Belle

With trepidation, Lycaon accompanied Belle upstairs to witness the ruin of her room. She peeked from behind Lycaon's torso, which he continually kept between her and potential snipers, and she saw that 'ruin' was a bit too optimistic of a word for it all: her room was simply gone. The roof was open air. The wooden floor had burned off to reveal the stone and steel of the old building's construction. A bit of black burned fabric still smoked in the corner of the half-gone wall. There wasn't much to see. Thank goodness the bangboos they kept upstairs charged in Wise's room. It had suffered some damage to the walls but had mostly been untouched.

Her clothing and furniture were obnoxious to lose, but a lot of things in her room were irreplaceable keepsakes. Memories of friends now out of touch, heirlooms of her childhood, the note from her mother that had just happened to be in Belle's pocket the day the hollow fell on their heads. If the blast hadn't gotten it, the resultant fire surely did. Gone.

Belle thought she should feel angry, indignantly angry that someone would do this to her. But she only felt sad- and a little sick. If Lycaon had been in a different part of the building, or just a little bit slower, or not here at all: she would be dead. Her body as lifeless as that first intruder a few days and a lifetime ago. Her own body perhaps scraps of burning rags in some corner. Maybe Wise's, too. Belle shuddered to think of it.

"This will end, won't it?" she wondered aloud. "This isn't my life forever, is it?"

Lycaon gently put a massive paw on her shoulder and guided her down a few steps of the stairway, getting her out of view of anyone outside. He kneeled down slightly, bringing his face close to hers, his crimson eye looking intently into her eyes.

"It will end, Belle," said Lycaon with conviction. "Tomorrow is a day of revelations, I'm sure of it. Your allies will find intelligence and you will have your first treatment. I'll be at your side today, tomorrow, and until this ends."

Belle felt her eyes water, but not from sadness, not entirely- the loss of her room was still a wound; but she also felt an intense, immense relief at Lycaon's words. He'd been with her since the beginning of all this, literally and figuratively carrying her when she needed it- and supporting her efforts when she could walk on her own. How could she do this without him? She couldn't. And he was staying with her.

She hugged Lycaon suddenly around the neck, burrowing her face in the warm fur of his neck. It felt safe. He smelled safe. The relief of that poured through her like a cooling balm, the rankle of her lost things and the tension of looking strong in front of Wise and Qingyi and everyone. It all faded away. Belle didn't have to look strong in front of Lycaon. Somehow, she knew that he would never think her weak.

It was so much better to have him here. That was one thing about all of this: Lycaon was with her now. If none of this happened, would she have ever known him? Probably. But how she knew him now, in this moment? Probably not. And if this whole mess with data and assassins ended… what then?

"I don't want you to go," said Belle into Lycaon's neck, his arms wrapped warmly around her back.

"I won't," said Lycaon immediately.

Belle knew instinctively that he didn't know what she was trying to say. "I mean- after this is done. I don't want you to go, Lycaon."

Lycaon stiffened slightly against her. He breathed deeply, and didn't say anything right away. Belle sensed he was picking his words carefully- picking out the perfect phrase from his vast vocabulary. She didn't want that- she didn't. She just wanted to know what his heart had said to him the moment he'd stiffened.

But wasn't this unfair? Did she even know what she herself was asking for? She didn't want him to go? After this was over?...

What did that even mean? It could be interpreted as a proposal, couldn't it? And Belle recoiled at that idea for being rather drastic. Rather sudden. Not exactly what she was thinking.. But… was it really that farfetched…?

Belle! Stop! What are you even thinking?!

She felt tears of frustration burn behind her eyes now. She burrowed deeper into Lycaon's collarbone. She was just being stupid.

"Oh, forget I said that Lycaon, I don't know what I'm saying. I'm just-"

Belle's words failed her. Shame and anxiety were adding themselves to the mix of sorrow, stress, fear, and attraction she was already feeling. It was too much a jumble for her to articulate.

Lycaon's strong hands gripped her upper arms and he gently pried her away from his body so that he could look at her again. His brows were upturned in worry, even his eyepatch taking on a mildly anxious cast. He began to say something, hesitated, took a deep breath.

"Belle, I am… tangled," he tapped his chest with his claws in soft desperation. "Tangled up. What you say, how y- you touch me. I favor it. I greatly favor it. But it tangles up with this… this… crisis situation. I protect you because I am a bodyguard. I serve you because I am a butler. Those roles tangle up with… within me… with how I feel for you, and- I fear: the way you feel when you say these things."

Belle listened to Lycaon's explanation and found no extra clarity for either of them. She felt her nose on the verge of running and she sniffed it back up gently. Her throat felt a little constricted. The general sense she got was that Lycaon was confused and unsure about their… whatever it was between them. That was fair. Frustrating, but fair. And it was her own actions which seemed to be pushing it. She didn't know what answer she wanted Lycaon to give her, she was doubting her own objective even in saying what she had just said.

