"Got your books? Your belt pouch!? Blade! You forgot your ancient hilt!" Flaxa chased after her daughter, yet her whirlwind was already reaching the front door of the apartment building. 'She's become so fast.' There was no point in trying to catch up this way. Instead, Flaxa turned on her heels and opened the window. "BLADE!" Flaxa hurled the hilt at her.
"Oh, right!" Blade had the jitters today was the day. She caught the hilt as she transformed and dashed off to the teleporter station.
"AND CALL! YOU HEAR ME!" Her mom hollered through the street.
"YEAH, YEAH!" Blade could only shake her head; this was getting on her nerves. Yet it also was proof of her parents' love for her. She would never fault them for that. Still annoying.
They all had horribly failed more or less at least in the damned written exams they had to write. Truly no brilliant performance there. All students had hoped for more time. Yet at some point, the Professors had decided to do a preliminary round of written exams anyway and in a couple of weeks there would be another, all because the Orders needed their skill level now. And of course, since Blade missed out on more classes than anyone else last semester. She also had the worst scores. But even Tasu had struggled to keep her A's and landed even a few B's. How the heck she did so well was beyond anyone's guess. The Sorceresses plead cheating, yet the Fairies knew her better.
Hurried, Blade rushed from the teleporter station in Magix to the Council building, pressed for time. The Council guards there cautioned her jokingly not to trip and fall after they activated her charm. But Blade couldn't care less. What was by far more annoying was the fact that people ALWAYS tried to talk to her for no good reason. If they at least had something to say… but no, it was just the fact that being seen with her or being nice to her earned them public points. Well, besides some true groupies as she and her friends called them. The other class members had had similar problems funnily enough. Such an annoyance.
So, Blade chased around the corners and through the streets of Magix City as Lucia, her Sorceress persona. It was as busy a day as any other, the weather was okay and her phone rang. "Yes?"
"Blade are you not there yet?" Flaxa resounded.
Blade rolled her eyes, she had forgotten, "I'm fine." The Police Station came into sight. "Love you. Gotta go!" She hung up. Her red locks bounced with every rushed step. She raced up the stairs past. Some Officers greeted her kindly and a bit surprised or rather confused.
"Hey, there…" Steve laughed, "Now, there's someone in a hurry…"
Officer Lena snickered, "Well, maybe a payday is coming up?" They had become rather acquainted with Sorceresses coming in and out of their station by now. Most Sorceresses still preferred the drop box system. But few indeed came inside even if only to prance around what a good job they had done to find and unearth the corruption of the Police.
For Blade the first weeks it had been weird to come to the station. Actually, meeting any Officer as Lucia. The reveal of the truth and what had happened to her in one of the stations had spread like wildfire of course. So, many felt guilty and apologised over and over. Some were still pissed, not because of her specifically, but because their little task force had cost some people favour, money and their public image. Yet with the cases so tight in court, there was not much left to blame but their own stupidity, but not all were reflected enough to admit to their wrongs as openly as others. Not to mention not everyone was ready or even willing to change with the new era on the horizon.
Blade passed the second glass door squeezed by some familiar Officers from the station and dashed onto William's office yet shortly knocked before she entered.
"Yes - Lucia?" William rose from his chair instantly. "Is everything okay?!" The man was a bit on alert as she was out of breath.
"Yes- all…good," Blade swiped the sweat from her forehead and took a seat as William offered it to her and got a bottle of water out of his small fridge.
William relaxed a bit yet inspected her closely as he sat down again. "So? What's up?"
Blade chucked down the water, "I totally forgot to hand in the mission items from last week. I found him," She pulled out a photo. "That is the guy tagging at the plaza. Some gang initiation. They are active around four in the afternoon after school." Blade explained quickly. As she searched for the forms she had filled out. She looked at the clock. "Great…I got to go, sorry, we got to chat another day…"
"You going to check out that Joined Track of those second years who spearheaded the hunt for the corruption inside the police?" William asked with an interesting undertone. "Why didn't you join them?"
"I -" Blade stared at William. Nimue had copied her at the Council ceremony. And in her speech, Blade had stated not to be the same person. That she as a friend helped to protect Lucia. Yet William already knew her all too well. "Well, I just… it was a bit too much. I'm not one to make grand speeches like my Fairy friend Blade." Blade coughed up an excuse. "Why are you not taking the Chief position? I heard some Councillors pushed for it."
