool of dark green.
Something burning clawed up my throat. I slapped a hand onto my mouth to quickly force it down, ignoring the lurching in my stomach. The blood ran dark across Lila's face and she gasped, covering her hanging mouth. The Mutant cried out, holding onto its mutilated hand.
A spike in the air made me slip to the side as a blade came down where I once stood. I looked into the angry gaze of the larger Mutant baring its teeth at me.
"I am your opponent!" it spat.
I frowned and swiped my knife from my boot, its warmth pulsing between my fingers. The Mutant rushed forward, its blade beaming, and I dodged the blow and spun away. There was a blur of motion and a loud clang that vibrated through the floor as the sword smashed into the tiles.
Tossing the knife between my fingers, I jammed it into the Mutant's shoulder. There was a cry that rang in my mind and the Mutant fell forward, clutching its wound.
For a moment, I had to marvel at everything. I felt so breathless, like I'd barely moved at all. The sweat had gone from my skin and blood no longer ran down my face. I was content in this body, muscles roamed over my arms that thrived with raw power.
Oh yeah, I was fucking back.
I looked up when another screech came from over my shoulder, this one higher pitched. I saw the smaller Mutant still holding onto its stump, but it was burning up with a sharp light.
My stomach dropped when I realised what was happening. Lila seemed to understand it too because she shut her eyes and covered her face. But I threw out my hand in her direction and a barrier wrapped around her before the explosion could hit.
The blast knocked against the walls then dissolved into a shower of yellow sparks. When she realised she hadn't been knocked from her feet, Lila's eyes slowly opened before a gasp came from her mouth. She watched in utter awe as the magic sizzled around her. The light bathed across her face and her eyes suddenly darted back to me.
I managed a small smile before twisting my hand. Lila gasped as the barrier pressed against her shoulders and rushed her across the room to my side.
"Why did that one explode and not the other?" she asked when the barrier vanished.
"Dunno."
I wrapped an arm around her shoulders then shot a wire into the wall next to the elevator. A surprised noise emitted from her mouth as we whirled across the room to the shut doors.
I let go of her and punched the arrow pointing downwards. "Its skin must be resistant."
Lila looked at me in horror. "What?"
I chose not to respond. Chewing on my tongue, I kept my gaze trained on the small screen above the shut elevator doors. The seconds were rolling by and with each one, I grew more antsy and could feel my impatience vibrating in my fists.
Finally, there was a bing! and the doors slid open. I shoved a protesting Lila inside and quickly followed her. I jabbed the bottom button and turned around to watch the doors sliding shut. I caught the heated glare of the Mutant still kneeled over across the room, a soft glow emitted from its shoulder. It started to climb to its feet when the doors closed and the elevator began sinking beneath the levels.
A silence hung over us, one the brought a chill over me. I didn't know how much longer I had before it attacked again, something that would be harder to fight against with Lila here.
And then there was the matter of how to defeat it. I'd wounded it twice, with both the sword and my knife, and it had healed both times. A part of me worried that this Mutant didn't have weaknesses like the others. That a blade couldn't defeat it; maybe, among its other abilities, its automatic healing just rendered death impossible.
I quickly shook my head. No, no, this Mutant had a weakness. They all did. It just wasn't in its skin, it was an area more specific than that.
"Is it safe to be taking the elevator?"
She was still looking a me, the heat of her gaze burned the side of my face. I just shrugged and looked up at the numbers on the panel above the doors.
"S'quicker," was all I said.
Lila pursed her lips but nodded.
I couldn't help looking at her, marvelling at how different she looked. Her hair, which was usually silky and wavy, was now dry and falling from her ponytail. There were tiny splatters of the Mutant's blood along her denim dress, and beneath the ones on her face was a layer of sweat, which held down some of her hair like glue. One of her clammy hands was wrapped around the hilt which hung from her side, while the other squeezed on my school bag strap.
And her eyes seemed so wild. A passion burned in the swooping arcs of blue, one that stuck out against her smudged mascara. It was a look hard to describe as anything but ready.
"So, you're human, then?" she suddenly asked, crossing her arms and rising an eyebrow.
I sighed and kneeled to the ground, sliding my knife back into my boot. I knew I shouldn't have told her; honestly, what was I thinking? Lila, of all people, wouldn't let something like this go.