"That's okay, Lycaon," Belle said finally. She lifted her hand and stroked the side of his face. She saw his fluffy tail wag behind him. "I think I'm pretty tangled up, too. Maybe we can unknot some of it together."

"I am amicable to that, Belle," said Lycaon, his face leaning in towards her, his nose briefly touching the tip of hers. Then his eye glazed over slightly and his ear twitched. Belle realized he must be receiving some sort of message in his communicator.

"The car has arrived," said Lycaon, straightening to his towering height. "Are you ready to depart?"

Belle looked vaguely at the top of the stairwell. There was nothing for her up there. Wise was taken care of. She didn't fear for him in Nicole's hands- not any more. Random Play was just a broken building now- protected by PubSec. The only person left was… not exactly a person.

"Let me check on one thing in the staff office," said Belle, and she led Lycaon back downstairs, weaved around the PubSec investigators, and re-entered the office. She noted that the bangboo chargers were all empty, so Wise and the Cunning Hares must have already gathered them all up. Belle expected that. She was here for something else:

"Fairy?" she said to the empty room.

"Yes, Belle?" said Fairy, the HDD monitor turning on to display the A.I's avatar symbol.

"I-ll be leaving to stay at the Black Sun, and Wise will be with the Cunning Hares…"

"Yes, I am aware," said Fairy.

"W- what about you? Are you okay? Do you want to go with one of us? Do I need to take anything of yours?"

Fairy was silent for a moment. "Bell, as I have previously advised you, I do not exist in any specific physical location. I will remain with you in your phone and your communicator and your HDD, and simultaneously so with Wise."

Belle felt mild anger at what she felt was a dismissive attitude towards her efforts towards the A.I. "I know that, Fairy! I just… wanted to check on you. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Fairy was silent again. "I see. I think I understand, Belle. Thank you."

"Yeah, well-"

"Perhaps," said Fairy suddenly. "You are willing to see to the safety of the photograph near the keyboard of this HDD unit?"

"The photograph?" said Belle with surprise.

Belle walked over to the terminal and saw a polaroid selfie she herself had taken a few months ago. It was her giving the camera a V with her fingers, awkwardly. Wise was behind her, also smiling, and behind them both was Fairy's emblem on the computer screen. It was the moment when Fairy had revealed her own avatar- a product of her own sentient whim, her virgin creativity.

"I have no practical use for physical possessions," said Fairy. "But I observe that humans keep in their possession a great number of things that lack practical use. I am aware of the words: momento, keepsake, memorabilia. That photograph meets the definitions of those words. A physical hardcopy backup of that moment is prudent."

Belle felt warmth from Fairy's words. The A.I. wanted to keep a photograph of the three of them. In the recent meeting, Fairy had proclaimed them all to be friends. Belle put the photo gently to her chest. "I'll make sure it stays safe. Though.. I think my wallet is gone."

"Allow me, Lady Belle," said Lycaon, stepping to her side and producing a billfold from his vest. Belle surrendered the photo to him and his large fingers gently and smoothly placed the photo within the stiff-backed protection of the billfold. He closed it up and placed it back within the depths of his vest pocket.

"Thank you, Belle. Von Lycaon," said Fairy.

"Hey, Lycaon," called out the annoyed voice of Ellen. "The car is waiting…!"

Fairy's computer screen turned off. "I have pre-plotted your ten most likely routes to the hotel Dark Sun. There is no significant traffic to report. Travel safely."

"Thanks, Fairy," said Belle.

And with that, Belle left Random Play, not to return for the foreseeable future. The car was waiting in the back parking lot under the protective shroud of the festival canopies. It was an unmarked, fancy black sedan like any other- windows shaded an opaque black. Or was it like any other car? Belle did a double-take. It looked a little odd. It was a bit long, a bit squat.. almost like a mini limousine.

"What kind of car is that?"

"We call it a Victoria," said Lycaon, pride obvious in his voice. "They are custom built just for the unique needs of our clientele."

Lycaon opened the backdoor of the car and peered inside. He seemed satisfied and withdrew. He turned to Belle and, bowing formally, outstretched his right arm to indicate she should enter the car's interior. "All is prepared for you, Lady Belle. Please, take your seat."

Belle moved past Lycaon and flattened her long pink skirt to the back of her legs as she slid into the limousine. Nicole's pink skirt-suit actually seemed to be an appropriate dress, all of a sudden. Belle felt like she was some super powerful CEO off to a meeting of some sort.