"And that's the reason why. I'm a good man, a good Officer. I can lead a station. I will not skip the route to Chief just because I'm in enough good graces. I would lose the respect of all who, well, rather oppose me, than support me."
Blade frowned at him, "Who cares about those…?"
"AND," William wouldn't let himself get cut off so quickly, "A Chief does need more experience in leading and organising, it's a LOT of paperwork." He laughed out once, "I'm not even sure if I want to be a Chief. I think I would miss the street work. I would miss out on seeing you as well." He smirked at her.
'He is… sometimes… Hm, Nerrocean said something similar when William was brought up as a favoured choice for a new Police Chieftain. He stonewalled us directly. Seems those two have some sort of agreement… since William got placed as liaison to Cloud Tower.' Blade shook her head. It had only just made the news a day ago. "Well then, good luck hunting those graffiti kids." Blade gave a nod.
William looked at her all too kindly still amazed that she wasn't fazed by the world knowing what had happened to her. She wouldn't be looked down upon nor let herself be treated any differently than before, by no one. "Lucia." He stopped her one last time.
Blade held her hand already on the door handle, "Yes?"
"Tell your friend, Blade, good luck with the Joined Track for me okay? She deserves it. I am sure, she'll become a great Fairy," William smiled at her. "I would like to meet her again, I know our first mission hadn't the best outcome."
"I'll make sure to tell her," Blade nodded firmly getting all excited about the Joined Track again. "Gotta go, have to cheer her on."
"You'll do just fine," William gently added as he sat down and pretended to not have said a thing then the redhead stared at him just for a second longer before with a smirk she vanished through the door. 'So, Blade and Lucia, that makes a whole lot more sense on SOOO many levels; …and still doesn't… what I don't get is how she can use both Light and Dark magic. There never had been a Fairy that also was a Sorceress. Or vice versa. They do swap professions, but do not stay in both. Sorceresses can't connect to nature after all, while Fairies need it…' William couldn't wrap his head around this no matter how hard he thought about it.
Blade had moved from the station to the next bus stop. It was indeed a bit weird to have some constant gazes on her from the pedestrians. The majority wasn't as cold as before. All their work indeed had paid off. People indeed felt for the Sorceresses and welcomed "The Denied" a dire needed change. Even if they did have not full trust in the student force yet or how long it would hold up. And of course, there were some piercing gazes filled with rage. After all Officers had lost their jobs for what they had done and there was no denying that some families had depended on their income that now had gone up in smoke. There also were rumours that quite a few marriages had broken up or had been cancelled. To some degree Blade felt guilty, it hadn't been her goal, yet some repercussions never had come to her mind before still there was no denying that lives were affected by it all in more than one way.
Blade was about to enter the bus when her cell rang; quickly, she pulled it out, "Yes?"
"Blade!" The ever-so-cheerful voice of Amal resounded.
"Amal?" Blade stopped, and nodded to the bus driver to move on, if necessary, she would catch up to it with no problem. "Everything okay?"
"No…" A bit pouty He answered. "You were in the building and didn't even stop to say hello. Today is THE day. And I have… what's the time? Ah, shit. Never mind. Rock it, okay? Sorry for distracting you."
Blade checked the time on her bracelet, "Ah, damn it, I totally forgot, that you wanted to give me something! Wait, I'll come over. Will be a bit closer, but there is no point in sparring with Mercury anyways… I'm sure we'll officially make some form of warm-up. Be right there!"
Amal protested "NO! Those tests are important you can't waste your magic-"
Blade laughed, "You are more important than any test. I keep telling you, don't put work first. Didn't you scold me that I should make time for my family?" She giggled as she rushed through the streets.
"But-" Amal wanted to object yet was already greeted with the beeping tone of a hung-up call. "That girl…ahhhh."
Blade rushed up the stairs as fast as the wind and halfway skidded over the floor and scared half of the people walking in the hallway to death as she bumped into the wall a bit roughly. "Sorry!" She apologised and rushed on. Before anyone would start another senseless talk. Her chest rose and fell as she nearly opened the door without knocking.
"Come in," Lord Calculus answered. For once the Lord and secretary of Votzaak was in house.
"Lord," Blade stuttered as she entered. She hadn't seen him since forever.
"Ms Ashfallow?" He seemed at first a bit confused then chuckled shortly. One glance at his intern said everything.
"And what do you think you are still doing here?" Votzaak crossed his arms.