Standing back up, I copied her stance and clamped my lips shut. Her gaze swept over me, the cogs in her brain turning, before she sighed and dropped her stance.
"So, what's the plan?" she asked, fingering the tip of the sword. She looked up when I turned to her with a raised brow and quickly added, "How are we going to kill it?"
Um, I'm sorry—
"We?" I repeated.
She nodded, "Yes."
"There's no we," I said through my teeth. "I'm taking you back to your Dad then I'm going to kill it."
Her jaw dropped. "What?!"
"You're a kid."
"So are you."
"Oh, really?" Her accusation made my pulse jerk outwards and I half–turned to her. "And what makes you think that?"
"Well, I'm not stupid," she snapped, putting her hands on her hips. "The way you talk to people—calling them 'asshats', 'dolts' and 'fuckers'—it's awfully juvenile, don't you think?"
The air hissed from my teeth and I whirled around to face her. Honestly, I wasn't sure which shocked me more, her discover or the fact that she could curse. And not only curse, but with the f– word. I hadn't even realised she even knew of that word's existence, let alone could use it so freely.
But for simplicity's sake, I focused on what she was actually saying. I hadn't even realised I'd been saying that stuff. When I wore the mask, I wanted to maintain a calm and controlled exterior. Because it was easier for people to trust me if they thought I knew what I was doing. But thinking back on it, I had occasionally let insults loose that only Helga would use.
Helga who, most certainly, was a teenager.
My heart twisted, did that mean Lila knew it was me? She certainly was looking a me differently now. It wasn't with an air of worship like before but almost like she could see through everything.
Her eyes trailed up and down my face before she let loose a sigh.
"I used to think you were in your twenties, but even you admitted that . . ." she trailed off, her voice losing its bite. "You hadn't transformed tonight—not until five minutes ago anyway. Before, that was you—not Blue Jay, but your real form. And it's obvious that you weren't an adult . . . you're a teenager, like me."
I had to look away when she said that. Lila spoke with such confidence that I couldn't bring myself to disprove her. My voice was hidden, buried beneath my pulses, so I was stuck there, awkwardly avoiding her gaze.
I don't think she knew it was me—that it was Helga she was speaking to—but it'd be idiotic to think she wouldn't get there eventually.
"You're not helping, Lila," I murmured.
Her eyebrows snapped together and she made a frustrated noise. "You don't even know where its weakness is."
I scoffed at that. "What, and you do?"
I turned back to her and she opened her mouth to answer when the floor began vibrating. The walls let out loud groans and the air began to swelter. I looked over as a luminous circle began spreading over the doors. The metal sizzled as a wave of heat washed over my face.
I threw my arms around Lila, a barrier popping over us, and yanked us to the side. A destructive blast tore through the walls like tissue paper, spewing heat that slammed into my barrier.
The power was strong, I had to dig my heels into the floor. Lila gasped as she watched over my shoulders the ribbons of orange rolling across the barrier.
And then it was gone.
The blast fizzled out like it was nothing and the temperature rapidly dropped. I blinked, the silence pressing in on me, and let go of Lila. With a wave of my hand, the forcefield disappeared and I slowly crept over to examine the hole left behind.
The blast had been powerful; the edges left behind sizzled and had melted open. Goosebumps slithered down my neck, but I forced myself to peer through the hole in the doors.
"Shit!"
I reeled back when my eyes locked with the Mutant on the other side. Its arm was stretched out in our direction, the last of some sparks dissolving from its hand. And it wasn't just its presence that scared me, but also the sinister look on its face. The way its brow furrowed but a long, sharp smirk stretched across its face.
Thunder resonated beneath our feet as the floor gave a mighty lurch. I threw out my hand to steady myself and heard a snap! from above. My stomach dropped and I mentally cursed, something told me that had been a cable wire.
"Blue Jay!"
I looked to Lila who was frantically pointing upwards at the manhole in the roof. Following her train of thought, I jabbed my hand upwards and a forcefield materialised and slammed into the manhole. The cover came off and I swept Lila into my side, shooting out a wire through the hole.
It soared like a bullet into the darkness above. But before it connected with anything, the walls around us moaned and the elevator gave a final lurch.
Lila's eyes darted to mine,
And we dropped.
Columns of air violently twisted and rotated around our bodies. My heart jammed into my throat as the elevator rushed to fall beneath the floors. Lila's screams howled and bounced from the walls as her hands dug deep into my sides.