The seat was fine, smooth leather. The interior smelled of it, and also lightly of polish and cleanliness, and of… sandalwood and… apple pie? Whatever it was, it was subtly delightful and Belle found herself breathing deeply just to enjoy more of it. The Victoria limousine was styled in sleek grays, the interior a classy monochromatic effect of slightly differing hues and textures. It was also surprisingly tight inside. Belle didn't have to slide far till her shoulder hit the window glass on the other side.

Belle glanced out the window and realized the glass was almost six inches thick and probably wasn't glass at all. The door, too, seemed thicker to accommodate said glass-like material. Belle blinked and looked around the small interior of the car again, realization dawning slowly: This wasn't a sedan or a limousine… it was a dang tank! 20% of the car's bulk must be in the deceptively thick armor!

"Lady Belle," said Lycaon, his head momentarily filling the space of the open door. "As you've likely noticed, the rear of the car only fits two. And that is an average two. Miss Ellen will attend you in the back for the trip, and I will be next to the driver monitoring our passage."

Lycaon wouldn't be riding with her? It was an ideal opportunity to talk. Or even if he needed to focus on their security as they moved through the city, it was an opportunity she could be close to him. After the attack today, Belle felt a bit nervous about everything. She wanted Lycaon next to her.

"I don't mind squeezing in here with-" Belle began to say, but then a shark tail coiled fin-first into the backseat, lightly smacking into Belle's side. Ellen herself followed her tail into the seat next to Belle, casting a baleful side-eyed glare as she did so. Belle felt the chill of a directed negative vibe, and she could almost see an aura of animosity flowing off Ellen's body like dark flame. Belle blinked and it was gone.

"Gracefully, Miss Ellen. Always gracefully," admonished Lycaon from the exterior of the car.

"My bad…" said Ellen, her tone of voice not quite sounding contrite. She pointedly did not look at either Belle or Lycaon.

Belle blinked at her, honestly shocked. What the hell was all this?!

Meanwhile, Lycaon made an annoyed clicking sound with his mouth- something Belle had never heard from him before. But he closed the door calmly and said nothing else. Belle had witnessed Lycaon's ability to be direct with discipline when he'd challenged Wise over the porno-tape prank, but either Ellen's behavior did not warrant it, or it was not the right time with Belle as witness, or perhaps… Ellen could operate under a different rule set. What had Nekomata said just a short time ago?

Oh… she's like a daughter. He's got a teenage daughter, Belle…

Belle hadn't really been listening to Nekomata at the time. The catty woman had been in her mischievous mode, that was obvious. When Nekomata was like that, one couldn't really take her seriously. But maybe about this… Nekomata had zeroed in on a real truth.

She stared at Ellen who was putting on her seatbelt. It seemed a bit of a struggle to manage when one had a large shark's tail emerging from the small of one's back. Some cars came with seat-back doors that allowed thiren tails to stretch into the trunk. Either this car didn't have it, or Ellen didn't want to use it, or perhaps the trunk was full of gear and supplies and had no room for Ellen's tail anyway.

Ellen caught Belle staring at her and she froze. Her brows fell and Ellen's expression became intense. Were her teeth grinding? Belle felt nervous and flighty, in a new place with a new person, and Belle felt uneasy about Ellen's demeanor. She smiled politely and then looked away from Ellen, watching Random Play's parking lot begin to pass by slowly as the car began moving, Lycaon likely secured in the front of the car on the other side of a thick wall of armor.

"Hey, lady.." said Ellen.

Belle felt hot breath on her ear. She turned to find Ellen's face intruding into her space, their noses almost touching. Instinctively, Belle scrunched in her neck to back off Ellen's proximity. Ellen's red eyes glared into Belle's soul, thick black mascara making storm clouds of her eyelashes. Meanwhile, alarmingly sharp teeth were visible between the small sneer of Ellen's lips.

"I know what you're up to, and I'm telling you now: Lycaon isn't yours."

Belle had the flash of a memory across her mind's eye: Ellen's glare when she'd walked in on Lycaon licking tears from Belle's face. Was that what this was about? It was certainly an act of care and of intimacy, but that had been Lycaon's initiative. And of course, Lycaon wasn't Belle's! Lycaon didn't belong to anyone but himself! Yet.

"W- what?" said Belle, feeling the need to say something, anything at all- she was unable to parse all the undertones of Ellen's sudden direct challenge.

"Tch," said Ellen with a frown and she withdrew, falling back into her seat with a bounce of her turned shoulder- her tail preventing her from sitting straight on. "You heard me…"

Belle blinked as Ellen suddenly no longer seemed to acknowledge Belle's existence. Ellen took out a small lollipop, unwrapped it, and tossed it dismissively into her mouth. Belle heard her teeth grind into the hard candy almost immediately.

Her mind finally working, Belle felt impelled to offer back something in response: "M- my name is Belle, by the way. We met a few days ago?"

Ellen didn't even look at her, instead turning to stare out the other window.

"Oh really… No way…"