Truly confused Blade's gaze wandered till she met his eyes. "Vo- Voz-"
The Leprechaun raised an eyebrow, "In official meetings that's Grandmaster or Councillor to you." He gave a side nod to Lord Calculus.
"Now, now… we are all friends here. I'll make some arrangements and inform King Cyros," Calculus simply stated and smirked, "Amal take your five minutes. No longer; Ms Ashfallow shouldn't be tardy. You know that." A firm statement yet not a reprimand for the moment.
Votzaak openly frowned.
"I told her she should…" Amal tried to make it clear. Yet promptly swapped back to business. "Well, I finished just in time." He opened the drawer and pulled out a memory drive. "That…" his eyes darted to Votzaak he wanted to explain but he was unsure if this was the best place.
Blade snatched it from him and simply uploaded the data to her bracelet right there on the spot. "Finished what?" She had no clue.
"No, don't, he'll…ahhhh…" Amal let his head hang as Blade already had opened the biggest file and in what felt like a thousand windows pictures of all her Professors and to-be-trainers popped up with all kinds of charts and notes and video clips.
"Woah…" Blade looked at him, "You analysed them all but it's… in just two weeks? How?!" Blade wide-eyed let her eyes fly over the data. "When?"
"…" Votzaak glanced at the boy. "You're one sleek snake, aren't ya? You sure you want to go into politics?" He asked half-jokingly and yet dead serious. Votzaak hadn't forgotten that Amal had been the one to coax the server for The Denied from him. "How did you even? … I don't wanna know…" He growled, even though he had a good idea. Never mind that he'd caught a glimpse of information that SHOULDN'T be given out lightly. This wasn't the right place nor the right time however, so he simply jumped into the air to match her hight. Even, he pulled Blade along by the back of her collar.
"HEY!" Blade squeaked surprised.
"We're leaving." Votzaak turned to Amal with a glare, "And close that damn file and DON'T give it out to ANYONE else. AND I want a COPY OF THAT!"
"Y-y-ye-YES! Councillor!" Amal hurriedly typed away on his console to send him a message with the file.
"What? Hey, let go, come on…" Blade nagged and finally was let go off as the door fell shut again. Yet she knew Votzaak expressively wanted her to follow him. "Where are we going?" She straightened out her shirt.
Votzaak scrutinized her. "Move it." He pointed down the hall.
Blade grimaced, it was getting late and she had not planned to stroll around the Headquarters longer than needed, this was bad. Nonetheless, she started walking as ordered. They ended up at a well-known office, Nerrocean's. She opened the door for them both, "Not to be rude but I… I…eh…"
The Office was filled with not few people. Riven, Itzcali, Aithlin, Iolas and a couple of teammates, Fane, Avalon's old teammate Gwaine, and of course Nerrocean.
Iolas tilted his head, "What are you doing here, Blade? You should be-"
Master Aithlin deeply worried asked straight away and cut his Eques off, "Did something happen? Another Psi attack?"
"No, intel gathering. Now then…" Votzaak sighed annoyed, closed the door and started drawing runes with his fingers.
Fane snorted, "HA! Bit late for that. You kids suck. Green as one can be."
"At least, they DID come up with the idea… in the end. I was getting worried," Riven noted as he pushed off the wall and carded through his purple spiky hair a bit embarrassed.
"You should, it was a lucky break," Votzaak glanced at Blade disapprovingly. Even disappointed; not for having connections but not coming up with it on her own. Yet his gaze hit Nerrocean even harder. "I thought you taught them. Two months of stakeouts and that's the best they have to show for it? A lucky break, from the boyfriend worried for his-"
Blade went red, "He's not my boyfriend!"
"Friends with benefits then?" Fane asked intrigued.
"FANE!" Nerrocean and Votzaak admonished the Vampire straight away. If they didn't stop her now, this would get out of hand, they had a long day ahead after all.
The Elves badly repressed snickers over Blade's utter speechlessness at that comment.
Gwaine from the White Jade breathed out loudly, hiding his amusement; he could read Blade's aura all too clearly. "Now, now, they failed the second test, don't be too harsh. There is still a lot to go through."
"Failed the second… what?" Blade didn't understand.
Apex Predator Itzcali only rolled her eyes, "You got lots to learn, little noob."
Votzaak meanwhile had finished the runes on the doorframe and with a snap of his fingers a portal opened. "Move." He grabbed Blade's wrist and flung her through with some good amount of force, total overkill and faster than she could react.