But then the rush of air stopped and something violently yanked on my wrist. Lila's scream was cut off with a sharp "Ack!" as we were both wrenched from the floor and the elevator walls rushed around us.
Lights exploded around us as the elevator continued to fall. Looking up, I screamed and pulled Lila tight to my chest, ignoring her own screams, and our bodies somehow managed to squeeze through the manhole. And suddenly, we were left hanging in the darkness as the elevator continued to plummet down the shoot.
Blinking, I let everything settle in my mind before running my gaze up along the wire that was pulled tight. It trailed all the way up and though I couldn't see where it ended, I knew that the grappling hook had managed to reach the roof.
But looking up, I also realised just how far we'd managed to fall. The hole—the one the Mutant had left behind—was much higher than where we both were now.
I silently grimaced, feeling the strain in my arm. We were literally hanging by a thread which was attached to my wrist. We needed to get out of here purely so I could put my arm down.
Lila peeled her face away from my shoulder and panted, her breath washing over the side of my face. "H–How do we get o–out of here?"
I nodded upwards. "Through that."
Her wary gaze followed my line of sight before widening with shock. "Are you crazy?!" she demanded. I winched at the volume at her voice and scowled at her. "That's where that thing is!"
Yeah, I was aware of that.
I couldn't rebuff her statement—she was right—but it's not like I had much of a range to pick from, did I? So, I pressed my lips together and manoeuvred my wrist so the button was triggered. There was a hiss! as the wire began to retract, slowly pulling us up and closer to the hole.
Lila squinted. "Well, then, where—"
There was a flash of noise from above and tremors ran down the walls. The Mutant, which had burst from the wall, was free–falling for us with its arms out. The sword in its hands flashed silver as it flew closer and closer for the two of us.
I jerked my gaze left to right, trying to figure out a plan. But my mind ran dry—the walls were too closed in together. I couldn't maneuverer to one side to avoid the Mutant's attack. And my knife was tucked away in my boot, I couldn't fight it off. Not that it mattered if I could anyway, my free hand was wrapped around Lila. I couldn't move to defend myself if I wanted to keep her from plummeting to her death, like the elevator.
But then her eyes snapped to mine.
"I have a plan!"
I gaped at her. "Wha—are you serious?"
"Trust me!"
I wasn't obliged to—hell, my logic was screaming at me not to—but my instincts were screaming at me otherwise. And looking at Lila's face, I saw something reflected in the haze of her eyes. It was something that took me back to that day in alley—the electricity that fizzled in the air. Something that almost linked us, something that made us understand.
Something that struck me right then and there. Because just like that, I understood her plan. And from the way she determinedly frowned at me, I think she was aware.
Pressing my lips together, I gave a firm nod.
My hold around her waist loosen and she moved herself in my arm. A roar rolled from the Mutant which echoed against the wall and hit me like blades. But I clamped down on my tongue and focused on helping Lila pilot her way onto my back.
Her legs threaded around my waist and her arms wrapped over my neck. The hilt was still in her hand and pressed firmly in my chest, I could feel the warm beats even though the uniform.
Another roar, much closer this time, filled the pit between the walls.
I looked up.
And it all rushed by in a blur.
The Mutant's sword swished through the air vertically and crashed into the blue sphere that burst over our heads. Vibrations slithered down my spine, the collusion exploded in my ears like thunder. Lila gasped, her weight tilting back for a second, but she caught herself and threw herself back onto me.
The Mutant's eyes burned through the transparent sheet between us. Its lips pulled back along its teeth as it pressed more of its weight onto my barrier. I clacked my teeth together as another gush of strain jolted down my arm.
Sweat was slipping down my shoulders and I struggled to hold on. I felt Lila shift her weight again but the hilt disappeared from my chest. I caught the way the Mutant's smirk turned vicious as bright pulses of orange flickered from over its shoulders.
My stomach sank.
"Blue Jay!" Lila shouted. "Now!"
The magic snapped back into my fingers. Lila's knees clenched around my waist and her grip around my neck was lost. Her hands wrapped around the hilt and she lashed out with an assault that came on like lightning. The Mutant didn't have time to react when the blade was plunged deep into its eye.
Blood spurted over her face and ran down her throat. The hilt awkwardly jutted out from its skull while most of the blade remained buried. The Mutant screamed in agony, dark green pumping down its face.
Sucking in a breath, I squeezed my fist and welcomed the sudden rush as the wire jerked us away. The blade made a squishing noise as it jerked out of the Mutant's eye and I felt my stomach heave. Leftover blood splattered against the walls as Lila yelped at the sudden movement, throwing her arms over my shoulders as we rushed to safety. The blade in her hands pressed against my shoulder, I could feel the wetness trickling down my arm.
We rushed to a stop outside the hole in the wall where smirk twirled from its edges. But from where we hung, we were too far for us to chance a blind leap. My head was pounding, but I materialised a forcefield behind me. Shifting my foot backwards, I kicked from its surface and propelled us closer.
But an explosion erupted from below us, where the Mutant once was. The howling wind shot up and shoved us forward. Our screams were lost beneath the roaring and we were swept right through the hole and landed in painful heaps on the other side.
The wind was knocked out of me and I groaned. My shoulder hit against the tiles before I rolled onto my back. I heard Lila land beside me, but I was just so exhausted, I couldn't even check if she was alright.
Feathery bits of air danced across my face, twirling the wisps of my hair, and I shut my eyes. Beating pulsed against my skin, which I noticed was slick. The backs of my hands were against the tiles, feeling tight with blood as the full extent of tonight washed over me.
A warm breath heaved across from me and I opened my eyes to Lila, blinking like she was in a daze. She was looking in my direction, but I don't think she was really looking at me. She was on her stomach, a few feet from me. The sword lay between us, beaming in the fluorescent light, but neither of us made any move to grab it.
Lila's mouth parted and she blinked again, this time more forcefully. She slid her palms over the tiles before pushing herself up onto her knees. The lighting hit her squarely in the face, highlighting the splatters across her face. If the blood hadn't been green, she'd look much more horrifying, it streamed down her face and onto her dress.
Her hair had completely fallen from her ponytail and slapped against her face. She shoved the tendrils over her shoulders as her gaze slowly turned back to the hole.
I followed her gaze and held my breath, listening for anything that could indicate that the monster was still alive. But a full minute passed with nothing happening and I turned back to Lila.
"Well, um—" I awkwardly nodded. "G–Good plan, then."
She turned back to me and a slow grin spread over her face.
"T–That was—" she blinked. "That was so awesome!"
My mouth opened . . . and I just stared at her—again. I tried firing back at her, tried yelling that that had been anything but fun, but . . . I just couldn't. And I don't know if it was the stress of the whole situation, if it was the remaining adrenaline not knowing what to do with itself or if I genuinely found the situation funny, but I . . . I just started laughing. I swear to God, laughing.
Lila stared at me, her eyebrows raising, as if she didn't know how to react.
"It was, wasn't it?" I said, pulling myself to my feet. My face was still warm, but the air out here was much cooler.
Looking down at Lila, who was still on the ground, I grinned and offered her a hand. "C'mon."
She looked at me blankly.
And I laughed again. "I'll take you home."
I didn't know why I was laughing so much—or even smiling, for that matter. I was still drained, exhaustion ran deep in my muscles and weighed down on my bones like chains. But there was a lightness that bubbled in my stomach and flared in my chest.
Lila grinned and accepted my hand, letting me pull her up beside me. She placed her hands on her hips and had to look up to meet my gaze. Her smile turned rosier, all traces of her usual politeness completely gone, which was something I preferred. There was something about this Lila that I liked as opposed to the side she normally showed to everyone. It was just less strict, like she wasn't holding herself back anymore. I felt like I'd seen more of her tonight then I had in all of our years of knowing one another.
She then started dusting herself off, as if that would remove the blood splattered over her dress. Lifting my shoulder in a half–shrug, I turned to walk down the hallway. The grin was still there as I sauntered, arms folded behind my head. It was like holes had been poked into my skin and the misery had leaked out.
"Um—"
I stopped and looked over my shoulder. Lila rubbed her elbow and shuffled her feet awkwardly, "Thank you."
"No worries," I shrugged. "Though you were the one who killed it."
Lila suddenly smiled again, this one softer than before, and shook her head. "No, I meant for trusting me."
Trusting her?
The smile dropped from my face as that word rung circles in my ears. My gaze fell to the blade at her feet and she gasped, ducking to pick it up from the ground. She sheepishly smiled and attempted to wipe the blood from it, which only smudged her dress.
She was talking about something. I couldn't hear what it was, her voice was too distant. My mind was racing, unable to detach that word from my mind—trust. It was something that kept getting brought up when Lila was involved. She'd said something before like that, something like—
'Trust me!'
That word had been completely foreign to me up until a few weeks ago when I'd met Nel. I hadn't had much of that to spare before all of this. I kept people back at an arm's length and kept my doors bolted shut. I didn't want them to see the girl buried underneath these walls. I didn't want them to look at me with pity.
But then . . .
Nel had barged into my life. I was exposed to a world I didn't understand, I was forced to believe that she knew what she was doing. I had to put my life, my hopes and dreams into someone else's hands and hoped I would live to see the end of it.
"You must be good to yourself."
Her words ran warm in my heart. My door had firmly been yanked open, whether I'd liked it or not. And there Nel was, nestled and completely oblivious to it all. But was she the only one there? Did I . . . could I trust Lila?
I looked up into her awkward smile as she prattled on about how to get blood stains out in a jiffy.
Yes.
I smiled back.
Yes, I do trust you, Lila.
The sound of crickets was all around us.
It usually irritated me, how loud they were. It was grating and you couldn't smack them to get them to shut up, you either had to put up with it or move away. But right now, I was almost grateful for it. I didn't think I could handle the silence right now. So much had happened, and I knew that if I was allowed, I would go to places I didn't need to be right now. Noise prevented that. For now, it kept me safe.
But Nel knew that something was up.
Not much had been said between us, but I knew she was watching me. She had been like that since we had met up again, fifteen minutes ago. I had quickly dropped Lila off and thankfully, her dad hadn't yet gotten back. She had tried to get me to stay but I was able to escape after telling her Helga likely needed her bag back and I should drop it off for her. She'd given me a look but nodded, understanding that I could just, y'know, fly there instead of waiting until tomorrow like she could.
It had stayed quiet between Nel and I, not awkward, but bordering on it. It was strange. Nel normally had a list of things that I had done wrong, things that I could change or improve about what I had done. Instead, she had kept her mouth shut, possibly understanding that I had something on my mind, and kept a watchful eye on me.
She hadn't yet asked for the weapons back. I didn't know if she would. I had my pin now but the chances of something like that happening again weren't as low as we would like them to be. So, for now, I had those vambraces and the sword hilt tucked away in my bag.
They were different now, the vambraces. They had become golden and hot to touch. I wanted to ask Nel about them but decided that maybe it could wait for another day.
Something else was on my mind right now.
"So, um," I was the first to break the silence. It was when we had reached the child's playground down the block from my home. I figured now was as good a time as any to bring it up. "I—I was thinking . . ."
Nel stopped, looking at me.
"Tonight was a disaster," I forced out, kicking a blade of grass too harshly and getting dew all over my shoe. "Like huge. Total bummer."
"The pin being stolen?" Nel asked. "Or how powerful this Mutant was?"
"I, ugh, both," I shrugged. "But I guess that first one. So, I was thinking that, um—" I tugged my hoodie over my face. "You're right. This job, it's too big for one person. Losing my suit could've cost someone their life and no amount of training will guarantee beating those shitheads, a–and . . ."
Nel's eyes widened.
"I think it's time . . . to recruit Lila," I looked at her. "It's time for another Guardian to protect Hillwood."
Truthfully, this one wasn't my favourite to write, but hey it's done! Also, kudos to all you who got my Miraculous reference, I couldn't help sneaking that in there XD And yayyy, Helga's finally come around to Lila's potential guardianness!
acosta perez joser ramiro: You're exactly spot on, my dear! Thanks so much for the review!
Guest 1#: Yes, indeed, haha! Shit is getting very real!
Sargentakpompi: Haha, yes that bee costume was just *chef's kiss* and yes, Helga and her Mum have such an interesting dynamaic (as does everyone in her family) and I love exploring that! But yessss, I love writing Gerald and Helga, they're both just so stubborn XD Thanks for the review, dear!
Yami Dragoness: Thank you so much!
Okay, now guys, I'mma stop trolling y'all and swear that I promise Lila finally is confronted next chapter (I have no queries spoiling that given it's been like three chapters). Any questions you want answered right away, fire them at my tumblr! And please, please, please leave reviews, this fic isn't easy to write!
Anyway, bug out!